The Warmth of the Fushiguro Family

Ring-ring-ring.

The crisp alarm rang. Eiji skillfully slapped it off, yawned, and walked into the bathroom.

Because he had gone to bed too late last night, Eiji only realized it was the weekend after groggily washing up and getting ready for school.

For a moment, Eiji had the urge to smash the alarm clock.

Sitting on the sofa, Eiji began thinking about what to do today.

"Forget it, no more thinking. Time to work out."

Sometimes, once you fell into thought, you spent far more time thinking than actually doing things.

For example, in his previous life, Eiji loved finding a novel or livestream to watch while eating.

Then he would spend ten minutes eating and half an hour looking for something to watch.

Ordering takeout was sometimes the same. He did not want to just pick something at random, but if he was going to eat whatever, he might as well make instant noodles at home.

The result was opening the delivery app, spending half an hour choosing food, waiting half an hour for delivery, then finishing the meal in ten minutes.

Time quietly slipped away like that.

By chance, Eiji had come across one of Teacher Luo's videos. If someone did not know what to do and felt lost, then they should read, exercise, and enrich themselves.

Once they found what they wanted, they should work hard for it. They should not just lie there doing nothing whenever they felt lost.

Only then could they seize opportunities in perfect condition when they arrived.

Eiji thought that made a lot of sense.

After changing into sportswear, Eiji began exercising according to the methods he remembered.

First, a few sets of movements to warm up.

One hundred push-ups, one hundred sit-ups, and finally one hundred squats.

The simple workout trained the muscles in his chest, abdomen, and legs.

After warming up, Eiji went out, turned left, and began a ten-kilometer jog.

It was already winter. Since it had not started snowing yet, the leaves had not all fallen from the trees.

Sanitation workers cleaned the streets in advance around four or five in the morning, so there were not many fallen leaves on the road.

Whenever bored Eiji spotted a leaf, he would adjust his stride and seemingly casually shift his running route just enough to step on it.

People were sometimes strange like that. When the trees were full of leaves, they did not bother looking, but when only a few leaves remained, they focused all their attention on those few leaves.

Perhaps jogging was too boring. Eiji found himself in just that kind of mood.

By the time he finished the ten kilometers, it was close to noon, so Eiji decided to spend some time at Toji Fushiguro's home.

"Excuse me."

After changing into slippers and entering the room, Eiji saw a scene that made him want to laugh.

"Stop pulling, brat."

"Toji, you can't be rough with children."

Toji Fushiguro sat cross-legged on the sofa, a soft pink blanket spread over his lap. Megumi Fushiguro, nestled in the middle of the blanket, stared curiously at Toji Fushiguro with wide eyes.

Tsumiki Fushiguro sat on Toji Fushiguro's shoulders, babbling loudly as she occasionally grabbed his hair to keep herself steady.

"Find somewhere to sit."

Toji Fushiguro glanced up at Eiji before returning his attention to the two children.

Toji Fushiguro held both arms high, trying to catch Tsumiki Fushiguro, yet afraid that he would hurt her if he used too much force. He could only keep his hands steady at her sides, lightly supporting her whenever she seemed likely to fall.

His crossed legs were not idle either, gently swaying up and down to rock Megumi Fushiguro on his lap like a cradle.

His clumsy movements and conflicted expression made Eiji want to laugh.

"Minako, I'll help."

Noticing Eiji's gaze, Toji Fushiguro shot him a vicious look.

Eiji immediately turned around and headed for the kitchen.

"No need. Lunch will be ready soon, Eiji. Just sit and wait."

"I'll help too. Don't worry, I'm pretty good at cooking."

Eiji gave her a confident look.

"Then I'll leave the chopping to you, Eiji."

Minako Fushiguro found it hard to refuse and set down the vegetables in her hands, turning to deal with the more difficult fish.

This was for stir-fried bean sprouts, right? Tofu and these seasonings, miso soup, tomatoes...

They were all ordinary home-cooked dishes. It was obvious what she intended to make. Having figured it out, Eiji got to work.

Having been single for two lifetimes, Eiji had quite a bit of experience with cooking. Why, you asked? After graduating university, he could no longer afford takeout.

Rent, utilities, phone bills, internet fees, heating bills... After paying all those expenses, he still wanted takeout three times a day?

He simply could not afford it.

What Eiji ate most often were buns from the breakfast shop downstairs. Three buns and a cup of soy milk cost seven yuan and filled him right up.

Later, after he got tired of buns and fried noodles, he started learning to cook for himself.

Three vegetable stir-fries and a serving of pan-fried fish were laid out, with a bowl of miso soup beside each person's rice.

"Let's eat." X3

After eating their fill, Eiji sat on the sofa. Beside him, Toji Fushiguro was slouched lazily.

Minako Fushiguro held Megumi Fushiguro in her left arm while playing a little game with Tsumiki Fushiguro using her right hand, a satisfied smile on her face.

Minako Fushiguro was Toji Fushiguro's second wife.

If Megumi Fushiguro's mother, Erika Fushiguro, had not died, Megumi Fushiguro should have called her Aunt.

If Toji Fushiguro had not died, Minako Fushiguro should have been very happy.

Minako Fushiguro and Erika Fushiguro were cousins, and they had always supported each other in life.

Erika Fushiguro had been cheerful and somewhat dashing, while Minako Fushiguro had been gentle and quiet.

Unfortunately, fate had played a cruel joke on them. Not long after Minako Fushiguro gave birth, her husband met with an accident, leaving her a widow.

Erika Fushiguro had also died unexpectedly not long after giving birth to Megumi Fushiguro. Neither of them had been fortunate.

Later, because Toji Fushiguro had absolutely no idea how to care for a child, Minako Fushiguro took Megumi Fushiguro in and raised him together with Tsumiki Fushiguro.

Two people whose lives had been shattered came together and formed a new family.

Toji Fushiguro went out to work and earn money. With his complete Heavenly Restriction, that was not difficult for him.

When Toji Fushiguro left the Zenin Family, his strength had already reached Special Grade. With that kind of power, he would not have to worry about making money even if he went to haul bricks.

Not to mention that old man Naobito Zenin had not completely cut ties with Toji Fushiguro. If Toji Fushiguro needed it, he could also learn about ways to make money through the old man.

That was how Toji Fushiguro found a place to belong and gradually came to understand what love was.

Minako Fushiguro also found someone to rely on. She had a lover who could shelter her from the wind and rain, and lively, healthy children.

In another world, Toji Fushiguro and Minako Fushiguro might have had an imperfect but at least decent ending. Unfortunately, he had been born into the world of Jujutsu Kaisen.

Gege Akutami's important characters were defined by being beautiful, powerful, and tragic.

Some had tragic fates, some had tragic endings, and some had both.

Toji Fushiguro was a character who had both.