Tyrant and Father

"Megumi, have something to eat first!"

Tsumiki Fushiguro carried a fruit platter over to Megumi Fushiguro, who was diligently doing his homework.

"Thanks, Sis."

Megumi Fushiguro smiled and took the fruit platter, placing it on the desk.

Although they both had the surname Fushiguro, they were not related by blood.

Megumi Fushiguro was Toji Fushiguro's son with his ex-wife, while Tsumiki Fushiguro was his current wife's daughter with her ex-husband.

Even so, Megumi Fushiguro and Tsumiki Fushiguro had a very good relationship.

Ding-dong—

"Just a moment! I'm coming!"

Hearing the doorbell, Tsumiki Fushiguro called out as she walked to the front door.

Looking through the peephole, she was astonished to find Toji Fushiguro standing outside.

However, Toji Fushiguro was currently sporting a bruised and battered face, with a bandage wrapped around his forehead. He looked rather disheveled.

After hesitating for a moment, Tsumiki Fushiguro opened the door anyway.

But her gaze toward Toji Fushiguro held the indifference and curiosity one would show toward a stranger.

"Dad... Father?"

Toji Fushiguro gave a slight nod in response, not showing any displeasure at his daughter's distance.

Ever since marrying into the Fushiguro Household, he had rarely stayed home, and his chances to see Tsumiki had been pitifully few.

Though they were father and daughter in name, they had never developed the bond a father and daughter should have.

"Ah... Come in!"

Tsumiki Fushiguro moved aside somewhat blankly, clearly still unaccustomed to Toji Fushiguro's arrival.

Toji Fushiguro scratched his head and gave a rare, sheepish smile. "Thanks."

"Sis, who is it?"

Megumi Fushiguro's spiky head poked out from the room.

The instant he saw Toji Fushiguro, a trace of disgust and displeasure flashed through his eyes.

"You actually know how to come home? Judging by the state you're in, did you lose a bet, fail to pay up, and get beaten?"

"..."

Toji Fushiguro felt somewhat annoyed.

Damn Gojo Sawa. He healed all the other injuries on my body, but deliberately left the ones on my face.

What a sick hobby!

"This... happened at work. You could call it a workplace injury."

Toji Fushiguro explained, then suddenly froze, puzzled by why he seemed especially patient today.

"!"

Megumi was even more surprised than Toji.

This was the first time his cheap father had ever responded to him directly—and he had even said a complete sentence.

However, the resentment he had accumulated over the years meant that Megumi showed no mercy with his mouth.

"Workplace injury? Collecting debts for the mafia and getting beaten up?"

"..."

Toji Fushiguro rolled his eyes. His broad palm reached forward, covered Megumi's head, and vigorously ruffled it.

Megumi's already wildly spiky hair instantly transformed into a sea-urchin head.

"Bastard! Let go of me!"

Megumi struggled, though that little bit of strength was completely useless against Toji Fushiguro.

This feeling... is pretty great!

Toji Fushiguro thought, unconsciously laughing aloud.

"Hm???"

Megumi saw the corner of his cheap father's mouth curl upward and froze completely.

Something's wrong! Extremely, unbelievably wrong!

Could Dad have been beaten stupid?

Toji Fushiguro then released him and walked into the room on his own. He lay on his side on the tatami and waved at Megumi.

"Hey! Get me a bottle of liquor!"

"...Get lost!"

Megumi snorted coldly and turned to walk into his own room.

Tsumiki Fushiguro looked at Megumi, then at Toji Fushiguro.

In the end, she sighed and took a six-pack of beer from the refrigerator for Toji Fushiguro.

"Uh... Thanks."

Facing this daughter who was unrelated to him by blood, Toji Fushiguro had no idea what attitude he should take.

Fortunately, Tsumiki was exceptionally well-behaved and sensible. What father wouldn't cherish a daughter like that?

The days passed one after another.

Toji Fushiguro settled down like this. Every day, he traded barbs with his son and chatted with his daughter. Sometimes, on a whim, he even cooked. He had even quit the gambling he used to love most.

Meanwhile, Megumi Fushiguro and Tsumiki Fushiguro went from being completely unused to it at first to fully adapting to life with an extra father.

One day, as usual, Megumi Fushiguro pushed open the door and began cleaning up the empty cans Toji Fushiguro had finished drinking.

Suddenly, he saw something strange on Toji Fushiguro.

It looked like... a large black-and-purple fleshy worm, wrapped around Toji Fushiguro's body.

Megumi Fushiguro froze for a moment, thinking his eyes were playing tricks on him. He rubbed them and looked again carefully.

Feeling the blatant stare behind him, Toji Fushiguro turned around in confusion. "What is it?"

"There's something on you..."

Megumi Fushiguro pointed at the Cursed Spirit Choubou, his face filled with disbelief.

"Hm?"

Toji Fushiguro raised an eyebrow and pointed at Choubou. "You mean this?"

Megumi Fushiguro's eyes widened. "Huh? You can see it too? Th-this... this is real?"

Seeing this, Toji Fushiguro grinned. He had clearly already understood his son's situation.

Cursed Technique awakening!

"Looks like it's time you learned about some things... Tsumiki, come in for a moment."

Although Tsumiki Fushiguro had no talent for Jujutsu, they were family living under the same roof. There was no way to keep it hidden, and Toji did not mind letting her know.

Toji Fushiguro then began explaining Cursed Energy and Cursed Techniques to Megumi and Tsumiki.

After a while, Toji finished speaking and picked up his beer to moisten his somewhat dry tongue.

Just as he was waiting expectantly for his son and daughter's reactions, Tsumiki blinked.

"Dad, do you have a fever?"

"..."

All right, to ordinary people, these matters really were nothing short of absurd.

Megumi Fushiguro, however, remained silent.

If he had not seen Choubou, he would have thought his father had gone completely insane too.

But he could see it. He could even clearly sense the Cursed Energy emanating from Choubou!

"There's some fever medicine in the room. Dad, wait here. I'll get it for you."

Toji covered his face and stopped Tsumiki.

Then, to prove that he was not crazy, Toji brought her to the courtyard and personally demonstrated a series of sci-fi-like feats in front of her.

Only after seeing Toji leap more than ten meters into the air did Tsumiki finally believe him.

Her eyes then sparkled with little stars. "Then Dad must be really strong in the Jujutsu Society, right? What do you do, Dad?"

"Ah, I'm a sorcerer ki—cough, cough!"

Seeing his pure and kind daughter, Toji hurriedly pulled himself back from the brink.

"I... I guess you could say I work as a hired bodyguard."

Toji Fushiguro said this guiltily. Then, wanting to establish a fatherly image in front of his daughter, he added:

"As for my strength, of course I'm very strong. In the Jujutsu Society, there are no more than a handful of people who can beat me."

"Wow~"

Tsumiki wore an expression of admiration.

Megumi, standing nearby, snorted coldly and scoffed. "You came home with a bruised and battered face a few days ago, and you said it was a workplace injury. You were obviously beaten so badly that you lost your job, right?"

Toji Fushiguro rolled his eyes. "That was because I ran into three people..."

"Didn't you say you were very strong, and that only a handful of people could beat you?"

Megumi interrupted, "Could those three people just happen to be among that handful?"

Toji Fushiguro: "..."

You might not believe this, but they damn well were!