Tokyo, Ginza Street.
"Geto-sama! This, this—it's super yummy!"
Nanako dug a piece of almond brittle from a paper bag and fed it to Suguru Geto.
At that moment, Suguru was the picture of a doting dad: Mimiko cradled in his left arm, Nanako perched on his shoulders.
He chewed the snack, letting out a helpless sigh.
"I'm only sixteen, for crying out loud—what's all this about?!"
Even so, Suguru, standing at over six feet, didn't look remotely underage.
Meanwhile, the petite, adorable Nanako and Mimiko were just five years old.
To passersby, the trio was the epitome of a heartwarming family: a loving dad with two darling daughters!
As they strolled, Suguru suddenly froze, staring straight ahead.
Standing before him was a burly man, each hand holding a young boy and girl.
Toji Fushiguro glanced at Suguru, then at Nanako and Mimiko.
"Your daughters?"
Suguru nearly lost it. "No way… I'm only sixteen…"
"Your sisters?"
"Not exactly… They're orphans I took in."
Toji eyed Nanako and Mimiko with interest. "They've got serious sorcerer potential, huh?"
Suguru glanced at the boy Toji was holding, his eyes widening slightly in surprise.
That aura… a powerful technique!
Toji, noticing, grinned and introduced, "My son, Megumi Fushiguro!"
Megumi studied Suguru, sensing something odd—this guy was a sorcerer, and… strong!
He stepped forward politely and bowed. "Hello, I'm Megumi Fushiguro."
Toji then ruffled the hair of the girl on his right. "This is my daughter, Tsumiki Fushiguro."
"Nice to meet you!"
"I'm Nanako Hasaba!"
"I'm Mimiko Hasaba!"
Nanako and Mimiko chimed in, exchanging greetings.
Tsumiki, spotting girls her age, lit up with the urge to make friends.
Toji tilted his head. "Looks like the kids wanna chat. There's a café nearby—wanna join?"
With nothing else on his plate, Suguru nodded.
Plus, he figured he could pick Toji's brain on how to be a good "dad" to two kids.
If Megumi knew Suguru's plan, he'd call it a pipe dream.
A dad who takes care of two kids?
It's Monday—why aren't he and Tsumiki at school?
Because a certain "dad" overslept, forgot to drop them off, and instead of fixing it, called the school to excuse them, then dragged them out shopping!
Inside the café.
Being the same age and vibe, Tsumiki hit it off fast with Nanako and Mimiko.
Megumi, though, was quiet, his near-deadpan face reminding Suguru of his junior, Nanami.
"Congrats, heard you got promoted to Special Grade recently."
Toji downed his coffee in one gulp, chugging it like cheap beer at a dive bar.
Suguru, by contrast, sipped his with elegance.
"Speaking of which, I owe you one."
"…Forget it, new topic."
Toji cringed at the memory of getting jumped by those three.
"Hey, Toji."
"What?"
"What's your reason for living?"
Toji blinked. "That's a clunky segue, but if I had to say… before, it was money. Now, probably…"
He glanced subtly at Megumi and Tsumiki. "Family, I guess."
"Family? Coming from you, that's a shocker!"
"What's with you? You look all mopey, like you got dumped."
"What a lousy metaphor…"
"Gentlemen, your coffee refills!"
A waitress's gentle voice cut in.
"Thanks."
Suguru reached for the cup, his eyes narrowing.
An ugly cursed spirit clung to the waitress's shoulder.
At that moment, everyone but Tsumiki noticed it.
Before anyone could act, the waitress darted off, swamped with work.
"Need a hand?"
Toji grinned at Suguru.
Nanako, Mimiko, and Megumi, newly awakened to their techniques, couldn't yet exorcise spirits.
Toji, with zero cursed energy, needed cursed tools to do it.
But swinging a machete at thin air in public? That's a one-way ticket to jail or a psych ward.
Of everyone there, only Suguru could exorcise the spirit discreetly.
"It's just a Grade 4 spirit—can't hurt anyone."
Suguru shrugged, sounding bored, about to sip his coffee.
He paused.
The latte art was a sunny smiley face, and under the cup was a note.
Opening it, Suguru froze.
"Finish this coffee and forget your worries! (＾ワ＾)"
"Worries…"
Suguru touched his face, half-laughing, half-cringing. "Is it that obvious? Have I been walking around with a sourpuss face?"
"Sigh~"
He stood, heading to the waitress's station.
"Um…"
"Hello, sir! Can I help you?"
Her smile was like winter sunlight, warm and healing.
Suguru blanked for a second.
This girl reminded him of his admiring junior, Haibara Yu.
Same boundless energy, same vibrant positivity, almost too pure for this world.
"May I… ask your name?"
"Ehh!!!"
Her coworkers erupted, shooting gossipy looks at her and Suguru.
"Is our Haruko finally making a move?"
"Go, Haruko! Nailing a total hottie on the first try!"
The waitress, Haruko, blushed crimson. "Guys… don't jump to conclusions! I just met this guy!"
"Y-you… hi, I'm Haruko Shinohara!"
She stole a glance at Suguru.
She'd only left the note because he seemed down, a little "gift."
She didn't expect him to ask for her name!
What now? She'd never dealt with this!
Suguru, equally awkward, flicked his eyes to the spirit on her shoulder, exorcising it with a subtle gesture.
Then, like a thief, he bolted back to his seat.
Toji watched, amused, raising a brow. "Yo, that's not how you chase girls."
"Shut up!"
Suguru's mouth twitched. "I was just exorcising a spirit—work stuff!"
Toji smirked teasingly. "Sure, you're a terrible liar… hm?"
He turned, eyeing a group entering the café.
"What's up?"
"Pan-Star Cult."