[Five days later]
The morning sun slipped through the thin curtains of the small apartment where Megumi and Tsumiki lived. The floor was covered in folded clothes, a few old toys, and stacks of books that Tsumiki insisted on bringing. Four worn-out suitcases with rusty zippers sat open in the middle of the room. Megumi, sitting cross-legged, was stuffing socks and a wrinkled T-shirt into his bag, wearing the same serious expression as always. Tsumiki, kneeling beside him, was trying to organize a pile of notebooks, but kept stopping every few seconds, as if lost in thought.
"Do you think his house is big?" Tsumiki asked, breaking the silence. Her voice was soft, tinged with curiosity and a slight nervousness. She held a notebook with kittens on the cover, tracing the drawing with her fingertips.
Megumi shrugged without looking up from his suitcase. "Probably. He seems like the type who has a giant house just to show off."
Tsumiki let out a small giggle, but it sounded a bit forced. "He is kind of over the top, huh? Showing up out of nowhere, talking about weird stuff…" She paused, biting her lower lip. "But he was kind. He came here every day to check if we were okay."
"He wants something," Megumi replied, frowning. He grabbed a worn pair of sneakers and tossed them into the suitcase with more force than necessary. "No one helps like that without wanting something in return."
Tsumiki looked at him, her brows furrowing. "You always expect the worst from people, Megumi. What if he just wants to help? He said he wouldn't let us be separated."
Megumi huffed and picked up a teddy bear with one torn ear, hesitating before placing it in the suitcase. It was one of the few toys Tsumiki still kept, even if she was "too old" for it.
"Maybe," he finally muttered. 'But I don't trust him.'
Silence settled between them, broken only by the sound of Tsumiki rearranging her notebooks. Her expression grew serious, and she stopped, looking at her brother. "Megumi… are you scared?"
He froze, hands clutching a folded T-shirt. His dark eyes fixed on the floor, and for a moment, he seemed to wrestle with the words. "It's not fear," he said quietly. "It's just… I don't know what's going to happen. What if he changes his mind? What if those Zen'in people come and try to separate us?"
Tsumiki shook her head firmly, her eyes shining with determination. "Gojo-san promised that wouldn't happen. And I won't let it, Megumi. If he or anyone tries, I… I'll run away with you!"
Megumi raised an eyebrow. "Run away? You're slow."
"Hey!" Tsumiki exclaimed, crossing her arms. "I'm faster than you!"
"You trip over your own feet," Megumi retorted, his tone almost playful—a rare thing for him.
Tsumiki laughed, this time genuinely, and the sound warmed the cold air of the apartment. "You're impossible, you know that?" She leaned forward, ruffling his hair affectionately. "Everything's going to be fine. We'll stay together. Always. Okay?"
He looked at her and gave a small nod, almost imperceptible. "Okay."
Suddenly, three loud knocks echoed at the door, followed by a voice that was unmistakable—loud and full of energy. "Heeeey, kids! Reinforcements have arrived!" The door swung open with a dramatic push, and there he was, filling the doorway with his ridiculous height, sunglasses catching the sunlight, and a grin far too big for his face. He wore a simple white shirt and dark pants.
"Gojo-san!" Tsumiki exclaimed, jumping to her feet a bit awkwardly. "You came so fast!"
"Of course I did! Punctuality is my middle name!" Satoru replied, pointing at himself with his thumb, though Megumi muttered something like "liar" just low enough not to be heard.
Satoru strode into the room, his steps wide, the eyes behind his glasses scanning the mess. "Wow, looks like a tornado hit this place. Are you packing the whole house or just the important stuff?"
Tsumiki scratched the back of her neck, a bit embarrassed. "It's just… we don't know what we'll need. And, well, it's all we have."
Satoru tilted his head, his smile softening for a moment. "Fair enough. But don't worry, my apartment has plenty of space. And if we're missing anything, we'll figure it out. Now, where are those bags? Let's speed this up!"
Megumi crossed his arms, still sitting on the floor. "Why are you so excited?"
Satoru laughed, crouching down to Megumi's level, his sunglasses slipping slightly down his nose. "Because, Megumi-kun, this isn't just a move. It's the beginning of the great Fushiguro adventure with the incredible Gojo Satoru! You'll see—it's gonna be epic."
Megumi rolled his eyes but didn't reply. Tsumiki, on the other hand, seemed torn between finding it funny and staying cautious. "Gojo-san, are you sure that... like, we won't be in your way?"
"Nah, I barely spend any time there. The place is pretty much yours." Satoru stood up, clapping his hands. "Alright, enough talking. Bags, now!"
He didn't wait for a response and grabbed Tsumiki's two suitcases in one hand and Megumi's in the other, balancing all of them like they weighed nothing. "Let's go, team, follow the leader!" he sang, already heading for the door.
Tsumiki exchanged a glance with Megumi, who only shrugged, resigned. "Is he always like this?" she whispered.
"Probably," Megumi replied, standing up.
The two of them followed Satoru down the narrow hallway of the building and toward the stairs.
Outside, parked on the street, was a silver pickup truck, sturdy and with a few scratches on the body that suggested it had seen its share of action. The bed was covered with a tarp, and the paint gleamed under the morning sun.
Satoru tossed the bags into the truck bed, securing them under the tarp. "All set! Everything on board!" He opened the driver's door and made an exaggerated gesture for the two to get in. "Your seats of honor await!"
Tsumiki hesitated, eyeing the truck. "It's... safe, right?"
"Safe? This beauty's been through stuff you wouldn't believe," Satoru said, giving the hood a fond pat. "Get in, get in. I promise I won't drive like a maniac... at least not today."
Megumi climbed into the back seat without a word, his eyes fixed on the window, as if trying to memorize the street they'd grown up on. Tsumiki got in beside him, gripping the door handle tightly. Satoru started the engine, which purred with a deep growl, and pushed his sunglasses up onto his head, revealing those bright eyes that looked like they could see through anything.
"Alright, kids. Next stop: the new life of the Fushiguros!" He turned the wheel, and the truck began to move, leaving the building behind. Tsumiki glanced at Megumi, who was still staring out the window, and gently placed a hand on his shoulder.
"It's going to be okay," she whispered, more to herself than to him.
Megumi didn't answer and let his head rest against the glass as the city drifted by outside.
***
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, images or songs featured in this fic. Additionally, I do not claim ownership of any products or properties mentioned in this novel. This work is entirely fanfic.