As Seijuro, Satoru, Suguru, and Suguru's father stepped inside the house, a sense of warmth filled the modest space. The scent of freshly brewed tea lingered in the air, and family photos adorned the walls—simple yet full of cherished memories.
Suguru's father, turned to his son with a gentle smile. "Suguru, why don't you show Satoru-kun to your room?"
Suguru blinked, then nodded. "Okie." He turned to Satoru and held out his hand. "Follow me."
Satoru grinned and eagerly took his hand. "Yay! Let's go!"
As the two boys disappeared down the hallway, their excited chatter echoing faintly, Suguru's father exhaled in relief. It had been a stressful day, but seeing his son happy and safe put him at ease.
Turning to Seijuro, Suguru's father gestured toward the living room. "Now that it's just us, let's sit down and talk."
Seijuro nodded. "Sounds good, Geto-san."
Suguru's father chuckled. "Ah, just Masamune is fine. Sorry for not introducing myself earlier."
Seijuro waved his hand dismissively. "No worries at all, Masamune-san."
They moved to the living room, a cozy yet tidy space with a low wooden table at its center. A teapot and cups were already placed on a tray, steam rising from them. Masamune motioned for Seijuro to sit across from him.
As they settled in, Masamune let out a deep sigh, rubbing the back of his neck. "First of all, thank you for bringing Suguru back. He was missing for almost six hours—I was worried sick."
Seijuro offered a small smile. "It's nothing, really. I'm just glad we found him before anything bad happened."
Masamune nodded, gratitude evident in his expression. But now that they were alone, Seijuro knew it was time to shift the conversation to something more important.
"Masamune-san," Seijuro started, his tone shifting to something more serious, "there's something we need to discuss, about Suguru-kun, about cursed energy, and about the world he's unknowingly been born into."
Masamune's brow furrowed slightly. "Cursed energy...? What do you mean?"
Seijuro leaned forward slightly, his crimson eyes locking onto Masamune's. "I'll explain everything, but first—how much do you know about sorcerers?"
Masamune frowned, his fingers tightening slightly around the teacup in front of him. "Sorcerers? You mean... like those old myths and fairy tales?"
Seijuro exhaled, leaning back slightly. He had expected this reaction. The vast majority of non-sorcerers did not know Jujutsu society—unless they were directly involved in it.
"No, not myths. Reality." Seijuro gestured toward the hallway where Satoru and Suguru had disappeared. "Your son has immense cursed energy, Masamune-san. More than some adult sorcerers I've encountered."
Masamune's eyes widened slightly, but he remained silent, waiting for Seijuro to elaborate.
"Cursed energy is a form of power that exists within all humans, born from negative emotions." Seijuro continued. "Most people produce it without realizing it, but very few—like your son—are capable of controlling it. Those people are called Jujutsu Sorcerers."
Masamune placed his cup down on the table carefully. "And what exactly does a Jujutsu Sorcerer... do?"
Seijuro met his gaze head-on. "We exorcise curses. Creatures born from humanity's accumulated negativity—fear, hatred, resentment. They take form and prey on people. It's the responsibility of sorcerers to destroy them before they wreak havoc."
Masamune remained quiet for a moment. Then, he sighed.
"You're saying Suguru... has this power?"
Seijuro nodded. "Yes. And if left untrained, that power could be dangerous—not just to himself, but to others around him."
Masamune's jaw tensed, but his eyes flickered with concern rather than disbelief. "Dangerous how?"
Seijuro thought back to the Geto from the original timeline—the one who had succumbed to the weight of his ideals, the burden of his cursed technique, and the cruelty of the Jujutsu world.
"... Suguru has the potential to become one of the strongest sorcerers of this generation." Seijuro finally said. "But that power will attract danger. If he doesn't learn how to control it, he could either be killed by curses, or manipulated by those who would use him for their gain."
Masamune's fingers curled into fists, his expression darkening. "...And what do you suggest?"
Seijuro's gaze softened slightly. "I want to train him, alongside my son."
Masamune looked up sharply.
"Satoru is already learning to use his abilities. If Suguru trains with him, he'll have someone to grow alongside—and he'll be protected under the Gojo family's name."
Masamune exhaled slowly, his eyes filled with uncertainty.
Seijuro knew this was a lot to take in. He had just thrown an entire hidden world at him.
"I'm not asking you to decide now." Seijuro added. "Talk to Suguru. See what he wants. But I believe he deserves the chance to understand his abilities rather than suppress them out of fear."
Masamune looked down at the table, deep in thought. The room fell into silence, save for the faint laughter of children coming from Suguru's room.
After what felt like minutes, Masamune finally looked back up at Seijuro.
"...I'll talk to him."
Seijuro smiled, nodding. "That's all I ask."
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Suguru sat cross-legged on his bed, unwrapping another candy while Satoru lounged on the floor, absentmindedly kicking his legs in the air as he sorted through his own bag of sweets.
"This one's pretty good," Suguru said, popping a piece into his mouth. "Tastes kinda like honey."
Satoru peeked over. "Let me try."
Suguru rolled his eyes but held out a piece. Satoru took it, chewing thoughtfully before nodding in approval.
"Not bad," Satoru admitted. "But this one's better." He held up a bright blue candy. "Try it."
Suguru took the offered piece and placed it on his tongue. The second the flavor hit, his eyes widened, and he made a face. "It's sour!"
Satoru burst out laughing. "Hah! I knew it! You look like you just ate a lemon!"
Suguru scrunched his nose, his face still contorted from the sharpness of the flavor. "You tricked me!"
Satoru smirked. "I prefer to say I 'expanded your taste horizons.'"
Suguru huffed but couldn't help the small smile that crept onto his lips. This was nice—having a friend his age. He had never really had that before.
As they continued eating their candies, Satoru suddenly spoke, his tone shifting from playful to curious. "Hey, Suguru, do you wanna be a sorcerer?"
Suguru blinked, caught off guard. "Huh?"
"You have a ton of cursed energy," Satoru said, rolling onto his stomach and resting his chin on his hands. "My dad says that means you'd be a really strong sorcerer if you trained. Wouldn't that be cool?"
Suguru hesitated, twirling a candy wrapper between his fingers. "I... don't know. I never really thought about it."
Satoru tilted his head. "Well, you should think about it. We could train together! It'd be awesome."
Suguru gave a small chuckle. "You really like this whole sorcerer thing, huh?"
"Of course!" Satoru grinned. "I get to be super strong, beat up curses, and protect people. What's not to like?"
Suguru thought about that. Protecting people... That didn't sound bad.
-Creak!
The door suddenly opened, and both boys turned to see Masamune standing in the doorway.
"Dad?" Suguru sat up straighter.
Masamune gave him a small smile before looking at Satoru. "Hey, Satoru-kun, I need to talk to Suguru for a moment. Would you mind giving us some time alone?"
Satoru glanced between Suguru and Masamune before nodding. "Sure."
He stood up, dusting off his pants, then shot a grin at Suguru. "I'll be right outside."
Suguru nodded, and with that, Satoru walked out of the room, leaving the Getos alone.
Masamune closed the door behind him and turned to his son. His expression was calm, but Suguru could tell something was weighing on his mind.
"Suguru," Masamune said, his voice gentle. "I want to ask you something... Do you want to become a Jujutsu Sorcerer?"
Suguru looked down, his fingers fidgeting with the hem of his shirt as he mulled over his father's question. His mind flashed back to the way Satoru had spoken so passionately about being a sorcerer, the excitement in his voice, the unwavering confidence in his strength.
"...I don't know," Suguru admitted quietly. "I never really thought about it before. But... Satoru seems so sure about it. And when I saw him fight that monster—cursed spirit—I... I kind of wanted to be like that too."
Masamune gave his son a warm smile before stepping forward and sitting on the edge of the bed. He patted the spot beside him, and after a moment, Suguru shifted closer.
"I had a long conversation with Seijuro-san," Masamune said, his tone thoughtful. "He told me all about cursed spirits, Jujutsu Sorcerers, and the dangers that come with this world."
Suguru tilted his head, his brows furrowing. "Dangers?"
Masamune nodded. "Cursed spirits are born from negative emotions, fear, hatred, despair. Most people can't see them, but those who have a strong connection to cursed energy, like you, can." He paused, letting Suguru take that in before continuing. "Sorcerers are the ones who protect the world from them. They fight, exorcise, and keep ordinary people safe."
Suguru absorbed his father's words, his young mind working through the new information. "So... if I became a sorcerer, I could help people?"
"Yes," Masamune said, looking at him fondly. "But it's not an easy path. Seijuro-san made it very clear that this life is filled with hardships. It requires discipline, strength, and an understanding that one day, you may have to fight battles that others don't even know exist."
Suguru's fingers clenched around the sheets. "That sounds... kind of scary."
Masamune chuckled softly and ruffled his son's hair. "It is. But I also believe that you won't be alone if this is something you truly want. You have Satoru-kun and Seijuro-san. They'll train you, guide you. You won't have to face this world by yourself."
Suguru looked up at his father, uncertainty still in his eyes. "Do you think I can do it, Dad?"
Masamune's smile softened. He reached forward, placing a warm hand on his son's shoulder. "I think you can do anything you put your heart into, Suguru. No matter what path you choose, I'll support you."
Suguru felt a warmth bloom in his chest at his father's words. He still wasn't sure what his answer was yet, but knowing that his father believed in him made something inside him feel lighter.
For a long moment, neither of them spoke. Then, without thinking, Suguru leaned forward and wrapped his arms around his father's waist, pressing his forehead against his chest. "Thanks, Dad."
Masamune chuckled and embraced his son tightly, his hand resting gently on Suguru's back. "Anytime, son. Anytime."
The room was quiet except for the soft sounds of their breathing, a father and son sharing a rare and heartfelt moment—one that Suguru would carry with him for the rest of his life.