Those sudden words, simple as they were, brought the nearly seventy-year-old man to tears.
"Yes… yes… yes!"
His frail body trembled, as if he couldn't believe what he had just heard. But when his tearful eyes met his wife's, he was overcome with emotion.
Though she still looked exhausted, her spirit seemed brighter than before. More than anything, since she fell ill, this was the first time she had said she was hungry.
Could it mean those nightmare-like days were finally coming to an end?
"Why are you crying? I only took a nap. After all these years with you, can't I even rest a little?" The old woman tried to comfort him as she attempted to sit up, but Nanami quickly stepped forward to support her.
"You should still rest more, Grandma. There's nothing else wrong now. At most, give it a few days and you'll be fine," Mukuro said while walking over to the window. He pushed it wide open, letting the fresh air outside flow into the stuffy room.
"That's right! What you need now is proper rest. I'll go downstairs and cook for you. You just stay here," the old man agreed, nodding rapidly.
Rolling up his sleeves, he rushed out of the room.
Mei Mei, acting like a polite and thoughtful child, sat beside the old woman, chatting with her in a gentle and elegant tone. That left Mukuro and Nanami standing by the side, glancing at each other with nothing to do.
The old man's movements were surprisingly fast. In just ten minutes, he came back carrying two steaming dishes and a bowl of fresh white rice, placing them in front of his wife.
Of course, none for the children.
"Eat slowly, don't choke. Your body's just getting better, so don't eat too much at once."
"I know, I know! It's getting late, don't keep the kids here too long," she insisted, urging him to take them away.
After repeated reminders, he led the three downstairs.
* * *
"I don't quite understand what you did, but may I ask… why did my wife become like that?"
Once they reached the first floor the old man voiced the question that had been burning inside him. He wasn't interested in the kids' mysterious powers. He only wanted to know what to do if his wife's condition ever returned.
"You can think of it like this," Mukuro replied calmly. "She probably overworked herself or went somewhere unclean, and something dirty latched onto her. Our ability is simply to remove the kind of filth you can't see."
Explaining the truth about the jujutsu world to an ordinary person was very difficult, and not something they should know anyway. So he had to put it in simple terms.
"Dirty things… you mean a ghost? But I already hired a priest to perform rituals." The old man came to his own conclusion.
He had suspected it all along: that something supernatural had attached itself to his wife. But even after spending a large sum of money on a so-called ritual, her condition had not improved in the slightest. All they got in return was the priest's perfunctory line: 'We've done what we can. The rest depends on her.' Then they left without a care.
"Don't compare us to those frauds in temples who fool the masses," Mukuro said with clear disdain, waving his hand as if brushing away bad luck.
"Uh… no matter what, you saved my wife's life. For that, I am truly grateful!"
The old man didn't ask more. Instead, he suddenly bent low at the waist, bowing deeply to the three children in front of him, who weren't even a fraction of his age, his gratitude sincere.
"If there's anything I can do for you, or if you want payment, just say the word. I'll do everything I can to meet your request!"
Age had given him clarity. Mei Mei's composure and Mukuro's decisive actions earlier made it clear these weren't ordinary children. And with their strange abilities, he knew people would normally pay a fortune to hire individuals like them.
"No need," Mei Mei said with a sweet smile. "We're students from Teitan Elementary. This is just a part-time job for us to earn some pocket money after class. You're our first client, so we won't charge you."
Mukuro and Nanami exchanged looks, both doubting their ears. Mei Mei, of all people, turning down money?
"But, if you know anyone else facing something like this, you could recommend us," she added smoothly.
"I understand," the old man responded with a chuckle. He hadn't expected these kids to play at business like adults, but he liked it.
"Thank you. We'll leave you now. Just make sure your wife rests well these next few days. Her body needs time to recover," Mei Mei reminded before turning to go.
Mission complete, the three said their farewells.
* * *
Outside, the sky was dimming.
Walking along the wide road, Nanami looked at Mei Mei with confusion. "Didn't you want to make money? Why didn't you take payment for the first job?"
"If we take money, then it's just a small transaction. But that old man has strong ties around here. If we make use of that, it could turn into a much bigger business," she explained.
Mukuro glanced at her. "A money-grubber thinks differently from normal people,"
"Thanks for the compliment," she replied with a grin.
Perhaps because both of them were scheming to earn in their own ways, their bickering already felt like two old friends, despite having just met.
"I see…" Nanami murmured, checking his watch. Almost an hour had passed since school ended. The thought of the long walk home, then dinner, then homework, made his brows knit slightly.
"Hey, kids. Need a ride?"
Right then, a rugged SUV rolled up beside them. The window lowered, and Toji leaned out, resting one large hand on Mukuro's head. He nodded toward Nanami.
"Who is this…?" Mei Mei started, curiosity flickering across her eyes. Though, more than the man himself, her attention lingered on the car, assessing its worth.
"This is Toji-san, Zenin's big brother." Nanami introduced. "Since it's on the way, I'll trouble you then, Toji-san."
"Get in."
Nanami slipped into the backseat after Mukuro went in. The three of them turned to Mei Mei.
"My house isn't far from here." She declined with a small wave, then turned and walked away.
"We're going to grab food later. Want to come?" Toji asked Nanami, trying his best to act like a responsible guardian.
"No, thank you. My family left me food at home," he answered politely.
"Family that leaves food for you… not bad," Toji muttered, just loud enough for Mukuro in the passenger seat to hear.
It had been more than ten years since the Zenin clan had set aside a meal for him.
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