Knock, knock, knock...
Click.
The door creaked open, and a little head poked out.
"Uncle's here!"
Tsumiki's face lit up with joy as she quickly pulled the door wide open.
"Happy New Year, Tsumiki."
"Here, this is for you." Jinsuke handed her a red envelope.
"Thank you, Uncle! Happy New Year to you too!" Tsumiki bowed politely.
"Hello, Uncle."
Behind her stood Megumi, hands clasped together. His eyes gleamed faintly with expectation as he greeted Jinsuke.
"Hah, here you go, kid. This one's yours."
Seeing through the boy's stiff, 'cool' act, Jinsuke smirked. Of course the kid wanted a red envelope—he just didn't want to admit it.
"Thank you, Uncle!"
Megumi's eyes brightened, and he quickly accepted the gift.
Inside, Toji had already donned an apron and was busy cooking. He'd grown quite used to the role of a stay-at-home dad.
"What about me? Don't I get a red envelope?"
Toji's head popped out of the kitchen, a rare joke slipping past his lips.
"You?" Jinsuke shot him a sidelong glance. "Shouldn't you be the one giving me a red envelope instead?"
It was natural for an elder to give children New Year's money. But Toji was a grown man. If anything, it should be the other way around.
"Fine, no red envelope. But—" Jinsuke lifted a cake box. "—I brought this."
"Tch, I'm not a kid."
Still, Toji's eyes flickered at the sight of the cake. He quickly ducked back into the kitchen with a huff, pretending not to care.
"Whoa! Cake! Is it someone's birthday?"
Tsumiki and Megumi's eyes sparkled, their mouths practically watering.
"That's right. Guess whose birthday it is today?"
"Hmm… It's not mine, and Megumi's was last week. Uncle's is in the summer, so… it must be Dad's birthday!"
Tsumiki figured it out instantly.
Megumi blinked in realization. "So Dad's birthday is right next to New Year's..."
Last year, Toji had brought the kids to Jinsuke's place to celebrate. This year, it was Jinsuke's turn to show up with cake, to celebrate both New Year's and Toji's birthday together.
That night, the four of them sat together, ringing in the New Year as fireworks burst outside. Tsumiki and Megumi pressed their faces to the window, eyes wide with wonder.
"How is it? This life's better than what you had before, isn't it?" Jinsuke asked, glancing at Toji.
"Bah, I was perfectly free before" Toji muttered stubbornly, refusing to admit anything.
But compared to a year ago, that carefree recklessness of his had dulled. Raising kids had a way of changing people.
"Still, you're pushing thirty with no girlfriend. Shouldn't you be worried?"
Toji counterattacked, smirking. "I already have two kids. What about you, big brother?"
The jab made Jinsuke's mouth twitch. Against his will, the image of Yuki surfaced in his mind. He quickly shook his head.
"Talk to me again when you bring back Tsumiki's mother" he shot back flatly.
"…."
That shut Toji up.
Ding-dong.
Jinsuke's phone chimed. A message popped up—it was from Yuki.
A selfie. Her grinning face alongside a snowman that looked… suspiciously like him.
Yuki:Happy New Year! [Cute]
Jinsuke:Nice snowman. Don't make another one.
Yuki:What's that supposed to mean? Doesn't it look like you? [Smirk]
Jinsuke:…Am I that ugly? [Angry]
…
The new year rolled on. Day after day, Jinsuke resumed his intense training.
Whenever news of Grade 1 or higher curses surfaced, he would accept missions from Jujutsu High—not for reputation, but to sharpen his strength and reap rewards.
Through countless trials, he confirmed the truth of his scripture's absorption ability:
It only activated on cursed spirits he killed personally.
And the spirit had to be at least Grade 1.
Years slipped by.
Gojo and Shoko graduated from Jujutsu High and became instructors. Nanami and Riko graduated soon after — Nanami leaving sorcery behind for corporate life, while Riko stayed on as a jujutsu sorcerer, often freeloading meals at Jinsuke's place.
By now, he had at least built ties with the Tokyo school crowd.
"Yo, old man. Training again? I'm here to mooch off dinner."
Riko strolled into the yard, long hair brushing her shoulders, clad in a yellow jacket and chewing gum. She had outgrown her shy-girl phase and now gave off the air of a cheeky delinquent.
To Jinsuke, she really did look like a budding gang girl. Dye her hair, add some tattoos, and the image would be complete.
"Riko! You're mooching food from big brother again?!"
Besides Jinsuke, the yard was never empty. Maki and Mai were there as always, practically living at his house.
Both had grown a bit taller, though still in their 'little sister' phase.
"What else can I do? I'm the only one left at the school. Gojo's away, Shoko's busy, Nanami's off working… I'd die of boredom if I didn't come here."
Riko didn't even try to hide it.
"Even these two call me 'big brother'. Yet you insist on 'old man.' Do I really look that old to you?" Jinsuke asked, annoyed.
"Come on, you're thirty already. What else should I call you? Want me to join these two brats in calling you… big brother~?"
"Ehh~!"
Even Riko shivered at her own teasing, goosebumps rising.
"…Fine. Old man it is" Jinsuke muttered. Better than hearing that.
"What's so weird about it? Big brother is just big brother" Mai tilted her head.
"Oh, right. Old man, I heard something interesting. Because of your record these past few years, the higher-ups have classified you as a… 'Special Grade 1 Sorcerer Without Cursed Energy!'" Riko said proudly.
"You're officially a sorcerer now. A special one, even~"
Jinsuke raised an eyebrow.
Sure, he'd taken plenty of missions as a team leader. The highest curse he'd faced so far was semi–special grade. The higher-ups had measured his power roughly on par with a Grade 1 sorcerer, and gave him some flashy title.
"Special this, special that… Whatever. I'd rather they just give me more money."