chapter 12

❝she's a splendid actor❞

megumi should've known something was up when marri had asked him to dress up and buy flowers.

"it's a date!", she said, wearing a beautiful sundress as she wore a matching yellow headband.

"so can you please explain why we're here with a third person?", megumi stoically asked, sitting beside the little girl in a café with his father right in front of him.

the two fushiguros had an unamused expression.

"these flowers are for you by the way", marri smiled, pushing the bouquet of roses that she had picked out over to tōji.

the man simply pushed them off the table, not breaking eye contact with megumi, who just stared straight back with the same intensity.

"okay!! well how are we feeling today?", marri asked.

"terrible", the two fushiguros answered in sync.

"wow! what great father and son bonding!! you know, my papa and I never talk at the same time, but it's not about us because today it's about you two", marri said.

"here's your black coffee, your water with little ice, and your strawberry smoothie", the waitress smiled as she hurriedly went back to serving the others, as the tension was radiating off the two fushiguros.

"thank you! goomi, do you want some?", marri offered, sliding her drink over at megumi, who had politely declined.

"I'm good. thank you very much".

"how about you, mister tōji? that coffee seems very bitter", marri commented.

"unfortunately, I have no taste for a child's drink", tōji uttered, sipping his coffee.

"let her enjoy her childhood. that's the least you could do".

"did you physically hear me tell her not to enjoy her childhood? or is this just you projecting?", tōji mocked.

"I'm not projecting", megumi replied.

"mhm. keep telling yourself that", tōji scoffed, leaning back in his chair as marri's eyes shifted back and forth between the two.

"do you have to be so infuriating?"

"then don't talk to me".

"you say this as if you think I want to be here", megumi scowled.

"the feeling's mutual", tōji replied, clicking his tongue as he glared at marri, who was just sipping on her strawberry smoothie.

"I hope you're done playing. I'm leaving now", tōji grunted as he stood up, to which marri had stood up too.

"no, wait!!"

"marri, don't follow him", megumi stated, pulling on the girl's hand as she tried to reach tōji.

'time to bring out the big guns!'

"p-PAPA!! PLEASE DON'T LEAVE GOOMI AND I AGAIN", marri cried, busting out the tears as tōji had froze in his steps, meanwhile everyone in the café had looked up, with megumi choking on his water with light ice.

"oi! what the hell are you—"

"papa, I know you left us years ago, but I forgive you, so please come back to us. I miss you, very very much", marri sobbed, clinging onto tōji's pants as the man tried to shake the little girl off.

"get off right this instance or—"

"NO! I WON'T LET YOU LEAVE AGAIN! YOU'RE MY PAPA AND I WON'T LET GO UNTIL YOU PROMISE TO STAY!", marri shouted, earning megumi secondhand embarrassment as he glanced at the two.

"goodness, what a poor child", one whispered.

"a terrible father he is", another one said.

"those poor children. all they want is a loving father", someone chimed in.

tōji would've killed everyone in the café if it weren't for marri crying even more, sniffling as she outstretched her hands towards the dark-haired male, basically forcing him to pick her up.

"I'm not leaving so stop crying", tōji lowly threatened.

marri wrapped her arms around tōji's neck as she felt the man awkwardly pat her back.

"and what are you waiting for? gonna cry too? we're leaving", tōji uttered, to which megumi had scoffed as he stood up, sticking his hands in his pockets.

the three then left the café as marri still refused to let go, no matter how much tōji wished to break off the girl's arms and just leave.

"I hate you very much", tōji stated.

"that's okay, because I'm not actually your child", marri softly mumbled, to which tōji had on a prominent frown as the three arrived at a more secluded place.

"get off now", tōji demanded.

"no".

"now".

"did you not hear me? I'll even say it in another language. no", marri sassily replied.

"fucking hell", the man muttered, supporting marri with one arm as he stared at megumi.

"well?"

"don't look at me. I haven't forgiven you yet", megumi huffed, crossing his arms as he diverted his gaze.

"tch. you ungrateful child".

"huh? you're the one that left mom and I and you're calling me ungrateful? do you even hear yourself?"

tōji rubbed his temples as he breathed in and out.

"I saved you from the zenin clan. that's the best gift you can ever receive from me. you brat!"

"I didn't need saving! I needed a father!", megumi stated, slightly raising his voice.

a moment of silence passed.

"you'll never understand. you're too youn—"

"then explain to me! explain to me and talk to me! you could've said something to mom or I before you just decided to leave me to a white-haired weirdo!", megumi said, clearly referring to satoru.

"I told you it was for your own benefit! you would've flourished more, compared to someone like me, who doesn't even have cursed energy!"

megumi halted.

he bitterly bit the inside of his cheeks as him and his father shared the same tense look.

"well...it still would've been nice if you were there...supporting me..."

tōji had nothing more to say, or more like he didn't know what else to say.

"I'm willing to forgive you...if you start acting like a proper father now...", megumi muttered.

"hm! I've always been a proper father", tōji huffed.

"whatever you say, old man".

"oi! I'm not that old. don't age me, you brat!"

"yeah yeah..."

the two fushiguros awkwardly stood there as marri had fallen asleep, making it even more awkward.

"you should take her", tōji stated.

megumi nodded as he carried the sleeping girl.

"I guess...I'll see you sometime soon or something".

"yeah yeah, just go now", tōji rushed, to which megumi and marri had disappeared, leaving tōji alone with his thoughts.

'damn, he really takes after my attitude'.