Jujutsu High's infirmary always smelled faintly of antiseptic and burned cursed energy.
Today, it also smelled like bad decisions trying to heal.
Takeru sat on the edge of the medical bed.
Wrapped head to toe in bandages.
Not lightly.
Not neatly.
Completely.
His torso was too damaged for a shirt to even sit correctly, so Shoko had improvised—layered wrapping reinforced with cursed energy seals that pulsed faintly whenever he moved too quickly.
He looked down at himself.
"…I can go back."
Shoko didn't look up from her paperwork.
"…No."
Takeru shifted slightly.
A bandage tightened instantly around his ribs like a warning.
"…I feel fine."
Shoko finally glanced at him.
"…That's because I'm suppressing half your pain signals."
A pause.
"…Oh."
From the hallway outside, Yuji peeked in.
"…He's trying again, isn't he?"
Nobara followed behind him, arms crossed.
"…Of course he is."
Megumi stood quietly near the door.
"…He's been saying that for three days."
Inside the room, Takeru was already standing.
Slowly.
Carefully.
Bandages tightening with each motion like a system trying to prevent a restart.
"…Classes are ongoing," he said.
"…I can walk."
Shoko sighed.
"…You can barely stand without your spine negotiating surrender terms."
Takeru paused.
"…That is an exaggeration."
A faint crack sounded from his torso bandages.
Shoko pointed immediately.
"…That is your body disagreeing with you."
Silence.
Yuji stepped forward slightly.
"…Just rest, man…"
Nobara nodded quickly.
"…Yeah! You literally fought a walking disaster god!"
Megumi added quietly.
"…Repeatedly."
Takeru looked down at his wrapped arms.
Then at the floor.
"…If I stop now…"
A pause.
"…I lose momentum."
Shoko finally closed her file.
"…You're not a technique. You're a person."
That made the room go quiet.
Takeru didn't respond immediately.
Then—
"…Noted."
Shoko stood.
"…Good. Then listen like one."
She walked over and lightly tapped his shoulder bandage.
A sealing pulse spread through the wrappings.
"…You're cleared for limited attendance."
Yuji blinked.
"…Wait, really?"
Nobara frowned.
"…That's a thing?!"
Megumi tilted his head slightly.
"…Defined constraints?"
Shoko nodded.
"…One class. No combat. No cursed technique output beyond reinforcement."
A pause.
"…And if you start leaking blood again, you're back here for a week."
Takeru nodded immediately.
"…Understood."
Yuji sighed in relief.
"…Okay, that's actually progress."
Nobara pointed at him.
"…Don't celebrate too early!"
Megumi glanced at Takeru.
"…You'll still try to train anyway."
Takeru paused.
Then slightly:
"…Lightly."
Shoko exhaled through her nose.
"…That's what worries me."
Later—
hallways of Jujutsu High.
Takeru walked slowly with the group.
Bandages visible under an open jacket Shoko had begrudgingly allowed.
Every step was controlled.
Measured.
Like even his body was still negotiating terms of movement.
Yuji looked over at him.
"…You good?"
Takeru nodded.
"…Operational."
Nobara scoffed.
"…That is NOT the word I would use."
Megumi added calmly.
"…Functional is more accurate."
Takeru thought for a moment.
Then:
"…Acceptable."
Yuji sighed.
"…That's probably the best we're getting."
They continued walking toward class.
Not as a recovered group.
Not as victors.
But as something more fragile than before—
students trying to act normal after surviving something that refused to stay finished.
And behind them—
far beyond what they could feel—
something else continued to observe the world adjusting itself back into routine.
Waiting for the next break in it.