"Junpei, when are you planning to leave?"
"Probably tonight or tomorrow morning? I need to say a proper goodbye to my mom first. After all, Tokyo is a decent trip from Yokohama."
"Then if there's nothing else, I'll head back now. When you're ready, I'll have an auxiliary manager come pick you up."
Yuji waved to Junpei, then turned to leave the hospital room.
"Okay, Itadori-senpai!"
"...Don't call me senpai. It's embarrassing."
"Also, Junpei."
"?"
"Get those injuries treated."
"..."
Junpei looked down at the bruises on his arms, realizing Yuji was worried about him.
After everything that had happened with Mahito, Junpei felt genuine admiration and respect for Yuji. He scratched the back of his head, somewhat embarrassed.
"Thank you. I will!"
Other auxiliary managers were waiting nearby. Yuji climbed into the back seat of a black luxury sedan. Tokyo was close to Yokohama, so he returned to Jujutsu High in about an hour.
It was currently 3 PM. Because of the fight with Mahito, Yuji had missed lunch. Being a jujutsu sorcerer was demanding work. After filling up at the cafeteria, he quickly received a call from Satoru Gojo.
"Yuji, I'm at the school gate. Megumi's here too. We're waiting for you." Gojo's voice came through the phone.
"I'll be right there!"
Yuji walked briskly to the school gate. From a distance, he spotted a black sedan parked by the road. Satoru Gojo, wearing his signature black blindfold, leaned against the car door, chatting with Megumi Fushiguro beside him.
Noticing Yuji's arrival, Gojo waved at him.
"Yuji! Over here, over here!"
Yuji jogged over. At the same time, Satoru Gojo extended a hand toward him, palm facing out. Yuji immediately understood and slapped his hand against it.
Smack!
The two shared a cheerful high-five.
"Nanami told me everything about this mission. You did great, Yuji."
Satoru Gojo smiled, looking at Yuji with genuine satisfaction.
Don't be fooled by the restrained expression on his face.
Inside, he was overjoyed.
Taking down another Special Grade curse! Let's see who dares say my teaching skills are poor now!
It's clearly Megumi Fushiguro who's too weak. My teaching level is absolutely fine!
As the saying goes—a great teacher produces brilliant students! With an awesome teacher like him, naturally he'd produce an awesome student like Yuji!
Although Satoru Gojo hadn't actually taught Yuji anything special from start to finish... but a shameless person is invincible. Gojo naturally attributed this success to his own instruction.
"Soloing a Special Grade on your second day of enrollment. Defeating two Special Grades by your fourth day. Keep this up and you'll wipe out every Special Grade curse in the world."
"Other sorcerers will have no room for advancement because of you. Shouldn't you show some mercy to a certain genius who got beaten by a Grade 2 curse?"
Satoru Gojo teased with a grin.
Yuji scratched the back of his head, a bit embarrassed. "It's not that impressive. Nanami-san helped too. It would've been tough alone."
Hearing their conversation, Megumi Fushiguro's face darkened.
"Gojo-sensei, could you not drag me into this every single time?"
"Haha, after all, you two are my cutest students. Now get in the car~"
"Oh, okay."
Yuji nodded. Megumi didn't want to sit with Satoru Gojo—he'd just get annoyed—so he took the passenger seat. The driver was an auxiliary manager. Yuji and Satoru Gojo sat in the back.
The car slowly pulled out of the Jujutsu High gates. Yuji leaned against the window, watching the scenery pass by. Meanwhile, Satoru Gojo glanced at him from the corner of his eye.
He wore a blindfold, so Yuji didn't notice the gaze.
Something feels off...
It wasn't the kind of "off" that raised alarms. When interacting with Yuji Itadori, Satoru Gojo always sensed an indescribable... incongruity.
There seemed to be a natural, unspoken rapport between them.
Like the tacit high-five just now. Or when he teased Megumi—Yuji's rhythm and tone in responding perfectly matched his own frequency.
Like an old friend he'd known for years.
In the four days since Yuji enrolled, Satoru Gojo had been away on business trips most of the time. They'd spent only a few hours together total. Someone like Yuji, forming such seamless understanding in so short a time, was something he'd never seen before.
It didn't feel like learning or adapting. It felt more like... a reunion after a long separation.
...Could we have met somewhere before?
Satoru Gojo was amused by his own thought.
A reunion after a long separation? Him and a sixteen-year-old high school student? Impossible.
"Hm, Gojo-sensei?"
Yuji's voice suddenly rang out, interrupting his thoughts.
Satoru Gojo snapped back to reality. Yuji had turned to look at him, a hint of confusion in those amber eyes.
"Have you been staring at me?"
"No." Satoru Gojo lied without missing a beat. "I was looking at the scenery outside the window."
"Your face is turned toward me."
"The scenery on this side is better."
"...Alright."
Yuji turned back to the window.
Watching the back of his head, the corners of Satoru Gojo's mouth curved upward unconsciously.
He really liked this student.
Not because of his talent. Not because of his strength. But because of his genuine, unadulterated kindness and energy.
Suguru... although this kid's personality is different from yours, the feeling he gives me is just like you...
Their destination was Tokyo Station. Outside the Shinkansen arrival gate, people bustled in every direction. Noisy chatter and broadcast announcements intertwined—the background music unique to the city.
"It's about time. She should be arriving soon. Yuji, Megumi—remember to greet her properly. After all, she's a new classmate. First impressions matter."
Satoru Gojo led the way, with Yuji and Megumi following behind.
"Got it, Gojo-sensei."
Yuji replied. Fushiguro nodded.
The train soon arrived. A few minutes later, a figure emerged from the exit. A girl with short brown hair wearing the black Jujutsu High uniform, a belt around her waist. After scanning the area and spotting the three of them, Nobara Kugisaki walked straight over, gripping her suitcase.
"Yo, Kugisaki-san! Welcome to Tokyo! Also—these two are your classmates. Say hello."
Satoru Gojo waved at her.
Nobara stopped in front of the two boys. The brown-haired girl placed one hand on her hip and said flatly:
"My name is Nobara Kugisaki. Rejoice, boys. You've got a rose among the thorns."
Yuji stepped forward, bowed slightly, and offered a polite, warm smile.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Yuji Itadori. We'll be classmates from now on. I hope we can get along well. Please take care of me."
Nobara Kugisaki was also an old friend of Yuji's, so seeing her made him genuinely happy.
Nobara looked him up and down. Pink hair slicked back, leaving only a small lock on his forehead. Features that weren't delicate but were pleasant to look at. A clean, neat Jujutsu High uniform—like he'd specifically groomed himself. His whole presence radiated warmth and maturity.
Probably the same type as Satoru Gojo.
That was her first impression.
A handsome guy.
"Please take care of me, Itadori-kun." She nodded, her tone noticeably softer than before.
Then her gaze shifted to Megumi Fushiguro.
The spiky-haired boy stood in place, hands in his pockets, and said flatly: "Megumi Fushiguro. Please take care of me."
"...?"
Just a name.
Nothing else?
The corner of Nobara's mouth twitched.
What the hell? What's with this sea urchin head? His hairstyle's weird enough, but to greet a girl who traveled all this way with such a cold attitude?
She complained furiously in her head.
She had zero interest in guys who put on airs. This guy was definitely the type who'd set fire to a seagull soaked in oil!
Watching from the side, the smile on Satoru Gojo's lips deepened. He clapped his hands, breaking the subtle tension.
"Alright, alright. Now that everyone's acquainted, let's go. The car's waiting outside."
Nobara looked at Yuji's back, then at the back of Megumi Fushiguro's head, silently scoring the two in her mind.
If ten was the max, she'd give Yuji Itadori an eight. A clean, polite boy would naturally be liked by girls.
As for Megumi Fushiguro...
Zero.
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