Chapter 1: Prologue
Summary:
“Huh?” Irritated, Geto turned with the pan in his hand towards the entrance area, where Satoru was leaning casually against the wall. The twins had stopped painting and looked curiously at the new arrivals. Two children had appeared behind Satoru. A girl, Suguru guessed she was a little older than Mimiko and Nanako, with a brown pigtail and big brown eyes. She looked around shyly. She was holding the hand of a boy a few centimetres shorter than her, with messy black hair and dark blue eyes. He looked demonstratively bad-tempered. Suguru swallowed and had to pull himself together for a moment to keep from dropping the pan. The boy... He looked like... Was that...?
“Satoru...” he started.
“Mimiko, Nanako, these are Fushiguro Tsumiki and Megumi,” he ignored his friend. Grinning, he instead turned to the twin girls, who had approached with interest. Tsumiki gave them both a smile, while Megumi gripped her hand tighter, pressed his lips together and looked suspicious. “I guess this is your new big sister and your new little brother.”
Notes:
I read and watched JJK in German. In contrast to the Japanese original, the characters usually call each other by their first names and I've left it that way among the jujutsu sorcerers, as they should all know each other well and usually for a long time.
But now, let's start at the very beginning, with the prologue. Just to set things staight.
I hope you enjoy the prequel before the main "Megumi and Yuji being university students" part starts.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
September/October 2007
Geto Suguru sat in the back seat of the car and looked out of the window in silence. The assistant accompanying him kept giving him irritated glances in the rear-view mirror, but didn't dare say anything. It was the middle of the night and the starry sky and moon could be seen between the dark clouds. The mission in the small, remote village had taken longer than expected and they had a five-hour journey back to Tokyo Jujutsu High ahead of them. They wouldn't arrive until the morning. But Suguru didn't care right now. Unforeseen things had happened. Things he hadn't been able to leave as they were.
His eyes broke away from the dusky landscape of silhouettes scurrying past and wandered to the two little girls who had fallen asleep next to him. Suguru carefully laid the jacket of his school uniform over them like a blanket so as not to wake them and gently stroked their heads. Nanako and Mimiko. They were just five years old. Mimiko's hair was darker than her sister's. She was hugging a plush toy. Nanako had snuggled up to her sister and was holding her tightly.
He still felt a deep resentment towards the villagers who had locked these innocent children away in their superstition and had done God knows what to them. For a moment, he had been tempted to simply wipe out the entire settlement, all 112 inhabitants. But would that have made the world a better place? No, it would only have turned him into a murderer, and as entangled as he was in his doubts about humanity, he couldn't just commit mass murder - then he wouldn't be any better than them.
Anyhow, he had given the villagers a huge fright when he had blown up the thick beams of the barred door without batting an eyelid and freed the twins. Mimiko and Nanako had hesitated for a moment, scared and surprised. But then, quicker than he would have thought possible, they had decided that they wanted to go with this unknown man who had destroyed their prison and was now smiling kindly at them. The children's trusting behaviour only gave Geto an idea of what kind of life they must have led so far, that they would rather take the hand of a stranger than stay in their home town.
“The girls were and are not the cause of the evil in this place,” he had thrown at the village headman. “Anyone who tries to stop me, I will kill without mercy,” he had added, and at that moment he had meant it. One step further and his patience would have snapped irrevocably. But no one had followed him. Undeterred, he had carried the children, who had clung to him insecurely, the whole kilometre to the car. Now they had fallen asleep and hopefully got some rest. When they would arrive at the school, he would take them to Shoko first. He wanted to make sure they were healthy. Then he would organise a bath, food and fresh clothes - and he had to talk to Yaga.
---
“What were you thinking, Suguru?” the teacher asked urgently. “You were only supposed to exorcise the curse, nothing more.”
“But sensei,” his pupil interjected, “the villagers would have killed them in the end. These people didn't seem to be able to realise that the girls' cursed energy wasn't the cause of the problems. I don't let children die if I can help it.”
Yaga Masamichi dropped onto the chair behind the desk with a sigh and massaged his temples.
“Suguru,” he began, scrutinising the adolescent young man standing opposite him on the other side of the table, “I understand that you couldn't leave the girls there, but high school, especially this one, is not a kindergarten. What did you have in mind?”
Suguru leaned forward and rested his hands on the desk. “I know that, but I'm not going to leave Mimiko and Nanako alone now. It was quite a feat to convince them to stay with Shoko for the medical checkup and you know how quickly people usually trust Shoko.”
“You're 17 and-”, Yaga tried to appeal to his reason, but was interrupted when the door to the classroom opened. Shoko was standing in the doorway with a forgiving look on her face, holding the twins' hands.
“Sorry to interrupt, but I couldn't stop them. They really want to see Suguru,” she explained, looking at her classmate. He crouched down and the two girls immediately ran towards him. Suguru took them in his arms and stood up again.
“You've even had a bath and are wearing fresh clothes,” he said in surprise.
“Yes,” Nanako exclaimed and hugged him. “Mrs Shoko has been very kind to us.”
“Just like you promised,” Mimiko confirmed and he felt her small hands digging into his shirt, holding him tight.
“T-shirts from me,” Shoko explained the fresh clothes and shrugged her shoulders. “Children's clothes are in short supply here, but they fit them almost like dresses.”
Suguru looked at Yaga meaningfully. He wouldn't leave these girls alone. He couldn't.
“God damn it!” Yaga swore in frustration and had to restrain himself from banging his fist in anger on the table in front of the children. “All right,” he relented grudgingly, “but this is just an experiment to make sure we get along. If you neglect your duties, we'll have to find another solution. I'll just have to think about how to teach the higher-ups.” He shook his head. “The vacancy rate in the residential units is relatively high anyway. I'm sure we can make one of the teachers' flats suitable for you.”
“I never thought the day would come when you'd surprise me more than Satoru,” Shoko said, raising her eyebrows.
“What did he surprise you with more?”
The young female sorcerer clutched her chest in shock as Gojo Satoru suddenly appeared behind her and curiously stuck his head over her shoulder.
“Suguru managed to become a father overnight, if you like,” she explained, looking up at her classmate, who towered thirty centimetres over her.
“Whaaaat?!” Irritated, the white-haired sorcerer stared at his best friend and was about to lose faith when he saw him with two kindergarten children in his arms.
“May I introduce you,” Suguru turned to the girls, “this is your uncle Satoru. You mustn't always take everything he says seriously.”
“Uncle... Are you kidding me? I thought we weren't doing the babysitting thing any more!” he exclaimed in disbelief.
---
“I thought you weren't babysitting any more,” Suguru grinned smugly as Satoru came rumbling into the flat with a rolled-up futon.
“As if you could handle the mess you've got yourself into without me,” the white-haired teenager snorted and stomped into the still empty room that was left - the twins refused to sleep separately. “You on your own with two five-year-old girls. Are you Super Suguru lately? At least I don't see a hero cape flapping around your shoulders. Mum, high school student and sorcerer all in one. Who's going to buy that?”
Satoru disappeared, only to reappear a short time later with a packed sports bag. Annoyed, he threw it into the room next to the futon. Then he sat down opposite his best friend and scrutinised him. Geto sat cross-legged on the floor and kept quiet. He had the little girl with the darker hair on his lap - Mimiko, if Satoru didn't get her mixed up again. She gave her new flatmate a quick glance with her big brown eyes and then continued to leaf through her picture book. She had already learnt that Satoru always made a lot of noise. Nanako stood behind Geto tying small, crooked pigtails into his hair. She also ignored the Special Grade sorcerer's fussing.
“And you think it will work better if you move in here?” Suguru broke his silence. He somehow harboured doubts. “Then I'll have three children to look after.”
On the other hand, it had been just under a month since he had brought the girls to Jujutsu High and since then they had been glued to him every spare minute. The lessons and homework were difficult enough as it was, he probably wouldn't have got through a week if Satoru hadn't helped him with the missions... And if Shoko and Yu hadn't helped with the girls. They had given him some respite with walks and visits to the playground. Even Kento had offered his support the other day, even if he suspected that this had been Haibara's doing.
The front door swung open as if on cue and three people pushed their way in. Shoko held up a shopping bag with the logo of a clothing brand Suguru didn't recognise. “I went shopping in town today. I needed a new pair of trousers and found a few things for the little ones.” With these words, she put the bag down on the low living room table. “Go on, have a look,” she encouraged the girls, who didn't need to be told twice.
“It's pretty,” Mimiko announced, holding a yellow T-shirt with a colourful bird in front of her chest. Nanako did the same. There was an equally colourful bear on her light green top.
“I went to the grocery shop,” Haibara shouted, beaming and swinging the bags demonstratively before dropping them onto the worktop of the open kitchen with a flourish.
“Watch out, Yu, there are eggs in there,” Kento admonished him as he closed the front door behind him and brushed off his shoes in the genkan.
Yu scratched the back of his head, embarrassed. “That's right. Sorry about that. I'll put this stuff in the fridge. Is anyone hungry? Kento makes the best sandwiches in the world.”
“Oh yes, sandwiches!” the twins rejoiced, hopping over to Yu at the kitchen counter and pulling themselves up on their toes at the worktop so they could see better.
“What have I got myself into?” grumbled Nanami, but he took the bread that his classmate handed him straight from the bag and started making sandwiches for everyone.
Suguru stared around in disbelief. “Why are you all doing this?
“Well,” Shoko sat down on the floor next to him, “Satoru said he wanted to help you. You should have seen Yaga's face when he announced that he was moving in here from the dormitory. Besides, as we all know, it takes a village to raise a child. We may not be a village, but you won't get better than this.”
He hated to admit it, but his classmate was probably right and he wouldn't just need their support now. Raising two little humans was something he didn't really know how to do. He wouldn't be able to do it alone, he would still need the help of the others in the future.
Satoru suddenly slapped him on the shoulder and grinned at him. “You look fitter than you did a few weeks ago, by the way,” he remarked. The corner of Suguru's mouth twitched. That was quite possible. He had already noticed that his thoughts had slowed down, that everything no longer seemed so dark to him and that he had started to laugh more honestly again. He had found a new sense of purpose. He may have saved the twins, but they had also saved him.
April 2009
Satoru sat at the living room table and chewed on his mochi while he watched Geto run frantically back and forth between the bathroom and his bedroom.
“What are you so restless about right now?” the Special Grade finally asked after he had swallowed the sweet.
“The damn mission took longer than I thought and now I'm late. I told the girls I'd pick them up from school today. They've had their first week now and I promised that we'd do something nice together after school. Where did I put my watch?”
“That's right,” Satoru remembered and nodded towards the kitchen sideboard. “You mean the watch over there?” He grinned at his friend, who blushed slightly. Geto was usually better organised and Gojo was clearly enjoying his absent-mindedness. While Suguru put the watch on his wrist, Satoru took a sip of his tea and grimaced thoughtfully. Hadn't he wanted to get something done this week? It had been so terribly busy lately, but there was something he had been meaning to do for ages. Something to do with... Primary school student! Damn, he'd been so swamped with missions, he'd almost forgotten about little Zenin, or Fushiguro.
“Crap,” he grumbled. He'd been looking forward to an afternoon off - without a mission or children. That was probably not going to happen. Okay, he had grown fond of Mimiko and Nanako, otherwise he would have actually moved back into the dormitory and not stayed here, but a few hours without children would still have been nice.
“And where are you going now?” Geto asked irritably as he put on his shoes standing up and tried not to drop his shoulder bag.
“You remember Zenin- Fushiguro Toji, don't you?” Gojo began, picking up his own shoes.
“How could I forget the man who told me he killed you?’ The memory alone put him in a bad mood again.
“Well, he told me back then that his son would be sold to the Zenins in two or three years and that I should do what I wanted with this information. I've been watching the whole thing and the boy could be quite promising.”
“What are you up to?” Geto straightened up and looked down at his friend, who was sitting on the step tying his shoelace.
“Just having a word with him. The Zenins aren't exactly a picture-book family, but if he has the right skills, he shouldn't fare too badly there. Potential is definitely worth something in this family.”
Not doing badly? With the Zenins? Geto wasn't as familiar with the old clans as his friend, but he knew for a fact that he didn't like this family. But he didn't have time for that now. “Okay, do as you say, you know better than I do. I'd really like to continue talking to you about the insanity of the Zenins, but I really have to go now, otherwise I won't make it to primary school on time and none of us will have any fun with two very disappointed girls.”
“Go on, get lost and save us the trouble. I'll tell you how it went tonight,” the white-haired young man called after Suguru before the door slammed shut.
Satoru shook his head slightly and stood up. Sometimes it still amazed him how much Suguru was absorbed in his role as father to the twins.
---
Suguru stood at the stove in the open kitchenette and glanced behind him at the clock on the wall in the living area. By now, he was a little surprised at where Satoru was. He had really only wanted to talk to the boy and find out whether he had cursed energy, some kind of inherited technique. There wasn't really much that could go wrong, was there? Should he perhaps text him and ask? The dark-haired jujutsu sorcerer pushed the thought aside, turned his attention back to dinner and cracked an egg into the pan. Mimiko and Nanako sat at the low dining table and painted while their foster father prepared the tamagoyaki. However, it was impossible to finally suppress the last remnants of the feeling that something had not gone according to plan with Satoru.
Finally, when he had almost finished the egg dish, he heard the front door swing open.
“Satoru?” he called out. “You're later than expected, but in time for dinner.”
“Good, then just make two more plates,” came back from the genkan.
“Huh?” Irritated, Geto turned with the pan in his hand towards the entrance area, where Satoru was leaning casually against the wall. The twins had stopped painting and looked curiously at the new arrivals. Two children had appeared behind Satoru. A girl, Suguru guessed she was a little older than Mimiko and Nanako, with a brown pigtail and big brown eyes. She looked around shyly. She was holding the hand of a boy a few centimetres shorter than her, with messy black hair and dark blue eyes. He looked demonstratively bad-tempered. Suguru swallowed and had to pull himself together for a moment to keep from dropping the pan. The boy... He looked like... Was that...?
“Satoru...” he started.
“Mimiko, Nanako, these are Fushiguro Tsumiki and Megumi,” he ignored his friend. Grinning, he instead turned to the twin girls, who had approached with interest. Tsumiki gave them both a smile, while Megumi gripped her hand tighter, pressed his lips together and looked suspicious. “I guess this is your new big sister and your new little brother.”
The pan clattered back onto the gas stove. Suguru had a bad feeling. He knew that smirk from Satoru and 90 per cent of the time it promised chaos.
---
Suguru hadn't said anything. Not in front of the children, but now the evening had progressed and all four were in bed. Time to have a chat with Satoru. Wordlessly, he placed a small bottle of lemonade in front of his friend, sat down next to him on the tatami mats and took a sip of his own tea.
“Do you want to explain this to me?” he finally began. “I think there's a lot to explain.”
Satoru sighed wearily, rubbed his eyes with his thumb and forefinger and briefly lifted his sunglasses. “Believe me, that wasn't the plan.”
“I already know that myself. You just wanted to check whether the boy has cursed energy and can therefore be safely left to the Zenins.”
“Oh well,” the white-haired sorcerer played it down and picked up the lemonade, but didn't drink it yet. “I asked Megumi if he wanted to go to the Zenins, to be precise.”
“Obviously not,” Suguru concluded after his friend didn't continue.
“If it was just about him, he might even have done it, but he's not going anywhere without his stepsister. She's the daughter of Zenin's... I mean, Fushiguro's second wife. The two are practically inseparable. Tsumiki has no cursed energy. The Zenins would have made her life hell if they had taken her in at all. They would certainly treat her even worse than their own children without abilities. You've probably heard of Zenin Ogi's daughters?”
“Heavenly restriction, like with Fushiguro back then, if I'm informed correctly. I understand your motives,” Suguru nodded slowly and sipped from his cup. “I've also noticed that Tsumiki is very caring towards Megumi. He seems to have decided to protect her at any cost.”
Satoru finally put the bottle to his lips and drank almost half of it. He then swirled it slightly and watched as the liquid inside sloshed against the glass in ever-smaller waves.
“The two of them have been completely alone for weeks, or maybe even longer. There was no one, Suguru, no one. They couldn't tell me exactly when Tsumiki's mum was last there either. I don't know what happened, but I couldn't leave them there like that, could I?”
Suguru looked at the other from the side. He could feel how upset Satoru was, saw the worry lines on his forehead. “He sold his son,” he muttered. “I just couldn't let all that happen.”
“No, you couldn't,” Geto finally confirmed. “You couldn't just leave two small children to their fate. I can perhaps understand that better than anyone else. But tell me,” he leaned forward a little, “what did Yaga actually say about it?”
“Oh, what do you think?” Gojo snorted irritably. “He's not keen, but he allowed you to do it, so I guess he couldn't forbid me. Especially since things are going pretty well with the twins. Besides, I bumped into Yu on the way. He's already offered to babysit.”
An amused, short laugh escaped Suguru. Yu seemed to see himself as a kind of uncle and having a lot of fun about it. “Then nothing can go wrong. However, it does get a bit cramped in the flat with six people.” After all, apart from the hallway, it consisted only of the combined living and dining area where they were currently staying, three relatively small bedrooms and a bathroom.
Satoru finished the last sip of lemonade and put the bottle down on the table with a dull clunk. “Yaga said he'd take care of it. As far as that goes, we're really lucky there's such a high vacancy rate at the school.” They would probably have to move soon.
March 2021
Tsumiki had come home ten minutes ago. She had been in the bathroom briefly and now sat down at the table with the others, while Satoru brought the last bowl of rice from the kitchen and Mimiko offered her tea.
“How was your day?” Suguru enquired once everyone had had their drink.
“Oh, okay,” she replied and stretched. “One customer was actually very demanding. Unfortunately, the bread he wanted was already sold out. He was really angry about it, but I couldn't do more than apologise. He was simply too late. But the bread for Kento was still there. I brought it to him quickly earlier.”
“He could buy his own bread at the shop,” Satoru grinned. “I think he likes your one colleague.”
“Don't talk rubbish like that again,” she dismissed his foolishness. Then her eyes fell on the empty seat opposite her. “Where's Megumi?”
“Where he's been for the last three weeks, ever since Shoko released him from the infirmary,” Nanako grumbled. “As soon as class is over, he'll go to his room and hide from everyone and everything.”
“Nanako, honestly...” Mimiko rolled her eyes. “Don't be like that. You know exactly what's going on. Be glad we weren't there when it happened.”
“Yes, but he can't hide away forever...”
“That's enough,” Suguru intervened calmly but firmly. “Give him the time he needs and now eat, the soup's getting cold.”
“Yes, Mum,” Satoru joked, catching a disapproving sideways glance from his friend. He hated it when Satoru called him that.
Tsumiki was just telling Nanako and Mimiko that she had discovered a new, small clothing shop in the city that they absolutely had to visit when the door opened. Megumi stood there, looking down at the floor and rubbing the back of his neck. He seemed undecided as to whether he should come in or leave.
“Megumi, why don't you sit down,” Gojo waved him in before he could change his mind.
“Shall I go to the kitchen and see if there's any soup left?” Suguru enquired. The twins had set the table for him, but he had almost always stayed away from family dinner in recent weeks.
“No, thanks, it's fine.” He sat down in the empty seat and accepted the mug of tea Tsumiki held out to him.
“How are you?” she asked quietly, but tried not to let her concern show too clearly. She knew her brother didn't like that.
He shrugged his shoulders and poked around in the rice bowl in front of him with his chopsticks. “It's okay.” He shoved a bite into his mouth. The others were quiet for a few moments, but then slowly began to converse normally again. Only Satoru silently scrutinised his foster son. Something was up, he could feel it very clearly.
Of course, Megumi noticed the piercing gaze of the light blue eyes behind the pitch black sunglasses - Satoru hardly ever wore the blindfold at home. Finally, the teenager put the bowl down and looked at Gojo in the same way.
“I've been thinking for a long time,” he began, which also silenced his sisters. He could feel Geto's look on him from the other end of the table, but it was far less probing.
“And what conclusion did you come to?” Satoru wanted to know.
“I'll drop out,” Megumi said straightforwardly. Talking around it was no use anyway. “I'm going to finish my degree and then quit being a sorcerer.”
For a heartbeat, everyone was taken by surprise. Gojo was the first to regain his composure and asked, “Sorry what?” He thought he had misheard.
“I don't want this any more, Satoru. I... I never wanted this in the first place.” Megumi clenched his hands into fists and visibly tensed up.
“Then what do you want?” Geto intervened calmly before his friend could say anything back.
Megumi closed his eyes briefly, took a deep breath through his nose and replied, “University. I want to go to university. I want to go study.”
“Where does that crazy idea come from?” Gojo interjected. “You just want to drop out now and...”
“I knew you wouldn't understand,” Megumi interrupted him sharply and stood up with a jerk. “How could you?” he finally shouted at him. “You're Gojo Satoru, you're the strongest. This would never happen to you. You would never lose control of a situation.”
The young sorcerer rushed out of the room and disappeared. Geto fixed Gojo with a steady gaze and tapped his finger audibly on the tabletop. “We two need to talk.”
“I'll go check on Megumi,” Tsumiki took the hint and left.
---
As expected, she found her little brother in his room. He was lying there on his stomach on his bed and ignored her. Only when she lay down next to him did he turn onto his back.
“Do you think it's a stupid idea too?” he whispered in a husky voice, staring at the ceiling.
“No.” Tsumiki gently stroked a strand of hair from his forehead and put her arm around him. “I'm sure you've thought this through.”
“We think so too,” came from the door and before Megumi knew it, Mimiko had squeezed herself onto his left side and Nanako simply let herself fall onto him. He groaned in surprise and was glad that he had only eaten the small bowl of rice.
“If you really want to do this, we've got your back, little brother,” Mimiko assured him with a wink. She put her arm around him, just like Tsumiki. “Uni sounds like a very sensible alternative to exorcising curses.”
“Maybe you can introduce us to one or two of your cute fellow students,” Nanako grinned mischievously and wiggled her eyebrows. Her brother only responded with a grumbling noise.
“Seriously?!” Her twin sister rolled her eyes.
“Oh come on, Mimiko, as if you hadn't thought of that too!” The girl she was talking to laughed out loud and Tsumiki had to smile too. Megumi shook his head slightly and surrendered to the triple embrace of his sisters. Nanako now hugged him as well. He had learnt early on that there was no escape for him anyway.
“What do you want to study?” Tsumiki asked after a while, breaking the silence. She had felt exactly how Megumi had gradually relaxed. Sometimes a hug and a little understanding were all that was needed.
The black-haired boy's eyes remained fixed on the ceiling as he replied, “Veterinary medicine.”
“What else?” Nanako joked with a broad smirk.
---
After the girls had all left, Geto sat down next to Gojo and refrained from beating about the bush. He got straight to the point.
“That wasn't an appropriate response, Satoru,” he reprimanded.
“Are you really in favour of him throwing his potential as a sorcerer overboard like that? We urgently need people like him,” the other one said. Suguru didn't let this upset him, however.
“I know. I know the precarious personnel situation. It's got us into trouble before, but that doesn't mean we can stop someone from taking a different path. This is Megumi's life and his decision. It doesn't matter if you or I or Yaga or anyone else thinks he's wasting his potential. Megumi will never realise that potential if he doesn't want to be a sorcerer.”
“Thanks for the speech,” the white-haired man snorted angrily and maltreated a piece of silken tofu in the soup with his chopstick. “But don't forget that in the end, you can't choose whether you have what it takes to be a sorcerer or not. You're born that way.”
“Well,” Suguru tilted his head to the side and ran his fingers over his chin, “Maki chose to become a sorcerer even though she can't see cursed spirits.”
“Someone with heavenly restriction is probably a bad comparison, don't you think?” snapped Satoru, dropping the chopstick. “Maki has superhuman strength for that. But the shop assistant from the konbini around the corner can't just decide to become a sorcerer, even if he or she could see cursed spirits. That would require skills that someone like that doesn't have,” he countered, and yes, of course he wasn't wrong. Suguru knew that just as well as he did.
“Megumi wouldn't be the first person in the history of Jujutsu society to resign,” Geto reminded him. “It's rare, but it has happened. You know as well as I do that Kento has thought about it more than once.” Satoru crossed his arms in front of his chest, his friend continued unperturbed, “No one can be obliged to do this. It's a free decision and even if Megumi leaves, do you really think he'll just let curses he happens to encounter do as they please?”
Satoru pursed his lips and preferred not to answer. Of course, he knew that his foster son would never let a cursed spirit just run rampant, whether he was an active sorcerer or not.
“Don't think I wouldn't have been surprised by this news,” Suguru admitted, “but Satoru, we're his family. If that's what he wants, we shouldn't stand in his way. I can't blame him either. He saw Yu die a year and a half ago and now this terrible incident with Toge and... Nobara.”
“I certainly don't want to stand in Megumi's way, I...” Satoru broke off and lowered his head in resignation. As if he had forgotten about these disasters or hadn't realised how it had affected Megumi. He hadn't been hiding away for weeks for no reason. The Special Grade sorcerer didn't admit it, but it hurt him to see the boy like this. He may not have been born to be a father like Suguru, but after all these years, the four of them were like his own children to him too. This also was his family.
“Satoru,” Suguru spoke to him quietly and put his hand on his shoulder, “could it be that this is about something completely different than Megumi's possibly wasted skills as a sorcerer?”
“I don't know what you're talking about,” he evaded and brushed his hand off gruffly.
Suguru sighed in surrender, stood up and collected the empty bowls.
“I suppose it's not uncommon for parents to have fears of loss when their children fledge,” he said knowingly and disappeared into the kitchen. Satoru remained silent.
Notes:
Okay, no Yuji so far but it was just the prolouge. A little patience. Our sunshine boy will have his first appearance soon.
I just wanted to introduce you to Gojo's and Geto's patchwork family.Feel free to drop some comments or kudos ;)
Chapter 2: Let's start all over again
Summary:
Megumi pulled out his laptop, notepad and pen and took another sip from his water bottle as a young man in a yellow hoodie with pink hair and light brown eyes came slithering into the room.
“Yes, still in time,” he announced happily and made a victory fist. Then he quickly scanned his surroundings and headed towards Megumi. What did the guy want from him now? But then Megumi realised that there was one of the last free seats next to him. His fellow student dropped into the chair and grinned at the black-haired young man.
“Hey ya,” he greeted him, rummaging in his backpack. A pencil case landed on the table with a crash, followed by a notepad. Megumi just stared at the guy in irritation.
Notes:
Welcome back to chapter two!
I hope you are all curious about Megumi's start at university and of course his first encounter with Yuji ;)
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
February 2022
Lessons were over for the week and Megumi, unlike the twins who were still talking to a few of their juniors, had gone straight home. Since he had been released from the infirmary last year after the incident, he had been living permanently with Satoru, Suguru and his sisters again. He had occasionally wondered whether he should go back to the dormitory - he definitely had more peace and quiet there - but something inside him had vehemently resisted the idea. He also had to admit that the chaos and the hustle and bustle that constantly prevailed in this motley family had taken his mind off things and finally brought him out of his gloomy musings.
When he opened the front door, the post was lying in the hallway. At some point during the day, one of the assistants must have distributed the deliveries and pushed them through the letter slot. Megumi bent down, took off his shoes and collected the papers. As he entered the living room, he looked through them. Suddenly he stopped. His name was on the envelope and the sender was the University of Tokyo. He felt himself involuntarily get hot and then immediately cold again. A lump formed in his throat. He tossed the other letters carelessly onto the low dining table and turned the envelope back and forth between his fingers. It contained either a rejection letter or a letter of enrolment. The decision as to what would happen to him from April onwards. The lump in his throat was stubborn and wouldn't go away, no matter how many times he swallowed. He tried one last time to release the tight feeling, breathing in and out audibly - he was more nervous than he had imagined - then tore open the envelope with trembling fingers. He pulled out the letter and his eyes flitted over the contents. In disbelief, he slapped his left hand over his mouth and read the lines over and over again. Their meaning seeped through to him only gradually, like thick syrup.
“Megumi?” came an irritated voice from the genkan.
The black-haired young man hadn't even realised that the twins had entered the house and stepped into the living room behind him.
“Is everything okay?” Mimiko asked worriedly, frowning. Nanako waved her hand in front of his face. Only now did he tear himself away and stared at the two of them, somehow absently.
“Is everything okay?” Nanako repeated her sister's question with a slight concern in her voice.
Megumi continued to stare at her in disbelief and finally mumbled, “I'm in.”
“What?” the girls shouted at the same time. They crowded around their brother to read the letter that had left him in such a state of shock.
“You passed the university entrance exam with distinction!” exclaimed Nanako excitedly. Mimiko let out a cry of joy and they flung their arms around his neck impetuously. “That's awesome!” they cheered.
“I'm really in,” Megumi mumbled, still doubtful, so Mimiko grabbed him by the shoulders and began to shake him gently. “Now get excited, you dimwit. You'll be studying at Tokyo University from April on!” she prompted him. Nanako jumped up and down next to him like a little child.
“What's going on here?” Suguru had entered the room and furrowed his brows in irritation. Not that he could be surprised by any nonsense in this household, but this was different from the usual chaos. The three young people turned to him and furrowed their brows in turn. Suguru looked damaged. His hair was dishevelled, his shirt was half hanging out of his trousers and he was dirty. There was still a streak of smeared blood on his right cheek.
“What happened to you?” Mimiko wanted to know.
“I had to deal with a pretty nasty curse. Don't worry, I'm all right, just dirty and in desperate need of a shower. But would someone please explain to me what all the fuss is about?” He spread his arms out expectantly.
“Go on, tell him,” Nanako demanded with a grin and nudged her brother roughly.
Megumi slapped her hand away and gave her an annoyed glance. Then he turned to Suguru, who was still looking questioning, and held the letter out to him. “The University of Tokyo has accepted me,” he explained.
“Wonderful!” Geto beamed and glanced at the letter. A proud smile spread across his face. He was about to embrace Megumi, but stopped just before he did and looked down at himself. “I should take a shower first.”
“Yes, please,” the young sorcerer confirmed. He had already taken a step back and really wasn't keen on a sweaty hug.
“Satoru should be back from his business trip tomorrow. Let's go out for dinner then to celebrate. Pick a restaurant, Megumi. The choice is yours.” With these words, Suguru handed back the enrolment certificate and disappeared towards the bathroom, while Mimiko and Nanako hugged their brother again.
---
Tsumiki was thrilled with the news when she heard it after work. Satoru remained strangely calm when he returned the next day. He took the information that Megumi would be going to university from April on strangely stoically. This in turn prompted Geto to give him suspicious looks throughout the evening. But nothing happened when they went to the restaurant together.
While Suguru kept an eye on Satoru, the twins pestered their brother with questions about student life that he hadn't thought about at all - how was he supposed to know whether he wanted to join a club and if so, which one? He also hadn't yet looked at what bars and nightlife options were available. He wasn't particularly interested in that either. Tsumiki, on the other hand, simply smiled at him. He acted annoyed, but she could see that he was happy. She had been perhaps two years old when her mother and Megumi's father had come together, and she didn't remember the time without him at all. To her, he was her younger brother, whether related by blood or not. When they had both been little, she had been the only person he had trusted for a long time. As a result, Megumi was almost always like an open book to his sister and she was glad to finally see him with more confidence after far too long.
---
It had become quite late by the time they arrived back at their one-storey house on the grounds of Jujutsu High. One by one, everyone had retired. Suguru came out of the bathroom and walked down the corridor. He heard giggling from Mimiko and Nanako's room. Tsumiki's door was ajar and as he walked past he could see that she was sitting on the bed preoccupied with her laptop. He stopped in his tracks. Megumi's room was on the opposite side and his door was closed, as it almost always was. No sound could be heard outside. Suguru's destination, however, was the room next door. He banged his knuckles lightly against the door, which was already opened a crack, and heard a humming sound in response. He then pushed it fully open and leant his shoulder against the frame. Gojo had swapped his dress shirt for a comfortable black sweatshirt and was putting on his sunglasses.
“Satoru...” Geto began, giving his best friend what felt like the hundredth lecture on his behaviour regarding Megumi's university plans. He knew that Satoru thought that Megumi was wasting his potential. On the other hand, he also knew how difficult it was for the Special Grade to let go. Suguru had kept probing a little further at irregular intervals and finally, in a long conversation, his best friend had admitted that he was worried about what would happen when the girls packed their things and moved out too. They both knew that this was inevitable, but Geto hadn't had the slightest idea that this fact was bothering Satoru so much that he was actually afraid of loss. As much sympathy as Suguru could muster for the white-haired sorcerer, today he would have expected a little more enthusiasm from him for Megumi's new phase of life. However, Satoru cut him off with a quick wave of his hand.
“For once, I'm not up to anything stupid, Suguru,” his friend assured him sternly and pushed past him into the corridor. He knocked on Megumi's door and looked meaningfully at the long-haired sorcerer. Suguru nodded understandingly and then quietly withdrew to make himself another cup of tea in the kitchen. The two of them should talk, it was more than necessary.
---
Megumi, who was sitting cross-legged on the floor, looked up from his book when Satoru entered. The latter squatted down in front of him and pushed his glasses down a little. He looked at his foster son urgently from blue eyes over the dark rims.
“I think we need to talk,” Gojo began. His rare seriousness made Megumi suspicious.
“If you want to talk me out of university, then...” he grumbled directly.
“I'd be lying,” Satoru intervened, motioning for the young man in front of him to remain silent, “if I said that as your sensei, it doesn't annoy me to no end that you're dropping out and wasting your skills.”
“Satoru!” snapped Megumi, feeling anger boiling up inside him. Why couldn't he just accept that he didn't want this? That he no longer wanted this life, that he wasn't like Satoru? Suguru had managed to understand.
Gojo ignored the gruff behaviour and continued, “You have incredible potential, but I've told you that often enough. What's preventing you from fully realising your abilities and surpassing yourself is your head. You're blocking yourself. I'm sure you could do much better if you let yourself.”
The black-haired teenager slammed the book shut and seriously considered throwing it at his counterpart. “I'm Grade one. I don't think I can do much more,” he reminded his mentor harshly.
Still unimpressed, Gojo also sat down cross-legged and fixed Megumi with his eyes.
“Are you kidding me?” Megumi hissed at him angrily. What the hell was that crap about? If he had only come here to get him into a rage again, he had accomplished it and could safely disappear.
Satoru leaned forward a little and flicked Megumi unexpectedly on the forehead. “That's my honest opinion as your teacher. You're wasting your innate talent as a sorcerer that you've trained for years.”
Now Megumi had had enough and he actually took a swing, but before the book could hit Satoru's temple, the latter had already grabbed his pupil's wrist and stopped him effortlessly. Megumi let out an angry growl.
Satoru took off his sunglasses completely. His gaze fixed on Megumi's eyes and softened considerably when he finally said, “But as your father, I am very proud of you.”
Megumi's features slipped and he dropped the book. He hadn't expected this and was taken completely by surprise by the statement. Satoru released his wrist again.
“Seriously?” was all the teenager could say in reply. His thoughts were racing behind his forehead. Had Satoru really just said that?
“Seriously,” his foster father assured him and smiled. After all, he had realised how hard Megumi had worked for it. How much he had learnt for the entrance exam alongside his lessons at high school and the missions. He still had a lot of work ahead of him at university, but he had really earned this first success. Besides, Suguru was right, Satoru had no right to interfere in his decision. Of course, he would never tell his friend that directly. But for better or worse, he had to let go. Satoru just hadn't expected it to be so difficult and to arouse so many contradictory feelings in him.
“All four of you have more or less grown up and I have no right to interfere in your decisions. You have chosen this path and no matter what I think of it, I support you.” He squeezed Megumi's shoulder, stood up and added, “Then I guess we'll have to organise accommodation for you.”
His foster son looked after him as he walked towards the door. “Thank you,” Megumi finally managed to say. He knew Satoru well enough to know that this hadn't just rolled off his tongue easily and even if Megumi didn't say it, those words meant a lot to him. He was pretty sure that Gojo knew that too.
Satoru already had his hand on the door handle, smiled approvingly at the dark-haired teen once more and then left the room.
April 2022
Satoru wasn't convinced, but didn't say anything. Otherwise Suguru would just give him hell. He had suggested finding Megumi a small flat close to university. With the Gojo fortune in hand, that wouldn't have been a problem at all, but Megumi had made up his mind that he didn't want any special treatment. He had already gone down that route at Jujutsu High and had insisted on staying in the dormitory like the others. This time was no different, so now they were standing packed with a few boxes at the supervisor's desk in the entrance area of the dormitory near the Hongo campus. The letter from the university had said that Megumi should report to the dormitory manager here.
“What's the name, please?” asked a man who was probably younger than he looked. He inevitably reminded Megumi of Kiyotaka, only without glasses and with a slightly different hairstyle.
“Fushiguro Megumi,” he replied. His counterpart typed something into the computer and printed out some pages. He slipped them to Megumi while he took a key from a drawer under the counter and began to explain, “Please sign here. This is the confirmation that you have received your room key and have been informed of the house rules.” He handed Megumi the key and continued, “As everywhere else, the usual forms of politeness are expected in the dealings with one another. Apart from that, the house rules stipulate that no persons of the opposite sex may be taken into the rooms and external visitors are only allowed in the publicly accessible areas. The residence is closed from midnight to six in the morning. The entrance door is locked during this time. Animals are not allowed. No smoking, no alcohol and no parties. Residents have access to a common room with a kitchen on each floor for little get-togethers and socialising. There is also a small kitchenette in each room for personal use. Washing machines and tumble dryers are located in the designated rooms here on the ground floor. Violations of the rules are usually warned first. However, repeated or serious offences can also result in expulsion from the dormitory.”
Megumi nodded, put his signature in the appropriate field and handed back the documents. He was quite fine with the rules.
“It's stricter here than at Jujutsu High,” Gojo muttered in the background, but was ignored by his foster son.
“For moving in, your... parents can enter the non-public areas, of course.” The young warden scrutinised the two men standing behind the new student. The brief hesitation had not escaped Megumi's notice and once again he was embarrassingly aware of how conspicuous the two of them were, even without further ado. Satoru always stood out with his 1.90 metres and Suguru was just slightly shorter than him. The latter only wore half of his hair in a bun today, so that the rest fell to the middle of his back. He could easily have been a model for an expensive shampoo advert. He didn't even need to mention Satoru's unusually bright blue eyes. Fortunately, the sunglasses covered them for the most part and were more inconspicuous than the blindfold. Megumi had asked him to take the blindfold off in the car, even if it didn't help much overall. He didn't really care whether others liked him or not, but he just didn't want to be the centre of attention right away. He hated that.
“I just need your names, please,” the dormitory manager asked, looking closely at his screen, but glancing at the two Special Grade sorcerers every now and then.
“Gojo Satoru and Geto Suguru,” Suguru replied with a friendly smile and the staff member nodded in confirmation. These were the names that were stored in the university's internal system in the entries for the legal guardians.
“The room is on the second floor, right corridor,” he pointed the three of them in the direction of the stairwell, where there was also a lift. He couldn't help but give them a quick look. This was probably the most unusual constellation he had ever encountered as a dormitory manager.
---
The floor was a hive of activity. Some first-years were busy moving in, just like Megumi, together with one or both parents. A few older students stood together with friends and watched the spectacle. Megumi clutched the box he was carrying in his arms and felt his cheeks grow warm. He stoically kept his eyes as low as possible, raising his head only enough to read the room numbers.
As soon as they had turned into the corridor, what he had feared had happened: Most of the conversations had fallen silent and the general attention had suddenly shifted to them, or more precisely to Satoru. He didn't even have to look to realise that his foster father was winking at the older girls over his glasses. In no time at all, he had a whole bunch of new admirers in his wake. Geto watched the show with enjoyment.
“Satoru, behave yourself,” he heard Suguru whisper, albeit with an amused undertone. “Don't flirt so much, they're too young anyway.” He put on his own engaging smile.
“I'm not doing anything,” said the white-haired man in defence, exhilarated.
After the silence, the whispering began and Megumi's face started to glow. He just wanted to be normal. Was that really too much to ask?
“Have you seen the eyes? How blue”, “Wow, they're so tall”, “I'd like to have hair like that too,” and similar chatter followed him.
The whispering accompanied them to the end of the corridor. The penultimate room on the left belonged to Megumi. He clutched the box halfway under one arm and tried to open the door with his right hand. He was glad when the lock finally clicked audibly and the door opened. Relieved, he stepped over the threshold. Suguru followed him.
Gojo had barely set foot in the room when he grumbled loudly, “What is this place? It's much smaller than back home!”
“Just bring the boxes in,” Megumi pleaded and placed the box he was holding in his hands on the floor in front of the bed. He took the others from Geto, then looked around. It was just as the university had described. Small, but fully equipped. A narrow bed, a desk and chair, a wardrobe and a shelf. A floor table with folding legs and seat cushions were tucked away in one corner. The window offered him the usual cityscape, currently with a cloudy sky. Only from time to time did a ray of blue appear. In the entrance area was the kitchenette he had been told about, consisting of two hotplates, a tiny sink, a small fridge and a bit of storage space. Suguru just opened the cupboard and announced, “Seems to have all the essentials. Kettle, a few bowls, cups and glasses.” He found cutlery in the drawer and a pan, two pots and a rice cooker in the corner next to the fridge. Meanwhile, Satoru had stuck his nose into the bathroom. “Wet cell,” he announced.
“That all sounds like I can make ends meet,” Megumi grumbled. “It's a dorm room near the campus, not a luxury flat in Ginza. I think it's good. I can get to university quickly and there are two or three konbinis around the corner.”
“Ah yes, the humble student life,” Gojo sighed theatrically and finally brought the boxes over.
“As if you'd ever seen the inside of a university,” Suguru teased. “Let's not even start on your modesty.”
“You've never sat in a lecture in your life either,” his friend countered.
Megumi rolled his eyes and opened one of the boxes, shaking his head. He just wanted to settle in.
“Do you need help unpacking?” Geto enquired, leaning over his shoulder.
“No, it's fine,” Megumi fended him off. “It's not that much and there's not enough space here for three people to unpack.” With these words, he complemented his two foster fathers towards the door.
“I can't believe he's just throwing us out!” Gojo was outraged and stumbled into the corridor. Geto tripped after him. Megumi stopped at the door and tried to ignore the fact that the attention immediately turned back to them.
“That's no way to treat your fathers, young man,” Geto teased, obviously a little offended by the rebuff.
“Suguru...” the student hissed, but got no further. Before he knew it, Satoru had grabbed him and pulled him tight into his arms.
“Then at least say goodbye to your old men properly,” the white-haired sorcerer demanded with feigned melancholy, holding Megumi in a vice-like hug.
“I'll beat you up in a minute,” he growled muffled, but then gave up when Suguru joined in the embrace. “That's the punishment for kicking you out, isn't it?” grumbled Megumi, but squeezed the two of them quickly. The tall men just grinned broadly. When they let go of him again, the student's face was flaming red up to his hairline.
“Now then, don't disgrace us,” Satoru admonished him playfully and finally strolled with Suguru along the corridor to the lift. The white-haired man put an arm around Geto's shoulder. He thought aloud, “If we're already in the city, we might as well go out for something to eat. What do you think?”
“I'd love to,” Suguru agreed, turning to Megumi one last time as he walked and calling out to him with a wave of his hand, “At least call from time to time, will you?”
Megumi slapped his hand over his face and disappeared into his room. Why was it always such a mess with the two of them?
---
Finally, Megumi had unpacked his things and put everything in its new place. His books, mainly non-fiction, were organised on the shelf. The clothes and towels were neatly stowed away in the wardrobe and the bed was freshly made. The wet cell, as Satoru had called the bathroom, was indeed tiny and consisted of just a small shower tray, a toilet and a washbasin with a mirror and a small vanity unit. He also found a few cleaning products there. That was quite enough for him.
He pulled two framed photos out of the last box in amazement. He was very sure that Tsumiki had slipped them to him unnoticed. One showed him with his sisters. Nanako and Mimiko laughed into the camera and hugged him. Tsumiki was leaning against Mimiko, also laughing. Megumi himself showed a forced smile. Satoru and Suguru grinned at him from the other picture. He sighed and placed both photos on the desk. Typical Tsumiki.
He lay down on the mattress, which was surprisingly comfortable, and stared up at the bare ceiling for a moment. It was a strange feeling somehow. Yesterday at dinner he was surrounded by his family and now... Someone was listening to music in one of the neighbouring rooms, from time to time footsteps and unintelligible snatches of conversation from the corridor drifted muffled through to him. Otherwise it was quiet. A door slammed and there was a low rumble. Apparently the neighbour from the other room, the last one in the corridor, had returned. It seemed even quieter to him than in the high school dormitory, but perhaps that was simply because Nobara had had the room next to him and she had been everything most of the time, but rarely quiet.
Nobara... Toge... He shook his head. It had been over a year now, but the wounds kept making themselves known. Unconsciously, he ran his hand over his chest. Over the left side, where the heart was.
No more of that! He sat up and rubbed his face. Not now.
Grateful for the distraction, Megumi registered the growling of his stomach. If he wanted to eat something today, he would probably have to go to the konbini, he thought. Actually, he would have preferred not to leave the room until Monday morning, not after Satoru's and Suguru's embarrassing behaviour. But he probably couldn't avoid a little shopping trip. Perhaps it wasn't the worst thing in the world to get some fresh air. Resignedly, he got up, put on his jacket and shoes and stepped out into the corridor. Fortunately, it was a lot less busy than it had been a few hours ago. On his way to the stairwell, he passed only one open door. As he walked by, he saw that the resident was leaning against the sink with a cup in her hand and talking to another young woman standing in the doorway.
“Isn't that the new guy with the two cute dads?” he heard whispering behind him.
Damn, so that was him now? The new guy with the two cute dads? He had been here for less than twenty-four hours and already stuck out like a sore thumb. He hated it. Could nothing in his life be normal?
Thank goodness no one was there when he returned from the konbini. So he was able to prepare himself a snack without any more stupid whispering and then make himself comfortable on the bed with a book. But the strange feeling from earlier remained. It was probably just the new surroundings, the unfamiliarity of university and the fact that he had never been so far away from his family before. It could certainly all feel strange.
Megumi hesitated briefly, but then he summoned his Divine Dogs. After all, his shikigami were not animals in the true sense of the word. Besides, normal people couldn't see them anyway. The white one snuggled right up to Megumi, laid his head on his master's lap and let himself be stroked. Meanwhile, the black one made himself cosy at the foot of the bed. Megumi leaned back and pulled his mobile phone out of his trouser pocket. It had vibrated. Tsumiki had texted and asked how his evening was. She also sent him greetings from the twins.
Megumi wrote back briefly: It's okay. Say hello to the others for me too.
---
Monday morning, first class of anatomy. In Megumi's opinion, not too bad a start to university life, although the assistant professor had made it very clear to them that they would have to cram a lot here and that they would already be doing small practical work in the preclinical phase. He had explained the difference between macroscopic and microscopic anatomy, or histology. However, histology, just like embryology, would be covered in a separate course. The professor emphasised that an overview of the anatomical spectrum was essential in order to be able to identify initial indications of diseases and pathological changes. This was obvious and Megumi had already anticipated from the descriptions in the module handbook that veterinary medicine would not be a walk in the park from the outset. Nevertheless, some of his fellow students looked as if they had been struck by lightning. What did they think was waiting for them here?
His fellow student diagonally in front of him pressed his lips together into a thin line. Nevertheless, he looked determined in an unsettled way. Before the class started, he had introduced himself as Yoshino Junpei. He was a thin guy, about the same height as Megumi himself, with dark green eyes. His brown hair fell almost to his shoulders in a side parting. He seemed quiet and rather reserved, a little shy perhaps. All in all, though, he seemed like someone he could get along with.
Anatomy was directly followed by Theoretical Biochemistry I. According to the module plan, this was an interdisciplinary course. So there would also be students from subjects other than veterinary medicine. For Megumi, this meant that he and a few others from anatomy (Yoshino wasn't with him, he was in the parallel course) had to hurry, as the class took place in one of the science buildings on another part of campus. However, if you didn't dawdle, it was easy to get there in time.
Megumi sat down at a free seat by the window and looked around. The room was essentially the same as the one he had just come from. There was a desk at the front and a blackboard behind it, but it was completely lowered. The white wall served as a screen for the projector on the ceiling. There were about thirty people there, but he had already heard that the group sizes were probably kept manageable on purpose. Megumi pulled out his laptop, notepad and pen and took another sip from his water bottle as a young man in a yellow hoodie with pink hair and light brown eyes came slithering into the room.
“Yes, still in time,” he announced happily and made a victory fist. Then he quickly scanned his surroundings and headed towards Megumi. What did the guy want from him now? But then Megumi realised that there was one of the last free seats next to him. His fellow student dropped into the chair and grinned at the black-haired young man.
“Hey ya,” he greeted him, rummaging in his backpack. A pencil case landed on the table with a crash, followed by a notepad. Megumi just stared at the guy in irritation. But before he could say anything else, the professor came in. He was a middle-aged man of average height; a grey streak was already visible on his temple and he wore round glasses. He introduced himself to his students as Kato Naoki. Professor Kato put down his briefcase and pulled out a list.
“In the first lesson, I like to go through the list of participants myself so that I have a face to go with your name. From next week, I'll just pass it around at the beginning of class and ask you to sign it,” he explained, adjusting his visual aid and starting to go through the list alphabetically from top to bottom.
When the professor read out “Fushiguro Megumi”, Megumi raised his hand. He did not miss the brief surprise that flitted across Kato's features. His father had given him this name without knowing what gender he was, and yes, obviously you could call a boy Megumi, but traditionally it was a girl's name. In primary school, some of his classmates had teased him about it and in junior high, a few idiots had thought they had to make fun of it. That had happened exactly once, because after he'd roughed up the whole group, they hadn't allowed themselves any more jokes with him. Nobody at Jujutsu High or in the jujutsu world was interested in that sort of thing anyway. There were far stranger things than his first name. Here at university, hopefully everyone was already grown up enough to simply keep quiet when in doubt.
Kato ticked off his attendance and was about to call out the next name, but his gaze lingered on the boy in the yellow hoodie next to Megumi. The latter thought he saw a twitch at the corner of his professor's mouth.
“Itadori, you again?” he rumbled out. This had apparently been more indignant than intended, because he closed his eyes briefly to sort himself out. Meanwhile, the student addressed grinned wryly and raised his hand. “Hello, Professor,” he replied in a half-apologetic tone.
Kato's finger glided briefly over the list, skipped a few names, then ticked his off and grumbled half aloud, “Itadori Yuji. Present.”
Megumi squinted suspiciously at his fellow student. What the hell kind of idiot was he?
Notes:
Yes, I know, the University of Tokyo is prestigious. No, I didn't realise how prestigious when I started to write this fanfiction and it must have slipped through during my first research. I'm actually very detail-obsessed and meticulous when it comes to my research (I even went to see the Hongo campus for myself when I was in Tokyo a few months ago), but since the university is more of a backdrop here, I'm taking a few artistic liberties and hope no one minds.
This also applies to Megumi's and Yuji's degree programmes. Although I work at a university myself and have also studied, I am a humanities scholar. So unfortunately I have no first-hand knowledge of a veterinary degree programme, for example. What I know is that the regular bachelor's degree takes 4 and med school 6 years in Japan.
I hope the changes/inaccuracies are acceptable.
Chapter 3: How to get along with your neighbour
Summary:
“Tell me, Itadori, are you following me?” he glanced at his fellow student, slightly irritated, after he had not only crossed the street with him, but also turned the same corner.
“Huh?” Yuji said, seemingly unable to understand the question. “No, what makes you think that? That's the way to the dormitory.”
Notes:
Chapter three - yay!
Megumi is slowly getting used to university life and Yuji... Well, he's there too, of course ;)Thanks for the feedback so far!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
April 2022
By the light of his small lamp Megumi sat at his desk with a bowl of miso soup in his hand and gazed out of the window, lost in thought. It had been dark outside for a while, even though the days were slowly getting longer and longer again. He could hear the muffled noises of the city through the closed windows and occasionally took a sip of the hot, steaming broth. He had already fished out the ingredients - tofu, wakame and spring onions - with his chopsticks and eaten them. Wednesday afternoon had been a long one. He had been stuck at university until 7pm today and yet it was already his favourite day. The first class didn't start until midday, which suited him very well. This meant he could read into the night, as he liked to do, and still take it easy in the morning. He wasn't good for anything before his first coffee anyway.
The closed laptop and the college block with his handwritten notes lay in front of him. He'd almost finished his workload for the classes. Before he went to bed, he would take another look at the zoology book he had borrowed from the library on the way home. He wanted to read up on something for today's homework, but right now he needed a little break. His head was buzzing at the moment. The first three days had been exhausting and the new routine was still so unfamiliar.
He was just taking another cautious sip of the hot soup when his mobile phone vibrated noisily on the tabletop. He took a quick look at the display, hurriedly put the bowl down and accepted the video call. Mimiko's smiling face appeared in front of him and she waved cheerfully at the camera.
“Hello, little brother,” she greeted him. “I was curious how you're doing. So, what are you up to?”
Megumi leant back in his chair and drew up one leg, resting his chin on it. “Everything's fine so far. I'm just sitting at my desk right now, taking a little break.”
“It's a lot already, isn't it?” enquired Mimiko, nibbling on a strawberry-flavoured Pocky.
“Yeah, it's a lot, but it's okay,” he replied, rubbing the back of his neck. His eyes wandered to the timetable hanging on the wall above his desk. “Tuesday is pretty rubbish, but otherwise it's actually okay. I even only have a biometrics class in the morning on Fridays. How are things at home?”
“Boring,” his sister complained and flopped back onto her bed. “Everyone's out tonight. Nanako was spontaneously given a little mission an hour ago and Tsumiki is with a friend. I think Suguru wanted to drop by Shoko's and hasn't come back yet. Please don't ask me where Satoru has gone.”
“He's probably annoying Kento,” Megumi surmised.
Mimiko laughed. “Yes, that's quite possible. Or Yaga, or poor Kiyotaka.” She smirked, but then became more serious. “We miss you,” she said, wrapping a long brown strand of hair around her index finger.
“I haven't even been away for a week,” he interjected.
“So what?” She pouted. “Something's still missing without you. Your shikigami, for example.”
The black-haired student nodded knowingly. “You don't miss me. You only miss the pets that aren't really pets. Get a cat or something.”
Mimiko rolled her eyes. “You idiot,” she scolded jokingly. “Suguru definitely won't allow that.”
“Then ask Satoru. He's guaranteed to say yes.” And would certainly drive Suguru up the wall, he thought to himself.
“Mhhhh...” She rubbed her chin thoughtfully. “That's not a bad idea. I told you, you're missing here.”
Her brother rolled his eyes. It wouldn't be that bad. After all, he wasn't on the other side of the world and hadn't even left Tokyo.
“Have you actually met anyone yet? Any fellow students who are nice?” Mimiko asked.
“Yoshino from anatomy class seems to be okay, but otherwise...” He shrugged his shoulders.
“Jeez, Megumi, you're going about student life all wrong. You can't just sit at your desk and in the library,” she reprimanded him.
A little annoyed by this statement, he furrowed his brows and sighed. He sat down properly again, leant forward a little and reached for an information brochure, which he held up briefly to the camera. It was the university's club programme.
“I wanted to go to taido tomorrow,” he said. “Besides, I've only been here a few days. Give me a bit of time to get used to it.”
“Great!” Mimiko beamed at him and ignored his objection. “Suguru once said that he has a lot of the defence and attack techniques that he practised with us from taido, didn't he?”
The young man nodded. While Satoru had been more concerned with their cursed techniques, Suguru had largely taken over the athletic training and, in addition to various other hand-to-hand combat practices, had orientated himself towards taido, mainly because of its flexibility. His foster father had not been squeamish with him or the twins, and later Nobara, during training. He still had Geto's sermon in his ears, so to speak.
“Shikigami users are seldom skilled in hand-to-hand combat. Their technique usually allows them to keep opponents at a distance. Nanako, listen, that basically applies to your image manipulation as well,” he demanded the girl's attention before continuing, “That also applies to my own technique, by the way. It's only to your advantage if you can do both. I speak from experience. You will be able to take most people by surprise to your own superiority.”
Megumi definitely wanted to give the taido club a try, but hadn't had the training session on his mind yesterday and had missed it.
“Mimiko, listen, I don't want to put you off, but I'm actually eating right now and I have to read another text. I don't want to go to bed super late either. I have a physics lecture in the morning,” he began.
“Ah yeah, don't talk shit. Of course you want to cut me off.” She stuck her tongue out at him, but grinned again the next moment. “Then be a model nerd. Love you, little brother.” She mischievously blew him a kiss and winked.
“Yeah, say hello to the rest from me,” Megumi replied, shaking his head. Then they hung up.
His soup was only lukewarm by now. But that didn't matter, he drank it anyway. Once he had settled into the university routine a little better, he would definitely have to write to the family group chat more often.
---
The next day, Megumi entered the changing room of the dojo where taido training was taking place shortly before 5pm. Two other students were also there, getting changed. So he was not too late. He had already heard from some older fellow students that there could be quite a high fluctuation in the clubs in the first two weeks because the newcomers tried out different things before committing themselves. He quickly changed into his tracksuit. As the training at the academy had not been officially taido, he had no gi and of course had never taken a test. The two others already wore blue belts, so they probably didn't just want to try out the club, and nodded politely to Megumi. He followed them into the dojo. There were already an estimated 20 students kneeling on the mats. He counted eight young women among them. The entire range of belt colours could be found.
“Is there anyone else in the changing room?” asked the trainer, a 40-year-old man with short hair, a friendly face and a visibly muscular physique.
“No, sensei, we were the last ones,” replied one of the blue belts, bowing slightly.
“Great.” The teacher's attention fell on Megumi and he smiled invitingly. “How nice, then I guess we have three new students this term. What's your name?”
“Fushiguro Megumi,” he replied and bowed like his fellow student before him.
“Good, good. Take a seat,” the sensei instructed the three of them. There followed a respectful greeting to the group and the trainer, whose name was Watanabe Isamu, explained a few words about the history of taido to the beginners. Although it had developed from traditional karate, it had only existed in its current form as a semi-contact sport since 1965.
After the warm-up, Watanabe divided them into random pairs and had them practise some of the moves he had previously shown them. He walked around, giving tips, correcting postures and explaining sequences in more detail. Megumi's training partner was only a yellow belt, but her technique was very precise and clean. Watanabe watched them, then nodded approvingly and gave them a quick word of praise.
After a while, the sensei clapped his hands and announced, “Take a short break. Everyone have a drink.”
Megumi had just put down the water bottle when someone approached him from the side. “Hey Fushiguro, you're in biochemistry with me.”
He turned around and almost choked. His fellow student with the pink hair stood next to him and grinned at him. As he twisted the cap back on the bottle, he cleared his throat and said, “Itadori, right?”
Yuji's grin widened. “Exactly. Cool that you're interested in taido.”
The black-haired student nodded silently. He simply didn't know how to deal with his counterpart. Was he expecting small talk now? Fortunately, Watanabe called them back at that moment to continue. One of the older taidoka took care of those who had no interest in competitions. The rest gathered around another mat. Megumi had thought about it for a moment, but then decided that he would like to have a look at the martial arts training.
Watanabe explained for those who were there for the first time that this was about so-called jissen. In other words, not choreographed show fights, but free individual competitions. He then called individual students into the centre one by one. A volunteer could then come forward from among the bystanders to compete against him or her.
“Itadori,” the sensei called Megumi's fellow student onto the mat. He followed the call, but no one else moved.
Megumi frowned questioningly and whispered to the young man next to him, who was wearing a green belt. “What's going on?” he wanted to know. “Why hasn't anyone come forward?”
“The guy is strong,” was the terse reply.
But that shouldn't really be a decisive criterion in taido, he thought. After all, the sport was designed in such a way that there were no weight classes. There was no denying that Itadori wasn't a penny-pincher, but that couldn't be everything. Megumi wasn't satisfied with the answer and continued, “He has an orange belt. That's not a terribly high rank.”
“No, but he just started a year ago and only got an orange belt because he couldn't take more exams in that time. For my part, I'll pass. The guy's a bloke. But usually someone with a blue belt or higher takes pity on him.”
Megumi still found this behaviour funny and looked over at Yuji again, with whom no one seemed to want to mess voluntarily. A few of the higher taidoka gave the impression that they would be swayed if no one else took pity on him. Could this guy really be such a high-flyer?
“I don't have a problem with randomly choosing someone...” the sensei began semi-threateningly, but stopped when Megumi stood up. He wasn't the only one looking at his newest pupil in irritation.
“I'll do it,” the student announced. This show here was ridiculous.
“Fushiguro, this is your first lesson,” Watanabe reminded him sceptically.
“My father has been teaching me taido since second grade,” he explained. “I just haven't done any belt exams.” He wasn't keen on the ten pairs of eyes staring at him. A quick glance to the side told him that the technical group was also staring curiously at them. He hated it, but now he wanted to know how good this Itadori really was. The trainer merely nodded.
“As always, be fair. The first to score a full point, an ippon, wins,” Watanabe announced as Megumi stepped onto the mat.
The two students knelt opposite each other and scrutinised the other. Megumi noticed a scar on Yuji's right eyebrow, which also ran a little way along his nose. It was already faded. The gi suggested that Yuji was physically stronger than him. Megumi roughly estimated that he was certainly a good ten, probably more like fifteen kilos heavier than he was. But that didn't matter; after all, it wasn't just strength that counted. Yuji's look was friendly, somehow satisfied. Was he pleased that Megumi had volunteered after everyone else had chickened out?
They bowed, slowly straightened up again and assumed their stance. Yuji examined his opponent. Fushiguro was a little taller than him, but rather wiry and slender. In terms of muscle strength, he was definitely superior to him. But that didn't have to mean anything when it came to taido: if his opponent had been practising since primary school, there was no doubt that things could get tight for him. Yuji registered the determined look in the dark blue eyes that scanned him. Fushiguro was obviously serious. Very good, because he wasn't one to do things by halves.
Watanabe signalled the start. At first, they circled each other, levelling each other out, forwards, backwards. Finally, Yuji decided to go first. Two quick steps forwards. He raised his left leg for a kick, but it went nowhere. Megumi had simply dived underneath. The latter changed his axis in a flash, switching from defence to attack and countering with a kick from below. Yuji retreated by a hair's breadth. Back on their feet, they circled each other again, each trying to steer the other in their preferred direction.
This went back and forth a few more times, but neither of them scored a full ippon, only partial points. After the usual time for a match had elapsed and neither of them had reach an ippon, Watanabe ended the match and awarded Yuji the victory on points. The two training partners bowed and shook hands.
“Fushiguro,” the sensei addressed Megumi before he left the mat. “Your father taught you taido for self-defence, didn't he?”
The student replied in the affirmative and Watanabe continued, “It shows. You're really good and should definitely think about taking the belt exams. But for clean matches, the street has to disappear from your style, do you understand? Otherwise you'll be warned at competitions, or at worst disqualified,” he remarked. “I know Itadori can handle it, but there were a few things that I won't let you get away with next time. All right?”
Megumi nodded. The announcement had been clear enough and, damn it, Itadori was really quite fierce. It had actually taken him some effort to keep up with the other one.
---
After training, Yuji sat freshly showered in his underwear on one of the narrow wooden benches in the changing room. Bending forwards, he searched in his bag for his second sock. When he finally found it, he straightened up again. His eyes fell on Megumi, who was standing a few steps away. He had turned his back to him, wrapped his towel around his shoulders and was rubbing one end over his cheek. He looked to the side, lost in thought. Yuji followed his gaze and it flashed through him briefly. Megumi seemed to be looking at Higashi, an older taidoka - as far as Yuji knew, this was his last year at university. Fushiguro's eyes fixed intently on the back of his neck, where... No, that was just a coincidence. Fushiguro was thinking about something and just happened to glance in Higashi's direction. After all, he was standing right next to him.
“Hardly back at university and already tense,” Higashi whined to a fellow student with whom he was deep in conversation.
Yuji closed his eyes briefly and shook his head slightly. He was imagining things. There was nothing there, nothing could be there, even if his eyes told him otherwise. No small, monster-like creature could cling to Higashi's neck. The doctor had told his grandpa back then that Yuji was just making it up to deal with the accident and the loss.
“There are no monsters, Yuji. It's just your imagination,” his grandfather's voice echoed in his mind.
But Fushiguro was staring right at this grey creature with the long fingers and oversized head. This made it difficult for Yuji to ignore it, as he had become accustomed to doing.
Coincidence! That was pure coincidence. He shouldn't read anything into it. At some point, he had stopped telling the adults about the monsters he kept seeing. At some point, he had learnt to ignore them and it usually worked. His grandfather had accordingly believed that the craziness had finally stopped. From then on, he had been much less worried about him, which in turn had relieved Yuji.
He mentally called himself to order and pulled on his green jumper. No sooner had he slipped into it than he watched Fushiguro make a quick hand gesture towards Higashi's neck and the monster vanished into thin air.
“Oh,” Higashi wondered, rolled his shoulders and turning his head left and right. “Funny, it suddenly feels a lot lighter.”
His conversation partner tapped his forehead and teased, “Don't go all hypochondriac.” Then they both picked up their sports bags and left the dojo. Yuji stared after them in disbelief for a moment.
What had happened? Did Fushiguro see the creatures too? Otherwise he wouldn't have been able to, well, remove the monster somehow. But if Fushiguro saw them, then they couldn't just be his imagination and that possibility was somehow even creepier.
Yuji rubbed his temples and bowed his head. Don't go crazy. He looked up again when he heard a thump and saw Fushiguro leave the locker room as well.
Stop it now! He shouldn't drive himself nuts and go home. He still had to read something for sports psychology - kind of ironic!
---
Megumi stood at the pedestrian crossing and waited for the traffic lights to change. In his head he went through what he had on his to do list this evening. First he would definitely have to cook something, he was getting hungry. Rice, a few eggs and leeks were definitely still there. He had been putting off finishing biochemistry until now, so he should get to it. He didn't want to let it slip, he would only regret it in the end when the exams came around. But if he hadn't forgotten anything, that would be all, so he could read a bit for fun later.
“Oh, hi Fushiguro,” someone greeted him. Megumi turned and there he was again. Itadori Yuji was suddenly standing next to him. He greeted him back curtly.
“Tell me, Itadori, are you following me?” he glanced at his fellow student, slightly irritated, after he had not only crossed the street with him, but also turned the same corner.
“Huh?” Yuji said, seemingly unable to understand the question. “No, what makes you think that? That's the way to the dormitory.”
Great, so not only the same class and the same sports club, but also the same dormitory. Of course, Megumi couldn't accuse him of anything intentional, but he did feel a little persecuted. Especially when Yuji turned to the right corridor with him on the second floor. Yuji silently approached the door to the right of Megumi's room, the last door in the hallway.
“Seriously? You have the room next to me?” The black-haired young man wondered if the universe or the gods or someone else was playing a stupid joke on him. If he wasn't absolutely sure that Satoru's influence didn't extend to the university, he would have accused his foster father of it. Giving him an annoying fellow student as a next-door neighbour would be exactly Satoru's sense of humour.
Yuji just unlocked his door and looked at him with wide eyes.
“Wait, so you're the new guy with the two dads?” it slipped out of his mouth without thinking.
Megumi's features stiffened. Had the idiot really asked him that? The former sorcerer rolled his eyes and slammed the door behind him without any comment.
---
After Megumi had eaten, he stood at the sink in the tiny kitchenette to do the washing up. He had turned on the tap and already had the sponge in one hand and the rice bowl in the other when there was a knock. Clattering, Megumi let the dishes slide back into the sink, turned off the water and quickly dried his hands. Who wanted something from him now, of all people? He opened the door and in front of him stood...
“Itadori?” he wondered, tilting his head slightly and crossing his arms in front of his chest. His counterpart looked at him with a guilty expression on his face.
“What do you want?” Megumi asked angrily.
“I want to apologise,” the other replied, shoving his hands into his trouser pockets and rocking back and forth on his heels. “For earlier,” Itadori continued after Megumi initially showed no reaction. “I'm sorry I said that about your family. It wasn't okay to just parrot the rumours from the dorm. I mean, you shouldn't say things without having an idea about it, especially if it doesn't concern you at all. I apologise for saying that about your parents. I didn't mean to offend you.”
Megumi was admittedly surprised - he hadn't expected that - and impressed. Not everyone would have come back to say sorry, even if it was only a few steps, and Itadori seemed to mean it sincerely. He looked at Megumi with wide eyes. A bit like a dog that knew he had done something wrong.
“It's okay,” Megumi finally said. He rubbed the back of his neck and looked past Yuji into the empty corridor, shrugging his shoulders. “It's true,” he admitted. What could he deny? After all, he had two fathers. Three, if you wanted to be petty. Although his biological father didn't count for Megumi. After all, it had been Satoru and Suguru who had taken Tsumiki and him in unconditionally and looked after them. They were still doing that now, even though they were practically all grown up. Yes, he was sometimes unspeakably embarrassed when the two Special Grades drew all the attention to themselves (and therefore to him), but he was certainly not ashamed of the fact that they were his parents.
He looked at Yuji again, who seemed a little irritated by this unexpected openness, but quickly regained his composure.
“Cool,” he smiled. “I'm really glad that's been cleared up. Otherwise it might have been weird at training. You'll be back next week, won't you? You've really got what it takes. It was a lot of fun today.”
“Erm, thanks.” Megumi felt slightly taken aback by this statement. He had obviously made more of an impression than he had even begun to realise. “I wanted to keep coming to the club,” he nodded.
“Great!” Yuji's smile turned into a grin. He was really pleased. Finally, he raised his hand to wave goodbye and said, “See you. Have a nice evening.”
“You too,” Megumi replied haltingly and they disappeared into their rooms.
The former sorcerer stood at the kitchen counter again and, lost in thought, did the washing up. Itadori and he were bound to see each other, there was no avoiding it. He was perhaps a little too pushy for Megumi's taste, but he seemed to be a sincere and good person. Maybe he wasn't as much of a fool as Megumi had first thought.
---
Two and a half weeks later. It was Monday evening and Yuji was sitting at his desk. He had the slides from today's biochemistry topic open on his laptop and a few copied pages stapled together in front of him. He had quickly copied the article in the library during his break, as Professor Kato had designated it as compulsory reading. After Yuji had come home from training with his second sports club, he had just made himself some quick cup ramen and then sat down to study straight away. The empty cup and chopsticks were still on the tabletop.
He had almost finished the article and was on the last page, but he had marked far too many paragraphs in the margin with a question mark. The slides and his notes from the morning were of little help to him. Frustrated, he finally dropped the pencil and put his head down on the table. Why was biochemistry so difficult for him? Yes, of course, he wasn't a model student, he was more of an average one with outliers at the top and bottom, but this subject was getting him down.
In contrast to him, Fushiguro didn't seem to have any problems with the material at all. He had even asked clever questions today, while Yuji was struggling to formulate what he hadn't actually understood. He was not allowed to fail the exam again this term.
He straightened up, rubbing his hands over his face and through his hair. If he failed the exam again, he would really be in trouble. His grandfather would certainly be disappointed in him and he would be disappointed in himself. After all, he had laboured through the entrance exam and passed it by the skin of his teeth. He couldn't fail because of one course.
He glanced at his alarm clock at the head of the bed. Almost nine. Was that already too late to go next door? Fushiguro always seemed latently irritable, but he was actually quite a nice guy, Yuji thought. After taido, they walked back to the dormitory together and talked a little on the way. He was a bit secretive, but Yuji had at least managed to elicit from him that he was studying veterinary medicine and that he had gone to a high school that had lasted four years instead of the usual three. He had kept very quiet about the school itself, though, only mentioning that his fathers both taught there. Perhaps one inevitably accumulated a lot of knowledge when both parents were teachers, Yuji mused. What he had avoided at all costs was mentioning his observation in the changing room from the first week of term. Yuji didn't trust himself enough to do so; after all, he had been told for years that it was just his imagination and if it really was, then Fushiguro would think he was crazy. He didn't want that. However, asking him for help with biochemistry was not crazy, just desperately necessary.
---
Megumi sat cross-legged on his bed, the open anatomy book next to him, and held his mobile phone in his hand. Via Line he had told the family chat that his professor had announced today that they would be doing some small practical anatomy exercises this term. Tsumiki had sent an emoji that looked like it was about to throw up.
Tsumiki:
Just don't give me any details then... I don't want to know that much. The idea makes me sick.
Nanako:
There are worse things than cutting open animal body parts.
Mimiko:
Curse victims, for example...?
Suguru:
Girls, please! Leave it alone.
Satoru seemed to be amused, all he send was a strange, laughing emoji. Megumi shook his head. Always the same with them. He was just about to reassure Tsumiki that he wouldn't bother her with detailed reports about his dissection exercises when there was a knock at his door. He put the phone aside and got up. Who was that now?
“Itadori, what are you doing here?” he greeted his next-door neighbour.
“Hi. I hope I'm not disturbing you. I just wanted to ask you something,” he said and seemed reassured when Megumi shook his head, confirming that he wasn't bothering. After all, the family chat wasn't going anywhere and he had done everything else he had planned for today.
“What's going on?” he wanted to know.
“You have a good grasp of biochemistry,” his fellow student began and, after a prompting nod from Megumi, continued, “Unfortunately, I don't at all. It's super difficult for me and I already failed the exam last spring term. If I fail again this time, I'll be in real trouble and I thought I'd ask you if you... Well, maybe we could study together. What do you think?”
Megumi didn't really know. He actually preferred to study alone, but Itadori gave the impression that it was actually nerve-racking for him. He looked worried, plucked at his jumper and his hair was all tousled.
“Are you kidding me?” the first-year asked nevertheless. “If you did the class last year, then what Kato is telling you is nothing new.”
“I wouldn't ask you if I could get it together on my own.” He already knew himself that he wasn't the sharpest knife in the drawer and he was pretty sure his neighbour had a full week, just like him. Study groups always took up time, of course, but he really wouldn't bother him if he didn't need help.
“Okay.” Megumi thought for a moment. He didn't feel obliged to help everyone all the time, but Itadori had turned out to be quite a nice guy, even if his manner was a handful. The way Megumi saw it, Itadori wouldn't hesitate for a second if the roles were reversed and yes, he was quite good with biochemistry. It seemed wrong to leave the other one hanging at that moment.
“What's your Wednesday evening like?” he finally suggested. “Otherwise, I only have a class in the mornings on Fridays.”
“I'm at work on Wednesdays,” Yuji refused. “On Fridays, I have practice until midday, but then I could do it until just after four, four-thirty.”
“Friday then,” Megumi agreed. He was glad that the appointment had been sorted out so quickly. “Where should we meet?”
“I'm at the athletics field,” Itadori explained. “Do you know where that is? The coach likes to overrun sometimes. I don't always get away on time.”
“I think I know where it is.” Megumi called up the rough campus map in his head. He had a vague idea where the sports fields were. “Then I'll just come there.”
His fellow student grinned gratefully at him. “You're really saving my ass, Fushiguro.”
Notes:
Destiny! Clearly destiny.
Of course Megumi can't get rid of Yuji that easily. Good that he admits this to himself.I hope you're interested to see what happens next now that things are slowly starting to pick up.
Chapter 4: Dinner's ready
Summary:
Megumi paid and was about to leave when Yuji's stomach grumbled again. He turned back to his fellow student, who pressed his hands into the pit of his stomach: “How much longer do you have to work?”
Yuji's gaze wandered to the wall clock next to the cash registers and replied: “Just under half an hour. Why?”
“I wanted to cook something anyway.” Megumi demonstratively held up the groceries he had just paid for. “It won't be anything elaborate, but come around after work,” he invited Itadori.
Notes:
I am excited! Because I really like this chapter and hope you like it too.
Have fun!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
April 2022
Megumi glanced at his mobile phone. The time shown on the display told him that he was a little early. He didn't know his way around the sports science part of the campus very well, so he'd decided to better plan a few extra minutes. It was easy to take a wrong turn between the buildings, halls and outdoor facilities without a precise plan. He was glad that after almost four weeks he knew where his own classes took place and where the relevant buildings, the library and the canteen were located on the huge university campus.
He stopped in front of one of the sports fields. It looked like athletics. Running tracks for sprint and long distance, a high jump frame and sand pits took up the area. On the side facing him, he could see some students practising long-jump. He checked the site plan on his mobile again. This should be the right place, but Itadori, with whom he had an appointment to study, was not to be found in this group. There were a few more athletes on the opposite side and as Megumi got closer, he spotted his fellow student's pink mop of hair.
The stand was empty and Megumi sat down so that he had a good view of the small gathering around the shot put area. A light wind was blowing and not only drove the thin grey clouds across the sky, but also made a few of the athletes shiver softly. Two young female students rubbed their upper arms, another pranced on the spot to keep moving. In total, about a dozen young people had assembled around a small, petite woman in a tracksuit. She wore her hair tied in a practical plait and a whistle dangled around her neck. In her hands she held a clipboard with a pen. Megumi pulled up the zip of his jacket and leaned back. He took a small pocket book out of his backpack, which was labelled with a few post-its. On the training ground, it didn't look like the coach was going to finish on time, so he might as well go over a few more medical terms.
“Itadori!” the coach called out unexpectedly harsh and Megumi lowered the Pocket Handbook Of Medical Terminology. Instead, he watched as Yuji stepped forward with the shot in his hand and placed it on the crook of his neck. The functional shirt made the muscles on his arms and upper body stand out much more clearly than they did under the gi. He didn't have an ounce too much fat on his body. How often did he train? Inevitably, Megumi wondered whether he should perhaps do something else besides taido.
“You have to stay fit,” Kento had admonished him when he left Jujutsu High. “The curses don't care whether you're a practising sorcerer or not. When danger is imminent, you have to be able to react quickly.”
That was probably true. Apart from a bunch of flyheads, however, he hadn't seen any curses at the university and he hoped it would stay that way. He pushed the thought away and focussed again on his fellow student, who was just gaining momentum and then hit the shot so hard and far that Megumi's jaw almost dropped. The other sports students looked in disbelief or put their heads together. One of them ran off with the measuring tape and announced: “24.18 metres!”
Yuji grinned with obvious satisfaction. However, his joy faded when his coach gruffly snapped at him: “I want you tested on drugs, Itadori!”
“Huh? Why is that?” he complained loudly, looking completely confused.
The coach pointed furiously at the shot. “Are you trying to take me for a fool? The world record in shot put is 23.56 metres and you're trying to make me believe that you can easily beat it off the cuff? You're definitely being tested for doping.” She scribbled something vigorously on her clipboard.
“I've been there the last two semesters and nothing was ever found,” he interjected angrily. “I don't take that kind of stuff!”
“I don't care about the last two semesters! You're showing up to the drug test. I won't grade you before,” she threatened, piercing her student with a look of baleful narrowed eyes.
Grumbling, Yuji finally resigned himself to his fate. The coach turned away and didn't notice him grimacing. Meanwhile, Megumi scratched his head thoughtfully. Was Itadori like Maki?
The coach ended the practical session after two more students had their turn and the group collected their equipment. This was the signal for Megumi to throw his backpack over his shoulder and head down to the sports field.
“Oh, hi Fushiguro,” Yuji greeted him, beaming as he saw his fellow student coming towards him. The anger from just a few minutes ago seemed to have been blown away.
It was somehow fascinating how fundamentally positive Itadori was all the time, Megumi thought. Aloud, he replied, “Hey, do you know how much longer you need?”
Yuji grimaced thoughtfully as he lifted the box of shots as if it weighed nothing. “I still have to put this away, then get ready and change. Mhhh, but if I hurry, I should be able to do that in about fifteen minutes. I'm sorry this is taking so long.”
Megumi nodded and shrugged it off: “You warned me that the coach sometimes overruns.”
He decided to wait outside the hall in which the group had finally disappeared. He sat down on a low wall and stuck his nose back into his concise dictionary.
---
“Fibrin,” someone read out the bold term at the top of the page. Megumi winced as he turned around and saw Itadori looking over his shoulder. He hadn't noticed him at all. At Jujutsu High, someone would surely have punished him for such carelessness. He would definitely have caught one from Maki.
“Yes, a blood fibre,” he replied automatically.
“I know,” Itadori said. “A fibre protein and end product of blood clotting. Formed from fibrinogen. The fibrin coating promotes haemostasis in wounds,” he added and then asked, “Shall we? There's a campus café not too far from here with really student-friendly prices.”
Megumi merely nodded and put the book away as he stood up. He turned to Itadori and looked at him with slight irritation.
“I also have sports medicine classes. They teach us about wound healing, among other things,” he answered the unasked question as they set off.
Megumi hadn't wanted to ask that, but it was somehow logical that medicine was also part of the sports degree programme. Actually, when he thought about it, he knew almost nothing about Itadori. On their way home from taido, it had mostly been about training and his fellow student had asked him a few things about his studies and high school, but the other way around... After all, they regularly spent time together and Megumi had somehow come to like him. Wasn't he being a bit rude to Itadori? Perhaps he could show a little more interest.
“Actually, I was just wondering why you had so much stuff with you.” Megumi had noticed that Yuji had a small backpack with him in addition to the sports bag and...
“Is that a bow?” the black-haired boy asked, pointing to the long bag Itadori was carrying over his right shoulder.
“Yes, I still have kyudo this afternoon and I don't know how long we'll be sitting together. That's why I've got everything with me. Sports kit in the bag, documents and laptop in the backpack,” he explained, adjusting the strap.
---
The café was located on the ground floor of a block-like, brick building. This architecture could be found on every corner of the campus. Although maybe not a feast for the eyes from the outside, the inside of the café was bright and invitingly, still simple.
The two of them had occupied a corner table by the window so they were able to stow their bags and backpacks against the wall so that they weren't in anyone's way. Each of them had a plate with a sandwich in front of them. Yuji had also got himself a green tea, Megumi a black coffee. Itadori had vehemently insisted on paying for his drink, explaining, “As a little thank you for helping me.”
As they ate, Megumi's eyes wandered back to the long bag leaning against the wall.
“How did you get into kyudo?” he finally asked, waiting briefly until Yuji had swallowed the bite of his sandwich.
“It's prescribed by the study regulations.” Yuji took his cup and twirled it slowly between his fingers. “Everyone has to take two additional sports clubs on top of the mandatory practical part that's already included. The coaches confirm that you have attended regularly and sign a form at the end of the semester. I then have to hand it in. One club should also be a traditional sport. Taido was only created in the mid-60s, so that doesn't apply. I tried out various clubs in the first week and somehow got stuck on archery.” He laughed briefly. “You're not the first person to wonder about that. A few people have already told me that it somehow didn't suit me.”
“I wouldn't have put it like that,” Megumi muttered behind his coffee cup but he was surprised that Itadori did kyudo of all things. The fact that the other had deduced exactly that from his neutral question surprised Megumi even more. Itadori somehow seemed too restless for this sport, but he couldn't allow himself to pass judgement. He didn't know his counterpart well enough for that.
Yuji put the tea down again and pushed the empty plate away from him. Then he said, “There's something relaxing about archery. It helps to clear your head and it's also a good challenge when the sport doesn't come to you so easily.” He took a sip of tea. “I also think there's something elegant about kyudo. It's really nice to watch the advanced practitioners shoot.”
“That's right,” Megumi agreed and finished his coffee, “your strength and speed don't give you an advantage in kyudo.”
“Sometimes it just gets me into trouble,” Yuji admitted, rolling his eyes. “I'm getting fed up with being sent for a drug test every term.”
With a soft clonk, the former sorcerer set the empty cup down on the table and scrutinised the other young man carefully. “You might be spared if you weren't breaking world records in the wink of an eye.”
“I don't understand,” Yuji replied, his mouth twisted thoughtfully. He propped his elbow on the table and rested his chin on the flat of his hand. “Do you think I shouldn't give 100 per cent on purpose?”
“You don't have to purposefully lose, but it might save you the trouble if you slowed down to a normal level,” Megumi surmised, pushing his empty plate aside as well.
Yuji looked confused. “Half measures don't make sense,” he thought aloud, then suddenly became enthusiastic, “In baseball, you always want the home run! Whether you hit it is another matter, but aiming for less seems absurd to me.”
“Then maybe we should take care of your home run in biochemistry,” Megumi interjected and stood up. “I'll bring the crockery back. Go ahead and unpack your documents. We'll start at the beginning, with the material from the first lesson.”
---
They had been sitting in the café for quite a while now. But nobody seemed to mind that they were taking up the table to study. Megumi had noticed that a few more students were also sitting together in other places with their noses buried in their books. On his laptop, he had opened the slides that Kato made available to them online after each lesson. He had also opened a few illustrations from the biochemistry book. Yuji listened attentively and took notes. Megumi was pretty sure that his problems in the subject were not because he was lazy.
“Got it?” Megumi finally asked when he had finished his explanations.
Yuji nodded slowly and made a thoughtful face. “I think so,” he confirmed. He didn't sound completely convinced, though.
“Good.” Megumi simply closed the book and laptop and snatched the notepad from his fellow student. “Then explain the process to me,” he asked him. He would now test whether his counterpart had really understood everything. If not, he would at least know what he had to repeat.
Yuji didn't seem to have expected such a rigorous action. He stared at him, wide-eyed and perplexed, but Megumi just shrugged his shoulders ruthlessly. “If you understand it, you can explain it to me. So go on,” he urged him again.
“Dude, you're really tough,” whined the other, but all he got in response was a sceptically raised eyebrow and arms crossed in front of Megumi's chest.
“Okay.” Yuji closed his eyes briefly and rubbed his forehead in concentration. After a moment, he began to explain the biochemical process he had just chewed over, still somewhat haltingly and with short pauses for thought. Megumi listened attentively. After Yuji had finished, he looked at his counterpart expectantly and also somewhat uncertainly. His uncertainty inevitably increased when Megumi didn't show any reaction at first.
“Are you kidding me?” he finally hissed, leaning over the table so suddenly that Yuji moved back a little in his chair. The black-haired student fixed him with a baleful look.
“What, why is that? Was that wrong?” Yuji wondered. He couldn't have made such a big mess of things, could he? He had actually had the feeling that he understood everything quite well now. Maybe not down to the last detail, but enough not to be completely wrong.
“How can it be that you didn't get it at the beginning of the month and now you reproduce it completely accurate? Are you just playing dumb?” They had discussed the material in detail in class and Megumi couldn't imagine that Kato had handled it any differently the year before. How had Itadori managed to rattle through the exam?
“Of course not!” Yuji said indignantly. “I just understood for the first time.”
“I didn't do anything different from Kato in class,” Megumi insisted. “Why didn't that go into your head twice?”
“I don't know, but I don't get it with him. You explain much better. It suddenly made total sense,” Itadori affirmed, spreading his arms out helplessly. “I'm not going to make myself look any more stupid than I already am.”
Megumi dropped back into his seat and rubbed the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. Was he fucking serious?
He sighed resignedly. “I guess that means your problem isn't primarily the material itself. That's basically a good thing. You just can't cope with Kato's teaching style,” he concluded, running his fingers through his hair. “That means that if we want to get you through the exam, we'll probably have to study together for the whole semester. Unless something in your brain snaps into place and you just get what the professor is saying straight away.” However, he thought that was quite unlikely.
At first, his fellow student seemed a little surprised by this realisation. Was it really because he couldn't cope with Kato's way of explaining things? It was kind of obvious, wasn't it? Yuji had enough to do with biological and chemical aspects during his studies. Well, he didn't necessarily cover himself in glory, but he didn't fail either. After all, the subject hadn't miraculously become less complicated, but Fushiguro's explanations seemed so much more plausible to him. It was easier for Yuji than with Kato. With his professor, his head just kind of shut down.
“Sorry it's because of something so stupid,” Yuji said quietly. Now he felt a bit like he was wasting the other's time when he actually seemed to understand biochemistry.
Megumi waved him off. “You just can't get on with some people. That's the way it is.” It only was stupid when that person was your teacher or professor. Megumi was still glad that Itadori basically understood the material. That didn't necessarily make tutoring any less time-consuming, but at least it was less stressful. He finally stood up and stretched briefly. “Would you like a Coke too?” he asked, pointing towards the order counter, where three people were already queuing.
“Yes, thanks,” Yuji nodded and pulled the book over to him. He opened it and looked for the graphic from before.
Megumi had already half turned away when his next-door neighbour called him back, “Fushiguro, tell me, are you really going to go through this with me until the exam?”
The first-year nodded. “Sure. I told you I'd help you.” He wouldn't go back on his word, especially as the problem had turned out to be manageable from his point of view.
A happy grin spread across Yuji's face. “I knew right away that you were a really nice guy,” he blurted out.
Megumi dismissed it with a quick wave of his hand. On the way to the bar, Itadori's words were still ringing in his ears. He thought he was a really nice guy? He could feel his cheeks getting slightly warm.
Where was the heat coming from?
May 2022
After the last class on Wednesday evening, Megumi went to the library with his fellow student Yoshino Junpei. They sat opposite each other in silence at a desk. A few books lay between them, each of them busy with their own stuff. Megumi was scrolling through an online article on his laptop when Yoshino slipped him a sheet of paper. It was the homework for zoology. Yoshino tapped on exercise number four, somewhat at a loss. Megumi took the piece of paper and skimmed the text. Finally, he wrote next to it in pencil: Slides from last week? Shrugging his shoulders, he handed the sheet back to the other student. He hadn't looked at the assignments yet and continued to work on the article on the list of compulsory readings for the time being. Yoshino clicked a few times on his laptop and then finally turned it around to Megumi. Slide 23 was emblazoned on the screen. Megumi nodded and made a note of the page number. Then he wouldn't have to search for it himself later.
The two first-years had a number of courses together and, as Megumi had already suspected in the first anatomy class, Yoshino was quite a pleasant guy - he just got extremely talkative when it came to films. Somehow it had turned out that they occasionally went to the library together. Basically, they didn't even study together. Just because Yoshino was studying zoology, for example, didn't mean that Megumi was going through the same material as his fellow student. It had just proved to be practical, as they could quickly exchange information if they had any questions. Apart from that, Yoshino didn't seem to feel the need for a study group, unlike Itadori. But unlike Itadori, Yoshino didn't seem to need anyone to cram with him for any class.
At some point, Yoshino tapped Megumi's arm, who was now also concentrating on zoology. Megumi looked up and realised that the other student had started packing up his things. He glanced at the clock. It was almost nine. Yoshino threw on his backpack and said goodbye with a silent wave. Megumi stretched out in his chair and decided that it was about time for him to call it a day. Firstly, he had to get up early for his physics lecture tomorrow and secondly, he was starting to feel hungry. He'd had a late breakfast and hadn't really eaten anything afterwards.
He slowly got up and quietly put his things together. On the way from the library to the dormitory the other day, he had seen a konbini just outside the campus grounds. It wasn't the supermarket he usually went to, but he would probably have to make another stop there soon. Now that he didn't concentrate on his work any more, his stomach was becoming more and more noticeable.
---
A little later, he wandered through the shelves of the shop. He had already found rice and noodles, as well as eggs and a small packet of vacuum-packed chicken, among other things. As the konbini was a little larger, there was even a selection of fresh vegetables, albeit limited. He looked at it for a moment longer before reaching for a packet of mushrooms and a stalk of leek. When it came to the cup ramen - really only for emergencies - another customer blocked Megumi's access to the shelf. The middle-aged man in the cheap suit made an exhausted impression on him and was obviously having trouble deciding between spicy ramen with pork and a milder version with shrimps. When Megumi approached him politely - after all, he knew what he wanted - the man in the suit frantically jumped aside.
With his chosen goods in his arms, Megumi finally went to the checkout. There wasn't much going on. Apart from him and the nervous office worker, there were probably five other people in the shop. So he didn't have to wait long for his turn.
“Itadori?” it slipped out his mouth as he put his shopping down and recognised the employee behind the counter.
“Hey,” he greeted him cheerfully and asked: “Everything all right?” As always, he seemed to be in a good mood. He began to scan Megumi's items and put them in a bag. “Have you just come from campus?”
“Yes, I was in the library longer than I thought. I didn't know you were working here.” Only now did he remember that Itadori had told him that he worked on Wednesdays. That's why they'd finally scheduled biochemistry lessons for Fridays.
“Oh well,” Yuji shrugged, “it's pretty good with the working hours. I have Wednesday evening off, so I can come here straight after the last class.”
As soon as he had finished his sentence, his stomach let out an unmistakable growl. Apparently Megumi wasn't the only one who hadn't eaten for a long time. Yuji grinned a little sheepishly, but the growling only got louder.
“I didn't make it to the canteen today,” Itadori apologised and handed him a plastic bag. “That'll be 1,576 yen.”
Megumi paid and was about to leave when Yuji's stomach grumbled again. He turned back to his fellow student, who pressed his hands into the pit of his stomach, “How much longer do you have to work?”
Yuji's gaze wandered to the wall clock next to the cash registers and replied, “Just under half an hour. Why?”
“I wanted to cook something anyway.” Megumi demonstratively held up the groceries he had just paid for. “It won't be anything elaborate, but come around after work,” he invited Itadori.
“Really?” Yuji was visibly surprised, but then began to beam. “That's really nice of you. Thank you very much.”
“Yeah, no big deal,” Megumi waved him off and turned towards the exit. He wasn't quite outside when he heard Itadori talking to the customer, an old lady with a small trolley, who had been queuing behind him.
“Mrs Nakamura, you're usually here earlier,” Yuji remarked attentively.
“Oh, my dear boy,” sighed the old woman, “I just fell asleep in my armchair this afternoon and now I'm later than usual with everything.” She got her shopping ready for the checkout. “Do you know the young man who was just in front of me?” she wanted to know.
“Fushiguro?” Yuji asked, scanning the items with a beep. “Yes, he's a friend of mine. He's really great.” He smiled broadly.
Megumi felt his cheeks suddenly start to glow. He hurried out of the shop. The heat had shot into his face at Yuji's words. It felt even more intense in the cool evening air than it had in the konbini. Itadori saw him as a friend, thought he was nice and really great? The former sorcerer took a deep breath. What the hell was wrong with him?
----
It was quiet in the dormitory when Yuji came home from work. The fact that Fushiguro had invited him to dinner so spontaneously at this hour had really surprised him, but also made him very happy. His neighbour was sometimes a bit gruff, but Yuji still liked him. He was a friendly and reliable guy who kept his word. They hadn't known each other that long, but Yuji already counted him among his friends. If they weren't friends, Fushiguro would hardly take on the extra work of studying biochemistry with him without wanting a single yen or anything else in return.
On the second floor, Yuji put down his backpack with all his university stuff in his room before knocking next door. Megumi opened and invited his fellow student in. Yuji followed the invitation, while the other went back to the kitchenette, where a pan was on the stove.
“I'll be a moment. I had a quick shower when I got home,” Megumi explained.
Yuji noticed that his black hair was still shimmering wet. “No problem. I'm glad you're having me. Is there anything I can do to help you?” he offered, but Megumi shook his head. “No, I can do that. You can go into the room.”
Yuji did as ordered and took a quick look around. The room was divided up and furnished in the same standard way as every other room in the dormitory. However, he noticed how clean it was. He had seen other rooms that looked very different.
“It's really tidy here,” he remarked, turning his head in all directions.
“I like it when everything has its place,” Megumi said somewhat indistinctly over the roasting noises coming from the pan.
The small folding table and cushions were already set up in front of the bed. There was a pot of tea and two mugs on it. However, Yuji's attention was drawn to the bookshelf. Curious, he stepped closer and leant forward slightly so that he could read the spines of the books better. He skimmed the titles.
These were mainly non-fiction books, which were organised on the shelf. The Ecology And Biology Of Japan's Birds, Domestic And Farm Animals Of East Asia, Japan's Animal World, Veterinary Terminology... Fushiguro seemed to have a real interest in animals. A basic requirement if you wanted to become a vet, Yuji surmised.
The next books, however, covered a completely different subject area. Japan During The Heian Period, Japanese History, Japanese Mythology, Myths Of Ancient Japan, The Book Of Yokai... History and mythology. The pink-haired young man knew that his fellow student was clever, but the fact that he had such different interests left him a little astonished.
Almost relieved, Yuji realised that a few fiction titles had also made it onto the shelf. He pulled one of them out. Embracing Family by Kojima Nobuo. The blurb didn't sound bad at all, but it definitely didn't promise a light read. He pushed the novel back into the gap. Just don't make a mess.
He straightened up again and stretched his back once. Standing at the checkout had really taken its toll on him today. When he had stretched enough, he saw another book on the desk. Zoology For Veterinarians. Clearly borrowed from the university library. He recognised that from the stickers. However, his attention wandered to the two pictures on the desk.
He bent down a little and looked at the first photo. It showed two men, estimated to be in their 30s, laughing and having fun. One of them had white hair and behind his black sunglasses, his blue eyes were as bright as Yuji had ever seen. The other man wore earrings, had long black hair half tied back in a bun and brown eyes. He had his arm around the white-haired man's shoulders. Were they Fushiguro's fathers? Surely they were. But they looked so incredibly young. Too young for a 19-year-old son - was Fushiguro still 19 or already 20? Of course, the photo could just as easily be older. Yuji suspected that the black-haired man was probably Fushiguro's biological father. However, he couldn't find a photo of his mother. In the second photo, Fushiguro himself was pictured with three girls or, more accurately, young women. They looked very different. One had her brown hair tied back in a plait, the second had her long, dark brown hair loose and the third had a light brown bun. But the last two looked terribly similar in terms of their faces. The only thing they all had in common was their brown eyes. Fushiguro somehow looked completely out of place.
“Is this your family in the photos?” asked Yuji, turning around when he heard a clatter. Megumi was putting two bowls of yakisoba on the table.
“Yes, these are my fathers and my sisters,” he explained. Then he motioned for Yuji to sit down who followed the request.
“Wow, three sisters,” he marvelled and picked up the chopsticks with a grateful nod. “Unfortunately, I don't have any siblings.”
“Can be quite exhausting sometimes,” Megumi pointed out and began to eat. Yuji did the same. The yakisoba had turned out well. A dash more seasoning would have made it even better, but he really didn't want to complain.
“Isn't that part of it somehow?” Yuji wondered aloud. When he thought of his grandfather and how the old man had ended up keeping the nurses at the hospital on their toes. “My grandpa always annoyed everyone with his grumpy manner, but somehow you come to love them after all,” the young man with the pink hair concluded with a shrug.
“I guess that's true,” Megumi agreed with him and suddenly let out a sigh. Yuji looked at him questioningly, but his counterpart just shook his head as he explained, “Nothing. I just remembered that the twins have their birthday coming up.”
“Let me guess, you have no idea what to get them?” Yuji laughed and shoved some more fried noodles into his mouth.
Megumi tilted his head to one side, then the other, thinking. “I'll find something.” He had never been that far off the mark with his presents before, at least not that he knew of. Fortunately, it was still a while until the beginning of June.
“When is your birthday actually?” Yuji asked. “Are you 20 already?”
Megumi shook his head and swallowed. “No, I'll turn 20 on 22nd of December and you?”
“Not until 20th of March,” Yuji replied. “A friend of mine turned 20 the a few days ago. Must be cool to finally be of legal age. Like real legal age.”
After they had eaten, they drank their tea and chattered about university and taido training. Yuji talked a bit about kyudo and, when Megumi asked, told him that he had been to the drug test that had been ordered. The results were a long time coming, but he definitly knew that he wasn't cheating. Accordingly, he wasn't too worried.
“Oh crap, it's so late already?”, he said as he glanced at his wristwatch. Megumi looked at his alarm clock. Almost midnight. That was later than expected. Where had the time gone?
The two of them got up. While Megumi took the crockery into the tiny kitchen, Yuji folded up the table and stowed it and the cushions in the corner provided.
“Sorry,” he finally apologised as they stood at the door and he dug his key out of his trouser pocket. “I somehow didn't realise how quickly the time had passed. I guess you're regularly busy.” He looked at the black-haired young man, grinning sheepishly. “I didn't want to cause so much work for you, but thanks again for the food. It was really great of you and nice not to spend the evening alone in the room.”
Megumi nodded and leant against the sink. He liked the peace and quiet he usually had in the dormitory - of course it got louder here too from time to time - but in the evenings he sometimes missed the hustle and bustle of home.
“Yeah, it was really nice,” he admitted, lowering his eyes slightly. Why was he getting warm again now?
“I'll cook next time,” Yuji announced with a smirk and put his hand on the door handle.
“Next time?” Megumi raised his head in surprise. What next time?
“Erm... Yes,” his next-door neighbour replied with a slight hesitation. “I thought... Well, I could return the favour or something. Wednesday nights might not be ideal, but... Is that a stupid idea?” He rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassed. “I don't want to impose...”
“No,” Megumi interrupted him, shoving his hands into the pockets of his tracksuit bottoms, “it's... not stupid. Maybe after taido?” He shrugged his shoulders. “We won't both be home that late.”
“Sounds good.” Yuji's typical, beaming smile reappeared on his face. “Maybe we can do it every now and then. I'd definitely be happy to. We can still talk about the details.” He opened the door. “I'll see you tomorrow at training,” he said goodbye.
“Yes, see you tomorrow,” Megumi replied. When the door closed, he exhaled audibly and shook his head at himself. He buried his face in his hands. How embarrassing had he just behaved? There was nothing wrong with Itadori inviting him to dinner - after all, he had done so - or them meeting up outside of training and university. What had gotten into him?
Notes:
I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it.
But guys, I have to tell you something. Chapter four will be the last for... I don't have a clue how long it will take. I have a lot on my plate right now and I don't know how I'm going to find the time to write and/or translate.
But of course I'll continue with the story as soon as possible.However, I'm very happy about all the subscriptions, bookmarks and kudos.
Comments are also very welcome ;)Hope I'll be back sooner than later!
Chapter 5: Just friends
Summary:
“How did you manage that?” Yuji marvelled. “I have to take a photo of it, nobody else will believe me.” Megumi lifted his head just as the other took the picture. Yuji looked over his mobile at Fushiguro. His gaze, his whole expression was somehow much softer than usual.
Notes:
Hey guys,
I'm back and have chapter five for you.
The uploads will unfortunately remain very irregular - renovation and moving are somehow more time-consuming than expected. Nevertheless, I hope you continue to enjoy the story.But now let's see what's going on with Megumi and Yuji.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
May 2022
It was a mild Monday afternoon. The temperatures had risen and the days were getting longer again. Megumi had taken off his jacket, which he had needed when he had left the dormitory in the morning, and was strolling around the campus. University was over for today and he had just been to the library with Yoshino, but only to return a book and make a few copies. Actually, he could have stayed in the library with his fellow student, sat in one of the small cafés on the university grounds or simply gone back to the dormitory to prepare for and follow up on his classes. He did none of these things. Instead, his path led him to the shooting range of the kyudo club.
When Megumi arrived in front of the building, he paused for a moment. Doubts arose in his mind as he looked at the hall, which was open on one side. What had possessed him to come here? He wondered about himself. But he was here now and two female students were already sitting in the stands. So it was probably all right to watch the archery training. A little hesitantly, he looked for a seat, preferably not too close to the other two, but in such a way that he could see what the kyodokas were doing. He couldn't shake off the feeling of being on display. A few more spectators would be nice. Then he would stand out less.
A young kyudoka with chestnut-brown, braided hair was preparing herself to shoot. With her legs spread apart, she sought a firm footing, then slowly and intently raised the bow above her head, only to lower it again slightly as she drew it. The arrow shaft was now level with her cheek. In the background, Megumi could see another club member fitting a new string to his bow, while a second one scrutinised the arrows. Meanwhile, a small group stood in a semicircle around an elderly gentleman with a grey beard and equally grey hair. He seemed very friendly and calm, but at the same time honourable. He was definitely a person of respect and probably the course leader. Itadori was among his bystanders and listened thoughtfully to his words. They all wore dark hakama with white training shirts, the keiko gi, and white tabi. The women also wore a chest protector.
A whirring sound and, fractions of a second later, the muffled bang of the arrow hitting the target drew Megumi's attention back to the female archer. She stood with her head held high, her eyes fixed on the arrow she had just shot and which was stuck in the target. In her left hand she loosely held the bow, which had turned. Her right arm with the gloved hand was stretched elegantly backwards. She radiated such perfect composure and concentration that Megumi couldn't help but be mesmerised. That had to be what Itadori had meant, what had fascinated him so much.
It was almost hypnotic when the young woman took her second shot. Megumi had never really studied archery - that was more Kamo Noritoshi's speciality - but he knew that kyudo followed a precise pattern. He just hadn't realised that it consisted of so many small steps.
In the meantime, the circle around the sensei had dissolved. The two archers, who had previously been busy with their bows and arrows, now stepped forward to shoot as well. One of them was tall and had his dark brown hair loosely tied back. Itadori stood with his back to the stand and attached his glove.
The female students next to Megumi began to whisper excitedly when they saw the tall archer. The former sorcerer thought there was something arrogant about him. “Yasuda is so cool,” he snapped from the murmurs. He couldn't help but roll his eyes at the silly giggling of the young women.
Inwardly, however, he also shook his head at himself. Why was he here? He should be working on his papers or alternatively looking for birthday presents for Mimiko and Nanako, but not watching the kyudo club together with two fangirls. He was about to grab his backpack and leave when Itadori picked up his bow and two arrows. Megumi remained seated.
Why was he here? Exactly because of this, wasn't it? To see Itadori shoot. He was his friend - Itadori had said so himself - even if Megumi didn't know exactly how it had come about. The black-haired student had decided for himself that he wanted to show interest and this was important for Itadori. So he had made up his mind, admittedly very spontaneously, to take a look at the training. There was absolutely nothing to it, so why was he so uncomfortable? Because it was simply rude to barge in somewhere unannounced. But how was he supposed to let him know? They hadn't exchanged mobile numbers.
He ignored the rapturous chatter next to him and watched past this Yasuda as Itadori positioned himself. Exactly where the kyudoka with the chestnut-brown hair had stood before. Step by step, absorbed in the process, Yuji prepared his shot. Megumi noticed how consciously his fellow student executed every movement. Something had changed in his facial expression. Normally, he always had this cheerful, sometimes a little naïve look in his light brown eyes. This had given way to a concentrated and firm face. Megumi had never seen him like this before. So focussed, attentive and completely calm.
Itadori drew the bow and took aim. It had looked so easy with the young kyudoka from a moment ago, but Megumi noticed the slight trembling of Itadori's fingers. He let go of the string and... the arrow missed, passing the target by a few centimetres. However, the young man with the pink hair was not fazed by this. The archer with the braid stepped up next to him. As she spoke quietly, Itadori shifted his stance slightly. She nodded and let him draw the bow again. Without an arrow at first. Then she corrected his arm position and finally withdrew. Yuji nocked the second arrow. A few moments later, a whirring sound cut through the air and the projectile hit the outer edge of the disc with a dull thud.
Only after he had lowered the bow as instructed and stepped back did a satisfied smile play around his mouth and his serious features disappear. His usual cheerfulness returned.
Megumi just sat there and looked over at Yuji, unable to take his eyes off him. He had been wrong, so wrong. Kyudo suited Itadori just fine. Perhaps not the upbeat, exuberant manner he usually displayed, but even someone like that had other sides to him, after all. Megumi had been impressed by his charisma throughout the whole process, the precision he tried to give to every single step.
---
The kyudoka with the chestnut brown braid approached Yuji again and spoke to him.
“You need to keep working on your stance,” she explained. “That's not bad for a year. But you realise for yourself what a difference small things can make regarding this. You're on the right track. Far more experienced archers than you are still working on their ashibumi after years.”
Yuji tilted his head slightly and smiled. “Thanks for all your tips, Sumida. That's really helpful.”
“You're determined. You'll get there. By the way,” Sumida turned her upper body slightly and pointed towards the stands, “you have an admirer.”
Stunned, Yuji turned around and spotted Fushiguro in one of the spectator seats. His smile immediately widened and he raised his hand in greeting. His next door neighbour looked a little taken aback, but returned the gesture.
---
After training, Yuji went to the chest-high fence that separated the outdoor shooting range from the stands and waved Megumi over. The latter put on his jacket and threw his backpack over his shoulder. Then he came down to him.
“Hey Fushiguro, what are you doing here?” Yuji wanted to know and beamed at the other.
“Oh, I just thought I'd drop by,” he replied, shrugging his shoulders. “You were talking about kyudo the other day and I didn't feel like going to the library straight after classes today.”
“I'm honoured that you skipped the library for me,” laughed Itadori. However, he relented when Megumi's mouth twisted, “Oh come on, you really are an exemplary student.” The black-haired young man had no objections to that. After all, Mimiko had already labelled him a nerd in the first week of university.
“Are you waiting? Then we can go back to the dormitory together,” Itadori suggested. Megumi agreed and sat back down in the stands while his fellow student helped the other club members tidy up the dojo.
---
In a good mood, Yuji took off his tabi, hakama and keiko gi in the changing room, folded everything neatly and put the clothes in his backpack. Fushiguro was really different somehow, he thought. None of his friends from his sports studies had come around to watch him practise archery in the past almost fourteen months. Sure, they also had to fulfil the requirements and look after their clubs. They all had a lot to do, but even during the lecture-free period, nobody had turned up. Yuji, on the other hand, had already watched a basketball club game because Iguchi had told him that he would be on the court. He had also been to Sasaki's swimming competition to cheer her on. Well, he hadn't yet taken part in a kyudo tournament, but neither of them had turned up at taido. So he was all the more pleased that Fushiguro had paid him a spontaneous visit.
“So Itadori has a fan now, eh?” Yasuda teased, smiling smugly.
Yuji buttoned his jeans and pulled his long-sleeved shirt over his head. Only then did he turn to the older student, “Fushiguro is just a good friend of mine. Unlike you, I don't need any giggling admirers to boost my ego.”
“Don't be so cheeky,” Yasuda hissed and took a step towards Yuji, but a hand placed itself firmly on the long-haired man's shoulder.
“Don't get so hot-headed and stop causing trouble. We're not at high school any more,” the fellow student to whom the hand belonged admonished him. Yasuda actually relaxed a little, albeit reluctantly. He gave Yuji a dirty look as the latter gabbed his backpack and threw the bow bag over his shoulder. Then he left the room. Yuji didn't pay much attention to the attempts at provocation, but Yasuda was one of the few people he didn't get on with at all. However, his mood suddenly brightened again when he spotted Fushiguro, who had come from the stands to the entrance of the shooting range and was waiting for him there.
---
They had walked maybe fifty metres when Megumi asked, “Is everything okay?” He examined Yuji carefully and couldn't shake off the feeling that the other was annoyed about something, even if he didn't show it outwardly.
“Oh,” he sighed and lifted his shoulders briefly. “I think Yasuda annoys me more than I admit. He makes a fuss sometimes. I don't know why. He always picks out those who are younger or less experienced than him. Some of them, like me, are both, so today it was my turn to get a dump punsh line. Stupid egomaniac.”
The black-haired student thought for a moment and tried to visualise the club members he had seen today.
“Is that the tall guy with the tied back hair?” he asked. That was somehow the one he could best imagine doing something like this. “What did he say?”
“Exactly him,” Yuji confirmed, scratching his chin. “Nothing important, just an unnecessary comment about you watching. Normally there are only two, three, sometimes even four of his annoying fangirls sitting around. Apparently he couldn't stand the fact that someone wasn't there for him.” He couldn't help but grin at the last sentence.
“I didn't realise you'd get into trouble if I watched,” Megumi admitted.
“Rubbish,” Yuji blurted out. “You can't help Yasuda's fragile ego problems. The guy just can't handle it when it's not about him. He also can't deal with the fact that Sumida, the one with the braid, is a far better kyudoka than him. She is really good, wins lots of tournaments and is also super nice. Unlike Yasuda, she helps you and gives you tips on how to improve. Our sensei has specifically instructed the older ones with more experience to help the others, but Yasuda doesn't give a damn.”
“Sounds like a complete idiot,” Megumi concluded and Yuji nodded in agreement.
“He is, but I was really glad that you came by. Don't worry about it.” The pink-haired young man beamed at his fellow student and a warm feeling began to spread from the pit of Megumi's stomach. There was a strange tingling sensation. He tried to ignore it.
“If you haven't been to the library today, you must be planning an evening at your desk, right?” Itadori enquired.
“That's probably what it will come down to,” Megumi confirmed and was glad for the change of subject. The warmth in his stomach subsided a little. “We did our first dissection in anatomy this morning. I still have to do some documentation and send it to the prof by the end of the week.”
“Oh, that's right. I hadn't even thought about you having to fiddle with living creatures.” Yuji had only just got to biochemistry in time today, so they hadn't really had a chance to talk. He rubbed the back of his neck. “Fortunately, sports medicine and anatomy are very theoretical for me.”
“It's not that bad,” Megumi rebutted. “There are now alternatives for a lot of things, but you can't get through university without it.”
The vet student glanced at the other, who was looking thoughtfully at the sky. It would soon be dusk and the first few grey clouds were slowly beginning to gather. It would certainly rain during the night.
“Veterinary medicine is pretty difficult, isn't it?” Yuji mused aloud.
Megumi just shrugged his shoulders. He had never thought about that. Perhaps he had simply seen too much in his four years at Jujutsu High to be put off by dissecting dead animals. “I'm doing quite well. Yet some people were actually visibly uncomfortable cutting open the rats,” he replied. “But I'm sure others also find it hard that you have to invest so much time in additional sports clubs. It would certainly make things a lot easier if you could use the time freely instead. After all, that's a few hours a week that go into it.” After a short pause, he added, “What do you actually plan to do after your studies?”
Yuji exhaled audibly. “That's a good question. Of course, the profs like to talk about an academic career in sports science or, alternatively, fitness management. But I've actually always wanted to join the fire brigade. I want to do something meaningful and help people.”
“Isn't it difficult to join the professional fire brigade? Surely they don't take just anyone?” he asked. Wasn't being a firefighter a typical career choice for young boys, Megumi thought. On the other hand, wasn't being a vet also kind of a child's dream?
“They don't take just anyone. But if that doesn't work out, I can always go into sports management or something like that. But I'll give it a go, that's for sure.” There it was again, that beaming smile on Itadori's face. This apparently unshakeable optimism and a naïve confidence that emanated from him. The tingling sensation briefly flared up in Megumi's stomach again.
“Oh, look!” Itadori suddenly called out, squatting down and carefully putting the bow bag that was interfering with his position on the ground. It took a moment, but then a red tabby tomcat with a white chest and a white front paw emerged from between the low bushes at the side of the path.
“Have you ever met our campus cat?” Itadori turned and looked at Megumi cheerfully as the animal brushed against his knees. “Someone named him Akira. He's a bit of a celebrity among the students because he's so trusting.”
“No, I haven't had that pleasure yet,” Megumi replied, watching his fellow student as he stroked the tiger-patterned animal. When he heard a soft rustling sound, he turned his head back to the bushes. There was another four-legged fluffy friend hiding among the branches. A cat. It was smaller than Akira, had white fur with grey spots and large, bright green eyes.
“Who is this?” Megumi wanted to know and crouched down himself.
“She doesn't have a name,” explained Yuji. “At least not that I know of. She's probably very shy and only ever watches from a safe distance. I don't know anyone who has ever managed to attract her. That's probably why she doesn't have a name yet, because she avoids everyone. That's all right.” Akira had nudged Yuji with his head and demanded his attention. He willingly engaged with the red tomcat and pulled his mobile phone out of his pocket to take a few photos.
After a while, however, the animal lost interest in Yuji, as he had nothing to offer apart from cuddles.
“I'm afraid I don't have any food for you,” the pink-haired student apologised and stood up again, while the cat trotted off. He shouldered the bow bag and turned to his friend.
“Let's...” Yuji suddenly fell silent and his eyes widened. Fushiguro was sitting cross-legged on the cold concrete slabs and the little white cat was curled up in his lap. Megumi slowly and gently ran his fingertips through the soft fur. He was completely focussed on the petite animal. The cat was clearly enjoying the gentle caresses and purred softly.
“How did you manage that?” Yuji marvelled. “I have to take a photo of it, nobody else will believe me.” Megumi lifted his head just as the other took the picture. Yuji looked over his mobile at Fushiguro. His gaze, his whole expression was somehow much softer than usual.
“Maybe you should give her a name?” Yuji recommended and blinked. Fushiguro's face already looked the same as always - attentive with a latently sceptical, superior expression.
A name? Yes, why not? Megumi thought for a moment and then suggested, “How about Miyu?”
“Miyu, the gentle one.” Yuji swayed his head from side to side and came to a conclusion, “I think that fits quite well. Here, look.” He took a step towards his fellow student to show him the photo. However, the sudden movement startled the cat. It scurried nimbly between the bushes, where it disappeared. “Or maybe it's Shai, the shy one?”
“I think Miyu is better,” Megumi decided, standing up and brushing off his dark trousers. Yuji, meanwhile, held out his phone and stood next to him.
“Look at this. It's hard to decide which one of you is cuter,” he laughed. The black-haired young man's cheeks flushed and he turned his face away grimly.
“Don't talk such rubbish,” he grumbled. Yuji laughed again and said, “Give me your mobile phone number and I can send it to you.” He tapped on the screen and Megumi only heard an “Oops” before Itadori suddenly put an arm around his shoulders. It took Megumi a moment before he realised that the other had apparently accidentally opened the front camera when he touched the screen. Itadori seized the opportunity on impulse and took a selfie of them.
---
Megumi closed the laptop and stretched. Enough for today. After all, he didn't have to hand in the documentation until Friday and it had become quite late in the meantime. The sun had long since set and made way for the artificial light of the street lamps. It had also started to rain. A steady stream of small drops pattered against the window pane. For a while, he simply listened to the irregular drumming of the wind until his mobile vibrated in his pocket. A message from Tsumiki.
Tsumiki:
Have you got a present for Mimiko and Nanako yet?
Megumi:
No, but I wanted to go into town these days.
Tsumiki:
Okay. Maybe you should keep an eye out for jewellery. The two of them have obviously been clearing out and offered me a few things today that they didn't want to just throw away.
Megumi:
Anything in particular that they need new now?
Tsumiki:
I guess the hairpins are broken.
Okay, he could definitely do something with this information and thanked his sister. He knew that the twins always wore the hairpins with their kimono or yukata. He would find something pretty.
As he closed the conversation, he got stuck on the chat that was displayed just below. Itadori. They had exchanged numbers and he had sent him the two photos. He tapped the display and the pictures jumped out at him. This spontaneous selfie... Itadori had taken him completely by surprise and that was visible in the photo. He looked half surprised, half disgruntled. Itadori, on the other hand, grinned happily at the camera. Sighing, Megumi put the mobile phone down and lowered his head onto the desk. Even through the screen, the positive aura of his fellow student literally jumped out at him.
---
Yuji came into his room soaking wet after the Thursday training. He slipped his shoes off just behind the door and went straight to the bathroom to peel himself out of his rain-soaked clothes. This week the weather had been moody. It was everything from 16 to 23 degrees, sun, clouds and rain. Fushiguro and he had only been a five-minute walk from the dormitory when the heavens had opened their floodgates. He hung his wet clothes over the small bathtub and dried himself off. Then he inspected the contents of his bag, but it had withstood the deluge that had just poured over it surprisingly well. The stuff had remained dry, so he removed his things and then threw the dripping bag into the tub.
With a fresh shirt and dry sports trousers, Yuji immediately felt much better and set about preparing the dinner he had invited Fushiguro to in the tiny kitchenette. He wanted to cook ramen with spinach, mushrooms and his homemade meatballs made from minced chicken. Perhaps not the most classic combination for ramen, but definitely delicious.
He had just thrown all the ingredients for the meatballs into a bowl when there was a knock at the door. It had to be Fushiguro. Elated, Yuji opened and invited his neighbour in.
“Dry again?” he asked. “The dormitory manager wasn't happy that we brought all the water into the entrance area.”
Megumi rolled his eyes. “He got artificially excited, too. Those after us will be just as soaked and as if we could do something about the downpour.” Then he ran his hand through his hair, which was a little less spaced out than usual. “I'm only almost dry, but I'll be fine.”
Curious, he glanced over Yuji's shoulder into the bowl and asked, “Is there anything you want me to do?”
“No,” Yuji declined. “That's fine. It's okay.” The kitchenette was too small to really cook together anyway and he wanted to show his appreciation for the invitation the other day.
“Fine, but I could set up the table and the cushions,” the black-haired student suggested. Yuji agreed and looked up briefly when he heard the clatter of the folding table being set up. Perhaps he could have tidied up a little better after all, he thought, looking at his room and remembering how tidy it was at Fushiguro's place. It wasn't complete chaos, but it was a bit of a mess. There were a few notepads, index cards and pens scattered around the desk. The laptop was sitting on top of two library books on sports psychology and a pair of trousers and three shirts were hanging over the chair. He had made his bed this morning, but had been careless as always, so that the blanket was wrinkled. He had also simply left the dry things of his sports bag at the foot of the bed.
After Fushiguro had arranged the cushions, he squatted down in front of the bookshelf and examined its contents carefully. Yuji felt his head turn red and quickly brought his attention back to the food. Fushiguro wasn't doing anything different from himself and it was okay for him to look around, but after Yuji had seen all the reference books and classics on his shelf, he felt that his bookshelf was somehow childish. Of course, there were also a few books relating to his studies, such as sports medicine, nutritional science and anatomy. However, most of the space was taken up by films from all kinds of genres alongside a few manga. Was that even a bookshelf with all the DVDs from horror to action and fantasy to comedy? Oh God, didn't he have the Human Earthworm series there? Even though he was firmly convinced that the films had a well-crafted story, most people seemed to think they were just trash movies because of the way they were made. Yuji had discussed this unsuccessfully with his friends from university, Sasaki and Iguchi. If they thought it was trash, then Fushiguro most certainly did too.
After he had put all the ingredients into the pot with the broth, the whole thing had to simmer for a short time. Yuji took two steps back from the stove and looked into the room. He was almost struck dumb when he saw that Fushiguro was still squatting in front of the shelf and had pulled out one of the Human Earthworm films of all things. He was obviously reading the synopsis on the back.
“Er, so this series...” Yuji began, but didn't really know what he was trying to explain. Why was he so embarrassed by the films in front of Fushiguro? He didn't give a damn about others either.
“Do I understand correctly that the film is basically kind of a love story but also about exclusion and contempt by society?” asked Fushiguro, turning the case over and looking at the cover. Yuji's heart dropped into his boots. Now his friend must have thought he was a nerdy idiot.
“Er... Yes, basically,” the pink-haired student replied haltingly.
“Unfortunately, the film doesn't look that high quality,” said Fushiguro. “But there's some really interesting literature on the subject of social exclusion in general.” He pushed the DVD back. “It's definitely not a film for me, but I'm probably not the target audience either.”
Yuji stared at his fellow student in disbelief. Megumi looked up and there was nothing in his face to suggest that he had meant it as a joke. Yuji hadn't been able to hear any disparaging undertone in his words either. The fact that this was not a film for him was nothing more than a neutral observation.
Yuji was just thinking about what to say in response when a bubbling noise behind him distracted him. The ramen! He immediately turned to the pot and switched off the stove. Nothing happened, but everything was definitely cooked through now.
“Dinner's ready,” he announced, pouring the noodle soup and its accompaniments into two bowls.
They sat down together at the low table and Megumi gratefully accepted the ramen. Before he ate, he nodded to the shelf again. “Quite a collection, by the way.”
“Do you think so?” Yuji wondered, fishing a mushroom out of the broth.
“Yes. It's not my world, I've always preferred reading to watching films, but it certainly takes time to put together a collection like this. I think it's impressive when someone can put their heart and soul into something.”
Yuji grinned wryly and played it down, “It doesn't even follow a system. It just accumulated little by little.”
His cheeks had warmed up. Okay, Fushiguro could do nothing with the films - anything else would have surprised him - but he recognised Yuji's passion for them. That was somehow a good feeling.
“Maybe I should introduce you to Yoshino,” Megumi mused, picking up a meatball with his chopsticks. “He's a fellow student of mine. He's also really into films.” With these words, he popped the meatball into his mouth. Suddenly he paused.
“Are you okay?” Yuji wanted to know. He had just eaten the mushrooms nothing else so far. Were the meatballs too strongly flavoured? But he hadn't done anything differently than usual. Did Fushiguro have some kind of intolerance? He should have told him that.
His counterpart began to chew slowly and put his hand over his mouth. “They're good,” he mumbled and swallowed. “They're really really good,” he repeated, more clearly this time.
Yuji was relieved and began to beam. “They're super easy to make. I can show you if you like.”
Megumi nodded and enquired, “Do you like cooking?”
“Actually, I do. Our neighbour from back then, Mrs Soma, looked after me from time to time and showed me a thing or two in the kitchen. It's just not really much fun cooking for yourself.” He shrugged his shoulders. “It's nicer when you can share the results with others.”
Fushiguro then lowered his head and pushed the noodles around in the bowl indecisively. Finally, he asked, “Didn't you suggest that we could do this here more often? So, have dinner together.” He raised his eyes and looked at Yuji.
“If that's what you want.” Yuji wrinkled his nose in irritation. “I didn't get the impression last time that you were really keen on the idea.”
“No, I think it's a good idea,” Megumi assured him and added more quietly, “Really.”
“Let's do it then.” Yuji was visibly pleased. “We can take turns cooking and after taido training was actually a good time, wasn't it?”
Megumi nodded and it was a done deal.
---
After they had said goodbye, Yuji stood at the small kitchen counter again and scrubbed the pot with the washing-up sponge. He was pretty sure that he had never met anyone like Fushiguro before. He often seemed distant and didn't talk much to others. Yuji had heard two students from the biochemistry course talking about the black-haired boy outside of the science building the other day. The young woman didn't seem at all averse to him and had described him as reserved and intelligent. In response, her conversation partner had simply snorted and replied dismissively that Fushiguro was just an arrogant fop.
Yuji put the sponge aside and reached for the tea towel to dry the pot. His fellow students seemed to find it difficult to judge Megumi. He, on the other hand, had realised almost immediately that this introverted grump was actually a nice guy.
“You're a good boy, Yuji,” his grandfather's words on his deathbed suddenly echoed through his mind. “You see with your heart. Keep it that way.”
Clattering, he put the pot away in the cupboard and let the bowls slide into the warm dishwater. As he washed the dishes, he thought about his grandfather's words. Yuji still wasn't quite sure what he had meant, but he just kept trying to see the positive in people. It wasn't that difficult with Fushiguro, he thought. He certainly showed that he wasn't as unapproachable as some people seemed to think. He had appreciated the tutoring in biochemistry, the spontaneous invitation to dinner, the visit to kyudo and even his DVD collection. Then there was that look three days ago... Yuji lowered the bowls back into the water and propped himself up on the edge of the sink. Fushiguro's whole expression had suddenly become so different, so much softer, when he had dealt with the cat. The fact that this shy animal, which was usually only seen from a distance, had come to him at all spoke volumes in Yuji's opinion. He had once read somewhere that animals could supposedly recognise the nature of a person.
A smile stole onto his lips. Yuji was already sure that he had found a special person and friend in Megumi.
Notes:
So, who is cuter now? The cat or Megumi? ;)
Kudos and comments are always welcome and appreciated.
Chapter 6: You make me feel
Summary:
Lost in thought, he moved the swivelling chair back and forth a little. Somehow he felt as if something was missing and for some reason this made him uneasy. His eyes fell on the papers again, but he couldn't really concentrate.
Notes:
I have a new chapter for you and I apologise already for the fact that Megumi and Yuji may not be spending as much time together here as most would probably like, but you don't know what you have until you miss it. Isn't that right?
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
June 2022
Yuji came back from his shift at the konbini just in time. Half an hour later, the dormitory's curfew would have been close and, in the worst case scenario, he would have been standing in front of the locked door. Today had been unusually busy, so he had stayed much longer than normal.
The temperatures had been rising since the end of last week and it was starting to get really warm and summery. People were literally pouncing on the chilled drinks. What's more, the late shift was mainly made up of office workers from the neighbourhood, who only finished work at an advanced hour. They were rubbing shoulders with the night workers. They all wanted to quickly pick up on snacks. Yuji had spent half the time stocking up and the other half serving the queue at the cash desk as quickly as possible. He hadn't even been able to carve out the obligatory few minutes for a little chat with Mrs Nakamura. He had felt really sorry for her. He was very fond of the old lady and she was always so happy to have these little talks.
She had told Yuji over the past year that her only son had moved to Yamato near Yokohama because of his job and was travelling a lot for work. Her daughter-in-law rarely came to Tokyo on her own. The journey and the city were too strenuous for her with a small child. Conversely, the journey to Yamato was also very exhausting for Mrs Nakamura. She had once said that she was no longer fit enough for the jungle of public transport and simply felt most comfortable and safe in her familiar neighbourhood, even though a lot had changed here over time. Yuji could understand that, but it also made him a little sad.
He sighed softly and dug his room key out of his pocket. Next shift, he would try to make a little more time for her again.
He was just about to unlock the door when he heard footsteps approaching and looked up. Fushiguro was coming down the corridor. He was carrying his freshly washed clothes in a bag over his shoulder. Yuji smiled wanly at him.
“You're still doing laundry this late?” he asked his next door neighbour when he arrived.
“I almost forgot the clothes in the tumble dryer,” Fushiguro admitted, rolling his eyes. “I was going over a text for ethology tomorrow and didn't pay attention to the time.” He scanned Yuji quickly and furrowed his brows. “You look worn out. Are you all right?”
“Yeah, I'm fine.” He waved it off. “I just went straight from university to work without a break and all hell broke loose today. Now I'm dead tired.” Yuji turned the key in the lock and made preparations to enter. He didn't want to be rude, but he urgently needed to go to bed. “I'll see you tomorrow, then.”
“I don't have time tomorrow,” Megumi reminded him. Yuji paused and looked at his counterpart questioningly. “It's the twins' birthday and we're all going out for dinner together. So I won't be at training and I don't know when I'll be back either.”
“All right,” Yuji grinned wryly and tried to stifle a yawn. “But I want to see you back at the dojo next week and it'll be your turn to cook.”
“Of course,” the black-haired young man nodded and they wished each other a good night. “Don't work too hard,” Fushiguro added before the door slammed shut.
---
After he had finished in the bathroom, Yuji switched off the light and opened the window. The small room had heated up during the day and it was stuffy. It would be really uncomfortable in the height of summer. He let fresh and, above all, cooler air flow inside. Then, exhausted, he plopped down on his bed and stared up at the dark ceiling for a few seconds. He finally closed his eyes and breathed in and out audibly through his nose.
It was awesome that Fushiguro would be spending tomorrow evening with his family. They had all looked very nice in the photos and if Yuji hadn't missed anything, his fellow student hadn't gone home for a visit in the meantime either. So they hadn't seen each other for a while. Still, Yuji couldn't stop the drop of disappointment from spreading through his chest. He enjoyed being with Fushiguro and looked forward to the Thursday evenings together after taido. Well, a week went by quickly and they would inevitably bump into each other before anyway.
Exhausted from the day, he finally rolled onto his side and fell asleep. But the disappointment remained even after he woke up.
---
The next morning, Megumi slumped down on the hard wooden chair in the lecture theatre and slowly packed his things out of his backpack for physics. He really had to go to bed earlier on Wednesdays and not wait until just before half past eleven to get the washing out of the tumble dryer on the ground floor to then fold it and put it away. He wondered whether Itadori was as full of energy as usual today. Last night, he had looked completely done.
Megumi took a sip from his thermos cup. He definitely needed caffeine in the morning to get him going. He had already had a coffee in his room, but it hadn't kicked in yet. It certainly wasn't his last cup for the day, because one thing was certain: today he wouldn't be going to bed early either.
He pulled out his mobile and thought about texting Itadori and asking how he was doing. Meanwhile, Yoshino sat down next to him. Megumi gave him a brief nod and was then distracted by a new message in the family chat. Satoru had sent a photo that he had obviously just taken. Mimiko and Nanako were still sitting at the breakfast table in their pyjamas, beaming happily at the camera. A birthday cake could be seen in front of them. Their names and today's date - 2 June 2022 - were written in sugar writing and a candle in the shape of a twenty was stuck in the middle.
Megumi shook his head. Cake for breakfast, that had certainly been Satoru's idea. But that was allowed today. Suguru would turn a blind eye. He sent birthday greetings in the chat - when they met, he would congratulate them both again in person - and Nanako wrote back immediately. Outside of missions, she could put her phone down more often, Megumi thought.
Nanako:
Be on time tonight, little brother!
Megumi:
I'll be there, don't worry.
Mimiko:
That's better. Otherwise there'll be trouble.
Megumi:
I'll be there. Enjoy the day. My lecture is about to start. See you later.
Without waiting for another response, he put his phone away. The professor had just entered the room, but needed a moment to compose herself. Yoshino leant over to him and asked: “Did you also find the text for ethology that complicated?”
“It really wasn't easy,” Megumi agreed. Otherwise he wouldn't have spent so long on it yesterday. He finished the last of his coffee. Between physics and ethology, he urgently needed to organise a third cup. Perhaps he could make a small diversions via the cafeteria.
---
After a total of four cups of coffee, Megumi stood in front of his wardrobe in the early evening, freshly showered and much fitter than he had been in the morning. The twins had reminded him once again that the restaurant they were going to had a dress code. Casual chic or smart casual or something. He didn't know exactly what that meant, only that he didn't even need to consider jeans and a comfortable t-shirt and that it could be a little more casual, i.e. without a tie.
He had already laid out a pair of black trousers and a matching belt. He was still undecided about the top. A classic white dress shirt would probably be easiest. He pulled one out of the wardrobe and held it in front of his naked torso. It somehow reminded him too much of his school uniform when he looked at himself in the mirror on the inside of the wardrobe door. Besides, Mimiko's and Nanako's voices were already ringing in his ears, telling him that they would be labelling this choice as “booooooring” and they had banned boredom for today.
On any other day, he wouldn't have cared about his sisters' whims, but it was their twentieth birthday and he knew how much they were looking forward to it. Finally coming of age, without any restrictions. Nobara would certainly have had the right outfit at the ready. As far as that was concerned, she and the twins had been on the same wavelength. The three of them had often gone shopping in the city together.
He hung his dress shirt back and automatically raised his hand to his left chest. He rubbed over the scarred skin. It felt as if it was itching, even though Megumi knew it was only his imagination. The wound had long since healed thanks to Shoko. At least on the outside.
---
In the end, he had opted for a grey shirt and a light, black summer jacket with the sleeves pushed up to his elbows. He had once seen this in a fashion magazine that his sisters read irregularly and left lying around the house all the time.
Now he was waiting on the street in front of the building in Shibuya where the restaurant was located, with the two slim, beautifully wrapped presents in his hand. Not that the campus, the area around the university or the Bunkyo and Ueno districts were deserted, but it felt like there were a lot more people hurrying and strolling past him here. No wonder, he was not far from the station, Shibuya Sky and the famous intersection. The traffic moved between the tower blocks with a continuous hum.
“Megumi!” he heard the familiar voice of Tsumiki and turned around to look. There they were. Satoru and Suguru were hard to miss. They and Tsumiki waved at him, while the twins rushed towards him and threw their arms around his neck.
“Little brother!” Mimiko rejoiced and hugged him tightly.
“We haven't seen you for far too long,” Nanako complained, almost choking him. “Maybe we should visit you sometime? You could show us around university.”
“Forget that as fast as you can,” Megumi croaked. The campus and the dormitory were a family-free zone and he wanted to keep it that way.
“Grinch,” they both laughed and squeezed him again. Their brother surrendered to the double hug and returned it, albeit less firmly. After Mimiko and Nanako had released him, he took a deep breath. “Happy birthday again, you two,” he finally congratulated them personally. “You look good,” he added, and he meant it. They had all dressed up, but the twins had dressed up a little more conspicuously. After all, they were the centre of attention today.
Mimiko was wearing an emerald green cocktail dress with sequins on the bust that shone with every movement. Nanako also wore a cocktail dress, but in a striking pink colour with a glittering decorative band around the waist. They both had matching necklaces and earrings on and had applied make-up. They had high heels on their feet, which made Megumi wonder how they had managed to run towards him so quickly.
By now, the others had also arrived. Tsumiki gave Megumi a much gentler hug as a greeting. She had been a little restrained in her choice of outfit. Her light blue dress was chic, but simple. The flowing, soft fabric reached just above her knees, her shoes were flatter and apart from an inconspicuous necklace, she wore no jewellery.
“We've missed you,” she said as she let go of her brother.
“The prodigal son,” Gojo sighed theatrically and wrapped his arms tightly around Megumi from behind. The latter made a choking noise and almost fell against his foster father's chest, he had pulled him so hard. He knew exactly where the twins had got it from.
“Satoru, don't kill him,” Geto warned and tried to headbutt him, but failed due to Gojo's infinity. Nevertheless, it did not fail to have an effect. His friend released Megumi from the embrace.
“Are you okay?” Geto asked and gave Megumi a quick hug too, but couldn't quite hold back a grin.
“I'm still alive,” he coughed and rolled his eyes. His family always managed to attract attention. Some passers-by had watched the scene with irritation and scepticism as they walked past. Yes, the twins were sometimes loud and boisterous, but Satoru and Suguru still usually attracted the most interest. Although one had to admit that Suguru at least - apart from his height - wasn't all that conspicuous today with his black cloth trousers and dress shirt in a dark brodeaux. He even had his long hair tied back in a bun. With Satoru, on the other hand, even the classic combination of black trousers and white dress shirt didn't help. But with his eccentric appearance and the blindfold, he didn't need to wear anything extravagant to stand out.
“Well, let's go in then,” Geto suggested, not without giving Gojo an eloquent look.
“Like what? The ban on infinity only applies at home,” the white-haired man complained with a lack of understanding, ignoring Geto's hand, which opened and closed a few times as if he was itching to make up for his failure. Perhaps he would just give the Special Grade a belated slap at home.
---
Somehow, Satoru had managed to get a table on the roof terrace of the chic restaurant. A glazed safety railing enclosed the outdoor area and some of the tables were already occupied. Soft lounge music came from hidden loudspeakers, but did not completely drown out the murmur of conversation. Their table was right next to the railing, so they had a fantastic panorama. Mimiko and Nanako were thrilled by the view over the city and Megumi had to admit that it was quite something. Especially now that dusk was slowly falling and the lights on the streets and buildings were gradually coming on.
An eager but not intrusive waiter with an elegant bow tie around his neck brought them the menus and shortly afterwards noted down their drink orders. Megumi took advantage of the quiet moment afterwards to present his sisters with their gifts. Curious, each of them pulled the beautifully tied ribbon from their box.
“Oh, wow! It's really pretty,” Nanako said happily, looking closely at the rose gold hairpin with the delicate pink and white cherry blossoms. A few small stones glittered between the blossoms. “It goes perfectly with my kimono.”
“You made a really good choice. This one also matches my kimono and yukata,” Mimiko agreed as she carefully twirled her hairpin between her fingers. Hers was decorated with small white flowers that framed a delicate-looking butterfly with shimmering turquoise wings. “Suguru, can you pin these on us, please?” she turned to Geto.
“Of course,” he nodded, stood up and stepped behind the young women. He had always done the twins' hair since they were little, so naturally he had taken care of it today too. As it was warm and a little humid, he had plaited their long hair and pinned it up. Perfect for fastening the hairpins.
After the sisters had inspected each other, they jumped up to give their brother, who was sitting opposite them, another hug. “Thank you, little brother,” they said in unison. This time, however, they didn't choke him.
Tsumiki laughed softly when she saw Megumi grimace, expecting to be half squashed again. “We've all been hugged after the gift-giving,” she explained.
“It has to be,” Mimiko insisted, still holding her brother tightly. Nanako, meanwhile, had stood up and stepped behind Gojo. She now put her arms around him.
“Thank you for organising everything today,” she said, resting her chin on his shoulder. Satoru waved her off, but couldn't quite hide how much this little gesture touched him. Suguru certainly noticed and smiled slightly.
“It wasn't that much effort,” Gojo dismissed it. “You kids are just growing up far too fast and now you'd better have fun. The evening's on me.”
Mimiko and Nanako had barely taken their seats again when the waiter arrived with their drinks. After serving them, he lit the candles on the table and enquired about the starters.
---
Yuji had just quickly made himself some cup ramen after taido. He hadn't felt like cooking just for ihmself and had been sitting at his desk for quite some time now. He actually still had to deal with a few aspects of rehabilitative and preventative training, but his documents and the library book lay unnoticed on the desk in front of him.
With his head bent back, he stared towards the window. He had pulled his left leg up to his chest and his right foot was on the floor. Lost in thought, he moved the swivelling chair back and forth a little. Somehow he felt as if something was missing and for some reason this made him uneasy. His eyes fell on the papers again, but he couldn't really concentrate.
Yuji sighed, stopped turning the chair and stood up. He stretched, walked to the window and looked outside. The sun had disappeared and under the light of the lanterns some insects were buzzing like loose little clouds. There were a few people, cars and a cyclist on the road. Nothing that caught his attention. So Yuji went back to the desk and leafed through the book on functional strength training in rehabilitation from front to back. He put it down again and pulled his mobile phone out of the pocket of his trackpants instead. No messages. Nothing from Sasaki or Iguchi or anyone else.
He sat down on his bed, scrolled inattentively through some pictures and short videos on social media, closed the app and opened Line. Still no messages, of course. It was Thursday evening in the middle of term, what did he expect? Surely the others all had something to do. Writing a paper, solving exercises, extra training, tidying up, doing laundry, phone their family, go out with other friends. Something like that. He stared at the screen while his thumb hovered over the display. Finally, he tapped on the conversation with Fushiguro. The two photos Yuji had sent him and a simple thank you in response were all the chat window contained. No wonder, they saw each other often and just spoke directly to each other, but right now Yuji felt the urge to write to him.
He hesitated. Wouldn't he be interrupting Fushiguro's family dinner? But he could also just ignore a text message until it was convenient for him to reply. A short message would be fine, Yuji decided, and started typing, then erased what he had written and started again. After a few minutes of deleting and typing - far too long for the three sentences - he sent it. Was that perhaps intrusive after all? They were seeing each other again tomorrow to study. Damn, now Fushiguro must thought he was a burr. But he couldn't take it back. It would be fine, he told himself.
And now? His eyes wandered to his desk. He should do some studying today, he thought. He had been really disciplined this semester and had regularly prepared for and followed up on his courses, with a few exceptions. That must have been Fushiguro's influence. He wasn't going to let that get to him, so he pulled himself together, collected his university stuff and left his room to go to the common room. Maybe he just needed some background noise today.
---
They were eating dessert when Megumi felt his mobile vibrate in his pocket. He pulled it out a little to see who was texting him. When he saw that the message was from Itadori, he took the phone completely out of his pocket and opened it without giving it much thought.
Itadori: Hope you're having a nice evening with your family. Which restaurant are you actually in? By the way, training was pretty boring today.
“Who's writing to you?”
Megumi winced and almost dropped his phone. When he looked up, Gojo's face was right in front of him. His sudden comment had been enough to draw the attention of everyone at the table to his foster son. With a smug grin, the white-haired man leaned back again and then shoved a spoonful of matcha parfait into his mouth.
“Good question. So, who are you writing to, little brother?” Mimiko asked, raising her eyebrows with interest.
“Is someone longing for you?” Nanako gave him a mischievous wink and speared a piece of her citrus tart with meringue onto her fork.
Tsumiki scrutinised Megumi closely from the side. She wasn't quite sure in the evening light and the flickering candles, but she thought that his cheeks had become a touch redder. Since he wasn't allowed to drink yet, alcohol couldn't be to blame. “Don't tell me you met someone at university?”
“Are you going to start with this now too?” he complained about his eldest sister - he didn't even expect anything else from the rest of them - and scowled.
Geto leaned back in his chair and barely hid his amused grin behind his wine glass. “So, have you met anyone?” he finally asked, taking a sip of his Pinot Noir.
“I didn't. Not the way you're imagining it. It's just a fellow student from the taido club. I had to skip training today.” Megumi didn't feel the need to tell them about Itadori at the moment. They would just make a huge fuss and pepper him with questions. He knew his family well enough to know that they'd be sure to find some sore spot that he wasn't even aware of. He had no desire to do that.
How was he supposed to answer their questions about a friendship that he didn't really understand himself? All he knew was that he liked Itadori and that, contrary to what he had initially thought, it was really nice to spend time with him. Of course, the evening with his sisters, Satoru and Suguru was fun. They were exhausting, but he had missed them over the last two months. But now that he had read the message from Itadori, however, he realised that he regretted not having seen or spoken to him today. He hadn't even written to him in the morning to ask how he was. Damn, what kind of friend was he? A really great one, he? Maybe they'd bump into each other when he got back to the dormitory.
“So just updates on the training you missed?” Nanako rolled her eyes and shot a glance at her twin sister, who also looked disappointed.
“How boring,” Mimiko confirmed. “I thought students do fun things.”
“Admit it, you sit in the library every day and work hard,” Nanako teased. “No wonder you don't get to know anyone.”
“Training is fun and no, I don't sit in the library all the time, but I'm at university to study. Besides, exams start at the end of next month. I'm not in the mood for unnecessary stress during the exam period,” Megumi grumbled.
Fortunately, the twins decided that the topic was no longer of interest if it was only about the sports club. Instead, they now haggled with Suguru over which cocktail they could order to round off the evening. After all, they were now officially allowed to drink alcohol and Suguru had conceded them a drink. He couldn't forbid them to have one anyway. But as he didn't want them to get sick afterwards, he kept an eye on the selection.
Tsumiki, who was sitting next to Megumi, gave him a conciliatory nudge with her shoulder and smiled. “You're already doing it the right way for you,” she said to him quietly. “With university and everything, I mean,” and she took a spoonful of her Kyoho grape sorbet.
Megumi turned back to his mobile phone, still a little grumpy, and sent Itadori a quick reply. As he slipped the phone back into his trouser pocket, he noticed that Satoru was still looking at him.
“Is something wrong?” he asked, slightly irritated.
“No,” Gojo whispered. “It's just nice to see you again.”
Megumi grimaced and shook his head. Sometimes he seriously wondered whether Satoru was aware of how irritating his behaviour could be. Most of the time, however, he assumed that his foster father knew only too well what he was doing. Megumi decided to ignore it and finally turned his attention to his dessert.
---
Yuji had spread out at a table in the common room, poring over a chapter and taking notes. Two students were playing cards at one of the other tables and three friends were sitting on the couch in the corner, showing each other something on their mobile phones and giggling. It wasn't overly loud, but it wasn't completely quiet either. Nevertheless, Yuji found it much easier to concentrate in this background noise-filled environment.
He put the pen aside when his phone, which was lying next to the book, lit up silently and picked it up. Fushiguro had written back. Yuji opened the message. The evening must have been nice. That made him happy. Fushiguro had also sent the name of the restaurant and because Yuji was curious, he searched for the place on the internet.
He almost choked on his own spit when he called up the menu on the website and saw the prices. Not that it was absolutely unaffordable to eat there, but he definitely wouldn't be able to do so. How many cup ramen would he get for the price of one of the main courses? Surely around twenty. But if they were going there to celebrate a birthday, they wouldn't each have just one course, he thought. Add to that drinks and they were six people. Yuji counted in his head. Yes, six people. He put his phone down and preferred not to work out how much the evening would cost. After all, he was no longer surprised that Fushiguro didn't want any money from him for tutoring in biochemistry and wasn't working a part-time job. He simply didn't need it. Which was fine. People came here from various backgrounds.
“Hey, Itadori. I haven't seen you here for ages,”
Yuji was torn from his thoughts and looked up. A young man had dropped into the chair opposite him. He had dark green eyes and tousled brown hair.
“Oh, hi Masaki,” Yuji greeted him. “Yeah, really long time no see.”
Masaki also lived on the second floor, but on the other side of the corridor. Another fellow student sat down next to Yuji and placed a plastic bag in front of him. He was about 1.70 metres tall and had just over chin-length black hair. The blonde colouring had half grown out and the look in his light brown eyes was tired.
“Hi,” he said and began to pull bento boxes from the konbini out of the bag. He handed one to Masaki.
“Hello Ishimoto,” Yuji replied. The other had the room next to Masaki and was also studying sports, albeit in his third year. Yuji had met him several times in the dormitory and on campus. Ishimoto always looked like he would fall asleep at any moment, but he must be a real ace in the volleyball club despite his short stature. He took three more bentos out of the bag.
“Where are Tsuda and Okino?’ Ishimoto asked.
“Should be here soon,” Masaki replied. Tsuda was Masaki's girlfriend. The two of them had met here in the dormitory. Yuji rarely saw her because she lived on the third floor. He had never heard of Okino.
As if on cue, two young women appeared in the common room. The black-haired one with glasses was Tsuda. Then the other one had to be Okino. She had shoulder-length, reddish hair and light blue eyes. They sat down with the boys. Tsuda next to Masaki and Okino at the head of the table close to Yuji.
After Tsuda had greeted Yuji, the redhead bowed slightly in his direction and introduced herself: “Okino Haru. I'm a first-year engineering student. Nice to meet you.”
“Itadori Yuji,” he replied. “Second year, sports science. I've never seen you here before.”
“No wonder, she has a room with Tsuda on the third floor and you haven't been in the common room all term,” Masaki rumbled, pointing at Yuji's papers with the chopsticks that had come with the bento box. “Have you turned into a nerd?”
“Don't act like I've been lazy for the last two semesters,” Yuji complained, folding up his papers so that the others had space to eat and the library book wouldn't get stained.
“I hear you're hanging out a lot with your new neighbour,” Masaki said, popping a gyoza into his mouth. He chewed and swallowed. “What's his name again? Fujimoto?”
“His name is Fushiguro,” Yuji corrected.
He didn't get a chance to say anything else because he was abruptly interrupted by Tsuda, “Wait a minute. Fushiguro? Isn't that the one half the dormitory was talking about at the beginning of term? The one with the two dads?” She tapped her lips thoughtfully. “I heard they must have looked pretty damn good. He's supposed to be kind of reclusive.”
“Oh, it's him?” Masaki took up the subject. “Reclusive is a nice way of putting it. I think I met him in the washroom once. Pretty standoffish guy.”
Okino had lowered her eyes and seemed to be staring intently at her bento. Unlike the couple, she could obviously feel Yuji's mood changing. He was about to pack his things and go back to his room. Masaki and Tsuda were both tactless sometimes, he knew that already, but right now he found them almost unbearable. He didn't want them to talk about Fushiguro like that.
“He's super nice. You just have to make the effort to get to know him,” Yuji countered more vehemently than intended.
“Woah,” said Masaki, raising his hands placatingly. “What are you so irritated about? Chill out. Just because I find the guy funny...”
“I don't think,” Okino unexpectedly interrupted the argument before it could escalate, “that his family circumstances are any of our business or that you can make a judgement about someone without knowing them.” Masaki, Tsuda and Yuji looked at her, somewhat surprised because no one had expected her to interfere.
“She's right,” Ishimoto agreed in his usual monotone voice, without looking up from his food. “You'd better tell me what came out of your drug test. I heard you've been sent there again, Itadori.”
Yuji turned his eyes away from Okino and was grateful for the change of subject. “Oh, they didn't find anything because I'm not taking anything,” he reported. His mood improved again now that no one was talking badly about his friend. Masaki and Tsuda looked a little embarrassed and had obviously realised that they had dropped an immense brick.
---
It was already quite late when Megumi returned to the dormitory. He had just entered the corridor on the second floor when he heard Itadori's voice from the common room. He stepped to the open door and took a look into the spacious room, which was furnished with several tables, a sofa and a kitchenette. It was almost empty. Two female students were standing at the kitchenette, washing dishes.
Only one table was occupied. Itadori was sitting there with two young men and two young women. The two opposite him seemed to be together, at least they were arguing like an old married couple. The squabblers were ignored by Itadori and the fellow student next to him, who hadn't coloured his hair for a while. Instead, they listened attentively to the female student with the ginger hair sitting at the head of the table. She must have said something funny, because Itadori laughed boisterously. The guy next to him grinned slightly.
Megumi turned away from the scene unnoticed. He suddenly felt out of place and walked quietly along the corridor to his room. Once there, he closed the door behind him and leant against it. He stayed like this for a moment, then switched on the light and slipped off his shoes. He finally threw his jacket over the back of his desk chair and dropped onto his bed. With his back against the wall, he drew his legs up, wrapped his arms around them and rested his forehead on his knees. The overhead lamp seemed far too bright and a heavy feeling, which had nothing to do with the food, spread through his stomach.
What was wrong with him? Of course Itadori had friends other than himself with whom he spent time. With his open and cheerful nature, there were probably quite a few, Megumi reckoned. In contrast, there was only Itadori for him here at the university. He would call Yoshino more of an acquaintance, but not really one of the few people he considered to be his friends.
Even in primary school and junior high, Megumi had always had the feeling that he didn't fit in. The sight of the small group in the common room had brought that back. Perhaps it was normal for him to feel like this among non-sorcerers? He was a jujutsu sorcerer and he would never leave the jujutsu world completely behind him. He could summon shikigami and manipulate shadows. He was trained to exorcise curses and, in the worst case, to kill enemies. That was all, but certainly not normal and yet... Itadori somehow gave him the feeling that there was nothing wrong or weird about him.
At the thought, that strange warmth spread through his abdomen again. He liked Itadori more than he was willing to confess to himself.
Notes:
If Ishimoto sounds familiar to anyone, yes, I took a bit of inspiration from Kenma from Haikyuu (my other favourite anime/manga). Of course, this won't be a crossover and Ishimoto remains a character in his own right.
Apart from that, I hope you enjoyed the chapter and I'm always happy to receive feedback ;)
Chapter 7: Like a rollercoaster
Summary:
The pillow smothered the frustrated sound he made. He had just stared at him. Like some kind of pervert.
Notes:
Important chapter incoming!
Welcome back to chapter 7 and yes, I mean it: some important things are going to happen this time.
I hope you'll enjoy ;)
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
June 2022
“Hinami, how long are you going to keep telling me that you think he's cute?” The young woman with the cheeky short haircut leant back in her chair with a quiet snort and took a sip of her tea. Her best friend, who was sitting opposite her, lowered her head onto the opened ecology book.
“I just can't do it, Yui,” she affirmed, “I'm not as adventurous as you.”
“Then I'll just ask him if you don't dare,” Yui threatened. Hinami shot up and shook her head vigorously. Yui put her cup down and said, “I really can't take it anymore. You've been raving at me for weeks now, ever since the two of them turned up at the café. I'm really sorry, but I just can't understand what you see in him.”
She glanced over to the corner table. Like every Friday at this time of day, two young men were sitting there, apparently studying for university together. Ever since they had turned up, Hinami had secretly adored the black-haired one. Of course, Yui knew how shy her childhood friend was and she was really incredibly fond of her, but right now she was just getting on her nerves.
“I'd understand if you'd have a crush on the other one,” she teased, “he's kind of cute and has a great laugh, but this guy...”
“I think he's very handsome. He has a nice face. Besides, I prefer more reserved and quieter men,” Hinami grumbled and pulled an offended face. “The one with the pink hair might be cute, but he's way too hyper. There's no way I can go over there while he's around.”
A mischievous grin spread across Yui's face. She looked at Hinami and nodded over to the two students. “Then your time has come,” she winked at her. The one with the pink hair just stood up and walked off in the direction of the toilets.
“Come on now!” Yui urged her friend and literally shooed her away.
---
Megumi skimmed over his handwritten notes. They had made good progress today and were now basically through with the material from the last lesson. Perhaps he would ask Itadori two or three more control questions just to make sure, but if he didn't mess that up, they could stop cramming. They didn't have that much time left before Yuji had to go to training anyway.
In surprise Megumi looked up from his notepad when he heard a soft cough. A young woman was standing in front of him, her hair falling in long waves over her shoulders. A little nervously, she brushed a strand of her fringe out of her light brown eyes.
“Erm... Excuse me if I'm interrupting,” she began hesitantly, kneading her fingers. She lowered her head briefly and seemed to collect herself. Megumi wondered if he should say something, but then she regained her composure and continued, “I wanted to... Well, I've noticed that you're always here with your friend and I wanted to ask...” She faltered. Megumi raised his eyebrows expectantly.
“I wanted to know if you'd like to have a coffee with me?” she finally blurted out. Now it was the young man's turn to be speechless.
“Oh, hello, who are you?” Yuji had come back to the table and startled the young woman so much with his appearance that she flinched. Puzzled, he looked at the scene.
The female student blushed and bowed slightly. “Sorry, I didn't introduce myself. My name is Kurokawa Hinami and I'm a second-year agricultural science student.” She looked at Megumi expectantly. Yuji also looked at his fellow student curiously.
“Fushiguro Megumi,” he mentioned his name for the sake of completeness. “As for your invitation,” he continued dryly, “I'll have to decline.”
“Oh, okay,” she replied in a choked voice. “I'll... um... better get going,” she said sheepishly.
While Megumi started packing up his things, Yuji watched Hinami sit down at a table with another young woman with short hair. Her face was now as red as a tomato and she kept her head down bashfully while her friend patted her shoulder comfortingly.
“Itadori, are you coming? That's enough for today. Let's go,” Megumi, who was hanging his backpack over one shoulder, diverted his attention away from the two other students.
---
They had barely crossed the square in front of the café when Megumi squinted at Yuji. He couldn't help but notice that he was scrutinising him closely.
“What's going on?” the former sorcerer asked sceptically.
“Nothing,” Yuji replied unconvincingly and kept his eyes fixed on his friend. Finally, Megumi stopped so abruptly that his fellow student took two more steps before also stopping.
“There's something on the tip of your tongue, I can tell. So what is it?” Megumi wanted to know, narrowing his eyes slightly so that he looked like a lurking cat.
Itadori merely shrugged his shoulders and adjusted the strap of his bow bag before answering, “You were a bit rough with her, don't you think? To Kurokawa, that is. She seemed quite nice and just wanted to get to know you over a cup of coffee. There was really no need for such a rude rebuff.”
Megumi rolled his eyes. Was he serious now? “Am I supposed to go out with someone I'm not interested in just because they're nice?”
“I didn't say that,” Itadori corrected vigorously. “I just meant that you could have been a bit friendlier to her. She was visibly nervous and your rejection came out of the blue. I think she was super embarrassed.”
The other spared himself a reply and wrapped himself in an unreadable silence. Then he started moving again with a jerk and walked past Yuji.
“Oh!” Itadori exclaimed a moment later and covered the distance to his next door neighbour with a few hops. He grinned triumphantly as he surmised victoriously, “You have a girlfriend, right? Hence the quick rebuff. Kind of like you to keep something like that a secret.”
“I don't have a girlfriend,” Megumi clarified, slightly annoyed. Did he want to set him up, or what was going on?
“Really not?” the pink-haired boy asked. He was almost disappointed that he was wrong. He had been so sure and it would have suited his friend. You almost always had to pull everything out of his nose. He simply ignored Megumi's irritated tone.
“Really not,” Megumi emphasised emphatically and Yuji stopped probing. They walked quietly side by side for a few moments. Megumi gave Itadori another sideways glance and finally managed to ask, “And what about you? Do you have a girlfriend?”
“Nope,” Yuji whispered, rubbing the back of his neck with one hand. “Not at the moment. It would be nice, but so far nothing has come up here at university,” he dismissed. “But something else,” he changed the subject. “You haven't said anything about last night. How was the birthday party? I had a look at the restaurant online. It looks pretty snazzy.”
Megumi felt a strange sense of relief that Itadori wasn't in a relationship and took up the change of subject with a short delay: “Oh, Satoru, the white-haired one from my fathers, once said that we can wish for whatever we want for our twentieth. No matter what, it's on him and he'll take care of it. We went to Disneyland with Tsumiki last year. Mimiko and Nanako wanted to go out for a fancy dinner in the city, so Satoru organised everything and met their tastes exactly. The twins were very happy with the evening yesterday.”
“Very generous,” Yuji marvelled. Disneyland wasn't exactly a bargain either, but something completely different was rattling behind his forehead. “Tell me, how can it be that your sisters are only about six and a half months older than you?”
After all, Fushiguro had told him that he would turn twenty shortly before Christmas. From a purely mathematical point of view, that didn't fit at all, unless his father had been very busy and he didn't want to just assume that.
“We're not related,” Megumi replied succinctly.
“Okay.” Itadori made an irritated face and stopped again. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “I don't think I really understand your family background. Of course, you don't have to tell me anything,” he hastily added. He didn't want to be intrusive. After putting his foot in his mouth with his stupid comment at the beginning of term, he didn't want to cross that line again.
Megumi pushed his hands into his trouser pockets and raised his shoulders. “It's not a secret. Feel free to ask,” he reassured his fellow student.
He hadn't even thought about the fact that his patchwork family must be confusing for outsiders without any explanation. After all, everyone at Jujutsu High knew about it in more or less detail.
“None of us are related by blood. Apart from the twins, of course. Suguru, the one with the long black hair, took them in when they were five. Tsumiki and I are step-siblings. Her mother was my biological father's second wife. I was in first grade and Tsumiki was in second when Satoru took us in. By then, he and Suguru were already living together and looking after Mimiko and Nanako.” After a short pause, he added, “Sounds a bit weird when you say it out loud.”
The pink-haired young man wrinkled his nose. “Maybe not the classic family, but there are certainly weirder ones. So you're four are adopted siblings? I didn't realise you could take in children if you weren't married.” He preferred not to ask any more questions about the details. Even though Fushiguro had said he could ask, he didn't want to probe too deeply.
“Satoru and Suguru aren't boyfriends, if that's what you think,” Megumi clarified. “I know they seem like an old married couple sometimes, but they're just friends who are co-parenting, if you like. I can't tell you how it was all legally twisted back then.” He didn't know and he was sure he didn't really want to know. “But adoptive siblings is about right,” he nodded and was glad that Itadori didn't dig deeper. He didn't want to burden him with the detailed truth. If he did, he would certainly retract his statement from a moment ago that it wasn't that weird.
For the purely formal understanding of his family situation, it also made no difference that the twins' biological parents had been murdered by the villagers and that Geto had saved the girls from the same fate. That his mother had died a few weeks after his birth, that Tsumiki didn't even know who her father was, that his real father had sold him to the Zenins and abandoned him when he was three and that his stepmother had disappeared without a trace almost three years later.
It didn't matter that he and Tsumiki had been alone for weeks. Only the crotchety old lady from next door had checked on them from time to time and chased them to school. She had kept muttering to herself that it was no wonder it had ended up like this. She had scolded Tsumiki's mother for being an unreliable slut and his father for being a rude good-for-nothing. Megumi would never forget how happy the old woman had seemed when Gojo had turned up and taken him and his sister away. The main thing was that the two annoying brats were gone. Suguru and Satoru had been the only ones who had cared about their well-being back then. But Itadori didn't need to know all that.
“Were you all dressed up then?” Yuji asked, snapping Megumi back to the present.
“Er, yes.” The black-haired boy needed a moment before he realised that his fellow student was talking about the restaurant visit again and took his mobile phone out of his pocket. “My sisters sent me some photos from last night.”
“Oh, let me see.” With these words, he stepped behind Megumi and, exuberant as he was, put his arm around his friend. He looked curiously over his shoulder. His next door neighbour opened some photos and held the phone so that Yuji could see the screen.
“Wow, you were dressed in style,” Yuji commented on a picture of the siblings standing in front of the illuminated city skyline.
As Megumi swiped across his display, he tried in vain to ignore the warm tingling sensation that travelled from the pit of his stomach to his entire body. But he neither could nor wanted to shake Itadori off. He was suddenly so intensely aware of his closeness that his heart almost stopped. The arm that lay loosely around his shoulder pressed him lightly against his fellow student. He could clearly feel the firm, trained chest against his back through the fabric of their t-shirts. Itadori's sleeve must have slipped a little, because Megumi felt the soft, warm skin stretched over Itadori's muscles at the crook of his neck and jawline... Yuji's face was so close. He only had to turn his head a little and his profile was right in front of him. The large, light brown eyes were fixed on the mobile phone, the straight nose and his lips curled into a smile as so often. Megumi's heart had almost stopped beating a moment ago, but now it was pounding like crazy against his ribs. What if he just...?
“The food looks really good, too.” In the photo that was currently open, Mimiko and Nanako could be seen leaning against each other and winking at the camera. On the table in front of them were their recently served main courses.
Megumi mentally called himself to order. What had happened to him? Had his brain simply switched off? What on earth had he just been about to do?
“Shit, I'm going to be late for kyudo,” Itadori exclaimed, startled, as his eyes fell on the small time display in the corner of the screen and he let go of Megumi. “See you soon!” he called, waving and disappearing in the direction of the archery range.
Megumi stared after him for a while and rubbed the spot on his neck where Itadori's upper arm had touched him. After Yuji had disappeared from his field of vision, he took a deep breath and tried to calm the fluttering in his chest.
Take it very slowly now. Nothing had happened at all. Everything had been completely normal between them today. Megumi had been at the athletics field to pick up his fellow student for his lessons as usual. At the café Itadori had told him about the chance meeting in the common room the other night. The four young men and women had probably just been acquaintances of his from the dormitory with whom he got on quite well. Okay, they obviously didn't quite agree about the approach from Kurokawa - perhaps Itadori was right and he could have been nicer - but that had been quickly put aside. The questions about his family and the birthday dinner were also legitimate. There was no reason why he was suddenly reacting so violently to his friend's proximity. Was there?
---
June was unsettled. Last week it had looked as if summer was on its way, but since yesterday the temperatures had dropped a few degrees again and it was drizzling all the time. Yuji was fine with this, as it meant a normalised amount of customers and the stuffy air didn't build up in the small dormitory rooms. It was also more pleasant for exercising. However, it was only a brief respite. According to the weather forecast, summer would return from the middle of next week and it would certainly reach 30 degrees by the end of the month at the latest. After that, it would hardly get any better.
Tuesday's training session had nevertheless been a sweaty one and the usual cacophony of conversation, laughter and some odd heated words could be heard in the changing room. Yuji had just tied his towel around his waist and, shower gel bottle in hand, turned to Megumi, who was sitting on the narrow wooden bench opposite.
He thought he could feel the way his friend had just looked at him, or was he imagining it? Had Fushiguro just lowered his head frantically? Yuji was also irritated to realise that he had not yet made any attempt to change his clothes. He was still wearing the full taido-gi.
“What are you dawdling around for today, Fushiguro?” he wanted to know.
The young man he was talking to rummaged in his sports bag. “Go on ahead. I'm just looking for something,” he replied without looking up.
Yuji furrowed his brows and hesitated briefly. But then he left it at that and went to take a shower. It was only when he was almost finished and had just turned off the water that Fushiguro finally appeared. Yuji noticed that his cheeks were flushed. Had the black-haired young man exaggerated during training? What was wrong with him? He looked like he wasn't quite himself. He would wait for him in the changing room.
The walk home was also relatively silent. Yuji already knew that Fushiguro wasn't particularly talkative. But by now he had actually become more communicative towards him and didn't consistently leave his chatter uncommented. When they arrived outside their rooms, he decided to ask his friend about it.
“Is everything all right with you?” he requested without beating about the bush. “You seem a bit out of sorts.”
Megumi just looked at him for a moment. “No, it's nothing,” he finally replied, rubbing his temple. “It's just that the weather is getting me down. I can't handle these changes very well.”
“Okay,” Yuji said, but it didn't completely put his worries to rest. “If there's anything you need, just let me know.” After a short pause, he added, “Anytime.”
“Thank you. But I really just have a headache and I'm a bit tired,” Megumi explained. “I think I'd better lie down for a while.” Fortunately, it wasn't Thursday. It would have been awkward for him to have cancelled dinner so spontaneously.
The pink-haired student just nodded. He wished Megumi a speedy recovery before they said goodbye and their room doors closed behind them.
---
Megumi dropped onto his bed and buried his face in the pillow. Was he completely out of his mind? He really was behaving as if he was out of line. No wonder Itadori was curious what was wrong with him.
The incident on Friday afternoon just wouldn't leave him alone. The memory of Yuji's arm around him, his chest pressed against his back, kept popping into his head at random. Each time, his heart began to beat faster and he started to tingle. He was unfocussed and even more taciturn than usual. He had also been staring at him in the changing room earlier.
The pillow smothered the frustrated sound he made. He had just stared at him. Like some kind of pervert. It hadn't been the first time Itadori had taken off his gi in front of him, but he just hadn't been able to take his eyes off his trained back. His skin looked so soft and smooth, the film of sweat from training had given it such a strange glow and... As soon as he realised what he was doing, he turned his head away in embarrassment and started rummaging in his bag. He sincerely hoped that nobody had noticed anything.
With another frustrated sigh, he turned onto his back and pulled his mobile phone out of his trouser pocket. He had received a message. Nanako had written to the sibling group chat. His sisters had set this up because they thought that Satoru and Suguru didn't always need to know everything they were talking about to each other and he was no longer available in the room next door. He still thought the group name quartett infernale was ridiculous, but he refrained from commenting on it.
Nanako:
Tsumiki, when are you coming home today? We finally have to watch the new episode!
Megumi rolled his eyes. His sisters were watching some stupid soap opera together and were totally crazy about it. Did they really have to discuss this in the group chat? Anyway, right now he was grateful for any kind of distraction.
Tsumiki:
I'm on my way now. Sorry, it took a while at the shop.
Mimiko:
Hurry up. I think Asai will finally check what's the matter today.
Tsumiki:
Do you really think so? It's about time. She's been so clueless for soooo long.
Nanako:
I'm going to have a crisis if she still doesn't get it in this episode...
Now a little annoyed, Megumi made the mistake of speaking up and complaining.
Megumi:
Wouldn't you rather form a sister group and chat about your series there?
Nanako just sent a bunch of emojis sticking their tongue out.
Tsumiki:
Nanako, don't hold it against him. He has no idea.
Mimiko:
That can be changed...
He wished he hadn't said anything. If only he hadn't said anything, but he could see from the three little dots that Nanako was already busy typing and that he was now being presented with a summary of the TV show, for better or worse.
Nanako:
Asai comes to Tokyo from the countryside for a job and is totally naive and shy, but adorable. It's about how she learns to get along in the big city and copes with everyday life in the office with all her different colleagues. One of her colleagues helps her out from time to time and of course she falls head over heels for him. But he's also totally cute. Unfortunately, she has absolutely no idea and simply doesn't realise what's going on. The guys in her village weren't really anything to fall in love with... But it's actually soooo obvious that she's in love. Sudden nervousness, she's constantly blushing, she gets hot and cold and all tingly, butterflies in her stomach, heart fluttering, etc. The whole range and she acts so cute and stupid.
Mimiko:
Actually a pretty flat story, but soooo beautifully told.
The black-haired young man dropped his phone on the mattress next to him and ignored all other messages. He straightened up and stared at the wall separating his and Itadori's room. Almost as if he could see him through it.
Did he have a crush on Itadori? He had realised in the summer of his third year of junior high that he had no preferences when it came to men or women, but he had never really been in love. Did it feel like that? Everything his sister had just listed basically applied to him. He had occasionally felt a little embarrassed in Itadori's company, his cheeks had flushed when his fellow student had said that he liked him and his heart had almost jumped out of his chest on Friday afternoon. He didn't even want to think about the incident in the changing room today.
He shook his head and buried his face in his hands. In his mind's eye, he could clearly see his friend smiling at him, beaming with joy. He could hear his hearty and open laughter ringing in his ears.
“Bloody hell!” he cursed. He was in love with Itadori Yuji.
He had to pull himself together. Itadori saw him as a friend and Megumi didn't want to jeopardise that. He had to behave normally again.
---
It was Saturday and Yuji had decided that he wanted to take advantage of the slowly falling temperatures for a short evening run. He had filled in for a colleague at the konbini today and tomorrow he had a regular shift again. At least he wanted to get some exercise now and get his limbs moving. He often felt tense after all the standing. It was better than sitting all day, but when you were stocking shelves and cashing up, you just couldn't move in a balanced way.
So after work, he had slipped into his sportswear - yellow and black shorts and a black sleeveless functional shirt - laced up his trainers and put on his running belt. He could stow his keys and mobile phone in a slim pocket and there was a holder for a small water bottle. It was still 24 degrees outside, so he preferred to take a sip of water with him.
He had stopped briefly in front of Fushiguro's door and wondered whether he should knock. Maybe the black-haired boy would go on a run with him. He had behaved quite normally for the last week and a half and seemed to be back on track. Probably it really was just the change in the weather that had affected him. But before Yuji could knock, the occupant of the room opposite appeared with his laundry under his arm.
“Fushiguro left quite a while ago. I don't know where he went, but he had his backpack with him,” he informed Yuji. The latter lowered the hand he had already raised and thanked him. His friend had probably disappeared into the library again. He would now make his way to Ueno Park to do his rounds there.
---
Yuji had one of his wireless headphones in his ear as he ran along the avenue of cherry trees - the park was packed with onlookers when it was in bloom. The canopy of leaves, now just green, dotted the path with shade and a few people had made themselves comfortable on blankets under the trees or were out for a walk. They were enjoying their free time, gazing dreamily alone through the greenery of the park towards the city's tower blocks, chatting with friends, having a picnic with their families. Yuji liked it when he turned out of the maze of streets into the park and the city faded into the background, the trees passed him by and he circled the large Shinobazu pond, on which rowing boats and pedal boats were floating.
Out of the corner of his eye, he suddenly thought he saw a familiar mop of messy black hair. He stopped and turned around. Sure enough, under one of the cherry trees that stood a little further from the edge of the path, Fushiguro was sitting engrossed in a book. Two large dogs were lying next to him. The white one had rested its head on his lap and the black one had snuggled up to his side. Lost in thought, Fushiguro's hand lightly stroked the black animal's head from time to time.
Did he have a part-time job after all and earn a bit of extra money as a dog sitter? Just because his fathers were apparently able to provide for him financially didn't mean that they paid for everything. Or was he simply doing an acquaintance or friend a favour?
“Hey, Fushiguro,” Yuji called, taking the earpiece out and waving to his next door neighbour as the latter lifted his head. Megumi looked around for a moment, but then spotted Itadori. As Itadori walked towards him, Megumi put the book down and the dogs sat up. Yuji crouched down in front of his friend.
“Are you looking after them?” the pink-haired young man enquired, nodding towards the animals. Curious, he pushed the book his fellow student was holding up a little so that he could read the title: Sanshiro by Soseki Natsume. He even recognised the author's name. They had read something by him at school. He didn't even notice his friend staring at him in amazement.
“Itadori, what are you doing here?” Fushiguro asked instead of answering.
“This is my jogging route,” Yuji replied and looked up. In the meantime, the black-haired one had brought his face under control. “I'm often here at the weekend.”
He carefully held out his hand to the white dog. The dog leant forward and sniffed Yuji's fingers. He laughed contentedly when the furry one decided that he liked him and held his head out for him to stroke. The dog lay down on the grass in front of Yuji and let him cuddle it extensively.
“You're such a sweetie,” praised the pink-haired student.
“You can see him?” Megumi suddenly blurted out. His fellow student paused and looked at him wide-eyed in confusion.
“Have you got sunstroke?” he wondered. “You're not sitting here with two dwarf pinchers who could be overlooked. So what kind of question is that?”
“Have a seat.” With these words, the other patted on the ground next to him. Yuji followed the invitation. As soon as he was seated, he pulled his bottle from his belt and took a drink. The white dog rested his head in his lap, just as he had done with Fushiguro before. Meanwhile, the black dog was still sitting next to Megumi and watching attentively.
Yuji put the bottle back, gently caressing the animal that was cuddling up to him and looked at his friend, who fixed him with a serious expression in his eyes.
“You can see my shikigami?” Fushiguro probed.
“Shikigami? Have you been reading too much in your mythology books? What's wrong with you?” He was beginning to seriously wonder whether his next door neighbour had perhaps fallen on his head. What was he talking about? Shikigami were fictional, ghostly beings from the realm of legends and fairy tales. Why was he so irritated about Itadori seeing these two dogs?
“Itadori, I got one question.” Megumi literally held him with his gaze and a strange feeling ran down Yuji's spine. Not a real shiver, he wasn't afraid of him, but he had never seen him so deadly serious. “Do you see things? Beings that others don't even seem to notice?”
The pink-haired young man swallowed. His mouth was suddenly completely dry, even though he had just taken a sip of water. He remembered the incident in the locker room after taido training in the first week of university. Yuji turned his attention to the dog and replied, “Why do you ask?”
“Because normal people can't see my shikigami,” Fushiguro explained and suddenly the dog that had just been lying between Yuji's legs dissolved. As if a viscous shadow was melting away. He flinched and hit his back against the tree. Eyes wide, his head jerked in Megumi's direction.
“You see them, don't you?” he repeated his question and Yuji nodded mutely.
“Yeah... I can almost always ignore them, but some are really... creepy,” he admitted haltingly. “You see them too, don't you? You have... You removed one of those little monsters from Higashi's neck.”
Now it was Megumi's turn to nod. “They're curses,” he began to explain matter-of-factly. “They arise from people's negative feelings. Places where remorse, shame or bitterness gather are loaded with them. It happens more often in schools or hospitals. In Japan alone, there are over 10,000 unsolved missing persons and deaths every year that can be traced back to curses. Normal people can also see curses in certain situations, for example just before death.”
Yuji listened attentively. Shouldn't what Fushiguro was saying sound completely absurd? To anyone else it probably would have, but to him it finally clarified what the monsters Yuji had been seeing for fourteen years were all about. For fourteen years, he had thought he was crazy for seeing things that weren't there. But they were there, and he wasn't the only one who saw them.
“How did you do that? In the locker room, I mean.” Yuji waved his hand around a bit, trying to mimic the movement he had observed back then.
“That's not working. You can only exorcise curses with curses,” Megumi continued. “People who are able to exorcise cursed spirits have certain prerequisites, including a certain amount of cursed energy of their own. They are called jujutsu sorcerers. These little flyheads that buzz around university are annoying, but quite harmless. A tiny amount of cursed power is enough to get rid of them. My shikigami aren't needed for that.”
“So you're a sorcerer,” Yuji mused aloud, “and you use your dogs to exorcise major curses?”
“Yes, there are a few more shikigami though. I summon them via the shadows. But my Divine Dogs were the first ones I was able to summon. I was six then. Satoru taught me.” With these words, Megumi put his hands together and the dogs reappeared, manifesting themselves from the shadows. The white animal was once again willing to be caressed by Yuji.
“What else can you do?” he asked, now more curious than frightened.
“Manipulate shadows,” the black-haired boy replied. He raised his hand demonstratively and placed it on the shady patch of earth between them. It was as if the ground suddenly became permeable and Megumi stuck his entire forearm into it. “I can store things in it, for example.”
“Oh, that's amazing!” Itadori exclaimed and his friend pulled his arm back up to the surface, completely unharmed. “Can all sorcerers do that?”
“No, I'm currently the only one who owns the so-called ten-shadow technique. There are countless cursed techniques, but it would take too long to explain it all in detail.” He also wanted to know a few more things from Yuji, but the latter seemed to have become interested and so he probed further, “You didn't go to a regular high school, did you? That's why you never told me about it.”
“You got me on this one,” Fushiguro admitted. “I had normal classes, but I was also trained in exorcising curses. I went to the Tokyo Prefectural Jujutsu High School, one of the only two specialised high schools for sorcerers in the country. The other one is in Kyoto. By the way, you seem surprisingly calm for someone who has just learnt that cursed spirits exist,” he noted, scrutinising the young man next to him attentively.
Yuji leaned against the tree and silently scratched the Divine Dog behind the ear. Finally, he admitted, “For fourteen years, I thought I was crazy because I see things that others don't see. Somehow it's reassuring to know that I'm obviously not crazy.”
Megumi seized the opportunity and asked, “Do you remember when this started?”
“Yes, very clearly.” Yuji's eyes became sad. “In the Golden Week of 2008, we were travelling around Kyoto over the holidays when we had a car accident. My parents died. After I woke up in hospital, I was able to see these creatures. But I didn't tell my grandpa about it until we were back home in Tokyo. Everyone thought I was somehow trying to deal with my trauma making up these stories. Nobody believed me, not even my grandfather.” He exhaled heavily. “I really thought I might be crazy. But it's still not normal, is it?”
Megumi moved a few centimetres closer to his friend and put a hand on his shoulder. “I can assure you that crazy and normal are two very relative terms. Believe me, Itadori, you're probably one of the most normal people I know.”
For a while Yuji just looked at him, then a smile twitched at the corners of his mouth and finally he grinned at his friend. “You know, Fushiguro, I had a feeling right away that you were special and I was right.”
The black-haired student withdrew his hand and looked at Itadori in amazement. He felt himself getting warm. Abruptly, he turned his face away. His cheeks glowed.
“You really can't handle compliments,” Yuji laughed.
Notes:
The penny has dropped with Megumi and Yuji no longer feels like he's crazy - now I'm actually curious what you think of the chapter. Feel free to let me know!
Chapter 8: One smile
Summary:
Yuji couldn't help but notice how the black-haired boy's mouth twisted slightly and almost inconspicuously. A smile that only he had seen. Yuji liked the idea that it might have been meant just for him.
Notes:
Hello lovely readers,
This is the last chapter for 2024.
If you celebrated Christmas (or another holiday), I hope you had a great festive season and wish all of you a happy new year!A summer chapter might not be particularly appropriate at the end of December, but I hope you enjoy it anyway. After all, a little sunshine never hurts ;)
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
June 2022
After the conversation in the park, they walked home to the dormitory in silence. Everyone was lost in their own head. Itadori thought again about what he had learnt from Megumi. The latter, on the other hand, was struggling with the fluttering of his heart that had spread through him since the mention of the words special person. He realised that Yuji's understanding of special in this case was quite different and completely innocuous. He hadn't deliberately sent Megumi on this emotional rollercoaster, but that didn't make it any better. The fact that his fellow student was walking next to him in his sports outfit was also anything but helpful. Megumi caught himself glancing furtively at his friend again and again. It was as if his eyes were searching for Yuji of their own accord. God, this had to stop! If the pink-haired young man hadn't been lost in thought, he would certainly have noticed his strange behaviour by now.
When they arrived in front of their rooms, they stopped and just looked at each other for a moment. Megumi lowered his eyes slightly and scratched the back of his head a little helplessly. He couldn't look at Itadori directly at the moment. His chest was still throbbing.
“If you need to talk, just let me know, okay?” Megumi finally offered.
“Thank you,” Yuji replied and added after a short pause, “For everything.”
“Everything?” A little irritated, Megumi raised his head. Yuji smiled gently as he explained, “For your help, for your honesty, for being there, for your friendship. Simply for everything. Not just in the park.”
The black-haired student shrugged his shoulders and hoped fervently that the other didn't realise that his heart was beating harder against his ribs again. “That's what friends are for, isn't it?” he asked as calmly as possible.
“I guess you're right,” Yuji grinned and unlocked his door. “I think I'll go and have a shower. The run was shorter than planned, but I'm still sweaty. See you.”
“Yeah, see you,” Megumi said goodbye and entered his room. As soon as he had closed the door behind him, he leant against it and buried his face in his hands. He also needed a shower now. Preferably ice-cold, so that he could come down again.
---
After leaving the bathroom, Megumi had made himself a portion of oyakodon. He sat at his desk with the rice bowl in his hand and picked out a piece of meat with the chopsticks. As he chewed, he thought about Yuji.
If being in love meant constantly being on the verge of a heart attack, then he didn't know if he really wanted that. But there didn't seem to be a free choice. If he had one, he would only want to feel friendship for Itadori. But it didn't work like that. Feelings couldn't simply be bent. He had hoped that life at university would be less complicated than being a sorcerer. Less deadly perhaps - although heart failure didn't seem that unlikely to him at the moment - but obviously not less stressful. Definitely different, there was no question about that, but that seemed to be it.
He put the empty bowl to the side, stood up and leant back against the windowsill. He pulled his mobile phone out of his trouser pocket and scrolled through his contacts. He wiped a strand of hair from his forehead that was still damp from the shower. He wanted to talk to Satoru about Itadori. Not about his feelings – hell would rather freeze before he would tell anyone - but about the curses.
Megumi had just been thinking back and forth in the shower. Itadori had been five years old at the time of the accident. A typical age for sorcerers to notice their abilities. So would Yuji have started seeing curses even without the accident? Did he possibly have sorcerers somewhere in his family tree without realising it? Or had the accident been the trigger? Shortly before death, even normal people could sometimes see curses and he had certainly experienced mortal fear in this situation. But, and Megumi didn't know this, was this state permanent if you didn't die after all?
A heavenly restriction, like Maki's, had also crossed his mind. Itadori's physical strength certainly suggested that. Unlike his former schoolmate, however, he didn't need any aids, like Maki did with her glasses. Mai, on the other hand, could see curses. So was Itadori more like her? But shouldn't his physical strength be less then? Besides, Maki and Mai were identical twins, so everything was a bit different anyway. There was also no indication of a technique, even if it was as weak as Mai's. Was he subject to a different gradation of heavenly restriction that Megumi simply didn't know about?
In short, the young student had no idea how to categorise his friend's abilities. All the cases he knew of did not really fit Yuji. Although Megumi had not been officially active since April, he could not just leave this atypical matter as it was. Satoru would know best what to do. So he dialled his foster father's number.
After the third ring, Gojo answered the video call. Megumi recognised from the background that he was sitting on the couch in the living room.
“What a rare honour,” the white-haired man teased cheerfully. “What have I done to deserve this?”
“I can hang up again,” Megumi grumbled. And call Suguru instead, he added in his mind.
“You know he's full of rubbish.” As if on cue, Geto leaned into the camera from the side. “The girls went out together today, by the way. Free Saturday night. Just in case you wanted to see them.”
“No. Maybe some other time,” Megumi rebuffed and then continued seriously, “Actually, I wanted to talk to Satoru, and preferably to you as well.”
“So you've met someone after all and now you need fatherly advice. Oh, my heart is soaring,” Gojo babbled on. His foster son just shook his head and smacked his free hand against his forehead.
“Satoru, why don't you let him explain what's going on first,” Suguru snapped at his best friend and gave him a headbutt. Unlike outside the restaurant in Shibuya, this time the blow hit. Satoru rubbed the sore spot.
Megumi sighed loudly. “Could I talk to you without it being like kindergarten for once? That goes for both of you.”
The two men instantly became serious. Gojo even pulled his sunglasses down a little. A sure sign that he wasn't going to make any more jokes.
“What's bothering you?” he asked, genuinely interested.
Megumi slipped off the windowsill, went to his bed and sat down on the mattress. Then he began to explain, “It's about a fellow student. He can see curses, but something is different. I don't sense any excessive cursed energy in him and all the other possibilities don't really fit either,” he laid out his thoughts and what Itadori had told him in the park.
“Mhhhh,” Satoru said, holding his chin, thinking. “It could actually just be coincidence. Or...”
“Or it might have something to do with the accident,” Suguru interjected. “What did you say again about when and where it happened?”
“Golden Week 2008 near Kyoto,” Megumi replied.
“Weren't there some incidents in and around Kyoto in the spring of 2008?” Geto gazed at his partner. Satoru still looked thoughtful.
“I don't remember exactly. In any case, it's been a while since things were so turbulent. I'd do some research, just to be sure. What's your friend's name again?”
“Itadori Yuji. Do you need any other information?” Megumi wanted to know.
Satoru shook his head. “I'll take care of it,” he promised.
“Listen, it might not be a bad idea to keep an eye on him,” Suguru suggested. “I don't think it's likely that anything serious will happen after fourteen years, but you never know.”
After Megumi had agreed to do so, he said goodbye to his foster fathers and hung up. Just like Geto, he didn't believe that Itadori posed any danger to himself or others, but it was unusual and should be clarified.
He put his mobile down and immediately Itadori's face manifested before his inner eye. The thoughtful expression he had put on since the conversation in the park, the uncharacteristic silence. Maybe Megumi should check on him again right away? Not only because of Suguru's request, but also because he didn't want to leave his friend alone and... And because he simply wanted to be with him.
---
Meanwhile, Yuji was lying on his stomach on his bed, freshly showered and wearing cloth shorts. The towel he had used to rub his hair dry had slipped between his shoulder blades. In his hands, he held a photo that normally stood on the narrow shelf above the head of the bed. It was the last picture with his parents before the accident. Unconsciously, Yuji rubbed the scar that ran from his right eyebrow down the side of the bridge of his nose. Together with his grandfather, who had been handling the camera, they had been to the playground in the park and gone for a walk. His father carried him on his shoulders. Yuji had always liked it when he did that. The world had looked so different to him from up there.
In the photo, he was exuberantly burying his hands in his father's hair. Jin screwed up his face a little and adjusted his glasses, but still managed a wry grin. Kaori stood next to her husband and son. She clearly couldn't help laughing at Yuji's nonsense. The wind tossed her chin-length black hair slightly. It must have been at the end of the cherry blossom season, probably sometime in April, because the flowers in the background were still visible, but almost completely faded.
Everyone who had known his parents had always told Yuji that he resembled his father. The same hair and eye colour, similar facial features. Nothing had changed to this day, but their stature was different. Jin looked taller and lankier in the picture than his son was now. His laugh, however, was like his mother's. Open, warm, infectious. Everyone had constantly emphasised that too.
“You laugh like Kaori,” his grandpa had often remarked in passing.
Yuji lowered the photo onto the mattress and pulled the towel off his back for good, dropping it carelessly on the floor. He crossed his arms and rested his chin on them. He couldn't remember what her laughter sounded like. She had laughed often and a lot, he could remember that, but he had forgotten the sound of her voice. He tried to remember the day in the picture. But everything was covered by a thin, grey veil. During the walk, his father had bought roasted sweet potatoes from a stall and given Yuji a piece. He had burnt his tongue. Hadn't his father warned him that the yaki imo were hot and that he should be careful? He couldn't remember.
The cursed spirits were not what was bothering him. He had become too accustomed to their existence for that and if there were curses, he wasn't surprised that there were jujutsu sorcerers. But the conversation in the park had brought up the accident again. Yuji had thought that after so long he would be over it, but he had obviously been wrong. He had only been five years old and had had no idea what death actually meant. His parents had suddenly been gone. All he had understood at the time was that they would never come back, that he would never see them again. Suddenly everything had changed. He had moved in with his grandad, changed kindergarten, everyone had pitied him and treated him like a raw egg and then there was the matter of the curses that had scared him so much back then.
Not that he had fared badly with his grandfather. As difficult as the old grump had been at times, Yuji knew that he had had his heart in the right place. He closed his eyes and buried his face in the crook of his arm. He had missed his father and mother at so many events when the parents of his school friends and classmates had been there as a matter of course. His grandfather had made an effort to always be there, but it wasn't the same and now... No one had been there when he had graduated from high school, no one had cheered with him when the enrolment letter from the university had arrived. None of the three would be there for his graduation and everything that would follow. Right now, he felt incredibly lonely.
Yuji lay still for a few minutes. Then a knock startled him. He got up from the bed, rubbed his face and quickly put on a T-shirt, which he grabbed from the back of the desk chair. When he opened the door, Fushiguro was standing in front of him, holding two small bottles of cold green tea. Surprised - he hadn't expected to see Fushiguro again today - he simply stared at his counterpart.
“I thought you might like some company this evening,” the black-haired boy began. “If you'd rather be alone...” Yuji found his voice again and immediately interrupted him, “No, come on in.”
He took a step aside and a pleasantly warm feeling washed over him as his friend entered and pressed the cool drink into his hand. Yuji smiled silently to himself.
July 2022
It was Friday afternoon and, as usual, Megumi and Yuji were sitting together in the campus café to go through biochemistry - they hadn't seen Kurokawa and her friend there since the failed flirtation attempt.
With a weary sigh, the pink-haired boy dropped his forehead onto his papers and put his hands over his head. Exams would start in a week's time on Monday, so the two of them spent most of their free time studying.
“I hate the exam period,” Yuji mumbled so indistinctly that Megumi had to lean forward to hear him. As soon as he did, Yuji's head shot up again. Startled by the sudden movement, Megumi flinched briefly. Their faces were barely five centimetres apart. With a jerk, the black-haired young man sat back down properly and scowled at his fellow student.
“Don't scare me like that,” he complained. His heart was pounding in his throat and only gradually calmed down again. It really was a crux. When he spent time with Itadori, his emotions were on a rollercoaster. When he was alone, he wished he could be with him.
“Sorry,” Yuji grinned apologetically. “I didn't mean to.” Then he sighed again, rested his chin on his palm and looked past Megumi out the window. “My brain is completely muddy,” he announced. “There's nothing working up there right now.”
Meanwhile, Fushiguro leant back and stretched. “For the last three weeks, all you've been doing is university, work, sport and studying. No wonder you're done. Although I wouldn't mind a break either.”
“Break?” Yuji looked at his friend questioningly. “There's only a week and a half until the exams start.”
“Yes, and I know how nervous biochemistry makes you, but a day to clear your head won't do any harm. Both of our heads are spinning.” That was the truth. Megumi perhaps didn't mind the cramming as much as Itadori, but he didn't have a part-time job either. Nevertheless, he could do with a short break. All that studying was pointless in the end if they sat in front of the assignments afterwards and were so exhausted that they couldn't get anything down on paper. That had happened to Tsumiki once and Megumi could well do without that experience.
“That's right. A day of regeneration wouldn't be bad at all,” Yuji agreed. During term time, he had always been able to recover quite well doing kyudo, but even that was only of moderate help at the moment, which was also evident in the archery itself. His arrows felt miles away from the target. It was just too much. Fushiguro was right and so he asked, “Do you have anything specific in mind?”
Megumi's mouth twisted in thought. “What do you think about a trip to Mount Takao?” he suggested spontaneously. “Or to the beach in Kamakura?”
Yuji also leant back in his chair and took a sip of his coke. “Both destinations are not much of a journey, I think. In this weather, a trip to the sea would be nice, but it'll probably be crowded like hell.”
“Takao is also a popular destination,” Megumi noted. “We'd have to leave early in both cases to avoid the crowds.”
“That's true,” Itadori agreed and put the can down in front of him with a soft clink. “Let's go to Takao then. I think it's more varied than the beach and it's shady in the forest.”
Megumi was fine with that. The forest also sounded more pleasant to him than the crowded beach under a burning sun.
---
The next morning, Yuji had even woken up before his alarm clock and jumped out of bed full of anticipation to get ready. Now he packed enough to drink and a few snacks in his backpack, which he had picked up at the konbini on the way home last night, before swinging the bag over his shoulder and stepping out into the corridor cheerfully. It had definitely been a good idea of Fushiguro to just spontaneously take a day off. He was already really excited. After all, he would have to go back to work tomorrow, so he wanted to enjoy the study-free time together today.
July was simply not a particularly fun month with exams starting. But Yuji felt better prepared than during the last two exam periods. However, in his first year he hadn't studied as continuously during the semester and the cramming before the exams had seemed even more strenuous than this time. Only in biochemistry he got scared shitless, the rest seemed doable.
As soon as he had closed the door behind him, Fushiguro came shuffling out of his room, yawning. Almost nobody was up in the dormitory yet. They were really early. But it was better to once get up early on a Saturday than to be caught in the middle of the biggest crowds of day-trippers. Unfortunately, Fushiguro was right. Mount Takao was hardly less popular than Kamakura for a short trip.
“Good morning,” Yuji greeted his fellow student with a smile, but only got a grumbled “morning” in return.
“You're really not an early riser, are you?” The pink-haired boy scanned his next door neighbour attentively as they left the building. Megumi looked a little sleepy - his eyes lacked an attentive expression - and he seemed even more taciturn than usual.
“I need another coffee,” the black-haired student finally mumbled.
“That should be easy to organise. Haven't you had any yet?” Yuji wanted to know.
“I have.” Megumi ran his splayed fingers through his hair and yawned again. “That's the problem. I've only had one.”
Yuji shook his head in amusement. He liked to have a coffee with soya milk from time to time, but Megumi didn't seem to have much going on without caffeine. Somehow he was kind of cute when he was so sleepy. Almost like a grumpy kitten, Yuji thought.
---
Megumi had grabbed a cup of coffee from the cooling shelf in a konbini at the station and drank it right next to the shop before they boarded the train. During the journey out of the city, his silence gradually returned to normal and his eyes became more lively. When they finally got off the train at Takaosanguchi Station shortly after nine, the black-haired young man was finally awake.
After walking along a narrow street with a few other weekenders, they came to a square lined with old Japanese houses that were soba restaurants, still closed at this time of day. The valley station of a cable car was also located here. Most of the day tourists headed straight for it. However, Megumi and Yuji, along with a handful of other visitors, ignored the cable car and instead took one of the hiking trails that started next to the station and led into the forest. After just a few minutes, they passed an Inari shrine dedicated to the fox god. The two students stopped, left a coin each and said a short prayer for a safe ascent. It couldn't hurt, because the path was - presumably not only on this section - full of thick, overgrown roots and rocks that they had to step over. Some places were also damp and slippery. Two days ago it had been pouring with rain. At a crossroads, they finally followed a signpost in the direction of a small pavilion.
“Pretty exhausting,” even Yuji admitted when they got there, reaching for the hem of his t-shirt and waving a little air under the fabric.
Megumi just nodded in agreement instead of replying and pulled his water bottle out of his backpack. The other did the same. They took a short break and let their eyes wander over the landscape while they drank.
“On a clear day, you should be able to see the Skytree from here,” Megumi explained and put his bottle away. Rain showers were forecast for tomorrow. The sky was already kind of misty, so they couldn't see anything of the city and its skyline disappeared in a blue haze. Yuji also put his drink back in his backpack and replied, “That's a shame, but we know what it looks like.” After all, the tower was clearly visible from the area surrounding the university.
After they had looked at the landscape in silence for a while and a few hikers had walked passed them, Megumi finally asked, “Shall we continue?”
“On to the summit,” Itadori nodded, shouldered his bag and marched ahead.
It was exhausting, no doubt about it, but also beautiful. Yuji enjoyed having forest paths under his feet instead of asphalt, breathing in the scent of the plants around them instead of the exhaust fumes and listening to the rustling of the leaves and the birds singing as they hid in the treetops.
“Can you actually hear which bird that is?” he asked Megumi out of the blue, remembering that he had an ornithology book on his shelf.
“Difficult if it's not a particularly distinctive call,” his friend said. Megumi stopped, closed his eyes for a moment and listened intently. But then he shook his head. “I'm actually not that good at bird voices. But if I see it, I should be able to tell you.”
Yuji put his head back and looked up, searching. It wasn't easy to spot the small feathered animal among the green foliage. Finally, he stretched out his arm and announced, “There it is.”
“Where?” Megumi stepped closer to him and looked in the direction indicated. “I can't spot it.”
“Right there.” With these words, Yuji grabbed his friend by the upper arm and pulled him a little closer. Megumi was now standing directly in front of the pink-haired boy, who again pointed in the direction from which the chirping came. “Do you see it now?”
Megumi swallowed and tried to concentrate. They were so close and Itadori made no move to let him go. He could feel the touch of his hand very clearly, the fingers wrapped around his biceps. He forced himself to lift his head and kept an eye out for the animal.
When he finally found it, he explained matter-of-factly, “That's a willow tit. Poecile montanus. The matt black head and the black spot on the chin as well as the white cheeks are characteristic. It looks very similar to the marsh tit, but here in Japan it only occurs on Hokkaido. So I would rule them out.” He tried to breathe calmly. Hopefully Itadori hadn't noticed his excitement.
“How can you remember all that?” Yuji marvelled, resting his chin on his friend's shoulder as he watched the tit hopping back and forth between the branches. As the path was sloping, Megumi's shoulder was at just the right height for it. The black-haired student bit his lower lip. It would all be so much easier if Itadori would keep a bit more distance. But he didn't want to push him back, not by any means. In fact, he would have preferred to just turn round to Itadori and... And do what?
Megumi inwardly counted to ten to calm the tingling feeling that was spreading through him again. He wanted to turn around, wrap Itadori in an embrace and hold him close. Instead, he felt Yuji let go of him and step back from him. Then he heard faint voices coming up the hill behind them, slowly getting louder.
What was he thinking? There wasn't that much going on on the hiking trail, but they were out in public. Itadori would think he was completely insane if he just did something like that. He shouldn't even think about it, but he couldn't help wishing they'd stayed like this for longer.
---
They eventually came to a long flight of steps via forest paths, which led to a built out area on the summit of Mount Takao. There were far more people here than they had encountered on the way, but at least there were various paths leading to their destination. Many small restaurants and free toilets lined in the square. Children ran back and forth, couples, families and groups took photos or treated themselves to a soft ice cream.
“We have to take a photo,” grinned Itadori, pointing to the summit sign, “after all, we've hiked all the way up here.”
He was probably right. The path wasn't really long, but it was already warm, the humidity was increasing and sections of the climb had been steep. Megumi followed his fellow student to the summit sign, where he took a selfie of them. To Megumi's relief, he made sure to include the 599 metre altitude in the picture and refrained from putting his arm around his shoulders. They then looked for a free spot on a low wall and sat down.
“Too bad the weather isn't clear,” Yuji said, letting his gaze wander over the Kanto Plain. “We probably won't be able to see Mount Fuji today.”
“It's not far, and after the exams it's term break. We can come here again,” Megumi suggested as he reached into his backpack. Yuji nodded in agreement and was about to do the same to unpack his snacks when a green plastic bento box with chopsticks slid into his field of vision. Irritated, he looked at Megumi, who held the box out to him in invitation. He himself had a second box on his lap.
“What...” Itadori began questioningly, when Megumi pressed the lunchbox into his hands and explained briefly, “This is for you.” He had his eyes fixed sheepishly on his knees. When Itadori finally took the box from him, he pulled his hand back and heard his friend open the lid.
“Oh wow,” Yuji marvelled and his eyes widened. “Thank you so much. That's so awesome.” The bento contained a wakame onigiri, tamagoyaki cut into pieces, various tsukemono and the poultry meatballs from Yuji's recipe. But fried and now cold instead of cooked in a broth. “When did you make all this?” he wanted to know. The black-haired young man shrugged his shoulders and replied tersely, “This morning.”
Yuji was perplexed. He couldn't remember the last time someone had brought him a homemade bento, but he was pretty sure it must have been from his ex-girlfriend Yuko. So it had been at least two years. Besides, Fushiguro wasn't a morning person, but he still got up earlier than necessary to prepare lunch. A warm, cosy feeling spread through his stomach as he looked up from the box and noticed that Megumi had turned a little towards him.
That's when Yuji saw it. The corners of Fushiguro's mouth turned upwards. He smiled. Only very slightly. Probably no one else noticed. He really was smiling. Just... for him? A tiny twinge, barely noticeable, ran through Yuji's chest and at that moment he realised that he wanted to see that much more often. He wanted Fushiguro to smile at him more often and right now, he also wanted this day to never end.
As Megumi turned to his food, the pink-haired boy also picked up a piece of tamagoyaki with his chopsticks. Before he shoved the egg dish into his mouth, he looked at Megumi from the side for a moment. He had smiled.
“Fushiguro, you really are the best,” Yuji blurted out without warning and grinned broadly. Megumi's face immediately flushed. His fellow student nudged him and laughed merrily, “Compliments really aren't your thing, are they?”
The black-haired student lowered his head and pressed out between pinched lips, “You'll be the death of me, Itadori. And you repeat yourself.” The latter simply continued to beam at him before savouring the tamagoyaki.
---
They sat on the wall for a while and simply enjoyed the view and the pleasant breeze that blew across the square. Finally, they decided to make their descent. However, they chose one of the other hiking trails that led past Yakuoin temple. After a short time, they reached the first shrine building via a long staircase, which was followed almost immediately by the next shrine, Izuna-Gongendo. Not only was it decorated with beautiful carvings and colours, there was also a statue of a Tengu right in front of the building. Yuji looked at the yokai with the long nose with interest and said, “Now hopefully nothing bad will happen to us on the way down.”
“Maybe there are talismans at the stalls there, if you want to play it safe.” Megumi nodded in the direction of the stalls and there were indeed Tengu key rings, which Yuji scrutinised more closely. Megumi stayed a few steps back and looked at the talismans that the monks sold for pretty much every occasion, whether it was weddings, pregnancy, love, luck or health. There was something for everyone. Although his friend had already moved on, he bought one of the talismans and pocketed it.
Yuji was waiting for him at the top of the stairs and together they descended the many steps to a square with more stalls and the huge main building of the Yakuoin temple. A strong odour of incense hit them. The scent was supposed to ward off bad luck, but in the warm and humid weather it seemed to make the air heavy. Nevertheless, the two students decided that a little divine assistance couldn't hurt so close to the exams and each threw a coin into the prayer box. Then they clapped and bowed twice before making their wish and clapping again.
Next to the main building of the temple were several small Buddha statues and shrines. Anyone who wanted to could practise their spirituality here. Yuji and Megumi made their way back to the foot of Mount Takao instead. They stopped briefly at the monkey and wild plant park, about halfway along the route, and wondered whether they should make another detour. However, they discarded this idea when two mothers with a group of children, estimated to be around ten years old, approached the park. It looked like a children's birthday party and they could easily do without it.
At Takaosanguchi station, they still had some time before the train back to the city departed. While Yuji disappeared into the konbini right next to the station, Megumi waited on one of the benches built around the angular pillars that supported the wooden canopy of the modern station building, which was renovated in 2015.
He leaned forward, propped his elbows on his knees and rested his chin on his palms. Itadori really baffled him. Every time the pink-haired young man came this close to him, he felt as if his heart was about to either fail or jump out of his chest. He wouldn't be able to survive that in the long term. There had to be a way to stop it somehow. He sighed softly and sat up again. After all, getting up at this ungodly early hour on a Saturday had been worth it. The fact that Itadori would be so happy about the homemade bento had surprised him a little, but it had been nice. They always packed lunch boxes on family outings. It had never occurred to Megumi to simply throw ready-made snacks into his backpack or to prepare lunch just for himself. He liked to see the people close to his heart happy, even if it was just little things that made them happy.
Suddenly, something cold touched his cheek and he flinched, startled. When he looked around, Itadori was smiling and holding out a soda popsicle.
“I brought you one,” he grinned and sat down next to his friend. “I thought an ice cream wouldn't hurt in these temperatures.”
Megumi rubbed the cold spot and gratefully accepted the popsicle.
---
Back in the dormitory, Yuji stood in the kitchenette with his hair still damp from the shower. He put the empty water bottle in the sink and the snacks he had actually taken with him as provisions for the trip back in the larder. Fushiguro had really surprised him with the bento box. Another thing Yuji particularly appreciated about his friend: he was caring and Yuji had to admit that it was nice to be looked after.
The young student closed the wardrobe door and went into the room, where he dropped his backpack down next to the desk and then fell back onto his bed. His eyes wandered to the tabletop where his university documents were piled up. Not today. Just because they were back didn't mean the break day was over. Tomorrow, after work, he could get back to studying. Now he would just relax a little more.
The day had been great. He really had a lot of fun. He had enjoyed getting out of the city for a change. He had even learnt something. Now he knew what the willow tit's voice sounded like, what the bird looked like and that monks tried to sell overpriced Tengu key rings. And now he also knew what Fushiguro's smile looked like. Yuji couldn't help but notice how the black-haired boy's mouth twisted slightly and almost inconspicuously. A smile that only he had seen. Yuji liked the idea that it might have been meant just for him. But even if it wasn't, Yuji thought it was something special. After all, Fushiguro never smiled. At least he hadn't realised it yet and they spent a lot of time together.
One thing was certain for Yuji, he wanted to see this smile - this reserved one and many others - as often as possible. Suddenly he thought he could feel his heart beating much more intensely than normal.
Notes:
What a smile can do, especially when it's a rare one like Megumi's. It even warms the heart of our sunshine boy Yuji.
By the way, we have a new fluffy housemate: a little black kitten. Of course we have named him Megumi. Okay, he's been living here for the last two and a half months, but that still counts as new. And yes, he's the king of the castle - what else?!
We didn't actually make it to Mount Takao during our stay in Tokyo - unfortunately. I got the inspiration for the trip from a German Japan blog that I really enjoy browsing.
Chapter 9: What's in a name
Summary:
Megumi, he repeated in his head. A beautiful name with a beautiful meaning. Megumi. Blessing. Grace. Was it okay that he just called him by his first name like that? Somehow it had just seemed right to him, but...
Notes:
Sooo, this is the first chapter in 2025! Welcome back, I'm glad you're all here and still reading this fic.
Thanks for the kudos, bookmarks, subscriptions and comments. I appreciate them all! To be honest, I'm surprised that there are so many readers for this story. I never dared to dream that my fics would attract any interest worth mentioning when I started translating them into English - I'm super happy right now!But enough of the chatter. This chapter is a bit longer than the previous ones and I hope you enjoy it.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
July 2022
Megumi stood at the narrow kitchen counter in his room and filled coffee powder into the filter that sat on a small glass jug. It was the second one he was brewing. He had already drunk the first coffee. The exams were starting today and Itadori had told him that he would be writing sports psychology in the morning. He himself had theoretical and practical exams in anatomy this afternoon which was going to be a long and exhausting affair.
He yawned and was pouring the filter with hot water when he heard the characteristic sound of the door of Itadori's room slamming shut. Megumi quickly put the kettle aside and stepped out into the corridor. He wasn't fully awake yet, he was missing the next load of caffeine, but he really wanted to wish Itadori all the best for the exams and had therefore got up a little earlier than necessary. His neighbour was just locking. He grinned when he saw Megumi, but it wasn't the usual, exuberant and carefree grin. It seemed forced.
“Are you nervous?” the black-haired young man asked immediately instead of greeting him.
“Good morning. Can you tell I am?” Yuji replied, pocketing his key. “It doesn't matter how well prepared I am, I'm still jumpy.”
“Morning,” Megumi made up for the missed greeting. “It's normal to be a bit nervous,” he said, hoping to sound as cheerful as possible, but not sure if he succeeded. Then he reached into the pocket of his training trousers and pulled out the Omamori, the talisman he had bought from the monks during their trip to Mount Takao. He handed it to Itadori. “I wanted to wish you good luck.”
Surprised, Yuji took the embroidered cloth bag and stared at it open-mouthed for a moment. Then he looked at Megumi and the stiff smile he had just forced turned into his typical cheerful smirk. Megumi felt relief welling up inside him.
“Nothing can go wrong now,” the other student said happily, suddenly feeling embarrassed as he admitted, “I'm afraid I don't have a lucky charm for you.”
“It doesn't matter,” Megumi shrugged it off and meant it. He had respect for the exams, but unlike his friend, he was hardly nervous. A little excited, but that was really all. The only exam he had really been afraid of had been the university entrance exam. He hadn't had a plan B if he hadn't been accepted. Nothing that came next could stress him out that much.
“Oh, wait a minute,” Yuji exclaimed, rummaging in his pocket. “This might be a bit improvised, but...” He pulled out his bunch of keys again and started fiddling with them. Finally, he held out a small red, spherical pendant to his friend. “I got it from my grandad once.”
Megumi took the bauble. “That's a Daruma. Are you sure you want to give it to me?”
Itadori nodded with conviction and explained, “I know it doesn't really work like that with the Daruma, but I still hope it will help you through the exams.”
Megumi clasped his hand tightly around the small pendant. He felt so warm again. “Thank you. I'll take good care of it and give it back to you in a fortnight.”
“I wouldn't trust anyone else with it either,” Yuji laughed contentedly.
“Itadori,” Megumi tapped his wrist symbolically as if he was wearing a watch, “don't you have to go?”
The pink-haired boy took a quick looked at his mobile and cursed, “Damn it!” With the Omamori still in his hand, he quickly set off and waved again to his fellow student. “See you then,” he called out.
“See you then and good luck,” Megumi replied and went back to his room after Itadori had disappeared around the corner into the stairwell. As soon as the door had closed behind him, he looked at the figurine lying in the palm of his hand. It was better than any talisman, no matter which temple or shop it came from.
August 2022
Friday lunchtime. Their last biochemistry exam was about to start. One by one, the students arrived and waited patiently outside the room for Professor Kato to turn up. Yuji and Megumi stood by the window. The pink-haired one had his back to the pane, while the other looked out and watched one of the in-house technicians working on the hinges of the entrance door to the opposite building. Yuji had lowered his gaze and was kneading his fingers in silence.
“It'll be fine,” Megumi finally said quietly. Itadori's nervousness surrounded him like an unpleasant aura. He wanted to at least try to calm his friend down a little, even if it hadn't worked on the way from the dormitory to campus.
Yuji nodded silently. Not convincingly. Megumi understood his worry, after all, he had already failed once, Kato wasn't exactly his biggest fan and the material had its pitfalls. Besides, Theoretical Biochemistry I was only offered in the spring term, not the autumn term. Rattling through it again would inevitably prolong Yuji's studies or he would have to take an impossibly large number of classes in order to complete everything in the normal time.
“We've been studying together for almost the whole semester. You can do it,” Megumi continued to encourage him and turned to him, but had to admit to himself that his patience, which wasn't particularly strong anyway, was about to break. He knew that Itadori could do that. Well, he wouldn't get out of the exam with one hundred points, but he could definitely pass.
“I feel like I've forgotten everything,” he finally mumbled, and that was the last straw that broke the camel's back. Megumi's patience snapped like an overstretched, brittle rubber band. Without hesitation, he lashed out and headbutted his fellow student. He snapped at him, “Don't fuck this up! I didn't spend all my bloody time studying with you for nothing. Your skull isn't that hollow and if you fail, I'll kill you myself!”
A few of their fellow students had turned to look at them, while Yuji, bent over, pressed his hands to the spot where he had been hit. Damn, Fushiguro could really hit hard and had just caught him completely off guard. He put one hand down while he rubbed the spot again with the other and looked at his friend. Fushiguro seemed pissed as hell. Yuji forced a wry grin and replied, “Guess I can't afford to fail then.”
Before Megumi could say anything in reply, Professor Kato appeared in the corridor, came closer and unlocked the room with his jingling bunch of keys. The students followed him inside.
“Those two really are a weird duo,” a young woman whispered to her friend and nodded barely perceptibly in the direction of Yuji and Megumi, who were just stepping through the door.
She shrugged her shoulders and whispered back, “I heard they hang out together all the time. So it seems to work somehow.”
---
Megumi and a few others had already finished the exam before the time was up. While his fellow students had left, the former sorcerer waited outside the room for Yuji. A little tense, as he had to admit to himself. Hopefully Itadori wouldn't have a breakdown. However, when Megumi had glanced over at his friend a few times, he had seen that he was busy writing. He took that as a good sign.
The door opened and two female students came out. Yuji left the room a good ten minutes later with the majority of the class after the time had expired. He immediately spotted the black-haired young man and headed towards him. He exhaled audibly as he leant against the wall next to Megumi.
“It's finally over,” he sighed with relief.
“And how did it go?” the other asked somewhat impatiently.
“I probably won't fail.” Yuji grimaced thoughtfully and added, “At least I hope so.” When he caught Megumi's scowl, he waved his hand placatingly and grinned, “No, seriously, it should be fine. But can we drop the subject for now? I'm exhausted from the last two weeks.”
“Then let's go.” With these words, Megumi set off and the other followed him willingly. “What do you think of ramen in Ueno to celebrate? I'll invite you.”
“How come?” Yuji wondered.
“If the end of the exams isn't a good enough reason, let me remind you that we neglected our dinners during the study period. Besides, you don't have kyudo today because of the reduced club activities during the lecture-free period,” Megumi enumerated. “If you don't have to work, I don't see anything wrong with that.” He also wanted to spend time with Itadori during the holidays, though he kept that to himself.
“Given the compelling logic, I can hardly refuse,” Yuji smiled and put his arm around Megumi's shoulders in a friendly manner. “Off to Ueno.”
Megumi's gaze lingered briefly on Yuji's arm. He suppressed the annoying tingling sensation and let his friend pull him towards the exit.
---
They ended up in a tiny ramen bar near Okachimachi Station and ordered hiyashi chuka, cold ramen. That was simply the best choice when the temperature was around thirty degrees. Yuji put his hands together and thanked Megumi for the food. He waved him off and simply said, “No big deal to invite a friend for a bowl of ramen.”
The meal for 1,000 yen really didn't drive him to ruin. Especially as Satoru, who insisted on transferring a fixed amount to him every month so that he didn't have to look for a part-time job, gave him more than he ended up spending. Megumi had refrained from a completely pointless discussion. By now, he knew very well when it was absolutely not worth arguing with his foster father and when he had a chance of getting his way.
“I'll cook again next week,” Yuji announced and the other nodded in agreement. They had lost track of whose turn it was, but if it made Itadori happy, Megumi would let him do it.
The pink-haired boy had just swallowed a bite of kanikama when he pulled his mobile phone out of his trouser pocket. Apparently he had received a message, because he started typing.
“Tell me, Fushiguro, do you have any plans for tomorrow night?”
Megumi was shoving a piece of cucumber into his mouth when he turned round and saw a pair of large, light brown eyes looking at him expectantly. He swallowed a little too quickly and coughed briefly.
“No, I don't. Why do you ask?” God, did he have to look at him like that? Whenever Megumi thought he had himself and his emotions under control, Itadori would put him off his stride again.
Yuji waved his phone in his hand for a moment. “Sasaki, a friend from my sports degree programme, has written. She says that a fellow student is throwing a party tomorrow evening to celebrate the end of the exam period. He invited her and said she should bring a few more people.”
And Itadori seriously thought of him first? Megumi's mouth tightened thoughtfully. He was actually the last person to be invited to parties. Well, actually, he'd never been invited, but he'd never been interested either. “I don't know...” he replied evasively.
“Oh come on.” Yuji leant over to him. “We've been super hardworking all term. We deserve a bit of fun. I know the host, too. Hasegawa is okay. Maybe a bit peculiar and sometimes a bit conceited, but basically all right. He does it every term. Sasaki wrote that Iguchi and Ishimoto are also coming. You may even have met Ishimoto, he lives in our dorm. Iguchi is a friend of mine. I can assure you, the three of them are really nice.”
A bit of fun... Isn't that what his sisters had accused him of in the end, that he took everything too seriously and should use his time at university to also have some fun? Not be a boring nerd for once, but just an average student. Wasn't that exactly what he had originally wanted? A normal life.
“So, are you coming?” Itadori continued to look at him pleadingly with wide eyes.
“Yes, I'll come with you,” Megumi finally gave in - how could he say no? - and picked up some noodles with his chopsticks. Yuji, meanwhile, was visibly happy.
What had he let himself in for?
---
The next evening, Megumi stood in front of his wardrobe at a loss, just like on the twins' birthday. He had never been out before and was clueless. What did he wear to a party? Were loose jeans and his favourite oversized shirts okay? He could already see his sisters shaking their heads at him. At least he had had a dress code on their birthday, but now he basically knew nothing. Itadori hadn't said anything more either, just that they had to take the metro for a few stops.
Megumi had wondered which student could actually afford a flat big enough for a private party, but presumably Hasegawa's parents had the wherewithal. He himself should also keep quiet. If he had let Satoru have his way with the accommodation issue, he wouldn't have ended up in the dormitory.
He finally pulled a pair of black trousers out of the wardrobe that Mimiko and Nanako had talked him into at some point. They supposedly looked so good on him. In the end, he had given in and simply bought them, but never wore them. Why exactly was he putting himself through all of this again? Oh yes, normal student life and all that and... well, somehow it was hard to refuse when Itadori looked at him with that puppy eyes.
Finally, he slipped into the trousers that the girls had put on him and remembered why they were usually left in the wardrobe. They weren't exactly uncomfortable, but they were a little tighter. An anthracite-coloured slim shirt made from a light summer fabric would fit. This outfit felt a bit unfamiliar to Megumi, but it seemed the most suitable for the occasion without him having a clue. He had briefly wondered whether he should try to do something with his hair, but experience had shown that this was a futile endeavour. Apart from that, he didn't have any more time, because there was a knock at his door. It had to be Itadori coming to pick him up.
The former sorcerer opened the door and inevitably faltered for a moment. Of course Itadori was standing in front of him - who else? Of course he had also got dressed up for the evening, but somehow Megumi hadn't given any thought to the fact that Itadori, who was styled for going out, was different from the one he usually saw every day. The pink-haired young man had also left his comfortable sportswear and oversized clothes in the wardrobe, instead wearing dark jeans and a red t-shirt. Both emphasised his athletic figure in just the right way. He had also done something with his hair. Instead of falling into his forehead as usual, it was combed back. Somehow that made him look a little, well, more mature.
Megumi swallowed. His mouth was suddenly completely dry. He liked what he saw. Far too much, in fact. All at once, he realised that he was staring at Itadori. His face immediately flushed and he lowered his head.
“Hey, is everything okay?” Yuji asked, a little irritated.
“Yeah, I just wanted to...” The black-haired student dug his key out of his trouser pocket and began to fiddle with it. Finally, he held out the Daruma pendant to his next door neighbour. “I forgot to give it back to you yesterday.”
Yuji laughed and took the improvised lucky charm. “That's okay. With you, I'm not worried that something might get lost or broken. Or that I won't get it back at some point.”
Megumi nodded. God damn it, he really needed to get a grip on himself. He couldn't keep having weird lapses just because Itadori wasn't wearing a loose hoddie or shirt. He didn't like it when his body simply reacted without his mind seeming to have any influence on it.
“Let's go,” Yuji urged him cheerfully as he tucked the pendant away.
---
The metro was relatively full, so they had to stand. Fushiguro was engrossed in his mobile phone. He had mumbled something about Tsumiki and was obviously texting with his sister. Meanwhile, Yuji wondered how Sasaki, Iguchi and the others who would be there would react to Fushiguro. He didn't really have any bad fears, but unlike most of his friends and fellow students from sports science, Fushiguro was just very introverted. Sasaki was good at getting on with people, Ishimoto got on with everyone somehow, but Iguchi was sometimes a bit insensitive. Well, it would be fine and they would have fun. Usually, someone would also bring along friends from other disciplines. There would be people there that Fushiguro would get along with.
Would some girl be flirting with him again like in the campus café? Yuji wouldn't be surprised. He scanned his fellow student out of the corner of his eye. His generally calm demeanour made Megumi seem very mature and sensible. Just like someone you could rely on. He also had an undeniably handsome face. His clear, dark blue eyes were particularly striking, Yuji thought. His gaze always seemed considered, attentive and smart. If he wanted to, he could certainly wrap a whole bunch of girls around his finger with that alone. He was a little taller than Yuji, estimated at just above 1.80 meters. That and the wiry physique that showed under his clothes were certainly not without their charms. Yuji's gaze travelled down Fushiguro's back without him doing anything. The black-haired young man had relatively narrow hips, he noticed, and... Yuji jerked his head up. He had just been staring at his friend's bum. Jesus, he was so ready for the lecture-free period and he answered his own question for himself with a resounding yes. He'd eat a hat if Fushiguro didn't attract female attention in that outfit.
“Is something wrong?” the latter addressed him calmly and put his phone away.
“No, I was just thinking. Was something wrong with your sister?” Yuji questioned in turn.
“Not really. She was only asking when I'd finally come home again. Do we have to get out the next stop?” Fushiguro nodded to the station display above their heads. Yuji answered in the affirmative.
---
“Where is Itadori?” Iguchi looked at his wristwatch and glanced at the front door. Hasegawa's end-of-exam party was well attended as usual, with a playlist of the hottest J-pop songs and popular Western songs playing in the background. There were some snacks on the worktop of the open kitchenette and, of course, Hasegawa had provided drinks, including alcohol.
“You know him,” Sasaki waved him off and smoothed the fringes of her bob cut. “Even if he does leave on time, he somehow manages to dawdle so that he's late. It's only a few minutes. Maybe he just took one or two trains later than planned. Anyway, I can't wait to see who he brings with him.”
“Hopefully not that weird guy he's always hanging out with. A few people in his athletics group said he is kind of prickly,” Iguchi grumbled, taking a swig from his beer bottle.
“As much and as enthusiastically as Itadori talks about him, he can't be that bad,” Sasaki interjected, rolling her eyes inwardly. Iguchi was always so close-minded towards new people. She rubbed her shoulder.
“Is there something wrong with your back?” her fellow student enquired.
“I think I twisted something the other day while swimming. My shoulder hurts and feels strangely heavy. There he is.”Sasaki nodded towards the door, where Yuji had just appeared, waving and with Megumi in tow.
While the pink-haired boy skipped towards his friends and greeted them with a joyous hello, Megumi stopped a step behind Yuji and briefly scrutinised the others and his surroundings.
This had to be Iguchi and Sasaki. A tall, relatively broadly built guy with short black hair and thick eyebrows. The young woman had a chin-length bob with fringes, wore glasses and had a fly head sitting on her shoulder. These little buggers were a real nuisance at university. Especially now at exam time, they were mushrooming. There had definitely been too much fear of failure among the students in the last two weeks.
“Sasaki Setsuko,” she introduced herself and bowed slightly.
“Fushiguro Megumi,” the former sorcerer followed her example. When he looked up again, he gazed at the tall guy who scrutinised him suspiciously with narrowed eyes. Megumi stoically returned his gaze. Finally, Sasaki nudged her friend.
“Iguchi Takeshi,” he announced his name, but didn't become any friendlier. Megumi didn't care. He was here because Itadori had persuaded him, not to make new friends. Although, unlike the guy, Sasaki at least had manners. She massaged her shoulder and complained, “If it doesn't get better, maybe I should have someone look at it. The painkiller isn't helping either. Maybe I've overdone it with the freestyle practice?”
“Fushiguro...” Itadori began and Megumi turned to him. His friend nodded in Sasaki's direction. Of course he had noticed the small curse too.
“Yes, I see,” he replied curtly.
“Do you think you could...?” Yuji waved his hand around a little. Iguchi watched the two of them and furrowed his brows in irritation. How the hell could they understand each other in such cryptic half-sentences? Sasaki also looked slightly confused.
In the end, Megumi sighed devotedly and beckoned her over. “Come a bit closer,” he asked her and immediately caught a sceptical look from Iguchi.
She stepped forward a little hesitantly. “What's this?” she wanted to know and looked questioningly at Itadori. He explained succinctly, “Fushiguro has a knack for tension.”
Sasaki decided not to enquire any further. If Itadori trusted him, it would be fine. It was unlikely to get any worse and, if in doubt, she would have to see a doctor anyway. However, it was a little strange when Fushiguro reached out his hand, but didn't even touch her shoulder. Instead, out of the corner of her eye, she only saw him make a quick movement and suddenly the pressure was gone.
“Wow, I don't know what you did, but thank you.” Sasaki let her shoulder circle enthusiastically and smiled at the black-haired boy. Iguchi rolled his eyes.
---
A slight smirk played around Yuji's lips as he took a sip from his bottle and looked over at Fushiguro. It had taken a while, but he had thawed out. Apart from Sasaki's open manner with which she had besieged him in the first hour, this was perhaps also due to the alcohol that Yuji had admittedly talked him into drinking at the beginning. No one here cared if they were already twenty and what was the point of being considered of age at eighteen if you weren't allowed to do everything?
But anyway, Fushiguro was sitting on the couch and had been chatting for a while with Ishimoto, who had arrived shortly after them. Iguchi didn't seem to know what to do with the first-year student and left him alone. There were probably worse things than that. Yuji had also already thought that Ishimoto and Fushiguro might get on quite well, after all, they were both rather introverted.
About twenty minutes ago, three female students he didn't know had joined his friends. They didn't seem to be particularly interested in Ishimoto, but they had engaged Fushiguro in conversation. So he had been right in his assumption that his next door neighbour would be flirted with today. He just didn't seem to notice. Or he simply ignored the advances. Yuji wasn't so sure about that; after all, the black-haired young man had already told him a few weeks ago that he wasn't interested in a relationship. Strangely enough, Yuji's heart sank a little at the thought.
His thinking was abruptly interrupted by a voice.
“I heard you brought that pretty boy in, Itadori.” Hasegawa Matsu, the host, was leaning against the sideboard of the open kitchenette next to Yuji with a glass in his hand. A few snacks were on the sideboard. Hasegawa gestured slightly towards the sofa with his drink.
“Fushiguro? Yes, but it's always been okay to bring friends from other departments,” Yuji hurried to say. There were enough people there that he had never met on the sports grounds before. But Hasegawa didn't look happy, which was a mystery to the pink-haired student. Nothing seemed different to him today than at the last end-of-exam party.
“It is.” Hasegawa took one of the senbei rice crackers from a bag. “It's a great opportunity to meet new people.”
“Yeah,” Yuji replied, stretching the word and putting the bottle to his lips again. What was his older fellow student getting at?
“What does Fushiguro actually study?” Hasegawa reached into the open bag again. The plastic crackled audibly.
“Veterinary medicine. Why do you ask?” What the hell was going on? Something was obviously wrong with him.
When Hasegawa suddenly laughed, Yuji's astonishment only grew.
“Itadori, seriously, you're dragging a future vet into my flat and then a pretty one like that?” Hasegawa shook his head in disbelief and pointed his glass, in which a sip of alcohol was still sloshing, much more precisely at Fushiguro. “No wonder the girls gather round him like moths to a flame. Handsome and fond of animals. What a combination. I think I need to set some rules about who can and can't be brought here.”
“Wait a minute,” Yuji thought he'd misheard, “are you pissed off because the three girls are talking to Fushiguro?” He knew Hasegawa's reputation as a ladies' man, but this was ridiculous. Especially as Fushiguro wasn't even flirting. He was just having a normal conversation. It wasn't as if there were no other women around. Had Hasegawa explicitly set his sights on one of the three?
Hasegawa's eyebrows rose meaningfully.
“You're kidding?” Yuji gasped. Had the other drunk his brains out? But the look on his face spoke volumes. He was really annoyed about the female attention that Fushiguro had been given and thus deprived of. He was jealous of the first-year student.
The host leaned over slightly to his younger fellow student and hissed, “I'd recommend you grab your beau and leave.”
“Wow, you're kicking us out? I didn't even expect such an arse move from you.” Despite his slightly conceited manner, he had thought Hasegawa was alright, at least he had always been nice to him. But with this blatant, enviously pubescent behaviour, he was giving Yasuda from the kyudo club a run for his money. Yuji straightened up and thought aloud, “Maybe the girls just like the fact that Fushiguro still knows how to behave properly even when he's drunk and doesn't see them as fair game.”
Quicker than he could look, Hasegawa had snatched the bottle from his hand, slammed it onto the sideboard with an almost deafening crash and spat at him, “You're getting the fuck out now, Itadori, is that clear?”
Suddenly it had gone quiet. The music was still playing in the background, but the conversations had stopped.
“This party sucks anyway,” Yuji threw at him and stomped towards the front door. He didn't need to say anything, Megumi had got up of his own accord and followed his friend out, even though he was no less surprised than the rest of the guests.
---
Outside on the street, Megumi grabbed Itadori's arm and held it tightly. He felt the warm skin and the firm muscles under his hand.
“What kind of an exit was that?” he asked in surprise, closing his eyes briefly and exhaling audibly. Alcohol and fresh air were not really a good combination when you'd run down a flight of stairs beforehand. He hadn't had much to drink, but he'd never touched a drop before. Without Itadori, he probably wouldn't have today either.
Megumi noticed that Yuji's hand was now wrapped around his arm to support him. “Are you okay?” he enquired. Megumi nodded cautiously and replied, “Yes, everything's fine.”
“You're a bit tipsy, aren't you?” Itadori laughed and let go of him again. Megumi also loosened his grip and let go. His fingers suddenly felt strangely cold, as if Yuji's warmth was missing.
Shit! Megumi shoved his hands into his trouser pockets and fell silent.
“We missed the last train,” his fellow student snapped him out of his thoughts, not even making the slightest effort to answer his question. Megumi took a look at his mobile phone clock himself. Midnight had passed. Somehow, time seemed to have run faster than he had thought. The last metro really had gone and, more importantly, the dormitory was now closed until six in the morning.
“What are we going to do now?” Megumi wanted to know.
“It'll take us about an hour to walk home from here.” Yuji put his hands on the back of his neck and looked thoughtfully up at the streetlights. Then he grinned at Megumi and asked, “Have you ever been on campus at night?”
---
It had actually taken them a good hour to walk to university. While they had been on the way, Sasaki had written several messages. Among other things, she had enquired whether everything was okay and informed them that she, Iguchi and Ishimoto, who would stay overnight with another friend, had also left the party in the meantime.
Megumi and Yuji had slipped onto the campus through one of the unlocked side entrances. Somehow it felt like they were doing something forbidden. But perhaps that was simply due to the completely different atmosphere that prevailed on the university campus. Normally there were students, professors, other staff and some residents walking around, who appreciated the green of the campus with its ginkgo trees and its own park as a kind of recreational area for a walk. You were always running into someone, someone was always in a hurry and there was always something going on somewhere. Now the ginkgo alley, which led to the main gate, lay deserted in front of them. A few lamps lit up the area just enough for them to get their bearings. Everything was quiet, with only a few bats flitting through the shadows. There was something about seeing this otherwise busy place completely silent for once, Megumi thought.
Finally, they had settled down on the edge of the fountain in front of the General Library. The imposing building made of reddish-brown and white bricks with the arcaded arches in front of the wide main staircase lay darkly before them. The fountain was switched off and no water was gurgling from the spire-like structure at its centre.
Yuji put his head back and looked at the dark sky. You couldn't see a lot of stars in Tokyo as there were too many lights in this city of millions for that. Only the pale moon shining from the sky provided a meagre light, which was occasionally obscured by a thin, semi-transparent cloud. Megumi also looked upwards. After a while, he asked again, “Why did Hasegawa kick you out?”
The pink-haired young man shrugged his shoulders and kept his eyes fixed on the moon. “He said something stupid about you and couldn't take it that I gave him a hard time about it.”
Megumi now looked forcefully at the young man next to him. “You got into a fight with him because the guy said something stupid about me?”
Yuji turned his head. Megumi felt that now familiar warmth spreading through his chest again as the other man looked at him with wide, light brown eyes. “I'll mess with anyone who talks rubbish about my best friend.”
Best friend? Megumi's eyes grew wide as well. He was Itadori's best friend? When was the last time someone had called him that? Had that even happened before? Yes, it had. Nobara. Back then, when she hadn't been able to sleep the night after Yu's death. Neither of them had slept a wink after watching him die to protect his students. She had come to him, seeking comfort from her best friend. He had held her awkwardly in his arms while she had cried bitterly.
“Best friend?” were the words that inevitably slipped from his lips.
The corners of Itadori's mouth curved into a good-natured smile. “Of course. I don't have any other friends who I could tell that I see curses or who make me bento boxes. Who realise straight away when something's wrong and then come over to just be there or who beat me through exams. Don't get me wrong, Sasaki, Iguchi and Ishimoto aren't bad friends, but they're just regular friends at the end of the day. It's like the school friends you might or might not lose track of or only see sporadically after graduation. Masaki and the rest are people I like and enjoy spending time with. You can certainly call them friends, but this,” he gestured back and forth between them, “this is different. You are different.”
Megumi remained silent, just continued to look at him in amazement. Yuji felt his cheeks grow hot. Had that been too much candour? Should he have said it differently? But it was like that, so why shouldn't he say it out loud? For some inexplicable reason, his heart beat a few beats faster than usual.
Finally, Fushiguro turned away, looking back up at the moon that stood over the library building. “You're pushy, annoying and aloof,” the black-haired boy began and Yuji's features slipped. “But,” Fushiguro added, “you're also one of the most kind-hearted people I've ever met. That's very rare, so keep that in mind, Itadori. I like being your best friend.”
Megumi could feel his cheeks burning. Luckily it was dark. He wasn't normally the type to get emotional, but under the cover of night and with residual alcohol in his blood, it was easier to say such things, especially to Itadori.
“Dude, I thought you were going to tell me how stupid you think I am,” he complained, slapping Megumi on the back like a pal. “With you, one really never knows what's coming.”
For quite a while, they just sat next to each other on the edge of the fountain in amicable silence, staring up at the sky, until Yuji asked, “And what do you think of the campus at night?”
“Unusually peaceful,” Fushiguro admitted and added, “Have you ever wondered what the campus looks like from above?”
“Mhhh, no idea. I've never thought about it. You can see a few of the buildings from the Bunkyo Civic Centre, but really from above... You'd probably have to climb onto the roof here somewhere,” he pondered. “But I'm sure it's all cordoned off.”
“We could take the aerial route?” Megumi suggested, pointing to the sky.
Itadori looked at him in irritation and wrinkled his nose. What the hell was going on in Fushiguro's head again? He himself was usually the one with the crazy ideas. But before he could wonder any further, Megumi interlocked his thumbs and whispered, “Nue.”
Out of nowhere, a shikigami appeared, resembling an oversized owl. Yuji almost fell backwards into the well in shock. Then he laughed. Fushiguro really was always good for a surprise.
---
Yuji blinked heavily and sluggishly registered that it was slowly getting light. He felt a slight tickle on his cheek and squinted to the side. The ends of Fushiguro's hair. He was leaning his head against his shoulder. Yuji felt the body heat emanating from him, heard the quiet, calm breathing. Fushiguro was sleeping peacefully. The corners of Yuji's mouth turned upwards a little. He had hardly ever seen his next door neighbour as relaxed as he was now in his sleep. He blinked a few more times and looked at his friend for a moment. He really did have a pretty face and such long eyelashes. Why had he never noticed that before?
The pink-haired student looked around and slowly remembered where they were: On the roof of the General Library. Fushiguro's shikigami had brought them up here. They had enjoyed the view, chatted and must have eventually fallen asleep leaning against the outer wall. Yuji carefully moved his left shoulder and got a dissatisfied grumble in response. His muscles also felt as if he had slept on concrete. Oh well, he had. God, he needed a proper bed and a hot bath.
His gaze wandered slowly towards the east. There, the sun was about to push itself over the horizon.
“The sun's coming up. Hey, Fu-...” he faltered briefly, “... Megumi.”
Megumi, he repeated in his head. A beautiful name with a beautiful meaning. Megumi. Blessing. Grace. Was it okay that he just called him by his first name like that? Somehow it had just seemed right to him, but... His fellow student slowly straightened up and rubbed his face. He groaned.
“Morning,” he mumbled quietly and he probably felt every bone in his body too. Had he even realised that Yuji had called him by his first name? Yuji's ears turned red. Probably not, and perhaps that was for the best. He didn't want to cross any boundaries again.
Yuji rose to his feet, groaning. Sleeping sitting up on a flat roof was definitely not something he needed to repeat. After stretching, he held his hand out to Megumi in invitation and pulled him to his feet when he grabbed it. They walked a few steps, leaning against the wall on the other side of the roof, and Yuji pointed east. Megumi followed the gesture, forgetting for the moment that he needed either a proper mattress or an extremely strong coffee. From here, they could see the Skytree and watched as the sun slowly rose higher and higher next to it.
“Isn't it absolutely beautiful?” Yuji breathed in awe, looking at the dawning day with childlike enthusiasm and shining eyes.
“Beautiful,” agreed Megumi, whose gaze had wandered from the sunrise over Tokyo to his friend - his best friend.
---
They arrived at the dormitory shortly after six. When they entered, the security guard was just sitting behind the reception desk. He had probably only unlocked the door a few moments ago. He scrutinised the two young men who entered.
“Hey, IDs please,” he waved them over to him. Both of them looked a bit exhausted from the night, so it didn't hurt to check that they had booted into the right dorm. After checking their student IDs against the entries in the system, he let them pass.
“Sometimes they really do act like this is Fort Knox,” Yuji yawned as they turned the corner and headed for the lift. No more stairs today, not even to the second floor. The pink-haired boy just wanted to go to bed. He had a shift tonight and needed a few more hours of restful sleep.
Arriving outside their rooms, Megumi finally said as he unlocked the door, “I don't think you'll have to ask me to come to a party next time.”
“I don't think there will be a next time, at least not with Hasegawa,” Yuji admitted. “Well, bed is calling. Sleep well.”
Yuji unlocked his door and looked over at his friend again. He had tilted his head slightly and had a small, unreadable smile on his lips.
“Sleep well... Yuji.” With these words, Megumi disappeared into his room. The other stared at the spot where he had just been standing. Yuji felt himself getting hot. Oh God, he had realised that he had just called him by his first name. But was that a bad thing? Obviously not, otherwise Megumi wouldn't have used his. But the way he had pronounced it. Maybe it was because he was tired, but Yuji had thought he could hear an ambiguous undertone. And that smirk.
He entered his room and closed the door behind him. He was hallucinating something. He definitely belonged in bed.
Notes:
Well, well, well, now Yuji and Megumi are on a first-name basis. I dare say this is a small milestone - what do you think?
Stay tuned, because next up is Obon and a family visit. Chaos of one kind or another is inevitable.
Chapter 10: Welcome to my life
Summary:
“Listen, Yuji, if you want, you can come to my place during Obon. Well, only if you want to. Of course, if you'd rather stay here, that's perfectly fine too,” he suggested. His fingers closed a little too tightly around the cool metal of the door handle.
It took a moment for what he had said to sink in with Yuji. The offer had taken him by surprise and he asked sheepishly, “Isn't that a bit short notice? I certainly don't want to be a bother.”
Notes:
Oh my God, guys,
I really didn't expect to have to keep you waiting so long for the new chapter. But somehow chaos broke out from one day to the next and that was the end of February as far as writing and translating was concerned.
But hopefully the chapter is worth the wait. After all, Yuji is now meeting Megumi's family for the first time - it's going to be fun!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
August 2022
The fact that the lecture-free period at university was not synonymous with free time was nothing new for Yuji. When there were no classes and clubs were only offered to a reduced extent, he used the time to work a little more and earn a few extra yen. Nevertheless, the week after the exams had been much more strenuous than expected. Yuji hadn't just done his usual extra work during the holidays: As a colleague had spontaneously fallen ill, he had also taken over his shifts. On Sunday, the boss had rung him out of bed at short notice. He would have liked to have slept a little longer after spending the night on the roof of the General Library.
As a result, he had basically been at the konbini from Sunday lunchtime until now, Thursday evening, and at some point this had even taken its toll on Yuji's energy reserves. Of course, Megumi hadn't missed the fact that his friend and next door neighbour had spent so much more time in the shop and seemed kind of groggy. The first-year student had even asked if he should cook for them both instead of Yuji. But the latter had vehemently refused. Megumi had already invited him for a bowl of ramen last week and the pink-haired young man had insisted that it was his turn. Megumi had accepted it. He knew better. Instead of having unnecessary discussions, he simply let Yuji have his way - he could draw on years of experience with Satoru regarding stubbornness.
Yuji had decided to make kare raisu. It was easy to prepare and always tasted good. A standard dish. Solid Japanese home cooking, if you like. Meat with some vegetables in a curry sauce with rice.
While Yuji was still busy in the kitchen, Megumi had set up the table and cushions and adjusted the table fan accordingly. He would have to get one of those, the black-haired boy thought. The dormitory rooms had no air conditioning - a complete miscalculation given the Japanese summers - and the small appliance at least brought some relief. A pleasant breeze now wafted over them as they ate dinner together. Yuji had also put out a large bottle of chilled green tea and two mugs.
As the past exams were a taboo subject for Yuji until the grades were announced, Megumi enquired how kyudo was going. They talked for a while about taido training and whether they would take part in the upcoming belt exams.
“Watanabe is right. You should sign up, Megumi. You're good,” Yuji urged his friend who pursed his mouth and replied, “I don't care that much about belts and stuff, to be honest.”
“I know, but wouldn't it be cool to go to a real competition with the team? You need a belt for that,” interjected the other.
“In a competition, you'd wipe out everyone anyway,” Megumi claimed, pushing a leftover grain of rice across the plate with his spoon.
“That's rubbish!” Yuji declared. “You've really got me down today.”
“Mhhh,” Megumi said, looking at his counterpart with a slightly lowered head. “I tricked you. That's all.”
“But it worked. You won,” laughed Yuji.
The black-haired young man finally put his spoon aside and poured some more of the cold tea into his mug. “Something different for a change. I've hardly seen you these days,” he stated and took a sip. “Is everything okay with you? You look a little tired.”
“Oh,” Yuji groaned in annoyance, resting his hands on the floor behind him and letting his head fall back. When he raised it again, he explained, “I always work more during the holidays than during term time anyway. One of my colleagues was down with summer flu and someone had to cover the shifts. A few extra yen wouldn't hurt, so I stepped in. But he'll be back tomorrow to cover some of my shifts. So I actually have a bit of free time.” Yuji grinned happily at the thought of just not having to do anything.
“Are you going to visit relatives for Obon then?” Megumi enquired, immediately realising that this was the wrong question. Yuji pressed his lips together into a thin line and crossed his legs. He stared sadly at his empty plate for a moment.
“Sorry, I didn't mean to... I mean, you said that your parents...” Megumi stammered uncomfortably and rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment. He hadn't meant to put his foot in his mouth. “I thought you might be visiting an uncle or something.”
“Since my grandpa died almost two years ago, there's no one there,” Yuji admitted quietly, speaking more to the crockery on the table in front of him. His parents had been only children, there were no uncles or aunts, cousins. His grandfather had been his last living relative.
“I'm sorry,” Megumi began, but was interrupted by Yuji, “You couldn't have known that. After all, I never explicitly told you. Don't worry. I'll be fine. Really,” he added with a wry grin.
Megumi bit his lower lip. He could see that the smile on his face was fake. He hesitated for a moment, took a deep breath, then murmured, “Can I ask you something else?” It wasn't really Megumi's style to pry when others didn't want to talk about such a personal topic, but Yuji wasn't like others. Yuji was different, special. At least for him.
The pink-haired student nodded. “You're my best friend, you can ask me anything.”
“How...” he paused for a moment, “... do you do that? All of this. The university. How are you coping?” The former sorcerer wasn't sure if it was wise to ask this question, but it wouldn't let him go. Even if he didn't always want to show it to the outside world, he cared deeply about the people that meant something to him.
A not entirely unjustified question, Yuji had to admit to himself. Sasaki and Iguchi had asked him the same last year. He had answered both of them truthfully, so there was no doubt that he would also be honest with Megumi.
He raised his eyes and looked at his counterpart, locking directly into the dark blue eyes that scrutinised him with genuine interest. A spark of concern glowed in them. Yuji did not miss it.
“My grandfather made provisions,” he began. “When he took me in after the accident, he already knew that I would be on my own some day. He put the money my parents still had aside and saved as much as he could. I can now use it to pay for university. My salary goes towards food and everyday needs. I can't make any big leaps, but at some point you figure out how to manage frugally,” Yuji explained, shrugging his shoulders as if it wasn't a big deal. “Our neighbour also looked after me until I finished high school. Since then... the dormitory has been my home.”
The sports student noticed the worry flitting across Megumi's face. Someone else might not have spotted. The black-haired young man had his features well under control, but he had remarked it. The small, barely noticeable twitch of the brow, the slight furrowing of the forehead. Only for a fraction of a second. But Yuji didn't want his friend to worry unnecessarily. He was managing. Of course, it wasn't always easy, but he was managing. Even though Yuji hadn't said anything else, Megumi seemed to realise that he didn't want to go any deeper into the subject and was tactful enough not to ask any more questions.
The mood had remained a little strange afterwards. Although they had turned their conversation back to everyday topics, there was an underlying sense of trepidation. Finally - it was getting quite late again - they stood together at the door to say goodbye. Megumi's hand was already on the handle when he turned to Yuji again.
“Listen, Yuji, if you want, you can come to my place during Obon. Well, only if you want to. Of course, if you'd rather stay here, that's perfectly fine too,” he suggested. His fingers closed a little too tightly around the cool metal of the door handle.
It took a moment for what he had said to sink in with Yuji. The offer had taken him by surprise and he asked sheepishly, “Isn't that a bit short notice? I certainly don't want to be a bother.” After all, the celebrations would start on Saturday. That really was very spontaneous. However, he did like the idea of not spending Obon alone again. Since his grandfather had died, he had been alone all these holidays. Still, he couldn't do that.
“Nonsense, you're no trouble,” Megumi assured him. “One more or one less makes no difference. So?”
“I'm not sure...”, the younger man tilting his head. He didn't even know Megumi's family. “Maybe you shouldn't just bring a stranger to Obon.”
“You're my best friend, Yuji. That's more than enough for you not to be a stranger. Believe me, my sisters would love you.” He didn't just say that. Megumi was more than sure that the twins would take his fellow student to their hearts straight away and he wasn't worried about Tsumiki anyway. “I'd love it if you were there.”
At these words, Yuji's stomach began to tingle. He hesitated for a moment. “If it's really okay, then I'd like to accept your invitation.” The prospect of being in company at a family party was too tempting. The corner of Megumi's mouth turned upwards gently and a smile spread across Yuji's face. This time it wasn't fake, but happy and instantly there was that familiar warmth in Megumi's chest again. The atmosphere between them was also suddenly back to normal, as if an oppressive knot had been loosened.
“Good, I'll be picked up tomorrow morning. I don't have an exact time yet,” Megumi admitted. That depended on what other, more urgent jobs the assistants had to go to, but Satoru would get someone to come to the city. That much was certain. “And pack your yukata,” he reminded his friend before they said goodbye. After all, August was also the time for local summer festivals.
---
The next morning, Megumi was still sitting at his desk in his pyjamas and a freshly brewed coffee in his hand. He had opened the window to air the room. Not that that really did any good. At the moment, the temperatures were dropping to 25 degrees at night, if you were lucky. At least a breeze blew in from time to time. Megumi enjoyed the peace and quiet, because that was about to end. He had to call Satoru. But before he did, he first finished his coffee in comfort. Only then did he dial his number.
“What a surprise. Isn't it a bit too early for you to be awake?” His foster father joked as soon as he picked up the phone.
“Good morning to you too,” Megumi replied, shaking his head. Always the same with his stupid comments.
“What's up?” Satoru wanted to know. “I think Kiyotaka will be with you around eleven.” Good to know. He would pass that on to Yuji straight away.
“I'm bringing a friend from university,” Megumi told his former mentor without further ado. There was silence at the other end of the line for a moment.
“You're funny,” Gojo then said. “You know very well that Tsumiki is the only non-sorcerer who is allowed on the school's grounds.”
“It's Itadori. You remember?” he asked. Megumi was determined to get his way; after all, he had promised Yuji that he could spend the holidays with him. He didn't want to leave him alone.
“Of course I remember.” Satoru sounded indignant. “That was your fellow student who can see curses.”
“Exactly. Sort it out,” Megumi demanded and hung up. He wasn't going to discuss it now. Satoru always presented people with a fait accompli, he could do that too. After all, he had learnt from the best.
On the outskirts of the Tokyo suburb where Jujutsu High was located, Gojo Satoru stared in disbelief at his mobile phone, which was making soft tutting noises. Geto, who was sitting at the table drinking a cup of tea, looked at him with raised eyebrows.
“As soon as you let them off the leash, they get cheeky,” the white-haired man complained.
“He must have got it from you,” Geto dismissed and shrugged his shoulders.
“Not helpful, Suguru,” Gojo grumbled. His friend studiously ignored him. Had he seriously thought that his behaviour wouldn't rub off on the children?
---
Yuji and Megumi left the dormitory together after the black-haired boy received the message that their ride was about to arrived. Yuji carried his sports bag over his shoulder, in which he had packed a few clothes, including the yukata of course, and his toiletry bag. He couldn't help but feel slightly nervous. The invitation had been super spontaneous and Yuji was worried that he was causing trouble nevertheless. The fact that Megumi claimed the opposite didn't help much. Even if he was probably right. After all, he knew his family well enough to know better.
On the corner of the street, the pink-haired young man was just about to wonder who would pick them up - perhaps one of Megumi's fathers or both? - when a car stopped a few metres away. A lanky man with a centre parting and glasses got out of the black car, went to the boot and opened it. Megumi walked purposefully towards him. The man was wearing a black suit and Yuji thought he looked very serious. He estimated him to be in his early forties, unaware that he had packed on ten years too many.
As they stood before him, the older man bowed slightly.
“Megumi, good to see you,” he greeted the black-haired boy. Then he introduced himself to Yuji, “Ijichi Kiyotaka.”
“Itadori Yuji,” he replied with a short bow, while Megumi put his bag in the boot and then reached out for Yuji's luggage.
The two students took a seat in the back, while Kiyotaka got behind the wheel and started the car. Yuji's fingers glided over the black leather of the seats and he looked around curiously. The car was simple and the upholstery comfortable. Nothing over the top, but solid and well equipped.
“You really have a chauffeur?” he marvelled and looked at his friend, who was gazing out of the window. Megumi seemed a little absent-minded. It was as if he was watching at the houses and people, cars, bicycles, lanterns and traffic lights passing by, but not noticing them.
“I'm not a chauffeur,” Ijichi sounded piqued and interrupted Yuji's observation. “I'm assistant manager to the director.” A bespectacled look met the student's over the rear-view mirror, but then Kiyotaka turned to Megumi, “Does Yaga know?”
“Yes, I've spoken to Satoru. It's all sorted out,” he replied, now back on task. Kiyotaka had his doubts, but kept his mouth shut. He was vindicated when he stopped at a red light about fifteen minutes into the journey and saw a message from the director on his phone.
“God damn it! Satoru must be rubbing off on Megumi. He's bringing a friend...” it said. Well, now the matter seemed to be settled. Only Gojo Satoru could get away with something like that and Megumi knew of course that he would get his way via this diversions. At the time, Kiyotaka had thought it was a bad idea for Gojo to be given guardianship of young children. In his opinion, things were a little different with Geto, but all in all, the four of them had miraculously become quite sensible young adults. Only the twins sometimes drove him to despair. Megumi was generally quite sociable - with a few exceptions - and Tsumiki, well, she was a real blessing. Always friendly and helpful. Kiyotaka had no idea that a few of the pranks played on him over the years by Gojo's and Geto's kids were also Tsumiki's fault.
---
They had driven quite far out into the mountainous green outskirts of Tokyo. It hardly occurred to anyone here that they were still in the catchment area of the metropolis. Ijichi had let the two students out at the entrance gate. As soon as they had entered the grounds, Yuji felt as if they had travelled back in time and were now visiting a venerable site. The buildings were constructed in the style of traditional Japanese architecture, with temples, statues of deities, shrines and torii. Although it was a few degrees cooler here than in the city, it was still warm and humid in summer.
“Oh, there's Megumi,” someone suddenly called out. They had just arrived at the top of a staircase and Yuji looked in the direction from which the voice had come. A young man with a little longer, black hair and slight circles under his eyes was coming towards them. He wore a white jacket buttoned up the side and over his shoulder hung... A sword pouch? Yuji was no lawyer, but he was pretty sure that openly carrying a katana was against the Weapons Act. However, this detail was forgotten the moment a life-sized panda appeared behind the young man, walking on two legs beside him. As if that alone wasn't strange enough, the panda also spoke.
“Nice to finally see you again,” greeted the animal. “Who have you brought with you?”
Before Megumi even had a chance to reply, a young, very angry-looking woman appeared. She had her hair tied back in a plait and was wearing glasses and sportswear.
“You have the nerve to show your face here,” she scolded loudly and as soon as she swung her training stick, it smashed into Megumi's face. He stumbled back, dropped his bag and pressed his hand to his left cheek. Yuji looked back and forth between the two, startled, before yelling at the young woman, “Hey, what are you doing?”
“Shit! Maki, are you crazy?” Megumi hissed, which didn't seem to impress her at all. She ignored Yuji and fixed the other with a look of rage, which he returned. Then she suddenly turned around to Yuji and pointed at him with her stick.
“And who are you?” she roared.
“Maki, please calm down.” The young man in the white jacket had taken a step towards her, but stood rooted to the spot when she glared at him with narrow eyes.
Yuji could feel it boiling inside him. The fact that this Maki had attacked Megumi drove him to white heat inside. He would have liked to hit her back, but he didn't. For one thing, he didn't hit women and for another, he was a guest here. So he tried to swallow his resentment and replied, “Itadori Yuji. I'm a friend of Megumi's. We met at university.”
“So you're bringing non-sorcerers along too?” Maki looked as if she wanted to punch Megumi - again. Yuji noticed this and felt himself tense up involuntarily. Ready to intercept the next blow if necessary.
“Maki!” the panda intervened. “Leave it alone. That's enough.”
Gritting her teeth, she scrutinised the two students in front of her. But then she turned around demonstratively and announced, “I'm going to train now. Unlike others, I haven't forgotten what it means to be a Jujutsu sorcerer and I'm not just going to hide away at university.” With these words, she left.
As soon as she was gone, Yuji reached out to Megumi and turned his head so that he could examine his cheek. “Shit. You'll have a few days fun with this,” he surmised. The spot was red and slightly swollen, but it wasn't bleeding. It would make a nice bruise.
“Never mind,” Megumi shrugged it off and pulled away from Yuji's fingers. He looked contrite and angry. No wonder, Yuji thought. He had no idea what it was all about, but being hit in the face with a stick was no fun under any circumstances.
“I could have guessed that Maki would hold it against me,”said the former sorcerer, reaching for his luggage.
“That's just the way she is, but she'll calm down again at some point. You know her. Last year did... did something to her, too.” The sword bearer lifted his shoulders helplessly. For a moment, everyone seemed depressed and Yuji had the feeling that a burden he couldn't grasp was being placed over them. But then the black-haired young man with the dark circles around his eyes smiled and bowed in his direction.
“Okkotsu Yuta,” he introduced himself. “And this here is Panda.”
“Hello, I'm Panda,” the animal repeated. “Nice to meet you, Itadori.”
“Nice to meet you too,” Yuji replied, still completely perplexed. This place was strange, to say the least. Although a talking panda was also very cool. Besides, why not? He saw curses and his best friend manipulated shadows. Why shouldn't a panda be able to talk?
“I'm sorry if I'm just going to disappear like this, but I have to get going. I have another job to do. If you're here any longer, I'll definitely see you around.” With these words, mainly directed at Megumi, Yuta said goodbye and walked towards the gate, waving.
“I think I'll go and see Maki before she comes back to drag me to training or turn me into minced panda.” Panda waved to them as well. “By the way, not everyone thinks you're a coward for your decision, Megumi,” he added as he left and disappeared.
Yuji looked at his friend with a little concern. He seemed agitated, as if something was rumbling inside him. He clenched his free hand into a fist again and again.
“Are you all right?” he asked. “What's happened to make her so angry?”
“Yes, everything's okay,” Megumi replied evasively, taking a deep breath and exhaling slowly. “Let's go. We have to take this way.”
Yuji nodded silently and followed the other thoughtfully. Unlike him, Megumi actually didn't seem surprised by the situation and that was like a stone in Yuji's stomach. This was Megumi's home and at home you shouldn't have to expect to be beaten up as a greeting. Until just now, Yuji had had the feeling that his friend had invited him out of pity, even if perhaps unconsciously. Last night, Megumi had said that he would be happy if he came along. Perhaps his company was actually more important to the black-haired boy than Yuji had previously assumed.
In any case, the sports student didn't think everything was okay. Something had happened between him and Maki, something Megumi must have done. Something that made her think he was a coward. Something... Yuji shook his head. Yesterday Megumi had accepted that he didn't want to tell more about his family, so now he would also accept that this was obviously something Megumi didn't want to talk about at the moment. If he needed him, he would stand by his best friend without hesitation, that much was certain. Instead of probing, the pink-haired one finally asked, “Are the three of them also sorcerers?”
“Panda is actually a cursed corpse. Our director created him and Yuta is one of the four special-grade sorcerers. Jujutsu sorcerers are categorised into grades from four to one depending on their skill and strength, with one being the highest. Anything above that counts as a special grade,” Megumi explained succinctly.
“Wow, so this Okkotsu is really badass?” He hadn't seemed like that at all. “What grade are you?”
“That's irrelevant. I'm no longer officially a sorcerer,” snapped the black-haired young man. Then he suddenly stopped and turned to his friend. “Sorry, Yuji. I didn't mean to...”
“It's all right. A greeting like that would have thrown me off course too. Although her evil eye reminded me a lot of yours. You can look so fierce too. But she's not your sister, is she?” He joked, trying to make light of the whole situation.
“No, but Maki and I are actually related by blood. She's my second-degree aunt. But blood doesn't make a family.” Megumi had learnt that lesson early on.
“Wait,” now Yuji was completely confused, “Maki is really related to you?”
“Yes, she's a Zenin like my biological father,” he explained. “Just don't address her like that if you value your life. Can we please stop this now?”
Yuji nodded and fell silent. He was genuinely confused, but didn't want to open any wounds or rub salt in them. Megumi's family history seemed to be even more complicated than he had previously imagined.
---
They walked the rest of the way in silence. Finally, they stopped in front of a relatively large, traditional-looking, single-storey house.
“Just forget about the Zenins. I have nothing to do with them anyway, except for Maki. You're meeting my real family now,” Megumi explained and they entered the building. They took off their shoes in the genkan and went into the living room. There they put their bags down and Yuji paused in amazement. Megumi smacked his hand to his forehead and shook his head.
A tall, white-haired man was lying on his stomach on the tatami-matted floor, moaning. On his back crouched another man with long black hair that fell loose down his back. Yuji recognised them from the photo on Megumi's desk. They were his fathers.
“Give them back, Satoru!” the black-haired man demanded indignantly. “I know for a fact it was you. No one else was here.”
“Suguru, get off me! You're heavy,” complained the man lying on the ground.
“Yuji, may I introduce you? Gojo Satoru, the strongest sorcerer of today, and Geto Suguru. Also a Special Grade sorcerer. By the way, they're also childish.”
“Hey,” both men complained in unison. Megumi just raised his eyebrows meaningfully. Childish, both of them. At least Yuji knew straight away what he had let himself in for. Geto stood up and Gojo got to his feet as well. They were indeed as tall as Yuji had heard over the dormitory's own line of gossip. Geto had actually intended to greet their guest, but then his eyes fell on the bruise on his foster son's face.
“What happened to you?” Suguru had covered the short distance between them in a few steps, placed a hand around Megumi's chin and turned his head so that he could look closely at the injury.
“I ran into Maki,” the latter muttered.
“You should cool that,” the long-haired sorcerer said.
While his partner took care of Megumi, Gojo set his sights on the visitor he had brought with him.
“So, you're Itadori,” he realised. “Megumi told me that you can see curses and are unusually strong,” Gojo summarised and stepped towards Yuji. Finally, he stood directly in front of the sports student and leant forward so far that he instinctively leant back. Satoru scrutinised him closely over the rim of his pitch-black sunglasses. His bright blue eyes literally bored into Yuji. A strange, shivery feeling, as if those eyes could scan him down to the last molecule, ran through the pink-haired boy. Creepy.
“Mhhhh,” Gojo finally hummed and straightened up again. “I sense something in you. Very faintly. I can't place it. Suguru, could you have a look.”
Geto, who had briefly disappeared into the kitchen and brought his foster son an ice pack, complied with the request and also scrutinised Yuji closely. However, his warm brown eyes did not send a shiver down his spine. Instead, it seemed as if the long-haired Special Grade was surrounded by a strange pulsating aura. As if something was creeping under the surface of his skin. That wasn't really any better than Gojo's X-ray vision. However, the feeling disappeared immediately after Geto had finished his observation. Was that this cursed energy Megumi had told him about? Maybe that's what it felt like, Yuji mused.
“Very faint. Hard to detect,” Suguru confirmed. “I'd suggest he let Shoko do a check-up on him from top to bottom.”
Satoru nodded in agreement. Yuji asked a little hesitantly, “Who is Shoko?”
“Ieiri Shoko is our healer. Our doctor, to be precise,” Megumi explained. “She's great.”
“You don't have to worry, Itadori,” Suguru smiled at him. “We're only obliged to investigate such things.”
“Speaking of which, have you heard anything from Kyoto?” Megumi asked Gojo, pressing the cooling pad under his eye.
The white-haired man pulled his mobile phone out of his pocket and said, “I made an enquiry, but I don't think I've heard anything back yet. I'll check with them.” With these words, he dialled a number directly and held the phone to his ear.
“Utahime...” he began cheerfully, but was immediately interrupted.
“What the hell do you want, Satoru? I don't have time for your nonsense right now,” he was attacked so loudly that the annoyed female voice could be heard even in Gojo's immediate vicinity.
“Now listen, don't be so irritated. I just wanted to ask you something...” As he spoke, the white-haired man strolled into the neighbouring kitchen so that he could only be heard in a muffled voice.
“I suggest you two settle in first. When the girls are back later, we'll have dinner.” With these words, Suguru held out the rolled-up guest futon from the cupboard in the living room. As Megumi was still cooling his cheek, Yuji tucked it under his arm.
On the way to his room, the former sorcerer showed Yuji where the toilet and bathroom were, then they entered Megumi's realm.
“Wow, it's really spacious compared to the dormitory and there are so many books,” the pink-haired boy marvelled, taking a good look at the room. They placed their bags at the foot of the low bed. Next to it, Megumi unrolled the futon that he had taken from Yuji.
“Sorry, I probably should have warned you. I just really didn't expect the greeting to border on madness,” the black-haired student apologised and sat down cross-legged on his mattress. He watched as his friend taking a closer look of the large bookshelf.
“That's okay, I could have guessed that things would be a bit different here. I mean, after all, you told me about jujutsu sorcerers,” Yuji shrugged it off.
“Yeah, but I should have also told you that I talked to Satoru and Suguru about you.” Megumi felt a bit like he had let his friend walk into an open knife. He really should have told him, just so he knew.
Yuji turned away from the shelf and sat down on the bed opposite his now temporary room-mate. His light brown eyes fixed Megumi with a gentle gaze. There it was again, the warmth slowly spreading from his chest.
“You probably should have,” Yuji agreed, “But honestly? I'd finally like to know what's wrong with me, too. Don't worry about it so much. I think it's really great that I'm allowed to be here.” He grinned cheerfully at his friend and Megumi's heart skipped another three beats. He too was pleased that Yuji was here with him and that the other sorcerers and his family had obviously not scared him off straight away.
---
Yuji couldn't help but grin when Megumi's sisters came home just before dinner. He was helping his best friend set the table when the door to the hallway opened and a loud, double-voiced “ Little brother!” rang out just a split second later.
Two young women in black uniforms, each wearing a skirt and a jacket with golden buttons, fell around Megumi's neck at the same time. He made a strangled sound.
“Girls, let him live,” Geto admonished them good-naturedly as he came out of the kitchen with a tray full of small bowls. “Go and get changed, please. We're about to eat. Where's Tsumiki?”
The twins let go of their brother and the one with long, dark brown hair replied, “We just met Takuma. She's still talking to him.”
“You could come around more often, you're so faithless,” the other young woman scolded and gave Megumi a playful punch on the upper arm. Then her eyes fell on Yuji.
“You've actually brought a friend,” she marvelled.
“Of course I did. Do you think I'm making this up?” the black-haired boy complained and rolled his eyes as his sisters and Yuji introduced themselves to each other. Finally, the two of them made their way towards their bedroom. Before disappearing into the corridor, they turned around again and winked at Megumi with a nod towards Yuji. “Really cute,” Nanako smirked and Mimiko smiled broadly. Megumi's face flushed and he gave his sisters a withering look as they ran off laughing. Yuji wrinkled his nose questioningly, but his fellow student dismissed it with a shake of his head.
A little later, they were all sitting together at the dining table. Tsumiki had arrived in the meantime and Yuji had noticed that she was a lot calmer than the twins. Megumi's family made a chaotic but also endearing impression on him. The argument between Gojo and Geto from earlier in the day seemed to have been settled. Yuji wasn't entirely sure, but if he had understood correctly, Gojo had apparently hidden Geto's entire supply of hair ties. The other Special Grade seemed to have got them back, because his long hair was tied up in a bun.
“So you met at university?” Satoru asked curiously. Megumi didn't like the mischievous smile that played around the corners of his foster father's mouth.
“Let me guess,” Mimiko intervened, looking at Yuji and taking some of the tsukemono. “You found Megumi and decided that you're friends now.”
“Mimiko,” Megumi was indignant.
“That assumption doesn't sound entirely unlikely,” Suguru agreed and Tsumiki also raised her shoulders with an approving, apologetic look at her brother. Yes, well, he admitted defeat. He really wasn't the type to make friends on his own, but that didn't have to be brought up right away.
Yuji didn't even get the chance to say anything about it, because Nanako continued to pester him, “Do you have any siblings?”
“No, I'm an only child,” he replied.
When Nanako gave him a disappointed grimace, Megumi shook his head. He knew exactly what his sister was after. He hadn't forgotten last year's request that he could introduce them to one or two cute fellow students. The question about potential siblings was aimed at whether there might be another cute brother. The twins were really a number in their own right and Yuji was an absolute no-go area for them. If in doubt, Megumi would probably have to make that clear to them.
He was just taking a sip of his chilled barley tea when Nanako asked, “And what kind of women do you like, Itadori?” She popped a piece of tamagoyaki into her mouth and smirked.
Megumi choked and had a coughing fit. Suguru clasped his forehead in resignation and said, “Todo Aoi is a capable sorcerer and all you've memorised is this question of all things?”
“Nanako, honestly...” Tsumiki looked incredulous. That was pretty cheeky, even for her sister. Meanwhile, Mimiko was busy stifling a grin. Satoru didn't even bother and snorted unwillingly.
“What kind of women do I like?” Yuji repeated in surprise, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. “Good question,” he mumbled musingly.
Megumi was dying a thousand deaths inside. Of all the things his family could have asked - and he was basically counting on anything with these maniacs - Nanako had caught him cold with that one. God, did he even want to hear Yuji's answer to that?
Notes:
Some of you may even have noticed, but in Tokyo and some urban areas of the Tohoku and Hokuriku regions, Obon is actually celebrated in July. I just didn't realise this either until it was too late and everything was already written down. Sorry, Tokyo, Obon is now exceptionally in August here too (as in most of Japan).
Since the last update, I've been very happy about all the kudos, bookmarks and subscriptions and, of course, especially about the comments. As always, feedback in all forms is welcome and highly appreciated. You're the best readers!
Chapter 11: We all have our curses to bear
Summary:
“Megumi, are you okay?” he asked calmly after a brief hesitation. Nothing happened for a moment, but then the black-haired young man turned onto his back. After another second, he finally faced Yuji. It was only a sad little spark that glowed deep in Megumi's dark eyes, but it did not escape Yuji's notice.
“Shouldn't I be asking if everything is all right with you?” Megumi replied softly.
Notes:
Hi guys,
first of all, thanks for the bookmarks, subscriptions, kudos and comments since the last update - I appreciate them all!
The family visit continues and it gets a bit more serious too. Some things from previous chapters are being picked up and clarified, or well, at least they're starting to be clarified.
Warning: mentioned character death
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
August 2022
With slightly narrowed eyes and thoughtfully puckered lips, Yuji finally said slowly, “I think I like tall women with nice bums. Like Jennifer Lawrence.” A wry grin spread across his face. He didn't seem a bit surprised by the rather unusual question. Meanwhile, Megumi's heart contracted uncomfortably at his statement. He couldn't compete with Jennifer Lawrence in the slightest.
What rubbish, he scolded himself inwardly. He should finally concentrate on getting rid of these stupid feelings for his best friend so that he would stop thinking such things.
“I'm sure Todo would have liked that answer,” Mimiko giggled.
“He definitely would,” Nanako nodded eagerly. “Your friend isn't as boring as you, little brother,” she teased and winked at Megumi. The latter pressed his lips together into a thin line.
“Why boring?” Yuji frowned in surprise. He couldn't understand the statement for the life of him. Since Megumi joined he had enjoyed the taido training more, for example. Their trip to Mount Takao and the night-time stroll around campus had also been quite amusing. Even studying for biochemistry had become bearable with him. He always looked forward to dinner together every Thursday. So no, Megumi was certainly a lot of things, but not boring.
“Oh,” Nanako made a dismissive gesture, “Todo Aoi, a jujutsu sorcerer from Kyoto, always asks this question to find out if someone is interesting. Unfortunately, he didn't like Megumi's answer about what kind of women or men he is into. He thought it was lame.”
Now the pink-haired boy turned to his fellow student, who was sitting next to him and doggedly pestering the rice in the bowl in front of him with his chopsticks. “What was your answer?” Yuji enquired.
Megumi poked at the contents of his bowl for a moment, then gave his friend a quick sideways glance. The latter looked at him unconcernedly, almost innocently and curiously out of wide eyes. He didn't seem to give a second thought to the fact that Todo had also asked about Megumi's taste in men. The black-haired student could literally feel the heat creeping up the back of his neck. One thing was for sure, he would take revenge on Nanako for this action as soon as the opportunity arose.
“I said that I don't have a type and that what matters to me is a person's character,” he finally grumbled, crushing a grain of rice on the edge of the bowl with the tip of his chopstick.
“Which, by the way, is a very good answer,” Tsumiki emphasised emphatically and gave the twins a warning look out of narrow eyes. They acted innocent. Suguru shook his head and rubbed his temple, knowing all too well what it was like to be asked this question, even if in his case it had been Todo's mentor and Special Grade sorcerer Tsukumo Yuki. Gojo watched the proceedings with an interested little smile on his lips.
“You're right,” Yuji agreed with him and now it was Megumi who looked at the other in surprise. Hadn't he just been raving about women with nice bums?
“Well, I certainly wasn't with Yuko because she looked like Jennifer Lawrence,” he began to explain, thinking back to his ex-girlfriend. “Quite the opposite. She was rather short in junior high and the others were always calling her fat. But she was so nice and smart and elegant. I mean, have you ever seen anyone eat fish elegantly? I kind of liked her and at the graduation party she even dared to ask me if we could take a photo together. That really impressed me because she was usually very shy. That must have taken a lot out of her.”
“And what else?” Mimiko asked curiously when Yuji paused for a moment and seemed to be lost in his school days again.
“We went to the same high school. It took me a while, but eventually I invited her for a lemonade in the shopping centre. Really creative,” he laughed at himself. “But it was a nice afternoon. We wandered around the shops a bit and chatted. Well, somehow one thing led to another.”
“Isn't that romantic? Oh, young love is so beautiful,” Satoru grinned broadly and wiggled his eyebrows. Megumi bit his tongue and decided to ignore his foster father. He wouldn't let himself be provoked on the first evening and would do his best to not come out to Yuji by accident.
“Are you sure you don't have a brother?” Nanako asked with a wink. “Ouch!” she suddenly exclaimed and rubbed her leg under the table. She glared at Megumi. “Did you just kick me?”
“I don't do childish things like that,” he claimed deadly serious. He would kick her again without hesitation, harder if he had to. So much for not being provoked. It was going very well.
Tsumiki decided to intervene. She knew that the twins loved Megumi and that her brother was just as fond of them, even if he didn't always show it on the outside. However, she knew just as well how much Megumi and Nanako in particular could get into each other's hair.
“What subjects did you chose for next semester?” she steered the conversation into more innocuous territory and received a grateful but barely perceptible nod from Suguru. He had feared that he would have to save the mood once again.
---
It was late and the quiet, continuous hum of the AC filled Megumi's bedroom. The appliance was running on a low setting so as not to cool the room down too much - he could thankfully do without a cold. It had taken three years, but Satoru had finally got his way and had the house air-conditioned. Megumi didn't even want to know what other requests his foster father had to make to get on the nerves of the higher-ups. A considerable number of the special requests were probably not only due to Gojo's eccentricity, but also to Megumi and his sisters. After all, Jujutsu High was not designed for families. The fact that the four of them had lived here since they were children was probably one of the biggest exceptions of all.
Megumi was leaning against the headboard of his bed with a book in his hand and had stretched out on the blanket. The curtains in front of his windows were only half drawn, so that the pale full moon could be seen through the gaps. In the light of his bedside lamp, his alarm clock read 00:23. Still a fairly humane time by his standards.
Instead of continuing to read, his eyes wandered to the guest futon next to his bed. Yuji had already been asleep for a while. The fact that he was here was another exception that Satoru had been forced to make, and Megumi was more than grateful to him for it. He couldn't bear the thought of leaving his friend behind in the dormitory over the holidays. Not only because he didn't want Yuji to be alone and he also wanted for someone to check what was going on with him - even if that were the main reasons. But if he was honest with himself, there was another, selfish reason: Megumi wanted to be near him. Over the past four and a half months, he had become accustomed to the other's almost permanent presence and he enjoyed it. Far too much.
He put the open book down on his chest and looked at his friend. His best friend. The corner of his mouth twitched upwards briefly at the thought. Megumi wasn't sure what it was, but there was something about Yuji that really captured him. Normally, he didn't let other people get close to him that easily. Yes, Yuji was sometimes a terrible pain in the arse, but by now Megumi knew that he was so much more. Cheerful, positive, lovable, determined, reliable, honest and... The former sorcerer pulled his lower lip between his teeth, feeling a slight warmth creep over his cheeks. He was so attractive. It was as if he was glowing from the inside out. Especially when Yuji laughed, it felt like he shone even brighter. God, how cheesy. That wasn't usually his style, but he couldn't describe it any other way. Yuji was like sunshine and he was like a cat following the warm rays.
A cosy feeling made itself felt just below his belly button and slowly spread.
Yuji lay half on his stomach with his back facing Megumi. He had pulled the blanket, which was not really necessary despite the air conditioning, down to his hips. He pressed the pillow against him and wrapped his arms around it. His upper body moved up and down evenly in time with his breathing. He looked calm and relaxed. His sleeveless shirt stretched over his shoulder blades. The yellowish light from the bedside lamp traced the contours of his trained upper arms and lay on the strands of muscle that pressed lightly through the fabric of the slipped top.
Megumi couldn't stop his eyes from travelling from the tousled mop of hair, down his neck to Yuji's back.
Megumi swallowed involuntarily as his gaze lingered on the piece of skin that lay exposed between the hem of the shirt and the waistband of the retro shorts that came out from under the blanket.
He wanted to run his fingertips gently over it. Warm, soft and firm at the same time. He imagined this was what it would feel like to stroke Yuji's skin. He would have loved to get up and lie down next to him. He wanted to cuddle up to him from behind, bury his face in his neck and spread tender little kisses on his skin. Wrap his arms around him and gently slide his fingers under Yuji's top, running them over his abs. He wanted to...
A tingling sensation ran through his loins. Damn! Megumi turned away abruptly. The book skidded off his chest and landed on the mattress with a thud. He rolled onto his side, burying his face in his hands. His cheeks suddenly glowed as if they were on fire as he tried to ignore the tingling sensation in his crotch. Perhaps he should have thought about the fact that his invitation meant that Yuji would be spending the nights in his room.
He had almost got used to his heart going crazy, but the fact that his body was now reacting like this was downright cheating. How was he going to get through the next few nights?
---
Yuji blinked a few times and took a moment to orientate himself. The morning light crept through the gaps in the curtains and illuminated the strange room in a diffuse glow. Slowly, Yuji turned onto his back and looked around sleepily.
Megumi was lying on his stomach on the bed next to him, still fast asleep. His face was relaxed and turned towards Yuji. His right arm hung halfway over the edge of the bed.
A smile twitched around the pink-haired young man's mouth. He sat up and simply watched the other in silence for a while.
He was at Megumi's house. This thought gave him a cosy feeling that he hadn't had for a long time. He was glad to be here. His family had welcomed Yuji openly and warmly as their guest yesterday and it was nice to be in Megumi's immediate vicinity. He felt like he was on the roof of the library again. He had seen a very similar sight there. So peaceful.
Lost in thought, Yuji reached out and gently stroked a stray strand of hair from Megumi's forehead. His hair was velvety. A little timidly, Yuji gently ran his fingertips through Megumi's dark mop of hair a few times. It felt nice and...
What the hell was he doing?
Yuji frantically pulled his hand back and stared at his sleeping fellow student and his fingers alternately with wide eyes. Megumi, meanwhile, let out a soft, sighing sound. His nose twitched briefly and then he pulled his right arm back onto the mattress. He slept on. Fortunately. He probably would have scolded Yuji if he had noticed. After all, the pink-haired boy knew that Megumi was usually distant and didn't seek much physical contact on his own. He had become more open towards him, but Yuji didn't want to put Fortuna to the test.
He shook his head and squinted, rubbed his face and finally stood up as silently as possible. After collecting some fresh clothes, he disappeared into the bathroom.
---
In fact, Yuji was not the first to wake up. When he came out of the bathroom again, he heard noises in the living room as he entered. Geto was sitting at the low dining table drinking a cup of tea. He greeted Yuji with a friendly smile and also offered him a green tea. He gratefully accepted and took a seat.
After a full cup was placed in front of him, Suguru explained that he liked to get up early to enjoy a little peace and quiet before the house filled with life. According to Geto, their mornings were usually going in such a way that he and Tsumiki were often up early, which was probably due to her work in the bakery. A little later, Gojo and the twins also got out of bed. With Megumi, however, you never knew exactly when he would get up, which is why the family didn't usually wait for him to have breakfast. Especially as the black-haired young man normally didn't eat much more than a bowl of rice with egg and the obligatory cup of coffee in the morning. Or two.
Geto's prediction had proved surprisingly accurate. In the order announced, the family members had stumbled into the dining area while Yuji helped his host set the table.
They were almost finished eating when the sliding door opened again and Megumi came in.
“There's our precious boy. Good morning,” Gojo greeted him, beaming, but got nothing more than an annoyed grumble in reply. The rest didn't even try.
Without a word, Megumi went into the kitchen and came back to the table with a mug of black coffee, where he sat down, still stubbornly silent, and slowly ate his rice in small bites. It took a while, but little by little - in proportion to the caffeine he had ingested - his spirits finally awoke. Yuji felt reminded of the morning of their trip to Mount Takao and he saw his impression from back then confirmed: without caffeine, Megumi was like a grumpy kitten.
When it was finally safe to speak to him, Suguru suggested to the two students, “You could go to Shoko's later. She already knows that Itadori is here.”
“I also managed to get Utahime to scan the documents from back then and send them by email yesterday,” Satoru said happily, clapping his hands.
“You were definitely very successful in annoying Iori,” Geto replied, rolling his eyes, causing his partner to grimace in offence.
---
After breakfast, preparations for the Bon festival began that was to start in the evening, which led to more or less hectic activity on the school grounds. Gojo and Geto hung up the chochin together with a not particularly pleased Nanami. Tsumiki conscientiously set up the house altar and prepared the food for the family dinner. The twins had promised Kiyotaka, who was on the verge of a nervous breakdown, that together with Panda and Takuma they would sweep the main paths leading to the memorial - there was no real cemetery on the grounds, as the ashes of the deceased jujutsu sorcerers were usually given to their bereaved families. Maki had a few frightened first and second-year students, who were not travelling home for personal reasons, in tow to clean that very memorial. Yaga kept a wary eye on the hustle and bustle and occasionally glanced at his wristwatch. Yuta was due back from his mission today and he would like to get the debriefing over with before the festivities started.
So while the school was being prepared for the possibility that the souls of deceased sorcerers might make a detour to Tokyo Prefectural Jujutsu High School on their way to their families, Megumi accompanied Yuji to the hospital wing.
The latter seemed nervous and chewed on his lower lip.
“Don't worry, Shoko is really nice,” Megumi reassured him as they stopped in front of a plain brown door in an empty corridor. “Nothing bad will happen.”
Yuji gave a pained grin. “I get it. You're not leading me to the executioner here, but still, I'm a bit... ehm... scared.” After all, he had no idea how such a check-up worked and he was also a little afraid of the results because he had no clue what the outcome might be.
Megumi knocked and promised, “I'll wait here for you.” He nodded to the three wooden chairs opposite.
When the door swung open, a slender woman with long brown hair stood in front of them. Her eyes, also brown with shadows underneath, were mild, but at the same time sharp and a little tired. She had a birthmark on her right cheekbone. A serene aura surrounded her, which calmed Yuji's nerves considerably.
“Megumi, good to see you,” she greeted the black-haired boy and then turned to Yuji, “And you must be Itadori Yuji. Ieiri Shoko.”
The one addressed bowed politely. Before Shoko invited him in, she asked Megumi, “Would you like me to have a look at your...?”
“No.” Megumi shook his head decisively and unconsciously ran his hands over his left chest. “No, everything is fine. I... have no complaints.” He ignored Yuji's puzzled expression.
---
After Yuji had followed Shoko into the treatment room, Megumi sat down on one of the chairs to wait as promised. Surely nothing bad would come out of the check-up. At least Megumi couldn't think of a reason why. His friend saw curses and was unusually strong, but had obviously not been a risk to himself or others in the past 14 years. With that, Megumi reassured himself. He hadn't shown it in front of Yuji because he was already nervous enough, but it didn't leave him cold either. Yuji was important to him, and of course his discomfort didn't just pass Megumi by.
He exhaled audibly through his nose, closed his eyes and leant his head back. Shoko wouldn't find anything disturbing, he repeated in his mind. He almost didn't even hear the footsteps approaching him quietly. Megumi lifted his eyelids and looked in the direction of the occasional creaking of the floorboards.
“Kelp!” a young man with blond hair greeted him. Inumaki Toge raised his right hand. The cursed speech user came closer and sat down on the vacant chair next to his old schoolmate without hesitation.
“Hello Toge,” Megumi said and straightened up fully, sitting in a way so that he could look at his interlocutor comfortably.
“Salmon roe.” Interested, Toge tilted his head to one side and scrutinised the other.
“I'm here for the holidays,” explained the younger one. “The first semester went quite well. The exam results should be here soon too.”
Toge gave both thumbs up, then nodded towards the door. “Mustard leaf?”
“Oh no, everything's fine with me.” Megumi barely stopped himself from rubbing his left chest again. “I brought a fellow student with me who's been seeing curses since an accident. He hasn't been in long. It might take a while. Do you need to see Shoko?”
The blond young man nodded and pulled a pack of cards out of his trouser pocket, holding it up questioningly. Megumi agreed and Toge slid onto the second free chair so that they could use the seat between them as a gaming table.
Toge was shuffling the cards when Megumi asked, “Are you still having problems with your eye?”
“Salmon,” confirmed the other. “Caviar.”
The student nodded understandingly and watched as the cursed speech user dealt the cards. The disastrous mission last spring had left Toge badly scarred. Today he was only wearing a t-shirt and you could see his left arm, which was covered in scars from the wrist upwards. The burn had also affected the left side of his face in a wide stripe. His eye had not been spared. Since the incident, he had worn an eye patch and had to go to Shoko from time to time to get drops, as the injured organ tended to become unpleasantly dry.
Toge had been lucky in his misfortune. Shoko had said that he should be glad that he was able to use his arm again without any problems. It could have turned out much worse than losing the sight in one eye and retaining scarred tissue.
Satoru, Suguru and even Yaga had been on the higher-ups' back for the catastrophic miscalculation of the curse.
Megumi picked up the cards he had been dealt - he didn't want to think about it now - and they began to play.
---
When the door finally opened again after quite a while and Yuji stepped into the corridor with a folder in his hand, it was a draw between Toge and Megumi. Both had won the same number of rounds.
“Toge, you've come for the eye drops?” Shoko appeared behind Yuji and scrutinised the blonde knowingly.
He nodded and confirmed, “Salmon.”
“Good, then come in. Itadori,” she turned to Yuji, “you can give the results to Satoru or Suguru. If there's anything unclear, I'm sure they can clear it up, otherwise I'm still here, of course.”
Yuji thanked him and then looked at Megumi and the other sorcerer. Toge was putting the pack of cards back in his pocket.
“Kelp,” Toge greeted friendly and nodded to Yuji. The latter furrowed his brows in irritation and replied somewhat hesitantly, “Hi.”
“This is Inumaki Toge. Our cursed speech user,” Megumi jumped in to explain and then turned to his former classmate, “Itadori Yuji is a friend from university.”
“Tuna,” Toge grinned visibly behind the collar that covered the lower half of his face, and Megumi rolled his eyes. As cheeky as ever and with far too keen a sense of observation, even though Megumi was sure Toge was only joking.
“Don't talk rubbish like that,” he grumbled. “Let's go, Yuji.”
After saying goodbye to Toge and Shoko, they walked back in silence at first. At least until they had left the building. Then the black-haired young man pointed to the document folder in Yuji's hand.
“What did Shoko say?” he enquired. At the same time, Yuji asked, “What did Inumaki say and how did you understand him?” He seemed to be more interested in this question, at least he obviously wanted to talk about it. Megumi went into it. Toge was anything but ordinary. Although that was true of many, in fact almost all, members of the jujutsu society. Yuji didn't ask about the scars and the eye patch, though. He was afraid of putting his foot in his mouth again.
“It's a matter of practice. With a little time and attention, it's very easy to understand Toge.” The blonde sorcerer was usually very clear, you just had to know how to read him.
“Ohhhhkay,” Yuji said stretching, not satisfied with the answer. Panda was one thing, but someone who spoke in... ocean language (?) was another thing.
“Cursed speech is complicated,” Megumi began. “Well, in theory, it's simple. Toge can charge his words with cursed energy and thus influence his opponent. For example, if he tells you to sleep, you'll fall asleep. He speaks in onigiri ingredients to avoid accidentally cursing someone.”
“Oh, that's amazing!” the pink-haired young man exclaimed excitedly. “Is that also a cursed technique? Like your shikigami? If he told someone to die, would they really drop dead?”
“In theory, yes,” Megumi admitted. “But there are some factors involved that make the cursed speech not entirely harmless, even for Toge himself.” So he explained to Yuji what he knew about the Inumakis and their inherited technique until they met Kiyotaka, who was visibly struggling with two boxes.
Yuji didn't hesitate for a second, pressed the notebook into Megumi's hand and took the burden from the assistant manager before he could drop it after all. Surprised to have been relieved of the extra weight so abruptly, Kiyotaka adjusted his glasses, while Yuji smiled kindly at him and held the boxes as if they were filled with cotton wool.
“Where do they have to go?” Megumi enquired, stepping up next to his fellow student.
“Oh, hello, you two. They have to go back to the storage space,” replied Kiyotaka, dabbing the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief.
“That one too?” Megumi asked, pointing to a small crate a few steps behind the adult man. He replied in the affirmative, whereupon the former sorcerer grabbed the box and made a detour to the storage space with Yuji. They left a relieved assistant manager behind, who immediately scurried off in the direction of the headmaster's office. Kiyotaka's to-do list was presumably endless.
---
Once they had packed away the boxes, they finally entered the house again. After the heat outside, the air-conditioned living room was a real relief. Not just for the two of them. Satoru was already stretched out on the couch.
“Why does Obon always have to take place at the hottest time of the year?” the white-haired man complained when he noticed the two students and straightened up with a flourish. He grinned at them over the backrest.
“Where are the others?” Megumi asked, ignoring Gojo's comment.
“Suguru is in the shower, the twins are in their room and Tsumiki went out again, but is not back yet.” Now Satoru held out his hand promptly for the examination folder. “How did it go with Shoko?”
“Quite well, I think,” Yuji replied and sat down on the sofa with Megumi. “I'm not entirely sure I got it all, though. It sounded a bit scary when she said that something had probably changed my brain structure during the accident, which was apparently a curse incident. But there was no reason to worry according to Ieiri.” Yuji still looked sceptical and Megumi, who knew how badly the healer could explain, was not surprised that his fellow student had hardly understood anything.
Fortunately, Satoru didn't seem to be in a joking mood in this matter. He studied the documents with Shoko's notes and the events of that time seriously for a few minutes.
“I see,” he finally mumbled, taking off his sunglasses and scrutinising Yuji intently. “It was a damn bad curse that got you and your parents back then,” he explained and added, despite all the seriousness, far too enthusiastically, “It was pure luck that the colleagues from Kyoto were there in time to save you at least.”
“What kind of curse was that?” Megumi asked firmly. He briefly scanned Yuji from the side. The pink-haired boy looked slightly tense and curious at the same time.
“One that sucks the life force out of its victims,” Gojo explained without further ado. “Like a leech.” His index finger tapped in a regular rhythm on the open folder he had placed on his lap.
Yuji's facial features slipped. This idea was... It turned his stomach all at once as images appeared in his head of a disgusting, slimy monster wrapped around his unconscious mother. Like a leech that had grown too big. He was very sure it was his imagination at work here, because he had little memory of the accident itself. There was only a loud crash, the unpleasant feeling of being shaken hard and finally a violent blow to his head. After that, everything was black.
“Maybe a little less figurative, Satoru,” Megumi admonished, noticing how the colour had drained from Yuji's face. Sometimes his foster father's directness when it came to curses and everything to do with them was a little too harsh for outsiders.
Fortunately, the white-haired man immediately rowed back. “Sorry, Itadori.”
The sports student dismissed Satoru's apology with a brief nod and tried to keep his imagination in check. He swallowed hard, waited a moment for his fantasy and stomach to settle again and asked, “What did Ieiri mean by my brain structure being altered? That sounds... not good.”
Gojo quickly flicked through Shoko's notes. Meanwhile, Yuji felt a warm hand on his that gave it a brief squeeze. When he turned around, he looked into Megumi's dark blue eyes. There was an unusually mild look in them. Yuji understood immediately. Whatever was in that report, whatever conclusions the files from back then and the check-up today would lead to, his friend was there for him. A reassuring feeling. At the same time, his heart pounded heavily against his ribs a few times.
“Well, if I'm interpreting this correctly, the curse was stopped just as he had established a connection with you. Shoko assumes that this connection changed structures in your brain through cursed enery so that it resembles that of a jujutsu sorcerer.” Gojo closed the notebook and pretended not to have seen Megumi pull his hand away abruptly when his foster father looked up from the documents. “It hasn't been conclusively researched yet, but the brains of jujutsu sorcerers differ from those of normal humans. Among other things, this enables them to become sorcerers. However, the changes don't go that far in your case. But that will be the reason why you have been able to see curses since the accident. A side effect of contact with cursed energy. Just like your physical strength. Instead of draining your life force, you got a power-up, so to speak.’
“Okay,” Yuji said slowly. His fingers stroked restlessly over the fabric of the sofa. “But this has... no other negative effects?”
“No. The influence of the curse has caused a one-time change. I'll have Suguru read through everything again later, but I'm pretty sure he won't come to any other conclusions. There's no danger from you, Itadori. You don't need to worry,” Gojo assured him.
Suguru confirmed this a little later, which eased Yuji and Megumi was also relieved. After all, three very capable sorcerers had now confirmed that Yuji was not a ticking time bomb or anything similar.
---
Yuji was in the bathroom getting ready for bed. The evening had been very nice and he hoped that the spirits of his grandfather and parents would forgive him for not visiting the family grave on Obon. As soon as he got back to the university, he would make up for it.
The school grounds had been bathed in the cosy, orange light of the lanterns that marked the way to the memorial after sunset. It was different from the Bon fests he'd spent with his grandad, but somehow that wasn't surprising. Apart from the fact that there was no cemetery to visit, people gathered here who seemed to have either no connection or at least no particular connection to their families. It was teachers, students and colleagues who gathered at Jujutsu High, not parents, siblings and other relatives. With the exception of the small patchwork family, but even that, as Yuji already knew, did not correspond to the usual social norm.
Amongst all these people, most of whom he had only just met, Yuji didn't feel out of place at all - he wasn't the freak who saw ghosts or who had to be regularly tested for drugs.
Inumaki was absent. He was one of the few who had gone to his family after his visit to the hospital wing. Instead, Okkotsu was back from his mission and Yuji thought he was standing conspicuously close to Maki. There had also been a very stoic-looking blond sorcerer called Nanami and a young man with a black beanie - Ino Takuma, as Mimiko whispered to him. The stern-looking man with a beard and sunglasses must have been the headmaster.
Yuji had stayed in the background while the members of Jujutsu High paid their respects to their slain comrades and paused in front of various polished name plaques. Even though it was only a memorial, it had features of a graveyard, including a handful of Jizo statues with red bibs. At first, Yuji had been surprised, as the little stone figures were mainly considered to be protective deities of deceased children. But then he remembered that this was a high school. There were certainly some names on the memorial plaques that, at worst, belonged to 15-year-old first-year pupils. Basically almost still children.
Megumi had been standing in front of one particular panel for a remarkably long time: Kugisaki Nobara. Yuji had never heard her name before, but judging by Megumi's look and behaviour, she must have meant a lot to him. When he had finally turned away, Tsumiki had stepped close behind her brother and interlaced her fingers with his, resting her head on his shoulder. As if she was trying to comfort him. Megumi's expression had become stoic and opaque.
The atmosphere of the memorial had been quiet and reverent. During dinner - Tsumiki had prepared yakisoba, kushiyaki and jaga bata - the mood was relaxed, cheerful and loud thanks to the twins and Gojo, even if Geto intervened from time to time to prevent the chaos from getting out of hand. Megumi remained reserved, but not to an unusual degree. Tsumiki, however, glanced at him from time to time, as if to reassure herself that everything was really okay with her younger brother.
After Yuji had finished in the bathroom, he went over to the bedroom. There, Megumi was lying on his side on his bed, facing away from the guest futon. As soon as he heard the door open, he turned his head a little further to hide his face. Yuji frowned and closed the door behind him without a word. He sat down on the futon and changed into his sleeping clothes. Megumi also remained silent, his face still hidden in the pillow. Unlike at dinner, he now looked noticeably sad, but obviously didn't want to show it. Perhaps he had already covered it up at the table, Yuji mused, remembering Tsumiki's glances.
At first, he pretended that he hadn't noticed anything. After all, he knew how secretive and unwilling to talk the other was sometimes, but there was a nagging feeling of worry that was making its way to the surface. By now, he had experienced one or two of Megumi's moods, but this was different. It was as if an invisible weight had settled over the room. Oppressive.
Finally, the sports student moved to the edge of the bed, folded his arms on the mattress and rested his chin on them.
“Megumi, are you okay?” he asked calmly after a brief hesitation. Nothing happened for a moment, but then the black-haired young man turned onto his back. After another second, he finally faced Yuji. It was only a sad little spark that glowed deep in Megumi's dark eyes, but it did not escape Yuji's notice.
“Shouldn't I be asking if everything is all right with you?” Megumi replied softly. “After all, you learnt today that a curse has changed your brain structure.”
“Well, I've been living with this brain for 14 years. I've done some crap, but I think it can be labelled as ordinary childish and pubescent nonsense. I'm just wondering,” Yuji tilted his head and smiled slightly, “is it considered doping if this incident has had the side effect of increasing my physical abilities excessively?”
The corner of Megumi's mouth twitched briefly. “I don't think so, but maybe you shouldn't tell your professors anyway.”
Yuji grinned broadly and joked, “If I'll do I'll probably be lent to the neuroscientists as a test subject.” Then he became serious again and scrutinised his friend insistently, “But honestly, Megumi, are you all right?”
The vet student straightened up a little, leant against the headboard and averted his eyes. “Yeah, I'm fine.”
Yuji was not convinced. He thought about it and decided that he would give it a try. Slowly, he got up and sat on the mattress, keeping a little distance from Megumi. “You don't have to say anything if you don't want to, but I'm a bit worried. First Maki's violent greeting and earlier at the memorial, you didn't look like everything was fine. This morning...” The pink-haired boy took a deep breath and continued, “I know the scar on your chest. Is that why Ieiri wanted to know if you needed anything? Do you have some kind of heart condition? You're my best friend. I... I'm just worried,” he repeated. He didn't mean to be pushy, but it was obvious that something was bothering Megumi, that something was wrong, and Yuji couldn't put his finger on it.
“I don't have heart problems.” As hard as Megumi tried, he couldn't completely banish the slight tremor in his voice.
Shit, why did Yuji always do that? How did he always manage to hit the emotional buttons with him? Why did he cringe so easily when those big light brown eyes were on him? He noticed exactly how hectic red spots formed on his cheeks and felt the mattress move. Yuji had come closer to him. He could feel the warmth radiating from his body on his skin. He rubbed his face, but that didn't make the marks disappear. An oppressive feeling grew in his chest.
He flinched as a pair of strong arms wrapped around him carefully and slowly, holding him gently. Yuji said nothing, just held him. Megumi's first impulse was to squirm out of the embrace, to shake him off. He tensed instantly, but... He bit so hard on his lower lip that it hurt. There was an unpleasant throbbing behind his eyes. Yuji wasn't the first to enquire if he was alright, wasn't the first to try and comfort him. Still, it was different. Perhaps because he was asking completely unsuspectingly. Maybe because his touch felt so different to Megumi and triggered a flood of emotions on its own. Perhaps he hadn't taken the encounter with Maki as well as he had tried to make himself believe. Perhaps it was because the sight of Toge and Nobara's name had stirred him up inside. Perhaps it was a mixture of everything that made Megumi's hands tremble and etched a heavy, sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. That just wanted him to stay in this embrace.
“It's my fault,” he whispered, barely audible, as if he was choking on the words.
“What's your fault?” Yuji's voice, calm and low, right next to his ear. His arms wrapped protectively around him. An invitation to open up. A promise that he could trust him.
“Nobara's death... is my fault,” Megumi sobbed. The first tears flowed down his reddened cheeks and then the wall he had built, behind which he had kept all these feelings locked away for a year and a half, broke.
Notes:
Yuji finally knows what's going on with him and I hope I haven't disappointed you because you were expecting something more spectacular.
As I said above, this chapter was a bit more serious and - you can probably guess from the ending - the next one will continue in the same way. At least at the beginning. So be prepared!
Chapter 12: To be trusted is a compliment
Summary:
Megumi shook his head, as if he could get rid of all the whirling thoughts. After everything that had happened since last night, he had spent the rest of the day feeling as if he was constantly tingly when he was around Yuji. He needed a break, also from the twins. He didn't even want to know what was going on in his sisters' heads again, but the teasing looks Mimiko and Nanako were giving him were enough for him. Who knew what Mimiko was thinking after she had heard the rumble in his room this morning.
Notes:
Hey lovely people,
I hope you had a nice Easter holiday, or if you didn't celebrate, just a nice time off with your loved ones.
As announced, the chapter starts very seriously, so the warning from last time still applies: mentioned (and partly described) character death!Have fun reading!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
August 2022
His instincts had not betrayed him, that much was certain. At first Yuji had struggled for a moment, not sure how to react, but then he had simply taken Megumi in his arms. Slowly, carefully. He didn't want to frighten his friend, he just wanted to show him that he wasn't alone right now. Nevertheless, he had noticed exactly how Megumi stiffened briefly and then the wall had collapsed. Megumi's forehead was resting on Yuji's shoulder, his nestled against his neck. A dam had broken and the black-haired young man simply cried. Yuji let him. There seemed to be no end to the tears. A damp spot had formed above his collarbone, where Megumi's tears were soaking into the fabric of his top. Megumi's body shook under his hands. His sobs sounded muffled, lost to the crook of Yuji's neck.
Nobara's death... is my fault, Megumi's words echoed through his head. He didn't know what had happened or who Nobara had even been, but if his friend truly believed he was responsible for her death... Yuji didn't know exactly how to deal with this. It pained him to see how much Megumi was struggling. A memory came to his mind. Of how his mother had always comforted him, how his grandfather had done the same after the accident when he had woken up in hospital all confused and overwhelmed. He hesitated, unsure whether this was really appropriate, but then gently wrapped his arms around Megumi a little tighter, trying to give him some kind of support. He gently stroked the back of the other's neck with one hand, running his fingertips through Megumi's hairline, hoping to calm him down at least a little. The other flinched briefly and Yuji paused for a second before carefully repeating the gesture. Megumi allowed it.
It took quite a while - Yuji couldn't say exactly how long - before the tears finally dried up and the sobs slowly subsided. He remained silent, waited, gave his friend the time he needed. He heard and felt Megumi take a few deep breaths in and out.
“Shit,” the black-haired boy mumbled stifled and freed himself from the embrace. He did his best to avoid letting Yuji see his face, especially his reddened eyes. Megumi crouched down in a sitting position, drew up his legs and wiped his cheeks. He turned his head bashfully away from his fellow student. “Sorry.” Megumi's voice sounded hoarse and raspy.
“There's nothing to apologise for,” Yuji replied calmly. He slid backwards a little and leant against the headboard. He looked at his hands, lost in thought. “After all, that's what friends are for,” he added quietly, risking a quick glance when he heard Megumi inhale shakily.
Yuji hesitated for a moment, then asked, “Who... was Nobara?”
Megumi swallowed audibly and fell silent. The pink-haired student was just considering whether the question was inappropriate when his counterpart finally answered in a gravelly voice, “Nobara was... my best friend.”
Cautiously Yuji inquired, “Do you want to tell me what happened?” Megumi had wrapped his arms around his knees, rested his head on them and continued to look in the opposite direction.
“I don't know,” Megumi mumbled uncertainly.
Yuji nodded in understanding, even if his friend couldn't see it. Then he stretched out his arm and switched off the bedside lamp. The only source of light in the room.
“What are you doing?” Megumi sounded puzzled and instinctively raised his head.
“You don't have to tell me anything, but if you do...” Yuji shrugged. “It's easier to talk when the lights are off.” Things were less complicated to say then, seemed to lose some of their weight in the dark. His grandfather came to his mind again. When he had been younger, his grandpa had often done this when Yuji had wanted to talk about problems, but the words had simply not come out of his mouth. Perhaps Megumi felt the same way.
It took a few seconds for his eyes to adjust to the pale moonlight that fell through the windows and lent the interior a shadowy quality. Minutes passed in silence. Maybe Megumi didn't want to say anything after all. That would be okay too. Yuji wouldn't push him.
“It's not always easy to categorise curses correctly.” Megumi spoke so quietly that Yuji was briefly unsure whether he had imagined it, but his friend continued in a raspy voice, “Often there is no accurate or sufficient information. Misclassifications happen, but...” Megumi ran the tip of his tongue over his dry, slightly salty lips. “Still, it's rare for them to be that off.”
Megumi rested his chin on his knees and stared straight ahead. He had never done this before, talked to anyone about it. Not like this. He had often considered talking to Tsumiki, after all, she was the person who had known him the longest and best, but his sister couldn't even see curses. Sure, she knew a lot about cursed spirits and sorcerers by necessity. She knew how dangerous missions could be and yet she had never seen the real horror - fortunately. Mimiko, Nanako, Satoru and Suguru had all tried to talk to him at some point last year, but he just hadn't been able to. He had wanted to bury it, lock it away, forget it. Of course, everyone knew what had happened. Megumi had inevitably had to report the incident once he was back on his feet. But it had been mechanical and unemotional. It wasn't the conversation his family had hoped for and eventually they had accepted his silence. On the premise that he could talk to any of them at any time. He had never done that, but now in front of Yuji, his stoic façade had simply collapsed.
Megumi was still wondering whether it was because of Yuji or whether he would also have confided in Tsumiki or Satoru at that moment, when a strong, warm hand placed itself on the back of his neck. Megumi flinched reflexively, tensed up and then lowered his shoulders and closed his eyes. Yuji's fingers stroked his skin in tiny, soothing circles, just like before. It reminded him a little of how Tsumiki used to hold him and stroke his hair when he was upset. At the same time, it was completely different. A delicate, gentle tingling sensation warmed the back of his neck.
“They must have known it would be dangerous, otherwise they wouldn't have sent Nobara and me together and told Toge to support us when he was done with his own mission,” Megumi whispered into the dark room. He didn't know where the words had suddenly come from, but they had to come out. “None of the special grade sorcerers were there. We were both semi-grade one at the time, Toge was already grade one and it still wasn't enough. Well, no, that's not quite right.”
“Shit!” Nobara cursed angrily. One sleeve of her uniform was hanging down in tatters and her tights were torn. She was covered in scratches and a few minor wounds were bleeding. A tentacle had grazed her and cauterised her thigh. The injury hurt, but she gritted her teeth. Her hand closed so tightly around her hammer that her knuckles stood out white. She held three nails between her fingers. Ready to use them.
Megumi breathed heavily and struggled to his feet. He could feel a warm liquid running down his temples and the poison of the curse eating its way inexorably through the fabric of his jacket into his chest. Toge gasped next to him. He too had been hit hard. His left arm looked as if it had been doused with acid. Blood flowed down his chin.
“Caviar! Spicy Cod Roe!” the blond man grumbled hoarsely and downed his emergency bottle of cough syrup. He didn't take his eyes off the creature in front of them. The curse was reminiscent of a squid, had something arrow-like about it, but at the same time was strangely gelatinous. It also had limbs. A creature with something resembling a body, equipped with tentacles. Its shape seemed oddly transparent and somehow watery. As if its surface was diaphanous and its blood was pulsating directly underneath in dark shades of blue and green reminiscent of the deep sea. Although it had left the small lake nearby - a well-known place for suicides in this area - and was standing on the ground hardened by the cold, just like them, its movements were as fluid as if it were moving without resistance through water, through its very own element, and it was anything but stupid. It attacked with deliberation and purpose. It bombarded them with poisonous, corrosive acid and successfully refused to be expelled for good. Even though they had already inflicted considerable damage.
But they were all battered, injured and exhausted. The cursed spirit must have been lurking here undetected for a while, which had given it time to grow and become stronger. It had attracted other, smaller curses, which Nobara and Megumi had fought their way through before Toge had joined them directly from a previous mission. The battle had already dragged on far too long, but under no circumstances could they let this monster continue to rage. If this curse came anywhere near the neighbouring villages, a catastrophe was about to happen.
He finally had to put an end to it.
Megumi sought firm footing and ignored the burning pain in his left chest, which seemed to be crawling deeper and deeper. He stretched his arms out in front of him and clenched his fists.
“With this treasure, I summon...” he began.
“If you call Mahoraga and turn this into a suicide mission, I swear to you, Megumi, I'll kill you!” Nobara snarled angrily at him and Toge also shouted vehemently, “Bonito flakes!”
“Then what do you suggest?”he growled back and lowered his arms.
“No suicide. We can do it without one of us getting killed.”
Megumi shook his head, barely noticing, and whispered, “She was so wrong about that.” He sank into his memories. He stopped talking, probably a little longer than he intended to, because suddenly he felt the mattress move. Yuji had come even closer and moved his hand down a bit so that it lay between Megumi's shoulder blades in a reassuring gesture. The latter leaned back a little, into the gesture.
In the end, they had exorcised the curse, but Nobara had paid for it with her life. The dark-haired student lowered his head so that his forehead rested on his knees. Hiding his face.
Toge knelt bent over a few metres away from Megumi and retched out blood. His injured left arm trembled, the acid continued to eat away at his muscles. The cursed speech user had to summon up the last of his strength to prevent himself from losing his grip with his right hand and falling into his own vomit with his cauterised face. Megumi could barely keep himself on his feet. He found it hard to breathe and the pain in his left chest was so searing that it clouded his senses. His heart was beating hard and agonisingly in a rhythm that didn't seem quite right. Nobara sank to her knees a few steps in front of him, exhausted. Her thigh looked bad. From the deep, oozing wound, strange lines were visible just beneath the skin, branching out in all directions.
“We showed the bastard.” She grinned crookedly at him, turning her dirty and scuffed, but also proud face towards him. Megumi just nodded mutely and looked past her with a glazed view at the curse that was collapsing. What was that? Was there something bluish glowing in the merging knot of tentacles and gelatinous mass? The black-haired boy blinked, but his eyes refused to focus on the scene before him. The blood from his head wound dripping down his forehead didn't make it any easier and then it was as if the tentacle was simultaneously coming towards them both in slow motion and at breakneck speed. His head was as if filled with cotton wool, his body heavy as lead. But still, Megumi could literally feel the force behind this last convulsion and then everything happened far too quickly. The tentacle wrapped itself tightly around Nobara's neck, squeezing and pulling her with it.
“No!’”Megumi's cry sounded strangely muffled in his own ears. His hand automatically reached towards the young woman, grasping at nothing.
A choking “Stop!” came from Toge's lips before he coughed up blood again. But it was no use, he was too exhausted, his cursed energy all drained. Megumi stumbled forwards without thinking and tripped, falling lengthways with his arm outstretched. Nobara lay prone just a few metres in front of him. The tentacle had dissolved and the curse was gone for good. With great effort, he heaved himself up to his comrade, his friend, and finally collapsed beside her. The pain in his chest robbed him of his senses. His lungs and heart rebelled.
“Nobara?’”he whispered strained and stretched out his fingers powerlessly towards her.
Just before he lost consciousness, he saw her face. Her brown eyes were so rigid. Then everything went black.
“The curse broke her neck. Her throat was cauterised and her windpipe destroyed,” Megumi concluded. Even if she had survived the break, she would have simply suffocated. “I was too slow. I should have moved her out of the way when I saw the tentacle come hurtling towards us.”
Yuji's hand slid back to the back of Megumi's neck, his fingers grazing his hairline again. When he noticed the other leaning slightly in his direction - willingly or unwillingly, he couldn't tell - Yuji pulled him into another hug. He felt Megumi turn towards him and return the gesture this time, his fingers digging into the fabric of Yuji's shirt. Yuji said nothing, just held him close. If closeness was what his friend needed right now, then he was more than willing to give it to him unconditionally.
---
A dull rumble and flickering flashes of light made Megumi blink wearily. It took a moment for the young man to realise that he had been woken up by a nightly summer storm. The rain pattered against the windows to the rhythm of the wind, sometimes more, sometimes less intense. The curtains were open, so the dark room was repeatedly illuminated by the lightning. It took another moment before Megumi's still sluggish brain realised that he was not alone in his bed. One arm was loosely but noticeably wrapped around his waist and he could feel the warmth of the other body next to him. Slowly, he turned his head and looked into Yuji's sleeping face. The occasional flashes of lightning made his relaxed features stand out for a split second. Megumi felt a heavy throbbing in his chest against his ribs.
Keep it cool. There was an explanation for that. Yuji was lying next to him because... The memory of last night kept flowing back into his mind, drop by drop. The visit to the memorial, Nobara's name on the sign. Suddenly everything had been too much. His anger, his grief, his pain, everything that he had swallowed down for too long had forced its way to the surface. Yuji had been there, patiently looking after him, letting him cry and holding him, comforting him. They must have both fallen asleep at some point.
Megumi's cheeks began to glow. Suddenly he realised how incredibly close Yuji was to him right now. The arm on his hip, the light breaths brushing his throat and if he turned his head just a little further, his nose would touch the tips of Yuji's hair. Inwardly, Megumi counted to ten to calm himself down. After all, nothing had happened. Nothing had happened. They had simply fallen asleep and were now somehow lying a little snuggled up together in his bed. He would just wake Yuji up so he could move to the guest futon. He just had to...
Oh, shit! He was enjoying this closeness far too much. The arm holding him and the breath tickling his skin, it all actually felt quite good. Would it be so wrong if he wanted this a little longer? Just a few minutes. Megumi closed his eyes. Just a few minutes. He just wanted a few more minutes to savour Yuji being so close to him.
---
A loud knocking woke Yuji and elicited a discontented, low grumble from him. He narrowed his eyes in the hope that the noise would stop in a minute. But instead, the knocking only became more energetic and finally a woman's voice called impatiently through the closed door, “Get up, you sleepyheads! Get a move on!”
That finally made Yuji give up. He probably wouldn't be able to doze any longer. It had just been so pleasant. Slowly, he forced himself to open his eyes. His counterpart's eyelids fluttered and lifted lazily. He was now looking into a pair of sleepy, dark blue eyes. It took Yuji a moment to realise that Megumi's face was barely a hand's breadth away from his. He was so close. So... close?
The two students shot up at the same time, staring at each other in shock. Yuji hastily slipped away a little to put what seemed to him to be a more appropriate distance between them. However, he didn't notice that he had already reached the edge of the bed, lost his balance and landed on the floor with a loud thud and a surprised exclamation. His fall was only half cushioned by the spread-out guest futon.
“Is everything okay with you?” the voice sounded through the door again. While Yuji rubbed his lower back and grimaced, Megumi called out in response, “Er... Everything's okay, Mimiko. We... We'll be right there.” In reply, unintelligible mumbling could be heard in the corridor and then footsteps moving away.
Megumi leant forward slightly and watched as Yuji sat up. “Are you all right?” he asked worriedly. After the shock, he was more than awake, even without caffeine.
“Yeah, I'm fine,” he dismissed with a wry grin. “I was just startled. Somehow I didn't realise that we must have fallen asleep together last night.” The pink-haired young man got up and stretched. He avoided looking directly at the other one. “I'd better go to the bathroom,” he said.
Megumi nodded silently and stared sheepishly at his mattress. He could feel the blush creeping up to his hairline all too clearly. He had simply fallen asleep again instead of waking Yuji. Slightly embarrassed, he chewed on his lower lip and watched out of the corner of his eye as Yuji gathered his toiletry bag and fresh clothes. As he took a few steps towards the door, Megumi made himself say, “I'm sorry. About yesterday evening, I mean.” And last night, he added mentally. He could have avoided that embarrassing action from before.
Puzzled, Yuji stopped and scrutinised the black-haired boy. With a slightly furrowed brow, he clarified, “You already said last night that you're sorry and I repeat myself, but there's nothing to apologise for. You were in a bad place and obviously needed to get it out. That's what friends are for and Megumi,” he raised his head and looked at Yuji's gentle features, “you were there for me when I wasn't feeling well. After the conversation in the park, when the accident came up again.”
Megumi nodded again, trying to ignore the tingling feeling that wanted to spread through the pit of his stomach. Friendly. For Yuji, everything between them was purely friendly. He needed to get a handle on this.
Yuji smiled at him again and then left the room. Megumi dropped back onto the mattress, buried his face in his hands and mumbled, “Fuck.”
---
Fresh air. Megumi shook his head, as if he could get rid of all the whirling thoughts. After everything that had happened since last night, he had spent the rest of the day feeling as if he was constantly tingly when he was around Yuji. He needed a break, also from the twins. He didn't even want to know what was going on in his sisters' heads again, but the teasing looks Mimiko and Nanako were giving him were enough for him. Who knew what Mimiko was thinking after she had heard the rumble in his room this morning.
When the twins had turned up with an old Kai-awase from Satoru, he had seized his chance. The game had probably been in the Gojo family's possession for ages and was actually still made from real shells and beautifully painted. Megumi had politely declined to play and left for his walk. Tsumiki was also nowhere to be found.
Yuji, who obviously got on very well with Gojo and the twins, had joined the others at the table for the game. Just as Megumi was leaving the house, Suguru came out of the kitchen with tea.
He wouldn't be away for too long, but a little break from his turbulent family and from his feelings for Yuji, which were really running high at the moment, was necessary now. There would be dinner soon anyway. He would be back then at the latest. Megumi faltered. He had reached the small pond on his walk across the school grounds and heard faint voices that he definitely recognised. He stepped towards the water and behind the large gnarled pine tree that stood on the bank, Tsumiki was sitting in the grass with Takuma. The older sorcerer had just leant forward and pressed a kiss to Tsumiki's lips. She smiled slightly.
Megumi cleared his throat audibly and Takuma jumped up as if stung by a tarantula. His sister also flinched noticeably, but calmed down immediately when she saw who had discovered them. Takuma, on the other hand, didn't seem to have regained his composure yet.
“Megumi, hey,” he stammered frantically. “This here...”
“I don't care,” the black-haired student interrupted him. “You're adults and I trust Tsumiki's judgement. But if you don't want anyone to know that, find somewhere else to hide.”
“You're not angry?” Takuma wondered, causing Megumi to roll his eyes. As if he was telling his sister what to do - Tsumiki would rip his head off without hesitation if he tried that. Besides, Takuma was a nice guy and not someone who would have aroused Megumi's protective instincts in the slightest.
After Takuma had exhaled with relief, Tsumiki asked, “Would you leave us alone for a moment? I wanted to talk to Megumi anyway.”
The older man nodded and said goodbye to his girlfriend with a quick kiss. As soon as he had disappeared, Tsumiki tapped on the now empty spot in the grass next to her and Megumi sat down.
“So you and Takuma? Since when?” he asked, scanning the young woman from the side as she watched the water striders on the pond in front of them.
She brushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear and admitted without looking at him, “Not that long, although I've liked him for a while now.” Then she turned her gaze away from the surface of the water and looked directly at her little brother. “But the more interesting question is what's going on between you and Itadori?”
Megumi made a sour face and protested, “What's going on? Where did you get that crazy idea?”
“Oh, Mimiko said there were strange noises coming from your room this morning,” she grinned and Megumi felt him turn flaming red. Shit, was it that obvious?
“Rubbish,” he grumbled, caught off guard, but his red-hot ears proved him wrong.
“Come on, little brother, you can't fool me.” She nudged him teasingly with her shoulder. “Itadori's a little charmer, too. No wonder he's got you wrapped round his finger. I don't think I've ever seen anyone so endearing.”
“I'm not denying that Yuji is nice.” Megumi rubbed the back of his neck bashfully.
“Besides, he's cute and hot all in one. I mean, he has such a cute laugh and then he's also really well trained and...”
“Oh God, Tsumiki, stop it!” Megumi finally pleaded, burying his face in his hands. He knew she was trying to tease him, because hot was not a word she normally used to describe a person's physical appearance. His sister laughed, amused and conciliatory at the same time. Finally, she admitted, “I almost didn't believe you would ever fall in love, but the way you look at Itadori when you think no one will notice...” Her brother let out an annoyed noise.
“You'd better tell me how I can turn that off,” Megumi demanded in frustration and put his hands down.
Tsumiki's expression turned wistful in the face of this boundless stubbornness as she explained, “You can't just switch it off like that. It doesn't work like that. When in doubt, it just takes time. But maybe...”
“Save the hint. Yuji said himself that he fancied Jennifer Lawrence,” Megumi interjected and stood up. “We're about to have dinner,” he distracted from the topic.
The young woman also stood up and patted any dirt off her skirt. “Who you have a crush on and who you seriously fall in love with are two different things,” she lectured her younger brother.
Megumi snorted and shoved his hands into his trouser pockets, scowling. With his head bowed, he asked, “Is it really that obvious?”
“If people know you and look closely, it is,” she admitted. “If you didn't care about him, you wouldn't have brought him here and you haven't known each other that long. The rest will make sense of it, even if they haven't noticed your glances.”
They slowly walked away from the pond. After a few steps, Megumi confessed, “I... told Yuji about Nobara. About the mission.”
Tsumiki gripped his hand surprisingly tightly, causing him to stop and turn to face her. She looked up at him with wide eyes. A satisfied smile played around her mouth, then she hugged her brother tight.
“I'm glad you finally confided in someone,” she whispered and when Megumi also wrapped his arms around her, she asked, “Did you tell him everything?”
She could feel him shaking his head. “Not quite,” he mumbled. “I didn't tell him what happened afterwards.”
Tsumiki nodded understandingly. Megumi had already told Itadori more than she had ever thought possible. The fact that he had been unconscious in the hospital wing for four days after the incident and that not even Shoko had been able to say for sure when he would wake up didn't need to be added on top of that. She only hoped that this lovable young man wouldn't break her brother's heart.
“Come on, let's not keep the others waiting,” she finally said and together they went to dinner.
---
Summer festival. Yuji had been as happy as a little child - just like the twins - when Satoru and Suguru had announced at breakfast that they were all going to the summer festival in the suburb today. He was looking forward to the food stalls and games and the fireworks in the evening, all together with his best friend and his family. Admittedly, Megumi seemed a little miffed by the twins at the moment. Yuji didn't have any siblings and wasn't sure if he always picked up on the subtle teasing - especially from Nanako - but since Megumi did nothing more than roll his eyes in annoyance, it seemed normal.
Yuji lifted his head when he heard the door to the room open. Megumi, who had just been in the bathroom, entered and Yuji's eyes widened. Oh, he thought as he looked at his friend. Megumi was already wearing his yukata and Yuji couldn't help but notice how good the midnight blue colour of the fabric looked on him. The colour made Megumi's skin appear a little lighter than it actually was. Not sickly pale, more like... porcelain? No, he didn't look like a doll. Yuji searched for words. Elegant. Yes, that was a good description. It also harmonised almost perfectly with the other man's dark blue eyes. Framed by the long lashes, they were as beautiful as a clear night sky.
Surprised at himself, Yuji closed his mouth when he realised that it was slightly open. What was he thinking and, more importantly, what was he doing? It was rude to stare at people, but Megumi had just fascinated him somehow.
The latter furrowed his brows as he scrutinised Yuji for his part. The pink-haired man was wearing a plain, mustard-yellow yukata and a matching obi. Megumi's sceptical gaze was fixed on the cloth belt; he shook his head slightly.
“It's crooked,” the former sorcerer noticed. Yuji looked down at himself. Megumi was right. His obi was indeed not sitting properly and he scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. Of course, Megumi didn't miss such carelessness.
“Sorry,” Yuji said. “I don't know what I did there either.”
With a soft sigh, Megumi rubbed the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. Then he stepped behind the other and offered, “Let me have a look.”
Yuji nodded and raised his arms a bit so that they weren't in the way. Through the fabric, he felt Megumi's fingers lightly touch his hips as he tied the belt. He closed his eyes and held still, mesmerised.
It wasn't as if Megumi was touching him more than was actually necessary to tie the obi, but the touch, muffled by the fabric of the yukata, felt unusually intense to Yuji. The light pressure of the hands skilfully tying the knot sent a faint tingling sensation from his lower back up his entire spine. It wasn't unpleasant, more like a feeling of cosy goosebumps that came over you with joyful excitement and...
“There, done,” the black-haired young man announced at that moment and took a step back. The tingling sensation subsided and Yuji couldn't help but realise that he thought that was a bit of a shame.
“Fascinating. You tie your hakama for kyudo every week, but fail to tie the obi knot.”
Yuji turned around and saw Megumi shaking his head merely again. He didn't miss the barely visible smirk that played around the corners of his mouth. It was just Megumi's way of teasing him a little and a beaming grin spread across Yuji's face.
“Come on, now,” Megumi grumbled in response and walked quickly ahead towards the living room. Every damn time Yuji smiled at him like that, the heat shot straight to his cheeks. It was maddening.
---
Megumi had definitely lost the yoyo-tsuri. His paper fishing rod broke when he tried to catch one of the water-filled balloons. Throwing rings at the wanage game definitely suited him better. Now he stood a little apart and watched as Yuji and his sisters continued to try to catch one of the balloons as skilfully as possible. Not easy at all. Nanako's fishing rod snapped next. With a pout, she stepped back from the pool and announced that she was going to get a candied apple and walked away. The hairpin Megumi had given her for her birthday shimmered in her upswept hair.
Satoru joined him and smiled contentedly. He held a bottle of Ramune in his hand.
“What are you smiling about?” Megumi asked suspiciously. With Satoru, you never really knew where you stood.
“Can't I just be happy that you made a friend so quickly at university? And someone so special,” the white-haired man replied, smoothing a crease out of his light blue yukata.
“Special?” It slipped out of Megumi's mouth and he felt his heart begin to beat frantically faster. Was Tsumiki right and it was so easy to read him? Satoru had keen powers of observation, it would be no wonder, but he didn't want his foster father to know. He didn't want anyone to know. All he wanted was for these stupid feelings to disappear.
“Well, of all the students running around campus, you make friends with the one who can see curses,” interjected Geto, who had joined the two of them and was also watching the balloon fishing spectacle. “How is Itadori dealing with it?”
Megumi relaxed inwardly again. Surely, with the constant rollercoaster of emotions he was currently on, he hadn't thought about this particularity at all. “Good. Well, at least that's what he says,” he replied to the question. “I believe him for the moment, but I'd still keep an eye on it.”
“Yeah, that wouldn't be a bad thing. All that information might take a bit to sink in,” Suguru mused.
Megumi noticed that Gojo was still grinning and he could feel his gaze resting on him even through the blindfold. But before he could start to say anything else, a shout drew their attention to the yoyo-tsuri. Beaming with joy, Mimiko raised her hands in the air. Yuji and Tsumiki laughed heartily. They held their torn off hinges in their hands and congratulated Mimiko on her victory.
“We should find a good spot for the fireworks,” Suguru interjected, glancing at his watch and looking around. “Where did Nanako go?”
“She wanted to get something sweet. I'll go and check on her,” Megumi offered, taking the opportunity to escape the piercing gaze of his foster father. Satoru could be so irritating.
It didn't take him too long to find his sister. She had actually bought a candied apple and was standing just a few steps away from the stall. She was talking to a young man who was clearly flirting with her. What was it that he seemed to catch all his sisters in flagrante delicto?
Like a shadow, he appeared unnoticed behind Nanako and scrutinised her conversation partner over her shoulder with narrow eyes and his arms crossed in front of his chest. The stranger had just pulled his mobile phone out of his pocket and was apparently about to exchange numbers when he spotted Megumi and immediately slipped the phone back into his pocket.
“What's going on?” Nanako asked in confusion and finally turned in the direction in which the young man was staring uncertainly. She flinched for a moment and then scolded, “God damn it, Megumi, what are you doing? You scared me!”
Her brother tilted his head slightly and continued to stare at the other man. “Who's that?” he wanted to know in a dark voice. Unlike Takuma, he was more than sceptical about this guy.
Nanako was just about to hiss at him again when the stranger hurriedly said goodbye and disappeared into the crowd.
“Are you crazy?” she spat at her brother. “You can't just appear out of nowhere, exude an aura like a vengeful spirit and scare people away.”
“Vengeful spirit? Fine. That was the payback for your crap at dinner the other night,” he recalled the conversation about Todo and his question about other people's taste in women with satisfaction. “And now come on, let's go to the fireworks.”
“What if you've just scared away the love of my life?” she huffed, but the black-haired man didn't respond, turned round and walked away.
“Hey, at least wait!” she shouted and hurried after her brother in a huff.
---
Nanako had decided to punish Megumi with contempt. Not that he minded, especially as she couldn't help swearing angrily at him. Satoru also received a portion of her displeasure after he had been unable to keep the stupid line that had been on his lips to himself when Nanako had complained about Megumi's mean action. Tsumiki had then given her brother a half-punitive, half-amused look, while Mimiko had naturally shown solidarity with her twin sister. Yuji stayed out of it, as did Suguru, who merely shook his head.
The bickering came to an end when the fireworks began, however, and everyone gazed up into the dark evening sky, where splashes of colour of all shapes and sizes were artfully scattered, crashing and sparkling.
“Megumi,” he was addressed quietly from the side and turned around. Yuji looked at him. The yellowish light from the stalls reflected in his light brown eyes.
“I wanted to thank you,” Yuji continued, a hint of pink appearing on his cheeks. “For inviting me. Your family is incredibly nice and it was lovely to spend the holidays with you.”
A soft smile appeared on Yuji's lips. Megumi swallowed hard and finally turned his gaze back to the fireworks. He could no longer look at Yuji without his heart beating in an unhealthy rhythm. He quickly made sure that the others were out of earshot.
“You like it here with all the chaos?” he asked after a short silence, trying to get his face back under control. Tsumiki was probably right. His feelings were far too obvious and he didn't need to hope that the rest of his family wouldn't have noticed.
He heard Yuji next to him make a soft, amused noise. “Yes. Your home may be unusual, but I like this kind of chaos.” When Megumi remained silent, the other continued, “If you're still worried about the other day, I'm grateful for that too.”
Megumi's head flew around after all. His gaze fixed on Yuji, who was still looking at him with that mild expression in his eyes. “Thank you for trusting me and showing me your vulnerable side,” he explained. “Your trust means a lot to me.”
Megumi felt a feeling spread through his stomach as if he had ridden too many laps on a wild merry-go-round. Fuzzy and tingly and it spread, so that for a moment he just stood there and stared at his friend.
“I also think it's nice that you're here,” he finally said. Yuji's smile widened even more and Megumi thought his cheeks were getting a little redder before he turned his attention back to the sky. Megumi followed suit, but caught himself glancing furtively over at Yuji again and again. He would have liked to reach out and gently stroke his reddened cheeks with his fingers.
Notes:
At least the chapter finally became more cheerful and lighter again. I hope you enjoyed it.
I really struggled with this oneat times, so of course I'm particularly curious to know how you liked it. As always, any feedback is welcome and appreciated.
I think I mentioned at the beginning of this fanfic that it will have an estimated 20 chapters. Yeah, that's a moot point, so just forget it. I have no idea myself how long the story will really be in the end.
Chapter 13: An unexpected turn of events
Summary:
“Nope,” the pink-haired boy mumbled, sat down again and picked up his phone with a wry grin. Somehow he almost seemed a little insecure, Megumi thought. This feeling intensified when Yuji opened the notification and bit his lower lip. Finally, he turned to his friend after tapping on the display.
“I... haven't told anyone yet. I don't know, I think I wanted to see how it goes first,” he began and Megumi furrowed his brows sceptically. Restraint was not usually Yuji's style, except in serious matters. This was exactly what made Megumi nervous. Had something happened? Was everything all right with him?
Notes:
Hi guys and welcome back.
I'm glad you're still with me on this story - and thanks for your lovely feedback!
The family visit is now over. Back to university with our two sweeties. A lot can happen there too ;)
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
September 2022
It was a rainy Saturday morning at the beginning of September. The dormitory was only moderately busy at this time of day. Some students were with their families until the start of the new semester, others were taking the weekend slowly. Yuji, on the other hand, was one of those who were almost always up early. Getting up on time had never bothered him much and in summer he liked to use the morning hours to go for a run. Today, however, he had decided not to. The rain and the accumulated heat from the previous night had kept the humidity unbearably high. Instead, he stood in the laundry room dressed in shorts and a sleeveless sports top, sorting his cloths and listening to music through his in-ear headphones.
When he had left his room, he had paused briefly outside Megumi's door, but all had been quiet on the other side. Yuji smirked to himself. The fact that Megumi was a grumpy morning grouch who only got going with the help of caffeine somehow didn't fit in with the image of the otherwise exemplary student. The black-haired young man was probably still asleep because he had been reading late into the night again. During the Obon holidays, Yuji had always fallen asleep before Megumi. Except for this one evening.
Yuji lowered the t-shirt he was holding in his hands and looked into the air, absent-minded. He almost thought he could feel Megumi's fingers burying themselves in the fabric of his top again, the warmth radiating from his trembling body and the tears that had flowed. As bad as it had been to see him like that, Megumi had confided in him, had opened up, and that meant an incredible amount to Yuji. He had the feeling that something had changed between them since Obon. He felt closer to Megumi. There was an affection that went deeper than... Than what? Yuji's chest rumbled. His heart suddenly seemed to pound a little harder against his ribs. Maybe it just felt that way when you confessed your worst experiences to each other and the other person was there for you? After all, there was a completely different understanding between them, and not just because they had both lost loved ones. As a jujutsu sorcerer, Megumi comprehended what had happened to Yuji in the adoring accident 14 years ago. He had given him an explanation. It was liberating to know that Megumi would never think he was crazy because of the monsters he saw.
He had never found it difficult to make friends, but with Megumi it was somehow different. He had always had an extensive circle of friends and acquaintances, but there had never been anyone he really had called his best friend. Good friends that he trusted, yes, but his fellow student was someone special to him and the mere thought of him caused a cosy warmth to slowly spread through Yuji's chest.
“Oh, good morning, Itadori,” someone snapped him out of his musings. Yuji flinched, startled, and took the headphones out of his ears. A female student with shoulder-length light brown hair and light blue eyes had appeared next to him. It took two seconds, but then Yuji recognised the young woman.
“Okino?” he assured himself in surprise and scrutinised her, “Your hair is different.”
“Sorry, I didn't mean to make you jump.” She bowed slightly and replied, “Yes, the red was just a tint. An experiment, but I like my natural colour better.” She smiled tentatively.
“It's all right, my mind was somewhere else and I didn't realise that someone had come in. The brown suits you by the way,” he confirmed.
A little sheepishly, she brushed a strand of hair from her face and replied, “Thank you.” Then she put down her bag of clothes and opened it. The two of them sorted through their laundry in silence. After a while, Okino had just pulled a few tops out of the bag, she cleared her throat. “Um, Itadori, can I ask you something?”
“Sure,” he grinned at her encouragingly and rummaged through his cloths he had just organised for a missing sock.
“You're studying sport, aren't you? It's...” She hesitated briefly, as if she was a little embarrassed about what she was about to ask him. “Since I started studying, I've been moving a lot less than I used to and, well, I don't feel so good about it right now.” She cast her eyes down and hastily stuffed the tops into the laundry drum in front of her. “I thought you must know how to exercise efficiently and... I wondered if you could give me some tips on the best way to get started.”
Puzzled, Yuji raised his eyebrows and paused in his fruitless search. He didn't know what exactly he had expected, but he hadn't expected a request for training tips. He was used to talking to his fellow students about their different training methods. However, no one outside of the sports programme had ever asked him.
“Well, the most important thing is that you enjoy it,” he replied with a shrug. “The rest will follow. What sports did you do before your studies?” he asked, trying to get a better idea. Perhaps there was some kind of club she could join.
Okino grimaced as she admitted meekly, “Nothing really, apart from PE lessons at school.”
Yuji nodded understandingly. “And what exactly did you have in mind? Sorry to pester you with questions, but I'm just trying to scrape together what I already know about training theory.” Creating an effective plan required a certain amount of expertise, after all, and Yuji felt a little unsure about giving advice to someone who had no knowledge himself. In the worst-case scenario, incorrect training could be detrimental.
“I can also ask Ishimoto,” Okino suggested, digging aimlessly through her laundry bag. “I don't want to impose on you.”
“No, no, it's totally fine,” Yuji fended her off, although Ishimoto, having studied a year longer, certainly had a better grounding in the science of training. Yuji would take a course in the new semester. “Is Ishimoto even back yet?” he asked, more to himself. “As far as I know, he's always at a training camp in the summer because the volleyball tournaments start soon.”
He pursed his lips thoughtfully. Okino was about to withdraw her request again when Yuji had an idea and grinned at her, “You know, if you don't have any experience, I don't want to just give you tips and then let you do it. You'll end up hurting yourself because the instructions aren't right. But I go jogging and to the university gym fairly regularly. Why don't you come with me and I'll show you a few exercises?” When he was there, he could correct incorrect postures and the gym would have equipment for every training goal she had.
“We have a gym on campus?” Okino wondered.
“Yes, most people don't know that unless they're studying sport, and those who do seem to be under the misapprehension that only sports students are allowed to use it. In fact, it's open to everyone,” Yuji explained. “So, what do you say?”
Okino finally agreed, after double-checking that Yuji didn't think her request was a burden. They exchanged numbers so that they could arrange to train together more easily.
---
There was a knock at the door and Megumi put his book aside with a low grumble - he had just been in the middle of a paragraph - and got up from the bed. When he opened, he was not surprised to find Yuji beaming at him and in a good mood. After all, apart from the pink-haired boy, no one else had come around to see him.
“Do you have any plans for tonight?” Yuji asked him directly, waving his mobile phone in front of Megumi's face. “Sasaki wrote that she'd like to do something chill and go to an izakaya. She asked if we'd like to come along.”
“We?” Megumi wondered, furrowing his brows. He was explicitly invited?
“Well, she asked Ishimoto and me, but said I should bring you along if you're interested and have time,” he explained.
That didn't clear up Megumi's confusion one bit. “Why does she want me to come with you?”
“You don't have to if you don't want to.” Yuji's radiance dimmed. “I think Sasaki likes you and is still grateful to you for, you know, helping her with her tense shoulders.”
Right, he had removed a fly head from her back the night of that disastrous party, he remembered and sighed inwardly. He wasn't one to need a lot of people around him and his evening reading was waiting for him on the bed, but Sasaki and Ishimoto were actually very nice and he couldn't stand the look that Yuji had put on his face - like that of a disappointed dog.
“Hello, you two,” someone spoke to them quietly from the side. Ishimoto had come over unnoticed from the other side of the corridor where his room was located. He had loosely tied his long, dyed blonde hair with its dark roots back into a knot at the nape of his neck so that a few strands were loose. “Are you coming too, Fushiguro?”
How could Megumi say no to that? So he would be spending his evening with some fellow students in an izakaya instead of with his nose in a book. Mimiko would certainly be proud of him.
---
A little later, they sat together at one of two tiny tables in a small izakaya in Ueno. Now in the evening, it had taken a while to find a place for four people, especially as some of the small bars only allowed entry from the age of 20 because they served alcohol. Ishimoto, who was a year older, and Sasaki, who had had her birthday around Obon, were not affected by this, but Megumi and Yuji were.
Edamame, karaage, gyoza, tempura and tamagoyaki cut into pieces were laid out on bowls and plates. While both Ishimoto and Sasaki ordered a beer, Megumi stuck to cold green tea and Yuji opted for an unsweetened lemonade.
“Ishimoto, tell me, when did you get back?” enquired the pink-haired boy, helping himself to a gyoza. It had been a few days since his conversation with Okino, but he has been 70 per cent sure that Ishimoto was still at the camp.
The man in question thought for a moment, took a sip of his drink and then replied, “A little over a week ago. Sunday evening. Training camp is always shortly after Obon and ends on the last weekend in August.” With a sigh, he leaned back in his chair. “I'm not a fan of these summer training camps at all, but it's effective and it's not that long until the first match.”
“Volleyball?” Megumi asked to show interest. If he remembered correctly, Ishimoto had mentioned something along those lines at the party. “Is the university team good?”
“I think so,” he replied vaguely. “We win more often than we lose, but it wasn't enough to win the nationals last year.”
Sasaki clicked her tongue audibly and shook her head, “Don't hide your light under a bushel like that. Don't believe a word he says, Fushiguro. Ishimoto tends to understate things. The boys are really great, even if they missed out on the University Volleyball National Championships title last time. You were in the quarter-finals after all,” she reminded the long-haired young man and gave him a friendly nudge.
Ishimoto grimaced disapprovingly and rubbed his upper arm. “Where is Iguchi by the way?” he wanted to know and changed the subject.
“He's spending his free time with his family in Miyazaki,” Sasaki informed him. Yuji felt a little bad about this, but had to admit to himself that he was quite glad Iguchi wasn't there today. He really liked his fellow student, but he and Megumi were simply not compatible.
The evening went quietly and as the izakaya was not overcrowded, there was no pressure to make room for new guests. Apparently, not too many people strayed into the winding side street. After all, they themselves had only stumbled across the hidden bar by chance.
A satisfied smile tugged at the corners of Yuji's mouth as he watched Megumi and Ishimoto discuss the books they had both read. He was pleased to see that his friends were getting along well. At the end-of-exam party, Megumi had already got on well with Sasaki and Ishimoto in particular, but seeing the black-haired student so laid-back and engrossed in conversation in the relaxed atmosphere was somehow different from the party a few weeks ago with loud music and alcohol. This was much more like Megumi.
Yuji was not as well-read as his two friends - even Sasaki listened more than she contributed to the discussion. He had never heard of most of the titles and authors, but he didn't need any literary knowledge to notice the gleam in Megumi's eyes as he talked about a certain passage from a book he must have particularly liked. There was a whole range of tiny movements to discover in Megumi's face. The slightly raised eyebrow when Ishimoto expressed a thought that Megumi obviously hadn't thought of before. The sceptical wrinkling of his nose when he disagreed with his counterpart. The twitching of the corners of his mouth when something was on the tip of Megumi's tongue, but he still wanted Ishimoto to finish what he hat to say. Along the way, Megumi kept cutting off small pieces of his yaki sakana and shoving the grilled fish into his mouth. Elegant was the word that popped into Yuji's head, the way Megumi's fingers wrapped around the chopsticks and brought them to his mouth. Elegant. Just like at the summer festival. Megumi in a midnight blue yukata. His hands fleetingly touching Yuji's hips. The tingling sensation...
“Itadori,” someone hissed in his ear and Yuji flinched. Sasaki had addressed him. “Where are your thoughts?”
“What?” he asked back, irritated and with a sluggish voice. He rubbed the back of his neck, which was strangely warm. His brain was struggling to find its way back to the present.
“You weren't mentally here at all,” she explained and looked at him questioningly. “Is everything okay?”
“Yes, everything's fine. I just... I just drifted off a bit,” he rebutted, noticing that Ishimoto and Megumi were now also looking at him. He briefly felt a warm tingle rise up the back of his neck again as he looked into his friend's dark blue eyes.
What had got into him?
Sasaki waved her empty glass in front of his face and then clinked it lightly against his own. “I'll get us some more drinks. Would you like another soda?” she asked. Yuji put on his usual smile and nodded.
The four students were sitting in front of the last remains of their drinks, the bowls of food were empty and a certain mood of departure was slowly becoming apparent. Ishimoto had spent the last five minutes on his mobile phone and told them that a friend was coming to pick him up. So he wouldn't be going back to the dormitory with them.
Just as Sasaki took the last sip of beer from her glass, a tall young man with alert brown eyes and a tousled mop of black hair entered the izakaya.
“Yosuke,” he called out, whereupon Ishimoto turned around as the newcomer approached them. A tiny smile stole across the long-haired man's face.
“Guys, this is Ono Kenjiro,” Ishimoto introduced him. “My oldest and best friend. Ken, these are friends from university.”
“Sasaki, right?” Ono's gaze lingered on the young woman. “We ran into each other by chance a while ago.”
She nodded. “That's right. You two were hanging out together near the campus,” she recalled. “But you're at a different university, aren't you?”
“That's right,” Ono confirmed and then turned to Megumi and Yuji to to introduce him to them as well. Shortly afterwards, they all left the bar. Ono and Ishimoto said goodbye to the rest. Due to the training camp and an internship that Ono was doing, they had not seen each other for a while and now wanted to spend the weekend together.
Megumi and Yuji accompanied Sasaki, who didn't live near the campus, to her bus stop and then made their way back to the dormitory together.
---
Yuji and Megumi walked along the street in silence for a while. Taxis, cars and buses whizzed by, passers-by strolled past them individually, in pairs or in groups, either on their way home, looking for a bar or the nearest konbini. Public advertisements, illuminated shop signs, lanterns and street lamps dotted the area with different coloured spots of light.
Yuji hadn't even realised that he was apparently lost in thought again until someone bumped him lightly on the shoulder and he turned around. Megumi looked at him with raised brows.
“Is everything really okay with you? You're so absent-minded today,” the black-haired young man observed.
“Yeah, I...” Yuji bit his lower lip. He didn't know what had been going on with him lately. “I think I'm worried because the results from biochemistry aren't in yet.” Strictly speaking, that wasn't a lie, but it wasn't really Yuji's way to react to stress regarding his studies. However, he simply couldn't name any other reason.
Still keeping an attentive eye on his friend, Megumi asked, “But it has nothing to do with the curse incident or Shoko's check-up?” His voice had become quieter with the question, so that no outsider could overhear.
“No,” the pink-haired boy denied. “If it had, I would have told you straight away. After all, of the two of us, you're the expert on curses.” Yuji grinned assuringly.
“Good,” Megumi nodded. “And as for biochemistry, I'm sure Kato will publish the grades online soon. You shouldn't worry too much about that. I've studied with you and seen for myself that you can do it.” With these words, Megumi's eyes softened and Yuji felt a warm breeze pass over his face - even though it was windless. His friend's expression at that moment was so similar to the one with which he had looked at the shy little campus cat. There was something sanguine, something caring in that look. Something that made Yuji feel good. Megumi was right. They had learnt together and it couldn't go wrong. How could anything go wrong when his best friend was with him?
Oh. Yuji's breath hitched for a millisecond. There it was again. A brief flare-up of that still unfamiliar, deep affection that had been running through him ever since Obon. Pleasant, but so confusing at the same time.
“Soda ice cream?” asked Megumi, who didn't seem to have noticed the brief lapse or ignored it. Yuji's eyes followed the gesture with which he pointed to the brightly lit konbini a few metres in front of them. Ice cream was a good idea. The summer temperatures still had Tokyo in their sweaty stranglehold and Yuji was definitely feeling too warm right now.
---
It had been a week since the chance encounter with Okino in the laundry room and the day before yesterday they had spontaneously decided that they would go to the university's small gym together early this morning. Yuji had already shown the young woman a few exercises for her abs and legs. The leg press seemed to suit her. She had been able to lift more weight straight away than Yuji had initially assumed. Okino had then told him that she had always found dancing very easy in girls' sports classes at school. So legs seemed to be her strength. Yuji made a mental note. That was useful information for training.
Now she was sitting at the pull-down and having Yuji, who was standing next to her, introduce her to the equipment and how to use it.
“We'll start small here too and then see how far you can go,” Yuji explained as he set the weights. “Grip the bar a little wider than shoulder width. Just like that.”
“Is that for the back?” Okino wanted to know.
“Yes, you can train the latissimus dorsi here,” he confirmed. “That's the large back muscle. It extends from below the shoulder blade to the upper edge of the pelvis. It supports stretching and lateral bending of the lumbar spine. It's also part of the respiratory support muscles.”
“Sounds important.” Okino looked at the device and was more than grateful that Yuji explained everything to her. She was very sure that she would never have managed on her own. At first she had been very nervous and had felt out of place, but Yuji's behaviour and the fact that he seemed to know almost everyone here - other students greeted him in a friendly manner as they passed by - had gradually eased her insecurities. She felt comfortable with him.
Yuji smiled cheerfully and instructed her, “Lean back a little. Stop, that's too far. May I?” he asked and Okino nodded in agreement. She felt his hand rest lightly on her back. He was careful to only touch her where the fabric of her top covered her skin. As soon as he had manoeuvred her into the right position, the gentle pressure disappeared immediately. This attitude had also helped the female student to shed her nervousness. Yuji did not take advantage of the training and her inexperience to touch her unnecessarily and he made sure that she always gave her consent before he touched her to correct her posture.
In the end, they had spent almost two hours in the university gym, but Okino now had a good overview and much more knowledge about muscle function and strength building. They stood together at the water dispenser and topped up their bottles.
“Thank you for taking so much time today,” she thanked him and brushed a stray strand of hair out of her face. As she did so, she looked up at Yuji, who was unscrewing his bottle.
“Oh no, I was happy to do it,” he assured her, grinning broadly. “It was a nice morning, I thought.”
“I thought so too,” Okino said quietly. She averted her eyes for a moment and twisted the lid of her bottle indecisively. “Um, Itadori, I...” she eventually began, feeling herself getting more and more nervous.
“Yes?” the sports student asked.
“Erm, well...” She straightened up and said as firmly as possible, “Would you like to go for a coffee with me?”
“Oh.” Her counterpart made a surprised face and Okino felt a sinking feeling in her stomach. What was she thinking? Just because they had had a nice chat one evening weeks - months - ago, he wouldn't want to go out with her now. Surely he had better things to do.
“Of course,” Yuji agreed, beaming, and a smile spread across Okino's face.
---
It was the last Thursday before lectures started again. As usual, Megumi and Yuji sat together for dinner after taido training. This time in Yuji's room. He had prepared zaru soba with tsuyu sauce. The cold noodles had seemed appropriate given the barely falling temperatures. Now they sat in front of their empty bowls.
While Yuji checked something on his mobile phone, Megumi praised the meal approvingly, “The soba were really good.”
The pink-haired student waved him off and said, “Oh come on, it's a really simple dish. No big deal.”
“Good doesn't have to be complicated,” the former sorcerer remarked and grabbed a bag that he had brought with him earlier and placed within easy reach next to the bed. “I have something for you, by the way.”
Yuji finally put his phone on the floor next to him and asked in surprise, “For me?”
“Yes. I've been in Jimbocho these days.” Yuji hadn't been at the dormitory and Megumi had assumed that he had taken an unplanned shift at work. As a result, the black-haired young man had travelled alone to Tokyo's so-called book town to wander through the countless bookshops. “Just think of it as a little gift for passing your biochemistry exam,” he added, biting the inside of his cheek as he pulled out a slightly worn-looking paperback. “I happened to see this in one of the second-hand bookshops.”
Yuji took the book and wrinkled his nose. Curious to see what his best friend had brought him.
“It's been about two weeks since we got the results and it's largely thanks to you that I passed. Oh wow!” The sports student's eyes widened. “This is the missing volume of Hokuto no Ken.” He was amazed and flicked through the pages with interest. Hokuto no Ken was a manga series from the 1980s that his father had collected. His grandfather had given Yuji the volumes when he was 13, but one volume must have been lost at some point. Yuji had occasionally looked for the title here and there - he wasn't normally so fussy, but in this case he insisted on the right edition - but had never found it.
“Megumi, this...” he stammered. “Thank you so much. That's so cool.” Yuji beamed, leaning forward in exuberant joy and pulling the other across the low table in a hug.
“Careful with the glasses,” Megumi warned when he heard it clink softly. He realised how hot he was getting. Yuji's strong arms wrapped around him and held him tight, the delicate fresh smell of soapy lemon emanating from his hair. God damn it, everything inside Megumi was screaming to just grab and press Yuji against him - fuck the stupid table with crockery between them. His chest throbbed violently.
“It was just a coincidence,” Megumi finally forced himself to say in a low voice and played down the gift, endeavouring to calm his heartbeat again without his friend noticing. But Yuji seemed far too excited for that. When he finally let go of Megumi, he continued, “I was browsing a bit and when I saw this, I remembered that you were missing the volume.” He nodded towards the shelf, which was largely taken up by films, but also contained various manga. If you took your attention away from the impressive DVD collection, the series certainly caught the eye due to its age.
“You're really the best,” Yuji was still happy, jumped up excitedly like a little kid and set about making room for the book. While the sports student moved the contents of his shelf around, his mobile phone vibrated a few times, causing a dull humming noise on the floor.
Megumi took a large sip of his cold green tea in the hope of containing the rising heat. It was nice that the other was so happy, but he would probably never be able to deal with these compliments. To change the subject, he stated as casually as possible, “You've been getting a lot of messages lately. Have you started any games?” He had seen this last term with Yoshino, who used to play a little mobile game during the breaks and received push messages from it.
“Nope,” the pink-haired boy mumbled, sat down again and picked up his phone with a wry grin. Somehow he almost seemed a little insecure, Megumi thought. This feeling intensified when Yuji opened the notification and bit his lower lip. Finally, he turned to his friend after tapping on the display.
“I... haven't told anyone yet. I don't know, I think I wanted to see how it goes first,” he began and Megumi furrowed his brows sceptically. Restraint was not usually Yuji's style, except in serious matters. This was exactly what made Megumi nervous. Had something happened? Was everything all right with him?
“Is everything okay?” he asked.
“Oh, you don't need to worry. It's nothing bad,” assured Yuji, who had not missed his counterpart's concern. His cheeks coloured slightly pink as he confessed, “Her name is Okino Haru. We've met a few times and I think it might be something more serious. I don't know, we'll see.”
“Okino?” Megumi asked, irritated. He felt as if someone had pulled the rug out from under him without warning. His brain also seemed to refuse to categorise what Yuji had just said. What was suddenly going on here?
“Yes, she also lives in the dormitory, but on the third floor. She's studying engineering. I met her last semester through some friends in the common room,” he continued.
Common room? Wait, Megumi remembered that. After the fancy dinner in Shibuya, he had seen Yuji sitting there with a small group. At the time, he had told him afterwards that they were friends of his. Ishimoto had also been there, but Megumi couldn't remember the faces of the others.
“We haven't actually seen each other since then, but she approached me in the laundry room at the beginning of the month. She wanted some training tips.” Yuji laughed slightly embarrassed. “Well, I offered to show her some exercises at the university gym and then one thing led to another. We've been for coffee a few times now. More like tea, actually. We both hardly ever drink coffee. The meetings were always very nice. She's really lovely and cute and, well, I asked her if she wanted to go to the Hagi Matsuri at the weekend. You know, the bush clover festival in Mukojima Hyakkaen, that park in Sumida not that far from the Skytree,” the young man babbled like a waterfall.
“I know the festival,” Megumi nodded mechanically. The bamboo tunnel, around which the flowering bush clover entwined itself, had a special charm and was a highlight of the otherwise very beautiful public garden. Hadn't Nanako once mentioned how romantic it would be to walk through this purple-coloured flower tunnel?
Drinking coffee. Hagi Matsuri. Flower tunnel. Romantic.
Megumi felt a dull pressure in his stomach, but at the same time felt strangely numb, as if he was watching the conversation from the outside, as if he wasn't really present at that moment. His brain still refused to process the information properly. He just somehow realised that he didn't like this. A fuzzy, vague feeling tried to spread through him.
“You're the first person I've told about her,” Yuji admitted, looking at him with wide, expectant eyes.
“That all sounds very nice,” Megumi somehow managed to get out. His voice sounded strangely muffled to his own ears. But that's what you say, isn't it? As a best friend, you had to say something like that, right?
“She even sent me a photo.” At these words, the pink in Yuji's cheeks turned a shade darker and after a few seconds he held out his phone to Megumi. He took it on reflex and looked at the picture of a young woman. Light brown, shoulder-length hair, clear blue eyes and a shy smile on her lips.
“She's pretty,” the former sorcerer confirmed, feeling a lump forming in his throat.
“Yes, she's really cute and...” Yuji began.
“Sorry, but I'm afraid I have to go,” the black-haired boy interrupted him abruptly, handed the phone back to his friend and stood up hastily. He had to get out of here before his throat choked up totally.
“What's going on?” Yuji asked, completely perplexed.
“I... I forgot that Suguru wanted to call me today,” he came up with the first excuse he could think of. When he saw the still confused look on Yuji's face, he added, stammering a little, “It's about Tsumiki's birthday next week.”
“Oh, you're preparing something?” the sports student surmised in his naïve way.
“Exactly. There must be quite a lot going on at the school at the moment, so I don't want to transfer Suguru. He and Satoru are under so much stress anyway,” Megumi continued. “I'm sorry, I really just forgot this.”
Bullshit, he shouted at himself inwardly. Yes, Tsumiki's birthday was next week, but there was nothing special coming up. His sister had already told him not to stress about her at the start of the new term and that she just wanted him to invite her to dinner at his favourite student hangout - he didn't even had one - once the initial hustle and bustle had died down.
“No problem,” Yuji shrugged it off and stood up, intending to accompany his friend to the door, who was almost halfway across the room.
“See you then,” Megumi said quickly, leaving Yuji little time to wish him good luck with his birthday plans. After the door slammed shut, Yuji scratched his head, somewhat perplexed. Sometimes Megumi was like a closed book.
---
In his room, Megumi hurried straight to the bathroom, where he leant on the washbasin, breathing heavily and his heart racing painfully. All at once, he was overwhelmed by a jumble of different emotions that he didn't know how to organise at that moment. However, a nagging feeling deep in the pit of his guts overcame all the others and he felt sick to the stomach.
Not only were his emotions on a wild rollercoaster, but his thoughts were also racing, as if his brain had suddenly switched on again and all the information from the conversation he had just had was now crashing down on him.
A girlfriend. Yuji had a girlfriend, or at least he was dating a girl who would potentially become his girlfriend. Megumi tasted bitter bile on his tongue and swallowed hard. The lump still sat in his throat. Inevitably, an image of Yuji and Okino sitting together with a cup of tea each and talking happily came to his mind. How they would admire the bush clover blossoms together, how Yuji would smile at her. Warm, soft, endearing. How he might even take her hand.
He shouldn't be surprised. After all, Yuji had once mentioned to him that he thought it would be nice to be with someone again - not him - and he had every right to be. Yuji had an ex-girlfriend and fancied Jennifer Lawrence - not him.
He had constantly told himself that he had to get rid of these feelings, that he couldn't let them happen. He had repeated it to himself over and over again like a mantra, trying to convince himself that he knew very well that it could never work out. He was tormented by the realisation that he had lied to himself. There had been a tiny spark of hope that maybe, just maybe, more than friendship was possible after all. Why had Tsumiki had to fuel this tiny, well-buried spark? It was two different things who you fancied and who you actually fell in love with in the end. But not with him. Yuji had never hinted that he might be interested in him. He was so stupid. Falling in love with your best friend just couldn't end well.
They had been so close at Obon. Megumi's imagination had replayed and embellished the morning they had woken up cuddled together in his bed. Shit! How often he had imagined since then that they hadn't jumped apart in embarrassment and fright. That they would have moved even closer instead, their lips touching. Yuji's fingers brushing through his hair, over his cheeks, neck and collarbone. His own hands, sliding under Yuji's shirt.
Fuck, fuck, fuck! So embarrassing. How could he have made up something like that? How had he not been able to admit to himself that he had had hopes after all? How had he been able to suppress the fact that his feelings were so much worse?
When Yuji had naively held this stupid photo under his nose with a grin, he might as well have ripped his heart out.
A sob escaped Megumi and his fingers clenched so tightly around the cool edge of the sink that it almost hurt. It was only when a tear dripped into the basin that he realised he had started to cry.
He didn't know how he was ever going to look Yuji in the eye again after this incredibly stupid way he left.
Notes:
Erm, so yes, in case you thought they'd get together without too much trouble: Nope.
Also, that would be kind of boring, wouldn't it? I am curious about your opinions.And well, I've said before that Ishimoto is modelled on Kenma (at least in parts). In the same way, Kuroo was the model for Ono. I just love Haikyuu and Nekoma. Nevertheless, Ishimoto and Ono will remain their own characters and this won't be a crossover.
Chapter 14: One man's joy is another man's sorrow
Summary:
“What's going on?” Yuji demanded to know without further ado. He was so tired of the drama. The last time they had spoken to each other normally was almost a fortnight ago. On the Thursday evening when Megumi had given him the missing manga.
Notes:
Hey guys,
Nice to still have you here and, as always, thank you very much for reading and for your feedback in any form.
You're the best!And now new chapter, new... drama? Well, see for yourself.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
October 2022
Yuji wandered a few metres up and down in front of the entrance to Mukojima Hyakkaen, where a handful of people were already standing at the cash desk, waiting in a short queue. He kept an eye out for Okino. Although he knew he was a little early himself, he pulled his mobile phone out of his pocket once again to check the time. Just before two o'clock.
“Hello Itadori,” someone greeted him while his attention was focussed on the display. He raised his gaze and put the phone away.
“Hi,” he grinned and waved to Okino, who had just turned the corner at that moment and was now standing next to him. He looked at her briefly. She was cute, he thought. The young woman was wearing an airy, yellow summer dress, had a cloth bag dangling over her shoulder and a light-coloured hat on her head against the sun - October was still welcoming them on this Saturday with 27 degrees and hardly a cloud in the sky. A drop in temperature was not forecast until the middle of next week, which they were all eagerly awaiting.
“Am I too late?” Okino asked, slightly worried and bowing her head apologetically. “I went grocery shopping for a few things that my mum had forgotten and then, unfortunately, missed the earlier train. I'm sorry.”
“You're on time. Don't worry,” Yuji dismissed the excuse and they joined the queue together. Then he enquired, “Did you have a nice time with your family? You're from Chiba city, aren't you?” Yuji remembered that she had told him the last time they met at the café.
“Exactly. It's not that far, so I try to pay my family a short visit on a semi-regular basis. It was really nice, but my little brother is a pain in the arse.” Okino shrugged her shoulders and added with a grin, “He probably thinks I'm just as annoying.”
“I don't have any siblings myself, but there's always something going on at Megumi's house. No wonder with three sisters,” Yuji agreed with her, thinking about the squabbles between his best friend and the twins. He paid the entrance fee for them both.
In the garden, which was originally laid out in the early 19th century, various late summer flowers bloomed all along the path and between the trees. Quotes from numerous scholars could be found on various memorial stones.
“When I told at home that I was going to Mukojima Hyakkaen today, my grandmother explained to me that there were a total of 29 haiku plaques here. There are probably some by Basho among them,” Okino remarked as they walked past one of the boards and she skimmed the short text on it.
“We had Basho in Japanese lessons at school, I think.” Yuji scratched his head, sheepishly. “It wasn't exactly my best subject,” he admitted. “Japanese literature isn't truly my favourite and I don't know anything about poetry.”
“I'm not particularly well versed in that either.” She smiled at him encouragingly. “I believe my grandmother thinks it's a shame that none of us have inherited her sense of literature and poetry. Somehow it passed us all by. My father is an electrical engineer, my mother does all the minor repairs around the house herself and my brother isn't interested in anything outside of maths.”
“And you're studying engineering,” Yuji completed the list. “If we find the haikus from Basho, you can take a photo of them for her,” he suggested with a wink as they strolled side by side along the gravel path and came to a place where various paths in the park intersected. A few benches stood here under planted wooden canopies, inviting them to take a break, which was gratefully accepted by the visitors, who could eat the food and drinks they had brought with them or take their time to admire at the various splashes of colour in the immediate vicinity.
“That's a good idea,” Okino nodded and then pointed to a junction to their right. “Look, I think that's the bush clover.”
Sure enough, the path disappeared into a tunnel made of a bamboo framework and overgrown with purple and pink flowers. The two students walked towards it and entered the 30 metre long corridor. They were immediately greeted by the scent of bush clover, which accompanied them throughout the tunnel. The sun's rays made their way through the small openings between the vines, leaves and flowers, creating an irregular mosaic of light and shadow on the ground. Okino was also speckled with spots of light. As she stopped to appreciate the clover more closely, she carefully ran the tip of her index finger over one of the many flowers. Pretty, Yuji thought. She was really cute.
“By the way, the bush clover is the plant that has been written about the most in the Manyoshu,” she dropped in as an aside.
“The Man- What?” he asked, also focussing his attention on the small flowers. He didn't want her to think he was staring at her.
“The Manyoshu. A, um, poetry anthology from the 8th century,” she explained, thinking.
“Did your grandmother tell you that too?” Yuji asked, looking at the young woman next to him again. She smiled and replied, “Of course. I really don't know much about poetry, but I like to listen to her when she talks about it. I always feel sorry when I can't remember it all.”
Somehow that touched Yuji. Perhaps it was because his grandpa had been his main carer for most of his life, but he liked the way Okino tried to be so attentive to her grandmother and her interests.
He then said aloud, “That makes me feel a little better, because I don't know if I can remember that.” He grinned wryly and added, “Books are more Megumi's thing.”
Literature, apart from shonen manga, was absolutely not his field of knowledge. He was glad that he had at least remembered enough from his Japanese lessons at school to recognise the name of one or two classic authors on his best friend's shelf - but the latter didn't have any poetry either, if Yuji remembered correctly. But he didn't need poetry to appreciate the delicate blossoms around them or to recognise what made the walk through the bush clover tunnel so romantic. The pretty colours, the play of light, the scent and the fact that you were closed off from the sight of visitors outside.
They weren't the only ones enjoying this touch of privacy. A few metres away was a couple, Yuji estimated them to be in their mid-twenties, strolling along the path. Okino had also spotted them. As Yuji followed her gaze, he noticed that she had also spotted their intertwined fingers. But only briefly, then she looked up at him. Was she expecting that too? But wasn't that perhaps still a little early? On the other hand, they had known each other for a while as they both lived in the dormitory and had often been to the café and the university gym together lately. Was it about time then? They were going out yet again and Okino had initiated the whole thing in the first place.
It reminded him a little of Yuko. Just like his ex-girlfriend, Okino seemed rather shy and reserved, yet it was she who had approached him. As with Yuko, he found that quite admirable. He hadn't even thought about asking her out until then, but she really was very nice. The whole thing had definitely taken her some effort. She would certainly expect him to slowly make a move towards her.
The thought of taking her hand didn't make him nervous - Wasn't it supposed to? At least a little bit? Nevertheless, Yuji decided not to rush into it. Yes, the bush clover tunnel had its romantic reputation, but they still had the rest of the day together and he didn't want to be intrusive. However, it probably wouldn't hurt that he stayed close to her side after they finally left the hidden path and walked through the open garden again. Okino didn't seem to mind, rather the opposite. A shy smile played around the corners of her mouth every time the backs of their hands brushed.
From one of the small bridges that led over the park's long, narrow pond, the top of the Skytree could be seen reaching towards the sky from the centre of the green bushes and trees. Together with the almost cloudless blue and the view of the reflective surface of the pond, this made for a beautiful scene. Perfect for a photo together, Yuji thought. When he voiced this suggestion aloud, Okino happily agreed and took off her hat so that it wouldn't get in the way. The two students leaned against each other while Yuji stretched out the hand holding the mobile phone and looked for a good angle for the picture.
“That turned out beautifully,” the young woman said happily as he held out his screen to her. “Would you send it to me?”
“Of course,” nodded the pink-haired boy and immediately complied with the request.
Before leaving Mukojima Hyakkaen, they decided to round off their visit at the simple teahouse not far from the entrance, which also offered all kinds of refreshments and sweet snacks.
Wooden tables with stools were set up in front of the rustic shop, where customers could drink their tea in peace. Yuji and Okino sat down at a free table for two, each with a bowl of kakigori in front of them. While the female student's kakigori was flavoured with red cherry syrup, Yuji had opted for green melon syrup. Both shaved ices were topped with a piece of candied fruit.
“Oh look.” Okino gently nudged Yuji, who had just shoved a spoonful of ice cream into his mouth. She nodded towards the gravelled square in front of the teahouse. There, a tiny grey-brown bird with a black head and white belly hopped around, pecking at the ground.
“A willow tit,” Yuji recognised the bird after swallowing his ice cream a little too quickly. “It's often confused with the marsh tit, but this is only found here in Japan on Hokkaido.”
Okino looked at the young man, impressed. “I wasn't aware you knew anything about animals.”
“Oh no,” he waved her off. “I only know that because Megumi explained it on our trip to Mount Takao. I'm always amazed at how someone can memorise so much, but Megumi is just really smart.” He laughed. “Luckily, a bit of the knowledge sticks with me too.”
“I see,” Okino replied quietly and fixed her gaze on her kakigori, which she was poking around in rather than eating. She hadn't missed the smile that had slipped onto Yuji's face as he spoke. This Megumi seemed to be very important to him. He had mentioned her name before. At one of their café meetings, he had told her in passing that they had been to a summer festival together. He had also smiled like that.
Suddenly her stomach tightened. How embarrassing. Had she really misinterpreted his behaviour towards her like that? She had been so lost in her thoughts that she hadn't really heard Yuji's report about the trip to Mount Takao. Only the sentence “Megumi even got up early to make me a bento box” made her sit up and take notice again. She jerked her head up and reached for her bag. She would have loved to sink into the ground.
“I'm sorry,” she mumbled and was already halfway up. Reflexively, Yuji stretched out his arm, but stopped just before he actually caught her wrist. He didn't want to scare her.
“Wait a minute,” he bid and let his arm fall. “Why don't you sit down again? What's wrong all of a sudden?” Had he done or said something wrong? Maybe talked too much? He had a tendency to do that sometimes, but that was no reason to want to run away.
Okino sank back onto the stool somewhat hesitantly. She could feel the blush creeping up her face and so she lowered her head. In a quiet, slightly nervous voice, she explained, “I seem to have misinterpreted what happened between us, sorry. I definitely don't want to come between you and Megumi. If we're just friends, that's fine too.”
How unpleasant, but he had always been nice and courteous to her. She at least owed him an explanation for her sudden reaction.
Yuji wrinkled his nose in confusion. “What makes you think you'd get in the way?”
The young woman bit her lower lip for a moment - why did he have to keep probing? Hadn't she already embarrassed herself enough? Finally, she replied, “You seem to think highly of her.” She lifted her shoulders a little helplessly. “You mentioned her the other day and you've talked about her several times today. She must be important to you and I... I thought... Well, I thought this was a date. I didn't realise you already have someone.” Please, couldn't the earth finally open up? Okino's face felt like it was on fire.
Yuji's jaw literally dropped when he heard that. He had probably talked a lot about Megumi, but it had never occurred to him that she might take his reports that way.
“I do hope this is a date.” His previous reticence no longer seemed appropriate. He pushed the half-eaten kakigori aside, stretched his arm across the table in her direction and left it resting invitingly, palm up. “Sorry for the misunderstanding. I was just talking about Fushiguro.”
“Fushi-” Okino looked up. Now she didn't understand anything. “The Fushiguro that Tsuda and Masaki talked so stupidly about in the common room?”
The sports student nodded. “Yes, Fushiguro Megumi. I'm so used to call him by his first name by now and didn't think about the fact that it could be misleading.”
“His name is Megumi?” Okino asked.
Yuji nodded again. “I know, rather unusual for a man. So,” he watched her expectantly with wide eyes, “is this a date now?”
Still embarrassed by her misinterpretation, Okino raised her hand and hid her face behind it. After a moment, however, she straightened up again and smiled at Yuji, her cheeks still flushed, as she placed her hand in his.
“Yes, this is a date,” she confirmed and Yuji's fingers closed around hers.
---
It was Tuesday afternoon and Yuji kept a close eye on the clock hanging on the wall in the dojo. It was just before five, but there was still no sign of Megumi. He hadn't heard anything from his next door neighbour in the last few days, but he wasn't surprised; after all, he had his date with Okino on Saturday, he had been at work on Sunday and lectures had started yesterday. A full programme. It sometimes happened that they didn't meet up unless they to bump into each other in the dormitory by chance. Yuji also didn't know his friend's final schedule. Perhaps he still had a lecture and was running out of time? Unlike him, Megumi was not obliged to attend a sports club, but he would have let him know if he couldn't come. Wouldn't he?
When Watanabe started the training at five o'clock on the dot, Megumi still hadn't turned up. Surprised - unreliability was not one of Megumi's characteristics - Yuji decided to simply write to him later and ask where he was. He also wanted to tell him about Saturday and they still had to find a time to study together. So far, that was actually the only thing he knew for sure about his friend's schedule: they both had Theoretical Biochemistry II with Kato on Wednesday mornings.
---
With the worksheet from yesterday's histology seminar and an open book in front of him, Megumi was in the library of the life sciences department. However, he hadn't really got very far in the last few hours. Nevertheless, he sat with his head propped up on his left hand, leaning over the light-coloured wooden tabletop as if he were concentrating on the tasks in front of him. But instead of jotting down answers, he absent-mindedly let his pencil slip through the fingers of his right hand again and again.
He hadn't spoken to Yuji in the last few days. No wonder, he had been busy at the weekend - with his part-time job at the konbini and the hagi date. Megumi lowered his head onto the open book. The mere thought of Yuji's date with Okino made him feel poorly again. A sinking feeling had settled deep in the pit of his stomach that just wouldn't go away completely. If he had previously thought that he could hardly stand the way Yuji kept throwing his heart out of rhythm, now he couldn't for the life of him figure out how he was going to survive the stabbing pain that kept flaring up in his chest. And there was something else. Something Megumi had never felt like this before. A seething feeling that seemed to eat its way through his veins like a poison every time Okino appeared in his musings. A feeling that made him want to spit bile. Disgusting.
Megumi turned his head to the side and saw that the screen of his mobile phone lit up silently. He straightened up a little as he reached for it. He had two messages. One was from Tsumiki, thanking him for the birthday greetings and reminding him that he still had to show her his favourite student hangout. The other was from Yuji. He hesitated for a moment. See nothing, hear nothing, say nothing and then feel nothing? No matter how much he wanted that, unfortunately it wasn't going to happen, so he opened the chat.
Yuji:
Hey, where were you today? Watanabe asked me about you. I also wanted to tell you about Saturday.
Another sharp pain shot through Megumi's left chest, as if a fist was closing around his heart. Of course, Yuji had garnished his message with smileys. He, Nanako and Satoru definitely used emojis too excessively for Megumi's taste. The winking one at the end in particular annoyed him.
Of course Yuji wanted to tell him about his date. That's what best friends do, right? Nobara had also constantly talked to him about everything that was on her mind and important to her, regardless of whether he had shown any interest in it or not. The latter had at best gotten him into trouble and in the end, of course, he had always listened to her attentively, no matter how much he had sometimes rolled his eyes at Nobara's nonsense. He knew that she would have lent him a sympathetic ear at any time, but he tended to deal with whatever was bothering him himself. He had seen what that led to during Obon.
So yes, he understood that Yuji wanted to tell him about Okino, but he really didn't want to hear it. God, what a lousy friend he was. The very idea made his stomach turn. He put the phone down, leant back and rubbed his face with his hands. Should he just ignore the message? That would actually be his favourite thing to do right now. But it would probably be more effective to fob off Yuji, who could be very stubborn, with an excuse. After a few minutes, he picked up his mobile phone again and started typing.
Megumi:
Sorry, I'm in the library. Forgot the time.
Before he pressed send, he bit the inside of his cheek, thinking. He didn't really want to know any details about Yuji's date, but there was one question that was burning in his mind. He didn't know if he could bear the answer. But he would find out one way or another anyway, if not from Yuji himself, then sooner or later via the dormitory's gossip. Before he could change his mind, he added to his text: Are you a couple now?
The message was out and the black-haired young man stared mesmerised at the small screen. Three dots appeared in the chat window. Yuji typed and shortly afterwards a new message popped up.
Yuji:
The semester is less than three days old and you're already buried in the library again. Exemplary. And yes, we are. I'll tell you all about it later.
“Fuck!” Megumi cursed and flung his phone back onto the table, where it slid across the top and finally fell over the edge. It landed on the carpet with a muffled thud.
The female student sitting diagonally opposite him, who had been reading with focus, gave him a disapproving look and shook her head. Under the reproving glances of the few other library visitors, Megumi stood up as quietly as possible and collected his mobile phone. With his head bowed, he sank back into his chair and stared at the display, which had fortunately remained intact. Yuji's answer shone back at him.
He wanted to vomit.
It shouldn't surprise him, after all, it was obvious and yet... Megumi felt everything inside him tighten and his throat constrict. Convulsively, he swallowed the bitter bile that was now actually rising up his throat and forced himself to breathe calmly but deeply three times. Then he put the phone away, picked up the pencil and forced himself to concentrate on histology.
---
When Yuji entered the biochemistry classroom the next morning, he stopped just beyond the threshold for a moment and looked around. As soon as he spotted Megumi at a window seat in a row at the back, a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth and he headed towards his friend in a good mood. He was obviously engrossed in a conversation with the fellow student sitting next to him. He didn't seem to notice Yuji at first, until he stepped in front of the two of them.
“Hey,” he greeted cheerfully and teased Megumi, “I guess you haven't got lost in the library today.”
Almost reluctantly, the black-haired boy turned to him and replied in monosyllables, “Hello.” Then he bent down to his backpack and began to look for something in it.
Yuji raised an irritated eyebrow and then scrutinised the young man with whom Megumi had just been talking.
“Itadori Yuji,” he introduced himself and asked, “You know each other?”
“Yes, we're studying veterinary medicine together, but I was in a parallel course last term. Yoshino Junpei,” the other replied.
“Yoshino?” Yuji pursed his lips and turned to Megumi, partly to include him in the conversation, “Didn't you mention a fellow student who also likes films?” The name sounded familiar to him.
The former sorcerer sat up again and dropped a pen on the table in front of him. “Yes,” he replied curtly. Yuji furrowed his brow. Even for Megumi, that was extremely taciturn. Was everything okay? He looked tired somehow. But before he could follow up, Yoshino distracted him.
“You're into films too?” An enthusiastic expression appeared on his face. “I went to the cinema the other day,” Yoshino began, talking about the film he had seen.
“I didn't know there was a second part of that film,” Yuji was annoyed, but before he could continue, someone admonished him, “Itadori, sit down. I want to start the lesson.”
Kato had entered and was closing the door behind him. Being aware that he didn't have a very good standing with his professor anyway, Yuji took a seat in the next free chair in front of Yoshino and unpacked his papers.
---
After Kato had declared the lesson over, Yuji quickly scribbled his last note on paper. He would certainly be quicker at taking notes if he used his laptop, but he had always been the “learning by doing” type, so it was easier for him to memorise things that he wrote down by hand. Not that this made much difference to biochemistry. Nevertheless, he had resolved - not for the first time - to be as attentive as possible, even if he found the material difficult. But Kato's teaching style still stood in considerable contrast to Yuji's understanding. Without Megumi, he would fail this course without a hitch. Then he remembered that they still hadn't made an appointment to study.
The pink-haired young man put the biro in his pencil case, closed the notepad and began to put everything away in his backpack. He turned round as he did so.
“Hey, Megumi...” he began and fell silent. The seat diagonally behind him was empty. In the general atmosphere of departure - rustling and talking, the pushing of chairs and footsteps - Yuji hadn't even noticed how Megumi had packed his things and had already stood up. His gaze wandered towards the door, where he spotted his friend's characteristic mop of black hair. He was just leaving the room, followed by Yoshino. Yuji then threw his bag over his shoulder and rushed to the door as well, trying to avoid running over other fellow students.
He stepped outside and looked around quickly.
“Megumi, wait a minute,” he called out, but by then his friend had already disappeared around the corner.
He wrinkled his nose and furrowed his brows in surprise. Megumi was monosyllabic, okay, he knew that well enough. It also happened from time to time that he hid away or was grumpy. But this was definitely not normal.
---
“Have you done anything?” asked Okino after Yuji had told her about his troubles.
He shook his head. “Not that I know of. Everything was normal and suddenly he's been avoiding me all week.”
With a soft, frustrated sigh, Yuji sank back into the cushions of the couch in the third floor common room. He didn't normally have to work at the konbini on Saturday afternoons, but had swapped shifts with a colleague at her request. Afterwards, he had arranged to meet his girlfriend here to have dinner together. After dinner, they had moved to the sofa. They weren't the only ones using the Saturday evening to spend some time together with friends from the dormitory. A few smaller groups sat around the tables, chatting, eating together, playing games or showing each other funny videos on their mobile phones.
Okino pulled her legs up and leant against Yuji's shoulder. He put his arm around her and stroked a strand of hair from her forehead.
“What if it has nothing to do with you? Maybe something has happened, but he doesn't want to talk about it yet? You said he's a bit secretive sometimes,” the young woman pondered aloud.
Yuji thought about this possibility for a moment. It was true, Megumi didn't really talk about it when something was bothering him, but he had opened up to him. He had told him about Nobara, about his feelings of guilt. Yes, Yuji suspected that there was probably a lot more that Megumi hadn't confided in him, at least not yet, but he wasn't asking his best friend to lay out his entire life story from beginning to end to him. But what was supposed to have happened that was worse than Nobara's death, that Megumi thought he couldn't let him in on it, that he couldn't talk to him? Hadn't he shown him that he was there for him, no matter what?
Yuji let his head fall back on the backrest and closed his eyes. He was disappointed, sad and yes, angry too. Even if Megumi wasn't ready to talk to him about whatever, there was no reason to avoid him like this. What the hell was going on?
“Maybe you'll just give him a little time?” Okino suggested, interlacing her fingers with Yuji's free hand and burying her face in the crook of his neck. The young man stroked her hair gently and let out an indistinct hum.
But their quiet togetherness was not to last too long. “Oh my God, you two are so cute,” an exclamation startled the couple and as soon as Yuji lifted his eyelids, he identified the troublemaker as Tsuda, who had Masaki in tow.
“Move over,” the latter demanded, squeezing onto the couch with his girlfriend to join Yuji and Okino. “Akari assumed that you two are dating.” With these words, he nodded briefly in Tsuda's direction, who then demanded, “Now tell us.”
Yuji sighed inwardly. Sometimes he simply forgot how exhausting Masaki and Tsuda could be without Ishimoto to balance things out. He had actually imagined his Saturday evening to be different and he had no desire to be questioned. Nevertheless, he forced himself to smile. He had even less desire for further unnecessary bickering.
---
Perhaps Okino was right and he should wait and see. Pressurising Megumi was not a good idea under normal circumstances. But there was nothing normal about the whole situation anyway, Yuji thought, and he hated it. He didn't like putting off problems. But Megumi never showed up at taido, nor did he respond to messages. Last Thursday, Yuji had even knocked on his door. After all, that was actually the day they cooked and ate together, but nothing had happened. Yuji didn't know whether Megumi really wasn't there or was just pretending not to be. With every failed attempt at contact, he had become increasingly angry at his friend's behaviour. But he had to turn up at Biochemistry on Wednesday mornings. There was no way to avoid it.
The pink-haired young man entered the classroom and headed for his seat.
“Hello Itadori,” Yoshino greeted him in a friendly manner as he put his backpack down next to his table. Yuji nodded to him. Meanwhile, Megumi had lowered his eyes and pretended to be sorting through some documents from other classes. He stared stubbornly at the tabletop in front of him. It was only when the fabric of a dark blue sweat jacket came into his field of vision that he raised his head. Yuji stood in front of him, visibly dissatisfied, his arms crossed in front of his chest and looked down at him with narrow eyes. Megumi sat up properly and gave a curt “Hi”.
“What's going on?” Yuji demanded to know without further ado. He was so tired of the drama. The last time they had spoken to each other normally was almost a fortnight ago. On the Thursday evening when Megumi had given him the missing manga.
The black-haired young man's face remained expressionless as he merely shrugged his shoulders. Apparently, he had decided to remain silent. That wasn't necessarily anything new, but right now Yuji didn't have the patience to pull everything out of Megumi's nose one by one.
“Cut the crap and tell me what's wrong!” he snapped in response to the almost non-existent reaction and let his palm thunder down on Megumi's table. The latter didn't even flinch, his blue eyes resting almost impudently on Yuji. But now the attention of the entire class turned to them.
“Erm, guys, don't you think you should sort this out somewhere else?” Yoshino interjected nervously, but was ignored.
“Spit it out! Have I done or said something wrong? I can't read minds,” Yuji demanded angrily. The other's silence caused the anger that had been building up in his stomach over the last few days to boil.
Then finally, after seemingly endless moments, Megumi replied, “You didn't do anything wrong.”
“What...” Yuji started in disbelief. Was he fucking serious now?
“Itadori, sit down,” the familiar voice of his professor admonished him. Kato let the door fall noisily into the lock behind him. “I hope it doesn't become a habit that I have to admonish you before the course starts. You're at university and an adult. That shouldn't really be necessary any more.”
“Of course,” replied the sports student and slid into his chair, not without one last sharp look in Megumi's direction. “Excuse me, professor.”
After Kato had dismissed the students from his lessons, Yuji wasted no time in packing up his things this time. Unlike last week, he wouldn't just let Megumi wander off again. A few steps behind the classroom door, he caught up with the other.
“Hey, you owe me an explanation,” he snapped at his friend and grabbed him by the collar from behind. Megumi immediately shot around and slapped Yuji's hand aside.
“Guys, wouldn't you rather go somewhere else...” Yoshino tried to intervene again to somehow regulate the situation. He didn't have the slightest idea what had happened between the two of them, but Itadori looked pretty damn pissed off and Fushiguro had also dropped the usual stoic expression he was used to seeing on his face. He too looked angry, but in a different way. Yoshino didn't pride himself on knowing much about his fellow student, but they got along and he knew him well enough that he wouldn't dare to grab Fushiguro by the jumper and hold him like that. But the anger that sparkled in his eyes didn't seem to be directed primarily at Itadori.
“I'd like to do that,” Yuji huffed, cutting Yoshino off.
“You haven't done or said anything wrong,” Megumi finally threw at the pink-haired boy. “And now don't make such a scene.”
“I wouldn't need to if you weren't avoiding me,” Yuji countered furiously.
Megumi was already about to retort, but then changed his mind, very aware of the crowd of onlookers. He replied as calmly as possible through clenched teeth, “You're not the problem.” With these words, he turned away abruptly and left.
Yuji suppressed the urge to hold Megumi back again. Looking around, he really had made enough of a fuss. It hadn't been his plan to become so impulsive, but Megumi's behaviour was driving him up the wall and it confused him deeply. Surely it would have been wiser to listen to Okino. He should have waited, given his friend a little more time, but he wanted to know what the damn problem was. However, confronting Megumi had backfired badly and had only made him look like a fool in front of the other students who had witnessed the spectacle. Not that he really cared at the moment, but it hadn't done him any good in the end.
Shoulders slumped, he made his way to the cafeteria.
---
Megumi locked the toilet cubicle behind him and leant against the door. He exhaled shakily as he rubbed the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger.
Of course Yuji had confronted him. What else could he do? He was very direct and someone who got straight to the point. He had known that sooner or later his friend would somehow try to pin him down and demand an explanation. But how was he supposed to explain his behaviour? After all, he didn't really know what he was doing himself. All he knew was that he couldn't bear to be around Yuji, whom he usually enjoyed and sought out so much. Constantly being reminded of what he wanted so badly and yet couldn't have. The image of him and Okino was constantly haunting his mind. So what explanation could he give Yuji? The truth was out of question.
I'm head over heels in love with you and so insanely jealous of your girlfriend that I want to puke just thinking about it. I can hardly stand being around you like this. I'm sorry, but I've blown a fuse. Yeah, that must go down really well.
None of this was Yuji's fault. When Megumi had hurled at him that he hadn't said or done anything wrong, he'd meant it sincerely. He had every right in the world to date, fall in love and be with a girl he liked.
He himself was the problem. It was just him and his damned feelings boiling over. Since when had he had so little control over himself? Until now, he had almost always managed to remain composed, at least on the outside. Stoic, unemotional, arrogant. That's how he presented himself, that's how people perceived him. But Yuji was not like others. He touched something in Megumi, a spot that no one else had ever touched before and it made him vulnerable.
The vibrating of his mobile phone snapped him out of his brooding. Swallowing hard, he pulled it out of his trouser pocket. If that was Yuji... With clammy fingers, he unlocked the display and breathed a sigh of relief. It was just his sister.
Tsumiki:
Hello little brother, I have a day off next week Friday. If that suits you, I'd like to meet up with you then.
As if to sort out his thoughts, the black-haired student shook his head briefly and read the message again. Okay, that was fine. On Fridays, he only had ethology in the morning and a chemistry lecture in the early afternoon. So he agreed. A glance at the clock also told him that he had been in the toilet for far too long. He had to hurry if he didn't want to be late for his botany class.
He put the phone away, straightened his shoulders and rubbed his face with his hands. He had to pull himself together.
Notes:
Just to let you know, I'm obsessed with details. So I actually looked up what the weather was like in Tokyo in October 2022 - just in case anyone was wondering about the summer temperatures during the hagi date.
Believe me, I don't enjoy torturing Megumi like this (okay, maybe just a little...), but I promise I'll sort it out between the two of them. Somehow.
Chapter 15: Finding the right words isn't easy
Summary:
Tsumiki was right. Of course she was. Megumi stood in front of the door with his head down and took a few deep breaths. He was an idiot. Not that he didn't already know that, but he had never been so raging with jealousy in his life and he had no idea how to deal with this gnawing, nagging feeling that seemed to spread through his veins like a poison every time he even thought about Yuji's girlfriend.
Notes:
A new chapter - yay! And in this one, Tsumiki enters the stage.
Let's see what she has to say to her brother...
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
October 2022
Lost in thought, Megumi waited for his sister at one of the side exits of Ueno Station. Leaning against the metal railing behind which the traffic rolled across the street, he watched the people streaming in and out of the station building, hurrying past him in both directions or waiting for the green light at the pedestrian crossing a few metres away. But although his eyes followed the hustle and bustle around him, he barely noticed it. The last week and a half that had passed since the confrontation with Yuji replayed over and over in his head. Basically, not much had happened because Yuji had stopped all attempts to contact him. No more messages, no more knocks on his door. Last Wednesday, the pink-haired student had sat down in his seat without saying a word, greeted Yoshino politely - after all, he hadn't done anything to him - and merely gave Megumi a brief, indistinct glance. Then he had taken out his biochemistry notes and ignored him.
The lesson had been an ordeal. Megumi had been unable to concentrate on Kato's words. His notes had been correspondingly miserable and didn't make much sense. His eyes kept wandering to his friend. Were they still friends at all? Could they still be? Megumi didn't know, just as he didn't know how much time he had spent staring at Yuji's neck instead of paying attention to the class.
All Megumi wanted right now was to turn back time and get a grip on his emotions so that he could just be Yuji's friend - best friend. Just like he deserved it.
“Hey, little brother!” he was snapped out of his musings and when he looked up, he saw Tsumiki coming towards him with a smile. “Nice to see you,” she greeted him and hugged him as usual, “And where are we going?”
---
They were in luck. In the small yakiniku restaurant, which was located in a side street a few minutes' walk from Ueno Station, there was just one table left. Tsumiki looked around with interest as she took off her jacket - during the day, the temperature was still hovering around 20 degrees, but in the evening it was noticeably cooler - and took a seat on the stool covered in red imitation leather. The dining area was more long than wide and kept simple.
The dark floor contrasted with the cream-coloured walls, on which, in addition to extracts from the menu with recommendations and specialities, there were also long wooden boards advertising the wide repertoire of alcoholic drinks, especially sake. The tables were made of plain, light-coloured wood that was already showing signs of wear and tear. In the centre of each table was the indispensable electric grill. Just above them were narrow exhaust pipes to remove any smoke and vapours. Tsumiki's eyes followed the flue above her table up to the ceiling, where it ended in a larger pipe that finally disappeared into the wall. The bare pipes were complemented by industrial-style lamps. Finally, she let her gaze wander outside through the large window where they were sitting. The lower part of the glass was covered with a protective film so that it looked like it was frosted. This prevented unwanted glances from passers-by on the streets. She opened the menu. The restaurant didn't give the impression of attracting many foreign tourists, but in contrast to the notices on the wall, the menu was labelled with English translations.
“So this is your favourite place?” she asked her brother, looking at him over the edge of her menu. He shrugged his shoulders somewhat helplessly. “Well...”, he fumbled around.
“You don't have a favourite place at all, do you?” she asked, although she had long suspected it. Nevertheless, she was curious to see where he would take her.
“I...” Megumi wanted to start protesting, but then immediately gave up and confessed, “No, I don't. But Ueno is never a bad choice and it's not too far from the university. Besides, I've at least been to a ramen bar and an izakaya in the neighbourhood.”
“Who did you go to the izakaya with?” Tsumiki wanted to know. That was a whole new tone.
“With Yuji and two of his friends from the sports programme. Don't act like it's so unbelievable that I'm going out,” he grumbled, causing the young woman to raise her eyebrows. “Do you really want me to say something about that?” she teased. The fact that her brother was going out to have fun with friends was quite a sensation. Mimiko and Nanako would never buy it.
“No way!” Megumi refused. He could do without this comment. “So, can I invite you to dinner or not?”
“You can,” she allowed with a smirk and turned back to the menu. “Anyway, the prices do seem to be student-friendly. How did you come across this restaurant?”
“Yuji once told me about it,” Megumi murmured curtly, without looking directly at his sister. Even this casual thought about his friend hurt enough. “There are often students here,” he added and Tsumiki nodded understandingly.
---
During the meal, Tsumiki talked about work and what was going on at Jujutsu High. Most of this wasn't really news to Megumi as his family used the group chat at Line extensively after all, but if his sister kept the conversation going, it was fine with him.
“I'm telling you, Satoru's overprotectiveness was so embarrassing.” She shook her head thinking of her foster father and his reaction to the news that Tsumiki and Takuma were a couple. “But Suguru really took the cake. That friendly, mass-murderer grin he sometimes has... Just creepy. Takuma's heart almost dropped.”
“Are you really still surprised about those two?” Megumi raised his eyebrows meaningfully. Satoru had a tendency to dramatise things to scare people, but Suguru, although he often seemed like the sensible one, could be scary in his own way, even though he didn't actually do anything threatening.
Megumi was about to take another piece of meat when Tsumiki waved her hand, ending the topic, and said, “But enough about me. What's going on with you? How is Itadori?”
The young man faltered briefly, then replied bluntly, “Okay, I guess,” and took a bite of the grilled meat. However, a full mouth didn't stop Tsumiki from pestering him with more questions.
“You guess?” Her brown eyes bored right into those of her brother, who had put on a neutral expression. “That doesn't work with me, mister. You know that for a fact, so spit it out. What's wrong?”
He shrugged his shoulders defiantly and washed down his food with a large gulp of cold green tea. Tsumiki tilted her head and continued to look at him piercingly.
“Okay, we're not talking right now,” he admitted in a casual tone to downplay the matter, knowing full well that his sister wouldn't let it go until he at least gave her some info. As far as that was concerned, she and the twins really were the plague. However, Megumi was able to reject Mimiko and Nanako more easily than Tsumiki. Maybe it was because he had been buckling under that gaze for as long as he could remember.
“What did you do?” she wanted to know and crossed her arms in front of her chest.
“Why would I have done anything?” the black-haired student was indignant. Tsumiki's eyes narrowed into slits in response. Annoyed, she explained, “To be honest, not talking doesn't sound much like Itadori. That's more your thing. So, what happened?”
“Tsumiki,” he groaned sullenly.
“Now tell me. What happened?” she probed. It couldn't be that bad. Megumi might not seem like it, but he could be just as much of a drama queen as Satoru.
Megumi inconspicuously scanned their surroundings, but no one paid any attention to them. As they were still being served food and drinks, the staff weren't too interested either and the other guests were busy with themselves. He closed his eyes for a moment, as if he needed to collect himself, and then began to talk quietly to his plate, “A good three weeks ago, Yuji told me that he was seeing a girl he liked.”
In order to hear the whispered words better over the noise of the restaurant, Tsumiki leaned forward a little and listened patiently to her brother until he finished his report, “So we haven't spoken at all since last week Wednesday.”
There was silence at the table for a few moments and just as Megumi was about to look up at his sister, he was given a headbutt out of nowhere.
“Ahhhh! Damn it, Tsumiki!” he hissed angrily, rubbing his sore spot and scowling at his opponent. Somehow, Tsumiki managed to look at him apologetically for the blow and at the same time with an incredulous expression - how could anyone be so stupid? - at the same time. She shook her head devotedly and sighed, “It's unbelievable how someone who is actually so clever can be so incredibly dumb.”
“Huh?” slipped out the black-haired boy's mouth, which admittedly didn't sound particularly eloquent.
Tsumiki shook her head again in resignation. “Megumi,” she began conciliatory, “it's not as if I don't understand you. The heart doesn't listen to the mind and that often makes things complicated and difficult. You were shocked, you were angry, you were sad and jealous. You still are and those are legitimate feelings. It's bad to have your heart broken and overwhelming to feel so many emotions at the same time or in quick succession. But what you're doing with Itadori right now, that's not how to handle things. You realise that, don't you?”
In response, Megumi pressed his lips together into a thin line and remained silent, so Tsumiki continued, “Put yourself in his shoes. You even told him that he didn't do anything wrong and yet his best friend ignores him. How is he supposed to know what's going on? How is he supposed to understand? Don't you think your behaviour is hurting him deeply? He won't be happy with the situation as it is at the moment either.”
“I know all that myself,” he grumbled and shifted tensely back and forth on his stool. He turned his gaze back to his plate.
“Please, talk to him,” Tsumiki asked in a soft voice. She placed her hand on his and gave her brother a caring and encouraging look.
“What am I supposed to tell him?” Megumi whispered in frustration.
“At best, the truth,” the young woman suggested, squeezing his hand reassuringly as he stared at her in shock. “At least, something that comes close to the truth,” she softened her first suggestion. After a moment's thought, she concluded, “Whatever you end up telling him, it's up to you to approach him. He really cares about you, one can see that. He deserves a sincere apology and an explanation.”
Not that his sister was telling him anything new. Megumi was aware that he had to take the first step and that he was being unfair to Yuji. Hearing it from someone else, however, gave the whole thing a different weight. Nevertheless, he felt a sinking feeling in his stomach when he imagined facing Yuji. How ridiculous! He had already exorcised countless curses in his life, but the thought of having to step up to an angry Yuji made his heart sink. Would he even listen to him?
“You can do this,” Tsumiki smiled reassuringly and her fingers closed a little tighter around his. As if she had read his thoughts, she remarked, “Itadori has a big heart.”
Neither of them took any notice of the young man with the broad shoulders and thick eyebrows, who entered the restaurant with two companions and looked around briefly before a member of staff approached the small group. Bowing apologetically, the employee explained to the new arrivals that unfortunately there was no more space available. So they quickly turned to leave, but Iguchi remained standing for a moment. He had recognised Megumi. His gaze swept over him and the young woman, who had placed her hand familiarly on the black-haired man's and smiled gently at him. Then he followed the others out of the yakiniku restaurant.
---
Yuji, Sasaki and Iguchi sat down sweatily on the lowest bench of the empty stand. While Yuji took a sip from his plastic bottle, Iguchi rubbed the back of his neck with a towel and Sasaki pulled on her training jacket.
“Thank you for sacrificing your Saturday afternoon to practise long jump with me,” she addressed the boys. “I hate this discipline.”
“No problem,” Yuji waved it off and put the bottle aside for a moment to put on a sports jacket as well. With his drink in his hand again, he finally added with a grin, “That's what friends are for, right?”
“Speaking of friends,” Iguchi interjected at this cue, “I saw Fushiguro in Ueno last night. In the little yakiniku shop in the side street near the station and the park. I was there with two mates from basketball. Unfortunately, all the tables were already taken.”
“I see,” Yuji said as disinterestedly as possible and put the bottle down. He didn't want to know what Megumi was doing. He didn't care that he was out in Ueno on a Friday night.
“I think he had a date,” Iguchi announced out of the blue and Sasaki shrieked in shock when the pink-haired young man next to her spat out his sports drink.
Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, Yuji coughed, “It can't be! Where did you get that idea?”
Irritated, Iguchi blinked at his friend. “Well, he was there with a girl and they seemed very familiar with each other. They were even holding hands. It probably wasn't their first date. Maybe it was even his girlfriend?”
“Megumi doesn't have a girlfriend,” Yuji blurted out before he could bite his tongue.
“And why not?” Sasaki intervened. “I mean, okay, he's a bit aloof at first, but he's a nice guy and good-looking. Why wouldn't he have a girlfriend?”
“I know he doesn't have one because he told me he's not interested in dating,” her fellow student snapped, pulling an offended face.
“When did he tell you that?” she wanted to know and was met with stubborn silence. Sasaki rolled her eyes. “So it's been a while, huh? You two aren't talking to each other at the moment. Maybe he just didn't tell you?” she speculated.
“Maybe Iguchi just got him mixed up,” Yuji insisted. Why the hell did the idea that Megumi might have been dating a girl bother him so much?
“I didn't,” Iguchi protested. “Just because I don't really like the guy doesn't mean I'm blind. That was definitely Fushiguro and he was there with a really pretty girl.”
“What did she look like?” Sasaki's curiosity was piqued. “Maybe we've seen her on campus before?”
“Brown eyes, narrow face, long brown hair. She had a plait with two loose strands in the front,” Iguchi began to describe the stranger.
With a loud sigh, Yuji slapped his hand over his face. “Tsumiki,” he snorted. “That was his sister.” Relief spread through him.
“Are you sure?” Iguchi blinked at him. “They didn't look anything alike.”
“Or he was on a date that you don't know about,” Sasaki insisted. “I don't understand why you're so upset. You have a girlfriend, too. Why wouldn't Fushiguro have one?”
Yuji opened his mouth to retort. But he closed it again when he couldn't think of anything suitable to say. Why shouldn't Megumi date a girl? Just because he had said months ago that he wasn't in the mood for it didn't mean that he still wasn't, and yes, they weren't talking right now. Yuji didn't know what was going on with his next door neighbour. If it wasn't Tsumiki after all, then... Then what? Then it wasn't his sister. It didn't matter. Didn't it?
Dissatisfied, he threw the now empty bottle into his bag and sulked. He didn't like the whole situation. In the meantime, Iguchi slung his backpack over his shoulder and decided to ignore his friend's childish behaviour. He would stay out of the quarrel between Itadori and Fushiguro as far as possible. If only he hadn't said anything.
Meanwhile, Sasaki watched her friend out of the corner of her eye. Acting like this was very uncharacteristic behaviour for Itadori. She would keep an eye on that.
---
Tsumiki was right. Of course she was. Megumi stood in front of the door with his head down and took a few deep breaths. He was an idiot. Not that he didn't already know that, but he had never been so raging with jealousy in his life and he had no idea how to deal with this gnawing, nagging feeling that seemed to spread through his veins like a poison every time he even thought about Yuji's girlfriend. At first he hadn't even known what to call it. He had never felt anything like it before. At first there had simply been a yawning emptiness, a strange numbness. Then pain had washed over him. Pain because it felt like he had lost something and anger at himself.
What rubbish, of course he hadn't lost anything. Not like this. At least he hoped Yuji still wanted to be his friend after the shit he'd pulled. He would see. All he had to do was knock. On Mondays after kyudo training, Yuji usually didn't have any appointments, as far as Megumi knew. So he should be there. But instead of knocking, his thoughts continued to ride a rollercoaster.
It was only after the first wave of pain and anger had subsided that jealousy settled in him. Okino Haru. She had got what he wanted so much. He had known that this wish would not come true, but this stupid, completely irrational spark of hope...
Tsumiki was right. The heart didn't give a damn what the mind told it and Yuji couldn't help it if he couldn't keep his heart in check - Okino couldn't help it either, but it wasn't yet time for Megumi to seriously worry about her well-being. Yuji was a different story. He had hurt and confused him, and probably more than disappointed him. He had to make things right.
“Be honest with him,” had been the quintessence of Tsumiki's advice in the end. Easier said than done, but he would try to be as honest as possible. He owed that to Yuji.
Megumi exhaled, lifted his head and finally started to knock when the door swung open. Yuji paused in mid-motion. Surprised, the two students stared at each other for what felt like an eternity.
The pink-haired boy straightened his shoulders, scrutinised his counterpart and crossed his arms in front of his chest.
“What do you want?” he asked coolly.
Megumi swallowed, lowered his arm and admonished himself inwardly. He had to pull himself together now. He was no longer a small child. So he replied, “I wanted to talk to you.”
Yuji continued to examine him, not yet satisfied with this explanation. Megumi then forced himself to continue, “I... My behaviour wasn't okay. But I don't want to stop you either. You seem to have other plans.”
His friend was wearing jeans and street shoes and was holding a jacket in his hand. Megumi didn't want to force him to cancel his plans - whatever they were - but he hoped Yuji would at least let him explain briefly what was going on. He still wasn't quite sure what he wanted to say, but he had to do it now before he could hide from his feelings again.
After a seemingly endless moment, Yuji finally stepped aside and signalled Megumi to come in with a nod of his head. The pink-haired student closed the door behind them, hung up his jacket and pulled his mobile phone out of his pocket. After quickly typing a message - to Okino, Megumi surmised, and his stomach tightened - he looked at his friend in a demanding manner.
“Speak,” Yuji insisted slightly gruffly. “I'm really curious how you're going to explain this to me.”
Megumi bit his lower lip and stammered after a moment's hesitation, “I'm... I'm sorry. That... I don't know what to say.”
“Wow.” Yuji made an astonished face. “I think that's the worst apology I've ever heard. If that's it, then...” He was already getting ready to reach for the door handle when Megumi blurted out, “I have no idea how this all works. I'm really sorry. I realise that I hurt you and that my behaviour was wrong, but I... I just have no idea how this works.”
Yuji lowered his hand and looked at his friend as he stood helplessly next to the small kitchen counter, not knowing what to do. So far, it was still the worst excuse he had ever heard, but he sensed that there was more to it than that. He couldn't leave Megumi like that. Yes, he was angry and disappointed, but he couldn't stand to see how lost the other seemed right now. God damn it, after what Megumi had done, he shouldn't back down so quickly, but he couldn't stand the sight of it.
Resignedly, Yuji slipped off his shoes and pulled his phone out of his pocket again. He sent another message and demanded, “Come on.” With these words, he literally pushed Megumi further into the room and towards the bed.
The former sorcerer took a seat on the edge. Meanwhile, Yuji carelessly threw some clothes from his desk chair onto the laundry bag in the corner and sat down so that he could look at Megumi.
“What don't you know about?” he asked quietly.
Shrugging his shoulders and staring at his feet, he admitted, “About friendships. About relationships.” Yuji waited patiently for him to continue. Megumi took a deep breath and explained, “I never had any friends until I met Nobara in high school. Neither in kindergarten, nor in primary or middle school. Sure, my sisters were almost always there, but that's something completely different.”
“Wait a minute,” the pink-haired boy interrupted him. “You never had friends until high school?” he asked incredulously. Megumi shook his head.
“No, not really. Sure, I knew a few people from Jujutsu High before I started there myself. After all, Toge, Yuta and Panda are only a year older, and Maki is also related to me. But that only came gradually. Nobara was always attached to Maki and I guess, well, you can't help but become friends when you exorcise curses together, but the Jujutsu world is small and... different. It's not even like no one tried to approach me in middle school, but the guys usually wanted me to introduce them to Mimiko or Nanako and the girls tended to get on my nerves.”
“Just so I understand correctly,” Yuji cut him off again. “ When you say you have no experience with relationships, by that you mean you've never had a girlfriend?”
Megumi lowered his head a little further and nodded. Actually, it had never bothered him before that he had no experience in this area - neither with girls nor with boys - but now he suddenly felt uncomfortable admitting it, after all, he was soon to be 20. He wonder what Yuji was thinking. Probably nothing, after all, he wasn't a judgemental person.
“Okay,” was all Yuji said. He tilted his head back thoughtfully and reviewed what Megumi had told him in the last few minutes. “I'm still not quite sure why you've been behaving so strangely,” he finally admitted, sitting back down properly and looking at his counterpart questioningly with wide eyes.
Megumi ran his tongue over his lips. They suddenly felt rough and dry and he felt uncomfortably warm. He didn't know how to put it into words, but he had to try somehow.
Be as honest as possible, he reminded himself of Tsumiki's advice.
Remembering this and not knowing exactly where his next sentences would take him, he continued, “I don't know what it's like to be in a romantic relationship. I just know that everyone always says that they want to spend as much time as possible with the person and... I don't know, I think I was... afraid of losing you.” The last words were no more than a barely audible whisper. Megumi thought his face was burning, it felt so hot.
The mattress shifted as Yuji moved from the chair to the bed. He sat right next to Megumi so that their shoulders were almost touching. “And you didn't know how to handle it and just did everything wrong,” the sports student concluded.
“Obviously,” the other confessed, rubbing his cheeks nervously.
When Yuji nudged him, Megumi raised his head. His friend smiled. That typical positive smile he so often put on. “Of course I want to spend time with Haru, but that doesn't mean you're not important anymore.” Suddenly he laughed. “At Mukojima Hyakkaen, I apparently talked about you so often that she thought she'd misunderstood everything between us and that you were my girlfriend.”
“What?” Megumi furrowed his brow in irritation and felt the glow in his skin suddenly fade. That was absurd.
“Your given name confused her,” Yuji replied, and now the penny dropped. Yes, of course. After all, it wasn't the first time that someone had mistaken him for a girl because of his name and then been surprised to see a boy.
“By the way, I have the impression that you don't even realise that I'm not your only friend,” Yuji grinned at him, picking up on the topic. He counted off on his fingers, “Yoshino, Ishimoto and Sasaki all really like you.”
When he saw Megumi's incredulous expression, Yuji had to smile again, but then he became serious. “Promise me that you'll talk to me if something is bothering you. You're my best friend, Megumi. It was really bad not knowing what was going on with you.”
“I'm sorry,” the black-haired young man repeated meekly.
“Oh, it's okay,” Yuji waved it off and glanced at his watch. “Shall we watch a film?”
“Weren't you on the go earlier?” Megumi asked. “I don't want to ruin your evening plans. Besides, I always fall asleep during films. Mimiko has already complained that film nights with me aren't fun.”
“Still,” Yuji insisted. “I'd rather spend the evening with you now.” A hint of pink became visible on his cheeks. “I've missed you.”
Damn it, why did he keep doing that? Megumi's heart skipped a beat at these words, only to leap up to his Adam's apple.
“Okay,” he agreed, “let's watch a film then.”
“But tell me, am I not possibly ruining your evening plans? Don't you have a date waiting for you too?” Yuji, who had stood up and walked over to his shelf, turned round, curious to see his friend's reaction. Megumi stared at him, thunderstruck.
“What are you talking about?” he asked, aghast.
“Iguchi must have seen you on Friday in Ueno in the yakiniku restaurant I once told you about. Holding hands with a girl,” he added and pulled out a DVD case, keeping an eye on the black-haired boy at all times.
“I was there with Tsumiki,” Megumi was indignant and grumbled discontentedly, “Tell Iguchi to stop spreading rumours about me.”
Yuji thought he could literally hear a stone fall from his heart. So he had been right. Megumi had been out with his sister. There was no girlfriend. Grinning broadly involuntarily, he promised, “I'll let him know.” Then he waved the slim plastic box and said, “I think you might like this film.”
---
Yuji had arranged the laptop with the external drive for the DVD on his desk chair and positioned it in front of the bed, where they sat leaning against the wall next to each other. He had also switched off the large ceiling light. Instead, the small lamp at the head of the bed provided warm light. Soft rain pattered against the window.
His mobile phone lay next to the lamp with the display facing downwards. Okino hadn't been thrilled that Yuji had cancelled spontaneously. He was supposed to meet a friend of hers today. He wasn't normally one to cancel appointments at such short notice, but Megumi was more important to him at the moment and had priority. His best friend had told him that he was worried he might lose him. How could he not want to spend the evening with him?
The fact that Megumi had never had a girlfriend irritated him a little, but okay, it wasn't as if he had gone out with so many girls besides Yuko. One or two in his first year at university, but that had never been anything serious. However, it had really hit him that Megumi obviously had so little experience with friendships that he didn't even realise that he had made friends at university. Nice people who appreciated him. No, Yuji couldn't leave him alone now. That simply wasn't possible.
A weight sank onto his shoulder and ended his brooding. Instead, a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth when he saw that Megumi had dozed off. Should he wake him or... No, that was okay. But maybe he could make him a little more comfortable?
Yuji carefully manoeuvred his dozing friend so that his head was finally resting on his thigh. It didn't take long for Megumi to fall asleep completely. His upper body rose and fell evenly and Yuji almost forgot about the film that was still playing in the background. He was too busy looking at the sleeping young man. It wasn't the first time he had seen Megumi like this, but he would probably always like the sight. When he slept, he seemed so calm and relaxed and that was exactly how Yuji felt right now. Balanced - everything was okay again - and cosy. There was a comfortable warmth in his chest that seemed to expand slowly but steadily and suddenly that feeling flared up again, that affection. Almost as if of its own accord, his hand reached out and gently ran his fingertips over Megumi's hair. He liked the silky texture on his skin.
In the light of the lamp, Megumi's eyelashes seemed almost longer than they already were. Fascinating, Yuji thought. He had never seen a man with eyelashes or eyes like that before. Sure, he had met blue-eyed people in the past, but none of them had had this deep, clear dark blue. Like the night sky.
The warmth was followed by a tingling sensation that travelled downwards. When it reached his loins, Yuji withdrew his hand as if he had burnt himself. He should let Megumi sleep in peace and watch the film.
Notes:
After the drama of the last chapters, things are looking up again - at least a little. But of course I still have a bit of chaos up my sleeve ;)
So don't worry, it won't get boring any time soon.
Chapter 16: What are your priorities?
Summary:
“How was it last night?” Sasaki asked, opening her laptop.
“Unexpectedly good,” replied Yuji. The memory of the previous evening made him feel good. “I was quite surprised when Megumi suddenly turned up at my door and wanted to talk, but we made up. We chatted for quite a while and ended up watching a film.”
Iguchi furrowed his brows in irritation and Sasaki tilted her head questioningly. Finally, Iguchi enquired, “So you didn't meet up with Okino at all? You said a few days ago that she wanted to introduce you to her best friend.”
Notes:
Hey guys,
I'm back with a new chapter and I was really happy about the kudos, subscriptions and bookmarks.
Thank you for that!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
October 2022
Outside the window, the artificial brightness of the street lights gradually receded before the dawn. The hazy twilight of the new day slowly tickled Yuji awake. His mind, however, refused to leave the homey state of doze completely. He had spent the nights of the last three and a half weeks rather restlessly, but at this moment he could hardly imagine a cosier place than the narrow bed in his dormitory room.
Gradually, he became more and more aware of his surroundings. He savoured the warmth radiating from the body right next to him, the touch of being snuggled up together and listened to the morning noises while half asleep. The muffled hum of car engines on the street, the occasional indistinct footsteps in the room above his and the calm, even breaths that gently brushed his chin again and again. The soapy fragrance of perfume-free shampoo rose to his nose. A hint of coffee scent mingled with it. He knew that smell and he liked it.
With lazily fluttering eyelids, Yuji finally opened his eyes and the corners of his mouth twitched as his gaze fell on Megumi lying next to him. Last night, Yuji had decided not to wake his friend, had swapped his jeans for jogging trousers and finally lay down next to him. That was fine, after all, it wasn't the first time they had shared a bed and well, Yuji kind of liked it.
Megumi made a soft, humming sound but didn't wake up. He turned his head so that Yuji could look at his profile. His eyes slid over Megumi's face as if of their own accord. From the tousled black hair that fell into his forehead, to the bridge of his nose and the curves of his mouth and chin. What had Sasaki said again after their long jump training together? Why shouldn't he have a girlfriend? He's nice and good-looking. His fellow student was right.
It wasn't as if Yuji - unlike other boys, such as those from his high school days - had ever had a problem admitting when a man was attractive. Why should he? So far, it had mostly just seemed like a general judgement to him, but Megumi, as in so many things, was somehow different. Of course, the former sorcerer was not objectively unattractive, but something was different. Yuji found it difficult to put his finger on it. The sharply cut yet fine features, the always somehow unruly yet soft strands of hair, the long eyelashes, the watchful, dark blue eyes, the barely visible smile that sometimes stole across Megumi's face. Looking at him didn't feel as neutral as it did with others. Yuji's attention remained on Megumi's lips for a moment - they were open a tiny crack and looked so soft. The collar of Megumi's loose-fitting shirt had slipped, exposing part of his collarbone. Yuji's gaze travelled there to linger for the duration of a breath and then slid to the warped shirt collar. Thanks to their time together in the changing room and the showers of the dojo, Yuji knew exactly what it looked like under the fabric. The lean body with the slim muscles that were slightly visible under the smooth skin, which only really became prominent when Megumi tensed them.
A twitch ran through him at the idea. It was as if a few coals below the pit of his stomach began to glow. At first it was very faint, but the glow grew stronger and stronger, spreading heavily through his abdomen, eventually creeping in all directions and suddenly it was there again, the tugging in his loins, just like last night. Yuji felt warmth creeping up the back of his neck, the heat spreading to his cheeks, and he abruptly turned his gaze away from his friend.
He needed fresh air. Immediately. So he got up quickly and as quietly as possible, slipped on his shoes and jacket and left the dormitory, which still looked almost deserted, to go for a walk around the block. Or two.
---
Outside his room, he buried his hands in the pockets of his joggers and trudged off. Even on the short walk down the corridor to the stairs, he noticed how his face slowly returned to a more normal temperature and the glow in his abdomen subsided.
“Oh, Itadori, good morning.”
Surprised, Yuji raised his eyes and found himself face to face with Ishimoto, who had also reached the landing at that moment. He was wearing running shoes, sports trousers and a long-sleeved functional shirt. In contrast to his usual loose knot, he had tied his half-dyed hair back in a neat plait so that no loose strands hung in his face.
“Good morning, Ishimoto,” he greeted back. “Why are you up so early?”
They descended the stairs together and the older student yawned behind the back of his hand, then replied, “The qualifiers are next month and our captain has decided that we need to work even harder. So he made the whole volleyball team run at the crack of dawn today. All credit to him for his enthusiasm, but I hate morning exercise.”
That was news to Yuji. Another morning grouch. In contrast to Megumi shortly after waking up, however, Ishimoto almost seemed to be in full bloom. The pink-haired young man couldn't help but laugh a little. “One might get the idea that you're not having any fun at all. You also complained about the summer camp the other day,” he teased.
“Oh, there's always something to complain about, but that doesn't mean it's bad on the whole. In sports and at university. Not that I'll be playing volleyball so intensively after I graduate,” explained Ishimoto and stretched. “I see myself in the health and rehabilitation sector rather than in training and clubs later on anyway.”
“No academic career either? Some professors are always so keen to talk you into that,” Yuji asked, but the other just shook his head and replied, “No way. I have zero interest in an academic career. But no matter where I end up later, I don't think the national championships in university volleyball will be that decisive.”
“Maybe not, but it would be cool if you win the championship,” the younger student interjected.
“That's true,” Ishimoto nodded and a small grin crept onto his face. “That's why I got up, even though I hate morning exercise. What don't you do just for your team-mates...”
The two stepped outside through the main entrance and were greeted by a fresh breeze. Ishimoto pulled the zip of his top up a little higher and was about to say goodbye when he remarked, “You look like you had a good night, by the way.” In response to the irritated look on his fellow student's face, he explained, “You seem somehow content and have a nice facial colour.”
“I... finally slept through the night again,” Yuji admitted and felt himself getting warm one more. “The last few weeks haven't been the best.”
“Stressful start to term?” asked Ishimoto, nodding in understanding when Yuji replied in the affirmative, even though the older student was probably referring to a different kind of stress than the one that had really deprived Yuji of sleep.
After they had said their goodbyes, Yuji began his walk with rosy cheeks. What had got into him? Maybe it hadn't been such a good idea to let Megumi spend the night with him after all? But why was he suddenly so upset? And what, this thought hit him all of a sudden, when it wasn't right for Megumi? After all, unlike on the roof of the university library or at Obon, he had made this decision consciously and without his friend's consent.
Damn it, he had actually gone out into the fresh air to clear his head. Instead, his thoughts continued to tumble around like crazy.
---
As Megumi sat up, he rubbed his eyes and looked around sleepily. This... was not his room, he realised lazily. The mess on the desk, the clothes in the corner, the DVD collection on the bookshelf. He was in Yuji's room, but Yuji wasn't there.
“What...” the black-haired boy mumbled quietly to himself. “Oh,” he made as he remembered the previous evening. They had been watching a film. He must have fallen asleep while watching it. Like he always did. So he had spent the night here and if he had occupied the bed, where had Yuji slept? On the floor or...?
Before he could think about it any further, he heard the door open and close again. Just a moment later, Yuji was standing in the room.
“You're awake,” he realised, approaching Megumi and holding out a cup of black coffee with a sheepish grin. “I went for a little morning walk and passed a café.”
“Thank you. Good morning,” Megumi replied and accepted the hot drink while his friend sat down next to him. Megumi squinted at the alarm clock - it was still far too early for his liking - and began to drink the coffee in small sips. He had to wake up before he could even begin to think about the fact that he had slept in Yuji's bed. Maybe even next to Yuji. Not in his relatively large and comfortable bed at home, but in a dormitory bed that suddenly seemed even narrower than it already was. He simply couldn't think about that now.
But the pink-haired boy took up the subject at that very moment by apologising, “I didn't want to wake you up last night. I... I thought it was okay to share a bed like that after we'd already spent the night together at Obon. I'm sorry if that was somehow offensive.”
“It's all right,” Megumi shrugged it off, even though he could feel his heart pounding in his throat. He had actually slept in this narrow bed with Yuji. How was he supposed to get rid of his feelings like that? He couldn't imagine that too clearly right now and concentrated on the coffee in his hands instead.
Yuji let out a relieved sound and explained, “Yesterday I really didn't think about it and then I started to wonder if it was okay for you. We've only just made up, so I don't want things to get weird between us again.” After a moment's hesitation, he added, “I think there's just a lot I don't know about you yet.”
Megumi paused at this sentence. Yuji continued to speak - he had changed the subject, something about Ishimoto and morning sports - but the words faded into a mere background noise. His friend, his best friend, was right. There was a lot he hadn't told or explained to Yuji. He had never answered his question as to why Maki had beaten him in front of everyone, had not told him how critical his own condition had been after the disastrous mission or why he had given up being a Jujutsu sorcerer. He had never confided in Yuji how he had come to be with his family. Suddenly it felt wrong. After all, Yuji was one of the few people in his life who had more than earned his trust.
“My mother died when I was about ten weeks old,” Megumi confessed, addressing the cup in his hands before he could even think about his words.
Yuji fell silent in mid-sentence and looked at the black-haired young man with wide eyes. “Excuse me?” he said uncertainly.
“My mother died when I was ten weeks old,” Megumi repeated. “That's all I know about her.” He could trust Yuji to open up instead of putting up the wall again. He could trust Yuji. Then he turned his head and looked at his next door neighbour, who was staring at him in shock. “You said there were some things you didn't know about me and that feels wrong,” Megumi admitted, shrugging his shoulders. “I know about the accident and your parents, you told me about your grandfather, but I never told you how I ended up with Satoru and Suguru.”
“Okay,” the sports student nodded and listened attentively as his fellow student, after a brief hesitation, gave him a summary of the events that had finally led him to the people Yuji was allowed to get to know as his family. The pink-haired boy learnt that Megumi had hardly any memories of his biological father, as he was almost never present and had finally disappeared when he was only three years old. That he had grown up with Tsumiki and his stepmother in a small flat on the outskirts of Saitama, furnished only with the bare essentials, and that most of the time only simple rice dishes such as ochazuke had been served. That Tsumiki's mother had worked a lot and the two children had sometimes not seen her for several days. That in the end she had also disappeared without leaving a trace and then finally, after he and his sister had probably been alone for several weeks, looked after only by a grumpy old neighbour who checked in on them from time to time and took care of the bare necessities, Satoru had turned up. Megumi had refused to learn more from Satoru about his father, who had sold him to the Zenins - his cursed technique obviously had a certain value. The decision to go with the strange, white-haired man was quickly made, because even then Megumi was certain that he wouldn't go anywhere where Tsumiki didn't have the chance to be happy, and it was clear that she wouldn't have fared well with the Zenins.
After Megumi had finished, they were silent for a while. Yuji needed a moment to process what he had heard. Whatever his idea of Megumi's past had been, it didn't come close to the truth. Abandoned, left alone, sold. The fear of loss that Megumi had mentioned last night only made more sense to Yuji now. Losing everyone you cared about at such a young age left its mark. Finally, Yuji said, “I really wish none of this had happened to you, but I'm glad you still have a family that loves you.”
Megumi then turned his head, looked at his friend and met a confident, trusting gaze. A smile crept onto Megumi's face. Yuji was right and perhaps he should remind himself of that more often. His life had never been easy, any more than that of his sisters, his foster fathers, his old schoolmates or his friend, but there were people who cared about him and who didn't abandon him. Just like the pink-haired young man next to him.
“We should start getting ready for the day,” Megumi stated soberly with a glance at the clock, putting an end to the topic.
---
He hated morning exercises and the excessive enthusiasm of his team captain. Okay, he didn't really hate it, but he was anything but eager about having to exert himself so much before the first lecture. That was actually enough after classes. Grumbling to himself that he urgently needed a shower, Ishimoto entered the corridor on the second floor and stopped in amazement. At the far end of the corridor on the right, where Itadori had his room, the last door on the left just opened. But instead of the sports student, Fushiguro stepped out and quickly ducked into his own room next door.
What was Fushiguro doing at Itadori's so early? Or...? Ishimoto shook his head. It was none of his business how the two of them spent their mornings (or nights) and he turned towards his room. Nevertheless. He paused again, glanced back over his shoulder and furrowed his brows questioningly before unlocking his door.
No, this was definitely non of his business.
---
Yuji sat in his seat in the lecture theatre and stared ahead, lost in thought. The professor for qualitative research methods in sports wasn't there yet, so he looked at the blank wall on which the lecture slides would be projected later.
What a morning. Not necessarily in a bad way, at least he had finally had a good night's sleep and his best friend was opening up to him bit by bit. But Yuji hadn't expected to get such insights before breakfast. Megumi's family history hadn't really let go of him yet. Not only the poor-sounding circumstances in which his friend had grown up, which were so completely at odds with his current situation, but also the realisation of how brutal the jujutsu world must be. Children with a market value attached to them - although of course he didn't know whether that was the norm or what had driven Megumi's father to do it - and teenagers who risked their lives fighting curses - and lost them. There were probably other reasons as well, but from what little he'd learnt about life as a sorcerer so far, Yuji wasn't surprised that Megumi had dipped it against the university. At least the active part. With the exception of Tsumiki, all the family members were active as jujutsu sorcerers, so Megumi couldn't isolate himself completely.
Before Yuji could sink any further into his spiral of thoughts, he was interrupted by a “Hey, Itadori”. He shook his head briefly to regain his bearings and then raised his eyes. Sasaki and Iguchi sat down next to him and began to unpack their stuff.
“Hey,” he greeted back. He shouldn't be brooding like this. Megumi certainly hadn't told him this to make him worry and rack his brains non-stop. His friend was probably more concerned about their understanding of each other.
“How was it last night?” Sasaki asked, opening her laptop.
“Unexpectedly good,” replied Yuji. The memory of the previous evening made him feel good. “I was quite surprised when Megumi suddenly turned up at my door and wanted to talk, but we made up. We chatted for quite a while and ended up watching a film.”
Iguchi furrowed his brows in irritation and Sasaki tilted her head questioningly. Finally, Iguchi enquired, “So you didn't meet up with Okino at all? You said a few days ago that she wanted to introduce you to her best friend.”
“Oh, yeah.” Yuji rubbed the back of his neck and grinned wryly. “I was just about to leave when Megumi turned up.”
“Did you stand Okino up?” Sasaki was indignant. “That's really rude.”
“No,” Yuji defended himself. “Well, sort of, but I told her and didn't just leave her without a word.” What did the two of them think of him?
“I just don't get you.” Iguchi shook his head disapprovingly. “Fushiguro has pulled such crap on you in the last few weeks and as soon as he snaps his fingers, you leave your girlfriend hanging for him.”
“What? It wasn't like that at all,” Yuji grumbled. Of course Okino hadn't been thrilled, but she had written that it was okay. “I told Haru and I wanted to finally sort things out with Megumi.”
Iguchi snorted and crossed his arms in front of his chest in incomprehension. Yuji followed his mate's example and grimaced.
“I'm glad that things have straightened out with you and Fushiguro. Whatever was going on between you,” Sasaki began in a conciliatory tone. “But maybe you should turn your attention back to Okino now?”
Yuji looked at the young woman, not understanding. She just nodded in the direction of his table and explained, “Your mobile phone is lit up and Okino's name is on the display.”
The pink-haired boy immediately reached for his phone and opened the chat with his girlfriend. There he found three messages, all of which had been received with a suitable interval for replying.
Haru:
Good morning. Did you talk?
Haru:
Is everything okay?
Haru:
When will I see you? Are you free on Thursday night?
Damn. He hadn't paid any attention to his mobile phone - or his girlfriend - that morning.
Yuji:
Good morning. Yes, we did, it's all right. Thursdays are not possible. I'll get back to you after the lecture.
Iguchi rolled his eyes as he quickly typed his admittedly somewhat meagre reply. Sasaki scrutinised him with a look that was difficult to interpret. When the professor entered the room, Yuji put his phone away and the three of them turned their attention to the class that was about to begin.
---
The rule prohibiting people of the opposite sex in the rooms was probably the one most disregarded by the residents. However, since the dormitory manager could not have his eyes everywhere and the students did not normally tell on each other, it rarely led to warnings if this particular rule was not adhered to.
So it was that Yuji found himself sitting on the desk chair in Okino's room after kyudo training on Friday evening. She herself had taken a seat on her bed and remained silent. Contrite, after all Yuji knew he had messed up, he chewed on the inside of his cheek and peered his girlfriend attentively, who had put on a dissatisfied expression. She seemed to be trying to think of the best way to start.
“We haven't seen each other for almost a whole week now,” the young woman finally opened the conversation. “That's quite remarkable when you consider that I only live one floor above you.”
“I'm sorry,” Yuji started instantly. “I know you're angry. On Monday...”
“I'm not angry about Monday night,” Okino clarified firmly and her counterpart pressed his lips together. With a brief nod, Yuji indicated that she should continue. He wouldn't interrupt her again.
Okino rubbed her temples and tried to maintain a sympathetic undertone as she explained, “I noticed how the argument with Fushiguro made you sick to your stomach. Of course you wanted to sort it out with him. Yes, I wasn't thrilled to get a cancellation at such short notice,” she admitted. “But the evening with Sayuri can be made up for.”
The pink-haired young man nodded sheepishly and remained silent. He had really messed things up in the last few days, so it was probably better if he listened to what was on Haru's mind before he said anything else stupid.
“The fact that you left me out after that and cancelled on me again last night because of Fushiguro is something else.” She shrugged her shoulders and sounded frustrated as she continued, “I understand that he's your best friend and we haven't been together long, but I'm a little disappointed.”
Yuji nodded again and slumped down guiltily. Haru then hastened to reassure him, “I'm not saying this to make you feel bad. I just think, well, we should talk about it openly. Don't you agree?”
When she gave him a worried look, as if she wanted to make sure she hadn't gone too far with her accusations, it signalled to Yuji that it was his turn now. He pushed the desk chair over to her so that he was sitting directly in front of her. He gently took her hands in his and replied, “Of course I want you to tell me how you feel and I'm really sorry. I...” He faltered, not sure how to explain his behaviour.
What had possessed him to simply ignore his girlfriend? After the reconciliation, he had probably become a little too fixated on Megumi. He had simply been too happy that everything was okay between them again that he hadn't even considered skipping dinner together on Thursdays. He hadn't given a second thought to Haru's feelings or needs. Had he been so stupid with Yuko back then?
“Our schedules are difficult to reconcile and you have to work, we both have friends we want to see and I go home for the weekend from time to time. That doesn't make things any easier, I realise that,” Okino concedes. “But do you really have to meet up every Thursday evening? You already see each other regularly at training and in biochemistry.”
Biochemistry. Crap. Yuji's heart sank and he grimaced guiltily. “Haru, listen,” as he spoke he concentrated on her hands, which were still in his, “I told you that I'm pretty rubbish at biochemistry and that's why Megumi always studied with me last term.”
“Yes?” she asked and Yuji noticed how her posture stiffened.
“He said he's studying with me again and our timetables overlap quite awkwardly this time, so we're meeting on Monday evenings now. I can't do the exam without Megumi's help,” the sports student babbled on. “We arranged it yesterday and maybe I should have cleared it with you beforehand, because you don't have any fixed appointments on Monday evenings and we could see each other sometimes. I've decided so much over your head now and I really didn't want that. I just didn't think about it and...”
“Yuji,” she interrupted his flow of words and squeezed his fingers, interlacing them with her own. He lifted his head and realised with relief that she wasn't looking at him angrily. “I don't mind you two studying together. It's not about us not seeing each other because we have study meetings with fellow students or because you have to work. It's about you not just forgetting about me, okay? Because that's how it's felt over the last few days.”
“I'm really sorry...” Yuji repeated again, but his girlfriend just shook her head, loosened one hand and stroked through his hair just above his forehead, letting her fingertips brush gently over his temple.
“Let's tick this off, shall we? You've been stressed for the past few weeks and everything has just been a bit overwhelming the last days. I know you didn't mean anything by it,” she smiled at him. “Just please don't do that again.”
“I promise,” he whispered and leaned in to kiss his girlfriend.
The couple lay facing each other on the bed and when their lips parted, Yuji lifted his eyelids. He looked into Haru's light blue eyes. Pretty, he thought to himself. She really did have beautiful eyes. A few light brown strands brushed his hand, which rested on her cheek. A flowery scent emanated from her. He could feel her warm, soft skin under his fingers, but the warmth didn't seem to transfer to him. Strange, he wondered.
“Am I actually going to get to know him?”
“Mh?” Yuji said and Haru giggled softly. Then she repeated, “Do I ever get to know him? Fushiguro, I mean.”
“Yeah, sure,” he agreed, but then frowned thoughtfully and sat up a little. Not that he didn't want Haru to get to know his best friend, but he also knew how Megumi could come across to others. “He's sometimes very taciturn and might seem as a bit dismissive, but he's a really nice guy.”
“Hard shell, soft core?” smiled Okino, who had also straightened up slightly, and Yuji grinned, “Yes, I guess you could call it that.”
“Should we link this directly to the meeting with Sayuri then?” the young woman pondered aloud. “That fell through on Monday. Like some kind of double date?”
“I can ask Megumi,” Yuji replied slowly. The four of them weren't too big a group and Haru wasn't a particularly pushy or loud person. So none of the things that Megumi normally found unpleasant applied. Maybe he would get involved.
---
Megumi would have preferred to simply answer “no” straight away. Instead, he sat in front of the half-organised biochemistry documents at one of the tables in the common room on the second floor and wondered what the hell he had done to deserve this.
A double date? Had Yuji gone completely mad now? Had he not told him clearly enough after the failed flirting attempt in the university café that he wasn't interested in something like that? Well, at least not with any strange girls, but that detail didn't matter now.
“Come on.” Yuji made big pleading eyes and moved closer to him. “I cancelled the meeting with Haru and her friend last week because of you and she'd like to meet you. Don't you think best friends should know each other's partners?”
Megumi stared back with narrow eyes, but Yuji didn't let up. Snorting, the former sorcerer turned away demonstratively. He had no defence against that puppy dog look, so he vehemently ignored it. On the other hand, he had no other argument against the proposal. At least none that he could put to Yuji.
I can't stand your girlfriend anyway, no matter how nice she may be, would be true, but it would be a statement for which not only Tsumiki would probably tear him apart. Why did he always have his sister's reprimanding voice in his ears at times like this? Now pull yourself together and behave properly!
He had forfeited the right to refuse anyway with his behaviour over the last few weeks, if he was honest. He had been so unfair to Yuji, he couldn't bitch again now.
“Megumiiiiiiii,” he echoed, nudging him with his elbow. An unfamiliar, flowery scent reached Megumi's nose. Since when did Yuji smell like that?
“Meeting new people isn't your favourite pastime, of course,” he agreed, “but we just want to go to a café on Saturday. Nothing wild and there are only four of us. It'll be a bit like with Ishimoto and Sasaki at the izakaya.”
He would rather go to a club with Iguchi than to a café with Okino. Megumi could feel the jealousy gnawing at his guts all too clearly. It was so wrong and he still couldn't do anything about it. What he could do, however, was to pull himself together for his best friend and do him this favour.
“Come on, please,” he kept talking to him. “You'd be doing me a huge favour.”
“If it makes you happy,” Megumi finally gave in. What else could he do?
“Yaaahhh,” Yuji exclaimed happily. “You're the best, Megumi!” With these words, he tousled his friend's hair and laughed.
“Don't do that,” Megumi fended him off and pushed Yuji's hand aside. He let go of him, still grinning broadly. “And what's my date's name?” the former sorcerer enquired.
“Adachi Sayuri. She and Haru have probably been friends since middle school. She studies Japanese literature and English at Waseda, I think,” reported the pink-haired boy.
If this Adachi was studying literature at Waseda, then she must at least have something in her head and, depending on which books she was interested in, they would just have a common topic. That would make it easier for him to get through the date. Well, he hoped so.
“Maybe it really won't be that bad,” he murmured devotedly.
“That's what I said,” Yuji affirmed enthusiastically. He had no intention of setting up his fellow student, but when Haru had told him that her friend was studying Japanese literature and, unlike her, really knew her stuff - which made Adachi a favourite of Haru's grandmother - it had reassured Yuji. Maybe the two of them would even end up liking each other. In theory, that would be absolutely perfect and yet... A strangely nervous spark remained in his chest that just wouldn't go away. Yuji didn't know where it came from or why it didn't disappear, but he suspected that it was because Megumi kept surprising him with unexpected reactions.
It would all work out and Yuji was really looking forward to the date with Megumi. The double date, of course.
---
Later, after they had said goodbye to each other, Megumi lay on his bed, pressing the pillow to his face in frustration and wanting to scream out loud. Yes, this Adachi might even be nice, but just the idea of seeing Yuji with Okino on an official date... A sinking feeling spread through his stomach and when he could hardly breathe, he carelessly threw the pillow aside. He breathed in and out heavily a few times to calm his stomach.
The image of Yuji's beaming face was stuck in his head. He had been so happy when Megumi had agreed, he had to go through with it now. Damn, he had already been through so much shit, but it had all been completely different from this constant emotional rollercoaster.
He remembered something. Two years ago, in a conversation about Rika, Yuta had mentioned that Satoru had told him when he had first come to Jujutsu High that love was the most twisted curse of all. Well, his foster father was probably not so wrong.
“I'm cursed,” Megumi moaned and buried his face in his hands.
Notes:
Does Yuji need to sort out his priorities? Yes, probably. Is he knee-deep in denial? Yes, that too. Do I like putting Megumi in awkward situations? The third yes. Does that make me mean? A little bit, maybe.
Nevertheless, I'm looking forward to the double date and hope you trust me when I say that I'll sort out this mess at some point – maybe ;)
Chapter 17: Double the date, double the disaster?
Summary:
The thought of meeting Okino later, of having to watch her and Yuji behave like a couple, had been lurking in the back of his mind the whole morning. Now that it was time to make his way to the agreed meeting place, Megumi's throat felt strangely tight.
Notes:
Hey everyone,
It's been a while, but I was on holiday and then somehow ended up taking longer than expected to get everything done.
Long story short: here's the new chapter ;)
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
November 2022
Megumi paid and put the book about Japanese folklore in his backpack as he left the small shop in the heart of Jimbocho. Outside, a bright blue sky awaited him, with a few clouds drifting lazily across it. He had spent the day browsing in various bookshops in Tokyo's book town, hoping to distract himself from his afternoon date, but it hadn't really worked. The thought of meeting Okino later, of having to watch her and Yuji behave like a couple, had been lurking in the back of his mind the whole morning. Now that it was time to make his way to the agreed meeting place, Megumi's throat felt strangely tight.
The café they were going to was also in Jimbocho. Megumi suspected that Yuji had influenced the choice of venue. It was only too easy for him to imagine that his friend had chosen this neighbourhood to make it as pleasant as possible for him. After all, Yuji was aware of Megumi's lack of enthusiasm for the double date, even though he had eventually given in and agreed to it. Yuji knew about Megumi's fondness for Jimbocho. It was no secret. The pink-haired boy was sensitive enough to want to create as relaxed an atmosphere as possible, and considering that Megumi was initially sceptical of strangers, it wasn't a bad idea to adapt the circumstances as much as possible. Choosing this part of town was definitely a good decision, at least in Megumi's opinion. The hustle and bustle of Shinjuku or Shibuya would have been disastrous for his already less than brilliant mood.
The black-haired young man turned into the narrow side street and his mood sank even further when he saw Yuji standing in front of the café with Okino. He was holding her hand and Megumi had to resist rolling his eyes. He had no right to do that. She was Yuji's girlfriend and he shouldn't judge her before he got to know her. So he tried to bury his burgeoning jealousy as deeply as possible, took a few deep breaths and put on a neutral expression. He was doing this for Yuji's sake and would pull himself together.
“Megumi, hey!” he called cheerfully, waving demonstratively with his free hand when he spotted his friend. Typical Yuji, Megumi thought. As cheerful and positive as ever.
When he reached the couple, Yuji introduced them to each other.
“Pleased to meet you,” Okino smiled and bowed slightly in greeting. Megumi nodded too, but replied only with a monosyllabic “Hello.”
As they stood directly opposite each other, a delicate, floral scent wafted into Megumi's nose. It was the same scent he had noticed on Yuji recently. It had to be Okino's shower gel or deodorant; it wasn't intense enough to be perfume. It wasn't an unpleasant smell, but Megumi involuntarily wrinkled his nose briefly. He preferred not to imagine how this floral note had transferred to Yuji.
---
Okino's friend, Adachi Sayuri, joined them just a few minutes later, and after they had all greeted each other, they entered the café and an employee led them to a table in a quiet corner that Okino had reserved. The shop had a welcoming atmosphere with its dark wooden floorboards and cosy sofas and chairs. A few skilfully placed plants and flowers gave the room a slightly playful feel without being overly kitschy. Narrow shelves were scattered across the walls, stacked with visually appealing books.
While Yuji was still studying the menu, Megumi inspected Adachi, who was sitting next to him and exchanged a few words with Okino. She had tied her long black hair back in a ponytail and her eyes were a warm dark brown. The two small moles on her temple were not covered by the subtle make-up she had applied. Hadn't his sisters once rambled on about no-make-up looks or something? He probably listened to the three of them more attentively than he sometimes liked.
But actually, when Megumi thought about it more carefully, Adachi was much more the type that Yuji supposedly liked: tall women with great butts. She was certainly almost fifteen centimetres taller than Okino, whom the veterinary student estimated to be just about 1.60 metres, and her loose-fitting jeans did not completely conceal her rear end. If he placed more importance on looks – personally, he didn't demand more than a well-groomed appearance – he had to admit that she was attractive.
Anyway, his friend had already proven that he wasn't necessarily fixated on a woman's looks, despite his statement, and purely visually, there was just as little to dislike about Okino as there was about Adachi. They were just very different types. Okino was pretty, but – Megumi was quite sure that this impression was not just due to his bias – she didn't stand out. She was the cute girl next door. No more, no less. And there was absolutely nothing wrong with that, he reminded himself.
At that moment, the waitress came to take their orders. Yuji opted for a melon soda, while Okino ordered a matcha latte and Adachi a café latte. Megumi stuck with his usual black coffee.
“Would you like sugar with that?” asked the waitress.
“No, thank you,” Megumi declined, and with a nod, the young woman disappeared.
“Do you always drink your coffee black?” Okino asked.
“Yes,” he replied curtly, adding, so as not to seem too rude, “I don't like sweet things.”
“Nothing sweet at all?” she pressed, looking at him attentively and smiling kindly.
“No,” was the simple reply.
Yuji, who by now had a pretty good sense of when his friend wasn't going to say anything more, explained, “He doesn't even eat red peppers.”
“That's consistent,” Adachi praised him from the side. Before the conversation could become awkward, the waitress reappeared and brought their drinks. After that, Adachi seemed to question Yuji a little at first. Should they talk, Megumi thought to himself. After all, the two of them were supposed to have met at the beginning of last week, and if they were busy he had his peace and quiet. The kyudo club seemed to interest her particularly, and his next door neighbour willingly told her about the training. Megumi couldn't completely prevent the memory of Yuji in his hakama with a taut bow and an unusually concentrated expression on his face from sticking in his mind. Maybe he could watch him archery again sometime. But before he could lose himself in his fascination and completely block out his surroundings, his peace and quiet was over. Okino seemed to have made up her mind to have a conversation with him. It was almost as if she had noticed that he was drifting off.
At the next opportunity, she told Megumi, “Yuji mentioned to me that you're studying veterinary medicine.” He nodded and took a sip of his coffee while Okino stirred the milk foam in her drink.
“Do you like your studies? Have you always wanted to be a vet?” she asked. Probably out of politeness, or to appear interested. Megumi didn't care either way.
“I don't think it was the wrong decision for me,” he evaded. What could he tell her about his choice of studies? Certainly not that everyone had expected him to pursue a career as a jujutsu sorcerer and that his decision had probably offended a large part of the Japanese jujutsu society. He could only imagine how furious Zenin Naobito, the head of the clan, must have been. It was already a thorn in the old man's side that Satoru had snatched the owner of the Ten Shadows Technique from under his nose. Megumi didn't know the details – he didn't want to know what had been agreed between whom and how – but Naobito must have paid an exorbitant sum for Megumi, and now he was going to become a veterinary surgeon instead of exorcising curses. Was he as big a disappointment to the Zenins as Maki?
“Megumi really has a knack for animals,” Yuji confirmed, bringing his friend back to the table from his thoughts – Okino definitely failed to captivate him in any way. “There are a few cats on campus,” said the sports student. “Megumi is the only one I know who has ever managed to lure the shy little cat. She even let him pet her. I have a photo to prove it.”
Triumphantly, Yuji pulled his phone out of his pocket. When he saw Megumi press his lips together into a thin line, he grinned, “Oh, come on. The picture turned out great. Let me show them.”
After a brief moment, Megumi conceded defeat. He simply couldn't resist Yuji's pleading, wide eyes, and he wasn't sending it anywhere. Besides, he was just trying to save the situation. Megumi was aware that his taciturnity was putting the pink-haired boy on the spot, but he hated small talk. He could also do without meaningless chit-chat with Okino, who was peering at him from over the mobile phone display. If she was hoping for questions in return, she would be disappointed.
After the two young women confirmed that the snapshot was cute – Megumi just managed to refrain from snorting derisively – Okino tried again.
“Do you have any pets?” she wanted to know. As if pets were a prerequisite for studying veterinary medicine. But okay, Megumi made an effort after catching Yuji's pleading look. He was doing this for his best friend, he reminded himself.
“Yes, two big dogs. One black and one white,” he tried to give a more detailed answer. When Yuji nodded, he added, “Their names are Kuro and Shiro. I don't have any pictures, though. I don't take photos. I leave that to my sisters.” It was a lie, but it didn't matter; his shikigami weren't visible to the two women anyway.
“You have three sisters, right? Yuji mentioned that once,” said Okino.
Before Megumi could give Yuji a dirty look, Adachi joined the conversation, “A black dog and a white dog named Kuro and Shiro? Interesting. That's very pragmatic.” She looked closely at the young man next to her, who was now turning to face her. “Haru mentioned to me that you like to read and,” she let her eyes wander briefly over her friend and her friend's boyfriend, “I don't think we ended up in Jimbocho purely by chance.”
“I doubt that too,” Megumi agreed, giving Yuji a brief, piercing look. What was he blabbing to Okino about him?
“I knew you weren't stupid. The two heroes here probably thought they could just put two book lovers together in a café in Tokyo's book town and everything would work out on its own. Admittedly, Haru has had stupider ideas.” A mischievous but affectionate grin played around Adachi's lips, while Okino looked caught out.
“I'm more than sure that Yuji has had stupider ideas and carried them out,” Megumi replied, eliciting an indignant exclamation from his best friend, which turned into laughter. “That's true,” Yuji admitted.
“Small talk isn't really your thing either, is it?” Adachi continued her analysis unperturbed.
“I'm not a fan of meaningless chatter,” Megumi confirmed, ignoring the fact that Okino might take this statement as an indirect insult. After all, he had only responded moderately to her advances.
“Well, then let's fill it with some substance,” suggested the dark-haired literature student. “So, what did you buy? I bet you went to at least one bookshop before the meeting. I went to several and was very successful in terms of my haul.” She nudged her well-filled bag, which was standing next to the table, lightly with her foot.
Adachi was more direct than Megumi had initially assumed and seemed to have been holding back. However, he much preferred that to meaningless, forced small talk. Not that she was sitting here facing a great mystery, but he couldn't deny her a certain powers of observation and acumen, and books were probably the best topic right now. Besides, it meant he didn't have to deal with Okino, so he went along with it.
“A book about Japanese folklore,” he replied.
“Mmm,” Adachi said, tilting her head slightly. “So you're into non-fiction?”
“Mainly, but not exclusively. The classics are usually okay too.”
“I see. Soseki Natsume, Kojima Nobuo, Tanizaki Junichiro, Dazai Osamu? That sort of thing?” she pressed, and Megumi nodded. “I've read them all too,” confirmed Adachi.
“That's inevitable when you study Japanese literature,” surmised the former sorcerer.
“No, it's hard to avoid them. To balance it out, I read a relaxing bestseller every now and then. Sometimes you just need to let yourself be entertained. There is also some really good foreign literature, both modern and classic.” Adachi looked at Megumi intently. A little irritated, he raised his eyebrows.
“What is it?” he asked.
“Hemingway,” replied the literature student. “I think you might like Hemingway's writing style. Concise, thoughtful, straightforward. Am I right?”
Megumi nodded appreciatively. Not bad, she had quickly recognised his favourite writing style. “I've read one of his books and yes, it had something.”
“The Old Man and the Sea,” she guessed, but Megumi shook his head and clarified, “The Sun Also Rises.”
“Oh, the work that brought him his breakthrough. The story behind its creation is also very exciting, by the way. What did you think of it?” she asked expectantly.
---
Yuji leaned back on the sofa where he was sitting with Haru and watched Megumi and Adachi discussing books. It was very similar to the conversation between Megumi and Ishimoto in the izakaya. Yuji had long since lost track of what they were talking about and was just listening with one ear, picking up a few names and titles. But he could see all kinds of small movements on his friend's face. An indecisive twitch at the corner of his mouth, a sceptical raised eyebrow, a thoughtful wrinkled nose, musing lines on his forehead. An alert, interested gaze with which Megumi looked at the young woman next to him.
A strange feeling bubbled up inside Yuji. The scene in front of him was almost the same as the one in the tiny restaurant about two months ago, and yet it was completely different. This irritating feeling deep in the pit of his stomach slowly threatened to turn from bubbling into seething the longer he watched Adachi and Megumi together. Yuji couldn't quite put his finger on it. Trying to do so was like trying to pin a specific point that kept slipping away. Somehow... frustrating?
Someone took his left hand and leaned against him. When Yuji turned his head, he looked into Haru's smiling face. The bubbling subsided.
“They get along pretty well,” she whispered to him, nodding towards Adachi and Megumi. “But they saw right through us with the café.”
“It wasn't really that subtle, was it? Two bookworms in Jimbocho,” Yuji admitted with a grin. But yes, it had worked. At first, it had looked as if he would have to drag everything out of Megumi again, but now he was at least engrossed in a lively discussion with Adachi.
Haru rested her head on Yuji's shoulder and said quietly, “They would make a lovely couple.”
Yuji had to admit that she wasn't entirely wrong. Visually, they would make a beautiful couple, and they seemed to get along quite well. Adachi was quick-witted and seemed intelligent. They both shared a passion for books and literature. Maybe they had more in common than that? A slightly bitter taste spread in Yuji's mouth and he took a big gulp of his melon soda to wash it away. Or maybe that was their only common ground? Even though they had called it a double date, this meeting wasn't meant to set up their best friends with each other. Especially since Megumi had no interest in such things anyway, and it had taken Yuji quite a bit of persuasion to get Megumi to agree to this date. The black-haired young man wasn't interested in dates. Or so he had said. A few months ago.
But what if that had changed? Megumi had never been in a romantic relationship before, so he probably hadn't been on any dates either. What if Adachi sparked his interest? Was that so unlikely? If that happened, it would be a good thing. Yuji wanted Megumi to be happy. He deserved it, and it would be nice if he found someone he could have a relationship with. That would be good. Right? Everything would be perfect, almost like in a picture book. So why didn't he feel like one of those happy people at the end of such stories? Instead, his chest tightened strangely at the thought. Why did the idea of Megumi having a girlfriend upset him so much, and not for the first time? It just didn't make sense.
“Is everything okay?” Haru interrupted his musings.
“Yes, sorry, I was just lost in thought,” Yuji dismissed, who had pensively been staring into space, and kissed his girlfriend on the temple.
“Aren't they cute?” Adachi laughed, causing Haru's cheeks to turn pink and Yuji to grin sheepishly.
Yes, so cute it was sickening, was all Megumi could think of, but he would be careful not to say a word about it and bit his tongue. That was the end of his literary exchange with Adachi. Instead, the conversation drifted from one topic – university, films, stories from middle school and so on – to the next. Adachi always managed to slip in a few clever punchlines, Yuji chattered away casually, and Okino, in Megumi's opinion, didn't really contribute anything of substance to the conversation. He himself tried to participate as little as possible, but he had to force himself to do so. Fortunately, he was practised at putting on an inscrutable expression. Even though this ability apparently suffered from his feelings for Yuji – at least in the presence of his family – it worked extremely well at that moment, and that was all he needed. Just seeing Yuji and Okino sitting together on the sofa opposite him, holding hands and her leaning against him, Yuji smoothing her hair where he had kissed her earlier made him sick. Megumi imagined he could feel his bile rising at the sight and swallowed. It was so wrong of him, and Megumi hated being jealous. Keeping himself in check the whole time and somehow manoeuvring his way through this date was also slowly getting on his nerves. He felt his stress levels rising.
“I'll be right back,” he said, standing up and disappearing in the direction of the toilets. A short break, he just needed a short break so that the façade didn't crumble after all.
Adachi watched him until he disappeared through the door, then said to her friend, “Fushiguro is a bit peculiar, but I like him.”
“Good to know,” Okino admitted. “Yuji had warned me that he can be taciturn, but you two seemed to have a really good conversation. I'm glad you like him,” she winked.
“Not like that, Haru!” she protested, and the other girl laughed.
“I know, Sayuri,” she reassured her friend and waved her hand dismissively. “Don't panic, I'll leave the embarrassing matchmaking to Rin. A mutual friend,” she explained to Yuji. He nodded and felt a strange sense of relief at Adachi's words. She wasn't interested in Megumi, not like that.
---
After leaving the café, they accompanied Adachi to her stop. They said goodbye in front of the barriers. Before placing her ticket on the scanner, she turned around again and said to Megumi, “Don't forget the book I recommended to you, Fushiguro.”
“I won't,” he assured her, whereupon Adachi grinned contentedly and disappeared through the barrier, waving goodbye.
Megumi shoved his hands into his trouser pockets and let out an amused snort as he made his way back to the dormitory with Okino and Yuji. He hadn't expected it, but Adachi was really easy to get along with, and as much as he read, she studied literature and had a really broad range of knowledge. She had recommended Zoku meian written by Mizumura Minae to him. A 1990 sequel to Soseki's last, unfinished classic.
“You got along well,” Yuji remarked, to which Megumi merely shrugged and replied, “Yeah, I guess so.” His social battery was empty for today. It wasn't far to the dorm by metro. He just had to pull himself together for the twenty-minute journey home, then he'd be done. Slowly but surely, it was becoming increasingly difficult for him to ignore all the little touches between Okino and Yuji. She also annoyed him with her constant attempts to have a longer conversation with him. It didn't help to keep telling himself that she was surely just being friendly. Admittedly, he didn't know what annoyed him more: when she tried to force a conversation on him or when she clung to Yuji.
They were almost at the dormitory, and Megumi was barely listening to the couple walking beside him. Okino was saying something that didn't interest him, and Yuji was laughing.
“Maybe we should do that again?” the young woman suggested. “Sayuri seemed to enjoy it, and I'd like to get to know you a little better.”
Was she fucking serious? Before Yuji could express his thoughts on the matter, Megumi spoke up and replied coolly, “I can do without a repeat.”
“Uh, what?” Yuji stammered, taken aback, and stopped dead in his tracks. The other two also stopped. “But Haru is right. You and Adachi...”
“Adachi isn't the problem,” he interrupted the pink-haired young man and shot a disparaging sideways glance at his girlfriend next to him. That was too much, Megumi's patience was at an end. There was no way he would survive another afternoon like this. He had to nip this idea in the bud immediately.
Okino just stared at him with wide, incredulous eyes. Yuji also seemed to need a moment to process what the former jujitsu sorcerer had just said.
“I'm out of this,” he reiterated his decision and left the two behind.
“Megumi...” Yuji began, and was about to go after him, but decided against it when he noticed a few tears running down Haru's cheeks.
“What did I do to him?” she asked, confused. “I just wanted to be nice and... Why does he hate me?”
“No, Haru, I'm sure he doesn't hate you. He...” Yuji tried to calm her down, but he didn't know what to say either.
“Didn't you see how he looked at me?” Her voice became frantic and more tears rolled down her cheeks. ‘I thought it was going well.”
“Haru,” Yuji said softly, taking her in his arms. “I'll talk to him, okay?” he offered. “Let's go for another walk around the block.” Then she would have some time to calm down. She sobbed quietly and he felt her nod slowly.
What on earth had gotten into Megumi? It was nothing new that he was sometimes a little gruff, but this had been downright mean.
---
It had taken Yuji quite some effort to calm Haru down again. Of course, not everyone she had met had been nice to her, but she had a hard time dealing with Megumi's rude rebuff. On the one hand, it was important to her that her boyfriend's best friend got along with her, and on the other hand, she simply didn't know what she could have done to him.
Yuji didn't know either. That was exactly why he was now standing in front of the black-haired student's door, banging on it energetically. He was really angry and he hoped for Megumi's sake that he would open. If he started ignoring him and avoiding him again, like he did during their last argument, then Yuji was sure that this time he would lose his temper. But the door opened and before Megumi even had a chance to react, Yuji pushed his way in and slammed the door behind him. Placing one hand on Megumi's chest, he roughly pushed the other young man through the small entrance area with the kitchenette into the room.
“Are you completely out of your mind? What the hell was that about?” Yuji hissed, jabbing his index finger into his counterpart's chest. Megumi brusquely brushed his hand aside, took a step back, crossed his arms and acted unimpressed.
“What that was about?” he asked back, fixing Yuji with narrowed eyes. “I was just being honest when I said I didn't want to do that again.”
“No, you were offensive and hurtful,” the pink-haired boy corrected him indignantly. “Haru didn't do anything to you, she was just trying to include you, and you made her cry for no reason. Do you think that's okay?”
Megumi pressed his lips together and remained silent.
“Are you god damn serious?” snapped Yuji. “I know you can be rude sometimes, but what you did earlier was totally unnecessary. So what...”
“Did you enjoy this double date? Did you have fun?” Megumi blurted out, catching Yuji off guard. It took him a moment to reply, “It was a bit awkward at first, but after that it was totally fine. What the hell is your problem?”
“Do I really have to repeat myself?” Megumi hissed.
“Haru? Haru is your problem?” Frustrated, Yuji ran his fingers through his hair and shook his head. “She was trying to strike up a conversation with you the whole time and wanted to show her interest in you. You didn't make it easy for her, by the way.” Now it was Yuji who crossed his arms across his chest in displeasure. He looked at his counterpart expectantly. “Haru was just being nice to you, and you're acting like a complete jerk.”
“And that's exactly the point,” Megumi retorted irritably. Not understanding what his friend was getting at, Yuji grimaced. Then he shook his head again in disbelief. Megumi couldn't possibly be serious.
“Are you trying to tell me you can't stand Haru because she's nice?” Overwhelmed, he raised his hands. “Sorry, Megumi, but that's too much for me. I really don't understand you right now. What's all this nonsense?”
The black-haired young man sighed audibly and rubbed the bridge of his nose between his thumb and index finger. “Honestly?” he asked resignedly.
“Yes, damn it!” Yuji roared, looking at him as if he had lost his mind. “I demand that you tell me honestly why you made my girlfriend cry!”
Okay, Megumi had to admit that hadn't really been his intention. Nevertheless, he had accepted that he might hurt her at that moment. It wasn't a smart move; he had undeniably behaved badly. He would worry about that later; for now, he had to give Yuji an explanation. It would probably be best to stick as close to the truth as possible – without mentioning his completely inappropriate feelings, of course. Yuji was already pissed off, and lying to him or evading the issue would only make him completely lose it.
“Well?” the sports student demanded impatiently. “Spit it out already.”
“I realise that Okino was just being polite,” Megumi began grumpily, “but I hate unnecessary small talk like the plague. I...” Yuji interrupted him and concluded, “So the dig in the café was intentional?”
Of course, Yuji hadn't missed that, Megumi thought to himself. Presumably, Yuji had simply dismissed it as a thoughtless remark at the time, which, to be honest, it had been. However, that didn't change the current situation, so the former jujitsu sorcerer decided to ignore the objection and continued instead, “It was bloody exhausting with her, and yes, I know she was just trying to be nice, but that's the point, Yuji. She's just nice, and that's all there is to it. There's nothing more to it than that.”
“That's a pretty harsh judgement considering it was your first time meeting her and you refused to have a proper conversation,” Yuji replied snidely. “I know you're not a fan of small talk, but you more or less avoided every topic she could have talked to you about. What's so bad about her being friendly?”
“Nothing's wrong with it.” Megumi raised his voice and paused briefly. He still hadn't quite recovered from the stress the date had caused him today, and discussing his earlier behaviour with Yuji was upsetting him. However, losing his temper again wouldn't do anyone any good.
“It's not bad that she's nice,” he repeated, trying to control himself. “But there's nothing more to it. She's like...” He searched for words. “She has no rough edges, no highs and lows. She's empty, flat.”
Yuji furrowed his brow. “What kind of nonsense are you talking about?”
“You wanted me to be honest, and I'm being honest with you right now,” Megumi replied. “Okino is nice and nothing else.”
“But at the same time, you're saying it's not a bad thing. Yet you're acting like it's unbearable,” Yuji accused him. “I don't understand you. How is that different from... I don't know, your sister, for example?”
“Tsumiki?” Megumi asked, and Yuji nodded. “Tsumiki is a very nice person, that's true. She has really annoyed me with that sometimes,” he admitted. God, his sister was really too forgiving and understanding at times. But Tsumiki was also incredibly strong-willed; she stood behind her convictions. She didn't bend over backwards for anyone, no matter who they were, and that was something he just didn't see in Okino. “The difference is that Tsumiki doesn't try to please everyone,” Megumi concluded. “With Okino, I get the impression that she tends to do that, and I can't stand people who don't stand up for themselves. She never expressed any different opinions on any topic, not even the slightest form of dissent. No matter who said what, she always expressed herself in a positive or neutral way. She had no opinion of her own. Not even about a film. She more or less nodded along to everything.”
Yuji was silent and let what he said sink in. Haru was generally rather reserved and quiet. Adachi, on the other hand, was much more assertive in that regard, but Haru wasn't like that. She was just a friendly person, and that was fine.
“Since we're being honest with each other,” Megumi drew attention back to herself, “can I ask you something completely honestly?”
“Yes,” Yuji agreed, rubbing his temples. He simply didn't know how to get on good terms with Megumi at the moment. However, an open, honest argument was still better than silence.
“What is it that you love about Okino?” Megumi wasn't sure if it was a good idea to ask this question, but he hoped that the answer might help him finally come to terms with his feelings. If he could understand, or at least somehow comprehend, Yuji's view of Okino, which must be very different from his own, then hopefully he could finally draw a line under it and be what he should have been all along for Yuji: his best friend. No more and no less.
But Yuji remained silent. As if by reflex, he opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out.
“I...” he finally began, but didn't continue his sentence and fell silent again. He seemed distraught and confused.
“Whatever the reason, Yuji didn't seem to want or be able to answer him at that moment, so after a few seconds that seemed like an eternity, Megumi broke the uncomfortable silence, “I apologise to Okino. For being mean to her.”
“Really?” Yuji didn't seem to have expected that.
The other shrugged resignedly. “You're right about that. I wasn't nice to her. Even if I don't like her, there's no reason to be rude.
“Wow, that's surprising,” Yuji admitted.
“I'm not apologising for what I said, just for how I said it,” Megumi clarified. They all had to live with the fact that he didn't like her, whether Yuji could understand that or not.
“That's okay, I guess,” Yuji said slowly. “I'll talk to Haru again in a minute.”
The friends looked at each other, a little perplexed, until Yuji finally said, “I'll be off then.”
Megumi nodded and sank down onto the edge of the bed after the door had closed. He had no idea if his explanation made any sense to Yuji, who didn't know about his feelings for him.
---
Yuji lay face down on his bed with his arms wrapped around his pillow. He had turned off the bedside lamp a while ago. Lost in thought, he stared at the dark wall behind his bed.
After talking to Megumi, he had texted Haru again. He hadn't told her everything, and he wouldn't when they saw each other next time. He had merely informed her that Megumi was ready to apologise to her for his inappropriate tone. That was all she needed to know. Her response was not long in coming: It's okay. I don't want to cause any trouble and I hope you're not arguing about it now.
Was that what Megumi meant when he said she wanted to please everyone? Was that what he didn't like about her? Was she just nice and nothing more? When they had their disagreement recently, Haru had insisted that they talk about it. On the other hand, during their discussion, she had given the impression that she was constantly worried that she might go too far with what she said. In the end, she had quickly swept the whole matter under the carpet. Okay, she tried to avoid conflict as much as possible, but did that make her “empty”?
She didn't have her own opinion. Was that true? Yuji couldn't remember her ever contradicting him. However, no critical issues had ever come up between them before – apart from his unacceptable behaviour towards her recently. That could have been a coincidence. He thought about it some more. As far as Yuji knew, Haru didn't go to the university gym without him, and when they were there together, she always followed his instructions. She had never said on her own that she would like to try a new piece of equipment or a different exercise. But maybe she just trusted his knowledge and experience?
Yuji closed his eyes. All of this could indicate that Megumi was right in his assessment, or it could all be coincidence. After all, they hadn't been together that long. They would surely discover more sides to each other. That was normal.
But the question that preoccupied him most was: what did he love about Haru? Shouldn't something come to mind right away? She was smart – after all, she was studying engineering – and pretty. She was calm and friendly, thoughtful and reserved. He couldn't think of anything negative to say about her. She was a pleasant person.
But were those the things he loved her for? Those were qualities that Megumi also possessed, at least in part, once you got past his prickly exterior, and qualities he liked in his best friend. He was also caring, attentive and helpful.
But what did he love?
He took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, trying to clear his head and focus on the question.
The first thing that came to mind was Megumi's smile, especially the small, barely visible one. It always felt as if it was meant only for Yuji and no one else. His face grew warm at the thought. Yuji sat up abruptly and rubbed his burning cheeks. His heart was pounding fast and hard against his chest.
That wasn't right, Megumi had no place in this. The question was what he loved about Haru, and he loved Haru. She was his girlfriend. He was with her because she was a lovable person. He loved her. Right?
Notes:
Yeah, well, I must admit, I feel a bit sorry for Okino – she has no idea what's going on.
But at least Yuji is slowly starting to realise something.What do you think?
anyaa13 on Chapter 1 Sat 24 Aug 2024 01:01PM UTC
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LibraryKitten on Chapter 1 Sat 24 Aug 2024 01:18PM UTC
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Nacty on Chapter 1 Tue 31 Dec 2024 06:04AM UTC
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LibraryKitten on Chapter 1 Tue 31 Dec 2024 08:40AM UTC
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Maihoo on Chapter 4 Wed 11 Sep 2024 04:23PM UTC
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yuji_enjoyer on Chapter 7 Fri 22 Nov 2024 02:51PM UTC
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LibraryKitten on Chapter 7 Sat 23 Nov 2024 05:41PM UTC
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stillwithdreah on Chapter 7 Fri 22 Nov 2024 07:30PM UTC
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LibraryKitten on Chapter 7 Sat 23 Nov 2024 05:51PM UTC
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hugz4woo on Chapter 9 Tue 21 Jan 2025 10:27PM UTC
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LibraryKitten on Chapter 9 Thu 23 Jan 2025 01:53PM UTC
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ulissie on Chapter 9 Mon 03 Mar 2025 09:18AM UTC
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LibraryKitten on Chapter 9 Mon 03 Mar 2025 08:28PM UTC
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yuji_enjoyer on Chapter 10 Tue 04 Mar 2025 12:41AM UTC
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LibraryKitten on Chapter 10 Tue 04 Mar 2025 05:29PM UTC
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Maria_20110 on Chapter 12 Tue 22 Apr 2025 03:13AM UTC
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LibraryKitten on Chapter 12 Wed 23 Apr 2025 05:07AM UTC
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wisteriaOwisp on Chapter 12 Sun 11 May 2025 11:53AM UTC
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LibraryKitten on Chapter 12 Sun 11 May 2025 05:59PM UTC
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wisteriaOwisp on Chapter 13 Sun 11 May 2025 10:00PM UTC
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LibraryKitten on Chapter 13 Tue 13 May 2025 05:56PM UTC
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HinamiLyza on Chapter 13 Mon 12 May 2025 06:56PM UTC
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LibraryKitten on Chapter 13 Tue 13 May 2025 05:58PM UTC
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Noemi_GD_170520 on Chapter 13 Tue 13 May 2025 01:30AM UTC
Last Edited Tue 13 May 2025 01:33AM UTC
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LibraryKitten on Chapter 13 Tue 13 May 2025 06:00PM UTC
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Kitsune5525 on Chapter 13 Sat 17 May 2025 03:35AM UTC
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LibraryKitten on Chapter 13 Sat 17 May 2025 01:29PM UTC
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