𝐑𝐄𝐅𝐋𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒; 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐢 𝐱 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

Hot Summer Nights, Mid July

The heat from a week ago still radiated around the corners and roundabouts of Jujutsu Tech, blasting everyone who stepped outside with a gust of hot air right in their faces as soon as the door swung open. The hallways, rooms and corridors were starting to heat up as well, from climate change and global warming the air unit would have to start running faster sometime soon.

In the breezeway, which certainly lacked a breeze, you stood in front of one of the numerous vending machines, sliding in your money and watching your drink fall through the slot. You bent down, grabbing it while you heard tidbits of a conversation going on between two people; you couldn't care less, it was much too hot to worry about who might walk in on you savoring a sprite to yourself.

"Hatake-senpai? What're you doing here?" Megumi asked, stopping with Nobara next to him and watching you chug your sprite. You finished with a loud gasp for air, your chest rising and falling rapidly.

"What's it look like?" You look at the both of them with narrowed eyes, looking between them with a piercing gaze as the bags under your eyes became more prominent. "What're you doing here?"

"Maki-san asked us to run errands for her," Nobara answered, eyeballing the vending machines. You stepped back a few yards, giving them the space to grab what they needed. You narrowed your eyes a little more, taking note of the fact Nobara and Maki are already on first name basis instead of Kouhai and Senpai. It wasn't visible, but it was irksome (and a little jealous enticing).

"Hm? What are you doing here, Zenin-senpai?" Megumi asked, looking away from Nobara and at a pair standing at the opposite end of the breezeway. You looked away from your almost empty sprite and found Mai, the one of the two you recognized, standing with her arms crossed and an unamused look on her face.

"Huh? Did you say Zenin?"

"They're twins," you muttered, your eyes staying glued to Mai. "The other one goes to Kyoto."

"I guess they do seem a little similar," Nobara commented, looking at Mai with narrowed eyes and a suspicious expression.

"Don't call me that, Fushiguro-kun. You make me sound the same as Maki."

"If you're only here to pester us, then go back to Kyoto."

Megumi frowned, still looking at Mai as Nobara looked at him while Mai kept her gaze on you. Your eyebrows knit, your jaw clenching as her sharp gaze almost pierced right through your eyes.

"So these are the pinch hitters for Okkotsu and the third years?" A voice - masculine - asked as it stood next to Mai, their height difference noticeable as he was probably over 6'0 and Mai's still 5'7. The man looked between Megumi and Nobara, still not seeming to notice your presence.

"Anyways, we came here with the principal because we were worried about you," Mai finally tore her gaze away from you and looked at the other two. "Your classmate died, right? How was it? Was it rough? Or did you not think anything of it?" She looked back at you with an unimpressed look on her face, her eyes finally resting and her lips pursing into a small frown.

"What are you trying to say?" Megumi asked, earning her attention once again. She looked at him, sighed, then shrugged. "It's alright, some things are hard to say out loud, so I'll say it for you. 'Vessel' makes it sound nice, but it just means he was a half-cursed monster. Having such a tainted inhuman being inside him, brazenly calling himself a Jujutsu sorcerer must've been revolting, right?"

"That doesn't automatically turn someone to shit," you finally spoke up once again, earning a sharp glare from her. "I know he was a good person."

"Honestly, I don't see what part you have in this conversation," she frowned, still looking at you while the other first years looked at her. "Mind your own business, stay in that shadow over there. We'll talk when I find the interest."