The day was finally here.
The Kyoto Sister School Exchange Event was lining the horizon with specialty banners, bright orange pylons and lush green fields exclusively set up for this year's challenges. Though you were thrown 10 years in the past, these games were laid precisely how you remembered them in 2018.
Two competitive events are held by the school during the first weekend of October. On Saturday, students wander through Jujutsu High's nature-reserve to exorcize curses to score points for their respective schools. Although Sunday's event is supposed to be ruled by lottery, it always ends up as individual battles.
Apparently Tokyo had an overwhelming victory last year. Satoru would say it was because of his 'crippling good looks,' though whether you'd believe his word or not, it didn't really matter. After all, things would be different this time. With the new school year came a bright new cast of loveable and hateable characters to the battlefront.
Take the new first years as an example.
At the Tokyo Branch came the respectable Yu Haibara, Kento Nanami, Kiyotaka Ijichi, and yourself.
But at the Kyoto Branch came... a less respectable Naoya Zen'in, a Kamo, and one other clanless soul.
With all participants considered, Tokyo had one too many. So, Ijichi graciously volunteered to sit the games out. He didn't seem all too disappointed with that outcome.
"Y/n-chan~," Satoru cooed before you. Bent over, the boy held one hand in his pocket as his other hand bounced a few taps on your nose. After yesterday, you were surprised he was able to jump back to his happy go lucky self. You were barely able to recover from the sudden whiplash of it all.
"I can't believe this is your first school event! Excited? Nervous? You know if you get too scared you can come run into my arms, right? Or would you prefer if I valiantly sweep you off your feet?"
"S-Satoru..."
You tried to keep your composure around your classmates, but your bright red cheeks quickly gave you away. "I'm fine. We talked about this, I'm stronger now! There's nothing to worry about."
"Then why are my eyes telling me you're scared out of your mind?" He still wore a playful smile, but you could hear the glimpse of concern peer through his voice.
Brushing your hair to the side, Satoru rested his hand on your cheek. Though you tried to glance away, you knew you were delaying the inevitable. Satoru was always able to read you like a book, but he always knew just what to say. "You'll do great! I'm just more scared of what'll happen if you do too well."
That was certainly not what you were expecting. It seems you both were concerned about two different things!
As a soft sigh parted his lips, Satoru awkwardly scratched his head. "We did the whole exclusionary contract thing, sure. But some clans aren't exactly known for playing fair. If you're too good, you may make it worth the risk for them to try and snag you away from me. Though I have no doubt you'd say no, I'd be more at ease if you weren't put into those types of situations. And since we can't tell friend from foe, it's risky."
Noticing you've been shriveling up in your own thoughts, Satoru wrapped his arm around your waist. You both understood that the event wasn't the only thing plaguing your mind.
"Are you ok?" Satoru asked, eyes woefully meeting yours. You defensively looked away.
With your gaze fixed on a distant window, you responded. "Of course. They stopped the more difficult training a week ago to let me naturally heal up. I'm good. Great, even!"
"Not that." Satoru responded solemnly. As his eyes adjusted to your awkward demeanor, he was finally able to put a finger on what was actually bothering you. "Naoya's on the other team."
Of course you tried to repress it, but the cat was out of the bag. From your distant gaze, you lowered your head to the floor as your hands fidgeted with the navy fabric of your uniform skirt.
"You don't have to compete, you know." Satoru continued. God was his stare suffocating. "We can swap in Ijichi- or hell we can do it with one less anyways. Now's the best time to drop out. Though my dad wouldn't like it, the less you put yourself out there the better it will be for us to lay low."
You knew he wasn't just saying that to make you feel better, either. Realistically, Satoru and Suguru alone would be enough to secure a win. But you didn't want to accept that outcome. The Kyoto Sister School Event was supposed to let you see how far you've come - not to let Naoya stomp all over you again. Throwing out all your hard work because of him would be a waste!
Looking up, your eyes finally met his as you clenched your fist around the rim of your skirt. "I'm stronger now. Remember?"
Though he was stone-cold before, the white haired boy cracked a smile. "I know. It's scary how strong you can be sometimes." But no matter how hard you tried, you couldn't tell if he was being genuine.
•~•
Gojo-sama was sitting in the spectator room, arms tucked firmly on his chest. This was rare. The Clan Head has never shown up to the Kyoto Sister School Exchange Event - even when his own son mutilated the games the previous year. His attendance alone was enough to spark some speculation.
But whispers aside, the reason for his sudden appearance was simple. He wanted to hear what type of chatter would be directed your way.
As the head of the Gojo Clan, it was his duty to maintain its reputation. And although he loves Satoru, he was the first to admit his son was problematic and for better or worse, spoiled rotten. Who knows how the clan will hold up under his name alone? But if he had someone to ground him, that would change the game. That's what he's hoping from you.
You're a good kid - naive for a Jujutsu sorcerer, but ultimately grounded in good values. If you were there to hold back the heir's anarchistic tendencies, he'd have no worries on his deathbed. For now, he needs to make sure you'll be a welcome addition to the clan. Akio's already warmed up to you, but who knows how everyone else would react. The only way to guarantee their respect would be through showing your worth as a Jujutsu Sorcerer.
And because of that, he needed to know what people were saying about you.
"Hey... did you hear about the time manipulation girl?"
"I've heard she isn't much to rave about. Can barely hold a fork, let alone her technique."
"No! No, I heard the complete opposite - she made it out of a Toji Zen'in assassination alive!"
"Could you imagine what would happen if a clan got ahold of it? At minimum it's first-grade worthy."
From what he's heard in past years, pregame discussions followed the stronger players. For example, last year's chatter was all speculation surrounding the two special grade boys of Tokyo. Though no one was able to predict that they'd turn a two day event into a one day beatdown, they were still foreshadowed to be the stars of the show.
But this year, they didn't get a single whisper. It seemed all of the discussions were centered on you. Though, it was only natural that the new sorcerer on the block was bound to draw more eyes.
But more eyes meant more problems.
Surely he wanted you to have some of the attention, but he didn't want you to stand out too much. Ideally, he wanted your performance to be above average. Still overshadowed by Satoru and Suguru's reign of terror, but no pressing flaws to be scrutinized for.
And so the clan head sunk into his seat, dozing off into a sea of his own deliberation. How the hell was this all going to turn out? But before he could formulate any answers of his own, something snapped him back into reality.
"Gojo," An old man smirked, the scent of booze so thick it was almost suffocating. Satoru's father didn't even have to spare a look to know exactly who it was.
"Naobito, drinking this early isn't good for your health. I don't want to have to sit next to Jinchi next year," He sneered, rolling his eyes to the other side of the room. Just the person he didn't want to see. He knew this was a possibility if it was Naoya's first year out, but he desperately hoped otherwise. After all, Naobito never showed up when his other sons participated.
"Oh, you shouldn't worry about that." hiccuped Naobito, taking a hearty swig out of the bottle firmly secured in his fist. "Naoya'll be the official heir to the Zen'in clan anyhow."
Old Gojo's eyes widened ever so slightly, before clenching his teeth to hide his reaction. There was a whole whirl of emotions going through the leader's mind, but the words fell off of his lips. "Don't you have two elder sons?"
Naobito only scoffed at their mention.
Brows knitting, the Gojo Clan Head did his best to hold his tongue. No matter his opinion on any of the Zen'in clan members, to officially name your youngest child the inheritor of the Zen'in estate was incredibly disrespectful.
"You favour Naoya." The words left the Gojo's lips begrudgingly.
"So what?" Naobito huffed back, "He's the only one of them worth my time. You're lucky Satoru was blessed with the ability he had first. If you had a second son born with limitless, your first would be left with nothing either way."
The Gojo Clan head went silent. Though he wanted to protest - there was no way he could. The leader of the Gojo clan is always the holder of six-eyes and limitless without fail. Wherever their order in birthright was never changed that simple fact.
It seemed that this was going to be a long, long day. A day he couldn't wait to be done with.