"Is everything okay between you and Fushiguro?" Nobara's question cut through the silence.
"Everything's great," you muttered.
"Did he try to kiss you or something?" Maki asked, half-joking yet curious.
"No."
Nobara and Maki walked alongside you, exchanging glances.
The crisp, cool air brushed against your cheeks as you and the others made your way to the local shrine for the first visit of the new year. As you approached, the scent of incense grew stronger, blending with the smell of street food from nearby vendors. However, despite the festivity, a certain uneasiness hung in the air—the tension between you and Megumi hard to miss.
"You guys totally missed out on the fireworks," Yuji interjected.
"Yeah, such a shame," Nobara replied. "We were just too tired."
"You missed them too, Yuji," you pointed out, as if he had forgotten that he had spent the whole night sleeping on the table.
"Yeah, I did," Yuji admitted, scratching his head. "Were they good? Did you guys see them?"
"No."
Yuji looked back at Megumi, who was walking a few steps behind. "What about you, Fushiguro? Did you catch the fireworks?" Megumi met Yuji's question with a silent, icy stare, confirming that something was definitely off.
"What's going on with you two?" Yuji asked, his eyes flicking between you and Megumi.
As you approached the shrine, the crowd thickened. Brightly colored lanterns hung from the trees, and laughter filled the air. Families in colorful kimonos, young couples, and groups of friends gathered to celebrate the first day of the new year.
"Let's draw our fortunes," Nobara suggested, trying to break the uneasiness.
Each of you took turns shaking the box and drawing a stick with a number that corresponded to your fortune at a nearby stall.
Yuji's face lit up as he read his fortune. "Great blessing! This year's gonna be awesome!"
Nobara rolled her eyes. "Small blessing," she read aloud. "Could be worse."
Maki, after reading her fortune, simply shrugged, not giving away whether it was good or bad.
When it was your turn, you shook the box and drew a stick. The crisp paper unfolded in your hands, revealing the characters for "Bad Fortune."
You've got to be kidding me, right?
Nobara peered over your shoulder. "Well, look at it this way, as if things could get any worse for you."
"A little bad luck is nothing for you!" Yuji chimed in.
Your lips twitched into a half-smile. "You guys are really something."
Yuta stepped forward to draw his omikuji next, pulling a slender stick from the box.
"Well, Yuta? What does it say?" Yuji asked eagerly, trying to peek over his shoulder.
Yuta turned the paper so everyone could see. "Good Fortune."
Nobara clapped her hands together. "See! That balances it out. Good and bad fortune in the group. We're set!"
Megumi was last. He shook the box and drew his fortune. His expression remained unreadable as he read the slip of paper. He didn't share what it said. You hoped it was positive.
Nobara then led the group towards the main hall of the shrine, where people gathered to offer prayers for the new year. But Yuta held you back. His hand around your wrist, his grip firm but not forceful. "Can we talk for a moment?"
You paused and turned to find Yuta's gaze locked onto you with an intensity that felt almost invasive. You felt a sudden knot from in your stomach. Talking was the last thing you wanted at that moment, but something in his expression suggested this wasn't a question to say no to.
You nodded and followed him as he led you away from the crowd. You began to walk along the snow-covered paths of the shrine. The stillness of the winter air only broken by the soft crunch of the snow beneath your feet.
After a few moments, Yuta finally broke the silence. "Have you ever heard of the prophecy of your family's clan?"
Wait.
What?
How did he know?
You turned to him, searching his face for clues.
"Gojo told me," he added quickly, his eyes briefly meeting yours before returning to the snow-covered path ahead.
Of course, he had. He told apparently everyone everything. Except you.
He never told you anything.
"The prophecy is just a myth," you replied. "Nothing but stories from a time long gone."
Yuta's expression remained serious. "It's said that the Fujiwara clan could either bring great prosperity or doom."
"The Fujiwara could do nothing. They were arrogant. They were greedy, and in the end, they were crushed by Sukuna. That's the reality," you said.
"Nevertheless, the Fujiwara clan was influential and powerful," Yuta continued, undeterred.
"But I'm not a Fujiwara. I have my father's name, who wasn't part of the clan. I have no connection to them."
"You carry their blood, their cursed technique. That's enough reason for people to be terrified," Yuta explained. "They believe you'll follow a path of destruction like your ancestors."
"You mean the higher-ups?"
"Yeah, they've set the bounty on your head."
You couldn't help but find that ironic. "They've put a bounty on the head of a person who couldn't even use that cursed technique they're so afraid of."
"Paranoia and greed for power blind them. In their eyes, your mere potential is a threat," Yuta continued.
"I know they're after me, Yuta," you said, stopping in your tracks.
"But you don't know the whole story," he also paused and turned to you. His expression grave. You waited for him to continue.
"It's true they put the bounty on your head, but before that, they've sent Gojo to kill you."
Your heart seemed to stop.
"What?" You exclaimed, the words escaping your lips louder than you intended, drawing the curious gazes of nearby onlookers. Yuta swiftly scanned the surroundings before gesturing for you to follow him again.
"Gojo was initially ordered to kill you because of your bloodline," he said again, as if it hadn't been clear the first time. "But he didn't, as you can see. Instead, he brought you to Jujutsu High."
"Why?"
He looked at you briefly, his eyebrow raised. "You know why."
Your mind raced. Yet your heart raced faster.
"From the moment you entered the school, Gojo took it upon himself to train you and put you under his personal protection. The higher-ups were furious, to say the least, and it didn't help that he threatened to burn the school down if anyone laid a hand on you. So in return, they limited his powers, suspended him, and cut off his resources."
"They wanted him gone," you whispered more to yourself than to Yuta.
Yuta nodded.
Wait.
Back then, when he distanced himself from you?
When he was suspended?
When he was worried about your relationship becoming public?
When he nearly went insane trying to help you control your cursed technique?
When he watched over you day and night?
It was all because—
"When you first lost control of your cursed technique, it triggered an uproar. Gojo assured the higher-ups that if you ever turned against them, he'd handle the situation himself. But as you can imagine, they had little trust in a man who had fallen in love. So instead, they set the bounty on your head, effectively making you a target for the entire world. I wouldn't be surprised if they also helped the mole in some way," Yuta continued.
Your stomach turned.
The thought of him fighting on so many fronts at once, while you struggled to get your shit together and learn to control your cursed technique, almost made you vomit. How stupid your problems seemed compared to what he had to deal with all the time.
And all you had done was accuse him of seeing ghosts in you—accuse him of not really loving you. When in fact, everything he did was out of love for you.
You had been angry at him for his secrets, his lies, his overbearing self. But now?
Now you couldn't be angry at him. Not anymore.
You missed him awfully.
Damn it, Satoru.
Why did he never tell you any of this?
"In short, they've turned the world against you, hoping that the problem would resolve itself without their direct intervention—without having to deal with Gojo specifically," Yuta explained as he came to a stop before the shrine.
Your thoughts had consumed you to the point that you hadn't even noticed that you had circled back to the shrine where the others were.
"With such a large bounty on your head, it was only a matter of time before alliances were formed. After all, your name is well known. And the Fujiwara clan had many enemies," Yuta added.
"So, that sorcerer who poisoned me back then—"
"He might have belonged to a rival clan of the Fujiwara," Yuta speculated.
"The clan is long dead. Why come after me now, after all these years?" you pondered aloud.
"Hate runs deep," Yuta simply replied.
As Nobara, Yuji, Maki, and Megumi emerged from the shrine, you caught sight of Nobara waving in your direction. You waved back at her over Yuta's shoulder.
"Why are you telling me all this, Yuta? I'm pretty sure Satoru specifically told you not to."
Yuta couldn't help but chuckle. "You're right, he did. But you know, Gojo has his own way of dealing with problems. He thinks he's protecting you by keeping you in the dark. But I'm pretty sure his way of dealing with things only leads to the two of you trying to kill each other at some point. I kinda like you, so I can't stand by and let that happen."
Your lips curved into a small smile. "Thank you, Yuta," you said as Nobara and the rest of the group caught up to you.
Nobara casually slung her arm around your shoulders. "What were you two talking about?" she asked with a playful tone.
"Nothing really," Yuta replied quickly.
Nobara raised an eyebrow at Yuta's response, clearly not buying it. She exchanged a curious look with Maki.
Yuji eventually spoke up. "I'm getting kinda hungry. Should we grab something to eat?"
Yuta nodded in agreement. "Sounds like a plan."
After leaving the shrine site and making your way towards the city, you walked along a quiet path, surrounded by the tranquility of the countryside. The snow-covered landscape stretched out before you, creating a serene backdrop.
Yuji's stomach growled audibly. "Man, I can't wait to eat."
Nobara rolled her eyes. "Yuji, we had breakfast barely two hours ago."
"Sounds like the perfect time for another—," Yuji begann but he was cut short.
In an instant, the atmosphere shifted. A shiver ran down your spine as you sensed his presence behind you. You turned, your eyes meeting an all too familiar face standing just a few feet behind you.
Before anyone could react, Yuta's hand snapped out, grabbing Jack by the nape of his neck and slamming his face into the ground. Megumi quickly pulled you behind him, standing protective in front of you.
Yuta drew his katana and let it hover dangerously at Jack's neck—ready to behead him at any second. Jack looked up, blood running freely down his chin. His nose had broken.
"I'm here to warn you, you bastards," Jack strained out, spitting a fragment of tooth onto the ground.
Megumi's eyes narrowed. "Warn us? About what?"
"I can help you," Jack insisted. "There's a group of special grade curses heading this way, led by someone named Mahito."
"Mahito?" Yuji repeated.
"Yeah, and more. If you don't leave now, you'll be overrun."
"Why should we believe a word you say?" Nobara cut in sharply.
"The curses," Jack gasped, struggling for breath under Yuta's force, "—they've allied with sorcerers who want her dead. They're coming for you, Fujiwara."
You couldn't help but flinch at the mention of your family name—all eyes suddenly on you.
"You're from to the Fujiwara clan?" Maki asked.
"I'm not," you quickly corrected. "I mean, not really."
"Why are you telling us this now?" Yuta's voice cut through, still focused on Jack.
"Because I've been betrayed," Jack spat. "Mahito gathered powerful curses and sorcerers under false pretenses. The curses don't want her dead; they want to use her for some fucked up plan."
"What plan?" you asked over Megumi's shoulder.
"They plan to use you to kill Gojo and release Sukuna."
The group fell silent.
"My clan was part of their alliance," Jack continued, "—but when we learned their true intent, we backed out. We wouldn't be mere pawns for these curses. They turned on us, attacked us. I barely managed to escape with my life. You can choose to believe me or not, but if you stay, you're all as good as dead."
Yuta hesitated for a moment, then slowly lifted his katana from Jack's neck.
Jack straightened up, wiping blood from his mouth. "You need to get out of here. I'm not sure if Gojo can make it in time. These curses and their sorcerer allies—they're not here for a fight. They're here for her," he nodded towards you.
"What? Wait—Satoru's coming?" you asked.
"I got word to him. Told him everything. But who knows if he'll make it in time."
"You're talking to Gojo?" Megumi asked. It seems as if he didn't know that himself.
"Yeah," Jack spat. "Turns out your lovely bastard of a teacher forced me to spy on my own people—used me against my own people."
You had to suppress the urge to slam his face down again for insulting Satoru.
"Listen, I don't like you. I want you dead," his voice hardened as he addressed you. "But believe me when I say I don't want to see Sukuna alive again." He pushed himself up, wincing slightly. "There's no time to waste. They'll be here soon."
Your blood suddenly ran cold. You turned and frantically scanned your surroundings, panic gripping your heart. You felt an overwhelming presence heading your way, a distant rumbling that grew louder and louder, each thud echoing through the air.
"What's that?" Nobara asked.
Your breath caught in your throat, a cold sweat breaking out across your skin.
Fuck.
"It's Mahito," Yuji said. His fists clenched at his sides.
"You need to leave. Now," Jack coughed.
"We can't just run," Maki said. "We should fight."
"No, the risk is too high. We have no idea what we're up against," Megumi interjected, his hand searching for yours as he spoke. You took it, his fingers gently intertwining with yours as he pulled you closer to him.
Maki took a challenging step towards Megumi. Her eyes flashed. "So we retreat like cowards?"
Yuta stepped forward between them. "There's a place we can go. One of Gojo's hideouts—it's off the grid, hardly known to anyone."
"What? Gojo has a damn safe house?" Nobara interjected.
"Yeah," Yuta confirmed. "It's secluded, protected by barriers. We can regroup there and plan our next move."
Megumi's brow furrowed. "How do we know Gojo will be there?"
"Gojo ordered me to head there if anything went wrong. I'm sure he'll be there," Yuta said.
Of course, Satoru had a plan. He always does. Satoru was always in control.
But wait.
"They're after me," your voice cut sharply through the chaos. "I'll go there. Alone. The rest of you should head back to Jujutsu High."
Nobara was quick to object. "You can't be serious! We're coming with you!"
"Nobara, I can't drag you all into this again. Please, for once, just—listen to me."
"We can't just leave you here—"
Yuta cut off Nobara's words. "She's right. The less we are the better our chances we won't get caugth. Kugisaki, Zenin, Fushiguro, Itadori—head back to the school. I'll go with her."
You turned to Yuta. "You too, Yuta. You should go with them." But the look he gave you told you that Satoru had most likely ordered him to stay by your side.
Nobara opened her mouth to argue, but you cut her off. "Please, Nobara." She frowned, but nodded reluctantly.
Suddenly, a deep rumbling vibrated through the ground. Your gaze dropped to your feet, where cracks appeared in the snow-covered earth. The air thickened in an instant, each breath becoming more torturous.
Your gaze locked with Megumi's. "You need to go with them."
"I'm not leaving without you," he insisted, almost crushing your hand in his grip.
Yuta's eyes darted towards the direction of the increasing rumble. "We need to move, now," he urged.
Frustration and fear surged within you. "Megumi, please, you must. Keep them safe for me." But his hold remained unyielding.
"Fushiguro, we're out of time!" Maki shouted, already retreating with the others.
"I'll never forgive myself if anything happens to you," Megumi said, his expression torn.
"I know, and I love you for it," you said, your voice trembling. "But you have to go. Now."
Still, Megumi's grasp held firm.
The distant sounds of chaos drew nearer. Time was running out.
Words were useless.
You stepped closer to Megumi, your heart pounding in your chest. Without a word, you leaned in, taking his face in your hands, and kissed him. His body tensed in shock, his eyes widening. His lips felt so soft against yours. You never imagined what kissing him would feel like, but it was definitely better than you could have ever imagined.
Megumi's initial shock gave way to an intense response, his lips moving against yours with a craving you hadn't anticipated. Nor did you expect his lips to fit yours so well. His hands found their way to your waist, pulling you closer, fingers digging into your back, as if afraid that this moment might slip away. You almost lost yourself in his embrace.
Just as his tongue threatened to deepen the kiss even further, you focused again. You forced yourself to break away, fully aware that you wouldn't be able to resist him—or that you didn't want to.
Your eyes met his. "I love you, Megumi. But sometimes you're such an idiot," you whispered softly. With a quick, precise motion, you applied a distinct pressure to the carotid artery in his neck. Megumi's eyes fluttered, and his body went limp, succumbing to unconsciousness in your arms.
"Yuji, can you help me out here," you called out. Yuji quickly approached, hoisting an unconscious Megumi onto his shoulders. Turning to Yuji, you added, "Tell him I'm sorry."
Yuji raised an eyebrow. "Since when can you do that?"
"It's not really the time for explanations, Yuji," you replied shortly. "No go."
With a nod, Yuji, with Megumi over his shoulders, joined the others who were about to leave the site.
You turned away, the lingering taste of Megumi's kiss still on your lips. With a heavy heart, you cast one last glance back at him. Your chest tightened. The cold air burned your cheeks, but the pain of leaving him behind was far more agonizing.
You followed Yuta through the winding paths, his movements swift and sure. Somehow, you couldn't shake the feeling that Yuta had known what would happen all along.
That Satoru had known what would happen all along.