Chapter 5

Back at the school.

He let out a rather content sigh.

For the first time in a while, he had the place to himself. Fushiguro was rather pleased with the silence, he was able to have a nice quiet night.

"HEY MEGUMI!"

Then again…

He sighed aloud as Gojo sensei came into the room, he peered about but looked rather confused. "Where is everyone?" he asked.

"Yuuji went out earlier, Nobara too, Suiryu went to follow Nobara…" he muttered and went back to the book he was reading.

"Ah, so everyone had plans but you. So… What do you want to do?" Gojo asked as he leaned on the table with a curious look.

"You're looking at it," he muttered and sipped on his tea. "I finally get some quiet around here, I'm not about to waste it."

"Boring!" Gojo announced. "Come on, there has to be something fun to do tonight. You can't be that big of a stick in the mud. I mean… Suiryu… who came from SUKUNA, is out having FUN!" he protested. "You are going to let him outdo you in that?"

"Whatever," he muttered and went back to the book once more.

Yet Gojo was quick to take it away and toss it. "Come on Fushiguro, let's you and I head out and have some fun!" he decreed. "I mean, I did a while ago with Yuuji and Suiryu… as weird as it is to say that. That fashion party was interesting… but the girls I walked out with got old really fast."

"I never thought you would be a player…"

"No, they seriously got old really fast. One moment they are babes, next thing, they were sixty! Must have had an anti-aging jujutsu casted on then, and their source ran out…"

He shuttered at the thought of that.

"Sensei, I just want to stay in." he sighed aloud.

"Man, you really don't like to get out, do you? Such a party pooper…"

Gojo began to walk out of the room, however Fushiguro knew not to trust the silence and sat there waiting twenty minutes or so. He finished his tea long ago, but still didn't believe that his night would be left to himself. When he felt safe, he stood up from his seat and retrieved his book, yet as his back turned, he felt a hand come on his shoulder. "One quick trip!"

"Sen…."

The next thing he knew, he was on the outskirts of Tokyo.

"Sei…" he muttered as he finished his word.

Looking about, there appeared to be a street festival going on. "Come on, it's gonna be fun!" Gojo called out. "You can't be cooped up inside, especially after what happened. Get some fun in! Besides, I need your help,"

He was suddenly getting worried. "My help?"

Gojo began to go down an alleyway, he waved over Fushiguro who followed him with caution… until he sensed it.

The curse energy.

"Wait, he didn't…" he muttered.

The moment he stepped into the alleyway, he froze at the sight.

The nine curse wombs stood in the shadows, wearing masks and kimonos for the event. "TADA!" Gojo announced. "We are going to show the brothers a good time!"

He felt the blood rush out from his face. He seriously brought them to a festival? "Uh… sir…" one said meekly.

"Oh no, no sir. It's Gojo," he stated. "I heard a lot about you from Yuuji, Junpei right?"

Junpei…

Fushiguro paused as he recalled the days after Yuuji came back after everyone assumed he was dead. He spoke in his sleep, kept saying 'Sorry Junpei, I am so sorry…' over and over again.

Is this the same person he spoke of?

"So, why are we here?" asked the largest.

"To have some fun, this is a street festival, it's a great place for families and staff. And since you guys are brothers, I thought you would want to experience it. They got some great food, if you want to try something, let me know and we will make a buffet."

"Sensei… you seriously brought them to a festival to have fun?" Megumi asked.

"Yep, and there's nine of them, so you get to help me."

He was tricked once more, but also never had a say to begin with. He sighed aloud and reluctantly agreed. Their markings were covered up for the most part, the masks hid any odd features on their faces. Junpei opted to go without a mask himself as his face was still remarkably human.

"Okay boys, stick with me, and let me show you around!"

As they walked on ahead, Megumi followed up from the rear but noticed Junpei was lingering and waiting for him. "Hey… you're Yuuji's best friend right?" he asked.

He was taken aback by the question. "I don't know if I am his best friend, but I am his friend…"

His hand reached out. "I'm Junpei, nice to meet you."

He smirked and shook. "Megumi Fushiguro,"

He nodded as they made their way out of the alley. Junpei hung back as the brothers took it all in. Their eyes were wide as they appeared like children basking in the aw of the lights and activities. "Brothers…" the largest said aloud.

"Yeah…" they muttered back.

Gojo snapped them back to reality with a quick clap of his hands. "Now, proper festival edict is to look over everything at least once," he decreed. "Once you get an idea as to what there is to offer, you can circle back and pick out what you desire. Sounds good?"

The brothers were a little concerned. "Why are you doing this?" Eso asked, but his tone was untrusting of Gojo before him.

"Eso!" Junpei scolded. He came before the brothers. "He wants us to experience family activities… as a family." He explained. "My mom would take me to these at times, there are games, food and sometimes prizes to win," he said. "For the moment, take it all in, look around and then we can go back and see if there is something you want to try. None of you had a chance to do this, so, let's make it a fun night. It's also a great way to bond as brothers too. It's nice of Gojo sensei to do this, isn't it?"

They froze to his words but nodded. "I never thought of it that way…" Eso said offhandedly. "Little brother is right, also he would know more about this than us, very well, led the way Gojo!"

Despite how they looked, they fit in rather well with the masks and costumes of the people. Many approached them fearlessly asking for pictures in which they happily agreed to.

Megumi rolled his eyes to it all as they began to act like Yuuji. If something fascinated them, they called the others over to see. They were wide-eyed and rather playful to this. "God, it's like there's eight of them…" he muttered.

Junpei snickered. "Yeah, they all got a little bit of Itadori in them, it's to be expected though"

Megumi paused. "No one told us how they came about…" he said offhandedly.

Junpei smirked. "I don't think you really want to know the answer to that, also, Suiryu is suggesting we don't say it out loud, or it may 'inspire' those listening in." he whispered. "But just know we are in debt to Yuuji, if it weren't for him, we wouldn't be here."

He wouldn't push it any farther. So instead, Fushiguro tried to enjoy himself.

He and Junpei would talk about Yuuji and how they met, he also learned why Itadori muttered what he did in his sleep. When he learned the truth, it made all the more sense in his mind. "I still can't believe I took the words of a curse over him… I just met both of them for about the same amount of time and still…"

Fushiguro nodded. "When one is in pain, they gravitate towards what they believe will stop it. That curse offered an easy way to deal with it… and you end up paying dearly in the end…"

"Tell me about it," Junpei muttered, but then he smiled. "As weird as it is, I don't mind being like this." He said offhandedly. "I mean… my brothers are interesting, they are all different and yet… they all care for each other and for me as well. I just hope I return that feeling to them."

He listened on as Junpei explained how his life has changed since becoming part of the curse wombs, all the while keeping a close eye on his older siblings…

#

The first tour was done, Gojo paused then he asked. "What would you like to go back for?" he asked aloud.

"FOOD!" they cheered.

"My kind of people."

Junpei snickered aloud. He was happy to see his brothers happy, it almost felt right in a sense.

It felt like they were truly a family.

As he laughed though, he felt a tear trickle down his eye. Junpei quickly cleared it, but paused realizing he was crying blood. "Oh no…" he whispered.

Before anyone could see, Fushiguro was there and had a tissue cleaning it up. "First time that happened?" he asked.

Junpei nodded. "Sorry, and thanks…"

He only got a nod. "Just watch your emotions, it's easier said than done huh?"

Junpei paused but smiled. "You sort of remind me of him… Yuuji, just a lot more mature."

Fushiguro turned his back. "Is that so…" he said offhandedly, but didn't say anything more after that.

The festival was far more fun than he realized. Junpei won a lot of prizes, especially those that were testing his strength. He got a new iPod for one of his victories! His brothers were not to be outdone either. Eso got the biggest plush bear he has ever seen. Sho won a dumpling eating contest, Tanso caught the biggest fish in a fishing game, winning a rather large toy himself.

The triplets Noranso, Kotsuso and Shouoso all got prizes as well, gift certificates of all things!

They ate well and had a good time. Gojo himself got in on the fun, in the end, they finished the night off with a family picture.

As they headed back to the school, Gojo turned and said. "You are some fun guys!"

"We never have been to something like that before… it was rather nice," said Sanso. "Do they do things like this often? Humans that is,"

"There are festivals for various things, I don't know what this one was about, but it was celebrating something! Hey, we ought to take you guys out when it's new years."

Junpei's eyes sparkled. "Oh man that would be amazing! They have a fireworks display and everything!"

"Fireworks?" the brothers asked.

"You remember when Suiryu sent a bunch of curses into the air and then blew them up. Like that, less gory and a lot more pretty." Gojo explained. "Right Fushiguro?"

He only got a nod out of him. Junpei smirked as Megumi was walking with a plush wolf under his arm. Sanso won it, but gave it to him as a token of thanks.

"We better head back home ourselves. Gojo sensei…" Junpei lowered his head, his brothers followed. "Thank you for tonight." He said with great sincerity.

"I had fun, and you guys are cool in my books! Right Fushiguro?"

He kept silent, but merely nodded to the brothers. "Thanks… for tonight," he said.

As the two left, Junpei turned to his brothers, who were looking down upon him with smiles on their faces. "Brother's friends are all right," declared Shouoso.

He nodded in agreement. "Yeah, they are. Let's go home."

"I have to try out those recipes I got, food on a stick tastes remarkably good…" Eso said offhandedly.

As they ventured back home, Junpei looked down and stared into it. The family photo they took. It has to be his most favorite prize of the night…