A/N: Hi there! Thank you all for the comments and kind compliments. I'm glad everyone loves this story as much as I do. I love reading your comments on all the parts that caught your attention and am soooo glad Wattpad finally has the 'like' heart button for comments already. 3

Wishing all of you well, happy, and safe, wherever you are in the world.

Enjoy~


79. Arrived

The trip was quicker than they have thought.

Maguro was especially miffed that she had napped half of the way there, and more so at herself for napping on Inumaki without her even realizing it.

She had Nullified him so that he could have fun with the rest of their friends, and they could all talk and joke and tell off one another's embarrassing life event or something. But she had napped. Had NAPPED! ON HIM! LIKE A BABY KOALA!

AND BECAUSE SHE NAPPED ON HIM, HE DIDN'T GET TO HAVE THE TALKS AND THE JOKES AND THE FUN IN THE VAN-

"I like it when you nap on me," Inumaki said to her, breaking her chain of thoughts entirely while scratching the back of his ear bashfully. He knew they're turning red right now out of embarrassment, but he just couldn't get over it even though Maguro is already his girlfriend. Confessing to a girl about stuff like these really isn't his forte, and he knew wasn't really good at it.

But when he saw Maguro's smile widens like a new light bulb, he knew he had said the right thing this time.

Sweet Maguro. So easy to appease. On some other time before this, he would have thought that this is a good thing, to have a girlfriend so sweet like Maguro.

But just then, Itadori had blurted out in the trip while she napped on Inumaki and said, "Maguro-senpai is so easily impressed, right? So, does that mean she'll follow people home if they drop a trail of candies behind them?"

The giggles and laughters stopped, plunging the travelling vehicle in a deathly silence.

Fushiguro snapped his head from the view outside the window. Gojo sort of snorted awake at the sound of Itadori's innocent question. Panda and Maki stopped their card games and stared at Itadori.

The whole bus went quiet. The red alert went off like nobody's business in everyone's mind.

And all of them thought immediately about the 'creep' in Kyoto's side.

Who had sung praises about Maguro to the high heavens and delights himself by being in her presence and inching closer to her.

And closer.

And closer still.

And that all of them in Kyoto now knew how Maguro can be easily appeased and bribed by sweets.

They looked at each other, and silently nodded to themselves. Maguro is to be protected. At all costs. And not to be left alone ever.

Given the chance and the type of personality Maguro has, she would really follow the trail of candies back to the witch's hut.

Everyone made sure to give Itadori a pat at the back as thanks for the reminder that they must take care of their own. Itadori had shyly laughed and scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

And in no time, they've arrived.

"Is this your house, Inumaki-senpai?" Yuuji, ever the enthusiastic teenager from the city, marveled with wide eyes and an expanded mouth width at the sight of the grand wooden entrance gate. He even took the time to take a few steps back to marvel at the large tree shading over the wooden entrance gate with both his hands up, as if measuring it with how far his hands could stretch, finding the maple tree growing outwards a marvelously beautiful tree to behold in front of such a grand entrance gate.

And the walls.

Wao

The walls.

These should be spanning along the rest of the road stretch like…forever. The whole quarter of Japan even! He couldn't even see the end!

"Yes," Inumaki said with a smile, still finding the notion of him speaking out loud for real hard to believe. It takes time to get used to it, and Maguro smiles widely and nodded her head at him rapidly, encouraging him to go on. "It's bigger inside. This is just the front entrance. I like the side entrance more. Its near my Hall and the Wisteria Garden, the one I've been meaning to show Maguro, but everyone is waiting at the front entrance for some reason this time-"

"It's because you told them you're bringing your girlfriend over," Gojo pipped in happily, joining in on the excited vibe Yuuji is giving off, slinging one arm over the Sukuna Vessel's shoulder. Trust the boy to be this excited over a grand house. He hasn't seen the Gojo manor yet!

At that comment, Maguro snapped her head towards Inumaki. He flushes hard this time.

Bless his fair translucent skin for showing this much red on his face.

"I…did," Inumaki said carefully, not wanting to scare Maguro further. He thought that it is best to just let it happen on its own without her needing to fuss over herself or how she looks. "But I only told mother and father-"

"And I can hear a crowd behind those doors," Gojo chuckled gleefully behind a fist. He can't wait to see what happens next when the door opens. "Bet they had the entire clan gathered around to see who was the girl that stole the heir of the Inumaki clan's heart. And it's just 2 more months to go for your long-awaited heir ceremony."

Inumaki's hands start to tremble. Gojo wanted to guffaw out loud but is willing to give Inumaki Toge some shred of dignity in front of his girlfriend. These kids are too cute! Too cute! Gojo sighs happily.

He now knows that he will never – ever – regret choosing to be a teacher.

And what tops all these off to be even funnier, is that Maguro has also started to tremble like a leaf.

"Really?" Yuuji's eyes widened in excitement. Can his eyes widen even more? Probably. He had Suku-fukin-na in him. "Wow! This must be so exciting for you eh, Maguro-senpai?"

"Pink, stop talking," Maguro muttered nervously.

"Ahahaha! Haha- eh- what?" Yuuji had initially laughed at Maguro's initial reaction. She was nervous too. But calling him 'pink' is taking it too far. Was she laughing at his hair colour?

"Stop talking please, Pink," Maguro took a deep breath and said them in one go.

"Why am I suddenly 'Pink'?" Yuuji questioned her with his brows knitted together. As far as he understands, Maguro-senpai isn't the type that give her friends nickname.

And they are friends…right?

…right?

Sukuna scoffed inside him and muttered, kids.

Maguro then realizes what she had actually said to him and covered her face, mortified with the revelation. "I'm so sorry. I-I forgot your name just now!"

Gojo had to slap one hand on his thigh when he laughed at this. That's it. He's going to stay rooted with them here at the Inumaki's manor the whole stretch of the holiday no matter what happens. Hearing them all bantering around like this is just too much fun!

He must make it a mission to scare Maguro more. She's funny when she's panicky.

Yuuji dropped his jaws incredulously. "You forgot my name!? How could you-"

"I panicked, okay?" Maguro exclaimed. "I-I mean…" she turned to look at Inumaki, and she paused for a while.

That one second pause while she looked into his eyes is enough time for Inumaki to understand the dilemma she is in right now and heard her quick thoughts.

"I know you're scared, Maguro," Inumaki started, his eyes looking at her kindly but at the same time, he is a little mortified as well by what he had heard from her thoughts, "-but my name is Inumaki Toge, not Toto-san."

So, she forgets names when she's in a panic, but forgetting his too is just a little too much.

That sets off everyone laughing in the group.

Gojo holds his stomach in pain and howled alongside Panda and Maki, all while leaning on the van for support and watching Maguro flapping both her hands uselessly in the air as she tried to reign in the situation. Megumi laughed incredulously at the trio and how things turn out.

This, Gojo thought to himself as he laughed at Itadori's whines on Maguro being forgetful of names as she apologized profusely to both him and Inumaki Toge. This holiday is going to be so much fun!