Coco: Hey, guys, I'm back with chapter 3 of Smiling Sorcerer. Where Nobara will be introduced to the group. It's not exactly going to be a good start, but...maybe they'll work things out eventually, right?

Anyway, shall we get started?


Eiji hummed to herself as she sat between Megumi and Yuji on the railing. She had one earbud in and was weaving her dark hair into a loose fishtail braid to have something to do.

"How can there only be four first years?" Yuji asked in between eating his popsicle. "That's practically nothing."

"Think about it," Megumi said. "Can you honestly say you've ever met someone else who sees curses?"

Yuji seemed to think about it for a second as Eiji finished braiding her hair while leaving it laying over her shoulder.

"Huh, guess not." Yuji said.

"That's because Jujutsu Sorcerers…they're rare." Megumi explained.

"Besides the remaining clans of sorcerers, you won't find many others anywhere." Eiji added. "Some of the old clans are even dying out. And it means a lot more work on those of us who are around."

Megumi sighed because that was the truth. Satoru received missions often and would probably get assigned even more if he wasn't a teacher. Though he tended to pass them off on others if he can get by with it.

"You said I'm the fourth first year?" Yuji inquired.

"The other's admission was decided a while ago." Megumi explained. "You know what our school's like. Everyone has unique circumstances."

"Yeah, some are scouted, some are born into it. Whatever it is though, everyone has their own situation they're dealing with. Eiji said. "Megumi and I were basically scouted when we were really young actually. By Satoru. Though I would have been sent to Jujutsu High either way. Megumi too actually."

Yuji tilted his head wondering why she thought they'd be at the school either way if not for Satoru. He never heard of the place until his run-in with Megumi. So, he wondered how those outside of sorcerer clans were scouted; the boy not knowing his two classmates actually were from sorcerer clans.

"Really?" Yuji asked.

Eiji nodded with a smile before pulling out her phone and scrolling for a few seconds. She then showed the screen to Yuji who looked at the photo she pulled up. It was a picture of her, Megumi, and Satoru at the front gate to the school. Satoru was crouched behind the two, who looked to be in grade school then, and was putting bunny-ears behind their heads. Eiji had a wide smile on her face as she was holding onto Megumi's hand while said boy looked like he'd rather be someplace else.

"So, you guys have known each other a long time, huh," Yuji commented.

"Nearly a decade." Eiji said happily. "To me Megumi and Satoru are family, and since joining us, you're a part of that family now too, Yuji."

She ruffled his hair as she spoke, and the boy smiled at her words as Megumi sighed. Though his lips were turned up ever so slightly.

"Sorry for the wait," Satoru said as he joined the group.

Eiji jumped down from the railing as she put away her phone and earbuds. She glanced around wondering if Satoru had run into the new student but didn't see anyone with him.

"Oh, your uniform made it in time." Satoru said to Yuji.

"Yeah, it fits great." Yuji said then touched his collar. "Though I noticed it's slightly different than Fushiguro's. Mine has got a hood."

Satoru, who looked a bit proud of himself, grinned looking pleased that Yuji had brought up the difference.

"That's because the uniforms can be customized upon request." Satoru said. "Like, Eiji's uniform."

He gestured to said girl, who playfully struck a pose and did a twirl, as she stood in front of her two classmates. Now that Yuji actually paid attention, he realized Eiji's uniform didn't look that close to any school uniform he's ever seen. Her uniform jacket was longer in the back and fell to partially cover her rear and it flared out slightly. She also had a hood attached to her jacket like Yuji. And instead of a skirt, she was wearing shorts that stopped about mid-thigh with long, white socks that stopped just above her knees and black boots.

"Eiji isn't a fan of skirts, so we went with these shorts." Satoru said. "And to keep her weapon concealed we made the jacket longer in the back. I also made a few modifications myself when putting in her request. Like the hood."

He pulled up said hood for show before letting it drop over Eiji's head causing her to laugh in amusement.

"But I never put in any requests." Yuji said as Eiji put her hood down once more.

"You're right," Satoru said. "I'm the one who put in the custom order."

"Oh, well cool." Yuji said.

He didn't seem bothered either way. Though he never went to a school that had such customizable uniforms.

"Be careful." Megumi warned. "Gojo has a habit of doing that kind of stuff."

"You mean like when he put in the special order for your first uniform, Megumi?" Eiji teased between giggles as she poked his chest.

Megumi gave her a look while not even wanting to think of that stupid uniform Satoru had ordered for him. He then caught her hand to stop her poking as he looked to Satoru.

"So, why are we meeting up here in Harajuku?" Megumi asked.

"Because that's what she asked for," Satoru replied. "She should be around here somewhere."

Though as he was speaking, Eiji was already getting bored. She wasn't good at sitting around for too long.

"While we wait, Satoru, you mind if I got grab something to eat really quick?" Eiji asked. "I saw a crepe stall not too far away."

"Oh, that sounds good." Yuji said grinning.

Satoru chuckled at the pair as they looked up at him with hope in their eyes and smiles on their faces.

"I don't see why not." He said. "Just don't go running off too far."

"We won't." The two said in unison.

Eiji then looked to Megumi, who still had her hand in his, and before he could decline, she was dragging him along with them.

"I didn't say I wanted to go." He informed her.

"Yeah, well, it's your own fault for not letting go of my hand," Eiji said as she gave his hand a squeeze. "Besides, you don't want Yuji and I to get lost, do you?"

"Yeah, Fushiguro, I've never been here before," Yuji said. "I could get lost."

Megumi frowned at the both of them though didn't resist as he was pulled along. As Yuji and Eiji spoke excitedly about what kind of crepes they were going to get, Satoru watched them go while shaking his head fondly.


"And why did you buy four of those?" Megumi asked as he eyed the crepes in Eiji's hand.

Yuji had his own and was already eating on it along with some popcorn he decided to purchase as well. He also bought an excessively large pair of sunglasses that spelled out the word rook. Megumi didn't even want to ask

"I bought one for me, one for Satoru, one for our new classmate to welcome her, and one for you, of course." Eiji said. "I know you don't like a lot of sweets, so I got you the matcha flavor since it shouldn't be as sweet as the others and with chestnuts and kiwi."

She held it out to the boy, who thanked her, as he took it since it was nice of her to think of him. He then looked to the two in which he knew were hers and Satoru's since he saw the extra brownie toppings and large amount of caramel drizzle and whip cream. He shook his head at the sight.

"You two might not be related, but you definitely inherited Gojo's sweet tooth." Megumi commented as Eiji bit into hers.

Eiji just hummed happily as she licked away some of the whip cream. Yuji seemed just as pleased with his as the three teens started making their way back to Satoru.

"Here let me help you carry those." Megumi offered as he took one of the crepes off of her.

She looked as if she was going to drop them a second ago, and he knew if she did, she'd pout about it for sure. She thanked him as she allowed him to take the one meant for their new classmate. As they returned to Satoru, Megumi took a bite of his own while guessing it wasn't so bad for something sweet. And he never thought matcha and kiwi would ever go well together, but they actually complimented each other a bit.

"Satoru, I grabbed one for you while we were there." Eiji said while holding out the crepe to the white-haired man.

Satoru's face lit up as he took the sweet treat from Eiji before taking a big bite from it.

"Thanks," he said after swallowing. "You even got extra brownies."

"Well, duh." Eiji said. "They make it even better."

Satoru laughed at that as Megumi finished his off quickly, so to throw away the wrapper. As Satoru and Eiji discussed favorite toppings, Megumi happened to look across the street with Yuji to spot a girl wearing one of their school uniforms.

"Hey, that her?" Megumi asked getting Satoru's attention.

He and Eiji looked as the girl was approaching some dark-haired man in a suit. Apparently, the guy was just rejected or something by the woman he was just talking to about a job. The ginger-haired girl in the uniform grabbed the man's shoulder a bit roughly as she turned him towards her. Eiji wasn't really paying attention to what was being said, but it didn't look like the guy wanted to continue the conversation. He even tried walking away, but the girl grabbed him and jerked him back. She even raised her voice at him in annoyance.

"Wait, she's the one we've got to go and talk to?" Yuji asked with a frown. "This is real embarrassing."

Megumi gave him a look of disbelief considering Yuji was wearing those ridiculous glasses.

"Tch, yeah, so are you." Megumi said.

"I think she looks like an interesting person," Eiji said as Satoru called the girl over.

"Yeah, she seems pretty interesting alright." Megumi said sarcastically.


After the girl dropped her things off in a locker, Satoru gestured to the girl with a grin.

"Alright, I'd like for you all to meet…" Satoru trailed off to let the girl fill in the rest of the sentence.

"Kugisaki Nobara." The girl introduced herself. "You should be honored, boys. I'm your group's girl."

Eiji pointed at herself wondering if Nobara didn't see her or mistook Eiji for a boy. Eiji wasn't very curvy or anything, but she didn't think being flat-chested made her a boy.

'I mean, boy or girl I don't really care because I am who I am either way. But I feel like I'm being ignored here,' Eiji thought as she mentally frowned.

Eiji then blinked when Satoru placed his hand on top of her head to give it a gentle pat.

"Actually, Kugisaki, we also have Eiji here too." Satoru said. "So, you're not by yourself in the female department in this class."

Nobara turned her brown eyes onto Eiji with the girl's gray hues looking right back at her. Nobara's eyes then moved onto Megumi and Yuji as she just stared at them silently. Deciding to break the silence, Yuji stepped forward.

"I'm Itadori Yuji from Sendai." He introduced himself.

"And I'm Akashi Eiji," Eiji said then held out the crepe she had gotten for Nobara out to the slightly taller girl. "Here. I know it isn't much, but think of it as a welcome to the group gift."

Nobara's gaze softened slightly as she took the offered treat from Eiji who was going to try to be nice despite their awkward start. Nobara's eyes then turned to Megumi who glanced at her briefly.

"Fushiguro." He told her his surname and left things at that.

His short introduction had Nobara, who took a bite from her crepe, narrowing her eyes at the boy.

'He looks like a potato,' Nobara thought as she looked at Yuji. 'He's definitely the type who ate his own boogers as a kid.'

Her eyes then returned to Megumi who was looking to Eiji when the girl grabbed his sleeve.

'And just his name?' Nobara thought. 'I can't stand high and mighty dudes. I bet he likes setting oil-slicked seagulls on fire. As for her…'

Nobara's eyes shifted to Eiji who seemed to be silently asking Megumi a question. The girl had a smile on her face, but Nobara got the impression that the girl was nervous or feeling a bit uneasy. Something Megumi seemed to pick up on as well as he silently shook his head.

'She's pretty,' Nobara thought. 'I'm mildly surprised I didn't notice she was a girl earlier. Still that fake smile of hers is kind of pissing me off.'

Nobara then gave a sigh as she looked to the side while finishing the food Eiji gave her.

"This is what I get to work with," Nobara said. "Great. That's just my luck."

Eiji felt a slight spark of anger in her chest at Nobara's dismissal of them as Yuji tilted his head.

"She took one look and sighed." Yuji said. "That can't be good."

Megumi just looked to Satoru since he was ready to move on from the introductions.

"Are we going somewhere from here?" Megumi asked.

Satoru chuckled with a grin pulling across his face as he looked at his students.

"Well, we do have all four of you here," Satoru said. "And since two of you kids is from the countryside, that means…we're going to Tokyo."

Megumi just frowned as Satoru, Nobara, and Yuji all started cheering about Tokyo. He exchanged a glance with Eiji who just shrugged as she chuckled. She guessed Tokyo was pretty impressive to some. As Nobara started shouting where she wanted to go, Yuji jumped Satoru to hug the tall man and rub his cheek against his in joy.

"I have a feeling Satoru isn't going to simply take them out for a day around the city." Eiji whispered to Megumi as Yuji and Nobara got in a fight over where to go.

"I don't know," Megumi disagreed. "We're talking about the man who stopped for souvenirs in Sendai when we were fighting for our lives and trying to save Sukuna's finger."

"They sure were yummy souvenirs though." Eiji said. "You really missed out, Megumi."

Eiji will have to visit Sendai again someday to get more of that kikufuku. The one that Satoru had bought was pretty good, but she was sure they had more delicious flavors too.

"I'll take your word for it." Megumi said as Satoru told their two classmates to quiet down, so he could tell them their destination.

Yuji and Nobara comically became quiet as they knelt in front of Satoru to wait for him to tell them where they were going.

"Roppongi." Satoru told them.

Yuji and Nobara shot to their feet in excitement as they turned to look at each happily.

"Roppongi?" Eiji repeated. "Makes me feel like they're really is a catch."

As Nobara and Yuji were lost in their excitement, Satoru turned towards Eiji and placed his finger to his lips, which were turned up into a mischievous grin. She also had a feeling he winked at her as his head tilted slightly.

"Maybe a small one." He whispered. "But let's not tell them that."

"…Kay." Eiji said with a shrug.

Who was she to ruin Satoru's little prank? She'd just let him have his fun and roll with it. She was sure they'd have some kind of fun either way. It's Roppongi after all and she'll be with her friends…and Nobara.


"Oh, so that's why we came here." Eiji said as she looked up at the dark, curse infested building.

Megumi hummed and nodded his head as their two classmates looked absolutely crushed.

"There's a curse here," Megumi said.

As soon as the words fell from his mouth, Nobara and Yuji both started shouting unhappily at Satoru. The man's smile only turned up more as he inwardly chuckled.

"There's a big cemetery nearby." Satoru said. "That plus an abandon building and you've got a curse."

Eiji didn't feel anything too vile, so she guessed there'd only be grade four to grade three curses inside. Maybe even just one curse. Two at most.

"So, they pop up more often around graves?" Yuji questioned.

"It's not the cemetery itself," Megumi told Yuji. "It's the fact that people associate cemeteries with fear and uneasiness."

"And death~" Eiji added. "Can't forget about that."

Yuji tilted his head thoughtfully since he remembers Megumi saying something similar to him before. About another location.

"Right," Yuji said. "It was the same thing for schools too, wasn't it?"

Nobara, who was over her rant about not getting to go to Roppongi, turned towards the three with a frown.

"Wait, hold up, here," Nobara said. "He didn't even know that, yet?"

"To be honest," Megumi began.

He then gave a brief overview on what brought Yuji to jujutsu high and how it wasn't that long ago that it all happened. Nobara instantly blanched when hearing about how Yuji ate Sukuna's finger.

"He swallowed a special grade cursed object?!" Nobara asked in disbelief. "Gross! That's so unsanitary and disgusting, I wanna hurl! No way, no way, no way, no way!"

She crossed her hands together in x-shape as she spoke, which had Yuji frowning at her.

"That's not nice," Yuji complained.

"I agree with her," Megumi said.

"It's kind of funny though," Eiji said with a chuckle.

Nobara looked at the girl like she was crazy as Yuji pouted thinking that all three of his classmates were just being mean.

"I want to know what the four of you are capable of." Satoru said. "Just think of this as a kind of field test. Nobara, Yuji, you go exorcise the curse inside that building."

As Nobara scoffed unhappily, Eiji tilted her head wondering what she and Megumi would be doing then.

"Hold on," Yuji said. "I thought curses could only exorcises curses. I can't use jujutsu yet."

"If you look at it, you're basically half a curse already." Satoru said as he pointed at Yuji. "Cursed energy flows through your body. Although controlling that energy isn't something you can learn overnight."

He walked over to Yuji while pulling a large, sheathed knife out from his jacket.

"So, use this," Satoru said as he held out the weapon to Yuji.

As Yuji, who looked excited to use it, pulled the sheath off of the blade, Eiji learned towards Megumi.

"Isn't that…uh…Maki-senpai's?" Eiji asked.

Megumi, who knew a certain Zen'in probably wasn't happy right now, nodded his head with a frown.

"The slaughter demon," Satoru said. "A weapon imbued with cursed energy. So, it'll work on curses too."

Yuji smiled looking pleased as Nobara scoffed and pulled out a belt with a pouch on it to wrap around her waist.

"How lame." She said.

The two then started walking off to exorcise the curse or curses inside the building.

"Oh, one more thing," Satoru said causing Yuji to turn around. "Don't let Sukuna out, okay? If you use him, you'll get rid of all the curses in that radius, but anyone nearby will get dragged in."

"You got it," Yuji said as he gave a thumbs up. "I won't let him out."

Nobara called for him to hurry up, so the two headed inside the building. Eiji and Megumi watched them go before following Satoru to the other side of the street. Satoru let Megumi sit on the stone slab there as he sat on the sidewalk. Eiji remained standing though as she wondered how long they'd have to wait.

"I think I'll go inside too," Megumi said looking ready to stand up.

"Don't push yourself." Satoru said. "You're still recovering. The both of you."

He looked between Eiji and Megumi as the said girl subconscious tapped the heel of her foot on the ground. Her ankle had been hurt pretty bad during their fight with that second-grade curse. Even after treatment, she had to be carried back to her room. It felt fine for the most part. Just a few twinges here and there when she walks.

"But someone needs to keep an eye on Itadori, right?" Megumi asked.

"True, but the one we're testing this time around is Nobara." Satoru told Megumi.

Eiji mentally frowned at the mention of the girl. She definitely didn't make a good impression, but Eiji knows better than to judge someone too quickly. Still how Nobara brushed them off earlier, still made Eiji angry. Eiji then stiffened slightly when sensing Yuji's emotions spike for a brief moment before regulating out.

It was faint, but where she's already become acquainted with Yuji's emotional signature, she's more attune to pick it up. Unlike Nobara—though if the girl felt something strong enough, Eiji might catch it. As if sensing something as well, Satoru grinned.

"That Yuji," Satoru said with a chuckle as he tapped his temple. "Some screws are loose. He's fearless. These things take on the terrifying forms of creatures trying to kill him. Yet the guy has no hesitation at all, and he doesn't have the familiarity with curses as you two have. We're talking about a boy who once lived a normal high school life. By now, you've seen plenty of jujutsu sorcerers—some talented—and you've seen them give up because they couldn't conquer their fear of disgust, right?"

Megumi and Eiji didn't reply. Not that they needed to since the three of them knew the answer.

"So, today is seeing if she's crazy enough for this." Satoru said.

Eiji hummed in thought as she backed up to sit next to Megumi on the stone slab.

"But Kugisaki has experience, right?" Megumi questioned. "So, it's a little late for that now."

"Nu-uh, Megumi~" Eiji spoke up. "Nobara's a girl from the country, but this…this is Tokyo. There are more people, which means more human minds for curses to be born from."

She felt so much negativity just walking through the streets around here. Sometimes the bigger the crowd, the more suffocating the feeling.

"Curses here are a totally different ballgame I'd say." Eiji added.

"She's right," Satoru said. "Do you think Nobara understands that Tokyo curses are on a different level than those in the countryside?"

Eiji went to reply, but she paused when she could have sworn, she felt a large amount of fear bloom from inside the building. Fear and anger but it felt like from two different people. It was hard to tell from this distance and over the negative energy flowing from the building, but she knew she felt something. And neither one of those emotions was from Yuji.

"When I say level, I don't just mean the amount of cursed energy they have." Satoru said causing Megumi to look at him in confusion. "It's their cunning. Monsters that have gained wisdom can often forces cruel choices upon you. Where the weight of human lives weighs in the balance."

"Uh, yeah, speaking of human lives in the balance and all that…I think there's a third person in that building." Eiji said pointing at the building. "I feel two different sets of emotions and one of them isn't Yuji. Should we be concerned?"

Megumi frowned not liking the sound of that because if one of those curses gets a hostage, Nobara and Yuji will be in big trouble. Though before he could insist the go in to help, the three looked up seeing a curse trying to flee from the top floor.

"I'll handle it," Megumi said as he stood.

"Hold on," Satoru cautioned Megumi.

Megumi and Eiji looked at him wondering why they needed to wait, but the answer was soon given when the curse was killed by spikes sticking out of its body. Satoru grinned.

"Oh, good, she's crazy." He said.

Eiji tilted her head guessing Nobara wasn't so bad. She could deal with curses at the very least. And since she was sticking around, Eiji would make more of an effort to befriend the girl. After all, she's probably actually nice underneath all that…personality.


Coco: Not a lot of action in this one, but the next chapter will definitely be a different story. So, stay tuned. Now remember, stay safe out there and keep being your beautiful selves.