**Author's note: I'm back! Sorry, for the long wait… after a lot of therapy and emotional recovery, I'm ready to finish this! I probably still won't be able to upload once a week, or twice a week... but I am determined to see this through. Thank you very much for your patience and continued support; as always, I would never have the motivation to move forward without you guys so… truly appreciate everyone still being here and sticking with me through these tough times. Without further ado, enjoy!

"Wow, a medical assistant at Jujutsu High…gotta admit, I never saw that coming."

Qian and Toshinori were strolling through campus after making an initial stop at the cafeteria. The man had ordered six onigiri balls, having them scooped in one arm as he used his other hand to hungrily take bites. The girl meanwhile wasn't really hungry, still reeling from learning of the sorcerer's identity, combined with her mix-up from remembering the past. She instead chose to have a cup of iced tea, cradling it in her hands.

"W-Well, to be honest, neither did I." She admitted, taking a sip of her drink. Despite the confusion, she felt obligated to communicate her feelings regarding his actions from that day. "I-I apologize if this is a bit untoward but… I-I have to say, it's really all thanks to you that I'm here today."

"Whaaaa? Naw, you're just sayin' that." The man gave a gruff laugh, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.

"N-No! You were very inspirational and gave me hope… especially in living. You motivated me to push myself to take my life more seriously and strive to make it more useful, to make this world a better place." She ducked her head down bashfully. "I-I always wanted to say this in person, I admit I… had you confused with Gojo-sensei."

They arrived at a bench in the courtyard and sat down side-by-side. The man chuckled, giving the girl another pat on the head. "No worries, it's our hair color. You're not the first, surely won't be the last." He grinned cheekily as he licked his fingers. "Well, I, for one, am very impressed and proud of you. I know that doesn't mean much since well, we just met officially, but kudos to seizing our lives and moving towards our better selves!" He held up a rice ball in a feigned cheer, gesturing to the girl to do the same. Once she tentatively raised her drink, he nudged their food and beverages together.

"So like…" He took another bite, giving it a hearty chew before swallowing it whole. "What sort of stuff have you been doing for Shoko? Just helping her write all the reports she hates doing, I bet."

Qian smiled and shook her head. "N-No, we've been having these weird encounters with these plant-like spirits that don't dissipate after they've been exorcised." She placed the cup beside her as she pulled out her phone, opening her Photos app. "I-I've been studying them to try to figure out where they came from. We found out that they've been created by a cursed user, who uses humans to grow them." She tapped on a picture, zooming in on the microscopic images she had taken during her research. "But we're not sure who they are, or where their victims are located. While we're working to figure that out, I've been trying to see if I can figure out how the curse works and if there's a way to reverse it."

He whistled softly in awe. "Damn, girl. You're like a crazy genius, aren't you?"

She giggled, waving her hand in denial. "N-No! If anything, I've kind of hit a roadblock… So we've been encountering a female cursed user who appeared to be in command of these spirits. We initially thought she was the creator, but when I got a sample of her cells, they appeared completely normal on their own." She furrowed her brow as she thought back to her notes. "E-Even adding my own cells did not change them. But when I placed them together with cells of the plant spirits, they changed morphology and started exhibiting the same traits. So now I'm trying to figure out how she was able to use cursed techniques in general. I have a hypothesis, but I need a sample of…" she trailed off, thinking back to her last proper conversation with a certain blue-eyed sorcerer at the night of the party… how handsome he looked then, how his strong arms held her the following day… how soft his lips were pressing against her own-

"Hello? Earth to Qian?" A hand appeared in front of her face, snapping her out of her reverie.

"S-Sorry!" Her face erupted in a dark shade of red and she violently slapped her cheeks. As the man quirked a brow in confusion, she closed her eyes, releasing a breath to clear her thoughts, before coughing awkwardly. "I-I would need a sample of blood from a Jujutsu sorcerer to test it out."

"Oh, shit." Toshinori immediately paled, shaking his head nervously. "I'm sorry, kid. I have a huge fear of needles- otherwise, I'd volunteer for sure."

"O-Oh no, no worries!" She argued, holding her hands up in front of her in protest. "I-I already have someone offering, actually…"

"Whew, that's good." He stuffed another rice ball in his mouth. "May God protect him from the horror of having his skin punctured." He gave a violent shudder. "Man, I hate needles. You know as a kid, apparently I hated getting my shots so much that my parents would drug me so I passed out."

Her gaze softened in sympathy. "O-Oh no, that's terrible."

"Oh yeah, they're the reason I have a massive drug addiction now." He noticed the color draining from her face and he immediately slapped her back. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding!"

She sighed in relief. "O-Oh, thank goodness-"

"Yeah, I'm only addicted to sugar now." He winked, whipping out a handful of lollipops from his pocket. "Want one?"

She smiled and chuckled softly, accepting the treat. "T-Thank you."

"Oh, do you want to hear a joke?" He grinned mischievously and she tilted her head quizzically at the random question.

She nodded. "O-Okay!"

"Alright so, I had a lollipop joke, but I forgot it." He ripped open the wrapper, popping the candy into his mouth. "I swear, it's on the tip of my tongue though."

His mouth remained open as he stuck his tongue out playfully, waiting for her reaction. Seconds passed as the two of them remained silent.

"Get it? Tip of the tongue, because it's like, literally, on the tip of my tongue, see?" He held the white plastic stick, wiggling the sugared end in front of her face, before slapping the candy back on his tongue.

Suddenly, the girl snorted and began laughing hysterically, clasping a hand over her mouth.

—-

Satoru stomped through the hall, still feeling vexed and frustrated. His students actively kicked him out of the training field.

Too disruptive? He scoffed as he recalled Maki's scolding, saying how he was not being educational and instead… childish?! Yeah, right. He clicked his tongue as he checked his phone, now he's left with too much time on his hands. Plus, he was starving as well, so he stopped by the cafeteria to grab some food.

I'm just annoyed because I'm hungry and angry. Yeah, it's- what did Yuji call it the other day- right, 'h-anger'. It's just h-anger. He shrugged offhandedly, as if trying to physically pass off whatever… this feeling… was weighing him down. As he passed by the courtyard, he was inspecting the sandwich he had in his hand, pinching his fingers to tear open the wrapper. Suddenly, he heard a weird noise and turned his head to see Toshinori and Qian sitting beside each other on the bench in the middle of the clearing. Was she… She was. She was laughing in seemingly response to the man, her cheeks visibly bright red as she struggled to suppress herself behind her hand, which covered her mouth.

His eyes flickered between them. Right, so Toshinori was the one who saved her back then. He thought back to the very first conversation he had with the girl:

The girl took a deep breath as she stood up straight. She then clasped her hands together and bent back down in a deep bow. "I-I don't know if you remember but, a few years ago… you saved my life in Akihabara. I-I wanted to thank you- you honestly changed my world and I-I'm only here thanks to you…so…thank you very much!"

Satoru remained silent as he racked his brain. Was I in Akihabara during that time? He shrugged, choosing not to delve too much into it before giving a quick nod. "It's nothing, don't worry about it."

"B-But it is!" She cried, clenching the hem of her shirt tightly. "I-If it weren't for you, I'd be dead…and especially what you said to me that day…it changed me for the better and I am eternally grateful for you. It's all thanks to you that I gathered enough courage to be here."

He stared into her wide, innocent eyes, shining in admiration and he closed his own with a sigh.

So now that she knows it wasn't him but rather, Toshinori was her savior.

Does this mean that her feelings of admiration are misplaced?

And if that's the case, then does this mean her… love… for him is also-

He shook his head adamantly. No way. Her feelings were his, and his alone… right? She wouldn't-

"That was good right?" He heard the man's voice and his gaze snapped back towards them. Upon seeing her nod her head in affirmation, her cheeks glowing as she replied, he felt his heart sink.

"I-I'm sorry, it's just-!" She wheezed as she tried to compose herself. "P-Puns are my favorite type of joke, a-and it's been a while since I-!" She succumbed to another fit of giggles.

…or maybe, it is what it is. Feelings do change after all. Wasn't he the prime example of that?

Before, he looked down on her weakness- seeing her as some inferior individual, thinking she was annoying, just an obstacle in his way.

But now… her smile flashed in his mind and his fingers rolled into a fist, the poor sandwich now crushed in his grip. He turned and marched through the hallway, trying to eliminate that image of them from his mind. He soon reached his office, closing the door behind him with a loud SLAM.

It wasn't him making her smile, someone else was.

And it hurt.

He collapsed into his chair, running a hand over his face. Fuck me.

—-

"Okay, okay, all jokes aside. I am curious. What's your theory?" Toshinori asked as he popped the lollipop back in his mouth.

Qian had to take a few breaths to calm herself. Finally, she sipped her tea, allowing the now lukewarm liquid to soothe her throat. "W-Well, I think the person we fought is not actually a cursed user, and getting her cursed energy from something, or someone else…"

He nodded in understanding. "Gotcha. And you need a sample of blood to…?"

"I-I was thinking that if her cells change after being exposed to a sorcerer's cells, then it'll prove my point." She raised her gaze to meet his. "T-That means she isn't actually a cursed user and is just able to use cursed energy that is given to her."

He furrowed his brow as he nodded once more, straightening his back. "I see. Well, I won't keep you then, it sounds like you should test this out right away with whoever's blood you were thinking of. Who's the lucky fellow?"

She bit her lip as her thoughts traveled back to the sorcerer. Nervousness and yearning fluttered in her belly as the thought of them being alone together again, but she shook her head. She had a job to do, a duty to fulfill.

"I-It's actually Gojo-sensei." She pushed herself to her feet. "Y-You're right though, I should get going." She bowed down politely. "Thank you for the candy and it was a pleasure meeting you!"

"Likewise!" He raised his hand in farewell. "Good luck!"

—-

Satoru squinted his eyes at the screen in front of him, the words on the report he was reading was starting to blur and grow illegible.

He sighed, leaning back in his chair to rub his eyes tiredly. Stop thinking about her with Hitsunara- get over it. It's fine.

Suddenly, a light knock tapped on his door. He turned his head to see the bane of his existence enter, her fingers interlaced nervously.

"U-Um, sensei. So sorry to bother you, but are you free this afternoon?" Qian peered her eyes up at him shyly. "I-If you're still willing, could I have a sample of your blood?"

Did she always look like this? Satoru took in her rosy cheeks, the way her fingers reached and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"S-Sensei?" His straying thoughts screeched to a halt as he met her confused gaze. He coughed, thinking back to the conversation they had that night, back at her parents' anniversary party. "Ah, yeah, um-"

She immediately raised her hands, waving them wildly in front of her. "O-Oh it's completely okay if you don't want to anymore! Um, I just-"

"No, it's fine." He released a breath and pushed himself up to his feet. "I have time right now."

"O-Oh okay, are you sure?" She asked after him as he strolled past her.

"Yeah, it's fine." He pulled open the door and gestured her through. "Let's go."

As they walked through campus, Qian couldn't help but notice how the man was oddly silent, let alone distant. Something was off, but she couldn't think of what made him become like this. Was it something she did?

"S-So… um." She fidgeted with the buttons on her peacoat as they continued walking down through the courtyard, frantically trying to think of something to talk about. Now that it was November, the weather had gotten a lot colder, and the wind was frigid as it swirled around them, blowing the fallen leaves up from where they had settled on the grass. "H-Hitsunara-san seems very nice. Were you guys close?"

Of fucking course you ask about him. Maintaining a straight face, Satoru shook his head, stuffing his hands in his pockets as he looked onward. From the side, behind his sunglasses, she could see his ice-blue eyes flickering away from her. "No, he and his sister were in the year above me."

"A-Ah, I see." Qian turned back towards the path before her, nodding slowly to herself. They fell into silence once more, and she swallowed nervously. Something was indeed off, but he doesn't seem upset with her or disdainful- she was very familiar with those emotions directed at her from their initial encounter after all. Instead, he felt… distant?

"Seems like you and Hitsunara are getting along." Her gaze snapped up towards him as he spoke. "Who knew that it ended up being him who saved you that time?"

"O-Oh, yes, it appears so." Qian replied, feeling embarrassed as she recalled their first conversation, when she mistook him as her savior several years ago.

He forced a smile. "That's great. He's a sickeningly good guy- always doing a ton of volunteer work, running around helping out in missions when he didn't need to. All that jazz."

"T-That's really nice of him!" Qian clasped her hands together. "H-He definitely seems kind. He was saying if I needed help with anything I could ask him."

Satoru felt a muscle tick in his temple. "Yep. Sounds about right."

They finally reached the entrance of her lab. She opened the door and held it open as he walked inside. Once they descended the staircase, she pulled a stool out from under the bench. "Y-You can sit here. Give me a minute to get my things."

She turned around and rummaged through the shelves, pulling out a new packet of syringes and a pair of rubber gloves. As she approached Satoru, he rolled up his sleeve to reveal the inner crevice of his elbow.

She whispered her thanks, rubbing his skin with an alcohol-soaked ball of cotton. As she uncapped the syringe, revealing the needle, she hovered the tip over his skin, glancing up at him nervously. "A-Are you sure you're okay with this?"

"I'm fine." He drawled, rolling his fingers into a fist to flex, allowing the vein inside his elbow to protrude and be visible. "Don't worry about me, do what you need to do."

She sighed. "O-Okay. You're going to feel a little pinch." She pierced his skin and quickly pulled back the plunger, drawing blood into the barrel. She peered at him through his lashes, quietly impressed by how he did not even flinch. Once she finished extracting his blood, she pulled out the needle, immediately pressing a clean ball of gauze onto the wound. "P-Press down here, please."

As he did so, she quickly dispensed the fluid into a test tube and capped it, right before grabbing a band-aid and taping it across the gauze onto his arm. "T-There we go, all set."

"Thanks." He grunted as he rolled his sleeve back down.

"N-No, thank you, Gojo-sensei!" Qian quickly bowed her head down gratefully. "I-I really appreciate you taking the time out of your busy schedule to give me a sample. This will really help with my studies."

She turned her back against him to tidy up the benchtop, grabbing the bits and pieces leftover from opening things and tossing them into the trash. From behind her, Satoru pushed himself off his seat and headed towards the staircase. As he took his first step, he hesitated.

"You know, you never answered my question." She looked at him over her shoulder quizzically, but he remained facing away from her.

She tilted her head as she thought back to their conversations today, not quite understanding his query, before focusing her attention back to labeling the tube in her hands. "W-What question?"

"Earlier today, back in my office." He could feel his pulse hammering once more in his chest as he waited for her response. Part of him hoped she forgot, but another part-

"O-Oh, um… w-what about it-?" He released a breath that he didn't realize he was holding.

Meanwhile, Qian wanted to bash her face against the metal surface, her inner voice yelling and cursing her out for slipping. Why did I answer it?! And why that way?! Not only does he know that she remembers, but how is she going to face him now?

"You love me, right?" Was his voice right next to her or was she imagining things? She whirled around, realizing that he was now right behind her. She instinctively moved to the left, but his arm was already blocking her tracks. She tried to the right, once again seeing it blocked. She glanced up at him helplessly.

"S-Sensei?" She whispered, her cheeks completely flushed and ears burning. Upon seeing his heated gaze, she swallowed. "W-Why are you asking me that?"

"Because I need to know." Conflict swirled in his eyes as he leaned down, gently resting his forehead against hers. "So, tell me."

The gears of her brain grinded to a screeching halt in bewilderment. Why… does he need to know? What does he have to gain? She helplessly continued to stare up at him in silence, a multitude of questions to ask piled on the tip of her tongue and yet, she couldn't utter a single syllable.

Memories of their time together began flashing in her mind. In the beginning, her feelings were admiration from believing he was her savior. Sure, he was handsome and confident too… but he was also arrogant and spiteful.

And yet, despite how he was with her, her feelings grew into awe upon seeing his superior strength, his dedication to teaching and wanting to change the Jujutsu world for the better.

And then, it exponentially deepened into something… more. He wasn't just a powerful sorcerer with attractive features; he had a dark past… a tragedy that changed him. Nonetheless, he maintained his kindness to those he respected, his students, his colleagues, and even with a normal civilian such as her, who possesses no cursed energy or contribution to his cause. Even after his rejection, he was still considerate to her. Even after learning the truth about her family, he came to her side and nursed her back to health.

And when he touches her… her body burns for him. No matter how hard she tries and how far she distances herself from him, her entire being, her soul craves for him.

But… what was the point? Firstly, there was no way he would ever return her feelings. After all, what does she have that other more powerful, gorgeous women have? What benefit does she bring for him? There's no possible way this could end well.

Satoru sees her hesitation, and hurt flashes in his eyes. He releases her and turns away, and the movement suddenly shakes her out of her reverie.

"I see." She snaps her gaze up at him, her heart breaking upon seeing his pained expression. "It was never me in the first place, was it? It was always him- he was the one who saved you after all."

His voice was so quiet, so… defeated as he turned his heel, heading to the stairs. Before she could stop herself, she reaches out and wraps her arms around his torso.

He stiffens as she buries her face into his back. "…T-That's not true."

He was silent for a moment, a small seed of hope blossoming in his chest. "… What's not?"

"I-It was you." She murmured, embarrassment and unease interlaced in her voice as she revealed the truth. Anxiety clawed in her gut, causing her fingers to tremble as they gripped the front of his shirt. "I-It's always been you."

Another pause, though she could hear his heart begin to beat faster. "Are you sure?"

She swallowed thickly, her face completely emblazoned in a dark shade of red. Part of her wanted to lie- after all, there was no happy ending to this. There was no way he would return her feelings- whatever this was going on between them, his attention and fixation on her was only temporary.

Maybe… maybe it would be better to just lie and move on.

But yet…

"…Y-Yes." She whispered in acquiescence, ready to submit to the consequences of her fate.

He whirls around and she falters, taking a step back from his sudden movement, before he grips her face with both of his hands, crushing their lips together.

Her body immediately responds, reaching her arms around his neck, standing on her tiptoes to respond to his kiss eagerly. Her logic screamed at her to stop this madness, to protect herself before she inevitably gets hurt.

But there was no use in fighting anymore. Her heart was his, and it always has been. What she felt initially may have been nothing more than respect, which would have been the same with Toshinori, but it was this man before her who ended up enrapturing her completely. This complicated man, who's so twisted and at times sadistic, yet holding a caring heart wanting to change this world… who she fell in love with.

She can no longer escape. This will not end well, and she knows it.

But for now… for now, this is okay.