The children didn't need to worry about the details, but their teacher could still remember when his curiosity grew. Initially, Satoru was intrigued by the discovery of this new type of energy. Yes, he followed her from a distance and kept his eyes on her, but that was because he wanted to see how a being like her lived out her life. More importantly, he was dying to see that strange power in action.

It didn't take long, only two nights later, that Satoru got an eyeful of something interesting. He had just returned to Japan from an overseas assignment when he was meandering around the streets of Shinjuku for a bit of fun. He couldn't deny himself the pleasure of enjoying nightlife while he was in his prime. He was purchasing mochi from a specialty stop when he sensed Kagome's distinctive energy spike.

"Oh ho...?" A brow quirk beneath his signature blindfold. "So she's out and about tonight..." he all but slammed a few ten-thousand yen notes on the counter as he grinned and grabbed his tray of treats, "This should be fun."

It didn't take long for Satoru to track Kagome down. She was in a sketchy, unkempt cemetery, completely encircled by five cursed spirits. Each one was a repulsive mockery of the human form with loose skin that rolled and dripped down like melted ice cream frozen in place. They appeared to be around grade one. Satoru had a bird's view of the woman from a thick branch of a tree that towered above the scene.

Very few people would be able to escape such a situation unscathed. Satoru's initial impulse was to swoop in, save the day, and get the girl, but—. He didn't have to be a hero just yet. Besides, the hero always saved the day just in the nick of time, right? "Well, what will you do?" He whispered to the woman before popping a strawberry mochi into his mouth.

Kagome was dressed in her nurse's uniform and appeared ill-equipped for a fight. Still, she seemed to have a cool head as she raised her arm to the sky. Just as the curses closed in on her, a dome of pink light burst from her open palm. With shrill shrieks, the creatures were snuffed out within the brief flash of light. As soon it appeared, the energy faded and took all traces of the curses with it.

Kagome's shoulder slumped as she released air—either a sigh or bated breath. The woman then raised her head and aimed her eyes at Satoru, an action that almost took him aback. "Are you satisfied?" She called up to him.

The sorcerer shoved another mochi into his mouth before making the great leap and landing before the priestess. "Bravo, bravo," he cheered, but Kagome doubted his sincerity as he closed the distance between them with a frivolously dramatic gait. "And here I was worried about you~" his amused tone belied his sincerity.

Kagome ignored the false compliment and asked, exasperation creeping into her voice, "Well, are you happy now? You can stop following me now, Gojo-san."

"Satoru," He correctly while rotating his tray of mochi and extending it forward in the offering. "We're in the same business so we should be friends."

"You followed me, begged for my brownie, then stalked me," Kagome recounted with a disapproving scowl that didn't bother Satoru. He noticed the way her eyes shifted from his face down to the mochi. "I'm not that desperate," she told him.

Her eyes lowered to the mochi back up to his face, her emotions flittering between temptation and distaste.

"But you are some level of desperate," Satoru confirmed, he wasn't one to pass on an opportunity to make a jab at someone.

Kagome's jaw dropped. Satoru almost lost his composure. Her face said it all. She was gobsmacked at the audacity.

She had no clue who she was dealing with yet.

Little did Satoru know, neither did he.

While he was busy cheesing, Kagome's cheeks burned brightly with fluster. For a couple of seconds, she glowered up at him with puffy cheeks and trembling shoulders. Satoru snickered and was about to tease her for being rendered speechless when Kagome's arms suddenly shot forward. Within a flash, she accosted his tray of mochi.

"Heh?" Satoru could have stopped her with more than enough time, but he was more surprised that this was the route that she had taken. This woman was certainly full of surprises.

While glaring him down, Kagome plucked a snack from the tray. Her eyes were squinted as she scowled. She glared at him like she had a vendetta for his little joke. Oops. "Half," She stated, "That's the price for my forgiveness," she took a bite from the snack.

"Oh," was Satoru's simple reply. She was stuck on her penchant for halves. "Well, mochi tastes better with good company," he was beaming at the prospect as he reached for the tray, only Kagome's free hand to swat his hand away.

Satoru paused, he had almost forgotten that she could get through his infinity.

But that wasn't the pressing issue—not yet.

"Half of the tray," Kagome clarified before turning on her heel and walking away with a pep in her step.

Satoru's previous amicable smile was fixed on his face as his neurons crashed and burned behind his skull. When she got a few strides away, it all sunk in, "...heh?"

That was the night that Kagome learned about the world of Jujutsu sorcerers and curses. Likewise, Satoru learned that Shinto priestesses were more than babes who did chores and ceremonies. Kagome was beyond amusing, always teetering between being annoyed by his actions and bantering with him. More importantly, he decided that Kagome would be his little secret—his secret friend who'd pop in on from time to time.

It was also that night that they went for ramen at a late-night, old-timey stand. He advised her to limit her interactions with higher-level curses because the energy she expended would undoubtedly attract attention. He failed his persuasion check when he told her that there was no point because he was the strongest. It was supposed to be reassuring but she seemed miffed.

"Yeah, well, I'm not in the business of waiting for someone else to save the day," Satoru could still those words in his head almost a year later. "I'm a Higurashi priestess. I refuse to stand by and let people suffer."

Looks were certainly deceiving. The woman next to him was so petite but she had no shortage of spunk. On top of that, she regularly gave tiny fragments of kindness to the world. Satoru had only been observing her for a short time and he already noted the care she gave to her patients, the way she enjoyed walking shelter dogs, and even the way that wild birds were comfortable enough to perch next to her as she rested on park benches. She was the type to give her all to the world and the people around her.

She was the type of person who Satoru couldn't leave alone.