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Chapter Four: In Different Orbits

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Yuji woke up with a start, her heart pounding. The remnants of a nightmare clung to her mind, a vivid reminder of something she couldn't quite place. She lay in a hospital bed, the sterile smell of the infirmary filling her nose. A white hospital gown covered her body, and she noticed an intravenous line in her wrist. As she glanced around the room, she saw Nobara lying in the bed beside hers, still unconscious.

Before she could dwell on her thoughts, a woman with tired eyes and a cigarette in her mouth walked into the room. The woman took a drag, then exhaled slowly, the smoke curling upwards.

"You're awake," the woman said, her voice raspy but kind. "I'm Shoko-sensei. I healed your hand. It was pretty messed up after your fight with that special grade cursed spirit."

Yuji looked at her right hand, flexing it experimentally. The last thing she remembered was the pain and the sight of her severed hand. Now, it looked perfectly normal.

"Thank you, Shoko-sensei," Yuji said quietly.

"Your teacher is in a meeting with the higher-ups," Shoko-sensei continued, ignoring the cigarette as it dangled from her lips. "They've decided to promote you to first grade sorcerer because you defeated that special grade cursed spirit all by yourself."

Yuji nodded, but her expression remained blank. "I don't care about that," she said softly. "All I want now is peace. I just want to enjoy this life."

Shoko-sensei raised an eyebrow but didn't comment. Instead, she took another drag from her cigarette and blew the smoke away from Yuji. "Well, you deserve some rest. You've been through a lot."

Yuji leaned back against the pillows, her mind drifting. She had believed in a vision of peace that had caused so much suffering. But now, she had a chance to live a different life. A life without the burden of those old dreams.

"I hope Nobara's okay," Yuji said, glancing at her friend.

"She'll be fine," Shoko-sensei assured her. "Just needs some rest, like you."

Yuji nodded again, her eyes heavy with fatigue. "Thanks, Shoko-sensei."

"Don't mention it," Shoko-sensei replied, stubbing out her cigarette. "Get some rest. You'll need your strength for what's coming next."

Yuji closed her eyes, letting the exhaustion wash over her. As she drifted off to sleep, she thought about the future. This time, she would live for herself. This time, she would find peace.

When Yuji woke again, the room was dim. A soft light filtered through the blinds, casting shadows on the walls. She felt more rested, though a strange weight still lingered in her mind.

Nobara was awake now, sitting up in bed and rubbing her temples. "Morning," she muttered, giving Yuji a tired smile.

"Morning," Yuji replied. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I got hit by a truck," Nobara said with a small laugh. "But I'll live."

Yuji smiled back, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "We've been through a lot, haven't we?"

Nobara nodded. "Yeah, but we're still here. That's what matters."

There was a knock on the door, and both girls turned to see Shoko-sensei entering again. "Glad to see you both awake," she said. "How are you feeling?"

"Better," Yuji said.

"Same," Nobara added.

"Good," Shoko-sensei replied. "Your teacher should be here soon to check on you."

Yuji sighed, looking out the window. "I just want things to be calm for a while."

Shoko-sensei gave her a sympathetic look. "I understand. Just take it one day at a time."

As Shoko-sensei left, Yuji turned to Nobara. "I just want to find some peace. Live a simple life, you know?"

Nobara smiled. "Sounds good to me. Maybe we can find that together."

Just then, the door swung open, and in walked Satoru Gojo, his usual confident smile plastered on his face, followed by Megumi Fushiguro, who looked as stoic as ever.

"Good morning, sleepyheads!" Gojo announced, his voice cheerful. "I heard you two had quite the adventure."

Yuji and Nobara both sat up a bit straighter. "Good morning, Gojo-sensei," they replied in unison.

Megumi gave them a nod. "Glad to see you're both okay," he said simply.

"Thanks, Megumi," Yuji said. "We're just trying to recover."

Gojo's smile softened a bit as he looked at Yuji. "You did an amazing job out there, Yuji. Taking down a special grade cursed spirit on your own? That's no small feat."

Yuji shrugged. "I just did what I had to do."

"Well, the higher-ups have taken notice," Gojo continued. "You're being promoted to first grade sorcerer."

Yuji nodded. "Shoko-sensei told me."

"And you, Nobara," Gojo added, turning to her. "Your bravery didn't go unnoticed either. You've both made me proud."

Nobara grinned. "Thanks, Gojo-sensei. Just doing my part."

Gojo clapped his hands together. "Alright, enough of the formalities. How about we get you two out of here? I think some fresh air and a good meal would do wonders."

Yuji exchanged a glance with Nobara, and they both nodded. "Sounds good," Yuji said.

A short while later, they found themselves at a local diner, enjoying hamburgers. The taste of the greasy food was a welcome comfort after everything they had been through. Yuji savored each bite, feeling a sense of normalcy return.

As they ate, the door to the diner swung open, and a girl with green hair and an android-like expression stormed in. She immediately spotted Gojo and marched over to their table.

"Baka-sensei!" she yelled, her voice cutting through the diner's chatter. "Why didn't you give me the weapon you promised?"

Yuji and Nobara raised their eyebrows at the sudden outburst. Megumi, sitting beside them, leaned in. "That's Maki Zenin, a second-year student," he explained quietly.

Maki ignored Yuji and Nobara, her focus solely on Gojo. "I needed that weapon for my training, and you just left me hanging!"

Gojo grinned playfully, clearly unfazed by her anger. "Relax, Maki. I was going to give it to you today. No need to get so worked up."

Maki crossed her arms, huffing in frustration. "You're impossible, Baka-sensei."

She glanced briefly at Yuji and Nobara, then back at Gojo. "At least I'm satisfied that 66% of the first years are female. Poor Megumi was the only boy in his class."

Nobara chuckled. "Nice to meet you too, Maki."

Maki gave a curt nod, her irritation still evident. "Yeah, yeah. Nice to meet you. Now, Baka-sensei, where's my weapon?"

Gojo continued to ignore her playful protests, leaning back in his chair. "You're going to have to wait a bit longer, Maki. Why don't you join us for lunch in the meantime?"

Maki groaned but pulled up a chair anyway. "Fine. But you better not be stalling."

Yuji watched the interaction with a small smile. Despite the chaos, she felt a sense of camaraderie. Maybe, just maybe, she could find the peace she longed for in this new life, surrounded by friends who made every day an adventure.

"So, you're Maki," Yuji said, trying to strike up a conversation. "What's your specialty?"

Maki glanced at him, her expression softening just a bit. "Weapons, mostly."

"You must be really good," Yuji replied, genuinely impressed.

Maki shrugged, not wanting to dwell on the subject. "I manage."

Nobara leaned forward, intrigued. "So, where are the best shopping malls around here?"

Maki leveled her with a glare. "Do I look like someone who spends time in shopping malls?"

Nobara laughed awkwardly. "Uh, maybe not. Just thought I'd ask."

Yuji remained silent, her mind drifting back to her nightmare and the weight of her previous life. Maki noticed the troubled look on Yuji's face, her initial annoyance fading into concern. Gojo, too, observed Yuji's unease but chose to remain silent for now.

After a moment, Maki softened her tone. "Hey, are you okay?" she asked Yuji, her voice surprisingly gentle.

Yuji forced a smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just tired, I guess."

Gojo leaned in, his playful demeanor gone for a moment. "You've been through a lot, Yuji. It's okay to feel a little off."

Yuji nodded, appreciating the support but not ready to share more. "Thanks, Gojo-sensei."

The next day, Megumi and Nobara were sparring in the training grounds, using their shikigami and cursed tools. Megumi's shikigami easily overwhelmed Nobara, who was struggling to keep up. Yuji watched the one-sided spar from the stairs, feeling a bit restless but also admiring their skills.

As she observed, a boy around her age with gray hair and a high collar approached. He looked at her and said something, but Yuji couldn't quite make it out. It sounded like he was talking about food.

"Are you hungry?" Yuji asked, trying to understand.

The boy waved at her and began uttering rice ball ingredient names. "Salmon. Mustard leaf. Tuna."

Yuji tilted her head, trying to piece it together. She awkwardly assumed he might be autistic, so she decided to treat him gently and talk to him slowly. "Hi there. Do you want some food? I can get you something to eat if you're hungry."

The boy's expression changed, showing a hint of hurt. He repeated the rice ball ingredients, but his enthusiasm waned as he realized Yuji wasn't understanding him. "Bonito flakes," he said, sounding defeated.

Yuji forced a smile, trying to be kind. "Um, do you like rice balls? I can find some for you if you want."

"Salmon," the boy repeated, shaking his head slightly as if giving up.

Yuji continued, her tone gentle. "It's okay, you don't have to be shy. If you're hungry, just let me know. We can go to the cafeteria together."

The boy sighed and turned away, looking dejected. "Kelp," he muttered before walking off.

Yuji sighed, feeling a bit lost. "I didn't know this school also had autistic students," she muttered to herself.

Just then, Megumi came over, slightly out of breath from the sparring. "Hey, Yuji. What did Toge talk to you about?"

Yuji blinked in surprise. "Toge? Oh, you mean that boy with the gray hair? I... I thought he was autistic. I tried to talk to him, but he just kept saying rice ball ingredients."

Megumi facepalmed. "Yuji, that was Toge Inumaki, our senior. He's a second-year student who can only communicate using rice ball ingredient names because of his cursed speech ability."

"Oh, shit," Yuji exclaimed, realizing her mistake. "Did I just disrespect my senior?"

Megumi shook his head, half amused, half exasperated. "You didn't mean to, but yeah, you kind of did. Toge's a nice guy. He just has a unique way of communicating."

Yuji felt a flush of embarrassment. "I need to apologize to him."

Megumi nodded. "Yeah, that would be a good idea. Just be sincere, and he'll understand."

Yuji took a deep breath, mentally preparing herself to find Toge and make things right. "Thanks, Megumi. I'll go find him."

"Good luck," Megumi said with a small smile. "And don't worry too much. Toge's pretty understanding."

Yuji searched around the campus until she found Toge sitting alone under a tree, munching on a rice ball. She approached him cautiously.

"Toge-senpai," she began, feeling her nerves spike. "Can I talk to you for a moment?"

Toge looked up, his expression neutral but curious. "Salmon."

Yuji took a deep breath. "I'm really sorry about earlier. I didn't understand how you communicate, and I treated you like... well, differently. I didn't mean to disrespect you."

Toge's eyes softened a bit. "Mustard leaf," he said, nodding slightly to show he was listening.

"I hope you can forgive me," Yuji continued, her tone earnest. "I want to get to know you better and understand how you communicate. If you could help me learn, I'd really appreciate it."

Toge smiled faintly. "Bonito flakes."

Yuji blinked, trying to interpret. "Does that mean... you forgive me?"

Toge nodded, a small smile playing on his lips. "Tuna mayo."

Yuji let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. "Thank you, Toge-senpai. I'll do my best to understand you better from now on."

Toge gave her a thumbs up. "Kelp."

Feeling relieved, Yuji smiled back. "Great! Maybe you can teach me some of your favorite rice ball ingredients. That way, I can understand you better."

Toge's smile widened slightly. "Salmon roe."

Yuji chuckled. "I'll take that as a yes. Thanks, Toge-senpai."

In the courtyard, under the warm afternoon sun, the six students of Jujutsu High gathered in a small circle, their voices filling the air with anticipation. With the third years currently suspended, it was up to the first and second years to represent the school at the upcoming Goodwill Exchange Event. Among them stood Nobara and Yuji, newcomers to the school, their curiosity piqued by the unfamiliar event looming on the horizon.

Panda, the talking panda, took a step forward, drawing the attention of the group. "Alright, everyone, gather around!" he exclaimed in his surprisingly commanding voice. "Let me explain what the Goodwill Exchange Event is all about."

Nobara and Yuji leaned in, eager to learn more about the event they had heard whispers of but knew little about.

Panda cleared his throat before launching into his explanation. "The Goodwill Exchange Event is a competition where different Jujutsu High schools come together to showcase their skills and exchange knowledge. It's a chance for students to learn from one another and have some friendly competition."

Nobara nodded with understanding, while Yuji nodded thoughtfully, taking in the information.

Just as they were processing Panda's words, Toge stepped forward, his expression unreadable as always. He began to speak, his words consisting solely of rice ball ingredient names. While the other students seemed to comprehend his unique communication style, Nobara and Yuji exchanged confused glances, struggling to decipher his message.

Maki, noticing their confusion, stepped in to clarify. "Toge's saying that during the event, we'll be facing off against students from other schools, showcasing our jujutsu abilities and strategies," she explained, her tone confident and matter-of-fact.

Nobara and Yuji nodded, grateful for the clarification. They were starting to piece together the puzzle of what the event entailed.

With the purpose of the event now clear, Maki took charge, her leadership evident as she addressed the group. "Alright, everyone, listen up. We need to train the first years for this event. Just like last year, we want to come out on top and show the other schools what we're made of."

Her declaration was met with nods of agreement from the other students, who seemed eager to get started.

Nobara and Yuji exchanged determined looks, understanding the weight of the task ahead. Despite being new to the school, they were eager to contribute and prove themselves worthy of their place among their peers.

Meanwhile, amidst the chatter and planning, Megumi remained silent, his thoughts hidden behind his stoic expression. As his classmates rallied around him, he observed quietly, his mind already strategizing for the challenges that lay ahead.

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TBC

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