Chapter 22

Megumi had always been reserved, displaying little to no emotion, having been relatively stoic from an early age. Even then, as a child, his sole priority was his older sister, ensuring her happiness no matter the circumstances. Tsumiki was likely the only person with whom he ever felt comfortable being open, and her being cursed over a year ago had only intensified his reticence. It wasn't until Kagome joined Jujutsu Tech that Megumi even began to fathom the depths of his loneliness, and he might never have realized the extent of that change if she were here, when he needed her.

Losing Yuji was a heavy blow, but not having Kagome around to provide her usual support was an even greater burden. In the few short months they had spent together, she had become an integral part of his life, and Megumi missed her terribly. He missed her presence, the easy comfort of the silence they shared, the effortless conversations, the reliance on someone he could trust.

Missing someone felt strange. Sure, he wanted to break his sister's curse, but it was a different kind of longing. It was unusual for him to miss someone, but even more strange for him to need someone. But it's not like he had anyone to talk to about these new feelings; it's not like he ever really enjoyed talking in the first place.

Maybe it was because he was emotionally stunted, as Tsumiki had once suggested, or maybe he needed more friends.

Megumi couldn't quite determine if the others at Jujutsu Tech were his friends, as he mostly saw them as colleagues.

He should text Kagome, see how she was doing. The thought had his heartbeat jump.

Nobara groaned after finally making a decision from the few vending machines they had on campus. "I wish we had more vending machines."

"Not gonna happen," Megumi explained, having thought the same thing countless times. "It's hard enough to find companies that will service the ones we have, let alone the restrictions on who we do business with."

"Still," Nobara bemoaned, "They could get us something better than red bean tea!"

Megumi shrugged before looking over to see two people walking toward them. Mai Zen'in and who he suspected to be Aoi Todo, though they had never met before. Todo was famous for being a one-man war machine. As a grade 1 sorcerer, that was to be expected, but he'd also taken down a special grade curse during the Shijuku incident last year. As for Mai, Megumi hadn't heard anything of note regarding her, only that she was Maki's younger sister.

"Zen'in-senpai? I'm surprised to see you here," Megumi remarked with a note of boredom. The presence of Kyoto students at Jujutsu Tech was unusual. Of the two, Mai seemed more likely to divulge the reason for their visit.

"Another one?" Nobara murmured to herself. "They do look alike. Are they sisters?"

"Twins," Megumi clarified with a nod.

"Oh, please," Mai retorted, her voice tinged with disdain. "Don't group me with her, Fushiguro. You make it sound as if she were my equal." She brushed her bangs back, a soft smile playing on her lips, her tone taking on a sultry, almost flirtatious tone. "And call me Mai."

"Where's the third one?" Todo asked, eyes narrowing as he looked over Megumi and Nobara. "There's supposed to be three of you to sub in for Okkotsu and the other third years."

"They must have dropped out," Mai mused with a sly grin, her tone laced with mockery. "I mean, their classmate did just die! I'm glad we decided to join the principal to check in on you. It must have been hard, at least for someone. But maybe not for you?"

Megumi's hands clenched into fists, anger simmering just beneath the surface. Between the mocking of Yuji's death and the veiled insults toward Kagome, he was considering how best he could hit her. "What are you trying to say?"

Nobara tensed up beside him, her drink forgotten in the vending machine.

"Some things are hard to put into words, so I'll do it for you," Mai continued, her hand barely concealing a mocking smile that tugged at her lips. "Calling that thing a 'vessel' makes it sound nice, but he was a half-curse monster," she spoke softly, her words dripping with venom, goading them, seeking a reaction. "Having that tainted, vile facade of a human calling himself a Jujutsu Sorcerer must have been awful," she smiled. "You must be happy he's dead."

Megumi could feel the tremor of anger swirling in his diaphragm and had to suppress it so as not to give her the satisfaction of seeing him angry.

"Mai, stop talking nonsense," Todo chided, stepping closer. "I just want to know if they are worthy replacements for Okkotsu." He tossed his jacket aside. "Fushiguro, was it?"

Megumi tensed, his body automatically lowering into a more favorable stance should Todo decide to start fighting.

Todo grabbed his shirt collar, the fabric already tearing under the tension. "What kind of woman's your type?" Todo's face took on a menacing grin, his shirt completely ripped down the center. "Depending on your answer, I might beat you half to death right here, and after that, drag Okkotsu, or at least the third-years, out to the exchange event, suspended or not!" He roared, the tattered remains of his shirt falling to the wayside.

Megumi blinked in surprise, considering the rumors that called Todo insane to be true.

"By the way," Todo dropped into a fighting stance. "I like tall women with a big ass!"

"What?" Megumi bristles. "Why should I share something like that with someone I just met?"

"True," Nobara hummed. "It'd be hard for a closet pervert like him to answer that." She mocked dryly.

"Shut up," Megumi hissed. "We don't need you making things worse." They were in a tough spot. Nobara was unarmed, leaving only him to defend them. He really wanted to avoid a conflict with the Kyoto students.

"It's true," She teased, flashing a smile. "I saw the way you looked at Kagome."

Megumi felt as if his tongue had suddenly turned to stone, firmly glued to the roof of his mouth. What look? He couldn't deny it, but he also couldn't explain the sudden tingling, warm sensation that squeezed his heart.

"Kyoto, third-year, Aoi Todo. Introduction over." Todo said dryly before a smirk pulled at his lips. "Now that we're friends, hurry up and answer. It can even be a guy," He explained." A person's taste reveals everything about them. Guys who have boring tastes are boring. I don't like boring guys." His eyes narrowed, his stance lowering, almost as if he was going to rush Megumi at a moment's notice. "This will be my final goodwill event, and if it ends up being boring, who knows what I might do…" His juryoku rose in thick tendrils, his demeanor taking on a more demonic look. He truly looked like a man ready to kill. "So, Fushiguro, what type of girls do you like?"

An image of his sister's warm, smiling face flashed across the forefront of his mind, flickering briefly before giving way to a vibrant vision of Kagome. Her radiant smile beamed at him as she extended a hand, mirroring the same kindness and compassion his sister had once shown. However, there was something different, something more potent about Kagome's memory that made his heart pound with an unfamiliar intensity he hadn't anticipated, that stirred emotions within him that he wasn't ready to acknowledge.

Megumi swallowed the sudden lump in his throat, glancing at Nobara, who seemed equally bewildered by the whole thing. He knew he needed to think quickly. Showing weakness or hesitation could provoke Todo further, but giving a straightforward answer could also lead to an unwanted brawl. He decided to go for a neutral response.

"I don't have a particular type," Megumi stated, trying to maintain his composure; Todo tensed. "As long as a person is compassionate, then I don't need anything else."

Mai gave a loud, pleased hum that Nobara echoed. "Not a bad answer! I think Kagome would approve!" Nobara teased, much to Megumi's annoyance. "If you had said big boobs, I would've killed you myself!"

"I knew it," Todo replied; for a moment, Megumi thought he had avoided a fight but looked as if he were wrong because Todo looked at him with pure rage. "You're boring, Fushiguro!" And before Megumi had a chance to summon a shikigami, Todo was already attacking.

wolfYLady: I know it isn't much, but I thought this would be a good break and allow us to see that Yuji and Sukuna aren't the only ones interested in Kagome!

Hope you all enjoyed it! Until next time!