Tension...
...Silence...
... and Dread...
...is what best describe the theater's whole atmosphere.
Even if it only has four people.
None of the girls did not sweat, all of them kept quiet while staring at the screen quietly.
Not even daring to mutter out a word after the previous screening. Only deep thoughts.
Ayumu - 'H-Hiroki is... W-Wait, no. I should not jump into conclusions too quickly... Stress and fear is a sign of weakness... I got to hold my head up and... and...' she trails off, could not help herself but to feel scared despite telling herself not to.
Nao - 'Hiroki's not gonna die... I can feel it... He's not gonna die... He will never... He will wake up... He will...' she kept repeating inside her mind, same words uttering out differently on top of her head. Standing in the line between denial and realization, wanting to reject all the bad feeling forming in her sinful heart.
Kanoko - 'Fuck...! How did it come to this?!' she mentally questioned herself, blaming her very own body and soul for all the things that lead up to this very moment. One thing for certain, though, is how much she do not want anything to happen for her little brother, Hiroki.
And last but not least, Kaede. Hiroki's mother.
While she does not have any thougths, her eyes and body language shows that of distress. She never stopped scratching her own hands, creating noticeable red lines that run across her hand. Although she stopped and form a sign of a prayer.
Despite shaky, she clench her own hands tight. Praying to those who listens to her prayers. Praying and receiting verses after verses, not skipping or even messing up a word.
All not for her, but for her own son, Hiroki, to survive no matter what he has gone through.
Her gaze never breaks away from the empty; black screen. While her face is unreadable, you can clearly tell she is very distressed at the current moment. Not being able to have just a second to relax her anxious mind, no matter how much her own body tells her to.
Their mind have pondered through many kinds of possibilities from conclusions to theories, each being most likely than the last. But they would have never been prepared for what is coming next.
Speaking of which, the projector lights up once more with no asking for question whatsoever.
The screen shifts from black to the view of a recognizable red sneaker, one belonging to Hiroki but now possessed by the King of Curses himself, Sukuna.
Sukuna - "This sucks!" he looks up in annoyance, "If you're gonna switch, just do it already!"
The girls frowned at this.
'Why are they showing us this again...?' they thought to themselves, knowing none of their question would be answered.
Sukuna - "What's the matter, brat?" he asked, but his face contorts to that of a mischievous one upon realizing her has full control for the time being.
With that, the screen cuts to black before slowly transitioning to the view of the rainy clouds outside from the ground. Faint rumble of thunder amongst the dark clouds, with raindrops pitter-pattering the surrounding of... Megumi, who was still awaiting for Hiroki's arrival near the front gate.
Kanoko - "Urchin..." she murmured, unsure if she should encourage Megumi to try and save Hiroki despite knowing what he will be dealing with will be much, much worse.
Ayumu - 'Hopefully Hiroki can somehow get out from this...' she thought with a worried frown.
In an instant, the screen glitched in colors and statics before returning back to normal, showing the face of Megumi widening his eyes slightly.
This caused the girls to flinch.
Ayumu - "W-What was that?" she questioned, confused.
Nao - 'Is it... His presence?' she mentally asked, referring to the curse residing within Hiroki's body.
Megumi - "The Innate Domain's closed off! The special grade is dead!" he lean forward, his eyes observing the building in the distance, "Now we just need Itadori to return safely..."
But then... Sukuna, with hands in his pockets, suddenly appeared behind him with closed eyes.
Sukuna - "Sorry, but he's not coming back." he grinned, causing Megumi to sweat profusely.
The girls widen their eyes at this.
Ayumu - "W-When did he get there?!" she asked with wide; confused-yet-shocked eyes.
Nao - "T-That fast?!" she questioned, perplexed.
Although, the two relatives of Hiroki frowned in anger upon hearing Sukuna's statement.
Kanoko - "How do you about it, you bastard?!" she hissed, instinctively gripping the arms of her seat.
Meanwhile, Kaede is staring at the screen with gritted teeth behind her closed lips.
Sukuna - "Don't be so frightened." he open his eyes, his innocent-looking smile still intact, "I'm in a great mood right now. Let's chat for a bit."
With that, Sukuna walk past Megumi.
Sukuna - "This is what he gets from trying to use me without any kind of pacts." he look over his shoulder, keeping his direction away from Megumi, "Feels like he's having some trouble switching back."
The girls feel a cold chill that run down their spine.
Kaede - "N-No... It can't be..." she stuttered, feeling her fear mix in worry.
Kanoko - "B-But, that Gojo guy said he can control it...?" she recalled.
Nao - "Unless... Unless if Hiroki's really unconscious." she theorized with hand over her mouth.
Sukuna - "Still, though, it's only a matter of time." he grab onto his clothes, in which...
He rips it apart, showing parts of his markings that are showing across his shirtless body.
The girls let out confused expressions.
Nao - "What... is he doing?" he tilt her head, both unsure and uneasy.
Ayumu - "I-I don't like where this is going..." she muttered nervously.
Sukuna - "So..." he raise his hand up in the air, "I think about what I can do right now."
With the face of realization, Sukuna lets out a dark chuckle before digging his sharp claw right into his own chest, splattering blood everywhere.
The sound of gags errupted from the four female audiences' mouths, staring at the screen in absolute disgust and horrid.
Kanoko - "W-What the...?!" she shuddered.
Nao - "The chest... W-Wait, The... Don't tell me he's aiming for..." she calls out with wide eyes.
More dark chuckle escaped Sukuna's lips, blood dripping down to his chin. Inside, Sukuna's hand aims to its own heart... more specifically, originally Hiroki's heart.
Megumi - "W-What are you...?!" he asked in terror.
Forming puddles of blood on the ground, Sukuna ripped out Hiroki's heart out which ended up creating an even bigger puddle of bloods in the process.
The girls' face turned pale once more. This time even in even more stress and horror.
"H-HUH?!"
"W-WHAT THE FUCK?!"
"H-HIROKI...!"
"H-HOW IS HE NOT DEAD?! H-HE HAS HIS OWN HEART RIPPED OFF!"
Eyes widening at the sight, Megumi watched Hiroki's still beating heart in Sukuna's grasp as he grins mischievously.
Sukuna - "I'm taking this brat hostage." he stated simply.
Megumi - "Hostage?!" he repeated, utterly horrified and in disbelief.
Sukuna - "Yeah." he answered nonchalantly, "I can live without this, but that ain't true for the brat."
With that, he tossed Hiroki's beating heart on the grass, its pulse slowly dying at each passing second.
Kaede - "No... no... no...!" her eyes widen in horror, her hatred focusing on a particular curse, "SUKUNA! BRING HIROKI BACK, YOU SICK FUCK!"
This shocked the girls, particularly Kanoko. Never once has she ever seen her well-composed mom, even during her stressed times, losing her cool like this.
Suknua - "Switcing out with me means he dies." he brings out another one of his finger, one he got from the special-grade curse back at the juvenile center, "For good measure."
Taking a bite, Sukuna now looks up at Megumi with more confidence.
Megumi - 'Sukuna's finger.' he thought with a frown, 'That special-grade cursed spirit in there must have consumed it.'
Sukuna - "With that, I'm free as a bird." he showed off a more pointer nails, "You can be frighten now. I'll kill you! For no particular reason."
Kanoko - "Shit..." she swored under her closed teeth.
Nao - "Things are already bad for Hiroki... But also for Fushiguro, too." she frowned.
Ayumu - "H-How is he gonna fight him?!" she stuttered, wanting to know the conclusion of this matter, "Fushiguro can't handle a special-grade curse, and this is the "King of Curses" we're talking about!"
Kanoko - "Well, fuck that! Best he can do is run!" she concluded, grip on the arms of her seat.
Kaede - "B-But... Hiroki...?!" she remarked, her fist on her chest.
Nao - "H-..." she stopped, looking down for a moment, "He can't... If he switched out, he's gonna die."
Her words are like a brick to Kaede, causing her to descent further into an ocean of sadness.
Kaede - "No... No..." she stare down, body subtly shaking, 'Oh, god... Please, save my son... I-I beg you.. Please... I'm sorry for everything... J-Just don't kill my son, please...!'
Megumi - "Our positions are reversed now." he stated with a low stare, almost an acceptance of what is coming to him before focusing his attention with a determined gaze.
["KaiKai Kitan" by EVE]
The intro plays out.
With the intro playing, the girls are even more at the edge of their seat.
Best they can do is stare at the screen in deep thought, recalling a past certain statement:
"... and one died."
Ayumu - "Is Hiroki... g-g-gonna die...?! L-Like, really?!" she spoke slowly out of realization, fear, and horror.
Nao - "Fushiguro..." she spoke briefly, causing the girls to look at her.
Kanoko - "Fushi...guro...?" she tilt her head confusingly, "What are you talking about, Nao?"
Nao - "I-I think that... Fushiguro wouldn't survive..." she frowned, earning confused sounds from the others.
Kanoko - "B-But didn't Hiroki has his own heart ripped off?!" she clench her fist.
Nao - "W-While it is true, Sukuna still can regenerate!" she sigh to compose herself, "My theory suggest that... When they say one will die, it might be Fushiguro. Remember the time he can effortlessly regenerate his missing fingers and hand?"
With that, it caused the girls to stay stood silent.
It is indeed true, Sukuna can heal any living body parts with ease, and so can his missing heart. He is the King of Curses, after all. If Hiroki did switch back somehow, he is not stupid as to let his one in a million host just die right there and then.
Ayumu - "B-But didn't you just say that... Hiroki is gone...?" she recalled.
Nao - "From the outside? Yes. From the inside? I... don't think so." she shook her head.
And the fact Megumi is dealing with an absurdly strong curse, such as Sukuna himself, shows how much he is in-between life and death situation.
Kaede - "S-So does that mean..." she widen her eyes with a hint of hope, "Hiroki will live...?"
Nao - "... Possibly." she spoke lowly, a bit unsure.
Kanoko - "But it's not looking good for Urchin, though..." she deadpan, followed by Ayumu nodding besides her and Nao.
Although, their thoughts were instantly erased by the intro finally coming to an end.
In which, they all return back to their seat in silence.
The screen slowly fades to the view of cogs spinning, with the title: "CURSE WOMB MUST DIE -II-" appearing on the bottom left side.
"The only thing granted equally to all is an unfair reality." a male voice, belonging to Megumi narrates.
Slowly, the view of spinning cogwheels transitions to a girl with long hair spread out everywhere on the ground, having noticeable marks across her forehead.
Kanoko - "... Urchin?" she raised her eyebrows in confusion, hearing his voice narrates.
Ayumu - "Eh? Who's that?" she questioned curiously.
One thing that caught their attention was Megumi's line, it kept being stuck in their head, wondering what it meant.
Judging with all the cogwheels spinning and a mysterious girl with markings across her forehead, they assume all of this was just cryptic message or some sort, but they will have their questions answered in few moments.
The screen slowly fades back to the view of the rainy sky, cutting back to Fushiguro taking a battle stance while glaring at Sukuna.
Megumi - "You just don't get it. He's..." he trails off for a moment, "Itadori's coming back. Even if that means he'll die. That's just who he is."
This caused the girls to widen their eyes, more specifically Kaede. This is one of those times they hate about Hiroki's reckless nature.
Kaede - 'No, no! Please, don't do it! I'm sorry!' she thougth with slightly trembling mouth.
Sukuna - "You gave him too much credit. This guy's just a little tougher and denser than other humans." he wiped off the blood off his chin, "Just a moment ago, he was scared out of his mind, on the verge of death, and prattling on about his regrets and all that nonsense."
A flashback of Hiroki with missing hand and fingers is seen crying back at the Juvenile Center's building.
Sukuna - "I know for a fact he can't he doesn't have the guts to kill himself." he grinned.
The girls lets out glare at hatred on the screen.
Kanoko - "Motherfucker..." she hissed.
Ayumu - "I know this might sound inappropriate, but... I feel like I want to gouge his eyes out..." she clench her fists.
Kanoko - "I agree, too, Ayumu." she nod, still keeping her gaze at the screen.
Nao - "I don't know why, but... I feel the same way too..." she frowned deeply.
Kaede could only nod as a response, silently agreeing.
Megumi - 'His arm is restored.' he thought, remembering the time he had his hand cut off by the special-grade, 'Healing... He can use Reverse Cursed Technique.'
Ayumu - "R-Reverse Cursed Technique?" she repeated out of confusion, her hatred facade breaking for a moment.
Kanoko - "Maybe that's what they call their healing technique." she kept glaring at the screen.
Megumi - 'Sukuna's incarnated. Even if he can live without a heart, it'd still be damaging to him.' he thought deeply, still in his battle stance, 'I'll make him heal his heart before Itadori returns. I just have to make him believe he can't beat me without a heart in his body!'
Kaede lets out breathe of relief, and so does the other girls.
Kanoko - "Hell yeah, Urchin!" she cross her arms with a grin.
Ayumu - "He's helping him out!" she widen her eyes with a smile.
Kaede - 'Thank you... Thank you so much...!' she smiled gratefully, both hands clenching against each other.
Megumi - 'Can I do that... When I couldn't even move with that special-grade in front of me?' he questioned himself, but his determination remains unshattered, 'It's not about whether I can.'
With shaky hands, he makes another one of his hand sign mimicking that of a bird's shadow.
"I have to do it!"
Something from his shadow behind, that being Nue, his eagle-like shikigami with stone-like face. With a companion by his side, he quickly rush up to Sukuna.
Kanoko - "Go get 'em, Urchin!" she cheered.
Ayumu - "I believe in you!" she cheered alongside her, eyes brimming with hope.
Kaede - 'Save Hiroki, please...!' she thought with a hopeful smile, silently cheering on Megumi.
Nao - 'Please be safe...' she thought with a noticeable pout, staring at the screen with tension.
Sukuna - "I'm finally outside, after all." he stated, grinning with hands on his head, "Let's use the open space."
Taking his opportunity to strike first, Megumi send punches and kicks while Sukuna evade with style and ease.
Kanoko - "Damn it, he's dodging like everything's a joke to him!" she snarls in frustration.
Nao - "It's obvious why..." she scowled
Sukuna - "Interesting." he took step back to observe,feeling Megumi's eagle-like Shikigami diving into him from behind, "You use Shikigami, but you'll still come at me yourself?"
At that, Sukuna proceeded to dodge all incoming attacks coming from two directions simultaneously with minimal effort.
Ayumu - "He's gonna need more than just an eagle!" she spoke out of irritation and worry, fists clenching.
Kaede - "Oh god..." she furrowed her eyebrows, growing increasingly worried for Megumi as of right now.
Megumi keep sending punches after punches, but those were left futile by the King of Curses himself whilst asking for "more" and "more" in his sadistic; almost playful-like tone.
Pulling the fist he caught, Sukuna spin Megumi around before bringing his face close, grinning mischievously.
Sukuna - "Put more curse behind it." he adviced, eyes widening with a red glowing pupil.
Attempting to step back, Megumi was instead met with a quick swipe to his cheek, spilling blood right out his mouth while Sukuna kept chuckling darkly at the boy's miserable state.
The girls flinched at the hit.
Nao - "Ow..." she winced.
Kanoko - "Urchin really is in a tight pitch." she stated with a noticeable sweatdrop.
Ayumu - "T-There must be a way he could get out from this!" she marked, "Either way, Dogs and Eagles not the only Shikigami he has... right?"
Sliding his feet across the ground to slow down his momentum, he pull off another hand sign while shouting: "Orochi!" inside his mind.
Which, in return, summons a white and black snake below Sukuna's feet. But not just any ordinary snake, a giant one at that. The snake's length kept extruding from the ground, sending Sukuna high up in the air.
While being bit, Sukuna was also attacked by Nue, Megumi's eagle shikigami that sends not only brute force, but also purple lightning that flows through Sukuna's body wet from the rain.
Kanoko - "Woah!" she widen her eyes, taken back by the display of Megumi's giant-sized shikigami, "He has a giant snake, too?!"
Ayumu - "A combo!" she stated with shining eyes.
Kaede - "He got a chance to attack, now!" her eyes widen in surprise.
Nao - "I-I don't think it's gonna be that... easy, woudn't it?" she raised her eyebrows curiously.
Unfortunately, Sukuna grinned as he output small amounts of his cursed energy to explode Megumi's snake shikigami's head in pieces, instantly freeing him from his restraint.
The giant serpent's head was not the only body part that explode, but its entire body are beginning to go alonside with the head starting from top.
The girls skin pale for a brief moment.
Kanoko - "You're kidding..." she muttered in disbelief.
Ayumu - "T-That easily...?" she spoke through her sweatdropping expression.
In an instant, Sukuna appear behind the gasping Megumi, trying to process what just happened.
Nao - "C-Crap...!" she widen her eyes.
Kanoko - "Run!" she shouted.
Sukuna - "Hey, what did I just say?" he reminded while clutching the boy's outfit from the back, both individuals facing the opposite direction, "Let's use the open space!"
With a swing, Megumi was sent flying like a ragdoll being through bushes, trees, and finally, high up into the air over houses and buildings.
Nao - "H-He went flying!" she exclaimed with a jaw drop.
Ayumu - "E-Even further than Hiroki, at that!" she added, worried.
Realizing the state he is in, he finally open his eyes and was met with the sight of Sukuna already in the air, preparing for another strike.
The urchin-haired boy have no time to react and was instantly sent flying back yet again at intense speed from the sheer force of Sukuna's kick alone.
All - "URCHIN! / FUSHIGURO!" they all shouted in an instinct.
Nao - "N-Now that's just absurd!" she shivered, clearly underestimating Sukuna's outmatched strength and brutality.
Ayumu - "This is unfair! He's not giving him a chance to get back up!" she frowned in frustration.
Kanoko - "He's just toying with him!" she added with a frustrated expression.
After plummeting from buildings to roofs, he was sent flying back again by another unexpected kick from the side, going through a werehouse, destroying pillars after pillars before back outside.
Fortunately enough, his eagle shikigami: "Nue" was able to catch him mid-air to try and bring him into a safer spot.
Megumi - 'It's not even a matter of Jujutsu Sorcerer.' he thought, finally having a chance to compose himself let alone breathe, 'His power and agility are on a totally different level.'
With a blurry vision, he watched Sukuna already up in the air next to him.
Suknua - "Nice technique there." he stated with before slamming his fist down, sending him crashing down another building.
Yet again, the girls flinched at the impact. Some could not help but feel their side ached by just glancing at the destruction.
Nao - "H-He stood no chance..." she murmured, progressivelt losing hope for the Urchin-haired boy.
Kanoko - "I-It's not over yet!" she swored under her breath, "Surely that's not all! Don't tell me he has no more trick up his sleeves!"
Kaede - "O-Oh, god... Please, anyone... save them... M-My poor Hiroki..." she begged, growing distressed more than ever before.
Finally landing on top of a rubble, he found himself under the wing of his eagle shikigami, as if trying to protect him through its feathered wings.
Megumi - 'What do I do? I used up one of my shikigami to escape the innate domain.' he asked on top of his head, eyes closed in deep thought, 'Demon Dog White and Orochi are both destroyed, and Nue's at his limit too.'
Kanoko - "W-Wait, so he can't use them anymore?!" she widen her eyes in realization.
Ayumu - "W-What about his other Shikigami?! So far, he only used four! five if you want to count the other dog!" she recalled.
Megumi - 'I should release him before he gets destroyed.' he thought while petting Nue's head, signaling the Shikigami to return back to the shadow.
Still in his deep thought moment, he was unfortunately interrupted by the voice of Sukuna.
Sukuna - "I get it now." he stood steps apart from Megumi, hands on his hips, "Your shikigami are created from shadows."
The girls frowned at the King of Curse's sudden yet expected appearance.
Kanoko - "I'm starting to hate this guy even more now." she growled.
Ayumu - "Same here." she nodded in agreement with an angry frown.
Megumi - 'Knowing that won't change anything.' he thought to himself, before speaking out loud clearly, "So what?"
With his hand grabbing his chin in a thoughtful manner, Sukuna began observing carefully.
Sukuna - 'It's not the generic technique that uses charms. It's adaptable too.' he recalled, "Back then, why did you run away?" he asked before letting out a disappointed; amusing grin, "What a wasted opportunity."
Listening through, the girls lets out a confused noise. Forgetting about the situation for a moment.
Ayumu - "W-Wasted opportunity?" she repeated, bewildered by that statement.
Nao - "Perhaps... There's still something Fushiguro still can do?" she theorized in a guessing tone.
Megumi looks back with a frown.
Sukuna - "Well, whatever. Either way, that won't be enough to fix this." he points at the hole in his chest.
Once again, the girls groaned in frustration excluding the mature one.
Ayumu - "S-So he found out." her frowns deepen.
Nao - 'T-This is not the end... Hiroki's gonna come back, that's for sure... any second now...' she kept staring at the screen intently.
Kaede -'P-Please... come back...' she begged, feeling herself close to tearing up again.
Megumi - 'He read me like a book, huh?' he smirked in amusement before slowly standing up.
Sukuna - "You're risking your life over stupid shit." he stated, returning his hand back to its original position, "This brat is not worth the effort."
Kaede - 'I'll tear off his own heart, I swear...' she stared at the screen with malicious intent.
With his gaze low, he remember Hiroki's question: "Then why did you bother saving me?!" before the screen transitions back to the sight of cogwheels spinning.
"The only fair thing about life is how unfair it is to everyone."
Despite taking away the scene between Sukuna and Megumi, they could not help but listen to the monologues.
Curious at why they are showing them this beforehand.
Then, the sight of a girl with brown-hair and a ponytail standing in what seems to be a flower field.
Girl - "If I have the time to curse someone, I'd rather spend it thinking about those precious to me." she informed with a smile.
"Without a doubt, she was the kindest person I knew."
Then the scene transitions to the view of her, hair spread out and marking on her forehead to hint her presumable unfortunate demise.
"She deserved happiness more than anyone else. And yet, Tsumiki is cursed."
The girls could feel the gloomy atmosphere.
There must be a hint on why they are showing them this, and they do not like it one bit.
Then Megumi raising up his hand, his cursed energy flows throughout his torso all the way to the tip of his fingers.
"The father who didn't even know my gender, gave me the name of Megumi."
"He's still living out there, doing as he pleases."
Those words sounded awfully a lot like Kaede's past husband.
Truth to be told, she had married twice. Her first time is when she married and lost her first time to a guy named: "Mori Kin".
She used to love him with all her heart until one night, she discovers he cheated on her behind her back with another woman.
Right after her daughter was born at that.
And right from then on, she demanded a divorce while he left nothing but her own baby in her arms, sleeping peacefully, unaware from all the chaos happening outside.
If only she knew she wouldn't be marrying a douchebag, she would not have felt any of those unneccesary conflicting emotions. She could easily avoid it if she would be more careful.
And all of that were tossed aside when the true love of her life: "Itadori Jin" came into her life. Where not only comfort her during her darkest time, but would also gladly marry her in which she gave birth to her son, Itadori Hiroki.
It is when she felt more "alive" than any other part of her life, and...
Thinking about those moments... she could not help but shed a single tad of tear. Missing the past.
The screen transitions to an odd; cryptic-like painting in a courtroom with people mimicking that of curses.
"Karma doesn't happen on its own."
"Criminals could only be judged under the law."
The screen switches back to the sight of cogwheels spinning once more.
"Jujutsu sorcerers are just another cog in that machine of retribution."
Then Megumi is seen sitting down right next to a girl on her dead bed.
"Even if it's just a few, I want more good people to receive fairness."
Ayumu - "S-So I assume she's a close relative of him?" she guessed, trying to avoid anymore tension in the room.
Nao - "It's either that, or... she's someone really close to Fushiguro." she added with a nod, "A best friend, perhaps?"
The screen transitions back to Megumi with a tired smile, cursed energy channeling throughout every inch of his body with both of hands clenching into fists.
"Which is why, I'll save people whether it's fair or not!"
Ayumu - "W-Woah..." she widen her eyes at the sight, mesmorized by it.
Kanoko - "So he still have some juices left in him..." she smiled, anticipating him to save Hiroki right there and then.
Nao - "N-Not all hope are all lost!" she could not help but smile in relief.
Kaede could only stare at the screen, glimmers in her eyes returning but not by fear or stress, but hope.
A sudden pressure shook Sukuna's body down to its core, staring at Megumi with wide eyes before letting out a full-blown crazed smile.
Sukuna - "That's it." he asserted, "So this is when you start burning through your life!"
Stepping over a puddle, Sukuna began approaching Megumi again.
Sukuna - "Now I see." he , keeping his mischievous smile, "Well, in that case, SHOW ME WHAT YOU'VE GOT, FUSHIGURO MEGUMI!"
The girls hold their breath, waiting for the final showdown to unravel while cheering on for Megumi's side.
To not only defeat Sukuna but also help Hiroki.
With a frown, cursed energy began glowing off of his body once more as he prepare for something... BIG.
Megumi - "Sacred Treasure: Eight-Handled-..." he stop himself upon realizing something.
The channel of curse energy extinguish off hisbody in an instant, leaving him and Sukuna standing there completely still in the same pose.
In return, the girls were left completely still bewildered and dumbfounded.
Ayumu - "What... What happened?" she bring her hands away from her face, confused by the unexpected outcome.
Kanoko - "He... stopped himself?" she muttered, perplexed.
Kaede - 'H-Hiroki...' she murmured in an instinct.
With droplets dripping down the tip of his hair, his normal voice returns.
Megumi - "Just so you know," he started, "I didn't have any logical reason for saving you back then." he remembered all those time when he was tossed around, trying to save Hiroki and his two other friends, "Even if it was dangerous, I couldn't bear to see a good person like you die. I did have my reservations, but ultimately it was for selfish, emotional reasons. But that's okay."
Ayumu - "W-Why is he saying it like that?" she questioned, growing increasingly worried by the bad feeling in her gut.
Nao - 'Wait... no, no... Please don't tell me...' she widen her eyes, her bad feeling kicking in at the worst possible time.
The markings on Sukuna's face began to slowly but surely fade away.
Megumi - "I'm not a hero." he remarked,his pose returning to normal with a genuine smile, "I'm a jujutsu Sorcerer, and that's why I've never once regretted saving you."
Back with Sukuna, his markings completely disappear where only Hiroki was left present, staring at the Urchin-haired boy in surprise. The hole in his chest remain unchanged.
The girls gasped in horror and panic.
Ayumu - "H-Hiroki-senpai!" she shouted.
Nao - "H-His heart didn't... heal..." she muttered, her hand right in front of her mouth.
Kanoko - "F-Fuck... Shit!... H-Hiroki... Are...-" she kept looking at the giant screen in disbelief.
Kaede - "No... No... P-Please... don't... O-Oh, god... I-I..." she felt tears flowing down her face again, all the pain, anxiety, and guilt returning all at once.
Hiroki - "I see." he lets out a reassuring; almost embarrassed smile through his pained state, "You really are smart, Fushiguro. You've put thought into this more than I have. I think your way of doing things is correct, but that doesn't mean mine isn't."
Kaede could not believe it, almost in denial. She kept touching her arm, scratching it to see if she is dreaming or not... But the pain registring in her arm is enough evidence to remind she is truly in reality.
And even worse, all she could do is stare at the screen with shaky breaths and distressed expression.
With blood spilling out of the hole in his chest, he kept smiling weakly at Megumi.
Hiroki - "Ah, I'm done for... I wouldn't have to worry about you, Kugisaki, nor Gojo-sensei anymore..." he spoke weakly.
He has accepted it all now.
Ever since that day, he could not stop looking down on himself. Not from the outside, but from the inside.
Thinking he is nothing more than a burden to the four girls, so he assume no one awaits for him back home.
... If he is deemed a loser, then he should die like one... Like what those girls told him...
... But also... Die while fulfilling her grandfather's last wish... as well as his duty being a sorcerer...
... To die with a purpose, die while surrounded by someone, and... to not show off any regrets when you die...
... Essentially fulfilling all words of others at once...
... Though, before Hiroki could peacefully rest his eyes... his mind was stuck on one particular person...
Hiroki - "There's someone I'd want you to meet... Her name is... Kaede... a relative of mine... back at Sendai... please... tell her... to... live... a- long... life-..." he was unable to finish as he lost the remaining energy off his body, landing on the puddle where his blood mixed with the rainwater.
And it is right there and then...
Itadori Hiroki has declared dead on spot.
Under the cold, heavy-weather rain.
With only one person by his side, Fushiguro Megumi who was fighting back his tear under the rain.
Camera transitioning and panning further and further away from the two, leaving them isolated in their gloomy atmopshere under the gloomy weather.
That is the last straw.
With all the rapid; irregular breathings, heavily stressed mind, throbbing heart, and Hiroki's last words...
... It is all too much for her to handle...
... Which in return, she passed out on her seat with tears still flowing down her face...
...While her daughter, Kanoko attempted to wake her up in worry...
Minutes, what felt like hours, has passed for the girls.
All of them kept staring down with dead-eyes, filled with no shines or purpose whatsoever.
And after an hour, all of them is seen settling down but with a dead-looking expression
Filled with shines or purpose whatsoever.
They just witnessed something they never once think would come so soon... The death of Hiroki.
Right in front of their eyes. His last moment. Last words. Last... wish.
Each of them have their own way of having a mental breakdown, Starting with Hiroki's "girlfriend", Nao.
Nao - 'If only... only none of that...' she sobbed, fist tightening in a shaky manner, 'I-I'm... sorry...!'
She had never said sorry so genuinely before. Usually, it is supposed to be Hiroki who said sorry for most of the time, knowing how much of a gentleman he is, but this time... her mind screams and urges her to say so.
She never wanted this, she never wanted him to die... but...
'Everything is my fault... I get it! I GET IT! IT'S ALL MY FAULT!'
She kept remembering those times... When they were little... Those promise when they will get married... When she will offer her first time to him... But none of those matter anymore.
It is today, at the very moment, and right about now that she truly understood how much of an impact she made because of her naivety. A stupid, reckless decision is the nicest way you could best describe it as.
'So you realize it now, huh?'
'W-Who said that?!'
'Why would that matter if you are right here begging for Hiroki to come back, you fucking hypocrite?'
'I-I... No... I don't... I-I DON'T KNOW WHAT CAME OVER ME, OKAY?! J-JUST SHUT UP! I-I'LL TRY TO MAKE THINGS RIGHT-!'
'AND HOW?! HOW DO YOU PLAN ON TAKING HIM BACK?! BY JUST LIVING OFF YOUR DELUSIONS?! IS THAT WHAT?!'
"B-By... b... I-..."
'Exactly, you slut.'
After a few moment of silence, she began to think again.
'Everything started because of me... I-I was the one... who made his life a living hell...'
'Everything is a mess... I hate everything... All the guilt... All the pain... B-but more to myself... I-I wish I could just... I-If only there's a knife here and... then... I-I could... Get rid of my tongue... shred my skin... that h-hurt... insulted... Hiroki... Maybe that'll make him forgive me... I'll have to make my own life a living hell... m-maybe even worse... and then I'll have him back... b-but... b-...'
She clutch on her thighs, trying to spill any blood. Instead, tears spill over her thighs.
'B-But... he's... he's not here anymore... H-He's... Dead... T-The promise... We made when we were little... For us to marry... and... start a family... a-and... when he always keep humoring me his entire life... Even in his toughest time... The way he let himself get hurt... for the sake of me... I-I'm nothing without him... I'm just a stupid... useless... bitch... deserved to be left... to rot...'
In the meantime, Ayumu kept hiding her face in her closed knees.
'Hiroki-senpai... he said he'll never leave me... he promise me that... but... w-why...! YOU TOLD ME YOU WOULDN'T GO! I-IS BECAUSE OF WHAT IS SAID?! I'M SORRY! I DIDN'T MEAN ALL OF THAT! THEY'RE ALL LIES...! EVERY SINGLE INSULTS TO YOU WERE NOTHING BUT-... B-But...'
She lets out shaky sobs, looking up at the empty, dark theater screen yet again.
'I-Is it... because... words are like wish...? I-Is that what...? H-Hiroki-senpai... always told me that... If that's the case, t-then... please... let me take his place... I don't care what happens to me anymore...'
'I-I'll quit my dream of being a martial art champion! I'll do it! Becoming a champion is nothing without the only person who inspired me to become one...!'
'O-Or even... take part of my body in exchange for his... m-missing heart... I-If it means that... just so that I could reuinite with him again...'
But... None of that is possible. Hiroki is long gone. He is dead. With no one to be by his side, to comfort him, or even... to say that everything is gonna be okay.
Oh, how could the world be so cruel to an innocent boy like Hiroki?
'There's no other reason... no purpose for me anymore to keep going in life... Maybe I should just... give up...' both Ayumu and Nao thought to themselves in unison, tears still flowing down their face.
Next up, we got Kanoko, Hiroki's big step-sister.
Who is not doing great, even worse than the previous two.
Much like the two, she has been replaying the same past memories on top of her head like a medicine to her already broken state. She kept invisioning herself and Hiroki in front of him... As if, she is trying to make her imagination a reality.
But no matter how hard she tried, none of her attempts worked.
Kanoko - 'Why... wasn't I there for him... before...?' she kept asking herself inside her mind, same questions repeating over and over again like an audio on loop meant to torture her.
She is in deep denial of everything she saw from that day up until this point... Every time she tries to tell herself everything is gonna be alright, memories hit her like truck ramming at full-head on which caused her to sink even deeper into an endless ocean of depression.
Last but not least... Kaede.
The woman that are having it the worst of the four. No words could describe how dead the eyes of the grieving mother.
All lost hope and life.
Maybe therapy...
Two lines of...
No...
No amount of therapy, or even medicines could save her anymore. If anything, her son is the only one who can save her from this misery... If she could even call him that anymore.
All the insults, the pain, the disgusting voices and visions swimming in her head.
She just wanted to clear her mind from this guilt... this agonizing; soul-crushing pain. To return back to how every should have been. With Hiroki walking downstair alonside his sister, Kanoko to meet up with their mother, Kaede in the dining room, eating a freshly-cooked soup as their breakfast.
But it was all just a living fantasy on top of her head.
Feeling concern with a slight hint of fear, Kanoko's shaky hand slowly reached out to her mother's.
Kanoko - "M-Mom..." she muttered quietly, "Are you oka-"
At a point of insanity, Kaede's hands is already around her daughter's neck.
Kanoko - "M-Mom- I-..! Agh!" she chocked, attempting to free herself from her mother's grasp. Her distress and fear more evident.
Kaede - "YOU! YOU'RE THE REASON WHY MY HIROKI'S GONE! Y-YOU! I'LL MAKE YOU FEEL THE SAME PAIN AS HIM!" she boasted, tightening her clenching fists with gritted teeth.
Her mind went blank, with no thoughts but instintinct violent tendency. Everything she saw and thought of was about Kokujin, the person who humiliates her son, who brainwash her daughter and... herself. She felt like she needed to attack someone, to try and replicate the feeling to choke the soul out of Kokujin.
But it is all in her vision, and the closest one to her is... her own daughter, Kanoko.
Almost in an instant, both Ayumu and Nao gasped at the sight. Ayumu react instinctively by attempeting to pry Kaede's hands off of her daughter's neck while Nao froze in fear.
Ayumu - "M-Mrs. Itadori! C-Calm down!" she exclaimed desperately out of confusion and fear.
Kaede - "DON'T INTERVINE! THIS IS BETWEEN ME AND HIM!" she yelled back, her attention still fixated on Kanoko.
Finally taking in the weight of the situation, Nao snaps out of her paralyzed state before stepping in to help from the other side.
Nao - "Mrs. Itadori! Snap out of it!" she shouted, attempting to pry the mother's strong grip on her daughter's neck.
Kanoko - "m-mom-... i can't...- I c-can't breathe..." she chocked.
Kanoko continued struggle to breathe, with her vision blurring and deteriorating... She thought she was about to pass out, or even die.
With final thoughts and moment being about Hiroki...
The way he smile.
The fact he dyed his hair blonde to match hers.
The time where he is grateful for having her by his side.
The point where... Hiroki saw her as a model than just a big sister.
Everything is painful... Even more painful when she is struggling to breathe.
Kanoko - 'I'm sorry...' she apologized quietly, closing her eyes in acceptance.
Although, realizing she has not passed out yet, she was able to eventually get air down to her empty lungs. Her vision began to focus back to the sight of... her own mother with a face of horror and realization.
Kaede, from her perspective, stop tightening her grasp on her daughter's neck upon feeling... tears landing on her hands. Blinking, the view of choking Kokujin was replaced with the sight her own hands on the chocking Kanoko's neck.
Not only is she struggling to breathe... but also crying.
The second time she has cried after a long, long time...
And it is because of her own mother, at that.
Kanoko - "mom...?" she muttered quietly, confused.
Kaede - "K-Kanoko..." she stuttered, her hands trembling as she slowly remove her grip on Kanoko's neck, causing her own daughter to finally gasp for air.
Kaede look at her own hands, thinking to herself...
"What have I done...?!"
Upon realizing her action, she broke down completely and began crying even more. This time crying to herself, afraid she might do any violent manner that hurts someone else. Worse case yet, to her own daughter.
Kaede - "I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I... I-... didn't mean it...!" she cried, struggling to form sentence while drowning in her own despair and guilt.
She hurt her own daughter, and she cannot forgive herself from that... or even from anything else...
And the best she can do is...
... cry on spot...
... like the pathetic mother she is...
Kanoko, who was holding her aching neck the entire time while breathing heavily, looked at her own mother's degrading health. Both in physical and mental state.
For a few moments, she was scared to approach her again. But eventually, her expression become soft before reaching out and wrapping her arms around her own mother in a tight; warming embrace.
Everything has gone from bad to worst.
Not only did her mother had a mental breakdown, but also tried to hurt her own daughter in an attempt to ease up her pain through her deteriorating psychological view.
In return, it made everything a helluva lot worse.
After a moment of silence, Kaede finally calmed down and look at her own daughter again.
Kaede - "K-Kanoko, I'm sorry... I-I didn't know what came into me... I-I was..." she place her head down onto her daughter's laps in shame and guilt, still a crying mess.
Kanoko - "M-Mom... I..." she paused.
Part of her wanted to forgive her mom for what she did, but she knew is not the time to do it now. She would not want her mom to go deeper into this mess, and so the best she can do is stay silent while rubbing her crying mother's back until the time is right.
Kanoko - 'This is his fault...' she frowned deeply, thinking of Kokujin's smugging face in anger and hatred, 'I'll make sure all the bones in his body is broken after this... I don't care if I'll get into trouble... I'll just kill him there if I can... Maybe torture him, also...'
The girls felt maximum hatred toward Kokujin, now. They felt like their limit had peaked, but it went past their limit beyond belief. Reaching to a point where veins began popping out of their forehead.
Surprisingly, thinking it was all over, the screen lights up again which caught the girls off guard.
Transitioning from a black screen, the view of the city dazzling under the sunny daylight is seen from the sky.
The girls could not help but return their face to the screen with a scowl.
What is the point of showing more if Hiroki is already dead?!
On the other side of a sidewalk, there, stood group of curses. One of them is a man in robe with a long pony-tail and stitches running across his forehead, one of them is a literal giant squid under a white robe, one of them is a muscular curse with plant appearance, and then a short guy with his head resembling that of a volcano... much like his appearance
Despite confused, they could not help but grew curious at who they might be.
Kanoko - "... A squid?" she sniffed, wiping the tears off her cheek before looking back at the screen.
Ayumu - "Judging by how they look, I assume they're a... curse." she stated, still saddened about Hiroki's death.
Volcano - "Hey, answer me." he addressed, "Was there any real reason to use a precious finger to test Sukuna's strength?"
Pony Tail - "Well, there wasn't much point to it with half measures." he look over his shoulder before back to the road up front, "We did learn a few things."
Volcano - "Hmph. I'll be praying that's not just an excuse." he rolled his one eye, earning noises from the red giant octupus curse behind.
Plant - "hE iS tHe kInG oF cUrSeS." a cryptic feminine voice spoke through its closed teeth.
Volcano - "Stop talking!" he fumed, "No one understands what you're saying!"
The girls could not help but sweatdrop at the antics the curse were displaying.
Kanoko - "For a curse, they look pretty..." she trails off.
Nao - "Calm? Yeah, for the most part." she nodded in agreement and suspicion.
Ayumu - "Wait, what did that curse said?" she questioned at the plant-like curse.
When the , the curse began to walk to the other side.
Volcano - "We don't understand, yet the meaning flows into our right into our minds. It's creepy!" he commented.
With that, all of them walk into a cafe restaurant. A waitress near the entrance heard the digital bell rang.
Waitress - "Welcome!" she greeted politely, "Would you like a table for one?"
Pony Tail - "Yeah, for one, please." he confirmed with a smile, holding a one hand sign.
Nao - "Oh, right... They can't see curses." she deadpan.
Ayumu - "W-Wait, if they can't see curses... Then... What about the middle guy?" she asked, pointing at the man with stitches across his forehead.
Realization made them silent.
Kanoko - "Wait a second..." she took time to consider her theory, "It's either the curse is able to be seen by other human or... he's a regular human being?"
Nao - "Curses... hanging around with a human?" she observed, finding that statement alone almost unbelievable, knowing the relation between humans and curses beforehand.
Ayumu - "I-I'm surprised he isn't concerned about being attack by them, but instead... befriended with them... W-Well, at least that's what I'm thinking of." she responded, in disbelief.
Kanoko - "Maybe they're in some sort of group working together or something." she guessed.
Nao - "... Only a matter of time would tell." she replied briefly.
Back at Jujutsu Tech, the surrounding tradition house is shown before a dark; ominous hallway which lead to the view of a body underneath a cloth inside an operation room.
Besides it was Ijichi standing while Gojo is in front, sitting down and listening in a more serious manner.
Ijichi - "If you encounter it, you either run or you die." he articulated, "I warned them that fighting was absolutely not an option."
The girls felt shiver run down their spine at the corpse.
Judging by the guys in the room, they absolutely know what is going on.
Ayumu - "Don't tell me it's... Hiroki under the cloth." she shivered, instantly feeling blue again.
Kaede - "Son... M-My poor Hiroki..." she murmured, feeling the guilt and pain eating her from the inside out.
Meanwhile, Kanoko sends hatred glare toward Gojo, knowing he could be partially at fault regarding Hiroki's passing. Just who in the right mind would let their students go on a suicide mission with no aids of any higher ups or even upperclassmen?!
Gojo - "It was intentional." he responded rather nonchalantly.
Ijichi - "Huh? W-What do you mean?" he asked, dumbfounded.
"EH?!" the four, excluding Kaede all gasped in shock.
Kanoko - "That fucker!" she growled, her hatred slowly and gradually increasing.
Ayumu - "So they were planning to kill Hiroki-senpai from the start!" she scowled.
Gojo - "Sending in first-years to rescue five who weren't even confirmed alive should be out of the question." he scratches the back of his head with a frown, "Besides, I was the one who forced the issue and got Hiroki's execution suspended. Some higher-ups didn't like that and use the special-grade to tactfully dispose of him in my absence."
This caused Ijichi to cover his mouth with glossy eyes before he closes them.
Gojo - "If the other two had died, it'd be more harassment for me and two bird with one stone for them." he finished.
All the doubts and hatred toward Gojo was instantly erased from the girls.
Ayumu - 'W-Wait, so it wasn't him who wanted to kill Hiroki. But... the other higher-ups?' she blinked in surprise, "T-They want him to die that badly because of Sukuna?!"
Nao - "And yet, they still agree to kill him if all the other fragments have been consumed..." she gripped the arms of her chair in hatred.
Kanoko - "Like what Gojo said, the higher-ups really are cowards..." she scowled.
Ijichi - "No, but, there was no indication of a special-grade when the dispatch was issued" he responded with sweatdrops.
Gojo - "Searching for the culprit is such a pain." he sighed, "Maybe I should just... kill all the higher-ups."
The girls blink in surprise and shock.
Ayumu - "W-What?" she gasped.
Nao - "Just like that?!" she tilted her head with wide eyes.
That caused Ijichi to flinch in shock.
Although, before he could utter out anything else, the metal door slide open to reveal a heavily-tired-looking woman in medical attire.
Woman - "You're being emotional for once." she commented.
Nao - "Who is this, now?" she grumbled uninterestedly.
Ijichi - "It's good to see you, miss. Leiri!" he immediately strighten his posture before bowing toward her direction.
Leiri (Shoko) - "Seems like you really had a soft spot for him." she looked at the corpse displayed before at the two.
Kanoko - "It seems like the woman are familiar with the two, especially Gojo." she slump her back against her seat.
Gojo - "I've always been a nice guy who looks out after his students." he remarked with a finger pointed to the ceiling.
Kanoko - "You sure?" she questioned sarcastically, letting out a comical anger tick on the side of her head.
Nao - "Don't blame him. He said he was absent the time Hiroki and his friends had to deal with the special-grade." she look at Kanoko from the side.
Leiri (Shoko) - "Don't pick on Ijichi too much." she stated, coiling her hair through her finger, "He's got it rough, stuck between us and the higher-ups."
Taking those words in, Ijichi began to blush in contentment.
Ijichi - 'Keep going! Keep going! Keep going!' he thought to himself, ignoring things outside for the time being.
The girls sweatdropped, apart from Kaede who are still having deep thoughts.
Kanoko - "She's his idol or something?" she raised her eyebrows in confusion.
Gojo - "I don't care about a man's hardship." he stated.
Leiri (Shoko) - "That's so?" she replied, causing Ijichi to look up in realization.
Finally focusing back on her track, she faced toward the body of the pink-haired boy before removing the cover.
Leiri (Shoko - ) "So this is..." she paused for a moment, taking in the sight, "Sukuna's vessel."
The girls felt chill crawling down their spine along with their depression at the sight of Hiroki's corpse.
Kanoko - "S-Shit..." she cursed to herself, feeling the need to cry again.
Ayumu - "Hiroki-senpai is... no longer here anymore..." she muttered miserably, no more life in eyes and tone of hers.
She has no other reason to fight in her pathetic life anymore.
All she can do is sit there and cry.
Leiri (Shoko) - "I can take him apart as I please, right?" she questioned, her eyes remain fixated on the corpse.
That sentence caused Kaede to look back at the screen in anger.
Kaede - 'Don't you dare do something to my precious son's body!' she cursed with gritted teeth.
Ayumu - "T-Take him apart?!" she repeated, petrified by that idea.
Nao - "Aw, jeez..." she looked away, not even able to bear the pain anymore.
Gojo - "You better make it worth it." he affirmed with low gaze through his blindfold.
Leiri (Shoko) - "Of course, who do you think I am?" she look back, a hint of disdain in her tone.
Kanoko - "She must be well-acquainted for being able to said things like that in front of the "Strongest", alright." she sighed.
Almost abruptly, the camera shows the scene of the sunny outside world yet again with voices overheard from the background.
Nobara - "Live a long life?" she repeated, showing that she is sitting on a staircase next to the bandaged Megumi while being bandaged herself, "Who is this Kaede person, anyway?"
Megumi - "Apparently, his mom." he paused, "She don't look in the best condition, though."
The girls remove their thought and fixate their attention on the conversation, especially Kaede.
Nobara - "How so?" she asked once more.
Megumi - "She seems to be having a hard time bearing through the loss of her son. I could hear her cries, even from outside." he answered, causing Nobara to stay silent.
Nobara - "I wonder why." she responded with a hint of sarcasm, inheriting the blank look from Fushiguro.
Kanoko could not help but send sympathetic look toward her mother. She would not be able to bear the news herself.
Meanwhile, the two other girls silently look down at the screen in regret and sorrow.
Nobara - "Is this your first time having your partner die?" she responded, chin resting on her palm.
Megumi - "First time for one my age." he answered briefly, still looking at the ground.
Nobara - "You seem to be taking it well, considering..." she trails off.
Megumi - "Same to you." he responded.
Nobara - "Of course." she looked away, "I only knew him for about two weeks."
The girls could feel an extra layer of the gloomy atmosphere surrounding their hopeless state, as if, the one they were having are not enough.
Nao - 'Even his other friends are having a hard time taking in his death...' she thought, feeling the need to sniff away her tears.
Nobara - "I'm not some simple girl who breaks down bawling when a guy I barely know dies." she reminded.
But with a side glance, Megumi could notice Nobara's lips quivering, almost as if... she is fighting back her tears with all her might.
Megumi - "It's hot, huh?" he asked, trying to escape the topic.
Nobara - "Yeah." she answered a seconds after, completely going along with him, "Wonder if it's time for summer uniforms."
Ayumu - "I'm guessing it's summer for their time?" she smiled, attempting to hide her pained state while going along with Megumi's plan.
Kanoko - "Heh, summer's my least favorite time of the year." she crossed her arms.
Although, they were interrupted by the sound of another girl.
Glasses girl - "What's this?" she asked, revealing herself as a green-ponytail-haired girl with glasses, carrying a bag full of weapon, "You're looking more gloomier than usual."
The girls attention were switched from one topic to the girl in glasses.
Nao - "Great, another person we don't know of." she rolled her eyes.
Glasses girl - "This a funeral?" she questioned, earning a look from Megumi.
Megumi - "Zenin-senpai." he muttered.
Zenin (Maki) - "Don't call me by my last name!" she reminded, face up but her gaze never wanders off.
Ayumu - "Senpai." she repeated, "She's an upperclassmen?"
Kanoko - "There they are..." she huffed in annoyance, "Where we they when him alongside with... Hiroki and Kugisaki were dealing with that special-grade."
Although, she was caught up by another two voice belonging to males coming from behind.
"Maki! Maki!"
This caused her to turn her to look back, revealing a white; bop-cut boy with his mouth covered by the long collar of his attire and a... literal standing panda next to him, both hiding behind a statue.
Maki - "I'm talking here. Shut it." she spoke irritatedly.
Panda - "Y-You actually don't know why they're so down?!" he whispered louder than the intended volume in nervousness.
Their appearance earned confused look from the girls.
Nao - "P-Panda?!" she widen her eyes in shock.
Kanoko - "... Huh, interesting. A panda that... not only talks like a human, but behaves like one..." she sweatdropped, "And here I thought I was hallucinating when I saw that panda doing parkour in the opening."
Ayumu - "It kinda looked... adorable, actually." she giggled, remembering the time when she and Hiroki watched Kung Fu Panda on the TV when they were a kid.
Maki - "No, why should I?" she replied nonchalantly, fist on her hips.
Panda - "Someone really did die yesterday! One of the first year boy!" he pointed up, sweatdrops more evident.
Bop-cut Boy - "Bonito Flakes." he confirmed in a straight tone.
Maki - "Erk!" she looked back at the two males with a nervous; sweatdropping expression, "Could've told me sooner!"
The girls sweatdrop even more, staring at the screen with poker face.
'Seriously?' was the only thing in their mind.
Maki - "Now I look like a heartless, cold-hearted demon!" she completely faces toward the opposing two males, pointing at them with a comical angered expression.
Panda - "Well, you pretty much are." he commented.
Bop-cut boy - "Tuna Mayo." he agreed, earning cartoonic; angered tick appearing on top of her head.
Nobara - "Who're those guys?" she looked back at Megumi with a genuine baffled expression, pointing at the bunch causing ruckus.
Megumi - "The second-years." he deadpanned.
Nao - "Ah, so they're really the upper-classmen." she nodded.
Ayumu - "They seem to be a lively one." she commented, eyes fluttering in curiousity.
Panda - "You have to be more kind to your under-classmen." he suggested, now out of his hiding spot.
Maki - "There's more to kindness than being soft with them." she look away with an embarrassed pout.
Megumi - "Zenin is the best of all the students at wielding cursed tools." he illustrated.
Bop-cut boy - "Salmon Roe." he stated with a half-lid eyes.
Kanoko - "Salmon... Roe?" she tilt her head, confused.
Ayumu - "D-Does he have a... I'm sorry if it sounds innapropriate, but... a disability, perhaps?" she theorized.
Nao - "I doubt if it's that. They're sorcerers, remember? His ability must have made him to do that." she remarked.
Megumi - "That's the Cursed Speech user, Inumaki." he introduced, "He can only speak rice ball ingredients."
Nao - "See?" she gave Ayumu a side glance.
Ayumu - "Oh... That make complete sense!" she blink in surprise at the new-found information.
Kanoko - "Why rice ball ingredients, though?" she questioned out of curiosity, in which no one unfortunately knows the answer to that.
Ayumu - "Maybe he just likes rice balls?" she guessed, looking at Kanoko.
Panda - "She's a bit softer when Yuta's around, though." he recalled with his bottom lip pushed out in a thoughtful manner.
Megumi - "That's Panda." he spoke briefly.
Kanoko - "Wow, great analytical observation, Urchin." she snorted sarcastically before folding her arms.
Megumi - "There's one more, Okkotsu, who's the only one I can sincerely respect but he's overseas right now." he finished before standing up.
Nobara - "You're not adding more about that panda named Panda?" she stare back at Megumi dumbfoundedly.
That erupted more snickers from both Kanoko and Ayumu.
Ayumu - "I'm wondering the same thing, too." she nodded in agreement, stiffling a giggle to cope her depression.
With the scene cutting to the view of two bugs mating on the tree bark, it cuts back to the view of Panda standing besides Inumaki and Maki with an apologetic face.
Panda - "Man, sorry about this." he clasped both his hands in front his chest, lowering his head while keeping his posture straight, "Please forgive us for that! The truth is, we'd like you to participate in the Kyoto Sister School Exchange Event."
Nao - "Well, at least the panda is polite." she blink in surprise, taken back by the Panda's politeness.
Kanoko - "How did they get a panda to walk in the first place, anyway?" she questioned curiously.
Ayumu - "Or even to talk." she added with a nod.
Nobara - "Kyoto Sister School Exchange Event?" she repeated with a puzzled face, imaginary dumplings present in the background.
Unaware of the upcoming event, Nobara turn her attention toward Megumi who are standing next to her.
Nobara - "What's that?" she asked, hoping to get an answer.
Megumi - "It's a get-together with the other Tech School in Tokyo." he answered before looking back at Maki alongside with Panda and Inumaki, "Isn't it mainly for second- and third-years, though?"
Ayumu - "Wait, there's other school with sorcerers other than them?" she remarked with wide eyes, intrigued by the newly-found information.
Maki - "And that idiot third-year is suspended right now." she informed, "That's why we need you to participate."
Nobara - "What do we do in this event, though? Smash Bros? I won't lose if it's the wii version." she stated before giving a determined grin, fist clenching, "I'll Meteor Smash so hard you won't come back."
Panda - "Actually, maybe the three of us are fine." he responded, "The event has the principlas of Tokyo and Kyoto schools. Each propose a competition to be held for a day over the course of two days." he shrugged, "But all that is just on paper. Every year, the first day is team battles, and the second days is individual battles."
Inumaki - "Salmon." he nodded.
Ayumu - "More fighting..." she shook in intimidation.
Kanoko - "That'll be too... Chaotic, won't you think?" she sweatdropped.
Nao - "Considering what Fushiguro and Kugisaki is capable of, I think so." she nodded in agreement.
Nobara - "Individual and team battles?" her eyes widened, "We fight?! Against other jujutsu sorcerer?!"
Maki - "Yeah, it's a jujutsu battle where anything goes but killing." she smirked confidentally.
Kanoko - "Does that include to the amount of destruction they can cause?" she deadpanned.
Panda - "We'll train you up well so you don't get killed." he then give the air few jabs, "Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!"
Ayumu - "Wait... They can accidentally kill you if you're too weak?" she shivered at the thought.
Kanoko - "No wonder, they're bunch of lunatics in one school... Like what that creepy doll-maker guy had said." she comically sweatdropped.
Nao - "No wonder." she shrugged, "They're dealing with stuff like curses almost daily, anyway."
Nobara - "Wait, do you have time for that?" she questioned once more, surprised, "I thought we were short on jujutsu sorcerers."
Panda - "That's a good question. For now, we do." he asnwered, looking at Nobara's direction, "People's depression from winter through spring causes an outburst of curses in summer. That's our busy season."
Maki - "Sometimes we're busy all year long, but things should be settling down soon." she reassured.
Nao - "That explains why they didn't appear to help Fushiguro and his friends to deal with a special-grade." she nodded in understanding.
Kanoko - "What about the higher-ups? They could at least help. Just one. Oh wait, they don't want to help. Why? They wanted Hiroki dead. How clever of them leaving the other two underage combantant at a literal deathfield." she leans back against her seat with a huff, crossing her arms in frustration.
Nobara - "Huh..." she sighed excessively.
Maki - "So, you're in, right?" she asked with a genuine smile, "Do it for your fallen friend."
Fushiguro & Nobara - "We're in." they answered in unison, 'I will... become stronger.'
As they thought about that, an image of Hiroki faced away with hands in his pockets is seen over the glowing background.
'I'll do whatever it takes!'
The girls stared at the screen in awe, even in respect for the two teenagers.
While Hiroki's death is so sudden and heartbreaking, instead of being held back, it motives them to move even forward in order to not let Hiroki's death be in vain.
The pollar opposite of the current state the girls are in right now.
Nobara - "But if this training and exchange event starts to feel pointless, I'm out." she stated.
Megumi - "Same." he added, earning an amused 'Heh' from the smiling Maki.
Panda - "Well, people this cocky are all the more worthwhile to train." he said with crossed arms.
Inumaki - "Bonito Flakes." he agreed.
Ayumu - 'I wonder how they can understand him.' she thought curiously while looking at Inumaki, 'Do they have a dictionary dedicated on understanding his language or something?'
Back at the Cafe restaurant, all the four curses can be seen sitting down at a table like a regular customer.
Pony-tail guy - "So, you're saying your boss wants to reverse the roles of human and curses in this world." he recalled with a smile, arms crossed, "Is that it?"
Kanoko - "Ah, we're back with these guys again." she crossed her arms uninterestedly.
Nao - "It's weird seeing curses sitting around casually while nobody is paying attention since they cannot see them." she comically sweatdropped.
Volcano - "Well, somewhat. It's slightly different, though." he looked over his shoulder at the nearby sitting regular customers, "Humans are full of lies. There's always a flip-side to every positive action and emotion they show."
The scene of a purple flame is shown over the dark background.
"Negative emotions like hatred and hostility are pure truths. Since we curses are born from such truths, -"
Volcano - "-that makes us true, pure beings!" he stated, fist clenching, "Imitations should be eliminated!"
Nao - "That's why curses hates human? Because they're the so-called "not perfect" beings?" she blinked, baffled.
Ayumu - "T-That's..." she stuttered, speechless.
Kanoko - "Yeah, I have no words for that..." she stayed silent after.
Pony-tail guy - "Yet, at present, you're the ones being eliminated." he closed his eyes.
Volcano - "That's why we've come to ask you." he reminded, "What can we do to defeat the sorcerers?"
Pony-tail guy - "If you want to win this war," he open one of his eyes, "You'll have to fulfill two conditions first."
Volcano - "And what are those two conditions?" he lean forward, intrigued to hear more.
Pony-tail guy - "The first involves the man known as the strongest jujutsu sorcerer." he explained, "You have to immobilize Gojo Satoru."
Kanoko - "Oh, so these are those villain plans..." her frown dropped down to her chin.
Pony-tail guy - "The second is to get Ryomen Sukuna and Itadori Hiroki on your side." he finished.
Silence filled the girls, staring at the screen in confusion.
What is the point of putting that in their plan if Hiroki died?
Volcano - "Hold on. He died, didn't he?" he scratched his head before looking back at the pony-tail guy, "That Itadori Hiroki punk, I mean."
That caused the pony-tail guy's grin to widen, revealing his creepy smile.
Pony-tail guy - "Did he, though?" he questioned confidentally, "I wouldn't be too sure."
Kaede - "W-What did he...-" as she was about to question, she went silent by the sight of the dead Hiroki again.
The scene of Hiroki's corpse was seen as the camera slowly descend down into the hold in his chest, silence filling the ears before...
Sukuna - "Don't look up at me without permission. It's annoying." he spoke, revealing that he is sitting on top of skulls in a casual; arrogant pose.
All - "S-Sukuna?!" all of them shouted at once, hatred filling their face once again.
Kanoko - "Why is he still alive?!" she hissed in anger.
Sukuna - "Brat." he stated before smiling mischievously.
The girls blood ran cold upon hearing that... Hiroki? Could he still be alive, too, perhaps?
Although, it was all cut off by-
[ "LOST IN PARADISE" by ALI ft. AKLO ]
The Outro plays out.
Kanoko - "Whoa whoa, wait wait WAIT!" she leaned forward, gripping on the arms of her seat, "He said brat! I-It means that... Wait, are they implying Hiroki could be... alive too?!"
Nao - "H-Hiroki..." she murmured, shines in her eyes returning.
Ayumu - "No... No way!" she gasped in relief and disbelief. what she heard sounds too good to be true, but she is hoping it is true.
Meanwhile, Kaede are close to being in tears again. Not by distress or depression, but in hope and relief. She swears that if Hiroki is still alive, she will not waste their second chance on redeeming herself.
She will do whatever it takes to earn the trust of Hiroki again, even if it comes in a big price.
But before they could take an actual rest, the outro ends with another one of-
JUJU STROLL (salmon!)
The top of a traiditonal house, one that Nobara and Megumi used to hide under the sunlight is seen.
Two familiar voices fill over the ambient noises in the background.
Nobara - "You stink." she stated bluntly.
Panda - "I don't stink." he contradict.
Kanoko - "Back with them yet again, it seems." she sighed.
Nobara - "You stink." she repeated in a more annoyed tone.
Panda - "I don't stink!" he denied before lying on the ground, defeated, "Why are you treating me like an animal?"
Nao - "Oh, who knows?" she rolled her eyes.
Ayumu - "Maybe because you ARE an panda!" she pointed at the screen with stiffled giggles.
The atmosphere becomes less tense and more delightful after hearing the possiblity Hiroki might be alive again.
Maki - "You're a panda. That's why." she replied half-assedly.
Inumaki - "Mustard Leaf." he defended with half-closed eyes in a monotone voice.
Maki - "He smells like an animal." she looked over her shoulder, back at Inumaki, "I keep telling him to take a shower, but he never does."
Panda - "I don't like getting wet." he explained with a sweatdrop, "Unlike you guys, I don't sweat, and I Febreze every day. So I don't stink."
Kanoko - "So, even when he acts and talks like a human, he still has that Panda nature on him." she chuckled.
Ayumu - "It's funny, honestly!" she cooed.
Maki - "And that's what happened." she recalled after explaining the clueless Megumi and Nobara, "You guys try taking a whiff"
With that, both Megumi and Nobara leans forward toward Panda while sniffing. Meanwhile, Nobara excessively swats the air to inhale more of that scent.
Megumi - "Doesn't really stink." he opened his eyes and lean back, "Sort of smells like the sun."
The entire Omake concluded by the view of both Maki and Nobara giving side glance at Megumi with a blush, narrating: "Sunshine!" inside their head.
And that wraps it up!
Word count - 12,201
(Any criticism/questions are always welcomed!)