WARNING : I am not a native speaker. One of my reasons to re-write this fict is because I want to practice my English even just a little. So, read it with a grain of salt and please enjoy yourself.
—OoOoO—
Sobu High.
Class 2-F.
Hikigaya Hachiman.
Desired job:
Househusband.
Write your reasons below:
According to the ancestors, to work means to accept defeat.
Work is an activity where you put yourself in a position to get paid. In other words, the ideal job pays as much as possible with minimal risk.
Young girls—for example, those just growing up—say, "I want to be a bride when I grow up!" not because the bride looks cute, but because of a biological instinct to enjoy comfortably life without working.
Because of that, my choice of staying at home and not working must be perfect and very reasonable. My hope for this Workplace Visit activity is that it can make me adapt to the work environment as a home-based husband, namely staying at home.
QED.
—OoOoO—
Jujutsu Kaisen by Gege Akutami
Oregairu by Wataru Watari & Ponkan8
Genre : Supernatural, Action, Freindship, Slice of Life, and Little Bit Romance
Summary : Not the romantic comedy of youth that he experienced, not the quiet and normal life of youth he had. He never missed his day-to-day cursing his strange and annoying life. He is Hikigaya Hachiman and this is all his complaints as a jujutsu sorcerer.
Chapter 14 : Without them knowing, they felt nostalgic.
—OoOoO—
There was one place in the teacher's room for receiving guests that separated by a wall. There's a black leather sofa from that room and mostly used for private counselling. There was also a window where you could see the library from the room.
A gust of wind foreshadowed summer's beginning passed through the window, sending some papers flying. The sentimental scene had caught the attention of the young man standing there, and he followed the movement of the papers with his eyes, curious how they would fall later.
Like slowly falling tears. The paper finally fell freely to the floor and then split open, and a small knife cut through it like a sharp spear.
A pair of flexible legs were in front of the boy. For some reason, the boy imagined how long and beautiful those legs were, even though the legs were wrapped in a coat and trousers.
If the legs were hidden by a coat and trousers, they might look boring and unattractive. However, if a woman's legs did not have a sensual value, then there was no point in wearing a coat and trousers.
In conclusion, if a woman wore trousers, it was deliberately used to hide her sensual value.
The legs before him were no different. They had a symmetrical shape that could be equated with the Golden Ratio. Ah, but this didn't just apply to her feet. Her tight suit vest also showed off her curves, which led to her chest, like, OH MY GOD, IS THAT MOUNT FUJI OR SOMETHING?
Her body was well shaped like a violin, but it was not ordinary violin. Her body was like a violin that stood and looked majestic, like a perfectly created Stradivarius.
The thing was, she was taking the form of an angry Buddha statue, carved by a genius sculptor. From an artistic, historical, and cultural point of view, the woman looked terrifying.
Putting a cigarette in her mouth, the Japanese Literature Teacher, Hiratsuka Shizuka, looked at Hikigaya Hachiman seriously.
"Look, Hikigaya. Just to make sure, I want to ask you something," she said tiredly from holding back her annoyance, "What is the purpose of this dregs answer of yours?"
"You shouldn't curse your own students, Sensei."
Hiratsuka just stared at Hachiman and ignored his complaint. The woman's eyes firmly demanded an explanation from this headache-inducing student.
"Well, you know, it's easier to answer the questionnaire with a poetic answer. However, since this is about dreams, I don't have any other answers but this. So, if anyone can't understand what I mean after reading it, that's their own problem."
Hiratsuka's brows twitched for a moment when she heard the answer. If this was in a comic or anime, hot steam would have been rising from the top of her head, considering how hard Hiratsuka had suppressed her emotions. However, because this was not a fantasy world, Hiratsuka must find a way to contain the frustration she felt.
Retrieving the cigarette from the ashtray on the table, Hiratsuka took a deep breath and exhaled the smoke roughly.
"So, I am the problematic one here?" Hiratsuka asked, sarcastically.
She looked into Hachiman's eyes so fiercely that it made the boy reluctant to look back. Seeing his reaction, Hiratsuka put her cigarette back down and leaned her back against the back of the chair.
"I understand your chaotic nature. However, I think you have matured a bit. Doesn't spending time with the Volunteer Club change you?"
"Uh … come to think of it, I spend more time with you than doing activities at the Volunteer Club."
This time it was Hiratsuka who couldn't deny it. Hachiman did come to the clubroom almost every after school. However, normal club activities were only about two hours. If Hachiman attended every active day, that meant Hachiman only spend only ten hours.
Of course, it was very different compared to his time with Hiratsuka and Iroha. In one mission, Hachiman could spend at least three hours—including round trips—and even longer if the mission was in remote areas of Chiba Prefecture. Meanwhile, Hachiman himself got at least three missions in one week.
On average, Hachiman and Hiratsuka's time together was at least nine hours per week. That doesn't even include Hachiman's training schedule on the weekend.
Hiratsuka exhaled and said, "Never mind. Rewrite your essay. Do well this time."
"Uhhh … To be honest, it's not about doing well or anything. It's just, I really don't know what should I write."
"Just do it like you did when fixing an essay about your youth."
"What? Do you want me to write something like being an idol? No, thank you. Just imagining it makes me sick."
Hiratsuka raised an eyebrow and looked at Hachiman in confusion.
"What do you mean, brat?"
The only reason why Hachiman could write normal essay about his youth was that he copied from the blog posts of idols and seiyuu. Those who work in the entertainment world always wrote sweet things about their lives and friendships. Because of that, it was not difficult for Hachiman to fix his essay, which had been rejected by Hiratsuka.
However, questionnaire about future careers and aspirations greatly differed from youth life.
Regarding dreams, Hachiman would firmly answer that he wanted to live a quiet life without working but still earn an income. However, the idea that he put forward in his essay had now been rejected by Hiratsuka.
On the other hand, when it came to a future career, especially in the short term, Hachiman intend to collect as much money as possible from his job as a jujutsu sorcerer. For the long term, Hachiman planned to retire from the world of jujutsu at 30 and invest his money in various bona fide and multi-national level companies. That way, he could enjoy his leisurely life without worrying about money.
But, of course, you wouldn't be able to wrote something like becoming a sorcerer and exorcising a cursed spirit in your essay.
Because of that, what Hachiman could write was very limited.
"I knew it would turn out like this," Hiratsuka moaned as she smoked her cigarette.
Along with the smoke she exhaled, the woman stood up from her spot and looked Hachiman straight in the eye.
"Sit down. I will be right back."
Hachiman just looked at his teacher in confusion. However, the woman ignored him and walked out of the counselling room.
Not wanting to bother, Hachiman sat on one of the available sofas.
The smell of cigarettes still lingered in several places in this room, made him a little uncomfortable. However, the wind that entered through the window also brought the smell of seawater in the summer. The combination that he thought was irrelevant strangely relaxed the young man.
His muscle fibres, that still saturated from the past week's events, slowly loosened and felt lighter.
Physically, Hachiman might look fit. However, his mental state was still quite exhausted. The mission of hunting the illegal sorcerers that infiltrated Japan, his battle against Quanxi, and Hiratsuka's three days of intense training, made Hachiman found it hard to breathe. Of course, not in the literal meaning.
In essence, Hikigaya Hachiman just wanted to rest.
The door that separated the counselling room and the teacher's room opened slowly. Hachiman's eyes, which were almost closed, opened again and saw a mature woman with strong charisma.
"Are you still tired?" asked Hiratsuka.
"A little."
Hiratsuka walked to Hachiman's side and gently ruffled the boy's hair. Not a word came out of her mouth. Only those gentle touches represented all the emotions that Hiratsuka wanted to convey to her student. That touches may seem trivial, but it had a deeper meaning than a thousand words of encouragement.
Not long after, Hiratsuka walked to her seat and sat down with her right leg folded over her left.
"Read this."
Hachiman stared at the leaflet Hiratsuka held out to him in silence. His eyes were originally staring at the flyer, turned to look at his teacher's beautiful eyes.
"Seminar?" asked Hikigaya in confusion.
"Essay on Future Career. Most students will think about the profession they want to do in the future. Professions such as engineers, doctors, influencers, developers, and so on are mushrooming among young people. So, I can understand if you are confused about what to write in your essay."
Exactly. You couldn't write about a future career if you were followed the flow. Moreover, if the career you pursued was something taboo and at the deepest layer of the abyss. In this case, Hachiman couldn't write his career plan to become a jujutsu sorcerer.
"What does a future career have to do with this seminar?" asked Hachiman.
"The professions that I mentioned earlier look sexy to youngsters. However, some professions, such as farmers, craftsmen, or even scientists, seem boring. In your essay, write that you want to be a scientist and come to this seminar. Then, submit the report to me."
Hachiman was still processing what Hiratsuka had said. What she said was true. However, Hachiman did not know that such a method could be done.
Actually, one thing prevented Hachiman from writing his essay properly. You had to go on an industry visit to the place you wrote about in the essay. And because Hachiman was reluctant to go to any industrial place, he couldn't choose any other choice.
"Is it okay?" asked Hachiman again to be sure.
"Yes, of course," Hiratsuka replied firmly, "Scientists don't always work in the lab. Filling seminars, teaching at universities, and being a consultant are also included in their work. With you coming to the seminar and seeing how they explain the material, you can consider it an industry visit to find out how professors work."
'That … makes sense,' thought Hachiman 'So, this is like the power of adults? If they don't want to do something, they're not only bragging about bullshit but also looking for logical reasons to look like they're working when they're actually doing nothing. I admire you, Hiratsuka-sensei!'
Hachiman turned his gaze back to the leaflet he was holding. In fact, he still wanted to stay at home and would find excuses to stay home. However, the theme of the seminar and the speakers made his nerdy side flare up.
'Energy Science Based on Nanotechnology? What will they talk about? Did they finally seriously discuss the potential efficiency of nanotube-based DSSC photovoltaic? Or are they finally trying to do something using nanotech to hydrogen tanks for electric vehicles?'
Hachiman was a nerd, super nerd. Hachiman collected many books, ranging from novels, and manga, to scientific books. Apart from playing games, reading was a hobby he did in his spare time.
His extensive knowledge of physics and chemistry did not just come because he wanted to use this knowledge for nothing. Since childhood, Hachiman had a great curiosity about his environment. And his encounter with Gojou, who introduced Hachiman to the world of science, made the teenager eventually become a true geek.
If he didn't become a jujutsu sorcerer, if he couldn't become a househusband, working as a professor at a university didn't sound too bad. He could give assignments to his students, and yet he could laze around in the lab and playing Zuma in the lab's computer.
"-Gaya. Hikigaya?"
Hachiman snapped out of his own world when he heard his mentor calling him several times.
"You seem to like science more than I imagined, huh?"
"Well, not really. I mean, knowing a lot about the substances around you is also important, isn't it?" replied Hachiman, who was reluctant to admit his interest.
Meanwhile, Hiratsuka just smiled faintly at the tsundere reaction of her student.
"Then? Do you want to come?"
"If you force it, I don't think I have any other choice. Well, it's not like I'm interested or something, you know?" replied the teenager.
"I don't know why, but seeing you act like that just pissed me off."
"Huh?"
Well, Hachiman was aware of his tsundere behaviour. Believe me, he felt like he wanted to slap himself right now. However, his weird pride was reluctant to admit defeat and ended up to go somewhere instead of maintaining his belief of being at home all day.
"By the way," Hachiman said as he looked at the pamphlet's contents, "it says here that entrance tickets are only sold exclusively for students and alumni of Chiba University."
"That's how what it is."
"So, how am I going to get there? You didn't tell me to sneak in, did you?"
"Of course not, silly," said Hiratsuka with a smile, "I'm an alumnus of Chiba University."
Hachiman blinked a few times and looked at Hiratsuka in disbelief.
"Okay. So, from which side should I infiltrate?"
"You want me to hit you, you jerk?" Hiratsuka replied with a frown upon hearing Hachiman's response.
Hachiman reflexively backed away and put on a clumsy smile. He put both hands forward to try to calm the teacher.
"Wait, I mean, are you really an alumnus of Chiba University?"
"Where do you think I got my teaching license if not from there, you punk?"
"Errr … falsified documents, maybe? I thought you were an illegal teacher using fake documents."
"You really want to get beat up, don't you?"
Actually, it wasn't wrong for Hachiman to think so. In fact, many jujutsu sorcerers falsify their documents, especially documents about their educational history.
After graduating from Jujutsu Tech, most sorcerers would immediately go all over the country to build bases and secure their respective positions. With all their busyness in exterminating cursed spirits, strengthening status, and blending in with society, most didn't have time to consider further formal education.
Therefore, they prefer to take shortcuts and falsify their educational documents. Gojou Satoru, Ieri Shouko, and Kusakabe Atsuya were examples of people Hachiman knew and forged their documents. In fact, Ieri Shouko did not have the slightest formal education in the medical field as a doctor.
However, Hiratsuka was different. After graduated from Tokyo Jujutsu High, she briefly went out and isolated herself in Chiba. During that time, she spent her time at Chiba University until her seventh semester, she decided to start her career again as a jujutsu sorcerer. Even so, she only limited her operations scope to the Chiba Prefecture area.
"Forget it," Hiratsuka said and snorted, "The point is, since I'm an alumnus, I can take you with me."
"Errr … thank you?" replied Hachiman, who didn't know what to express.
A fairly strong wind blew from outside and entered, filling the entire room with fresh air. The wind blew several sheets of paper in the room and made Hiratsuka's hair dance to the rhythm of the wind.
The interruption brought the two sorcerers into a state of calm. Not a single word came out of their mouths. Hiratsuka considered the issue regarding industrial visits to be resolved. Hachiman himself did not mind coming to the seminar with her at Chiba University.
However, as Hiratsuka was about to close this consultation session, the woman suddenly remembered something.
"Hikigaya, you already know the status of Sukuna's fingers, don't you?"
Hachiman reflexively swallowed his saliva. The conversation that initially went light and only discussed his school life suddenly became a heavy topic with the name of the calamity. Unless you were an ignorance sorcerer who only cares about money and fights, there isn't a single sorcerer who didn't know Sukuna. His name was already worldwide and was known not only among the Japanese jujutsu society.
Ryoumen Sukuna, king of all curses. A savage sorcerer who once lived in the past, a cannibal who would eat other humans as a snack. His existence brought a curse to all of Japan. In fact, after he turned into a cursed spirit, the terror he gave almost sent all of Japan into despair.
Ryoumen Sukuna was the disaster of all calamities, the king of all curses, the devil who threw away everything to achieve perfection. That was what Hachiman knew about Ryoumen Sukuna.
"The seal has weakened, hasn't it?"
Hachiman recalled Isshiki's words at LaLaport Tokyo Bay last Friday. His junior accidentally told him about the situation of Sukuna's fingers. This irritated Hachiman because he didn't want to be burdened with such information. Or rather, he thought that the other sorcerers would be able to handle it.
However, after witnessing with his own eyes how a single finger of Sukuna could attract the attention of a special grade cursed spirit like Turbo Granny, Hachiman had to reevaluate his evaluation again. He had underestimated Sukuna's finger and didn't think a single finger could have such an effect.
"That's it," replied Hiratsuka, "More than that, there is one more important thing."
Hearing those words made Hachiman subconsciously hold his breath. His heartbeat was beating faster. Whatever came out of his teacher's mouth, Hachiman knew that was not a good thing.
"The Sukuna's vessel has been found. Gojou-san, together with Fushiguro Megumi, they met him in Sendai."
Hachiman's body shivered. His nape hairs stood on end, following his dangerous instincts he felt. Many things scared Hachiman in this world. However, no one had ever made Hachiman feel this way just by hearing a single piece of a name.
"So, what will the association do? Execute this vessel?" asked Hachiman, trying to act normal.
"It should be like that. However, Gojou-san is trying to lobby the higher-ups to let him live."
"That doesn't make sense, though? Even if it's Gojou-sensei, I'm not sure he can lobby them. Besides, what was he thinking? This Sukuna's vessel, whoever he is, the case is very different from Okkotsu."
Okkotsu Yuta, a jujutsu sorcerer who was once also faced with execution. He, possessed by a special grade cursed spirit, Orimoto Rika, made the association give him a death sentence.
However, Orimoto Rika was just an ordinary girl who was cursed by Yuta to turn into a very powerful vegeful spirit. In other words, Orimoto Rika was the manifestation of Yuta's own power. So, as long as Yuta could purify the soul of Orimoto Rika, Yuta could be free from his punishment.
And yes, Yuta could do it. At the end of the Hyakki Yakou incident, Yuta did it. Now, Orimoto Rika's soul was no longer bound in this world. In the end, all left was the empty body of Orimoto Rika's cursed spirit, who had now turned into Yuta's shikigami, whom he named Rika.
"Of course. Sukuna's threat level is very different from Okktosu, who at that time just couldn't control his strength," said Hiratsuka giving her opinion.
'So even Hiratsuka-sensei doesn't know, how will Gojou-sensei persuade the higher-ups?'
Anything related to Sukuna was something that was considered a national-level disaster. Letting the Sukuna's vessel live was the same as letting the Sukuna slowly stick his fangs into the world. No common sense could explain why Gojou Satoru wanted to keep this Sukuna's vessel, and there was also no reason for the association to keep the vessel alive.
In fact, to be honest, even a Hikigaya Hachiman wanted the Sukuna's vessel to die before things got any worse. However, this desire only came from his fear. That's not a logical consideration. Decisions that came from fear were not wise decisions that could solve problems. Decisions that come from fear were only a solution used to extinguish the fire, not a solution sought to eliminate the cause of the fire.
Because of that, Hikigaya Hachiman decided to hear the virtues of someone more experienced than himself.
"Do you think what Gojou-sensei did was right? I mean, what is he trying to do by keeping this Sukuna's vessel alive?"
Hiratsuka clasped her cheeks with the palm of her right hand. Her fingers gently caressed her cheeks. Her eyes were closed, trying to understand what her white-haired senior was trying to achieve.
"Whether it's right or not, it's not up to us to decide. It is the people in the future who will decide whether the decision is right or not."
Hachiman was a little disappointed to hear his teacher's answer. No, he knew what his teacher said was true. However, given that Hiratsuka was a person with vast wisdom, Hachiman had higher expectations for Hiratsuka.
However, Hiratsuka's reply did not stop there. There were still many things that the woman wanted to say.
"Even so, I quite agree with Gojou-san's actions."
This answer was Hachiman waiting for. An answer came not from fear or partiality but from the wisdom she had accumulated long ago.
"The appearance of another descendant of Sugawara no Michizane. The two Heavenly Restriction Physically Gifted that appeared in the two generations. The reincarnation of Abe no Seimei, which never happened before. The Hyakki Yakou incident by Geto Suguru. The appearance of Hijikata Toshizo who stole his sword. And now the Sukuna's vessel."
Hachiman was a little surprised to hear that his sister was also mentioned by Hiratsuka.
As the person who inherited the cursed technique from Abe no Seimei, Komachi could be considered the reincarnation of Abe no Seimei himself. The same could be said for Megumi and Satoru. They inherited techniques from their predecessors, which made Gojou Satoru and Fushiguro Megumi could be said as reincarnation of the former heads of the Gojou and Zen'in clans.
Despite practising sorcery, Japanese jujutsu sorcerers were very attached to the Buddhist concept. So, many also believed in the concept of reincarnation.
Hachiman himself did not believe in the concept. Or rather, he didn't fully believe in souls reincarnating into other figures. No, Hachiman would never believe that. He didn't want to imagine that his beautiful and cute little sister was an old geezer in her previous life.
However, Hachiman only believed in reincarnation of inheritance cursed technique, not the soul.
"Two Heavenly Restriction Physically Gifted? Wait, someone in the generation right above us has it?"
Heavenly Restriction Physically Gifted was not something strange. It was rare, but not something that had never happened before. At least history recorded the figure of Sakata no Kintoki, who lived in the Heian Period and was believed to had Heavenly Restriction Physically Gifted. In India, there was also Bima from the Five Pandavas, who also had superhuman strength and was believed to be Heavenly Restriction.
The Heavenly Restriction Physically Gifted was extremely rare, and it was impossible to predict where or when it would strike a person. So, had two cases close together was very hard to believe.
"Well, that's how it is. He's in the same generation as me. He may be a few years older, but you can tell he is of the same generation as Gojou-san or me."
Hachiman narrowed his eyes at Hiratsuka. It was a vague answer, an answer that lacked substance.
'Hiratsuka-sensei seems to want to avoid this topic,' thought Hachiman.
Precisely. All topics about Zen'in Toji—Zen'in Maki's predecessor—were practically banned. This was because of the Amai Riko assassination that Toji did. Toji was the one who broke the circle of destiny between Tengen, Star Vessel, and Six Eyes.
In fact, the destiny that Toji broke worried Hiratsuka the most. However, she could not reveal it because this information was strictly confidential.
"The point is, these unusual incidents and new births seem like coincidences. However, that's what makes me uncomfortable. Fate seems to be pulling us in a certain direction we do not know."
"So?" Hachiman asked.
"Like I said, it's like we're being pulled in a direction we don't know. If we destroy one of the variables, it will surely reappear and make our efforts in vain. Since we don't know where it's going and destroying it would be a waste, I should go with the flow, make the best preparations possible, and destroy anything dangerous at the finish line."
"Even if it means we carry a bomb with us all the time, which we don't even know when it explodes?"
"It's even better because we were the ones who found and brought the bomb. If we destroy the bomb and it will reappear somewhere, there's a good chance someone else will find it. The bomb is a weapon, Hikigaya, as is the Sukuna's vessel. If it fell into the wrong hands, maybe we would fall into a much worse situation than now."
—OoOoO—
Hikigaya walked alone in the corridor of the administration building. His steps were slow, his head was bowed, and his expression looked cloudy. The heavy invisible weight kept his head down and facing the floor. Physically, his body was currently walking toward his club room. However, his mind still couldn't forget what his teacher had said just a moment ago.
The Sukuna's vessel, Heavenly Restriction, another descendant of Sugawara no Michizane, the reincarnation of Abe no Seimei, Six Eyes and Ten Shadows reincarnated simultaneously, and then the appearance of Hijikata Toshizo. The pieces appear in the same generation.
'As Hiratsuka-sensei said. Wherever you look, the pattern is too suspicious to be a coincidence. Not to mention Hiratsuka-sensei herself possessed barrier technique besides Tengen-sama. '
Hachiman raised his head and looked forward. Since almost all the windows along this corridor were closed, the air circulation was a bit poor. A few beads of sweat seemed to fell from the boy's temples because the air was a little stuffy.
A sigh escaped his mouth, and his eyes closed again.
'It is important for humans to understand their role in this world. However, what kind of role do I have in a world that doesn't know where this current will lead? Hikigaya Hachiman as a jujutsu sorcerer? Or Hikigaya Hachiman as an older brother and the only man in the family?'
His eyes opened, and his footsteps stopped. His head turned and gazed deep into the panorama outside the window.
'Imagining what I'm doing right now was already planned by someone makes me sick. Thinking that my sister was also one of the puzzle pieces someone played with made me feel like a failed big brother. If you want to play with me, I will serve. If you want me to do this and that, I will do it. However, at the end of the day, when you show your damn teeth, I swear I'll give you the worst retribution you can imagine.'
"Hikki~~!"
A shrill voice from behind sounded clear to Hachiman's ears. Before turning around, his back had been bumped by a pink-haired girl with an idiot bun. Hachiman groaned slightly at what the girl had just done.
"Wow, we barely saw each other for a week. How are you? I heard you were sick or something."
Hachiman looked irritated at Yuigahama Yui, the girl who had just bumped into him.
'If you want to make small talk, why didn't you just ask while in class earlier?'
Hachiman sighed. He knew why Yui didn't ask him in class and preferred to ask after school when there was no one around.
Hachiman was a loner in class. Apart from being a new student, Hachiman didn't interact much with other students. Besides Yui, who was in the same club as him, the only students Hachiman had spoken to were Miura Yumiko and Totsuka Saika. It's also quite rare and mostly only talk about club-related stuff.
Being a loner in class meant you didn't have a friendship ring that could define your social status. In other words, you were as much a marginalized person as possible. On the other hand, Yuigahama Yui was a popular girl. She belonged to the circle where her group became an alpha who stood at the top of the class.
Not only in class, but Yuigahama Yui's popularity was also heard throughout the school. Being in the same group with Hayama Hayato and Miura Yumiko further confirmed Yuigahama Yui's popularity.
That's why, for Yuigahama Yui, talking casually inside the class with Hachiman—the isolated loner—was a bit embarrassing for her.
"Kind of," answered Hachiman curtly to Yui's question.
"So?"
"Hmm?"
"So, what's happened to you?" Yui asked again.
Hachiman was silent for a while before finally replying, "Well, you know, there was a crazy Chinese woman who stabbed me in the stomach and made almost all of my insides pop out."
Yui just muttered 'ooooh' at Hachiman's half-joking answer. The girl pouted slightly at her classmate's answer, which she didn't think he was serious. However, judging from what he was talking about, Yui could draw some conclusions.
"The point is, you ate too much of something, and it gave you a stomach ache to the point where you threw up your entire stomach?"
In short, in just a short time, a small grin appeared on Hachiman's face when he heard Yui's answer. Of course, Yui didn't notice.
What Hachiman said was a reality. The Chinese woman, Quanxi, stabbed him in the stomach with iron and ripped open the left side of his stomach. In fact, the scar was still there even though Hachiman had healed himself using the Reverse Cursed Technique.
It was Hachiman's first time using the technique, so his regeneration power was still not optimal. There was another reason why Hachiman had left the scar on his stomach. His near-death against Quanxi stemmed from his carelessness and how he underestimated his opponent. Because of that, the scar Quanxi gave him was deliberately left as a symbol so Hachiman could remember his stupidity.
Returning to Yui, the girl, of course, would not buy Hachiman's that sounded absurd story. Yui was a normal girl who didn't have the slightest idea of the darkest side of the world. Because of that, what Hachiman said was just a bad joke to her.
"By the way, what about school? Are you used to it? How about the summer uniform?" Yui asked.
The girl jogged ahead of Hachiman and stopped a few steps before him. Making sure that Hachiman's attention was now on her, Yui turned around and showed off her summer uniform.
"Doesn't Sobu High School have a nice summer uniform?" Yui asked again.
"Well, unless you tweak your uniform, so it's a little too small, I don't think it's all that different from other schools. In fact, I think you look like a bitch."
Yui's face turned red with embarrassment when she heard Hachiman's reply. Her cheeks puffed up, and she walked over to the boy.
"Who are you calling me a bitch? Besides, it's not too small. This is called a body fit, you know! Bo-dy-fit!"
Sobu High students wore slightly different uniforms during summer or until September was over. The difference was not big. Basically, they're just not wearing their blazers, that's all.
However, in detail, the male students wore black cloth pants as usual with white shirts and green ties around their necks. Even so, some students were disobedient and preferred not to wear a tie, like Hachiman did.
There were no noticeable changes for female students, apart from their blazers being removed. They wore skirts with their usual plaid pattern and white shirts with red ribbons around their necks. It's just that opportunities like this were usually used by female students to remodel their uniforms and show off their feminine side.
Some deliberately reduced the size of their shirts to show their curves. Some made their shirts into long-sleeved shirts, while the school standard was short-sleeved shirts. Some wore thin sleeveless sweaters to give them a cute impression.
For Yuigahama Yui, in addition to reducing the size of her shirt, she also made the uniform's sleeves long. However, instead of giving a good reaction. Hachiman just looked at the girl with a lazy look and walked past her.
Yui, who felt neglected, puffed her cheeks and snorted "hmph!" while walking after the young man from behind.
There were some trifles on Hachiman's mind, such as why Yui was still not in the club room. When Hachiman went to the teacher's room to meet Hiratsuka earlier, he met Yukino, who was about to take the club room key. That meant the clubroom should had opened ten minutes ago.
However, Hachiman didn't want to bother or care about what Yui did. He didn't want to bother asking or just the slightest preamble. To be honest, Hachiman wasn't very close to Yui either. Their relationship was only limited to people who happened to be in the same class and in the same club.
After their feet stepped into the special building, Hachiman didn't expect they would arrive this fast.
Hachiman slid the door and displayed an atmosphere that could bring him into nostalgia. Stacks of chairs were neatly arranged in the back, two tables were put together in the middle of the room, and three chairs were arranged in such a way by the owners.
On top of that, a black-haired girl was focused reading her book like no one else in her small world. The light smoke from the black tea on her desk and the orange colour from the sun, small movements as turning the pages of a book or brushing her hair back, made it seem as if they blended well against the background.
"Yahallo!"
Yui's stupid greeting and ear-splitting shrill voice took the girl out of her world. The girl immediately realized that two people had entered the room.
"Konnichi wa, Yuigahama-san and … Hikigaya-kun. Strange, it's only been a few days, but it feels like we haven't seen each other in months. Is this time dilation effect or something?"
Yukino pinched her chin and looked at Hachiman with a strange look.
"I've only been involved in about two problems for the past few days, and it's no big deal either," the youngest Yukinoshita continued, "Tell me, Hikigaya-kun. How many problems have you attracted or come to you in this one week?"
Hachiman, who had sat down in his seat on the very end of the chair, and put down his bag, felt provoked by Yukino's provocation.
"What the hell is that? Do you think I'm some kind of gravity that attracting trouble? After all, the time dilation occurs because the gravitational field bends space and time, Ms Yukinoshita, not something stupid like you said. Have you watched too much comedy lately? I mean, you have the qualities of being a clown right now."
Instead of feeling offended, Yukino was able to maintain her composure. In fact, the girl slightly flicked her long black hair back with her hands to show that she was still the dignified Yukinoshita Yukino.
"That was a sarcasm of speech, you know? Or, are you the type to swallow what other people say without understanding the context, Hiki-problematic-kun?"
"I don't see any context here, and it's just something you make up to look smart."
"Or maybe, it's something you don't understand because you're just not that smart?"
Yukino's counterattack hit Hachiman heavily. He had to admit that Yukinoshita Yukino's verbal ability was very high. However, if it was a matter of bragging, Hachiman wasn't willing to lose to anyone.
"Look, in last mid exam, I was ranked third in Japanese Literature, you know. Apart from that, my Physics and Chemistry scores are pretty good too. If you eliminate the fact that I don't have a girlfriend or friends, you can say I'm at the elite level."
His hobby was reading, making it easier for Hachiman to work on questions in Japanese Literature and all its derivatives. However, for Physics and Chemistry, although you could say Hachiman was very good at these fields, he tended not to take them seriously, thus made his grades only a few points above average.
On the other hand, in mathematics, you could say Hachiman was not very good. No, in general, Hachiman was pretty good. However, regarding calculus and logarithms, Hachiman felt that his brain was always stuck and worked much slower than usual.
"Oh, are you now bragging about your grades? I am number one in all subjects, anyway. However, it's amazing to see you say that with such confidence. You're a weirdo, aren't you? I'm just starting to get scared."
"You punk. You know, I don't want to hear that from a weird girl like you."
The pointless debates, arguing even if it's just over trivial matters, and disputes that even the two of them forget the cause. Small things like that always adorn the volunteer club every Hachiman and Yukino met. And to be honest, that was something Yukinoshita Yukino had been missing in the past few days.
Being the top individual in the school made everyone stare in awe and highly respected the girl. Her brilliant brain and ability to do everything perfectly made Yukino something sacred, and her existence could not be touched by any hand. As such, the irony indirectly made Yukino live as a loner.
When people looked at you with envious eyes, didn't dare to go against your words because of your background and individual abilities, when no one dared to approach you because of intimidation that you didn't even show. All of that had become Yukinoshita Yukino's daily diet.
However, when there was a vulgar teenager with eyes like a dead fish, who casually uttered disrespectful words to her, Yukinoshita Yukino felt a new colour in her life. That's why, for Yukinoshita Yukino, she didn't even realize that she wanted to get to know the figure more deeply.
"It feels nostalgic, doesn't it, seeing the two of you like this?" Yui said with a crisp laugh.
Yukino snorted at Yui's remark. She then placed a bookmark in her book, closed it, and put it in her bag.
"Not really. I only said what I needed to say."
"Oh really? It doesn't sound like that to me, Yukinoshita," replied Hachiman.
However, Yukino didn't respond. The girl got up from her seat. She walked to the side of the room, where a tea set was on the table.
Yukino turned on the electric kettle to heat up the remaining water she had used to brew the tea. While waiting for the water to boil, the girl poured the tea she had brewed earlier into two glasses. Just a little, about one-fourth of a glass. At the same time, the electric kettle automatically turns off, which indicates the water has boiled completely.
Yukino lifted the teapot and poured the water into the two glasses of tea she had prepared. Hot water and brewing tea that meet each other bring out a fragrant aroma that filled the room. Yukino added a little sugar and stirred it to give the two teas a fresher taste.
After her little work was done, Yukino put the two glasses of tea onto the tray and carried them to her two club mates.
"Thank you," said Yui.
Just replying with an elegant smile, Yukino walked over to Hachiman's seat and placed it on the left side of Hachiman's seat.
"U-uh, thank you."
"You're welcome," Yukino replied curtly, "Even though you have disgusting eyes, welcome back to the club, Hikigaya-kun."
Without bothering to look at the reaction or wait for Hachiman's reply, Yukino simply walked away to her own seat.
'Is that girl actually a tsundere or something? Duh.'
"So, what happened to you, Hikigaya-kun? Komachi-chan told me that you weren't feeling well."
"Well, it's not really a serious problem. I just had food poisoning, so it made my stomach hurt."
"Oh, really? I thought you got stabbed by a woman or something. I mean, your rotten eyes feel like a threat to us."
Hachiman was silent for a moment at Yukino's voice. So that he wouldn't look awkward, Hachiman opened his bag and pretended to look for something in there. In the end, he did put out a novel.
'I hope it's just a thoughtless quibble like she usually does,' thought Hachiman.
"Of course not, Yukinon," Yui replied, interrupting their conversation, "I mean, Hikki is too lazy to do something like that. Besides, he doesn't look too dangerous to me."
Yui then turned to Hachiman for reassurance.
"Isn't that right, Hikki?"
Hachiman didn't really want to respond to Yui's ramblings. Instead, he slightly pulled out the page marker on his novel and opened it.
"Well, sort of. Besides, if I wanted to do something to a woman, I definitely wouldn't do it to just a mediocre woman. Hayami Saori-san must be good. Her voice is so beautiful, and I love it."
Hachiman said that half-jokingly. However, Yukino and Yui looked at the young man with an indescribable look.
Not wanting to respond to his stupid joke, Yukino sighed and glared at Hachiman.
"By the way, my sister said she saw you last weekend."
Hachiman's eyebrow was lifted when he heard Yukino mention the incident at the hotel on Saturday.
"Hm? Did Haruno-san say something?"
"Not really. She just said that you were a waiter there."
'It seems Haruno-san didn't tell her what happened at the masquerade back then.'
As far as Hachiman knew, the association and the government had covered the incident well. They raised various celebrities' scandals and hot issues in public to distract the public from what was happening in the hotel ballroom then.
"Well, that's how it is. I did meet Haruno-san, but I don't have much time to talk to her."
Yukino didn't reply, but she understood what Hachiman meant. Her sister was the face of the Yukinoshita family, and the rightful successor that anyone knew about. Being in such a formal place, of course, made Haruno surrounded by various kinds of people, from business colleagues to rivals, who just wanted to make small talk.
Yukino had seen this kind of scene very often when she was at a formal event and was in the same room with her sister.
Unfortunately, Yukino didn't know. That wasn't the real reason Hachiman didn't have much time to talk to Haruno.
"By the way, Nee-san asked me to give her your contact. What do you think?"
"What do you mean? I don't want to, of course. You didn't give it, did you?"
Yukino shook her head and replied, "No. Even if it's just you, I can't possibly infringe on someone's privacy. I mean, I know how troublesome she can be."
Hachiman was a little relieved to hear that. Knowing that Haruno wanted his contact gave Hachiman an uncomfortable feeling. After all, what we were talking about right now was Yukinoshita Haruno. No one knew what that woman thought. In fact, Hachiman was a little afraid of her.
Haruno had a sharp mind, and her nose could easily sniff out someone's lies. If Haruno had aimed at something, it was difficult for the prey to escape from her. To Hachiman, Haruno was the perfect figure. A beautiful woman with extraordinary prowess. However, it was that perfection that made Hachiman shudder and feel uncomfortable.
It's not an exaggeration. In contrast, Hiratsuka had a strong charisma that made others want to follow her subconsciously. Haruno was the one who hid the sharp knife behind her sweet smile. Every time the woman spoke, you wouldn't notice that Haruno was ready to attack you from your weakest point.
Rather than fear due to the huge difference in power, it was more like the fear of not knowing what your opponent was thinking. Such was the image of Haruno in Hachiman's eyes. After all, ignorance was one of the greatest sources of human fear. And Hachiman was no different.
This feeling was a feeling that Hachiman rarely felt. Or at least, in his life so far, there was only one person—besides Haruno—that, until now, Hachiman had difficulty reading his thoughts even though he had known him for years. In fact, you could say he was also quite close to this person.
'Speaking of that bastard, what is Gojou-sensei doing right now? He's in Kyoto, isn't he?'
—OoOoO—
"Achoo!"
Gojou rubbed his nostrils with the back of his index finger. Sometimes, he would suck the air roughly to ensure nothing wrong inside his nose.
"Forgive me. Maybe someone is missing me right now. So, what was that again?"
Gojou stood in the middle of a room that wasn't very well lit. You could say the atmosphere was even a little too dark for the size of a room. Speaking of standing in the middle, right now, Gojou was literally standing in the middle with several curtains separating him from the people hiding behind.
"Oh, that's right," said Gojou again before anyone interrupted him, "Itadori Yuuji is in a stable condition. He could suppress Sukuna even though he had eaten two fingers. In other words, there is no reason to execute Itadori Yuuji for now."
Gojou Satoru, a man who had reached the pinnacle of jujutsu sorcery, the strongest among the strongest, a human being feared by enemies and respected by allies, and certainly, a self-proclaimed as the Greatest Teacher Satoru.
A tall man with white hair wore a black eye patch. In this world, no one like him, no human with such charm as him, and no other Gojou Satoru besides him.
Strength, looks, wealth, power, this man had it all. As the strongest in the entire world, Gojou Satoru had many channels in the underworld and relationships on the surface. The source of his income was not only his work as a jujutsu sorcerer but also from businesses run by the Gojou family. If he wanted, his words could become law. However, Gojou Satoru rejected such easy path.
That was Gojou Satoru, a human blessed by the heavens, a human loved by the Gods, but cursed by his students due to his antique. Throughout heaven and earth, he is the honoured one.
"You speak as if Sukuna is not a threat, Satoru."
Right now, Gojou was in a special room, surrounded by the higher-ups of the association. Ordinary sorcerers would generally be intimidated if they were personally summoned to this place. However, Gojou Satoru was different.
"Oh, don't get me wrong. From any side, Sukuna indeed is a threat. However, I am here."
Baseless confidence, that's what the higher-ups wanted to say. However, they realized that such words were not applied for Gojou.
The confidence that Gojou had, of course, had a basis. He was Gojou Satoru, the strongest being on earth. In fact, the balance of the world changed when he was born. His birth alone was enough to break the status quo of the jujutsu society.
"That is precisely the problem. Everything will be fine as long as you are there. However, that doesn't guarantee anything if something happens to you," said one of the higher-ups.
"I doubt anyone can do anything to me," Gojou retorted, "Even if there were, there are still many other powerful sorcerers at our side. Tsukumo, Shizuka-chan, Yuuta-kun, Hachiman-kun, Hakari, Aoi-kun, and many more."
What Gojou said had some truth in it. This generation could be said to be filled with powerful sorcerers for the last 400 years. In numbers, today's sorcerers were not as numerous as in the past. However, in terms of quality, they were sure that today's high-level sorcerers could at least compete with the sorcerers of the past.
However, there was one problem that the higher-ups could not ignore.
"Even if you say so, no one can stand on your equal footing, Satoru."
That's obvious. Six Eyes—the name of Gojou's eye—were a priceless treasure in the world of jujutsu. With Six Eyes, you could take your power level to a different level than before. No matter your technique, if you could make good use of the Six Eyes, you would undoubtedly become a top sorcerer. Above all, Gojou Satoru was a genius who could not only make good use of the Six Eyes but also had a very high understanding of mathematics that could further push his cursed technique.
"Wrong. My existence has changed the balance of the jujutsu world, and I've been standing at the top for a long time," Gojou argued plainly, "This world will continue to adapt to regain its balance. As such, sorcerers as strong as me will be born. Shizuka-chan is one such example, even though she decided to stop her growth. Still, I believe the current generation is at its peak. Soon, Gojou Satou is not the highest limit a jujutsu sorcerer can reach."
"It doesn't make sense," said one of the old women in the room, "The current generation? Your siding with Okkotsu Yuta and Hikigaya Hachiman has gone too far. You are overestimating the two of them just because Okktosu is your distant relative and Hikigaya is the son of the woman you are currently seeing."
Gojou just wore his usual smug smile regardless of what the higher-ups thought. Even when someone brought up Asuka's name—Hachiman's and Komachi's mother's—Gojou didn't even care. At least, Gojou, from the start, didn't expect those old men, who held this tradition to high standards, to understand what he was thinking.
Speaking of Asuka, rumours that Gojou Satoru had an interest in the widow of two had been circulating for a long time. Of course, smoke would not appear if there was no fire. Gojou himself wasn't particularly interested in Asuka at first. His intention to give protection to Komachi, whose cursed technique was sought after by the big clans, came purely from his goodwill.
Protecting the Hikigaya family under the auspices of the Gojou Clan until Hikigaya Hachiman turns 18 was the original agreement. At the same time, protecting them meant that Gojou had to interact with them several times a month. And as the only adult in the Hikigaya family, Hikigaya Asuka was naturally the negotiator.
However, this action seemed to have been misunderstood by Hachiman, who was then around 12 years old. Instead of obeying like a good boy, Hachiman was highly alert whenever his mother met Gojou. And according to the white-haired man, Hachiman's reaction was kind of cute. Because of this, Gojou often teased Hachiman as if he wanted to approach Asuka with a certain intent.
Unfortunately, the action originally came from a prank that made Gojou interested in getting to know Asuka more, sort of. Because of that, there were rumours that a Gojou Satoru had a certain affinity for Hikigaya Asuka.
"Well, it's up to you what you want to say. What is clear, Itadori Yuuji proved able to suppress Sukuna. That means I won this bet, and the execution must be postponed," said Gojou casually.
Before any of the higher-ups could reply, Gojou preceded them.
"Besides that, aren't there more important things you should pay attention to?"
Gojou's words succeeded in making all the higher-ups pay attention to him.
"After Quanxi died at the hands of Hachiman-kun, all of her accomplices were captured. Except for one person, Pingtsi. That was the first," Gojou continued.
"That girl? Even if you didn't tell us, we already knew. There's nothing special about it."
"Ahahahaa," Gojou laughed quite loudly at that reply, "Nothing special, you said? Have you guys never studied history? Do you know how Takitsubo Rikou almost beat the old use of Six Eyes?"
The entire high-ranking association froze upon hearing Gojou's statement,
Takitsubo Rikou was one of the jujutsu sorcerers from the past. More precisely, from 400 years ago. Her cursed technique was said to be one of the most unique techniques of the past. Yes, the cursed technique was the same as Pingtsi's, Cursed Energy Stalker.
Pingtsi was just a third-grade sorcerer, and there was nothing to be afraid of. However, the Cursed Energy Stalker had the potential to be far more troublesome than it seemed. And Takitsubo Rikou was the one who once reached that level.
Cursed Energy Stalker allowed the user to see the form of the cursed energy very well, one level with Six Eyes. However, more than that, the true Cursed Energy Stalker could not only see but also feel. All cells in the user's body could recognize various kinds of cursed energy very well.
Gojou Satoru had always likened the cursed energy to electrical energy and the cursed technique to an electronic device. In other words, cursed energy could not be grasped because it was energy, but cursed techniques had formed, according to Gojou.
Because of that, with Six Eyes, Gojou could immediately see someone else's cursed technique even if they didn't tell him.
The same could be done by Takitsubo Rikou. However, the woman could accelerate it to a very high level. With her excellent control, Takitsubo Rikou could affect the flow of cursed energy belonging to her opponent, which led her to increase or decrease the ability of a jujutsu sorcerer instantly within a certain time limit. And even worse, she could manipulate the reality of jujutsu sorcerers by taking and transferring their cursed techniques to other people within certain limits.
Because of that ability, Takitsubo Rikou almost defeated a Six Eyes user 400 years ago.
'Well, I've met Pingtsi before. She was just an ordinary spoiled girl who wouldn't be able to survive alone in the jujutsu society. There was no chance for the girl to reach the level of her predecessor. No way unless she is possessed by Takitsubo Rikou's soul itself.'
Gojou smiled lightly as he watched the higher-ups panic at what he had just said. Gojou knew that Pingtsi would not be able to reach the highest level. However, he chose to scare the higher-ups with information about her.
The reason? Obviously, Gojou wanted to distract the attention of the higher-ups to be as far away from Itadori Yuuji as possible.
"The second is about Hijikata Toshizo's vengeful spirit. From Shizuka-chan and Hachiman-kun's explanation, there was no doubt that Hijikata Toshizo was currently a newly born cursed spirit, a cursed womb. His initial form is already that strong, aren't you afraid, if he evolves and turns into something like Balphemon."
The higher-ups were silent for a moment until, finally, one of them spoke up.
"Barupe—what? What's that?"
Once again, Gojou simply smiled with a disdainful expression for the old men.
Unlike Pingtsi, which Gojou only used as a bluff, Hijikata Toshizo was a big deal. Gojou himself was personally mobilizing people to track down this vengeful spirit.
He found it hard to believe that an ordinary human could rise to become a vengeful spirit just purely from his bitter grudge. Vengeful spirits could only be created when a strong sorcerer, equal to first grade, died without being killed using cursed energy and had enormous grudges and hatred.
In Hijikata's case, he was just an ordinary human. The background was clean, and there was no connection whatsoever with jujutsu sorcerers. In addition, could maintain his senses even though he had turned into a vengeful spirit was something extraordinary.
'It was only last year that the Orimoto Rika case was closed, and now another anomaly has emerged. The world really isn't doing well, huh?' Gojou thought.
Ignoring the higher-ups glaring at Gojou with disdain, the white-haired man turned around and walked toward the exit. The man always wore a smug smile with his hands tucked into his trouser pockets.
When his footsteps were about to carry him out of the room, the strongest sorcerer paused and turned to look at the old geezers once more. With a smile capable of making others feel low, Gojou Satoru gave a message.
"You all are expired-men. Instead of taking care of the world, you'd better go home and play with your grandchildren. Or it would be better for you to write a poem for your farewells."
After saying that, Gojou Satoru came out with an innocent smile as if he had done nothing wrong. He left the invective of the old geezers he offended and came out like any winner.
—To Be Continued—
Author Note : Well, this is a long chapter, longer than I planned.
This chapter, and the next few chapters, will focus more on Hachiman's normal life, with some of the characters' reactions to the Chiba Museum incident.
Actually, the reason I wrote this fic was because I wanted to highlight the other side of the bloody conflict in JJK. If JJK focuses entirely on the sorcerers' conflicts, here I want to write about how ordinary citizens react to strange phenomenon related to the supernatural. Well, it hasn't been seen yet, but in the next chapter it's starting to show how normal citizens saw the Chiba Museum incident.
Besides, here I am introducing Takitsubo Rikou. If you've watched the Toaru Majutsu no Index anime, well, she's a character from there. Besides Misaka Mikoto and Sokuho Misaki, Takitsubo Rikou is my favorite character. Her prowess and potential are very interesting and I think it would be great if I bring her here.
But, as mentioned above, Takitsubo Rikou is a sorcerer from 400 years ago. So, she won't be appearing anytime soon. And a little spoiler for this fic, if you are Jujutsu Kaisen readers, you will know when the right time for Takitsubo Rikou's appearance as an ancient sorcerer.
So, what do you think about this chapter? And thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed. Please leave your review for this chapter because your review is my encouragement. See you in the next chapter and stay safe.