Will You Come Again? It Depends on My Mom

Kana Shizumi glanced at his side, his expression unreadable.

Yuji Itadori had just said something quite extraordinary in a very casual tone.

And the truth was exactly as he had stated.

No one at home... that statement was a simple fact.

Itadori's parents had gone missing a long time ago.

His grandfather, Wasuke Itadori, should have been hospitalized by this point in time; considering the timeline where he kicked the bucket right when the plot began, he likely only had a month or so left to live.

In other words.

From the moment the story began, Yuji Itadori was, quite literally, an "orphan."

It was just that, unlike the protagonists of other stories, Yuji Itadori never wore his losses on his sleeve.

The kid acted so bright and cheerful that it was easy for people to overlook the gaps and deficiencies in his life... tch, it actually felt a little pitiful.

You have to realize that in other works, this kind of setup—parents missing, raised by a grandfather—was basically a prerequisite for becoming a villain.

But the fact that Itadori could be raised to be this "upright" only proved that Grandpa Itadori really had a knack for teaching... by comparison, Jail Mom, who had only cared for him as an infant for a short while before vanishing, was truly a piece of work.

"Since I'm home alone, I got bored and went out for a stroll, saw this 24-hour shop, and found something like a sense of belonging inside?"

It made logical sense, but looking at his current situation, it was truly moving, even evoking a sense of pity.

Damn that Kenjaku, always doing such disgusting things!

Seemingly sensing the gaze beside him, Itadori turned his head halfway and asked with a look of surprise.

"Aren't you playing?"

As he said this, he seemed to recall something and couldn't help but let out an "ah."

"Speaking of which... I completely forgot. Even though you treated me to pinball, I don't even know your name."

He flashed a brilliant smile and said frankly.

"What's your name?"

"...Kana Shizumi."

He lowered his gaze, turning back to the machine, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly as he spoke in a flat tone.

"My name is Kana Shizumi."

"Oh! You look like you might be a bit older than me, so is it okay if I call you Mr. Kana?!"

"That sounds like it's more than just a bit older..."

"Haha, you're so funny! Anyone willing to treat me is a big brother, so please, let me call you Mr. Kana!"

"Forget it... more importantly, why did this screen suddenly start flashing?"

"Let me see... wait?! Classic triple sevens, the jackpot?! Are you serious!!!"

"Wait, wait, wait, why is it suddenly spitting out steel balls? Huh? There are so many! It can't hold them all! And when did so many people stand behind us?!"

"If you hit the jackpot, this is just 'common sense'! Don't worry about them, this is our absolute time... hurry up, Mr. Kana!"

"Hurry up with what? Do I need to do something?"

"I'll load the balls! We're in a high-payout state! It's the perfect time to press our advantage! Switch to the right-hand play immediately, hit it into this iron mouth, and we'll be rich!"

"Say something I can actually understand!!!"

The chaotic pinball excursion ended three hours later.

When they stepped outside, both of them looked unnaturally drained.

But that was normal... after all, the shop was filled with flashing lights and deafening noise. Staying inside for more than ten minutes usually left you in a state of numbness, and by the time you walked out, nine times out of ten, you felt like you had returned from another world.

"Uh... shall we go get something to drink? Mr. Kana."

As if afraid the other would misunderstand, Itadori explained first.

"Not alcohol! I'm not arrogant enough to do that... anyway, let me treat you."

Saying this, he turned and ran toward a convenience store, returning with two cans of cola.

"Chilled strawberry-flavored cola, limited edition! I really like drinking this!"

Watching the young man in front of him flash a brilliant smile, Kana Shizumi took the drink and couldn't help but recall the contents of the plot.

During the Shibuya Incident, because he had swallowed a large number of fingers in a short period, Itadori lost control of his own body—by the time the plot reached the stage of deciding to crash the ritual to test Mahoraga's strength, Sukuna was holding popcorn and cola.

Considering that Sukuna had observed Itadori's daily habits, he most likely knew his dietary preferences.

As the Hannibal of the Heian Era, Sukuna gave a candid review after tasting these two modern foods himself.

What trash!

Of course, considering the situation at the time, it was highly likely that Sukuna had found these items in the ruins.

So we have reason to suspect that the "flat cola" and "cold popcorn" in Sukuna's hands...

Unfair, unfair, rematch, rematch!

His wandering thoughts slowly pulled back, and Kana Shizumi followed suit, pulling the ring and raising his right hand to clink cans with Itadori.

"I had quite a good time playing today, Itadori-kun."

The latter nodded readily, wearing an expression of lingering enjoyment.

"It's my first time seeing 777 after playing for so long. Ah, come to think of it, if we had placed a heavy bet back then, we could have... wait?! We could have earned that much!!!"

Kana Shizumi took a moment to glance at the time, made a quick estimation, and looked at Yuji Itadori beside him.

"Sorry, I'll have to stop here for today."

As long as he could return to Tokyo before noon, Kenjaku wouldn't say anything excessive even if he wanted to pick a fight.

Itadori was stunned for a moment, then let out an unnatural "oh."

He raised a hand to scratch his head, shifted half a step to the side, and said "oh" again, as if talking to himself.

His voice was even quieter.

"I guess so... it's already this late, it's about time to head back."

It was like meeting a once-in-a-lifetime best friend in a bouncy castle; we explored the unknown together and defeated other groups of kids.

--So, will you come again tomorrow?

--It depends on my mom...

Yuji Itadori found it hard to hide his expression at this moment.

Watching the kid look so dejected, Kana Shizumi smiled.

"It's not like we won't be able to meet again... hey, take out your phone, let's exchange Line?"

"Huh?! Can we! Thanks!"

Itadori, having received the phone number and contact information, was all smiles.

"Can I invite Mr. Kana to play pinball again next time?!"

He could, certainly.

But...

"Keep your voice down, don't be too arrogant... what will you do if you run into the police later?"

Itadori walked Kana Shizumi to the station, but since there were no more trains at this hour, he had to rely on a taxi.

"See you next time, Itadori-kun."

"Yeah! Take care, Mr. Kana!"

Watching the vehicle pull away, Yuji Itadori clutched his phone, a rare, happy smile on his face.

He never lied, so...

He really did have a great time today.