Welcome party

Night fell, and the campus of Tokyo Jujutsu High was bathed in soft light.

The buildings, so solemn and imposing by day, lost their sharp edges and looked gentler in the darkness. The distant mountains faded into the ink-blue sky, leaving only their rolling silhouettes; nearby trees swayed gently in the evening breeze, their leaves rustling softly.

The welcome party was held in a large tatami room beside the main building. When Zhiyan and the others followed the directions there, warm yellow light was already spilling through the open doors, accompanied by faint chatter and laughter.

"There are so many people." Wana stood on tiptoe to peer inside, her eyes sparkling.

Satoru Gojo kept both hands tucked into his sleeves, his chin slightly raised, wearing the haughty look of someone who had seen it all.

"Doesn't matter how many people there are. I'll be the one who stands out most anyway."

Wana glanced at him and muttered under her breath.

"Yes, yes. So dazzling you hurt my eyes."

Gojo's sharp ears caught that, and he immediately turned his head.

"Was that a compliment or an insult?"

Wana blinked, looking perfectly innocent.

"What do you think?"

"Tch!"

Standing beside them, Suguru Geto watched the exchange, the corners of his lips lifting.

He turned to Zhiyan.

"Zenin, are they always like this?"

Zhiyan nodded.

"For seven years now."

Geto's smile deepened.

"Seven years without a change. That's pretty impressive."

Kamo Xian Di leisurely chimed in.

"What's impressive is that Wana hasn't driven Gojo to an early grave in those seven years."

Gojo immediately turned around to voice his displeasure.

"Kamo! I heard that!"

Xian Di smiled faintly and deliberately cupped one hand around his mouth.

"I meant for you to hear it."

Gojo practically stamped his feet in frustration, but he could not come up with a retort.

Shoko gently tugged at Zhiyan's sleeve.

"Let's go in."

Zhiyan nodded, took her hand, and led her inside.

The tatami room was large enough to hold several dozen people.

Dark tatami mats covered the floor, and low tables were tastefully arranged around the room, laden with delicate sweets and steaming tea. Several teachers sat in the seats of honor at the far end. Principal Shirakawa held a teacup as he spoke quietly with the person beside him.

Quite a few students had already arrived. Some gathered in twos and threes to talk quietly, some sat alone in corners sipping tea, and others curiously studied every new face that came through the door.

"Whoa, food!" Gojo's eyes lit up, and he immediately lunged toward the nearest low table.

Not to be outdone, Wana followed him. Before long, the two were facing off over the last sweet.

"I got it first!"

"I saw it first!"

"Can you be reasonable?"

"First come, first served!"

Geto watched the two squabbling, then looked at Zhiyan.

"Aren't you going to stop them?"

Zhiyan shook his head.

"Can't."

Geto laughed.

"Guess you're right."

He was about to say something when he suddenly felt someone watching him.

The gaze held a measure of scrutiny and interest, as though its owner were examining some intriguing object.

He followed it and saw a girl with pale hair standing nearby. She wore a well-tailored, dark Jujutsu High uniform, her figure slender and her bearing cool. Her features were delicate, but there was a distant indifference in her eyes, as if she kept the entire world beyond an invisible barrier.

Yet those eyes were alive.

They were long and narrow, with pale irises, and were slightly narrowed as her gaze slowly swept over their group. There was no malice in that gaze, but no warmth either-only a sense of... appraisal.

As though she were looking at something valuable.

When her eyes met Geto's, she did not look away. Instead, her lips curved slightly in a knowing smile.

Geto paused, mildly taken aback.

Just then, another voice burst out beside them.

"Hey! You lot!"

A girl in a brightly colored kimono strode toward them, her braid swinging behind her. She had striking features and a proud, assertive air that made it obvious she was not someone to cross.

She walked straight up to the group, looked them over, and finally fixed her gaze on Gojo.

"You're Satoru Gojo?"

Gojo was still fighting Wana for the sweet and answered without turning around.

"Yep, that's me. Who are you?"

The girl huffed.

"Utahime Iori. Second year."

Gojo finally turned and looked her up and down.

"A second-year upperclassman? What do you want with me?"

Utahime lifted her chin.

"I heard quite a few people from the Three Great Families enrolled this year. I just came to see if you're really as impressive as the rumors say."

Gojo blinked, then smiled.

It was the kind of smile that begged to be punched.

"So, what do you think?"

Utahime stared at him for a few seconds, then snorted.

"Nothing special."

Far from getting upset, Gojo smiled even more brightly.

"Really? You must be pretty strong, then, Utahime."

At that moment, the pale-haired girl also walked slowly over.

There was something distinctive about the way she moved. Neither hurried nor slow, every step was perfectly measured, as though she had absolute control over her own rhythm.

"Utahime, don't overdo it."

Her voice was cool and even, neither loud nor soft, yet it carried a power that naturally quieted people.

Utahime pursed her lips, but she really did fall silent.

The girl stopped before them, her gaze passing over each of them in turn.

"Mei Mei. Second year."

Her introduction was almost stingy in its brevity, yet impossible to ignore.

Zhiyan inclined his head slightly.

"Naoya Zenin."

Mei Mei's gaze lingered on him for a moment before shifting to Kamo Xian Di.

"Kamo Xian Di." Xian Di bowed slightly.

Mei Mei nodded.

Shoko wore her usual indifferent expression.

"Shoko Ieiri."

Mei Mei's lashes fluttered slightly.

"Reverse Cursed Technique?"

Shoko nodded.

Mei Mei said nothing more, but the knowing smile on her lips deepened.

Wana poked her head out from behind Gojo, smiling brightly.

"I'm Wana! Zhiyan's little sister!"

Mei Mei looked at her, and her gaze softened for a moment.

"Very cute."

Wana blinked, her smile growing even brighter.

Geto stepped forward and smiled gently.

"Suguru Geto."

Mei Mei's gaze settled on him.

"Cursed Spirit Manipulation?"

Geto paused in surprise.

"You know about it?"

Mei Mei did not answer directly. She merely curved her lips.

A shrewd gleam flashed through her pale eyes.

"If you ever need information, you can come to me," she said, her tone still cool, though the end of her sentence rose slightly. "As long as the price is right."

The group was momentarily taken aback.

Zhiyan looked at her and suddenly understood.

"Business?"

Mei Mei nodded, her smile becoming a little more sincere.

"Information, assistance, anything you'd rather not handle personally-as long as you pay enough, everything is negotiable."

As she spoke, her gaze swept over them, as though calculating something.

"The young masters and ladies of the Three Great Families shouldn't be short of money, should they?"

Gojo blinked, then burst out laughing.

"Interesting! We've barely walked in, and you're already trying to do business with us."

He leaned closer to Zhiyan and lowered his voice.

"This upperclassman is obsessed with money!"

Zhiyan glanced at him.

"She's still right here."

Mei Mei paid no mind to their whispering, maintaining her breezy composure.

"Give it some thought, everyone. We'll have plenty of opportunities to work together."

With that, she turned toward a corner and sat down by a window, looking as relaxed as a well-fed cat.

Utahime, however, did not immediately follow her.

Her gaze landed on Shoko and Wana, and her eyes suddenly lit up.

"You two-"

She hurried over to them and looked them up and down.

Shoko tilted her head slightly.

"Is something wrong, Utahime?"

Utahime stared at her for a few seconds, then suddenly reached out-only for Zhiyan to subtly block her hand.

"Utahime?"

Zhiyan's tone remained calm, but his eyes had grown a little wary.

Utahime glared at him.

"What? I just want to get to know my juniors!"

She went around Zhiyan and leaned closer to Shoko, her eyes sparkling.

"You're Shoko Ieiri, right? You're so pretty! And you have such a lovely air about you! If you ever need help with anything, just come to me!"

Shoko looked at her and blinked. She had just been complimented.

"...Thank you?"

Utahime turned to Wana next.

"And you! Your name's Wana, right? You're so cute!"

She reached out and pinched Wana's cheeks. Her touch was light, but the motion was so practiced that she seemed to have done it countless times.

With her cheeks pulled out of shape, Wana mumbled indistinctly.

"Mmph... Utahime... what are you doing..."

"They feel so nice!" Utahime's eyes shone even brighter. "What do you use for skin care? How is your skin so soft?"

Wana struggled free of her hands and hid behind Shoko.

"I-I don't use anything..."

Utahime followed her, but Shoko unobtrusively stepped in her way.

"Utahime, she's a little shy around strangers."

Only then did Utahime stop, letting out a somewhat disappointed sigh.

"All right, all right. We can get to know each other slowly."

She looked at Shoko, then at Wana, and smiled brightly.

"You two are just my kind of people! If anything comes up at Tokyo Jujutsu High, just mention my name!"

Satoru Gojo cut in from beside her.

"Would mentioning your name do any good?"

Utahime Iori glared at him.

"Of course it would! I've got plenty of clout among the second-years!"

Satoru Gojo raised an eyebrow.

"Clout? What about that upperclassman, Mei Mei?"

Utahime Iori's expression froze for a moment.

"She... she doesn't count! She's a monster!"

A soft laugh came from the corner.

Mei Mei held her teacup and watched them with a faint smile.

"Utahime, I heard that."

Utahime Iori gave an involuntary shudder and said nothing.

She turned back to Shoko and Wana, putting on that enthusiastic smile again.

"Anyway, keep in touch!"

With that, she turned and walked toward Mei Mei, her braid swinging behind her.

Wana peeked out from behind Shoko and said quietly.

"That upperclassman... she's so enthusiastic."

Shoko's eyes curved in a smile.

"Yeah."

Satoru Gojo leaned over.

"A little too enthusiastic. It's scary."

For once, Wana agreed with him.

"Definitely."

Suguru Geto watched the two upperclassmen walk away and smiled faintly.

"Those two are interesting."

Kamo Xian Di nodded.

"That Mei Mei is no ordinary person."

Zhiyan said nothing, but his gaze lingered on Mei Mei for a moment.

Those pale eyes concealed far more than they seemed to.

"Hey, hey, hey! All the snacks are gone!"

Satoru Gojo's voice drew everyone's attention back.

He pointed at the low table, looking thoroughly aggrieved.

"I only talked for a minute, and they were all gone when I got back!"

Wana spoke quietly beside him.

"You already ate three pieces."

Satoru Gojo glared at her.

"So what if I ate three!"

Suguru Geto couldn't help laughing.

"Gojo, you really are..."

"Really what?"

Suguru Geto thought for a moment.

"You're really... straightforward."

Satoru Gojo blinked, not understanding.

Wana translated for him.

"He means all you think about is eating."

"You-!"

The two were about to start arguing again.

Shoko gently tugged Wana's hand, and the girl immediately reined herself in.

Satoru Gojo huffed and stopped making a fuss as well.

The tatami room gradually grew livelier as the new students chatted in small groups, with the occasional sound of a teacher's laughter.

Zhiyan and the others found a corner to sit in, drinking tea as they watched people come and go.

Satoru Gojo was still dwelling on the snacks that had all been snatched up.

Wana rolled her eyes beside him.

Suguru Geto and Kamo Xian Di chatted eagerly, almost wishing they had met sooner.

Shoko leaned against Zhiyan's shoulder, quietly watching it all.

Moonlight spilled through the window onto the floor, like a layer of silver frost.

"Zhiyan," Shoko suddenly said.

Zhiyan lowered his head.

"Hmm?"

Shoko's eyes curved in a smile.

"Going to school like this is pretty nice too, isn't it?"

The corners of Zhiyan's lips lifted slightly (though he had never stopped pursuing knowledge, he had never actually experienced school life).

"Yeah, it really is."

Across the room, Mei Mei sat by the window with her teacup, her gaze drifting toward them now and then.

Utahime Iori chattered away beside her, but she wasn't listening.

She was simply thinking-

This year's new students are quite promising.

Heirs to the Three Great Families, a Reverse Cursed Technique Sorcerer, Cursed Spirit Manipulation...

Worth investing in.

Her lips curved as she raised her teacup and took a small sip.

The tea had gone a little cold.

But she didn't mind.

The night was still young.

As the welcome party drew to a close, everyone began getting up and leaving.

When they stepped out of the tatami room, the night breeze met them, carrying the crisp freshness unique to the mountain woods.

Wana yawned.

"I'm so sleepy..."

Satoru Gojo spoke beside her.

"Sleepy? You were wide awake when you were grabbing snacks."

Wana glared at him.

"That was to stop you from eating too much!"

"So I should thank you, then?" Satoru Gojo said irritably.

"You're welcome." Wana playfully made a face at him.

Satoru Gojo choked on his words. Didn't Kamo say childhood friends who grew up together were really close? Then what's wrong with this childhood friend of mine? Forget being close-I'm lucky if she doesn't take a jab at me. No, I need to teach her a proper lesson.

But the moment he moved, Wana took off running, as though she had seen it coming. Well, although seven years together hadn't softened their relationship, they certainly knew each other well. In a way, their unspoken understanding was rather remarkable.

Ahead, the lights of the dormitory building were faintly visible.

The night breeze blew past, rustling the leaves.

Beneath the moonlight, the silhouettes of the boys and girls receded into the distance.