Some Clumsiness Can't Be Hidden

Miwa Chisei returned to her apartment and filled the bathtub with warm water. Only when she submerged her whole body did she finally feel warm.

The mirror installed to make the bathroom look larger happened to reflect the girl's face through the steam.

Her face had yet to lose its childish features, yet her expression was far too calm. After something like this, a girl her age should have curled up in the bathtub and had a good cry.

I can't cry.

Miwa Chisei tilted her head back slightly and gazed at the warm light in the bathroom. Having her life disrupted was unpleasant, even irritating.

Thinking of that noisy Scourge of the Gojo Clan only irritated her more.

Jujutsu Society had played its cards well, having the Gojo Clan-the only clan with any connection to the Miwa family-carry out the recall order.

To put it more plainly, only the Gojo Clan had the means to find her.

If the bounty on Satoru Gojo was because his cursed energy was so powerful that he would one day tip the balance of Jujutsu Society, then the bounty on her seemed rather baffling.

There were two possibilities at present: either it was a ploy by Jujutsu Society to prevent her from fitting into the ordinary world, leaving her no choice but to depend on them, or, for some reason, they could not allow the Miwa family's bloodline to survive.

Miwa Chisei lowered her gaze again, idly playing with the little yellow rubber duck floating in the bathtub.

Too bad. Jujutsu Society still underestimated the Miwa family.

"You're saying Miss Miwa is strong?"

After returning to Jujutsu High, Satoru Gojo and Suguru Geto had once again brazenly skipped their general studies class and were chatting in the covered stands beside the field.

Suguru Geto eyed Satoru Gojo beside him doubtfully. Hearing something like that come out of his mouth was a rare event indeed.

Satoru Gojo stretched out his long legs and propped them on the seat backs in the row ahead, slouching lazily in his plastic seat.

"Ten years ago, her father approached the Gojo Clan. He wanted the clan to protect her. She'd shown remarkable talent for the Miwa Family Jujutsu since she was little, so I guess he was afraid someone would exploit her."

Suguru Geto watched the rain drizzle onto the field and suddenly thought of that figure in the downpour.

"The Miwa Family Jujutsu really is unusual."

"It's weird as hell and annoying, too." Satoru Gojo ground his teeth, remembering that basin of water and vegetable scraps.

"But judging by how things turned out, the Gojo Clan didn't agree to protect her?"

Satoru Gojo faltered.

"Not exactly. Something went wrong, anyway, and we never reached an agreement."

"Huh?"

Suguru Geto was thoroughly confused, then ventured a bold guess.

"You two got into a fight as kids, didn't you? So neither of you wanted to accept the proposal?"

Satoru Gojo turned his head. Even with his sunglasses hiding his eyes, it was easy to imagine how priceless his expression must have been.

Suguru Geto nodded. Sure enough, he had guessed right.

"That's not important. Considering the bounty, her father probably made that decision because he'd discovered something."

"Satoru, you rarely take this much interest in anything."

Suguru Geto had spoken the plain truth, a knowing look in his foxlike eyes.

Satoru Gojo looked smug, flashing an obnoxious grin.

"I just want to see Miwa get so scared she bawls her eyes out. Don't you think that icy face she wears all day is super-annoying?"

After a long silence, Suguru Geto couldn't help objecting.

"I don't think that's going to happen. You can tell at a glance that Miss Miwa is a girl who's been through a lot."

Satoru Gojo froze, a strange emotion taking hold of his heart.

"If you ask me, even if you want her to come to Jujutsu High, you can't be so forceful about it, Satoru. Shouldn't you try winning her over?"

Suguru Geto spoke earnestly, then turned to see Satoru Gojo staring blankly with his mouth open, as though he couldn't understand a single word his best friend was saying.

Suguru Geto sighed and thumped Satoru Gojo on the shoulder.

"Just be honest. You're so eager to get her into Jujutsu High not only because it's your mission, but because you're afraid something might happen to her someday, right? After all, Miss Miwa's father did once ask the Gojo Clan to look after her."

"You might seem outrageous, Satoru, but you're still kind at heart."

Suguru Geto spoke sincerely, while Satoru Gojo beside him fell silent.

A glint of blue showed at the edge of his sunglasses, far brighter than the gray sky.

Looks like he can listen to reason after all. If he cares so much deep down, why does he always act like he's picking a fight?

Suguru Geto wore an expression of enlightenment, with a touch of the Zen serenity of someone who had seen through all things.

Then Satoru Gojo spoke, his voice dripping with disgust.

"Suguru Geto, why the fuck are you so gross?"

An overwhelming flood of cursed energy poured across Jujutsu High's field. The immense power erupted in an instant, shaking the entire campus as though it were under attack.

In the middle of teaching, Masamichi Yaga stared expressionlessly at the classroom's three seats. Only the one on the right was occupied, by Shoko Ieiri.

The short-haired girl had clearly heard the commotion outside too. She leaned back in her chair and stretched.

"You must have other things to take care of, sir. Why don't we end class?"

As she spoke, Shoko Ieiri had already reached for the cigarettes in her desk drawer.

Masamichi Yaga felt a headache coming on. Why were each of his three students more outrageous than the last?

"Shoko, don't smoke in the classroom."

With that parting instruction, Masamichi Yaga pulled open the wooden classroom door and stormed out.

Shoko Ieiri slipped the cigarettes into her pocket and ambled into the hallway. Jujutsu High had few students to begin with, and each was stranger than the last, so the hall was quiet.

She lit a cigarette and leaned on the windowsill, watching the two scumbags locked in a fierce fight on the field. Masamichi Yaga's arrival quickly ended the battle, and he clenched his fists and gave each of them a sizable lump on the head.

Weren't they assigned to bring in a new student? It's been days, and there's still no sign of our adorable newcomer.

Those two are really keeping a good kid from attending class.

Shoko Ieiri took a drag on her cigarette and began puffing out smoke.

Little did she know that before long, she would bitterly regret that thought and sink into gloom.

After all, this was a "good kid" who inspired both love and hate.