Would he really survive eating it?

Once he decided to do it, Itadori immediately pulled out his phone and started searching, finally settling on chocolate cake.

He bought some of each ingredient listed on his phone, spending all two thousand yen.

"Megumi Fushiguro told me the little kitchen on the first floor of the dorm has utensils and an oven. It should be fine."

And so, by the time Sukuna came to his senses, he was already standing in the dorm's little kitchen-Itadori had very eagerly and helpfully switched him in.

[All right, we can get started!]

Before switching out, Itadori had even thoughtfully opened the search results on his phone and set it on a stand.

Sukuna stared at the table covered in eggs, chocolate, and butter, lost in thought.

Why had I agreed to make a cake, anyway?

Couldn't we just buy one at a convenience store?

As for the thought behind it... we couldn't give away anything I made anyway. Nobody else would eat something made by a special-grade curse.

Only Yuji and I would end up eating it...

...Sigh...

Forget it...

Sukuna let out a breath. They had already bought the ingredients, so he couldn't waste them.

He cast aside those thoughts, picked up the phone without further hesitation, and watched the video tutorials Yuji had found. Once he had the gist of it, he got to work.

Beating the eggs... straining and separating... melting the butter and chocolate... It was an ordinary process, with nothing fancy involved. He quietly worked through it step by step and actually found it rather soothing.

The entire process went so smoothly that he couldn't help wondering whether he really did have a little talent for cooking.

-Of course, he absolutely refused to guarantee the taste!

He poured the batter into the mold, put it in the oven, and that was it!

He breathed a sigh of relief. Finally done, he turned around to clear the things off the table.

-Only to unexpectedly meet a pair of eyes at the door.

No, wait. More than one pair.

Panda and Toge Inumaki were peeking through the gap in the doorway, looking in curiously.

Coming face-to-face with them shook Sukuna to his core.

He whipped around and shouted in a breathy whisper.

"Yuji, Yuji, quick, quick, quick, switch-!! Someone's here!!"

Itadori immediately answered: [Oh!]

They switched in a second.

Back in control, Itadori turned around and awkwardly met Panda's and Inumaki's eyes.

"Panda, Inumaki, good evening... Sorry, did the noise I was making disturb you?"

Itadori hastily bowed his head and pressed his palms together.

Panda and Inumaki exchanged a glance, then slowly edged inside.

They looked at him curiously. "That just now... was Sukuna, right?"

Itadori froze, not even daring to lift his head.

He didn't dare say yes, but lying didn't feel right either.

Seeing how stiff Itadori had gone, Panda hurried to reassure him.

"It's okay. Even if it was Sukuna, that's fine. Look, I'm a panda myself, right?"

Toge Inumaki nodded beside him, adding, "Salmon, salmon!" (Exactly, exactly!)

Itadori relaxed, his eyes lighting up as he looked at the two older students-he was delighted that more people were willing to accept Sukuna.

"So, what was Sukuna doing just now?"

Panda swore he was honestly just curious.

Who could have expected that, when they came back that afternoon and noticed the little kitchen's light was on, they would come over and find Itadori-the version with black tattoos!

...Wait, wasn't that Sukuna?

And he was wearing a cartoon apron while beating eggs?!

He looked like the perfect homemaker!!

Their image of a special-grade curse shattered into pieces. The two silently took out their phones and began messaging-

I Really Am a Panda: Everyone, assemble now! Assemble now! First-floor reception room in the boys' dorm!

Call Me Maki: What for?

Tuna Mayo: Someone's making treats in the little kitchen!

Nobara: Making treats? Who?

Tuna Mayo: Can't say in the group chat. Just hurry over! Don't say we didn't warn you if you miss it!

Call Me Maki: Fine, fine, I'm coming... If this isn't anything important, you'd better watch out. I'll beat you up.

Megumi Fushiguro, who was sparring with Maki, stared at the messages in the group chat, his fingers slowly tightening.

His sixth sense told him that Itadori and Sukuna were definitely up to something again!

He took a deep breath and said to Maki.

"Maki, I'm heading back for a bit."

Maki's gossip radar immediately perked up.

...Huh, even Megumi was going? He didn't even like sweets...

...Something special was definitely about to happen!

"Come on, come on, let's go together!"

She eagerly dragged Megumi Fushiguro toward the dorm building.

Megumi Fushiguro looked utterly despairing as she dragged him along.

By the time the two reached the reception room, it was already full of people.

Every first- and second-year student was there except Okkotsu, who was away on business.

The rich, fragrant aroma of chocolate cake drifted throughout the dorm, making their mouths water.

Tea had even been set out in front of Itadori, Panda, and the others. On the coffee table between them sat a soft, sweet-smelling cake with chocolate on top that looked almost molten-

It looked delicious!

Watching Megumi Fushiguro walk in with a dark expression, Itadori squirmed, awkwardly pinching the fabric of his trouser leg.

Why was everyone here? Even Megumi Fushiguro had come?

...If he found out I'd let Sukuna out to make a cake, wouldn't he beat me to death? He definitely would!

No! I absolutely couldn't admit it!

He quickly stood up and told Megumi Fushiguro-

"I made this cake! It has nothing to do with Sukuna! I wanted to give everyone something in return... Uh, this is a trial run. I haven't tasted it yet... So... Megumi Fushiguro, do you want... a little?"

He stammered his way through that, then shut his mouth and looked pitifully at Megumi Fushiguro with his little beady eyes.

Megumi Fushiguro: "..."

Sukuna: [...]

Maki & Nobara: "..."

Good grief! That was a lot of information packed into one little speech!

Sukuna was likewise losing his mind in the Inner World:

[..."It has nothing to do with Sukuna"... You didn't need to say that!!]

...What was this bizarre knack for giving yourself away?

Megumi Fushiguro glanced at the still-warm chocolate cake on the table, then at Itadori's pitiful little beady eyes, and felt his fists clench.

But with so many people around, he couldn't exactly drag Itadori outside and beat him up.

All he could do was take a deep breath, then another.

-At this point, what could he do besides pretend Itadori had made it?

"Sure..."

He tried hard to make his reply sound normal.

He had already become quite practiced at covering for this little troublemaker.

...Huh?

Megumi Fushiguro hadn't gotten angry or refused!

Itadori, who had still been waiting for a beating, immediately brightened. Great! Didn't that mean I was in the clear?

He happily cut a slice of cake and respectfully offered it to Megumi Fushiguro with both hands.

Looking at the cake being held out to him, Megumi Fushiguro's eye twitched.

Wait... Sukuna... made this, right?

Would I really survive eating it?

But having agreed in front of so many people, he couldn't very well back out. He could only stiffly take it, pick up a fork, cut off a piece, and try a bite.

Hmm... Huh?

Megumi Fushiguro's eyebrows rose slightly, and he instinctively forked up another small piece and put it in his mouth.

Everyone's eyes were fixed on his face, wide as they anxiously awaited his response-

Was it edible? Was it poisoned? How did it taste?

Megumi Fushiguro, say something already-!