He Ran, He Chased, There Was No Escape

After Megumi Fushiguro politely declined Itadori's apple, Itadori could only hold it in silence and follow him toward the cafeteria.

Inside his mind, Sukuna couldn't help grumbling under his breath-

I told you not to give it to him. Look how much you've troubled Megumi Fushiguro...

He looked at the hideously mangled apple in Yuji's hand and turned his head away, unable to bear the sight.

Couldn't you have practiced a little more before showing him?

Itadori protested quietly, sounding aggrieved. "What am I supposed to do? Your Dismantle only cuts straight lines. I can't make it curve..."

Bigger slashes were easy enough-he could just send them slicing out. Once he made them smaller, though, they refused to cooperate. One slip and they went off target. He'd nearly sliced his own finger at first.

Apples were round! Peeling one this well with Dismantle had already been hard enough!

Sukuna snapped, Then why did the ones I peeled turn out fine? Obviously, your technique isn't good enough. More practice when we get back!

Itadori fell silent for two seconds. "...I don't mind practicing more, but I can't eat any more apples..."

He really... just looking at apples made him feel sick now...

"Megumi Fushiguro said we shouldn't waste food... How about you help me eat them?"

Sukuna: *...*

He didn't want to eat any more either...

Yuji had just learned Dismantle the night before and had been too excited to sleep. When he returned to his dorm and spotted the bag of apples he'd bought earlier, he couldn't resist taking them out to practice.

They'd peeled six in one go. Sukuna had demonstrated on two, both flawless; Itadori had practiced on four, and the one in his hand was his best result.

After eating several apples, they'd successfully stuffed themselves, and they were still stuffed now.

Whoever took over felt bloated. Sukuna didn't even dare come out now.

...Well, mastering a new skill really did take time. Yuji's fine control still needed work.

Sukuna sighed.

Forget it. Stop using Dismantle to peel apples. Curses work just fine. Slice those up instead.

Slicing curses was especially eco-friendly. It left no residue-pure purification, zero pollution. The perfect practice tool for every household.

Unlike apples, which wasted both food and stomach space.

Itadori looked at the apple in his hand, unable to eat it or throw it away.

He sighed too.

"I don't want to see another apple anytime soon..."

Sukuna agreed. ...Me neither.

Walking ahead of them, Megumi Fushiguro listened to Itadori. Even without hearing Sukuna's side, he could guess what they were discussing, and the corner of his mouth twitched.

So... you gave me that apple because you couldn't eat any more??

Then, when they reached the cafeteria, they immediately spotted Nobara, Maki, and the others, each crunching away on an apple.

They even cheerfully offered them a few.

"Come on, have some! These were just delivered to the cafeteria this morning~ They're super sweet and fresh! We saved these just for you!"

Megumi Fushiguro: "..."

He gave the apples before him a meaningful look, then gave Itadori beside him another.

Itadori: "..."

Horror written all over his face, Itadori took a step back.

He spun around.

Bent over.

Bleurgh-

Nobara: "..."

She looked at Itadori in confusion, then turned a questioning gaze on Megumi Fushiguro.

...What's wrong with him? Is he pregnant?

Megumi Fushiguro calmly accepted the apple Kugisaki offered him and said flatly,

"It's fine. He's allergic to apples."

Nobara: "...???"

You could be allergic to apples???

That afternoon.

On the athletic field, Maki rested her training spear on her shoulder and motioned for everyone to look at her.

"The Goodwill Event is in a month. Get yourselves fired up!"

She swept her gaze over the three first-years.

"Last time, Yuta won it all on his own. This time, he's overseas, and all those third-year idiots are suspended, so you three will be taking part too."

Itadori and Nobara: "Goodwill Event?"

"It's where we fight students from the other Jujutsu High-Kyoto Jujutsu High."

Maki quickly rattled off an explanation for the two of them, while Panda and Megumi Fushiguro helpfully filled in the details.

Once everything was clear, Maki said, "In short-"

Absolute confidence spread across her face, and her lips curved into a wicked grin.

"This time, we're absolutely taking them down!"

She turned to Itadori beside her.

"Yuji, that blindfolded idiot said your combat skills have been improving by leaps and bounds lately, and you can already handle a grade 1 curse, right? Then Todo on their team is yours!"

Itadori perked up. This was the first task his senior had ever assigned him!

"Yes, Maki!"

He accepted the task at once, then raised his hand to ask a question.

"Um, what kind of person is this 'Todo'?"

"Todo, huh..."

A strange expression crossed Maki's face.

It took considerable effort to keep her intense disgust from showing in front of Itadori.

"You'll find out when the time comes. Look forward to it."

Itadori, already looking forward to it: "Will do!-"

An hour later, Itadori regretted it.

He shouldn't have looked forward to it, and he definitely shouldn't have accepted the task of dealing with Todo...

Could someone please tell him...

-What was wrong with this guy chasing after him and constantly calling him "best friend"?!

He'd only gone to buy drinks for everyone, only to inexplicably run into the legendary Todo at the vending machines-

The opponent he'd been assigned for the Goodwill Event a month from now. All he'd done was answer a question about his taste in women...

Then the guy had seemingly slipped into some sudden reminiscence. Before long, he'd been staring at him with tears and snot streaming down his face, opening his mouth to unleash an earth-shattering "Best friend!-"

Itadori: "..."

Huh?

Best friend? Didn't we literally just meet for the first time?!

W-wait! Wait, don't come any closer-!!

I seriously don't know you! Calm down, aaaaaah!!!-

And so began a scene of one fleeing, the other chasing, with no escape in sight.

Inside his mind, Sukuna watched Todo pursuing them with surprise and curiosity.

Good grief, he's enthusiastic. You really don't know him?

Could he be an old friend? Did you abandon him and then forget about him?

Itadori: "How is that possible? Do I look like someone with that bad a memory?!"

Sukuna: *...*

Now what? Why did that suddenly feel like a jab at me?

Right, let's start this conversation over.

...Couldn't you both have changed as you grew up, so he only recognized you just now after learning your name?

Itadori: ...

Th-that... kind of made sense?

He immediately screeched to a halt, turned around, and breathlessly questioned Todo as he caught up.

"First, tell me when we met."

Todo's voice was full of nostalgia. "Back in middle school..."

Itadori immediately turned and ran.

Sukuna hurriedly asked, Why didn't you let him finish? Is it really fair to ask him a question and then run off?

Itadori shouted, "There was nobody like him at my middle school!-"

Sukuna: *...*

Baffled, he turned to look at Todo again.

Okay, that was pretty confusing...?