Kindred spirits

"The Goodwill Event is tentatively scheduled to take place in the hills behind Tokyo Jujutsu High. In other words, we have the home advantage this time. Everyone from Kyoto Jujutsu High will be coming here to compete on our turf."

With his hands in his pockets, Satoru Gojo leisurely settled the arrangements for the event, then slowly read out the list of participants.

"On our side, the first-years competing this time will be Yuta, Akutagawa Shang, Inumaki, Panda, and Maki."

"Huh? First-years?" Yuta Okkotsu raised his hand to ask a question.

"Does that mean there'll be second-years too?"

"That's right. The second-years competing are your upperclassmen, Kinji Hakari and Kirara Hoshi. They're out on missions right now, but they'll come back to Jujutsu High to compete alongside you."

"The event officially starts in three days. Train hard until then. Give it your all, kids!!!"

"Yeah!!!"

Everyone answered in unison, their high-spirited voices ringing across the entire field.

"By the way, Yuta, how's your cursed energy control training coming along?" Satoru Gojo turned toward Yuta Okkotsu and asked.

"I can channel it into a weapon now, but it's really unstable..." Yuta Okkotsu poked his fingers together and stammered, taking forever to get to the point.

"Let me explain." Seeing this, Akutagawa Shang promptly took over.

"Yuta's had plenty of training, but he's too rigid and lacks flexibility. What he needs is a real fight to get used to using cursed energy."

"That makes sense. Rika handled practically all the fighting on his last mission. It looks like Yuta really does need a proper fight." Satoru Gojo rubbed his chin, considering what to do next.

His eyes brightened slightly, as though something had suddenly occurred to him.

"Oh, right. Toge, someone specifically requested you for a mission. Apparently, it's a curse that's a good match for you."

"Salmon," Toge Inumaki answered.

"Huh? A specially assigned mission?" Yuta Okkotsu's eyes filled with curiosity.

"Oh, Toge is currently the only Grade 2 Jujutsu Sorcerer among the first-years, so he's allowed to take on solo missions."

Panda explained to Yuta Okkotsu from beside him.

"Wow, a Grade 2 Jujutsu Sorcerer sounds really impressive."

"Aren't you Special Grade, though?" Maki remarked speechlessly from the side.

"Yuta, go along and lend him a hand. You can get some practical experience while you're at it."

"Oh, I can't go along for this one. Akutagawa-kun, you go too."

"Huh? Why me again?"

"Doesn't that just show how much your teacher cares about you? Besides, you know Reverse Cursed Technique. I can relax knowing you're looking after them." Satoru Gojo chuckled.

"Ugh, fine." Akutagawa Shang sighed helplessly and accepted the job.

"I'll treat you to a meal after the Goodwill Event, Akutagawa-san," Satoru Gojo said as he walked farther and farther away.

"All right, since that's settled, let's get going." Akutagawa Shang turned and addressed the other two.

The three of them walked out through Jujutsu High's gates together. Ijichi had already parked the car outside and was waiting.

The call had barely ended before the car arrived. Such was the ultimate professionalism of a working man.

Ijichi opened the door and gestured for the two to get in, but before they did, Akutagawa Shang stopped Yuta Okkotsu.

"Huh, Akutagawa-senpai? What is it?" Yuta Okkotsu was a little confused.

"There's something I need to tell you before we leave. Gojo-sensei said you can't summon Rika on this mission. You can only apply your cursed energy within the confines of your sword, because we don't know whether Rika will go back normally this time."

"What if she really does come out by accident?" Yuta Okkotsu was a little worried that Rika might accidentally come out again.

"What else? Gojo-sensei and I will join you for the chop." Akutagawa Shang drew a finger across his throat and stuck out his tongue.

"W-w-w-w-what?" Yuta Okkotsu jumped in fright, his whole body shuddering.

"Is it that serious?"

"Relax, I'm joking. Right now, everyone in Jujutsu Society put together couldn't beat your Uncle Gojo with one hand. But it really would be pretty troublesome if she came out. The higher-ups issued a warning last time, so keep her from coming out if you can." Akutagawa Shang patted his shoulder, then climbed into the back seat.

Yuta Okkotsu nodded apprehensively and got in after him.

Toge Inumaki sat in the front passenger seat, while Yuta Okkotsu and Akutagawa Shang sat side by side in the back.

As everyone knew, triangles were stable. Inumaki didn't say a word the whole time, leaving the car unusually quiet.

Feeling the strange atmosphere, Yuta Okkotsu swallowed and furtively poked Akutagawa Shang, who was pretending to sleep beside him.

"Akutagawa-senpai, is Inumaki-kun always this aloof? It feels like he barely talks when he's with me. Did I do something to offend him? It's kind of scary."

Yuta Okkotsu leaned close to Akutagawa Shang's ear and whispered, seemingly not wanting Toge Inumaki in the front seat to hear.

Akutagawa Shang slowly opened his eyes and looked at Yuta Okkotsu, who had leaned over.

Then he opened his mouth and called loudly to Inumaki in the front seat, "Inumaki-kun, Yuta wants to know if you talk so little because you're the aloof type."

Yuta Okkotsu's pupils shook. In a panic, he reached out to cover his mouth, but it was already too late.

"Salted roe?" Inumaki looked at the two in the back seat in confusion, his expression seeming to ask what on earth they were doing.

"Akutagawa-kun, why did you say that so loudly? I'm sorry, Inumaki-kun. I didn't mean it." Yuta Okkotsu hurriedly apologized over and over to Inumaki in front of him.

Seeing Yuta Okkotsu at a complete loss, Inumaki merely smiled back.

"Mustard leaf."

The meaning was clear: don't worry, I'm not angry.

Seeing his smile, Yuta Okkotsu's stiff body gradually relaxed.

"See? Inumaki-kun's really nice. How could he dislike you? Stop imagining things."

Akutagawa Shang patted Yuta Okkotsu on the back, signaling for him to relax.

Yuta Okkotsu sat down, leaning back against the rear seat.

"I remember telling you that Inumaki-kun's cursed technique is Cursed Speech. As the name suggests, it works by putting cursed energy into words. But that also means he can't speak normally in everyday life and can only express himself using rice ball fillings. And because he could use Cursed Speech from a young age, he unintentionally cursed a lot of people he didn't want to curse. In that respect, he's pretty similar to you. That's why he's been looking out for you ever since you enrolled. He just can't express it." Akutagawa Shang turned to look into Yuta Okkotsu's eyes as he spoke slowly.

"Then wasn't what I just said really hurtful?" Yuta Okkotsu felt his conscience take a crushing blow and nearly started agonizing over it again.

"Hey, Toge, are you angry?" Akutagawa Shang quickly called to Toge Inumaki in the front seat.

Toge Inumaki merely shook his head.

"Deep down, you two are the same kind of person."

One was bound by Cursed Speech, afraid to speak freely for fear of hurting someone unintentionally; the other was bound by a Special Grade curse, afraid to unleash his power for fear of dragging others into it.

It was just that no one had spelled it out.

With some things, the most frightening part was always the unease of not knowing where things stood. But once everything was made clear, every misunderstanding unraveled.

Yuta Okkotsu solemnly raised his head and bowed deeply to Inumaki in the front seat.

"Inumaki-kun, I look forward to working with you."

After that commotion, the lifeless atmosphere in the car was swept away.

The whole car was filled with a cheerful mood.