They stepped out of the infirmary as the evening breeze swept over Jujutsu High, now reduced to ruins.
Akutagawa Shang and Satoru Gojo headed toward the school buildings once again.
In front of the ruins, Panda and Inumaki had returned from their mission at some point and joined Maki.
The group stood together, talking about who knew what.
Satoru Gojo took a deep breath, trying hard to smooth away his somewhat despondent expression.
Whew-I can't let my negative feelings rub off on my adorable students, Satoru Gojo thought to himself.
"Hey, everyone..."
Satoru Gojo waved and called out to the group in the distance, slowly walking over.
But when they turned at his voice, their eyes all widened, their expressions as though they had seen a ghost.
"Salmon... wait, who's this handsome guy?" Inumaki couldn't hold back the quip.
"Panda, do you know him?" He poked Panda beside him.
Panda hurriedly shook his head.
"Huh? I'm your incredibly handsome teacher, Gojo! How can you not even recognize me?"
They could hardly be blamed. The white broom-like hair Satoru Gojo usually sported with his blindfold was indeed hard to associate with the handsome, white-haired, blue-eyed man before them.
They kept looking him up and down before finally recognizing their teacher.
"So this is what you look like without the bandages, sir. You're so handsome-"
Yuta Okkotsu looked at Satoru Gojo in delighted surprise.
Just then, however, a faint voice drifted over from nearby.
"Yuta~~"
At the sound, Yuta Okkotsu froze, then slowly closed his eyes and breathed out gently, as though he had made up his mind.
"Um... Panda, Maki, Inumaki, Akutagawa, and Mr. Gojo-"
"I guess this is as far as I can go with you today. I might not be able to attend classes with you after this..."
There