"Uh… Who the heck is this guy?"
Gojo Satoru stared at the black-haired young man lying on the beach chair next to Yukinoshita Haruno. He had even put on Gojo's sunglasses, which made Satoru's face twist in disgust.
For some reason, it felt like he was naturally at odds with this guy. Just looking at him made Gojo Satoru feel irritated.
"Hey, old man, this is our turf. Did you get lost or something?" Gojo Satoru said, hands on his hips, his face dark with frustration. "And by the way, those sunglasses you're wearing? They're mine. Don't go around taking other people's stuff, old man."
"Uncle?"
Hayashizaki reached up slightly, pushing down the sunglasses resting on his high-bridged nose. His ruby-like eyes gleamed as he spoke with a teasing tone, "If you're gonna call me 'uncle,' at least use some polite speech, okay? Polite speech."
The white-haired boy stared at those eyes and the familiar, annoying tone of voice—it felt strangely familiar.
He turned to look at Yukinoshita Haruno, who was lying beside the black-haired young man. She had a playful smile on her face, clearly enjoying the show.
But more importantly, the extra pair of narrow eyes beneath her eyelids—those red pupils looked almost identical to the black-haired young man's.
Those eyes… there was no doubt about it!
"It's you?"
Gojo Satoru's mouth fell open in shock. He had already recognized the man in front of him—Hayashizaki, the one who had once poured his heart out to teach him Reverse Cursed Technique.
But how was this guy here?
Was it because of Yukinoshita Haruno's cloning technique?
With the power of the Six Eyes, Gojo Satoru quickly saw through it—the black-haired young man in front of him was just a clone created by a technique.
What puzzled him, though, was that Hayashizaki had used cloning techniques before, but all the clones had been of Yukinoshita Haruno. So what was going on today?
Could he now take on physical form beyond just a clone?
That would be ridiculous.
"Don't overthink it. It's just the effect of the technique," Hayashizaki said lazily, pushing his sunglasses back up to block the sunlight.
"The effect of the technique?" Gojo Satoru was stunned for a moment before realization hit him. "So it can not only create clones but also change appearance?"
"Correct, but no prize for you." The black-haired man waved him off in annoyance. "Move, move. You're blocking my sun."
The white-haired boy stormed off angrily, while Amanai Riko and Hayato, after hearing the explanation, crowded around, curiously inspecting the black-haired man from different angles.
Riko and Kuroi Misato were intrigued by Hayashizaki's looks, while Geto Suguru immediately started analyzing him.
"I see. So it doesn't take control of Miss Yukinoshita's body, but instead just acts as the source of the cursed energy output? That's a fascinating concept."
"This kind of strange coexistence… I doubt there's anything else like it in the Jujutsu world."
"Wait, are you seriously analyzing me?" Hayashizaki finally couldn't take it anymore. He sat up and waved them all away.
He had finally come on a vacation, and now he was being observed like some zoo animal. What kind of nonsense was this?!
Riko giggled, linking arms with her maid as they walked off. Before leaving, she winked at the carefree short-haired girl who had been watching from the sidelines and casually dropped a little hint:
"Oh, by the way, there's a festival in town tonight. Starts at 7:30. Kuroi, let's go together!"
Though the message was obvious, Yukinoshita Haruno's eyes lit up slightly.
Pretending not to catch Riko's teasing tone, she turned to the black-haired man beside her, full of excitement. "Hey, Demon-kun, let's go to the festival tonight!"
Haruno had been to countless festivals, celebrations, and fireworks shows since she was a child. But most of them were spent following her parents around, socializing with upper-class people. She had never really enjoyed a festival just for fun, either alone or with friends.
"Huh? Sure," Hayashizaki shrugged, sounding indifferent.
"Then it's a date!"
The short-haired girl's lips curled into a stunning smile.
Somehow, the dinner group, which was originally five people, had mysteriously expanded to six. The white-haired boy scowled and deliberately sat as far away from Hayashizaki as possible.
Curious, Riko asked, "Can clones eat?"
"Why not? Eating is just another way of absorbing energy, after all."
The black-haired man casually took the main seat at the round table, and without anyone saying a word, the others naturally let him have it—as if they all agreed that this was exactly where he should sit.
"Ohhh." The middle school girl nodded seriously, her cute face showing an expression of half-understanding.
Dinner was provided by the hotel—a lavish seafood feast.
Watching Hayashizaki skillfully use his slicing technique to precisely cut through the lobster shell before bringing the juicy, fresh shrimp meat to his mouth, Gojo Satoru refused to be outdone. Using his technique, he crushed the lobster shell into dust, leaving the shrimp meat perfectly intact.
Geto Suguru shook his head helplessly at his friend's rather childish display.
Meanwhile, Yukinoshita Haruno raised an eyebrow and casually took a peeled shrimp from Hayashizaki's bowl, earning herself a dramatic eye roll from him.
"If Yukino were here, she'd be the one peeling shrimp for me." The black-haired young man tried to spark Yukinoshita Haruno's competitive spirit regarding femininity.
"Too bad~ The one here is little Haruno desu!" The short-haired girl smirked mischievously, her hands never stopping.
Amanai Riko and Kuroi Misato sat there, watching their back-and-forth in a daze. Suddenly, the grand seafood feast before them didn't seem so appetizing. No matter how fresh the seafood was, it now tasted bland and dull.
It felt like they had barely eaten anything, yet they were already full.
After dinner, the time was just past seven.
Hearing Amanai Riko and Yukinoshita Haruno discussing the festival, Gojo Satoru, who was just about to invite Geto Suguru for a soak in the hot springs, paused and turned around.
"You guys are planning to go to the town festival? In that case, I think the hotel offers yukata rentals."
"Well, have fun! Suguru and I won't be joining you in the crowd." After saying that, Gojo Satoru waved them off and left.
If Shoko were here, it'd be a different story. But just him and Suguru? Two grown men wandering around a festival together? That'd be way too weird.
"Did you hear that, Kuroi? The inn rents out yukata!" Amanai Riko said excitedly. She had never worn one before. "Haruno-nee, come with us too!"
The short-haired girl placed a slender finger on her lips and tilted her head adorably.
She thought back to how Hayashizaki had changed his outfit earlier in the afternoon. After thinking for a moment, her figure suddenly flickered.
When she stabilized again, her casual summer clothes had been replaced by a deep blue yukata. The collar was lined with white trim, while light blue daffodils and butterfly patterns were printed across the fabric—symbols of "intelligent beauty" and "everlasting love."
Amanai Riko was stunned for a moment by Yukinoshita Haruno's elegant yukata, but her excitement quickly faded. With a slightly defeated look, she grabbed Kuroi Misato's arm and dragged her off to find the innkeeper to rent their own yukata.
"Alright, let's go. I can't keep up with you Jujutsu sorcerers."
Yukinoshita Haruno giggled, clasping her hands behind her back as she hopped forward a few steps. Then, she turned around with a bright smile, looking like a mischievous little spirit.
"Shall we go?"
Hayashizaki gave a slight nod, and his short-sleeved shirt shifted into a plain white yukata with red edges. It had no patterns or embellishments, but its simplicity made him seem even more refined.
With one leading and the other following, the two walked along the coastal road toward the festival grounds.
By seven o'clock, the sun had fully set beyond the horizon, dyeing the meeting point of sea and sky in a stunning shade of purple-red. The western clouds blended with the darkening sky, and flocks of seagulls glided through the air, flapping their wings gently.
As the two drew closer to the festival, more and more people appeared on the road—some wearing yukata, others dressed in casual summer clothes.
Hayashizaki and Yukinoshita Haruno, both wearing yukata and exuding a striking presence, naturally attracted plenty of attention.
Some looked on with warm blessings, while others watched with admiration.
The ones offering blessings were mostly the elderly locals. Unlike Tokyo's fast-paced life, this quiet seaside town had a slow and peaceful rhythm. Time seemed to move slower here—as if the town from ten years ago was exactly the same as it was now.
Only during the summer and winter tourist seasons would waves of visitors bring a burst of energy into this laid-back town.
Watching the young festival-goers laughing and chatting, the elderly seemed to feel a bit younger themselves, swept up in the cheerful atmosphere.
On the other hand, the envious glances mostly came from couples—boyfriends and girlfriends eyeing Hayashizaki and Yukinoshita Haruno's refined looks and elegant presence.
As they turned back to their own partners, the boyfriends found themselves met with piercing stares, breaking into a nervous sweat. Meanwhile, the girls looked at their casually dressed boyfriends in T-shirts and shorts, growing more frustrated by the second. A single "Hmph!" was all it took for the boys to start sweating bullets.
"So many people are staring at us," Yukinoshita Haruno said, walking backward with a playful smile in her eyes.
"You should be grateful, you know," she added smugly. "It's not every day you get to go on a date with a beautiful girl like me."
"Well, back there, it was Yukino who invited me."
Hayashizaki responded calmly to her teasing, hitting her where it hurt with just a single sentence.
"…You always bring up Yukino-chan."
Not wanting to ruin the holiday mood, Yukinoshita Haruno decided to back down for now. But she made a mental note to get back at him later when the chance came.
The festival was set up along a wide road near the beach. A little further away, a small hill overlooked the area, where many visitors had already spread out their mats, securing the best spots to watch the fireworks.
From a distance, rows of lanterns could be seen glowing, and the lively calls of vendors filled the air.
Walking ahead, Yukinoshita Haruno clasped her hands behind her back—her left hand holding her right wrist, while her right palm faced backward. She curled her fingers slightly, motioning to the dark-haired young man behind her.
Hayashizaki glanced down at the fair-skinned hand inviting him forward. Before he could react, that hand reached out on its own.
A soft, warm touch met his palm.
And from his broad hand, an even stronger warmth passed back to her.
Holding onto Hayashizaki's hand, Yukinoshita Haruno broke into a light run toward the bustling festival. The warm glow of the lanterns reflected on her flushed cheeks, making them look like tiny stars in her eyes.
"Walking through a festival and watching it from above—such completely different experiences," she said as they weaved through the lively crowd.
Suddenly, she spotted something interesting and eagerly pulled Hayashizaki toward it.
It was a goldfish scooping stall.
"500 yen per scoop. As long as the net doesn't break, you can keep as many fish as you catch," the vendor, wearing a white headscarf, called out enthusiastically.
The familiar sight made Hayashizaki wary. He had a bad feeling this friendly vendor was about to take 1,500 yen from him.
"Two nets!" Yukinoshita Haruno said boldly, pulling out a 1,000-yen bill.
"Got it!"
Taking the two paper scoops from the vendor, the short-haired girl immediately aimed for the fattest goldfish in the tank.
Naturally, the fragile paper net tore apart.
She didn't seem discouraged at all, still wearing a confident smile.
A second later, Hayashizaki, standing behind her, had a strange look on his face.
A faint layer of cursed energy extended from Yukinoshita Haruno's hand onto the paper net. Suddenly, the fragile paper became incredibly strong.
Under the vendor's stunned gaze, she quickly scooped up three of the biggest, healthiest-looking goldfish. Then, she withdrew the cursed energy and casually poked a hole in the net with her finger.
The vendor couldn't help but feel a sense of challenge from the beautiful smile on her face.
Handing over the three plump goldfish in a plastic bag, he watched as Yukinoshita Haruno happily took them. "Thanks~" she said cheerfully.
"Y-You're… welcome," the vendor replied, forcing a smile as he saw them off.
The two continued wandering through the festival, stopping at different stalls without any real plan.
"By the way, wasn't that basically cheating?" the dark-haired young man asked.
"Did I get the fish or not?" she huffed, grinning proudly.
"Yukinoshita Haruno… are you really the kind of person who can't stand losing?"
"If I can win, why should I lose? Besides, I still left the vendor some dignity. Those three goldfish are worth around 1,500 to 2,000 yen, so I only made a small 500-yen profit."
Hearing her say that so matter-of-factly, Hayashizaki suddenly burst into laughter.
The scene felt familiar—the conversation felt familiar—but everything was also different in its own way, filled with something new.
Their figures slowly disappeared into the crowd.
The festival lights remained bright, and the sounds of laughter and chatter carried on.
…
(End of Chapter)
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