The hallways of Jujutsu High had never felt so quiet.
Nanami Kento adjusted the collar of his uniform as he walked toward the mission board. Haibara trailed behind him, hands in his pockets, whistling low to himself. A week had passed since Kishibe rejoined the front lines, and with the monster trio gone on a long-term mission, the school had taken on a strange hush.
"You notice it too, right?" Haibara asked. "Feels weird without them around."
Nanami didn't answer immediately. He scanned the board, selecting a low-risk curse extermination in Ibaraki. After pinning the slip to his clipboard, he glanced over his shoulder. "You mean quieter."
Haibara grinned. "Yeah. No Gojo crashing through the roof during sparring. No Geto monopolizing the training grounds with cursed spirits. And Kishibe... Well, he's the only guy I know who makes standing still feel like a threat."
Nanami gave a quiet hum of agreement.
---
Their mission was simple. A cursed spirit born from a traffic accident lingered in a tunnel, feeding off the grief and anger of those passing through. Nanami led the exorcism, his blunt, methodical strikes reducing the curse to scraps of cursed energy. Haibara covered the perimeter, cracking jokes between curse flares.
"We're getting stronger," Haibara said, sitting on a roadside guardrail after the mission.
Nanami nodded. "We're still leagues behind them."
Haibara chuckled. "Yeah. But maybe we don't have to catch up. Maybe we just have to keep pace."
He fell silent for a moment, watching the cars pass.
"Nanami… do you think Kishibe's okay now?"
Nanami blinked. "You mean after his injury?"
"Not just physically. I mean… I saw his face that day. After the girl died. I've never seen someone so calm look so broken."
Nanami looked away. "We all carry ghosts. The more we fight, the heavier they get."
---
That night, Haibara sat in the dorm common room, a notebook open on his lap. The light buzzed overhead as he scribbled, the words forming in fits and starts.
> Kishibe-senpai,
I know you'll never read this, but I wanted to say thank you. For stepping in when we needed you. For making the scary stuff look a little less scary. I still think about that girl sometimes. You do too, I think. I saw it in your eyes.
You're different from Gojo and Geto. They shine like stars. You feel like something deeper—darker, yeah, but grounded. Real.
I hope you're okay. I hope you remember we look up to you, even when you think you don't deserve it.
Maybe one day, I'll tell you this in person. Or maybe not. Either way, I'm glad you're still here.
Haibara tore the page from the notebook and folded it once, then twice. He tucked it into the spine and closed the book.
He didn't send it. But he felt a little lighter for writing it.
---
The next day, Yaga handed them a mission slip.
"The trio should return by the end of the week," he said, almost offhand.
Haibara brightened. Nanami simply gave a quiet nod.
Things would change again.
And they weren't sure if they were ready.
But they'd meet it head-on—like always.