A week.
It had been a full week since Roy mysteriously woke up in this world.
That week had been rough in its own way.
Meals consisted of whatever he could scavenge from convenience stores just before closing, when food was tossed out.
His bed was nothing more than a flattened cardboard box tucked beneath the same concrete bridge, where the hum of passing cars was his lullaby.
But Roy didn't complain much.
If anything, he treated it like an adventure.
"Not the coziest… but it'll do."
He had told himself with a grin, curling up on his makeshift bed.
Besides, there were positives.
His body felt stronger here, more responsive.
He had been training daily, almost instinctively, push-ups until his arms trembled, shadowboxing until his knuckles were raw.
And the biggest discovery of all, cursed energy.
It was still messy, buzzing through him like static.
And that was enough to make him excited.
Even fighting curses was fun in its own terrifying way.
He'd only challenged the weak ones so far, one a day, his own personal rule, but each time he survived, he felt more alive than ever.
Now, he was stretched out on his cardboard bed beneath the bridge, staring at the rough concrete ceiling and trying to catch a nap.
That's when a voice broke the silence.
"So, this is the kid who's been picking fights with ghosts? Gotta say, not really my kind of home."
Roy's eyes flew open, and he immediately sat up. A man stood above him, framed by the daylight ,tall, white haired, sunglasses gleaming, and a grin that was equal parts playful and smug.
"…Gojo?"
Roy blurted, his golden-orange eyes going wide.
The man tilted his head, clearly surprised.
"Oh? You know me?"
Roy's mouth practically split into a smile.
"Of course I do! You're Satoru Gojo, the strongest sorcerer ever!"
He scrambled to his feet, brushing off his clothes, excitement radiating off him.
Gojo's grin widened.
"Heh. Well, that saves me an introduction."
He slipped his hands into his pockets, giving Roy a once over.
"So, what do you say? Why don't you follow me and leave this dump behind?"
Roy glanced at his flattened cardboard bed, then back at Gojo.
His smile only grew wider.
"Really? You mean it?"
"Sure do,"
Gojo replied smoothly.
"Unless you're attached to this box. We can pack it up if it's sentimental."
Roy laughed, shaking his head.
"No way! Lead the way, Gojo-sensei!"
Gojo blinked behind his glasses.
"…Gojo-sensei? We just met."
"Yeah, but you're gonna be teaching me, right? So you're my sensei!"
Roy said, puffing out his chest proudly.
"And just you wait, I'll become super strong too! Strong enough to stand beside you!"
Gojo chuckled at his enthusiasm, the sound echoing under the bridge.
"Confident little guy, aren't you? I like it."
Then his tone shifted just slightly, though the grin never left his face.
"We'll start small. You're coming with me to Jujutsu High. A couple of tests, nothing crazy."
Roy nodded eagerly, practically bouncing on his heels.
"Tests? Sounds fun! Let's go!"
Gojo studied him for a moment, amused by how bright his expression was despite the ragged clothes and dirt smudged across his skin.
Most kids in Roy's situation would've been broken down by now. But this one… this one was grinning.
"Alright then,"
Gojo said finally, turning away with a lazy wave of his hand.
"Try to keep up."
Roy followed without hesitation, his excitement burning hotter than the neon sparks that sometimes flickered faintly around his fists.