Before the New Year arrived, Yaga Masamichi finally met the so-called distant relative his wife had mentioned.
He was a fourteen-year-old boy, on the verge of entering high school.
His looks were unremarkable, his academic performance hovered around the lower middle of the class, he had a record of fighting and disciplinary marks, and most decisively he possessed no talent whatsoever as a jujutsu sorcerer.
Yaga Masamichi only bothered to remember the boy's name in passing, then handed him over to his wife to look after. He himself went off to search for an ordinary high school suitable for the boy, planning to arrange his enrollment the following year. As for attending Tokyo Jujutsu High? A complete stranger like this—he shouldn't even dream of it.
During the winter break, however, Yaga Masamichi was occupied with another matter entirely. He sought out an old acquaintance from Kyoto School, a friend from years past, and went straight to him with his request.
"Principal Gakuganji," Yaga Masamichi said, "I want to apply for an opportunity for one of my students to study Simple Domain. You're asking who it is? A semi–Grade 2 sorcerer from our school. He doesn't come from a sorcerer family, but I personally have great faith in his potential."
Gakuganji Yoshinobu had only just met with Zenin Naobito, and Yaga Masamichi's visit clearly took him by surprise. He frowned and said, "From what I know, your school doesn't have any semi–Grade 2 sorcerers. Unless you mean that first-year student who learned 'Black Flash'?"
Since he was asking a favor, Yaga Masamichi inevitably sounded restrained as he answered, "Yes. It's him."
Gakuganji Yoshinobu narrowed his eyes. "He's from the Gojo family, isn't he?"
Yaga Masamichi hesitated. "Ah, is that so? I'm not sure. The Gojo family has never officially acknowledged him, have they?"
Those words failed to dispel Gakuganji Yoshinobu's doubts. He shook his head and said, "Don't waste your time. Students with ties like that should be left to the Three Great Families to cultivate."
"No," Yaga Masamichi replied firmly. "Education should be impartial. Once he enrolls, he is my student."
He continued, his tone resolute. "I want him to break free from the constraints of the Three Great Families."
Gakuganji Yoshinobu fell silent, pondering. Break free from the Three Great Families…That idea, at least, aligned with the principles of the higher-ups in the Headquarters.
At last, he raised a withered finger and spoke. "You'll owe me a favor—one no less significant than exorcising a high-grade cursed spirit."
"Very well," Yaga Masamichi agreed, accepting the vow that bound sorcerers to their word.
With the serious business concluded, Gakuganji Yoshinobu rubbed his beard and, brimming with amused curiosity, asked, "So—have you been to the Zenin household?"
Yaga Masamichi stiffened in instant embarrassment. "Th-that… you've all heard about it already?"
"I heard," Gakuganji Yoshinobu replied lightly, "that you were thrown out by the Zenin heir, humiliated, and left in a fury."
Good news never travels far, but bad news spreads a thousand miles.
Yaga Masamichi's eyes went dull, his tone resigned. "Yes."
Clearly enjoying the spectacle, Gakuganji Yoshinobu pressed on. "What do you think of the Zenin heir, then? Will you still try to invite him again?"
Yaga Masamichi answered without hesitation, his voice firm. "He's prejudiced against me. I'll go back and try again."
Gakuganji Yoshinobu was genuinely stunned. None of the Kyoto School teachers who had ever paid a visit to Zenin Naoya had given an answer like that.
Especially the female teachers—after meeting Zenin Naoya, they practically rushed back to perform exorcisms on themselves, heading straight to temples to dispel lingering bad luck.
Yet in Yaga Masamichi's account, Zenin Naoya still had room to be salvaged—nothing more than someone who worshiped Gojo Satoru, in his view.
The heir of one of the Three Great Families, but not rotten to the core.
Gakuganji Yoshinobu was shocked by the lens through which Yaga Masamichi saw him. "You… you're not lying, are you?"
Yaga Masamichi looked genuinely baffled. "Of course not."
Gakuganji Yoshinobu thought for a moment, then said to him, "If you can successfully invite the Zenin heir to enroll, then at next year's leadership rotation, I'll cast my vote for you. You are qualified to become the next principal of Tokyo Jujutsu High."
Yaga Masamichi shook his head. "Everything should be done according to the rules and regulations."
Gakuganji Yoshinobu acknowledged his integrity and shifted the topic. "Then how about this year's gathering of the Three Great Families—shall we go together?"
"I wasn't born into a sorcerer family," Yaga Masamichi replied. "I won't join in that kind of spectacle."
"If you want to invite the Zenin heir," Gakuganji Yoshinobu countered, "you'll need to understand the Three Great Families better."
"I see Gojo Satoru every single day at school," Yaga Masamichi said flatly.
"Hearing you say that," Gakuganji Yoshinobu teased, "it sounds rather suffocating. Didn't you even help a student organize a birthday party?"
Yaga Masamichi tilted his head back and let out a long sigh.
When Asou Akiya wasn't around, Gojo Satoru's words and actions were his single greatest source of pressure.
What kind of unlucky fate was it, to have to see Gojo Satoru during the New Year holidays?
The year drew to a close.
Asou Akiya sat obediently in the girls' dormitory, playing the role of an eager helper—pouring tea, refilling drinks—with not a trace of reluctance on his face. He even took the initiative to cook a few small dishes himself, earning a sharp rise in Utahime Iori's goodwill, who kept shooting knowing looks and playful winks at Ieiri Shoko.
Ieiri Shoko chuckled softly and gave Utahime a light punch, perfectly capable of drinking and watching television at the same time.
On that day, Asou Akiya spent his second New Year's Eve since transmigrating on the school grounds, together with two high school girls.
On January 1st, 2006, Yaga Masamichi brought Asou Akiya to pay a visit to Gakuganji Yoshinobu.
After the introductions, Gakuganji Yoshinobu—an old man steeped in tradition, yet not entirely bound by it—casually handed Asou Akiya a white ceremonial envelope. The simple, easy-to-untie knot on it symbolized auspiciousness and good fortune, reflecting Gakuganji's favorable first impression of the boy.
In Japan, such red envelopes are known as otoshidama, New Year's gift money.
Asou Akiya pinched the envelope, feeling its thickness, and froze for a brief moment upon realizing he had received a New Year's gift.
"Thank you very much," he said, bowing promptly and politely in gratitude.
Seeing this, Yaga Masamichi felt a quiet sense of pride and, from his own pocket, took out another ceremonial envelope he had prepared in advance.
On that day, Asou Akiya received New Year's gift money from two elders.
After they left, Asou Akiya was positively radiant, and his view of Gakuganji Yoshinobu had already undergone a complete transformation.
Before, it had been outright dislike—he had seen the man as Yaga Masamichi's executioner, someone who handed down death sentences.
Now, it was neither fondness nor aversion: simply neutrality. Gakuganji was Yaga Masamichi's friend, and as long as he wasn't killing people, he counted as a good elder.
Yaga Masamichi saw through his happiness at once. "He helped introduce you to a teacher of the New Shadow Style's Simple Domain. After the New Year, you can pay them a visit and start learning. Do you still hate the people from Kyoto School?"
Asou Akiya smiled. "Those were just my old prejudices."
Yaga Masamichi snorted a curse under his breath. "Silver-tongued brat."
Asou Akiya hugged Yaga Masamichi's arm and apologized for the past, his tone bright and sincere. "Thank you, Dad—and thank you to Dad's friend as well!"
Yaga Masamichi glanced at him sideways. "You figured that out too?"
Because of the large age gap and their perpetually stern appearances, very few people knew that he and Gakuganji Yoshinobu were actually friends.
Asou Akiya neither confirmed nor denied it. His brows curved into a smile, his eyes bright—good news really did come one after another.
"Dad, I'm going to go see Gojo in a bit."
"Gojo?" Yaga Masamichi paused.
"Yes. I'll help you pull Zenin Naoya into Tokyo Jujutsu High as part of the next intake."
"Are you confident?" Yaga Masamichi asked.
"As long as Gojo doesn't mess things up and helps me deliver the letter, I'm eighty percent sure," Asou Akiya replied.
That assurance settled Yaga Masamichi's nerves completely, leaving him relaxed in both body and mind. To be on the safe side, Yaga Masamichi personally paid a visit to the Gojo household and handed the important letter over to Gojo Satoru on Asou Akiya's behalf.
"Akiya told me to tell you not to read the contents," Yaga Masamichi said seriously. "Otherwise, the agreement is void."
Gojo Satoru had a pretty good idea of what the letter contained and rolled his eyes.
"Isn't it just an admission invitation?"
Zenin Naoya, of all people, wasn't nearly important enough to make him break a promise or give up the chance to prank Getou Suguru.
Only Getou was worth his full, wholehearted effort when it came to preparing a birthday "gift"!
"It's good that you understand! And don't you dare mess around!" Yaga Masamichi warned.
Contrary to what he had planned before the New Year, Yaga Masamichi ended up meeting Gojo Satoru after all. The moment he did, he felt he couldn't handle it for long and promptly decided to leave.
Gojo Satoru pouted.
Akiya and Yaga had come to the Gojo residence together, yet the one who actually entered was Yaga alone.
Then Gojo Satoru had a change of heart—Akiya didn't reject the Gojo estate anymore and was becoming increasingly willing to draw closer to his home.
"Yaga, don't leave just yet!" Gojo Satoru called out.
He dashed into the kitchen and directed the servants to pack up a portion of ozōni, New Year's mochi soup.
"Give it to him."
Whenever the holidays came around in Kyoto, Gojo Satoru never forgot to send some local delicacies to Asou Akiya, and this time was no exception.
Gojo Satoru still retained a lingering impression of Akiya as a plain, tight-fisted, frugal orphan.
[Tokyo Jujutsu High Foodie Duo]
[Gojo Satoru: I had Yaga bring you a bowl of ozōni. You have to finish it today—this is a Kyoto tradition.]
[Asou Akiya: Okay.]
[Gojo Satoru: I'll deliver the letter to you tomorrow. And you're not allowed to praise anyone else in it.]
[Asou Akiya: Okay.]
[Gojo Satoru: What's up with you today? Is the ozōni really that good?]
[Asou Akiya: I received two New Year's gift envelopes, so I'm especially happy. Gojo must have received a very generous otoshidama too, right?]
[Gojo Satoru: ...]
[Gojo Satoru: What's that? Did those old, rotten tangerines in the Gojo clan forget to give me something?!]
[Gojo Satoru: Otoshidama, right? I'm going to ask them right now!!]
At the beginning of the year, on the first of the Three New Year's Days.
The roof of the Gojo estate was nearly blown apart by Gojo Satoru, as the elders scrambled in panic to explain the situation. The reason was simple: Gojo Satoru had not received the otoshidama—New Year's gift money—that his classmates had received.
The head of the Gojo family could neither laugh nor cry, and hurriedly made amends by presenting him with an otoshidama from the entire clan: a bank card decorated with auspicious New Year motifs.
Satoru-sama, the whole clan already belongs to you.