Robert Sterling didn't have many scenes in the early part of Jujutsu Kaisen, but he had spent nearly two months working closely with Leo Vance on set. During that time, his respect for the "Hollywood Hellraiser" had transformed into genuine admiration for a creative genius.
They had even bonded over the most unlikely of activities: cooking. Leo, a man who seemed to have spent his "Heaven-Defying" points on every conceivable skill, had personally prepared meals for the cast and crew on several occasions. Robert, who considered himself a bit of a foodie, had tried to compete, only to realize that Leo was essentially a five-star Michelin Chef God in a motorcycle jacket.
"I came to see my sister," Leo replied with a lazy, effortless smile. He leaned back, his posture radiating a cool authority. "By the way, Robert, I didn't see you on the quad earlier. If I'd known you were here, we could have grabbed a drink."
The surrounding students were paralyzed.
Director Vance?
At first, the crowd's attention had been fixed solely on the known quantities, Robert Sterling and Maya Lane. They hadn't paid much attention to the guy in the leather jacket. But now, as they looked closer, the height, the jawline, and that specific, dangerous aura... it all clicked.
It was a bizarre sight: the "Final Boss" of the show, Robert Sterling, standing and laughing with the "Strongest Sorcerer," Leo Vance.
Leo reached up and finally pulled off his mask, revealing his face fully to the bright afternoon sun. He turned to Maya Lane with a grin. "Hi, Maya! Looking good!"
"Leo! It really is you!" Maya rushed over and grabbed Leo's arm, her face lighting up with a brilliant, genuine smile. "I thought I recognized the swagger!"
"Leo... Vance?" Chloe's eyes were as wide as saucers. She stood frozen, staring at her brother with a mix of shock and total disbelief.
In three years, Leo had changed fundamentally. The "messy brat" she remembered had been replaced by a man of staggering presence. His physique was lean and powerful, and his eyes, the same ones that had been hidden behind Gojo's blindfold held a depth that felt entirely new.
"Ava? Why are you crying?"
Chloe vaguely heard a sobbing sound next to her. She turned to find Ava with tears streaming down her face, her hands clutched to her chest.
"You don't understand," Ava whispered, her voice trembling with happiness. "These are tears of pure joy! I'm standing ten feet away from Leo Vance! I'm breathing the same air as the Six Eyes!"
The quad fell into a heavy, respectful silence for a split second. Then, as the reality that the most famous man in the country was standing right there without a mask set in, the area erupted into absolute madness.
"HOLY CRAP! It's really him! It's Leo Vance!"
"AHHH! Leo! I love you! Please, just look at me once!"
"His face... it's illegal! He's so handsome it hurts to look at him!"
"Did he just say he came to see his sister? Who is it? Who is the luckiest girl in the world?!"
"Seriously, if I had a brother like that, I'd never leave the house. I'd just brag about him 24/7!"
Fortunately, the UCLA theater students were a bit more refined than the fans at the airport. Aside from the screaming and the frantic phone-snapping, they didn't try to tackle him.
Maya Lane looked at Leo, her curiosity piqued. "Leo, you said you were looking for your sister? I didn't even know you had one at UCLA."
Leo turned his gaze toward Chloe. He saw her staring at him, her eyes glassy with unshed tears. He walked forward, reached out, and gently ruffled her hair, a soft, brotherly smile playing on his lips. "I came to see this brat."
A collective wave of envy and shock hit the crowd.
Chloe Vance was already a campus beauty, known for her sharp wit and her refusal to follow the "idol" trends. People had always wondered about her background, but they never expected this. She wasn't just a student; she was the sister of the man who had conquered Hollywood.
Chloe felt the warmth of Leo's hand on her head, a familiar sensation she hadn't felt in years. Her throat tightened. She had imagined this moment a thousand times. In her head, she was supposed to shout: "I don't know you! You're the guy who ruined our family name! Don't touch me!"
But as the tears finally spilled over, all she felt was the crushing weight of how much she had missed him.
Leo pulled her into a warm, protective embrace, his arm wrapping around her shoulder as he patted her back. "Alright, alright... don't cry. It's my fault. I was a jerk for staying away so long. I'm sorry, Chloe."
"Let go of me," Chloe sobbed, hitting his chest with her fists, but she made zero effort to pull away. She buried her face in his leather jacket, letting out three years of bottled-up frustration.
After a minute, Chloe composed herself, wiping her eyes and pulling back, her face flushed a bright, embarrassed red. "I'm a grown woman now, Leo. No more cuddling in public."
"Leo... Chloe... what?!"
The person most devastated by this revelation was Ava. She looked at her best friend, then at her idol, and back again. "Chloe! You should have told me! If I'd known Gojo Satoru was your brother, I would have been much nicer to you for the last three years!"
"And you called him 'plain-looking'!" Ava added, pointing an accusing finger. "You literally said his face was 'average at best'!"
Chloe glanced at Ava, suddenly very protective. She suspected her best friend was already calculating how to become her sister-in-law.
Behind them, Lucas Miller looked like he wanted to vanish into the pavement. He remembered the classroom debate about who was more handsome - him or Leo. Damn, he thought, the Joker was me all along.
Leo clapped his hands together. "Alright, enough drama! I'm starving. Lead the way to the cafeteria, Chloe. I want to see what they're feeding you these days."
The walk to the UCLA dining hall was a parade. Even as he sat down with a tray of tacos and a soda, Leo was hounded for photos and autographs. He handled it with a lazy grace, though it was clear he just wanted to talk to his sister.
In a far corner of the cafeteria, a group of high-end, "pretty-boy" students sat together, watching the commotion with visible disdain.
At the center of the group was Caleb 'C.K.' King, a pop idol who had recently transitioned into acting. He was known for his perfectly manicured hair, his pale skin, and his army of obsessive teenage fans.
"C.K., looks like the Hellraiser is stealing your thunder," one of his sycophants whispered. "The whole school is obsessed with him."
Caleb King didn't even look up from his kale salad. His voice was cold and dripping with arrogance. "He's a flash in the pan. He got lucky with a high-budget project. If I had played Gojo, I would have made the character actually legendary."
He adjusted his designer glasses, his eyes flickering with a jealous fire. "What kind of man is Leo Vance, really? A common brawler. He isn't a true artist. He isn't an idol. I'm the one who belongs at the top, not him."