"Yuta, Yuta, why aren't you wearing the ring I gave you yesterday?"
Inside a modest two-story house, Rika Orimoto lay sprawled over the table, staring unblinkingly at Yuta Okkotsu as he cleaned.
Yuta Okkotsu pulled a cord from around his neck. A ring hung from it.
"You said you were coming over to clean, so I figured I'd keep it from getting dirty and wore it around my neck…"
"Nope. A ring is supposed to be worn on your finger."
"…"
After repeated urging from Rika Orimoto, Yuta Okkotsu finally slid the ring onto the ring finger of his left hand.
"Hehe~ That's better…"
Yuta Okkotsu set down the broom and took a sip of water Rika Orimoto handed him.
"By the way, isn't Grandma coming back soon?"
Yuta Okkotsu had a strong impression of Rika Orimoto's grandmother. For some reason, every time she saw him, she looked at him with a trace of pity…
Rika shook her head.
"She went to Sensoji Temple to pray today. She won't be back for a while."
"I see."
"Isn't that great? At least we don't have to deal with that disgusting stewed eggplant…"
"That's not very nice, Rika. Grandma made it with care…"
"Okay."
Rika Orimoto smiled and didn't argue.
As long as it was something Yuta said, she believed it without question.
If Yuta liked something, she liked it too.
If Yuta said it wasn't bad, then it wasn't bad.
...
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Just as they were talking, someone knocked on the door.
Rika Orimoto walked over and opened it, only to see a tall figure striking an exaggerated pose outside.
"And you are…?"
Hearing the question, Satoru Gojo bent his arms into wavy shapes and swung them around dramatically as he answered,
"Ha ha~ Since you've asked so sincerely, allow me to introduce myself. I am the invincible spicy high schooler, Satoru—"
Bang!!
Rika Orimoto slammed the door shut.
"Rika, what's wrong?"
Rika Orimoto suppressed the twitch at the corner of her eye and forced a smile.
"Nothing. There's just some white-haired guy in sunglasses acting like a creep outside."
"Huh? Should we call the police?"
"Yeah, maybe…"
The knocking started again.
"Hey! Hey! I'm here to see Yuta Okkotsu! It's about his school—hey, hey, hey!"
Rika Orimoto slowly lowered her phone. For safety's sake, she really should call the police… but what if it actually was related to Yuta's future education?
…
Satoru Gojo eventually made his way inside and sat down, studying Yuta Okkotsu.
This kid has serious potential. His technique is well-hidden, but his capacity for Cursed Energy is ridiculously high~~
"Well, I come from a very prestigious family. I'm here to invite you to attend a noble academy~"
Yuta Okkotsu looked completely confused.
"Me?
Why me?"
Satoru Gojo leaned back in his chair.
"Because we're relatives."
And just like that, Satoru Gojo switched into full nonsense mode.
"You're the nephew of the son of my third uncle's second grand-uncle's third nephew's second cousin who lives out there somewhere…"
"Uh… that relationship sounds… kind of distant."
"It's fine, it's fine. Our family has more money than we could ever spend anyway. We can't let a single clan member slip through the cracks."
"I see…"
Seeing that Yuta Okkotsu clearly didn't buy it, Rika Orimoto quietly picked up her phone as if about to dial someone.
Satoru Gojo suddenly straightened up, planted his hands on his knees, and leaned forward, practically shoving his face toward Yuta Okkotsu.
"Alright, kid, I'll just say it straight. Have you ever noticed that your intuition is a bit strong?"
"Intuition?"
"I mean being unusually sensitive to other people's emotions. Sometimes even seeing things other people can't."
Yuta thought for a moment.
"I can definitely sense other people's pain."
He glanced at Rika Orimoto. That was how he'd first met her. Back then, in the hospital, he had seen her lying in bed, her whole body radiating loneliness and sorrow.
"But ghosts or spirits that no one else can see? I've never seen anything like that."
"Ah~ that's fine."
Satoru Gojo lifted a hand. A bowl from another room flew straight into his palm.
Seeing the two children's stunned expressions, Satoru Gojo broke into a smug grin.
He looked like a kindergarten kid proudly showing off to younger classmates that he had just learned how to read a, b, c, d…
"Hiahiahia, see that?"
"Magic?"
"It's Jujutsu."
Satoru Gojo gave them a brief rundown of the Jujutsu world—from where Cursed Energy comes from to how Cursed Spirits are born, from the situation of Jujutsu Sorcerers to the helplessness of ordinary people, and from the Three Great Families to those old higher-ups.
The proof was right in front of them. The man before them clearly possessed supernatural abilities. Yuta Okkotsu and Rika Orimoto had no way to refute it.
Satoru Gojo pointed at Yuta Okkotsu.
"And you are a genius among Jujutsu Sorcerers!"
Yuta froze. He had never once imagined that the word "genius" could be used to describe him.
Satoru Gojo then pointed at himself.
"And I am your future teacher—the genius among geniuses. Heh heh~"
Rika Orimoto cut in expressionlessly.
"No. If Yuta goes to learn that Jujutsu stuff with you, he'll have to leave here, right? Yuta and I can't be separated."
Satoru Gojo raised an eyebrow.
"You can come along with Yuta. We'll provide accommodation and living expenses. The school will also explain everything to your grandmother. That way, you can leave here in a perfectly reasonable way~~"
[Hmph. Before I came, I had the family investigate. Rika Orimoto doesn't exactly like a grandmother who constantly suspects herself of killing people, and she hates her grandmother's stewed eggplant too. She must be eager to leave this place~~ Just a little girl. Easy win!]
"Still no!"
"Huh?"
Satoru Gojo instantly turned into a big-headed cartoon version of himself, staring blankly as he tried to process what had just happened.
Rika Orimoto suddenly found strength from nowhere and shoved the petrified Satoru Gojo straight out the door, slamming it shut with a bang.
After recovering, Satoru Gojo shouted at the door,
"Just you wait! I'll definitely be back!"
Inside the house, Rika Orimoto threw her arms around Yuta Okkotsu, wrapping them around his neck. Her eyes looked slightly unfocused.
[If you go study with them, the time you spend with me will definitely decrease…]
"No one is allowed to take you away from me. No one…"
Yuta Okkotsu's face turned bright red as he coughed desperately, struggling to breathe.
"Rika—cough, cough—too tight—cough—you're hugging too tight, Rika!"
...
Over the next few months, Satoru Gojo kept coming back to talk with the two of them. In the end, he finally persuaded Rika Orimoto by promising that when they were old enough, the Gojo family would use its wealth to hold a grand wedding for them.
...
"Haha, Suguru, Akira! This time, I'm definitely winning the 'Pokémon Grand Battle'!! Heh heh heh…"