Todo didn't even blink.
He just kept staring at Choso like he'd unlocked some kind of divine truth.
"My name is Aoi Todo," he declared, voice deep and serious, like he was introducing himself on a stage instead of in the middle of a courtyard. "You are Yuji's brother."
He pointed at Yuji. Then back at Choso.
"Yuji is my brother."
A pause. Dramatic. Very dramatic...
"That means… we are brothers. You are my brother."
I pressed my fingers to my temple. I could feel a headache forming.
Choso just stared at him.
"…You are also my brother?" he asked slowly, like he was testing the words out.
"Yes," Todo replied instantly, like there was no room for doubt in this universe. "I am your brother."
Choso's brows furrowed. He turned to Yuji.
Yuji gave the weakest nod I've ever seen in my life.
And that was enough.
Choso's eyes lit up—literally glowing—and his expression cracked.
"…Another brother…" he whispered.
Then he started crying.
Not subtle tears either. Full-on emotional breakdown.
"I have another brother…!"
Okay, what the hell is happening?
Before I could process it, Todo stepped forward and pulled Choso into a tight hug.
"I understand," Todo said, voice suddenly soft. "I understand your pain… your loneliness. We should have met earlier, my elder brother."
Choso hugged him back immediately.
"Yes… yes… we should have…"
I just stood there, staring.
"…This is insane," I muttered under my breath.
Then I got an idea.
I walked up behind Yuji and gave him a little shove.
He stumbled forward—
—and immediately got dragged into the hug.
"Wait—HEY—"
Too late.
Now it was a three-person emotional disaster.
I started giggling.
Big mistake.
Yuji turned his head, eyes locking onto me.
Oh no.
"WE are getting a hug too, right, Kita?" he said.
There was something dangerous in his tone.
"…No." Didn't matter.
He grabbed my arm and yanked me in.
Suddenly, I was sandwiched between three idiots—one crying, one delusional, and one way too happy that I am suffering with him.
"Hey—let me go, you all smell!"
"Nah," Yuji said, grinning. "Sister."
"Don't call me that!"
At some point, everyone shifted positions, and now it was just… a mess. Arms everywhere, no personal space, and way too much body heat.
"This is ridiculous…" I muttered.
…but I didn't try to escape again.
After a while, we finally broke apart.
I immediately took a step back and inhaled—
—and instantly regretted it.
"…Why do you smell like an old grandpa coming out of a sauna?" I said, staring at Todo.
He was drenched.
Actually drenched.
"…It is the heat of brotherhood," Todo replied proudly.
"That's not how that works."
I waved my hand in front of my face and walked off.
"I need a shower."
—
My dorm was already set up when I got there. Tokyo Jujutsu High works fast when it wants to.
After Gojo "registered" me to the school, my dorm room was already being prepared.
I grabbed my key from one of the workers and stepped inside.
It was big and clean. Not bad.
"Shower first," I muttered, already heading to the bathroom. "I am not keeping that smell on me."
Todo was tall. Very tall.
My head had basically been pressed into Todo's chest during the hug because of the height difference.
Hot water could not have felt better.
By the time I stepped out, changed, and dried my hair, I felt human again.
I stretched a little, then looked around my room.
"…Now what?"
Everything was… over.
Sukuna. Kenjaku. All of it.
Gone. The silence felt weird.
I stood there for a second, thinking.
Then a grin slowly spread across my face.
"…I should bother someone."
Hehehe.
I stepped out of my room like a gremlin on a mission.
"First victim…"
Obviously, Megumi Fushiguro.
I started walking around campus, peeking into corners, scanning like a predator.
Nothing.
"…Where is he?"
Instead—
I felt something behind me.
I turned.
—and almost jumped out of my skin.
Satoru Gojo was standing right there.
Way too close.
"Yo," he said casually, grinning. "What are you doing?"
"…You're creepy."
He ignored that.
"So?"
"I'm looking for Megumi," I said.
"Why?"
"I want to annoy him."
"Why?"
I squinted at him.
He was smiling.
"…Gojo-sensei," I said slowly, "let me introduce you to something called ragebaiting."
His grin widened.
"What is that?"
I raised a finger.
"Before that, I have a small request."
He tilted his head, then nodded.
"Go on."
I clasped my hands dramatically.
"May I have a phone, my kind, handsome, smartest, strongest sensei?"
He froze. Actually froze.
Then his expression dropped for a second—like he just realised something important.
"…You don't have a phone?"
I shook my head.
A beat.
Then—
"UNACCEPTABLE!"
He grabbed my wrist.
And the world broke.
We teleported.
Again. And again. And again...
"WHAT THE—"
Everything blurred. My stomach flipped. My brain gave up halfway through.
Then suddenly, we stopped.
I stumbled a bit, holding my head.
"…Sensei," I said slowly, trying not to throw up. "Why are we in… wherever this is?"
"Yokohama," he said casually. "Closest intact city."
"…You teleported us across cities. For a phone."
"Yes."
He pointed ahead like a proud parent.
"And now, your amazing, generous, incredibly attractive sensei will buy you one."
"…I like this plan."
Honestly, anything free is welcome... There must be a Ryo that's affecting me. Even though I have not met her, she definitely exists.
We walked into an electronics store.
Honestly… it felt weirdly normal.
Like I was just… out shopping.
With Gojo.
He picked something out quickly.
"Here. iPhone X. Good enough."
"Good enough?" I muttered. "That's literally peak technology right now." It was 2018 after all.
"Damn…" I muttered while Gojo walked toward the cashier. I followed him like a kitten.
Well, if he treats me like this, I'll gladly be his kitten. No regrets at all.
I looked at the Apple logo on the package. In my timeline, Apple was a greedy company… I wonder how it'll turn out in this world.
I glanced up at Gojo again and saw him casually swiping his card.
He paid without even blinking.
Of course he did.
He alone is the best, after all.
We got a SIM card, set everything up, and just like that—
I had a phone again.
"…I missed this," I said, turning it on.
We walked through the streets after that.
I started adding contacts—Yuji, Megumi, Maki, Mai, and Todo… basically everyone.
And of course, Gojo.
As we walked, he suddenly spoke.
"Kita."
I looked up from my screen.
"Did your technique recover?"
Ah.
"…Not yet," I said. "Still some time."
He nodded, expression a little more serious now.
"Jujutsu society is collapsing."
I blinked.
"…Yeah. That makes sense."
With the higher-ups gone, everything was basically chaos.
He explained more as we walked—disorganisation, weaker sorcerers dying, no leadership.
I listened, giving small suggestions here and there.
But inside, I felt uneasy.
They're relying on me too much.
And the worst part?
I was lying from the start.
I don't have a second technique.
I exhaled quietly.
Then his phone rang.
Gojo glanced at it.
His expression changed instantly.
"I've got work," he said.
Before I could respond, he grabbed my arm.
And we teleported for what felt like a whole minute back to Tokyo Jujutsu High.
Just like that. I had an awful stomachache again for a minute.
"I'll see you later," he added, already disappearing again.
I stood there for a moment, staring at where he was.
After I recovered, I moved.
"…Busy man."
I turned and walked back to my dorm.
Time to relax. I flopped onto my bed and unlocked my phone.
Scrolling.
Finally. Some peace.
Then—
thud.
"…Huh…"
I watched a small piece of paper drift dramatically past my eyes.
I picked it up and read it.
A number.
"Oh—right."
I sat up a bit.
Fumihiko Takaba… my proclaimed father...
I stared at the number.
"…I wonder what he's up to."