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At first, all Yuuta saw was black.
Darkness enveloped him, in a ground where Yuuta was never convinced with what his feet stood on, where Yuuta could see nothing but abyss, where Yuuta's ears were deaf for almost everything. That was, if something or someone did pass here.
The question was, where was here exactly?
Yuuta tried to call, tried to yell, tried to reach his arm out to grasp anything. Anything for him to still his balance, anything for him to cling onto something that could drag him out of this darkness. This place was scary! Yuuta felt his hairs standing upright on his skin by coldness that clawed and seeped in. He wanted nothing but to get out of here.
And then he was awoken by his alarm.
"Huh...?" Yuuta blearily fluttered his eyelids open, vision blurry and unfocused. The alarm rang from his nightstand, yet its boisterous volume as if echoing back and forth in his mind. Yuuta tilted his head to the side, hand fumbling to the side to find the off button.
"Where are you... Ah, found it..." He clicked it, and silence fell upon his dorm.
Yuuta swung his legs off the bed, giving a full-body shiver as his bare feet made contact with the freezing tiles of his room. He yelped, and it succeeded in revoking him from his morning grogginess. "Uwaah, so cold... I shouldn't lower the AC's temperature too much last night." He mumbled as he made his way to his bathroom.
As Yuuta let the warm shower drizzle and coat his body, he pondered with a curious hum. What was the darkness he dreamt earlier? Was it a nightmare? If that was the case, then it must be the weakest nightmare he ever had in his life. Yuuta's nightmares mostly consisted of slaughter of people by curses, or past reminders of his Rika's doing to the people who wished to harm him. Torn apart limbs, pool of viscous crimson, horrid screams, especially after last year's incident.
Yuuta had worked hard to ignore them, so he was no longer troubled by them though.
(Due to that, Yuuta almost went abroad to hone his exorcising skills so he could protect his friends better, but after some consideration, he found out that training with his friends and be strong together was a more appealing way. So he stayed.
He was a second year now and gained three kouhais. One of them was Sukuna's vessel, and whilst that supposed to deter Yuuta's courage, the boy was really kind and caring unlike who resided inside of him, and not to mention he was so strong too! He and Maki could come out as Jujutsu's strongest!
In terms of physical strength anyway. For sorcery skills, his teacher was undisputed)
After a warm shower, Yuuta wore his stark white gakuran, slung his katana bag around his shoulder, slid his ring on, and stepped out of his dorm with a bright face.
Today was the day where the Goodwill Event between Tokyo's and Kyoto's schools would be held, and Yuuta was excited to take part in it again. He overthrew Kyoto's students last year albeit too easily (he didn't mean to brag, but it was just his opinion), but Kyoto did put up a good fight with him. Yuuta wished to fight them again in the same way. The way that could make him smile and buzz with enthrallment. He liked to meet his fellow sorcerers too! Their techniques were surely great and strong!
"Sorry, Yuuta-kun, but you're not allowed to join this year's Goodwill Event."
Gojou-sensei declared with a tiny quirk of his lips, and Yuuta's jaws fell slack.
"EHHHHHH?!" Yuuta had to admit his shriek was late, but really, his brain slowed down for a while at that information. It took him several moments to register, and it resulted in a some kind of an explosive reaction...? He wasn't sure himself.
"Why, sensei?" Itadori asked, bolting up to a stand from his place on the staircase of one of the temples. "Isn't Okkotsu-senpai our greatest fighter? He's a Special Grade!"
"Yeah, if he could join last year, then why now he couldn't?" Maki argued, forehead furrowing in complete disagreement.
"Yuuji-kun~, Maki-kun~, his grade is the reason why he couldn't join!" Gojou-sensei chuckled, clapping his hands together. "It's exactly his grade that prohibits him from participating! We already have Sukuna's vessel in our side, Kyoto would be in a huge disadvantage if we brought a Special Grade into this fight!! Makes sense, right?"
The other two and Yuuta himself could only nod at the explanation.
"What a shame. We even already planned the formation." Fushiguro huffed, arms crossing over his chest. "But that couldn't be helped, I suppose. Okkotsu-senpai could be a turning table for our favour, but it wouldn't do Kyoto students any good."
"So we better get going to rearrange it, right?" Kugisaki called out loud. "The event will begin in twenty minutes, right? We should hurry! I don't know how strong Kyoto students are, but I don't want to lose!"
"I second that." Maki rubbed the back of her neck rather begrudgingly. "Fine, fine. Let's go, all." She dismissed them, hand waving before it tapped Yuuta's shoulder. Yuuta looked up then. "Like Megumi said, what a shame you couldn't join us, but don't sulk like a kid, Yuuta. Train that weak mental better."
"I'm not!" Yuuta ignored her last jab (he knew he always had a weak mental, okay?) as he retorted, abashed, but he pursued his lips. "I just want to fight along with all of you. I never really get to see Itadori's and Kugisaki's Cursed Technique, and I'm really curious!"
"Aww, don't be sad, Yuuta-kun!" Gojou-sensei ruffled his black locks that drew a surprised yelp from Yuuta. He almost forgot about his teacher's presence for a while there. "You're going to be a supervisor with school staffs from Tokyo and Kyoto! You could still watch them from there, so rest assured!!"
"Me? Supervising the others?" Yuuta gulped, gazing into his teacher's sleek blindfold. Somehow, he preferred that than bandages. They made him as if he just got out from an eye surgery or something. "With the higher-ups sensei hates so much...?"
Since the higher-ups tried to, you know, execute me and Itadori...?
(Gojou-sensei didn't hate the higher-ups without reason, Yuuta knew it well. He loved his students dearly and valued young sorcerers. He hated seeing youth being stolen from them by death sentences)
Gojou-sensei grinned, not answering at all, and Yuuta felt sweat running down his face.
(And somehow, his blindfold made his teacher's grin look creepier than usual. Someone please help him)
A lot of things happened today, Yuuta didn't think he want to get up from his lying down position on the tatami of the common room. The tatami was cool and clean unlike Yuuta's sweaty and dirtied gakuran. He would've to swipe it later, but really later.
For now, he wanted to rest.
Yuuta was merely rocking on his seat in the supervising room with the school staffs when he sensed it first before he saw it. A curtain was draped atop of the forest area, the area where his friends and Kyoto students currently fought in. Soon he saw it through the monitors on the wooden wall, pitch black curtain just like his dream this morning veiling the whole forest.
Yuuta rushed out of the room with other teachers, his sheathed katana already dangling from his hip. He was bewildered by the fact that the curtain was designated to prevent Gojou-sensei from entering. Whoever made it must be really skillful!
Then it went downhill at once. A Special Grade Curse emerged almost out of nowhere and wholly bloomed chaos. It interrupted Fushiguro's and Kamo's battle, dragging Toge along in its commotion. Yuuta didn't know the details for he was still on his way, but Fushiguro stated that Toge gave him all to the point his mouth bleed constantly just to chant Cursed Speeches.
As expected from Toge, willing to fight and fight even if it broke through his limits. Yuuta admired that from him.
Yuuta later jumped into the battle, Toudou and Itadori on his sides. Though Yuuta was hesitant when Toudou asked him to stay put for a moment as Itadori fought the curse bare handed on the shallow river, asked him to just stand there on the ground and do nothing. He knew his kouhai's strength was laid on his fists, but then he understood Toudou's intention as Itadori managed to create Black Flash to attack the curse.
The air bristled with cursed energy so great that stirred Rika's attention in Yuuta. Itadori's triumph smirk caused pride to swell in Yuuta's chest despite he had only watched him for several minutes, and Toudou's elated laughter echoed around them. It would've been a wonderful moment for the three of them if it weren't for the presence of the Special Grade Curse.
(Yuuta couldn't hold an awed gasp spilling from his lips when Black Flash thundered. His kouhai learnt so fast!)
With that settled, Toudou and Yuuta finally leaped into action. That Special Grade was truly something else, though. The way it surfaced roots so large and wide in mere seconds and dismissed them in a blink of an eye was beyond Yuuta. The way its skin was so hard and rigid to the point Yuuta's katana immediately quivered at the contact was also beyond him. Even Rika admitted that the curse was as persistent as a bull.
Ah, but Yuuta could never forget the moment when the curtain dripped down like water and dissipated into thin air, allowing the clear afternoon sun to shine upon them again. His teacher flew over the forest, snowy locks and blindfold down to reveal a pair of striking, lustrous blue eyes that once caused Yuuta to stone in absolute amazement.
That, and the amount of cursed energy brimming from Gojou-sensei was enough for Yuuta to plant his feet steadily on the ground.
Gojou-sensei looked a vengeful God, poised to slaughter his cause of displeasures.
(Bad.
Something bad was going to happen)
Yuuta was grateful that Toudou prevented Itadori from going further when the curse intended to flee. There was no saying what would become of Itadori if he was caught in Gojou-sensei's Imaginary Technique. Yuuta had heard about it once from Principal Yaga. A technique highly destructive, it could even par with a nuclear explosion when released. By combining two aspects of Infinity and bringing it to life, the result was nothing Yuuta had ever seen in his life. As Earth shook underneath his feet and lightnings of purple fulfilled his vision, Yuuta's jaws went slack once again.
It was a complete annihilation.
How far the technique went? Did it reach one kilometer? Or even more? Yuuta wasn't sure anymore, the gaping crater his teacher inflicted stretched far, far away that Yuuta failed to see where it ended. How deep the technique dug the Earth? When Yuuta took a peek, he yelped by the darkness that greeted him. He couldn't see its bottom, and as cowardly as it sounded, his knees trembled and he almost collapsed.
Luckily Toudou and Itadori were too astonished to realize. Rika assisted him shortly after, circling her arms around Yuuta to ground him still.
"Are you okay, Yuuta?"
"Y- Yeah... Thanks, Rika-chan..."
(Mortified that he was still acting like this in his second year, Yuuta felt like diving free styled to the chasmic right in front of him)
In conclusion, today was a mess. At least a game of baseball after it managed to ease tension away from Yuuta's shoulders. Despite the noisy banters during the game, the yells and hits and dusts flying all over them, Yuuta found comfort in it.
Because it was a normal activity.
It was akin to something a normal high school students would do to wind off. And Yuuta would gladly embrace every bits of normality he had and found here.
Yuuta perked up as he heard the paper door was slid open. A wave of cursed energy washed over him, and Yuuta smiled as he sat up on the tatami, both palms propping his weight. He recognized this energy well, it was dense yet gentle and calm in a way that loosened his muscles and widened his lips.
"Hei, Itadori-kun." Yuuta waved a hand to his kouhai who approached him merrily.
"Yo, Okkotsu-senpai!" Itadori greeted back, all sunshine-like smiles and breezy tone. In his arms were two cans of soft drink and a pack of kikufuku, and he put them near Yuuta's legs as he settled next to him. "Why aren't you in your dorm, senpai?"
Yuuta scratched his cheek timidly. "Somehow I like the tatami better than my own bed, and since today's so tiring, I almost don't want to go from here."
"Hehe, I understand what you're saying, senpai. That's why I bring you some night snacks!" Yuuji opened the cans for both of them, passing one to Yuuta with a large grin. So bright..., Yuuta wouldn't mind his racing heart at the sight. "Here you go, senpai!"
"Thanks, Itadori-kun." Yuuta took a sip, and his tongue tingled at the bubbly taste of soda. It was a pleasant taste, breaking him into a small chuckle that emitted a questioning hum from Itadori.
"Oh yeah, I got us some kikufuku too! Gojou-sensei gave me this earlier and I want to have it with someone else!" Itadori exclaimed, honey-coloured eyes sparkling in a childish manner as he flicked the packaging open.
Yuuta tilted his head to the side, curious. "And that someone is me?"
Yuuji nodded without missing a beat. "Fushiguro and Kugisaki are asleep already, Maki-senpai is on her night jog, Panda-senpai has slept as well, and Inumaki-senpai is still in treatment. Even though I'd love to eat with them, I appreciate Okkotsu-senpai's company as well!"
"I'm glad to hear that, Itadori-kun." Yuuta ruffled Yuuji's strawberry locks, his kouhai giggling sweetly at the gesture. It urged Yuuta to keep ruffling his hair, even using both of his hands by now. "I appreciate Itadori-kun's company as well, you know?"
"Mm! I'm happy!" Yuuji's smile never wavered even a single bit, it was a sight too blinding and adorable for this time in the evening. When was the last time Yuuta checked the clock? Was it 9 in the evening? His kouhai was certainly amazing.
Yuuta took a bite of the kikufuku, and he melted by the sweetness of strawberry and the mellow texture of the dough. Leave it to Gojou-sensei to find quality snacks, moreso if the snacks were sweets and desserts.
Despite Yuuta's worn out physic, he wasn't tired to engage in a conversation with Itadori. They mostly talked about today's riots, though Yuuta decided to keep it away from the Special Grade by asking how strong the Kyoto students were. They talked about their earlier baseball game, about the simultaneous homeruns from Yuuji, Kugisaki's excitement that infected others, Maki's effective tactics, and many more.
Yuuta would always cherish this moment, because this was normal.
Having a lively night chatter with his kouhai as they ate snacks together in the common room was a normal activity.
Itadori seemed to enjoy it as well, judging by how there were stars around his face (or maybe that was the result of Yuuta's frazzled mind) and his hand gestures that flailed around perkily. If his kouhai was delighted, then Yuuta was too.
Alas, they knew they couldn't talk forever. They were bound to be found out if they stayed here much longer. Although reluctant, Yuuta went back into his dorm with Itadori. He bid his kouhai goodnight, slightly pinching his cheek as he reminded him. "Next time, Itadori-kun, make sure to learn the situation first before you lash out, okay? You'd be dead back then if it weren't for Toudou-san."
Itadori laughed sheepishly as Yuuta drew his hand back, cheeks brushed with pink. "Okay, senpai. Thanks for the advice! Good night!"
"Good night, Itadori-kun." With that Yuuta went back into his own door after Yuuji closed the door behind him. Yuuta dipped his weight onto the mattress, figuring how should he sleep with the amount of drink and food he ate earlier.
"It's not good to sleep with my stomach full. Maybe I should sleep while sitting." Yuuta told himself as he shifted his position so his back was against the headboard. He pulled his blanket over his body, a soft smile plastered to his face as he closed his eyes.
At last, all Yuuta saw was black.
Unlike before, everything around him screamed with a voice too shrill, too inhuman. A curse attack? Most likely. It stabbed his hearings, causing Yuuta to fall to his knees as he pressed his palms, hard, to his ears. It hurt, it hurt so much. Even Rika's arms around him failed to swat it away.
Before long, his nails dug into his skull. Yuuta was afraid he could draw blood by how deep he delved his nails onto his head. It stung after every second passed, his mind as if being split into two by the turmoil. Yuuta's eyes were shut tight, forehead wrinkling and lips grimacing as he let out a hiss.
And then it was gone in spur of moments, as if it was never loud in the first place.
Yuuta opened his eyes, and his hand shook by the violent splatter of blood across the wall and pavement right before him, it even fouled his shoes. His katana slid off his grip, the sound iron clattering with ashpalt resonating in the whole evening. Yuuta's breath hitched, tears prickling his eyes and blurring his surroundings.
Where's Itadori...?
The man with Blood Manipulation Technique and the man from Zenin clan were nowhere in sight either. There was only Yuuta here. Alone, with no source of this morbid blood that painted his vision. Alone, with no other person on his side. Alone, with nothing to accompany Yuuta but Rika, his katana, and an order from higher-ups.
To kill Itadori Yuuji.
But Yuuta couldn't do it.
Reality or not, Yuuta couldn't bring himself to kill Itadori. Reality or not, he had experienced how bright his kouhai's smiles were, how pure his laughs were, how unrivaled his kindness was, how unfaltering his determination was, and Yuuta just couldn't.
Yuuta hid face in his palms, ducked his head down, and wailed out loud.
I couldn't kill Itadori Yuuji. I'm sorry.
I couldn't.