Archive of Our Own

"Born under a lucky star," you recall much of your family telling you. But then again, you most probably were. Despite that blessed outlook, yours was a fairly ordinary childhood save for those days when you devoted yourself to becoming the family's prized token, simply done by following your parents around during the gathering of important sorcery families.

It was during one of those gatherings that you met the twin nieces of the Zenin Clan's leader, both whom soon became your dearest friends. (Well, one more than the other— in the still unforeseen future.) Seeing as the three of you were of the same age, your parents expected you to get along with the two girls and you did so amicably. Upon peering in the sisters' hearts for the first time with Kin'iro no me, you saw for yourself how very little cursed energy they possessed, which you can see in the form of golden thread wrapped around their hearts. Despite it being a vital skill, it was a habit of yours that your parents tried to break much earlier. You found yourself doing it unknowingly, eventually becoming something you couldn't switch off unless you willed yourself to do so.

The sight of the three of you all in your bright-coloured yukata and obi became a source of relief for the elders in your respective families. You were never seen without a tiny canister of soothing balm in your favourite yellow kinchaku whenever such meetings occur, seeing as you were always running around the Zenin estate with the twins, closely followed by the heir-apparent of the Kamo Clan and a small handful of other young children from different sorcery families.

You entered the school following a fairly problematic end of the year last year and was warmly welcomed by a small group of classmates whom you came to dearly care for despite only being with them for a few months.

"On second thought, you still look pretty sick even though you're already finally up again," she grimaced at you. "Last week's mission wasn't particularly kind to you, but that… blindfolded idiot got what he needed, yeah?"

"I-I swear I'm all right now, Maki! Don't worry about it! I’ve been writing a bit today, so I assure you I’m feeling much bettet!" You raised your hands in defence. "More importantly, are Toge and Yuuta…?"

"Ah, here you go again worrying about others before yourself, Otome! That won't do at all!" Maki raised her hand to playfully ruffle your hair. "Sit this one out and we'll come see you later to tell you what all the trouble's about, all right? I know a tired person when I see one. And get some more rest! I’m sure your writing can wait!"

The older Zenin girl left your presence and returned to your room an hour later with a small plastic bag of snacks and sweets and three other figures in tow, all of them out of their dark uniforms and in comfortable clothes that signified they'd be staying with you for quite a while. Maki first rattled on about some of the announcements Principal Yaga had made before explaining the conditions of their next mission, which won't be for quite some time, and how Yuuta had to be some place else as the rest of you conducted it.

You had just heard about their ordeal from last year, a few months before you arrived at Tokyo Jujutsu High, and unknowingly gushed at how even the purest love can possibly curse someone.

"Ne, Otome? Doesn't this remind you of your obaa-chan's story? About the promised prince?"

Everyone in the circle had turned their attention from Maki to you, the tale obviously piquing everyone's interest save for yourself.

"I swear it's nothing too serious," you waved your hands in defence, trying to avert their curious gazes. "Just a silly childhood story."

"If it's so silly, then you probably won't have any issue talking about it, Otome," Yuuta started.

Maki was smiling at you, a silly face she often reserved for those she held close to her. With a soft sigh and thoughts drawn back to home, you turn to face your closed window. "This happened when I was little. Maki knew my obaa-chan— Kami-sama bless her soul— and she read fortunes for us even though we had no idea what those were at all. But then again, she definitely wasn't lying when she told us that Maki was destined for great things in her life."

The Zenin girl looked rather proud as you shot her a knowing look.

"Obaa-chan had a different form of Kin’iro no me. While mine allowed me to look into people's hearts to see their cursed energy, her golden eye enabled her to see glimpses of the future through looking into a golden scrying bowl. Yeah, Maki looks super cool now, but she was definitely freaked out when she first heard the predictions about her."

You fidgeted in your seat, eyes lowered to the floor as you twiddled with the hem of your shirt. "This is probably gonna sound stupid, but I was told before that the promised prince she saw in the clearness of that water in her bowl was probably who I was going to end up with. Like a husband or something."

"Otome, listen to you! Don't disrespect obaa-chan's memory like this!" Maki tried to hold back a laugh.

"Have you met him?" Asked Yuuta, who looked every bit of genuinely curious. "Your promised prince."

"Oh, believe me, Yuuta. I tried to narrow down this whole thing to every single young sorcerer I knew from this generation," you said as you leaned back against your bed. "I remember my obaa-chan teasing me that it may be Gojo-sensei, of all people. Now that freaked me out."

"He's got to be out there, Otome," stated Panda, followed by an affirmative nod from Toge. "But didn't your baa-chan leave any clues of sorts? Like how he looks or something? Or if he came from a clan of sorcerers? No nothing?"

"Huh. Now that you mentioned it, I never really gave any thought about that, Panda," you replied, a hand on your chin as you turned your eyes to the ceiling. "She did mention one thing. Something about how he would change the way I see things."

"How subjective," said Maki. "And definitely unhelpful in your search. Don't any of your family members have the same kind of golden eye as obaa-chan?"

"Well, there's still onii-chan. He pretty much has the same one as obaa-chan and he has been honing it for quite a while now. Though I wouldn't want to disturb his own training with such girlish trifles," you chuckled. "But then again, I'm sure he’d be more than happy to marry me off before he inherits. It's one less sister to worry about."

The girl in glasses threw you an incredulous look, brows furrowed in annoyance at your statement. "Haa?! What do you mean married off?! Did they actually—"

"D-Don't get me wrong, though, Maki! I dislike the antiquated belief that women should just be docile, obedient wives! That's why I'm here, too!"

"You can always forge your own path, Otome. Make your own promised prince, too, if you have to," Yuuta said with a small smile on his face. "Doesn't Inumaki-kun make the cut? Is he a far cry from a prince?"

Sweet as their laughter sounded, it filled the room just as quick as the heat that washed over your face in embarrassment. You wildly waved your hands in an attempt to calm things down before turning to Toge, who was chuckling in his spot. A soft sigh of defeat left your lips before you playfully nudged Yuuta with your elbow.

"Yuuta, stop! Ah, honestly! I didn't even want to go there!" You finally let out a laugh. "Friends are off-limits, no matter how wonderful they are. I'd marry Maki in a heartbeat, though!"

Night had fallen by the time you all realised it, the golden hour left unnoticed as stars dotted the evening sky. You had only missed home once today and it was a small victory you took pride in.

Even with your eyes closed, the gold in which Kin’iro no me drowned in was more than enough to overwhelm you, forcing you awake even though it was a rest day. Someone with so much cursed energy was walking around the place and you placed your bet on your silver-haired teacher.

The last time this happened was when you first laid eyes on Gojo-sensei one spring afternoon a few years back, and he sought your brother's support on a matter you had no business in. They were close in age and it seemed they both needed all the strong allies they could get. With a wave of your brother's hand, one of the Koganei attendants had led you and your mother away from the ginkgo-filled garden and back onto the hallways of your estate.

Who was that man? He spoke to your brother with familiarity even though you haven't seen him before. And in your curiosity, you looked over your shoulder as you were spirited away from the two young men, only to find the stranger smiling at you, his gaze resting on you underneath his blindfolded eyes.

Gojo Satoru had made your Kin'iro no me cry once. It wasn’t going to happen again.

You groaned under the sheets, slowly fumbling for your mobile phone atop the wooden bedside table and cursing under your breath as you saw the time: 6:04 AM. You didn’t even have to be up at 8!

"Sensei… I’ll beat your ass one of these days…" Came the low mumble as you shuffled out of bed, blanket over your shoulders as you dragged your feet. You nearly stumbled over the plastic bag filled with empty snack wrappers and soda cans, remnants of a night filled with so much laughter that left you both completely energised and exhausted. A sigh left your lips once more as you twisted the aged doorknob and shot your head right out your door.

"Gojo-sensei?" You blindly called out in the empty wooden hallway, the morning sun sifting into the open walkway leading outside. Oh, the cursed energy was stronger now that you were outside your room and it made your eyes tear up a little. The gentle silence of the early morning was cut by the sound of padded footsteps moving through the dormitory hallways. Upon further investigation and taking a few more outside the building, you finally bumped into the culprit, who nearly smacked you with the cardboard boxes he was carrying.

"Ah, sorry. I didn't expect anyone to be awake this early," came the low voice from behind the stack of boxes held by sturdy, dark-sleeved arms. "Sensei said it was a day off and I was free to move around as long as I was quiet."

Well, he was quiet. It was his cursed energy that disturbed you. (Then again, it probably wouldn't have come to this if you learned how to better control your golden eye.) The multitude of loops of golden ropes that wrapped around his heart streamed continuously, an endless well of possibilities that still has yet to be properly tapped into. This guy was mad skilled.

"Oh, you must be the new kid," you uttered, finally remembering this new arrival as one of the things Maki mentioned yesterday. "Don't worry. You aren't making any noise. It's just that I, ah…"

The stack of boxes was placed down on the floor momentarily and your gaze met with the bluest pair of eyes you've seen yet, dark lashes feathered out and a mop of messy black hair that seemed to work his way because, wow, this boy is handsome. He had an air of grace about him that was uncannily similar to Maki and you couldn't tell why it was so.

"Then you must be my senpai," he replied, offering his hand to you as he gave you a quick bow. "I'm Fushiguro Megumi. I apologise for any inconvenience I caused you, um…"

You fumbled for your name as you slid your hand in his for a quick handshake, giving him a short bow as well. "D-Don't worry about it, Fushiguro-kun. It's my problem since I still don't know how to, uh… Never mind! I’ll leave you to unpack. S-See you around!"

You hastily rushed back to your room, the thick blanket caught between the door as you stumbled back in, hurriedly grabbing your mobile phone to send a rushed message to your dearest friend who was but a room away from you.

'Maki! The new kid is hot!'

You soon came to regret sending that message to Maki when you were all gathered at the dining hall for breakfast, the new kid seated right beside her and introduced to everyone as a distant relative of hers.

"So you've met Otome earlier, Megumi! She's a darling and I'm sure you disturbed her sleep earlier with all that lumbering you've been doing around the dorms."

"Ah, n-no! It's really not your fault, Fushiguro-kun!" You raised your hands in defence. "It's really just me. I, uh, have a really problematic technique I've been working on controlling. I promise you it's no big deal!"

So he’s a Zenin. That explained his similar aura with Maki… But you haven't seen him before, not even once during the numerous gatherings of sorcery families, most of which were held in the Zenin estate. You would recognise him if you’ve met him from before since you’d have such a hard time forgetting a remarkably handsome face such as his.

Fushiguro Megumi was an outlier. Even his name gave away that fact. Quiet and reserved as he was, you recognised the wealth of potential he concealed underneath his cool demeanour. Kin’iro no me was moved to tears once more.

You couldn't keep up with the pace of the ongoing conversation at the table that you resorted to eating your breakfast quietly, listening as Maki, Panda and Yuuta spoke of the latter’s overseas trip at the end of the month. You would hear Toge make the occasional side comment as well, a smile on your face as you hoped for longer peaceful days such as this one.

Alas, every good thing must come to an end.

"Look at all my beloved pupils getting along! And so early in the morning, too!"

Hearing your teacher’s voice made you automatically and unwittingly slap a hand over your forehead, as if telling Kin'iro no me not to look at him.

Gojo-sensei grabbed a seat and gently wedged himself between Maki and Yuuta before nabbing a slice of milk bread with jam from the younger man's plate. "Quite a welcoming party we have for Megumi! And I see our favourite hina doll is up as well."

"Eh?" You turned to him, hand still on your forehead.

"It’s good that you're feeling better, Otome! I got an earful from your older brother about last week's incident," the older man started. "The good news is we've finally cracked the case surrounding your family's Kintsukuroi. You'll be joining Megumi on his maiden mission as his support. 'Course I'll be there as well in case things go awry."

"M-Mission?" You squeaked. With Fushiguro, no less. Surely someone with so much cursed energy wouldn't need a medic to come with him?

"You can leave the bulk of the hard work to Megumi, Otome," Gojo-sensei continued. "He has a good head on his shoulders, after all!"

Kin'iro no me was quiet. You brought your hand down to your lap and found dark blue eyes slowly taking hold of your gaze.

"I can't guarantee your safety, senpai, but rest assured I'll do my best to make sure you’re out of harm's way."

"L-Likewise, Fushiguro-kun! You can rely on me to have your back!" You replied in earnest, just as he was with you.

The sound of Maki's complaints was drowned out by the way the younger student held your gaze before finally lowering his eyes to his cup of coffee. Apparently, the two of you won't have any backup since it’s going to be a minor exorcism assignment most suited for Fushiguro to accomplish. You had to get out of his path and assist in however way you could.

If Gojo-sensei said everything would be all right, then there's really no cause for concern, right?

Everything was not all right.

Things were fine in the first few minutes of the start of the mission. After Gojo-sensei led you to the mission venue, he handed you a tiny golden velvet pouch that contained a set of citrine Juzu beads from your clan. You recognised this set as the one that often hung on your brother's hakama. Fushiguro was the first to enter the cursed building and you followed behind him closely, Kin'iro no me tracing the outline of his cursed energy, making it your beacon in the midst of the darkness of the abandoned place. The place was suspiciously quiet and you didn't like it.

The taller boy had commented on the cursed tool you held in your hands before you were snapped up by the shadowy cursed spirit that possessed the whole place, surprising you both.

Well, fuck. Kin'iro no me concentrated so much energy on Fushiguro that you didn't leave much to survey the surroundings. You clutched your older brother's set of Juzu beads, a few of them snapping off when you were soundlessly grabbed by the cursed spirit, save for the sharp yelp that left your mouth, enough to alert the younger boy of your predicament.

Onii-chan's gonna kill me when he finds out what happened to these, you eyed the four glowing beads on the ground. You were certain the beads were imbued with your brother’s cursed energy since it moved at your call, recognising your blood ties.

"Don't worry about me, Fushiguro-kun," you said with a small quiver in your voice, seeing the concern and aggravation woven on his fine features. "I'm not built for combat, but I'm rather resistant to this— Ah!"

Whatever was gripping you dug deep into your torso and it hurt like fuck.

"Senpai!"

From the ground, Fushiguro saw the shape of the spirit, illuminated by the crystal beads that hovered over your figure— a scorpion-like being holding you with its claw, a malevolence unlike any other you've sensed before. This was definitely way beyond your grade as a sorcerer, if you could even call yourself as such. You counted the ribs that slowly collapsed underneath the vice grip that held you and you pictured the rips and tears on your school uniform.

No, no, not that, you shook your head and fought back the tears that threatened to stream out of your eyes at the moment, instead shifting your focus on the beads you held in your hands. Biting your lip in an attempt to bring out your voice, you tugged at the loop of beads until it eventually snapped. "Wake up, Kin'iro no me!"

The singular blast of light momentary incapacitated the cursed spirit, prompting it to drop you midair. You clutched the remaining Juzu beads in your hands and hastily rubbed them over your chest as you fell, feeling the energy piece back every crushed bone underneath your school jacket. You were prepared for a hard landing that may break another bone or so, but you were surprised to see Fushiguro’s concerned face looming over yours, your back safely cradled in his long arms.

"Are you all right, senpai?!"

Kin'iro no me saw the well of his cursed energy overflowing, but your eyes were fixed on the bloody graze just above his left eyebrow.

"L-Listen to me, Fushiguro-kun," you drawled, bringing a finger to his open wound, a stream of your cursed energy threading the cut close. "Kin'iro no me doesn’t lie to me. You're more than enough for this cursed spirit. You should know by now that I'm not built for destroying curses, but I can give you the energy to do it."

That’s why I'm here for support. So much for being helpful. As the first casualty of the mission, you had to ensure whoever was left would carry on what needed to be done. You brought a hand to his cheek and lowered your lashes, pulling every bit of your cursed energy from your core and concentrating on filling up Fushiguro to the brim. He looked absolutely startled when a small stream of blood escaped the corner of your mouth.

"Koganei-s—"

Kintsukuroi aimed to fix a person's wounds, to heal whatever has been broken, but with no bruises to mend, the cursed energy that was expended by a user simply stacked over the existing energy of whoever they were assisting. Like pouring molten gold in an already overflowing cup. More than anything, you served as a boon for the young man who looked at you with so much worry.

Come on, that's not the kind of face I want to see before I black out again. Fushiguro looked terrified at the prospect of leaving you behind, but you emptied yourself of your cursed energy and left just enough to keep yourself awake, Kin'iro no me was closed asleep since it was unable to see anything at all. Your eyes brimmed with tears as you grit your teeth and peeled yourself away from his hold. "Don't worry about me! Let me go and finish this off!"

You tried to blink away the salty tears in your eyes as you watched the young man's figure running towards the cursed spirit. He had brought his hands to the air and made a gesture which you managed to recognise as a seal for a shikigami, its outline you couldn’t make out anymore.

He'll be all right, you told yourself as you took a breath just enough not to overwhelm your lungs. Fuck, my lungs hurt.

Breathing didn't hurt that much.

A glare of sunlight prompted your eyes to flutter open, your blurry eyes greeted by the school's aged infirmary ceiling. This was definitely reminiscent of last week's events. You turned your head to your right and found a figure clad in an oversized black shirt seated beside your bed, arms crossed over his chest as he dozed off.

Kin'iro no me saw the gentle swell of cursed energy rising from Fushiguro's chest. He was very much at ease.

You brought a hand to rub your forehead before finally sitting up from the bed. Bringing your other hand to your chest, you ran your fingers over the bones, all fixed, enough of an affirmation that you were definitely patched up by Ieiri-sensei. Seeing as you were all right, in a sense, you turned your complete attention to Fushiguro, who looked mostly unscathed from your mission.

Wow, his lashes really are thick, you marvelled at his sleeping face for a moment. Like a girl's… The boy was hardly grazed save for the single golden line over his right brow, which will eventually fall off in a few days as a normal scab would.

"I'm so glad you're all right, Fushiguro-kun," you managed to say despite your own parched throat. "I was afraid you'd implode, but it looked like sensei knew what he was doing when he put us together for that mission."

Looking back, every mission you've attended concluded in the same way. Gojo-sensei would give you an assessment saying your technique works well in supporting higher-grade sorcerers like Toge, Yuuta and Panda, but you have this tendency to self-destruct in the process. You sniffled, bringing a finger to your nose as you felt warm tears fill the corner of your eyes.

"Ungh. For some reason, I feel like I really have to reconsider my stay here. My family warned me about this and this is pretty much the confirmation I needed. I've caused more peril than everyone combined and I don't think that's about to change," you started talking to yourself. "How can I be of help to my comrades when I'm a ticking time bomb?"

You were surprised when Fushiguro shifted his position, straightening his back as he met your teary gaze. "Your desires aren't misplaced, Koganei-senpai. It's Gojo-sensei who has to reconsider your position in every mission. With that said, there's nothing for you to cry about because we completed our mission."

He fished for something in his pocket, gently placing a single loop of your brother's citrine Juzu beads in your empty hands. "It was from your family, right? I'm sure it's very precious to you so I tried to recover as much as I could after exorcising the cursed spirit."

He recovered enough beads to create a bracelet that fits you just right, and you can sense that it was imbued with his own cursed energy now. "F-Fushiguro—"

The boy managed a small smile to comfort you. "I'll call sensei now that you're awake. I’m sure he'd like to have a word with you."

"Ah, s-sure!" You squeaked at him before hastily slipping the bracelet on your left wrist. The energy it radiated was warm. How odd.

You found your thoughts flitting back to home again. Your brother certainly won't be pleased with what happened to his favourite set of Juzu beads, but they were yours now. Every warning they gave you, every single doubt they tried to sow in your mind, every bit of persuasion they threw as you packed your bags like you were simply heading for a weekend out of town… All of it was drowned out by a straightforward truth from a straightforward young man.

You brought your knees to your chest and buried your burning face in it, taking as many breaths as you could to calm down the hammering of your heart in your chest.

I want to keep on helping people.

After Yuuta's departure for his overseas studies and Gojo-sensei's reassessment of your current skill level, you started seeing less of your classmates and Fushiguro and started spending more time at the infirmary as Ieiri-sensei's apprentice of sorts. The students would come every once in a while after their missions, the good doctor leaving the task of patching them up to you.

The reassessment certainly helped as you were able to hone both Kin'iro no me and Kintsukuroi in a more controlled manner— by healing sorcerers that were hurt in combat. You’ve had your fair share of deaths as well— lives that couldn’t be saved even with Ieiri-sensei’s own technique, and she made sure to impart enough wisdom for you to understand that this was the sorcerer’s way of life.

Most of them die staying true to their principles. Everyone has a different set of those. There are few who manage to live long enough just to curse others for their fate.

"Koganei-senpai."

There was a knock on the already-open infirmary door, which prompted you to pause from your writing and look up from your notebook. "Fushiguro-kun! Anything I can do for you?"

You saw him last a few days ago after he came in for some minor bruises. He looked perfectly fine today, though.

"Gojo-sensei, he—" There was a hint of hesitation in his voice, blue eyes meeting earnest ones as you rose from your seat. "It's your day off today, right?"

"Ah, yeah," you replied, sliding your pen in your pencil case before raising a finger to gently grab a lock of your hair. "Ieiri-sensei did say I could take off if I wanted to, but I really didn't have anything better to do today. That’s why I'm here."

"I have some errands to run in the city. Gojo-sensei said I should invite you to come with me. He said something along the lines of getting enough sunlight," said Fushiguro, scanning your rather bewildered expression. "That is if you want to go, of course."

"I-I'd love to!" You stammered, obviously embarrassed by the invitation. "Shall we go now?"

"Certainly," came his short reply, a small smile on his face as he saw how excited you looked to get some sun, just like what Gojo-sensei said.

The errands did include a lot of running around in Yokohama Chinatown, an oddity even for your very eccentric teacher. Fushiguro insisted in going to a cafe that served the parfait you saw in Shibuya earlier today, but you assured him that having tea at a local tea house would be just as fine. Such tea houses were abundant in Chinatown and you found one that would accommodate a pair of students quite a long way from their school.

It was still early in the afternoon and Fushiguro endeavoured to get the both of you back in campus at least before nightfall, especially since you had to brave the rush hour at the Motomachi-Chukugai Station later on. After finding a tea house with a spot for you, you were seated at a table near the window and served steaming hot jasmine tea and ha gao.

"Thank you for bringing me along today, Fushiguro-kun. I appreciate this," you beamed at him from across the table. "I figured it must be hard not having any classmates to rely on. Surely Gojo-sensei will do something about that, right?"

"I honestly don't mind much," he replied, a pause in your conversations as he thought of something to bring up. "Have things have been working out well for you, senpai?"

"Mm, yes," you ran your fingers over the edge of your porcelain tea cup, feeling the warmth of the drink rise to your fingertips. "I certainly think I’m learning a lot more under Ieiri-sensei's guidance. The fact that I’m not causing any problems for classmates is a great consolation, too. I kinda miss them, though."

"I’ll let Zenin-senpai know," said the boy who sat across you, his cup of tea halfway to his lips. "Then again, I'm sure she and the others miss you just as much."

He’s not wrong, though. Maki sends you messages every day and tries to see you at the infirmary even though she's uninjured. Missions have kept her and everyone else busy and you understood that much. "Yes, I'm sure they miss me just as much."

"I believe your older brother visited the school a few days ago," he continued. "I saw him and sensei talking. I suppose you had a chance to speak to him as well."

Right. You were sure Gojo-sensei got another verbal beating from your older brother after your ordeal with the scorpion cursed spirit. The sight of your brother’s golden haori and dark hakama at school definitely brought you back home, but the nostalgia didn't last much after you were scolded, especially when he found out what happened to his prized Juzu beads which were converted into a trinket you wore around your left wrist.

'Hey, whose cursed energy is that? It’s like a—'

"Ah, well, yeah…" You managed a sheepish reply. "Gojo-sensei and onii-chan are kinda close since they're around the same age. They go way back, I think. Clan heirs and stuff."

"I see."

The silk curtains that hung on the tea house's window did very little to conceal what was happening outside, the Chinatown bustling and lively as it was colourful. A smile graced your face as you caressed the warm cup in your hands.

"It was Gojo-sensei who invited me to enroll at Tokyo Jujutsu High, much to the surprise of everyone in our family," you said with a chuckle. "Everyone was against it, onii-chan included. I'm a… very well-loved daughter who still has yet to serve her purpose for the clan. But when I heard from sensei that Maki was there, I just had to beg, even for just a moment. They knew how much I cherished her, but they also made it perfectly clear that my time at school wasn't meant to last long. That I had to come home sooner or later."

Fushiguro raised his eyes to look at you and you held his gaze for as long as you could. "You said you served a purpose."

"Oh. I'm to be a bride," you answered, the smile slowly leaving your lips. "A prized one, too. That was made clear to me ever since I was little, and proposals were outpouring even before I knew how to walk."

You finally took a sip of tea, believing it cool enough to drink without burning your tongue. "Sometimes the family you love so dearly can be the greatest burden you have to carry as well."

"You probably shouldn't push through with any arrangements if it makes you unhappy," he said. "I'm… in no position to talk about family ties, but despite your own origins, you are still your own person, Koganei-senpai."

"Since we're on the topic of being our own person, you can call me by my name, Fushiguro-kun," you smiled at him before taking another sip.

"Otome…" he said softly, and you swore the way your name left his lips pulled at your heartstrings so. "Otome-san, then."

"Then I guess it's safe for me to call you Megumi-kun. You know, you always struck me as the cool type, but you’re surprisingly insightful, too. Girls dig that kind of hoo-hah."

"You speak like an old woman, Otome-san."

"I am older than you," you retorted, bringing a piece of ha gao to your mouth.

"By only a few months or so," he shot back, lips curled to a smile as he helped himself to a piece as well. 

"We should bring something back for the others, huh?"

"Maybe when we get back to Shibuya."

"Mm. Good point. I'm not entirely sure how the food will survive the rush hour later."

The rest of the afternoon was spent sipping on the rest of your tea, munching on ha gao, trashtalking your handsome Gojo-sensei, as well as piecing conversations about the different characters at school.

—

"Oh!"

The rush of people getting into the train almost carried you away, but you were surprised when a strong arm quickly wrapped around your waist. Fushiguro pulled you much closer to his figure, a bit too close seeing as your cheek rested on his chest.

"S-Sorry," he uttered a low apology. "I'd rather we don't get separated."

The rattling of the train cart signalled its movement away from the station. He had one hand holding onto the railing while the other held you close to him. The city lights danced over the dark texture of his uniform

"Are you tired?" You looked up at him.

"I'll live," he chuckled. A sigh left his lips not long after and you felt him rest his chin on top of your head. "Otome-san, you should live at your own pace, all right? Don't get married too soon."

"Don't worry, I won't," a bout of soft laughter left your lips. "Besides, I haven't even met my…" 

Oh. Oh, dear. 

"Your what?" came the question from the young man who held you securely in place. 

'Huh. Now that you mentioned it, I never really gave any thought about that, Panda.' Your thoughts were quick to return to one of the last real conversations you had with your friends. It helped that Fushiguro was slowly dozing off since you didn't have to reply to his query… and that he couldn't see how flushed you looked underneath him. While most of the day seemed like a daydream come true, the feel of his heart beating against your cheek was enough proof that everything was real. 'She did mention one thing. Something about how he would change the way I see things.'

A lovely silver moon hung over the two of you as you made your way back to the dormitories, the path illuminated by the moonlight and a number of lit lanterns. Fushiguro didn't even try to conceal the awfully large yawn that escaped his lips.

"Hey, thanks again for today. I had a lot of fun," you told him, your hands behind you as you walked beside the taller boy. His hands were in his pockets now as he turned to face you. 

"No problem."

"You know I only realised now that I totally forgot to tell Maki and the others about this spontaneous trip of ours, but then again, it was a day off and they probably took the chance to rest up—"

"Otome! There you are!" It was Maki. She was quick on her feet as she approached you, gripping your shoulders with a tenseness that rattled your whole being. "We heard from sensei that you went out today, but didn't you know that onii-san would be coming over as well?"

"Ha? Wait, what business did he have here? Surely it's with sensei—"

She looked absolutely irritated, but she sighed and composed herself, her grip on your shoulders slightly easing. "Listen to me closely, Otome. I didn't want to believe it at first, but you're gonna have to go home and find out for yourself. Ugh. Just the thought of it makes me sick."

"Maki, what is it? What's going on?"

"Onii-san told me… they received a proposal from the Zenin Clan. It's for your hand in marriage." 

"Gojo-sensei, please do something about it. About her."

"Don't worry, Megumi. I would have done something even if you didn't ask."

"Otome-ojou has arrived."

A clan servant in a muted yellow yukata announced your arrival to your older brother, who was quick to dismiss his attendants from the garden when he heard that you were there to see him. Despite your more casual choice of clothing now, the young men in their cream-coloured haori and hakama still presented themselves to you with a bow of courtesy before lining up on the redwood engawa and entering their designated meeting room. 

"It's nice to see you again, Otome," your brother smiled at you, hands concealed in his golden haori. A different set of Juzu beads hung on his dark hakama now, beads the colour of the clear ocean, almost reminiscent of a certain powerful sorcerer's eyes. 

"Hello, onii-chan. I believe you have some explaining to do," you started, hopping off the engawa to join him on his walk around the estate garden. "I won't be packing up to head to the Zenin estate, even if you end up having to drag me there. Maki won't allow it, either." 

Your brother paused from his tracks and gave you an incredulous look, nearly scoffing at your statement. "Do you have so little faith in your brother that you really thought I’d hand you over to that beast Zenin Naoya? He thinks he can order us around just because we’re a minor sorcery clan? Even prattling on about how he’ll wait for you to come around… I think not. I’ve seen how they treat women from their clan and there’s no way in hell I’d let that man marry you. Clan leader or not, I won't allow it."

You were embarrassed by your brother's revelation that you could only manage a small sorry in his direction. "I don't want to think that he's the promised prince obaa-chan told me about—"

He was smiling at you now, a knowing one you've seen many times now. "Obaa-san never really told you the truth about the promised prince, huh? You know she only said that so you’d settle and choose to become a good wife instead, but it looks like it had the opposite effect."

"What?" 

Golden petals rained over your figures as you stood underneath your estate's towering ginkgo tree, a piece of nature that has been there since time immemorial. The Koganei Estate was built around that tree and not the other way around. "The promised prince isn't real. I confirmed it myself. I had hoped your change of perspective was wrong as well, but Kin'iro no me doesn't lie to us."

He brought out a hand from his haori, catching a single petal which he presented to you with a smile. "Otome, listen to me. I won't hold it against you if you want to walk your own path, even if it means leaving behind the aspirations of our family for you. I promised someone… I swore I'd change things for us and that's exactly what I'm doing."

As you took the single petal from his fingers, you found yourself longing for a time that has long passed— of a time when your brother's hand much smaller as he gifted you a bunch of petals he plucked from the ground, a wider smile on your face as you accepted them, clumps of dirt falling on your rose-printed yukata, the sound of your younger siblings' laughter and your father's chortling in the background. 

"Onii-chan… I apologise."

You could tell he was observing you from the way his gaze rested on your face. With a single sigh, his hand disappeared into the sleeves of his haori once more. "There's no need for that, my sweet little sister. To think that you would actually find something worth working on while you were in Tokyo Jujutsu High. I'm quite impressed. But now, you should carefully consider every step you take. Do it for me and for everyone else who wishes for nothing but your happiness. Whatever path you take, make sure it'll be something that'll make you happy."

The smile on his face was short-lived when he remembered the offer they were presented with earlier this week. "I never liked Zenin Naoya. He always had this I'm-better-than-you devil-may-care attitude every time the heirs gathered and it irks me. I'm sure it isn't just me, too." 

"You know, Maki and I were really bothered as to why he— Naoya-san— would send us a proposal when I'm—"

"To be honest, I really don't care what Zenin's reasons were, even though they were all indicated in the proposal. He said he would wait until you were of age, also something about how our technique would be helpful to their cause. You should have seen the look on our uncles' faces when I ripped up his rirekisho because I couldn't stand the thought of having to hand you over to that clan."

"Thank you, onii-chan. You know Maki would never forgive you if you let things come to pass."

"They'd have to take you over my dead body," he said with a chuckle. "I want to apologise for one thing, though."

You turned to him curiously, but he beckoned you to walk with him back to the main house. "A small, insignificant clan like ours will take any poisoned fruit offered to them if it means winning, but you know I won't do that. With that said, I can't guarantee your safety or your friends' safety if you remain at Tokyo Jujutsu High. It's just a hunch, but the clan elders will hit you where it hurts. And they will do everything they can to upend my every move."

"Wait, what do you—"