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The sound of cicadas filled the humid late summer air. Their endless clicking enough to drive even a cursed spirit crazy. The dull whirring of the fan couldn’t compete against them. If only the fan could at least stir up enough air to compete against the heat which had settled into the classroom.
Yuji sighed, his eyes closed as he leaned back in his chair.
“Why is it so hot?” he whined, wishing there was some way to instantly cool down. His jujutsu high uniform felt far too hot, the hoodie clinging to his neck from the sweat. “Gross” Yuji muttered, shivering at the feeling of sweat trickling down his neck.
Just then, he heard the classroom door slide open.
Immediately, he sat up, a smile lighting up his face when he saw Megumi and Nobara standing in the door.
“Oy,” Megumi said, shooting Yuji his typical disapproving look, “what are you still doing here?”
Before Yuji could answer, Nobara was tsk’ing and shaking her head. “Isn’t it obvious?” she asked as she tilted her head to look at Yuji, “he’s here because he has no girlfriend to hang out with on a Friday.”
Yuji opened his mouth to protest, but it was no use. Nobara laughed and gave Yuji an uncharacteristically soft smile.
“It’s okay Yuji…” she said softly, “you have time.”
Yuji watched as she rubbed her right eye, and he felt a strange pain in his heart when her noticed her wince.
“Well, I’m off!” Nobara exclaimed, spinning on her heel and throwing a wave over her shoulder “there’s a sale on designer products going on in town and there is no way in hell I’m missing it!”
Yuji watched her go, and suddenly it was just him and Megumi in the room. With a soft sigh, Megumi stepped inside and shut the door behind him.
“That was weird” Yuji commented, glancing over at Megumi as his friend plopped down in the seat next to him.
“Was it?” Megumi asked, crossing his arms and staring up at the ceiling “You know Nobara can’t be made to stay.”
Again, there was a jolt of something in his chest at those words. Strange, but had Megumi always looked so pale and tired? There was an unusual shadow crossing his face, almost as if someone had penciled in markings.
“Yuji…” Megumi said softly, tilting his head to look at him “will you be okay?”
“Will I be okay?” Yuji asked in confusion. The cicadas seemed to be getting louder, drowning out his thoughts.
Megumi gave him a surprisingly sad smile. Almost imperceptibly, he leaned forward, his eyes now meeting Yuji’s.
“It’s okay, Yuji” he continued, ignoring Yuji’s obvious confusion “It’s not your fault. You know that, right?”
Yuji opened his mouth to speak, but his throat felt tight. He was suddenly reminded of Junpei…of that feeling of being unable to do anything.
“I wish I was strong Yuji, but I’m not” Megumi said, wistfulness and regret lacing his words “I thought I was, but I’m really just a coward. I couldn’t be there for Tsumiki or Gojo…I can’t even be there for you.”
“S-stop,” Yuji whispered hoarsely, his chest tightening painfully “Megumi…please…”
Megumi looked at him. Really looked at him. Yuji wanted to scream.
“Yuji, be strong for me…yeah?”
Yuji reached out, desperately trying to grab onto Megumi, but his hands reached for nothing.
The classroom seemed to melt away…and Megumi seemed impossibly far.
“Don’t leave me alone” Yuji whispered into the encroaching darkness, his eyes unable to leave Megumi’s figure as it began to fade into the shadows.
All at once his mind filled with memories. Starting from his first encounter with Megumi at his highschool. Yuji’s mind replayed every memory in excruciating detail. He saw their battles with cursed spirits. He saw Megumi’s expression as he ‘died’ in front of him following the fight with Sukuna. He saw the shocked expressions of his friends when he revealed himself as alive before the joint highschool event. He saw every devastating memory of Shibuya…of losing Nobara, Nanami…the others.
Finally, he saw the moment in which his body betrayed him—Sukuna forcefully switching vessels and taking Megumi hostage.
“I could’ve stopped him…it’s all my fault” Yuji whispered, hot tears burning behind his eyes as his hand gripped the fabric of his uniform…right where his heart was.
“I’m sorry Yuji.”
Megumi’s voice seemed to echo in his ears.
“I’m sorry that you now have to feel the pain I once felt when I thought I lost you. Please don’t be angry with me…and please don’t blame yourself. Live for me…that’s all I could wish for.”
Yuji didn’t know if these words were real or if they were all in his head.
But it didn’t matter.
Because they were Megumi’s.
Yuji would not die with regret. He couldn’t save his friends…but was it so wrong to wish he could give their deaths meaning?
Deep down, Yuji knew he could not listen to Megumi. He would always blame himself. Forgiveness would be unattainable.
But his penance would be tearing apart those who had dared to hurt them.
Maybe he wasn’t the strongest…but the throbbing pain of loss fueled a burning desire to make it right.
No matter the costs.
“Wait for me, Megumi” Yuji said, “when we meet again…let’s live without regret.”
Yuji, Megumi, and Nobara were all just kids, having to fight in a world adults could barely handle.
Somewhere, in some far off dream, they didn’t have to grow up so quickly. They could live as any other normal teenager. They could be just kids.
Just as they should be.