Chapter Text
The sky is a deep black as rain patters onto the ground, rhythmically hitting the pathway you walk on. The moon is not visible, being covered by the dark precipitating clouds. November is supposed to be the dry season, but tonight you seem to be swept up in a rainstorm.
Hanging lamps are lined along the way, their soft glow guiding you as you roll your black suitcase across the ground. You lift an umbrella over your head, masking your face in shadow as you continue down the path.
You reach what appears to be a dark curtain that blocks you from seeing what is ahead. It seems to stretch endlessly, blending into the night sky. Lightly placing your hand on it, you feel your fingers slip through. You pull your suitcase with you as you cross the barrier, entering the campus of Tokyo Jujutsu High.
Continuing on the path, you spot patches of light peeking through various closed curtains. It comes from a building, whose tiled roof pours the rain onto the ground in continuous streams. You pause, seeing slight shadows of people in each room, not being able to make out what they are doing. Near the door of the building reads, “Student Dormitory.”
But you continue walking, passing the building quietly and following the lamps until you reach the forest. No more lamps light the way here, the trees morphing into intimidating shadows. You hesitate.
But this is where he told you to go.
You push yourself to continue, turning on your phone’s flashlight and stepping into the forest. After following a narrow trail, you reach a clearing. The trees separate here, revealing a small house. The house blends in with its surroundings, its wood exterior matching the trees around it. It is built in a traditional Japanese style of housing, with the same tiled roof as the student dormitory you saw earlier. A bright lamp is nailed on the house’s facade, slightly blocked off by the silhouette of a person.
A tall man stands before the door of the house. He does not hold an umbrella, but he does not seem bothered by it as raindrops fail to reach him, suspending a few inches in the air above him. Even in the dark, you can make out his unmistakable white hair.
“Hello there!” He says, waving at you with his cell phone flash on. You notice he is wearing his blindfold, which makes you wonder how he can even see.
You walk up to him, “Hi, Gojo-sensei.”
“Whew, I’m glad you found this place.” Gojo-sensei looks over at the small house. Although it was a bit of work, he managed to put together this place for you to stay at during your enrollment at Jujutsu High School. This arrangement would ensure that both you and the other students would be safe.
“Thank you. For everything.” You smile at your teacher.
“Heh, it’s nothing!” He nonchalantly waves you off.
Gojo met with the higher-ups a month ago to discuss the matter of having you on campus. The overbearing nature of the elders still deeply frustrated him.
The council is just a bunch of old fools trying to grasp onto the modern Jujutsu world and bend it to their will, despite their little understanding of it. So why do they still hold so much power?
“We have waited for this for a long time.” A man says, his aged face hidden behind a lit curtain panel.
Gojo stands in the middle of a circle of the panels, his hands in his pockets. He tries to seem nonchalant, leaning a little in his stance.
“A perfect weapon who can stand against Sukuna.” Another voice proclaims from the other side of the circle.
Something snaps, causing Gojo to take his hand out of his pockets, curling them into fists at his side.
“You can’t use an innocent teenager as a weapon!” He shouts, his statement echoing in the enclosed space.
“Then what do you suggest to do otherwise? Yuji has already swallowed ten of Sukuna’s fingers.” An elder points out.
It has only been a few months since Yuji enrolled at Tokyo Jujutsu High, and they have managed to make steady progress collecting Sukuna’s fingers. After saving Junpei and managing to exorcise Mahito, Yuji found that Mahito bore six of Sukuna’s fingers, which Yuji then consumed in steady increments.
“Time is running out, Satoru Gojo.”
The rain patters at his feet, and Gojo looks back over at you.
“Just get comfortable in there, ok? I’ll come back tomorrow morning to check in on you.” He gives you a charismatic smile.
You nod, and watch as he walks back on the path, disappearing into the shadows of the trees.
A pair of lips form on your left cheek. They are painted a pale pink, like cherry blossoms in the spring, matching the shape of her small lips.
She says pointedly, “He's nice, but something about that smile aggravates me.”
You look over your cheek, laughing, "You know, I can't help but feel the same way, Hitoko."
You feel a type of energy flow through your body, a giddiness that makes you want to jump up and down. You kept your cool earlier in front of Gojo-sensei, but you might just start a dance party once you get in the house.
This is going to be one hell of a school year.