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When Satoru’s mother brought home a strange buff man and his child twelve years ago, he was confused, to say the least. He grew to despise his stepfather and a part of him felt relieved when the man disappeared from his life almost as soon as he had appeared, except the man left his son with them. He always wanted a younger brother but Megumi was too moody and aloof to fit the image of the little brother he’d had. Despite that, he found himself caring more for the young boy who was, thankfully, nothing like his father. And although he rarely showed it, Megumi was eternally grateful for his older brother.
Today, however, Satoru understood why that horrible man was brought into his life. Sure, he loved and cared for his brother but this was the first time he’d felt that fate brought them together and not circumstance. The stars aligned because Megumi brought home a beautiful young woman; Nobara’s hometown friend who was interested in city life. She was reserved but had no problem speaking her mind when need be, not to mention her body… He found himself returning to their family home as much as possible to catch glimpses of her but has yet to have the luck to speak with her.
Her voice was the sweetest melody and he had been jumping at the chance to hear her say his name. He almost jumped for joy when Megumi mentioned that he and his friends were planning on attending Tokyo Jujutsu College. But he took the opportunity to become something of a mentor for Megumi and his friends. In her eyes (and Yuuji’s), he was a reliable older brother who only wanted the best for them but Megumi (and Nobara) immediately saw through his actions.
He was very clearly pining after her and Megumi had to hold himself back from rolling his eyes when Satoru picked up a vacuum for possibly the first time in his life. “Excuse me, please watch your feet.” He says politely as he vacuums the same spot that he had been for the past minute. Nobara snorts, “I think you should go over it again, there's still dye in the carpet.” Megumi finds himself laughing at her comment and Satoru’s attempt to hold back a retort. He almost looked constipated but Nobara’s friend was barely paying him any mind.
“Oh, sorry I guess I’m just worried about my lasagna…” He trails off hoping she’d ask him about the food he painstakingly cooked for her after Megumi mentioned how much she loved bolognese sauce. She looked up at him and his heart fluttered his persistence was finally paying off . “I didn’t know you could cook?” Her voice was heavenly. He may have selective hearing but he swears he heard her profess her love for him under her breath.
She wasn’t sure why Nobara and Megumi insisted that he was not as sweet and innocent as he let off, he seemed like a nice guy. I mean, she didn’t know him that well but she could tell how much he cared about his brother. His voice breaks her from his thoughts “Well, I just wanted to take the load off of my mother. I hope you like Italian food.” She nods as he speaks and wonders how she should tell him that she doesn’t eat meat.
This was probably her least favorite conversation to have with people. He had gone out of his way to cook for everyone and she didn’t want to be the one to ruin it. Maybe she could convince him that she temporarily contracted celiac disease. Megumi chimes in, “She’s a vegetarian, big brother. ” His voice was sweet but his words cut like a knife. Satoru regrets embracing this traitorous scoundrel, he contemplates creating a new technique to rid the world of him.
Before he can respond she speaks up, “I really appreciate you cooking food and it’s not like you had any way to know.” She was an angel, unaware of the evil man sitting next to her. He wants to warn her of his treachery, if he would turn on his brother there’s no telling what he’d do to her. “Didn’t you also make sandwiches?” Satoru is teetering on the edge of annoyance and anger when Nobara speaks up. “I think I saw them in the fridge earlier…” Oh, he understands what they’re hinting at.
Gojo knew his lovely younger brother would never do anything to betray his trust. Megumi played this mean trick but knew not to push him too far. He chuckles and smirks up at her. “I always prepare several options for guests, don’t worry.” His cockiness was on full display and Nobara could not help the grimace that made its way to her face. Yuuji was definitely not following the conversation anymore, what the hell was he talking about right now? “I don’t think you’ve ev-” Satoru covers his mouth while chuckling nervously.
“I think I smell something burning, could you check the oven?” Yuuji was the last person he expected to catch on to his feelings, he had to cool it down before she noticed how embarrassing he was being. Yuuji wordlessly walks to the kitchen to check on the lasagna. He turned to her hoping she wasn’t paying attention to their conversation and she was not, even a little.
A pang grew in his chest, he almost wished she was because of how uninterested she was in him and his conversations. Nobara took some pity on him and stood up looking over at her friends but before she could say anything Yuuji’s voice came from the kitchen. “Gojo, I think it may be done.” He turns around annoyed now. Yuuji was a very sweet boy but Satoru wanted to strangle him.
He makes his way to the kitchen just as Yuuji is returning back to the living room. The oven was left open and the lasagna did look done just as he said. “Do you need help?” That sweet, angelic voice was right behind him. Her voice was crafted from the marigolds of heaven. He turns to face her and has to adjust his neck downwards in order to make eye contact. His words are caught in his throat.
They’ve never been alone together so this could be his chance. “Actually yes, could you grab a couple of trivets from the pantry?” He asks tilting his head at her. She makes her way to the pantry and looks around for a minute before sheepishly calling out “What’s a trivet?” Gojo couldn’t contain the laugh he let out. He was laughing hard enough for drool to fall out of his mouth.
She peeks her head out of the pantry, her face tinted a lovely pink. It wasn’t her fault that she had never heard that word before. She had a habit of responding without fully registering what the other person said. When she walked into the pantry she hoped she would see whatever a trivet was and make the connection. Her face only made him laugh even harder, “Why… why would you-” He couldn’t form full sentences, too busy laughing at her. “Quit laughing or I’ll go back,” she says angrily.
Truthfully, she was more embarrassed than angry. He wipes the tears from his eyes and looks down at her. She was adorable when she was grumpy like this but he can’t push his luck any more than he already has. “Okay, okay. I’m sorry, it’s the thing that protects your countertop from heat.” She sighs and turns away from him, her face is even more red because she knew what they were but had never heard the name.
“Oh,” she says shyly making her way back to the pantry to grab two to place on the countertop. He smiles at her, “Thank you.” They stand in a comfortable silence as she admires the lasagna he made. She wasn’t sure how to speak with him. He made her nervous, he was her somewhat friend’s older brother. “Uh, do you cook often? This looks incredible.” He wonders whether he should tell her the truth or not.
Gesturing down at the lasagna, he says “Sometimes, but I’ve never made something like this.” She nods in acknowledgment with a tight-lipped smile looking around the kitchen. She hates how awkward she gets around new people. “Well, it looks great.” Nobara lets out a huff as she walks in, “God you guys are so boring.” She was hoping to catch a glimpse of his attempt to win her over but her friend is clearly too much of a goody two shoes.
She continued to compliment his cooking the rest of the night despite not having even a bite of it, which he didn’t blame her for but it made the compliments feel that much more patronizing. Tonight was a bit of a wake-up call for him, he had been in this lovelorn daze and hadn’t realized that she might not even like him back. As cocky as he’d like to be, the potential terrified him. There was a chance, albeit statistically insignificant, that she might not like him. The next time Megumi informed him that she’d come over he would have to distract himself.
Distract himself he shall, he miraculously found something to do whenever she was over. Whether it be grocery shopping or a surprise mission, he occupied himself so that he would not have to face her. She noticed his presence was no longer looming over them and she sort of missed it. The way he would pretend to clean just to steal glances, he was such a sweet, doting older brother. Megumi told her that he was in high demand and at the behest of Principal Yaga and other elders.
Today was no different, Gojo was nowhere to be seen but neither were Megumi, Yuuji, or Nobara. Imagine her surprise when a man and woman in the Tokyo Jujutsu College uniform opened the door and welcomed her in. She did a couple double double-takes to make sure that she was at the correct address. “Hello there,” she waved sheepishly at the pair. The woman nods at her, a cigarette in her mouth, “Do you mind if I light this?” She would’ve replied no if the woman hadn’t already lit the cigarette so she nods meekly.
“Nanami Kento, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” The tall man offers a hand to her, his handshake is firm and his hands are rough. She isn’t sure how to ask them who they are and where Megumi is. As if the woman read her mind, “Megumi and his friends were called to a mission with Satoru.” She glances her over before adding, “I’m assuming you’re his friend given your age.”
She nods immediately. “Oh, I didn’t know. I’ll um, I’ll take my leave then.” Gojo’s friends didn’t seem rude but they were nowhere near as extroverted as he was. She wondered if they had a signal and if she could text them that she’d be heading home for the day. “No, no. We heard you live out in the countryside, it’d be a shame if you wasted all that time coming here and going back.” He was right, it would be better to stay here and wait for them to come back.
How did he know that? Her eyes went wide but she was more confused than scared, there was no reason for him to know that. The woman lets out a loud cackle, doubling over in laughter at the situation which only confused her more. She looked over to Nanami hoping he could explain what was going on. “Satoru is gonna kill you,” she said in a sing-song voice. He clears his throat, “Be quiet Shoko! Satoru was just so excited to tell us about his brother’s new friend.” Gesturing at her as he speaks.
Shoko snorts. “Yeah, he was really excited about Megumi’s new friend. ” She sighed knowing this was probably an inside joke that she wouldn’t be let in on anytime soon. Gojo was such a caring older brother to remember all of the friends he made. She turns to the woman- Shoko. “I heard he’s an incredible sorcerer; um Gojo.” Hoping to strike up a conversation and rid the air of the awkwardness that was possibly only felt on her end.
“He’s probably the strongest sorcerer the world will ever see. I’m not being hyperbolic.” Nanami spoke bluntly but his voice was gentle. He reminded her of a father, stern but kindhearted. That piqued her interest, she knew he was strong but not that strong. “Should I be bowing whenever I see him?” She wondered aloud.
That only made Shoko’s laughing fit start up once again. “You’re… you’re so… funny,” she said between giggles. A blush makes its way to her face, she was being serious but if that’s what broke the tension then so be it. The room is filled with a comfortable silence before she speaks again. “You probably know this but I’ll be attending your college in the fall. Do you have any, um any advice for me?”
Their faces are more serious now and the tension in the room is thick. “Sorcery is not for the weak, you have an incredible power whether you want it or not. Prepare to live every day as if it’s your last.” Nanami’s words were harsh but true, sorcerers live unfulfilling lives as human beings. Their losses far outweigh their gains but this was the only way for her to truly live life for herself. Gojo turned the door handle and felt the tension in the room before entering, he chose to remain unnoticed for the time being.
“Back in high school, we had another friend, a sorcerer, who… went awol.” Shoko begins, the sharp inhale from Nanami indicates that this story will be heavy. Gojo debates whether he should stop Shoko from speaking or allow her to continue but decides to stay hidden. “He, we cared so much for him but once he decided to take a stand against us, jujutsu sorcerers… Our friendship had to be put on the back burner.” She takes a long drag from her cigarette letting the nicotine calm her nerves. Cigarettes were her pacifier, they took her mind off of the miserable life she was living.
Shoko continues with another drag. “He became an enemy of all jujutsu sorcerers. And he didn’t give up until he was finally exorcised by a sorcerer.” It wasn’t her place to tell his story so she decided to water it down as much as she could while still conveying her message. “That sounds awful but wasn’t his death necessary? I mean he was a traitor and liability.” Satoru lets out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. She could not be serious right now.
What did she know about Suguru or his circumstances to speak of him like that? He felt the butterflies in his stomach morph into moths. She knew nothing yet she spoke so surely, she was ignorant and undeserving of his feelings. Before he could allow the anger to stew any longer, Megumi and his friends opened the front door. As soon as they saw his expression, they knew not to speak to him.
They made their way to the living room, an uncomfortable air following them. She waves to them, ignorant of the landmine she had stepped on. “How was your mission?” Without skipping a beat, Satoru seethes. “As a non-sorcerer, you should know better than to ask about something that doesn’t involve you.” His words seemed like an overreaction to everyone in the room but they were exactly what he felt from the second she chimed in on their conversation.