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Shoko wasn’t much of a sentimental person, not even as a child, which had concerned her parents but not enough for them to do anything about it. She had a few friends growing up, sure, but she wasn’t extremely close to any of them, so when she was recruited to Jujutsu High and left them all behind, she wasn’t bothered. There were no going away parties, no crying, no hugs goodbye. She was just there one week and gone the next.
She texted and chatted with them online, but it didn’t take her long to realize there wasn’t much of a point. It wasn’t like she could tell them about the curses she helped exorcise or the healing Reverse Cursed Technique she’d been born with. Her parents had done their best to give her a normal childhood – her mother had enough cursed energy to be considered a sorcerer while her father, a plain old doctor, did not – but after three months in her first year, she allowed herself to drift completely from her middle school friends.
The one time she had run into some of her old friends, she’d been with Geto and Gojo. That had been annoying. She’d rather drink a jar of formaldehyde than watch and listen as girls fawned over her two idiot classmates.
That wasn’t to say Shoko didn’t have friends or that she didn’t like her classmates. She did. After a year of being stuck with them, close as could be, she’d also realized her friendship with them was very different from her friendships at her old school. They understood her more, even if they didn’t get how her technique worked, but more importantly, she didn’t have to hide parts of herself. She could be as weird and off-putting and droll as she wanted, and they didn’t blink.
But still, it wasn’t like she was warm and bubbly with them. To be a sorcerer meant to be close to death, and that was without her technique thrown into the mix. She might’ve only been seventeen, but sorcerers were still brought to her to be healed in between classes. A few grade one sorcerers could use Reverse Curse Technique, but no one was at her level.
There were times though when some people were beyond saving. Being a sorcerer wasn’t for the weak, and curses were not merciful creatures. It was best not to become too attached to those around her. Sometimes, when they walked out the door, they never came back through.
But try as she might, for some reason, Shoko couldn’t keep that restraint when it came to Utahime.
There was just something about the older girl that drew Shoko against her practical nature. She was genuine, tending to wear her heart on her sleeves, kind and thoughtful, if not a little naive, and clever, though she was easy to rile up. Utahime had been a third year when Shoko was recruited by Jujutsu High, always willing to lend a hand to her juniors and help them out. Despite their differences, they became close friends, both fiercely protective of each other.
After all, female sorcerers weren’t as common. They had to stick together.
Especially when it came to sticking it to the boys.
After another failed attempt at winning a shooting game at a carnival, Utahime sighed in defeat. “I can’t believe I wasted my money like that. I probably don’t have enough for any more rides now.”
Gojo blew a raspberry. “You can use mine. These rides are lame anyway.”
Utahime shot him a sideways glare. “I don’t need your pity.”
With her button successfully pushed, Gojo grinned around the lollipop in his mouth. “Want me to win you a stuffed animal, Hime? I’ve got great aim.”
“If you wanna waste your money, be my guest.”
Still wearing a cocky grin, Gojo handed over the money and took his shot at the game.
Three disappointing rounds later, he was glaring over the rim of his sunglasses, no winning stuffed animal in hand. “This shit is rigged.”
“Or maybe you just suck,” Geto pointed out.
Looking more satisfied by his loss than a potential win, Utahime added, “This is different from Jujutsu. You can’t be perfect at everything right off the bat.”
“You can’t win if it’s rigged to lose,” Gojo shot back.
Shoko stepped forward, pulling out the straw she’d been chewing on in place of a cigarette. “I’ll win something for you, Utahime-senpai.”
Gojo scoffed. “How do you expect to do it if I can’t?” When Shoko only shrugged in response, he pulled out more money and slammed it on the counter. “C’mon then, I’ll even front your loss so it doesn’t feel so bad.”
Picking up the fake rifle, Shoko took measure of it before lining up her sights. It took her two missed shots, but after that, she hit all her targets, eight in a row. By the time she set the toy down, Gojo and Geto were gawking while Utahime jumped and clapped her hands in delight. Even the guy running the booth looked stunned, slowly moving as he took down the stuffed animal Shoko pointed out and handed it over to Utahime.
“Wow, Shoko, that was incredible!” Utahime gushed, rubbing her cheek against the stuffed animal.
“How the hell did you do that?” Geto asked.
Shoko took Geto’s drink from him so she could slurp some of the boba. “I used to go hunting with my dad. Why do you think I know so much about anatomy? I helped him butcher what we caught.”
“I just thought you were weird,” Geto admitted.
“I don’t think you’re weird,” Utahime insisted. “I think you’re very cool.”
Shoko smiled. “Anything for my senpai.”
Behind them, she heard Gojo mutter, “I can just buy one of those things,” and had to fight the urge to laugh. Every time she saw that stuffed animal, she would think of this moment – the excitement in Utahime’s eyes, the glee of besting Gojo at something.
It felt good. Maybe being a little sentimental wasn’t so bad, at least with the right people.
*
They didn’t get breaks often these days, definitely not at the same time, so even though Suguru was exhausted from double missions the day before, he couldn’t say no when Satoru demanded they go to the mall. He didn’t even really need to buy anything, although maybe a smaller pair of jeans would be a good idea. His were fitting a little too loose around the middle these days. Shoko was busy as hell with her extra classes, but even she rallied up for the occasion and came out with them.
When Mei Mei and Utahime joined them at the mall, Suguru didn’t question it, watching Satoru and Shoko interact with them. Either one of them could’ve invited the two girls, but if he had to guess, judging by the way Satoru was fluttering around Utahime, it was probably him. Of course, he would’ve had to text Mei Mei, likely with the promise of buying her something. Mei Mei did nothing for free, not even for Satoru, whom she’d known since they were kids.
After two hours of carousing through multiple stores, they made their way to the food court in the basement. With no aftertaste of curses lingering in his mouth, Suguru was hungrier than usual. He always tried to eat more on the days he didn’t do missions. The group dispersed to separate stalls, all of them wanting something different, while Suguru and Utahime lingered in the middle. He was stuck trying to decide, stalled by his sudden appetite.
However, when he glanced down at Utahime, Suguru noticed she wasn’t even looking, scrolling blankly through a game on her phone. “You not hungry?”
“Huh?” Utahime looked up, caught off guard as if she hadn’t realized she wasn’t alone. “Oh, um, I’m not really hungry. I can eat later when I get back home.”
It was a reasonable explanation, but he also realized Utahime was the only one who hadn’t bought anything even though they’d been there for two hours. Every time she’d looked at clothing or one of the girls suggested something to her, she would smile and shake her head.
Suguru was a pretty good judge of character. Not to mention he was something of a habitual liar these days, so it was easy for him to spot when someone else was lying, especially when that someone was Utahime.
“Are you sure?” he asked.
She opened her mouth, but before she could respond, her stomach growled loud enough for him to hear. They stood there in silence, a mortified look crossing Utahime’s face. Her cheeks burned bright pink. Not for the first time, he couldn’t help but think she was rather cute when she got embarrassed, which was probably why Satoru loved picking at her so much.
“To be honest, I’m kind of strapped for money right now,” Utahime admitted. “I haven’t been given any solo missions for a while, so my pay has been…less than usual.”
Suguru cocked his head. “You’re not getting any jobs?”
“No, I am,” Utahime sighed, “just not the ones I want.”
Ah, she meant ones that would help her advance her rank. Compared to her friends, she’d been stuck at a grade two for a while, and months had passed since her last evaluation for a promotion. If she wanted to reach a higher rank, she would need to take on stronger and more important missions, but for some reason, she wasn’t being given any to prove herself.
It wasn’t…a bad thing. Utahime wasn’t a weak sorcerer, but she wasn’t, well…
He didn’t want something to happen to her. It would devastate them all.
“I’ll cover for you,” Suguru offered.
Eyes widening, Utahime frantically waved her hands in front of her. “Oh, no, I couldn’t!”
“It’s okay,” Suguru replied. “I get paid pretty well, and I take on a good amount of exorcisms.”
Even though he was a student, as a Special Grade sorcerer, he definitely got paid more than Utahime. The curses he exorcised or tamed were far stronger than ones she would ever be assigned to, but he didn’t need to say that for her to hear what he was omitting. It had to sting her a bit. He was younger than her, but he was already on a level she would never be able to reach.
Utahime fumbled, her ego probably in tatters. “It’s… I can’t…”
“Think of it as payback,” Suguru said. “I owe you one.”
Her panicking subsided, a soft look coming over her as her shoulders dropped. “No, you don’t.”
“Yes, I do.” Suguru sighed. “I especially owe you for not telling Satoru.”
Utahime furrowed her brow. “Why?”
“Because he would’ve been unbearable,” Suguru replied.
“I don’t see why. It’s nothing to be ashamed of.” Utahime let out a huff. “Everyone needs help every once in a while. This kind of life is very difficult and taxing.”
Suguru eyed her sideways. “Yeah, it is.”
That wasn’t the reason Suguru hadn’t wanted Satoru to know that Utahime had helped him a few weeks ago. He’d been feeling pretty bad, ran ragged from back-to-back missions, a little more sick than usual. Tired and annoyed, he’d allowed his focus to drift and had messed up, allowing a curse to get a swipe in on a civilian. They were saved, but that still left Suguru feeling pretty shitty.
When he returned to Jujutsu High, he found it void of his two friends but bumped into Utahime. She’d been there to drop off some reports and maybe see Shoko, only to find him instead. Normally, they would’ve just gone their separate ways, but she’d seen something in him that had stopped her cold. When she asked him if he was okay, he tried to downplay it, but Utahime, stubborn and kind as she was, wouldn’t have it. She’d made him tea, sat with him while he talked, and listened without judgment.
“If I could help…a little?” she’d asked, looking and sounding shy.
It was only after he nodded in bemusement that he realized how much of a cap she put on her cursed energy. The moment it flooded out of her and brushed over him, he’d perked up with awareness. Shoko’s Reverse Curse Technique felt good when she used it on him, but this was different. It was soothing, warm, gentle. It wasn’t strong or overwhelming, but it was just what needed to break through that dark spell.
“Let me help,” Suguru offered now. “Just a little.”
Utahime rolled her eyes but she was smiling. “Oh, fine, I am hungry.”
“You know,” Suguru drawled as they made their way to a food stall, “if you wanted that blue dress back at the last store, I bet Satoru would buy it for you in a heartbeat.”
“Oh, please,” Utahime scoffed. “I don’t need his pity or his money.”
Suguru chuckled. It wouldn’t be either of those things, but she didn’t need to know that. Fortunately, he’d do Utahime a solid by not telling Satoru about this either. That way, they were even.
*
“Mei Mei! This is too expensive! I can’t accept this gift!”
“Unfortunately, darling, I seem to have lost the receipt, so you’ll have to keep it.”
When it came to buying things for her friends, Mei Mei did not normally go out of her way, but buying gifts for Utahime was akin to an Olympic sport. She didn’t like charity or pity, which was something Mei Mei could commend, but she was as stubborn as a mule. Because she was a lower grade than all of them and came from a poor family, she had a skewed view when it came to gifts. She didn’t want to be seen as lesser than them.
She didn’t want their help, which was ironic since her cursed technique was literally about helping others.
There was something endearing about spoiling her dear kohai though. Mei Mei loved teasing her, and giving her gifts was a special tactic she’d figured out in Utahime’s second year. Watching the poor boys who gave her chocolates and flowers on White Day became something of a sport. Utahime was so polite, but it went right over her head. Any over-the-top gift was frowned upon though.
Mei Mei did nothing half-assed, so when buying a present for Utahime’s birthday, she picked one that would rival Gojo’s gift.
That was the other half of this game, after all.
“Mei Mei, it’s too much,” Utahime repeated.
“How do you know it’s not fake?” Mei Mei teased.
Utahime rolled her eyes. “Because I would be more comfortable if it was – and you don’t do that.”
“Here, let me help you put it on,” Mei Mei said. “I want to see how it looks on you.”
With an acquiescing sigh, Utahime handed the necklace to Mei Mei and swept her hair over her shoulders. It had a relatively simple golden chain, but the small ruby pendant was stunning. Utahime wasn’t one for expensive jewelry or fancy clothes – she didn’t even have her ears pierced – so it was up to Mei Mei to splurge for her when her birthday came around.
While Mei Mei hooked the necklace around Utahime’s neck, Shoko leaned in to admire it. Kusakabe was on his phone, trying to subtly look up the price tag to compare it to his gift. Suguru was gone on a mission, though he had left his present with Shoko. That left Gojo standing in the corner of the room, glowering behind his sunglasses like a kid whose candy had been stolen. It was just a moment, but she saw him shove something into his pocket.
“Wow, Mei Mei, that’s nice,” Shoko admired.
“Jewelry? Really?” Satoru scoffed. “It looks kinda gaudy on her, doesn’t it?”
Utahime shot him a look, but before she could scold him for insulting the gift, Mei Mei drawled, “And where’s your gift, Satoru?”
Gojo’s jaw flexed. “Don’t got one.”
Mei Mei pursed her lips. “You didn’t get your lovely senpai anything for her birthday?”
“Why should I do that?” Gojo gestured at them. “Clearly, she’s got enough people to buy her useless shit.”
“Well, that’s not very nice, Satoru,” Mei Mei chided.
“I’m not here to be nice.”
Amused by his growing discomfort, Mei Mei smiled. “Then what are you here for?”
Gojo opened his mouth, then snapped his shut. His eyes flickered to Utahime, who wore something of a hurt look on her face. She might have grown used to Gojo’s constant teasing, either yelling back at him or brushing it off, but this one cut a little deeper. It was much more personal than a flippant comment about her weakness. As far as she knew, he had purposely not gotten her anything because he didn’t see a point in it.
“Dude,” Shoko said. “What the hell?”
“It’s okay,” Utahime insisted. “It’s not like…we’re friends or anything. I didn’t expect a gift from him.”
Her voice was soft, almost forgiving, but Mei Mei detected a tremor that would only serve to humiliate her if anyone brought it up. Contrary to her words, she was hurt by Gojo’s words and actions. They were friends, but not in the normal sense, not in a way either of them would admit. That was just the way Jujutsu society worked. If Gojo were to ask Utahime for any help, she would jump in to do whatever she could for him. That was how she worked.
Not that Gojo would ever ask. He was too bent out of shape over his crush on her to even admit he’d gotten her a birthday present and was too embarrassed after Mei Mei had shown him up.
Her eyes flickered to his pocket, and he tensed up, his hand balling into a fist out of reflex inside it. Yes, he had definitely gotten her jewelry as well, but his gift was either not as nice or as thoughtful.
One day, he would be bold enough to make a move, but Mei Mei wasn’t going to make it easy. If Gojo wanted Utahime, he needed to earn her.