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"This place is called the Spirit Summit. Wandering curses all eventually come to this mountain. Cursed Spirits that have no place to go will gather here and get stronger. That's why Jujutsu Tech personnel, such as myself, often come here to do a quick cleanup. And this time, you four will carry out the cleanup mission."
Those were the instructions Gojo gave the students. Luckily Panda, being the big-hearted softie he is, had already packed ahead of time and was more than happy to carry everyone's supplies. Portable food portions, tents, sleeping bags... He even added a compact grill. He was a huge lifesaver for the other three students, resulting in a big group hug once they finished unpacking.
What followed was a simple routine that lasted a few days. During the day, the students would explore the summit and exorcise any cursed spirits they came across. It was tough, but it was worth it for the cozy campfire nights after a hard day of fighting. Yuta found himself more relaxed with each passing night. He didn't even know food could taste this good when cooked over a pinecone-fueled grill.
Two days had passed since the group started. And after another tiresome day of fighting curses, they gathered more campfire supplies before nightfall. Everything was set up within a few hours and another peaceful night had begun. Toge, as usual, handled the cooking. Tonight's dish was seafood curry, which he claimed was a family delicacy. And much like the previous nights, the group talked about their progresses as they ate.
"So then I switched to my older sister's core to withstand that orangutan cursed spirit's finishing blow," Panda concluded. "It might've taken a bit out of me, though it's nothing a little rest can't fix."
"You think you can show me what you look like when you use that core?" Yuta asked.
"I dunno," Panda replied with a shrug. "She's kinda bashful, so she doesn't like it when other people stare at her. It might be best to wait until she's okay with public appearances."
Yuta could only nod in understanding, not wanting to do anything that could cause problems for the cursed corpse. But then he felt a little shiver and he discreetly rubbed his arms. With the sun barely visible, the warm air disappeared and only coldness was left. At least the campfire was able to provide a bit of heat, but it still wasn't enough.
Then he felt a hand grab his shoulder.
With one quick movement, Yuta realized Maki was still sitting next to him and she moved him closer to her. Being so close made him blush, suddenly noticing how warm she felt.
"Quit shivering, beansprout," Maki ordered. "It's not that cold."
Beansprout... Was that some kind of nickname? He never received one in his life, not even from Rika. It felt kind of nice getting one for the first time, especially from Maki. There was also the added perk of snuggling right next to her. Between the new nickname and close proximity, he sighed and closed his eyes.
Too bad a couple of snickering witnesses ruined the mood.
Yuta's eyes opened in alarm to see Panda and Toge looking a little too happy. He was about to ask why they were laughing, but Maki beat him to it.
"What's with the giggling?" the bespectacled delinquent asked in a threatening tone. "You're ruining the mood."
"Don't mind us," Panda cheekily replied. "You lovebirds go have fun."
"Spicy cod roe!" Toge agreed with a thumbs up.
Yuta looked embarrassed, but to his surprised, Maki cuddled closer to him. That only made things even more uncomfortable since he wasn't sure which was worse. Panda and Toge as amused onlookers, or being so close to a girl he admired. It took a while for him to properly close his eyes and relax. This was not the time to get embarrassed over a silly little crush he had. They were in the mountains for school-related things, so now was the time to relax for tomorrow's cursed spirit encounters.
So with a belly full of seafood curry and a strong girl cuddling next to him, Yuta was able to get some much-needed rest once again.