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The airplane’s engines hummed as Yuta leaned against the window, his breath fogging up the glass slightly. Outside, the night sky stretched endlessly, an ocean of stars, unbroken by clouds.
“It’s beautiful”, Yuta thought to himself.
His fingers tapped idly against the armrest, restless. Africa had been an experience, with new places, new missions, and a chance to grow stronger. But now, as his plane carried him back to Tokyo, his thoughts drifted to one person.
“Maki-san”
He wondered if she was looking up at the same sky right now. Was she training? Resting? On patrol? Maybe she was sitting outside the dormitory, her glasses perched crooked on her nose as she chewed a snack. The thought made him smile.
“I hope she’s doing okay”
The last time he’d seen her, she’d been as sharp as ever, blunt, strong and effortlessly cool. He admired that about her. In fact, it was more than admiration.
“I miss her”
Yuta exhaled, pressing his forehead against the cool window. The stars blurred slightly in his vision.
“Soon, I’ll see her.”
And this time, maybe he’d find the courage to say what he really felt. He was nervous about her, about the things that Gojo-sensei had said. Curses had a big plan for Halloween, but because Gojo-sensei knew, it wouldn’t happen anymore, but something bad could happen on any other day. Yuta sighed, wishing he would land now.
Meanwhile, inside Tokyo Jujutsu High, Maki was sitting on the rooftop of her dorm building, legs dangling over the edge. She tilted her head back, staring up at the stars.
“Looks nice, I guess”
She popped a potato chip in her mouth, crunching loudly as she processed the day's events. The staff at the Tokyo school had forbidden any students from leaving the grounds while they investigated the recently discovered plot by the “disaster curses”. Mechamaru, now Kokichi, had managed to escape from Patchface and a curse user he swore was Suguru Geto, even though Yuta had killed Geto nearly a year ago, right? Maki sighed upon recollecting those memories.
“Yuta”, she thought.
Her fingers tapped against the rooftop’s edge, contemplating.
“I wish I could go pick him up.”
Maki smirked to herself, a plan formulating. She had no cursed energy; all she needed to do was convince someone who was allowed to leave the school site to take them to the airport with her, and then she could go and pick up Yuta. Her signature wouldn’t be noticed as she left the barrier. Maki stood up, grabbed her things and headed off the roof. She had just the perfect target- Ijichi.
Maki quickly reached where she assumed Ijichi would be, holed up in one of the administrative offices of Jujutsu High, probably buried in paperwork. Maki stormed inside, making Ijichi jump.
“M-Maki!? What are you d-” he scrambled.
Maki quickly cut him off and crossed her arms. “We’re going to the airport.”
Ijichi tried to argue and debate, but Maki stared into his eyes.
“Car keys, now.”
“At least let me drive, you don’t have a license”, he said, taking his keys out.
“Fine, but if you go under the speed limit, I’ll throw you out of the car,” Maki responded, already leaving the room, Ijichi scrambling after her.
Meanwhile, back on the plane, Yuta continued to stare out of the window at the stars, his brain running at a million miles an hour.
“I wonder if Maki’s looking at the same sky right now.”
The thought made his chest tighten again. He hadn’t seen her in months. Had she changed? Did she miss him even half as much as he missed her? He exhaled, rubbing his face.
“This is a bad idea”, Ijichi hissed as he and Maki walked through the arrivals lounge “What if Gojo is already…”
Maki ignored him, weaving through the lounge and ignoring all the noise. Then she froze. Leaning casually against a pillar, white hair unmistakable, Satoru Gojo waved at her with a grin.
“Yo, Maki”
Ijichi made a strangled noise behind her.
“We’re dead,” he squeaked.
“Hey, Gojo-sensei”, Maki said nonchalantly “, Ijichi drove me.”
Satoru’s grin widened as he glanced at the sweating assistant.
“Oh, under duress, I assume?” Gojo asked with a chuckle.
Ijichi opened his mouth.
“Yes”, Maki cut in, “Now move, Yuta’s plane already landed, didn’t it?”
Satoru laughed, stepped aside with an exaggerated bow. Maki didn’t wait for permission; she moved past Satoru, eyes scanning the crowd until she spotted him. Yuta stood at the edge of the arrivals gate, duffel bag slung over his shoulder, looking slightly dazed from the long flight. His eyes widened when he spotted her.
“Maki?!” he questioned, big smile on his face.
She didn’t let him finish. In a handful of quick, long strides, she closed the distance, yanking Yuta into a crushing hug. Yuta staggered, arms quickly coming to hug her back.
“About time you got back”, Maki muttered.
“Miss me?” Yuta asked.
Maki didn’t answer; the way her hug tightened said enough.
Satoru wiped an imaginary tear from his eye, clutching his chest dramatically as he and Ijichi watched from a distance.
“Ahhhh, youth! So passionate!” he exclaimed.
“Please don’t make me file the incident reports for the next year”, Ijichi mumbled worriedly.
Satoru flung one arm over Ijichi’s shoulder and laughed.
“Too late! Consider your punishment already decided!” Satoru giggled.
Meanwhile, Yuta and Maki finally pulled apart, though Yuta kept one hand lingering on her arm, because it made him feel more comfortable.
“You came all the way here just to pick me up?” Yuta asked with a soft smile.
Maki noticed his change in demeanour. Something had happened in Africa. He already seemed more confident, and he had a new haircut; did he also get taller?
“Don’t get cocky, I just wanted to make sure you didn’t get lost on your way back”, Maki replied.
“Liar”, he said with a grin that was brighter than the stars in the sky.
Maki rolled her eyes and laughed. Yuta laughed alongside her as the pair walked together, finally reunited.