Chapter Text
6:00 A.M. had never looked more peaceful. The sky remained a deep, lingering blue, but it was beginning its slow transition into a hopeful palette of yellowish-orange to announce the arrival of a brand-new day. For the three young men currently walking through the silent streets of Sendai, it was more than just a sunrise; it was a fresh beginning.
The cool morning air offered a pleasant welcome to the brothers. The streets were not yet disturbed by the morning rush, and their three distinct sets of footsteps echoed rhythmically against the pavement. The choice to leave had been made abruptly just two weeks ago, and they hadn't arrived at a plan beyond one singular, driving force: Leave. This. Place. Now.
They would be lying if they said they wouldn’t miss Sendai. They had lived here for almost their entire lives, knowing every crook and corner of their neighbourhood. However, none of the Itadori brothers were in the mood to reminisce about past memories while a sadistic monster, their uncle, Kenny — remained at their childhood home. He was likely still blissfully asleep, unaware that his three nephews had finally vacated their shared room for good.
Itadori Yuji seemed to be the happiest man on Earth as they speed-walked through the district, passing rows of silent houses that were only just beginning to rouse from their slumber. An early-shift worker crossed their path on a bicycle, the whir of the wheels the only other sound in the air.
“Aniki,” Sukuna muttered, adjusting the heavy strap of the bag over his shoulder. He looked over at his eldest brother, who was steadily dragging a large suitcase. Choso turned toward him at the call, looking as though he had been shaken from a deep, immersive thought.
“What is it, Sukuna?”
“The train to Tokyo arrives at 7:30. Yuji is being a deadweight. I won’t hesitate to leave him behind with that asshole,” Sukuna said with a tiny, sharp smirk. At seventeen, he was almost identical to Yuji, sharing the same shade of spiked pink hair, though his reddish-brown eyes were narrower and his features significantly sharper.
Choso, the eldest at nineteen, let out a tired sigh at the oncoming banter.
“Sukuna!” Yuji protested, picking up his pace to fall into step with them. His bright yellow hoodie was pulled over his head, snugly covering his ears and revealing only a soft tuft of pink hair. He narrowed his big brown eyes in a mock glare. “You’re being unfair! I’m carrying the most luggage out of all three of us!”
“You’re a growing guy,” Sukuna retorted, shifting his own bag, which was full of his personal books and looked deceptively small compared to Yuji’s, higher on his shoulder, “If you can’t carry that much, you should be worried about your health.”
“Sukuna,” Choso huffed. A small puff of condensation appeared momentarily from his breath and vanished into the chill. He turned to his brothers, who were still scowling at each other. “We don't have time for this. Let’s not start arguing among ourselves before we even reach Tokyo.”
Sukuna and Yuji retreated from each other’s personal space, falling back into a tense but quiet rhythm. They continued in silence until the sprawling structure of the railway station finally came into view.
The chirping of birds drew Sukuna’s gaze upward. The sky was much brighter now than when they had left the house, and he wondered briefly if his uncle had woken up yet to find the house empty. As they reached the city centre, the streets grew busier. The entrance to Sendai Station loomed ahead, a gateway to their new life. People began to swarm around them, entering and exiting the building in a blur of morning activity.
Dozens of restaurants were visible as they neared the entrance. They hadn't packed a breakfast, and the early hour hadn't stopped a certain someone’s appetite from kicking in.
Yuji’s stomach let out a loud, traitorous growl. He turned toward his brothers, clutching his midsection dramatically. “I want to eat something!”
Sukuna clicked his tongue, unimpressed by the terrible acting. “Wait, idiot. You aren’t going to die.”
Choso hummed, bringing them to a halt near a cluster of open shops. He checked the old watch his grandfather, Wasuke, had gifted him years ago. It was 6:40.
“Let’s eat. Yuji must be tired.”
Yuji let out a small, happy whoop. Sukuna merely rolled his eyes at the childish display, though he didn't protest.
After finishing a quick, simple breakfast, they stepped back out with a new bounce in their step. They felt rejuvenated, less anxious and more expectant of the future they were about to step into. Since Choso had bought the tickets to Tokyo a week prior, they simply had to wait for their platform announcement. It had been a pricey purchase, but a necessary one.
The three sat on a bench, bags resting on their laps and on the ground, staring straight ahead. For the first time, the gravity of their situation seemed to settle over them.
“Aniki,” Yuji spoke up, his eyes fixed on the void as travellers rushed past. “I can’t believe we’re actually doing this.”
Sukuna hid his feelings well, refusing to look at either of them. Instead, he chose to observe a young child chatting merrily with her parents nearby. “Neither can I.”
Choso stared down at his hands, his suitcase parked securely at the side of the bench. “It’s for the best.”
Sukuna nodded silently, while Yuji turned to look at both of them, serious, “I need to find a job”
“What the hell are you talking about?” Sukuna looked at him incredulously. Choso simply smiled at the sincerity in the youngest's voice.
Sukuna snapped at him, “Fifteen-year-olds don't get jobs! All you have to do is study!”
“But”, Yuji protested. “We don’t have any money!”
Choso reached out, a gentle curve of a smile appearing as he looked at his youngest brother. “The money we have is sufficient to cover our education and living expenses for at least five years.” He proceeded to ruffle Yuji’s hair fondly. “Your drive to help is enough for now.”
Sukuna observed the interaction from the corner of his eye before sighing and looking back at the tracks. If he were being honest with himself, he still harboured doubts about the idea of leaving their hometown for good. Of course, he thought about returning once the old psycho finally kicked the bucket, but the uncertainty remained. None of them had ever been to Tokyo; Yuji had always talked about visiting, but Sukuna hadn't given it much thought. As long as he could do what he wanted, he didn't care where they were. Yet, that didn't mean it wasn't hard to leave the home he had once loved.
“Even though I’m nervous, I really have a good feeling about this,” Yuji said, smiling brightly at his brothers.
Choso chuckled as he agreed. “I feel the same way.”
Yuji turned toward Sukuna, who was still ignoring them, and poked him in the cheek. “What do you think, Sukuna-aniki?”
Sukuna clicked his tongue. “As long as your ass is around, I will remain deeply annoyed.”
Yuji looked at his brother, unimpressed. Well, he hadn't expected much else.
The announcement of their train’s arrival echoed through the speakers. On the platform, passengers stood up and gathered their belongings. The Itadori brothers sprang to their feet. They tried to hide their nerves, but Yuji was the type to wear his heart on his sleeve; there was a visible bounce in his step and a shine in his brown eyes that his brothers spotted immediately.
Choso felt a surge of happiness. His little brother wouldn't have to be on guard anymore. He wouldn't have to hide his joy from anyone. Sukuna, for the first time since they had stepped into the station, allowed a small smile to tug at his lips.
The decision to leave Sendai wasn't just about Choso’s college or Sukuna’s peace of mind. More than anything, it was about preserving Yuji’s happiness. It didn't matter what financial hurdles they faced, as long as their brother could remain the ball of sunshine that he is.
The train slid into the platform with a hiss of brakes. Their ride to the next chapter had arrived.
“This is it,” Sukuna said, much to Yuji’s surprise and Choso’s knowing smile.
Yuji’s surprise morphed into a grin,
“Let’s go!”
After nearly two and a half hours of travel, the brothers arrived at Tokyo Station, navigating the labyrinthine corridors to switch to a local line to reach their home about forty kilometres away from the centre of the city. Choso explained that since they would be commuting to Nakano for school, it would be best to buy student passes. Choso was set to attend the Tokyo University in Bunkyo through merit and scholarship, while the other two would start at the local high school. Sukuna complained about attending the same school as Yuji, but he didn't push the issue.
Yuji muttered something about "empty vessels making the most noise," and Sukuna had to restrain himself from smacking Yuji right there in public.
Forty minutes later, they were standing inside a small apartment.
“This is it. Any questions?” asked the grumpy, 50 something landlord.
The brothers stood in the centre of the unit. it was cramped, and it definitely reeked of something spoiled. Or worse, dead.
“Yeah, I have multiple questions,” Sukuna said, turning toward the guy. His eyes were narrowed, a snarl curling his lip. He took a threatening step forward. “First of all, what the fuck is this place?”
“Sukuna,” Choso warned, pulling him back by the shoulder. Yuji simply sighed, disappointed but not surprised.
Choso turned back to the affronted owner. “Please excuse him. We’re fine with the place. Could you give us a moment? I’ll meet you in a few minutes to finalize everything.”
“This is the best I can give you for that price!” the owner defended, crossing his arms. “You won't find a better deal than this!”
Sukuna looked at him incredulously, “This place stinks like someone was murdered in here!”
“Sukuna! Just be quiet for once, will you?” Choso reprimanded, physically pushing his brother back into the small kitchenette area. The owner grunted and left, leaving the three of them alone.
“Sukuna,” Choso said, looking at him disapprovingly. “We need to save as much money as possible, and this is what we can afford right now. It’s enough for us. Trust me.”
Sukuna surveyed the room, throwing his arms in the air, “I feel like it’s a scam! We could have lowered the rent more!”
Choso rubbed the back of his neck tiredly. “I get it, but this was the lowest I could get him to go.”
He walked toward the small balcony adjacent to the kitchenette, opposite to the living room. The narrow hallway between the living room and the dining area comprised of the kitchenette and the balcony led to the bedroom and the common bathroom.
Choso looked out, and Yuji soon joined him to catch a glimpse of the view. The balcony faced a park. The children's gleeful shouts could be heard.
“I like that we’re on the fourth floor,” Yuji remarked, taking a deep breath of the Tokyo air. It ruffled his hair as he turned to Choso. “There's more air circulation, and it brightens up the whole place.”
Choso asked hesitantly, “Do you actually like it?”
Yuji hummed in thought before smiling. “It’s small, but I’m not complaining! It’s our first home, after all!”
Sukuna was still annoyed. The dining area was cramped, the "bedroom" was tiny, and the living room was little more than a square of floor space. But when he heard Yuji's words, his anger quelled slightly. He took a deep breath to brace himself (regretting it instantly due to the smell) and joined them on the narrow balcony.
“I guess whatever works,” he grumbled in reluctant acceptance of their tattered matchbox of a home. It was still better than staying with their "uncle."
Ring! Ring! Ring!
Choso’s phone blared in his pocket. He pulled it out, and his face instantly soured,
“It’s him.”
Yuji and Sukuna didn't need to be told who "him" was. Choso only made that face for one person: Uncle Kenny.
“Give that phone to me” Sukuna reached for it, but Yuji blocked him.
“No.”
“Brat — !”
“Shouting and taunting him now isn't the best move!” Yuji argued.
Sukuna glared, but Choso had already pressed the speakerphone button.
“Where are you?” the voice crackled through the speaker.
“Not at the house,” Choso replied icily. He was only sweet to those he loved; he was remarkably good at being cold to those he despised.
“Answer me properly. Where the fuck are you? That waste of space and the cry-baby aren't here either.”
The insults made Choso’s and Sukuna’s blood boil, but the eldest brother remained steady. “We are at home. Somewhere far. We won't be disturbing you anymore.”
There was a ringing silence on the other end. When the voice returned, it was mildly curious.
“Somewhere far? Are you saying you ran away? All three of you?”
“Yes.”
The man hummed. He didn't sound angry; he sounded amused. The brothers exchanged confused glances. They had expected cold indifference or rage at the loss of his unpaid servants. Amusement was not on the list of expected reactions.
After a moment, a quiet chuckle came through the line. “I can’t say I didn't anticipate this. I assumed Sukuna would have at least tried to poison me once before leaving.”
Sukuna had, in fact, tried to make him an omelette with rotten eggs and coffee with spoiled milk and lemons. Choso had been the only thing stopping him from escalating to attempted homicide.
The 'uncle' continued, “So... as soon as you turned eighteen, you made arrangements to get that inheritance, huh? That old bag of bones knew he was going to kick the bucket soon — ”
“Speak one more word about Jiichan and I’ll personally come back to poison you once and for all,” Sukuna growled. The man laughed. A high-pitched, grating noise that Yuji hated.
Choso snapped, “That says more about you than him, doesn't it? You’re a horrible person, and Jiichan barely knew you, yet he could see how pathetic — ”
“Shut up. I’m not listening to a dumb kid who failed his university exams because — ”
“IT WAS ALL BECAUSE OF YOU!” Sukuna thundered, snatching the phone from Choso.
“Sukuna!”
Yuji didn't stay silent either. “If you hadn't pulled that shit, he wouldn't have missed those exams! Shut up! You don't have the right — ”
“I’m not listening to a child. You’re as useless as Jin was — ”
Sukuna was about to hurl the phone off the balcony, but Yuji’s fast reflexes saved it just in time. “No!” Yuji pulled him back as Choso reclaimed the device. He held it with a trembling but firm hand.
“We are cutting ties with you officially,” Choso said with finality.
“You can’t. Sukuna and Yuji are underage”
“And I am an adult,” Choso snapped back. “They are under my care now.”
“Let’s see how far you get.”
“Let me see you try!” Choso cried, his legendary patience finally fraying. “You will never take my brothers away. Never call us again! Forget we ever existed!”
Choso disconnected the call with shaking hands. The three stood there, breathing heavily, staring at the phone with varying levels of weariness, rage and relief. Sukuna pulled his arms away from Yuji and they remained standing silent. The afternoon sun finally peeked through the clouds, hitting them sharply.
“No more Kenjaku,” Yuji whispered to himself.
“If that asshole ever shows up here — !” Sukuna started, but Choso cut him off.
“He won’t. It’s impossible for him to find us in Tokyo. It’s like finding a needle in a haystack.”
Sukuna continued to grumble, but Yuji felt a weight lift from his chest. He had worried about a lack of closure, family or not, but now his heart felt right. Choso pocketed the phone and checked his watch.
“Come on,” Choso said, his voice returning to its warm tone. “Let’s walk around the neighbourhood and find a place for lunch. We can clean and organize later. It’s time for a celebration!”
Yuji beamed at the prospect of food, and Sukuna huffed, though he couldn't hide his own small smile, as they followed their brother out.
The neighbourhood was quiet, embodying a sense of domestic peace. People went about their Friday, and the roads were slightly busier than those in Sendai. They found a small izakaya four blocks away and had an amazing lunch. Yuji, true to form, stole food from Sukuna’s plate, leading to their familiar game of "insult tennis." For the first time in years, Choso felt truly at peace. He laughed at their antics, only feeling a slight sting as he paid the bill. But even that vanished when he saw the contented faces of his brothers sharing a cold drink.
This is what I want to protect, Choso thought with a fond sigh.
They returned to the apartment and began hauling in the boxes of their old DIY furniture they had shipped from Sendai or bought at flea markets. Their bicycles were due to arrive tomorrow; the landlord had already called to complain, but Choso had managed to charm him into allowing it for one night.
Choso was inspecting every crook and corner of their house, trying to spot any cracks or manageable repair they can do by themselves. Yuji was already hard at work dismantling and rearranging a DIY table. Sukuna sat on the floor, ostensibly helping.
“Brat, give me the carriage bolts.”
Yuji blinked down at Sukuna, still holding a table leg. “...What?”
Sukuna looked at him, unimpressed. “Seriously, are you even educated?”
“Oi,” Yuji responded indignantly. “I’m not dumb! I bet you don’t even know what a cabbage bolt is.”
“It’s a carriage bolt,” Sukuna snapped as Yuji handed him a hex nut and a wrench. Sukuna glared at the hardware, “This is a nut!”
“I know!”, Yuji shouted, crouching down to flip through the manual. “I thought you knew what it looked like and find it yourself! I am trying, you know!”
Sukuna grumbled, “You’re hopeless,” and picked up a hex-headed bolt. He went to fix the nut to it, but Yuji stopped him.
“What is your problem?!”, Sukuna glared at him.
“That’s not a carriage bolt,” Yuji said, scrutinizing the metal piece as he confirmed with the manual. “That’s a hex-headed bolt.”
There was a stunned silence before Sukuna reached for an Allen bolt.
“No — ”, Yuji started, but Sukuna had reached his limit.
“I don't care!”
Yuji deadpanned, “That’s not how you build a table. It’ll fall over.”
Before Sukuna could retort, Choso emerged from the bedroom, “I need one of you to go to the supermarket.”
“Sukuna would love to go!”, Yuji perked up.
Sukuna looked scandalized, “I would not love to go.”
Choso, preoccupied with his phone, hummed with finality. “Sukuna, I sent the list to your phone. Thank you.”
He vanished back into the room. Sukuna flipped Yuji off, while Yuji cackled.
Well, Sukuna had no choice. Stomping noisily around the empty house, Sukuna found a reusable bag and left, slamming the door behind him.
“What happened?” Choso peeked out.
Yuji, finally finding the correct bolt, sang out, “Nothing~!”
“Stupid brat,” Sukuna grumbled, navigating the streets toward the nearest supermarket.
He managed to gather everything on Choso’s list: water, packaged onigiri from 7-Eleven, orange juice, and adhesive glue. But he was left with two final items that the grocery store didn't carry: paint thinner and spackling compound.
He needed a hardware shop.
Sukuna sighed. Maybe he would feed that rotten omelette to the landlord after all.
He walked for nearly thirty-five minutes, searching. He walked and walked and walked until he found one shop, but to his mounting annoyance and utter disappointment, it was permanently closed. Yuji’s taunting laughter echoed in his head. This was all Yuji's fault. He might have to "permanently close" his little brother later.
He checked his phone; it was 4:45 P.M. He could feel the time in the air. The sun’s rays had softened, the sky had darkened to blood red, and the wind had picked up. A quick search on his maps app showed another hardware shop 600 meters away. He realized he was nearly four kilometres from the apartment. He needed to make this quick and he hoped that this shop wasn't closed either.
He started moving by taking the nearest left. After another couple of turns, he reached the main boulevard, where the evening rush was beginning. Near the railway station, workers were heading home or ducking into izakayas. After passing a few flower stands and a convenient store, Sukuna finally spotted the hardware shop. It was small, old, and laid-back compared to the modern stores surrounding it.
Inside, a bell jingled above the door as he stepped in. It was quiet; the air was thick with the scent of rusty metals and paints. The shop seemed to be deserted save for an old man behind the counter on his right, watching the news on the T.V fixed on the wall, left of Sukuna. Sukuna headed for the back shelves . He heard a metallic clang from the last of the aisles.
Someone else was back here.
Not that he cared.
He started scanning for the powder and the thinner in rightmost aisle. But there were only nuts, bolts, washes, etc, etc, nothing that he wanted.
He went behind the shelf and couldn’t find anything much there in there. He moved to the next shelf and scanned up and down the rows and at the corner of the last row,
‘Aha!’
He found the spackling compound powder. Choso had said one packet was enough, but Sukuna scoffed at the idea of coming back here if they ever needed more. He’d just send Yuji next time and give him the address of the closed shop out of spite.
He put the packet in his bag and moved to the next shelf to find the thinner. As he scanned the middle rows, he heard another metallic clang. Through the gaps in the shelving, he caught a glimpse of a light blue hoodie and... white hair?
'Probably some boring old guy', he thought.
Again, not that he cared.
He continued scanning the aisle and there were only paints and brushes. He reached the end as he moved to the last aisle.
Suddenly, things moved fast. As Sukuna turned the corner, he saw something heavy and long slipping from the top shelf. Whoever had been reaching for it had fumbled. Sukuna moved, instinctively crossing the gap in two strides and reaching out, his shopping bag hitting the floor.
Everything went still. The news anchor on the TV was talking about the upcoming monsoon season.
“Fuck!” a voice cursed. The guy in the light blue hoodie shielded his head with his hands, bracing for impact.
More than couple of seconds passed. But the pain never came. Startled blue eyes fluttered open as the guy slowly lowered his arms.
Sukuna stood there, back against the shelf, having caught a pair of long, heavy pliers just inches from the stranger’s head. His eyes were locked on the defensive figure in front of him whose shoulders now relaxed, realizing that his brains wasn't going to be smashed. The guy probably was the same height as him, save only an inch of difference. Sukuna realized something.
'I was right. It is white hair.'
But Sukuna’s focus on the white hair was lost when the guy lifted his face. Their eyes locked.
Blue.
A shade of blue as akin to clear skies.
'They look... pretty'
Sukuna thought, his eyes stayed, unable to look away. But the spell was broken the moment the stranger opened his mouth and spoke in a voice that Sukuna knew, instinctively, was going to be annoying.
Little did he knew that voice was going to annoying for a very, very long time.
“Are you going to give me those damn pliers, or do you want to keep staring at me like a creep?”