"Mr. Gojo?"
Yukinoshita Yukino noticed the white-haired man in front of her had suddenly spaced out and called out to him.
"Ah, sorry! Sorry!" Gojo Satoru snapped back to reality, scratching his head and smiling. "Just remembered something from the past. Well, when you get older, you like to reminisce. Please understand."
"Anyway, domain expansion isn't something you can figure out in a short time. Even I spent a long time figuring it out," he said, shrugging. "Maybe you should take a break? You haven't been home to Chiba in a while, right?"
"I understand, thank you for the suggestion," Yukinoshita Yukino said politely and turned to leave.
Watching the black-haired girl leave, Gojo Satoru shook his head helplessly, sighing. "Ah~ if only other students could be as polite as Yukinoshita."
After leaving Gojo Satoru's office, Yukinoshita Yukino returned to her dorm.
Going home...
A trace of sadness appeared on the black-haired girl's snow-lotus-like face.
She really hadn't been home in a while, and her family hadn't contacted her, maybe out of consideration for something.
It seemed that after revealing her identity as a jujutsu sorcerer to her family, an invisible but real barrier had formed between them.
It was time to go home for a while. She had almost finished catching up on her knowledge of barrier techniques and had a clear direction. What was left was just research and deepening her understanding.
There was no need to stay at the school all the time.
She just hoped her parents wouldn't be scared of her.
After packing her clothes and belongings, Yukinoshita Yukino opened the dorm door and bumped into a tall girl with a high ponytail.
"Are you heading home?" Zenin asked, raising an eyebrow as she saw Yukinoshita Yukino with her big bag.
"Yeah, going home for a while," Yukinoshita Yukino nodded and then asked, "What about you? Just back from a mission?"
"Tch! It's training," Zenin replied with an annoyed roll of her eyes. "How would a mission fall on me?"
"Although Jujutsu High is relatively independent, it's still controlled by the higher-ups. People from the Zenin family don't want me to get promoted, so they interfere with the task assignments. It's rare for a mission to land on my plate."
That's why, even though Zenin is strong, she's still only a Grade 4 sorcerer.
Even first-years Itadori Yuji and Kugisaki Nobara have recently been promoted to Grade 2, putting them on the same level as Fushiguro Megumi. Only Yoshino Junpei, who just enrolled not long ago, is still a Grade 4 sorcerer.
"Maki…" Yukinoshita Yukino looked at the ponytailed girl, who was clearly frustrated but also helpless. She opened her mouth as if to say something but hesitated.
"Ah, don't give me that look." Zenin grinned and patted her on the shoulder. "I've been used to this for a long time."
"The more the Zenin family tries to suppress me, the more they look down on me, the more I want to prove myself and slap them in the face!"
Seeing that the girl hadn't been discouraged, Yukinoshita Yukino let out a small sigh of relief. She wasn't good at comforting people—Yuigahama had made that clear enough.
"That's good. Just ignore them." The black-haired girl's lips curved into a faint smile. "Your strength is real."
"…Hmm."
Zenin froze for a moment, and a slight blush appeared on her face. It was unclear whether it was because she had just finished training and hadn't cooled down yet or because of something else.
"I'm heading out for now. I'll be back in a while." Yukinoshita Yukino waved as she said goodbye.
Just as she was about to leave, she seemed to remember something. Turning back, she said seriously, "When I return, I'll take you on a mission."
Zenin chuckled. "Is this pity?"
Yukinoshita Yukino thought about it for a moment, then shook her head. "I don't think so. I just don't want my friends to be bullied."
"..."
Zenin was momentarily speechless. But when she saw the serious look on the black-haired girl's face—clearly not joking—she silently nodded and forced a casual smile. "Then I'll be waiting for you to come back."
"Alright."
With that promise made, Zenin watched through her glasses as Yukinoshita Yukino stepped outside the courtyard. She raised her hand and summoned an owl shikigami, grabbed her luggage, and took off on Nue's outstretched wings.
The ponytailed girl slowly lifted her hand, adjusting her glasses by pushing them up with her thumb and forefinger. Her calloused palm covered her cheek.
A muffled sound came from behind her hand.
"Maki, what are you grinning about all by yourself?"
"Salmon."
A warm voice spoke beside her. Panda stood in the hallway, scratching his head with his paw, while Inumaki Toge stood beside him.
"..."
Zenin lowered her hand, and the lenses of her glasses flashed white. A dangerous aura spread from her.
"Maki? Huh? Hey! Wait a second! We just came to ask if you wanted to eat at the cafeteria with us—why are you hitting me?!"
"Shut up!"
…
The weather was nice today. The winter morning sun bathed Yukinoshita Yukino in its lazy warmth.
She wasn't in a hurry to return home. Her owl shikigami flew leisurely through the drifting clouds.
Above her stretched a clear, blue sky. Below her lay a vast cityscape, tiny in the distance. A few birds flew alongside her, and the wind gently brushed against her face, lifting her long, flowing hair like a waterfall.
Yukinoshita Yukino leaned back, resting on the broad back of the owl shikigami. She closed her eyes with a content expression, silently enjoying this rare moment of peace.
Her anxious heart finally felt at ease.
After lying there for a while, she reached into the pocket of her coat and took out her phone. Looking at the map, she saw that she was almost back at the Yukinoshita family home in Chiba.
Should she let her family know in advance?
Or would it be better to surprise them?
The black-haired girl hesitated for a moment before deciding on the latter. She just wasn't sure if her sudden return would bring her parents joy or shock.
There was also a part of her that wanted to test the waters—to see how her parents would react.
She still worried about how they saw her after she revealed that she was a jujutsu sorcerer. Would they see their daughter as a monster?
After everything she had been through, she knew better than anyone the deep divide between sorcerers and ordinary people.
Maybe only someone like Yuigahama Yui, with her carefree and warm personality, wouldn't mind such things.
No, that wasn't right. It wasn't that Yuigahama didn't care—she just tried her best not to look at her differently.
As her thoughts drifted, Yukinoshita Yukino spaced out for over ten minutes. Then, the owl shikigami began to descend, flying toward the ground.
The clouds grew thinner. As they broke through the cloud layer, Chiba's vast cityscape came into view. As they got lower, Yukino could see her family's estate.
"Huh? Is that… Dad's car?"
With her sharp eyesight, the black-haired girl spotted a sleek black luxury sedan pulling into the Yukinoshita family's parking lot. The silver emblem on the hood glinted in the sunlight.
It was Saturday.
Yukinoshita's father had gone to the office that morning to take care of some urgent work. As soon as he was done, he drove straight home.
His eldest daughter, Haruno, had suddenly decided to stay over for two days. As the head of the Yukinoshita family, he couldn't possibly miss lunch with his daughters. Even if work wasn't finished, he would have pushed everything aside to be there.
Unfortunately, his younger daughter—who happened to be a sorcerer—wasn't home. That made the meal feel like something was missing.
After parking his car, the man adjusted his tie and straightened his collar using the rearview mirror. He also tidied his hair, making sure he looked sharp before stepping out of the vehicle. With the confidence of a successful man, he made his way toward the house.
Tap, tap.
A strange sound came from behind him.
Instinctively, he turned around—and froze. His eyes slowly widened.
"It's been a while, Father."
Carrying several bags, Yukinoshita Yukino had just jumped down from the owl shikigami. She smiled slightly at the man.
"Yuki… Yukino?"
The man blinked in disbelief. The usual maturity and composure of a successful businessman vanished. Seeing his long-absent daughter, he suddenly couldn't even speak properly.
"Y-You… why are you back?"
As soon as the words left his mouth, he realized they didn't sound right and quickly tried to correct himself. "Wait, no—I mean, did something happen? No, that's not what I meant either…"
"I'm taking a break at home for a while," Yukino interrupted before he embarrassed himself further.
"Oh, I see! Haha!" The man was stunned for a moment, then scratched his head like a child and laughed happily. "Good, good! Get some rest!"
"Your sister is back too. If we go inside now, we'll be just in time for lunch."
It seemed like he had regained the composure and steadiness of a mature man. Leading the way at the front, Yukinoshita's father walked as if he were worried that his daughter might have forgotten the way home after being away for so long.
"If your mother finds out you're back, she'll be so happy." He chuckled, his voice full of joy.
He made no mention of Yukinoshita Yukino working as a sorcerer, as if he didn't know about it at all.
The black-haired girl blinked but didn't say anything to spoil her father's happiness. She quietly followed behind him, heading toward the main house.
After passing through the garden, they arrived at the entrance. Yukinoshita's father straightened his back, looking slightly excited as he pushed open the door. Before even stepping inside, his proud voice rang out—
"Hahaha! My dear, Haruno, look who I've brought home!"
He looked as if he had personally brought Yukinoshita Yukino back from the academy.
If Hayashizaki were here, he would definitely tease him for trying to take credit.
Yukinoshita's mother and Haruno had been chatting when they were interrupted by his loud voice. His wife immediately frowned and said, "At your age, do you really need to shout like that in the house? Even at home, you should show a little more restraint and set a good example for Haruno."
"Hmph, I can't be restrained!" Yukinoshita's father snorted. He didn't even bother taking off his expensive leather shoes before walking straight into the living room.
Noticing this, the elegant woman turned to him with a calm yet icy gaze.
Haruno looked surprised and curious. Was their father drunk today? Otherwise, how could he have the nerve to go against their mother? He even dared to talk back!
The short-haired beauty, always one to stir things up, smiled mischievously. "Mother, look at him! If he dares to ignore you now, who knows what he'll do in the future?"
Enjoying the spectacle, Haruno completely overlooked what her father had actually said upon entering. Her mother, too, got distracted by her teasing.
Yukinoshita's mother gracefully picked up her teacup, took a small sip, and then set it down. Every movement was filled with elegance.
Then, slowly, she rose from her seated position, cracking her well-maintained, slender fingers one by one.
Haruno covered her mouth and chuckled, looking as sly as a fox.
Back when their mother was teaching her and little Yukino Aikido, their father had been used as the practice dummy. It had been a long time since she had seen him getting thrown around like a sandbag at the dojo. A sparkle of anticipation flickered in her bright eyes.
The man's body trembled ever so slightly, but he still forced himself to stand tall.
"It seems that even though you've aged, you still have some pride left," Yukinoshita's mother said with a slight smile. "I hope you can hold on to that pride in a moment."
That graceful, dignified smile was what had captivated Yukinoshita's father when he was young. Even now, he remained enchanted by it, showing not a hint of fear.
Yukinoshita's mother took slow, elegant steps toward her husband, who seemed to have momentarily forgotten his place.
However, just as she was about to take another step, she suddenly stopped.
The black-haired girl had changed into indoor slippers and stepped into the living room. The usual coldness on her face melted away like snow in early spring, revealing a breathtaking smile.
Looking at the familiar figure of the woman dressed in a kimono, her hair neatly styled as always, Yukinoshita Yukino smiled softly and said, "I'm home, Mother."
"Yukino…" Yukinoshita's mother's eyes widened slightly. Her lips parted as if to speak, but she hesitated, as if at a loss for words. For a brief moment, she was completely stunned.
She had imagined many ways her reunion with her youngest daughter might go and had rehearsed countless times in her mind. But when the moment finally arrived, she found herself at a loss for words.
Not even a heads-up beforehand… Yukino has changed.
"Ah! Little Yukino is back!"
In the end, it was the short-haired woman who excitedly broke the silence, snapping Yukinoshita's mother out of her stiffness.
…
(End of Chapter)
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