The late afternoon sun cast a warm golden glow over the station, while a cool breeze rustled through the air, carrying the scent of impending rain. In the distance, the rhythmic clatter of train wheels echoed, blending with the footsteps and chatter of passersby. Among the crowd, two figures stood out—waiting quietly on the platform.
One of them, a young man with bright pink hair, leaned casually against the cold metal railing. His expression was a mix of boredom and barely contained excitement. And he was also, very clearly, confused.
Turning to the spiky-haired boy beside him, he asked, "Only four first-years? Isn't that a little small for a class?"
He patted his pockets, retrieving a small chocolate bar from the right one. Tearing it open and taking a bite, he looked at his friend expectantly.
The other boy—stoic, calm, and clearly tired—shrugged. "Well, have you ever met anyone who can see curses?"
The pink-haired boy thought for a moment, then shook his head. "Guess not…"
"Exactly," Megumi said, stretching his arms before dropping onto the guardrail. He winced slightly; the lingering soreness from an earlier battle hadn't quite worn off. "That's how rare Jujutsu sorcerers are."
Yuji scratched his chin, brow furrowed. "By the way… didn't you say I'm the third?"
Megumi kept his eyes on the tracks. "One of them was admitted a while ago. The other… I'm not quite sure. This school is unusual. Everyone's circumstances are different."
They lapsed into silence again, anticipation hanging in the air—though mostly on Yuji's side. After a beat, he leaned forward, peering down the tracks.
"So... are they dudes?" he blurted out of the blue.
Megumi glanced sideways at him. Pure confusion clear on his face. "Does it matter?"
Yuji shrugged. "Not really. Just wondering."
"It's—"
"Thanks for waiting!"
The voice cut through the air like a blade of ease. Both boys turned to see a tall man with spiky white hair and a black blindfold approaching them with zero urgency. Satoru Gojo had arrived, fashionably and unapologetically late.
He looked them over with a lazy grin. "Looks like your uniform made it on time!" he said, addressing Yuji.
Yuji stood up proudly and spun once, showing off. "Yup! A perfect fit!" He held up his hoodie. "Though mine's a little different from Fushiguro's."
Gojo nodded. "School uniforms can be customized on request."
Yuji blinked. "Really? But I didn't put in a request…"
"I went ahead and did it for you." Gojo replied nonchalantly, pulling out a box of Pocky and popping one into his mouth.
Megumi sighed and added dryly, "Be careful. Gojo-sensei is... quirky like that."
Yuji shrugged. "...I like it anyway." He smiled, jogging a bit to keep up as their teacher led the way into the crowd.
Harajuku Hustle
They weaved through Harajuku's colorful streets, passing vendors and tourists under shopfronts lined with flashy signs.
Megumi glanced at Gojo. "Why are we even here?"
"One of the students is already in the area. She asked to meet us here. The last one will arrive later."
Yuji's eyes lit up. "I'm gonna get popcorn." Without waiting for a response, he darted toward a nearby convenience store.
A Chance Encounter
Outside the store stood a girl, tapping a white cane lightly against the pavement. Her brow was furrowed in concentration, seemingly trying to find something.
Yuji stepped up. "Hey, do you need help?"
The girl turned toward the sound of his voice, her expression brightening. "Oh, um... I'm trying to find the entrance."
"It's just to your left," Yuji said, gesturing.
"Thanks!" she replied warmly.
"No problem." He opened the door for her. "What are you looking for?"
"Just some snacks," she said with a laugh. "I'm starving after the trip."
"Same here," Yuji chuckled. They chatted casually as they browsed the aisles.
But eventually, Yuji glanced at the time and realized he'd lingered too long. "I should get going. Nice to meet you!"
"Nice to meet you too."
After grabbing his snacks, Yuji stepped back into the bustling crowd, scanning for his classmates.
"The Meeting
Back with the group, Yuji arrived holding popcorn and a few extra snacks. Megumi looked unimpressed.
"What took you so long?"
"Just helping someone out," Yuji said, then looked around. "Are they here yet?"
"Over there," Gojo pointed.
Across the street stood a girl in their school uniform, locked in a heated argument with a well-dressed man. Yuji squinted. "We're gonna talk to her?"
"Yep."
"That's... embarrassing."
Megumi scoffed. "Look who's talking," he muttered, motioning to Yuji's ridiculous sunglasses and the pile of snacks in his arms.
Gojo waved. "Hey! Over here!"
The girl turned mid-argument and raised an eyebrow. The man she had been scolding took his chance and bolted. With a confident smirk, she strutted across the street, surveying the group.
"This the place for the 'elite' program?" she asked, her voice sharp and unapologetic.
Yuji and Megumi exchanged glances. Gojo stepped forward, smile wide. "Yes, indeed. You must be one of the new students. I'm Satoru Gojo—your teacher."
"Great." She rolled her eyes. "I hope you're ready for some real talent. Name's Nobara Kugisaki, and I don't do boring."
"Nice to meet you, Nobara-chan," Gojo said, entirely unfazed. "We're excited to have you."
"Excited? You should be thrilled," she shot back. "I mean, how often do you get someone like me?"
Yuji chuckled. "Well, you sure know how to make an entrance."
"Thanks. I aim to impress," Nobara grinned. "Where's the rest of the crew? I didn't come all this way to hang out with just two guys and a teacher."
"Still waiting on the last student," Megumi said.
"Perfect! I'll set the tone, then," she declared proudly.
The Last Arrival
Soon after, the group found a bench near the station to wait. Yuji noticed a familiar figure sitting at the far end—munching chips, a cane resting beside her.
"Hey, that's the girl I helped earlier," he said, already walking toward her.
"Yuji, wait—" Megumi tried to stop him, but it was too late.
The girl looked up, smiling warmly. "Hi there! Waiting for the train?"
"Nope," Yuji replied. "Just wanted to say hi again."
She tilted her head. "Do I know you?"
Yuji scratched his head. "We met at the store earlier. I'm Yuji Itadori."
Her expression softened. "Ah, right! I'm Fumiko. Fumiko Gojo."
Silence.
"Your last name's what?" Megumi asked, stepping forward.
"Gojo," she repeated. "Is something wrong?"
Gojo-sensei's easy smile faltered. He stepped forward, removing his blindfold, eyes narrowing ever so slightly.
"Your mother... her name wouldn't happen to be Akari, would it?"
Fumiko blinked, then nodded. "It is. And you're... Satoru Gojo, right?"
He stared for a long moment before bursting into laughter. "Ding, ding! That's me."
He slipped his blindfold back on, tension fading. The others watched in quiet shock.
Fumiko reached into her bag and pulled out a neatly folded envelope. "My mom said to give this to you. She said you'd know what to do with it."
Gojo took the envelope gently. His smile remained—but his eyes, hidden now, had darkened with thought.