Gojo was six the first time he realized his sister could outsmart him.
They were in the garden behind the old Gojo estate, sunlight slanting through the wisteria trees as little Satoru counted loudly with his eyes squeezed shut, the small black glasses on his nose, slipping crooked over one eye.
"Eight… nine… ten! Ready or not, here I come!"
He whipped around with dramatic flair because even at six, he never did anything quietly and began his hunt through the hedges and stone lanterns, confident he'd
Catch her in seconds.
But Akari was gone.
Not behind the koi pond. Not up in the tree she liked to climb. Not even under the deck where she sometimes stashed snacks.
He spent twenty whole minutes looking for her. He was about to cheat and locate her using cursed energy;
When she finally popped out from the storage shed, giggling with twigs in her hair and dust on her cheeks, Satoru stared at her like she was some sort of magician. She just grinned, hands on her hips.
" Ara~Ara, Otouto-san. You weren't about to cheat, just now were you?"
Little Gojo's face flushed with embarrassment at being caught red handed. It wasn't his fault his sister was such a good hider. And he wasn't going to really cheat. He was considering it. There's a difference. Crossing his arms little arms he tucked his chin high like he had seen many times from the Elders of the clan. "I have no clue what you're talking about. Defamation doesn't suit you Oneesan." He mentioned, as he strutted closer to his sister.
His sister only laughed before him closer and messed with his hair. "Gojo-kun, You looked in all the loud places," she said. "You never check the quiet ones. Why?"
Back then, he didn't understand what she meant.
Now, standing alone atop the school's rooftop, Gojo realized she'd always known how to disappear when it mattered.
The early morning breeze tugged gently at his jacket. He hadn't slept much.
The city below buzzed quietly in the distance, but up here, everything felt still. Isolated.
Perfect for thinking, though Gojo rarely liked doing that.
He held the letter in his hand again, creased and worn now from how many times he'd opened and reread it since last night. The neat, familiar handwriting danced across the page like a memory refusing to fade.
"If you're reading this, it means I've broken a promise. I told myself I'd never pull her into your world. But she was born into it, Satoru. Just like I was. And just like you."
His fingers curled slightly around the paper.
Fumiko was Akari's daughter—his sister's only child.
His niece.
The letter fluttered in the breeze, crinkling as Goji tucked it back into the inside pocket of his jacket, just over his heart. He exhaled slowly, then pushed his sunglasses higher on the bridge of his nose and cracked his neck to the side.
Enough brooding. Melodrama didn't suit him before breakfast.
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Thirty Minutes Later
Jujutsu High - Dorms
A loud BANG echoed down the hallway, followed by the unmistakable voice of Gojo Satoru.
"RISE~ AND SHINE~, LOSERS!"
Doors rattled in their frames as Goji slammed his palm against them one by one, each strike punctuated by some variation of:
"Emergency meeting in ten!"
"Yes, Yuji, you do need pants!"
"Megumi! If you jump out the window again, I swear—"
Megumi opened his door mid-knock, hair disheveled, eyes half-lidded, and deadpan as always. "You know it's 6:45 AM, right?"
"Time waits for no sorcerer~!" Gojo sing-songed, tossing a protein bar at Megumi's chest. "Fuel up, Sunshine. I'll see you on the training field. And tell Kugisaki to bring a better attitude this time."
"She's going to punch you."
"She will always wants to punch me. It's how I know she cares."
The paper sliding door slammed open with all the subtlety of a hurricane.
"OHAAAAYO, FUMI-CHAN~!" Gojo's voice rang out, far too loud and far too cheery for 7:15 AM.
Fumiko shot upright in bed, hair sticking out in five directions, blinking like a cornered animal. "Wha—?!" she yelped, yanking her blanket to her face chin. Her voice was still thick with sleep, and her wide pale white unseeing eyes stared at her uncle in horror. She felt around her side for a moment before taking her glasses and putting them on.
Gojo stood in the doorway, hands on his hips like a victorious game show host. "Rise and shine, little sorcerer! Time to meet your new dysfunctional family! And get ready for your first mission."
"You're insane." She croaked.
"Sadly, it's one of the qualifications of being a sorcerer. So, everyone here is a little insane." He mentioned with a smile.
"And you're going to be late for breakfast," he said, strolling in casually and plucking a plush rabbit off the floor. "Cute. Very... emotionally compromising for an elite sorcerer."
Fumiko flushed. " It was soft."
"C'mon, I made pancakes. Technically. I told Yuuji to do it, which is close enough."
Fumiko flopped back onto the futon with a groan. "Tell him I'm dead. It'll be easier."
"Tempting," Gojo said, pulling the covers off with one swift motion. "But unfortunately, we've got work to do. You, me, and the squad."
She flailed and curled up dramatically. "Squad? You mean the others."
Gojo raised an eyebrow. "Yep. Oh, and welcome to Jujutsu High. Population: idiots. You'll fit right in."
Fumiko peeked up at him from her defensive position, brow furrowed. "You're really loud, you know that?"
"Absolutely. It's a strategy." He tapped his temple. "Loud enough and no one notices how worried I actually am."
Her expression shifted slightly, softening, just a little. But she quickly masked it behind a scoff. "You're also annoying."
"And you're also dressed like a raccoon that lost a fight," he said cheerfully. "Up and at 'em, Fumiko. You've got a mission to prep for."
That got her attention. She sat up straighter. "Oh... right. Completely forgot about that."
Gojo just threw her that annoyingly vague smirk. And simply left the room.
She waited patiently as she felt his signature disappear down the hall before lying down on her futon again. Five more minutes wouldn't hurt anyone.