The hallway outside the infirmary smelled faintly of antiseptic and faint cigarette smoke. The scent was odd in a school building, but it fit the woman who ran this ward. Gojo pushed open the sliding door with his usual careless flair, Arata following just a step behind.
Inside, the atmosphere was quiet but heavy. A young sorcerer sat on the bed, pale and sweating, his right arm gone from the elbow down. Blood had been cleaned, the wound dressed, but it was clear he'd only just been brought back from a fight.
Standing beside him, gloves already on, was Ieiri Shoko. Loose brown hair framed her face, a cigarette dangling lazily from her lips even as she worked. Her eyes looked tired, but there was a steady focus in her movements.
"Yo, Shoko," Gojo called cheerfully, waving like he'd just walked into a café. "Brought a guest."
She didn't even look up. "You're loud."
Gojo grinned, unfazed. "And you're grumpy."
Arata kept quiet, observing. His eyes narrowed slightly as Shoko placed her hands over the injured sorcerer's stump. A faint glow of cursed energy flowed from her palms, spreading over the wound like warm light. Slowly, impossibly, new flesh began to form. Bone, muscle, skin—regrown as if time itself reversed.
The sorcerer gasped, watching as his arm returned before his eyes. Within minutes, the injury was gone. A brand new hand flexed weakly at the end of his arm.
"Try not to lose it again," Shoko muttered, finally pulling back. She exhaled smoke and tapped the ash into a tray. "You're good to go."
The sorcerer bowed gratefully, murmuring thanks, then hurried out of the ward. That left just Gojo, Shoko, and Arata.
Gojo gestured toward Arata with a little flourish. "This is Arata Kurogane. New student. Alsooo… special grade."
Shoko's tired eyes slid toward Arata for the first time, studying him. She raised a brow, unimpressed yet curious. "Special grade, huh? Welcome to the Jujutsu world."
Arata inclined his head politely. "Arata Kurogane. Nice to meet you, Ieiri-san." His voice was calm, respectful. "I saw what you just did. That was… impressive."
Shoko puffed her cigarette and shrugged. "Reverse Cursed Technique. That's all."
Arata tilted his head slightly. "If you don't mind, could you explain how it works?"
Shoko blinked at him, then gave a little half-smile, the kind that said she'd been asked this before. She leaned against the counter, cigarette dangling between two fingers, and began to talk.
"Well, it's like this… normal cursed energy is negative, right? But if you twist it around, multiply it, invert it, you end up with positive energy. That positive energy can heal instead of destroy. So when I take two negatives and… eh, you know, shove them together, the body gets tricked into fixing itself."
She waved her hand vaguely, exhaling smoke. "It's all very technical. You probably wouldn't understand. I barely understand it myself most days."
Arata stood there silently for a beat. Then, dead serious, he said, "…I see."
Gojo burst out laughing instantly, slapping Arata on the shoulder. "Oh, man! That's the exact same face I made when she explained it to me years ago. The 'I have no clue what that means but I'll pretend I get it' face."
Arata kept his calm expression, though his lips twitched faintly. "I understood enough."
Shoko snorted softly, clearly not fooled, but didn't push.
Gojo leaned closer to Arata, lowering his voice with mock seriousness. "Don't worry. I only figured out Reverse Cursed Technique when I almost died. Guessing it'll be the same for you."
"That's not exactly encouraging," Arata replied dryly.
"Eh, keeps things exciting," Gojo said with a grin.
Gojo stretched his arms. "Alright! Enough gloomy hospital vibes. Shoko, you're off-duty now, yeah? Let's grab dinner. My treat."
Shoko gave him a flat look. "Since when do you pay for anything?"
"Since today," Gojo said, placing a hand dramatically over his heart. "Come on, it'll be fun. You, me, and our new genius here. A proper welcome."
Arata nodded respectfully. "I'd be honored."
Shoko sighed, clearly torn between annoyance and mild curiosity. Finally, she stubbed out her cigarette. "…Fine."
Gojo grinned like a child who'd won candy. "Deal."
They ended up in a quiet restaurant just outside the campus grounds. The place was traditional but cozy—tatami mats, low tables, warm lanterns overhead. The kind of spot that was peaceful enough to forget curses even existed.
Gojo ordered enough food for five people despite there only being three of them. Arata sat neatly across, posture composed, while Shoko leaned back casually, drink already in hand.
The atmosphere lightened quickly. Gojo kept the conversation flowing, bouncing between teasing comments and genuine interest.
"So, Arata," Shoko asked finally, turning her gaze on him, "what do you like? Outside of all this sorcerer nonsense."
Arata took a moment, thinking carefully before speaking. "I like exploring. The world, places, people. I have a dream of traveling everywhere—seeing what's out there. And…" he paused briefly, eyes steady, "Jujutsu is new to me. It feels like another world to explore. I want to climb to the peak of it."
Shoko arched a brow, sipping her drink. "That's ambitious."
"I also like being free," Arata continued, voice calm but firm. "Choosing my own path. My own fate. Not pretending to be something I'm not."
For a brief second, Shoko's usually tired eyes softened. Then she looked away, hiding it with another drink. "You're different from most kids your age."
Gojo leaned back with a grin. "Told you he's interesting. He's got that mix of seriousness and bite. Like me, but less handsome."
Arata gave him a flat look. "A compliment from you sounds more like self-praise."
"Exactly!" Gojo laughed.
The rest of the dinner was filled with lighthearted back-and-forth. Gojo teased, Shoko rolled her eyes, and Arata found himself surprisingly comfortable among them. It felt less like a lesson and more like… belonging.
As the meal wound down, Gojo leaned his chin on his hand, voice casual but carrying weight.
"Alright, Arata. Fun's over. Now that you're officially part of us, there's responsibility too."
Arata's eyes sharpened slightly. "Responsibility?"
Gojo nodded, smile fading just enough to show his seriousness. "You're strong. Special grade strong. That means people will expect you to handle things normal sorcerers can't. So tomorrow, you're getting your first mission."
Shoko looked at Gojo over the rim of her glass. "Already? Don't push the kid too hard."
Gojo waved it off. "Relax. It's nothing too crazy. Just a chance for him to stretch his legs."
Arata leaned back slightly, expression calm. "If it's work as a sorcerer, I'll do it."
Gojo smirked, satisfied. "Good answer. Then rest up tonight. Tomorrow's when things really start."
The lantern light flickered across their faces, and for the first time since stepping into Jujutsu High, Arata felt it—he wasn't just a bystander anymore. He was part of this world now. And tomorrow, he would step into it fully.