The exchange event was about to begin.
All the teachers and principals from both schools, along with Mei Mei, the extra professional they brought in to observe, were seated together inside the temporary monitoring room.
Cups of hot tea sat neatly in front of them.
"The exchange event officially starts in one minute. Now, Mr. Fushiguro from Kyoto, say a few words for us~" Satoru spoke into the microphone, sounding lively like a TV host, before handing it to Mukuro.
"Do your best, everyone."
But to Satoru's disappointment, that was all Mukuro said.
"So cool! Only one line! Fine then, Utahime, you say a couple words too," Satoru said, turning the microphone toward the girl sitting to Mukuro's right.
"Huh? Um... getting hurt is kind of unavoidable, but you should help each other, friendship comes first—" Utahime's face turned red as she stumbled over her words.
"Alright, speech time is over. The match begins now!"
Before she could finish, Satoru pulled the microphone back and announced the start of the event.
"Gojo! Show your seniors some respect, you idiot!"
The school speakers caught the tail end of Utahime snapping at him, just like their noisy classroom fights from years ago.
"Move out!"
Both teams finally set off.
* * *
"Hey, heterochromatic bastard. This is the first time, right? Do you think your students will win, or mine?" Satoru asked in the monitoring room, leaning back with his legs crossed. He clasped his fingers together and looked excited as he glanced sideways.
This was the first time the students he taught, even if most of their lessons came from Nanami and Haibara, were facing off against students Mukuro had guided, even if most of their training came from Utahime and Kusakabe.
Maybe this exchange would finally settle things. Maybe it would put a real ending to that fight the two special grade sorcerers had twelve years ago.
After all, Satoru had lost badly back then.
And in the years since, they had never fought that fiercely again.
"Who knows," Mukuro replied, not making any random guess.
In terms of raw strength, Kyoto clearly had the advantage. They had Todo and Nishimiya.
But this was a team match, and the win condition was not a straight head-on fight.
Unless one side had crushing power over the other, the outcome was still unclear.
Unlike most of the others watching the live feed on the wall screens, he closed his eyes, just like Mei Mei.
Above the forest where the students were running around looking for the target cursed spirit, an owl circled in the sky. Its right eye carried the number "6."
* * *
On the battlefield.
"Yo, Megumi Fushiguro, long time no see!"
Just as Tokyo's group split up to start moving, Todo appeared out of nowhere and blocked the path of Tokyo's four first-years.
Even though they had met just a month ago, he still had not gotten an answer to his question.
It was like a thorn stuck under his skin. It drove him crazy.
The Fushiguro family... just what kind of fascinating family was it?
"Todo? You're really here!"
Junpei's already confused face looked even more lost.
This possibility had been mentioned during their pre-match planning.
Kyoto's top fighter, Aoi Todo, was never the type to follow the rules. There was a high chance he would ignore the team match and come straight for them just to satisfy his urge to fight.
And now, that guess had come true.
"Oh, Junpei. Even if you're my best friend, I won't hold back in a fight!"
Todo tore his shirt off in one clean motion.
His muscles were so massive they almost looked unreal. Under the sunlight, they practically gleamed.
"Itadori, he's yours. Yoshino, Kugisaki, let's go!"
Following the plan, Megumi and the others decided to leave Todo to Yuji. His base physical strength was high, and he had been trained for this.
"Go ahead. I've got this!"
Yuji answered, then leaped forward and threw a punch at Todo, trying to stop him from going after the others.
Bang!
But in a single exchange, Yuji went flying back as fast as he had charged in.
"What kind of strength is this..."
He nearly got embedded into a tree. He stared at his trembling hands and muttered to himself.
If he had not seen it with his own eyes, he would have thought that kick had broken his arms.
"Yuji Itadori, as Sukuna's vessel, tell me. What kind of girls do you like!"
Since someone had volunteered to fight him, Todo did not bother chasing the others.
Enjoying the fight in front of him mattered more.
But what he did not expect was that his simple opening question would land like a fatal blow to his soft pink heart.
"Me? I don't know why you're asking right now, but... I guess I like tall girls with big boobs and a big butt. Like Jennifer Lawrence?"
Such a direct, clear, bold answer.
Todo felt like he had been hit dead center. That warm happiness, like finding someone who truly understood him, was even stronger than when he first met Junpei a month ago.
* * *
(This was a memory that only existed inside Todo's head.)
"I've decided. I'm going to confess to Takada!"
After school, in their middle school classroom with only three people left, Todo gathered his courage and told his two best friends his plan.
"Huh? Don't do that. I don't want to comfort you afterward..." Yuji said, sitting nearby reading manga, his face full of disgust.
"So why are you assuming I'll fail..."
Todo froze, looking miserable.
"Itadori, don't say that. I believe you'll succeed, Todo. Good luck!" Junpei said from the other side, patting his shoulder to cheer him on.
And so...
"Sorry, but I already have someone I like."
Under a cherry blossom tree at school, the tall girl with twin ponytails ripped up Todo's confession letter with her own hands.
After rejecting him without mercy, she walked away on her long legs, leaving him behind like a boy whose dreams had died.
A moment later.
"Is it possible... that the person she said she likes is actually me?"
Todo crouched in the corner, drawing circles in the dirt over and over.
"No way! Come on, let's eat. Junpei said he's treating today!" two figures each put an arm over his shoulder, while Yuji shattered his fantasy and dragged the topic away.
"How about ramen? A really good new place opened near my house a few days ago..." Junpei added with a soft smile.
Under the sunset, cherry blossoms drifted down.
The three of them walked together.
* * *
Back in reality.
"I see... so the three of us are best friends."
Todo lifted his head. Tears were already streaming down his face.
"Huh? What three people? And we literally just met!" Yuji looked both confused and annoyed.
"My brother! Come on, I will give everything I have for you!"
Todo wiped his tears and snot away and roared.
"What? Who the hell is your brother?!"
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