In a dimly lit room, a young man and woman were sitting close to each other.
At a distance where they could feel each other’s breath, their gazes intertwined.
Without a word from either, their faces slowly drew closer.
Framed by the moon visible through the window, their silhouettes were about to overlap, and then— POP!
The sound of a balloon popping echoed through the room.
“Well, that’s another failure.” Glancing sideways at the kiss scene unfolding on the TV screen, Mamoru spoke to Kiryuin, whose body had twitched at the sudden sound.
Though the end credits were already rolling on the screen, Kiryuin paid them no mind, her face twisted in frustration.
What the two were doing right now was a training exercise to maintain focus and keep a continuous flow of Cursed Energy while watching a movie.
The training to knead and channel Cursed Energy that they had started in the morning was already finished.
Perhaps because she disliked hurting her hands unnecessarily and concentrated her mind carefully with every attempt, she had managed to break the barrier in just about an hour—contrary to Mamoru’s initial expectations.
After taking a break for lunch, they had moved on to this current training.
The concept was exceedingly simple.
A custom-made cursed charm crafted by Mamoru was attached to a balloon, and the training began as soon as she started flowing Cursed Energy into it.
As long as the Cursed Energy flowed continuously, nothing would happen, but the moment the supply cut off, the balloon would pop violently.
“Losing focus during a kiss scene…
Senpai, you’re surprisingly innocent, aren’t you?” “Hmph, you are mistaken, Gojo.
I merely grew bored because the direction was far too cliché.” Kiryuin herself seemed aware that she had failed at an embarrassing moment.
Instead of her usual relaxed attitude, she denied Mamoru’s words with a fairly serious expression.
Of course, from Mamoru’s perspective, he had no intention of teasing her and had simply voiced his honest thoughts, so he didn’t intend to dig any deeper into it either.
“Either way, a failure is a failure.
Alright, try again.” As he spoke, he attached a charm to the balloon he was inflating and handed it over to Kiryuin.
Taking it from him, Kiryuin stared at it with a subtle look on her face.
“…Did you come up with this penalty-game-like training straight out of a variety show?” “The method of training while watching a movie is something my older brother occasionally teaches.
The part where the balloon pops is my own spin on it, though.
If you went to school with your face all bruised up, it’d draw too much attention.” At his casually muttered, dangerous words, Kiryuin’s brows furrowed slightly.
“Just what on earth were you planning to make me do…?” If I tell her a tiny bear wearing boxing gloves would punch her, it’ll probably just confuse her, Mamoru thought, deciding to keep quiet about it as he reached for a DVD on the table.
“Well, don’t worry about it.
While learning comes faster when pain is involved, there’s no need to cram everything in a hurry, so that’s irrelevant for the time being.
More importantly, what do you want to watch next?” “Wait a moment.
My eyes are actually quite tired.
Let’s pour some drinks while taking a break.
Tea or coffee, which do you prefer?” “The same as you, Senpai.” Deciding there was no need to make her go through extra trouble by ordering something different, he asked for the same thing as Kiryuin.
“I see.
Feel free to pick whatever movie you like for the next one.” Saying so, she stood up and walked toward the kitchen.
Watching her leave out of the corner of his eye, Mamoru ejected the DVD they had just watched from the player and swapped it with one that caught his eye.
After a while, Kiryuin returned, carrying a tray with tea and sweets.
“Still, to think the day would come when I’d watch a movie with a boy in my own room.” She handed him a cup filled with tea and sat down right next to Mamoru.
Her tone wasn’t teasing; rather, it sounded strangely deep with emotion.
Kiryuin herself genuinely seemed to find the current situation surprising.
“That’s a bit surprising.
You seem like you’d be pretty popular, Senpai.
Have you really never had a boyfriend?” If one were to judge solely by appearance, there were very few people as well-featured as her, even when compared to idols or actresses.
If she felt like it, she could probably get a partner whenever she wanted.
“Oh ho, aren’t you saying something flattering?
But strangely enough, I have never been popular at all.
It seems everyone else lacks the discerning eye that you possess.” ‘Or maybe it’s precisely because they have a discerning eye?’ The men around Kiryuin likely understood her true personality.
No matter how beautiful a flower might be, anyone with common sense would stay away if they knew it harbored poison and thorns.
“…I think if you had a slightly more modest personality, guys would flock to you in no time.” “Regrettably, I have no interest in a man who lacks the capacity to accept me as I am.
What about you?
At school, you seem quite intimate with Sakayanagi.” “Arisu is just a friend.
She doesn’t hold any special feelings for me, and I don’t look at her that way either.” “For a high school student in his prime, you’re surprisingly detached.
Or could it be that you incline toward men?” “No, I don’t.
And just so you know, I’m not impotent either.” Anticipating what Kiryuin was likely to say next, Mamoru denied it beforehand.
“Hmm…
Then the remaining possibility is that you’re reluctant to drag anyone into the world of Jujutsu sorcerers—something like that?” “Well, pretty much.
Our family lineage is a huge hassle even among Jujutsu sorcerers, so I can’t just go dragging innocent people into it.” “A family affair, is it?
Speaking of which, you mentioned something about your older brother earlier.
Are all members of your family Jujutsu sorcerers?” “Yeah.
In our industry, we’re a prestigious family to the point where there’s no one who doesn’t know us.” “…You don’t sound proud of it in the slightest.” There was a somewhat self-deprecating ring to the tone Mamoru used when talking about his prestigious family, and Kiryuin caught on to it sharply.
“Having a long history just means there are that many more entanglements.
Fortunately, the current head is my brother, so I’m allowed to act relatively freely.” “I see.
So unless it’s someone suitable for the family’s standing, your parents wouldn’t approve.” Kiryuin said this as if she had come to an understanding, but that wasn’t what Mamoru meant.
“It’s a bit different.
Well, I’m sure my parents wouldn’t look too kindly on it, but that’s not what I’m concerned about.” “Then what is it?” “…Blood ties aren’t something you can just sever even if you try, right?
That’s especially prominent when it comes to Jujutsu sorcerers.” Even if he said this, it would be hard for Kiryuin, who knew nothing about Jujutsu society, to truly grasp it.
Thinking he might as well use this opportunity to explain in a bit more detail, Mamoru took a sip of tea to moisten his throat before opening his mouth.
“Yesterday, you asked me if my technique was a secret technique passed down through a single child, but such techniques actually do exist.
Techniques inherited through bloodline genetics are called Inherited Techniques, and to a lineage of sorcerers, nothing is prized more than this.” “Inherited through genetics…
Seeing as your technique isn’t inherited, I take it there’s no 100% guaranteed way to pass it down?” Impressed by how quick on the uptake Kiryuin was, Mamoru nodded.
“Precisely.
There are times when none of the siblings manifest it, and times when it manifests after skipping several generations.
And the family head tends to be chosen from those who possess the Inherited Technique.
Do you understand what this implies?” In response to his question, Kiryuin set aside her usual nonchalant smile and spoke with a solemn expression.
“Internal feuds over headship among relatives.
If the direct line doesn’t possess it, and someone from a distant branch does, the direct line certainly wouldn’t take it kindly.” “Yeah.
Assassination and murder in succession struggles are just a few examples, but the point is that the value of a Jujutsu sorcerer’s blood is just that high.
In my brother’s case, when he was a kid, there was a bounty placed on his head totaling over a hundred million yen.” “That is certainly a story on a completely different scale.” Hearing the phrase “bounty exceeding a hundred million yen,” even Kiryuin seemed genuinely surprised.
“Well, in his case, his scale is just way too different from anyone else.” Even for a Jujutsu sorcerer, having a bounty like that placed on one’s head since childhood was a rare case.
Mamoru only knew about this story through hearsay, but even under those circumstances, his brother had probably walked boldly through the streets anyway.
Imagining that sight, a faint smile inadvertently escaped his lips.
Looking at Mamoru, Kiryuin directed a gaze at him as if she were seeing something rare.
“…You make expressions like that too, I see.” Prompted by her words, Mamoru placed a hand on his face.
“Did I make a strange face?” “Nothing strange about it.
It’s just that when you talk about your older brother, your face has the charm of a young boy.
You must respect him quite a lot.” In reality, Mamoru did respect his brother, but when told so by someone else, he felt too embarrassed to admit it honestly.
Reluctantly, Mamoru answered with a grimace.
“Well, he has a ridiculous personality, but when it comes to raw strength, he’s undeniably the strongest sorcerer of this era.” “Oh?
If you say so, it’s likely neither an exaggeration nor family bias, but to think the word ‘strongest’ would come up.” Kiryuin’s tone suggested she didn’t know how seriously to take it.
In reality, if an acquaintance told you their older brother was the “strongest,” it wouldn’t really feel real.
“This is the kind of thing that won’t click unless you see it in person.
You don’t have to believe it right now.
Besides, my brother has nothing to do with this right now anyway.” Without any exaggeration, his brother possessed enough power to slaughter every single person in Japan, but even if he explained that, nobody would take it seriously.
Mamoru wrapped up the topic about his brother and brought the conversation back on track.
“Um, I believe we were talking up to how precious Jujutsu sorcerer bloodlines are, right?” “Ah, yes, I remember.” “Having said all that, the answer is pretty clear.
If I were to start a family, I’d be making them shoulder all kinds of heavy burdens too.” If it were a fellow sorcerer, he might occasionally entertain thoughts of such a future, but even so, the status of the Three Great Families was quite a troublesome matter in the Jujutsu world.
Mamoru didn’t think he could build the kind of happy family an ordinary person dreamed of.
“Even without family issues, being a Jujutsu sorcerer is a job plagued with trouble.
I have no intention of asking someone I fall in love with to follow me all the way to hell.
If that’s the case, it’s much easier on my mind to just accept staying single for the rest of my life from the start.” As Kiryuin stared at the side profile of Mamoru smiling bitterly, she suddenly put down the cup she was holding and extended her right hand toward him.
“Gojo, give me your hand.” “What’s this all of a sudden?
Sure, I don’t mind.” Just like Kiryuin had extended hers, Mamoru turned his left hand toward her with his palm open.
Kiryuin then placed her hand against his and squeezed it tight.
“Hmm, your hand is large.
And quite hard, too.” ‘Your?’ He was slightly bothered by how her way of addressing him had suddenly shifted from “you” (kimi) to “you” (omae), but deciding it wasn’t worth pointing out, he let it slide.
“Well, a guy’s hand is just like this.” “Don’t be modest.
An ordinary boy’s hand wouldn’t be like this.
It feels truly like the hand of a warrior.” “Thanks for that.” “How about my hand?” “Huh?” Not understanding what she was trying to get at, Mamoru put on a blank expression.
“Grasp my hand.
What do you think?” He thought she was teasing him as usual, but he couldn’t sense any playfulness from Kiryuin.
After a moment’s hesitation, Mamoru honestly held her hand back and offered his straightforward impression.
“It’s…
much smaller than I expected.” Naturally, a man and a woman differed in both finger thickness and length.
Even though he had known that in theory, actually placing their hands together made him realize the difference clearly.
“Is that all?” Mamoru was merely hard to fluster, not entirely immune to embarrassment.
Being asked for his impressions so calmly left him at a loss for how to answer.
In the end, after worrying over it, he voiced his honest thought.
“…I think it’s a pretty hand.” “Umu, I should think so.
I don’t neglect my daily care, after all.” Far from being modest about being complimented, Kiryuin puffed out her chest with pride.
Looking at her, Mamoru directed a gaze at her as if looking at a strange creature, completely unable to grasp her intentions.
“…What are you actually trying to do here?” “When you touch my hand, don’t you find it pleasant?” “Well, I think it feels nice, sure.” “That is the gist of it.” “No, I don’t get it at all.” Thinking he was indeed being played with, Mamoru opened his fingers to pull his hand away, but Kiryuin held on firmly with no intention of letting go.
Then, maintaining eye contact with him, she began to speak with a serious expression.
“You seem to hold no expectations toward others whatsoever.
Is it because you think you live in a different world from those around you?
Fundamentally, you tend to look down on others.” “Look down on them?
That’s not…” “Can you say for certain that you don’t?
‘It’s only natural to help the weak.
I don’t expect any return from them.’ Can you really declare that you don’t hold such thoughts?” When put that way, Mamoru couldn’t deny it.
If someone was hurt or in trouble, helping them was a given.
He had never expected any reward for it.
“Don’t misunderstand, alright?
I am not blaming you.
Those with superior abilities and those without will never stand at the same eye level.
Mercy, protection, salvation…
no matter what beautiful words you dress them up in, their essence remains a form of charity bestowed by a superior being to an inferior one.” “In the end, what are you trying to say?” “Was I being a bit too roundabout?
It seems this is my first time giving life advice to a junior.
Good grief, you keep taking away my firsts one after another.” “Drop the jokes and just continue, please.” Kiryuin had suddenly shifted from a serious atmosphere to teasing him, but Mamoru brushed her words aside and stared intently into her eyes, waiting for an answer.
“Well, what I want to say is that you ought to be a little more selfish.” “Huh?” “Up until now, have you ever wanted someone to do something for you, or desired something that others possess?” “No, I mean, surely stuff like that is normal…
Huh?” Prompted by her words, he tried to look back on his life so far, only to realize he had no such memories.
Even if there were any, at most it was relying on someone for work.
Nothing he could call “selfish” came to mind.
“It’s true that there is a world of difference between what you can do and what we ordinary people can do.
However, there is no need to cast everything aside assuming nothing can be done from the start.
Even I can offer a gift as small as a little warmth through touch like this.
If you’d like, shall we embrace right now so you can experience how that feels too?” “I’m fine, thanks.
Besides, my way of living has nothing to do with you, Senpai.
What are you actually trying to achieve here?” “A reason?
If I had to say, I simply dislike that ‘it has nothing to do with you’ mindset of yours.
For better or worse, I am your student, and your senior.
Living like a self-contained cog in a machine—living alone and dying alone—is something I can hardly stand by and watch.” “Even if you say that, I don’t have any dissatisfaction with how I am right now.” Mamoru understood what Kiryuin was saying.
To an outsider, his way of living—acting out of a sense of duty without expecting anything in return—probably looked inhumane.
However, Mamoru himself held no grievances about it.
Even if told to change, he felt no necessity to do so.
“You don’t need to think about complicated things like changing your way of life.
What I want to say is just as I said earlier: Be a little more selfish.
People can give a lot more to each other than you think.” “Selfish, huh…” Even when told that, Mamoru couldn’t think of anything he currently wanted others to do for him.
“Well, even if told so, it won’t click right away, will it?
To start off, you shall first call me by my name.” “No, why?” Mamoru couldn’t understand how the topic had jumped from their current conversation to how they addressed each other.
“Because we have to strip away that reserve inside you first.
You should drop the formal speech too.
I heard you’re a bit more informal with Sakayanagi, aren’t you?
Besides, I was already wondering about you being so formal despite our teacher-student relationship.” “Hey, you’re not the type to care about speech style just because of a teacher-student dynamic, are you?” “That’s it, keep that attitude going.” Seeing Kiryuin looking as though she were enjoying his reaction, a sigh escaped Mamoru’s mouth.
“Ah…
fine, I don’t really mind changing how I address you or speak to you.” Changing how he addressed her wasn’t something Mamoru particularly cared about anyway.
In fact, since this was closer to his natural self, it was actually a bit easier.
“Do so.
As for me, I shall call you Mamoru from now on.” “…Is it okay for a student to address their master by their first name without honorifics?” “Isn’t it fine?
I am your senior, after all.” “Don’t bring that up only when it’s convenient for you.
By the way, how long do you plan on holding my hand?” In truth, throughout their conversation up to this point, Fuka had been holding Mamoru’s hand the entire time.
“Since we’re already like this, let’s watch the movie like this.” “No, why?” Fuka could hold the balloon with one hand and continue her training without issue, but Mamoru would be troubled because turning the pages of his reference book with one hand was difficult.
“If I don’t do this, you’ll just keep flipping through that reference book the whole time.
Besides, even though I gave you the past mid-term exam questions, there’s no need for you to study, is there?” “Well, considering future exams, they might include questions outside the scope, so I thought I’d preview the material while I have time.
Plus, as for those past exam questions, I don’t intend to use them anyway.” At those words, a look of confusion appeared on Fuka’s face this time.
“You won’t use them?
Why?” “Fuka-san, you went around asking teachers to look into me, right?
If I get 100% in every subject under those circumstances, it’ll obviously raise suspicion.
Even if I were to adjust my scores, taking the test normally wouldn’t make a difference anyway.” At Mamoru’s words, an amused smile appeared on Fuka’s face.
“My, to think you’d worry about me.
However, there’s no need to hold back.
Teachers can’t penalize anyone without clear evidence anyway.” “No, it’s fine.
I’ll take it normally this time to test my own abilities.” “Good grief, how stubborn.
After I went through the trouble of acquiring those past questions, it went to waste, did it?” “Wait, those weren’t yours, Fuka-san?” “I obtained them through an acquaintance.
Ah, you don’t need to worry about the points.
I obtained them through peaceful means.” ‘Definitely not a legitimate method.’ Looking at Fuka grinning like that, Mamoru sensed something ominous instead.
Whether it was blackmail or extortion, it certainly wasn’t through normal means.
“Well, I’m grateful for the past questions.
I won’t use them myself, but I plan to make good use of them, so they won’t go to waste.” “Hmm, what on earth do you intend to use them for?” “Well, just a little verification work.” When asked, Mamoru hesitated for a moment on whether he should answer, but deciding there was no issue if it was Fuka, he began revealing his thoughts.
By the way, as for the held hands, Fuka continued to hold Mamoru’s hand throughout the entire time until they finished watching one more movie afterward.