𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐲 𝐟𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐭 𝐡𝐞'𝐬 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐟𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐮𝐜𝐤 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧

┌──── ∘°❉°∘ ────┐

𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐲 𝐟𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐭 𝐡𝐞'𝐬 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦

𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐟𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐭𝐲

𝐟𝐮𝐜𝐤 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧

└──── °∘❉∘° ────┘

𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍

───✱*.｡:｡✱*.:｡✧*.｡✰ ───

----THE NIGHT WAS QUIET, THE SCHOOL GROUND BATHED IN SOFT MOONLIGHT. Yuji Itadori sat cross-legged on the floor of one of the hallways, his arms draped over his knees as he looked out at the open field. Despite the calm surroundings, his leg was bouncing with barely-contained excitement.

Gojo leaned casually against the wall behind him, his blindfold swapped out for a pair of tinted glasses. His ever-present grin was more playful than usual.

"So," Gojo began, tilting his head. "Big day's coming up. Ready to make your grand entrance?"

Yuji turned to him, his eyes sparkling. "Ready? I've been waiting! I can't wait to see their faces—especially Misa's. You think she's gonna be mad? Or cry? Or maybe both?"

Gojo chuckled, pushing off the wall and strolling over to sit beside Yuji. "Oh, she's definitely going to be mad. Like, really mad. But that'll only last a minute. Then she'll probably hug you. Or yell some more while hugging you. Either way, you'll survive."

"Misa's hugs are nice," Yuji said with a grin, his excitement contagious. "Her yelling... less so. But I'll take it."

Gojo raised an eyebrow. "You're awfully chipper about this. No worries about, I don't know, being pelted with shoes?"

Yuji laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I mean, yeah, I'm nervous. But I missed them. It's been so long, and now I finally get to tell them I'm okay. How can I not be excited?"

Gojo's grin softened for a moment, a flicker of something almost fatherly in his expression. "That's the spirit, kid. And you're right—Misa's probably missed you the most. She's been trying to act all tough, but you can see it. Even during training, she gets this faraway look sometimes."

Yuji's smile faltered slightly. "Really?"

Gojo nodded, then smirked. "Yup. Like a sad puppy who just lost her favorite toy."

"Hey!" Yuji protested, though his cheeks flushed. "I'm not a toy."

"Debatable," Gojo teased, nudging him lightly.

Yuji shook his head, laughing under his breath. "Anyway, the exchange event's the perfect time, right? Everyone will be there—it'll be dramatic, but in a good way. Misa and the others are gonna flip!"

"Exactly," Gojo said, clapping his hands together. "Nothing says 'I'm alive' like crashing an inter-school competition."

Yuji tilted his head. "So, how are we doing this? Do you want to, like, give them a heads-up or—"

Gojo gasped, mock-offended. "Heads-up? Are you kidding? No, no, no. We're going full surprise reveal. Maximum chaos, maximum reactions. That's the fun part."

Yuji hesitated. "But what if they faint? Or start throwing punches? Kugisaki's got a mean right hook."

"Oh, Nobara's definitely throwing something," Gojo said with a laugh. "But don't worry, I'll protect you. Unless it's something heavy. Then you're on your own."

Yuji groaned, though he was grinning. "You're the worst."

"Correction—I'm the best," Gojo replied, standing up and dusting off his pants. "And trust me, this is going to be unforgettable. The exchange event will never know what hit it."

Yuji stood too, his energy bubbling over. "Yeah. I can't wait to see them again. Misa, Kugisaki, Fushiguro... It's going to be awesome."

Gojo gave him a thumbs-up. "That's the attitude! Just make sure to savor the moment before the yelling starts."

As Gojo began to walk away, Yuji called after him. "Hey, what do you think Misa's first reaction will be?"

Gojo paused, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "Hmm. She'll probably gasp dramatically, call you an idiot for hiding this long, and then tackle you to the ground. Bonus points if she cries."

Yuji grinned, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. "I hope you're right."

Gojo waved a hand over his shoulder. "I'm always right. See you tomorrow, Zombie Itadori!"

Yuji rolled his eyes at the nickname but couldn't stop smiling. As he stared out at the moonlit grounds, the thought of reuniting with his friends—especially Misa—filled him with warmth.

"Tomorrow's gonna be amazing," he murmured to himself, excitement and nervousness mixing in equal measure.

───✱*.｡:｡✱*.:｡✧*.｡✰ ───

--"Hey," Nobara sighed, stopping in her tracks as she eyed her fellow students. "Why are you guys all empty-handed?" Her expression was a mix of confusion and irritation as she adjusted the pink suitcase in her grip, a backpack slung tightly over her shoulders.

Misa raised an eyebrow, barely stifling a snort. "Did you... pack?"

Nobara stared at her like she was the crazy one. "Aren't we all traveling today?" Her gaze darted between the others, desperate for confirmation. "For the exchange event with our sister school in Kyoto?"

Panda's chuckle broke the silence. "Yeah, it's an exchange event with our sister school in Kyoto. Here in Tokyo, Nobara."

The realization hit her like a ton of bricks. "No freaking way!" Nobara yelled, grabbing her hair in frustration. Her voice escalated into a full-blown rant, her words coming out too fast to catch as she stomped around dramatically.

"That explains why she's been acting weird lately," Maki muttered, resting a hand on her hip, her other hand gripping her stick like she might need it to fend off Nobara's impending tantrum.

"No doubt," Megumi added with his trademark deadpan tone.

"Salmon," Toge agreed with a slight nod.

Panda, ever the voice of reason—or chaos—decided to clarify. "The previous year's winners always host it."

Nobara froze mid-stomp, her head snapping toward Panda. Her glare could've burned holes through steel. In an instant, she lunged forward, gripping his broad shoulders. "Then why did you have to go ahead and win it?!" she yelled, her voice thick with indignation.

"It wasn't us!" Panda protested, holding up his hands defensively. "We weren't even in it last year! They just threw in Yuuta to even out the numbers!"

"Yeah, because that was before Rika got freed," Maki interjected, clearly unfazed by the chaos unfolding. "Apparently, it was an overwhelming win. I didn't get to see it, though, since it was held in Kyoto."

Nobara clenched her fists, dramatically throwing her head back as she screamed at the sky, "I will never forgive you, Yuuta Okkotsu!" Then, as an afterthought, she added, "Even though I have, in fact, never met you!"

"You're really mad about this, huh?" Misa remarked, raising an eyebrow as she watched Nobara's continued ranting. "I mean, Yuuta doesn't even know you exist, but sure, go ahead and give him a piece of your mind."

Nobara whirled around to face Misa, her eyes wide with mock fury. "Shut up, Misa! It's the principle of the thing!" She threw her arms up, exasperated. "We get stuck with the event and you all are just chillin' while I have to drag my suitcase around like it's the end of the world!"

Rina chuckled, pushing herself off the wall. "Hey, relax, I'll help you unpack after the event."

Maki snorted, clearly amused. "Looks like we all have our problems," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "But, hey, at least no one here is having a mental breakdown over a ghost from last year."

"Stop calling him that!" Nobara snapped, but even she couldn't hide the grin on her face.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say, Charlatan," Misa teased, throwing a playful wink at Maki.

Maki rolled her eyes but smirked, clearly used to Misa's antics.

"Focus, here they come," Maki said sharply, her tone brooking no argument.

Misa followed her gaze, her eyes narrowing as the Kyoto students approached with a deliberate, almost theatrical air. She recognized the group from descriptions and stories—particularly the part where they had ambushed Megumi and Nobara. Rina hadn't been there for the fight, a fact that still nagged at her. She'd been sound asleep, blissfully unaware of the chaos, and for the first time in her life, she regretted missing out on something.

The Kyoto students slowed to a halt, Mai Zenin stepping forward with her usual smugness. "Oh, damn," Mai drawled, her tone dripping with condescension. "The whole Tokyo crowd here together, huh?" She flicked her hair as her lips curved into a self-satisfied smirk. "You actually came to greet us? So amateur."

Misa crossed her arms, her eyes narrowing as she fixed her gaze on Mai. She hadn't interacted with her yet, but everything about this girl screamed annoyance. "Do you practice that superiority complex, or does it just come naturally?" Misa asked, furrowing her brows, her voice laced with sarcasm.

Mai's smirk faltered for a fraction of a second before she shot back, "Oh, you must be the comedian of the group. How original."

"Actually, I'm just a spectator to bad acting," Misa quipped, cocking her head to the side.

A sudden voice interrupted, the sound of soft yet firm footsteps echoing as a black-haired woman came into view. Draped in red and white robes, a scar cutting across her face, she sighed with evident exasperation. "Okay, let's not fight amongst ourselves, alright?" she said. "My goodness, these children."

It was Utahime Iori, a semi-first grade sorcerer and a former student of Jujutsu High.

"Now," she began again, scanning the group. "Where's that idiot?"

"Possibly, and most likely, referring to Gojo," Misa muttered under her breath, earning a small chuckle from Nobara.

"Satoru's running late," Panda informed her matter-of-factly.

"As if that idiot ever shows up on time," Maki added with a sigh, placing her hands on her hips.

"No one said the idiot had to specifically refer to Gojo," Megumi pointed out dryly.

"Though who else could it be?" Misa asked, raising an eyebrow at Megumi, clearly amused.

Before Megumi could respond, a sudden rustling sound turned everyone's attention to the stairs. Gojo Satoru appeared, jogging along the rocky-road rolling a metal box, his signature wide grin plastered across his face like a kid who'd just won a candy jar.

"Sorry for the wait!" he announced loudly, stopping in between the two groups. "Glad to see everyone all gathered together. I'm just back from a biiig overseas business trip!" He gave an enthusiastic wave to the Kyoto students. "So, it's time to hand out souvenirs!"

"This is sudden," Panda said flatly, blinking at the oversized box.

"Sure it's not jet lag?" Nobara deadpanned, crossing her arms.

Unfazed, took ahold of pink tribal protective charm dolls, handing them out to the Kyoto students one by one. Most of them looked thoroughly unimpressed—except for Miwa, whose eyes sparkled with pure delight as she clutched her charm.

All the Kyoto people got one, all except one.

Gojo turned to Utahime with a sly grin. "Except you, Utahime."

"I don't want one!" she snapped immediately, her tone sharp as she crossed her arms, glaring at him.

Gojo merely shrugged and turned his attention to the Tokyo students, beaming. "Now, for all you Tokyo peeps, I've got this—" he gestured to the metal box with theatrical flair. "Tada!"

The group exchanged confused glances, their expressions ranging from bewildered to outright skeptical.

Leaning toward Misa, Nobara whispered in a low voice, "It's creepy when adults get all excited."

Misa stifled a laugh and whispered back, "Yeah, especially this one. He looks like he's about to unveil the secret to global warming or something."

With a sudden, the top of the metal box flew open and a sudden figure stood up. "Hey! Opapi!"

Misa's breath caught in her throat, her wide eyes fixed on the figure who had just popped out of the box like some kind of bizarre jack-in-the-box. For a split second, her brain struggled to connect what she was seeing with reality.

Yuji's expression faltered as he realised there weren't any strong reactions, not for the Kyoto students nor the Tokyo students.

Misa's jaw was dropped to the ground. "Yuuji?!" she exclaimed, her voice high-pitched with disbelief. She blinked rapidly, as if trying to clear her vision, and then pointed at him accusingly. "What the fuck?!"

"Sukuna's vessel is alive?" Spoke principal Gakuganji besides Yaga, observing the obscure scene unfolding in front of them. "Just who is behind this outrage?"

Her gaze darted to Gojo, who was grinning ear to ear, clearly delighted by the chaos, moving towards Gakukanji and Yaga. Then her gaze went back to Yuji, who was frozen in his position.

Misa's arms flailed. "YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD!" she finally shouted, her tone equal parts exasperation, shock, and relief.

Yuji rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Yeah, uh, about that..."

Misa stomped her foot, her face flushing as emotions crashed into each other all at once. "Do you have ANY idea what we've been through?! The sleepless nights! The worry! Nobara and I literally almost fought a washing machine to cope!"

A beat of silence passed, and then she threw her arms out. "AND YOU WERE HIDING IN A BOX?!"

"Got something you wanna say to us?" Questioned Nobara, fists clenched and glaring daggers at Yuji.

Yuji blinked and tread carefully. "I'm sorry ... that I didn't tell you ... that I ... was still alive this whole time?" He offered.

＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚