Evening had slowly fallen over the institute, tinting the air with amber and purple hues. The windows reflected the last rays of sun while the chirping of cicadas accompanied the laughter coming from the inner courtyard.
Panda had come up with the idea:
"A proper welcome party this time. Music, snacks, chatting—and no fighting, I swear."
Gojo-sensei had frowned a bit at first, but then stopped by and left us with a bag full of cans and a portable speaker.
"Don't blow anything up. And no karaoke until two a.m. like last time."
And off he went, with his usual smirk.
So there we were.
A small fire flickered in a brazier at the center of the courtyard. Folded blankets, snacks tossed casually on garden tables, music drifting through the tree branches. The decorative string lights—probably salvaged from some forgotten room—glowed like tired fireflies.
I sat cross-legged next to Maki and Yuta, a can of cold tea in my hands. Toge was nearby, sitting next to Panda, who was telling one of his usual ridiculous stories.
"…and then that poor cursed spirit ended up with its face smashed against a sign that literally said 'No Entry.'"
Toge nodded in agreement:
"Shake! Shake!"
I burst out laughing.
"Is that shake a yes or a no?"
"It's an absolute 'you're totally right,'" Yuta explained."If he says 'mentaiko,' that means no. He's lying."
"We should create an Inumaki-to-Italian dictionary," I joked.
Toge looked at me, his eyes smiling. Then he lifted a can and handed it to me silently, with a small nod. I thanked him with a smile.
He kept throwing me brief glances, as if memorizing every time I laughed. He had his back leaned against a tree trunk, legs stretched out, hands folded over his stomach.
Whenever our eyes met, I smiled—and he blushed slightly. Then he'd look down, biting the corner of his lip. So I got up and walked over to sit beside him.
"Seems like... I'm starting to feel like I belong somewhere."
Toge turned toward me.
Then typed on his phone and showed it to me:
"So are we. Since you arrived, something has changed."
"For the better?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Shake," he answered. And smiled.
We stayed up almost all night. Talking. Laughing.
Discovering that the best stories often begin just like this: a fight, a laugh, and a glance that lasts a bit longer than it should.
—Only with a look—
The sun was already high when I opened my eyes. The room was warm, welcoming, still carrying the scent of the night before: grass, torch smoke, laughter. I stretched, rubbed my eyes, and looked at the clock.
"ELEVEN?!"
The common room was full of scattered pillows, empty water bottles, and a giant Panda sleeping on his back. Maki was already up, Yuta behind her, hugging her from behind and burying his face in her neck. I understood everything instantly.
Toge came out of the bathroom with his hair still wet, wearing a simple t-shirt and a sleepy expression. He had taken off his hoodie again, and I saw the tattoo etched beside his mouth. It looked like a small curse written on his skin—black, elegant, but threatening.
I paused, determined to ask him.
"Wait… what's that?"
He looked at me, a bit surprised, gesturing to that spot on his face with a finger.
"It's part of your technique, right?" I stepped a little closer. "Does it hurt? Is it like a seal? Have you always had it? Who did it to you?"
He smiled with his eyes.
Then pulled out his phone and typed:
"It helps contain part of my energy. It's like a seatbelt."
"Wow..." I said, genuinely impressed."It's kind of... unsettling."
He laughed softly.
"Okaka," he said simply.
"Anyway…" I added."What do you think, mission partner? Think we'll make it through today?"
He gave me a thumbs-up.
***
In the courtyard, Gojo-sensei was waiting, inexplicably overdressed for a summer afternoon—New sunglasses, gray suit, mochi in hand.
"Kids! Mid-level mission. A cursed spirit near an abandoned tunnel north of the city. Nothing crazy, don't panic. But interesting enough to make you sweat a little."
"Coordination?" I asked, taking the tablet with the coordinates."Any civilians?"
"Zero. But be careful. That place's been cursed for years. Thick stuff. Stagnant energy. Don't get tricked. Trust each other." He winked.
—Mission site: Hoshikawa Tunnel—
The air at the tunnel's entrance was charged with electricity, like time itself had stopped inside. The asphalt was cracked, moisture trickling down the walls like sweat. I pulled on my gloves and activated my technique: glowing energy lines lit up along my arms, tracing luminous symbols.
Toge stood silently next to me. He lowered his scarf just enough to be ready.
"Okaka."
"Alright. I'll take the left, you go right?"
He hesitated.
We hadn't yet figured out a proper language for tactical coordination. And I still wasn't fluent in "onigiri code."
We moved, but at first it was difficult. A noise. Two presences. One fake. I lunged at a shadow, thinking it was the curse. Toge suddenly shouted:
"Stop!"
The sound of his cursed phrase—"Snake and Fangs"—split the air, nearly knocking me off my feet.
"You were telling me not to attack, weren't you…?"
Toge nodded, a bit embarrassed.
He typed quickly:
"The energy was off. It was luring you into a trap."
"Okay, okay… my bad. We need a system. Hand sign if it's dangerous, eye contact if it's clear to move. Deal?"
He looked at me, then nodded.
The cursed spirit finally appeared—emerging from the darkness like a breathing shadow.It looked made of bones and rags, with too many eyes and a stitched smile.
It hissed. Laughed.
Its energy was acidic.
Toge stepped forward.
"FALL."
The effect was immediate: the spirit staggered, its legs collapsed. But it was strong—regenerating before our eyes.
I drew the Compression symbol on my arm—accumulated cursed light energy at the cellular level—and launched a direct hit to its chest. But it wasn't enough.
I turned to Toge. He was rubbing his throat, wincing slightly.
We locked eyes for less than a second.
That was all we needed.
He nodded. I nodded back.
I jumped into the air, twisted my torso, ready to draw more symbols if needed. Toge lowered his gaze, uncovered his mouth and said:
"Explode."
A devastating sound tore through the silence.
The creature was disintegrating slowly, and to ensure the kill, I channeled all my remaining energy straight into the core of the monster.
With a sharp cry, the curse dissolved into a cloud of dark steam.
Silence.
Ragged breathing.
Victory.
—On the way back—
"You two done?" Gojo-sensei asked, now lounging on the reception couch with a soda in hand. "What took you? Ten minutes? Five hours? I was almost starting to worry."
Toge and I exchanged a tired, but satisfied look.
"It was rough, Sensei..." I said. "But we figured out how to work together."
Gojo nodded.
"Good. Trust is the first step to not getting yourselves killed. The second is… well, not being idiots. But we're working on that."
Toge chuckled quietly. I did too.
"Tomorrow. Eight a.m. Even if you're heroes."
Then he tossed us a small bag with two treats.
"Reward. Don't tell Maki."
***
That night, as we walked side by side in silence, I turned to Toge.
"You know we did well today, right?"
He nodded. Then showed me his phone:
"You understood my eyes. That's rare. I trust you."
My heart warmed.
"Me too, Toge. Me too."
—Who Sits Beside You—
The next morning started with cooler air than usual, and a clear light filtering through the curtains of classroom 1-EF.
I had arrived early. My hair was down and straightened, fringe neat above my forehead, a hint of makeup. I wore the uniform with the belt cinched tightly at the waist. I liked the way it moved over my legs as I walked.
When I entered, Yuta was already in his usual seat, reading. Maki was nearby, crouched on her chair the way she always sat when relaxed. They spoke quietly, intensely. There was something in their eyes… a closeness… maybe just friends? Maybe not.
I approached with a smile:
"Good morning!"
Yuta nodded. Maki gave me a sharp, knowing glance.
"You stayed out late, huh?"
"Too much sake. After the mission, Panda challenged me… and I lost."
Just then, my partner entered. Needless to say—my heart did a little leap.
I sat next to Yuta, but Toge approached and sat to my right, leaving a faintly spicy and fresh scent in the air. He showed me his phone. It read:
"How are you?"
"Pretty good! Though I really didn't want to get up this morning…" I shot him a sideways glance."But you look perfect at eight a.m. How do you do it?"
Toge shrugged, then typed:
"Onigiri."
I smiled.
"Right. Secret #1 to looking good: rice and nori."
A few minutes later, the sensei walked in. With his dark glasses, coffee in hand, and the stride of someone who showed up to change the world.
"Alright, my beautiful cursed children—today we're talking innate techniques. Who knows what an innate technique is?"
Yuta raised his hand:
"It's a technique inherited through bloodline, which can awaken naturally even without training, if the potential is already present in the body."
"Correct, Yuta. Maki, add something."
"Sometimes the awakening is traumatic. Other times it's spontaneous…But still unstable at first."
Gojo pulled a theatrical frown.
"Good. But remember—an innate technique isn't a gift. It's a weapon. And if you don't master it, it becomes a boomerang."
Then his gaze landed on me.
"Rebe. You have intense cursed energy, but it's not yet... focused. You know there might be a technique inside you you haven't unlocked yet?"
"Yes," I answered softly."I can feel it. Sometimes it pulses. But I don't know what it means."
Gojo nodded, suddenly more serious.
"Then you need to learn how to listen to it."
—Lunch Break—
The sun was high when I headed to the cafeteria. Hands in my pockets, humming, stomach growling. I sat alone by the window, with a simple tray: cold soba, green tea, and a small mochi.
I was scrolling my phone when an unfamiliar, cheerful voice interrupted me:
"May I?"
I looked up and saw Gojo's assistant—Kaito.
He sat beside me without waiting for a response. Still in his support uniform, jacket unbuttoned, messy brown hair. He gave me a nearly disarming smile.
"You've already won everyone over here, you know that? Maki adores you, Gojo won't stop talking about you, and Toge…"
He paused.
"Well, he looks at you like you're a poem he wants to memorize."
I laughed, trying not to blush.
"Stop."
"I'm not kidding. But be careful with him, okay? He's different. Deep. Fragile."
"I know," I replied.
We sat in silence for a moment. Then he smiled again and finally introduced himself.
"Anyway, you haven't been to the lounge yet. Afraid to lose at cards?"
"No. I'm afraid to win and have no one talk to me after."
He paused, eyes flicking briefly to my lips. Then he sighed.
"You're tough, huh?"
"No! I'm just trying to be."
In that moment, my eyes instinctively turned to the door. And there… was Toge.
Standing. Still.
He was watching us. His eyes were paler in the daylight, but shadowed.
He looked at us for a few seconds. Then turned and disappeared around the corner.
My stomach knotted.
Kaito said nothing. But his smile faded.
And for the first time since I'd arrived…I no longer felt the air around me.