"Why are you here too?" You asked Haruto as the two of you walked towards the dormitories of Tokyo Jujutsu High.

"Principal Gakuganji is taking a visit to meet your principal. He invited us to join him, so some of us did. They're probably already here." He said, looking at the watch strapped onto his slender wrists. "Do you have a problem with me being here?"

"No, no, it's nothing like that. Just curious." You hummed and halted as you reached the door of your room. "I'll be fine from here." You told him, taking the luggage bag he helped you carry.

"Bye." He gave you a curt nod before turning his back. Then, he stopped walking.

"Make sure to practice the technique before using it on the exchange event. Good luck." And with that, he walked off.

"Thanks."

______________________

After haphazardly placing your luggage inside your room, you blasted the door open and went to find your friends. You only hoped you wouldn't rush into Gojo before you met up with the rest, because heaven knows how long he'll probably lecture you about bad decision making.

But to be fair, your decision did have some sort of thought into it, and hopefully, Gojo would see that by your judgment, you thought it was for the best.

Crash.

The sound of loud crashing after what seemed like an explosion caught your attention. So as fast as you can, you ran in the direction of the commotion to see what it was about.

It wasn't a curse, you thought, since you didn't note any unusual scent that would point to a curse's presence ever since you got there.

It was in the tunnel where the vending machines were located that you saw Mai strangling another girl unknown to you.

"Hello, Mai." You greeted, nodding to her as you slowed your running. "What just exploded? Is she an intruder?" You asked, pointing to the girl with short brown hair, seeing that Mai pointed a gun towards her torso.

"Ah, [y/n]. I see you're back in Tokyo. Don't worry about the explosion, it was probably just Fushiguro." Megumi?

"INTRUDER MY ASS! YOU GUYS ARE THE INTRUDERS HERE! LET ME GO! HOW DARE YOU PUT A HOLE ON MY NEW TRACKSUIT-"

"She's a first-year, [y/n]. And... you're really late! What do you think you were doing, getting suspended like that! We thought you wouldn't show up at all for the exchange event!" Maki tapped her pole repeatedly on your head, lecturing you already for being gone.

Forget Gojo, you should survive Maki's lecture first.

"I'M SORRY BUT THE MAN DESERVED IT, OKAY?" You argued, rubbing the part she repeatedly hit.

"Let's talk later. I'll handle Mai, you go to Megumi and the others." She said, letting you off, and after a quick nod, you looked at the brown-haired girl one last time before running to where Maki pointed.

"Don't move."

You admit it's a voice you greatly miss. Sweet and short conversations with him are something you didn't get to savor enough before leaving for three months. You smiled to yourself before walking towards a bloody Megumi, your brows furrowing in worry as you saw that he had fought Todo.

"What are the two of you doing?!" You heard Panda shout before jumping out to land a blow on Todo.

"You alright Megumi?" You asked, standing beside him while offering a hand to help him up.

"[y/n]-senpai? You're back." He said, taking your hand and allowing you to pull him up. "You bet I am!"

"Oh, [y/n]! You're back!" Panda said, catching the attention of Inumaki who zipped his collar up while muttering onigiri curses. His eyes widen as he saw you waving at them with a wide smile while supporting Fushiguro on your shoulders.

"Okaka!" He pointed at you with a frown, making you let out a guilty laugh. Another lecture later, it seems.

"I'm sorry, alright? The old man deserved the punch." You explained, your expression was humorously weary.

"Then what about joining the clan?" Panda inquired, making you freeze a little.

"Well, I can explain ehehe."

Todo, who wasn't exactly part of the conversation you were having, then joined in. "Ah, well it looks like I won't be bored the whole time. But give Okkotsu a message for me. Tell him to take part too."

"Did Yuta leave already?" You asked Megumi with a whisper. "Yeah, just a week and a few days since you first left." He replied.

You frowned a little. "Oh... Shame I didn't get to say goodbye."

"I panda. I no understand human speech." "Salmon." You almost choked on your saliva when you heard this while walking Megumi towards the infirmary.

__________________________

It was silent during lunch, and it was more awkward for you because of the stares, or maybe even glares, that you got from all of them around you.

"Fushiguro, who's that girl?" You heard the brown-haired girl whisper loudly to Megumi, her eyes glaring at you from the side.

"She's [y/n]-senpai. The one who got suspended." As he explained, you heard her let out a hum.

"[y/n] [l/n], second year. Nice to meet you..."

"Nobara Kugisaki. First-year." She introduced herself as well, nodding her head towards you.

"Er... Sorry for confusing you as an intruder a while ago. It was purely unintentional." You bowed a little, then continued eating your meal.

"Forgive her already, Kugisaki. She accumulated too much Kyoto vibes during her suspension." Maki added, looking at you with a small smile. "You've got some explaining to do, don't you think?"

"She's right! You were just gone without a trace after Principal Yaga announced your suspension," said Panda.

"Salmon." Inumaki agreed. "Okaka..." He shook his head in disappointment.

"Well, it's a long story..."

_______________________

After chatting and catching up with them while taking lunch, you excused yourself when they invited you to join them to train.

"Where are you off to again? We need to supervise you from now on to make sure you won't cause trouble. The exchange event is coming, you can't go making trouble again." Maki explained, pointing her naginata at you.

"Ah well, I got a text from Gojo-sensei to meet at the campus. I'll follow after meeting with him." You replied, scratching the back of your head. You swear Inumaki and Megumi's eyes squinted after you said this.

"Well good luck meeting with that blindfold. Make sure you return." Maki said, turning around to walk to the fields.

"Salmon..." Inumaki faced you, giving you a determined thumbs up and a pat on the back before following Maki and Panda.

You turned around in the opposite direction, making your way back inside the campus, into the part where most staff stay at.

As you entered the moderately large lounge, you saw Gojo seated lazily on the couch, with another man.

"[l/n][y/n]. I see you finally decided to show up." Gojo spoke in a frightening tone.

"Ehe..."

You went towards where they were seated, and after taking a glance at the spectacled blond man in a grey suit, you decided to take a seat in front of the unoccupied couch right in front of them.

"So. What did you do?" Gojo asked seriously.

"I punched a higher up and got suspended for three months because he happened to be petty." You said, gulping.

"Do you regret what you did?"

"Not really, no." You answered truthfully.

"Will you do it again?"

"... No...?"

"WRONG ANSWER! I thought you were my student, [y/n]." Gojo let out a dramatic sigh, suddenly lifting the serious facade.

"I'm kidding. Of course, I'll do it again if I need to." You answered, testing the waters.

"That's right, that's right. Make sure you show the higher-ups the power of Great Teacher Gojo and his students. But on a more serious note, why'd you join the clan?" He asked, ignoring the sighs escaping from the man beside him.

"I see that [l/n] has been infected by your stupidity and carelessness. Please don't go teaching children that it's okay to punch someone even after getting in trouble for it. You'll be raising troublemakers." The man said.

"Ah, this is Nanami Kento by the way, [y/n]. He's my junior when we were still studying! He's just helping me with business. Also Nanami, that's the point! I want my students to be just like me and even better! That higher-up definitely deserved getting a punch and deserves to get another. Right, [y/n]?"

"Mhm!" You responded with a toothy smile, relieved that you weren't getting lectured, and managed to avoid the topic of joining the clan.

"Anyways, about the clan. Why did you join, [y/n]?" Gojo was more serious now, and you felt him intensely observing you as if his gaze were not blocked by a blindfold.

"I honestly don't know if I made the correct decision. After all, I could live and move on even after knowing that a woman and her daughter's life would now be spent as slaves to a cruel clan. But still... I don't think I regret my decision." You explained messily, hoping he'd just accept it and move on.

He nodded, "Continue."

"Hmm well, I know you could have also just avoided everything from happening the way the Hitomi clan wanted it to go, but I guess a part of me also didn't want to rely on you so much. I also thought about the time you told me your goal and hatred towards the higher-ups, as well as Maki's plan to become the Zenin head in the future. I realized that it could also be an opportunity, instead of looking at it as a hurdle. 'To destroy the problematic Jujutsu system'... I just thought it might not be so bad to choose joining the clan instead... But of course, I understand if you're upset. You've done everything you can after all just so that they wouldn't take me. I'm sorry about that, but I hope you understand that I may have put in more thought about this than you thought I did!"

Gojo thought for a while.

"Well, I was never really upset."

"Eh?"

"If you decided it yourself, go ahead."

"Eh?!"

"You're not like Megumi after all. He doesn't want to join the Zenin, so I'm just keeping his wishes. If it was your choice, there's nothing much I can do."

"I thought you'd be angry... I'm glad you aren't though." You said with relief, sighing as the atmosphere seemed to lighten a little.

"You joining the clan is a pretty smart idea, given the goal you just had. And I'm certain that you negotiated it well. So, I don't really mind as long as the clan treats you well." He explained. "Haruto's there as well, right? You should be fine then. I see you've also gone stronger. That's great!"

"Ehem... Do you not feel useless seeing that two of your students now made huge progress without you even having to guide them?" Nanami said, a little disappointment laced in his voice.

"Well, at least they're learning. And isn't it amazing? I didn't even have to lift a finger!" Gojo replied, his childishness overtaking him as he conversed with Nanami.

"Two? Were you not the one training Megumi?" You asked, curious of the other.

"Have you heard of Itadori Yuji?" Gojo asked you, lightening up.

"Er... Maki, Panda, and Inumaki told me he was a first-year with Megumi and Kugisaki who died in a mission the higher-ups sent them to when you weren't around."

"I see." Gojo hummed. "Would you like to meet him then?" He smiled widely at you, and though you did not see his covered eyes, you knew they were almost sparkling.

"Nah, I'd rather not die so early, sensei." You responded, shaking your head. "Although if he was alive, I'd love to meet him, of course."

"My precious student's wish is my command!" Gojo replied, performing finger guns before giving you a thumbs up.

"Huh?" You looked at him confused, but Nanami cut off any further questioning.

"Don't mind him, [l/n]. He's just spouting crazy nonsense. It would be best not to waste any more of your time chatting with him. You have exchange event training with the others if I'm not mistaken." He reasoned.

"Ah, that's right. Do you have anything more to say, Gojo-sensei?" You turned to him, receiving a shaking head in response. "Nope. You should go catch up with the others now."

You nodded, standing up and saying another goodbye before walking away.

Finally, you were back home, and it sure felt good. You couldn't wait for the exchange event to come in just so you could surprise everyone with your growth. You admit, you really owe Haruto since he helped you develop a lot.

At the exchange event, you promise yourself to make Tokyo the victors together with the others.

_____________________

a/n:

sorry for the lack of update the past days/weeks ;-;

summer break is in two weeks so updates will get better soon

i will now poof goodbye