Silly author note: BREAKING NEWS: Fraud Allegations Dismissed After Experts Confirm Miwa Is Just Trying To Survive.
===
= Flashback: Last Night, After the Beatdown =
Shinra knocked on Gojo's door at midnight.
Not because he wanted to. Because if he didn't hand over the finger now, Gojo would somehow know and show up in his room at 3 AM. Better to control the timing.
The door swung open. Gojo stood there in pajamas covered in little blindfolded ghosts.
"Shinra! Late night visit? I'm flattered but I don't swing that-"
"Here." Shinra tossed him the finger. "Found it under Junpei's floor. Mahito's trap."
Gojo caught it one-handed. His smile faded just a little.
"Kid's lucky you were there."
"Yeah. Speaking of Junpei." Shinra leaned against the doorframe. "He should come to Jujutsu High. He's got potential. And if we leave him out there, Mahito's might just try again."
Gojo studied him for a second. Then grinned.
"You want to enroll the traumatized movie kid?"
"I want to give him a chance. Same as me."
Gojo was quiet. Then he nodded.
"Fine. Bring him tomorrow. I'll handle the paperwork." He waved the finger. "And thanks for this. The higher-ups will be happy we recovered another one."
"Tell them I found it in a dumpster."
"I'll tell them you fought twelve special grades for it. Makes me look better as a teacher."
Shinra walked away.
"Goodnight, Shinra-kun!"
"Go to sleep, Gojo-sensei."
---
= Present Day =
The Porsche rolled through the city streets, engine purring.
Shinra had the windows down, cloak flowing in the breeze. The morning sun was just starting to warm things up. Perfect driving weather.
He pulled up to the Yoshino house.
Junpei was waiting outside. Standing awkwardly with a small backpack, looking like he wasn't sure if he should be excited or terrified.
Shinra leaned over and pushed the passenger door open.
"Get in."
Junpei stared at the car. At the leather seats. At the dashboard that looked like a spaceship.
"This is... this is yours?"
"Yep."
"It's a Porsche."
"GT3 RS. 525 horsepower. Zero to sixty in three seconds." Shinra gestured. "You gonna stand there all day or get in?"
Junpei got in.
He moved like he was afraid to touch anything. Buckled his seatbelt like it was a life support system. Sat perfectly still as the car pulled away.
"Relax," Shinra said. "It's just a car."
"It's not just a car. It's the car." Junpei's voice was hushed. "I've seen videos of these. They cost more than my mom makes in ten years."
"Good thing I'm rich then."
Junpei looked at him. At the cloak. At the car. At the guy who'd literally beaten a curse into paste last night.
"Who are you?"
Shinra thought about it.
Complicated question.
Short answer? I'm him.
Long one? I'm someone who decided that watching bad things happen wasn't for me anymore."
Junpei didn't ask more. He just nodded and looked out the window.
The rest of the drive was quiet. Comfortable.
---
Jujutsu High loomed ahead.
Ancient gates. Creepy atmosphere. The whole package.
Shinra parked near the entrance. Junpei got out, staring at everything.
"This is a school?"
"Curses don't learn in normal buildings."
"I guess not."
They walked inside. Gojo was waiting in the main hall, leaning against a wall like he'd been there for hours.
"Junpei! Welcome!" He pushed off the wall, moving too fast. "I'm Gojo Satoru, the strongest sorcerer in the world. You're in good hands."
Junpei blinked. "Uh. Nice to meet you?"
"Megumi!" Gojo yelled down the hall. "New student! Paperwork! Now!"
Megumi appeared from nowhere, looking like someone had just told him he had to do taxes for the rest of his life.
"More paperwork?"
"More paperwork. Take him to the admin office. Get him registered. Be nice."
Megumi looked at Junpei. Junpei looked at Megumi.
"Follow me," Megumi said flatly.
Junpei glanced back at Shinra.
"Go," Shinra said. "He's less scary than he looks."
"That's not reassuring."
"It's not supposed to be."
Junpei followed Megumi down the hall. The last Shinra saw of him, he was getting a lecture about cursed energy density and why forms need to be filled in triplicate.
Poor kid.
He'll live.
---
The training grounds were active.
Shinra walked up just in time to see Maki and Panda mid-spar.
Maki was trying something different. Her movements weren't her usual brutal efficiency, they were flowing. Circular. She caught Panda's massive punch and actually redirected it, sending him stumbling sideways.
"YES!" she shouted. "I DID IT!"
Panda recovered and swung again. Maki tried the same move. This time her timing was off. The redirection failed and she ate a fist to the shoulder.
"OKAY THAT ONE DIDN'T COUNT"
They went at it. Maki landed some flowing moves, messed up others. Every time she got it right, she looked almost happy. Every time she failed, she got pissed and tried harder.
The match ended in a draw. Both of them breathing hard, Maki's uniform torn at the sleeve, Panda's fur ruffled.
Shinra clapped slowly.
Maki spun around. Her face went pink for half a second before she locked it down.
"How long were you watching?"
"Long enough to see you almost get it. Twice." Shinra walked over. "You're learning faster than I expected."
"I'm not... I was just" She stopped. Took a breath. "Whatever. You here to teach or critique?"
"Teach. Obviously."
Panda waved. "I'M GOING TO GET WATER! YOU TWO HAVE FUN! I SHIP IT!"
"Panda, I will break you," Maki said.
"I KNOW WHAT I SAID!"
He lumbered off.
Shinra turned to Maki. Rolled his shoulders.
"Alright. Hand to hand. Show me what you've got."
She didn't hesitate.
Maki lunged, fast, precise, aiming for his center mass. Shinra flowed around it, tapped her wrist. She spun, threw an elbow. He caught it, redirected, sent her stumbling past him.
"Good. Again."
She came back harder. He guided her past him again.
"You're still thinking too much. FWCR isn't about planning, it's about feeling. Your body knows what to do if you let it."
"I AM letting it!"
"No you're not. Your brain's in the way."
She growled and threw a combination. Shinra flowed through it, touching her shoulder, her hip, her wrist, each touch a redirection, each one throwing her slightly off balance.
"Stop thinking. Feel."
Maki closed her eyes.
For a second, nothing happened.
Then she moved.
Her fist came at his face, he went to redirect, but this time she changed mid-strike. Adjusted. Followed his flow instead of fighting it. Her palm connected with his chest.
Not hard. But it connected.
Shinra smiled.
"There it is."
Maki's eyes opened. She looked at her hand like it had just done something miraculous.
"I hit you."
"You did."
"I actually hit you."
"Don't get used to it." Shinra stepped back. "But yeah. That was it. That was the feeling."
Maki grinned. A real grin. The kind she didn't show often.
"Again."
For three hours, they went at it.
Maki learned fast. Scary fast. Every mistake got corrected. Every success got repeated until it was muscle memory. By the end, she could flow through basic combinations without thinking, her body just moved.
Shinra stepped back, breathing hard.
"Alright. That's enough for today."
Maki was drenched in sweat, but her eyes were alive in a way he hadn't seen before.
"I almost had you that last time."
"You almost did."
"Next time I will."
"We'll see."
He grabbed his cloak from where he'd draped it over a fence.
"Meet me here tomorrow at 05:00. Don't be late."
Maki nodded. "I won't."
They walked toward the cafeteria together. Not touching. But close.
---
Lunch was chaos.
Surprisingly gojo revealed that yuji was alive early this time. (A/N: yeah... Ain't writing that scene because I have other work to do like um... actually Touching grass unlike some of you, jk ಠ ͜ʖ ಠ).
The cafeteria was packed. Yuji was already on his fourth bowl of rice. Nobara was arguing with him about something dumb. Megumi sat at the end of the table, looking like he wanted to be anywhere else.
Junpei was there too. Squeezed between Yuji and the wall, looking overwhelmed but not unhappy.
Shinra sat down. Maki took the spot next to him.
Nobara's eyes landed on Junpei.
"So this is the new kid." She looked him up and down. "Doesn't look like much."
Junpei shrank.
"He's got potential," Shinra said. "Give him time."
"Potential." Nobara snorted. "What'd he do to earn your charity? Cry?"
"nah, he is just a good friend to have and I also bought him Wagyu beef."
Nobara paused.
"...What?"
"Wagyu. Expensive stuff. Fed him by a river." Shinra shrugged. "Also he likes movies. Good taste."
Nobara's eyes narrowed. Then they drifted to the window. To the parking lot. To the matte-black Porsche gleaming in the sun.
"Is that... yours?"
"Yep."
"That car is yours."
"Want a ride?"
Nobara stood up so fast her chair nearly tipped over.
"YES. Wait..." She caught herself. Tried to play it cool. "I mean... sure. Whatever. If you're offering."
Maki looked up. "A ride where?"
"Nowhere yet." Shinra pulled out his phone. "But I was thinking. Shopping trip. Luxury mall. Everyone needs new stuff."
Nobara's eyes went wide. "Shopping? Like... real shopping? With stores that don't sell combat boots?"
"That's the idea."
Maki looked at Shinra. Then at Nobara. Then back at Shinra.
"I want to go too."
"You can go too."
"But your car only has two seats."
Shinra smiled. Pulled out his phone.
"Ijichi. Yeah. Need a favor. Can you drive some people to the luxury mall? ...Yeah, the expensive one. ...Thanks. I'll send gas money."
He hung up. Looked at the girls.
"Problem solved."
---
The luxury mall was everything Nobara had dreamed of.
Five floors. Designer brands. Stores that charged more for a t-shirt than most people's rent.
Ijichi dropped them off with the look of a man who'd just been volunteered for something he didn't sign up for.
"I'll be back in five hours," he said weakly.
"Make it six," Shinra said.
"I'll make it six."
The girls were already gone.
Shinra watched them disappear into the mall. Took a breath. Followed.
---
Hour 1:
Nobara found a Gucci store. Spent twenty minutes trying on sunglasses. Maki stood nearby, looking uncomfortable.
"You should try some," Nobara said.
"I don't need sunglasses."
"Everyone needs sunglasses. It's about the vibe."
Shinra bought them both a pair. Nobara beamed. Maki looked at the price tag and almost choked.
"This is 80,000 yen."
"And?"
"And that's insane."
Shinra shrugged. "I made 200 million this week. Live a little."
How?.
... Don't ask.
Suspicious but alright.
Maki put the sunglasses on. Didn't complain again.
---
Hour 2:
Nobara discovered a shoe store.
"This one. This one. This one. Oh, and these. And the boots. Definitely the boots."
Maki found combat boots she actually liked. Tried them on. Walked around.
"These are comfortable."
"Buy them."
"I don't need..."
"Buy them."
She bought them.
---
Hour 3:
Food court break.
Nobara got expensive sushi. Maki got ramen. Shinra got coffee and watched them eat.
"This is the best day of my life," Nobara announced.
"You said that when we fought that curse yesterday."
"That was also a good day. But this has less dying."
"Fair point."
Maki ate her ramen quietly. But she was smiling. Small, but there.
---
Hour 4:
Nobara found a boutique. Maki found a weapon shop hidden on the third floor.
Shinra split his time between them.
Nobara tried on dresses. Demanded opinions. Got annoyed when Shinra said everything looked good.
"YOU HAVE TO PICK A FAVORITE."
"They all look good because you look good in them."
Nobara paused. Her face went slightly red.
"...That's cheating."
"Is it working?"
"...Shut up."
Maki was in the weapon shop, testing the weight of various blades. She found a short sword that balanced perfectly. Held it like it belonged in her hand.
"Get it," Shinra said.
"It's 2 million yen."
"And?"
She stared at him.
"You're just going to buy me a 2 million yen sword?"
"I bought you a 15 million yen naginata last week. This is nothing."
Maki opened her mouth. Closed it. Looked at the sword.
"...Fine."
She bought it.
---
Hour 5:
Shinra sat on a bench, surrounded by bags, watching the girls go into yet another store.
His feet hurt. His brain hurt. His wallet was lighter but his soul was heavier.
Never again.
You say that now, Rob said. Wait until next time they ask.
I'll say no.
You won't.
I will.
You bought Maki a sword because she looked at it funny... you folded under Zero pressure.
Talk about becoming a sugar daddy.
Ahh hell nah...
Shinra put his head in his hands.
---
Hour 6:
Ijichi pulled up right on time. The car was loaded with bags. Nobara was still talking about the boots she almost bought. Maki was examining her new sword in the backseat.
Shinra sat in the passenger seat, staring straight ahead.
"Hell nah," he muttered. "Never going shopping with a girl again in my life."
Nobara leaned forward. "What was that?"
"Nothing. Great job everyone. Good shopping. Very fun."
Maki caught his eye in the rearview mirror. Smirked.
"You're lying."
"Absolutely not. I loved every second."
She snorted. Looked away.
But she was still smiling.
---
Back at the school, everyone dispersed.
Nobara went to her room to organize her haul. Maki headed to the training grounds to test her new sword. Junpei was somewhere with Megumi, probably still doing paperwork
[END CHAPTER 14]
A/N: Btw if you want to support me for my work and read some advanced chapters then check out my Patreon, then link's in synopsis.