When Shoko and Suguru were gone, Satoru stayed rooted in place, the cold November air biting at his skin as though it had teeth. His breath came out in pale clouds, curling into the dusk. The world outside the gates had dimmed into a watercolor of grey and amber, the last streaks of sunlight slipping away like secrets he could no longer keep. His gaze lingered on the gates long after Sana's figure had disappeared, as if staring hard enough would call her back.
The smirk he'd been wearing crumbled slowly, piece by piece, until it was nothing but a shadow of itself—leaving behind something raw, something even he barely recognized.
For the first time in years, silence didn't feel like an old companion. It felt suffocating. It pressed in from all sides, heavy as water, and he couldn't breathe.
"Damn it…" he whispered, dragging a hand over his face. His voice cracked in a way he hadn't heard since he was a boy kneeling in the dark of an empty temple, trying to understand what being strong meant.
He knew what this feeling was. He wasn't an idiot. He'd seen it a hundred times in others—weakness disguised as warmth, vulnerability disguised as attachment. But that had never been for him. He was Gojo Satoru — the Six Eyes, the strongest. The world had told him again and again:
You're not meant to need anyone.
You're not meant to love.
And yet… last night, hearing her laugh echo off the empty court, seeing her eyes soften when he let his mask slip—he had felt it. That terrifying, beautiful thing he was never supposed to feel.
Love.
His throat tightened. It was absurd. Reckless. Dangerous.
She wasn't even a shaman. She didn't belong to this cursed, bloody world that defined him. She was fragile, ordinary in the ways he wasn't allowed to be. To let himself care for her meant painting a target on her back. It meant risking the one thing he couldn't protect, no matter how strong he was.
And still… he couldn't unfeel it.
He leaned against the gatepost, the cold metal biting into his shoulder, eyes closing as the truth washed over him like a wave. "I love her," he admitted under his breath, the words tasting bitter and sweet at once. "And I'm not supposed to."
For a long time, he stayed there, battling the contradiction of who he was and what he felt. The strongest sorcerer alive, the untouchable Gojo Satoru — undone by the thought of a girl who smiled at him without fear, who sat beside him without expectation, who made the silence bearable.
A wind blew through the courtyard, scattering dry leaves across the stones. One snagged at the hem of his coat, and for a strange moment, he thought of Sana's fingers clutching his sleeve in the dark court the night before, and the way her eyes had widened, soft and unguarded.
When he finally pushed himself away from the gate, the mask slid back into place with a snap like ice refreezing over water. Because Gojo Satoru, the man who wasn't meant to love, had fallen anyway.
And it was too late to stop.
He walked slowly, his steps dragging as though the weight of his own thoughts trailed behind him like a chain.
****** ______ ********* At Sana's House ************* ________****
Sana stood in front of her family's bakery, her heart beating with a mix of nervousness and excitement. Her hands trembled slightly against the strap of her bag. She had planned this carefully—no phone calls, no messages. She wanted her parents' genuine surprise.
The shop's warm glow spilled onto the street, golden against the dusk. Pushing the side door open, the familiar scent of freshly baked bread, cinnamon, and sugar wrapped around her like a memory from childhood. She inhaled deeply, the smell grounding her in a way nothing else could.
Inside, her mother was bent over the counter, carefully arranging trays of pastries for the afternoon rush. The gentle hum of an old radio drifted through the space. Sana's lips curved into a smile. Quietly, she tiptoed across the wooden floor, heart pounding louder with each step, and before her mother could sense her presence, Sana slipped her arms around her from behind.
Her mother gasped, nearly dropping the tray. "Wha—!" She turned in a hurry, and the moment her eyes met Sana's, shock melted into overflowing joy.
"Sana… Sana!" Her mother's voice cracked, trembling as her hands cupped her daughter's cheeks. Then, without hesitation, she pulled her into a fierce embrace, holding her as though she would never let go.
Tears blurred Sana's vision as she buried her face into her mother's shoulder. "Mom… I missed you."
Her mother was already calling out, her voice loud and urgent. "Dai! Come here! Hurry!"
From inside the house, heavy footsteps rushed toward the bakery. "What is it, Hana-chan? What's so—" Dai's words froze in his throat. His eyes widened at the sight before him, and in the next breath, he was striding forward, sweeping Sana into his arms as though she were still a little girl.
"Sanaa!!!" His laughter boomed through the bakery, choked with disbelief and happiness. He lifted her off the ground, spinning her around while Sana squealed, clinging to his shoulders.
"You're here! You're really here! Why didn't you tell me, huh? I would've run to the ends of the earth to pick you up!"
Sana giggled, her heart swelling at his warmth. "Because… I wanted to surprise you both."
Her father set her down but didn't release her, his strong hands still gripping her shoulders as if to reassure himself she was real. Her mother leaned in, the three of them folding into one embrace, laughter and tears mixing freely.
They closed the shop early that day. At home, Hana served Sana's favorite dishes for lunch, the table filled with the taste of love and longing finally fulfilled. Laughter echoed through the small dining room as they caught up on every little detail—stories left untold, moments they had missed.
Later, they wandered through the city together, their arms linked. They bought tickets for a movie, whispering and laughing like old times in the dark theater. As night fell, they found themselves in their favorite restaurant, enjoying a slow, tender dinner, the kind only families who had missed each other so dearly could truly savor.
It was a day stitched with happiness and warmth—one where Sana felt, that the world was perfectly whole.
Yet, far away at Jujutsu High, the air was heavy with shadows and unrest, the sweetness of her family's joy standing in stark contrast to the storm quietly brewing there.
Two days had already passed since Sana came back home.
"Mom, what's that you are making?" Sana asked one evening, leaning against the kitchen doorframe.
"I'm making a scarf for your grandma. She has always loved them since I was little and made it the first time for her," her mother answered with love in her voice, fingers moving like a slow dance, weaving memory into each loop of yarn.
"Ohh, that's beautiful." Sana's eyes softened. The scarf looked like care turned into a tangible thing.
"You love it? I will make one for you too," her mother replied with a smile.
"Mom…" she paused while thinking about something. "Will you teach me how to make one?" she added after the pause.
"Hmmm? Yes, why not. I would love to." Hana said with a surprised smile.
"Thank you mom." Sana chimed.
Dai and Hana exchanged a glance, their brows knitting. They knew something was stirring inside their daughter; after all, they were her parents.
As it was evening already, Hana said, "Sana dear, if you want to learn knitting then you gotta go to the market and bring the right wool for what you want to make."
"Okay mom, I will go in 10 minutes but just help me with the details—about where I will get good wool and what kind of wool will be good to make a scarf."
"Okay, I will jot it down on the paper. You go and get ready," Hana said.
When Sana came downstairs all set to go to the market to buy wool, Hana had already written all the details on a piece of paper.
"Mom, can I go?" Sana asked lightly, her coat already on.
"Dear, you want some money? As good quality of wool will be expensive and you will need a bit extra of that as you are learning for the first time," Hana asked.
"No mom, I have enough money. Well, I can't exactly explain this but we get our money to do some sort of activities and it's fun. Hehehe." Sana giggled and went straight through the door.
Hana and Dai could just look at each other, puzzled. But after a moment a soft smile came across Dai's face. His lovely daughter. His love was finally out of that hospital and happy, living her life like a normal child.
Sana was finally in the market. It was cold but the excitement within her was enough to not let her feel the chill. Her breath puffed out like little ghosts as she walked.
She went to the shop. There were all beautiful colors in the shop, rows of wool like rainbows folded into skeins. She couldn't decide. Her fingers brushed against reds, golds, greens. Finally she stumbled upon a light blue color. She held it close to her chest, imagining it becoming something soft, something made with her own hands. She took two colors of wool and paid for it. And finally with a gentle smile she was set to go back home. It was already late now, the streetlights flickering to life.
As she was going back, she turned to look at a familiar narrow alley in between the shops. It was near her home so she had been here many times before. But as she turned back towards the road to go home, suddenly she bumped into someone. A warm hand instantly grabbed her waist.
"Sorr—" as she could finish her word, she realized he was someone she knew but now looked entirely different. A lot of men standing behind him.
"You gotta walk carefully, you know."
The boy's hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail, the dark strands sleek and slightly tousled, with the sides of his head cleanly shaved—an undercut that sharpened the angles of his face—while a few thin, unruly locks fell forward, brushing his cheekbones like they refused to be tamed. That familiar neck tattoo. That familiar voice.
Sana's breath caught. She immediately pulled away from his grip.
"I'm sorry," she said bluntly. Her grip on her shopping bag became strong and she moved right to go from there immediately.
As she turned someone else grabbed her wrist.
"You crashed into boss and you think you can leave easily. Gotta have some fun now," a guy said.
Sana instantly set her hand free.
"Don't you dare to touch her and talk to her again like that." The dark-haired boy said with a deadly stare.
"Now you have stooped this low? Akagi-kun?" Sana said still holding her wrist to relieve pain.
He didn't say anything. Just a slight smile on that stone-cold face showed.
"What you doing so late?" he said.
"Excuse me? I think you have lost all those rights to ask something like that. It's none of your business." She blurted out everything that came to her mind.
"And after everything you have turned to be a punk. Do you really enjoy all this?" As she started speaking after a long breath, she was effortlessly dragged to a side by Akagi.
"Hey Sana! Cool down." He said while holding her chin by one hand and looking into her eyes. "SHHHhhh…" he said in a low, almost pleading voice.
"Leave me, don't touch me." Sana said while removing his hand from her face.
"How are you?" he asked softly.
"None of your business." She said angrily.
He said nothing just chuckled.
"Saw him smiling for the first time even with a girl," someone said at far.
"Sorry for bumping into you. But it's too late if it's okay I can drop you home." He offered.
"No need." Sana said with a lot of anger.
"You all go ahead yourself I will be late," he instructed the men standing at a distance.
"Yeah, we can see." One of them said in mockery.
"No need, you can join your motley crew." Sana said.
"Boss she is insulting us and you are listening. We won't spare another word." One of them said.
"Sorry guys but you can take it out on me afterwards. Just stay away from her or else I have to break a lot of bones I guess. Now leave." He added after a pause.
They all left.
"Now shall we go?" he asked gently.
"I said leave me I will go myself." She said.
"Now I can clearly see." Akagi said.
"What? what you can see. huh?" She blurted out.
"You are not angry anymore with me. You just want to run away from me." He asked. "You are in love with someone?" he said out of nowhere.
Sana's face turned red instantly.
"Got you." He said grinning.
"Stop making stories." Sana revolted.
"I know you better than even yourself." He said with a serious sad smile.
"If it's true then what are you doing here. Why don't you go?" She asked angrily.
"Because I'm happy for you. Finally you will find peace in loving someone." He said.
Sana stood there totally irritated and dumbfounded.
"I'm sorry Sana. I'm extremely sorry." he said.
"Huh?? why?" She asked.
"About that day. I was totally out of mind. Even if I wanted you to move ahead I must have not done anything that stupid. You are so young and still I treated you that way. I should have sat and had a talk with you properly like a human being. I haven't slept peacefully since that day. I just wanted to say sorry." He said with tears in his eyes.
Sana came close and put her free hand on his shoulder. "Akagi-kun? Don't cry. I'm alright. Don't punish yourself." She said gently.
"You have grown up a lot in a short period. You have become so calm. But just as caring and loving like before." He said with a smile.
They started walking towards her home.
"Just don't fall for somebody like me again." he said out of blue.
She was sad. She was sad for Akagi. She looked at him from a side eye.
"You have lost a lot of weight since last time we met, don't you think?" she asked.
"You have become more beautiful since last time we met." he said flirtatiously.
"Don't try to divert my question. Answer me." She asked with authority.
"Well don't know. Never saw myself in mirror since a long time." he said in a mocking tone.
"You sure you are not abusing anything? I'm just worried. You are hanging with some real bad guys now." She said with concern.
"Haha. I'm blessed if you are concerned about me but on a serious note those guys are not bad. In fact they are keeping me in control. Don't know if it wasn't for them where would I have ended up." He said in a serious thankful tone.
"Good to know. If they care about you that much." she said.
"Hey! I never intended to say you were not enough for me. Ohh sorry. Sorrry. I'm just saying that if I ever go astray these guys knock sense into me. And I think I'm finally where I belong. But trust me I never do anything wrong. Yes I get into a lot of fights but none of them is a civilian." He said.
"I'm not saying it like that. I'm just happy that you have moved on too." Sana added.
"Okay. Thank you." Akagi said.
They walked quietly after that. They finally reached outside Sana's home.
"Bye, Sana. Take care. And good night." Akagi said.
"Good night. And take care." Her voice became heavy.
"Hey! can you promise something?" Akagi asked.
"What?"
"If we ever meet again. I want to meet you as a very good friend. I know I said a lot of stupid stuff that day. But seriously I don't want to lose a friend like you. And I will be very happy if you choose a good person in life." He said.
"Sure, aren't we friends already?" Sana said.
"Well didn't seemed like that half an hour ago." Akagi chuckled.
Sana hit him with her shopping bag.
"Bye, good night." Sana finally said.
She went inside.
He kept standing there a minute too long, looking at that shut door, his breath fogging the cold air.
"Akagi you lost a real one in life," he smiled to himself, the curve of his mouth soft but sad.