Itadori helps you to your feet, and you can't help but stare at your hand, at the way that it's tightly grasping his. Even now, it still feels like a dream. You're actually holding Itadori Vuji's hand, like it's no big deal.
Honestly, it's almost impossible not to fangirl.
But perhaps it's a good thing that your nose is bleeding right now (not really), because it prevents you from making a total fool of yourself, and so, with great reluctance, you let go of Itadori's hand and start walking.
"Man. I'm really sorry about this," Itadori apologizes again, rubbing the back of his neck uncomfortably.
"I feel awful. I should have been more aware of my surroundings. I know apologizing doesn't actually help much, but I'm seriously sorry, and I'll do whatever it takes to make it up to you!"
Yes, your nose hurts like a bitch, but being kicked with that soccer ball allowed you to meet him, so in the grand scheme of things, you're not complaining. Still, there's a lot of blood, so you definitely need to see the school nurse.
It's actually for the best that Itadori is walking with you and guiding you along, his hand resting gently against your hack in case you sway unsteadily and trip over your own feet. Without him, you wouldn't have a damn clue where you're going. It's the first time you've ever stepped foot in this school, after. all. Based on what those girls said earlier, it sounds like you're a recent transfer student or something...? That's a rather convenient plot device. Although this whole situation is so ridiculous that you would expect nothing less, really.
"Just a bit further," Itadori encourages. He offers you a bright smile, and you have to squint through your eyes, because he may as well the sun. His protagonist status couldn't be any more obvious.
Eventually, you arrive at the infirmary, and Itadori promptly slides the door open and pokes his head into the room.
"Um, excuse me? Misa nurse? There's a student here who got hurt pretty badly, and she needs help."
There's no response. You follow him and step inside the room. Sure enough, it's empty, so you can only assume the nurse isn't here right now. She's off doing god-knows what. Seriously, what is it with school nurses and never being around to do their jobs?
"Uh-oh," you say, a few droplets of blood slipping through the cracks of your fingers and splattering onto the floor. "I don't feel so good..."
You're hit by a sudden wave of dizziness, and Itadori catches you in his arms before you can fall onto the floor. Maybe you should have taken him up on his offer to carry you earlier. You already know from watching the anime how abnormally strong he is. He lifts you up as if you're weightless, then gently places you down on one of the beds.
"Uh, crap." Itadori mumbles, brows pulling together in concern. "I'm not that good with this kind of stuff, but for now... just lie down, okay? I'll get you some tissues."
You watch him scurry around the room, nearly knocking things over in the process, but he returns to your bedside before long, offering you a needlessly large pile of tissues.
...actually, considering how bad your nosebleed is, those tissues still might not be enough.
"Thanks," you say, shifting onto your side so that you can face him. You grab a few tissues and press them. to your poor, aching nose.
What a terrible first impression. Here you are, having finally met one of your favorite characters of all time, with blood gushing down your face. It's incredibly unflattering, you have to admit. Most people would probably think it's pretty gross. You're lucky that Itadori is the nicest, friendliest person ever.
"I'm so sorry," he apologizes for the millionth time. The poor guy looks guilty beyond belief. It's not his fault that he's got superhuman strength. He can blame the author of jujutsu Kaisen for that.
"Don't worry about it," you wave off, still holding the tissues close to your nose, so your voice comes out a bit muffled. "Accidents happen. I'll live."
"But still! You look like you're really suffering, and I just-" He stops to sigh. "Anyways, it's my had. I can't change what happened. I just wish I knew a better way to help."
"Seriously, I'm okay," you insist. "I don't want you to keep beating yourself up over it. Um... earlier, I heard someone say your name. Itadori, right? I'm [Name]."
You obviously already know his name. You know even more about him than he does, to be honest. You know what the future holds in store for him, and how soon, his life will change forevermore.
"It's nice to meet you, [Name]." Itadori chuckles weakly, hanging his head in defeat. "If only we'd met on better terms. After today, I swear I'm never playing soccer ever again. I'm going on strike! Even if those guys keep pestering me to play with them, it won't happen!"
"There's really no need to go that far. I promise I'll be fine." Hesitantly, you pull the tissues away from your nose. It seems like the bleeding has mostly stopped. "See? I'm already getting better. This is no biggie."
"Damn. You're really tough," Itadori marvels. "Most people wouldn't be as calm as you. It's hadass!"
No, I'm just too busy fangirling over you right now,
You obviously keep your thoughts to yourself, but it's impossible to fully suppress the smile that keeps rising to your lips. None of this makes any sense, and truthfully, you can't help but wonder what
happened in the real world-the world you're from. You wonder about how your parents and friends are reacting to your disappearance, or if you've even disappeared at all. Maybe this is some sort of alternate reality. Maybe you're living within both worlds, simultaneously, without even realizing it.
Ugh. It's probably best not to think too hard about it. This whole thing is way too trippy.
"The nurse still isn't here," Itadori remarks. "I guess it is lunchtime. Well, either way, I'll stay and wait with you until she's back."
"I appreciate it," you smile.
Obviously, the canon plot of Jujutsu Kaisen has yet to kick off, because this is just an ordinary high school, which means he hasn't met Fushiguro or Gojo at this point. It also means that he's incapable of seeing curses. But for some reason, you are.
You were able to see that weird insect-like curse from before, when that you must at least have an above-average amount else could. That means
of cursed energy, right? The curse also ran away when you approached it. Maybe that's why? Because it sensed that you were aware of it?
Who knows, really. But you suppose it's a good thing that you're able to perceive curses. There are some exceptionally dangerous ones out there, and you feel much more at ease knowing that you won't be completely blind to them.
For a little while, you just stare at Itadori. You make a point of studying all his features, the same features you've only ever been able to glimpse across a screen, or while flipping through the pages of a manga. It's so surreal that you're able to hold a conversation with him like this. It's strange-but also exhilarating-to see him looking your way and to know that the smile on his face is directed towards you.
But... all that being said, you know what kind of world Jujutsu Kaisen is. You know how incredibly dangerous the plot will become, and how your life can easily be put at risk. Every fan dreams of being. able to interact with their favorite characters, but just because you're now living in a fictional world, it doesn't mean you have a death wish.
You won't be able to spend much time with Itadori. Soon, he'll go off to Jujutsu High, and you'll probably never see him again. There's no guarantee that you'll even talk after this. The only reason you met was because of some fortunate accident that granted you the rare opportunity to speak to him. He's a popular guy, after all. There are plenty of other people he'll be spending his time with.
Still, it was nice while it lasted. You should be content with just getting to meet him at all. You should be grateful for an opportunity that normally wouldn't exist.
"Oh, there she is," Itadori perks up. It seems like the nurse has just returned, and he stands up and hastily bows to her. "I'm so sorry! I accidentally kicked [Name] in the face with a soccer ball, and she got really hurt because of me! Please take a look at her to make sure she's okay!"
"You did what?" the nurse blinks, and she hurriedly glances over at you to find you flashing her a thumbs-up, with a wad of bloody tissues pressed to your nose. A heavy sigh falls from her lips. "Oh, good grief."
"It looks worse than it is, you reassure.
"Let me be the judge of that, please. You should run along and enjoy what's left of your lunchtime," she tells Itadori. "Thank you for bringing her. I'll take care of it, so don't worry."
Itadori frowns. "I hope she'll be alright. Is there anything at all I can help with? I'll stay behind if you need me to, just so I can"
"Everything will be fine," the nurse insists, unscrewing a jar filled with cotton balls. "Classes will be starting soon, so just let me handle this. Alright?"
"Yeah. Alright. I'm sure you know best." Itadori looks back at you once more. He smiles in a way that conveys how had he still feels. "I'll get going now, [Name]. Again, I'm really sorry for what happened. I hope you feel better soon."
He leaves moments later, and you exhale softly. This was a remarkably coincidental meeting. The two of you hardly know each other, and you doubt another opportunity like this will arise. It was destined to be a one-time thing. That's what you instinctively believe.
But of course, you're wrong.
"[Name], hey! Good morning!"
You blink repeatedly. It's a brand-new day, and you're back at school again. Yesterday you went home to find that your parents in this world look exactly like your real parents, except, well, they're not. They act like them, too. Mostly, at least. In a way, it's reassuring to have them around, but since they aren't as bewildered as you are by this new world, you can tell they haven't been isekai'd. They're just kind of here. Like placeholders, or something.
Anyways, nothing out of the ordinary happened last night. You had the same kind of interactions with your parents as you normally would. You know better than to question all the semantics, so you're just going to go with the flow and make the most of this situation.
But right now, you're rightfully taken aback, because Itadori is grinning ear-to-ear while he waves to you.
"Um, hey," you reply, blinking yet again. "What's up?"
"Nothing much," Itadori keeps smiling. "By the way, how are you feeling today? I heard you went home yesterday after lunch to get some rest, but the nurse told me your nose wasn't broken or anything, which is a relief."
"Yeah, it's all good," you nod. "Apparently it's not uncommon to get a nosebleed after getting hit in the face. It doesn't always mean it's broken. So, I don't need to go to the hospital to get it realigned or anything. Which is good, because I was really dreading that. I heard it hurts like a bitch."
"I'm sure it does," Itadori laughs. He stops himself, though, looking very sheepish all of a sudden. "But, uh... seriously, I'm really sorry about what happened. I feel like I shouldn't be joking around after what I did to you."
Aw. What a cutie.
He's a sweetheart, no doubt about it. You wish you could express how much you're grateful just for the opportunity to even talk to him, but if you tell him the truth, he'll definitely think you're crazy. And so will everyone else.
"Don't stress about it," you smile. "There's just a bit of swelling and slight bruising. I'll be good as new in no time."
Itadori beams at you. "You're so nice, [Name]! Thanks so much for not holding this against me. I'll try to figure out a way to make it up to you in the meantime."
You keep trying to reassure him that there's really no need, but he seems determined to right his wrongs. Together, you walk into the school building, quickly lock up some of your belongings, then you head to the classrooms.
"This is my class," you say, stopping in front of one of the rooms. Yesterday you skimmed through some of your relevant school documentation, like your student ID, enrollment papers, etcetera. You're a new transfer student, so thankfully, there were a bunch of papers lying around at home for you to consult.
Itadori tilts his head to the side. "Weird. I don't think I've ever seen you. I stop by here pretty often. A few of my friends are in this class."
"I just transferred in recently, so that's probably why."
"Oh, right. I think I remember hearing that we got a new transfer student. Are you liking it so far? I mean, apart from getting kicked with a soccer ball, obviously."
You chuckle softly. "It's been... good. Um, yeah. I have no complaints."
Mostly because my memories of this place don't date back any farther than yesterday.
The hallways are bustling with students hurrying to get to class, so regretfully, it doesn't look like you have much more time to loiter around and chat.
"I guess I should head to my classroom now," Itadori says. "But I'm glad to hear you're feeling better! I'll see you again soon, okay?"
"Yeah, see you around," you smile.
He walks off, and within moments of stepping away from you, some other student comes up to him and drapes an arm around his shoulder. He's absurdly popular, of course. The kind of person that others naturally gravitate towards.
You smile, heart pounding wildly in your chest. It's still crazy how this is even happening right now. Talking to him always leaves you breathless, in a sense. It leaves you feeling giddier than you can even put into words.
Even though your nose is still a bit sore, you're in such good spirits that it hardly even fazes you, so you turn around with a spring in your step.
Only to hastily clear your throat.
"Um, sorry if this is a weird question, but... does anyone know which desk I sit at?"
Lunch rolls around, and Itadori returns.
It turns out that when he said he'd see you again soon, he meant really soon. You watch, mouth agape, as he excitedly waves to you from your classroom's doorway.
"[Name]!" he calls out. "[Name], hey! Over here!"
He's as expressive as ever, and your classmates don't even look surprised that he's calling your name with such enthusiasm, despite you having only just transferred in. Itadori's so friendly that it's practically a given he'll get along with everyone.
You walk over and give him a curious look. "Itadori? What's going on?"
"Nothing much," he grins. "Just wanted to ask if you wanted to eat lunch together. My treat! It's the least I can do for you, all things considered."
"Are you sure? You really don't have to. I packed a lunch from home," you say, gesturing towards the bento box on your desk.
He scratches his cheek. "Hm, okay. Well, I guess I won't buy you lunch today, but I'll definitely do it next time! Did you want to eat together anyways?"
No way.
You can't believe this is actually happening. It's crazy enough that you were able to meet him in the first place, but now he's even going out of his way to seek you out? You suspect it's mainly because he feels guilty for injuring you and wants to make sure you're okay, but still.
Itadori Yuji could actually become your friend?
"Y-Yes," you blurt, immediately cringing at how excited you sound. "Um, yes. Thank you for inviting me. I'd love to eat lunch with you."
"Awesome!"
His grin shows no sign of disappearing, and you race back into the classroom to quickly grab your bento box, heart fluttering all the while.
Together, you walk through the hallways, and it looks like he's leading you someplace. You can only assume it must be his usual lunch spot.
Eventually, he stops in front of another classroom. It has a big plaque above it that reads Home Economics, but there's also a paper plastered to the door. A paper that says something else entirely.
Before you can even comment, Itadori slides the door open and looks back at you, grinning yet again.
"Welcome... to the Occult Research Club."