Walking to the cafeteria, Itadori excitedly asked Fushiguro various questions about Jujutsu High.
Although Fushiguro had a sour expression, he calmly answered each question.
They couldn't go to the cafeteria separately. Firstly, Itadori wouldn't be able to find it; secondly, he wouldn't dare let Itadori, with Sukuna inside him, stroll around a place with an excessive density of Jujutsu Sorcerers... otherwise, they might accidentally be 'gakked' by the Jujutsu Sorcerers here.
Of course, it could also be the other way around, 'gakking' others.
"Fushiguro, what kind of food do they have at the cafeteria, and what are you eating for lunch today?"
Itadori planned to get a reference for himself and Sukuna in advance.
"...I guess they have everything. You'll see when we get there."
"Everything, that's great... Ah! Oh no!"
Itadori's low exclamation startled Fushiguro and Sukuna.
[What's wrong?]
Itadori awkwardly patted his pocket: "I think I forgot to bring money."
[...]
Sukuna: I suspect you don't have any money at all, and I have proof!
Going to eat without money, what kind of dine-and-dash is this?
Fushiguro rubbed his forehead: "Don't worry, the Jujutsu High cafeteria is only open to us Jujutsu Sorcerers. It's an internal facility, so you don't need to pay."
Sukuna: So you really can dine and dash? I'm envious; this treatment is quite good.
Itadori: "Huh? You don't even need to swipe a student ID card?"
Fushiguro: "No... Basically, it's always the same few familiar faces, so I just need to introduce you once today."
"Got it, a face card."
Itadori paused.
"Do they have fried rice, curry, ice cream, or pudding?"
He still remembered Sukuna wanting to eat those.
Fushiguro: ...Your demands are quite high?
...But aren't you asking for too much?
"…Don't waste it," he warned.
So they have everything; Itadori was happy.
"Definitely no waste!"
He, the Tiger of West Middle School, had a bottomless appetite.
Besides, he had a Sukuna cheat!
Sukuna: ???
At the cafeteria, Itadori happily followed Fushiguro to get introduced.
Then he packed up everything he and Sukuna wanted to eat and placed it on the table.
Looking at the two small mountains piled in front of him, Fushiguro's mouth twitched.
"So much, can you finish it all?... Don't waste it!" he emphasized again.
"Don't worry, no problem!"
Itadori gave him a reassuring look.
Then he sat down, hunched over, his movements suddenly becoming sneaky.
Fushiguro heard him whisper to himself: "Which one do you want to eat first?"
"…Pudding? Alright~"
He deftly unwrapped the packaging, opened the lid, and scooped a spoonful—
Then he shoved it into a suddenly appearing mouth on the back of his hand.
Fushiguro: "..."
Cough, cough, cough, cough!!!
What kind of horror movie scene is this?
"Is that... Sukuna?"
Looking at that mouth with sharp teeth, even though it was his first time seeing it, he immediately guessed what it was.
"Yeah! He suddenly grew a mouth today. Gojo Satoru said it was a new skill developed after eating the second finger."
Itadori replied without looking up, and even said to Sukuna: "Sukuna, say hello to Fushiguro."
...Say hello to a ghost; I'm not a pet.
Sukuna rolled his eyes in annoyance, urging: "Hurry up, next spoonful."
After receiving a positive answer and personally seeing Sukuna speak, Fushiguro felt his worldview shatter a bit.
There were too many things to complain about; for a moment, he didn't know where to start.
Why would someone openly feed a Curse so harmoniously in a Jujutsu High filled with Jujutsu Sorcerers?
He began to be glad that his social circle was average; if a few acquaintances came over to greet them now... which side should he help?
On the other side, Itadori had already opened two more ice creams and started feeding with a spoon.
"How is it, is the ice cream good?"
"Hmm... not bad."
"Do you prefer chocolate or vanilla?"
"Both are okay... if I had to choose, then vanilla?"
"Sukuna..."
"Hmm?"
"I found out you have a sweet tooth!"
"…"
Sukuna was silent.
Although he didn't deny it, wouldn't a King who loves sweets somewhat ruin his image?
Sukuna fell into a quiet self-reflection. Itadori was already used to it. He didn't mind and quickly devoured his food like a whirlwind.
Fushiguro looked at Itadori opposite him, then at the back of Itadori's hand, and suddenly felt a stomach ache.
Thinking that he would have to live with the other party every day from now on, he felt he could prepare stomach medicine in advance.
"You two... pay a little attention..." he said with difficulty.
"If other Jujutsu Sorcerers see such obvious behavior, even Gojo Satoru won't be able to protect you."
How can Jujutsu Sorcerers and Curses be so affectionate? Is that fair to other Jujutsu Sorcerers who work hard to fight Curses?
Itadori looked up in surprise: "Huh, is that so?"
He thought for a moment, then lowered his head and quietly asked Sukuna.
"Then why don't you open your mouth on the palm of my hand, Sukuna? That way, if someone comes over, I can just make a fist and they won't see it."
Sukuna: ...That's truly a great idea.
Although he was complaining internally, he still turned his face obligingly.
After all, his life was at stake, and the palm of his hand was indeed a bit more discreet than the back of his hand.
"Curry rice, curry rice."
"Oh, okay."
Itadori put down his chopsticks, picked up a stainless steel spoon, and scooped a spoonful of curry rice towards his palm.
Just as Sukuna bit down on the spoon, a loud shout suddenly came from behind, startling both of them.
"Fushiguro!—Long time no see!"
Not far away, Takuma Ino, who had just returned from a mission, walked over casually, patted Fushiguro's shoulder, and looked at Itadori curiously.
"This is...?"
Fushiguro pursed his lips, his body tense and unnatural as he said: "Gojo Satoru's newly recruited first-year student, Itadori Yuji."
"That's great, you're finally not alone."
Ino turned to Itadori and greeted him: "Itadori, right? I'm Takuma Ino, welcome to Jujutsu High..."
His voice stopped abruptly.
Ino's gaze fell on the spoon in Itadori's right hand, and his eyes widened.
It might have once been a spoon.
Now, only a section of the spoon handle remained in Itadori's right hand; the spoon head had vanished.
Then, accompanied by a crisp "clink."
Itadori lifted his left hand, which had been covering the table.
Half of the broken spoon head lay conspicuously on the table.
Itadori: "..."
Fushiguro: "..."
Ino: "..."
"Heh, hehe... what strong teeth."
Ino gave two awkward laughs and patted Fushiguro's shoulder: "I'm going to find Nanami-san now. You two take your time eating, take your time."
With that, he turned and left, moving so fast it was as if something was chasing him.
Sukuna: "..."
He really didn't mean it.
[This spoon definitely has a quality issue.]
Itadori weakly added: "But it's stainless steel."
[...]
[Is stainless steel really that strong? Try squeezing it; see if you can break it?]
"Even if I can break it with my hands, I can't bite through it..."
[...]
"...By the way, do we have to pay for this...?"
[...I have no money.]
"Me neither..."
The two paupers looked at each other.
Then they both looked at Fushiguro.
Fushiguro rubbed his forehead.
Of course, he'd rather cover his stomach.
"No need to pay. Just be careful next time and don't break anything else."
He probably really needed to go buy stomach medicine first.
Itadori ran to get a new spoon.
Everyone silently continued eating.
Perhaps due to the spoon-breaking incident, Sukuna stopped eating after a few bites.
"How do you like the taste?" Itadori asked.
"It's mediocre; the curry rice isn't good."
Itadori paused: "You can't take your anger out on the curry rice just because you bit the spoon."
"I'm not taking my anger out!"
Sukuna said angrily: "What I make is better than this!"
"Huh? Sukuna, you can cook?"
Sukuna: ...Huh, I can cook?
He had merely blurted it out, but such an utterance often implied it was habitual.
So he could cook... This really wasn't something a King would do; Sukuna was a little conflicted.
Itadori's curiosity was piqued, and he leaned in to ask softly: "Why don't you find a chance to cook sometime, and I'll taste it?"
Sukuna bared his teeth.
"Cooking is out of the question."
"Then what can you do?"
"Dream."
"…"
Feeling Sukuna's disdain, Itadori changed his conversation target.
"Fushiguro, Gojo Satoru said he's picking up a third student tomorrow. Only three first-years? Isn't that too few?"
Fushiguro: "Have you ever encountered anyone who could see Curses before?"
Itadori thought for a moment: "...No."
Fushiguro: "So, Jujutsu Sorcerers are naturally rare."
Itadori: "Oh, how many are in the Second Years?"
Fushiguro: "...Four."
Itadori: "As expected, so few!... But we have four if you count Sukuna."
Fushiguro: "..."
How much do you like Sukuna? Have you forgotten he's a Curse?
"By the way, about picking up the new person tomorrow, should we prepare a gift?" Itadori's thoughts jumped.
Fushiguro leaned back, asking a soul-searching question: "Do you have money?"
Itadori: "..."
He sighed, and the food in his hand suddenly lost its appeal.
All his living expenses and the inheritance his grandfather left him had been used for his grandfather's funeral.
He was truly broke now, the kind that jingled with emptiness.
"Sukuna, let's go make some money."
[...How do you plan to make it?]
"Don't you know how to cook? Let's set up a stall."
[!!!]
You want me, the King of Curses, to set up a stall?!
"If you're worried about the hassle, I can handle everything else; you just need to cook."
"Don't you want to try buying food with your own earned money?"
Itadori's tone was cheerful, and it sounded quite reasonable.
Sukuna, however, firmly rejected this scheme.
He was a King; no King personally cooked.
Even if he were to die of poverty, he would absolutely not cook!
Many days later, Sukuna held the food he had personally cooked, looking utterly satisfied: So delicious!
The stall plan died in its infancy; Itadori was a little regretful. Perhaps he should just work at a convenience store.
Perhaps Itadori's expression was too vivid; Fushiguro couldn't help but comfort him: "It's okay, there are basically no expenses at Jujutsu High, and later, when you complete Curse exorcism missions, you can earn bonuses."
Itadori's eyes lit up: "Then when can I take on missions?"
Fushiguro: "Gojo Satoru will probably arrange them for you. Once you're strong enough, you can take them on yourself."
Itadori stroked his chin: "Sukuna, let's take on missions when there are no classes on the weekend."
[Can you defeat Curses?]
"Don't I have you?"
[...]
Good heavens, he's going to exploit him to the very end, isn't he?