Kaede was sitting on the floor, leaning against a column of the building, while Mai was busy tending to his wounds. His body bore several recent lacerations, a reminder of how chaotic everything had been lately. Mai, her gaze focused on the wounds, applied ointment to his skin with an almost obsessive concentration. Kaede, though he hid it, appreciated the attention. Recently, she had grown quite attached to him. "I don't blame her," he thought, recalling how they treated her in the Zenin clan, worse than a dog. Without saying a word, he raised his hand and gently patted her head, a gesture that would make no sense if someone saw "Naoya" doing it. Mai froze for a moment, surprised by the touch, but didn't pull away.
"You've improved quite a bit," Kaede commented in a soft but firm tone, breaking the silence as he watched Mai tend to his wounds.
Mai slowly looked up, her large eyes reflecting surprise. She wasn't used to receiving praise, especially not from someone she thought was her cousin. "You saw me? But... I lost," she murmured, clearly incredulous at Kaede's words.
Kaede smirked, a smile Naoya used to wear, but this time with a different air. "I said you've improved, that's all. You made some mistakes, but that's part of the process. Each defeat brings improvement. Your reflexes were good, and you adapted to unexpected situations. Though we need to adjust a few things in your combat technique."
Mai continued to stare at Kaede, unable to fully grasp that someone, especially "Naoya," was recognizing her in that way. It was a strange feeling for her. "Thanks..." she said in an almost inaudible whisper as she continued applying the bandage on Kaede's arm.
Before they could continue the conversation, a familiar presence invaded the space. Kaede tensed slightly, though he hid it almost instantly. Gojo Satoru, with his usual carefree smile, was approaching with Itadori hanging from his shoulder, the young man looking exhausted. Satoru raised his hand in a casual gesture, greeting in his characteristic style. "Oh, looks like you got hurt. Trying to be the hero, Naoya?" he said with a light laugh, clearly mocking him.
Kaede raised an eyebrow and gave him a cold look, one that seemed perfectly pulled from Naoya's repertoire. "I went to help your dear students," he replied, keeping the sardonic tone. "Instead of mocking me, you should be grateful. If I hadn't intervened, one of them would probably be dead by now."
Gojo's smile faded for a second, recognizing the truth in Kaede's words, but he quickly recovered, though with less enthusiasm than before. "Well, good job then. Happy?"
Kaede scoffed, rolling his eyes in exasperation. "Go to hell. They're waiting for you inside."
Gojo nodded, unbothered, and dropped Itadori to the ground, dusting off his hands as if he had just released an insignificant weight. Itadori, beside him, exchanged a quick look with Kaede. Before he could stop himself, Kaede made a sharp comment. "What are you staring at? Do you like me or something?"
Itadori made a face of disgust and turned away, following Gojo into the building without saying a word. However, before completely disappearing, Itadori threw one last quick glance in Kaede's direction, as if still trying to figure out what kind of person "Naoya" was.
Kaede sighed once they were out of sight. Meanwhile, Mai kept her head down, as if Gojo's presence had been too overwhelming for her. Kaede observed her for a moment and then spoke in a firm tone. "And why do you have your head down?"
Mai seemed to shrink even more. "That was Gojo..." she whispered, as if just mentioning him was reason enough for her submissive attitude.
Kaede clicked his tongue in annoyance, his voice full of disapproval. "So what? You're a Zenin. At least look up. Did you see me taking his crap?"
Mai didn't immediately respond, but her hands trembled slightly as she continued to bandage Kaede's wounds. It was clear that the fear and insecurity she felt toward Gojo were much deeper than Kaede had imagined. The years of abuse in the Zenin clan had left deep scars on her self-esteem, but Kaede wasn't someone who would let that perpetuate if she was under his watch, even if he wasn't the real Naoya.
"It's Gojo, Naoya... he's too strong," Mai whispered, trying to justify herself, but barely able to hide the fear she felt.
Kaede looked at her for a few seconds in silence, then shifted his gaze to the horizon. "That doesn't matter. You have to stop bowing your head to anyone you consider stronger than you. If you keep thinking that way, you'll never grow beyond what the clan made you believe you are."
Mai, still processing those words, didn't respond, but her rigid posture and the way she continued her work with more determination spoke of a slow but evident change.
Days after that incident, Kaede and Miyako were in one of their typical "fake dates," though this time it seemed the tension between them was increasing. The two had met at a small café hidden from prying eyes, the perfect place to exchange information. Kaede was calmly savoring a piece of cake, his gaze fixed on Miyako as he smiled with an almost overflowing confidence.
"So? Anything new to say?" Kaede asked, passing his fork through the cake and bringing it to his mouth with nonchalance. Miyako sighed, crossing her arms with a mix of exhaustion and resignation.
"I should be the one asking you that," she replied with a hint of reproach. "What the hell happened in Tokyo? It's all anyone talks about—how you pulled off a Black Flash so powerful they say it could have destroyed a mountain."
Kaede chuckled, as if the feat was just another everyday thing. "They exaggerate. I just wanted to see if this body can now handle the power I used to wield. Looks like... it more or less does." He took a sip of his drink, satisfied with his own answer.
Miyako eyed him from the corner of her eye, her eyes narrowing with a mix of annoyance and disbelief. "What? I saw the moment, and I did it. You can't blame me for that," Kaede continued, shrugging. But Miyako just shook her head, exhaling another frustrated sigh.
"Whatever," she resumed, settling back in her chair and taking her tea. "Here's the thing: my cover is getting harder to maintain. This body, while anatomically compatible, is severely underdeveloped in terms of cursed energy usage." She took a careful sip, avoiding looking directly at Kaede. "I need to practice the Limitless if I want to survive what's coming."
Kaede propped an elbow on the table, watching her with that spark in his eyes that sometimes got on her nerves. "What if you just use it?" he proposed, as if it was the simplest idea in the world.
Miyako nearly spat out her tea in surprise and looked at him with a mix of disbelief and exasperation. "What are you talking about? How do these stupid ideas come to you?"
Kaede merely shrugged. "If I remember correctly, Aiko's body doesn't have a proper inherited technique, but rather a kind of cursed energy manipulation. Maybe you could use that to improvise."
Miyako's face went from disbelief to an expression of exasperation. She sometimes wondered how someone like him, the only user of Divine Space who had managed to master the technique purely by calculation, could say such foolish things.
"You know inherited techniques manifest between ages four and six, right?" Her tone showed she was on the brink of losing her patience.
Kaede raised his hands to shoulder height. "Are you a late bloomer?"
"And are you stupid?" she shot back, showing her irritation. Kaede burst into laughter, his laughter echoing through the place.
"Alright, alright... I get it," he replied, still smiling. "You'll have to get out of there eventually. If you make any unexpected moves, they'll point to me as the culprit. But hey... I have an idea."
Miyako frowned, anticipating whatever suggestion she was about to hear. Kaede paused dramatically, then, with a mischievous smile, said, "What if we get married? You could join the Zenin clan without raising suspicions, and you could practice freely."
Miyako froze, her eyes wide as she stared at him. The proposal took a few seconds to process in her mind. "Wait, what?" she muttered, her hands still trembling around her teacup. Kaede, on the other hand, seemed delighted with his own idea.
"I left you speechless, huh? I always come up with the best plans..." he remarked, then, resting his chin on both hands, continued with a smile that seemed to challenge her. "And if we get caught in the act, you wouldn't even have to explain. The wedding would be inevitable."
Miyako blinked, absorbing that last sentence. Her thoughts were in complete chaos. "He can't be serious," she thought as she set her cup on the table and stood up suddenly, taking a deep breath to calm herself. Kaede watched her as she took out money to cover the bill, then, without saying another word, left the café. Outside, a chauffeur awaited her in a discreet car. Before getting in, Miyako paused for a second, as if she wanted to look at him one last time.
Kaede merely gave him a smug smile. "It's the best option. And the quickest way to do it without raising suspicion."
Miyako didn't respond, got into the car, and it pulled away in silence. Kaede watched her leave, laughing to himself as he resumed his cake, enjoying the thought of having left her speechless once again.