Kakine's jaw clenched, his stern gaze directed down at the wide-eyed, earnest girl before him.
"No," he said, his voice hard, hoping the look in his eyes would end the matter then and there. But that wasn't enough for Index, who simply tilted her head and chirped, "Yes!" in a voice so eager and innocent it made Kakine's resolve waver. Behind her, Satoru leaned casually, smugly smirking, clearly reveling in the whole scene.
"Why so mean, Kakin-chan?" Satoru sang out, drawing the nickname like he was savoring every syllable.
Kakine's eyes flashed with murder. "I will actually kill you," he muttered darkly, though Satoru's smug smile only grew wider. Redirecting his attention back to Index, Kakine attempted his sternest, most authoritative tone. "No means no, alright? Don't ask me again."
"But… you said you don't have friends," she pointed out innocently, the comment hitting like an invisible arrow to his pride. Kakine twitched, trying to shake off the sting of her unintentional barb.
"There is no way," he huffed, "that I am enrolling in some shady voodoo school. And neither are you." The words came out in a low growl, though there was an almost begrudging softness behind them.
Shoko Ieri leaned against the wall, an amused smirk playing on her lips as she watched the interaction unfold before her. When she had first met Kakine, he had come across as aloof and guarded, with a selfish streak so thick that it reminded her a little too much of Satoru. He hadn't seemed like the type to care much about others, especially not about a random girl like Index. But now, as she observed him, a different side of him was slowly emerging. A side that, frankly, Shoko hadn't expected to see—a softer, more reluctant protector. It was a side of Kakine he probably hadn't even realized he had, but it was there, unmistakably present.
Satoru, never one to miss an opportunity to rile up his new source of entertainment, seized the moment with his signature theatrical flair. "Oh, come on!" he exclaimed, throwing his arms out wide in exaggerated motion. "If you come to Jujutsu High, you'll get access to endless resources, a comfortable place to live, and best of all—" He spun around dramatically, eyes sparkling with mischief, and struck a playful pose, fluttering his eyelashes like he was auditioning for a role in a rom-com. "—You get to see me every single day!"
The entire room seemed to freeze for a split second as Kakine's expression twisted into one of pure, unrestrained fury. His voice, when he spoke, practically shook the walls. "That's why I'm refusing!" His words were biting and sharp, like the edge of a blade being drawn across stone. His hands were clenched into fists, his frustration visibly mounting.
Index, bright-eyed and completely oblivious to the storm brewing around her, chirped happily in response, "Every single day!" Her face was alight with joy, her innocence only making Kakine's horror grow exponentially. He was practically radiating a heat that could melt metal at this point.
Kakine's jaw dropped in exasperation, as if he couldn't believe what was happening. "Whose side are you even on, twirp?!" he spat, looking at her like she had just betrayed him on the deepest level. The sheer absurdity of the situation seemed to break him just a little.
Not missing a beat, Satoru leaned in, clearly enjoying every second of Kakine's torment. "Come on, Kakin-chin! It'll be a blast!" His grin stretched impossibly wide as he raised his eyebrows in mock innocence. "You'll love it!"
"That's it—die!" Kakine roared, his patience finally snapping like a taut string. Without warning, his hand shot out with an almost predatory speed, snatching an empty kettle off a nearby table. With a furious growl that shook the room, he hurled it at Satoru's head.
Satoru, ever the showman, danced away with an exaggerated grace, effortlessly dodging the flying object. His laughter rang out, echoing around the room, as he put his hands up in mock surrender, still grinning from ear to ear. "You'll have to do better than that, Kakin-chin!" he taunted, fully relishing the chaos he'd stirred up.
Shoko couldn't help but smirk at the scene. She was doing her best to maintain a semblance of composure, but the sight of Satoru so unrestrained, so genuinely happy—without a hint of his usual cocky front—was enough to make her let out a small, involuntary chuckle. It had been years since she'd seen him like this, completely unburdened by the weight of his own power or reputation. And the best part? It was all real. Satoru wasn't pretending, he wasn't putting on a show—he was simply enjoying himself.
Meanwhile, Kakine was fuming, his fists clenched tightly as if they could somehow contain the bubbling frustration and disbelief he was feeling. Index, completely unaware of the storm she had created, continued to tug on his arm with an almost comical amount of energy, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
"We're going to school!" she cheered, practically bouncing in place. Her enthusiasm was contagious in a way that only added to Kakine's growing irritation. He couldn't even bring himself to look at her at this point, his glare aimed solely at Satoru.
"I said NO!" Kakine repeated, his voice nearly cracking under the pressure of his exasperation. But Index, as cheerful and persistent as ever, just shook her head in playful defiance.
"Yay! Kakin-chin and I are gonna dorm together!" Satoru crowed, arms flung wide as he made a grand announcement.
Kakine shot him a murderous glare, one that would make lesser men quail. "You're a teacher! Teachers don't dorm with students!" His words were sharp, slicing through the air with the force of his sheer exasperation.
But Satoru, in true Satoru fashion, was completely unfazed. With a lazy grin, he shrugged, "Doesn't mean we can't make an exception for someone as fun as you, Kakin-chin."
Kakine's eye twitched as he looked heavenward, possibly praying for patience—or for a convenient lightning strike. "For the last time, I am not going to your shady voodoo school!"
Satoru grinned wider, delighted by every ounce of Kakine's frustration. "Sure, sure. But if you were going to join, just think of the fun we'd have! Late-night training, pranks, and—"
"We are not going to be roommates!" Kakine nearly yelled, trying to will the ground to open up and swallow this maddening teacher whole.
Across the room, Shoko leaned against a desk, arms crossed, clearly enjoying the show. With a sly smile, she decided to join in the fun. "So you are considering it, then?" she chimed in, her tone deceptively innocent.
Kakine spun around, his eyes wide with betrayal. "Don't enable the bastard!" His voice was practically a growl as he pointed an accusing finger at her, hoping to guilt her out of taking Satoru's side.
But Shoko just raised an eyebrow, unfazed by his indignation. "Oh, I'm just saying, it could be… interesting. Having a… 'Kakin-chin' around would definitely spice things up," she said, barely holding back a smirk.
Kakine let out a frustrated sound, somewhere between a groan and a snarl. "Kakin-chin?! Why am I being bullied here?" he demanded, looking around the room as if someone would offer him salvation from these maniacs.
But Satoru's grin only grew more mischievous. "Come on, Kakin-chin, think of it as your chance to break out of your broody lone-wolf phase! You can finally have friends!"
At that word, Index perked up, her eyes wide with excitement. "Kakine, you can finally make friends!" she repeated, delighted.
Kakine's eye twitched. "I don't need friends. And I don't want them, either." He crossed his arms, glaring down at the little girl.
But Index was unfazed, staring up at him with wide, hopeful eyes. "But I think you'd be a really great friend, Kakin-chin," she said, clearly having caught onto the nickname and fully committed to it.
Kakine groaned looking completely done with life as he ran a hand down his face. "Not you, too. You know what, I'm done. This conversation is over."
"Oh, come on, Kakin-chin!" Satoru egged him on, laughter in his voice as he leaned casually against the wall. "Think of it as an opportunity. And besides—" he added with a gleam in his eye, "—with a reputation like mine, you'd be a legend in no time! Imagine everyone saying, 'There goes Kakine, the kid who became Satoru Gojo's favorite toy—I mean favorite student!'"
Kakine gave him a deadpan stare. "More like 'the kid who shoved Satoru Gojo off a cliff.'"
Satoru chuckled, "as if that'd kill me," he said in a childish tone.
Shoko chuckled, stepping closer to give Kakine a pat on the shoulder. "Hey, you've survived this long. Maybe you'll make it longer than the rest of us."
Kakine shot her a half-hearted glare, "Fine, whatever. But just know, this is just because it's convenient."
"See?" Satoru winked. "That wasn't so hard."
Kakine just groaned, resigned to his fate, as Index threw her arms around his waist with a delighted squeal.
"A new student?" Maki looked up, her curiosity barely contained behind a skeptical expression. "First Okkotsu comes in out of nowhere, and now we're getting another one dumped on us already?"
"Yeah, he's a first year, though he'll be enrolling a bit early," Yuta said a bit sheepishly. "Something about 'circumstances,' I think."
"Bonito flakes," Inumaki added with a solemn nod.
"Right!" Panda chimed in, eyes glinting with curiosity. "I heard it's 'cause the new kid actually gave Gojo a run for his money!"
Maki scoffed, crossing her arms with a smirk. "Yeah, right! As if anyone could land a hit on that bastard." She flipped her ponytail, leaning back with a mischievous pout. "Though… I'd pay to see it."
"Oh, we'd all pay to see it," Panda agreed, chuckling.
"Salmon roe," Inumaki nodded sagely.
Yuta just sighed. Though he was grateful to Gojo for saving his life, he couldn't deny the intrigue. Anyone who could go toe-to-toe with Gojo Satoru, the strongest and most annoyingly smug sorcerer of their time, was definitely worth meeting.
Before they could go on, the door to the classroom slid open, and in walked the infamous man himself, Satoru Gojo, bandages and all.
"Good morning, my beloved students!" Gojo announced with his signature grin, raising a hand in theatrical greeting. "I have some exciting news for you all!" He waggled his fingers dramatically, milking the moment for all it was worth.
"Let me guess—you got your ass handed to you?" Maki deadpanned, not missing a beat.
"I heard you tried to harass some kid," Panda added, his voice solemn.
"Salmon roe," Inumaki intoned, nodding as if to say, "We know what you did."
"Good morning, Sensei," Yuta greeted, chuckling awkwardly.
Gojo ignored them all, as usual. "Today's a special day! I am delighted—no, thrilled—to introduce to you all—" he paused, jazz hands fully deployed, "a new student! Celebrate our new good times with him!"
An awkward silence filled the room as the students exchanged glances, waiting.
Gojo's smile faltered, and he coughed into his hand. "Hold that thought." He turned and peeked into the hallway, and the students strained to hear the muffled, slightly frantic whispers.
Then, without warning—
BANG!
A foot collided squarely with Gojo's face, sending him stumbling back into the classroom.
"You SON OF A B—" Kakine stormed in, his eyes blazing as Gojo held his face with a pout. "Who in their right mind would want an entrance like that?" he yelled, practically vibrating with frustration.
The class gaped. Maki's jaw hung open, Inumaki's eyes were wide, and Panda was frozen mid-chew on a snack he hadn't even realized he was holding. Had this guy… actually hit Gojo?
"Kakin-chin," Gojo whined as he nursed his sore cheek, dramatically pouting up at his assailant, "this is not how we planned it!"
Kakine bristled, crossing his arms in frustration. "We didn't plan anything! I didn't agree to any of this, you freakin' pedo!"
Gojo straightened up, dusting himself off with as much dignity as he could muster. "Come on, Kakin-chin, it's just a bit of fun! You've gotta make a good first impression!"
Kakine glared, voice dripping with sarcasm. "Oh, I'm sure this is the impression I want—being dragged in here by the world's biggest weirdo I've ever met!"
Maki smirked, raising a hand. "Hey, Kakine, can I get some pointers on how you landed a kick to Gojo's face?"
"Wait, wait, wait!" Gojo interrupted, waving his arms frantically. "No teaching the kids bad habits, Kakin-chin! That kick was not part of the curriculum!"
"Neither is recruiting me!" Kakine shot back, folding his arms and looking around the classroom. His glare softened just a bit as he noticed the curious stares of the students. "I'm only here because a certain someone"—he shot another dark look at Gojo—"would no doubt harass me until I said otherwise."
Maki gave him a thumbs-up up with an eager mischievous smile. "Hey, anyone who can land a hit on that bastard is a friend of ours!"
"Salmon Roe," Inumaki added with an approving nod.
Gojo clapped his hands together with forced cheer. "All right, all right, let's not gang up on your beloved sensei here! Kakin-chin here is going to be your new classmate, so show him some respect."
Kakine's eye twitched. "If you call me that again, I will personally throw you off a mountain."
"Come now, Kakin-chin, don't be such a sourpuss," Gojo teased, nudging him with his elbow.
"Just so you know," Maki said, a devilish smile on her face, "we're all gonna call you that now."
Kakine let out a frustrated groan, rubbing his temples. "Why did I agree to this circus again?"
Gojo's grin turned wicked as he leaned in with a mock whisper, "Oh, who knows? Maybe it's because deep down, you secretly want friends?"
Kakine shot him a glare that could've frozen lava. Taking a steadying breath, he turned back to the curious, expectant faces of his new classmates. Hands shoved into the pockets of his new uniform, he straightened, his gaze hard and calculating.
"I'm Kakine Teitoku," he began coolly, his voice steady and sharp as steel. "And I'm not here to make friends." His gaze swept over each of them, eyes narrowed in warning. "As long as none of you try to kill me or mess with mine, we'll be just fine." His mouth twisted into a slight, dangerous smirk. "So let's make things easy—stay out of my way, and I'll stay out of yours."
There was a weight to his words, an edge of authority and danger that left a small silence hanging in the air. His classmates exchanged glances, clearly intrigued, though none seemed particularly intimidated—if anything, they looked even more curious.
Behind him, Gojo's smirk widened, blue eyes gleaming with amusement and something sharper, a flicker of excitement that Kakine couldn't see. Things just got interesting.
"Welcome to Jujutsu High," Gojo chimed in, his voice light and amused. "Something tells me you're gonna fit right in."
In a grand, dimly-lit chamber filled with the lingering scent of incense, Suguru Geto sat serenely, savoring a delicate piece of mochi. Clad in traditional monk's robes, he looked every bit the picture of tranquility, yet an undercurrent of power rippled just beneath his calm exterior. He took another indulgent bite, his face unbothered as a man hurriedly entered, sliding to his knees in a desperate kowtow.
"What is it?" Geto asked, his voice low and indifferent, not sparing the man a glance.
The servant trembled, his forehead pressed to the floor as he spoke, his voice quivering. "News from our spies at Jujutsu High, Geto-sama. Gojo Satoru has arrived... with a new student." He swallowed hard. "A student rumored to be... on par with Satoru himself. And what's more…" He hesitated, a new wave of fear flickering in his eyes. "He brought the girl we were searching for."
Geto paused mid-bite, his expression flickering with genuine intrigue. "Oh?" His tone, casual as ever, belied a glint of something darker. The man kneeling before him couldn't see Geto's reaction, but he could feel the shift in the room, as if the air itself had thickened.
"This is excellent news!" Geto's sudden cheer shattered the silence as he rose to his feet, his robes flowing with the motion. "Excellent news indeed!" His voice brimmed with a twisted excitement, eyes alight with anticipation.
A ripple of relief washed over the man kneeling before him, though he dared not lift his gaze.
Geto's gaze grew distant as he placed a hand thoughtfully to his chin. "It's a shame Satoru got to them first, but even so…" A wicked smile curled at his lips. "That means the poor girl was rescued from that pathetic excuse of a sorcerer. Saved from those disease-ridden, monkey villagers." His voice dripped with disdain, laced with a quiet, simmering fury that only those who truly knew him would recognize.
The man on the floor dared to lift his head slightly, sensing that his master was satisfied. "What would you have us do, Geto-sama?"
Geto scoffed, dismissing him with a flick of his hand. "There's nothing you can do. You're nothing more than a simple monkey—there's no place for the likes of you in the affairs of sorcerers, much less in matters that involve Satoru Gojo." He turned, his robes swirling with an almost predatory elegance. "I'll handle this matter myself."
The servant's relief surged. His life was spared—at least, he thought it was.
But Geto's voice turned cold. "Though now, I have no further use for you."
The chamber grew darker, a chilling, unnatural cold seeping into the room. The servant's skin prickled with terror as he felt something shift behind him, as if a foul, otherworldly presence had materialized from the shadows. He whimpered, his heart hammering as he turned to see a massive, hideous curse looming over him, jaws wide and dripping with dark malice. He barely had time to scream before its maw snapped shut, silencing him in one brutal, sickening bite.
Geto turned to the woman standing dutifully by the doorway, her expression placid, almost bored. "Manami," he said with a faint smile, "have the other monkeys clean up that mess, please."
Manami gave a small, respectful nod. "Yes, Geto-sama."
As Geto moved toward the doorway, she dared to speak. "Geto-sama? What do you intend to do now?"
Geto turned back to her with a serene smile, his eyes glinting with anticipation. "I think it's time to consider a bit of recruitment. If they resist…" He paused, his voice darkening, "...we may need to take more drastic measures."
He stepped into the shadows, his final words drifting into the air like a curse. "New family members are always welcome." With that, he disappeared into the darkness, leaving only a chilling silence in his wake.