The person speaking was a young girl.
She looked just like Maki Zenin—15 years old, with the same face, the same figure.
But there were many differences as well.
Maki had long hair in a ponytail; this girl had short, ear-length hair.
Maki wore no makeup, keeping things clean and simple.
This girl, however, was much more refined, fitting the image of a typical Japanese schoolgirl—after all, Japan is the origin of the legendary "Asian beauty techniques."
What stood out the most was her attire. She had modified her loose school uniform into a sleeveless, form-fitting dress, with a slit down the right side, paired with dark high heels to highlight her feminine curves.
At first glance, she left a much better impression than Maki—no surprise, considering most humans are visual creatures.
However, as soon as she spoke, the tone was right. Just like Maki, she was an expert at stepping on toes and dishing out insults.
"Who?"
"Sister?"
Several students who had exited the train were now looking at the girl, drawn to her.
Maki gave a curt acknowledgment: "My sister, Mai. Why are you here? And that uniform?"
"It suits me, doesn't it?" Mai Zenin raised an eyebrow. "I customized it myself. Jujutsu High doesn't have a summer uniform, after all."
That was true. Jujutsu High only had the jacket-and-sweatpants combo, with plenty of spares in case of wear and tear. As for why there wasn't a summer version… Akira guessed it had something to do with the nature of being a jujutsu sorcerer. Less fabric would mean easier wardrobe malfunctions during fights.
"That's not what I meant," Maki frowned.
She should've been happy about reuniting with her sister after several months, but Mai's attitude felt off. She didn't seem like the younger sister who used to follow behind her, constantly calling her "big sis" with admiration.
"Ah, I get it." As expected of twins, Mai could easily read Maki's mind. "You're wondering why I'm wearing this uniform, right? Simple. I'm also a student at Jujutsu High—Kyoto Jujutsu High, first-year, Mai Zenin. Please take care of me, everyone from Tokyo."
As she spoke, she even tossed a flirtatious glance, clearly understanding how to use her feminine charm—something completely opposite of Maki.
Maki's voice turned colder: "Mai!"
Sensing her rising temper, Akira gently patted her shoulder to remind her: "This is Kyoto Station, not Jujutsu High."
"You didn't come here just to see me, did you?"
Maki's face returned to calm, the swift change making Mai squint in suspicion.
The sister she remembered wasn't this easy to deal with.
Even in their ancient family, where they were at the bottom, her sister always held her head high.
Whether it was the clan head or the uncles and brothers who had inherited powerful techniques, Maki never acted like a "non-sorcerer."
If anyone tried to boss her around, she'd snap back at them.
If they pushed her, she'd fight them.
No matter how many times she was knocked down, she never complained.
As long as she could move, no one could make her stop.
Not even their father, a Special Grade sorcerer, could convince her otherwise.
In the end, she ran away from home.
That fierce, proud sister had now softened because of a man?
Mai found it hard to believe, and an inexplicable feeling stirred inside her.
She unconsciously crossed her arms, adopting a posture of superiority.
"Of course not. Why would I bother meeting with a dropout? If you can get into Jujutsu High, why wouldn't I?"
Maki's lips twitched as she fought the urge to say, "And you're better than me? I may not have cursed energy, but all you can do is infuse objects with cursed energy—the most basic of techniques."
But with Akira standing right there, a man who had turned basic techniques into something extraordinary, she swallowed her words.
What would be the point of dragging that up? It would only make her sound like the stuck-up Zenin family members she despised.
Luckily, someone else spoke up for her:
"Isn't it because you're trying to keep up with your sister and don't want to be left behind?"
"!!!"
Mai's pupils shrank in anger, a wave of uncontrollable fury rushing to her head.
"What nonsense are you spouting? I would never—"
Before she could finish, a gust of wind blew past, lifting her carefully styled bangs and hair, exposing her forehead and earlobes.
A yellow object grew larger in her vision, nearly touching her face.
When it finally stopped, she could read the label: Tokyo BANANA.
If she wasn't mistaken, it was a famous Tokyo snack, often considered a modern specialty.
"Did I get it wrong? You two seemed like such a close pair of sisters. My bad. But hey, how about you forgive me for the sake of this gift?"
The gift box slowly lowered, revealing Akira's trademark squinting smile.
Mai's dilated pupils hadn't returned to normal. She felt like something had flashed before her eyes.
So handsome.
No, so fast!
She had been at least ten meters away, waving to them from a distance. How had he closed the gap in the blink of an eye? Was this guy a senior at Tokyo Jujutsu High?
Dazed, Mai felt a weight in her hands—it was the gift pressing down on her palms.
He even brought gifts? This upperclassman might be more considerate than she thought.
Wait, what am I thinking?
Realizing she was acting out of character, Mai cleared her throat, composing herself. She addressed Akira and the rest of the Tokyo students:
"My apologies. I've come on orders from Principal Gakuganji to greet you all."
"Zenin-san—" Akira stepped back.
"Call me Mai. If you use our last name, you'll get me mixed up with Maki."
Her response was almost identical to Maki's when they first met.
"Well then, Mai—"
Akira shot a quick look at Maki, who clicked her tongue in annoyance and turned away.
Akira found it amusing. Maki could be blunt with anyone, but when it came to her sister, she got awkward. Mai wasn't much different.
They clearly cared about each other. Wouldn't it be better to just talk things out? Were they really going to keep up this sisterly feud forever?
It'd be entertaining for bystanders, sure, but it wouldn't be good for them. If they had to fight, they could always take it behind closed doors—or even to the bedroom. And if they were kind enough to send me a video of it for my collection, that'd be great.
"—Did you come alone?"
"No, someone else came with me." Mai shook her head, looking around. "Where did Kasumi run off to?"
"Is that her?"
Standing at the back of the group with the best vantage point, Satoru Gojo pointed to a nearby column.
In the shadow of the pillar stood a girl with long, light-blue hair, around the same age as Mai. She wasn't as focused on her appearance, only having done the bare minimum to keep herself tidy. Her overall demeanor gave off a sense of honesty and straightforwardness.
But don't get it wrong—honesty and straightforwardness were normal for everyday people. In the world of jujutsu sorcerers, which was filled with lunatics, normal people seemed out of place.
Mai spotted her and quickly walked over, pulling the blue-haired girl out from her hiding spot.
"What are you doing, Kasumi?"
"W-Wait, Mai. Satoru Gojo was looking at me! He's so handsome! Let me stay like this a little longer…"
Mai: "..."
My sister's teammates…
My teammates…
What kind of karma is this?