??????? '????, y. itadori

THREE

LONG STORY SHORT, YOU MISSED YOUR TRAIN.

The fact that you missed it didn't bother you that much. All you could do at this point was tell your Uncle you'd get home later. What actually surprised you was that you spent the rest of the day with a mysterious stranger named Yuuji Itadori. You soon asked for his name when you crying about missing the train. He was happy to tell you but he basically deflated like a balloon when you still called him pinky. His next line making you laugh,

"Watch, I'll make you a nickname for you too!" if he actually saw you again after today.

"So what are you doing at the flower shop pinky?" you asked, leaning on the store door behind you.

"I was just grabbing some flowers for my Grandpa." you perked up but your eyebrows furrowed with worry. "For your grandpa? Oh no, is he sick?"

Yuuji lowered his head, his smile weakening. "Yeah, he has been sick for a while." he looked at your sad, apologetic eyes. Somehow the thought of his ill grandpa meant nothing after seeing your pouty face. He shot up and waved his hand around, dismissing what he said. "I mean, he's fine and all. He's still proud and stubborn as ever. Actually, now that I think about it, these flowers aren't really for him. More like for his nurses who still keep with him."

You gasped at his joke before you laughed, clutching your stomach. Your laugh warmed his heart, it was so contagious and infectious, making his embarrassment of babbling worth it. He joined in and started to laugh as well, both of you take a minute to calm down. You wiped a small tear from your eye, "Geez, you make it sound like he's unbearable."

Yuuji shrugged in response, "I mean, he's always telling me to keep with my club as if I'm not already in one." he rolled his eyes as you giggled. "Not to mention he's always lecturing me whenever I come to visit him."

"Maybe he doesn't want you to see him like that," you suggested.

"Yeah..maybe."

"'Next!" the cashier called out. The line still went as slow as a snail line on the sidewalk. You took the opportunity to pick up the bouquet of daises that you dropped off previously. Yuuji took the chance to ask who those were for but you told him it was a random decision that leads to a string of conversations. Fifteen minutes pass and you both walk up to the cashier. Yuuji offers to pay for him and you begrudgingly accepted after his multiple, "I don't mine." lines.

You watched the transaction go through but your eyes trailed to the weird noises behind the cashier. A little claw emerged from the shadow of the corner, revealing a small curse walking towards the stand. It sat there and started hissing at the woman's hand as she pulled out Yuuji's change. Your eyes remained glued on it, narrowing at the slightest aggressive behavior it displayed. In an instant, you followed every and any negative outcome the curse could lay on the shop patron. You didn't know how long you were standing with Yuuji but before you both were leaving the shop,

your mind now at peace.