ayame's flower realm . JUJUTSU KAISEN

twenty eight . secret underground shop

the two first years stepped out of the sashimi restaurant with filled stomachs as they had just finished their lunch. luckily there weren't that many people, so they didn't have to wait long for their food.

"you're lucky to have those coupons though, definitely saved us a lot." ayame nudged kinji with her elbow as she eyed the shops they walked past.

"yeah, definitely would've spent less if you didn't keep ordering all the expensive fishes." kinji grumbled and ayame snickered, not an ounce of guilt in her voice. then, he smirked smugly. "and what can i say? luck is always on my side."

"true. without your luck you wouldn't have met me, the ultimate blessing of the century."

"..."

ayame scrunched her nose. "you could've at least said something."

"...anyways," kinji cleared his throat as he changed the subject. he looked straight into ayame's eyes. "that treat just now counts as your birthday present, so don't ask for one anymore."

"i wasn't even going to ask - "

"i've got a question though. about that flower on your forehead."

the girl blinked, before breaking their eye contact by looking at a child passing by. "sure, ask away."

earlier in the restaurant, kinji had found out about the mark on ayame's forehead. she had revealed it to him herself, and vaguely explained what had happened and the reason she was absent for a few days.

upon finding out, his reaction was to say, 'well, at least your big ass forehead won't look too empty.'

he earned a kick in the shin.

"did you tell anyone else about it?"

ayame shook her head. "no. you're the only one who knows right now."

"oh. i'm honoured, then."

"you better be."

the two walked around for a little more, until ayame told kinji there was a place she wanted to visit. kinji agreed to go there, as they didn't really have anything else to do. after walking through suspicious alleys and streets, they stopped in front of a door located beside a flower shop.

the place was just outside the main street they were in, and there weren't that many people walking by. it was quieter.

"...where the hell are you taking me?" kinji asked as ayame opened the door. she didn't answer his question, and instead descended down the stairs behind the door.

as soon as he entered, he realised.

the walls and the ceiling of the small space was covered in posters of Japanese bands, idols and actors alike. he didn't really recognise them all, but it was easy to come to that conclusion. if he looked even harder, there were Korean artists in the mix as well.

he searched for one face that was drilled into his head.

"oh." kinji pointed a finger on a certain youthful male face. "that's your favourite."

"hm?!" ayame's head whipped around towards the direction her friend pointed. a proud (or sinister?) grin emerged onto her face. "ohoho, you're right. that's sora. i didn't think you'd remember his face."

"it's cuz you talk my ear off about him every day until it bled."

"and yet you still listened to me."

kinji stopped. he stared at the small back of ayame who was walking down the stairs, an eye brow raised.

'i was?' he thought, before catching up to ayame by skipping down a few stairs. now that he thought about it... huh.