When We Were Young || JJK

07.

Hana stayed with the boys for a few minutes, chatting with them while everyone gathered their things. When Riko and Kuroi looked like they were ready, Hana waved goodbye to her friends, going back over and joining her original group.

"I just wanted to say, I had a really fun time today! I'm glad we got to stay in Okinawa for a bit." Riko offered Hana and the boys a soft smile as she thought about her time at the beach, getting to enjoy something so peaceful in her last days.

"Of course, Riko! It was the least we could do after everything we put you through." Hana bashfully admitted, thinking back to Geto telling her he had to save the poor girl from falling to her death off a skyscraper. Needless to say, Riko had been dealt a rough hand, and the presence of the three teens from Tokyo didn't do much to ease her issues.

"I guess you can look at it like that, but thanks to you guys my bounty has run out. You protected me from those people, so a little thanks is the least I can offer!" Hana smiled at the girl, feeling that pang of guilt again as she thought about Riko being locked away.

"Alright, gang. Let's head back to the school. After you." Gojo motioned in front of him, leading the teens and Kuroi through a series of secret doors that were used to protect Jujutsu Tech and Tengen, arriving at the base of the mountain where the school sat. Thinking they were finally safe from everything, Gojo deactivated his technique, the whole group letting out a communal sigh of relief as they started towards the school.

"Hey, Riko? Do you think-?" Hana turned around to find the girl, her mouth dropping open as she watched a tall, built, dark-haired man with a scar on his lip lunge at Gojo, stabbing him through the back.

"GOJO!" Hana screamed, running towards the boy as the shocked expression on his face turned to one of pain. She swung at the man with her shortened katanas, barely brushing against him as he turned to look at her, a terrifying glint in his eyes as he found a new target. Realizing she was at a disadvantage, Hana panicked, taking the split second to think of what to make to defend herself and her friends. The man grinned, using Hana's moment of hesitation to strike, swinging down at the girl and creating a deep slice in the top of her arm, rendering the limb useless. Hana screamed out, gripping onto her arm as she back peddled away from the man, tripping over her own feet as the pain made her mind fuzzy.

"Shouldn't have gotten yourself into a fight you couldn't manage, little girl." The man towered over Hana, whose mind was racing with ideas, settling on one, putting all her faith into the plan.

"Wouldn't dream of it," Hana murmured, rolling backward and standing back up on her feet, ducking this time as she made eye contact with her partner, the man in front of her grazing his weapon so close to her face that it left some of her hair on the ground.

"Geto, now!" Hana shouted, stabbing at the man again. He was trying to figure out if Hana or Geto were the bigger threat, grunting as Hana made a thing slice on his torso. It wasn't nearly enough to actually injure him or incapacitate him, but this distraction gave Geto the opening he needed to use his technique, a curse appearing out of thin air and swooping at the intruder.

In the confusion, Hana moved to Gojo's side, asking quietly if he was alright. Of course, he wasn't, but he didn't want to worry the girl, giving her a nod as he focused on the fight. The pair readied themselves to jump back into action, Hana trying to create a bow and arrow set as fast as possible while she had the chance, praying that one of the arrows coated with a thin layer of poison would hit. The man in front of them moved so quickly that Hana had a hard time keeping up with him, even after sparring with people like Geto and Gojo, who were fast on their feet. Not fast enough.

As Gojo went back into the fight, trying to defend Kuroi and Riko from the man who was on a mission to kidnap the girl, he realized that there was no cursed energy coming from his opponent. How could that be possible? He was using his innate ability of physical prowess to attack, and they weren't winning. Hana focused on the man, taking a deep breath and letting the arrow fly through the air, nicking the man's face, leaving a thin line of blood on his cheek as his skin opened.