Song of the chapter: Teacher's Pet - Melanie Martinez
"I'm sure he is making lots of new friends where he is, there's no need to worry about him Toge!"
As per usual, Panda is trying his hardest to keep the group positive. Toge smiles sweetly in response to Panda's kind words about his friend Yuta Okkotsu, who used to attend Tokyo's Jujutsu High school but was moved to another institute due to an attack last year led by Curse user Geto Suguru.
The 'group' in question is made up of three second-year students. Toge Inumaki, a grade 2 sorcerer, cursed speech user and an 'adorable little guy' (as coined by Panda). Inumaki is the shortest of the group, and due to his cursed technique, he can only speak with a limited vocabulary of sushi ingredients. Despite this, he is by far the most affectionate of the group... if you look hard enough. Yuta Okkotsu was far more than a friend to Toge, in fact, the two were unofficially dating during his short time at Jujutsu High. Lack of verbal communication did not stop Toge from showing love towards Yuta. Through soft brushes against his hand, hugs from behind, and bringing Yuta a homemade lunch each day, Toge was expressing love as loud as he could without saying a word.
The second member of the group is Panda... and he is, well, as you guessed... a panda. Born from a cursed corpse by the school's head teacher Yaga, Panda is a fully comprehending individual who can think, speak and interact with his environment. He is a semi-grade 2 sorcerer, as well as the powerhouse of the group. He is also the most positive out of them all, often telling jokes to lighten the mood. Despite his upbeat personality, Panda views humans as extremely strange but would do anything to protect his friends, even if it meant sacrificing himself in the process.
"Don't be stupid. Wherever he is, they will eat him alive."
The final member of the Jujutsu High second-year class, Maki Zen'in.
The Zen'in clan's biggest disappointment. Barely able to see curses (a pre-requisite to being a sorcerer) if it weren't for her specially made glasses, Maki has suffered multiple years of abuse and ridicule at the hands of her father, current leader of one of the top 3 biggest Jujutsu families.
"Come on, Maki. You know Yuta will make friends! He made friends with you even." Panda painfully continues, glancing sympathetically at Toge. Maki can be a struggle sometimes.
"He got us into a mess, he got us out of a mess, I saved his life, he saved mine... we arent friends... we are classmates. We are sorcerers."
"Twice!"
"Twice?" Questions Maki, stopping in her tracks and glaring at the two walking behind her. "What is twice?"
"He saved your life twice, Maki."
Toge nodded enthusiastically, "Salmon!" He exclaimed in agreement.
"Ugh" Maki grumbled, readjusting the polearm in her hand and continuing to walk ahead of the group on their way back from training. "The point is, Yuta will be a target despite his charming personality. They won't get to know him once they hear who he is related to." She sighs quietly, whispering to herself "That's just how it goes".
-------------------------------------xxx-------------------------------------
As the group approaches the steps of Jujutsu High, they spot two silhouettes sitting by the entrance. A tall moody boy with dark, wildly spiky hair, and a small bored-looking girl with bright orange hair down to her shoulders. She's staring off to the side while muttering something about 'not being able to shop' now.
Maki tries hard not to stare, even though the girl is too caught up in her complaining to notice their arrival. The bandages on her face somehow compliment her facial features. It is surprising to Maki that it doesn't take away from her beauty but instead adds to that tough appearance that Maki is attracted to.
"Ahh Megumi, you look like someone's just died!" she teases, stopping right in front of her younger cousin. Out of the corner of her eye, she catches the ginger-haired girl raising an eyebrow. Good or bad, she does not know.
"Zen'in senpai." the boy replies.
Maki glares at him, frowning slightly and shaking her head, "Do not call me by my last name."
To this, the girl sitting beside Megumi smirks and slowly looks Maki up and down several times. Taking in every inch of her.
"Psst... Someone HAS died! One of the first-year boys! You really should be nicer to your classmates, Maki-san." Panda whispers, oh so loudly, from behind the courtyard statue.
She sighs to herself, making a mental note to strangle Panda later for embarrassing her in front of this new girl.
"Who the fuck are these guys?" The new girl asks Megumi, but she was only looking at Maki.
Megumi stands up and walks down the last two steps, coming to a stop in front of his cousin. He glares at her then completely looks past her, even leaning around her to introduce the other two second-years first. "This," he points to Toge, "Is cursed speech user, Toge Inumaki. He speaks solely in ingredients so as not to curse us. So sweet of him. You'll figure it out eventually. Or don't. It's up to you."
Toge waves at the girl and smiles. His cheeks squishing under his eyes as he blushes. The girl returns the wave but doesn't smile.
"This is Panda." Megumi points to Panda, who flexes his muscles in return. A more cocky approach to welcoming someone, but each to their own, Megumi thinks. He turns back around to his fellow first-year and puts a foot on the steps, about to walk off.
"And Her?"
"That is second-year Maki Zen'in. The best cursed tool wielder in all of Jujutsu High. Also the family's biggest regret. But you'll figure that out soon enough." Megumi retaliates. He isn't one to respond to Maki's jabs, however after the death of his fellow classmate and crush, Yuji Itadori, his reclusive self has been replaced with that of anger and guilt. He has no time for any off-hand comments right now. Plus now he finally understands why Maki so commonly throws out jabs at him. It can be a great channel for all that anger she must have.
Megumi walks up the stairs towards the main hall, "Im going to eat."
Not too far behind him is Panda and Toge, who were already on their way to the lunch hall before they ran into the disgruntled first-years.
The orange hair girl stays seated. Intrigued by the last part of Megumi's introduction. 'The family's biggest regret. But you'll figure that out soon enough.' What was that supposed to mean? Did she do something bad? Or was it like a Saori situation, where she was outcasted for no real reason? She hopes that one day she will find out because-
Her face lifted slightly, a cool metal sensation touched her chin, and her eyes scanned slowly upward, taking in the full build of the Zen'in clan's biggest failure. She met the hazel-green eyes of Maki, who was leaning down to be level with her. Looking over the rim of her purple glasses, with a low sultry voice she said,
"And who the fuck are you?"
