Unmatched | ᴍᴀʜɪᴛᴏ

Chapter 37

"Yuji-kun, there is no point in hiding!" I told him, tears of laughter in my eyes. "I can feel you."

As I walked across the courtyard toward the training field, I could feel his and Sukuna's cursed energy pulling me in his (or their) direction.

"I know, but I can feel you too," Itadori replied with a laugh.

And then I saw him run across the field. He was gone in a flash, so I had to search again. "How is that fair? You're way faster than me!"

Out of nowhere, Fushiguro showed up behind me and touched my shoulder. "Got you," he said, and when I turned to him, he was wearing a satisfied smirk.

That little shit! Fine, so be it. I lifted my hands in defeat and stepped out of his way. "You're good," I said. "It's been a while since someone snuck up on me."

It was true; I hadn't had anyone sneak up on me since that one curse Itadori had saved me from. Fushiguro's smirk turned into a wide grin. Oh, he was so full of himself. I glanced past his head at Kugisaki, who was sneaking up on him like a wildcat, ready to pounce. I felt almost a little elated, hoping that he would get what he deserved now.

But of course, Fushiguro had seen my eyes shift, and he took a step aside just as Kugisaki made to jump at him from behind, making her collide with me. We both tumbled to the grass. I laughed despite the sudden piercing feelings in my back. I was sure I had pinched a nerve or something, but when I got back up, I only rubbed it with my fingers and decided to visit Ieiri-san later.

I took a few steps backward before retreating to the stairs from where I watched Kugisaki and Fushiguro fight. Itadori came to join them at some point, too, having gotten bored of hiding. He took out Fushiguro first, but I believed it was only because Fushiguro could only fight against him half-heartedly.

Megumi joined me on the steps, sitting down wordlessly. We watched the other two for quite a while. It was fun  to see each of them holding their own until eventually Kugisaki's hand touched Itadori's left forearm, and he was out, too. He raised her arm in victory, and our laughter filled the courtyard.

Gojo-sensei came into view, clapping his hands, a bright smile on his face. His blindfold was firmly in place, covering his beautiful blue eyes and saving me from a ton of embarrassment by it. I couldn't be caught staring. Not again. Fushiguro and I got up and walked toward him as he walked up to the other two.

"Good job, everyone," Gojo said, his voice laced with pride. "Especially Kugisaki."

She bowed with that superior look of hers that she always wore when she knew that she had done something good. I grinned at her, then turned back to look at the sensei. There was something in his face that seemed a little troubled, but I might have imagined that. He was smiling, after all. Maybe it was just the stress from the attack on the school. Who knew what the elders had to say about that? Maybe he was just tired.

"Now go, go," he said and shooed us away with his hands. "Take a shower. Get lunch."

Itadori threw his arm around mine and Kugisaki's shoulders, and we both could immediately tell why we needed showers. I laughed when Kugisaki cringed out of his embrace, but I stayed put. I had been through worse than a little bad smell, and to be in Itadori's arm was definitely worth enduring it for a little while.

"What do you think is for lunch today?" Itadori asked on our way upstairs.

"I'm hoping for burgers," I replied. "I miss burgers."

Kugisaki groaned. "Ugh, you're right. Next time we're in the city, we'll get burgers."

Itadori and even Fushiguro agreed, so we promised each other that the next time any one of us wanted to go to Tokyo city, we would take the others and get ourselves some burgers.

"I'm just hoping for dessert," Itadori said, making me laugh. Of course he did.

There was udon, donburi, ramen and... dessert. No burgers, but Itadori got the cheesecake that he wanted, and his smile was worth giving up the burgers.