The Reservation (Nanami Kento || JJK)

Tough Teacher

Another three years flew by, and Nanami didn't start a career as a model.

(Which was a crying shame, because I fully believed he could make it big time if he was interested.)

I didn't exactly get my flow back with art, but I did fill an entire sketchbook with inspired sketches of a certain muscular torso that may or may not have haunted my dreams ever since that night in my apartment.

Two months before our scheduled death anniversary dinner, I got a text from Nanami at midnight.

NANAMI: I quit my job.

MAE: What? Seriously? Should I be congratulating you or offering my condolences? Do you need me to send open positions I read in the newspaper?

NANAMI: Seriously. What you said the other night about doing what felt right to make an impact on the world resonated, and I'm back at Jujutsu High working as a sorcerer.

I had to take a minute, leaning back, my spine against my headboard.

With my thoughts only a little bit collected, I returned to texting.

MAE: By "other night," you mean that conversation we had three years ago at my apartment?

NANAMI: Has it been three years already?

MAE: You're really bad at checking in, you know.

NANAMI: Sorry.

MAE: So when do you start?

NANAMI: Tomorrow. Gojo has ten missions lined up for me.

My heart started pounding. Missions meant dealing with curses, and curses meant he'd be putting himself in danger.

The last mission I ever heard about had been the one that ended my brother.

NANAMI: You still there?

MAE: Yeah, sorry. That's nuts. Ten already? Tell him to back off.

NANAMI: I doubt he'd listen. That's Gojo for you. Anyway... You still good for dinner?

MAE: Always. Already got my outfit picked out.

NANAMI: I checked with the restaurant, they still have our reservation down.

Of course he did... I chuckled to myself while simultaneously tucking my knees up to my chest to try to ease the racing of my heart.

MAE: I can't wait. I haven't been out in ages. Maybe this time you'll let me pay?

NANAMI: Funny.

MAE: I'm not joking.

NANAMI: Neither was I when I said I'm paying for our meals every year.

MAE: You're so stubborn.

NANAMI: It's late, so I'll let you get some sleep. See you soon.

MAE: Night night, Nanamin.

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

It had taken everything in me not to text him a dozen times since our last late night chat. Ten missions meant ten chances for something bad to happen to him, and that was ten chances too many for my comfort.

When he appeared, I ran forward, meeting him halfway down the block with a beaming grin on my face. "You're all in one piece?" I grabbed him by the forearms, looking him up and down. "You look whole to me."

"All in one piece? What are you..." He trailed off, and realization dawned on his face. "Oh. I see. You were worried."

Hiding my concern with an easy going smile, I turned around to lead the way to the restaurant. "Of course I was worried. Ten missions? That's a lot. And you never check in."