The Reservation (Nanami Kento || JJK)

Dinner Date

Only three days passed before I saw Nanami again. I had been working out regularly in the evenings, and so he walked in on me on my treadmill for a second time.

I didn't wipe out.

I wobbled, granted, but I didn't go down.

Nanami visibly tensed, arms reaching out like he was about to rush forward and catch me, but I stayed upright and shut the treadmill down, slowing to a stop.

"Hey! Good timing. Dinner is actually still kind of warm. And there's tons of it. I made way too much by mistake. Totally read the measurements wrong on the recipe I was following."

He followed me to the kitchen after hanging up his suit and tie. Walking in, I almost started drooling at the sight of him with a few buttons undone at his collar, sleeves rolled up.

"Can I help with anything?" he asked, catching me staring.

"Nope!" I chirped.

"How are the knees?"

I became acutely aware of the fact that I was in workout clothes again. Only leggings and a sports bra. There wasn't much on display, but it was still more than he was probably used to seeing.

"They're great," I said with an embarrassed flush. "Thanks. How are you? Still overworked?"

"I seem to be putting in a great deal of overtime these days," he said drily.

"But are you happy with your choice? You know...as opposed to your last job."

"A hundred percent," he said determinedly. "I may not respect most of the sorcerers I work with, but I feel fulfilled helping the students and taking down curses."

"Good..." I offered him a small smile, ignoring the pinch in my heart. I worried about him a great deal more at this job, but I was happy he felt like he was doing the right thing now. Better he be tired and overworked than depressed and aimless.

Sitting in the living room with him again, I brought dishes for both of us.

"You didn't eat yet?" he asked.

"No. I stayed up too late last night and all my meals got pushed today. I ate lunch at four."

"I see. Why were you up so late?"

"Drawing."

"Commissions or feeling inspired?"

"A little of both, actually." I took a bite, guided by the old habit of needing to eat so he would keep talking to me. "Ever since that night you modeled for me, I've been doing a lot more art for just myself."

"Oh?" A single brow rose over his warm, brown eyes. "Drawing what?"

A sketchbook full of your back, muscles, arms, and hands. Nothing much.

I cleared my throat. "Anatomy. I think I'm getting the hang of backs. You helped a lot."

"Glad I could help," he said, so stoic and calm about it. Meanwhile, I was sweating.

"How's school been? Do you teach classes too?"

"A few. I mostly work with third years, and occasionally I oversee the second and first years' training."

"Do you like teaching?"

"Actually, yes." Nanami nodded, and a fond smile grew on his lips as he began to talk about his students. "I work closely with a third year. Ino, is his name. He's very eager, albeit a showoff at times, and I plan to recommend him for a promotion to first grade soon."

I leaned on a fist, elbow on the coffee table where I sat on the floor beneath him. "Tell me more about your students."

"Well, our first years this year are quite the batch. They might all be recommended for promotions before the school year is up."

"Really? Isn't that really rare?"

"It is. They're exceptional. Each one of them has very unique circumstances, and they're aptitudes are rare as well. Not to mention, they work quite well together."

I could have listened to him talk about his students for ages. Hearing him talk about them like his own children, I could sense the pride clearly. Nanami truly cared about his students, and I knew without a doubt that his students probably loved him too. Even if he was tough.

Nanami was serious, but he offered a sense of stability. Authority and maturity. He was exactly the sort of person to rely on.

We stayed up even later together, talking about our work, and lots of little things too. Things of no consequence, but it was still nice to tell someone about them. He seemed interested in my story about the checkout fiasco at the grocery store, and I wanted to hear every detail about his classes. He could have talked about the weather, and I would have hung on his every word with rapt attention.

He left a little before midnight after doing the dishes for me. Despite my protesting, he insisted.

I was just turning off the lights and about to head to bed (Nanami ordered me to get a good night's rest and not stay up too late) when I noticed his tie hanging forgotten on the coat rack.

His very important tie that he needed for his cursed technique.

I gasped, ran over, grabbed it, and held it in my hands with racing thoughts. It was too late to go after him now, and I didn't know where he lived, but I had to get it back to him before he went out again. Just in case he had to face dangerous curses.

There was only one place I knew where I could find him, and that was at the school.

I picked up my phone, about to let him know I had it, but I found a text waiting for me from him already.

NANAMI: I realize I left my tie at your place. Could you hold onto it for me? I plan to stop by again tomorrow.

MAE: Don't you need it?

NANAMI: I should be fine without it for a day. I'll see you tomorrow. Sleep well.

That just wouldn't do. I already had nightmares about losing him to the same curse that got Yu, and I wouldn't rest until I knew he had it—until I knew he was truly prepared for whatever lurked out in the world of curses.

He wasn't going to like it, but I set an alarm for seven in the morning.

After a decade, I was finally going back to Jujutsu High.