"𝗕𝘆 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲, 𝗜'𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀."
Throughout her entire life, Iwakura Chihaya remained by Itadori Yuji's side. Despite being complete opposites, they had maintained a deep friendship for many years. As they entered high...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Tracking down the black-haired boy with distinct hair features seemed straightforward for Chihaya, but his unmatched speed proved challenging. Despite scouring every corner of the school, she couldn't locate him. Fellow students confirmed seeing him but couldn't pinpoint his whereabouts.
As time passed, Chihaya grew fatigued. Leaning against a nearby wall, she caught her breath, her tense kneecaps showing the strain. Trying to calm her racing heart, she sighed deeply, feeling frustrated. "Where could he be?" she muttered to herself.
Eventually, she reached the school field and spotted students gathered to watch the young Itadori compete with the athletic adviser. She joined the crowd, hoping to find Fushiguro, only to be noticed by Sasaki and Iguchi. "Iwakura!" they mentioned her name.
The second-year girl, Sasaki Setsuko, clad in the same school uniform as Chihaya, stood a few centimetres shorter. Her black bob-cut hair framed her face, accentuating the bangs and resting above her brows. The addition of rectangular glasses added a scholarly charm to her appearance.
On the other hand, Iguchi Takeshi, the second-year boy, towered over most, an imposing figure with his exceptional height. His short, jet-black hair combed upwards, adding to his towering stature. With his eyes closed, his thick black brows and long sideburns added a touch of intensity to his look. Unlike Chihaya's attire, he sported a black gakuran and white shoes.
"Uh, hi," Chihaya greeted awkwardly. She was not exactly close to them, but they welcomed her warmly and even granted her special privileges when she visited their club for the first time.
They had managed to intimidate the Student Council President, though Chihaya wasn't entirely sure why. Perhaps it was because she had confronted him when he attempted to remove Itadori from the school. Despite the uncertainty, she still valued their hospitality.
"Have you guys seen—" Chihaya began, but Sasaki interrupted by grasping her wrist and pulling her closer to the match, with Iguchi following behind.
"Is it true that Itadori participated in SASUKE?" Iguchi asked as the three walked forward.
"No," Chihaya replied.
"No?" Sasaki inquired.
"No, but he did receive an offer, and Grandpa didn't allow him because he's afraid he might get hurt," she clarified.
As they neared the gathering, they caught sight of Mr Takagi, vigorously swinging a shot-put ball that was precariously hovering just 14 metres away from him, with an audible whoosh accompanying each swing.
"That's insane," Chihaya gasped, though she knew her best friend's strength surpassed Mr Takagi's. The muscular, middle-aged man with a buzz cut defied his age, outperforming even younger individuals like herself, who struggled to lift even lightweight objects.
She recalled Grandpa telling her how Yuji had once gotten lost in the zoo as a child, only to be found playing with the gorillas and tigers. Perhaps that early interaction with animals contributed to Yuji's extraordinary strength.
Itadori stood beside Mr Takagi and asked if he could throw it however he wished, to which the teacher agreed. With casual ease, the young Itadori swung the shot-put ball and slammed it onto the side of the soccer goalpost's crossbar, which was 23 meters away from him. Chihaya knew that the World Record in Japan was 18 meters, making Itadori's feat even more impressive.
The athletic adviser stood bewildered, frozen in place with widened eyes as his students mocked him for his embarrassing loss. The entire competition appeared to be orchestrated to lure Yuji back into the Track-and-Field team, as he frequently skipped it to spend time with the Occult Research Club members. The club needed to recruit three new members to avoid disbanding.
Initially, Itadori had little interest in joining any extracurricular activities, preferring to care for his grandfather. However, the school offered him an athletic scholarship, which his grandfather discovered when the school sent him a letter. Recognising the opportunity it presented for Yuji's future, his grandfather felt it was necessary to encourage him to pursue it.
Chihaya shifted her weary gaze, propping her chin against her palm, exhaustion evident in her eyes. "What is it?" she inquired, tapping her heel gently against the floor.
"I have something to tell you," Yuji confessed nonchalantly, focused on hurriedly jotting down answers borrowed from his seatmate.
"I joined the occult club," he admitted casually, almost lost amidst his scribbling.
Chihaya's jaw slackened, disbelief evident in her eyes. Leaning in with a furrowed brow, she shot him a stern, disapproving look, speaking in a hushed tone to avoid drawing attention.
"Oh, no, you did not!" she whispered urgently.
"What's the big deal? It's not like I'm signing up to get murdered or something," Yuji retorted, undisturbed by her reaction.
Leaning in playfully, he continued, "You realise it's not as intense, right? We chat about odd things and try out some unique rituals. It's all about curiosity."
Chihaya's concern surfaced. "And your scholarship? What about that?"
Yuji's expression shifted slightly, a shadow of worry crossing his face. "I know, I know," he said uneasily. "Skipping practices for Grandpa's sake isn't good with Coach Takagi."
He paused before continuing, "Joining that club was a sneaky way to avoid stuff. But family's just more important, you know?"
Chihaya took a deep breath, suppressing her concerns as she glanced down, recalling Wasuke's declining health. Despite the grim prognosis, she remembered her promise to watch over Yuji and support him.
"It's your decision, and I'll respect that," Chihaya replied, her tone a mix of concern and resignation. "I won't stand against it. But, Yuji, don't do anything risky."
—
"Hey Chi, didn't see you there," he greeted, his voice carrying a hint of surprise.
"Technically, I'm not supposed to be here until the person I was guiding ran off," she sighed, her tone laced with frustration.
"How awful..."
"Tell me about it," she exclaimed, a touch of exasperation in her voice.
"Itadori, you're more suited for the sports club. You don't have to stick around at the Occult Research Club," Sasaki interjected.
"But you two are into horror stuff. You both practically cower in fear when I'm not around for three days."
"I'm scared because I enjoy it!" Sasaki retorted with a pout.
"Plus, the school has a policy that allows me to join more than one club, even with a scholarship, and I didn't join the club because you asked me to. I joined the club because I wanted to," Yuji explained, leaving the two second-years flustered.
Chihaya heard footsteps approaching from behind and recognised the black-haired boy she had been searching for. However, her attention was diverted when Yuji suddenly broke into a run, realising that school had ended and he needed to visit his grandfather. With swift movements, he slung his bag over his shoulder and sprinted toward the school gate. As he ran, a gust of wind whipped past, sending a shiver down Chihaya's spine.
In an instant, she hurried to Fushiguro's side and spoke in a sinister tone, "There... you... are." Her sudden appearance beside Fushiguro caught him off guard, causing him to flinch in surprise.
