One Lie: ItaFushi

Chapter 1: Prologue

Itadori Yuji found himself face to face with his best friend on the day of graduation. It was spring, but there was still a nip in the air causing the tips of their noses to redden. Megumi's emerald eyes looked to the sidewalk, avoiding Yuji's gaze.

Fushiguro Megumi, a tall boy with sharp features, had been Yuji's friend since their first year in high school. They ate together, even though Megumi wasn't as much of a glutton. They watched movies together, even though Megumi preferred to read. They spent most of their free days out, even though Megumi would have preferred to stay in.

That was part of the reason Yuji liked Megumi so much. Out of all the people who called themselves Yuji's friends, Megumi was the only one who tried to do things he liked. Maybe that was selfish, no, it was selfish. But Megumi never made a fuss about it.

"Yuji, I... I have something I've been meaning to tell you," Megumi slowly blinked as his spikey hair moved ever so gently in the breeze.

"What is it? Couldn't we have done this inside?" Yuji asked.

"Listen, please," Megumi said.

"Okay," Yuji ran a hand through his short black hair.

One thing about high school Yuji didn't like was the odd dress code. The school didn't require specific uniforms, but they did want the students to have their natural hair color for all important assemblies. Which meant dyeing his hair from blond to black the night before-Megumi also helped with this.

"I love you. I've loved you for such a long time. I know you wouldn't feel the same, so I waited to tell you," Megumi said.

Yuji's eyes widened, "Megumi."

"I know," Megumi didn't meet his gaze. "You think I'm disgusting."

"I don't!" Yuji shouted.

"Don't make this harder for me, Yuji. It's been difficult enough already. I'm telling you because I'm leaving. As far as I'm concerned, from today on, you're dead to me, Itadori Yuji," tears ran down Megumi's cheeks as he grimaced.

"Meg-" Yuji started to speak, reaching out a hand, but he was cut off.

Megumi slapped away his hand, "Don't touch me. Don't text me. Don't call me. Forget I existed. Just know that... that I did really love you. Goodbye, Yuji."

With that short conversation, Megumi let out a sniff, wiped his eyes on his shirt sleeve, then ran away. They were outside of the school. It wasn't dark. It wasn't raining. There was no reason for Yuji not to chase him. But, he didn't.

Instead, Itadori Yuji stood in his dress clothes, slack-jawed as tears welled in his eyes. He didn't know how to react. It was just so sudden. He grabbed his chest, squeezing his nails into his skin through the school uniform.

There was no one left. No mom, no dad, no grandpa, and no Megumi. So, Yuji stood there. He stood and he cried until the tears ran dry. People from his class probably passed by, but they didn't matter to him.

He didn't know how long had passed before he walked home. Yuji didn't have a plan for after high school. Most other people were going to university or taking on jobs. Yuji wasn't from Tokyo, but he found himself there after being moved by the state to affordable housing at the age of fifteen. That was three years before he had graduated.

When he arrived home, Yuji slumped off his jacket and kicked off his shoes. They went flying in all directions, but he didn't care. He fell to the ground with a sniffling sigh, but no tears could come out.

"Why?" Yuji asked aloud.

"What the hell did I do to get ditched by everyone around me?!" He shouted, punching a hole in the wall.