Your Life As A Tokyo Jujutsu High Background Student

Chapter 10 - See Spices, do crimes.

One of the two things you loved most about Ino Takuma was that he always came when you called. So when your SOS message pinged his phone, he arrived first thing the next morning as if rocket-propelled. You barely had time to stash your laptop before he came barreling into the common room.

"Spices! There you are, I've missed you!"

Which brought you to Ino's second most beloved quality: his signature bear hugs. Not the perfunctory wrap of arms that most people passed for embraces, but the rib-compressing, breath-stealing, soul-lifting hugs that swept you clear off your feet.

"Ino-senpai—"

Before you could manage a greeting, Ino hefted you up and squeezed with enough force to make a python jealous. With an elated laugh, he twirled you around in circles, your surroundings blurring into streaks of color. The clean cotton scent of his sweatshirt enveloped you as Ino gripped you with anaconda-level strength. You marveled that his arms didn't come with health warning labels.

"We haven't hung out in ages! You need more vitamin me for a balanced diet!" Ino laughed brightly, lost in his spirited one-sided reunion.

As the common room whirled around you, you considered pointing out you'd grabbed donuts together literally a week ago. But oxygen deprivation made it a battle just remaining conscious, let alone speaking.

"Senpai—can't—air—" you wheezed out, desperately slapping his sturdy back.

Behind watering eyes, you spotted Megumi entering and immediately backpedaling right back out the door once he glimpsed Ino mauling you. You glared at his retreat with no small amount of spite. Traitor. Megumi would pay for his desertion later. With interest.

After what felt like an eternity of swirling colors and crushed ribs, Ino finally set you down... only to ruffle your hair with painful enthusiasm.

"So which of your crazy schemes requires your amazing senpai this time?" Ino beamed, oblivious to your suffering.

You gulped blessed air. Ino took friendship to hazardous extremes. Still, you wouldn't trade him for anything... not before you finished billing him for health damages, of course. Finally extracting yourself to a safe distance, you motioned Ino toward the couch.

"So about that SOS text..."

But he was already flashing double thumbs up with the blinding radiance of a religious devotee witnessing a miracle.

"I'm in, whatever it is you have cooked up this time." He declared.

You rolled your eyes. Ino clearly clicked "Accept" on life's terms and conditions without reading anything.

"This is serious, senpai. What if I asked you to rob a bank or something?"

"Send me the address." Ino just grinned wider as he struck an exaggerated tough guy pose, biceps bulging.

You stared blankly, one eyebrow still twitching from his violent head rubs.

"We'll get the address later." You sighed. "For now, let me explain first."

Hauling this overeager golden retriever of a man over to the couch, you balanced your laptop and launched into summarizing your scheme against his will.

"...so in summary, this is extremely unauthorized and kinda illegal," you concluded. "We'll blame everything on Gojo-sensei. But the higher ups may likely still hold a grudge against us."

You eyed Ino expectantly. He flashed a radiant smile and cracked his knuckles. "Whatever. Just tell me who to punch in Ieiri-san's honor!"

After years of enabling each other's deranged behaviors, you clearly couldn't undo Ino's mentality of "see Spices, do crimes" anymore.