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１３

Sayuri couldn't help but chuckle each time the young boy was punched in the face. It was amusing, she would admit.

"Should I cut the red wire? Or the blue wire?" The man asked as the ticking of the timebomb strapped onto the wall was heard.

This made the scene tense with suspense, the uncertainty of their fate making it all the more thrilling to watch.

He was currently watching a movie, lying down on the couch with his elbow propping him up and supporting his weight. In his hands was a bowl of popcorn, while the bear-looking cursed corpse was beside him.

"You know, where I used to live, the trash bins—" The woman started but was cut off by the man.

"Hey, what are you yapping about?" The man asked her, both alarmed and confused at the change of topic. To him, this was not the priority right now, considering how they'd die if they failed diffusing the bomb.

"There were red for plastics and blue for combustibles.." The woman elaborates. "I always thought, shouldn't it be the opposite? Right—! It should be red! Anyone would go for red."

The man sighed as a soft smile overtook his face, trusting her words. He hovers the wire cutter onto the red wire. The suspense was building up, the uncertain fate of the characters lying ahead. Yuuji looked closely at the TV, taking a sip from his cola. However, just as he had started, the bear suddenly punched him square in the face.

Yuuji coughed, trying to regain his bearins. He was a bit pissed now. "Not while I'm drinking cola!" He exclaimed.

Gojō hummed in amusement. "Then don't drink. Simple."

"But sensei! Watching movies is all about chips and cola!" Yuuji argued with determination.

Sayuri found herself smiling at the sight. The boy reminded her of a golden retriever all too much. He was simply a precious kid, through and through. A pure and innocent soul.

   —To Sayuri, Itadori Yuuji was somewhat who she wanted herself to be. A youthful child with a somewhat happy background, a loving family and an ordinary childhood. A person with a goal to live a fulfilling life.

   —A person she wishes she could become but could never be.

Innocence and youthfulness was always a blissful fantasy, a short-lived moment of paradise. A long-lost oasis she lost long ago.

She let out a soft sigh, glancing at the boy. for another moment before she walks up to Gojō. He gives her a nod which she returns with one of her own.

"Welp. Yuuji-kun, we're gonna head out for a bit. Stay here, okay?" Gojō instructs him, smiling. "You're a champ."

Yuuji nods, paying heed to their instructions. "..will this really make me strong?" He asks as a hint of reluctance and curiosity mixed in his expression.

Gojō stops for a moment before grinning as he always did. "We wouldn't make you do this if it didn't." He replied.

Sayuri hums in agreement to his words, smiling down at Yuuji.

Gojō was about to walk away alongside Sayuri.. But for a moment smiles drops a bit  as he looked back to Yuuji. "By the way.." Yuuji perks up at his call, his attention focused on him.

"Did you talk to Sukuna while you were dead?" Gojō asks him.

Yuuji paused at this before nodding his head. "Yes.. I think we did.. But I don't really remember what happened. My memory of that is fuzzy for some reason."

Sayuri hummed in response, nodding silently as she contemplated the boy's reply.

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