Beyond the Veil | Yuji

16

┏━°⌜ 呪術廻戦 ⌟°━┓
CHAPTER 16
ROOMMATES
┗━°⌜ 呪術廻戦 ⌟°━┛

I pace around my dorm, fingers anxiously playing with the rings on my hand. Every corner of the room feels both too familiar and too constricting as my mind races. Gojo has taken Yuji to meet Principal Yaga, and right now, they're deciding if he can attend college here. The idea of Yuji being part of this world, training alongside us, makes my heart pound with a mix of hope and fear.

I have faith in Yuji. He's strong, resilient, and has a good heart. But I also know that sometimes—maybe more often than not—he speaks without thinking. And Yaga doesn't like that. He already has to put up with Gojo's antics, and I can't imagine he wants another unpredictable student.

I groan and let my back fall onto my bed, staring up at the ceiling. The silence of my room only amplifies my worries. What if Yuji says something that makes Yaga doubt him? What if they decide he's too much of a risk?

For a moment, my thoughts drift back to this morning. Seated in Yuji's lap, so close that I could feel his heartbeat, we were about to kiss. My heart had been in my throat, and then—damn Sukuna—he really had to talk. The memory of his mocking voice makes me wince.

But then again, maybe it's for the best. Yuji seemed relieved when Sukuna interrupted. Maybe he doesn't like me that way. I don't want to be delusional, reading too much into fleeting moments.

I roll onto my side, curling up slightly as I hug a pillow to my chest. The feelings of disappointment and longing mix with the anxiety about Yuji's future. It's a lot to handle all at once.

I try to distract myself by looking around my room. The familiar posters, books, and personal items bring a sense of comfort, but only slightly. My phone buzzes on the nightstand, and I reach for it, hoping for some distraction.

No new messages. I sigh, tossing it back onto the bed. My mind keeps circling back to Yuji, to the way he looked at me, to the way he seemed so determined yet so vulnerable.

I sit up, hugging the pillow tighter. I need to stay positive. Yuji is strong, and he's overcome so much already. If anyone can handle Yaga and prove himself, it's him. And even if he doesn't feel the same way about me, at least we'll still be friends. That's more important than anything else.

Taking a deep breath, I try to calm my racing thoughts. I can't change what's happening right now, but I can be there for Yuji, no matter the outcome. He deserves all the support he can get, especially after everything he's been through.

As I sit there, the minutes feel like hours. Every noise from the hallway makes my heart jump, hoping it's them returning. I just need to know that he's okay, that things went well.

As soon as I hear footsteps in the corridor, I spring up from my bed and rush towards the door. I rip it open, my heart pounding in anticipation. The sudden movement makes my head spin a bit, but I ignore it and focus on the two figures approaching—Gojo and Yuji.

"Hey! How did it go?" I ask, a bit out of breath from my sudden burst of energy.

Yuji looks a bit worse for wear, his clothes disheveled and sporting a few new bruises. If I had to guess, I'd say Yaga sent one of his cursed dolls against him. But then Gojo's bright smile and enthusiastic thumbs-up make me exhale in relief.

"It went well," Gojo says cheerfully. "He handled himself just fine."

I glance at Yuji, who's already looking at me. Our eyes meet, and I smile at him, feeling a rush of warmth and pride. He smiles back but quickly turns away, and my heart sinks a little. Damn it, I think. I ruined everything.