Star | Jujustu Kaisen

four, five, six, and seven (ate the town and burned it)

Junpei's heart felt like it was about to burst as he found himself face-to-face with Itadori in the dimly lit hallway of the school building. His chest tightened, and his throat burned with the urge to cry. How did it come to this? he thought as he stood across from the pink-haired teen, both of them tense and ready to fight. The situation was spiraling, and Junpei didn't know how to fix it.

He hadn't wanted this. He really hadn't wanted this. But Itadori showing up had thrown a wrench in everything. How could he explain what he was doing with [Name]? How could he make Itadori understand the bigger picture without sounding insane or suspicious? Mahito was probably watching—or worse, nearby—and Junpei couldn't risk ruining their plan. And honestly, he looked guilty. From Itadori's perspective, it probably seemed like Junpei was about to kill his former classmates and teacher. There was no way Itadori would believe he wasn't about to cross the line.

Itadori's fist came flying toward him, his arm glowing with cursed energy. His movements were fast and deliberate, full of determination. Junpei's eyes widened in panic. I really don't want to die! he thought as he instinctively screamed, "Moon Dregs!"

In a flash, his cursed energy materialized into the jellyfish shikigami. Its translucent, flowing form positioned itself between Junpei and the attack, intercepting Itadori's punch with its thick, cursed energy-coated body.

Junpei stumbled backward, his breath ragged as relief flooded through him. His hands trembled, but he clenched them into fists, willing himself to stay composed. Is he trying to kill me?! he thought, his mind racing. The realization left him bitter, but he couldn't blame Itadori for misjudging the situation. After all, Junpei didn't exactly look like the good guy right now.

"Don't make me say it again," Junpei shouted, his frustration boiling over. "Get outta here, jujutsu sorcerer! This has nothing to do with you!" His voice cracked, but the desperation behind it was clear. He needed Itadori gone—now.

But Itadori wasn't budging. His determined glare didn't waver as he spat back, "That's not...for you to decide!"

Junpei gritted his teeth in anger, his frustration threatening to spill over into rage. Oh, come on! he thought, his mind screaming at the absurdity of it all. "No, I really mean it. You should leave, sorcerer!" he yelled, thrusting his arms forward. Moon Dregs moved with his command, its tendrils lashing out toward Itadori and wrapping around his body.

The jellyfish shikigami's tentacles coiled tightly around the pink-haired teen, restricting his movements. "If you don't, I'll make you leave!" Junpei growled, his voice shaking with both anger and fear. He poured his energy into controlling Moon Dregs, pushing it to drive Itadori away from the building somehow. Please just go. Don't make me do this. Don't ruin everything.

Junpei's mind raced, filled with frantic thoughts as he tried to figure out his next move. He wanted to grab Itadori by the shoulders and shake some sense into him—yell at him to stop interfering, to leave before things got worse. Couldn't Itadori see that Junpei was trying to keep him out of harm's way? That he was doing this for a reason?

"Come on, come on," Junpei whispered under his breath, his voice trembling as he urged Moon Dregs to push harder. The jellyfish shikigami moved with him, trying to force Itadori backward, out of the hallway, out of the building, out of the plan entirely. It was desperate and sloppy, and Junpei knew it. But he was grasping at straws, doing anything he could think of to get Itadori out of the picture before Mahito caught on.

Junpei's breathing grew heavier as he tried to focus, tried to ignore the emotions clawing at his chest. He didn't want to hurt Itadori, not really. But he couldn't afford to let him stay here. Not when everything was at stake. Please, just leave. Don't make me do something I'll regret.