Sukuna looked at Gojo opposite him, who was unusually excited and preparing to unleash his Domain Expansion, and felt a shiver run down his spine.
This guy isn't right... He subconsciously spoke:
"...Wait,"
Before he could finish, Gojo had already removed the blindfold from his face. Beneath his white bangs, a pair of beautiful azure eyes opened.
Sukuna's voice suddenly caught, and his eyes widened instantly—
...What, what the heck!
Who, who, who, who is this?!
—Gojo??!
Could it be that someone switched places?!!!
He saw Gojo on the other side first curl his lips, then look at him and say with a smile:
"Domain Expansion—Unlimited Void!"
The pitch-black domain instantly enveloped Sukuna.
Countless pieces of information poured into his mind, and his expression immediately became blank.
Soon, Gojo dispelled the domain, watching without surprise as Sukuna gradually lost vitality in his eyes, swayed, and fell to the ground.
He quickly stepped forward to catch him, lowering his head to look at Sukuna.
Even in a coma, the Cursed Marks on Sukuna's face had not disappeared; he hadn't reverted to Yuji Itadori.
His expression was calm, devoid of his previous arrogance, and with his eyes tightly closed, even his demeanor had softened somewhat.
When the net-like Cleave struck earlier, at the last moment, Gojo wondered if Sukuna had subconsciously held back, causing the attack to be slightly delayed—
Although it wouldn't cause any harm to him, that slight delay changed Gojo's thoughts.
He wanted to try to keep this Sukuna—this Sukuna, who was different from the King of Curses described in records—to truly keep him at Jujutsu High.
He hugged Sukuna's body and looked up at the starry sky.
Hopefully... hopefully, he won't disappoint him...
**The Next Morning.**
Yuji, who had slept comfortably, woke up, walked out the door, and happened to run into Fushiguro, who was also opening his door.
He cheerfully greeted, "Morning!~"
Fushiguro looked at him, hesitant to speak, and after a long moment, he finally asked, "Last night..."
"Hmm? Ah..." Yuji awkwardly scratched his head, "Last night, I was supposed to be training, but I think I fell asleep..."
He paused, then immediately emphasized.
"But it's okay! Sukuna said that he and Gojo-sensei have found a way to keep me from sleeping! Formal training can start tonight!"
...A way to keep you from sleeping...?
Fushiguro's expression twisted for a moment... Wh-what kind of method???
Yuji didn't notice Fushiguro's strange expression. Looking at his face, he asked with some concern, "Fushiguro, what's wrong? Your dark circles are so heavy; didn't you sleep well last night?"
Fushiguro: "..."
He didn't speak but instead let out a difficult breath.
Could he say... that when he returned to his room last night, he happened to see Sukuna, who still had Cursed Marks on his face and was clearly unconscious—
—being carried into Yuji's room by Gojo-sensei in a 'princess carry'?
And he stayed there for a full two hours without coming out!
He didn't dare to sleep in the next room!
"...Are you... alright?" he asked cautiously.
Yuji was bewildered by his expression.
"Eh? N-nothing's wrong, right?"
Fushiguro barely breathed a sigh of relief: "...That's good."
Yuji: "..."
...What does 'that's good' mean? Fushiguro, you need to be clear!—
...Soon.
Sukuna learned this shocking news from Yuji's relay.
[A princess carry? A princess carry?!!—]
Sukuna was furious: [Couldn't that bastard Gojo Satoru use a more normal posture to carry someone?]
[And... 'two hours'?? Why did he stay for two hours? What exactly did he do??]
[Gojo Satoru, you, you...]
Sukuna's exasperated voice gradually choked.
He remembered Gojo Satoru's face that he had seen before the Domain Expansion.
His lips parted with difficulty, then closed again, finally squeezing out three words through gritted teeth.
What a demon... He'd thought he was a handsome type when he saw the lower half of his face, but he never expected that after taking off the blindfold, he would—he would—
He couldn't help but look up, covering his face with both hands—
A soulful sigh echoed in his heart—
He's actually so beautiful...!
—This completely fits his aesthetic, damn it!
Why would a man be so good-looking? This is unscientific!
How is he supposed to retort to people in the future?!—
Sukuna was so depressed and conflicted inside that he wished he could tie himself into a knot...
**At Noon, in the School Cafeteria.**
Sukuna, who had been thinking about Gojo Satoru, fell silent when he saw the white-haired man himself sitting at a dining table, waving and greeting them.
He didn't want to get close to Gojo right now. As soon as he saw his blindfold, he couldn't help but recall those beautiful azure eyes.
Then he felt himself shamefully defeated by the other's god-tier looks.
Yuji didn't know his inner turmoil. Seeing Gojo-sensei, he immediately ran over happily.
"Gojo-sensei!"
He ran to Gojo Satoru, his gaze falling on the dining table—
So many watermelons!
His eyes lit up. He turned to look at the next table; Maki-senpai and the Second Years were already eating. They greeted him, Fushiguro, and Nobara when they arrived.
He happily waved back.
Gojo watched Yuji sit down opposite him, then immediately said with a gentle expression.
"The watermelon is fresh; I just brought it. Don't be shy, eat more."
He had specially brought five or six watermelons today to treat his students.
Of course, the main point was to observe Sukuna's reaction; after all, he had teased him several times last night, so he shouldn't genuinely anger him.
Yuji no longer hesitated and immediately joined the watermelon-eating team, even kindly getting a slice for Sukuna.
Sukuna: [...]
He glanced at the watermelon, smacked his lips, and felt a bit like eating it.
After a small internal struggle, he finally gave up resisting.
Alright, watermelon is innocent, and he wouldn't hold a grudge against food.
He calmly opened his mouth and began to gnaw on the melon.
Gojo looked at Sukuna, who was engrossed in eating watermelon, and thought that he was indeed easy to appease.
He had originally thought Sukuna would pounce on him today to beat him up... but he was unexpectedly so calm.
It seemed it was indeed the watermelon's doing.
No amount of hatred couldn't be solved by one watermelon; if it couldn't, then have another.
Gojo silently pushed the cut watermelon in front of him towards Sukuna... Sukuna munched on the watermelon, his mood gradually calming.
He suddenly remembered the question from this morning and felt he still needed to clarify it.
"So... Gojo, what exactly did you do last night?"
—During those two hours he stayed in the room.
He thought while eating.
He had been asleep then, so why would Gojo stay in their room for so long?
...He couldn't have been stealing things, could he...?
Given Yuji's financial situation, there really wasn't anything to steal.
Gojo tilted his head, looking puzzled.
—What did I do last night?
"Didn't do anything? Just... carried you... back to bed?"
"Cough cough cough cough—!!"
Sukuna choked and coughed.
He seemed to vaguely hear other people coughing nearby.
He immediately added exasperatedly, "I'm asking what you were doing staying in the room for two more hours afterwards?"
He's asking about that?
Gojo raised an eyebrow.
He looked at Sukuna, then propped his chin with one hand and leaned closer to him with a smile.
A teasing curve played on his lips.
"Then shouldn't you tell me first... what you and Yuji agreed upon?"
Sukuna's watermelon-eating motion instantly froze.
For a moment, he didn't know if it was because of Gojo Satoru's leaning motion or because of what he said.
However, with that question, he realized—
Last night, from the time he came online until he was knocked out by the domain, it was only an hour.
After collapsing, he seemed to have fallen asleep. But the three-hour free time limit hadn't expired, so he estimated he slept for another two hours until Yuji took over.
So, those two hours after Gojo took him back to the room... should have been to wait for him to turn back into Yuji, to confirm the time he could possess him?
Having figured this out, he relaxed, then lowered his head and continued eating watermelon.
"Then let's just drop that. Also, keep your crappy domain far away from me in the future."
He was afraid he couldn't handle too many beautiful face critical hits, and that domain was truly disgusting, making his head ache from the years of information being crammed in.
And falling unconscious every time it opened was really troublesome.
Gojo smiled: "Oh? Don't you want to be princess carried by me again, Sukuna?"
Sukuna froze.
He roared: "...Only a ghost would want that!!—"
...A princess carry??
The Second Years eating watermelon at another table widened their eyes.
What's going on? What princess carry?
When did Gojo and Sukuna's relationship become so... loving?
The few of them quickly exchanged glances, then immediately pulled out their phones and opened a small group chat. Maki also conveniently dragged Fushiguro and Nobara, who were eating watermelon at the next table, into the group.
call me maki: Oh my goodness, oh my goodness, oh my goodness, did you hear that? A princess carry!
Nobara: What exactly is going on with Gojo-sensei and Sukuna? When did they become like this?
I'm Really Panda: I heard it! I heard Yuji say it himself, though he was talking to himself, but I'm 100% sure he was talking to Sukuna!—Saying that last night Gojo-sensei carried the sleeping Sukuna back to his room and stayed in there for a full two hours!
call me maki: Help! This gossip is so delicious, 100 times better than the watermelon in my hand!
Okkotsu, who was on a business trip abroad, heard his phone ringing continuously, pulled it out in confusion, and looked.
Then slowly typed out a question mark.
Yuta Okkotsu: ?
call me maki: Yuta, Yuta! Have you ever been princess carried by Satoru?
Yuta Okkotsu: Eh? I... I probably... haven't, right?
Even if he had, he wouldn't remember. He would definitely be unconscious at such a time... So why is she suddenly asking this?
He quickly scanned the group chat history, and when his gaze fell on the message, "Satoru just said himself that he carried Sukuna back to bed," he gasped.
If he remembered correctly, this Sukuna was the King of Curses, Ryomen Sukuna? What kind of horror story is this?
call me maki: Not even Yuta! This is definitely true love... ahem, true friendship!
Nobara: Wait, wait, does anyone know any details? I wasn't even there, damn it!
Inumaki Toge's fingers flew across his phone keyboard.
—He couldn't speak, but couldn't he type!
Mayonnaise is so delicious: I heard it! I heard Yuji say it himself, though he was talking to himself, but I'm 100% sure he was talking to Sukuna!—Saying that last night Gojo-sensei carried the sleeping Sukuna back to his room and stayed in there for a full two hours!
call me maki: Two hours?? Ahhh, what kind of beautiful love... bah, friendship is this?!—The strongest Jujutsu Sorcerer and the evil... no, the amnesiac King of Curses' story that must be told?!
Nobara: Wuwuwu, I'm shipping it, I'm shipping it!... Wait, what about our Tiger-kun? I think he and Gojo-sensei are also very sweet!
...Fushiguro stared at the furiously scrolling group messages on his phone, his fingertips trembling slightly.
Why? Why did things turn out this way?
Will he... be silenced by Sukuna later?
And... what 'asleep,' he clearly said 'unconscious'! Tiger-kun, how can you misrepresent things!
Thus, without Sukuna's knowledge, the news of him being princess carried by Gojo Satoru had quietly spread, even reaching Okkotsu, who was abroad... "By the way, Yuji, you need to work hard next!"
Gojo suddenly looked at Yuji.
"Last night, while you were away, your Sukuna already learned how to use his Cursed Technique~"
Yuji: "..."
!!!
What's with secretly getting stronger while I was asleep???
He looked incredulously at Sukuna on his hand.
"Sukuna, how are you so fast..."
To have mastered a Cursed Technique already?
—His Cursed Energy control training had only just begun!
Sukuna snorted: "Hmph... You still dare to talk about me... Who was it that fell asleep first last night?"
It was fine that you fell asleep, but I stepped into all the traps you left behind!
Thinking about what happened last night made him angry. Sukuna gritted his teeth, then ate another piece of watermelon to express his resentment.
Yuji was instantly speechless.
Indeed, he was the one who fell asleep first, so he couldn't blame Sukuna.
Sukuna switched to internal communication and continued.
[By the way, why was I switched out last night? Normally, even if you fell asleep, I wouldn't come out, would I?]
Yuji quietly answered along.
"...It seems I thought about your three-hour allowance not being used up before I fell asleep..."
Sukuna: [...]
I really thank you, Tiger-kun.
So considerate—
—You directly considered me into Gojo Satoru's hands.
Yuji was still annoyed that he couldn't hold on last night.
However, he immediately remembered what Sukuna had told him about a way to solve the problem.
His voice involuntarily grew a few decibels louder.
"By the way, you said before that you and Gojo-sensei found a way to keep me from sleeping, what was it?"
Kugisaki at the next table suddenly coughed violently twice, then quickly typed on her phone.
Nobara: Did I hear wrong? Did I hear wrong? Could it be... 3 people?!
Mayonnaise is so delicious: You didn't hear wrong! I guarantee it with my status as a Cursed Speech user! Absolutely not wrong!
call me maki: What's going on today? So much unexpected gossip—please, more!
...Hearing Yuji's question, Sukuna glanced at him, his eyes filled with sympathy.
[Ah, keep it up. You'll find out tonight.]
Soon, you'll become a 24-hour energetic, lively, Tiger-brand perpetual-motion machine.
Given this cruel reality, let you relax for one more day.
Sukuna, with a great sense of ceremony, lit a candle for Tiger-kun in his heart.