"Thump, thump, thump."
Just as the two were chatting in the Innate Domain, a resounding knock on the door suddenly echoed.
Both of them looked up simultaneously.
It was from outside!
Itadori immediately glanced at Sukuna, signaling that he would go out first, and with a thought, switched to the outside.
Then he quickly got out of bed and opened the door.
Standing outside the door was Fushiguro.
The black-haired boy frowned slightly, his expression seeming a bit conflicted.
Itadori asked, puzzled, "Fushiguro? What's wrong?"
...Fushiguro had never come to find him so late before.
Fushiguro opened his mouth, hesitated, and then lightly coughed.
"...I'm looking for Sukuna."
Itadori: "...?"
...Huh?
Fushiguro is actually looking for Sukuna?
Itadori's eyes lit up.
What good news is this? Fushiguro actually took the initiative to look for Sukuna!
He quickly stepped aside, inviting Fushiguro into the room.
"Is there something you need Sukuna for?"
Itadori sat on the edge of the bed, gesturing for Fushiguro to sit on the chair opposite.
Fushiguro glanced at the chair but didn't sit down. He leaned against the table, propping himself up with one hand on the edge.
He looked at Itadori, as if he didn't know how to begin.
His gaze started to dart around.
Itadori also started to feel a bit guilty.
Fushiguro, he couldn't be... couldn't be here to... scold them about that time he let Sukuna out to make a cake, could he?!
He stammered, "Fushiguro, are you looking for Sukuna to... that, that cake incident last time? I really forced him to do it, can you just scold me...?"
His Sukuna is innocent, alright? If there's a problem, come at him!
Fushiguro: "..."
He said irritably, "How could that be? If it was about that, I would have found you two on the spot, alright? Why would I wait until now!"
If he had a grudge, he would have... no, if there was a problem, he would have beaten them on the spot, alright? The former school bully wouldn't leave things until the next day!
Phew... Itadori breathed a sigh of relief.
That's good, that's good.
He looked at Fushiguro, who was still conflicted and hadn't spoken, and his miraculous sixth sense suddenly kicked in.
He asked cautiously.
"Then... do I need to switch Sukuna out?"
As Itadori asked this, Fushiguro seemed to let out a sigh of relief.
"Mm."
He nodded subtly and reservedly.
Itadori's eyes gleamed even brighter.
Fushiguro actually agreed to let him switch Sukuna out... This is a friendly signal!
He immediately told Sukuna in his mind, then switched him out.
Black Cursed Marks appeared.
Sukuna opened his eyes, looking at Fushiguro, calm yet nervous, as if awaiting a criminal verdict.
He really didn't know what expression to make when facing this person who wouldn't let him out all day.
Seeing Sukuna appear, Fushiguro's expression froze, then his gaze involuntarily drifted to the side.
Sukuna was surprised to find—a hint of awkwardness seemed to appear on the black-haired boy's face.
"Cough..."
Fushiguro coughed again.
He seemed even more nervous than Sukuna.
After thinking for a while, under Sukuna's confused gaze, Fushiguro summoned the White Divine Dog.
The Divine Dog emerged from the shadows, sat obediently, and let out a soft bark to greet Sukuna before it.
Its snowy white fluffy tail wagged behind it.
Sukuna:...What does this mean?
...Is he going to set a dog on me?
What deep-seated grudge do we have that you'd specifically come over late at night to set a dog on me!
Then he heard Fushiguro softly say something—
Even with his keen hearing, he only caught one word—
"...Pet..."
Sukuna:...Pet...?
Seeing Sukuna's bewildered expression, Fushiguro, who was extremely embarrassed, finally seemed to give up and quickly blurted out.
"It's just that when we fought the Special Grade Cursed Womb before, didn't Itadori say you wanted to pet the Divine Dog?—"
"So..."
At this point, his voice started to falter.
His long eyelashes trembled slightly over his tightly closed eyes.
"Well, the Divine Dog... you can... you're allowed to pet it..."
Sukuna looked at Fushiguro, stunned.
Then, with a look of shock... Eh?
Does this mean... he can pet the Divine Dog?
And Fushiguro even offered it himself?!
There's actually such a good thing?!—
"Anyway, anyway—"
The black-haired boy's voice suddenly rose. He averted his gaze to the side, a faint blush appearing on his face.
His voice quickly dropped back to a whisper.
"...Thank you for saving the Divine Dog that day... this can be considered... a thank you gift..."
"...I'll leave the Divine Dog here for now. Just be careful not to hurt it..."
"—I'm going back now!"
After saying that, he turned around, walked quickly and stiffly to the door, opened it—went out—and closed it with a "bang."
Leaving Sukuna and the Divine Dog to look at the door together, then at each other, exchanging bewildered glances.
"Wait, wait, Yuji! What does this mean? Am I officially allowed to pet the dog?"
Sukuna, who had come to his senses, quickly called out to Itadori.
"...Looks like it!"
Itadori's happy voice rang in his head.
"Wow, Fushiguro actually allowed you to pet the Divine Dog! That's amazing, isn't it?"
"You pet it quickly, then switch with me, I want to touch it too!"
Upon hearing this, Sukuna cautiously reached out his hand.
He gently placed it on the Divine Dog's head.
The Divine Dog didn't resist; instead, it nudged his palm with its head, its eyes squinting in contentment.
The soft sensation in his hand made Sukuna feel his heart melt. He immediately pounced without a word, hugging the Divine Dog and giving it a thorough rub.
Finally, he buried his face in its long white fur and took a deep breath.
Ah... he finally...—he finally got to pet something fluffy!
He no longer needed to envy his millennium-old self!
In his mind, Itadori's urgent voice echoed.
"Sukuna, Sukuna, switch with me, switch with me, I want to pet it too!"
"No! This is Fushiguro's gift to me! If you want to pet it, go do it during the day!"
Sukuna hugged the Divine Dog, holding on for dear life...
Next door.
Fushiguro sat on the edge of his bed, listening to the sounds coming from the adjacent room, lowering his head and covering his face with his hands.
How could he... how could he... how could he do something so childish!!
What kind of thank you gift is petting a dog? Was he infected by Itadori and Sukuna's way of thinking?!
What kind of embarrassing behavior is this, ahhh?!—
He wailed inwardly.
Little did he know—
Even more embarrassing things were yet to come... The next morning, due to extreme awkwardness, Fushiguro didn't wait for Itadori to leave together but departed the dorms a step earlier.
He met Kugisaki and Maki-senpai in the cafeteria, greeted them, calmed himself down, and started eating breakfast.
Then Itadori arrived.
His very first sentence was—
"Ah! Fushiguro!"
He said joyfully, in a voice loud enough for all of them to hear—
He uttered words that made Fushiguro collapse—
"Sukuna said thank you for letting him pet... last night."
—The words "Divine Dog" hadn't even left his mouth.
Fushiguro, as soon as he heard the beginning, quickly stood up—sprinting to Itadori with utmost urgency and covering his mouth!
He lowered his voice, warning with killing intent.
"DO—NOT—SAY—IT—OUT—LOUD—!"
He specifically went to let Sukuna pet the Divine Dog as a thank you gift, such an embarrassing thing, don't let others know, ahhh!!
Itadori, whose mouth was covered mid-sentence, immediately nodded frantically in fright.
The others in the cafeteria: "..."
No, what, what?
...What???
Sukuna and... Fushiguro??? What kind of amazing new gossip is this?!!
Fushiguro, don't stop him! Let him speak—!!!
×-×-×-×-×-×-×-×-×-×-×-×-×-×-×-×-×-×-×
Read Extra Chapter Visit My Patreon
I have only 1 tier
19$ Tier – Access to 40 advance chapters
patreon.com/Lempil
patreon.com/Lempil