…"Ah—it's so hot!"
The August sun beat down overhead. Nobara Kugisaki, who had finally changed into her summer uniform, still couldn't take the heat. She collapsed onto the field and complained aloud.
"Why does it have to be Tuesday today..."
Huh?
Itadori, who was drinking water nearby, replied, "What's wrong with Tuesday?"
Nobara's complaining paused for a moment.
She tossed and turned a bit, facing the other way with a conflicted look.
She muttered to herself in a low voice.
"Nothing... I just wanted to go buy myself a present..."
Itadori's ears easily caught her voice.
"A present? Why are you suddenly thinking of buying yourself a present?"
He joked casually.
"Don't tell me it's your birthday today?"
Then he saw the girl suddenly turn her head, staring at him with an expression of disbelief.
Itadori's voice instantly became stuttered.
"Eh?... No way... D-don't tell me it really is... your birthday?"
However, the expression on the girl's face immediately made him realize—
That it was actually true!—
He immediately sat up straight and said in a voice still slightly stuttering from shock.
"H-Happy birthday, Kugisaki!—"
"Wow, today is really your birthday?! Why didn't you tell us sooner? We should celebrate it together!"
Itadori's eyes were full of pleasant surprise. He quickly spoke to Nobara while pulling on Fushiguro, who was lying on the ground next to him.
Fushiguro, who was exhausted and sprawled out after a brutal afternoon training session with Maki, weakly offered, "Happy birthday."
"Right, should we celebrate? This is the first time one of us has had a birthday, isn't it?"
Itadori suggested excitedly.
"Kugisaki, how do you want to celebrate? Everything goes your way today!"
Kugisaki, who hadn't had any particular plans, felt a stir in her heart when she heard that last sentence.
She blinked, looked at Itadori, and whispered.
"...You'll really do whatever I say?"
"Of course! It's your birthday today, you're the boss!"
Kugisaki immediately stopped feeling hot.
She quickly scrambled up, her eyes shining brightly.
"Then come shopping with me later!—"
She had wanted to go shopping for a long time—
—She just lacked two people to help carry the bags!!
"Alright!—"
Itadori immediately agreed—
—He hadn't seen the pained expression on Fushiguro's face and cheerfully agreed on his behalf.
So, after the afternoon training ended, the three of them took a car to the city center, starting Kugisaki's shopping spree for the evening.
"Hahahaha!—Watch me take over this whole street!"
Kugisaki, having activated shopping mode, swept away her afternoon fatigue and was completely revived.
Even Itadori was infected, his face full of excitement.
Only Fushiguro wore a mask of pain, struggling to follow behind the two of them... Why... why did he have to come along too... His entire body hurt so much he didn't want to move at all... The three of them darted between one shopping mall and the next, and the number of shopping bags on Itadori and Fushiguro grew steadily.
Afterward, the two of them also treated Kugisaki to a meal of her favorite—sushi from a particularly expensive restaurant—as a birthday gift.
—Successfully allowing Kugisaki to spend a birthday that was simple yet made her very happy tonight.
Seeing the satisfied look on Kugisaki's face, Itadori felt a matching sense of contentment in his heart.
Even Fushiguro no longer displayed an unhappy expression, quietly accompanying them.
The three of them enjoyed this moment of relaxation and tranquility, so different from the world of Jujutsu.
"Thank you."
Kugisaki held the cup in her hands, her gaze softly lowered, watching the water inside.
It had been a long time since she had enjoyed such a relaxing time as she did today.
With a slight upturn at the corner of her mouth, she spoke softly but sincerely.
This earned her Itadori's bright, sunny smile.
And Fushiguro's light cough, his cheeks slightly flushed.
"Oh, right, Kugisaki, birthday wish—did you make a birthday wish?"
Hearing Itadori's question, Kugisaki paused.
She propped one hand against her cheek, tilted her head, and looked toward the night sky outside the window.
She pondered thoughtfully.
"...A wish, huh..."
"Hmm... well... I hope... everyone can be safe and sound, right?... And that we can all stay together like this..."
This was the shared wish of all Jujutsu Sorcerers who must fight Curses for a lifetime.
A simple yet sincere wish.
Itadori and Fushiguro simultaneously tightened their grip on their water cups.
The pink-haired boy lowered his gaze, a complex emotion surfacing in his eyes.
Then he immediately looked up again, displaying a bright, dazzling, and cheerful smile.
He raised the cola in his hand and extended it into the space between the three of them.
"No problem, Kugisaki!"
His voice carried the most infectious sincerity.
"Your wish will definitely come true!"
Kugisaki and Fushiguro looked at the cup held in the middle; smiles appeared on their faces simultaneously, and they moved their own cups closer.
"Yeah, definitely!"
The crisp clinking sound of the glass cups brought today's celebration to a perfect close... That night, back in the room.
Itadori was still immersed in the emotions from earlier, remaining silent for a long time.
Sukuna, also affected by the three people celebrating the birthday tonight, couldn't help but sigh in admiration.
[That was really nice...]
Hearing this, Itadori felt a stir in his heart and asked curiously.
"Hey, Sukuna, when is your birthday? Do you even remember?"
Sukuna: [...]
How could he possibly remember that? He didn't even remember his own name at first.
[...I don't know.]
His voice carried a hint of regret.
Itadori thought for a moment: "Then how about you celebrate your birthday on mine from now on?"
"We can celebrate it together then, what do you say?"
Sukuna was somewhat moved.
[Hmm... that works. When is your birthday?]
"March 20th."
March 20th?...Isn't that still more than half a year away?
Sukuna felt a little conflicted.
Today is only August 7th. He has to wait until March 20th next year... That's still a long time... He didn't know if all 20 fingers would be collected before then, and heaven knows if he would even be alive at that point.
Itadori seemed to have thought of the same problem.
"Hmm... or how about we set it as the day you revived inside me? And then we can hold a belated birthday celebration for you a few days later?"
...Like that...?
Sukuna tilted his head and thought... Maybe that works?
He nodded, agreeing to the proposal.
A belated birthday celebration, huh... Sukuna's eyes lit up slightly... Why was he feeling a little anticipation?
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