"Grandma… you're here."
Wasuke stood stiffly in the living room, apple forgotten in his hand. Nobara continued to smile at him, calm and perfectly composed.
"Well yes," she replied. "This is my house, you know."
Wasuke's face twitched. "O–of course. Of course this is your house, Grandma."
Nobara nodded, satisfied, and for a moment the room fell into an awkward silence. The hum of the city outside filtered faintly through the tall windows. Then Nobara broke it.
"Did you drive all the way from Osaka to Tokyo?"
Wasuke straightened up slightly. "Yeah. I just… needed to cool my mind a bit."
"I see," Nobara said. "And did it help?"
"A little."
"That's good."
She turned toward the kitchen. "I was about to make dinner. Would you mind helping Grandma out?" She glanced back at him with a knowing look. "Or would you rather continue watching that erotic show of yours?"
Wasuke shot to his feet, panicking. "Grandma! It wasn't erotic! It was an educational fitness program! I was studying ways to improve my physique, you know, for jujutsu practice!"
He didn't even let her respond, quickly placing his hands on her shoulders and gently but insistently pushing her toward the kitchen. "Anyway! We need to cook dinner, right? Let's hurry before it gets too late!"
Nobara chuckled as she walked. "Oh? But don't you basically have a Heavenly Restricted body? What would you need physical training for?"
Wasuke's face turned red. "Grandma… you can never train enough. Even if I'm physically gifted, I still have to maintain it."
Nobara smiled, her eyes softening.
He's really just like his grandfather, she thought.
Yuji… where exactly are you now?
Elsewhere—
Yuji Itadori, dressed in a simple hoodie, stood at an airport terminal. Just as he was about to board his flight, he sneezed.
"…Am I catching a cold?" he muttered. "No. Impossible."
He glanced at his boarding pass, shrugged, and stepped into the plane.
Back at the penthouse in Kyoto, the kitchen was alive with activity. Wasuke stood at the counter, diligently chopping vegetables with practiced precision, while Nobara calmly marinated meat beside him.
"So," Nobara said casually, "did Yuka and Tsurugi find you?"
Wasuke froze mid-chop.
Slowly, he turned toward her, eyes tired. "Grandma… so you're the one who told them where I was."
Nobara sighed softly. "I'm sorry. It's just… Yuka is so cute. I couldn't say no to her."
Wasuke exhaled heavily. "This is exactly why I don't like telling you where I go."
Her expression didn't change, but her voice turned cold. "But you don't have a choice, do you?"
Wasuke stiffened.
"You know why," she continued.
A chill ran down his spine. Fear overtook him as a memory surged forward, vivid and painful.
After Wasuke had dissappear for a month with no contact nor explanations.
When Nobara found him, she hadn't just disciplined him.
Nobara had beaten him down as if he were a literal cursed spirit.
The memory alone made his hands tremble.
"…Yes, Grandma, I know." Wasuke replied quietly.
The knife resumed its steady rhythm against the cutting board.
Nobara nodded. "Good. I can't have you disappearing on me like your grandfather did. My poor heart wouldn't be able to take it."
Wasuke hesitated, the knife hovering over the cutting board. "I understand, Grandma. I just… can't bring myself to say no to Yuka."
Nobara's lips curled upward into a smug smile. "Why?" she asked lightly. "Is it because you like the girl?"
The knife clattered loudly against the counter.
Wasuke stiffened, face instantly turning beet red. "N–no! Absolutely not! Why would you even think something like that?!"
Nobara didn't wipe the smile from her face. "Wasuke," she said calmly, "I've lived a very long life. Over eighty-four years, to be exact. And I, too, have been in love." She glanced at him knowingly. "Don't think you can fool me."
Wasuke shook his head frantically from side to side. "I don't deny that you've lived long, Grandma, but in this case, you're completely wrong."
"I don't see the problem," Nobara continued. "She's cute, young, comes from a respectable family, and she's fairly strong."
Wasuke swallowed. "That's true… but she's just a friend to me. Nothing more."
Nobara stared at him for a long moment, then sighed. "What a shame. I really wouldn't have minded her as a granddaughter-in-law." She paused casually. "But I suppose that boy from the Kamo clan will end up with her."
Something twisted in Wasuke's chest.
"…What do you mean, Grandma?"
"Oh? You didn't know?" Nobara replied. "It seems that prodigy from the Kamo Clan is dead set on marrying Yuka. They're already preparing a marriage proposal."
"Huh?!" Wasuke blurted out. "How is that even allowed?"
Nobara glanced at him, puzzled. "What do you mean? They're both from prestigious clans. This sort of thing is perfectly normal."
"But—!" Wasuke clenched his fist. "Yuka's too young!"
"She's actually a very respectable age for marriage," Nobara said, smiling smugly. "Besides," she added, "why are you so concerned? You don't like her, right?"
Wasuke turned away, jaw tightening. "…I don't. But she's my friend. Of course I'm concerned."
Nobara chuckled softly. "Then you'd better hurry," she said lightly. "Or else you really will lose her."
The words lingered heavily in the air.
Wasuke fell silent, his thoughts spiraling as his hands resumed their rhythm on the cutting board.
After a moment, Nobara spoke again. "Oh. Did you visit your parents after returning to Kyoto?"
The temperature in the room seemed to drop.
"I have no intention of meeting them," Wasuke said flatly.
Nobara sighed. "Are you still angry with them?"
"They're traitors to the Itadori Clan."
"Just because someone doesn't follow your ideals doesn't make them traitors, Wasuke," she said firmly. "Don't let having power get to your head."
"That's not what I'm doing," Wasuke snapped, then lowered his voice. "…I'm just mad. Okay?"
Nobara studied him quietly. "You're still young. I won't hold it against you. With age comes wisdom. When you grow older, you'll understand your parents' decisions."
Wasuke said nothing, focusing instead on chopping.
"The Purge is coming up soon, right? Are you participating?" Nobara asked.
"I might not technically be part of Jujutsu Tech anymore," Wasuke replied, "but I'm still a sorcerer. So it's not even a question."
Nobara smiled, satisfied.
"Good."