𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐒𝐓

chapter twelve.

"I mean it. I'm going."

"No, you're not," Nanami was quick to shut him down. "Because, as I've already explained, if a veil has been cast, then there is a strong likelihood that he's still alive, and he's there at Satozakura High School," he continued. "I'll be back soon. I'm ordering you to wait there for me, Itadori."

Seiko watched as Yuji's face fell flat, slowly dropping his arm to his side. She stood a few feet beside him, leaning against the wall. Seiko could easily read the distraught look on his face and knew that his relation with Yoshino Junpei was closer than she assumed it to be. 

"You really like this kid, huh?" she asked quietly, tilting her head to the left. Her eyes were trained on his figure, which seemed slumped in defeat. 

Yuji nodded. "He...he deserves so much better than this." 

Seiko understood how he felt. She had felt like that long ago when she was still harboring her power. Now that she was older and more experienced, she knew not to get emotionally attached to people. Yuji was still new to curses and jujutsu, but he was passionate about saving people and doing the right thing. Seiko admired him for that. 

"Will you disobey Nanami's orders?" Seiko already knew what would happen, whether Yuji chose to tell her or not. 

To her surprise, he turned to look her straight in the eyes. "Will you stop me?" 

Seiko closed her eyes, leaning her head against the wall with a sigh. "Despite the lectures I'll get," she paused, "no, I won't stop you. I'll help you, rather."

Yuji smiled genuinely, grateful to have her with him. It brought a great deal of reassurance to him. "Thanks, Sei. It means a lot," he paused. "But please, let me fight Junpei."

Seiko watched as Yuji turned to Ijichi, who was standing a few feet away from him. His face was more serious, and all traces of a smile were gone. 

"Please step aside Ijichi," he said. 

"Don't forget that our job is to help others," Ijichi replied. "And though you're a student, that includes even you, Itadori, as well as Kuze. I'm not about to make any more mistakes," he said, mentioning the incident with the prison. "You mustn't go there, Itadori, and you as well, Kuze."

Yuji sent Seiko a discreet hand movement, suddenly jumping past Ijichi. Seiko started to walk forwards, hands in her pockets. 

"Sorry, Ijichi," she murmured, before disappearing. 

~*~

Yuji slammed the gymnasium doors open, with Seiko beside him. Seiko had no idea where the school was, so the two were forced to sprint all the way here. Both were a bit tired, as it was quite the distance away. 

"What are you doing?!" Yuji shouted. "Stop, Junpei!"

Seiko's eyes narrowed at the figure clad in black on the podium. He looked nothing like how Yuji described him. The happy, kind, and sweet boy in him was brutally taken away. That was probably what hurt Yuji most.