Destined to Collide - Inumaki Toge

56. Nishimiya

"Hey, Inu!"

Inumaki raised one elegant eyebrow as acknowledgement and side-eyed the direction where he had heard the indirect insult.

It was the broomstick girl.

"-Maki-san, I need to tell you something about that girl," she said to him, adding quickly when she noticed his cold gaze towards her. Nishimiya walked towards the cursed speech user and narrowed her eyes at Maguro as she passes by her.

Normally, Inumaki would just ignore them. He doesn't bother them Kyoto students, and they were all afraid of his cursed speech's specialty. He almost wanted to scoff. As if he's the type of pranksters who would simply use their cursed speech for fun in return for a good sore throat.

But this concerns Maguro, and he noticed how oddly repulsive Nishimiya has suddenly become to him when she gave Maguro the glare. How instant it is to burn bridges if anyone gave Maguro the wrong kind of look. Silently, he thought to himself. That girl? She's my Maguro, Witch.

Turning to face her, he tilted his head towards her to show he is interested on Maguro's topic and said, "Tuna?"

This reminds him of when Maguro first joined the college. He realizes that he really did just say Maguro's name in English. Inumaki glanced over at Maguro's petite frame. Never knew a name could sound so delicious when it involves the owner of that name.

Nishimiya stopped in front of Inumaki and looked up. Sure, she's short, Maguro's short, but at least this good-looking boy is taller than her. She felt her heart speeds up and quickly squashed all semblance of a hot blush that threatened to bubble up to her fair skin.

Too handsome, Nishimiya thought to herself. He really is too beautiful. What with his amethyst eyes that glitters darkly at her. She wouldn't mind staring into them pools of glittering eyes forever. Why ever did she not notice him before this?

Inumaki got tired of waiting. This Kyoto broomstick girl just kept on staring at him. For what kind of reason, he doesn't know, and doesn't want to know. Not his business. He's only paying her attention because the topic involves Maguro.

Glancing over at Maguro to make sure none of the Kyoto students are harassing her, he fishes out his phone and quickly type a text on an app and show it to Nishimiya.

She blinked her eyes quickly when she realizes she has been staring and blushes awkwardly. Dammit, he must have noticed, she thought to herself. Gathering her composure, Nishimiya cleared her throat and read the test he is showing her.

"What is it about Maguro?"

Nishimiya turned her head towards where Maguro is and smiled triumphantly. Maguro and the rest are standing a distance away from where they are right now, so what she is going to tell Inumaki would not be overheard.

And definitely no more Noritoshi Damn Kamo disturbing the conversation.

"While you were out on the roof," Nishimiya begun, biting her lips and looking plenty angry, as if she is the one that was taken advantage of. "Maguro took advantage of you."

Inumaki blinked. Wait, what?

What did he just hear? Did he hear that correctly? What? Did Maguro touched him before she kisses him? Damn, was he awake? No, he wasn't. He only snaps back to reality when Maguro slips her tongue into his mouth. Did something more happened that he didn't know? God damn, why isn't he awake?

He then quickly typed a short text on his phone and showed her.

"What happened?"

Nishimiya bite her lips and twiddled her thumbs. "She, the Barrier User, Tsukigami Maguro. She took advantage of you while you were unconscious. She kissed you while you were out of it to suck out your energy. It was despicable of her. I would have confronted her about it were it not because of Kamo-senpai being so injured and out of it at that time."

The Cursed Speech user frowned. At that time? At what time?

Maguro took advantage of me and sucked my energy at that? Well, well. Why ever not? She is my girlfriend. I'll gladly let her take advantage of me anytime.

Nishimiya blushes and bite her lips, twiddling her finger.

Oh.

Oh wait.

Was it...? Inumaki thought to himself, remembering the event on the roof. Kamo was out, and Fushiguro the only one left after he collapsed. Oh that~ She must have seen us busy on the roof then. He smiled. So, Nishimiya is being nice about it to inform him he was taken advantage of, but didn't he make himself clear that Maguro is with him? That they are a couple? What? Did their teammates bond at Kyoto goes to the point where kissing the other party is not an obvious hint enough to the public that they are a couple? Does it take more actions to hint to them lot that they are together?

Or, in Kyoto, a kiss is nothing?

Ohh, Inumaki realizes on his own a possible theory. No wonder Kamo shows her that depth of interest despite seeing us kiss on the roof. A kiss is nothing for him.

Inumaki smiled and tilted his head forward in appreciation after showing her the text he typed in his phone.

"Better her than me though. I wouldn't even let her go that easily if I was the one who started it."

That was an unexpected reaction. She had thought Inumaki would blush or something, and embarrassed by it or felt so ashamed that he would need a hug or an arm to lean on or something...? "She kissed you! She even took your energy to create the barrier!"

Inumaki nodded his head at her explanation and typed a reply quickly.

"Then I guess I'm the lucky one. For the energy part, she did no such thing. Despite her being small, Maguro is actually a Chi Reservoir. She wouldn't need any of our energy to do that. And I would advise you to reign in your friend over there."

He nudged his head towards where Noritoshi Kamo is standing under the shades, a small (creepy) smile on his face as he looked at Maguro interacting with Itadori. Inumaki narrowed his eyes and, again, typed quickly.

"He looks like he's about to kidnap her."

Walking away, Inumaki left Nishimiya to ponder there alone. He doesn't have to prove anything to them that Maguro and him are going out. But he would appreciate it even more if none of them Kyoto side gives Maguro the accusing glare like the one Nishimiya is throwing at her.

Just because she is alone in the world now with no family members left alive to back her up in the clan doesn't mean that she is open for outsiders to attack her like that. Plus, Nishimiya is a nobody with no clan. People like her who came from a non-Jujutsu family wouldn't understand bonds between clans.

"Tuna (Maguro,)" Inumaki called. Maguro immediately turned her head in response to his voice and calling her name. He chuckled. She turned her head so fast it was as if she has been waiting for him her big, bright smile with dimples on her cheeks that he only noticed now. Walking towards Maguro, he gave her head a small pat and smiled at her.

"Takana? (Are you alright?)", he asked, violet eyes roaming over her tired eyes. She smiled and nodded her head. That's good then. "Tuna, Tuna, (Tell me if anything feels wrong, okay?)"

"Okay," Maguro answered him happily. She hoped he didn't notice how tired she was. Maybe after the situation is confirmed safe for the students to return to the waiting halls, she'll sneak a few minutes of naps.

Inumaki slides the back of his fingers down her nose, smiling when she shyly looked down. How he adored her like this.

This time, she had protected him. He promises to himself that he would protect her with all that he could next time. Be it a Noritoshi Kamo or people like Nishimiya Momo, he would be ready with them soon. 

Soon.

A/N: Looook at that Inumaki Toge pic I found somewhere on the interneeetttt. Credits to the owner. So gorgeous.