THE WHITE DRAGON┊ jujutsu kaisen

Chapter 28: Where Angels Fear to Tread, Part 1

        Thoroughly exhausted from that morning's efforts, Fushiguro was aided back to the dorms with help from Itadori; Kugisaki offered moral support and the occasional uplifting phrase as the three walked the long way from the infirmary. As the two story building came into view, the three could just barely make out a figure on the deck. Getting closer, their suspicions were confirmed and Itadori could feel Fushiguro's body droop slightly, putting more of his dead weight onto Itadori's shoulders, but he didn't seem to mind.

         Outside on their hands and knees, Haku had a bucket beside them and appeared to be intently scrubbing at the floors. Kugisaki and Itadori held up their hands and waved, however that didn't seem to be enough to get Haku's attention; indeed, they were hard at work. Itadori cupped a hand beside his mouth as he yelled out, "Haku Senpai!"

         That seemed to do the trick as Haku jerked like a scared cat and fell back; their eyes wide from being startled as they finally looked at the students approaching them. Itadori immediately wanted to rush over and help, but Fushiguro's dead weight wouldn't allow him to move much faster than their leisurely pace. Kugisaki, instead, went over in Itadori's place as she rushed over, about to hurry up the stairs to help Haku up but she was stopped.

         "Wait!" Haku warned, holding up a hand just as she was about to run up the stairs. Kugisaki gave Haku a confused look, but Haku merely pointed at the deck, "It's wet. Don't slip."

         "Oh... Thanks," she noted, changing her pace as she cautiously went up and held out her hand to help Haku stand. Hesitant at first, but after a passing second of Kugisaki's intense stare, Haku ultimately accepted her hand in help.

         They lowered their head graciously in thanks before glaring sternly at Itadori, "Don't yell so loud. You'll wake the dead."

         Itadori grinned nervously as he looked away, embarrassed, "I'm sorry that I scared you, but you didn't look up."

         "I already knew you were coming," Haku revealed as they stared just beyond Itadori and Fushiguro, looking to the direction the three came from before lowering their gaze once again to point at the floor, "but I was trying to scrub one spot. I just didn't expect you to yell like you were being murdered."

         "Senpai," Itadori called out, getting their attention once again. "Did you scrub the entire deck yourself?"

         Haku nodded, "Yeah..." voice trailing off towards the end as they admired the work they had put in during the time the first years had visited the infirmary. Haku lifted their head, looking directly at Fushiguro, "It got really dirty around here in the six months I was gone," as if blaming their junior for the state of things.

         "I dusted!" Fushiguro exclaimed, doing his best to defend himself.

         Haku merely rolled their eyes, "I saw the place yesterday when I came back to get my weapon before heading over to the detention center— a real mess."

         Fushiguro's eyes grew in utter disbelief as he shouted, "That was Panda Senpai!"

         "I know it was," Haku finally let on, exhaling a sigh of disappointment knowing Panda all too well; even Haku's eyes softened thinking about their missing classmate. Fushiguro only caught on now after seeing Haku's reaction, but he realized that earlier, it was Haku's poor attempt to joke around with him. He felt a pang of embarrassment for reacting as strongly as he had to Haku making fun of him.

         "I have a lot to say to those three when they come back," Haku quietly uttered.

         Though it seems Fushiguro caught it as he asked out of curiosity, "Do you know when that is?"