// SURVIVOR'S GUILT // : MAKI ZEN'IN

2.

When first shown his Special-Grade-1 status, Maki was initially struck with a strong sense of Deja vu; emerging from the woodwork as a powerful curse user capable of changing the landscape of Sorcery from the get-go, comparisons with close friend Yuta Okkutsu flew through her mind in a flash; consequently, so too did her treatment of him, yet again.

Not wanting to make that mistake a second time, Maki did what she felt was right in the moment.

Seeing the grinning teenager holding his card up, after her outburst of stupefaction at his new grade, her mind raced; Special-Grade-1, the title designated to the most prestigious, powerful sorcerers unofficially aligned with the Technical College. Holders of this title, she knew all too well;

Naobito, the Zenin Clan head, Naoya, his brat son, her father, Ogi; revered sorcerers who bear this rank.

Manipulative, crass, cruel old men so self-indulgent and paternalistic that her own destiny was swallowed up in their pretenses, suffocating her beloved sister in the crossfire of her standoff with them.

All those abusive memories, daunting realities she had to face- her lack of Cursed Energy, lack of technique, her reliance on glasses to see Curses, and weapons to kill them- she pushed through it all, her head held high, her stubborn nature urging her to become more than what was expected of her. After leaving the Clan to pursue her dream of crushing the Zenin Clan, proving them wrong by becoming a sorcerer worthy of praise, she had no need to think of the title, or consider it in any significant capacity.

Now, here Suoh Yuuya was, brandishing it with a grin, pulling her reality back into perspective; after the initial shock wore off, all she felt was a distaste in her throat at the sight.

But, she shook it off; she was, oddly so, determined not to squander a chance to continue on this foundation of friendship she had built with Yuuya over only two days.

Ignoring the discomfort, she smirked back, patting him on the shoulder.

"Nice job, Yuuya. You deserve it."

In a calmer tone than she had let him experience so far, she gave him the praise she felt was only right.

He left not long after, having a short-lived, one-sided conversation with Megumi, primarily on sorcery, before, with a pout on his face after being quickly brushed off, stepped his way out of the doorway and off for the remainder of the day.

In the days following Yuuya's acceptance into Jujutsu Tech as a professional sorcerer outside of the schooling system, two key things ensued:

1. A new recruit was accepted into Jujutsu Tech under Satoru Gojo's tutelage as a first-year, a boy by the name of Yuji Itadori. Only recently did he become so much as aware of curses, Megumi told her; with that said, consuming a Special-Grade cursed object as powerful as Sukuna's finger and retaining your humanity was a bold feat, if stupid too. Part of her was excited to meet him, if only to ask him what the bloody hell he was thinking, doing something so reckless.

No special treatment for him, however. Apparently the boy was set to meet with Yaga for a proper evaluation, contrary to the demonstration of Yuuya's skills between the three second-years.

2. An additional first-year has enrolled; a girl.

With a buzz of her phone in the morning hours of the fourth day of Suoh's experience at Jujutsu High, Maki rolled out of bed with a groan and picked up, scrubbing the gunk from her eye with her fist.

"Mh? What's it?"

"Mornin', Maki," On the other line, Panda said.

Eager to sleep some more, Maki sighed, and promptly hung up.