Destined to Collide - Inumaki Toge

78. The Trip Home

The weather was excellent for a trip. A sunny warm day, and cicadas singing everywhere.

It's just a few hours trip away, and they had fun in the vanity van provided by their sensei, Gojo Satoru. The van was huge, luxurious, and comfortable. It is also well stocked with drinks and snacks for the rest of the group to have on their 2 hours trip to Inumaki's hometown.

Much to the envy of Kyoto school side, of course.

And this, as usual, brought another shade of sour dark expression upon Utahime's face, and this had never failed to have Gojo giggling happily to himself.

The well stocked van is a great way to pacify students who tends to get hungry fast. Especially towards the thousand-year-old strong cursed vessel type of students and another type who had used their Chi instead of Cursed Energy to work out a barrier to save her friends.

Said student who had used Chi instead of Cursed Energy is now nibbling on some chocolate in the snack bar without a care in the world, happily looking out the window and enjoying the scenery thoroughly.

Gojo had to shake his head in mock disbelief. Oh, how big of a scam this would be if anyone were to know.

But yes, he almost can't believe how well she fooled everyone, and this includes the other great families. If they knew who she was for real, they'd be scrambling to her like hungry packs of wolves within seconds after knowing.

They would fight to their deaths to grab her into their own families.

But for now, he'll take care of her. The Tokyo school side is aware of this and is willing to care for her and her secrets.

For now.

Gojo sighed then. He observes through his dark glasses. The girl's power did grow exponentially the more she practices and uses her powers. What worries him most is that if the other great clan families happened to find out just how far her powers grow in these few short months, it might just prompt them to suspect the truth of Tsukigami Maguro, last living family member of the Tsukigami clan. But there's no use worrying. She needs to learn all these sooner or later.

Better now before her life got snuffed out by random encounters like the rest of the Tsukigamis.

It's best to just let the girl enjoy her current life and be happy for as long as she could. Whatever that would happen later, is bound to happen one day.

The question is – when.

Maguro had nullified Inumaki when he came to pick her up from the dorm. He didn't think that it was a good idea then and behaves a little nervously. She only smiled at him and said, "It's a road trip. It'll be so much fun to talk to everyone for real."

He had never done this before and was a little afraid that everyone will have that wary face he used to see when he was young. He was 5 then, back when he was first moved to the Heir's Hall. He didn't know just how powerful his curse is and would throw tantrum at the house servants stationed at his hall when he got annoyed and didn't get what he wanted. The Heir's Hall is his living quarters, where it is separated from the rest of the family members just to be safe.

And it was a terribly lonely privilege to have.

"Do you think...emm..." stuttering and appearing unsure, Inumaki was contemplating about if it was a good idea or not. He didn't want to scare his friends, and his thoughts was that he is to be kept nullified, at least until he meets his family. At this rate, he might shock his whole family too were he to suddenly speak up like a normal person unbounded by the Snake and Fang curse. "I'm...you see, I'm..."

Maguro places both her hands on his shoulders and tip toed up to kiss one side of his cheeks sweetly.

That move instantly pulled him out of his worried thoughts. He blinked in pleasant surprise as warmth immediately surged up in him, making him feel giddy with delight.

He really likes it when Maguro gives him surprise kisses. He'll need to return one to her eventually.

Later.

On her temple. That's a lovely place to kiss.

Oh, but her neck is lovely too.

And the insides of her wrist.

And maybe just her palm.

Or her eyes.

Her ears.

Maybe just her whole body while he was at it.

"You'll be fine," Maguro said kindly with a bright smile, snapping him out of his kissing thoughts, and he's mighty grateful that he had caught on Maguro's Connection abilities doesn't work all the time if he were to concentrate on building a little wall between his thoughts that she could 'see' and 'hear' as well as the thoughts that he thought only to himself. "You'll see. Your family will be ecstatic. Everyone will be."

Inumaki smiled happily at her and rubbed his nose against hers. He'll settle for a nose kiss for now.

"How much further?" Itadori piped up, breaking Inumaki's thoughts about their earlier moments in the dorm. Inumaki, of course, is seated next to Maguro, who had begun to nod off cutely with her eyes closed. He chuckled lightly and gently guided her head to his shoulder, where he gently tilted her head to allow her a more comfortable lean on him. She immediately latched onto him and pressed towards his sides closer. Looking out the window, Inumaki remembers the familiar views and turned towards Itadori.

"Another half an hour should do," Inumaki replied him in a low whisper. Itadori immediately understood Inumaki's need to whisper and nodded his head, whispering back his thanks when he noticed Maguro napping on Inumaki. The Snake and Fang user gave him a thumbs up and smiled.

Yuuji is a good boy, Inumaki summed to himself. He gets it all the time no matter the situation.

Just another half an hour, and he'll be home.