Fragility (Jujutsu Kaisen)

~ Chapter 12 ~

~2006~

Sachiko stared at the clouds, her hands clasped behind her head as she used them as a pillow. It was a cold day, which led the girl to seek the sun's warmth, and the grass was the perfect spot to bask. For the past two days, the campus has been relatively peaceful. Besides the first years, everyone was off on missions, leaving them to their own devices. She had spent most of the day off writing a letter to Yui, who had taken extended leave a few weeks after she began at Jujustu High School. She found herself lost for the rest of the afternoon, unsure how to use the rest of the day.

"Do straws have one or two holes?" And with that question, the tranquillity ended. Sachiko glanced at the boy sitting next to her sipping his milk bo, his brown hair brushed back away from his face. Yu Haibara was one of the boys in her year and someone who quickly became her close friend. He was always cheerful and saw the best in life, which Sachiko felt she lacked. Of the three first years, Sachiko and Yu were the pair you saw together the most, but their third wheel was never too far away.

"One, I guess. We didn't say the wall had two holes when that cursed spirit flung you at the wall." Sachiko said as her eyes stared at the sky in thought. She could hear their third wheel sighing from his spot under the tree, gaining the pair's attention. Despite the low temperature, Nanami didn't want to get sunburnt, so he chose to sit away from the pair. Due to their dark uniforms, all they could make out of the boy was his blonde hair and pale face. "Nanami, you don't agree?"

"I'm not getting involved. I was reliving Haibara getting thrown; it was utterly disgraceful." He said, snapping his book closed and standing up to walk to the pair. Yu and Haibara watched his every move curiously. He was mostly quiet and grumpy, but the teen could rant for hours once he got on a roll. "If Sachiko weren't there, then you would be dead. Plain and Simple, so I wouldn't worry about holes in straws."

It was quiet momentarily as they stared at the blonde boy before Yu turned to Sachiko. "I think it's one, too; it just makes more sense," Yu said while Sachiko nodded. Nanami rolled his eyes and began walking back up to the main campus, but Sachiko saw a small smile playing in the corner of his mouth. The pair giggled to each other in satisfaction. Yu stood up and held his hand down to the girl, helping her as the two ran after their classmate.

The three wandered back to campus. Yu and Sachiko laughed at Yu's jokes while Nanami tried his best to stay serious. Sachiko's attention was taken away when she noticed a garden of wilting flowers. Without a word, she broke from the two boys, making them slow their pace as they watched her. She knelt and placed her fingertips across the plants, and they regained their colour as though time had reversed. "Even you have to admit that's cool, Nanami," Yu said, knocking his elbow into the other boy.

"It's cool." He said, agreeing with the brunette. Sachiko smiled as she walked back over to them with a smirk; she placed her fingertip against Nanami's chest. She started teasing him about his compliment, which caused a light blush from the boy as he told her to leave him alone. Yu laughed at them as Sachiko looped her arm through Nanami's as they walked. Nanami turned his head away from her, trying to hide the pinkness of his cheeks as she scrunched her nose in amusement. "Sachiko, this is not professional at all."

"No, Kento, it's not. We are friends, and I am teasing you," She replied, using his first name; he huffed as he slowly began to accept the girl's affection. Sachiko gave a satisfied hum as Yu came and looped his arm through her other arm. It had been a few months since she began, and at first, Nanami was hard to read, but as she dug deeper, she could finally see the soft spot inside him. She was lucky both boys were so kind and accepting, but she kept her secrets close to her heart.

Sachiko had yet to reveal her engagement to Satoru or her Chiyo-based abilities. Both boys came from outside the main Jujutsu world, leaving them oblivious to the politics and family drama of being born into higher families. She was happy to keep them in the dark for a bit longer.