"Jujutsu Kaisen: The Forgotten Clan"

Chapter 35: Welcome to Chaos Part 2

"What brought you here?" My question makes Suguru retract his head. I straighten my back, cocking my head sideways.

"Why did you come to Jujutsu Technical College?" I hold out a hand, waiting for an answer. He scratches his neck before smiling.

"I am not sure." His smile releases. "To better understand jujutsu and my technique. You?"

I giggle when he realizes what he asked.

"You and Satoru fetched me, remember? I am staying because the pay is decent. Once we graduate..." I point a thumb behind me. "I am not staying in this profession longer than necessary."

Suguru's left ear rests on his left shoulder. His eyes squint slightly as he looks in my direction. I mirror his reaction. The buzzing of his phone makes him jump in place. I look to the sky, trying to suppress another laugh.

I take out my phone and absentmindedly scroll through my texts. Within five minutes, Suguru's call finishes.

"Who was that?" I ask after a short yawn.

"Satoru." He looks at me with a halfhearted grin. "He wants us to come back to the house. Says it's urgent."

I reach out a hand toward Suguru. "Mind helping me up?" He smiles and offers a hand without protest.

We slowly make our way back to the house. When we reach the front door, I let myself in first and wait for Suguru to follow behind. I hear Satoru shout from the top landing and start climbing the stairs.

"Go on, I will be there in a minute," Suguru states while closing the door.

I lightly jog up the stairs halfway before Suguru catches up. He flashes a quick smile before passing me. Satoru shakes his head before walking back inside the room.

As I close the door I notice Satoru's grandfather glaring in my direction.

"Can I help you?"

"Walk us through what happened during the exchange event."

I tilt my head sideways before closing my eyes. After a few seconds, my mouth opens halfway.

"You want to know why I acted off." I walk past my instructor and Gojo's grandfather, taking a seat by the window.

The grandparent's head bobs up and down. My instructor crosses his arms, and my classmates say nothing. My lungs expand and relax before I continue.

"After my family moved to Canada, we were followed. I don't know how we were located since my parents used untraceable barriers. One day after school, my friend and I were cornered at a mall, and attacked." I uncurl my knuckles, letting blood flow to them once more. "The attack killed us both but, I resurrected us...unintentionally. Side effects of said resurrection include vivid nightmares, mirrored life experiences, body swapping, and who knows what else. All one-sided mind you!

During the exchange event, my friend initiated the body swap, not me. I assume the resurrection awoke an ability to sense curses. It is the only time we have experienced body swapping. And for my sanity, I hope it is the last time!"

The grandparent rubs his chin as if he is in a trance.

"When you switched bodies..." Grandpa Gojo sidesteps my question, "What did you experience?"

"Huh?" I raise both eyebrows and stare at the elder point-blank.

"How did you and, Simon, respond to switching?" Suguru clarifies the question.

I mull over my answer. Letting the room stay quiet until I am ready. Then I turn my head toward my classmates.

They turn their eyes toward the ceiling. Satoru keeps his lips closed while rubbing the front of his teeth with his tongue. Suguru rubs his cheek with his palm. I squint my eyes, letting their body language shout.