Jujutsu Kaisen : The Hidden Gojo Sister/ MEGUMI X OC

Chapter 23 - Long Distance (PG-18)

Megumi sat slumped on the sofa in the student lounge, eyes bleary from yet another sleepless night. His phone lay in his hand, but there was no new message, no missed call—nothing from Saori. It had been a few days since Saori left with Satoru for special training in the deserts of South Africa, where they could train without worrying about the risk of damage. The vast school grounds weren't enough, and Japan didn't exactly have vast open spaces that could handle their power.

The time difference between Japan and South Africa was brutal, and Megumi found himself staying awake well past 2 or 3 a.m., waiting for her to have even a moment of signal to call him. When she finally did, those brief moments were enough to keep him going, but as the days dragged on, it was getting harder.

It wasn't just the absence of her voice or seeing her face that was killing him. It was the absence of her—her presence, her warmth, her scent.

Yuji and Nobara had been watching him from a distance, and it was clear to them that Megumi had been brooding ever since Saori left.

Nobara turned to Yuji, keeping her voice low. "Has he been like this since Saori left?"

Yuji nodded, his expression showing concern. "Yeah, and it's getting worse. He's been extra grumpy on missions. Way worse than usual."

Nobara raised an eyebrow, surprised by this side of him. "Who knew he was that kind of guy?"

The two of them exchanged a glance before approaching from behind. They leaned over the back of the sofa, noticing that Megumi was scrolling through pictures of Saori on his phone. He was clearly lost in thought, missing her badly.

"Hey, buddy..." Yuji said carefully, trying to break the heavy silence.

Megumi glanced up briefly, not saying anything, then returned his gaze to his phone. Yuji exchanged a look with Nobara before speaking again.

"You really need to get some sleep, Megumi," Nobara said with a sigh. "You look like you got hit by a dozen trucks."

Megumi rubbed his eyes, leaning his head back against the couch. "It's not that simple. I can't sleep without her." He paused, feeling vulnerable but too tired to care. "I miss her. The warm touch of her skin... her scent... everything."

Yuji blinked, eyes widening a bit. "Wow, buddy. I didn't know it was that bad. You're down bad." He scratched his chin in thought before perking up with an idea. "Hey, you should buy a body pillow!"

Nobara gave him a horrified look. "That's just weird, Yuji."

Yuji shrugged, unbothered. "Well, if it helps him sleep, why not?"

Megumi rolled his eyes but didn't even bother responding to the suggestion. He was too tired to argue.

Just then, Maki, Yuta, Panda, and Toge walked by. Maki, always observant, raised an eyebrow as she caught sight of Megumi's expression. "What's up with him?" she asked, glancing between Yuji and Nobara.

Yuji smirked, leaning in. "Oh, you know... still brooding over missing his girlfriend."

Maki crossed her arms, giving Megumi an unimpressed look. "Still? It's only been a few days, Fushiguro. You're acting like she's been gone for months."

Megumi glared at her, though it lacked the usual intensity. "It feels like months," he muttered.

Yuta, ever the empathetic one, smiled kindly. "Long-distance is tough. But she'll be back soon, right? Just hang in there."

Panda gave Megumi a playful nudge. "In the meantime, you should probably listen to Itadori. Maybe a body pillow wouldn't be the worst idea."

Megumi groaned, burying his face in his hands. "I'm not getting a body pillow."