Hayashi initially wanted to showcase his cooking skills in front of everyone, but Yoshino Nagi insisted that they were guests and wouldn't let Hayashi cook.
Even though Itadori Yuji emphasized how delicious Hayashi's cooking was, Yoshino Nagi said they could save that for next time when Hayashi could cook for them, as a way to reciprocate.
Thus, Hayashi didn't push the matter further, deciding that tasting the food made by Junpei's mother wasn't a bad option either.
"Junpei, Hayashi, Yuji, come eat," Yoshino Nagi called from the living room after finishing cooking.
The three of them were in Junpei's room, discussing movie plots. Junpei's room was filled with various DVDs and collectible figures. Upon hearing Yoshino Nagi's call, they tidied up the room and headed for the living room.
Yoshino Nagi had prepared a full table of food, though the table wasn't large, so it could only hold about five or six dishes.
"Please, have a seat. I didn't know we'd have guests today, so I didn't buy much food. I hope it's enough," Yoshino Nagi said, looking at Hayashi and Itadori.
Itadori quickly replied, "It's more than enough! The food looks great!"
"Well then, let's eat," Yoshino Nagi said with a gentle smile. She stood up and took a can of beer from the fridge, turning to Hayashi and Itadori. "Would either of you like a drink?"
For her, enjoying a meal with a drink made the experience more fulfilling. Without a drink, the food could feel bland.
"Thank you very much."
"I'll have one as well."
Both Hayashi and Itadori asked for beer. Junpei glanced at them, surprised to see that they drank too. He thought to himself that his mother would probably be very happy today.
"That's great!" Yoshino Nagi said, setting three cans of beer on the table. Itadori handed one to Hayashi, and then they all started eating.
During the meal, both Hayashi and Itadori were a bit reserved, being guests at someone else's house. However, Yoshino Nagi, with her easygoing personality, noticed their restraint. She raised her can of beer toward them and said, "Let's have a toast!"
"Oh, right!" Itadori quickly responded, grabbing his can. Hayashi, of course, wouldn't be left behind, and the three of them clinked their cans and downed half of the beer.
"Hayashi, Yuji, you both hold your liquor well," Yoshino Nagi said with a laugh. It had been a long time since she had someone to drink with like this. Although they were younger, these two were quite endearing and well-spoken. She liked them a lot.
If they could get along with Junpei, it would be even better.
The four of them continued chatting and laughing, and the atmosphere became even more relaxed. After drinking a bit, Itadori started talking more, dominating much of the conversation, which often made Yoshino Nagi laugh.
Time passed quickly, and one by one, the beer cans were emptied. Soon, the floor was littered with empty cans.
At this point, Yoshino Nagi's face was flushed, and she was laughing out loud every now and then. She seemed to be having a great time.
Although Hayashi could still drink more, he slowed down, thinking it was best not to overdo it, as too much alcohol could cloud his judgment.
But Hayashi was also enjoying himself. He noticed that Junpei seemed to enjoy the lively atmosphere as well, though he didn't appear to like seeing his mother drink too much.
Junpei's mother was a kind yet somewhat laid-back woman. However, in Junpei's eyes, she seemed like an irresponsible parent due to her smoking and drinking habits.
But she cared deeply for her son, Junpei, even allowing him to take a break from school, believing that he could find other ways to achieve success in life.
Being part of a single-parent family, Yoshino Nagi felt some guilt, knowing that her carefree attitude sometimes caused a rift between her and Junpei. However, she felt helpless—smoking and drinking weren't things she truly wanted but were ways to cope with an empty, uncertain future, a form of self-redemption.
Alcohol and cigarettes were both salvation and poison. She was trapped, unable to escape, but she absolutely didn't want to see Junpei unhappy, nor did she want him to be bullied.
Though Junpei disliked his mother's smoking and drinking, he was also an understanding person. He never told his mother about the bullying and hardships he faced outside. He chose to bear them alone.
Over time, Junpei's heart began to change and twist. This inner distortion grew stronger after meeting Mahito.
Thankfully, Hayashi and Itadori had intervened. Although Junpei initially approached Itadori with a specific agenda, as he spent time with them, he realized that both Itadori and Hayashi were easy to get along with.
Time flew by, and soon dinner came to an end. Yoshino Nagi had drunk a lot of beer in her joy and was now slumped over the table, fast asleep.
Junpei went to his room, fetched a light blanket, and draped it over his mother. Though the weather was warm, the air conditioning was on, and he didn't want her to catch a cold.
"Your mom is really great, Junpei," Hayashi remarked, looking at Junpei. Yoshino Nagi's cooking had been pretty good, and he had enjoyed the meal.
"Yeah, your mom is so kind and thoughtful. I'm really jealous, Junpei," Itadori added sincerely, his face full of admiration. It was clear he had never experienced maternal love, making him long for it more than most.
However, Itadori had learned to cope, as he had grown accustomed to such a life. After all, no one stays by your side forever.
"Mhm." Junpei smiled gently, seeing how happy his mother was tonight made him feel good too.
At this moment, Hayashi pretended to receive a phone call and stepped outside. Gazing at the slightly dim sky, he couldn't shake an uneasy feeling.
Junpei noticed Hayashi leave but turned to ask Itadori with a smile, "What's your mom like, Itadori?"
"Well, I've actually never met her. I vaguely remember my dad, but mostly, I was raised by my grandpa," Itadori's words surprised Junpei, realizing that Itadori's family situation was somewhat similar to his own—both were incomplete.
"Oh, excuse me for a moment," Itadori said as his phone rang. It was Ijichi calling.
"Hello, Ijichi-san."
After a brief conversation, Itadori hung up. They had planned to meet up with Ijichi after dinner to go see a movie, so they'd meet him in two hours.
"Itadori, you and Hayashi are jujutsu sorcerers, right?" Junpei suddenly asked.
"Uh, yeah," Itadori responded quickly, though he wasn't sure whether he should discuss it.
"Have you ever killed anyone?" Junpei's voice softened as he asked.
"No, I haven't." Itadori didn't know why Junpei asked, but he answered honestly.
Junpei turned his back to Itadori. "But you're bound to fight evil curse users eventually. What will you do then?"
"Even if that happens, I still don't want to kill anyone."
"Why not? They're bad people."
"How should I put it... once you take a life, the act of 'killing' becomes a part of you. Life's value becomes blurred, and you might even start to lose sight of the value of the people you care about. I'm scared of becoming that kind of person."
Junpei fell silent after hearing Itadori's response, contemplating deeply. Itadori, meanwhile, smiled and said, "Well, let's not dwell on that. How about we grab Hayashi and head to the movie?"
"Yeah, sounds good." Junpei smiled, turned off the lights, and they both left the house.
"Wait, where's Hayashi?" Itadori looked around but didn't see Hayashi anywhere. Just as he was about to call him, a message from Hayashi popped up on his phone.