Yuki looked up at the stairs as Satoshi and Toji slowly descended.
As they reached the first floor, Satoshi and Yuki, walking in the front, locked eyes.
What a cute little boy. Is this Gojo Satoshi, the boy who's been shaking up the Jujutsu world lately with his Zanpakutō? That snowy white hair and those brilliant blue eyes… seriously adorable.
It was the first time Yuki had seen Satoshi up close. The moment she got a clear look at his face, she realized something: this little boy was so cute, she felt like squishing him against herself.
Satoshi stared at the girl before him. She looked to be a few years older, with short golden hair and a figure already starting to show signs of maturity. For some reason, she seemed familiar.
Even though he was certain they'd never met, the sense of familiarity in his chest didn't lie.
There's no doubt about it. She's someone I know from the original timeline.
With that in mind, Satoshi began observing her more carefully. Short golden hair, a budding figure... her future image grew clearer in his mind.
Yuki. This girl is Tsukumo Yuki.
Satoshi's eyes widened slightly as he confirmed her identity.
But why is Yuki in Tokyo? Isn't she supposed to be from Kyoto?
She should be in middle school by now. So why is she here? And even showing up at the Yorozuya?
Seeing Satoshi staring at her, Yuki's cheeks flushed bright red.
At this point in time, she hadn't yet become the voluptuous, long-haired, cool beauty who would ask every person she met, "What kind of woman do you like?"
Though her twelve-year-old body appeared mature, her mind was still that of a teenage girl.
She had only come to meet Satoshi at Tengen's request. Otherwise, while she was curious about him, she never would've barged into someone's home like this.
The blush on her face made Satoshi feel a bit of emotional whiplash.
It was hard for him to connect the short-haired, shy girl in front of him with the confident, biker-chic image he remembered from the original series.
Curious as to why she'd come to the Yorozuya, Satoshi chose to pretend not to recognize her, despite having already guessed her identity.
"Miss, even though the Yorozuya isn't open for business today, if you have something on your mind, feel free to share it."
"You're clearly a sorcerer. Are you facing a cursed spirit problem? Or some other request? Lucky for you, the ace shopkeeper of the Yorozuya happens to be in today."
Satoshi casually pointed to Toji behind him—instantly assigning him the role of "ace shopkeeper."
Ace shopkeeper = gold medal enforcer. Sounds about right.
Under the piercing gaze of Satoshi's Six Eyes, Yuki hesitated. She wasn't sure if she should reveal her identity.
Tengen was highly respected in the Jujutsu world. If she mentioned his name, Satoshi and Toji might take her seriously.
But she had her own pride.
Since Satoshi was exactly her type, even if they were far apart in age, she wanted their first meeting to be simple and natural.
What do I even need? Honestly… nothing. Should I just say that Tengen-sama wants to know about Zanpakutō?
Yorozuya… Jack of all trades…
Thinking back to the plaque outside, a new idea popped into Yuki's head.
If it's truly a jack-of-all-trades shop, then anything should be possible, right?
Tengen may want information about Zanpakutō, but what I want is to study Gojo Satoshi and Zenin Toji.
…
Watching her stare at him and then at the Zanpakutō at Toji's waist, Satoshi quickly put the pieces together.
Even a future Special Grade sorcerer like Yuki would be curious about Zanpakutō.
But doesn't she already have a shikigami? Garuda should be her signature weapon. Would she even need a Zanpakutō?
That said, Yuki seems like an excellent candidate for the Borrowed Sword system. If she became one of my sword borrowers, the experience would be right up there with Satoru's.
Satoshi had no objection to forging her a Zanpakutō.
She was one of the four Special Grades in the future, at the absolute peak of the Jujutsu world. Establishing good relationships now and collecting high-tier feedback data from her later would be a win-win.
The real question was: what kind of Zanpakutō should he forge for her?
Even as he pondered that, he was already calculating what kind of reward he should ask for once she made her request.
After all, this was a serious business. Payment upon completion was only fair.
Just as Satoshi was thinking about which Zanpakutō might suit her best, Yuki finally opened her mouth and shared her request.
What she said completely blindsided both Satoshi and Toji, plunging the room into stunned silence.
…
"Gojo Satoshi, I want to study your body."
Yuki raised her head, baring her slender neck like a proud swan. Her expression was serious, yet what she said completely threw off the two boys in front of her.
What kind of pervy line is that?
Satoshi completely misunderstood her intent. To him, it sounded like an innocent teenage girl had just said something shockingly inappropriate.
Toji's expression froze.
Are all girls this direct these days? If you're curious about boys' anatomy, go review your junior high health class.
Both Toji and Satoshi stared at her, wide-eyed. The atmosphere instantly turned awkward and heavy.
Seeing their stunned reactions, Yuki was confused for a second—then paused. And realized.
Her face turned bright red.
"No! That's not what I meant!"
"Don't get the wrong idea!"
Steam practically poured from her head, as if a kettle had just hit boiling point.
Why did I say something so misleading? "Study your body"? It sounds so… indecent.
Seeing her flustered reaction, Satoshi realized he might have misunderstood her. Still, watching the future "onee san" Yuki blush like that was oddly satisfying.
"Miss, please relax."
Satoshi smiled and took the initiative to ease the tension in the room.
"Since you know us, that means you probably know of us. But we still don't know you. Since this is your official commission, shouldn't we start by getting to know the very first customer of the Yorozuya?"
Realizing Satoshi had given her an out, Yuki let out a quiet breath of relief. She gave him a meaningful look, then began to introduce herself.
(To be continued.)
***
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