The next day, all four of them left to head to their respective mission destinations. The morning air was crisp, and the sun was just beginning to rise, casting a golden glow over the school grounds.
Naoya and Shoko got into the car, the chauffeur starting the engine and smoothly pulling away from the school grounds. The drive to Mount Fuji was quiet at first, the hum of the car's engine filling the space between them. Naoya sat next to Shoko, his arms crossed and his usual smirk plastered across his face.
After a few minutes of silence, Naoya let out an exaggerated sigh, leaning back in his seat. "Sitting next to a woman is unbearable. How do you even live like this? Honestly, why don't you just off yourself?"
The driver, focused on the road, nearly swerved at the sudden comment. His grip tightened on the steering wheel as he stole a nervous glance in the rearview mirror—but wisely chose to stay silent.
Shoko, lazily scrolling through her Nokia phone, didn't even flinch. Her tone was as dry as ever. "If it's that unbearable, feel free to walk the rest of the way. Some fresh air might actually improve your personality."
Naoya smirked but didn't respond. Instead, he simply stared at her.
Noticing the intensity of his gaze, Shoko finally looked up from her phone.
"…Why are you staring at me like that? Pretty sure that's painful for you."
"There's something interesting in your eyes," Naoya said, his voice strangely amused.
"Oh? And what's that?"
He leaned in slightly, his smirk widening.
"My reflection."
"…"
Shoko stared at him for a long moment, her expression completely blank. Then, she let out a slow, exasperated sigh, turning her gaze toward the window.
"You're really good at changing the subject, I'll give you that. I thought Gojo was narcissistic enough, but it seems he's got some competition."
Naoya's smirk only widened, clearly enjoying her reaction. "What can I say? My aura is unmatched."
Shoko rolled her eyes, her tone dry. "Unmatched in arrogance, maybe."
"Arrogance? Please. It's called confidence. There's a difference."
Shoko glanced at him sideways. "Confidence doesn't require constant validation, You might want to look that up."
The driver, who had been doing his best to pretend he wasn't listening, let out a barely audible sigh of relief as the tension in the car eased slightly.
The rest of the drive passed in relative silence, though the occasional sarcastic remark from Naoya kept the tension alive. By the time they arrived at the village near Mount Fuji, the sun was beginning to dip lower in the sky, casting a warm golden light over the quaint houses and narrow streets.
......….
As the car came to a stop, Shoko grabbed her bag and stepped out, Naoya followed, stretching his arms and glancing around with his usual air of superiority.
"Alright," Shoko said, slinging her bag over her shoulder. "Let's get this over with. The sooner we finish, the sooner we can head back."
Naoya smirked, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Finally, something we agree on."
As they stood waiting, Shoko reached into her bag and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. She lit one with practiced ease, taking a slow drag before exhaling a thin stream of smoke into the cool evening air.
Naoya watched her for a moment. "Give me one too."
Shoko glanced at him. "Since when do you smoke?"
"Since now. Hand it over."
"You know these things will kill you, right?"
"Oh no, did you fall in love with me? Caring about my health, really?"
Shoko rolled her eyes. "Don't flatter yourself. I just don't want to deal with your whining if you start coughing up a lung."
Naoya smirked, holding out his hand. "Relax, I'm not that fragile. Besides, it's already hard enough for me to use something that a woman touched. I'm making a huge sacrifice here."
Shoko ignored him, taking another drag from her cigarette as the quiet of the evening wrapped around them. The faint glow of the burning tip flickered in the dark, the only light between them as the village fell into silence.
Naoya eventually broke it, his tone light but laced with curiosity. "Ever tried anything stronger like Drugs?"
"..."
Shoko exhaled a slow stream of smoke, side-eyeing him. "Can't say I have. Never really thought about it. But if the chance came up? Maybe."
"I hear it's a trip."Naoya said,"People throw their whole lives away over that stuff. Makes me wonder what's so damn good about it."
"Don't tell me the great Naoya Zen'in has been sneaking off to smoke weed or something."
"What if I have? Would you judge me?"
"Not my place to judge. But I'd definitely make fun of you for it."
Shoko took one last drag from her cigarette, letting the smoke linger in her lungs before exhaling. She flicked the butt away and smirked.
"Well, I'm a sorcerer with Reverse Cursed Technique, so I'd be fine. Can't say the same for you, though."
"Oh?" Naoya raised an eyebrow. "RCT can fix that?"
"Haven't tested it," Shoko admitted, stretching her arms. "But theoretically, it should work."
They continued chatting,he faint glow of their cigarettes had long since faded, and the village was quiet except for the occasional murmur of the villagers. Just as Shoko was about to suggest they wrap things up, a man in a black suit approached them, his expression a mix of relief and nervousness.
"Are you from Jujutsu High?" the man asked, his voice hesitant.
Naoya, who had been leaning against a nearby wall with his arms crossed, turned his gaze toward the man. His smirk was gone, replaced by a cold look. "No, we're not. We're clowns who came here to make fun of people. Obviously."
The man blinked, clearly taken aback by Naoya's tone. Sweat began to bead on his forehead as he stammered, "I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to—"
Shoko stepped forward, her calm demeanor immediately putting the man at ease. "Yes, we are. Don't mind him, please." She shot Naoya a quick glare before turning back to the man with a small, reassuring smile. "What do you need?"
The man let out a relieved breath, his shoulders relaxing slightly. "Thank you. We've been waiting for you. There's… something strange happening in the forest nearby. A few second-grade sorcerers went to investigate, but they haven't returned. We're worried."
Shoko's expression turned serious. "I'm the healer. Take me to the injured first."
"Of course, this way."
As the man led them forward, Naoya walked alongside Shoko, hands in his pockets.
"You're too nice, you know that? He's probably just overreacting,"
"And you're too much of a jerk," Shoko shot back. "Someone had to be the adult here."