CHIYO WAS CERTAIN THAT...

today was going to be a great day. after all, she made herself some scrambled eggs, finished all her homework the night before and slept a full eight hours.

honestly, what could go wron—

"that'll show you, you piece of shit!"

     'oh. maybe I should just go the other wa—'

     though just before chiyo was about to make a turn around the school, the bullies had rudely shoved past her, causing her to fall onto her bum.

     "watch where you're going, bitch!"

     chiyo flinched, as she didn't dare look up at them, standing up only after seeing their feet leave the vicinity.

     dusting off her skirt, the second-year took a glance at the victim of the bullies.

     "ah, are you alright?? would you like to head to the nurse's office??", chiyo worried, kneeling down beside a first-year boy with bangs that covered nearly half of his face.

     "n-no...", the boy managed to choke out.

     "I-I have some first-aid supplies in my bag. may...I help you?", the platinum blonde girl politely asked.

     a curt nod was given, as chiyo started getting to work by first placing some ointment all around the boy's arms. she bandaged as much skin as she could with the boy still wearing his uniform. after all, the second-year didn't wish to make him uncomfortable by asking him to strip.

"all done. do you...need anything else?", chiyo inquired, watching as the first-year just dejectedly shook his head.

the second-year then stood up to leave, before she was stopped by the wounded boy.

"w-wait! what's your name?", he eagerly asked, lifting his head slightly, so that he could get a good look at chiyo's face.

"oh! it's aoki chiyo, and you?"

"yoshino junpei", the dark-haired boy muttered.

"nice to meet you, yoshino-kun. I hope you get better soon", chiyo bid, heading off to class, as she was glad that she had left the house early.

yoshino sighed a short breath of relief, as he was suddenly joined by the itadori twins.

"who did this to you, junpei?", yūji interrogated, clenching his fists, as he immediately helped his friend up by forcing yoshino to wring his arm around his shoulders for support.

"the usual", yoshino quietly answered, wincing in pain, as sukuna clicked his tongue in annoyance.

"they never learn, huh?"

"don't worry about me. it's best not to get involved. I wouldn't want you to get detention or suspended because of me", yoshino said, letting a few airy chuckles escape.

"tch, whatever", sukuna grumbled, his gaze flickering towards the boy's bandaged arms.

"who helped you?"

"oh yeah! who helped you bandage your arms?", yūji asked, repeating his brother's question.

"just this nice girl that was passing by", yoshino vaguely replied.

"ehhhh?? was she cute??", yūji grinned, to which yoshino had simply nodded.

"yeah, and her name's aoki chiyo. do you know what grade she's in? I'd like to repay her or something..."

the nicer itadori hummed, as he scratched the back of his head.

"I don't know...but her name does sound familiar. do you know, sukuna?"

"does it look like I do?", the other itadori retorted with a scoff.

"geez, forget I asked", yūji muttered, as the three headed to first period.

"ah, aoki-san, can you sub in for me for cleaning duty today? it's my mom's birthday and she wants me home early to help set up for dinner", one of her classmates requested.

"of course!", chiyo automatically replied.

     "thank you so much!! I promise I'll make it up to you", the girl stated, before rushing off and leaving chiyo alone by herself.

     it turns out that her other classmate that was supposed to help her had already left.

     "hey, chiyo!! you ready to go try out the new café with us?", mai asked, stopping by with maki, as they already knew what had happened from the look on their friend's face.

     "CHIYO, WHY—"

mai couldn't even complete her sentence, as she released a gremlin-like sound.

"I-I'm sorry!! you know I have a hard time saying no to people!", the platinum blonde squeaked out.

"this is the third time that this has happened this year — NOT including the times that you've helped your classmates with their lazy asses last year!"

"I agree with mai on this one", maki stated, "you need to stick up for yourself, chiyo. or else you're going to be stuck doing everyone's dirty work, like you are now".

"I know...", chiyo mumbled.

"we need to go tell gojō-sensei or getō-sensei about this. there is no way in HELL I am letting you clean this entire damn classroom alone again!", mai proclaimed.

"n-no wait, mai!! it's okay! this'll be the last ti—"

"that's what you said last time and the time before that", maki exposed, strutting down the halls with her twin, as chiyo hurried after them.

"guys, I'm really fine! it's not a big deal, and—"

the zen'in twins slammed open the door to the teachers' lounge, causing many to glance up at the supposedly rude students.

"ah, gojō-sensei, getō-sensei, which one of you is chiyo's homeroom teacher again?", mai questioned.

"I am, why?", gojō smiled, as he looked up from the math workbook that he was showing yūji.

     sukuna rolled his eyes, as the last thing his brother needed was even more distraction.

     "please tell your other students to start doing their part! chiyo's left cleaning the classroom more times than never when it's not even her turn!", mai confronted.

"maki, can we just go?", the blonde girl whispered, embarrassed by the stares — especially sukuna's uninterested glare.

"sure", maki smiled, giving the girl a light of hope before squashing it into a pulp.

"after we get you your well-deserved justice", she finished.

"I—"

"ehhh, is that so? why didn't you tell me, chiyo-chan?? you know you can always count on me to handle your personal conflicts", gojō pouted.

"it's no biggie, gojō-sensei. I'm sorry to have taken up you and your other student's time", chiyo politely bowed.

"don't hesitate to bother him, aoki. he's been doing that to others his whole life. it'd do him some good to get a taste of his own medicine", getō chimed in.

"ah! you're aoki chiyo!", yūji suddenly pointed out.

"yeah she is, and what about it? wanna go?", mai feistily retorted.

'so she's the one that helped junpei', sukuna mentally noted.

raising his hands up to surrender, chiyo gently tugged on mai's sleeve, reminding her that he wasn't sukuna.

"I said what I said", mai huffed.

gojō's noggin started turning, as he observed the distressed chiyo and the bored sukuna that had scabs all over his knuckles.

     "I have an idea!", the white-haired teacher declared.

     "what?", all of them asked at the same time.

"it's a special project for chiyo-chan and mr. grumpy-pants over there", gojō said, glancing over at the pink-haired boy who seemed to have a prominent scowl etched onto his face.

     "hah? what does this have to do with me?", sukuna frowned.

"since you have a suspension on your ass—"

"gojō", yaga warned.

"since you have a suspension on your ARSE, it can be waived if you do one simple task", gojō grinned.

     "oh yeah? and what is it?", sukuna skeptically questioned, raising a brow at the man's antics.

     "you help chiyo-chan over here gain some confidence and confess to her crush in person, and she helps you with your issue of constantly beating people up".

     "how's that going to wor—"

     "trust the process, maki", gojō smiled, as chiyo's face drained of color.

     "c-can I not? I'd rather clean the classroom for the rest of the year", the girl shakily breathed out.

     "uhm, no you won't!", mai advocated.

     "sure", sukuna suddenly spoke up, eliciting a gasp from his twin.

'consider this as payback for helping junpei I suppose'.

     "I'm so sorry, aoki-senpai. seriously, I wish you the best from the bottom of my heart", yūji sighed, feigning distraught.

"having to be stuck with sukuna...oh, the pain", he jokingly shook his head.

"repeat that and I'll smash your head against this desk", sukuna threatened.

"see what I mean, chiyo-chan?? he's no good", gojō shrugged.

"fight me, coward!"

"I don't know how I feel about putting chiyo in danger", maki mumbled, though everyone heard it as clear as a bell.

"yeah yeah, what if sukuna decides to hit chiyo!", mai stated with great concern.

"do I look like I hit women?", sukuna scoffed.

"ah, another red flag: doesn't value gender equality", getō joined in, obviously poking fun at the irritated itadori.

"you all—"

"well, if there's no more nonsense opinions, let me continue explaining", gojō interrupted.

"while you two help each other become a better version of yourselves, there will be some side tasks that'll be assigned by the fabulous me!"

chiyo was really starting to feel the pits of her stomach churn. her brown doe eyes glanced over at sukuna, who was gritting his teeth and seemingly ready to pounce on their teacher.

"like what?", yūji curiously asked.

"like for the upcoming field trip, you two must prepare a meal for each other", gojō answered.

"oh, that's not too bad", chiyo sighed a breath of relief.

"fine. as long as I don't have to do any of that detention shit or get suspended", sukuna agreed, for he'd rather not imagine the angry face of his mother.

"great!! why don't you two shake on it then", gojō suggested, to which sukuna sauntered towards the girl, waiting for chiyo to extend her hand out first.

begrudgingly doing so, chiyo slightly smiled at the brief but warm physical contact. however, her smile quickly dropped, as she suddenly realized that she was not skilled in the arts of cooking.

     "w-wait, by preparing lunch, do you mean it has to be handmade, gojō-sensei??"

     "hai!!"

     chiyo bit the bottom of her lip, as a soft, "oh", escaped her lips.

     "good luck, my sweet chiyo-chan!!"

     AUTHOR'S NOTE: if sukuna bullies chiyo, it's on site‼️😾😾

     hey darlings!! hope you enjoyed the chapter,, if you did, please vote & comment. thanks <33