Getting drunk with Nanami was surprisingly cathartic for Gojo. It was nice to be able to let his guard down and just talk.

Despite his initial reluctance, they spent the better part of the evening drinking and talking, and by the time Gojo finally stumbled back to his room, he was pleasantly buzzed.

The alcohol had loosened his tongue and he found himself telling Nanami things he had never shared with anyone else. He talked about Megumi, and the guilt he still carried from killing his father. He talked about his relationship with Yaga, and the pressure he put on himself to always be the strongest. He even talked about Geto, and how much he still missed his best friend.

It was a strange, bittersweet feeling, to open up to someone. It was something he hadn't done since he was a teenager, and even then, it had been difficult for him. But it felt good, too. It was like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders, and he felt lighter than he had in years.

Still, once he was back in his room, the guilt set in. How could he let himself relax when Yuji was in the infirmary, probably feeling worse than ever? How could he let himself have fun when Megumi was hurting, possibly thinking Gojo didn't care about him?

Gojo took a deep breath and decided that he would apologize to Yuji first thing in the morning. Then, he would have a talk with Megumi. He owed them that much.

-

The next day, Yuji was woken up by the sun streaming through the windows.

He blinked, his head pounding, as he tried to remember where he was. It took him a moment to realize that he was in the infirmary, and the previous day's events came flooding back to him.

He closed his eyes, not wanting to deal with the reality of his situation, and let his mind wander. He thought about the last few months, and how happy he had been. He thought about the way Megumi's lips felt against his, and how safe and loved he made him feel. He thought about the way Megumi smiled, and how his voice always sounded so soft when he talked to Yuji.

None of that mattered anymore. None of that could happen again. He had no future with Megumi, not when Sukuna would try to take his body. He would never get to hold him again, never get to kiss him, never get to make him smile.

It was too much. It was all too much.

He felt the cold emptiness creeping into his chest, the familiar numbness taking over his emotions.

He knew it was selfish, but he was grateful for the numbness. He didn't want to feel anything. He didn't want to think about how much it hurt, or how hopeless he felt. He didn't want to think at all.

Yuji opened his eyes and stared blankly at the ceiling. This was his life now. This was his reality.

Just when he was starting to get used to the numbness, the door to his room opened and Nanami walked in.

"Good morning, Itadori-kun," he said, his voice low and gentle.

"Hi," Yuji said, his voice sounding hollow even to his own ears.

"How are you feeling?"

"Fine."

Nanami sat down on the edge of his bed and gave him a sympathetic look.

"I know this is hard, but I want you to know that you can talk to me. If you want."

Yuji looked at the man in front of him. He had always admired Nanami, his strength and determination, his ability to always put others first. But right now, he didn't want to talk. He didn't want to acknowledge his reality. He just wanted to stay numb.

"Thank you, Nanamin, but I'm fine. Really."

Nanami nodded, but he didn't move from his spot. He seemed to sense that Yuji wasn't telling him the truth, but he didn't press him.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, the only sound in the room the quiet beeping of the machines monitoring Yuji's vitals.

Finally, Nanami spoke.

"I'm sorry, Itadori-kun."

"For what?"

"I'm sorry that you're hurting. I'm sorry that you have to go through this."

Yuji shook his head. "It's not your fault, Nanamin. None of this is your fault."

Nanami gave him a small smile. "I know, but I wish I could do more to help you."

Yuji sighed. "I appreciate it, but there's only one person who can help me now. Do you know if Gojo-sensei is around?"

"I don't know, I haven't seen him yet. Do you need me to go find him?"

"Find who?"

Yuji and Nanami looked up to see Gojo standing in the doorway.

"Gojo-sensei," Yuji said, his expression carefully blank.

Gojo looked between the two of them, his expression unreadable.

"Do you need to talk to me, Yuji-kun?"

Yuji nodded.

Gojo looked at Nanami, and the two of them seemed to have a silent conversation. Yuji noticed that Nanami was looking at Gojo with an expression he couldn't quite place. It looked like the two of them had a deeper connection, one he hadn't realized existed.

"Okay, then let's talk," Gojo said, breaking Yuji's train of thought.

He sat down next to Nanami, and the three of them were silent for a moment. Yuji took a deep breath, trying to gather his thoughts.

"Gojo-sensei, I'm gonna have to ask you to do me a favor. Please."

Gojo's expression softened. "Anything, Yuji-kun. What is it?"

Yuji steeled himself, trying to ignore the dull ache in his chest.

"I want you to kill me."

Gojo and Nanami looked at each other, their expressions matching ones of shock.

"I know I said that before, but it's different now," Yuji continued, his voice shaking. "If I die, Sukuna can't use my body. It's the only way."

"You can't be serious," Gojo said, his tone laced with disbelief.

"I'm serious. Dead serious. It's the only way."

"Yuji, it's not the only way," Gojo argued, his voice rising.

"Yes, it is! I can't let Sukuna have Megumi's body. I can't let him hurt him. And even if I never see him again, he might hurt someone else. It's the only way, Gojo-sensei. You have to kill me."

Nanami looked at him, his expression one of concern.

"Is this really what you want, Yuji-kun? To give up your life?"

Yuji nodded, his expression resolute.

"I don't have a life to give up," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "Not anymore. The only thing I have left is this decision. Please, let me have this. Let me save everyone else. Let me save him."

Yuuji knew that they didn't understand, but he didn't have the energy to explain himself. He didn't have the words to tell them how hopeless and defeated he felt. All he could do was plead with them, to let him have this one choice, this one decision, that was all his own.

Nanami and Gojo looked at each other, and for a moment, Yuji thought they were going to agree. But then, Gojo's face hardened.

"I'm not killing you, Yuji."

"Then you're sentencing him to death," Yuji argued, his voice rising. "Can't you see that, Gojo-sensei? Don't you care?"

He had never spoken to Gojo like that before, but he couldn't help himself. He was desperate, and he needed Gojo to understand.

But instead of responding, Gojo just sighed.

"I'll tell you what. Give me a week, Yuji. Give me one week, and if you still want me to kill you, then I'll do it. Okay?"

Yuji knew he wasn't going to change his mind. He knew that a week would just be another seven days of misery, another seven days of feeling like his heart was being ripped out of his chest.

Another seven days of fear and dread, of not knowing when Sukuna would try to take Megumi.

But he also knew that arguing with Gojo would be futile. So, he nodded.

"Okay. A week."

Gojo and Nanami both sighed, but he knew they were relieved.

"Now, Yuji-kun, please listen to me," Gojo began.

Yuji looked at him, his eyes empty.

"You may think that you're the only one who's lost, but you're not. Megumi is suffering, too. Do you really think that he wants you dead? That he would be okay with you sacrificing yourself like that?"

Hearing his name caused a sharp pain in Yuji's chest, but he ignored it.

"He'll get over it," Yuji said, his voice flat. "He'll have to."

He didn't want to talk about Megumi, didn't want to think about him. He hated the way it made him feel, the way his heart ached for him, the way he longed for him. It was threatening to shatter his carefully crafted numbness, and he couldn't let that happen. He couldn't afford to feel anything.

Gojo shook his head, his expression exasperated.

"He's not going to get over it, Yuji. And you shouldn't expect him to."

Yuji looked away, unable to meet Gojo's gaze.

"Can we stop talking about him?" he asked, his voice quiet.

"No, we can't," Gojo replied, his tone firm. "I know it's hard, but you need to start thinking about him. You need to start thinking about what he needs."

"What he needs is for me to be gone," Yuji said, his voice barely above a whisper.

He was tired, so tired, of having the same argument over and over again. He was tired of trying to convince Gojo and Nanami and everyone else that he was the problem. He was tired of fighting against their well-meaning attempts to comfort him.

"No, he needs you, Yuji. And you need him."

The words caused another sharp pain in his chest, but this time, he couldn't ignore it. He felt the numbness cracking, the raw emotions seeping through the cracks.

He closed his eyes, trying to steady himself, trying to cling to the last remnants of his numbness.

"I talked to him yesterday, Yuji. Do you want to know what he said?"

Yuji didn't respond, but Gojo continued anyway.

"He broke down, Yuji. He told me how much he loves you, how much he needs you. And then he begged me to save you, to protect you. That's all he wants, Yuji. He wants you to live."

The words hit him like a physical blow, and he felt the numbness shattering. He felt the grief, the despair, the hopelessness, all of it rushing back, crashing over him like a tidal wave.

"I'm sorry, Itadori-kun. I know this is hard," Nanami said, his voice soft.

"Stop, stop, stop!" Yuji yelled, his eyes squeezed shut, his hands clenched into fists.

He didn't understand why they were doing this, why they were trying to make him feel. Why couldn't they just leave him alone? Why couldn't they just let him be numb? Why did they have to rip open his wounds and make him bleed?

The world felt like it was spinning out of control, and he didn't know what to do. He didn't know how to make it stop.

"Stop talking," Yuji repeated, his voice trembling. "Please, just stop."

Gojo and Nanami stared at him, their expressions filled with sympathy.

"We're not going to stop, Itadori-kun. Not until you understand," Gojo said, his tone resolute.

Yuji couldn't handle it anymore. He couldn't handle the way they were making him feel, the way they were tearing him apart.

He covered his face with his hands and screamed.

"STOP! JUST STOP! LEAVE ME ALONE!"

Gojo and Nanami flinched at his words, but they didn't leave.

Yuji's scream slowly turned into a sob, and he couldn't hold it back anymore. The tears came, hot and fast, flowing down his cheeks and soaking his shirt.

"Just leave me alone," he whispered, his voice breaking.

He felt Gojo's arms wrap around him, pulling him close, and he buried his face in his teacher's chest. He felt Nanami's hand on his shoulder, squeezing gently.

"It's okay, Yuji. Let it out," Gojo said, his voice soft.

And Yuji did. He cried, and he screamed, and he sobbed, letting out all of his pain and sorrow. He cried for Megumi, and he cried for himself. He cried for the life he was losing, the love he was losing. He cried until there were no tears left, until he was exhausted, his body and mind drained.

"I'm sorry, Yuji," Gojo said, his voice heavy with regret. "But you needed to do that. You needed to let it out."

Yuji didn't say anything, but he didn't argue either. He knew that Gojo was right, that he had needed to release all the pain and sadness he had been holding in.

"Do you feel better now?" Nanami asked, his tone gentle.

Yuji hesitated for a moment, and then nodded.

"Good," Gojo said, releasing him from his embrace. "Now, I'll take you somewhere safe. Somewhere you can rest and recover."

Yuji nodded, his eyes red and puffy, his cheeks streaked with tears.

"I'll leave you to rest," Nanami said, his expression concerned.

"Thank you, Nanamin," Yuji said, his voice raspy.

Nanami patted him on the shoulder and gave him a small smile.

"Take care, Yuji-kun."

As soon as Nanami left, Gojo scooped him up, his strong arms holding him securely. Yuji didn't protest, didn't have the energy to. He rested his head against Gojo's shoulder, his eyes closing.

He felt the familiar tingle of Gojo's teleportation technique, and then, they were gone.

-

After successfully taking Yuji to a cabin owned by the Gojo clan on an island just off the coast of Okinawa (Sukuna wouldn't be able to do anything during his one minute control of Yuji's body there, should he think of using the binding vow), Gojo decided to call a meeting with a couple people, namely Nanami, Yuki, and Yaga.

They met up in the principal's office, and Gojo took a seat, leaning back and putting his feet up on the desk.

"Satoru, this is serious," Yaga admonished.

"I'm aware," Gojo replied, his tone casual.

"This," Gojo replied, and put a notebook onto the table, "is everything Yuji-kun wrote about his old timeline. It's got some... graphic stuff in it, so up until now, I haven't shared it with anyone."

Gojo flipped the book open and turned it so the others could see it.

"But the most important part is here, in the section about the Culling Games," he said, pointing to a particular entry.

There was a name, underlined and circled, and a small description.

"Kurusu Hana?" Yaga asked, reading the name aloud.

"Yes," Gojo replied. "According to Yuji-kun, she's one of the players of the Culling Games, but her situation is rather unique. She was selected as a vessel for an ancient sorcerer named the Angel, but the Angel chose to coexist with her, instead of killing her conscience, like in the case of other incarnated players. We could say that she was in a similar situation as Yuji himself."

"Why is she important?" Yuki asked, looking up from the notebook.

"It's not her, but the Angel's cursed technique, that's important," Gojo explained. "The Angel's technique is called Jacob's Ladder. It was able to nullify any cursed technique, and eradicate cursed objects."

Gojo watched as the information sank in.

"Do you mean...?" Yaga began.

"Sukuna seemed to be scared of the Angel's technique, which means it was likely powerful enough to kill him, yes," Gojo confirmed.

"So, you're suggesting we find this Kurusu girl and use her cursed technique on Itadori?" Yuki asked, her expression thoughtful.

Gojo scratched the back of his neck. "Not exactly. It's not that easy."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, for starters, as far as we know, she could be in a coma, like Tsumiki was. And, even if she isn't, the Angel isn't incarnated in her body yet, as the Culling Games was never started in this timeline. So essentially, although we could use Idle Transiguration on her, we would be forcing an innocent fifteen-year-old girl to become a vessel, just because of her cursed technique."

Yaga seemed surprised. "You're not usually this empathetic, Satoru."

"That's not true, I'm always empathetic," Gojo countered.

"So why exactly did you want us to know about this girl?" Yuki asked.

"I shared this information with the three of you, because I will need help tracking her down. She's a non-sorcerer, after all, so it will be a little more difficult. I also wanted to ask your input about the technicalities, Yuki."

"The technicalities?" she asked.

"Yes, the technicalities. Normally, Jacob's Ladder would kill the host, but it all depends on what extent the two souls have fused. In the case of Sukuna and Yuji, there is a lot of separation between their souls, so there is a big chance that the technique would leave Yuji unharmed."

"But you're not sure," Yuki guessed.

"No, I'm not," Gojo admitted. "I'm not a soul expert, and I doubt anyone is. But you're the closest thing we have."

"So, what are you going to do if you find this girl?" Yaga asked.

Gojo sighed. "That's the question, isn't it? I don't know. I was thinking, we could offer her to study here. She would have a stable home and an education, and we would get access to her cursed technique. It's a win-win situation, don't you think?"

He was aware that he sounded like he was grasping at straws, but he didn't care.

"That's actually not a bad idea," Yaga agreed.

"So, does that mean you're going to search for her?" Yuki asked.

"I can start, at least," Gojo replied. "I'll need to go talk to some people first."

Yaga nodded. "Let us know if you need any help."

"I will."

And with that, the meeting was adjourned.

-

Megumi was holed up in his dorm room, trying desperately to ignore the ache in his chest. It had been two days since he had talked to Gojo, and Yuji hadn't replied to any of his texts or calls.

Well, of course he hadn't. Yuji was probably completely shattered by what happened. He was probably devastated and depressed and a million other things that Megumi could barely begin to imagine.

Megumi was trying not to worry, trying not to think about what Yuji might be going through. He desperately wanted to go see him, to hold him and comfort him and tell him that everything was going to be okay.

But he knew that he couldn't. He knew that Yuji wouldn't forgive him for risking his own safety. He knew that he would only make things worse.

So, he had stayed in his room, alone with his thoughts, his guilt, and his worry.

Nobara tried to distract him, in her own way. She kept sending him stupid memes, and once, she even brought him a cupcake from the convenience store (she said it was to get some sugar in him, but Megumi suspected it was because she was worried).

Even the second years checked in on him. Maki and Inumaki offered to train with him, and Panda tried to get him to watch an anime. But Megumi couldn't focus on anything, his mind constantly drifting back to Yuji.

So when he heard a knock on his door, he almost didn't answer it. He knew it would just be someone else trying to cheer him up, or worse, offer him sympathy.

But the knocking was insistent, and finally, he got up to open the door.

To his surprise, it was Choso.

"Oh, hey," Megumi said, not sure what else to say.

"Hey," Choso replied, looking uncomfortable.

They stood there for a moment, neither of them saying anything. Finally, Choso cleared his throat.

"Can I come in?"

Megumi shrugged, stepping aside to let him enter.

"Um, have a seat," Megumi said, gesturing towards the bed.

Choso sat down, and Megumi took a seat at his desk.

"So, what's up?"

Choso looked down at his hands, which were clasped together in his lap.

"I need to talk to you, Fushiguro," he said, his voice hesitant.

Megumi raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to continue.

"It's about my brother."

Well, of course it is, Megumi thought, but he didn't say it out loud.

"You love Yuji, right?"

"Of course I do," Megumi replied, without hesitation.

"And you'd do anything for him, right?"

Megumi narrowed his eyes, not sure where Choso was going with this.

"Yeah, I would."

Choso took a deep breath, and then looked up at him. His expression was determined, his eyes filled with resolve.

"Then I need your help, Fushiguro."

Megumi's heart skipped a beat.

"Help with what?"

Choso hesitated for a moment, and then replied, "With saving him."

Megumi felt his heart stop.

"Wait, what?"

"I know how to save Yuji," Choso said, his voice shaking slightly. "Yuki told me about something, a plan, a possibility. They are going to search for someone, a girl. But they won't force her to do anything, because they think she's a child. She could say no."

"And if she does, Yuji's dead."

"Exactly. And I can't allow that. Yuji is my little brother. I promised myself I would protect him."

Megumi couldn't believe what he was hearing. Was Choso really suggesting what he thought he was suggesting?

"Are you telling me that you want to take her by force?" Megumi asked, his voice low.

Choso flinched, but his expression remained determined.

"I know it sounds bad, but..."

"It sounds horrible," Megumi interrupted. "That girl has done nothing wrong. She doesn't deserve to be kidnapped and forced into a situation she doesn't want."

Choso seemed to wilt, his shoulders slumping.

"I know," he whispered, his eyes downcast. "I know it's not the right thing to do, but I can't lose my little brother, Fushiguro. I just can't."

Megumi's expression softened slightly. He could understand the feeling. He could understand the desperation.

"You're not going to lose him, Choso," Megumi said, his tone firm. "We're gonna find this girl and we're gonna convince her to help us. We're gonna do it the right way."

Choso looked up at him, his expression filled with hope.

"Really?"

"Yes, really," Megumi replied, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Now, tell me more about this plan."

Choso took a deep breath, seeming to gain confidence from his words.

"Okay, so here's what we're gonna do..."

-

Megumi contemplated talking to Gojo about the plan.

If what Choso said was true, Gojo wanted to search for Hana as well, so essentially, their plans aligned.

But the main difference between them was that Choso was willing to go the extra mile. To do whatever it took. And Megumi understood, he truly did. He would also be willing to do whatever it took to save Yuji. And it wasn't like he didn't trust Gojo, he did, but...

But there was a small part of him, a part that he would never admit out loud, that was afraid Gojo wouldn't do everything in his power to save Yuji. That, somewhere along the way, he would compromise.

So going rogue with Choso was the logical choice. He just needed a small push.

What he didn't expect, however, was how fast Choso would be able to track down Hana.

"You found her already?" Megumi asked, stunned.

"Yeah," Choso replied, as if it was no big deal.

"But... how? She could be anywhere!"

Choso smiled, a hint of pride in his expression.

"Being half-curse does have its perks, Fushiguro," he said.

Megumi had to admit, he was impressed.

"So, are you ready?"

"Ready as I'll ever be."

"Let's do this, then."

And with that, they left Jujutsu High, on a mission to save the one person that meant the most to both of them.

-

"Are we going to wait for her to finish school or...?" Megumi asked, looking at the building in front of them.

"Yeah, that's the plan," Choso replied, taking a sip from his iced coffee.

"I didn't take you for a Starbucks guy," Megumi noted, glancing at him.

"I like their Frappuccinos," Choso replied. "Yuki told me about this place and recommended a drink."

Megumi couldn't help but chuckle at the thought of Yuki introducing Choso to the wonders of Starbucks.

"So, have you talked to Yuji at all?" Megumi asked, trying to sound casual.

Choso sighed, his expression growing sad.

"I did, briefly. I wanted to go see him, but..."

"He asked you not to."

"Yeah," Choso replied. "He was going on about you not being the only one at risk and how he didn't want anyone else getting hurt, and how I should leave and find somewhere safe, and... Ugh, he's so frustrating!"

"He can be, yes," Megumi agreed. "But he means well."

"I know, and I'm trying not to take it personally, but it's hard. He's my little brother and I want to be there for him."

"You are, Choso," Megumi said, resting a hand on his shoulder. "Trust me, you are."

Choso smiled, but his eyes were still sad.

"So, how are you holding up?"

Megumi's expression grew dark.

"Honestly, I'm not doing great," he admitted. "I've been worried sick about him. It feels like... I don't know, like a part of me is missing. It's like there's this hole in my chest, and no matter what I do, I can't fill it."

"I'm sorry, Fushiguro."

Megumi shook his head, forcing himself to smile.

"It's okay, I'm gonna see him again, soon."

The determination in his voice made Choso chuckle.

"That's the spirit."

They fell into a comfortable silence, and Megumi used the time to think about his next steps. He knew that convincing Hana would be difficult, but he had a plan.

"I'm surprised Kurusu isn't in a coma, like Tsumiki was. Having been marked by Kenjaku, she should have been," Megumi mused.

"Maybe her body is stronger than Tsumiki's," Choso suggested.

"Yeah, maybe," Megumi agreed. "Or maybe it has something to do with this Angel."

"Who knows. Either way, we're lucky she isn't."

"Yeah."

They lapsed into silence again, watching as students began to file out of the building.

"That's her," Choso said, nodding towards a petite girl with blonde hair.

"Are you sure?" Megumi asked.

"Positive."

They watched as the girl made her way down the steps, and then walked away from the school.

"Let's wait until she's alone, but not too far," Megumi instructed.

"Got it."

They followed her for a few blocks, keeping a safe distance. Eventually, she turned onto a quiet side street.

"Now's our chance," Megumi whispered, quickening his pace.

Damn, this is easy, he thought, catching up to her easily.

"Kurusu Hana-san," he called out.

The girl stopped in her tracks, turning around slowly. Her eyes widened as she took in the sight of the two strangers approaching her. But then her gaze settled on Megumi, and her expression changed.

"Oh my god!" she exclaimed, covering her mouth with her hand.

Megumi was taken aback. He hadn't expected her to recognize him.

"Do I know you?" he asked.

"You're Megumi," she whispered, her voice filled with awe.

Why was she calling him by his first name?

"Uh, yeah, that's my name," he replied, confused.

"Oh my god, I can't believe this," she said, her eyes still wide. "You're so... handsome. I didn't expect that."

What the fuck is going on?

"Thanks, I guess," Megumi replied, not sure how to react.

"I can't believe I'm meeting you, oh my god," she gushed, her cheeks flushing pink.

"Um, yeah," Megumi said, still completely baffled.

He turned to Choso, hoping for some explanation, but Choso just shrugged, clearly as lost as he was.

"Anyway," Megumi said, turning his attention back to the girl. "My name is Fushiguro Megumi, and this is Choso."

"Hi," Choso said, giving a small wave.

"I know who you are," the girl replied, still looking at Megumi with an expression of adoration.

"Right, okay," Megumi said.

He took a deep breath, bracing himself for the conversation ahead.

"Look, Kurusu-san, we need to ask you for a favor. But it's a long conversation, and we shouldn't have it here. So, can we go somewhere else? I promise we won't hurt you or anything, but please hear us out."

"Of course," the girl replied, not even hesitating.

"You're not scared of us?"

She laughed.

"You saved my life, Megumi. Why would I be scared of you?"

"Wait, what?"

Megumi was seriously confused now.

"You saved my life, Megumi," the girl repeated. "Isn't that why you're here?"

Megumi exchanged a glance with Choso, and then turned back to the girl.

"Saved your life?" he asked.

The girl nodded.

"Yeah, when I was younger. When that curse took us hostage and pretended to be our mother for months. I was so scared. But then your dog showed up out of nowhere and led me to safety. He got the others out too. And then you and that tall man with white hair saved everyone."

It took a moment for Megumi to process what the girl was saying. And when he did, his eyes widened in shock.

"You were there," he breathed. "You were one of the children."

"Yeah," the girl replied, smiling brightly. "Thank you, by the way. I was so scared, but you and your dog were amazing."

"I can't believe this," Megumi whispered, his mind reeling.

This changed everything. If the girl had a history with him, then she was more likely to help them. Megumi couldn't believe his luck.

The mission she was talking about was one of the first missions Gojo and he went on together. Megumi had been just a kid back then, barely 8 years old. Gojo had insisted on taking him, saying that he needed the experience.

Megumi never thought he would encounter any of the victims from that mission. But now, here was one of them, standing right in front of him. And she seemed to be grateful.

"Hey, are you okay?" the girl asked, her brow furrowed in concern.

"I'm fine, just... surprised," Megumi replied, forcing himself to smile.

"You didn't know," the girl said, realization dawning on her face.

"No, I didn't. But I'm glad we ran into you. I mean, that we met. I didn't know it was you, but..."

"It's okay, Megumi. I'm glad we met too."

"Anyway," Megumi said, taking a deep breath. "Like I said, we need to ask you for a favor. Is that okay?"

"Of course," the girl replied, her voice filled with determination. "We can go talk at this café I know, if you want. It's nice and quiet."

"That sounds perfect, actually," Megumi replied, feeling relieved.

"Okay, great," the girl said, her eyes brightening. "It's this way."

She started walking, and Choso and Megumi followed her.

-

"Do they have Frappucinos?" Choso asked, as they entered the café.

"I don't think so, but I'm sure they have something similar," the girl replied, smiling.

They found a table near the back and sat down.

"So, what's the favor you need to ask?" the girl asked, once they were settled.

Megumi took a deep breath.

"Before I tell you, I need to explain a few things. But it's a long story, so bear with me."

"I'm all ears," the girl replied, smiling reassuringly.

Megumi nodded and began his tale. He explained about the jujutsu world, curses, sorcerers, and Jujutsu High. He talked about the events of the past few months, about Kenjaku, his plan, and how Yuji had gone back in time to save them all. He explained about Sukuna and the binding vow, and the reason they were sitting here today.

"And that's why we need your help, Kurusu-san," Megumi concluded. "We know it's a lot to ask, and that we can't expect you to give up on life and share your body with an ancient sorcerer. But we're desperate, and we need your help. So please, will you consider it?"

The girl was silent for a moment, absorbing everything Megumi had told her.

"You can call me Hana, you know," she finally said.

Megumi was caught off guard.

"Um, okay," he said, hesitantly.

"And I don't mind," Hana continued.

"You don't mind... what, exactly?"

"Sharing my body with this Angel," she replied, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"You're willing to do that?" Megumi asked, shocked.

"Of course. You saved my life, Megumi. You and your dog. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be alive today. Ever since that day, I had vowed to try my best to save people. And if I can save the person who saved me, then of course I'll do it. Besides, if the Angel is a good person, like you say she is, then I'm sure it will work out."

Megumi couldn't believe what he was hearing. He was speechless.

"You don't know how much this means to me, to us," he finally said, his voice thick with emotion.

"I'm glad I can help," Hana replied, smiling. "But how do we go about this? I mean, is there a procedure or something?"

Megumi was still stunned by the whole situation.

"Uh, yes. I assume Kenjaku had made you a vessel at some point of your life. Was there ever a time where you felt something was... off? Or maybe you were sick, and the doctors couldn't find anything wrong?"

"Now that you mention it, there was this one time. I was maybe 12 years old and I got lost on a field trip. I don't have any memories of what happened, but when I woke up in a hospital, they said I was in a coma. Do you think that could have been it?"

Megumi thought back to Tsumiki's situation, how her condition was a result of being marked by a cursed spirit.

"Yeah, that's most likely it," he said. "Now, normally the cursed item he implanted in you would never incarnate, since the Culling Games never happened. But the technique that's needed to incarnate the Angel, well, there is someone who can use it. So, as long as you agree to it, we can go ahead with the procedure."

"I agree," Hana said, without hesitation. "Let's do it."

"Are you sure?" Megumi asked, just to make sure. "I mean, once you go through with it, there's no going back."

"I'm sure, Megumi. I want to do this. And I trust you."

"Okay, then," Megumi said, taking a deep breath. "Then we'll move forward. Thank you, Hana. Truly."

Hana smiled.

"Anything for you, Megumi."

And so, it was decided. Hana would become the vessel for Angel, and Megumi would have the love of his life back.

A/N: Soo, maybe there is a way to save Yuji after all! We'll have to see how things play out, though.

Thanks so much for reading! See you next week!! ❤️