Megumi was standing on the sidelines, and watching his two classmates spar with each other. He was leaning against the wall, and his arms were crossed. The sun was beating down on his skin, and sweat was beading down his neck. The weather was getting hotter, and the temperature was climbing.

It seemed like Yuji was more comfortable sparring against Nobara, and he wasn't as hesitant anymore. Though, Megumi could tell that he was still holding back, and not using his full strength. He watched as Yuji flipped Nobara, and pinned her down.

"Yield," she shouted, her tone annoyed.

Yuji's face broke into a smile, and he released her. She pushed herself off the ground, and dusted herself off.

"Okay, my turn," Megumi announced.

He stepped forward, and walked towards the center of the training grounds. Yuji's smile widened, and his eyes lit up. It was remarkable, how much his mood could change when he was fighting. The pink-haired boy was so enthusiastic, and energetic. Megumi was relieved to see him like that.

"Bring it on, Fushiguro," the boy challenged, his tone confident.

"You asked for it," Megumi replied.

Nobara groaned, and walked away.

"I'll come back in five minutes," she announced. "You boys can kill each other."

Yuji's laughter was boisterous and infectious. It filled the air, and surrounded Megumi. The boy was staring at him, and his brown eyes were bright. The black-haired boy felt the corner of his mouth tug up, and he bit back a smile.

"Don't hold back," Yuji urged.

"Wouldn't dream of it," Megumi replied.

They both fell into their stances, and watched each other with sharp gazes. Megumi was studying the boy's movements, and he was trying to determine what strategy the pink-haired boy would use.

Before he could process it, Yuji was moving forward, and striking at him. Megumi jumped back, and barely avoided the punch. Yuji didn't waste time, and immediately threw another. This time, Megumi ducked. The boy swung his leg, and swept it under Megumi. The pink-haired boy leaped back, and narrowly avoided the kick.

Megumi didn't have any more time to think. Yuji was relentless, and was throwing punches and kicks one after the other. It took everything Megumi had to defend himself, and stay on his feet. He couldn't deny that sparring with Yuji was fun. It was an intense fight, and Megumi could feel his blood pumping.

The black-haired boy threw a punch, and Yuji ducked. The boy immediately followed with a roundhouse, and the boy was forced to block.

"Nice, Fushiguro!" he praised.

Yuji's voice was breathless, and excited.

"Shut up," Megumi panted.

He swung his leg, and attempted to sweep the boy's legs. Yuji jumped back, and narrowly avoided the kick.

"Not bad, Itadori," he acknowledged.

"I'm full of surprises," Yuji taunted.

His foot suddenly swung out, and hit Megumi in the chest. The boy gasped, and stumbled back. His arms windmilled, and he barely kept himself upright. Yuji immediately followed up, and tackled him to the ground.

The pink-haired boy was smiling at him, and his brown eyes were glimmering. Megumi's breath hitched. The boy was so close, and he was lying on top of him. Megumi felt heat rush to his cheeks, and his heart was beating faster. He was acutely aware of Yuji's hands gripping his shoulders, and the boy's hips pressed against his.

"I win," Yuji declared, grinning.

Megumi's face grew even hotter, and his brain was malfunctioning. He was unable to think of a response. Yuji's brow furrowed, and his eyes narrowed.

"Are you okay, Fushiguro?" the boy asked, his voice concerned. "Did I hurt you?"

The dark-haired boy finally regained control over his brain, and he shook his head.

"I'm fine," he assured. "I just wasn't expecting that move."

Yuji's face cleared, and his grin returned.

"I told you I'm full of surprises," he repeated.

"Yes, you did," Megumi agreed.

Yuji finally released him, and hopped to his feet. He held out his hand, and Megumi accepted it. The boy pulled him up, and steadied him. Megumi's skin was tingling, and his body felt warm.

"Come on," Yuji prompted. "Let's go again."

-

Yuji knew that writing the timeline down was a necessary evil, but that didn't make him like it. Every time he picked up the notebook, his stomach twisted, and his shoulders tensed.

He was sitting at his desk, and the notebook was lying in front of him. His pen was tapping against the paper, and his fingers were drumming against the wooden surface. He was procrastinating. He knew he was. But, he couldn't bring himself to start writing.

He stared at the blank page, and he couldn't shake the feeling of dread. He was afraid. He was afraid of reliving the memories, and writing them down. Gojo had assured him that he would be the only one who would read the notebook. That helped. It didn't quell the unease in his gut, but it made the prospect less terrifying.

"Are you okay, Itadori? You've been staring at that page for a while," Megumi called out.

The boy was sitting on the bed, and he was reading a book.

"Oh, I- I'm fine," Yuji replied.

"You don't sound fine," the boy pointed out.

"It's just-," Yuji paused, and let out a sigh. "I'm not sure I can do this."

He gestured to the notebook. Megumi put down his book, and gave him a thoughtful look.

"What's stopping you?" he asked.

"I'm afraid," Yuji admitted. "I'm afraid of writing it all down."

Megumi stood up, and walked over. He sat down on the edge of the desk, and the boy gave him a soft smile.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" he asked.

"No, I don't think so," the pink-haired boy confessed. "But, thanks for the offer."

Megumi nodded, and his gaze shifted to the notebook. He studied the blank page, and his brow furrowed.

"You don't have to write it down all at once," the boy suggested. "Maybe start small? Write down the events that happen the next month, or something like that. Just focus on one period of time, and then, you can expand."

"Yeah," Yuji breathed. "That could work."

Megumi was silent, and his dark blue eyes were studying him.

"Look, I know that there will be some things that you can't show me," the black-haired boy began, his tone careful. "And, that's okay. I can imagine what it's like. I have an idea of how terrible it is. I know there are probably things you would never want me to know. And, I can respect that. So, please, don't feel guilty if there are some things you can't share."

Yuji's breath caught in his throat, and his eyes were prickling.

"I- thanks," he whispered.

He was unable to say anything else. The gratitude was welling up inside him, and it was threatening to spill out. These past few days, Megumi had been incredibly supportive, and patient. Yuji was so, so grateful for him.

In his original timeline, he never really got the chance to develop his friendship with the boy. Sure, the three of them hung out, and had a great time together. But, there was always an invisible line. There was a distance between them, and a reluctance to cross it. Megumi didn't open up to them. He never revealed his emotions, or his thoughts.

Yuji remembered how they only found out about Megumi's sister's existence because of that mission at the boy's old school. That's how closed off the boy was. He had kept the information a secret. He had never revealed it to them. It took a near-death experience for the boy to divulge the details. And even then, he had done so reluctantly.

By the time he had finally opened up, it had been too late. After the Shibuya Incident, when Megumi found Yuji, they had spent some time together. They had talked, and caught up. It was the first time that Yuji had ever seen the boy so vulnerable. But, they had more important things to deal with. Their reunion was cut short, and the opportunity to get to know Megumi was stolen away.

And now, here he was. With another chance. Another chance to befriend the boy. Another chance to get closer to him. This time, he wasn't going to take it for granted. He wasn't going to let it slip away.

It was almost unbelievable that this was the same boy who had kept his distance, and hid his true emotions. The one who was so closed off, and distant. Yuji wondered if this was what Megumi was really like, when he opened up. When he let people in. Had he even had a chance to be like this? To act like this? Or was he always too busy hiding his emotions, and putting on a mask?

"I'll do it," Yuji declared, his tone determined.

He picked up his pen, and held it over the paper.

"You're okay with this?" Megumi asked.

"Yeah," the pink-haired boy confirmed.

"When you're done, we can watch a movie," the boy offered.

Yuji couldn't stop the grin from breaking out on his face.

"Sounds like a plan," he agreed.

Megumi was smiling at him, and Yuji had the strangest feeling. It was as if the boy was proud of him. His chest was swelling with warmth, and his heart was fluttering. He quickly glanced away, and focused on the paper.

He took a deep breath and began writing.

-

Megumi let Yuji pick the movie.

The pink-haired boy had chosen a sci-fi action flick, and they were both sprawled on the couch. There were snacks piled up on the table, and a blanket was spread across their laps.

Yuji had already finished writing for the day, and the notebook was resting on the table. Megumi didn't ask him about it, and Yuji seemed glad. He figured the boy would share the information when he was ready.

He glanced at the movie, and tried to figure out what was going on. There were aliens invading Earth, and humans were trying to stop them. The characters were in some kind of futuristic spaceship, and they were using strange weapons to fight the extraterrestrials.

It was kinda stupid, but Megumi wasn't really paying attention. Yuji was sitting next to him, and he was much more interesting than the movie. The boy's hair was sticking up, and his face was illuminated by the glow of the screen. His brown eyes were fixated on the television, and his lips were parted.

He was wearing a black hoodie, and the fabric was hanging off his shoulders. His legs were sprawled out, and his arms were resting on the back of the couch. The boy's feet were dangling over the edge, and his socks were slipping off his heels.

He looked comfortable. Megumi was glad. The boy had seemed so tense earlier. And, it had taken him a long time to work up the courage to write the timeline. It was good to see him so relaxed.

Megumi shifted his gaze back to the screen, and tried to focus on the plot. A minute later, he gave up, and focused on Yuji again. He noticed that the boy was leaning forward, and his gaze was glued to the television. His fingers were gripping the couch, and his shoulders were tense.

Megumi frowned. The boy was no longer relaxed. His face was twisted with anxiety, and his breaths were coming out short and fast.

"Itadori?" he called out, his tone concerned.

Yuji didn't respond. He was staring at the screen, and his eyes were wide. His fingers were trembling, and his hands were balled into fists.

"Itadori," Megumi repeated, raising his voice.

"Huh?" the boy gasped, his head whipping towards him.

"Are you alright?" Megumi asked.

Yuji blinked, and his eyes were unfocused.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine," he mumbled. "Though, I'm not sure about this movie."

Megumi glanced at the screen, and his frown deepened. The scene was showing one of the protagonists - Or was it the antagonist? Maybe he should've paid attention to the plot – laying on the ground in a pool of blood, body split in half.

"Yeah, that looks pretty gruesome," Megumi acknowledged.

"Yeah," the boy sighed. "It's making me think of- it's reminding me of-,"

Yuji didn't finish the sentence. His voice trailed off, and his brown eyes were wide and horrified. Megumi immediately turned off the movie, and the screen went black.

"It's alright, Itadori," he assured. "You don't need to explain. Let's just forget the movie, okay? Do you want to do something else?"

The boy nodded, his eyes still fixed on the black screen. Megumi reached out, and gently patted his shoulder.

"It's okay," he repeated.

"I'm sorry," the boy whispered. "I can't even watch a stupid movie without-."

He let out a sigh, and shook his head. Megumi's heart clenched. Yuji's reaction had been so severe. Whatever the movie had made him remember must've been horrific.

"Don't apologize," Megumi said. "You've gone through so much. I can't imagine what it's been like. It's only natural that some things trigger your memories. It doesn't mean you're weak, or that you're not handling it well. It's completely normal."

Yuji's face was still tense, and his gaze was haunted.

"Hey," Megumi said, his voice soft.

He gently tugged the boy, and guided him until he was lying on the couch. He sat down, and wrapped his arm around the boy's shoulders.

"Come here," he prompted.

The pink-haired boy hesitated, and he stared at him, his brown eyes wide.

"It's alright," Megumi encouraged.

Yuji slowly shifted, and his head dropped onto Megumi's lap. The boy let out a shaky breath, and his eyes fluttered shut.

"Are you okay?" the black-haired boy asked.

"Y-yeah," the boy whispered.

"Good," Megumi said.

He gently stroked the boy's hair, and Yuji's eyes slowly opened. His brown eyes were shining with emotion, and his face was filled with awe.

"This-," he breathed. "This is so nice."

Megumi gave him a small smile.

"I'm glad," he murmured.

Yuji closed his eyes, and the tension slowly seeped out of his body. His shoulders relaxed, and his breathing slowed. His features softened, and his lips curled up in a smile.

Megumi's hand continued running through the boy's pink hair. Yuji's chest was slowly rising and falling, and his body was limp. The boy's eyes remained shut, and his breathing was quiet and even.

Megumi stared at him, his hand frozen in his hair. He wasn't sure if the boy had fallen asleep, but he looked peaceful. His face was smooth and relaxed, and his mouth was curved up in a tiny smile.

He felt a strange urge. It was an urge to reach out, and run his finger along the boy's jaw. He wanted to trace the curve of his chin, and brush his thumb against his lips. He wanted to stroke his cheek, and trail his finger down the bridge of his nose.

His fingers were twitching, and the urge was growing. Megumi resisted it. He didn't understand it. What was he thinking? What was he doing? Yuji was his friend. He was his friend who had just endured a traumatic memory. Why was he thinking such things?

Megumi tore his gaze away and forced himself to focus on the wall. The urge slowly faded away, and his heart was beating faster.

-

The next two days passed by in a blur.

Yuji forced himself to write down the rest of the timeline, and it took him a lot longer than he expected. He struggled with the memories. Writing them down was a difficult task. His mind would get lost in the past, and he would have trouble focusing.

But writing it down has also been helpful. It's given him a way to sort out his thoughts, and process his feelings. He started to be able to pinpoint exactly what bothered him. It was easier to identify what he wanted to change. And, he could formulate a plan for the future.

For instance, he decided that he should ask Gojo to focus on researching Tsumiki's curse. Now, that he knew that it was the work of Kenjaku, maybe the man could figure out a way to fix it. And, they could save Megumi's sister.

Another thing he had realized was that writing about certain people reminded him of how important they were. He went into an explanation about the Death Paintings, and his heart twisted.

Would changing the future mean that he wouldn't get the chance to meet Choso? Would he have to sacrifice the brother that he had just met? The one who had saved his life so many times?

And then, there was Junpei. The poor kid who had suffered so much. If Yuji intervened before the kid got to meet Mahito, maybe he could change his fate. But, he knew that preventing the cinema incident would take away their first chance of defeating Mahito.

There were so many factors. So many things that could go wrong. So many variables. And, it was overwhelming.

Yuji had to take breaks. He couldn't write for too long. Every time he did, his thoughts would become too intense, and his mind would start spiraling. It was hard. It was really hard.

He was grateful for Megumi. The boy would notice the changes in his behavior, and would distract him. They would play a game, or watch a movie, or talk. After the incident the other day, the black-haired boy was hesitant about picking movies. He stuck to comedies, and made sure that they were light-hearted and fun.

Megumi was so attentive, and Yuji didn't know how to deal with it. The boy always seemed to know what he needed. It was as if he could read his mind, and predict his moods. His dark blue eyes were studying him, and the was always so, so patient.

It was a foreign feeling, and Yuji felt overwhelmed by it.

When Yuji finished writing in the notebook, the dark-haired boy took one look at him and ordered him to take a break. The boy was so stubborn, and Yuji eventually agreed.

They ended up hanging out with Kugisaki, playing video games and eating pizza. And, the boy was right. Yuji felt a lot better. He didn't feel so anxious. And, he was having a good time.

But, he knew that soon, he would have to talk to Gojo about the contents of the notebook. They would have to work out a plan, and decide how to proceed.

Yuji was dreading the conversation. But, he also knew that he had to do it. The sooner he did, the better.

So, when Gojo popped in with breakfast the next morning while Megumi and Kugisaki were training with the second-years, Yuji didn't waste any time.

"Gojo-sensei, do you have a minute?" he asked.

The man raised his eyebrows, and the blindfold slipped up slightly.

"Sure," he agreed. "What's up?"

Yuji hesitated.

"I, uh, finished writing the timeline," he said. "And, I was wondering if we could talk about it."

"Great!" the man exclaimed, clapping his hands together. "Let's do it."

"I- uh, here," Yuji muttered, handing the notebook to him.

Gojo's grin widened, and he took the book. He flipped through the pages, his lips moving as he skimmed through the words.

"Huh," he mused. "Interesting."

Yuji bit his lip, and watched the man read the notes. The pink-haired boy could sense the excitement emanating from the sorcerer, and he knew that Gojo was intrigued.

"I, uh, added some notes, regarding whether I think we should intervene," Yuji commented. "And, I've highlighted what I think we should change."

"Oh, yeah," Gojo noted. "This is great, Yuji."

The boy didn't reply, and silence stretched between them. Gojo flipped the page, and the man's eyebrows shot up.

"You want me to focus on researching Tsumiki's condition? Why?" he questioned.

"It's the work of Kenjaku," Yuji answered. "She's been selected as a vessel. She won't have a chance for survival if Yorozu incarnates, but I'm hoping you'll be able to find a way to reverse the curse."

"Hmm," Gojo hummed, his lips pressed together. "Okay. I'll look into it."

Yuji let out a relieved breath.

Gojo continued flipping through the pages, and his lips moved as he read the notes. Yuji watched him, his heart beating fast.

"A special-grade attacking the students during the Goodwill Event? And your note says 'don't intervene'," Gojo commented. "Why not?"

"Well, no one died in the attack, and I think it was an important experience for everyone," Yuji replied. "But, I added another note, regarding the true objective of the attack."

Gojo glanced at the page, and his brows furrowed.

"The goal of the attack was to divert your attention so Mahito can steal Sukuna's fingers and the Death Paintings from the school vault," the pink-haired boy explained.

The older sorcerer's confusion deepened.

"And you think we should allow it to happen, but take Sukuna's fingers from the vault first, and store them somewhere safe?" he clarified.

"Yeah, they definitely shouldn't get their hands on those," Yuji muttered, memories of Shibuya flashing in his mind.

"Hm, okay," the man agreed. "So, we should let him steal the Death Paintings? Wait, why does this note say...,"

Gojo's head jerked towards him, and Yuji flinched.

"What do you mean by 'my brothers'? Are you talking about the Death Paintings?" the man questioned.

Yuji shifted.

"I, uh, yeah," he mumbled. "My- well, you see- I'm kinda their brother, too."

Gojo blinked, and his expression was unreadable.

"Uh, so it turns out, I'm one of Noritoshi Kamo's - well, Kenjaku's, I guess - experiments," Yuji elaborated. "Kenjaku, uh, is my mom. He created me to be the perfect vessel for Sukuna, or something."

The man looked at Yuji with such a bewildered expression, and the boy had to suppress a laugh.

"Yeah, I guess I have a complicated family tree," the boy muttered.

"This information will definitely require a separate conversation," Gojo said, his voice dazed. "Okay. Hm, so we should let Mahito steal the Death Paintings, so your, uh, brothers, can be revived."

Yuji was fully aware that the plan sounded insane.

"They're not evil," he insisted. "I promise. Well, they all kinda tried to kill me when I met them. And, me and Kugisaki killed Eso and Kechizu, so I don't really know them well, but Choso, my other brother, saved my life multiple times. We just have to convince him that he's fighting on the wrong side."

Gojo nodded, and he looked like he was going through a lot of emotions. Yuji was feeling a lot of emotions, too. It was weird explaining his situation to someone else.

"Alright, so let's move on," the man said, clearing his throat. "There is a mission at Saitama Urami East Junior High? That's Megumi's middle school. Wait, three special grades? And 'don't interfere'? Did you fight special grades every week in the future or something?"

Yuji scratched his cheek, and avoided his gaze.

"I mean, kinda," he mumbled.

"Huh, okay," the man muttered. "So, I'm guessing you guys managed to handle it? You don't think we need to intervene?"

"That mission was really crucial for our growth," Yuji answered, a blush creeping up his cheeks. "Especially Fushiguro's."

Gojo's head lifted, and a curious look flashed across his face.

"Huh, interesting," he mused. "Okay, I'll leave it to you."

"Uh, yeah," the boy agreed. "That's where we fight my brothers, too. So, I guess I'll try to, uh, reason with them. Hopefully they'll listen."

Gojo hummed, and looked back at the notes.

"You put together a list of dates and locations for Mahito's attacks. That's pretty thorough," the man praised. "Wait- these all happen in all night?"

Yuji ignored the question, because talking about that would probably put him in a state where he wouldn't be able to finish explaining the timeline.

"Well, our number one priority is taking care of Mahito, right?" the pink-haired boy pointed out. "So, we should focus on that. It would also be great if we managed to kill or capture Jogo and Hanami, too."

"Oh, yes, of course," the man agreed.

He continued reading through the notes, and Yuji let out a sigh. His stomach was filled with butterflies. His nerves were fluttering. It was weird to have Gojo read the book. He felt exposed. He felt vulnerable. It was like he was exposing his innermost secrets.

And, it was scary.

Gojo's fingers stopped moving, and his brows furrowed. Yuji swallowed.

"Wait, you're going to fight Choso? Why?" the man asked.

"I- uh," the boy muttered. "He- he was fighting me to get revenge for his brothers. And, he's pretty strong. He was the one who injured me enough for Jogo to feed me the fingers and Sukuna to take over my body."

Gojo looked horrified, and Yuji hurried to continue.

"But, it's alright! He didn't know I was his brother," the boy explained. "I'll make him realize. He's a good guy."

The man gave him a doubtful look, but he turned back to the book and resumed reading.

Yuji fidgeted in place. He was antsy. His nerves were buzzing. It was hard not knowing what Gojo was thinking.

"Okay, so, the first thing we should focus on is taking out Mahito," the man stated.

"Yeah, for sure," the boy agreed.

"Then, we'll try locating Kenjaku," Gojo added. "We'll need to be discreet about it. If they realize that we're onto them, it might jeopardize everything. They'll know we're planning something."

"That makes sense," Yuji commented.

"Alright then," Gojo declared. "So, we're good until September, when Mahito will attack the cinema."

"Yeah," the boy agreed.

"And, you mentioned there that we should intervene and save the kid," the man noted.

"Uh, yeah," Yuji said. "His name is Yoshino Junpei. He- he's a really cool guy. Though, he's kind of traumatized, and has a lot of issues. He's able to see curses, so he's definitely got some cursed energy, but he only gains a technique once Mahito uses Idle Transfiguration on him. That's the moment when he gains the potential to become a sorcerer."

"Ah, that's what the note meant by 'give him a chance'," the man commented.

"Yeah," the boy agreed. "I was really torn on this, because this is the first known appearance of Mahito, and our first chance to stop him. But, it would be best if Junpei didn't have to meet him. He's a good kid, and he doesn't deserve what he goes through. But the cursed technique Mahito gives him, would allow him to transfer to Jujutsu High. And, I think he could be a good ally."

Gojo hummed, and was silent for a minute.

"What if we prevented Mahito from altering his brain, but recruited him as a manager, or a window, depending on his cursed energy levels?" the man suggested.

"A window?" Yuji repeated.

"A window," the man agreed. "They're not sorcerers, but they're still able to see curses. They are really important because they're our eyes and ears in the regular world. They give us information, and report sightings."

"Oh, right, okay. That actually sounds good," Yuji said, a smile forming on his face.

"Alright then," the man decided. "So, we'll keep an eye on Yoshino Junpei. We'll monitor his interactions with Mahito, and wait for the right time to step in. Hopefully, we can save him without alerting Mahito."

"Sounds good," the boy agreed.

"Okay, I think that's all I needed," Gojo declared.

"Oh, okay," Yuji muttered.

"You're doing great, Yuji," the man said, reaching over and ruffling his hair.

The pink-haired boy felt his cheeks flush, and he ducked his head.

"Thank you," he mumbled.

"I'll take a better look at this later, and we'll talk about it again," the man assured him. "We'll figure this out together, okay?"

"Okay," the boy agreed.

Gojo stood up and patted him on the shoulder.

"Now, go have some fun, okay?" the man suggested. "Don't stress yourself out."

"Right," Yuji mumbled.

The white-haired sorcerer grinned and walked away. The boy let out a breath, and leaned against the wall. He closed his eyes, and tried to calm down his racing heart.

He just hoped he was making the right choices.