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"so how were the separate missions?", satoru asked as everyone was seated at the first floor of the inn, enjoying a family-like breakfast.

sukuna snorted.

"I basically carried their asses", the male cockily stated as itadori huffed.

"not true! nanamin (a nickname itadori had given the male during their mission) and I had that guy under control!", the pink-haired male rebutted as nanami had just continued ingesting his rice and asparagus.

"yes, because punching through their domain without a plan is having it under control", sukuna mocked, to which itadori had only aggressively shoved more rice into his mouth, making him look like a squirrel stuffing acorns in his cheeks and preparing for hibernation.

"you punched through a domain?!", kugisaki gasped, wondering just how much raw strength itadori had, even though he wasn't born with any special powers.

"yeah! what else was I supposed to do?", itadori asked, as if it were the most common thing ever.

though nanami didn't contribute to the conversation, he was internally very thankful for another chance at life, as he truly thought that he was to be killed since he himself couldn't produce a domain of his own.

"though speaking of which, why did you help us?", itadori asked, to which sukuna had momentarily stopped poking the guts of his cooked fish and grinned.

"why, little miko here had beg—"

"how was you and kugisaki-san's trip?", kiyo suddenly interrupted, making sukuna snicker.

"ah? it was great!! we got to go shopping for new kimonos, some sweets and—"

"shhh!! nobara, you weren't supposed to tell her that!!", satoru whispered.

kiyo sighed, meanwhile fushiguro made a face of disappointment, though he was not surprised, as his sensei has been like this since as long as he could remember.

"sator—"

"I know, I know!! it's just that I thought I could get you a few presents!! after all, my precious imōto always wears the same clothe—"

"kiyo-san!!", a voice called out, to which everyone had turned towards the dark-haired male with curiosity.

"ah, yoshino! what brings you here this early?", the lady smiled, her bright blue eyes immediately lighting up with delight.

"g-good morning. I'm sorry to bother you so early, but—"

"oho? who's this? how old are you? are you even an adult? you know kiyo doesn't like younger guys right?", satoru butted in, his arm hung protectively around his sister's shoulders.

"satoru, don't be rude", kiyo hushed, stepping forward as the arm around the girl had dropped.

sukuna only went back to his meal as he realized that it was another weak ass kid.

"don't mind him. he's my twin, gojō satoru. anyways, this is yoshino junpei", kiyo introduced.

"you already know megumi, but there's itadori, nanami, and kugisaki", kiyo said, pointing to each one as she purposely skipped sukuna, making him let out an offended grunt.

"and what about—"

"so what did you come here for?", kiyo asked, as this could count for revenge for when sukuna had told itadori that she was "begging" for him to protect them.

"o-oh...umm...I was just wondering if you would've liked to take a walk with me today...alone", yoshino embarrassingly squeaked out, to which satoru had raised a brow.

"did you not hear me? kiyo doesn't like—"

"of course I will! right now?", the girl asked, to which yoshino had nodded as he felt very uncomfortable with everyone staring at him, wondering who he was and what his relation to kiyo was.

"then let's head out now", kiyo smiled as she forced satoru to stay in place as she gestured for yoshino to walk out first.

the dark-haired male had quickly scurried out the door as kiyo glanced back, giving satoru a warning look before heading out.

"hey, fushiguro, who's that?", itadori asked.

"he's just one of the villagers that we met while we patrolled around the area", fushiguro stated.

"oh".

sukuna then hastily stood up as he was about to follow the two until he felt a hand on his shoulder. about to snatch the mystery person's wrist, satoru only waved with a grin plastered on his face.

"make sure you protect kiyo. after all, she said she trusts you".

sukuna merely scoffed as he leisurely strolled out the inn, to which nanami had questioned whether it was appropriate to leave the demon king roaming around the village or not.

"sensei, why'd you—"

"shhh....megumi, megumi, just let it happen", satoru hushed, to which everyone had decided to trust the man even though he was unreliably reliable.

∞

"so where are we heading to?", kiyo asked, to which yoshino had cleared his throat as he fidgeted with his fingers and the sides of his raggedy kimono.

"well...I was hoping you'd meet one of my friends, but before that...I wanted to take you to this place that I always go whenever I need some peace and quiet", yoshino answered.

sukuna, who was standing on some of the bricks of a random person's roof had squinted his eyes as he tried to locate the shy boy and priestess.

"your friend?", kiyo hummed as the two arrived by a small clear pond with the shadows of the nearby trees looming over it.

it was genuinely peaceful and beautiful, a paradise, if you will.

though nothing was as pure and ethereal as the lady herself, with her naturally photogenic face that seemed quite relaxed for once.

a soft smile had made its way onto yoshino's face as he watched kiyo gently rub her right eye, brushing back and forth her pearly white lashes.

"I like it. it's very soothing here", kiyo commented, to which yoshino had wished, 'if only the world was as kind as her'.

"that's why I like it here...it...helps me calm down whenever things go sour", yoshino said.

"is it hard living here?", kiyo asked.

"it's definitely not the easiest", the dark-haired male slightly chuckled.

sukuna crossed his arms as he leaned against one of the further away trees, though he was still able to listen in as he waited for a certain demon to make his appearance.

"mm...how about becoming a shaman?", kiyo suggested.

"you and your mother can reside at the gojō household since there's no one but satoru and I living there. and you can go on missions with megumi and them and return later in the day", kiyo offered, to which this had seemed a bit too surreal to the boy.

"after all, I see some potential in you", the girl smiled.

"but it's not easy work being a shaman though...since death is applicable at anytime", kiyo warned, to which yoshino had desperately wanted to agree.

it was a chance of a lifetime and he'd be able to make more friends with people who are willing to accept him. plus his mother and him wouldn't necessarily have to live in poverty anymore.

what better deal was there?

sukuna didn't understand why kiyo had offered to help the boy, as they weren't even that close, at least according to him.

the male never understood doing something for others, as he was always on the receiving end of things.

though sukuna could care less, as he was bound to kill the priestess with his very own hands.

"I—"

"oho? is there room for one more?", a teasing voice had asked, as a male with dark clothing had emerged from the shadows, making kiyo internally curse herself for not bringing her arrows and bow at all times.

"m-mahito..."

"you know him?"

"he's the...friend..that I had mentioned", yoshino guiltily replied, to which he had watched the blue-haired male inch closer to the two.

"indeed, and it's such a pleasure meeting you, gojō kiyo".