The clock's ticking was a relentless metronome, each second dragging like a cursed spirit through molasses. You slumped at your desk, cheek smushed against the cool wood, staring at the chalkboard where Principal Yaga had scrawled a math problem so convoluted it might as well have been an ancient curse.

Who decided Jujutsu sorcerers needed to solve for x?

Across the room, Itadori was doodling what looked like a cursed spirit with a top hat in his notebook. Nobara was sharpening her nails—literally—with a cursed tool, and Megumi had his head down, either asleep or meditating. You couldn't tell.

"Psst."

You turned. Gojo was perched on the windowsill, sunglasses glinting, a bag of jellybeans in hand. "Need a lifeline?" he whispered, tossing a candy at you.

You caught it mid-air, raising an eyebrow. "Aren't you supposed to be teaching this?"

He grinned. "I'm supervising. Big difference."

Yaga's voice boomed. "Gojo. Out."

Gojo pouted but vanished in a swirl of teleportation, leaving behind a single jellybean on your desk. You popped it into your mouth, the burst of sweetness doing little to ease your existential dread.

Cut to a fantasy sequence:

You, in a hero cape, battling a giant cursed spirit shaped like a calculator.

Izuku and Class 1-A cheering you on from the sidelines.

Gojo, inexplicably, narrating like a sports commentator.

"Y/N!"

You snapped back to reality. Yaga was glaring at you, chalk in hand. "Care to solve the equation?"

You glanced at the board. The numbers swam like cursed energy.

"Uh... Domain Expansion?"

The class erupted into laughter. Even Megumi cracked a smile.

SCENERBEAK

The classroom emptied, the chatter of students fading into the hallway. You stayed seated, head resting on your arms, the weight of sleepless nights pressing down like a low-grade curse.

Itadori Yuji lingered, his usual bright energy dimmed by concern. He crouched beside your desk, his pink hair catching the sunlight like a halo. "Hey," he said softly, "you doing alright? You seem... off."

You lifted your head, meeting his warm brown eyes. "That's because I am off, Itadori," you admitted, voice barely above a whisper. "I haven't been able to sleep lately."

He frowned, tilting his head like a puppy trying to solve a puzzle. "Nightmares?"

You hesitated. How could you explain the echoes of UA, the phantom laughter of Class 1-A, the way your dreams twisted into memories of a life that felt just out of reach? Instead, you shrugged. "Something like that."

Itadori's expression softened. He plopped into the seat next to you, leaning back with his hands behind his head. "Y'know, when I first got here, I couldn't sleep either. Too much weird stuff happening, y'know? But..." He grinned, sudden and bright. "Nobara and Megumi helped me through it. And now we've got you, too."

You blinked, caught off guard by his earnestness. "Itadori..."

He stood abruptly, offering you a hand. "C'mon. Let's grab some food. Nobara's been raving about this new café downtown, and I'm pretty sure Gojo-sensei left his credit card in my bag by 'accident.'"

You couldn't help but laugh, the sound surprising even yourself. "You're terrible."

"And you're smiling," he countered, pulling you to your feet. "Mission accomplished."

You gave Itadori a soft smile, the kind that made his eyes widen and his cheeks flush pink. "Thanks," you said, leaning in to press a quick kiss to his cheek before turning to leave.

Itadori froze, his hand flying to the spot where your lips had brushed his skin. "Wha—?!" he stammered, his face now the color of Nobara's favorite scarf. "H-Hey! What was that for?!"

You didn't answer, already halfway down the hall, a faint smirk tugging at your lips. Behind you, you could hear him muttering to himself, something about "unfair" and "why's my heart racing?!"

Cut to the training grounds:
Gojo Satoru was waiting, his usual grin plastered across his face. Beside him stood Geto Suguru, looking far calmer than he had the day before, though his sharp eyes still held a hint of mischief.

"Hey, Y/N!" Gojo called, puffing out his cheeks like a child. "Ready to train? Or are you too busy stealing hearts?"

You rolled your eyes but couldn't suppress a smile. "I guess," you said, shrugging. "What's on the agenda today? More cursed energy drills? Or are we finally learning something cool?"

Gojo clapped his hands together, his sunglasses sliding down his nose just enough to reveal those piercing blue eyes. "Oh, we're doing something very cool. Geto here has a special lesson planned."

Geto stepped forward, his voice smooth but laced with a challenge. "Let's see if you can keep up, Y/N."

You smirked, cracking your knuckles. "Try not to cry when I outshine you both."

Gojo laughed, throwing an arm around your shoulders. "That's the spirit! Now, let's see if you can back up that big talk."

Geto moved first, his arm swinging out in a fluid arc aimed at your shoulder. You dipped your head, instincts sharp, and blocked it with your forearm, the impact reverberating up your arm.

"Good," Geto hummed, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "But don't get cocky."

You didn't respond, already shifting your weight. With a quick pivot, you swept your leg out, catching Geto behind the knee. He stumbled, his balance faltering for just a moment, but it was enough.

Gojo erupted into laughter from the sidelines, clapping his hands like a proud parent. "Well done, Y/N! Geto, you're losing your touch!"

Geto shot him a glare but quickly refocused on you, his smile turning sharper. "Not bad," he admitted, brushing imaginary dust off his sleeve. "But let's see how you handle this."

He raised a hand, and the air around him shifted. A faint shimmer of cursed energy coalesced into a small, shadowy figure—a low-grade cursed spirit. It lunged at you, its form flickering like a bad signal.

You sidestepped, your own cursed energy flaring to life. The spirit hesitated, as if sensing the power radiating from you, and you took the opening. With a swift motion, you dispelled it, the spirit dissolving into a wisp of smoke.

Gojo whistled. "Look at you, showing off!"

You smirked, wiping your hands together. "What can I say? I'm a fast learner."

Geto nodded, his expression approving. "You've got potential. But don't get too comfortable. The real challenges are still ahead."

Gojo slung an arm around your shoulders, his grin wide. "Yeah, yeah, enough with the serious talk. Let's celebrate with snacks! My treat!"

You rolled your eyes but couldn't hide your smile. "You just want an excuse to eat junk food."

"Guilty as charged!" he chirped, already dragging you toward the school gates.