My Youth As A Sorcerer Sucks, Chapter 50.

Chapter 50: And Thus, She’s Still Busy With Her Business.

—OoOoO—

Sobu High, a top high school in Chiba, and one of the best in the Kanto region. Sobu High was academically oriented to produce students who could compete in the entrance exams for Japan's top universities. It wasn’t uncommon for international class students, who were filled with children of government officials and big businessmen, to go to the West to continue their education in search of life experience in a foreign country.

However, behind the school's brilliant achievements, no one would have thought that within it were hidden residents of a secret community, sorcerers, with significant influence in Japan and especially in Chiba.

“Seriously, how come there isn’t a single MAX Coffee left?”

The rotten-eyed young man stared intently at the transparent glass neatly covering the rows of canned drinks in the vending machine. His eyes kept scanning the rows, repeating them repeatedly to ensure he didn't miss his favourite coffee. However, no matter how long he glared at the machine, it’d never suddenly appear out of thin air.

“Well, whatever.”

The boy inserted the coins into the slot and immediately pressed the button for café au lait. The sound of a can falling caught his attention. With that, the jingle of the change confirmed that the transaction was complete.

Hachiman crouched down lazily. His right hand reached the hole to get the coins, while the other went for his canned drink.

A distinctive 'click' sound was heard as the can lid opened. Without further ado, Hachiman immediately took a slow sip of his coffee, enjoying the sweetness that danced on his tongue and the cool sensation that refreshed his throat. His eyes closed as if it stimulated his brain and relaxed his muscles. However, as he reached the last sip, his soul felt empty.

“I need more glucose intake.”

The boy repeated the steps from the beginning but bought two cans at once to quench his thirst. Anyone watching might think he was looking for diabetes with how much canned coffee he was consuming at once. However, what really happened was that Hachiman just wanted to get rid of the dark fog in his mind after more and more chaotic things happened to him.

'Because the higher-ups started to suspect suspicious activities that Gojo-sensei was doing, Hiratsuka-sensei accepted to temporarily house and hide Itadori as a condition for sealing her deal with him.'

Hachiman tried to summarise his conversation with Hiratsuka this morning.

'The reason Chiba was chosen is because the feud between the association and Hiratsuka-sensei has heated up due to Miura's case. As such, they’ll monitor Chiba more closely. However, since they want to avoid conflict with Hiratsuka-sensei as much as possible, they can only watch us from a distance.'

Hachiman was initially against the idea of ​​Yuuji temporarily staying at his house and having to share a room on top of that. However, what made him feel uneasy was the woman's grandiose goal involving Tengen.

—OoOoO—

Early in the morning, when only a few people had arrived at school, Hachiman and Hiratsuka were seen having a serious conversation in the counselling room. Along with them was a short woman with short hair and glasses adorning her face. She was Hikigaya Asuka, Hachiman's mother and the head of the Hikigaya family.

“What? So, you really want to destroy the Tengen Barrier? But why?!” the boy asked with wide eyes.

“Hachiman, lower your voice. It’s rude to shout in front of your teacher,” his mother immediately scolded him.

The boy turned his head, looking at the woman awkwardly. However, when he was about to respond, Hiratsuka had already beaten him to it.

“It's fine, Hikigaya-san. I have created a barrier in this room that prevents others from hearing our conversation."

"No, what I meant was his manners," replied the woman.

Asuka loved to spoil her children, and her love for her daughter was overflowing. Although she teased her son several times, she never scolded him for trivial things. However, one thing that the woman really emphasised to the kids was politeness and respect for those who had given them a lot of help in their lives. At that point, Asuka was quite strict about the character education of her children.

“No, no, no. It's totally fine,” Hiratsuka said, trying to defend her student, “Hikigaya-kun's reaction is completely understandable. He's still young. Hearing my statement must have given him a lot of worries.”

Hachiman, who suddenly became the topic of conversation, turned his face away to hide his embarrassment. However, the blush on his ears failed to cover up his feelings.

As Hiratsuka said, most people would be shocked, and it would even make sense if she got some negative responses. It was all within her calculations. Even so, Satoru and Asuka's calm reaction when she explained it yesterday showed their class as cool-headed adults who didn't rush into things.

“First of all, I would like to once again thank Hikigaya-san for offering to take in Itadori Yuuji even though it was actually my responsibility as the initiator of my agreement with Gojo-san.”

Hiratsuka ended her sentence by bowing politely, showing her sincere gratitude to the woman sitting before her.

“That’s why, at the very least, I need to explain the whole situation to Hikigaya-kun, and then give you guys some space to discuss before making a final decision.”

“Well, we discussed it last night, by the way. I got the gist of it, and decided to trust you. But hearing it from you would be appreciated,” the boy said.

Hiratsuka took a deep breath, letting the warm summer air bring her relief. The trust she received was like a warm light seeped into her soul's depths. Among the many brilliant achievements she had ever achieved, this trust felt more valuable. Moreover, she stood on the threshold of an ambitious project that dared challenge the traditional order.

“That’s surprising, I thought you would stubbornly refuse,” the woman replied honestly.

Of course, that made perfect sense, considering Hachiman's nature preferred peace over dealing with complicated things.

“Well, they should be considered me on your side from the start. And just like you always say you’re on the neutral side, but people keep linking you to Gojo-sensei, I’m sure no matter what I say, they’ll always think I’m on your side.”

Hachiman sighed, continuing his words.

"Besides that…,"

The boy seemed to leave his sentence hanging, leaving the two women in the room waiting for him curiously.

“No, actually, never mind. Please just forget it.”

Hachiman turned his gaze away again, pretending to be paying attention to something that wasn't there. The string of words lingering on the tip of his tongue sank again, buried by the sudden embarrassment that struck without warning. He tried hard to hide his anxiety, but his small movements, such as covering his mouth with his palm, couldn't completely hide his nervousness.

Hiratsuka and Asuka just smiled at the boy's cute reaction. Although they were quite annoyed because he swallowed his words and left them curious, the boy's silly behaviour was enough to cure their annoyance.

“I am very grateful and appreciative of all the support you, the Hikigaya family, have given me.”

Hiratsuka once again bowed, showing her sincere gratitude.

"Ah, no, no. I am the one who should thank you," Asuka replied quickly, "You have guided my son well and provided all kinds of help to my daughter. If there is a chance, I will return the favour for everything Hiratsuka-sensei has given us.”

Hiratsuka never intended to involve the Hikigaya family directly. The agreement she made was purely between herself and Satoru. In fact, when she contacted him, she never imagined that Asuka would come with the man and offer help.

Of course, with her closeness to Hachiman, whatever Hiratsuka does would eventually be linked to the boy, just like he said before. Even Hiratsuka had prepared several preventive measures to keep her students clean if her conspiracy was revealed.

However, with everyone openly supporting and trusting her, the woman would do everything to realise her plan and ensure the safety of those who had helped her get to this point.

“Very well. Since this morning is almost over, let's discuss some details that need to be noted further," Hiratsuka said with complete confidence and a bright smile.

—OoOoO—

'The thing is, Hiratsuka-sensei suspects that whoever is responsible for Haruno-san and Miura's awakening is also after the Tengen Barrier. It’s the foundation that allows Japan to have an abundance of sorcerers. So, with three cases of humans being awakened, the Tengen Barrier would be the main infrastructure if they wanted to do more.'

While reviewing this morning's short meeting, Hachiman walked down the corridor towards his clubroom.

'However, that's just a hypothesis without any solid evidence. It could be wrong, but it could also be right. Unfortunately, we've been outsmarted by them many times. And what's worse, they play it very clean, leaving almost no traces behind. Thus, waiting and confronting at the finish line with full preparation isn’t an option. If the perpetrator can fool the association, there's no other choice but to sabotage their plan.'

Hachiman took a deep breath, almost like a sigh stuck in his throat. With a lazy movement, he opened the water bottle and took a slow sip, hoping the liquid's freshness could bring more oxygen to his brain. His gaze remained flat, empty like an ocean without ripples. However, his mind was working nonstop, constructing various scenarios that might happen in the future.

Whether it was a form of caution or just his habit as a thinker, this time Hachiman felt trapped in a maze that made him feel like he was just going around in circles.

'Well, let's just leave that matter to Hiratsuka-sensei. For now, I need to make a lot of preparations to capture the cursed spirit that wants to infiltrate Tokyo Jujutsu High, and any traitors who help him.'

Hachiman still had unfinished business, something he took upon himself as he was convinced that Mahito, the cursed spirit who awakened Haruno, would appear on the scene. A finger of Sukuna found in the Yoshino family's residence was strong evidence to support his theory. A successful experiment he conducted with Satoru and Iroha showed that infiltrating the Tengen Barrier using the marker was possible.

With all the conclusions already formed, the only thing left was to finish their business once and for all.

Busy with his thoughts, his feet had brought him to the front of a classroom that was no longer used for anything other than club activities. Hachiman opened the sliding door nonchalantly without asking permission. Its distinctive sound was like a bell to signal the arrival of guests. However, no matter how loud the door made, the room's sole occupant seemed unmoved, as if it didn't bother her.

A girl with long black hair was seen standing on the edge of the room, her back to Hachiman, who was silent in the doorway. The open window let the summer wind blow into the room, bringing different scents but creating a unique harmony. The distinctive scent of the sea a few hundred meters away wafted into the room, mixed with the fragrance of brewed dried tea leaves. However, the most memorable was the scent of perfume, which refreshed the mood.

“Goof afternoon, Hikigaya-kun. It’s rare to see you in the club at this hour.”

The girl turned around gracefully, making her soft hair dance to the rhythm of the gentle breeze. Each strand seemed to have its own life, reflecting the bright sparkle that radiated from the blazing sun that shone proudly at the top of the sky. Hachiman, mesmerised all this time, felt his breath hitch. The girl's voice flowed softly, like a melody that could soothe the heart's anxiety. Every word that came out of her mouth seemed to bring calm, lulling him in a charm that was difficult to explain with logic.

His gaze met the girl's, making him see eyes as clear as jewels. Although no smile was etched on the girl's face, Hachiman couldn't look away. He just stood there, frozen in strange awe, like a child who was endlessly amazed by the beauty of nature.

“What's wrong? You don't want to take a seat?” the girl asked as she placed a cup of tea on the table.

Hachiman sighed when he heard the question.

“No, nothing.”

The boy went to the chair where he spent his time at the club. After placing a bottle on the table, he took a book from his shirt pocket and opened the last page he read. However, he didn’t expect when a teapot and a glass were suddenly placed next to his hands.

Hachiman reflexively turned his head, staring at the girl in surprise.

“What?”

“Tea. Don’t you want some?” the girl asked back.

“No, it’s not like that. It’s just surprising to see you looking so friendly, Yukinoshita.”

"Oh, is that so?" Yukino tilted her head, "Well, I feel sorry for you for some reason."

“What do you mean?” the guy asked sarcastically.

“You know, a lot of students are starting to use quiet spots in school as study spots to prepare for their final exams. I just thought you might feel alienated with your ecosystem of solitude being eroded.”

Hachiman's temple twitched when he heard the subtle mocking. His attention immediately fell on Yukino, and his eyes stared at the girl lazily.

“Huh? Do you think I’m a wild animal whose ecosystem is under threat or something?”

“Aren't you?”

Yukino replied with another question, but in an innocent tone, which only made her sound even more annoying.

However, as the girl said, the exams were starting next week, and a long summer vacation awaited. However, to enjoy such pleasures, many sacrifices had to be made so they wouldn’t have to retake exams in the summer. That was why, with the increasing number of visitors to the library, many people started to occupy peaceful and cool areas where Hachiman usually spent his time during lunch break.

Because of that, he chose to go to the clubroom, something he rarely did during that period.

"You know, actually I’m a generous man, who gives the poor people a place to fight for their right to a summer holiday," Hachiman proudly replied.

"You say that as if you are sure that your test score will pass passing grade."

“I’m not that bad, seriously. In fact, I’m really good at physics and Japanese literature, you know?” the boy replied confidently.

Hachiman had a cursed technique called 'illusion', which could manifest mind projections into illusions with certain setups. However, due to the influence of the environment, which made Gojo Satoru a role model, he also took an approach using physics to his cursed technique. As such, it gave him broad insight into the field.

“You’re really confident, huh?” Yukino asked with narrowed eyes.

“Well, physics isn’t that hard. As long as you understand the concepts and know how to do basic calculations like substitution and elimination, physics isn’t a scary subject. The same goes for Japanese literature. Most people will get hung up on the difficult kanji and the profound expressions. However, these questions are ultimately problems that can be structured in a pattern.”

Hachiman poured the tea Yukino had previously brewed into a glass and drank it all in one gulp.

“So, as long as you can see the pattern and understand it, getting an 80 is not difficult.”

Yukino was stunned by the answer as if she was at a loss for words for a moment. However, the girl soon sighed in resignation as she massaged her temples.

“You know that doesn’t solve the root, right? Even if it’s not all, you need to understand the material to solve the questions. Because if you only rely on patterns, there are times when it won’t work at all and there will even be a lot of tricky questions, which seem to fit the pattern, but actually have different solutions.”

“Hey, listen. Our teachers each only master one subject, while in the other subjects they are just meh. So, why do we have to master all the subjects? Don’t you know that a specialist in a certain field is much more valuable than a jack of all trades master of none?”

The increasingly heated debate filled the room with tension, making the air feel increasingly stifling. Yukino, who was initially engrossed in the book on her lap, closed it with a sigh. Her gaze then shifted, entirely focused on Hachiman. The woman observed her interlocutor sharply as if she did not want to lose in the word game.

"Please don't equate your reluctance to learn with those who have struggled to get to that level," the girl said.

Yukino saw Hachiman about to open his mouth. However, the girl immediately silenced him with her following words.

“Also, even if you want to specialise in one particular field, you need to learn other things to some extent to carve out your common knowledge. That’s why the Japanese education system doesn’t set a high passing grade so that students don’t have to study hard in subjects they don’t like and can focus more on other things according to their interests.”

As Yukino said, the passing grade in Japanese schools tends to be very low, between 30 and 40. When compared to neighbouring countries in the Asia Pacific and some developed countries in the Western World, that may seem very low. However, that standard was enforced so that students weren’t burdened with things that weren’t their interests from the start but still needed to form some common sense.

In short, if someone was more interested in history, they could devote themselves more to the subject without spending much time studying other subjects to pursue a high passing grade. In fact, those more interested in non-academic activities only needed to study enough without disturbing their focus on their activities. That way, the students' talents were easier to monitor and could be guided earlier towards a career according to their talents.

However, even though it had good intentions, there were still bastards who took advantage of the policy by being lazy in their studies without considering their interests and talents.

“You’re surprisingly passionate about this topic,” Hachiman replied after recovering from his speechlessness.

Hearing the question, Yukino's eyes widened slightly, not expecting the response she got. A faint blush appeared, so faint that it was almost undetectable to the eye. However, the girl quickly regained her composure. She tossed her long black hair back, like a young lady, and opened her book again.

“My father is a cabinet secretary. Every now and then I study the reviews he made on government policies and some laws to prove that I am ready to compete with Nee-san in any aspect. So, yeah, maybe I look passionate because I imitate what my father always does in his job.”

"Uh, alright," the guy replied speechlessly.

Sometimes, Hachiman forgot that the girl who always spent time with him was a princess from the number one family in Chiba, one of the conglomerates in Japan, and, of course, the daughter of a Cabinet Secretary who was the Prime Minister's right hand.

Even so, although Yukino's every movement always shows elegance and high class, she never showed excessive arrogance other than her rotten mouth, which could kill human souls. Moreover, with his time with Haruno in various situations, Hachiman became accustomed to the woman's presence without any difference in social status that made him low.

“Why is your reaction so weak?” Yukino asked with a sharp glance in her eyes,

“Huh? Weak? No, I mean, I was half joking, but I didn’t think you were that determined, Yukinoshita.”

Yukino looked up from her book and stared at the boy sitting at the other end of the table.

“Why are you surprised? Didn’t my sister ever tell you?”

“Haruno-san?” Hachiman replied spontaneously, “Not at all. Besides, why would she tell me about you?”

The girl lowered her head slightly, pinching her chin with her right hand. She seemed lost in thought as if realising something strange.

“That’s weird. All of her friends know me because Nee-san always tells them useless things.”

Hachiman's eyebrows raised at the explanation.

“Well, maybe because I'm not her friend?”

Friendship status was so ambiguous in his life. Claiming he didn't know how normal people started to become friends wasn’t an exaggeration. After all, Hachiman had never had a real friend until he entered Tokyo Jujutsu High. Even when he was there, their relationships were initially limited to comrades who fought on the same battlefield. In fact, he didn't realise how he and those people could become closer to the point where he could trust his back and to them.

“Don’t be ridiculous, don’t you and Nee-san have a thing?” Yukino asked.

“What do you mean?”

The girl didn't reply immediately and stared at those rotten eyes silently. Her sharp gaze, as if it could penetrate the soul. However, the girl didn't intend to explain until she turned her gaze back to the book on her lap.

“Aren’t you dating her, Hikigaya-kun?” Yukino asked without showing any concern.

“Huh? That again?”

Hachiman looked a little disturbed, with the corners of his eyebrows furrowed into a sharp angle. However, unlike the boy's reaction, Yukino was utterly unfazed and maintained calm composure.

“You two went to the Kyoto lats month, something Nee-san never did with her exes,” the girl replied.

Hachiman sighed softly as he rolled his eyes in boredom. It was annoying when someone was persistent on what they thought even though it wasn't entirely true. Unfortunately, even if Hachiman wanted to say that they went to Kyoto with Ieiri to confirm Haruno's position in the association, he couldn't just say it like that.

“Stop with your ridiculous assumptions.”

Yukino glanced at the boy sceptically. No words came out of the girl's mouth even though she was clearly still paying attention to him to some extent. With a soft snort, almost blending in with the wind, she reached for the cup on the table and took a slow sip of her tea. Her eyes were closed as if she wanted to get rid of the bad mood that had come over her.

'With all your denials, but you don't deny at all that you don't like her.'

—OoOoO—

Golden twilight began to decorate the western horizon, telling the world that the sun would return to its rest. The wind blowing from the coast brought coolness by removing the sultry air that had nested since noon. The school corridors became quiet, much quieter than they used to be. Many classroom doors had been closed, leaving almost no signs of life.

However, even though it was almost two hours after school, some people still remained.

“Are you really going home, Hikki?”

A girl with pink hair tied to the side seemed to ask a sincere question. Her gaze was a little pleading as if she was unwilling for the guy to leave.

“Hm,” the boy mumbled.

However, after tidying up some of his things on the table, Hachiman continued.

“If I had known that no one would come all day, I’d have gone home a long time ago.”

Of course, another girl was in the room beside the two teenagers, making the service club formation more complete. The president, Yukinoshita Yukino, sat at the head of the table.

“Well, like I said this afternoon. Next week the exams start, and people are more focused on studying for the time being. But you insisted to stay longer,” the girl said.

Hachiman, who was about to get up and prepare to leave, was stunned when that reply came out of the girl's mouth. He had prepared his words in case Yukino picked a fight, but the response he received wasn’t what he expected.

“That's because I didn’t expect Her Highness Yukinoshita to let me go easily," Hachiman said sarcastically.

The long black-haired girl glared, staring at the boy sharply. Her mouth seemed pursed as if she had things to say, but something held her.

“Go home if you want to go home. I don’t feel like dealing with you,” Yukino said curtly, “Just helping Yuigahama-san study is enough to drain my energy.”

Yuigahama Yui, whose name was suddenly dragged into the conversation, could only grin awkwardly while playing with her fingers. Her eyes looked away, not having the guts to make eye contact with the youngest Yukinoshita.

“Ehehehe…, sorry, I guess?” said the short-haired girl awkwardly.

Yukino took a deep breath. The air came out of her mouth as if carrying the fatigue accumulated in her head. Her slender fingers moved slowly, pressing her temples in hopes of calming the throbbing that was starting to attack. Her sharp and cold gaze seemed dim and tired, not because of a loss of spirit but because of the frustration slowly creeping up on her sanity.

“Hey, Yukinon, I’m not that bad, you know?”

However, it wasn’t Yukino who was about to answer the statement, but Hachiman.

“Yuigahama, admitting that you’re bad is the first step to success.”

“Hey, I’m really not that bad, you know! If only there weren’t so many foreign words in science, social, and history, I could definitely accelerate it! Not to mention the kanji are very difficult to remember.”

Hachiman rolled his eyes in boredom when he heard that reply.

“Yes, as if, huh?”

Without waiting for Yui's response, the boy stood up and walked to the door. He didn't bother to look back to see poor Yukino, who had to deal with Yui's stupidity. However, when his hand touched the doorknob, the boy lifted his head as if his selfishness had evaporated through the crown of his head.

“Well, see you.”

Hachiman opened the sliding door with that brief goodbye and stepped out without looking back. The atmosphere in the room seemed to change as soon as his figure disappeared from view, leaving only Yukino and Yui in the silence between them. Their gaze was fixed on the door, now tightly closed, as if still trying to catch traces of his presence slowly fading away.

There was no sound, no conversation. Only silence remained, infiltrating each other's thoughts. Yui turned her gaze to her phone, checking for any notifications that had come into it. However, the youngest Yukinoshita was still staring at the door, her eyes full of complicated emotions.

“What’s wrong, Yukinon?” Yui asked.

The black-haired girl closed her eyes briefly before quickly shaking her head.

“Nothing. I saw Hikigaya-kun with a woman, who might be his mother, coming out of the main building this morning. I was just wondering if something was bothering him,” Yukino replied.

Yui seemed silent, confused about how to respond. However, leaving the conversation like that would be awkward. Thus, the girl tried to change the topic.

“Ah, Yumiko said she was going home too. I was wondering if I could see her off since Hina already went home.”

“Yuigahama-san, please focus on your studies for now. Also, there’s no need to worry about those things because Miura-san has many friends to take her home.”

Yukino responded coldly and strictly, closing off the girl's possibility of escaping the situation. It might sound heartless, especially considering Miura Yumiko was absent for a few days last week. However, Yukino considered Yui to have priorities that must be prioritised.

“Uh, yes, ma'am.”

Hearing Yui's answer, Yukino felt a little guilty. However, she had no choice because Yui came to her to help her study, and the girl barely made any progress after almost two hours of learning together.

'But, isn't the soccer club still practicing? I thought Miura-san would stick to that guy,' the black-haired girl thought.

—OoOoO—

Yawning wasn’t always a sign that someone was sleepy or needed sleep. It could be because of other things, such as the person being bored or simply because they needed more oxygen to the brain. Like Hachiman, who was walking towards the main gate of Sobu High, the boy seemed to have yawned for the umpteenth time even though he had some good naps during the lesson.

"Are you good, Hikio?" asked a girl.

Beside him was Miura Yumiko, a blonde girl hiding in a light blue hoodie. They walked side by side quite casually through the quiet school's front yard without any student activity.

“I'm fine. Please don't mind me,” Hachiman said lazily, “But, what about you?”

“So much better.”

Yumiko paused for a moment, her gaze looking at the ground.

“Knowing what happened to me makes me feel relieved. At least I know I'm not crazy.”

The blonde girl seemed to repeat her sentence to fill her lungs with oxygen.

“However, seeing those creatures still makes me feel goosebumps. Are there really that many of them?” the girl continued to ask.

“Well, there are a lot of them, especially in Japan because of the Tengen Barrier. However, summer and winter are arguably the peak seasons.”

The muggy weather, the busyness of workers at the end of the second quarter, the pressure of facing exams, and many other factors make people express more negative emotions in this season than in the other two seasons, spring and autumn. Although many said that summer was a season full of joy, that mostly only applied to students. Even teachers were still struggling with piling work even though school was on holiday.

“By the way, why are you wearing a hoodie?” Hachiman asked, trying to change the subject.

“Why? Is there something wrong with it?”

Hachiman shrugged his shoulders indifferently.

“It's like, you look like you're hiding yourself so that other people don't see you walking with me since it’d be embarrassing.”

Yumiko immediately turned her head and glared at the boy. Her mouth seemed pursed, and her eyebrows were sharply bent, offended by the words she had just heard.

“What? Excuse me? I wore a hoodie because I wanted to avoid eye contact with cursed spirits as much as possible!”

Hachiman was taken aback when Yumiko sprayed him with those words. Of course, it was Hachiman's silliness that offended her.

Although Yumiko looked like a haughty girl on the outside, she wasn't a picky girl regarding friendship. In fact, she cherished her friendship with Hina, a girl who was crazy in her mind and still hung out with Yui, who was also close to her arch-enemy, Yukino.

“No, I mean, isn’t it natural for someone to avoid rumours so that the person you like doesn’t misunderstand?” Hachiman replied with a question.

Yumiko lowered her head with a sad look.

“Well, if Hayato was jealous because of this, I would be happy. However, I doubt he even cares about what I am doing right now.”

Yumiko's voice sounded soft, almost like a whisper carried by the wind. Every word on her lips seemed to be weighed down by heavy emotions, holding them in her throat. Her eyes looked sad, showing the waves of feelings she was trying to hide. Meanwhile, Hachiman could only curse his own stupidity. The careless words that had just come out of her mouth felt like a dagger that ruined the atmosphere.

“Well, look at the bright side. You’re now part of the jujutsu sorcerer. Hiratsuka-sensei will be in charge and training you directly. So, you won’t have time to think about those things.”

After yesterday's event, it was decided that Yumiko would be Hiratsuka's responsibility, unlike in Haruno's case, where Hachiman took that role. Also, for the time being, Hachiman and Iroha would take turns escorting Yumiko home.

The reason was simple, and it wasn't to protect Yumiko from intruders. Well, maybe that was also a consideration. However, the main concern was to maintain Yuhiko's mental stability. The last time she felt depressed, she blew something up and burned a man alive, making her feel guilty until now. If that happened again, Yumiko's pardon status would be revoked. That's why Hachiman was by her side now.

“You don’t have to comfort me, Hikio. I know Hayato loves someone else. It was the lady who was with us on our way back from Tokyo, wasn’t it? Yukinoshita’s sister.”

Hachiman glanced at the girl walking beside him, then turned away to reduce the awkwardness.

“Well, that’s how it is. At least, Haruno-san said so.”

As if something had cut her heart, Yumiko's chest felt sore when she heard those words. The voice echoed in her head, hitting her feelings like waves continuously hitting the rocks. She tried to swallow, but her throat felt dry. Her gaze was blank, staring blankly at the sidewalk where she was walking. She wanted to deny, ignore what the boy said, but reality had already scratched a wound that was difficult to heal.

“I knew it,” the girl muttered.

The unavoidable awkwardness silenced the two teenagers, ending their conversation. Hachiman had no intention of reopening the discussion. However, the silence tortured Yumiko even more. Aside from the fact that she was naturally an extrovert, the lack of conversation kept those words ringing in her mind.

As a result, the girl threw light topics out, filling the void in their journey. Things related to romance and the guy were forbidden. And without realising it, their footsteps had taken them to the station. However, something made Hachiman wonder until his eyebrows raised.

“Itadori? What is that brat doing here?”

Like a match made in heaven, the pink-haired boy turned to him. His smile widened as their gazes met. He waved his hand excitedly, and without anyone's consent, Yuuji jogged towards him.

“Hachiman-paisen!!”

Hachiman's expression immediately soured when the boy approached him. Meanwhile, Yumiko turned to him with a questioning look.

“Who is he? Do you know him?”

“It's a bit complicated, but in short, he's a freeloader,” Hachiman replied.

Not long after, Yuuji came with his face beaming. He immediately faced Hachiman, forcing the boy to stop in his tracks.

“How many times have I told you to stop calling me that?” asked the black-haired boy.

However, Yuuji ignored him and immediately bowed his body.

“Good afternoon, Paisen!”

Hachiman rolled his eyes in boredom while Yuuji turned his attention to Yumiko.

“Nice to meet you, Paisen's friend. The name's Itadori Yuuji. You can call me whatever you want.”

“Oh, nice to meet you. It's Miura Yumiko.”

“Miura… Yumiko?” Yuuji muttered, “Oh, you’re the rumoured girl?”

“You know me?” Yumikio replied in surprise.

The girl reflexively stepped back, hiding behind Hachiman while grabbing the boy's shirt sleeve.

“No need to worry. He’s an acquaintance of mine and you’re pretty much in the same boat,” the guy said.

“By the same boat, you mean….”

“Yeah, he was also originally planned to be executed by the association, but that was put on hold for now. And for some reason, Gojo-sensei entrusted him to my family and Hiratsuka-sensei to hide.”

Gojo, that was a name that was familiar to Yumiko. At least, on the way back to Chiba yesterday, she had been told the names of the big players in the Jujutsu Society, and Gojo Satoru could be said to be the centre of all Jujutsu civilisation in the modern era.

“I heard that you were awakened, but with a different method than Haruno Nee-san and Junpei, does that mean you are the same type as me?” Yuuji asked the girl.

“Uh… I'm not sure.”

In contrast to Yumiko's response, Hachiman stared blankly at the boy.

“Hey, cut that crap. What are you doing here?” the guy asked.

Yuuji immediately turned his gaze and looked at his senior with a bright expression.

“Oh, don’t worry, Paisen. I’ve done my job well,” the boy replied with a salute pose.

“That’s not what I asked, you idiot. Besides, if you don’t do your job seriously, I’ll kill you right now. So, better put your life in that.”

Yuuji, at least, isn't a free rider in the Hikigaya household. With some consideration, Satoru enrolled him in the same junior high school as Komachi to give the girl a little protection. Besides, after hiding Yuuji in the basement for a month, the man felt sorry for taking away the teenager's time to socialise with kids his age.

That's why, after analysing the situation and seeing that the association wouldn't touch Hiratsuka's inner circle after what happened, Satoru decided that the secret of Yuuji's death wouldn't be revealed as long as he continued to hide in Chiba.

“No, no. I understand the question very well, but I also wanna report that I escorted Komachi-san well!”

“Oh, you called her “-san”? Good, good,” Hachiman replied.

While the two boys exchanged words, Yumiko turned to Hachiman with a raised eyebrow.

“Komachi? Who is she?”

“My little sister,” Hachiman replied shortly.

“Huh? You sent someone to watch your own sister?”

Hachiman glanced at Yumiko with a bored look.

“About two weeks ago, there were two assassins who attacked her and she almost died because of that.”

“Oh, I’m really sorry for my ignorance."

For a moment, Yumiko forgot that the society she used to be in was very different from the world of jujutsu. Her mental block sometimes still tried to make her forget the trauma that almost killed her by a group of old men. However, hearing Hachiman's story made her realise again what her new world was like.

“Anyway, what about Komachi? There's nothing suspicious or she's not acting recklessly, right?”

“Oh, there's no such thing. She helps me get along with her friends even though I'm technically a year older and a high school student in disguise.”

Hachiman raised his eyebrows, wanting to confirm something. However, Yuuji showed no signs of stopping his story.

“Komachi-san invited me to hang out with her friends. And she didn’t get mad even though she knew you and Gojo-sensei asked me to watch her. Honestly, it really helped me with my work and my adaptation to this city.”

Yuuji seemed enthusiastic about telling his activities throughout the day, showing how refreshing it was to chat with children his age. Moreover, after suffering a mental breakdown over Yoshino Junpei's death, the only thing he needed was a new environment to heal his wounds.

However, Hachiman wasn't happy to hear the story. It wasn't because he didn't like seeing that boy happy. However, confirmation bias made him only pay attention to the words ‘hang out together’ and ignore the words ‘with friends’. As always, things related to Komachi made the siscon's brain die, so his logic didn't function properly.

However, when Hachiman was about to protest, Yumiko blocked him.

“By the way, are we going to keep standing here and talking? I’m afraid people will hear.”

The two boys stared silently at Yumiko for a moment until, finally, Hachiman spoke up.

“Rest assured. People don’t have time to pay attention to the ramblings of high school kids. Even if they do, they’ll probably just think of us as a bunch of chuunibyou.”

“Ugh… seriously,” Yumiko muttered.

It was annoying when others misunderstood her and thought she was crazy. However, in this case, she should be a little thankful because she wasn’t like that, but one of the unique, slightly unlucky people among other normal people. At least, that was Haruno's advice to stay positive in facing this completely crazy new environment.

Meanwhile, Hachiman ignored the girl's complaints. He stared at Yuuji with his lazy gaze. However, the boy's intensity was enough to signal the pink-haired boy to explain his arrival.

“Sorry for being so long-winded,” Yuuji said stiffly.

The guy coughed, cleared his throat and tried to shake off the awkwardness.

“Well, you know, I haven’t had a chance to meet this Hiratsuka-sensei since I arrived. I don’t know how to contact her either. While Gojo-sensei told me to thank her as soon as possible.”

Hachiman's eyebrows furrowed at the last sentence. And unconsciously, he cursed the white-haired man who always gave half-hearted instructions. However, he remained silent, waiting for Yuuji to finish his explanation.

“But Komachi-san said that you and your friends will be meeting her today. So, I thought I could tag along with you.”

Hachiman stared at the boy closely, straight into the eyes, looking for traces of other motives that might be hidden. But there was nothing like that from the start. Yuuji kept giving his innocent smile, a sincerity that was rare for those who had been contaminated by the world's rottenness.

The guy with the dead fish eyes sighed, giving up on himself, trying to find fault with the person he was talking to.

“Very well, let's go.”

Hachiman finally moved his feet again with that short reply without waiting for the other two. With his hands in his pockets, he nonchalantly left them behind but ensured his guard against Yumiko didn’t loosen. However, with Yumiko and Yuuji under his supervision, the boy wondered whether the pink-haired boy's involvement was just a coincidence or if someone was orchestrating it.

—To Be Continued—

Author Note: Hello, how do you do? I'm doing fine here. 50 chapters, huh? I didn't expect to get this far. And none of that’d have happened without your support. So, I’m truly grateful from the bottom of my heart.

So, this is a light chapter with a bit of plot. It was refreshing to write Yukino again even though I had to reread the novel to regain my impression of her. The next chapter will still be about the daily life of the Chiba people before finally entering the summer arc. For now, there's not much I can say other than that we won't get a lot of action scenes because I'm going to focus on this moment to deepen Hachiman's relationship with the other characters after the previous dozens of chapters were more inclined towards plot building.

Then, if you’re curious if Japan's passing grade is indeed that low, then the answer is yes. At least, based on my experience during my time living in Japan for a few years, schools in Japan do have very low passing grades. The main goal is simple, as they emphasise the learning process and understanding more than the pursuit of number. However, the real competition is the university entrance exam.

Well, that's all from me. Once again, thank you very much for your support so far. Please stay safe and see you in the next chapter.