Chapter 30: Pretty (and Poisonous) in Pink
The sharp sting of sunlight through the classrooms window was an unwelcome contrast to the lingering taste of Hokkaido. Fushiguro and I stood stiffly in front of his desk, I was still half-dreaming of that night with Nobara. Gojo's smile was a familiar one, all white teeth and playful crinkles around the eyes, but the tension in the air was as thick as summer humidity.
"Glad you two could make it so bright and early," he drawled, leaning back in his chair with that irritating casualness of his. "How was Hokkaido?"
Fushiguro grunted a noncommittal response, while I settled for a non-incriminating shrug. Gojo's grin widened, a predator sensing weakness in its prey. "I'm not even going to ask what you were up to. Especially you, Kaito." He paused, the silence stretching just long enough to make us uncomfortable. Then, he dropped the bomb. "Sakura Girls' Academy. Ring any bells?"
I blinked, trying to dredge up a memory of the name. Fushiguro spoke up. "Elite private school. Heart of Tokyo. Ridiculously high tuition, even for the standards of Jujutsu families."
Gojo nodded, tapping his fingers against the polished wood of his desk. "Exactly. And lately, things have been getting... interesting."
Suddenly, a message I haven't seen in a while flashed before my eyes
[Special Quest Alert: Eradicate the Cursed Object lurking within Sakura Girls' Academy
Rewards: 100,000 XP, Special Grade Sorcerer Status
Time Limit: 8 days]
Hm, well not like I wasn't gonna do this anyways. Plus, becoming special grade according to gojo gives your certain privileges so I quickly accepted the quest and continued the conversation.
"Interesting how?" I asked.
"Let's just say the ladies of Sakura are experiencing a... surge of teenage angst. On a scale that would make a cursed spirit blush."
"What, like catfights over boys and drama with the mean girls?" Nobara's voice chimed in from the doorway, making me jump. I hadn't even heard her come in.
Gojo chuckled, a sound that sent shivers down my spine. "Something like that. But with a bit more... bite." He gestured for Nobara to take a seat beside us. "There have been reports of intense jealousy, unhealthy competition, and a sudden obsession with unrealistic beauty standards. A few students have even started exhibiting... unusual abilities."
Fushiguro raised an eyebrow. "Unusual?"
"Think Mean Girls meets The Ring," Gojo replied. "It's a nasty cocktail of adolescent angst mixed with cursed energy. Our theory is that there's an object somewhere on campus, feeding on those negative emotions and amplifying them."
The weight of the situation hit me. This wasn't some petty squabble. This was real danger, the kind that could warp minds and twist souls.
"So," Nobara spoke up, a gleam in her eye, "what's the plan?"
"Oh that's simple." Gojo tossed a folder onto the desk, filled with information on Sakura Academy. "You two," he said, pointing at me and Fushiguro, "are going undercover as experimental transfer students from an all-boys school. Your mission: blend in, investigate, find the cursed object fueling this mess, and neutralize it. Discreetly, of course. We don't want to cause a panic among the student body... or their parents."
Nobara's eyes narrowed. "Wait... so it's just them? What about me?" A hint of worry flickered across her face, but it was quickly masked by her usual bravado. "I'm not just gonna sit around twiddling my thumbs while they're off playing dress-up."
"Don't worry, Nobara," Gojo reassured her. "You have your own special assignment. You'll be working with Maki, sharpening your combat skills. Consider it a training camp before the Goodwill Event."
Nobara crossed her arms. "If it's about combat skills, why not send Maki and me to this fancy school? We could kick some cursed butt and be back by lunch."
"Ah, but that wouldn't be nearly as entertaining, now would it?" He leaned forward, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "Besides, I'm sure your boyfriend can handle a den of ravenous, rich girls his own age. Don't you?"
Nobara's cheeks flushed a shade of pink that would make any cursed spirit proud. She sputtered, "W-what are you implying? I know Kaito can handle himself!"
I coughed, unable to keep quiet any longer. "Gojo, are you trying to get me killed before the mission even starts?"
Gojo chuckled, unfazed by my outburst. "Of course not, Kaito. I have complete faith in your abilities. But let's be honest, a little distraction never hurt anyone. And besides," he paused before continuing, "think of the possibilities, Kugisaki. This could be the perfect opportunity for some good old-fashioned jealousy training."
Nobara sputtered again, this time a mix of indignation and something else I couldn't quite decipher. Was it... worry? I reached for her hand under the table, squeezing it reassuringly. She gave me a grateful look, the pink in her cheeks deepening.
Fushiguro cleared his throat, drawing our attention back to him. "Can we get back to the mission briefing?" he asked, his voice laced with a hint of amusement.
Gojo chuckled again. "Of course, Megumi, always the voice of reason. But just remember, Kaito," he said, his tone turning serious, "this is a dangerous mission. Don't let any distractions, no matter how cute or tempting, compromise your objective."
Oh he was definitely trying to get me killed, but I wouldn't let Gojo's teasing get to me. I had a job to do, and I wouldn't let anything, or anyone, get in the way of that.
Gojo tapped the folder. "In here you'll find your fake identities, schedules, and all the juicy gossip on Sakura Academy's social hierarchy. Pay attention – those cliques can be vicious."
"Fantastic," Fishiguro muttered under her breath.
"Your primary objective is to locate the cursed object," Gojo continued. "It's likely small, easily concealed, and radiating a distinct energy signature. You'll need to be observant, discreet, and resourceful."
"Sounds simple enough," I said, reading through the debrief.
He chuckled. "Remember, this isn't some low-level curse we're dealing with. This thing is messing with the very fabric of these girls' minds. You need to be careful."
Fushiguro and I exchanged a glance, nodding in understanding. We wouldn't make the same mistakes we did in Hokkaido.
"Now," Gojo said, clapping his hands together. "Any questions before you embark on this thrilling adventure?"
I raised my hand. "Just one. What's the dress code for Sakura Academy?"
Gojo's grin widened. "Oh, that's the best part, Kaito. You get to wear a school uniform."
My smile faltered. "A... skirt?"
Gojo nodded, barely containing his laughter. "A very cute skirt, I'm told."
"You've gotta be kidding me," I groaned.
"Oh, come on," Nobara chimed in. "It'll be fun! Embrace your inner schoolgirl, Kaito!"
This mission, infiltrating an all-girls school to hunt down a curse, was so far out of my comfort zone it might as well have been on another planet. And the fact that I had to do it in a skirt? Let's just say I was less than thrilled.
But duty called, and I wasn't about to let a little thing like gender-specific uniforms stop me. So, I found myself holed up in the library with Fushiguro, pouring over every scrap of information we could find on Sakura Girls' Academy.
The school's layout was a maze of corridors and classrooms, each one filled with potential hiding spots for a cursed object. And the social hierarchy? It was like a minefield of cliques and rivalries, with the popular girls reigning supreme and everyone else scrambling to stay in their good graces.
As we dug deeper into the timeline of the strange incidents, a pattern started to emerge. The jealousy, the obsession with beauty, it all seemed to center around one girl: Akira Tanaka, the queen bee of Sakura Academy.
I rubbed my eyes, the words on the page starting to blur together. "We need to get close to this Akira girl," I said. "She's the key to all of this."
Fushiguro nodded, his brow furrowed in concentration. "Agreed. But we can't be too obvious about it. We need to blend in, make her think we're just another pair of harmless transfer students."
"Piece of cake," I said. "At least one of us has charm to spare. These girls won't know what hit 'em."
Just then, a familiar voice entered the library. "Yo! How's the studying going?"
I looked up to see Nobara leaning against the doorframe, her arms crossed and a smirk on her face.
"Oh, you know," I said, leaning back in my chair and lacing my fingers behind my head. "Just figuring out how to make all these rich girls fall in love with us. The usual."
Nobara's smirk faltered, a flash of something that looked suspiciously like worry crossing her face. "About that," she said, pushing off the doorframe and sauntering over to the table. "You sure you're gonna be okay, being the only rooster in that henhouse? I know how... persuasive you can be."
I laughed, reaching out to pull her into my lap. She let out a squeak of surprise, but didn't resist. "You know you're the only one for me," I said, nuzzling into her neck. "No amount of short skirts and batting eyelashes could ever change that."
Nobara huffed, but I could feel her relaxing into my embrace. "They better not," she grumbled, her fingers playing with the hair at the side of my neck. "Or I'll show them just how 'persuasive' I can be."
I chuckled, pressing a kiss to her collarbone. "I don't doubt it," I murmured.
Fushiguro cleared his throat, and I looked up to see him pointedly avoiding eye contact. "If you two are quite finished," he said, his voice dry as the Sahara, "we have work to do."
I sighed, giving Nobara one last squeeze before letting her stand. "Duty calls," I said, my tone only half-joking.
She leaned down to press a kiss to my forehead, her eyes soft and filled with an emotion that made my heart skip a beat. "Be careful," she whispered, her breath warm against my skin.
I grinned up at her. "Always am."
She rolled her eyes, but I could see the smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "Liar," she said fondly, before turning to leave. "Don't forget to pack your cutest panties!" she called over her shoulder. "You'll need them to blend in with all those rich bitches!"
I laughed, shaking my head as she disappeared from view. "That girl," I said, a note of wonder in my voice.
Fushiguro just sighed, finally looking at me. "We'll be fine," he said. "We've faced worse than a bunch of gossiping teenagers. Plus, they were lying about us having to wear skirts."
"Damn straight," I said, cracking my knuckles once more. "Let's do this."
We spent the rest of the night preparing, memorizing our cover stories and the school's rules and regulations. I was Kaito Nakamura, a transfer student from Minsai Boys' Academy in Kyoto. Fushiguro was Megumi Sato, my quiet but brilliant classmate.
The next morning came all too soon, the sun barely peeking over the horizon as we loaded our bags into the car. Nobara was there to see us off, her eyes still heavy with sleep but her smile no less radiant.
"You boys behave yourselves," she teased, punching me lightly on the arm. "And if any of those girls give you trouble, just remember: I've got dibs on kicking their asses."
I laughed, pulling her in for a quick hug. "I'll keep that in mind," I said, breathing in the scent of her shampoo one last time.
Fushiguro cleared his throat, already seated in the passenger side. "We should get going," he said, his voice still rough with sleep. "Don't want to be late on our first day."
I nodded, reluctantly pulling away from Nobara. "Duty calls," I said, giving her a mock salute.
She rolled her eyes, but I could see the fondness in her gaze. "Go get 'em, tiger," she said, giving me a gentle shove towards the car.
The drive to Sakura Academy was shorter than I expected, the towering gates of the school looming before us in what felt like mere minutes. As we pulled up to the curb, I could feel my heart starting to race, the reality of our mission finally sinking in.
"You ready for this?" I asked Fushiguro, my voice coming out a bit shakier than I intended.
He nodded, his face set in a mask of determination. "As I'll ever be," he said, reaching for the door handle.
We stepped out of the car and into a sea of curious stares, the students of Sakura Academy already gathering to catch a glimpse of the mysterious new transfer students. I could hear the whispers starting to circulate, the girls' voices rising in a excited buzz.
"Oh my god, are those the new boys?"
"They're so hot!"
"I heard they're from some super elite school in Kyoto..."
Beside me, Fushiguro looked like he'd rather be anywhere else, his shoulders hunched and his gaze fixed firmly on the ground.
"Relax," I muttered, giving him a subtle elbow to the ribs. "Just pretend they're all Nobara."
That earned me a glare, but I could see some of the tension easing from his posture. "Let's just get this over with," he grumbled, adjusting his grip on his bag.
We made our way through the crowd, ignoring the whispers and giggles that followed in our wake. As we reached the front steps of the school, a figure emerged from the shadows, her smile as bright and sharp as a knife's edge.
"You must be the new transfer students," she said, her voice dripping with false sweetness. "I'm Akira Tanaka, student council president. Welcome to Sakura Academy."
Up close, Akira was even more stunning than her pictures had suggested, her long black hair gleaming in the morning light and her porcelain skin practically glowing. But there was something about her eyes, a coldness that belied her warm smile, that set my nerves on edge.
"Kaito Nakamura," I said, forcing a grin onto my face. "And this is my buddy, Megumi Sato. We're thrilled to be here."
Akira's smile widened, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "I'm sure you are," she purred, her gaze raking over us in a way that made me feel like a piece of meat on display. "I can't wait to show you all that Sakura Academy has to offer."
As Akira led us into the school, chattering away about our schedules and extracurriculars, I couldn't shake the feeling that we were walking into a lion's den. The girls around us watched our every move, their gazes ranging from curious to calculating to downright predatory.
I shot Fushiguro a look, hoping to convey my unease without words. He gave me a tiny nod, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the hallway for potential threats.
We were in enemy territory now, and we both knew it. Every step, every word, every glance could be the difference between success and failure. And with the stakes this high, failure wasn't an option.
I straightened my shoulders, my earlier bravado returning in full force. We were jujutsu sorcerers, damn it. We'd faced curses and monsters and things that would make these girls run screaming for their mommies. We could handle a little high school drama.
Of course, I kept those thoughts to myself as Akira showed us to our classroom, her voice still dripping with that sickly-sweet venom. No need to show my hand too early.
As we stepped into the room, a hush fell over the gathered students, their eyes wide and curious as they took in the sight of the new boys.
I flashed my most charming smile, the one that always made Nobara get flustered and call me an idiot. "Hello, everyone," I said, my voice ringing out clear and confident in the sudden silence. "I'm Kaito Nakamura, and this is Megumi Sato. We're excited to be joining you all at Sakura Academy."
And with that, the game was on. Let the investigation begin.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone