(Third Person POV)
[Jujutsu High, Tokyo, Three Years Ago]
Maki Zenin was sitting down on a log, a bored expression on her face, when Panda approached her.
"Maki, Gojo is running late for the exchange event." Panda said, Inumaki walking up behind him
Maki scoffed, "Typical." She said, looking to the side, "At least Utahime-san is punctual."
In front of them, her First-Year juniors were stretching as they prepared for the Exchange Event. Maki's group consisted of Megumi Fushiguro, Nobara Kugisaki, Yuji Itadori, Panda, and Inumaki. She was focused on Itadori, whom she was aware was Sukuna's Vessel.
"What do I have to expect from this thing?" Yuji asked as he was stretching, "Do I punch and kick people?"
"Tuna." Inumaki called over
"Inumaki is right." Panda said, "We got that covered already."
Nobara looked at him, "Yea, like you?" She said, "I think Yuji can handle it better. Right, Fushiguro?"
"Yea, something like that." Megumi said as he looked at Maki, "Senpai, everything okay?"
Maki had a serious frown on her face, "Yes."
Megumi simply stared at her, "Hm....."
Panda slid over to Megumi and the others, "She's been sulking for a few days now." He whispered to them, "With what's going on with her Clan and all."
Megumi raised an eyebrow, "The Zenin?"
Nobara's ear perked up, "Oooh, gossip?" She leaned in, "Tell me more, tell me more!"
"That's quite rude." Yuji frowned
"Well, I hear her brother was getting married." Panda whispered, "So maybe she's sad she can't attend the wedding."
"Brother?" Nobara said, "I thought she only had a sister, that one girl we saw that one time."
"Mai-senpai." Megumi said, "She is her twin, but Maki-senpai has an older brother."
"Oooh, is he cute?" Nobara smirked smugly
"Mayo." Inumaki said
"Yea, Inumaki is right. He is good-looking." Panda said, "I've met him once, he is rather cool-looking and handsome. But he is veryyyyyyyy scary."
"Scary?" Nobara said, "How so?"
"Scarier than Maki-san?" Yuji asked, glancing over at her, "That's tough to beat."
"Kaito-san is tense, I admit." Megumi said, "You would expect someone who is Maki-senpai's brother to be-"
"Hey!!" Maki exclaimed, "Shut up!!"
They all shuddered and stepped to the side, looking at her with nervous smiles, with the exception of Megumi who simply frowned
Maki stood up and pointed at them, "Mind your business, dammit!!" She glared at Panda, "Don't be telling them my family's business, Panda!!"
"Sorry, Maki." Panda said, "But you are sad about Kaito-san's wedding, right?"
"That shouldn't concern you!" Maki exclaimed, "My brother's business is his own, okay?"
"I heard he was engaged to your cousin for a long time." Megumi blurted out, "What's that about?"
"Whoa!" Yuji said with surprise, "Seriously??? What's that about?"
"Cousin marriages?" Nobara asked, "What is this, the old times? Well, it makes sense since the Great Houses or whatever are traditional."
"Megumi, shut up." Maki scowled, "Don't worry about that."
"Man, I'm glad I'm not part of the Zenin Clan." Megumi said, "Otherwise, I would be worried about marrying a cousin."
"Probably Maki or Mai." Panda chuckled, "But you would like that, wouldn't you?"
Maki punched Panda in the stomach, buckling him down to the ground, "I said shut the hell up!!"
"whoa!" Yuji and Nobara shrieked
Panda was coughing, "S-Sorry!"
Maki looked at the rest, "Alright, yes. I have an older brother, but we don't speak much anymore." She said, pointing at Megumi, "And you, don't worry about what Kaito does, alright? The affairs of the Zenin clan does not concern either of us."
Megumi shrugged, "I guess so."
"And yes, he's marrying our cousin." Maki said, "An engagement that was placed in effect a long time ago."
"How old is he, if you don't mind me asking." Nobara asked, "He's your older brother? Would he be a Third Year?"
"He's not part of Jujutsu High." Maki said, "He's three years my senior, my older brother."
"So 19?" Yuji asked, "I think."
"Yes, now don't worry about anything else." Maki said, "Focus on the damned event!!"
"Oh, sorry for the tardiness!!" a voice said gleefully, "I just got back from the Zenin Estates!"
They turned to see Gojo skipping over to them, a wicked grin on his face.
"Gojo-sensei." Yuji said with a smile, "You're back."
"Oh yes, oh yes." Gojo reached them, "I went to go and see my favorite Zenin member, haha~"
"Oof, that's gotta hurt." Panda said, "I thought Maki was your favorite."
"Second favorite." Gojo smirked, "Although, if you count Megumi, she is-"
"Shut up." Maki said with a scowl
"Maki-chan~" Gojo teased, "Your Onii-san is getting married, wouldn't you like to go see him? After the event, I can take you. The Zenin Clan wouldn't do anything to you if I am there."
"No, thank you." Maki said, "I don't need you for that."
"That's right~" Gojo chuckled, "Kaito-kun would protect her little sister with fierceness!"
"Oh, my." Nobara said, "How lucky, she has a protective older brother."
Maki's eye twitched, "I'm getting irritated." She said,
"Would you all shut up?!"
***********
Shortly after the Event's battle, both schools gathered in a clearing in order to take their breaks. It was Tokyo's school that ended up winning due to Yuji's decisive battle against Aoi Todo, leaving Todo to forfeit and giving them the victory.
This angered his classmates, but he didn't care.
Now, they were gathered around in a clearing, given drinks and snacks by Utahime and Gojo.
"Field trips are nice," Gojo said as Utahime was giving a juice to Kamo
"Yea." Utahime said, "Almost makes you forget that these kids have a burden on them."
Gojo looked over at Maki, who was sitting alone in the distance, "Hm.." He said, glancing at Mai, who was sitting next to Miwa, "How's your Zenin doing?"
"Mai?" Utahime asked, "She's fine, why?"
"Kaito-kun is getting married." Gojo said, "Maki seems off about that."
"Oh. I did hear that." Utahime said, "You think I should go and congratulate him? He was a kind boy back when he was younger."
"Your presence will irritate Naoya, she's quite the jealous one." Gojo smirked, "But that would be entertaining to see."
"Hm...." Utahime said, "Mai seems fine with it, though. It's their brother, they should be happy about the marriage."
"Not a family like this one." Gojo said, "But oh well."
Over to Maki, Miwa was walking up to her. She looked up to see that the young girl was looking at her with a nervous smile.
"What is it?" She asked with a bored look
"I...uhm..." Miwa said, "I hear your older brother is getting married."
"Yea, so?" Maki asked
"Congratulations, I guess...?" Miwa said, "I'm sorry, I am quite a fan of Kaito-san. I remember when he was taking lessons from my Mentor."
"Hm." Maki said, "Good for you."
"I.....well...." Miwa said, flustered
"Don't bother." Mai walked up to them, "Maki doesn't care about any of that."
Maki looked at her sister, "Says you." She said, "You are vocal about your hatred for Kaito."
Mai narrowed her eyes, "Tch..." She said, "I never say I hate him."
"You hold grudges, Mai." Maki said, "You always avoided him."
"What, Mai-san???" Miwa said, "Why would you avoid him?"
Mai rolled her eyes, "Our prodigy brother is a pain in the ass." She said, "Always high and mighty. He unsettles me, the way he stands there quietly and stares into nothingness, with a tense aura. Sure, he's a skilled swordsman and jujutsu sorcerer, but he's an emotionless creep."
Maki frowned, "Don't call him that."
"It's the truth." Mai said, "When has Kaito ever shown a shred of emotion to you, Maki? He's always been that way."
Maki stood up, "You know damn well why he's like that." She said, getting defensive over this, "You know well! Kaito.....!"
"Kaito, what?" Mai said, "You know that he doesn't care about us in the slightest, which is why he didn't bother to invite us to the wedding."
"It's not like that!" Maki exclaimed
"Oh my." Miwa said, "I feel like I started something bad."
"Gossip?" Yuji and Nobara slid over, their ears perked up
"What the hell?" Todo walked over, annoyed by the ruckus, "What the hell is going on? I hear Kaito-san's name being thrown around. Who's talking shit?"
Maki glared at her sister, "Don't blame Kaito for your misfortunes." She said, "It's not his fault the two of you share the same Cursed Technique but he has the cursed energy to even utilize it properly."
"You dare accuse me of blaming Kaito for misfortunes?" Mai's eye twitched, "When you were the one who lashed out at him for letting the Clan Head keep you as a Grade 4!"
"Oh boy." Yuji said, "Maybe this is not for us to be snooping in."
"Hmph." Todo had his arms crossed, "Anyone who dares slander Kaito Zenin should be reprimanded."
"You know him, Todo?" Yuji asked
"Of course I do." Todo nodded, "He's a Special-Grade 1 Sorcerer whom I have gone on jobs with. He's very formidable, and we share the same taste in women, to an extent."
"Oh yea?" Yuji asked
"He likes them short, busty, and with a nice ass." Todo said, "We apprecia-"
"SHUT THE FUCK UP, TODO!!!" Both Mai and Maki smacked him simultaneously, bringing him down
"T-Todo's down!" Yuji said as he immediately crouched down to help him
Utahime looked at Gojo as this unfolded, "You're going to do something about this?" She asked, "They're getting in a brawl."
"They're lively, aren't they?" Gojo chuckled, "That's good."
"Let them live a little."