In the stands, just before the sparring match commenced.
Satoru watched the upcoming bout between Touya and Suguru with keen interest. When she and Touya had faced off during the ritual duel before the clans, they were both children; furthermore, since they already understood each other's innate techniques, there had been little need for a raw physical brawl. Consequently, this was the first time she would truly witness Touya‘s prowess in close-quarters combat.
"Even at a glance, they both look like they know how to throw a punch. Of course, neither of them can hold a candle to yours truly."
As Satoru indulged in her habitual self-praise, Shoko—exhaling a cloud of cigarette smoke beside her—simply shook her head in weary resignation.
"Right, right. You're the best, Gojo."
"Naturally! Because I‘m the strongest."
Observing Satoru‘s shoulders swell with pride despite her blatant sarcasm, Shoko let out a hollow laugh.
'Is she really this simple-minded?'
"You said you‘re his childhood friend. What‘s he actually like?"
"Touya? He's the best! When we were kids, I used to head over to the Zenin estate two or three times a week. Every single time, he‘d greet me with a smile and play along with whatever I wanted to do."
"No, I didn't mean that..."
"And he always said it was more fun with three people than two, so he‘d call his sister out to play with us. Touya is incredibly soft-hearted when it comes to his siblings. His sister, Naoya... she's a total brat, right? Completely spoiled and selfish. But Touya gives in to her every whim and lets her have her way. He cherishes his family. Among them all, he takes the best care of Naoya."
'I was trying to ask if he could actually fight... but hearing that, this Naoya girl sounds exactly like this idiot Satoru. Does Touya see Gojo as just another younger sibling he needs to look after?'
"Besides, the way he talks is just so gentle. We‘re friends, but I imagine that‘s what having an older brother would feel like. I like that he just smiles and lets everything slide, no matter what nonsense people say."
"Yes, yes. Fine. Now let‘s just watch your 'big brother' fight."
"He‘s my friend, not my brother."
Realizing that Satoru would continue listing Touya's virtues indefinitely if she didn't intervene, Shoko cut her off and focused on the sparring ring. As she tuned out Satoru‘s grumbling, she hummed thoughtfully to herself.
'Hmm. Based on the description, he sounds like a remarkably kind and considerate guy. He‘s reasonably cute, too... tall, lean... Not bad at all. Well, I‘ll see more for myself soon enough.'
Pushing those thoughts to the back of her mind, Shoko watched the match, using Satoru‘s incessant chatter as background noise. She felt a flicker of genuine surprise when Touya seized Geto‘s fists to pin him in place, only to deliver a brutal headbutt.
'That‘s not the fighting style of a Young Master... he looks more like a street brawler. No, he looks like a straight-up delinquent.'
Curious about his combat philosophy, Shoko questioned Satoru.
"Hey, Gojo. Does he always fight like a thug? Because that move was pure thuggery."
Satoru looked equally perplexed.
"Um... no. He used to be much more formal and structured. Come to think of it, I haven't fought him since our ritual duel years ago, and I haven't seen him practice his martial arts since then. Maybe his style shifted as he grew up?"
"Hmph. I see."
'He‘s usually so mild-mannered, but does he transform once he starts fighting? That has a certain charm of its own...'
As she fell deeper into her thoughts, the battle drew to a close. Touya dropped his center of gravity, lunging forward to catch Geto‘s face with a flying knee. Shoko watched as he stood over his fallen opponent, flashing a V-sign and a bright grin toward the stands.
"Never mind. He‘s just another nutcase."
Judging by the way Suguru lay sprawled on the ground, Shoko sighed and prepared to descend to provide medical aid via Reverse Cursed Technique. However, she froze momentarily when she saw Touya initiate the healing himself. After a brief pause, she approached him.
"Whah? I thought you said you couldn‘t use Reversh Cursed Technique."
Shoko didn't bother correcting her slurred speech, caused by the cigarette still clamped between her teeth. Touya let out a small chuckle.
"It's not that I can use it; my shikigami can. I‘m just borrowing its power to fake it. I still haven't grasped the actual logic of the technique myself."
"Hmph... is that so? Whatever. Study it hard anyway and take some of the workload off my shoulders. Doing this alone is exhausting."
Sensing Satoru sprinting toward them at high speed, Shoko realized a collision was imminent. She gave Touya‘s shoulder a quick pat and stepped aside. Seeing Touya simply stare at her, seemingly oblivious to the white-haired projectile closing in from behind, she winced.
'If they collide like that, he‘s going to be seriously hurt.'
Sure enough, Touya was leveled by a tackle that looked like a professional spear. His head struck the ground with a sickening thud, and he lay there motionless, looking for all the world like a corpse. Satoru, unaware of the damage she‘d caused, clung to him happily until Shoko spoke up.
"Why don't you actually look at your friend's face?"
Only then did Gojo realize Touya‘s condition and let out a horrified shriek. Shoko sighed.
"Let's move him. You, pick him up and carry him over there."
Without a word of protest, Gojo hoisted Touya—who was a good twenty centimeters taller than her—over her shoulder and moved him to the soft grass. As Shoko prepared to treat him, a mischievous thought struck her.
'If I give him a lap pillow while I heal him... I wonder what kind of face Gojo will make. She seems quite fond of this guy. And... I think I might actually enjoy it too.'
Surprised by her own sudden boldness and feeling a flush of heat in her cheeks, she maintained a facade of clinical indifference. She knelt down and settled Touya‘s head onto her thighs. Predictably, Gojo began to howl.
"Why?! Why do you have to be in that position to treat him?!"
'Because I want to see you react exactly like that... not that I can say that out loud.'
"It‘s more comfortable this way. The healing flows better."
"That makes no sense! How does changing your posture make the technique faster?!"
'Tch. Unexpectedly, she‘s actually making a valid point.'
"Have you ever used Reverse Cursed Technique? No? Then shut it. Actually, since you're the one who did this, go over there, kneel down, and hold your hands in the air."
Gojo looked ready to rebel, but as soon as Shoko blamed her for Touya's state, she pouted and raised both hands, though she stopped short of actually kneeling.
With the scene finally quieted, Shoko went to light the cigarette in her mouth, only to realize a patient was inches from her face. She settled for merely holding it between her lips.
"If he were a normal person without cursed energy, that impact would have killed him instantly. I think there‘s a crack in his skull."
Shoko gave the flinching Gojo a frigid glare before placing her hand on Touya‘s forehead and channeling Reverse Cursed Technique. She felt the injuries knitting back together. As the energy flowed, she took the opportunity to scrutinize Touya‘s face at close range. Long eyelashes, eyes that slanted gently downward, and surprisingly soft-looking lips.
"He‘s actually much more my type than I thought..."
"Huh? What did you say, Shoko?"
"Nothing. Keep your hands up."
"So mean, Shoko! Your treatment of me is atrocious!"
Ignoring Satoru‘s whining as usual, Shoko continued the healing process while lost in a daze, staring at Touya‘s features. Eventually, Satoru crept closer and began shouting to wake Touya up.
"Touya! Get up already!"
"Idiot. A patient doesn't just wake up because you yell at them."
Satoru ignored her, shouting even louder.
"Hey, I saw his eyebrow twitch! Get up, come on!"
"There‘s no way. You‘re seeing things."
Contrary to Shoko's expectations, Touya actually opened his eyes. Despite her surprise, seeing Touya‘s face flush as he registered the soft sensation beneath his head made her want to tease him.
"Stop pretending and get up. I know you know it‘s a lap pillow."
"I don't think I'm fully healed yet. Can I stay like this a bit longer?"
"If you don't get up, I‘m putting this cigarette out on your face."
With a playful wink and a cute but effective threat, Shoko forced the lingering Touya to his feet.
"Thanks for the treatment, Shoko. Though you didn't have to go as far as providing a lap pillow."
Shoko spoke with a sliver of genuine honesty.
"I just wanted to treat you that way."
"What...? Sorry, what was that?"
Looking at Touya‘s flustered, crimson face, Shoko thought to herself.
'He really is a bit cute.'
"Just kidding. Look at Gojo's face. It‘s hilarious."
Shoko pointed at Satoru as if it were all a prank.
'Not a total lie, since that was at least half the reason.'
Seeing Satoru‘s face twisted in an absurd grimace, Touya let out a faint laugh and seemed to accept the explanation. After finishing their conversation with Satoru and Suguru, Touya made to head toward the dormitories, but a car pulling up to the main gate caught his attention.
"Is someone scheduled to visit? Who is that?"
"Probably one of the seniors," Satoru replied.
As Touya suddenly sprinted toward the car, the others began to follow at a slower pace.
"What‘s the deal? Does he know them?"
"Who knows? Why is he running like that?"
Shoko and Satoru had very different reactions when they saw Touya reach the upperclassman—a girl dressed in miko attire—and pull her into a tight embrace.
"He‘s got quite a few girls around him, doesn't he...?" Shoko muttered, feeling a slight sting of surprise.
"Urgh... who the hell is that? Why is he hugging her like that? Did he have another childhood friend I didn't know about?!"
As Satoru grumbled in jealousy and sped up her pace, Suguru walked calmly beside Shoko, offering his own observation.
"I have a feeling things are going to be very interesting as long as we're around Touya."
"Oh, yeah? I suppose so," Shoko replied half-heartedly.
Seeing her distracted nod, Suguru thought to himself.
'And I suspect you‘ll be at the center of a good many of those interesting scenes.'
When they finally caught up, Touya introduced everyone to his senior. Noticing the easy familiarity between them, Shoko mused privately.
'The way they talk... they‘re clearly close. Don't tell me he seduced this senior, too?'
She watched with a strange sensation as the girl then turned to speak with Geto.
"I‘m Suguru Geto. Please, feel free to be casual with me."
"Ah, Geto. Please take good care of our Touya."
'Hmph... she sounds like a guardian. Like a woman briefly entrusting her boyfriend to someone else's care.'
Ignoring Satoru‘s dissatisfied grunting, Shoko stared at Touya‘s back with a peculiar smile on her lips.
'You're quite the popular one, Touya.'
========================
The website for reading paid chapters is available on my Patreon. The number of chapters on Patreon: 45
Link: patreon.com/UltraMagnus_T