[Main World Timeline]
[Three Days After the Shibuya Incident]
[Tokyo Jujutsu High Temporary Base]
[04:47 AM]
Yagami Sora abruptly opened his eyes.
He sat upright in bed, breathing heavily.
Cold sweat drenched his back.
His bangs clung to his forehead.
His heart hammered violently against his ribs.
It was a dream.
Just a dream.
He slowly looked around the room.
Against the wall, Megumi Fushiguro slept sitting upright.
Even in sleep his brow was furrowed.
One hand still gripped the hilt of his weapon.
Nearby, Nobara Kugisaki had collapsed across the table.
Her hair was a mess.
A small line of drool hung at the corner of her mouth.
At the door sat Maki Zenin.
Her naginata rested across her lap.
Even while resting, she maintained a vigilant posture.
Guarding the room.
They were alive.
All of them.
No one had been shot through the head.
No one had been impaled through the chest.
No one had been cut in half.
There were no corpses.
No manic laughter from Sukuna.
This was his world.
The world where he had changed the course of events.
The door opened quietly.
Yuji Itadori stepped inside.
He carried a steaming cup of tea.
When he saw Sora sitting up, he paused.
"Sora-nii?"
"You're awake?"
Yuji's voice was slightly hoarse.
Dark circles lingered beneath his eyes.
But the warmth in his expression remained unchanged.
"Bad dream?"
Sora looked at him.
Really looked at him.
This boy had carried Sukuna within his body.
Had borne the weight of countless deaths.
Yet he still chose to live.
Still chose to keep moving forward.
In the nightmare Sora had just witnessed—
Yuji had died.
Completely devoured by Sukuna.
Even his soul erased.
But now he stood here.
Holding a cup of tea.
Simply asking:
"Bad dream?"
"…Yeah."
Sora accepted the cup.
His fingers touched the warm rim.
"It's warm."
Yuji sat down beside the bed.
For a moment he said nothing.
Then quietly spoke.
"I get nightmares too sometimes."
"About that day in Shibuya."
"I dream about Sukuna using my body…"
"…to kill people."
"I dream about Satoru Gojo being sealed."
"I dream about Nanami."
His voice stopped there.
He didn't continue.
After a moment he forced a small smile.
"But when I wake up and see everyone here…"
"I think it's okay."
"It's okay because Sora-nii is here."
"It's okay because we're still alive."
Sora remained silent.
Holding the cup of tea.
Watching the faint dawn slowly brighten the sky outside the window.
After a long while he finally spoke.
"…Yeah."
"It's okay that I'm here."
In that nightmare—
He hadn't existed.
But in this world—
He did.
And that was enough.
Soft footsteps sounded in the corridor.
Carefully concealed.
Almost silent.
But Yagami Sora's perception never failed.
"Come in."
He said without turning around.
"Standing in the cold hallway isn't comfortable."
The door slowly opened.
Choso stood there.
A faint thread of dried blood wrapped around his fingertip.
The lingering trace of his Blood Manipulation tracking technique.
Now the thread was dim.
Like a burned wick.
He didn't look at Sora.
He looked at Yuji.
"Brother?"
Yuji stepped forward instinctively.
"When did you get here?"
Choso didn't answer.
He stood silently.
Like a statue.
Yuji's gaze drifted to the faded red thread.
Then to Sora.
Understanding dawned.
"…You came…"
Yuji murmured.
"…Yes."
Choso's voice was low.
"To kill him."
Yuji froze.
Words stuck in his throat.
Choso stared at his fingertip.
"Eso and Kechizu…"
He said quietly.
"…killed seventeen people."
"Students."
"Office workers."
"Old men."
"I never asked them why."
"I was afraid they would say yes."
"And I was even more afraid…"
"That even if they admitted it…"
"I wouldn't know what to do."
Yuji looked at him.
At the man who had once hunted him.
Now standing there like a lost child.
"Brother…"
"I know he was right."
Choso continued.
Looking toward Sora.
"If it had been me…"
"I might have made the same choice."
"Maybe even worse."
A bitter smile tugged at his lips.
"The Death Painting Wombs were experiments."
"From the moment we were born…"
"We were cursed."
"Eso and Kechizu had no choice."
"Neither did I."
"But now…"
He looked at his empty hand.
The blood thread had snapped during the night.
"Now I do."
He looked at Yuji.
This boy who called him brother.
The boy who should have been his enemy.
"You called me big brother."
Yuji nodded.
"Yeah."
"You really mean that?"
"Of course."
Yuji replied instantly.
"You're Choso-nii."
Choso stood silent for a long time.
Then—
He did something no one expected.
He walked toward Sora.
Lowered his head.
"…I'm sorry."
Sora finally turned to face him.
There was no mockery.
No pity.
Only calm.
"You don't need to apologize."
"I killed your brothers."
"That's a fact."
"If someday you still want revenge…"
"You can come anytime."
He paused.
"But when that day comes…"
"I won't hold back."
Choso shook his head.
"I won't."
"It's not forgiveness."
He struggled to explain.
"I just…"
"…don't want to lose anyone else."
He glanced at Yuji.
"Eso and Kechizu are gone."
"I don't want to lose this brother too."
Yuji's eyes reddened.
He grabbed Choso's wrist.
"Big brother!"
Choso stumbled slightly.
But he didn't pull away.
"…Yeah."
Sunlight finally broke through the night.
Orange-red rays slipped through the curtains.
Lighting the room.
Sora leaned against the bed.
Quietly drinking the now-cool tea.
Yuji grinned like a dog that had found its owner again.
Still holding Choso's arm.
Choso stood stiffly.
But the corner of his mouth lifted—just slightly.
I'm not forgiving you.
I just don't want to lose any more family.
He never said those words aloud.
But as he crossed the threshold into the room—
He understood something.
He was no longer alone.
Sora placed the empty teacup down.
"Finished talking?"
Yuji turned.
"Yeah! Sora-nii, Choso-nii—"
"I know."
Sora stood up.
Pulling on a clean coat.
"Since you're here…"
He glanced at Choso.
"…don't just stand around."
"The base is short on manpower."
"Go help Ijichi move supplies."
"…What?"
"Didn't you hear me?"
Sora said flatly.
"Go carry supplies."
"This isn't a charity."
"Food and shelter aren't free."
Choso paused.
Then quietly nodded.
"…Okay."
Yuji struggled not to laugh.
"Big brother, I'll take you to Mr. Ijichi!"
"…Alright."
They walked toward the door.
Just before leaving—
Choso stopped.
Without turning around—
He said quietly.
"…Thank you."
His voice was so soft it almost disappeared in the wind.
But Sora heard it.
He didn't answer.
Yet as the door closed—
A faint smile appeared on his lips.
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