The sun dipped behind the distant Tokyo skyline. Soft amber light bathed the rooftops of Jujutsu High. The clouds, slow-moving and brushed with orange and violet, bore witness to a moment that had long awaited its conclusion.
Gojo stood beside Yuta Okkotsu, arm draped casually over his shoulder like they were old friends—though their time together had only just begun.
"…And that," Gojo said with a grin, "was the story."
Yuta blinked.
"You're saying… all of that really happened?"
Gojo looked up at the sky, his smile laced with something that wasn't quite joy. "Every word."
Yuta exhaled slowly. "Amanai-san… she didn't deserve that."
"No. She didn't." Gojo's voice dropped a little. "But the world doesn't always care about what people deserve."
Yuta looked over at him. "And Geto?"
Gojo didn't answer immediately.
"…He was my best friend."
The silence between them stretched, filled only by the cicadas buzzing in the trees.
"I'll protect everyone," Yuta said finally. "I won't… let what happened to Amanai-san or Haibara-senpai happen again."
Gojo ruffled his hair. "That's the spirit."
"Stop that," Yuta groaned, brushing his hand off. "You're treating me like a kid."
"You are a kid. A powerful one, sure, but still—just a little fledgling sorcerer under my divine wing."
Yuta rolled his eyes.