Geto didn't know what he actually liked.
When he was on missions with Gojo, he'd never felt so lost.
But Gojo kept moving forward — farther and farther ahead — until eventually, Geto felt completely left behind. Until finally, he couldn't even tell who he was anymore.
"Why did you say that kind of thing? Aren't you afraid he'll take it the wrong way?"
In a quiet restaurant, Yuki happily chewed on her Mexican chicken wrap while asking Jinsuke.
"Compared to what you said, my words are way less misleading" Jinsuke shot back, rolling his eyes.
What was wrong with telling a kid to do what he liked? Not everyone was born to save the world, and besides — most people didn't even have the ability to.
"Too harsh! All I did was share my own thoughts. How is that misleading?" Yuki argued.
In her mind, their little talk was nothing more than an exchange of ideas. The choice was Geto's alone. She believed that even a special-grade sorcerer in confusion would eventually make a choice he wouldn't regret.
"Heh"
Jinsuke just gave a short laugh. Normally, sure—mere conversation shouldn't have that much impact.
But the kid was still just a teenager. With everything piling up on him, even a few words could become the fuse to an explosion.
Still, it wasn't Jinsuke's concern.
As a special-appointed teacher, he'd said what he needed to. He had fulfilled his duty — barely. Whatever came of it wasn't something he cared to follow.
"Oh, by the way" Yuki said casually between bites, "I'll have to owe you the money for now. Funds are a little tight. I'll pay you back later."
Jinsuke's cheek twitched. He knew it. She was just as slippery as him.
So this whole trip was for nothing—no money collected, and instead he ended up paying for her meal. All he'd gotten was a chance to scratch his motorcycle itch.
"Where've you been mooching meals lately?" Yuki asked the question she was really curious about.
"Don't talk nonsense. Do I look like the kind of guy who lives off women?" Jinsuke replied without so much as a blush.
Yuki narrowed her eyes. "Don't tell me… you've actually reformed?"
"I'm a special-appointed teacher at Jujutsu High now. I don't need to mooch anymore."
If anything, not mooching was returning to bad habits.
"Pfft—don't make me laugh!" Yuki doubled over in her seat."You don't take missions, same as me. That tiny Jujutsu High salary — does it even come close to what you used to pull in a single day?"
She just couldn't believe that a man who'd lived off others for seven or eight years could suddenly "reform". Once you'd tasted easy money, there was no way you'd settle for scraps.
Jinsuke didn't bother arguing—just ate his meal calmly.
"…Wait, you're serious?" Yuki finally noticed his unshaken expression.
Her eyes widened. This didn't look like the greedy man she knew.
But Jinsuke only said that he had never been greedy for money. He simply needed it to fund certain things abroad—like a little gambling for fun.
But that part of his life was over, at least for now.
"So that means…" Yuki's eyes lit up. "I have a chance?"
"Huh? A chance at what?"
She leaned forward, big eyes fixed on him.
"If I remember right, you're twenty-six now? Which means by the old count you're already twenty-seven, practically twenty-eight. You're almost thirty!"
"That old and still single? That won't do. So—have you thought about getting a girlfriend? Why not consider me?"
Yuki pressed her hands to the table and leaned in close, batting her eyes at him.
If she could land this man, she could even resume her original research plan. After all, once they were a couple, she could freeload off his body and avoid spending money.
Two birds with one stone!
Jinsuke frowned, staring at her mischievous eyes.
"Don't think you can dodge paying me back. I'm telling you now—you're not getting away with it."
He could see right through her. First she wanted a free meal, and now she was eyeing his body? This woman was trouble!
"Aw…" Yuki let out a sigh. "Can't believe you saw through me."
"Idiot."
She cursed him in her heart as she went back to chomping on her chicken wrap.
After freeloading her dinner, Yuki hopped back on her little motorcycle and waved goodbye.
"See you! Don't miss me too much!"
She came and went like the wind—off again to chase her idea of saving the world.
But in her heart, she had already decided: if Jinsuke still didn't have a girlfriend the next time she came back, she'd use force.
He might be strong, but she was a special-grade sorcerer. Taking down a guy without a technique? Child's play.
Watching her leave, Jinsuke sighed. Getting that money back was going to be difficult. He had no idea she had already marked him as her target.
And so, his life returned to peace once again.
But it wasn't long before he heard the news: Suguru Geto, special-grade sorcerer of Jujutsu High, had massacred an entire village.
Even with Jinsuke's little butterfly-flap interference, the event hadn't been prevented.
The higher-ups branded Geto a curse user and sentenced him to death.
As for Geto's choice — Jinsuke didn't pay much mind. He just went back to his daily, peaceful routine.
In the courtyard, Jinsuke balanced a several-ton boulder on his shoulders, squatting rapidly as steam poured off his body. He looked like a man fresh from a boiling sauna.
"Whoa—cousin turned into Steam-Man! Amazing!"
Mai clapped excitedly from a distance, eyes sparkling, mouth open wide in awe.
Beside her, Maki was imitating her future master, lifting a wooden plank and squatting along with him.
She hadn't formally become his disciple yet, but to learn faster, she came almost every day to study his movements, carefully observing how her cousin had grown so strong.
Mai had sworn never to step foot in this yard again. But her sister ignored her pleas and kept sneaking in to train here.
And without her sister, Mai felt too lonely — so she forced herself to come too.
At first, she only dared peek from afar. Then she watched her sister train with Jinsuke. And now, she wasn't scared at all.
She had come to realize this man wasn't a monster in human skin — he was her cousin.
And unlike the others, he never bullied them.
That was enough to change her tears into admiration.
Because as long as she and her sister were here, no one dared lay a hand on them.
To Mai, that alone was enough to make her idolize him.
"What's this 'Steam-Man' nonsense? Say that again and I'll eat you."
"Bleh, bleh, bleh! Mai's not scared at all!"