At dusk, the Mirai Cottage.
Servants from the Zenin family set the prepared meal onto the dining table before promptly returning to the estate. They were not staff from Jujutsu High—once they delivered the food, they had to leave immediately.
Mirai, White Zetsu, Maki, and Mai.
Three humans and one curse sat together once more after two years.
White Zetsu, like a picky eater, used his chopsticks to sort through the dishes.
As he picked at the food, he complained,
"You sisters really are something—neither of you is honest."
He plucked out a fine piece of beef, stuffed it into his mouth, and smacked his lips in evaluation.
"Maki… Maki is too stubborn, and a bit dull."
"You care so much about the looks of those idiots in your clan, yet you completely ignore how much Mai depends on you."
"And Mai—you're overly sensitive and suspicious."
"All because Maki didn't take you with her when she left, you assumed your sister abandoned you and joined Kyoto alone—"
White Zetsu picked a chili pepper out of the dish and flicked it straight into the caterpillar's mouth, shaking his head.
"You two clearly care about each other, yet you insist on acting like enemies."
"White Zetsu!!"
Mai glared at him, her face flushed red—whether from embarrassment or anger was unclear.
If Mirai hadn't been sitting there, she might have already pulled out her gun.
Maki frowned.
"Just eat your food and stop talking nonsense."
White Zetsu spread his hands and shoved his bowl and chopsticks straight into the caterpillar's mouth.
"I'm a curse—why would I eat food?"
Mai glanced cautiously at Mirai's calm expression, then turned back to White Zetsu, gritting her teeth.
"If you know you're a cursed spirit, then stop shamelessly judging human emotions!"
White Zetsu shrugged with a grin.
"I don't understand human emotions."
Mai: "Then you—"
White Zetsu: "But I didn't come up with those evaluations. Future told me."
The sisters: "...!"
Silence.
Their eyes froze for a moment before drifting toward Mirai, neither of them speaking.
They could argue with White Zetsu—but if those words came from Mirai...
It wasn't just that they lacked the courage to refute him.
Faced with the truth of those evaluations, they didn't know how to argue back.
"Eat."
Mirai spoke calmly, his earlier smile gone.
He wasn't unhappy—he had simply dropped the mask.
The sisters lowered their heads and continued eating, though their gazes occasionally met for a brief instant before quickly pulling away.
After the meal.
"Mirai, I'm going to train with Panda and the others."
Seeing him nod, Maki glanced at Mai before leaving the house.
"Mirai, I'll head out too," Mai said softly.
"The school still needs to gather to discuss the exchange event."
As Mai's figure disappeared, White Zetsu suddenly spoke.
"Mai, why not drop out and return to the Zenin family?"
Hearing this—
Maki looked at White Zetsu in shock, then at Mirai who was reading on the sofa.
She asked cautiously,
"Is that your idea… or his?"
White Zetsu pointed at himself.
"Idiot."
Mai cursed lightly and waved at him.
"If you miss me, just call. If not, I'll come see you."
Outside the house.
Mai let out a long breath, patting her chest.
She had been afraid that suggestion came from Mirai. That would've made things too difficult.
Even though she joined Kyoto out of spite…
After two years, she didn't want to abandon her companions so easily.
Back in the living room.
Mirai glanced at White Zetsu.
"Seems like you care more about that girl than I do."
"Is that a problem?" White Zetsu flopped onto the sofa, crossing his legs.
"I watched them grow up. Are cursed spirits not allowed to have feelings?"
Mirai flipped a page.
"Get it straight—they watched you grow up."
White Zetsu grinned.
"Close enough."
Then his tone shifted.
"Why didn't you come earlier today? That gorilla almost killed me."
Mirai glanced at the six purple markings beneath White Zetsu's eyes.
"Don't forget your technique—you're not that easy to kill."
"Besides, I had just returned to Jujutsu High."
White Zetsu blinked.
"You actually left the house? That's rare for a shut-in."
Mirai took out a cube-sized box from his Kamui space and tossed it to him.
"During the exchange event, when things get chaotic, plant that."
White Zetsu opened it and pulled out a long nail wrapped in talismans.
"A commissioned barrier?"
He recognized it immediately—Juzo often forged things like this.
Mirai spoke calmly,
"There's a barrier pre-arranged by 'Brain' inside. Your cursed energy is enough to activate it."
That was why Mirai had gone out earlier—to meet with that man and retrieve it.
White Zetsu pocketed the nail, excitement creeping into his expression.
"So we're making our move during the exchange event?"
Mirai shook his head.
"It's part of a binding vow for mutual benefit. Just plant it and stay away."
Originally, this task should have been handled by Juzo.
But now, Juzo was still busy crafting cursed tools at the Zenin estate.
During their previous meeting at the Kamo family residence, "Brain" agreed to help afterward.
In exchange, Mirai would set up the barrier during the exchange event.
"Isn't the event monitored?" White Zetsu asked seriously.
"If Kyoto's sorcerers surround me, and there's cursed energy residue left at the scene—how are you going to deal with that?"
"If they don't find an intruding sorcerer, the higher-ups will immediately suspect the students inside."
"Worst case, I'm the first suspect. Then that pink-haired gorilla."
Mirai remained calm.
"When the time comes, a special-grade cursed spirit from Brain's side will act."
"You just plant the barrier in the chaos."
"As for your residuals—I'll erase them before Satoru Gojo enters."
The barrier sealed in the nail was likely meant to prevent Gojo's entry.
That would give Mirai plenty of time to clean up the traces.
Flipping another page, Mirai smiled faintly.
"There's already a traitor among the students working with Brain."
"By the time they trace anything back to you, everything will already be settled." White Zetsu grinned.
"So you've planned everything. Then just watch me perform."
The morning of the exchange event.
The sunlight was perfect.
Golden rays filtered through the trees and curtains, casting dappled light across the room.
Seated with his back to the light, Kento Nanami flipped through a newspaper.
Satoru Gojo lounged on the sofa, arms draped over the sides, legs crossed, muttering softly:
"Nanami… what do you think would happen if I just killed that fake-smiling guy?"
Nanami paused.
"The 'fake-smiling guy' you're referring to… is Mirai Zenin, who currently works at the school?"
Gojo waved a hand lazily.
"Yeah."
A hint of surprise flickered in Nanami's eyes.
"Please don't make such horrifying jokes."
"I've only just returned to Jujutsu High. I'd rather not lose my job so soon."
Gojo lowered his head, his tone turning more serious.
"I'm not joking."
"If I kill him during the exchange event…"
"What would happen?"
Realizing Gojo wasn't joking, Nanami frowned deeply and thought for a moment.
"The jujutsu world…"
"…would fall into chaos."
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