Chapter 22: Acquaintance part two
Yuta, exhausted, sat down on the grass. They had spent the entire day training without using cursed energy, and he was completely drained. He glanced at his classmates—Toge seemed as tired as Yuta, while Panda and Maki looked as fresh as ever, as if the training hadn't affected them at all.
"Alright, I think we'll call it a day," Gojo said, waving goodbye to the students. "See you tomorrow, guys!"
Once Gojo left, an awkward silence settled over the group. Yuta hadn't interacted much with anyone his own age besides Megumi, so he wasn't sure how to break the ice.
Panda stood up and looked at the others. "Maybe we should go eat somewhere together to get to know each other better?"
Yuta glanced at Panda in surprise and thought, Panda's better at socializing than I am. That's something to think about.
To his surprise, Maki quickly agreed. "I don't mind, but I get to choose where we go." She stood up and started stretching, loosening up her limbs—after all, she'd worked the hardest during training.
Toge, on the other hand, shook his head to decline and said, "Okaka." Yuta understood him; they were both too tired.
But Yuta could fix that. He used reverse cursed energy to get rid of his fatigue. Maki didn't notice since Yuta didn't have any visible injuries, and reverse cursed energy didn't produce any noticeable external effects when healing fatigue.
However, Toge and Panda curiously turned their attention to Yuta as they felt the surge of cursed energy. The exhaustion disappeared from Yuta's face as if by magic. He stood up energetically and said, "Alright, I'm in."
Panda, not hiding his interest, asked Yuta, "Was that reverse cursed energy?"
Yuta nodded in confirmation. "Yes, it was."
Maki, confused, placed her hands on her hips and asked, "Care to explain what you're talking about?"
Yuta looked at Maki and started explaining. "We're talking about reverse cursed energy. It's used for healing the body, but it can also be utilized differently. For example, both Satoru-sensei and I use it to unlock the full potential of our cursed techniques," Yuta explained briefly.
Maki pondered this and said, "I think I've heard about it before. Isn't there a famous and only healer in our school?"
Hearing a familiar name, Yuta responded, "Yes, Ieiri-san is the only one who can use it on others."
Suddenly, Yuta had an idea. I should try using it on others too. It's strange I haven't attempted it yet. Looking at the tired Toge, Yuta approached him, squatted down, and said, "I can try it if you don't mind."
Toge shook his head to decline but then raised a thumb and said, "Shake."
Just as Yuta began, Maki interrupted him.
"Have you done this on others before? It could be dangerous," she asked skeptically, watching Yuta closely.
Yuta shook his head but confidently said, "It's my first time trying, but I'm sure it'll work."
Maki frowned at his nonchalant attitude regarding a classmate's safety. "It's your first time, and you're sure it'll work? Don't you think that sounds overly confident?"
Panda interjected, trying to diffuse the situation. He raised his hands and said, "Maki, he's a first-grade sorcerer. I think he knows what he's doing."
Maki sighed and, looking at Yuta disapprovingly, said, "You're responsible for any consequences."
Yuta simply nodded at her words, not wanting to argue with his new classmates. Despite sounding overconfident, he couldn't explain where his certainty came from—he just felt he could do it.
He extended his hands toward Toge, igniting cursed energy in large quantities. The next step was to split the same amount of cursed energy into positive energy and gradually mix them. He began channeling his cursed energy into Toge's body. To avoid rejection, Yuta resonated his energy to mimic Toge's.
Within a minute, Toge's body glowed brightly with positive energy. Panda and Toge watched in awe, while Maki couldn't see the glow.
A few seconds later, Yuta withdrew his hands, stood up, and extended a hand to help Toge get up. All three noticed how Toge seemed more energetic and refreshed, but Yuta still decided to ask him, "So, how do you feel? Nothing weird? No pain?"
The trio looked at Toge with curiosity. Toge jumped a little, walked around, then raised his thumb and said, "Shake."
"I guess that's a yes," Panda remarked.
"Congratulations, it seems you've become the second healer," Maki said to Yuta, attempting to be nice, but then added sarcastically, "if you weren't lying about this being your first time just to show off."
Yuta waved his hands in denial. "I'd never be so reckless just to show off."
"I think you should change your clothes first; You smell like sweaty humans," Panda said cheerfully, changing the subject.
'We are sweaty humans who smell,' Yuuta thought.
---
The gray evening city was shrouded in dense clouds. Streetlights reflected off the wet pavement, and a cool breeze carried the scent of rain. On one of the main streets, near a bustling intersection, stood a brightly lit McDonald's. In the midst of dark silhouettes of buildings, it appeared as a warm, cozy island. The large glowing sign above the door was visible from afar.
Yuuta, Maki, Panda, and Inumaki approached the establishment, dressed in their student uniforms.
Inside, the place felt cozy: pale yellow walls adorned with posters of appetizing burgers and drinks, long rows of tables—some occupied by groups of friends, others by families with children. In the corner, soft music played, blending with the hum of conversations and the faint clinking of utensils.
The people in the room looked typical for this time of day: tired office workers were enjoying their dinners, students were animatedly discussing their studies, and a pair of teenagers were taking selfies with trays full of food. Near a window, an elderly man sat with a newspaper and a cup of tea. Despite the noise, it all created a warm and inviting atmosphere.
The students chose a table by the window. Maki sat down confidently, crossing her legs and glaring at the menu. Panda stood nearby, peering at what other tables were eating, drawing giggles from some kids. Toge leaned back against his chair as if deciding what to order. Yuta picked up the menu first, overwhelmed by the large selection.
"Excuse me, waiter," Yuta called out, raising his hand.
Moments later, a young man in a bright red McDonald's uniform with a name tag that read "Ken" approached them. Despite his tired look, he smiled politely.
"Good evening. What will you be ordering?" Ken asked, holding a notepad.
Suddenly, Yuta grabbed Ken's hand. Stunned, the waiter tried to pull free, panic evident on his face, but Yuta quickly let go and apologized, bowing deeply.
"Sorry, I felt dizzy for a moment," Yuta lied.
Ken forced a smile and replied, "It's okay, but you shouldn't bow so deeply if you're feeling unwell."
Yuta apologized again. He wasn't surprised to encounter himself here, remembering working at this place. But what shocked him was how he had instinctively grabbed his own hand as if it wasn't under his control.
"So, what will you be ordering?" Ken asked.
Toge said, "Tuna," causing the waiter to hesitate. Quickly correcting himself, Toge pointed at a double cheeseburger, 50 fries, and a strawberry milkshake.
Yuta smiled and added, "Cheeseburger, large fries, and a Coke for me."
"A shawarma would be nice, but I'll settle for a McWrap with chicken and a Coke," Maki said.
Panda ordered with a serious expression: "Five cheeseburgers, fries, and a chocolate shake, please."
The waiter nodded, wrote down their order, and left. The group fell into silence, waiting for their food.
Minutes passed slowly, but soon the waiter returned with their order. He carefully placed drinks, burger boxes, and plates of fries on the table.
"Enjoy your meal!" Ken said, now smiling genuinely. Yuuta noticed that the tension had disappeared from his face.
The waiter left after neatly arranging all the food on the table. Panda wasted no time and began devouring his meal as if afraid someone might take it away. His movements were quick and clumsy, and his appetite was impressive. Maki, though more restrained in appearance, didn't hold back either—training had clearly exhausted her, and she bit into her McWrap with obvious satisfaction, pretending not to notice anything around her.
Yuuta and Toge, on the other hand, behaved very differently. Yuuta carefully unwrapped his cheeseburger as if he were inspecting it for the first time and began eating slowly, taking small bites. He seemed nervous and tried to appear casual, but it wasn't working. Toge, in contrast, relaxedly sipped his strawberry milkshake, occasionally nibbling on a fry. His expression was calm, his movements lazy, as if he were simply observing everyone else without rushing to make any conclusions.
An awkward silence hung over the table. Everyone understood that this was their first outing outside of training, and no one knew how to start a conversation.
"So, should we get to know each other?" Panda suggested, breaking the ice.
"We already know each other," Maki replied without looking up from her food.
"Not really. We know names and roles, but who are you as people? What do you like? What do you hate? Let's share. We'll be studying together for four years."
Yuta hesitated, knowing Panda was right but unsure how to start. He glanced at Toge, hoping he'd say something, but Toge continued sipping his milkshake.
"Alright," Yuta finally said, deciding to break the silence. "I'm Yuta Okkotsu, as you know. Hm... I used to attend a regular school, and I come from an ordinary family with no sorcerer background. I like a lot of things: my hobbies, my family, my teacher, my student… and my profession as a sorcerer. I feel like I'm where I belong."
"Student?" Maki asked, surprised. "You have a student?"
"Uh… yeah," Yuta replied, slightly embarrassed.
Maki was surprised because Yuta, being her age, already had a student. But thinking it over, it made sense—he was a first-grade sorcerer, while she was fourth-grade, which was barely better than a regular human.
"Well, my turn," Panda said, seeing no one else was eager to speak. "I'm Panda, as you know. I love food, especially sweets. I also enjoy wandering around the city, and I love my father."
Yuta raised an eyebrow. He has a father? he thought but decided to save that question for later. Maki, however, didn't hesitate to ask, "You have a father?"
Panda, unfazed, answered enthusiastically, "Yes, I was created by the current principal of Jujutsu High, Masamichi Yaga, known as the Puppet Master. I don't call him father, but I consider him one."
"I see. That's very interesting," Maki replied honestly.
Toge, who had been silent, suddenly raised his hand and said, "Tsuna," beginning to share about himself in sign language. However, he didn't seem to realize they might not understand him. When he finished, he looked at his new friends and noticed their confusion. Blushing, he wrote the kanji "私 棘" in sauce on a napkin.
At that moment, Yuta, Maki, and Panda all had the same thought for the first time: We need to learn sign language.
"Maybe we should exchange emails? That way, we can text each other," Yuta suggested.
"Shake," Toge quickly agreed, pulling out his latest model phone and handing it to Yuta. Yuta handed over his phone in return.
Maki, after some thought, decided it was a good idea—especially convenient for Toge until they learned sign language. She wiped her greasy hands with a napkin and pulled out her phone, an old flip phone. "Dictate your addresses; I'll write them down," she said loudly.
Looking at Toge's email address, Yuta said, "I think it's better if we input it ourselves." He thought Toge might feel embarrassed otherwise.
Maki, a bit irritated, rubbed her temples. "The buttons on my phone might stick, so press hard, but don't break it. If you do, you're buying me a new one," she said, handing her phone to Yuta.
When it was Panda's turn, it turned out he didn't have a phone. He said he'd get one soon.
"And you, Maki? Will you share about yourself?" Yuta asked, feeling it was unfair to leave her out.
Maki set her nearly empty cup on the table, looked at each of them, and shrugged.
"Well, since everyone's sharing… Fine. I'm Maki Zenin. I hate a lot of things.
"I hate my clan, I hate idiots, stereotypes, arrogant bastards, vegetarian food, people who are too carefree, and those who pretend to be victims... and many other things. What I do like is... training, weapons, and, as you can see, fast food."
Yuuta was stunned by such a long list of things Maki despised.
Panda clapped his paws together, breaking the slightly heavy atmosphere:
"Well, there you go! That's better! Now we know a little more about each other. How about some more food? I'm ready to order dessert!"
Everyone burst out laughing, and the awkwardness gradually faded away. Their first evening together, though it had started with silence, was ending on a warm and lighthearted
note.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
MR_Ronin
MR_Ronin How many chapters do you think this fanfic will have?
I would be inspired by the comments to this fanfic, but there are few of them, so I continue because I have already thought out the plot in general and also placed Chekhov's guns. (If you can call it that?)
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