HRU: Chapter 124/125

Chapter 124: I Want to Study Your Body

Yuki looked up at the stairs as Satoshi and Toji slowly descended.

As they reached the first floor, Satoshi and Yuki, walking in the front, locked eyes.

What a cute little boy. Is this Gojo Satoshi, the boy who's been shaking up the Jujutsu world lately with his Zanpakutō? That snowy white hair and those brilliant blue eyes… seriously adorable.

It was the first time Yuki had seen Satoshi up close. The moment she got a clear look at his face, she realized something: this little boy was so cute, she felt like squishing him against herself.

Satoshi stared at the girl before him. She looked to be a few years older, with short golden hair and a figure already starting to show signs of maturity. For some reason, she seemed familiar.

Even though he was certain they'd never met, the sense of familiarity in his chest didn't lie.

There's no doubt about it. She's someone I know from the original timeline.

With that in mind, Satoshi began observing her more carefully. Short golden hair, a budding figure... her future image grew clearer in his mind.

Yuki. This girl is Tsukumo Yuki.

Satoshi's eyes widened slightly as he confirmed her identity.

But why is Yuki in Tokyo? Isn't she supposed to be from Kyoto?

She should be in middle school by now. So why is she here? And even showing up at the Yorozuya?

Seeing Satoshi staring at her, Yuki's cheeks flushed bright red.

At this point in time, she hadn't yet become the voluptuous, long-haired, cool beauty who would ask every person she met, "What kind of woman do you like?"

Though her twelve-year-old body appeared mature, her mind was still that of a teenage girl.

She had only come to meet Satoshi at Tengen's request. Otherwise, while she was curious about him, she never would've barged into someone's home like this.

The blush on her face made Satoshi feel a bit of emotional whiplash.

It was hard for him to connect the short-haired, shy girl in front of him with the confident, biker-chic image he remembered from the original series.

Curious as to why she'd come to the Yorozuya, Satoshi chose to pretend not to recognize her, despite having already guessed her identity.

"Miss, even though the Yorozuya isn't open for business today, if you have something on your mind, feel free to share it."

"You're clearly a sorcerer. Are you facing a cursed spirit problem? Or some other request? Lucky for you, the ace shopkeeper of the Yorozuya happens to be in today."

Satoshi casually pointed to Toji behind him—instantly assigning him the role of "ace shopkeeper."

Ace shopkeeper = gold medal enforcer. Sounds about right.

Under the piercing gaze of Satoshi's Six Eyes, Yuki hesitated. She wasn't sure if she should reveal her identity.

Tengen was highly respected in the Jujutsu world. If she mentioned his name, Satoshi and Toji might take her seriously.

But she had her own pride.

Since Satoshi was exactly her type, even if they were far apart in age, she wanted their first meeting to be simple and natural.

What do I even need? Honestly… nothing. Should I just say that Tengen-sama wants to know about Zanpakutō?

Yorozuya… Jack of all trades…

Thinking back to the plaque outside, a new idea popped into Yuki's head.

If it's truly a jack-of-all-trades shop, then anything should be possible, right?

Tengen may want information about Zanpakutō, but what I want is to study Gojo Satoshi and Zenin Toji.

…

Watching her stare at him and then at the Zanpakutō at Toji's waist, Satoshi quickly put the pieces together.

Even a future Special Grade sorcerer like Yuki would be curious about Zanpakutō.

But doesn't she already have a shikigami? Garuda should be her signature weapon. Would she even need a Zanpakutō?

That said, Yuki seems like an excellent candidate for the Borrowed Sword system. If she became one of my sword borrowers, the experience would be right up there with Satoru's.

Satoshi had no objection to forging her a Zanpakutō.

She was one of the four Special Grades in the future, at the absolute peak of the Jujutsu world. Establishing good relationships now and collecting high-tier feedback data from her later would be a win-win.

The real question was: what kind of Zanpakutō should he forge for her?

Even as he pondered that, he was already calculating what kind of reward he should ask for once she made her request.

After all, this was a serious business. Payment upon completion was only fair.

Just as Satoshi was thinking about which Zanpakutō might suit her best, Yuki finally opened her mouth and shared her request.

What she said completely blindsided both Satoshi and Toji, plunging the room into stunned silence.

…

"Gojo Satoshi, I want to study your body."

Yuki raised her head, baring her slender neck like a proud swan. Her expression was serious, yet what she said completely threw off the two boys in front of her.

What kind of pervy line is that?

Satoshi completely misunderstood her intent. To him, it sounded like an innocent teenage girl had just said something shockingly inappropriate.

Toji's expression froze.

Are all girls this direct these days? If you're curious about boys' anatomy, go review your junior high health class.

Both Toji and Satoshi stared at her, wide-eyed. The atmosphere instantly turned awkward and heavy.

Seeing their stunned reactions, Yuki was confused for a second—then paused. And realized.

Her face turned bright red.

"No! That's not what I meant!"

"Don't get the wrong idea!"

Steam practically poured from her head, as if a kettle had just hit boiling point.

Why did I say something so misleading? "Study your body"? It sounds so… indecent.

Seeing her flustered reaction, Satoshi realized he might have misunderstood her. Still, watching the future "onee san" Yuki blush like that was oddly satisfying.

"Miss, please relax."

Satoshi smiled and took the initiative to ease the tension in the room.

"Since you know us, that means you probably know of us. But we still don't know you. Since this is your official commission, shouldn't we start by getting to know the very first customer of the Yorozuya?"

Realizing Satoshi had given her an out, Yuki let out a quiet breath of relief. She gave him a meaningful look, then began to introduce herself.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 125: I Can Be Your Girlfriend

"I'm Tsukumo Yuki, and I have a dream..."

Yuki's self-introduction gave Satoshi a strange sense of déjà vu, like he was listening to Martin Luther King.

But after hearing her real request, Satoshi finally remembered—this girl standing in front of him was someone with unconventional methods but unwavering conviction.

She was a Star Plasma Vessel who refused to assimilate with Tengen.

She despised Curses and always sought a way to eradicate them completely.

Because of a conversation with her, Special Grade sorcerer Geto Suguru clarified his path and became a true sorcerer, unwavering in his resolve.

She mentored the powerful Grade 1 sorcerer Aoi Todo.

And in the end, to protect Tengen and fulfill her mission, she died at Kenjaku's hands in the Tombs of the Star without ever releasing a Domain…

There was no doubt—this was a complex and captivating woman.

But just like Satoru, her story ended in a cruel narrative death.

Yuki's desire to study his body stemmed from the fact that he had zero Cursed Energy. Satoshi could understand that. After all, in the original timeline, she'd tried to study Toji but was turned down.

Still, understanding didn't mean he could casually agree to such a thing.

"Miss Yuki, you said you wanted to study me because I have no Cursed Energy."

"But Toji is also someone with zero Cursed Energy. Why not study him instead?"

That was… different from how things played out originally.

Faced with the question, Yuki's eyes flicked between Toji and Satoshi. She quietly mulled over her thoughts.

There's no difference between the two of you, you're both Heavenly Restriction types with zero Cursed Energy. But if I'm going to study someone, I want to study someone who fits my taste.

Toji looks way too fierce and difficult to approach. Even if I asked, he'd probably refuse me on the spot.

Of course, she couldn't say that out loud.

"Although you're both without Cursed Energy, Toji's body has already fully matured. You, Gojo Satoshi, are still growing. Studying your development might help us understand the root cause of zero Cursed Energy."

It was a flimsy excuse.

Satoshi gave her a suspicious look. His expression seemed to say: I know you're lying, I just can't prove it yet.

"Uhm that… makes sense."

After thinking for more than ten seconds, Satoshi nodded.

From a scientific standpoint, children's bodies do carry more unknowns and potential.

"Toji, looks like she's not interested in you."

Satoshi gave him a pat on the back, his expression full of mischief.

Toji didn't react much. He raised an eyebrow.

"This Yuki is clearly into you. Do you really think there's any difference between us?"

"You may have the Six Eyes, but my observational skills are sharper than yours."

Toji's lips silently formed a word—Shoko—and Satoshi instantly froze.

"That's just because I'm more popular than you," he muttered defensively.

Toji didn't bother responding. He brushed past Satoshi and sat behind the counter, leaving the space to him and Yuki.

"Take her to the back if you want to chat. She's our first customer. Can't have her standing here talking like that."

"I won't be joining."

He pointed to the doorway behind the noren curtain beside the counter, then turned away.

Realizing he'd been a bit neglectful in terms of hospitality, Satoshi gave Toji an annoyed look, then turned to invite Yuki into the back reception area.

The moment they stepped through the curtain, Yuki realized the back of the Yorozuya was like a completely different world.

Compared to the front room, which was practically empty save for the counter, the back was much more lived-in.

Still, calling it a "reception area" felt like a stretch. It looked more like the cozy living room of a private home—complete with a kotatsu and television.

It didn't feel like a shop's guest area at all.

Satoshi scratched his head and smiled awkwardly.

"Um, sorry. The place isn't really set up for customers yet. The hospitality's not exactly professional."

"How about we just get into the kotatsu?"

He asked tentatively. After all, there was a difference between boys and girls, inviting her to sit in the kotatsu felt a little forward.

To his surprise, Yuki nodded, casually slipped off her shoes, and slid into the kotatsu.

"Mmm, it's so warm…"

Yuki sprawled over the table, stretching out her body comfortably.

"Kotatsu is winter's perfect match."

Seeing how naturally she treated him like a child, Satoshi stopped overthinking it and climbed in too.

Kotatsu really is the ultimate winter survival tool.

…

With both of them curled up beneath the kotatsu, the winter chill faded, and the serious conversation began.

"So, Gojo Satoshi—was that a yes to my commission?"

Yuki's eyes sparkled with anticipation.

From the earlier exchange with Toji, it seemed like Satoshi wasn't strongly opposed to the idea.

Not only could she observe the Gojo family's Six Eyes heir up close, but she could also investigate the formation of zero Cursed Energy.

A total win.

As for the task Tengen had given her, at this point, she'd completely forgotten about it.

Looking at her eager expression, Satoshi smiled slightly and tapped the side of his head.

"These are the Gojo family's greatest secret. Your request can't be accepted."

"I'm sorry, but I'll have to refuse."

His polite rejection left Yuki visibly disappointed.

Still, she wasn't ready to give up. After spending this time with him, she felt their relationship had warmed up significantly. And a bold, slightly embarrassing thought came to her mind.

"If you agree to let me study you… I can be your girlfriend!"

"Onee-sans like me are super popular! And I have great Cursed Technique compatibility! I'd be a top-tier girlfriend. Gojo Satoru, won't you consider it?"

Pfft—!

At the counter in the front area, Toji choked on his water.

With his sharp hearing, he never expected to hear that from Yuki.

He had noticed she might be a little interested in Satoshi, sure. But this serious?

Yuki might be old enough for romance, but Satoshi was six years old.

If Shoko and Satoshi could be called childhood sweethearts, then Yuki and Satoshi… were clearly an older girl-younger boy dynamic.

(To be continued.)