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Code: 03B5E
Ending: 30/06/25
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Liam drummed his fingers on the steering wheel as he drove, glancing at Yuta from the corner of his eye. The kid sat stiffly in the passenger seat, hands clenched into fists in his lap, his messy black hair falling over his tired, sunken eyes. He was silent, staring blankly at the dashboard, looking as though he wished he could disappear.
This kid really needs a break, Liam thought, sighing.
The drive to Jujutsu High was going to take a while, and Liam wasn't the type to sit in silence, especially not when he had a brooding, self-loathing kid next to him.
"Oi," Liam called out, tapping the steering wheel with his knuckles. "You always this quiet, or is this a special 'I hate my life' moment?"
Yuta flinched slightly at the sudden question but didn't lift his head. "…Sorry."
Liam made a face. "Ugh, see, that's exactly the problem. That weird guilty tone. You apologize way too easily, you know that?"
Yuta hesitated. "…I do?"
Liam smirked. "Yeah. Feels like if I sneezed, you'd say sorry for not handing me a tissue fast enough."
Yuta blinked, finally looking up. "…Would that be bad?"
Liam let out a laugh. "It'd be hilarious, but also kinda sad."
The corner of Yuta's lips twitched, but he quickly lowered his head again, sighing. "It's just… I don't know what else to say. Every time I try to live normally, something bad happens because of me. Because of Rika."
His hands clenched tighter. "People get hurt. People die. I should just—"
He swallowed, his voice turning hollow. "…I should just die."
Liam's playful expression instantly vanished.
The car fell into silence.
Liam exhaled slowly. "Yuta."
Yuta didn't respond. He was staring down at his hands, his thin shoulders shaking slightly.
"…So, you wanna die, huh?" Liam's voice was light, casual even, but there was something sharp beneath it.
Yuta winced, but nodded hesitantly. "I just… I don't know how else to stop hurting people. If I die, Rika will—"
"Stop," Liam interrupted, voice firm. "That's not how it works."
Yuta looked at him, confused.
Liam sighed dramatically, as if he were dealing with a particularly dumb little brother. "Alright, let's break this down, genius. You think dying will solve everything? That's dumb. You die, sure, but what happens to Rika? What happens to the people you leave behind? What happens to those weaker than you who could've used your help?"
Yuta flinched. "But I—"
Liam smirked. "Besides, you dying? That's a pretty big waste, don't you think?"
Yuta hesitated. "…Waste?"
Liam nodded. "Yeah. You're strong, Yuta. Do you know how many people in this world die powerless? Starving? Beaten to death? Or worse?"
He glanced at Yuta. "But you? You're not weak. You've got power—a lot of it. Enough to protect people. Enough to save them. And yet, here you are, wasting time feeling sorry for yourself."
Yuta's eyes widened slightly. "I… I didn't think of it that way."
Liam smirked. "Of course, you didn't. That's why I'm here."
Yuta let out a small, breathy laugh before his smile faded. "But… Rika. She's still hurting people."
Liam leaned back against his seat, humming thoughtfully. "You ever consider that maybe she doesn't want to hurt people? Maybe she just doesn't know how to protect you without hurting them."
Yuta frowned. "What do you mean?"
Liam glanced at him, a knowing smile playing on his lips. "Let me ask you something. Does Rika ever attack you?"
Yuta blinked. "No, never."
"And does she ever attack people who don't try to hurt you?"
Yuta paused. "…No."
Liam spread his hands. "There you go."
Yuta's lips parted slightly as realization hit him.
"She's not some evil monster, Yuta," Liam said, softer this time. "She's your friend. Your family. She's protecting you the only way she knows how."
Yuta swallowed hard. His hands loosened from their tight grip. "…So I shouldn't think of her as a curse?"
Liam grinned. "Nope. Think of her as an overprotective girlfriend. A very overprotective girlfriend."
Yuta blushed. "Wh-What?! That's—! No, she—!"
Liam cackled. "Ohhh, man. You should see your face right now."
Yuta buried his face in his hands. "You're terrible."
Liam patted his head like a proud older brother. "You're welcome."
Yuta groaned but… he felt lighter. He hadn't realized it until now, but for the first time in years, the crushing weight in his chest had lifted—just a little.
Maybe… just maybe… Liam was right.
By the time they pulled up to Tokyo Jujutsu High, the sun had dipped below the horizon, leaving the sky bathed in deep blues and purples. The massive torii gate loomed ahead, standing tall against the backdrop of the temple-like school.
Waiting at the entrance was Satoru Gojo, his signature blindfold in place, hands stuffed lazily into his pockets. Beside him stood Principal Masamichi Yaga, arms crossed, expression unreadable.
As soon as Liam stepped out of the car, Gojo grinned. "Well, well, well. Look who actually did his job for once."
Liam rolled his eyes. "You owe me a drink."
Gojo gasped dramatically. "What?! I don't recall signing any contracts!"
Liam cracked his knuckles. "Oh, don't worry. I'll be collecting one way or another."
Gojo quickly stepped behind Yaga. "Protect me, sensei!"
Yaga sighed. "Gojo, shut up."
Liam snickered as Yuta stepped out of the car, looking around nervously.
Yaga studied the boy for a moment before nodding. "Come with me."
Yuta glanced at Liam, who gave him a small nod.
Taking a deep breath, Yuta nodded back and followed the principal inside.
As soon as he was gone, Gojo stretched lazily. "Sooo… how'd it go? Any interesting moments?"
Liam rubbed his temple. "Aside from a near-death experience, a therapy session, and getting attached to another problem child? Nah, nothing much."
Gojo laughed. "Knew you'd like him."
Liam huffed. "I didn't say that."
"You didn't have to."
Liam groaned. "I hate you."
Gojo beamed. "Love you too~"
As Liam turned to leave, he paused.
"…Hey, Gojo."
Gojo tilted his head. "Hm?"
Liam's voice lowered. "When are you gonna tell him?"
Gojo's smile faltered slightly. "…Tell him what?"
Liam shot him a look. "About Rika. About what really happened."
Gojo's expression turned serious. "He's not ready."
Liam studied him for a moment before smirking. "You really are a softie."
Gojo scoffed. "Says you."
Liam chuckled as he walked back to his car.
Just before getting in, he muttered under his breath, "Love really is the strongest curse in the world."
With that, he drove off into the night.
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