Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It’s not exactly the same shade of blue, Yuuji thinks, frowning as he gazes down at the open box cradled carefully between his hands, but it’s close… 

It seemed like a good idea at the time, but now he’s not so sure.

Sitting beside him, Nobara reads his thoughts like a book and smacks him on the head. Yuuji drops the box, open and all, and scrambles to catch it before it tumbles beneath the car seats.

“Oh my god, don’t tell me you’re hesitating. You got it already,” she grumbles, just as Yuuji sits back up. 

“Oi, Kugisaki!” Yuuji complains, rubbing his head. “I almost lost it!”

Nobara smacks him again. Yuuji yelps and stares at her, eyes filled with the pain of betrayal. He looks over to his other side, where Megumi is sitting and actually reading a book. Instead of backing up his dear friend, the traitor only glances over once before turning back to his book.

“Oh, quit with the puppy eyes,” Nobara says with a tsk as Yuuji folds his body protectively over the box. The whole car shakes from the force of his sudden movement. “This is what you get for barely consulting us before you picked that ugly gem when you could’ve gone for anything else—”

“Um,” Ijichi says, glancing hesitantly back at them from the rearview mirror, “please…be mindful of my car…”

“Sorry, Ijichi-san—” Yuuji starts.

“Oi, what are you apologizing for? Don’t make me look like the bad guy here—”

“Technically,” Megumi interrupts smoothly, flipping a page, “Itadori was the hero. He deserves that gift the most.”

Yuuji and Nobara’s heads both whip toward him in shock.

“Me?!” Yuuji exclaims.

“Wha—?!” It’s Nobara’s turn to look betrayed as she stares at Megumi. Leaning over Yuuji, who squeaks as he barely avoids her very well-done, very sharp nails, she jabs a finger at Megumi’s face. “I’m sorry, who was the one who literally planted the nail in that curse’s coffin? Is this sexism? Are my efforts nothing in your eyes?”

“You did defeat the curse,” Megumi says, shutting his book as he finally looks over fully, “but both you and I missed the owner who was hiding in the back of the jewelry shop. If Itadori hadn’t rushed back in before the whole place collapsed…”

Nobara’s eyes widened. Slowly, she leans back to her own seat by the window and crosses her arms with a rough sigh. 

“Shit,” she says, “I didn’t know that. I thought she’d gotten out.”

“I did, too. So,” Megumi turns to Yuuji, “how did you know she was there?”

Yuuji blinks. “I…just saw her rushing there when shit hit the fan?”

“Exactly. While everyone focused on the curse, you focused on the civilians,” Megumi says, and more quietly, he adds, “I never have to worry about casualties when I’m partnered with him—wh—hey!”

Megumi startles as Yuuji throws an arm over his shoulders.

“Fushiguro! I didn’t know you had so much faith in me!” Yuuji says, eyes and lips wobbling. “I thought you were going to abandon me in Kugisaki’s clutches!”

“Oi,” Nobara says, but she doesn’t move to smack Yuuji again. 

“But…the only reason I could focus on the civilians was because I knew you guys had the curse handled,” Yuuji says, smiling. 

“If I may interrupt,” Ijichi says, glancing back at them from the mirror with a faint smile. “Itadori-kun makes a great point about teamwork. With curse activity worsening lately, it’s more important than ever for you to cover for each other.”

“Yeah! Thanks, Ijichi-san!” Yuuji says, turning a faint pink. “Plus, I don’t think that the owner lady let me pick something out just because I saved her life.”

“Huh?” Megumi says.

“Well, you see, after I picked this out,” Yuuji says, laughing nervously as he scratches the back of his neck, “she kinda…tried to give me her number…?”

“WHAT?” Nobara says. 

“You mean like a business card, right?” Megumi asks. “Right?”

“No, like, her personal contact,” Yuuji explains. “She insisted, saying she was interested in doing business with me, but she said it in this way that was kinda—”

“Let me stop you right there,” Nobara says, holding up a hand. She looks at Megumi. “If we’re still talking about teamwork, I think that instead of focusing on the civilians, we should focus on keeping this idiot safe from creepy adults.” She jabs a thumb at Yuuji.

“Thanks…I guess?” Yuuji frowns.

When Yuuji makes a beeline for the staff lounge as soon as they step foot back on campus, Nobara frowns but follows close beside him. For some reason, she sends several suspicious looks at Yuuji. Megumi also trails closely behind them, quiet and imposing as—well, as a shadow. Yuuji blinks, pausing at the entrance to glance at them.

“Oh, you guys don’t have to follow me! I’m just dropping something off, and then I’ll join you to finish our report for today,” Yuuji says.

“I don’t have a good feeling about this,” Nobara says to Megumi, who nods silently. To Yuuji, she narrows her eyes and asks, “What are you dropping off, huh?”

Yuuji squirms under her gaze. “Uh, just a gift for someone.”

“Who?” Megumi demands, just as the door to the staff lounge slides open with a loud thud.

“I know those voices!” a familiar timbre rings, echoing brightly throughout the hallway. “What are you all still standing out here like plants for? Get in here already!”

Yuuji grins, leaping without hesitation into open, outstretched arms. “Gojo-sensei! I’m back!”

For an indescribable, agonizing period of time, Yuuji thought he’d lost it all—that he’d never again share lunch with Nanami, or carry Nobara’s bags, or study with Megumi, or travel the world with Choso. That an embrace like this would become nothing more than the lingering fragments of memories and dreams. It makes Yuuji never want to take his eyes off everyone again. It makes him hold Gojo tighter, now, as if that would keep him from losing Gojo again.

“Welcome back,” Gojo says, grinning as he spins Yuuji around once before setting him back down, far too soon. Yuuji resists the urge to reach for him again. “Heard you guys mopped the floor with a special grade this past week, and now another one today? You’re gonna make me look bad for sitting on my ass all day.”

“Don’t say that when you’re still in recovery,” Yuuji says, earnestly. Then, he pulls out the jewelry box. “Besides, if you were out on a mission, then I wouldn’t be able to give you your birthday gift!”

“Huh?” Gojo looks shocked. It’s a rare expression on his face that Yuuji cherishes. “My birthday? We’re…still in July, right?” He takes out his phone and looks like he’s actually about to check.

“I didn’t get a chance to give you anything for your birthday last year because of…everything, so I thought that maybe this…” Yuuji says, trailing off. “You said you were looking for new cufflinks, right?”

“Yuuji…” Gojo says, oddly quiet. His expression is unreadable as he looks down at the box-shaped gift Yuuji has placed in his hands. During the rest of their car ride back, Yuuji had wrapped it carefully with a makeshift ribbon in newspaper, and now, he suddenly feels anxious. Shit, should I have gotten more official wrapping paper? Does it look too childish?

“HOLD IT! You got that as a gift for him!” Nobara exclaims, and her words sound less like a question and more like brimstone and fury. This time, Yuuji manages to duck away before she can sink her claws into him.

“I take back everything I said in the car,” Megumi groans, a hand covering his face. “Itadori, do you know how much shit this guy already owns? He buys luxury items just for kicks—”

“Oh no!” Yuuji says. “Do you think Gojo-sensei already has this exact pair, then?” 

“That’s not the point,” Megumi says, agonized.

“Yuuji, where did you get this?” Gojo asks, flatly, as he carefully unwraps the gift. Opening the box, his eyes widened before narrowing. “This design…” he murmurs, turning the cufflinks over, lifting them to inspect them under the light. The gem stone is a brilliant blue that gleams almost purple when the light hits it right. 

“Oi, what the hell happened to ‘thank you’?” Nobara demands, her direction of outrage flipping so quickly from Yuuji to Gojo that Yuuji wonders if she feels whiplash.

“The flow of cursed energy around it feels…” Gojo starts, and Yuuji feels his heart drop.

“Wait, don’t tell me it’s a cursed object!” Yuuji exclaims.

“Huh? Oh, not exactly,” Gojo says, startled at the shift in the room. “Sorry. It’s just…Which shop did you say you got this from?” When Yuuji tells him, Gojo gets an odd expression on his face before he shakes his head with a laugh. “Wow! I can’t believe—and you just—you didn’t even know?”

“No,” Yuuji says, looking worriedly over the cufflinks. “What is it? Oh man, I thought it was just a regular—”

“It is, it is,” Gojo assures him, still chuckling. “You’d have to have the Six Eyes to detect the sliver of cursed energy imbued in these lil’ guys. The owner of that shop used to be in a pretty prominent clan before she left…but that was probably more than a century ago.” He turns the cufflinks over with a soft smile. “Instead of obeying the old farts of that clan, she must’ve taken on apprentices to pass down her technique in her own way.”

“So it is a cursed object,” Yuuji says, deflating. “Gojo-sensei, I am so sorry—” He would have gotten onto his knees to perform a full dogeza if Nobara didn’t pull him roughly back up by his hood. 

“No way, that current shop owner was definitely a normie,” Nobara says, crossing her arms. “She definitely didn’t even know curses existed until she was about to become a human happy meal.”

“Well, maybe she didn’t pass down her cursed technique, but this is definitely her signature craftsmanship,” Gojo explains. “Based on the symbols carved into it, this is meant to be a protective charm—but as it is, it doesn’t have enough cursed energy to need any registration.”

“Wait, Sensei! How can a cursed object be a protective charm?” Yuuji asks, raising his hand. “Isn’t it…uh, powered by negative energy and stuff?”

“Great question, Yuuji-kun!” Gojo chirps, snapping his fingers. “You just made me realize that most of the cursed objects you’ve dealt with have been special grade! Crazy stuff for a first-year. I should give you all a special lesson on how lower grade cursed objects can be just as helpful as cursed tools!”

“That better not mean a pop quiz,” Nobara grunts.

“I can’t remember the last time you taught us anything,” Megumi says.

“Ooh! Like the ones that Maki-senpai uses?” Yuuji asks. The Prison Realm also comes to mind, but the very thought of it brought back old feelings of helplessness, despair, and sinking shame that Yuuji immediately shoves it all to the deepest, dustiest corner of his brain. That one had to be special grade, anyway, and Gojo probably wouldn’t appreciate anyone bringing it up.

“Exactly like the ones Maki uses!” Gojo says, brightly. “Cursed energy can be as complex as the negative emotions they come from, and that can influence the effects of cursed objects they create…but that’s a conversation for another time. Nobara made an excellent point before! Yuuji-kun,” Gojo’s voice lowers. “Thank you very much for your gift.”

Gojo extends a hand, probably to ruffle Yuuji’s hair, but Yuuji takes advantage of the opening to leap onto him again, wrapping his arms around familiar shoulders and breathing in that soothing scent he’d come to associate with safety. With peace. Gojo startles, breath hitching, but Infinity doesn’t go up. With only a slight pause, his arms raise to hold Yuuji just as firmly, supporting him.

“Yuuji,” Gojo murmurs beside his ear. “Don’t you remember? You baked me a cake that day, and it was the most delicious gift I’ve ever had. What’s up with you getting me something like this, huh? You didn’t need to.” 

“I wanted to,” Yuuji says.

Gojo hums and then sets him back down on his feet. 

“Yuuji,” Gojo says again, a serious expression on his face, “you’re the main character of your story, you know? Listen closely, because I’m only going to say this once: don’t let someone like me steal your thunder.”

Yuuji laughs, especially when he sees Nobara and Megumi gagging in the background. “I don’t think you could ever just be a side character, Gojo-sensei.”

“Of course not. I’m totally the cool mentor character,” Gojo says, puffing out his chest, “but that’s not what I meant. I want you all to grow up and surpass me someday, so…” He ruffles Yuuji’s hair, and Yuuji frowns. “Don’t linger, okay?”

Not okay, Yuuji thinks, narrowing his eyes. Why do you always talk like we’re going to leave you behind after we finally catch up to you?

“It’s just a gift that made me think of you,” Yuuji says, trying not to sound as upset as he feels, “What does all that have to do with this? If you don’t like your gift, you can say that.”

Gojo’s eyes widen, especially when Yuuji begins to wilt. “Wait, wait, wait—that’s not what I meant. I love my gift! I’ll put it on now—” 

He quickly moves to rotate the clasp on one of the cufflinks and…struggles to push it through the button hole of his sleeve. Yuuji straightens, petulance evaporating from his body as his eyebrows knit together. It’s unnoticeable to anyone farther away, but Yuuji stands close enough to see the faint tremor in Gojo’s hand before the cufflink slips from his fingers.

Yuuji catches it before anyone notices. Gojo doesn’t look at him as he places the cufflink back in his hand, but the frustration forming in his jaw tells Yuuji all he needs to know. 

“I can help—” Yuuji starts, quietly enough so that Nobara and Megumi wouldn’t hear.

“Don’t,” Gojo says, and it’s suddenly like they’re back in Shoko’s clinic. When all the excitement and joy from Gojo finally, finally waking up had faded, leaving behind the long journey of recovery. Yuuji had already known from caring for his grandfather that the healing process can hurt more than the injury itself, but Gojo didn’t seem to. 

No one, not even Ieiri Shoko, was prepared for how uncooperative he’d be.

“You can put it on yourself,” Yuuji says, just like before. “I’ll steady your hands, that’s all.”

Gojo says nothing but allows Yuuji to do exactly that, and the cufflinks are both on in seconds. Yuuji smiles. Gojo’s lips purse, and then he opens his mouth to speak when the door slides open again with a thud.

Yaga steps in and does a double-take when he sees Gojo. Trailing close behind him are Ijichi, Ieiri, and Nitta, who’s holding a thick folder under her arm.

“Do my eyes deceive me, Ijichi?” Yaga asks. He lifts his sunglasses with one hand to squint while pointing at Gojo with the other. “Is that Satoru, present at a staff meeting before us?”

“N-No?” Ijichi says, hesitantly, while Gojo waves at them with a bright grin.

“Goddamn,” Yaga says. “The world is truly changing.”

“I had to stop by to congratulate my students!” Gojo says. Yuuji, who was in the middle of following Nobara and Megumi out the door for a quiet exit, releases a rather undignified squawk as he feels himself suddenly pulled back by his hood and planted back onto the ground beside Gojo. “Speaking of whom, where are you going? You should stay to listen, Yuuji-kun!” Gojo grins, sending Yuuji a meaningful look. “After all, you want to become a teacher here one day too, right?”

Yuuji feels his face flush as he stares down at his feet. He had told Gojo about that particular goal of his once, and he didn’t even think Gojo was listening at the time—

When he finds the courage to glance up again, Yaga’s face is thoughtful. Luckily, it looks like neither Nobara or Megumi have left him behind, though they both look bored and annoyed by the door.

“Is that so?” Yaga says. Then, he nods at Yuuji. “Listen well, then. I’m sure most of you already know what today’s informal meeting will be about: Ever since the Shibuya Incident became public record, the black market for cursed objects has become a worldwide infestation. Every curse user and their goddamn grandmother thinks they can make a profit from something that ‘can even seal Gojo Satoru.’”

Yuuji’s hands ball into fists tight enough to sting. His eyes flicker briefly over to Gojo, who doesn’t look surprised or angry—only tired.

“Of course, most of the cursed objects in circulation are nowhere near as powerful as the Prison Realm,” Yaga continues. He breathes in deeply. “However, Jujutsu HQ is spread thin from managing negotiations with various global superpowers for the Kyoto Paranormal Security Treaty. We now have reason to believe there are at least several new curse user organizations in Japan taking advantage of this fact…to create new cursed objects.”

Yaga gestures for everyone to surround a table, where he then motions for Nitta to speak. Nitta nods and then lays the thick folder on the table, pulling out several reports and photographs to place around for everyone to easily see. As Gojo stiffens beside him, Yuuji tilts his head. Those look like pictures of…beaches?

“While I organized the research, most of this information was obtained thanks to Mei Mei-san,” Nitta explains, pointing at each photo. “We were able to identify this beach in Kuantan, Malaysia and Emerald Beach in Okinawa as areas of interest where we believe the curse users are operating. Nanamin and Ino-san have already been assigned to Kuantan, but we have yet to investigate Emerald Beach. 

“According to Mei-san,” Nitta says, face darkening, “the particular organization she encountered was attempting to create cursed objects using human remains. I’ve included more specific details in the report I’ve emailed to you all. We do not know what progress they’ve made, but we shouldn’t waste time in finding out and putting a stop to it.”

“Thank you, Nitta.” Yaga says. “It will unfortunately probably be some time before Kusakabe returns from his current mission, but I expect you all to prepare the background work so that he can hit the ground running as soon as he does. Nitta and Shoko, you’ll both continue monitoring Nanami and Ino. Share whatever new information they obtain with Ijichi and Satoru, who will focus on Emerald Beach. Any questions?”

No one except for Yuuji raises their hand.

“Yes, Itadori-kun?” Yaga asks, curious.

“If it means avoiding a delay, I’m happy to take on the investigation in Okinawa,” Yuuji suggests. “Unless there’s a reason that it has to specifically be Kusakabe-san who goes?”

“We’ll go with him,” Megumi adds. Nobara rolls her eyes but doesn’t disagree.

Yaga hesitates. “Well…I know you’re all more than capable of taking on special grade curses, but this is an unknown organization we’re dealing with. These aren’t the kind of curse users that can be arrested…Kusakabe has more experience—”

“I’ve killed people before,” Yuuji says. “If the situation calls for it, please trust that I will do what’s necessary.”

Yaga sighs, long and heavy. “That shouldn’t be your responsibility. Not yet, and not while we’re still here.”

“I’ll go with them,” Gojo says, loudly. “It’ll be easier for them to identify any cursed objects with my Six Eyes, anyway. I can put the ‘super’ in adult supervision and save the kids some time to actually enjoy the beaches and their youth instead of investigating all day. It’ll be like a field trip—no, a vacation!”

“You only recently woke up from a coma,” Shoko says. Though she sounds more bored than worried, Yuuji can see the slight strain on her temple. “Don’t think I’ll ever stitch you back together again—”

“I’ll only be off-field,” Gojo says with a less-than-reassuring grin. “It’ll be no fighting, only recovering and lounging on the warm sand under the sun for me.”

Shoko frowns, her eyes narrowing. She looks like she wants to say something more, but an unreadable look passes between her and Gojo. For some reason Yuuji doesn’t understand, it feels tense. Instead, Shoko says, tonelessly, “I thought you didn’t like beaches.”

“Whaaat?” Yuuji says, whirling on Gojo with wide eyes. “You’re not a fan of beaches?”

“He probably gets sunburn easily,” Nobara says. “Look at his pasty-ass skin.”

“Actually,” Gojo says, cheerfully. “You’re looking at someone who’s never worn sunscreen a day in his life! Infinity blocks radiation too, which includes UV rays.”

“So, you are a fan of beaches?” Yuuji clarifies.

“Hm…Well, the last time I was at a beach,” Gojo says, smile dropping as he lowers his shades, “people died. Horribly.” Yuuji and Nobara stare at him. “Just kidding! Haha.” He grins, ducking as Nobara takes a swing at him. “Let’s go on vacation!”

Later, much later, Shoko asks him, “You’re not going to tell them?”

Leaned against the wall, her eyes are closed as she breathes in. Smoke drifts from the cigarette balanced between her fingertips.

“They’re smart kids,” Satoru says. “They’ll find out, eventually. For now, though, the less people who know about this, the better. You heard what happened in Malaysia with Mei Mei, didn’t you? She barely escaped with her life. With how devastated he was…Ui Ui actually looked like a kid for once.”

Shoko huffs out a humorless laugh. “God, she was so pissed. I think she was more upset about the fierce new competition for her business instead of her injuries.”

“Nanami shouldn’t have had to be the one sent there.”

“He’s always wanted to retire there anyway. It’s probably a nice sneak peek for him.”

“You know what I mean, Shoko,” Satoru says, staring down at his hands, open and scarred. “I could’ve taken care of it all in less than a day. Maybe hours.” His hands clench into fists. “What’s next? Having my special grade missions taken over by students, too?”

Shoko sighs. “You know exactly why you couldn’t be the one to go.”

“I can still—”

“Don’t, Satoru,” Shoko says. “I can't stop you from being stupid enough to go on this mission, but just…try to rest, at least.”

“Are you serious? I don’t need to rest, not while I can still—” Satoru hesitates, as if saying the words aloud would make them more real. Then, he sighs, and continues, “Not while I can still see.”

Chapter Text

Sometimes Megumi wonders how anyone can still stand to look at him after all that had been done with his hands. His body. Him. 

Sometimes he stands in front of the sink, unable to fully face the mirror nor fully turn away, and he wonders, Is this okay? Is it really okay for him to be happy like this with his hands all soaked in blood?

What would Tsumiki think, if she saw him now?

He doesn’t know…but he thinks that as long as his friends are happy, so is he. If continuing to live meant seeing more of that warm smile on Yuuji’s face, then maybe it wouldn’t be so bad. He can find meaning in that—in spending the rest of his life on making sure that that smile never left Yuuji’s face. 

Not that that’s difficult, considering how easily Yuuji smiled. Even when people feared him, hated him, he’d keep his hand outstretched and smile that stupid smile.

Will Yuuji even try to defend himself if the people he aimed to protect were to turn on him?

It’s a laughable question. Megumi knows and has seen for himself what Yuuji would do. Like Tsumiki, Yuuji is a good person who would only choose to protect others. Sometimes the two of them are so similar that it hurts, bringing with it an ache in his chest that he’ll probably carry until the day he dies.

Megumi never wanted to become a sorcerer in the first place, but there’s no changing the past. He’s here now, and he refuses to fail Yuuji the same way he failed his sister. If the path of sorcery is what Yuuji has chosen, then Megumi will walk it with him.

“Oi, Fushiguro, can you pass me the sunblock?” Yuuji says. “The heat today is just—”

Megumi opens his mouth to reply as he turns to face Yuuji, who’s just stepped out of the changing room in red swim trunks. Without his shirt. Which is to be expected.

Still, whatever Megumi’s about to say doesn’t end up making its way out.

Wordlessly, robotically, he holds his hand out with the sunblock. Yuuji grabs it with a grinned thanks before starting to apply it to himself. His skin is already a tan color, but the sunblock makes his pectoral, abdominal, and basically everything-al muscles glow from the sunlight, and Megumi, involuntarily, thinks about reaching for them while his hand is still outstretched. There are areas that remind him of toasted milk bread, and—

Absolutely not, Megumi howls internally at himself. That is your best friend. You will not think about your best friend, about Yuuji like that.

He blinks to see Yuuji waving a hand in front of his face. His chest is awfully close to Megumi’s face.

“—did you hear me?” Yuuji is saying.

Somehow, Megumi manages to tear his gaze away from Yuuji’s…body, and forces out, “Yeah.” 

Yuuji’s head tilts slightly. A few seconds pass in silence. Megumi realizes, Shit. He’s waiting for me. Did he ask me a question?

“Oookay,” Yuuji says, slowly. “I asked you if it’s possible for your shikigami to get sunburn.  Probably not because they’re made out of shadows, right? How much do they feel?” Yuuji frowns. “Do they feel pain?”

“No,” Megumi says, trying to sound casual. His voice comes out blanker than he intends for it to be. “They’re not like living beings, so they don’t feel anything, but they’ll react to being attacked and stuff.”

“Huh, but your Divine Dogs really seemed to enjoy pats…” Yuuji muses. 

That’s because I do, Megumi doesn’t say, miserably. But what am I supposed to do? Ask you for them myself? Yeah, right. He isn’t about to sink to Gojo’s level like that.

Luckily, Yuuji isn’t paying attention to him as he continues to ramble, “Or maybe they’re just that good at acting like dogs? But then how would they know how to act like dogs? Do they have memories of what dogs are like? Wait, but they recognize me and Nobara, so they must have some kind of—”

As he continues to listen to the steady, warm timbre of Yuuji’s voice, Megumi can’t help but feel a faint smile beginning to form on his face.

“There you idiots are!” Nobara calls out, jogging over to them. Yuuji waves back, so Megumi crosses his arms. “I’m crisping out in the sun over here—Itadori, you were carrying our stuff, right? Hurry up and grab the giant umbrella! I just found a great spot and—” Nobara pauses as she gets a closer look at them—specifically, at Yuuji—and sucks in a breath.

“Damn,” is all she says, before sending Megumi a look of great pity as soon as Yuuji has his back turned to grab their bags and the umbrella. Megumi glowers at her, and she sticks out her tongue at him.

“Items secured! Lead the way, Kugisaki!” Yuuji declares, straightening like a soldier. 

“I’m staying 100% sand-free today, so you better not drop anything if you value your life, Itadori!” Nobara warns.

“Yes, Ma’am!” Yuuji says, saluting. Before he follows Nobara, however, he reaches into one of the bags to hand Megumi a water bottle with a friendly smile. “Oh, and Megumi: you looked a little thirsty earlier, so make sure you stay hydrated! It’s really humid out today.”

Sighing, Megumi takes the bottle from him with a quiet thanks.

The crowds become denser as they approach the shore, and Megumi nearly trips over a small child who rushes past his knees. The child picks herself back up easily with a giggle, covered with sparkling sand, before continuing her journey toward what is hopefully her family. Megumi struggles to imagine what a day on the beach with family would look like, but it would’ve probably been something that Tsumiki would’ve enjoyed. Warm, sunny areas filled with people and their laughter…Yes, Tsumiki would’ve loved to go to a beach.

He watches Nobara and Yuuji bicker over the angle for how the umbrella should be planted, and thinks, even if he isn’t a fan of crowded areas, maybe he can grow to enjoy warmth like this too.

After he finally plants and secures the umbrella, Yuuji looks up to say something to Megumi only for his entire face to brighten at…no, not Megumi, but something behind him? Megumi turns around and—

It’s just Gojo. He’s waving at them with both arms from a distant crowd, not that that’s necessary for them—or anyone, for that matter—to notice him. 

As if being a full head taller than the average citizen isn’t enough, that idiot must be the only one on the beach wearing a blaring bright orange Hawaiian shirt with a pattern of pink flowers. So much for keeping a low profile… Megumi feels second-hand embarrassment from just looking at him, but Yuuji is somehow immune as he bounds happily over, faster than Megumi can blink.

“Eh? No way! Gojo-sensei, are you shy about showing skin?” Yuuji asks, delighted, poking at the shirt.

“Yuuji! Nobara, Megumi,” Gojo greets, smiling as he tips his straw hat at them. “And nah, Shoko recommended that I avoid direct sun exposure on the surgical scars, so who am I to ignore my doctor?”

Megumi rolls his eyes. Yeah, right. He’s known Gojo for long enough to know that a rock bottom of shamelessness did not exist for the Six Eyes. With Infinity and RCT, he doubts Gojo has any scars besides the new one across his forehead. Even if Gojo truly needed physical therapy after waking up from a coma, Megumi had seen the way he looked whenever Yuuji stopped by to spoonfeed him—he enjoyed it, milking Yuuji’s kindness for all it’s worth.

Still, Yuuji’s face instantly melts into concern. “Huh? Wait, why?”

“Eh, something about slowing down the healing process, I guess,” Gojo says, shrugging. Yuuji’s eyes bulge.

“Because of the sun?!” Yuuji exclaims, looking genuinely distressed as he starts to leap around Gojo with his arms held up high, as if he’s anywhere near tall enough to block the sun for him. “Why did you join us here, then? You should’ve stayed back at—” He pauses. “Wait, is that—”

Gojo’s grin widens as he shows off his ear proudly. Megumi is suddenly reminded of the child he nearly tripped over before. “Yup! I made your gift into a pair of earrings! So that I can wear them all the time!”

“Wow! I didn’t know you wore earrings!” Yuuji says, leaning closer to get a better look.

“I don’t!” Gojo says, cheerfully. “I stabbed them into my ears this very morning!”

Yuuji’s face falls. “Seriously? That’s—you could get an infection, especially if you go in the water—”

“Nah, just kidding!” Gojo says. “Who do you think I am? I got it modified by a jeweler, of course!”

“Wow!” Yuuji says, again. Megumi feels an ache beginning to form between his eyebrows, and, judging by the look on Nobara’s face, he’s not alone.

“Anyways, let’s all go catch some sea critters!” Gojo cheers at them, as if he isn’t a man approaching his 30s. “Maybe there’s still some live sea cucumbers around here…”

“No way,” Nobara says, in the middle of rolling out her towel on the sand.

“Absolutely not,” Megumi says, moving to grab his own towel to join her.

“Ooh, ooh! Sensei, do you think we can find some sea turtles, too?” Yuuji asks, the only one stupid enough to follow Gojo in charging towards the water, both of them likely scaring off all the living creatures in their way. 

Sighing again, Megumi settles down under the umbrella next to Nobara right as a few familiar figures catch sight of them—the second-years? Megumi squints, and Nobara raises her sunglasses up.

It really is Maki, Panda, and Toge, and none of them are dressed inconspicuously: Panda wears a massive inflatable with miniature pandas on it, Toge wears snorkels and a pair of sushi-themed swim trunks, and even Maki’s bikini has a flame-like pattern. Toge, particularly, has a crab’s claw fit to his prosthetic arm instead of a human hand.

It’s good to know everyone’s prepared to have fun rather than work, Megumi thinks, exasperated, but he can’t blame them. He’ll never admit it out loud, but with Gojo back around them…even he feels more relaxed.

As Maki approaches them, Megumi coughs meaningfully at Nobara, who’s definitely staring at her abs.

“Don’t you even fucking start,” Nobara growls at him, before her cold scowl morphs into a warm smile as Maki stops in front of them. “Maki-senpai! Hi.”

“Nice top,” Maki says, smiling. “San-ai?”

Nobara grins. “Thanks, you too. Roxy?”

“Yup,” Maki says, grinning back. “Figured I’d splurge a bit after kicking Ryoumen Sukuna’s ass. Gotta go out in style the next time some powerful ancient curse awakens.” Then, she looks Megumi up and down with a raised eyebrow. “I’m not judging your choices in fashion, but you gotta wear brighter colors to attract Itadori.”

Against his will, Megumi suddenly feels self-conscious about his navy swim trunks.

“A woman after my own heart in more ways than one,” Nobara sings.

“What does Itadori have to do with anything?” Megumi grumbles, shrinking into the umbrella’s shadow. He catches himself before doing so literally.

“Don’t you have a massive crush on him?” Maki asks, frowning. “Nobara says she always sees you yearning for him.”

“Wha—?!” Megumi sputters. “I don’t yearn for Itadori—!”

“Ooh, are we talking about Megumi’s crush on Itadori?” Panda asks, wandering over with Toge, who greets them with “Kelp!” and a raised crab claw. “Is he still yearning for him?”

Megumi wants to bury himself beneath the sand and die. He settles instead for sending a look of deep fury at Nobara, who tries to look innocent. 

“Kugisaki,” he growls through gritted teeth. “Would you care to explain why the whole school seems to think I have a…crush…on Itadori?”

“I mean, don’t you?” Nobara says.

“No!” Megumi says.

“Hm,” Nobara says. “I don’t believe you.”

“Then what was the point of you asking me…?” Megumi says, deflating. He turns back to everyone else tiredly. “You know what? Forget about me. What are you all doing here, anyway?”

“Gojo-sensei emailed us the plane and hotel tickets,” Maki explains. “Though I admit I was initially a bit confused until I saw the attached reports, considering all the subject line said was ‘vacation’ in all capital letters and three exclamation points.” 

“I’m surprised Okkotsu-senpai didn’t come,” Megumi says.

Maki moves to roll her towel out beside Nobara. “Okkotsu’s still wrapping up a mission in Kyoto, but he should be joining us tomorrow. We can probably video call him later when the signal’s better.”

“Tuna tuna,” Toge grumbles.

“Yeah, why is the signal so bad here?” Panda complains.

“It could be due to crowds of people using their devices at once, but something could also be jamming it,” Megumi says, darkly. “It’s easier to kidnap someone when they can’t call for help.”

“We should all keep an eye on each other too, then,” Nobara says. She sighs, playing around with the corner of her beach towel. Megumi catches a familiar glint of metal beneath it. “Ugh. How often do we get to relax on the beach like this at all, let alone for a mission? I’m gonna crush the hands of any curse users who ruin this for us.”

“On that note, where’s Itadori?” Maki asks. “I wanted to challenge him to a game of volleyball. You’re all free to join, but,” she adds, grinning with all her teeth, “do know it may get violent for everyone who isn’t us.”

“He’s in the water with Gojo,” Megumi says, tonelessly.

“Ah,” Maki says. “Huh. Of course.”

“You don’t sound surprised,” Nobara says. Megumi sits up straighter.

“It’s just…weird, the way he is with that idiot,” Maki says, eyes narrowed as she turns toward the beach. “Most people are fans of Gojo until they have to work with him. Itadori…I think he ended up liking him more.”

It doesn’t take anyone long to spot two familiar figures hopping around each other in the water, almost as if they were dancing. Then, Gojo appears to lift Yuuji into the air before throwing him back into the water like a torpedo. Yuuji soon pops back up from the water with what is probably an armful of unfortunate sea creatures. Megumi can almost hear them laughing together, but it’s likely only his imagination. They’re too far away.

“It’s Itadori,” Megumi says. “He’s like that with everyone, isn’t he?”

“I think Itadori-kun’s a nice guy, but I can count on one paw the total number of times we’ve spoken,” Panda says. “Maybe it’s just me, though.”

“Fish flakes,” Toge says while crossing his arms to form an X.

“Fushiguro,” Maki says, slowly, “I’m sorry to break this to you, but I’m pretty sure your crush has a crush on our teacher.”

Megumi stares at her, the urge to deny it on the tip of his tongue.

There’s no way. Itadori wouldn’t…He wasn’t into…There’s no way.

…Right?

Megumi thinks more about it.

Then, with a long sigh that takes all the air from his lungs, he lies back on his towel, sinking slightly into the shadow formed by the umbrella above him. Nobara reaches over to gently pat his shoulder a few times, but her pity only makes him sink further into the shadows.

“It’s okay, Fushiguro. I mean, it could be worse,” Nobara tells him. “At least there’s no way his crush can like him back.”

It’s not long before Yuuji and Gojo rejoin their group. Megumi, mind now infected with information that cannot possibly be true, eyes the two of them with great suspicion. Gojo, meanwhile, looks ecstatic to see everyone together and immediately pulls out his phone to take pictures. 

“Ah, if only Yuuta were here,” Gojo says, shaking a fist sadly. “There’s supposed to be a storm tomorrow, but we’ll get those class photos somehow!” It doesn’t take him long to recover, however, as he immediately continues, “Anyways, it’s almost noon. You must all be starving. Let’s get some lunch from one of the food stalls—my treat!”

“You’re just going to spend the entire time getting sweets,” Megumi says, flatly. “Before the day ends, we should focus on interviewing some of the locals here—”

“Megumi-chan! How can we focus effectively without eating well?” Gojo asks, devastated. 

“Are you serious?” Megumi asks, and maybe he sounds more heated than he means to. “You wasted the last hour or so playing around in the water—”

“See? You’re not you when you’re hungry,” Gojo interrupts, and then he has the audacity to look startled when Megumi takes a furious step toward him. Megumi can feel everyone else staring, too.

“Okay, okay!” Yuuji says, stepping between them with wide eyes. “Megumi’s got a good point, so why don’t we start by interviewing the vendors? They might have some experience on what’s been going on around here since they’re here often. That way we can get food and intel.”

“Brilliant idea, Yuuji!” Gojo says, and Yuuji smiles up at him. “That’s exactly what I was thinking when I suggested it!”

Fucking liar, Megumi thinks, feeling something beginning to boil hot within his chest.

It continues to boil the entire walk to the food stalls scattered farther back along the beach, and Megumi spends that entire walk staring intently at Yuuji’s back, thinking and thinking, unable to stop the thoughts from boiling over into every part of his mind: Why him? Is it because he saved your life, back then?

I was the one who told him to, you know.

So, why won’t you look at me the way you look at him?

Megumi barely notices when the group stops by a stall and nearly collides with Toge, who steadies him with “Mentaiko!” and a closed-eyed smile. Ahead of them, he sees Gojo squint once at the menu above before declaring, “I’ll have one of everything—”

“Wait, I think this place only sells cold beers and cocktails,” Yuuji says.

Without missing a beat, Gojo adds, “—for me! Obviously not for any of you kids, haha.”

Megumi frowns. Gojo doesn’t drink—he doesn’t even like the taste of alcohol.

“Tough day already?” the vendor says, chuckling as she begins to prepare the drinks. 

“You know how it is, with a family of six kids,” Gojo says, leaning onto the stall’s counter. “I’m all for letting kids express themselves, but my oldest one over there refuses to take off the panda suit!”

“Six!” the vendor exclaims, a hand over her mouth. “You look so young. I would’ve never expected…”

“It definitely hasn’t been easy,” Gojo says, nodding solemnly. He points to his head. “See my hair? It became this way after I lost their mother—the shock was simply just too great.”

“Mom was a bitch, anyway,” Yuuji huffs, crossing his arms as he looks away.

Gojo and the vendor gasp, hand on chest and all. Nobara is shuffling farther away, probably trying to look like she isn’t associated with them.

“Yuuji! How could you say that about your mother?” Gojo demands.

“All she did was hurt this family! And you! You’re not even my real dad!” Yuuji shouts at him before trying to run off. Gojo grabs him by the arm, pulling him gently back.

“Yuuji!” he exclaims again. “Don’t run off like that! I can’t afford to lose you, too.” 

But you’re okay with losing your other three kids? Megumi thinks, irritated. Maki, Panda, and Toge are already walking away to check out the other food stalls, likely thinking Gojo’s card isn’t worth the effort. The vendor, however, doesn’t seem to notice this, her softened gaze only on Gojo and Yuuji.

Idiots, Megumi realizes, exchanging a look of exhaustion with Nobara. We are surrounded by idiots.

“Let me go!” Yuuji says, trying valiantly to pull his arm away from Gojo’s grip. “I don’t need you anymore, and I’m sure this beach is perfectly safe!”

“But I need you!” Gojo says, before pulling Yuuji into his arms and looking desperately toward the vendor. Megumi feels his fists clench. “Tell me: is this beach truly safe? Or am I going to watch my dear Yuuji disappear before my eyes, never to be seen again?”

“Don’t let him go off alone!” the vendor cries out quietly. “People have been going missing! And when their family want to investigate, they disappear too!”

Megumi, Yuuji, and Nobara still. 

“Oh my,” Gojo says, stepping away from Yuuji and toward the vendor. “When did this start to happen?”

“A few days ago,” the vendor says, and Megumi can see Yuuji release a visible sigh of relief. Megumi’s not so sure. The victims could still be alive, but that’s still plenty of time in which anything could have happened to them.

“How? Where?” Gojo asks. Then, “How many?”

“The tides,” the vendor says, startled by his sudden intensity, “that’s where they seem to disappear, but I—I don’t know how many—”

“Why haven’t any of these disappearances been reported?”

“I’m sure they have, but the beach’s new management is…very concerned about reputation…” The vendor looks uncomfortable, leaning slightly away as Gojo towered over her with a blank smile. “Um, maybe I’m saying too much of what I know little about.”

“Hey, it’s okay if you don’t know,” Yuuji says, poking his head over Gojo’s shoulder with a thumbs-up, and the vendor seems to relax at his easy grin. “I totally get having a mean boss. We just want to stay safe based on what you do know.”

The vendor hesitates, and then says, “All I know is that some new private contractor started overseeing this beach last week, and they’re extremely focused on increasing the number of people here by any means possible—marketing, extended hours, all the new food stalls…you would think that a festival’s happening this week.”

“Huh. What’s this private contractor called?” Yuuji asks.

“Oh, it was a very odd name. I think they must be a religious organization, though I’m not sure how they became involved with Emerald Beach,” the vendor says, “especially with a name like Genshin’s Hand.”

Megumi knows that name as well as he knows every single other piece of information about the Prison Realm that he and Yuuji had dug, fought, and bled like animals to get, and he knows exactly what runs through Yuuji’s mind now as the grin on his face collapses. Megumi knows, because he’s thinking it himself, too.

Please, not this again.

It didn’t take long for everyone to realize that they had gotten lucky with the first vendor. None of the other vendors knew anything about the disappearances beyond the fact that they’ve been occurring. They knew even less about their strange new management. All that mattered was that they had been invited to sell their goods at a popular beach without any licenses or fees required.

They decided to split into two groups to collect information more effectively: Maki, Panda, and Toge went to question the management office directly, which isn’t too far from the beach, while Yuuji, Megumi, Nobara, and Gojo continued to investigate on the beach. They would meet back near the food stalls later to compare notes. Everyone could only hope there would be notes to compare.

There’s only so much we can do when we don’t even know who’s missing, Megumi thinks, tiredly, watching as Yuuji begins to pace back and forth on the sand like a caged tiger. 

“There was nothing strange about the water near the shore—it was the first place we checked,” Yuuji says, tense, and Megumi frowns. So they weren’t only fooling around there. “There was nothing dangerous about the tides. So, how are entire families disappearing without a trace? How were they taken?”

“You’re assuming they were taken,” Nobara points out. “What if they were led away by someone?”

“The management office may have CCTV footage, so we could rejoin our upperclassmen there,” Megumi suggests.

“That’d take way too long,” Nobara protests. “We don’t even know what we’re looking for among all these crowds!”

“The vendor also could’ve lied to us,” Megumi says. “We might be wasting our time here—”

“So are we willing to risk human lives by thinking she lied?” Yuuji demands, and Megumi immediately backs off.

“That’s not what I meant,” Megumi explains. “I’m just saying that maybe we’re looking in the wrong place because of the wrong information.”

“Gojo-sensei,” Nobara says, suddenly. “You haven’t said anything at all.”

“I’m just curious to hear what you all think,” Gojo says, stretching out his legs before sitting down on the sand.

Then, he lifts up five fingers and continues, dropping one finger, “So far, you’ve considered the management office by the entrance,” another finger, “the water by the shore,” another finger, “the food stands by the back,” another finger, “and the validity of everything we’ve learned from those spots.” 

With only his index finger remaining up, Gojo asks, “Let’s say all those spots are related with the disappearances. What’s something that connects them? And because I’m a nice guy, I’ll give you a hint: It’s more obvious than you think.”

“People?” Megumi suggests, slightly annoyed that Gojo can’t just get on with his point. Is now, of all times, really the time for him to be a teacher?

“Bzzzt! Wrong,” Gojo says. Megumi crosses his arms.

“Heat,” Nobara grumbles.

“Bzzzt!” Gojo says. Nobara rolls her eyes.

“I dunno,” Yuuji says, quietly. “It all sounds like normal beach stuff to me. Gojo-sensei, about this new group—”

“Bzzzt! All of you are wrong,” Gojo says, “but that’s A-OK! Even with a help system built right into my eyes, I almost missed it too until Yuuji-kun began to pace around! And with every grain that sifted beneath his feet, I saw…” 

Running a hand through the sand beside him, Gojo lifts up a sparkling palmful of the grains. He brings it close to his face, to his eyes, before letting it all rain softly down to blend back with the sand below their feet. 

“The sand,” Yuuji, Megumi, and Nobara exclaim at once, straightening together.

“Bingo,” Gojo says. “There’s cursed energy woven through the sand in some grains but not others, and so instead of appearing loud and clear to the average sorcerer’s eye, it’s nearly invisible with how faint it is.” Dusting off the rest of the sand from his hands with a few claps, he chuckles. “I’m honestly impressed. A lot of precision would be needed to bind cursed energy to something as small as a grain of sand.”

“Wait, then with enough layers of sand and cursed energy…” Megumi realizes, twisting to look around where he stands.

“It effectively functions as a barrier beneath us,” Gojo finishes, more serious. “Now the question becomes: What lies beneath us?”

The realization, even if it isn’t unexpected, still makes him ill. Megumi closes his eyes. As he feels his teeth grit together, he can also hear Nobara sucks in a breath.

Beside him, Yuuji looks briefly lost as he asks, “Wait, what does this have to do with the people who…disappeared…” He looks from Gojo’s solemn expression to Megumi and Nobara’s nausea, and then all the blood drains from his face. “No…no way…!”

“Yuuji,” Gojo starts, trying and failing to reach for his shoulder. 

In a flurry of movement, Yuuji’s on his knees, digging at the sand beneath him like a wild animal. They’re in a more secluded area of the beach, but Megumi still looks around to make sure no one from the crowds nearby notices. Nobara says nothing, standing quietly by Yuuji as he sends sand flying everywhere around her.

“It’s only been a few days,” Yuuji mutters as he continues digging. Sand flies everywhere. “They could be fine but running out of air—”

What will they even find, if Yuuji keeps digging? With the sand likely masking the cursed energy signatures below, there is no telling what states they will find their missing victims in. No telling if they had been partially or fully transformed into grotesque cursed objects, if anything more of their former selves is left beyond skin and eyes. No telling if they were even recognizable as someone who had once been human, anymore.

Megumi wants to reach for Yuuji, wants to hold him close, but what can he say? What is there to say? They were too late.

“Yuuji,” Gojo says, again—and again, he reaches out to place a hand on Yuuji’s back. Yuuji stills at this contact, though his fists remain tightly clenched in sand. Gojo waits for his breathing to steady before continuing, “They never had a chance. Long before we got here, they were already gone.”

“But they’re not gone,” Yuuji says, and within the strength, the stubbornness of his voice, Megumi can also hear a quiet whine. “They’re right here. We just need to find them.”

“We’ll find them, and we’ll give them a proper burial,” Gojo promises, his tone softening in a way that Megumi didn’t know was possible, “but not right now. Not here, with everyone still at the beach watching.”

Yuuji closes his eyes, breathes in slowly, and then rises back up to his feet. 

“Right,” he says, dully. “Then let’s—”

Gojo’s head whips from Yuuji to the entrance of the beach a split second before Megumi feels it.

The drop in pressure. The shift in the air, as if reality itself had cracked. Dread, fear, terror given form, seeping in through the cracks, through Megumi’s heart, and then—

The management office explodes.

Megumi doesn’t wait for his body to process the light, the heat, the debris—or is that sand?—that’s now raining down crowds of screams and panic. There’s so much of it that even the sun is obscured, darkening the entire beach. With blurry, sand-filled eyes, Megumi can see that Gojo has already stepped in front of them, so Megumi focuses on defense, summoning Max Elephant to serve as both a shield for Yuuji, Nobara, and himself as well as a firehose if needed.

What the fuck was that? Megumi thinks, looking around frantically. That wasn’t a special grade curse—that felt like…something more—!

In the distance, he catches sight of Maki charging toward them with Panda in one arm and Toge in the other—both of them unconscious—her face wild and screaming something Megumi can’t hear past the roar of wind and sand in his ears. At least they all look alive.

Gojo, who can probably see the curse through all the sand and chaos, gathers Red on a finger pointed toward the remains of the management office—but before Megumi can brace himself, the glow of that powerful, swirling orb fades, dissipating into nothing. Immediately, Gojo grits his teeth and switches to an open hand, activating Blue instead in an attempt to keep the flow—no, the storm of sand contained at its origin.

Megumi stares in confusion at what must have been a moment of indecision, but there’s no time to ask questions. Looking back at Yuuji and Nobara, Megumi dismisses Max Elephant and summons Nue instead, now large enough to carry at least a few more people besides himself. He points up at the sky. They nod and follow him in climbing onto Nue, and then they’re climbing into the sky, where Megumi realizes exactly what Maki was screaming.

It’s the sand. The curse is part of the sand.

Megumi curses under his breath, but he can no longer hear even himself over the howling winds. He looks over at Nobara, who has her hammer and nails clutched so tightly that the veins above her hands bulge. Her eyes, filled with tense frustration, rapidly dart from one area of the storm to the next, and Megumi instantly knows she’s looking for a weak spot to no avail: even if she manages to hit one of the scattered grains, it would be near impossible to channel her cursed energy through the rest.

Clutching onto Nue beside him, Yuuji slices the air with an open hand, and Megumi feels from the vibrations of his body more than hears the word uttered, “Dismantle!” Dotted lines form nearly across the entire length of the storm, placed slightly higher to avoid the beach below, and then, for the briefest moment, Megumi sees the sun again and thinks, It worked—

As soon as the storm splits in two, allowing a crack of sunlight to peak through, it melds back together, swirling more ferociously than before. Megumi feels the force of several grains slice his cheek as they fly past.

And then, the eye of the growing storm seems to look at them in the sky.

The curse isn’t part of the sand—it is the sand! Megumi realizes in a panic, as he screams “Nue!” in alarm, but he doesn’t realize that the storm—the curse has a specific target until it is too late.

While Nue dives down with Megumi and Nobara clinging on, Yuuji is left behind in the air. Instead of falling, however, he remains struggling, punching and kicking fruitlessly mid-air as he’s enveloped in swirling sand—it becomes denser and denser, until Yuuji’s coughing and clutching at his throat.

Before Megumi can direct Nue back up, Gojo is already there, next to Yuuji, trying to pull him out, but the sand refuses to release him. It continues to rage around them, cutting at their skin and covering them from Megumi’s view—

Wait, cutting at their skin?

Why doesn’t Gojo have Infinity on?

Nobara hits his shoulder hard enough to hurt, and Megumi twists to look at her, startled. She’s…pretending to be an elephant with her arms? Bewildered, Megumi wonders if she’s gone mad at first before he realizes, No, she’s telling me to summon Max Elephant again, and—spray water over the sand!

Without further hesitation, Megumi summons Max Elephant again and commands it to release the maximum amount of water in Gojo and Yuuji’s direction.

Within the next heartbeat, Nobara launches several nails at her now much larger, slower target.

The curse howls, but Nobara is already snapping her fingers and mouthing, “Hairpin.”

The wet sand erupts.

All the remaining sand that has gathered in the air stills before plummeting back toward the ground.

As the sun returns to cast light upon the beach, so does sound, but their recovery brings Megumi little relief: the air is filled with sounds of sobbing and pain, and the beach is almost completely in ruins. The amount of emergencies that must be addressed is uncountable. 

In the corner of his eye, Megumi can see Maki below, lifting a makeshift shelter from what looks to be the roof of a lifeguard tower. Panda and Toge lie close beside her, still unconscious. Several civilians are also huddled beside them, paralyzed with shock. 

Megumi should check in with them, find out what happened at the management office, get somewhere with signal and call Ijichi. Megumi should secure the civilians and get an idea of what the casualties will look like this time. Megumi should take a sample of the sand back with him to figure out what the hell just unfolded. Megumi should, Megumi should, Megumi should.

There are protocols Megumi should follow.

Instead, he remains frozen, staring at the empty space where Gojo and Yuuji are supposed to be.