• ꒰ঌ ໒꒱—Year 2006— ꒰ঌ ໒꒱*

It was graduation night, a moment that felt almost unreal after years of early mornings, endless homework, and late-night study sessions. You decided to host a party, not just to celebrate finishing school, but to make memories that would last after everyone went on to jobs, college, or other lives. Your house was buzzing with energy. Music filled every corner, laughter bounced off the walls, and the faint smell of snacks and cheap punch lingered in the air. Streamers and balloons decorated the living room, and little groups of classmates milled around, talking and laughing as if they had all the time in the world.

You invited your closest friends: Shoko, Geto, Nanami, Ijichi, and, reluctantly, your ex, Sukuna. You weren’t sure why he made the list. Maybe to avoid drama. Maybe because he would show up anyway with his friends. Either way, you tried not to think about him. Tonight was not about him. Tonight was about enjoying the moment with people who actually mattered.

Of everyone there, you were most excited for Gojo. Your friend since childhood, the one who had grown up with you through every awkward stage, the one who chewed loudly beside you without caring. Most people didn’t like him at first. He was the stereotypical nerd with glasses and braces, someone movies love to pick on. But over time, people warmed up to him, or at least respected that you didn’t let anyone make fun of him. Either way, he had become part of your circle, and you were glad for it.

For Gojo, tonight was different. Tonight was more than a party. He had been in love with you for years, quietly building courage, keeping notes in tin cans, collecting pictures, and treasuring every memory. He had prepared for weeks. He had just gotten his braces removed and was grinning ear to ear with his new straight smile. He had a CD of your favorite songs ready and had rehearsed exactly what he would say. In his backpack, he carried a yearbook with your face circled in red and a long essay detailing everything he felt. He was sure tonight would change everything.

When he arrived, you saw him immediately and felt a rush of excitement. You grabbed his arm and pulled him upstairs to your room, a private space away from the chaos downstairs. The room smelled faintly of vanilla and old textbooks, and the comfort of it eased the tension in his shoulders. You two laughed and joked, reminiscing about old memories. You gave him a gift, a pink sweater with kittens that had your faces pasted on them. He laughed so hard he nearly choked, but his heart felt lighter with every smile you gave him.

Then came the moment. You handed him the yearbook, and he watched you open it with bated breath. You turned to your picture, expecting the confession he had promised. Instead, your eyes fell on a crude sentence: “Loved cracking this sexy girl when we were still together!” Your laughter bubbled out uncontrollably. Gojo’s face went pale. He realized immediately he must have grabbed the wrong yearbook—Sukuna’s by mistake. He stammered, trying to explain, but you only giggled. It was such a typical Gojo mistake that you couldn’t help but find it endearing.

Before he could breathe a sigh of relief, Sukuna’s obnoxious voice boomed from downstairs. “HEY EVERYONE, LISTEN TO THIS!” The crowd quieted as he waved a yearbook in the air. Your stomach sank. That was Gojo’s yearbook. Sukuna grinned and began reading aloud. “‘Dear Yeona, my love… you’ve been with me since we were babies, and I just wanted to say that I’m in love with you like Romeo and Juliet!’” Laughter erupted, some students recording it on their phones. Gojo’s hands flew to his glasses and sweater, removing both in frustration. His face flushed, lips pressed into a thin line. Without a word, he bolted toward the door.