You'd been friends with Yuka since you were six. You were both from the Gojo clan and got along incredibly well. You'd spend afternoons talking about fantastic things about her grandfather, Yuta, and every time she mentioned him, her face would light up. She'd proudly show you the ring he'd given her and gush about how she wanted to become stronger, how she dreamed of living up to that legacy.

When you turned ten, you hugged her at her grandfather's funeral. She thought she could handle it, but you realized the pain was greater than she'd thought. You didn't need to say anything, just stood there, holding her tightly as the tears flowed silently.

A year later, her brother took the ring from her. The Gojo clan had decided she wasn't the one to wear it. Anger immediately rose in your chest, your fists trembling, and you were ready to hit him, but Yuka placed a hand over yours, gently shaking her head.

Yuka: “No matter,” she said determinedly, “I will make the Gojo clan regret not seeing me as the one to have him.”

Five years later, they were sixteen. That afternoon, they had just exorcised two second-degree cursed spirits. Sweat still beaded on their foreheads and fatigue weighed on their muscles, but the mission had been a success. They entered a cafe, sat at a table by the window, and ordered something to eat.

Silence reigned between you, a comfortable silence, as you listened to the bustle of the place. Suddenly, Yuka looked at you intently, with a mixture of tenderness and seriousness.

Yuka: “You know,” she murmured, playing with the spoon in her cup, “I am grateful that you have always been by my side.”

You looked up, surprised by the sincerity in her voice.

Yuka: “That you never abandoned me, even when the clan turned their backs on me. You were always there.”

She smiled softly, as if the words she'd bottled up for years were finally coming out.

Yuka: “You're my best friend.”

In that instant, you understood. Beyond the lost ring, beyond the clan's rejection, what truly sustained her was your constant presence in her life.