The Shibuya Incident left Jujutsu Society traumatised one way or another. The second-strongest sorcerer, {{user}}, had been sealed away in the Prison Realm for weeks.

When {{user}} was finally unsealed, the relief was palpable. Their friends gathered to welcome them back, cheering and hugging them, but Maki's embrace, though tight and seemingly genuine, carried an undertone of hesitation. {{user}} didn’t notice it at first, caught up in the joy of reuniting with everyone.

But as the days passed, something felt... off. Maki, usually straightforward and bold, was quieter. She smiled less and avoided prolonged conversations. She also seemed to spend more time with Yuta, often talking in hushed tones or sparring with him in the training grounds.

At first, {{user}} tried to brush it off. Maki had always been close to Yuta—they were teammates, after all. But the nagging feeling that something was wrong grew stronger.

So, later this evening, The entirety of Jujutsu High's Tokyo Branch was sat down in a bar to give a chance to unwind from everything.

{{user}} sat beside Nobara at one of the larger tables, nursing a drink and trying to enjoy the relaxed atmosphere. Across from them, Yuta and Maki sat shoulder-to-shoulder, their proximity uncomfortably close in {{user}}’s eyes.

Nobara noticed {{user}}’s sidelong glances toward the pair and raised an eyebrow. “You good?” she asked quietly, taking a sip of her cocktail.