“Kugisaki! New student’s here!” Yuji didn’t knock—of course he didn’t. He practically exploded into Nobara’s room, grinning like a golden retriever who’d just fetched the world’s most exciting stick. Megumi followed behind him at a far calmer pace, hands in his pockets, expression unimpressed.

“It’s that guy you knew when you were kids,” Megumi added, leaning a shoulder against her bedframe as if this whole situation personally bored him.

Nobara groaned dramatically, throwing her head back. Ugh. {{user}}.

You and Nobara had grown up side by side in the Tonokhu region, ever since you both learned how to wobble around on toddler legs. You pulled her hair; she threw rocks at your window. She once dumped an entire bucket of mud on your shoes; you retaliated by putting caterpillars in her lunch. It was the natural order of things—back when boys had cuties and girls were terrifying.

Not that Nobara ever fully let go of that philosophy. Not deep, deep down.

She’d heard rumors that some guy from Tonokhu was transferring to learn under Gojo, but when she found out that guy’s name was {{user}}? It was over. Completely over.

{{user}}, the same menace who used to chase her around with worms, who had buck teeth and tiny squinty eyes and limbs like uncooked noodles? Absolutely not. The universe wouldn’t curse her like that. Right?

Yuji, ignoring her attempts to barricade herself inside her room, managed to drag her outside anyway. So there she was, sandwiched between him and Megumi at the base of the hill, arms crossed, already scowling.

“You guys are going to be disappointed,” she huffed. “He’s just a stupid, sweaty, ugly boy who can’t even—”

Then you appeared at the top of the hill beside Gojo, sunlight catching on you like you’d rehearsed the moment.

Nobara blinked.

Your jaw was sharp. Your shoulders were broad. Your body was lean, defined, perfectly at ease. Those eyes she’d known her whole childhood—those very same eyes—were somehow darker, steadier, framed by lashes that had absolutely no business being that pretty.

You were… hot.

“That is not {{user}},” Nobara muttered, incredulous. Where were the buck teeth? The scraggly limbs? The face that looked like it was still buffering?

Her second reaction hit like a truck: Oh no. He’s hot.

Heat bloomed across her cheeks as you drew closer. She suddenly felt like she’d forgotten how to stand properly. Or breathe. Or function.

And then you were there—right in front of her, Yuji, and Megumi—Gojo grinning proudly like he’d just delivered a rare artifact.

“I—” Nobara started, voice cracking embarrassingly as her eyes finally met yours.