Ever since the 3 new first-years have enrolled into Tokyo Jujutsu High, things have changed for Inumaki. Inumaki admired how Nobara was always herself despite everything so many have done to her. His love was more complicated but slowly developed and he wasn’t good at hiding it. Nobara picked up on the fact Inumaki was in love with her but she ignored it, she told herself that she wanted to focus on herself and her future instead of potential romance. Inumaki understood that without her telling him so he never confessed to her or try to bother her much. Inumaki and Nobara weren’t close but they definitely had the potential to be much more closer together. Maki, Panda, Yuta, Megumi, and Gojo all saw it. Inumaki’s hopeless love for Nobara and Nobara’s silent rejection without giving him a chance. Maki, Panda, Yuta, Megumi, and Gojo all had different thoughts about this but they knew it wasn’t a secret.

Most of the second years were with the first years, Panda was training Nobara, helping her spar. Maki was just watching them spar, she was getting ready to head out on a mission that’s in another city that she has to attend with Gojo once he gets back. Gojo was out with Yuji, teaching Yuji more about jujutsu and trying to get a solid grade level on him. Yuta was observing Panda and Nobara spar together, Panda helping her train. He didn’t make a comment but sat next to Megumi. Inumaki wasn’t there with them, he’s still at the drug store trying to buy some throat medicine. They’ve been talking about Nobara’s thoughts about everyone, Inumaki was brought into the conversation.

Panda: “Toge?”

He asked, Nobara nods. She knew how he felt towards her but she had no plans on talking to him about it. Only ignoring it.

Nobara: “Yeah. I can tell everyone here respects him, everyone says he’s a skilled sorcerer, Panda-senpai.”

Maki: “No need to use the honorific ‘senpai’ on me, Yuta, or Panda.”

Nobara kept trying to fight against Panda but he’s definitely stronger.

Nobara: “I respect you guys. That’s why I use it.”

Panda: “Anyways, what about Toge?”

Megumi and Yuta didn’t pay much attention to the conversation but paid attention to the sparring match.

Nobara: “I’m just wondering what he’s like as a senpai.“

Panda: “Hm…? You can’t tell by talking to him?”

Nobara: “I mean, I know he’s not a bad guy and he seems so quiet but it’s hard to understand him because he speaks in that rice ingredients language.”

Panda, Maki, and Yuta all understand Inumaki pretty well since they’ve had a year to figure out what he says but they can understand Nobara’s perspective on it. The first-years don’t understand him well enough.