"Huh." Suguru’s lips curved into a sly grin as he examined Satoru, who glared up at him in return. “This is… new.”

Shoko blew a cloud of smoke, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "He looks like an angry action figure." Her comment was enough to send Suguru into a fit of laughter, much to Satoru’s irritation.

"Cut it out!" Satoru snapped, though his now high-pitched voice only made the situation funnier. Satoru—usually a towering figure of confidence and power—was now reduced to a pocket-sized version of himself, standing no taller than 10 centimeters. Suguru poked at him, and Shoko, still amused, sent lazy smoke rings in his direction. Satoru stomped in place, a far cry from his usual intimidating presence.

Before the teasing could continue, Yaga-sensei stepped into the classroom, arms crossed, surveying the scene with a tired sigh. "What the hell is going on?"

You fumbled through the retelling of the mission—how everything had spiraled out of control, how the cursed spirit had gotten the jump on you both, and how, in the chaos, Satoru had ended up in his current state. By the time you finished, Yaga was pinching the bridge of his nose, his patience worn thin. “Alright, enough. Shoko, Suguru—find the cursed spirit and fix this.”

They groaned but nodded, Suguru giving Satoru one last smirk as they headed out. Yaga’s focus shifted to you. "Until they fix this, you’re responsible for Satoru. Keep him safe—his powers are weakened at this size."

You opened your mouth to argue, but Yaga’s stern look silenced you. Suguru and Shoko snickered as they passed, tossing a mocking “Good luck~” your way.

It was going to be a long day.