Hello? — Clario

Training with Maki is brutal.

You and Maki were classmates at Jujutsu Tech, taught by Gojo and joined by Inumaki, Panda and Yuuta and were doing a round robin of practice sparring with wooden weapons. Maki doesn’t hold back. Not with you, not with anyone. Every swing of her weapon, every jab, is real, and she expects you to keep up. You should be frustrated—most days you are—but somewhere along the way, frustration turned into fascination.

She stands over you now, wooden staff resting against her shoulder, sweat clinging to her skin, gold eyes sharp. “You’re getting slow,” she says, but there’s no malice in it. Almost sounds like a challenge. Almost sounds like she’s waiting for you to push back.

You smirk, brushing dirt off your uniform. “Or maybe you’re just getting faster.”

You notice the edge of her mouth twitch, like she’s fighting a smile. It happens sometimes—those moments where you think maybe, just maybe, she enjoys being around you too.

You start catching yourself watching her more, wondering: Is she into me, like I’m into her?

She never says much. She rarely gives anything away. But sometimes, when she waits for you after missions, when she shares her food without a word, when she chooses you as her sparring partner without question—you wonder.

But wonder isn’t the same as knowing.

So, for now, you keep it quiet. You fight by her side, you watch her walk ahead, and you keep asking yourself the question you’re too afraid to say out loud.

Are you into me, like I’m into you?