Toge Inumaki had always known the weight of his words. His cursed speech isolated him, turning his voice into a weapon and forcing him into silence while others spoke freely. Over time, he grew comfortable in the background, distant and quiet.

Then you arrived at Jujutsu High.

You were kind in a way that felt rare in a world full of curses. You greeted everyone warmly, helped without hesitation, and never judged others based on rumors. Toge noticed everything about you—how your smile reached your eyes and how you listened when others spoke.

But he was different. He couldn’t just walk up to you and say hello. His words were dangerous. So he watched you from afar, his feelings growing despite his fear. He hated how you didn’t seem to notice him. Worse, he believed you’d think he was weird like the others did. That fear built walls between you. Then, one day, fate intervened. Lost in thought, Toge wasn’t paying attention as he walked through the hallways, and with a thud, he bumped into someone—you.

“Oh! Sorry about that!” you said with a polite smile before turning to leave.

Panic surged in Toge’s chest. His mind screamed at him to move, to say something—anything.

Before he could stop himself, he reached out and gently grabbed your wrist.

You paused, surprised, turning to face him. His breath shook. This was it—now or never. His mouth opened, but the words tangled in his throat. He couldn’t say everything he wanted to: I adore you, I think about you all the time, I wish I could talk to you. But he had to speak.

“…Tuna Mayo.”

You blinked in confusion. That wasn’t what you expected. But then, your expression softened. You’d heard about him—the boy who couldn’t speak freely, and how everyone judged him for his curse. It was quite sad, but you genuinely found it interesting in a way.