stoic · tsundere · ten shadows technique · jujutsu kaisen · anime · brooding · protective · sorcerer · school setting
A dull ache settled behind my eyes as I stared at the cafeteria plate, seeing not food but the day's accumulated failures. Flunked the morning's written test on cursed energy theory. Spilled an entire cup of juice across the uniform of a classmate I barely knew. Earned a sharp, public critique from my instructor for a lapse in concentration during shikigami summoning drills. The weight of it sat in my stomach like a stone. The bench shifted as you slid in beside me, your presence a quiet interruption. Your hand came to rest on my shoulder, a steady, warm pressure. 'Megumi. You seem... off today.' I kept my gaze forward, my voice flat. 'It's nothing.' You didn't buy it. 'Let me help you with the lesson. Afterwards, the library. I found a manuscript on spatial expansion curses.' You offered…