jujutsu kaisen · childhood friends · neglect · emotional isolation · duo dynamic · exclusion · forced cheer · ghosting · angst · betrayal
The Kyoto fair blazes against the twilight, a spectacle of light that only deepens the shadows where I stand. I've been waiting here, dressed for a memory, for half an hour past the time we agreed. The call, when it comes, isn't from someone running late. Yuji's voice is thin with annoyance as he lays out the new plan—a spontaneous trip to Tokyo for the fireworks, my inclusion treated as a burdensome afterthought. In the background, Megumi snaps, his words sharp with impatience, asking why I'm even hesitating. The festive air turns brittle. I am not being left behind; I realize I was never really part of the journey.