Inside a white sports car, Satori sat on the driver's seat while Suguri was busy typing something on her phone.
"Why does a new cursed spirit keep popping up every other day?? I want to rest!" Satori complained in a loud tone while turning the steering wheel.
"The number of cursed spirits is indeed a problem..." Suguri nodded while chewing a mouth freshener.
Satori pouted.
"I want to go to the beach and relax!"
"Beach? That sounds nice...."
"Right?! How about we make a plan this week?"
Satori didn't wait for her reply and continued on her own.
"It's decided then! Let's tell Naoya and Shoko when we get back!"
"Hm."
Suguri paused, then suddenly asked what had been bugging her for some time now.
"I still can't believe Naoya let you drive his car....."
"What's the big deal? It's just a car anyway," Satori asked in curiosity.
"You didn't notice?" Suguri continued in a surprised tone.
"He drives it to school every day without fail, always driving carefully in traffic to avoid damaging it. I once saw him getting super pissed when a random guy was leaning against it..."
She raised her finger while recounting each event.
"Oh-oh... I see..." Satori replied in confusion.
Why do you remember all that?
'Still, it does make sense. So Naoya really likes this car?'
She thought while carefully looking at the shining interior.
It was indeed in very good condition, almost spotless actually.
Now she understood why he was acting reluctant when she asked him for the keys back at school.
For some reason.
A feeling of dissatisfaction emerged inside her heart.
'So this car is more important to him?'
"Hmph."
She pouted, then suddenly an idea emerged in her mind, making her narrow her eyes.
Parking the car on the side, she looked at the confused Suguri and said with a mischievous smile.
"Since he likes his car so much... how do you think he will react when he knows it got smashed?"
*Cough*Cough*Cough*
Suguri chokes on her own saliva and gives Satori a horrified look.
"... don't do it; he'll go crazy..."
"Go crazy? That will be fun to see!"
Satori pulled out her phone, then quickly went to her contacts and dialed Naoya's number.
'So it's a fake call; she's not actually going to smash his car...' Suguri, who was about to run away, calmed down and released a sigh of relief.
It was a simple prank call.
Hm, now even she was interested in seeing his reaction...
Suguri placed her hair behind her ear and brought her head closer to the phone.
*Tringgg-click*
The call connected.
Before Naoya on the other side could even react,
Satori quickly said in a pitiful voice.
"Naoya... I'm sorry... we got in an accident, and I crashed your car..."
"....."
Not getting a reply, she smirked, imagining his face contorting in anger, and continued.
"The car, it's all ruined and broken—"
Just then.
A calm voice suddenly interrupted her from the other side.
"Are you alright?"
Satori froze, the smirk on her face suddenly vanishing as she paused for a moment before asking in confusion.
"Um, sorry, but... I didn't hear what you said?"
"I asked if you were hurt anywhere. Did you injure yourself? Tell me where you are; I'll come right away...."
Listening to his words.
Satori's mind seems to blank out without any warning.
Opening her mouth, she pursed down on her lips and said in a small voice.
"I'm fine... you should know since I have infinity... it's just that your car is broken..."
"You're unhurt? That's good. Also, it's okay; don't worry about the car. What about Suguri? Is she fine? Does she need help?"
"I-I'm fine too, Naoya!" Suguri hurriedly said with an awkward look on her face.
"Well, do you two want me to pick you up—"
"N-no! It's fine, really!"
"Y-yes! We're perfectly okay!"
Satori and Suguri replied in a loud voice at the same time.
"I see, then go back home safely; I'm hanging up the phone."
*Click*
Satori silently stared at the phone's screen for some time before slowly lowering her head and leaning against the car's steering wheel.
"Idiot..." she muttered in a small, affectionate voice, then quickly raised her hands to hide her beet-red face.
Suguri on the side looked out of the window in silence.
Naoya Zenin.
How envious.
----
Back at Jujutsu High.
"Hah? So you're telling me it was all just a lie??!" Naoya grabbed Satori's cheeks and stretched them wide in annoyance.
"I'm sowwyyy~." Satori quickly raised her arms in defeat and apologized.
"Sorry? You think everything is a joke, don't you? And to think I was worried there for a second..."
Naoya narrowed his eyes and increased the force in his hands.
"W-wait! Naoya—it really hurts! Ahh!"
"Tsk, you have been too lazy with your training lately; let's go, I will again teach you how to use Reverse Curse Energy."
Satori quickly escaped his grasp and ran away in a hurry.
"H-Help me! Someone help me!"
"Get back here!" Naoya chased after her at an incredible speed.
Suguri stared at the two of them in silence.
Seeing Satori smiling happily even when being chased and punished by Naoya, she silently lowered her eyes and entwined her fingers.
From the side, Shoko walked out, looked at the ongoing mayhem and said with a tired look on her face,
"These two are always so energetic..."
"Why do you sound like an old woman?" Suguri asked her in a calm tone.
"Cut me some slack, will you? I stayed awake the entire night. Yarn~~"
Shoko looked at Suguri's face and then suddenly asked in confusion.
"What happened to you?"
"Nothing."
Suguri replied with a single word and turned her head away.
Shoko felt something was wrong but then shrugged her shoulders and took out a cigarette to smoke.
----
Inside an empty classroom.
Naoya and Satori sat facing each other.
"Do you understand? This is how you use it," Naoya said while demonstrating reverse curse energy.
"Think of curse energy as negative, then multiply that negative with another negative to get a positive."
"See? It's that easy; now you do it."
Satori gave him a blank look and couldn't help but say.
"I... don't understand."
"What do you not understand?"
"Everything."
"....."
Looking at the honest expression on Satori's face, Naoya couldn't help but rub his head in pain.
Was she really the future strongest?
Why does it feel like she was a little retarded...?
Seeing Naoya giving her a questionable look, Satori puffed up her cheeks and loudly protested.
"It's not me! It's you who's the problem! You're a terrible teacher! Terrible teacher!"
"A good teacher can't do anything if the student is dumb," Naoya replied with a snort.
"You're calling me dumb? Me? Naoya Zenin! You are the last one who has the right to call me dumb!..."
"Sigh, forget it, let's try again. Listen carefully..."
He showed her the process and then again told her the words she herself had spoken in the series, hoping she would get it.
Alas, it seems changing genders came with a weird IQ debuff.
After several more tries, he finally gave up.
It had been a few months since he had been helping her trying to understand reverse curse energy.
He tried every method he could think of, yet she just doesn't get it!
Naoya regretfully sighed, patted Satori's head, and asked in a sad tone.
"You didn't hit your head as a child, did you?"
"....."
She really wanted to hit him!
Barely controlling herself, Satori crossed her arms and said.
"I was going to invite you to the beach, but since you think I'm an idiot, I'll just go with Suguri and Shoko instead!"
"Hmph!"
She turned her head away and looked at him from the corner of her eyes, waiting for him to quickly apologize.
"A beach? That sounds fun..." Naoya said as he rubbed his chin.
'Yes! So quickly beg me to take you!'
She thought with a victorious smile on her face.
"Well, since you guys have made your plans, I'll just go with Mei Mei Senpai."
Naoya pulled out his phone and suddenly dialed a number.
But before he could call, a fair hand suddenly rushed from the side and closed his phone.
Blinking curiously, Naoya turned his head and saw Satori looking at him with narrowed eyes.
"You... when did you and Mei Mei get so close?"
"We met on a mission; I have to say she was really nice..."
Naoya replied with a smile on his face, remembering her hot body.
"...She was really nice, huh?"
"Yes, she's very friendly and mature..."
Listening to his words, Satori pouted and then suddenly cut him off.
"You don't have to ask her! You're coming with us!"
"I am? But didn't you say—"
"Forget what I said! I said you're going, and you're going!"
"Oh....."
"What? You still have complaints?"
Folding her arms, she said in a serious tone.
"Be grateful; you'll get to see me in a swimsuit."
"A swimsuit? Hm, it will look good on you." Naoya nodded his head, imagining her in one.
Satori glanced at him, then suddenly asked in a calm voice.
"By the way... do you have any preference?"
"Preference?"
"In color, I mean what color of swimsuit do you like?" she said with a nonchalant look on her face.
"Why are you asking?"
"Just answer it; it's just a stupid question....."
Naoya looked at her calm face and then said with a smile.
"Black."
Satori's ears perked up.
"I think you will look good in black."
"Hmph, when did I say I'll wear it? Maybe I will... But! You'll have to come with us instead of Mei Mei to find out..."
"Ohh, then it seems I have no choice. Alright, I'll come with you."
"Tsk, remember it's your own choice...," Satori said with a happy smile on her face.
Naoya rubbed her head and said with a smile.
"You're cute."
Satori silently lowered her head.
----
Note: Chapter update frequency will drop from now on. My free days are up; it's time to get back to work.