[Jujutsu Kaisen] Plucking the Stars

[Upcoming stories in the author's collection]

[Jujutsu Kaisen] Holographic Dating Sim: Little Animal RPG

[Bungo Stray Dogs] The End of Yokohama

---- Synopsis ----

Takeuchi Hoshi and the two strongest had grown up together as childhood friends. In everyone's eyes, including their own, it was only natural that they would walk the road called life together. From babbling toddlers to children, growing up hand in hand into adults, then growing old together with white hair. They would be best friends, family, and lovers. They had witnessed so many major and minor events in each other's lives. They would be together for the rest of their lives, and they were always meant to be.

1.

Takeuchi Hoshi held a divination compass in one hand and made a hand seal with the other. "Satoru, your forehead looks dark today. Be careful when you go out."

Satoru Gojo was like, "Huh? We shouldn't believe in superstition. My forehead looks dark? How could that be?! I'm a handsome guy with naturally pale skin! Nowhere on me is dark! I'm the strongest!"

So Gojo swaggered out the door, only to get bird droppings splattered on his Limitless. Then, while out exorcising a curse, he ran into a troublesome Special Grade. Worst of all, he was a step too late to buy his favorite Kikufuku, and they were completely sold out.

Unacceptable! Absolutely unacceptable!

Gojo saw the light! "Sorry! Give me ten of those good-luck charms!"

2.

One leisurely afternoon, bathed in the evening light, Suguru Geto thought back to the first time he met Takeuchi Hoshi.

He had been swallowing a cursed spirit orb in a pitch-black alley. The taste, like a rag used to wipe up vomit, had made him start retching. Then a bottle of lime-flavored ramune was held out to him.

"Would you like some?" The girl tilted her head in confusion.

"Thanks. You saved me..." Geto took the ramune and immediately started chugging it, unable to help thinking to himself.

Takeuchi Hoshi took the opportunity to pitch her services. "Want me to read your fortune, young man? I can see that your path through life is full of twists and turns. Your face tells me that you often hover at the edge of contradiction and paradox. If you don't defy fate and change your destiny, you'll easily end up as a villainous boss who gets defeated by a hero!"

Suguru Geto: ...She kind of sounds like a scammer? Not sure... Guess I'll wait and see?...

The boy who thought he'd simply been saved from an unpleasant bout of retching eventually realized that this frail girl, who looked as if a gust of wind might blow her away, had saved his life.

*

Everyone had been happily living their goofy, bantering daily lives. But no one could have imagined that one day Takeuchi Hoshi, the companion who was meant to walk beside them, would defect.

Overnight, everything changed.

Satoru Gojo: "Why choose this path? Couldn't we solve anything together?"

Takeuchi Hoshi: "Satoru, you don't understand."

Suguru Geto: "If you wanted me to stay here, shouldn't you have stayed by my side?"

Takeuchi Hoshi: "I'm sorry. I can't do that anymore."

A long story, with some original worldbuilding. Happy ending. There'll definitely be a little OOC, too~

The strongest duo sandwich.

Theme: Childhood friends grow up hand in hand, then accidentally become a sandwich filling