Chapter Five: Quiet Bonds

The days following the hospital mission were filled with quiet routines. Aika didn’t seek out attention, but that didn’t stop others from slowly gravitating toward her presence. She remained somewhat of a mystery, and that suited her just fine.

But something had shifted. It wasn’t dramatic, not loud—but it was there.

Yuji began greeting her every morning, his usual brightness softened with respect. “Morning, Kurosawa.”

She’d return it with a small nod. “Good morning.”

Nobara, more direct as always, didn’t hesitate. “You know, I thought you were going to be one of those brooding, untouchable types. Turns out you’re... actually kind of sweet,” she said one afternoon as they all rested in the lounge after training.

Aika let out a soft chuckle. “I’m just quiet, that’s all.”

Nobara grinned. “Well, either way, it’s kind of cool. You’re the only one who doesn’t flinch when Gojo acts like a maniac.”

Aika tilted her head slightly, a faint smile forming. “I suppose I’ve seen stranger things.”

“Still,” Nobara teased, “you’re weirdly calm around him. Like… you might be the only one who doesn’t get swept into his chaos.”

Aika didn’t answer that, but her expression stayed thoughtful.

The following week, another mission came in. A level 2 cursed spirit in a shopping district. It wasn’t too serious, but required caution. Gojo came along, as he often did.

They moved as a unit through the bustling streets. Yuji and Nobara kept the mood light with their banter, while Megumi scanned their surroundings, ever focused. Aika followed at a quiet pace behind them, hands tucked into the sleeves of her jacket.

She noticed it again—that subtle thread of connection. The way Megumi’s eyes would flick back to her in silent check-ins, how Nobara would occasionally glance her way as if waiting for a reaction, and how Yuji seemed to draw comfort just from her steady presence.

Aika didn’t say much. She didn’t need to. Her soft smiles said enough.

They reached the alley where the curse was hiding. The moment was heavy, air thick with the presence of something twisted and unnatural. Gojo stopped beside them, posture relaxed but eyes sharp.

“Alright,” he said, adjusting his blindfold just slightly. “Stay alert, kids. Don’t let your guard down.”

Aika’s hand went to her daggers. The cool steel grounded her.

The cursed spirit shrieked from the shadows—tall, lanky, with too many limbs and eyes that darted in all directions.

Before anyone else moved, Aika stepped forward.

A blur of motion.

Daggers flashing in smooth arcs.

The curse let out a final cry—then silence.

She landed in a low stance, blades steady. The spirit disintegrated into dust before it even had a chance to counter.

Yuji let out a quiet, “Whoa.”

Gojo chuckled behind his mask. “Efficient as ever,” he said, a slight hint of admiration in his tone.

Aika stood, sheathing her blades without fanfare. “It was just a matter of timing,” she said softly.

Nobara stepped beside her, still slightly wide-eyed. “You’re kind of scary, Aika. In a cool way.”

Aika gave her a calm look. “You’ll be the same, with enough training.”

Nobara’s face lit up. “I’ll hold you to that.”

That evening, back at the dorms, the group gathered in the lounge again. Aika kept to the edge of the room as usual, but the distance between her and the others didn’t feel so wide anymore.

Yuji was half-asleep on the couch, Nobara scrolling through her phone, Megumi sketching quietly in a corner.

Then came the voice that broke the quiet.

“You’re blending in nicely, Kurosawa,” Gojo said as he passed behind her, his tone teasing but not unkind.

She glanced up at him, offering only a small smile in return. “I suppose I’m trying.”

“I can tell,” he replied, pausing with a smirk. “They like you, y’know. Even Megumi. That’s a high honor.”

Aika said nothing, but her expression softened.

Maybe she was still an outsider. Maybe there were things she wouldn’t say out loud.

But in this moment, among these strange, chaotic, kind people—

She didn’t feel alone.

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