Chapter 39 - Picking up pieces of mystery

"I still can't believe Nakamura was accused just like that." Junpei muttered.

"I know right? It doesn't make sense that they would do this just because a curse mentioned some doubtful things. I mean her actions were sometimes questionable but that alone doesn't mean she was working with the curses." Nobara agreed Junpei.

Itadori said, "The higher-ups doesn't like her. Maybe that's the reason why they're trying to get rid of her."

"Even so, this is ridiculous." Nobara huffed.

"Speaking of it, is she fine? With how determined they are to find her, can she even stay hidden?" Junpei asked.

"I think she's fine. Probably with Gojo sensei." Megumi said.

"Right."

"Well, if she's with Gojo sensei, she'll be fine." Itadori said.

"I think so too." Nobara agreed.

"But shouldn't we at least ask her how she's doing?" Junpei asked.

"We did." Megumi said, "She didn't read any of our messages. We can't call her either."

"Oh"

"Yeah, I called because I was worried but she didn't even answer the phone." Itadori shook his head.

A buzz came from Itadori's phone and he blinked, twice.

"It's from Gojo sensei." He said as he opened the message.

"Hi, Yuuji. It's me, Sachiko! Are y'all worried abt me? Did you send lots of messages to me? I turned off my phone as soon as I found out what happened so I didn't really see the messages. What a shame. Anyway, I just wanna tell y'all that I'm fine. Bye! Don't miss me too much!"

Itadori read the text message sent to him from Gojo's phone number.

"So, she is with Gojo sensei." Junpei said.

"What's with the last part?! No one misses her!" Nobara huffed.

Megumi just sighed.

"Well, at least, we now know she's safe." Itadori laughed.

Another text message came in and Itadori read that quickly.

"Oh right, can you tell me more about that girl you met in detail? Is there anything you might've missed?"

Itadori thought for a while, then typed "I don't know. I'll ask the others."

He, then asked Megumi and Nobara but they were on the same page. They didn't know anything more than the report stated.

After a while, Nobara started, "Say what about we go back and check again?"

Megumi frowned, "The school's going to be off- limits now. Besides, it's not going to easy for us to see something we didn't even see back then."

"Even so, we should go and check. This time, we can take Junpei with us, too. Who knows, we might actually see something." Itadori suggested.

"Yeah, I'm in too." Junpei said with a sheepish smile.

"Fine" Megumi said.

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When they were at the rooftop, they were surprised to find a girl.

"Are..are you here to tell me to jump too? I get that I was the one who bullied Riko but..why do I have to die as well?" The girl sobbed, her whole body trembling.

Riko was the girl who jumped from this rooftop six months ago and the curse they fought a day ago.

"Calm down. No one is telling you to jump." Nobara said.

"But...I had dreams. They never end. I keep seeing her coming to kill me. Please...I need to do something. Maybe if I jump, everything will be over...Yeah." She kept mumbling as she walked to the edge.

"Wait."

Megumi gave a look and Itadori got ready to catch her before she could jump.

Caught in Itadori's arms, the girl sobbed further.

"I was wrong. Please...please help me."

"You have to tell us what is happening if you want us to help." Megumi said.

She gave a quiet nod.

"Good. Now tell us everything you remember." Nobara said.

"I started seeing Riko after her death. It started with dreams but then it got worse. I even imagine her getting revenge on me even when I'm awake. I went to doctors but they said I'm hallucinating. But I could feel everything deep into my soul. I can't....I'm not lying."

"Did you encounter something unusual before any of this happen ?"

"No."

"What about the day she died? Did you notice something peculiar?"

"I don't think so."

Just when they were about to get disappointed, the girl spoke again. "Oh, wait, I remember one thing. I ran into a woman at the stairs. I think she was going to the rooftop where we left Riko. It seems blurry tho and I can't remember her face no matter how I try."

"Thanks for the information. We'll see if there's someone who can help you." Itadori said to the girl.

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When they left the school compound, it was around four p.m. They were about to go and eat something before trying to piece what they had found today together when Junpei's mom called.

"Mom?"

"You're at school?" Yoshino Nagi asked.

"No, I'm actually going out to eat with my classmates." He replied.

"Is that so? It's been a while you've come home. Why don't you drop by today?"

"I'll do that. Is it okay to bring them?"

"Yeah, sure."

"See you later, mom."

"See you."

After hanging up, Junpei asked if they would like to come along. Needless to say, they agreed. So, about an hour later, they stood in front of Junpei's house.

"You must be Junpei's classmates." Nagi said with a smile as soon as she saw Megumi, Nobara and Itadori coming along.

"Thank you for having us." Itadori said wih a smile.

"It's actually first time for Junpei to bring his friends home so I guess I should thank you three, instead." She said as she invited them in.

"Dinner's going to be ready soon so make yourself at home." She said before going back to the kitchen.

"Your mother is beautiful." Nobara said.

"She seems like a nice woman." Megumi said.

"Thanks. She really is." Junpei smiled as he looked at his mother who was cooking in the kitchen.

"I'll go and help." He said.

"I'll come too." Itadori said, quickly standing up.

"We will help too." Megumi and Nobara also said.

"This...Alright. Let's go help her."

With four of them helping Nagi, she finished preparing the dinner much earlier than she would have if she worked alone. They sat at the table to enjoy dinner after preparing the dinner.

"Itadakimasu."

"Oh, wait, now that I remember , isn't the girl with silver hair here? I heard she's in the same class as you." Nagi asked.

"You mean, Nakamura?" Junpei said, "She had some matters to attend to so she didn't come with us today."

"I see."

Nagi then asked about his school life. "So, how's school?"

"Good, I guess. I think I'm happier than before."

"That's good then." Nagi said.

"How about you?"

"As usual." She said with a laugh.

"What do you mean usual? How about something interesting that happened?" Junpei asked.

"Oh, right, there's one. Not about me but have you heard what happened to Ito Shouta?" Nagi said as she recalled a peculiar event.

"What happened to him?"

"Well, after getting almost expelled from school, he went mad. He claims that he sees things and says things like him getting killed and tortured or worst things possible happening to him. Eventually, he had to be taken to a psychiatric ward."

The four of them froze.

"When did it happen?" Nobara asked.

"I heard that the symptoms start not long after you left but it got worse after he nearly got expelled." Nagi answered.

Nobara couldn't help but felt a chill down her spine. She didn't realize this before but thinking about it now, she remembered something. Her classmates might not have known this but she had seen how Sachiko used her cursed technique to traumatize a curse once. It wasn't her most practiced move and she probably didn't use it in public after that so it would be hard for other Jujutsu sorcerers to catch on.

Was it really a coincidence?

Or was she the one who did this?

Was there any link between this incident and the curse girl incident?

Most importantly, Nakamura Sachiko...was she even who she seemed?

She thought as she took a glance at her classmates.

Looking at her classmates, she could say they were having similar thoughts even if she wasn't exactly sure how they reached to the conclusion this quickly.

On the other hand, Junpei recalled how she talked to him about punishing the bullies legally. She also said about bribing and planting evidence but he thought she was just trying to make him feel better at that time. However, this whole incident about Ito Shouta showed him otherwise. To think that she might have made a move on them secretly, even he could see that was a bit messed up.

As for the curse girl incident, he wasn't sure how to think about that. It was almost scary to link her to the incident itself.

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One of the higher-ups sat in a dimly lit room and spoke with the woman in black hood.

"Everything's according to the plan?" She asked.

"Of course, but there's this one thing." He started while rubbing his long beard, "Gojo Satoru threatened us."

Her eyes might have lit up a bit at that but it wasn't very obvious because of the dim light. She spoke slowly, "I see, he hid her and threatened you to not make a move."

It was like a statement instead of a question. Nevertheless, he found himself nodding, not daring to act arrogant in front of the sheer power.

"isn't that endearing?" She chuckled, her voice cracking at the end of the sentence. She laughed almost bitterly. "It was such a pity."

"About Gojo Satoru.. shouldn't we do something about him?" He asked.

She stopped her laugh, then looked at him in the eye before saying in a low voice, "You don't need to worry about him. He's mine to deal with as I already have plans."

"But what if he just barged in and decided to kill all of us, higher-ups?"

"Maybe you should also know that I can kill you right here, right now with a thought. It's not like I can't replace you." She said, "So, choose wisely."

"Of..of course."

"It's good you understand this." She said, putting one of her hands onto his left shoulder. "Now, finish the final preparations for Shibuya."