"Here we go~" Shoko told Satoru. The boy had told them about the experiment he wanted the other three classmates to help with. This was why each of them held something in their hands. Suguru held an eraser, Shoko held a pen, and Tamayori, a book.

The three raised their hands and threw the object at the white-haired boy. Both the pen and the book stopped right before it hit Satoru while the eraser bounced off from the boy's head.

"Yup. It's working." Satoru nodded, pleased about the results.

"What the heck was that?" Shoko asked.

"Woah~"

"The targets for the technique were selected automatically?" Suguru asked.

"Yup. Technically, I am the target though..." Satoru said. "What I'd been doing manually I can now do it automatically. And it's not just the intensity of the cursed energy, but its speed, shape... I can use them all to distinguish the danger of the object. It would be nice to eventually distinguish poisonous objects as well, but that'll take time. Right now, I can almost always keep the Limitless activated at all times while using minimum resources."

"Wait, always? You are going to fry your brain!" Shoko looked at her friend in worry.

"I'll also have reverse cursed technique running around the clock to preserve myself. A fresh brain at all times. I've finally perfected minimizing the necessary hand signs. Simultaneously activating multiple reds and blues respectively is coming along as well. Other than that, I have to work on my domain and long-distance teleportation techniques. If a course to the school without obstacles is secured in advance, I think it might be possible. Shoko, Lemme borrow one of your lab rats."

"For real?" Shoko chuckled.

"Suguru-kun, have you lost weight?" Tamayori approached the boy, clearly worried about him.

"Yeah, you okay?" Satoru looked at his friend, also noticing the change in his demeanor.

"Just a little tired from the summer heat. It's not a problem."

"Are you sure?" Tamayori took a good look at his face, "You look paler too..."

"Don't worry about it, Yori-chan." Suguru forced a smile.

"Maybe he had too much Somen noodles." Satoru shrugged.

"Haha..."

In all reality, Suguru couldn't forget about the past. While his friends tried moving on, with Satoru becoming the strongest, Shoko not taking any missions and Tamayori having a limited amount of missions after the incident of almost trying to kill non-sorcerers, he was all alone, still stuck in the past wondering: Why should he help the non-shamans?

He couldn't forget how Tamayori desperately grabbed onto him that day, as she cried for Riko, almost in a state of death, not being able to control her grief. The destruction that had happened after she had gone on rampage. The way she spent days staring at the blank space after the incident, blaming herself for everything, for almost killing 'innocent' people. Her health had declined terribly after that whole fiasco, another reason why she wasn't allowed out on missions. He knew that she still blamed herself for Riko and for those non-sorcerers.

"Monkeys..." He muttered to himself, hitting the shower wall in front of him.

•─────────•°•❀•°•─────────•

"Oh my, Haibara-kun are you off on a mission already?" Tamayori asked the boy as he came to her small cabin to greet her.

"Yes! I came to say my goodbyes and ask Tamayori-san if you want anything!" Yu gave the older girl a smile.

"Hmm... I am fine with anything you give me, Haibara-kun! But most importantly, stay safe and come back alive! That's all I ask for." Tamayori ruffled the boy's head.

"Yes! Oh! I should get going, Nanami will get angry if I am not on time. I'll see you soon, Tamayori-san!" Yu waved his hand.

"Have a safe trip," Tamayori smiled at him. The feeling in her chest though, told her that there wouldn't be a next time.

She was right. A few days later, some of the Jujutsu Assistants arrived at Tamayori's humble home, and she received the news about Yu's death. The girl had rushed to meet Nanami, who sat in the mortuary, clearly frustrated and in grief.

"This..." Tears fell down her cheeks as she saw Yu's lifeless body and Nanami's injured state. The girl felt her emotions try to pry out, but she managed to calm down. "This..."

"It was supposed to be a simple mission to take out a Grade 2 curse! Dammit! A Guardian Deity's Religion... it was a deity of that area, so it actually should have been a Grade 1!" Nanami spat angrily, kicking a chair that was near him.

"Get some rest for now, Nanami. Satoru took the mission." Suguru told his underclassman. "Yori-chan, take him to rest."

"... Why not just let him take care of everything by himself from now on?" Nanami muttered. Tamayori knew he referred to Satoru, she knew the darkness that lived among every Jujutsu Sorcerer. It was easier to let Satoru take care of everything else, but it was hard to let go of this life. The pain it was to see comrades die in battle, the price it came to protect those who couldn't defend themselves. This was the price of being a sorcerer, the price of seeing curses.

•─────────•°•❀•°•─────────•

"Yori-chan."

"You shouldn't be here, Suguru-kun. You know that I could easily turn you in." Tamayori spoke quietly, not turning her face towards her friend. She had heard of the news of him becoming a curse user and had strict orders to kill him. But, after everything they have been through, she wouldn't simply give him away.

"But you won't. You are not that kind of person," Suguru walked closer to the girl, "Come with me, Tamayori-chan."

"Why did you do it, Suguru-kun?" Tamayori asked.

"Those monkeys are the ones who created those curses. The cause of millions of other deaths, the cause of Riko-chan's death, Hairbara, you going crazy that day. A world without non-sorcerers is the most idealist way to end this. I'm sorry Tamayori–chan, but I can't let anyone go through what you –or anyone else— have gone through."

"Suguru-kun, please... There is still time to turn back." Tamayori took his hands in hers, "I am sure Satoru-kun can have the authorities give you a second chance. Just come back to us."

"I have made up my mind. I chose the way I want to live, let me do it."

"I still can't let you go through such a dark path. Please don't do this, Suguru-kun..."

Suguru looked at the girl with soft eyes, reaching out to her and kissing her forehead.

"Farewell, Tamayori."

Tamayori watched her friend leave without turning back. Tears ran down her cheeks as she fell on the ground. She knew she wouldn't be able to kill him nor turn him in. He was her friend, she loved him too much to let him die now.

"Don't go..."

•─────────•°•❀•°•─────────•

Satoru entered Tamayori's cabin only to find her looking out at the small pond that she had in her backyard with a dazed expression. He looked around and detected traces of Suguru's curse energy and immediately understood why she was acting that way. The white-haired boy slowly made his way to her and silently sat beside her. No words were exchanged.

"I couldn't do it." She told him after a few minutes of silence. Tamayori didn't even move her gaze, but she knew that Satoru looked over at her.

"Neither could I."

"I can see why he thinks that way... But there has to be another way to live without ending non-sorcerers' lives. There has to be another way. Is not fair for them..."

Satoru said nothing and simply looked up at the sunset. What was there to say? He couldn't care less about non-sorcerers or sorcerers in general. He wasn't compassionate like Suguru once was and he didn't have the pure and kind heart that Tamayori had. All he knew was that he would only save those who are prepared to be saved. He wanted to create a world where he could create strong allies who could surpass him, and leave him behind. He didn't want anyone to be left alone like he did to Suguru. He wouldn't allow it.

"Do you think that if we were with him back then, he would've changed his mind?" Tamayori asked Satoru.

"I don't know..."

"I thought we all moved on... I guess I thought wrong. He was suffering all alone... what kind of friends are we, Satoru-kun?"

•─────────•°•❀ A Month Later ❀•°•─────────•

"You took in two kids...?" Tamayori raised an eyebrow at Satoru who brought two kids into her small cabin house.

"This is Tsumiki and Megumi Fushiguro! Say hi to my dear friend, Tamayori Takahashi!"

"Satoru, you didn't kidnap them, did you?" Tamayori looked at Satoru, clearly unsure of what she was seeing. Since when did The Satoru Gojo have a good heart for kids when he was one himself?

"Do you think so little of me?"

"Well...."

"I should feel a little offended about this, my dear." Satoru feigned innocence but sighed and gave her a frown, "It was that man's last wish, and it turns out his kid is very precious to the Zenin clan."

"I see." Tamayori nodded. She then looked at the two small kids and smiled gently, "You two must be hungry, come with me. Don't mind this big oaf, he is always this bad."

"Hey!"

"Off we go," Tamayori smiled sheepishly at Satoru before guiding the kids to her small dining room. "What were your names again? Mine is Tamayori."

"I am Tsumiki! This is Megumi!"

"Tsumiki-chan and Megumi-kun, those are quite beautiful names."

Satoru watched as Tamayori guided the kids into the room with a small smile. It had been a month since Suguru and neither of them were used to the fact that he had parted ways with them. It was a painful month, but seeing her smile again was a huge relief. He promised then and there that he would be the one to make her smile.