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“Yes, of course.” The assistant director bowed his head, though the caller couldn't see him.
A pause.
“Well, actually we were just…”
Another one.
“Yes, Gojo-san. We will look into it immediately… No, I… that won't be necessary!”
Click.
The unexpected phone call was the most exciting thing that had happened to Nitta Akari all day. Although it had been almost a year since she transferred to Jujutsu Tech and officially began her career as an auxiliary manager, assistant director Ijichi Kiyotaka still insisted she complete occasional ride-alongs as part of her orientation training.
They had been driving around central Tokyo all day transporting sorcerers to complete their routine patrols. So far nothing out of the ordinary, except perhaps the city was expecting an unusual cold snap. The ordinary being an extraordinary manifestation of curses caused by the stress of the season. The only person more busy during the holidays than a retail worker, was a sorcerer. Due to their full docket for Christmas Eve, Nitta thought it seemed a little unnecessary for Ijichi to monitor her completing the simplest of tasks.
Shadowing someone as experienced as Ijichi-san was valuable. Nitta had gotten a unique insight into the daily running of Jujutsu Tech. It was also, however, excruciatingly dull. She had no idea the amount of scheduling and paperwork that went into their line of work. Not that Nitta wanted anything terrible to happen, she was just hoping that when she mo ved to Tokyo life would be a little less monotonous.
An urgent call from Gojo Satoru that afternoon definitely shook things up. What exactly did he tell Ijichi-san? She rarely heard the assistant director’s voice change octave like it did there at the end of the call. It must have been something important.
“Nitta-kun, please turn left at the next available opportunity,” Ijichi’s voice interrupted her thoughts. He had already regained his usual composure, only mildly anxious.
“Of course, sir,” She tried to sound as professional as possible though she was bursting with questions.
“We need to turn around and head north towards Kita-Senju.”
“Senju?” The question left her lips before she realized it.
“Um, yes,” Ijichi seemed perplexed. “Is that a problem Nitta-kun?”
“Oh, no,” Nitta assured him, shifting down a gear as she spotted an opportunity to turn. “It’s just, isn’t that a rougher part of town?”
“Ah, well I suppose it used to be,” Ijichi responded, clutching the door handle as she made her turn. “Though the city has made a concerted effort to change its reputation.”
They drove for a time in an awkward silence. Nitta wasn’t sure which was worse: when her passengers said nothing or when they wouldn’t stop talking even to take a breath. Sorcerers were a strange bunch, she should know coming from a family of them.
“May I ask,” Nitta ventured, not able to wait any longer. “What did Gojo-san ask us to do there?”
“It seems there is something urgent Gojo-san wishes us to do for him,” Ijichi sighed. “One of his top secret missions. I’m afraid I do not have all the details as of yet.”
Top secret?! Nitta felt her pulse quicken. What could the sorcerer need them to do in that part of town?
“Please watch your speed Nitta-kun.”
Oh. He was right she was going a little over, but it wasn’t by that much.
“Sorry sir,” Nitta said, suppressing a huff. She got one ticket within the last year, only one.
“It’s alright,” Ijichi assured her. “There is a speed trap up ahead that the police monitor carefully.”
Oh. Nitta felt her face flush slightly. He was trying to warn her, not chastise her.
“Th… thank you Ijichi-san.”
“Of course, it’s best to follow posted speed limits. However, there are times when we cannot afford to do so.”
“Right,” Nitta nodded. It seemed Ijichi really was as reliable as they say!
She was still getting to know the assistant director. His reputation as a competent and seasoned manager was well known among her colleagues. Accordingly, her first impression of Ijichi was as a reserved, distant professional. However, it didn’t take long for her to realize that he was in fact operating off of a fairly consistent level of stress punctuated by bouts of anxiety.
Nitta tried her best to make a good impression of her own, to follow orders and even anticipate his needs. Maybe even to relieve some of his stress. However, the difference in their demeanors made the assistant director incredibly difficult for her to read.
Nitta considered herself to have fairly good people skills. Even when she would get caught skipping class, she found she could eventually win her mentors over with her positive attitude and strong work ethic. When she wanted to accomplish something, she gave it her all.
It just seemed that with Ijichi she struggled to anticipate his reactions. Nitta was accustomed to intuiting what was expected of her and managed the tasks herself. Success or failure rested in her hands alone. The feeling of having someone hovering over her shoulder made it easier to mistake advice for criticism. She constantly had to remind herself of the distinction.
“In this case,” Ijichi continued, his tone less serious. “There’s no need to take the risk.”
“Is a mission from Gojo-san not urgent?”
The assistant director cocked his head to one side and sighed, “Well yes, it is important to take requests from your superiors seriously.”
What was that reaction?
“Of course, Ijichi-san.” Why wouldn't she take a mission from the most powerful sorcerer of their generation seriously? Moreover, why did he seem perturbed by the notion of taking on Gojo-san’s request? She really wasn’t able to read her boss at all.
“It’s just that in this case…” Ijichi trailed off.
A phone began to buzz. Nitta instinctually glanced at hers on the dash but it was for the director.
Without missing a beat, Ijichi answered in his customary formal greeting.
Nitta strained her ears to try to hear what was being said on the other side of the line.
“Ah, Nanami-san.”
Never mind. Not about the secret mission.
“Yes… yes, we are not far away though we do have another errand to run.”
Nitta focused back on her driving. She began to merge over in case she needed to turn around again.
“Yes from Gojo-san… Yes, I believe so, unfortunately… Yes, thank you for waiting, Nanami-san. I will send someone over to you shortly.”
Ijichi politely ended the call then informed his subordinate about what she had already surmised. A sorcerer out on a mission needed a lift. More importantly, they would still be completing their task for Gojo-san before returning to campus.
As Nitta continued heading north, her mind continued racing with possibilities. As if the vagueness of the task was not intriguing enough, the fact that Gojo's assignment surpassed their obligation to pick a first-grade sorcerer, Nanami-san no less, was evidence that this was a serious assignment.
What could be so important that Gojo Satoru had called them at the last minute? If it was truly urgent she surmised that he could just warp to the location and take care of it himself. Ijichi-san didn’t seem to be in a particular rush. Maybe it wasn’t urgent. Though why the secrecy unless it was something important?
Still musing, Nitta followed the directions Gojo had texted Ijichi once they entered Senju. The sun began to dip behind the Tokyo skyline, basking the nearby shops in a warm glow. In contrast to the lighting, Nitta felt a chill pass through her body, making her shiver.
“The weather forecast says it may snow this evening,” Ijichi broke the silence, reaching forward to adjust the vehicle’s temperature controls. “The students usually get their hopes up over nothing, but with how cold it’s been…”
“We may just have a holiday miracle,” Nitta finished the thought before realizing her error. In her desperation to prove this orientation training was unnecessary, the new auxiliary manager had tried on two occasions to anticipate the end of her superior’s sentences. She was miserably wrong both times. Nitta moved to clap a hand to her mouth and started to formulate an apology for interrupting.
To her surprise, the director smiled. “Yes Nitta-kun, I hope they have a festive winter landscape to enjoy tomorrow. The students had been through quite a lot this past year.”
Last Christmas Eve, the holiday festivities were canceled due to the manifestation of a particularly nasty special grade curse. Nitta had transferred to Tokyo just in time to help Jujutsu Tech deal with the aftermath.
The other auxiliary managers suspected a curse user was actually behind the attack, but there was no solid evidence beyond office gossip. However, the powerful curse’s sudden appearance had been suspicious, even during the turbulent holiday season.
“Though I’d appreciate it if the weather held until we made it back to campus,” Ijichi continued, raising a hand to feel for the warm air coming through the vent. “The road conditions near campus can get slippery for you to drive in.”
A year ago, Nitta may have taken that last remark as a reflection on her boss’ opinion of her driving. Though in that time she had come to recognize another side to the director. Not only was he diligent at his job, but he also truly cared for his colleagues. What had felt like criticism usually came from a place of concern.
Nitta was so focused on proving her worth that she lost sight of why she entered into this perilous line of work, to help people. Specifically, to assist young sorcerers like her brother. Reflecting on recent events, Ijichi-san seemed to prioritize others’ safety and well-being as much as getting the job done. She had learned her values were more in line with the director’s than she first realized, despite their vast difference in personality.
“Please turn off here, Nitta-kun,” Ijichi mercifully interrupted her thoughts. “Gojo-san specified that we should ‘enter through the rear.’”
Nitta shot her boss a quizzical glance as she turned onto a narrow side street. The sun had fully set now, and she had to flick on her headlights to see where she was going.
“Ah,” Ijichi released a half-hearted, nervous chuckle. “That is what Gojo-san wrote in his message anyway. I’m sure he meant that we use the back entrance of the establishment.”
Nodding slowly, thoroughly confused, Nitta pulled up alongside a dumpster leaking some kind of mystery liquid onto the worn pavement.
“It should be just down there, the second door on the left,” Ijichi said, tilting his head in the direction of a particular sketch-looking back alley. Aside from a dim street lamp. The only light came from the car headlights shining down the cramped side street. Even then, it was difficult to see beyond the dumpsters piled high with refuse.
“Are you sure this is the right address?” Nitta asked, looking over at the director.
“This is the location Gojo-san sent me,” Ijichi replied, though he sounded less than certain himself. “He said to go to the back door and say you were sent by John McClane.”
“McClane?” Could he be referring to a Bruce Willis movie, really? Regardless it was an obvious pseudonym.
“I’m afraid Gojo-san isn’t known for his subtlety,” Ijichi sighed as he took off his safety belt.
“I can go, sir,” Nitta volunteered, letting her growing anticipation outweigh any reservations.
“I…” her boss glanced nervously into the dark alley. “I will accompany you.”
“It’s alright, sir,” Nitta’s stubbornness was rearing its head again. “It may be best if one of us stays with the car, just in case.”
“Are you sure you are alright going alone?”
“Of course,” Nitta lied following his gaze into the dark. She was not about to be sidelined. “It doesn’t look anything like Nakatomi Plaza, but I should be alright. You can stay inside and keep the car warm, sir.”
“If you’re certain, Nitta-kun. Here is Gojo-san’s card,” Ijichi responded wearily. He handed her a credit card that she quickly stuffed into her jacket pocket.
“You can count on me, sir,” she declared as she slid out of the car and closed the door behind her. This was the most exciting mission Nitta had been on in months and there was no way she was going to miss out. She wasn’t sure what to expect, but she wasn’t going to let her superiors down. Besides this wasn’t the first back alley she’d wandered into, in Kyoto at least.
Making her way down the deserted street, Nitta’s instincts were going crazy. It didn’t take long for regret and second thoughts to slowly creep into her consciousness each time she passed another stinking overfilled garbage bin. She couldn’t believe that she was willingly walking into a dark back alley to meet a stranger. Why did she insist on going alone? A Tokyo back alley, in Seju nonetheless, felt very different from the ones in her hometown. Damn her pride.
The back doors were spaced out more than she had realized and the lights of the car barely reached her. Though thankfully the entrance was illuminated by a dim streetlight nearby. Propped up against the doorway, a man in a stained apron was taking a long drag off of his cigarette.
“Um, good evening,” Nitta said cautiously as she approached the sketchy-looking character. “I believe I am supposed to pick up an order for John McClane.”
“He’s not here again? Sent a lackey at least.”
“Um, yes?” Nitta fumbled to pull the plastic card from her jacket pocket.
The man wordlessly took the card flipping it between fingers to check the name on the card, cigarette hanging loosely from his lips. He grunted in acknowledgment before shoving it into his pants pocket. “Wait here,” was all he said before disappearing behind the door leaving Nitta alone beneath the faint, flickering streetlight.
Her mind began racing, questioning all her decisions that led her to this point frantically scanning a back alley to pick up a mystery order. The only source of comfort came from the car’s headlights still glowing back from where she came.
It felt like an eternity before the strange man returned with an even more suspicious-looking box wrapped in brown paper. He abruptly handed it to her and she instinctively wrapped her arms around the parcel.
“Thank you-” Nitta barely finished the phrase before the man flicked the card at her and slammed the door in her face. Sketchy and rude.
She didn’t waste any time heading back to the car, holding the package aloft so as not to bang it against her legs in her hurry. It felt heavy for its size. Though she didn’t have long to ponder its contents. About halfway there the nearest street lamp flickered out. Just perfect.
To compound the actually horrific timing, Nitta thought she heard something move behind her. It could have just been the wind or a stray cat, but she wasn’t about to take any chances.
Nitta whipped around to stare back into darkness and listened intently. Nothing at first, but then she began to hear soft footsteps coming up behind her. Nitta’s instincts took over and she spun around, screaming at her would-be assailant. “Hey!”
The apparent attacker screamed, voice cracking as it raised to a familiar pitch.
“Aaaaaugh!”
The streetlight flickered back on and she fumbled the parcel in her arms in shock. A spectacled man in a dark suit stood staring right back at her with the same dumbfounded expression. Nitta jerked forward to catch the box. The director must have regained his senses at the same time as she did because he also jumped to catch the package and their foreheads met.
“Ow, shit-” Nitta recoiled, wrapping one hand around the box that thankfully found its way into her arms and lifting the other hand to her head. “Shoot! Sorry, sir.”
“Ah,” Ijichi took off his glasses and began rubbing the sore spot on his forehead. “It… It’s alright Nitta-kun. I should apologize for startling you.”
They both began to laugh, they couldn’t help themselves when faced with the absurdity of the situation. She went from feeling like she was in a horror film to a slapstick comedy.
“I was concerned since the exchange was taking a while and well…” Ijichi replaced his glasses and gestured towards the package. “It seems that you had everything well in hand without me.”
“Thank you, sir,” Nitta permitted herself a satisfied smile as she followed the assistant director back to the car.
“Oh, well so much for Gojo-san’s strict instructions not to jostle the package.”
“You’re telling me this now?!” Nitta hissed as she looked down at the parcel in her hands.
Ijichi jumped back in surprise, “Well… I didn’t think it was relevant until now.
“I almost dropped it!” she squeaked, her voice betrayed her.
“I…” Ijichi’s face was a mixture of concern and confusion. “I think it will be alright Nitta-kun. You did catch it, no harm done.”
“I hope you’re right,” Nitta clutched the box tighter as they approached the car.
Ijichi opened the passenger door for her. He must have noticed her confusion because he added, “I can drive us back to campus Nitta-kun. That way you can keep a hold of Gojo-san’s package.”
Deciding not to comment on the unintentional innuendo, Nitta nodded and carefully slid into the passenger seat. It would have been funny under any other circumstance, just not in front of her boss holding a mysterious order for the most powerful sorcerer of their age. She couldn’t decide which scenario she disliked least, driving a potentially hazardous package with unknown contents through bad weather or holding said package.
The director closed the door behind her before climbing into the driver’s seat. “Oh,” Ijichi noted as he adjusted his mirrors, “it looks like we may have a white holiday after all.”
Sure enough fat snowflakes began to fall on the windshield, immediately melting on contact. Despite the unknown contents of the parcel on her lap, the snowfall was calming. Hands tightly wrapped around the sides of the box, she still allowed herself to admire the rarity of the winter spectacle as they drove away from the big city.
It was still early enough that the roads remained clear, though as they followed the familiar bends in the road close to campus the flakes began to fall in large wet clumps. Nitta was grateful Ijichi-san had offered to drive. Behind the wheel, he was in his element, completely unperturbed by the worsening weather. By the time they arrived onto campus, white mounds started to accumulate on the sides of the street
Bringing the vehicle to a halt, Ijichi methodically switched off the engine and got out first to open the passenger door for Nitta. It was only when she stepped outside that she noticed they were not in front of the school’s main administrative building but one of the private residences. Nitta followed the assistant director’s lead and silently approached the well lit entrance.
Before Ijichi-san could knock, the door swung open unceremoniously. If they had been standing any closer they could have been in danger of being swept into the growing snowdrift.
“Finally!” Gojo declared as he stepped into the doorway, a lopsided smile on his face. “You were taking so long I thought you must have surely perished on your secret mission.”
Nitta stiffened and tightened her hold on the package. What in Tengen’s wrinkled ass was in this thing?
“Well…” Ijichi started nervously. “The directions you gave were a little vague, Gojo-san. We-”
Before he could finish Gojo wrapped a long arm around his kohai’s shoulders and pulled him into a loose headlock. “Don’t be ridiculous Ijichi-kun, I see you both survived.”
“Yes, sir,” Nitta interjected. “I have your… special order right here.”
“Excellent,” Gojo nodded, then turned to go back inside. “Now get in here, it's cold as Gakuganji’s tit out here.”
Ijichi almost lost his balance being pulled along behind him. Nitta swiftly followed, trying not to jostle the package as she slipped inside. It was nice and warm in the sorcerer’s residence.
With all his resources, Gojo likely had other apartments or places he could stay, but he could usually be found in the traditional minka-style home he had retrofitted on the school’s campus. It was originally intended to house Gojo-san’s wards, the Fushiguros, safe inside Tengen’s barrier. Though it seemed he enjoyed staying close to campus as well.
Nitta could hear voices and laughter coming from further inside and something wafting from the kitchen smelled wonderful. The senior sorcerer released the assistant director so he could take off his shoes.
“I can take that,” Gojo scooped the parcel from her arms.
“Oh, um-”
“Hope you didn’t jostle it too much,” Gojo commented before she could finish, lifting the box for inspection. It was only then that Nitta noticed that her vice-like grip on the driveover had crushed the corners some.
“I tried my best not to, Gojo-san,” Nitta said quickly, glancing nervously at Ijichi as she slipped off her shoes. He returned her gaze with a small smile and kept his peace. Best not to mention that she did in fact almost drop it.
The lanky sorcerer ushered the managers inside, and placed the box in the center of a large kotatsu table. Nitta wearily followed, the strongest sorcerer or not, was it really safe to so cavalierly bring the mystery item into his home?
Ijichi seemed more concerned with straightening his tie that Gojo had rumpled rather than what he was doing now. Determined to see this through, she tensed as Gojo proceeded to unwrap the brown paper and pulled off the lid.
“Perfect!” Gojo exclaimed, a broad smile playing across his lips. “Ryoga-san is a grumpy old goat but he's an excellent baker.”
“What?” Nitta moved to peer into the box. “Baker?”
“Megumi-kuuun!” Gojo called over his shoulder. “Bring over some plates, will ya?”
She looked down to see a brightly decorated cake with carefully piped frosting letters spelling ‘Merry Christmas’ on the top.
He must have noticed her dumbfounded expression because Ijichi leaned over to her, “is everything alright Nitta-kun?”
“I…” She was still processing what she was seeing. The subtle quips and Ijichi’s earlier ambivalent reaction to Gojo’s request were starting to make sense. “This was Gojo-san’s super top-secret mission?”
“Um…” The assistant director furrowed his brow. “Yes, Nitta-kun. That is what Gojo-san calls every errand he wants me to run. I… I am sorry if you were under the impression it was actually a formal mission.”
“Seriously?” Nitta began to laugh despite herself. “I nearly had a heart attack when I almost dropped the box!”
Ijichi covered his mouth to muffle a chuckle, a mixture of amusement and guilt playing out on his face. Thankfully Gojo was too occupied freeing the specialty cake from its container to overhear their exchange.
“Nanaminnnn” He called over his shoulder. “Bring me a knife will you?”
“Depends on what you intend to do with it.” Nitta heard a deep disembodied voice coming from the kitchen.
Nanami-san was here too? Putting all the events of the afternoon together like the pieces of a puzzle, Nitta was finally understanding the true objective of their secret mission as the picture before her took shape.
Gojo glanced back up at the two managers. “What are you doing standing there? Get over here and help me serve this.”
As they moved to sit on the cushions surrounding the table, Gojo’s dark-haired ward came in and set a stack of plates on the table with an audible huff in classic teenage angst before slamming down on a cushion on the opposite side of the kotatsu.
“Not you, Ijichi,” He added quickly. “I think the blonde has steadier hands, whattaya say?”
“Yes sir!” Nitta nodded with a smile, taking a plate from the stack. In short order the rest of the students, Nanami Kento, Ierei Shoko, and Principal Yaga were all crowded around the table. She helped Gojo plate his uneven cuts of cake and passed them around.
Sandwiched between Ijichi-san and Panda-kun in a Santa hat, this was not at all how Nitta anticipated her day going. Although, glancing around the room filled with warmth and conversation, she couldn’t imagine a better scenario. Nitta was still getting to know them all, especially the students and she welcomed this unexpected opportunity. Like most sorcerers, they were an odd mesh of personalities and quirks but they all seemed to sync seamlessly, if a bit chaotically when brought together with sweet treats and cozy furnishings.
Last year, her first on the job, there had been little time or occasion to celebrate. Despite the unnecessary stress, Nitta was grateful for Gojo’s super secret mission and for bringing the school together on this snowy night. If it weren’t for that not-so-dangerous cake, she wouldn’t have a deeper appreciation for her boss. Nor would she have insight into Gojo-san’s not-so-secret, not-so-serious side.
Given the risk of their occupation as sorcerers and the gravity of last year’s events, it was easy to get caught up in the darkness and assume the worst. Nitta was especially grateful for the reminder to look for the light, and enjoy life’s simple pleasures. Snow on a wintery night, delicious food, a warm futon and good company. For the first time in over a year Jujutsu High didn’t just feel like a job, it felt like home.