Chapter 12 : Megumi - ...Does Gojo-sensei know that person
Facing Fushiguro Megumi's questioning, Jiang Lai shows just the right amount of confusion on his face: "What? I think you might have misunderstood. I also live in this apartment building."
He displays a faint, calm smile, indicating the keys jingling in his hand.
At the same time, speculation and analysis still stir in Jiang Lai's mind.
Speaking of which... Fushiguro Megumi can't see Toji, can he? Could he be here looking for his dad? Is this why Fushiguro Toji has been living here all along?
Jiang Lai's brain quickly processes these thoughts, then immediately thinks calmly to deny them.
No, it should be impossible. If Fushiguro Megumi could really see Fushiguro Toji, then he should rent the house Jiang Lai currently lives in, rather than letting one outside tenant after another get scared away.
Moreover, Jiang Lai knows the reason he can see spirit forms: he's a person who doesn't belong to this world, so he can see things that similarly don't belong to this world. Like souls of the dead who unexpectedly linger.
But Fushiguro Megumi... anyway, this world probably doesn't have spirit sight.
"..." Fushiguro Megumi leans against the stair railing. While Jiang Lai's thoughts flow, his own emotions surge.
He naturally recognizes the person before him.
Though previously he only briefly glanced after the black-haired youth helped Itadori Yuji up, his good memory also imprinted the other party's appearance in his mind.
Moreover, afterward at the sukiyaki restaurant, they received such a "special gift."
When Itadori hesitantly described the figure he saw looking back, Fushiguro Megumi brought up that image from his mind.
The other party could silently solve the troublesome cursed spirit Donogo, and so precisely... as if predicting, leave it in the store's wall-side flower arrangement to "gift" them.
Strange. Unknown. Fushiguro Megumi doesn't know the other party, nor does he remember this person in various jujutsu world image and text materials. But the other party seems to know them.
Is he a free-spirited senior sorcerer like Yuki-senpai? Or a cursed spirit user enemy lurking in darkness with unclear purposes?
The day after the sukiyaki restaurant incident, they mentioned this matter and that person to the arriving Gojo-sensei.
After hearing the description, a certain white-haired irresponsible teacher tilts his head, casually claps, and says with his usual cheerful smile:
"Oh? You actually met a kind person who helped solve cursed spirits? That's great. So the mission is complete! Congratulations, congratulations~"
Itadori Yuji & Kugisaki Nobara: "Gojo-sensei! That's not the point!!"
Fushiguro Megumi: "..."
...With that tone and response method, don't know if Gojo-sensei actually knows that person or not.
Fushiguro Megumi knows the jujutsu world has many secrets. Gojo-sensei knows them but doesn't necessarily tell them. These secret messages they shouldn't master, he never asks about.
At this time, unexpectedly meeting the person of unknown identity without warning, Fushiguro Megumi instinctively tenses up.
Hearing the black-haired youth's response, Fushiguro Megumi focuses on his keys, then notices the shopping bag in the other party's other hand.
All details indicate this is a daily encounter.
...Could it not be premeditated tracking, but really living in the same apartment? Just a misunderstanding?
Under the black-haired youth's polite yet confused gaze, recalling his questioning just now, Fushiguro Megumi can't help but curl his fingers slightly, finally nodding and speaking: "Sorry."
"Oh, it's fine." Jiang Lai smiles in reply.
Conversation ends. Fushiguro Megumi carries his shoulder bag and starts going upstairs. Jiang Lai acts naturally, carrying his shopping bag behind.
As mentioned before, this apartment building is relatively small with few floors and no elevator installed.
Fushiguro Megumi follows the stairs from first floor all the way to third floor. Jiang Lai trails behind, also slowly climbing from first floor to third floor.
Fushiguro Megumi: "..." Why is he still following me?
Jiang Lai: "..." Why is he still going up... ah, he stopped.
On the third floor, Fushiguro Megumi stops. He shows no expression, one hand on his door handle, turning back to stare at Jiang Lai who followed up.
Jiang Lai: Good guy, actually living on the same floor as me.jpg
Under Fushiguro Megumi's "ceremonial attention," Jiang Lai's expression remains very calm as he climbs to the third floor, blinks, then naturally inserts his key into the door next to Fushiguro Megumi's.
Fushiguro Megumi: "?"
"What a coincidence, looks like we're neighbors." Jiang Lai smiles lightly.
Fushiguro Megumi chokes again, in a state between mysterious embarrassment and continued tension.
Finally, he still tries to reply calmly: "...What a coincidence."
"Please take care of me from now on." The black-haired youth opens his door, picks up his purchased daily necessities, speaks like the most ordinary neighbor making small talk, then turns back smiling: "Goodbye."
"Goodbye."
Fushiguro Megumi unconsciously replies. He watches the adjacent door close and is still somewhat dazed.
...Wait, is that it?
The other party doesn't seem to have any intention of bringing up the recent cursed spirit Donogo incident, nor shows a familiar attitude. His manner is polite yet distant.
Fushiguro Megumi only pauses for less than two seconds. After reacting, he also opens his own door and enters.
This house is rented, serving as daily residence for Fushiguro Megumi and his step-sister Fushiguro Tsumiki (mainly for Tsumiki who attends high school nearby to come back and live, since Fushiguro Megumi usually lives in Jujutsu High dormitories).
Their original house was in Saitama Prefecture, where they also attended middle school. Later, after a certain incident occurred, they moved to Tokyo.
That incident was when Tsumiki entered third year of middle school. One night, because she was worried about two classmates who went to explore Yasohachi Bridge for a test of courage, Tsumiki also went along.
Fushiguro Megumi doesn't know exactly what happened. When Gojo Satoru called him repeatedly that night to come to Yasohachi Bridge, the first thing he saw was unconscious Fushiguro Tsumiki and two classmates.
Fushiguro Megumi: "!?" He immediately rushes forward, "Sister!!"
A certain white-haired teacher stands to one side, waving: "Alright, alright, don't show that expression. They're all fine, just got a little scared."
His tone is relaxed: "There's a curse at Yasohachi Bridge. I happened to be passing by on business, so I exorcised it."
"What...?"
"However, the danger wasn't actually in the cursed spirit native to this place. Something else wanted to curse your sister." Gojo Satoru holds up one finger: "Of course, I stopped it in time~! Though to take care of these students, I temporarily let that guy escape."
"...Something else?" Fushiguro Megumi is still somewhat dazed at this moment.
"Mm, anyway, you figure out how to take them back~" Gojo Satoru looks toward the deep forest, his tone shifting: "...Leave the rest to me to handle."
That incident was thrilling but safe for Fushiguro Tsumiki. And it was precisely because of experiencing "kind sister almost getting cursed" that Fushiguro Megumi strengthened his resolve to become a jujutsu sorcerer.
*In an unfair world, to let as many good people as possible enjoy equality, use one's own abilities to unequally save others.
Therefore, Fushiguro Megumi decided to study at Tokyo Jujutsu High afterward. To ensure safety and facilitate sibling meetings, Tsumiki also transferred from Saitama Prefecture to school in Tokyo.
This apartment is close to Tsumiki's current high school, convenient for commuting. Fushiguro Megumi also comes here from time to time.
Dismissing the memories from his mind, Fushiguro Megumi puts his bag on a side cabinet, then looks back at his tightly closed door.
He remembers hearing about haunting rumors from across the hall, but after investigation by specialists (other jujutsu sorcerers), no cursed spirit traces were found.
Previously, next door was basically always unrented. Occasionally when people came, they would hastily move away.
Fushiguro Megumi remembers recently running into the previous tenant leaving.
...So the black-haired youth of unknown identity recently moved in?
His deep blue eyes focus again: coincidence, or intentional?
At home.
Jiang Lai puts things down and rubs his cheeks. After being in the cold wind outside, then maintaining just-right polite smiles, it's really somewhat sore.
Didn't expect Fushiguro Megumi to live next door... but this information can be put to use. Jiang Lai keenly perceives the usability of this matter.
He can use this to test the ghost Toji in the room, judging the other party's activity range.
With this thought crossing his mind, after simply organizing his purchased daily necessities, Jiang Lai comfortably sprawls on the soft cotton sofa and opens his phone.
In the group, after hearing Jiang Lai's explanation, Matsuda Jinpei and Morofushi Hiromitsu have clarified what Jiang Lai means by his question. So they quickly send their own written "ghost experience" documents.
[#Good Luck Lai Coming#: I'm here!]
[#Good Luck Lai Coming#: Woo woo thank you!! I know what to do now. And... I might have made you recall past sad events, very sorry.]
Jiang Lai's initial hesitation was precisely because he felt this way of asking might inevitably make them remember psychological struggles before death and pain during death.
Though wounds have healed, this kind of life-and-death experience would still leave scars and shadows. Jiang Lai didn't want to actively uncover others' pain.
[#Sunglasses Working Overtime Again#: Apologize for what! That was so long ago. Besides, isn't everyone living well now (fluffy big dog lifting paw to rub head.gif)]
[#Big Cat's Whiskers#: No matter what experiences are part of life (^^) It's fine, it's all past.]
[#Sunglasses Working Overtime Again#: Ah, speaking of which, working overtime every day is really killing me. Honestly, I somewhat miss the leisurely days as a ghost. I just want to know if those guys in Beika Town committing crimes and causing trouble never take breaks??]
[#Big Cat's Whiskers#: Sometimes I really want to be semi-transparent again, that way I could go twenty-four hours without fatigue.]
Looking at the words in the group, Jiang Lai can't help but curve his lips, eyes crinkling. He knows they deliberately joke like this in reply.
The guilt in his heart is soothed by warmth from another dimension. So Jiang Lai exhales and also cheerfully replies:
[#Good Luck Lai Coming#: Haha, Beika Town should really award you labor model red flowers. Incidentally, hope this ghost gentleman here can also be as close to humans as you were back then (?)]
After chatting with friends for a while, Jiang Lai says goodbye and exits the group chat to look at the downloaded document files.
In the two document files, Matsuda Jinpei and Morofushi Hiromitsu respectively wrote about their "ghost experiences."
Jiang Lai browses through generally, organizing both in his mind.
Back then in the Detective Conan world, the spirit forms Matsuda Jinpei and Morofushi Hiromitsu that Jiang Lai encountered had no day-night appearance restrictions, and they didn't need sleep either.
However, both mentioned they didn't become conscious spirit forms the moment they died. Or rather, maybe they became lingering spirit forms the moment they died, but didn't have clear consciousness from the beginning.
Jiang Lai: Oh ho, somewhat magical.
He tilts his head thoughtfully.
Since that's the case, do early unconscious spirit forms just float around everywhere on instinct? Or sleep within some object waiting to be awakened?
Hmm, don't know what Toji's specific situation is here.
Jiang Lai's gaze fixes on the television ahead. After tonight's conversation, he'll understand the other party better.
First, he needs to find that point to open the other party's communicative thoughts.
Late night.
The tick-tock of an old clock is particularly loud in the quiet night. A ghost appearing from nowhere floats in mid-air, leisurely accompanied by cold wind arising from nothing.
However, besides the old clock's timekeeping sounds, television sounds also come from the current room.
Semi-transparent Fushiguro Toji narrows his eyes, floating closer to the sofa.
"Good evening." Jiang Lai doesn't look up, but he seems to glimpse Fushiguro Toji: "Guess what I'm watching?"
"..." Fushiguro Toji's gaze sweeps over. The host on television is seriously talking about something. This obviously isn't the midnight gambling channel.
He lazily droops his eyelids: "Not interested."
Jiang Lai says: "This program is called 'Believe in Science: There Are No Ghosts in the World.'"
Fushiguro Toji: "?"
Jiang Lai turns his face, seriously saying: "I think you should watch more of these programs. Maybe one day you'll wake up to science and self-transcend."
"..." Even someone who's been through storms like Fushiguro Toji is rendered speechless for half a second by this cold joke-like reply.
However, at this very instant, the black-haired youth suddenly throws out another line:
"Do you know your biological son lives next door?"
The topic content and style of the two consecutive sentences are completely inconsistent!
Jiang Lai is naturally doing this on purpose. Throwing out bombshell news in a relaxed, absurd atmosphere, at that moment, even experienced veterans will inevitably unconsciously reveal true emotions.
And the result naturally doesn't disappoint Jiang Lai.
The expression that flashes across Fushiguro Toji's face after hearing this sentence reveals the answer.
He doesn't know!
This way, Toji's lingering probably isn't because of Fushiguro Megumi. Jiang Lai judges calmly in his heart. Then he's probably involuntarily trapped.
This might be content that can be used for trade negotiations.
Quickly organizing this point, Jiang Lai maintains a faint smile on his face. He looks at the floating ghost gentleman, brown eyes lifting: "Want to talk?"