Chapter 44-Meeting Ito Shouta

Seeing the situation between Gojo and her mom, Sachiko couldn't stay idle anymore and coughed.

"We actually need to go back to Tokyo today but I'm worried that something would happen to you when I left." She continued as the two listened, "So, how about...you come to Tokyo, mom."

"We've already talked about this. I don't want to live in Tokyo." Misaki sighed.

"But, you can't stay here either, mom. And I want to stay close to you so that incidents lije yesterday never happen again."

"Tokyo won't do. I can't go there." Misaki shook her head firmly.

"Mom, it's only temporary. You can come back here after this." Sachiko tried to persuade her.

"Is there any reason why you don't want to come to Tokyo?" Gojo asked.

Misaki pursed her lips into a line before slowly saying, "It doesn't matter anymore."

"Then..." Sachiko was interrupted by Misaki, "But, I still don't want to come to Tokyo."

"Mom, don't be like that."

"But, I can go somewhere else. Maybe I can go to Osaka or maybe even Kyoto. As long as I'm not here, it should be safer, no?" Misaki said.

"Well, that's true but..."

"I think Tokyo is a bit risky, too. You know they were planning to make a move in Shibuya so what are the odds that they won't do the same in the rest of the areas? Given that the previous assault failed, they might guess you would keep her close. Normally, it shouldn't be a problem but when we are in

Shibuya, anything could happen." Gojo said.

Sachiko nodded in understanding. She knew she couldn't bring her mom to Shibuya along and she didn't feel comfortable about leaving her alone when leaving for Shibuya. What if the scale was too big and other areas of Tokyo were affected? She needed to send her mom to somewhere else first.

"Don't worry. I'll be fine, Sachiko."

"Mom, you have to leave here today."

"Alright, I buy a train ticket to Osaka now. Ok?" Misaki sighed.

"Wait, we'll buy it for you. I don't want you to leave traces." Sachiko said.

"And of course, you're calling me as soon as something strange happens."

"Okay." Misaki agreed.

After breakfast, Sachiko and Gojo waited for Misaki to pack up and leave for the station. Misaki's train was an hour later so they could only leave her behind when they got onto the train to Tokyo.

"Right, mom, you can't tell anyone where you are." Sachiko warned her mom one last time before getting onto the train.

"Not even Yuki?"

Sachiko nodded.

"Fine."

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Meanwhile, Megumi, Nobara, Itadori and Junpei stood in front of a room, they were now in a Psychiatric ward to meet Ito Shouta.

As soon as they entered the room, they saw him sitting on the bed, in a dazed expression. His eyes were a bit red with dark circles under eyes, probably due to the lack of sleep.

"You're Ito Shouta, right?"

Upon being asked by Megumi, Ito nodded his head, his eyes darting around the room to make sure someone he feared the most wasn't there.

Then, he saw Junpei.

"I'm sorry, Yoshino. I'm really sorry.. I was wrong. I shouldn't have bullied you. I..I shouldn't have burn your forehead with cigarettes. I shouldn't have done any of that. I was wrong..please..tell her I regret everything. That I'm sorry.. please.." He started pleaing with a trembling voice.

"Why..why are you asking me to..who is she?"

"I don't..I don't know.. She just said it was time that I learn a lesson. Please, I've already learned my lesson. Please, tell her to make this stop.."

Now, Ito was already kneeling in front of Junpei.

"It can't be Nakamura, right?"

Junpei muttered before recalling what Sachiko said before.

"Whether it's about changing the society or making dreams come true... I care neither of them. I just want to go with the flow and see what is interesting. That's just who I am. Maybe I would try changing things for some people I love but as for the society as a whole, I don't really care."

"Wait, we are here to ask questions. Let's ask them first." Itadori said.

"We need to know details about this whole thing. Like how did it start? When did it start? We need to hear it from you before we can help. Can you do that?" Itadori asked.

A nod.

"Okay, then, first question." He cleared the throat. "When did it start?"

"Two days after you left school. No, actually it was a day after you transferred. Yes."

"How did it start?" Megumi asked.

"I don't know. At first, it was like a dream. I was dreaming and then I started seeing those hallucinations. They just felt so real but it wasn't nearly as bad as now. I thought at first that it was over as it stopped a few days later. Then, it just accelerated again after a few days. Even worse."

"Wait, but you didn't mention seeing anyone. So, why did you say 'tell her to make this stop'?"

"At first, I really saw no one. Maybe I did but I can't seem to remember. Then, when it got a lot worse, I saw a girl. She talked to me."

"Did she tell you she was the culprit?" Megumi asked.

"Yes, kind of. She said she was doing this for a classmate. Then, she mentioned about the cigarettes so I thought... maybe you could tell her to make this stop, Yoshino. She must be someone you know, right? A classmate?"

"What... What does she look like?" Junpei asked.

"I..can't remember. It's...it's just so blurry."

Itadori took out his phone to show Sachiko's picture.

"Does she look like this?"

"I..I can't remember but..the hair..it's like a different length? but the color is similar?" Ito rubbed his head as headache came over. "I can't remember..no...I don't know anymore."

Upon hearing Ito's vague answer, they looked at one another and frowned.

"I feel like we're not going anywhere." Junpei sighed.

He didn't really feel sorry for Ito Shouta but the fact that Nakamura might have something to do with this whole thing made him a little uncomfortable.

All of them wanted to rule out the possibility that Nakamura was the culprit but there was this feeling that was telling them she actually was involved.

"Maybe we should tell this to Gojo sensei." Megumi muttered.

"I don't know about that." Junpei said.

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It was already evening when Megumi called Gojo.

"Oh, Megumi's calling."

"Gojo sensei, is Nakamura there with you?"

Gojo frowned, "No, why are you asking?"

"This...." Megumi paused for a brief moment before continuing, "We tried to investigate the cursed spirit girl incident a few days ago and met a girl who used to bully her. She told us that she was suffering from some kind of hallucinations and before those started, she met a strange woman who she can't remember the face. Then, we went to Junpei's house after that and we found out that there waa a similar incident happened to Yoshino's bully, Ito Shouta."

"That's interesting. Go on."

"Right, Ito Shouta said he couldn't remember the face as well but he mentioned that she was doing it for her classmate."

"Hm, a classmate? Seems like they were putting some effort in framing." Gojo muttered.

"You don't think it might be Nakamura?"

"And why would I think so, Megumi? Those are one-sided words which you can't confirm right?"

Megumi paused, "Yes."

"But what if she was somehow involved?" He continued.

Gojo said, "Well, it might be that the group from Goodwill event incident want her to lose allies and join them, although their initial goal included killing her. We don't know their real motive yet so it's hard to tell. But, I know and trust Sachiko."

"I see."

"Well, I have something to do so I'm hanging up." Gojo said.

After ending the call, Gojo frowned.

"What are they up to?"

Not long after ending the call, Sachiko returned and walked towards him. Upon seeing Gojo's frown, she asked, "Satoru, did something happen?"

Gojo shook his head, "Nothing. Megumi was just letting me know about his investigation."

"Is it about the cursed spirit girl?"

He nodded. "And Ito Shouta too."

"Oh..." Sachiko seemed anxious.

Gojo patted her head gently and said, "It's okay, sugar. I trust you."

"Thanks..." Sachiko mumbled. "But..umm..I actually have something to tell you."

Before she got a chance to say anything else, they saw a veil forming in the short distance.