Leave of Absence - Chapter 76

It had been a few days since Ren was discharged from the hospital.

His insides still ached, every breath tugging at half-healed muscle and bruised bone. Jumping or moving too fast was a problem, but he was alive—and about 88% healed. That was good enough for him.

As he walked the stone paths of Tokyo Jujutsu High under the soft hue of an early evening sky, Ren muttered to himself, "This world's tech is actually a little better than my past one…"

He paused, tapping his fingers against the fabric taped over his healing stab wound.

"Or maybe it's because this is Jujutsu High. Or maybe… Gojo pulled some strings." He scratched the back of his head. "Yeah. That sounds like the kind of bullshit he'd pull."

Finally, Ren made it back to his dorm. He stepped up, half-leaning on the wall as he reached into his pocket—and froze.

"Ah."

He stared at the handle.

"…Maki never gave me my dorm keys back."

For a second, Ren just stood there, staring at the locked door like it had personally wronged him.

Then he sighed. "I could go find her, but where the hell would she even be at this hour? It's nighttime. I'm not going to the girls' dorm. Nah, nah, nah. I already have way too many rumors floating around…"

And so, without fanfare or guilt, Ren broke into his own dorm room.

It wasn't hard. Not for him. But he still didn't feel proud of it.

As the door creaked open, he stepped inside—and stopped.

"…What the fuck?"

His dorm was clean.

Like, clean clean.

The floor was mopped. The dust on his unused TV was wiped away. The dishes were gone. The desk was organized.

"…I didn't clean this."

Ren scanned the room again, stepping in slowly. "No way Maki cleaned my room or something… right?"

The thought alone made him scoff, but then his eyes landed on his laundry basket.

Empty.

Clothes folded. Put away.

There was no logical explanation.

"…It's either Maki…"

A pause.

"Or that white-haired, blue-eyed freak."

Ren visibly shuddered. "No. No. I refuse to believe Gojo did my laundry. That's a horror story."

With a shake of his head, Ren moved on. He dropped his bag to the floor and walked to his bed, sitting down with a sigh that came from his soul.

After a few moments of stillness, Ren muttered, "Come out, Kai."

A ripple in his shadow, and with a quiet pop, Kai2—his fish-dog cursed spirit—leapt into his arms.

The creature tackled him like an excited puppy, snuggling into his chest with a chirping whimper that sounded suspiciously like, "You forgot about me, right!"

"Haha… yeah, yeah, I know. Don't worry, little freak," Ren chuckled, running a hand over Kai2's smooth head. "I didn't forget about you. It's just… hard to summon you often in Jujutsu High without raising questions."

Kai2 huffed, almost sulking, before nuzzling back into Ren's arms.

"But don't worry, buddy," Ren said, stroking his cursed spirit. "Soon, I'll be taking a break from this school."

His eyes narrowed as he leaned back onto the bed, notebook already in his hand. "I have about 10 days… maybe a month at most before Geto starts his war. If the plot hasn't shifted too much."

He sighed.

"I need to run tests. Real tests. I can't do that here."

Kai2 let out a curious chuff.

Ren chuckled. "You'll see. I've got plans."

He threw a pen across the room. Kai2 bounded after it and brought it back immediately, dropping it with a wagging tail. Ren picked it up absently and tossed it again.

This little back-and-forth repeated as Ren flipped open his notebook, scribbling notes between throws.

On the other side of campus, in the faculty office, Gojo Satoru held a handwritten letter in his gloved hands.

A letter that started with:

"I need a few weeks off and away from Jujutsu High due to emotional stress…"

Gojo blinked.

Then blinked again.

And then groaned. "He actually wants to leave the school??"

Gojo had expected Ren to take a few days off class—not to disappear from Jujutsu High entirely.

"This ruins everything," he muttered, tossing the letter up and catching it with dramatic flair. "How is he going to bond with his classmates like this?! I even let him skip class! Why does he want to leave now?!"

Gojo pouted, spinning in his chair, tapping his fingers on the desk.

"Hmm… but still, he did earn it."

Finally, after ten full minutes of chaotic deliberation, Gojo wrote a reply.

Ren-kun!

It's your best, handsome, lovely teacher, Gojo-sensei!

I heard about your leave letter! It made me sad!!

But… it's fine.

You are allowed to leave… but only for 7 days. NOT weeks.

Your last apartment, which you blew up (rude), is long gone. So I have personally given you a new apartment near Kanagawa Prefecture!

Also, your documents are included in this letter. Please take care of them!~

Inside the envelope was a thick stack of official paperwork. Birth certificate. ID. Even his bank book.

Back in his dorm, Ren flipped through them with a slow blink.

"…Huh."

He opened the bankbook.

Empty.

"Fucking greedy bastard. I know he's rich. He could've given me a few yen at least…"

Still, he noticed something.

"…No debt."

That alone made Ren pause. He muttered, "So he paid off the debt…"

He leaned back in his chair, looking over the housing file.

"Kanagawa Prefecture, huh?"

A thin smile crept up his face.

"…That sneaky bastard."

Gojo had made sure the apartment was far, but not too far. From what Ren remembered, Jujutsu High was likely somewhere hidden in the deeper regions of Yamanashi Prefecture.

Meaning…

"He wants to keep an eye on me."

Ren closed the folder and tossed it onto the desk.

"Smooth move, Gojo. But not enough."

He patted Kai2 gently.

"We're still going. I've got tests to run."

Meanwhile, in his office, Gojo stood in front of the window, watching the moon rise over the school grounds.

He didn't smile.

Something felt wrong.

"Hm…"

His voice was quiet.

"The higher-ups agreed to this way too quickly."

He stared into the night, a rare sliver of doubt crawling beneath his usual swagger.