Destined to Collide - Inumaki Toge

22. Apple Strudel

"I heard someone died yesterday," Inumaki said to Maguro in his thoughts, forking up a portion of his Apple Strudel and ate it with relish. Apple Strudel here in this shop is good, he thought to himself quietly. He needs to bring the rest of them here. "It wasn't a pretty sight."

Upon hearing Inumaki's questions in her head, Maguro nodded, continuing to fork up her portion of Apple Strudel. "Ah yes. Ieiri-sensei told me that as well yesterday, before you came to the Infirmary for the meds."

Flashback

Inumaki had just finished his practice with Maguro. It was a simple one – Inumaki aiming at Maguro, and she is to block and avoid it. Gojo-sensei is out of town for now, so they are allowed a half day training instead of the normal full day. But he was to be back by tonight. Before he left, he had instructed Inumaki to go through with her Fight or Flight training and asked her to try her best to run from Inumaki during training.

It wasn't easy. Inumaki is an adept jujutsu sorcerer, and very much athletic. She will need to pick up speed at trainings in order to catch up to him at stamina alone.

After the training is done, Inumaki followed Maguro to the Infirmary, saying he's again out of his medicine. Maguro didn't question it much and went up ahead to the Infirmary.

Halfway through, he told her he'll catch up to her again when he spotted some rocks for his garden. Maguro smiled. To think that Inumaki Toge could be easily distracted by a good-looking stone.

And she quietly mused to herself that she too, will be easily distracted by a good looking Inumaki Toge, more so if he were to smile at her.

Arriving at the Infirmary, Maguro thought of starting on her daily task of checking the medicine stores and going through some medicine books.

Only to be stopped by Ieiri-sensei at the entrance.

"Ahh, Maguro-chan. Sorry, I forgot to tell you I had something coming up. A First Year died today, so I'll need to attend to him at the morgue," Ieiri said to her, looking apologetic when she packed her bags of essentials.

"Someone died?" Maguro repeated, shocked that it was a First Year no less. "Fushiguro... he's..."

"No. Not him," Ieiri replied, picking up her bag from the counter. "He's alright. It was Itadori Yuuji-kun. You have not seen him before. Unfortunately, you're not at that level to view dead bodies yet, so you can't join me."

Ieiri noticed Inumaki coming up from the normal pathway and smiled. "So, there is no class for today, Maguro. Inumaki-kun, here, your medicine. You're going through them pretty fast, ne?"

"Shake," Inumaki replied simply and nodded his head, picking up the bag of medicine at the counter.

Maguro smiled. Inumaki has been working hard with his jutsu. So hard he had overworked his vocals. There are times Maguro just had to stop their training for a while to heal up his throat. She couldn't bear to see him enduring a progressively bad sore throat with each spells he go through for the training.

"It's alright, Ieiri-sensei. I'll go back with Inumaki-kun then," Maguro answered happily. More time with her friends at dinner time, and more time with Inumaki.

End of Flashback

"He was one of the First Years. Ieiri-sensei said I wasn't allowed to look at him though. She also said I'm not at that level of clearance to view dead bodies yet," Maguro explained, taking in a mouthful of the pastry and enjoy the sweet Apple Strudel.

"A pity then," Inumaki said in his thoughts to her. "I heard he was a very promising Jujutsu Sorcerer from Gojo-sensei."

Silence fell.

"I wonder how Fushiguro-kun is doing," Maguro mumbled after she finished swallowing her food. Fork set down on the plate, Maguro continued, "He must have felt sad to a certain extent, despite how cold he wanted himself to look outwardly."

Silence.

"Let's go see him, Inumaki-kun," Maguro said, standing up from the seat determinedly. "We can pack all this back to eat at the dorm."

Inumaki ignored her outburst and pulled her back down casually. "We'll see them later."

Maguro wanted to protest. "But-"

"Do you want to take away some Apple Strudel?" Inumaki asked, interrupting her with a smile.

"Okay," Maguro answered immediately, sitting down quietly and looking at the passing waiter. "Another set of Apple Strudel please. Take away."

After the amazing Apple Strudel treat, Maguro felt a lot better. It was as if her nightmares from yesterday was completely wiped clean with Apple Strudel as breakfast. She smiled and skipped, and even chased Inumaki when he started to run up ahead in a mock game of tag with her. He laughed at her because she couldn't run fast enough with the Apple Strudel package in her hand.

Those are precious dessert meant to be shared with the rest of her friends at the dorm. They need to be in perfect condition for later.

Things are good for now, Maguro thought to herself with a smile, enjoying the good weather together with Inumaki. Things are all good now.