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1ST POV
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"Didn't forget to pack your lunch, did you?" 

"Mm-hm!/Got everything!" 

"I see. Come here—your tie's all crooked." 

"Mom, it's fine! We’re gonna be late, I can fix it!" 

"Look at you, acting all grown up!" 

"Ow, ow! Quit pulling on my face—ack!" 

Tsumiki stood off to the side, stifling her laughter behind her hand, clearly enjoying her brother’s struggle without the slightest intention of helping. I couldn’t help but chuckle, pulling them both in for a quick kiss on the forehead. 

"Alright, off you go! Be careful on your way, and stay out of trouble, okay?" 

"Yeah, yeah!" 

Before I could say more, Hi and Yoru—Gumi’s divine dogs—bounded up to the door with loud, eager barks. The once-small pups were now towering beasts, their sleek forms a testament to how much they’d grown since Gumi’s tenth birthday. They wagged their tails so hard the floor practically vibrated. 

"Guess even the dogs are excited for school." 

Gumi grinned, patting Hi’s head. "We’ll be fine, Mom. C’mon, Tsumiki!" 

With that, they both dashed off, the dogs close on their heels, barking as if they’d been given a mission of the utmost importance. Watching them go, I could only smile—another morning, another whirlwind, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

"You coddle them too much. They can handle themselves," Toji muttered, arms crossed lazily over his chest. 

I rolled my eyes, glancing back toward the entrance where he stood, propped against the wall like he had all the time in the world. "Uh-huh, sure. Says the guy who almost crushed a teenager’s hand just because the poor kid confessed his feelings to Tsumiki." I shot him a pointed look, daring him to argue. 

He grunted something low and unintelligible, clearly not in the mood for an apology. "Got any plans today?" he asked, his voice rough but nonchalant. 

I raised a brow. "You don’t?" 

He shrugged, feigning indifference. "Supposed to go to the dojo." 

"And you’re not going?" 

"Don’t feel like it." 

I stared at him, unimpressed but not the least bit surprised. This was classic Toji. Skipping out on things wasn’t new for him, and after all these years, I’d long given up trying to change his habits. "You know, you do own that dojo. You could at least pretend to care." 

He smirked, completely unbothered. "Takeda’s got it covered." 

He wasn’t wrong. After eight years, Takeda had more or less become the face of the dojo, running it smoothly with or without Toji’s input. The man was talented and disciplined enough to train anyone, from fresh-faced beginners to seasoned martial artists. Toji’s occasional absence was just another feature of the place now. 

A lot had changed in the last ten years. Right after the Gumi incident, Toji did something that still baffles me to this day—he announced he wanted to get a job. I genuinely thought I was hallucinating when he first said it. I even laughed so hard I nearly cried, thinking it had to be a joke. But he was serious. Dead serious. And once that sank in, I decided to help him. 

That turned out to be... more complicated than I’d anticipated. Finding work for someone with Toji’s unique background was a challenge, to say the least. He had no formal education—his clan never bothered with anything beyond the bare minimum. They taught him how to read and write just enough to get by, but most of his "lessons" involved tossing him into a cursed pit to see if he’d survive. 

There was one kind-hearted servant who had secretly tried to teach him more—numbers, basic history, how to write proper sentences—but when the clan found out, they killed her without hesitation. That was the kind of life Toji came from. He was a weapon, nothing more. 

Setting aside the fact that I went back later and destroyed that cursed pit—wiping out every last spirit inside and knocking down any Zenin dumb enough to get in my way—we moved on to job hunting. 

And yeah, finding work for someone with Toji’s background? Not exactly a smooth ride. But somehow, we made it work. The dojo turned out to be a good fit—hands-on, uncomplicated, and something he could actually enjoy when the mood hit him.

At first, Toji wasn’t exactly thrilled about the idea of opening a dojo. But when I pointed out that he’d basically been teaching me all along—sharpening my skills and pushing me beyond my limits—it became harder for him to deny that he was, in fact, pretty good at it. After some grumbling, he reluctantly agreed. 

A few weeks later, our dojo was officially up and running. Turns out you don’t even need a license to open one, which, honestly, felt pretty anticlimactic given everything we’d been through. But whatever. Things really took off once word got around—especially after a group of cocky martial artists strolled in, acting like they were there to "initiate" Toji. They talked a big game about testing the new guy, showing him the ropes, the usual macho nonsense. 

Long story short, they got their asses handed to them. Hard. In public. 

Apparently, their plan had been to humiliate Toji and establish dominance, but it backfired spectacularly. Sometimes I forget that this is still a Shonen world, where people tend to lean into over-the-top clichés—like ridiculous levels of competitiveness and the constant need to prove who's strongest.

The whole ordeal ended up being great for business, though. News spread fast, and the dojo gained popularity almost overnight. Sure, Toji grumbled about all the attention at first, but over time, he started to mellow out. It was hard for him to stay annoyed when his students looked up to him with wide-eyed admiration and borderline hero worship. 

There was one particular kid, though, who caught his attention—a quiet kid who was getting bullied at school. I saw Toji take a special interest in the kid’s progress, teaching him with more patience than I thought he was capable of. He’d deny it to his grave, but the guy has a bleeding heart, whether he likes it or not. 

To this day, he insists he’s just doing his job. But every time one of his students gives him a little handmade gift or thank-you card, he keeps it. Religiously. I once found a whole stash of them tucked away in a drawer, neatly folded and carefully preserved. When I teased him about it, he just scowled and muttered something about "being polite." 

Yeah, sure, Ji. Politeness. Whatever you say.

Now, moving on to more jujutsu-related matters—most of the insane, messed-up things that happened in this story can be traced back to one jackass: Kenjaku. The fact that centuries of chaos and suffering were basically the result of him being *bored* was enough to make my blood boil. It’s infuriating to think that people’s lives were treated like pawns in some long, twisted game he’d been playing for hundreds of years. 

With that in mind—and motivated by the goal of creating a better future for my loved ones—I decided it was time to clean house. No more nasty surprises. I made sure to deal with the current higher-ups in the jujutsu world, replacing them with people who actually cared about the well-being of ordinary folks. With Tengen’s support, the whole process went smoother than I expected. Anytime the major clans tried to stir up trouble, we shut them down hard and fast. 

What really surprised me, though, was how the smaller clans stepped up once they were given a chance. Turns out, some of them had elders who were *shockingly* decent—people who didn’t treat human lives like disposable tools. It was refreshing, to say the least. 

The restructuring wasn’t without its headaches, of course. Some of the old guard resisted at first, clutching their outdated traditions like lifelines. But with a few well-placed "conversations"—and by that, I mean a couple of firm reminders that Tengen and I weren’t playing around—we got things moving in the right direction. 
Once I wrapped up the higher-ups situation, my next task was retrieving the nine Death Painting Wombs. What I didn’t expect, though, was to be met with a hostile aura radiating pure fury and protectiveness the moment I approached the objects. The energy seemed to pour out of one vial in particular, and it didn’t take me long to realize it was Choso. The others were more subdued, but their auras carried an unmistakable edge of mistrust and resentment. 

Calming them down wasn’t easy, but once I told them Kenjaku was dealt with and that I planned to release them, things cooled—just a little. Unlike certain maniacs (looking at you, Mahito), I wasn’t about to create abominations or empty husks. So, I crafted proper, humane vessels for each sibling, giving them all physical forms that were functional *and* dignified. Once the bodies were ready, I linked them to their respective souls. 

The first one to wake, of course, was Choso. His familiar features remained intact, as did his abilities. When his eyes opened, they carried a mix of wariness, confusion, and exhaustion—like someone who had been holding onto anger for so long he forgot how to let go. Despite his suspicion, I saw a flicker of gratitude the moment his gaze landed on his siblings, all of them groggily adjusting to their new bodies. 

He asked, bluntly, what I wanted in return. I just shrugged. "You’ve got another sibling waiting for you," I said, as if it were the simplest thing in the world. Before he could overthink it, I teleported us all to Sendai—straight to Jin’s house. 

Now, I wish I could say things went smoothly, but Jin’s face when he opened the door was priceless. He blinked at the group of strangers on his porch, their wild and eccentric appearances doing little to ease his confusion. The Death Painting siblings stared right back at him, unblinking, like they were evaluating the poor guy’s worth on the spot. 

And then, just as the awkward silence became unbearable, a pink-haired blur zoomed right past Jin and slammed into me with a gleeful shout. Yuji. 

Something seemed to click when the nine siblings made eye contact with the bubbly six-year-old. It was like they collectively decided, in that unspoken way siblings do, that Yuji was *theirs* now. Without hesitation, they all crowded around him, forming a protective huddle as if they’d been waiting for this moment their whole lives. Yuji, being Yuji, loved every second of it, giggling and trying to remember all their names at once. 

After finally managing to untangle the chaos, I sat Jin down and gave him the rundown. I had to info-dump quite a bit since, while he knew *some* things about the jujutsu world, he wasn’t exactly prepared for, well… all this. I left the nine siblings in his care, explaining that they just needed a stable home and a chance to live normal lives—or, as normal as things could get. I also made sure to give the Itadoris some financial support to ease the burden. 

Apparently, Wasuke wasn’t too pleased about the whole arrangement, but in the end, he begrudgingly accepted them into the family. Hard to say no when you’ve got nine overpowered, eccentric siblings staring you down—and when one of them can probably liquefy your organs. 

From what I hear, though, things eventually settled. And as chaotic as it looked at first, I think they all found exactly what they needed.

I still drop by to visit the Itadoris from time to time. A few of the Death Painting siblings decided to enroll in high school to blend in, figuring it’d be easier to avoid unwanted attention that way. Others have taken to helping out around the neighborhood—doing odd jobs, volunteering, or just enjoying the simple things in life for the first time. It’s weird, in a good way, to see them living so freely. I caught Eso fixing a neighbor’s motorbike the other day, and Kechizu helping kids at the playground, both of them happier than I ever thought possible. It’s almost hard to believe these are the same spirits born from centuries of torment. 

With Kenjaku out of the picture, the world feels... quieter. Most of the disasters that would have triggered the rise of stronger, more dangerous curses never got a chance to happen. Sure, I’m not naive—Mahito’s probably lurking somewhere out there, still twisted and dangerous. But without Kenjaku pulling the strings, he’s just a rogue element bound to slip up sooner or later. He won’t have the same careful guidance or endless resources backing him up, and that makes all the difference. Someone will catch him eventually. 

Suguru is already making good progress, too. He managed to capture both Hanami and Jogo before they could cause any real trouble, which means it’s only a matter of time before Mahito follows suit.

Speaking of Suguru, he decided to follow in Satoru’s footsteps and pursue teaching. I was honestly surprised by his choice at first, but then again, those two have always been practically inseparable. Where one goes, the other usually follows. Suguru ended up taking charge of the third years, and from what I’ve seen, he’s doing a damn good job at it. He’s strict, but fair—pushing his students just hard enough to make them better without crushing their spirits. 

Yu became a full-fledged sorcerer. He still teams up with Nanami from time to time, since Nanami, thankfully, never quit. With his friend alive and doing well, Nanami found a new balance in life—though he only takes on a handful of missions now. That’s because, when he’s not exorcising curses, he’s helping his wife manage their bakery. Yup, you heard that right! Nanamin married the lovely bakery lady he’d been seeing for three years. I was so proud when I found out. The ship had sailed! YES! And honestly, if those two aren’t proof that even stoic people deserve happiness, I don’t know what is. 

Now, if only Suguru and Satoru could get a clue about their feelings for each other. Seriously—these two are the strongest sorcerers of their generation, but when it comes to emotional intelligence, they might as well be cursed objects. I’d try my hand at matchmaking, but frankly, I’ve got better things to do. Besides, Shoko seems thoroughly done with their oblivious nonsense, so I’m leaving that task entirely in her capable hands. Good luck, Shoko. You’ll need it. 

Along the way, I met a few more sorcerers and even made some new friends—including Tsukumo Yuki. Apparently, she’d been wanting to meet me for a while, and, surprise, surprise, we hit it off right away. Yuki’s a riot—sharp, funny, and bold as hell. She wasted no time, either. One of the first things out of her mouth was, “So, what’s your type?” I just pulled out a photo of my husband and showed it to her. She took one look, gave me a knowing nod, and said, “Respectable choice.” 

As for her goals? Lofty ones, to say the least—something about creating a world free of cursed spirits. Ambitious, but hey, I respect that. If I have anything to say about it, we’ll make it happen. 

Meeting Yuki also introduced me to a young Todo Aoi, an absolute powerhouse for his age even before enrolling at Jujutsu high. Naturally, I introduced him to Yuji and the rest of the Itadori family. Call it meddling, but I liked the dynamic between them. Those two were destined to hit it off, and, well, what can I say? I enjoy playing friendship matchmaker almost as much as real matchmaking. If nothing else, it’ll be fun to watch them tear through training together.

Megumi shouldn’t be enrolling for another year, which marks the beginning of the ‘canon’ timeline—or at least what remains of it. With our guidance and support, he managed to summon almost all his shikigami by the age of twelve, except for Mahoraga, which had proven to be quite a challenge. This particular shikigami was notoriously destructive, and to keep from wreaking havoc in the real world, we had to take it into a pocket dimension for training. Watching my son face this massive creature alone was terrifying, and it stirred something deep within me—a primal instinct to protect him. 

I never imagined I would manage to instill the fear of God into something I was pretty sure was barely sentient. The creature seemed paralyzed by the murderous waves radiating from me, making it hardly react to Megumi's attacks.

Fortunately, Megumi managed to exorcize Mahoraga, gaining full control over all his shikigami in the process. I couldn’t shake the feeling that Mahoraga had intentionally allowed itself to be exorcized, likely scared of what I might do if it didn’t. That realization gave me a strange sense of satisfaction; even a creature like that knew better than to test me.

I glanced back at Toji, who was lazily scratching the back of his neck, looking completely at ease despite shirking his responsibilities. Typical.

“So, what do you feel like doing today?” I asked. 

He flashed me a lazy grin. “Thought I’d just stick around here. Keep you company.” 

I couldn’t help but snort. “Right. Because that’s exactly what I need.” I shook my head and headed inside. 

His grin widened, the familiar glint of mischief sparkling in his eyes as he trailed after me. "What? You don’t appreciate my company? How hurtful." He clutched his chest dramatically, sighing like he’d just been mortally wounded.

I chuckled despite myself, swatting at his arm. “You’re ridiculous.”

Unfortunately, there were things I couldn’t keep avoiding—plans I had put off for far too long. While everything in my life seemed stable for now, one last pressing issue threatened to disrupt the peace I’d worked so hard to build: Sukuna. 

Yeah, I needed to deal with that particular nuisance before things spiraled out of control. I was finally content with my life—happy, even—and that gave me more than enough reason to act. Over the years, with the help of a few jujutsu allies, I’d managed to retrieve some of Sukuna’s fingers. Thankfully, without a proper vessel like Yuji, the cursed spirits who had consumed them never awakened. Sure, the power boost made them stronger, but none had evolved into true finger-bearers. That was a small mercy. 

Just as I was getting lost in thought, I let out an undignified squawk when I felt warm lips brush the side of my neck. I blinked, startled, only to realize I was now wrapped in two strong arms. 

“What are you doing?” I asked, frowning up at him.

Toji’s expression softened as he leaned closer, his voice a low croon. “Getting your attention. You look stressed. What’s on your mind?”

I sighed, leaning slightly into his embrace. “Nothing serious. Just something I need to take care of—soon.” 

He arched a brow. "Need any help?"

Even after all these years, he still looked as effortlessly stunning as ever, his green eyes gleaming with a mix of curiosity and affection. I turned to face him fully, brushing a hand along his jaw before pressing a kiss to his lips. Then, with a playful grin, I tapped his nose, watching with satisfaction as he scrunched his face.

“Nope,” I said lightly. “I’ll handle it. Shouldn’t take too long anyway. The faster I deal with it, the better.” 

He pulled me closer, his arms tightening around me in a way that was both comforting and possessive. "Just use a clone," he suggested with a small smirk. "Stay here. I want to spend some time with you."

I rolled my eyes, exasperated but amused. "Are you serious?"

He nodded, not even bothering to hide the hopeful glint in his expression.

“Fine,” I conceded, resting my forehead against his shoulder for a moment. "But you owe me later." 

He chuckled, pressing a kiss to the top of my head. “Deal.” 

___________

Number Three sighed, looking up at the dark, eerie entrance of the cavern at the base of one of the holy Hida mountains. This wasn’t any old cave; it was practically screaming “Keep Out.” The rocky walls were covered in strange seals and symbols that seemed to hum with a life of their own. The whole area had a creepy vibe that would make any normal person turn right around. For non-sorcerers, that wasn’t even a choice—the seals would redirect them elsewhere. And even sorcerers with cursed energy couldn’t just stroll in here; a powerful barrier, created by the ancient sorcerer Tengen a thousand years ago, kept most from setting foot inside.

“Can’t believe I’m the one stuck with this while she’s off making goo-goo eyes at… her—our—husband,” she muttered, rolling her eyes. She pulled her coat a little tighter and trudged forward, ignoring the sharp stalactites hanging overhead. Only something huge—a planet-shattering event or her own choice—could actually make her disappear, so she felt pretty safe here.

But still, why was she even here?

The reason wasn’t exactly fun: she was here to deal with the last piece of Ryomen Sukuna—his corpse, to be precise. Just thinking of him as an old cadaver buried in the mountain felt weird, especially considering the trouble he could still cause if not properly handled.

As she went deeper into the cavern, the temperature dropped, and she could feel faint traces of Sukuna’s aura lingering in the air. For something that should’ve been dead for centuries, it felt unnervingly… aware, almost as if the leftover energy itself was watching her.

Number Three huffed, finding her current predicament irritating. First of all , the place stank, it was unbearable, and on top of that, it had taken her almost an hour to even find the spot because she kept getting lost! Out of all the clones, she’d been the unlucky one to get called up for this task: taking care of Sukuna’s remains once and for all.

All she really wanted was a good fight, not some drawn-out cleanup job, even if it was apparently important. Boss hardly summoned them these days, so to be dragged out just for corpse duty? That stung a little. Where was the thrill, the adrenaline, the satisfying feeling of throwing hands? Instead, she was stuck here... alone, with a corpse.

She stood there, staring blankly at the body for a minute.

…

She lightly slapped herself. “Okay, I might be a little crazy, but I’m not stupid.” No way was she going to revive the King of Curses just for the chance of a good fade. Boss had finished the manga a few years back, and all the clones were in agreement: he was awful. Total asshole. And that’s coming from her—someone married to a former assassin.

Sure, a good fight sounded tempting, but no way was she going to risk pissing Boss off by messing around with the nastiest curse in history.

Curiosity getting the better of her, Number Three crouched down to get a closer look at the mummified remains. The body was massive—even if it had probably shrunk over a thousand years, it was still huge, with long, twisted limbs and what looked like remnants of his once-imposing stature. She wrinkled her nose. To think that Sukuna had once devoured his own corpse using Megumi’s body. Her son’s body! And Miki! He’d even forced him to kill his sister!

Oh, that was it. No way was she letting history repeat itself. Not a chance, fight be damned.

Rising to her feet, she aimed her open palm at the corpse, her gaze sharp and full of contempt. “Never liked you anyway, you ancient jackass. [Hakai]!”

As the body began disintegrating, a sudden, ear-splitting crack echoed through the cavern, the very air seeming to split apart. Number Three’s eyes widened as her surroundings started to warp and shift around her, distorting reality itself–

___________

"...This was not supposed to happen."

Number Three jolted, blinking as the world spun around her. "W-what…? What’s going on?”

“Ah, crap! Okay, listen, this wasn’t supposed to happen to you, but we’re here now, so we’re just gonna have to make this work. Or not… oh, this is bad… everything’s merging! Why the hell did they even set it up like this?!”

“WHAT IS HAPPENING? WHY CAN’T I SENSE BOSS OR THE OTHERS? WHERE EVEN AM I?” Number Three's voice shook as she struggled to process the situation, her frustration rising by the second.

“Look, I’m trying my best here, alright?” the voice snapped back, equally frustrated. “They messed up, and now I’m the one stuck explaining it to you, so maybe don’t make it harder, yeah?” the clone bristled, but before she could respond, the voice continued, a bit more resigned. “They wanted to throw in a little surprise for the Original, a time-travel twist, sending her back to the Heian Era with Sukuna’s remains as a ‘side quest’ of sorts. Only… they didn’t plan on her sending a clone—you—to do the job.”

She stared at nothing in particular, utterly dumbfounded by her current situation.

"...Are you kidding me ?"

"Unfortunately, no."

She ran a hand over her face, trying to wrap her mind around this mess. “Alright, so I’ll just dispel and let her handle it.”

“Yeah… that’s not an option anymore. It’s too late now. The timelines are merging, so you’re stuck here in ‘Canon,’ as you call it, during the Heian Era. The Original—Colith—has been sent to 2017, and she should wake up in a few days with some missing memories. Nothing major, though, she'll most likely access them as soon as you dispel, which should be possible once you complete the required conditions.”

“Fine… what conditions? Let’s get this over with.” Number Three crossed her arms, fully expecting more nonsense.

There was an awkward silence. “Well… you’re not gonna like this.”

She grit her teeth. “Spit it out already.”

“Okay, okay!” The voice hesitated. “You’ve got to… you’ve got to get close to Sukuna. Seduce him. And then, somehow, make him admit he has feelings for you. You know, classic Y/N stuff.”

Her jaw dropped. “Hell. No.”

“Hey, I don’t make the rules! But if you don’t do it, you’re stuck here, and if the Original doesn’t get you back soon, she could end up with a breakdown that’ll take you both out.”

She shook her head, taking a step back. “Nope. I’d rather die than do that,” she muttered, showing her hand. “I am a married woman! No way I’d betray Toji like that!”

“Look, it’s the only option if you want to get back. Plus, you’re not exactly Colith—just a piece of her. It’s not as big a deal as you think.” The voice added with a sigh, “And, uh… you’re missing the ring.”

She looked down in shock, and true enough, there was no ring on her finger. She cursed under her breath as she glared up at nothing.

Her fists clenched so tight she thought her knuckles might crack. She needed to punch something. Hard. If she could just get her hands on those Higher-Ups, she’d happily give them more than a piece of her mind.

“Motherfuckers, all of you!” she shouted, waving a fist in the air that promised violence, “How dare you  throw me into this bullshit, knowing I can't stand this two-faced shit head, all for some ‘fun little side quest’? BULLSHIT.”

She took a deep breath, trying to cool her temper, but it didn’t help much. Especially not when she noticed her clothes had changed—without her noticing—into some ridiculous, white ceremonial garb that looked like it belonged in a historical drama. Layers of cloth draped around her in a way that practically screamed “impractical,” and she looked down, horrified.

“The fuck?!”

Before she could even process the strange outfit she was now wearing, the messenger’s voice rang out again, this time with an unmistakable tone of urgency. “Uh, yeah, so, I’m getting the vibe that you’d probably try to kick my ass if you could. So… good luck! Oh, and one more thing—don’t kill Sukuna, or you’ll be stuck here for, like, a thousand years! BYEEEE!”

“Wait, don’t you dare—!” she shouted, only for her outrage to turn into an alarmed scream as the floor suddenly dropped out from under her. In one jarring second, she was falling through a conveniently placed trapdoor, plunging into the unknown with a mix of fury and disbelief.

___________

She blinked awake, vision still blurry, only to find herself face-to-face with two sets of piercing, ice-blue eyes. They stared at her with a cold curiosity, the kind that felt like it could strip her down to her soul. The tattoos-the unmistakable, dark lines tracing across his face and muscular frame-were a dead giveaway of who she was looking at. And the wind teased through his short, pink hair, adding an almost eerie effect to his otherwise intimidating presence

They locked eyes.

A sudden tug on her clothes made her snap out of it.

Without hesitation, she threw a punch, her fist connecting with a satisfying crack.

.

.

.

AND THAT’S A WRAP ON [ANNOYING!]

The Higher-Ups are back at it again, stirring up drama in Coco's life just for fun! Wonder how that’s gonna turn out?

This book’s here to make sense of [Allah Help Me–]'s events, giving you all the background on why everything feels so familiar yet off to Colith! But no worries, each story stands strong on its own, so feel free to dive in wherever 🤙🏾!

Thank you all so much for reading—love you guys!

Clone #3!

Might draw the other clones someday ⭐️