Cold air hit first.
Sharp.
Clean.
Winter.
Snow crunched under their shoes as Takeru and Gojo stumbled forward out of the warped space.
Both of them wore dark blue glasses.
Both dressed in black Jujutsu High uniforms.
Younger cuts.
Cleaner lines.
No scars of recent battles.
They stood in front of a wooden cabin tucked beneath heavy snow-covered trees.
Smoke rose faintly from the chimney.
The world felt… earlier.
Lighter.
Takeru blinked.
"…Why am I dressed like a transfer student?"
Gojo looked down at himself, then around.
"…Oh."
A pause.
Then he grinned.
"…Ohhh."
Takeru narrowed his eyes.
"…You know where we are?"
Gojo pulled out his phone.
Old model.
Still working.
"…I know when we are."
He checked the group chat.
Takeru leaned over his shoulder.
Nanami:Be there in 2.
Haibara:I'll be there in 1!
Utahime:Be there in 1 with Shoko.
Takeru stared.
"…Wait."
A beat.
"…Nanami?"
Gojo's grin widened.
"…Yep."
Takeru looked up slowly at the cabin.
"…We got thrown into your past."
Gojo shrugged.
"…Could be worse."
Then immediately started typing.
Gojo:Hey can I add someone to this gc?
Replies came instantly.
Utahime:NO
Haibara:Yeah!
Shoko:Sure
Geto:Why not
Gojo laughed.
"…Democracy wins."
He added Takeru.
The second Takeru entered the chat, he started typing at lightning speed.
Takeru:Hey EVERYONE! Im Gojo's brother!
Three dots appeared from multiple people at once.
Then—
Utahime:YOU WHAT!?
Shoko:There's two now?
Nanami:…
Haibara:YAYYY! More friends!
Geto:This explains nothing.
Another message popped up instantly.
Utahime:THERES TWO NOW!!!??? NOOOOOOOOOO
Gojo laughed so hard he bent forward.
"…Utahime never changes."
Takeru looked deeply satisfied.
"…I like this era already."
Another message.
Nanami:Please tell me he is less annoying than you.
Gojo immediately typed back.
Gojo:Nope.
Takeru gasped.
"…Betrayal."
Gojo pointed at him.
"…Truth."
The cabin door suddenly opened.
Warm light spilled out into the snow.
A familiar voice called from inside.
"…If that's Satoru making noise again, I'm locking the door."
Geto.
Young.
Alive.
Unbroken.
Takeru and Gojo both looked up.
The smile slowly faded from Takeru's face.
Not sadness.
Just realization.
They really were here.
Before everything.