Chapter Text
September 21st was a somber day for the Osaka campus. But it was harder on James than anyone else could comprehend. It was the day Osaka University honored the anniversary of their star alumni’s death. Kosoku Aru. Of course, there were more important things Osaka could be focusing on, like the inevitable war with the Legion, but the world seemed to love Koso. The reason James was the sole speaker at the memorial was because everybody knew that James was one of Koso's closest friends, and he was, for a while. That being said, the reminder of his tragic death was not the reason James didn't want to leave the comfort of his car.
James tapped his dashboard as he fought the urge to just drive back home. He didn't look forward to having to pretend all day. People who didn't know Kosoku personally tended to have a certain perception of him and his ability, given that he had defeated Sukuna among a list of countless other achievements. The truth, of course, wasn’t that simple. James had come to terms long ago with the fact that the world was probably a better place with Koso gone. Of course, nobody else would ever accept those words coming out of his mouth. Koso was the celebrity. And James was…a guy who happened to be Koso’s friend.
All that aside, James also really hated the idea of reuniting with his friends from high school. He already had to deal with Arataki on a daily basis, and that was about as much of the old Ethiopia gang as he could handle. He had way too much on his plate today. He was sure when it was all over, he was gonna die of exhaustion. James glanced at the clock in his car, taking a mental note of the time. If he wanted to have his morning coffee without being late, he'd have to move. He let out a long, drawn out groan, digging his fingers into his temples. He just needed to get through the day so he could go home and play Umamusume. James opened his glove compartment, whipping out a comb to straighten his hair. He set the comb down and straightened his tie as he glanced at himself in the rear-view mirror. He wasn't sure who he was trying to look presentable for, it wasn’t like anybody important was showing up to the memorial or anything. He took a moment to glance out of his window. People he’d never seen before were entering campus in droves in matching T-Shirts in remembrance of Koso. God, he was gonna be sick.
James zoned out as he stared at the coffee machine dispense the steaming liquid at an agonizingly slow pace. His mind raced with possible excuses to use in order to get out of giving that ridiculous speech about Koso in front of the whole campus this afternoon. He wanted his career to mean more than that. He adjusted his glasses as he turned to face the door. Now was usually when he arrived at the cafeteria.
“Hey Jimmy. Watch the game last night?” The red-haired menace referred to as Arataki made his way in. He wore a casual T-shirt and jeans, which was in stark contrast to the formal attire James wore to work every day.
“Huh? Oh, uh, yeah. Totally.” James avoided eye contact. He was definitely not watching football last night. “Hey, uhm, I wanted to ask you about some rumors I've been hearing. You know, through the grapevine.” James crossed his arms, still staring at the coffee.
“It's not four inches.” Arataki was rather quick to blurt that out, and the silence that followed was deafening. After a few moments, James spoke again.
“Right. I was referring to the rumor of you…hooking up with one of my students. Specifically Kami.” James shifted his eyes to make eye contact with Arataki now, his demeanor becoming confrontational. “And don't bullshit me.”
Arataki’s eyes darted across the room momentarily. “What? Jim, come on. What do you take me for man? I wouldn't even…like consider that-”
“You posted yourself kissing her on your story, dumbass.”
Arataki gulped. That was pretty damning. “I thought you weren't on Instagram, dude. You totally ignored my friend request…”
James rolled his eyes, facing the coffee machine as he pressed the button that stopped the flow of water into the cup. “I don't. But I tend to notice when my students message me en masse about Mr. Arataki sticking his dick where it doesn't belong. And that's besides that point, by the way. I asked you honestly about it, and you just lied to my face.”
“You asked me when you already knew the answer! That's called entrapment, Jim.” Arataki scratched his hair. “Not like it's any of your business.”
“It's my business when it's my students you're hitting on. You know that's wrong on just…so many levels.”
“Yeah, well, Kami is an adult, okay? She can make her own decisions, and who am I, as her professor, to risk guiding her on the wrong path? Is it not my job to let my students blossom into the best versions of themselves, however they may do so?” Arataki outstretched his arms, as if he were Jesus revealing the gospel.
“So you guide your students on the fight path by fucking them? That’s rich. You think the headmaster would agree?”
“That's totally unfair, Jim! When have I ever snitched on you, huh? I didn't tell anyone about when you had sex with Kota when she was totally drunk at Hayakawa's party!” The comment made James open his mouth to speak, but he was unable to get a word in before Arataki continued. “And you know what, man?! I was totally silent about how you whispered in my ear to make me dare Hari to play seven minutes in heaven with you!”
James kicked Arataki in the shin, causing the shorter man to jump backwards in pain. “You’ve got some fucking nerve bringing up Hari to win an argument!”
After a few moments of wincing in pain, Arataki sat down, letting his foot rest. He leaned back in his chair, panting slightly as he stared James in the eye. “You have dirt on me, I have dirt on you. I could lose my job…and you..would be really embarrassed. Mutually assured destruction…just like the Cold War.”
“Quit trying to justify it, man. You can't date a student, no matter how old she is, it's a fucked up power dynamic, alright?”
“How about I don't take relationship advice from you, huh? How about that, Jim? My whole life, pretty much, I've been a cuck, alright! I admit it! I let Koso have sex with my girlfriends and you know what, fine, I kinda liked it, alright? But I need to take control of my life, alright? If I kept being a pussy, I’d end with some on-again-off-again bullshit like what you have with Kota.”
James’ eyes widened. Arataki was admittedly quick to anger, but James never recalled that anger being directed at anybody but himself. It was strange for James to receive criticism…from Arataki of all people. It left the blonde speechless as the two of them made eye contact.
On the other hand, Arataki had never won an argument before, so he didn't stop there. “Get off your high horse, James. We all went to the same school together, me and Kami are the same age, so stop projecting, okay?”
“Wow. Okay, just don't bring it up at the reunion. I don't want them thinking I support your forbidden relationship fantasy.” James let out a defeated sigh as he brought the cup of coffee to his lips. “I’m sure everybody else quit being a horny teenager years ago. You just refuse to grow up.”
Arataki cleared his throat, a small twinge of discomfort creeping in his features. “Uhm…the reunion…right. Forgot that was today…. it'll be nice to see those old faces again…”
James set the cup down as he chuckled. “Ten years, and the one thing that finally brings us all back together is Koso dying.” He stayed silent for a few moments before shaking his head. He glanced at Arataki. “You think all those people Suzuki invited are actually gonna show up?”
Arataki shrugged. “Probably. I think it’ll be fun to hang out with the old gang before we all get shipped off to war, right?”
James sat backstage in the performance hall, taking some advice from his fellow professors moments before he gave his speech.
“You know, I’m actually not sure why we’re having this event here in the first place. Didn’t Koso go to Tokyo High?” Professor Takao Seishi of the Domain Expansion department spoke up.
“He graduated from Osaka University, dumbass. You work here and you don’t even know that much?” Professor Calliope Gojo of the Technique Reversal department replied.
“Purple rose.” Professor Saku Inumaki of the Cursed Object department spoke in her strange codified language of flowers.
“Miss Inumaki said ‘Don’t be a bitch, Calliope.” Professor Maestro of the New Shadow Style department was kind enough to translate Saku’s words. Both Maestro and Saku had recently lost their spouses, so everybody appreciated them still coming into work.
“Don’t bring up the Karuna or the Haruki stuff, or the stuff he did with girls, or you know, like all the bad stuff he did.” Professor Arataki Karin of the Barrier Techniques department gave James some words of wisdom.
“Basically, just don’t fuck it up like you did with Kota.” Calliope crossed her arms and waved her hand, signaling James to get going.
“Really not the time for that, Calliope.” James rolled his eyes. “Uhh…are you guys coming to the reunion after this? I could give you guys a ride-”
“You think anybody but you and Arataki have time for that shit? Some of us actually enjoy doing our jobs, James.” Calliope tilted her head.
“All my friends joined the Legion, and I didn’t like anybody else at that school so, yeah, no thanks.” Takao Seishi shrugged.
“Uhh, well, thanks, guys.” He ran a hand through his hair as he approached the stage, the curtains opening up as the lights hit his face.