Jujutsu Kaisen: I Can Travel Back in Time-Chapter 34 - 28 : Aftermath & Overpriced Sweets

The dust had barely settled when Ichigo flopped onto a bench, exhausted. His shihakushō was torn in several places, and Zangetsu rested against his shoulder, feeling heavier than usual. His body ached, every muscle protesting as he exhaled sharply.

"That guy," he muttered, eyes half-lidded in disbelief, "is a damn monster."

Beside him, Gojo Satoru sat completely unscathed, his uniform still pristine, not a single hair out of place. He tore into a crepe like they hadn't just spent the last hour leveling the battlefield.

"That was fun!" Gojo said brightly, licking a bit of whipped cream off his thumb. "Let's do it again sometime."

Ichigo turned his head just enough to glare at him. "Yeah. Sure. Right after I get a funeral."

Gojo snorted. "Aw, don't be so dramatic. You lasted longer than I expected!" He rummaged through a paper bag beside him and pulled out another crepe, holding it out. "Here. You earned it."

Ichigo eyed it warily. "What's this?"

"A peace offering," Gojo said, waving it in front of him. "You put up a decent fight. Almost impressed me."

Ichigo scoffed, but he grabbed the crepe anyway. A win was a win. He took a bite, chewing slowly as he let his body relax against the bench.

Gojo glanced at him. "So, Shinigami don't use cursed energy at all?"

"Nope."

"Huh." Gojo tapped his chin, as if turning that over in his mind. "Then how do you get stronger?"

Ichigo hesitated for a moment, then let out a short, humorless chuckle. "Honestly? Pain."

Gojo blinked. "Oof." He leaned back against the bench, staring at the sky. "That's kinda depressing."

Ichigo smirked faintly. "Yeah, well. You get used to it."

Gojo was quiet for a beat, which, for him, was unusual. He seemed to be considering something, the usual carefree shine in his eyes dimming just slightly. It was subtle, but Ichigo caught it.

Then, as if deciding he'd had enough of the serious mood, Gojo smirked. "Well, if pain makes you stronger, I could throw you into a few more fights—"

Ichigo shot him a deadpan glare. "Try it and die."

Gojo just laughed, the tension breaking as quickly as it had come. "Kidding, kidding! Man, you're easy to mess with."

Ichigo grumbled something under his breath and went back to eating.

For a while, they just sat there, the remnants of their battle still settling in the distance. The sky had a faint orange hue, the sun starting to dip toward the horizon. It was strangely peaceful, considering they'd just been trying to beat the hell out of each other.

"You know," Gojo said suddenly, "you remind me of someone."

Ichigo raised an eyebrow. "Should I be concerned?"

"Nah." Gojo grinned. "Just means we're gonna have a lot more fun."

Ichigo sighed, already regretting every decision that had led to this moment. "Great."

Gojo stretched his arms behind his head, looking completely at ease. "Still, gotta admit... you're tough. Not a lot of people can keep up with me."

Ichigo huffed. "Yeah, well. Not a lot of people are dumb enough to try."

Gojo laughed. "Fair point."

There was another pause before Gojo glanced at him again. "So, pain, huh?"

Ichigo glanced sideways at him but said nothing.

Gojo took another bite of his crepe and chewed thoughtfully. "Y'know, I get it."

Ichigo frowned slightly. "Do you?"

Gojo waved a hand. "Well, my version of it's different, but yeah. Strength comes at a cost, doesn't it?" His voice was lighter than his words, but for the first time, Ichigo thought there was something real under it.

Ichigo studied him for a second before looking away. "...Yeah."

For once, Gojo didn't crack a joke. He just sat there, letting the quiet settle between them.

Then, after a moment, he perked up again. "Oh! By the way, I totally won, right?"

Ichigo nearly choked on his crepe. "What? Hell no!"

Gojo grinned. "C'mon, Kurosaki, I was barely trying."

Ichigo scoffed. "You say that, but I saw you actually blocking at the end there. You weren't holding back as much as you want me to think."

Gojo gasped dramatically. "Me? Trying? Perish the thought!"

Ichigo rolled his eyes, shoving the last bite of his crepe into his mouth.

Gojo leaned in slightly. "Soooo... rematch?"

Ichigo exhaled through his nose. "Yeah, yeah. But not now. Maybe after I stop feeling like I got run over by a train."

Gojo clapped his hands together. "Great! I'll find you next time."

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Ichigo groaned. "I hate that you can actually do that."

Gojo just grinned, slipping his blindfold back over his eyes. "You'll learn to love it."

Ichigo seriously doubted that.

But at least the crepe was good.