I Died in a Knife Fight and Reincarnated into Jujutsu Kaisen

Yuji stirred awake, a low groan escaping his lips as he rubbed his bleary eyes. The bright sunlight filtering through the window only amplified his discomfort. "Man... didn't think I'd get knocked out that fast," he muttered, grimacing as he recalled how swiftly he had been bested during the sparring match. Shifting his hand, he felt a sharp throb in his knuckles where the bones had cracked; instinctively, he flexed his fingers and winced at the pain. "Yeah... deserved it," he conceded, shaking his head at his reckless enthusiasm.

Meanwhile, across campus, Alex was already well into his morning routine. His day began without any fanfare; he brushed his teeth, splashed cold water on his face, and pulled on a well-worn hoodie that carried the faint scent of cigarettes. Stepping outside, he was greeted by the refreshing chill of the Tokyo morning air. The sun had yet to rise fully, casting a gentle orange hue across the cityscape. The fragrance of cherry blossoms—soft and sweet—mingled with the crispness of dawn, a reminder that spring was firmly in place.

With purpose, he strolled down the street towards the university, stopping at a nearby vending machine to grab a canned coffee. He twisted the tab, popping it open with a satisfying hiss, savouring the first sip as its warmth flowed through him. After that initial taste, he lit a cigarette, relishing the smooth drag that followed. A small cloud of smoke spiralled upward as he exhaled, hanging in the brisk air like a ghost of the night.

"Morning," he muttered casually, directing the greeting to no one in particular as students hurried past him on their way to classes, each lost in their thoughts.

For now, the weight of cursed energy and the looming shadows of war felt far removed from him. Just another day—mundane, yet somehow significant.

Later that morning, Yuji limped into the classroom, the fatigue from his earlier mishap evident in his gait. His eyes scanned the room until they landed on Alex, who was already slouched in his seat by the window. Alex's eyes were half-closed, yet there was a keen alertness behind them, ready for whatever the day would throw at him.

"Yo," Yuji greeted, sliding into the desk beside his friend with a puff of exertion.

Alex gave a slight nod, acknowledging Yuji's presence without needing to say much.

"Still walking?" Alex asked with a hint of a smirk, trying to lighten the mood.

"Barely. You've got a damn iron fist," Yuji replied, a playful edge to his voice.

"Thanks," Alex smiled, an amused glint in his eyes.

At that moment, the classroom door slid open, and Nobara strolled in, her gaze darting between the two. She raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing on her lips. "You two bonding over brain damage?"

"Yup," Yuji grinned, a sense of camaraderie evident in his tone as he rubbed his sore hand, trying to mask the discomfort with humour.

Alex turned to her with a mischievous expression. "You're always this charming, or just before lunch?"

Nobara crossed her arms, an amused look on her face. "You're funny for someone who still smells like vending machine coffee and smoke."

"Better than smelling like hairspray and sarcasm," Alex shot back, a spark of playfulness in their banter.

Yuji couldn't help but snort at the exchange, his laughter echoing throughout the usually quiet classroom. Megumi, sitting at the back with his usual stoic expression, let a hint of a smile slip through despite himself.

"You two flirting, or just trying to kill the vibe?" he called out with feigned indifference, his arms crossed as he leaned back in his chair.

Alex shrugged, the corners of his mouth twitching upward. "Same result."

As the day wore on, the lessons passed with a dull monotony, the boredom interspersed with moments of laughter and the occasional exchange of teasing remarks. Yuji scribbled nonsensical doodles in the margins of his notes, his mind wandering far from the topics of cursed theory that the lecturer droned on about. Alex leaned back in his chair, staring out of the window as the world outside drifted by—a blur of life that seemed so unconnected to their current realities.

Just then, the classroom door creaked open, and in strolled Gojo with his trademark cocky grin plastered across his face. He clapped his hands once to draw attention.

"Alright, my little disasters, listen up!" he announced, his voice lively and commanding.

All eyes turned to him, the atmosphere shifting instantly from one of guarded boredom to eager anticipation.

"New mission. All of you. Together. Something fun.."

A frown decorated Megumi's features as he leaned forward, curiosity piqued. "Define fun."

"Cursed Womb," Gojo replied nonchalantly, pacing the front of the room. Grade 1 threat. Detention centre. We need all of your abilities to handle this." 

Yuji's heart raced. "Wait, all of us?" he asked, sitting up straighter, the adrenaline from the prospect quickly pushing away his earlier fatigue.

Gojo nodded with an air of finality. "Megumi, Nobara, Alex, and yes, even you, Yuji. Think of it as your official welcome to Jujutsu High."

Alex, ever-ready for a challenge, tapped the ash off his cigarette in an empty tray, his expression shifting to one of eager enthusiasm. "So, when do we leave?" he asked, leaning forward with palpable excitement.

Gojo's smile widened, a glimmer of mischief dancing in his eyes. "We leave in 3 hours. Get ready."

Yuji blinked in surprise, his mind racing. "No warning?"

"Surprise builds character," Gojo quipped, his tone light and teasing.

Alex leaned in further, a spark igniting in his gaze. "Sounds like fun."