Jujutsu Kaisen: False Dawn

Chapter 103—Debt & Dessert

"No way I did that," Mei Mei thought as she slouched back onto the couch, arms crossed. "He was ordering me for sure!!"

The plate of garlic pasta still sat steaming in front of Ren. He hadn't finished it yet. But the way he casually leaned back, like he owned the entire apartment, was starting to get on her nerves. She glared at the TV, eyes hard, trying not to look at him.

The documentary was showing some wolf pack cornering a deer now. She didn't care.

Ren smiled to himself, the kind of lazy, satisfied smirk that made Mei Mei's internal alarms start ringing again.

Then he asked, so calm and casual that it caught her off guard:

"Hey, Mei Mei, how much money do you have?"

It was such a… normal question. Personal, sure. A little bold. But not insane.

Still, the second he said it, a chill crawled up her spine.

Something in her businesswoman instincts screamed:

Danger.

Not physical danger.

Financial danger.

The kind of danger that wears a hoodie, eats pasta like a child, and slowly rearranges your life from the inside out.

"Uh…" she said, her voice shaking more than she meant it to. "I might have a few million saved up. Why do you ask?"

Ren turned to her and gave that slow, charming smile again—the one she now recognized as weaponized.

"Hey, beautiful," he said, his tone shifting into something playfully flirty, "could you buy me some stuff? Uh, I don't know, like a gun would be cool, you know~."

A gun.

Mei Mei stared at him like he had just confessed to being a demon wearing a high schooler's skin.

"Manipulator," she thought.

"Actual manipulator."

She sat up, blinking fast.

"Is that an order?" she asked, the words rushing out. "Because if it is, that'll take me weeks. Don't you know it's hard to get a gun here in Japan?"

Ren twirled some pasta around his fork and took a bite. Chewed. Swallowed. Then replied, with zero urgency:

"Hmm, well, I know you have the money and the contacts to get it. Don't be greedy now; I'll pay you later."

Mei Mei squinted. Her expression said, I do not believe you. At all.

But her body language? It shifted.

Her shoulders dropped a little. Her hands curled into small fists on her lap. And most importantly?

She didn't say no.

"Why does he even want a gun?" she thought bitterly. "Ugh, is he one of those brats who's obsessed with weapons?!"

She shook her head, frustrated, as if trying to physically clear the intrusive thoughts out of her brain.

Ren, meanwhile, tilted the plate slightly and slurped another forkful.

"The pasta's good," he said. Then looked her straight in the eyes and added, "When am I getting dessert?"

There was something mischievous about his tone—light, but baiting.

Mei Mei blinked again, slightly thrown.

"We have dessert?" she asked. "I checked the fridge. I didn't see any…"

Ren didn't miss a beat. He leaned forward, eyes still holding hers.

"Oh, you're so innocent, you know that?" he said, his voice dropping into that smooth, dangerous range again.

"Hmm… I mean, I can see a sweet dessert right in front of me."

Mei Mei froze.

For exactly one second.

Then she jerked back and stared at him like he'd just turned into Gojo in a speedo.

"You want me as dessert?!" she snapped. "And I am not innocent! You are the pervert here, out of nowhere just saying stuff like that!!!"

She stood up like she was going to lecture him—stern eyes, full scowl—but inside?

Chaos.

"Fuck, is he serious? Or is he joking again…? Shit, shit, I can't tell if he's joking or not…"

Her expression didn't change. But she turned fast, grabbed his now-empty plate, and muttered something unintelligible as she fast-walked to the kitchen.

"Ugh, whatever! I'll get you a gun later! Now shut up!"

Ren leaned back into the couch, still smiling.

"I'm really good at getting under her skin, huh?" he thought.

"It's funny how she still looks calm… but her actions give her away."

He didn't even have to push hard. Mei Mei folded like a card house in the wind—but only when he did it gently.

In the kitchen, Mei Mei muttered while rinsing the plate.

She scrubbed harder than necessary.

"Stupid brat… saying stuff like that… like I'm some joke… Flirt like that one more time, and I swear—"

She washed the pan too, even though she didn't have to. Why? To keep herself busy. To get his stupid smile out of her head. It wasn't working.

Back in the living room, Ren stood up slowly. Stretched. Walked over toward the hallway that led to the bedroom.

And when Mei Mei finally stepped out of the kitchen, drying her hands, she saw him just… standing there.

Waiting.

He looked at her with that same amused tone she'd started to hate—or was it like? Ugh, whatever.

"Now," he said softly, "are we heading to bed? Or should I carry you there?"

That did it.

A chill ran up her spine again.

She narrowed her eyes and stepped forward, jabbing a finger right into his chest.

"Fine, we head to bed," she said through gritted teeth. "But you better not try anything, ok? Mister?"

She meant to sound threatening. But the word "Mister" slipped out way too naturally.

And Ren?

Ren grinned.

"Oh," he thought. "She went from 'shut up' to 'mister'? Ha…"

He didn't reply. Just turned and walked toward the bedroom without another word.

Mei Mei stood there a second longer, heart thudding in her ears.

She didn't know what she expected. But that wasn't it.

And even now, she couldn't tell if he was serious… or just screwing with her.

She hated that uncertainty.

She hated it because it worked.