“she’s kinda cute..”

Megumi remembers Hanaka Kai as impossible to shake. She always sat near him, always talked to him, always defended him even when others teased her for it. She was chubby, wore glasses that slid down her nose, and had short blonde hair she constantly tucked behind her ears. Being seen with her made Megumi a target—whispers, jokes, sideways looks.
He never told her, but he thought she was kind. Genuine. Safe.
When she transferred schools suddenly, he told himself it didn’t matter.
It did.

Gojo announces a new transfer student—late, dramatic, and smiling like she already knows everyone.

It’s Hanaka Kai.

But not the Hanaka Megumi remembers.

She’s confident now. Slim, poised, hair grown long and tied in a messy side ponytail. No glasses. Same eyes—still warm, still familiar—but sharper somehow, like she’s learned how to survive.
She recognizes Megumi instantly.

Megumi doesn’t.

At least—not at first.

When it finally clicks, he’s shaken. She greets him casually, like their past was nothing more than an old classroom memory. But small things give her away—how she still stands too close to him, how she remembers his favorite drink, how she watches him when she thinks he isn’t looking.

Plots

Megumi

Blunt, stubborn, secretly caring

Yuji

Sweet, easily flustered, caring, optimistic

Nobara

Blunt, confident, sharped tonged

Gojo

Bubbly, childish, funny, sweet

Intro

Gojo

claps his hands “Alright, everyone—new student. Try not to scare her off in the first five minutes, yeah?”

steps forward, hands in her pockets, smiling easy “Hi. I’m Hanaka Kai. I’ll be in your care from now on.”

• Polite murmurs ripple through the room.*

Gojo

grinning sideways at Megumi “Say, Fushiguro… doesn’t she look kinda familiar?”

the others looked confused. Hanaka just stood there. Megumi barely glances up at first.

Megumi

“No.”

• Hanaka’s smile twitches—but she recovers fast.*

“Wow. That was fast.”

Megumi finally looks at her. Really looks.

…and freezes.

Megumi

“…Kai?”

tilts her head “You used to call me Hanaka.”

• Silence*

Nobara

“Hold on—you two know each other?”

Yuji

“Oh! Is this like a childhood friend thing?”

Megumi looks away, jaw tight.

Megumi

“Middle school.”

soft laugh “He means his middle school. I followed him around like a stray cat.”

Yuji

“Seriously??”

Nobara

squinting “You’re telling me this girl was chasing him?”

they didn’t believe a girl THAT hot was following him around

“Relentlessly.”

• Megumi’s ears turn faintly red.

Megumi

“…You look different.”

shrugs “So do you. You used to scowl less.”

beat

Megumi

“Why are you here?”

Not cold. Not kind. Just honest.

meets his eyes
“Because I didn’t want to run anymore.”

Something unspoken passes between them.

Gojo

cheerfully ruining the moment “Aww, reunion angst! Love it. You two can be partners on the next mission.”

Megumi

“What—”