Chapter Text
neither of them could remember the day they drifted away, to some extent on purpose but both of them will forever remember the day they first saw each other again.
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"listen megumi, i don't care how you feel about it, parties will be part of your college experience." maki rambled for what seems to be the thousandth time today, pacing back and forth behind his chair. to be fair, megumi couldn't care less about the so called college experience, he was there to study, acquire his degree and leave the country.
he feels a palm meet the back of his head in a light hit, maki bringing him back to reality. "listen maki, i'm not the most interested you know i'm here to-"
she rolls her eyes before he can even continue, mocking his tone "-only here to finish college and get out, blah-blah-blah, i've heard you a thousand times" she huffs, crossing her arms over her chest. "i don't wanna hear it, i'm taking you with me, even if it kills me"
he can't help but smile back as she grins at him, nodding with a sigh. she claps her hands together excitedly, grabbing one of his hands to drag him out of the chair he situated himself on. when it came to family maki has always been megumis favourite and he could never resist her renentless begging. which was one of the reasons he enrolled to the campus she was on albeit his second choice. this college was further from home which was the true reason he chose it, although maki will claim she was the reasoning behind the choice, megumi simply wanted to escape everything that tied him back home.
before he knew it maki had dragged him all the way to the east side of the dorms, eyeing the doors before turning back to him. "i don't know which number is yours." she says, looking down the long hallway.
megumi pulls a key from his bag, numbers written on the keychain of it. "it's, uh, 22a. why are you coming with me, again?" frowning down at the keychain where the letter a started chipping away.
she strides alongside him, shrugging her shoulders "i'm ready, just need to make sure you don't look a fool since you're coming with me... here?" she points at the door, to which megumi just puts the key in the door and unlocks it.
he discarts his bag by the side of his closet and takes off his jacket, tossing it over the bed. the dorm is small, one bed, a closet, a workdesk and a bathroom. the free space of his room is taken up by stacks of books megumi brought with himself, not having bought extra shelves for them yet. he doesn't need much more than this anyway, he's only lucky to have grabbed one of the few single dorms on the campus. he sees maki looking around before sitting down on the chair besides his desk. "it's cozy, very cozy." she says caringly.
megumi just knows what she's about to ask. "i promise i'm okay here, i do not want to move in with you." he retorts before she can even muster out the question. she's asked him countless times over the past two weeks since he moved to campus and though he's thankful for the offer that's not what he wants.
"my apartment is just a fifteen minute walk, less by bike!" she exclaims, still trying to win him over.
it's true, her apartment is close by and certainly better than his dorm but megumi settled for privacy. he just shakes his head at her, "i'm fine here, now amuse yourself while i get ready" he says as maki waves her hand in a shooing motion at him. she's already on her phone before he even turns around fully.
it doesn't take megumi long to get ready, he simply slips into a black button up shirt and some black jeans, spending most of his dress up time styling his hair to be the perfect middle ground between effortless and nicely styled. he steps out of the bathroom, fiddling with the buttons on his sleeves. "maki, help me out a bit." he mutters out, forcing her out of her seat. they're dressed in a similar fashion, main difference being that her button up being white with a leather jacket on top.
she rolls up his sleeves, buttoning them below the elbow. "you look nice, we ready to go? inumaki has been on my ass about being late already." she says, checking back on her phone, which flashed the time, 9:30 pm. he just nods and allows her to lead their way.
the way doesn't lead that far, makis car is parked in the campus parking lot and she spins the keys around her fingers as they walk to it. "it'll be a five minute drive, don't worry." she says as she pulls out of the parking lot "just to warn you, there might be a lot of people, it's a big house and inumaki loves to throw a party at least twice a month." they reach a red light and he stares at a group of teens cross the road, laughing loudly.
megumi sinks in his seat a bit. "that's fine" he mumbles, but all he can think about is his first russian assignment and how he needs to pick up a second book from the library because the professor for his intro to russian doesn't stick to the literature they were given. maki taps his knee before parking in front of a driveway of a house. it's not as big as he'd expect after maki said it was but it was a two-story house with a large yard and garage. said yard was filled with college students, laughing and chatting with drinks in their hands, just as maki announced - a crowd.
he scrunches up his nose at the smell of alcohol as he opens the car door. "we leave by midnight." he points out to maki who rolls her eyes but mutters a yes before slamming the door of her car.
he walks over to her side, following her to the door of the house. she opens the door, mumbling something about looking for inumaki. "i have no idea what he looks like-" he says but she just points to a white haired boy in the kitchen laughing at a person out of view.
she speeds up her step and lunges forward to envelop inumaki in a one armed hug. megumi truts behind, simply standing on the side. "inumaki- fushiguro, fushiguro- inumaki" maki says, waving from one to the other, megumi just waves his hand at inumaki with a light smile before turning back to maki who is now hugging a different person. a much taller guy lets go of maki and megumi is relieved that he doesn't have to introduce himself to him. panda is a regular guest at makis' apartment as he lives just two floors under her.
panda just slaps megumi on the shoulder lightly, "glad to see you fushiguro, make yourself feel welcome." he smiles down at him and megumi can't help but nod and smile back.
from that point everyone just goes their own way, panda and inumaki go around greeting newcomers though not before sliding megumi a cup with a drink (beer from what megumi smelled) and maki makes an excuse to go look for some nobara person. it leaves him in the position he hates the most, leaning against the wall with a mostly full cup and no one to talk to. the clock on the wall reads 10:17 and he knows it'll be a long night before maki allows to be dragged out from the party. he takes a sip of the beer, frowning at the bitter taste before looking around the room.
in that moment his eyes catch a head of pink hair and the brightest smile he's seen in the world. his heart shatters at the sight. itadori yuuji is in the same room as him once again.