A Bizarre Adventure That Begins in Jujutsu Kaisen

Yuki listened quietly, his gaze gradually drifting away as he described, as if he could truly see the hopeful story unfolding beneath those waves.

"That's wonderful. From your description, I also feel that Xiaoyu has a bright future and will continue to live a good life in a place I can't see."

She closed her eyes, seemingly sketching those imagined images, or as if she were completely immersed in the story.

A long, long time later, when the faint sounds of a crowd gathering in the distance could be heard again, she opened her eyes once more, her gaze serene and peaceful, carrying a gentle smile and a hint of reluctance.

"I saw it! After going through so many difficulties, everyone really came together again, swam forward together again."

The sea stretches endlessly ahead, while gentle waves surge behind. Sunlight shines through the clear surface of the sea, illuminating every scale and creating a warm glow.

The calls of its companions rang in its ears, one after another, beckoning the little fish to continue forward.

Because—someone is still there waiting for it, waiting to embark on a new journey together, to begin the next adventure.

The road ahead will surely be even more wonderful. Don't you think so, Dio?

The indistinct clamor of another group of tourists in the distance had inexplicably faded away, as if even the aquarium was now focused, quietly awaiting Theo's answer.

In the quiet tunnel where only the sound of flowing water could be heard, Dio could clearly hear Tsukumo Yuki's shallow breathing and the almost inaudible rustling of her clothes as she moved slightly.

"Yes. If I'm like that sea turtle, used to my own rhythm..."

Then you are like that brave and radiant little blue fish in the story, draped in curiosity and courage, forever swimming towards a wider sea.

No matter what natural disasters or man-made calamities occur, nothing can stop you from pursuing a happy and ideal life.

Just then, an unidentified, enormous fish swam slowly past the glass above their heads, its powerful tail fin swaying.

A massive shadow descended, instantly shrouding the two in darkness. The world seemed to fall silent in that instant, and even the sound of flowing water became distant.

The two stood in this brief shadow, looking at each other, the shimmering light reflecting off their faces.

They are now very close, close enough to see their own reflections in each other's pupils.

Finally, it was Ji who couldn't hold back anymore.

She coughed lightly, raised her hand somewhat flusteredly, and subconsciously brushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

Golden strands of hair twirled and loosened around her fingertips, and then she took the first step, breaking the ambiguous silence.

But she didn't go far immediately. A few steps away, she turned to the side, leaving behind a graceful silhouette and a slightly trembling echo that seemed like an explanation or a self-reminder, gently drifting in the dark blue tunnel:

"It's just... a story, don't overthink it~"

As soon as she finished speaking, she turned around and walked toward the light curtain seeping in through the skylight at the front of the tunnel. Her pace was faster than before, like a white bird gracefully flying away.

The penguin exhibit was the most crowded, unusually densely packed.

A group of children dressed in various colors, their faces obscured, leaned forward and squeezed tightly together in front of the huge viewing glass, forming a short but eager "human wall".

The adults stood like silent guards in the back row, holding their phones high to take pictures, the reflections from the screens twinkling in the dimly lit venue.

Strangely, both children and adults were unusually quiet, without the usual laughter or exclamations, but instead maintained a uniform, focused gaze.

They were like toy soldiers controlled by commands, their breathing so faint as to be barely perceptible.

If it weren't for the extremely slow, occasional shifts in position between the silhouettes of the crowd, one would almost doubt whether this is a wax museum.

Yuki Kuju didn't want to disturb this "peace" and didn't try to squeeze in.

She simply stood quietly at the end of the outer "human wall," slightly tiptoeing, stretching her long neck, trying to find a glimpse of the view through the gaps between the shoulders and heads of the people in front of her.

Theo glanced at the crowded, swarming crowd, then at her focused profile, before turning and taking a few steps to the side.

"Miss Tsukumo, come here."

Looking from Ji Xun's perspective, he was standing in a corner slightly off-center from the main viewpoint.

There were few people in front of the glass there, and the terrain was slightly higher, allowing for a complete view of the penguins leaping from the rocks into the water.

Her eyes lit up, and she walked over quickly, stopping naturally beside Theo.

The penguins are leaping from the rocks into the water with a splash, their clumsy yet skillful movements revealing their agility.

One of them was swimming very fast in the water, leaving a clear white trail in its wake. Suddenly, it made a nimble turn and rushed straight towards the glass.

Yuki instinctively shrank back slightly, her shoulder lightly brushing against Theo's arm.

The penguin stopped precisely in front of the glass, tilting its round head and staring intently at them through the glass with its bright black eyes.

"Is it... watching you?" Yuki asked in a low voice, but her body remained leaning against his arm, without moving away.

"Why are you looking at me?" Theo's gaze slowly shifted from the curious penguin to the top of her head, which was close at hand and shimmered with a light sheen.

"Because you're like a sea turtle~" she said confidently, though her tone was somewhat smug.

"Maybe..." Theo lowered his head, his voice equally soft, with a hint of teasing, "It's just craving you, this sparkling little fish."

Yuki didn't look up, still pretending to be focused on the penguin across the glass that was equally "focused," but a faint pink blush quietly appeared behind her ears, like the petals of a newly blossoming cherry blossom.

When the two left the penguin enclosure, the adults and children remained motionless in place.

They hunched over, leaning slightly forward, like a group of puppets pulled by invisible threads, their eyes fixed on that small world.

In the unseen, inward-facing shadows, a layer of fine, soft, penguin-like black and white down is quietly growing on their cheeks and necks.

At 12:30 pm, the two came out of the aquarium and sat down to rest in a coffee shop next door with a floor-to-ceiling glass window.

The sun was shining brightly outside the window, making everything bright and dazzling.

Tourists occasionally hurried by, dragging their tired but excited children along.

Yuji ordered an iced latte with mini heart-shaped milk foam floating on top, while Theo ordered a plain iced Americano.

The drinks were served quickly, with cool water droplets condensing on the glass.

Yuji inserted the straw into the cup and took a small sip.

The cool liquid slid down her throat, making her squint her eyes slightly in satisfaction.

Then, she casually pushed her cup toward Theo, the sound of the ice cubes clinking together was crisp and pleasant.

"Let's swap drinks~" Yuki suggested with sparkling eyes, "You should try this flavor too."

Theo glanced at her, his gaze sweeping over the straw she had just used, which still bore faint lip prints. Without hesitation, he lowered his head and took a sip from the same straw.

The cool, silky liquid melts into your mouth, the rich bitterness of the coffee is gently enveloped and balanced by the sweetness of the milk, and the aftertaste still holds a hint of caramel flavor.

"Mmm, it's delicious," he commented honestly.