A Bizarre Adventure That Begins in Jujutsu Kaisen

As dusk fell, Theo and Tsukumo Yuki had already secured a good spot by the roadside to watch the parade, and they spread out a camping mat and sat down.

The crowd of people waiting around grew larger and larger, creating a noisy atmosphere.

The sun had already sunk behind the outline of the fairytale castle, with only a sliver of orange-red light remaining on the horizon. The castle's spires and towers became dark silhouettes against the backlight.

Yuki subtly moved her body closer to Theo, her shoulder gently resting against his arm, conveying a reassuring warmth and silent intimacy.

Gazing at the changing sky, she asked contentedly, "How many places did we visit today?"

Theo quickly went through the numbers in his mind: "It should be seven or eight."

"There are quite a lot. Some online guides say that if you're unlucky and the queues are too long, it might take two or three days to experience all the popular attractions."

Her voice carried a hint of languid satisfaction.

"But we can come again next time. I heard there will be many special themed events here around Halloween."

"Hmm, we can do it again during Halloween."

"We'll play for two days straight and experience everything we missed this time, as well as all the new attractions," Theo affirmed.

"Pinky promise, okay?" Yuki stretched out her right hand, playfully sticking out her little finger and gently waving it in front of him.

Theo smiled as he watched her childlike gesture full of ritual, and then extended his little finger in the same manner, solemnly hooking it with hers.

Their fingertips touched, they pulled together, shook each other slightly, and then released each other in perfect unison.

Even though I'm long past the age of believing in fairy tales, stepping into this whimsical paradise will still awaken the child within me who has been dormant for many years.

What's wrong with fairy tales?

Fairy tales teach people more than just a prince's kiss or a fairy's magic.

What runs through it all is the struggle against fate, the courage for loved ones, and the kindness that transcends prejudice and darkness.

Sometimes, adults need fairy tales more than children.

To make up for the regrets of my childhood, I've put glowing patches on the worn areas.

So what seemed too childish as a child is just right now that I'm grown up...

Dio always acted like a bloodless and tearless philosopher-king, almost inhuman.

He finally rediscovered that long-lost innocence and beauty.

As the two made a small promise about the future, the parade finally began.

The cheerful and exciting music instantly drowned out all conversations, and the dazzling lights illuminated the darkening street as if it were daytime.

Familiar fairy tale characters stood on ornately decorated floats, waving and blowing kisses to enthusiastic tourists lining the road, making adorable interactive gestures.

As Princess Minnie's float passed by, the actors even waved their white-gloved hands in their direction.

Yuki Tsukumo held up her phone, intently filming this dreamlike scene.

After taking pictures for a while, she seemed to feel that seeing it through the screen wasn't clear enough, so she put down her phone, hugged her knees, and purely used her eyes to experience the joy and splendor.

Theo turned his head and saw the lights from the float reflected in her eyes, flashing on and off.

"That sea turtle," Yuki suddenly spoke, her eyes still following the departing float, "was actually quite cute."

"That little fish," Theo readily added, his gaze also turning to the float, "is also very cute."

"You're quite cute too."

"Of course you're cuter."

The two of them complimented each other earnestly, then looked at each other and laughed in unison.

The float procession has gone far away, and the music has gradually faded into the cool evening breeze.

The crowd, still wanting more, began to disperse in all directions, searching for a restaurant for dinner or their next attraction.

Yuki stood up from the ground, patted off any dust that might have gotten on her skirt, and then looked down at Theo, who was still sitting on the camping mat.

"Let's go eat."

She stretched out her hand, palm up, fingers slightly curling in the air.

"Although if vital signs are maintained using the reversal technique, it's actually possible to not eat..."

But only for today, I still want to have a nice candlelight dinner.

Theo took the hand she offered and, with her steady support, stood up, casually putting away the camping mat.

Yuki walked half a step ahead of him, and her hand, which had been held by him, naturally became intertwined with his fingertips.

Her hands hung at their sides, swaying gently with the rhythm of their walking, her nails occasionally scratching his fingers unconsciously.

The sky had completely darkened, but the night at the park was just beginning.

The decorative lights of the castle and surrounding buildings lit up one after another, casting a warm yellow glow like flowing honey.

"Want to watch the fireworks tonight?" Yuki asked, his fingers brushing against Theo's palm.

"Watch it if you want."

"Let's see," she decided immediately.

The two of them walked hand in hand through the thinning crowd toward the castle.

In the distance, children are crying, couples are laughing, and balloons are rising and drifting into the starry sky.

More than an hour before the fireworks show, there were still short queues outside several popular themed restaurants.

After we were seated in the reserved restaurant, the waiter lit the exquisite candlesticks on the table.

While waiting for the main course to be served, Theo looked at the flickering candlelight and suddenly spoke up: "Yuki, am I... being too quiet?"

Many times, I don't seem to know what to say; I just follow you and watch you play.

Yuki Tsukumo was gently fiddling with the crisp, white corner of her napkin when she heard this. She stopped what she was doing, shook her head, and smiled sincerely.

"It's okay. Your silence makes me feel especially at ease; it gives me a very down-to-earth and reliable feeling, which I really like."

She paused, gathering her thoughts slightly:

"Although... I have no real experience in dating, all my knowledge about how to get along comes from novels and TV dramas."

But I don't think it's bad.

If two people are always chattering away, with endless things to say, and always bustling about... isn't that actually a bit scary?

Then, noticing that Theo hadn't touched the vegetable salad much, she pointed at his plate with the tip of her fork.

"Won't you try this? Vegetable salad is very healthy."

To live to 99, you'll need to eat plenty of vegetables.

Theo paused for a moment, then caught the subtle double entendre in her words: "Are you saying that people with the surname 'Ninety-Nine' are guaranteed to live to ninety-nine?"

"Yes~" Yuki nodded with a smile.

"Then I'll definitely still be alive by then, and..."

Theo forked a small piece of bright green lettuce leaf, put it in his mouth, chewed it a few times, swallowed it, and his tone became extremely serious.

"I'm definitely eating a vegetable salad with you too."

"Pfft—" Yuki couldn't help but laugh out loud, her shoulders twitching slightly. "You're so funny."

The relaxed and pleasant atmosphere continued amidst the candlelight and the aroma of delicious food.

As Theo was enjoying the main course, he suddenly put down his knife and fork, the metal making a slight crisp sound as it touched the porcelain plate.

His expression turned somewhat serious, and his brows furrowed slightly.

"Yuki, I later discovered something terrifying."

"Huh?" Yuki, who was cutting a tender and juicy steak, looked up at the question, her knife and fork frozen in mid-air. "What?"

"Wait a moment. To help you understand more intuitively, I'm going to use the technique 'Concept Assignment' to bestow a 'concept' upon you," Theo said, extending a finger. "Close your eyes first."

"Hey, it's not some old-fashioned surprise, is it?"

Even so, Yuki still obediently closed her eyes with a hint of expectation, and even unconsciously pouted slightly.