Love's Curse - Megumi Fushiguro x Reader

Reality

- Chapter 13 -

"Oww," I whispered, slapping at the back of my neck when I felt something sharp sting me.

What the hell was that? ...Maybe a mosquito. No, it hurt way more than that, like a bee.

"Here's your tea, miss l/n," the barista said, placing a steaming cup of green tea in front of me. I nodded and smiled as she bowed and walked back to the cash register to attend to other customers.

After Megumi left this morning, I had decided to come to the cafe just a few miles away from campus to hopefully clear my mind a bit. I felt the need to just sip a cup of tea while gathering my thoughts since a lot had happened in the last few days. Hell, I hardly even had time to process everything that happened to me that night with the curse. It's all gone by so fast.

I took a sip of my tea, feeling the hot liquid travel down my throat. It's warm, refreshing scent filling my nostrils. Then I closed my eyes and began rubbing my temples, attempting to soothe the small headache that had been slowly growing since this morning. I tried to recall a voice that kept playing and playing in the back of my mind, nagging away at me.

"There's another curse... targeting women... near campus," the all too familiar silky voice echoed in my mind.

That's right, I'm in danger again. That's the real, scary reality. My head's been in the clouds, reminiscing about certain moments with Megumi. I've just, overall, been thinking about too many irrational things. I gotta get my mind out of the gutter and focus on what's actually happening.

I balled my hands into fists as I came to the realization that I still hadn't mastered my cursed technique, although I had been training for the past few days with the help of Megumi. But still, have I really been training? Or have I just been carried away and distracted by his presence? I've been focusing all of my energy on him, not even realizing that there is a larger problem at hand. This new curse case that he's been telling me about. That's what really matters.

I felt another sharp zap, this time on my leg, causing me to wince in pain. "What the hell?" I blurted out, slapping at my leg. At that, I caught the attention of the barista and a few others who were sitting at the cafe.

"Everything alright, miss l/n?" I looked up at the barista, who had a slight look of worry in her eyes. "I'm fine, thank you for your concern," I said, forcing a smile and waving a hand dismissively.

"I don't think so, you look extremely pale, dear!" the woman said, cupping her mouth.

"No no, I feel perfectly fi-

That's when I felt my body burst into flames, what felt like a million degrees Fahrenheit. It felt like I was being burned with thousands of cigarettes, twisting into my skin vigorously. It burned so bad. I felt an overwhelming weight drop onto my shoulders, like the feeling that had engulfed me that night. It was the presence of a curse. I knew it all too well.

I was paralyzed, not able to move a muscle. All I did was stare wide-eyed into the barista's eyes, her expression agape, continually growing with concern.

I need to get out of here. I need to get as far away from this cafe as I can.

I managed to scoot a few inches back in my chair, wincing at every small movement as the pins and needles burned deeper into my skin. I really had no idea how to describe the feeling other than fire sizzling and cooking my skin. It felt like true hell.

But when I looked down at my hands, they looked fine. My body was fine, no burn marks or anything. But I could have sworn that I was literally on fire. That's what it felt like. The barista still stood there, her brows knitted in concern. She bent down over the table and repeatedly asked me if I was okay, her voice sounding like distant echoes in my head.

"I- I NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE."

I used all of my willpower to push myself up out of my seat, which felt like I had been sitting on nails, and began sprinting to the door. Every step I took felt like I was walking on hot coals, the scorching heat searing my feet. I ran as fast as I could, but it felt like I was running in slow motion.

Before getting to the double doors, I glanced back at all the faces in the cafe, my eyes meeting with one particular shape. Someone. No. Something was sitting with its back to me. It's head, the shape of a mountain or a volcano. It looked like... the shape of Mt. Fuji almost.

That's the damn curse. Nobody else can see it but me.

I felt the sensation of fear overwhelm me, causing my legs to carry me as fast as they possibly could, out the doors of the cafe. Once I was outside, I immediately felt the sweet sensation of relief, as if someone has poured a bucket of ice water over me. The cool Tokyo breeze blew over me, washing away any sensation of the burning pain that once engulfed me.

But I didn't stop there. No. I ran and ran, not looking back once. I didn't feel safe until I would be in my dorm with the door locked. I just needed to get away from this general area. The very thought of being near that cafe made me sick to my stomach.

My leg muscles ached as I continued sprinting full speed toward my dorm, not giving a damn if anyone saw me or questioned it.

Once I got to my dorm's door, I unlocked and flung it open as fast as I could, slamming it closed behind me. I pressed my back to the door once I was inside, feeling my heart nearly beat out of my chest. It strummed and strummed against my ribs, never slowing down. My breaths were heavy, so heavy that it felt as if my lungs had risen to my throat. It felt as if they could explode at any moment. I huffed and huffed, attempting to catch my breath.

Then my legs completely gave out and I sunk to the cold floor. My back, sliding against the wooden door. I wrapped my arms around my legs and hugged them up to my chest. My mind raced a million miles per hour, my heart strummed, my breaths were loud and heavy. I was so overwhelmed with everything, I couldn't comprehend what had just happened.

I remembered those words again. What Megumi had said about there being a new curse around and how I had to get stronger. I remembered the feeling of the searing on my skin, nearly making me writhe as I recalled the pain. I felt hot tears well in my eyes, slowly trickling down my face. I buried my head in my arms and sobbed, the mere action reminding me of the last time I had been on the floor crying. It felt like deja vu. I had been here once already, sobbing over a stupid curse. It all angered me so much.

I tried to lift myself off of the ground, but it was no use, my body was so overwhelmed and in shock. I just stayed there, my back pressed to the door as I continued to cry.

He was here to save me last time, now he's not.

Now, I have to save myself. That's the true reality.