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"Come home sooner, okay?"
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"What the hell are these?"
Different colors.
Flavors.
"Counter-san suggested these," Satoru stated too casually for my panicking self. "I asked if bananas were good, but he said no. Apparently, the best sellers are chocolate and strawberry."
"That's not what I mean!" I picked up a cherry flavored one and gaped when I saw the size on the front of the package.
Extra...extra large?
"Ahh. They said flavored ones are for oral sex, but it's not very advisable for direct p-" Satoru paused for a second then slapped a hand over his mouth. "Oops."
So, among all the free time we had since yesterday, he really chose to bring this topic out right now? When I'm on my way to a mission? Just how random can this guy be?
The idiot mop-head took deep breaths to compose himself before continuing. "We'll do this once you're ready, really. I just showed you 'cause Miura senpai told me it's necessary to–"
"Blueberry," I mouthed.
"Eh?"
"I said, do you have a blueberry flavor?" My head hung low in embarrassment as I pretended to search for one among the variety of packs he scattered over hus bed. "Or anything similar aside from–
"What are you going to do with it?," the idiot asked the obvious, his mouth agape.
"Why, I will use it as a bubblegum," I couldn't help but answer in annoyance. There was no way a person could be this dense, right? "And probably tie my hair with it. I'm pretty sure that's what it is for."
Before I could walk away, a pair of strong, lean arms pulled me back, embracing me from behind. Satoru placed a soft kiss on my cheek, followed by a few, playful nibbles and sniffs. "Sorry, sorry. I was surprised."
If the thought of his infinity being off around me was enough to make me fold, whatever else could I do when he's being this clingy?
"Let me go, Satoru," I groaned, dragging the two of us out the door of his dorm room. But instead of letting go, his hug tightened like a clingy cat not wanting its owner to leave. "Oi! I have a mission. We'll meet later in the evening."
"Nooo," he pouted. "Stay here, my pretty wife. You don't have to work, you won't even know bills. I'll provide for youuu-"
"Let gooo, idiooot," I whined, trying to pull off one hand after another. He was way stronger than me, so I had no choice but to stay for a few seconds more before attempting to run once he was finally more relaxed.
"Nuh uh. I know what you're thinking, (F/n)-chan," whispered this annoying idiot behind me. Shivers ran along my nape as his breath caressed my skin. "Just stay. I'm worried about you."
"I need to go, Satoru." I turned to him, my arms snaking around his neck. "Please behave and wait for me until I come home, can you do that?"
His gaze went straight to my lips. "Uh hm? Will you reward me if I behave? Do I get to be a househusband instead?"
Cute.
"Sure." I stole a soft peck from his lips, but Satoru did not allow that. His fingers curled at my jaw, holding me steady as his lips captivated mine. The kiss lasted for a few seconds before he broke it off then continued to shower my cheeks with shorter ones.
His kisses were relentless, but gentle. They were chaste, but they left me breathless. In the end, all I could do was return them with the same amount of affection. Satoru buried his face on my neck, inhaling my scent. "Don't go. Five more hours."
Equally playful giggles erupted from my lips. "It's supposed to be minutes, not hours. You're too spoiled, Satoru-sama."
Satoru did not reply, only chuckled and continued being the clingy person he was. Unfortunately for him, I wasn't lying when I said I had an important mission to attend to. "Let go."
True to his words, my command worked like magic. Satoru's arms released my body, contrary to his protests. "Oooi, wifeee."
"I'll make it fast and come home sooner," I assured him, squeezing and pulling on his cheeks. "It's your day off, you should get some rest."
"Fine," he grumbled. For the last time before allowing me to go, he claimed my lips once and whispered, "I love you."
"I... I also–"
Satoru placed a finger on my lips. "Later. That's the reward that I want."
──❍──
"Did I get it right this time?," Megumi asked, his eyes hopeful as he gazed up his guardian's friend. They called the older guy Miura senpai and spoke of him with great respect and fondness. Now, Megumi understood why.
This senior's technique happened to be compatible with his, unlike yours and Gojo's. He possessed Phantom Illusion Technique, the strongest of Miura clan's known variations, making him the best tutor for Megumi at the moment.
"Listen here, Megumi-chan." Chiyo cleared his throat, sitting down on the pavement with his legs crossed. He took Megumi's hands, enclosing them within his. "I don't have a shikigami, so we might have different ways of controlling our cursed techniques. But, I can assure you one thing."
Megumi's eyes widened in curiosity. Turns out Gojo wasn't joking when he claimed this senior of theirs was a good teacher.
"You need to have really, really good imagination," Chiyo advised. In a snap, their surroundings were devoured with darkness. Day turned into night, but with the moon and stars absent. The only thing visible to the young boy was his instructor and those cold, silver eyes that remained unfazed. Chiyo's temperament calmed the child's worries until there were no more.
And from the shadows, various of familiar silhouettes started emerging. The shapes were sharp and pointed. They flew from nothingness, coming together as one, and forming a creature the child only ever thought of seeing in picture books: A dragon.
The mythical creature was darker than darkness, but its scales glistened under an invisible source of light. Its only definable part was its eyes that shone like melting steel, like its owner's.
Chiyo gestured towards the kid's agape jaw, chuckling at his reaction. "This isn't a shikigami, but an illusion. Now, if you want to summon an equally strong shikigami, you'd have to surpass the limits of your imagination and be confident with your curse."
Megumi tilted his head. "But I'm not that strong."
"Of course." The older guy messed with the younger one's spiky head. For the first time, Megumi did not find the gesture so irritating. "But if you're going to do it, might as well go all or nothing."
"All or nothing...," Megumi repeated to himself.
"So you're an instructor today, Chiyo-chan!" Kotone sashayed her way into the training grounds, looking quite charmed by the idea of his schoolmate training a younger sorcerer. "Why, Megumi-kun is here. How are you finding your training so far?"
The boy reverted back to his shy, reserved self, and greeted Kotone properly. "Good afternoon, Kamo-san."
Kotone handed the kid a vendo fruit juice before turning to Chiyo. "Where's Gojo and (F/n)? They're not seeing us off?"
The upperclassmen were to return to Kyoto, but you and Gojo were nowhere to be found. Nanami, on the other hand, was still recovering from his injuries, so the seniors gave him a pass. "Not sure. I think (F/n)-chan has a mission today. How about Shoko?"
The mention of Shoko's name piqued Kotone's interest. A sly, teasing grin formed in her lips. It was no secret that Shoko was fond of her upperclassman. However, Chiyo had always been a man of great manners. It was difficult to tell what was going on in his mind. "Looking for her, huh?"
"Quite worried, actually," Chiyo shrugged. "She's been less talkative since Suguru's gone... astray."
Kotone's shoulders dropped, but they remained stiff. Chiyo was right. The only person who seemed to cope well with Suguru's desertion was Satoru, but the seniors knew better. Satoru was never good at communicating his feelings, and apathy could be the only defense mechanism he'd ever known.
"Do you think they will be fine?" Kotone knew the answer to her question, but she felt the need to ask it out loud. She was worried, but there wasn't anything else to do. "I'm more worried about (F/n)."
There was an unspoken connection between the two of them. Chiyo knew Kotone's worries were valid, but her predictions would oftentimes be more right than wrong. Her gut feeling was to be trusted. "What do you mean? Do you have anything to share, Kamo-san?"
Kotone heaved a soft sigh, shaking her head. If only Chiyo were as interested in other girls as he was in you, he'd already have a girlfriend. But then again, Kotone was confident the damned guy would have no problem pulling girls. "Well, I heard the higher ups were talking about this certain cursed speech user. They seem to dislike the possibility of having another potential special grade after the whole Geto fiasco."
"Actually..." The girl paused, hesitant to bring the next part up. Chiyo turned his full attention to Kotone, encouraging her to speak her mind with a slight nod. "I heard Chihiro-san was involved in it, too."
Miura Chihiro.
The words did not match well for Chiyo. A cursed speech user, a potential special grade, Geto Suguru, then there was his brother— or the parasite inside him.
"My brother?," Chiyo reiterated slowly, only for Kotone to verify it with a nod.
The questions that plagued Chiyo's head were put to a halt. There was the confirmation. The parasite inhabiting his brother was indeed targeting you, but instead of working alone, he decided to get the higher-ups involved.
Geto's present circumstances, though unconfirmed, was the thread that sewed together his brother's plans. After all, Geto was labeled as a mass murderer. Anyone involved with him would be considered an accomplice. What a vicious plan.
But what for?
Chiyo knew his brother better than anyone. Chihiro was not fond of the Inumaki clan because of Toshiro, the same way he resented the Zenins and the way they would treat their women.
In fact, Chihiro held you in high regard as you made a name for yourself in the jujutsu world at a very young age. Aside from that, you were Tsukumo Keijiro's daughter. Others might have missed it, but you were related to his dear friend Yuki— another special grade.
There was no reason for Chihiro to come after you.
"Kamo-san."
The humorless tone prompted Kotone to hold her breath. While she had prepared herself for Chiyo's displeasure for associating his brother with the rumors, the graveness of his expression sent a wave of shivers to erupt from her scalp down to her spine. She quickly reassured him. "Don't worry, nothing's confirmed yet. I'm sure there's a misunderstanding. (F/n) didn't offend Chihiro-san in any way, right? And she's..."
Kotone stopped, knowing it was pointless. There was something Chiyo was hiding from them that she couldn't bring herself to ask. But then again, it was easy to tell that the once harmonious Miura clan was falling apart.
"If what you said is true," Chiyo paused. A painful look of exhaustion crossed his eyes. The effect of the binding vow he made with his late instructor crept up his limbs little by little, unnerving him. "Then the Tokyo students are in trouble."
"What do you mean? You're scaring me." Kotone faked a chuckle. "Gojo's here, what could go wrong? You don't think he'll let anything happen to (F/n) and the others, right?"
Chiyo sighed warily. "Satoru's here, but Suguru still strayed. You can't put everything on his shoulders and expect it to be alright." He hated putting unnecessary pressure on his juniors. "The higher-ups are unpredictable, but they love power above all."
The mention of the higher-ups made Kotone's breath hitch. Her family had a fair share of people in that board, but she always despised the way they'd do things. "You mean..."
"They want power, but only to the extent they can control." Chiyo gazed at the raven-haired boy. "Special grades are way above their capacity. They hadn't made a move to eliminate Satoru because he had no weakness before, but now..."
Kotone's fingers tightened on her waist as she tried to contain her nerves. "Chiyo-chan, you're hiding something from me." As hard as she tried to downplay the situation, she was aware that only something grave could lead Chiyo to react like that.
There was something wrong.
The latter shut his eyes momentarily and let out a controlled yet shaky exhale. He, then, smiled. "It's nothing to worry about, Kamo-san. It's just... a very fucked up situation that's forcing me to choose between two equally important matters."
His family or the right thing.
"I'm leaving Megumi to you."
Kotone glanced at the excited kid who was trying to summon multiple shikigamis at a time. "Sure, but why? Where are you going?"
Chiyo turned his head from side to side, the somber expression on his face fading into one of disdain. "I meant my sister. This will be the only favor I'll ask of you, Kamo-san."
Kotone's heartbeat picked up when she realized he was talking about the Miura clan's youngest child— Miura Megumi. The girl was about Noritoshi's age, and was regarded as a rising prodigy. "Eh? Of course. But why are you suddenly..."
"Oh, excuse me. I have to take this."
Worry began to root into the girl's chest when Chiyo left under the pretense of a phonecall. He was not coming back any time soon, Kotone understood that.
"Did Miura-san leave?," Fushiguro Megumi asked. Though disappointed, even the child could tell that whatever business Chiyo had was serious. "Is he alright?"
"Yeah." Kotone stared at the young sorcerer in front of her. For some reason, her chest began to feel heavy and stuffed. Their lives as jujutsu sorcerers, no matter how strong, rich, or accomplished they were, would always remain unsafe. With one foot on the grave.
Unfortunately, it wasn't always the curses that would kill them. Sorcerers were even more vulnerable to their own ideals.
Peace had no place in the jujutsu world. Kotone thought whoever was hoping for that should just give up and turn a blind eye. That idea was so innocent it was naive. Nevertheless, she couldn't help but wish the next generation of sorcerers would have more choices to choose from, more experiences to live, and more happiness to savour.
"Say, Megumi-kun. Why did you agree? Becoming a jujutsu sorcerer."
The kid's lips twisted into a pout, and very simply he answered, "I had no choice."
Kotone chuckled.
Right. They have no choice.
"Ah ah!," a teasing voice barged into the conversation. The familiar tone made Megumi scowl. Who else could this annoying person be? "What do you mean you have no choice, Megumi-chan? I clearly gave you two. Save Tsumiki-chan or be the Zenin's—"
Kotone hurled a nearby wooden spear on Satoru which the latter deflected with infinity while laughing heartily. "Those aren't good choices, Gojo-chan!"
"Missed!" The white-haired mop continued to wheeze like a constipated hyena. His mood was so contagious Kotone found herself chuckling as well, much to Megumi's annoyance.
"Gosh, don't you ever turn off that infinity? Let me land a punch on you just once." Of course Kotone would choose a punch. After all, she had already practiced on Chiyo several times as the latter often finds her the muse of his amusement. "Come here! Come here!"
"I'm only reserved for my (F/n)-chan!," Satoru squee-d, running away like a delighted madman. "Only my wife can touch me unlimited!"
The tension from earlier was starting to fade, thanks to Satoru. In defense of her earlier statement, Kotone trusted Satoru wholly not only because he was strong, but also because he had this special aura around him that naturally helped people feel safe and calm.
He was a personified assurance that everything would be alright as long as he was around.
She wondered if Geto Suguru strayed because he was feeling unsafe and Satoru failed to see that. But past is past. There was no use dealing with such thoughts anymore.
But then, Satoru's phone rang.
Kotone raised a brow when the excited guy's infinity visibly turned off when he saw the name of the caller. The girl didn't have to ask to know it was you who called. Satoru's soft and expectant expression gave it away.
"You're whipped," she chuckled.
"Very." Satoru did not seem to mind the comment one bit as he tapped the green key and brought the phone to his ear.
"Who's he talking to?," asked the curious Megumi. "Nee-san?"
"Uh huh." Kotone grinned. Even the kid knew how crazy he was for you. "How hateful! When is my turn, Kami-sama?
"Ah~ Wife finally said it! Where are you? Your mission's not done yet?" Satoru's eyes widened for a moment before he dragged the phone closer to his lips and whispered, "I love you, too, (F/n)."
The two bystanders exchanged smiles, both of them quite content as the winds blew gleefully over them. It was still a good day.
And with Gojo Satoru around, everything should be alright.