The clock ticking with every passing second was the only source of sound in the big room filled with top-grade shamans, all of them looking attentively at the brunette that sat in front of them.
Misumea found herself sitting on the ground with crossed legs and closed eyes, trying her hardest to concentrate and expand the range of her ability to feel curse energy. Her fingers twitched with every inch that the area grew, her mind slightly fogging with how hard she was working.
But then it all went black.
Her whole body grew goosebumps, a cold bolt of energy running down her spine and making her shoot her eyes open, searching for air and panting hard as the malicious energy had reached her senses and darkened her mind, such a strong and evil feeling she trembled with pure fear.
Kento was close enough to hold her against his chest as she breathed in and out exasperatedly, her eyes jumping from one face to another as she tried to convince herself that she was safe, and not surrounded by evil.
Satoru felt his heart aching at the sight of her lover being so distressed, hurting even more when he saw her best friend being the one there to hold her instead of him but decided to stay in his place anyways as he didn't feel like he deserved to get close to her.
"It's worst than what we imagined." She finally spoke, one hand covering half of her mouth in shock. "And we've got to go the city now."
"You heard her." Yaga spoke with a commanding tone, standing up from his place to gesture at the sorcerers in the room to begin moving out."Let's go, let's go, let's go!"
Misumea was about to begin jogging behind the rest of the group when the big hand of the male she loved stopped her, his finger softly pressing on her arm flesh and making her turn around with a big frown.
"What?" She asked in a mumble while jiggling her limb out of his hold, his touch felt like the coldest ice against her skin. "We've got a bigger situation now, Satoru."
"I know." He sighed as he retreated his hand, trying to pretend that the way she scurried from his touch didn't hurt him. "But I-"
"I won't kill him." Misumea deadpanned in a whisper, almost inaudible. "Even if he deserves it."
"That's not it." Satoru was quick to explain, but still not fast enough as the female had already left the room to reach the other sorcerers, jumping on one of the black SUVs that aimed at the city. "Not at all."
His hand flew up to his already covered eyes to press on them with anger, pure hatred for his own self and his stupid way of being.
Of course he knew what the female must have thought about his drunken confession. Of course he knew she must've wondered when and why, and with fair reason since they have dated since they were both teenagers.
And to make matters worse on his side, the whole week he didn't see her, he didn't gain the courage that he needed to face her and explain everything, and now he knew how much more complicated that made things on his side.
"Satoru! What are you doing?" The deep voice of Yaga called the white-haired male with a loud shout, his hand gesturing to him from the front seat of the last car on the school grounds, making Satoru finally wake up from his worries and jog towards them, sitting in the back and closing the door so the car could begin moving.
"Sorry, boss." Satoru fake chuckled, his tone showing no actual happiness. "Got a lot on my mind."
"You better get a hold of yourself now." Yaga replied, his shades covering his penetrating eyes. "You are a grown man now. Grown enough to understand that Suguru is not the same anymore."
"Roger that." He spoke through gritted teeth, not really enjoying the fact that he was getting reprimanded in a car full of sorcerers, Shoko included.
"So..." The brunette doctor asked after 5 minutes of riding in silence as she twirled a single strand of hair in her index finger, looking at him with honest wonder. "How's the lady?"
"Huh?" Satoru asked, a bit taken aback by the question the woman sitting next to him just asked. "You should know, you are always gossiping with her and Mei Mei."
"Ha." She let out a single laugh, making Satoru knit his eyebrows. "Knew you two were on weird terms."
"Can you not?" He whispered, casually eyeing the rest of the sorcerers in the moving van to see if any of them was listening. "I might've fucked up."
"Of course."
"What do you mean of course?"
"Of course, it wasn't her the one fucking things up." She shrugged as the car finally came to a stop, sending a sealed-lip smile before opening the door and exiting, leaving an even more annoyed Satoru behind.
____________________
One ring.
Two rings
Three rings.
Four.
"Hi?"
"God, I was worrying out here!" Misumea panted as she jogged through the city, one hand holding the cell phone against her face and the other wiping the beads of sweat that had formed on her forehead. "Everything ok there?"
"Yes." Megumi answered in a tired tone, and even though the two couldn't see each other, Misumea knew he had rolled his eyes. "Are you ok? You sound weird."
"Oh." She let out before bending down to avoid getting hit by a curse, her free hand forming a blood dagger to stab the ugly monster in the face. "I am... working."
"Are you calling and killing curses at the same time?"
"Maybe."
"Bye, mom. Love you."
"Hey-!" Misumea was about to fight back and tell her son to not hang up, but the sound of the lonely line made her know it was already too late. "That boy..."
She kept jogging around in the city to try and get the most number of curses taken care of, allowing this opportunity to work as a stress relief and to let out all of her bottled feelings through slaying curses.
"Hey." The stoic voice of her blond best friend called her from behind, making her turn around and slow down her pace. "Are you ok?"
"Of course." She smiled a fake smile, sliding her hand up in the air without breaking eye contact to slash a curse that came running their way, sending a strong wave of air filled with curse energy. "You?"
"Been better." He answered before frowning softly, his hand going up to meet her bleeding face, his thumb caressing over the cut from where the blood was dripping to wipe off the ruddy liquid. "You are bleeding."
"Pretty sure I did that myself." She answered while touching the same spot on her face, an honest smile forming on her lips as she felt taken care of by the male.
Her lips parted to ask the male if he had seen her students around the area since she had lost track of them about 15 minutes ago but got suddenly interrupted by a breath-hitching scenery.
About 70 meters away from where the couple of best friends was standing, a gigantic worm-looking curse with big arms was terrorizing a group of young sorcerer's from the school, their screams and shouts making the couple direct their attention to the place they were currently in.
Both Kento and Misumea began jogging to where the commotion was, their pace increasing to a full-on run when their eyes watched how the curse ate one of the youngsters. As they were slowing back their running and finally reaching the place, the one and only Satoru Gojo flew up on the sky while fighting one on one with a guy she hadn't seen before.
"If he's alone, where are Toge and Panda?" She asked in a whisper, her eyes opening wider at the thought of her dear students being out there alone. She swallowed deeply before speaking to herself again but this time louder. "And who the hell is that guy and why hasn't Satoru already finished him?"
"Go." Kento spoke while fixing his glasses over the bridge of his nose, slightly dipping his head down to meet her eyes. "I'll stay."
She gave a firm head nod as an answer before draping her arms around his neck and kissing his cheek for only half of a second before begging to jog away backward. "Take care!"
"I'll see you tonight!" He shouted as he jogged back as well while pointing his finger at her, completely out of his character. "Without a scratch."
"Love you!" She shouted even louder so the male could hear before propulse herself up in the air towards where Satoru was currently fighting, not waiting for an answer from Kento since she already knew he loved her as well, and she also knew he wouldn't voice it out.
She reached the top of the building and walked towards them calmly, her heart beating faster when her gazes meet Satoru's figure, her mind slightly fogging with how hot he looked throwing punches.
"Satoru." Misumea spoke out loud when she was close enough, making the male completely stop his movements and look back with worry, his eyes softening down when they met hers.
"I've been looking for you." He answered while going back to his fight, his voice coming out from his lips as if he was doing nothing and not at all like he was completely destroying his opponent. "How are you?"
"I am good" She answered with a soft frown and a weirded-out smile, holding her arm with a hint of shyness to then mentally shake her head to clear her love thoughts and focus. "Where are Toge and Panda?"
"Sent them-" He began to speak but halted for a second to punch the unknown guy once more and send him flying in the air, crashing against a building. Satoru let out a huff and brushed his hair before turning around and walking towards her. "Sent them to the school."
"Why would you-" Her words were the ones cut this time, his big calloused hands holding her face with worry and softly pulling her closer to his own face, his thumb caressing the single cut that adorned her skin. He knitted his brows in worry, his cerulean eyes no longer covered by the white bandage pouring honest concern.
"You are hurt." He whispered, his eyes finally meeting her awestruck ones. "Who touched you?"
"It was probably me." She whispered back, swearing the whole city could hear the loud thumping of her heart inside her chest. "You don't have to worry about it."
"Mhm." He hummed before caressing her cheek once more, a small smile appearing on his lips before he finally retracted his hands. "We should head back to the school grounds now. I am thinking Suguru went there to get Rika."
"Oh." Her golden eyes opened wide at the just-given information, all thoughts about love quickly disappearing and being replaced by worry. "Let's go!"
"I am going to warp us there."
Her face twisted in dislike, the thought of warping making her whole body tingle in uncomfortableness, not enjoying the ride at all.
"Just." She muttered, face still grimacing. "Quick."
"Sure thing, love."