No one quite knew when the curse began to take effect. All they knew was this:
1) once you were cursed, there was no way to rid yourself of it,
2) only the young seemed to be affected, and
2) it seemed to be caused by strong emotions.
As soon as this was recognised by the general populace, parents panicked and began mollycoddling their children. Anything to keep their precious babies from the prejudice and pain of being cursed. Fortunately for many, most children seemed to no longer be at risk by the time they hit puberty. Nor did any babies fall victim to the curse.
It was merely the middling years that were the issue.
Despite the traumas of her childhood, no one suspected Mai Taniyama to be cursed. By all accounts, she was a delightful young lady who brought smiles wherever she went. Of course, many people did not know her true profession.
It surprised no one that some cursed people used their abilities to the detriment of others. And when an evil rises, so must the good. In another world, they would have been labelled supervillains and superheroes.
Mai was a villain. After her parents death in a nasty car crash, no one had been willing to help an orphan that might have been cursed. So she took what she needed instead. Mai always tried to take from those who had more than they needed.
As she got older, she realised that she no longer needed to threaten and steal. She approached the insurance companies directly. Or rather, as directly as she could without revealing her identity. They offered her a grand sum every year to not use her abilities on any of their clients. Curse insurance was big business after all. Mai would never need to work again in her life. The notoriety of her crimes from her younger years was enough.
The insurance companies had once tried to lower her payment. Mai had torched one of their main client's new hotels. They doubled her payment and never messed her around again.
Mai lived now, for the most part, for her hobbies. She practiced yoga and started pole dancing. She dabbled in languages and history. She adopted a cat and volunteered with the local youth group.
She trained a little as a counsellor to help young people who had been cursed. Not a single one of them knew who she was really, or what she had done in her past. But she would be damned if she let a young cursed person in need go without.
Mai passed as a thoroughly keen member of HTC - Help The Cursed - a group set up by self righteous non-cursed people to help the poor souls that had been afflicted. Mai cared very little for the pompous idiots, bar her one friend, Masako.
Masako was non-cursed, and had been forced into joining HTC by her overzealous mother. The two young women had become fast friends and often met outside of volunteering time. They shared an interest in films and books, fashion and food.
It was while waiting for Masako in a cafe that Mai met a handsome young man. The two young women often met for coffee at the weekends.
On this particular weekend, Mai was particularly early. She had no qualms about getting her drink and waiting. As she waited in the queue, she began a crossword on her phone.
"If you want the answers regarding the US states, I would be happy to oblige you."
Mai almost jumped out of her skin. She spun around to face the owner of the deep voice that had surprised her.
"Excuse me?"
"I grew up in the US," said the man, with no hint of an american accent, "So I can tell you the answers to one across and thirteen across."
"Do you often read over people's shoulders?" Mai asked.
"Only when they are short and taking far longer over such an easy crossword," the man replied.
Mai's mouth dropped open.
"Madam, can I take your order?"
Mai turned back to the barista and gave her order, a vanilla latte. The barista automatically looked to the man as if they were together. The man made no effort to correct the barista but ordered a pot of tea.
"Kansas joined in '61 and Mississippi joined in '17."
Mai scowled and closed the crossword. She pocketed her phone and made to pay when she realised the barista had grouped their payment.
"Excuse me, we're not—"
The man reached across and laid his card on the reader. It beeped and took the payment.
Mai blinked and glared at the man.
"For the inconvenience," he muttered.
"I don't need a man to pay for my drinks for me."
"I know."
"Nor do I need you to play the role of google for me."
"Googling the answers to a crossword is cheating," the man stated.
"And you giving them to me isn't? And why would it be cheating?" Mai demanded. "How else am I to learn?"
The man seemed to have no answer for this, so he picked up the tray containing both their drinks and swept away. Mai stalked after him.
"Excuse me, that's my drink!"
"Yes," he agreed, taking a seat by the window. "But you did not pick it up."
"Look, if this is some kind of weird pick-up attempt, please stop," Mai said. She picked up her drink and made to turn away.
"It was not."
Mai knew she should have left it and walked away, but this man's actions made no sense.
"Then what was it other than awkward and rude?"
"A means by which to alleviate my boredom."
Mai blinked. She turned and walked away. She pushed away the desire to engulf the man in flames on the spot. There were too many witnesses.
Now if she got his name… Then his house could be ash in a matter of minutes if she so chose…
Mai took a deep breath and forced all thoughts of him away. But when Masako finally joined her, her anger was so palpable that the temperature in the cafe had risen by several degrees.
"Are you quite alright?" Masako asked after some time. "You keep glaring at that man. He's handsome, are you thinking of asking him out?"
"What? Him? No!"
Mai regaled Masako with the tale of the man's outrageous behaviour. When she was done, Masako merely shrugged and drank a little more of her coffee.
"That is really bad flirting," she commented. "Which is a shame, he's hot."
"You date him then."
Mai glanced over at the man. He was now talking on the phone. His face was a mask of displeasure. Mai smirked.
"You're being petty," Masako commented.
"What?" Mai asked, her tone sickly sweet.
"You're happy he's now irritated. You are so easy to read."
"Small paybacks make me happy, leave me alone," Mai muttered.
"I have half a mind to— He's coming this way, look natural."
"What?" Mai looked around and saw he was indeed walking towards them. "Oh for fu—"
"Mai!" Masako hissed.
"Apologies," the man said. "May I join you for a moment?"
"N—"
"Of course," Masako cut over Mai. "Mai was just telling me about your awkward attempt to introduce yourself."
She smiled at the man.
"Masako, are you aware of a form of torture known as star kicking?" Mai asked, ignoring the man very pointedly. "I would just love to try it out."
"Mai, you have just complained that he was rude, you are now acting far worse—"
"Oiled paper or string placed between toes and set on fire," the man said. "It began with Countess Elizabeth Bathory, I believe."
Mai gaped at the man. Her attempt to freak him out had failed utterly. Masako jumped on the situation.
"See, you two could bond over your shared knowledge of weird torture methods…? Maybe you should ask Mai out for dinner! I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name."
"I didn't give it. Oliver, Oliver Davis."
"Masako Hara, a pleasure to meet you. Mai is free this evening for dinner, aren't you Mai?"
"What? N—"
"Excellent, she likes sushi or italian, she's not that fussy really."
Oliver watched, bemused, as Mai became more and more flustered at her friend's attempts to set them up.
"Masako! Stop it! I don't care how handsome he is, he was rude and I am not—"
"You think I'm handsome?"
Mai faltered.
"Well, I guess. That's not the point. You were rude!"
"So were you."
Mai pouted, but Oliver went on before she could come up with a counter argument.
"Do you know The Sandford? By the river?" Mai nodded. "I'll meet you there at eight."
He stood up and began walking away.
"I'm not paying!" Mai called after him. Oliver waved a hand to show he had heard.
When he had left the cafe, Mai rounded on her friend.
"I hate you. How could you do that to me? He's insufferable!"
"Oh give over, you can't let a little awkwardness get in the way of a free meal."
"I still hate you."
"You'll hate me more in an hour or two! Come on, we have to go shopping."
"For what?" Mai demanded.
"An outfit for you for tonight of course!"
Outside the cafe, Oliver pulled his phone from his pocket.
OD: Change of plans.
ED: What happened?
OD: I have a date this evening.