I have a feeling this will be at least 20 chapters. My ending will probably be simpler compared to the OG work.

Gojo thought about the best way to track Priest activity.

He had to go back in the reports. The Archives. It was a branch in the library given up upon by the school. Seeing towers of folders in the archive room disorganized gave him a scare. He instinctively closed the door. The grotesque appearance of mildewy, dusty papers had him questioning whether the whole room was a curse in itself.

He was lucky. A special report fell from a dusty pile before he even started digging. This was the effect of Six Eyes.

Unexplained Exorcism: Pedophilic Special Grade Curse Eliminated Near Saitama.

July 23rd, 1996

Written by: [Author Redacted]

Summary

Two young girls were found in an old asylum unscathed. The asylum's electricity was restored, and water somehow running again. Locals noticed new plants growing around the building, and the next day, crops suffering from the drought nearby are now thriving despite no sight of rain.

The known cursed spirit roaming the building, Little Girl Goner- disappeared without a trace, without jujutsu intervention. It is thought that the disappearance of this curse caused new growth and more life force to appear.

The girls and mother were interviewed by Jujutsu investigator, [redacted] as a policeman in disguise. They found no evidence of curse awareness or unusual abilities.

After thoroughly investigating Cursed Energy (CE) fingerprinting, historical events, witnesses, and retrospective data collection, the determination of the cause of this sudden exorcism remains inconclusive.

The rest of the report consisted of the detailed methodology and evidence. Boring.

So Gojo's next step: a relaxing trip to the countryside.

The village was tiny, with only one grocery store. The place was filled with elderly people. Surely they'd have a few stories to tell.

He stopped by at the local high school, pretending to be a teacher looking for a job. The faculty immediately took to him, being tall and handsome and all. They needed teachers and offered him tenure almost immediately. He said he'd consider the offer.

He asked if he could stay in the library for a bit to peruse the materials they had. There was an archive of the yearbooks. The school had been here a while.

The girls were 5 and 7 in 1996, so they would enter high school between 2003 and 2009.

Hopefully, they didn't move again.

He perused the yearbooks, but all the faces started looking the same.

"Are you looking for something in particular, Mr. Gojo?"

The librarian already knew his name from the tittering of the faculty. She looked young. It would be worth asking.

"Well, I'm looking for somebody. Did you go to this high school by chance?"

"I did. This place isn't so bad... the food's good, and the community is tight-knit."

He tried to recollect his memory of that woman that night, anything out of the ordinary. She looked exceedingly tired, worse than Shoko. Her eyes were... grey. Darkand cool. Most of these kids, their eyes were brown. Her features were cute, a small pointy nose, high, rounded cheeks, lips were thin but proportionate. She was tall-ish in stature, large hips, long legs. But her clothing was loose, so maybe he was filling in his own detail.

"I'm looking for a woman, you see. She owes me a ton of money. I forgot her name, though. I think she's around my age, grey eyes... Really tired, maybe depressed? She seemed athletic."

"That sounds like a lot of women. Grey eyes, though... That sounds like a pair of sisters that went here. We all thought they had some European in them 'cause of their eye colour... One did musical theatre, and another was part of the gymnastics team. I don't remember their names though. They kept to themselves. The older one was more outgoing though. I think?"

"Miss Librarian, you know you've saved my life, or at least my debts."

She went red, retreating to her desk. She was a married woman. How dare she think of any other man than her husband?

Gojo looked through the yearbooks closer, looking at the musical theatre pictures and the gymnastics team. It felt a bit weird examining young teens in leotards.

Bingo.

Aoshima Mieko.

Aoshima Reina.

He found a photo of Mieko first, mid pose for a play. Dressed in a silky tunic, she played Eurydice, bitten by the snake.

Oh, but Reina's photo was one for internet memes. A segment of the yearbook titled "Failure is Fun!"- a mashup of students falling and making poor landings in the various sports teams. She was in a tangle of ribbonsand tripped. Her impressive flexibility made it all the more comical. In an accidental overdone Scorpion, she kicked her own face from behind. He snapped a photo to keep on his phone.

"Did you find her?"

"Yes, thank you."

...

Gojo waited around the hospital, where staff usually come and go. He thought he'd surprise the nurse. How'd he figure which hospital she worked in? Googling her name brought about her license details and which hospitals she practiced in.

Another day, another dollar. Reina fluffed her hair out of the collar of her shirt after changing out of her scrubs. The little window of the staff doors showed cliques whispering things while looking to the left. Reina thought it peculiar.

She left the building, and a flash of one of her worst teenage memories came back to life. She tracked the picture to the arm clothed in black and to the man with currently- the most punchable face. And only half of it was exposed.

"Hello~"

"Can I help you?" her voice was low, almost threatening.

"It's been some time since you slipped out. I never did get a chance to interview you."

Reina glanced over to the staff leaving the building. She could feel the rumours already spreading among her colleagues, "let's go to a café," he couldn't have tracked her down to her apartment? Why her place of work?

Then again, being cornered by this freak show of a man would be better in public.

"A date! I'll buy since I now have access to something priceless of yours," he teased, referring to the photo.

"Absolutely not a date, but I'll have a latte," Reina wondered if he could see the string she continued to hide with her powers. It emanated no energy whatsoever, and it felt invisible. Plus he was blindfolded. Right. Blind. But how could he see the photo? Was this some new street style she wasn't aware of? Could he see even with the blindfold?

The caregiver in her had the instinct to hold his hand and guide him through the street, but something told her he didn't need that.

They found a little café, not too busy. There was some relief. Gojo was a man of his word and paid for everything. So it wasn't too horrible.

"So tell me, why are you a nurse? You could make so much more as a Sorcerer with your cursed techniques and agility. They appear to align with psychic abilities, teleportation, telekinesis, mind control-"

"They're not that strong in the first place."

Oh yeah, we should probably explain how Reina could conceal the damned red string of fate. Her cursed technique tricked his mind into ignoring the string. Kind of like how our eyes ignore our noses in front of our faces.

"Then how'd you get past my barrier? I'd really like to know."

"You got frazzled around crying women? Caught off guard by my beauty? That's on you, not me," she lied. He could tell.

"So nothing to do with being a Priestess?"

"What? I'm a nurse," she feigned.

"If you're not that strong, how were you able to deal with the special grade curse, Little Girl Goner? Telepathy cursed techniques wouldn't be able to fully eliminate the cursed energy fingerprint on the land which the asylum stood."

So he found out about her defining childhood trauma. Reina could feel her body start to shake, she felt like the air was welling up in her lungs, and she couldn't clear it.

She sighed the best she could, "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"You're lying."

"You're an accusatory bastard," she came back, matter-of-factly.

"Then touch me, try and get to me with cursed energy."

She yawned, "don't wanna." It was a nervous yawn.

"Then I have no choice but to follow you everywhere you go until I get the truth outta you. Or maybe I'll just badger your mother and your sister."

Her expression dropped to a frown, "I'll call the cops."

"I can teleport anywhere I want~ I'm sure you've felt what I'm capable of. Cops are no match."

Shit.

"How about I ask this of you?"

Reina changed tactics.

"What is it?"

"I have no interest in entertaining your whims. I don't want to give you anything. I want to be left alone. And I assure you, my weak psychic cursed techniques will serve no use to you sorcerers. So can you just leave me alone?" Respect card, maybe her fated partner would have a shred of decency.

"No."

Of course, he didn't have decency.

"Why are you trying to put something on me that I'm clearly not capable of?"

He lifted his blindfold to reveal arrestingly beautiful blue eyes. Reina decided not to stray away from them and countered with a gaze equally intense.

"Because I can see you're hiding world-changing secrets, and someone has to hold you accountable."

She readied her purse, "this is bullshit, I literally have nothing to offer, goodbye," It was a critical moment. She chose to cower. She stood up, leaving her drink, halfway finished.

Gojo Frowned, "you're wasting an excellent coffee!" He stood up to follow her, both drinks in hand.

"I don't care, you're a creep, just leave me be," she emphasized creep, just to get bystanders watching. No one did anything because, indeed, this modelesque man is too good for this world and surely wouldn't harm a woman.

"We haven't finished talking!"

She increased the pace of her walking speed.

So Gojo followed her to her apartment, making little joking comments along the way. He had no trouble keeping up with her. His stupidly long legs were no match for hers. Reina glanced back at him every so often. He would smile back at her every time. How could he be so bashful, even with the responsibilities he bore? Wasn't he some sort of important Jujutsu person?

Either way, she wasn't going to get rid of him any time soon. So she used another tool, or rather- power she possessed- patience.

A wave of calm ebbed into the hallway as she opened her apartment door. The colour schemes followed pastels. Original works of art crowded the walls in a creative display. Portraits of figures waving light hung on one wall alone. Oddities scattered on flat surfaces such as statues, decorative glass, and crystals. On every windowsill, thriving herbs and flowers took place. Space was both chaotic yet free from cursed energy, but not in the lifeless way Gojo was so familiar with.

He felt safe. So this is Reina Aoshima.

"You have a beautiful home."

"Careful not to touch things you're unfamiliar with," she said flatly.

He looked at all the paintings, "who are all these people?"

"Just portraits I've collected," she lied. They were actually Kira's paintings of famous priests.

"Ah."

"Anyway," she drawled, exhausted, "I need to get some rest before I go out to coach. Stay as long as you like, whatever you want. I'm a dead-end anyway."

"What do you coach?"

And next thing, they were at the gym.

Reina sipped on her water, watching the forms of the young athletes spinning, lunging, jumping, vaulting, etc.

"You shouldn't be here, a grown man around young girls..." she glared at him, "it's inappropriate."

They were off their game, clumsily falling and losing balance as they tried to check out Gojo.

He smiled, "They don't seem to mind," he waved hello at a particularly stunned girl, Reina mouthed at her aggressively to get back to training.

"So you used to be a gymnast?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"Cause it was the only thing to do."

"Did you compete?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"No money for a coach, and I was too tall."

"What about other sports?"

"Nope."

"You're not gonna say much are you?"

"Don't intend to."

"Why are you so sad and tired-looking?"

"Because I'm around you."

They stood in silence for a little bit.

"Reina, did I ever introduce myself?"

"I don't think so."

"Gojo Satoru."

"Cool, you know my name and everything else so I'm not gonna get into what we already know."

Gojo was growing impatient with the woman. Though she appeared nervous, she stood her ground. So he asked the worst question you can ask a person with anxiety.

"Why are you so nervous?"

Her scowl dropped further, "I'm nervous because I don't like being followed. You're a complete stranger who- judging by your cursed energy, can kill me at any given moment."

"I don't think that's true. You shake so much in general. But you were calmer in your home. Could it be the lack of Cursed Energy around in your home?"

"I try to keep it clean."

"It's the first time I've been in a space where I felt my cursed energy recede and want to repel. Yet, I felt alive more than ever. Those statues aren't normal, are they? Yet they don't appear to have any sealing power I'm familiar with."

"Again, I have no idea what you're talking about. But I'll give you the directions to the flea market where I purchased them."

"We always need sorcerers in the Jujutsu world. And I think you'd make a fine Sorcerer. Maybe rank 2. Much more money than a nurse, and you can have a few more days off."

"I'll pass. Curses are a pain to deal with."

"You know, Little Girl Goner had a bounty."

"Oh?"

"Yeah," he leaned suddenly into her ear to whisper the amount. She felt his warmth radiate into her ear and tickle her neck. She wanted to push him away, but that would prove she could get past his technique.

That was a lot of money. And it had been a while since she was near someone she was physically attracted. Only physically, she reminded herself. Her face flushed.

"The bounty's still posted."

"On an exorcised curse?"

"Yeah. And I can give you the money. Just need to know how you did it."

"I didn't exorcise that curse."

"Your sister?"

"No."

"Your mom?"

"No."

Technically, Reina purified it. There was enough truth to denying Gojo's suspicions that she could comfortably say it out loud.

"You were involved though."

"Yeah my sister and I played princess and prince in there once. I guess it tried to hunt us."

"Did you see the curse?"

"I don't remember."

"So then you might have something to do with its disappearance."

"I don't think so, but you can make up whatever you want to keep yourself content-" Reina watched a girl tumble off a balance beam, wincing, "Are you alright?"

She ran over to the girl to help.

The coaching session was over, and Gojo was still following her. He floated in the air as though to show his superiority. He already towered over her without the flying. She didn't get why he needed to show the bravado. His lips were curled upward, contently humming a tune. His cursed energy gave her a headache, but she was no longer feeling nervous around him.

"Aren't you bored?" She asked.

"Nope."

"How long are you gonna follow me?" She glanced over the red string on her pinky. The string dragged along the concrete. She fiddled with it, trying to see whether she could remove it. To Gojo, it looked like nervous fidgeting.

"Until I get the info I need."

"I can't entertain these delusions, and this is just creepy. Don't you have a job? Curses to exterminate? A cult to lead?"

"You don't seem to like Jujutsu sorcerers all that well."

"Not really, my father was one of those, and he left when mom was pregnant with me. That's how I can use cursed techniques. I inherited this from him."

"Is he still alive? What's his name?"

"I don't think so. And mom won't tell us his name." She was opening up. Hoping to get him off her back if she gave in just a little.

They arrived back at the apartment, Gojo welcomed himself in, despite Reina's rejection. She pulled out a bed from the sofa and gave him some pillows and blankets.

She looked him up and down, scowling, "if you're gonna follow me, at least do the dishes and vacuum. I guess I have no choice but to let you stay as long as you like," Reina continued, "if you plan to chop me up in pieces and stew me or like do something funny, make sure I'm dead by-"

Caught off guard by her sudden hosting, Gojo interrupted, flustered, "I teach kids, and I won't do anything to innocent people. And I'm creepy but not that kind of creepy."

He sat on the sofa mattress, the coils squeaked, "thank you," he held up one of the pillows. Reina nodded back in acknowledgment indifferently.

"Help yourself to the food in the fridge. I guess you'll try and get into all my cupboards anyway. You'll find I have nothing to hide."

She reminded herself there was nothing to be afraid of. Gojo couldn't see what she hid, even right in front of him.

...

Nine in the morning, she awoke to his smiling face looming over her. She scowled and threw a pillow and him. He repelled it with his barrier.

"Don't you work?"

"Day off, now fuck off."

"Snippy. Don't you think you should be more polite to guests?"

"Only to the ones I'm not trying to get rid of."

"I made coffee and breakfast since you never got to eat what I made you a year ago."

"When did you make me breakfast before?"

"The day after you mysteriously appeared at the College's front doors all weepy and unconscious."

"Oh. That."

"Shouldn't we talk about that?"

"I hardly remember anything," she said, "there were some powerful curses and they wanted to kill me, so I teleported far away by accident... I guess my body instinctively went to the College because I must've thought it was the safest place to be at the time. I had shit to do so I left early morning and I needed to get my wallet from work."

"Describe these curses."

"Three of them? Maybe two? I think one was human? Honestly, I don't know. Crazy strong though."

"Teleportation through the barrier requires an immense amount of cursed energy."

"Probably why I passed out."

"Huh. Still. You'd really make a great sorcerer! You've probably seen nasty things as a nurse so a curse wouldn't be so bad to look at!"

"Accusing, now recruiting?"

"I can't let all my research into you go to waste."

"Just let this go," she yawned.

She got up and stretched, facing away from him. It's sunny... Sun was good. People cursed less in clear skies. It was lighter in the sun. The blessings would be stronger than usual. She reflected on her dream last night, ignoring the man curiously studying her with his head tilted like a caricature.

"Let's see what you made for breakfast..." she sauntered over to the kitchen, pushing him out of the way. This tall man didn't fit the dainty room she curated and embellished.

Shit. She did it again.

He lifted his blindfold to look at her even more closely.

"How'd you manage to get past my infinity barrier? And why do I feel just a tad bit dizzy?"

She felt sick to her stomach, her mind flowing all of a sudden with avenues, and roads. Possibilities rushing through her and calculations she would've never dreamed of studying. Then it went away. So this is how his mind ran? How overwhelming. It was only there for a split second, enough for her to come back with, "I guess you think I'm pretty or something, so you let your guard down."

"I think you used your blessed energy on me just a little. But why can't I see it? Why can I only feel the effect?"

"I think you're delusional," she looked over to the table neatly set, littered with breakfast foods, "At least you can make a nice-looking breakfast. Shall we ea-"

He took her hand in his, she took a deep breath trying to suppress the blessings flowing through her and making sure it didn't touch his core. He brought her hand up to his face, studying it closely. Thankfully it wasn't the hand with the tied pinky. Her hand trembled as he lightly caressed it with clear intent for research, but in her- his actions triggered more basic reactions. She pulled away- He caught her arm, and placed her hand near his chest, but not touching. She widened her eyes, feeling the power of the barrier. He dropped her arm and sighed.

"Either I am attracted to you in a way I've never known before to the point I lose my guard, or you have precise control of these abilities I cannot witness."

"Which is more plausible?" She knew how he processed information and how quickly and realistically he could calculate the possibilities.

"It would be embarrassing to admit the former since I've maintained a good balance with my emotions, so I'm going with the latter. I guess in my free time and up-and-coming business trips, I'll be observing you."

"How long are these trips?"

"Weeks, sometimes a month," he bit into a piece of toast, chewing, "I trust my students, so I'll be in and out. I will figure out what you are exactly."

"What about my mother and sister?"

"I met Copa, and she felt more on the normal side. She kept asking if I wanted to be a backup dancer. I was annoyed. Then she kept taking away the sweets I ordered because I wouldn't make a good dancer if I gained weight."

Reina furrowed her brows in confusion. Mieko never told her about Gojo's visit. It must have been recently.

That's because she chose to purify herself of her cursed energy, and in doing so, she weakened her abilities, "yeah, Mieko's self-centred that way."

"And your mother is even more tight-lipped. She threw everything she possibly could at me and nearly burned down her house so I couldn't enter and investigate."

Because she hates sorcerers more than anything else, "after dad, she became a bonified misandrist," she took a sip of her coffee. Her mother never warned her about Gojo investigating, and usually, she did call when stranges things were happening. What the heck was her family thinking?

"Therefore, you're a great target for investigation because you're welcoming and not annoying."

"I could become annoying."

He cocked his head, "how so?"

She became frantic, "I could put salt in your coffee or read out chapters of Moby Dick constantly aloud."

"But you won't because you don't have that in you. You're not the kind."

"You calculate that too, Mr. Oracle?"

"Yes," he said with absolution, her proud posture retreated slightly. He looked at the half-empty plate in front of her, "how's breakfast?"

She begrudgingly swallowed a piece of sweet omelet, "...delicious."

Some of the first bit of banter they have.