DISCLAIMER:
I do NOT own the Oregairu and Jujutsu Kaisen series as they are respectfully owned by the creators and studios.
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TWO CHAPTERS IN ONE DAY TWO CHAPTERS IN ONE DAY TWO CHAPTERS IN ONE DAY TWO CHAPTERS IN ONE DAY
In the middle of the night, people were at their liveliest under the starry sky and around the city lights, expressing their joy in what the city had to offer. A bus moved forward with its wheels on the road, and at the second furthest row of seats, a woman sat next to the window while calling someone on the phone.
"Hellooo~? Shizuka-chan?" Haruno greeted while twirling the strands of her hair. "You there yet?"
[Jush got heea] The person on the phone responded.
"Are you eating? Even though we are gonna have a huge birthday party?"
[All I'm eating is some fried donuts. What are they called again? Sad.. Sanadag... no, satana...]
"Sata-andagi."
[Yeah, yeah! That. It's a light snack, alright?]
"And it's becoming one of your favorites. You keep mentioning that snack ever since you got here."
[Nothing bad about expressing your love.]
"Just don't eat too much. It's gonna be a real feast when I take you there. And you might get cavities and worse, gain weight."
[U-huh, and my response to that is-] The sound of chewing crispy food loudly reached Haruno's ear through the phone. [Mmm! Cwishpy!]
"And you keep wondering how you're still single." The older Yukinoshita mumbled while shaking her head with lips curving upward.
[It's been zero days since you mentioned my status. Drop it already.]
"All I'm saying is any more 'light snacks', along with that attitude, are a free ticket to an unmarried life~."
[Miss, you forgot you're talking to the Ramen-loving, smoke-addicting, forever-stressed teacher. Consider my life unmarried and going downhill.]
"That's what a self-deprecating drunk would say."
[Seen me being drunk plenty of times, haven't you? I'm way more depressing than this.]
"Proud of that, huh? A good thing no one in Sobu High got those traits from you... Wait, Mr. Birthday Boy might have gotten those already. Oh well, everyone will get them, eventually. Like us!"
[Hah! One is a drop-dead gorgeous who got everyone in her fingertips, and the other is a sexy teacher who gives a fun time. There's no one like us... Hahaha! haaa~...] Shizuka lowered her tone through her laugher. [Who am I kidding? The real silver-lining is they won't see how I'm dying of boredom in Minamiboso. I can't say it's a little uneventful there, but there isn't anything that... sparked my excitement. The only things that kept me living are work, booze, ramen, and my gaming console.]
"If it makes you feel better, going back to Chiba city for a living might be just as bad." Haruno placed her phone into her other ear and leaned her head on the window to look outside. "Lots of disappearances lately—well, it's been happening for a while now, but it keeps getting worse. Oh, the horror of just thinking about losing our sexy teacher is too much~!"
[Yeah... but that's my home.] Shizuka said in a softer tone. [Had too much memories over there.]
"Right... I hope most of your memories aren't your alcoholic rampage."
[Nah, 50% of my alcoholic memories were swept away along with the beverage.]
"Is that your... way of saying you puked it all out?"
[You just HAD to make it sound gross.] The teacher's response made Haruno chuckle. [Fine, I won't drink beer during the birthday party... but I'm still gonna smoke.]
"U-huh. Hey, do you want me to give a farewell speech to your lungs? I'll keep it brief and sweet, so I'll make it in time to see the redness of those organs going black."
[Sure, sure. Make one for my liver in exchange for ripping your mouth. Why dont'cha?]
"Scaaaary~! A teacher shouldn't threaten your student!"
[Our student-teacher relationship was over years ago.]
"Oh, my... that sounded kinda hot just now! I might fall for you~!"
[I'm not taking that chance. If I DO go after the same gender, you're the last person I want to chase.]
"You're so cruel~. I'm just as desperate to find love as you are!"
[Shut it. How far are you now?]
"Apparently too far to reach your h-heart." Haruno's voice trembled and pretended to cry.
[I'm hanging up.] Shizuka said in a flat tone.
"Okay, okay... geez. I'm already here, so wait for me to get you."
[Alright, see you soon. Can't wait to see the look on his face.]
"Bye." And with that, Haruno ended the call before releasing a sigh. The moment the bus stopped, she stood up and left the vehicle. Walking on the bustling street, her surroundings were nothing but people enjoying their time of night. Some were inside of establishments and buildings while others were outside. All in all, it was an atmosphere worth breathing into as Haruno tried to find her former teacher.
Then what sounded like a gunshot echoed through the sky, startling everyone, including her.
"What was that?"
"Gunshot?"
"Probably fireworks."
"Isn't it too early?"
Some became anxious about the sound, while others tried to ignore it and walked away. Haruno was among the latter, but her concern still crept into her mind. She texted Shizuka to ask about the strange occurrence.
But another gunshot echoed.
And this time, someone walking among the crowd in the street fell on the sidewalk, painting the concrete red with blood. Everyone froze for only a few seconds until screams of panic pierced through their confusion.
"OH MY GOD!"
"HE'S DEAD!"
"I KNEW THOSE WERE GUNSHOTS!"
"L-LOOK UP THERE! AN EXPLOSION!"
"RUN!"
Haruno ran, as well as the surrounding people, all expressing their fear of the danger that occurred this moment. She dialled Shizuka's number and tried calling her. While staring at the screen and running for her life, the noise from the panicked crowd stopped as the bizarre silence caught her attention, making her looked up from the phone's screen to see the streets empty. Haruno's breathing went at a faster pace. She looked left and right, not seeing a single life present, until she turned around to see what was behind her.
Two knives were hurling towards her, and at an incredible speed, no less. With no time to react, all she could do was standing still and accept the unavoidable danger within her sight. Time seemed to move slower as terror overwhelmed her body and mind. Then a blur appeared to intercept the hurling weapons. One knife changed trajectory as if something hit it, and collided with the other one, causing each other to bounce away from the target. The one knife that changed trajectory was caught by her savior and immediately threw it at another one coming at a girl with light blue hair and wearing some kind of business suit. Once the knife intercepted the other, the man dashed and tackled the girl to save her from more blades hurling in the air. Haruno finally recognized the man who came to their rescue, but before she could say anything, someone grabbed her wrist.
"AH!" Instinctively, she screamed in shock at such a sudden action.
"Come with me if you want to live!" The man with slick-back hair shouted. Haruno didn't even question the stranger, as she just accepted his aid and ran. With all her strength, she pushed her feet off the ground to move as fast as she could, and after a minute, she turned around to catch a glimpse of the man fighting alongside the light blue-haired girl against an enemy with skinny physique.
Then, for reasons unknown to her, Haruno's eyes went back to the corpse from afar that was lying on the sidewalk above the pool of his own blood. When she blinked once, the distance between her and the lifeless flesh closed by three meters, causing her to bow her head to look at it. Despite the fear and disgust, she couldn't avert her gaze nor even take one retreating step. Haruno then sat on the ground in front of it, ignoring the blood staining her clothes by doing so.
Then with another blink, the corpse changed into someone she was familiar with. There were marks in his body that appeared to be curved inwards and left bumps on the other side, as if something struck him so strong it sank deep into his muscles, deforming them. His stab wounds spilled blood on the floor, but not as much as the previous corpse. Haruno stood on her feet with widened eyes still focused on the body.
She blinked once more. This time, the surroundings itself changed. There was a man on top of a stage with millions of white Chrysanthemum flowers behind him.
"These poor souls left this world too soon... Their last moments of tranquillity may either be working at the place earnestly, laughing with friends, giving love to children as parents, or perhaps trivial times such as school or work. Moments such as those are worth more than anything in human life..." He gave a speech on the gooseneck mic as thousands of people cried while holding each other's loved ones.
Their attire consisted of mostly black, and she looked down to notice her clothes changed as well. Unlike them, however, hers was a kimono that was all white. She looked up and saw nothing else except the stage full of chrysanthemum flowers, but with the absence of the microphone. Everything else was pitch black. A void of darkness that only the bright petals could illuminate bright enough for her to see. Instead of the man in black giving a speech, it was a man with a flamboyant appearance.
He wore a white kosode under a black dobuku that had bamboos as a design and a sharp form above its armholes as if they were lethal blades. He also wore a red hakama, and an eboshi hat that was so long, Haruno couldn't see the end of it, and that made her think the hat could stretch endlessly in the void. His face had makeup that turned his skin pure white with purple lines outlining his eyes that fell down to the nose, cheeks, lips, and chin. There were also green lines on his forehead and above his eyebrows that made him appeared angry all the time. As for his eyes, they didn't have any pupils, making the red veins more noticeable. He also had long, messy white hair flowing in the breeze.
Haruno stood still for a moment with furrowed eyebrows and her mouth agape, staring at the sight before her. What made her stop was the music playing somewhere in the darkness. An orchestra of taiko drums, a shakuhachi, a shamisen, and wooden clappers. At the same time, the mysterious man tilted his head to the point it was sideways, slowly slid his feet apart until shoulder length, and clapped his hands together while glaring at the only audience in front of him. Said audience was a girl sitting on a chair. She had long black hair with a pair of familiar red ribbons tied on both sides. Although she could only see her back, Haruno immediately knew who it was, causing her to rush towards that person.
"Yukino-chan!" Haruno touched her right shoulder and noticed the person she assumed was her sister wearing the same outfit as her, which was a white kimono.
"Nee-san?" Yukino turned to look at the older sibling while blinking and then smiled. "You are just in time. It is starting."
"What is?... you mean that?" Haruno pointed at the man on the stage, who was doing a bombastic dance with his arms swinging everywhere.
"Yes. Surely, you know what this is, right?"
"Well, just from the makeup, yeah. So what's the story?"
"I have no idea what it is about. It's a bit difficult to decipher..."
"Well... it looks like he's having a tantrum more than-"
"Wait... I think I'm..." The younger sister held her own chin.
"What? You figured it out?" Haruno asked with an arched eyebrow, then looked back at the performance. She gasped when she noticed there were more people on the stage. They were also wearing white kimonos as well and their makeup was quite simple: white skin, black outlines on the eyes, and black lips.
She also noticed their hands were painted in two colors. The people occupying the entire left side of the stage had red hands while the others on the right had blue hands.
When the white-haired actor in the center bent his body to the left, the blue-handed people bent forward as if they were being pulled. When he bent to his right, the red-handed ones jumped away in fright. They did this five times until the two groups rushed towards each other, becoming one group surrounding him. All of them grabbed the chrysanthemum flowers while the main actor stood still with hands above his head and slowly rising with his toes. The red-handed dancers spun around wandering in all directions while the ones with blue hands laid down on their back rocking from side-to-side as if they were infants until all of them, along with the music, stopped after the white-haired actor looked at them one by one. Haruno watched as everyone except the main actor fell on their backs, holding the flowers on their stomach. Then he danced once again, spinning his arms around with a confused look and stared at one blue-handed dancer, who stood up at that exact moment.
When the main actor did one step back, the blue-handed dancer took one step forward while reaching the flowers for him. When he took another step backward, one red-handed dancer behind him rolled away in a meter. The white-haired actor turned around to notice that and once the dancer stopped, he stepped forward, causing the latter to roll away again. After looking down on the floor, he raised his head in a blur and then both arms sideward while staring at the only two audience of the theater. Haruno's knees became weak as she fell on the chair that appeared outside of her awareness. She felt someone touching her back and turned her head to see the dancers with red-painted hands were pushing her to stand.
"What the—what are you doing?! Let go of me!" Haruno attempted to struggle, but to no avail. Their unnatural strength held her still as they pushed her closer to the stage.
"It's okay, Nee-san..." She heard her younger sister spoke.
"Yukino—" The older sibling paused when she saw Yukino being pulled by the dancers with blue-painted hands.
"Just accept it." Yukino gave a smile as if she was content.
"Accept what?! I don't— ah!" The red-handed performers pushed with more strength, getting Haruno on top of the stage. Finally, she was able to shake off their grasp, but that was because they let her go intentionally. She fell on the stage before witnessing her sister being pulled closer to the main actor who opened his mouth so wide, it could fit an entire head inside. The actor leaned forward while widening his mouth more towards Yukino. The drums were beating louder and faster while some of the performers on stage sang with their tone rising higher. As the music was reaching a crescendo, Haruno quickly went to her feet and ran to save her from a terrible fate.
But the tragedy came as the sound of flesh being ripped and teeth clashing together echoed throughout the void.
Yukinoshita Yukino's head was no more.
Despite that, she was still remained standing as blood erupted from her neck like a geyser. Her headless body turned towards Haruno and offered her hand. The older sister stepped backward slowly until she attempted to escape, however the red-painted hands from the other actors blocked her way. She looked behind them and saw the audience grew more than just the two sisters. On the right side of the front-row seat were Hayato, Yumiko, Tobe, Hina, Totsuka, Iroha, Meguri, Yui, and Shizuka wearing black attire as if there was a funeral, as well as classmates from college. Then on the left side were her parents and relatives.
"H-help!" Haruno cried for help, but the entire audience just jumped and went on their toes as if they were having trouble seeing the show while ignoring her cry. Then, the hands of both red and blue grabbed their heads and ripped them off their necks.
Haruno froze in shock at the grotesque sight while the beheaded audience expressed their joy by giving a round of applause with their lips curving upward after their eyes finally met hers. As the music began rising to a crescendo once again, the dancers with red hands pushed her closer to the main actor, the monster that devoured her beloved sister's head. It opened its mouth abnormally wide and leaned forward to do the same thing once again. The only action the older sister could do was stare into the abyss as she saw Chrysanthemum flowers came out blooming inside its throat. The giant mouth covered her head, enveloping her vision in darkness while the flowers glowed white.
The sound of flesh ripping apart echoed along with the chewing.
-0-0-0-0-0-
With eyes wide open and sweat on her face, the first thing within her sight were the pieces of torn paper. Yukinoshita Haruno was lying sideways on the floor of her bedroom. She slowly sat up, stretching her neck and arms with bones cracking, and then struggled to stand until she was on her feet.
"I slept? Haha..." Haruno chuckled and went out to use the bathroom. After washing her face, she stared at the mirror for a moment before closing her eyes and took breaths. After the last exhale, she slapped her own cheeks with both hands and tried making a smile by using her index fingers to lift the corners of her lips. She let go and maintained that smile for a few seconds, showing her teeth and then moving her lips to adjust. The smile trembled while slowly sinking into a frown, but Haruno pushed her cheeks upward. After a quick struggle, her smile appeared as natural as she always used. With a deep breath through her nose, she spoke to herself in the mirror. "Okay... Now for that dress."
Yukinoshita Sisters: Part 2
The Clouded Sun Above The Vibrant Land
The lively atmosphere in the party grew larger as more guests arrived to enjoy it. Drinks were poured, glass cups clinked, and music resonated through the entire hall. However, there was only a short air of tension where only two ladies surrounded themselves in. It wasn't noticeable because of how well one of them concealed their true emotion while being confronted by the beautiful stranger.
Haruno and the woman named Miyamoto Mei were having a stare-down that lasted for ten seconds.
"I'm assuming we're having a misunderstanding here." The older Yukinoshita wore the signature smile. "Would you mind explaining?"
"My words were self-explanatory." Mei eyed at the butler carrying a tray of wineglasses while raising her own slightly. The butler noticed that, so he approached the pair. Haruno grabbed her own glass, waiting for the butler to walk away far enough to not eavesdrop and let the woman in front of her speak. "Toying with the hearts of those three just to gain their support is cruel. I mean, wouldn't you rather just tell them you need their help? Why go the extra mile of teasing those three?"
"I don't see how my conversations with them made you think of that." Haruno took a sip of her glass. "Is it the smile? It does have quite a negative effect on certain people. My sister in particular found it irritating sometimes."
"Oh, no. Nothing of the sort." Mei shook her head lightly. "If you're truly talented, you wouldn't let yourself slip up like that. Your scheme with the love triangle is also proof of such capabilities."
"I'm... both joyed and... confused by your comment. Are you close to those three? Because I doubt just anyone would know of their complicated relationship."
"No, I am just a stranger with a good eye. All it took for me was a few glances at how they act towards each other. I must shamefully admit, seeing them like that reminded me of my childhood. The nostalgia I felt made me want to tease them like you did."
"Which means you're also targeting those three like I am. She referred to my action as teasing, but she knows what I'm doing. Miyamoto Mei... Are you perhaps..." Haruno thought while maintaining her poker face. "Ah... To be honest, I was also amused by their soap opera-like drama. But, I didn't become friends with them because of that. Well, they did quite remind me of a certain trio that has this kind of love triangle."
"And I assume you were there to meddle with them?"
"Guilty as charge."
"Then I'll sentence you to staring in a corner for an hour."
"Please, miss. I'm not a child. Though I am picky with my dresses and such."
"Your wonderful appearance gave that away. Oh, I am a runway model, by the way. I could get you wonderful clothes for you both fancy and casual."
"What fashion week did you partake in?"
"Oh, I visited both London and New York this year. It was the most fun I ever had in a while. If I have to choose which of them is better, New York is definitely the one with the lively atmosphere."
"On February 14, Hotaru and Izumi went on an overseas date in New York for valentines. September 16th was when Kajiyashiki went on a business trip to London. They all went to those two places during those respective fashion weeks." Haruno's eyes narrowed while still wearing the smile. "I agree that New York is much more fun. There are so many types of people clashing together in one place. Who knows what kind of encounters you would have? But recently, I've been thinking about London more highly."
"Oh? Why is that?"
"Compared to New York, it is more... peaceful? Well, it has their own types of people, but they are tame. I guess I'm starting to appreciate the more relaxing places. I mean... I would still like to hear a choir of wild idiots singing out of tune, but I need something refreshing."
"Would you like a choir that sings Hotaru Koi?" (1)
"I already have enough trouble with brats lately, so please no more children..."
"Awww... I can interpret that as your lack of interest in even getting married?"
"Marriage is off my list. I imagine myself sitting on a couch surrounded by kids jumping around like they're possessed. A very sad future would be waiting for me."
"As with all the working wives and obedient housewives unless they're lucky enough to grab a competent partner. Now, men are on a different level of problems."
"Don't get me started on that. We could talk about it till sunrise. There's this one man I was a little into, but I just learned how much of an insufferable liar he is."
"There' are a lot of men like that. You have to be more specific about how he managed to charm someone like you."
"You don't really need the details." Haruno took another sip. Her cheeks became slightly red. "It's just the usual fooling around with young people like us. Imagine the tale of Yotsuya Kaidan. Then you'll get it..." (2)
"I might interpret that as you wanting revenge..." Mei said with a chuckle.
"It's not that sinister." Haruno shrugged her shoulders.
"Well, if what you did earlier says anything, it's that you're a terrifying woman. A nosy person can be their worst enemy." The blue-haired woman spoke while staring back and forth between the engaged Iwamoto couple and Kajiyashiki.
"I'm not Iemon Oiwa..." The older Yukinoshita's cheeks became more red. "Speaking of marriage, you don't seem to plan on marrying anyone, do you? Just finding whoever could give you a good time... or maybe the most profit. Very hungry for money, aren't you?"
"Hm? What makes you say that?" Mei raised an eyebrow.
"Hehe..." Haruno wore a smirk. "Your wonderful appearance gave it away. Greedy lady."
"My appearance?" Mei looked down at her dress, her arms, and her hair.
"The tears on your glass mean you're drinking wine with a very high alcohol content. Not even a single accessory on you, especially a ring. And yet, your dress literally screams quality, along with that makeup. That tells me what kind of person you are just from the moment I laid eyes on you. Ocean-thousand, mountain-thousand." (3)
"Hah, I didn't expect someone as young as you to be using old proverbs." The blue-haired lady put a hand on her own hip while laughing. "I hope the lectures they've been teaching you aren't outdated."
"If it's something within the topic of 'outdated', then I've been taught a lot. Starting with politics. As a fellow snake in the grass like me, you might probably understand."
"Hmm~? Who is the other snake you are referring to?"
"Playing dumb, huh? Do I need to use another old proverb for you?" " Haruno averted her gaze to the side with a sigh of disappointment. She looked at the crowd for just a few seconds, seeing if the enigmatic lady had an accomplice. One old man with a grey ponytail caught her eye. His appearance consisted of a red kimono under a black haori with a white himo. She glanced at the old man eating the food on the table innocently and then moved her eyes back to Mei. "So it's that man, huh? He may blend well in the crowd, but he definitely stood at the perfect spot where he gets a good angle for watching us talking. Though, I don't know if he can hear us from that far, especially at a party full of talkative guests. Regardless, the fact that he's alone and not being approached by people further confirms my suspicion as well. That this woman has an accomplice."
"Aaahh, I see. To clarify, what I am genuinely confused is the other snake that is like me. Are you saying that it's you?" Mei leaned forward to close the distance between them to a few feet.
"Hah?" Haruno's eyes widened at Mei's sudden proximity. Not only that, the latter expressed a smile with such narrowed eyes and slanted eyebrows. The face of a devil woman.
"I am the snake in the grass, but you, on the other hand, are the snake on the edge of the road trying so hard to hide in the tiniest grass." The eyes of this mysterious lady began piercing the young woman's core. For a brief second, Haruno's lower lip trembled before closing her own mouth and maintained her composure. However, Mei's grin grew larger from noticing that small hint of fear.
"... At least we're both snakes at the end." After Haruno's comment, came silence. The two ladies just stared at each other. One maintained her devious expression, while the other still wore the look of bewilderment while blinking and tilting her head. By doing that, Haruno hid her dread, changing her expression into that of confusion smoothly. Mei closed her own eyes, ending the staring contest, and straightened herself with an exhale through her nose.
"True. That is why I approached you. Like I said before, I would've done the same." Mei finished her glass of wine. "Now that you're being honest, I would like to offer a... deal, if it's appropriate to call it that way."
"What kind of deal?" From Haruno's question, the blue-haired lady pulled out a card from her cleavage.
"Here is my number. I'd like this conversation to be more private. So if it's okay with you, we'll talk next time with just the two of us."
"Let me guess: money?"
"I applaud you for understanding my character, fellow snake."
"And if I refuse?"
"Oh, if you're worried I might let my mouth slip, then rest assured. I won't tell anyone about your game of love triangle. Though, I don't think there is anything wrong with teasing people."
"It's not like I would try to make their relationship into a literal soap-opera." Haruno turned her head to look at Kajiyashiki. "It's just that guy needs to get his head straight. You know what they say about a man keeping his feelings bottled up inside? And don't get me started on Hotaru-kun. Izumi, on the other hand... well, let's say her own characteristics needed tweaking."
"I see... so I misunderstood your intentions then..." Mei shrugged her shoulders.
"I mean... their support is beneficial. That one is true. I am a snake, remember?" Haruno smirked.
"Well, you four are friends, so whatever method you will use to help them is none of my business." Mei said while staring at the engaged couple as the bride-to-be fed Hotaru with a spoon. After a second, she went back to the young woman she was negotiating with. "Anyway, I will keep that a secret. But in exchange, you won't tell anyone my true colors nor that we will interact in the future. It would be terrible if people become jealous of how I managed to earn the Yukinoshitas' favor."
"And revealing that you are a she-devil would be a turnoff for the men you'd like to seduce."
"Indeed." Mei's words didn't fully convince Haruno as the latter was contemplating on the blue-haired lady's motives. That was until Mei's next words ended her train of thought while raising a hand to shake for a sign of agreement. "A vow between the two of us. What do you say?"
"... Let me think about it..." Haruno responded while ignoring the hand, which caused Mei to close it and pull back.
"I see... that too is fine. Well then, there are other people I'd like to talk with, so if you excuse me."
"Yes... It was a very nice conversation." After that, Haruno watched Mei walking away before focusing back on the old man who was drinking a glass. The older Yukinoshita finished her glass and walked to where the restroom was while slowly getting close to him. At about five meters, she scrutinized him quickly before turning away so the old man wouldn't notice. "His hands are rough. The scarring on those knuckles and the redness of his hands as if he held an object harshly. Blisters, perhaps? That means he is skilled in both hand-to-hand and weaponry... so those two are jujutsu sorcerers."
Haruno entered the restroom and stared at her own reflection in the mirror.
"A snake on the edge of the road..." She mumbled while bending her head down. Her lips trembled as she tried her best effort to prevent them from sinking into a frown. "The fact she said that... and how she specifically used the word 'vow' means she knows that I have knowledge of their real identity. She said it like that to confirm her suspicion through my reactions. Was she spying on me interacting with Gojo? Or is it because I'm doing research on it? No, that white-haired moron is very confident in his abilities so much that he'd probably spot a stalker in an instant. If it's about the research... Did my partner stab me in the back? Most likely... I have to check on him. Wait, can I do that? What if they have eyes everywhere?"
She clenched her hands into fists.
"Damn it! I'm literally in the dark here. How can I counter the situation when I don't know their cards? It's even impossible to figure those out since I can't see sorcery and curses. Not to mention the endless techniques they apparently have at their disposal... Just how did they know?
-0-0-0-0-0-
"Mere instinct of an opportunist." Mei thought while being with a group of guests, along with Katsunori, the old man. "When I heard about Hikigaya Hachiman and how Gojo recruited him, I can already smell the wealth waiting for me to take. I need information. About him, Chiba, and the people associated with him, surrounding him. The problem is Gojo Satoru. His senses are the sharpest, but that doesn't mean he's omniscient. If I have to guess, he must have some companions keeping a close eye on the city, since he's so confident in leaving Chiba alone for a while. Compared to Sukuna's vessel, the boy has a family. Gojo would become more cautious in making sure the higher-ups won't set some traps.
Now, do the higher-ups or anyone in our organization intend to break the jujutsu laws they've been upholding for so long? Unlikely, so long as the strongest sorcerer still breathes and their mindset remains unchanged. However, thanks to Zenin Ogi's association with curse users, as well as that assassination attempt on Yukinoshita Haruno, they revealed that his hold on carrying order is not absolute. Even nobles can become criminals. The major uproar on that hasn't quieted down ever since. Gojo Satoru is human, just like the rest of us. And so, he should be very cautious.
So how could I get information when eyes are everywhere and a pair of godlike eyes to boot? The solution is simple..."
-0-0-0-0-0-
"I'm feeling a little drowsy..." Haruno held her head while trying her best to keep her eyes open, then she washed her face despite removing her makeup and analyzed her reflection. "Drowsy?... Am I feeling sick? No, the redness on my cheeks... this difficulty of maintaining my balance..."
She wiped all the makeup she washed away with a cloth and went out of the restroom. With her eyes narrowed, she looked at the glass she left at a table far away, however her vision started blurring and leaving a few afterimages. After shaking her head with eyes closed, she concentrated more and finally noticed the tears inside the glass.
"The wine that the butler brought to us shouldn't have that much alcoholic content. And that was just my second glass!..." Haruno looked around to find the same butler who gave her that drink, but failed. She decided to approach the three other servants standing near a wall while slightly wobbling towards them. When they noticed her approaching them, they leaned forward slightly to bow. However, her words were unexpected. "You three, have you seen a coworker of yours that is this tall, have a black ponytail?"
"Hm?" The butlers became confused for a moment until one of them answered.
"Oh, yes. He's the recruit. I... haven't seen him yet. He could be in the kitchen."
"I didn't see him in the kitchen at all after taking one tray of wine." The other spoke. "He's supposed to be standing with us after handing all of them out to the guests."
"I was right! That scum spiked my drink! Disguising himself as some normal butler... normal?" She looked at the guests while walking away from the butlers. A few men approached her even though she lost her makeup, but she ignored all of them. Whatever words or methods of seduction they used flew immediately away from her mind. Her movements were unsteady, but after a few more steps, she straightened her posture and walked forward normally. With one last step forward, she stopped as she stood in the middle of the hall. "So that's it... she already thought about Gojo's awareness and possible watchers in the city. Using cursed techniques is out of the question. The obvious option would be the simplest one..."
-0-0-0-0-0-
"The most dangerous move I did was using strangers to get information." Mei took a sip of her glass of wine with her smile growing wider. "They weren't sorcerers, nor were they non-curse users. Just innocent, ordinary people in this city. All it took was simple seduction and they already act like dogs. What I asked from them was to just ask anyone if they saw a beautiful man with white hair wandering around. And if they found one about him hanging out with a woman, that was enough for me to confirm my suspicion. Still, doing that felt like a gamble because it has its own risks, but it paid off tremendously. A shame that I have to spend so much money on it, but I have no regrets. You two shouldn't stand out that much, especially when you are in a small place like Chiba."
-0-0-0-0-0-
"... What if it's security cameras? Or maybe some jujutsu that even Gojo won't notice? Stop, Haruno. Piling up speculations with no basis would be my downfall. I'll make a mental note of them just in case. Right now, I'll stick with the most probable. As for the best course of action..." Haruno walked to the restroom once again. She pulled out her phone from her purse and contacted the one obvious man she could rely on to solve this problem. However...
[The number you are calling is busy. Please try again or speak a recorded message after the beep]
Beeeeeeep~!
"I need your help as soon as possible. It's really urgent, so call me back quick." That was her only words to the phone before finishing the call. With a deep breath, her eyes were half-open. Her body became frozen still as she continued to stare at the mirror. Her left eye started twitching while her head was feeling heavy to the point where she went on her knees and leaned on the sink. She used her entire effort to stand, but her legs trembled until she finally fell on the floor.
Her eyelids slowly opened themselves, but struggled because of the blinding light overpowering her vision. It only took seconds for her to see clearly as she fully opened her eyes. Haruno sat up after realizing she was lying on a vast, green plain.
"Onee-chan!" A voice of a child caught her attention. She saw a little girl with long black hair and wearing a white dress. Her eyes were as blue as sapphire. Her tiny cheeks puffed as she put both hands on her hips. "Why are you sleeping?! This is supposed to be a field trip!"
"Field trip?" Haruno titled her head and looked down with furrowed eyebrows for a moment until her eyes widened. "That's right! I'm taking you guys on a field trip!"
"Why did you forget!" The little girl continuously slapped her with gritted teeth.
"Okay, I'm sorry! Please forgive me, Yukino-chan!" The older sister laughed while standing up. She realized she was wearing a black dress that had long gigot sleeves, a round neckline, a tiered hem, and a column silhouette. Her bare feet touched the grass and soil, but there was no feeling of discomfort from that sensation. After raising her arms in the air to stretch, Haruno held the very young Yukino's hand and walked with her. "Alright, let's go! But, uh... where's everybody?"
"We were playing hide and seek!" Yukino answered with a huge smile.
"How... do you play hide and seek on an open field?"
"I don't know! It was Tobe's idea!"
"He can't be this dumb... and how did he convince everyone to do it? I know you're smart enough to understand."
"I mean... there's nothing to do here..."
"There are lots of things to do! It wouldn't be a field trip if there aren't! Liiiike~..." Haruno looked left and right, then saw a white chrysanthemum flower standing tall on the ground and picked it up. "This one! We can try making a crown made of flowers!"
"But they said they don't wanna!" Yukino responded with a sad expression.
"Why?"
"Because they said they can't see the flowers. I keep telling them they're right here, but no one believed me except Hachiman!"
"So only you, Hachiman, and I can see these?"
"Mhm!" The little sister nodded.
"I bet you just said mean things to them while Hachiman just bit back." The older sister folded her own arms.
"No! Please believe me!" Yukino pulled her sister's skirt as her eyes started having tears.
"Suuuuure~." Haruno pat her head and crouched to collect more of the same flowers. After holding a bouquet, she stood and started searching for the other children with Yukino. Both sisters wandered around the grassy field with not even a single tree or anything else in sight except for the white chrysanthemum flowers. There seemed to be no sun above the sky, even though it was daytime. Hours had passed, yet they still hadn't found anyone. Exhaustion took over their bodies as they lied down on the grass to rest. Once they finally recovered, the sisters continued their game of hide and seek. Throughout the journey, Haruno didn't let go of the flowers nor her little sister's hand. Once they walked even further, they finally found something.
"A path?" Haruno mumbled. Within their sights was a huge pathway of soil that piqued their curiosity. Yukino rushed towards the pathway while Haruno just casually walked to follow her. "They probably have been here."
"Let's go, Onee-chan!" Yukino stepped onto the path and walked forward. Meanwhile, the older sister hesitated at first, standing still for ten seconds before putting her foot on the soil. None of them knew how long they've been moving. They were so preoccupied with each other's company that most of their awareness dwindled. Even if they were mostly silent throughout the journey, they felt comfortable in each other's presence. It went on for a while until the little sister saw a silhouette of a woman from a distance. "Look!"
"Excuse me!" Haruno shouted, and the silhouette flinched in response. They watched the woman approached them and noticed a familiar face.
The woman had black hair tied into a bun and a bang covering most of her right forehead. Her attire was a white cotton linen shirt dress with long sleeves. Just like them, she was also on bare feet.
"Mom!" The little Yukino ran towards their mother while Haruno appeared to be bewildered. She watched her younger sister spreading both arms while running, and the mother did the same as she crouched. Both mother and daughter embraced each other for a moment until the former looked up to see Haruno slowly walking towards them.
"You two took so much time reaching here." The mother said with a smile.
"I didn't expect you'd be here as well, mother." Haruno spoke.
"Didn't anyone tell you that I would be also participating in the field trip? Obviously, I'm not young anymore, but this type of field trip is for all ages." And thus, the two sisters continued their journey alongside their mother, who was walking at the very center with Yukino on her right, and Haruno on her left. They walked at the same pace as the mother held the youngest daughter's hand. "Besides, a field trip requires a parent to take care of their children so they won't get in trouble."
"I'm already here as Yukino-chan's guardian, so there's nothing to worry about."
"I'm referring to you, Haruno."
"Mother, please don't imply that I'm still a child in your eyes. I mean, I'm as tall as you are now."
"Your personality says otherwise. Anyway, why is your hand like that?" The mother pointed at the eldest daughter's right hand, which from her eyes, the latter just curled it into a fist, and remained that way on her stomach for a while. "Does your stomach hurt?"
"You... really can't see these?" Haruno looked at the white chrysanthemum flowers she was holding.
"Flowers!" The little Yukino intervened. "We are gonna play with them after finding our friends!"
"I... see... Well, the imagination of children is a treat to watch." The mother beamed a smile at Yukino.
"Onee-chan said we can make flower crowns!"
"Of course we can, but aren't those flowers not enough?"
"There are already plenty if you can see them." Haruno answered while waving the bouquet in the air. For her parent, however, it looked like she was swinging her fist around.
"Take more flowers, just in case. The more we have, the more fun we can do for all of us." The mother suggested.
"I'll help!" Yukino raised her own hand in the air.
"No, you stay with mother, okay?" The parent stopped her.
"Relax, it's not like these are poisonous." Haruno rolled her eyes.
"Of course they're not. Mine aren't that dangerous either." When the mother said that, Haruno looked down and noticed her carrying white roses in her arms.
"Hm? Since when did you carry those?" The older daughter asked.
"What are you on about? I've always been carrying them."
"Huh... I guess it's my brain messing around."
"Is that so? Go pick up more of your imaginary flowers already."
"Ugh, alright..." Haruno went out of the path, stepping on the grassy field once again to collect more white chrysanthemum flowers. Meanwhile, the youngest daughter and the mother walked on the path in silence. Every time Haruno glanced at the two of them, there was a feeling of uneasiness. From her point of view, it was as if those two were ghost haunting the pathway. The stoic expression on her little sister concerned Haruno to the point that she collected the flowers faster and rushed back to her family. Once she stepped on the soil, the older sister realized the path was narrower than usual. Too narrow for the three of them to walk beside each other. Only Yukino and their maternal parent could walk on the road while Haruno was on the edge, stepping on both the grass on the field and the soil. "So Yukino-chan... Uh, after playing with all the flowers, is there anything else you wanna do?"
"Uuuuummm..." The little Yukino stared at the sky in contemplation. "What do you wanna do?"
"I don't know.. Maybe pick more of these?"
"Okay! More flowers to play!"
"Don't you have other business to attend to?" The mother said to Haruno.
"I do?" Haruno arched an eyebrow.
"Of course you do." The mother said in a strict tone. "You can play with the children for only a few hours, but after that, you need to go."
"Can I come?" The younger daughter asked while beaming.
"No." The maternal parent refused. "You'll stay with your friends."
"But I wanna go with Onee-chan!" Yukino pouted.
"No means no. Listen to your mother."
"Don't you think you're being a little mean to Yukino-chan?" Haruno argued.
"I am not. Your work would be too much for her. Besides, you are the only one fit for the role."
"Role for what? I still don't have the memo, Mother."
"You will understand once you see it."
"How can I be fit for this job you're giving me if I don't have a clue of what it is in the first place? Is it for grown-ups? Is that why Yukino-chan can't come?"
"I wanna go with Onee-chan!" Yukino shouted.
"Please understand, dear..." The mother put a hand on her youngest daughter's head and caressed it.
"I wanna be with her! I wanna! I wanna! I wanna! I wann-"
"Yukino-chan..." The older sister rushed forward to be in front of Yukino and put a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry. I'll be back as soon as I finished the job."
"B-But I-"
"It's okay! You don't have to follow me around. Just go play and-"
"I wanna do it!" Yukino pouted while looking up at their mother with a glare.
"Well, mother... you heard her." Haruno shrugged her own shoulders and stood up.
"That is fine." Their maternal parent went past her eldest daughter and continued walking forward. "She'll understand, eventually."
"Does that mean I can go?" Yukino asked and then stared at her older sister while clinging to her skirt.
"I guess so..." Haruno responded while staring at the back of the mother with narrowed eyes. With one deep breath, she quickly turned her frown into a smile naturally and held her little sister's hand. "Let's go?"
"Okay." With a nod, Yukino complied as they continued their search for their friends. After what felt like an eternity for them, the little sister shouted as she pointed forward. "There they are!"
"Hm?" Both the mother and older sister followed the direction she pointed at, and they all saw a group of children running in circles in the middle of the road. They all wore white clothing and once they turned around to see three of the Yukinoshita family, the children ran towards them with excitement.
"They're here!"
"We're so bored waiting!"
"What games should we play?!"
"Tobe, stop pulling my skirt please!" Haruno said to the young Tobe, who stopped and grinned.
"What are we playing?!" Tobe asked with enthusiasm. "Hide and seek?"
"For the last time, how are we gonna play hide-and-seek? There's nowhere to hide!" The young Yumiko argued with anger.
"Make grass walls?" Tobe tilted his head with folded arms.
"We're not Pokemon, you know..." The child Hayato chuckled. "But hey, we can try making a castle out of dirt."
"Eeeeeh?! I don't wanna get dirty!" Yumiko complained.
"This is why things are boring." A young Saki glared at the blonde little girl.
"Ha?!"
"What? I'm right. You always hate anything that's fun for us."
"No, I don't!"
"Yes, you are!"
"No, I don't!"
"I said yes, you are!"
"Please don't fight, you two." The small Saika went in between the two girls.
"Where's Hikigaya?" Yukino asked everyone and looked around.
"Hikki's over there!" The small Yui responded and pointed at the young boy sleeping under a tree. Standing right next to him was his tiny sister, trying to wake him.
"Geez! Why is he always lazy!" Yukino said in an angry tone as she tried marching towards him.
"Hikigayaaaa~!" Haruno shouted in a playful tone. "Let's plaaaaay~!"
"Hikkiiii~!" Yui shouted as well. There was no response from the boy far away while Komachi just stood still with hands on her waist, looking down at him.
"Talk about a heavy sleeper..." Tobe spoke while narrowing his eyes to try looking at him from a distance.
"That's what he does most of the time, so..." Hayato said with folded arms.
"Forget him, let's just go!" Yumiko suggested.
"We can't leave him here." Hayato argued.
"I'll wake him up while you guys play." Haruno suggested and then lifted both arms on her abdomen as if she was carrying something. "Can you guys see what I'm holding in my arms?"
"Uhhh..." The children were confused for a moment.
"You have a baby?!" The young Hina asked with widened eyes and both hands on her own cheeks. The rest of the children expressed their bewilderment as well.
"Pfft! No way." Haruno laughed before kneeling to drop all the flowers into the ground. "Yukino-chan, you know what to do."
"Leave it to me." Yukino said while puffing her own chest and turned to look at her friends. " Alright. Today, we'll be making crowns made of flowers!"
"Why should we listen to you?!" Yumiko argued while marching towards her.
"Because Onee-chan said so!" Yukino stuck her own tongue out to mock the blonde girl. Meanwhile, Haruno approached the two siblings and stopped right before stepping on the shadow of the tree. She noticed that Hachiman was the only child wearing a black attire that consisted of a buttoned-up shirt with long sleeves and pants.
"Ah, Haruno-san!" Komachi said her name. "Onii-chan just won't wake up!"
"Hachiman-kun~. I'm gonna be really angry if you don't get up." Haruno pouted.
"... in the mood..." Hachiman finally mumbled words, but they failed to hear the rest of the sentence.
"What was that?" The short-haired lady lowered her body forward to try understanding his words.
"I'm not in the mood." He said in a tired voice that made both of the girls sigh.
"Komachi-chan, go play with the others. I'll handle this guy."
"Okay!" His little sister complied and ran.
"Is this what you want to happen?" Hachiman asked while sitting up and then pointed a finger at something behind her. Haruno turned around to see Yukino sharing the white chrysanthemum flowers with everyone while their mother just sat in a seiza position in silence. "Is sharing all that with them the right call?"
"You mean the flowers? You can see them?"
"Of course I do. Don't you remember? I'm a $#%."
"... What?"
"I said, !*&$ %."
"Uh... I can't hear you..."
"That's because you don't want to hear it, even though you're chasing after it." Hachiman scratched his head, then repeatedly waved his index finger upward, telling her to come closer. When Haruno took a step into the shade of the tree, she noticed her skin started rotting. Surprised by this, she stepped back and her skin went back to normal. Haruno tried stretching her hand out to the shade, but before she could do that, the young boy in front of her spoke. "Are you just gonna stand there?"
"Uh, well-"
"You know what? Forget it. Just go over there and have fun or whatever..." When Hachiman said that, Haruno turned back to watch the children play. However, what instead saw was them sleeping on the pathway while holding a white chrysanthemum flower. The mother laid beside Yukino as they embraced each other.
"I guess they were tired?" She mumbled.
"That's one way to put it." Haruno gazed back at the boy, who was holding the same white flower, along with the white rose, in one hand. "After grabbing them, that is basically a normal reaction."
"So why are you and I-?"
"You want to hear it? Come closer."
"... What is going on?"
"I said, 'Come Closer'. I don't want to sound like a broken record." Hachiman clicked his tongue. It was then Haruno noticed a familiar person hiding behind the tree he was leaning on. A person with a white kosode under a black dobuku that had bamboos as a design and a sharp form above its armholes as if they were lethal blades. A red hakama, and an eboshi hat that was endlessly long, and that mysterious makeup. Eyes that had no pupils and the long, messy, white hair flowing in the breeze. Hachiman tilted his head and bent his body to the side to look at the people falling asleep. "Then again, even after hearing it, you won't change anything. The only thing you can do now is just stare at their faces... And IF... and this is a big if they wake up, they will either end up like me... or like you..."
"H-Hachi... Hachima-" Haruno tried to utter his name, but the sight of that... 'creature' brought fear into her soul.
"Stuttering like that is not like you at all..." The boy looked down at the two flowers he held. "Then again, that's what happened to me when I first held this... Now that I'm holding both of these, it's a lot worse."
"LoT... wORse!" The monster behind the tree repeated his words with a voice that sounded distorted and abnormal.
"Ah, I just realized. Where's yours, Haruno-san?" Hachiman's gaze went up and down as if he was scrutinizing her appearance. "You used to hold them often..."
"I.. I don- don't... I-" Her failure to speak made him sigh.
"Well, if you're gonna stay like that, we'll be going nowhere."
"NoWHErE!" The monster leaned forward before stepping out of hiding.
"Haruno-san... Just hurry up and choos-"
-0-0-0-0-0-
September 14
Next Day 7:20 AM
"AAAAAGH!" Haruno shouted while sitting up on her bed. Drops of sweat dripped down on her face while her breathing became fast and heavy. She held her chest in hopes of calming the beating of her heart, but to no avail. And so she stood from her bed and went to the bathroom to wash her face. Every time the cold water splashed into her face, she would pause and just stare at her own hands as the faucet dropped more water on them. After wiping her face dry with a towel, her eyes laid on her own reflection in the mirror and tried smiling. Haruno's mouth trembled while sinking into a frown. She strongly pulled the corners of her mouth upward, but the result was the same.
Tears came down from her eyes. The only thing piercing the silence within that room was the water falling on the sink, and her laughter.
A laughter that sounded too forceful.
In a different bedroom, a woman woke up and stood from her mattress, that also had a man sleeping under a blanket. She went to the bathroom to wash her face, and then went to the closet to change her clothes from nightwear to just a plain, dark green kimono. Going down the stairs, the woman entered the dining room and immediately noticed a person sitting on a chair nearest to the entrance.
"Haruno?" The woman spoke with confusion as she saw that Haruno's eyes were half-open and her mouth slightly agape. The breakfast on her plate was untouched and lost all the heat to room temperature. "... Good morning."
"Mother." Haruno gazed at the woman sitting across the table and then went back to staring at her cold food. She pursed her own lips until she gazed back at her mother with a carefree smile. "Good morning!"
"What happened?" The mother asked without hesitation. Her voice was deep, turning the conversation into a serious matter.
"Well... where do I start?" Haruno touched her own chin with the tip of the fork's handle. "I attended the party, fashionably late, I add."
"Of course you do..." The parent released a sigh while a maid put a plate of the same food her daughter had in front of her, except the former's was steaming hot.
"I talked to the two main stars and gave them the rundown. It might take less than a month for me to fully convince them."
"That's good enough."
"Also, I met Kajiyashiki, and I thought I could convince him too, so I did. After that, we drank like there's no tomorrow. I swear, Izumi knows how to drag people into her pace. Well, I can do that too, but I thought I'd let her dance around me a bit since it was her big day."
"That's why you're passed out." The mother pierced a cube slice of meat with the fork and ate it. "Quite surprising, really. Normally, you would keep your consumption of alcohol in moderation since you have a task."
"And that task is already done. Just let me have fun for a change." Haruno pouted while pointing a knife at her.
"You are always 'having fun'. Anyway, I'm glad you've accomplished the task so far." The parent took a sip of coffee from her mug. "Are you feeling better now?"
"Yes, though my head hurts a little."
"I see... I'm particularly worried since you were carried by strangers."
"Uhm... what? Strangers?"
"They came out of the mansion carrying you in your drunken state. However, the chauffeur described their appearance as wearing casual clothes. I asked Hotaru-kun, but no one noticed you being carried. In fact, no one realized they entered the mansion... Do you have any idea who could those people were?"
"Not really..." The eldest daughter looked down. "Maybe some deranged stalkers disguised as butlers trying to kidnap me?"
"Don't use that kind of humor." The mother scolded calmly. "It seems last night's party lacked security. I will criticize that idiot couple later. I'm glad you came home in one piece."
"Yeah... but some of my brain's pieces are still all over the place." Haruno stood from her seat. "If you excuse me, I'm going back to my room."
"Okay..." After that exchange, the mother watched Haruno leaving the dining room. Once the door closed, she looked at her daughter's cold breakfast, which caused her to put down the silverware. After wiping her mouth with a handkerchief, she stood up and left with her own food unfinished. She walked towards the living room and sat on the couch while resting her chin on her interlocked hands. "What are my plans for today?..."
"Let's see..." A man wearing a grey business suit stepped forward while looking at his phone. "At 9:00 AM, you are to have a chat with a bank manager of the MUFG bank. Then, at 12:00 PM, you will have lunch with a managing director of the Mizuho Financial Group. At 3:30 PM, you will meet a few financial chiefs of Lexus-"
"Cancel everything." The mother ordered. "My daughters are in distress..."
TRIVIA:
1) Hotaru Koi is a Japanese children song
2) Yotsuya Kaidan is a tale about Oiwa and Tamiya Iemon. Near the end of the second act to the final act, Oiwa died and became a ghost that haunts Iemon for betraying her, tricking him into killing certain characters. After Iemon's life went on a downward spiral, he flees into a mountain, losing his sanity until he was killed.
3) Chrysanthemum flowers have a Japanese meaning in the language of flowers called Hanakotoba. It means "truth". The flower is often used in funerals as it also represents "grief" and "death".
4) An eboshi hat is a headwear worn in the Heian period to indicate the rank of a person.
5) Near the end of Haruno's first dream, it had a classical theatre called a Kabuki theater. It is known for its colorful costumes, music, and dramatic acting that brings a performance that sets apart from other theaters. The word "Kabuki" comes from the verb "Kabuku", meaning "to slant or to sway" and it is used to describe "people who were out of the ordinary and preferred to dress in extravagant attire."
6) The kabuki main actor's makeup is called a Kumadori. Purple represents nobility in the play, while green is used to show ghosts and other spirits.
Go to next chapter to see my personal update