Chapter 29

That night…

"UGH! SHE IS NEVER GOING TO SPEAK TO ME AFTER THAT!"

Satoru was lying face first in his pillow, he was embarrassed about the streaking and yet, Ryomen showed no sympathy for him. "You're the one who made the bet. As well you had another option too, but went with that. Accept your consequences"

Satoru turned his head far enough to glare at him, but then, he bore a wicked grin. "Speaking of consequences, I hear you and Chusi are banned now from the garden, care to explain?"

Ryomen froze to this. He peered out from his left side, that extra eye glared at Satoru. "I don't speak of it, a gentleman never tells." He said in a dignified tone.

"But…" Satoru asked trying to get a little more detail. "She's going to be sticking around you from now on, won't she? I mean you wouldn't DARE do the very thing that I nearly considered now would you?"

Ryomen turned, be bore a proud stance and said. "I already told her, she's mine. I can't explain it, I just… I cannot and will not allow another to be near her. I just can't!"

Satoru nodded. "I feel that I might not be enough for Yua…"

"What are you lacking?" he asked. "Did you ever question yourself as to what you might be missing considering who you are flirting with? Or do you think you are just that amazing to begin with and no woman would ever refuse you?" he asked in a sarcastic tone.

Satoru glared at him, he rolled off the bed and stared. "You see this? This is me, already down on myself… just start kicking me why don't you?"

"Don't tempt me."

He lay there a while longer and sighed. "A part of me wants to find the bastard that used her and beat the snot out of him…" he said offhandedly.

"I want in," Ryomen said automatically.

"Just… let me wail on them first since you tend to do a one hit KO to my knowledge… or worst"

"I can agree to that, then what?"

"What do you mean, and then what?"

"What do you do with the bastard that used that young lady? Make him a slave? Lock him up, have him swear his undying loyalty to Yua but never touch her again? I would go as far as spaying him"

Satoru cringed a little to that, he didn't know why either.

"Either way… by the way, what did Chusi say about them coming with us or us going with them?"

Ryomen paused. "Honestly, she didn't say no. She was more stunned to the fact that we want to help protect them… since there are no sorcerers who have done that so far for their clan… it's rather abrupt considering their circumstances too… on the other hand, I wonder why they are so trusting of us? If I were in their situation, I wouldn't be getting this close to two sorcerers who they only met a few days ago."

Satoru picked himself off the floor, he realized, Ryomen was right. "Yeah… could… could they be lying?" he asked.

There was a look on Ryomen's face, one of determination and yet, his head crooked to the side oddly, before he shook it clear. "No," he said in a matter of fact tone. "Just by the way we have been spoken to, had they been lying, they would be laying it on thick. As well, they never said their clan name until we asked. Had they been fakes, I believe the first words out of their mouths would have been. 'We're Toorus', just to get our attention and interest. As well, somehow… I can tell if someone is lying to me…"

"Then, why does it feel like they are lying? I can't ignore that, do you feel it?"

His head nodded. "I wouldn't call it lying per say. Merely… not telling us the full story."

"So massage reality huh?"

"Partly, maybe we need to ask more directly? I am getting more memories coming to me… for some reason I am fighting a lot and using a lot of curse energy…"

"Same here," Either way, they decided to call it a night. Satoru got up off the floor and slipped into bed, yet, he wondered about Yua. Something was off about this, and yet he can't quite figure it out…

#

"You're banned from the garden!? CHUSI!" Yua shouted.

However, that proud look on her sister's face would not subside. She was rather pleased with herself, and at the same time, very happy to how her day went. "It just… happened. He said things from his heart that he hasn't been able to say up until now… Yua… even you would have fallen for him"

"I very much doubt that" she said bluntly. "But remember, he's not going to be like this much longer. Their memories are coming back remarkably fast, did you notice? They will talk about something and then bring up a memory they have yet to speak. However, they both realize that it is part of their recall and know it is fact… strange too that they don't question it…"

"That's probably because of us,"

"We have such abilities?"

Chusi shook her head. "Think about it, Yua. We're constantly in their lives, as such we are already part of it. Slowly as they spend time with us, they will piece together that they have forgotten. Essentially they are rebuilding their memories around us."

She didn't consider that before.

"I got to ask, what did Ryomen say to you in the garden that made you… well… you know…"

She laughed aloud, but, bore a serious look after she settled herself. "Ryomen was talking to Satoru, they know we're the last of our clan, as such. Ryomen stated 'when we leave. We would like you and Yua to come with us. If you don't want to, may we follow you instead?'"

She paused to this. "Ryomen… Ryomen Sukuna asked that?" she questioned.

Chusi's smile suddenly subsided oddly, in fact… she began to tear up.

"Yua… this was Ryomen… before he went mad." She suddenly broke down at the side of the bed. "Yua… Ryomen was like this before he went insane, before he took the binding vow with Kenjaku… This… this is the Ryomen I remember… but he only exists if he forgets who he is."

The irony was not wasted on her. Yua was stunned but she began to understand now why Chusi had been drawn to him. He speaks very well for himself, he's oddly polite which is rather creepy in her mind. But even more so, he has a better dating game than Satoru! Yet, Sukuna was like this before his madness?

"It's a shame we can't take him back as is huh?"

Chusi shook her head. "I wouldn't allow that either."

"Really?! Why?"

She settled herself, clearing away the tears, Chusi said. "If he forgets, he won't remember what he did wrong. If he can't remember, he will do it again without knowing the consequences. As well… I cannot deny the fact that he has taken lives, I cannot let him forget he has and the debt he needs to pay for doing so. I love him, but, I will not turn a blind eye to his misdeeds either."

She was stunned by this, but understood completely. "So, I say, enjoy him while he still forgets." Yua decreed.

Chusi nodded to her. "I intend to… we just need a new place to make out."