Hello everyone!
This is my first Jujutsu Kaisen fanfiction.
I'm a little stressed about posting it ahaha. I hope you like this first chapter, feel free to give me your feedback in the comment section! :D
ALSO, English is not my first language, so I try to avoid making any mistakes. However, if there are any, I apologize. Enjoy ~
[Arc 1: Curses]
Chapter 1
Hibino Mariya
Present, 2005
MARIYA GAZED UPON THE SCHOOL she had been recruited into – Kyoto Metropolitan Curse Technical College. Her eyes widened in an almost comical manner, surprise anchoring her in place.
Kyoto Metropolitan Curse Technical College resembled an imperial courtyard. Nestled amidst a mountain surrounded by a forest of towering trees, the school could almost be mistaken for an architectural wonder from ancient times. Some buildings resembled exact replicas of Kyoto's iconic landmarks. The majestic grandeur of the surroundings overwhelmed her with its substantial scale; she had never felt so small, fragile, and insignificant.
A petite stature at 160 centimeters (five feet four), she couldn't help but feel inadequate in the face of the profound knowledge and power this place seemed to hold, to yield.
She swallowed, her throat suddenly dry and palms clammy. Eww, she thought, grimacing. The brunette loosened her grip on her suitcase, inelegantly wiping her hands on her silk trousers.
Nervousness enveloped her. Upon arriving in Japan, she had never envisioned being enlisted in a high school for exorcists.
Her.
Hibino Mariya.
Fifteen years old.
(Yes, she was aware they referred to themselves as sorcerers, but really? It sounded as if they were about to graduate from Hogwarts or something of the sort. What they do is exorcize curses . Hence why they should be addressed as exorcists. Or even shaman. That's simple, really.)
She gently rubbed her sky-blue nail-polished thumb. She was relieved that the school wasn't strict about wearing jewelry or makeup, as long as they didn't hinder during missions.
She liked her femininity enough.
…speaking of missions. She couldn't help but think of the hollows, or rather, curses (she still struggles to refer to them that way and preferred the term 'hollow'. As a die-hard fan of Bleach, she couldn't help but notice the similarities between the world she now lived in and the world of Bleach.)
She didn't even know she possessed a hidden talent—the ability to see curses. She wasn't even aware that things like curses existed, for God's sake.
The world of curses had proven to be an absolute surprise for the teenage girl.
Mariya had never seen them before. She started seeing them when she came to visit her grandparents. Her father had major disagreements with his parents, and he left to build his life abroad as soon as he met her mother. Consequently, Mariya spent most of her life in Europe, with frequent trips back and forth to North Africa, where her mother originated.
It hadn't bothered Mariya much. She was not entangled in her father's parental conflicts, and he didn't want her to be. So when she set foot in Japan for the first time, she was welcomed like a queen.
And while she enjoyed a wonderful breakfast with her grandparents in Kyoto, she saw them for the first time.
Curses.
"Over there, Hibino-san," informed Nakamura Toshiro. Dressed in a sleek black suit, exuding a serious demeanor, and boasting a notably athletic physique, Mariya could have easily mistaken him for a yakuza (and she did. She winced at the embarrassing memory), especially with the type of car he was driving – a black Nissan with tinted windows. Mariya would bet it was armored, too.
She nodded slowly, her breath still catching, her suitcase trailing behind, making noises. Absent-mindedly, she mused, 'My cheap wheels are going to be damaged,' her eyes never leaving the surroundings as she peered into the distance, towards the forest. It was dense, green and stretched for miles. A realization struck her — the view must be breathtaking during winter, the snow delicately dusting the forest in a radiant white.
The teenage girl pondered whether people had ever become lost there. Undoubtedly . And how had they found their way back?
Especially considering…
"Pardon-me, Nakamura-san," Mariya asked as she walked alongside him. "Off missions, how do we leave the school?" She assumed they would use the car when heading out for missions, but during their breaks, how would they manage? The path seemed quite, quiiiiite long on foot.
She held out hope for a cable car, or something of the sort...
Perhaps they could install one?
"Is there a cable car?" she inquired before he could reply. Abruptly, he stopped walking and turned to face her. His sunglasses reflected her image, emphasizing Nakamura's striking resemblance to a yakuza.
Raising an eyebrow, he looked at Mariya, who felt a twinge of self-consciousness. But I have every right to ask! she thought determinedly.
"A what , now?" he chuckled.
Mariya bit her inner cheek. "A cable car . We're not going to cover all this distance on foot, are we?"
He looked at her again. She could have sworn she saw the corner of his lips twitch. She crossed her arms, unable to help it, in a gesture of closure, refusing to let embarrassment take a hold. She stood her ground.
"What?" she exclaimed, trying to remain polite, smiling courteously. "It's a legitimate question. Don't tell me no one has ever asked you that before?" Weeell, she didn't know if asking for a cable carwas legitimate, though…maybe it was too much…?
"Yes, for sure, Hibino-san. But no one has ever suggested a cable car," he said, the corners of his mouth still twitching. He snorted as if he couldn't help it and shook his head, muttering something between his breaths, too quiet for her to catch. It sounded a lot like 'I shouldn't be surprised.'
She narrowed her eyes at him, wondering if she should hold him accountable for what he had potentially said.
...She wasn't sure about anything; it wouldn't be fair to put a metaphorical cleat on his throat for that. Even thouuuugh it was frankly impolite of him. Well, she wasn't going to make a big deal out of it either. She decided to let it slide. It wasn't that serious.
"You didn't answer my question," Mariya grumbled instead. "It's a long walk. It must take at least thirty minutes to get out of here."
Nakamura shrugged and resumed walking. "Perhaps, but there's a designated path."
"...So, it's on foot then?"
"Yup."
Mariya masked her grimace. Ughhhhh.
"Since you're here to become a sorcerer, endurance shouldn't be a tough challenge for you," he tossed over his shoulder.
Key word: shouldn't.
His voice was deep and professional, with something rough on the edges. His brown hair gently sparkled in the sun, cut in an almost military style. Mariya wondered about his age and whether, after her graduation, she'd also find herself driving new recruits in a car.
From what she had been told, there were three types of exorcists/sorcerers:
1. Those who fought curses (sorcerers).
2. Those who drove sorcerers into sensitive locations and were in charge of setting up "veils" (assistant directors).
3. And those who engaged in reconnaissance (Windows).
Nakamura-san was an assistant director.
She wondered in which category she would end up after these years in the exorcism (sorcerer cough ) school. What innate technique she possessed. How she would progress. She couldn't help but feel excited about her future. Impatience bubbled in her veins, spreading like little bubbles of champagne (or champomy*), making her eyes gleam. Or was it the sun?
Mariya hurried to catch up with him, her suitcase still emitting monstrous noises. She felt a bit embarrassed, but there was nothing she could do about it! The thing was cheap . She bought it, despite her mother's initial doubts — doubts that had proved justified as it started making those embarrassing sounds right after she landed in Japan. Mariya had been too shy to ask her grandparents to buy her a new suitcase.
"True," she conceded as they entered a building that resembled a dojo. Damn it, they sure have moooney . "But for beginners like me, spending half an hour walking just to leave the school seems a bit counterproductive." That was an euphemism .
He didn't turn his head toward her, but she could almost feel his glance on her. "You'll get used to it quickly, don't worry. And, considering the stunt you pulled, I think you'll manage just fine."
Mariya winced. Yeah, her stunt. To this day, she didn't quite understand what exactly she did that was considered a stunt. She nodded and said nothing more, casting admiring glances all around her. The place was eerily silent, and she hadn't seen anyone yet, which struck her as quite strange. There was something here that isolated them from the outside world—a tranquility of mind, a state of peace she had never experienced elsewhere, not even at home, where presumably there were no curses.
The air itself felt fresh and light, and if it had a flavor, she was convinced it would be delicious.
As they traversed a few corridors, Mariya did her best to memorize the path and start getting familiar with the surroundings. They passed by several doors, Mariya admiring them.
"Is this the teachers' section?" she guessed, seeing some names on certain doors. Everything suggested that there weren't many. Given what she had been told about the rarity of sorcerers, she wasn't surprised.
"Yes. The principal's office is at the end."
The office had a sliding door of a different color from the ones they had passed.
Gakuganji Yoshinobu, Principal.
Nakamura knocked on the door before opening it. He bowed politely, and Mariya did the same, suddenly feeling nervous.
"Principal Gakuganji. Here is the new first-year, Hibino Mariya," he announced in his serious tone.
"Pleasure to meet you, Principal Gakuganji," she said, attempting to maintain a tone that was both firm and polite. She rose at the same time as Nakamura, fixing her gaze on the principal... and almost choked on her saliva. She was truly on the verge to .
A long white beard, equally lengthy eyebrows. Wrinkles. The principal's uniqueness didn't stop there. His long ears were adorned with piercings.
...He looked like...
"You can wait outside, Nakamura-san," he declared, glancing at Mariya.
...Yamamoto from Bleach!
He was literally a spitting image of Yamamoto! Minus the piercings, of course.
Mariya desperately tried not to show her shock on her face. She didn't know if she succeeded or not, as the principal's face revealed nothing of his thoughts. The brunette diverted her eyes elsewhere for a few seconds to compose herself.
The principal's office was simple and traditional, reflecting a classic Japanese aesthetic. Shelves filled with scrolls and books surrounded the room, adding to the mysterious aura of the place.
I will lose it if he starts talking about the Soul Society...
She was desperately trying to hold back the laughter she felt building up in her throat.
"Welcome to Jujutsu High," he announced, rising and circling the desk.
Mariya bowed again, attempting to conceal her stress. "Thank you." Then she straightened up. She needed to make a good impression, appear strong and confident. It was a prerequisite for her future position, after all. But she also had to convey respect. She sensed that Principal Gakuganji, despite the piercings that honestly threw her off, appreciated hierarchy and discipline.
She knew her family had also spoken with the principal to ensure the school she was transferring to was suitable. She couldn't blame them; they were still on the other side of the world and wouldn't be coming for a few months.
Of course, they would like to know precisely why their daughter had suddenly decided to change schools, despite the exams she had taken and the efforts they had made to enroll her in another reputable institution.
Lost for a moment in the principal's eyes, Mariya reminisced about the events that had led her to this office…
One month and half ago
Mariya encountered what she would later callhollows three times.
The first time was during her very first outing with her grandparents, right after arriving in Japan.
While she could have spotted them at the airport or during the taxi ride to her grandparents' home, jet lag had morphed her into a zombie, and her eyes surrendered to beautiful Japanese landscape unfolding through the windows hadn't even been enough to wake her up. She supposed that even if she had glimpsed one of those repulsive creatures, she would have dismissed it as mere hallucinations induced by her fatigued state.
Moreover, she had been too busy hugging her grandparents to care about anything else. It was the first time she had seen them without a screen between them. Her grandmother was in tears, her dark brown eyes red and swollen, her petite face drawn. As for her grandfather, the tough Hojo Jin, he didn't cry, oh no, he would never allow himself that. However, he hadn't let go of her hands.
Who could blame her for not paying attention to what was happening around her?
Once back in their home, Mariya took the time to settle into her room. The first thing she noticed was the difference between Japanese houses and those in her home country. The houses were smaller, the doors less wide, but everything was so practical. She remembered her mother often talking about it—the practicality of Japanese kitchens, from bathrooms to toilets. The latter was one of the first things Mariya was eager to try. She had hurriedly done so before taking a good bath, giggling in the foam like a five-year-old.
Then she collapsed into her bed and slept like a log.
It was the next day, heading out for breakfast with her grandparents, that she encountered one of the creatures.
Mariya was leisurely savoring a delicious strawberry cake in a coffee shop in Kyoto when she spotted one for the first time.
Or rather, sheheard it.
"WORK WORK WORK WORK!"
She glanced towards the source of the strange noise, wondering if it wasn't one of those child's dolls where you press it—and almost choked. She coughed so violently her grandparents became concerned. A–A mass , hideous, green, and slimy, slithered between the tables.
The thing was so repulsive that it sent shivers of horror down her spine. It seemed timid, rubbing more against the table than against the legs of people who were clueless about what was happening.
"What is that?!" she exclaimed, rubbing her tear-filled eyes. But her grandparents saw nothing, and all she had managed to do was attract attention.
"Mariya-chan, are you okay?" her grandmother asked gently, her eyes wide with concern. Mariya bit her lip and glanced back to where she had seen it. Nothing. Was she imagining things? She gently rubbed her eyes. Nothing again.
She looked at her grandfather, who furrowed his brows in her direction. Her grandfather was an impressive man, not in his height, but in his presence. He exuded the same strength of character as her father—no wonder the two didn't get along. Her father refused to let anyone dictate his actions, while her grandfather had an authoritative streak. Like father, like son.
Was she dreaming? Perhaps it was a lack of sleep. Maybe jet lag?
"Nothing," she finally articulated, offering them an apologetic smile.
At that moment, the thing appeared again, even closer to them. She jolted in her seat once again.
"You don't see that thing?!" Mariya exclaimed, almost hyperventilating, pointing at the repulsive mass sliding between them, leaving traces resembling mucus.
She didn't want to know.
Her grandmother glanced in the direction of Mariya's pointed finger, but the tightening of her lips indicated that she couldn't see it.
HOW? It was even green! She couldn't miss it!
"That's it, you need to see a doctor," her grandmother panicked.
"Mariya, you don't make sense," her grandfather asserted, lips tightly pressed. That's when Mariya realized she had a serious problem.
She managed to calm her grandmother only by going to the doctor. Her grandfather stood by their side, a silent and protective shadow.
The doctor assured them that there was nothing unusual about her. Meanwhile, Mariya saw one of those repulsive creatures coiled around the doctor's hand, its bulging eyes lazily rolling in its head. It was tiny, the size of a kitten.
This time, she restrained herself from screaming and bit her tongue.
She agreed to undergo an MRI to make sure she wasn't going crazy—an MRI that reassured her grandparents but nearly gave Mariya a heart attack when she saw the cost and mentally converted it into Euros.
MRIs were expensive. Seeing her constipated expression, her grandmother reassured her, "Don't worry, it's covered by health insurance."
She especially didn't want to see a psychiatrist, as the doctor had suggested. I bet he thinks I'm schizophrenic, she thought, before panicking, am I?
Mariya fell silent and shook her head gently, a forced smile on her lips as she pointed to the sun. "I'm not used to such heat."
It wasn't a lie. But it remained an excuse nonetheless. And she hoped her excuse was the truth and that the sun was playing tricks on her.
They all relaxed.
However, things didn't change, but she no longer wanted to worry her grandparents.
Since then, she has seen them absolutely everywhere. EVERYWHERE. Yet it wasn't when she started seeing the curses for the very first time that she was recruited as an exorcist.
Oh, no.
Not the second time either, which was spectacular.
It was the third time.
But before reaching that point, there was Satoru.
Mariya did her best not to venture too far from home, claiming that she enjoyed her grandparents' company—which was true .
But she no longer wanted to see those monsters, and her home was the only place where she felt a semblance of peace, where she didn't feel like she was going insane. She had even locked herself in her room once, until her grandparents asked if she feltokay at home.
(And what was wrong with her?)
In a way, she was fine. She was simply trying to understand what was happening to her.
She had to admit she was completely overwhelmed by the situation. Mariya wasn't accustomed to dwelling on her misfortune too long, but encountering slimy, grotesque monsters everywhere was a bit of a new experience for her.
What she had needed was a day of respite.
The phone calls to her parents, when she couldn't talk to them via Skype, were a real ordeal for the teenage girl. She hadn't forgotten the tense family situation between her father and grandfather, so she made every effort to appear in top form so that her father wouldn't misinterpret things and get off to a flying start.
Hibino Yusuke had a nasty temper when he wanted to.
Mariya hoped her grandparents wouldn't talk about their concerns to her parents.
She already felt lost enough without adding the anxiety it could generate on both sides of the family, not to mention the explosive tensions.
Her grandmother pressed, "Are you certain you don't want to return to your parents until they arrive in Japan?"
Her grandmother's insistence weighed greatly on Mariya as guilt gnawed at her, knowing she had unintentionally hurt them.
"No, grandma. Itruly cherish being with both of you! It's the first time I've seen you, and I just want to spend more time with you at home. It feels calmer," she affirmed, pulling them into a tight embrace. She silently resolved to try harder. She could ignore those monsters, right? Act as if they didn't exist. She had a talent for pretending when necessary.
And in the evening, she would be home and wouldn't risk seeing them.
That was her plan, at least.
Until they started coming to herhome too.
Upon waking up, she noticed one on her grandmother's head, and she almost had a heart attack (once again).
Thoughts tumbled in her head, one after another, but one main idea stood out:
I've gone really crazy, haven't I?!
However, having grown accustomed to ignoring them during the times her grandparents almost forced her to go out, she managed to avoid an overly excessive reaction. (Though she did choke on her orange juice, it was nothing too alarming. She claimed she had swallowed wrong, which technically was true.) She proceeded to act as if nothing had occurred, all the while keeping a close watch on her grandmother, her stomach tight and her hands clammy.
At this point, she wondered how she had managed to avoid having a mental breakdown, whether she was not accustomed to dwelling on misfortune or not.
Enough , she thought almost angrily. Enough! Act and find a solution, Mariya!
From there, she decided to go into town by herself without being coerced. Conveniently, that day her grandparents had to go to the bank.
"You can grab a crepe while you wait," her grandmother kindly told her, smiling gently, before her grandfather silently passed her some money.
"Oh! Thank you! Do you want some too?" Mariya asked, her stomach warming. They were so adorable and took care of her as if she were the apple of their eyes. Her grandmother shook her head gently, smiling, her square-cut hair brushing softly against her jaw.
"Oh no, Mariya-chan." Mariya did her best to ignore the thing on her grandmother's head... which had slightly decreased in size.
Mariya hugged them briefly. Her grandfather awkwardly patted her back, still a bit stiff in his displays of affection. Her grandmother also hugged her, though more tightly. The teenage girl got a whiff of her grandmother's perfume, a light, fruity scent, the one she had offered her when she came to live with them.
To her grandfather, she had brought some beautiful sunglasses. Her father had informed her that he had a tendency to collect them.
He hadn't been wrong; he didn't have an astronomical quantity, but they were all of quality and timeless models.
They stepped back
"We'll be back in a few moments. It might take a bit, though," her grandfather warned, to which Mariya nodded and pointed to a corner, diligently avoiding eye contact with the monsters. "I'll wait for you here."
Finally, they entered the bank. Mariya observed them for a moment. Her grandfather was a bit taller than her grandmother; he always walked in a way that helped her navigate through the crowd, protecting her. He had a confident and assured stride. Her grandmother always had a hand resting on his arm, her body slightly leaning towards his.
Mariya made her way to the crepe shop, catching a glimpse of those creatures scurrying away in the street corners. She quickly entered, her mouth twitching, her face contorting in a grimace of terror.
Take a deep breath, Mariya. She ordered herself, her hands trembling ever so slightly. She shoved them into her pockets without a word, digging her nails into her palm. The slight pain helped her calm down and focus.
Having successfully kept the looming terror at bay, Mariya could finally observe her surroundings at leisure. The creatures were less present in the crepe shop; they seemed to hide in certain dark corners, not interacting with anyone.
Mariya suddenly stifled a scream upon seeing one of those monsters coiled around the person in front of her. A salaryman, in a black suit. His hand kept rubbing the part where the monster had taken up residence. She ignored the shivers of horror that ran through her and focused on the fascination she felt in retrospect. These things came in all shapes and colors, like monstrous flyheads, but hairier.
For the thousandth time, Mariya wondered if she was going crazy.
….They looked like hollows, she thought, racking her brain for a logical explanation. Her brain heated up and came to a halt. She literally saw none , for heaven's sake.
"Sir, your order?" the employee's voice interrupted her thoughts.
The man in front of her, who seemed to be really suffering from his shoulder, mumbled his order in a tired tone.
Suddenly, the creature's eyes met Mariya's.
Time seemed to stand still.
An alarm sounded within her, and a primal instinct awoke in the teenage girl. She squinted, blurring her sight, and acted as if nothing was wrong. Cold sweat ran down her spine, and her breathing slightly quickened. Seconds stretched into what seemed agonizingly long hours.
Finally, the employee walked past her, and Mariya continued to stare at a fixed point, holding her breath. From the corner of her eye, she noticed that the creature had coiled even more around the salaryman's shoulder. She heard him grumble. Unable to resist, she turned slightly to the side, her eyes scanning his face.
Undead. That's what he looked like. Dark circles shadowed the area under his eyes, his eyelids were heavy and drooping, and his face was a bit hollow. He really needed a good night's sleep.
Mariya couldn't help but glance quickly at the thing on his shoulder. Its tail was now wrapped around the salaryman's arm, who stopped just at the entrance to massage his shoulder again, before his hand moved down his arm.
…
She didn't know what to think. The creature seemed to be the cause of his arm and shoulder pain. Or was it something else? Was the creature thecause , or was the creature the arm pain?
"Miss?" the employee asked, pulling her out of her thoughts. When Mariya turned her face towards her, looking sheepish, the employee immediately switched to English, "Oh, miss, hm, what's your order? "
This language switch had become a familiar occurrence since her arrival. The first time she had breakfast with her grandparents, the waiter struggled with choosing the right language.
Smiling, Mariya replied in Japanese, "A Nutella and banana crepe, please."
The employee promptly fulfilled the order with a small reassuring smile. She clearly wasn't confident in her English. But the teenage girl thought she was doing just fine.
Mariya, having paid for her treat, waited to the side, her amber eyes wandering around the crepe shop. It was in light blue tones, cute, and clean. The charming blue-themed establishment seemed ideal for couples or friends, with pairs enjoying crepes by the windows and larger groups at rectangular tables enjoying their crepes, savory or sweet.
As for the monsters...
One of them, resembling a snake, coiled around the stomach of a girl seated near one of the windows. She nonchalantly enjoyed her crepe and chatted with her friend, showing little concern. They were high school girls. Suddenly, the small creature seemed to tighten its grip on the girl's stomach. She paused, a furrow forming between her brows, and rubbed her belly.
...Just like the salaryman. These creatures... they weren't exactly hollows. By definition (at least following Bleach principles), a hollow was a human (or animal) soul that failed to move on to the afterlife (represented by the Soul Society). Some souls became hollows because they felt abandoned by their families, no longer praying for their salvation, while others became hollows by lingering too long in the human world.
Mariya doubted that these things were hollows, hollows . They seemed more like a manifestation of someone's physical discomfort.
And that was a relief.
A relief because it meant she wasn't crazy. The salaryman rubbed his shoulder, and that's where Mariya saw the monster. The high school girl rubbed her belly when the snake tightened its hold around her midsection. The girl's friend leaned in, presumably asking if she was okay.
She wasn't crazy. She wasn't crazy! She couldsee these things.
Mariya's lips tightened, and a nervous muscle twitched on her jaw. She gently rubbed her eyes with her fingers. It wasn't because she had discovered she wasn't crazy that she still welcomed the sight of these disgusting creatures.
Now... her goal was to understand exactly what they were. Her grandmother had one on her head, for heaven's sake. But this hollow didn't seem to cause her the slightest headache. Mariya would have thought it might be due to its size; the thing was smaller than the one she had seen on the salaryman. Yet so far, this thing hadn't done anything significant to her grandmother.
The employee called her to pick up her crepe. Mariya thanked her and bit into her sweet, hastily making her way out. The mixture of chocolate and banana melted on her tongue, and she almost moaned in pleasure. A good way to momentarily divert her attention from the situation.
The door opened just as she was about to reach it. A deep but boyish voice suddenly resonated. Shortly after a small gust of wind, she caught sight of a tall boy, much taller than her, and something told her he hadn't finished growing yet, entering the crepe shop in a black uniform.
What first caught her eye was his hair. A tousled and silky mass of white locks. The color reflected the sunlight, making them shine like a thousand fires, and Mariya could almost see hints of almost purple reflections. But it was so subtle that she wondered if her eyes were playing tricks on her.
At first, she thought he had dyed his hair. No one naturally had a color like that; that was not possible. Unless he was an albino, but he didn't seem to be one either. Her eyes slid over his chiseled face, and Mariya almost swallowed her tongue.
He had a slim, straight nose, sharply defined features, even though she could still see some childish traces that would probably disappear in a year or two. He wore round glasses, reminding her of the Squirtle Squad in Pokemon. A boyish smile stretched across his lips.
As he entered the establishment, he exclaimed, "At least this ridiculous last-ditch mission allows us to indulge in Kyoto's sweets!" Mariya had to step aside to let him pass. The atmosphere changed with his mere presence, and a shiver ran down her spine, her hairs standing on end. This boy had something indefinable. A... strength? She couldn't explain it otherwise. Already, people in the crepe shop were staring at him. But he seemed accustomed to this attention, as if it was something owed to him. He walked with the confidence of someone at ease with himself. Perhaps a bit too much, but she was no one to judge someone she didn't know.
Mariya forced herself to take a bite of her crepe to stop staring at him. She could already feel the beginnings of a blush coloring her skin, and she wanted to avoid looking at him like a creep.
The brunette shifted a bit and managed to slip past him to exit.
At that instant, as they strolled by, Mariya stole a glance at him, precisely when he turned to speak to his friends outside. Their eyes briefly met, and her breath caught in her throat.
The sky was in his eyes, Mariya vaguely thought, absolutely flabbergasted by that boy, by his eyes, by him. His eyes were a blue she had never seen before, a myriad of shades blending into one, shining almost like diamonds. It was something so pure that it struck her, just like his presence.
A gentle breeze passed between them, tossing Mariya's bangs in front of her eyes, obscuring her vision for a moment. She brushed a strand to the side and tucked it delicately behind her ear before blinking, opening them slowly-
He was looking at her.
His glasses had slid slightly down his nose, as if he had pushed them or they had slipped. Mariya found herself under the electric intensity of his gaze as he watched her, his eyes slightly widened, a hint of surprise in them. She couldn't describe his expression.
Mariya stared back at him, speechless, her throat dry. A strange sensation welled up within her, originating in her stomach before spreading throughout her body, coursing through her veins. It gently straightened her shoulders, as if a metal bar had been lodged along her spine, issuing a warning. Don't appear weak. But also, don't show too much.
It was... bizarre.
Mariya stood her ground.
She held his gaze, delving her eyes as deeply into his as he did into hers, trying to decipher him. She could hear the voices of people outside, the cars; she could feel the air against her skin, but all of that faded into the focus remained solely on him, and as time stretched between them, as her ears began to buzz, a subtle hum began to envelop her senses —
"...Satoru, what are you doing?" asked an amused voice.
A boy.
The shared moment—indescribable in its essence—shattered.
'Satoru' continued to gaze at her for a few more seconds, a slight 'Mm' escaping his lips. His eyes narrowed, his cheekbones rose and the corners of his mouth stretched, revealing a set of white, perfectly aligned teeth in the widest, most shit-eating grin she had ever seen.
Before she could react (and she had no clue how to, completely thrown off), he tapped the corner of his uplifted mouth in that boyish smile with his finger without a word before turning his head towards the person who had spoken, snickering, the sun hitting him just right to spotlight his profile.
Mariya realized with horror that she had stood there gawking at this (undeniably handsome) boy and hurriedly stepped outside, without a word, mortified by her behavior and trying to appear as nonchalant as possible. I'm aaaaall chill….yeah let's be real for a second. She knew her cheeks were burning like two suns. Mariya was rocking that fair skin that goes full-blown tomato, be it from anger, shyness, or embarrassment. Hated it. But what could she do? She had no way of fighting against it, so she tried not to dwell on the subject too much.
But now? Now, she wished she hadn't shown any sign of her embarrassment. She wished for the most dignified exit possible. She took another bite of her crepe to compose herself, a composure she clearly lacked, and took a few steps outside. From there, she saw two people, presumably her age, wearing the same uniform as... Satoru.
One of them was the boy who had called out to Satoru, she would bet her hand on it. Seemed like he matched the white-haired hottie height.
His uniform was a bit different; he wore a sarouel. It wasn't the type of pants she expected to see in the surroundings, so it surprised her, but she rolled with it. After all, she had a few at home herself. His hair was black and straight, tied in a sort of bun, and his face was chiseled.
He, too, was handsome. Unlike Satoru, he no longer had his slight roundness; his jaw was sculpted, his eyes stretched, reminiscent of a cat's, and of a dark brown hue. They sparkled with intelligence and curiosity. He had that same confident aura as Satoru, that same presence, though maybe a bit less-in-your face.
He strolled into the crepe shop, shooting her an indifferent glance before smiling at his friend. Mariya hurriedly moved away, feeling awkward. Yet, she couldn't help but notice the last person in their little group. A girl with short brown hair and a beauty mark at the corner of her eye. Leaning against the wall, she waved her hand lazily towards her friends, a cigarette between her lips. She took a drag. "Hurry up," she said lazily.
Mariya quickened her pace, not wanting to make the same mistake as a few seconds ago and stare. She was already struggling to swallow her crepe. Sitting on one of the benches to wait for her grandparents, her mind couldn't help but replay what had just happened. Another wave of embarrassment made her blush even more, and she felt like slapping her forehead. In her mind's eye, she could vividly picture the moment they crossed paths, their eyes meeting. That pure blue.
As she desperately tried to distract herself, her eyes fell on one of the little monsters, and lo and behold , her embarrassment vanished in an instant, reality crashing back down on her. Hitting her like a train at full speed.
Mariya leaned her back against the bench without saying a word, taking another bite of her crepe, chocolate and banana exploding on her taste buds. The flavor helped wash away the horror-induced shivers these monsters inspired.
Again, those things were everywhere. In all shapes and colors, some almost looking like Pokemons. Others perched on the shoulders of unsuspecting pedestrians. Those same pedestrians walked with a heavier gait, rubbing the parts of their bodies infested against their will.
And her theory made sense. People parasitized by these things tended to show signs of discomfort. Either they felt pain in the part where the thing was, or... or — She saw a woman stumble when one of these things coiled around her foot. The woman staggered and immediately leaned against the wall. The creature suddenly emitted a sound, drowned out by the hustle of the street, but Mariya still heard it.
It was a laugh. A laugh straight out of the worst horror movies she had ever seen. The creature then slid into one of the dark corners, fleeing when people from the group in which this passerby was came to help her and asked if she was okay.
...
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Mariy.a's head was about to explode from all the thoughts swirling around. She needed some peace and quiet to process everything she'd just observed.
Fortunately, just as she began to feel overwhelmed, her grandparents came out of the bank at that very moment. Mariya felt her heart sink into her stomach as she still saw the slimy thing on her grandmother's head, but it seemed harmless. However, she wasn't so sure anymore. What if it grew to harm her?
Why the heck was that thing on her grandmother's head in the first place?
What did it mean?
Was her grandmother…ill or something?
Her stomach twisted into sailor's knots.
"Sorry for the wait, Mariya-chan. Is the crepe good?" asked her kind grandmother with a small smile, before gently widening her eyes and rummaging in her pocket. She tapped the corner of her granddaughter's mouth, who blinked, emerging from her thoughts, and glanced at her silent grandfather.
Suddenly, Mariya thought of Satoru and how he had tapped the corner of his mouth-
Horror seized her, and she quickly grabbed the small mirror she always had with her, stepping back slightly from her grandmother.
"Mariya-chan?" she asked curiously.
"I'm checking something."
Mariya opened it, stepped back...
Her face flamed. The corner of her mouth still had a slight smudge of chocolate, not giving her grandmother enough time to clean it all. Not only that, her nose too.
That's why he had tapped the corner of his mouth!
Mariya groaned, blushing from head to toe. Well, it could be worse! It happens to everyone , she tried to reassure herself. Yeah sure!
"Oh my God, I look like a baby!" Mariya whimpered, throwing an embarrassed look at her grandparents. Her grandmother seemed on the verge of laughing, and she even saw her grandfather's lips twitch.
At that moment, from the corner of her eye, she saw a white reflection in motion in the distance, towards the crepe shop. Mariya couldn't help but turn her head, her heart skipping a beat.
Satoru had come out with one of the flagship crepes in hand, a mix of strawberry, whipped cream, and surely other things judging by its size. His friend had taken something more sober.
At that moment, a glint of blue sparkled, and his eyes locked onto hers as his glasses slid gently down his nose. Mariya couldn't breathe. There, in the sunlight, the boy seemed ethereal, an ice god in a desert. The sun shouldn't suit him, and yet it did. He shone brightly, from his hair to his eyes of such an unusual color.
Then...
He raised his hand and... tapped his nose, the same boyish and teasing smile on his lips before leaving with his friends. One of them, the other handsome boy, threw her a glance before leaving with him. The girl didn't even seem to notice her.
The chocolate on her nose- Mariya quickly wiped it off, self-conscious, before stopping and following him with her gaze, unable to help herself, as ridiculous as she might appear.
Mariya stood frozen, her cheeks still reddened from the previous situation. Again, she couldn't help but notice how different Satoru looked in the sunlight. His hair seemed to capture the golden rays, creating a delicate halo around his relaxed was as if every detail of his being was magnified in the sunlight.
Mariya's heart raced, but this time, it wasn't because of the chocolate mishap. She wondered why she felt this strange attraction towards Satoru. It was not only his handsome face (handsome everything). It was the whole package. He was that charming, his personality that strong. She bet he had a swarm of girls after him. She had noticed how they looked at him.
"Do you know that boy, Mariya-chan?" her grandmother asked curiously, following her gaze.
This completely snapped Mariya out of her thoughts, and she quickly turned her head towards her, trying to salvage whatever dignity she had left.
"Uh—" Mariya cleared her throat. "No , not at all. We just, uhhh, crossed paths?" Aaaaaaghhhh!
Her grandmother's mischievous smile widened. "He looks charming. Maybe a future suitor? You seemed to capture his attention."
Someone put me out of my misery. ASAP. Bonus points for quick and efficient methods.
"Uuuuh—"she stammered once again, unable to articulate a word.
May a building fall on me, please. Or, even better, let a hole magically appear for me to jump into.
Her grandfather remained silent but seemed to keep an eye on Satoru, his expression unreadable.
"Is he a hooligan?" He asked. His voice couldn't be more neutral, which was alarming in a way.
"He didn't look like one…"mused her grandmother. "Maybe he is going through a phase. What do we call it again? Ah, yes, teenage crisis .They tend to do the most unexpected things."
"His white hair is a dead giveaway," Her grandfather said dryly. He seemed supremely unimpressed by Satoru.
Her grandmother threw him a look, her mouth twitching. "Oh Jin, remember how Yu-chan had been as a teenager? I was always apologizing to the family of the hooligans he would beat up."
She had a mischievous twinkle in her eyes, the very same Mariya would see in her father's.
"He could have avoided doing that for his own sake." He didn't bother to elaborate further on what he meant by that.
Mariya blinked at the whole conversation and her jaw nearly dropped to the floor.
"Wait–hold on . Dad was beating up thugs?" she asked, eyes widening in surprise.
"And he was doing a good job at it if you ask me." added her grandmother and Mariya turned her head towards her so quickly that she thought her neck would snap. She gawked at her. What?
"I can't say he was wrong." He admitted it half-heartedly, as if it were a scratch on his mouth and throat.
…Did I fell into a parallel dimension? My father was knocking out cold thugs?
Her father who liked to use his sharp-tongue instead of hisfists? She can't picture him being some sort of street-fighter vigilante. The image of her Dad, with his neat black tie and harsh look to people he deemed idiots throwing punches at punks was too surreal.
"Did he have a secret identity too?" Mariya blurted out, her mind spiraling into the realm of mangas. All she could see was Kaito Kid. Maybe he had been a thief, too? And as soon as she had this thought, she brushed it aside with a mental wave of her hand. Her father, stealing? Never, and if he heard her, he'd take offense, even though it was a joke. Maaaaaybe.
Her grandmother chuckled. "Nothing as dramatic, I hope. Just a rebellious phase, you know."
Mariya couldn't help but burst out laughing. "Rebellious phase? It sounds more like a one-man neighborhood watch if you ask me!" She was still trying to wrap her head around the idea. "I feel like I just witnessed a real-life plot twist."
"Is it truly that surprising?" her grandfather asked, looking at her with a slightly raised eyebrow, urging her to think about it. And she did. Mariya folded her arms and raised her head to look at the sky.
...nope. It wasn't that surprising. Perhaps he'd calmed down over time, but, yeah, he would blow up very fast about some things. She didn't think he would hit people, but if she tried to imagine him when he was younger... A smile formed, dimples appearing on her cheeks.
"You know what? I can totally see it now! I bet he used to beat up bullies."
Mariya hadn't been brought up with a punch-first mentality, although of course, she had always been told to throw a hit back if someone started something and not let herself be pushed around. Thankfully, she had never been in that kind of situation, and her weapon of choice had always been a sharp tongue – but discovering this side of her father was honestly amusing and provided a welcome distraction. Talk about a true plot twist! It was like stumbling into a shop that was selling make-up and clothing at half price. Or mangas. All three at once. Totally unexpected, but extremely cool.
"He did. But I don't expect you to do the same," her grandpa said, raising his eyebrows at her as if worried she would start going on rampage against delinquents, mistaking her twinkling eyes and wide smile for a willingness to do likewise.
Mariya snorted and gave her grandpa an incredulous look. She affectionately wrapped her arms around his waist to hug him, still hilarious. "Grandpa. You're more likely to catch me leading a parade of thugs in a skincare routine than throwing karate chops! Gotta keep that complexion flawless."
She heard her grandma laughing in a quiet, polite manner behind her that reminded her of the way her best friend, Adelie, would laugh.
"Hm. I hope so. In any case, I don't want to see you following white-haired delinquents no matter how charming they are." he told her in a neutral tone, casting her a little equivocal look.
Her jaw dropped. She had hoped to steer the conversation elsewhere!
"Grandpa, I don't even know him!"
"You know what they say about love at first sight," her grandmother joined in, and Mariya whipped her head around to retort that she didn't believe in magical love at first sight, before seeing the amusement written all over her face.
"And what do they say about it?" her grandfather asked.
"That it is just a matter of bad weather?" Mariya quipped at the same time, trying to inject some humor into the conversation. Her grandfather was taking that situation a bit too seriously!
"Then I guess you will have to invest in a good umbrella." her grandmother chuckled, lightening the mood with that witty comeback and Mariya snorted. That was a good one. She joked:
"Well, I will be sure to bring an arsenal of umbrellas. Maybe knock some thugs away with it?"
"Even if I don't like the turn this conversation is taking, that's the spirit. Always be prepared for whatever life throws your way." her grandfather said and— his lips were twitching.
The teenage girl took this as a victory. Crisis averted!
For the time being.
On a better note, she had time to think.
She did even better; she put her observations into paper.
She took out her pink, spiral notebook during the evening after dining with her grandparents, talking to her parents using Skype, and answering to her best friend's emails, Adelie, who was on vacation with her dad's family.
Nibbling slightly on her pen, Mariya stared at her white sheet, before capitalizing:
HOLLOWS
She paused for a moment, reflecting on what she exactly wanted to write. Once certain, she began to write:
Now, I am sure that what I see isreal.
Hollows are everywhere. In every dark street corner, in every nook. They are small creatures, of various shapes and colors, simultaneously slimy and furry, equipped with multiple eyes that are sometimes open, sometimes closed.
Then, further down, she wrote:
CATEGORIES
- Disease
Some hollows trigger/are the manifestation of physical discomfort.
e.g: stomachache, shoulder pain
-Mischievous
Some hollows are there only to exhibit mischievous behavior.
e.g: making someone stumble.
-Unknown
Some appear suddenly on a part of the body and do not seem to be part of one of the two previous categories.
Mariya lightly tapped her pen against her notebook, gazing out of the window with a pensive expression, wondering if one of those creatures might flutter by.
No , she thought suddenly. They seemed almost…fearful. A detail she hastily added to her notebook. The heat today made her want to seek refuge in her fridge. Even the fan she had placed in her room wasn't enough. And Mariya always got sick due to the temperature shock from the air conditioning, so activating the one in her room was out of the question.
An alarm went off, and she stood up to remove the care she had put on her skin, looking at herself in the mirror. She had applied a panda-shaped mask. She noticed dark circles had started to form under her eyes …
probably because out of the blue, all these weird creatures decided to crash her party, and now she's stuck convincing herself that a cozy room with padded walls wasn't her next vacation spot?
Bizarrely, it made her laugh. She snorted as she removed her mask. Monsters or not, she refused to look like a crusty toe. After finishing her skincare routine, she looked at herself again in the mirror, taking a step back and observing herself.
Her skin had a nice glow to it, and smooth. The dark circles under her eyes were way less prominent, which she was grateful for.
Tucking her T-shirt into her shorts like a fashion guru, she tiptoed around, scrutinizing herself from every conceivable angle. Striking poses that even a scarecrow would find ridiculous, she paused momentarily for a dramatic flair before blowing an exaggerated kiss to the mirror, hand cockily wrapped around her hip.
"Get ready, handsome dude with lapis lazuli eyes, I'm about to rock your world!" she declared theatrically. Then looked at herself again, suddenly feeling very awkward after a few seconds. She knelt down abruptly, sighing and running her fingers through her hair.
What was she doing? she inwardly grumbled, before smiling a bit. Oh weeell, she needed to relax anyway. Though, she was lucky no one was around to witness her quirky antics!
Mariya dragged herself over to her bed and snagged a manga, a volume of Bleach. She flipped through the pages, hoping to shift her thoughts. But, encountering hollows and shinigamis during her reading session only brought back reminders of the monsters outside. A thought popped into her head:
Some of them talked, too.
Tossing and turning in bed, she reached out for her desk, attempting to grab her notebook without the hassle of standing up. Groaning, she stretched her arm even further. Finally, Mariya got on her knees, stood up with a scowl, and snatched her notebook without saying a word, quickly jotting down her musings.
Later, lying in her bed, a question kept looping in her mind:
Why had she never seen them where she came from?
A feeling of certainty followed that thought, a burning sensation in her chest:
I will protect grandma.
*Champomy: French non-alcoholic sparkling apple-juice.