DISCLAIMER

I do not own Oregairu and Jujutsu Kaisen series as they are respectfully owned by the creators and studios


"Tsutsumi Shina said she met him four days ago..." Mei mumbled with her eyes closed. While she shared the crow's vision to observe the three people in the cafe, she sat on the sofa with her legs crossed and held a traditional cup of tea. "Did he purposefully find her, knowing that her popularity as a survivor could be a strong tool for political influence? Hm... that's probably it. He's ahead of us, then. Whatever shall you do, Haruno-san?... Oh?"

Mei drank the tea once she saw something peculiar from a different crow's vision. Close to Haruno's location, Yukino was on the street in outdoor clothing carrying a handbag. She went inside a restaurant and stepped into the outdoor area. Her eyes focused on the two televisions attached above two corners of the dining area. The female news reporter spoke, bringing the girl's attention to the news as the screen showed a picture of three adolescents and a door of an apartment with a broken knob.

[Last night, three young troublemakers broke into someone's apartment. According to the interrogation, the purpose of the act is the rumors regarding an ancient spirit lurking in that specific room. The tenant complained that they ruined so many of his belongings, with the bedroom being littered with his own clothes as if, and I quote: 'an irritating storm making a mess'. These three are fifteen years old and are suspended from their school. We will see them soon in the Family Court, where they will decide the appropriate—]

As Yukino sat at the table next to the wooden fence, a waiter approached her, asking for her drink. After she replied, Yukino was left alone with her hand shaking from keeping it closed shut. She looked at the customers sitting at the table close to hers, and also at other people outside of the fence. No one was staring at her aside from a few individuals glancing at her because of that trembling hand. A black bird stood above the fence while she wasn't looking. Its eyes glued to her person like a statue.

Suddenly, Yukino shivered. The feeling lasted three seconds, but it scarred her mind. From the hair to the tiniest bones, her body trembled until she was short of breath. It was as if a malevolent force pushed out all the air in her lungs. Like insects crawled into her skin, the shiver prickled her sense of touch, scratching her very nerves. She felt a presence that was wicked like no other. It was the first time the young sister sensed such darkness and evil that only a demon could possess it.

Away from her awareness, a pale hand reached out to the crow, followed by a grin that appeared on top of the creature. Then, in an instant, that presence was gone. What remained were the dark feathers and blood staining the wood. Yukino stood, shifting her eyes left and right to find the source of the demon. Unfortunately, she only found citizens walking and continuing their mundane tasks. Her legs shook until she sat back down. She wondered where it came from, but what she sensed rang so many alarms in her mind. They were loud, telling her to not go after it. Yukino had to admit that there were some things beyond her capabilities, things that questioned her comprehension of the circumstances she allowed to grasp. Clutching her heart, she opened her phone and read text messages she exchanged with Yui earlier that read:

Yui: [You're feeling sick?]

Yukino: [Nothing serious. Just a day of rest should be enough for a full recovery.]

Yui: [Okay! Is it cool if I visit you? I want to give you a cake that we're planning to make for home economics!]

Yukino: [Maybe tomorrow. I don't want you to get sick.]

After the text, Yukino let go of her chest, releasing one deep breath. The appearance of a mysterious evil being changed her emotions from fear to resolve. It gave her more reason to see how her decision would turn out. She saw a man coming towards her. From ear piercings to the comb-over undercut, his appearance took her by surprise for a second. She also noticed the piercing on his lip as well.

"Are you the girl?" He asked with an arched eyebrow.

"DeadMask44?" Yukino said.


Yukinoshita Sisters Part 7

Frostbites, Burns, and Curses

"Yup, that's me... Are... you okay?" He expressed his worry, seeing her exhausted and slouching.

"I'm fine," she corrected her posture. "Shall we start?"

"Sure, but, uh... you're not a first year, are you?" the man sat in front of her, glancing their surroundings. "Because to me, you don't look young enough."

"I'm in third year in high school." She answered as the waiter brought a cup of water for her. The man with piercings ordered a coffee, which the waiter wrote it on a notepad. After he left, the Discord user shrugged his shoulders.

"Pretty late to ask, but don't you have school today?"

"That's none of your concern."

"U-huh... what do you want?"

"I've become quite interested in the Paranormal Hunters."

"That's what all the other girls say when they wanted to meet me. Can't we forget about it for a second and have a fun conversation?"

"Is it true that you visit places that are haunted?"

"Of course we do," He sighed and rested his shoulder on the table. "We live up to our names. I don't look like it, but I'm the man with the tools—EMF meters, night vision cameras, audio recorders, you name it. If something needs fixing and operating, my number is right here."

"I see..." Yukino watched him slide a tiny folded paper on the flat furniture, hesitantly taking it and reading its content. "What sort of tasks does your group—"

"What movies do you like?"

"... excuse me?"

"Movies? Do you watch any or that's not your cup of tea?"

"I do. Why do you ask?"

"Just wanna know your preference. By the way, my real name is Hideyoshi," the man named Hideyoshi beamed with excitement. "What's yours?"

"Yukinoshita Yukino." she said and drank her water.

"Yukinoshita...? Heeeh~," Hideyoshi wore a grin, which made Yukino feel uncomfortable. "You're the little sister."

"You know my sister?"

"Know her? We're both in the same university! She's really a different breed—all perfect scores in the exams, sociable, and the hottest girl on campus. To have a woman like that is like being blessed by all the deities!"

"Another man who is in love with Nee-san," Yukino rolled her eyes.

"I get you. Too many guys are lining up to take her out on a date. Some got it, but the reward didn't last long. Made my first attempt and that helped me learn that I'm way lower in the social pyramid when I'm close to her."

"I see. Now, back to the previous—"

"Are you single?"

"... Please, listen."

"I'm all ears."

"I didn't come all this way for a date. My intentions involve your organization, the inner workings, and the accomplishments that you all grasped with all that effort. Strictly speaking, any unnecessary topics such as relationships and such do not interest me."

"... Ouch." Hideyoshi said in a dumbfounded manner. With a sigh, he slapped his forehead while the waiter brought the paper cup of coffee he ordered. He mumbled: "Today is not my day."

"Are you guys ready to order, or do you need more time?" The server asked them.

"Can I have a ricotta cheesecake?" Yukino said to him.

"I'm not ordering anything." Hideyoshi grunted.

"Okay, then. Your order will be ready in about ten to fifteen minutes." The waiter picked up the menu booklets and left.

"So, you want to know about us? For what?" the man in front of her asked with a bored face.

"I wish to partake in your expeditions," the girl responded as she picked up the fork.

"As in, you want to look for ghosts with us?"

"That is what the group normally does, yes?"

"Ugh, sorry. I don't have any authority to accept members."

"Then introduce me to the one who manages that."

"What if I say no?" Hideyoshi rested his chin on his palm. "You may be her sister, but you're still a stranger to me. I don't just go handing out party invitations randomly."

"Isn't that the purpose of our meeting? I assure you, my abilities can be a valuable asset."

"In what way?"

"In any area, be it management or the search for spirits. With my help, we can elevate your team higher in both efficiency and popularity. How many paranormal activities have any of you encountered?"

"Too many to count," Hideyoshi averted his gaze in disinterest, but Yukino assessed his answer as dishonest. She played along with the act and continued.

"Imagine this scenario: you post videos of your expeditions and it reaches millions of views. Not only will you have the local audience, but the fanbase will grow globally. Perhaps both Japanese and Western media might take interest as well," Yukino eyed on the flatscreen television, which the man followed suit. "Once your popularity spans over a year and with a large community backing you, certain companies may offer you in partaking in a television show based on the paranormal. With that, you will gain the status of a celebrity."

"... Huh, I admit that's pretty tempting," Hideyoshi smiled, playing with one of his ear piercings. "But it's too good to be true."

"Haven't Nee-san told you anything about me?"

"Aside from gushing about how cute you are? Nope, and do you honestly think that I'll believe anything you say? It's like a recruiter showing me her business card. Sketchy as hell."

"I am aware of your career as a Niconico streamer and a YouTuber. The content is mostly gaming and music covers. With five hundred and thirty thousand subscribers in Niconico, the views in each of your videos range from two hundred thousand to three million views. Your two most popular ones are the collaboration with a twitch streamer for cover of Lemon by Kenshi Yonezu, and the other about speculations regarding the Port Tower incident. The latter has more views by a hundred thousand. Understandably so, considering that you have actual proof, but sadly, the videos were taken down for disrespecting the dead."

"You did your homework, huh?"

"You are everywhere in both Niconico and YouTube. I am quite surprised that you remained your anonymity in the Paranormal Hunters when you are doing something as foolish as this," the fury in her blue eyes sparked, igniting a sense of caution in the internet celebrity. "Then again, perhaps you may have done indecent acts to the girls you've previously met personally."

"My hands are clean, madam." Hideyoshi said in a playful tone, smirking and raising his hands.

"Are they now? I hope so, since it will fuel the haters by mentioning your past controversies."

"All fake, no proof."

"If you say so. Whatever errors you've done are of no concern to me. As long as we cooperate well enough, your... nefarious... history may deem forgettable."

"Sorry, princess, but it's still a 'no'."

"Even though it will help your image?"

"For what? People love me."

"Your former sponsors said otherwise." Yukino's argument spurred an eye twitch from Hideyoshi. Upon noticing the crack in his nonchalant behavior, she pressed on. "It was an amazing offer as well from Universal Music. The perfect opportunity to be an artist. I do remember you always wishing to meet Radwimps and Utada Hikaru. Such a shame that you are too disgusting for any studio... or any human in general, to have you."

"Alright, I'm out of here." he stood up and glared at her while he carried the cup of coffee.

"There is still more to discuss."

"Like what? The rumors of me abusing my niece? That sex scandal?"

"Well, if that's what you prefer, then—"

"Fuck you," the man growled. "Is this how you respect people older than you?"

"Is this how you treat women younger than you?" the girl fired back.

"You don't earn a single grain of my respect, bitch. No one is gonna take your side after I rant about this on my channel."

"Please do. Tell them how I treat the abominations that disguise themselves as humans. Just know that you are throwing away the only chance for stardom."

"That is the worst joke I've ever heard all morning. You? Make me a celebrity? I don't trust a bigheaded coyote pretending to be a goody-two-shoes dressed in a poor bitch's attire, with a brain of a dumbass because she just doesn't know her place. In all honesty, Yukinoshita Yukino, kill yourself." Hideyoshi walked away in disdain, whispering vulgar words of her without regarding the few customers near them eavesdropping on their conversation when he stood up.

"I see. At least let me tell you the details of my offer." Yukino suggested while she held her head and was still calm. The angry influencer raised an eyebrow, appearing to be uninterested in her attempt. With confidence still on display, she spoke. "I can help you improve your image. If we cooperate, consider any loud opposition to have their voices lowered. My school can put together an event just for you to be seen in a better light."

"Oh, come on," Hideyoshi rolled his eyes. "Spare me your bullshit. A school project? Really?"

"Please think for a moment," Yukino gestured him to sit back down, but he stood still, scrutinizing her. "Sponsors will not accept you because of those controversies. No collaborations, no friends, no social circle—you are all alone."

"No, I'm not," Hideyoshi whispered before he shifted his gaze elsewhere with gritted teeth.

"Hideyoshi-san, I've been hunting so many ghosts in different places. My sources varied from time to time, so I would occasionally watch a video to learn more about haunted places. Your video is one of them. What was the title? Something along the lines of 'Conspiracies of a Haunted Tower', I believe? Quite bold of you to re-upload after the viewers lashed out on your blatant disregard for the deceased and their families."

"I am just spreading awareness, that's all. Who doesn't want to show a scary thing like that to the whole world?"

"It seems they are more aware of how much of a failure you are in their eyes. Is your greed the reason for re-uploading it?"

"Zipping my mouth shut is not my style, unfortunately for you. Like, I can't keep quiet when it's just too good for me to have it all myself." Hideyoshi wore a smug.

"That loud mouth of yours is the sole reason fixing your career is growing more difficult," Yukino said as she gave him her own side-eye.

"Are you kidding? I'm getting more fans because of that video."

"At the cost of having a single recruiter giving you their business cards. I congratulate you on obliterating your dream."

"Uhm... is there something w-wrong?" The waiter asked them in confusion, approaching with a plate of risotto cheesecake in his hand."

"Nothing, our petty argument escalated, that's all." She said with an innocent smile while she used her foot to push the chair across the table.

"'Petty', my ass..." Hideyoshi was reluctant, but he sat back in the chair she just pushed. Looking back and forth between those two, the waiter awkwardly put down the dessert on the table and left quietly.

"Now, where were we?" the girl lightly tapped the tip of the fork on the edge of the plate. "Because of that re-upload, your Niconico channel was terminated for good. It's only a matter of time before your YouTube channel to meet the same fate. Will you have enough time to achieve your dream, Hideyoshi-san?"

"I... would... I'd gamble... on it." the influencer's voice went lower while his pupils looked down at her dessert.

"1948," Yukino said, cutting a piece of the cheesecake. "Do you know of a certain famous author that died that year?"

"I don't know, Nobunaga?"

"Wrong, at least put an effort into answering."

"Well, who is it, then?" Hideyoshi grunted.

"Tsushima Shuji," With a sharp glare, Yukino observed him growing uncomfortable with her. "Famously known as Dazai Osamu. Surely, you know him, yes?"

"The writer who killed himself?" the man shrugged. "I don't read books."

"He committed three suicide attempts, the third being successful. What's interesting is that they were all double suicides with his lovers, except for the first attempt. The reason for ending his own life may vary. Perhaps it is the isolation and the events that are portrayed in his book 'No longer human', or it could be that his idol, Akutagawa Ryunosuke, committed suicide as well."

"He really liked going down with a woman, huh? Dying alone got him scared."

"Maybe. In his first attempt, he survived and finished university after that," she responded before eating the piece of dessert. Swallowing her food, she raised two fingers with the hand that held the silverware. "The second was with a bar hostess named Tanabe Shimeko. Although she succeeded, Dazai survived and was suspected of murdering her."

"Shit..." Hideyoshi whispered as his half-lidded eyes opened fully.

"His third and successful attempt was with his final lover, Yamazaki Tomie. After abandoning his wife and children, Dazai fell for her and finally drowned themselves in a canal."

"That's... wow... why the storytelling, all of a sudden?"

"Something for you to ponder. Going back to Dazai's idol, Akutagawa Ryunosuke, how much do you know about him?"

"Another writer who killed himself, that's it... if you're just wasting time, I'm gonna—"

"Akutagawa made a name for himself in the Taisho era as an exemplary writer. He wrote hundreds of stories in his short lifetime. Throughout his later years, he suffered from having hallucinations, along with the growing fear of inheriting his mother's postpartum depression. He committed suicide via an overdose of barbital when he was 35 years old."

"... O-okay?..." He leaned back from the discomfort of her discussion. "What the fuck are you getting at telling me all this?"

"What do those celebrities have in common?" Yukino asked, cutting another piece.

"I don't know, they were famous? They were singers? Actresses?"

"They both suffered," Yukino ate the piece, letting silence stretch between them until she swallowed. "Despite their success in their literary career, they ended up taking their own lives. Whether you are a drug-addicted, cheating scum like Dazai Osamu, or a decent man like Akutagawa Ryunosuke, you will be crushed by an overwhelming weight of misery."

"Okay, so? Are you saying I might end up like them?" he scoffed. "The time they lived in was just shit. Of course, the pressure is a lot heavier for them. And for the record, my family and I are as healthy as any normal guys."

"I find that hard to believe the last part when you have a fixation on dating first-year girls," Her remark made him flinch, frowning and looking away. The girl was about to take another forkful piece of cheesecake, but stopped midway to continue speaking. "What is another trait they all have in common?"

"They were way older than me before they died?" he responded in a blank tone.

"They were all loved. After several decades, their works are being taught in schools all over the world, translated into different languages. The two writers' stories were still studied and analyzed to this day. You? There will not be a soul to mourn your death, no one to hold a genuine feeling for a loss that lacks any weight. Your legacy will be just as irrelevant as a shifting molecule, being known as the imbecile obsessed with attention, like an annoying child who keeps shouting at their parents and relatives to look his way."

"What... I am- that's a bit much, don't you think?" Hideyoshi looked away again. "Are you some kind of prophet now? Shit, you should've started with some fortune-telling cards or whatever."

"Precognition or not, your future is already obvious to a monkey, Hideyoshi-san. I can easily see it, to be honest. The words 'abuser' and 'scum' will be carved in your tombstone, never showing what you really are when you still walk on this Earth. Well... that is unless those words summarize your true self."

"It's not!"

"Then prove it to them."

"With your stupid school project?" he asked with a trembling voice, catching the girl off-guard for only a moment. Slamming his fist on his own lap, he glanced at one of the restaurants' televisions and saw the host and a guest laughing in a morning show. "I've tried everything, but they just won't believe me."

"Why didn't you stay silent?" Yukino put down the fork with the piece of cheesecake still attached to the tip.

"Because I fucking hate being painted that way." Hideyoshi held his head with both hands while he slouched. "Abuser? Scum? Who the hell is that? I can't let them move on without knowing the real me..."

"Obsessed with other people's perspective of you..." she whispered and sighed. "My ideas may only give a tiny presence, but it is better than nothing. An ant cannot kill a spider, not alone. With each tiny step, we can tear off each stain in the cloth that is your career. It all rest on your hands to lead all of that to your favorable outcome."

"... is silence still an option?"

"It was... until you threw that away." The girl put down the fork on the plate that had the half-eaten cake. "No matter how many years will pass, when someone sees you, they will only mention a particular awful video you made or any negative characteristics you possess."

"Well, shit..." Hideyoshi sighed, putting both hands behind his head. He said nothing for a while as Yukino drank her tea and wiped the corners of her mouth with a napkin. Clasping his hands together, Hideyoshi huffed. "You're really confident about this?"

"I wouldn't be able to confront you like this if I'm not." She eyed him without any cracks in her demeanor.

"... Okay, then... you win," he said and called the waiter to order a cake of his own. After the order, the man focused back on Yukino. "You know, I didn't expect you to be this smart when it comes to the internet people."

"What makes you say that?"

"Your sister talks about you a lot."

"Does she...?" the girl's finger flinched, but the influencer failed to notice.

"Yeah, like how serious you are or how much effort you put into studies and all that junk. From the way she describes it, I pictured you as some entitled, rich girl who looks down on people because she's born talented."

"Quite a stereotype."

"Why else did I call you a princess?" Hideyoshi chuckled.

"There is some... truth to it, I suppose." Yukino intertwined her hands together, smiling with a hint of shame. "Those who already possess a gift without effort are the ones being devoured by pride, after all."

"Geez, you can quit with speaking Aristotle-style. Even though you did act the way I expected a little, there's no denying the facts you shot at me. I got scared of the gunfire and almost got away from you."

"Your running has proven to make it difficult for me to aim, especially since I barely know you, but I fired, nonetheless. I consider my successful shots as strokes of fortune."

"There's no luck when it comes to accuracy," Hideyoshi said as he rubbed his neck and stretched it. "I should've stood still like an obedient dog and deserve a headshot."

"That would be no fun, wouldn't it?" Yukino rebutted with a smile. "Besides, I prefer a barking dog over a walking corpse."

"Oh..." His mouth agape while his eyes focused solely on the young beauty, expressing her amusement towards him. With rose cheeks, he bent forward slightly to capture every enchanting detail of her. His body felt lighter upon staring at her for a longer period of silence. Blinking once, he saw a flash of image that appeared to be a woman who looked almost like Yukino, but older and with shorter hair, a familiar face he'd often encounter. Gulping, he asked the question. "Hey... are you single or...?"

"I'd rather not disclose private information to strangers," Yukino responded. Her smile fell down into indifference.

"We pretty much talked long enough for us to not be strangers," Hideyoshi argued gleefully, resting his cheek in his hand. "Hell, you know more about me than I know about you."

"On the contrary, our knowledge about each other is only at surface level. I'd like to keep it that way for now since all of this is a business-like relationship."

"Purely business, huh?" Hideyoshi grinned. "Don't blame me if I get any weird ideas from now on."

"I told you before that I am not here for a date." She said in a monotone.

"No, just a good talk with yours truly," he crept his hand to touch hers. When his fingertips contacted her backhand, her own fingers flinched. "... and I hope we can talk more later on- ow!"

"Yes, I share the same thought," she pinched his hand, forcing him to stop before he could grab it. "Let's have a wonderful cooperation in reaching our goals."

"Feisty!" Hideyoshi chuckled as the two exchanged phone numbers. They proceeded to consume what they had ordered without saying a single word. Despite the lack of a conversation, he still felt content after talking to her. Meanwhile, Yukino gripped the hem of her skirt tightly until her hand became white from squeezing it. With her face still showing confidence, her pupils moved away from him, looking at whatever interested her. Even though there was no food in her mouth, she still gulped. Then, the television showed more images of young people breaking in to a person's property as her ears captured the reporter's words, saying that they harassed the owner, calling her an "associate of Hell". As the news went on, Yukino let go of the hem, and faced Hideyoshi again, who called on the waiter for the bill. After he paid both of their orders out of courtesy and obvious intentions, he stood from his chair and said: "I'll be taking my leave. It's really nice meeting you... just wish in a different way."

"Indeed, but if we were to meet in alternative circumstances, I wouldn't be able to see past your rough exterior." Her comment earned a laugh from him. When he said his goodbye and walked away, however, Yukino sensed a familiar feeling somewhere close. She observed her entire surroundings, trying to pinpoint that feeling until her eyes went to her new benefactor. Inside his pocket, the girl sensed a cursed energy that caused her to follow him. Once she stepped out of the establishment, she grabbed his arm, earning a shocked expression from him.

"What the-"

"That thing in your pocket." Yukino gave a stern look. "What is it?"

"You mean this?" Hideyoshi pulled out an object that looked like a wooden figurine of a pandit, a Hindu priest. Upon staring at it intensely, the girl reached for the object. However, the man retreated a few steps away from her playfully. "Hold on, touching this isn't allowed."

"What is it?" She asked again.

"Well..." Hideyoshi tapped his chin with the object and responded. "I don't want to tell all my secrets to strangers so carelessly."

"... fair play," Yukino cleared her throat as Hideyoshi looked at the sky for a moment. With one quick glance at her, he smirked and turned around before the girl could notice his expression. "Don't worry, princess. You'll get to see more soon. Say hi to your sister for me."

"Yes... thank you so much," Hideyoshi looked back to see Yukino bowing. Sighing, he walked forward as he paid attention to the sidewalk. After he disappeared, she had a look of confusion and disbelief as she closed her eyes shut. Concentrating on the presence of that object again, she covered her mouth.

"Why… does it have your cursed energy, Hachiman?"

-0-0-0-0-0-

"What is happening...?" Mei's expression became stern as she grasped her own chin. "Every so often that my crows follow her, they were gone. I can't find the person responsible for this and despite leaving curse residuals, it's so all over the place that I can't trace where they were. Is someone protecting her from me? Could it be the foreign sorcerers? Even though they are with Gojo-kun? No, it's precisely because they are under him that may cause some hostility. There is no proof that we have good relations with sorcerers outside of Japan."

She used her cursed technique to control another vast flock of crows and split them up into smaller groups. One of which flew towards Yukino to watch over her. Compared to previously, the number of the black birds doubled, so that on the off-chance the perpetrator made another attempt, it'd be impossible to kill so many of her surveillance without being caught. Not only that, Mei controlled a few crows to hide in less obvious places such as under a car, and inside a rear basket of a bicycle full of groceries. They were positioned at an angle where they could see the fully exposed crows.

"They would kill my crows at random times... wait, that's wrong. It is possibly when Yukinoshita Yukino does a specific action that would raise my awareness." Mei noticed how Yukino looked in pain. "I should probably tell this to Haruno and the foreign sorcerers spying on Katsunori-san. Speaking of..."

Her vision went back to the older Yukinoshita sister, who was only eating food silently while the old man and Shina conversed with each other by themselves. Haruno listened to every word they said, as well as their body language. Her main problem was definitely Katsunori because not only he was steps ahead of her, he was a sorcerer too. Chances of her secret being discovered were low, but to her, not low enough to end her fears. Still, that would be an issue for another time. The objective this time was Tsutsumi Shina.

"And then I told that idiot to leave because if anyone talks badly about Porcher's, then they shouldn't come back as a regular," Shina said to him.

"Understandable, but wouldn't that intimidate other customers?" Katsunori asked.

"They're already annoyed at him, so they're glad that he's gone," she huffed, taking a bite of a chicken sandwich.

"Then all ends that ends well," he chuckled. "A good meal is eaten best when you are around others that loves all food. Letting such a nuisance hinder that should not be in any establishment."

"Right?" Shina wiped the corners of her mouth with a napkin.

"Do you work at that place or just visit there regularly?" the old man asked.

"I sometimes help out when they are understaffed. When it first opened, I used to eat there weekly, but lots of stuff has eaten away my schedule."

"The owner has a daughter, right? I do see her sometimes and hear the employees say her name."

"Asuka? That's her niece. Her grandfather works at that izakaya in Hanamigawa. Same name as the restaurant, by the way."

"Oh! I love that place. You seem to know them very well."

"Yeah, but I never talked to Asuka that much, so I don't know her that well. The last time I talked to her was last month when... you know."

"Y-yes... I'm sorry."

"No worries. Anyway, I was invited to have dinner with the Porcher family this morning, but I declined."

"That's your chance to bond with them. It would be a shame to waste it."

"They are close enough to discuss such a personal topic. I'm far behind," Haruno thought as she bit the croissant. The moment she stood up, the two focused their attention on her. "Excuse me, I need to use the washroom."

"Okay." Shina nodded as Haruno went to the room. The latter stared at the reflection from the mirror. She contemplated on whether she should leave them alone or keep conversing with those two to at least deepen her friendship with Shina. Sighing, Haruno moved closer to the mirror with hands on her waists. Her eyes were fixated on her face to check if there was any dirt or crumbs from the croissant she ate. Using the phone, she sent a message that read:

Haruno: [Hey, are you free tomorrow?]

Izumi: [Yeah, why?]

Haruno: [Just asking if you wanna hang out. Can Iwamoto-kun come, too?]

Izumi: [I'm down, but let me ask him first.]

While she waited for a response, Haruno texted a different contact number.

Haruno: [Hello~, how's it going? ]

Kajiyashiki: [What is it?]

Haruno: [How blunt]

Kaji: [Sorry. Busy with work. Just the stress, that's all.]

Haruno: [No problem... are you free tomorrow?]

Kaji: [More work tomorrow. Why'd you ask?]

Haruno: [Hang out? I invited Izumi and Iwamoto-kun, too.]

Kaji: [Don't have time.]

Haruno: [Come on! It's been a while since we four got together. Please! ]

Kaji: [Look, I'm still not over with a certain issue, if you remember. I can't afford to see Izumi-san.]

[Speaking of, have you found anything about that rumor?]

Haruno: [Nothing, so far. Hey, that's probably just nothing, anyway. I'm sorry for making you feel worried because of a baseless accusation.]

Kaji: [It's fine. That's just how I act, especially when it comes to Izumi-san. But, if you don't want to look up further, there's no problem for me. I have my means of getting answers.]

Haruno: [Yikes, it better not be stalking.]

Kaji: [Not in a million years.]

Haruno: [So is it still a "no" to the invitation? I really wanna spend time with you guys.]

Kaji: [Let me see what I can do.]

Haruno: [Yay! ]

"Even if I fail at pulling Tsutsumi Shina to my side, there's still the love triangle for me to use." She exited the washroom, going back to the table, and overheard the conversation between Shina and Katsunori. Hiding behind a wall, she listened carefully to analyze their relationship.

"Are you sure it's wise to reject the invitation?" Katsunori asked her.

"I don't think I deserve it..." Shina said in a downhearted tone.

"Deserve or not, being together with great people must be treasured," Katsunori said, having a stern voice. "I don't completely understand your reason for thinking this way, but you are an incredible person that they still want to speak to you. Just hear them, even for a second. Whatever outcome you will reach, appreciate the opportunity instead of letting it slip away."

"Yeah... you might be right..." Shina gently smiled at him. "Thank you."

"My pleasure. Oh, regarding the Porcher family, does Asuka-san plan to inherit the business in the future?" the old man asked, his voice became slightly cheerful.

"She is good at cooking. But she hasn't told me anything about what she wants after graduation."

"Ah, I see. If she wants to take ownership of the izakaya, I would be more than pleased."

"Why?"

"It's that amazing, Tsutsumi-san," Katsunori answered louder with a chuckle. "I like almost everything there. Possibly the best place to eat in Chiba aside from a few fancier ones. It would be disappointing that its quality might dwindle because of an outsider's hands."

"I'm sure Porcher-san has met so many people good enough to take over business."

"I won't be at ease if that's his final decision. A better option would be to hand over the mantle to someone who has the most understanding from the inside and out."

"Asuka is not some cooking prodigy," Shina laughed.

"Then what about the fathe- just a moment, he's half-French, yes?"

"He is."

"I... see. Does that... man have experience... with cooking? Or anything involved in an izakaya?" Katsunori said it slowly, which Haruno caught the hint of hesitation in his voice.

"He's decent, I think." Shina responded with uncertainty.

"The mother? Naturally, someone such as her should have the necessary skills."

"I guess? Why are you so against the idea of someone outside the family to lead the business?"

"It's because... Have you heard of this folktale called 'Visu, the Woodsman, and the Old Priest'?" (1)

"Something about a guy leaving his family to chase a fox, right? Or was it...? sorry, that's about it from me."

"In the tale, there was a large woodsman named Visu, who lived in the impoverished land of Suruga, alongside his wife and children. One day, an old priest visited his home and spoke of the woodsman's lack of commitment to praying. Visu said he didn't have the time, considering he now had a family to take care. Despite such an understandable reason, the priest was displeased hearing those words. He revealed the tale of being reborn as a toad, a mouse, or an insect for more than a million years. That made the woodsman horrified, and so he promised the priest he would pray, which he did.

Every day, he prayed; the rice crops he put so much effort into withered because he ignored them. The family starved, and the one man who would provide them with nourishment did nothing but pray. His wife, for the first time, yelled at him furiously. Even still, Visu refused to help them, thinking that praying was more important than anything else. Afterwards, he left their home with axe in hand to climb the mountain Fujiyama, where a mist surrounded him, obscuring his sight and his new spot to pray peacefully.

There, he met a fox, causing him to abandon his prayers and chase after the beautiful creature. However, the pursuit was too difficult for him, and just as he was about to give up, saw two ladies playing go. (2) He watched them play until the afternoon. In actuality, three hundred years had passed without him knowing! Yet, he still sat from afar, fascinated by the two gorgeous ladies playing go that had no end. Eventually, one of the players made an error, which made Visu shout to correct her. Then, the two ladies turned into foxes and ran away.

The moment he was about to chase them, he finally noticed his hair ridiculously grew, his axe crumpled into dust. Using all of his strength, he went to his feet and made his way slowly to his home. But the woodsman's home wasn't there anymore, and when an old lady revealed to him what happened, he lamented. The immense regret he felt from neglecting his wife and children crushed him, and even his great grandchildren and predecessors! It was unknown how long Visu lived, but he repented and till this day, there were whispers of his white spirit haunting the mountain, now known as Mount Fuji. The end..."

"How very... enlightening?" Shina commented awkwardly. "What are you trying to tell me?"

"Family is the first and most valuable gift a human receives at birth. They bless you with knowledge passed down from their elders. You understand them better than any stranger. If the Porchers choose the fox, what they've built will disappear without their awareness."

"That is up for debate. What about the children's own wishes?"

"Nurturing children to carry their parents' lessons and memories is the very first education. Accepting their gifts should be a natural instinct at this point."

"I don't... know about that," Shina's voice wavered, causing Haruno to cover her mouth, laughing silently. She held her own stomach, breathing heavily each time she paused to take more air. Her voice leaked out, but not loud enough for Shina to hear. However, Katsunori had better hearing due to his training and experience as a sorcerer. Despite his old age, he maintained his sharp senses even after decades of his body withering. That, combined with his proficiency in cursed energy detection, allowed him to sense Haruno hiding behind a wall near them. Her breath and leaking voice as she laughed caused Katsunori to curl his hand under the table into a fist. He turned his head to the side so he could listen to Haruno calming down and sighing. A corner of his lips twitched, but Shina couldn't see that since it was on the other side of his face.

"What do you know? A chance!" Haruno lowered her hand from her mouth, revealing a wicked smile with her pupils dilating. The sheer joy she felt from discovering the flaws from both the long-haired woman and the old man made her hum the "Blood Trails". While she came out of hiding, her singing was slower than the actual theme. Her steps matched the tempo of the unsettling song that Katsunori expressed discomfort. When Shina heard her voice, the music piqued her interest.

"What song is that?" she asked.

"From a movie. What did I miss?" Haruno sat down cheerfully and grabbed the croissant.

"We were talking about some folktales, that's it," Shina glanced at Katsunori, whose eyes were still on the short-haired woman. "Have you heard of 'Visu, the Woodsman, and the Old Priest'?"

"That? Yes, I've heard of it. It's about him leaving his family and chasing after a fox, right?"

"U-huh, so, what's your, uh... input on that?"

"Like~?"

"Interpretations? Critiques?"

"My one critique is that it didn't put more detail into the two ladies playing go. Honestly, I'd find that more entertaining than reading a man praying non-stop."

"I suppose that is more entertaining," Katsunori laughed, but Haruno knew it was a ruse. "It should give us more reasons as to why Visu is so enamored by their game."

"The thing about foxes is they're either the prettiest animal you'd lay eyes on or the most deceitful tricksters ever. The pathetic woodsman got what he deserved and was bewitched by a kitsune." (3)

True, true. Yet, in the end, he repented. It just shows his potential to become better, only to be ruined by a spirit."

"Didn't he ruin himself, though?" Haruno raised an eyebrow. "He neglected his family and prays because of an old priest scared him with spooky stories."

"It would be more valid to blame it on the old priest," the old man's argument bewildered both women. "I said to Tsutsumi-san that we trust our own families more than any individual. Visu chose to trust the words of a stranger than the pleas of his starving wife and this is the result. Allowing outsiders to interfere is a path of disaster."

"The priest told him to both work and pray," the short-haired woman retorted. "He scolded Visu because he ignored the gods and prioritized only one thing in his life. Now, I'm not gonna debate if praying should be some kind of mandatory practice. What I'm saying is the priest advised him to find balance."

"He should've said that than just warn him about the next life," Katsunori picked up a knife on the table and played with it, tapping his empty plate. He spun the tool of cutlery with its tip on the flat dish, responding back without staring at her. "What is the point if you take away a man's rationality through fear mongering?"

"Which is why it's more correct to say that both of them are at fault."

"That old priest does not have any business visiting them, does he? Why is he so fixated on reprimanding an earnest man working hard?"

"And why does praying have to be at the cost of human lives? Didn't you say that family is more important than anything? If we go by that, then Visu is in the wrong as well."

"It still doesn't negate the fact that outsiders should not be trusted. You can be kind to them out of courtesy or have brief conversations. At the end of the day, we cannot just open our hearts to just anyone."

"That's not true, though," Shina commented.

"Why is that?" Katsunori asked.

"Because I wouldn't be friends with you if I close mine." Her words cut the tension between the two new friends in an instant. The old man flinched from her response, letting go of his serious expression, and became more solemn. Meanwhile, Haruno kept her innocent persona, looking at Katsunori and then Shina with confusion. She wiped the crumbs off with her napkin and when it covered her mouth, she smirked at her opponent for only a second.

"Mhm... since we're talking about folktales, there's one that I'm very fond of," Haruno said with excitement.

"Mind sharing it with us?" Shina leaned close to listen while the old man remained still.

"It's a tale called the 'Danzayemon, Chief of the Etas." Haruno bit her croissant and chewed. After she swallowed, she continued. "You know what the Eta is, right?" (4)

"A group of outcasts, right?" the long-haired woman tilted her own head.

"Yup, so you all know the deal of what they do back in the day: mending and cleaning shoes, burying bodies, executing criminals via impalement, maidens work as the Torioi. Their lives were just awful, being shunned by society. (5)

Now, here's the story: During Minamoto no Yorimoto's childhood, his father fought a man named Taira no Kiyomori and was killed, caused by the classic case of treachery. Tokiwa, one of his father's concubines, escaped the house carrying her children, including Yorimoto, and they all hid from Kiyomori. Sadly, they were found, but Kiyomori had a 'love at first sight' moment when he saw the concubine. Because of her extraordinary beauty, he immediately wanted her to marry him. And so, Tokiwa made a deal that in exchange for her hand in marriage, he will spare her children. Kiyomori agreed, of course, but he banished the kids.

Yorimoto grew up into a man somewhere in Idzu, got married to a peasant, and decided to fight in wars. While he was out there, his pregnant wife gave birth to a baby boy, which her parents are so happy because that boy might become someone of higher class—far higher than a peasant. But, the wife died from sickness, so it was up to them to raise the kid. And then! The parents died! Hah! The kinsmen of the wife's mother carried the responsibility of nurturing him. Thanks to that, the boy grew up as a peasant.

Afterward, Yorimoto fought the son of Kiyomori and killed him, avenging his father and bringing peace throughout the land. When he climbed to power, he thought about his wife and his child. Since he became chief of all noblemen, his son would inherit that position in the future. But in the end, Yorimoto didn't care and just lived his life. His descendants went on to being in the lower class, gaining a good reputation in the village, and helped it prosper. That brought the end of Yorimoto's lineage within three generations, and some other family or clan took over.

However! There was still one descendant of Yorimoto living as a peasant, so the family was like, 'It's so hard to watch a son of an illustrious house living like this. I will let you become a samurai!'... or whatever. The descendant refused, saying, 'My lord, if I become a samurai, and the retainer of some noble, I shall not be so happy as when I was my own master. If I may not remain a husbandman, let me be a chief over men, however humble they may be'. The lord wasn't happy about that so he was like, 'Fine, go lead all the Etas in the entire country', which he did. He had no choice. The descendant became ruled the Etas, then his kids followed suit, and then Danzayemon, his lineal descendant, got the role as chief. The end!"

"I feel, uhm... feel you should at least put more effort into storytelling," Katsunori commented with a drop of sweat on his cheek.

"But you guys still get it, right? No big deal," Haruno shrugged and smiled. "I like this story because the ending doesn't sound like a happy or a sad ending, at least to me."

"Shouldn't it be sad that the Lord of Hojo tossed him to the lowest rank?" the old man argued.

"It should've been, but I just don't see it that way," she threw the tiny remnant of her pastry into her mouth. As she was chewing, Shina stared at her in confusion. Upon knowing that, Haruno winked at her. "The descendants and Denzayamon—they all lived as they pleased without climbing to where they... 'deserve' to be."

"Oh..." Shina's eyes widened, holding her own hands together in awe. After a moment had passed, she laughed briefly before speaking. "Yeah, that's true."

"Right~?" Haruno smiled at her, in which the latter returned the gesture. Katsunori stared at the short-haired girl, who also laid eyes on him and stuck her tongue out for a second. Feeling mocked, the old man sighed and made a proud expression.

"You win." he moved his mouth, but didn't voice out the words. Haruno read it perfectly, so she responded with a quick bow.

"Sorry, guys," Shina stood from her chair. "There's somewhere I need to be."

"Is it close? I'll walk with you," the old man suggested, standing up as well while he tidied his clothes.

"I'm going to Hanamigawa. Nothing serious, but it is urgent," after they paid for their orders separately, they exited the building. Shina and Haruno were still talking to each other while Katsunori followed from behind in silence. He checked the surroundings, sensing a few of Mei's crows hiding in strange locations. Once the long-haired woman called a taxi, Haruno and the old man waved at her a goodbye. But before she closed the door, she spoke. "Yukinoshita-sa- is it okay if... I call you Haruno-san?"

"I don't mind," Haruno accepted. "And I can call you Shina-san, if that's alright with you."

"No problem. So, about our previous talk... you know, the 'kids vs adult' thing?" Shina gestured her to come closer, in which the short-haired woman complied. The older lady whispered into her ear. "There's so much more I want to say, so let's meet up next time. Just the two of us?"

"I'm down with that!" Her new friend whispered back. She and the old man watched the vehicle drive away as it blend in with several cars going in different directions. One of the traffic lights on the intersection glowed red, stopping all vehicles that were facing it. Citizens stepped into the crossed walks while the unusual pair waited for their turn. During the wait, Haruno thought about her discussion with Shina. "From what I remember, her child was killed. But for her to say that adulthood is better... What happened? Considering how she reacted differently to both folktales, Tsutsumi-san might have had a fallout with her family? She sounded a bit uncomfortable from the story of the woodsman. Their argument is about—"

"It's quite surprising," Katsunori spoke, interrupting her train of thought.

"Hm?" Haruno responded with her eyes on the other side of the road.

"Meeting you, of all people," he smiled at her. "I saw you at that engagement party."

"Katsunori-san, right? To be honest, this morning is not what I expected, but I do enjoy it."

"I have the same thoughts as well. By the way, I fully support your father in the election, so I will do my best to help him become governor."

"... Thank you,"

"Do you have time? There is so much I want to discuss with you."

"I'm sorry, but I need to go home."

"A shame. I'll be going in this direction for now and buy groceries." After his sentence, the conversation ended there. They waited for the pedestrian traffic light to turn green. Haruno felt nervous, though she hid that emotion well. Compared to Mei, Katsunori was a trouble for different reasons. He was her obstacle blocking her goal, as well as a higher-up of Jujutsu society. If he ever found out about her secret, it would be the end of her.

The recent interaction had a thousand risks that she started having second thoughts about her recklessness. While she contemplated, people were gathering behind her with the intention of going through the same crosswalk: A teenage boy and girl shared earphones to listen to music on one phone; Two older men in business suits complained about the recent workload they struggled with; A woman yawned right next to her, scratching her eye and stretching her arms to fight off the sleep deprivation. The noise was loud, distracting her and ruining her thoughts. A breeze occurred so cold that some pedestrians shivered. Haruno glimpsed Katsunori, who had no pedestrians on his back. The vehicles slowed down when the light switched to yellow. At the same time, she remembered the entire interaction in the cafe, especially her "victory".

"If it's this game, I can beat him..." Haruno thought with growing resolve as the pedestrian light turned green. She walked forward and straight, looking at her side to observe the cars stopping and the old man beside her. The others followed them, but they either walked behind her or next to her. Unbeknownst to the older sister, on the other crosswalk of the intersection, was Yukino going in the opposite direction. The younger sister's chest felt heavy and her mind was exhausted. There were too many things that happened in just one decision in only one day. Despite the fatigue and harm that she willingly brought upon herself, the determination in her eyes remained strong. Between a distance of a few meters, the two Yukinoshita siblings went past each other and moved forward in their separate ways, unaware of each other's presence.


Hours later, 4:30 PM

In an unknown location, a young lady sat in the center of a large room that had a small table next to her and three muscular men wearing business suits on each of her sides. She had a dark fishtail braid over her shoulder and wore a blue saree dress with a turquoise pallu pleat. One man with a mustache stood across the room, igniting a cigarette using a lighter. He wore a white buttoned-up long sleeve tucked into a beige chino and a pair of black chukka boots. Exhaling the smoke, he put his hand in the pocket of his pants while one of the six men growled at him. The girl raised her hand, gesturing him to cease. With hesitation, the man stopped, but not before glaring at the smoker, who shrugged and smirked. The smell of tobacco filled the air. Few of them coughed as they covered their mouths to silence their noise. The girl wasn't bothered by the pollution he caused. She only sat straight, smiling at him without blinking. Then, someone was approaching them.

The person's movements were wobbly, clumsy, and ridiculous. With every step he took, there was a lack of balance and an effort to fix his posture. One would think of him as being tired, sleep-deprived, or mentally ill. As for his attire, he wore only a black trench coat that hid his entire body, which might be wrapped in bandages since his entire head, neck area, and hands were covered.

"Hey there," the man with the mustache said. "How'd it go?"

"D-done… Easy," the living mummy responded. "A cursed…. t-technique belonging to Mei Mei is keeping an eye on Yukinoshita Y-Yukino… but… but we're able to thin out her surveillance for a second and made… some i-im-important tweaking. Even so—"

"Even so, it'll be harder to get a close eye on the... uh, 'mistress', right?" he twisted his head to look at the girl with uncertainty. The smiling figure nodded as if he used the correct word to refer to someone. "You still managed to prevent the sorcerer from seeing what the mistress did. It might raise her suspicions, but her not knowing anything yet is enough merit for us."

"Y-y-yes... Shiu," the bandaged-covered accomplice coughed before he continued.

"Alright, then. You can go for now. Take a break, eat some mackerel and drink some alcohol or something… anything. See ya," the man named Shiu faced the girl and the six men once more. Once the strange, bandaged individual left the room, the mysterious informant had his head shaking. Shiu exchanged words with her. "That guy's a weird one but he's good at what he does. Anyway, looks like she'll come to us. That saves all the trouble of planning a kidnap."

"Wonderful news!" she clasped her hands cheerfully.

"Yeah, but if I know one thing about the Yukinoshita family, it's that they're fierce as hell. Don't be fooled easily by their mask. Mom, dad, son or daughter—it's basically in their DNA to make any idiot shit his pants. You've seen on TV by now the way Yukinoshita Nariaki looks when he's pissed off. His wife is no different. I've seen her once before going to some restaurant with her two daughters and one scrawny and creepy guy. It was a second, but shit, I thought she froze everyone to death."

"A fierce woman..." the girl held her chin. "I wonder if that is my husband's preference... No matter, as long as it's our favored outcome, we will proceed."

"So she's in?" Shiu tapped his tiny cylinder of tobacco to remove the ashes on the tip. "Just like that?"

"Of course! We cannot let her suffering be a waste!" she rose from her throne, spreading her arms wide. "I am excited to see what else is in store! First the older sister and now the younger sister, who is also my husband's mistress, no less!"

"You're married?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"In previous lifetimes..."

"Uh... sure..."

"... you don't believe me?" the girl blinked from his response.

"Aah~... With all due respect, dear lady, but I couldn't care less." Shiu waved his hand, gesturing to dismiss the topic. "Sorry that I asked."

"I understand," she lowered her arms and put her hands behind her. "Keeping personal and business separate is why you're good at your job."

"Glad that we can agree," he nodded.

"But you are also difficult to trust," the girl turned around to face the six men. "How can we confirm that you will not betray us?"

"I wouldn't be alive now if I'm not," Shiu retorted, dropping the cigarette and stepping on it. With one last breath of nicotine, he went to the doorway nonchalantly. "I'm a neutral party. There are no sides in my point of view. Just pay me to do what I do, and I'll get right to it. That simple, Lady Neela."

"So you say, Shiu Kong," Neelima mumbled while she watched him leave the room. The door closed, and a man beside her leaned to ask.

"Regardless of his loyalty, he is no threat to you, my lady," he said.

"As long as his safety is assured, that is," the lady added, sitting back down on the couch. "Right now, Lord Brahman blesses us with more opportunities. Once my husband's mistress joins us, we will begin overwriting his brain for him to finally become my beloved. Gather all fellow ropeholders. We must recite the mantras to receive more blessings."

"Yes, Lady Neela."

While they were discussing in their base, the bandaged enigma wobbled his way into a rooftop of a building far away. He sat on the floor, clutching his head with a trembling grip. Suddenly, his forehead started growing, then enormous bulges appeared in his temple. The strange creature's hands also began to alternate between shrinking and growing in size rapidly. Through the white strips of cloth enveloping his entire person, a stain of crimson emerged on his nose and mouth, which spread quickly. It screamed, letting out a voice that trembled and in unnatural pitch. When the creature coughed, it laid its back on the concrete as its face was inflating like a balloon. As the white bandage engulfed itself with its own blood, someone appeared, grabbing the tormented individual with his pale hands.

Although its vision was blurry, it could at least assess that the person wore a plain black long-sleeved shirt, a yellow cobbler apron, a pair of jeans and a red berret: the attire of an artist. The artist caressed the bandaged creature's head, engulfing his hand with a purple flame of wickedness and cruelty. The inflated head started shrinking the more its physical contact with the artist went longer. In ten seconds, the stranger's body recovered, returning to normal. When its sight became clearer, the first thing it saw was the sky, feeling the wind and its weight lifted. It looked down, realizing that the artist threw the creature from the rooftop as they both fell into a manhole.

The last thing it saw before descending into darkness was the artist's teeth from a mouth curving upward, wrinkling his stitched face.


Next Day, September 19

Shiu Kong walked alongside the citizens, stretching his arms upward. After he heard his bones cracking, he put on the jacket that matched the color of his pants. In his hand was a pack of cigarettes, shaking it to see if there was still a roll of tobacco left. When he heard the rattling, he smiled and pulled one out. Shiu grabbed a lighter and played with it for a moment, spinning it and flipping it as high as he wanted. After flipping it a fifth time, he put the cigarette in his mouth, flicked the wheel to ignite, and moved the small fire close to the tip of his roll of relief. Before he could burn the cigarette, the man noticed a girl who kept glancing at him anxiously until she moved sideways to further the distance between them. He didn't pay any mind and started smoking.

"Sorry for the wait!" Another girl came out of the bookstore with a plastic bag in hand. Brushing back the strands of her short black hair, she took note of Shiu, but then ignored him. "Let's go, Asuka-chan!"

"Okay," Asuka smiled as they left.

"That girl..." Shiu narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing the short-haired girl's back. "That's the sister of her supposed 'husband'. Honestly, things would've been easier if we just drive a van, toss his family there, and threaten them to make him cooperate. It's just that Gojo Satoru is one giant wall that stops us from doing it. Oh well, the events today are not what I expected, but it works in our favor in the end. No need to nitpick."

His phone vibrated, prompting him to check the call. After he saw the name above the contact number, he answered.

"Hello, Katsunori-san..." Shiu answered while staring at a yellow vending machine. As he tapped his toes on the ground, he pressed a button and a can of MAX Coffee dropped into the pickup box. He listened to the caller, opening his drink with one hand and took a sip. The moment the liquid of caffeine and excessive sugar touched his taste buds, he spat and stuck his tongue out while walking. "Too sweet..."

[What's that?]

"Nothing. No need to worry about the hideouts," He tapped his phone while the call was on. He opened a messaging app and stared at the pictures of warehouses. Inside were boxes full of white powder concealed in plastic bags. There were also men carrying those boxes, either putting them in the back of the trucks, or moved them to another location. "Your 'best-selling products' will be delivered to your clients soon. Thanks to you, we won't have to worry about leaving any trace behind. The yakuza clan shares the immense gratitude for contributing to the cause."

[My goal aligns well with the goal of that yakuza] Shiu heard grunts from a couple of men on the phone. The voices of agony had no effect on him, though. [I don't need to be repaid. Once the syndicates from foreign land get the drugs, we will expose them, fueling the fear of gaijins stepping into our soil.]

"You're supposed to be working to stop curses, not making it worse."

[Am I hearing a complaint?]

"Nah, just making a comment. Expect the delivery to be in two days."

-0-0-0-0-0-

"Very good," Katsunori ended the call and sighed. He was in a narrow alleyway small enough to fit two people. His eyes were on the figure sitting on the ground and leaning its back against the wall. Upon seeing two heads in one body, he became disgusted, as if a repulsive monster appeared before him. In his mind, he would treat it as such; even more so after realizing its skin and facial features. He raised his foot to stomp the creature, but it caught that with one hand. The old man did it again, but with stronger force. The two-headed figure caught it again, but the kick was so strong, it pushed its hand into its chest. Katsunori repeatedly stomped the "monster" three more times until it had enough.

They roared and a bright light blinded him. Hearing the footsteps combined with cursed energy detection, the old man blocked an uppercut, deflected an incoming haymaker, and caught a roundhouse kick by wrapping his arm around it. He threw the "monster" into the other wall, slammed one of their heads into the previous one, and punched the other in the nose. They blocked that punch, pulled him towards them, and lifted him up to perform a back body drop.

Katsunori quickly recovered, rushing towards them and threw a right lunge punch. The two-headed figure parried and countered with a right straight, which the old man also parried. They landed a roundhouse kick to his side, swung two left jabs that he blocked, and lifted their other leg upward for another attack. Katsunori prepared to parry it with his palm, but the trajectory of the kick curved, hitting his face—a move known as the "question mark" kick. The old man sent a right hammer fist, but the "monster" dodged. He stopped the momentum of his right fist and thrust it into their stomach as a palm strike.

Coughing, they threw three punches that their opponent dodged. Then, they maneuvered around him while they kicked the lateral side of his knee, went behind him and wrapped their arms around his neck. Katsunori elbowed their abdomen twice, but the two-headed figure lifted him up and slammed him to the ground again—a cobra clutch slam. As the concrete shattered, he rolled away from them and stood back up. His posture wavered because the wrestling move damaged the back of his head.

"See?... see, I told you, Samer!" one head spoke in Arabic while panting. "Opportunity..."

"But we're the ones who slipped up, you idiot brother!" the other head shouted in the same language.

"Abomination..." Katsunori mumbled, which the conjoined twins heard but did not understand because it was in Japanese. "Go back to Hell, where you came from."

"... I don't get what's he saying but..." Stretching his own neck, Samer glared at the old man. "I'm betting that he's insulting us right now."

"What a coincidence. I feel the same way," Chadi said with the same expression. Although he displayed anger, his mind was quite anxious at what had happened earlier.

The conjoined twins followed the target from the rooftops like always. They watched him having a brief talk with Haruno before they parted ways. The siblings also saw Yukino in a poor state and Chadi wondered if they should help her. However, he chose not to abandon the mission they were given. Even if they didn't trust Mei, the binding vow was still at play. From Samer's observation, there was no suspicious movement from Katsunori. The old man conversed with other elders on the street, sat on a bench for hours, and bought groceries. With his bag of purchases in hand, that was when he finally ended the mundane act as he turned his way to this alleyway. When the twins jumped to one of the two buildings, they looked down and saw no one. Shocked by that, they jumped down and checked.

That was their mistake as the moment their feet touched the ground, Katsunori appeared behind them and kicked Samer's head. The twins crashed into a wall and received several blows from him. There were two things that Samer noticed when the old man went to the narrow path: One was that he turned his head to aim his ear at the twin like he heard them; the other was that his figure became "wavy", as if there was distortion.

Chadi tried piecing all the information together to find out what his cursed technique was. He remembered what Mei had told him about their "friendly spar" in her apartment. Then, his memory went to Katsunori's and Kajiyashiki with his brother's observation on. It was still unknown to the twins about the old man's intention at that day, but Samer was sure that the conversation was serious and illegal.

A hand vibrating to release some form of heat ray, the ability to escape Mei's multiple eyes and theirs, the ability to not let a conversation be eavesdropped, and his body becoming "wavy"—All of them were clues, but failed to provide a clearer conclusion. And so, he decided that the best course of action would be to retreat. The problem arose when the conjoined twins switched positions with Katsunori when they performed the cobra clutch slam. While it dealt damage, they unintentionally had the deadend behind them. There was also the issue with the tight space. Their only escape was the gap to the outside world where the only wall intercepting them was the old man.

"Brother," Samer whispered to him in Arabic. "With all this noise, wouldn't we attract some attention?"

"It's his doing," Chadi answered in the same language.

As the three combatants resumed their fight, a crow set its eyes on them. Behind its perspective was the delighted look from the silver-haired lady.

"This is not good..." Mei thought as she continued to watch the twins slowly become more defensive. Katsunori's assault showed no signs of slowing down, pushing his two opponents further to the wall. At first, Mei thought about calling Satoru about the inevitable death of his new friends, but she saw the twins moved their hand to their pocket. Katsunori couldn't see the object in their hand because of its small size, but he sensed cursed energy in it.

"Curious... they share one body, yet they emit two individual cursed energies? The blonde one reinforces the right side while the dark-haired one reinforces the left side." Katsunori slid his front foot forward, keeping his eyes on the hand that was holding a potential weapon. "Can the stomach store two vastly different cursed energies? Do they have their separate innate technique? Or do both of them share only one? Such an abnormality."

The conjoined twins did the same, sliding their foot forward, as the hand squeezed the object tighter. Narrowing his eyes, the old man got a clearer look and noticed it shaped like a human heart. When he realized that, he gasped as he immediately dashed towards them. While Samer was ready to defend, Chadi spotted Katsunori's expression for a split-second, thinking about the meaning behind such a reaction. From afar, Mei was at the edge of her seat with great interest, but she also saw a strange phenomenon on the ground where the two fighters stood.

Suddenly, the ground crumbled into nothing, leaving a dark and narrow abyss.

As the shock began to set in for all three of them, Katsunori and the twins fell into the void until they couldn't be seen. The darkness swallowed them, along with the echo of their screams. Mei controlled the crow to fly into the pit as an invisible barrier shattered, which was one of Katsunori's power. While the ground returned to normal, a few bystanders glimpsed at the empty alleyway after hearing a noise. Seeing there was nothing that piqued their curiosity, they all left and minded their own businesses.

The deeper the crow went, the hotter the temperature had risen as its feathers left traces of smoke. Then, the dark wings were lit on fire, burning them along with the bird that shrieked in agony until it was nothing but ashes. Mei's shared vision turned black, gasping at the sudden death of her crow. It was a mere second, but she felt a strong ominous presence when the ground ruptured, raising her concerns. In the end, Mei changed her attire into her usual sorcerer outfit, picked up the enormous axe that had cloth covering the blade.

"Looks like I need to join in the party." She thought and jumped through the window with a flock of crows flying next to her and the sun setting on the horizon.

-0-0-0-0-0-

"What the hell?!" Chadi screamed, as the twins and the old man continued to fall into the unusually deep and narrow pit.

"Yeah, I guess you could say we're going to hell literally!" Samer commented before his face got hit by Katsunori's fist. In anger, the former retaliated by holding the collar of the old man's shirt and pulled him to the scorching wall. The twins pinned him while they fell, causing immense pain as the side of his face started burning with the skin turning red from both the friction and the high temperature. Katsunori head butted Chadi, hit Samer's chin with a palm uppercut, and kicked them into the other hot wall.

The twins gritted their teeth from enduring the burning sensation on their back and blocked two punches from him. Before Katsunori could pull back his fist, Chadi caught it and pulled the former's arm to their wall. Samer used his foot to kick him and gain distance.

"This is no time to fight each other!" Chadi said to the higher-up in English.

"I will smash your skull before we hit the ground!" Katsunori responded furiously in Japanese.

"I should've taken that Japanese class!" Chadi scratched his own head in frustration. Samer saw the tiny Beating Stash falling above them. When he tried to reach for it, Katsunori took his hand, pulled them with it, and gave them a knee to the stomach. He then continued with a left hook to Chadi's cheek, a knifehand strike to Samer's neck, and a front kick to their gut. As the twins flew away, Katsunori took the Beating Stash and noticed the ground at the bottom. He jabbed all five fingers into the wall to slow down his momentum and landed on the wet surface.

One look was enough for him to determine that he was in a sewer with four tunnels around him, but there were a few oddities that stood out such as the scorching in the cracks of concrete with its red glow, smoke released from unknown places, and hundreds of burnt skeletons. The narrow pit above him closed, but not before a two-headed figure came down at the old man. While he was distracted, the twins fell on him with their feet planted on his back, crushing him into the dirty floor and making a small crater. They jumped off him and assessed their current situation, analyzing their surroundings when the oddities began to vanish.

"It's someone's domain..." Chadi whispered in Arabic.

"Well, it's not complete, so we should be good." Samer responded with a nervous expression.

"No, this is still bad. That means there is a threat way stronger than us."

"Can we hope it's not a special grade?"

"We need to act like there is one. Saying goodbye to our lives here is not on the list, got it?"

"What about gramps over there?" Samer pointed at Katsunori standing up. "He's not happy with our landing. I doubt he'll listen to u—"

All of them froze as their bodies trembled. Through impulse, they leaned on each other's back, slowly spinning to be on guard against every angle. The malicious presence grew stronger and closer, causing their anxiety to increase. A cold sweat surfaced on Chadi's head, trickling down to his chin while his brother took deep breaths to calm himself. Katsunori maintained his facade, attempting to maintain composure from the unpredictable circumstance they were all forced to confront. In his vision, he saw a light deep within a tunnel, which caught the attention of the twins as well. The presence came from that direction, so they steeled themselves to fight.

They detected two different cursed energies, and just as the three sorcerers readied their stances, a figure flew past them. It was too fast for them to react until it crashed into a wall. The smashed concrete was followed up by a hysterical laugh from a man. The dust obscured the face of the mysterious figure, but upon careful observation, Samer shouted.

"No fucking way!" it garnered the attention of the other two, but they quickly went back to the laughing monster. When the cloud of dust slowly faded, they all saw the face with stitches, a pair of eyes with colors that differ from each other, and both arms had one comically large and thick turtle shell. He wore a plain black long-sleeved shirt, a yellow cobbler apron, a pair of jeans and a red berret. Once they all saw each other, there was a pause for a few seconds.

"... Unexpected guests?" The person with stitches spoke with curiosity. Having a clearer look at his appearance, the three sorcerers noticed the burns in certain areas of his skin that were vanishing. All the scorched parts had veins showing through the surface until they quickly covered the burns. Once the veins shrank, his skin was as pale as a corpse, not a single dirt visible. "The more, the merrier! Hahaha!"

The laugh echoed in the sewers. A laugh that belonged to the unregistered, special-grade curse…

Mahito.


TRIVIA

1) "Visu the Wooodsman" is a real Japanese folktale that conveys the theme of "life without balance".

2) Go is a board game that involves taking more territory in the board than the opponent.

3) In Japanese folklore, the "kitsune" is a supernatural creature known as a "youkai". It is a fox that is well-known for being a trickster.

4) "Danzayemon, Chief of Etas" is also a real Japanese folktale about a conflict between several noble families.

5) Eta were a hereditary caste, and referred to people who worked closely with corpses, such as executioners, tanners and butchers.


Another chapter done!

The gears are finally turning up.

NGL, I miss writing fight sequences. I remember how much fun I have tapping into the stream of consciousness and just let my imagination run wild with two people just throwing hands... or blades, or other things.

But this arc is truly a breath of fresh air. It's a test of patience for me because I really, REALLY, want to just jump into the main action, but the story is telling me:

"No, dumbass. do it like this. FEED ME! I KNOW YOU WANT TO!"

Mr. Story isn't wrong I guess. I need to make the pieces or else build the events out of almost nothing. Plus, it's a fun experience learning to just keep the story calm... well, Yukino and Haruno aren't in the best circumstances but you get what I mean, right? Again, a wonderful experience so far for me, and I can't wait to use this for my next creative writing course.

What do you guys think so far? Let me know in the reviews. It'll really help me become a better writer.