Chapter: Doubt..

Megumi noticed something was off with itadori right away after a week.

Itadori was no longer his idiotic, unprofessional, and happy self. He had turned quiet, calm and a bit more confident in himself as he would see him walk around with a half lidded stare as if he was not enjoying himself or bored out of his mind. It was only times where he came over to hang out with him that he would lighten up and be eager to sit waaay to close to him, or try being nice to him.

Megumi also began noticing that the local neighbors in the apartment complex began getting sick a lot more often and buisness for their work was not doing so well. In the end, itadori and him were the only workers allowed to stay to work as he would take day shifts and itadori would take night shifts. He decided to call his father to ask him about any new 'curses' appearing nearby the area.

-"hello?"-

*voice was heard on the other end of the call that Megumi didn't recognize.*

"Hello? Whose this? And is this Toji Fushiguro phone number?"

*Megumi asked as he wasn't sure if his father still had the same number or maybe he decided to change it after he moved out 8 months ago now as time had passed.*

-"oh.. is this Megumi? I'm Maki Zenin, I'm your distant cousin."

*maki said with a cold flat tone as Megumi tch, he didn't want to talk to anyone other then his father he needed advice from.*

"That's nice to know, but can you give the phone to my father. I need to ask him something I'm worried about."

-"…"

*maki stayed silent as she sighed into the phone and decided that it was not best to say the news over the phone*

-"I can't do that.. is their somewhere where we can speak? I need to tell you something about your father.."

*Megumi found it odd why maki couldn't simply tell him over the phone as he agreed and told her to meet him at work at the liquor store he was working at in the daytime. She agreed as she hung up*

••••••••••••••

"I see you work here Megumi.. not bad to see you doing well"

*maki walked into the liquor store as she was tall, serious-sophisticated woman, and looked very beautiful despite her cold personality.*

"Yeah, but I didn't tell you where to meet up to hear that from you.. now tell me where my father is and why he isn't picking up his phone?"

*Megumi asked seriously as maki looked down to take out Megumi's late fathers phone out of her pocket.. Megumi felt some dread as he saw how poor condition it was as if it was in a accident..*

"Your father gave me this after his accident he suffered in a car crash.. your stepmother was dead upon arrival at the hospital while your stepsister went missing.. your father told me to hold on to this in case you called oneday regardless it being a week from when you moved out or 10 years after. Megumi?… your father passed away 4 months ago.."

*maki finally broke the news to Megumi as he refused to believe his strong father had passed away so easily from a car crash.. their was just no way..*

"Liar.. he wouldn't be so worried about me on his death bed even if I had gone to see him rotting right now.. he's not dead!"

*Megumi felt some tears pour from his eyes as he broke down on the register as he refused to accept his fathers death.*

"I know, and he wasn't worried about you at all Megumi.. he was confident you would come running back to him worried about his state. That's why he told me to keep quiet about his funeral until you called.. he didn't want you to stop your efforts in succeeding in a 'normal' life all because his death. Your father was proud of you until his last breath."

*maki patted Megumi's shoulder as she handed over his fathers last thing he touched being his busted phone. Megumi wiped his tears as he was bitterly happy his father had thought about his future his whole life as things came back to make sense to him on why his father had tried being distant with him and had actually already thought so far ahead.*

"Thank you then..*sniff*"

*Megumi said as he put away his fathers phone in his pocket as maki gave him a worried look*

"But, what was it you needed to ask him.. I heard you were worried about something."

"Ah.. well, I was going to ask my dad if he had heard of any 'curses' blistering or showing up near the area.. there has been a change in environment where I live and here."

*Megumi said ominous as maki finally took notice of the strange silence a liquor store shouldn't be during the day..*

"I can see.. i haven't heard of anything new happening or any activity, but if you want I can look into it from our uncles?"

*Megumi thought about it as he nodded as he got maki's phone number logged into his phone contacts.*

"Oh Megumi, you do know what to do in case you see a curse right?"

*maki asked before she began to get ready to leave after buying a licorice off him. He nodded as he answered her.*

"Yes, seal them away or get away.. that's something my father taught me before I began school.."

*Megumi sighed as he remembered all those memories of constant training with his father teaching him only the sealing techniques passed down in their family.*

It was a rather important skill in his family since they were the descendents of cross species of 'Curses' and humans. They have the power to seal other spirits or release them.. but, there was a price as the sealing technique would tie the life of the 'curse' and it's sealer together. It was only a technique used in its last resort or if the 'curse' was to strong to defeat alone. Megumi was taught this in case he would come past a dangerous 'curse' one day as his father was very worried about him. Megumi's mother had lectured his father Toji about teaching Megumi's such a dangerous technique but, was never brought up again in his life after his mother passed away.

"Good, you should come visit our uncles sometime.."

*maki said sarcastically knowing Toji and her father along with her uncle weren't on good terms because Megumi was the only 'boy' born in the family's name. He could inherit the family's title if he wanted but he always refused.*

"Ha.. ha.. very funny.. you should leave now I see some customers finally coming in.."

*megumi said as he saw someone approaching the store from outside.*

"Fine.. call me if you see anything suspicious on your side.."

*maki waved goodbye as she left the small liquor store*

•••••••••••••••••••••••

Megumi had a tiring day as always since itadori wasn't there to hang out. He decided to buy some chicken and beer to have dinner with itadori as they switch their shifts at work.

He punched out his work ticket as he went to buy chicken and beer down the street, confidant itadori would be at the mart by the time he came back to visit the shop.

He came back as he saw nobody at the register… weird.

He decided to check now in the break room but didn't find itadori their either… so he had only one option and that was to check the bathroom now.

He opened the bathroom as it was dark, he saw nobody inside so as he decided to close the door back. He was shoved into the dark bathroom as his guard was down and felt someone pin him to the wall as they picked up his knee to place them around their waist. Who was this sick bastard?!?

"Hahaha! You should have seen your face Megumi-san! You were scared not knowing who it was who pushed you in here.."

*the last words came out with a purr as Megumi felt the warm breath of 'itadori?' In him… this was beginning to go a bit too far.*

"Itadori! Let me go! I'm not scared! Plus stop acting so weird, your starting to make me think you are a pervert!"

*Megumi huffed as he got out of itadori kabedon and walked around him to get out. He was already waiting for itadori's protest to being called a pervert but, instead was given another reply*

"And what if I'm only interested in you, Megumi? Would you let me have you?"

*Megumi turned as the light from outside the bathroom shined on itadori's face now revealing some sparkling red eyes and a weird tattoo mark on his chest.. he thought that was officially suspicious as he knew itadori hated tattoos..*

"Who are you?"

*Megumi asked unsure of who really was infront of him as he regretted asking that question, as he felt a strong curse aura overwhelmed him.. was the curse, itadori himself?*