2 Chapter two: I'll do it.

Chapter two.

''...'' / ''...''

''So...'' Gojo began, a smirk forming on his lips. ''Mind if I take a seat?''

The question hung in the air, the silence stretching like a tightrope. The café, however, had taken on a different atmosphere. Patrons whispered among themselves, casting furtive glances toward the door that had seemingly swung open on its own. A group of teenagers at a nearby table were murmuring in confusion, and a couple at a nearby table were whispering to each other.

''How did the door open like that?" / "Is everything okay over there?'' / "Strange things happening these days." One after another, the comments and questions flowed freely, but none dared to approach. Jun, who had paused mid-stroke, simply set his pen aside, his movements steady and unhurried.

"Sure, take a seat," Jun replied with a casual chuckle, gesturing to the chair across from him. He closed his sketchbook, setting it aside to give the blindfolded man his full attention. As strange as the situation was, it wasn't his first encounter with someone of his kind, someone who could see and interact with cursed spirits just as he did.

Gojo, with his usual flair and seemingly oblivious to the stir he had caused, smoothly took the offered seat, his blindfolded gaze seemingly fixed on Jun. "Nice. I appreciate someone who's straightforward," he remarked, a hint of approval in his voice. "Makes things easier to handle."

Jun's fingers drummed lightly on the table, his orbs scanning the man's features, at least the visible ones. "I suppose it does," he said, an easy smile playing on his lips. He rested his chin on his hand, his gaze shifting to his cursed spirits gathered behind Gojo, hovering with a mixture of curiosity and caution.

Sukima-Onna, the strongest curse present in the room positioned itself in the gap between the table and the wall, peering at the newcomer in an unnerving manner through the narrow space. Gojo's gaze, however, never strayed from Jun. "So, let's cut to the chase," he said, his tone laced with a hint of amusement. "I'm guessing you can see what I can. Cursed spirits and stuff. Am I right?"

''...'' Jun's elbows rested on the table, his hands cupping his chin as he leaned forward, lips curling into a mischievous grin. ''Why, yes. That would be correct.'' Gojo mirrored Jun's stance, leaning forward, a knowing smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "I can do a lot more than that, though," he remarked, his voice laced with a touch of pride.

''I bet.'' / ''You too?''

''We are alike, you and I,'' Gojo said, leaning back. ''Not many like us, you know?'' Gojo's gaze drifted to the café, taking in the view. ''Then again, you don't seem surprised, so I'm guessing you've met another one of us before, a jujutsu sorcerer, that is.'' He paused, turning back to Jun. ''Am I right?''

"Nope." Jun's reply was quick, almost instinctive. "Met a guy once, kinda like us, but he didn't go by 'jujutsu sorcerer.' I never got his name, though. What'd he call himself again... Oh yeah, a 'curse user.' That's what he said." He glanced at Gojo as Jun chuckled lightly, a hint of amusement in his voice. "Sounds a bit over the top, doesn't it? But 'jujutsu sorcerer,' however, has a nice ring to it.''

''... Speaking of names...''

''Yeah, about that.'' Gojo's lips parted into a full-blown grin. "Gojo Satoru." 

''Furukawa Jun.'' 

''Jun-kun, then?'' Gojo grinned, pointing a finger at the blonde. ''I hate to rush things, but let's get to the point. You see, I was sent here on a mission, you know, to check things out. Recently there has been a sudden decrease in the number of cursed spirits in Osaka, a decrease so great we couldn't overlook it. The higher-ups want to get to the bottom of it.'' The white haired man declared. 

''Higher-ups?'' 

''Bunch of old fools sitting on their asses waiting for things to fall into their laps.'' Gojo said, his words tinged with a hint of distaste. ''They are not important, not right now, anyway. Let's talk about this drop in cursed spirits.'' He leaned forward, his fingers intertwining. ''After some brilliant detective work on my part, I managed to track down the source, and lo and behold, here we are. You, me, and a whole bunch of cursed spirits acting all friendly with you."

''...'' Jun's smile remained as he took in Gojo's words. ''Here we are, indeed.'' The blonde's orbs drifted to the window, where the sun shone through the glass. ''I don't see how me taking care of them is a problem, though. A decrease in dangerous cursed spirits is a good thing for everyone, right? If anything, I'm doing a public service here.''

"Ah, don't get me wrong, I agree," Gojo said, waving a hand dismissively. "I'm all for cleaning up the streets. I'm just here to investigate. We simply didn't know who or what was responsible for this sudden drop, hence my visit. You are not in any trouble, actually, I'm quite intrigued by you. You have a very interesting technique, Jun-kun.''

''Right?'' Jun lifted a hand, his palm facing upward, and one of his cursed spirits, the smallest one of the group, flew over, perching delicately on his hand. The spirit, which resembled a tiny bird with an open beak, seemed almost excited to be chosen, its tiny body vibrating slightly. "They're quite handy," Jun remarked, his fingers stroking the creature's feathers.

''Is it Cursed Spirit Manipulation, then?''

''The curse user I ran into said something like that too, but nah, it's different with me. Something a bit more special, I'd say.'' Jun's words came with a growing smile, his fingers gently stroking the bird-like cursed spirit. For a moment, it almost seemed like the creature was cozying up to his touch.. "Cursed Spirit Creation," he declared. "That's my technique."

''... Pardon?''

"I guess showing you would be easier." Jun's eyes scanned the café casually, taking in the patrons and staff who were just getting over the recent commotion. Things were calming down again. He looked back at Gojo, a playful glint in his eyes. "Satoru, right? Keep your eyes on this."

Raising his other hand, Jun pointed subtly towards the café's entrance. "See, there's a bit of leftover negative emotion hanging around the entrance, and some more in the kitchen, from what I can sense." Gojo's head turned towards the entrance, his interest evident even behind the bandages. Jun paused for effect, a hint of drama in his voice. "Just need to borrow those for a sec, and—" He snapped his fingers with a flourish.

As if on cue, the scattered emotions coalesced, swirling together and gathering right above his open hand. In a flash of light, the negative energy took on a physical form, a cursed spirit resembling a cat. The spirit was about the size of a domestic cat, its fur black and sleek, its eyes a bright yellow, slitted and piercing.

''Tada~'' Jun said, a hint of pride in his voice. He held out both of his hands and allowed both cursed spirits to leave his grasp, rejoining the others that hovered inquisitively around the newly formed curse. ''That's my technique, Cursed Spirit Creation.'' Jun declared. ''Wish I could've gone for something more dramatic, but this café isn't exactly the grand stage. Plus, I had to make do with what I had."

Gojo Satoru, the strongest jujutsu sorcerer of the modern era, blinked in shock. His lips parted slightly in surprise as he stared at the black cat-like creature for a moment, removing the bandage covering one of his orbs in one quick motion. There was a soft click as his blindfold slid upward, revealing a vivid, vibrant blue eye glowing with awe and fascination.

Three, four seconds later and a hand landed on his face, a soft laugh emerging from his throat. Soon, the laughter grew in volume and intensity, shaking his shoulders and causing his head to tilt back slightly, a grin forming on his lips. ''I'm sorry, I'm sorry, it's just,'' he tried to form a sentence, but his laughter made it difficult. ''I have so many questions, I don't know where to even start.'' 

''I'm glad I was the one sent on this mission. I really am.'' He composed himself, the bandage returning to its place as he adjusted his blindfold. ''You have quite the talent, Jun-kun. A unique skill, indeed.'' He leaned forward, his hand resting on his chin as his grin widened. ''I take it the cursed spirit that's been staring daggers at me, the Grade 1, is also one of your creations?''

''Oh, her?'' Jun chuckled. ''I modeled her after Sukima-Onna, an urban legend. She hides in narrow spaces and peers out, dragging unsuspecting victims into the gaps. Not the nicest legend, but it makes for a cool-looking curse, don't you think?'' Jun gestured to the space under the table, and Sukima-Onna emerged from the gap, floating above the ground.

''You 'modeled' her?'' Gojo repeated.

Realizing he might have divulged more than intended, Jun paused, a slight "Oops..." slipping out under his breath. He shot Gojo a quick, somewhat sheepish look. "Ah, might've said too much there, I never get the chance to talk to anyone about this, so..." He gave a nervous chuckle. ''It's like sculpting, I guess. Shaping clay into what you want, adding a dash of personality, a sprinkle of inspiration.''

''Huh.''

''Cool, right?'' Jun grinned, his excitement back in place. ''Right now, she's the closest I have gotten to creating a cursed spirit that can hold a conversation, but she's still not quite there. I'm really proud of her, though. She's become quite the hunter, as evidenced by your appearance here.''

"You really seem to have a thing for them.'' Gojo observed, a touch of intrigue in his voice. ''I kinda thought you'd be more tight-lipped about your technique. Nice to see I was wrong. But what I'm wondering now is, do these cursed spirits think for themselves? That Grade 1 I followed here... sure seemed like it had its own agenda."

''Oh, they can think, all right,'' Jun confirmed, his voice full of enthusiasm. "Is that not the case for someone who has Cursed Spirit Manipulation?'' He asked, cocking his head to the side, his orbs studying Gojo's expression. ''Like, I can give them specific orders and stuff, but ultimately it's up to them to follow through.''

''Hm...'' Gojo hummed, considering the information. ''Isn't that a little inconvenient?''

''Depends on the cursed spirit, really. Some are easier to work with than others.'' Jun shrugged slightly, glancing at his creations. ''I'm still learning, but so far, I have never encountered one that I couldn't handle. In some situations, it's also quite advantageous, I don't have to micromanage every little thing and they are pretty self-sufficient, so when it comes to making decisions on the fly, I can just leave it up to them.''

''... Besides, there's a certain charm in being able to see their personalities develop.'' He finished, a smile spreading across his face. There was a sense of pride in his voice, a confidence that spoke of his genuine belief in his abilities and the potential of his technique, despite its dangerous implications.

''...'' / ''...'' Silence. Gojo's lips were pursed, and his face was thoughtful. 

''Alright, I think I have heard enough.'' Gojo tapped his fingers on the table, a mischievous smirk on his face. ''You were nice enough to answer some of my questions, so I have a proposition, Jun-kun. You have an interesting technique, and I'd love to see more of it in action, so how about you come back to Tokyo with me?''

''Tokyo? What for?'' 

''Yes, Tokyo!'' Gojo nodded. ''You would study in one of only two jujutsu educational institutions in Japan, also known as Tokyo Prefectural Jujutsu High School. Think about it, it would be the perfect place to train and develop your technique further, and even meet other students like yourself.''

''I live here, though. Moving to Tokyo sounds expensive.'' / ''I'll take care of it.'' / ''But what about...'' / ''I'll take care of everything!''

Jun sweatdropped at the man's antics, his gaze drifting back to the view outside. Truth be told, he didn't have a particularly strong attachment to his hometown, he just never had a reason to leave. ''You sure are pushy.'' The blonde muttered, returning his gaze to the man sitting across from him. ''... I assume going to a 'jujutsu high school' means that should I graduate, I would be expected to become a jujutsu sorcerer, right? Whatever the hell that is.''

''A jujutsu sorcerer is an individual employed by the government to defend humanity from cursed spirits.'' Gojo answered without missing a beat, as if he had been waiting for this exact question. ''Our job is to eliminate cursed spirits and prevent them from harming the general population. And from what we have established today, you have been doing exactly that.''

''Think about it.'' Gojo insisted, lifting his index finger. ''You'll get paid for something you're already doing, and you'll be around people who can understand you, who are just like you. You'll have the resources you need to hone your skills, and the support to grow as a person and as a sorcerer.''

''That sounds nice and all, but...'' Jun said as he lifted a finger in turn, mimicking Gojo's pose. ''I'm not sure hunting cursed spirits is something I would like to pursue as a career. I hate routines, you see. I'm not sure I have the dedication required to make a long-term commitment like that.''

''Trust me, being a jujutsu sorcerer is as far from a routine job as you can get." Gojo reassured him, lifting his arms in a shrug. "The missions are dangerous and the hours are crazy, but the jobs themselves are as varied as you can imagine. And besides, I didn't say you had to commit to anything." Lowering his arms, he pointed a finger at Jun. "Just give it a shot, check things out, and then decide if it's a good fit for you. If not, you can just go back to your regular life. No strings attached."

''You can do it for the money, the recognition, the satisfaction of knowing you're helping people, or just for the sheer thrill of it." Gojo's lips curled into a mischievous smirk. ''And, if at any point you find yourself feeling bored, you can always hang out with me, I'm a teacher there, after all.'' At Jun's unconvinced look, he added. ''I'm a great source of entertainment, I'll have you know."

''You sure are persistent.'' Jun chuckled, his lips tugging into a smile. 

'So...' Jun thought to himself, his smile dropping as he gave the situation some thought. 'Random stranger wearing questionable bandages over his eyes shows up, gives me an invitation to attend a special school with all expenses paid.' He let out a soft sigh, running a hand through his hair. 'Sounds like the start of a bad horror movie... or a weird porno... or both.'

'Then again...' Jun's gaze shifted to the white haired man, his orbs sweeping over his features. Despite his somewhat eccentric behavior, there was a strange sense of comfort, of familiarity, that Jun couldn't quite put his finger on. 'This could be an opportunity, a chance to learn and develop my technique further. I'm making progress, but it's slow and inconsistent at best.'

'Besides...' Jun thought, placing a hand over his heart, feeling its steady rhythm beneath his palm. 'After bumping into someone who gives off vibes as intense as this guy, I can't just let it slide. What's with this absurd feeling I'm getting from him?' His heart raced a bit faster, not from fear, but from a budding excitement. 'Is he really a human?'

Jun had always been acutely aware of 'cursed energy', a side effect of his unique technique. His ability to sense and manipulate surrounding cursed energy and shaping it into curses had made him hypersensitive to the emotional undercurrents, whether it was a human's or a curse's cursed energy, he could see it all too clearly.

Despite this, never before had he encountered a human, or even a curse, that radiated such an intense and compelling presence. It was as if the man in front of him, Gojo Satoru, existed in a realm of power entirely his own, a level that Jun hadn't even considered attainable until now.

"I'll do it." Jun announced all of a sudden, his lips spreading into a grin. "I can't promise I won't get bored and drop out in the middle of the first semester, but I'll give it a shot." He rested his elbow on the table, his chin propped up by his hand. "But on one condition. You will be responsible for explaining all this to my parents."

''... I did say I would take care of everything, didn't I?''

[ . . . . . . . . . . . . . ]

''Man... I can't believe I actually agreed to it," Jun groaned, massaging his forehead as he crossed the street. Gojo followed close behind, hands resting on his hips. "I didn't expect things to turn out like this." Jun shot a glance at the older man. "I mean, the whole reason I asked Sukima-Onna to bring any special humans to me was so I could ask them a few things, but I was the one who ended up being playing twenty questions with you."

''No need to be shy about it, then. If you have any questions, I'm an open book.'' Gojo smirked, his eyes crinkling behind his bandages. ''Feel free to ask, Jun-kun. I'll answer anything.'' He declared, his tone full of confidence. Jun stopped, his orbs studying the man's features, a slight frown on his face. He was a hard person to read, that was for sure.

''... "Just like that, huh?'' / ''Yep, just like that!''

Jun hesitated for a moment before diving in. "Okay, so here's what I've been wondering," he started, his tone turning more serious. "Why are we like this? I mean, why do we have these abilities? I asked that to the curse user I met before, but he wasn't much help. I just don't get it. Why me? Why you?"

"Well, that's the million-dollar question, isn't it?'' Gojo's tone turned thoughtful. ''For me, it's all about family legacy. But you... you're from a non-sorcerer family, right?" He leaned in slightly, his interest evident even behind the bandages as Jun nodded wordlessly, a curious expression on his face.

"You possess what we call an Innate Technique. It's like winning a weird genetic lottery, these things can pop up out of nowhere, sometimes skipping entire generations," Gojo explained, his fingers tapping together. "Maybe it just so happened that your parents didn't inherit the technique but you did, maybe you are a descendant of a powerful sorcerer, or maybe you're just one of a kind."

Jun mulled over the explanation, his hand unconsciously stroking the back of his head. "Huh, I never thought about it like that. Skipping generations, huh? That actually makes sense. I always figured if no one else in my family could even see these things, then it couldn't be hereditary. But if it can skip around... that opens up a lot of possibilities."

''... Thanks, that was... helpful.'' Jun admitted, his gaze shifting forward as he found himself staring at a familiar building. "We are here.'' He told the man. ''You better have a good explanation for this whole moving to Tokyo thing." He gestured at the house in front of them, the lights illuminating the windows and casting a warm glow onto the sidewalk. "Because my parents are not going to make things easy for you."

[ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ]

[November 8th, Year 2016]

Finding himself facing the higher-ups again, Gojo Satoru fought to contain his exasperation, his lips twisting into a pout as he felt a lecture coming. He had just given them the results of his investigation, and he wasn't expecting it to be well received. Not after the request he had made. The tall shoji screens managed to conceal their expressions, but he knew the disapproval was there.

"Cursed Spirit Creation!?" one of the higher-ups blurted out, disbelief etched in his tone. "A technique to mass produce cursed spirits?" another added, skepticism in his voice. "Bringing such a wildcard into Jujutsu High is a considerable risk!" a third exclaimed, concern lacing his words. "Unpredictable, potentially dangerous," muttered another, brows furrowed.

'There it is.' Gojo thought. 'The old fools are scared, just as I thought they would be. Well, that's too bad for them. They'll have to get used to the idea, because it's happening whether they like it or not.' Lifting his chin, Gojo faced the screens. "I'm not asking for permission, I'm just notifying you of my decision. I am bringing him into the fold, with or without your blessing.''

Silence. Tense, thick silence. He could almost feel the frustration coming from the higher-ups.

"... Leaving him on his own is out of the question, a loose cannon with that kind of power would present an even greater risk than anything he might do as a student," finally, one of the higher-ups spoke up, his tone growing firm as the shadowy figures exchanged looks. "If left unchecked, who knows what could happen. At least this way, we can keep an eye on him."

''Executing him might be the safer choice." / ''Still, it's true that what he did in Osaka is nothing short of a public service. Perhaps we should consider giving him a chance." / ''Perhaps, but still, his technique is concerning, even if the results speak for themselves. Cursed Spirit Creation, such an ability...''

One after another, the higher-ups weighed in on the subject. Some were concerned, others intrigued, and a few seemed to be undecided. Gojo stood still, his posture relaxed despite the tense atmosphere. He pretended to listen, nodding every few seconds as if he was paying attention while he waited for the conversation to reach its natural conclusion.

'Man, these meetings are the worst. So much talking, so little doing.' He let out an internal sigh. 'I'm the strongest sorcerer alive, yet I still have to deal with bureaucratic bullshit like this. Maybe I really should just wipe them out and be done with it, I'm sure that would speed things up nicely.' Gojo thought, a smirk forming on his lips.

"We still have some time, don't we? Running a background check should be able to reveal more information about him." A higher-up spoke up, breaking the silence. "Until then, let's postpone the decision and wait for the results. We can decide on the boy's fate later." There was a murmur of agreement, heads moving up and down as the figures nodded in unison.

'Ah, the old run-a-background-check-and-make-things-more-difficult-for-Gojo-Satoru move. A classic.' Gojo resisted the urge to shake his head. 'Still, a few of them are not completely against the idea. I'll take that as a win.' He turned around, walking away, his footsteps echoing across the room. 'I suppose that's it for today, then.'

[ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ]

[November 9th, Year 2016]

Jun let out a deep breath, his body slumping slightly as he leaned against his school desk, face buried against the smooth wooden surface. After the whirlwind of events that had transpired since he met the strange white haired man, the past few days at school had seemed almost dull in comparison.

'How did he even manage to convince my parents?' Jun thought, lifting his head and glancing towards the classroom door. 'I mean, a private, religious school, all expenses paid and they just went with it.' He shook his head, sighing internally. 'I'm not sure if I should feel relieved or concerned.'

''... Hm?'' The sound of his phone vibrating against the desk snapped him out of his thoughts, a frown crossing his features as he saw the sender of the message. 'Speak of the devil,' he thought, his thumb tapping the screen to open the text. The first thing he had done after his meeting with his parents was to exchange phone numbers, just in case, and the man had certainly been making use of it, texting him every other day to update him on the situation.

'Hey, Jun-kun~. Great news! You are not getting executed! :P' The first message read, followed by a second one a moment later. 'At least I don't think you are. I sort of zoned out halfway through the meeting, so I can't say for sure. They are running a background check on you, though, so don't do anything shady and you should be fine.'

''...'' Before he even had a chance to process the absurdity of the message, a third and final one arrived, causing his frown to deepen. 'Oops, I don't think I was supposed to mention that last part, lol. Oh well, the cat's out of the bag now. I'll be in touch soon. Don't cause any trouble in the meantime.'

"I'm starting to feel like trusting this guy might've been a mistake."

End of chapter two.