Winter

December 2003

The servants finished loading the car with all necessary supplies, which included Books to the dismay of Yoshi.

"Yoshi, I don't care how you spend the holidays but you must finish reading the books. Otherwise, you will be reading even more books when you return to Kyoto"

"Yes~, grandma~"

"maintain your contact lenses with utmost care. And just to be safe, use this blindfold with the seal on it. Yuji is a toddler, after all, never let your eyes look at anyone even by accident"

"I won't let anything happen to Yuji" Yoshi firmly answered.

It's winter vacation and Yoshi requested Kairi to visit Yuji. After a few months since the death of Jin, her uncle took Yuji with him to Sendai due to it being his birthplace. She couldn't meet Yuji regularly anymore.

Kairi has a lot of work to do as a defacto clan leader. So, she is sending Yoshi with a bodyguard keeping an eye on her.

She ordered the bodyguard "After landing at Sendai Airport. Rent a car there and drop the young lady at this address. Also, give this check to Wasuke Itadori and you guys, protect her from afar. If Yoshi sensed a sorcerer or a strong cursed spirit. I told her to report to you"

"Yes, Ma'am" The bodyguard obeyed. He is the leader of the bodyguard squad. His squad follows him closely and he is supposed to be with Yoshi all the time.

Yoshi excitedly waited till they reached the airport. Apart from meeting Yuji, she's mainly looking out for her first flight experience. When the car reached the Airport. The bodyguard escorted Yoshi towards the private jet waiting for them.

"This is the Shifuin clan's private jet, young miss."

He explained as Yoshi looked at flights boarded by many people whereas she was boarding the flight alone. Yoshi looked bothered saying

"This flight is so small~. Look at the size of the flight everyone is boarding, it's so huge but this is tiny compared to that"

The bodyguard sighed 'You are the only one who can complain something like that, Young miss. Ha~, dealing with young rich kids is difficult '

"Young miss, they don't own the flight despite its size but this jet belongs to you, young miss"

Boarding the jet, Yoshi exclaimed looking at the luxurious interior.

"Oh~"

The jet soon landed at Sendai airport. After that, it's just a few hours in the car. Yoshi standing before the modest house excitedly rushed into it.

"Uncle Itadori~, Yuji~"

The bodyguard carrying the luggage behind her looking at the small house thought 'It's been a long time since I've seen a house like this. I need to take a break later'

Wasuke Itadori putting out the cigarette bud, went to the main hall. His niece jumped into his arms excitedly.

"Uncle Itadori~"

"Haha, it's been a while Yoshi" Wasuke smiled a little but his eyes are brimming with joy.

"Hmm? Uncle, you look older than usual, and this smell.. Uncle! Are you smoking?! With Yuji inside the home!" Yoshi shouted at him like an adult with anger.

Wasuke Itadori calmed her down "Yuji is sleeping in his room. I don't smoke whenever he's awake."

Wasuke took Yoshi to Yuji's room, the 2-year-old was sleeping on the bed.

"Stay with him, I will take care of the luggage"

The bodyguard and Wasuke Itadori talked while Yoshi looked at Itadori intently. She is in a dilemma about whether to wake him up or not.

To her luck, Yuji just began to wake up at that moment. The toddler looked at the face that cuddled him more times than he can remember.

"Yo..chi?...YOCHI!!!!"

He got up excitedly with his arms wide wanting with a bright smile, Yoshi immediately strengthened her body and lifted Yuji in her arms.

"Yuuuuuuujjjiiii~*Smooch*"

She kissed him multiple times while spinning him around gently while calling out to him. She began playing with him.

Thus began Yoshi's winter vacation 'taking care' of Yuji and Uncle Itadori. While she tried her best, most of the time she made a mess which was later solved by her uncle.

Despite hating her uncle for smoking when Yuji is inside the house, Yoshi has to admit her uncle is really cool being able to do housework with finesse.

She would occasionally look at the books her grandma gave her, she knew she had to read them but...

"Time with Yuji is more precious than anything"

One day, while Yoshi and Yuji are playing in the backyard of Itadori's residence.

Yoshi's eyes shifted to the cursed spirit lingering on the ground around Yuji. When the cursed spirit sensed a tremendous presence gazing at it, it tried to flee but Yoshi's reinforced hand immediately grabbed the cursed spirit.

It's a very weak cursed spirit, however seeing it try to harm Yuji pissed off Yoshi.

However, at that moment what surprised Yoshi was that Yuji's eyes followed her when she used her excellent speed.

'Yuji just saw my hand? Is it a coincidence? No, Yuji could follow my hand moment. Could he see curses? With his cursed energy, it shouldn't be possible but his ability to notice my hand moment is also impossible'

She dragged the curse out of the underground, which is freaking out. It is an amalgamation of black gas depicting its unstable state.

Yoshi noticed that Yuji couldn't see the curse. She exorcised the curse.

'Yuji also has abnormal strength, I'll ask grandma later.'

Yuji crawled into Yoshi's arms and shouted "Yochi! Play!"

Forgetting about everything, Yoshi continued playing with Yuji. That night, Yoshi prepared a Talisman to create a protective zone around Itadori's residence.

She contained the Talisman with all of the cursed energy.

The next day Yoshi asked Wasuke Itadori

"Uncle, Can you tie this talisman to that ceiling?"

"Hm?" Wasuke looked at the Yellow paper and Yoshi as if wanting to know why is it necessary.

"This talisman will scare away all the evil spirits nearby. They are attracted to me, I don't want Yuji to be attacked by them when I'm not with him"

Wasuke shrugged and accepted Yoshi's request. He didn't know much about sorcery but he trusted Yoshi's declaration.

The vacation soon came to an end without Yoshi doing anything significant other than spending time with Yuji.

On the day of her return to Kyoto, Yoshi bawled her eyes out and tried to convince Kairi on the phone.

"Grandma~, I can't leave Yuji!*Wuu*"

Kairi sighed on the other end of the phone "Yoshi, you have a lot of work to do here and school is the easiest of it. If you delay it, things will only get harder for you"

"But I can't leave my Yuji here. Why can't we buy a house in Sendai and live here?"

"Yoshi, I'll give you an extra week time. You will return after that. I hope you will be prepared for that day" Kairi replied in her strict voice.

Yoshi's crying face immediately blossomed into a smile, she enthusiastically answered before cutting the call "Thank you, Grandma~. I love you"

"Uncle, I am not going today! Huhu!" She fist-bumped into the air as she proclaimed. Wasuke Itadori along with his grandson sitting in front of Yoshi celebrated in excitement.

"Yoshi, you stay?"

During the vacation, Yoshi took care of Yuji by bathing him, feeding him and even teaching him things he could understand with her grandma's help from mobile. Yuji learned how to spell Yoshi's name more clearly as they spent more time together.

Yoshi seeing Yuji questioning while cutely turning his head to the side, she immediately picked him in her lap and hugged him. While laughing with joy, She proclaimed from her heart

"Of course, I will always be there for Yuji, no matter what"