WOUNDED HEART [ ✓ ] | Jujutsu Kaisen

Chapter 12: New Journey

Reimi did not know what to do. To add to her misfortunes, it was raining too hard. She did not have the chance to bid her farewell to those who are dear to her. Everyone on their home was busy celebrating Asukabe's engagement.

She entered the forest to make sure that no one will see her. She sat beneath a tree. She doesn't know where to go. She doesn't have any friends outside their home-no, she didn't even have friends in the first place.

How unlucky.

She told herself that if a wild animal will appear, it's over for her already. But something worse came.

She heard a growl from somewhere. She grabbed her things and readied herself to run but someone suddenly appeared. She was surprised to see Hideyoshi.

"Y-You!" she said and instead of greeting her back, he just gave her the sword that her parents confiscated. "How did you get this?"

"They didn't hide it. They just disposed it," the man answered. "The one you heard just right now is a cursed spirit. You said you wanted to be a sorcerer, right? Though I do not expect you were too desperate that you even spread rumors about yourself."

"I did not spread any rumor and I do not have the time to search who did it... Anyway, that groan a while ago. I can feel it, too, it's a cursed spirit."

"That is good to hear. You cannot only see them now, you can also feel them. How about a little challenge? Exorcise it yourself. You already did it once, right? As long as you remembered how you did it, you will be okay."

"Well, I do not have anything to do, so I cannot see any reason for me to decline." She drew the sword out and swayed it. She then cut the sleeves of her top as well as her skirt.

"Such a fierce lady," Hideyoshi commented and Reimi just smirked before heading to the way where she felt the presence of the cursed spirit.

She easily managed to exorcise the spirit in just one swing. More spirits came but she took them all down, all by herself. When they all vanished, she heard a round of applause.

"You are already a brilliant sorcerer and you have not used any cursed technique yet. What more if you discover it?" he remarked. "You see, you have a vast amount of cursed energy. Why don't you join me on me on my journey on hunting down cursed spirits? Maybe you will discover your technique along the way."

A mischievous smile formed on Reimi's lips. She remembered what Shomo-hiko said, that she was planning to run away with with the man people accused as her lover. She wanted to laugh because it is about to be true, the only difference is that he's not her lover.

"I don't mind. Exorcising sounds better than being lost in the woods," she agreed.

From that moment, the two started to travel together.

Hideyoshi taught her many things about cursed spirits and cursed energy. He taught her how to fight, how to improve her physical fitness, and how to control her cursed energy until she learned her cursed technique, Mimic, the ability to mimic other sorcerer's technique.

He told her how does Infinity work that she was able to understand. He helped her training that technique until they reach the temple where other sorcerers reside, so she can learn and imitate other techniques, too.

Whenever Reimi's life is in danger, Hideyoshi will be there to save her. She'll then feel her heart beat so fast as if it's about to explode. Her stomach will be filled with butterflies and her face will turn red.

She was free to be herself whenever she's with him. She wasn't afraid to do whatever she wanted because he never judged her. She loved being with him. However, she doesn't know if he felt the same, too. There are times that he's too distant to her.

She lost count of days because she couldn't think of other things whenever she was with him.

She already knew when she first saw him but now, she's more certain than ever. She had fallen in love with him. She wanted to confess but every attempt she had, she won't be able to say a thing or Hideyoshi will interrupt her, excusing that there was a cursed spirit even if there's none.

Then, the day when they arrived to the homes of sorcerers came. There are people who were surprised to see her but she was more surprised when someone suddenly embraced Hideyoshi in a hug.

"Father, it's been a long time!" a girl who she assumed that have the age of around five years exclaimed. "Mother and I missed you so much."

"Father have missed the both of you, too." Reimi was stunned when she heard him said that.

She realized it now. The reason why would he divert the topic whenever she tried to open up her feelings to him and why would he distance his self to her.

He have a family. He already have a woman whom he loved as much as Reimi loved him. They even have a child.

"Who is she, Father?" the kid asked, pertaining to her.

"She's my student. I found her when I visited the capital. Her name is Rei-"

"Fujiwara no Reimi," she cut him off.

"She lives in the capital?"

"Yes, I used to, but it wasn't really inhabitable. It's full of cursed spirits. What's your name, kid?" Reimi asked cheerfully, trying to conceal her real feelings.

"Sugawara no Hideaki!" Reimi smiled at him.

"Hideaki, I need to talk to my student first. Will you accompany your mother first to prepare food for us?"

"Yes, Father!" they watched as the kid left.

"Why did you tell her your name?" Hideyoshi asked.

"So I can still be remembered. I do not have any plan to change my name. I wanted to show everyone that even if my own family tried to erase my existence, I will always live."

"Is that so?” he spoke and she nodded. "Ah, right! I have a special mission for you. It will be your first task alone but I know you will be able to do it. You are to exorcise the..."

He continued on talking but Reimi cannot hear what he said. She was devastated on what she just learned. But she cannot blame Hideyoshi though. An unrequited love, she expected that it might be the case already but it still hurts.