Cursed Legacy ( A Jujutsu Kaisen OC Fic)

Chapter 9

Clan life was hard for Aoi to adjust to.

He'd pretty much been dropped into the Academy to 'earn' his place as an official member of the clan right off the bat. The right to his last name as the old fart has put it. The Zenin were an old bunch of stuck up traditionalists with a gruelling lifestyle, the boy had come to experience first hand.

Madame Kaede wasn't bluffing when she'd warned him. Here, no one even paid attention to the unofficial child of a dead man who crawled out from the ditches and slums of brothels. Besides attending the Academy, which took up most of his time, fortunately, he had no wish to remain in the compound for more than he already has. He also partook the Zenin's lessons on traditions and etiquettes , which he took to like a fish to water, having already known most practices and service cues during his time at the brothel. That didn't stop Kaede from making snide comments about his skills, and often times direct insults on his upbringing.

She really was an earful.

What a spiteful old woman.

He was tutored by Kenji-sama and Kei-sama, the elders present at his meeting with the family Head. He was taught more on the topic of cursed techniques, how to tell the difference between an attack and a summon, and other related topics they believe the boy was lacking in. He liked the lessons just fine, eager to explore his mysterious ability and grow stronger. If only the strict and old fashioned croons weren't so deadset on belittling him on his lack of knowledge, finding faults in the boy to smack his head.

They weren't scared to use pain and corporal punishment in the name of discipline. Even Mother had been scared to leave a mark on his smooth skin lets it leave a permanent scar on her biggest, most profitable six years investment. Now he was no more than a punching bag, body littered with random blossom of bruises on the previously beautiful, unmarked gold skin.

His palms and the back of his knees suffered the worst of all, sporting the red and purple lashing of bamboo sticks that inched into his skin every time he answered a question wrong or used the wrong stance in sparring practice with Kenji, who took the reign over building his physical capabilities. Other marks were well earned from retaliating with snide and sarcastic remarks. The hag, Kei, was intent on beating his foul tongue and crude language out of the boy. Sometimes, they would hit him for no reason at all, or for his 'ignorance' of the sorcerer's tradition. He hated the old farts more than Ogi Zenin. And that was saying something.

But despite everyone trying to make his life harder, Aoi felt appreciative for their hospitality. He got to enjoy the finer things in life like silk, a linen bed and snacks between meals. No more watered down porridge, or fraying hems of the thin blanket he curls himself in during winter. It was also the first time Aoi wasn't assigned chores, like he was at the Okiya. Things like fetching water for his onee-sans baths, brewing tea and mending clothes to help upkeep the busy life at the establishments. Since there were servants attending to such tasks, he was left with a whole lot of free time.

So he wandered around, and ended up getting lost. Did he mention the Zenin compound was huge? It was practically a mini castle with long, winding mazes of corridors and room that looks identical to each other. The same glossy floorboards stretching around paper shoji and wooden frames.

After an hour of trying to find the way back to his room, Aoi ended up in the courtyard. If you'd asked him, he wouldn't know how he got there either. It had nothing to do with his bad sense of direction, of course.
Tired and if not a little annoyed, the boy sat against the base of a towering maple tree. It was mid noon and he was tired. It wasn't like anyone would mind if he took a nap here right?

Well, Toji Zenin vehemently disagreed.
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Toji Zenin was having a bad day.