Unmatched | ᴍᴀʜɪᴛᴏ (ꜱᴜᴋᴜɴᴀ)

Chapter 19

"Mahito, I brought something for you."

I heard a happy laugh and naked footsteps coming closer. I strained my ears. I desperately didn't want to miss anything that was going on outside of this dark cocoon of cursed-spirit-wood. I got ready to fight, though, because whoever this Mahito was, the cursed spirit would let me free so he could see me. That was my last chance to escape.

And then I heard this voice. It was sweet like honey and made me still for a moment. "What did you bring me, Hanami?"

The voice sounded so happy and carefree and made my heart beat faster. Who was this Mahito? And what did he want with me? I imagined them wanting to interrogate me about Jujutsu High. Maybe they wanted intel on Gojo. Or Sukuna. Gojo-sensei had mentioned that they had shown an interest in Itadori. But I wasn't going to give them any. I was here for one reason only, and that wasn't ratting out my friends.

There was a ray of light coming through an opening slit, which widened more and more until I fell out and to the ground. I landed on my front, but I managed to keep my head off the ground. I jumped to my feet, ready to fight whoever was in front of me.

And then I froze.

He was here. In front of me. Patchwork face. Long hair. Gorgeous. My entire body was frozen solid. I couldn't have moved even if I wanted to. I also couldn't think. He was finally here. I had finally found him.

He seemed to be thinking the same because he smiled at the curse behind me and said, "You finally found her!"

That made me frown. I didn't speak, though.

"Where did you find her?" he asked.

"She was underground not far from here," the curse named Hanami replied.

Mahito turned to look at me again, and his face was filled with utter glee. He looked so happy to see me that for a second, I had to think of Itadori, who used to look so happy to see me, too.

"Were you looking for me?" Mahito asked with a soft and gentle voice that made me want to melt.

With a lot of effort, I managed to nod my head. "Yes."

His smile widened. He wasn't hostile. He wasn't trying to kill me. I was safe here. For now. I wondered why. Why had he been looking for me? To rat on my friends? That wasn't going to happen.

He startled me a little when he raised his hand, and I stumbled back. The smile on his lips softened, and he put his hand in my hair. He was so gentle, I almost forgot that he was a curse.

"Leave us," he said to the other two that were still standing behind us.

I couldn't tear my eyes off of him, even though I wanted to see where the two were going. I wanted to see where I was. I wanted to see this place he lived in. But I couldn't stop looking at his face. He wasn't terrifying to me, which was weird. He was oddly beautiful. I should have been scared that he asked to be alone with me. I should have wanted to run. But I wasn't. I didn't. I felt safe.

Mahito ran his hands through my long hair. He looked at me like I was a doll. Like I was really fragile and might break if he held me just a little too tightly. I liked that. He didn't make me feel uncomfortable.

"Why were you looking for me?" he asked. "You are a jujutsu sorcerer. Are you here to kill me?"

There was a laugh in his voice that made me feel oddly at ease. He reminded me a little of Gojo, who also liked to say everything with a light undertone.

"I wanted to know-" my voice broke when his eyes widened at the sound of me talking. He looked so fascinated. "I wondered if you maybe know what happened to my family."

As soon as I said it, I wanted to take it back. What was I even thinking? Who did I think I was? "My family." As if they were the only people he had killed. If that were the case. Who did I think I was that he would remember my family? I was ridiculous. I was an insignificant little human, standing in front of this majestic, dangerous curse, and I thought that he had anything to do with me. I wanted to laugh at myself and tell myself how stupid I was.

But then he said, "I have been watching you for a while now."

There was nothing I could have done to stop myself from fainting. I didn't feel my head hit the floor because I somehow landed soft. When I woke up again, I was lying on an old leather sofa. He was next to me, smiling at me. He handed me one of the protein bars that had been in my bag. I took it without thanking him. He grinned.

"You were watching me?" I asked, doubting that I remembered correctly.

He nodded. "I was. I sent one of my experiments down to you when I saw that your parents were going to hurt you. But then I lost you. You are very skilled in hiding your cursed energy so you don't leave any residuals if you don't want to. I couldn't find you no matter how hard I tried."

He looked a little sad and worried now. His expressions were like that of a child - a little exaggerated. I could see what Sukuna had meant with "immature."

"You're not sad about that, are you?"

I frowned. "Sad? I'm not sad. You saved me."

That made him smile again, and I had to smile, too. "When I found you again, I sent another one, but that boy was faster. That brat."

I grinned to myself. Curses really liked to call Itadori that. I tilted my head. "But why? Why were you watching me? Why did you save me?"

Mahito leaned closer to me and put his fingers in my hair again. I felt chills everywhere on my body. "I think you're like a curse without actually being a curse. And I think you're interesting. And I wanted to have you."

Absolutely nothing could have prepared me for that. He wanted to have me? Well, mission accomplished. He had me. And I wasn't going anywhere. I shrunk back a little when my mind went to Yuji. Was he re-reading my letter right now? Was he looking for me? Or was he in his room, being mad at me?

Mahito must have noticed the shift in my mood because he asked, "What?"

"It's Itadori," I replied.

"Sukuna's vessel?"

I nodded wordlessly. I guess that was all Itadori was to him. Fair enough.

"What about him?" Mahito asked.

I shrugged. There were so many thoughts in my head, all at the same time, all screaming so loudly that I could barely hear my own voice. "I don't know if I can do this to him. I really love him."

Mahito raised a skeptical eyebrow. He didn't seem immature now. He seemed jealous and dangerous and annoyed.

"I mean not like that," I made clear. "It's just that he's the first real friend I've ever had. And the only one, actually."

"And you think you being here will stop him from being your friend?"

I shrugged again. "He's a good person. And you're... not even a person," I replied without really answering the question.

"That didn't stop you from coming here, did it?"

I didn't say anything. Mahito was still running his hand through my hair, and I didn't want him to stop. I didn't want to leave. I wanted everything again, but I knew that I couldn't have everything. I couldn't have Mahito AND Itadori. I couldn't be both here AND at Jujutsu High. I had to decide. I already had decided. That was why I was here.

"He was the only friend you've ever had," the curse said. "Now you have me."

I chuckled and shook my head. "Mahito, I think you and I are way more than friends."

It was true. I felt my soul being tied with his. No matter how much I loved Itadori, and no matter how happy he made me, it wasn't this. He wasn't Mahito.

And I could already feel that I was hopelessly and undeniably tied to him and in love with him.