BELOVED ONE ❪ jujutsu kaisen ❫

ONE: THE GREAT KING OF CURSES.

The air in Sendai is crisper than the bustling streets of Tokyo but what else would Kazue expect from this desolate part of the city, housing the building they've tracked the Curse to, bare of any souls except those who might try to raise their popularity levels through ridiculous fear competitions? The wooden roof creaks under her feet, harsh wind whipping her skirt around her legs as she peers down at the maze-like mansion she darted out of, a scrap of paper in between her fingers. A monster hulks in the shadows, eyeing her with contempt as its body forms in slow tendrils, ink black and bright yellow melding together as it pieces itself to something different from the hollow husk it first showed itself to be.

"There you are," it gurgles in response, affronted that all its attack have gotten are a line of red seeping down her cheek from where the ceiling caved in. Kazue kneels down, flicking her finger forwards, the gesture sending the paper colliding with the Curse's malformed body. She forms the familiar seal, the symbol '爆発する' turning a sickly shade of blue before it explodes. The Curse howls in agony, one of its tendrils reaching for Kazue and she dodges, movements feather like as she leaps backwards and lands gracefully. 

Cursed energy forced into her feet allow her to kick in half of the Curse's ribcage and she jumps when it lashes out at her. It's a Second Grade Curse, one only made dangerous by its ability to enclose its victim in a maze, a manifestation of the victims' agony after dying in what was supposed to be an elaborate house. Kazue had managed to lure it out, spotting that its weakness was the environment outside the mansion, but its insistence on staying alive annoyed her. She huffs out a sigh, tilting her head and observing it. "Don't you know you should die? Really, you're being annoying by insisting on staying alive when you're on the verge of death," the Curse seems affronted by her words, hissing and lunging for her. Kazue lets it come close to her before slapping another talisman paper on it, clasping her hands together. "Bind," it chokes, body spasming as brilliant blue light surrounds it, ropes of cursed energy forming around it.

"What a pain," a voice helpfully carried over by the wind grouses and Kazue doesn't bother glancing up as feet land nimbly down. Dark hair tousled by running through the chill night, empty, black eyes that peer at the Curse with interest, one would say that Minato was beautiful in the way all monsters were - like a flower on the verge of dying, grotesque yet still with lingering beauty, dimpled smile so cheerful that you'd smile back. Unluckily for Kazue, she had known the boy long enough to view his growing attractiveness with detachment, heart only fluttering when she felt like making it.

"Might I remind you that you're the reason I haven't killed it yet?" she points out with irritation and Minato laughs, eyes sparkling with mirth. His bisentō is slung between his arms, casually behind his back like he isn't seconds away from slicing his wrists if one wrong movement occurs. Kazue knows that it's unlikely to happen. Just like she had mastered her kusari-fundo, the only time Minato would let his weapon hurt him was if it was on purpose. "Well?" she gestures towards the writing Curse, raising an eyebrow. "Bon Appetit," backing away, Kazue slips her fingers into her sleeve, extracting another talisman as Minato approaches the monster. Upon sensing his spike in cursed energy, the cloying scent of death that surrounds him, the Curse begins to struggle even harder - multiple eyes widening in horror as Minato grins down at it, fingers passing through it like it's smoke.

Watching Minato absorb the haunted souls that linger in a Curse is something: his back goes ramrod straight, his skin turns the colour of gravestones, his eyes flicker from black to grey and white like the spirits are trying to take them with him. Years of being by his side don't mean that she's still used to the act, her fingers so tight around the paper that it threatens to break, the ink smudging against her thumb.

( "If Minato ever turns," Teshima had said, ash filtering around her hand from the wind, leaning outside of Shoko's office with her eyes set on Kazue. "You'll have to take responsibility for him," )