絆 | bond | gojo satoru

じゅう | ten

絆 | kizuna | bond

10

Yuri

I FELT MY HEART RACE, MY PALMS GROWING CLAMMY AS I TURNED TO FACE THE SOURCE OF THE VENOMOUS WORDS. There he was, Naoya Zenin, leaning against a pillar with an arrogant smirk on his face. His presence alone was enough to send a wave of unease coursing through me, but I refused to let him see how much his words affected me.

With a steely gaze, I met his eyes, my expression devoid of any emotion. "Naoya."

His smirk widened, clearly relishing in my discomfort. "Surprised to see me, Yuri? Or were you hoping to keep your little rendezvous a secret?"

I met his gaze with a cold, unwavering stare. "What I do is none of your concern, Naoya."

My fists clenched at my sides, my knuckles turning white as I forced myself to maintain composure. I refused to let him see how much his words affected me, how they ignited a storm of anger within.

Ignoring my icy glare, Naoya continued with his vile remarks. "Like mother, like daughter, huh? A whore of a mother, and now a whore of a daughter."

My nails dug into my palms, the pain serving as a grounding force against the onslaught of emotions threatening to consume me.

He took a step closer, his proximity making my skin crawl. Ignoring my protests, he reached out and grabbed my injured wrist, his grip like a vice that sent sharp pain shooting up my arm. I winced, struggling to break free, but his grip only tightened, a sadistic smile playing on his lips.

"Pathetic," he spat, his voice laced with mockery. "You're nothing but weak and fragile. Just like your mother."

My heart raced, a mixture of fear and rage pulsating through my veins. "Let go," I hissed through gritted teeth, my voice trembling with a mix of pain and defiance. "You're hurting me."

Naoya's grip only tightened further, his eyes narrowing as he issued his demand. "Stay away from that Gojo kid. I won't have you tarnishing the Zenin name any further. You belong to me, Yuri."

His words were like a slap in the face, a reminder of the suffocating hold the Zenin clan sought to maintain over me. My vision blurred with unshed tears, my breath coming in ragged gasps as I struggled against his iron grip.

"Over my dead body," I seethed, my voice dripping with venom. "I will never belong to you or the Zenin clan."

Naoya's eyes gleamed with a cold determination, his voice unwavering. "Remember, Yuri, I am destined to become the future head of the Zenin clan. The big four clans will bow before me. And I will ascend to the position of Emperor within the Jujutsu Society."

My anger reached a boiling point, my patience wearing thin as his words assaulted my ears. With a surge of adrenaline, I mustered all my strength and wrenched my wrist free from his grasp. Naoya stumbled back, clutching his hand in pain, his expression a mix of shock and fury.

But what he couldn't see was the ink serpent tattoo on my wrist, awakened by my intense emotions. In a moment of raw power, the serpent came to life, its fangs sinking into Naoya's hand. His scream pierced the air, his eyes wide with disbelief as he stared at the serpent gliding over my skin.

Blood dripped from my hand, the wounds left by the serpent's fangs throbbing with pain. Naoya's voice was a mixture of awe and frustration as he managed to speak through gritted teeth. "You... you've already mastered the ink manipulation technique?"

A triumphant smile tugged at my lips, my eyes blazing with newfound confidence. "I am not owned by you, Naoya. Nor will the Zenin clan ever have any association with the Hiyoku."

A flicker of fear danced in Naoya's eyes, his bravado faltering for just a moment before he masked it with a sneer. "You won't escape your fate, Yuri."

With that, I turned and walked away, leaving him nursing his injured hand and wounded pride. Naoya's furious gaze followed me as I walked away, his voice cutting through the air like a venomous blade. "You may have your little tricks, Yuri, but you're just a puppet in this grand play. Your destiny is sealed, and you can't escape it."

I paused, my heart pounding in my chest, the weight of his words threatening to drag me down. The memories of years spent under the suffocating expectations of the Hiyoku and the Zenin clans flooded my mind. The weight of tradition and duty bore down on me, but I refused to crumble under its pressure.

Turning to face Naoya once more, I squared my shoulders and met his gaze head-on, my voice dripping with defiance. "You're wrong, Naoya. I refuse to be a pawn in your twisted game. My destiny is mine to shape, and I won't let anyone control me."

His laughter was cold and bitter, a stark contrast to the fire burning within me. "You're naive if you think you can change anything. Your defiance is pointless, Yuri. You're just a girl playing with fire, and you'll get burned."

My fists clenched at my sides, my resolve hardening as I took a step closer to him. "I'd rather be burned by my own choices than live a life dictated by others. I won't bow down to your arrogance or the Zenin clan's oppression."

Naoya's eyes glinted with malice, his voice dripping with venom. "We'll see about that, won't we? You can run, Yuri, but you can't hide from your fate."

With a final icy glare, I turned away from him, my heart still racing with a mix of anger and determination. I walked away from the confrontation, the weight of his threats lingering in the air like a storm cloud.

A fierce fire burned within me, a fire that no amount of darkness or manipulation could extinguish. I was ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead, to break free from the chains of tradition and forge my own path.

The echoes of Naoya's words faded into the distance as I walked through the halls of the shrine, each step a testament to my unwavering resolve. The storm outside had subsided, leaving behind a sense of calm determination that mirrored the fierce strength burning within my heart.