Jujutsu Funk! (book one)

Chapter 4

The night fell upon a forest just south of Kyoto. Upon a departure from a bus, Kaito, who was still bloody stepped out with his earbuds still plugged into his ear canals. With a swift wave the driver drove off without a second to reconsider. The Teen sighed, looking ahead and moving towards the forest before him.

At he smell of the bark upon the trees and a running river found their way into his nostrils like a natural pathway. The path he took had been worn-down by the countless times people traversed over the terrain, but it was still uneven, with sticks snapping and small pebbles stabbing into the sole of his feet. But growing in the distance was a minka house. A sense of familiarity finally fell over Kaito after a day of unpredictable actions, from meeting to Kamo, to learning about Jujutsu Sorcerers and the world they live in, to having an 'exam match' the following day at dusk. But his family home had finally showed itself. The door to the home slid open, but Kaito remained outside while removing his shoes.

"Olá, Mother. Is Dad home yet?" Kaito called out, finally walking into the futon covered ground and into the main living area.

"No," His mother said, flipping through a novel. "He shouldn't be far off, though, he called saying he got off early again."

Her head turned to face Kaito. Despite her son's rough exterior, her beauty was unmatched. Her black hair was in a bun, held together by a chopstick carefully piercing it. She had a mole behind her left eye, with fair skin and thin lips. But yet her wide eyes radiated a sense of comfort and security from them.

"My god, Kaito!" She quickly rose, running up and grabbing her son. "Are you okay? Why are you so covered in blood? Did you really get into a fight again?"

"I'm fine, i'm fine...!" Kaito quickly reassured. "I had a busy day, I was scouted by a High School too, surprisingly."

"A high school??" His mother questioned, almost in shock that her rebellious son was scouted. "What's it called?"

"Uh...I think...Kyoto High?" Kaito tried to remember, but truthfully, he never took the time to pay attention to those details.

Their attention was drawn to another sliding door. Before them was a man with a slight beer-belly, but it could be hard to notice underneath the two piece shirt he wore. His skin was a darker shade, tanner than Kaito, with short but messy black hair. He had a goatee and bags underneath his eyes.

"Good evening." He says casual, placing a briefcase besides the door and sliding it shut.

"Honey!" Kaito's mother yelled. "Can you believe it? Kaito got scouted by an actual high school!"

"Huh??" His father, Heitor Afonso, scrunched up his face. "This kid?? Atsuko, you mean the kid who regularly comes home bloodied and beaten, barely passed Middle School, was recruited?"

"I know! I'm as shocked as you!" Atsuko covered her mouth excitedly.

"Erm, guys..." Kaito spoke up. "I'm still standing here, you know?"

"Shush!" Atsuko hushes. "We're just worried, that's all!"

"Does this school have a specialty that made them want to recruit you?" Heitor asked, loosening his tie and pulling it down.

"Uh, they deal with something called Jujutsu. I don't really know the specifics, but it sounds like a fun way to relieve stress." Kaito answered, but quickly picked up the silence embracing the room.

His parents shared a quick glance. They spoke nothing amongst themselves, but even the rebellious teen could tell they were speaking volumes to each other. Atsuko was first to break contact. A strand of hair loosened and fell, before quickly tucking it behind her ear. Heitor, on the other hand, turned his back to Kaito in even more concern than prior.