JUJUTSU KAISEN: the lost chapters (english version)

CHAPTER 2 ◇ For a cup of tea

Location:
Outskirts of Tokyo

Acting persons:
Suguru Geto (Jujuzist 3rd rank 1st year)

Time:
28.0ctober.20XX, late afternoon

Suguru took another step faster and breathed into his hands. It had cooled noticeably in the last few days. He pulled his scarf tighter to prevent the treacherous wind from biting his neck. "What am I doing here?" he asked himself for the dozenth time in the last fifteen minutes since he had left the train station. "I'm such an idiot!". But his guilty conscience drove him along the empty streets and the frosty breeze did the rest to quicken his steps.

Location:
Restaurant area of a well-known burger chain

Acting persons:
Suguru Geto (Jujuzist 3rd rank 1st year)
Satoru Gojo (Jujuzist 3rd rank 1st year)
Shoko Ieiri (Jujuzist 3rd rank 1st year)

Time:
24.October.20XX

The mountain of burgers took up almost the entire tray in front of Satoru. Fussily, the latter fished one out and unwound the paper. Suguru sat across from him and contented himself with a coffee. He had long since given up hoping for a decent tea in such shops. He stirred it listlessly with the wooden stick, hoping that the lump that called itself condensed milk would dissolve. But to no avail. Disgusted, he pushed the cup away. Satoru, on the other hand, took a hearty bite of his greasy cardboard roll with meat and a side salad. He loved junk food and sweets in general. Someone could almost become envious. The guy could eat whatever he wanted without even thinking about his diet. But his cursing techniques also cost him so much energy that his body gratefully used everything that was stuffed into him. "And now? What do we do?", Suguru picked up the thread of conversation that had been interrupted when a waitress in a too-short uniform had brought Satoru his burger mountain. The latter, however, just shrugged his shoulders and chewed thoughtfully. "She doesn't seem to be a danger...but it's really weird that this girl has been sitting around all these years killing time. Would be too boring for me." he announced with his mouth full. Suguru massaged his temples. "But that's not the point. For one thing, you were unnecessarily direct with her. You really lack subtlety. You could have wrapped the whole thing up in a nicer way...". "Why? I had questions and wanted answers," came chewing. "...On the other hand, you would also agree with me that she is most likely a special curse, right? If you've been paying attention in class, you should actually know that special curses are reportable. They are checked, categorised and then either sealed or exorcised." "So what? The girl didn't give me the impression that she was about to run amok. At most from boredom.". "But that's not the point!", Suguru insisted, "her very existence poses a risk!". "Then just absorb her.". Suguru's eyebrows drew together in annoyance. What was Satoru doing in class all day? "As you should know, curses as well as jujuzists are divided into ranks according to their ability. From rank four, the 'lowest' rank, to special class. The special class is considered equal for curses and jujuzists. However, all ranks below that are slightly offset in terms of power, so a rank three Jujuzist can already exorcise a rank three Curse Spirit." Satoru rolled his eyes in boredom. "I can only absorb curses if their rank is at least two below mine. I'm rank three, so forget it. She would have to submit to me voluntarily already. And even then, I probably wouldn't even be able to impose my will on her. So I couldn't use her as a curse. And I might not even be able to call her out of the curse dimension or she would break out as she pleased. That wouldn't solve or resolve anything." .
"Well, boys, you've got yourselves a nice little problem". The two flinched. Out of nowhere, Shoko sat next to Suguru. A large shopping bag beside her, she reached across the table for one of the burgers from Satoru's tray. "So that's what plucked you in the mall? A special curse? And you didn't report it?". "No. Satoru said that we could solve the 'little problem' on our own. Where did you suddenly come from?". "I went shopping. The new book of photographs by Kaito Yamada came out today. And I needed some winter clothes. When I passed this shop, I saw you and spontaneously came in. And when were you planning to tell me about it?". She was now also calmly unwrapping the paper from the burger. "Well...actually, I honestly hadn't thought about it at all, what we were going to do after we talked to her," Satoru announced, swallowing his last bite. "And how was the conversation? What can you say about her? Or more banally, what is her name? Master Yaga mentioned that higher-ranking curses have a name similar to Sukuna. Maybe we could identify her by her name. If there are already records of them," Shoko inquired, taking a large sip of Suguru's coffee. He grimaced in disgust. Even now the condensed milk was still a thick lump floating on the surface. "Hmmm...nope forgot to ask for a name.", Satoru said shrugging, "But Suguru didn't tell me to ask her either.". "Because you hijacked the whole conversation and preferred to jump right in.". Satoru waved it off. "In any case, you claimed that she neither killed nor cursed people.". "I see, so what?". Suguru sighed. "Nothing and further. We went in Satoru asked her directly if she had killed people yet. She answered no and we immediately retreated in response.". "And we got a taste of her cursing power," Satoru added while grabbing the next burger, "I tell you, Shoko. That girl's got a lot of curse power up her sleeve!". "Well, that was both unproductive and rude. You don't just go up to someone and ask if they're a mass murderer. So basically you don't know anything that would help us. Neither where she comes from, what her intentions are, nor anything else," Shoko stated soberly. She was now also eating her burger, "What kind of impression did she make on you?". Suguru looked out the window. People were hurrying past. Some had minor curses attached to them. He thought of the girl. She had looked lost. After she seemed to have gotten over the initial shock, she had been visibly glad to be able to talk to someone. One hundred and fifty years of loneliness. Involuntarily, he twisted his strand of hair around his finger. He was not eager to return there ever again. And yet her hasty departure pissed him off. Whether she was a curse or not, she seemed to be a sentient being and it was not his style to be rude to others. Besides, she would now sit there and wait for them to come back to pass their final judgement on her. How frustrating that must be when they might not come back at all. At least avoiding this place would not be the stupidest decision they could make. "She seemed lost..." he said, his voice sounding hollow to his ears. "Well either way. We couldn't just pretend nothing happened anymore, because now that we know about her, we have some responsibility for what will happen in the future. Whether we report her or not. I guess it could come to the following scenarios...", Shoko counted them on her fingers, "...One: nothing happens. She continues to sit in there and waits for never-never day. Secondly: it could also be that she actually attacks people at some point and then it would be our fault because we let the matter rest. Three: we report her and the Jujuzist Council will take care of her. Expel her or seal her. I think that would probably be the safest option.". Satoru stretched. "Meeeh. I hate responsibility. But I also hate the old farts.".
Suguru continued to stare out the window. "Or fourthly, we take the risk by keeping it quiet, but Suguru absorbs her, so we can keep an eye on that girl.". Shoko looked at him expectantly. Somehow she seemed excited by the idea. But Suguru shook his head. "I already told you that I can't absorb a curse from the special rank yet. Not without the curse's consent.". Satoru yawned demonstratively. "Wellaa. I can't think of anything else either. Maybe we should sleep on it for a few days. Currently, she doesn't seem to be a threat, does she?".