ʜᴏᴜɴᴅꜱ ᴏꜰ ʟᴏᴠᴇ (ᴍ.ꜰᴜꜱʜɪɢᴜʀᴏ)

No. 3

As the day drew to a close, the sky became a canvas of vibrant hues, painted with the soft strokes of the setting sun. The bustling energy of the day gradually mellowed into a tranquil serenity as the world around began to wind down. Shadows lengthened, casting a gentle veil over the landscape, while the air became infused with a sense of calm.

Emiri led the way following Seven while he trailed the pink-haired boy through Sendai City to a local hospital. The sky was bright hues of red and orange as half of the sun had disappeared. Emiri released Seven then lounged in one of the chairs in the waiting room as Megumi paced in a dark hall. The boy had entered a room and was yet to come out.

"Yuji Itadori," Megumi stated, which caused Emiri to glance at him.

"You figured out his name," Emiri chuckled before she continued tauntingly. "Good for you, Megumi!"

He huffed at her comment before she withdrew her attention from him. The two sat silently for an hour until the boy wandered into the waiting room. He conversed softly with the nurse behind the counter as he filled out papers. Emiri pushed herself to a stand as Megumi lingered behind her. The boy slowly turned as he noticed the two staring at him.

"Yuji Itadori," Megumi repeated with a menacing tone towards the boy.

The boy hummed in confusion as the two neared him.

"I'm Fushiguro from Jujutsu High," he gestured to the girl next to him. "This is Hara,"

"We'd like to have a word with you," Emiri kindly stated as she broke her stance.

"Now," Megumi urged, partially cutting her off.

"Um," Yuji stuttered at the sudden confrontation. "I'm, uh, in mourning...right now."

"Who passed away?" Emiri stepped towards the boy in a comforting manner.

"Emiri..." Megumi growled under his breath as she drew the conversation away from the Curse Object. Emiri waved her hand at him urging him to shut his mouth.

"My grandfather," Yuji stated reluctantly. "But he was more like a father to me."

"I'm sorry it had to happen at a time like this and..." she continued as the boy looked over at her. "I understand, but this can't wait. The cursed object you possess is very dangerous."

"I need you to hand it over," Megumi continued with his cold demeanor.

"Cursed object?" Yuji questioned as he gawked at Megumi.

Megumi reached into his pocket and grabbed his phone. He unlocked it and held up the photo of the cursed object, a small circular object wrapped in cloth and placed in a sliding box. Yuji leaned toward the photo.

"Oh, yeah, that," he responded casually as he leaned against the couch. "I found that. I didn't think much of it, but my friends were totally into it. What's dangerous about it?"

Emiri sighed as she listened to Yuji talk. Megumi sighed as he looked up at the boy.

"Every year there are more than ten thousand unexplained deaths and missing persons in Japan. And most of those are the result of curses." Megumi informed stoically.

"Curses?!" Yuji spat in disbelief.

"I don't care if you believe in them or not, the fact is they exist." Megumi continued gruffly.

Emiri watched as Yuji contorted his face in confusion at Megumi.

"Just listen," she sighed as she neared the boy who had assumed a lying position on the couch. "Large pools of energy form easily in schools, hospitals, and so on. Hardship, regret, shame, these emotions become the source of curses."