Winner Takes All || Various!JJK X Reader

3: A Secret Kept

Maybe you shouldn't have asked that.

Maybe you should have just played along, should have walked with him, talked with him, and acted like everything was normal.

But no, you just had to ask.

At that moment, you only did because you thought he would cower. You thought he'd apologize because he always seemed so proper to you, so respectful, and any sign that he's disturbing other people would make him leave sooner than later.

But Geto Suguru wasn't just a polite kid walking around like one of the adults.

He's someone who has enough experience to know when another person, a non-sorcerer at that, is jumpy at every little thing that they shouldn't see in real life.

"You can see them, don't you?"

It's a simple question. Simple, yet informal. Straightforward, yet demanding.

"What?"

And it's a question you dodged with your inexpressive face.

"Can see what? I'm afraid I don't have any context about your question."

You've been hiding successfully from these curses for years. Your heart might have stopped once in a while, and your eyes might have threatened to cry out in fear, but you didn't let it show once. You had a good control on your poker face, so now you'll use it to your advantage.

Geto stared you down. You stared right back.

It went on like that for a few seconds, the wind breezing past the two of you, the cursed spirit stopping nearby. Geto glanced at it, his movements slow and deliberate. And as a way to act normal, you also turned, making direct eye-contact with the curse that perked up.

"You can see me...?" It asked, just like most cursed spirits did. It's a creature that looked like its skin had melted, so it was difficult to keep your expression still, but you did it anyway.

"Is there something wrong...?" You turned back to Geto. He was still looking at the cursed spirit. This time, his brows deepened as if he couldn't understand what that thing was. Weird. "Uh, Geto-san, I don't think I understood your question earlier. Can you repeat it again?"

Silence. It went on for a while.

"The new release," Geto said softly, turning to you with a smile. "The one I bought yesterday. You can see the new release early because you work at the store, right?"

"You mean The Way of Fighting?" This time, you weren't feigning your relief at his words.

Score! He believed your poker face like the seasoned actor you really are!

Geto nodded, slipping a hand into his pockets and staring down at the can in his hand. He's unaware of the celebratory party that was hidden underneath your straight face, but he spoke again. "I tried reading it, but realized I bought the newer release instead, cause I couldn't understand a thing when I checked the first few pages."

There was a hint of irritation in his voice, as if he's remembering something that annoyed him, but it was gone the moment you spoke.

"Ah, so you need the first volume instead."

Geto hummed in affirmation.

"Well, I don't know about that..." you began. "Usually we only display the new releases, but maybe I can find something for you in the back." Hopefully it doesn't change into Jujutsu Kaisen once he starts reading it—

Wait a second.

Geto was nodding his head, unaware of the realization that slowly happened in your mind.