𝑴𝒖𝒕𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑪𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒆 (𝑺𝒂𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒖 𝑮𝒐𝒋𝒐 𝒙 𝑶𝑪)

1.6 Unspoken Desires

Spring had slowly settled over Tokyo Jujutsu High, bringing with it a light breeze that drifted through the window of Chihiro's room. Months had passed since that harsh winter, since that first brutal lesson in the world of exorcists, and now the cold winds had given way to softer, warmer breaths. The morning breeze gently swayed the thin curtains, lifting them in a quiet dance, and her long black hair floated gently in the wind, brushing against her pale cheeks. She rose slowly, her movements graceful, still a bit sluggish from sleep.

She turned off her alarm clock with a slow, precise motion, then headed to the small adjoining bathroom. Standing in front of the mirror, she observed her reflection, her features still slightly sleepy, her eyes a bit shadowed but bright with determination. She grabbed her toothbrush and began brushing her teeth carefully, her movements meticulous, almost ritualistic. Once she was done, she picked up her hairbrush and began to untangle her long black locks, each stroke bringing a bit more order to the jet-black cascade.

She opened a small tube of lip gloss and applied a thin layer, adding a subtle shine to her lips. Then, with a delicate gesture, she took a small bottle of scented oil and dabbed a few drops discreetly on her neck, the light fragrance blending with the fresh spring air. She then slipped into her exorcist's robe, the dark fabric gliding over her skin, wrapping around her slender but determined figure. Every morning, the same ritual. Every morning, the same silent commitment to herself.

Chihiro left her room, her light footsteps softly echoing in the hallway, and made her way to the school gardens. The sun was still low, its golden rays filtering through the branches of the cherry blossoms. The petals, a soft pink, floated through the air, swirling gently before settling on the ground still wet with morning dew. The garden was bathed in a soft, almost ethereal light, and the scent of fresh flowers filled the air.

Chihiro approached a flowerbed she had been tending with care since her arrival. Modest flowers, yet vibrant with bright colors. She picked up a watering can placed near the stone bench and began watering the plants with delicate attention, her small hands handling the object with innocent tenderness. Every drop of water seemed to be a caress for the flowers, a gesture of care, of protection.

She crouched down to check the soil, pressing her slender fingers into the earth to make sure it was moist enough. She smiled slightly, a soft, serene expression, absorbed in the simplicity of her task. There was a kind of peace in this moment, a tranquility in this contact with nature, far from the horrors and violence of her daily life as an exorcist.

Satoru Gojo stood a few steps away, leaning against the trunk of a cherry tree, his arms crossed over his chest. He watched Chihiro, his eyes hidden behind his black blindfold, but his attention entirely focused on her. He hadn't taken Chihiro under his wing out of pity. No, he had sensed a great potential in her, a latent strength that was just waiting to be awakened. No matter how long it would take, he knew exactly what she was capable of. He saw in her something rare, something precious—a purity mixed with resilience that fascinated him as much as it irritated him.

He couldn't help but feel a certain irritation at her innocence, that almost naive way she tended to the flowers, as if the world was still a peaceful, safe place. Her small hands, so unaware of his presence, seemed to move with carefree serenity, as if she knew nothing of the scrutinizing gaze that was constantly watching over her. And yet, there was something captivating about watching her, something that kept him there, under that tree, motionless, simply observing.

Satoru's thoughts were much darker. Since Suguru, his best friend, had left, he had felt a deep loneliness, an emptiness he never knew how to fill. Suguru had been the only person he had truly connected with, the only person who had understood the weight of the power he carried within him. Now Suguru was gone, and he, Satoru Gojo, the strongest, was left alone. Regarded as a weapon, a tool of destruction capable of defeating the greatest curses, yet incapable of filling the void in his own heart.