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━─────── To most, Chiye's presence radiated mystery, like a shadow lingering at the edges of perception. Her appearance alone would be enough to give anyone pause, yet it was her aura──a quiet, invisible tension──that kept people at bay.
The few brave souls who tried to strike up a conversation would soon find themselves unsettled, crushed under a weight of unspoken power. If you asked the older members of the Jujutsu Organization, they'd share hushed warnings, casting glances over their shoulders as they spoke. Chiye, after all, was known as the Gojo Family's "trump card."
Perhaps, given time, even Gojo Satoru himself would have vouched for it.
Yet that oppressive air had softened over time, eroded by the relentless patience of Kartein and a select few who chipped away at her defenses. The healer, persistent and subtle, had woven himself into the cracks of her guarded soul, lowering her walls bit by bit. Jiwoo and the others had managed the same, chipping away with their camaraderie. There was, as they say, strength in prolonged company.
Now, Chiye's aura held a gentler mystery, more subtle and elusive. It was this change that made Vermont's approach feel almost natural as he walked up without hesitation when Chiye came to a halt. His call made her turn, and beside her, Kartein──currently in his cat form──narrowed his eyes, his tail flicking in suspicion at the sight of the older ranker.
'I wonder what this senile old man wants,' Kartein mused, his gaze hardening on Vermont. Then, a thought struck him, and his fur bristled with alarm. 'No way... Could it be that he wants to challenge Chiye to a fight with his grandson too? If he dares─’ He edged closer to the doorway, sneakily leaving.
Meanwhile, Vermont's eyes swept over Chiye, assessing her with a trained intensity. His gaze lingered on her bandaged eyes, noting the contrast to Kartein's typical meticulousness. The image of her, quietly observing Jiwoo's triumph, didn't align with his perception of Kartein's usual student.
'This is... Kartein's apprentice?' he thought, a faint unease tugging at him. If she was blind, as the bandages suggested, why hadn't Kartein, the famed healer who could pull someone back from death's edge, restored her sight?
"What is it?" Chiye's voice broke the silence, calm and unperturbed.
Startled, Vermont blinked, realizing he'd been staring a beat too long. Quickly, he cleared his throat, his composure snapping back into place. "Excuse me, miss," he said, his tone controlled as he considered his words carefully. "I couldn't help but be curious. Kayden mentioned that you... are Kartein's student. Is that true?"
