Cursed Currents | Gojo & Geto

三

┏━°⌜ 呪術廻戦 ⌟°━┓
3
ZOMBIES
┗━°⌜ 呪術廻戦 ⌟°━┛

The roof has become my sanctuary. Up here, away from the noise and the demands of daily life at Kyoto Tech, I can finally breathe. It's been nearly three months since school started, and the transition from the rigid structure of the Kamo clan to the more chaotic life at Kyoto Tech has been both freeing and overwhelming. The freedom is a double-edged sword, giving me space to grow but also forcing me to confront parts of myself I've kept buried for too long.

The June sun is high in the sky, beating down with a relentless intensity that makes my skin glisten with sweat. The roof tiles beneath me are warm, almost hot to the touch, and I shift every now and then to avoid getting too uncomfortable. Despite the heat, I've chosen to sit up here, perched on the edge of the roof with a jujutsu textbook in hand, trying to cram as much information into my head as possible.

My earphones are firmly in place, blasting music loud enough that I can feel the bass vibrating in my bones. It's a welcome distraction, the rhythm and lyrics providing a kind of background noise that helps me focus—or at least, that's what I tell myself. The truth is, the music is also a barrier, a way to keep the world at bay, to block out the persistent thoughts that keep swirling in my mind.

I bob my head to the beat as I scan the page in front of me, trying to memorize the techniques and theories we'll be tested on next week. The practical exam looms ahead, a constant pressure that's been weighing on me for days now. I know I'm prepared, at least as much as I can be, but there's always that nagging doubt, that voice in the back of my mind reminding me of the expectations that come with my name.

I read the same passage for the third time, the words blurring together as my thoughts start to drift. I can't help it; my mind is a jumble of everything that's happened since I arrived here.

My gaze drifts from the page to the view beyond the roof's edge. The forest surrounding Kyoto Tech stretches out as far as the eye can see, a sea of green under the bright blue sky. It's beautiful, in a wild, untamed way. Up here, I feel a sense of peace, a connection to something larger than myself.

The sun's relentless rays beat down on me, making the sweat bead on my forehead and my clothes stick to my skin, but I refuse to move. I've trained myself to endure worse, and besides, I'm determined to master these spells before the practical test. The rhythm of my breathing matches the cadence of the incantations, my focus so intense that the world around me fades into the background.

But then, I feel it—a slight shift in cursed energy, subtle but unmistakable. My muscles tense instinctively, and before I can react, a hand clamps down on my shoulder.

I whirl around, startled, and find myself face-to-face with Takeshi, standing way too close with a wide grin plastered on his face. His eyes gleam with mischief, and I know immediately that he's been planning this little ambush for a while.

I yank out my earphones and raise an eyebrow at him, silently asking what the hell he's doing up here.

He doesn't answer right away, instead dropping down beside me with a dramatic groan. "You're out of your mind, Sora-chan," he says, cursing under his breath as he wipes sweat from his brow. "Sitting up here in this heat... Are you trying to cook yourself alive or something?"

I roll my eyes at his theatrics, knowing full well he's just trying to get a rise out of me. "What do you want?" I ask, trying to sound as disinterested as possible.

He clutches his chest in mock hurt, feigning deep offense. "I'm wounded," he says, dramatically dragging out the words. "Here I am, coming all the way up here to grace you with my presence, and this is the thanks I get? You're not even happy to see me?"