⚬|𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐌𝐞 𝐍𝐨𝐭|⚬

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 2

The next day, although the rain had stopped, the gloomy atmosphere from the night before persisted.

They woke up as soon as the first light of day gently tickled their faces. They had slept the entire night entangled with each other, and although they were now fully awake, neither of them wanted to let go of the other.

It was Y/n who, with a loud sigh, spoke first. "Did you sleep well?" she asked, her tone unusually gentle, the same way she would only speak in moments like these.

"What are you going on about?" Satoru answered, hugging her tightly against his chest. "I'm still sleeping."

She laughed out loud at his childish ways. Oh, how she wished this was all a dream.

"Satoru—" She called again, attempting to wiggle her way out of his strong yet gentle hold. "Satoru, I need to get ready. Let go, come on!"

All she got in return was a low grumble and a weak, "Five more minutes, please, my love." With a huff, she surrendered. Turning to face him, she reached out her hands and hugged him tightly, his head resting on her chest as his hands slipped down to her waist.

She could imagine it—the life they could have had if they had been normal humans, not two of the most crucial pillars of the jujutsu world. Perhaps, even if they had been born as ordinary sorcerers, they could have lived a relatively quiet life in the countryside—occasionally exorcising level four curses before returning home with bags full of groceries, their pet cat waiting for them. But luck was never on their side, not in a world that had chosen them as the ones to hold balance between the vast worlds of sorcerers and curses.

But now, that careful balance they had created was about to be disrupted. In a few hours, Y/n would break one of the sacred vows she made the moment she unlocked her technique's full potential by unleashing the ultimate expression of her powers—her Domani Expansion.

Nine vows had been made to the shadow she believed to belong to Time itself, each one bound with strings she could never sever. The moment she'd unlocked the technique, she had committed herself to these promises, each one heavy with consequence. The vows kept her tethered to the world's delicate balance. If any were broken, everything could unravel.

The Elders had made it clear they knew the risk. Their desperation hung in the air, thick and suffocating, and it was obvious they would rather gamble with their strongest cards than face defeat. But what if it all failed? What if she died because she broke the first vow? Would the world continue to live on, or would it shatter without her? Would the balance collapse entirely in the absence of one of its pillars?

Would Satoru even continue to fight if I die?

The question felt absurd. Of course, he would. It wasn't as if they would sacrifice the world for her death. Not in a million years.

Yet the thought clung to her like a shadow she could not escape. She looked at him—the man still in deep slumber, his long lashes and snow-colored hair creating a striking contrast against the soft morning light. His sharp jawline and delicate features made him seem almost ethereal. And yet, his eyes—the true windows to his soul—held all the complexities of the world. Blue, almost like the ocean, but more than that, they contained the rare Six Eyes. A blessing and a curse, allowing him to perceive cursed energy in ways no one else could.