WellSpring of Curses - Jujutsu Kaisen

Not Your Bride

The Zenin mansion was beautiful in appearance; gardens, karesansui, tatami mats under one's feet, the shoji paper doors and windows. Brought back memories of home; the Heian Era home. Haku could put some other similarities to it as well. Just like in the Namikaze Estate back then, she was a prisoner of the Zenin Clan. More specifically Naoya. She just needed to bide her time, be patient, and not kick the jerk in the nuts. Yuta would keep his promise, and once they had a solid plan together to save Gojo, she'd bust out of here.

It seemed women were a rarity in the clan. Most had either died from going mad due to the misogyny and crippling expectations of the Zenin Clan, or had escaped at the very first chance. Much like Maki and Mai had. The only other woman Haku had any contact with thus far was Maki's mother, who had been assigned as a sort of caretaker for Haku. The woman's spirit seemed broken. A shell that simply did the bidding of her Husband Ogi and the rest of the Zenin Clan. But Haku could still see a fire hiding in her eyes, or more like a protectiveness of her children. Perhaps Maki and Mai had inherited a better version of strength from their mother.

Haku sat on her knees on a silk pillow at a table in what appeared to be a meeting room of sorts. Maki's mother set the table with tea before disappearing out the door. The doors slid open a few moments later, and Noaya entered, followed by his uncles Ogi and Jinichi. Haku silently scoffed at the cocky grin on his face. Naoya took a seat beside her, while Jinichi and Ogi sat across the table. "Dear uncles, this is my bride, the fabled Wellspring, Haku Namikaze." Naoya held a hand out towards Haku, who politely cut her eyes at him in annoyance. "Definitely pretty enough, but she needs to learn her place."

Haku narrowed her eyes slightly at his comment, but bit her tongue, instead reaching for her cup of tea and taking a sip. "I am not your bride."

A flash of irritation flickered through Naoya's eyes, his face forming into a scowl. "The Higher ups have ordered it, so you best get used to it, little bird. Because that's what you are now, a little bird locked in the gilded cage of the Zenin estate."

Haku bit back her reply. She needed to hold it together. With a small huff, she continued to sip her tea.

Jinshi and Ogi had been watching Haku closely, studying her immense cursed energy. Ogi rubbed his chin. "She'll make a fine addition to the Zenin clan. Her power, if anything, is worthy of the clan."

Jinshi scoffed, standing up from the table. "Hard to believe such a tiny thing is the Wellspring." He motioned for Ogi, and the two headed back towards the door. "Come on, I don't care to sit and listen to some lover's quarrel." The two then left the room.

Haku spluttered her tea at Jinshi's comment, irritation showing in a scowl on her face. Naoya just laughed, finding it amusing. "See, even my dear uncle knows you'll have to accept your fate. Though I couldn't care less if you actually love me or not. There's no need for that. Simply do your duty as my wife, bear the next generation of the clan, and stay in your gilded cage as you did in your era."

The cup Haku had been holding clattered onto the table as she slammed it down, snapping her head towards Naoya. "I have no intentions of living in a gilded cage ever again. And I will not be your wife, you arrogant, narcissistic jerk!"

Naoya's face contorted in anger, and he jumped up, grabbing Haku's chin and forcing her to look at him. She looked him dead on, her crimson eyes flaring with fire. Naoya clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Listen here, you will be my wife if I have to force you into submission. I'll make your life miserable until you're begging me to treat you nicer."

Haku didn't flinch, clenching her fists, her grip on her cup tightening to the point it threatened to break the glass. "Try me. Think you can beat me? You have no idea what I'm capable of. You hear any of what I did in Shibuya? You've never seen me fight, but I've seen you."

Noaya tightened his grip on her chin before e letting go of her roughly. "Tch. Let's see how long you keep that up." His eyes wandered to the ring on Haku's finger, narrowing. "And you can get rid of that ring on your finger. I'll be replacing it with my wedding ring."

Haku grabbed her own hand, touching the ring fondly. "Like I said. I won't be your wife, so it doesn't matter. Besides, this ring is a promise, and I don't plan on taking it off."

"Promise?" Naoya scoffed, folding his arms. "Who the hell would you make a promise with that made them give you a ring?"

"I made a promise to always be together, to protect one another. A promise with Satoru." Haku sadly smiled, hoping that soon she'd be able to see Gojo again.

The name Satoru seemed to infuriate Naoya. He stamped his foot, reaching out to grab Haku by the wrist. "You're telling me you already promised yourself to that damned Satoru Gojo! Like hell! You're mine!" Naoya began trying to remove the ring from Haku's finger. "Take that damn thing off and hand it over! He's locked in the prison realm and has been cast from Jujutsu society! He's good as dead!"

With swift movements, Haku jumped up, getting out of his grip, anger pulsing through her. "Satoru is not dead! And I will make sure he is freed from the prison realm!" Her cursed energy flared, a threatening gesture, and she didn't even care at this point. "Touch me again, and I'll show you what the Wellspring can do."

Fury coursed through Naoya, written all over his usually smug face. Reluctantly, he turned, stalking towards the door and sliding it open harshly. He wasn't dumb enough to try and fight Haku, not in the middle of the Zenin clan. Not when he could risk total embarrassment. "Just you wait, little bird. I'll show you your place in due time." The door slammed closed behind him as he left, leaving Haku alone in the room.

Once she was alone again, she took a deep breath, sitting back down. That was rough. She softly touched the ring on her finger. "I miss you, Satoru. And I almost messed up." She sighed heavily, looking up at the ceiling. "Yuta, hurry up, please."