Convergence

Part 3 : Chapter 3

- "Tadaaa! Let me introduce you to Agathe. Twenty-one years old. She'll be your partner for a... very, very special mission!"

Standing in the middle of the entrance hall of the Tokyo Jujutsu High, Satoru Gojo wore his usual carefree smile, hands tucked into the pockets, as if all of this were nothing more than casual entertainment. 

Utahime, on the other hand, remained still. The trip from Kyoto still weighed on her shoulders. Her shoulders were tense, her gaze hardened by fatigue - and also by irritation.

He had summoned her all the way to Tokyo. For this ? An improvised mission.

No warning. No explanations. During her rare days off. And with a complete stranger.

Her eyes finally settled on the stranger.

Agathe stood slightly behind, upright, almost rigid. Tall, with a slender silhouette that seemed precisely carved, as if every movement had been learned and controlled. Her long light-brown hair cascaded over her shoulders. Her face, with its fine and regular features, might have appeared gentle... if her expression hadn't been so closed off. Her eyes, a light brown almost golden, held no warmth. And her aura was... Dense. Sharp. Irresistible. A real femme fatale, as we can imagine it.

— "Hello, I'm Agathe Kobayashi."

Her voice was dry, with a hint of a foreign accent that made each word sound even more abrupt. Maybe English? Russian? Utahime couldn't quite place it.

Utahime paused. 

Normally, Gakuganji or Yaga would have informed her. There would have been a clear briefing, precise information. But with Satoru... nothing was ever simple.

She took a slow breath.

— "Utahime Iori. Nice to meet you."

— "Alright, alright, ladies !" Satoru clapped his hands. "Now that introductions are done, let's move on to your very special mission!"

The silence that followed was almost awkward.

Utahime crossed her arms, staring at him.

— "We're listening, Satoru. Whenever you're ready..."

— "Ohhh... always so impatient, Utahime."

He tilted his head slightly, an amused smile stretching across his lips.

— "The higher-ups received several reports of a cluster of curses near Urami Higashi High School. I'm counting on you to go check what's going on."

Utahime froze.

Four hundred kilometers. For this.

Irritation rose within her. If Agathe hadn't been there... she would have slapped him.

— "You're not coming with us?" Agathe asked, - a hint of disappointment in her voice.

— "Not this time. I'm counting on Utahime to take my place."

His gaze flickered toward Utahime—too quick to read.

— "But if needed... call me."

Then he handed them a stack of files.

And disappeared. As always.

..............

The car cut through the nighttime streets of Tokyo, its headlights slicing across the wet asphalt. Inside, a tense silence had settled.

At the wheel, Kiyotaka Ijichi kept both hands firmly on the steering wheel. 

His dark suit was perfectly fitted, contrasting with his nervous demeanor.