Ikuko hadn't cried. She could claim that much as she arrived at the Watanabes' flower shop eight minutes after she was supposed to start work. After several apologies and a promise to work extra hard, all of which were brushed aside with eye-rolls and friendly pats on the back, Ikuko offered to deliver the van load of flowers that was ordered the previous day.
"You're only a part-timer, Nishimura-san. It'll take you all day to deliver those flowers, and we can't pay for your overtime," her advisor had told her.
That was true... but she'd heard Jiro-kun telling a friend how he's been unusually tired lately.
It's only fair, she told herself, guilt once again rising like bile in her throat as she noted the oppressive aura filling the shop, Besides, it's not that big of a deal. I can do something as little as deliver the bouquets for him.
Her emotions took this as a calming opportunity, numbing themselves as she lost herself in the monotony of loading flowers into the van and then of driving down familiar roads.
If Ikuko had been paying the least bit of attention to the destination, she would have realized the horrible situation she'd put herself in before it was too late.
Now she stood, rooted to the ground with fear, in front of a funeral home.
How... I could've sworn the flowers were going to a wedding venue...
But she checked the address on her phone, and there was no mistaking it. This was where she was supposed to deliver the flowers.
Ikuko clutched the door of the van, steadying herself against the oppressive aura emanating from the funeral home. All sorts of horrible feelings were gathering in the pit of her stomach. Grief, anger, fear, disgust. Except for a portion of the fear, none of these feelings belonged to her.
What should I do? I can't just go back without delivering the flowers, but there's no way I can go inside either...
As she was contemplating what to do, one of the funeral home workers must have seen her in the parking lot and had come out to greet her.
"Hello, miss," he said, "You're here with the flowers, right?"
Taken by surprise, Ikuko nearly jumped out of her skin. And she might have, too, if it hadn't been for the thing wrapped around the poor man's throat. Her eyes widened even as her gaze narrowed in on the grotesque, snake-like creature, with its pale, wrinkly skin bubbling with purple pustules. Its eyes were the worst part of it, however. Human eyes, bloodshot and dripping with oozing purple tears, stared at her from the creature's lumpy head.
The man coughed, "Miss? Are you alright?"
"Wha-Oh, yes, sorry," she said, shaking herself out of her stupor, and reached back into the van for the clipboard, "If you could just sign..."
Ikuko turned back toward the man and came face to face with the snake creature, which had taken the opportunity of her turned back to extend itself close enough to flick her face with its tongue. It took all of her willpower to hand over the clipboard without screaming.
"Thanks, miss. I'll send out a few of our staff to unload-"
Suddenly the man doubled over as coughs wracked his slight frame. Ikuko could only watch, horrified, as the snake creature tightened around the man's throat. Several seconds of coughing passed. Sweat began beading on her forehead and her hands began to shake.
What do I do? What can I do? Is it going to kill him? Please, not again...
But the creature relaxed its grip, and soon the man straightened, giving Ikuko an apology and explaining that he'd been suffering a nasty cold lately. The snake tilted its head at her, as if studying her reaction.
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Mirror Eyes & Bright Blue Skies | Jujutsu Kaisen
Fanfiction"What seems to be the matter, young lady?" Her head jerked toward the voice. It belonged to a tall man with white hair, who stood at the center of the clearing, wearing some sort of black uniform and a blindfold. Where in the world had this guy come...
