"Who knows."
Hearing the quiet murmur beside him, Satoru dropped his usual frivolous attitude.
In his view, there was no curse in this world more twisted than love.
But what if the one being cursed was willing to accept it?
"Gojo-sensei… and Fushiguro-sensei? Hang in there…"
At that moment, Yuta appeared, carrying the injured and unconscious Maki on his back, with two small children hooked in the crook of his arms. He walked toward them with heavy steps.
Even this little weight felt unbearably heavy to him.
His muscles trembled all over. If he relaxed even a bit, the injured might fall and suffer further harm.
"Do your best, Yuta."
A sudden breeze passed behind him.
A familiar voice sounded near his ear, and the gentle face of his childhood friend appeared before his eyes.
"I will do my best!"
As if injected with strength, the boy steadied himself and hardened his resolve.
"Well done, Yuta. Welcome back."
Satoru clapped his hands as he stepped forward, showing no restraint in praising his student. He then took the two children from Yuta just as the boy was about to collapse.
Mukuro only nodded. He casually took Maki like a sack of rice and slung her over his shoulder.
"That's great…"
Finally relieved of the burden, Yuta collapsed onto the ground.
"A kid is still a kid…"
With the injured loaded into the school vehicle, the group headed toward the hospital.
* * *
At the hospital.
"Don't worry. Maki and the two kids are fine. Just minor injuries."
As Yuta sat anxiously on a chair outside the ward, Satoru gave him the update.
"That's good…"
Yuta let out a breath of relief, his gaze fixed on the ring on his left ring finger.
"You look troubled. Is something bothering you?"
Seeing his expression, Satoru couldn't help asking.
"This was… the first time I called Rika out on my own."
The boy raised his left hand.
The ring seemed to shimmer under the lights.
"Oh? Then you've taken an important step forward," Mukuro replied calmly from where he leaned against the wall.
"Maybe…"
Just then, Yuta seemed to see a small child walking past them, pushing an IV stand.
Memories of Rika flooded his mind.
Their first meeting at the hospital. Playing together in the park. The promise they made. The ring she gave him.
Back then, they promised to stay together forever and never be apart.
"Gojo-sensei, Fushiguro-sensei. I keep thinking… could it be that Rika didn't curse me, but that I cursed Rika?"
His voice trembled, yet the thought felt more real the longer he considered it.
"Most likely," Mukuro answered without hesitation.
"How could that be…"
Even though he was somewhat prepared, Yuta still grabbed his head, overwhelmed by guilt.
"Mukuro, isn't that still uncertain?"
Satoru tried to object, but Mukuro raised a hand to stop him and pulled out a thin document from his coat.
"Look at this."
It clearly recorded the investigation results. Yuta Okkotsu was a descendant of one of Japan's three great special grade vengeful spirits, the legendary sorcerer Michizane Sugawara.
"This is…"
"How much could a well-documented little girl possibly do on her own to become a curse like that? I had Ijichi look into Yuta before. I picked this up this morning."
If he was descended from someone like that, the source of the curse was almost certain.
"Well, who would've thought… Yuta, you're actually my distant relative!"
The mood suddenly shifted. Satoru, who had looked serious moments ago, no longer focused on the curse. He became lively again and, along the way, pulled Yuta out of his sadness and guilt.
"This is a hospital. Please don't speak so loudly. You'll disturb the patients' rest."
A nurse passed by, frowning as she scolded Satoru in a low but firm voice.
"Sorry, sorry. I got carried away."
Satoru bowed repeatedly in apology.
"Heh…"
Yuta felt a little better.
But then, the smiling faces of his friends and Rika's image surfaced again.
He wanted to make things right. He wanted to seize the present.
"Gojo-sensei, Fushiguro-sensei. I want to lift Rika's curse at Jujutsu High."
His lips trembled as he looked at his tightly clenched fist.
"You've barely started, and you're already thinking about lifting the curse?"
Just as Yuta made up his mind, Mukuro poured cold water on him.
"Mukuro…"
Satoru tried to say something, but Mukuro raised his hand to stop him again.
"After death, a normal person's soul can't remain in this world, let alone turn into a curse of that level."
Mukuro stated his view.
Ordinary people usually can't curse others, but intense emotions at the moment of death are still possible.
A descendant of Michizane Sugawara had limitless potential in jujutsu.
If Yuta had released a powerful curse in desperation back then, combined with Rika's own wish to never part from him, it was possible to forcibly bind her soul as a special grade vengeful curse.
"Then that means…"
Yuta widened his eyes and swallowed, touching the ring on his ring finger.
"In a sense, you did curse each other. In the name of love."
Satoru said what Yuta was thinking.
"Learn how to control your cursed spirit properly. One day, you'll be able to communicate like normal people. When that time comes, wouldn't it be better to ask her what she wants? You cursed her without meaning to just to keep her, and now you selfishly want to undo it. What, are you some kind of heartless playboy?"
Mukuro gave his advice with a teasing tone.
"That's rude, Fushiguro-sensei. Rika and I… are pure love!"
Like a mouse whose tail had been stepped on, the usually timid and shy Yuta jumped to his feet and shouted.
"Hey, you three!"
The nurse who scolded Satoru earlier returned.
Soon after, the three dignified special grade sorcerers were driven into a corner of the floor.
"Well… I think I'll go check on Maki."
After getting their approval, Yuta tiptoed toward the ward like a thief.
"That's rare. Other than Megumi, you're actually this invested in a kid's problems."
Satoru turned his eyes to Mukuro, sounding curious.
"Give me a break. I care about these students too. I'm just not as loud about it as you."
Mukuro smiled faintly, hands in his pockets.
He simply felt that no matter what, feelings shared between people were not something that should ever be betrayed.
**
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