(Flashback starts)
The evening of late spring felt heavy. The sky glowed orange-red, broken buildings casting long shadows across the empty district. Dust floated in the air, carried by the dry wind.
Shun stood in the middle of the cracked street, back facing Soya.
"Why did you kill them?!" Soya shouted, his voice echoing between the ruins.
Shun's voice came out calm and cold, almost detached.
"Don't you see?! I'm making things good."
Soya's blood boiled. "You killed them and now you're saying you're making things good?! Have you lost your mind?!"
Shun finally turned his head slightly, his eyes glinting under the fading light.
"They were corrupted."
"No," Soya snapped, voice shaking with anger. "You are — not them!"
Shun smiled bitterly.
"Oh, Soya... I wish you could see the world the way I see it. I can't step back now."
"You have to!" Soya growled. His dagger half-drew with a metallic hiss.
"Or I will kill you right here!"
Shun spread his arms, almost taunting.
"Go on! Stop me! Because I can't stop myself. One day, you'll realize what I said."
Soya grit his teeth, slammed the dagger back into its sheath, and looked away.
"Tsk!"
Shun turned and left, his footsteps fading into the stillness.
(Flashback ends)
---
"Here's your ramen, sir!" the shop owner said cheerfully, placing the steaming bowl on the counter.
Soya stared blankly at the bowl, the rising steam blurring his reflection.
Why does that memory still hurt so much?
"Tsurp, tsuuurrpp!" Noritoshi slurped loudly, completely breaking the quiet atmosphere.
"Noritoshi-san! You're making too much noise!" Soya scolded, snapping out of his daze.
Noritoshi wiped his mouth. "It's damn good!"
Soya thought, Is that even an answer?
Noritoshi grinned. "Soya! After eating, we'll go to a barber. I have to cut my hair."
"Did you forget why we came here?!"
"No! But I can't think with this long hair."
Soya muttered under his breath, "Do you even have a brain?"
Noritoshi blinked. "Huh? Did you say something?"
Soya put on a fake smile. "Yeah! You're too cool."
Noritoshi straightened his back and deepened his voice dramatically. "Really?!"
Soya flatly: "No."
Noritoshi made a goofy face, pretending to cry. "You're so bad!" Then he went back to slurping noodles.
---
When they finally stepped out of the barber shop, Noritoshi was grinning like he had just defeated a curse.
"Noritoshi-san, did you cut your hair like my oniisan?"
"Yeah! Gojo was the best!"
Soya's voice softened. "Yeah... he was."
Their smiles faded, and they split up to search for the remaining curses. But hours passed, and they found nothing.
---
Evening turned the river into a sheet of gold and crimson.
Soya sat on the southern bank, phone pressed to his ear.
"Where are you?!" Noritoshi barked.
"Southern side of the river."
"I'm coming!"
Minutes later, Soya heard running footsteps.
"Noritoshi-san, so you finally came!"
Noritoshi jogged over, holding a white bag.
"Wait, what did you bring?"
"Sushi. Couldn't resist."
Soya's eyebrow twitched. "So you weren't working?!"
Noritoshi grinned sheepishly. "Hey, I was! This just… happened."
They were about to eat when Soya noticed something floating in the river — a boy, katana still in his mouth, fish clutched in both hands.
"Another drunk man?!"
Noritoshi shrugged. "What? I'm not saving him."
He deepened his voice dramatically. "As a senpai, I order you to go save him!"
Soya sighed. "Fine. Just stop acting cool."
Noritoshi's vein popped. "This brat!"
Soya dove into the river and dragged the boy out.
"Huh? A jujutsu sorcerer?!"
"Gakuganji didn't tell me about him," Noritoshi muttered.
Soya checked the ID. "Hayate. Do you know him?"
"Nope."
---
Night came. A fire crackled near the river, fish sizzling over the flames.
Hayate finally stirred awake. "Hey! Who are you? And wait—you're roasting my fish! And—wait! You're jujutsu sorcerers too?!"
Soya bonked him lightly on the head. "Yeah, genius. What are you doing here?"
"I came to inspect this place's curse. Why are you here?"
"To exorcise it. So why were you trying to drown yourself?"
"I wasn't! I was catching fish 'cause I was hungry!"
Soya sighed internally. Great. Another idiot.
Noritoshi flipped the fish. "Eat first, talk later!"
They ate, chatting under the night sky.
"So you came to inspect," Soya said.
"Yeah. But why send me here if there's no curse?" Hayate frowned.
"Good question," Noritoshi said.
"Also," Soya said, "why fish instead of buying food?"
"Jujutsu High hasn't sent my pay yet!"
"What?!"
"I don't know why!"
Noritoshi grinned. "What's your technique?"
"I use New Shadow Style. That's why the katana."
"Ooh."
Hayate looked back. "What about you?"
"Blood Manipulation. Kamo clan head."
Hayate's eyes widened. "No way! Can I get a selfie?!"
Noritoshi grinned. "Sure."
As they took pictures, Soya turned to grab the second fish —
And froze.
The riverbank was gone.
Snow drifted silently, the world bathed in pale moonlight. The village ahead looked peaceful, almost beautiful — but empty, hollow, like no one had walked there for years.
Soya stood there, fish still in hand, heart pounding.
"What the hell...?"
---
Chapter 2: Snow at Dusk, ends.
Hiatus! Maybe story will change after hiatus.