March 2007. Spring.
"It feels like there are more and more curses every year," Hasegumo muttered. He pulled his right hand back and wiped the blood from his sleeve, watching as a curse the size of a bull calf crashed to the ground, kicking up a massive cloud of dust. "I miss the old days when we only had one mission every week or two."
"We're so short on Assistant Directors that even Nanami and Haibara are being sent out on solo missions," Shoko said, standing off to the side with a cigarette between her lips. "I'm the only one with nothing to do, just loitering around with you..."
"What's with this thing?" Hasegumo frowned. He could still sense cursed energy fluctuating. "I don't see anything special about it. It's a measly Grade 1, yet it's still hanging on after taking one of my punches."
He followed up with a heavy stomp. A Black Flash flickered for a split second, and another fountain of blood erupted. This time, the curse finally dissolved into the wind.
"You're a doctor, Shoko. Shouldn't you be happy there aren't any patients?" Hasegumo sighed. "Honestly, doing missions every single day is getting dull. Exorcising these weaklings doesn't do anything for my growth. My martial arts and jujutsu haven't improved in ages. Speaking of which, I haven't seen those two in weeks. Where are Satoru and Suguru?"
Shoko pulled a metal flask from her pocket and took a long swig. "Hah. Who knows? Ever since Satoru mastered Reverse Cursed Technique, those two have been acting as solo units."
"Special Grades, huh? If you ask me, they should be the ones handling these boring Grade 1 missions. People at that level ought to take more responsibility." Hasegumo deactivated the Curtain and gestured for Shoko to get in the car. "By the way, Shoko, you should think about getting a driver's license. It'd be way more convenient for you to get around to see patients."
"I don't 'go out' to see patients. Using Reverse Cursed Technique on non-sorcerers is against the rules anyway. I've already decided: once I get my medical license, I'm spending the rest of my life inside Jujutsu High."
"Besides," Shoko added as she climbed into the backseat, "I'm seventeen. Minors can't get licenses. Honestly, was the examiner blind? How did a guy with one arm like you even pass?"
"Well then, 'Minor Lady Shoko,' would you mind putting the booze and cigarettes away? I'd rather not get grilled by a traffic cop."
Hasegumo shifted into gear and slammed the gas. The sudden acceleration pinned them to their seats. "The examiner was a sorcerer too. I imagine Yaga-sensei pulled a few strings. And for the record, my arm will grow back eventually."
"Pfft!" Shoko spat out a mouthful of sake. "Hey! You're driving way too fast!"
"Tissues are in the door pocket." Hasegumo eased off the throttle slightly. "Driving fast is addictive. It feels like flying, you know?"
He added, "Flight, after all, is the ultimate human dream."
"Tripe, omasum, brisket, pork belly, aorta, lotus root... let's go with that. Four portions of each. Oh, and two cold Cokes. Cans, please. Coca-Cola, not Pepsi." Hasegumo handed the menu back to the waiter. "Shoko, what are you having?"
"A bottle of Gekkeikan and a bottle of Dassai," the Goddess of Wine replied instantly.
"Huh?" The waiter stared in disbelief.
Hasegumo pulled out his ID to show there was at least one 'adult' present—or close enough to it. "Alcohol with hotpot? Never change, Shoko."
"What, you got a problem?" Shoko, the Jujutsu High delinquent, leveled a challenging look at him.
"Not a word."
As soon as the food hit the table, their conversation died. Just as they were about to dig in, a soft, feminine voice spoke from behind Hasegumo.
"Um... is that you, Gumo-kun?"
"Who is it?" Hasegumo turned around. Standing there was a teenage girl in a pink sweater. She had a fit, balanced physique and her hair was tied in a high ponytail. Her beautiful eyes sparkled as she stared at him unblinkingly.
"Do I know you?" He racked his brain. He could count the number of girls he knew on one hand, and this girl didn't look familiar at all. How does she know my name?
Is she a fan from the martial arts tournament?
Before she could reply, Hasegumo had already convinced himself. "If you want an autograph, you'll have to provide the pen and paper."
"Uh..." The girl blinked, stunned, but she still looked at him expectantly.
Hasegumo sighed and patted his pockets. Naturally, he had nothing. "Shoko, you got a pen?"
Are romance novels all lies? The girl lowered her head for a moment, then seemed to rally herself. She stepped forward and extended a hand. "Let's try this again. My name is Hisazakuro Nagasawa. I am eighteen years old, and single."
"Huh?" On the surface, Hasegumo was a picture of calm. Internally, he was cringing so hard his toes were curling. "...Oh. It's you, Miss Nagasawa."
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Shoko, smelling drama in the air, scooted over and waved the girl over. "An old friend? Come sit next to me."
"Not exactly an 'old' friend... actually, wait, you've changed so much I don't think anyone would recognize you." It took Hasegumo exactly five seconds to recalibrate. As long as he didn't feel awkward, the awkwardness belonged to everyone else. "Join us."
"Haha. Gumo-kun hasn't changed at all." Nagasawa chuckled, covering her mouth with her hand as she sat beside Shoko. "Pardon the intrusion."
"Shoko Ieiri." The two girls shook hands, and Shoko raised her glass. "Want a drink?"
"No, thank you." Nagasawa waved her off gently, her gaze lingering on Hasegumo with concern. "Gumo-kun, what happened to your left arm?"
"That? Ran into a tough enemy a while back. Lost it by accident." Hasegumo laughed it off, clearly not bothered.
Looking for a way to change the subject, he suddenly noticed her cursed energy. It was completely different from before. "This energy... you became a sorcerer too?"
Shoko filled her glass and downed it in one go. "You just noticed? You're such a dense man."
Nagasawa looked at him with a smile. "Yes. After our last talk, I kept trying to improve, but nothing worked... until I met Utahime-senpai. She thought I had the talent to be a sorcerer and recommended me to the school. My cursed energy has grown a lot since then."
She stood up and did a quick spin, showing off her slender figure. "After becoming a sorcerer, for some reason, all my stress just vanished, and my weight returned to normal very quickly."
"I'm about to be a second-year at Kyoto Jujutsu High. Surprised? You mentioned once that you wanted to be the best exorcist in Japan. After I entered the school, I guessed you might be a sorcerer too. I heard stories about you, but I never had the chance to see you."
"So the student who flaked on our year was you," Hasegumo teased. "It's a good thing you didn't come to Tokyo. I hate to imagine how much Satoru and Suguru would have bullied Utahime if they had an extra target."
"The 'Strongest Duo'? I've heard things about them and Utahime-senpai."
As the saying goes, bad news travels fast. Gojo and Geto's reputations were infamous even at the Kyoto school. "Since you're in the same year, why aren't they here? I was hoping to see what 'The Strongest' actually looks like."
"There's nothing worth seeing," Hasegumo grumbled, finally finding someone to vent to. "The curse incidents have been spiking this year. Suguru is fine; he's actually working hard. But that bastard Satoru... he got promoted to Special Grade and immediately started acting like a diva. He says 'Special Grades only handle Special Grade problems,' dumps all the Grade 1 and 2 missions on us, and spends his time traveling the country under the guise of 'investigating.'"
"Where are all these Special Grade curses coming from? I seriously suspect he's just embezzling funds to go on vacation."
Shoko, being a seventeen-year-old girl herself, sensed a different vibe in the air. A small smirk played on her lips. "I was bored sitting at school, so I came out to play with Gumo. Besides, we can put the food and drinks on the school's tab when we're on a mission."
Hasegumo chewed on a piece of beef, then paused as a thought struck him. "Speaking of which, the Goodwill Event starts in a few months, doesn't it?"
"Yes. Last year, Gakuganji-sensei said I still needed to study, but I can participate this year." Nagasawa looked at the drinks on the table, wondering if she should maintain her "refined lady" image. Whatever. He saw me at my absolute worst and didn't care. I'll just be myself.
She reached out and grabbed a can of Coke.
"Cr-ack!" She downed the soda with a boisterousness that completely defied her "pretty girl" exterior. "I'll be counting on your guidance when the time comes, Gumo-kun!"
Though it was a happy reunion, all good meals must come to an end. As they prepared to part ways, Shoko stared at a photo on her phone of a much heavier girl, her eyes wide with shock.
"Is this really you?"
Nagasawa replied calmly, "That's me."
"For real?" Shoko still couldn't believe it.
"Yes. I was very heavy back then."
"This isn't you."
"Are you saying she's not me?"
"No."
"I'm telling you, it's not me either. This simply isn't me."
"Then what's the deal?"
"I want to know the deal too! I needed a photo to enroll in Jujutsu High, right? I went to a studio, and when I went to pick them up, this is what they gave me. I said, 'This isn't me,' and they said, 'This is you.' I said, 'She isn't me,' and they said, 'This is you.' I had no choice, I had to use it."
The two girls had somehow devolved into a bizarre, rhythmic comedy routine.
"See? My failure to recognize her was perfectly justified," Hasegumo interjected, not daring to interrupt their strange vibe but using the opening to cover his own earlier embarrassment. "Besides, I'm practically a minor celebrity now. It's only natural to assume a fan wants an autograph."
"For that performance, I'm giving you a zero," Shoko said, looking at him with pity. "But, you have a chance to fix it."
"Fix what?" Hasegumo felt like they were talking on two different frequencies, but he decided to just follow orders.
"Stand over there. Nagasawa, block his left side a little," Shoko commanded, pulling out her phone. "Alright, smile!"
"Click!"