THE WHITE DRAGON┊ jujutsu kaisen

Chapter 2: Gojo Sensei's Kidnapping

It's uncertain just how much time had passed while they were unconscious. Regaining physical sensory feelings usually happens in waves as well; it's not always all at once. The first to return, internal perception— specifically pain. It settled in every inch of their body; nothing could exist without being accompanied by pain.

Next, the ability to hear hushed tones, muffled sounds; nothing coherent, but in pieces the surrounding is quiet. These scattered pieces of information tell Haku one thing— that this isn't death and that somehow the continuation of life has been granted.

        It's a struggle, the weight of one's eyelids only increases after being unused for unknown periods of time. Haku's eyes squint slightly; the light of daytime is blinding to fresh eyes. It's a battle where the slow and steady eventually prevail and soon Haku's eyes fully open revealing a barren, uninteresting room.

        Nothing of interest lies in sight, minimum furnishing, no decoration. Despite regaining sight, hearing, and the sensation to feel, the ability to move was still out of the question. Until further notice, it was wise to remain in these unknown circumstances.

        It may be every teenager's dream to lay undisturbed on a bed for great lengths, but it's incredibly boring being aware of the passage of time. Time flows freely, it could be minutes or hours but it's impossible to tell— Haku discovered that the hard way.

         At some point in laying there, back against the mattress, Haku heard a door open.

         "I was beginning to think you'd never wake up. You sure took your sweet time."

        The same voice Haku remembered hearing after the incident. Though unable to move, all that was left to do was listen.

        "You can see them, can't you?"

        An ambiguous question. Haku was left grasping for feeble straws at the precise meaning for what those words could entail.

        "The things that attacked you. They're cursed spirits and they exist in everyday life. You can see them now, can't you?"

        The man clarified but even with the explanation, Haku wasn't in the mood for conversation. Silence filled the air between the two, the only things to be heard were the ambient sounds of nature from out the window. The man walked forward until taking a seat at the edge of the bed, now in the line of sight for Haku.

        A man adorned with a blindfold, spiked hair, it was a mystery just how he made his way around the room.

        "Normal people can't see them, maybe those in dire situations might be able to. It's quite interesting that you can see them though, since you have no cursed energy," he continued.

       The words he spoke were the same language that Haku spoke yet he made absolutely no sense.

        "What?"

       Haku managed to croak out, voice weaker— raspier than normal and many octaves lower. It didn't even sound remotely similar to how it normally would. The man perked up in interest, "You speak!"

        Though Haku said nothing more, the man continued, "In fact, you have the exact opposite. Divine Blessing, a positive energy that flows throughout you."

        An eye roll, it was all Haku could move in this bedridden state. After not having been used for an unspecified time, the voice becomes drier, scratchier, just as painful to speak as it is to lift a single finger. Haku's was no exception and quietly mumbled, "My life has been anything but positive lately,"

The man tilts his chin downward, without seeing his eyes, it's impossible to tell if he heard the last comment, "You're the only human alive to possess true positive energy you know. That makes you special."

"This has to be a joke," in a voice still coarse, Haku spoke, this time slightly louder. However, even with the increase of volume, the man continues onward with his incoherent, blabbering tangent. He showed no signs of actually listening to Haku.

         "And special things require special protection."

         "Sir, I think you're kidnapping me."

         "Precisely!" The strange man snaps, his tone full of excitement. Finally, he showed awareness for the comments Haku made but this isn't the expected outcome. Haku's eyes grew wider realizing this situation wasn't a savior and civilian in distress. Rather, this is closer to being a prisoner held captive by opposing forces in war.

         "That's illegal! I could... I can sue you!" Haku yells as loudly as could be without causing damage to vocal chords.

         Even without seeing his eyes, the man appears smug, a sly grin forms from ear to ear, "Unlikely. This kidnapping is for your own good otherwise what happened today will definitely happen more frequently in the future. Probably very soon, you'd be killed by one of those cursed spirits if we left you alone."

         The weight of the man's words hung heavily in the air like a thick woolen blanket left out to dry. He was quick to add one last comment in possible attempts to lighten the mood, "Not anymore though since I'm taking you against your will! You should thank me!"

         "Absolutely not! I want to go home to my family. I... I want to hug my mom. Go and pester my brother... even help my dad with chores," Haku's voice becomes smaller as it trails off in realization, it's likely possible that those things will never come to fruition so long as the situation remains as it is.

         The man turns his head off to the side, drawing attention away from Haku, "About that... As we speak, the higher-ups are diligently at work erasing your very existence from the memory of those who were closest to you. Your parents? To them, they only have a son in his second year of college. He is their pride and joy. I hear your mom always wanted a girl, it's a shame she never had one. There are no records of you at school, not even in yearbooks. Namie, Kohaku? You exist only in the present, in this moment right now."

         "That's... That's impossible!" Haku pleads, but something about the man's voice seemed absolute. Though far from being recovered, it hurt to breathe, Haku began to let the tears slip from their eyes.

        "Your only choice now is to remain here. I mentioned before you need special protection, which is something we can give you here. Although it wasn't much of a goodbye, your life before as you knew it, is gone forever. It's time to build a new life for yourself under the guidance of Tokyo Jujutsu High. With me Gojo Sensei as your brilliant instructor!"

         The man laughs wildly, highly amused with himself but not a single grain of comfort could be found in his long-winded explanation.

         Haku sobbed even harder. Every heaving breath taken sent sharp pains as their lungs expanded, but that didn't matter.

         This is a kidnapping and there would be no way out.