King of Curses' Vessel

Chapter 8 - Return

It's still the middle of the night. There's no one on the streets at this time, except for very rare cases that either work at nighttime or are that sleepless kind of troublemaker. Most of the lights around are off, minus the lamp posts and similar. If it was me a couple days ago, I would find odd such peace after what I witnessed and went through back at school last night, but I'm not exactly the same as back then. I know more, in more than one sense. It gives me this strange feeling of how little I knew up until a couple of hours ago and how much I know now. I'm not a different person. My likes and dislikes never changed, nor my feelings or anything like that. Yet, the simple awareness of my past lives and the knowledge I acquired with them make me feel so out of place.

I am Yoshi Itadori, the older twin brother of my family.

I also am a former Jujutsu Sorcerer from over a millennia ago.

I too am a special grade cursed spirit that no one could match even after a thousand years of my rule.

Let me tell you. What a god-damned existential crisis.

(Your brother is back at home. My student is there too, since he was wasted and I had to take care of you.)

I remember that blindfold guy (I know his name, but not feeling like calling him his name) telling me when he left me back at school. I look at the front door for a moment before picking the keys and opening it.

“I'm home.”

I say, not receiving any reply and not expecting any. I leave the shoes at my doorstep and walk silently through the hallway. Being close to our rooms, I close my eyes to feel it, but there's nothing at first. I breathe in deeply and focus. Soon, I get to see two forms, two emissions of cursed energy. One is darkened and it's in Yuuji's room. It must be that wolf guy.  The other one is brighter and still small, and it's in my room. There's only one person who sleeps there other than me. I smirk and that breaks my focus, making me unable to go see the cursed energies. I groan as I open my eyes.

“To think that this was as easy as breathing back then. One step forward, a thousand steps back.”

I enter my room and see Yuuji sleeping there. He's squirming around and groaning lowly. A nightmare, again. Well, I wouldn't blame him, given what he witnessed and what happened to us. Heck. If those guys are insensitive, they might as well tell him that I would be executed. He's not exactly weak willed, but that was a hell of a day, especially for him! This sight is no wonder if that's true.

I sigh, sitting beside him and tapping him in the forehead. Immediately, his eyes open and his hand grips my wrist. I can help but be surprised. Given how breathless he is, I can assume how scared he is and know how humans are capable of showing amazing strength when taken over by fear and anger. Yet, I barely feel anything from his grip. I can tell it's tight, but I know, if I really wanted to, I could release myself easily. Right now, I'm but a far cry from my prime, yet I believe I can stand my ground pretty well. Yuuji, on the other hand…

“Yoshi?”

His whispering voice brought me out of my thoughts. I look at him, his eyes still wide open and watering.

“I'm back.”

I  need to say nothing else. He quickly sits on the mattress and holds me tight, his face buried between my neck and shoulder. It doesn't take longer for me to feel something wet on the shirt and for sobs to take over the silent room. I hug him back, patting his back as I let him cry his eyes out. Usually, I would say “the crybaby is back”, but it's not the time for this. I comfort him, not saying anything before he does. It takes quite a while, but in the end he lets go of me, still crying.