絆 | bond | gojo satoru

にじゅういち | twenty one

絆 | kizuna | bond

21

Satoru

THE NIGHT IN TOKYO SPRAWLED OUT BEFORE ME, a canvas painted in shades of darkness and neon lights. I sat there, a carefree grin on my face, with Shoko at my side. She was engrossed in her perpetual habit of smoking, a practice she seemed to have elevated to an art form. I couldn't help but wonder how long that girl's lungs would hold up with her daily smoke-filled breakfasts.

I watched as Shoko took another drag, the exhale punctuated by a plume of smoke that danced into the night. She pulled a pack of cigarettes from her pocket and extended it toward me, a casual offer. My immediate response was to decline, my own vices tending toward a different kind of indulgence.

Shoko let out a sigh, her calm and collected demeanor not showing a hint of irritation as she mused aloud, "How long do you think Suguru will be in there? Should we be worried that he might be... dead or something?"

I couldn't help but snort at her words, shaking my head. Shoko had an uncanny ability to stay composed, even in the most dire of situations. "Suguru Geto, dead?" I chuckled, finding the notion absurd. "That would be impossible."

Shoko's casual demeanor shifted slightly as she leaned toward me, a hint of impatience in her eyes. "Satoru," she said, her tone taking on a more authoritative note, "Why don't you give him a call? I'm dying of starvation here. Suguru won't be long, will he? Or has he found some creepy curse to keep him entertained?"

I couldn't help but chuckle at Shoko's words, her unique brand of humor always managing to catch me off guard. "Alright, alright," I conceded, pulling out my phone and dialing Suguru's number.

Suguru finally answered the call, and I couldn't resist the urge to tease him a little. "Suguru, you had me worried there. Thought you were playing dead on me."

His voice came through the line, carrying a sense of calm that was characteristic of him. "Cut the act, Satoru. What's going on?"

I decided to fill him in on our current location. "Well, Shoko and I are outside the abandoned hospital, waiting for you to join us. Thought we'd come to your rescue, you know, just in case you got yourself into some trouble."

Suguru's response was punctuated by a bored expression on my face as I listened to him speak. "Alright, make it quick, or this girl with me who keeps smoking... I think I'm going to die here as a second-hand smoker."

I couldn't help but let out a chuckle at Suguru's dramatic complaint. The call with Suguru came to an end, and I lowered my phone, a sense of anticipation still hanging in the air. I couldn't help but glance up at the abandoned hospital once more. Something felt off, like a whisper of cursed energy that brushed against the edges of my consciousness. It was a sensation both familiar and elusive, leaving me with a nagging sense of déjà vu.

I pushed down the dark sunglasses that shielded my eyes as I continued to examine the building. With the power of the Six Eyes, I should have been able to discern any cursed energy presence, but it was as if something—or someone—was intentionally eluding my senses.