24. Special Grade Cursed Individual (V)

The original grade two cursed spirit suddenly evolved into a special grade. Fortunately, with Yuta Okkotsu there, the two finished the mission without any real danger.

Toge Inumaki, who had fallen into an illusion upon entering and believed he had been of no help from start to finish, felt deeply guilty and began extra training immediately upon their return.

While training with his classmates, Yuta Okkotsu tried to comfort him. "This isn't your fault, Inumaki."

Inumaki shook his head despondently. "Bonito flakes."

Maki Zenin frowned, saying with dissatisfaction, "The 'Window' is getting way too unreliable. How could they misjudge a special grade curse as a grade two?"

Panda sighed. "These kinds of mistakes happen occasionally." Though, whether this was truly a mistake remained to be seen.

"The 'Veil' was lifted early?" Satoru Gojo, having finished soothing his students, turned with a darkened expression toward Kiyotaka Ijichi, who had been providing support outside the barrier.

Ijichi reported, "Yes, it disappeared before Inumaki and Okkotsu finished exorcising the curse."

Gojo's eyes were hidden behind his blindfold, making his expression unreadable. He curled his lips into a cold smirk. "Let's hope it's not a case of certain people finally losing their patience."

The 'Window' occasionally misjudged curse levels—after all, its staff were individuals unqualified to be sorcerers—but misidentifying a special grade as a grade two was absurd. Combined with the group of "rotten oranges" eager to see Yuta Okkotsu executed, Gojo found it hard to believe this was a mere coincidence.

However, even those rotten oranges should be smart enough to know that a common special grade curse couldn't handle the "Queen of Curses." Was it truly just a coincidence?

While Gojo was still debating whether to threaten the higher-ups again to show his protection of Okkotsu, Suguru Geto made his move against the boy.

Having learned his lesson, Ijichi immediately contacted Gojo. The strongest sorcerer stood amidst the ruins of the building, staring at the familiar lingering traces of cursed energy. "It's Geto," he said, his tone heavy.

"Suguru Geto again?" Principal Yaga said grimly. "It seems he was the one who went after Okkotsu last time, too."

Gojo asked, "What about the status of the curses Geto failed to capture that we were investigating?"

Principal Yaga shook his head. "We still haven't found a trace of them."

"He's good at hiding," Gojo complained, looking out at the scorching summer sun. "Summer is always so busy!"

"It can't be helped," Masamichi Yaga replied. "Even if you weren't busy, the higher-ups wouldn't let you conduct the investigation yourself anyway."

"As if I'm ever not busy." Gojo knew he didn't have the spare time to investigate personally, so he had delegated the tasks.

He noted, "It seems Geto has shifted his target." As a fellow special grade entity, Rika Orimoto was much easier to track down than the two missing curses. Okkotsu was certainly at Tokyo Jujutsu High; no one would let him roam freely.

"We cannot let Suguru Geto obtain Rika Orimoto; on that point, our goal aligns with Satoru Gojo's," Osamu Dazai said, lying on the bed and staring at the ceiling light.

They had switched to a luxurious resting place this time, still funded by the assets of the sorcerers they had killed. If the jujutsu world tracked the inheritances of deceased sorcerers, they might find clues, but no one suspected that a curse could use money. The dead sorcerers had no heirs to contest the estates, so no one had discovered the truth yet.

"Should we kill Rika Orimoto or Suguru Geto first?" Chuuya Nakahara sat in a soft chair, his posture languid—in Dazai’s eyes, like a small dog curled up in its bed. "Or should we just tell Gojo where Geto is?"

"Neither," Dazai said. "We'll wait and see."

"Huh?" Chuuya looked up at Dazai, puzzled. "That's not like you, Dazai."

Dazai replied calmly, "I just want to see what Geto will do."

Chuuya asked, "To see if he gets killed by Gojo?"

Dazai said placidly, "Do you think that will be the outcome, Chuuya?"

"It's obvious, isn't it?" Chuuya said with a tone of certainty. "Geto wants Rika, but he can't beat Gojo."

Dazai countered, "What if Geto lures Gojo away and secures Rika?"

Chuuya asked, "Would you let him succeed?"

Dazai raised an eyebrow, offering a cryptic look toward Chuuya. "Perhaps?"

Chuuya returned the look with a questioning gaze. Dazai wasn't the type to return evil with good; if he was doing this, it could only be because he believed Geto still had other uses.

Dazai explained, "I thought the person behind the scenes was targeting us, but now it seems more likely they are targeting Geto."

"Hm?" Chuuya shifted his position, rolling over to look at Dazai. Clearly, the topic had piqued his interest.

Dazai also shifted, lying on the bed face-to-face with Chuuya. "First us, then Rika—it looks more like they want Geto dead than us."

Chuuya said, "Rika can't beat Geto."

Dazai asked, "Could a Geto who possesses the 'Queen of Curses' win against Gojo?"

"I've never fought Gojo properly," Chuuya paused, then added, "But Geto thinks he can win."

The fluctuations of cursed energy belonging to Rika within the 'Veil' that day had been immense. Judging by Geto’s current actions, he was confident in capturing Rika but lacked the confidence to face Gojo.

The power balance between the three parties was clear. Whether Geto and Rika combined could defeat Gojo was uncertain, but at the very least, Geto believed they could, and he understood Gojo well.

"Geto hasn't dared to face Gojo for so many years; now, Rika is the perfect bait," Dazai said. "For Geto, it's either continue as he is and wait for Gojo to find him one day, or take a gamble and seize Rika."

Since he would have to face Gojo eventually, it was better to strike first while Okkotsu wasn't yet that powerful.

Chuuya said with some regret, "So we just watch and see who wins?"

"No, didn't I say? We won't let Geto get Rika; we agree with Gojo on that." Compared to Gojo, the strongest, Dazai was more wary of Geto’s Cursed Spirit Manipulation.

"We don't need to lure Gojo back; in fact, Gojo being drawn away is an advantage for us," Dazai said. "After Geto and Okkotsu leave each other battered and exhausted, if Geto is the one who wins..."

Chuuya asked offhandedly, "We just kill him?"

"That would be too conspicuous," Dazai smiled. "I still have a few things I want to ask him."

***

Chuuya understood. Take advantage of the situation to capture a heavily injured Geto for a slow interrogation. Compared to Geto, who was always in the public eye, Dazai was more interested in the person behind him.

Moreover, the person behind the scenes wanted to use them to kill Geto, so how could they let that wish be fulfilled? If Rika was the bait to lure Geto, then Geto was the bait to lure the mastermind.

"Actually, if there's an opportunity, capturing Okkotsu as well wouldn't be bad," Dazai said with regret. "But doing both is a bit troublesome. Let's wait for another chance."

Chuuya looked at Dazai and asked curiously, "Are you really that interested in Yuta Okkotsu?"

"I'm interested in the relationship between him and Rika," Dazai replied.

The symbiotic relationship between a curse and a human, where their lives were bound together by a curse cast at the moment of death. Dazai looked at Chuuya, gazing at him long and intently. He wondered if this condition could only be achieved at the moment of death, or if there were requirements for the object of the curse. Could curses cast curses on each other?

Chuuya said, "I'm also curious why Okkotsu is the dominant one in the relationship with Rika. If Rika cursed Okkotsu, shouldn't she be the one in control?"

Dazai answered offhandedly, "That's just how people blinded by love are."

"Huh?" Chuuya looked at Dazai with disbelief. "Why do you sound like you know that from experience?!"

Dazai gave Chuuya a deep look and said speechlessly, "Maybe it's because I've seen too many people blinded by love."

"Huh?" Chuuya looked blank. He recalled the people he and Dazai knew, then asked gossiping, "Who?"

Dazai: ...

He rolled back over, staring at the ceiling, and said listlessly, "You don't know them, Chuuya."

Chuuya guessed, "A client of the detective agency?"

"Yeah, yeah," Dazai grumbled, giving up. "The agency has had so many cases where lovers were investigating each other; it's so boring!"

"Lovers need to hire a detective for their own business?" Chuuya asked, baffled. "Why would two people who can't trust each other even date?"

Dazai said with a straight face, "That's why I said they're blinded by love!"

Chuuya nodded in sudden realization.

"What about you, Chuuya?" Dazai asked seemingly offhandedly. "Are there people around you dating?"

"Yeah," Chuuya said. "I've even attended a subordinate's wedding."

But he wasn't one to gossip about love. For one, he was too busy, and for another, as a single man, he had nothing to gossip about.

Dazai asked, knowing full well the answer, "So, do you really know what it means to be a 'kept man,' Chuuya?"

Chuuya looked at Dazai lying on the bed, his slender body occupying a quarter of the mattress. The light cast a glow on his handsome face, and tiny specks of light reflected in his russet eyes.

Chuuya got up from the chair and walked toward Dazai. "Of course I do!"

Dazai watched Chuuya’s face appear before him, the orange tips of his hair hanging down, nearly brushing his skin. Dazai provoked, "So, are you admitting defeat?"

"Who's admitting defeat?!" Chuuya said indignantly. "Even if I can't support you right now, I helped rob that sorcerer!"

Dazai looked into those blue eyes and asked sincerely, "Then what's the difference between now and before?"

Chuuya pointed at the luxurious double bed he was lying on and said seriously, "We're sleeping in the same bed now."

Dazai pointed out, "We slept in the same bed before, too."

"Only on special occasions!" Chuuya said righteously. "And sleeping on tatami mats doesn't count as sleeping in the same bed."

Dazai rolled out of the shadow cast by Chuuya’s body, thinking he was foolish for having any expectations of Chuuya.

"Dazai." Chuuya climbed onto the bed and tugged at the quilt. "Don't sit on it."

Dazai buried his face in the quilt and muffled, "Isn't there another quilt in the closet?"

Chuuya lay on the bed, resting his chin on one hand, looking at the back of Dazai's fluffy head, and laughed. "But aren't we in a 'kept' relationship? Naturally, we should share the same quilt."

Dazai opened his eyes wide. He turned his head as fast as he could, only to be met with the smug smile on Chuuya's face.

Dazai was so angry he laughed. He gritted his teeth and said, "Chuuya! You did that on purpose!"

Chuuya stared at him for three seconds, then rolled on the bed, laughing hysterically. "How was I supposed to know you'd actually believe me?!"

Dazai said exasperatedly, "It's normal for Chuuya not to know, isn't it?! Things like that don't happen in the Port Mafia! Or," a shadow flashed in Dazai's eyes, and he asked softly, "has someone else played this kind of joke on you? How come I don't know about it?"

"...What are you thinking?! I'm an executive of the Port Mafia; who would play this kind of joke on me?" Chuuya rolled his eyes, doubting Dazai's intelligence had dropped. "Even if no one has said it to me, I've seen it, haven't I?"

"...Are there really idiots who bring a 'kept canary' to negotiate business with a Port Mafia executive?!" Dazai said bluntly. "The Port Mafia should really screen its partners' tastes better."

Chuuya looked disgusted and said gloomily, "You really should see how chaotic some of those European banquets can get!"

Dazai’s mind quickly flashed through the targets Chuuya had dealt with on business trips to Europe, identifying several of them. Almost simultaneously, he realized they were in a different world now; he couldn't settle scores with those people even if he wanted to.

"Tch!" Dazai made a sound of dissatisfaction.

Chuuya grabbed the soft flesh of Dazai's cheek and shook it back and forth, grinning at him, asking with amusement, "Dazai, what kind of image do you have of me in your heart?"

Dazai snapped, "A stupid little puppy!"

Even if he knew rationally that, excluding his experiences in the Port Mafia, Chuuya couldn't possibly be a blank slate after living in the Suribachi City for so many years—a place without morals...

But he had tested Chuuya as soon as he joined the Port Mafia and confirmed that Chuuya truly had no experience in that area. Because of his immense strength, no one dared to provoke him, and even those who wanted to offer themselves were discouraged by Chuuya's age.

Dazai had been very proud back then, grateful that he had lured—tricked—brought Chuuya back so early.

***

Chuuya slapped his face, a crisp sound with almost no pain. "What are you daydreaming about now?!"

Dazai’s high nose bridge was covered by Chuuya’s palm, and he rubbed his nose against Chuuya’s palm. "Who made you have no girlfriend for so many years? You're still a virgin, right!"

"As if you aren't?" Chuuya sneered, pressing down harder. "Who should I blame for not having a girlfriend?!"

"I never restricted your social life!" Dazai argued for himself. "And don't judge me by your own standards. I've had so many girlfriends..."

Chuuya asked coldly, "Oh, and which one of them ever made it through your front door?"

If any of those women knew Dazai's address, they wouldn't have had to call Chuuya crying after being dumped.

Thinking of all the times he had been bothered to no end, Chuuya said angrily, "You just made it so I didn't have time to find a girlfriend!"

Moreover, the way those women clung to Dazai after breaking up left Chuuya with psychological trauma regarding finding a partner.

They were even more annoying than Dazai, but he couldn't treat them as bluntly as he treated Dazai—so it was better just to hang out with Dazai!

Ever since he entered the Port Mafia, Chuuya's life had been divided into two parts: Dazai, and everyone else.

Because of Dazai's existence, he couldn't simply divide his life into work and rest. Dazai would freely interject into every corner of his life, popping up every now and then to provoke him.

Even during the four years when they didn't see each other after Dazai defected, Chuuya didn't remember a single day he hadn't thought of Dazai. That was the downside of being accustomed to having a partner.

Dazai’s voice came from under Chuuya’s palm, sounding faint. "Chuuya, you're going to suffocate me!"

Chuuya looked down and saw Dazai’s face flushed red from lack of oxygen. He quickly let go, saying stiffly, "Isn't that just fulfilling your wish?"

Dazai opened his mouth wide, took a deep breath, and made a face in retaliation. "I definitely won't die by your hand, Chuuya!"

"I don't want you to dirty my hands, either!" Chuuya saw the red flush still on Dazai's face and lowered his voice, feeling a bit guilty, his momentum fading instantly.

"So, Chuuya's version of being a 'kept man' is just sleeping in the same bed and sharing a quilt?" Dazai looked at Chuuya, heartbroken. "I'm getting the short end of the stick!"

Chuuya rolled his eyes. "How are you getting the short end of the stick?!"

"What about the steak you promised? The 'buy whatever you want' you talked about?" Dazai said indignantly. "Does your kept lover get treated worse than the dog you raise?"

"Yes," Chuuya said firmly.

Dazai sighed. "I didn't think you were that kind of person, Chuuya!"

"After all, raising a dog is something I want to do, but keeping you is not something I volunteered for," Chuuya said righteously.

Dazai persisted, "I didn't force you!"

Chuuya said dismissively, "It's better than you intentionally cheating at video games."

"First of all, you volunteered to bet with me," Dazai said. "And without evidence, it didn't happen."

"Who would bet with you if they didn't volunteer?" Chuuya said, as if he would agree to such an outrageous bet with anyone. He grabbed the quilt from under Dazai. "Are you going to cover up, or should I count that as you admitting defeat?"

"I'll never admit defeat; you're the one who will lose, Chuuya!" Dazai said with a double entendre, skillfully rolling into the quilt.

Chuuya turned off the light.

The two huddled together, sharing the same quilt, shoulder to shoulder, their breathing gradually falling into rhythm.

After a while, Dazai turned over to face Chuuya, watching the rise and fall of his chest, and asked helplessly, "So, this is your version of being kept?" He had expected something more exciting!

Chuuya's clear voice sounded in his ear. "Dazai, you're the one who said we could do whatever else."

Ah! Dazai lifted the corner of the quilt, looked down at himself, and fell into deep thought. This was a serious problem.

In the darkness, Chuuya's resigned voice sounded. "Let's go eat steak tomorrow."

"...Okay," Dazai replied. "I want crab, too."

Chuuya retorted, "You should just move to the sea and live there!"

Dazai said with regret, "Slugs can't survive in the sea!"

Chuuya kicked Dazai under the quilt. "I never said I was going with you!"

Dazai hissed, "You're trying to back out of your promise before you've even gotten out of bed?!"

"I learned it from you!" Chuuya said.

"Nonsense!" Dazai retorted. "I never did!"

Chuuya's voice carried a hint of a smile. "You admit you're a virgin, then?"

Dazai asked happily, "Does it matter that much to you, Chuuya?"

"Who cares?!" Chuuya said calmly. "It's exactly as I thought."

"So you've thought about this?" Dazai teased. "Was it when I was still in the Port Mafia, or after I left?" He nudged Chuuya, who refused to answer, his annoying voice echoing in the room. "Chuuya? Chuuya~ Chuuya!"

Chuuya pulled the quilt up with cold-blooded efficiency, preparing to smother the noisy Dazai.