Spark of Life 07
The head of the Kamo family invited you to dinner. You didn't know what his intentions were, but you stayed out of courtesy.
Naoya and his uncle left first, and the rest of the Gojo family also said their goodbyes. Only Gojo said he wanted to go back to the Zenin residence with you. His reason was very good: to visit a classmate's house. You couldn't refuse him, and the head of the Kamo family didn't dare to refuse him either, fearing Gojo would cause a scene.
If Naoya is a troublemaker, then Gojo is no different. To the Kamo family, Gojo is even more despicable. Naoya can still pretend to be a decent person, but Gojo, with his supermodel strength, doesn't even bother to pretend, pointing and criticizing the Kamo family's courtyard.
"Hero, is the Zenyuan family so gloomy?"
As expected of the most "traditional" family of spellcasting, you get goosebumps the moment you enter the house.
I always feel that many people have died in vain in this place.
"Gojo, let's talk about the Gojo family first."
"Nijo Castle is a tourist attraction. It's super crowded."
"This remote place can't compare to it." Gojo's disdain was evident in his words.
“It’s not like no one visits Kamigamo Shrine.”
“There are many famous temples on Teranouchi Street.”
"But Nijo Castle is still the most famous." Gojo tried to prove that the Gojo family was more sunny and beautiful than the Kamo family and invited you to stay at the Gojo family tonight. After a while, Gojo realized that the topic had deviated from the original topic, and he corrected it: "What is the Zenin family like?"
“Not very good.”
"What's not good about it?"
You didn't want to say more, so Gojo changed the subject: "If it's not good, why don't you just leave? Your last name isn't 'Zenyuan'."
Gojo actually had the same idea as Shinji.
I clearly asked you to stay before.
“Hmm…” You blinked, “I’ll tell Gojo the answer tonight when he takes me home.”
"I want you to tell me right now~" Gojo shook you, and you didn't believe that he didn't notice that someone was coming towards you.
It was an old woman with a little baby.
"Master Wu, Miss Chu."
“Let me go, Gojo,” you whispered.
Gojo let go of you and stood beside you. Gojo was so unruly today, constantly playing with you that you forgot how tall he was when he stood up straight.
It's okay, you will grow taller!
"Master Kenji, this is Master Satoru from the Gojo family." What a strange, unnatural smile. But it seems all the old ladies in these large families are like this, even the Zenin family has one.
You try not to pay her any attention.
"Hello."
"This is Miss Chu from the Zenyuan family."
You bowed and greeted, "Hello, Xianji."
"H-hello, はつ."
"Hey!" Gojo lost his composure again. He stepped forward with one leg, clenched one hand into a fist, opened his mouth and bared his teeth to scare the child.
"Don't call other people's names casually, kid!"
The old woman didn't stand in front of Kamo Kenji, not even saying a word. So you had to stand in front of Gojo and comfort him: "Kenji is just a child, why would Gojo bother with him?"
As soon as you said it, you realized something was wrong.
"You didn't even agree to me calling your name."
It turns out he knew!
Gojo seems to know that you will be soft-hearted, so he always looks aggrieved in front of you.
You really fall for this, even though you know he's pretending—
"I don't disagree with Gojo calling me 'Hatsu', it's just that 'Hatsuchan' is too inappropriate. I know Gojo has no sense of propriety, but it makes me very distressed."
"Anyway, everyone knows today that I call you 'Hatsuchan'." Gojo Satoru muttered. Anyway, his goal was achieved! Siblings? Tsk! Bullshit family, that guy didn't even call me by my name.
Oops… You're used to Gojo calling you that all the time. Seeing him today was so unexpected, and you were so happy that you forgot to correct him.
"Is this kid your family member?" This is the most powerful rebuttal to you.
Once again, I say this is terrible. Before meeting Gojo, you didn't even know the younger generation in the three major villages. Everyone you met was an elder, with all sorts of complicated relatives, and you only had to call them by honorifics.
"It's my fault, Gojo." You pulled at Gojo's haori, trying to look up so he could see your sincere apology. But something was also pulling at your hakama. You tried to turn back, but Gojo wouldn't let you. He held your head with one hand, preventing you from moving.
The thing that was pulling at your hakama has disappeared.
Gojo brought up Kamo Kenji.
Kamo Kenji looked like he was about to cry. He tried really hard to hold back the tears.
【Mother……】
【Xianji misses his mother so much...】
[Mom, where are you...]
【Mother……】
[Xianji will not embarrass you...]
Children are the worst at hiding their thoughts.
"That old witch threw this brat to us and ran away." Gojo seemed to find it funny to poke Kamo Kenki's face.
"Put him down. Can Gojo comfort him if he cries?"
As soon as Gojo put Kamo Kenji down, the kid hid behind you.
Gojo snorted, crossed his arms, stomped his right foot on the ground, and looked straight at you. Although he didn't say it, you knew he was asking what to do.
"Bring it to the Kamo family—" Before you could finish your words, Kamo Kenji hugged your thighs and shook his head desperately, "Kenji, Kenji, don't see your father—"
Kamo Kenji burst into tears.
Gojo burst into laughter, almost crying. He pointed at you and said, "You're still talking about me...hahahaha..."
You had no choice but to squat down and look the kid in the eye: "Why doesn't Xianji want to see the head of the family?" He hesitated and didn't say anything.
More like not daring to say it.
【Father is a bad man! 】
Well, after all, the head of the Kamo family is the culprit who caused the separation of mother and child.
"What on earth does that old man want to do by keeping us here?" Gojo is puzzled, and neither are you, especially since there's a child crying loudly in front of you.
"Then I will respect Xianji's idea and not take you to see the head of the family, okay?" You tried your best to imitate the gentle tone your mother used to comfort you when you were a child.
I don’t know if your comfort worked or if this child is just sensible, but he gradually stopped crying and wiped his eyes with his hands: “はつ, keep your word.”
"Yeah. I never lie."
Kamo Kenji stretched out his little finger, and you understood.
"Pin, hang yourself, for a hundred years, no change!"
Gojo inserted himself in, extending his pinky finger to touch yours.
"Gojo, what's wrong?"
"Nothing." Gojo retracted his hand. "What do we do now?"
"Why did Patriarch Kamo keep us here?"
"Eat." Gojo Mingwu leaned over and whispered, "What if you cry again?"
"He won't cry."
"Let's go eat together, Xianji."
At the dinner table, Kamo Kenji really didn't cry.
Gojo Satoru looked at you in confusion, kicking your foot from under the tablecloth.
Very dishonest.
You guess Gojo didn't cry when he arrived at Gojo's house.
"Children will only cry in places where they feel safe."
Crying here will not bring you comfort.
Gojo looked at Kamo Kenki thoughtfully.
Gojo said nothing.
Kamo Kenji glances at you from time to time.
You didn't lie to me...
He is a smart kid.
I won’t take you to see the head of the family, I’ll just take you to have dinner.
The head of the family would be here, but you didn't think of it immediately and followed me here obediently.
You didn't find the old woman at the dinner table.
The Kamo family was even more hierarchical than the Zenin family. Perhaps she wasn't qualified to eat here.
"Tokyo is clear soup and rectangular rice cakes."
"Did Gojo eat rice cake soup in Tokyo?"
Kyoto's mochi soup is made with white miso and round mochi.
"It's much better than this place!" Gojo sticks out his tongue, closes his eyes, and looks like he's about to pass out from the disgusting food. You cover your mouth and chuckle. Your every move is being watched, and the Kamo family is quite unhappy about it. You can only gently step on his foot to signal him to stop.
Finally, Gojo said he was full and wanted to leave the table.
"Xianji is full too!" Kamo Xianji stood up shakily, bit his lip and looked at you and said.
You're completely frustrated by these two people. You say you're full and want to leave. The Japanese are averse to long meals; everyone leaves the table once they've finished eating.
There is no reason to force you to stay.
So—s, h, i, t!
Who suggested playing hide and seek?
You are lost.
The Kamo family is inferior to the Zenin family in every way! If Gojo were here, you would join him in pointing fingers at the Kamo family!
The Zenin family has patrols day and night, and every area has a maid dedicated to cleaning. It's nothing like the Kamo family or the haunted house! If they don't have street lights, at least they should have lanterns!
What you thought came true, and you really saw a lantern glowing with orange and yellow light.
It's that old woman.
"Miss Chu, are you lost?"
"Isn't this what you want?"
"I don't think my worries are all written on my face like Xianji's."
"I have brains."
She seemed to have heard something funny and laughed like a ghost in the night.
"Miss Chu is really interesting."
Interesting and boring, I hate riddlers the most in my life.
"What do you want to tell me?"
"Miss Chu, don't you resent this society?"
Curse Master? Are they trying to get you to join them? Speaking of which, it seems that the traitor who escaped has never been caught by my uncle.
"The culprits who caused the death of Miss Chu's parents have been sentenced to death but have not yet been executed. There are even fugitives at large. Isn't Miss Chu resentful?"
"Your rhetoric isn't very good."
"Miss Chu's parents died saving others, and Miss Chu is so thoughtful. How can I possibly convince you?"
"I'm glad you know."
"Haha." She curled her lips, "Miss Chu is very good at chatting people to death."
"Because I don't want to chat with you."
"Miss Chu, please don't be so inhumane. Let me put it another way: that incident resulted in 13 deaths, 6,300 poisonings, and 1,036 hospitalizations." She recited the numbers in an aria, but ended with a smile. "This was an extremely heinous terrorist attack, and yet humanity has failed to uphold justice."
"You want to say how ugly humans are?"
"That's too low-class, Miss Chu. All I want to tell you is that this is a common thing in the world."
"Humans are low-level creatures, unable to escape desire. Money, power, sex, and so on. I keep trying to please others and achieve what I want. It is precisely because of people like me that this world is always in such a mess."
"You are very self-aware."
"Thank you for the compliment, Miss Chu." She walked ahead, "Don't worry, I'm leading the right way."
"I know."
"hehe."
She didn't let the atmosphere cool down at all.
"I want to ask Miss Chu a question. What is it that is free from desire and transcends the mundane?"
“Saint,” you answered directly.
"Hahaha!" You are afraid that the lantern in her hand will go out.
"I thought Miss Chu would say 'God'."
"There are no gods in this world."
“Isn’t Tianyuan a god?”
"Master Tianyuan also has the desires of a human being."
"Why did Miss Chu answer 'saint'?"
"Because 'saints' really exist."
The lantern flickered, and you couldn't see her expression.
"If the 'saints' Miss Chu refers to are idealists, then they probably can't be described as 'desireless and detached from the world.'"
“The desire of an idealist is to realize his ideal.”
"So Miss Chu knew."
"An idealist's desire is his ideal. As for 'transcendence from the mundane', the longer I live, the deeper my understanding becomes. Humans are ultimately mortal. Their survival depends on external things."
"God does not exist," you emphasized again.
Her pace slowed, and you knew she was trying to figure out the meaning of your words.
"Because God doesn't exist, there's no need for the standard answer 'god'. 'Saint' is the best answer."
As if sensing your dislike, she put away her smile and said, "Miss Chu, do you dislike my appearance?"
"What do you think?"
"Miss Chu likes women or men?"
"I just don't like you."
She turned a complete deaf ear.
"From what I've observed, Miss Chu is more tolerant of women and children. However, children's bodies are too inconvenient..."
"No wonder you haven't been caught yet."
"But I remember the stitches on your forehead."
"Huh? Don't you consider this the result of brain surgery?"
"This is the oldest and most traditional Kamo family."
"Hahaha..." She covered her face with her sleeves, "Miss Chu, why don't you try and arrest me now?"
"If my friend were here, I might try it."
"Are you referring to the Gojo family's 'Six Eyes'? Miss Chu, it's better to rely on yourself than on him."
"With my mediocre skills?"
The gun is fast and accurate within seven steps, but it's a pity I didn't bring it with me. Otherwise, why would we be staring at each other?
"Miss Chu, you're joking. I'm too old now. I can't even run fast."
"You think I'm a fool." You walk faster than me.
"How come?" she asked in surprise.
"Didn't you want to kill me before?"
"That's not possible now."
Nonsense.
"You want to convert me into your camp?"
"Miss Chu, don't you even say the word 'friend'?"
"People like you won't have friends."
"That's too much, Miss Chu. I used to have very good friends too."
"And then?"
"We each had our own opinions and went our separate ways." She spoke indifferently, as if it was not her own business.
"oh."
"Can't you have some sympathy for me?"
"I'm a good person."
"So I'm a bad guy? Aren't good people the only ones who sympathize with bad guys who have their own problems?"
"Do you have any difficulties?"
"No."
That's fine, but before you could say it, you saw Gojo and Kamo Kenji walking towards you from a distance.
"It seems our fate ends here, Miss Chu."
"Why do you just want to see me?"
"They heard me... I thought I hid it well."
This is all you've heard when you use the technique.
Tsk, this guy.
"Miss Chu, don't worry about this. It's just that my admiration for you has been growing, and I couldn't bear it any longer, so I arranged this meeting."
"You're saying this to me with your old woman's appearance?"
【Little ghost, the twelve-piece suits you better. 】
Two-faced Sukuna——
"Ah, Miss Chu really still dislikes this body. Then change to a younger body next time." After she said that, she completely disappeared into the darkness. No matter how hard you look, you can't find any trace of her.
Delirium and delusion have little effect on her. Your mind is completely incomparable to hers. To influence her, you must be a lunatic.
There was no doubt that the other party was an old demon. I wonder how long he'd lived, one or two hundred years, two or three hundred? The technique was probably... something like a body possession technique. The sutures on his head were probably the price of such a powerful technique.
The New Year has passed, and assimilation could begin at any moment. There are still many tasks to complete... You hammer your brows in pain, telling your uncle all this information you've learned and letting him worry about it.
For now, her target is still you.
She wants to kill you.
If her technique is "possession"... the condition that needs to be met is the death of the original owner.
Want to be me?
You frowned. What's the use?
I……?
You are blessed with a heart.
It's not my body, it's my technique.
This technique is indeed quite convenient for conspirators.
How could she succeed?
You still have this confidence.
"What are you thinking about?" Gojo shook you, asking you to look at him. "You lost. You didn't find me and Xianji at all."
"Well, I lost."
"Here, Xianji. This is the prize you won."
"Where did you get candy for the kids?!"
I have no idea.
This may be my setting.
Gojo held out his hand and you smiled, handing him a piece.
"Gojo, it's getting late. I think—" Kamo Kenji pulled your red hakama, "Are you leaving, sister?"
"After bidding farewell to the head of the Kamo family, I will leave."
"Huh? What's so good about this old man—"
Kamo Kenji didn't say anything like, "Don't leave," but simply held onto your clothes tightly and wouldn't let go. You recalled what you'd heard during the day: few in the Kamo family respected this future head of the family with a "bad background."
"Have you ever heard the story of a rice cake that turned into a white bird and flew away?"
"Mom told Xianji about it."
"Xianji will one day turn into a white bird and fly away from here."
"Really?"
"Really, sister never lies. The Kamo family is wasting Kenki's talent just like Iro wasting food. As long as Kenki can make good use of his talent, one day he will be able to fly freely in the sky like a white bird."
"I didn't expect you to be so good at coaxing children."
*
I wonder if Xianji has made friends with them, but he's always gossiping...
[But Makoto is the true heir of the Kamo family...]
He seemed to be the current head of the family, struggling with the future position of head of the family. He had nothing to do with that "old woman".
"Jian" and "Tamper" cannot be used...
It doesn't matter, if there is a problem, the memory may also be false. That person is very good at this.
The bright moon accompanies you and Gojo as you move forward.
"Why don't you leave Zenyuan's house?"
Gojo has obviously been struggling with this issue for a long time. He told you to ignore Qingzi, but you still treat Qingzi as a family member.
You can't just throw away other people's sincerity.
Instead of answering Gojo's question directly, you said, "I have two sisters and a nephew."
"Aren't you an only child?"
You glanced at Gojo: "Isn't there a newborn in the Gojo family?"
"Huh? You mean those little brats playing in the mud!?"
Gojo didn't seem to look down on them.
"Nei, you still haven't told me why you don't leave the Zenin family. You clearly have the ability and..."
"Gojo, there's no right or wrong in staying or leaving."
Gojo and Jiner both want to leave the place that binds them. It is human nature to yearn for freedom and break free from bondage.
"If I leave too, they will be bullied."
"Is this the bad thing about the Zenin family?"
"Yeah. I want to change this not-so-good part." You pulled your messy hair back in the moonlight, but Gojo Satoru felt that you were stirring his heart.
[I want to change this bad thing.]
ha……
"So, Gojo is investigating me?"
"What investigation?" The Gojo family wanted to form a marriage alliance with the Zenin family, so of course they had your detailed information. Gojo Satoru only took a few peeks after returning. Really, just a few glances. He had actually thrown it away like waste paper before. What an idiot he was. If he had read it beforehand, he wouldn't have heard those heartbreaking words.
I don't want to tell you about my past.
But I know now!
…
What can I do even if I know?
"If your uncle and aunt hadn't had an accident and the Zenin family wanted to take you away, what would they have done?"
"Mom will immediately ask Dad to pack and take me abroad."
"Mom doesn't want me to be a sorcerer."
"What do you think about it?"
"My thought is that if I had mastered my technique at that time, the accident would not have happened at all."
"I've never thought about not being a sorcerer." Gojo Satoru put his hand on your shoulder and lowered his head.
I never thought about separating from them, but they took the initiative to throw me out.
"Your experiences are so similar to mine, are we a perfect match?"
Gojo's smile shone brightly even in the darkness. You slapped his hand away. "Please don't joke around, Gojo." At the beginning of the school year, Gojo had said countless more outrageous and inappropriate things, and your reaction wasn't as intense as it had been.
You didn't believe what he said at all and just took it as a joke.
The former pretense has turned into sincerity, and proving the current sincerity is the most difficult thing in the world.
Gojo Satoru will never regret it.
"When do you plan to return to the Polytechnic?"
Gojo Satoru never gets discouraged.
"Why do you ask?"
"Let's go back together~"
Gojo Satoru never gives up.
"Okay. I'm going back tomorrow afternoon. Where's Gojo?"
"Then it's settled. Tomorrow afternoon." Gojo Satoru put his hands behind his back. He was not a child, so he wouldn't make promises like pinky promises and never change them for a hundred years.
"Have you told Nitro and Jay?"
"not yet."
"I'm going to give them a surprise. はつちゃんDon't let it out!"
"I'm the best at keeping secrets."
That's true. Gojo Satoru glanced back at you. You have so many things hidden in your heart, but you don't tell anyone.
Who in the world is better at keeping secrets than you?
You can know other people's secrets.
If you don't tell me, how can I know whether you know my secret or not?
I'll ask you.
Just not now.
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