Monster

"Could I be seeing things?"

"Hey, Saki-chan, Komachi, those piano keys… they were moving by themselves, right...?"

Eri stared blankly, gently shaking Saki's arm.

"Ah... um, yeah, it seems so..."

Saki nodded dumbly. She had been so excited to debunk the ghost story, but now it seemed there really was a ghost.

"...What are you talking about?"

A trembling voice came from behind them. Komachi stared at the slender, grotesque figure sitting on the piano bench. She raised a shaky hand, pointing towards the piano. "Can't you see that monster?"

In Komachi's vision, the monster had pale, inhuman skin, like a vampire from a movie. It had a human-shaped head, but no facial features. Its long, slender fingers, like those of a stick insect, danced across the keys.

Clearly, this monster was the source of the beautiful music.

And now, it turned its head towards them. Even without a face, Komachi knew it was looking at them.

"W-what monster?"

"Komachi, this isn't funny!"

The two middle school girls huddled together, trembling.

Seeing the monster rise from the piano bench, Komachi snapped out of her daze. "Run!"

"Eh?"

Seeing that they weren't moving, she grabbed Eri's hand and bolted.

Eri and Saki stumbled. Saki tripped, falling to the ground with a cry of pain.

"Saki!"

Komachi's eyes widened in alarm. She had already taken a few steps with Eri, and was about to turn back to help Saki, but the monster was already upon her friend.

As Saki pushed herself up, she noticed the light dimming around her, as if someone was casting a shadow.

She instinctively looked back.

A giant hand with incredibly long fingers filled her vision.

Slap!

"Saki?!"

Komachi watched in horror as Saki was flung against the wall, unconscious.

Eri, still confused, saw her friend fly through the air and crash into the wall.

She saw the blood oozing from Saki's head and let out a piercing scream, making Komachi's ears ring.

But it also snapped Komachi out of her shock.

The monster had turned its attention to them.

Komachi gritted her teeth, dragging Eri towards the stairs, tears streaming down her face.

"W-wait, Komachi?!"

Eri's panicked cries were cut short, her mind a jumbled mess.

Unlike Komachi, she couldn't see the monster. The entire school had become a terrifying, incomprehensible place.

"Don't talk, we need to get away from it!" Komachi cried.

The warmth of Komachi's hand in hers calmed Eri slightly. She stopped talking and ran with Komachi, the sound of their frantic footsteps and ragged breathing echoing through the hallway.

They didn't dare look back to see if the monster was chasing them. They just ran, their escape their only focus.

The music room was on the third floor. Komachi dragged Eri down the stairs, a glimmer of hope appearing in their eyes as they neared the exit.

But then, black ripples appeared on the ceiling of the first-floor lobby, and a horrifying white figure with a featureless face emerged.

Komachi abruptly stopped, but Eri, unable to see the curse, crashed into her back, sending them both tumbling to the ground.

The curse descended from the ceiling, blocking the exit.

"Why did you stop?" Eri mumbled, rubbing her head.

"You… can't see that monster…?" Komachi's voice was filled with despair. "It's right in front of us, blocking the exit."

"Monster? Why can you see it, but Saki and I can't?"

"I wish I knew!"

Komachi scrambled to her feet, pulling Eri up with her.

She turned and ran in the opposite direction, dragging Eri along.

There was another way out of the building – through the courtyard.

Suddenly, something pulled them back, nearly making Komachi fall.

She instinctively let go of Eri's hand and turned to see Eri entangled by ten disgusting, elongated finger-like appendages.

Eri's face was frozen in terror as the curse's fingers wrapped around her arms, legs, and waist, stopping her in her tracks.

She looked down at the grotesque appendages, then back at the creature that had attacked Saki, the monster they had been running from.

Overwhelmed, Eri's eyes rolled back, and she fainted.

The curse effortlessly dragged the unconscious Eri back towards the music room. Komachi snapped out of her shock and lunged for Eri's free hand.

But what could a middle school girl do against a curse?

She was dragged along with Eri, pulled towards the abyss.

"Komachi!"

A frantic voice and the sound of running footsteps echoed through the hall. A spark of hope ignited in Komachi's despairing eyes.

She knew that voice.

Onii-chan!

But the hope quickly faded.

What could her brother do against such a monster? They would both die here.

But… dying with her brother was better than dying alone.

Mocking her own dark thoughts, Komachi screamed with all her might, "Onii-chan! Run!"

Before she could finish, Hachiman leaped over the curse, his face contorted with a rage she had never seen before.

And something else she had never seen before: blue flames engulfed his hands.

Sukuna's fist, imbued with cursed energy, slammed into the curse's head, stunning it and forcing it to release the girl.

"Eri!"

Komachi rushed forward and dragged the unconscious Eri back.

Hachiman stood protectively in front of them, his eyes fixed on the curse.

"Onii-chan, what's going on?"

Seeing her brother's familiar figure calmed Komachi somewhat, but her confusion only grew.

"I'll explain later," Hachiman said without turning around, his voice serious. "Take your friend and run to safety!"

"Safety… where's safe?"

Hachiman faltered, then quickly added, "Run upstairs! You'll find an ikemen… a handsome guy. Stay with him."

"Does Onii-chan have some misconception about girls' stamina…?"

Komachi couldn't help but retort, but she still followed his instructions, slinging Eri's arm over her shoulder and supporting her.

Ugh, watching Yukinoshita-senpai fight so much must have given me the wrong idea about girls' strength.

"No need to search, I'm already here."

A lazy voice echoed from the top of the stairs. Komachi looked up, her eyes widening slightly.

A handsome black-haired young man descended the stairs, carrying the unconscious Saki in his arms. He had a relaxed smile on his face, seemingly unconcerned about the terrifying monster, walking towards them with an air of nonchalance.

And the monster, which had been chasing them relentlessly, cowered before him like a frightened animal!

Komachi was dumbfounded. You weren't this harmless when you were chasing us!

"Dead fish-eyes, what did you just call me?"

Hachiman, seeing the amusement in Sukuna's eyes, felt a cold sweat trickle down his face. "Uh, I said you were the most handsome man in the world."

Sukuna smirked. "Good. Let's see how much you've improved."

He reached Komachi, gently setting Saki down, then gave Komachi a warm smile. "Hello, I'm Sukuna. You could say I'm your brother's teacher."

Surprised that he would speak to her so kindly, Komachi bowed respectfully. "Hello! I'm Hachiman Hikigaya's little sister, Komachi Hikigaya. Please excuse my brother's incompetence!"

"There's no need to be so formal."

Sukuna smiled and placed his hand on the scrape on Komachi's knee, healing it with Reverse Cursed Technique.

"The wound... it's gone?!" Komachi stared in amazement. "Does that mean Saki's injuries are healed too?"

"Yes, she's fine now."

"That's great! Really… That's great..."

Tears welled up in Komachi's eyes, finally overflowing after being held back for so long. She covered her face and sobbed, relief and joy mingling in her voice.

From the moment she saw the monster, she had been terrified. Then, forced to abandon her friends and flee, she had been consumed by helplessness and despair. But she had endured, knowing that if she broke down, they would have no chance of survival.

Her strength had saved them.

Hachiman, observing his sister's tears, breathed a sigh of relief, then turned his attention back to the curse.

Although Sukuna had said he wanted to see how much Hachiman had improved, but...

"Sukuna-sensei... that curse seems terrified of you."

Hachiman stared at the white curse cowering behind the shoe rack.

"Oh well, can't be helped."

Sukuna casually flicked his wrist, and the curse's head flew off its body. Then, its body ignited, burning to ashes in an instant.

Whether Hachiman killed it or Sukuna did, it made no difference. Might as well earn some points. Every little bit counted.

"That's it? It's over?"

Komachi stared in disbelief. The monster that had chased them so relentlessly was gone just like that!

"Don't be so surprised," Hachiman sighed, walking over to his sister. "I've never met a sorcerer stronger than Sukuna-sensei. He's the strongest, without a doubt."

"Sorcerer?"

"Someone who can use cursed energy, like Sukuna-sensei and me."

There was no point hiding it anymore. Hachiman explained the basics of the jujutsu world and how he became a sorcerer, though he conveniently omitted the part about Sukuna cutting off his arm.

"So that monster was called a curse... The world is really dangerous, huh?" Komachi shuddered, remembering the horrifying creature.

"Speaking of which, you can actually see curses. Normal people can't," Hachiman said, looking at Sukuna questioningly.

"There are people who can see curses but can't use cursed energy. They make up Jujutsu High's 'windows'," Sukuna explained.

"Komachi is one of them. But since you said this is the first time you've seen a curse, your ability must have awakened after encountering it and facing a life-threatening situation."

"This just means that your sister always had the potential to see curses. She just needed a trigger."

Jujutsu High... Is that the group that handled Ōoka's body?

"What are 'windows'?" Komachi asked curiously.

"They're the ones who form Jujutsu High's intelligence network. Their job is to report curse sightings and other unusual occurrences."

"So, I could be a 'window' too?"

Komachi pondered, tapping her lip.

"No way, that's too dangerous! I won't let you do such a risky job!" Hachiman immediately objected.

"Well, it's not that dangerous," Sukuna countered. "Being a window is usually quite safe."

"It's not even a real job, really. You don't have to actively seek out curses. Just keep an eye out in your daily life. If you see a curse, just leave and report it. If Jujutsu High confirms the information, you get paid."

"But what if something like today happens again?" Hachiman asked worriedly.

Sukuna sighed at his anxious expression. "Worrying won't change anything. Accidents are unavoidable. Even if Komachi doesn't become a window, can you guarantee she'll never encounter another curse?"

"That..." Hachiman was speechless.

But today's incident could have been avoided. If they hadn't gone looking for the source of the ghost story, they wouldn't have encountered the curse.

"Who would have thought that monsters like curses really exist?" Komachi mumbled sheepishly. "And I only came because Saki-chan invited me."

"If it were just her, she definitely wouldn't have done something so meaningless," Hachiman thought. After all, to most people, ghost stories and urban legends were obviously fake.

Komachi had only come along for the thrill of adventure.

Who would have thought they would actually encounter a real curse?

"Well... okay."

After a moment of contemplation, Hachiman reluctantly agreed.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It wasn't long before Komachi's friends regained consciousness.

"Ugh… what happened?" Saki sat up groggily, the hard floor making her uncomfortable.

Before she could fully process what had happened, Eri's scream startled her awake.

"A-a ghost!" Eri yelled, her eyes wide with terror.

But after frantically looking around, she only saw Komachi and a bewildered Saki. The monster was nowhere to be seen.

"Huh? Eh?" Eri looked around the music room, confusion clouding her features. "Where…? Why are we in the music room? Weren't we on the first floor?"

"And then, and then that monster grabbed me..."

Eri looked at Komachi questioningly. Komachi gave a strained smile. "T-there's no monster. You were just having a nightmare, Eri-chan."

Thanks to the dim lighting, Eri didn't notice the forced smile.

"A-a nightmare?"

"Why did you scream like that, Eri…? My head hurts."

Before Eri could gather her thoughts, Saki complained, rubbing her head.

"Your head hurts because you hit it when you fainted," Komachi helpfully reminded her.

"Eh? Really?!" Saki was shocked, her eyes wide with disbelief as she rubbed her head again.

"The wind blew a drumstick off the shelf, and the sound scared you two. Saki tripped and hit her head, and Eri, seeing Saki faint, thought there was a ghost and fainted too."

As Komachi explained, she had to fight back a smile, silently cursing Sukuna for coming up with such a ridiculous excuse.

"Is that really what happened?"

Eri eyed Komachi suspiciously, but it was too dark to see her expression clearly. She could only tell that Komachi seemed to be holding back laughter.

"Then what about the piano music? That can't be fake, right?"

"Yeah, the piano playing by itself at night!"

Eri's words reminded Saki of their original purpose. She clearly remembered seeing the grand piano in the corner playing without anyone touching it.

"I think I can explain that."

A deep, unfamiliar male voice suddenly sounded from behind them.

They turned and saw a face illuminated by a white light, looking rather eerie in the darkness.

"There it is!!!"

"Ahhh!!!"

Saki and Eri screamed in unison.

Sukuna and Komachi reacted quickly, each covering one of the girls' mouths to stifle their screams.

"Mmmfff!"

The girls seemed genuinely terrified. They didn't struggle, tears welling up in their eyes as their legs gave way, and they slumped to the ground.

"Sorry, sorry, I guess that was a bit much."

Sukuna chuckled apologetically, lowering his phone's flashlight so they could see his handsome face and warm smile.

Scaring two middle schoolers isn't exactly a challenge.

"Who are you?"

Eri cautiously backed away, pulling Saki with her.

The smile on Sukuna's face faltered.

Little girls these days don't fall for that anymore, huh?

This is troublesome. Can I just erase their memories?

Thankfully, Hachiman already left to wait at the family restaurant. If he saw me making a fool of myself like this, I'd definitely erase his memory.

Fortunately, the perceptive Komachi stepped in, saving Sukuna from further embarrassment. "This is the one who was playing the piano. He sneaked into the school too."

"Really?"

Eri's suspicion lessened, and she gradually relaxed.

Although the man in front of her was undeniably handsome, he had just scared them with a flashlight, so she couldn't be blamed for being wary.

"So, why did you sneak into our school to play the piano?" Saki asked curiously.

"It's a long story." Sukuna sighed dramatically, then launched into a fabricated tale.

He portrayed himself as a struggling musician who had run away from home due to family conflicts. Unable to find a place to practice, he had resorted to sneaking into the school at night. He hadn't expected his playing to become a ghost story, nor had he expected anyone to actually investigate.

Of course, none of it was true. It was all made up on the spot and sounded utterly ridiculous.

But considering this was Japan, it somehow felt plausible.

Reality was often stranger than fiction.

More importantly, Sukuna was a captivating storyteller. He vividly described family conflicts, the clash between dreams and reality, and the hardships of a struggling artist.

Even Komachi, who knew he was making it all up, was momentarily entranced.

The story's credibility skyrocketed.

After successfully deceiving the girls, the three middle schoolers were scolded by the school security guard and left through the front entrance, while Sukuna climbed over the wall.

He met up with Hachiman and Komachi at the family restaurant.

After making plans to take Komachi to register as a window for Jujutsu High, Sukuna was about to join them for dinner when he saw a message on his phone. He politely declined their offer.

...

Hearing the sound from the balcony, Yukino looked up.

"Good evening, Sukuna-kun." She placed a dish on the table and greeted him calmly. "How did it go?"

"Well, I saved them, but one of the girls got hurt." Sukuna sat down at the table. "But I discovered that Hikigaya's sister, Komachi, can see curses. I'm planning to take her to register as a window this weekend."

"Want to come?"

"Komachi?" Yukino pondered, taking off her apron. "Wouldn't that be dangerous?"

"It makes no difference."

"I suppose you're right."

Yukino understood what he meant without further explanation.

"Then let's go together."

"We can visit Jujutsu High while we're at it." A sly grin spread across Sukuna's face.

"?".