As Seijuro and Mahito locked eyes, the tension between them was palpable. Mahito's grin widened, his stitched face twisting into something even more sinister.
"Well, aren't you an interesting one?" Mahito said, his tone mocking. "That cursed energy of yours... it's chaotic, unstable. You don't even know what you're wielding, do you? A reckless sorcerer playing with forces beyond his understanding—how delicious."
Seijuro kept his gaze steady, his crimson eyes narrowing. "I don't need your approval to do what's right," he replied, his voice calm but with an edge of steel. "Whatever twisted game you're playing here ends now."
Mahito chuckled darkly, his fingers flexing as if he were already imagining molding Seijuro's soul. "Oh, I love it when they act all noble. It makes breaking them so much more satisfying."
Kaori looked between the two men, her breath quickening. The tension was suffocating, and though she didn't fully understand what was happening, she knew she was in danger.
Without warning, Mahito's grin widened further, and he lunged forward, aiming for Kaori. His movements were fluid and unnatural, closing the distance with alarming speed.
Kaori's eyes widened in terror, her body frozen in place.
'Not on my watch!' Seijuro thought as the familiar blue glyph flared beneath him.
The world around him seemed to slow, the sounds of the city fading into a distant hum. He didn't notice it; he focused entirely on Kaori's safety.
Seijuro surged forward, his movements precise. He grabbed Kaori by the waist and ducked under Mahito's outstretched arm in a single fluid motion. With a calculated sweep of his leg, he tripped Mahito, sending the cursed spirit sprawling to the ground.
Mahito grunted in surprise as he hit the pavement. "Gah! What..." He blinked, looking around in confusion. Kaori, who had been within his reach, was suddenly gone.
Seijuro didn't hesitate. Cradling Kaori, he dashed down the alleyway, his speed fueled by adrenaline and the strange energy coursing through him. The wind whipped past them as he pushed himself to get as far from Mahito as possible.
Back in the alley, Mahito stood and dusted himself off, his grin faltering momentarily. "What the hell just happened?" he muttered, scanning the area. There was no sign of Kaori or the white-haired sorcerer.
His grin returned, but it was smaller, more calculating. "You're full of surprises, aren't you?" he said to no one. "I'll have to savor this little game next time..." With that, Mahito turned and vanished into the shadows, already plotting his next move.
Meanwhile, Seijuro continued running, Kaori clinging to him tightly, her heart pounding against his chest. Though she didn't understand everything that had just happened, one thing was clear—this man had saved her life.
However, being carried like that only made Kaori more flustered. The adrenaline of the moment was quickly replaced by embarrassment and frustration, especially considering her awful day at work.
"P-Put me down!" Kaori yelled, squirming in his arms.
"Stop wriggling, will you?!" Seijuro retorted, his grip tightening slightly to keep her secure as he ran. "I just saved your—"
Before he could finish his sentence, Kaori's fist slammed into his back.
"Hey! Quit that!" he shouted, but Kaori didn't stop. She doubled down, now pounding on his shoulder.
"Oh, for crying out lou—"
Without warning, Kaori leaned in and bit down hard on Seijuro's shoulder.
"AHH! What the—?!" Seijuro stumbled, the sudden pain throwing off his balance.
Unable to recover his footing, he tripped, the two of them tumbling to the ground in a chaotic roll. He managed to keep Kaori from hitting the pavement directly, cushioning her fall as they stopped on the empty street.
Kaori quickly pushed herself off him, her face red with anger and embarrassment. Seijuro groaned, rubbing his sore shoulder as he sat up.
"What the hell was that for?!" he demanded, his voice tinged with both annoyance and disbelief.
Kaori crossed her arms and glared at him. "Just because you saved me doesn't mean I'm going to swoon over you or anything! You men always think—"
"Wait, wait, wait." Seijuro held up a hand, cutting her off. "What the hell are you even talking about?! Who said anything about swooning?"
Kaori huffed, her indignation refusing to waver. "You were carrying me like some kind of princess! What am I supposed to think?"
Seijuro stared at her, his mouth opening to respond, but he stopped himself. He exhaled sharply, pinching the bridge of his nose as he muttered under his breath, "Jin... how did you ever marry this girl?"
Kaori blinked, catching his words. "Huh? What did you just say?"
"Nothing!" Seijuro quickly replied, getting to his feet and brushing himself off. He offered her a hand, his expression deadpan. "Can we focus on the part where I saved your life instead of whatever nonsense you've got running through your head?"
Kaori hesitated but eventually took his hand, standing up with a reluctant sigh. "Fine. Thanks... I guess."
"That's better," Seijuro muttered, already turning to look around for any sign of Mahito. "Now, let's get you somewhere safe before that guy returns."
Kaori glanced at him, her irritation subsiding slightly as she saw the genuine concern in his eyes. "Fine," she said again, this time quieter. But she still couldn't resist adding under her breath, "Doesn't mean I like being carried around like a sack of potatoes..."
Seijuro sighed. It was going to be a long day.
"Anyways, where are we?" Kaori asked, her voice carrying a mix of confusion and suspicion as she glanced around the empty street.
Seijuro looked down the road and spotted a café, its warm lights glowing softly in the evening. A perfect spot to gather their thoughts and figure out what to do next.
"There's a café over there. Let's head there," Seijuro said, pointing toward it.
Kaori's face instantly flushed, and she waved her hands frantically. "C-Café?! Are you asking me out on a date?! Absolutely not!"
Seijuro's right eye twitched. He sighed deeply, pinching the bridge of his nose as he muttered, "The hell are you talking about? A date? No! I just want to talk to you about the stitched man and the deranged blob monster you saw!"
Kaori froze mid-wave, her face turning red with embarrassment this time. "Oh... uh... sorry."
Seijuro exhaled sharply, shaking his head. "Unbelievable," he muttered under his breath. 'I was not expecting Yuuji's mother to be like this. So this is where he gets his outgoing, over-the-top personality from...'
Straightening his posture, Seijuro motioned toward the café. "Let's just go. We need to talk, and I'd rather not do it in the middle of the street."
Kaori nodded sheepishly, following him down the street. "Fine," she muttered. "But for the record, don't say stuff like 'let's go to a café' so casually next time. You're giving people the wrong idea."
Seijuro gave her a sidelong glance, clearly unimpressed. "Noted," he said dryly.
✦✧✦✧✦✧✦✧✦✧✦✧✦✧✦✧✦✧✦✧
-Ding!
The door chimed as Seijuro and Kaori entered the café. The soft ambiance enveloped them, but something stood out immediately—the café was empty. There were no other customers, no workers bustling about, just silence.
"Well, this is...odd," Kaori muttered, scanning the interior.
"Perfect," Seijuro replied, glancing around. "No one's here to eavesdrop."
Kaori raised an eyebrow. "Where are the workers, though?"
"I don't know." Seijuro shrugged, walking further into the café.
Just as they were about to question it further—
"Ah, I'm so sorry, customers-sama!"
A male voice suddenly rang out from behind the counter. Seijuro and Kaori turned their attention toward the source, and Seijuro's eyes widened as a man emerged from a door behind the counter.
The man had short, light pink hair and light eyes partially obscured by round glasses. He wore a light-colored, long-sleeve shirt with a black collar and simple black pants.
Seijuro froze for a moment, his thoughts racing. 'No way. That's... Jin Itadori.'
The man before him wasn't just some ordinary café worker. He was Yuuji Itadori's future father—the second person Seijuro had planned to find after locating Kaori.
'Great! Two stones and... one bird? One pebble? Whatever. I just hit the jackpot.'
Jin smiled politely, seemingly unaware of the significance of the two people standing before him. "W-welcome, customers. I deeply apologize for being late. May I take your orders?"
Oblivious to Seijuro's inner excitement, Kaori stepped forward and casually said, "Oh, I'll have a blueberry cheesecake."
Jin nodded, turning toward Seijuro. "And for you, sir?"
Seijuro snapped out of his thoughts, quickly composing himself. "Just coffee. Black, no sugar."
Jin bowed politely. "Understood. Please, take a seat. I'll have your orders ready shortly."
As Jin disappeared behind the counter to prepare their orders, Seijuro glanced at Kaori, who seemed preoccupied with the cozy décor of the café.
'Alright, the first step is done,' Seijuro thought, suppressing a smirk. 'Now to figure out how to bring these two together without making things weird.'