𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝐶𝑢𝑟𝑠𝑒 𝑊𝑖𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛|||𝑅. 𝑆𝑢𝑘𝑢𝑛𝑎

|||CHAPTER 23|||MAKES ME DRIVE|||

The three sat in the waiting room on speaker phone with the examiner. Itadori sat next to Y/n on the couch. Nanami sat in his own chair right next to Y/n.

"They're humans." The examiner said over the phone.

Y/n nodded, holding up a small fist, "Knew it."

"No..." The examiner started again, making Y/n have a confused look, "Maybe it's best to say they're ex-humans." Her words relaxed Y/n. Y/n didn't like to be told she was wrong and defintely didn't liked to proved wrong. The examiner, "They're the same as the three in the movie theater. Their bodies were forcibly contorted with sorcery."

"If it's just that, I noticed it from the beginning," Y/n got a look from Nanami, then fixed her words, "I noticed it when I got closer. The two people that Itadori and Nanami-san were fighting were filled with magical power, just like cursed spirits. Is disturbance of consciousness likely?" Y/n leaned forward to listen to the phone, resting her elbows on her knees.

"That sounds like an effect of the culprit's technique. There are traces of tampering around the brain stem. Disturbance of consciousness is likely..." The examiner finally answered Y/n's question, then continued, "It was probably to produce a state of confusion. If they were even able to tamper with the brain, it's probably possible to reconstruct who can use magical power. Because the relationship between the brain and magical power is still like a black box—unknown."

"Loosely, their cause of death is..." The examiner continued to speak, "shock from having their bodies contorted."

Y/n looked over at Itadori, she could see him thinking. She knew that he thought he killed those people. She put a hand on his shoulder, "You didn't kill them. You heard the cause of death."

"Oh right, Itadori is listening too." The examiner spoke, Y/n could tell that she was nodding her head on the other side of the phone.

"Yes..." Itadori smiled softly at Y/n's words. Nanami pressed the button to hang up and then put the phone in his suit jacket pocket. Itadori's face dropped his smile, replacing it with wide eyes, "Either way, their deaths weigh heavy on me. Even so... this hobby is just too terrible."

Nanami started to stand, "This person is skilled." Y/n stood up as well while Nanami continued to talk, "It doesn't look like we'll finish this casually. Let's go all out."

"Yes!" Itadori shouted, squeezing his fists tighter.

"Sure." Y/n rolled her eyes, agreeing lightly with them.

______________

Itadori and Y/n sat on a wooden bench in some room. Nanami stood next to a white board with a map taped to it. Kyotaka was standing off to side with his hands over one another in front of him.

"We've obtained reports of remnants with the help of a 'window'." Y/n stood up, walking closer to the map as Nanami described the information, "They seem to be linked to recent cases of missing persons and unnatural deaths around the area. With this, we can narrow down the location of the culprit's hideout."

Y/n went to sit back down next to the boy. "Alright! We'll just step in there, right?" Itadori questioned loudly.

Y/n patted his back as her and Nanami spoke at the same time, "No."

"There's still some uncertainty. I will continue my investigation, so... I will give you both a different job, Itadori-kun and Y/n-chan." The girl lifted her head when she heard her name. "The boy who was in the movie theater... Yoshino Junpei. It seems he's classmates with the victims. They attend the same school."

"Duh." Y/n said quietly, thinking about how he didn't need to say the last sentence.

Nanami began again, "The surveillance cameras were placed only in the passageway you see on the screen, but... from his appearance, I thought it was unlikely he'd be a curse specialist."

"And you're right. Look at him." Y/n pointed at the screen as she shook her head, "There is no magical power in that boy."

Nanami rolled his eyes, pushing his glasses back up, "Y/n-chan, let me finish." Y/n nodding, letting him continue, "However, since he's related to the victims, it's a different story."

"Curse specialist?" Itadori asked late.

"A malignant shaman, in other words." Nanami answered, "Since I've entrusted the protocol to Y/n-chan and you... I'll leave the investigation into Yoshino Junpei to the both of you."

Itadori put his hand to his forehead, saluting while Y/n stood with her arms crossed.

"You go ahead, I'll be out in a second." Y/n told Itadori, who nodded, walking out of the room. She turned back to Nanami, "It's not uncertain. You already know, don't you?"

Nanami leaned against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest, "The culprit's location, that is. Of course. If the culprit wanted to, he could've fled the scene without leaving remnants behind. We're being led in again. Between the risk of going alone and bringing the two of you... I've chosen the former."

"Why? I can come with you."

"Itadori-kun needs to be watched over."

"But—"

"No buts about it. Everything is fina–"

Itadori came through the door with a huge smile on his face, "Nanami-sensei!" He called out, "I forgot to tell you to be careful."

"Itadori-kun." Nanami started, pushing his glasses up with his thumb. Y/n and Kyotaka knew what he was going to say, well something along the lines. "I'm not of the teaching profession so please don't call me 'sensei.'"

"Then Nanamin."

"I'll slap you if you call me that again."

Itadori nodded with his lips pursed. Y/n, Itadori, and Kyotaka walked out of the room. Y/n turned around to look at the man, "Kyotaka, we don't need you. You are relieved of your duties."

"But–"

"Can we have your keys?" Y/n smiled, tilting her head as she held out her open palm.

"S–sure." The man fished out his keys and handed them to the girl, "Wait!" He called after the two students as they walked away. "You're not old enough to drive yet."

"I look old enough and Satoru makes me drive him around most of the time so we're good." Y/n explained as she grabbed Itadori's sleeve. She pulled him along before Kyotaka could speak again.