"Kira-kun, are you here to pay your respects to the Bodhisattva as well?"
A clear, melodic voice rang out from behind him—crisp and rounded, like the song of a cuckoo bird.
Kira Nanami turned to find Miwa Kasumi standing there, her hands behind her back and her head tilted playfully.
"Yes." Kira thought of the cursed money he had just offloaded into the bin. Without a shred of shame, he gave a solemn nod. "I am here to offer my contributions to the merit box."
After all, providing the Bodhisattva with the opportunity to exorcise a Cursed Spirit is a merit in itself. I'm practically giving her a boost in her performance reviews.
Miwa, however, clearly misinterpreted his intent. She gasped, covering her mouth with her hand. "Oh! Kira-kun, did you just put money in the box?"
"Indeed. I am a devout believer." He lied as easily as he breathed.
"That's..."
Miwa's expression became complicated. She frowned, darting a furtive glance around to ensure they were alone. She leaned in close, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper.
"Kira-kun... the Bodhisattva won't receive a yen of that. Let me tell you a secret."
She bit her lip, looking slightly guilty. "To be honest, the Principal takes all the money donated to the school's merit boxes. Apparently, he's saving up for some limited-edition custom guitar... Just, please, don't tell him I told you!"
"Oh?" Kira's eyes lit up. "Principal Gakuganji takes it all, you say?"
"Mhm. Every bit."
"Then don't say another word... Ah, Kira-senpai, what are you doing?"
Kira had already fished out his wallet. He pulled out the remaining stack of "mouldy money." Snap, snap, snap. He counted out a hundred thousand yen and shoved it into the slot. He paused, decided it wasn't quite enough insurance, and added another forty thousand. He kept exactly five thousand yen—just enough for a taxi ride home.
"If an elder has a need, it is the duty of the junior to fulfill it. What is a little money compared to respect?" Kira spoke with righteous conviction. His mature, handsome features radiated such profound reverence that one might think Gakuganji was his personal hero—the picture-perfect image of a reliable adult who honors his superiors.
"Wow..." Unsurprisingly, Kira's image in Miwa's heart reached new, celestial heights. To help someone even while knowing you were being "cheated"—what a selfless, saintly soul! Compared to him, the Principal seemed...
Miwa shook her head to dispel the disrespectful thought. She cupped her cheeks, stars practically dancing in her eyes. "Kira-senpai, you truly are a man who returns malice with kindness."
Hmph... That's for making me work overtime. That's for the business trip. Enjoy the bad luck, old man.
Kira maintained a faint, sincere smile. "It is only what I should do."
"Where is Lord Gakuganji? I have business with him."
"I'll take you there!"
On the way, Miwa was like a restless little bird, chirping away at Kira's side. In her excitement, she seemed to have forgotten her shyness, her true "talkative" nature spilling out in a torrent.
Whether Kira responded or not, the bubbly girl rambled on. She complained about her recent irritability, fretted about gaining weight, and lamented the drama between her friends. She even went on a tangent about a high-tech vending machine that used QR codes; apparently, she had taken a drink out, changed her mind, and put it back, only for the machine to lock her out.
Kira maintained his tranquil smile, navigating her erratic topics with practiced ease, barely registering why anyone would put a drink back into a machine.
However, his smile grew sharper. He gave a small nod and asked casually:
"You mentioned being irritable lately. Your friends are clashing, too?"
"Yes!" Miwa groaned, her brow furrowing as she scratched her head. "Mai-san and Nishimiya are usually such good friends. Why has everything turned so sour?"
"If I may ask... what are their Sorcerer Grades?"
"Grade 3, I think... why?"
"No reason." Kira gave a silent nod and pressed on. "And how long has this been going on?"
"Hmm. About two weeks now. Do you know why, Kira-senpai?"
"Who can say..." Kira shook his head vaguely. "Perhaps your cycles have simply aligned."
"Senpai!"
Kira ignored Miwa's flustered protests. He looked out at the distant mountains. The morning sun was everywhere now, and a few sparrows weighed down the nearby branches, chirping incessantly.
He remembered the report from the radio: Kyoto's suicide rate has been rising for days.
Yesterday, he had asked Gakuganji when the first trace of Sukuna's Cursed Energy had been detected. The answer: Two weeks ago.
Last night, in that vending machine—despite the ice—his professional eye had estimated the time of death for that butchered corpse: No more than fifteen days.
And according to the neighborhood gossip, his neighbor Inoue had started frequenting the red-light district exactly two weeks ago.
Recalling the dark alleyway last night—the gloom on every face, the cold, hollow expressions of the passersby... Kira's face drifted into a look of deep contemplation.
Interesting. Very interesting.
But Kira hated "interesting" things. Interesting things were riddled with variables, and variables were the enemies of a quiet life.
He needed to finish this quickly. He wanted to go home.
"Senpai? Senpai!"
Miwa waved her slender, lily-white fingers in front of his face. When he finally looked at her, she stuck out her tongue playfully.
"Do you know what's happening, Senpai?"
"I believe I understand now."
They had reached the torii gate. Kira pulled open the wooden door, forcing his gaze away from her hands and locking onto her eyes.
"I've been quite irritable myself lately," he said softly. "I'll head in alone from here."
He knew exactly where Sukuna's finger was hiding.