Madarajin, Yuta, Satoru and Este arrived at Este’s home.

  Satoru took Este to her bedroom to y her in bed. Then he took Yuta to the bedroom next door. He went back to Este’s bedroom, locked the door, and search for some underwear and sleepwear to put on her before getting her down the bnkets.

  Truth is Satoru was looking for a way to awake her on his own. He found a bath towel robe and thought that it would be good for Este to take a bath after everything that had just happened. Thus, he had the bathtub ready for her in no time. He added some citrus essences that found in the bathroom and used those.

  He tried the water temperature at least three times, looking for the perfect warm water. Next, he took Este with the care he could just have for a newborn baby. Softly put her into the bathtub holding always her head. He washed first her hair, face, then her back, her chest, and kept her in the bathtub for only twenty minutes.

  When Satoru took Este from the bathtub and dressed her with the bath towel robe to dry her hair and body. He started talking to her.

  “Hey Este, I wonder where your mind is right now. I already miss too much our long conversations… I know, I know, I was being an asshole for not coming back to talk to you before… after what happened between us. I just felt it was unfair to you… I value your friendship and kindness, but if I’m going to be honest with you, I know we can’t keep being friends, not after what we did. I don’t know if you already notice, but you have a part of mine inside you…”

  He finished drying her hair and body, and got dressed her for bed. Took her again to her bed, opened the bnkets and gently id her into the bed. Then he sat on her right side of the bed, contempting her face.

  “Please wake up already. I don’t like this kind of silence. It’s killing me. I want you to tell me… tell me something, whatever it is. I don’t care but talk to me again. I promise to you I would never let to talk to you again… just wake up already.” After saying this, he kissed her forehead and left the bedroom.

  Madarajin waited for Satoru in the tearoom while Maru and Sharu prepared some tea for them. When Satoru arrived in the tearoom, Madarajin saw in Satoru’s face an expression he never thought to see. It was sadness and frustration; his usual cheerful person was gone.

  “What’s with that face, Gojo? Este will awake eventually, maybe not today or tomorrow, but in some weeks she will be fine.” Madarajin said.

  Satoru sat in front of him and Maru served both a cup of tea.

  “How can you be so sure that she’s going to awake? After everything, we just lived.”

  “There is no reason to believe otherwise. I don’t know how, but Este just gained my brother Baku’s power. I don’t know exactly if the totality of it or just some part of it.”

  “And you can say that so calmly, like it’s nothing. She’s half human. Do you even care she could get hurt?”

  “Of course, I care about Este, but I don’t think Baku will do some no sense and I’m sure he will never hurt his precious niece.”

  “You don’t understand. There was something else aside from Baku’s power. There was cursed energy that I can’t expin from where it was coming.”

  “But you got rid of it with your domain. So, I guess it’s not important right now.”

  “I’m not so sure about it. I couldn’t clearly identify from where such cursed energy was coming. More importantly, I didn’t find the primary source of it.”

  “Do you think it’s an entity with the features of a curse and capable of influence the dream realm?”

  “Honestly, I don’t know, but we have to brace ourselves because I have a feeling it’s just the beginning of something greater.”

  Madarajin stayed quiet for some time, thinking about what Satoru said.

  “Thanks for the tea. I think I’m going to have my leave, and I’ll try to come back as soon as I can… Madarajin, I’m going to do an investigation from my side, and I suggest you do the same. So, we can cross information. However, I don’t want Jujutsu High or the higher-ups to acknowledge about Este, and my retionship with her.”

  “I understand your position as the head of the Gojo Cn. But what about Okkotsu-kun? How are you going to keep him from talking about Este or today’s incident?” Madarajin asked.

  “I don’t think I have to worry so much about Yuta. He’s a well-trusted student of mine. I can talk with him to even help me further with the investigation.” And saying this, Satoru left the room.

  He went to find Yuta, to whom Maru and Sharu had dressed in some appropriate clothes–an exact copy of Yuta’s Jujutsu High uniform. He was breathing but kept unconscious. Satoru knew he must take Yuta to Shoko Ieiri and monitor his awaking to have another long chat with him.

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  Satoru arrived at Tokyo Jujutsu High with an unconscious Yuta. He would say just what was necessary. It was to just talk about the cursed energy and curse aspects of the incident. He would not disclose any information about Este, Madarajin, Baku, or the dream realm.

  Satoru thought about it all while running towards Shoko’s office. He also thought about Este’s situation, what he was going to do once she woke up, as Madarajin said. Inside, he started a debate about what was better for everyone. The only thing he knew by sure is he didn’t want to lose his retionship with Este.

  Once he arrived at Shoko’s office. She received Yuta and started his treatment as fast as she could.

  “Where on earth have you been all this time, Gojo? You look awful.” Shoko said.

  “It’s a long story. I guess I should report to the higher ups immediately. Please let me know when Yuta awakes.”

  “You can live Yuta now and come back ter. After your report and you rest some time.”

  “Rest you say. Do you think it’s really time for me to rest?”

  “Do what you have to do, but don’t disappear like that again.”

  “Whatever, see you ter Shoko.” Satoru said this and left Shoko’s office. He trusted well enough in Yuta’s judgement about deciding what to say and what to keep to himself after waking up.

  Now I should deal with the higher-ups about this incident. I must come up with something. So, that I can continue investigating without suspicion from them… I guess I could say it was an unknown special grade curse that could rival Yuta and by the moment I found him, the curse had escaped already. This was the position Satoru took after his short walk to meet with the higher-ups.

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  After a week, Yuta woke up and as it was expected from him. He omitted to talk about Este Yumesaki when he reported to Shoko and then the higher-ups. They didn’t allow Satoru to talk to Yuta as soon as he woke up or before talking with the higher-ups. But Satoru knew he could completely trust him.

  Yuta looked for Satoru the day after reporting to the higher-ups. They didn’t meet in the awake world, instead Satoru fixed a meeting with Madarajin in the dream realm that will include Yuta. That night, Yuta went to sleep te, just like Satoru and many other sorcerers did throughout their lives.

  Until that night, he had dreamed nothing after the incident with Este and Satoru. Thus, he arrived at the gate of dreams, where Madarajin and Satoru waited for him. Este was asleep yet.

  “Long time no see Yuta.”

  “Gojo-sensei, is this the dream realm?” Yuta asked with a smile.

  “Yeap, but how do you know where we are right now?” Satoru asked with an inquisitive look on his face.

  “I can say I have memories that aren’t my own, but you’re in those… It’s strange, to say the least.”

  “I believe you have my daughter’s memories.” Madarajin said, without showing surprise or amazement.

  Satoru instead was amazed but thought nothing bad about Yuta having Este’s memories.

  “Do you mean Yumesaki-san memories?” Yuta asked.

  “But it’s not her doing. I think it was my brother Baku who made it to happen. I just can’t understand to what end.” Madarajin answered.

  “Madarajin, could you leave us alone for some time? I want to talk to Yuta about something.”

  “Okey, when you two are ready to talk to me, any of you can call my name and I’ll come immediately.”

  Madarajin disappeared. Satoru and Yuta went to Este’s home and sat on the edge of the west exterior hallway to talk. Yuta sat on Satoru’s left side, both watching the mountains in front of them. A pond in which some koi fish were swimming. Over this pond, a little stone bridge crossing it, green pine trees around it and some bushes were all the view they have while chatting.

  “Well, I guess there is not much expining I could do when you already know the truth about Este and I.” Satoru said with a careless attitude.

  “Gojo-sensei, I never thought one day I was going to see you having some happiness on your own. Enjoying yourself with someone who has nothing to do with jujutsu. If anything, I’m thrilled for you.” Yuta said.

  “I don’t know about that right now. Este is unconscious yet. I never got to talk to her after we…” Satoru couldn’t finish his own sentence as he felt something asphyxiating him. The feeling of regret was making him self-conscious of his feelings. He who used to keep people at bay was thinking about Este more than normal. Since Suguru, he was avoiding all closeness with anyone around him.

  “I have seen already. You don’t need to say it to me. But she’s going to awake, right?”

  “Madarajin said she could awake in some weeks. It seems she was given Baku’s power… Her body is trying to assimite it as she’s half human.”

  Satoru’s face showed frustration and rage for a moment. He knew someone took a decision for Este that could hurt more than benefit her. His mind remembered how many times when he was a child others took decisions for him, when he thought other ways of doing things were better. The elders of the Gojo cn ignored him and he grew up having no respect towards some of them.

  “Wow, I never imagine something like this really exists. I mean anything beyond jujutsu. At this rate, she’s going to be stronger than you, Gojo-sensei.” Yuta said this to humor him.

  “I hope that is just the case… we can talk more ter. I just want to ask you to keep Este, Madarajin and Baku, as well as all this to yourself… more than anything, I want to keep Este far away from all jujutsu world.”

  “I got it, since the first time I met Yumesaki-san.”

  “Okey, now follow me. I want to show you something else.”

  Satoru and Yuta went inside Este’s home. Satoru visited Este every day since the incident with Baku.

  Maru and Sharu were always looking after Este when Madarajin or Satoru weren’t at Este’s home. Madarajin had reinforced his two creations to support Este in everything she could need now. This included complete information about the awake world and the dream realm. Maru and Sharu had even medical knowledge to assist Este in case of an emergency. They were like computers that updated daily about the many aspects of human living and the dream.

  Satoru took Yuta to Este’s bedroom and there was Sharu with her. She was monitoring Este’s heartbeat, blood pressure and her intravenous drip.

  “Gojo-sama, you’re already here.” Sharu greeted him.

  “Sharu, this is Yuta Okkotsu. I hope Madarajin has already told you both. He’s going to visit Este too.”

  “Of course, Madarajin-sama informed us about Okkotsu-kun being bonded to Yumesaki-san. We don’t need introductions, as you already know who we are, Okkotsu-kun.”

  “That’s true. For me, it’s like I saw you just yesterday. Even if I never met you before.” Yuta said.

  “I will leave Yumesaki-san in your care for now. Please let us know if you need anything.” Sharu bow to them and left the room.

  “Can you see it, Yuta? Inside Este.” Satoru asked, testing Yuta.

  “Huh… Yumesaki-san has cursed energy, but how? When I met her before, she had zero cursed energy, just like Maki-senpai.”

  “I’m going to show you something that again. I want you to keep it to yourself.”

  After saying this, Satoru moved a bnket that covered Este while she was in a semi seated position. Este’s belly was now more visible. It was a three-month pregnancy belly.

  “I see now, she’s pregnant… that isn’t her own course energy. It’s the baby’s one.” Yuta said, showing no surprise.

  “I don’t want anyone else involved with jujutsu to know about it. I should make something clear. I don’t consider Este is a weak person. It’s not like I only want to protect her. If anything, right now I think she’s going to awake stronger than before. I’m thinking probably stronger than I’m, but for this dream realm.” Satoru said this, while covering Este again with her bnket.

  “I know Yumesaki-san is half human. I understand what kind of power she has and how it has been a burden to her. More than you can imagine, I know things about her I shouldn’t know and I’m going to keep it to myself out of respect for her. Also, because I’m afraid of the consequences, it could bring if I say anything about it.” Yuta said this a little, wary of saying too much.

  “I understand. I’m hoping she will wake up soon. That we can talk to her again.”

  “Gojo-sensei, have you ever thought about leaving all jujutsu world behind?”

  “No, I won’t do that. I have worked my ass off to be the strongest, but more than anything, I want to reform all this garbage jujutsu world that has costed me so much.”

  “I can understand your point of view and I respect it, but I honestly think you’re giving away an opportunity to achieve true happiness with someone that, for all I know, loves you.”

  Satoru looked surprised at Yuta. It’s how I thought it was back then. Este really wanted to say, “I love you” instead of “I’m fond of you.” But why she didn’t just go ahead and say it? Is she afraid of me, or of my reaction? Satoru’s thoughts stopped there, as he didn’t want to assume anything. Then he smiled at Yuta.

  “Oops, I guess I shouldn’t phrase that the way I did.”

  “Don’t worry about it. If it’s what Este really feels, I trust she will tell me it soon enough.”

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