Tying his hair

Tomorrow was December 24, and everyone at Jujutsu High was busy.

Yet things had been unusually peaceful lately, with few Cursed Spirit missions for Kamo Xu to handle.

It seemed a certain malnourished Curse User was finally getting to work. He was really going all out for the Night Parade of a Hundred Demons.

With nothing to do and nothing he needed to worry about himself, Kamo Xu strolled around Jujutsu High's athletic field, enjoying the winter sunshine.

He wore far less than everyone else. Since he could freely regulate his body temperature, he had no need to bundle up and still wore his same old outfit.

"Yo, Asahi!" A cheerful voice came from behind. He knew without turning around that it belonged to a certain white-haired idiot.

Sure enough, Kamo Xu soon felt a weight settle onto his shoulders: Satoru Gojo's arm draped casually over one, and the bastard's chin rested on the other.

Gojo leaned his entire weight onto Kamo Xu's back, making him want to throw him over his shoulder right then and there.

"I've been so bored lately. All I do is evacuate people and mentally prepare the younger guys and my students. Once that's done, I just huddle by the heater eating sukiyaki every day. Think of something, would you, little Asahi~"

"Piss off. If you're that bored, go find something to eat in the toilet. How has the Night Parade of a Hundred Demons not worn your ridiculous ass out?" Kamo Xu had been restless lately, unable to shake the feeling that something was about to happen.

By rights, the problems on Suguru Geto's end should have been mostly resolved, but...

"Aww, so heartless. Are you on your period today?" Satoru Gojo poked his cheek, interrupting his thoughts.

Kamo Xu could only wrench himself free in annoyance and move away from Satoru Gojo.

"Like I said, I'm not into men. If you've got needs, go find Suguru Geto."

"Don't be like that. Guess who I ran into at the school gates today~ You'll never guess. Come on, try! I guarantee it'll be a huge surprise!"

Kamo Xu frowned at the idiot, finding him unbearably noisy. With a long sigh, he took a cigarette pack from inside his clothes, pulled one out, and prepared to light it.

Then disaster struck.

"Little Asahi..."

A quiet, disapproving rebuke came from a distance, freezing Kamo Xu in place like a thunderclap out of a clear sky.

He shot Satoru Gojo a sidelong glare and mouthed a curse at him before turning around awkwardly.

Two women stood there, both familiar to Kamo Xu.

Riko Amanai and Shoko Ieiri.

Riko Amanai had hardly changed over the years. Aside from losing most of her girlish air, she was still much the same.

Shoko Ieiri, on the other hand, looked completely different: heavy dark circles, a listless demeanor, and such an exhausted air that she swayed every few steps.

It seemed her workload as a medical professional was no lighter...

But neither of them could have made Kamo Xu look so flustered. The culprit was the woman in the wheelchair Riko Amanai was pushing.

The woman looked somewhat aged. Time had inevitably left its marks on her face, with a few wrinkles resting languidly at the corners of her eyes and across her cheeks.

Against the winter chill, she was bundled up in a scarf and padded coat, with even her legs covered by a thick blanket as she sat in her wheelchair.

It was Kamo Kimie, Kamo Xu's birth mother!

She was quiet and serious, but gentler than she had once been.

Seeing her son smoking from so far away had naturally upset her, prompting her to call out.

Kamo Xu felt as though the sky had fallen. Why did his mother have to catch him smoking? Suddenly, he had no idea what to do with his hands or feet.

The killer who dispatched Cursed Spirits as easily as eating and drinking was now utterly at a loss. It took him a good while to remember to remove the cigarette from his mouth and throw it away.

"Ah... Mom? What brings you here? It's freezing out. Aren't you worried you'll catch a chill?"

Kamo Xu still tried to salvage the situation, but his feet were already obediently carrying him toward his mother, even as the rest of his body resisted as though going over would kill him.

Riko Amanai and Shoko Ieiri covered their mouths and snickered. It was truly rare to see Kamo Xu like this.

Satoru Gojo, in particular, laughed so hard he could barely stand. He dropped to his knees and hammered the ground. He had deliberately kept quiet because he knew this would happen to Kamo Xu, and sure enough!

Hahahahahaha!

Kamo Kimie had meant to scold him, but she had overestimated her own strength. After two soft coughs, her face grew even paler.

That gave Kamo Xu a fright. Forgetting his embarrassment, he placed a hand on his mother's shoulder, directing Reverse Cursed Technique into her while using his own Cursed Energy to warm the blood in her body.

Only after feeling that warmth did her complexion improve slightly. She gently pushed his hand off her shoulder to show that she was all right.

But Kamo Xu knew perfectly well that his sickly mother had become like a guttering candle in a gale over the years, liable to go out at any moment.

Reverse Cursed Technique could only restore the body; it could not cure disease.

Besides, his mother's frailty was not caused by some stubborn illness, but by a Binding Vow.

He had no idea what the Binding Vow entailed. Kamo Kimie refused to tell him, and the old bastard in the family kept his mouth shut too. Whenever asked, he only said he had promised Kamo Kimie never to tell Kamo Xu.

What could possibly matter more than her life?

He had no way of knowing. All he could do was watch his stubborn mother grow weaker by the day because of the Binding Vow.

He could not persuade her, so he could only do everything in his power to delay that day.

Fortunately, thanks to his efforts, she could at least live to nearly sixty. Only two-thirds of that time had passed, leaving him plenty of time to keep looking for a way to understand and break the Binding Vow.

Thump!

Kimie pushed herself upright and gave Kamo Xu a firm knock on the head, just as she had when he misbehaved as a child.

Kamo Xu hurriedly clutched his head and cried out in pain, just as he had as a child.

"No smoking. That stuff is no good."

"Yes, yes, Mother knows best. Smoking is bad, and people who smoke aren't good people either."

Shoko Ieiri immediately took offense. She pursed her lips and glared at Kamo Xu, her expression plainly promising he was done for once the scolding was over.

Kamo Xu could only make discreet apologetic gestures. Right now, appeasing his mother was the priority.

"Mom, why did you suddenly come to Jujutsu High today? Are you running short of money at home? I'll send you some more."

"No. I wanted to see you." Kamo Kimie shook her head. Ever since her boy had gotten back on his feet three years ago, he had been out exorcising Cursed Spirits and had not returned home once.

This time, Principal Yaga had told her that Kamo Xu was back and would not be leaving for a while, so she had decided to come see him.

Kamo Xu knew he had spent too long busy with Suguru Geto's situation. It had indeed been a long time since he had gone home.

But there was nothing he could do about it. For the sake of the few bonds he had left, he had to prepare for every possibility.

No matter how many Cursed Spirits he killed, Suguru Geto still chose to launch the Night Parade of a Hundred Demons, still declared war on Jujutsu High, and still intended to fight Yuta Okkotsu to the death.

He was now prepared to step in and kill Yuta Okkotsu once the two met, but the reproach of his conscience continued to torment him.

What a mess... Such a mess...

As though she had noticed Kamo Xu's exhaustion, Kamo Kimie smiled softly and beckoned the grown man before her closer.

Not understanding why, Kamo Xu obediently leaned in, thinking he was about to take another loving iron fist.

Instead... there was only warmth.

Her hand stroked Kamo Xu's perpetually unkempt hair, carefully and patiently combing it into order with her fingers... His hair had grown so long that it was difficult to straighten out completely.

Kimie simply pulled the hair tie from the back of her own head and tied her son's hair into a low ponytail. Then she cupped the young face she still saw in him and said,

"You're still just like you were as a child, never willing to make your hair look a little tidier. Don't push yourself too hard. Let yourself relax sometimes."

Unfortunately, Kamo Xu was no longer the boy she saw. Her gesture made this old man who had lived two lives blush bright red. Once again, he slipped free of his mother and fled that tenderness.

He gave an awkward smile. "I haven't been doing much lately. It's been easy, really. Don't worry, Mom. If there's nothing else, you should hurry home. You'll catch a cold staying out in weather this cold."

Kimie smiled at her son's concern without saying much more. Resting her hands on her lap, she said goodbye with a smile, and Riko Amanai wheeled her away.

They seemed to say something else as they left. Shoko Ieiri waved her hand in refusal, while Riko Amanai blushed bright red.

Kamo Xu watched helplessly, guessing his mother had started worrying again about how he was still single at his age. Whenever she saw a girl, she brought up his marriage prospects. She really did worry about everything.

Unease...

Frowning, Kamo Xu pressed a hand to his chest. His heart beat heavily, as though something were blocking it.

His head felt groggy too. Once his mother was far away, Kamo Xu pulled the hair tie off and tucked it into the pocket inside his clothes. His neatly combed hair immediately fell loose. Freed from its restraint, his hair did seem to ease his dizziness considerably.

"Taking off Mommy's love already? What an unfilial son~" Satoru Gojo sidled over just then and said with an obnoxious grin.

If you hadn't come over, I might have forgotten about you!

A vein bulged at Kamo Xu's temple. He immediately turned toward Satoru Gojo, ready to beat the hell out of him...