Kairo sat at the edge of his new bed, knees pulled up, staring at the neatly folded uniform placed beside him.
The dorm room was small but clean. One bed. One desk. One sliding window that overlooked the courtyard. It was peaceful.
Shirogane stood in the corner like a silent statue, arms behind his back.
"…I made it through Day One," he whispered to himself."Barely."
Shirogane's head turned toward him.
"You only fell nine times."
Kairo groaned. "Shirogane, please stop counting them…"
"Understood," Shirogane said.He paused."…It was actually eleven. I excluded the stumbles."
"Shirogane—!"
Kairo threw a pillow at him, which he caught easily.
Kairo flopped backward on the bed.
"This place is crazy. Everyone here is crazy. I'm crazy. Why am I here?"
Shirogane stepped closer, his expression unreadable.
"Because you asked me to help you live."
Kairo froze.
His chest tightened.The words pulled him backward—farther than he wanted to go.
A Memory.
A burnt down house.Blood on Kairo's hands.Shaking, desperate breaths.
His vision had been blurry—too blurry.His body collapsing.His heartbeat fading.
And then—
A voice.
"You do not wish to die?"
Kairo remembered.
The silver hand reaching out.
The warmth that wasn't supposed to belong to a human
His whisper:
"…I don't want to disappear."
And Shirogane's reply:
"Good, then I will anchor you. And you will anchor me."
Kairo snapped back to the present, chest tight.
Shirogane watched him carefully.
"You are safe now," Shirogane said softly."I will not allow that to happen again."
Kairo wiped his eyes quickly."I-I told you not to bring that up…"
"You were remembering it."
"Yeah… b-but still… that was— it was a long time ago."
Shirogane's gaze lowered."Three months is not long."
Kairo groaned into his pillow.
"Shirogane… can we just… go one night without emotional intensity…"
"Unlikely."
A knock sounded at the door.
"Kairo?" Yuta's voice.
Kairo shot up. "Ah—! Y-Yes—! Come in!"
The door slid open.Yuta stepped in with his gentle smile.But another figure also stepped inside as well—
A man Kairo didn't recognize.
Tall.Pale.Hair brushed back in a neat style.Wearing black robes embroidered with something like old clan symbols.
The air grew colder.
Shirogane immediately stepped between Kairo and the newcomer.
"Identify yourself," Shirogane said.
The man didn't blink.Didn't move.Didn't react.
Yuta raised a hand quickly.
"It's okay. Shirogane, he's with us."
Kairo peeked over Shirogane's shoulder nervously.
"W-Who is he…?"
"A specialist from the Jujutsu Research Bureau. He's here because of… the rising danger."
The man spoke for the first time. His voice was calm and sharp.
"We've detected unusual spike patterns in curse activity."
Kairo swallowed hard.
"What… kind of spike?"
Yuta exchanged a glance with the man before answering.
"A kind we haven't seen in years."He looked at Shirogane.
Kairo felt his stomach sink.
Yuta stepped forward.
"We aren't telling you this to scare you, Itsuki."He glanced at Shirogane."Just to prepare you."
Shirogane stepped back protectively.Kairo forced a shaky nod.
"I-I understand…"
Yuta softened his voice.
"Don't worry, Kairo. We're here to help you."
Yuta placed a hand on Kairo's shoulder.
"Actually… that's why we came. We're sending the first-years on a practice mission. Just a C-grade curse. Nothing complicated."
Kairo went pale."A mission—?!"
"Think of it like a field trip," Yuta said lightly.
"It is not," Shirogane corrected.
"No, no it is not," Yuta admitted.
Morning came faster than Kairo wanted.He walked beside Shirogane toward the courtyard, heart pounding.
Waiting there were:
Nina, the girl with the umbrella and beside her stood—
Nanashi
—Another first year.Messy black hair.Tired face.Still tying his uniform belt while yawning.
He looked at them with half-lidded eyes.
"Yo. Sorry I missed orientation. I overslept and my alarm cursed me."
Kairo blinked."…Your… alarm cursed you?"
Nina nodded as if this made perfect sense.
"He has terrible luck."
Nanashi sighed."I've accepted it."
Yuta stepped forward, handing them a mission slip.
"What you're fighting is a simple C-grade curse lurking in the abandoned mall near the highway. Should be easy warm-up."
Kairo gulped."Should be…?"
Shirogane stared at Yuta."If the task is so simple, why assign two people to accompany us?"
"It is common tradition." Yuta replied
Nina pointed her umbrella at Kairo. "Try not to die."
Kairo yelped. "I-I'll do my best—!!"
Shirogane stepped beside him calmly.
"I will eliminate any threat."
Nanashi blinked."Cool. Try not to destroy the building too."
Yuta handed Kairo his student badge.
"This is your first official mission," Yuta said gently."All you need to do is try."
Kairo nodded nervously.
"R-Right. Try. Just try. Don't die."
Shirogane added:"I will ensure you do not perish."
"NOT HELPING—!!"
Nina opened her umbrella.
Nanashi cracked his neck.
Kairo clutched his badge.
And the four of them stepped off school grounds—