Sukuna’s Wife and Yuuji’s Onee-chan (Sukuna x Reincarnated!Y/N) Part 4
Yuuji Itadori slowly awoke. With only the flames of several candles to illuminate this prison-like room with paper seals, he almost felt like a doomed protagonist in a horror movie. For better or worse, he had a companion sitting across from him.
Satoru Gojo wore a nonchalant, expectant grin. “Yo.”
“You are… !” The memories of the monster attack hit him like a train and he fussed around in his seat, soon realizing that his arms were bound behind him. He whipped his head towards Gojo. “Where is my sister? What happened to my friends? Are they still alive–”
“Hm, you’re not really in a position to be worrying about other people. Actually, you know what, I guess we should talk about your sister. Though I already know she’s just a neighbor.”
Gojo pulled out a tablet and opened a file for Yuuji to see. At first glance it appeared to be your resume, as it had a 2x2 ID photo of you in formal wear and your basic information written right next to the image, but the more Yuuji read, he realized that it was far more terrifying than a simple resume.
Gojo used his finger to scroll down the document, which had to be around fifty pages at least. “Age, birth place, height and weight… even her three measurements are here.”
Yuuji stomped his feet. “Why do you–”
Gojo turned the tablet around and began to read, “No clubs or extracurriculars. All her grades are either slightly below or slightly above the school average. Only two instances of getting called to office, once in middle school, and again in high school, both times were because teachers suspected that she was being bullied, but both times she told the adults involved ‘not to worry’ and that she ‘just doesn’t like socializing.’
Other notes from previous teachers were similar: ‘That kid was always quiet, never caused trouble,’ ‘She doesn’t seem to be hated but no one ever approaches her… she doesn’t approach anyone either,’ ‘I don’t know if she’s shy or maybe she really likes her space, either way, she won’t go far in life if she keeps to herself like this,’ ‘She never skipped class, though whenever she called in to say that she couldn’t come it was due to a family emergency,’ hm…
Her classmates and former employers didn’t have much to say about her, too. They kept using the same words: ‘keeps to herself,’ ‘doesn’t cause trouble but doesn’t talk either,’ ‘I don’t remember much about her,’ uwah–there is even a detailed calendar here full of her class and work schedules. Let’s see… apparently she missed school whenever you or your grandfather were sick or hospitalized. Same thing with her part-time jobs.”
Gojo read on, nodding his head.
“Ichiji is surprisingly talented at this. It’s almost creepy.”
“Wait! What’s going on? Why do you have records on Y/N-nee?!”
“That’s what I’m trying to find out.”
“According to the other people in your neighborhood, you’re not blood-related and she’s not even your step-sister or adoptive sister, she’s literally just the girl from next door. And you’ve heard the things other people have to say about her, there is nothing special about that person. If anything, she has to be one of the most boring people I know.”
“Don’t insult her! S-sure she’s quiet and doesn’t like interacting beyond the bare minimum, but towards me she’s kind and selfless and even a bit overprotective! She’s not perfect but she’s not boring or average or horrible!”
“... Do you know what happened to her parents?”
If he were thinking more clearly, Yuuji would’ve kept his mouth shut but he was furious and couldn’t help himself. “They’re abroad. They send money regularly but Nee-chan has always been alone in that house. That’s why grandpa and I let her sleep over sometimes. She’s always been…alone.” Wait. Yuuji scrunched his eyebrows. Alone? That can’t be right.
“‘They’re abroad,’ is what she said to you.”
“Itadori, there are no records of her parents ever leaving the country.”
“Well, you’re wrong. Grandpa said that she told us that the first day we met her.”
“Hm. Itadori-kun, do you recall the date that you moved in with your grandfather?”
Yuuji didn’t remember much about his childhood before his grandfather, the two of them have always been together for as long as he could remember. It was the same with you. Always together…
Gojo showed him a page from the tablet. It was an affidavit of ownership. “Before that, let me ask you, do you know whose house your ‘sister’ used to live in? The one next to your grandfather’s.”
“What kind of question is that? Obviously it belonged to her–her parents, of course. That’s her last name.”
“This house belongs to a family with the last name L/N. But look here.” Gojo scrolled down and showed a picture of a family of five. There was a father, a mother, two young boys in middle school, a boy no older than two, and a dog. “This photo was taken back in 2003, a year before your birthday. They’re the only family members who lived in that house.”
“So? She’s probably a distant relative.”
Gojo shook his head. “We actually asked the other neighbors. Everyone also believes that she’s some cousin from the province. But it’s strange that you all believed that she belonged to that family when no one should be living there in the first place.”
“You just said that that family owned it.”
“Yup, you’re right, they owned that house.”
“I hope you have a tough stomach.” Gojo scrolled down.
Yuuji’s stomach stirred and he bent over as far as his bondage would allow him. He wanted to throw up. He wanted to cry. He refused to look up, the image of those poor parents hugging their children will forever be burned in his memory. “Why are you showing me this?”
“This L/N family was brutally murdered on the night of **** **, ****.”
“That’s the same date your grandfather took you in, isn’t it?”
Yuuji doesn’t remember it himself, but his grandfather told him once and you often mentioned that date when you brought up his toddler days.
He reluctantly opened his mouth. “Did… did she…” He couldn’t say it. He couldn’t even think about it. Memories of you smiling, laughing, taking care of him and grandpa, and welcoming him home flooded Yuuji’s senses.
“Ah,” Gojo interrupted, “she didn’t kill them if that’s what you’re worried about.”
“The doggie bit one of the burglars. Hard. And she bit him in the *ahem* boxers. He and his partner were caught almost immediately.” Gojo showed him the mug shots.
“She had nothing to do with this murder, but after the funeral, the house was bought immediately. After further investigation, we discovered that it was bought under a fake name. She was a child when the land was purchased, but it couldn’t have been her parents, and there are no signs of other people having lived there other than her. Not to mention, the whole neighborhood bought into her lie that she was a visiting cousin. Isn’t that odd?”
Odd? Major understatement. There were many holes. Number one thing was that no one seemed to remember the murders. Even if it was fifteen years ago, Yuuji would’ve heard of it, if not for his grandfather then from the other kids. Children love horror stories after all. And yet…
“You’re telling me that…Nee-chan has been sleeping, eating and bathing in a murder house?”
“Well, I assure you, there are no curses or ghosts in that area. Luckily, the family passed on without any grudges, perhaps because they were with each other when they died? Anyway, normal humans have no way of knowing that the house is clean. Usually, unless you’re dirt poor or an idiot, you would never even consider living in a potentially haunted house.”
“That’s…!” Yuuji stopped himself. “Wait. What did you mean earlier that her parents couldn’t have possibly bought the house?”
Gojo tilted his head. “Because they’re dead.”
He presented an old newspaper article. It was dated a few weeks before the family’s death. The headline read: COUPLE FOUND DEAD IN THEIR OWN HOME, ***-OLD DAUGHTER NOWHERE TO BE FOUND.
“The bodies were described as having been ‘torn apart from the inside,’ but there were no weapons that fit the wounds. There was only a large puddle of water soaking the corpses… ‘Based on testimonies from neighbors, the couple were suspected of abusing their daughter, whose current whereabouts remain unknown. It is likely that she has been kidnapped.’” Gojo glanced at him. “You get it, right? The couple mentioned here are Y/N’s birth parents. They lived in a rural area with a town population of less than 5000. They don’t even have a convenience store–or a mall. Ouch.”
Gojo looked at Yuuji. “The murder itself was brutal but it never reached national news. Still, a lot of things don’t add up.”
“...I-if they’re dead then…” then why did you act like they were still alive and well? How could you smile and walk around as if everything was fine?
“Well, anyway, those things are minor.”
“The crux of the matter is this: you ate a finger of a cursed spirit known as Ryomen Sukuna, and he called Y/N his wife. Not to mention, just before passing out, she called you her child.”
“From what I can tell, Sukuna seems to treasure her a lot, and yet there is nothing about her background that points to her being any more special than the average Jane. What are you? And what is your relationship with that woman?”
Yuuji gritted his teeth. ‘That woman’ was his precious older sister, who took care of him when Grandpa was at work, who cleaned up his wounds when he got hurt playing, who loved him so much she couldn’t stand by as a monster attacked him.
Over a decade ago, in a tiny house by the foot of a mountain, you watched as gigantic icicles–bigger than yourself–tear through your mother. She was arguing with your father, who was now on the floor, gasping and clutching at his chest. He too had large pieces of jagged ice pierced all over him.
When he caught you in the corner, a wry grin made its way to his face, that was the only time you ever saw a semblance of a smile from him. He reached out his arm towards you. “H-hurry up, c…call s-s-someone–ARGH!”
The hand reaching out to you was cut by a blade of ice.
He squirmed and screamed before another cold knife cut his face in half. The kitchen fell silent.
At that time, did you feel afraid? Did you feel sad? You couldn’t remember.
“This servant deeply apologizes for being so late.” A handsome woman, or maybe they were a pretty man, stepped out of the shadows and walked towards you.
The doll-like person with snow white skin and wearing traditional clothes knelt down. They offered you a small smile. “I offer my greetings to the madam.”
“...are you… going to kill me, too?”
He shook his head. “This servant would never.”
“I came here to ensure that you were living peacefully until the lord’s return, but regretfully, even in this life you are treated like this. I tried to make them suffer before dying, but my temper has gotten the best of me. This servant apologizes.”
The person said things you didn’t understand, but you at least knew this much: they weren’t going to hurt you.
“My lady, I’m afraid you can’t live here anymore.”
The beautiful, doll-like creature that introduced themselves as “Uraume” packed what few materials that belonged to you and led you away. Their skin was colder than the air of a fridge, yet you never felt more safe and warm than when they held your hand on the way to your new abode.
“Please just call me ‘Uraume,’ my lady, this servant doesn’t dare to be referred to in any other way.”
“R-right. Uraume, you said that I will be living in a different neighborhood.”
“Yes. I handled everything. Though humans have evolved into being more efficient, the paperwork was too much.”
“Will I be living alone?”
They gave you a sad smile. “It would be the highest honor to wait on the lady, but I still have much to prepare for Sukuna-sama’s arrival.”
“He has never tired of searching for you, I’m sure he will be very happy to know that you are now safe and well.”
“Does that mean… that he cares for me?”
Their eyes seemed to sparkle. “Such words are too light to describe the weight of his feelings. Sukuna-sama has devoted every part of himself to you. When you died, he never remarried, and when other sorcerers or village chiefs offered him brides, he would slaughter them all without hesitation. He was especially mad when the women looked like you in any way, be it height, skin color or hair color. This servant personally put their severed heads on poles to be displayed for all to see as a warning. One time, he…”
You didn’t really get it. This person spouted out a lot of information that you didn’t grasp, like a hardcore fan talking about their idol to a normie.
They seemed to be having fun so you let them talk the entire trip to your new house.
“Do you like it, madam?” Uraume asked as you examined the residence from outside. “It’s small, but putting you in an apartment complex was out of the question. It would’ve been nice if we got you a mansion but the people I spoke to claimed that only this house was available. Unbelievable, Sukuna-sama would never have tolerated this–”
You turned to Uraume and smiled. “I like it, Uraume. Thank you for your efforts.”
Uraume blinked. Then they slowly covered their mouth. “M-my lady, your smile is as radiant as I remember.”
“This servant will go and organize everything so please relax as much as you like!” They then dashed inside.
What an odd person, you thought. But you didn’t want to go inside just yet, not because you were afraid of potential ghosts. Uraume explained the truth about the house before the drive here, and they didn’t seem bothered with it so why should you?
However, the house was still full of movers carrying furniture and whatnot, and you’d rather avoid people.
As you thought about where to pass time, something tugged the hem of your dress.
You glanced down and found a toddler pulling on your skirt. “Huh? Go away.”
“Mm?” The baby raised his head and met your eyes, and time stopped.
Your head felt heavy and everything around the toddler turned blurry.
Huh? Did you say something just now?
“There you are, Yuuji! You almost gave me a heart attack. I’m pretty sure I locked the door, how do you keep escaping?” An old man came over and picked up the child from the ground. “What on Earth am I going to do with you…hm?”
The old man finally noticed you. “I’ve never seen you here before.”
You kept your eyes on the child, who was clapping his hands. “I…I just moved in.”
“Moved in? Where? Oh.” He scratched his stubble when he realized it. “That’s unfortunate.”
You stared at the baby in his arms. Its cheeks were so chubby. You wanted to pinch them until he cried.
“It’s not my place to say this but… maybe you and your family would be better off going someplace else…” The man whispered.
“What do you mean?” You finally looked away from the toddler.
He sighed. “It’s complicated, but since your parents bought the land they probably already know. It’s a pity. This little one and I will be moving out soon and you could’ve gotten our house instead.”
“It’s nothing a kid like you should concern yourself with. Let’s just say that after everything, it’d be bad luck to stay here, right, Yuuji?”
“Ehehe,” the baby garbled out a laugh, making a spit bubble.
“What’s that?” The man turned to you.
You gazed deep into his eyes and repeated, “You can’t leave.”
“We have to, little miss. It’s the best thing for us. I’m not sentimental but I don’t believe in tempting fate. I don’t know if you’re aware but living in this street feels wrong after the mur–ahem, after the incident.”
“Like I said, you’re too young–”
“There wasn’t any incident.”
“What’re you talking about? Ah, I guess your parents didn’t tell you, after all.”
“There wasn’t any incident,” you said again, never breaking eye contact. “Nothing happened, everything is fine. You’re not going anywhere.”
Your mouth was moving but you couldn’t hear yourself. Your mind was muddied.
The old man stared back at you, unblinking and silent for a whole minute, before his lips moved, “I haven’t seen you before.”
“No. I just moved in with the L/N’s.” You pointed at your new house.
“Ah, I see. Are you a visiting cousin or something?”
“Yes. My parents are working abroad so my aunt and uncle decided to take me in.”
“Aha, I see. They’re good people, your aunt and uncle, though their sons are a bit rowdy.”
“Yes, they are.” You turned to the baby who was now looking at you with curious eyes.
The old man noticed and proceeded to introduce himself and the kid. “I’m your neighbor, Wasuke Itadori, and this one’s named Yuuji. His parents are… not here, so I’m in charge of him.”
The baby beamed before reaching out his fat sausage arm towards you.
You offered him a finger and he grabbed it tightly as he giggled.
“Nice to meet you. My name is…”
You opened your eyes, a bit groggy from a dream you could no longer remember.
“Finally awake?” A woman asked. She had long brown hair and wore a lab coat. A doctor. “Hello, I’m Shoko Ieiri. Do you remember who you are?”
You rose to a sitting position, but didn’t answer.
“Do you know today’s date?”
You stared at her. “Where is Yuuji?”
“Hm… how do you know that name?”
“Yuuji is my neighbor but we’re more like family. Where is he?”
“He was right…” Shoko murmured as she wrote something on her clipboard. When she noticed you glaring, she put it away and grinned. “Don’t worry, he’s indisposed but otherwise in good health. You’ll be able to meet up with him in a few minutes. We need to focus on your condition right now.”
“I’m perfectly healthy.” You raised your arms in an attempt to show how fine you were. “Nothing hurts and I remember my own name and the date today. Please let me see him.”
Before she could reply, her phone buzzed and she excused herself.
As she stepped out to answer the call, you stared at your hands as they pulled on your blanket.
A/N: This took longer than expected. But anyway, happy human holidays, everyone! Comments are always appreciated.
