.
By the time Shiki and the first year students finish their meal, Kinji and Kirara still have yet to return to the restaurant. It's rather unusual, to say the least.
Kinji, for one, has never been the type of person to pass up free food. And Kirara is usually conscientious of others, so it's also rather uncharacteristic for him to just run out of the restaurant in the middle of his meal–
Then again, Kinji had upset Kirara earlier, hadn't he?
Shiki didn't really see how Kinji's teasing this time was all that different from the numerous other times that he'd joked around with Kirara before, but she wouldn't presume to understand Kirara's feelings on the matter. Since Kinji had swiftly given chase, though, thanks to Zenin-san's urging, hopefully the two of them would be able to sort out their misunderstandings sooner rather than later.
Otherwise, they're all going to be late for curfew.
Currently, Shiki and the first year students are idling around and waiting for their absentee second years to return. Choki said that Ijichi-san was following them from a distance to ensure that the duo weren't lost, but if they didn't return soon, then Shiki would need to reach out to Ijichi-san in order to find the two.
… She'll give it a few more minutes. The conversation between them is most likely of a private nature, and Shiki gets the feeling that she probably shouldn't intrude upon that. Even if she doesn't really understand what's going on between them, that doesn't mean she can't be considerate.
At the same time, they're all students. While it's permissible for them to head into the city, they really do need to be returning to school soon.
Shiki shifts her gaze, glancing over the three first year students with her. The three of them are conversing quietly among themselves and to Shiki's eyes it does not seem that they have grown impatient just yet. There's no telling how long that will last, though. Especially if her classmates don't get their act together and return before–
"Um, Gojo-san?"
"Yes?" Shiki blinks. All three of the first years are looking towards her in this moment… was their something that she'd missed in their conversation? Truthfully speaking, Shiki had been more concerned by how Kinji and Kirara's conversation was going, rather than paying attention to what the first years were discussing among themselves.
Ah, had they finally grown tired of waiting around aimlessly, perhaps?
"If this is about returning to the school before Kinji and Kirara are back, then Choki can take you back earlier," she tells them. "I'll wait here a little longer, I think."
"Erm," Okkotsu-san also blinks. Several times in rapid succession, and with no small measure of confusion. "That's not what I wanted to ask, but, uh. It's really no trouble, we don't mind waiting."
"Yeah, what Okkotsu said," Zenin-san folds her arms across her chest and shifts her weight to one foot. "We've been waiting this long already, so it's not like waiting a while longer is going to make any difference."
"Shake," Inumaki-san adds, nodding his head in agreement.
Clearly, Shiki has misinterpreted things on her end. "I apologize for misunderstanding, then. What was it that you wanted to ask, Okkotsu-san?"
"So… about what you said earlier, inside the restaurant," the boy starts, "When you mentioned that it's difficult to properly find justice when cursed spirits are involved. Is there any… I mean, is there a usual method of approach for this? I understand what you're saying by sorcerers becoming cursed users when they go overboard taking matters into their own hands, but… I also feel like I can't be the only sorcerer who finds themselves looking at an incident that they can't turn away from."
"There are those who work as investigators specializing in accidents involving or related to cursed spirits." In fact, quite a few Windows also double as investigators in their work –or perhaps it's their work as investigators that allows them to come into contact with unusual cases leading to cursed spirits. Either way, the end result is the same. "I'm sure that Ijichi-san would be happy to provide assistance, should you choose to continue pursuing this."
Okkotsu-san is correct that he isn't the only sorcerer who finds themselves overly invested in certain missions. Empathy can be inconvenient like that. But as Shiki had told him earlier, there's a line between sympathizing with the victim and wishing to learn about their circumstances, and deciding to claim justice for the victim using drastic methods. Not all curse users are people who became criminals due to selfish materialistic desires, after all. Although, perhaps it wouldn't be inaccurate to say that there is an inherent sort of selfishness in wanting to see justice done by one's own hand no matter the cost.
… Shiki remembers once hearing about a case where a sorcerer had successfully worked with lawyers and investigators for months on end in order to properly use legal methods to punish the perpetrator behind a certain curse-related incident. However, they had been dissatisfied with the final ruling, which ended up only being a severe fine due to lacking evidence. Cursed spirits typically did not make for very good evidence in regular court cases, after all.
And so, they'd killed the perpetrator themselves.
They had been severely reprimanded for it afterwards, of course. But even then, they hadn't been immediately named a curse user for their actions in the beginning. Sorcerers were scarce in number, after all.
It was only after the same situation continued repeating itself that the higher ups had finally decided to expel them as a sorcerer from the ranks. Because eventually, the sorcerer in question no longer even attempted to go through the motions of using legal methods. They would complete their mission, conduct their own investigation, then promptly go after whoever they saw as being 'responsible.'
The final incident that saw them being branded a curse user was their last mission when they were dispatched to a hospital to exorcise a cursed spirit. They exorcised the cursed spirit… then proceeded to start killing every other person in the hospital, under the pretext that it was precisely because of these patients and their negativity that the cursed spirit existed to begin with. Had it not been a higher ranked sorcerer coincidentally being in the area that day who stepped in to solve the issue, the news outlets would've had a field day reporting their rampage.
Thinking about this again, Shiki gets the impression that this sorcerer would've made a fine ally for Geto-san. Perhaps they hadn't started out with the belief, but the idea that one could get rid of cursed spirits in this world by killing non-sorcerers was exactly the same as what Geto-san espoused, wasn't it? A slippery slope that they refused to turn back from…
It hadn't occurred to Shiki in the restaurant just now, but in hindsight maybe she shouldn't have encouraged Okkotsu-san to continue investigating the peculiarities of his last mission if he remained curious about things. Yes, she'd also told him to be careful that this didn't lead him down a curse user's path, but Shiki doubted that the justice-seeking sorcerer who she'd heard about had intentionally set out on his self-imposed mission thinking that he'd become a heinous curse user for it, either. What if this led Okkotsu-san to picking up Geto-san's philosophy?
… If that happens, then Shiki will be the one taking matters into her own hands.
"Why are you shivering again, Okkotsu? It's not that cold!"
"S-sorry, I don't really get it, either!"
"Tsuna, okaka?"
It would be prudent to remain watchful, Shiki decides. But at the same time, perhaps she should also have a little more faith in Okkotsu-san. The future ahead remains uncertain, but here and now, watching Okkotsu-san get along well with his fellow classmates, it's hard to imagine that he would go around killing innocent civilians. Then again, Shiki hadn't thought that Geto-san would one day snap and start slaughtering non-sorcerers, either…
But Okkotsu-san and Geto-san are different people. The possibility is there, certainly, but it would be unfair to look at Okkotsu-san like he's destined to become a curse user in the future just because Geto-san chose to become a curse user before him. Shiki isn't that unreasonable.
"… It might be time to look for Kinji and Kirara." What Shiki is, is 'about to be late for curfew.' She has no idea why her classmates' conversation is taking so long, but at this rate they can continue their discussion after they've all returned to school. "Choki, would you please contact…"
Ah. Never mind that. Shiki cuts herself off in the middle of her words when she lifts her gaze and sees her classmates at a distance from the other end of the street.
What coincidental timing. She'd just been about to ask Choki to contact Ijichi-san to see where the missing duo had gone, but it appears that will be unnecessary.
"Finally," Zenin-san grumbles from beside her, straightening. "Took them long enough."
It had indeed been a rather lengthy conversation. But it appears that the end results have born fruit; Kirara does not look hurt and angry anymore, and Kinji no longer wears a lost expression on his face, either. Both of them seem to be quite happy, in fact. There's a definite spring to their steps as they make their way over to the group, and the air between them is different from how it was before… although there's something that Shiki still can't quite put her finger on.
"You guys finally going out with each other now?" Zenin-san asks, the moment the two come into earshot.
"Yeah, we are," Kinji grins. Then, almost as if for emphasis, proceeds to throw an arm around Kirara's shoulders and draw the other boy closer to him, the two of them pressed tightly against each other's bodies. Which isn't anything that Shiki hasn't seen from her classmates before, and yet there seems to be something different about it all the same.
"About time," Zenin-san huffs.
"Oh, congratulations!" Okkotsu-san smiles, his bright reaction a stark contrast to Zenin-san's grumbling.
"Takana," Inumaki-san adds, clapping enthusiastically but politely.
Shiki also claps, even despite her confusion. If she's not mistaken, 'going out' with each other in this sort of context means that Kinji and Kirara have decided to be romantically involved. Which Shiki finds mildly baffling, since they're both boys. Those of the same gender can be romantically involved with each other?
It's not something that Shiki has ever considered to even be a possibility before. Although, she's never really thought much about romance at any length, either. It's simply never been a point of interest, and Shiki had always been more focused on other goals and pursuits in her life, anyways. The only time 'romance' had ever come up for her was when she'd met Tsukumo Yuki in China, and the Special Grade sorcerer asked Shiki what her 'type' was.
Did this mean that Kinji and Kirara were each other's types? … That must be the case, seeing as they've decided to go out with each other.
"Thank you, thank you," Kinji bows with a flourish to them. Kirara is far more bashful, and swiftly ducks his head. This does not stop him from reaching out a reprimanding hand and pinching Kinji in the side, though, which causes the other boy to let out a small yelp and promptly jerk upright from his exaggerated antics.
Zenin-san snorts, "What a pair the two of you make."
"Ooh, is that a compliment I'm hearing?" Kinji grins.
Zenin-san rolls her eyes in response. "… C'mon, let's get going. Any later and we're going to get the principal on our case for flouting curfew."
Kinji laughs, "Didn't realize you were such a stickler for the rules, Zenin."
"It's 'Maki,' not 'Zenin,'" the girl instantly corrects. "And excuse me if I don't want to be caught breaking school rules and being punished for it."
Right, that would be something quite concerning for Zenin-san, wouldn't it? Given the trouble that the higher ups had raised when she'd first entered the school, it makes sense that Zenin-san wouldn't want to give them any excuses for why she shouldn't be a student in the jujutsu school. Yaga-gakucho was the one who'd approved her enrollment, so it's also understandable why she wouldn't want to upset the principal by breaking curfew.
"Seriously? You don't seem like the type to really care about–"
"Let us be going now, then," Shiki interrupts. It seems that Ijichi-san has returned as well; that's the full group. "Zenin-san is correct, we should return to the school soon."
"I just said it's 'Maki,' not 'Zenin,'" Zenin-san scowls lightly. "Every time I hear 'Zenin-san' I'm reminded of the guys back in the clan. No thanks."
"… Maki-san, then." Shiki doesn't think that they're on close enough terms to be on a first name basis with each other. But if she's reading between the lines correctly here, it seems that Zenin-san –Maki-san– has an aversion to being addressed by her surname? Perhaps because she's not on very good terms with her clan?
Shiki is not in the same position as Zenin Maki, by virtue of her cursed eyes and cursed technique. So she can't say that she understands what it feels like, to be regarded as useless for a lack of sorcery talent. Coupled by what Shiki also knows of the Zenin Clan and how they treat their women, it's no small surprise that someone like Maki-san eventually decided to leave and strike out on her own. It's not hard to deduce this, especially given what had occurred when Maki-san first arrived in the Tokyo school as a new student.
For someone who lacks traditional sorcery talent, though, Maki-san is quite the skilled combatant from what Shiki has seen.
She wonders what the higher ups would think, if they knew that Maki-san regularly and consistently beat Okkotsu-san in their sparring sessions with each other.
… That's not particularly relevant to anything at hand, though.
They end up returning to school in two groups; the first year students with Ijichi-san, and the second years with Choki. Although they're cutting a little close on time, Shiki thinks that they'll be able to make it back before curfew. Which also leaves her time to–
"Are you alright with this?"
It takes a moment before Shiki realizes that this question is addressed to her. She only realizes it when Choki coughs slightly to get her attention, and finds both of her classmates staring at her from the car's back seats.
"Alright about what, Kirara?" she asks. "You're going to need to be a little more specific."
"Just… this," Kirara falters. Which is a strange reaction, since the last time that Kirara had been this nervous around her, it had probably been back when they were both first year students familiarizing themselves with the Tokyo school. So why does he look anxious? "I'm… going out with Kinji."
"Yes, you've said that earlier." Kinji did, actually, but that doesn't really make any difference here, does it?
"It…" Kirara swallows, hesitating. "Doesn't bother you?"
"Why would it?" Shiki finds herself genuinely puzzled by her classmate's increasingly strange behavior. Why is he asking her these questions? Is this really something that needs to be answered?
Certainly, Shiki finds it strange that two boys have decided to romantically involve themselves with each other. It's odd. Not something that she's ever heard of before, or even entertained the prospect of.
At the same time, she's also equally certain that it's none of her business. If Kinji and Kirara want to court each other, then that's up to them. Shiki's thoughts on their romantic entanglement is quite literally the last thing that matters in their relationship with each other.
"You're really not bothered by this?" Kirara asks cautiously.
Shiki isn't sure that she even understands what he's asking anymore.
"What Kirara means," Kinji breaks in, "Is if you're bothered by the fact that neither of us are straight."
… And now Shiki is even more confused by them. "'Straight?'"
Her classmates exchange a brief glance with each other. In an instant, all nervousness has evaporated from Kirara's frame.
"… Yeah, I can't believe I forgot she was a sheltered ojou-sama for a second there either," Kinji suddenly says, apropos of nothing.
"I'm not sheltered," Shiki argues. She has been trained to fight curses since she was young. By the time Shiki entered the Tokyo school as a new student, she'd already had an extensive mission history in her record. Sheltered was the last word that could be used to describe her. Although she honestly doesn't see how that has anything to do with their current conversation topic–
"No, you're definitely a sheltered ojou-sama," Kinji informs her seriously. "Okay, I guess we're starting from the basics here: Have you ever met someone who's gay?"
Shiki blinks silently, mystified by where this conversation is going. What does it mean to be gay, and how is that related to being sheltered?
"… I think I'm really bad at explaining this," Kinji mutters under his breath. "Kirara, help."
Kirara lets out a slight laugh. To his credit, though, he does try his best to take over where Kinji is struggling.
"So, um… you know that usually relationships take place between men and women, right?" he starts awkwardly.
Shiki nods. Male and female, yang and yin. That much is common sense.
"Right. So," Kirara coughs, clearing his throat. "There are also cases where… people are homosexual, and prefer to be with those of the same gender. If a boy likes another boy, then they're 'gay,' and if a girl likes another girl, then they're 'lesbian.'"
Oh. This is actually a thing? People of the same gender liking each other, and starting romantic relationships with each other because of those feelings? Just like normal men and women? If there are terms for it like this, then that means this should be… perhaps not common, but at the same time, a lot more common than one would otherwise think.
"Is that the case with you and Kinji, then?" Shiki asks. According to this definition, then Kinji and Kirara are both 'gay,' right?
"Not… exactly," Kirara coughs again. "I'm, um. Not exactly. A, uh. Boy."
Shiki rears back slightly in genuine surprise. "You're not?"
"I'm…" Kirara falters. Then steadies himself, sucking in a deep breath. "I'm trans. Um, transgender. I… I'm a boy, biologically speaking, but I don't feel like a boy. So. That's. That's how it is, yeah."
"I… see…?" Actually, no, that's a lie. Shiki doesn't see, doesn't really understand what Kirara is talking about here. She's quite certain that Kirara is a boy; she's seen him shirtless before, and all physical indicators point towards him being male. That means he's a boy, right?
Except… he's also… not a boy? He'd said as much himself just now, hadn't he? But then, how does that work?
… Shiki knows that her classmates are doing their best to explain things to her, but so far, it's only making everything seem even more confusing to her.
What's also odd is the way that Kirara is wearing an expression that makes it seem like he's bracing for her judgment. Shiki was not aware that she needed to make a decision on anything here.
She stares at Kirara for a moment, then turns towards Kinji. "Are you 'trans,' too?"
"No," Kinji shakes his head. "Just Kirara here."
Shiki nods slowly. She's still not entirely sure what 'trans' means, but it's nice to know that Kinji isn't –solely because it means one less layer of complication and confusion for her.
Although, now that she thinks about it, is gender even really relevant at all here?
Kinji is Kinji. Kirara is Kirara. Just because they're going out with each other now hasn't changed who they are.
… Yes. It seems so much simpler to think of things like that.
"I think I understand," Shiki says.
"Wait, we haven't finished explaining," Kinji holds up a hand. "So… Kirara is a girl."
He is? "Didn't you say Kirara was trans?"
"Kirara is a trans girl," Kinji elaborates. "Biologically born as male, identifies as female. That's not a problem, is it?"
The tone in which he speaks heavily implies It had better not be a problem.
Quite frankly, Shiki doesn't understand what potential problems Kinji is thinking about. "Why would that be a problem?"
Kinji stares at her, searching. "Do you… just, not understand or something?"
It's true that they haven't exactly provided the best explanation. In fact, Shiki feels like she's been left with more questions than answers after her classmates' explanation to her.
"I don't know why the two of you are both acting like I should be upset," Shiki sighs. "I'm sure that there's plenty that I'm not understanding, certainly. But it's not like anything has changed, has it?"
"Eh?"
"Nothing has changed," Shiki repeats herself. Kinji is still Kinji, and Kirara is still Kirara. Even despite her newfound confusion over Kirara's gender and their relationship, it's not like Kinji and Kirara themselves have suddenly turned into different people or anything. So… "The two of you are still the same people you always were. Why would I have any problems with either of you?"
Slowly, Kinji breaks into a wide smile. "… Knew you'd get it, ojou-sama."
"Thanks, Shiki," Kirara also smiles. Unlike Kinji's, Kirara's smile is something softer and gentler. Perhaps it's because of the conversation that they'd just had, but for the first time, Shiki thinks that she can see something that's slightly feminine in the gesture.
… It's going to be quite odd to think of Kirara as a girl going forward. But Shiki hadn't been lying earlier; it's not as if anything has changed, really.
Her classmates are the same as they've always been. It's just the nature of their relationship with each other that has changed, and… somehow brought out this entire discussion on gender in front of Shiki.
Actually, she might as well ask them right now to clarify this for her. "Why does my opinion on any of this even matter, anyways? Your relationship is between the two of you." And therefore none of Shiki's business, frankly speaking.
A brief beat of silence ensues inside the car.
"… You know, you're absolutely right, Shiki," Kinji starts laughing, an uproarious sound. Kirara, too, also chuckles from beside him.
Shiki doesn't understand what her classmates find so amusing about her reasonable question.
.
.
…
.