Chapter Text
Jinichi may be just 6 but he takes his first martial arts class today. He likes it. The white training kimono is firm, yet also allows him to move freely. His father is overseeing the class, he wants to see how Jinichi will do for his first time. And while it does make Jinichi proud, he cannot shake off the uneasy feeling that all the other boys are watching him too. He doesn’t know why he feels like this, none of them mean him no harm. And yet, he feels nervous. He tries to ignore it as best as possible in order to perform his first high kick. He’s kinda bad at it though. So sensei decides to teach him how to throw a proper punch. Jinichi picks it up easily, and it’s even more fun than trying high kick. He performs punching into empty air multiple times. His teacher comments on his good posture. ‘You’re a natural.’ And Jinichi feels very proud. He hopes it makes Dad happy. He wants to make him happy. He wants to be as strong, smart and brave as Dad is. He promises to himself: ‘One day, I will be.’.
But there is also something else. Jinichi can feel it. Some kind of power he had never felt in himself before, seems to be waking up. It excites him. He thinks he knows what it is. He had heard about Cursed Energy many times before, but he had no idea how it feels like. It’s amazing. He feels as if he could punch through a wall and end up without a single scratch. He sees it now! He looks at his father and can tell: Dad sees it too. It’s still not fully awakened just yet though.
Teacher decides it’s about time he tries his punches on a punching bag. Jinchi feels the excitement coursing through his veins. It’s the first time he’s ever felt anything like it.
He clenches his fist and swings. Hard. Hits the punching bag with full force. Before he knows what’s happening, he sees a movement out of the corner of his eye. It’s coming…from behind him?
Some kind of bright pink…something, flies past him and crushes into a wall. Doesn’t do much, just slightly shakes it. But the impact was still noticeable.
Everyone stays silent for a moment, then a few boys exclaim ‘whoah’. The older ones don’t seem as impressed though. Some even mutter ‘shame’.
What do they mean? It should be good thing to have cursed technique...right? So what's the problem?
He looks at Dad. Expects him to be as happy as he is, but…he’s not. His look is…it’s not sadness but he’s not happy either. He cannot point it out but Dad’s not happy. Why is he not happy?
That marks the end of the class for today. He comes up to Dad.
‘Go get dressed.’ is all he says. So Jinichi does. He’s still very much confused though, why is Dad not happy? He seemed to be when Jinichi’s Cursed Energy was starting to wake up but stopped when it manifested. He doesn’t know what to think or feel at all. What went wrong?
He returns to Dad.
‘Let’s go.’. So they make their way to their home. They walk in silence. Dad doesn’t hold his hand like he usually does. He walks with arms crossed, deep in thought. Jinichi wants to ask him what went wrong, but he feels now isn’t the time. So he doesn’t.
They return. Mom and Toji are already waiting for them. Dinner ready to be served.
They start to eat. Mom asks how the training went. Dad answers. ‘I’ll tell you about it later.’ She seems to pick up that something happened but doesn’t push it further.
Only after they have already changed into their sleeping attires does Toji finally ask.
‘Jin-nii, how did the class go?’
Jinichi thinks about it a little before he answers.
‘My…Cursed Technique manifested today.’
This isn’t what Jinichi had in mind when he imagined telling it to Toji for the first time. He wishes he could say it happy, like he should. Toji seems to pick up that Jinichi doesn’t sound happy.
‘But...that’s good, right?’
‘I don’t know. Dad’s not happy about it. He’s not angry, but he’s not happy either. I don’t know.’
Toji pouts, seemingly thinking about it. It only takes him a few seconds before he gives up, coming into conclusion that he’s just as confused as Jinichi is. Everyone says that having a Cursed Technique is good, so why is Dad upset about it?
His thought process is interrupted by Mom telling them to go to bed. They both hide under the covers. When she leans over to kiss Toji to sleep, he asks: ‘Mom? Why is Dad upset about Jinichi’s Cursed Technique?’
This seems to catch her by surprise.
‘I don’t know, sweetie. We will talk about it and then I’ll tell you in the morning, okay?’
‘M’kay.’
‘Goodnight, darlings.’
She then blows out the candles. But Jinichi cannot sleep. He hopes that he will hear something through the walls, but he doesn’t. His mind keeps him awake with thousands of questions floating around him.
...
He wakes up in the morning, groggy. No wonder, he slept much shorter than he usually does. Mom doesn’t explain anything to them when she comes in to wake them up and tells them to get dressed. She said she would. Jinichi looks at Toji. Toji wonders about it, too.
They come into the dining room. Dad is already there. As they start to eat, Toji asks: ‘Mom, so what’s with Jinichi’s Cursed Technique?’
Dad’s hand stops midway between his plate and his mouth. Closes it, sets his hand back on the table. Mom momentarily glances at him, stays quiet. Dad says:
‘Eat, Toji. It’s not something you can understand just yet.’
But Toji doesn’t give up.
‘But-‘
‘Eat. Toji.’
Dad’s stern voice is enough to make Toji keep quiet for the rest of the breakfast.
Later that day, Jinichi decides to approach Mom on his own and ask her what all of that means. She is kneeling before him, hands firmly gripping his shoulders.
‘Why is Dad upset about my technique? Did I do something wrong?’
‘No, Jinichi. It’s just…’ she sighs ‘it’s just not the technique we expected you to have. That’s all.’
Jinichi still doesn’t get it.
‘Is my technique wrong?’
‘No, it’s-’ she takes a deep breath, then sighs even harder than before. Her grip on his shoulders tightens ‘you’ll get it when you’re older.’