Chapter Text
PROLOGUE:
The soft amber glow of Tokyo's early morning lights seeped through Sukuna’s window, casting sharp shadows across his bedroom as he glanced at the clock. 4:30 AM. He sighed, rubbing a hand over his face before quietly gathering his things. He hadn’t expected to be back from abroad only to leave Tokyo again so soon. His plans had been different—a peaceful return to work, maybe a weekend to unwind after the relentless three-month business trip overseas. But here he was, setting off for Sendai at dawn.
As he dressed and packed, Sukuna’s thoughts drifted to his hometown. Ten years had passed since he’d last walked those streets. He wondered if the place had changed. But would it even matter if it had? Or would everything stay exactly as he remembered? The weight of familiarity pulled at him, but the years he’d spent carving out his own life had dulled the sharper edges of nostalgia. He scoffed softly, amused by the uncertainty swirling in his mind. Sendai was still Sendai, and he’d find out soon enough.
Arriving at the bustling Tokyo Station, Sukuna moved through the early morning crowd with ease, feeling the familiar hum of irritation that seemed to follow him anywhere. People. Rushing past, huddling around the ticket counters, bustling in the line-ups. After three months abroad, the energy was almost jarring. He dropped his luggage at the counter and went through the motions, all the while glancing at the steady rhythm of time ticking by. He felt a creeping sensation of inevitability as he waited for the shinkansen—a sense that things would soon unfold in ways he couldn’t fully anticipate.
He snorted to himself. "Like I don’t have enough damn surprises these days.”
As the sleek, silver shinkansen pulled into the station, Sukuna boarded, finding his seat, and settling in. The train was quieter at this early hour, leaving him alone with his thoughts. He stared out the window as Tokyo melted into the early light, waiting for Sendai to emerge beyond the horizon. Two hours. Just two hours to reach a town filled with pieces of a past he didn’t want to revisit, yet here he was, compelled to return.
He leaned back, letting out a frustrated breath. “Of all times to call me back…” he muttered under his breath, clenching his jaw at the thought of the old man. Painful news had reached him just a week ago—could it have come sooner? “Would it have killed you to give me a heads-up sooner?” Sukuna’s lips twisted into a half-snarl, frustration bubbling beneath his calm exterior. But would it have changed anything? He wondered if he would have been able to rush back even if he’d known. Still, that lingering sense of guilt settled heavily in his chest.
What bothered him most was the reason for this sudden trip. “Damn it, old man,” he murmured, memories drifting through his mind—faces and moments, each carrying a weight he wasn’t ready to bear again. Yet, despite his reluctance, he felt drawn to the idea of how Sendai might have changed, or if it had at all.
Arriving at Sendai Station after the quick journey, Sukuna spotted the private car Uraume had arranged—a familiar sight on an otherwise strange day. Tossing his luggage into the trunk, he slid into the backseat, barely acknowledging the driver with a nod.
"Just get me to the damn hospital," he muttered, closing his eyes briefly as the car started to move. This trip wasn’t one he’d planned, nor one he wanted. But he was here now, and soon enough, he’d have to face whatever waited for him at the end of this drive.