Jujutsu Kaisen: Clockwork - CH3 (Patreon)

[Gojo Satoru - POV.]

Strolling casually through the streets of Tokyo, lollipop firmly in place, I, the strongest and sexiest sorcerer to have ever lived, couldn't help but feel amused. The city as always was buzzing with energy, but today, it felt different, and it didn't take long to find out why. Because like a siren's call, I sensed it, a massive surge of curse energy, not far from the school.

"Interesting," I muttered to myself, licking my lollypop. It was honestly surprising the old farts hadn't sent anyone to the hospital yet. Oh well, more fun for me. 

Following the energy was like playing a game of hot and cold, but I was always good at games, well... at everything. Anyhow, the source led me to the least likely of places, the Tokyo hospital. Now, hospitals aren't exactly rare hotspots for curse energy, but this was different. This was huge, not as huge as me, of course, but huge.

I sauntered into the hospital, my presence turning a few heads, the perks of being impossibly good-looking. The energy led me straight to the psych ward area of the hospital. Ah, the irony wasn't lost on me. Curses, psych wards, a classic combo. Like the McCombo of the week.

Inside the padded room was a kid, 16 or 17, looking utterly out of place. A foreigner, by the looks of it. The poor kid was sitting there, looking around with a mix of confusion and a 'how-did-my-life-get-here' expression. Honestly, I couldn't blame him.

Connecting the dots wasn't hard. Kid probably came to Japan, had a run-in with curses, and then, thinking he'd lost his marbles, checked himself into a psych ward. Voluntarily! I had to stifle a laugh. It was tragic and hilarious at the same time, nah, it was mostly hilarious.

Like a kid in the zoo, I tapped on the glass, getting his attention. The look on his face when he saw me was priceless, a mix of surprise, confusion, and a hint of 'are-you-another-hallucination?'.

"Hey there," I greeted with a smile. "Fancy seeing you here. You know, most tourists prefer Shibuya or Harajuku, but who am I to judge?"

The kid just stared back at me, annoyed.

I continued, "So, I couldn't help but notice you're radiating more curse energy than a special grade curse. Mind telling me how you ended up in a padded room instead of, I don't know, fighting curses?"

The kid blinked, then shrugged with a bewildered look that screamed, 'I-have-no-idea-what's-going-on'.

I chuckled. Right, he didn't know a thing about curses.

"Don't worry, kid. I think I can help you with your little problem. And maybe get you out of this... cozy room. I'm Gojo Satoru, by the way, possibly your new best friend."

"Not interested, go away," The kid replied, turning around. How adorable! That he thought I was giving him an option, honestly, it would be irresponsible of me to let such potential go to waste, that... and well, it was just a matter of time before a curse came for him, destroying the entire hospital and blah blah, better to keep him out of places the normies frequent for now.

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[Back to our protagonist - POV.]

One moment I was in my nice, probably not self fabricated totally not hallucination padded room, and the next a guy with white hair wearing sunglasses is dragging me out of the hospital like a sack of potatoes. 

"Let me go!" I struggled, but it was like trying to move a mountain. The guy had a grip on me that felt annoyingly relaxed yet unbreakable.

"Nope," he said with a chuckle that irritated every fiber of my being. "You'll thank me later."

"Sir, you cant kidnap one of our patients," one of the nurses called out, running towards us with a mix of concern and sheer disbelief painting her features. 

The sunglass wearing motherfucker stopped, turning to face the nurse with a smile that might have charmed the birds from the trees. "My apologies," he said, his voice as smooth as silk. "But you see, this isn't just any patient, he's my cousin. Gojo Satori."

The nurse blinked. "He's clearly a foreigner."

He sighed melodramatically, as if the weight of explaining something so simple was too much for his cool exterior. "I know, I know, but you see, he's adopted. Parents traveled a lot. It's a long story, but right now he needs specialized care that only our family can provide, crazy and all, we love him."

"Specialized care?" The nurse still seemed skeptical, her eyes darting between me and the too-charming man claiming to be his relative.

"Absolutely," He continued with unfazed ease. "Let me take care of my cousin."

"Lady, for fucks sake! I'm being kidnapped!" I shouted, hoping to add some sense to the situation. But my fucking kidnapper simply shook his head with mock disappointment.

"You see? Delusions of persecution, poor thing." His face was the picture of concern now, but those damn eyes behind the sunglasses, I bet they were laughing at me. I will kick his ass, as soon as I figure out how to escape his grip.

The nurse faltered, her training warring with the absurdity of the scene playing out before her. "I need to see some ID, paperwork, something," she insisted, even as she took a step back, uncertain.

The bastard chuckled again and reached into the pocket of his ridiculously tailored coat with his free hand. He produced a wallet, pulling two ids, one for him, and one for me. WAIT, ONE FOR ME?! HOW?! WHEN?!

"See, everything is in order," he said, handing over the laminated cards to the nurse with a flourish. The nurse took them warily, her eyes flicking between the IDs and my face. 

Good, the nurse is doubting this concerningly strong guy. I still have hope!

"Everything checks out," The nurse sighed.

FUCK!

"I told you," The bastard winked, a devilish glimmer in his eyes. "We thank you for your understanding." 

The nurse handed back the IDs, her professional demeanor reasserted as she nodded curtly. "Honestly, next time your cousin gets admitted into a hospital, just ask for him at the reception, there's no need for all this."

The son of a bitch's grin widened, and he gave the nurse an exaggerated bow. "Duly noted. Shall we, dear cousin?" The irony in his tone was not lost on me; it dripped with the honeyed venom of his deceit.

"Let me go!" I screamed at his ear.

"Nope," he said, almost cheerily, carrying me down the hallway with alarming ease. The nurse watched us leave, a frown etching deep lines into her forehead, but she made no move to follow.

I see now why they offer free healthcare, it comes with free kidnappings as well!