After bumping into mommy in the hallway, I ran downstairs to play with Yuji. "I wonder if grandpa is gonna come out to play?" I whispered to myself as I made it down to the basement. It was dark down there with a big flash of light from the tv. Yuji's been training to control his cursed energy even after mastering it, or maybe he just likes my daddy's movies.

Hopping off the last flight of stairs, I announced myself to him. "YUJI!"

"Hey Nao!" Yuji ran to the light switch and turned it on. There was a big grin on his face. "What's up?" I have never seen a day where Yuji's never smiling.

"Can we play a game?"

"Sure. What do you want to play?" Yuji crouched, still smiling at me. Compared to Sukuna, Yuji was actually down to play any games with me. Sukuna always moaned and groaned about everything unless I brought up my mommy. I like him, but he drains me often because I have to use my brain a lot.

"Let's play hide and seek!" If I were to play this with Sukuna, he would drag me out like a serial killer pulling its victim under the bed. Sukuna would grab my ankle and yank me with a devilish face. Chills ran down my spine from thinking about it.

"Are you good, Nao?"

"Yeah I am! I'll hide, you count!"

"Sure!"

Running outside, I had ten seconds before I'm found. There were trees, bushes, and medium sized rocks where I could hide. "He won't find me in the tall bushes!" I cackled to myself. He's going to have a hard time finding me because I'm small.

"Ready or not here I come!!" Yuji shouted from the top of his lungs, and I smiled in place. He won't find me, I know it. Yuji's going to check around the house first and then the outside.

Out of nowhere, a loud pitch scream erupted in the air. My ears perked up; it sounded like a little girl. My guts were telling me that it was a scream of terror. If I'm going to be a powerful sorcerer, I need to protect the weak people!

I glided my way outside my residence without getting caught. From a distance, there was a little girl getting thrown over a man's shoulder as there were three men in total. She couldn't fight back because they bound her hands and ankles, and they taped her mouth shut from making any future cries for help.

"I can't let them get her!" Without thinking, my legs ran off on their own. For some reason, I didn't think about asking Yuji for help because if I did, the girl would've been gone. Who knows what's going to happen to her if I left five seconds for Yuji.

Running towards them before they stuffed her in a van, I grabbed a palm sized rock and put half my cursed energy into it. I hoped it wouldn't create a hole in the man's head. That's going to scare the little girl more than being thankful that I saved her. I swung my arm forward, letting the rock fly as it shot the man's head.

Bam!

The man stopped moving when the blunt force hit his head. As a result, the back of his head began bleeding a lot. He touched the back of his head and stared at the crimson stain on his fingers. His two henchmen turned around and saw me glaring at them.

"Hey you let her go!" I shouted, gaining up on them. I'm going to punch the life out of them and make sure that it hurts like hell.

"Argh! Grab the boy and go!" The man with the bleeding head yelled in irritation, and his henchmen charged forward.

"Naozumi!!" It was Yuji! Did he finally realize that he couldn't find me? Just in time.

Less than a quick second when I was about to shout out for help, I was quickly engulfed in darkness. I didn't even have time to react or comprehend what happened to me. It felt like a blur— a potato sack was over my head, and I was hastily picked up into the kidnapper's arms.

"Hurry up! That teenager's going to catch up!" Their raging voices yelled left and right because I ruined their mission.

"Hey! Let go!" I tried fighting back, but the kidnapper's arms tightly squeezed my tiny body as air left me. His arm was about to break my rib cage and pierce my lungs.

"Keep fighting and I will kill you kid!" He screamed in my ear, kind of bursting my ear drum.

It was futile for me to struggle in his arms because his strength is ten times greater than mine. He can squeeze me in one go and I'll be dead.

So many things were happening around me. Car doors were opening and closing, Yuji was yelling, the men were screaming at each other while I was still stuck in his arms, and the wheels screeched from the hard stomp on the gas pedal.

"What're gonna do with the boy? We only needed the girl!!"

"We're going to sell the boy as well! Didn't you see he had pure white hair?! He's going to make us rich!"

My heart dropped in dread from the situation I put myself into. My adrenaline raced and my chest felt shallow. Was this the last time I'll ever see the bright of day? This morning was the last morning that I'll ever see mommy and daddy again. Just a few minutes ago Yuji was there too... I won't ever see grandpa Sukuna again. Tears swelled in my eyes from the thoughts of being separated from my family and friends. I'm just a little boy against the world. I put myself in this position to save a helpless girl. Maybe I should've asked for Yuji's help? It would've changed my fate, but it wouldn't have changed the little girl's fate. Biting my lips in resolve, I mentally collected my thoughts and began thinking rationally. Daddy said that shamans don't have regrets when they pass away. I don't regret saving this girl. This is my life as a sorcerer; I have to help people in need. Whatever happens to me, Yuji and my parents will find me... I know.

After what felt like long awaited death, the sack was pulled off and my eyes viewed the warehouse we were in. It was spacious, brown, and dimmed in here. The sunlight from the window was the only light source in here.

"Tie the boy up!" A man announced and I wasn't going to let that happen. "Good thing the girl is knocked out."

"No! Get away from me!" I sharpened my golden eyes at the two incoming henchmen and to my surprise, they froze in their spot like frightened little bunnies.

"Huh?! Why are you two stopping?! Tie that boy up!"

What did I do? Did I trigger something? They just stopped moving when I glared at them. Then daddy's words suddenly came into mind.

'When you're older, you'll get to use your cursed eyes that you got from your mom'

Satisfaction and excitement filled my chest. I never felt so proud of myself. "I used my cursed eyes— AH!" I squealed in panic as my voice echoed in the air. My vision was fuzzy out of nowhere! Why was this happening? Am I going blind?! "I can't see!" My voice cracked, feeling my body tremble from this unknown drawback. I suppose this was this reason why mommy didn't want to tell or show me until I was older. The cursed eyes was a scary ability. My eyes were shut tight, feeling like a coward after all. I still need more training. "Mommy!" I shouted the name of a person who could help me with my sight.

"Fine! I'll handle it myself—" the man's voice suddenly stopped and a few objects dropped on the floor.

Plop!

Still in my own bubble of fear, I didn't open my eyes. I don't even know when my sight will come back to me.

Click clack

Footsteps approached me, but for some reason the presence right in front of me felt good. This person was probably Yuji or Sukuna! They were the one who saved me and the little girl from getting sold.

"Oi... Are you going to get up?" I knew that voice anywhere!

"Grandpa!" I shouted in relief, shooting my head up with my eyes closed.

"Stop calling me that. Didn't I tell you once already?" Sukuna said in displeasure, probably rolling his eyes.

I stuck my hands out to be my eyes until I grabbed what felt like his shirt. My hands balled the fabric as I collapsed on his body. He felt so warm and protective. "Grandpa, you came to save me...!" My big boy fear came pouring out of me as I began crying. This was very scary. I wouldn't know what to do if I wasn't saved in time. "I-I thought I could've saved the little girl without Yuji because..." a soft hand patted my head awkwardly.

Sukuna clicked his tongue. "You're still a kid. You can't expect yourself to be a man in a few months. You're still scrawny and weak."

"Hey! Daddy said I'm pretty strong! I'm not scrawny!"

"Well, your daddy lied to you. Now get off of me. I don't want your kid snot and tears on me. I feel disgusted!" His hands were trying to peel me off of him, but I refused so I hugged him as tight as I could.

Instead of having Sukuna think about me crying, I'll shift the topic. "Why'd you switch places with Yuji?! Were you that worried for me?!" A big grin plastered my face as I couldn't picture Sukuna panicking over a kid like me. It made my heart warm to know a demon like him could care.

"Because Yuji was crying to switch to me." Sukuna said in a matter-of-fact tone, but I didn't believe his words. Sukuna's lying to me.

"Haha! You suck at lyingggg! Yuji doesn't need your help over something like this. He's smart, athletic, and strong! He's been training with my daddy that he doesn't have to rely on you anymore." I had a feeling that Yuji was able to catch up with the moving vehicle without breaking a sweat. He's a sorcerer after all. "I know you were scared because I'm your best friend!"

"Sure. Believe in what you want, kid... and why are your eyes still closed?"

"Because I used my cursed eyes and I'm blind. I'm not sure if it's temporary or permanent, so you will be my eyes, grandpa!" I reached out to grab his hand instead of clawing his shirt. "Open your hand up!" Sukuna balled his hand in order to reject me. "I need someone to rely on!"

"No, hold the shirt. Don't hold my hand, you kid." Sukuna hissed like a cat who dislikes a person. However, that couldn't be me because Sukuna likes me a lot. He tried shaking off my grip around his wrist, but I refused to let go so easily.

"No! I. Want. Your. Hand!"

At the end of some fussing, Sukuna finally let me hold his warm hand. He made me feel safe like my parents, big brother, my grandparents, and Yuji. "Grandpa,"

"I'm not grandpa. What do you want?" He groaned from the previous event of giving in to me.

I squeezed a small fraction of his hand since mine was still small and growing. "You're not a bad guy as people say you are. They've misunderstood you." I said in confidence, as I felt my chest lightened up from the tense event fading.

A long pause filled the air before Sukuna spoke. "...Are you sure about that?"

"Yes! You wouldn't have gotten me if you didn't like me. You would've let Yuji get me instead." I giggled, amused by his behavior and my boldness to keep teasing Sukuna. "Just admit it. You like me!" Despite my eyes closed, I shot him a big smile, shining my teeth to him.

Sukuna laughed at my statement but didn't comment about it.

"Hey Nao, let's take the girl to the police station and call your parents that I got you." Yuji was back. It didn't sound like he was displeased with Sukuna taking over.

"Yes, of course! And Yuji, do you think Sukuna likes me?" I followed Yuji as he went to pick up the girl. I'm not sure if she's sleeping or awake. She doesn't make many noises when she was awake earlier.

"Hmm... Possibly. After I called Gojo-sensei, he wanted to switch with me because he could find you quicker than any human. I wasted no time and turned into him because who knows would've happened if Sukuna didn't come in time."

My heart swelled in happiness as it thumped loudly in my chest. Yuji confirmed my assumption.

After the hectic event, we got home and my parents came rushing towards us. I answered all their dire questions and reassured them that Yuji saved me. "Mommy, I used the cursed eyes... Am I blind for good?" All this time my eyes were still closed.

"Baby," my mommy's hands were on my shoulders. I wasn't sure if she was going to scold me because I used it without training. "Don't be shaken up. I'm not mad at you. You used it to protect you and that girl." She gave me a warm smile that melted my fear. "I guess I'll have to train you how to use it as well... But yes, you do get temporary blind." Mommy explained her cursed eyes.

Some time later, mommy was forcibly taken to the kitchen to help daddy cook. "Oh babe... I think I burned the water."

"How do you burn water?!" Gojo exasperated, probably pulled his hair off.

I giggled at how clueless mommy was in the kitchen. She really can't cook if her life depended on it. She can only cook instant food; if it's from scratch, she can't do it without daddy's help.

Moving downstairs where Yuji was, I plopped myself right next to him as he was watching a movie on tv. "Hey Yuji,"

"Yes, Nao?" He cast a quick glance at me.

"Is Sukuna mean to you?"

A sour expression loomed over his face as his lips squeezed up and eyes shifted away. "I... Um... Sometimes..." He sucked at giving me a straightforward answer.

"I'll take that as a yes... I wonder why he's so mean to you, but he's not to me... maybe it's because I'm his grandson, and he secretly loves me despite having a hostile attitude. It makes me happy to know that he's concerned about me! I'll protect you and Sukuna, Yuji!" They're both good people. Sukuna might be a little messed up in the head, but it's because of his upbringing. If Sukuna's able to love someone else beside my mommy, then he would be happy too. Everyone deserves happiness.