𝐇𝐀𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐎 〣 𝐉𝐉𝐊

꧁༺ 𝓔𝓪𝓰𝓵𝓮 ༻꧂

Why is this crusty-ass curse still following me?!

It's been a good ten minutes and the same tall curse lady was still following you and your grandmother. You were so glad that you didn't react when it started speaking to you because that was something you did not expect to happen. You were pretty sure only special-grade curses could converse in human speech.

Did that mean this curse was a special grade?

"Hey-hey can-can you se-see me?"

I wish the fuck I didn't.

"Hey granny, what did you pack in the bento?" You were trying to make it seem like you were completely oblivious to the curse.

"Eh? Well, bentos are a surprise lunch, so you're gonna have to wait" Sayuri teased.

"Awww, no fair" You fake pouted. You were actually excited to eat the food, but it was getting hard to when you had a literal special-grade curse that wanted to tag along.

You didn't hear anything from behind, which made you think that maybe the curse left and gave up. That's until you heard a small thump on your shoulder, through your peripheral, you saw a small curse being burnt on your shoulder. Its skin was turning red and it made small screams of pain.

Using all of your strength not to react to the poor curse getting burnt to a medium-rare, you bit your lip and looked straight ahead. The feeling of it being picked up from your shoulder and to loud sounds of chewing made you confirm that the special grade has still not left your side.

Did that curse just use me as a fucking stove?

"We're almost there, we just need to walk up a few steps"

Sayuri brought your attention away, momentarily. You took a minute to appreciate the architecture of the large red gates.

"You call these steps a few?" You said with a groan when you looked at the millions of steps it took to get to the shrine.

Still holding hands you both walked up the steps. The curse still follows from behind.

"You will get used to it. Before praying, concentration is a process of purifying one's soul before exiting the steps"

"I don't get it, what do we need to concentrate on?"

"Your mind, of course. You need to leave everything at the bottom, every worry, every negative emotion that is keeping you at bay to solely concentrate on your mind. That's what the steps do. As we go further up, we leave worldly worries behind." Sayuri explained.

Taking in a deep breath, you started to concentrate on every steep step. Not concentrating you your grandmother, or the curse or anything but yourself. Slowly, your nervous and frightened emotions started to disappear and a feeling of peace invaded. You were shocked that you weren't even sweating at these many steps.

You didn't notice the curse behind you had started to get more irritated, the curse began to make whaling sounds, as if seeking for attention. But it had gone deaf to your ear. The eyes of the curse had popped out floating, its tongue stretching out and its body grew.

"And once we have reached the top, we can now pray with a strong, resilient mind" Sayuri said as you both reached the last step of the stone staircase.

"Yeah, I feel more at peace"

Your grandmother led you to the front of the medium-sized shrine that stood, not far in front, it had statues of large doves on either side. It had an old thick string hanging off from the middle between you and Sayuri. Further in, there was a box that had lines at the top, indicating that is where you toss the coin.