Jujutsu Kaisen: False Dawn

Chapter 91: Wires of Will

Ren leaned in, voice soft but unwavering. "Say yes if you agree to this binding vow…"

Mei didn't even pause. It slipped from her mouth like breath.

"Yes."

The moment the word passed her lips, it was done.

Something invisible snapped into place—no flash of light, no cursed energy, just a pressure. A quiet, invisible weight folded around her chest. Mei's breath hitched.

It felt like her soul had been dressed in something foreign. The seal didn't hurt—but it belonged now. It lived inside her.

She shivered.

The vow had accepted her.

Only now, as her heart slowed, did Mei truly think about what she'd agreed to.

Her lips curled into a bitter smile.

The first line didn't explicitly say "obey," but it erased disagreement entirely. The second line? Poetic silence. No leaks. No secrets told. Ever. The third… "That which is yours may answer when I call"? That's cursed energy. My body. My influence. Whatever he deems valuable. And the fourth line? Mei's chest tightened just thinking about it. A "silent end from within"… it's not gentle. It's lethal. Instant cursed energy implosion. That's what that means.

Overall? I'm his willing slave.

She blinked slowly.

I agreed to that.

Across from her, Ren smiled as he stretched his arms over the back of the couch. His tone returned to casual mischief.

"Well, that was easy," he said with a chuckle. "I should've done this from the start. But still—flirting was fun."

He looked over at Mei, that usual smug edge back in his gaze.

"You know," he said with exaggerated disappointment, "you're one evil woman. Trying to seduce a young man like me. You know how hard it is to keep myself in control when something like you is sitting next to me?"

Mei blinked. Her expression flickered.

What…?

His tone. His mood. It shifted so fast.

He was talking about killing her just moments ago—and now he sounded annoyed about being seduced?

Her cheeks flushed despite herself.

"What do you mean it's hard for you to control yourself?" she asked, stunned.

Ren rolled his eyes.

"You're a good-looking woman," he said bluntly. "And I'm a teenager. Do you really need more explanation than that? I thought you were smart, Mei Mei."

Mei stared.

Too bold. Way too bold. Did he just… is this a teenager thing or a psychopath thing?

"No!" she said finally, voice pitching in surprise. "I heard you the first time, but—your way of saying it! It's just too bold!"

Ren leaned into the couch more.

"Even before," Mei continued, "you were flirting so much! Were you just messing with me all day? Since you knew I was here to seduce you??"

She was trying to catch up—like the emotional script had flipped three times in two minutes.

"How did you even find out?" she asked finally.

Ren patted the spot beside him on the couch, gesturing with a casual nod.

Mei hesitated. Just for a second.

Then she stood up and walked slowly over, her legs still a little unsteady. She sat down next to him.

It was easier now. There was no need to play anything anymore.

Ren turned to her with that half-smile. The kind of look that said, you walked into this willingly.

"Well," he began, "it was easy. When I first saw you in the restaurant, I knew something was up. There were too many crows in the area."

Mei froze slightly.

Ren continued like he was reciting a memory.

"Then, while we were walking back here, I noticed they were following us. Sticking to rooftops. Streetlamps. That's when I knew."

He glanced at her.

"And more than that," he added, "I noticed how you reacted. You let me touch you way more than a normal woman would allow. Remember the bed comforter I made back at lunch?"

He grinned.

"A normal woman would've laughed. Or slapped me. You? You just sat there in awe. Like you weren't expecting it. Like you already knew me."

He paused.

"When you went to the bathroom, I did a little looking. Found a Grade 1 sorcerer who matched your look, your energy—even without you using any. Cross-referenced some reports. And well, the rest was just guesswork. I'm good at that, you know~."

He winked.

He was lying through his teeth, of course. None of that was how he'd figured it out.

But Mei didn't know that.

And the story was good—really good.

It made him sound calculated. Sharp. A little arrogant, but impressive. The kind of guy who could see through people.

The kind of guy she could work with—or fear...