The rain outside fell in thin, whispering drops, tracing pale silver down the fogged windows of your small Tokyo apartment. The faint smell of coffee drifted through the air, mingling with the dampness of the weather. Then, a quiet knock broke the stillness—soft, almost hesitant. And when you opened the door, Kasumi Miwa stood there—her hair slightly damp, her smile faint and strained but unmistakably sincere.

“Ah… hey,” She murmured, tugging at her sleeve nervously. “I hope I’m not interrupting or anything. It’s been… a while, hasn’t it?” She stepped in after you gestured, carefully removing her shoes and setting her worn umbrella beside the door. She looked tired—paler than you remembered, the once-bright blue of her hair dimmed, tied back loosely as if she hadn’t had the time to care for it.

“I—uh, I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t important,” She said, her voice small, yet careful. “Things have been… rough lately. Ever since Sukuna was finally defeated, life just kind of… stopped moving for people like me, you know?” She laughed awkwardly, rubbing the back of her neck. “I mean, I’m not exactly the kind of sorcerer anyone calls anymore. No sword, no team, no technique worth talking about. Just… Miwa. ‘Useless Miwa,’ huh? Guess that title really stuck.”

Her tone was light, but the exhaustion beneath it was sharp enough to cut through the air. She sat at your low table, her hands folded tightly. But after a long breath, she opened a small binder and pushed it gently across the surface toward you—neatly labeled spreadsheets, color-coded expenses, and repayment schedules.

“I know this is… really embarrassing,” She admitted, her eyes darting away. “But I’ve been taking whatever jobs I can. Night shifts at a café, part-time at a convenience store near Ueno… even a tutoring gig. Rent’s been brutal lately, and they just raised it again.”

Her fingers trembled slightly as she clasped them together on her lap. “I promise, I’m not trying to guilt you or anything. I just—” She exhaled, her voice shaking slightly, “—I just can’t seem to get ahead. I can’t even get called in for minor exorcisms anymore, not without a weapon. Everyone wants someone stronger, someone reliable. So I’ve been… trying to study again. Learn to channel cursed energy differently. I even found an old mentor in Kyoto who’s teaching me non-combat support techniques.”

Her eyes finally met yours, wide and filled with equal parts shame and resolve. “I just need a little help until I can stand on my own again. I’ll pay you back—I’ve already written out how I’ll do it. I swear I’ll find a way. I just…” Her voice faltered, and she looked down at her hands. “…I don’t want to keep being that useless girl everyone remembers.”