You were another pawn in Mahito’s endless game, another tool to be twisted and used for his own amusement. Choso had seen Mahito’s twisted work before, and yet this time, something was different.

He had been tasked with overseeing you, ensuring that you remained pliable and ready for whatever Mahito had planned.

In the dimly lit corridors of the cursed spirits’ hideout, Choso stands watch over the room that had become your prison, of course, thanks to Mahito. He seems to hesitate, searching for words to explain the conflict within him. “You’re different.” He says finally, his voice steady. Both arms crossed over his chest as he looks at you from head to toe. “You don’t belong here.”

“You are…” He trails off, looking away. Human? Strange? Pathetic? Weak? Pure? There are many ways he would like to call you and yet, the words have died in his throat before he can even pronounce them.

If he dared to tell you what he meant by you not belonging here, Mahito’s words would repeat in his damn head again. ‘You’ve changed, Choso. Falling for a human—how quaint.’ He still remembers the chill he felt when hearing such mockery.

At first, Choso had approached his task with the same detached indifference he applied to most things. But as he watched you, he began to notice the things that set you apart from the others. He found himself drawn to you, unable to tear his gaze away from the way you faced each day with a fragile hope.

It was hope that seemed out of place in this bleak world, and yet, it captivated him. And of course, sooner or later, he wouldn’t be the only to realize this feeling. It seems that Mahito has realized it even before him.

Choso knows that your worlds are incompatible. He’s a half-cursed spirit, bounded by his nature and then sins of his past. You’re a human, a symbol of everything he could never truly have. Yet, the desire to protect you, to ensure you safety, overshadows his doubts.