8. Aunt Shoko
Yoshio was lying in his mother's big bed
That little boy had already stopped crying and now between his little hands he had Gojo Satoru's sunglasses... his father
He didn't manage to return those sunglasses after all the chaos he caused in that Pagoda
That little boy played a little with that accessory, he continued to feel sad about what had happened that afternoon where he had had too much fun with that stranger who turned out to be his father
That confused him a bit... Adults always complicated things
Why didn't him mom ever say anything to him?
Was it his fault that his parents had separated from the beginning?
Is there a way to fix this and put them back together?
That little boy was still confused, but in his mind he already had some ideas to solve that
And so he kept wearing those sunglasses and remembering how much fun he had that day with "his father"
That until he felt someone open the door of that room and he fell "asleep" again.
He quickly hid those glasses under the pillow and closed his little eyes and pretended to breathe so they wouldn't think he was dead.
Utahime went in one more time to see how her son was doing.
The poor already had her eyes swollen from crying so much, but she had to be strong for her little boy.
She also didn't know how he would talk to Yoshio about everything that happened that day.
She really wasn't ready for that... she felt like the time she found out she was pregnant.
What should I do?
It was the question that haunted her head when she saw her little boy asleep.
She sat on the edge of the bed, stroked his hair and kissed his forehead... that made Yoshio smile with his eyes closed.
That boy always moved too much even "asleep"
So Utahime decided to let him sleep in that bed.
Utahime took her cell phone and walked out without fully closing the door behind her.
She went to the living room and dialed the only person who always supported her from the beginning.
"Senpai?" A woman's voice said through the speaker.
Utahime's voice cracked again...
"Shoko... Gojo already found out about Yoshio..." he let out those words while crying again
"Oh Senpai..." Shoko sigh heavily.
At that time, Shoko was working in a private hospital
After everything that happened six years ago, she also decided to desert that world of wizardry with her best friend...
Shoko had contacts that helped her keep a low profile outside of the sorcerer world
Although from time to time he continued to work for them and closest
At that time, Shoko was on call, but decided to take that call as a priority.
Although she still hated night shifts, this was the "quietest job" she'd had since graduating from the academy.
"Senpai, but how did that happen?" I didn't know anything about him for a long time either. What was that idiot doing there?" Shoko asked, going out to the emergency ramp to smoke a little.
That addiction was the only thing she did not leave despite the years.
Utahime kept crying while explaining what happened that day
"Gojo came out of nowhere and Yoshio left with him... they left the sanctuary... Shoko scared me too much! It was horrible, I felt my heart die not seeing my son!..."
"That idiot came to Kyoto to talk to my father because he wants to return to the world of sorcery..."
"And in the end we argued in the tea room... I swear Shoko, I've never seen him so angry! ... im was very afraid ..."
Utahime walked from one side to the other in her living room while talking to Shoko and crying for everything she was telling her
But at that moment, her son was breaking another of the rules he had with his mother.
"DON'T LISTEN TO OTHERS' TALKS"
At that time, Yoshio was leaning against the wall listening through the half-open door to everything his mother told his aunt Shoko.
Yoshio just wanted to collect information to make sure he made a good plan to fix what he caused.
Shoko inhaled the smoke of her cigarette, those two had already been talking for almost thirty minutes...
"I don't know why that airhead wants to return to the world of sorcerers if trying to lead a "normal" life you can live "quietly"— Shoko replied looking at what was left of her cigarette
"I don't know what to do Shoko... I... I don't want Gojo to take my son away from me" Utahime said through tears as she sat on the couch
Her friend's sigh was so heavy that it was heard through that speaker
"Then, talk to him and try, even once in this fucking life, to reach an agreement with Satoru"—Shoko suggested
"You already sound like my mother!" Utahime replied, somewhat annoyed.
"And what did you expect?" What would tell you to run away again? Utahime it's time for you to face him... this was going to happen sooner or later" —explained Shoko trying not to get upset with her friend
Utahime's tears did not stop and her sobs could be heard through the cell phone as she continued to listen to her friend
"Utahime...— Shoko began to say in a somewhat pessimistic tone— Gojo still has enough economic and political power to take Yoshio away from you if he so desires..."
"But if you don't want to lose your son, you should talk to Gojo and at least try to reach an agreement... give in a little to his requests, but at the same time stand firm and leave your pride aside for a while ..." Shoko said taking a last drag on her cigarette
Utahime passed saliva... her mouth felt so bitter from everything her best friend told her
"Gojo is Yoshio's father, you can no longer deny that and he also has the right to recognize it, even if you don't like that idea..." Shoko extinguished his cigarette with the sole of his shoe
"You already escaped from him once and now Gojo came back to you alone... you know I'm not one to believe in any of those things about destiny, but this could be a sign so that you two can finally make "peace" "Once and for all" — Shoko said trying to convince her friend
Utahime sighed heavily as she silently dried her tears.
"Besides, think about how Yoshio must feel right now..." Shoko kept talking
"You could also ask him for his opinion, believe me, Utahime, he is a very intelligent boy for his age and perhaps he already understands the situation of why you moved away from his father and perhaps he can give you an answer to all this... the word of your son is also valuable in this situation"
Shoko commented thinking about how bad her nephew could feel for having heard his parents argue for the first time.
"I don't want to imagine how my little champion is at this moment when he already knows the whole truth..." Shoko said remembering her nephew
"Yoshio!" Utahime pressed her hand to her forehead, it was like taking a direct hit.
It was true, like mother, Utahime had not thought about that detail about how her son could be feeling with all that for focusing her anger and attention on Gojo
"I also have to apologize to my little boy! And by the way, I must calmly explain this situation to he ..." Utahime said looking towards the door of her room
"That's right Utahime... that's why you should try to reach an agreement with Gojo for Yoshio's sake..." Shoko said, putting a hand in the pocket of her medical gown
Utahime took a deep breath... her friend always made her see reason
At that moment, Shoko's curiosity got the better of her.
"By the way... senpai..." the doctor began to say
"Yes?..." Utahime said, wiping away her tears.
"What did YOU feel when you saw Gojo again after so many years?" Shoko asked curiously.
Utahime turned red at that question...
She put a hand to his chest because he felt his heart beating a thousand miles per hour at that question.
It was true, Utahime felt many emotions at that moment when he saw Gojo again...
Illusion, hate, love, disappointment... he felt a little of everything at that moment
"I…" said Utahime trying to sound serious, "by telling you Shoko, that I even fainted when I saw him again… I think that with that I tell you everything I felt…" she commented wiping some tears
Shoko smiled a little at that answer "I understand..."
Utahime I just keep silent
"As a medical recommendation and as a friend's advice... the best thing you can do is rest tonight and when you think it's time to talk about this with Yoshio, just do it... but don't wait too long either... my little champion deserves to know the truth soon and by the way he deserves a big ice cream"- Shoko said with a slight smile
Utahime smiled a little at those words
That was Aunt Shoko defending and pampering her little nephew
"Thank you Shoko... You don't know how much I miss you..." Utahime said wistfully.
"And I to you two..." Shoko answered smiling
After that, both friends said goodbye
But before hanging up, they made plans to meet one of these days to organize Yoshio's birthday party that would be in two months.
After that call, Shoko returned to her rounds and as she walked the corridors of that hospital, for a moment she wondered where that idiot Gojo could be...
What I didn't know, is that that idiot was out of his mind and was wandering the empty streets of Kyoto at the time...