Geto Suguru was always a popular kid, whether in his previous non-sorcerer schools or Tokyo Jujutsu High.
Everyone liked him because of his observant, considerate, and helpful nature. It's not like he was trying hard to be likable, but it was just how he was. There was never an ulterior motive for what he did, he just liked helping people and seeing everyone around him smile.
But when he met Gojo Satoru for the first time, something changed.
He was never interested in causing trouble, big or small, but suddenly it didn't seem so bad. Whether it was teasing people or some harmless pranks here and there, for the first time, he felt like he was truly having fun. Both he and Satoru were quite mischievous, but Satoru easily came under fire. Unlike Suguru, who was crafty enough to get away with some things. But even Suguru found that escaping Yaga-sensei's punishment was not always possible.
Before meeting Satoru he was very concerned about what people thought about him, and he still is, but very much less so. However, he still tries to bring Satoru's attitude down a notch or two, considering they do have their differences.
But he was content with the fact that his reputation hadn't taken the same hit as Gojo's had. After all, Satoru wasn't afraid to speak without a second thought, while Suguru always kept a respectful and polite front.
Some people, like the third-years, hated Satoru, while some like Shoko were indifferent to his attitude. The third years had their reasons to hate him, and Satoru's bad attitude was one of them.
Suguru understood, but he still felt like there was a lot more to Satoru than people saw. He was hard-working, he was kind in his own way and he was not as indifferent as he tried to project himself to be.
People say Satoru was a born prodigy, which was true, but he worked hard every day to do his best. Thanks to how he talked, people thought he was brash and cruel, but did not know how Satoru extended his kindness in the most subtle ways to the people around him. Whether it be making sure that the curse victims are in good hands before leaving or making sure he brought some sort of souvenirs wherever he went. Sure he complained a lot while doing so, but always kept doing it. Every time.
Some say he is aloof and indifferent...and it makes Suguru laugh at times.
Satoru? Indifferent? He wears his emotions on his sleeves for crying it loud. But people refused to see more than what Satoru wanted to show them.
He was difficult, but he was not a bad person. And as his best friend, who truly believed in him, he knew he had to help him open up more.
Suguru's eyes flickered to his side, watching as the friend in question walked without a care in the world. Rays of the setting sun colored his snow-white hair golden, blue eyes hidden behind glasses.
He seemed to sense the gaze on him, giving him a questioning look. Suguru smiled, shaking his head but Satoru persisted, staring at him with wide eyes.
And Suguru couldn't look away no matter how hard he tried, watching as Satoru's questioning look turned into a smug grin. Why Suguru blushed at that, he didn't know.
From the corner of his eye, he did see Satoru's grin turn soft as he watched him with something akin to...no, he wouldn't jump to any conclusions. There was something that was left unsaid, for a reason, and it should be kept that way.
A breeze blew past them, ruffling their hair. They kept walking, the pace slow and relaxed.
It was only when Satoru stopped abruptly, that Suguru remembered that despite everything, the white-haired boy still got on his nerves...badly.
His eyebrow twitched when he noticed the way Satoru's furrowed eyebrows stared at the scene in the distance. A slight sneer made its way onto Satoru's lips and Suguru swore that he was creating so much drama just to escape from his own feelings of guilt.
Their kouhai were sprawled lazily over the grass, enjoying the last rays of the sun quietly. Nanami appeared to be sleeping, hand over his eyes as he lay peacefully under a tree. Haibara, on the other hand, was munching on a bar of chocolate, eyes roving over what seemed to be a manga. And then there was Satoru's recent obsession, the auburn-haired girl who was lying on her side, head supported by the palm of her hand.
Her lips were furrowed, as if in pain and her eyes kept fluttering.
Satoru scoffed, and Suguru sighed.
"How long do you plan on keeping this up?" the black-haired boy asked, annoyance clear in his voice.
Satoru turned to look at him sharply.
"Excuse me?"
Suguru gestured in her direction, causing Satoru to bristle.
"She's a kid, Satoru. Just let it go already." His eye twitched as Satoru rolled his eyes.
"Let go of what? I'm not doing anything."
"That's the problem. You are obsessed-"
"I'm not obsessed with anything." He defiantly lodged his objection, and Suguru sighed. This needs a gentler approach, he realized.
"You are feeling something and you don't know how to address it."
"Huh?"
"You aren't as indifferent as you are pretending to be. You are feeling guilty, and you don't know what to do. That's why you are obsessing over it."
"I. Don't. Feel. Guilty." Satoru said with gritted teeth, and Suguru raised an eyebrow.
"Then what do you feel?"
"I don't fucking know!"
"I see..."
"See what!?" The white-haired boy barked.
"You do know that all you have to do is apologize?"
Satoru's disbelieving expression and the somewhat aghast look on his face almost made him snicker, but Suguru knew when to hold himself back.
"I'm not apologizing to that brat!"
Gojo Satoru couldn't believe what he was hearing. Him, apologize? He opened his mouth only to shut up as he saw Suguru's annoyed face.
"Don't tell me you believe you did nothing wrong. Did you really think I wouldn't notice the way you refuse to look at me whenever we talk about it? You made a fuss out of something that wasn't even about you, and look where it got you."
The sulking silence he received was...slightly surprising. He would have expected at least some more resistance from him before he eventually caved in. But the troubled expression on his face said otherwise, and Suguru couldn't help the way his mouth fell open a bit.
"Listen...Satoru. There isn't anything that can be done now, other than apologizing. Whether she accepts it or not, is up to her."
Finally, the white-haired boy responded.
"You want me to apologize?" His voice was dry, eyes still looking in her direction but not particularly focused.
"You know, the reason I became your friend was because I believed you weren't like the other assholes from the big clans. You know, the likes of Kamo Hisashi and that Zenin brat."
Satoru finally looked at him, scowling angrily at him.
"Don't ever dare to compare me with scum like them. You know I am better than them-"
"Then act like it!"
Suguru sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. He knew he held a certain amount of influence over him, and he was determined to use it to the best. There were some things Satoru did need to learn, and apologizing was one of them.
"You know, I always admired you because whenever I thought there was something you couldn't do, you always proved me wrong. Not everyone dares to own up to their mistakes and face the consequences. I'm not saying you have to be her friend or anything, just apologize and get it over with. It's causing problems for others also. Frankly, the tension between you two kills the mood for the rest of us."
"Why..." Satoru seemed to struggle about something before he rounded up on him.
"Why do you care so much about her? Do you like her or something? Don't think I have not noticed how chummy and how lenient you are with her."
Suguru almost choked on his spit, but wasn't surprised.
"Satoru..." He said in a warning tone, but he knew Satoru by heart now. To any other onlooker, it would look like he was talking about the weather or something. But Suguru noticed. He noticed the way his lips were pursed slightly, how his eyebrows were tense, and how his breathing was slightly stuttering.
"It's nothing like that, and you know it." The dark-haired boy said quietly, but couldn't resist teasing him and sighed dramatically. "But now that you mention it, she does have a beautiful smile. Even prettier than yours."
A sneer made its way to Satoru's face before he sighed and rubbed his face with his hand. His blue eyes fluttered to his best friend, a blush making its way to his face when he saw Suguru raising an eyebrow at his behavior. He covered his blushing cheeks by covering his mouth with his hand.
"Fine, I made a mistake. This is what you want to hear, right?"
"Not really, it's the fact. But I do want to hear what you think."
Satoru rolled his eyes. If it was any other topic, he would have fought tooth and nail with him. But this was something he was struggling to deal with.
"It was...not my best decision. I may have acted...inappropriately."
Despite the expression on Satoru's face as if he had tasted a mouthful of pickles, Suguru smiled in an amused manner.
"You should not be saying this to me."
"She's a brat-"
"What does have anything to do with it? Besides, she's fourteen. Her maturity level is that of a middle schooler. You are two years her senior, you should take the first steps at reconciliation. Look, she's a good girl. And a little bit like you, frankly. I'm sure if you apologize, you two will get along just fine."
"I don't know if I can apologize to her," Satoru said, some cogs turning in his brain.
"Why not? You apologize to me all the time." Suguru shot back, waving him off.
Because it's you.
But if only Satoru could say the words that were on the tip of his tongue. He could only sigh in defeat.
"She hates me. What makes you think she'll think it's a genuine apology?"
The dark-haired boy only smiled and shook his head.
"Satoru, hate is a strong word. Don't use it so casually. If you are genuine, and she still doesn't agree...then well, to be honest, I won't blame her since you did terrorize a child-" he watched as Satoru deflated a bit, "but if she doesn't then you can always make up for it."
"But why should I care? She's just a weak-ass brat. Why even bother in the first place?" Satoru muttered and looked down. And he was right. Why should he care in the first place? She was nobody, and he was Gojo Satoru. The strongest sorcerer in the world. There was a huge difference in their level - like that of heaven and earth. Those who were not strong weren't worth his time.
After all, how could anyone weak ever interest him? They are all the same, and he would get bored with them like always. So why even bother with some sort of relationship in the first place? No one would ever understand what it feels like to be Gojo Satoru, no one but Suguru. And no one would carry that pride, that responsibility, and that burden of being the strongest. Nobody but Gojo Satoru, and Suguru.
"If you will allow yourself in the first place, maybe then you will be able to see it with your own eyes Satoru."
"The fuck does that even mean?"
Suguru didn't bat an eye at Gojo's exasperated expression.
"It means that with time you will understand it on your own. You aren't as narcissistic as you think you are. Besides, I think she is a valuable and rare asset to the school. Needs a whole lot of practice, but she has a whole lot of potential. I am sure you have heard about her last mission."
"It's just seals and barriers stuff."
"Combat isn't everything."
"Actually, it is. If you are good at combat, you won't need all that useless stuff in the first place."
Suguru sighed deeply, scratching his forehead with his thumb tiredly.
"Fine." Came the curt reply, and Suguru watched in slight astonishment as Satoru turned his back on him and was off the next moment. With loud, thumping steps, he marched his way down to his juniors.
It was Haibara who noticed him first, putting the manga down all the while munching on his chocolate bar. Next was Nanami, who pulled his arm away and stared in the direction of his senior, annoyed at the disturbance. At last, Sanvi opened her eyes when she felt Nanami shift beside her. Eyes widening, she pulled herself up when her eyes landed on a familiar face above her.
He seemed to be struggling with something, and Sanvi mentally prepared herself. What in the world could he possibly want? Either he would insult her somehow, or...or...Her mind hit a blank because there wasn't something he would want with her.
He made a face when his eyes fell on her, and she felt her face fall at the expression. Sighing, she rubbed her forehead, hoping to somehow ease the pain in her head that had been plaguing her since morning. Before he had woken her up, she had barely managed to fall asleep. And that made her headache even worse than before.
He continued looking at her, his lips pursed. His glasses hid his eyes, but the way his fingers were curled in a fist exposed his frustration.
She waited for him to speak, the only sound accompanying was that of Haibara's munching (who seemed way too invested in the conversation - or the lack thereof).
Gojo's eyebrows furrowed, and Sanvi tilted her head to keep the sun away from her eyes. Everything was hurting, and it felt as if she was burning up.
"You are sick." He declared instead, and Sanvi sighed the umpteenth time and she stopped herself from slapping her hands on her head, not because of him but because the pain was becoming unbearable.
"How have I offended you now? Was it my face or the fact that I was breathing?"
Footsteps followed, and from behind him, she saw Geto approach. He looked at her carefully, and she looked at him in a bemused manner. His eyes softened, and the smile on his face comforted her somewhat.
"What?" She asked him softly, but it was Gojo who replied instead.
"Your cursed energy is behaving erratically. I can sense it accumulating around your head, you should get it checked out before it gets worse."
To her surprise, he was saying this very seriously. His body tensed slightly under her gaze, but with the way her head was behaving, she didn't want to question his behavior anyway. She did feel like she was having a fever anyway.
Shrugging, she nodded.
"Sure, I'll do that."
Picking up her bag, she made her way back to the dorm after waving goodbye to the other three boys.
Gojo, on the other hand, shrugged off Geto's hand off his shoulder as he consoled him at his failed attempt at an apology. His jaw tensed, and he wondered just how to explain to Suguru that a single 'sorry' wouldn't come out of his mouth.
Turns out, Izumi-san was out.
Shoko was there, and Sanvi sighed in relief. She was tending to someone she knew well. Yoshida Eiji, from her last mission with Utahime-senpai.
Her headache got worse suddenly.
People say the strongest duo was the mysterious kind. But Sanvi thought that was all bullshit. The one who was the mysterious kind, the one who was the most indifferent was Shoko. At least to strangers. Because no way anyone could have a poker face when in the presence of that man.
He was shirtless, while Shoko was applying bandages to the lower half of his chest. He had leaned back, dark hair falling over his eyes.
Not gelled this time, Sanvi noticed.
Her footsteps alerted them both of their presence, and Shoko looked up with relief while Yoshida-san merely nodded lazily.
"Good to see that you have bounced back, brat."
Sanvi almost scrunched up her nose but stopped herself just at the right time. Smiling instead, she nodded, visibly uncomfortable. He looked her up and down, before huffing out a breath as Shoko tied the bandage tightly around his abdomen.
"Yes, I survived."
And the dark-haired man snorted. Shoko got up, moving to a clipboard beside his bed and writing something on it.
"And you can brag about it alright. After all, not everyone survives a mission like that."
Sanvi stilled at the tone, looking at him with a bemused expression.
"What do you mean by that?" Her eyes met with Shoko's, who herself had stopped whatever she was doing.
The man tilted his head, his lips slowly pulling themselves into a smirk. He tutted, and leaned back into the bed, laying down comfortably.
"Oh my, your sensei didn't tell you?"
He gestured at the seat beside his bed, and Sanvi smiled tightly while from behind him Shoko gave a disgusted expression. She gestured a 'no' with her hand, but Sanvi sat beside him nonetheless. He turned to his side to look at her face, and she unconsciously pulled the seat back.
"I'm sure you know about the sorcerer clans in the society, don't you?"
Sanvi nodded, unsure of what this had anything to do with it.
"Clans like that of Gojo, Kamo, and Zenin are what you can consider the aristocracy of the jujutsu society. And their politics is particularly nasty. The elders tend to test the people they are particularly interested in, despite the chance of...collateral damage, it might bring. And this is where this mission comes in. It was not meant for you, per se, but you were roped in."
"It was meant for Utahime-senpai?"
His face turned serious, and leaned in slightly as if telling a secret.
"I believe that people like us, from non-sorcerer families, should stick together. Utahime is of particular interest to the elders, and the reason...I think you are a tad bit too young to know it. But the one thing we can agree upon is, that the one being tested was Utahime, and the one who had potential collateral damage was you. And this was no ordinary mission, alright."
Behind him, Shoko stiffened as she dropped all pretense of working. The auburn-haired girl felt a chill running down her spine.
"No ordinary mission?"
"Indeed, after all, I ran into a special-grade cursed object. If it was that second-grade sorcerer instead of me, you would have died easily. But after what you did, darling," Sanvi stiffened at the sickly sweet tone, "it seems the elders are now just as interested in you. After all, using barriers and seals like this - that's unheard of."
"What do they want with Utahime?" It was Shoko who asked that, hovering over the dark-haired sorcerer. For the first time, Sanvi saw some sort of uncertainty in her eyes.
"Well, she is one of the last of her clan who is graced with an innate technique that is prized highly among the jujutsu ranks. I'm sure a big girl like you can put two and two together." Came the nonchalant reply, and Sanvi understood what he said between the lines.
Her entire body stiffened when Yoshida raised his arm and patted her head slowly. His eyes were empty of any emotion, but the expression on his face made her skin crawl.
"Listen, kid, consider it a warning if you must. Once someone like you and this young lady right here." he said, gesturing to Shoko, "have the unfortunate fate of attracting the elder's attention, there is no escape from the Jujutsu world. You will end up in their politics sooner or later, so might as well start making high-ranking friends, yeah? It's better to get stronger and increase your chances of survival because there is no going anywhere now. More dangerous missions will come your way sooner or later, and there is nothing your sensei can do no matter how much she wants to. Even she is powerless."
"I have a feeling...that you want something from me." She muttered, pushing his hand away as he started laughing.
"Clever girl. Just what would I expect from Rihan's sister. Of course, I want something. But it depends on how good of a sorcerer you turn out to be. It's in your best interest if you get stronger, and ah of course, now that the six-eyes user is getting older, the clan politics will get even worse. Make some powerful friends, and learn to earn favors. It might keep you alive for long enough. I did my duty of a respectable senior and warned you. And now you owe me one!" With a Cheshire smile on his face, he leaned back on his pillow making himself comfortable.
Sanvi sputtered, her head thudding loudly with confusion and pain. Her eyes were hurting even more now that she was trying to think hard and make sense of it. It seemed like the most random thing anyone had ever said to her, and somehow, it was important enough that she owed him?
Yeah, no.
"I'm sorry, but that is not how it works! You didn't really tell me anything useful, and neither did I ask you in the first place."
He opened one amber eye and looked at her lazily.
"Of course, I did. Believe me, if someone had told me this when I was a kid like you, it would have saved me a whole lot of trouble. Just get it in your mind there is no escape from this world, and these people will use you till you die - and not always in battles and missions."
She stood up suddenly and followed Shoko as she made her way out of the infirmary. Before she could make her way out, his voice rang out again.
"Remember, you owe me one."
The auburn-haired girl skittered away, feeling very uncomfortable for some reason. They made their way out of the building, and she followed Shoko as she led her through the wooded area, down to the creek, and into one of the various clearings of the Jujutsu High Campus. The light outside had dimmed to a dull pink shade, the trees and birds appearing black in the distant sky.
The clearing was alive with the chirping of birds as they returned to their nests for a well-deserved rest. Sanvi sat down on a log next to Shoko, pulling her legs to her chest as the sound of the gurgling of flowing water filled the atmosphere.
"I don't understand a thing he said."
She muttered, letting her head fall to her knees. Her hands came up to the back of her head, trying to press hard and get some respite from the pain. She felt another hand on the top of her head and raised herself to find Shoko kneeling in front of her.
"Something wrong with your head?"
"Yeah...I feel weird...Gojo said my CE is accumulating near my head or whatever. But I feel feverish, really hot and tired. And my head and my eyes hurt a lot."
The brown eyes on her face narrowed and Shoko placed her fingers on either side of her head. Sanvi felt her CE as soon as the brown-haired girl placed her hands on her. Her pain doubled, and she clutched her head tightly with a grunt. Shoko's CE was an unwelcome intrusion, though a necessary one. It was moving around in her head as if checking every nook and cranny. Whenever her CE came in contact with her own, her skin would become hot and her nerves started buzzing.
Soon, Shoko pulled her hands away.
"Yeah, Gojo was right. But I'm afraid I can't help with this one. CE related issues are very sensitive and without Izumi-san's permission, I shouldn't do it. If I mess it up, it can cause a lot of damage. As for the fever, I am sure it's related to it. But still, I'll give you some medicine and then you should go to sleep. Come to me again tomorrow morning, yeah?"
"Sure," Sanvi muttered back, eyes tearful from the pain. Her nerves felt like they were still vibrating, and she closed her eyes. But no matter how hard she tried to relax, the recent meeting was still going on in her mind. She heard Shoko reaching into her pocket and pulling out something. Cigarettes rattled in the box and soon she heard the noise of a lighter before Shoko inhaled deeply.
"Shoko, is he crazy or what?" She couldn't stop herself, still not believing what she had heard.
"I'm afraid not. He's just smart." She said, eyes looking into the distance as if wondering about something. "Though he's definitely creepy."
"Is it true, all the things he said? About Utahime-senpai, about the elders?"
She only received a nod as an answer.
"Jujutsu society is small but powerful. And the power struggle is very dirty here. Assassinations, alliances, marriages, bribery, and corruption. This is all very common even in the normal government, sure, but it's particularly nasty with them."
"I'm sorry, but what? Assassinations?" Sanvi sputtered, eyes widening.
"Yeah, it's true. Do you know how many times people tried to kill Satoru? Well, there's no number but the answer is A LOT. Everyone knows that even the Zenin and Kamo Clans tried to do it, but no one has the evidence to prove them guilty." Shoko casually dropped the bomb on her, and her mouth hung open.
"WHAT? Wait, how old was he when it happened?"
"Eh, it's been happening since he was born. From day 1, in fact. Don't you remember the curse users from the cemetery a few weeks ago?"
"It was...an assassination attempt?"
"Yup." She said, popping the 'p' sound. Resting her cheek on her palm, she turned to look at her. An understanding look came on her face when she saw the troubled look on her face.
"But it was so-"
"Onesided? Yeah. As he grows older and stronger, they are stopping more or less. After all, who can kill him now? He has Suguru with him as well. But some people still get the nerve to try it."
"So people have been trying to kill him since he was a baby?" She looked at Shoko with wide eyes for confirmation.
"Even when his mother was pregnant with him. After all, she is the wife of the Head of the Gojo Clan. A pregnancy won't be complete for these women without an attempt or two on their life."
"Dear lord, what?"
Shoko raised an eyebrow.
"Did you learn that from the European sorcerer who visited a few days ago?"
"Yeah, it got stuck in my head."
Shoko snorted, ruffling her hair a bit.
"Don't worry, these assassins probably seemed like mosquitoes to him even when he was a kid. He was made strong like that."
"Made strong?" she asked, now curious about this boy...this sorcerer, who stood tall among the rest.
"These clan kids - especially from the main families, are trained right from the moment they can walk. It's grueling, and the way they are trained can be very cruel you know. The weaker ones...might get beat a lot because their parents do have an image to maintain. But I doubt Satoru had such a tough time - he was a prodigy anyway. Perosnally, I think it's child abuse but it's what gives these clan kids longer lives as compared to the others."
"Does NOBODY care that a child was almost assassinated? Several times? No one?"
Shoko gave a deep sigh, smoke coming out of her mouth.
"As far as the world is concerned, he's the strongest. He can look after himself, whether he is a child or a teenager. He's a prodigy, he can do everything - he smiles and he laughs, he will exorcise curses that he has been doing ever since he could lift a finger - of course, assassins are nothing for him."
Sanvi ended up with her head on her knees again. Suddenly, Gojo Satoru seemed...a bit different. Suddenly, he wasn't that boy in her mind who had lived a picture-perfect life. But he looks so carefree, so happy and so full of life. He smiles all the time and makes his friends laugh like he is some sort of a jester.
And now knowing that people want this boy dead...for no particular reason, it kind of...aches her heart. Sure, he has a bad attitude, but he also seems like he is a good friend to the people he cares about...namely Geto-senpai and Shoko. He is a bright person, and he does his job well. He keeps his friends happy, and he is the one Geto-senpai looks at as if he has brought the moon to him.
"You know when we first met, he was not at all like the person you see now. He had this arrogant smile on his face for sure, but there was always this cold look in his eyes. He kept everyone at a distance, kept to himself. But then Suguru came, and when that arrogant smile turned into a genuine one...I don't even know." Shoko had a far-off look on her face as if she was feeling nostalgic over something that had barely happened a year ago.
"Now, I kinda feel bad." She muttered, her fingers playing with the sand below. Shoko hummed in a questioning way, taking another drag of her cigarette.
"You feel bad about him? Feel bad about the girl who was engaged to him when he was a child. She was attacked too, probably by a rival suitor who wanted their daughter to wed into the Gojo clan. Thankfully, she didn't die. Only ended up paralyzed on the right side of her body."
"What in the fucking world is going on? WHY!? And why was he engaged as a child? Isn't that illegal!?"
Shoko turned to her and patted her head.
"It's all about money and power, love. All about money and power."
Sanvi fell silent, the new revelations about her senior almost shaking her entire viewpoint of him. To the core.
This is so...unfair.
"Imagine someone trying to kill you ever since you were born...and even your mother for that matter. He must have been scared, right?"
Shoko snorted, dumping her finished cigarette on the ground and stepping on it.
"With that attitude, I doubt it."
"But it must be traumatic. He may be the messiah of humankind, as he likes to proclaim himself to be, but still. A child is still a child, even if he's the strongest sorcerer on the planet. It must be hard."
Shoko didn't reply, instead pulled another cigarette out. It surprised Sanvi a little, but she knew better than to comment on it.
"He is a difficult person to deal with, but I don't think he's all that bad. Despite all that complaining about normies and weaklings, he does save people. And he's so...funny, he's bright and he's loud, and a good friend to you both...I can't imagine why would anyone want him dead. Hell, I can't even imagine him dead."
"You think that about him?" Shoko seemed surprised, and Sanvi shrugged.
"Before that asshole scared me to death. I think he's okay...just not for me...and the rest of the world population, I guess. And that is fine you know, someone like him deserves Geto-senpai and you, who are both exceptional in something like him."
"Huh. More so Suguru I would say. We are friends, but he and Suguru are inseparable. To be honest, I'm surprised you don't hate him."
Sanvi let out a laugh, rubbing her eyes.
"Ah, I can't hold grudges. I complain a lot, I can bitch as long as someone bothers me. But I don't really hold grudges. Unless someone has wronged me, which no one ever has. If he comes and becomes all friendly suddenly, I would probably put everything behind me. That doesn't mean I will forget everything and become pals, I would just move on and look forward."
"I bet you are the type who can't even get into a fight."
"Yeah, it's frustrating. I don't like confrontations. Actually, I kinda hate it."
"You cry when you are angry, don't you?"
"..."
"Explains the no-grudges thing perfectly."
Sanvi let out a laugh, and the silence that settled over was a comfortable one. But Shoko seemed distracted as if thinking hard about something. Her eyes were focused on the creek a few stones throw away from them, and she took another drag of the cigarette.
Her thoughts went back to the white-haired boy again. She didn't know if what she felt was pity or sympathy, but it did change something about him in his mind.
Not an excuse for his behavior by any means, but like an acknowledgment. Or like a sad realization. Of the expectations, the responsibilities, and the entire fate of his clan...and perhaps the world was placed on him. How everyone acknowledged that he was the strongest sorcerer, but no one cared to know if he was an equally strong child. If he could handle the fact that people want him dead. But others believed he would be fine, so he did too.
Believe me Sanvi, it isn't something worth worrying about. He's the strongest, after all, he can take care of himself.
She remembers Takeda-senpai saying something along the lines of this when she was sitting with the third and fourth years one day.
This disinterest in his mental and emotional well-being felt so disgusting. She suddenly felt as if all this time, she had been a bit unfair to him. How unfair the world was to him - his parents, his clan, his teachers. Why should he care about others' safety and their well-being, when nobody cares about his?
They expect that he will be all generous and fair since he's the strongest, that he'll always protect them, always follow his responsibilities...but why should he? Nobody cares about his safety, they just assume he will be fine, so why should he give two fucks about someone else's?
Her eyes again looked for Shoko, and she couldn't help but be curious about what she was thinking.
"A penny for your thoughts?"
The brown-haired girl hummed, moving her cigarette up and down with her teeth. She pulled it away, releasing another puff of smoke.
"Just thinking how hard it's going to be for Utahime."
"Oh yeah...they want her to get married right?"
Shoko sneered and shook her head.
"More like they want to sell her off. You don't know how bad it is within these clans. Especially these big three. They keep the bloodlines of the Main Family pure so that their heir can inherit the innate technique of their clan. But they also need power within their ranks, so they marry off the members of the branch families with promising sorcerers from the smaller clans, who have strong innate techniques and are more likely to pass them down to their children. Sometimes, though it's exceptionally rare, they even pick sorcerers from normal families like ours. It happens without a hitch if the other party agrees, but if they don't...then they don't have a choice in the matter. Either they bribe their clans, or they just bully and intimidate them until they give in. After all, who will go against the Big Three? "
The things she was learning today were overwhelming her at this point now.
"That's...so disgusting. I know forced marriages are a thing, but this somehow sounds so much worse."
Shoko hummed, her eyes downcast.
"It unfortunately is. That's why I told you before, it's not just the curses who are nasty, but also the people who are exorcising these curses. They are also equally revolting."
"But why would they send Utahime-senpai on such a dangerous mission then?"
"To test her capabilities. You think these elders would only stick their nose to what is their business, but no. They are more or less puppets to these clans. The more influence one of the Big Three has on them, the more they do favors for them. This is a common thing, they pick someone they have an interest in, they test that person with a mission worse than before and then they help settle the deal between them and the clan they are working for. What way they are going to use to seal the deal, the bigger Clan decides."
Sanvi didn't know what to say. What could one say to that? This was too much to even process. She took quite a few minutes to gather her thoughts. Meanwhile, Shoko had thrown her cigarette away and rested her head on her knees.
"This jujutsu world...it's like a...you know, bog?" She tried to convey the word in English, but Shoko looked at her quizzily.
"You know, bog - arrey, daldal!" She ended up saying in Hindi instead, forgetting that her mother tongue was even more out of bounds here. But for the life of her, she couldn't remember the word in Japanese. Slapping her head in embarrassment, she smiled sheepishly at Shoko's amused look.
"You know, that thing on the ground which is all muddy and wet and if you get in it and move it sucks you in and you die?"
Shoko finally laughs, hiding her mouth behind her hand, tears gathering at her lashes. And she laughs hard. For minutes on end, then she finally calms down, looks at her junior, and laughs again. Sanvi pouts a little in embarrassment, but couldn't help the content smile forming on her lips. Shoko was looking stressed out, but it felt nice to make her laugh.
"You are so cuuuteee," Shoko holds her cheeks, pinching them hard, "I knew your cheeks were this fluffy, I knew it!"
The auburn-haired girl pouts, before shrugging off the older girl's hand. Coughing a little, she sighs hard.
"What the hell should one even do then? If you get strong, you get the wrong attention. If you don't, you get gobbled up by the next curse."
Shoko snorted, her mood visibly light.
"Don't worry. No matter what Yoshida said, if they don't have anything to hold against you they can't really blackmail you into anything."
"So we won't be child-marriaged to the average Japanese Yamato?"
Shoko ended up laughing again, shaking her head. She clutched the side of her stomach, as if she had pulled a muscle but continued laughing either way. Sanvi leaned against her shoulder, snickering with her. The pain in her head felt dull, but it was still present. However, spending time with Shoko took her mind off it.
"Nah, it doesn't happen for people like us. First, because they are racist as fuck. Second, even if they want to, they can't pressure your family like they can pressure a clan of other sorcerers," the brown-haired girl said, turning to Sanvi and poking her head. "But yes, becoming stronger is necessary. If you survive, then only can you be blackmailed."
Sanvi sighed dramatically, putting her head in her hands.
"I suppose you are right. I'd rather do laundry and cook for a racist asshole rather than end up as curse shit or anything. At least, then I can kill myself and die pretty. No way I'm going out missing a head or something."
"You got your priorities straight, I like that." Shoko approved, giving her a high-five, and bumped her shoulder in affection.
"Don't worry much about what that asshole said, you know. Just get stronger for your own sake, make good friends who have your back - and the rest we'll see as it happens. You know I'm here for you, and so are Haibara and Nanami. And even Suguru. We'll take care of you, don't worry."
The ache in her head was still there, and it kept getting louder. Night had fallen, and after dinner, everyone was back to their rooms.
Trying to sleep was another headache in itself. No matter how much she tried, it was hard to get comfortable. Every part of her body was so exhausted, from her legs to her back that even though she felt drowsy, sleep was evading her. She had gone to bed near 10, and now it was midnight. Her eyes were hurting also, so that wasn't helping much.
She had a feeling why this problem was plaguing her. Ever since the last few days, since her last mission with Utahime-senpai, her sleep schedule had gone south. Nightmares weren't making it easy, and whenever she woke from one, the fear in her chest wouldn't let her sleep. What she was afraid of she did not know. Perhaps she wondered if the woman was haunting her now...since technically she was the one who killed her.
After all, Sanvi was so focused on saving her and Utahime-senpai that she completely forgot the woman who was slowly dying out.
And set her on fire. While she was alive, barely, but still alive.
She wondered why some people met such an ugly end. What could a woman in the countryside do so bad, that she had to suffer like this? And she wondered what this meant for her.
She had failed that mission, and she did not know how to deal with it.
It made her think hard. For the first few days, she had cried hard. Day and night. But now, all that left was anger and guilt. Guilt for not being strong enough to protect the poor woman, guilt for being late. Anger because she, or even Utahime-senpai for that matter, was not cut out to deal with whatever that mission was about.
That weird conversation with Yoshida-san was not helping at all. Because if true, it meant that the mission was deliberately given to them, knowing fully well they weren't ready for it. Utahime-senpai was being tested for reasons that sounded revolting, and she could have been...collateral damage. Because if true, these people were not only playing with their lives but the lives of the poor people who were victims of such heinous curses.
Her fingers played with her comforter as the AC blasted the coldest air it could at the minimum temperature. She turned to her side again, putting a pillow under her knees but it wasn't helping.
No way things can be this bad in a society, right? She was naive, but not naive enough to believe everything was sunshine and rainbows among humans itself. After all, curses existed because of them in the first place. There were some things wrong within the non-sorcerer society as well, but the revelations today left her speechless.
And with a whole lot of things to think about.
It was not like it would affect her much, to be honest. After all, she was an outsider to their world. And as for what Yoshida-san said about "having no escape", it felt like a pretty big exaggeration, to be honest. Shoko had told her about a whole bunch of people who retired early and were now living their lives away from all of this.
Besides, she had Rihan. He'll take care of whatever was wrong.
Things were going downhill for her. There were so many negative feelings inside her head, but at the same time, her friends here were trying their best to keep her mind off it. Whether it was the boys or Shoko, all three were making her laugh and make her feel happy.
It made her feel even more guilty.
All those sleepless nights led to this. The unbearable pain in her head and eyes, the feverish haze clouding her mind from time to time, and the weakening of her cursed energy. Which was a curious phenomenon, it was like her CE was refusing to come out and cooperate with her. When she had worked on a seal this afternoon, her CE was trickling down into the paper very weakly. No matter how hard she tried. That is why Gojo saying her CE was accumulating inside her head was very...concerning to her. But guess, one will have to wait for Izumi-san.
Her eyes closed finally, and she could feel her mind relaxing a bit. It was a bit sudden, the way sleep finally came over her. But then she remembered the tablets Shoko had given her for the fever and it made sense.
But of course, when do things go according to her?
A knock could be heard through her room.
She blinked lazily, head moving to the door. She couldn't see any shadows from the space under the door, but she was absolutely sure she heard something.
Dryly, she wondered if she was really being haunted now.
She took some time to decide, thinking if she should ignore it or see why the hell was someone knocking at her door at midnight. After a few minutes of thinking, the conclusion was clear. Opening the door meant talking to someone. Whatever little sleep she was getting would be gone as well.
So she closed her eyes again, stuffing her cheek against the pillow. Sleep was closing in on her again.
KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK.
"Motherfuc-"
Her eyes opened in a panic, and now she was sure someone was at the door. Her heart raced at the loud noise that was still ringing in her head. But who could it be? No one was allowed in the girls' dormitory after 10.
Getting up, she grabbed a slipper from the floor (with nothing else available at hand and her CE being unreliable at the moment) and made her way to the door. Either she could open the door slowly, or she could instead scare the person on the other end and open it fast.
And that's what she did. Opened the door with a bang, slipper ready in hand.
And of course, it was no one.
Typical horror movie plot.
Her mind raced as she looked at the empty hallway in front of her. She took a step out, and that was when her foot collided with something. It was a baby blue box, tied up with a pretty white ribbon. Eyebrow raised, she knelt picking it up.
The logo on the box belonged to some sort of confectionary shop, and with the way the box was designed, it was definitely very expensive. She shook it slightly and it made small thudding noises.
There's something in it.
Her eyes narrowed down at the box and she turned it upside down, looking for any more clues. It was devoid of any labels you would expect in a pre-packaged box, making her more confused. The packaging looked very premium, and the white designs on the box made it look very pretty. And then there was the ribbon, pure white with small white glass beads and small pearls embroidered into it.
Looks like a hand-made box.
But who in the world would gift her such an expensive-looking box of sweets? And that too by leaving it on her doorstep, in the middle of the night?
The answer came a few seconds later when at the end of the hallway Takeda-senpai appeared. Her dark hair covered her eyes, and she stood at the end of the hallway as if she were a statue. And then it made sense. She remembered what Shoko had said earlier, about Takeda's rare habit of sleepwalking.
"Oh, so this is what it's about?" She muttered to herself, rubbing the back of her head.
Clearly, Takenda-senpai left her box outside her door accidentally. Sanvi's smile turned hesitant when she looked at the girl, who had now started walking in her direction with slow steps.
It was creepy as hell, watching someone walk around like a zombie. Her eyes were opened, but she was not reacting to anything. Not even her. Sanvi quickly jumped into her path when she reached her and put the box into her arms. She didn't react a bit, only taking it with empty eyes.
Sanvi smiled awkwardly, patting her arm.
"There, you left your box at my door. Don't go around leaving such expensive items, Senpai."
And then Takeda was off again, along with whatever sleep Sanvi had. She watched her go to the other end of the hallway, and then take another turn till she disappeared. She would have gone to her room, had not a noise from outside stopped her.
With an apprehensive gaze, she walked over to the window overlooking the back of the dormitory. The small garden in the backyard gave way to the woods, and in the night the scene was pretty creepy. The same forest that looked pretty charming in the day looked like it came straight out of a gothic Victorian novel in the night.
When she reached the window, she noticed how it was opened slightly. But it did not worry her much. This window was sort of a bay window, with a small seating space at the large windowsill it had. She had seen Shoko multiple times sitting there, air-drying her hair in the sun.
With a sigh, she opened the window fully. The night sky was lit up with a beautiful moon, silvery moonlight lighting the earth below. The breeze was cool enough, so she found herself sitting at the edge of the seat, legs out of the window. The wind played with her hair, the smaller strands tickling her nose and her cheeks. Scrunching her nose, she pulled them back harshly. Kneeling herself over, she let her long hair fall over the side of her legs and sighed when the cool air washed over the back of her neck.
For a moment she wondered if she should just jump out and sit in the garden itself, but decided against it. If she was caught, she would get in trouble.
A good decision indeed.
If only she had some sort of snack.
.
.
.
.
.
Geto Suguru sent a withering glare to his best friend for pulling them into such a stupid situation, but it made him feel better that Satoru himself wasn't faring well.
He wondered if he had made a mistake by convincing him to apologize, but decided against it. He had not done anything wrong, Satoru was just shit at it. In his mind, he cursed his inability to just walk up to their kouhai and just fucking apologize. But no, it wasn't Gojo Satoru's style to do anything the easy way.
He continued to glower at the boy as he slid back against the wall of the dormitory even more when someone sat over the window and hung their legs out. His back hurt with the way it was bent against the wall, and his neck hurt a lot considering he had to bend his head till it was touching the bottom of the windowsill. Beside him, Gojo did the same. However, he had a pout on his lips and a frown on his brows.
Of course, he had heard (and seen) the exchange between their target and a sleepwalking Takeda. A part of Suguru felt bad, but considering the situation, he thought Satoru deserved it.
A waste of both money and effort.
Satoru on the other hand, was just as uncomfortable, but couldn't dare to move an inch.
His eyes focused on the legs that were just inches away from him. He stared hard, wondering whose pajamas could it be. It would be easy if it was Takeda, after all, she barely remembered anything when she sleep-walked.
And he could also take back the sweet box from her.
But he caught a glimpse of something golden shimmering on the left ankle of the person. He focused hard on it, craning his neck to get a good look at it. And of course, there it was. A thin chain of golden anklet, one he had seen before on someone familiar. It looked pretty peculiar, a very traditional design...and now he was sure of who it was.
And his suspicions were confirmed when curls of reddish brown fell over the side of the window, flowing with the breeze.
He turned to look at Suguru, who had a deadpan look on his face. The situation wasn't what he had in mind, sure, but he didn't have to make such a face! After all, he was the one who was willing to help him.
To be honest, Gojo's plan was clear and foolproof, and might he day, pretty genius.
Girls like sweet things. So he ran to his room and pulled out a box of sweets he had bought for himself. Sure he had eaten some, but what would anyone know once he wrapped it with pretty ribbons and all? He wrote a half-assed note with the single word 'apologies' written on it and pasted it on the inside of the box. '
And there, ta-da!
Suguru wasn't impressed but still accompanied him, grumbling all the way and trying to dissuade him from the mission they were about to take. Satoru wondered if he just accompanied him so he could say 'I told you so' to his face if it failed, or as a moral support as he claimed to be.
His mood soured a bit when the breeze caused the long auburn hair to tickle his cheek and nose. He wondered if he should just activate infinity, but knew it would piss off his best friend. His shoulder connected with Suguru's, but he inched away from him slightly upon seeing the glower on his face.
His knees hurt, and so did his back and his neck when he slid further against the wall as she crossed her feet and swung them. With nothing to focus on, he looked at the swinging pair of feet with disdain. His eyes caught the golden anklets again, twinkling underneath the fabric of the pajamas. The more he looked at it, the more he wondered how it didn't melt away from the flames of her cursed energy.
He muffled a grunt of alarm when he felt her CE spike suddenly. Their breath almost caught in their throat when they saw red tendrils beneath her skin that seemed to stretch over the skin of her leg like spider webs. It made her skin glow red, like the reddish glow from dying embers. His eyes couldn't help but notice a beauty mark on the sole of her left foot, right on the arch of it.
And then her foot clenched suddenly with a small noise (like bone popping or something), and Satoru and Suguru both couldn't help but wince, because that sounded painful.
They heard a heavy sigh before a hand came down and rubbed the area where the CE seemed to accumulate.
It confused Satoru more than anything. Her CE was so fucking weird. It was like it had a mind of its own, accumulating here and there in her own body.
At this point, even her seemingly lack of control couldn't explain it. How can someone have such control that they can form literal seals from pure cursed energy, but can't seem to have control over the basics of CE manipulation? It was concerning, not only for her health but also for their safety in general. After all, fire is a good servant but an unforgiving master.
The glow caused the golden ring on her finger to shine, and Gojo's previous question arose again. How the hell are these things not melting!?
After a few tense minutes, they watched as the glow subsided. The hand pulled back, and so did her legs, causing both of them to sigh in relief (as silently as they could). They waited with bated breath as they heard shuffling, and finally, in the distance a door opened and closed.
As soon as the noise reached his ears, Satoru stretched his arms and legs and made his way to stand up. But Suguru pulled him back by his collar, causing him to stumble and hit his head on the sill of the window. The white-haired boy glared at him, while his best friend only shushed him. Whatever the white-haired boy wanted to say, he kept it sealed within himself.
They waited for a few more minutes in silence, but hearing no sound got up slowly and quietly.
Stretching long, their eyes fell in the hallway across the window and froze. There stood Takeda, eyes empty as she stared in their direction, yet somehow not at them. The wind was pushing her hair back, but she stood silent. The box was still safely in her hands, and Gojo made a face as soon as he saw it.
Suguru smiled tensely, and he turned to look at Gojo, who was already a step ahead. He had perched himself closer to the window, waving his hand in front of her face. Suguru's eye twitched, as he punched his shoulder lightly before dragging him back towards the woods. Can't take the main route back to their dormitory after all.
Satoru stumbled, and Geto had only taken a few steps when he removed himself from his grip. Running back again to the window, he snatched the box of sweets from Takeda's hands and ran back to Geto's side who punched him again.
And soon, both the boys were off to their own dormitory, rubbing their backs and poor necks.
.
.
.
.
.
"What an ungrateful brat. Did you see that Suguru?"
"..." All Gojo got was a very unimpressed look.
"Heh, well you can't say we didn't have an adventure."
"I'm just glad this half-assed apology of yours failed."
"Tch, Rude. I would give myself 100 for both the effort and the gift."
He looked at Suguru smugly, before accentuating his words. "100 each."
The black-haired boy rolled his eyes.
"You gave her a half-eaten box of sweets."
"You are exaggerating. I only ate 7 of them."
"Out of 15."
"Heh."
"Satoru...please. Just fucking apologize."