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songsofadelaide · 7 months

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Asleep Among Endives — Interlude

In the Quiet

What occurred during those quiet few years?

[A Gojo Satoru x Reader fic, ongoing]

cw/tw: referenced childhood trauma and abandonment, mourning and commemorations of a dead character, mentions of drinking and alcohol, they have sex - fluff and smut (readers can jump over the second cut of —This City at Night if they want to skip that part), some talk about pregnancy - and a lot of yearning. wc: 21.7k. ✾ Fic Masterlist ✾ Chapter 1 — Twilight ✾ Chapter 2 — The Sun ✾ Chapter 3 — Ordinary Days

— A little godling reborn. ~ 2009.

Two years after Suguru's defection, Satoru was never quite the same. Perhaps the waking never got any easier, but you could tell that he tried his best to be more present. Not just for you, but for everyone else at school, too. Despite his heartbrokenness, he still had his adorable kouhai who looked up to him for guidance and inspiration, not that he'd ever been the best example. More than anything, it was always Suguru who had the better head on his shoulders when it came to keeping their underclassmen in line.

Regardless, Satoru delighted in lovingly bullying the remainder of your class and those who came in afterwards. He knew when to be the concerned upperclassman, though, and took it upon himself to check in with everyone— Because Suguru wasn't around anymore and it was his responsibility… Yes, the only reason why Satoru was able to act all spoiled during his loveliest blue spring was because he had someone to pick up after him.

It was evident that the two of them shared a deep mutual love and respect for each other, so much so that Satoru considered Suguru his own equal in greatness. No one else ever came close to that, not even you. But you never held that against them. They were a package deal of sorts and you expected Suguru to be there during important milestones in the shared life you anticipated with Satoru.

Suguru would have been the Best Man at your hypothetical wedding. He would have been the godfather of your first child. He was the first person you'd call if ever you couldn't reach your husband—

Suguru, who was Satoru's moral compass, and everyone else's, to an extent. He was the one who dealt with your heartache at Haibara's passing, the one who grounded Nanami and convinced him that his choices were fair and just. It might have been putting words in a dead man's mouth, but if tragedy came in pairs, one sorcerer dead was still better than two.

Satoru was nothing like Suguru at all. He couldn't handle the coddling of anyone whose will was weaker than the wind. But as your senior, he had to be responsible, though it didn't suit him— to ensure that no one else's blue spring was taken from them.

That's when it dawned on him. All this time Suguru checked in on everyone but he never asked him once— was he all right?

✦₊˚❀༉‧₊˚. ♥ ⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆

Satoru had a secret— one he'd been meaning to tell you but was still waiting for the right time to do so.

It was no secret anymore that he often went to Saitama— he does so at least thrice a week, and that's actually a lot of time when you think about it. Not even Shoko knew what he did there, but you dared not question his actions, let alone ask him about it. You knew, however, that whatever he did there was of utmost importance to him, and to the school, to an extent.

Fortunately, that secret would finally come to light in the form of a mission assignment from Yaga-sensei, who stated that it might need a woman's touch this time around.

"A-And you need me for this one, sensei?" You asked your teacher as he handed you a single piece of paper— your mission brief. True to its purpose, there was only a single sentence written there for you:

[—to the City of Saitama as support for Gojo Satoru, 3rd Year—]

"Surely Shoko-san could—"

"It was Satoru who asked for you," Yaga-sensei stated as he got up from his seat. It was clear that he had no intention of explaining anything any further, the mystery of the matter now becoming more evident. You followed suit and trailed him out of his office. "It is a zero-risk mission, and he said you would have a better grasp of things given your background."

"My… background?" You queried once more, only for the older man to hold your curious gaze as he led you out of the room.

"You are a miracle child, or so the story goes."

What does that even mean? You asked yourself because your teacher wasn't helping in any way.

Come Wednesday night, Satoru knocked on the door of your dorm room and simply told you to pack light and be up at seven tomorrow, which wasn't exactly helpful given the very little information you had to work with regarding this mission. Was it a confidential thing? He was still basically your senpai, so you listened when he told you to pack light for the next three days and be up at seven the following morning.

You hated being late, so you set an alarm that would ensure you'd be at the school entrance by around 06:55.

But when 07:15 rolled in and Satoru wasn't there yet, you whipped out your phone from your pocket and dialled Nanami's number, fuck it if he was still asleep.

"Kento! Thank goodness you answered! W-Were you still asleep?" You nearly shrieked into your phone when you heard your friend's voice from the other end. "Listen, I think Satoru is—"

"Good morning, sweetheart," came said upperclassman's voice from behind you, gently prying your phone away from your ear. Like you, he was in his school uniform and just about ready to depart. He greeted you with his recognisable cheer, though it was clear his smile no longer reached his eyes.

"Satoru! Don't you know what time it—"

Satoru ended the call and closed your phone before dropping it into your hands. You peered at him and tilted your head a little as though questioning why his hands were empty.

"I already have stuff there."

"Oh, I see," you stated flatly. "But what's the big idea?! You made me wait—"

"I… was actually looking for you," he stated rather sheepishly. "I knocked on your door and you weren't there. I even checked with Shoko and Nanami, but they said I should know where you were. So I went to the canteen, too—"

"Hey! I-I didn't know that we were supposed to meet up somewhere! You didn't even tell me that you wanted to pick me up in my room…"

"And your first instinct was to call Nanami instead of me!" He continued with a look of feigned hurt. "This is our mission."

"Fine, I'm sorry… For not clarifying things with you, senpai," you said with a slight pout, one you knew held so much power over him that he'd forgive you for just about anything.

"If you insist, then" Satoru stated as he took your hand in his, pulling you close to him as you descended the steps of the school entrance. "Have breakfast with me."

"What?! A-Aren't we following a schedule?"

"Who said anything about schedules? We'll get there when we get there."

Somehow you felt like you've been conned into accompanying Satoru for the next three days. His energy was hard to follow because he always lacked a sense of urgency. Ever since it was just you and Nanami— and Ijichi at times, you always felt the need to get in and out of missions as swiftly and efficiently as you could.

And only the gods know what Satoru does in Saitama for three days.

It was already 07:50 when you arrived in Shibuya, your upperclassman leading the way to your group's favourite hangout spot— Cafe Lilico, which actually opens early every day to serve sorcerers on their way back from overnight missions and those on their way out. It wasn't unusual for the cafe to have Jujutsu High students as customers as well, and you were warmly welcomed by the resident waitress who happily took your orders after a brief sweep of the menu.

You knew it like the back of your hand, and you were certain you'd tried nearly everything the cafe had to offer with how often you had lunch dates here with Nanami and Haibara. Before everything— You'd elbow the brunette to tone down his boisterous laughter while the blonde would simply enjoy his black coffee.

"Please enjoy your meal!"

Two servings of fluffy pancakes topped with honey-glazed strawberries and sweetened whipped cream were served to your table, along with a piping hot cup of white hot chocolate and a cold mug of iced chocolate.

"The madame sends her regards to the Lady Koganei, young miss," the waitress in the earthy brown apron stated with a smile after serving your breakfast, her tray clutched close to her chest. "And she looks forward to your blooming growth as well."

"Oh! Um, thank you. I-I'll make sure to let my mother know…" You replied rather shyly, your lips curling up to a dainty smile. When she left, you curled your fingers around your cup and let out a little sigh of relief. "Must be another one of okaa-sama's friends…"

"Does it really help to know a lot of people?" Satoru asked as he sliced through his pancakes with his fork.

"Familiarity helps foster good relations," you said, reminded of your mother's piece of wisdom she imparted to you. "We don't have a lot of fighters in our family apart from Kazuya and Kyouya-san, so it helps to know other families. That way, we can always ask for help if we're in trouble."

"Didn't I say that you don't have to worry about that when we get married?"

"Are you seriously going on about this again?" You replied with a laugh. "We're only 19 and 20. It's still too early to be thinking about marriage. Besides, who knows if you meet someone who's more compatible with you—"

"Hey, I don't like the sound of that. No takebacks, Otome!"

"You're stupid," you mutter with a smile before eventually digging into your plate of hot pancakes.

"Stupidly crazy in love," he shot back at you with a snort. "Say, I've been meaning to ask…"

"What?"

"What's in your backpack?" He queried again as he gladly stuffed his face with your similarly sugary breakfast.

"An extra uniform, some sleepwear, my water bottle, a little first aid kit… I think Marin is in there, too. I tried not to bring too much just like what you said, so…" You slightly turn to the plain-looking navy blue backpack filled with your things.

"I see. That's smart of you."

"Are you sure we aren't supposed to be in a hurry, Satoru? Your pace is surprisingly leisurely…" You asked him before taking a sip of your white hot chocolate.

"Whatever for? It's not like we're gonna walk there or something. We'll take the train and get off at Iwatsuki Station," he replied as he sliced through his pancakes. "Besides, the kid doesn't even get out of school until 03:00 in the afternoon."

"The… kid? Satoru—" You furrowed your eyebrows in confusion and annoyance at his nonchalance, only for him to lower his gaze to his breakfast.

"Let's talk about it later," was all he said to end the conversation. It was strange hearing that from him given his normally talkative nature. He opened his mouth with another topic instead. "You know, Shoko told me the other day that…"

And you listened, your heart softened by the soft chuckle that left the boy's lips as he recounted his last visit to the morgue to see Shoko. You figured there must be a reason why he refused to speak about things out in the open. Perhaps there were far too many ears in the place…

The rush hour has passed, making the first train ride to Iwatsuki more pleasant than you initially expected. Satoru continued to talk off your ears about his recent assignments, the changing scenery only adding to the animation of his storytelling. He was quick to wrap his arm around your waist and pull you close to him as a surge of people came in from Akabane Station.

"Stay close. I don't want to lose you in the crowd," he softly told you. "We still have a few more stops, but there's no rush."

"O-Okay."

Your closeness was nothing new, but there was something sweet about the way he spoke to you. It was like you were the only people in the world. There was so much space yet he wanted nothing more than to be just a breath apart from you. He took your hand in his as you disembarked at Omiya Station to change platforms. If your calculations were correct, you were still around fifteen minutes away from your destination.

Iwatsuki. The district had a certain subdued atmosphere compared to the lively and bustling Shibuya.

"There's really not much to see here if I'm being honest," Satoru said. "Do you want to see the castle?"

"Sure, I guess? It's my first time here, so you're in charge," you replied with a small laugh.

He reached for your backpack and gently unsaddled it from your shoulders, slinging it on his shoulder instead. "Well, the day's just starting. I remember what Nanami said some time ago when we went on a mission together…"

As the hours passed by walking around the vicinity of Iwatsuki, not even did he once disclose anything about the mission, further solidifying your suspicions that you may have just been conned into accompanying him on a leisurely escapade.

Now that you realised it, weren't you supposed to be driven to the location by the Assistant Manager if this were a mandated mission?

Satoru was held back when you paused in your tracks, and you tried your best not to let any grim expression come out of your face. "Satoru— senpai, I need to know what we're doing here in Saitama. I haven't got a clue."

He simply blinked at you and your query. "Oh, that's right. I haven't told you yet. But let's talk about it while we walk, okay?"

"Is this really a mission?"

"Of course it is."

"Satoru."

"This isn't exactly a mission… but more of an ongoing assignment. One I took upon myself to do," He relented with a small sigh when he heard your tone change, a hand on his nape as he tried to find the right words to start with. "I suppose you could say I'm taking care of someone. Two of them. They have a pretty complicated situation, so…"

You start walking again, taking his hand this time as he detailed the complex situation, everything slowly making sense now that you were waiting outside a certain elementary school, minutes before the dismissal of the first graders.

"Oi, Megumi!" Came Satoru's warm voice as he waved at a small child making their way out of the school gates.

A girl? No…

It was a little boy no older than six, and he had a pair of piercing and haunting deep blue eyes that looked at you with caution and apprehension. He narrowed his gaze even more when Satoru placed a hand on his head to ruffle his already messy black hair, his small hands clinging tightly to the straps of his backpack.

"This is Fushiguro Megumi. He doesn't look like much yet, but he's got his family's famed Ten Shadows Technique."

Your eyes widen at his revelation. Ten Shadows? "What? So he's a…"

A Zenin, you thought. One that could even rival Naoya in the future. Moreover, he is exactly what Yaga-sensei described—

A miracle child. One born out of their family's ordained cycle of procreation.

"Don't tell me you brought another troublesome person here…" The little boy in blue muttered to Satoru, a hand wrenched onto the tall man's black pants as he tried to hide from you.

"She's not gonna cause any trouble, kid. In fact, she's here to help us out! Especially Tsumiki," The older boy replied with a small laugh. "She's kind, so don't be shy."

Is this what they meant when they said they needed a female touch for this? That, you couldn't really understand, but you wanted the child to know that you were in his corner despite all the odds stacked against him. That's when it dawned on you— Satoru was here to guide his path so that he wouldn't be misled.

Before you stood a boy unsullied by any of his so-called family's tainted history and tradition, one that could easily break the cycle of hatred breeding further hatred— something you resolved to do as well.

You carefully crouched down until you were eye to eye with Megumi, your lips curling to a smile as you gave him your name and offered a hand to him.

"Satoru's right, Megumi-kun. I'm here to help out. I don't know how troublesome Satoru can be whenever he comes to visit you, but I can assure you I'll try to balance things out," you said softly, trying not to look too dejected by his doubtful avoidance. "Satoru and I will look out for you and your sister. You can count on that much."

Megumi unpursed his lips and eventually returned your handshake, his smaller fingers curling around your hand. "Okay… I-I think my sister needs help with something, so…"

"I'm on it, then," you beamed at him this time as you sealed your promise with a solid handshake. "Let's go, Satoru! I have to go check on Tsumiki-chan."

You led the way though not knowing here from there, keeping a close distance from the boys as they walked behind you.

"Is she a classmate?" Came the younger boy's curious question, only for Satoru to chuckle at his query. "Or your girlfriend?"

"Oh, she's more than that, kid," he said with a cool smile. "She's the sun itself to me."

— Coming of Age. ~ 2010

"You're late!"

A slightly older Nanami looked up at a slightly older you as he carefully stepped out of his dark dress shoes and into the slippers one of the Koganei servants provided to him at the genkan.

At the turn of the new year, you were permitted to return home from school to celebrate Seijin no Hi with your family. With some convincing, you managed to obtain Yaga-sensei's permission for Nanami to join you in your family home, calling it a simple two-in-one commemoration.

"You could have at least gotten out of your uniform today! It's our coming of age!"

You could tell that the blonde boy was eyeing the finery you had on— the crimson-coloured furisode finely embroidered with thousands of golden ginkgo leaves, your collar lined with fine white faux fur, as well as the golden accessories pinned to your hair. The stoic expression on his face remained unchanged even as he saw your hands on your hips like an accusing mother seeing her wayward son come home.

"Your coming of age."

"Ours," you reiterated with gritted teeth before hastily grabbing his wrist and dragging him in and away into one of the many holding rooms of your family home. "It's not much, but my brother prepared his attire from last year for you to wear today. Let's hope it fits!"

Nanami sighed as he allowed himself to be pulled to and fro by you. Unlike your shy demeanour when you were first years, you had a more mature manner of speech now and were more refined in the way you conducted yourself before your family. He slowly came to the realisation that you've become an avant-garde woman and it might have been due to your time at Jujutsu High.

"Ah, here we are," you stated as you finally paused from your tracks. The two of you stood before a closed shoji door. "Now where are the male servants?"

"We don't really have to—"

"Not a word from you, Kento," you snapped at him. "Wait here a bit. I'll look for someone who can assist us."

Your soft, padded footsteps against the redwood engawa amused him even as you left him standing there clueless. Nanami decided to take this opportunity to bask in the joy of not having to worry about anything at all today, except perhaps about whatever weird ritual you might decide to do later on. He took a step forward and stood on the edge of the engawa leading to the garden and took in the sight of your family's never-changing ginkgo tree.

It crosses his mind now— How would Haibara be feeling today? He revelled in whatever chance he had to take a break, so he would have certainly enjoyed this, too. And to have you all to themselves, relishing your undivided attention. More than anything, the smile that would grace your face—

"Oh!"

A tiny gasp of surprise broke Nanami's reverie. From the end of the corridor stood a girl with a face he couldn't quite forget, her energy even more so.

"Chiemi-san," he acknowledged her with a small bow. "Thank you for welcoming me into your home today."

A slightly older Chiemi coyly hid her face in the sleeve of her pale blue yukata printed with numerous elegant white lilies. "Hello, Nanami-san. It has been a while."

"Have you been well?" He asked her, though not at all moving from his spot.

"I… I have," she answered, her slow, measured steps to approach him somewhat making him nervous. Nanami knew that she was nothing at all like this image of sweetness she wanted to convey. He remembered her as a haughty beauty who was also unforgivingly obnoxious. "And you?"

Chiemi held his gaze as she made her way to him, and though her smile was tender this time, a familiar glint of mischief in her eyes made him think that she might have not changed that much at all.

✦₊˚❀༉‧₊˚. ♥ ⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆

"You're a hafu, aren't you, Nanami-san? Can you give me your email address?"

The unexpected question came from the girl leading Nanami through the hallways of her fancy private school. Suddenly, he is back in 2006, exorcising low-level curses that seemed to follow her every movement in rapt anticipation.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he replied curtly, slowly moving to slash one cursed spirit brave enough to attack him head-on. He was only actually a quarter, actually— Danish. But he couldn't put a finger on the other half of this girl's ethnicity. "Please let me focus on our mission."

His initial observation was on the mark— all these curses were directed at her, further magnetised by her pompous charisma that was more dangerous than amusing. Maybe she couldn't be cursed herself, but it won't take long for these to start coming after others. She was turning her school into a cesspool of negativity.

"You do know that onee-sama and I are the same, right? We can't really fight well. I hope she isn't pulling you down to her level," Chiemi chimed in as she gracefully slid to the side, avoiding any contact with residuals.

"On the contrary, Otome can hold her own in combat with low-level curses. She serves her purpose as a healer well and has been nothing short of an excellent sorcerer. I don't see any reason why you insist on putting her down like that," he told her, the pleasant expression on her face slowly melting away into a frown like he expected whenever she heard any praise for her sister. "You're pretty but your attitude leaves less to be desired. I suppose that's what happens when you have nothing better to do."

Another one charged right at her, only for Nanami to swat it away with his bare hand. He turned ever so slightly to see the crestfallen expression on Chiemi's face, more likely due to his rejection rather than any fright brought about by the cursed spirits. "I'm not giving you anything. Try again when you aren't a brat anymore."

He brought out his mobile phone and speed-dialled Haibara's number. "Haibara, the three of us can clean this up faster together. Bring Otome with you. She can manage these."

Nanami and Haibara once agreed that you exuded an overwhelmingly charming and feminine energy that seemed to drive them insane even from a glance. How Satoru managed to hold himself together when you were around him was a mystery to them—

Nanami felt like he was walking on a tightrope by the way Chiemi daintily stepped into his space, exuding the very same sweet feminine charm that held his late friend in a chokehold.

"Kento! I'm back! Kazu-nii insisted on helping us— oh! Chi-chan!"

Your presence drew him back to reality before he could even be ensnared by a beauty so similar to you yet also vastly different.

"Onee-sama," Chiemi greeted you with a bow. There was more reverence in her voice by the way she called you.

"I'm glad you could come home for this occasion, Chi-chan. And didn't I tell you that you could just call me onee-chan?" you replied with a grin. "And I see you've met Kento again."

"The school allowed me to go just this once," she said, once again hiding her face behind her sleeve. "I must return first thing tomorrow, so…"

"Oh, same," you piped in. "Let's make the most of this day, then."

"Chi-chan is studying at the Takarazuka Music School now, Nanami-san," Kazuya said with a rather proud smile on his face. He nodded in approval as he crossed his arms over his pressed hakama. "Everyone was shocked when she said she wanted to become an actress… But I've no doubt in my mind that she'll make it big in the future, too!"

The Takarazuka Music School was known for both its excellence and strictness that produced many disciplined performers and it was no surprise to you anymore that Chiemi's egoism was beaten out of her when she started studying there. The experience must have been incredibly humbling and grounding for her that when you last met, she apologised profusely for her actions when you were younger, even though she didn't know any better and should have been taught better.

"It's my last year already, though. I hope to be chosen as a musumeyaku when I graduate. If you ever find yourself looking for something to watch, I hope it'll be a show I star in," the blonde girl said with a small laugh. "Oh! But before I forget…"

Chiemi lowered her head gracefully before you and Nanami. "Many happy returns of the day, onee-chan, Nanami-san. May you continue to grow as responsible adults and respectable sorcerers of our society."

The blonde boy could only mirror her movements, prompting you to follow suit. "Thank you very much, Chiemi-san. "

The three of you slowly raised your heads, but you were caught by surprise when Chiemi suddenly reached for Nanami's hands. "Nanami-san! I-I've done a lot of thinking since we last met! And it's true that I've been nothing but a brat, b-but I think I've… grown a lot, too, so—"

Wait. Don't tell me Chiemi— Your eyes widened at the shocking interaction and the realisation that soon followed. —likes Kento?!

"We can exchange contact information later," he stated plainly. "If… that's what you were about to ask."

And the smile that lit the other girl's face was enough to melt your heart. And his, though he'd never say that outright. Chiemi nearly leapt in joy when he finally relented to her persuasion. "Yes! Thank you!"

Oh, so that's what it was, you couldn't help but think all of a sudden. Chiemi's apology to you a few years back may have been multifaceted but it didn't make it any less sincere. Growth comes in waves and nothing she learned all her life could be unlearned overnight. And to think that it was Kento who convinced her to do something more worthwhile…

Fortunately, your family has welcomed Nanami into your home before and were familiar with his stoic and straitlaced personality, which Chiemi actually found rather endearing. He did not change into any traditional attire despite your insistence but graciously accepted a heaping serving of sekihan as part of your shared coming-of-age celebration.

There was another bowl of sekihan, too, served in a little space between you and Nanami. It was untouched throughout the whole day, though you knew if Haibara would be there, he'd definitely ask for seconds.

The afternoon of your coming of age was quiet, a stark contrast to the celebration your family held for you earlier in the day. In the afternoon, it was just you and Nanami seated on the redwood engawa facing your estate's magnificent gardens, lukewarm cups of tea and half-eaten sweets strewn all around you. Even though the servants brought you a change of clothes, you remained in your crimson furisode, the fur collar discarded as the warmth of the day rose high in the sky.

"Thank you for coming all the way here, Kento. I appreciate it, truly," you replied, gently placing your hand over his. He slowly lowered his eyes to your fingers, tenderly turning his hand over to grasp your smaller digits.

"Haibara would have wanted us to accept this invitation if he were here."

"I know. You would have gone here begrudgingly. But what about you? Is this what you want?" You asked with a small laugh. "You know you don't have to keep on humouring me if it's too much of a burden on you, you know."

He quirked an eyebrow at you before shaking his head with a knowing smile. "You aren't a burden, Otome. You're… a cherished friend. Surely I can humour you for a bit longer."

It was no secret that the three of you— you, Nanami, and Haibara— all shared great affection for each other, so much that it even made Satoru jealous at times, but it all came from a tremendous sense of having to protect each other, of wanting to protect each other, especially when the higher-ups of jujutsu society won't.

"I suppose if things work out between you and Chiemi, you'll become my brother-in-law soon enough, too," you chuckled, squeezing his hand right back. "Yu would have had a field day today if he saw your face."

"Haibara would have had a lovely time, all the same, Otome. More importantly, you underestimate just how elated he would have been seeing you all decked out like this."

You pulled out a treasured plaid handkerchief from your obi, something you never got to return to its owner even though it was graciously lent to you. You pressed it to the corners of your eyes as tears threatened to fill them, a tiny laugh leaving your lips as you did so. "Oh, the sweet praise and compliments I would've been showered with, then…"

Your shared coming of age was more memorable than you expected. There was no falling off the edge of the engawa, too.

— The sweetness of a girl in love.

"Ah! Kiyotaka-kun! We're here!"

The gentle tinkling of the wind chime hanging on the aged wooden door signified the arrival of more customers at Cafe Lilico. Upon your entrance to the familiar cafe following another one of your rarer, low-risk missions, you were greeted by the same lovely waitress in her earth-coloured apron. She easily recognised you and Nanami as some of the cafe's usuals.

Your kouhai hurriedly got up from his seat and greeted you and Nanami with a quick bow. "O-Otome-san and Nanami-san! Good afternoon!"

In your second year in high school, you were introduced to Ijichi Kiyotaka, an incoming freshman who claimed to have the 'spirit of a fighter' but visibly trembled at the sight of Satoru's shadow. Ijichi was delegated clerical duties at school at Satoru's recommendation, providing assistance to his seniors by working on their documents and filing reports. Now that you're nearing the end of your third year and coming into your last year at school, you've been joining Nanami on low-risk missions as a backup like always, with your kouhai collecting your mission reports afterwards.

"Oh, I'm beat! What did you order?" You happily took a seat across from the other boy in black while Nanami sat down beside you, stowing his carry-on on the chair next to him.

Ijichi's eyes darted from your face to the empty glass of water on the table. "G-Gojo-san specifically stated that I should check in with you and Nanami-san first before anything else, so—"

"What?! But we've been gone for so long! How long have you been sitting here without eating anything?!"

"I, uh… The cafe was kind enough to give me some water while I waited, so…"

"Oh, that Satoru! It's one thing to tease you, but this is just cruel!" You hurriedly rummaged through your bag to look for your mobile phone. "I'm going to talk to him about this."

"Th-There's no need to get so upset on my account, Otome-san!" Ijichi raised his hands in defence. More than anything, he was worried about getting chewed out even further by Satoru if he ever heard a word about you getting angry for his sake. That man is like a raging wildfire whenever Otome-san is involved, after all… "I chose to wait for you, s-so please…"

You sighed as you dropped the call and placed your phone with the screen flat on the table. "I'm sorry if Satoru is being mean to you, Kiyotaka-kun. But don't worry because you won't be seeing him around that often. He'll be even busier with missions now that he's about to graduate and all…"

"I'm quite used to him by now, I promise you," Ijichi nervously laughed. "I only wish he'd be more open about the way he thinks, such as the logic behind his decisions…"

That makes us two, you thought. Satoru was never really the kind to put things out in the open. More than anything, he hated people being able to read him, though he allowed himself to be a little bit vulnerable when it's just the two of you. It was hardly enough to get a read of him, though, especially when it came to more serious issues. Though you knew he wasn't always like this. Satoru was never good with serious, after all. He used to have someone to do that for him.

"He may come off as abrasive but I'm sure about this," you replied. Your smile was radiant, radiating the warm temperament and all the sweetness of a girl in love. "He always comes from a place of care and concern."

"How disgusting," Nanami chuckled, breaking your reverie all of a sudden. "How could you make that face after hearing how Gojo-san tormented Ijichi?"

"O-Oh! I'm sorry!" You quickly raised a hand to your mouth in an attempt to hide such a shameless smile. "But please, Kiyotaka-kun. You waited out for me and Kento, so order anything you want. It's on me, so help yourself, all right?"

The younger boy had an astonished look on his face. "Seeing that smile was worth getting into all that trouble… Ah, but I-I apologise for being so forward, Otome-san!"

"Kiyo— hahaha! That's just too much! Have you guys never been around girls that you melt at the mere sight of a smile?" You laughed, and it was almost cruel of you if not for the fondness they had for you. "Oh… Oh, my gosh, I'm so sorry about that…"

It didn't matter if your smile was owned by another person. Somehow Ijichi felt like he could gladly accept whatever Satoru had to say to him if he could hear you laugh like that again.

— The Bride of the Six Eyes.

Satoru and Shoko's graduation from Jujutsu High was met with very little fanfare. There were no grand celebrations or commemorations and they were glad about it because any form of merriment to celebrate their rite of passage into adulthood— further into the world of sorcery— felt like a war gong being struck. Shoko intended to legitimise her work as a doctor and set her heart on going to medical school. It was a lofty ambition from someone as easygoing as her, but you had no doubt in your mind that she could achieve it.

As the heir to the Gojo Clan of the Great Three Sorcerer Clans, Satoru was set to inherit his title shortly. He was called back home to the elusive Gojo Estate and remained there for the gods know how long. As a fourth-year student now, you were too preoccupied with your own tasks and missions to even notice the length of his departure and it was only when you were summoned there yourself that you realised the gravity and fullness of his intentions with you.

You worked to get the right permissions to be able to head to the Gojo Estate as soon as you could— from your family, from Yaga-sensei, and you even asked Shoko and Nanami to hold out from doing anything in the meantime because you wouldn't be around to help out— but Satoru arrived back on the day you were set to follow him, all smiles as he met you and Nanami at the school gates.

"Satoru! When did you get back? I was just about to be on my way to…"

According to Nanami, Satoru was gone for at least two weeks, a period you hardly noticed because of your increased workload. With Shoko graduating and pursuing a medical degree, it was only a matter of time until you had to pick up her tasks on top of your own.

There was something different about this boy approaching you now. An air of maturity floated around him that made him seem… even taller , and even more sure of himself as he stepped into your space. Yet despite the subtle change, you could tell that he's still the same one— the same boy you fell in love with when you were a child.

"Oh? Even Nanami's here. Were you about to see her off?" Satoru asked, taking your hand in his. He still donned his school uniform like he had nothing better to wear and the look comforted you, if you were being honest.

"We were waiting for the Assistant Director," you replied, gently squeezing his hand. "Though I suppose we can give them a call to… Wait, are you here to pick me up?"

"Not at all," he started. "I cleared things out with my family. And yours, to an extent. Of course, there's also that matter with those old farts running the show."

"Oh… They're still against us, uh…" You stammered at him, trying to hide the look of disappointment on your face. You expected your possible engagement with Satoru to be an arduous process. He was 20 now and still hadn't made any official declarations of his intentions, but he was certain about this— about you.

"Your unholy matrimony, I presume," Nanami stated, filling the silence you left open.

"Don't say that, Kento," you elbowed your friend, gently landing your arm on his torso as lightly as you could. "My mother must have given you a hard time, then, Satoru…"

"Not exactly. I made everything official, after all. My family prepared my rirekisho and a formal letter of my intention to marry you right after my inheritance. I reassured Suzuna-san that I would deal with any reprisal that may befall your family," Satoru stated. "I meant every word I said back then, Otome. That I would keep you and your family safe."

"So you've been busy because of all of that…" You said, a small frown forming on your face until you digested what he just told you. "Wait, did you just say your inheritance?! "

"Yeah. I didn't want to make such a big deal out of it, but you're talking to the head of the Gojo Clan now," he stated with a smirk on his face. It was just like him to draw attention to himself and be the star of the show. "I've already made it perfectly clear to them, to everyone at home… And to those damn elders, too. I said one thing. Just one simple thing."

He was on top of the world right now, nary a care about what some mouldy old people had to say regarding his choice of a bride— one he chose of his own volition, just for himself, and nothing else. He really couldn't care less if you two went against the world itself.

"They can talk all they want about us, but I don't really give a shit."

— Spring's End ~ March 2011.

"I'm quitting jujutsu."

Nanami's quiet yet strong declaration made you pause in your tracks as you held your diplomas in hand. Much like your seniors' graduation from last year, you and your only classmate settled for a discreet graduation ceremony.

No one wants to celebrate their own march to death, after all.

He chuckled at the change of your expression, arms crossed over his chest as he waited up for you. "I'll always be around. You only have to call, after all. There's also that matter with Chi."

"Don't call it a 'matter', Kento! You make your relationship sound so weird!"

It was your turn to laugh this time as you made your approach again, a wave of nostalgia suddenly decking you as you walked past the aged school entrance while still in your school uniforms. Today will be the final day you get to wear them.

"You know, I don't think I'll ever get used to you being all lovey-dovey with Chiemi . But then again, she worked hard for your affections, so I guess that's cool, too."

You and Nanami were on your way to the city to have coffee at Cafe Lilico and catch the cherry blossoms before eventually heading to the Koganei Estate for an even larger celebration with your family.

"You do know that you can't practice sorcery outside of jujutsu society if you quit now," you said. "If you aren't going to be a sorcerer, what do you plan on doing?"

"I happened to be particularly good at math, so I'm sure I'll find something worthwhile to do," he replied. "And you? Will you be getting married right after this? I expected you and Gojo-san to tie the knot as soon as we graduated—"

"What?! No!" You exclaimed as you elbowed him. "Satoru's busy with missions and he's also trying to obtain a teaching licence, for some reason… I don't really want to get in the way of all of that."

"How very forgiving of you, then," he chuckled at your reaction. "Though knowing Gojo-san, he'd prefer you to get in the way of things every once in a while."

"You think?…"

"A person can only do so much. I'm certain even Gojo-san has his limitations, though he seems not to have any," he added. "But someone of his status can't afford to give up certain things, one of which is jujutsu. That is probably the most important thing for him— apart from you, of course."

"So you've weighed your options and decided to give up jujutsu…"

"I'm quitting jujutsu because it's shit. The system is shit, too," Nanami corrected your comment. "But who knows? I might find myself back here if things are more equitable."

His decision made sense. It was better to leave the force with his consciousness about the shittiness of the system intact rather than having to go through that downward spiral your old friend experienced. And with Chiemi set to graduate from the Takarazuka Music School as well…

"Both you and Chiemi are intent on living civilian lives now. There's no blaming you for that," you said with a small sigh.

"Don't talk as if it's a death sentence," it was his turn to elbow you this time, albeit gently. "I'm merely denouncing my role as a jujutsu sorcerer."

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean it like that…"

"Don't you ever think about doing the same thing?" He asked you, now that you've finally reached the road heading to the city. "Chi told me that you've always had a hard time… though some of those moments were due to her own stubbornness, too. Would you give up your leadership if you could?"

You want to answer him truthfully— yes. Yet the reality of your life's purpose now laid woefully dense on your shoulders, after how many years of ignoring it. You and Satoru were alike in that sense. There were certain things you couldn't give up, even though you wished you could.

"Can't," you replied to him with a shrug. "Don't forget to come to my inheritance ceremony, Kento. I won't forgive you if you don't."

"How terrible," he drones out in response.

"I'll have Chiemi remind you, too."

"That won't be necessary. I don't want you to always be our topic of discussion."

"Oh, so you do flirt with each other! How cute!"

— Suncatcher.

The Koganei Matriarch's decision to retire early from her role made ripples throughout jujutsu society. Some have even called Suzuna's choice the end of an era. Questions and concerns were raised about your capabilities as the new leader of the Koganei Clan, but she deemed you more than capable, for you took it upon yourself to study at Jujutsu High rather than shy away from your tasks at hand.

When you returned home after your four years of schooling, you presented yourself with a newfound grace and tender strength that no education from any normal school could have ever taught. You surprised Suzuna by surviving what should have been the most trying time of your life as a jujutsu sorcerer, but you always knew that there was more to jujutsu than just surviving high school.

Your mother was effectively astounded by your growth, even more so when you demonstrated Holy Grail before her, the cursed technique you developed for yourself. It was quite similar to Kin'iro no Shishu, and it reminded her of her first days as a sorcerer on call.

Suzuna said the end of her era came early because you proved yourself a worthy heir. She admitted, perhaps a little begrudgingly, that you made an excellent sorcerer regardless of your duty, that you would ascend such heights even if you weren't the heir, that you would be a sorcerer of your own making, one with complete faith in her own abilities.

You declared it the start of an age.

Your inheritance ceremony was a solemn occasion attended only by clansmen and a select number of guests that filled your audience hall. Your family made an exception for your friends from school, so Nanami, Shoko, and Ijichi were present as well. You knew that Satoru didn't fare well in such traditional celebrations and he always opted out of attending these occasions, so you were surprised to see him among the attendees, and in formal regalia, too.

He gazed upon you as though basking in the sun's radiance, following the carefully measured ebb and flow of your movements while in your crimson kimono, decorated and embroidered with thousands upon thousands of yellow ginkgo leaves with golden thread. Atop your head was a single glass hairpin, one you've had since childhood— the tsukumogami, no doubt, Satoru thought to himself, still unable to tear his shaded eyes from your brilliance even though it somewhat hurt.

The ceremony was straightforward itself. There was a simple declaration naming you the new head of the family, the signing of a covenant, with copies of official papers to be sent to the Tokyo Jujutsu Headquarters for proper documentation, and a feast to mark the occasion.

As the food started flowing into the audience hall, a single girl took the middle of the room, commanding everyone's attention with her presence.

It was Chiemi in a beautiful deep green kimono, her golden hair pulled up with ornate chrysanthemum hairpins. In the corner of the area was Kazuya in a haori and hakama of the same colour, his shamisen and bachi in hand. Your siblings signalled each other with a nod in unison, prompting the melodious sound of the shamisen to permeate throughout the hall. The younger girl moved with precise grace and poise, the flow of her sleeves adding to the allure of her dance. She pulled out a folding paper fan printed with golden ginkgo leaves on it, further adding elegance to her motions as she spun around, eliciting gentle applause and nods of approval from your family and distinguished guests. Your brother's singing voice thundered through the hall, drawing all attention to the performing pair.

With everyone's eyes now on the tableside entertainment, you managed to slip away from the hall almost unnoticed. Satoru stood right outside the exit, a smile on his face as he awaited you to step into his space. It's been quite some time since you've last seen him in his haori and hakama, the traditional attire suiting his stature.

"Congratulations are in order, Lady Koganei, but I think your more important guests would like to see you."

From behind him peeked two familiar faces that filled your heart with so much elation, even more so when they stepped forward wearing matching deep blue traditional wear. "Megumi-kun! Tsumiki-chan! "

You gently got down on your knees to welcome the children in your arms, but not before they presented you with a well-practised greeting.

"Congratulations, Otome onee-san," the little girl gave you her same kind smile and a measured bow.

"C-Congratulations…" Came the younger boy's more bashful salutation, but they were equally happy as they coiled their arms around your figure. You even more, the mirthful expression on your face now a far cry from the serious visage you had on mere moments ago as the ceremony was carried on in solemnity. You gathered them in your arms and pulled them close, just enough to let them know how grateful you were for their presence.

"I'm so happy you two are here as well," you told them as you released them from your hold. "Have you two been well?"

"Why are you and that weird man always acting like you haven't seen us in ages?" Megumi lightly scoffed at your question, though he made no effort to move away from your hold on him. "We even had yakisoba for dinner the other night…"

"Oh, how smart-mouthed this boy is," you said with a sigh before eventually planting a kiss on his cheek. He didn't try to evade it, either.

"Gojo-san said that we could go to Sanrio Puroland this weekend if we behaved today!" Tsumiki beamed at you. "He also said that you'd make time for it… So you'll be coming too, right?"

"I'll always have time for you," you smiled right back at her, carefully tucking in her loose strands of hair behind her ear. "Oh, I can't wait to see Kitty-san! And maybe Melody-san and Cinnamoroll, too!"

"Girls get excited over the simplest things," Megumi murmured to himself, only for him to bury his face further in the crook of your neck. "I just wanna eat curry…"

"We'll eat curry, too, Megumi-kun," you chuckled at his remark, running a calming hand over his back.

Satoru will never speak of it, but it was heartening for him to see how well the Fushiguro children warmed up to you, especially Megumi— this prickly kid— who easily melted in your embrace just after meeting twice back in 2009. After becoming a constant presence in their lives, you finally established yourself as a person these children could trust and comfortably rely on for anything they might need.

There was only one final thing left, something only the two of you could do, and he couldn't wait.

— Ties That Bind. ~ 2012.

Megumi's homeroom teacher had a curious look on her face when you came forward as his guardian. Her look was calculating, yet there was no denying that you played the role well. You were dressed in a more chic manner, too, for a lasting impression, though you realised later on that it only invited more scepticism to your person rather than forging a bond of trust between you and his teacher.

—You were too young to be his mother. Too different to look like his sister. You couldn't even call each other cousins without getting confused about your supposed family relations.

You and Satoru settled for guardians. It was less complicated though it sounded a little detached.

"Koganei Otome-san, yes? And you are here as Fushiguro-kun's guardian," the other woman read your letter of authorisation from across her table. Beside you sat the little boy with his same placid expression.

Megumi was smart and mature for his age. Some would even call him a precocious child, one who spoke like he had seen it all. His rather rough childhood was to thank and blame for all of his actions and mannerisms so far.

"I would like to thank you for your efforts. However, it would be best to discuss Fushiguro-kun's progress so far with his legal guardian, Gojo Satoru-san… "

Oh. The rest of her explanation was drowned out by your disappointment. You tried to keep your expression neutral after having been rejected the opportunity to hear about Megumi's days at school simply because you weren't family. Regardless of what was said, you walked out of his school hand in hand, his smaller fingers curling around yours. The way he held you was no different from when you walked into the building earlier.

"I'm sorry you had to hear all of that, Megumi-kun. Satoru is busy with teachers' training today, so he thought I could help out. There really was no other option…" You said with a little sigh. "Your teacher's kinda dumb, but don't tell her I said that. Family doesn't always have to mean blood."

You've seen your share of things that challenged the common belief that blood always comes first, regardless of how people have been treated by their so-called family.

You pulled him close to you before you crossed the street, making sure it was safe to do so.

There were nights when Megumi wanted to cry. The sadness that accompanied the fact that the memory of his parents was fading in his mind. Does that mean he's forgetting his family? How terrifying, yet he knew there was nothing he could do about it. Tsumiki was there, too. She was still his sister, even though they only shared a name and nothing else. And what about that clan thing Satoru mentioned? What does he have to do with that?

If family doesn't always have to mean blood, was it safe for him to call you as such? Or would it be too presumptuous of him?

"I am your family, though," you told him. The simple declaration answered all of his unvoiced concerns and prompted him to look away from you all of a sudden. You crouched down to check on him. "M-Megumi-kun? Is something wrong?"

It was against his better judgement, especially now that he was already 10, or at least turning so, but he couldn't stop himself from wanting to be held. So when he wrapped his arms around your neck, you embraced him right back.

"You are my family," he replied, burying his undoubtedly red face in the crook of your neck like he always does.

And it filled your heart with uncontainable joy. "I'm so happy to hear that…"

A child's trust is so fragile, after all, you reminded yourself.

Megumi gently broke your embrace, his eyes downcast as he was obviously embarrassed. But he still speaks to you. " Sensei probably just wanted to see him, though. "

"Him? You mean Satoru?"

He nodded.

The nerve of that— No, you needed to be objective here. Of course, everyone would lose their shit over how handsome your husband was—

Ah. That's it.

Satoru is your husband. You're married to him!

You smiled at him after your epiphany, though he could easily tell it was some kind of fake. "Don't worry, Megumi-kun. We'll do something about your papers and stuff. Satoru will handle it."

✦₊˚❀༉‧₊˚. ♥ ⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆

When Megumi's next parent-teacher appointment rolled in, you, Satoru, and Megumi all came hand in hand this time in matching chic outfits that somewhat embarrassed your child.

"Oh, it's so nice to see you again, Gojo-san! Fushiguro-kun has—" The teacher greeted him warmly, only to be cut off by your presence. "Ah, and…"

"Yes, I wasn't able to come last time because I was busy. I'll probably be busy again next time, too, so I thought I'd let Megumi's sensei know that my wife will be handling these matters in the future," Satoru stated with a cordial smile on his face as he placed his arm over your shoulders.

"W-Wife?" Came the timid response from the teacher.

It was your turn to smile at her. It was so petty yet absolutely satisfying and hilarious for you. "Yes! In line with that, we'd like for you to update Megumi-kun's information sheet…"

—Which included you, Gojo Otome birthday xx/xx/1990 aged 22 occupation housewife, as Megumi's second legal guardian. Since these were government papers and not entirely relevant to jujutsu society, you were able to get away with using Satoru's surname as your own as well. Even though you were married, you still had to carry your family name due to your status as clan leader.

…Not that it really matters right now. All that matters is wiping that smug smile off the teacher's face—

"They are my family, sensei," Megumi declared with a rather resolute gaze, startling you and Satoru. "…I don't even care about the papers…"

And somehow, hearing the fact straight from your boy's lips made your pettiness all the more justified.

"You heard him, sensei," you said with a laugh. "How has Megumi-kun been doing at school again?"

— Where Golden Asters Bloom. ~ 2013.

No good deed goes unpunished, or so the famous saying goes.

At the age of 22, Chiemi came to the conclusion that she may never be able to perform at the glamorous Takarazuka Grand Theater. It was a dream far too far-fetched despite the discipline she maintained over herself. She resigned herself to the fact that she might just have to return home to the Koganei Estate and continue to live her meaningless existence from there— Perhaps she deserved it for all the cruelty she exacted on her sister. But when she came to you and apologised on bent knee for all that was said and done, you made it clear to her that you held nothing against her, it gave her hope that her change actually meant something.

And like a dream come true, she was promptly recruited into the renowned Shiki Theater Company in Minato, starting with the role of an understudy to the current diva playing Christine in their performance of Andrew Webber's The Phantom of the Opera.

However, her hopes of ever performing onstage were dashed even further by the revelation of her history as a teenage bully at school. She panicked at the first sight of the tabloid and expected the worst. She had just been recruited after a gruelling audition! Would the company really pay any mind to these rumours?

[—'s so two-faced! I can't believe theatre companies are actually eating up her act—]

[—nei-san used to be a real bully when she was still studying at Serinu—]

[—ere's no denying that she's pretty! But she has a really bad attitude problem. It's so sickening that she's going to be the new face of this performan—]

Egosurfing on the internet did not help at all.

Back when Chiemi first started at the Takarazuka Music School, she was determined to leave her past and forge a new path— one that both gave her purpose and ultimately satisfied her. That's what you did, after all.

The problem with the rumours is that Chiemi was never really a bully at school. While she was haughty and incredibly full of herself, she was also standoffish and didn't even have any friends to begin with. It was so bad for her that she even did group projects by herself. She hardly interacted with anyone else at Serinuma Suiren apart from her older brother Kazuya, who was now trying to get in touch with anyone from the media to help clear his sister's name and case.

Nanami, who now worked as a cutthroat salaryman, didn't even think twice when Chiemi asked to bunk with him in his apartment in the city. It was spacious and well-kept, mostly owing to the fact that he was rarely home due to overtime at work. Overtime helped pay the bills and more, after all. He allowed his girlfriend free rein over his home and he half-expected her to change just about everything there, but no.

"Welcome home, Kento!"

He started coming home earlier recently, and Chiemi would always open the door to welcome him home with the same bright smile on her face. He now had a vase full of different flowers everyday, but she hasn't done any major changes to his home at all.

"I'm home," he replied, his eyes now drawn to the corner of the living room where the usually empty flower vase sat. "What are today's flowers?"

"Those are golden asters. Aren't they pretty?" She remarked as she tenderly took his suitcase from his hands. "They kind of remind me of home, so…"

Pretty, Nanami thought to himself, though he wasn't exactly referring to the flowers. He stepped into Chiemi's space and gingerly held a lock of her hair in his fingers before eventually cupping her cheek. "…Like your hair."

He saw how quickly her surprised expression melted into a look of absolute delight, her face warming up in his hand as a blush dusted her cheeks. "Like yours, too."

Her mood has improved greatly since she first asked to "move in" with him in the meantime. She stopped her egosurfing and steadied her focus on her work and rehearsals before calling it a day and coming home to her boyfriend's place— not that anyone knew about it, of course.

He didn't want to get used to this feeling, this happy domesticity. It was such a foreign concept to him and one part of him still felt like it could all be easily taken away from him—

"Kento? Are you all right?" She asked him, carefully squeezing the wrist that cradled her face. "I-If you're in the mood for it, I, um… made some kabocha soup! I-It goes well with the bread you buy mmf— "

Nanami pulled her into a kiss. He couldn't handle the thought of this disappearing right before his eyes, so he had to make sure everything was as real as it was.

Chiemi tiptoed and coiled her arms around his neck, returning his kiss with even more fervour.

Absolutely real.

Thoughts of dinner were long forgotten, replaced by the heat and warmth of all their unspoken desires made manifest.

✦₊˚❀༉‧₊˚. ♥ ⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆

Nanami wanted to turn off the lamp on his bedside table, but he couldn't move because Chiemi's figure was draped over his. They shared their warmth underneath the plush covers of his bed, her hair like a blanket of gold over one of his pillows.

He didn't want to think of the possibility of her disappearing from his sight all of a sudden. But as though on cue, she asked him a simple yet important question.

"Kento, why don't you marry into my family? I'm sure onee-chan would gladly welcome you into the fold seeing as you're friends and all…"

"You'd like that, wouldn't you?" Nanami chuckled as he lazily ran his hand over her bare arm. "But that also means returning to jujutsu and taking orders from headquarters again…"

"Ah, right…" She replied, trying to hide the disappointment in her voice.

"A normal wedding would be nice," he stated. "A beach wedding? Or maybe a garden wedding. Or are they perhaps a bit too unconventional for your tastes—"

"N-Not at all! I… I love it! We can do either!"

The twinkle of joy in her eyes was so hard to miss. For a girl from a rich family, Chiemi was surprisingly easy to please. Then again, you were no different.

"But I suppose we'll still have to ask permission from your family, especially your parents."

"Mama and papa have met you before and they already know all about us, so we won't really have any issues with that. Kazu-nii seems to like you as well… And I know for certain that onee-chan herself would gladly grant us her blessing if we ask…"

It was already an established fact for him that the three Koganei siblings were raised in a rather temperamental environment. He knew of the older brother Kazuya's ability to adapt to such changes quickly, and your own unwavering fortitude in the face of any volatile circumstances. As the youngest child, Chiemi was moderately spoiled and was often granted whatever she wanted. She seemed to relish in her adoptive father's attention and Kyouya was always more than happy to raise her as his own.

But it was also a known fact that Chiemi wasn't Kyouya's daughter— which begs the question:

"Do you… not wonder about your father?"

Chiemi pursed her soft lips and lowered her golden lashes at his question. "To be honest, I… Mama once told me not to worry about him… about my birth father. She said that they had an agreement in place. He never really bothered to reach out, too. But you know, I was never left wanting a father's love, too. Papa loved me and cared for me like I was his own, even though I looked nothing like him…"

"Is that so?"

"You know, the real question is how can you love someone like that? Papa turned a blind eye to what mama did… what she did to have me. It was so twisted, and yet… he loved her all the same? How did he carry on from that?"

"Have you never asked Kaminari-san about it?"

"No… I can't really bring myself to," she told him as she settled in his arms again. "I feel like I might hear things I shouldn't. Or I might just hurt myself in the process. Not that I think papa would ever be capable of it, but… I am happy with the way things are. I'm certain my… birth father must have forgotten all about me, anyway."

"It's easy to say that when you've never heard it yourself, but I understand if that's how you feel since he's never tried to reach out to you before," he said as he held her even closer. "If I were to have a child with you in the future, I'd never want to leave them doubting my love for them."

"I think you'd make a great dad, Kento," Chiemi concluded with a smile on her face. She rested her cheek on his bare chest. "And our kid will look just like us, too."

After being told all her life what a beauty she was yet never encountering anyone else like her, Nanami's emergence just proved all of her thoughts right. He was beautiful.

He tenderly threaded his fingers through her hair and couldn't help but smile to himself. There was no doubt in his mind that their child would look just like them— beautiful.

When the evening came the following day, Nanami was at the Shiki Theater to pick up Chiemi from rehearsals. She just stepped out of the building and was surprised to see an unfamiliar person waiting for her.

"E-Excuse me! Are you Miss Chiemi Koganei?" The nervousness in the older man's voice cut through the silence of the sidewalk. When he tried to reach out for the young actress, Nanami arrived just in time to grab him by the arm.

"Don't touch her."

"Please, no— Y-You misunderstand! I— I'm not here to cause any trouble. I just…"

He was surprised to see a trembling middle-aged foreigner with the same shocking golden hair as his girl. The older man was finely dressed and looked rather rattled by Nanami's hold on him.

"K-Kento! I-It's all right! He didn't try to hurt me—" Chiemi reasoned with him, only for her eyes to meet the stranger's. "Ah—"

She couldn't explain this distinctive, uncanny feeling that unsettled her blood, almost as if it was telling her that this man was right to call for her. "I'm sorry, but who are you?…"

The older man was handsome, and if her estimates were right, he was just around her mother's age, too. His features were just as striking as Nanami's, giving everyone the impression that he wasn't at all from this place. But he spoke perfectly well!

"Please, I mean no harm! My name is Prospero Metherlence! And I… I just want to see my daughter!"

—Daughter?

"No, that can't be right…" She replied with a slight tremble in her voice. "I…"

Nanami released the stranger and moved to wrap a protective arm around Chiemi, shielding her from the stranger's vision. He fished out a brown business card from his pants pocket and tossed it in the older man's direction. "If you really are who we think you are, you'll be able to come to this address without any issue."

The card contained Cafe Lilico's location, a place only your kind would be able to hold the door and enter.

So when the wind chime hanging on the aged wooden door tinkled its tender song, Chiemi and Nanami were no longer at all surprised to see the same older man standing by their table.

"Please have a seat, um…" She offered, only for the stranger to sit across from her.

"It's been a very long time," the older man started. His pressed khaki pants and knitted vest of the same fall colours gave her a hint of his origins. "I hope you understand this, Miss Chiemi. I have always longed to be part of your life. However, I knew my presence wouldn't bode well for Miss Suzu."

Suzu. It's mama's nickname. She took note of the sacredness of how he pronounced her mother's name, as though afraid of summoning any ghosts from the past.

The cafe's waitress arrived with three cups of coffee, one with sweetener that was meant for Chiemi.

"It's all right to talk about these things now since I've long retired from my profession. I was a foreign operative and was once part of Great Britain's Secret Intelligence Service. MI6 had its own Special Sorcery Sector— and I was part of that specifically. Curses and sorcery— no matter where you are in the world— has the same effects and impacts on people. It's a scourge on the land we can't get rid of no matter how hard we work," he stated as he ran his fingers over the edge of his cup of coffee. "I live here now, comfortably and quietly after having been discharged from my role for my service."

So this man is my… father. She looked at him curiously. Any other person could clearly see the resemblance between them.

"I'm… sure you must have some questions for me, if not that plenty. I can answer all of them for you," he said with a smile.

"I… didn't catch your name earlier, so I…"

"It's Prospero. Prospero Metherlence. I was born in Manchester, England. I don't particularly like sports, but I think I'm agile enough. I like new wave music. I…"

"How did you meet m— Mama?"

Prospero looked up from his coffee and rested his gaze on the girl that sat before him, a rueful smile on his face as he slowly came to understand the weight of his reality at the moment: He and his daughter knew absolutely nothing about each other.

"I'm not going to bore you with the details of our first meeting, but let me tell you this. For the record, I didn't know that she was already married back then. But she was so beautiful, so…" He started, only for his voice to falter halfway through his supposed explanation. From his pocket he pulled out a single treasured ornament and presented it to the young woman.

It was a golden hairpin shaped like a ginkgo leaf. And it sparks a memory of her mother weaving through her numerous hair accessories, wanting to lend one to her daughter— 'Oh, I must have lost it somewhere. It was my favourite one, too.'

"Miss Suzu must have forgotten this on my bedside table when she was in a rush to leave. I couldn't contact her afterwards, either, so I figured something was up," Prospero continued. "Mister Kyouya reached out to me… a year after your birth and gave me this."

From his rather weathered leather wallet came another treasured item— an aged photograph of an infant girl with a halo of golden hair. On the back was a single word: Chiemi— and a date she recognised as her first birthday.

"Mister Kyouya is a good man. I knew back then that he would treat you no different from his own child, that he would care for you as his. He said that he would tell you about me if you were to ever ask him. I figured that… he never got back to me all this time because you never—"

Tears welled in the corners of her eyes, lining her golden lashes as she tried to blink them away. "Y-You're right! P-Papa loved me so much that I never… never once even thought of you."

Nanami stuffed his handkerchief in her shaking hands. "Chi…"

"I only wondered about you once! That one time I asked mama about you and she said that you agreed t-to— to never see me again! So why are you—" Her voice cracked at the weight of her emotions at that very moment. She wanted to sort through everything one by one but couldn't. "Did mama lie to me?…"

"No, of course not, my sweet girl… I…" The older man was red-nosed now as well, perhaps trying to hold back his own tears for her sake. "It must be a lot to take in, so I understand your outrage."

"Metherlence-san," Nanami stated. "If neither Suzuna-san or Kaminari-san ever got in touch with you again, how did you find Chiemi this time?"

"I read about her on SNS. Then I… found out that she was a theatre actress now," the older man replied. "I… didn't mean to spook her with my presence. I just… truly wanted to know how she was doing now."

Nanami ran a soothing hand over Chiemi's back as she sobbed in her seat. "Do you and Suzuna-san actually have an agreement in place?"

"No. It's just as I said. Not even Mister Kyouya barred me from meeting Miss Chiemi, but I… I knew where I should stand. I could only hope that she would think of me once, or remember me," Prospero stated. "Though I also understand Miss Suzu's line of thought. My presence would mean contention, and I didn't want her family to think that I was some kind of gold digger. Or even worse… a homewrecker. It wasn't my intention at all… I cherished my time with her…"

But his tears fell, betraying the facade of composure he tried to keep up. "And ever since, I just… hoped. And hoped that one day, my girl would remember me."

"Y-You… never forgot about me?" Chiemi managed to squeak out between her sobs.

"You've been on my mind ever since the day I received your photograph as a baby," the older man stated. Even more now, he can confirm— this is my daughter. "How could I ever forget about you, my sweet girl?"

That night, she slept a dreamless sleep in Nanami's arms once again, but her heart felt surprisingly calm and full. As he doomscrolled through her SNS while waiting for sleep to come drop in on him as well, he started reading deep into a discussion about the rising theatre actress Koganei Chiemi, who has been a hot topic these past few days.

[user phoenixrising commented: I think Koganei-san is heavily misunderstood by people, especially those in the acting community. There's no solid information about her on the internet except hearsay. Meanwhile, those who claim to know her from her high school days at Serinuma Suiren seemed to have forgotten the fact that she didn't really talk much and she didn't have any friends— it was so terrible that she had to do school projects by herself. How could she even bully other people when she hardly interacted with anyone else?]

[user goldenaster commented: Agreed. It's easy to judge others based on what you've just heard about them. I can't really claim to be a fan of hers yet, but I know she's incredibly dedicated to her craft—]

[—eah, it's so obvious that other commenters are just sh****** on Koganei-san because they're jealo—]

[—tually looking forward to seeing her as Christine in PhanOpera shows in the future. She has a bright one ahea—]

"Mmnn… Kento…" Chiemi stirred in her sleep, prompting him to switch off her mobile phone. He pulled her close as she quietly groaned in her sleep, carefully pulling the covers over them as he tried to get some sleep as well.

"Good night, Chi. Tomorrow will be better. If not, there's always another day."

— Wish. ~ September 2014.

"Kento! I'm here!"

On this day every year for the last seven years, you and Nanami come together to fulfil a pact you made in your youth, a long-standing promise that still pulled at your heart whenever the day approaches. This year, you both decided to hold your coffee date at Cafe Lilico, as though reminiscing a time long gone, remembering days that slipped past your fingers despite trying desperately to hold onto them.

"Hello, Otome. Have you been well?"

You knew for a fact that Nanami valued his time more than anything else, so lateness would be met with his usual curtness. You endeavoured to arrive at least a few minutes ahead of your agreed 02:00 PM meeting time, but he still arrived there before you. He was in his impeccably pressed striped suit, looking a little bit more… worse for wear than usual.

"Verily. And you?"

"Verily," he echoed with a chuckle. "Shall we order something?"

"Yes, let's!" You happily took the seat across from him, gently smoothing out the skirt of your dress as you did so. "It's that day again, huh? And it's been seven years…"

"Yes. I'm surprised you still remember and keep up with it."

Today marks seven years since Haibara Yu's passing. The passage of time has stopped for him— a boy eternally seventeen— while you and Nanami had to carry on with your lives as now 24-year-olds. The weight of the grief and loss on that day remained forlornly heavy on your shoulders even as time went on, even though you both knew he wouldn't have wanted you to be in a constant state of mourning for him.

"I should be the one saying that, Kento. But this is Yu we're talking about, and not even once did I think this to be a burden. More than anything, I'm happy we get to keep his memory alive by making time for each other… even if it's just for this day."

The two of you carefully stated your orders to the pretty waitress in the brown apron, a knowing smile on her face as she took note of it. The two of you hardly ordered anything new from the menu anymore, just your usual black coffee and creamy cafe au lait. You've nearly talked off Nanami's ear about your family's business by the time your drinks arrived.

"There's been something I've been meaning to talk to you about as well," he stated, thumbs grazing over the edge of his cup. "Did you know that Chi asked me to marry her?"

You nearly drowned in your own cup of coffee in shock at his revelation, not that it was anything new to you. "What?! When?!"

"She's asked me a lot of times already. She asked me to marry into her family. Your family. But that also means returning to jujutsu and becoming a sorcerer again."

"I'm not going to convince you to return to jujutsu. If you're thriving where you are now then I'm nothing but happy for you," you stated as you placed down the porcelain cup on its saucer. "If it's a blessing you want, you know I'm more than happy to grant it…"

"I've already talked to Gojo-san anyway, so I might as well tell you while we're here," Nanami started, his earnestness not at all lost to you even though he looked at you through tired eyes. "You of all people know that I don't believe in things like fate. All this time I felt like I was escaping mine, only for me to realise that there is nothing else I could be doing… nothing else better than that."

"Kento…"

"I am a sorcerer again, Otome. As Chi's sister and the head of your family, I would personally like to ask for her hand in marriage."

Pfft. The small laugh escaped your lips, prompting your friend to sigh at your nonchalance. "There's no need to be so serious!"

"This is serious."

"Yes, yes, of course. By my authority as the leader of the Koganei Clan, which your bride was born into, I give you my blessing," you stated with a feigned cough into your fist. "And as your friend, I give you my full support. Kento, I'm so very happy for you and Chiemi."

A tender smile lit his otherwise grim face. "Thank you."

"Yu would be over the moon if he heard all this," you said with a smile as well, taking a sip from your coffee once more. "He'd also be lamenting the fact that you got a girlfriend and got married before him."

"You're the first of us to get married. He'd have more to say about that than anyone else," Nanami pointed out. "Who knows if he'd already gotten over his crush on you by this time?"

"Satoru would probably have a field day bragging all about our wedding, too," you smiled and shook your head. "I… still think about Yu from time to time. I can't really remember the sound of his voice anymore, but I…"

That makes us two, the blonde thought to himself as he drank deep into his cup. I'll probably remember him in my death as well.

"When are you planning to hold the wedding?" You asked before motioning the waitress for an additional order.

"The following spring."

"What a lovely time to get married," you nodded in assent at his projected date. "Chiemi must be on cloud nine, then."

"I… haven't told her yet."

"What?!"

"I needed your approval first."

"You have my approval either way, you silly coconut!"

"We also met Chi's biological father."

Just when you thought you couldn't choke on the foam of your coffee any further— "WHAT?! When?! How?!"

Nanami didn't want to look at the time. He savoured the elation in your voice and the expressiveness of your eyes, wondering when you two will be able to meet again. But when the waitress came back to your table with your meals, it dawned on him that he didn't have to worry about any other schedules.

Oh, right, the thought danced in his mind as you continued berating him for not keeping in touch more frequently. I just quit my job as a salaryman.

"Ah, well, I suppose there's no point in scolding you about this anymore. You'll be seeing more of me than you actually want to," you chuckled. "You're going to be my brother-in-law, after all."

"What a terrible thought," he droned out his usual response, but not before breaking into another smile that betrayed his words.

— Redamancy. ~ April 2015.

In spring of 2015, Chiemi and Nanami were married in an intimate church wedding attended only by their closest family and friends. Their marriage still took place despite all the apprehension he felt, but they knew for certain that not much will change afterwards. Neither of them will wear any wedding bands and he won't the Koganei name as his— and she didn't mind that at all since none of those formalities truly mattered to her, anyway.

Most of the guests were dressed in beige and tan while the couple was tastefully dressed in white. The church and reception venue were decorated and filled with white and gold chrysanthemums and asters, Chiemi's favourite flowers.

At the reception venue, the newlyweds were welcomed by a small adoring crowd that was composed mostly of your family and only a part of Nanami's. He didn't really mind it that much since he was more concerned about Chiemi's ordeal with her parents. Still, she handled everything with the grace and poise that only suited her elegant appearance.

When the time for the father and daughter dance came, hushed whispers arose when Kyouya motioned for another man in another table to come forward with him. It was an unfamiliar foreigner in a sleek tan suit and shiny brown leather dress shoes. His blonde hair was a stark giveaway of his identity, further confirming the facts and the encounter that Nanami shared with you before.

"That must be the brat's real dad," Satoru nudged you as though asking, are you seeing what I'm seeing?

"He must be," you agreed with him. "I'm kind of surprised he made an appearance, but I suppose Chi-chan wanted him here."

Chiemi first danced with your adoptive father Kyouya, who was in his usual green iro montsuki haori hakama with the Koganei kamon emblazoned on his traditional attire. He was all smiles as they danced in the centre of the hall, a striking contrast to how Prospero danced with her. His face was red with tears and the bride could only laugh and gently coax him to cease his crying as they leisurely spun around the hall.

It must be because he missed so many of Chi's milestones. Prospero only knew her from a photograph he so cherished for the last twenty odd years and now he was about to give her away to her husband.

By the time everyone concluded their meals, the newlyweds were asked to exchange a few words for each other.

"Dear Kento-san, I still recall our first meeting so vividly— you in your pitch black Jujutsu High school uniform and your eyes that seemed to see right through me. It was so weird that I developed a crush on you back then even though you forced me to confront my demons. I suppose I have you to thank for the changes I made in my ways…"

Chiemi was still in the middle of her speech when Satoru lightly elbowed you again.

"I didn't know that your sister was a sap," he whispered to you. As the Matron of Honour and the Best Man respectively, you had to be nearby to assist with whatever the newlyweds needed. "I can't recall you saying any romantic stuff when we got married…"

You elbowed him right back. "Oh, have you forgotten my whole spiel? 'Oh, honoured one, I will stand with you between the heavens and the earth'— "

"Shh! Geez, okay! I remember now! Man, we said some really out of pocket shit back then."

It was Nanami's turn to speak, and he pulled out a folded sheet of paper from his left breast pocket. "Chi-san, from the moment we met, I knew that you possessed an unstoppable will. It still surprises me how far you've come from being that girl to…"

He chuckled, unable to hold his bride's gaze in embarrassment. "Sorry, you've always been so beautiful. Even more now. You should know that I had such a difficult time rebuffing your affections before… That still stands today."

"Oh, please, Kento," you snickered to Satoru this time. "He's so whipped, I can't even. "

The groom composed himself at his bride's gentle urging. Chiemi squeezed his free hand with a smile on her rosy-painted lips. "Redamancy comes from a foreign word that means 'the act of returning love in full'. If I'm being honest, marriage wasn't in my cards yet, but when I am with you, I find myself wanting to return all the love you have graced me with so far… But I would like to do it for the rest of our lives."

A love for a lifetime. You pursed your lips at your friend's words to your sister, prompting your own husband to wrap his arm around your shoulders. "Are you about to cry?"

Satoru actually meant well, but you couldn't help but snippily shoot back at him. "Sh-Shut up, T-Toru…"

You listened to Nanami's speech, one he carefully wrote with consideration to your family and the society it is part of. "I have once again taken up the job our kind is so used to…"

Our kind, you silently echoed Nanami's words in your head. He married Chiemi because he wanted to, and he even gave up his freedom from the accursed marathon of jujutsu just to do so. Why was jujutsu the be-all and end-all of everything? You couldn't prevent his reinstatement as a sorcerer, even at Chiemi's behest, even with your power and influence in jujutsu society. It was a cycle not even you could get used to yet.

Your sister's smile lit up one of his own. They had an understanding. All that mattered to Chiemi was that Nanami would come home to her at the end of every day, even if his work at Tokyo Jujutsu High still took precedence over clan duties. You and Satoru could only clap along with the small crowd when applause thundered throughout the venue, but you were jolted back to reality when the host of the ceremony handed you the microphone. "Otome-san, the bride and groom would like to hear a few words from the Matron of Honour and the Best Man respectively, so…"

"Wh-What? I-I didn't— we have to do this now? "

"Yes, please," the woman nodded, urging you to take the microphone.

"Just say something short and thoughtful, sweetheart," your husband stated, only for you to grab him by the hand. "Huh?"

"You're coming with me, Satoru."

If there is anything your four years of marriage with Satoru has taught you so far, it's that whatever you can do, you can do with him, so you were doing that speech with him right by your side.

"Noooo…" Came his receding complaint. The two of you straightened each other out before taking the floor hand in hand, both aglow with delight and elation at the occasion— it was a union of two hearts who revered each other so much that they would give up their current separate lives to share a single one.

"As Chi-chan mentioned earlier, Kento gave her the scolding of a lifetime when they first met. She and I disagreed about plenty of things and did not always meet eye to eye, but we were still sisters… So it was only natural for me to care for her and help her weigh her choices. One of which was her choice of a husband. Chi-chan, know that I wished for nothing but your happiness from the start, so I am doubly delighted that you chose a man like Kento— he is kind and responsible and will certainly take care of you," you started.

From the corner of your eye, you noticed Suzuna carefully dabbing away her tears in a frilled floral handkerchief. Was she… touched by this occasion?

"Kento is one of my dearest friends, so I've no doubt in my mind that he will treat my sister well. Kento, I… hope you continue to remain a steadfast man, one who is true to his purpose and never forgets his responsibilities, especially to his wife. Congratulations and best wishes to you both."

You handed the microphone over to Satoru, only for you to regret it soon after. How could you have not prepared for any of the depraved, deranged shit that could flow out of your husband's pretty mouth? "I never pegged Nanami as the settling type, so imagine my surprise when he told me that he was getting married. What else is there to say except congratulations? Have a blissful married life. Nanami, Chi-chan, I hope you two have the most amazing, mind blowing f— no, wait, I can't really say that, can I? Ah! Lovemak— Ow!"

You smacked him by the shoulder and hurriedly grabbed the microphone back from him. "Th-That's all from the Matron of Honour and the Best Man! P-Please enjoy the rest of the evening!"

— This City at Night. ~ December 2016.

As the husband of the leader of the Koganei Clan, Satoru had to get used to your family fussing over him whenever he arrived at the estate. They tended to him even more than they did with Nanami, who was also now a member of the clan's main family. Satoru's arrival now was no different. Your servants were now more accustomed to his overwhelming presence and already had a rather good read of his movements.

"I see no need for you to continue evading these good people, little godling. But, ah… I suppose that epithet no longer suits your mien today."

He recognised that voice and that presence that was both soothing and eerie at the same time. "Hello, Marin."

"Well met, Gojo-dono."

The passage of time has stopped aeons ago for age-old spirits like Marin, whose incorporeal form long surpassed any need for a physical body. She was happier this way— being a cursed tool that could potentially be of use to her master. Her appearance hadn't changed ever since he first met her when he was a child, with her royal blue kimono still as vibrant as ever.

"Spirit on the loose," he chuckled at the tsukumogami, who could only shake her head at his attempt at humour. "Shall I guide you to the afterlife?"

"Aruji-sama allows me to maintain this form when we are cradled here in the estate. It feels good to walk around every once in a while, no?"

"I agree. I should know how that feels once the servants actually stop following me around."

"You should know where to find her. Are not your hearts and souls so intimately and intricately connected with each other that you could just about feel what she is feeling? Are not her deepest sorrows yours as well? Are not your joys as good as hers?" Marin had a knowing smile on her face as she soundlessly walked ahead of him, her weightlessness adding even more to her supernatural mystique. "Is she not the sun as you are the sky?"

He does know where you are. Since your respective accessions and marriage, you've been confined to that room if not at all called upon for missions by headquarters.

"Is the madame of the house present?" A familiar voice sounded from outside your office, though you could tell from the silhoutte that painted the shoji that it was definitely your husband.

"Satoru! Welcome home!" You greeted him warmly as he entered the master's den. You took a step back to admire his rather new get-up. He now sported a sleek black jacket with a high collar that concealed his chin, matching black pants and shined dress shoes. Around his neck was a leather blindfold you recognised as a substitute for his usual dark sunglasses. "I like the modern, stylish look."

"Me too," he remarked with a smile. "Say, you wanna go out tonight?"

You crossed your arms over your chest and coyly tilted your head. "Oh? Are you asking me out on a date?"

"On a trip," he gently corrected you. "If the madame can spare some time for this gentleman…"

However, he recognised the look of scepticism that graced your face all of a sudden, as though you remembered something important. "Wait, Satoru, are you… done with your last assignment? I just heard about it from Kazu-nii. That boy…"

"Ah, you mean Yuuta? To be honest, he was a little hard to crack open, but…" He ran a hand over his nape before eventually reaching out for you. "Don't worry, okay? I'm not going to leave him to the wolves."

"I know you won't," you squeezed his hand. "His psyche must be pretty disturbed after everything that's happened to him."

"That's true. It took me a while to coax him out of his isolation, but he's getting there."

"And you think that warrants a reward for you, sensei?" You teased him. "I suppose we can go out tonight."

"I was thinking we could maybe spend a few days at Iwatsuki, if that's all right with you, of course."

"Did you miss me, Satoru?" You chuckled. "I have a mission about a week away, so I as long as we return to Tokyo on time, we'll be fine. Will we be meeting up with Megumi-kun as well?"

"Well, knowing Megumi, he'd never pass on the opportunity to see you," Satoru replied. "He's been keeping himself busy since that incident with Tsumiki. He's gotten into less fights, too…"

That report on the Yasohachi Bridge incident broke your heart when it was first relayed to you earlier in the year. You didn't expect Tsumiki, of all people, to fall into the state of being cursed, or perhaps something similar. While she was still under the care of the school, it didn't help that her condition remained unchanged for quite some time now.

It felt like you were dealing with a ticking timebomb you had no clue how to defuse. And Megumi was hellbent on graduating from junior high so he could make a start on something. Anything. Anything that could help his sister…

Seeing your downcast expression, he brushed his knuckles on your warm cheek. "We know he won't ever say no to seeing you, so how about we have dinner with him one of these days?"

"Okay, Toru. That sounds good," you nodded at him in agreement, a smile finally lighting your face again. "Let me just… pack up a bit for our trip."

✦₊˚❀༉‧₊˚. ♥ ⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆

Satoru had a cabinet of his belongings in your shared apartment in Iwatsuki. He rented it out under Tokyo Jujutsu High's name when he first started caring for the Fushiguro siblings. The unit was spacious enough for two people, and if it wasn't you, he would check in with Megumi with either Nanami or Shoko.

On your first night of the impromptu trip, Satoru took it in his stride when you said you wanted to have greasy meat for dinner. When you wanted drinks, however, he started getting a little apprehensive. You knew he didn't drink much, after all. He still had one as opposed to your three beers, but he was more buzzed than you. When you arrived back at the unit and said you wanted to bathe first to get rid of the stench of smoke and barbecue on your skin, he obliged, but only because he was still trying to compose himself.

Satoru could hear his own pulse in his ears now, his senses all the more heightened as he tried to maintain a steady hold on his common sense. However, he was far too enamoured with you to even think about anything else.

And when you stepped out of the bathroom in a silk nightgown he hadn't seen you in before, your cheeks and palms still warm and balmy from the little soak you had mere moments ago, his common sense was flung out of the room.

"Toru?" You called to him with a pet name, your voice all too sweet to him right now.

"Y-Yeah?"

It was unusual to see him so nervous. He was usually very calm and sure of himself. Now that you're thinking about it, what was he so nervous about? Was it because he was tipsy? It's not like this was your first time with him.

Oh, your first time with him was less than ideal, but he promised to take good care of you and he did so.

"I drew a bath for you, too, so if you want to…"

Instincts. He was acting out of need entirely and not just mere liking. His very body was telling him so— I need to hold her. I need to, I need to, I must—

"Toru…?"

So he does, the very moment you willingly entered his slightly trembling arms and you realised that there was no infinity between you. He was seeing you just as you are, your potent beauty in its rawest and fullest form. To him, you've bewitched far too many men and women alike that he had to claim you as his own—

Mine, mine, mine. All of you—

Okay, maybe Satoru was a bit more drunk than you expected.

He dipped his head and dove in for a kiss . When you returned his kiss and embrace with just the same fervour, if not more, he realised that he could feel everything immensely— insanely.

"H-Hey, Toru, did you intentionally bring me here so w—"

He kissed you again, silencing any further thought you wanted to speak. He tenderly gripped your arms and pulled you down with him as he sank into the bed, the plush comforters so soft against your skin. Though his thoughts were a little hazy, he could tell that you were straddling him at the moment, his hands now swimming dangerously deep into the silk you wore.

"Y-You can touch me more if… if you want," your voice was more like an exhale as you felt his hands dance up to your sides. "Oh…"

Satoru's hands were warm. Too warm, in fact, that you couldn't help but think he was overheating. "Toru?…"

I need to take charge— was his first thought, so he does by gripping your waist all of a sudden, eliciting a small yelp from you. He gently takes your chin in his fingers and runs his thumb over your lips, tenderly parting them to give you an open-mouthed kiss this time.

His burning hands roam the expanse of your balmy skin underneath the silk, which you intentionally wore for this evening but did not expect to get results from so soon. His head was filled with nothing else but your scent— his scent, since you used his soap and shampoo— and your quivering voice and the softness of your skin against his own.

He lifted the nightgown off you and breathed deep as he gazed at your bare figure, steam and electricity emanating from your skin as he held you close.

"You've always been so beautiful to me," he told you, the stars in his eyes only proving his statement true. "Nothing else comes close."

His breath was warm and still smelt of the beer he begrudgingly drank earlier, but it was just the sweetest for you. "You're just as pretty, Toru…"

Satoru pressed his lips to your pulse on your neck, smattering the length with tender kisses that only grew needier as he moved lower and lower.

"…Ahh—"

And you could only lose yourself to the heat of his caress.

"There's a certain bliss in lovemaking that will make you absolutely grateful to have been born a woman," Suzuna once told you. "And when you do it with the right person…"

Your thoughts were broken when he latched his mouth onto your breast, his free hand fondling the other. There was no stopping the shiver that danced up your spine the moment he started sucking at your puckered nipples.

"Mnnn toruuu— ah! …" All your moans and words were stringed into one incoherent garble that left your lips. His mouth broke into a crooked smile as he felt your fingertips graze the silvery hair on his nape, even more when you started grinding against him and his hard on that seemed to jump out of his pants.

"No need to be so impatient, sweetheart," he murmured against your cheek before taking your hands in his, guiding them to the base of his rigid torso. "Go ahead if you can't wait any longer."

There was a twinkle of satisfaction in his eyes as blue as the day sky when you started unbuckling his belt, the sound of the metal clasp only bringing out the cheekiness of his smile even further, as though saying he's caught you right where he wanted.

So you smile right back at him, your lips twisted in pleasure as you brought out the boner from the confines of his pants and boxers and started stroking it, savouring the heady breaths that left his parted lips. You gently thumbed the bead of precum on the tip of his dick, circling it around your palm as you continued pumping your fist up and down his length.

"H-Hey, when did you get so good hgrr—" His question was punctuated with a low growl as you peppered his neck with kisses this time, nipping at his tender skin and leaving a trail of light love bites that will surely disappear when the morning comes.

You didn't stop your stroking even as you dismounted him and knelt down between his long legs. "Just relax, okay, Toru?"

But there was nothing relaxing about the way you opened your mouth to gradually receive him. The low, guttural moan that escaped his lips was unheard to you as you busied yourself with pleasuring him with your tongue and mouth, and you could tell that he was pleased by the way he placed his hand over your head and unknowingly jerked his hips forward.

This couldn't already be too much stimulation for him, right? But he was absolutely rigid in your mouth and by the looks of things, you may have a long night ahead of you.

"Ah, shit—" he cursed under his breath as he held the crown of your head in his hand. "So good…"

And you weren't just about to stop there after hearing the slightest bit of praise from him.

His hold on your head tightened as you slightly moved faster and you could feel his fingers dig into your damp hair.

How long has it been since you two last had sex, anyway? Has it been that long? Then again, you were always quick to dismiss your mothers everytime they brought up the topic of grandchildren… Suzuna wasn't slick, after all. You knew for a fact that she wanted you to produce an heir as soon as possible—

"!!"

Satoru gripped your head, a tremble in his hands as he impatiently fucked into your mouth, and there was nothing you could do but move your tongue and hold back your gagging, hot tears welling in the corner of your eyes as you tried to brush away the pain on your knees.

"Hold out your tits, sweetheart… L-Let me cum on them."

You obliged, carefully scooping your chest into your arms to hold them up to him as he pulled out his dick from your mouth and continued pumping, using your saliva as his lubricant.

"Perfect," he breathed out as he loomed over your knelt figure. " Urgh— shit…!"

His finish came in torrid drops and ropes, spilling carelessly over your breasts and dripping onto your thighs as well. On his face was a look of sheer bliss and fucked-out pleasure, but it didn't last long when he came to once again. "Wait a sec, let me grab a towel…"

It was funny seeing him walk around the room with his dick still hanging out of his pants. He rummaged through his dresser and brought out one of his white face towels, dunking it in water and wringing it out before eventually crouching down before you.

You seemed to forget that despite his strong sexual drive, he is a master of aftercare.

"Cold?" He asked as he ran you down with the damp towel, making sure he wiped your chest carefully. "Oh, seemed to have gotten some on your chin, too. Sorry…"

"It's okay, Toru…"

"Maybe I was a bit too eager," he replied with a defeated sigh. "It's been about a month or so since I last held you, after all…"

"You can still hold me," you stated with a little coy smile on your face, one that wordlessly seemed to ask him for more. "Isn't it only nine-something? Or are you already sleepy—"

Satoru seized your wrist and pulled you up from the floor, hoisting you onto his lap once again. "Not yet. Better yet, why don't I do something for you this time?"

There was a slight hint of danger and mischief in his voice as he pulled off his blindfold around his neck and gently fastened it over your eyes, robbing you of your sight in the meantime.

"Well, sweetheart? You're okay with this, right?" He asked, his warm breath tickling your ear as he whispered right into it. Every other sense was further heightened by the loss of your vision, your anticipation even more. "I'll take care of you, so long as you listen to me. Now, come on, make yourself comfortable."

He allowed you to crawl out of his arms and back into the bed, your figure sinking into the plushness of the comforters. Another surprised squeak left your lips as he placed his hands on your thighs, carefully spreading them apart so he could happily sink his mouth into you, into the warm wetness between your legs.

With your vision hindered, every other sense was on high alert, intensified, transforming your entire body into a overcharged erogenous zone.

"Ooh… W-Wait— ahh!"

You could feel him smiling between your legs, his hands reaching out for yours to lead them to his hair— his soft and silky hair— to curl your fingers into as he gladly ate you out. He gripped your thighs as he licked you, ignoring your impatient whines as he languorously and unhurriedly lapped at your folds, intending to take his sweet time tasting you.

"T-Toruuu… hnn…"

In the back of your mind was his bright blue eyes shining in the dark, the same glint of danger lighting them as he eyed your heaving chest. He dipped a slender finger knuckle-deep into your sopping pussy, his movements careful and measured so as to not hurt you.

You felt the bed shift as he positioned himself on top of you, two of his fingers now pumping and thrusting in and out of you at a pace he believed to be pleasurable for you, given the sound of your moans.

"Hhnn… Th-There— Oh!…"

"You like it there?…" He asked you, and you could tell from the sultry sound of his voice that he was nothing but pleased with how honest you were being.

And you were certain he had a shit-eating grin on his face when you jerked your hips against his hand. "Well, you're being really impatient, sweetheart…"

You had no retort for him except the sound of your yearning in the form of needy moans. "P-Please, Toru…"

Satoru couldn't hide how his lips curled to another crooked smile when he heard you pleading for him. Pleading for his—

"A-Aren't you going to f-fuck me yet?…"

The bed shifted once more and you hoped it was because he was finally getting ready to piston into you. His fingers sank into your waist and you felt yourself be lifted ever so slightly. "Satoru…?"

He angled you to receive him, his murmurs lost to you as you sensed his length running over the burning wetness of your folds. "…missed you so much…"

When he moved to remove the blindfold over your eyes, the first thing you saw was the enamoured look on his face as he rocked against you, the tip of his cock sliding against your entrance before he eventually thrust into you. He tried to build a steady pace and made sure you were as comfortable and blissed out as he was.

"Gghh— Ahh… So good! You feel so good!—"

And blissed out you were by the sound of your cries. You coiled your arms around his neck and drew him down to another open-mouthed kiss.

It's been way too long, you managed a thought as he fucked you deep into the plush comforters, the sound of your lewd moans and his pleased groans reverberating in the room. When the high collar of his jacket was flung open by his movement, a single silver thread spilled out— only it wasn't really thread, but a silver necklace carefully fastened around his lean neck. Playfully dangling over your eyes was his wedding ring, the only other pair of your very own, which you kept safe in a locked jewellery box at home.

Now isn't the time to be so sentimental, but I can't fucking help it.

Seeing him embody his commitment in his own way brought tears to your eyes.

I love him so much.

"Hey… Hey, are you okay, sweetheart?" Satoru asked as he slowed down his tempo, his voice laced with so much concern that he moved to wipe away the tears that rolled down your cheeks. "Does it hurt?"

"N-No, I… I'm okay," you replied, though he could tell that you weren't exactly okay by the way your lips quivered.

"What's the matter?"

"I'm s-sorry. I just… I really love you a lot is all…"

Satoru blinked in disbelief at your supposed reasoning. "You're not hurt anywhere, are you?"

"I-I'm not, I swear…" You stated before eventually burying your burning face in your hands. However, there was no keeping your moans to yourself when he started rocking against you again. He seized your wrists and pinned them overhead, exposing your expression that was a mixture of endless adoration and fucked-out ecstasy.

"Don't… Don't hide your face. Look at me," he rattled with his low voice, gripping your wrists in place as he started picking up his pace. "Look at me because I wanna see your pretty face while I'm fucking you senseless . "

"Ah—! T-Toruuu…!"

"I-I love you, too. You're my everything! Mine! Grh—" He growled at you, snaking his arms around your figure as he fucked you deeper and deeper into the bed. "S-Say that you're mine!"

You were seeing stars now by the way he moved against you, your skin burning against his clothes as they rustled at his every jerk.

"I'm y-yours, Satoru… I'll devote my e-entire being to you—!"

And along with the stars in your eyes came a blinding climax that caused you to cling onto him like a feeding flytrap. "Aah…~"

Your spasms made it hard for him to pull away, but he knew he had to. He knew that much even after that wave of oscillating pleasure washed over him.

"Ngh— Ah!"

He swiftly pulled out of you the moment he felt like he about to cum, spilling his scorching seed all over your stomach.

Part of you wished he finished inside you instead, but that wasn't a decision you could make on your own.

You exchanged blissful and heady breaths before he pressed a kiss to your sweaty temple and eventually sat up. He rummaged for the little towel he used on you earlier and ran it down on your abdomen, careful not to let anything spill over on his sheets.

"Toru…"

"Hm?"

"Have you ever thought of having a child with me?" You asked him as you curled to your side so that you were facing him as he sat on the edge of the bed. "A child… would bond us further forever. They would be living proof of our love."

"A kid, huh?"

Satoru didn't want to admit that it was a big ask— That kind of undertaking was meant for two people exactly, and it required a certain kind of commitment he wasn't quite ready to get into yet, despite his own age. Not only that, but the world that your child would be born in… It's not his most ideal.

"But only if you want to…" You suffixed your query with recourse for him, reaching for his free hand. "It's a tough ask, I know…"

You squeezed it, as though telling him, it's all right. Maybe not now. He wasn't so sure if fatherhood suited him, too.

"You don't have to be the best dad, if that's what you're worried about," you said with a tender smile on your face. "You'll be a good dad, I know that much."

Those simple words silenced his thoughts and filled him with courage. If it's with you, then it's worth the try.

"I think it's a lovely thought, sweetheart," he replied with the same tender smile. "I think it's perfect since I want to spend the rest of my life with you. And a littler you— or me."

— Phoenix Rising. ~ January 2017.

As the new year beckoned a new season and a new chapter, it was, unfortunately, the same old routine for you ever since you inherited leadership of your clan six years ago. After hosting the gathering from place to place, clan leaders both young and old drew close and congregated once more to the heartland of jujutsu society— to Kyoto, in the far-stretching abode of the ever-exalted Zenin Clan.

You could hardly hear your thoughts in the background as the older men made their voices heard. Across from the hall were more familiar faces to you, including the Amamiya siblings in their matching traditional attire. Risa, Ryuunosuke's younger sister, waved in your direction, to which you replied with a smile.

It was too bad you couldn't convince them to study at Jujutsu High alongside you, but you knew better than to butt in on the business of other families. The new leader of the Sakashita Clan, Yohan, sat down beside you in a bid to strike up a conversation.

"Well met, Koganei-san."

"Hello, Sakashita-san! Congratulations again on your accession. I'm looking forward to working with you in the future."

"The feeling is mutual. I'm still getting used to the change, if I'm being honest. You and I are around the same age, but you inherited much earlier," the young man in his royal blue haori stated. "You don't suppose an old timer like you would have some tips for me?"

"Start going through documents being forwarded to you every day. Don't miss out on one and don't let them pile up. Always stay on top of your clan's day to day activities… Oh."

You were startled by the way another person bumped into you even though you were seated. There was another man right behind you, sitting a little bit too close to you that even Yohan was alarmed.

"I'm sorry, but can you move? You're a little too close," you stated as you turned to face him. It was Yorihise, the heir-apparent of the Sasoriza Clan. You recalled receiving a lot of flak from his family after Suzuna rejected even the idea of a proposal from them, calling them a power-hungry clan of inconsequential influence. She also disliked how the boy circled around you and Chiemi when you were younger and how he got so worked up when Kazuya told him to back off.

"I didn't hear you complaining when Sakashita sat down beside you, Koganei."

"Sakashita-san is seated a respectful distance away from me," you pointed out. "Didn't you know that if your elbows touch with another person, you're already too close to them? Or did your family not teach you that?"

"Man, you've always been so uppity, even from before," Yorihise chuckled. "You and your family still think you're better than everyone else."

"Move, Sasoriza," Yohan started. "Koganei-san already asked you."

"It's not like I'm all over her. What the hell is your problem, Koganei?"

"My problem is if you actually wanted to talk to me like a decent human being, you'd know how to wait your turn," you stated. "You just want to get a rise out of me by acting so immature—"

"What the— hey! You—"

Yorihise was unceremoniously pulled up from his seat by the collar of his maroon haori. "The lady said move, didn't she?"

You were surprised to see the heir to the Zenin Clan come to your rescue. Naoya tossed aside Yorihise like he was just a stray kitten causing trouble.

"Naoya!" You rose to your feet with a little smile on your face. "Have you been well?"

"Otome," the heir greeted back. "I have, thank you. I can see that you are as well. I must apologise for the behaviour of others heirs—"

Your eyes widened as you saw a flash of maroon lunge at him. "Watch out, Naoya!"

It was Yorihise's mistake picking a fight with the heir of the Zenin Clan, who was well-known for his extreme speed. Naoya simply did a sidestep and watched the attacker fumble on his feet.

Ugh. You couldn't help but groan to yourself. Why does this shit keep on happening to me?

You were certain by now that the audience hall had their attention on your group. From your peripheral vision, you saw the Amamiya siblings rise from their seats to approach you, similar looks of concern on their faces. Ryuunosuke was quick to shield his sister as Yorihise rose from his fall.

No. I need to remember that I'm not just here for me. Most importantly, I'm here for the Koganei. Never mind what this insect has to say—

And yet his outburst was something you couldn't possibly tune out. "You even got the Zenin brat looking out for you, huh? Wasn't it enough that you married Gojo Satoru and became his woman? Just how good are you at whatever twisted womanly magic you do that you've got them so wrapped around your little finger?! You must be good at what you do to—"

You stood there in complete silence, contemplating his insinuations, until something inside you snapped. "Is that all I really am? Some kind of trophy wife? Or are you saying I'm some kind of wanton woman? It doesn't matter who I marry, does it? It's always going to be like this."

"Otome—"

You walked past Naoya, who called out your name after recognising that look in your eyes.

"Wh-What the hell are you doing?" Yorihise said as you made your approach. Something in your presence sent warning bells ringing in his ears. "Stay the fuck away from me."

"Didn't I ask you that nicely first?" You stated, grabbing him by the collar of his haori. From the looks of things, no one could possibly stop your rampage. "What the fuck is your problem, Sasoriza? You think I'm not used to this kind of bullshit? Men like you are a dime a dozen in our society."

It was an aura that made even those uninvolved in the conversation tremble in trepidation, so much that it brought Yorihise to his knees without you even trying to move him.

"Did you seriously think I spent all my childhood under okaa-sama's tutelage and all those years learning in Tokyo Jujutsu High just to be known as the Bride of the Six Eyes? Just to be called Gojo Satoru's wife? To be honest, that's quite the honour itself, but that's not all I am," you seethed at him, your voice as cold as venom. "You will learn my name in reverence. You'll never know when you'll need my family's help, after all."

Mirroring Naoya's movements from earlier, you unceremoniously dropped his collar in your clenched hands and stormed out of the hall, closely followed by your peers who came to your side. Fortunately, the more elderly clan leaders thought it best to stay out of your affairs and carried on with their own discussions without so much of a worry about what just happened.

However, once outside the hall, you were panicking in your steps. "Okaa-sama is going to kill me if she hears about this."

"Uh, hello? Did you forget that you're the leader of the Koganei Clan now, Otome-chan? " Risa stated with a laugh. "Honestly, though! Why do so many weird things happen to you during clan leader assemblies?"

"Beats me," you replied with a sigh, raising a hand to your forehead.

"It's like you're some kind of magnet," she stated, concealing her smile in the sleeve of her cherry blossom pink kimono. "Ryuu onii-sama was worried you'd punch someone again."

"The heir striker strikes again," Ryuunosuke chuckled. "But it's good you got a grasp of your emotions back there, Otome-chan. I think the elders would have noticed a scuffle break out."

"Tell me about it," you replied. "You can't even ask a guy to move away from you without offending him!"

"That's just Sasoriza, Koganei-san. Everyone else here knows how to respect other people's boundaries," Yohan stated. "Then again, he's always been a little… strange."

"And for what it's worth, you've always been so cool, Otome-chan," Risa said as she linked her arm with yours. "Your time at Jujutsu High must have taught you that, huh?"

"I guess?" You replied to her, hanging your head in defeat as you clung onto the other woman for comfort. "At least you think I'm cool, Risa-chan."

"Even cooler than onii-sama," she giggled, to which Ryuunosuke replied with a shake of his head.

"Otome."

Risa and the rest of your peers were quick to straighten themselves out when Naoya approached your group in the hallway, bowing before the host in respect. His slender but strong stature commanded the attention of just about everyone even though he only had his eyes on you.

"Naoya! Thank you so much for earlier. A-And my apologies as well… for the hassle," you bowed down before him, only for him to make you raise your head.

"No need to thank me. He was causing a ruckus and I was simply keeping the peace and sanctity of this gathering," Naoya started. "Though I must know why your husband insists on sending you to this meeting by yourself."

Your peers excused themselves from the conversation and made their way back to the grand audience hall, though Risa watched you from over her shoulder with a rather concerned look on her face before eventually linked arms with her older brother this time.

"Satoru does his own thing, same as how I do mine. I've been doing this even before we got married and things are pretty much the same," you said with a shrug before eventually clasping your hands together. "I'm used to the vocal disrespect and the narrowed eyes, but having my own personal space disrespected is just…"

"I understand," Naoya stated. If you were being honest, you were surprised he even stepped in and came to your aid earlier. He did not attend your wedding with Satoru some years back and only sent a simple present in his stead— the same delectable Royce' Nama Chocolates you became so infatuated with after having first received them as an apology.

You knew for a fact that Naoya didn't want to come off as a sore loser back then and did his best to be cordial. You knew that you were his first love— and he probably would have been yours, in another life, but you weren't entirely sure about that, either, given his rather unlikeable nature only you were able to look over.

Part of you also knew that the Zenin Clan held a grudge against you for "leading him on", for giving him false hope, for breaking his heart. But that was years ago and you had nothing to do anymore with Naoya still being unmarried as of today. Suzuna made sure to turn down his proposal with utmost respect, though there really was nothing that could soften the blow of a rejection.

"Things certainly wouldn't be like this if you were my wife instead," he remarked. "No one would even dare disrespect you in your own home if that were the case."

"Men who don't respect women when their husbands aren't around— or men who don't respect women in general— are just the most pitiful little thing to me. Who hurt them so much that they would resort to that kind of behaviour?" You replied to him, suddenly feeling a weight on your shoulders as you straightened yourself into your crimson kimono.

You remembered the exact reason why the two of you would never work out.

"Naoya… Wouldn't you prefer your wife to be a respectable person in her own right rather than just being an extension of your own self?"

"If I'm being honest, I would prefer my wife to remain by my side at all times. And if you were mine, I'd do well to remind you that sorcery and the battlefield is no place for—"

"A woman," you finished his sentence, nodding as you came to the realisation that your life with him would be entirely different to the one you have with Satoru now. "Yes, I think I understand."

For if you had accepted his proposal instead, Naoya would be nothing but happy keeping you in a gilded cage like a teetering little songbird. He would be sure you were busy with more womanly pursuits that would benefit his family further, like birthing heirs—

"It's a good thing, then, that we did not marry. You would have such a hard time reining me in, given my inclination to take part and assist in missions assigned by the headquarters. I wouldn't really be your ideal wife," you stated, eventually raising your eyes to meet his sharp gaze. "It seems we truly aren't a good match, Naoya-sama."

Whereas Satoru… wanted nothing more than for you to continue spreading your wings like the phoenix that you were.

Satoru never saw you as an object or his possession. He always looked at you like you were the sun itself.

And no fool would try to hide the sun for himself when her very existence helps all.

Author's notes: Hello! ♡ And thank you for picking up the fourth chapter of Asleep Among Endives. The interlude wasn't part of the initial outline and only came about when I realised that I wanted to write something about the more quiet years, ergo the time before the main events of the series. It's slice of life and adulthood colliding, especially since it spans years after Gojo's graduation and your secret wedding, as well as him meeting Yuuta even before the events of JJK0. — I will admit that the recent events in the manga derailed me from writing this chapter. I fell off my tracks and lost so much of my momentum that I even started working on other pieces in the meantime. — I did not write the wedding piece anymore because… I think with the way I handled Gojo and yn's relationship in the last three chapters, there really was no other way forward for you two but marriage. I opted to do it behind the scenes instead and wrote in another wedding— — This won't be the last time I write about Nanami and Chi, too. ♡ Her arc was very entertaining to write and I think I might just build up another story from that. ♡ — I totally stole that I will stand with you between the heavens and the earth line from Queen Charlotte, just modified it a little. — This is my first time to actually write very detailed smut for Gojo! And I'm going to be honest - it's gonna be a while until I write something so smutty again lol. It's very vanilla, I know! I can't do the whole dominant thing since it's not really my forte… But who knows?! I might actually dabble into that? Or maybe not lol I enjoy reading those more than writing… Even though I wanted to rip off most of my hair because I wanted to get the feel right, I had a delightful time writing that scene! I hope you adore it as well. ♡ — Just adding my reply to one of the comments I received about mature scenes in the fic - "I think it's part of the natural progression of Gojo and yn's relationship, but I won't make it mandatory to read. So while I also think helps build their relationship, it doesn't really take away much from their dynamic if people choose not to read it." Despite the recent happenings in the manga, I am still very much looking forward to the whole story's conclusion— and tying the last chapter into it as well. There are so many theories flying around about Gojo's revival but I'm not exactly keeping my hopes up… too much lol. I am also stating here as well that I have no fixed updates for this story. I'm writing when I can and chasing inspiration whenever possible. ♡ I greatly appreciate all of you taking the time to comment your thoughts on the story so far. This is a work in progress, one which I am very happy to be writing! You can get in touch with me on Twitter or Tumblr @SongsOfAdelaide if you wanna drop me a line or something! Much love! ~ Mari / SongsOfAdelaide ♡

✦ Asleep Among Endives Masterlist ✦

#songsofadelaidewrites💛#reader insert #jujutsu kaisen #jjk #jujutsu kaisen x reader #jujutsu kaisen x you #jjk x reader #jjk x y/n #jjk x you #gojo satoru #gojo satoru x reader #gojo satoru x y/n #gojo satoru x you

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whatever-fanfics · 5 months

Text

Hang on Me

~~~

Ikemen Vampire

Dazai Osamu x Reader, pt 1

A/n: First part of the Stalker series, also I am NOT fluent in Japanese at all, I apologize as there are most likely many mistakes in translations of informal/formal speech and so on, I mostly used google translate and other websites. But expect there to be mistakes. Additionally, I don't know if Dazai has a pen name in the events of the his route so I just didn't give him one directly. I also don't remember the editor having a name so I also gave him a random name.

Tw: Contains depression, stalking, destruction of property, threats

Translations:

Dazai: Ohayo/ Morning (informal)

Sebastian: Ohayo Gozaimas/ Good morning (formal)

Y/n: Ohayo/ morning (informal)

Sebastian: Matte/wait (informal)

Dazai: gochisosama, itte kimasu/ thank you for the meal, I'm leaving (informal, formal)

Y/n: Deeto/ Date (informal(?))

Dazai: nande/ why (informal)

Y/n: iya-dōiu imidesu ka? Shuji-kun?/ no,what do you mean? Shuji-kun (formal)

Dazai: Dou shita no?/ What's wrong? (informal(?))

Y/n: kiete shimatta, kako ni wa inai!/ It's gone, it's not here! (informal(?))

Theo: dwass/ fool

Theo: Verdomme/ Dammit

~~~

Dazai's blissful slumber crudely comes to an end as the suns glare unwelcomingly attaches itself to his face. As his face scrunches in brief discomfort, he opens his eyes and his gaze travels downwards to what, or rather who, should be occupying the space next to him, his sleeping lover. His discomfort from the sun intensifies as he opens his eyes to see that you were not in his arms. A shiver racks his body, he'd left the window open and the winter months have not been kind.

As he shielded his face a groan escapes his lips when he decides to haul himself up and look around the room for you, a pout rests on his face and he sighs as you are nowhere in his peripheral vision. Dazai knows there are only two options as to where his beloved is.

Quickly changing from his yukata into his daily kimono, he sets out to your room.

You weren't in your room Dazai crossed off one place from his mental list and quickly made his way to the kitchen in search of you.

~~~

Upon nearing the kitchen he heard Sebastians most recent scolding. "...honestly" the butler sighed more in concern than in irritation or anger.

"Ohayo~" a light smile graced Dazai's face as he made himself known. Upon taking in your latest creations "oh my, Toshiko-san, you've truly outdone yourself a true pâtissier" Dazai says as he picks up a piece of cut bread, 'mm banana' he thinks as he chews it. "Ohayo gozaimas Dazai-sensei" Sebastian greets, "Ohayo" you say rising from your apologetic bow. Dazai hides his frown as he takes in your appearance, disheveled sleeping attire, hair partially rusted, most likely from the little sleep you were able to get, eye bags darker than they were before, you could almost confuse them for a make up look.

"I'll go out and get more now" at your words Dazai's attention was gathered, "matte, at least wait until after breakfast" Sebastian pleaded. You nodded and started gathering the many pans and platters filled with pastries and cookies, etc.

As both men watched you exit the kitchen "Dazai-sensei..." Sebastian knew he didn't need to make his concerns vocal, but he knew you weren't well. He could see it, they all could. "Mm" Dazai agreed, his smile vanishing, while he was concerned for his lover he trusted that you would come to him, if and when you needed him, which you do. He was aware of your 'coping mechanisms' as you put it, it was healthy and yummy, in his opinion, but he knew that wasn't enough sometimes. After all you were approaching the one year mark of your saying good-bye to your home...and your time.

Putting the last of breakfast on the table as everyone, almost everyone, sorry Napoleon, trickled in. You took a seat, still in your pajamas, as opposed to everyone who were dressed for the day. "Hondje" you looked up from your plate. "Yes?" you answered, "do you need more training or did you actually forget your brains this morning" Theo confidently asked, he was worried. "Huh? Oh, no, I just didn't want my clothes to smell like food for when I go out later so.." you trailed off. You wanted to get an early start on the groceries, to make it up for Sebastian for using most of the baking ingredients for tomorrows breakfast. "Is anybody else finished?" you ask, multiple heads turn to look at you.

"You're done already?" Isaac asks, making a rare appearance at breakfast. "Ah, I'm not really that hungry, kept snacking while I was baking" you say as a matter of factly, you smile at the rest of them and take your plate to the kitchen.

Dazai decided, this was his time to act, "gochisosama, itte kimasu" he said as he followed you in pursuit.

"Shuji-san" you called him as you turned on the tap "you're not going to eat more?" you wonder if the food was to his liking, he usually likes the food, seeing as it is usually a traditional Japanese breakfast, but you made it like you always do, so maybe you did something wrong? "Mm-mm" he dissuaded your worries, "I've got and early meeting with my editor, after that I am mostly free. I thought we could get the groceries together and after..." he trailed off.

"Deeto!" a brilliant smile lit up your face in turn let up his and he nodded in affirmation.

Finishing up the dishes you animatedly told your boyfriend to wait for you by the stairs as you briskly walked to the doorway, then hiking it up to your room to change and fix your-everything.

~~~

You held a bit of breath as Shuji helped you down from the carriage. Still not used to balancing your weight on such a small step.

"This meeting shouldn't take long" he said hoping it would ease you, you nodded not worried at all. Happy wherever and whenever you were with him.

"You made it" Dazai's editor stood from the booth, as he greeted you both. After shaking Dazai's hand he took yours, you gave a slight bow more out of habit than anything else. He clumsily returned your slight bow as best he could, not wanting to be rude. He only stopped when you gave him one of your kind smiles.

Ever the gentleman Shuji let you sit first while he and his editor, Auguste, got their greetings out of the way and settled down into the booth to discuss Dazai's newest short story. As you waited for their meeting to end you pulled out your latest re-read, 'The Call of Cthulhu', H.P. Lovecraft. Though you knew to be careful, this book wouldn't be written for almost, another twenty years. You had carefully folded a cover over the book, a simple Lovecraft written on top.

As the meeting came to an end barely an hour later, Auguste took notice of your book. "Love..Cra..ft" he announced, gathering yours and your lovers attention. "English?" he questioned, you nodded, "I have to say I've never heard of them" he looked up at you, eyes shining with childlike curiosity.

"Ahh, he is..rather unknown..mostly known in Japan. Not very popular here" you chose your words very carefully. "Really, well you should introduce him to me then!" You and Shuji gently laughed as Auguste playfully boasted about his profession and skill. As you three stood up to say your goodbye's and leave.

"Monsieur, would you like me to pack this to go?" the waitress asked the elderly man sitting at the counter. His eyes which were so glazed over only moments before they sprang to life once more, "No!" he hollered moving fast enough that his hand had gotten caught on the edge of the cake, sending it toppling over, plate and all. Making a rather loud crash, as the plate broke in three and the cake landed smack onto the floor. Gathering the attention of many in the cafe, including your boyfriend, yourself, and the seniors son.

"Papa!" Auguste turned to the scene. "Please accept my apologies. I'll pay for the plate of course. Papa are you alright" you and Shuji watched in silence, while most of the cafe patrons went back to their own business. "If it's not too much trouble, can we have two cakes to go?" He asked the waitress as went to get something to clean up the mess only bending down to help once he received an affirmative nod. Your heart cracked as you saw his expression, grief and sadness written all over him "She was going to take it away, how will she know we're waiting for her if there's no cake. She loves cake" he accentuated his point with his hands and body. You could tell by what seemed like gibberish to most were the signs of something much more painful.

"I know papa..." you didn't need to see his face to know Auguste had a painful expression on him. One that you and Shuji wore often. "Please excuse me" he briefly excused himself to Dazai before fussing over his father and trying to get him to calm down.

As Auguste's father was calming down he turned his head to the side, where the glass window was and locked eyes with you. "Anne!" you could have sworn you saw tears in his eyes "Anne!" the elderly man eagerly made his way towards you, a look of fatherly love evident on his face, only now did you take in the rest of his appearance. Well dressed for a person of upper middle class, though the type of coat he's wearing was generally something you'd seen on a younger sort of man. "Anne where have you been, your brother and I have been waiting for hours! You didn't go off with that Beaudet boy did you? He's not as kind as he seems." You watched him go off in a fatherly rant, that seemed familiar in a way. You didn't pull away as he took hold of your hands and engulfed them in his own gaunt and thin hands, holding strong and firm the opposite of how he was perceived. "Would you like to sit down" you offered a kind smile gracing your features.

Dazai was unsure of what to do.

The older man did as you asked but kept his hands on your own regardless.

"Papa..." his son looked at his father a deep sense of sadness in his eyes.

"Why don't you go on to your next appointment and I'll see you later" you ended in a question so as to give him control, just like a daughter would with her father. "Ohh.." he trailed off seriously thinking it over "al-alright we'll see you at home, come Auguste say goodbye to your sister. I'll wait for you by the entrance" he said not looking back once.

You all watched him walk off in the direction of the entrance of the cafe, muttering to himself, but more calm than he was moments ago.

"Are you alright" your beloved asked you, worried of you'd been shaken up at all. "I'm alright" you eased his worries.

"I'm sorry about him, it's..it's gotten worse these days..he was confused because your stature and features well, they remind him of my sister, Anne. She has long since passed" you gave your condolences and shook your head in understanding. "I went through something similar like this with my grandfather, in my experience it's best not to try a break them out of it." you recounted. "Hm, yes that's what the doctor has been telling us as well" Auguste explained. You both saw how he didn't want to go much farther into it, so you decided to say your goodbye's and quickly took your leave.

~~~

"I think we can make it to the supermarket on foot from here" you leaned outwards on the curb than on the sidewalk, looking out as far as you could while trying to balance your lower half on the curb and your upper half trying to catch sight of the grocery store. Shuji kept his arm around your waist, firmly, as you leaned out further, "be careful" he reminded you, you mindlessly agreed and set yourself straight again. "Okay, I think I see it from here" you say, matter of factly, when you didn't get an answer you turned to your lover to find him staring off into space. "Shuji-san" he looked down to you as he felt your hand softly caress his cheek, your expression tightening with worry. His hand easily encompassed your own as he met your worry with his own gentle smile.

As you two started to walk he asked "Y/n, is it common there? That people are aware, and know what to do with elders who aren't well?" As you walked together through the semi crowded sidewalk Dazai took hold of your bag so you could hold hands, you were always more comfortable with affection than he was. Though, you trusted he would tell you if he was uncomfortable with anything. "Hm, of you mean back at the cafe right?" you asked, to which he nodded. "Not really, in my case it was because I was exposed to it so much. But unless you work in that sort of field or you or someone you know are affected by it, not many people know how to act." you finish. "it was like that before too" you were surprised by his answer, not by what he said, but because Dazai doesn't talk about his past very often.

"I think I heard about a Love-uh Craft-eh, when I was young" Dazai admits changing the topic quickly, "really?" while you knew they operated around the same time period you didn't think he would be big or even available in Japan at that time. "Ah" he confirmed, "do you like him" you hear a tinge of jealousy in his voice, swallowing your humor you answer. "As a writer, sort of...yeah" you shake your hand to and fro to accentuate. "As a person absolutely not" the matter of fact tone in your voice makes Dazai press further, "oh? Why is that" he turns to you. "Well" you start "it doesn't help that he was a raging white supremacist" you finish, "hm?" oh, 'that term might not be in use yet', "he was really really racist." you explain, "ahh" you saw him nod in understanding.

"After we're done maybe we should visit the children in the park?" he proposed, changing the subject. "Mmm, maybe, though they might not be there, it's getting colder now" you answer, winter was getting closer and it was getting dark earlier as well. You thank him as he holds door open for you, "do you wanna split up or do you want to get everything together" as if you even have to ask, he smiles at you. You converse as you gather the essentials flour, sugar, yeast, etc.

You were almost done with the list, you and Dazai split up to get the last two ingredients. Unfortunately for you, the sugar you needed was on the top shelf. Your face turns red from frustration as you try and fail to grasp the item. An angry pout settles on your face, as you drop your feet evenly back to the ground. Taking a deep breath, you reach up again, this time your fingers grasp it wobbling it back instead of forward. you squint in concentration.

You feel a hand on your shoulder, pushing your weight back down. They go for the item, reaching farther than you could. Your brief surprise dissipates as you realize who it is from their side profile. "François!" your surprised voice reaches his ears. The young man s boyish smile accentuated by the light outside. "Thank you" he sheepishly waved you off, his smile softening for you. "How was your day" he asks "oh, it was good, my boyfriend's taking me out after this" You replied unable to hide your blush at the mention of your lover, though you were surprised by his question, even so you shouldn't have been considering he almost always asks how you are.

"Hello" the way Dazai lowers himself to your ear to whisper softly to you has you scarlet red. "Dazai!" Neither man miss the way your face brightens when you notice his presence. "François" you motion to the young boy, "Dazai" you motion to your love. "Dazai Osamu" Shuji said cooly, offering his hand, he saw the way François looks at you.

Shuji looks at you the same way.

"Ah, François Beauvais" he hastily shook Dazai's hand as he introduced himself, Dazai's eyes narrowed ever so slightly as he felt François' grip squeeze. A sensation he returned, his Cheshire smile widening by a fraction.

Sensing the tension you put your hand on Dazai's arm and asked "did you find it alright", as the sound of your gentle voice serenaded his ears, Dazai's tense expression lifted as his eyes met your own.

'You are the Euridyce to my Orpheus', Dazai thought as stars were held in his eyes.

An uncomfortable cough breaks you two out of your reverie. "Please pardon us" your sheepish answer only makes Dazai inwardly swoon more, you're so cute when you're flustered. "Did you find it alright" you repeat, to which he replies "yes, are you ready" as you nodded Dazai got ready to depart.

"Are you ready to pay, I can go with you to the register that way you won't have to wait in the line" the young man rushed out. Jealousy dripped down into Shuji's stomach, a silent breath made its way out his mouth. "Are you sure that's alright, won't you get in trouble?" Your worried expression matched the tightness in your chest. Dazai nodded in agreement wondering the same thing.

"Don't worry just don't tell anyone" François playfully winked at you as he held his finger to his lips. Shuji doesn't like him, "that's alright, I don't want you to get in trouble" you decidedly announced, "hm?" the young man voiced his confusion, not expecting your rejection. "Thank you for your assistance" Shuji abruptly ended the interaction. As he took the woven basket, provided by the store, in one arm placing the item he'd gotten in alongside the rest and took hold of your arm in a gentle yet firm grip, making his way toward the cashier.

You fell into step with him as you both heard the owner call out "François! Get moving!".

As you two made your way to the front to pay, your eyes met François' once more, a quick flat smile made it's way onto your face as you waited for him to finish bagging your items and for Dazai to finish paying the cashier. "Thank you" you bowed slightly, he waved you off, "it's nothing, this is my job".

You and Shuji walked out of the store hand in hand as he held the bag in his other hand.

"You wanted to go to the-" "Ggrrrrrr..." your blush more apparent then Isaac's bright hair. "Hey!" a chuckle Shuji failed to hide made it so much worse, you looked like you were ready to cry. "Ahh, I can't help it when my beautiful dove makes such noises" he confessed as his laugh died down. "You keep saying stuff like that people are going to get the wrong idea" you mutter an out evident on your lips as you look away in embarrassment.

~~~

You leaned back as a waiter brought your sweets and tea over, you both thanked him quietly. You don't think you'll be able to see the children today, looking at Shuji noticed the forlorn look upon your lovers face, "what's wrong" your worried tone reached him. "Y/n, are you unhappy" his grave tone and matching expression put you off guard "eh?" small, curt and full of confusion "iya-dōiu imidesu ka? Shuji-kun?" being completely unprepared by such a confrontation, it felt like your defenses and walls were being pulled apart. Like you were put bare for the world to see, you wanted it to stop, but you knew you couldn't do that. Not to him. "Is this about from this morning" you continued switching back to French, gathering enough of your bearings to switch languages.

"Mm" he confirmed, "are you unhappy here...with me" he added the last part quietly casting his head down in fear, maybe it's not that you don't want to be with him maybe it's that you don't want to be awa-"No" he looked up your eyes full of resolve. Sure and as unwavering as the glaring sun. "No I am not unhappy here nor am I unhappy with you" you repeat, "if this is about this morning, I just..get tired sometimes and...that's just my way of dealing with things, I have other ways but not many that I feel secure doing..here anyways" your confident look washed and faded away as you answered him.

"If that's what it is then why don't you come to me about this, that's what we're here for" you know what he means. Not the others not Le Comte, not Napoleon, not Leonardo, him, just him. "There are so many reasons as to why I don't talk about this to people, but one of the most common reasons is because..." he waited for you to continue as a lump formed in his throat from anticipation? Anxiety? Fear? Still he kept quiet as you found the words.

"I tried that before-before I met you that is..." your voice trailed off, your hands fiddled with one another your gaze downcast in anxiousness. "'Stop being lazy', 'we all have problems', 'you have too much time on your hand you just need to exercise'... I've told people close to me about this before and they always told me stuff like that, eventually...I just..stopped" your confessions tore a crack in his heart. How can someone, anyone, say this to you. You who are so kind, so amazing, so beautifully you.

"When I decided to tell them that what they said wasn't helpful..." he waited in silence as you tried to find the proper words "they would just stop...in-in a way...when I got more comfortable telling them that I wasn't..okay. They would always get this despondent, sorrowful look their face and that felt worse then being pitied...because I knew that they didn't know how to help me. And I don't want to make anyone feel like that, least not-especially not you. You are my happiness, how could I do that to you"

"I'm sorry" you bowed, you didn't mean to hurt him. "I'm-I'm not angry, I'm worried, I don''t want to lose you. I want to be someone you rely on" you look up at him your gaze filled with pure adoration, love and affection swirl in your heart. Your eyes water as you nod.

As you begin to eat he tells you about some of his ideas for his next stories. Never once missing how your face softens every time as you converse back and forth.

~~~

An irritated breath left your lips as you hastily emptied your bag and its contents onto the desk.

You two had gotten back barely an hour ago, you were supposed to meet him in la thermae, but when you began to empty your bag from the day you noticed, it wasn't there. The knot in your chest getting bigger and bigger.

"Dou shita no?" you were so worried about your missing item, Shuji's voice and the light from the hall surprised you. "The book, the one I had with me today, kiete shimatta, kako ni wa inai!" you cried in fear and self blame. He put a comforting hand on your shoulder, a sigh of defeat exits from you "perhaps Auguste has it? If not we could go looking for it tomorrow" he began listing off the numerous places it could be. "I can't tomorrow I promised to help Theo with prepare for the upcoming gallery" you whined in exhaustion and defeat. "Still, if it turns up it'll most likely end up at Theo-kuns office" he reminded you.

You'd forgotten, you asked Theo if it was alright to write his office address on the inside of your books incase any of them ever got lost. Since the mansion can be hard to find with it being deep in the woods. He'd said it was alright as long as you help him out from time to time.

It was getting late, while you were anxious about your missing book you were also worried about bothering everyone who were all most likely starting to get ready for bed.

~~~

While you found it hard to fall asleep completely beside yourself with worry. What if someone finds it and it and you end up ruining the future? But with Shuji soothingly rubbing circles on your back as you clung to his yukata, your mind going in circles from anxiousness.

While the thought of baking again did seem appealing you knew that Sebastian wouldn't have enough of the ingredients he would need for tomorrow's breakfast. Also you have not had a full nights sleep in almost 48 hours.

The lack of sleep did outweigh your anxiety eventually, you and Shuji fell asleep intertwined with one another.

~~~

"Ready" Theo turned to you checking his pocket watch, one of his treasured gifts from Vincent. Yawning you nodded in response while covering your mouth, he looked at you eyebrow raised in slight concern, to you it came off as offense "sorry, I didn't get much sleep yesterday" you answer sheepishly. "I don't need to know your night activities hondje" he teases turning away so you won't see his face. "What? No! I lost one of my books so I was worried about how to find it, I have the address of your office written down but still" he turned back around at the sound of your worried voice reached his ears. "Tucking your tail between your legs isn't going to solve anything, it should turn up sooner or later, I'll have some of the others keep an eye out at the office incase someone comes in" he told you as he tussled your hair.

"Thank you" your worry mostly easing over at the moment, you bow slightly in thanks. "Tch, you don't need to thank me, let's go hondje" he tells you as he starts walking back not looking back once. You wordlessly follow him jogging up to match his pace.

Dazai smiles at you as he watches silently behind the stairs railings.

~~~

A little while after you'd reached the gallery Theo noticed that some of the papers he'd needed weren't with him. You offered to help him look for them.

"Did you find them?" He hollered from across the room. It was mostly just you and a couple of Theo's employees. Most of which were moving the paintings around. The others were helping to look of rhte papers, "No" you called out definitively. "Is it possible you left it back at the office?" You turned back to look at him walking over, "If not maybe they're still at the mansion" your voice quieter not only so no one else would hear you but also because Theo was right in front of you.

He nodded in agreement "Verdomme!!!" He exclaimed, you quickly leaned back and away from him as he quickly breathed out through his nostrils to calm himself down. "Sorry, sorry" he apologized and took a few more calming breaths, "lets's-let's look again" he decided pinching around his eyes in frustration.

"We've searched three times" you reasoned. "Look, if it's not here then it's at the office. If it's not at the office then it's in your room. Documents don't just disappear like that, they have to be somewhere" you really hope you're right.

"You're right, let's head to the office and search there if not then I'll head back and you and one of the others can hold down until I get back." Theo decided, you nodded in agreement and you two swiftly made your way to his office in town. Luckily it wasn't far from the gallery.

~~~

"You start by the door, I'll start by the-" "Theodore!" you both turned to the voice that cut Theo off, it was the owner of the gallery. "Go on ahead I'll meet you inside" he told you while handing you the key, which you accepted.

You locked eyes with the other person who was staying at the office that day, the acknowledged you and went back to their cigarette.

Opening the door your gaze was immediately drawn to the papers on the floor.

"Wha...!!!" your train of thought was cut off by the sight in front of you.

~~~

"Theodore, I'm not so sure about-" "AAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!"

The two turned immediately at the high pitched shriek of terror. And before the owner could ask, he saw Theo darting towards the door and up the stairs.

It was you

"HONDJE!!! WHAT-!!!" he froze at the sight in front of him. Upon entering the room a foul familiar smell of iron intruded his nostrils. Covering his nose and mouth with his arm, he reached down to help you off the floor where you fell. "We-we need to...we need to call the constable"

~~~

Tag list: @loverofmanyrandomthings

A/n: I am so sorry this took so long. 😓

Please interact and tell me what you think, I would like to know what I should improve on.

#ikemen vampire #ikevamp #ikemen vampire dazai #ikevamp dazai #ikemen vampire Dazai x reader #Dazai osamu #ikemen vampire isaac #ikemen vampire sebastian #ikemen vampire theo #ikemen vampire mc #ikemen vampire x reader #stalker series

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