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thehighpriestess1 · 1 year

Text

August : 10

Summary : Fate plays a cruel joke on Gojo Satoru. A new woman in his life gives him hope for love.

Pairing : Gojo x oc, Gojo x y/n

Genre : angst

Word count : 10k+

Warning : angst. Mention of killing and guns.

Masterlist : Previous

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Gojo hummed to himself as he stirred the pasta in the pan. It was date night and you had decided on staying in. Gojo didn’t mind. He enjoyed the intimacy of at-home dates. After everything the two of you had gone through, Gojo just couldn’t get enough of his time with you.

“Y/n! Dinner’s ready!”. He called out for you and turned off the stove. He took out two cerulean ceramic plates and poured the pasta in each one. He hummed in satisfaction as he added his finishing touches to the dish. He carried the plates over to the dining table and placed them carefully. Two glasses of red wine. Two glasses of water. One candle and One bouquet of lilies.

“Y/n! Dinner-”. Gojo was about to call out again but stopped and smiled to himself when he saw you walk in the dining room in your pretty blue dress. “You look beautiful”. Gojo said, standing at his side of the table.

You smiled and took your seat opposite to his’. Gojo sat down and took a sip of his wine. “Let me warn you love, you are going to fall for me again after you eat that pasta”. Gojo chuckled and twirled his fork in the orange dish.

“Don’t go. Not today. Please”. Your sweet voice rang in his ear.

Gojo froze in his seat. “What are you talking about? I’m not going anywhere”. He mumbled. Tears blurred his vision and he wiped them with the back of his hand and continued to twirl his fork. He looked up at you, sitting still, your food untouched, wine untouched, glass of water untouched. You smiled at him, your sweet smile that could calm down the strongest of storms. “Don’t go. Not today. Please”. You didn’t open your mouth and yet Gojo could hear you.

“Y/n…”.

“Don’t go. Not today. Please”

“You’re not here, are you?”. Gojo asked, stiff in his seat with a sad smile on his face. You shook your head. You reached for his hand across the table and Gojo saw the missing ring on your finger. Gojo gulped painfully, he didn’t feel your touch and yet he knew how it felt. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry”. He mumbled more to himself than to you. “I…”. He gasped for breath. “I love you.. You know that right?”.

You nodded your head.

Gojo threw his head back and closed his eyes. The pain in his chest spread to the rest of his body. He sobbed until he struggled to breath. He was too afraid of opening his eyes, too afraid that when he would open his eyes you wouldn’t be here and he would be back in the world without you.

“I shouldn’t have left that day! God y/n I’m so sorry! I shouldn’t have left you!”. He yelled and scrunched his eyes shut until it hurt but he didn’t open them.

“Master Gojo”.

Gojo could hear someone calling him out. He felt dizzy and spaced out.

“Master Gojo, are you alright?”.

Gojo could feel someone shaking him. He opened his slowly and immediately closed them when the harsh morning light shone bright on his face. He let out a shaky breath and straightened up painfully. His back hurt, his throat hurt, his body hurt.

“Jerry?”. He croaked.

“Yes. Sir. Are you okay?”.

Gojo sat back up straight with a scrunched up face and realized he had fallen asleep at the table. The first thing he did was not to look at Jerry or even acknowledge him, he looked at the chair across the table, empty. The wine glass untouched. The food, cold and just as Gojo had presented it. He turned towards Jerry and sighed, his shoulders slumped.

But Jerry knew. He had been Gojo’s butler for the last 8 years and had painfully noticed the change in his master in the last four months. Whatever it was that happened, changed Gojo forever. Though he didn’t know how to help, he was going to stay by his side.

“Sir, let’s get you to bed”. Jerry took a step around the chair to help Gojo stand up but Gojo refused. “I’m fine. Just … make me some coffee. I have to go to work”. Gojo stood up with the support of the table and sighed as he felt his muscles tense.

“Are you sure, Sir?”.

“Yes, Jerry”. Gojo said and walked away to the direction of his bedroom with a blank look on his face.

A lot has happened in the past months. Gojo group had taken over the control of Kyoto after exposing Utahime’s betrayal. Utahime was out of his life and her family had moved her to China and Gojo couldn’t care less about it.

It had taken him a month to track down Naoay Zenin. A month of sleepless nights but when Naoya Zenin was on his knees in front of Gojo, Gojo felt like a god. Naoya begged and Gojo laughed. Naoya cried and Gojo laughed. Naoya screamed and Gojo laughed. Till his last breath he denied killing you. He denied ever seeing you that night. But it was all a lie wasn’t it? Gojo was in utter disbelief that someone could lie even on their death bed. But if Naoya didn’t kill you and Hiro didn’t either then why were you not by his side? Hiro was dead and now it was Naoya’s turn to join him. As Gojo pointed his gun to Naoya’s forehead,he smiled. “For love”.

Gojo stood under the shower. The cold water cascading down his chiseled body soothed him. Gojo didn’t know how or when these episodes happened. He didn’t know how he stepped out of reality and into the world where you were there. Maybe it was purgatory, maybe you were stuck in the space between life and death and occasionally he too stepped into it. Geto had told him to consult a therapist but Gojo didn’t want to be cured. No. He was too scared of not seeing you again. Even if it brought immense pain, even if it was just for a moment, even if it meant living with a heavy heart, Gojo wanted to see you.

With the head of Zenin clan gone, Gojo clan became the most powerful clan in the country. There was no competetion. Gojo became the king of the underworld. People trembled in fear as he walked past them, they would bow and kiss his ring in the name of loyalty. His one glare would send a clear message across the country. He had won the war, but at what cost….

The world held no colour for him. Everything was in grey scale except for a few flashes of red. His heart froze that winter and there was no warmth left in his body anymore. He rarely smiled and when he did it never reached his eyes. Some pitied him. Some gloated. But nobody could comprehend the ache in his body. They sang his praises but it fell on deaf ears. They praised his looks but no one looked at him the way he wanted to be looked at. People looked at him with fear, hatred, pity, sympathy and those that looked with love only wanted his power. He wanted to be looked at like he was human, like his life was not a waste.

He had moved out of his old house and into one of the main mansions of the Gojo clan. He was their leader now. He had duties that needed to be fulfilled. He wished to be selfish for a moment and finally join you in your world, but someone like him, could afford the finest of finer things in life but couldn’t afford death.

Gojo stepped out of the shower with his towel wrapped around his waist. The same blank expression on his face. People who met him often told tales of meeting the ice prince. No one could tell if he was happy, angry, or sad. He was just Gojo Satoru. He looked at the breakfast tray that Jerry had kept on his nightstand. Rice, Miso soup, tamagoyaki and coffee. Even though he hadn’t eaten anything since last night he didn’t have an appetite. He picked up the coffee mug and walked towards his walk-in wardrobe. The room in itself was scant except for a book and photo frame on the nightstand. If Gojo was to never return here, no one would be able to tell if it was ever inhabited. Everything from his bed to curtains to the carpet on the floor and the doors was white. It emanated an ironic zen like feeling

His wardrobe, once consisting of the most in-trend exclusive pieces, was now reduced to dull suits in shades of gray blue and black. Gojo sighed and picked out the first set he saw, a deep blue Zegna. He had one rule, no Tie. The first time he tried to fix his tie after that day he ended up having a complete breakdown and was eventually forced to rest by Geto. Ever since then nobody ever saw Gojo Satoru wear a tie. His life was split into two, somedays he worked as the head of the Gojo group, attended meetings, office events, charity balls and other days he was the head of Gojo clan, where he would meet with his trusted men to secure the position of the clan, listened to the problems that would take forever to solve the legal way, helped those who asked him for help, and punished those who crossed him. But if you were to ask him if he enjoyed any of the worlds he would look at you blankly and walk away. He didn’t remember what joy felt like anymore. Everyday was a chore, every breath was a chore.

He walked over, sipping the last of his coffee,to the counter with a glass table-top showcasing all of his watches and rings. He slipped on his clan ring in his little finger of right hand and his Rolex Cosmograph Daytona watch in his left. The yellow gold rim of the watch paired beautifully with his yellow cufflinks with Gojo clan insignia.

The other side of the wardrobe, the hers in the matching set, was filled with couture gowns, skirts, dresses, pants, shirts, cardigans, jewelry from Cartier to Harry Winston laid out beautifully in glass top counters, a separate wall dedicated to bags from Goyard to Hermes. Gojo hardly visited this side of the wardrobe, everytime his eyes fell on a piece of jewelry or bag or clothing he would immediately imagine it on you. If he liked what he saw, which he did most of the time, then that item would be found on this side of the closet within a week. There was no logical explanation to why he did this, maybe a part of him hoped that one day the gods would grant him one wish and he would wish for you.

Today Gojo Satoru stood on your side of the wardrobe, staring blankly at the jewelry. But he wasn’t admiring the collection, No, he didn’t even remember buying half of it. His eyes were set on the ring in the center. Sitting beautifully in its velvet box. Gojo opened the glass top and picked up the box. His heart skipped a beat just looking at it.

He still remembered walking through the burnt down mansion. Hoping to find you, screaming out your name. He had spent that entire night looking for any trace of you.It snowed that night for a while but that didn’t stop him. When the first morning rays hit the snowy fields, that’s when this caught his eye. Shining brightly amongst the gray ashes, glinting in the sunlight, your last remnant. Gojo remembered falling to his knees as he picked it up and holding it close to his heart. He didn’t remember much after that because when he opened his eyes he was in a hospital and the ring was safe in his pocket.

Gojo brought the box up to his lips and placed a soft kiss on the diamond. “Good Morning”. He whispered and kissed it again.

-X-

Geto was waiting inside Gojo’s office. He had been taking care of most of the things after the incident. He didn’t complain. He was happy to help his friend. But there were days when he felt like cursing you too. But he knew it wasn’t your fault. You had been the one to suffer the most at no fault of your own. If only he had been more careful, if only he had reached you on time. So many what ifs…

Gojo had become distant after that. There was an invisible force field around him which kept everyone at a distance, physically and emotionally. Everytime Geto asked him about his health Gojo would simply smile and give him a curt answer, “I am stronger than you think”. Geto would chuckle and drop the subject. Though Gojo hid it pretty well from others, Geto could see his eyes drifting to an empty corner in the room. That’s when he knew Gojo was not in the world at the moment. He didn’t believe in ghosts so when Gojo told him that he could see you Geto knew that was the result of the deep rooted guilt. When he had asked Gojo to see a therapist, Gojo asked him, “Would you want to stop seeing Shoko if you were in my shoes?”. Geto wanted to lie and tell him “Yes”. But he couldn’t.

“Ah! You’re here already Suguru!”. Gojo smiled as he walked through the door. But his best friend could see the tough night visible on his face. Geto smiled and put out his cigarette.

“I have a surprise for you”. Geto winked at him.

“And what would that be?”. Gojo asked as he plopped down on the couch in front of him.

“Your new assistant”.

“Assistant?”. Gojo raised a brow.

“More like a personal assistant”. Geto smirked.

Gojo sighed. “I know what you’re doing and I appreciate the help but I am fine”.

“So nothing happened last night?”. Geto asked with a hint of sarcasm.

“No. I had my dinner and I fell asleep”.

Geto hummed and for a second Gojo thought he believed him.

“So..Jerry was lying?”. Geto bit his lower lip to control his smile.

Gojo scoffed and then groaned. “Jerry!”.

“We care about you Satoru. I am not asking you to move on..I am just..”. Geto trailed off thinking for a better word.

“Just what?”. Gojo prompted.

“Just…distract yourself. Meet her once. She is smart, beautiful and loyal”.

“The last thing I want right now is to be distracted”.

“Fine then!. She will help you move on. Does that help?”. Geto, a generally calm man, was losing his patience. It was frustrating trying to help someone who needs it but wouldn’t accept it.

“What if I don’t want to move on?”. Gojo didn’t understand what was so bad about living with a ghost. He didn’t complain then why was everyone trying to get him out of it? He was happy. He was in pain but he was happy.

“She would want you to move on”. Geto didn’t want to play this card but the dark circles under Gojo’s eyes were growing with each passing day and Geto didn’t want to lose his bestfriend.

“Don’t..”. Gojo's voice croaked. “Don’t bring her into this. She is not here. You don’t know what she wants”.

“You’re right. She is not here but I know she would want you to be happy and healthy”.

“I don’t need to move on to be happy and healthy Suguru”.

Geto got up. “Fine then! Can’t you see that I am trying to help you! We all are! I know it hurts Satoru but she is gone. She is not here. Someday..”. Geto swallowed painfully. “..you will meet her Satoru but you don’t have to kill yourself everyday for that..Do whatever the fuck you want. I’m done”. He picked up his jacket and walked towards the door but Gojo got up and stopped him.

Gojo knew he was hard to deal with and he was grateful to have a friend like Geto by his side. Geto was the only person in this world Gojo could trust and it hurt him to see his friend suffer because of him. “Fine I…I will meet her. What’s her name?”.

Geto stopped. Turned around. Smiled.“Yuri”.

As soon as Geto had left the room Gojo groaned loudly. He stared blankly at the ceiling, scared that he might move on. He understood Geto’s concern but how could he just…move on? He picked up his phone and called a distant relative.

Yuta was one of the few Gojo trusted anymore. Though a distant relative he now worked closely with Gojo, much to others annoyance.

“Hello?”. He picked up on the second ring.

“Any news?”. Gojo spoke coldly.

There was silence. Gojo would call Yuta everyday and ask the same question and Yuta had to disappoint him everyday. “No”. He spoke, sympathetically. He could hear Gojo sigh on the other end.

“Okay”. Gojo spoke and cut the call.

Yuta kept the phone back in his pocket and stared at the men awaiting his orders. “Do you have her photo?”. He asked.

“Yes sir!”. The men spoke in union.

“Her name?”.

“Yes sir!”.

“Good”. Yuta nodded.

Yuta and his men had been assigned a secret mission by Gojo. To find you. Over the past months they had combed through Tokyo, Osaka and Yokohama and today they stood in Sendai. From what Yuta had heard, you were dead. But apparently no body was found. He wondered if this was the reason Gojo was looking for a dead woman? It was none of his business. If Gojo had asked him to look for you then he was going to do it.

Gojo knew it was ridiculous to think that you were alive. But he wanted to look for you, one last time, just to be sure. Nobody except Gojo and Yuta knew about the mission. He did think of asking Geto for help but didn’t want to seem crazier than he already did. He hoped that one day Yuta would say “yes” and that day he would run to you as fast as he could. But for now he had to deal with whoever this Yuri was.

-X-

It had been two days since Geto told Gojo about Yuri and it had been two days since Gojo last saw you. Gojo didn’t think about it and somewhere wished that whoever this Yuri was, never shows up. But on the third morning when Gojo groggily opened his eyes, he saw a woman standing in his room. He smiled to himself thinking you had finally come back but when the fog cleared he realized that it wasn’t. It was someone else, black hair, wide eyes, plump pink lips. Gojo frowned and got up immediately, the cover sliding off his torso revealing his scarred but chiseled body to the woman in front.

“Who are you?!”. Gojo demanded.

“I..I am ..Yuri”. She spoke hesitantly. Yuri stared at the startled man. The sunlight reflected off of every inch of his skin. His arctic white disheveled hair covered half of his forehead but it added immensely to his charm. His blue eyes glinted like it held all the answers she was looking for. She was well aware of who he was. Gojo Satoru. The ice prince of the Japanese underworld. When Geto had told her about her job as his personal secretary, she was hesitant to work with him given his cold reputation. But now that she was standing in front of him she knew that she was going to do her best to occupy the empty space in his heart.

“Hello?”. Gojo called out and Yuri snapped out of her trance.

“Yes. Sorry. Geto sent me”.

“I know that. I asked , why are you here in my bedroom?”. Gojo got out and made his way towards the bathroom. Yuri realized just how tall and broad he was.

“I..I came to wake you up”.

Gojo stopped and turned around with a confused look on his face.

“It is one of my duties as your personal assistant..sir”. Yuri spoke, a bit more confident than before.

“Get out. I need to get ready. I don’t need a babysitter”.

“But..”. Yuri tried protesting but Gojo cut her off.

“Look Yuri, I understand that you are…my personal assistant but I don’t need you to wake me up. You can go and wait for me in the dining room. Okay?”.

“Yes”. Yuri stood and watched the bathroom close. She smiled to herself. This was the first time he said her name and she felt like her name had a whole new meaning. She made her way to the dining room, blushing like a new bride. She had flirted and seduced many men but had never felt this way. She knew that she wasn’t the one in control here, he was.

“Let’s go”. Gojo said, walking into the dining room to only grab his coffee.

“Are you not going to eat breakfast?”. Yuri asked, standing on the other side of the table.

“No”.

“But I made breakfast”.

Gojo stopped in his tracks and stared at her. His coffee lingering on his lips. “You did what?”.

“I know you don’t generally eat breakfast so I made something light. You should eat before you leave”.

Gojo stared at her and then at the simple toast and eggs on the table. He sighed thinking about what Geto had told him. He looked at her innocent face and knew that if he refused he would be bombarded with questions from Geto. “Fine. Let’s eat. But next time just ask me”.

“Okay”.

Thus began an unlikely friendship that even Gojo hadn’t expected. Yuri became more than his personal assistant over the course of the next few months. They had their meals together, attended meetings together and on rare occasions when Gojo was free they would often go out. But neither of them put a tag on it. Gojo didn’t want to and Yuri was just too scared that if she brought it up he would just run away. She was okay being his safe space. She occasionally saw Gojo staring blankly at a very specific ring and though it hurt her she knew that the dead was not a competition. You weren’t here, she was. You were a ghost whom Gojo couldn’t touch or hold and she could hold him whenever she wanted.

Gojo had started to feel normal. Yuri was a good addition in his life and once again he was thankful to Geto. Yuri was nice. Yuri was kind. Yuri was beautiful. But Yuri wasn’t you. Which is why no matter how hard she would try, at night Gojo would prefer to sleep alone. The thought of touching any woman who wasn’t you made bile rise up in his throat. For the first two months Gojo felt guilty for even talking to her, he felt like he was cheating on you, betraying you. He stopped seeing you and it hurt him even more. At times he would forcefully stay awake and drink till the daylight hoping that in his dazed state you would come and sit next to him.

But then when the morning came, he would have breakfast with Yuri. Was this what people called moving on? He would often look at Yuri when she would be giving orders to men, she was different from you. You were gentle, kind,soft, you would never order people around or put a gun to their head for not doing a job properly. Yuri would. Yuri did. She didn’t hesitate to pull the trigger for Gojo and Gojo liked this trait of hers’. Behind the innocent face was a fierce woman whom he had begun to admire. At times Gojo would go weeks without thinking about you but then it would hit him like a tidal wave and he would be back to square one. That’s when Yuri would force him to spend the day outside instead of brooding in his room. It was hard to convince Gojo Satoru but it seemed like there was one woman who had mastered that art.

On your birthday Gojo sat in his room all day, on the floor with a cake and candles, hoping to see you…but you didn’t show up. Maybe it was over for good, he thought to himself. It had been 6..7 months? Gojo chuckled, staring at the cake. He picked up the icing on his index finger and brought it to his lips. “Happy Birthday love”. He said to himself. “I won’t forget you. Even if you don’t show up”.

Gojo squeezed his eyes shut and leaned back against the bed. Tears rolled down the side of his face and the ache in his heart spread. He knew that he could celebrate all the birthdays he wanted but you will always be the same age. He could still see your face clearly, asking him to stay and he didn’t! He let out broken sobs as he thought about that day. His lungs burned and he felt like he couldn’t breathe anymore. He clasped his chest and leaned forward as he tried to breathe but he couldn’t. Gojo opened his eyes but he couldn’t see anything clearly. All he could see was the balcony in front, windows open, white curtains swaying with the wind. He got up with the support of the bed. His breath was still ragged and his lungs hurt but he wasn’t bothered about it anymore because soon it will all be okay. He walked past the cake, walked past the coffee table in the corner, walked past the curtains and the window and stood barefoot on the balcony. The railing reached just past his naval. He gripped the cold metal edge of the railing and took a deep breath. He wasn’t scared. He was happy. Happy that he was finally selfish enough to do what he had been wanting to do for a long time. Did he really deserve to live if he caused your death? Did he really deserve to see the seasons changed when you were stuck in the same season? Did he really deserve to feel the wind on his face if he couldn’t feel your touch anymore?....No. Another deep breath with a smile on his face. He didn’t think about Geto, He didn’t think about Shoko, He didn’t think about his damned clan. All he thought was that in a few seconds he would see you, hold you and the two of you would start a new life on the other side. Gojo swayed gently to give himself enough inertia, 5..4..3..2..

“Satoru!”. Someone screamed.

Gojo froze and turned his head back around to see a woman standing in his room…”Yuri?”.

Yuri ran towards Gojo and wrapped her arms around his torso. “No..Please no”. She whispered into his back.

“Let me go”. Gojo spoke calmly. With a hypnotized expression on his face.

“No. I won’t. Please”. Yuri’s own mind was racing.

Gojo turned around and unclasped her hand, pushing her away from him. “I told you not to come here!”. He spoke sternly. Anger rises inside him slowly and steadily.

Yuri looked up at him in disbelief. “Please…”. She whimpered.

Gojo sighed. He turned around and looked down. If she hadn’t come then he’d be down there by now. “Why do you care? How does it matter whether I live or not? What use is this life if I…I have no one with me”. Gojo sobbed.

“You’re not alone Satoru..”. Yuri took a careful step towards him and wrapped her arm around his bicep. She looked up at him, “You have Suguru, Shoko and…I don’t know if it matters but you have me. We all need you in our life. You matter to us”.

Gojo stayed silent. Knowing that whatever he says now will only seem selfish in front of her logic.

“I know it’s hard to live without love. Which is why I can’t let you go”. Yuri pressed her forehead against his arm.

Gojo looked down at her and wondered..

“I..I love you Satoru. Even if you don’t. I will stay by your side in life or death. So please..please let me fulfill my duty”.Yuri looked into his eyes, eyes that held so much sadness, eyes that she fell in love with. “Please Satoru”.

Gojo sighed and stepped away from the railing. He knew he could never fall in love and yet…he wanted to be loved…

Gojo let Yuri sleep next to him that night. He didn’t hold her. He didn’t ask her to hold him either. It just felt nice to not be all alone in bed.

Gojo and Yuri had become a dangerous duo. His lack of care for anyone and her sadistic behavior blended perfectly to create a partnership that made people shiver miles away. Yuri could do anything she wanted now. SHe had Gojo Satoru in her palms. She could kill, torture ,hurt anyone she wanted. It was a normal occurrence for Gojo to walk into the office and see someone begging on their knees in front of Yuri. He was accustomed to their bleeding faces and broken cries. Every face looked the same to him. Every cry and plea sounded the same to him. They would often cry out to him as he passed by but Yuri would just cackle in her seat knowing well that it was a waste. Gojo wouldn’t look down and walk by as if the person kneeling on the carpeted floor didn’t exist. Yuri’s ambition grew with each passing day. She came to be known as the woman who kills for Gojo Satoru. Everyone from Gojo’s office staff to people in his clan and even his house staff were scared of Yuri. They wouldn’t dare look her in the eyes and would often bow their heads down when she passed by.

Yuri threw the dinner cooked for her on Jerry’s face because she didn’t like it. Yuri made the maid who was scared of dogs walk her two Dobbermen. Yuri slapped the guard who opened the car door for her because his tie was a little off. Yuri slapped another house help right across the face because she was wearing lipstick. “Are you trying to seduce my Satoru? You whore!”. Yuri screamed in her face. Everyone everywhere lived with fear.

Of course she never did any of that in front of Gojo. She would often mock the people she hurt.”You think Gojo would believe you? Over me?”. She would laugh in their faces.

“Can I do it? Please please please?”. Yuri pouted and tugged at Gojo’s arm.

Gojo sighed. The idea was a bit…crazy. Yuri had proposed what would soon be known as 10 days of hell. According to Yuri, if a person owed Gojo group 100,000$ and couldn’t pay it back then all he had to do was go through the 10 days of mental and physical torture where he would be paid 10,000$ each day. If he/she gave up half way then his next of kin would take his place.

Gojo couldn’t care less about 100,000$ so he agreed. “Do whatever you want”.

-X-

You drove with stinging eyes until you reached a small village. It had begun to snow and there was an eerie silence when you got out of the car. Your teeth clattered and your body shivered. You had to decide now and you had to decide fast. They could be onto you now. To be honest you didn’t know who you were running away from, Gojo or Naoya or Both. You had to think straight. First things first, the car. You had to do something about it. Was it registered under Hiro’s name? You were not sure. You got back in and drove the car further down the road. There was a pit stop with an empty parking lot. This was your chance. You slid in the back seat and unzipped the duffle bag. It had a few pieces of clothing that you had packed. You pulled out your jacket and wore it on top, next you took out the scarf and wrapped it around your neck in a way that it covered everything below your eyes. But there was something else there too. An envelope, a large one. You didn’t remember packing it, perhaps Hiro put it there?

You took the brown envelope out, it was heavy in your hand. You opened it and the moment you saw its contents you let out a gasp. You immediately put the bag down and placed the envelope on the seat and started taking out its contents. A bundle of cash. How much? You didn’t know but it was enough to survive for a few months in the countryside. Next an id. Your id. Fake id. You stared at the plastic card in your hand. It was your photo. Different date of birth. Different address. You weren’t y/n l/n anymore. You were Hana Sato. Did Hiro do all of this? There was a folded piece of paper and you pulled it out.

Hi y/n.

If you are reading this then it means that you made it. I don’t know where to start but I want you to know that I never meant to involve you in all of this. Had I known that things would turn out the way they did, I would have never agreed to all of this. I am sorry for all the hurt I have caused you. I hope you start a new life, fall in love and have a family of your own. You deserve better than this but this is all I can give you now.

Thank you y/n for taking care of me when I got sick, thank you for caring about me when no one did. I was blind with revenge and I believed that there was no good left in this world but then you came here to save me. I didn’t deserve it. I don’t have the courage you do. I don’t have the kindness you do. Even though I am longer in this world I will always be with you. Thank you for saving my soul.

I wish I could continue to live as Hiro and not Johichiro but my destiny was written long ago. I want you to write your own.

There is a lighter in the envelope and I want you to burn this letter. Remember me as your friend y/n, okay?

I love you,

Your friend,

Hiro.

You held the letter in your hand and cried over it, you shrank within yourself and wept. You mourned the death of your friend. You mourned the death of y/n l/n. You mourned the loss of a lover. You yelled and cried until your head hurt. You gasped for air as you leaned back against the seat gasping for air.Your hair stuck to your forehead you face burned. You wanted to crawl back in your old life but you knew that it was long gone. There was so much to do but god you wished you could just stay here. No. This was not the time to be weak. You sniffled and wiped the tears off your face. The snow had started to collect on the windows and you had to get moving.

You flipped the envelope and let all the remaining contents fall out. You chuckled when you saw scissors and hair dye. Hiro planned too much. But that was typical of him. A burner phone. A lighter. An empty ziplock bag. You put everything back in the envelope and made your way towards the pay and use restroom. It was empty at this time around. You stepped inside the bathroom and locked the door behind you.First things first, You wet your hair with the cold water, spread tissues on the counter, and got to work. You had cut your hair before, just trimming it a few inches from the bottom but now you completely let go of your previous length and cut it so that it was half an inch above your shoulders. You had never had bangs before, but now you cut them so that the bangs fell just above your eyebrows. You stared at yourself in the mirror. There was no way anyone would recognize you now. You hardly recognized yourself. Next you had to color your hair. You pulled out the box dye and began prepping the color. There was an urgency in your movement, even though you had locked the door you kept on glancing towards it every few seconds. After what seemed like an eternity but had just been 45 minutes you washed your hair in the sink. When you stood back up, your hair was a dark copper shade.But it was wet. “Fuck”. You muttered under your breath. You started looking around frantically for something, anything to help you..and then you saw it. The hand dryer mounted on the wall. You didn’t have to dry your hair completely, just enough so that it doesn’t arouse suspicion. So there you were, bending under the hand dryer, drying your hair. Once it was done you ran your hand through your hair to comb it. You stared at the woman in the mirror. “My name is Sato Hana”.

By the time you cleaned and stopped out of the bathroom, the sun had started to shine. You looked down at your left hand. There was a line where your ring used to be. You wondered where it was now. You walked across the parking lot towards the car keeping your head down and covered.

“Excuse me ma’am”. Someone called out from behind you. You stopped in your tracks and turned half way peep over your shoulder.

“Yes?”.

“Have you seen a woman around here? About your height, long hair..she looks like this”. The man in the black leather jacket held his phone up to your face. You brought the scarf over your nose and squinted to see, it was your photo. You stared at it for a few seconds and then back at the man.

“No I haven’t”. You straightened up and turned away to walk towards your car which was a few feet away. You heard the man curse under his breath and took a deep breath to calm yourself down.

“Can I see your id?”. The man jogged up to your side and stood in between you and the car.

“Who are you?”. You asked. Pretending to be offended.

“I am from Tokyo PD” The man held up his badge this time.

You bit your lip nervously and took your new id out and handed it to him. He looked at the id and the back at you and then at the id again.

“Sato Hana”.

“Yes”.

The man kept on staring at the id and then let out a sigh and handed it back to you. “You can go”. He said and flashed an apologetic smile.

You got into the car as calmly as calmly as you could and began driving away. You saw another man run up to the man who stopped you and both of them get into a blacked out suv. You stopped your car and pretended to look for something in your purse to see which direction they would go in. Their car took the turn and started driving ahead. You cursed under your breath. You can’t risk going ahead and bumping into them again. You had to turn back.

You turned on your burner phone and saw that it already had a message. An address. Itadori farms.

-X-

“Why haven’t we started the construction of the new factory?”. Gojo asked irritably. He was frustrated. “If you are incapable of acquiring a few farms then quit!”. He threw the file in the air and the two men flinched.

“Sir we are trying but-’

“But what?! The construction should have started today and yet here we are still negotiating with the farmers!”.

“Ss-sir all of them have agreed except one”.

Gojo scoffed. “Do we need their land? Is there any way we could work around it?”.

“No sir. Their land is right in the middle of our plan”.

Gojo rubbed his forehead. HIs headache had been persistent for over a week. Yuri observed Gojo from the corner of the room. She had been painting her nails red when these two imbeciles walked in and now she was watching them with half painted nails. She knew the true reason behind Gojo’s irritation. It wasn’t that measly piece of land. It was because your death anniversary was a few weeks away. She was happy that maybe ..finally Gojo would put you to rest. She had spent countless nights next to him and she had heard him utter your name countless times in his sleep. It hurt her, pierced her heart, made her cry silently but each time she would remind herself that you were dead. Long gone. Out of the picture.

She sighed and stood up “I will handle it Satoru”.

“What do they do?”. He asked, ignoring Yuri’s volunteer efforts.

“Sir, they are an old couple who are raising their grandson. They own a small piece of land and operate a snack bar from their house”.

“Anyone else in the family?”. Gojo asked. He felt a pang of guilt thinking about harassing an old couple.

“No Sir. But they have a tenant who helps around the snack bar”.

Gojo hummed “Ok. Leave now and get the car read”. and sat back in the chair.

“Satoru I-”.

Gojo raised his hand and Yuri understood. “I will deal with them myself”. Gojo declared, staring at a distance. If it was an old couple then he couldn’t risk letting Yuri handle it. Moreover he really needed some fresh air.

“Can I come with you then?”. Yuri asked in a honeyed voice.

“No. I want to be alone for a while”.

Yuri jogged up to where Gojo was sitting and sat in his lap, draping her arms around his neck. “Please”. She tilted her head and pouted. Gojo didn’t look at her but that didn’t bother her. He often didn’t look at her and she was accustomed to it.

“No. Get off”. He patted her hip and yuri got off with a pressed smile.

-X-

It had almost been a year since you waddled in the snack bar, copper color droplets rolling down your neck, a bag full of your past, shaking and shivering in the cold. You wondered why Hiro picked this place.

“Can I help you?”. An old woman had asked you as she walked from behind the counter.

“I..I..”. Your teeth were chattering and your face was drained of any color.

“Come, Sit down”. She had offered you warm food and tea before she could ask about you. It was unlikely to see a new face in this village but Mrs.Itadori was expecting you. “Are you..hana?”. She asked as you took the first sip of your tea. You nodded and she smiled. You later found out thatJoichiro grew up in this village. He had no family, only an older brother who had died in an accident, except you knew that it was no accident. Hiro had told Mrs.Itadori about a friend of his who was running away from her toxic family and needed a place to stay. Not a complete lie but not the whole truth either. But you had a roof over your head and after a really long time you were part of a family.

But about six months into your stay you sat down with the couple and told them the truth. You didn’t want to lie to them. Not after everything they had done for you. You had kept your bags packed, half expecting to be kicked out but to your surprise they simply smiled and patted your head gently. You started sobbing at their act of kindness but Mrs.itadori got up and hugged you and comforted you. Maybe this is what it felt like to have a family. Her grandson, Yuji, saw you sobbing and waddled over to hand you his favorite dinosaur plushie. You chuckled and accepted his gesture too. You liked this life. Simple life. Happy Family. Every morning you would get up at 5:00 AM and make breakfast for yourself and the couple. Mrs.itadori would start preparing dishes for the snackbar, you would drop Yuji to school and Mr.Itadori would go to their farm to check on the vegetables. All three of you would gather in the kitchen where Mr.Itadori would help his wife with the cooking while you handled the store front. Then after lunch you would go and pick Yuji from the school and on the way back both of you would have chocolate milk at 7-Eleven. By nightfall, you and Mr.Itadori would clean the store front and Mrs.Itador would close the kitchen. During Summer, the three of you would sit in the backyard and enjoy the cool milk tea while Yuji tried his best to catch a dragonfly with his net. Though you refused, the couple insisted on paying you but refused to charge you for rent.

Their house was right above, a three storied building where you occupied the uppermost room. A staircase ran along the side of the building, leading up to your door. Though you could access the entire house from inside, the couple handed you the key for the outer door so you could have your privacy. You chuckled at their suggestion but thanked them for the offer.

You felt like you could finally breathe. You had started to smile, to eat, to take care of yourself and sleep peacefully. You felt like you had everything except..love. Sometimes you stared at your hand and wondered if Gojo had ever found the ring. You wondered if he ever thought about you. Was he happy? Was he healthy? Had he moved on? Is he still looking for you? During your bad nights you had nightmares, Hiro on the ground, Gojo pointing his gun at him. You would wake up and stay up the whole night in your bed. You didn’t know who was right or wrong. Hiro lied. Gojo lied. Hiro killed. Gojo killed. Hiro was dead…You remember that when the spring came you buried the Hiro's burnt letter near the rose plant and prayed for him. It was the only burial you could give him.

You would ask yourself if you could ever forgive Gojo. You loved him deeply and many times you picked up your phone to reach him somehow but the thought of getting caught by someone else and put to torture again scared you to the bone. Afterall situation was a bit more complicated now.

Your alarm rang and you got up groaning. It was getting harder to sleep and even harder to wake up. Mrs.Itadori had asked you to take your time but you knew that staying in the room was not going to do you any good. You looked over and smiled. The snow had collected on the windowpane. The fields outside were covered in snow too. It has been almost a year now. You picked up your phone and set up a reminder. You were going to call Gojo Satoru in a week. You owed him that.

At around 6 AM you rushed downstairs, through the drawing room into the store kitchen. Mrs.Itadori had already kept your breakfast there. You smiled and sat down on the metal stool and picked up a set of chopsticks from the stand. You couldn’t help around as much as you used to but they didn’t complain and you were grateful for that. You picked up the sticky note attached to the counter.

“We are taking Yuji to the temple.

We will return by 8:00 AM.

Finish your breakfast.

I will open the store when I return”.

You smiled and kept the note in your pocket. Even if you couldn’t open the store, you could still set up the the store. You set the crib with dinosaur plushie behind the cash counter and began cleaning tables.

-X-

Gojo had reached the village earlier than expected. It was only 5:00 AM. He asked the driver to stop the car at a pitstop so they could rest for a while. They had left from Tokyo at 1:00 AM, expecting to reach here after sunrise but low traffic and free roads had them sipping hot coffee at a pitstop right outside the village. Gojo pulled the collar of his trenchcoat and walked over to the side with his paper cup in hand. His white hair collected a few snowflakes and swayed gently with the wind. He took a sip and looked up, the snow covered fields looked beautiful. A part of him felt guilty about having to ruin it to build a factory. Through the morning fog he could see the houses and the neon light of a store. Was that where the snack bar was?

“Master Gojo, You would be more comfortable inside the car”. His driver spoke, bowing down.

Gojo kept staring at the faint neon sign. “I’m okay”. He took a deep breath, the air was cold and fresh. There was a faint smell of wet mud and Gojo couldn’t help but smile. For some reason, ever since he left Tokyo he had been missing a bit too much. He wondered if you’d like the view right now? Were you watching from above? Were you smiling with him? He smiled again. Gojo chuckled and a tear rolled down his cheek. He discarded the paper cup in the bin and went to the pay and use restroom. It was relatively warm inside and Gojo felt comfortable enough to take his coat off. He hung the coat on the hook and splashed water on his face. He started at his reflection and pulled out the paper towels from the dispenser and wiped his face. He walked over and dried his hands with the warm air of the hand drier. He put on his coat back and walked out. He checked his watch, 6:30 AM.

“Let’s go”. Gojo said to the driver and got in the car. Other men discarded their cups and sat in the second Range rover. Gojo stared outside the window, there were butterflies in his stomach. He assumed it was the weather. As they turned right inside the village area the driver began giving him a runthrough of the land they had already acquired. Gojo didn’t care but didn’t stop him either. He was zoned out. He could see people opening up their shops, couples going for their morning walk, priests walking in a straight line with wooden beads between their fingers.

“We are here”. The driver said as the car came to a halt. Gojo got down and looked up at the three storied building. “Itadori Farm and Food”. He muttered the name under his breath.��

The sign on the half glass door said closed but Gojo swore he saw someone inside. He walked over to the door and knocked. He waited for three seconds but got no response. He could hear noises coming from inside. He grabbed the wooden handle and tried to push the door. It was unlocked. He gritted his teeth thinking the people inside were purposely ignoring him. He pushed the door, it chimed, and stepped inside. It was empty. It was clean. The tables were set. He turned around, facing the door and took a step back, looking around the store.

You had heard someone knock when you were in the kitchen and bent down to see through the gap in the wall but all you could see was some customer in black coat. You shook your head thinking it was one of the early ones. The sign read closed but some people just think they are special. You sighed and began arranging the baked cookies in a large metal tray from the plastic container. You heard the door chime and frowned. You bent down again but all you saw was the shoulder down. You scoffed at his audacity. You picked up the plate and walked out the door into the store area. “Excuse me! The sign says closed! Can’t you-”.

Gojo turned around when he heard a metal collide with the ground. His mouth hung open, shoulders dropped, time stopped.For a moment his body froze and all thought left his mind. He was blank, he was in a trance. Was he dreaming again? Was this one of his episodes? No it couldn’t be. No. No. No. No. No. No. He gulped hard and looked at you. You have changed. Your hair was different. You face..your clothes…the apron with the logo..the food tray..No. No. No. No. His breath hitched. His heart beat loudly against his chest. No.No.No…

You let out a broken gasp. He was here. In front of you. Gojo Satoru was here. You opened your mouth to say something but couldn’t. You blinked fast and shook your head. You had to be dreaming. There was no way. No. No. No. No.

“Y/n…”. He whispered, but you heard it. Your eyes welled up.

“Satoru..”.

“Y/n..”. Gojo took a step forward.

“Satoru..”.

Gojo couldn’t believe he was hearing your voice. You were saying his name. You…you were here. He took another step and he was standing right in front of you. You looked up and saw his tear stained cheeks and red eyes. Gojo brought his hand up and cupped your cheek. It was warm. So warm. You looked at him and after months Gojo Satoru was finally human.

“You..you are here..”.

“Satoru..I..”. You didn’t know what to say so you took a step back and looked down.

Gojo looked at his hand that had just touched you, 11 months 3 weeks and 4 days since he had last felt your touch .“Why..why..?”. Gojo’s head was spinning, he felt dizzy and disoriented. He was still not sure whether you were here or was fate playing a cruel joke on him.

You didn’t know what to say. You had no explanation. “I..I..”. You stammered. “I had…I had to”.

“You work here?”. Gojo asked hesitantly.

Your eyes kept going towards the wall clock. Any time now he could wake up. You nodded your head and fidgeted with your fingers.

“I should clean this up”. You wiped your palms on the apron and bent down to pick up the tray but Gojo beat you to it. His eyes didn’t leave your face for a second. Even when both of you straightened up his eyes remained fixed on your face and yours on the ground.

“Look at me”. He spoke softly.

You blinked a few times and looked up at him. HIs face didn’t show any emotion but his eyes spoke of the pain he had been through.

“Why are you here?”. You asked as you averted your gaze again. You couldn’t look at him. It was part guilt and part anger. You kept the tray on a nearby table and picked up the broom from the corner. You would rather be hovering around the store than stand in his presence without crumbling.

But Gojo followed you around the store like a puppy, “Can you stop for a second?”. He called out to you.

You didn’t listen. You began arranging and rearranging plates on the stand. “I have work to do. Why are you here?”. You were purposely avoiding the cash counter for all the good reasons.

Gojo had forgotten all about why he was here. Did it even matter now? He was getting frustrated by your lack of care or more like the act of it. He stopped and drew in a sharp breath. Were you really going to do this to him after putting him through hell for a year. “Y/n Gojo!”. Gojo yelled.

You stopped in front of the table you were cleaning. Y/n gojo…Were you y/n gojo? Or were you Hana Sato? Or were you y/n l/n?

“Please..”. You whimpered as you clutched the cloth in your hand tightly. You turned around. You knew you owed him the truth. Now more than ever you owe him the truth. “Can we..can we just talk”. You wiped your tears.

Gojo didn’t understand what was going on. Why were you here? Why didn’t you reach out to him? He nodded. You took a deep breath and kept the cloth back in its place. You took your apartment key out and walked out the door with Gojo in tow. You didn’t want to use the inside entrance with him because it wasn’t your house. The strong cold wind blew, making you shiver. You wrapped your arms around yourself and let out a foggy breath. You stared at the two blacked out range rovers. “Ask your men to leave”.

Gojo stood behind you and with his one gesture both cars drove away. “Where are you taking me?”. He asked. You didn’t answer and started walking away instead. Gojo followed you once again as you went around the building, up the back staircase. He stood behind you as you unlocked the door.

“Do you live here?”.

You nodded and stepped inside. Gojo had to bow down given his big stature as he stepped inside. Gojo felt like he was home as he closed the door behind him. It was a small space. The main drawing room had a sitting area with a couch and a kitchen with a small two seater table in the corner. There was a basket full of stuffed toys in the corner. Behind the kitchen was a balcony where clothes were drying. The room smelled of detergent and coffee. Gojo smiled slightly, if given a chance he would leave behind all the luxury to live here with you.

You pulled the chair, “Please, sit”. Gojo walked over to the table and sat down. You sat opposite him. “Would you like something? Coffee or tea or water?”. You asked. This was the first time you had someone over other than the family.

“No”.

Gojo’s reply was curt. His face softened. “Come home with me”. Gojo reached out for your hand but you pulled back.

“No”.

“Why not?”.

“I..don’t want to be part of that world”.

“Y/n it’s not the same anymore. No one will hurt you. No one will lay their hands on you ever again”.

You gulped hard and stayed silent.

“I know”. Gojo continued. “It was hard for you. Getting kidnapped by Naoay and-”

“I left”. You cut him off. You couldn’t look at him.

“What?” Gojo frowned.

You took a deep breath and told him your side of the story. How you snuck into his office and checked your phone and how you sent your location to him and how you willingly left him to save Hiro and how you saw him point a gun to Hiro’s head. You told him everything Hiro had told you about his brother and real identity. You watched painfully as Gojo’s expression changed from shock to sad to angry. He felt rightfully betrayed. He felt anger course through his veins with a burning intensity.

“You left me for Hiro?”. He asked, poking his tongue in cheek.

“Not for..Hiro but to help him”.

“You didn’t trust me?”. He asked.

You took a deep breath. “Satoru I..I don’t know how to explain it. I was scared. I was so scared and I didn’t know what to do. I just wanted to help my friend”.

“And what about me? Did you stop to think about me?”.

You shook your head and sobbed in your hand. “I’m sorry. I’m..please”.

Gojo leaned back and wiped his own tears. He was mad at you but he loved you. “Fine then-”.

Before Gojo could finish what he was about to say it happened. It was a whimper, then a sniffle, then the baby wailed loudly. Your breath hitched and you immediately ran towards the closed door and Gojo followed you. You stood with your back pressed against the door, like a barrier between Gojo’s wrath and the wailing child. “Satoru please, leave”

“Is that your child, y/n?”. Gojo’s breath had quickened and you could see his chest rising and falling rapidly. “Move”. He commanded.

“No. Please leave”.

“So this is why you didn’t come back huh? What happened y/n? Cat got your tongue now? You left me to come to this god forsaken place to play house with god knows what asshole?!”. Gojo yelled.

You pressed your palm on his chest. “Satoru please. Let me explain”. But Gojo grabbed your hand and pushed away. He kicked the door open and barged in furiously. He didn’t care who you were married to or whose kid it was. If it was yours then it was his and he was taking both of you with him, the father could go fuck himself for all he cared. He walked gingerly towards the crib.

Usually it was hard to tell whom the kid looked liked,especially at two months old. But Gojo knew. Because as he stared down at the crib, the baby stopped crying. Gojo could see the cerulean blue eyes and light tufts of arctic hair on its head. Gojo was too shocked to speak. In a matter of hours, his world as he knew it did not exist anymore. He slowly turned towards you with his mouth agape.

You immediately ran and picked up the baby in your arms. Gojo watched silently as you gently wiped its face and rocked him. It mumbled and tried to grab your hair.

“Is it..mine?”. Gojo asked.

You couldn’t lie to him anymore so you nodded your head. Gojo wanted to scream and break things. He wanted to burn this cruel world and fight the gods for his fate. But he remained calm. It was calm before the storm. A storm that would likely destroy everything in its path.

“Is it a..boy or a girl?”

“A boy”. You bit your bottom lip. The baby chuckled at something and you looked at him and smiled.

“What’s his name?”. Gojo asked, taking a step towards you. You took a step back but Gojo raised his hands in front of him. “I won't hurt you”. Gojo clarified.

You stopped and looked at the baby, “His name is Keisuke”.

“Keisuke”. Gojo uttered and smiled. Happiness. It was an apt name. “Can I hold him?”. He asked.

You bit your lip nervously. “Sit down there”. You gestured towards the single bed. It had fresh white linen and a pillow with a frilly pillow case. Gojo sat on the edge and looked at you. “Now fold your hands like this”. You showed him how you were holding Keisuke. Gojo mimicked the movement. Once you were convinced, you carefully placed Keisuke in his arms. You were surprised at how calm he was. Did he know he was with his father? Keisuke hardly stayed with anyone other than you and your eyes welled up thinking that maybe he knew that Gojo was his father.

Gojo looked down at the baby in his arms. His son. His baby boy. He loved him. He knew the moment he held him that he loved him more than anyone and anything. “Hi”. Gojo said with teary eyes. Keisuke’s eyes widened and then he chuckled, making both you and Gojo smile. “He is so beautiful”. Gojo whispered.

“Yes. He is”. You smiled and sat down next to him. You gently tickled Kesuke’s tiny feet and he burst into a fit of laughter.

“Keisuke Gojo”. Gojo said and kissed his forehead.

Your smile melted down. You took the baby from Gojo’s arm immediately. “No”.

“What are you doing y/n?”.

“He is not yours. He is mine. We are not going anywhere”.

The atmosphere in the room shifted. Gojo’s happiness evaporated. “What are you saying y/n?”. Gojo stood up.

“I said that I am not going anywhere with you. He is not going anywhere with you. He is Keisuke. Not Keisuke Gojo. I will never let him be part of your world!”. You spoke sternly. Gojo could do whatever he wanted but there was no way in hell you were going to risk your son’s life.

“Do you really think I would harm you and my own son?”.

You stayed silent. Gojo walked over to you and grabbed your chin with his thumb and index finger. “You betrayed me. Lied to me. You have no idea what I went through in the past year and now…now you are saying you will keep my son away from me? Do you really think I will let you do that..y/n?”. Gojo seethed.

“I don’t care. You can come and visit him if you want but we are not going anywhere”. You pushed his hand away and walked over to the crib and put Keisuke down. Gojo grabbed your arm and turned you around to face him. “You know very well what I can do”. Gojo warned.

A chill ran down your spine. “Fine. Do it then! Pull out the gun and kill me right now! Because I am not going to let my son grow up with a murderer!”.

Had it been anyone to talk to Gojo Satoru this way, they would have been dead before they could finish the sentence. But you were not just anyone. He knew he would not hurt you. He could never hurt you. He would rather pull the trigger on himself than see a scratch on you. It was twisted, his love for you, it was toxic. He hated you just as much as he loved you.

Gojo stared at you blankly and then he smiled. A smile that made your heart skip a beat. “Pack your bags right now if you don’t want this godforsaken village and this snack bar trampled to ground”.

@hiqhkey @chemtrails-club @simplyrosesxr @foggyperfectiondragon @sofi786 @vesta-ro @kimvmarvel @mykyoon @shintin @attackonsimpp @pyschopotatomeme @lilith412426 @shuxjodie @sagejin @cloudsinthecosmos @hecateria @froggylust @lightblueexorcist @watyousayin @creolequeen11210 @s13nnnna @shartnart1 @the-crane-wives @musababy @loquia @ackerstain @allofffmypeaches @regalillegal @erintaro @commandertorinshepard @gojo-sunglasses @tspice283 @iam-mia9 @screwyou3 @denypipa @smolkazumi @winter-bearv @mc-reborn @pangolynnn @sindela @daintyazra

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enterpris · 5 months

Text

An Education in Attraction- Chapter 2

Pairing: Reader x Gojo

Summary: It's spring when you start your Master's degree. As the flowers and leaves unfold, so too do your feeling for Gojo

Warnings: None this chapter

Previous Chapters: 1

Even with scented candles burning and a comfortable desk chair, the mood in your dorm has soured after hours spent writing. Your back is sore and your eyes are tired as you sit at the desk in the corner of your room and re-read your conclusion paragraph. It's wordy, but you can't put your finger on what to change.

Even though it’s only the second week of classes, yesterday you had received the grade for your first assignment. Your score had been nearly perfect, and it left you feeling like you were walking on air the rest of the day. Those are the kinds of marks you want to continue receiving. If you could just fix the syntax in this last paragraph, you think the second paper could match your first.

Unlike your undergraduate classes, there are fewer weekly assignments to pad your grade in the Masters program. Most of your final score will be determined on the larger projects, based on the book readings and lectures in class.

And there is a lot of reading so far. Covering the assigned chapters took up most of your afternoon and you’ve been writing and editing this draft since dinner.

Sighing, you pull your eyes away from the computer screen. It's probably time to give your brain a break. You stand and stretch, thinking you deserve a visit to the campus botanic gardens.

Silver light shines down from the moon and the night is quiet as you leave the dorm building. There’s only a handful of other students out as you cross the campus and enter the gardens.

The sprawling green is quickly becoming one of your favorite places to relax. The manicured lawns are lush, even at the start of spring, and the trees and shrubs that dot the rest of the park are tidily maintained.

You follow the path deeper into the grounds and find a tall dogwood that faces the central pond. You sit under the tree and let the peace of nature wash over you.

For a moment you just drink in the beauty of the garden. Most of the shrubs and low trees have been reduced to dark smudges in the dark, but moonlight catches on the water of the pond and ripples out. Lights twinkle distantly on the main building. The park is silent save for a bird that coos softly somewhere above. You breathe deeply, and the earthy smell of the air reminds you of your first week of classes.

You’d woken the second morning in a blur of new faces, names, and assignment deadlines. The thrill of the first day had dulled slightly after a night of intense reading. You lay in bed and ran your hands over your face, reviewing everything that happened on your first day of courses.

After picking yourself out of bed, you dressed quickly in a smart pair of slacks and a comfortable blouse, promising yourself some strong green tea as a pick-me-up. You packed your bag and headed from your dorm to the university cafe. The matcha there is quite good, and the miso soup isn’t half bad either.

After you had gotten some caffeine in your system,your head felt clearer and the walk though campus seemed even prettier. You regained some pep in your step as you approached the Graduate School.

Even though you had successfully avoided Gojo after class yesterday, your nerves were alight at the thought of seeing him again. You don't want things to be awkward today, and reasoned that acting embarrassed will only make things more uncomfortable for everyone, so you decided to act as if nothing had happened.

You settled into the same seat you’d chosen on the first day and waited, knee bouncing under the table. Other students trickled into the classroom, and your professor set up at the front of the class. As you looked around the room you saw that most of your peers have settled in, but Goio is notably absent.

The professor had cleared her throat and went to close the door when he slipped in. Once again he was dressed in dark casual clothes and had a pair of dark shades on. His arrival doesn't cause the same hubbub it did the day before, but several students still glanced his way and whispered.

A single bird glides down from a tree and lands on the ground near you, breaking you out of the reverie. You watch it hop gracefully and dip its head to drink from the pool. The bird shakes its feathers and then takes flight again, disappearing back into the trees over the lake.

Something about the simple grace of the bird’s movements rings in your mind, and you're struck by sudden inspiration. You rise and hurry back to your dorm.

You crack your laptop back open and erase the last two sentences of your conclusion. Keeping the elegance of the bird's swoop in mind, you re-formulate your closing, and add another sentence to your introduction to tie things together.

When you read the paper as a whole, you feel deeply satisfied and sure that it will get you top marks.

The rest of your week is jam-packed with assignments and getting to know the rest of your classmates. Most nights stretch late into the early hours, finishing readings, editing notes, and completing papers. A strong beginning is crucial to your success in the program, and staying busy makes it easy to keep ahead of the longer chapters.

After two weeks you've read nearly 600 pages and developed a hand cramp typing notes. You exhaust yourself working late into the night, eyes bleary from the text. But you also feel like you're learning at hyper speed. The lectures in both of your classes make you think critically, forcing you to reconsider what you thought you knew about education.

It seems that the other men and women in your cohort feel similarly. The energy from the initial classes has dimmed somewhat, but your peers are engaged in discussion and friendly to one another.

Gojo is the exception. After the first two days of classes, he hadn’t attended for the rest of the week. You'd absently wondered whether he'd dropped from the program- he hadn't acted particularly interested in the lectures.

But when you walk into class on Monday, he was back in his seat across the room, as indifferent and cool as he had been the first week.

~*~

The next morning, you rise and get ready for the day, then head to the campus cafeteria for breakfast.

You pick up a bowl of rice, some tsukemono, and some miso soup. As you walk back out into the seating area, you spot Kuzume. You didn’t know she lived on campus too, most students live with their families or individual apartment units, and you’re a little curious why she’s opted for a dorm. You think about approaching her to say hello, but you don’t want to bother her. There are plenty of open tables, so you choose one a bit farther down and sit down to enjoy your meal.

The soup is savory and warms you to the bone, and it pairs well with the fresh brine of the pickles. The meals here are healthy as well as cheaper and more filling than the ones you got on campus during your undergrad. Grabbing food from the cafeteria is more convenient than cooking all your meals too. You finish eating, drop off your dishes, and head towards your Curriculum class.

You slide into your normal seat and prepare for class to begin when Kuzume sits beside you.

“Hi!” She greets brightly. “I saw you in the cafe before class but I didn’t get to say hello.”

“Oh, hello!” You’re surprised she noticed you, and even more that she’s bringing it up now. Although you usually sit next to each other in this class, you haven’t spoken much since the first day.

“I didn’t want to intrude on your breakfast. I didn’t know you lived in the student dorms.”

“My family lives in Matsue, and I was lucky enough to snag one of the dorms before they filled up. It’s nice to live on the campus.” She responds.

“I love the university grounds. Tokyo is so beautiful.“ You say.

“As much as I love home, I’m looking forward to spending time in a bigger city.”

“It takes a while to explore, I’ve lived here for a few years and there’s still so much I haven’t seen.” It seems like Kuzume is interested in being friends, and you’d love to have a closer relationship. “If you’d ever like to grab dinner or coffee off campus I’m happy to show you my favorite places.”

“Thank you!” Kuzume’s smile is genuine and kind. “If you’d like, Saito and I were going to review some of the notes in the library later.” She gestures to another woman sitting a few chairs away. “We’re covering so much information in both courses, it’s hard to keep up with everything. You’re welcome to join us if you’d like.”

You’re suddenly very thankful that she did approach you.

“I would love to. I’ve been reorganizing all my notes manually and it takes forever.”

Class begins soon after that, and is focused heavily on learning objectives. Instead of a lecture, the professor is leading a discussion on how to articulate objectives and create tests based on student knowledge. Your peers are perceptive and curious as they comment on what you’ve read so far. The conversation winds as individuals express their own opinions.

There are so many factors to keep in mind- student learning styles, different exercises to apply learning, and the sheer volume of information that student’s today have to recall. While you agree that concrete goals are important to student understanding, you find yourself a bit worried about the considerable expectations placed on your future students.

Discussion starts to wind down and you’re grateful. You’ve typed several pages of notes and are feeling a bit fatigued from all of the discourse. The professor clears her throat and takes over the conversation.

"Before class ends, I'd like to go into more detail regarding your final paper this term. This project will count for thirty percent of your final grade and will hone the foundational skills for the rest of the teaching program."

The energy shift in the room is immediate. You perk up. The syllabus contained only a cursory overview of the project, promising more details as the course progresses.

The professor's face is severe as she continues, "You will devise mock curricula with an assigned partner. They may or may not share your field of study. You must write an outline of learning topics, supported by data and the approaches discussed in the text. The final project should also include example exercises your future students can complete."

There are nods from some of the other students, the air in the room serious and focused. Your fingers fly over the keys as you take notes, not wanting to miss any details.

"This project is designed to deepen your understanding of pacing and workload when creating the curriculum for each course," she continues. "The pairs are as follows:"

She begins to announce the pairs of names. Kuzume is partnered with Higa Fumio, a well tempered man who is usually first to comment in class discussions. Another set is called of two students you don't know very well and then you hear your name called. It's partnered with Gojo's.

The professor continues reading the pairs but you don't hear anything. After what happened on the first day, you hadn’t had the chance to make a second impression. You close your eyes briefly, take a deep breath, and concentrate intently on the front of the classroom. You don't want to see his reaction.

"This paper should challenge you and encourage you to consider how to most efficiently move through vast subject matter. Collaborate with your partner and innovate. It is our duty to maintain the quality of our schools and ensure the success of each student. Please email me if you have any additional questions."

With that abrupt call to action, class finishes. You begin to pack your bag, wondering how you should approach Gojo. You glance to where he normally sits and see he's gone already. With a brief look over your shoulder you see him strolling out of the room.

"Shit," you mutter. You stuff the computer into your bag and barely zip it up before you’re following him out of class.

You don’t want to cause a fuss and shout, but he’s moving quickly down the stairs. Those long legs of his really cover a lot of distance. You’ve nearly caught up with him as he pushes open the door at the front of the building.

"Hey, Gojo!" You call. He turns to look at you over his shoulder as you catch the door he’d opened. "I’d love to meet up soon to talk about the project. Are you free this weekend?"

He keeps walking. "Nah I'm busy."

“Oh, alright, um how about next week?”

“Dunno. My schedule changes a lot.”

You’re a little taken aback by his response. Is he acting this way because of what happened on the first day? Surely he expected you to talk to him about an assigned group project. Even if he doesn’t want to work with you, this project is worth a significant part of your grade and will be a huge time commitment.

"We can definitely adjust if something happens, but I’d really like to get together as soon as possible. It’s such a big project and I don’t really like to procrastinate.”

He finally stops and faces you.

“Ok. I should have time after class on Monday. We can meet in the library, there’s a reading room on the second floor.”

His expression is obscured by the sunglasses he seems to wear everyday, but you’re glad to finally have his full attention. If you thought he was striking in the classroom on that first day, now you can really see how the dark clothes contrast with his pale skin and hair.

You’re distracted again. But you can’t make the time he suggested.

"Um, I actually have another class after this. We could meet after lunch or grab food at the cafe?"

“Yeah that’s fine. See you at like 1?”

“Sounds good.” You give him a weak smile.

He continues past you down the path, not bothering to say anything else. You stay where you stopped, puzzled by his reaction.

Beyond feeling confused, you're irritated.

While he skips out on seemingly any lesson he pleases, you’ve shown up every day. Your notes are perfect and you participate in each class period. He hardly says a word and doesn't even bother to take his glasses off in class.

The indignation follows you as you trudge to your next class. You replay the conversation in your head as you unpack your computer and notes. You shift your focus to the professor as he begins the lecture, but annoyance sours your stomach for the rest of the day.

PlaidSparrow on Ao3

#gojo satoru #gojo x reader #light academia #reader insert #gojo #fanfiction #thank you for reading :)#EiA

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