CRESTFALLEN JOURNEY ; o.yuta

Leave it All Behind.

Sukuna's Vessel.
two — leave it all behind

"Shoko-san, can you make me apple bunnies?"

The following day, Mika was resting in the school infirmary with Shoko, who was lazing around in the bed next to hers. The woman — who got drunk the night before and was experiencing a massive hangover — begrudgingly sat up and took the knife.

"Have you taken your medicine?" she asked.

"Yes, Ma'am!" the student saluted at her with a cheeky smile. When Shoko was done cutting the apple, she took one and placed it in her mouth. "Why are you drunk again?"

Shoko plopped herself on the bed with her arm covering her eyes. "Thinking."

Mika glanced on the pack of cigarettes on Shoko's table. It was still sealed, meaning that Shoko didn't smoke. That was a relief, for Mika at least. Shoko only smokes when it becomes too much for her or she remembers something that makes her sad.

"Can you share them with me?"

"I want to, but I can't."

"That's okay," Mika stood up from her bed and walked towards the older woman. She placed her hand on top of Shoko's hair. "You can come to me when you feel like telling me."

Shoko removed her arm and look at her godchild, who had a soft smile plastered on her face. As someone who watched Mika grow up, Shoko knew that she was being genuine. She was always like that. Her presence brings comfort to the people around her.

She smiled. "Sure."

"MIKA!" They were interrupted when the door burst open and her friends entered one by one. "I heard the mission was a success." Maki was the first, then came Panda and Toge.

"Yes, although somebody died." The black-haired girl became gloom at the thought of Yui's mother dying. She knew it wasn't her fault and she wasn't going to blame herself for something she had no control, but she did regret that she was too late. If she came earlier, would she have been able to save them both?

"Mustard leaf." Toge sat on the bed and grabbed her hand to draw shapes on them, their own way of comforting each other as the boy couldn't speak normally due to his cursed technique.

"But that's not your fault." Panda told her.

"I know, it's out of my hand. But still, there must be something I could've done."

"Sure there must've been, but it's too late now. Not everything is your responsibility, don't take it to heart." Maki reassured her. She placed her hands on her hips then looked out of the window. "Now then, let's go practice."

"You're going to be the death of me, Maki." Nevertheless, Mika smiled and followed the girl who smirked playfully at her.

It was under the rays of marigolds when Panda and Toge watched intently while they were on the edge of their seats. Reflecting from their eyes were the figures of women sparing in the middle of the training grounds. Maki and Mika were grasping on their own weapons tightly, continuously charging towards each other without second thoughts.

"They've been going at it for two whole hours now," Panda commented, putting a piece of popcorn that they bought in order not to get too bored watching the women spar. "Should we try to stop them?"