DARK RED [ITADORI Y.]

―XIX. KICK

CHAPTER XIX. STILL KICKING?

__________________________________

MY eyes snapped open. I grimaced at first, slowly cracking my eyes open as my hands twitched at my sides. It was like someone had hit the factory reset button on my brain, and everything was rebooting now. I hated this feeling, but something told me this would not be the last time I felt it.

As before, I felt a sheet be draped over my body. My face was uncovered this time, and as my vision finally focused, I saw a woman standing over me. She wasn't in shock, or staring at me in horror, but rather looking as if she had expected this. With a hand over her hip, Ieiri looked down at me, before glancing at a timer in her hands.

"Two hours and nine minutes," She said, stopping the timer. "Shorter than last time. Try talking for me. I want to see if your vocal cords have been damaged."

"Why did you time me?" I asked, my voice perfectly stable and clear. Ieiri hummed a little, more than likely pleased at her assumption.

"For research purposes," She said, motioning for me to sit up. As I did so, the sheet pooled around my waist, falling to expose the blood staining the front of my shirt. I looked down, frowning as I touched my neck. Nothing.

"The wounds heal," She stated. "But they scar over."

I nodded. I could feel the scar under my fingers; the skin was much smoother along the line that Kazuhiro had slit my throat open. Ieiri placed her hand over mine, gently pulling it away from the healed wound.

"You don't have much time," She said. "Hurry and find Gojo before Kazuhiro finds you."

However, before I could even think about moving, there was a knock at the door. Ieiri pushed me back down onto the table and lifted the sheet. She whispered for me to not move before pulling the sheet over my head. I knew my heart was not beating, and shockingly, I wasn't breathing either.

To the world, I looked dead. It must have something to do with my body dying and them coming back to life. Until I fully regained myself, I would be presumed dead. Is that why people wanted to exorcise me? Because I could live without being alive for a certain amount of time, before actually coming back to life?

"Well?"

I tried not to tense at Kazuhiro's voice.

"She's dead," Ieiri replied. "I've already made the phone call to her parents. They'll be coming to collect her body tomorrow."

"I want to meet them," He said, and I could hear him walking towards the table.

"No," Ieiri said. "You were the one to kill her. Let her family go easily. They've already lost their daughter."

"Their daughter was not human," He said.

"Please don't remove the sheet," She interjected. "The chemicals in her body are still settling. You're not wearing anything to protect yourself."

"Then don't put her in the open," Kazuhiro said. "Here, I'll move so that you can properly store her away until her family arrives tomorrow."

I began to panic in my mind. Ieiri hesitated before I heard her heels clicking against the floor. The table I rested on jolted before it began to slide back. It stopped with a jerk, and I heard a creak before a small click.

"There," Ieiri's voice was now muffled. "Now, please see your way out. I have other preparations to make."

"One more thing," He said. "I want her autopsy report."

"You're not authorized to have that information," She stated.

"I am," He retorted. It was silent for a moment. "The higher-ups have fully granted me permission to everything about L/n Y/n. So, I'm going to need everything. Including her body, because I know this girl is not dead."

"Hey! What are you--"

The door swung open and the table was yanked out. The sheet was ripped away from my body and a large hand snapped around my throat. Instinctively, my hands shot around his wrists. Ieiri yelled at him to let me go as I twisted his arm around, breaking his grip on my throat. I kicked him away from me before sitting up.

"Still kicking?" He asked, snickering at his own pun. I glared at him. "Stand up, Y/n. You're coming with me."

"No, she isn't," Ieiri said, reaching for my arm. However, she never made contact.

"It's fine," I muttered to her, sliding from the table. "I'll go willingly."

...

"He'll just keep killing her!"

"She's a hazard to every student in the school!"

"He broke into the school before and claimed to have permission! If anyone is a hazard, it's Kazuhiro!"

"Obviously, the training that she is receiving from Gojo Satoru is not working! If it were, we wouldn't be here!"

"She's barely a teenager! She's got no experience in curses whatsoever! There are basic things she needs to learn first!"

Back and forth.

I've lost count of the number of people that crowded the small room, and I've lost track of the time that I've sat here. On one side, Gojo, Yaga, and other people who were on my side stood. The other, Kazuhiro and the people who wanted to kill me. Tall, yet thin, paper dividers sat around us, each with a dark shadow behind it that belonged to a higher-up.

I was placed in the middle of the room. Much like some kind of...zoo animal, or auction piece, I was set on display for everyone to see. My hands were separated by a metal bar and placed in front of me. My ankles were bound with heavy chains that were connected to the floor, and so short that I'd trip myself if I tried to move at all. It was uncomfortable to stand but also uncomfortable to kneel, so I was situated in a crouching position, my elbows bent with my head resting in my hands.

I wanted this to end. At this point, I didn't care who I was given to. My head was hurting; the constant nagging of Eris's voice to let her have control and break out was beginning to give me a migraine. She'd become much more active now that we'd made that deal, and now, I regretted it all. I didn't think of the consequences that would follow my actions.

"That's enough debate," One of the men behind the divider said. "L/n Y/n, you will speak for yourself. Who will you take as your guardian?"

What? They were asking me? Weren't they supposed to decide with all that bickering they've done for...God knows how long? I couldn't just answer this immediately. I had to seriously consider my optio--

"Kazuhiro."

I blinked at the sound of my own voice. I touched my throat, feeling the hot marks quickly receding away before they could have been seen. I felt my eyes widen.

"You took too long."

Eris. That goddamned bitc---

"Then it's been decided. Guardianship is transferred to Kazuhiro-san. Her training will now become under his care. However, he is only to be with her from the hours of 8 o'clock in the morning until 3 o'clock in the afternoon. All other time will be given to continue with her general studies and time at the school. She shall remain on the campus of the Tokyo Metropolitan Technical Magic School at all times unless granted permission by the principal."

Itadori looked at me with wide eyes. I swallowed hard, smiling at him nervously.

Shit, I messed up.

[Chapter XIX. End]
[Image belongs to me]