𝓒𝓪𝓷𝓭𝔂 KNY x Op!Gojo!Reader

Shoko Ieiri's Past with Y/N

★ Revised

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Ieiri wasn't someone who liked to boast about it, but she considered herself to have a good memory and it seemed like yesterday that she had met Y/N, when they were both twelve. While walking through the training yard, Ieiri saw her for the first time - hair as white as the snow that covered the ground, a beautiful face that even the most beautiful cherubs would envy, and an elegant dress that gave the impression that she could buy any of the most luxurious mansions in Japan. However, Gojo's eyes... still gave her the creeps to this day. Although they were a beautiful blue, it seemed as if she was looking at a lifeless doll.

At the time, Yaga, who was just a teacher, was talking to the young girl, who nodded periodically or responded with a few words. They were far enough apart that Ieiri couldn't clearly hear the conversation, but it didn't take her long to figure it out: Y/N Gojo was going to be the new student.

It took a few more days before Shoko saw Y/N again, and when she finally did, the albino girl was always alone. Ieiri attributed this to childish shyness and couldn't help but feel sympathy for her. She was also a lonely girl, but unlike Y/N, it was by her own choice. Still, Ieiri always had the company of Utahime and her friends when the two schools had shared events. However, it took a few more days for Ieiri to work up the courage to confront her and try to start a friendship, prompted by Utahime's confidence, who dragged her to the venue.

However, when they arrived at the place where the albino girl usually ate lunch, one of the farthest stands of the school's training stadium, someone was already there. It was Suguro Geto, the Tokyo school's 'social butterfly', who was making an effort to interact with the silent young girl. After that day, the brunette had become strongly attached to the poor Gojo, and it was relatively funny for any outsider to see. The Shoko wouldn't deny that several times she giggled and secretly gossiped with Utahime about which of the two looked more like a puppy following its master. Where Y/N was, Geto would be following her, and where Suguro was, Gojo would faithfully accompany him.

Due to the always friendly, outgoing and warm personality that emanated from Suguro, it was no surprise that Y/N was quick to open up. As if he had something contagious, much of that personality and attitude was passed on to the new girl. Shoko was very grateful to him for that. It was always lovely to see a genuine smile or hear a laugh from Gojo, who happened to become her friend. She also appreciated the random trivia that Y/N always shared about the fauna.

Shoko vividly remembers a curiosity about cockatiels that Y/N had shared with her, and this information is still fresh in her mind.

"Hey, Koko, I found out something interesting about cockatiels."

"Oh, what would that be?"

"They have a habit of imitating their owners or anyone they trust. I was walking in the park and saw a lady with a cockatiel on her shoulder. At first, she tried to offer the bird a piece of banana, but it refused. So the lady took a few bites of the banana and offered it again to the cockatiel, who accepted it because it trusted its owner!"

In the old days, Shoko thought this was cute and joked, for a long time, calling Y/N "Cockatiel". She always seemed to like the same things as Geto and acquired a personality similar to his. This, combined with the fact that couples often develop similar habits, resulted in several harmless jokes that, fortunately, Y/N and Suguro always faced with good humor.

However, nowadays, the significance of this makes Shoko's stomach turn. She knows her friend's nature, but she can't help but feel fear that Y/N wants to mirror Geto. Ieiri has already lost two friends in different ways, and it would be extremely painful for her to lose another.

If Shoko were to describe their time together, it would be as "lovely" and "fun". The chaotic aura that surrounded the group, consisting of her, Y/N, Utahime, Suguro, Kento and Haibara, was pleasant. Despite the silly jokes, occasional fights and pranks, the group was quite close-knit. They could not ignore the fact that they were Jujutsu sorcerers in such a disturbing and dangerous era as the Taishou Era.

However, during a mission by Y/N and Geto, with Nanami and Yu assisting them, numerous losses occurred, including that of poor Haibara. It was a shock for everyone, especially Kento, who gradually distanced himself from the group. Despite the group's attempts to reconnect, he preferred to spend his time alone and eventually left the school.

On top of that, there was the tragic story of Riko Amanai, the girl who was destined to die but whom they tried so hard to protect. She was killed at the hands of a mercenary who, regardless of his job, seemed to have some emotional connection to Gojo and yet, she had to execute him. After that day, the albino also drifted away from the group. She stopped sleeping in her dormitory at night and only showed up for important classes or to pick up assignments.

Gradually, Gojo became nothing more than a shadow in the corridors, her smile fading as her presence also disappeared.

The relationship between Suguro and Y/N had also deteriorated. There was an uncomfortable atmosphere whenever the two met, and his smiles and laughter seemed increasingly plastic, as did his actions. Everything Geto did seemed calculated and robotic.

Shoko carried within her the memory of a moment when she went out to smoke — a habit she had acquired — and found her friend sitting on some rocks near the stream near the school. Y/N was venting to one of her shikigami while hugging the white cat tightly.

"He almost killed me that day, Sa-Satoru...! I didn't mean to-..." The young girl burst into tears, and Ieiri wasted no time. She rushed to save Gojo and try to comfort her before she had a panic attack.

The whole situation was frightening. Throughout the years Shoko had lived with Y/N, she had never seen her friend cry or look so... dejected while venting about her current thoughts and her past.

After that day, Gojo strangely seemed to return to normal, started spending more time at school with them again and her personality showed considerable improvement. In particular, after bringing a little boy to look after, who she claimed to be her little cousin and who was no more than 4 years old, this childish presence seemed to bring a new energy to Y/N and some peace to her.

However, fate never liked to play fair.

The two girls were playing with Megumi, and Shoko felt happy to spend some time with her friend and witness some kind smiles occasionally light up Y/N's face again. However, they heard commotion outside and the brunette sorceress decided to investigate, leaving Gojo and the little boy in the room. On her way out, Shoko was approached by one of her superiors, who gave her an announcement: Suguro Geto...

Has gone mad.

This news caused a huge commotion in the Jujutsu Sorcerer society, after all, overnight Geto had murdered several Non-Sorcerers.

When Shoko stops and reflects about the past, it is undeniable that she feels a pain in her chest and a tightness in her throat, accompanied by an urge to cry. It's sad and painful to think of all the good and bad times she shared with her friend, as well as all the happy memories Suguro gave her. He was a dangerous criminal, but in the past he was her friend, and memories are still memories, right?

And, as if all this wasn't horrible enough, Y/N decided to disappear completely after leaving another boy, Yuta Okkotsu, a few years younger than them, under the protection of the Tokyo jujutsu tech school, with the promise that she would be back one day. This decision left Shoko with an emptiness in her heart, as she missed her friend's presence and didn't know when, or if, she would return.

At that time, when they were both in their 16 years old, Shoko really believed that she would see her albino friend come back. She thought that maybe Y/N just needed some time to heal her emotional wounds, as she knew that these scars are hard to heal. Shoko managed to get back on her feet thanks to the mutual support between her, Kento and Iori. The three of them shared difficult experiences and were able to comfort each other. Ieiri understood that many people prefer to face their battles alone, afraid to expose their weaknesses to others.

But why did she think Gojo was being selfish by hiding herself from everyone?