Bad Timing | Satoru Gojo | Toji Fushiguro | Jujutsu Kaisen

Chapter 38

My heartbeat drummed, echoed, hard and fast inside my chest as everything else around me sank into complete silence. I didn't hear anything else from Nanami, didn't even realize he had left. Not until that quietness fell, not until he broke it, and sighed then faintly said. "You look crazy..."

My chest deflated in an exhale, then I shook my head. My eyes still not leaving his. "I feel crazy."

"I bet."

"Satoru?"

He looked tired, too tired like he carried the whole world over his back. His blindfold was off, and his eyes were so red rimmed it made my heart ache for him. Because, same as me, he looks like he was crying.

Satoru's hand rubbed the back of his neck as he broke his eyes away from me, inspecting the damaged yard, then he said. "You won't rest until you destroy this whole school, huh?"

I bit my lip, then felt the earlier cut on it stinging. "I had to get to you!"

He looked back at me, a deep frown shadowing over his face when he shook it and averted his gaze to my lip. Not responding.

My throat gulped, and despite being hesitant, my feet took a step forward. One of my knees ached as I did and it made me limp. "I can't lose you, Satoru!"

He was still looking at me, still quiet, when I finally reached him and lifted my hands up to cup his face between my grazed palms. Not even realizing it, a tear had trickled along my cheek. "All my life, I kept losing. Loss after loss, Satoru! And I don't want you to be a part of that chain. I want you! I'm choosing you! I know you're so mad at me right now, I get it!"

My throat gulped again and tears were streaming down helplessly now. "But I want you to fight for us, Satoru! Just like I'm willing to! And please, please..." My head bent and leaned forward, all the way until it rested against his chin. "Please, choose me!"

He stayed quiet again, and didn't say anything. I looked up when I heard his sigh and saw that frown still over his face. He looked too upset, hurt, and like he was hardly preventing himself from breaking.

"Ania!" He breathed out then closed his eyes and tilted his head more into my hands. Then he closed that unnecessary distance between us by slowly wrapping his arms around my waist and taking me and my broken body into his embrace.

It's like I heard them, all of them. Those broken, jagged pieces inside my chest. One by one, I heard them coming back together. By each second passing, each breath, each heartbeat while we were wrapped in each other's arms. And again, I didn't realize I was crying, sobbing, until my throat choked and air got too heavy to drag in.

Quietly, Satoru's arms moved, then his hands lowered down to my thighs. And swiftly, he hoisted me up and my legs quickly wrapped around his torso. Then he started walking, away from the gates, the destroyed yard, and back towards the academy building. I was still sniffling, still crying, while he was still quiet. But that didn't matter, and I didn't care. Because I know, just by being here with me again, that he's back. That he's choosing me. And that we're going to be okay...

It's like everything was silenced. Through the whole walk from the gates and towards the dormitory building. No one was left. It seemed all of the school's staff had already gone to Shibuya. Except me and Satoru.

When we reached his room, got in and he finally placed me over the bed. My eyes were puffy and stinging. Everything was blurry and hazy from a distance. Satoru went to close the door as I wrapped my arms around myself and sniffled then whispered. "Will everything be okay?"

Still quiet, he arched a brow as he took off his jacket. Then started rolling up the sleeves of his shirt.

"That mission, everyone is out there, will they be okay without you?" I said more clearly this time and almost winced at how hoarse my voice got. All that crying and screaming at Nanami is ought to show now.