ʜᴇᴀᴠᴇɴ - ᴊᴜᴊᴜᴛꜱᴜ ᴋᴀɪꜱᴇɴ

Chapter 10

Awakening to a hollowness that seemed to engulf him, Akira's senses gradually reacquainted themselves with reality. His eyelids lifted, only to find the space beside him conspicuously vacant. The reality of Suguru's absence hit him, but Akira's heart recoiled against the notion that Suguru could have truly left him.

Swiftly, his actions driven by a mixture of hope and disbelief, Akira reached for Suguru's discarded shirt. With a sense of urgency, he pulled it on, as if trying to imbibe Suguru's presence through the fabric. Driven by an unshakeable determination, he left Suguru's room with purpose, his steps leading him to his own quarters where he retrieved his own attire.

A knock on his door disrupted his thoughts, grounding him back to the present. Flinging the door open, he found himself face-to-face with Satoru Gojo, whose gaze swiftly descended to Akira's disheveled appearance. The tension in Satoru's frame was palpable, his fists clenching as his eyes fell upon the marks adorning Akira's neck.

Akira's voice broke through the silence, his concern evident as he waved his hands before him, seeking an explanation. "Satoru, what's going on?"

Satoru cleared his throat, his demeanor composed yet heavy with the burden of truth he was about to share. Gathering himself, he prepared to disclose what Akira had remained oblivious to.

The words that left Satoru's lips were stark and unembellished, hitting Akira with the weight of a sledgehammer. "Suguru's responsible for the deaths of 112 villagers and his parents".

A stunned quiet settled between them, Akira staring at Satoru with an expression devoid of any emotion.

A scoff erupted from his throat, borne from a place of disbelief, a desperate attempt to reject the harsh reality. "Cut it out, Satoru. This isn't the time for one of your jokes. I need answers—"

Satoru's voice, firm and unyielding, interjected, shattering the fragile shield of denial. "I'm not joking, Akira."

The room seemed to spin, the implications of Satoru's words crashing into Akira's consciousness like tidal waves. A storm of emotions churned within him, but he met Satoru's gaze with a resolute expression, a façade masking the turmoil beneath.

---

In the midst of pulling on his hoodie, Akira was taken aback as Satoru abruptly materialized in Akira's room. The urgency in his manner was undeniable.

"Shoko has spotted him," Satoru announced with a sense of urgency, his gaze locked onto Akira. "I'm planning on seeing him."

Caught off guard by the sudden entrance and the gravity of the situation, Akira's mind raced, his heart pounding as he sought to comprehend the unfolding events. "Where is he?" His inquiry carried a mixture of anxiety and determination, a desire to be involved and informed.

Satoru's response was cryptic, leaving Akira with a gnawing curiosity and an underlying sense of unease. "You don't need to worry about that."

In the aftermath of their earlier conversation, Akira's emotions were a tempest—confusion, anger, grief—yet a steely determination threaded through it all. He met Satoru's gaze with unwavering resolve. "I want to be a part of this, Satoru. I need to confront him, to understand... even if it means stopping him."

Satoru's acknowledgment was accompanied by a somber nod, an unspoken recognition of Akira's determination. 

Satoru's presence wavered and then vanished, leaving behind a charged atmosphere and a sense of imminent action. And with a single word, Satoru cemented their next destination.

"Shinjuku," Satoru uttered, the name carrying the weight of uncertainty and danger as he disappeared from the room, leaving Akira to grapple with the swirling emotions and the impending confrontation that awaited them both.

----

Concealed within the dimly lit alleyway, Akira stealthily observed the intense conversation between Satoru and Suguru, their voices resonating with crystal clarity.

"So, you're suggesting we eliminate anyone who lacks sorcerer abilities?" Satoru's inquiry hung heavily in the air.

"Even your own parents?" Satoru probed further, his tone marked by incredulity.

Akira, hidden in the shadows, held his breath in anxious anticipation, but his shock was palpable as Suguru's response pierced the silence, "I cannot make an exception for my parents."

"Those people are no longer my family," Suguru coldly asserted.

Satoru, his patience wearing thin, retorted, "That's not the question I'm asking."

"I thought our principle was to refrain from unnecessary bloodshed," Satoru challenged, furrowing his brow.

Suguru, unyielding in his stance, calmly asserted, "There is indeed a purpose to this. It holds significance."

Akira's heart sank as he leaned against the alley wall, tears welling up in his eyes. The reality of the situation was overwhelming.

"Even in the pursuit of a greater cause," Hearing Suguru say this, tears silently streamed down Akira's cheeks. It was incomprehensible that this was the same Suguru he had once whispered, "I love you," to, the very same Suguru who had been his first love.

Satoru's voice jolted him back to the conversation. "You intend to exterminate all non-sorcerers, creating a world solely for jujutsu sorcerers?!"

Satoru's skepticism rang in Akira's ears, to which Suguru replied, "You may deem it impossible."

"Why chip away at the unattainable?" Satoru passionately questioned.

Suguru's response was laced with arrogance as he retorted, "How arrogant".

Sensing Satoru's surprise, Suguru pressed on, "You could do it, couldn't you, Satoru?"

"Yet you attempt to convince others of the impossibility of something well within your grasp," he challenged further.

"Are you the strongest because you are Gojo Satoru?" Suguru's piercing gaze met Satoru's.

"Or does being the strongest make you Gojo Satoru?" The questions hung in the air, laden with unspoken tension.

Satoru's gaze remained locked on Suguru. "What exactly are you implying?"

"If I could attain your power," Suguru mused, "this seemingly audacious idea could become tangible, don't you think?"

"I've decided how I'll live my life. Now it's just a matter of doing the best I can to achieve that," Suguru affirmed.

Satoru hesitated, his fingers poised for jujutsu, yet uncertainty held him in check.

"If you're determined to kill me, then do so," Suguru declared calmly.

"In doing so, there would indeed be a purpose," he added before walking away.

Akira, his emotions in turmoil, rose to his feet and observed Suguru's departure. He had a gut feeling that Suguru had been aware of his presence all along, yet chose to disregard it.

"There would be a point to that," Suguru says as he walks away.

As Suguru walked away, each step he took felt like a dagger plunging deeper into Akira's chest. 

The alleyway seemed to close in on him, suffocating him with a sense of despair.

And there, in the shadowy solitude, Akira watched. It was a heartbreaking and agonizing moment, his heart aching with the weight of unspoken words, shattered dreams, and the profound realization that the person he had loved so deeply had become someone unrecognizable.

Tears welled up in his eyes, but he couldn't bring himself to wipe them away. They flowed freely, mirroring the torrent of emotions that swirled within him. The world around him blurred, reduced to a backdrop of pain and uncertainty.

As Suguru's silhouette grew smaller in the distance, Akira's heartache intensified. He was left with a hollow ache in his chest, a lingering ache that would haunt him long after this fateful encounter in the dark alleyway.

And in that heartbreaking moment, all he could do was watch, his soul torn between love and the irreparable chasm that had formed between them.