Koi No Yokan (gojo x oc)

13. Tether

February 2006
One month later.

Satoru stayed with me that night, and the next. Then he whined that his bed is bigger and nicer. We've been staying in his room ever since.

I've found functionality again. The ability to get up in the morning, bathe myself, change clothes. I can eat a full meal without throwing it up, and hold a conversation without bursting into tears. Most of all, I sleep through each night with ease, a warm pair of arms wrapped around me.

But when he lets go, I'm still clearly so lost. I catch myself staring at the walls, walking into rooms unconscious of why or how I got there. I drift off into a void of darkness, overwhelmed by so many thoughts that my mind goes blank. The longest I'd experienced this was three hours, sitting on the floor of the lounge, eyes distantly fixed on the cracked white paint. Shoko was the one who found me. It happens most often when I'm alone, and at times in a crowded space. In the shower, or mid-conversation. During meals, and training, and journeys on the train.

It's happening all the time.

"Kaede-chan?"

"Huh?"

Even now.

"I said, 'Are you sure you're ready for this?'."

I stuff my hands deep into my pockets; the uniform it feels so wrong to be wearing. "Do I need to be?"

"If you're not ready to be in the field again, we should request for a substitute. Mariko and Haibara are more than willing—"

"Nanami-kun, I'm a special grade now. I highly doubt it matters whether I'm 'ready' or not."

"I don't want you to get hurt."

I laugh, but it's hollow. "Worry about yourself."

I lead the way into a dimly-lit tunnel, Nanami close behind. The yellowing walls are covered in a layer of overgrown weeds. Hues of brown and red stains peek out from beneath. When I observe more closely, I realize everything is rotting.

"What exactly is your technique anyway?" I try to fill the silence. "I should have a better idea before we face this thing."

This is the first time I've been assigned with anyone other than Satoru or Suguru. Why? Maybe I'm here as a safety net for Nanami—someone who could help him delve into higher stakes missions. Or maybe he's here as some sort of support for me—someone to keep me sane. Maybe both?

"Ratio Technique. I can make weak points when I hit the curse with this." He holds up the blunt blade, wrapped in some kind of spotted fabric.

"I see." The lights flickering overhead don't go unnoticed. Neither does the air that's gone still, making our footsteps echo the slightest bit louder. "So, you'd need to get in close."

Nanami had to have noticed the shift too, but his voice remains pleasingly steady, "Ideally."

"I can work with that," I say casually. The ground is thrumming with a new kind of vibration, tingling into the soles of my shoes. "Did Yaga Sensei tell you about this place?"

"Some kind of haunted sight for students to run through," he recounts. "All the kids who tried end up disappearing before they can make it to the other end."

"Right." I halt, and Nanami does the same behind. "So, why am I almost at the end of this tunnel then?"

We had been chatting the entire way down, blatantly leaving ourselves open to lure the curse out. Yet, we now stand less than a couple yards from the tunnel's end. I turn on my heel towards the other opening, scanning the ceiling as well. "Don't tell me it's letting us off the hook."