❝Love opened a mortal wound. In agony, I worked the blade to make it deeper.❞ ━ Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz
COPYRIGHT 2023 JASPERHAIE.
JUJUTSU KAISEN.
KENTO NANAMI x OC.
SHIMIZU AIYA STAND-ALONE.
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CHAPTER TWO: heavy burdens and the impressions they leave.
"THE REDWOOD INSTITUTE AND its alumni are calling for your expulsion."
Aiya stepped back from the table. The shock was almost entirely undoing. She was meant to be focusing on her cursed technique— harnessing years of unspent cursed energy. An accumulation of all the darkest emotions within her. But, it still wasn't entirely clear what form it was taking yet.
Aiya's interim teacher, Yaga, had instructed her to simply put in more practice and that was precisely what Aiya had planned to do.
Instead, she turned cool eyes on Geto, struggling to feign her indifference. "Kicking me out already?"
Gojo Satoru shot an empty can of soda in her direction. The aluminum clattered against her head. Aiya hardly flinched, but frowned in his direction. He'd insisted on sitting in to watch her develop her technique, despite her protests.
"It depends," Gojo shrugged. "With enough pushback, the higher ups might be forced to do something." He hardly seemed phased by the idea, despite having been just as responsible as Geto in urging her to join their school.
Aiya didn't bother to hide her irritation. "You said I wouldn't have to deal with these kind of things at Jujutsu High." Anxiety began creeping up on her.
She'd been so prepared to leave behind the past... Aiya wasn't ready to deal with the possibility that the past wasn't yet done with her. Redwood had been hell. She was risking more than just her fortune in leaving.
Joining Jujutsu society meant sacrificing everything, including her life. Aiya had been prepared for all that— and now she was being told it still wasn't enough. It made something fester in the pit of her stomach. Something like fear.
Gojo shook his head. "No, what I said was 'Jujutsu society functions separately from the way regular society does.'"
Super helpful.
Aiya whirled on Geto. "So, what does that mean? I'm out? Just like that?" She'd barely laid a finger on Umi for her to be the sole cause. The charges themselves had already been dismissed.
No, this must have been a result of the investigation— and the subsequent storm it had sent out into the world. It had already been a week since the news broke, hitting media outlets like a wildfire. Beyond Aiya's own record, dozens of others had come forward with their own tales to tell about Redwood Institute. It was worse than anything Aiya could have ever imagined.
And she was enjoying every second of it.
"You're not out," another voice spoke.
Yaga entered the room, with Geto stepping aside to let him in. Aiya watched him carefully. It was an odd thing to regard him as a teacher. In her experience, the more stern they were, the more painful their teachings.
