Fragility (Jujutsu Kaisen)

~ Chapter 2 ~

~ 1997 ~ 

"Sachiko Chiyo, you can't do this every time that I am in charge of you," Renho growled as she searched the rooms along the hallway for her young ward. A year had passed, and the girl still pulled the same stunts on her older carer, whose hair grew greyer each week. The older woman quieted down as the boy-haired boy came around the corner into the hallway, "Hello, Satoru, it is good to see you well." 

"You too Miss Renho, is Sachiko hiding from you again?" He asked. She nodded and rubbed her hand on her face. She stated that she hopes the girl will start to grow up soon so she doesn't have a heart attack every time she works. Renho asked if he knew where she was. He shakes his head, "Sorry, I haven't seen her today." 

"She barely talks to anyone. She is such a strange girl. What the Gojo family was thinking I will never know." The woman said frustrated before carrying on with her search. Gojo watched go around the corner before he turned to look at the curtain that was right next to him. Two small feet stuck out from underneath, if he had not distracted the older woman she would have been dragged back to her room. A small sniffle came from behind it and Satoru's smug smile fell slightly. Renho has always been known to be a traditional woman with harsh words, while Sachiko has obviously been treated wrong with words. 

Satoru pulls back the curtain revealing the teary-eyed girl, she looks up at him startled and quickly attempts to wipe away the stray ones rolling down her face. The emotion on her face disappears as though she had flicked a switch. He looks away from her and keeps walking, before sighing and turning back to her. She hadn't moved an inch as a few stray tears rolled down her cheeks despite her poker face. 

"Sachiko, you know you really need to start opening up more. I don't know what they did to you at the Chiyo compound but you don't have to hide how you feel here." He stated before starting to go down the hallway more. Sachiko watched after him before she sprinted after the boy, he glanced back at her. She doesn't say anything so he keeps walking once again. 

"I think you're an asshole." She says suddenly, Satoru's eyes widen as he quickly turns back to the girl. Sachiko stares at him with an annoyed expression and then fear as he starts stomping towards her. Satoru put his face near hers, her eyes danced between both of his as he waited for his reaction. A wide smile suddenly appeared on his face and he burst out laughing. Sachiko watched him surprised before joining in with the laughter. 

"Sachiko Chiyo  !" The angered call of Renho sounded down the hallway, the laughter had given away her position. Sachiko's eyes widen as she glances back down the hallway, Satoru grabs her wrist and starts to pull her towards a room. She lets out a giggle as Satoru hides her and distracts the woman again. 

Sachiko and Satoru began spending more and more time together until they were nearly inseparable. The Gojo family watched the pair grow closer and were glad that it happened organically, all they had to do now was hope it would continue to blossom. Satoru would have his schooling throughout the morning and early afternoon then later in the day, he would hang out with Sachiko. He started by teaching her the art of watching Doraemon which Sachiko was amazed by. 

"I can't believe you haven't watched TV before," Satoru said as he leaned back onto his hands while Sachiko lay on her back looking up at the TV upside down. She sat up and looked at him with an annoyed look before she huffed a laid-back down. 

"My Grandmother never let me, she said it would turn me into an evil girl," Sachiko said as she rolled onto her stomach and went onto her elbows. Satoru stared at her for a moment before looking away. He didn't understand why they wouldn't let her watch a harmless thing, no wonder she was so weird when she came to live with them. 

"Do you miss your Grandmother?" Satoru asked her, she shook her head without even taking a moment to look at him. She was too focused on the show, a small smile playing on her face. Satoru turned his head back to the TV, "I don't think you could ever turn evil." He didn't look at her but he could tell she had sat up. A smile came to his face as she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him. Her head against his chest and her arms tightened around him, she said a small thank you. 

Yui walked down the hallway towards her and Sachiko's room, they had spent the day celebrating Satoru's 8th birthday. It was a big event each year, as just his existence alone is celebrated by the Gojo family. Sachiko was reluctant to go to bed but she had already been allowed up much longer than normal and slowly spiralled further and further into a tired state. Soon enough, a guard was ordered to help take the aslee[ 6-year-old back to her room.

Yui poked her head into Sachiko's room, the young girl had awoken and was sitting on the small balcony staring up at the moon. "Sachi, it's time for bed. You fell asleep in the lounge room with Satoru, he ain't so much cake we're worried he might not make it to the morning" Yui said making the girl laugh softly. The carer sat down next to the girl and Sachiko rested her head in her lap. It was a cool night as winter began to set in and misty nights became more reoccurring. Yui gently patted the girl's head as they just sat in silence.

"Yui, I love you," Sachiko said quietly, Yui looked at her surprised and felt her heart constrict as it warmed at the girl's words. A bright smile came onto the woman's face while Sachiko slowly fell asleep again. Yui gently lifted the girl and brought her back into her room, closing the door behind her. She laid the girl down in her bed and kneeled down next to her as she pulled her sheets over her. 

Yui couldn't deny that after almost a year of looking solely after this child, she didn't feel very strong maternal feelings towards her. A feeling she thought she would never feel, not after what the doctors said and the death of her husband. When the opportunity to look after the Chiyo child came up, the pay was the most desirable thing as nobody knew what she would be like. Sachiko continued to surprise the Gojo family with not only her trauma but the kindness that oozed out of her, her cheeky wit and curiosity.  If it was her choice, she would never need a day off as in her heart, she felt that Sachiko had come from her womb instead of a dirty elite auction. 

Yui apologised each night to the birth mother of this beautiful child, who would never be able to know the miracle that she helped enter this world. Yui kissed the girl's head softly and turned off the light next to her, "I love you too." 

Yui watched her for a moment before standing up and going to her own room, the one next door. She closed the door and looked at the picture on her bedside table. A photo of her, her husband, and their baby girl who only blessed their world for a few days before joining her siblings in the afterlife. A few weeks later, her husband left her of his own will to join them. That was 8 years ago now but still a fresh wound, that seemed to be healing with each smile of the Chiyo child.