Koi No Yokan (gojo x oc)

17. The Beginning of the End

There's a fork in the road that everyone reaches before they die. A right path that offers you everything you've ever wanted, luring you in with sweet scents and the voices of everyone you've ever loved. This road is said to guarantee happiness and peace.

Three types of people approach these paths: the majority, who don't bother looking at the left path, those who see the left path, consider it, but ultimately choose the rightward, happier, easier, way, then those who see both paths, and, for some reason go left.

March 2006
Two hours later.

A knife could cut through the tension in this classroom right now.

Mariko and I sat at the furthest opposite desks, letting the boys fill the space as they pleased. The only one who dared to make a noise was Haibara when he awkwardly cleared his throat, gaining the courage to ask "Did something happy while we were gone?"

I sink further into my seat, arms folded in protest.

"You don't understand being the strongest—having your life sold to Jujutsu. You could leave it all behind and no one would even care!"

Mariko doesn't move, only scoffs largely.

"You know, you and Gojo-san really are perfect for each other. You're both full of shit."

Neither of us bother to answer, though. To admit our faults.

"Okay..."

"Let them be," Nanami says. "They can figure out their petty feuds by themselves—"

"It's not petty!" Mariko and I exclaim at the same time. Our eyes lock momentarily, only for us to force our gazes back towards the front of the room. Then we fall into silence again.

Another five, maybe ten, minutes of this passes, until an assistant supervisor rips the door open, "Uematsu-san, Yaga Sensei is requesting you in room 6."

"What for?"

"Tengen-sama has specially requested you for a mission," she says. "As well as Gojo and Geto-san."

"Of course," Mariko scoffs once more. "Leave all of us weak people behi—"

There's a teacher's desk at the front of the room. One that breaks in half against my fist as I pass by. Mariko—all of them—cannot help but stare in shock at my dramatic gesture. Their expressions are similar to Nanami's from the night of our mission together. I ask myself, "Why have I become so hostile?"

Even the assistant supervisor's hand trembles slightly as she passes the cream folder. "You will be escorting Amanai Riko for her assimilation with Tengen-sama in two days."

"Assimilation?"

"Yaga Sensei called it an," she hesitates, "Erasure."

The folder is filled with an endless amount of documents regarding Amanai Riko. Everything from her upbringing—dead parents and no family left to claim her, her role as the "Star Plasma Vessel" being the only thing keeping her out of an orphanage—to invasive details about her daily routine, along with a long list of organizations that will be interested in her bounty.

There's a picture of her clipped to the top of the stack. Mussy black hair and wide eyes. I frown. "She's only 14."

"Tengen-sama has personally chosen her—"

"A child."

"She is most compatible—"

"She's a child."

The assistant supervisor stutters helplessly. "Sh-she's only a couple years younger than yourself, Uematsu-san."

"And I'm not a child?" I think. "Isn't that why I'm still in school?"