A Broken, Once Supposed Fairytale

𓆩𐏑੩𓆪

FW: This chapter is very short compared to the others. Mentions of forced / arranged marriage, Naobito Zen'in, disrespect

The tiny alarm clock continued to tick as he was still curled up in his futon, sound asleep. Thin, warm rays of sunlight filtered through the huge windows. The trees rustled outside, creating their own music.

"Satoru!" called a voice. "Satoru!"

Satoru Gojo's mother, Aori Gojo, came rushing into his room. "Satoru!" she shouted. "Get up, honey!"

Gojo grumbled and pulled the covers over his ears to muffle his mom's shouts. As she bent over him, she gently shook him, signalling for him to wake up immediately.

"What is it, mom?" he muttered groggily, sitting up and rubbing his eyes.

"Satoru, the Zen'in Clan is here!" she whispered. "I need you to get up so you can greet them."

"The Zen—ugh, no, not them!" he protested.

His mother ruffled his hair to make it neater, but it only made it even messier. "Change out of your clothes, Satoru. If you dislike them so much that you don't want to greet them, don't stay in the building, so they don't see you."

"Fine."

His mother smiled warmly at him and left the room. Gojo wanted, oh so much, to just fall back down onto the pillow and doze off again, but his father would kill him. Changing into a pair of baggy jeans and a white shirt, he strode out of the room and out of the main building. As he passed the hallways, he saw a boy he really didn't want to see the most—Naoya Zen'in.

He quickened his pace and ran to the nearest building. He was hungry. His parents never let him eat sweet things for breakfast, but it wouldn't hurt if he went and ate some now, right?

He skipped down some hallways and finally came across a room with a small kitchen. Without permission, he entered the kitchen and peered into the tiny fridge. There, sitting on a plate, was a delicious kikufuku. His mouth nearly drooled at the sight of it. Grabbing it excitedly and stuffing it into his mouth, he slammed the fridge door shut. A bit too hard.

He didn't notice when he first came in, but a chicken was in the kitchen. She was annoying and always asked questions. That was how he remembered her. Then he remembered that some of the evacuated people from the Kamo Clan were staying at his residence, and that included the chicken.

Her looks irked him a little. She wasn't pretty, but he wasn't a misogynist or a body-shamer either, so it didn't really matter.

After a conversation full of questions again, he left the room feeling, not irritated but a tad more relieved. Supposedly, he released some of his frustrations in that conversation.

He was raised spoiled and pampered, but it wasn't an ideal life. He was very restricted and protected. But he didn't need protection. He could fight for himself, couldn't he? Flattening his messed-up hair, he made his way to his dad's office.

When he arrived, he was quite surprised. There wasn't anyone outside the office. He tiptoed quietly into the room and sat down beside the door, eavesdropping on the discussion going on inside.

"I've said it many times already, Zen'in. My son doesn't want to get engaged," said his father.

"I've used this opportunity to talk this out with you, Gojo! Will you not listen to me?" mocked another voice, belonging to the Zen'in Clan head, Naobito Zen'in.

"What do you want?"

"Your son, Satoru Gojo, should be married off to one of the big Jujutsu families. And my clan is perfect for it."

"You only want my son so you can improve your political strength. My son will never be happy in your clan, and he already hates it."

Naobito snorted. "What does he know? He's eleven, Gojo!"

"And that's exactly why he isn't suitable to be married off now! As much as I want to marry him off someday, he's still too young. His point of view is narrow, Zen'in!"

"We've just taken in a fine girl," said Naobito, ignoring Taki. "Her name is Sumiko, and she'll be an even finer match for your son. Her cursed technique is powerful, and—"

"I know nothing of this Sumiko girl, Zen'in. How do I know what she's like? How will Satoru know what she's like?"

"Who needs to know about the other before entering an engagement? As long as it's a good match and it will benefit both sides, it doesn't matter—"

Slap! Gojo's father just slapped Naobito.

"How dare you?" seethed Naobito. "I'm warning you, Gojo! If you do not find a match for your son within 3 months, he will be engaged to Sumiko of the Zen'in Clan!"

Knowing what would happen next, Gojo quickly backed away as the door to the office burst open, and Naobito Zen'in came storming out of it, flushing angrily. Once he left the room, Gojo stood up and walked inside the office.

"You were listening, Satoru?" asked his father, noticing him in the doorway.

"What was that conversation about, dad?" asked Gojo, plopping down on a chair opposite his dad. But his tone had a predatory tone.

"I'm sorry. Zen'in has been pestering me a lot recently about marrying you off to someone in his clan."

"I refuse. Why should I get married?"

His father sighed and rubbed his temple, taking off his glasses. Although his face was a little wrinkled from age, he had the looks of a stern office worker. He had jet-black hair instead of white like Gojo's.

"Life isn't some fairytale, Satoru. You can't stay like this forever. I'll have to marry you off one day, whether you or I like it or not."

"But—"

"Choose. Marry a random girl you don't even know from the Zen'in Clan you hate so much, or marry someone you at least talked with before. I only have 3 months to help you choose."

Gojo glared at his father and stood up, hands in pockets. "I'd rather take neither," he snapped, slipping out of the room.

I don't want to get married, he thought. Marriage sucks. You're tied down and you lose your freedom. Who the hell wants to get engaged this young? It's all for the grownups' benefit anyway.

He skirted down the corridor and back to his room.