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ˋ°•*⁀➷ With each step, Yumi stumbled, her movements slow and strained as though every inch of her body resisted forward motion. The traditional miko attire she wore—white hakui with delicate red sode-kukuri stitching along the sleeves and open shoulders—was marred by the blood that had seeped into the fabric, creating a stark contrast against the pristine white. A thin trail of crimson marked her path, each droplet a testament to her resolve to press on despite the agony that threatened to consume her. Her breathing was labored, catching on each inhale, but she forced herself forward, eyes glazed with exhaustion.
Finally, Yumi collapsed in a secluded spot, her body slumping against the earth as if it had been waiting to reclaim her. She gasped for air, managing to utter a strained, "Wonderful..." between shallow breaths. Her voice carried the weight of weariness and regret, her gaze unfocused. "If I had Rika... I wouldn't need to be stingy with curses anymore," she whispered, her words filled with a tinge of irony.
A thin stream of blood trickled from the corner of her mouth, and she grimaced as the metallic taste filled her senses. Her hand pressed against her shoulder, fingers slick with blood, though her grip did little to stem the flow. Each beat of her heart sent another pulse of searing pain through her body, reminding her of the life slipping away with each drop.
She felt the faintest vibration beneath her, signaling the approach of footsteps. Her blurred vision cleared just enough to make out the figures of Geto and Gojo as they knelt before her.
"Y/n..." Geto's voice broke, the usual steadiness giving way to raw emotion, his eyes clouded with a sorrow he couldn't hide.
Yumi met their gazes, a flicker of recognition crossing her features as her lips curled into a faint, bitter smile. "Satoru, Suguru... you're late," she murmured, her voice barely a whisper, the faintest edge of playful reproach mingling with her weakness.
"It seems... you both won..." Her voice was a ghost of its former strength, her words punctuated by shallow breaths. "You've taught your students well..."
For a moment, the faintest glimmer of pride shone in her eyes, quickly overshadowed by the exhaustion that had hollowed her out. "Are my families safe?" she managed, her concern laced with a quiet, desperate hope.
Gojo's expression softened, and he nodded with quiet reassurance. "They're safe. They fled," he confirmed, though the regret in his tone was unmistakable. "You gave the same orders to the ones in Kyoto, didn't you?"
A faint, wry smirk played on Yumi's lips as she responded, "Well... I can't help but be nice, unlike you two. You both knew sending those young sorcerers against me would... trigger Okkotsu's explosion, didn't you?"
Geto shared a look with Gojo before meeting her gaze, his expression grave. He sighed, his voice tinged with a regret he rarely allowed himself to feel. "We trusted you. We knew... you wouldn't kill young sorcerers for no reason."
Her smirk faded, replaced by a solemn acceptance as she looked down. "Trust... what a fragile thing," she murmured, her voice so soft it nearly dissolved into the still air. "I suppose... I've shattered that trust now, haven't I?"
Weakly, she lifted her hand and let Yuta's ID slip from her fingers, tossing it towards Gojo. "I'm returning this," she murmured, her gaze distant and unfocused.
Gojo's eyes widened as he caught the ID, shock breaking through his usual calm. "The elementary school... that was you?" he asked, disbelief filling his voice.
Yumi's lips parted in a faint, distant smile, a mere shadow of her once-vibrant spirit. "I suppose so..." she replied, almost as if confessing a trivial matter.
Geto shook his head, his face buried briefly in his hand, exasperation mingling with helplessness. "You're a lost cause," he muttered, though his tone lacked the bite it usually carried.
Yumi chuckled softly, a weak, broken sound that held no mirth. "Be nice," she whispered, the corners of her lips curving upward in faint irony. "I'm... about to pass away, and that's what you choose to say?"
The two men grew quiet, the weight of her words settling over them like a shroud. They knelt closer, their expressions reflecting the grief they could not voice.
Geto's voice softened, laced with a tenderness rarely seen. "Any last words?"
For a moment, Yumi's eyes grew distant, as though she were contemplating a life far removed from this one. She took a shaky breath before murmuring, "No matter what anyone tells you... I loved my life and the way things were going. I just... I couldn't keep wearing a genuine smile in this world." Her voice was tinged with a profound, bittersweet sorrow, a farewell to the life she had cherished.
Gently, Gojo reached for her hand, his fingers entwining with hers, his touch achingly tender. "You'll always be our only, cherished friend," he murmured, his voice heavy with emotion.
Geto rested his hand on her cheek, his touch gentle and filled with a deep, unspoken affection. "You always will be," he echoed softly, his own grief mirrored in his gaze.
Yumi's lips parted in a faint smile, one final expression of her acceptance. Her eyelids fluttered shut, her features softening as she exhaled her last breath. Her body grew still, the warmth slowly fading, leaving behind only a memory of the life that had once burned so brightly.
. . . ꒰꒰ ❛ ❏ goodbye ¡!~ ⌒⌒ ⇘ : : @[SUGURUHS] has logged out . .
