Koi No Yokan (gojo x oc)

20. The Strongest

One thing remains the same. The vast majority are guided to the choice that feels easiest. The way that will provide them the most peace. Yet, the small sum remains. Those who answer the phone call or refuse to board their flight. Those who force their eyes open until the world comes crashing back down on them.

March 2006
Eleven hours later.

"Good work, everyone. We're inside Jujutsu High's barrier now."

I can't help but feel that I'm lagging behind on purpose, feet dragging with every step to delay the inevitable.

"What a relief," Riko pants, palms resting heavily on her knees. To her and my own surprise, Satoru pulls out a tissue from his pocket, one for her to wipe the sweat forming on her brow. She blushes, "Thank you."

"Satoru," Suguru says, as touched by the gesture as the rest of us, "You really worked hard this time."

He sighs, issued the chance to release his technique for the first time in days. "I never wanna get stuck babysitting a brat again."

The statement makes me smile earnestly. Satoru can argue all he wants that Yaga, Tengen, and even myself had forced him into protecting some "brat," but the truth is he cares about Riko. We all do. That only makes the next few hours that much—I hardly hear it before I see it.

Before my next breath turns into a sharp gasp and my eyes lose focus.

Before Riko screams in horror.

I look down. The blade is thin, piercing through the base of my chest, trickling warm blood into the dirt. The shock subsides, but the pain doesn't, it sears through my center like I've been bathed in boiling water.

I look over my shoulder. A man with overgrown hair and a large scar at the corner of his lip holds the sword. His eyes are unaffected, bored even. Who..?

A burst of blue light, followed by the charge of Suguru's curse, forces him to draw back. The retraction of the blade hurts more than its insertion, pulled out at a high angle, mercilessly ripping through my flesh and bone.

I crumble to my knees immediately, clinging to the hole in my chest. My breath grows ragged, the entirety of my shirt and the ground beneath me soaked in crimson. How much blood have I lost?

"Kaede!" Suguru runs over, face covered in a thin sheen of sweat. His hand presses hard into the wound. He's shaking, I can feel it. "Can you stand?"

"I'm fine." I force myself up, voice steady despite my depleting vigor. The pain is another matter, but what I can be sure of is that the attacker missed my vitals. I can focus my cursed energy output into my center, maybe even wrap the wound in a time barrier until Shoko can handle it. "Prioritize Riko first."

"She's right. I'll deal with this guy. You two get her to Tengen-sama."

"Satoru..." Suguru's resolve has shaken, but he has no choice, "Be careful."

We break into a sprint, dragging Riko by the hands to keep up.

Every nerve in my body is on high alert, desperate to get Riko as far as possible, desperate to wield my technique without cutting myself in half. This isn't the time to let my attention dwindle, to stare off into space until someone can pull me back. We have a mission, a clear goal, one that we were appointed because we're strong. I'm here. I can do this.

The elevator arrives at the bottommost floor.

I can't do this.

"Riko-chan."