𝐓𝐖𝐈𝐒𝐓 𝐎𝐅 𝐇𝐀𝐓𝐄 | R. SUKUNA

29

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"Mom?" Sukuna's voice broke the heavy silence, his words barely a whisper.

In that moment, Sukuna felt as though time itself had come to a standstill. He couldn't move, couldn't breathe, couldn't comprehend the reality of his mother standing before him. A surge of conflicting emotions washed over him, threatening to overwhelm his senses.

He wanted to rush to her, to embrace her and hold her tight, afraid of losing her all over again. But he knew better. He knew who she was.

"You're alive..." Sukuna whispered, his voice tinged with both relief and bitterness, tears pricking at the corners of his eyes.

"And you're not dead," she retorted, her voice dripping with venom as she tightened her grip around the knife.

Sukuna struggled to find the right words, his mind reeling with unanswered questions. Why did she leave? Why did she never return? What was this all about? But the words remained trapped within him, unable to escape his lips.

As she drew closer, her hand grazed his cheek.

The shape and color of his eyes, the nose– they were all reflections of her own features. It was a truth she had long denied, the painful reminder of the bond they shared, despite her efforts to push him away.

"Just like your father," she murmured, her gaze meeting his with a mixture of regret and resentment. Sukuna knew all too well the weight of her words, the burden of carrying his father's legacy alongside her own.

As much as she wanted to deny him as a part of her, Sukuna was a living testament to their shared bloodline. He was the only child she had who carried their last name, the only one she had given her name to with hope for a better future.

But instead, he had become the embodiment of everything she loathed – a cruel twist of fate that mirrored her own inner turmoil.

Sukuna had become a reflection of herself.

She lifted the knife, its sharp edge aimed directly at Sukuna's heart, her gaze unwavering as it locked with his. Sukuna made no move to stop her, nor did he look away. It was as though he was silently accepting whatever fate she had in store for him, a stark reminder of the power his mother held over him.

The yearning for affection from his mother lingered in Sukuna's heart, a longing that had remained unfulfilled for far too long.

Just as she was about to plunge the knife into his chest, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed through the kitchen. Suddenly, everyone dashed inside – you and her three sons. No, her four sons.

Her eyes landed on the shorter pink-haired boy, her breath catching in her throat as she recognized him.

He bore an uncanny resemblance to Jin when she had first met him – cheerful, bubbly, with an innocent expression that tugged at her heartstrings.

"What are you doing?!" Choso rushed in, his voice filled with concern as he pushed Sukuna away from his mother, the knife clattering to the ground.

Kaori's grip on reality began to waver as she stared at the boy before her, memories flooding back with overwhelming intensity.

She had once believed that Jin would be the one to change her life for the better, to bring her happiness and fulfillment. And now, faced with his reflection in the form of their son, she couldn't help but feel a pang of sorrow.

Tears welled up in Kaori's eyes as she stumbled backwards, her heart heavy with the weight of her past memories.

"Mom, are you okay?!" Choso's voice trembled with concern as he rushed to support her, preventing her from falling.