𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐡𝐢𝐜

10

ONE MOMENT STOOD out to you the most as a child. It was the day you realized how other families celebrated birthdays compared to yours. And how so vastly different they do so, for their precious children. The warmth and joy were something alien to you and when you had seen it from the distance, it invoked an array of emotions within you.

The cake, the blowing of candles, the horrible singing, the laughter... none of it were familiar. Though despite never witnessing it for yourself, you longed for it. You wanted a day to be special, not for your powers, but for you. You wanted to be celebrated for you. To know that there were loved ones by your side, that they could effortlessly give you an unconditional love that needn't be returned.

That was the day you began to wish for a younger sibling. Badly you prayed to the stars above at night, kneeling on the wood floor until your knees bruised in purple roses. Why? Because if you had a brother or sister, you could learn to celebrate birthdays yourselves. You could finally find someone to love, and to be loved.

Unfortunately, the wish never came true.

Was that why you looked towards Amanai Riko? With her stubbornness and bravery, she was the type of younger sibling you had always wanted. She was someone you could protect and inspire, a true motivation for your fate in this lifetime. Finally... someone who could remain by your side and sing birthday songs with.

And maybe that was too selfish of you to wish for.

She wasn't even your sister.

You opened your eyes, tears sliding down the cracks of your lids. Hurriedly, you wiped them away and brushed away the vivid colors of your dreams.

For reality had returned.

The pain crawling in your skin nearly sent you reeling. Slowly sitting up, you looked at your surroundings to find yourself in your bedroom at Jujutsu High. Everything appeared to be about the same, your room untouched except for the additional nurse cart by your bedside. From the window, you could see it was still daylight, the usual wood-like area sitting about peacefully in their natural habitat.

Peacefully...?

A gasp left your lips, horror lodging in the depths of your stomach as memories surged into your mind. Riko? Suguru? Satoru?

Your body leapt out of the bed, the pain numbing away as your worries increased.

Bare feet sped across the room and your hand reached the knob of the door. Yanking it open, you stumbled through the hallway until halted by a familiar figure.

It was Geto. Your breath let out. He was alive, though maybe a little worse for wear.

"You're okay," you said.

"You've woken," he responded with a nod. As he noticed your wavering body, he quickly stepped close to hold onto you. His warmth embraced you, but his expression was unreadable and lackluster. His dark circles were prominent, leaving but a bitterness in the air. "You should be resting."

You ignored his remark. "Riko...?"

"She's gone."

You couldn't breathe once more, the scene flashing through your mind. It was quick and unforgiving, and you truly had no time to process it yet. But you held it in, knowing it wasn't only just you who were suffering in silence. It was easy to tell that Geto had a lot in his mind and a lot to reflect back on. This was a failure of a mission and although you had a fear of failure, it wasn't the worst part. In mere days, you had grown attached to the goal of the mission, Amanai Riko. Which, you shouldn't have done. So back again, here you were, pondering about pointless things, such as the meaning of being a sorcerer.