DARK RED [ITADORI Y.]

―XXIV. BREAK

CHAPTER XXIV. WE GOT A BREAK!

WARNING: SLIGHT GORE

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"OKAASAN!" I yelled, swinging open the door. "I'm home!"

I heard the clanging of metal pans coming from the kitchen, making me slightly wince and look back to where Itadori was standing behind me. I shot him a sheepish grin before walking into my house, kicking my shoes off by the door.

"Okaasan!" I yelled again. "I brought a friend home!"

"Oh, oh!" She exclaimed, stumbling out of the kitchen, immediately lowering into a bow. "Welcome! Would you like anything to drink? Have you eaten yet?"

"Relax," I laughed, wrapping my arms around her in a deep hug. "Okaasan, this is Itadori Yuuji. He's one of my classmates."

"I-It's nice to meet you, L/n-san--!"

"Oh, don't call me that!" She scolded, walking to the boy, making his eyes widen when she hugged him tightly. "Okaasan is fine!"

"O-Okay!" He said, returning the hug and making me giggle.

"So what bring you both here?" She asked, dusting off some flour that had transferred from her apron to Itadori's shirt.

"We got a rare break," I replied, following her into the kitchen. "We were just in town so I thought we could stop by and see you."

"Well, I'm so glad you've come," She said. "It's been lonely without you here."

"What about Gia?" I asked, plucking a grape from the bowl in the fridge. "She's here, isn't she?"

"Oh, you know your sister," She waved her hand. "She's been running off with her friends more and more since you've left."

"Well, what about Kiroku? He's around all the time," I said, tossing one to Itadori.

"Ah, he's no fun like you are," She shook her head. "Anyway! Have a seat, dinner is almost done!"

"Oh, I don't know if we have time..." I muttered.

"Sure we do," Itadori chimed, looking at me with a smile.

"See!" My mother said, ushering me to sit down at the table. "And what have you done to your neck? That's a new scar!"

I rubbed my hand over my throat. "I ran into a line of wire at the school. I picked at it and it scarred," I lied.

It felt so wrong. God, it really did. I've never lied to my mother. But once all these strange occurrences have been happening, it seems like it's all I've done. It makes me sad that I have to lie to her, but I know it would be even worse if she knew what I had done. So I would rather lie, as much as I hated to.