𝑹𝑬𝑨𝑳𝑴 𝑶𝑭 𝑺𝑯𝑨𝑫𝑶𝑾𝑺 ⇢ Gojo Satoru

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐈𝐗 - 𝐓𝐄𝐍 𝐘𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐒 𝐈𝐒 𝐀 𝐋𝐎𝐍𝐆 𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄

YEAH, MIKAZUKI WASN'T THE ONLY ONE WHO HAD BEEN DOING SOME SHOPPING. Like the good friend she was, Shoko had partaken in some spending as well, choosing a couple of nice dresses she could wear at the upcoming events. Unlike Mikazuki, who was the heiress to a powerful clan and had an entire wardrobe of ballgown, Ieiri's options were far more limited. Shoko halted her movements, pulling out a shirt and turning the hanger so she could show it to her companion.

"Look, this shirt would go great with those pants we bought at Balmain, it even has some little gold details at the front"

Mikazuki frowned, snatching the shirt from Shoko and stuffing it back in the cabinet, a displeased expression flickering through her face. They probably looked like a group of crazy grown-ups to the patrons on the store, they might even have been kicked out if Mikazuki didn't have that signature heiress look. It was a Kinzoku thing – they always had that air about them, like they owned the world and wanted everyone to know it. It was probably a rich kid thing, the kind that Shoko couldn't ever possibly relate to.

Mikazuki shook her head vehemently, she'd already had enough gold for at least a hundred lifetimes. These days, it seemed this was the only colour she could wear. Well, that and black; the clan colours. Just thinking about it made bile rise up her throat, like she couldn't bear the weight of her own family.

Then again, the Kinzoku weren't just any kind of family. They were Jujutsu royalty, and in their eyes, Mikazuki was their princess soon to be queen. Between the constant nagging of the clan elders and Hide's insistent fashion pointers, Mikazuki had her fill of it.

She couldn't wait to burn it all down.

"Thanks but no, thanks" Mikazuki answered curtly as she reached out to touch another piece of clothing, fingers trailing against the soft Mulberry silk "I already have enough gold in my life as it is, I'd rather not encourage the clan"

Ieiri shrugged, leaning against Mikazuki's side with a thoughtful expression. The Kinzoku was familiar with that look, she'd seen it multiple times back in the day when the two were still students at Jujutsu Tech. It seemed Shoko hadn't changed much since then. Sometimes, Mikazuki wished she could say the same thing about herself. The sorceress took a deep breath. All of that had been a long time ago, who she used to be no longer mattered in the grand scheme of things.

"I don't know, I think it's kind of cute" Shoko pouted, looking down at the watch on her wrist "It's almost noon, we should stop to eat something"

Mikazuki pulled out her phone, checking the time, almost as if she didn't quite believe Shoko's words. For once, the doctor found she couldn't blame her. After everything the sorceress had gone thtough, Shoko would be lucky if she ever trusted anyone at all, let alone her.

Her, who had stood by as Mikazuki was sentenced to exile. Her, who promised she would get her back. Her, who didn't even try.

Shoko's face fell as the memories unfolded in her mind – part of Ieiri knew she shouldn't ever had made that promise in the first place; even back then she knew she wouldn't be able to keep it. The Magistrate was an insurmountable opponent, one Shoko was too young and too afraid to even begin to face. And yet –

And yet, one of them had still tried.

Maybe she too should have tried.

Mikazuki sighed, pulling Shoko back to reality. The doctor cleared her throat, quickly discarding her thoughts and following the sorceress as she stepped out of the building and into the courtyard. The food court of the mall was well equipped, four restaurants on the lower level while another two had tables at the attic with a nice view of the national garden. Mikazuki pushed the elevator button, leaning against the cool metal doors while they waited for it to arrive.

"Yeah, the ice cream didn't do much to quench my appetite" Mikazuki confessed casually.

The ice cream probably hadn't been a good idea in the first place – it was the kind of unhealthy food she wasn't supposed to eat, especially when (according to the Kinzoku) her only goal should be to produce a batch of perfect male heirs. The sorceress soured at the thought, knowing as soon as the marriages interviews began, the clan elders would be on her back about her diet and her habits. They might as well start pumping her full of hormones now.

Shoko rolled her eyes, playfully bumping into Mikazuki as a smile played on her lips.

"That's because you ordered Dulce de Leche" the woman bantered, the words spoken in a perfect Spanish accent "you should have gone for something sweeter like vanilla or mint with chocolate chips"

Yeah, Shoko hadn't changed at all. Ten years and she still had the same shitty taste. She and Satoru used to bond about that sort of thing, but that was before – before he tortured her best friend for truth's sake.

Mikazuki smiled as the elevator dinged. The girls pushed past the door, watching through the glass as the stores disappeared, the terrace of the Michel Bras Toya emerging instead.

"That sounds like torture" she confessed, stepping out of the elevator, that Kinzoku pep back in her step, like liquid gold might have been pouring out from her wallet.

Knowing Mikazuki, it might as well have been. Those pesky Kinzoku and their unlimited supply of money, why couldn't Shoko had been born into such a fortunate cursed technique? Although, considering Mikazuki's precarious position as the heiress, maybe Shoko was rather lucky herself. She'd rather have a loving family than whatever passed for affection in the Kinzoku household.

Not that it was ever a household. The Kinzoku had an entire empire attached to their name.

"Besides" Mikazuki continued before plopping down on her seat "this flavour reminds me of home"

Shoko hesitated, both mesmerized by the view from the balcony and by Mikazuki's words. It wasn't often that the sorceress mentioned her past, and if it weren't for their history, Shoko might have misunderstood. Except, the Kinzoku Estate had never been Mikazuki's home. It was a gilded cage, one she'd wanted to escape for the longest time. And she did get her wish in the end, but it probably wasn't the way she wanted to.

But are wishes ever what you expect them to be?

The doctor sat down in front of her friend, pulling the shopping bags aside as her expression softened.

"Home... you mean Argentina, right?" she asked gently, as if the mere mention of it might spook the sorceress in front of her.

It might – it was hard to tell what got to Mikazuki these days. Sometimes, it was almost like nothing ever got to her, but other times, on days like these, it seemed anything might send her over the edge. Like she was standing on a precipice, and depending on what was said, she'd tumble to one side or the other. Still, Shoko pushed.

"What was it like over there? You haven't said a word about it since you came back"

It wasn't an accusation, but a thinly veiled invitation, hoping Mikazuki would take the hint. She didn't. Instead, the Kinzoku shrugged, setting her bag aside and fidgeting with the chain around her neck. Shoko eyed the trinket – she hadn't noticed it before.

"There's not much to say, honestly" Mikazuki lied, almost believing it herself. It was easier this way. "I was by myself most of the time, so I didn't do much"

Another lie, but if Shoko noticed it, she didn't mention it. Instead, the doctor smiled, taking Mikazuki's hand between hers. They used to be the same size, but Mikazuki's were bigger now, her palms rough and callouses from years of work. Something broke inside of Shoko at the thought. She'd seen the scars and the pain, yet none of it seemed to hurt nearly as much as this.

This, was tangible. And so, so much miserable. Mikazuki must have seen the pity in her pace, because the moment Shoko's expression changed, she tried to pull away, but Ieiri tightened her fingers around her hands, pulling her in once again.

"Ten years is a long time, Mizuki"