Memories (Gojo Satoru)

17- Finish me off, Satoru

Back in Jujutsu high after a mission on a fine day, Gojo stood alongside Rin, leaning against the railing as she reported to him about the mission.

As she shared the details, Rin couldn't help but feel a heavy weight on her shoulders.

"Satoru..." She looks at him. "I don't know if it was my imagination or something, but I felt like I was being watched on during the mission by someone..."

Gojo widened his eyes in concern and looks at her. "What...?"

She sighed and held the railing, stretching her arms to lean her body against the railings. "Nevermind...it might have really been my imagination..."

"This is not something to be taken lightly, Rin," he retorted. "If the higher-ups find out that you're back in the country and actively involved in missions, they'll be on your back again." He said with a slight desperation in his voice, as if the only thought of having anything bad happen to her was already eating him alive.

She let out a sigh, her frustration dissipating into resignation. "I know..." She mumbled and looked down.

He turned to face her and held her by her arms gently to make her face him.

"Rin, please...I think it is finally time to have you tell me everything.." He held her hand assuringly as she seemed reluctant to his request. "Please..." He lightly squeezed her hands. "I couldn't be there for you last time, and I want you protect you at all cost...and I can't do that if you don't open up to me."

Rin hesitated for a moment, her gaze shifting away from Gojo's intense gaze. She took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts before disclosing the truth.

"After that first Ame no Uzume incident, You know I disappeared suddenly," she began, her voice laced with a mixture of sadness. "I was told it would protect my friends-you, Suguru-kun, and Ieri-chan, if I cut contacts with all of you. Any affiliations with me would result in all of you being in danger. This was why I had to leave in the middle of our second year."

Gojo's eyes widened, the pieces of the puzzle starting to come together. "So, that's why you vanished without a trace," he murmured, a hint of realization in his voice.

Rin nodded, a solemn expression on her face. "It was painful for me to leave all of you, but there were certain conditions imposed on me by the higher-ups," she continued, her voice tinged with regret. "I had to go away from you all to ensure your safety and protect the balance."

Gojo's features softened, a mixture of sympathy and understanding crossing his face. "I tried to find you, Rin. I wanted to help you hide and protect you," he confessed, his voice filled with sincerity. "But after the Ritual of Hell, I couldn't find any trace of you."

Rin sighed, her gaze still averted, looking away silently.

Gojo's grip on her shoulder tightened, his concern evident in his touch. He suddenly pulls her into a hug. "I'm sorry, Rin. I'm sorry that I couldn't be there for you during that time."

Rin offered him a faint smile, her eyes reflecting a mixture of pain and gratitude. "Satoru, you don't have to apologize," she replied, her voice gentle yet firm.

Gojo's mind was flooded with the vivid memories of that fateful day ten years ago, when it was the last time he saw Rin and had a proper conversation with her before she disappeared.

As the flashback played before his eyes. He recalled how Rin, consumed by the immense power of Ame no Uzume, had isolated herself in her darkened room for two days. Concerned for his childhood friend's well-being, Gojo had made the decision to visit her, hoping to provide comfort and support.