絆 | bond | gojo satoru

さんじゅう | thirty

絆 | kizuna | bond

30

the encounter with suguru

Yuri

I CAUTIOUSLY TREADED DEEPER INTO THE FORSAKEN SHINJUKU GENERAL HOSPITAL, my katana held at the ready. The crimson moon's eerie glow penetrated the shattered windows, casting long, haunting shadows that danced upon the decaying walls. I couldn't ignore the unsettling feeling that something significant was about to unfold.

My senses heightened, I felt it – a trace of cursed energy, faint yet unmistakably familiar. It was Satoru's energy, the same energy that I remembered from our childhood days. As much as I wanted to deny it, I knew he was here, the sooner I stepped inside the building, somewhere within these dilapidated walls.

"I can sense you, Toru," I whispered to the oppressive silence, my voice echoing through the corridors. My heart raced as memories of our shared past flooded my thoughts. Satoru, the mischievous, charismatic boy who had once been my closest friend.

With each step, I followed the traces of cursed energy, trusting my instincts as they led me further into the heart of the abandoned hospital. The once-white walls were now cracked and stained, their ominous appearance mirroring the uncertainty that lay ahead.

Yet, I couldn't deny the intense mixture of emotions that swirled within me – anxiety, anticipation, and a tinge of nervousness.

It was inexplicable, this sudden surge of apprehension. I had faced countless foes, overcome challenges, and lived through the toughest of circumstances, but now, the prospect of reuniting with Satoru made me feel vulnerable.

Satoru, the boy who had effortlessly melted the ice around my heart, had seen the real me when no one else could. He had been my closest friend or more like a special friend during our days when we're still little.

We had made a promise, one we both had sworn to uphold – that we would meet again, no matter the circumstances or the passage of time. Yet, as I drew closer to that inevitable reunion, my heart pounded with a mix of excitement and trepidation.

Why was I so nervous? Was it the fear of how much we had changed over the years, or the uncertainty of what lay ahead in our tumultuous world? I couldn't pinpoint the exact reason for my anxiety, but I knew one thing – the prospect of seeing him again stirred emotions in me that I hadn't experienced in a very long time.

With each step, I ventured further into the hospital's depths, the dimly lit corridors casting long shadows that danced around me. My grip on my katana remained steady, a reassuring presence amidst the unease that gnawed at my soul.

I couldn't help but wonder how our reunion would unfold, and whether the boy who had once warmed my heart could still recognize the girl who had been forever changed by the relentless trials of life.

Nervousness and anticipation swirled within me, setting the stage for a meeting that held the promise of answers, revelations, and perhaps, a rekindling of the bond we had forged long ago...