VEIL (Gojo Satoru X OC X Geto Suguru)

Chapter 4.5

Reiki looked out of her window. The moon was beautiful today. The winter had suddenly fallen over Tokyo without warning, she thought. At least she would have an excuse to wear more layers. The sensation of bare skin was something she despised. She would shower with her clothes on if she could. She couldn't pinpoint when this discomfort had taken root. No matter how hard she tried to remember, her past was so blurry.  It was as if it had been sealed away. It lay shrouded in a mist, locked away behind a reflective glass sphere. Every attempt to peer into it yielded only the visage of her present self. Yet, there were fractures in the glass, and if she looked close enough, she could see certain moments from her childhood. For now, even though she knew more layers of cotton or wool won't actually not help her cover her cursed side, it still gave her some mental solace. It felt like even if she failed to keep it in, the wool could shield the turbulent curse energy swirling beneath.

After their afternoon rendezvous, Shoko had been kind enough to show her the way to the dorm rooms. Reiki had harboured apprehensions about sharing a room with someone. She was too used to being by herself. It would be an unnecessary burden trying to exist with another student after classes. To her surprise, her assigned room was unoccupied. Shoko had explained that the suddenness of Reiki's admission may have left little time for formalities. Nestled farthest down the corridor, the room exuded a sense of being an afterthought, a modest enclave in comparison to its counterparts. It sufficed for her needs, boasting a small bed, a solitary table bereft of a chair, and a door leading to a compact bathroom. "Well that table is never coming to any use" Reiki had thought. Sitting down and studying for hours was never her thing,

"Like it?" Shoko had inquired.

"It's perfect"

After Shoko had left, Reiki had gone around the tiny room, tracing her fingers through the clean wooden table and the faded bed-sheet. The drawers had held a couple pencils scattered around, along with a few text books. It was a sight that brought a smile to her lips. This room, though modest by many standards, was the largest space she had ever lived in.

Three hours had drifted by since her last conversation with Shoko, since any conversation at all. In solitude, Reiki found a sense of belonging. She cherished the company of her own thoughts. Covered up in a thin blanket, she had been looking at the moon for hours.

Dinner was at 8. She did not feel any eagerness to go. She knew he would be there, and that if he sensed her presence, he would most likely leave. She didn't want anyone to skip out on dinner for her sake. The night offered her ample time to slip into the dormitory kitchen for leftovers. The possibility of an empty kitchen didn't bother Reiki. She was too used to nights spent without a meal. At least she wouldn't have to see him again. Reiki did not know what it was about him that stirred such unease within her. She hadn't even mustered the courage to look at him properly. She couldn't discern the source of this irrational fear. He hadn't provoked it in anyway. She accepted that he harboured a certain aversion towards her, but that was hardly anything new. She, too, preferred the comfort of distance from others. The mystery lay in why she found him so utterly terrifying without cause. And yet, despite the unease, there was a peculiar lack of relief in knowing he wanted nothing to do with her.