VEIL (Gojo Satoru X OC X Geto Suguru)

Chapter 6.5

"Are you alright?" Reiki asked Satoru, her concern evident in her voice.

A faint sound escaped him. Was he crying?

"Satoru, stop it," Geto's voice interjected, devoid of any inflection.

Gojo's laughter, though subdued, rang through the room like the cackle of a madman. "Do you seriously have no explanation for this?" he inquired, disappointment etched across his face.

"I don't even fully understand what you two are talking about," Reiki tried to defend herself.

Gojo lifted his face, a disappointed smirk on his lips. He stood up and walked out of the room, allowing the door to slam shut behind him.

Reiki didn't move. She didn't speak. Why did she feel like she was always letting him down? She didn't even know him enough to let him down.

"Don't think about him. He's been... strange lately," Geto's voice brought her back to the present.

Suguru drew closer, one knee pressed to the floor, his grip on the bed frame signifying his solidarity. He maintained a proximity that conveyed his support without posing any threat. Now, at this angle, he wasn't towering over Reiki anymore. He was offering understanding, a gesture of surrender. Reiki recognized that he sought the same from her.

"I genuinely had no idea about those curses around me."

"I believe you. But why does it still feel like there's something you're keeping from me?" Suguru locked eyes with her, his gaze unwavering. It wasn't just a question, it was an interrogation.

"Do I owe you the entirety of my life story?"

"No. Of course not. That's a trust that must be earned," he murmured. "Yet, it doesn't mean you don't owe me anything."

"What?"

"You owe me any information you possess that could safeguard this school. You are not allowed to gatekeep any knowledge that would hinder me and Satoru from our duty."

There was a silence in the air, so venomous, that Reiki felt her blood turn blue. This was no ordinary exchange between friends. It was a veiled threat, shrouded in an act of negotiation. She couldn't quite put her finger on why, but in that moment, a sense of betrayal gnawed at Reiki's core.

"Suguru?" Her mouth spoke without her permission.

"Yes?"

"Do you really think I'd put this school in danger?"

Her question was honest, even though she knew that its implications were false.

"I don't know you that well Kurai. I couldn't say."

As Suguru got up and began to move away, Reiki half-expected him to follow Gojo's lead and leave. But he surprised her by staying. He stood facing the door, his mind swirling with thoughts.

"Kurai... it must be exhausting having so many cursed spirits around you all the time," Suguru finally said, his words carrying a hint of empathy.

Reiki did not speak.

"Try not to put anyone at risk, yourself included."

"How?" Reiki's voice had a sense of challenge to it mixed with a hint of hopelessness.

"Don't feel too much. They are attracted to intense emotions."

Suguru still didn't leave. He lingered as if he had something more to say.

"I'll relieve you of the burden Geto," Reiki said walking up to him. She touched his shoulder, urging him to turn around.

"Why did you choose to drag me in here instead of just inviting me?" Her question hung in the air, a genuine inquiry about his intentions. There was a sense of directness in her tone, a desire to understand his motivations. The room seemed to hold its breath, waiting for Geto's response.

Geto had turned out by now. He looked down at Reiki, noticing for the first time, how small her frame was compared to him. Her eyes were sunken with a thousand years of sadness in them. It struck him as a formidable task, to contain the reservoir of her entire being within such a delicate vessel.

"We initially believed the curses weren't trailing you, but rather, they were manifesting from your presence," Suguru paused before pressing on. He observed Reiki emit a sardonic chuckle.

"We aimed to get you here swiftly, in the hope that they wouldn't be able to keep up. If the room proved to be filled with spirits nonetheless, we would have confirmation. The curses were emerging from you."

Reiki stared down at her feet, a mixture of disbelief and confusion clouding her expression. How could Suguru accuse her of something she did not know herself? How had she never learned such a crucial aspect about her existence?

"We are not planning to kill you for it, assuming that you were truly unaware of your capabilities," Suguru said letting out a laugh. "We've never encountered a situation like this before, so we need to figure out how to keep you and everyone else safe. That's all. You're not being dragged to the principal's office, Kurai." Suguru smiled, putting his hand over her shoulder but leaving enough space so as not to touch her.

Reiki's mind raced with questions. Was Suguru merely playing a role, or did he genuinely suspect her? Each time she dared to hope for his ignorance, she was jolted back to the reality of her uncertain situation. How could he convey reassurance and veiled threat so seamlessly? It was becoming clear to Reiki that Suguru was far more intricate than she had initially assumed.

Unlike Gojo's impulsive skepticism, Suguru seemed to operate on a different wavelength. He was a man of calculated plans, driven not by cruelty but by a dedication to ensuring safety. If it turned out that she posed a threat, he wouldn't hesitate to defend or act accordingly, even if it meant punishing a friend.

"I am sorry for today Kurai. I hope you don't make me regret my apology."

Suguru disappeared. A challenge hung in the air. Reiki felt like she had an invisible bounty on her head. She had been fooled. She had been fooled into believing that she had a chance at a normal life here. She was, and always will be an inconvenience at best and a villain at worst.