Memories (Gojo Satoru)

34 - Fight

It was the morning after that fateful day full of doubts, when Rin was in the kitchen, making tea for herself.

Gojo, who just seemed to have woken up, his hair amess and his eyes still half-closed from sleepiness, entered while yawning, his expression changing into a soft smile as he sees her in the kitchen.

"Well, well well...Good morning there, sleeping beauty." He grinned as he teased her with his usual playful demeanor, but unlike other times, she didn't reciprocate his playfulness.

She instead turned away from him, while he tilts his head and raised his eyebrow in confusion.

"Rin?? Hey!!" He stood right next to her and waved his hand but she kept avoiding his gaze.

After a few unsuccessful attempts in gaining her attention, his smile faded, turning to that of a concerned one.

"Rin, what's going on? Why are you avoiding me?" Satoru asked, attempting to keep his voice calm despite the unease settling in his chest.

Rin, her emotions bubbling beneath the surface, retorted, "Avoiding you? Why would I avoid you, Satoru?" She frowned slightly despite trying to keep her normal composure on.

Satoru could sense the tension in the air, but he pressed on, determined to understand. "Something's bothering you, and I want to help. Can we talk about it?"

Rin just looked away and remained silent.

Gojo, wanting her to open up to him, held her hand in his gently. "Rin...."

But Rin, unable to voice her doubts and insecurities, kept pressing, her frustration building with every passing moment. "Talk about what, exactly? What's there to talk about, Satoru? You wouldn't understand."

Their exchange grew more intense, the room filled with the echoes of unspoken words and the crackling tension of a relationship at the brink. Gojo, usually quick-witted and composed, found himself stumbling over his words as he tried to navigate the minefield of Rin's emotions.

"Rin, please, just tell me what's wrong. We can work through it together," Gojo implored, the desperation in his voice mirroring the frustration in her eyes.

But Rin, her guard still firmly in place, couldn't bring herself to reveal the turmoil within. "You wouldn't get it, Satoru. Just leave me alone."

In the heat of the argument, fueled by misunderstanding and unspoken feelings, Gojo uttered words he would later regret. "Fine, if you want to be left alone, then be alone. Maybe that's what you've always wanted."  Gojo uttered words that cut deeper than he intended before walking out of the kitchen.

The words hung in the air, a heavy silence following his departure from the kitchen. Gojo, storming out in a fit of frustration, didn't realize the weight of his parting words on Rin, who stood there, a mix of hurt and confusion etched on her face.

Both left for work with this unsettled dispute, their minds occupied with the argument that they had right before they left.

Rin, in the hospital, struggled to do the basics of the tasks that she was usually able to do quickly and easily.

At Jujutsu High, Shoko, a keen observer of her friends emotions, noticed the usually playful and cheerful Gojo in an unusually silent and upset mood as he sat on one of the benches. Curiosity getting the better of her, she approached him.

"It's quite rare to see you so worked up, you know." Shoko remarked, concern lacing her voice as she sat beside him. "It's hard to believe that something actually got to you."

Gojo sighed, running a hand through his disheveled hair. "It's just... I don't know, Shoko.." He crossed his arms and looked away, speechless and lost as he took a deep breath.