Love Is The Most Twisted Curse | Suguru Geto

Epilogue - Love Is The Most Twisted Curse

As Megumi spoke softly into the phone, his voice carried the weight of exhaustion and grief. "I don't want to go, Okkotsu-senpai. You guys go on," he murmured, his words barely audible over the background noise of his seniors' excited chatter. It was New Year's Eve, a time for celebration and hope for the future. It was also Azai-san's birthday.

Seated on his bed in his dimly lit room, Megumi felt the heaviness of the day pressing down on him. He locked the door, seeking solace in isolation. His hands found their way to his head, fingers tangling in his disheveled hair as if trying to anchor himself in the present moment, however painful it may be. The room felt suffocating, the air heavy with memories of happier times.

The last few days had been a blur of shock and despair for Megumi. But it was Subuhi, his dear sister, who bore the brunt of the trauma. She hadn't spoken a word since the moment she laid eyes on her mother's lifeless body. Megumi could still hear the echo of her anguished cries, her fists pounding against Gojo-sensei's chest in a futile attempt to bring Azai-san back to life. Since then, Subuhi had retreated into a shell of silence, shutting out the world and its painful reminders.

Six agonizing days had passed, each one more unbearable than the last. Shoko-san assured them that Subuhi's reaction was normal, that time would heal the wounds of her shattered heart. But Megumi couldn't shake the feeling of helplessness that consumed him. He had always been her protector, her rock in times of need. Yet now, he felt utterly powerless in the face of her suffering.

Azai-san's absence loomed large in the small apartment they called home. She had been more than just a friend or mentor; she had been their savior, their guiding light in the darkness. Megumi couldn't fathom a world without her steady presence, her unwavering kindness. Tears threatened to spill from his eyes, but he blinked them back defiantly. No, he couldn't afford to break down now. He had to be strong, for Subuhi's sake if not his own.

Just then, the shrill ring of a phone shattered the silence, startling Megumi out of his reverie. He glanced at the device on his bedside table, recognizing it as Azai-san's phone. It had been returned to them by Akane-san with the bag she was carrying, Gojo-sensei told him to keep it with care, a cruel reminder of all that they had lost. Without hesitation, Megumi reached for it, his heart pounding with a mixture of dread and desperate hope. Perhaps there was a message, a clue, something that could offer a shred of comfort in their time of need. He couldn't ignore the possibility, no matter how slim. For Azai-san, for Subuhi, for himself, he had to try.

"Hello?" Megumi answered the call, his voice tinged with weariness and sorrow as he held Azai-san's phone to his ear. It was an unknown number, and he braced himself for whatever news or intrusion might come through.

"Um, by any chance is there Azai-san present? She told me to call her," a cheerful voice chirped from the other end, oblivious to the pain it unknowingly inflicted.

At the mention of Azai-san, Megumi felt a sharp pang in his chest, his heart constricting with grief. "Who are you?" he asked tersely, struggling to contain the turmoil raging within him.

"Oh. How rude of me, I'm Itadori Yuji," came the reply, the voice brimming with warmth and sincerity. But to Megumi, it felt like salt being rubbed into an open wound.

Megumi couldn't bear the sound of Itadori's voice, so full of life and optimism, a stark contrast to the darkness that had consumed their world since Azai-san's passing. Anger flared within him, fueled by the unfairness of it all.

"Azai-san isn't here anymore. Do not call this number ever again," he snapped, the words sharp and final. With a trembling hand, he ended the call, his chest heaving with the effort to contain his emotions.

As the silence settled once more, Megumi gripped Azai-san's phone tightly, his knuckles turning white. He couldn't shake the feeling of emptiness that consumed him, nor the overwhelming sense of loss that threatened to engulf him whole. But amidst the darkness, a flicker of determination sparked within him. He would honor Azai-san's memory, protect Subuhi, and find a way to navigate through the shadows that now loomed over their lives. For as long as he drew breath, he would carry on the legacy of the one they had lost, no matter the cost.