𝑹𝑬𝑨𝑳𝑴 𝑶𝑭 𝑺𝑯𝑨𝑫𝑶𝑾𝑺 ⇢ Gojo Satoru

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐕𝐈𝐈 - 𝐇𝐘𝐃𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐀𝐒 & 𝐏𝐄𝐎𝐍𝐈𝐄𝐒

MIKAZUKI SHOOK HER HEAD, an empty cackle leaving her lips as she was reminded once again of the pathetic nature of her soul.

"I was never going to marry Satoru" the sorceress said slowly, each word feeling like a stab wound to the gut "our marriage was just another empty promise, a sham orchestrated by our parents to shut the world up"

They'd been so good at faking it, too. Sometimes, she wondered if maybe they believed in it a little too much. Mikazuki's face fell at the admission, a longing expression appearing on her face. In another universe, they could have fallen in love, gotten married and had a gaggle of pretty and powerful children. In this one, though? In this one, they couldn't even touch one another.

Crueller things happened every day, and yet none was crueller than their fate.

"It was all for show, none of it was real"

Akari took a deep breath, knowing her next words wouldn't bode well.

"Your love for him was"

Was it? Mikazuki always thought so, but Satoru had other ideas. The sorceress sighed, opening the small jewellery box to gaze at the Gojo family ring. It was an unusual piece of jewellery, the band made of gold as old as time itself, the stone sitting between two small diamonds painted a shade of grey. It was a dark grey diamond, and whenever she looked into its depths, it was almost as if the universe looked back.

See? Satoru had said long ago. Within this ring lie all of the universes in which you and I can become one.

Another lie, another broken promise.

Mikazuki sighed.

"I'm not sure he would agree" the Kinzoku confessed, once again remembering the harsh words her fiancée had spouted on that rainy rooftop "love is a very complex emotion, one I'm not sure I'm still capable of feeling"

The sorceress had given up her heart a long time ago. For her sake, for her family's sake. It was long gone now, traded for something far more tangible and useful; power. Mikazuki didn't regret that choice, it might have been the one that eventually saved her. From the rain, from the fight, from the hurt. Ten years was a long time, especially when trying to outrun your destiny,

"Do you resent him?"

Mikazuki chuckled, shaking her head before closing the box.

"Oh, no" the sorceress turned towards her servant, expression soft "I hate him"

If it was a lie, Akari didn't realise it. Instead, she remained there, standing in the middle of her mistresses' bedroom, her red gaze settled on the sorceress as the words slowly registered. Hate was such a strong word, and yet no other piece of vocabulary could serve to encompass what she felt for him.

Besides, hating Gojo Satoru was so much easier than the alternative.

The two sorceress remained like this for what felt like forever, the air around them turning heavy as they gazed at one another. The moment could have stretched into a lifetime, but after a mere ten minutes of this continuous staring, the door creaked open. Mikazuki cleared her throat, adjusting her back and turning to towards the entrance. The Window adjusted his glasses with one hand while the other held on to a large bouquet of flowers.

"Mikazuki-sama" Tajima greeted in his most professional voice "This was left for you at the door"

The Window set the flowers on top of the vanity before disappearing down the hall. Mikazuki stared at the gift, a confused expression crossing over her features as she admired it. The bouquet was twice as big as any of the arrangements set around the house, a blue ribbon strapped to the front while a wild assortment of petals flowed from the top.

The sorceress stood up from her seat, walking around the vanity as she continued to eye the flowers. Mikazuki paused, pulling the note attached to the front, eyes turning dark the moment she read the words. Satoru's handwriting hadn't changed at all in ten years, his perfect calligraphy almost as infuriating as his stupid gift. The Kinzoku took a deep steadying breath, setting the note aside and glaring at the bouquet.

"Does he really think a bouquet of flowers is going to fix this?" she asked, indignation clear in her voice "He truly is a child, apologizing for things no person– no sorcerer, would ever forgive"

The sorceress picked up the bouquet as she made her way towards the trash. There wasn't a chance in hell she was keeping it, not when she could smell the stench of Satoru's self-loathing along with the sweet scent of the peonies. After what he'd done, Gojo should have to hate himself for at least half a decade before she could even consider to forgive him – and even if she did, nothing would fix the trust he'd broken nor the pieces of her heart he'd already shattered.

Mikazuki was about to throw the whole thing in the trash when she stilled, the familiar scent of fresh rich honey vanilla reaching her nostrils as the flowers passed under her nose. The sorceress paused, eyes going wide as she looked down, noticing the small bundle of hydrangeas tucked between the peonies.

It was the blue ones – not the plain white ones, Keisuke always used to say they lacked personality.

Blue's more virile, anyway, makes my eyes stand out, don't you think?

She could almost hear him. His voice so tangible, so close, like he was standing by her side and not a star in an unreachable sky. Watching over her, like he always promised.

Mikazuki stood there, dumbfounded, a single tear rolling down her cheek as the memory of Keisuke flourished like the flowers she held in her arms. The Kinzoku sighed, setting the bouquet back down on top of the vanity before leaning forwards and taking a long sniff.

"Bastard" she sobbed, the scent so strong and sweet she could have drowned in it.

Mikazuki took a deep breath, sniffling and adjusting the sleeves of her robe. The sorceress looked down one more time, eyes falling on the handwritten note once again. Mikazuki sighed, pulling out the card and flipping it, brows knitted when she noticed something was taped at the bottom. The Kinzoku peeled the tape, revealing a small golden key along with a string of words written against the white paper. It was an address.

𝓘'𝓶 𝓼𝓸𝓻𝓻𝔂.

3 Chome-17-10 Roppongi, Minato City, Tokyo 106-0032, Japan

– G. Satoru