Don't Let Go, I Need You

~13~

I woke up hours later after getting poisoned at the goodwill event while teachers and staff were regrouping for a meeting. People relayed messages to me about what had happened when I was knocked out. I was told that Gojo took care of everything like always since sorcerers rely on him so much, and some students were injured too but not too badly.

I wanted to see if Megumi was alright because he was injured by the special grade, but I couldn't bring myself to check up on him. I felt depressed and confused about my own problem—my dad, Geto Suguru—that I knew not seeing Megumi immediately wouldn't hurt. There was no explanation as to why I recalled that memory of meeting him. I didn't know who he was back then. He just popped out of nowhere and disappeared after the encounter. If only I had known he was my father, then maybe I would've said something differently.

My own emotional turmoil leaked bloody tears from my eyes as it rolled down my cheeks and stained my bed sheets where I sat up, staring at my own hands. Then now he appeared in front of me after many years to say he never stopped thinking about me or my deceased mom?! But when I met him as a child, he couldn't bear to see me because I looked like his lover... The face I possessed haunted Geto Suguru so badly that he had to run away. He wanted to forget I even existed. Why did he love my mom if he knew she was going to die? Why did he put himself in so much anguish?

Subconsciously I balled up my hair in my fists as I held in my silent cries. My body curled forward as if I'm doing butterfly stretches, trying to suffocate myself in my blanket. I wanted to drown and die. My heart ached knowing that I missed an opportunity to know who my real father was in the past, but it also refused him now because he wanted to pretend he wasn't a parent to a child who lost her mother. However, the man who approached me not too long ago didn't look like the man who I hurt years ago. My present dad looked like he waited for the right time to see me whereas the past dad looked uneasy to bring himself up to his daughter.

"Ughhh! What is wrong with him?!" I internally screamed, feeling so lost about life. "Why couldn't my life just be easy as of right now? It's hard enough to know I'm going to die sooner or later, and now I have him popping back into my life?! Maybe it would've been better if he stayed dead!" In a fit of rage, I threw my pillow at my door without knowing I hit someone.

BAM!

"Ouch!"

Hearing that familiar voice, I quickly wiped my bloody eyes away. I hope there weren't any red streak marks around my eyes. It would be the worst confrontation along with my red nose, eyes, and nasally voice which I can't really conceal, so I'll have to make up an excuse if it's brought up. "W-who is it?" Damn my voice showed evidence of crying as it was indeed nasally. I'm screwed.

"My little niece, why are you crying?! Did Megumi break your heart?!" I saw Gojo running over to me with a sad expression as if he's trying to comfort an injured child.

Instead of me giving him his desired response of wanting his comfort, I grabbed my last pillow on my bed and threw it at him again but he dodged it, detouring so he could make it in one piece. It didn't help that I'm sad with my emotions going haywired, so I can't act normal and calm like I usually would, and his words weren't even as close to what I'm crying about. "NO! We aren't even dating! If this is what you came in here to do then I want you out! I have no time to deal with a jokester like you!" I fumed out my frustration onto him as I wrapped myself in my blanket, resembling a caterpillar in a cocoon. Instead of looking beautiful like a butterfly out of this blanket of mine, I'm going to look like a hot mess because I'm not in the right state of mind.

"..." Gojo suddenly became quiet to my appreciation. He finally listened to me. Then the right side of my bed sank from his hefty body. I wasn't sure what he wanted from me, but it didn't seem like he's going to goof around like usual. He's in his serious Gojo-sensei mode. "What's wrong my dear niece? I came to check up on you, and now I hear you're crying. It's okay if you don't want to face me but talk to me. I'm all ears." He whispered softly. The tone of his voice sounded reassuring that he was sincere about what he said to me and wasn't lying either.