Twin Flame | hiatus

Chapter 4 : Cure

"I used to joke about how her life must have depended on me", his voice cracking again. Gojo looks down to his trembling hands. "Is it a curse? Did I curse Utahime, Shoko?"

"No, you did not. I told you, Twin Flame Syndrome is a health condition, could happen to anybody. There are cases involving non-sorcerers too. I thought you should know", Shoko reassures

"Is there anything I can do for Utahime? Please, there must be something, there has to be something! I can't just sit and wait when Utahime has been laying down for a week because of me!", he has gone mad, so mad

"I have a hunch", Shoko stalls a moment. "About the cure"

Gojo frowns. "You do?"

"You see, Twin Flame Syndrome is closely related to condition of the bodies. In this case, you and Utahime-senpai. Her body reflexes and makes her sick whenever you are in danger or physically hurt. Only if you can assure her that you are not in danger and in good shape, she might be able to regain consciousness"

"So what are you suggesting now?"

Her lips coils into a smile. "The point is to make her body acknowledge your body condition"

Gojo nods attentively

"Come here"

Shoko pulls Gojo's hand into Utahime's room. She closes the door, does not forget to lock it. They are still not allowed to be in the same room as Utahime, but Shoko would like to prove her hypothesis

"Now, undo your shirt"

"Wh-what?"

"Just trust me. Are you going to save Utahime-senpai or not?", she glares at Gojo

He sighs in defeat. Turning away, Gojo peels off the buttons and leaves his cloth hanging limply from his shoulders. He attempts to hide his exposed torso from Shoko

"I don't intend to look. Come close"

Shoko makes a face before she strides towards Utahime who is still unconscious, sleeping soundly. Gojo goes closer

Shoko instructs him to sit down on the chair next to her bed. "Now, take her hand and put it on your chest where your heart is beating"

Gojo is a bit hesitant. "You sure this gonna work?"

She nods confidently. "I did not come with this hypothesis for fun. I have read a whole book about this condition over and over. We should at least try"

"Okay- okay", Gojo has a little bit faith in Shoko now. She is right, there is nothing to lose from this. They should try

Gojo takes Utahime's hand, spreads her fingers open and flattens her palm on his chest - a little bit to the left as per Shoko's instructions - where his heart is beating. Her hand is cold like ice

Gojo closes his eyes shut, shuddering. "I'm sorry, Utahime. Please wake up and punch me in the face. You have to wake up now", his voice cracks like glass

"Go- Gojo", Shoko calls

"Wh- what? Something happened?", he panics when Shoko does. She points at the heart rate monitor. Gojo squints his eyes. "I don't know how to read that. Explain to me, Shoko. Is it a good thing?"

Thankfully, Shoko nods her head

"I think we have found the cure"

/////

Utahime comes back from the bathroom. She takes the stalks of withered flowers and rearranges them back into the vase she just refilled with new clean water, hoping they will retain their fresh shape

She has no idea who was kind enough to bring her bouquet every day while she was in her sleeping beauty state, but Utahime is very thankful

Her instinct catches on something peeking from somewhere which makes her turns. Utahime walks up to the door and slides it open

"Gojo?!", she yells outwardly, flustered

Gojo too jumps in startle, dropping the bouquet in his hands dramatically as his fight and flight response urges him to crouch down

"What are you doing?"

"I- I'm looking for my glasses", his hands roam all over the floor, searching

"But you are wearing them, Gojo", her brows furrow

He gazes up at Utahime. "Oh", picking up the flowers from the tiles and stands back on his feet. "Here it is", he chuckles while pushing his glasses back up his nose bridge

"Come in", she invites

Gojo nods and follows Utahime into her room, closing back the door behind him. "You still have those?", he nudges towards the flowers at the window

"They still look good to me", she shrugs

"Well, I bring you fresh one. Let's throw these away", he goes to take the wilted daisies from the vase and replaces them with brand-new roses he just bought. Both flowers are red or scarlet because those colours represent Utahime in Gojo's eyes, somehow. Bold, strong, but also beautiful

"I haven't seen you since I woke up"

Gojo clamps his mouth together. He was right next to Utahime when she was unconscious but the moment she opened her eyes, he disappeared

"I- I had to go on missions, didn't Shoko tell you?"

"She did... But I didn't believe her. I feel like you two were lying to me"

"Lying? Why would we lie", he fakes a laugh

Utahime picks at her nails as she feels frustrated. "I don't know. I just feel like.. you are trying to avoid me"

Gojo plucks the daisy petals while counting inside his head. He then tosses the flowers all together inside a trash bin, sighing. "Utahime"

"It's not your fault", she blurts out. "Do not blame yourself for what happened to me"

"No, do not say that"

"You got hurt too"

"But I was fine!", he snaps out of sudden

"Then, that's good!", she yells back. "I am so glad nothing happened to you, Gojo"

Gojo sucks his teeth, hands and lips trembling from rage when his mind rewinds that day in the back of his head. "It's not fine for me", he shakes off his thoughts. "It's not fine to see you getting hurt because of me"

Utahime approaches him, hesitantly trying to reach out for him but Gojo surrenders to her, lowering his Infinity to allow Utahime to touch him and only Utahime. Gojo holds both of her hands in a tight grip, as if he would never let go

"Promise me, Utahime. Promise me that you will not hide anything from me again. You have to tell me right away if you are in pain"

Utahime nods her head earnestly. "Okay, I promise. I'm sorry for keeping it from you. I'm sorry for making you worried"

"I'm the one who should say sorry. Sorry, Hime", he apologises. "I am really sorry"

"This one is on me, so don't be harsh on yourself. If you keep saying it's your fault, I will be in tight spot too"

"I will be more careful next time, so you don't have to suffer in my stead. I promise, I will become stronger to protect you"

*****************

In just 3 days Twin Flame receives more than 300 reads & 45 votes on Wattpad, and 400 hits & 50 kudos on AO3. It's quite fast to reach this benchmark tbh, considering I am very very new in writing for GojoHime. Thank you so much to everyone who read, voted, and adding my book into your library. I hope you guys will enjoy the ride until the very end 🫶🥹