After The Divorce || Nanami Kento || JJK

Memory

CHAPTER 19

It started with a tearing sensation in your stomach .  A force you had never felt before rushed out of your chest.  It felt like something has shifted, a dislocated bone.  And for a second it was painless, you blinked in confusion before pain flooded your body like a tidal wave.

It felt like what you'd imagine a heart attack felt, except it was coming from inches below your belly button, spreading outwards in a convulsing motion.  All the words on your lips immediately withered as you lose your sense of personage, sense of self flew out of your mind.

A dull feeling of pain barely registered in your brain as you slid from the chair and into the floor, but you could barely register it as what felt like your very soul was tugged from out of your body.

It was dark and quiet, silent for a moment, everything was still.  And you felt a peace you'd never felt before in your life, before slowly the darkness faded away, and you came to.  Maybe this was what death felt like?  Maybe you'd died from a heart attack.

It was bright, sunny.  A stark contrast to the dark and gloomy night you had spent at Shoko's house.

'Where am I?'

You thought, before your confusion swiftly morphed into something different.  Fear.

You couldn't move, and yet, your body was moving on its own.  Your vision swayed from place to place but you couldn't do anything about it.

You peeled up at an impossibly tall table.  You were of average height.  There was simply no way any reasonable person would make a table so high you could barely see on top of it.  Who lived here? Giants?  But you couldn't move to examine elsewhere as all you could see was whatever the body you were trapped in was willing to look at.  And all it looked at was a piece of fruit sitting on the table.

"Y/N," a voice sounded from behind you.  "Are you trying to steal my fruit again?"

Steal a fruit? What?

You felt as your body pulled to a stop, shaking from fright.  You couldn't see what was behind you but instinctively you knew it wasn't something to harm you, in fact, the voice was so familiar.

Your body jumped as it swiftly turned around, finally allowing you to see who was calling you, and take in more of your surroundings.

"Grandpa Zenin!" Your voice called, a tad too excited, it sounded fake.

But that wasn't what confused you, it was the youth contained within the voice, and the unmistakable lisp of missing front teeth. 

Maybe it wasn't that the table was made for giants, but that you were as tall as an infant.

An older man, walked over you, a small smile tugging at his lips and he lifted his hands, which were hidden under the priest-like robe he wore and lifted your little body into the air.  You watched as he walked, free from the characteristic limp you had watched him sport for all of your time knowing him.

Years of wrinkles had faded leaving only the characteristic charm of a middle aged man. 

You dug through your memories for this moment from your mind but came up empty.  You had no recollection of this moment ever happening.  Yet, somewhere within you resonated with this moment.

"Silly little girl!  Haven't I told you not to call me that?"  He pinched your nose before putting you back in the ground, "Do I look that old to you?"

"...Gran, you told me that little girl's should never lie to adults."  You're childish voice said playfully.

"You little rascal-"

A comical frown covered Gran's face as he reached for you, but the sly younger you immediately took off in a sprint, rushing out the door, not before peeking behind you to see if you had actually angered the man.

You felt as your body breathed a sigh of relief, as you noted that his expression was not one of anger before giggling as you ran away, tearing his visage from before your eyes.

The child you couldn't decipher the expression on his face but the adult you could.  It was a picture of sadness, grief even, as he looked at you running away.

Your vision blurred once more as you were kicked from your memory, and opened your eyes to find yourself staring at a ceiling.

It took a moment or two before you realized that you had control over your body, and moved to sit up, only to realize that you were too weak to sit up and fell helplessly back down onto the pillow.

You examined your room, in confusion before you realized where you were.  A hospital?  A beeping sound confirmed your suspicions.

In the silent room, you struggled to figure out what was happening.

The child.

That child in your memory (you were certain it was a memory, it felt too real to be anything but a memory), while you could tell it was you was also unfamiliar.  It didn't coincide to any point of memory you could remember. 

You had never known Gran without a limp, and you had never been such a playful child either.

You were a reticent person, and had always been so.  That child in your memory was too lively to be you.  It felt alien.

You were never a violent person, rarely cursed too.  You were usually very quiet too.  It was only the recent pressures that had you on edge.  So reactive.

Your fingers clenched a bit under the covers as the door swung open.

Your eyes swept over at the the figure that stood at the door.

A blonde man stood at the door, his suit ruffled as he stared at you, unmoving. 

You weren't sure what to say, and he didn't say anything either.  You just stared at each other in silence.