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❅⋆꙳•❅*‧ ‧*❆ ₊⋆
UMEKO REMEMBERED what her mother had once told her. when she was old enough to work on her own, she should choose a child that she wouldn't mind sacrificing for.
"because in our line of job, it is your responsibility to aid in the development of the kid. most times people hire us because they themselves don't have time for their children, so this is where we step in. now i'm not telling you to be their stepmom or anything, but you should be there for them, care for them, and give them the love that they deserve".
at the time, umeko thought she had understood her mother, but perhaps not entirely.
the dark-haired woman sighed, as she bought some taiyakis in a brown bag. leisurely strolling back to the gojō estate, umeko was just about to enter her room before she came across the young gojō standing before her.
"y-young master! what are you doing here?"
"i live here", gojō bluntly replied, glancing at the paper bag that umeko was hugging.
"would you like one, young master? it's taiyaki. i bought it on the way back", umeko offered.
"if you insist...", gojō mumbled, taking a seat with the woman on one of the benches under the cherry blossoms.
handing the young heir the fish-looking dessert, umeko just smiled. she thought gojō looked so cute nibbling on the taiyaki with an innocent spark in his eyes, as if he had just developed a newfound delight.
"is it good?", the twenty year-old asked.
"yeah, it's alright i guess", gojō shrugged, secretly loving it.
lightly chuckling, umeko had offered gojō another.
"i'm glad you like them. i thought you had a sweet tooth".
"how'd you know?", gojō suspiciously questioned, raising a brow at the dark-haired woman.
"my own little secret", she answered.
huffing, gojō just continued eating. perhaps she wasn't all that bad, he thought.
"so, are you leaving soon? yui told me everything", gojō bluntly stated.
"no", umeko confidently answered, "i'm not".
the white-haired child snapped his head up towards the young woman, who's expression showed only signs of honesty.
"you could die", he brutally reminded.
"i chose you, gojō-sama. and i will be there for you until you don't need me anymore", umeko promised.
gojō never had a nanny come back after their life was on the brink of death. it wasn't a surprise; it was expected. after all, his entire existence was to protect the weak — normal, useless people who can't do anything but create curses from their negative emotions.
and gojō specifically remembered his father instructing him on the importance of not needing anyone. so why did this feel so nice? why did it feel so good to be chosen not because of his strength and status? why was the thought of having someone there for you, even if they're weaker than you, almost appealing?
"you're just saying that", the seven year-old denied, "you'll leave soon enough, like every single one of them. father said the weak will never stand beside the strong".
"i may not be physically strong, young master, but i am determined. and there's a difference between standing beside someone due to similar strengths and standing beside someone simply to support and to love them".
gojō's head hung low, seemingly unable to grasp the concept of support and love. it was as if those words were foreign to him.
after all, his mother had died while giving birth to him, and his father never gave him much affection. the current head of the gojō clan held high expectations for his son. but rather than treating him like one, the young gojō felt more like a subordinate than anything.
and everyone in the gojō estate never really doted on gojō. they simply followed orders, just like those brainless fly head curses.
"hm, we'll see about that...", the young heir mumbled, the skepticism still lingering in him.
"yes, actions speak louder than words", umeko agreed, standing up and brushing the taiyaki crumbs off as she extended her hand out to the white-haired child.
gojō stared at the woman's hand before begrudgingly accepting the physical contact.
the two walked hand-in-hand towards young gojō's personal bathing room, where umeko will wait outside for her young master until he's done.
gojō occasionally glanced up at the fair-skinned woman, who's navy-blue hair was always bundled into a low bun with some flyaways. her matching eyes always held some sort of glimmer; the seed of hope.
"alright gojō-sama, take your time. i'll be waiting out here", umeko informed, whilst letting go of the seven year-old's hand.
gojō simply nodded, entering the bathroom once the warm water was prepared. the white-haired child seeped into the tub, feeling the coldness within his body evaporate.
it was similar, like the warmth of umeko's hand encasing his.
'i wonder if a hug feels this warm too'.
❅⋆꙳•❅*‧ ‧*❆ ₊⋆
AUTHOR'S NOTE: i think one of the main reasons why gojō (originally) thinks lowly of those who aren't very powerful (& therefore became egotistical) is b/c of his family background.
bro was always surrounded by people who flatter him & people who expect great things out of him, so he never really had a proper chance to just be a child ᶘಥ ͜ʖ ͡ಥᶅ
