Broken trusts. Y/N was a culprit and Y/N was a victim. Anyway, Y/N loved the kids but they hated her now, especially, Yujji. Sukuna could sense it too. Satoru didn't exactly see her as a bad person. He wanted to find out the reasons behind all the mess. Why was she driven to such an extent that she murdered people? He knew Sukuna was involved but Y/N was the brain behind everything.
Satoru and Yujji kept coming to check if Y/N had woken up. Four days after the incident, she finally opened her eyes. She was immediately shocked with her surroundings. It was neither her apartment nor hospital. Satoru stood at the entrance, unsure if she remembered him. What if she doesn't? Cautiously, he stepped in and waited for her to break the silence. Finally, looking at him, she spoke in a raspy morning voice, "Where am I?"
He hesitated for a moment then answered, "At my place."
"Why?"
"Y-you fainted at the park yesterday while we were walking."
"Park? Walking? I don't remember."
'Do you remember me?' he wanted to ask. After she got no response from him, she got up and began to leave. "Where are you going?"
"Home."
Yujji entered the room. He looked at Y/N and ignored her and to their surprise, she was not bothered at all. 'Does she remember everything?' Satoru thought. "I'll send you back," he suggested.
"I'll go on my own. Thank you for your hospitality."
"When did you become so formal, little girl?" Satoru chuckled.
"I am...like this," she said and looked at him.
Satoru and Yujji noticed something different yet something familiar. Her eyes looked dead just like the first time they met her and it bothered them. After no one said anything, she left.
"We need to keep an eye on her," Yujji suggested. "She might be pretending."
"I doubt," Satoru said. They both stood still while thinking of her. "Oh! She forgot her phone."
"I'll give it to her." Yujji took the phone and rushed to find her. He wanted to know if she remembered him. He found her sitting at the bus stop, staring blankly at her feet. "Y/N?" he called. She didn't respond. "Y/N?" he called again with a nudge on her shoulder.
"Yeah?" she looked at him.
"Your phone."
"Thanks, Yujji." She took the device and began staring at her feet again.
Yujji stood there and stared at her in confusion. 'Why is she acting so weird?' he thought. The bus arrived but Y/N was too lost to notice. Someone brushed past her knee and she came back to reality. Yujji was still there but she didn't see him and boarded the bus. As soon as the bus went out of his sight, he went back.
Y/N noticed a thin layer of dust on everything in her apartment. "Why is everything so weird? Why do I feel so strange?" Door to her bedroom was ajar. She peeked to see if someone was there. Once she was certain that there was no imposter, she entered the room and found that the window was open. A strange sound caught her attention and she looked outside the window. "Fucking hallucinations," she cursed. Ignoring everything, she went back to sleep.
"What all has she forgotten, grandpa?" Satoru asked the old sorcerer.
"Everything about the king of curses and the murders."
"Anything else?"
"You will have to find out on your own."
"You are useless, grandpa."
"I'm not your grandpa."
Yujji hated Y/N more than anyone else. With moist eyes, he collected all the gifts he received from her and one by one stuffed them in a carton.
"What are you going to do with these?" Nobara's voice startled him.
"Maybe burn them."
"Oh! I have some of her gifts too. Wait for me."
Yujji sat and gazed at the empty ground and trees outside the window.
"So that's how brats like you show gratitude," Sukuna said.
"Shut up!"
"Of course," Sukuna replied. "You are going to regret it. You will realize that you were wrong. And yeah, I'm never going to help you fight any curse again even if you die."
"I don't need you," Yujji screamed.
Nobara lit some dry leaves and woods, and one after another, they threw all the jackets, tees, cards and other gifts in the fire. They both stayed silent and watched the things burn.
At nine p.m., Y/N woke up to the ring of her phone. Seeing that it was none other than Satoru, she kept staring at her phone until it stopped ringing. She didn't want to talk with anyone. Satoru called again and she didn't answer. A text saying, 'Answer the phone' appeared which confused her. 'Is he looking?' she thought. She looked outside the window and witnessed nothing but darkness. The phone rang again and she was irritated. It stopped ringing but only for ten seconds. As soon as it rang again, Y/N threw it hard on the wall and broken pieces scattered in the room.
'The person you are trying to reach is currently busy.'
"Why is she ignoring me?" Satoru asked in frustration and called her again only to hear, 'The number you're trying to reach is currently switched off. Please try again later.' He tried calling several other times and got the same response. He gave up and went to sleep.
In the morning, Satoru called her again and her phone was still off. Exasperated, he went to Y/N's apartment. He rang the doorbell several times but she didn't open. He knocked and called her name and there was no response.
"I tried too, she didn't open," Jane said. "What's wrong with her?"
"That's what I'm trying to find out, I guess," Satoru replied arrogantly.
Jane nodded.
"Y/N, I'm going to break this door, if you don't open within next five seconds," he screamed. After waiting for five seconds, he did as he said, he broke open the door. Living room was empty, with a film of dust on everything.
"Y/N?" Satoru called. No response.
Jane went to bedroom and screamed, "SATORU!"
Satoru dashed into the bedroom to see what was wrong. First thing he saw was the scattered mobile phone. Next, he saw Y/N sleeping on the floor. He went closer and crouched near her.
"Why is she sleeping on the floor?" Jane asked.
"I don't think she is sleeping," Satoru replied while picking up an empty blister pack of fifteen tablets. "Y/N," he nudged to wake her up but she stayed still. He checked her pulse and was relieved to find her alive. Picking her up, he told Jane, "I'm taking her to the hospital. Can you please excuse her from work for two weeks?"
"Why two weeks?"
"I think she needs a break."
"W-well okay, I'll talk to the boss."
Satoru thanked her and took Y/N to the hospital. On the way, he called Yujji and told him about the incident and he left for the hospital as well.
Doctor looked at the empty pack and said, "Aspirin poisoning."
"Is that serious?" Satoru asked.
"I'll have to check her condition." After checking her pulse and temperature, doctor called a nurse to collect Y/N's blood sample.
"Why is that needed?" Satoru asked with fear.
"To check the amount of salicylate in her blood. We will treat her on the basis of report."
"I-Is this s-sassylate thing dangerous?"
"Aspirin poisoning is basically aspirin overdose and salicylate is the active acid in aspirin. Its overdose can be fatal. Out of all the symptoms, she has fever and unconsciousness. We will look for more symptoms once she wakes up."
Satoru nodded and exited the ward with the doctor. He sat on a bench and tried to think of the possible reasons of Y/N taking that drug.
"Sensei," Yujji startled him. "Where is she?"
Satoru pointed at the ward number 23, "Still unconscious," he said.
"What happened?"
"Overdose of a pain killer. Looks like she was trying to kill herself."
"Really?" Yujji said with eyes wide open. "She always brings trouble to us. I'd wish she never came into our lives."
"Stop it. Don't forget she has saved you so many times from getting punished."
"Whatever. I gave her more than she deserved."
"What have you given her?"
"I protected her."
"When?" Satoru asked and stared at him. "Think of it. It happened twice that you were there with her when she was in trouble and both the times, Sukuna took over. What was your role? Once you were fighting a curse and got beaten up. What happened afterwards? Y/N fought and exorcised it. What the fuck was your role? When did you protect her?"
Yujji thought for some minutes and spoke, "I didn't tell you about the killings she did. I protected her from your anger."
"Good, you did a great job," Satoru mocked. "It was for your own selfish reasons, wasn't it? You wanted to get closer to her. You wanted to know more about her. Am I wrong?"
"I don't care. I hate her now." Yujji clenched his fists and left the hospital.
"Truth is always bitter," Sukuna said.
"Shut up!" Yujji yelled in response. "She played with my feelings so that you can be around. She used me for her selfish reasons."
"How big of a fool can you be? Never mind, truth will find its way. But I'm surprised that everything is open in front of you yet you are blinded with hate."
"I don't want to hear anything about her now."
Sukuna said nothing else.