Sachiko opened the door to the porch and snuck out, she tried to close the door as quietly as possible. It was nearing midnight, and Yui was asleep her light snores could heard through the paper walls. The sound of the light rain was just loud enough to disguise her footsteps as she made her way to the other side of the building. Satoru sat just outside of his door holding it open for her, she clambered inside as he attempted to close the door their faces grimacing with each squeak the old rollers produced.
She let out a quiet sigh as she slipped her shoes off, Satoru looked at her holding a laugh in as he pointed at her chest. Sachiko looked at him horrified as she covered herself, but she felt the buzzing of an insect under her hand. She landed backwards with a thud as she tried to get the bug off herself, the light next to Satoru's room turned on. It was where Renho stayed, she was due to start her shift in the morning while Yui had her day off. After all these years, Sachiko and her still didn't see eye to eye.
"Satoru, are you okay?" She asked quietly coming to his door. Satoru looked at her, he was afraid she would get caught in his room. He snatched the moth then kicked at Sachiko's side and nodded his head towards the pile of clothes at the end of his bed. She rolled into it and smushed herself up against it hiding from the site of the door. She scrunched up her nose as she realised that they were dirty clothes that he hadn't taken to laundry, by the size of it, for at least four days.
"Sorry, miss Renho. There was a moth in my room and I had to dive for it." He said showing the woman the bug, she took a step back and nodded with a strained smile before going back into her own room. As Satoru closed the door, Sachiko came out and glared at him. They had to whisper to make sure they weren't heard by those around them but she still got the point across that he needed to take his clothes out. Satoru threw the bug outside and shut the door. Sachiko splayed herself out onto the mat and Satoru followed suit. "Why did you leave? You've never done that before."
Sachiko shrugged her shoulders and laid her head to the side so she could look at Satoru, "The opportunity was there, the guard wasn't there and I was in my normal clothes. I blended in and it felt good not being someone important for once." She admitted, Satoru nodded as she turned his head towards her. They sat in silence for a moment as they just stared at each other, he could tell there was something else on her mind. She let out a small sigh as she rolled onto her side, "I was in the garden yesterday, and one of the gardeners came up to me. He was a new one but has been here long enough for me to recognise him. He just made me really uncomfortable, he was doing weird things. I asked him to leave me alone which he did but the guard didn't step in at any point, then when I was by the gate he wasn't even there. I didn't evade him, he wasn't even watching me."
"You should have said something earlier Sachi, you could have come got me. I would have come with you or sat with you. You need to tell my father what happened, he can fire them or I can if you want." He said, she shook her head and he pressed it more. Sachiko explained that the thought of getting him didn't even cross her mind, she needed to learn to look after herself and she can't do that if he's always coming to the rescue. He rolled his eyes, and she glared at him, "If you want me to step back fine, but let me at least be there. We're stuck together now Sachi, there is no issue with relying on me as I'll be the strongest but I expect to be able to rely on you."
"Rely on me for what? I'm still weak compared to you and you will be the strongest and most arrogant. For every five steps you take, I do one. You're about to go to Jujutsu High leaving me behind again," She said propping herself up on her elbow, she stared down at him with her brows frowned. Satoru shook his head as he looked up at the ceiling, Sachiko watched him as he stayed quiet for a moment.
"In about seven years, we're going to be married. I have no idea what we will be like, how strong we will have gotten or how we feel about each other but you're my best friend and I can't imagine you not being by my side. I need you so I can rely on you because if you aren't there, I'm very certain I will lose my mind." He said Sachiko's previous concerns fell away as she rolled back onto her back. She just hummed in agreement which made Satoru smile, "Imagine me trying to deal with my family alone, I'll be the Head of the Gojo family once I graduate from Jujutsu High School."
"I'm pretty sure, I'll be spending most of the time making sure you don't kill everyone." She says glancing at him, he scoffs and shrugs his shoulders. Sachiko smiles and moves her hand across towards Satoru's. They lace their fingers together as they just lay quietly staring up at the ceiling. Renho lets out a loud snore which makes both teens laugh as it breaks the comfortable silence they were both in.
Sachiko made her way back to her room at about half past one, they were both starting to drift asleep and she was sure that Renho wouldn't be happy if she came to wake the girl and not find her asleep in her room. As she reached the door to her room, she noticed that it was left ajar. She entered the room but kept glancing at the door confused, she could have sworn that she closed it behind her. She didn't dwindle on it for long because as soon as she pulled the sheet of her bed over her, she was out like a light.
"Sachiko, time to get up," Renho said coming in and already starting to organise the girl's outfit for the day. It was Christmas Eve today, and Yui had the day off so she could see some extended family before returning early the next morning to celebrate with Sachiko and the Gojo family. Sachiko let out a grumble as she rolled over and buried her face into her pillow, it was cold and she left like her sleep lasted five minutes. "Sachiko, it is 8 am. You get up every day at this time, and today is no different. Yui may be lenient towards you but you know better to expect that from me."
"Grumpy old woman," Sachiko cursed into her pillow before reluctantly getting up. She rubbed her eyes as she watched the woman pull out her outfit for the day, she wanted to argue that she could pick her own outfit but she had a good sense of style. "Thank you," She muttered as went to the bathroom to attempt to wake herself up.
Soon she was in the dining room with Satoru, his parents and Renho sitting next to her enjoying the pancakes. The two teens were mucking around underneath the table as they attempted to keep faces on the outside. Sachiko was the first to finish and quickly stood up to ask for some more but Renho told her that she had enough and didn't want to make herself sick. Sachiko rolled her eyes before returning to the table, Satoru finished his and stood up with a smirk as he went to get seconds. "He gets to eat more," She complained quietly to Renho, the old woman just stated that he was a growing boy and needed the extra protein. Sachiko crossed her arms and leaned back in her seat as she watched the others eat.
After breakfast, the two friends were left to their own devices. Satoru had grabbed an extra pancake each for them and sat outside on the bench as they ate. They sat close together to keep each other warm as the snow started to fall, Sachiko was watching some small saplings attempting to stay alive. She got up and used her curse technique to help them along so they had a higher chance of surviving winter. "Amazing," Sachiko looked up and was startled to see the gardener from yesterday. She stood up straight and glanced back at Satoru who was watching him with a glare. "You're curse technique is amazing."
"Oi, creep. Leave her alone," Satoru called as he stood up, the man glanced between the teens and retreated quietly. Sachiko wandered back over to Satoru and sat down next to him. He squeezed her gloved hand before leaning back in the seat and crossing his leg over the other, as he placed his arms along the back of the bench. "What a weirdo."
Sachiko didn't say anything she just let out a misty breath into the crisp air. It was expected that it would snow tonight, they would have a white Christmas.
Just after dinner, the first snow of winter started to fall. Sachiko was in her room putting on her pyjamas and coat as she was about to sneak to Satoru's room so she could give him her present early. She was unsure what to get him but she decided on a framed picture, it wasn't much but seeing it always made her smile so she was hoping it would do the same while he was at Jujutsu High. It was a photo from last year, they had gone to see the Cherry blossoms with Yui. Gojo was giving Sachiko a piggyback as they walked through the streets. Inside the frame were two dried flowers that she had collected that day.
"Sachiko, are you cold?" Renho's voice came from her door, and the girl turned and nodded to her. Renho came into her room and walked up to the give, she glanced down at the frame she held in her hand. A small smile came onto her face, "Is this for Satoru?" She questioned, Sachiko nodded. "I think he's going to like it a lot, he loves you very much."
"You think so?" Sachiko asked for confirmation as she tried to suppress the smile that trying to come to the surface. Renho nodded as she brushed the girl's hair behind her ear, many of the staff members said that Sachiko looked like Renho in her younger years. Her husband had passed away recently from cancer, she had a few months off but was determined to return to the young girl. She was strict and sometimes they didn't get along but it didn't mean she didn't care for the girl that she had watched become a woman.
"I think you both are going to be very happy, Merry Christmas Sachiko. Go to Satoru but be back at a reasonable hour tonight please." Renho said with a small smirk, Sachiko's eyes widened before a smile broke out on her face. The older woman winked and went to turn from the girl but her eyes moved to the door to the porch. Her eyes widened as she shoved the girl to the side harshly, "Sachiko!"
Sachiko hit the ground with a crunch but she didn't have time to focus on what she had broken. She turned to look at the door and two men stood in the entrance. Renho had a cursed sword through her chest, she fell next to the ground and her eyes moved to the terrified girl. She coughed out blood as she attempted to say something, and then she went still. The first man grabbed the sword and pulled it out like it was nothing, he stood over Sachiko with no emotion. Behind him the gardener who had seemingly been stalking the girl. As the first man jumped on her, she was able to get out a strangled scream, "Satoru!"
The man held her down and the gardener stood over before placing his hands over her mouth. She groaned in pain as he put most of his weight onto her head forcing it to the side. She kicked at the man sitting on her but the gardener moved so his knee was across her chest. All the air got forced out of her lungs as she took quiet shallow breaths trying to get any oxygen in. She began to feel faint as she felt a ripping pain in her forearms, she didn't even have enough strength to scream. But her kicking had forced her shoe off, and next to where they were was a bonsai plant that had been knocked over.
She searched the area with her feet trying to follow the soil back to the fall plant, it was quiet in the room except for the thuds and tight breaths of the girl. Sachiko found the bonsai and closed her eyes, she focused all her energy on growing a branch. She cried and whimpered as they began to cut the other side of her forearm, they were trying to bleed her out. The gardener looked at his accomplice, "Remember to get a sample of her blood, they wanted some and we wanted the extra money."
Sachiko closed her eyes as she began to lose consciousness, but both men suddenly grunted and she felt the pressure lighten on her chest. Her eyes flickered open, both men had a sharp twisted branch going through the side of their heads. Blood poured from their wounds as the branch held them up from falling onto the girl. She tried to sit up but she was so dizzy and cold, "Satoru! Satoru, help me! I need you!" She cried over and over getting quieter each time. Satoru burst through the open door and his eyes widened at the sight in front of him.
His parents followed closely behind and the guards came from the door from inside the house. Satoru wasted no time as he shoved the men off Sachiko, the branch snapped as they fell to the ground. "Shit, shit!" He said as she looked at the puddles of blood that were forming underneath her forearms. Next to them laid vials of blood, "Those bastards."
The white-haired boy grabbed her clothes from her dresser and started to pile them up onto her wrists as the guards began to help. His father shouts about the situation to the doctor who is running towards the house, "Satoru," She muttered as she moved her head to the side. Her face was an unnatural grey colour and there was so much fear in her eyes. All Satoru wanted to do was throw up.
"Sachi just hold on please," He said his voice strained as tears came into his eyes. The doctor was quick to shove him out of the way, he didn't fight back as he just stared at her face pale face. The doctor checked the bandages controlling her blood loss and was quick to put an IV line in as a few workers entered trying to help in any way. The doctor's fingers went to her neck and everything went still for a moment as though everyone was collectively holding their breath.
"There is no pulse, start CPR."