The glow of the blue light shone through the water, dimly lighting the viewing room. Both dark-haired girls stood side by side, unbeknownst that their worlds were one and the same. Satoru and Suguru stood near the gift shop, speaking until Satoru recognised the familiar cursed energy. His attention turned to his fiancee, who stared up at the fish with a wonderous expression. Her black hair was down, falling over her bare shoulders as she wore a floral green sleeveless dress. "Why is Sachiko here?"
"Did I forget to tell you she was reassigned to us?" Suguru said, poking his tongue out at his best friend. Satoru glared at him and went to walk over, but Suguru held him back. Riko had noticed the girl and turned to her to start a conversation. The boys quickly noticed the similarities between the two girls. Due to this, Suguru believed that Satoru had quickly developed a soft spot for the vessel.
"I love your dress," Riko said, turning to Sachiko, who locked eyes with the surprised girl. Sachiko's cheeks heated up as she nodded in thanks. The vessel smiled brightly, taking in the girl's features, "You are beautiful! I wish I had your hair. It's so thick and straight. Do you straighten it?"
"Thank you, thankfully, no. I already spend too much time getting myself ready; I wouldn't be able to handle straightening it every day." Sachiko said, her guard breaking down slowly. The girls began chatting, and Sachiko finally glanced behind Riko. She spotted the two boys who stood watching the pair; she tilted her head in confusion, which made the girl glance back at them and groan.
"I'm sorry about them. They are my friends, I guess. We are travelling to Tokyo together but decided to stay an extra day to go sightseeing." Riko said. Sachiko's eyes fell back on the girl.
"You're Riko Amanai." Sachiko said, this startled the girl who backed away from her unsure if she should trust a stranger that knows her name. Sachiko was surprised; the beach day was not unlike the boys, but a sightseeing tour around the whole city was. There must have been hidden terms in the mission that influenced it, or they were waiting until the bounty ended on the girl's head. Sachiko held her hands up as the boys walked over to them. Another woman followed close behind. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. I'm Sachiko Chiyo, a student at Jujutsu High School..."
"She was sent to babysit us because our teacher doesn't trust us as much as he should," Satoru said, joining the conversation. Riko's shoulders relaxed as she let out a slow breath, the smile returned to her face as she apolygised to Sachiko. The older girl just waved off her apologies before glaring at Satoru. "Hey, I haven't seen you in a few days, and this is the greeting I get."
"Yes. You didn't introduce us; how long were you standing there watching you creep?" Sachiko demanded, pressing a pointed finger against his chest. She was not oblivious to the dark circles under his eyes. Satoru just held his hands up before pointing at Suguru, who looked innocent beside them. He told the girl that Geto hadn't even told her she was coming. Sachiko's glare moved to him, so he began getting defensive, "I know your game, Suguru; just because you're handsome doesn't mean you get off easy. You both are idiots!"
"Why'd you call him handsome?" Satoru whined as Riko and the woman laughed at the interaction. They were seeing a completely different side to the pair. Though she was their underclassman, she had them wrapped around her finger. Sachiko sighed and waved off the white-haired boy, so he pointed at his face, looking between Sachiko and Suguru.
"I'm sorry, I'm Sachiko. And you are?" Sachiko said, ignoring the two boys' bickering as she greeted the woman.
"I'm Misato Kuroi, Miss Riko's caretaker." As the group gathered their thoughts, they decided to head to the hotel so the three sorcerers would have time to secure it. They had two rooms; the girls would sleep in one while the boys were meant to stay in the one next door, but Satoru insisted on keeping watch in the common area.
Sachiko and Riko had wandered outside together and sat at the pool with their feet in. A small garden behind them made Sachiko feel at ease; she had easy access in case they were attacked. They sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes before Riko broke it, "You and the boys seem close. You're not afraid to put them in their place, even as an underclassman."
"Yeah, I've known Satoru since I was a little girl. We were raised together, and Suguru is Satoru's best friend. It was only natural that we became friends." Sachiko said, glancing at the girl before her gaze fell back on the pool. She couldn't imagine being in Riko's position as the Star Plasma vessel, but Satoru had told her that the two girls shared similar childhoods. "I was taken away from my parents a few days after I was born. My mother's family sold me to the highest bidder, which happened to be the Gojo family. I was raised at an estate that felt more like a prison, the way they treat children... Well, there is a reason it's so isolated."
"They sold you? For money?" Riko said, surprised as the other girl nodded, confirming it. She didn't want to imagine the punishments that the older girl would have received if her family had sold her as though she was nothing. As the Star Plasma Vessel, she had been treated like royalty since she was chosen. "So why did Satoru's family buy you?"
"I have an inherited technique that guarantees my offspring will inherit techniques from my partner's clan. Satoru and I have been engaged since I was purchased. It sounds horrible, doesn't it? and like we shouldn't get along?" Sachiko said, laughing awkwardly while Riko tried to process the information. It made so much sense that she and Satoru were engaged; that's why he made comments about her calling Geto handsome and why she could speak to them informally. "It took some time for us to like each other; I was five years old when I moved into his home. To him, I was just an invasive little cockroach, and then I think he realised that he could influence me. I'm sure you've gathered that he's a pretty sly person, but I love him. I love him a lot."
"Have you guys kissed?" Riko asked, their conversation taking a turn. Sachiko blushed and nodded as she clasped her hands together. The younger girl let out an excited squeal and asked Sachiko to tell her all about it. The older girl did as she was asked, but Riko looked at her, disappointed, "He hasn't kissed you since then? What a loser. I think it's time, Sachi; you need to go for it."
"You called me Sachi," Sachiko said, looking at her surprised. Riko looked at her nervously and tried to apologise for calling her that nickname. She only said it because Satoru and Suguru called her that. "I don't mind you calling me that. It was nice. I don't really have many girlfriends."
"I wish I had met you earlier. We would have been really good friends," Riko said, grabbing Sachiko's hand. They both smiled at each other. As much as they wished it, they knew that Riko would be gone tomorrow. She and Master Tengen would become one. This was why Satoru and Suguru were so lenient with their travel plans.
"We will meet again someday."
The night grew darker as the hotel went quiet. Riko and Kuroi had fallen asleep while Sachiko had a short nap to perk herself up. Suguru was doing the same, but by the sound of the snoring, he would be out for a few more hours.
Sachiko glanced at the two sleeping women, and a small smile came to her face as she thought of her and Yui. Whenever Sachiko was sick or had a nightmare, Yui would spend the night with her, holding her in her arms so she would feel safe. She missed her deeply, but Yui was on a well-deserved trip, which gave Sachiko no reason to return to the Gojo estate unless Satoru was going.
The black-haired girl walked out of the room and slowly closed the door, trying not to wake the pair up. Her light footsteps were the only thing heard through the hallway as she made her way to the common area where Satoru sat. There was a large window that overlooked the beach, but Satoru stared blankly ahead of himself. He was so tired, and he couldn't hide it.
"Satoru, how long has it been since you slept? You can't keep your technique up the whole time," She said, concern lacing her voice. Sachiko walked around the chair, his eyes following her movements. She stopped in front of him. Her eyebrows were frown as she stared down at him slumped in his chair.
"It's fine, Sachi. We will be back at the school tomorrow, then I can rest, but I need to keep watch for now." Satoru replied. She shook her head, and he rolled his eyes, not in the mood to be pestered by the girl. She bunched up her dress so she could sit on his lap. He was surprised. Her eyes locked with his, and they held a stern look within them. "Sachiko,"
"Satoru," She said, coping his tone. Sachiko grabbed his hands and guided them to her waist; without a cue, his grip tightened, and he pulled her closer to him. Her legs slipped down into the spaces between the armrest and his thighs. His head was tipped back slightly so he could look at her. Their eyes never left each other. "You think you're so invulnerable, but you aren't the strongest yet, Satoru Gojo."
He just hummed. Sachiko's eyes flicked between his before she reached up and carefully took his sunglasses off, revealing his unnatural blue eyes. He held one of the brightest pairs while hers was one of the darkest, a match of opposites.
"Do you trust me, Satoru?" She asked as she leaned down, their faces getting closer and closer. He said 'Always' as he waited for her next move, unsure. She had never been so forward with her affection for him, but lately, he has felt that she is getting more confident. He always tried to respect her boundaries, which was why he was waiting for her, but it seemed he didn't have to wait much longer. Satoru gulped, which made a light giggle coming from her lips, earning a smile from him. She was making him nervous. Her lips brushed against his as she spoke, "Then let me take care of you for a while. You said you wanted to rely on me, let yourself do so then. You need your sleep."
Sachiko pressed her lips into his as Satoru's hand moved from her waist to her cheek before sliding into her hair. He sat up straighter and held her tight as he deepened the kiss. One that both of them have lusted for since he first kissed her, then left her hanging for months. Her hands travelled from his shoulders to his hair, her fingers lightly pulling on it as he bit her lip gently. They both smiled into the kiss.
Sachiko was the first to break away; they just stared at each other, slightly out of breath from the adrenaline of the moment. She rested her head against his shoulder, "I love you, Satoru." She whispered in his ear with a smile. His lips dotted her neck before travelling up to her jawline, earning a small giggle. "So after this, you need to sleep; I'll stay here with you to watch."
"Okay, my love." He said, making her blush as he kissed her again.