( new drawing up for chapter 9!!)
1 month later
November
___ scans the photo in her hands, eyes softening at the round face of the raven-haired boy smiling. It was a shame that he had to be introduced to the jujutsu world at such a young age but clans were harsh on tradition, especially if the child shows so much promising talent in the early years. They want to hone it as soon as possible with the best resources, which happened to be Jujutsu High School.
"He's only five years old." ___ grimaces.
"You should know what it's like for the child, you've experienced this before." Yaga stated. He didn't mean to rub salt on her wounds but he wanted ___ to face the harsh truth. She either has to help train the boy when het gets sent to the school or reject the offer and let him suffer in the comfort of his own home.
"I'm sure the ___ clan trained you since you were his age just to prepare you for being Yatsukahagi's host." Yaga continued.
"But this is a high school, not some daycare. We're barely even adults and the higher ups are asking us to take care of a child?" ___ retorted. Although she was voicing her concerns, she refused to bring up the fact that she was still traumatized by the death of her sister and Riko. She couldn't bring herself to take in another child and have him end up with the same fate, it would just be too much for her fragile heart.
"Well, they offered a large sum of money, as well as enrolling him here once he's old enough. With the decline of students these past years, they thought it was too good of an offer to pass up." Yaga rubbed his forehead in exhaustion.
Personally, if it were up to him, they'd ask them to wait a few more years before having the boy train at the school but the Nishikawa clan was persistent.
"So, will you do it?"
___ sighs and takes another look at the boy in the picture. Did she really want to?
"No child should ever go through something so cruel."
"Then let's protect her."
The promise ___ and Gojo made flashed through her mind in a split second, making her heart well up at their words. Shaking her head, ___ huffs. If it means that he'll be well taken care of here, then she'll take the risks.
"Fine." she says.
"Thank you, ___. I know this might be a little overwhelming for you, but this is a big help." Yaga nods his head and dismisses the girl. "He'll arrive next week."
"So we got a brat on our hands now?" Gojo clicks his tongue and scratches his head.
"If we can put up with you, then we can handle another one." Geto snickers, causing Gojo to slap the boy's shoulder.
___ couldn't help but wonder what type of personality the kid was going to have. Judging from the picture she was provided with, he seemed like a pretty happy child, maybe a little shy but she can always work on that. A child's nature is to be curious, to be adventurous and to be boisterous. There's no doubt in her mind that the kid will warm up to them; Gojo and Geto seemed like they'd be able to handle a child's endless energy and stamina.
However, she couldn't help but grow nervous at the thought of babysitting a child. She had never actually taken care of a kid younger than ten years old. They didn't really know a lot about the world yet, it'd be hard for him to tell the difference between right and wrong. Watching over a child was one thing, but they were practically going to raise him. The outcome of the child would depend solely on how ___ teaches him, and now that she thinks about it, maybe this was a bad idea. She was only sixteen, a total teenager - a young adult if she was really pushing it.
She was just hoping that the child at least knew some manners.
I wonder if he's like Megumi, she thought, thinking back to the time when Gojo and her sought out Toji's son. Then again, they were raised in two completely different environments.
Seeing a black car pull up at the entrance, ___ pats her uniform down to look presentable before turning to the two bickering boys beside her.
"Hey, quit it! He's here." she hisses. Gojo and Geto immediately close their mouths shut as the door of the car opened to reveal a young raven-haired boy with striking yellow eyes.
"Thanks, mister!" he chirped brightly, waving the driver a goodbye before slamming the door close. ___ makes her way to the boy and offers to carry his backpack, to which he declines.
"Thank you onee-san, but I'm a big boy now." he beams at ___. "You're very pretty though! May I offer you some apple juice?"
Gojo and Geto stifle a laugh as they watch the interaction. This little guy hasn't even been here for more than a minute and he was already hitting on ___.
"Hey, kid. Sorry but my little kōhai here is off limits." Gojo slings an arm around ___, shooting the boy a smug smirk. ___ rolls her eyes.
"Are you serious?" she mutters. She crouches down to the boy's level and pats his head. "Don't mind him, Nishikawa. He's just teasing."
"Call me Hayato." Nishikawa rummages in his bag for a carton of apple juice before shoving it in the girl's face.
"My offer still stands." he says.
"He's asking her out on a date!" Geto cackles, kneeling over to catch his breath. "Gojo, this kid has more balls than you and he's only five! Step your game up, man!"
Gojo grumbles underneath his breath as he glares at Nishikawa. Oh, how he'd love to just squeeze this kid's head, he was already getting on his nerves.
"Oh - uh, I'm okay. Thank you though." ___ holds the boy's hand and makes her way to the dormitories, leaving Gojo and Geto by the gates.
"I don't like that kid." Gojo mutters, crossing his arms.
"I don't think he likes you either." Geto gestures to the boy sticking his tongue out at Gojo, a tiny finger pulling the skin under his eye to shoot him a mocking look. Gojo cracks his knuckles.
"I'm about to beat a kid up."
Nishikawa seemed normal enough for a child. He was a little obnoxious, something that ___ wasn't quite used to but he didn't get on her nerves. She actually found it quite adorable how he was trying to act mature in front of her.
"Your room will be right next to mine." ___ opens the door to his room, letting Nishikawa take in his surroundings. "It's not much but we can always decorate it to your liking."
Nishikawa shakes his head and places his bag on the floor, immediately climbing up on the neatly made bed. It wasn't as soft as his old one but it was comfortable enough.
"I'm fine with this, ___-sensei." he mumbles, sipping on the straw of his apple juice. He hums in delight.
___-sensei, huh, the girl thought. I think I like the sound of that.
"Well, Hayato," ___ sits beside the boy and pats his head tenderly. "I'll be training you from now on. I hope we'll get along."
Nishikawa leans his head onto her shoulder, a bored expression on his face.
"No need to worry, sensei. I already like you better than the servants at home." Nishikawa nibbles on his straw. "You're already treating me like a normal child. They're always Hayato-sama this, Hayato-sama that! It's so annoying!"
As the boy rambled on, ___ couldn't help but pity Nishikawa. She knew exactly what he was talking about, to be treated as anything but a child. It forced her to mature much faster than any regular kid her age, she had no room to cry and no room to play. All her days were filled with nothing but rigorous training and exhaustion, and she was sure that Nishikawa had a taste of that even at five years old.
However, now that Nishikawa was in her care, she was sure to give him all the love and support she can provide.
".. Then they have the audacity to blame it on me! Like, hello? You're the one who said it first! So to spite them, I kept saying it too and blamed it on her so she can get fired." Nishikawa grumbled, throwing the empty carton of apple juice in the trash.
"Sorry, say what exactly?" ___ asked. She didn't mean to, but she missed half of his story.
"Shit and fuck!"
___'s eyes widened as she stammered in shock, immediately clamping a hand onto the boy's mouth.
"D-Don't say that! That's not appropriate!" she scolds. This kid was something, for sure.
Nishikawa pried at her fingers, pouting.
"But why?! It's just a word!" Nishikawa whined into her palm. "At least you can't get fired here!"
"Hayato, those are bad words! A child like you shouldn't be saying those!" ___ said. If Yaga ever hears of this, she knows she would get an earful and don't even get her started on her two senpais. They'd nag her about it to no end.
"Fine, I won't say it, I promise!" Nishikawa crosses his arms and ___ pulls her hand away with a relieved sigh.
"But promises are meant to be broken!" Nishikawa bolts towards the door with a giddy laugh, running through the hallways as colourful words spilled out of his mouth.
"Fuuuuck!" he exclaims, a skip to his steps. ___ shrieks and runs after the boy in a panic, completely missing the two friends that froze in their tracks.
"Hayato, please! We'll get in trouble!"
Gojo and Geto stand with gaping mouths as they watched ___ chase after Nishikawa, who merely let himself get caught, hugging the girl's neck with a mischievous grin.
"Did I hear that right?" Geto asked.
"Well, that's none of my business." Gojo said. "I want nothing to do with that brat."