Chapter Text
“What do you mean you’re in Kyoto?!”
Utahime leaned away from the loudness of Gojo’s voice through her phone speakers.
“Uh, yeah? Haven’t you known about this?”
The sound of muffled things hitting the floor and a swear echoed through the phone.
“I didn’t even get to say goodbye!” he whined.
“That’s because you were on a business trip to Beijing. Which I deliberately timed, because I knew you’d be insufferable when I finally left Tokyo.”
“...You’re so mean.” She could hear the pout in his voice.
“Anways, any more questions? I actually have things to do now that I’m not chained to your Outlook calendar,”
“Do you gotta rub it in?”
Utahime rolled her eyes and ended the call. The trees ruffled as a breeze came through, and she leaned back to feel it against her face. Sitting on the edge of the yen-gawa under the awning, kicking her feet freely, she felt younger than she had in ages.
With her eyes closed, she heard the soft brush of the door sliding open behind her. She peeked an eye open.
“Okaa-san? What’s that you’ve got in your hands?”
Her mother smiled, dressed casually in a yellow, faded yukata and placed the tray of sweets next to her.
“I thought you might like a snack.”
Utahime’s eyes lit up at the colorful mix of wagashi on the tray, along with a pot of Hojicha.
“Hojicha? It’s a bit early in the season for it,” Utahime mused, taking a bite of daifuku shaped like a camellia. She licked her lips to taste the lingering sweetness.
“We just received the shipment and, well, I was excited to open it. What better way to try this season’s harvest than with my lovely daughter?”
Utahime giggled and poured a cup of the Hojicha for her mom, and then for herself.
Her mom huffed as she carefully sat down on the edge of the yen-gawa, still elegant despite her limited mobility.
“Okaa-san, we can move somewhere more comfortable if you’d like.”
Her mom waved her away. “Nonsense. I feel nostalgic. We used to do this all the time when you were a young girl.”
A smile played at Utahime’s lips as she overlooked the rock garden. Utahime was told she was a calm and sensible child, as placid as a calm lake. She and her mom could sit staring at the garden for hours with nothing but silence as companions.
Her mom spoke again. “I remember sitting here when you played with your friends. You could barely reach the edge of the yen-gawa, but it didn’t stop you from clambering into the garden.”
Her mom pointed at a well-kept bonsai tree at the corner of the garden.
“I remember when the Gojo boy visited, all those years ago, he nearly snapped the branch of the tree. My mother was furious!”
“Typical Gojo.” Utahime scowled at the mention of her ex-boss. “God, I am so glad to be free of him and his stupid life.”
Her mother raised an eyebrow, urging her to continue.
“The way he’d never be able to operate his web camera— I always had to step in and fix it! And, when he was done with his meetings, he only wanted his Kikufu Mochi from that one shop in Ueno. Such a fu— freaking pain to get it sent over to the office. And—ugh!— the way he’d freak out if his shirts weren’t one-hundred natural fibers because of his sensitive skin!”
Utahime was snapped out of her rant by her mother giggling, delicately covering her mouth with a hand.
“It’s not funny, mom.”
If possible, her mother looked even more amused.
“Sure, dear. It sounds like you were a little fond of him, despite how he annoyed you.”
“Okaa-san! I am not—”
At her mother’s quelling look, Utahime deflated. She was always the worst liar to her parents.
“I… It’s just weird being here and not having Gojo in my ear. Like a missing limb.”
The girl looked across the garden, before looking down and fiddling with her rings.
“I don’t know if I miss the work or if I miss… you know.”
“Uta-chan, let’s be honest here.”
Utahime stayed silent, mouth pursued stubbornly and a slight crease at her brow.
“Let me give an observation, then.” Her mother folded her hands in her lamp and her eyes grew distant, the slight lines at her eyes and mouth relaxing.
“Ever since you were teenagers, you’d always had such a peculiar reaction to him. You’d look away from the boy, but your body was, unfailingly, angled towards him.”
The crease on Utahime’s brow grew deeper.
“He always stole every bit of my attention. It was impossible not to,” Utahime whispered, ducking her head until her hair covered her expression.
Her mother’s lips curved, but stayed silent.
Utahime’s lips trembled, then she folded her legs up and wrapped her arms around her shins. Looking away, Utahime roughly spoke. “It doesn’t matter, anyways. He has no reason to pay attention to me now.”
At her mother’s silence, Utahime peeked over folded knees.
Her mother inclined her head towards her phone, lying carelessly behind her.
[2 Missed Calls from ‘Gojo (NOT my boss!)’]
[‘Gojo (NOT my boss!): hime i have your location]
[‘Gojo (NOT my boss!): you can’t stay away from me forever!!!]
Her mother’s eyes were bright.
“Why couldn’t you do this, Shoko?” Utahime complained into the phone.
A soft snort resounded on the other end. “Well, for one, I’m not a gynecologist by any means. And, two, we’re close but we’re not let-me-open-your-vagina-with-a-speculum close.”
Utahime sucked in air between her teeth, eyes darting to the entrance of the clinic in front of her. She was waiting in her car, engine turned off, 10 minutes early for her scheduled appointment.
It wasn’t like this was her first time going to the gynaecologist. She had been diligent with her yearly appointment, even if she had been more familiar with her practitioner in Tokyo. This was the first visit to a new doctor in Kyoto and the one she planned on going to in the near future.”
“And this woman is good, right?”
“Yes, she is,” Shoko explained patiently. “She was in my cohort in school, and earned top marks on her boards. Though she is a little… eccentric.”
“Like eccentric or Gojo-eccentric?
“... you’ll see. You’ll be fine, Uta, kay? Bye.”
The line went dead and, unsurprisingly, Utahime did not feel fine.
Ignoring her trepidation, she checked into her appointment at reception and sat down on a creaky chair in the waiting room. The office was nothing interesting, sterile, though the touches of pink were rather on the nose.
“It’ll be a little bit. Your doctor is running late from another consultation.”
Utahime nodded, before roaming her eyes around the room. On the table was a stack of magazines, and the one on the front named ‘Your Pregnancy&Baby’ read: “Best positions to give birth in!”
Her eyes glossed over the cover to look at the stack adjacent to it. “Town and Country: Best Private Schools in the Kyoto Area to Send Your Kids!” A picture of a little girl, adorable hair in pigtails in a school uniform stared out at her.
Utahime briefly daydreamed of having her child on her first day of school. Her child, in a miniature uniform, carrying a randoseru seemingly too big for her body. Her dark hair in braids, brushing her shoulder as crystalline blue eyes looked up to her in wonder—
The brunette shook her head violently. Before she could dwell on it, her name was called and she was led into a private room with machinery hooked up in carts, a big light hanging above the set up.
Utahime carefully sat down on the reclined chair, the paper covering wrinkling with the movement. She didn’t have to wait long until the door burst open.
“Miss Utahime Iori! Hello!”
Utahime blinked in shock, the stillness being broken from the explosive movement. Adjusting to the sight, she took in the tall woman leaning against the door frame, her white coat open and revealing a curvaceous body. Long, blond hair tumbled around her shoulders and framed an angular yet delicate face. Pink eyes sparkled excitedly at her.
“I’m Dr. Yuki Tsukumo. Just call me Yuki, though! Any friend of Shoko’s is a friend of mine,” Yuki grinned, closing the door behind her and extending a hand.
“Hi, pleasure to meet you. Call me Utahime,” Utahime replied dazedly, shaking Yuki’s hand mechanically.
Her doctor in Tokyo was nothing like Yuki. Old where Yuki was young, placid where she was exuberant, and male where she was, obviously, female.
“Utahime! So you’re Shoko-chan’s best friend from undergrad!” Her pink eyes scanned her up and down. “Hm. Interesting.”
Utahime raised an eyebrow, hackles raised and already feeling defensive. “What’s interesting?”
“Nothing, just interesting. You look like… the up-tight type.” Yuki nodded, then tilted her head in consideration. “Not Shoko’s usual flavor.”
Utahime’s eye ticked. “And, pray tell, is Shoko’s usual flavor?”
Yuki looked upward and hummed, leaning back on the table behind her. “Hm… strange? Peculiar? Likes to skulk around in dark corners? Ah, good example— you know Gojo Satoru, right?” Yuki snapped her fingers. “Of course you do. Everyone knows him. Well, Shoko’s friends with him and I always found something off about that guy, no matter how handsome he is.”
“Tell me about it,” Utahime mumbled.
Yuki clapped. “Anyways, on to the exciting stuff; the reason you’re here! Just a few quick questions before we get down and dirty.”
The blond woman produced a clipboard and pen from nowhere and started scribbling down notes. And on they went, Utahime answering basic information with Yuki running down the list.
“Alright, some behavioral questions since it’s our first time meeting. One— are you sexually active?” Yuki’s eyes flicked up from the clipboard before her.
Utahime felt her face warm, gripping the paper sheet underneath her until it was crumpled. To quote Mei Mei, there were probably cob webs down there. After all, when could she have been active? The week and a half of PTO she got each year, with Gojo in her ear all the time?
“Erm, no.”
(Somewhere, Gojo felt an inexplicable urge to jump for joy.)
“Are you planning on getting pregnant?”
“I— uh—,” Utahime cleared her throat. “Yes, I am planning on it,” She said more firmly.
Yuki scribbled something on the clipboard. “What’s the time horizon look like?”
Utahime squirmed. “Well, ideally in the next year or two.”
“And how certain are you?”
“Pretty certain.”
Yuki nodded, before making eye contact with her. “Though it is a little early to start planning for it, there is just good, general advice to have on hand. The first step is to have a clean diet and healthy body. You’ll have to drink in moderation, if not cut it out completely…”
Utahime inwardly pouted. No more going to the bar for her in the near future.
“Ah, yes, you’ll have to start tracking your ovulation cycle if you haven’t already. Ever feel an unusual sexual heightened sex drive? That’s near your ovulation window, which is the most ideal time for you to get pregnant…”
By the time the gynaecologist was done with her list of advice, Utahime’s face was bright red.
“But, I haven't even found a partner! Isn’t this a little too soon?”
At her statement, the doctor shrugged. “You never know. You look like the type to be oblivious—”
“Huh?!”
“— and sometimes, life has a way of surprising you.”