Chapter Text
One day, the strongest sorcerer slowly strode down the riverside path with a simple bouquet of white forget-me-nots. The weather was gloomy and humid, a few drops of rain fell and rolled down on the pure white petals, they remained on the tall man's hair and collar. This is the type of weather that makes young people lose their vitality but is suitable for those who do not want to think about anything. The white-haired man could clearly easily avoid the raindrops touching his clothes with his unique technique but now he preferred to bask in the damp and cold air. It's so comfortable, just feeling the raindrops touching your skin and hearing the never-ending splashing sound, you don't have to worry about thinking about anything anymore.
"woof---"
The barking was so soft that it could not be heard, but that was not a problem for this man. That small barking sound was probably just like the sound of a cicada or the sound of insects rustling in a certain tree branch, but no, it was weak, trembling and only sounded once. The owner of the barking seemed to be trying to use its remaining breath to cry out, as if it knew this white-haired man was passing by.
The white-haired man looked around and went straight to the small old cardboard box under the bridge. He looked inside and saw a ball of black fur curled up. If it hadn't been shivering, he probably wouldn't have known that this ball of fur was a small puppy. It seemed that after the cry just now, it no longer had any strength left but lay completely still and shivered from the cold.
The white-haired man quickly took out the blue scarf from the waterproof bag, inside which was also an umbrella. He carefully placed the small puppy in the scarf and wrapped it a few times around it to warm it. The man then took it to a nearby veterinary clinic. He didn't know anything about caring for animals in danger, so handling it himself would be very dangerous. After the veterinarian examined, wiped and bandaged the puppy, the white-haired man learned that the puppy was malnourished and hypothermic. In addition, it also had many wounds on its body, seemingly was beaten by big dogs.
The white-haired man then left the puppy at the veterinarian to recover and continued his little journey. He went to a place that seemed very suitable for the current weather. The tombstones were close together, the man was very familiar with this place and did not seem to be searching but walked slowly straight to the tombstone on the north side of the cemetery.
---Okkotsu Yuta---
___2001-2018___
The bouquet of white forget-me-nots with a few drops of rainwater was placed on the grave, the white-haired man took off his glasses to reveal his sky-colored eyes. They are like the current sky, no longer clear or sparkling, they are deep, dark and full of heavy clouds. His large hand slid over the cold stone stele, feeling every engraved stroke, every letter that made up the name of the person he loved, of the person he was unable to protect.
"If you protect the world, I will be the one to protect you."
Gojo still remembers that gentle, sincere smile, the first time in his life someone said he wanted to protect the strongest.
'But Yuta...you're so unfair, I also want to protect you.'
Those deep yet gentle ocean-colored eyes always welcome and stay close to the sky wherever they are, day or night. Those eyes always seemed to penetrate the heart of the strongest person, he always saw his teacher as a 'human', not a 'god'.
"Sensei, if you're tired, can I help you with this weekend's mission?"
In his eyes, his teacher's strength wasn't something to hate, it wasn't something that made him an enviable person, it wasn't a reason to push all the work and responsibility onto his teacher's shoulders. In Yuta's eyes, his teacher's strength is a responsibility, a heavy burden on his shoulders, something he wants to share with his teacher. Yuta, you're so strange...maybe it's because you're Yuta.
"Sensei, is it okay for you to come to Africa to visit me? You should rest...you just arrived at the beginning of the month..."
Gojo Satoru is the strongest, he can do everything. He always carries an attitude full of vitality and brashness to the point of being annoying in everyday life. On the contrary, at times like this, he limits his reactions, he becomes pensive to the point of being ridiculous. The white-haired man bowed his head and breathed deeply as if he was holding back something.
'Ah, what's wrong with me..'
"Sensei will be fine without me, but I'm still worried, your duties will be full again even though it's Sunday..."
The light drops of rain began to become heavy like the mood of the person visiting the grave. Gojo thought how lucky he was. Large drops of rain fell on the tombstone and the tall man sitting in front of it. The first rain of the season was so cold, every drop of rain soaked the heavy uniform and soaked even the neatly combed white hair. Large drops of water flowed down his cheeks drop by drop, sometimes cold, sometimes warm.
'Yuta, it's not okay...I'm not okay'
Perhaps everyone thinks that the strongest person, even when sad, will be cool and strong because they have been through so many things that have made their hearts callous and hardened. But what if suddenly one day someone makes that heart thaw with a small warm fireplace? Then, that person suddenly left and did not return.
'Yuta, you're the worst, making your sensei become such a sentimental person'
The strongest Sorcerer is always the most arrogant, has he ever looked small and helpless? Maybe not, no way...
"Yuta, after you graduate, do you want to come live with me?"
The teenager opened his eyes wide in surprise and lowered his head to look at the ground, his hands clasped together nervously.
"Eh...can I really come live with you?"
'The jokes that make you blush, the small promises that don't even have a pinky swear but do you know that, Yuta? I bought a house near the school. If so, we will still be able to meet your friends and juniors easily. I also prepared a large bed and a bathtub enough for two people to enter. Your sensei bought a dark blue apron with a small white cat woven on the right chest for you. I also bought a pair of cups and a pair of toothbrushes in sky blue and ocean blue. A coffee machine was just delivered to our house today. You said you wanted to learn how to make drinks other than tea. Do you want to drink your first cup of cappuccino that I make myself?'
"Eh? This is---It's delicious, the cabbage isn't soggy but it's very flavorful"
The teenager's eyes lit up with pure joy, ah--Gojo really wanted to take this kid home and raise him right now, he didn't want to wait any longer.
"Of course, it's the dish I created especially for Yuta."
"If someone could eat this dish every day, that person would be really happy..."
"Haha After we live together, I can cook this dish for Yuta every day ~"
His wet white hair stuck to his already haggard face, and the clouds in his sky-colored eyes had turned into rain. The tall man leaned his head against the cold stone stele and gently placed a kiss on it to say goodbye.
"Next time, I'll bring your favorite food, okay?"
Rain, rain, little drops of rain. Luckily it rained today.
...
Gojo went to the veterinary clinic on the way home to check on the puppy, who seemed to be getting better. Although it was beaten, the puppy mainly fainted from hunger and cold, so after being warmed up and given some food, it looked healthier. Gojo paid the vet's fees and then brought the puppy back with him, this time taking out an umbrella from his waterproof bag to prevent both of them from getting wet. In fact, Gojo was already wet, so he borrowed a small cage at the infirmary to put the puppy in. On the way he bought a small mattress and other items for the pet. Gojo didn't intend to keep a pet, but he also couldn't leave this little cotton ball out in this weather with all the wounds.
After returning home, Gojo arranged everything and placed the little puppy in the nest. Now Gojo had a clearer view, the puppy did have black fur but had a bit of white stretching from the chin to the belly. When Gojo was surfing the web to see some pet training instructions, the little puppy that was sleeping suddenly woke up, startling Gojo a bit. He patiently watched as that weak body tried to stand up and looked around bewildered. The little puppy limped back and forth and finally crawled to Gojo's place. Gojo could see its weak tail swaying ever so slightly.
"woof...woof woof"
Small barks and big ocean blue eyes looked at the tall man as if expressing gratitude. Perhaps by smell, this puppy knows that this person is the one who warmed it earlier and brought it to a safe place. Gojo smiled, people say pets help relax and calm the nerves, this is not wrong at all. Gojo carefully patted the head of the little puppy that had not yet completely recovered, making its eyes light up.
"Woof--woof"
Gojo gently lifted the puppy to eye level and stared at it. The puppy also tilted its head and blinked at its owner. Its ocean blue eyes made Gojo nostalgic.
"Yuta. From now on your name will be Yuta, okay?"
The puppy blinked its big round eyes and wagged its tail continuously as if it really understood what Gojo was saying.
"Woof--woof!!"
"You seem to like that name, so it's settled, Yuta. By the way, isn't it a bit difficult to tell the difference? Um, how about changing it to Yuuta?"
...
Gojo thought Yuuta would easily get close to humans when he remembered their first meeting but it seemed he was still very shy. When Gojo brought it to school and showed it off to the 3rd years (Maki, Toge and Panda) and 2nd years (Yuji, Nobara and Megumi), Yuuta was timid and hid in Gojo's jacket. It must be added that Gojo's jacket is Yuuta's favorite place, the puppy always snuggles inside when Gojo is on duty. If there is a task that is too complicated (which rarely happens) or like today, there is an important meeting with Higher ups (which is renewed), Gojo will leave Yuuta at Shoko's infirmary or give it to off-duty students to look after him.
Nobara, Megumi and Panda were taking a lunch break after a mission so they were left to look after Yuuta. Nobara, after being hit by Mahito's Idle Transfiguration, fell into a deep coma during the final battle. Luckily, after some time after being continuously treated by Shoko and even taken to hospitals abroad, Nobara finally regained consciousness. Now she has to bandage her left eye. They like to joke that Nobara looks like Gojo now. Nobara just regained consciousness in June and completed discharge procedures in August. She is now able to function normally again and begins with simple tasks accompanied by Fushiguro or Itadori.
After a long time, Yuuta stopped being timid and started to get closer to Gojo's students. The black puppy with a white belly curiously looked at Nobara eating the cake. He crawled closer to Nobara and rubbed his head against her hand.
"Hmm? Do you want to eat?"
When Nobara was about to feed Yuuta some, Fushiguro stopped her.
"Kugisaki, sweets are not good for dogs, not necessarily inedible but it's best not to let Yuuta eat them"
Nobara was surprised, she had never had a pet so she didn't know.
"Eh!! I didn't know about this, it turns out dogs can't eat sweets."
Nobara gently patted Yuuta's head.
"Yuuta, sorry, I can't give you this"
Yuuta sadly groaned in his throat but obediently backed away, just as Gojo had just finished the meeting and was about to pick Yuuta up. Yuuta saw Gojo and immediately climbed on top of his owner and got into Gojo's jacket. Gojo pulled the zipper down a bit revealing Yuuta's sad face.
"Eh? What, Yuuta, why do you have such an expression? Hey you three! Who made Yuuta sad??"
Nobara clicked her tongue and rolled her eyes when she saw that their teacher was still showing off as usual.
"No one---it was just Yuuta who wanted to eat sweets so we stopped him."
After Nobara woke up, more than half a year had passed, and everything around her had become so different. There were people she knew at the Jujutsu High who had passed away, the principal, Nanami and the 2nd year senior that Nobara had never met. Before that day in Shibuya, Nobara had heard rumors that the homeroom teacher of the first year class was dating a second year student. Nobara noticed that at some times when Gojo-sensei was talking on the phone, his face became unusually happy and excited, there were also times when he whined and joked, but on the other end of the line there was only gentle laughter, not scolding or fear like the others.
When Nobara first heard Panda say that those times were when Gojo talked to his lover. Nobara didn't believe it.
"Gojo-sensei?? Has a lover??"
"Haha everyone thinks like that when they first know" Panda said.
When she woke up and heard that her 2nd year senior had passed away, Nobara really didn't know how to react. Of course she was very grateful because thanks in part to Yuta's work, her life and the lives of everyone around her became better. It was peaceful again but Nobara was still confused. Nobara and Yuta have never met each other, but Nobara heard about this name Okkotsu Yuta many times from people around her, even Itadori had the opportunity to meet Yuta and fight with him.
How does Nobara feel about Yuta's death? Sad? Anguished? No...it's frustration. She is the only one who hasn't met Yuta yet, she has a lot to talk about with him. Nobara wanted to scold Yuta for winning the exchange competition with Kyoto school, which prevented her from going to Kyoto to have fun. Nobara also wanted to ask Yuta how he could love their annoying teacher and how they got together, Nobara also wanted to know who confessed first.
It's so frustrating, so frustrating when a senior is clearly from the same school and is so close to everyone around her. Yuta is even Gojo-sensei's lover, but Nobara has never talked to him directly. The first time they met was in front of a cold tombstone.
Nobara noticed that it was true that Gojo-sensei had changed somewhat. After all, more than half a year had passed, but it was not like a change in time but a change in people. In general, it's quite understandable because his lover passed away, but Nobara never thought that this person could change for such a reason because Gojo-sensei is the one who understands best how cruel the sorcerer world is. Students dying young is not something new.
Gojo still hasn't changed his habits or any hobbies, even though it's related to Yuta. For some reason, Nobara feels that this is the most heartbreaking thing, every day being able to see things that remind him of the person he loves. Gojo-sensei always acted normal, he even talked about buying a house or seeing a pair of matching mugs that suited him and Yuta very well. Everyone around was always quiet and listening, listening to this always joking person who was in despair.
This hole of despair is so deep, so vast, it was once a medicine to heal this lonely person, it was once a flower bud about to bloom, it used to be a happy future that they were trying to build for each other. They appeared in each other's lives to fill each other's hole of lonely despair, but accidentally created another, worse hole. This hole cannot be filled anymore, forever.
But one day...Gojo-sensei started bringing this black puppy with a white belly to school and placed it in front of them and showed it off proudly that this was his pet. When hearing its name, no one said anything but quickly used that name to get to know Yuuta. Perhaps half a year is enough for everyone to get used to the way Gojo does everything related to Yuta. Only Nobara, who returned to life not long ago, looked a bit bewildered and speechless. Everyone said the puppy really looked like Yuta. Nobara looked at the little puppy and thought 'Does Okkotsu-senpai look this docile and gentle?'.
Nobara looked at Gojo who was holding Yuuta in his jacket and pretended to scold her.
"Seriously Nobara! Next time, don't eat cake in front of Yuta!!"
Nobara squinted her eyes and felt something was wrong.
"No no, how dare you say that! You're the one who loves sweets the most here."
Panda poked Nobara's arm and whispered.
"Actually, Gojo only dares to secretly eat sweets behind Yuuta's back since he took Yuuta home."
"HAAAAA, to such an extent?"
Since bringing Yuuta home, Gojo has become a little better, it is true that animals have the ability to heal the soul. Even if it's just a little, even if it's just like a wounded animal trying to lick the wound to relieve the pain, even though the wound can't completely heal, it's a huge step forward.
If Gojo is the sky that no one can reach, Yuta is the vast, deep and compassionate ocean. The sky always surrounds the sea, and the sea is always next to the sky. But the sky and the sea will never touch each other. I can only catch up with you at the non-existent horizon.
Gojo Satoru will forever be trapped in the memory of Okkotsu Yuta with a puppy by his side helping him lick the wound that will never heal.
---End - Ending A: Forever stuck in memories---