Capítulo 8: Void

"~Hello darkness my old friend. I've come to talk with you again. Because a vision softly creeping. Left its seeds while I was sleeping. And the vision that was planted in my brain. Still remains. Within the sound of silence.~" Arai was singing 'Sound of Silence' just like he always did when he entered this place.

When Arai finished singing, his surroundings was once again filled with the white snow slowly falling. "Always drops when I say 'silence', huh." He looked to the snows that always avoided him like he was some sort of plague.

"Now that I think about it, the snow is from my mind, right? That means that even in my mind, everything avoids me. Guess even here nothing changes." He sighed exhausted as he contemplated his life.

When Arai awakened his curse technique, he realized that every time he was unconscious. His mind would be transported here. Yet he didn't know why. Principal Yaga theorized that it was his Innate Domain and that he had a good connection to it as most sorcerers can't get to it.

Yet he never figured out what was these snow like objects. They just passed by him yet never actually represented something he knew. Normally every single thing within an Innate Domain represented something.

Whether it'd be a bird or even a lake. Every one of them meant something to that specific individual. These snow, he didn't know what it meant. What it represented to him was a mystery.

Did it mean that he would fall? Did it mean that he would die and disappear just like a drop of snow in the winter? An irrelevant piece of the world that can be discarded without consequences.

Ouch! That last one hit deep.

Arai chuckled as he discarded these thoughts. He had already figured out the void. It was a bubble that formed around him to avoid anything. Avoid contact to anyone before he had arrived at Jujutsu Tech.

Though he didn't know why it was still here as he opened himself. Maybe he still hadn't opened himself completely and hid away a part of himself. Who knows. He sure didn't. And if he couldn't understand his emotions. Who could?

Certainly not his family. They were dead. Friends? Oh they left him when he needed them the most. Gojo and Geto? Please. He only knew them for what. 3 months? Sounds about right. Why would he reveal everything about himself to them?

"Damn this void really likes making me talk to myself. I wonder who was the one who picked me up after that Nanami hit me. Better not be Gojo. Maybe Mei. Or maybe Ieiri. I wouldn't mind if any of them picked me up." Scenarios that would never happen popped up in his head.

"Now that I think about it, the girls in school are pretty good looking. Too bad their personalities are all bad. Well I can say the same to all Jujutsu Sorcerers."

Just then, the world shook. The snow like objects disappeared as the world cracked open, golden light could be seen illuminating everything within the void. "Seems like its time." Arai didn't seem surprised as he closed his eyes basking in the light.

When he opened his eyes, he was back at the infirmary he was all so familiar with. He had been here countless times since Gojo had always beaten the crap out of him. "Awake now, sleepyhead."

Arai looked at his right to see Shoko smoking a cigarette. "I'm pretty sure you're not allowed to smoke here. Principal Yaga will probably be mad."

"He will if you snitch on me. You won't do that to your senpai~. The senpai who treated you when you got beaten up everyday. Right?" She didn't even try to hide her blackmailing while still smoking.

"I won't. Okay?" He said exhaustingly. But he then noticed at the other beds were the people he just fought. They were lied down and slept.

Noticing his gaze, Shoko spoke. "They're more injured than you were so they're still asleep. I always have to pick up everything for you guys. Gosh, I'm beginning to have eye bags."

"I think it'll look good on you but never mind that. Principal Yaga will give us an assignment, right? Did you hear when he'd give us one?"

"I think its in a week or two. Since Gojo was there when you guys fought then he can say that your skills are adequate enough. But to be honest, the assignment is more for Haibara. Kento Nanami has been in this field for a long time. And you... well you're you."

"I'll take that as a compliment. Thank you." Arai got up and grunted. The pain on the back of his head was still there but it definitely wasn't that bad thanks to Shoko healing him. "I'll be going now, I'll come back to school when the mission is assigned."

"Don't come back beaten up this time or I'll seriously start charging you." She made a circle with the smoke.

Arai laughed out loud. "You wish. I can thank school for covering it up. First and last time I'll be thankful for school."

["^_(9^ 1§{€2£¥7$}8%->4@*#'6~'...\!?04@*#'6~'...\!?0]

He left the school after that and travelled far. Far away from the busy city and to a peaceful place. Arai was in a forest where he arrived at a wooden cabin. It didn't look fancy or anything but this was his home. At least, one of them.

Arai walked in the backyard where he could see two stone slabs. And written across them were names.

{Isao Ichika

Beloved mother and wife}

{Isao Murai

Beloved father and husband}

It was his parents' grave. He had brought their grave and placed it here. In a quiet place where no one could bother them. A gift from him to his parents. Even though he knew they weren't here, just giving him a sense of their presence was heartwarming.

"Hey dad. Hey mom. Been a while hasn't it." On his face was a sad smile containing grief and sorrow. The light in his eyes dimmed as it no longer had that fire. Only a kid suffering from loneliness.

"I haven't been a good son, have I. Not even visiting his parents for an entire year. I really am a disappointment. But! I made some friends. Surprising right? Well even if they annoy me a bit, they're good people. I'm sure you would of like to see them."

Arai awkwardly scratched his cheek. "I've gotten surprisingly cheerful these days. Before I was always sad and drooping. But... I guess being friends with them really made me happy. I bet if they saw me before for long then they'd say I'm trying to be an edgy teenager."

Arai continued talking to his parents all day. Time passed so fast that when he finally broke out of his trance. It was already night time. He was about to go to his cabin to sleep there but stopped mid-way.

"Don't worry Dad. I won't be joining you yet. I'll become a son that you'll be proud of. And mom, I'll take care of my hair and face. Oh and also brush my teeth everyday. Always forget to do that." He nervously chuckled.

His gaze soon turned affectionally. "I'll be visiting here later. Until then, stay together." He walked back as a single drop of tear dropped. "For me... please."