Destined to Collide - Inumaki Toge

88. Kaguya Once Again

The whole hall falls eerily silent – save for the sobbing sounds coming from Maguro – now publicly known as Tsukigami Kaguya once again.

There was never an identity crisis. It was just something that she thought she ought to do it to right the fates of the lives plucked away from her so unceremoniously. But she never would have thought this would happen.

That Kawai Nina would happen.

That outburst, that anger.

That shame.

Of having done something so stupid yet so right at the time of the event.

She ought to have listened to Gojo Satoru earlier. He had warned her.

"You're living on a time and identity that is no longer yours to have. The time would come for revelation, and it will not be pretty."

He knew this would happen. But she didn't think that it would happen this way.

He had warned her – the price to pay for taking up the identity of others is heavy indeed. And she has indeed been too naïve on that.

Kaguya hiccupped uncontrollably, sucking in air in short puffs and sobbing at the same time, eyebrows knitted together in shame with her choice from months back. "I- I never- *hic* I- I didn't want to... I'm- I'm- I'm sorry."

Everyone wanted to but didn't feel it right to ask her the reason right now.

But bless everyone, they have an Itadori Yuuji there to state their curiosity.

"But why did you?" he popped that question.

Nobara clicked her tongue, but silently thanked the Itadori boy for asking it out loud for all of them. She's dying to know the reasons too. "You can be so insensitive at times, Yuuji. This could be your downfall with girls."

Itadori balked. "But what does that got to do with my questions?"

Nobara rolled her eyes, "Question. You only have one."

Shrugging his shoulders, Itadori remarked, "I have one for now but I have many more. I kind of get it, but I kind of didn't?"

"Shh!" Maki shushed them up sharply. "Could you just-? Let her have her moment!"

Toge gently patted her small back in a short rhythm, helping her calm herself down a little. In her state right now, she's in too deep with her griefs. She looked up at him with her wet teary face. She bet she looked plenty ugly now. "I'm sorry everyone. I just... I- I-I- I just... I couldn't-..."

Toge smiled at her and shakes his head.

Shit, he knew, Maguro thought quietly to herself.

He's still Nullified, and his little girlfriend couldn't undo it in her current state. Sighing with a smile, Toge patted Maguro's cheek, wiped her tears with the handkerchief Gojo gave to him, and continue to rub Maguro's back comfortingly.

"She wanted to live under the guise of Tsukigami Maguro for a while more," Inumaki opened his mouth and explained. He was fingering the necklace Maguro had given to him. Sure, she could have continued to fool everyone with stories of how Maguro as the side family member could inherit some of the powers as a Tsukigami, but powers retained in blood is a specialty only the Tsukigami main family members and heirs could do. A vial of her blood, fused with her power, and the downfall of her guise being teared down due to the characteristic golden hue in their powers and blood.

Wiping her nose with the handkerchief, he smiled at her when her small hands came up to hold the handkerchief to her nose. He gently pushes the back of her head forward to his neck, patting her small back rhythmically to sooth her nerves. It wasn't her wish to be like this. It wasn't her will, wasn't anyone's wishes. But it happened anyway.

It happened. And it had passed. There really was no one left.

Not even the namesake.

"She just wanted to let Maguro live a little more, and not as the Heir Kaguya. The real Maguro's life is taken away from her so suddenly. The dead Maguro has so much to live for, and yet because she is the hidden heir, protected by their clans and by their ancestors that she is alive now instead of someone else. She felt guilty that she is the only one left alive."

"Guilty?" Gojo said, almost scoffing as he crouched down in front of Toge and Maguro. "Guilty, for being the one alive instead of with the dead? Maguro, or I supposed, Kaguya," Gojo Satoru gently called to her, patting her head gently. "You don't have feel sorry for being the one left alive. You don't have to ever feel like that. We hope you will never feel like that, and I am sorry things turned out this way. We love you, and we want you to be happy and look forward to what life could bring for you."

Maguro looked up at her teacher and hiccupped, wiping her tears with the handkerchief he gave her and whimpered sadly. She reminds him of an abandoned little puppy crying by the side of the road a few weeks back while he's out for official business. He smiled; she really is cute no matter what the situation is. "I've told you; you can't hide this forever. And I suppose, Maguro can rest well now, knowing that you've survived. For the sake of your blood, and your family, you should take back your real identity and live on as Kaguya from now on."

Maguro nodded her head, hiccupping still. She couldn't stop it, and she still feels so sad over that outburst.

She never got shouted at like that before in her entire sheltered life, and in public no less. It puts her in a difficult situation of complete shame and guilt.

It still gives her the horror of feeling as if she has let everyone down with her not telling them about her real identity.

"I have one question though," Yuuji broke the silence and raised his hand up high in the air. "Why was she named as Maguro?"

Maguro- now Kaguya, gave no replies but a sad smile. Toge heard her thought in his mind and smiled. "It's funny and lovely. Both Maguro's real parents loved Tuna and fell in love going for the same piece of Tuna in a sushi restaurant."

Inumaki grinned widely, happy in hearing that both shared the same favourite sushi. He patted Kaguys's head and spoke to her through thoughts, "Just like us, ne?"

Kaguya gave Toge a watery chuckle and nodded.