Chapter Text
January
“Suguru, please can we go to Takahachi’s Bakery? I need to fill my sugar quota for today!” Gojo groaned, flopping starfish style on his friend’s bed.
“Satoru please, unlike you I care about my duties and I need to review the financial earnings of this quarter before that meeting in the afternoon.” Geto shook his head. He was bent over at his desk reviewing the documents since the morning, anxious to finish in time. “It’s time for you to get your priorities in order, we’re not children anymore.”
Gojo turned his head to glare at the back of his friend's head, “We’re not children anymore.” he mocked in a high pitched tone.
Gojo sprang up from the bed “Whatever, suit yourself, hell bury yourself under those documents for all I care,” he shoved his hands in his pockets and sauntered towards the door “and don't ask me to share my strawberry daifuku with you later because I won't!” he walked out letting the door slam shut behind him.
“I don't even like sweets…”
Gojo strolled down the pathway to the bakery. It had been his favorite spot ever since he could stand on his two feet.
He remembered often coming with his governess after hours of grueling studying. Every boy deserves a special treat after working so hard! She had been kind to him, well as kind as his father had allowed her.
Since then, it had become a habit of his to visit the bakery almost everyday, sometimes even twice, however with all his recent responsibilities piling on him as the only son of the Gojo family, it had become harder to visit the bakery.
In fact this was the first time Gojo was going after a whole week. He shuddered, a week without his strawberry daifku had been torture. The soft chewy texture was almost enough to make all his worries go away. Almost.
“Shoko!” Utahime burst into her friends house, dark hair flying loose from her usually meticulous braid.
“Ieri Shoko you better be home where are you?!” Utahime peeked into the foyer and puffed out a breath of relief seeing her friend lounging on a chaise.
“Shoko you have some explaining to do,” Utahime walked into the room briskly taking a seat by Shoko’s feet.
“Yes my lovely Utahime? How are you this fine spring afternoon?” Shoko flopped around on to her back stretching her arm up in the air
“Oh don’t give me that. You know what you did!” Utahime exclaimed narrowing her eyes at her friend “Your betrothed is coming to see you for the first time today and you didn’t think to let me know?” Utahime huffs blowing a stray strand of hair away from her face.
“Betrothed or the Prince of Lebanon I don't really care either way.” Shoko waved Utahime off rolling around to drape her arm over her face.
Utahime rolled her eyes. Shoko was 2 years younger than Utahime, at the perfect age to be wed according to society. Unlike Utahime who had vehemently rejected every suitor that her parents brought up however Shoko, coming from a influential family background had little to no room for any disputes on such matters. Still the two had met because Utahime’s mother worked for the Ieri family and the two had grown close.
“Shoko you cannot be serious right now. You have to get up and get ready before he arrives!” Utahime jumped up “Do you even have any idea what he looks like?”
“I honestly don't care.”
Utahime threw her arms up “Oh you're hopeless.”
Shoko lifted her arm and looked at Utahime with one eye squinting, “Well I do know his name. It’s Geto Suguru. And mother described him as really tall and handsome.”
Utahime groaned “And how does that help anything? I can't believe your mother really left this up to you. You need to get something ready. Oh! I know maybe we could buy a cake from Takahachi’s Bakery to celebrate your union! “ Utahime clasped her hands together smiling. Yes a Belgian chocolate cake sounded divine.
“You know for someone who rejected all her suitors you sure are excited about mine.”
Utahime turned around to look at Shoko, “Well it's not as if I rejected them on purpose.. They just weren't the right one."
“The right one?”
“You know… the love of my life.. the one who’ll sweep me off my feet..” Utahime trailed off seeing the look on Shoko’s face, who had her eyebrow raised.
“Pffft you believe in all that?” Shoko shook her head her short hair flying around her face as she sat up, “That kind of love only exists in fairytales, not in real life. there's no room for all that here.”
Utahime looked down picking imaginary dust off her skirt. The truth was Utahime had rejected suitor after suitor after meeting them and giving them a chance. she didn’t connect with them in anyway. They didn't see her for her. As Utahime. But solely as a placeholder for the position of a wife. Utahime knew in their world a marriage by love was almost unheard of. The majority of marriages were arranged by the parents as soon as their child was 22. Utahime was now 24. There were already whispers of how she would never get married as her desired age had run past. There were days where Utahime listened to them. Let their callous whispers slither their ways into her heart and wrap themselves around it in a vice grip. But then she would remember the story of her parents. How they found each other while working for the Ieris and found love and she would shake the thoughts away with a determined heart. Her mother would have wanted this for her. And no matter how many suitors her father brought forth she knew he only wanted the best for her. Wanted her to have her own family before he passed too.
Utahime shook her head. No now wasn't the time to dwell on herself. It was Shoko’s big day. The least she could do for her lazy friend was buy a nice cake they could enjoy while meeting each other.
“Shoko! I'm going to Takahachi’s Bakery to buy a cake!” Utahime rushed out in a furry of dark hair and white skirts.