#today the senpai and kouhai will...

[rosycheekies]

Today, the Senpai and Kouhai will… by Hyakucha

[ayanominitrash]

Act Cool, Senpai! (Geto Suguru x reader)

₊˚ ♡

Geto-san takes a liking to his cute kouhai.

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First Entry. 2nd Entry here. Masterlist. AO3

˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖

Geto Suguru never thought of love.

Unlike his classmate, Gojo Satoru, who thinks of it 24/7. Despite this, he isn’t oblivious to the fact that he’s ironically Jujutsu High’s campus crush over the Gojo. Who knows why, but he guesses it was something about his ‘nihilistic smile’ as his senior Mei-san once mentioned, not missing the way she eyed him from head to toe with a flirtatious look.

He didn’t know how to feel about that.

Regardless, he’d rather focus on his studies and on working hard as a Jujutsu Sorcerer. That’s all he knew after all. It’s what got him out of his rural village and scouted into the busy streets of Tokyo.

Except, he can’t help but notice his cute little kouhai. 

During Midterms months in the First Semester, you’d politely knock on the door to their classroom and shyly poke your head in, asking for Shoko. Geto would always look forward to that time of the day, the third period in the morning. He finds his heart suddenly racing as his eyes land on you, only to look back down to pretend reading the notes he took for their last class when really he was thinking how you look so cute today, just like any other day. Or how that cute new sweater you were wearing over your dark Jujustu uniform looks so good on you. How cute your hair looks when you clip a few of your front hairs back. 

Needless to say, Geto Suguru, for once, was a mess.

And it was all because of you.

“Who’s that girl who always comes here?” Geto innocently asks Shoko one day after their first class in the morning. 

They were all sprawled in their seats: Gojo on his right-hand side, lazily doodling some god-awful looking Digimon characters over his empty ‘notes’; Shoko on his left side, messing with her phone, texting who knows what. 

“Who? Oh, you mean our kouhai? She’s a year below us with Haibara and Nanami. Why do you ask?” She answers, not bothering to look up from the small screen.

“She’s like, always here.” Gojo pipes up, still scribbling in his notebook. 

“You guys close?”

“Obviously. Why else would we go to our next class together?” 

“Ah, you two share a class together? You don’t mean that. . she can also do external Reverse Cursed Technique?” Geto asks in awe. 

The brunette only nods with a bored look on her face. Gojo stops his ministrations on his notebook for a moment to whistle. “Another rare one. It’s good to know our new batch of sorcerers are coming in with talent.”

“I’m just glad I’m not alone in class anymore. You couldn’t even imagine just how - ” 

She was probably reminiscing about her first year when she had to take RCT-specialized classes all on her own, often complaining to them about how boring it was to be the only student there at the end of the day. Of course, the rest of the conversation went over Geto’s head as he was still processing the fact that you’re so rare, talented, and powerful to be one of the only few RCT users in all of Jujutsu Society.  On top of all of that, you’re gorgeous. You probably have a few boys fawning over you, sorcerers or none-sorcerers.

Geto, for a moment, forgets that he’s one of the 2 strongest sorcerers in this generation, and suddenly feels inferior to you, like he’s out of your league. After all, both he and Gojo couldn’t use RCT on themselves, let alone do it to others.

You’re, in no doubt, a gem.

“Anyway, why did you even ask? Are you annoyed she keeps coming over or something?” 

He blinks, realizing that his friend is looking at him now with the same lazy eyes she has, expecting an answer.

“Oh - what? Of course not. I was just curious since she just started popping up a few months ago.” 

Gojo hums in agreement, insinuating that he too was curious about you.

The raven-haired teen goes back to his reading, making a mental note to not ask too much about you, or else they’d get suspicious. Geto has never really felt these feelings before so he might be wearing his heart on his sleeve. 

Also, he mentally begs his heart to stop racing with the mere mention of you. 

Please.

₊˚ ♡

One afternoon after classes, Geto volunteered to clean up and erase the writing on the chalkboard, while Gojo and Shoko were packing their stuff to up and leave.

He wasn’t expecting it, but there was that same tiny knock on their class door. 

It was you, awkwardly standing in the doorway, hands gripping the straps of your bag.

“Ieiri-san. . .” You say in a shy voice, only flicking your eyes momentarily to both him and Gojo, before subtly hiding behind the doorframe.

Too cute, Geto thought.

“Your girlfriend is hereeeee.” Gojo sings, to which Geto whips his head in panic, only to realize that the tease was addressed to Shoko. That little act was thankfully, not noticed by any of those present.

“Shut up, Gojo.” The brunette tsked before shooting you an apologetic look. “Ignore him. Do you see what I have to deal with? Hold for a minute, still fixing my stuff.” 

“You guys heading somewhere?”

Geto doesn’t know where he finds the courage, but he decides to set down the chalkboard eraser and approach you. Maybe because he’s been itching to talk to you these past few months. You immediately stand upright when he starts to get close, no longer hiding behind the doorframe. 

“Ah- Geto- san! H-hello!” You quickly bow, “I-it’s an honor! E-er, Ieiri-san, and I w-will be going somewhere - eh, yes! Getting Ice cream…cones.” You lift your head up but still stare at your shoes, inwardly cringing at yourself.

Geto and Gojo share a look, the latter wierded out, and the former does a breathy chuckle. 

Too cute! Geto thought once again.

“Ah, is that so? She must be fed up enough with us to leave us out of it. Anyway, It's an honor that our kouhai knows my name. It makes me a little guilty of not knowing yours. So, name?”

You shyly tell him your name.

“Ah, that's a pretty name. It's imprinted in my brain now.”

“Oi, you!” Shoko elbows Geto’s stomach out of the way, pushing past the doorway and hooking your arm onto hers, dragging you away. “Stop harassing my kouhai, will you? We’re off.”

“E-eh! It was nice talking to you, Geto-san, a-and Gojo-san!” 

Geto tries to wave the both of them off but can’t help slide his back down against the wall, rubbing the spot Shoko elbowed him on. She did not hold back.

But that wasn’t why he was weak in the knees.

He finally got the chance to talk to you, and he didn’t stutter at all. Geto does find some relief that you were just as flustered with talking to him as he was feeling with you, all red in the face with those wide eyes like that. It’s making his heart do 360’s. 

“Weird little fella, ain’t she?” Gojo asks as he passes by Geto on the floor, his backpack in hand. “Let’s go before the little runts fill up the arcade. I wanna make sure to get all these school stress out of my veins.”

Geto huffs as he stands up, “You barely even study.”

“Take that back.”

₊˚ ♡ - - - -

Meanwhile . . .

“Ieiri-san, Geto-senpai looks so great today, as always.” You swoon with your eyes closed and your hands to your face as the both of you exit the school campus, the orange sunset bathing the skies.

“Huh? Really? You know, sometimes I feel like you're just using me to see him. I don’t know why you like him, but I guess he’s better than that other idiot, Gojo.”

You loop an arm back around hers, "Of course, I’d never use you like that, senpai! I'd literally die of boredom without you!"

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(❀❛ ֊ ❛„)♡ reblogs and comments are appreciated//do not repost my work anywhere

//

THE FACT THAT I HAVEN'T WRITTEN ANYTHING FOR DADDY SUGURU SINCE OCTOBER IS A SIN I NEED TO REPENT FOR ASAP ✞✞✞ would anyone even want a part two of this? any maybe turn it into my first series here //

[mononijikayu]

“all that i am, when i’m around you” — gojo satoru.

Satoru blushes at the fact that he was so bold to do that. He groaned to himself, his hands on his head. He purses his lips. But it felt good. It felt good to make you flustered. It felt good to make you feel a deep sense of contentment, just being with you. Just being silly around you. These moments, these small, everyday interactions, were what made his life with you so special. It wasn’t about grand gestures or dramatic changes—it was about the quiet, simple moments that you shared together. Gojo Satoru felt that he was all he was, when he was around you.

GENRE: post hidden - inventory arc (2010s)

WARNING/S: domesticity, fluff, family, comfort, angst, trauma, implied death, violence, romance, hurt/comfort, character death depiction of death, depictions of loss and depression, mention of pregnancy, mention of breastfeeding, mention of postpartum effects, depiction of the aftermath of birth, depiction of parenthood, depiction of blood, depiction of killing, depiction of suffering, depiction of anxiety, mention of death, mention of grief, profanity, family drama;

LISTEN: all that i am by mirdjo

NOTE: i was gone for a while and i still haven't written, sorry about that. i recently lost my dog and i really couldn't do anything. but today is the jjk chapter drop, so i decided to write something. this was comforting to write, because gojo satoru is a comfort. i'm doing a bit better now. we will be back on schedule soon enough!!! i hope you enjoy this little drable!!! i love you!!! <3

masterlist

u s and t h e m

IT WAS TAKING TIME TO ADJUST TO BEING MARRIED. But being married to you wasn’t so bad, or at least that’s what Gojo Satoru thinks. He looks at you as you hum that tune from the radio — preparing breakfast for both of you and the kids.

He had just gotten home from a mission, but you were waiting for him to come home. That was new for him. That someone was up all night worrying about him. Usually, he and Suguru went on missions together. But there wasn’t anyone waiting for him to come back, to greet him happily like you did. 

Everything has been a whirlwind of changes and emotions. One that he hadn’t expected about this. Surprisingly, you both got along well as a married couple. You didn’t act romantically, of course. There’s…there’s none of that yet. But you both cared for each other a lot, acted like a married couple would. Satoru was surprised. It was like everything fit into place now. 

The dynamic between you had shifted in subtle yet significant ways, reshaping the very foundation of your relationship. These past few months had been a period of profound transformation for both of you, discovering what could be between you now.

He was sure that slowly but surely, it was still sinking in — you took his name, you were in his house, you wore his ring. You were more in his and your life now. You were more part of his life now than ever before. You weren’t his senpai anymore, and he wasn’t your kouhai either. You were now his wife and he was your husband.

For a while, Gojo Satoru found himself in an unfamiliar territory, uncertain of what to call you. It wasn't just a matter of addressing you by your name; it was about finding the right words to encapsulate the depth of your relationship. In the past, you were his senpai, the one he looked up to with admiration and respect. Then, you became his partner, someone he leaned on for support and guidance. But now, as husband and wife, the dynamics had shifted in ways he hadn't anticipated.

He hesitated to simply call you by your first name, as if it didn't quite capture the magnitude of your connection. You were still very much not in love. It was too hard to be casual with you. It wasn’t like it was a joke like he did when he was still your kouhai. It was real now. It was very much something that was a gap he had to think about for a long while. 

Calling you "wife" felt too formal, too distant for the woman who shared his hopes, dreams, and fears. It may have been an arranged marriage, but it wasn’t as if he wasn’t an instigator. He was a willing participant, because he was fond of you. He wasn’t going to be calling you that.

Using "dear" sounded too old-fashioned, something his and your mother called your own fathers when they first married years and years ago. And "love" seemed too casual for the depth of emotion he felt for you. He wasn’t in love with you, yet. One day, maybe. But until then, he had to be able to give a name for you.

One day, Satoru approached you with a hesitant expression, his usual confidence tinged with uncertainty. "Hey, um... I've been thinking," he began, his voice trailing off as he struggled to find the right words.

You looked up from your book, sensing his unease. "What's on your mind, Satoru?"

He shifted nervously, his fingers fidgeting with the hem of his shirt. "It's about... what to call you, now… now that you aren’t my senpai," he admitted, his cheeks tinted with a faint blush. His eyes flickered with uncertainty as he struggled to articulate his thoughts. "It's just... I know this is really different. But it’s not easy to just call you by your name or just make up one. So I wanted to ask you about what you’re comfortable with."

You watched him with a soft smile, sensing his discomfort and wanting to ease his worries. "Satoru, you don’t really have to ask me. We’re married now," you reassured him, your voice gentle and reassuring.

But he couldn't shake off the feeling of uncertainty, the weight of tradition and habit still lingering in his mind. "I know, I know," he murmured, his gaze shifting to the ground. "But it's just... I want to make sure I'm doing this right. I want it to feel... natural."

Your heart softened at his vulnerability, your own affection for him swelling within your chest. "Satoru, there's no right or wrong way to do this," you said, reaching out to gently touch his arm. "We're in this together, remember? It's okay to feel unsure sometimes. But just know that you can call me whatever feels comfortable to you."

He looked up at you, his eyes searching yours for reassurance. "Anything?"

You nodded, a warm smile playing on your lips. "Anything."

With a sigh of relief, Satoru felt the weight of uncertainty lift from his shoulders. "Okay then," he said, a newfound determination in his voice. "I think... I think I'll stick with trying to…trying to get used to your name. For now. If that's alright with you."

Your smile widened, a surge of warmth flooding your heart. "It's more than alright, Satoru." you replied, your voice filled with love and understanding. 

He liked the way you said his name.

But he can tell, slowly but surely.

You liked how he said yours too.

In that time, as Satoru endeavored to commit your name to memory as effortlessly as breathing, he found himself grappling with the concept of you being an intrinsic part of his home. The idea of you being his home. It was a notion that seemed foreign at first, given his long-standing familiarity with solitude and transience.

From a young age, Satoru had grown accustomed to living in isolation, even within the vast expanse of the Gojo clan manor. As the heir to the Gojo clan, he had resided in his own wing of the estate, separated from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. But even within his private quarters, he never lingered in one room for long. 

The ever-present threat of assassination, a constant worry for his mother following the fate of his father, prompted her to frequently alter the layout and appearance of his living space. Rooms were rearranged, furnishings were swapped out, and on particularly paranoid days, Satoru found himself relocated to entirely different chambers. As a result, he never had the opportunity to truly imprint the features of any particular room in his memory.

Even during his time in the Jujutsu High dormitories, Satoru had maintained a sense of detachment from his surroundings. Though he had his own room, he seldom spent enough time there to form any meaningful connection to it.

With missions keeping him and Suguru occupied for days on end, and the few precious hours of rest often spent in Suguru's company, Satoru's dorm room remained as pristine and impersonal as the day he first set foot in it. Like the Gojo manor, it was a space devoid of personal significance, a transient waypoint in his journey through life.

It wasn't until he met Suguru and Shoko, and ultimately you, that Satoru began to understand the true meaning of belonging. Through your presence, he discovered a sense of stability and security that had eluded him for so long.

With you, he found a home���a place where he could be himself without fear or reservation, where memories were made and cherished, and where the bonds of love and friendship flourished. And as he reflected on the journey that had brought him to this moment, Satoru realized that he had finally found something worth remembering, something worth holding onto with all his heart.

Satoru often found himself lost in thought, reflecting on how different things were now. He loved how peaceful it had been just being around you. Even the little mundane details brought a sense of joy he hadn't anticipated.

Living together meant he saw you more than ever before, and since you weren’t going on missions nowadays, he found himself awakened to each and every day beside you, learning all these bright new facets of your personalities to light.

He noticed how you scrunch your nose when you were thinking too hard, a cute quirk that made him smile. Your bright eyes narrowed often when you focused on things, a look of intense concentration that made you look both serious and endearing.

You made a funny face when you realized something he had pointed out, a mix of surprise and amusement that was always delightful to witness. And then there was the way you smiled into your cup of coffee if it tasted good, a small but genuine expression of contentment that made his heart swell.

One morning, as he watched you prepare breakfast, he couldn’t help but just stare. You had a peculiar way of eating your breakfast. You put jam on your bread, humming quietly, and add your eggs, bacon, and the other side of the bread.  You looked so happy to eat it, grinning at how delicious it tastes for you.

The kids were already out for the day, and they would be here all day because they’re in school and there were still their after school activities. In truth, Satoru was too exhausted to get up from the bed, he did back to back missions after all. But you kept urging him to get up and eat breakfast with you. His stomach would hurt if he didn’t tell him. He can shower and sleep after.

He didn’t know if he was just too tired or if he was just out of his mind. But he felt warm inside. Just watching you eat happily. That you would make him this delicious meal. That you would push him to take care of himself. That you would take care of him. 

"You know, you have these little habits that are just... adorable." 

You turned to him, eyebrows raised in curiosity. "All of a sudden?”

“Why not? I think it’s true.”

“Oh really? How so?"

He leaned against his own chair, a playful grin on his face. "Y’know, I don’t think you know this but you scrunch your nose when you’re thinking too hard. Or how your eyes narrow when you’re focused. And that face you make when you realize something new—it’s priceless. Just know, you ate that sandwich and started nodding because you think it’s delicious.”

You looked at him flustered, eyes fluttering. "I didn’t know you paid so much attention to me, Satoru. That’s….so detailed.”

"How could I not?" he replied, leaning forward toward you. "I see you everyday. It was meant to be me learning something new about you every day.”

A blush crept up your cheeks, and you turned back to the stove, stirring the eggs. "You’re making me self-conscious now."

"Don’t be." he said softly, smiling at you gently. "I love these little things about you. They make you... you. And I like that, y’know?”

You leaned back into his embrace, feeling the warmth of his body against yours. "And what about you, Satoru? What little things do you have that I should be noticing?"

He chuckled at you, standing up and walking towards you. He pats your head, your face turning redder. "I’m not sure. Maybe you’ll have to pay more attention and find out."

"......I will." you promised, turning your head slightly to meet his eyes. You were too shy now. His grin grew wider. "I’ll make it my mission to do well for you."

He smiled, his lips brushing against your cheek. "I look forward to it."

“S-satoru, you can’t just do that!” 

He laughed. “Love you too!”

“T-that….. Satoru! You're a pain in the ass!"

"But I'm your pain in the ass!"

Satoru blushes at the fact that he was so bold to do that. He groaned to himself, his hands on his head. He purses his lips. But it felt good. It felt good to make you flustered. It felt good to make you feel a deep sense of contentment, just being with you. Just being silly around you.

These moments, these small, everyday interactions, were what made his life with you so special. It wasn’t about grand gestures or dramatic changes—it was about the quiet, simple moments that you shared together. Gojo Satoru felt that he was all he was, when he was around you. 

In those moments, he realized that being married to you was more than he had ever expected. It was about finding joy in the mundane, discovering new facets of each other every day, and building a life together that was filled with love, laughter, and understanding. There were moments of tender domesticity that felt almost surreal—sharing morning coffee, debating over grocery lists, and falling into a routine that was uniquely yours.

As Satoru sat at the kitchen table, you poured him a cup of freshly brewed coffee, a mischievous smile playing on your lips. "Here you go, Satoru." you said, sliding the mug across the table towards him. "Time for you to join the coffee club."

He eyed the dark liquid with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension. "I'm not sure about this," he admitted, reaching out to tentatively lift the mug to his lips.

"You won't know until you try, y’know?" you teased, nudging him gently. “Go on! One sip!”

As Satoru tentatively raised the cup to his lips, anticipation mingled with apprehension. The scent of freshly brewed coffee wafted up to meet his nose, promising a bold and robust flavor experience. But as the bitter liquid touched his tongue, his features contorted into a grimace of pure disbelief. It was as if he had just bitten into a particularly sour lemon, his taste buds recoiling in shock at the unexpected assault.

The sight of Satoru's reaction was too much for Megumi to handle. From his position on the sidelines, he burst into laughter, unable to contain his amusement at his friend's expense. His laughter echoed through the kitchen, a joyful symphony of mirth that filled the room with infectious energy.

Despite the discomfort of the bitter taste lingering on his palate, Satoru couldn't help but chuckle along with Megumi's infectious laughter. There was something undeniably humorous about the situation, and he found himself unable to suppress a smile even as he struggled to come to terms with the unfamiliar flavor of the coffee.

Tsumiki, the epitome of kindness and compassion, didn't hesitate for a moment as she witnessed Satoru's struggle with the bitter coffee. With a swift and determined motion, she sprang into action, her nurturing instincts kicking into high gear.

"Here, let me help, Satoru–san!" she exclaimed, her voice gentle but firm as she reached for the container of sugar and the carton of cream nestled in the fridge. With practiced efficiency, she poured a generous spoonful of sugar into the mug, followed by a liberal splash of cream, expertly balancing the flavors to create a more palatable concoction.

As she stirred the sugar and cream into the coffee, a look of focused concentration settled on her features. It was clear that she took her role as caretaker seriously, determined to ease Satoru's discomfort and ensure his enjoyment of the beverage.

With a final stir, Tsumiki presented the transformed coffee to Satoru with a warm smile, her eyes shining with genuine concern and compassion. "Here you go, Satoru–san," she said softly, offering him the mug. "I hope this makes it more to your liking."

Satoru accepted the mug with gratitude, his heart warmed by Tsumiki's kindness and thoughtfulness. As he took a cautious sip of the now sweetened and cream-enriched coffee, he found himself pleasantly surprised by the transformation. The bitter edge had been softened, replaced by a creamy sweetness that danced across his taste buds with newfound delight.

"Thank you, Tsumiki," he said, his voice filled with genuine appreciation. "You're a lifesaver."

Tsumiki's smile widened at his words, her cheeks tinged with a rosy hue. "It's my pleasure, Satoru–san," she replied, her gaze warm and earnest. "I'm always here to help."

He looks at you. “This is my only cup of coffee for the rest of my life.”

You chuckled at Satoru's expression, reaching out to pat his hand sympathetically. "Looks like coffee isn't for everyone," you said, trying to stifle your laughter.

Satoru nodded in agreement, his lips still puckered from the bitter taste. "I think I'll stick to hot cocoa." he said, setting the mug aside with a grimace. “This is awful!”

You laughed. “Well, I’ll make you good sweet ones, ‘toru.”

You took care of him in ways that went beyond what he had ever imagined. It was in the little things: the way you left notes for him to find, the meals you cooked together, the quiet support you offered without needing to be asked. It made him feel like a bashful boy all over again, experiencing a kind of affection and attention that was both exhilarating and humbling.

Being married, being husband and wife — this is not easy. His own mother was surprised that someone as young as him would consider it now. It was true that he had uncles that could marry you. Save you from the Zenin, the name was enough. But Satoru couldn’t admit to you then when you asked him that it was because you were you. You were all he had, now that Suguru had left him. And he couldn’t lose you too. He didn’t want to.

Satoru sat across from his mother, the weight of her words heavy in the air. "You're too young to be thinking about marriage, Satoru." she said, her tone tinged with concern. "You have your whole life ahead of you. There's no need to rush into anything."

He bit his lip, feeling the weight of her words like a physical blow. "I know, Mother." he replied, his voice strained with emotion. "But it's not that simple."

His mother raised an eyebrow, her expression questioning. "What do you mean?"

Satoru hesitated for a moment, struggling to find the right words. "I... I can't just leave her unprotected. Not when the Zenin is planning to marry her to Naoya….he’s gonna hurt her." he finally admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "She needs someone to look after her, to keep her safe."

His mother's eyes softened with understanding as she reached out to lay a comforting hand on his arm. "Satoru, you don't have to bear that burden alone," she said gently. "You have uncles who would gladly take on that responsibility. Maybe even your cousins. You don't have to sacrifice your own happiness for hers."

But Satoru shook his head, determination shining in his cerulean eyes. "It has to be me, Mother," he insisted. "I can't let anyone else take that responsibility. I have to be the one to marry her, to care for her. No one….”

His mother sighed, realizing the depth of his conviction. "Just promise me you'll take care of yourself too, Satoru," she said, her voice tinged with concern. "Marriage is a partnership, and you can't neglect your own well-being in the process."

Satoru nodded, his resolve unwavering. "I promise, Mother," he said, a steely determination in his voice. "I'll take care of her, and I'll take care of myself. We'll make it work together. I know we will."

And as he left his mother's side, the weight of her words still echoing in his mind, Satoru couldn't help but feel a sense of determination settle in his heart. He would do whatever it took to keep you safe and happy, even if it meant sacrificing his own happiness in the process. Because for him, there was no greater priority than ensuring your well-being, no matter the cost.

Because he knew that you would take care of him.

And you would make sure he would be safe too.

You were just that kind of person to Gojo Satoru.

As Satoru sat on the couch, watching you move about the room, he couldn’t help but let his mind wander. What would the future look like for the two of you? The thought filled him with a strange mix of excitement and nervousness. There was so much more beyond the friendship that had been the bedrock of your relationship.

He imagined a future filled with shared dreams and challenges, laughter and tears, triumphs and setbacks. He saw you both growing together, learning from each other, and building a life that was rich and full. The thought of children crossed his mind—a family that was an extension of the love you shared.

Satoru smiled to himself, feeling a warmth spread through him. This was just the beginning, a new adventure that you were embarking on together. And whatever the future held, he knew that with you by his side, it would be extraordinary.

"Hey, you should start pouring your hot cocoa, Satoru," you told him, pointing the spatula towards the boiling pot. "It’ll get too soggy if you let it overboil!"

"Coming, coming," he mumbled, snapping back to reality as he stood up from the couch.

He moved to the stove, reaching for the pot of cocoa. As he poured the steaming liquid into his mug, he couldn’t help but smile at how natural this all felt. You, bustling around the kitchen, humming softly; him, doing his part to help with breakfast. It was a far cry from the life he once knew, filled with endless missions and solitary nights.

Satoru watched as you deftly flipped pancakes, your movements sure and practiced. "You know," he said, a hint of mischief in his voice, "I could get used to this. Waking up to you, having breakfast together. For the rest of my life. It’s... nice."

You glanced over at him, a twinkle in your eye. "Just nice?"

"Okay, more than nice," he admitted, leaning against the counter. "It’s... comforting. Makes me feel like I’ve finally found where I belong."

You paused, setting down the spatula and turning to face him fully. "You do belong here, Satoru. With me. With us."

He felt a lump in his throat, emotions welling up that he hadn’t expected. "I know. And it means more to me than I can say."

You smiled, stepping closer to him. "You don’t have to say it. I can see it. And I feel the same way."

He reached out, tucking a loose strand of hair behind your ear. "I’m glad we have this. Us. I know it hasn’t been easy, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything."

"Neither would I," you said softly, leaning into his touch. "We’re a team, Satoru. And we’ll get through everything together."

He nodded, pulling you into a gentle hug. "Yeah, we will. And I promise to keep doing my best to be the husband you deserve."

You hugged him back, your arms wrapping around him tightly. "You already are, Satoru. More than you know."

As you both stood there, wrapped in each other’s arms, Satoru felt a sense of peace he hadn’t known was possible. This was his life now—filled with love, warmth, and the simple joys of being with you. And no matter what challenges lay ahead, he knew he could face them as long as you were by his side.

He pulled back slightly, looking into your lilac eyes. "You know," he began, his voice softer now, "I never thought I’d have this. A home, a family. I always figured I’d be alone, just me against the world."

You cupped his cheek with your hand, your thumb brushing against his skin. "You don’t have to be alone anymore, Satoru. We’re in this together."

He leaned into your touch, closing his eyes for a moment. "I know. And it scares me sometimes, how much I need this. Need you."

You smiled gently. "Needing someone isn’t a weakness. It’s what makes us human. It’s what makes us stronger."

He opened his eyes, meeting your gaze. "You’re right. And I’m grateful every day that I have you. That we have this life together."

You kissed his forehead, a tender gesture that spoke volumes. "Me too. We’re building something beautiful, Satoru. One day at a time."

He nodded, a sense of determination settling in his chest. "One day at a time," he echoed. "And I promise, I’ll be here for every single one."

You smiled, feeling the depth of his commitment and love. "And I’ll be here too, Satoru. Always."

As you both turned back to the breakfast preparations, the sense of shared purpose between you felt stronger than ever. The rhythmic clatter of utensils against pots and pans, the fragrant aroma of coffee wafting through the air—each moment seemed infused with a quiet but palpable sense of contentment.

In the simplicity of your daily routine, Satoru found himself feeling his heart beat just a little bit faster. There was a sense of profound happiness that he couldn’t quite explain, a feeling that bubbled up from deep within his chest and spilled over into every fiber of his being. It was a feeling that defied rational explanation, transcending words and logic to manifest as a pure, unadulterated sense of joy.

It was never going to be easy to explain, Satoru realized, nor did he feel the need to try. Some things were simply beyond words, existing in a realm of emotion and intuition that defied rational analysis. But it was okay—it was more than okay, in fact. For Satoru, the unpredictable nature of life was a source of excitement rather than anxiety, a reminder that every twist and turn held the potential for new discoveries and adventures.

And through it all, you were there by his side, holding his hand through every challenge and triumph. As long as you were there, he knew that nothing would ever be truly insurmountable. With your unwavering support and boundless love, Satoru felt invincible, ready to face whatever the world threw his way.

As he watched you move gracefully about the kitchen, a sense of gratitude washed over him, filling his heart to the brim. In that moment, surrounded by the comforting familiarity of home and the warmth of your presence, Satoru knew that he was exactly where he was meant to be. And with you by his side, he was ready to embrace whatever the future held, secure in the knowledge that together, you could conquer anything that came your way.

Satoru took the pot of cocoa off the stove and poured it into two mugs, handing one to you. "To us. May we be happy together." he said, raising his mug.

"To us," you replied, clinking your mug against his. You smiled at the last bit. “May we be happy.”

In that moment, surrounded by the warmth of your home and the promise of your future together, you both knew that this was just the beginning of a beautiful journey—one filled with love, laughter, and the simple, everyday joys of being with each other.

All that he is when he's around you.

That's all he wants to be in this life.

And you would say the same thing to him.

But he didn't have to hear you say it to him.

Your eyes tell him so much more than he needs.

epilogue

Gojo Satoru stood in his cluttered office at Jujutsu High, sighing softly. There was a baby carrier strapped to his chest with a gurgling Gojo Satoshi nestled inside. The little one wasn’t really feeling his dear beloved father’s stress. But Satoru couldn’t expect much of his little dawn. He liked laughing, being stressed free and his mama. As Satoru moved around the room, he couldn’t help but stand still. There was little place to move. 

His cerulean eyes scanned the room, which looked like a tornado had swept through. Papers, books, and miscellaneous items were scattered everywhere. This was his first year of teaching in Jujutsu High and immediately, everything was already a mess. He didn’t expect it to be this way this quickly. Satoru was good at keeping things clean most of the time. But these days, balancing fatherhood and balancing husbandry and jujutsu — he really didn’t have the time to clean. 

Satoru didn’t teach methodically, like Utahime. But he still needed a basis for what he was teaching. So he had scrolls upon scrolls he borrowed from Gojo manor and even Mikoto manor. Along with books that Yaga–sensei would be looking for by now. He wasn’t just teaching things from his gut–feeling. That would get more unnecessary yapping from the higher ups than he already was getting. Plus, you’d end up yelling at him for that. Kids were at stake after all.

He didn’t know why he decided to do this today, if he was being honest. It was really not the time. You weren’t in town right now, you went back to Kyoto for a few days at your mother’s request. Nobuhiko was going to have his first teaching class in Kyoto Jujutsu tech too. And there was the issue of a barrier somehow being down in Kyoto. You had to deal with that. Satoru didn’t want to see you off. But well, you really had no excuse now that you were off duty. 

"Megumi, Tsumiki, help me out here," he said, trying to sound authoritative but mostly just sounding tired. "Your mother is out of town, and I can't stay at home moping around."

“Gen–san’s not our mother.” Megumi rolled his eyes, picking up some of the books.

“Well she’s all you have, and I’m lonely without her. So stand your butt and help me clean this up.” Satoru touts, as he starts to roll up the scrolls. Satoshi giggled watching his father roll it up. Satoru grinned. “You like it, huh? Yeah, the sound is fun, isn’t it?”

Megumi sighs, crossing his arms to his chest. “We could be playing some video games right now. It’s a Sunday too.”

“Oh cheer up, Megumi! I’m buying us ice cream once we’re done, hm?”

Tsumiki, ever the peacemaker, smiled as she cleared up some paper into the box. "Cheer up, Megumi! This is fun.  You never know what we might find in Satoru–san’s office.”

“More trash?” He waves around a newspaper that was out of date and puts it in the box.

“Something interesting, like….like this!” Tsumiki pulls out a book on the types of cheesecake. 

“See, ‘miki has the right idea, ‘gumi~”

Megumi sighed, shaking his head. “This is hopeless.”

As they began sorting through the mess, Satoru slumped into his chair, cradling Satoshi gently. The baby giggled, tugging at Satoru's sunglasses with his tiny, curious fingers. Each time Satoru gently pried them away, Satoshi’s giggles only grew louder, echoing through the cluttered office.

"Hey, don't mess with the shades, kiddo. They're part of my charm," Satoru murmured, his usual bravado softened by the affectionate way he spoke to his son. He placed a playful kiss on Satoshi’s forehead, making the baby squeal in delight. “We don’t want to make mama panic about a new pair having to be bought, you know?”

Satoshi didn’t seem to understand, as he kept giggling. Satoru couldn’t help but grin at how mischievous his little dawn is. “My baby is such a mischievous little one, hm? I’ll have to get you your own pair, shouldn’t I? So you and papa can match the look and be cool together, hm? Ah, that would be so cute~”

Megumi sighed as he opened yet another drawer filled with random items. "What is all this junk?" he asked, his voice tinged with frustration and a hint of disbelief at the sheer volume of clutter.

Satoru waved a dismissive hand, barely glancing at the drawer’s contents. "Important stuff," he replied vaguely, focusing more on adjusting Satoshi in the carrier. "Probably."

“You can’t just say probably!” Megumi retorted back.

“Oh, it’s going to be fine~”

Tsumiki, more patient and methodical in her approach, carefully sifted through a stack of papers. Suddenly, she paused, her eyes catching on something unexpected. "Hey, what's this?" she asked, pulling out a stack of neatly folded letters tied with a red ribbon.

Tsumiki untied the ribbon and picked up one of the letters. She unraveled it and began reading aloud. 

"'My dearest darling, love of my life, the apple of my eye. This mission sucks. I really hate being here. I really wish I could just make the higher ups eat shit.  But the sooner I finish, the faster I’ll come home. You take care, hm? Eat well. Make sure Megumi still isn’t upset about the white wolf costume. We’ll get him the black one next year. Make sure Tsumiki doesn’t forget to pick up her new ballet shoes.  I miss you more with each passing day. Your absence makes the world feel gray and lifeless. I count the days until I can hold you again. Love your one and only husband that loves you in this entire world, Satoru.'"

Megumi's face twisted in discomfort. "Seriously? You wrote that? I thought there were phones by this point.”

“Writing love letters is nice, you know!” Tsumiki says, smiling as she looks tenderly at the letters. “It just shows that Satoru–san loves Gen–san! You’re such a romantic, Satoru-san!”

Satoru flushed, his face red as he was adjusting Satoshi in the carrier. "’miki’s right! And  those were private! And yes, I wrote that. So what? You've never seen a husband that loves his wife, huh?”

Tsumiki giggled, continuing to read. "'PS. Your smile is the light that guides me through the darkness. I can't wait to see it again and bask in its warmth. Forever yours, Satoru.'"

Megumi groaned. "I can't believe this. You're like a love-struck teenager.”

"Hey, I was pretty young then. And nothing wrong about it. It's called being romantic," Satoru defended himself, trying to sound dignified despite his red face. "’sides…..She liked it. And she wrote back, let me be clear! Her words are just as sappy.”

Megumi shook his head, clearly overwhelmed. "I don't need to hear this."

Tsumiki, still amused, looked at another letter. "There are so many of these. How did you have time to write all of them?"

Satoru shrugged as he also took some of the letters in hand. "I have my ways. Plus, when you're away on missions, you have a lot of time to think about what's important. I liked being home, I like being with my wife and you guys. So, that’s what’s in here.”

Megumi didn’t want to admit it. But he was very glad that Satoru wrote about them. He sighed and instead muttered under his breath. "I thought you were supposed to be the strongest sorcerer, not the sappiest."

Satoru gave a dramatic sigh. "One can be both, Megumi. One can be both. With a wife like mine? You’d be multi-tasking it all.”

As they continued to sort through the mess, little Satoshi started fussing. Satoru bounced him gently, cooing softly. "It's okay, little guy. Daddy's just getting roasted by your big brother."

“It’s well deserved slander.”

“Don’t listen to your big brother, Satoshi. Love is always winning!”

Tsumiki smiled warmly. "It's sweet, Satoru–san. Really. It's nice to see this side of you."

"Yeah, well, don't get used to it." Satoru replied with a smirk, taking the letter and waving it around. "This is only for my wife and you guys. Keep it zipped. I have a reputation to maintain."

Megumi rolled his eyes again, but there was a small, reluctant smile on his face. "Sure, sure. Whatever you say, sappy pants.”

“Hey, that’s not a good insult!”

As the day went on, they managed to make a dent in the clutter, uncovering more hidden gems of Satoru's sentimental side along the way. Despite the teasing and the awkwardness, there was a sense of tenderness that filled the room.

Satoru looked around at his students—his family—and felt a warmth in his chest that rivaled any love letter he had ever written. Even with the chaos, the mess, and the relentless teasing, this was his life. And he wouldn't trade it for anything.

"Alright, team," he said, standing up with Satoshi still strapped to his chest. He was giggling as he held his father’s finger. "Let's wrap this up. Who's up for some ice cream?"

Tsumiki and Megumi exchanged glances, then nodded.

"Fine," Megumi said with a sigh. "But you're paying."

Satoru grinned. "Deal. And hey, thanks for helping out today. It means a lot."

As they left the office, Tsumiki couldn't resist one last tease. "You know, Satoru–san, you should write another letter. Something like, 'Today, I survived my kids reading my love letters. Love, the strongest—and sappiest—sorcerer.'"

Satoru laughed, ruffling her hair. "Maybe I will, Tsumiki. Maybe I will."

[kiesbrainjuice]

I'm not sure if you're still accepting request but I want to try to send one. I already tried to send this request to some writers here who's accepting request but sadly they didn't noticed.

This idea might be cliche story for Nishinoya but I want to see how you do it with your style of writing.

3rd year Nishinoya x kouhai female reader oneshot. The reader is quite smitten for Nishinoya that leads to love confession before her senpai graduates from highschool. Though the reader is smitten for Noya, she's an accepting person, whether her senpai reciprocates her feelings or not. Something like that. It's up to you if you're going to sweet, bittersweet, or angst ending route.

Thank you and Have a nice day~♡♡

— EYES WITHOUT A FACE ! nishinoya yuu

syn : a shy first year girl confesses her crush to the 3rd year Nishinoya, leading to dates and the start of their relationship.

wc : 5.3k

tw : none ! oneshot

a/n : sure thing ! I think it’s an amazing plot ! plus I was searching for a good plot for yuu fictions 😭 ! so yeah I did one, I hope you’ll like it !!

The early morning sun filtered through the tall windows of Karasuno High School, casting a warm, golden glow across the empty corridors. As a second-year student, you had grown accustomed to the serene tranquility that enveloped the school before the morning rush. Today, however, felt different. Your heart was fluttering in your chest, a mix of excitement and anxiety that had become a familiar companion over the past few months. The reason for this upheaval in your otherwise calm life was none other than Nishinoya Yuu, the energetic and charismatic libero of the boys' volleyball team.

Your first encounter with Nishinoya had been nothing short of memorable. It was during the first week of the new school year, and you were still finding your way around the labyrinthine halls of Karasuno High. Lost and frustrated, you had been wandering aimlessly when you heard a cheerful voice call out to you.

"Hey, you look a bit lost! Need some help?"

Turning around, you saw him for the first time. Nishinoya Yuu stood there, a bright smile on his face, his spiky hair and confident demeanor instantly catching your attention. You had read about the infamous "Guardian Deity" of Karasuno in the school newsletter, but seeing him in person was an entirely different experience. He radiated an infectious energy that immediately put you at ease.

Blushing slightly, you nodded. "Y-Yes, please. I'm trying to find the science lab."

Nishinoya's eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. "No problem! Follow me, I'll show you the way."

As you walked together, he chatted animatedly about the school, his love for volleyball, and the upcoming matches. You found yourself captivated by his passion and the genuine kindness in his eyes. By the time you reached the science lab, you realized you had barely said a word, too engrossed in listening to him.

"Here we are," he announced with a flourish. "If you ever need help again, just look for me. I'm Nishinoya Yuu, by the way."

Smiling shyly, you introduced yourself. "Thank you, Nishinoya-senpai. I'm [Y/N]."

From that moment on, your days at Karasuno High were irrevocably changed. You found yourself looking forward to any opportunity to catch a glimpse of him, whether it was during lunch breaks, in the corridors, or at the volleyball matches you began attending religiously. Watching him play was mesmerizing; his agility, his unwavering determination, and the way he seemed to defy gravity as he leaped to make impossible saves left you in awe.

Your friends quickly noticed your growing infatuation and teased you about it endlessly. "You should just talk to him," they urged, but the thought of approaching Nishinoya outside of those chance encounters left you paralyzed with nerves. What if he didn't remember you? What if he thought you were just another fan?

Despite your reservations, you couldn't help but cherish the small moments that you shared. One afternoon, you were sitting in the courtyard, engrossed in a book, when a familiar voice interrupted your thoughts.

"Hey, [Y/N], what are you reading?"

Startled, you looked up to see Nishinoya standing in front of you, his usual bright smile in place. You felt your heart skip a beat as you struggled to find your voice.

"O-Oh, um, it's just a novel for…class," you stammered, holding up the book for him to see.

Nishinoya's eyes lit up with interest. "Cool! I like reading sports magazines and manga too. What's it about?"

As you explained the plot, you couldn't help but notice how attentive he was, his eyes never leaving yours. The conversation flowed more easily than you had anticipated, and for a moment, it felt like you were the only two people in the world.

"Well, I should get going," Nishinoya said eventually, glancing at his watch. "Practice starts soon. It was nice talking to you, [Y/N]. See you around!"

You watched him walk away, your heart racing. Every interaction, no matter how brief, left you feeling like you were floating on air. You replayed those moments in your mind over and over again, finding solace in the fact that he seemed to remember you.

Your shyness around Nishinoya was both a blessing and a curse. It meant that every glance, every smile he sent your way felt like a precious gift, but it also meant that you struggled to express your feelings openly. You found yourself writing letters you never intended to send, pouring your heart out on paper in a way you could never do in person.

One particularly vivid memory stood out among the rest. It was during a particularly intense volleyball match against Aoba Johsai. You were in the stands, your eyes glued to the court as Nishinoya and his teammates fought valiantly. The atmosphere was electric, the tension palpable as the score remained neck and neck.

In a moment of sheer brilliance, Nishinoya made an incredible save, diving across the court and sending the ball back into play. The crowd erupted in cheers, and you found yourself on your feet, clapping and shouting his name.

After the match, you lingered near the gym, hoping for a chance to congratulate him. When he finally emerged, sweaty and exhausted but beaming with pride, you gathered all your courage and approached him.

"Nishinoya-senpai, that was amazing! You were incredible out there."

He grinned, wiping the sweat from his brow. "Thanks, [Y/N]! I'm glad you enjoyed the match. It means a lot to have your support."

His words sent a thrill through you, and you felt your cheeks heat up. "Of course! I'll always cheer for you and the team."

From then on, your admiration for Nishinoya only grew. You admired his dedication, his unwavering spirit, and the way he always seemed to find joy in everything he did. Every day, you looked forward to the moments when your paths would cross, even if it was just a fleeting glance or a quick exchange of words.

As the school year progressed, you found yourself becoming more involved in school activities, partly as a way to be closer to him. You joined the student council, started helping out with the volleyball club's events, and even took up photography, hoping to capture the essence of the team's dynamic and Nishinoya's incredible plays.

Despite your efforts, your shyness remained a constant hurdle. There were times when you caught Nishinoya looking at you, a curious expression on his face, but you always looked away, too afraid to meet his gaze. Your friends continued to encourage you, insisting that you should take the plunge and tell him how you felt, but you couldn't shake the fear of rejection.

In the quiet moments, when you were alone with your thoughts, you often wondered what it would be like to confess your feelings. You imagined the scenarios, rehearsed the words in your mind, but when faced with the reality of it, your courage always seemed to falter.

The gym was bustling with activity as the boys' volleyball team practiced their drills, the sound of sneakers squeaking on the polished floor and the rhythmic thud of the volleyballs reverberating in the large space. You had come to the gym after your student council meeting, hoping to catch a glimpse of Nishinoya in action. He was, as always, a whirlwind of energy and skill, diving and leaping with an intensity that never failed to impress you.

As you stood at the edge of the gym, watching the team, you noticed a small group entering the building. It took a moment for you to recognize them, but when you did, your heart skipped a beat. Kiyoko Shimizu, no longer the team manager but still as poised and beautiful as ever, walked in with Daichi, Sugawara and Asahi, two former team members who had also graduated. They were here to visit, their presence immediately causing a stir among the current team members.

Your eyes were drawn to Nishinoya and his best friend, Tanaka Ryu. The moment they spotted Kiyoko, their faces lit up with unmistakable excitement. They exchanged a quick, knowing glance before sprinting across the gym, their voices rising in a chorus of enthusiastic shouts.

"Kiyoko-san! Kiyoko-san!" Nishinoya and Tanaka yelled in unison, their exuberance echoing through the gym. They skidded to a halt in front of her, their expressions a mixture of awe and adoration. With the two of them practically bouncing on their heels, their eyes shining with a fervent admiration that was almost comical in its intensity.

Kiyoko smiled warmly at them, clearly accustomed to their antics. "Hello, Nishinoya, Tanaka. It's good to see you both."

Seeing them together like that, the way Nishinoya's face brightened at her presence, was like a punch to the gut. You had known he admired her, but witnessing it firsthand brought a fresh wave of hurt. The way he looked at her, the sheer joy and admiration in his eyes, made you feel invisible. It was a stark reminder that no matter how much you liked him, his heart seemed to belong to someone else.

You watched as Nishinoya and Tanaka vied for Kiyoko's attention, each trying to outdo the other with their antics. They were like two eager puppies, desperate for a pat on the head from their beloved owner. The rest of the team watched with amused smiles, clearly used to this display.

"Alright, alright, settle down, you two," Daichi said, chuckling as he placed a hand on Tanaka's shoulder. "We're here to watch the practice, not disrupt it."

Nishinoya nodded vigorously, his enthusiasm undiminished. "Right! We'll show you how much we've improved, Kiyoko-san!"

The practice resumed, but your heart wasn't in it anymore. You felt a hollow ache in your chest as you watched Nishinoya play with renewed vigor, clearly wanting to impress Kiyoko. The way he moved, the intensity in his eyes, all of it was directed towards her, and it hurt more than you had expected.

You tried to focus on other things, on the other players, but your eyes kept drifting back to Nishinoya. You couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy and sadness, knowing that his heart was set on someone who was out of reach. The realization made you question your own feelings, wondering if you would ever be able to compete with the pedestal he had placed Kiyoko on.

As practice came to an end, you decided to leave quietly, slipping out of the gym before anyone could notice. The cool evening air hit your face as you stepped outside, and you took a deep breath, trying to steady your emotions. It was painful to see Nishinoya so infatuated with someone else, but you couldn't blame him. Kiyoko was everything you admired—beautiful, strong, and kind. It was no wonder he looked up to her.

Walking home, you resolved to continue supporting Nishinoya from afar, even if it meant dealing with the heartache. You couldn't change his feelings, but you could be there for him, cheering him on and finding joy in his successes.

—-

The morning began with a sense of determination you hadn't felt in a long time. Today was the day you would finally confess to Nishinoya Yuu. Your friends had spent the entire previous evening pumping you up, convincing you that this was your moment. Their encouragement echoed in your mind as you stood in front of the mirror, psyching yourself up.

"You got this, [Y/N]. Just be confident," you whispered to your reflection before heading out the door.

At school, your friends gathered around you, their eyes full of excitement and anticipation. "Today's the day, right?" one of them asked, grinning.

You nodded, your heart already pounding in your chest. "Yeah, today's the day."

The first opportunity came during the morning break. You spotted Nishinoya near the vending machines, chatting with Tanaka. Summoning all your courage, you approached him, your hands trembling slightly.

"Nishinoya-senpai," you began, but before you could say anything else, a group of first-year students crowded around the vending machines, pushing you aside.

"Sorry!" one of them said, not noticing your disappointment.

Nishinoya smiled at you apologetically. "Catch you later, [Y/N]!" he called as he was swept away by the crowd.

You sighed, feeling a pang of frustration. "Almost," you muttered to yourself.

The next chance came at lunchtime. You had spotted him sitting under a tree in the courtyard, eating his lunch alone. This was perfect. Taking a deep breath, you walked over, your heart racing.

"Hey, Nishinoya-senpai," you said, trying to keep your voice steady.

He looked up, surprised but pleased to see you. "Oh, hey, [Y/N]! What's up?"

"I was wondering if we could talk," you started, but before you could continue, the bell rang, signaling the end of lunch break. Nishinoya jumped to his feet, grabbing his things.

"Sorry, gotta get to class! Talk later?" he said, already heading towards the building.

You watched him go, feeling deflated. "Later," you echoed weakly.

As the day wore on, you found yourself growing more anxious and frustrated. Every time you tried to approach him, something got in the way. During the afternoon break, you saw him near the library, but just as you were about to call out to him, the loudspeaker crackled to life, announcing an urgent student council meeting. By the time you got out of the meeting, he was gone.

By the end of the day, you were exhausted and disheartened. You had tried so many times and failed each time. As you walked home, the sky painted in hues of orange and pink by the setting sun, you couldn't help but feel like giving up. Maybe it just wasn't meant to be.

Passing by the gymnasium, you heard the familiar sound of a volleyball hitting the floor. Curiosity got the better of you, and you peeked inside. There, alone in the dimly lit gym, was Nishinoya. He was practicing his receives, his movements sharp and focused.

Something inside you stirred. This was your moment. No interruptions, no crowds—just you and him. Taking a deep breath, you walked into the gym, the sound of your footsteps echoing softly.

"Nishinoya-senpai," you called, your voice wavering slightly.

He looked up, surprised to see you. "Oh, hey, [Y/N]! What are you doing here?"

You walked closer, your heart pounding. "I... I wanted to talk to you."

"Sure, what's up?" he asked, wiping sweat from his brow and giving you his undivided attention.

You took a deep breath, steeling yourself. "Nishinoya-senpai, there's something I've been wanting to tell you for a long time."

He tilted his head, curiosity and a hint of concern in his eyes. "What is it?"

Your hands were trembling, but you pressed on. "I've admired you for a while now. I love your passion, your energy, and how you always give your all in everything you do. You inspire me, and... I really like you. I was wondering if... if you would like to go on a date with me."

The silence that followed felt like an eternity. Nishinoya's eyes widened, and for a moment, you feared the worst. But then, a slow smile spread across his face.

"Wow, [Y/N], I didn't know you felt that way," he said, his voice gentle. "I’m really flattered. You’re always so kind and supportive. I’d love to go on a date with you."

Relief and joy surged through you, and you couldn't help but smile back. "Really? You mean it?"

He nodded, his grin widening. "Yeah, really. How about this weekend? We can go to that new café in town."

"That sounds perfect," you said, feeling a lightness in your chest you hadn't felt all day.

Nishinoya laughed, a sound full of warmth and sincerity. "Great! It's a date, then."

As you left the gymnasium together, the sky darkening into twilight, you felt a sense of accomplishment and happiness that made all the failed attempts worth it. Nishinoya had agreed to go on a date with you, and that was more than you could have hoped for.

—

The weekend couldn't come fast enough. The anticipation of your first date with Nishinoya kept you on edge, your mind racing with excitement and nerves. When Saturday morning finally arrived, you spent extra time getting ready, carefully choosing an outfit that was both casual and a little bit special. You wanted to look your best for him.

The café Nishinoya had suggested was a quaint, cozy place on the edge of town, known for its warm ambiance and delicious pastries. You arrived a little early, your heart pounding with a mix of excitement and anxiety. As you waited outside, you couldn't help but fidget, checking your reflection in the café's window every few minutes.

"Hey, [Y/N]!" Nishinoya's voice called out, breaking through your thoughts.

You turned to see him jogging towards you, his face lit up with a cheerful smile. He looked effortlessly cool in his casual clothes, his hair still slightly tousled from his usual style. The sight of him made your heart skip a beat.

"Hi, Nishinoya-senpai," you greeted, smiling nervously.

"Call me Yuu," he said with a grin. "We're on a date, after all."

Your cheeks flushed at his words, but you nodded. "Okay, Yuu."

He opened the door for you, and you both stepped inside the café. The smell of fresh coffee and baked goods enveloped you, instantly making you feel at ease. You found a cozy corner table and settled in, the soft hum of conversation around you creating a comfortable background noise.

"So, what do you want to try?" Yuu asked, scanning the menu.

"I heard their pastries are really good," you suggested. "Maybe we could share a few?"

"Sounds like a plan!" he agreed. "I'll get us some drinks. How about a cappuccino for you?"

"That would be great, thanks," you said, appreciating his thoughtfulness.

As Yuu went to place the order, you couldn't help but watch him, admiring the way he moved with such confidence and ease. It was hard to believe that you were actually on a date with him, the boy you had admired from afar for so long.

When he returned, he carried a tray with two steaming cups of cappuccino and an assortment of pastries. "Here we go," he said, setting the tray down. "Hope you're hungry!"

The pastries were as delicious as you had heard, and the cappuccinos were the perfect complement. As you ate and sipped your drinks, the conversation flowed easily. Yuu was full of stories about his adventures with the volleyball team, and you found yourself laughing more than you had in a long time.

"And then," Yuu said, chuckling, "Tanaka tripped over his own feet and fell face-first into the sand. We were supposed to be practicing our dives, but it turned into a comedy show."

You laughed, imagining the scene. "Sounds like you guys have a lot of fun."

"Yeah, we do," he agreed, his eyes twinkling. "But it's also hard work. We push each other to be better."

The hours seemed to fly by, and before you knew it, the sun was beginning to set. You both stepped outside the café, the evening air cool and refreshing.

"Thanks for today, Yuu," you said, feeling a warm glow in your chest. "I had a really great time."

"Me too, [Y/N]," he replied, his smile genuine. "Hey, there's a festival next weekend. Would you like to go with me?"

Your heart leapt at the invitation. "I'd love to!"

"Great! It's a date, then," he said, giving you a playful wink. "I'll pick you up at six?"

"Perfect," you agreed, feeling a surge of excitement.

—

The week passed in a blur of anticipation. You couldn't wait for the festival, imagining the fun you would have and the memories you would make. When the day finally arrived, you spent extra time getting ready, choosing a light summer dress that felt perfect for the occasion.

Yuu arrived promptly at six, looking excited and a little nervous. "Ready to go?" he asked, offering his hand.

You took it, feeling a spark of electricity at the contact. "Absolutely."

The festival was a riot of colors and sounds. Lanterns hung from every available surface, their warm light casting a magical glow over the bustling crowd. Stalls lined the streets, offering everything from delicious street food to handcrafted trinkets. The air was filled with the cheerful sounds of laughter, music, and the occasional pop of fireworks.

"This place is amazing," you said, looking around in wonder.

"Yeah, it is," Yuu agreed. "Let's check out the food stalls first. I'm starving."

You wandered through the festival, sampling various treats and enjoying the festive atmosphere. Yuu was full of energy, his enthusiasm contagious as he pointed out different stalls and suggested things to try.

"Have you ever tried takoyaki?" he asked, leading you to a stall that smelled heavenly.

You shook your head. "No, but I've always wanted to."

"You're in for a treat," he said, ordering a plate for you both. "These are the best."

He was right—the takoyaki was delicious, the perfect blend of flavors and textures. As you ate, you found yourself relaxing, the nervousness of earlier fading away in the warm, friendly atmosphere.

"Let's go see the games," Yuu suggested after you finished eating. "I'm pretty good at the ring toss."

You spent the next hour trying out various games, laughing as you both failed spectacularly at some and triumphed at others. Yuu won you a small stuffed animal at the ring toss, presenting it to you with a proud grin.

"For you," he said, his eyes shining with happiness.

"Thank you, Yuu," you said, accepting the gift with a smile.

As the evening wore on, the sky grew darker, and the festival lights shone even brighter. The highlight of the night was the fireworks display, and Yuu led you to a spot on a hill that offered the perfect view.

"Here, this is the best place to watch," he said, sitting down on the grass and patting the spot next to him.

You sat down, feeling the warmth of his presence beside you. As the first fireworks exploded in the sky, painting it with brilliant colors, you couldn't help but feel a sense of magic in the air.

"This is amazing," you said softly, watching the fireworks in awe.

"Yeah," Yuu agreed, his voice just as soft. "It really is."

For a moment, you both sat in comfortable silence, watching the display. Then, Yuu turned to you, his expression serious but warm.

"[Y/N], I had a really great time with you tonight," he said. "I know this might sound sudden, but... would you like to go out with me again? Like…as my girlfriend?"

Your heart skipped a beat at his words, a mix of surprise and joy flooding through you. "I'd love to, Yuu," you said, your voice barely more than a whisper.

His face lit up with a radiant and full of love smile. "Really? You’re my girlfriend then?"

You nodded, feeling a warmth spread through you that had nothing to do with the summer night. "Really, I love you, yuu…"

As the final fireworks burst into the sky, his eyes widen and he leaned close to you, his lips brushing yours as his hand were on your neck, at the last fireworks, he smashed your lips with yours. You couldn't help but feel that this was the beginning of something wonderful...

“I love you too…[Y/N].”

It had been a month since you and Yuu had confessed your feelings under the fireworks. The two of you had enjoyed your moments together, keeping your relationship private, savoring the thrill of stolen glances and secret smiles. However, today felt different. You had decided to visit him during his volleyball practice, a gesture that hinted at your readiness to share your relationship with the world.

As you approached the gym, the familiar sounds of laughter, shouts, and the thud of volleyballs greeted you. You paused at the entrance, taking a deep breath, the scent of sweat and the sight of the team hard at work filling your senses. Your heart pounded with anticipation, and you felt a mix of excitement and nervousness.

There he was—Nishinoya, your Yuu, in the center of it all, his energy contagious as he encouraged his teammates. You couldn't help but smile at the sight of him, so alive and full of passion. Gathering your courage, you stepped into the gym and walked toward him.

"Yuu!" you called out, your voice cutting through the noise.

He turned, his face lighting up when he saw you. Without a second thought, he jogged over, a wide grin on his face. Before you could say anything, he wrapped his arms around your waist and pulled you close, pressing a quick but affectionate kiss to your lips. Your cheeks flushed, and your heart raced at the unexpected public display of affection.

The gym fell silent. Every pair of eyes was on the two of you, shock and curiosity etched on their faces. The team had seen you around before, but this was the first time they witnessed such intimacy between you and their libero.

"Whoa, Nishinoya!" Tanaka's voice broke the silence, filled with surprise and amusement. "Did we just see that right?"

Nishinoya kept his arm around your waist, his confidence unwavering. "Yeah, you did," he said, his voice loud and clear. "Everyone, this is [Y/N]. We're dating."

A chorus of reactions followed.

"About time!" Sugawara said with a knowing smile, nudging Daichi. "I had a feeling something was going on."

"Well, I didn't see that coming," Asahi admitted, scratching his head, but his expression was warm and accepting.

Hinata and Kageyama looked at each other, eyes wide. "No way! Nishinoya-senpai has a girlfriend?" Hinata exclaimed, his voice filled with awe.

Kageyama nodded slowly, still processing the information. "I guess we should've known. He's always been bold."

Tsukishima adjusted his glasses, a smirk playing on his lips. "This explains why he's been in such a good mood lately."

Yamaguchi elbowed him lightly, grinning. "Come on, Tsukki, let them have their moment."

Tanaka, however, took a more dramatic approach. He fell to his knees, clutching his chest as if in pain. "Noya, how could you?" he wailed, his voice filled with mock sorrow. "I thought we were best friends! How could you keep this from me?"

Nishinoya rolled his eyes but laughed, clearly amused by his friend's theatrics. "Relax, Tanaka. It’s not like I was hiding a secret identity or anything."

"Still," Tanaka sniffed dramatically, wiping away imaginary tears, "I expected better. I'm heartbroken, man."

You couldn't help but giggle at the exaggerated display. "I'm sorry, Tanaka," you said, trying to keep a straight face. "We'll make it up to you, I promise."

Tanaka's expression brightened instantly. "You better! I expect to be the first to know about all future developments!"

Nishinoya looked down at you, his eyes shining with happiness. "I wanted everyone to know," he said softly, just for you to hear. "No more hiding."

You nodded, feeling a rush of relief and joy. "I'm glad," you whispered back.

The rest of practice continued with a new energy in the air. The team seemed to feed off the excitement of the reveal, their spirits high and their camaraderie even stronger. You stayed to watch, cheering them on and exchanging smiles with Yuu whenever your eyes met.

After practice ended, the team gathered around you both, eager to know more about your relationship. Nishinoya held your hand proudly, answering their questions with enthusiasm.

"So, how long has this been going on?" Tanaka asked, his curiosity palpable.

"About a month," you replied, glancing at Yuu with a smile. "We wanted to keep it to ourselves for a bit."

Sugawara nodded, his expression understanding. "Makes sense. But we're happy for you guys."

"Thanks, Suga-san," Yuu said, his gratitude genuine. "It means a lot."

As the team dispersed, heading to the locker room to change, Nishinoya pulled you aside, his eyes soft with affection. "Thanks for coming today," he said, brushing a strand of hair from your face. "It made everything feel more real."

"I'm glad I did," you replied, your heart full. "I love you, Yuu."

"I love you too," he said, kissing you again, this time more tenderly.

Ⓡ kiesbrainjuice all rights reserved. please to not plagiarize, repost, or translate !

tag : @haechansbbg

[da-rum-darim-da]

soulmates.

it's angsty, bruh. <I was just reading solo for two and couldn't help it. T-T> And do let me know if I should extend it or add another part to it.

Gojo's version.

The sun shining down so innocently bright that day, the brids chirping as if they were singing me tales of two lovers as they perched on my balcony, the sunny side up that perfectly slid down the pan onto the toast... everything was a stark difference of things would usually go. And perhaps that sense of ominous dread that pooled in due to the events was not just a weird feeling that you should've shrugged off, it was a foreboding that the author of your life was hinting at.

The flowers. The Madonna Lilies bloomed at the windowsill, in the pot that you brought on a whim when you walked past the nursery during your last mission. How unusual, the gardener said it'd probably take it weeks to bloom, so how come the flower bloomed on the third day after it's purchase?

'Look 'Toru! It's the colour of your hair!' You haD sent the text with a smile on your lips. To which your boyfriend had replied, 'Do you miss me so much that you're seeing me in anything that's white, babe?' The reply had you laughing even when the shop-keeper looked upon you as if you were some crazy girl. You didn't care, you loved him, and he did too... maybe.

The air around the school was tense as it had been since the past few days since what Geto-senpai had did. Though it was baffling, you were not entirely privy to the fact that he was at his lowest before all this and perhaps because of you, he couldn't have his best friend with him to notice or support and comfort him out of it all.

'Say kouhai, do love him or do you like him?' Geto asked. You should have read into the tone of his voice, the inneundo behind the softer baritone came with a raw emotion and not out of casualness. But you were too busy, watching 'Toru-senpai get bombarded with teasing remarks by Shoko-senpai and Haibara-kun. So you replied, with your eyes fixed on your lover, 'I... Love him.' In the gaze he returned, there was something you couldn't comprehend. It was already a big deal for you that Toru-senpai accepted your confession, and the brief hesitation he had was the first droplet of insecurity in you, though at that time it wasn't dictated towards Geto-senpai.

Because of the heavy mission yesterday, you were given an off today. But the perfect events of the morning made you feel jittery, so you let yourself go with the flow and decided to get your mind off things and chose to get something for sweet for Toru instead, from Momofuku. After struggling a lot between the delicious and wide range of options you gave up and brought both the matcha and red bean filled mochis. And later returned to your dorm. A quick nap followed soon after because of the painkillers.

'You should walk faster, little legs.' He'd joked but you only huffed about it and he, seeing that expression on you somehow caved in. Ruffling your hair he chuckled, 'Suguru's just as fast as me you know, hence I couldn't adjust to your pace. I'll try hence, hm?' You smiled back. Another drop of insecurity added to my already overflowing heart, at the unusual acceptance and the very casual comparison.

The evening had arrived and 'Toru too had come. But how you found that was not something that you'd ever liked. His cursed energy was all over the place. You dashed to his dorm, the mochis long forgotten in the frigde, the nipped flower still in the glass of water on the bedside table.

"Toru! Satoru! GOJO SATORU!" Your voice didn't reach his ears as he harshly threw things in his room and banged his fists on the wall, all in blind rage.

A single name flying past his lips, in a cruel way that held his unanswered questions, his anguish, his hurt. The tone of his vouice was too foreign, too much. Though you knew that behind the mask of the childish likeness and pretense casualness that was off only during serious missions was a just a boy, you didn't want your boyfriend to be like this, never, even if it was inevitable considering his habit of keeping things such as emotions to himself.

You reached out to touch him. but he harshly flicked away your hand, "Go away, unless you're Suguru!"

You weren't Suguru, but you couldn't leave him after seeing him like this. You tried again, and that had your insecurities confirmed.

"Get off me! You are not Suguru and you'd never be! Do you even realise, what I have lost today? I LOST MY FRIEND, THE ONLY ONE I HAD! A FRIEND, NO A SOULMATE!" With a frown and red rimmed eyes, which once held something towards you now look at you with anger and frustration, holding you searching gaze.

The admittance probably had relieved him a little, so his voice came out a lot softer than before, "Just go away. I don't want to see anyone. Especially not you."

What had he meant by the especially not you? Was the question you had an inkling of an answer to you as you made your way away from him, back into your dorm.

The hesitation. The casual comparison. The lax behaviour, without actual love. The affection that was the same to everyone. You realised, it was only you in the relationship. And how could he even bring himself to love you when he was already madly, wholly and completely in love with another, a man at that. A man you could never be even if you tried, that friend, the Geto Suguru. There was only one of him, and he'd held the heart of the man you loved.

And perhaps, in every universe, every parallel multiverse, every life, every reincarnation, in every era... There was a Geto Suguru made for Gojo Satoru, and a Gojo Satoru for Geto Suguru. No one else can ever be there. No one else. You were the other woman, in a relationship of two pure, star-crossed lovers. You were the villainin their love story.

I'm sorry if the ending felt rushed, the actual outline was something else and I couldn't connect them two, but later on I will definitely try to make that version. T-T

[piosplayhouse]

Hi! I came across a post complaining about the guy yuri poll and discourse aside, I vaguely remember you made a post about what is yaoi and what is yuri? I dunno if I dreamed this post up, but I've scrolled and scrolled and I can't find it. So, I wanted to ask (if you don't mind answering >.<), what is yaoi/yuri? (beyond the basic definitions) What counts as guy yuri and girl yaoi?

Uwaa ok so I will say Im planning to actually write a paper on this but I haven't done much research yet so ask in a few months and you'll hopefully have a better answer with cited sources. But here is a bit of what I'm conceptualizing at this point (corrections and additions very welcome!)

What set me down this path really was of course the fantastic Yaoizine hosted by tshirt3000, which includes a rather poignant author's note about broadening the definition of yaoi in public to the abstraction. Indeed, the actual origin of the term "yaoi" is an acronym for "yamanashi, ochinashi, iminashi" (plotless, climaxless, meaningless) from 70s doujinshi spheres wherein it was used as a somewhat self-degrading term to define a specific type of porn-without-plot self-indulgent indie fancomic. These were of course, mostly of the male-male variety. However, as the Yaoizine makes clear, there's not really an inherent gendering within the word in any sense but genre expectation-wise. This becomes particularly salient in the case of perhaps one of the most famous wlw romances out there, Revolutionary Girl Utena. Tshirt cites an interview with the creator of the anime, Ikuhara Kunihiko, where he refers to the relationship between the two main female characters (among other things) as yaoi, recontextualizing the term from merely a mlm genre into a statement on the dynamics of power and consumption as they relate to gender-- an act of sexual passion paired with a reversal of societal norms = yaoi in this case, which is why utenanthy fits perfectly within the term.

Conversely, yuri (lily) is a bit more difficult to analyze from a gender-neutral perspective as it originated not as a counterpart to yaoi, but instead as a counterpart to bara (rose, a term used to refer to erotic gay male content) used when lesbians would write in to gay magazines trying to hook up and whatnot. However, it's pretty agreed upon that the genre grew out of Class S literature, a type of literature based on girls, often senpai and kouhai, going to an all-girls school together and experiencing a connection that straddles the thin line between romance and homosociality. Homosociality like this among women has historically been and to this day remains somewhat under the radar and perceived as a "phase" or an amateur attempt at romance before a woman eventually marries a man. This is where we see significant overlap between pre/early modern Japanese male homosexual literature and lesbian literature, where homosexuality is seen as a youthful phase that will inevitably be grown out of (as in the case with the chigo system, LUG (lesbian before graduation), etc). Essentially, it was very common for the characters of early modern queer literature (mostly written by queer authors btw) to have brief and passionate schoolyard flings before graduating onto "normal" sexuality. Of course, these narratives fell out of style and are considered dead today, but their remnants can still be seen in the subsequent shojo and modern gl manga boom. The yuri that grew from this in the beginning was usually explicitly erotic, but still somewhat held onto the predominant themes of schoolgirl innocence and youthful beauty. Over time, meanings and terminology shifted, and the "yuri" we use today is more interchangeable with "gl", meaning it's not so much of an indicator of explicit content as "yaoi" is. However, I would still argue that one of the largest indicators of a story's "yuri factor" (if you could say that) is its ties to the establishing homosociality progressed into homoromantic relationship genre expectation. Of course, there are many wlw stories that subvert this, (as there are many mlm stories that subvert the yaoi or even bl template) but to me, if you were to compare yaoi and yuri's theming, yaoi's focus tends to skew more towards the intimacy in explicit eroticism, while yuri looks more into the implicit eroticism in intimacy. If that makes sense.

Of course, when looking into "boy yuri" there's also a transfem-coding factor to consider, which I think is what the majority of people have in mind when they refer to a couple as "boy yuri". Historically, there is massive precedent for feminization between male queer couples in historical Japanese literature, as well as in early modern relatives of bl, mainly Inagaki Taruho's work, so it would be somewhat disingenuous to say feminization is a purely modern, female-created phenomenon. But anyway, those are my (somewhat messy and likely inaccurate) thoughts so far, let me know what you all think. Have a happy yaoimas and merry new yuri, as they say.

[blueesnow]

Kotobuki Reiji's Birthday (Year 1) Voicelines Translation.

-You can look at it again on the Event Log, Mini-Event section (for the other boys messages to him) and Talk section (for a one-on-one conversation with you and him) in Idol Page.

-Also the translations might not be fully accurate since I'm not that fluent on jp/en, so if i ever made a mistake do correct me🙏

<You (Player)> Reiji: Thank you for the celebration~! I held a party today, so make sure you come okay Kouhai-chan☆ Reiji: And of course there'll be an afterparty later~☆ The participant will be just you and me. …Will you tell me you're happy about it?

<Otoya> Otoya: Rei-chan, Happy Birthday! As a Senpai-Kouhai duo with a great chemistry, let's continue to have lots of fun together from now on! Reiji: Aww~! You said the cutest thing ever! Onii-san shall do his best to keep up so that he won't lose to Otoyan's growth okay☆

<Masato> Masato: You never forgets to pay attention to your surroundings. Seeing you like that made me want to learn more from Kotobuki-senpai's example. Happy Birthday. Reiji: Hearing that from Hijirin made me so happy~! I should do my best as well to continue being a role model☆

<Natsuki> Natsuki: Happy Birthday! It's always fun being together with Rei-chan-senpai. I think you have an amazing power! Reiji: Thank you—! Nattsun is always happy go lucky so it's worthwhile talking to you☆

<Tokiya> Tokiya: Happy Birthday. Even though it's a joyous occasion, please be careful as to not get carried away, okay? Reiji: Tokki is as strict as usual! But I already knew that's also your way of being kind♪

<Ren> Ren: Happy Birthday, Bukki! Let's go for a drive together again somewhere and refresh ourselves. Reiji: Thank you Ren-Ren☆ I'll go pick out some good places later okay~♪

<Syo> Syo: Reiji-senpai, Happy Birthday! I found a good hat shop, so let's go shopping there together! Reiji: Eh~! If it’s a shop recommended by Syo-tan, then I have high expectations of it☆ Thanks, I'm looking forward to it!

<Cecil> Cecil: Happy Birthday! You've always been so kind to me, so today I will return the favor! Reiji: Cesshi! I'm so happy to hear that I almost burst into tears! To think that's how you thought of me already made my day☆

<Ranmaru> Ranmaru: It's your birthday? Well, Happy Birthday. I have nothing more to say at this point. Whether it's about music or other works, let's put all that we've had into it. Reiji: Why of course! Let's always do our best with our full power☆ I'll accept your celebration wish to me♪

<Ai> Ai: Since it's your birthday, why don't you show a bit of your maturity? Anyway, Happy Birthday Reiji. Reiji: Ai-Ai, thank you~! Don't get burned while looking at the grown-up Rei-chan, okay☆ Ah, don't ignore me!

<Camus> Camus: Since we're in the same group, let's at least celebrate your birthday. So, I assume there'll be a cake later, right? Reiji: Wait a minute~! Geez, Myu-chan you're so dishonest. But thanks for the birthday wish♪

<Eiichi> Eiichi: Looks like it's your birthday today, Happy Birthday. Since we're both the one who's responsible in keeping the group together, I'd like to talk about it sometime with you. Reiji: Thank you~☆ Although I'm not actually the leader, I'm interested in that topic. Do tell me more♪

<Kira> Kira: Happy…Birthday. The ability to create a cheerful atmosphere…and bring people together. It's a charm that I don't have. I'd like to learn it from you. Reiji: The fact that you praised me so seriously made this Onii-san so happy…! Let's learn a lot from each other's good points okay☆

<Nagi> Nagi: Happy birthday☆ I heard you knew a lot of retro words. If you knew something cute, do tell me~♪ Reiji: Ugh, is this what you call a generation gap… You're already cute enough as it is, I don't think you need that~☆

<Eiji> Eiji: Happy Birthday. I think it's so amazing that you've always made the atmosphere on set so relaxing. Reiji: Oh no~ I'm a little embarrassed to be told that by a guy from the different agency☆ It's perfectly OK for you to always imitate me♪

<Van> Van: I heard it's your birthday today, Happy Birthday! In exchange for celebration I have a suggestion, can you put a pizza on the Kotobuki Lunchbox? Reiji: Pizza~!? But, it might be quite a good surprise. I'll go and talk to them about it later☆ Thanks for the advice!

<Yamato> Yamato: Birthday, huh. I'm happy for you. I've always been indebted by this karaage from your place. Let me also express my thanks to you. Reiji: Don't tell me you're actually a big fan of our store!? That's great~♪ Also thanks for the birthday wish too☆

<Shion> Shion: I can feel such a warm vibes from your machocho word. I wish you a happy and prosperous day. Reiji: Don't tell me I'm being praised!? At times like this thank you very very machocho☆ Make sure to use it with HE★VENS too okay♪

[vagabond-umlaut]

ramé 6.0

love.

a word everyone spells as l-o-v-e, except one certain young sorcerer – to whom it appears h-a-p-p-y, to whom it appears h-a-v-o-c – to whom it appears the shape of the letters of your name.

you, on the other hand, forget how to spell when the same word is before you – a fact which, your admirer reckons, would have been a major problem were he not he – that is, were he not the one and only 'gojo satoru'.

and thus begins, the plan.

and thus begins, the six steps to catch one's crush's eye — by the six eyes.

|6/6| this isn't really a way. if you're at this step, just fuckin' stop and retreat. your crush won't ever notice you – you sad, pathetic loser.

[READ 1.0 HERE AND 2.0 HERE AND 3.0 HERE AND 4.0 HERE AND 5.0 HERE!]

▸ student!gojo satoru x student!reader; fem!reader; the promised sunshine ending to this work's finally here!! ft. the classic angst-to-tooth-rotting-fluff trajectory, the best four friends one can ever get, and, the sweetest romance between 'toru and shortie becoming official freaking-finally! [THE CHAP TITLE'S MISLEADING. OF SORTS. :))]

▸ sorry but i had to squeeze in a scene of shoko and suguru being the best drinking buddies ever. AND AND AND- jjk season two, my beloved-beloathed...

▸ find other parts of 'ramé' and other [stand-alone] fics set in the same universe as this work here! anyways, image, divider & characters ain't mine. pls don't plagiarize, translate or repost this. enjoy reading! ❤️

"is that what you really think?"

gojo wonders if a momentous occasion as the one now deserves one brawl thrown into it or not. it won't be anything much; just dumping a bowl of soup down suguru's shirt and/or landing a pretty solid kick to his stomach and/or-

"careful, senpai or you might've to go home, bloody and beaten," the most monotone voice ever possible crashes into his thoughts in the worst possible way. a snicker, far too familiar, joins in. "yeah, nanami's right. besides, we haven't even clicked a pic yet. you wouldn't want to wear a black eye in it, would you?"

clinking his glass with shoko's, the white-haired watches suguru gulp down a shot of tequila, then give a mighty firm shake of his head. "no, of-fucking-course not. today is our dearest kouhai's important day; i don't wanna get involved in any drama now; though..." trailing off, the black-haired boy shoots gojo an awfully obvious side-glance before a look shared with the others.

the boy lets his eyes wander away from them. an abominably sharp acrylic nail pokes him in the cheek. gojo exhales a sigh, so exhausted.

were it just a day, the boy's certain to the hell and back, that he would have whipped up a snarky insult to the stink-eye aimed his way. the boy would have slapped his drunk classmate's hand away, calling her sense of fashion the worst names possible.

gojo, however, decides to resort to neither today. he decides to settle for a sigh - the second in the last minute, longer and wearier than the one before - and rests his face into the hollow of his palms, screwing eyes shut.

an exasperated grumble - or two, maybe - permeates the air.

"gojo senpai," the words ring out in a tone far too soft and worried. he muses he doesn't need to look to see the sympathetic frown haibara must be wearing, nor the varying degrees of pity and concern etched into the others' features. a warm hand squeezes his shoulder slightly.

haibara continues, "geto senpai is not entirely wrong, y'know? yes, of course, implying you might kick up drama is sorta wrong, i admit so. but otherwise... you could've tried to, i don't know, somehow find out the reason behind her sudden distance from you?"

opening his eyes, gojo twists to face his kouhai, ready to interrupt him, but stops at the earnestness in his gaze. "turning into a recluse or moping around isn't gonna solve anything, senpai. it's been more than a month since then and from what little i've seen, i can say it's eating the both of you alive. you, way more than her. so, go, speak with her," he urges him with a smile, "the others are not very well at showing their emotions but trust me when i say, we all are worried for you both, senpai."

the white-haired boy drags his gaze away from the speaker. suguru gives him a smile, shoko pokes him in the cheek again, nanami offers a fleeting impression of something smiley before looking away with a grimace.

gojo's eyes flit back to the encouraging boy before.

"okay," the upperclassman relents with a sigh, which instantly grows into a frown the moment every piece clicks into place in his mind and the goggles-wearing boy swears his heart skips a beat, "but what did you say about seeing shortie and know-"

stopping in the middle of the question, the boy stiffens.

three glasses shatter on impact with the floor, freed from the waiter's grasp, soon followed by two maids screeching your name in the most terror-struck voice ever manageable. gojo's six eyes provide him with enough details as always; albeit it seems miles from enough now, the way it always is in your case, further deepening the sorcerer's need to physically see you once; to soak in the brilliance of your gaze and the sweetness of the curve of your lips once.

who knows if he'll ever see you again from as close as- okay, no, wait-

"did you just run all the way here-"

"i love you."

"-in your heels?"

everything falls silent the moment the last word leaves gojo's lips and a shuddered breath escapes him into the bittersweet fragrance of the citrus perfume he remembers you using. in a lilac dress with a messy hairstyle and diamond studs, the youngest and newest leader of your clan stands before him, cheeks stretched in a wide grin.

whirling his seat round completely, the boy gives you one long look, only to earn a hauntingly soft look in return.

you smile.

"i know you might see me as the most inconsistent, lying, crazy bitch at best or as the most opportunistic bitch ever, trying to seduce you, for lack of a better term, to satisfy her craving for power, at worst; but no matter how you see me, how others see me, how i see myself - i'm in love with you, that's one thing which won't change no matter what."

you pause.

and as he watches you catch your breath after that long as hell sentence para, the first realisation which crashes on gojo's otherwise numb brain is: you too haven't changed.

not. one. bit.

from the way you stick to your minimal makeup look; to the way you speak sans any break and curse yourself as you confess to something (you think you did) wrong; to the way your gaze remains fixed on him, acutely trained on even the mildest twitch of his facial muscles... one whole month has passed since that stormy evening yet you're still the same you.

a little sweet. a little sour. a whole lot perfect-

who loves him-

who loves him-

you. love. him. too.

for the first time in an apparent eternity, gojo feels his lips lift in a free smile. although the chuckle leaving him sounds laden with moisture and emotions.

"i'll die before calling you a seductress, shortie," the boy says, "you're way too dumb and naive for that." your eyes move to the girl drinking beside him for a second, before settling back on him, a light sheen in them. smile widening yet growing a tender quality, he goes on to say, "and i know you aren't a liar; but regarding the inconsistent claim... i think an explanation's long overdue, isn't it?"

you huff a mild chuckle. stuffing your hands into your dress pockets, your senpai watches you draw in a long breath before letting it out in a whoosh, a tiny smile nestling in the corner of your lips. you begin.

"you know, right, my eldest brother was the clan leader before me? y'know, after my father just decided, one fine day, he's growing old and so he wants to retire somewhere peaceful now, with my mom, leaving me in the care of takeshi nii-chan and his wife?"

four pairs of eyes switch to him in silent query. ignoring them, gojo nods. it isn't everyday you speak so openly of your family, especially this topic concerning them.

considering how painful and sore it is for you.

how big of an escapist your father is.

how big of an asshole your brother is.

how utterly difficult it is for you to navigate in this household daily.

your sigh interrupting his thoughts, he hears you continue, "well, all was going well until it was not; and i decided i'd already spent too much time being a spectator to my life and future keeping getting kicked around like a fucking soccer ball."

few gasps sound in the vicinity, undoubtedly at you cussing. nanami's smooth voice cuts in through their shocked surprise, and through the bubble, gojo was under the impression, he and you had slipped into.

judging from the tiny start you give, the white-haired boy surmises you too must have felt the same.

your classmate's solemn voice sounds in the hush, though traces of a hesitation can still be found in it when he asks, "they... didn't arrange a wedding for you in the month you were here... did they?"

"they did," you're quick to answer, voice growing a steely quality, "the higher-ups and my brother decided to get me engaged to-"

"to whom?"

gojo's lips quirk up at the way you roll your eyes at suguru's impatient question, then look at him, a tired smile creeping onto your features. but, hey! is that a tinge of shyness on your face that the boy can see?

you point your chin at him. "to 'toru, who else?"

the second (or maybe, the third) bout of silence would have followed this statement of yours too - if not for the cackling girl beside gojo. the latter makes no effort to conceal his irritation, shooting the most vicious glare ever; shoko simply raises her glass, as if in a toast, then tosses you a smirk.

"you love him, still you don't wanna get hitched with him? not very clever of you, yeah?"

"yeah," haibara chips in, albeit much less teasing and more a worried timbre than shoko, the shades-wearing boy deems. the other student continues, brows creasing together, "plus, i doubt gojo senpai saying no to the proposal. so, why didn't you go ahead with it?"

your head tilts to one side. your lips twitch in a knowing fashion.

"you just said the reasons yourself, yu-kun."

years later, if someone asks gojo when's the time he realised he's in love with you, too deep and too far gone to ever consider anyone but you by his side, as his other and undoubtedly better half, the sorcerer will grin the goofiest grin ever and sigh the dreamiest sigh ever, and say, "every day."

which is the truth, really-

yet, from those 'every day'-s, there exist few such days, whom the six-eyes user's brain subconsciously frames in a golden frame and places on a dust-free pedestal.

for instance, today.

a day your senpai dreaded to begin by leaving the comfort of his bed, knowing the person whose ascension to the metaphorical throne he has been invited to witness today, blood chilling and condensing into tears on his lashes as memories from long ago and not-so-long-ago hurtle into his brain.

only to morph, by evening, into the day the boy realises: love isn't just what made him switch his infinity off and pull you under him, a shield to protect you from the crumbling roof, forgetting everything except your safety and life; but love is also what made you push him and the emotions within yourself away.

forgetting everything - the boy knows from knowing you these many years - except your very evident aim of shielding him from the vicious schemes of those responsible for this damned jujutsu hierarchy.

no matter how easy and rewarding the other path would've been for you.

no matter how difficult and painful this current path must've been for you.

just 'cause you love him.

just 'cause you know, at the end of it all, he's going to be safe, away from the manipulating hands of the higher-ups - away from even the slimmest chance of experiencing a shred of the ordeals you suffered as a child, losing your free will and living as a mere puppet, subject to those old geezers' whims and fancies.

the two of you are not-too-near to the threshold of adulthood; still, through those unsure lenses of transition between immaturity and maturity, gojo feels sure this very moment that his eyes are viewing now - of watching his feelings being reciprocated not only in words (which, he knows, are true; your body language is as familiar to him as the back of his hand) but also in actions - so pure, so selfless, so utterly... loving-

the boy reckons his six eyes have never landed on a sight so ethereal and just so good, that it makes his heart want to burst right out of his chest.

drinking in the way you're regarding him, fingers fidgeting and teeth gnawing on your lower lip, gojo cracks a smile.

your restlessness abates a little.

"you became the clan leader just to make sure this story remains ours and only ours, didn't you?"

you take a moment before answering with a big nod.

"yeah," you say, "but that doesn't mean you need to be grateful to me or anything of the sort. you can give me any answer you want to give. you can also give me no answer, now or ever, if that's what you really want to do. just know that i love you, and that your answer can never really put a dent in it, no matter what it is."

"no matter what it is?" your senpai echoes your words back to you. a small nod is what you send in reply; yet it seems to be more than the quantity of oil required to set the cogs of gojo's brain whirring to life and mischief. eyes narrowing, he asks, "not even if my response is an 'i love you too, shortie', hm?"

the clock in the room ticks thrice.

two known voices mutter curses behind him.

five maids of yours scurry out the door, whispering excitedly.

you narrow your eyes back at him.

"i asked you to not feel pressured, didn't i? tell me what you want to say, 'toru," you say; his name in your mouth sounds sweeter than the sweetest mochi the boy's ever tasted, "and not those stuff you think i want to hear you say."

your statement draws an amused chortle from gojo. "did you really forget what i told you last that day, shortie? or did you not again not understand what i was telling you then?"

"what's there to not understand in that!?" your indignant reply arrives without missing a beat, "you said you've always seen me as way more than a childhood friend: true 'cause we're best friends. then- oh yeah," with a click of your fingers, you add, face steeped in contemplation, "you also said- oh."

"yep, oh," gojo nods his head in an exaggerated fashion, revelling in the way you're looking at him right now, eyes round as saucers and cheeks ruddy as the expensive wine being served now.

you still seem so beautiful to him.

it takes a pinch more than a while before you breathe out a breathless giggle. straightening in his seat, gojo feels his cheeks hurt a bit from the wide smile digging indents into them.

"you really lo-"

"ma'am, the guests for the evening party will be here very soon. you should get ready now," one of your maids interrupts you. the sorcerer feels his smile shrivel a little. you're barely back with him; yet you'll be stolen away from him-

"aw, is it so?" your entertained query cuts in through his thoughts. the boy looks up from his shoes his gaze had moved to before, to you, an awfully fake apologetic smile lighting up your face.

gods, why do you look so fucking kissable when you're like this?

"you know what, the people invited aren't really the kind i want to talk to and ruin my mood. besides, i've already met 'my' guests, so..." the boy watches you inch closer to him slowly as you trail off; your maid's eyes narrow before widening. you grin. "toodles, mrs. matsui!"

that and the salute you throw at everyone in the room are the last two memories clear in gojo's mind, before everything turns into a mush of everything yet nothing in the end.

well, barring a few exceptions, of course.

your contagious chortles, for instance, while you both dash down the hallways of your mansion; or your delighted gasp when he wraps his arms round you and warps to that patisserie in nikko; or your million-watt-bright beam to him, as you slap the latter's sneaky hands away from stealing a bite from your plate, whilst the latter declares this to be where you two will celebrate the future milestones; or the-

"ieiri senpai was right, y'know?" your tired voice cuts in through your senpai's rather-muddled recollections. the latter tears his gaze away from the inky-black night sky dotted by the twinkling lights of tokyo, to your drowsy form resting her head on his chest, his one arm tight around your shoulders, while the other rests behind his head on the cold hood of the car.

moving to brush the strands of hair away from your forehead, the boy presses a kiss to the tip of your nose, earning a sweet kiss to his chin in return, and hums, "not really the person i wanna chat about right now with my girlfriend..." you suddenly twist your body towards him, throwing an arm over his stomach and nuzzling into his neck; making a mental note to address you as that more often, he sighs. "but carry on, i guess. you won't be you if you can't gush about that damn shoko every third sentence or something."

planting your lips to his jaw for a mere second, gojo watches you pull away an inch from him, grinning. "senpai said you'll be the first one to confess but i'll be the one who makes things official and public and all that shit," you explain, then gasp, grin turning wider.

"oh my god," you mutter, "geto senpai and iori senpai are gonna lose so much money to her. them two never thought you could ever say 'i love you' to me, did you know that? oh my god... i kind of feel bad for those two."

the gleeful expression you're wearing tells your boyfriend otherwise - choosing to ignore it, he throws you a smirk. "well, i don't. those two people shouldn't have doubted me. i'm the one and only gojo satoru," he proclaims, puffing his chest out a bit, "of course, I'll be successful in my mission of getting you to notice my love for you."

"nah, i don't think so," you shake your head the very next instant. lips into the most adoring curve he's ever seen on you - something which steals his retort away from him and makes him want to pinch his arm hard, to see if he's dreaming or not - you hum.

"you could confess your love to me, not 'cause you're gojo satoru. but because you're my 'toru and i'm your shortie... isn't it so?"

gojo thinks back to the time utilised in carefully drafting and finalizing the steps via which he can catch your eye, only to watch them not go the way planned.

gojo looks back to you, only to find your eyes trained on him, glitters of love in them unbelievably similar to those loud crackers bursting in his chest right now.

the young sorcerer runs a reverent finger down the side of your face.

"yeah, it is because you're my shortie and i'm your 'toru, sweetness," he whispers, "and we'll always stay this way, yeah?"

you reply by engraving the shape of your smile into his.

▸ AND MY MAGNUM OPUS IS OVER! 🥳🥳

▸ I GENUINELY HAVE NO IDEA ON WHAT I SHOULD SAY RN BUT I THINK I WANNA SAY ONE HELL OF A BIG THANK YOU TO EACH AND EVERYONE WHO HAS BEEN WITH ME ON THIS JOURNEY SO FAR. 'TORU AND SHORTIE'S STORIES ARE LIKE, WAY FAR FROM BEING OVER, IG. BUT YEAH, THANK YOU SO SO SOO MUCH, PPL. I LOVE Y'ALL SO MUCH! 🥰🥰🥰

▸ series: we're the summer to our winter rain

▸ masterlist

[togethernow]

Get ready for an extra special edition of Headcannons!

Anyways RHYTHM HEAVEN PRIDE HEADCANONS YIPPEE!!!!

They're in no particular order btw

ANYWAYS HERE WE GO

The Paddlers and the Cosmic Paddlers (and I guess the space and cosmic dancers too) are agender!

Yeah their whole general species is agender. They also reproduce asexually (as in paddler babies just pop up out of nowhere)

Oh yeah... on the topic of people from space...

Cosmic girl is trans! (A trans girl to be more specific)

DJ Yellow and DJ Blue are both gay

And dating!

Aheehee they're so so so SO cute

I think DJ Blue always had a crush on Yellow, and since Yellow is always was a physical affection sort of guy even towards friends, Blue always felt super flustered Yellow would hug him or something.

For Yellow, it took a while, but I think he fell in love with Blue after about 2-3 years.

Student Rocker/Deshi/Cecil/whatever you call them is non binary!

They go by they/them

JJ's demi aroace!

He's pretty standoffish and I feel like if he did fall in love with someone, he would still act all cold and distant. (There will be signs though!)

hehehehe flustered JJ...

Wandering Samurai's aroace!

Literally cause while they were out dating n stuff he was here studying the blade

Also I thought it would be funny cause a bunch of ladies like him

I mean he's still flustered cause you would be too if a lady just up and lunged at you, right?

He's more interested in keeping the peace instead of saving the damsels though

UN UN UN UN UN UN UN UN UN UN-

And it's allllll you guy's fault TwT/hj

They are the epitome of banger date idea: fight another couple

Adore is pan!

Heh heh fun fact she actually has a pretty big crush on Assistant (you guys didn't hear that from me btw)

Oh yeah, speaking of Assistant...

She likes girls :3

Does she like Adore back? Idk maybe ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

(UUUUGGGGGHHHH WHY IS THERE ONLY THIS AND THE SPRITE OF HER FROM NINTENDO BADGE ARCADE AND NOT THE ONE WHERE SHE LOOKS SUPER HAPPY)

(and yes I'm getting these from rhwiki.net, the superior rhythm heaven wiki)

Ann Glerr is aroace and agender!

In terms of everything in life, it really said "Nah, I'd fish."

She goes by she/it btw

Squirrel dude's also aroace!

(Gee, so many aroace people today...)

(Totally no bias here >:3)

Also because I thought it would be funny

I feel like for Squirrel especially, he legitimately does NOT understand what romance is, despite how long he's been with his colleagues for

Like he just thinks it's like friendship+, which it kinda is? But not at the same time?

Idk Squirrel man, keep studying the science of love and one day, you might get it

And last but not least...

THEY!!!!!!

OML

THEY LITERALLY

AUAUAAUUAUGUGUGUGHGUHGUGHAUUAGUHUAHUGUHU

AAHAHAHHAHAHAHAH

Ok gotta explain them

Skip this next section if you don't want to read a MASSIVE MASSIVE LORE DUMP

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Uhhhh so basically in high school Pitcher was uhhh...

not doing too good

For reasons I'll probably explain in the future, (idk how far into the future), she was hit with the dysphoria™ and had this whole like mysterious/tough kid persona

I'll be referring to Pitcher as he in this next segment, as that was how he wanted to be called back then

He was part of the school's coed baseball team, and would wear his baseball uniform all the time, avoiding classes and hiding out in the boy's bathroom or the roof for most of the day.

He had very little friends, like Julia/Senpai/His Crush/whatever you call her since they were childhood friends, They weren't that close, though, since Senpai was very busy with studying or student council meetings or whatever (she was, in fact, the Ultimate Senpai!). Pitcher had A Boy/Romeo/Kouhai as his main friend for a while, due to their troubles in making friends with others (Pitcher cause of his standoffish-ness and Kouhai because of his social anxiety).

But there was also...

Reporter.

Oh sweet, chipper, who shines just like the sun Reporter. Reporter was a popular girl who got along with just about anyone you could think of. That made her job of being the reporter for the school newspaper very easy. That, in turn, made her appear at many schools events, like school dances, tournaments, and... baseball games.

Reporter was supposed to interview players for a segment in the newspaper the next week and she noticed a person she never saw in the school before.

Pitcher saw her approaching and hid somewhere before she could interview him. 'Damn, it's that annoying ass girl' he probably thought. From behind the bleachers, Pitcher watched her interview his other teammates, making sure that she wouldn't come her way. However, as he looked at her, he realized something.

'Ghghghhh... She's so damn cute!'

I mean like, Pitcher VERY WELL knew he was attracted to girls, even in like middle school, but most of those girls were like, beautiful celebrities on tv n such. Reporter was different, though. The way she was always so chip n cheerful, the way she always added meaningful comments in conversations no matter what, Pitcher felt something deep inside him. Like he wanted to squeeze the life out of her, but not in a malicious way or anything.'

'Damn, no wonder why everyone wants to talk to her...'

His hand covered his burning cheeks. Was he really getting this flustered over Reporter of all people??? He growled and scampered home, not wanting to think of it any longer.

Meanwhile, the event was winding down, and Reporter realized that she still didn't get to talk to the infamous, elusive pitcher. She looked and asked everywhere, but she couldn't find him no matter what. Eventually, she reluctantly went home herself.

On the way, her mind exploded with various scenarios on how a conversation with the pitcher would go. What would it be like to sit down face to face with him and talk about whatever? What would the inner thoughts of someone like that be like? Why did she never see him until today? Before she knew it, her heart was racing, and not just because she really wanted to talk to him. That day, she vowed

"I'm gonna talk to him no matter what!!!"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Annnnnnd ramble over

If you made it to the end, you're a real one. Thanks for sticking along. Happy pride month to you all!!

[rosycheekies]

Today, the Senpai and Kouhai will… by Hyakucha

[ayanominitrash]

Act Cool, Senpai! (Geto Suguru x reader)

₊˚ ♡

Geto-san takes a liking to his cute kouhai, He wonders if he looks good to you.

˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖

2nd Entry.

First part here. Third part here. Masterlist.

˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖

Nowadays, Geto finds himself taking a longer time fixing his hair in the mirror.

Usually, he’d tie his hair up in a bun once, fix a few strands here and there, grab his school bag, and leave. But it was his fourth time trying to tame his dark locks and he hadn't even realizes it until he was getting mildly frustrated at himself. 

He stops.

Geto lets his arms down to rest for a moment while looking back at the pair of small eyes in the mirror. What's gotten into him? He was never the type to worry about his looks. Sure, he's more of the concerned hygienic type - he's more concerned with being clean and smelling good - which are just common sense, rather than thinking if people thought his hair bun was tied up in the right way or not. 

No, not people. He's suddenly thinking of you, tilting your head to the side, "Geto-san, your hair's a mess today."

He shakes his thoughts away.

No, looks were more like something Gojo would concern himself with. He recalls the time when his classmate would be all up in his face, bearing his teeth and asking him if they all looked perfectly aligned. He groans at the memory.

Suddenly, the door to his dorm room slides open to reveal the said classmate, his shoulders slouched with the weight of his eyelids. He looks half awake.

"Suguru...? Why weren't you outside my dorm yet?" Gojo yawns.

"I was just about to get you, you know." He starts doing his hair again, this time not bothering to look in the mirror. "I was just...uh, looking for my hair tie."

"Oh, okay. By all means, please, take your time. I'm not very eager to go see our mutt-looking sensei."

"Satoru, that's not very nice." 

The other blows a raspberry at him.

Geto finishes tying his hair up and collects his things. He pauses and looks at Gojo right when he is just about to pass him through the doorway.

"What?"

"Satoru, how do I look?"

Geto's simple question was met with a wide-eyed Gojo, staring at him with what looked like a bewildered expression - like he had done something as strange as turn his head all the way back like an owl would.

"I mean,” Gojo finally starts, “...you look with your eyes."

The raven-haired teen glares daggers at him.

"I don't know man, what do you want me to say?! You look...the same? I don't know. Why? Did you do something with your face or? Gasp! - did you finally use that face cream I was talking about? Is it good?"

At this point, he was continuously bombarded with follow-up questions about a skin care product Geto paid no mind to, along with him being rocked back and forth by the tall man's hands on his shoulders. Geto eventually swats his arms off of him.

"Forget it, you’re no help at all."

₊˚ ♡

The third period comes by and Geto internally curses at himself when he hasn’t had the time to check himself in between classes, because here you are, already standing at the doorway. He hears his heartbeat in his ears as he watches how your face shows your confusion mixed with a bit of nervousness, eyes darting around the room.

“Hello, excuse me. . . “ You speak up in a small voice. “But may I know where Ieiri-san is?” 

Gojo lifts his head from where it was resting in his arms, “I’ll tell you if you gots some candy on ya.”

“Satoru,” Geto warns. His classmate was notoriously known for messing with his juniors. Not even his seniors were safe. 

“Whhhaatt? I’m just talking to her. Hey, you. Don’t just stand there, come in here.”

Feeling self-conscious, he sinks further into his seat as you take up on Gojo’s offer, hesitantly strolling next to your senior as he removes his arms from the teacher’s table.

“No, seriously, you got candy on you? I’m bored out of my mind here.”

“Only if you tell me where Ieiri-san is.” You put air on your left cheek, making you look like a chipmunk. 

Geto just might die from how adorable you look.

“Well - “

“She was called to the infirmary by Yaga-sensei,” He finally cuts in, much to Gojo’s dismay. “A few of the Junior Sorcerers came back from a mission and need medical attention so she was called in on short notice.”

“You’re no fun, Suguru.” 

“Oh, I see. . . “ You drift off, looking at him then somewhere out the window. “I guess I’ll go to class on my own then. Thank you. Also, here,” You hand a few pieces of peppermint candy to Gojo, who immediately snatches them away from you. 

“None for me?” Geto teases. 

You smile and then approach his seat.

Act cool, Geto thinks. Act cool - shit. 

“Here you go, senpai. I have a lot more so you can have this much.” You cup the few pieces of candy in both of your hands, presenting them to the raven-head, to which he reaches a palm out to accept them. At the exchange, he can see how his one hand is much bigger compared to your two small ones. He also notices how soft and clean yours looks. He also doesn’t miss the way a shiver runs up his skin when your fingers graze his.

Your senior looks up at you with that gentle smile of his, “Aren’t you sweet? Thank you for this.” 

He feels a bit guilty taking these from you when he’s not much of a sweet tooth himself - he only learned to eat sweets through Gojo - but he’d be lying if he didn’t want to keep these treats in his pockets and carry them around forever.

Is that weird? 

“You know what? How about I walk you to class as a way of saying thank you?”

Gojo groans, “Noooooo, don’t leave me heeerre - “

“Shut up, Satoru.”

You flail your hands in front of you,” Ah - Geto-san, t-that��s real nice of you b -but you don’t need to! It’s okay. Plus, you might be late to your next class.”

Geto can only smile at you as a facade of his nervousness, “It’s okay, there’ll be a delay since our next teacher might be aiding in the Junior’s mission reports. I’m also gonna need to stretch my legs.”

“Okay…” You look down at your shoes and twiddle with your hands. “Well then, if it’s alright with you, then I don’t mind the company.”

“Are you just gonna leave me here then?”

With a tsk, he gives Gojo his phone, “Go play games on my phone.” 

“What am I, a kid? You think I’m just gonna - ooooh you got a few new ones in here.” 

Now that Gojo’s distracted, he takes the opportunity to put his hand on your shoulder, urging you to start walking out of the classroom.

“Let’s go?” 

You start to nod only to freeze for a moment, staring at something over his head. Without warning, you reach a hand up and pat down a stray hair from on top of Geto’s head. It was like you were giving him head pats. It was his turn to freeze.

“There. Let’s go, Geto-san.”

I think I should mess my hair up a bit more. 

₊˚ ♡ - - - -

Later that day. . .

“Kento, Geto-san was so cool today. He troubled himself to walk me to my next class.”

“So?” 

“Isn’t our senapi so nice?”

Your classmate Nanami, only shrugs at you, never tearing his eyes away from the book he was reading.

“You’re so cold.”

˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖

(❀❛ ֊ ❛„)♡ reblogs and comments are appreciated//do not repost my work anywhere

//

Very happy my last post was so well received <3 idk how I feel about this 2nd part tho but I hope you enjoyed reading// ❛ ֊ ❛„)♡

[sanakotsu]

Koisuru♡Scramble Translation

Chapter 1: A Scrambled Meeting

Writer: Nishioka Maiko Season: N/A Characters: Koino Hajime (Hajime), Nakaouji Eiki (Eichi), Nekomura Konatsu (Natsume), Asuma Mahiro (Madara), Shirai Airi (Aira), Kurose Miki (Niki)

Translation: Sanakotsu

Hajime: Even if that’s the case, it has nothing to do with me. What happened this morning was just an accident. It was a once in a lifetime miracle and nothing else.

〈Spring, when cherry blossoms are almost in full bloom.〉

〈I, Koino Hajime, start my second year of high school today.〉

〈I was a little more careful with how I did my hair, and left the house earlier than usual. 〉

〈I held onto that fleeting hope that something special might happen today.〉

〈But still...〉

〈I am currently running for my life in a rush!〉

Hajime: *Pants* Oh no, I’m going to be late!

*Pant* 8:20 AM! Thank god. Looks like I’ll make it on time…!

(Today is horrible. My favorite keychain got ripped off.)

(And because of that, I had to go back even after I left the house early.)

(At least someone brought it to the police box.)

(Ah… My face is dripping with sweat and my hair’s a mess... Even after I went through all the trouble to style it...)

(But I had to run or else I wouldn’t make it on time! I can’t possibly be late for the first day of class after spring break!)

(I know it’s foolish of me to have such high hopes but...I’m going into a new class and I’m finally used to my new uniform.)

(Whether it’s something special, a destined meeting, or even something tragic...!)

(But of course it can only be found in my wildest dreams.)

(Is this divine punishment for having high expectations? Haven’t I run out of enough luck already?! God, you absolute idiot...!)

...Oh! I can see Yumenosaki town’s six way intersection. Just a little more to the school!

(Still, it’s such a strange path that Yumenosaki town is known for.)

(It’s really hard to see where you’re going around here—)

Ack?!

Ow… That hurts... I ran into someone and fell to the ground... Why is today so mean...?

Eiki: Sorry for running into you. Are you alright?

Hajime: No, I’m sorry too! Thank you—

(Wow...He’s so pretty...! That’s the same uniform— Wait... Huh?)

Eiki and Miki: ...

Konatsu and Mahiro: ...

Hajime: (What?! There’s four people reaching out to me?!)

(U-Um. Which hand do I take?!)

〈Not to mention, these people are—〉

Airi: So what happened? What happened next?

Hajime: Eh? What are you talking about, Airi?

Airi: Well, you said all four of them reached out to you, right? So whose hand did you take?

Hajime: I didn’t know which one to take so I just got up on my own. I did apologize and thank them for trying to help me though.

Airi: What?! Why?! That’s such a missed opportunity!

Hajime: A missed opportunity...? What are you...

Airi: I’m right and you know it. You ran into them, y’know! They’re the school’s—

〈That’s right. The four super hot guys from our school that anyone would recognize.〉

〈The handsome prince of the school that overflows with elegance: Nakaouji Eiki.〉

〈The blunt one who’s actually really kind and cool: Kurose Miki.〉

〈The senpai who’s always popular with women and lives life freely: Asuma Mahiro.〉

〈The flirty and cute devilish angel kouhai: Nekomura Konatsu.〉

Airi: ...super famous guys! That kind of opportunity is rare! You should’ve at least gotten their Anstagram accounts.

Hajime: There’s no way I could have.

Airi: Don’t reply so half-heartedly. Jeez~

Did you know that people from other schools come by just to try and see them? With the way they’re treated, they’re basically like celebrities.

Hajime: Even if that’s the case, it has nothing to do with me.

What happened this morning was just an accident. It was a once in a lifetime miracle and nothing else.

Airi: You never know, it could be a destined meeting.

Hajime: As if. That wouldn’t happen for me, I’m sure.

Airi: Boo~ You’re so adamant about this. You really don’t have dreams, huh. How boring~

Hajime: Isn’t it just you trying to have fun?

More importantly, it’s our turn to order. Did you decide what you want to get?

Airi: Gah! Oh no. I didn’t think about it! What should I get... Um...?

I wonder if there’s still any free seats…

Hajime: Oh, over there! There’s seats for both of us. Let’s go, Airi.

Nice~ How lucky for us.

Eiki: I apologize again for this morning. You’re still okay, right?

Hajime: ...

N-Nakaouji-kun?!

Airi: Ah, Hajime! If you back up in this small space, you’re going to bump into someone—

*Sigh* Of course...

Miki: That hurt.

Hajime: Ah?! I’m sorry, I’m so sorry! It was an accident! I got startled—

Huh? Kurose-kun?! Ah...! This is the second time today! I’m so sorry!

Konatsu: Hm?~ Why is it so lively? Did something happen?

Huh? In the middle of the crowd, the person lowering their head is...from this morning...?

Mahiro: Ahaha~ So where should we go later today? ♪

Hm? One second, everyone. What’s...?

Ahh. It’s the cute girl from this morning.

Eh? Ahaha. Don’t make such scary faces, you’re all plenty cute.

Hajime: Really, I’m sorry...!

〈I thought I wouldn’t have another encounter like this again.〉

〈Something that would have stayed a once in a lifetime miracle.〉

❀ ꘎♡━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━♡꘎♡━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━♡꘎♡━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━♡꘎ ❀

I tried to limit the amount of pictures but everything hits better with them.

➸ all ❀ next ❀

[aidairoarchivetwo]

Ｑ.花子くんってどんな話？ 初めてだけど大丈夫？ Ａ.こんなお話です！ 大丈夫、怖くない…

Q: What kind of a story is Hanako-kun? I’ve not read it before, is it okay? A: It’s this kind of story! It’s alright, don’t be scared…

JIBAKU SHOUNEN HANAKO-KUN: CHARACTER INTRO No.7 of the Seven Mysteries: Hanako-kun ??? years old Flippant and slightly lewd boy ghost Sadistic but kind – and a murderer?! ➡️Nene “You have me, don’t you, Yashiro” “You little fool~ ❤️” ➡️Kou “I look forward to it” Exorcist: Minamoto Kou Middle school 3rd year, 14 years old Energetic and prickly kouhai (but weak!!) ❤️➡️Nene “I’ll protect senpai!!” ➡️Hanako “I’ll exorcise you!!” Hanako-kun’s assistant: Yashiro Nene High school 1st year, 15 years old Becomes a fish when she gets wet! ➡️Kou “Comrades in wanting to know more about Hanako-kun” “We’ll do our best together” ♡?➡️Hanako “Please let me go home for today!”

Date and Time: 6:31 AM · Nov 20, 2015

[shiningwonderland]

Ai Mikaze (All Star)

Translator: Nadie (Twitter: NmoniaG)

Proofreader: Raine (Twitter: amagiyas)

Editor: Noemi (Twitter: dreaminbeyond)

Chapter Six — Gondola at Dusk

After undergoing maintenance, Mikaze-senpai returned to his work. 

Filming for the movie also resumed after its long break, and at the end of February, everyone was working hard to wrap up the shooting.

Most of my time in February was taken up finishing jobs that had accumulated over the holiday season.

However, I’m also managing some of Senpai’s events to accompany him to his work.

The reason doesn't really matter. As long as I can be by his side, I’m happy.

Ai Mikaze: Why are you grinning like that? Are you making good progress?

Haruka Nanami: Uwah?! Oh, sorry, I’m on it.

I suddenly realize that Senpai’s standing there holding a cup of coffee in his hand.

Ai Mikaze: Don’t "Oh!" me. You know it’s not good to space out during work. Did you upload the BGM score?

It’s March 1st. Filming will continue in the afternoon.

Until then, I will use this short time to get the BGM checked.

Ai Mikaze: Really… pull yourself together. Here, take this. I won’t drink it, but if you don’t keep yourself awake you’ll keep spacing out.

He puts the cup of coffee on the table with a sigh.

Haruka Nanami: Ahh—sorry! You even made me coffee...

Ai Mikaze: It’s alright, just drink it! You're the only one who gets this special treatment from me.

He says while deliberately adding milk to the cup.

Haruka Nanami: Okay…

His way of speaking seems a bit frank but that’s just like him so it makes me happy.

However, our time together like this is limited.

He takes a look at the BGM score I hand him.

Ai Mikaze: Mhm, it’s nice. Your songs are just like you… I can feel some sort of kindness in them.

After cutting himself off from Aine-san, Mikaze-senpai became even more like a human being.

In exchange for a deadline, he received the treasure of “free emotions.”

I have to create a song for the Song Festival that shows that freedom to its fullest.

Haruka Nanami: Thank you very much. I’ll also do my best for the Song Festival!

"Mhm," he adds with a nod and looks at my face as I put the coffee cup to my lips.

It’s afternoon when we arrive at the filming location.

Reiji Kotobuki: Heyah—! Ai-Ai, Kouhai-chan! Long time no see—♪

Kotobuki-senpai rushes towards us.

Haruka Nanami: Oh, Kotobuki-senpai! Um, thanks for the other day…

Ai Mikaze: The other day?

Mikaze-senpai eyes me with a suspicious look as I bow politely.

Haruka Nanami: Ah—No, it’s…!

Reiji Kotobuki: Come on, don’t give us that scary look! She only came to ask for some advice. Dear me~ You really shouldn’t worry our little Kouhai-chan so much ☆

Ai Mikaze: Huh? Er, okay…

Reiji Kotobuki: Anyway, I’m glad that you’re feeling better now! On that topic—why is it that you never reply to my messages, Ai-Ai?!

Ai Mikaze:  Because your messages are too long! There are so many special characters that they make it hard to read. As a result, I can't even tell which parts of your messages are important.

Reiji Kotobuki: On the other hand, yours are way too short! When I finally get a reply it’s mostly just single words like “Okay” or “No”!

Ai Mikaze: I mean, there's no reason to write more than that…

I puff up my cheeks.

It’s been so long since I’ve seen these two talk to each other on set. They seem to have a good time.

Their conversation ends and Mikaze-senpai gets ready on standby.

Reiji Kotobuki: Kouhai-chaaan, can I have a moment?

Kotobuki-senpai seems to be beckoning me to a corner of the filming set.

Haruka Nanami: What is it?

Heading his way, Kotobuki-senpai makes a shushing gesture.

Reiji Kotobuki: Do you know what day it is today?

Select the phrase!

ホワイトデー White Day (+0)

Haruka Nanami: White Day! No, that can’t be right.

Reiji Kotobuki: Nonono, you must be kidding! March has just begun! It’s the 1st!

Haruka Nanami: Huh… the 1st, so… No way…

Reiji Kotobuki: Eh, what? Could it be that you just remembered?

Haruka Nanami: Isn’t today… Mikaze-senpai’s birthday?

Kotobuki-senpai hangs his head, crestfallen.

⁂

誕生日 Birthday (+15)

Haruka Nanami: Of course! March 1st is Mikaze-senpai’s birthday!

Kotobuki-senpai claps.

Reiji Kotobuki: Right, correct answer~! Heeere, since Kouhai-chan answered correctly, you win this Super Nice Guy Doll!

Haruka Nanami: Oh, this doll, I’ve seen it on some kind of quiz show before.

… But anyway, it’s today?

Haruka Nanami: It’s his birthday… but…

Because of all that happened last month, I completely forgot to prepare something for it.

Reiji Kotobuki: My? Could this air be the “I’m-not-prepared-at-all” mood?

Haruka Nanami: S-sorry… I've been so caught up in the hustle and bustle recently…

⁂

撮影の日 Day of the filming (+10)

Haruka Nanami: It’s the day of the filming?

Reiji Kotobuki: That’s true. Yeah, that it is. No doubt about it.

—As if!! Aren’t you forgetting something more important about this day?!

Haruka Nanami: Ah! March 1st… Today is Mikaze-senpai’s birthday?!

Reiji Kotobuki: Oh man, pull yourself together, partner!

I slap my cheeks, throwing Kotobuki-senpai off.

⁂

Haruka Nanami: No way, so it’s today…

Reiji Kotobuki: Correct! Today’s Ai-Ai’s birthday. So I thought maybe we should all celebrate it together, as a surprise~? 

Kotobuki-senpai says cheerfully.

Reiji Kotobuki: —And then I thought, everyone on set should give him a present, but what present would he like?

Something that Mikaze-senpai would like…

Select the phrase!

メッセージカード A message card (+15)

Haruka Nanami: How about a card with messages from everyone? He can enjoy it whenever he looks at it.

Reiji Kotobuki: I see, I see. In that case I’ll fill the card to the fullest with all my heart!

Haruka Nanami: T-then it won’t be a team effort anymore!!

Kotobuki-senpai gives a hearty laugh.

Messages from everyone… Can I also write something on it? I think I will.

⁂

記念撮影 A commemorative picture (+10)

Haruka Nanami: In that case, what about a photo with everyone for commemoration…

Reiji Kotobuki: Oh, sounds good! There happens to be a photographer here today. I’ll ask them to take a professional photo!

Haruka Nanami: Okay!

After it’s shot I can put it in a frame and give it to him as a present.

Kotobuki-senpai wastes no time and calls out to the photographer.

⁂

手作りケーキ Handmade cake (+0)

Reiji Kotobuki: What? Right now?! Er, if we buy the ingredients we could probably decorate it with everyone's help… maybe?

Haruka Nanami: Right… Oh, er—

Mikaze-senpai isn’t really fond of food to begin with, so it wasn't the best suggestion.

Haruka Nanami: It really is too sudden to start now. We’d have to leave the set for it too… Should I get some flowers?

We end up discussing what kind of bouquet to get for Mikaze-senpai.

⁂

Reiji Kotobuki: Alright, I’ll leave the shopping to you! Get on your way and be careful!

“Here are your war funds!” He hands me a coin purse with a salute.

Haruka Nanami: Oh—Okay! I’ll be on my way!

I hurriedly return his salute.

Since the consultation is over, I run to the nearest main road to go shopping.

Let’s buy the things Kotobuki-senpai asked for, as well as some party poppers and all the party goods I can think of!

Haruka Nanami: This much should be fine… Ah, that’s right!

Noticing a general store, I head inside.

I should also give Senpai a present for his birthday.

For this one, I pull out my own purse and look around the store.

What should I get…

Select the phrase!

ピヨちゃんの時計 Piyo-chan clock (+0)

I reach for the Piyo-chan alarm clock.

The alarm sound coming from the yellow device imitates Piyo-chan.

Haruka Nanami: Hmm… I think that’s a little too cute.

Shinomiya-san, who loves Piyo-chan, would have liked this. However, I can’t even imagine Mikaze-senpai waking up to this.

I look around the shop. There has to be something else.

⁂

海の写真集 Ocean photo book (+20)

I grab an ocean themed photo book.

One photo shows a sea’s coral reef in its rich colors.

Haruka Nanami: It’s beautiful, but I want to find something that’ll be easier to carry around.

I look around the shop.

⁂

マフラー Scarf (+15)

I grab a white scarf.

Haruka Nanami: That’s right, Senpai gave me a scarf for christmas.

However, it’ll be spring soon. So giving him a scarf now would be…

Hoping to find something better, I look around some more.

⁂

I come to a stop at the accessory corner.

My eyes land on a bangle and I reach out for it.

The silver bangle in my hand is slim with a simple design. It's inlaid with what appear to be natural blue stones.

There’s a small sign next to it.

“An accessory, adorned with the birthstone for march: aquamarine. Aquamarine is also called ‘mermaid tears’.”

I haven't seen Senpai wear accessories in private before but…

Haruka Nanami: This would suit him.

Deciding to wrap it myself, I go to the wrapping corner to prepare his present.

After buying everything I need, I prepare to head back to the filming location when I suddenly notice a familiar face walking towards me.

His white coat stands out on the city streets.

Haruka Nanami: Professor… Why are you here…?

Professor: Just by chance. No need to be so wary.

Before me stands the professor.

This is my first time seeing him since the day Mikaze-senpai collapsed.

Could he be staying near Mikaze-senpai because he’s worried about him?

Haruka Nanami: Uhm… how is Aine-san?

Professor: He's still asleep. Even after all that, his condition hasn't changed and he's still stable.

Although their connection was cut, Aine-san continued to sleep.

“Is this for the best?” That thought slips my mind.

Professor: Hey now, don’t give me the long face. We can be happy about this outcome.

Haruka Nanami: Huh…?

Professor: Ai told me that we don’t have to force Aine to wake up. He should have the strength to wake up by himself.

He said: “What else can we do but believe in his strength?”—Can’t believe Ai was the one to tell me something like that.

Haruka Nanami: …Mikaze-senpai told me that he met Aine-san.

“Seems like it.” The professor says with a nod.

Professor: For humans, there are times when they want to run away and times when they want to rest.

I became so desperate in my deed to save Aine, I never thought about everyone else’s feelings.

I hurt Aine, Ai, and also you. For that, I’m sorry.

Everyone’s feelings…

Haruka Nanami: But… I believe that having someone who is waiting for you must be a truly wonderful thing.

You wanted to help wake Aine-san, and I don’t think that those feelings were futile.

So please, just wait for him.

He nods silently.

Professor: About Ai, to be honest there is still nothing we can do. I can’t access his system.

Haruka Nanami: Oh… I see…

I clasp my hands together tightly.

Professor: However, I’ll keep trying until the very end. I’ll give it my all to save even a fragment of his memory! Hopefully, I can do that at least.

Haruka Nanami: …Please. I'm counting on you.

Professor: I also plan to let Aine hear your song for the Song Festival.

Haruka Nanami: Of course… Mikaze-senpai and Aine-san seem to have made a promise with each other.

That’s what I tell him.

Shortly after, the professor leaves to continue his business. 

Haruka Nanami: … Until the very end…

One day, that moment will come. Is there something I can do until then?

I check the time.

Haruka Nanami: Oh, it’s already this late!

I have to go back now or the filming will be over.

Haruka Nanami: Time sure passes quickly.

I start running back to the set.

Once the filming ends, Mikaze-senpai prepares to leave after thanking everyone. That’s when Kotobuki-senpai calls out to him in an attempt to hold him up.

Reiji Kotobuki: Whoa there, wait a minute—! Stay! Hey, stay! And now, everyone assemble!

He firmly grabs Mikaze-senpai by the collar.

Ai Mikaze: Wha—what? Stop it, Reiji… Idiot, you're ruining my clothes!

Dragging him back on set, Kotobuki-senpai promptly gathers the staff members and actors together.

Reiji Kotobuki: Are you ready~? Well, well everyone, now together! Ready—go! Congratulations, Ai-Ai!!

At once, everyone cracks their party poppers as congratulatory words surround him from all sides.

Natsuki Shinomiya: Congratulations!

Syo Kurusu: Congratulations, Ai!

Shinomiya-san and Syo-kun who arrive later also crack open their poppers with great enthusiasm.

Ai Mikaze: Huh? Right, thank you. But what are we celebrating?

Mikaze-senpai looks at us with puzzled eyes.

Reiji Kotobuki: Oh, stahp it~! Today’s Ai-Ai’s birthday, no? Yet another year closer to adulthood. Whooo—! A merry occasion!!

Ai Mikaze: Uh… birthday…? A birthday celebration for me…?

Still being somewhat unsure, Mikaze-senpai looks at everyone around him.

Syo Kurusu: Don’t tell me… Is this your first time celebrating your birthday?

Mikaze-senpai replies with a nod.

Whaaat?!—everyone exclaims in shock.

Ai Mikaze: I do have the knowledge about celebrating these but… I see… so my day of birth can be celebrated as well.

Senpai murmurs.

A Bavarian cake is placed on the table.

I bought it thinking that he might like something with some jelly on it.

Reiji Kotobuki: ‘Kay, now—without toppling the candles over, blow them out like whoo, whooo!

Ai Mikaze: “Whoo”? Uhm, how do I do it? Should I just blow them off by expelling the air through my lips?

Mimicking Kotobuki-senpai’s lip shape, I’ve rarely seen Mikaze-senpai this flustered.

Haruka Nanami: You got it! And now, you put out the flame on all the candles!

Everyone watches Mikaze-senpai.

Ai Mikaze: Err, this is somehow really embarrassing… Uhm… whoo—?

Hesitantly, Mikaze-senpai puts out the candles on top of the cake.

Afterwards, we take a commemorative picture and hand him a message card with a small flower bouquet.

As a side show, we have Kotobuki-senpai parodying Mikaze-senpai, and for some reason he then asks Shinomiya-san and Syo-kun to do a comedy sketch together.

The party continues for a little while longer.

Standing in the center surrounded by everyone, Mikaze-senpai still seems a little confused, but a side of him also looks happy…

Hopefully, this will become a good memory for him.

I can’t help feeling a little saddened by these thoughts, however I try not to let it show.

Haruka Nanami: Senpai, is everything alright? You look troubled…

Ai Mikaze: It’s because of the parody that Reiji did of me. Am I… really always like that?

Haruka Nanami: Uhm, well…

We’re on our way home from the birthday party.

The parody that Kotobuki-senpai did of Senpai was indeed accurate down to his usual  expressions, but it was a bit too exaggerated.

Ai Mikaze: And moreover, I couldn't laugh at Natsuki and Syo's comedy skit where neither one would make remarks at the other's absurd actions. More or less, it seemed like their act was about poking fun at Mikaze-senpai's skill in not reacting to people's silly behavior, but making a good comedy skit without any witty remarks is tough to pull off.

Haruka Nanami: You’re as strict as always, Senpai.

Ai Mikaze: Hehe, but it was fun! I was surprised when everyone suddenly congratulated me, but it made me happy.

Haruka Nanami: Thank goodness…

As I mumble, Mikaze-senpai looks at me briefly and smiles.

Haruka Nanami: Ah! That’s right! Senpai, I have a present for you!

We went to a nearby park and sat down on a bench.

I hand him a paper bag which he opens clumsily.

Ai Mikaze: This is… an accessory? A blue stone. It must be aquamarine, right?

He holds the bangle up against the park’s streetlight.

Haruka Nanami: That's right. Aquamarine is the birthstone for March, and they’re also called “mermaid tears.”

Ai Mikaze: Heh… Doesn’t it fit me perfectly then? However, I don’t know how to put this on. Can you put it on for me? Please?

He holds his hand and the bangle out to me.

Haruka Nanami: Sure!

I put the bangle on his wrist.

The aquamarine stone and the silver of the bangle have a sparkling shine.

Ai Mikaze: Oh, it fits my wrist perfectly! It’s pretty… Thank you, I will take good care of it.

He holds the bangle up in the park’s streetlight yet again and narrows his eyes.

I’m glad he likes it. But at the same time, an indescribable sadness overcomes me.

Just when the two of us are finally alone, why do these thoughts keep coming to mind?

Ai Mikaze: Listen… I don’t want you to feel sad for me.

As if he had noticed my feelings, Senpai turns to face me.

Ai Mikaze: A lot has happened, but now I have people who celebrate my birthday and that makes me really happy.

Besides, seeing your sad expression is also painful for me. I know it’s not easy but… can you try smiling for me?

Haruka Nanami: Smiling…

Senpai smiles gently.

Ai Mikaze: Truthfully, leaving you also hurts me, but I will do it in such a way that you won’t feel sad. Because you see, I want you to remember my smile.

He gently holds his pinky out.

Ai Mikaze: A pinky promise. That’s what you do when you make a promise, right?

I nod. Then I entwined his slim pinky with my small pinky.

Ai Mikaze: Cross my heart I will not lie, or else I'll eat a needle pie. Pinky promise.

He chants the rhyme as if singing the words. The moment we let go of our pinkies, the bangle around his wrist jingles.

Ai Mikaze: Now it’s a promise! ...Hey, will you smile for me? I want to see your smiling face over and over again.

Haruka Nanami: Over and over, you say?

To my question, he only points to his head making a tapping gesture.

Ai Mikaze: Yes. I want to fill my remaining memory with your smiles.

I smile at him and then he softly pats my head.

From then on, neither of us brought up the topic of our eventual parting. Instead, we focused on the Song Festival and worked on our song together.

Today is finally the last day of filming.

With the ocean in the background, the mermaid prince wishes for the heroine’s happiness and offers her a song. This is the scene where he turns into foam and disappears.

Their first encounter was also at this ocean.

The now grown-up heroine has lost her eyesight due to an accident. She can no longer see the prince, who has lost his voice.

She’s talking about the most beautiful times of her life.

Like the fateful encounter she had at this beach. That day, the heroine’s and mermaid prince’s hearts connected in song.

Halfway through her story, it becomes a monologue.

“I want to hear the song from that time,” she says. Wanting to make her happy, he starts singing with all his heart.

As soon as he uses his voice, he’s fated to disappear into foam. In spite of that, he continues to sing.

Kotobuki-senpai came to watch Mikaze-senpai’s acting.

Reiji Kotobuki: Man, he’s changed… Amazing. He’s like a totally different person.

Kotobuki-senpai mutters to himself.

Haruka Nanami: You're right. But now it's all coming to an end…

Kotobuki-senpai nods in agreement.

Reiji Kotobuki: You know, when you mentioned Aine that one time I was really shocked. What if Kouhai-chan met him somewhere? That thought crossed my mind.

Haruka Nanami: Huh…?

Reiji Kotobuki: I want to believe that he’s still alive somewhere. And for whatever reason, he hasn't come back. It’s better to think that way… It puts my mind at ease.

Haruka Nanami: …Do you have regrets?

Reiji Kotobuki: I do. If there’s one thing that I regret, then it’d be the fact that I couldn’t have a proper conversation with him before he left. After all, he vanished so suddenly.

With that said, Kotobuki-senpai turns back to Mikaze-senpai.

Reiji Kotobuki: To be honest, a part of me started seeing resemblances between the two of them.

But Ai-Ai is strong. On the other hand, since he’s strong there are still things to worry about. I just don’t want what happened once to repeat itself all over again.

He should be more like me and learn to loosen up. There are way too many dangerous guys out there.

“A whole army of them,” he adds and laughs bitterly.

Reiji Kotobuki: Hey, Kouhai-chan. No matter what, be willing to listen to him, okay?

Haruka Nanami: …

Reiji Kotobuki: If something happens, he probably won’t come and tell me. I don’t believe I’d have the confidence to face him then either.

I’m not in a position to say this, but if it’s Kouhai-chan then you’ll be fine.

If by some chance he tells you that he’s going somewhere, can you see him off properly? Since I was never able to do so.

Haruka Nanami: Kotobuki-senpai…

Reiji Kotobuki: Ahaha. Sorry for the weird conversation. A new chapter starts for Ai-Ai today. We’ll finish filming soon.

My~ The filming took a long time, but it was fun!

Kotobuki-senpai laughs and the last scene ends.

Director: Cut!! …Good, OK!!

Upon hearing the director’s last words, applause erupts all around.

Ai Mikaze: Everyone… Thank you very much for everything!!

The applause gets significantly louder as he bows.

All the co-actors gather around Mikaze-senpai.

Natsuki Shinomiya: Good job, Ai-chan! You were wonderful!

Syo Kurusu: Somehow I… I was really touched.

His eyes are red-rimmed from crying, and he quickly wipes them with his sleeve.

Reiji Kotobuki: Good job on your first main role—! My, isn’t this already the face of a real actor? Is there hope for your next work?

Ai Mikaze: That’s too hasty! Really now… But… thank you.

Mikaze-senpai smiles as he takes a bouquet from Kotobuki-senpai.

Ai Mikaze: I really mean it… thank you for everything!

He faces the co-actors and staff members before bowing deeply.

The filming was finished, and by the time everything had been packed up the day was already coming to an end.

The Ferris wheel gondolas were lightly rising into the evening sky.

That’s where I discovered Mikaze-senpai’s secret last year.

We both look up at the Ferris wheel.

Ai Mikaze: Let’s take a ride on it before going home. I want to see the scenery from up there once again. Only if you’re not scared, of course.

Haruka Nanami: It’s not scary anymore! After all, I have you by my side.

We both laugh.

Ai Mikaze: Well, it’s not as cold as it was last year, and even if it does stop, I’ll stay by your side again all night.

Haruka Nanami: Huh?! T-that’s…

He flashes a mischievous smile, standing in front of the Ferris wheel.

Ai Mikaze: Come on, shall we? We have more than enough time today.

He takes my hand and runs ahead.

We take off on the Ferris wheel and it feels as if we’re floating to the stars.

This time we’re sitting next to each other. He’s still holding my hand, and it feels warm and pleasant.

We can see the light displays shining on the shore across the water. 

Ai Mikaze: I wonder what happened afterwards.

Senpai mutters to himself while looking at the lights.

Haruka Nanami: …After what?

Ai Mikaze: I’m talking about the movie.  I wonder what the heroine did after the mermaid prince disappeared?

They didn’t continue the story after that. However, I think the heroine continued to live alone after the prince’s disappearance…

They don’t reveal what happens after the prince disappears and leave it up to the viewer’s imagination.

SELECT THE PHRASE!

わかりま��ん I don’t know (+0)

Haruka Nanami: I don’t know…

But… I think the emotions she felt in those happy moments will stay in her heart forever.

⁂

思い出と共に生きていくShe keeps on living with their memories (+20)

Haruka Nanami: I’m sure that he was able to reach her through his song and his prayer for her happiness.

Over time, her memory will fade. Of his face, his voice… She might even forget him one day.

Only the feelings from those fleeting moments of happiness might remain in her heart forever.

⁂

悲しんだと思うI think she suffers (+10)

Haruka Nanami: I think she’ll suffer deeply. Just when she realized that he’s the one from that day, he disappears.

Senpai just mutters a silent “I see.”

⁂

Ai Mikaze: I wonder what will happen in our case.

The gondola steadily rises higher and higher.

The noise of the city fades away and silence takes over.

It’s so quiet that we could hear our breaths. In this silence, I'm drawn to the shared warmth of our linked hands. 

Ai Mikaze: Listen… Haruka.

He tightens his grip on my hand slightly so I look over to him—

—and meet his eyes which are fixed on me.

Ai Mikaze: I've finally come to understand the feeling of liking—of loving someone.

It’s not just happiness when you’re together. Sometimes it’s tough, painful and suffocating but…

Just the thought of them alone warms your heart. That’s how powerful it is. It makes me a little proud of myself.

I love you, Haruka.

I finally got to understand this emotion—my treasure. 

Senpai laughs happily.

Seeing his smile, my next words spill out naturally.

Haruka Nanami: I’m also in love with you, Mikaze-senpai! These feelings are also my treasure.

Ai Mikaze: …Thank you.

Senpai hugs me tightly.

Ai Mikaze: Robots don’t know love. So this is love. It took me a long time to realize that I’m in love.

No matter what happens from now on, the fact that I got to know such a wonderful feeling makes me so happy!

“I’m also really happy.”

Instead of answering with those words, I hug him tighter in response.

Communicating heart to heart—this moment is the happiest in the world. I want to feel it with my whole body.

Ai Mikaze: Can I… ask for something?

He whispers as we’re hugging in the lightly swaying gondola.

Haruka Nanami: …What is it?

Ai Mikaze: I might want… to kiss you. Can I?

SELECT THE PHRASE!

はい Yes (+30)

It’s very embarrassing, but if it’s with Mikaze-senpai then…

Haruka Nanami: Yes…

I answer relieved, casting my eyes down…

Ai Mikaze: Oh… I’m glad. Somehow I’m really happy. It makes my heart beat so fast.

⁂

きっ、キスですか？K-kiss? (+15)

Ai Mikaze: I mean, the one we shared previously in your kitchen was an accident… It doesn’t count as a real kiss, so…

Bashfulness is mixed in with his words.

Haruka Nanami: T-that’s right… So you remember.

Ai Mikaze: There’s no way I’d forget! I have an excellent memory after all. So, please…?

I nod without a word.

⁂

今ですか！？Now?! (+0)

I look up in surprise and see Senpai with a little pout on his face.

Ai Mikaze: But we even expressed our feelings with each other… So can’t we…?

He tilts his head. Without saying a word, I nod in agreement.

⁂

Ai Mikaze: To be honest, I don’t know what to do but you don’t have to be nervous.

I can see Mikaze-senpai’s long eyelashes and his clear eyes right in front of me.

Ai Mikaze: Uhm, and also… can you close your eyes?

Haruka Nanami: Ah—okay!

I close my eyes tightly and can feel Senpai’s body heat.

The tip of his nose touches mine.

At that moment, it feels like time has stopped.

Haruka Nanami: …?

When I don't feel our lips touching at all, I slightly open my eyes again.

Ai Mikaze: You see, our noses… they bump into each other. What should I do?

Senpai is completely at a loss.

Haruka Nanami: Huh? I think you might have to try tilting your head a little?

Ai Mikaze: Tilting… Uhm, like this? Oh, I see.

He nods several times perhaps in satisfaction.

Ai Mikaze: Sorry, let's try that again! I’ll do it right this time, so… close your eyes?

The fingers on our clasped hands intertwine and squeeze tightly. 

Ai Mikaze: …Nh…

His lips gently touch mine.

Ai Mikaze: Hehe, it’s warm… nh…

As if to confirm the warmth, our lips part for an instant but then meet again.

It should be embarrassing, yet it makes me so happy, filling my whole heart.

After we part, Senpai exhales.

Ai Mikaze: Hah… I see… This… was quite nice actually…

Haruka Nanami: S-senpai!!

He chuckles and curls my hair around his finger.

Ai Mikaze: I mean, that’s how I honestly felt. Being connected with you like that… Hey… Haruka. Let’s do it again.

Haruka Nanami: Mm… mhh…

Since we aren’t kissing anymore, I feel so embarrassed that I cannot face him.

Ai Mikaze: No? Did you already get tired of it?

I reply by shaking my head to which Senpai smiles.

Ai Mikaze: Thank you. I’m glad that I fell in love with you… I love you. Nh…

It’s a chilly night on a spring day.

Inside the gondola as it slowly descends to the ground, we share a kiss and bask in each other’s warmth.

In the days leading up to the Song Festival, whenever we had free time we went out together.

We would go to the cinema or go shopping in the mall…

…taking a walk and watching the flowers bloom along the road…

Such a trivial, daily life was pure happiness for me.

Even the time in which we worked on our song was important to us, and we were close to finishing it. 

Today, Senpai called me into the studio.

For some reason, he asked me to prepare for a recording.

Once everything is ready, I call out to Senpai who is in the booth.

Haruka Nanami: Everything is set, Senpai. Can we record?

Senpai agrees with a nod. When the music is about to start, he…

Ai Mikaze: Hello, I’m Ai Mikaze.

Senpai steps up to the microphone.

Ai Mikaze: Today, I’d like to sing a song that my precious person made for me. Please listen to it.

Music Game S

Ai Mikaze: Thank goodness. I was finally able to sing it…

Once he finished singing, he mumbles to the microphone and then raises his head to look at me with a big smile.

He comes out of the booth.

Haruka Nanami: Senpai! That was so good!

As I run up to him, he embraces me and spins me around.

Ai Mikaze: Did the recording go well? I’ll give this song to you. It’s a special version just for you.

Haruka Nanami: Thank you!

Just like that, we completed our song for the Song Festival.

It’s the day of the Song Festival.

Rehearsal has finished, so we’re doing some final checks in the dressing room.

Haruka Nanami: …Hm? Come in!

Syo Kurusu: Yahoo—! We came to cheer you on!

I open the door and suddenly find Syo-kun and Shinomiya-san before me.

Haruka Nanami: Ooh, it’s you two! Thank you for coming!

Shinomiya-san takes my hand and swings it up and down.

Natsuki Shinomiya: Good morning! We watched the rehearsal! Both the song and the vocals were wonderful!

Syo Kurusu: Right! With that song, victory is certain!

Ai Mikaze: No, there’s still some room for improvement! I’ll give 100% on the real take.

I want to carefully express a sense of translucence​ and heartrending. I should be able to convey a variety of emotions.

Syo Kurusu: Ai… you…

After Mikaze-senpai found out about his time limit, he thought about it for a while and decided to tell those two right before the Song Festival.

“Since the two of them would be shocked if I were to suddenly disappear.”

That’s the thought he shared with me.

They were completely shocked, but once they calmed down they continued treating him like always.

Syo Kurusu: I get it… Ai, you’re already a real human.

Ai Mikaze: I can never become fully human. But that’s fine because I’m me. I’m Ai Mikaze.

Natsuki Shinomiya: Yes, that’s right! Ai-chan is Ai-chan and our dear senpai!!

Ai Mikaze: Geez, are you sure you got it?

“Of course~” Shinomiya-san replies with a smile.

Syo Kurusu: You seem to be in good physical condition, so that’s a relief. We’ll be cheering you on from the audience, so give it your best! ‘Kay?

Ai Mikaze: As my juniors, you don’t have to tell me that. I’ll do my best, so it’ll be fine.

Natsuki Shinomiya: Hehe, Ai-chan’s so cute when he‘s flustered. For Ai-chan’s victory, I’ll also support you. Like this~ huuug!!

Shinomiya-san hugs Mikaze-senpai tightly.

Ai Mikaze: Wait…! Natsuki! This isn’t really supporting anything!

Mikaze-senpai utters his complaint but stays in Shinomiya-san’s embrace.

I’m glad that these two came for a number of reasons.

Mikaze-senpai throws me an offended look.

Ai Mikaze: Geez, what are you grinning about? Look, the show is about to start. Syo, do something!

Mikaze-senpai points at Shinomiya-san who’s still hugging him.

Syo Kurusu: Roger! Hey, come on Natsuki, let’s go!!

Syo-kun tugs on Shinomiya-san’s arm.

Natsuki Shinomiya: Okay… See you, Ai-chan…

Shinomiya-san reluctantly lets go of Mikaze-senpai.

Natsuki Shinomiya: I pray for Ai-chan’s feelings to reach everyone in the audience.

Ai Mikaze: Yes… Thank you.

Syo Kurusu: Well then, see ya at the award ceremony! And you take care too!!

Natsuki Shinomiya: Bye-bye, Ai-chan. See you later.

They leave smiling with big, waving hand gestures.The door to the dressing room closes silently.

Soon afterwards, the curtains open signaling the start of the Song Festival.

Chapter End

[sshinju9116]

Today I have kouhai with senpai!✨️

Now I have my doll instragram, so you can see more pictures there.

https://www.instagram.com/sshinju_doll

[sharuruwrites]

Ambivalence pt. I

Summary:

“He totally stood you up, Ito-chan!” The girl with a braid slammed her hands on the table, rattling the glass of strawberry milkshake. “Also, he's trash!”

“Stood me up?” Shion shrugged. “I think you got the wrong idea. I’m only seeing him as a friend.”

“Don’t be stupid! Don’t defend him! Don’t ever cover for him!” The anger in the latter’s navy blue eyes matched the frown curled on her lips. “He should have given you a heads up earlier! Even a friend wouldn’t do this to you!”

Masterlist

A/n: I'll post up the previous chapter somewhere this week before things get hectic.

Timeline: Gojo - 16 (first two scenes), 17 (last two scenes) Shion - 15 (First two scenes), 16 (last two scenes)

TW: Self-loathing, Unintentional self-harm, Nightmares,

Tags: Spoilers JJK season 2, Hidden Inventory arc spoilers, Angst

—-----

Hair? Not too messy, not too well-kept.

Make-up? Not too much, or too little.

Outfit? Not too simple, or too eye-catching.

After one quick look at the mirror for final touches, Shion left her room with a small spring added to her step. One would assume that she is a young maiden in love, on her way to meet the person who held her affections.

Yet that wasn’t the case.

Today was the day Gojo Satoru, her self-proclaimed “favorite senpai”, would treat her to lunch. After the whole soy sauce fiasco a few weeks ago, the upperclassman searched far and wide for a way to apologize for his mean-spirited prank. Shion was skeptical about Gojo’s offer. She changed her mind seconds later when she saw the mouth-watering pastries from Gojo’s text.

As she exited her dorm, a familiar cheery voice called out her name. Dressed in casual clothes, Haibara greeted Shion with a bright smile. Honestly, if he and Gojo were in the same room, the energy they gave off was enough to power a whole village–except Haibara’s energy would always be wholesome, while the latter’s energy was usually fueled by menace.

"Aren’t you taking your sister to Universal Studios today, Haibara-kun?”

 “That was…supposed to be the plan, but I accidentally slept in because of how tiring our assignment was last night.” Haibara rubbed the nape of his neck, already resigned to his sister’s future scoldings. “What about you? You look very nice today, Shion.” 

Shion glaring at her classmate before folding her arms, struggling to contain the embarrassment flaring up inside her. “I’m going out.” 

"Neat!" Haibara grinned before giving a pat on her shoulder. "With one of our senpais?”

“I guess… you could say that.”

"Are you going on a da-"

"Look at the time," Shion glanced at her imaginary watch. "I don't want to be late for the train."

And, that’s how she ended up waiting half an hour at the cafe with no call or text from Gojo. She would like to think she’s a very patient person, considering the annoyances (Gojo Satoru and Geto Suguru) she had to deal with on a daily basis. But this was really testing her patience.

She was already on her third plate of chocolate crepe, and second cup of coffee when her phone beeped three times.

From: Your favorite strongest senpai (⌐■ - ■) ノ

（ｉДｉ） Sorry kouhai-chan! (T - T) Yaga-sensei forced me to go on a mission today! I’ll spoil you rotten to make up for it! (ღゝ◡╹ )ノ♡

“He totally stood you up, Ito-chan!” The girl with a braid slammed her hands on the table, rattling the glass of strawberry milkshake. “Also, he's trash!”

“Stood me up?” Shion shrugged. “I think you got the wrong idea. I’m only seeing him as a friend.”

“Don’t be stupid! Don’t defend him! Don’t ever cover for him!” The anger in the latter’s navy blue eyes matched the frown curled on her lips. “He should have given you a heads up earlier! Even a friend wouldn’t do this to you!”

Now, one might wonder who and how Shion met this spunky girl in front of her. She vaguely remembered that she planned to leave her table, and order pastries for her classmates. Out of nowhere, this girl approached her with an enthusiastic greeting– a greeting akin to welcoming an old friend.

“Sorry, but, may I ask who you are again?” Shion admitted. “I don’t remember names very well upon first meeting.”

“Riko!” The girl beamed, patting herself on the chest. “You can also call me onee-san!”

Big sister? That’s not right. Shion couldn't possibly be younger than her. Judging by Riko’s height and appearance, Riko would most likely be a middle school student. As much as she wanted to correct Riko, she threw the idea out of the window. Who was she to douse the girl's newfound determination? Especially when she felt such sincerity coming from her offer?

Shion nodded reluctantly. "Alright, Riko-neesan."

Riko pinched Shion’s cheeks. The eyepatched girl groaned in pain at the same time that Riko squealed with excitement.

Riko let go of her friend’s cheeks before cupping her own in delight, “I knew it was a good idea to come here.”

“Why?” Shion asked, rubbing her cheeks to numb the pain.

“You’re like a cat abandoned in a cardboard box on a rainy day.” Riko mimed a square shape. “I can’t turn a blind eye to it, knowing I can help the poor kitty.”

Shion blinked a couple of times at Riko. Was that supposed to be a compliment or an insult? Did she look that pathetic and disappointed outside of the cafe?

“Enough about me!” Riko flipped her braided hair to her back. “What about you? Since you consider this no show a ‘friend’, does that mean you have a boyfriend?”

“No.”

“Is anyone trying to date you?”

“Not really.”

“A crush then?”

“Crush?” Shion pinched her brows together. “I saw my teacher crush a watermelon between her thighs once.”

And it had caught the attention of many beach goers, who begged Tsukumo to do it again. Tsukumo refused, warning them that the next demonstration would be with their heads instead–which, in a strange way, only seemed to encourage them further. Although Tsukumo ignored the interested spectators, Shion had a feeling that the attention boosted her teacher’s ego.

Shion startled at Riko's loud laughter, causing some patrons to cast glances at their table.

“Not that kind of crush! I meant a crush as in someone you admired for a while.”

Admired? There was no doubt that she admired Geto Suguru. Aside from his playfulness, which paired well with his best friend’s, Geto was a considerate and handsome gentleman. Their teachers, Watanabe and Yaga, described him as a model student and a model sorcerer. Should she start acting like Geto then? So that way she could get her own recommendation earlier than expected?

Except there was this weird phenomenon she felt around him–nervousness always swelled up inside her when Geto was nearby, and her tongue became all tied up after just a single glance from him. 

Amidst all this thinking, another person popped into her mind. — Gojo Satoru.

The thought confounded her.

He was attractive, although to preserve what's left of her quiet life, she wouldn’t admit it till the end of time. But his handsomeness wasn’t something she admired him for. There must be something in Gojo that caused her brain to see him as her ‘crush’.

Yet she still held that Six-Eyes user in a respectable regard whether it be as an individual or as a sorcerer.

The novels she read gave an idea of what kind of character Gojo would be. The loud ones were the ones who were lonely. They yearned for someone to understand them as they’re too different from anyone else. In his case, that person was Geto. She wouldn’t be surprised if those two ended up together in the end, considering they’re already close, matching each other’s personalities, bickering and acting like a married couple. 

As for her? 

Shion and Gojo walked the same path of solitude but with different starting points, and different end goals. Gojo Satoru was ‘blessed’ into a world he matters, ‘cursing’ people and spirits who dared to oppose him. Meanwhile, Ito Shion was ‘cursed’ into a world with no memories, 'blessing' her free from the threads of her unknown past.

Admiration wasn’t the word she’s looking for. Envious, perhaps.

Then again, those were her measly assumptions. Who was she to make judgment on a guy she met only a few months ago? It’s pathetic that she’s comparing herself–a literal nobody–to someone who had everything.

The eyepatched girl nodded, making Riko squeal in delight. “And, what do you like about this guy? Is he cute? Handsome? Pretty?”

“He’s annoying. Not to mention, he constantly bugs me as if it’s his favorite pastime.” Shion rubbed her temple. “Yet he’s someone I know I can rely on when the need arises.”

The starry-eyed girl’s expression turned sour, like she'd bitten off a good chunk of the sourest lemon and swallowed it down in one go.

“I think he likes you back, Shion.” Riko said, shaking her head. “What he’s doing is acting like a typical snotty nosed brat in elementary school who doesn’t know anything other than how to be mean to their crush.”

“How did you know?” Shion tilted her head to the side. “It happened to you?”

“With this face? How could it not?” Riko gestured to her face. “I have experienced it lots! It’s cute when it’s obvious and all, but you know how boys can be, testing your damn patience until you throw a punch.” 

Underneath the table, Shion’s hands formed a fist. Gojo Satoru, the strongest sorcerer, admired her? That seemed hard to believe when there’s nothing admirable about her to begin with. Did he know something about her that she didn’t? 

If Gojo Satoru had a connection or a piece of her past, he could either become the stepping stone for her answers or an obstruction to getting them.

She hoped it wouldn't be the latter. ‘Complicated’ was the best word to describe what would happen if she had to put Gojo’s neck on the chopping block. She would hate to clean up the mess that would inevitably come after.

“Enough about crushes,” Riko stood up from her seat,and pumped her fists. “It’s time to hit the arcades and play hard!”

After paying for their meal, Riko dragged Shion to a nearby shopping district. The streets were filled with people in various stages of life. Some were shopping with friends or family, discussing the different outfits and accessories displayed nicely on the plain mannequins. Children admired the coolest or the cutest toys, while begging their parents to buy them. Others were waiting in line for their turn in different food stalls, eager to get their hands on their orders. 

However, Riko and Shion had to take a quick detour at a nearby boutique. Upon entering the shop, Riko beelined towards the display rack full of various accessories. Whoever was in charge of stocking the merchandise didn’t do a good job. Shion itched to organize the products to her own liking. Bright and bold patterns placed next to the calm and simple pieces were quite the eyesore for her.

“Can you try and find a headband that will suit me?” Riko asked while browsing through the display. “It got ruined the last time I did laundry…which was also my first time.” 

“How about this one?”

Shion picked up a white cotton fabric. She slid it underneath Riko’s hair before tucking it in properly to secure her hair in place.

“What do you think?”

“I see perfection, that’s what!” Riko beamed. “I’ll buy--wait, where are you going, Shion?” 

Shion froze on the spot, and slowly turned her head to Riko while her hand was occupied with her wallet. 

Shit.

“L-let me pay for it, Riko-neesan!” Shion waved her free hand frantically as Riko’s eyes targeted her wallet. At this moment, she wished she was much taller than Riko. But she wasn’t, and so couldn’t keep her wallet out of reach. Once Riko saw her student ID, Shion had no idea what would come next. Chaos and disorder ensured.

“Oh no you don’t!” Riko grabbed onto Shion’s wallet, attempting to pull it away from her. “I’m not going to let you pay for it!”

In the midst of the struggle, Shion restrained herself from using her full strength, scared that she might hurt Riko in the process. Reluctantly, she loosened the grip and watched Riko’s smug expression turn into something different. Riko’s eyes widened and her attention went back and forth between her new friend, and the plastic white card that clearly listed Shion’s birthday.

“Y-You’re older than me!?” she said, horrified at the shocking revelation.”How come you didn’t tell me?!”

“Well,” Shion put her wallet away into her bag after whisking it away from Riko’s hands. “You told me to call you onee-san earlier and-” 

“You tricked me like a clown!”

Shion scratched her cheek with her finger before she clasped her hands together. “Then…could you tell me how I can exactly make up for it?”

As if she flipped a switch, Riko’s expression lightened up. “Well, since you asked so nicely, I’ll forgive you this time…Only if you defeat me in Mario Kart! I’m warning you that I’m best at it! Never lost once!” 

Unfortunately for Riko, Tsukumo’s intense training had instilled a competitive spirit in Shion. The eyepatched girl dominated all three cups in 150 CC–crushing Riko’s soul while at the same time earning her forgiveness and respect. Riko’s dramatic loss attracted a group of boys who challenged Shion in exchange for their hard earned tickets. One by one, they dropped like flies after every track as Shion won first place in all of the races. 

Amongst the defeated wails of high school and middle school boys, Shion and Riko pursue other endeavors in the arcade. They sang their hearts out (mostly Riko) in karaoke, danced like nobody’s business in DDR, and took lots of pictures in the photo booth. Riko used the tablet inside to decorate each picture with artistic doodles before printing them. Yet, they had to part ways under the dusky orange sky, which also happened to be the busiest time of the day for train passengers. Whether it be entering the carriage, or waiting for their train to arrive, they all had a goal in mind -- to go home.

“Thanks to your winnings, I managed to get everything I want before I go!” Riko lifted her paper bags full of prizes and plushies in glee.

“Before you go?” Shion questioned.

“Oh, um…” Riko dropped her shoulders in defeat before sighing and facing Shion with downcast eyes. “I’m…actually moving away from…Tokyo, to somewhere far from my friends. I don’t want to, but what choice do I have, when everyone says that it’s the best choice for me?”

Shion was stumped by Riko's line of questions. Yet what Riko felt–anxiety and fear of uncertainty–was something that Shion unfortunately knew. Tsukumo had enrolled Shion in Jujutsu Tech without the girl’s knowledge. Shion had protested and stubbornly refused to admit that she was scared, because she had only known the world through Tsukumo’s guidance. After all, Tsukumo was there from the moment Shion woke from her coma.

Yet after hearing Tsukumo's words, Shion became reluctantly open to the idea of attending, and that reluctance eventually turned into gratitude for her teacher's push.

Despite the constant ugliness of the cursed world, Tsukumo Yuki pried open a door for her to experience and appreciate the smallest things in life.

“Sorry,” Riko scratched the back of her head while wearing a restrained smile. " I shouldn’t dump this onto someone I just befriend-”

"It's scary right?" Shion gently took Riko's free hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "My teacher told me it's alright to be scared and anxious when you’re doing something outside of your comfort zone. Tell them what you're feeling, and even if they don't get it, the heaviness in your chest will no longer be there, right?"

Shion watched Riko's eyes become glassy with unshed tears before letting out a shaky laugh and wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her cardigan. Not too long, she pulled Shion into a tight hug.

"Thank you," Riko said, her voice muffled by Shion's shirt. "I'm glad I got to know you, Shion."

Shion returned the hug awkwardly with pats on Riko's back. Man, she really needed to get used to affections such as this.

"Shion," Riko called. She pulled back and showed her smiling face with teary eyes. I know it's not fair to ask you this, but let's meet again, alright?"

Something twisted horribly in Shion's guts. A tinge of foreboding. The possibility of never meeting her again.

Shion took a deep breath before giving Riko a smile.

"Of course. Let’s meet again, Riko-chan.”

—---------------------------

“W-why?” she croaked. 

Shion never got an answer to this question. Instead, a sharp breath escaped from Shion’s lips as something pierced in her abdomen and twisted, eliciting a yelp that cut through the silent winter night. As the knife pulled out, a warm and metallic-smelling liquid spilled from the wound.

Her vision was getting blurry, her body grew heavier, and her hand became colder as the red pool beneath her grew bigger.

A sharp tip pressed against her neck, and the familiar bright emerald eyes above her had turned lifeless and filled with contained anger, ready to burst at any moment.

"To understand you, I need to have the same sorrow as you have… no… perhaps even worse than that." The voice was monotonous and cold. The sharp tip dug deeper into her neck. “Die for your sake, Shion.”

Shion gasped loudly, waking herself up in a panic. Her ragged breaths came fast as her hands gripped firmly around her neck. Gradually, her fingers tightened their grasp.

In these moments, she remembered her mentor’s calming presence.

‘Focus on my breathing, Shion.'

The heavy feeling in her chest eventually ebbed away as she continuously repeated the breathing exercise that her teacher taught her. Lips closed as she inhaled slowly through her nose, followed by a long exhale out of her mouth.

When she could no longer hear Tsukumo's voice echoing inside her head, she let go of her throat and sat up. With one last deep breath, she let out the rest of her stress. She wiped off the cold sweat off her forehead with her palms and looked around.

The digital clock on her bedside read 12:45 am. She was still wearing her uniform. Was she that tired from today's mission? No, no she wasn't so exhausted that she’d fallen asleep in her clothes. Typically, she would skip a meal in favor of more rest. Yet she remembered Watanabe scolding Haibara for nearly burning the kitchen down…so she must have had enough energy to stop by the kitchen earlier.

Pushing her thoughts aside, she made her way to the bathroom, hoping a quick splash of cold water would dispel the existing discomfort in her body.

Turning on the light, she saw her own appearance reflected in the mirror. Bed mess hair, dark crescents under her eyes, and the fresh bruises on her neck must be during the nightmare. It felt weird to see herself without the eyepatch. She wore it nearly 24/7 with the exception of going to sleep and taking a bath. She had no qualms when Tsukumo heavily suggested that she conceal her right eye, and Shion had assumed it was for her own sake.

Yet seeing it had no effect on her wellbeing, why did she have it in the first place?

As if responding to her own curiosity, Shion watched as the color of her eyes flickered between gold and blue until a sudden sharp pain tore through her skull. She clutched her head in response, steadying herself on the edge of the sink. The plain and simple bathroom was now covered with dark, crooked black lines. Red and blue vein-like lines spread across her entire body.

Once the pain subsided, Shion looked at the mirror once more. Her eye color went back to its normal shade of amber, and a bloody streak fell from her tear ducts, staining her cheeks. Shion clicked her tongue before splashing her face with cold water. She reached for the towel to dry her face and then opened the medicine cabinet to reach for her prescription.

With a pop, she opened the container and peeked in to find only a few sleeping pills left sitting at the bottom. She frowned at the sudden small amount. Not even three weeks had passed by, and she was already running low on her supply.

"Looks like I have to ask Watanabe-sensei for a refill again," Shion muttered, putting her sleeping pills back into the cabinet. Then she went back to sit down on the edge of her bed.

Before she had entered the student life, the nightmares were nothing but a common occurrence. Typically, she brushed them off with a nice cup of chamomile tea, lulling herself back to sleep. However, the dreams had integrated themselves into her life recently, with a frightening amount of ease. Her fatigue had gotten so bad that Watanabe personally intervened and prescribed her with medication to combat her sudden aversion to sleep.

It didn’t even help that the person in her dream changed occasionally. Most of the time, it was that person with green eyes, always staring at her with contempt. Once or twice she’d seen Geto’s purple eyes filled with yearning, or Nanami’s silent yet contemptuous gaze. It caught her off guard once when–in a dream– her eyes met Haibara’s and she saw the kind boy who never seemed to hold a grudge looking down at her with a disinterested expression.

Riko sometimes appeared, but her eyes were different; unlike the others. Her eyes were full of sorrow, as if she wanted more from her life than her fate as the Star Plasma vessel.

Upon seeing Gojo carrying Riko’s corpse, time stood still for so long that Shion believed it was frozen. Cursing Fate itself wouldn’t do anything to bring back her friend from death. In a twisted way, Fate had honored their promise to meet again. But instead of smiles and shared laughter, their reunion had ended with Riko’s lifeless body in the wooden casket, and Shion’s carefully crafted apathy during the funeral. She didn’t need the unnecessary attention from those who already harbored deep suspicions of her.

Yet because of her perceived ambivalence, rumors brewed amongst the attendees. 

‘Heartless child.’ ‘Traitor.’ The constant name calling nearly made her lose her shit. Shion was a nobody; as far as they knew, she had no connection to Riko. What kind of reaction were they hoping for? Should she wail on her knees for someone that everyone assumed she hadn’t known? Look remorseful for a crime that they suspected she had committed? Act belligerent by giving them all a false confession, bragging about how she had doomed them all with the vessel’s death, confirming that they were right to distrust her?

Those baseless accusations made Shion sick in disgust. Despite the warnings from her teachers telling her not to go, she went anyway, foolishly believing she could handle the suffocating animosity in the funeral. For an event to remember the dead, it felt like everyone except for the Tokyo faculty staff and her classmates were playing the blame game and all pointing at her. 

In spite of the fact that she was about to leave the funeral early and return to her room, Gojo Satoru whisked her away from the memorial to a nearby park. An unexpected diversion, but she welcomed it, and for once, she was grateful for his presence. 

Two cold bottles of Ramune shared between them while staring at the orange-kissed sky. No words exchanged, only silence with the occasional background noises. Children laughing as they were called home for dinner, the wind rustling through the trees.

What Gojo did was nice; he gave her a little slice of life, and tricked her into believing that Cursed Spirits, Sorcerers, and Techniques didn’t exist in the first place. 

She felt a few moments of peace, all thanks to that one guy who tormented her constantly, for no apparent reason. 

“I think he likes you back, Shion.” Riko said, shaking her head. “What he’s doing is acting like a typical snotty nosed brat in elementary school who doesn’t know anything other than how to be mean to their crush.”

A pointless thought. Whatever version Gojo painted of herself in his mind, he better scrap it and dump it in the trash. She would repeat this many times as she needed to, like a broken record. There’s nothing admirable about a nobody like her; nothing to desire, nothing to be envious of.

However, she hadn’t considered another possibility. What if Gojo was drawn to her for who she actually was? What if there was something about her for him to like? 

All this thinking made Shion tired, and her brain begged for her to close her eyes and sleep. Yet a single thought formed as her eyelids grew heavy. She slowly drifted off into slumber.

‘It’s…weird…but…nice… ’ 

—--------------------------------------

Life truly goes on regardless of who dies and who lives. No pause or stop button to press. But instead of stopping or even slowing, Shion felt her own life accelerating as one tragedy struck after another. The only thing she could do was to try and keep herself afloat against the raging rivers of time. 

But then something unexpected happened: Shion was assigned to a mission with Gojo for the first time. It made life for her bearable.

“You can fucking tease me all you want after this.” Shion harshly whispered, tightening her hold around his shoulders. “Just let me hold you, dammit. It’s unfair you were there for me when no one came for you.”

Ever since that day, Gojo slowly integrated himself further into her life, whenever he had the time. He was–and still is–the annoying menace she knew. He still pulled pranks that made her cuss him out, and there was plenty of childish banter between them. Yet from time to time, they basked together in each other’s company whether it be in silence or Gojo talking enough for the two of them, and Shion chiming in with occasional answers.

It was unexpected, but she didn’t mind the gradual change–and funnily enough–she looked forward to his presence more. A little bit of happiness appeared in her whenever he came by or smiled at her direction. 

He reminded her of an energetic puppy. Adorable.

Speaking of Gojo Satoru…for once, she found herself wishing that Gojo was next to her right now in the library. Shion stared at the book taunting her from the top of the shelf, just out of reach. She rolled her neck and then her shoulders, tired from trying to reach it. She did everything she could–jumping, tiptoeing, and shaking the furniture itself.

Scaling the wooden bookshelf was a stupid idea. Still, desperate times called for desperate measures.

On the small ledge of the bookshelf, Shion stepped on it as carefully as possible, balancing her weight while holding on to the edges. As she slowly made her way to the book, she could hear the wood creak. It was as if the bookshelf was warning her to stop what she was doing.

She ignored the warnings and extended her hand as far as possible. Her fingertips almost touched the spine of the book, but just barely. She had almost reached her goal–

The bookshelf groaned and began to topple. In an attempt to stabilize the furniture, Shion shifted her weight forward but her fingers slipped, and she lost her balance. She closed her eyes and braced for the hard impact of her fall. Instead of the hard wooden floor she anticipated, she felt the firm and solid arms of a person whose warmth was familiar to her.

She opened her eyes and saw Geto staring back at her. His soft yet concerned gaze truly left her feeling small and vulnerable.

"Suguru-senpai?" Shion blinked.

"Are you okay?" Geto asked, his eyes scanning her face. "You're not hurt, are you?"

"I'm not." She looked away. The intensity of his eyes made her feel weird–like there was an intangible, messy knot in her stomach. She wiggled out of his arms and fixed her uniform.

"I knew you could be reckless, but I didn't think you would risk your life for a book," Geto teased. He pulled the book that Shion had been reaching for and gave it to her.

Shion muttered a small thanks as Geto chuckled softly and ruffled her hair. 

"So, what is it about?" Geto leaned over her shoulder, scanning the cover of the book in her hands.

"It's about curses, and Tsukumo-san recommended it to me," she replied. "That reminds me… What do cursed spirits taste like, senpai? That's how you gain control of them, right? By swallowing them?"

"Yep." Geto pulled back and nodded. "The taste? You're better off not knowing... I'd rather not worry you."

'Poor Suguru-san.' Shion thought.

As took a good look at him, her heart clenched. The soft light coming from the sun by the windows shone on his dull complexion. Exhaustion was evident, and weight loss was evident from his slightly sunken cheeks. There were dark circles under his eyes. His usually styled hair was down and disheveled, and the last time she'd seen him in this state was a few months ago.

‘He's stressed out again.’

“Are you getting enough sleep, senpai?” Shion cupped his cheek, but immediately tried to retract it. “Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t-”

“It's just from the summer heat.” Geto put his hand on Shion’s, keeping it in place on his cheek.

“Still,” Shion breathed, distracting herself from the sudden butterflies in her stomach. “You should look after yourself more, Suguru.”

The boy’s cheeks dusted with a reddish hue as she brushed her thumb against his skin. Oh, crap! She hadn’t meant to call him by his given name! She hoped his reaction wasn’t out of anger at the sudden informality.

Geto hummed in response and leaned further into the palm of her hand, his lips dangerously close to it. “Also, don’t be sorry. I don’t mind this if it’s you…”

They froze, suddenly finding themselves caught up in the moment. A loud cough from the librarian snapped them out of their trace, and Shion removed her hand on Geto's face. They both glanced at the old woman, and the latter's cold and judgemental stare had them feeling embarrassed and guilty for getting caught.

"PDA? In the school’s library?" The librarian crossed her arms, shaking her head. "You youngsters have no shame."

—----------------------------

"Thanks for letting me sleep here, and sorry for the trouble, Iori-san.” Shion said, plopping down on the spare futon. “I'm not comfortable with staying at the Zen’in’s family compound for the duration of my mission here in Kyoto.”

“Don’t be sorry, I too get disgusted at seeing Zen’in.” Utahime gave her a thumbs up. “Besides, I’m pretty sure a special Four Eyes will throw a fit when he finds out I let it happen.”

‘She sure is getting creative with her nicknames for Gojo-senpai.’ 

Shion’s fascination was soon replaced with curiosity. Were Gojo Satoru and Zen’in Naoya on bad terms? As far as she remembered from Tsukumo’s history lessons, their family clans held such bad blood between them that past clan leaders had resorted to killing each other. The current heirs mostly tolerated each other– except for the time when Gojo dropped by for a quick visit during one of Shion’s training sessions with Nanami and Naoya.

“Something on your mind, Zen’in?” Shion asked, wiping her sweat away with a towel. “You’re quiet for once.”

“It’s for the best,” Nanami remarked. “My headaches have lessened because of it.”

“Don’t mind him, Shion-chan.” Gojo said. “He’s going to say something stupid as usual.”

“If we end up against each other in this year’s solo match and I win,” Naoya stood up from his seat. “I’ll take you as my bride whether you like it or not.”

Nanami and Gojo held two different expressions. The blonde sorcerer tried not to show his annoyance towards Naoya. At most, he rolled his eyes as he quietly drank his ice cold water. Meanwhile, Gojo didn’t bother to hide his dislike. The repulsiveness of Naoya’s words was written all over Gojo’s scrunched up face. 

As for Shion, another idea popped into her head.

Before the school exchange event, Naoya kept visiting Shion at school each week and asking for her hand in marriage whenever they sparred. Of course, she declined his proposals as she considered herself to be too young to be engaged and she only saw Naoya as an acquaintance. He insisted her feelings would change, but marriage–with Naoya or anyone– seemed to be impossible for Shion to imagine.

Then again, Tsukumo had often told Shion that a jujutsu sorcerer must have loose screws in their head in order to do this work. Maybe this was Naoya’s own strange way of asking to be friends with her? Or perhaps rivals? The second choice seemed to be more believable with his competitive spirit.

Her teacher did say that competition breeds competence. Afterall, his advances had proved to be useful as she found a big improvement in her reaction time.

"Alright,” Shion pumped her fist with determination, looking stoically at her ‘rival’. “I’ll be looking forward to this year then!” 

“WHAT?!?”

That day, Shion nearly went deaf from Gojo’s loud reaction. At Nanami’s behest, Shion was sent to Watanabe’s office for a quick check up. Nanami thought she had a head injury, which didn’t make sense because Shion was completely fine – no concussion, broken bones or bruises; not even a fever. If anybody needed medical attention, it would be Naoya–who suddenly looked very distressed, his face red coloured, similar to a tomato.

“Speaking of that blue eyed brat,” Utahime glanced at Shion. “Are you up for a gossip session? I won’t talk your ear too much as you have an early day with Zen’in tomorrow.” 

Utahime cracked open a can of beer and poured a cup of apple juice for Shion while the latter pulled out a variety of snacks from her bag. Immediately, the sorceress launched into a series of rants as they munched in between conversations. It ranged from Gojo’s harmless little pranks to headache-inducing moments so painful that Shion was surprised that painkillers still worked on her. 

‘Despite the constant bickering, Utahime-san and Gojo-senpai got along so well...’

The eyepatched girl pinched her brows together. She didn't realize her hands clenched at the thought. Why did that make her uncomfortable? It’s not like she had something worthwhile. Utahime was one of the few sorceresses that Shion got along with. But Gojo? Shion liked to believe that they’d moved past being acquaintances, and sailed towards friendship. But the thought of Gojo also befriending Utahime made her feel strange, to say the least. How come she never got this feeling when she saw him with Shoko?

Could this feeling still be called envy? Or something else? 

“Seriously, what do you even see in that boy?” Utahime scoffed, lazily swirling her can of beer. “He’s annoying, obnoxious, loud, and has bad manners.” 

“In him? I don’t see his internal organs, senpai.”

Utahime stared dumbfoundedly at her friend. If Gojo ended up with an innocent person like Shion, she couldn’t help but worry for the latter’s sake. She had to do something before that annoying clown charmed Shion into becoming his wife--just like that asshole Naoya had nearly pressured her into marrying him.

Besides, she had to win the bet against Mei Mei. The betting pool on Shion’s relationship grew bigger and bigger each week. It came to an absurd amount that it matched the annual salary of a second grade sorcerer, and even Mei mei and Alex had joined in this affair. At least, that was what she caught wind of during a conversation between Gakuganji and Watanabe. It seemed like everyone was speculating about Shion’s love life.

Utahime, suddenly overcome with empathy, pulled Shion into an embrace.

"And that is why you should avoid boys like Gojo! They will take advantage of your naivety!" Utahime pulled away from the hug, hands still on the latter's shoulders. "Instead, why not go for Geto? At least he’s tolerable, unlike his best friend! And he certainly seems fond of you… You have a crush on him, which means you want him to be your boyfriend, right?"

“Boyfriend?”

Despite the sunny weather and the distance between Kyoto and Tokyo, Utahime felt the first blow of cold winter from Gojo’s glare. Strange, that guy wasn’t even here in the first place.

Meanwhile, Riko’s words resurfaced in Shion’s mind. Was that what Riko meant when she asked Shion if she had a crush? Not just admiring someone, but seeing them as more than friends?

According to her romance novels, becoming ‘more than friends’ meant the two parties ended up entering an exclusive relationship if the condition of mutual feelings was met. A relationship where showing affections such as kissing, endearing nicknames, and hand-holding were the standard. A relationship that puts heavy emphasis on intimacy and vulnerability towards each other.

DOES THAT MEAN?!

…

…

…

Shion leaned her head against Suguru's shoulder. “I don’t understand you, Suguru-senpai.”

“What do you mean, Shion?” Geto asked, shifting his position to have his arm draped over Shion’s shoulders and pulling her closer to him. 

“W-well,” Shion cleared her throat, diffident at Geto’s sudden close proximity to her. “I don’t understand what you see in me. I’m not mature like Mei-san or pretty like Ieiri-senpai or cute like Iori-san. Not only my appearance, but my personality is not really ideal-”

Her downplayed ramblings halted when she felt something briefly warm and soft on her cheek. She held her breath nervously before concealed her reaction into her boyfriend’s broad chest.

"But, I’m still here, aren’t I?" Geto laughed at his girlfriend's shyness when he caught a glimpse of the tips of her ears red. "Sorry, too soon for me to kiss you?"

Shion’s brain was all too eager to fantasize about this possibility–which meant Utahime was probably right.

Upon this realization, Shion slammed her head on the wooden table and buried her face onto her arms before producing a banshee-like screech from her throat that forced Utahime to cover her ears. 

“S-Shion?!” 

“I-is that what it's supposed to mean to l-like someone?!” Shion stuttered nervously, the redness on her face couldn’t go any brighter than a ripened tomato. "T-that I-I l- like Su-Suguru-senpai!?”

The eyepatched girl buried her reddened face deeper into her arms and groaned loudly. Everything she felt about that boy clicked in her head. The sudden clamminess of her hands whenever he's in the same room. The sudden acceleration of her temperature whenever he noticed her from a distance. And, the sudden happiness blooming inside her whenever he noticed her.

IT

MADE

SO

MUCH

DAMN

SENSE

This newfound information overwhelmed her. It didn’t help that her heart had begun to beat faster than normal, and her head spun while seeing stars. Wait, was she going to have a full on cardiac arrest if this keeps up?

Meanwhile, a boatload of dumbfoundedness struck Utahime. It was not in her agenda to witness Shion panicking from a sudden existential crisis. Unlike Shoko, whom Utahime had known for two years, Shion was someone she had acquainted herself with not too long ago. Due to her busy work schedule, Utahime never had the proper chance to get to know Shion. She never held much of a strong opinion towards the girl or her for to expect Shion’s current state.

Whenever Utahime visited the Tokyo campus, she always found the girl within the shadows, content to watch from the sidelines, and yet willing to lend an ear if given the time. Because of Shion’s no-nonsense and straightforward outlook, Utahime unintentionally claimed her as her therapist for her mundane problems. To compensate for Shion’s ‘unintentional therapeutic services’, she always brought sweets and snacks from Kyoto. 

Yet seeing how Shion had grown out of her stoic persona and bloomed into a shy flower, Utahime understood why a pair of mean, annoying idiots had taken special interest in her.

Because of the said interest, her maternal instincts kicked in.

This time, it was Utahime’s turn to comfort Shion. “There’s nothing to be ashamed of having a crush on someone,” Utahime said, giving her a few pats on the back.

“How can I not?!” Shion squeezed her eyes shut. “Especially after what happened in the library recently…”

Utahime leaned forward intently. “Tell me more.”