On top of the commercial building,
The atmosphere gradually calmed after the fierce battle.
Even though the scorching wind from the battlefield still blew across the rooftop from time to time, carrying traces of burnt asphalt and lingering cursed energy.
Far below, emergency sirens echoed faintly through the streets, while the shattered remains of buildings proved just how terrifying the earlier battle between Gojo Satoru and the monster had been.
Yet compared to the battlefield below, the atmosphere atop the building was strangely peaceful.
"So cool… among all of us, am I really the only one who didn't know that Gojo-kun was an Exorcist!!?"
Kitagawa Marin muttered blankly, her mouth slightly open in disbelief.
After Gojo Satoru started playing around with Jogo like a cat tormenting a mouse, Benio Adashino had already explained most of the hidden truths of the world to Marin before Gojo pick her up. Shirakawa Shiroha also quietly shared what she had witnessed during the Shibuya Incident.
Kegare.
Exorcist.
Monsters hidden within modern society.
Everything sounded absurd, like something straight out of a fantasy anime or novel… yet she had personally witnessed all of it today!
Which made the reality even harder to deny.
Seeing Marin's dazed expression, Shirakawa Shiroha suppressed a smile and gently shook her head.
"I didn't know everything either," she admitted softly. "I only learned more after the Shibuya incident."
"Okay, good…" Marin immediately patted her chest in relief, before pouting. "At least I'm not the only idiot here."
Though despite saying that, she still looked depressed.
Just earlier, she had been desperately worried about her teacher, Gojo Satoru, fearing that he might get hurt or die fighting that terrifying monster. She even rushed straight into danger trying to find him....
In the end…The clown was actually herself.
Meanwhile, Kinako sat cross-legged nearby while silently eating melon bread she had somehow pulled from nowhere.
The small shikigami familiarly swung his legs while muttering in an frustrated manner. "Humans really are troublesome…"
A few minutes later—
Whoosh~~
With a silent sound of wind the figures of Gojo Satoru and Benio Adashino suddenly appeared atop the rooftop.
"Benio-sama! Gojo-sama!"
Kinako immediately jumped up excitedly.
At almost the same moment—
"Gojo-kun! Benio!" x2
Marin and Shiroha called out together at the same time.
Kinako directly leaped into Benio's arms and anxiously checked her up and down.
"Benio-sama, are you injured?! Did that ugly volcano head touch you?! Are you hurt anywhere?! We should go home immediately if you're hurt!"
Benio helplessly pressed Kinako's forehead back with one hand.
"I'm fine, Kinako."
"But—"
"I'm really fine."
Seeing that Benio was really safe and unharmed, Kinako finally relaxed.
Unlike the warm master-servant reunion over there…
Gojo Satoru's side had a completely different atmosphere.
"…" Marin stared at him with lifeless eyes, very different from her previous expression. "Gojo-kun…"
"Hm?" Gojo Satoru blinked in confusion, scratching his cheek, not understanding the reason of it. "What's wrong?"
Then suddenly, realization flashed across his face.
Snap!
"Ohhh—I get it!" He snapped his fingers dramatically.
Marin narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
Before she could speak—
Gojo Satoru suddenly pulled out his phone camera.
Click!
A crisp shutter sound echoed in the peaceful environment.
The image of Marin's dead-fish-eyed stare was perfectly captured.
"Haha! You're upset because I haven't taken enough pictures of you lately, right? As expected of me, my deduction skills are flawless!" Gojo Satoru proudly crossed his arms while saving the picture as a wallpaper.
Marin's lips twitched violently.
This idiot…Why is he somehow cute and infuriating at the same time?
"No." She rolled her eyes and puffed her cheeks, looking like a cute hamster. "That's not it at all."
"Then what?"
"You lied to me for so long!"
"Huh?" Gojo Satoru looked genuinely confused, his eyes blinking continuously behind the blindfold. "When did I lie to you?"
"You hid the fact that you're an Exorcist! You even fight monsters and stuff!"
"Oh." Gojo Satoru nodded seriously.
Then he asked calmly—
"So did I deceive your feelings, or your body?"
"?!"
Marin's brain instantly froze.
"What kind of question is that?!"
Her entire face turned bright red.
Where did this question come from?!! And you definitely deceived my feelings…Wait no.
That sounds wrong too!
Seeing Marin's flustered state, Gojo Satoru suddenly laughed softly.
Then he walked closer and gently rubbed her long golden hair. (The wig has fallen off because of the chaos and all)
The familiar warmth immediately calmed her chaotic thoughts.
"Don't overthink it," he said quietly. "I'm still me."
The teasing tone disappeared from his voice for once. Those bright blue eyes looked unusually gentle even though she can't see them because of that damn blindfold!
At that moment, the strange sense of distance Marin had unconsciously developed after learning Gojo Satoru's true identity completely disappeared.
That's right.
The person she liked had always been Gojo Satoru himself.
Not "the strongest Onmyoji."
Not some unreachable legendary figure.
Just… Gojo-kun.
Watching Marin recover her usual smile, Gojo Satoru smile before he casually glanced sideways after feeling someone's stare.
Then he noticed Shirakawa Shiroha silently lowering her eyes before their eyes could meet.
"…?"
Without hesitation, he walked over and suddenly placed his hand on top of her silver-white hair.
Pat. Pat.
He gently stroked it like comforting a small animal.
Shiroha froze instantly, before she feel warm.
After everything that happened today, the warmth from his hand strangely soothed her lingering fear.
Gojo Satoru grinned. "Why do you look left out?"
Shiroha quietly lowered her head further.
"…It seem I really do like Gojo-kun."
Her voice was almost inaudible.
Unfortunately, Gojo Satoru heard it perfectly.
But before he could respond, Benio suddenly looked over with narrowed eyes with a sharo glint in her green eyes.
"....Gojo-sensei."
"Hm?"
"Your hand."
"Oh."
Gojo Satoru immediately withdrew it innocently because his student call him out for sexual harassment.
....
Night soon fall.
Because of the terrifying incident involving Jogo, both Marin and Shirakawa Shiroha had received quite a psychological shock. In the end, Gojo Satoru simply brought both girls back to the Gojo residence for rest.
Fortunately, both of them lived alone, so there was no need to explain things to parents.
Click.
The front door opened with a quiet click.
....
Inside the living room,
Umaru Gojo sat on the sofa wearing her familiar oversized hoodie while eating potato chips and drinking cola like a complete NEET.
"Marin? Shiroha?" Umaru blinked blankly as she looked at their guests. "Why are you two here?"
After waking up from her afternoon nap, she had discovered that Benio was gone. She originally assumed Benio had simply gone outside to buy dinner.
Then suddenly the news started showing explosions and destroyed buildings.
That alone already shocked her enough.
But now Marin and Shiroha were here too?
"Ehhh~" Marin immediately puffed her cheeks dramatically. "Umaru, are you saying we're not welcome?"
"Th-That's so cruel…" Even Shiroha quietly joined in with a fake sad expression.
"I-I didn't mean it like that!" Umaru instantly panicked. She hurriedly jumped off the sofa while waving her hands wildly.
"What I meant was—how did you get here? By car? No wait, Shiroha doesn't drive...ah, no, that's not what I mean either...ugh."
The more she explained, the worse it became.
Finally, Umaru collapsed face-first onto the sofa. "My social skills are doomed…"
"Hahahaha!"
The entire living room immediately burst into laughter.
Even Benio smiled faintly.
....
After dinner,
Gojo Satoru sat lazily in his desk chair inside his room with his legs resting on the table.
His posture looked completely improper.
Meanwhile, he casually replied to messages on his phone.
Nakano Nino: Gojo-kun, are you free tomorrow? And do you want to come with me to buy swimsuits. Summer's coming soon, and last year's style doesn't match my current mood anymore.
Gojo Satoru smirked slightly.
Gojo Satoru: Accompanying you to a swimsuit shop sounds exhausting. Do I at least get something too?
A reply instantly arrived, as if she was just waiting for his reply.
Nakano Nino: Are you talking about your swimming trunks? Fine, I'll buy them for you.
Gojo Satoru: No no, I mean you should pay me for the emotional damage caused by temptation~😗.
Nakano Nino: I'll punch you.[CatPunch.jpg] 😾👊.
Gojo Satoru chuckled. Then another message appeared before he could even begin to type his message.
"…Hm?"
Gojo Satoru blinked as he stare at her message. That wording sounded surprisingly direct.
Right at that moment—
Click!
His bedroom door quietly opened.
A small blonde head slowly peeked inside.
"…Gojo-kun?"
It was Marin.
She had already changed back into her usual casual clothes after taking a bath.
Under Gojo Satoru's puzzled gaze, she carefully entered the room.
Then—
Click!
She softly closed the door behind her.
The atmosphere instantly became strangely quiet.
...
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Bonus Chapter:-
4 Bonus chapter at 100 powerstone
6 Bonus Chapter at 150 powerstone
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Word Count — 1,500