With Riko in tow, the group left the school and didn't bother heading back. Instead, they went straight out for dinner.
Even after eating, they didn't stay home. They dragged her out again, wandering through the city.
Arcades she had never visited, movie theaters she had only heard about…
Wherever there was noise and excitement, that was where they went.
They strolled down the streets in a loose, carefree cluster, each holding a drink in one hand and snacks in the other. Even Shoko Ieiri had been pulled along.
This didn't look like a mission at all. It felt like nothing more than a group of teenagers out enjoying the night.
They stayed out until nearly midnight before finally heading back, still reluctant to call it a day.
"Let me think about tomorrow," Gojo said with a grin once they were home. "How about an amusement park?"
"Girls usually like places like that, right?"
"An amusement park?" Riko's eyes lit up with a quiet excitement. "I've never been to one."
"Then it's settled. We're going tomorrow."
"Betty hasn't been either."
"Whatever," Betty muttered, crossing her arms. "That's a place for kids. I'm not that interested."
"Don't say that. You might end up liking it."
Riko watched the two of them, her eyes filled with a quiet kind of envy.
Her parents had died when she was young. Aside from Misato Kuroi, who took care of her, she had no real family.
And Misato was only an ordinary person. Taking care of her already pushed her limits. Riko never wanted to add to that burden.
The kind of easy affection Gojo showed Betty, the way he doted on her without restraint, was something anyone would envy.
"Alright, time to get some rest," Gojo said, waving at her. "You've got school tomorrow."
"Oh, right." He paused, then added, "Are you going to tell your classmates about the amusement park?"
"Huh?"
"Something like this is way more fun with friends, isn't it?"
He lowered his sunglasses slightly and winked.
"But wouldn't that cause more trouble…"
"It's fine," he said lightly. "An amusement park is crowded anyway. A few more people won't matter."
"We can catch a movie afterward too. Grab some cola, maybe some popcorn. Sweet popcorn, obviously…"
He rambled on, painting a casual picture of the day ahead.
Riko listened without the slightest hint of annoyance. Instead, something small and restless stirred in her chest.
He was right.
With her fate already decided, with Assimilation waiting ahead, she wanted to experience the simple things other girls her age took for granted.
Going to an amusement park with friends. Watching a movie together. Wandering through shops.
"Thank you, Gojo."
Her voice came out suddenly, steady and sincere.
"Thank you for everything you've done for me."
He scratched his cheek, looking a little embarrassed.
"That makes it sound like a big deal. Don't take it so seriously. I'm just following orders."
"Go get some rest."
Then he added with a grin, "Just don't fall for me. If Master Tengen ends up liking me too, that'd be… complicated."
Riko couldn't help but laugh.
"Then maybe I'll have to start calling you Lord Gojo."
"Absolutely not," he said immediately, waving his hands. "Let's not do that."
He grabbed Betty and slipped away like he was escaping.
Riko stood there for a moment, watching his back as he left, a faint smile lingering on her lips.
"Are you trying to make it up to her?" Betty asked once they were back in their room.
"Not really. I don't owe her anything," Gojo replied. "I just wanted to take you to an amusement park. This is a bonus."
"You're stubborn about it, but your resolve has gotten a lot stronger."
"That's thanks to you."
He said it without hesitation, even sounding a little pleased.
"Yeah, yeah," she scoffed, though the smile in her eyes gave her away.
The next morning, Riko came rushing over during breakfast, phone in hand.
"I told everyone!"
"We're all going to the amusement park together!"
Gojo leaned in to look. Her classmates were enthusiastic, responding almost immediately. No one declined, no one hesitated.
It was obvious she was well-liked.
He even spotted messages like, "Riko finally invited us, we have to go!"
"Must be nice," Gojo said wistfully. "Such good relationships."
"Unlike me, constantly bullied by my classmates…"
Geto, who had just stuffed a piece of bread into his mouth, looked up in confusion.
"What are you talking about? Who's bullying you?"
Gojo pointed at him and continued solemnly, "Shoko bullies me with secondhand smoke. You bully me by having more friends than I do."
Geto stared at him, speechless.
More friends… was he talking about his Cursed Spirits?
"And you wonder why Utahime hates you," Geto muttered, rubbing his temples.
"Like she likes you any better."
"She doesn't hate me nearly as much as she hates you."
"See?" Gojo spread his hands, as if presenting evidence.
Riko burst into laughter, the sound bright and unrestrained.
With something to look forward to, the day passed quickly.
Geto also relaxed, no longer deploying Cursed Spirits everywhere like before.
Instead, Gojo summoned rabbits from the Ten Shadows Technique, scattering them throughout the courtyard. If any Curse Users or Cursed Spirits showed up, he would notice immediately.
For whatever reason, perhaps because several groups had already failed recently, everything remained quiet.
No one came to disrupt Riko's school life that day.
When classes ended, it was finally time for the amusement park.
"Riko inviting us out? That's a first."
"I've always wanted to hang out with you!"
"I thought you didn't want to spend time with us."
"No, no, it's not like that," Riko said quickly, waving her hands. "My family was just really strict before."
"So you finally stood up to them?"
"That's amazing!"
"Well… not exactly…"
She laughed awkwardly, struggling to come up with an excuse.
By the time they reached the school gates, she glanced around, searching for Gojo and the others, but couldn't find them.
Did they hide themselves because I said I didn't want to cause a scene?
A hint of guilt crept into her thoughts.
That might ruin it for Betty… maybe I'm being selfish.
Just as that thought crossed her mind, her classmates suddenly gasped.
"Whoa!"
"Look over there!"
"They're so handsome!"
"And there are two of them!"
"The girl next to them is adorable too. She looks like a doll!"
Riko looked up instinctively.
There they were, standing right at the school gate, smiling and waving at her.
But they looked completely different from usual.
No uniforms. No restrictive clothing.
All of them were dressed in stylish casual wear.
Gojo and Geto already stood out wherever they went. Now, dressed like this, they looked like models straight off a runway.
Betty, in her new outfit, looked even more adorable than before.
Even Shoko, who usually didn't bother with her appearance, seemed effortlessly beautiful after a bit of effort.
Standing together, they could have passed as an idol group.
"Riko, over here!"
Gojo waved enthusiastically.
Every single classmate turned toward her at once, their eyes practically burning with curiosity.
"Riko! You know them?!"
"Who are they? They're all so good-looking!"
"Are they idols from your family's company?"
"Please introduce me to that guy!"
The chatter piled on until her head spun.
She quickly covered her ears.
"Wait, wait! Stop!"
After repeating herself several times, they finally quieted down.
"They're… they're my siblings," she said, grasping for something believable. "I can come out today because they're with me."
"Your brothers?"
"Please let me marry into your family!"
"Your sister's pretty cool too."
Riko stared at them, completely overwhelmed.
All-girls schools really did lack exposure to boys, but this was a bit much.
"Are you Riko's classmates?" Gojo stepped in smoothly, smiling. "Thanks for taking care of her."
The moment he got closer, the girls abandoned Riko entirely and swarmed him.
"What's your name?"
"Are you really her brother?"
"Do you have a girlfriend?"
He removed his sunglasses, flicked his hair back, and smiled.
"You're all so enthusiastic, it's hard to keep up."
"But since you're asking, I'll answer a few questions."
He handled them like a celebrity at a fan meet, effortlessly charming the crowd.
Shoko rubbed her face.
"Aren't we supposed to be going to the amusement park?"
"That attention-seeker," she muttered.
Betty sighed and walked over.
"Are we going or not? Don't waste everyone's time."
"I was just enjoying the enthusiasm," Gojo said, flashing another bright smile.
"Alright, everyone. Let's go have some fun at the amusement park with Riko!"
"Yeah!"
With that, the group moved out, the girls clustering around him as they headed off.
"He's completely lost track of the point," Shoko said flatly.
"It'll settle down once we get there," Geto replied.
For him, having someone draw all the attention wasn't a bad thing.
They arrived at the amusement park amid laughter and chatter.
Once inside, the girls finally calmed down a bit.
Gojo turned to Riko.
"So, what do you want to ride first?"
"The roller coaster!"
Her eyes sparkled with excitement as she pointed.
That answer caught him completely off guard.
He had expected something like a carousel.
Not the most intense ride in the park right off the bat.