Tsuyoi 強い ⋮ Gojo Satoru

Chapter 22

The bleak golden peeks at the horizon. A soft orange-pink gradient extends slowly through the sky. The pale blue grows as it encroaches onto the deep navy. The warmth now overtakes the cold of the night as sunrise emerges; it almost mimics apricity.

The darkness which influenced your rest, now intruded by the light of the rising star. It makes you squeeze your already shut lids. Your eyes begin to blink open slowly through squints. The nocturnal fireflies now long gone, likely hiding in slumber throughout the tall grass. The symphony orchestrated by the crickets that lulled you to sleep the night prior were now replaced by the intermittent croaking of a frog somewhere.

You bring the heels of your hands to knead your eyes before sitting up and then you yawn whilst stretching your arms towards the stratosphere. Bringing yourself back to a lazy posture you look over to Yuji who was still sleeping beside you soundly. How the two of you managed to fall asleep on the hard surface of the wooden platform after a night of star gazing was completely beyond you.

"Yuji..." You shake the boy gently but he doesn't budge.

"Yuji..." Another shake earns you a soft grunt before his slow breathing evens again.

You sigh and bring yourself to a stand. You look down at the pink-haired boy and contemplated whether or not to kick the guy.

So you kick him, lightly, and he finally stirs.

"Ow....." he sits up and his hand finds the aching area.

"Morning!" You say with a grin.

"Did you......just....kick me?"

You smirk, "Maybe I did, maybe I didn't. Who wants to know?"

Yuji groans as he sits up, "What time is it?"

"Time for us to go. So, get up."

It was now early Monday morning. You and Yuji make your way back to the common area to see the Kyoto sorcerers off. The room was filled with talk ranging from soft murmurs to loud chatter. Most didn't even blink an eye when the two of you made your entrance. However, a few did.

Gojo stands in one corner of the room, he makes what he considers 'small talk' with Utahime. Although the fundament of their conversation was likely essential and of paramount importance. Utahime's voice becomes an inaudible slur when the white-haired sorcerers eyes meet your face through his blindfold. He was feeling rather crestfallen about last night and not because you were with Yuji (well maybe a little—no, a lot). He intended to take you to the place you'd been longing to go. The man wanted to bring you there in the wee hours of the morning to enjoy a beautiful sunrise on your birthday and to bask in the glory of his presence (of course). Unfortunately, given the current circumstances, it didn't go according to plan.

"HELLO, Gojo Satoru?!?! Are your ears just for decoration?!" Utahime curses. She was growing weary of his habitual lack of respect and inattentiveness towards her, but so did all their mutuals and the higher-ups. Whether or not it was intentional, the guy always seemed to be distracted whenever they spoke.

"It's called—" Gojo turns to face his colleague with a smirk, "—selective hearing. Excuse me for a moment."

But he actually meant to excuse himself much longer than just a moment and potentially the rest of the day or at least until she was gone.

Gojo dismisses himself while Utahime shouts a myriad of impertinent slander at the man, hoping to get some kind of reaction out of him. But, it doesn't work. He makes his way through the crowd of people. His notable height made him stick out like a sore thumb and the white strands of his hair waves gently to and fro with every stride he takes.