Asatsuki Café,
The quiet murmur of voices and the soft clinking of cups created a gentle rhythm inside the café. The air was rich with the scent of roasted beans and freshly baked pastries.
Ichika stirred her coffee lazily, her spoon tracing circles in the milk-tinted liquid. But her eyes weren't on the cup. They darted around the café, scanning each corner like a detective searching for clues.
"Strange…" she muttered under her breath. "Where's Nino?"
She was certain she had seen her younger sister step through the café doors. Nino's vivid presence was hard to miss, and yet… she hadn't spotted her since coming inside.
Before Ichika could ponder further, a maid dressed in a neat frilly uniform approached their table, carrying a tray stacked with four colorful desserts.
"Ladies, your desserts have arrived," the maid announced politely, her voice smooth and professional.
Miku's eyes immediately flicked up, while behind her headphones. But it was Itsuki, ever the polite one, who leaned forward slightly.
"Excuse me," Itsuki asked softly, "did a girl with long dark hair in a black dress come in here? Someone who… resembles us?"
The maid froze—
Her hands trembled ever so slightly as she clutched the tray. Her gaze shifted from Itsuki to Ichika, then Yotsuba, then Miku. The longer she stared, the more her eyes widened.
"…Wait. Are you quintuplets?"
Her voice broke the calm atmosphere, and a few nearby customers turned their heads.
Ichika stiffened. She and her sisters had always been able to pass off as individuals thanks to their distinct hairstyles and personalities. But when lined up together, the resemblance was undeniable.
Quintuplets. That meant Nino really was here.
"Yes, we are," Ichika said quickly, brushing off the revelation with practiced poise. "But what about the girl?"
The maid seemed flustered, almost fangirling under her breath. Still, she nodded.
"Yes, she's here. She's on the second floor. That area's quieter and more private, so first-time visitors often go unnoticed. Shall I take you up to her?"
"No, no, that won't be necessary," Ichika cut in, her tone a little too quick.
The other sisters glanced at her knowingly.
They weren't here to drag Nino back. If Nino discovered they were tailing her, her sharp tongue would lash out, and no amount of coaxing—or pancakes from Itsuki—would soften her mood.
"Alright then." The maid carefully placed the desserts on the table. But before leaving, she leaned close to another maid and whispered, her face flushed with excitement.
"Quintuplets… and they're all this beautiful…"
Miku adjusted her headphones, cheeks faintly pink. Yotsuba grinned in her usual carefree manner, but Ichika's eyes lingered on the stairwell leading to the second floor.
"Nino…" she murmured, her heart uneasy.
...
Second Floor,
On the second floor, away from the chatter below, Nino Nakano sat at a corner table. Her black dress gave her an elegance that contrasted with the restless tapping of her fingers on the cup.
She lifted her coffee to her lips but hesitated halfway. Her sharp dark-eyes eyes narrowed, lost in thought.
She wanted to ask. She needed to ask.
The questions swirled endlessly: about the strange other world, about the monsters, about why she—of all people—had been dragged into such a nightmare. But she hesitated. This wasn't the sort of thing you just blurted out, was it?
Across from her sat Gojo Satoru.
With his snow-white hair, blindfold draped casually over his eyes, and his infuriatingly relaxed posture, he was a walking contradiction—playful yet commanding, aloof yet oddly reassuring.
The silence stretched until he finally broke it with a light chuckle.
"Nino, If there's something on your mind, just ask me." He propped his chin on his hand, his coffee spoon spinning lazily between his fingers. His tone was neutral, almost teasing.
Nino's cheeks burned at his casual use of her name. Family and close friends were usually the only ones who spoke so familiarly, yet here he was, cutting through her defenses as easily as butter.
She cleared her throat, trying to regain her composure.
" Ahem! Gojo-kun… about the other day. That place I ended up in… the monsters…"
Her words trailed off. The memory of the grotesque creatures sent a shiver down her spine. She clenched her hands, nails digging into her palm.
Gojo noticed. Setting down his spoon, he leaned back leisurely and took a slow sip of his coffee before answering.
"The world you entered… it's called the Yin-Yang Realm. It exists parallel to ours, separated by a barrier. Normally, people never notice it. But when energy builds up—when filth like those monsters gather—it can distort space. That's when the two worlds overlap."
Nino's eyes widened.
He continued, his tone steady but calm. "People with strong innate spell power ( or spiritual energy) get caught in these distortions. They're pulled in. Unfortunately for you, Nakano, you've got more potential than you realize."
The revelation struck her like lightning.
Seventeen years of life, and she had believed in a normal world—only to be told that nightmares lurked just beyond the veil, waiting for her.
Her heart thudded against her chest, fear threatening to swallow her whole.
Before her panic could spiral, warmth can be felt pressed gently against her head.
Gojo's hand.
He ruffled her long hair with surprising tenderness, his touch careful, protective.
"Don't worry. The world isn't ending tomorrow. Not on my watch."
His voice was firm yet gentle.
For once, the cocky grin was gone, replaced by a softness she hadn't expected.
Nino's face turned crimson. She ducked her head, clutching her cup tightly, her whole body trembling—not only from relief, but from an emotion she couldn't quite name.
"…Baka," she whispered, too soft for him to hear.
Or maybe he did, and he just pretended not to.
Gojo reached into his pocket, rummaging with ease. He pulled out a small charm, its pale red threads glowing faintly in the café's warm light.
"Here. This is for you."
Nino blinked, caught off guard. "A… talisman?"
"Mm. To suppress your spell power when it goes out of control. Nothing fancy," he said with a grin. "I keep a bunch of them around. Perks of the job."
He passed it lightly across the table, and Nino take it without thinking. The fabric was warm against her palm, pulsing faintly as though alive.
Her gaze lingered on it, then shifted back to him. His blindfold couldn't hide the weight of his confidence, the strength that radiated from him so naturally.
For once, Nino Nakano—the sharp-tongued, stubborn, prideful sister—felt her walls lower.
She clenched the charm tightly in her hand. 'Yes… I'll trust him. I'll learn to face this.'
When she lifted her eyes again, her dark-blue irises burned with determination.
"Fine...But you'd better not let me regret it, Gojo-kun."
His grin widened, easy and mischievous. "Wouldn't even dream of it."
...
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