Afternoon – Playground-Tokyo,
The sun hung lazily over the wide amusement park, scattering its golden warmth across the colorful rides and food stalls.
Laughter and the sound of roller coasters mixed with the faint hum of music echoing from the speakers.
On a wooden bench near the playground, Gojo Satoru sat casually, one arm stretched across the backrest, a can of Coke in hand.
Next to him sat Nakano Nino, sipping her own Coke with practiced elegance — though her eyes occasionally flicked to Gojo's blindfolded face as if trying to read his thoughts.
The morning had been simple but perfect — they'd gone to a quiet café, then cycled along the bay to watch the waves.
At noon, they'd eaten at a small seaside restaurant, and now, as the day mellowed, they found themselves wandering into the amusement park.
The pair was impossible not to notice.
Even in bustling Tokyo — a city filled with models and idols — the sight of a white-haired man with a towering frame beside a girl as stunning as Nino turned heads.
Whispers floated around them, passersby stealing second glances.
A group of girls nearby exchanged excited looks.
One of them, clearly encouraged by her friends, nervously stepped forward.
"Um… e-excuse me," she stammered, clutching her phone like a lifeline. "Can I… maybe get your contact information?"
At that moment, Nino froze.
Her straw bent sharply as she bit down, eyes narrowing like a cat whose tail had just been stepped on.
Gojo turned slightly, leaning back with an easy grin. "Hmm? What's wrong?"
The girl hesitated, her face bright red. "I just thought—"
"Nope."
The single, sharp word came from Nino.
Before the poor girl could even finish her sentence, Nino slipped her arm through Gojo's, pulling him closer — pressing against him in a way that made Gojo's smile twitch.
"He already has a girlfriend," Nino said with a calm yet dangerous tone, her expression unreadable. "So maybe back off?"
The girl's eyes widened. "Ah! I-I'm sorry!"
She bowed quickly — a full ninety degrees — and scurried back to her friends, who tried to console her as they walked away, as the poor girl statred crying.
Nino exhaled sharply through her nose. "Seriously… couldn't she see I was sitting right here?"
Gojo tilted his head slightly, amused.
Her grip on his arm was still firm, her cheeks puffed ever so slightly in irritation.
"Jealousy looks good on you," he teased quietly.
Her response was an indignant "hmph," but the redness creeping up her ears betrayed her.
"Don't say weird things," she muttered, pretending to sip her Coke again.
Her voice trembled just a little, and she took another quick sip — purely to hide her embarrassment.
Gojo's smile widened beneath the blindfold. Tsk, this girl's like a bun fresh from the oven — soft and easy to poke fun at.
The tension broke when loud screams echoed from the distance.
"Ahhhhhh!"
"Never again!"
"Someone save me!!"
Both Gojo and Nino turned to look — a group of terrified riders were descending rapidly on the jumping machine, their faces pale and hair flying everywhere.
Nino's eyes sparkled instantly. "Gojo-kun! Let's go try that!"
Gojo raised an eyebrow. "That one? You sure?"
"Yes!" she said, her tone full of excitement. "It looks so fun!"
He sighed in mock defeat. "Alright, alright. Let's go."
He stood up, his tall frame catching the sunlight.
As he did, Nino reluctantly let go of his arm, a faint disappointment flashing across her face — but before she could dwell on it, Gojo reached out and took her hand instead.
"Come on, before the line fills up," he said with a grin.
Her heart skipped a beat. The warmth of his hand… firm yet gentle.
Trying to hide her smile, she nodded, "O-okay."
...
Five minutes later —
"So…" Gojo said, supporting a dizzy Nino by her shoulders, "what was that about loving excitement?"
Nino, pale as paper, could barely respond. "I…"
Her hair was a little messy, and her usually sharp eyes were now spinning like swirls.
They had gone on the jumping machine — and halfway through, Nino realized she might've made a grave mistake.
By the time the ride ended, her legs barely worked.
"Hey, hey, sit down before you faint," Gojo said, helping her back to a bench.
Her voice came out weak and embarrassed. "I-I don't want to talk about it…"
Gojo chuckled softly, patting her head. "Okay, I'll grab some drink. Maybe a banana — it helps with nausea."
She blinked up at him, confused. "Banana?"
He smirked. "Old exorcist trick. Learned it while taking care of Shizuka-sensei once."
Her lips curved slightly. "…You're weird."
"Thank you," he said with a small bow before walking off toward a nearby fruit stand.
As he walked away, Nino watched him — her reflection faintly mirrored in the Coke can.
Her heart felt warm, though she couldn't explain why.
...
At the fruit stand,
Gojo grabbed a few bananas and glanced at the vendor, who was lounging in a chair, scrolling through his phone.
"How much?" Gojo asked.
The man looked up — and froze.
"Wait… you again?"
Gojo blinked, then smiled. "Oh? Fancy seeing you here, Rin Okumura."
Indeed, standing before him was none other than Rin Okumura — balck haired, slightly disheveled, and clearly not thrilled.
The last time they'd met, Rin had been working part-time at a store in the shopping district.
Now, somehow, he was selling fruit at an amusement park.
Rin groaned. "Man, can't I go one day without running into a weird person?"
Gojo shrugged, amusement dancing in his tone. "What can I say? Fate works in mysterious ways."
He pointed at the bananas. "So, how much for these?"
"Two thousand yen," Rin said flatly.
Gojo blinked. "Two thousand? For bananas? Are they enchanted?"
"They're imported," Rin replied dryly.
Gojo leaned down slightly, lowering his voice playfully. "You sure you're not running a side hustle for the Exorcist Union?"
Rin's eyebrow twitched. "Just say if you want them or not!"
"Of course I do," Gojo said, resting his chin on his hand with an exaggerated thoughtful look. "But tell me why you're selling fruit now. I'll pay extra if it's a good story."
Rin exhaled heavily, finally giving in. "Got fired."
"Huh."
Rin crossed his arms, frustration bubbling up as he spoke.
"Some punks came to mess with the store yesterday — same guys who used to harass a middle schooler near the station. I couldn't just let it go, so… I may have, uh, rearranged their faces a little."
Gojo chuckled. "Five against one?"
"Yup."
"Let me guess — you won?"
"Of course I did," Rin said, his tone somewhere between pride and exhaustion. "But the shop got trashed, and my boss said it's best if I 'find other opportunities.' So here I am. Selling fruit. Living the dream."
Gojo couldn't help but laugh softly. "You never change, do you?"
"Hey, it's honest work," Rin muttered. "I get commission per sale. So unless you're buying something, stop distracting me."
"Fine, fine." Gojo reached into his pocket, pulled out two thousand yen, and handed it over. "Here. Keep the change."
Rin blinked. "Huh? You're actually paying?"
Gojo winked. "Of course. Consider it… exorcist solidarity."
As Gojo turned to leave, Rin looked down at the crisp bills in his hand, then muttered,
"Tch… that guy's impossible."
But deep down, he couldn't help but smile a little.
Gojo Satoru — infuriating, unpredictable, but somehow… you can't hate the guy.....
.....
Back at the Bench,
Gojo returned to the bench, holding two bottles of water and a small bag with bananas.
Nino was sitting upright again, looking more composed — though her face still carried a faint blush from earlier.
"Here," he said, handing her a water bottle. "Drink slowly."
She took it, her fingers brushing against his for a brief second. "Thanks…"
He smiled. "Better?"
She nodded, eyes softening. "...Yeah..A little."
For a moment, the world around them quieted — just laughter, sunlight, and the faint hum of a carousel nearby.
Gojo leaned back, tilting his head toward the sky.
"You know… days like this make all the cursed energy nonsense worth it."
Nino looked at him, her heart fluttering again.
And though she didn't say it aloud, she couldn't help but think —
Maybe being with this infuriating man isn't so bad after all.
...
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