As the appointed time approached, Shuichi Akai sat in a dessert shop called Puppy Dessert. While scanning the menu, he pondered the true origins of the youth who called himself a "Jujutsu Shi."
Over the past two days, he had tried to gather information on the boy, but only came up with fragments. Currently, all he knew was that the youth likely belonged to a secluded family in Japan—though their specific surname remained a mystery.
"Wow, look at that guy..."
Hearing the muffled gasps of the female staff, Akai looked up sharply. Sure enough, a familiar tall figure was heading his way.
Satoru Gojo was dressed in a crisp white shirt and the same sunglasses he wore during their first encounter. He greeted Akai with a look of pure lethargy: "Yo, you're early, Maki."
At the mention of "Maki," several customers and staff members exchanged glances, nearly bursting into laughter on the spot. It was hard to imagine that such a handsome, sharp-looking man could have such a "cute" name.
"You're punctual too, Satoko," Akai replied with a slight smile, placing a heavy emphasis on the last two syllables—a small act of petty revenge.
Unbeknownst to him, Gojo didn't care about the reactions of others at all.
"It's alright. I just happened to have nothing to do."
The white-haired, blue-eyed youth sat down across from him with a flourish. Akai handed over the menu and said generously, "Order whatever you like. It's on me."
Since he hadn't carried much cash when he left home, Akai had spent the last two days playing the accordion in a bar to earn enough to fulfill his promise of treating the boy to sweets. Ah, don't get it wrong—it was a perfectly normal bar, no strippers involved.
"Oh-ho~ Then I won't be polite." Despite his words, Gojo wasn't about to bankrupt a student; he ordered within what he assumed was a reasonable range for the other man.
"This place has a nice vibe. You've got decent taste, Maki."
The shop wasn't large, but the decor was unique. Wind chimes tinkled occasionally, dog-themed murals adorned the walls, and delicate vases with daisies sat on every table. Soft instrumental music flowed through the shop, creating a relaxing atmosphere. However, most of the patrons were women, making the two of them stand out significantly.
"It's nothing. I'm glad you like it."
After ordering, the two fell into a bizarre silence. Gojo's attention was captured by the owner's Border Collie, while Akai was struggling with a practical issue—he wasn't actually that close to "Satoko." Despite having his life saved and accidentally sharing a bed once, his naturally cold and laconic personality made small talk difficult.
The silence grew heavier as Akai overheard the whispers of nearby patrons.
"Look, two hotties sitting together~"
"They both look like they might be mixed-race. So easy on the eyes."
"I wonder... is that white-haired guy a celebrity?"
"Are they on a date at a dessert shop? How romantic."
What part of this is romantic?!
Just as Akai prepared to break the silence, a staff member arrived with their order.
A bear-shaped mango mousse, matcha cheesecake, coconut milk pudding, a strawberry parfait overflowing with biscuits and chocolate sticks, a caramel macchiato, and—standing in stark contrast to the rest—a single cup of black coffee for Akai.
"Wow! This looks delicious~"
Seeing the spread of sweets, Gojo's joy was physically visible; pink flower-like bubbles seemed to float around him.
"Wait, let me take a photo first." He snapped a flurry of pictures of the desserts and took a selfie. After a moment of thought, he mischievously forwarded it to Gin.
I'm eating amazing desserts right now (^_^)
PS. Did you see the phone wallpaper?
A concise reply came back almost immediately:
I'll kill you.
Supplying a suppressed laugh at his successful prank, Gojo began to demolish the food.
"Maki! You have to try this!"
He savored the way the cheesecake melted in his mouth, recommending the matcha cake even while his own mouth was full. Seeing Gojo so happy, Akai found himself relaxing. He set aside his worries for the moment and tasted the snacks. He didn't have a sweet tooth, so he didn't find them particularly extraordinary, but when Gojo asked, he nodded: "Yes, it's very good."
"Right? Teatime really is the best~"
After finishing their meal, the two left together. Before walking out, Gojo couldn't resist running over to pet the owner's dog. The owner, a kind, plump woman, clearly liked the two young men. She let Gojo play with the dog and joked, "If you two came by more often, business would surely skyrocket."
"Sure, I'll come back if I have the chance," Gojo promised, petting the dog's furry head after it licked his cheek.
Akai watched this warm scene in silence. "Satoko" was lively and playful. He liked sweets like a child and was friendly to animals. He had even saved Akai's life without asking for anything in return. It made the stories Akai's mother told him about ruthless, mass-murdering Ability Users seem fake.
So, is Satoko truly just a kind-hearted Ability User who happens to be strong enough to defeat an S-class Dreamweaver?
[Ding! Impression Points from Shuichi Akai +500. Analysis: Curiosity/Doubt.]
The owner took a Polaroid of the two of them with the dog and handed it to Gojo, who held his hand high to receive it. "Come back often, boys~"
Akai caught a glimpse of the photo: Gojo with a brilliant smile, and himself standing beside him, looking uncharacteristically gentle. He couldn't help but chuckle.
As they walked down the street together, Akai mentioned he had to return to school for classes. Gojo didn't want to let him go just yet—after all, who knew when they'd meet again? He still needed to harvest those Impression Points. What if their next meeting was on a battlefield against the FBI? That would be a nightmare to explain.
Akai, meanwhile, was equally curious and wanted to fish for more information. He had realized during the walk that "Satoko" didn't necessarily have romantic feelings for him; his love for sweets was far deeper. As for the warning not to like long-haired men... he tentatively wrote that off as a "Jujutsu Shi" quirk.
Since the fear of an awkward romantic rejection was gone, Akai was willing to linger. Despite the mountain of sweets he'd just consumed, Gojo went and bought a hot dog. To his bottomless pit of a stomach, the previous food was just an appetizer. (Don't ask—using the Six Eyes requires high caloric intake).
Standing on the street corner, Akai lowered his voice to a level only they could hear: "Satoko... I want to ask you something."
"What is it?"
"Have you ever heard of a mysterious organization?" His profile was sharp, his eyelashes casting shadows over his eyes. "A vast influence, acting with extreme secrecy... It's said their members dress in black, like crows."
"Oh~ Like what you're wearing right now?"
"...No, my jacket is navy blue."
"Eh? Really?" Gojo asked, feigning ignorance.
The atmosphere was instantly shattered. Akai sighed helplessly. "The Dreamweaver from last time—do you remember? I once suspected he was a member of that organization."
The Dreamweaver, who actually just happened to like black: I really appreciate that.
"But I suppose he was just a murderer." Akai reached for a cigarette, then paused. "Do you mind?"
"Go ahead. I have a friend who smokes too," Gojo shrugged.
Akai's forest-green eyes looked somewhat melancholy through the smoke. He exhaled a ring of smoke and continued, "Satoko, I have a request. If you ever encounter members who might belong to that organization... if possible, please let me know."
"OK~" Gojo agreed readily, while thinking to himself: I technically don't count in that category.
Taking care not to be offensive, Akai asked a few more careful questions, forming more theories about Gojo's identity.
"Don't just ask me~ I want to know more about Maki, too," the white-haired boy said with a grin. "Like... when you were dreaming, you kept calling out for 'Dad' and stuff."
"You heard that." Akai wasn't surprised. "About that..."
"If I had to guess, your father went missing because of that organization, right? That's why you're so hung up on it."
"...Correct."
Gojo slapped him on the shoulder. "He might actually still be alive, who knows? Don't worry, I'll keep an ear out regarding that organization for you."
"Thank you... Satoko."
"Why so formal? I told you before~" Gojo pulled down his sunglasses halfway, revealing a glimpse of those star-like blue eyes. They were so beautiful it was impossible to hold any ill will toward him. "We are the 'Satoko and Maki' Cutie-Pie Duo!"
Akai couldn't help but smile at that. The distance between them, which had seemed impossible to bridge, had narrowed naturally since the photo at the dessert shop. Like ice melting in the sun. Driven by this sentiment, he unconsciously contributed another 500 Impression Points to Gojo.
Akai even managed a rare joke. "Yeah, if this 'duo' debuted, we'd probably be very popular..."
"Of course," Gojo said in a matter-of-fact tone. "With the galaxy's most popular Satoko-sama here, I can definitely carry you, Maki."
Hey, are you a center-position girl idol or something?
"...I suppose so."
Akai's internal thought: Satoko, I advise you to go solo.