"Ahh, how nostalgic~" After spending most of his school days in this corridor, leaning against the wall felt oddly familiar, like lovers sharing a kiss after even the briefest separation. Two drifting clouds were reflected in his eyes, his expression calm and content as he thought he had no reason to sit in class like the (bum) he was.
Gojo and Ellen, having been kicked out, stood in the school corridor.
Ellen glanced at Gojo, who quietly laughed to himself, before shifting her gaze to the blue sky, where two clouds drifted in opposite directions, mirrored in her eyes, her expression tired yet faintly nostalgic.
A brief silence lingered between them before away.
"Being with you is nothing but trouble. It's only been 100 days since school started, and we've already spent 99 of them out here getting punished," Ellen sighed, unable to understand why she felt nostalgic.
"Tsk, what kind of talk is that? How is it 'nothing good'?" Gojo said, expressing strong condemnation as he pulled a fully decorated plate from his pocket.
Ellen eyes sparkled. She didn't understand how it fit in his pocket, but she didn't question it.
Gojo held it out to her, already knowing she would like it.
She took a big bite without hesitation, half of it gone instantly.
"Well? Is it good?" Gojo asked, smiling playfully.
"Mm... I guess so," Ellen said, blushing faintly, embarrassed by her reaction.
"Ohh... there's also a cake on top?" Ellen said, picking up on a slightly strange taste in the otherwise beautifully prepared breakfast.
"Yeah, you like strawberries, right? So I had Nekomata make it, just don't tell her I gave you her cake," Gojo said, winking.
'Ah... Nekomata. She looked at me like I was some kind of monster just because I ate a few plates?' Ellen thought, remembering how the girl stared at her yesterday at the Jujutsu dessert shop while she devoured plate after plate, even the display cakes.
"Anyway, tada, more plates!!"
Ellen's eyes sparkled immediately, her earlier thoughts gone.
'For a shark girl, nothing beats a beautifully decorated plate!' Gojo thought as he watched how much more excited she was about the plate than the cake.
"Also, who told you I like strawberries?" Ellen asked, confused as to why Gojo gave her strawberry cakes.
"You said it yesterday," Gojo said, remembering Ellen reaction when she ate the strawberry he had picked up from Hollow Zero.
"Huh... well, that strawberry was delicious, but compared to a beautifully decorated plate, it's nothing," Ellen said, not sure if she was really admitting that she liked strawberries.
"Yeah, yeah." Gojo casually placed all the decorated plates into her hands before looking down and rummaging through his pocket again, pulling out a phone.
Ellen was startled by the sudden appearance of the phone.
"Aren't phones not allowed in school? Be careful, the teacher might catch you!" Ellen warned, still not questioning how his pocket could hold so many things.
"It's fine, it's fine. I'm not playing games, just checking messages. The teacher busy lecturing, she won't notice!" Gojo said with a casual wave.
He pulled out his phone to message Nicole and the others, checking how they were doing.
As a professionally certified NPC, he had already given them the main quest yesterday, and the system had also said there would be major fluctuations in New Eridu. Acting as their client, he tried to stay in contact, ready to jump from school to the Hollow if something happened.
"You really... we're already punished to stand in the corridor, and you're still not afraid the teacher will ca-" Ellen froze mid-sentence, her eyes widening as she glanced toward the back door window, where their homeroom teacher was staring at them. She quickly poked Gojo to warn him.
"Ah~ ah~ what is it? Ah~, stop poking me. I don't have any more plates in my pocket. Give your wicked fingers a break. The tigress is still lecturing, nothing will happen. I just need to check on my shop!" Gojo said, making strange noises while shooting Ellen a side-eye.
Unaware that danger was closing in, Gojo sent a message to Nicole and the others.
Eden: (The Hollow has been unstable lately, and Ether Energy is fluctuating. If you need help, let me know. This box is important to me, so as your client, I'll assist you!)
Just as the message went through, the back door of the classroom burst open with a loud "bang!"
"Do you two not understand what it means to be punished?!"
"Whispering, eating, and using a phone!? Do you think this is acceptable behavior? Since when are phones allowed in school?!"
The homeroom teacher face burned with anger, like a grenade about to explode. As soon as she stepped out, she grabbed the phone from Gojo hand and took the plate right out of Ellen grasp.
"Ah, my phone!"
"My plate!"
Gojo could only watch in heartbreak, while Ellen almost collapsed.
"The phone is confiscated! You get it back after class! And how many times do I have to say it? No eating plates!"
"You two, stand apart! One at the front door, the other at the back!"
"Any more plates? Hand them over!"
After speaking, the teacher searched both of them. After finding two more plates in Gojo pocket, she casually stuffed them into her shirt!
Ellen felt her heart shatter. She collapsed to the floor, staring at the beautiful breakfast was trapped between the teacher two imposing mountains.
'Nnnoooo... My breakfast... my breakfast...' She deflated like a balloon on the spot!
'Damn it... Gojo, you (bum). You said you didn't have any more plates,' Ellen thought, shooting him a piercing, burning glare.
Noticing Ellen's resentful gaze, and immediately turned away, frightened.
"Stand properly! Both of you, reflect on your actions!"
With those harsh words, she slammed the door shut, returned to the classroom, and continued her lecture.
Just like that, Gojo and Ellen were separated.
At first, they were fairly well-behaved, particularly Gojo, who had already reached level 67 with the technique of dodging teachers.
Back on Earth Online version 1, he had often been punished by standing in the hall, and nothing had changed here.
Even if Earth Online update to version 2, youth without being punished to stand in the hall is incomplete!
After a brief moment of silence, with the teacher focused on her lecture and Ellen staring longingly at the plate between the twin mountains, Gojo made a weird "da-da" baby noise to get her attention.
Hearing the strange noise, Ellen looked toward Gojo. In that instant, Gojo executed an unbelievable move, pulling a phone and a plate from his sleeve. Ellen eyes widened in disbelief!
How did he still have a phone and a plate?
"You..." Ellen could only stare, speechless.
"Shh~" Gojo gave Ellen a playful blink.
With a quiet gesture, he tossed the plate to her!
"Wait..."
Ellen froze, not daring to catch the plate. The teacher had somehow appeared behind Gojo again, staring at him over the doorframe like a heat-seeking missile!
"Huh? why aren't you catching it?" Gojo asked.
This time, he reacted faster. Turning his head, he came face to face with the teacher twin moun... beautiful face!
"Hey, Teacher~" Gojo said, trying to charm her.
"Hand everything over!!"
"Yes, ma'am!"
...
...
For the entire morning and afternoon, Gojo and Ellen stayed outside as punishment.
At four o'clock, when school ended, Gojo after having three phones confiscated, still pulled out another one in front of Ellen.
This time, Ellen didn't even react anymore, completely defeated by his smooth operations.
Gojo reason for all this was simple. to kept checking for replies from Nicole and the others.
"Just how many phones do you have?" Ellen asked with a blank expression.
"Heaven secrets must not be revealed!" Gojo said, pulling open his school uniform.
Ellen looked at the hidden phones inside, her expression turning slightly stiff.
There were still two more phones left!
"You should put the phone away. School is over, but we're still standing in the hallway, and more and more students are gathering. Be careful not to get reported."
Ellen looked around the hallway with a helpless expression...
Because of Gojo presence, the entire hallway had become crowded with students!
This was too much!
"Gojo~~"
"Ahhh, he's so cute!"
"I've been waiting so long for him! He's finally here! I thought he wouldn't show up!"
Students from multiple grades, who had heard Gojo returned to school, were now shouting excitedly.
With the crowd around him, Gojo acted completely at ease, flipping his hair with confidence!
"Ah~ you found me. Do I look even more handsome like this?"
He struck a random pose, and the crowd screamed even louder!
The hallway instantly filled with noise because of him!
However, just as he was about to continue entertaining the crowd, several upperclassmen in Basketball Club uniforms appeared at the back of the hallway, approaching him with obvious hostility!
They were members of the team scheduled for tonight Basketball Club match!
One of the leaders crossed the line and attempted to slap Gojo on the bussy!
Gojo dodged effortlessly and glanced at him, recognizing the face immediately.
It was Lucien, the lackey of the Basketball Club captain.
He was known for his arrogance, constant fighting, and general troublemaking.
The moment they arrived, the entire area fell silent.
"Are you here for my autograph too?" Gojo asked, eyes narrowed.
"Autograph my ass!"
Lucien instantly turned into a pufferfish upon hearing that!
"You think you're something special, huh? If I'm not wrong, you're that so called femboy from the junior Basketball Club, right?"
Lucien looked down at him with an arrogant expression, his eyes landing on gojo bussy!, examining it closely.
He had already heard rumors about an arrogant junior Basketball Club member competing with them for points, so he came looking right after class.
But the moment he saw Gojo, lus- Jealousy! took over!
Forget the match, why was he so popular and why is he so cute?!
He needed to remind this junior the immensity between heaven and earth! for the audacious attempt at seducing him!
With the crowd watching, Lucien kept loudly mocking him.
"This is honestly hilarious. I thought you'd be tough to handle, but you're just some idiot femboy cosplaying [(The Honored One)]."
"A femboy like you trying to play against us is an insult. Go back to your little dress up shows. At least there, nobody has to pretend you're worth taking seriously."
"Basketball isn't a place for someone like you. Honestly, our bench warmers will destroy you"
After Lucien finished, the cronies behind him burst into laughter, their expressions full of mockery.
One of them stepped forward and reached for Gojo bussy!
"Kid, don't think just because the teachers notice you that you can act however you want. Femboy like you should step aside before you become an eyesore. Cancel the match. If you don't, I'll show you what I can do right here and now!"
The opponent was clearly about to get physical, but Gojo easily dodged without effort.
"Does this count as school bullying?"
"My, my, a senior resorting to this just to avoid a little match? How utterly shameful~"
"a senior using such excuse to bully a junior is truly despicable~ Wouldn't everyone agree?"
He smiled slightly as he played to the crowd around them.
The crowd faces were filled with disgust upon hearing this!
"Exactly, it's just too despicable!"
"Bullying a junior just because you're in a higher grade is absolutely shameless!"
"Anyone who bullies our classmate Gojo is shameless!!"
The crowd followed Gojo's lead, agreeing loudly and continuing to criticize the opposing group.
Surrounded by everyone, Lucien noticed Gojo wasn't afraid at all and was instead rallying the crowd against them. That attitude instantly made him puff up with rage!
"All of you, shut the hell up!"
"Damn it! I'm going to beat you into a cream puff! School bullying? I'll show you what real bullying is!"
After saying that, Lucien charged at Gojo.
But Gojo stayed calm. In one smooth motion, he caught his arm and executed a shoulder throw!
The rest of them rushed in after seeing that. In just a few seconds, Gojo took the entire group down with a left hook and a kick!
His movements were clean and precise, instantly earning gasps of admiration from the surrounding crowd!
"Gojo, you're amazing!"
"Gojo, you're so cool!"
"Wait, is Gojo actually a trained fighter? That shoulder throw was textbook!"
"Gojo, please join the Taekwondo Club!"
A mix of boys and girls called out excitedly, stunned by what they had just seen.
On the side, the spectators quietly laughed at the senior Basketball Club members now lying on the ground!
Everyone knew this Basketball Club well. They had long abused their senior status to bully girls and harass boys. Watching them get beaten up felt extremely satisfying for the crowd!
Lucien coughed, struggling to stand, then shouted in anger!
"You little femboy, you're courting death!"
"All of you, get him! I think this femboy doesn't know his place!"
"Yes sir!"
The group shouted, getting up and charging at Gojo together.
"You guys are like a bunch of monkeys."
Gojo didn't panic at all. Just as he was about to show off his skills, the sound of high heels suddenly echoed through the hallway.
Ellen had somehow called the Homeroom Teacher over!
"What is going on here?!"
As soon as the Homeroom Teacher arrived, her expression darkened as she roared at the group in the hallway!
"Class just ended and you're already fighting?! Upperclassmen included?! Do you want your points deducted? Do you not understand the school rules?!"
"Especially you, Gojo! You just arrived at this school and you're already late, breaking rules, and now fighting?!"
"All of you, come to my office immediately!!"
"And Gojo, why do you have a phone again? Confiscated!!"