Her grip on the door tightened. Her golden eyes dripping with exhaustion.
"How long have you been here?" she asked finally.
"Long enough," he replied with a shrug. "Your folks were loud, you know—well, so were you, but you get the point."
"When will you stop intruding?" She clicked her tongue, "You shouldn't be here."
"Probably not," he admitted. "But I had a bad feeling Aimi-chan is in a bad mood, so I dropped by. Aren't I so kind and sweet?"
Her eyes darted to the floor for a few seconds before she exhaled sharply and walked into the room, closing the door behind her. "What do you want, Satoru?"
"Nothing, really," he said, uncrossing his legs. "Just checking in on you."
Silence enveloped them for a moment before he continued, "I guess I was right to do so. Aimi-chan doesn't seem too happy." He grinned.
"Doesn't seem happy?" She sat on the edge of the bed, keeping her distance from him. "That doesn't even begin to cover it."
"So," he began, leaning forward slightly. "Your parents finally decided to clue you in, huh?"
"I guess you already know everything," she said, looking up at the ceiling.
"Not everything. But I can put two and two together."
Aimi shook her head, running a hand through her hair. "It doesn't matter. None of it matters."
"Doesn't it?"
She scoffed, her voice barely above a whisper. "They left me alone for eight years. And now they think they can just walk back into my life with… this... bullshit."
Gojo didn't interrupt, a rare seriousness in his demeanour.
"I was fine," she continued, more to herself than to him. "I was fine before they showed up. I worked hard. I survived. And suddenly—" She stopped herself, shaking her head. "Why am I even saying this to you?"
"Because I'm easy to talk to," he quipped, his grin returning full force.
"And you sure do not know how to read the room." She huffed and stood up.
"What's the point of reading the room when you're the strongest?" he chuckled, reaching out to grab her wrist and pulling her back down.
"Leave me alone and go home," she snapped.
"I am not leaving you alone." His tone is jolly. "How could I ever leave Aimi-chan alone?"
Though how he said it makes it sound like a joke but that phrase caused her buried tears to ignite. They scrolled down her frustrated face uncontrollably. She whimpered softly in silence.
Gojo didn't mind the tantrum—if anything, it was exactly what he'd expected. Usually, he'd feel irritated by emotions, but since she doesn't leak curse energy, her overflowing feelings were not unpleasant.
"My, my..." Gojo lay down and pulled her into his embrace, cradling her in his arms.
She continued to cry for a while before speaking, "You seem comfortable with physical contact..."
"I'm experienced and a natural," he admitted.
"..." she sniffled, trying to pull away from his hugging arms.
"Come on, continue where you left off. Don't go." He nudged her. "Speak."
She dazed her tear-filled eyes toward the window, watching the faint glow of streetlights outside.
"They gave me a choice to become a sorcerer," she said after a moment.
"And you don't want to be a sorcerer."
"Why would I? It was for this sorcery crap that they left me."
Gojo hummed thoughtfully, tilting his head as he regarded her. "That's fair."
Her gaze met his. "???"
"I said it's fair," he repeated nonchalantly. "But then again, everyone is alone. Everyone is lonely. No matter how many people you have around when you die, you die alone. Anything but alone is a delusion."
She was startled by his philosophical side.
"You don't tell a 12-year-old kid that," she complained.
"Because 12-year-old kids are dumb," he rubbed her back. "You aren't, though, are you? You're not 12 anymore, Aimi."
"…"
"Your folks tried their best, probably," Gojo exhaled. "It's just that this sorcery world is fucked up, with the higher-ups and the never-ending curses. The system itself is broken."
"Then why did they join it?" Aimi asked quietly. Her parents weren't born into it, unlike Gojo.
"To do something about it, still." He answered simply. "Sorcerers have one thing in common despite their differences: they want to make a change, and to initiate a change, everyone is forced to sacrifice something. It is only natural."
"This conversation is unexpected." Aimi felt Gojo brushing through her hair. "So you followed me this whole time because of this. You wanted me to become a sorcerer to help with some vision you have in mind."
"You are straight," he responded. "Yes," not denying the accusation.
"…"
"Don't grow quiet on me. You like honesty, don't you? I'm completely open for you to see. I have nothing to hide."
"You're the worst."
"Why? Because I have a dream, and I approached you because I wanted help with it?"
"What's this dream then." She swallowed the pride and chose to listen.
"A new world," he paused. "A world where kids like you won't have to suffer because of curse-related bullshit anymore. I want them to be carefree and enjoy their youth."
His mind flashed to memories, remembrance of Riko falling, of losing Suguru Geto, of life turning upside down. Being the strongest yet powerless in the face of a broken system was infuriating.
"The higher-ups won't do shit about the system. They only look for quick fixes and don't care about anything else. A bunch of greedy, stupid bastards." His fingers continued running through her hair. "Killing them won't do any good either, they'd just get replaced."
Aimi stared in silence, unable to reconcile this side of him with the Gojo Satoru she knew.
"Is this you trying to manipulate me?"
"I'm telling you my real intent. Whether you want to join me or not is up to you," he replied, his tone relaxed.
"And if I choose not to be involved, you'll leave me alone?"
"No."
"??"
"I said it. I won't leave you alone."
The words carried more weight than his demeanour let on.
"You're too determined." She sat up from his embrace, attempting to wipe the last few lingering tears away, "It's suffocating."
"Is it?" he laughed softly, grabbing a tissue to help her clean up. "I was sure my presence is top-tier fun, though."
Her shoulders sagged as the tension slowly drained. "I don't have the energy to banter with you."
"Good," he said abruptly, standing and stretching. "We should go out for a bit."
She blinked, confused. "Go where?"
"Out." He grabbed her wrist, pulling her up with ease. "You've been sulking long enough. Time to change the scenery."
"It's the middle of the night," she protested, trying to pull free.
"All the better," he said, dragging her toward the door. "Fewer people, more quiet. Perfect for someone who wants to be 'left alone.'"
She didn't resist too much. As they walked downstairs, she noticed her parents were gone. Her chest tightened despite having told them to leave.
Gojo noticed her hesitation and patted her head, his touch surprisingly comforting. Without a word, he took her hand, lacing his fingers with hers, and guided her outside.
The cool night air greeted them, the faint hum of the distant city wrapping around them. Gojo casually shoved their intertwined hands into his pocket, his silver hair glowing under the moonlight as he led the way.
"Where are we going?"
"Wherever," he replied without looking back. "You've got nothing to lose, right?"
"I do have a lot to lose. You're the one who doesn't have anything to lose."
"Hahaha."
They wandered through quiet streets, the glow of the streetlights casting long shadows on the pavement. Eventually, Gojo brought her to a small park, the kind she used to visit when she was younger. It was almost empty, the rustling leaves and the occasional chirp of crickets the only sounds accompanying them.
He plopped himself onto a bench and tugged her down next to him. "Move closer," he nudged.
*sigh* but she scooted closer.
They sat in companionable silence for a while, the tension between them easing slightly as the peaceful atmosphere settled in.
"So, just to be clear," her voice tinged with weariness, "what is it that you want me to do, Satoru? Become a sorcerer?"