Ms. Gojo thought she was dating an ordinary person's boyfriend.

As their names were exchanged, the seemingly ethereal thread that appeared to be about to snap solidified.

Gojo Satoru leaned back on the sofa, still clutching the small dark blue lucky bag between his fingers.

He looked at the man opposite him who was tidying up the coffee table with his head down, and a strange, even absurd, sense of incongruity rose in his heart.

As the "strongest," he was used to navigating the gaps between bloodshed and curses.

His world was the mountain of the college that was like a prison, the corrupt conference room filled with rotten oranges, and countless late nights filled with screams and filth.

The world of the person before me consists of disinfectant, colorful candies, warm black tea, and soft fabrics embroidered with the moon and stars.

It's too clean.

That's too ordinary.

Gojo thought that their intersection was probably like a bird skimming across the water.

The bird only occasionally gets thirsty and wants to stop on the water for a sip of cool water before it flies back to the high sky filled with thunderstorms and gales.

Just an ordinary person...

They are vulnerable.

They will be tormented by disease, crushed by life, and easily killed by unseen monsters called "curses" at some corner.

All the sorcerer can do is kill the monster before that happens, and then continue on their solitary journey.

Making friends? Or even going further?

Such things are a luxury for sorcerers.

So he decided to finish the bag of candy and then leave.

We might bump into each other again in the future, and maybe exchange a greeting, but that's about it.

After all, if you get too close and drag this "ordinary person" into his world, it would be a desecration of his gentleness.

"Um, Wu?"

His thoughts were interrupted by Sumire Kikawa's voice.

Gojo Satoru snapped out of his reverie and noticed that Sumi Kikawa was looking at him, holding a small, unopened box of tea and snacks, her expression somewhat serious: "What are you thinking about? Your expression suddenly became very serious."

"Huh? Really?" Gojo Satoru immediately put on a flippant smile and leaned back exaggeratedly. "I was just thinking that the sofa here in Sumire is so comfortable that I almost want to fall asleep right away."

He always habitually uses jokes to draw a line.

Unlike those he had dismissed, Sumi Kawakawa didn't just laugh it off. Instead, she put down her tea and snacks and moved forward a little.

"If you're tired, it's okay to take a nap." Sumire looked at him, her eyes full of gentle understanding. "Satoru looks even more tired now than when we were at the convenience store."

Gojo Satoru's smile froze for a moment.

His blindfold could block out the outside world's view, but it couldn't block out this almost intuitive insight.

"Are all doctors this worried?" Gojo Satoru shifted his position, crossing his long legs, trying to regain control.

"Speaking of which, I've already introduced myself, but Cheng still hasn't told me what you usually do. You don't just run into handsome guys on the street every day, do you?"

Sumire Kikkawa chuckled at his self-proclaimed title of "handsome guy".

"I spend most of my time at work," Sumi Kikawa honestly said. "But when I have a break, I stay home and read manga or play games."

"The doctor is actually an indoor type?" Gojo Satoru was a little surprised, after all, this person always gave people the feeling that he really loved life.

"Many people are surprised by this," Sumi Kikawa smiled somewhat reservedly. "But I do prefer staying at home; sometimes a noisy environment is a burden for me."

"You really can't judge a book by its cover..."

Kikawa Sumi lowered her head, took a sip of tea, smiled, and looked up to ask.

"What about enlightenment?"

He paused for a moment. "What kind of work does Wu do?"

Gojo Satoru paused, his hand holding the teacup still.

—Ah, we've arrived here.

His fingertips lightly brushed against the inside of the cup.

According to the original script, he should have smiled and made up some random excuse to change the subject.

In these chance encounters, he never tells the truth.

The barrier between sorcerers and ordinary people is not just a thin sheet of paper, but an entire invisible wall.

—A teacher at the Sorcery Academy.

—The head of the Gojo family, one of the three main families.

—The strongest sorcerer who has killed cursed spirits.

These words could never come out of his mouth and be spoken to this person.

Ordinary people and sorcerers find it difficult to get along in every sense.

Those who survive around him are either colleagues or have been personally isolated by him in a very, very far place.

People like Sumi Kichikawa—

She is gentle, clean, and even puts candy for strangers in a small cloth bag embroidered with the moon; she shouldn't be dragged into that kind of world.

Therefore, he knew clearly that this relationship probably wouldn't last long.

Maybe we'll chat for a few months, maybe even less.

One day, he will suddenly disappear from this person's life without leaving a trace, as if he had never existed.

This is the cleanest and best ending for both of them.

Gojo Satoru sighed softly to himself, then raised his head, his tone as nonchalant as ever.

"The PE teacher," he said.

Kikawa Sumi looked at him, her gaze lingering for a second.

"...The PE teacher?"

"Hmm." Gojo Satoru nodded, finding the lie quite natural. "Teaching a bunch of troublesome high school students. Chasing after them every day, my hair's almost turned white from anger."

As he spoke, he pointed to his white hair and smiled, his eyes crinkling.

Sumire Kawakawa smiled.

But somewhere in his heart, something stirred almost imperceptibly.

Physical education teacher.

It's not impossible.

This person is tall, probably quite skilled, young, and talkative—he fits the image of a young teacher who is popular with students.

For a fleeting moment, a ripple, almost invisible, appeared in a deep corner of my heart, like water being touched by the wind.

--Really.

But it's okay.

He didn't invite this person in today in the first place to find out everything.

Kikawa Sumi lowered her eyes, picked up her cup, took a sip, and swallowed the slight sense of unease along with the hot drink.

"You've worked hard," he said gently.

Gojo Satoru was taken aback.

He originally expected to get the usual response like "That must have been very tiring" or "You must be very athletic."

Sumi Kawakawa didn't ask any further questions, only saying "Thank you for your hard work."

No wonder he's a pediatrician.

She's the gentle type, so hard to handle...

"...Well," he turned his head, "now that the doctor said that, I realize I've really been through a lot."

"That's true," said Sumi Kichikawa. "No matter what kind of job it is, dealing with a group of lively children every day is very exhausting."

"Isn't Dr. Kikawa working even harder?"

"It's alright." Sumire Kichikawa thought for a moment, "They're actually quieter when they're sick."

Gojo Satoru burst out laughing.

"The doctor's complaint was surprisingly nasty."

"Is that so?" Sumire Kichikawa lowered her eyes. "Then never mind."

"No, I heard you." Gojo Satoru propped his chin on his hand, looking at him with a delighted smile. "So Dr. Kikawa can talk like that too. You were so gentle the last few times I saw you; I thought you were the type who couldn't even crack a sarcastic remark."

"I'm just an ordinary person."

"Ordinary people wouldn't be able to make such beautiful lucky bags."

Sumire Kawakawa was momentarily speechless.

Gojo Satoru laughed as soon as he finished speaking, showing no intention of taking it back. He turned around and gently shook the small lucky bag in his hand, the silvery moonlight shimmering under the lamplight.

The atmosphere in the living room softened noticeably at that moment.

Before I knew it, the clock on the wall had already struck eleven.

Gojo Satoru glanced at the time and raised an eyebrow: "Oh dear, it's so late."

"I'll walk you downstairs." Sumire Kichikawa stood up.

"No need." Gojo Satoru also stood up, carefully stuffing the lucky bag into the inside pocket of his coat, pressing it gently to make sure it was securely in place. "Doctor, you have to go to work tomorrow, right? Get some rest."

"It's okay."

"I said no." Gojo Satoru turned around and waved at him. "The doctor is too gentle; bad people might trick him."

Kikawa Sumi looked at him but didn't respond.

I just silently followed.

When he changed his shoes in the entryway, Gojo Satoru turned around, leaned against the door, and looked at Sumi Kikawa standing in the entryway.

The light shone from behind, casting a warm yellow hue around the other person's silhouette.

"Thank you for the hospitality today, doctor," said Gojo Satoru, his tone unusually serious for a second before quickly returning to his usual nonchalant smile. "The tea was delicious, and the candy was tasty too."

"You're welcome."

"Next time—" Gojo Satoru paused for a moment.

next time.

He had never felt any weight when he uttered this word before. But now, saying it to this person, a faint hesitation inexplicably arose in his heart.

There might not be a next time.

Or rather, he shouldn't have made "next time" too many times.

But the words were already on the tip of his tongue. He looked at the gentle person standing in the entryway, and the momentary hesitation was ultimately suppressed.

"Next time, let me treat the doctor to dinner," he said casually. "I know a really good restaurant."

"good."

Sumire Kawakawa answered quickly.

The door closed gently.

One by one, the motion-sensor lights in the hallway illuminated that slender figure section by section, until it finally disappeared around the corner.

The night was deep, and the apartment was warmly lit. Two empty cups remained on the coffee table, and there were shallow dents on the sofa cushions, indicating that someone had just left.

Kikawa Sumi walked over and quietly put the cup away.

He knew he had done something he would never have done before—actively trying to keep people here, proactively giving gifts, and proactively mentioning "next time."

But he didn't regret it at all.

Perhaps this is what fate has brought us together.

Even if the other person is still wearing a thin layer of disguise, even if this relationship has a very long way to go, he is willing to walk through it step by step.

After all, starting tonight, they will have one more name between them.