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

Sumi Kichikawa stood up.

"Let's go, the arcade is about to close."

Gojo Satoru stood up, but his gaze lingered on the screen for a second.

【Stargate Travel Companion】

The title "pixel art style" flashed in the sky.

Then the machine automatically returns to the standby screen.

Gojo Satoru smiled.

"That's a good title."

"It's just a game title."

"But it sounds like a team name," Gojo Satoru said. "Dr. Kosumi, we just formed a temporary team."

Following his lead, Sumire Kichikawa asked, "Then who is the captain?"

Without hesitation, Gojo Satoru replied, "Me."

Sumire Kawakawa looked at him.

Gojo Satoru was very confident: "Because I've won more games."

"I won the second race."

"I came in first place in shooting."

There is no first or second place in cooperative levels.

"But mages are usually the core damage dealers."

"Without melee attacks to activate the mechanisms, you'll get stuck on the third level."

Gojo Satoru was silent for a second.

Then he smiled with a hint of amusement.

"Dr. Kosuke, you're really good at arguing with me."

"This isn't arguing," Sumire Kichikawa corrected. "This is a debriefing."

"So meticulous."

The two talked as they walked out.

As they passed the redemption area, the students who had been watching them race glanced at them again.

One of them couldn't help but whisper, "They're still fighting over who's the captain..."

Another person said, "Isn't this just a couple bickering?"

The third person said, "But they seem to be seriously discussing the game."

Wu Tiaowu's steps never stopped.

Kikawa Sumi did not turn around.

But both of them fell silent at the same time.

After leaving the arcade, the night breeze felt much fresher.

Sumi Kichikawa zipped up her jacket a little, and Gojo Satoru noticed, naturally moving to the side facing the wind.

Sumi Kichikawa glanced at him.

Gojo Satoru seemed completely unaware of what he had done, and was simply looking down at the convenience store's dessert bag.

"Xiao Cheng, Pudding is still here."

"Um."

"Want some?"

"Didn't you just have a parfait?"

"That was just now," Gojo Satoru said. "Playing games consumes a lot of energy."

Sumire Kawakawa glanced at him.

"You were sitting down when you took the taxi."

"The five-line game method is very mentally taxing."

"It sounds like it was made up on the spot."

"But it works very well."

In the end, Sumire took him to the small square next door.

There were benches along the edge of the square, facing a row of closed shops. There weren't many people around at night; only the vending machines were still lit up.

The two sat down.

Gojo Satoru opened the pudding and handed one of the pieces to Sumirei Kawakawa.

Kikawa Sumi took it, but didn't eat it immediately.

Gojo Satoru asked, "You don't like it?"

"No," Sumi Kikawa said, "I was thinking about the game we just played."

"Still reviewing?"

"Um."

Gojo Satoru rested his chin on his hand and looked at him.

"Dr. Xiaocheng is very conscientious."

"Aren't you the same?"

"I just want to know how to beat you even more next time."

"Then I'll have to figure out how to prevent you from winning even more."

Gojo Satoru smiled.

"See, this is what it means to be serious."

Sumire Kawakawa also smiled.

They sat side by side eating pudding.

Not much was said.

But this silence is not awkward.

Satoru Gojo usually knows how to liven up the atmosphere; he can make any occasion lively if he wants. But at this moment, he's sitting quietly to the side, head down, scooping up pudding to eat, which makes everyone feel relaxed.

Sumi Kichikawa has been to many parts of the world.

He has seen too many lively people.

Protagonist, friend, enemy, passerby.

There are always stories, conflicts, and reasons for them to keep moving forward.

Most of the time, Sumi Kichikawa would just accompany them for a while.

He always quietly paved the way, removed the dangers, handed them the necessary items, and then left before the story ended.

He is very good at saying goodbye.

They are also very good at not looking back.

But now, he sits on a bench in an ordinary little square in Tokyo, holding a caramel pudding in his hand, with Gojo Satoru next to him, who has just finished playing a game with him.

He suddenly felt that it wouldn't matter if the night ended a little late.

Gojo Satoru suddenly spoke up: "Sumi."

"Um?"

"You seemed a little concerned when you saw the synchronization rate just now."

Kikawa Sumi paused slightly.

Gojo Satoru chewed on his spoon, his voice still sounding casual.

"Have you played similar games before?"

Sumire Kawakawa looked at him.

Gojo Satoru did not press for answers.

He didn't even adopt an inquisitive attitude; he simply spoke casually about what he had noticed.

Sumire Kawakawa thought for a moment.

"Maybe," he said. "I've played a lot of games before, and when I see similar mechanics, I subconsciously take a second look."

This statement remains true.

It's just incomplete.

Gotsu nodded.

"That machine is indeed a bit strange."

Sumire Kikawa asked, "What's strange about it?"

"It's too old, but it feels great," Gojo Satoru said. "It's like it's been meticulously maintained."

"That's not surprising."

"And then there's the synchronization rate," Gojo Satoru continued. "Ninety-one sounds high, but it doesn't tell us what the maximum score is."

Sumire Kawachi paused.

He noticed that too.

Most games display a percentage, with 91% being the default maximum score of 100%.

But that machine didn't display a percentage sign.

It only wrote—synchronization rate: 91.

Like a numerical value.

It is not necessarily a percentage.

Sumi Kichikawa looked down at the pudding cup.

"Perhaps it's just a simplified design."

"Maybe." Gojo Satoru smiled. "But if we go again next time, we can try to see if we can get a higher score."

"next time?"

"What, Dr. Kosumi, don't you want to take on the challenge again?"

Sumire Kawakawa looked up at him.

Gojo Satoru tilted his head slightly as he looked at him.

Sumi Kichikawa did not refuse.

"Can."

Gojo Satoru's mood clearly improved.

"Then it's settled."

"Okay," said Sumi Kikawa, "but you can come to my house next time."

Wu Tiaowu paused in his movements.

Sumi Kikawa continued, "Haven't you already seen the game console? There's no need to queue at home, and no one will be watching."

It came out so naturally that even Sumi Kichikawa herself didn't realize there was something wrong with her statement.

Gojo Satoru slowly blinked.

"Dr. Kosuke".

"Um?"

"Have you always trusted your friends this much?"

Sumi Kikawa shook her head: "Not always."

Wu Tiao Wu tilted his head.

Sumire looked at him, her tone calm.

"You can do it."

Gojo Satoru immediately fell silent.

Sumi Kichikawa didn't think she had said anything particularly ambiguous.

He simply answered Gojo Satoru's questions seriously.

Gojo Satoru seemed to be gently struck by this straightforward expression of trust.

He quickly laughed, hiding the slight unease within his usual cheerful demeanor.

"I see," he said. "Then I'll bring a gift."

"Don't make it all desserts."

"Bring your own meals too."

"Don't buy too much."

"I understand, Dr. Xiaocheng has a lot of family rules."

"These are basic life suggestions."

"But it sounds like family rules."

Sumire Kawakawa thought for a moment.

"If you want to come to my house to play games, you can temporarily follow the house rules."

Gojo Satoru laughed out loud.

"Okay."