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

After getting off work in the afternoon, Sumi Kizawa went to Makoto Fujii's game store.

The shop is located between two cafes, and its signboard is old and almost faded. Inside the glass window are old handheld game consoles, second-hand cartridges, and a few game consoles that are half-repaired.

A handwritten note was pasted on the door:

The owner is fixing something in the back if the door isn't open. Please knock, don't bang on the glass.

When Sumi Kichikawa pushed open the door, the doorbell rang a beat late.

Makoto Fujii looked up from behind the counter, a screwdriver still in his hand.

"They're here? The hospital's machines are in the back."

"Thanks for your hard work."

"Don't thank me yet." Fujii Makoto stood up and dragged out the cardboard box. "Two units are no problem. One can last until the end of Saturday. I suggest leaving the last one there as a nostalgic exhibit."

Kikawa Sumi bent down to inspect the cables.

Fujii Makoto leaned against the counter and looked at him.

"I saw in the group chat that there are quite a few people attending this event?"

"There are more than twenty children in total, plus their families."

"That gaming area must be very noisy," Fujii Makoto said. "Let me make it clear first, I'm only responsible for the machines, not for yelling 'Don't grab the controllers!'"

"I know."

"Did Miyazawa say your gaming section is still short-staffed?"

"Hmm." Sumi Kichikawa reached out her hand.

Fujii Makoto handed him the handle.

"Then find a two-player game partner."

Kikawa Sumi stopped fiddling with the buttons and looked up at him.

Makoto Fujii laughed: "Don't look at me like that. You've been buying double-player cartridges lately, and you're asking me if I have a multiplayer controller? I'm not blind."

Sumi Kichikawa took the bag from the side and gently put the handle inside to wrap it up.

"He might not have the time."

"But do you want to ask him?"

Sumi Kikawa looked down at the handle thread sticking out of the bag and said, "I want to ask."

Fujii Makoto raised an eyebrow.

This was the first time the person had answered so directly, so he couldn't joke around anymore.

"They're such good friends?"

Sumi Kikawa: "Mm."

Fujii Makoto waited for a while, but received no further response.

"That's it?"

Kikawa Sumire did not understand.

"What else needs to be said?"

Fujii Makoto was silent for two seconds, then waved his hand.

"You know, your statement is scarier than any lengthy explanation."

Sumi Kichikawa didn't respond to that, but instead tried out each of the controllers one by one.

Makoto Fujii took another old cassette tape from the drawer and placed it on the counter.

"Oh, by the way, take this with you and have a look."

Sumi Kichikawa looked up and saw that the cassette tape was badly worn, with most of the label torn off, leaving only a blurry pixelated pattern.

"Is it broken?"

"It's hard to say." Fujii Makoto frowned. "The cartridge itself is fine, but when I insert it, the screen flickers, and last night it even flickered on its own. I almost thought the store was haunted."

Sumire Kawakawa picked it up and looked at it.

The cassette was very light, and there were no special marks on the surface.

Makoto Fujii said, "If you're not comfortable with it, then don't plug it into your own machine."

"fine."

"You always say the same thing... By the way, if you're going to take it apart, you'd better do some research first."

Sumi Kichikawa put the cassette tape into her bag.

"I will be careful."

Fujii Makoto gave an OK sign and said, "If your friend is coming on Saturday, let me know in advance. I'll bring an extra fighter jet."

Sumire Kikawa nodded.

"it is good."

Fujii Makoto watched him pick up the cardboard box and walk towards the door, then suddenly said, "Kizukawa."

Sumi Kichikawa didn't stop: "Hmm?"

"You seemed quite happy when you mentioned him earlier."

Sumi Kichikawa paused for a moment.

Fujii Makoto smiled and didn't continue.

"Let's go, I'll help you move your things to the car."

Meanwhile, in an abandoned shopping mall at dusk, Gojo Satoru had just finished his mission.

The mission was completed quickly.

The cursed spirit wasn't low-level, but for Gojo Satoru, it only caused a slight delay. Several sections of the mall's glass roof were broken, and dim light slanted in, illuminating the remaining black marks on the ground.

Kiyotaka Ijichi stood at the entrance, holding a tablet in his hand, his expression as tense as ever.

"Mr. Gojo, the vehicle is already waiting outside."

Wu Tiaowu waved his hand.

"Okay."

Ichiji paused in his movements.

"Do you have any other plans for tonight?"

"Um."

"Would you like me to take you there?"

"unnecessary."

Ichiji pushed up his glasses.

If it were just a normal refusal, he would probably assume it was just another whim of Gojo Satoru's. But recently, Gojo Satoru has been refusing to pick him up much more often, and each time he doesn't specify the destination.

This made Ichiji somewhat uneasy.

"Mr. Gojo, if it's mission-related, I need to record the itinerary."

"It's not a mission."

"Is that a private matter?"

Gojo Satoru glanced down at his phone.

The screen displayed a message sent by Sumi Kichikawa half an hour ago.

[Dr. Xiaocheng: Have you had dinner tonight?]

Gojo Satoru hasn't returned yet.

He was just performing a purification ritual to exorcise the cursed spirit.

Gojo Satoru's lips curved slightly.

[Wake-up: I'm working hard to finish my work.]

A few seconds later, the other party replied.

[Dr. Xiaocheng: Eat something after you're done. Don't just buy desserts.]

Gojo Satoru couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Ijichi stood to the side, feeling as if she had seen something she shouldn't have.

"Mr. Gojo?"

Gojo Satoru put away his phone.

"I'd call it health management."

Ijichi: "...What?"

"It's nothing." Gojo Satoru waved his hand. "Ijichi, you should take care of yourself too."

Ijichi's expression became even more complicated.

"I feel very uneasy when Mr. Gojo suddenly says that."

"I'm just concerned about you."

"This isn't how you usually show concern."

"I'll beat you up~"

Ichiji silently shut up.

When Gojo Satoru reached the exit, he suddenly stopped.

According to the procedure, he will then get into a car, possibly to return to the college or to the next mission location.

All itineraries will be recorded.

This is the world of sorcerers.

Tasks, filth, reports, high-level officials, surveillance, casualties.

He was used to these things.

But the message on my phone that said "Eat something first" doesn't belong here.

Gojo Satoru lowered his eyes.

Contacting an ordinary person is already crossing the line.

he knows.

Nanami had warned me, and so had Shoko.

He knew better than anyone that once the sorcery world took notice of an ordinary person, something very troublesome would happen.

Moreover, there are some unusual things about Sumi Kichikawa that he hasn't figured out yet.

Gojo Satoru cannot bring him into the spotlight of the sorcery world.

Even if it was unintentional.

Seeing Gojo Satoru stop, Ijichi also stopped, and hesitantly asked, "Mr. Gojo?"

Gojo Satoru turned around, his face bearing his usual nonchalant smile.

"I don't need to record where I go at night."

Ichiji was taken aback.

Gojo's tone remained lazy.

"It's just going to an ordinary place."

An ordinary place.

Ichiji stood still and didn't ask any more questions.

He didn't know where Gojo Satoru was going, nor did he know what kind of ordinary place it was.

But unusually, there's no room for jokes in Gojo Satoru's words.

Ichiji lowered his head.

"I see."

Gojo Satoru waved his hand with a smile.

"Please submit the mission report."

After saying that, he turned and walked in the opposite direction from the vehicle.