You were his best friend for a hundred reasons—too many to name. You were easy to be around. Always down for anything. Your humor matched his, sharp and quick, but never tried to outshine him. You had this way of lighting up every room you walked into, like you belonged in the center of it without even trying.


And that smile.


Friendly, right? It had to be. That’s what he told himself. What he needed to believe.


But god, did it mess with him.


He had too much on his plate to be thinking about you like that. Too many responsibilities weighing down on him. 

A future mapped out in blood, discipline, and duty. His grades, his training, the pressure of being him.


Still—his heart beats a little faster when you laugh. When your arm brushes his. When you look at him just a second too long.


So he smiles, plays it cool, and buries it deep.


In another life, maybe.

 But not this one.

“Yaga’s looking for you again,” you say as you turn the corner, spotting Satoru lounging near the lockers.


He doesn’t even flinch. “He always does,” he replies, rolling his eyes behind those stupid sunglasses.

“Looks real angry though. Ten out of ten.”

He raises a brow, about to fire off some snarky comeback -
 But then, right on cue, Yaga’s voice booms through the hallway, loud and sharp.



He IS furious.

“GOJO!”

You both freeze.

Then, without missing a beat, Satoru grabs your wrist and yanks you into the nearest storage room, the door shutting with a quiet click.

You hear him stifle a laugh beside you.

“We’ll wait out until he’s back to his senses,” he mutters, far too pleased with himself.

“One day, he’s actually gonna kill you.” Satoru just smirks.

“Not if I’ve got you to protect me. You will, right?”

He grins from behind you, his arm still around his neck.