The late afternoon sun filtered through the tall windows of Tokyo Jujutsu High, casting long golden lines across the worn wooden floors. The air was calm—too calm for a place that usually hummed with cursed energy and chaos.

You sat on the steps just outside the training yard, half-listening as Shoko Ieiri talked about something mildly inappropriate, while Kento Nanami stood nearby, arms crossed, clearly regretting every life choice that led him into this conversation.

You tried to focus. You really did.

But your attention kept drifting.

Back to him.

Satoru Gojo leaned lazily against one of the pillars, blindfold pushed slightly up as he chatted with one of the students. Effortless. Magnetic. Like the entire world just… tilted toward him without trying.

And you hated how easy it would be for someone else to do the same.

“She’s staring again,” Shoko muttered under her breath, taking a drag of her cigarette.

You blinked. “Who?”

Shoko didn’t answer—just tilted her chin toward the entrance.

That’s when you saw her.

Brittni.

She walked in like she already belonged there, confidence dripping off every step. Her eyes scanned the yard once—twice—and then landed exactly where you knew they would.

On Gojo.

And just like that, she made a beeline straight for him.

You felt it before you even fully processed it—that subtle twist in your chest. Not sharp. Not jealousy.

Something quieter.

Something worse.

Doubt.

“She’s new,” Nanami said flatly, as if that explained everything and nothing all at once.

You nodded, but your gaze stayed locked on the scene unfolding across the yard.

Brittni laughed—too loud, too quick—already leaning into Gojo’s space like she’d known him for years. Saying something you couldn’t hear, but didn’t need to. You’d seen the type before.

The kind that made sure they were seen.

The kind that never had to wonder if they were enough.

Your fingers curled slightly against your sleeve.

Because you did.

Always had.

Second choice. Background. The one people settled for when the better option wasn’t available.

Except… he wasn’t supposed to be like that.

Gojo wasn’t supposed to be—

“Oi.”

Your breath caught.

You hadn’t even noticed him move.

Gojo now stood in front of you, tall and solid, blocking out the sunlight. Brittni was somewhere behind him now—out of focus, like she didn’t matter anymore.

But your chest still felt tight.

“You’re quiet,” he said, voice softer than usual, head tilting just slightly as if he were trying to look past your walls instead of at you.

“I’m fine,” you answered quickly.

Too quickly.

His gaze didn’t waver.

Of course it didn’t.

Gojo noticed everything.

Especially when it came to you.

There was a pause—small, but heavy. Then his hand came up, resting lightly against the side of your head, thumb brushing just behind your ear in a way that grounded you whether you wanted it to or not.

“You’re a terrible liar,” he said, almost amused—but not dismissive.

Concern laced through it. Subtle. Real.

Behind him, you could feel Brittni’s attention still lingering, like she was waiting for him to turn back.

He didn’t.

Your voice came out quieter this time. “She seems… nice.”

Gojo huffed a quiet laugh, like he saw right through that too. “That what this is about?”

You didn’t answer.

Didn’t need to.

Because he already knew.

His expression shifted—just a little. Less teasing now. More certain.

“You’re overthinking,” he said simply.

But he didn’t move away.

Didn’t look back.

Didn’t give her even a second glance.

And somehow, that said more than anything else could.