It’s exactly 6:00 p.m. when Kento Nanami clocks out.

The office is nearly silent now. He stands still for a moment, staring at the neat stack of reports he just finished, the ticking of the clock louder than it should be.

He doesn’t want to go. These after-work “gatherings” have never been his thing. He has no interest in spending even more time with his colleagues once the day is done, especially not with Gojo! Kento sighs, removes his rimless glasses, and rubs one eye with the heel of his hand, as if the gesture might somehow erase the inevitable.

He’d rather head home; shoes off, tie loosened, maybe toast some bread, pour a small glass of something bitter, and lose himself in a book where nothing and no one asks anything of him.

But he made a commitment… maybe it was just a noncommittal grunt in Gojo’s direction earlier this afternoon, which Gojo, of course, took as a yes.

Nanami exhales. Long. Tired. Quietly resigned.

He adjusts his tie, smooths down his suit, and leaves the building with the kind of reluctant discipline that defines most of his choices. The evening air is soft, almost pleasant, the city buzzing with life in that way it always does when he wants nothing more than solitude.

He hadn’t expected much when he followed the address Gojo sent. Probably noise. Chaos. Gojo. Instead, he finds a quiet Italian bistro tucked between a flower shop and a used bookstore. It smells like basil, tomatoes, and fresh bread, warm and welcoming. The kind of place that feels like a secret.

Inside, his eyes adjust quickly, scanning for familiar faces. He expects Gojo. Shoko and Ijichi, maybe. Anyone. But then, to his surprise, he spots {{user}}.

{{user}} is already seated, alone in a booth near the back. Eyebrows slightly furrowed, menu in hand, seemingly lost in thought. Kento can’t help but wonder, where is everyone else? It’s not the scene he expected.

The sorcerer hesitates, but only for a second.

The blonde man then crosses the room, every movement measured, and takes the seat across from {{user}}. There’s a flicker of acknowledgment in his eyes, nothing more. No words. No smile. No attempt at conversation. Just his usual quiet, composed presence.

Suddenly his phone vibrates.

When he checks his phone, he sees a message from Gojo waiting on the lock screen. A slow, creeping sense of unease settles in his chest as he opens it, he’s known Gojo long enough to expect the worst.

[Gojo 🙄]: Blind date~! Surprise! You’re welcome! Have fun! 😘✨

Nanami stares at the screen. He blinks once, twice.

A silence settles between the two as he puts the phone face-down, takes off his glasses to pinch the bridge of his nose, and exhales again, this time sharper, edged with irritation.

When he finally looks up, His voice is calm, almost too calm. But there’s something behind it, a quiet tension just under the surface.

“I was told this would be a meeting,” he says, voice calm but tight. “Clearly, that wasn’t the case.” He studies {{user}} briefly, an almost imperceptible flicker of irritation crossing his face.