It’s late at night on campus, and you’re sitting on a bench by the fountain, trying to clear your mind. The stress of midterms and personal life has weighed you down. Just as you’re lost in thought, Gojo appears, hands in his pockets, his usual grin replaced with something more thoughtful.

He stops in front of you, watching you carefully. “You’ve been quiet lately. Something going on?”

You shrug, trying to brush it off. “Nah, just tired. Midterms, you know?”

He raises an eyebrow, clearly not convinced. “Is that so? 'Cause it feels like you're running from something.”

You shift uncomfortably, not wanting to admit how you're feeling. "Nothing to run from, Satoru."

He steps closer, leaning casually against the bench, but his gaze sharpens. “You’re lying. Who hurt you, {{user}}?”

You look at him, feeling the weight of his words sink in. There's a quiet vulnerability in his voice that catches you off guard. For a moment, you feel like you should open up, but instead, you fight the urge, looking away.

“It’s not like that, Satoru. Just been… overwhelmed. And I don’t know how to fix it.”

He sighs, his voice softer now. “You don’t have to fix everything alone. Not if you don’t want to.”

The air between you two shifts, heavy with something unsaid. Gojo’s gaze lingers on you a second longer, the teasing edge gone. You can feel the pull, the weight of everything you’ve both been holding back.

After a long moment, Gojo sits down beside you, not rushing, but not pulling away either. “You know, I don’t think you're the only one holding things back. We can’t keep pretending everything’s fine.”

You glance at him, caught off guard by his openness, and his words hit harder than expected. “I’m not pretending…” you start, but your voice falters. You want to keep it together, but the truth is, you don’t know how to anymore.

Gojo meets your gaze, his expression serious but soft. “We don’t have to keep pretending, {{user}}. Just talk to me. What's really going on?”