43 ~ Forty-Three

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[Y]ou made a deliberate effort to stay away from him, avoiding any possible encounters with Gojo Satoru.

After regaining control of your emotions, you'd decided it was best to keep your distance.

And since your living quarters were right next to his, you knew you'd likely bump into him eventually. But for now, you didn't feel ready to confront him about anything.

You needed time to think things through and figure out what to make of it.

"L/N-san?" A familiar voice called out to you, causing your head to snap in his direction.

"Yuta?" You greeted him, glancing from over your shoulder as he descended the stairs to join you, taking a seat amidst the bleachers.

He settled beside you, smiling gently. "What brings you here? I thought you had training with Gojo-sensei this morning?"

"We finished early," you informed him politely, turning your gaze back to the vacant field.

A heavy silence settled between you, before you heard Yuta's hesitant voice. "Um, I'm not sure if I should ask, but you seem troubled, L/N-san."

"I suppose... I am," you confirmed with a nod.

"Is it about your training? Starting out can be tough for everyone," Yuta offered.

"It's about Gojo Satoru."

"Hm? About sensei?"

"Yes," you nodded again.

"What about sensei? Did he tease you again?"

"I'm starting to wonder if someone like him understands what it means to feel pain."

"Ah, that's a bit harsh, isn't it?" The teenage boy chuckled nervously, scratching the back of his head.

"I'm not trying to badmouth him," you clarified, shaking your head. "I'm just... curious, you know? He always acts so carefree, and I can't help but wonder if there's more to him."

Another pause lingered before Yuta spoke again. "You know, L/N-San, sometimes it feels like no one really gets it. People see the strength, but they don't see the pain behind it."

His words caught your attention, and you turned to blink at him, pondering his insight.

"What do you mean?"

"Gojo-sensei killed his best friend once to save us. Though I don't know all the details, but I want to become strong so he won't have to carry such burdens alone anymore." Yuta's revelation and earnestness took you by surprise.

"Gojo Satoru killed his best friend?" There was a hint of disbelief in your voice.

"Yeah," Yuta confirmed. "Geto Suguru. His curse technique allowed him to control cursed spirits. He was aiming to kill me and take Rika."

The revelation left you stunned. "I had no idea," you admitted truthfully, your mind racing to comprehend such drastic circumstances.

"So, to answer your question, I do think he understands what pain is. He just... handles it differently," Yuta continued, his words sinking in as you blinked at him.

"And you're saying he did it to protect everyone?" you asked, still trying to wrap your head around the information.

"Yes," Yuta nodded. "To protect us all from a threat we couldn't even comprehend."

Who in the world could want to kill such a lovable kid, you pondered silently.

"I'm glad you're safe," you stated calmly, turning your gaze ahead. "And you don't deserve to be targeted because of your... situation with Rika."

Yuta chuckled softly at your words. "You remind me of sensei, L/N-san. Maybe a bit cooler and calmer than him, but there's a similarity."

"Oh? How so?" you inquired.

"Sensei said something similar, just in his own unique way."

"Looks like you respect him a lot."

"I do," he smiled at you.

Another heavy silence settled between you, indicating that Yuta knew more about Gojo Satoru than he let on.

You mulled something over before finally voicing your question with a hint of uneasiness. "I've been meaning to ask," you began tentatively.

The teenage boy nodded, encouraging you to continue.

"Is Gojo... blind or something? Why the blindfold though?" you asked, your curiosity getting the better of you.

Yuta's expression softened as he began to explain. "No, he's not blind," he said simply. "It's because of his curse technique, the Six Eyes. It gives him heightened senses, so he can see and sense curse energy really well. But sometimes, all that information can be too much, so he wears the blindfold to help manage it."

You felt a strange mix of emotions stirring inside you.

Even though you knew Gojo didn't owe you any explanations, it still felt like something had shifted, leaving you with a sense of betrayal.

"I see," you responded with another nod. "Are you here to train or something? I don't see Toge-kun and the others."

"Yeah, Maki, Panda, and Inumaki are out dealing with some pesky curses," Yuta explained, his tone calm and collected. "As for me, I figured I'd squeeze in some extra training before I head off to Africa."

"Leaving for Africa?" you echoed in inquisition.

"Yeah," Yuta nodded, his expression serious. "I've still got a long way to go in figuring out this power."

"I see," you replied.

Just then, Gojo's voice rang out with cheerful enthusiasm. "Hey there, Yuta! Guess it's just you, me and Y/N for now. Ready to show me what you've got?"

You silently cursed your luck.

It seemed like Gojo had a knack for popping up at the most inconvenient times.

As Gojo approached, you stood up, signaling your departure. "I'll leave you to your training then," you said, mostly to Yuta.

"Okay," Yuta acknowledged. "See you around, L/N-san."

"See you."

Turning to leave, Gojo addressed you with his typical playfulness. "Feeling any better?" he asked, his blindfolded gaze locked on you. "You're not coming down with something, are you?"

"I'm fine," you replied curtly, trying to move past him.

"You're putting up an ice wall again, Y/N," Gojo teased. "Let's talk later, 'kay?"

You paused on the stairs, considering his proposal. "W-what?"

"Indulge me, Y/N. Let's meet up in my study later for a little chat," Gojo suggested, his smirk never faltering.

After a moment's thought, you relented, nodding in agreement, and intentionally leaving it at that, testing him.

"Great!" Gojo exclaimed, though his tone held a hint of amusement. "I've got some Kikufuku from Sendai on the way. You're going to love it!"

"So, L/N-san's got a sweet tooth too?" Yuta asked, to which Gojo nodded with a, "Mhm."

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