After waiting for a few minutes, there was no reply. He should be in class.
Gojo Satoru sent another message:
【I'm taking the Apron as a souvenir.】
Still no reply.
Gojo Satoru smiled and put away his Mobile Phone.
The car drove to Jujutsu High. Gojo Satoru got out of the car and walked toward the teaching building, encountering Yaga Masamichi on the way.
"Satoru, you're in a good mood today?" Yaga looked at him.
Do I?
A smile has been hanging on the corners of your mouth.
Gojo Satoru touched the corner of his mouth; he was indeed smiling.
"I've thought of something interesting~" he said, then walked away humming a tune.
Yega watched his retreating figure, frowning.
---
On the other side, Tu Bai was already five minutes late when he rushed into the classroom. He slipped into a seat in the back row, his heart still racing.
His face was still burning.
Did he just.. kiss Gojo Satoru?
He actually kissed Gojo Satoru?!
Tu Bai buried his face in his arms, his ears beginning to burn again—this time from embarrassment.
He had intended to counterattack, wanting to see Gojo Satoru look stunned, wanting to win back a round.
But after the kiss.. it seemed he had lost even more decisively.
Because right now, his mind was filled with Gojo Satoru's frozen expression and the sensation of his lips touching the other's cheek.
Soft, warm.
Tu Bai shook his head, trying to shake those images from his mind.
The Mobile Phone vibrated in his pocket. He secretly took it out to look; it was a message from Gojo Satoru.
When he saw the sentence "I'm taking the Apron," Tu Bai's face turned even redder.
That Pink Rabbit-shaped Apron..
What does Gojo Satoru want that for?
Tu Bai couldn't understand it, nor did he dare to think too deeply about it. He stuffed his Mobile Phone back into his pocket and forced himself to listen to the lecture.
But throughout the entire class, he didn't take in a single word.
Chapter 16
At six o'clock on Wednesday morning, Tu Bai's door was knocked upon.
He opened the door with bleary eyes to find Gojo Satoru standing outside, carrying two suitcases—neither of which were his usual size, clearly purchased on impulse.
Senpai?" Tu Bai rubbed his eyes, "So early..
Pack your things, we're going to Kyoto." Gojo Satoru squeezed through the doorway and pushed a suitcase toward him. "You have twenty minutes to change clothes and pack. The car leaves at seven sharp.
Tu Bai's mind was still rebooting: "Go to Kyoto.. for what?"
The Exchange Meeting, of course~" Gojo Satoru said as if it were the most natural thing in the world, "I'm taking you to see the world.
It's not like I'm a student at Jujutsu High—
You're a special guest observer." Gojo Satoru pulled a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket, which bore Yaga Masamichi's official seal. "It's a special authorization from Principal Yaga. Hurry, hurry, you're going to be late.
Tu Bai was pushed into the Bedroom. In a daze, he changed his clothes—a simple white T-shirt and black sweatpants—and stuffed a few changes of clothes and toiletries into his suitcase before being pulled out the door by Gojo Satoru.
A private car was parked downstairs. The car door was open, Itadori Yuji was already inside, waving at them excitedly, "Gojo-sensei! Tu Bai-senpai! Over here!"
Tu Bai got into the car, Gojo Satoru stuffed the suitcase into the trunk, then sat down beside him. The car drove off.
Itadori," Gojo Satoru turned to look at the back seat, "Fushiguro and Kugisaki already left ahead of us with the second-years; there are only the three of us in this car.
I know!" Itadori's eyes lit up. "Gojo-sensei said there's a surprise to prepare, what is it?
Gojo Satoru laughed, a smile carrying that familiar, mischievous scent that Tu Bai knew so well: "Didn't you 'die' once before? Fushiguro and Kugisaki both thought you were truly dead, they were heartbroken for quite a while."
Itadori's expression froze for a moment: ".. That's true."
So this time, we'll give them a surprise." Gojo Satoru dragged a large cardboard box out from under his seat—he really had no idea when he had stuffed it in there. "You hide inside this box, once we arrive at the Kyoto School, I'll have someone carry you right in front of them, then—
He made a "bang" gesture: "Pop up out of nowhere! Surprise! Aren't you shocked?"
Itadori froze for two seconds, then slapped his thigh excitedly: "Great idea! They're definitely going to be startled!"
Tu Bai hesitated, looking as if he wanted to say something.
He looked at that box—it wasn't too big or too small; Itadori should fit inside just right. Then he looked at the smile on Gojo Satoru's face—that "I'm about to cause some trouble" kind of smile.
Then he looked at Itadori's simple, excited expression.
Tu Bai opened his mouth, wanting to say, "You might get beaten up," but he swallowed the words back before they could leave his lips.
Forget it.
As the saying goes, "A Taoist may die, but a fellow practitioner must live." Since Gojo Satoru rarely targets me, I'll just let Itadori.. wish him luck.
Tu Bai silently shuffled closer to the car window, trying to lower his presence.
The car drove for over three hours. Along the way, Itadori actually climbed into that box, Gojo Satoru even stuck a "Fragile" label on it. Tu Bai watched the scenery rushing past the window the whole way, pretending he didn't exist.
It was nearly eleven o'clock by the time they arrived at Kyoto School. The car drove directly into the campus and came to a stop in front of an ancient-looking building.
We're here." Gojo Satoru got out of the car and tapped on the trunk. "Get the box out, be careful~
Tu Bai helped lift the box out—it was quite heavy. Gojo Satoru instructed two passing Kyoto School students, "Please deliver this box to the Tokyo School lounge, say it is a gift from Gojo-sensei."
The student glanced at the box with confusion but didn't dare ask any questions, carrying it away.
Gojo Satoru turned around and put his arm around Tu Bai's shoulder: "Come on, let's go over there too. Let's watch the show~"
Tu Bai was being half-dragged, half-pulled by him toward the Restroom. The Kyoto School campus was more elegant and ancient than the Tokyo School; the buildings were in a traditional Japanese style, the Courtyard was filled with Maple Trees. Although it wasn't yet the season for red leaves, they were lush and green.
As they reached the door of the Restroom, voices could be heard coming from inside.
A gift from Gojo-sensei?" It was Kugisaki's voice. "What is that guy up to now..
"Open it and see?" another female voice asked, one Tu Bai had never heard before.
Then came the sound of boxes being unpacked.
Immediately following that—
"Surprise!!" was the sound of Itadori jumping out of the box.
Then came a deathly silence.
Three seconds passed.
"Itadori Yuji—!!" Kugisaki's scream nearly blew the roof off.
Then came a chaotic sequence of "Thud!" "Bang!" and "Ah!"
Tu Bai stood outside the door, peering in through the crack. Itadori was being chased and beaten by Kugisaki with a Hammer; although Fushiguro hadn't joined in, his face was as dark as the bottom of a pot, he gripped Cursed Wards in his hands, his Shadow stirring restlessly.
There were three other people in the room. A female with long black hair tied in a high ponytail, wearing glasses and an indifferent expression; a male with short white hair, using a high collar to cover the lower half of his face; and another..
Tu Bai's eyes widened.
It was actually a Panda. A real Panda, black and white, round and chubby, standing there and even moving.
"Panda??" Tu Bai blurted out.
Gojo Satoru smiled: "That's Panda, a Second Year, he's a Cursed Corpse~"
A Cursed Corpse?
They're just dolls made with cursed techniques~" Gojo Satoru pushed open the door. "Yo, everyone's here?
The room fell silent instantly. Everyone looked over.
Itadori hid behind the table, a bump swelling on his head. Kugisaki was still holding a Hammer, panting heavily. Fushiguro retracted his Cursed Wards. The three Second Year students all looked toward the doorway.
The girl with long black hair—Zenin Maki—pushed up her glasses: "Gojo-sensei, who is this?"
Tu Bai, a Grade 1 Sorcerer, invited specifically to observe the Exchange Meeting this time," Gojo Satoru said, pushing Tu Bai forward. "Xiao Bai, this is Maki, a Second Year. This is Inumaki Toge, this is Panda.
Inumaki Toge pulled at his high collar: "Salmon."
Panda waved his paw: "Hello there~"
Tu Bai was still a bit dazed, but he nodded politely: "Hello."
Itadori popped up from behind the table: "Tu Bai-senpai is amazing! His Construction Technique is super strong!"
Zenin Maki sized up Tu Bai, her gaze sharp: "Construction Technique? Are you Gojo-sensei's.."
"Partner," Tu Bai answered quickly.
Kugisaki let out a cold sneer from the side: "Heh, men."
Tu Bai pretended not to hear.
Panda leaned over, his nose twitching, his round black eyes staring at Tu Bai for a while. "Hmm.. there is a very peculiar scent on you."
Tu Bai's heart tightened: "What kind of smell?"
I can't quite describe it.." Panda tilted his head. "It's a bit like.. the Forest of Sleep? But also something else.
Gojo Satoru interjected, "Alright, alright, stop crowding around. The Exchange Meeting starts this afternoon; you all should get ready."
The students dispersed to prepare. Gojo Satoru pulled Tu Bai out of the Restroom to stroll around the Campus.
When they strolled up to the Main Building, they ran into the people from Kyoto School.