What's worse—
Tu Bai felt..
His legs went weak, he nearly slid off the chair.
Time seemed to freeze.
Tu Bai lowered his head, looking at his pants..
His face turned from red to white, then from white back to red.
Gojo Satoru was also stunned. His hand remained on Tu Bai's back, his movement frozen there. He lowered his head and saw what was on Tu Bai's pants.. then he looked up again, staring at Tu Bai's face.
Tu Bai's expression was a mixture of shame, shock, confusion.
Gojo Satoru opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but no sound came out.
Tu Bai suddenly stood up, his movements so fast that he knocked over the chair. He shoved Gojo Satoru aside with incredible strength, causing Gojo Satoru to stumble back a step.
“S—"
Tu Bai didn't let him finish, turning to rush into the bathroom, slamming the door shut with a "bang" and locking it.
Gojo Satoru stood in the Living Room, looking at the closed Bathroom door, then lowered his head to look at his own hands.
The temperature and sensation of Tu Bai's back still lingered in his palm.
And that moment just now, the Demon Power that erupted from Tu Bai's body—it was intense, chaotic, carrying some kind of.. feeling that Gojo Satoru couldn't quite describe.
He walked to the door of the Bathroom and raised his hand to knock, but his hand stopped mid-air.
The sound of water splashing came from inside.
And suppressed, faint sobbing.
Gojo Satoru's hands slowly lowered.
He stood for a while, then walked to the Sofa and sat down, resting his hands on his knees with his head bowed.
His sunglasses slid down, resting on the tip of his nose. His ice-blue eyes were filled with confusion.
What did he just.. do?
Was it not just a touch on his Back?
Why did Tu Bai react so strongly?
And that reaction..
Gojo Satoru frowned. It wasn't that he didn't know what it was. He just hadn't expected it to be so.. intense.
And at a time like this.
The sound of water in the Bathroom stopped. After a few minutes of silence, the door opened.
Tu Bai walked out.
He had changed his clothes—grey sweatpants and a black T-shirt, his hair wet and still dripping. His face was expressionless, his eyes were a bit red, but there were no traces of having cried.
He didn't even look at Gojo Satoru, walking straight to the door and pulling it open.
"Please leave," Tu Bai said, his voice cold.
Gojo Satoru stood up: "Xiao Bai, I—"
"Get out," Tu Bai interrupted him, his voice trembling.
Gojo Satoru looked at him. Tu Bai's face was pale, his lips tightly pursed, his Finger gripped the doorframe, his knuckles turning white.
"I didn't do it on purpose—" Gojo Satoru wanted to explain.
I don't want to listen," Tu Bai said. "Please leave now.
Gojo Satoru remained silent for a few seconds, then nodded.
He walked to the door, paused for a moment by Tu Bai's side, wanting to say something, but in the end, he said nothing and walked out.
The door closed behind him.
Gojo Satoru stood in the hallway, listening to the sound of the door being locked from the inside.
He stood there for a while, then turned and headed downstairs.
Walking downstairs, he looked up at the windows of the Tu Bai Apartment. The curtains were drawn, nothing could be seen.
Gojo Satoru pulled out his Mobile Phone, intending to send a message, but his Finger paused on the Screen, remaining motionless for a long time.
Finally, he put away his Mobile Phone, shoved his hands into his pockets, walked away.
---
Inside the door, Tu Bai leaned his back against the door panel and slowly slid down to sit on the floor.
He buried his face in his knees, his shoulders began to tremble.
Shame.
Anger.
Self-loathing.
All sorts of emotions mixed together, drowning him like a Tide.
How could he.. how could he be like that?
In front of Gojo Satoru, just because of a single touch, he..
Tu Bai bit his lip, biting down so hard he could almost taste the blood.
He thought back to Gojo Satoru's expression just now—shock, bewilderment, a hint of.. confusion?
Gojo Satoru must definitely think he is very strange.
No, it wasn't just strange. It was disgusting.
A man, just because his Back was touched, he..
Tu Bai buried his face even deeper, his Finger digging into his hair as he pulled it forcefully.
In the Bathroom, the pants he had just changed out of were still lying on the floor. That stain.. was blindingly bright.
He stood up, rushed into the Bathroom, grabbed the pants, stuffed them into the trash can. Feeling it wasn't enough, he pulled the entire trash bag out, tied it in a tight knot, threw it by the door.
Then he returned to the Living Room, looking at the Silver Residue filling the room.
Carrot Chair. Rabbit Ears Pen Holder. Vine Patterns.
They were all evidence of his Demon Power spiraling out of control.
Tu Bai closed his eyes, took a deep breath, then raised his hand. Silver Demon Power surged forth, erasing those constructions bit by bit and restoring the room to its original state.
After finishing this, he slumped back onto the floor.
The Mobile Phone vibrated once on the Desk.
Tu Bai did not move.
It shook again.
He still didn't move.
The Mobile Phone vibrated for the third time, then it stopped.
Tu Bai didn't know who it was, perhaps it was Gojo Satoru, or perhaps it was someone else, but right now he didn't want to look, didn't want to reply, didn't want to face it.
He just wanted to be alone.
The sunlight outside the window slowly slanted toward the west, the light in the room grew dim. Tu Bai sat on the floor, his back against the Sofa, staring at a certain spot on the floor for a long time.
The scene from just now replayed repeatedly in his mind.
Gojo Satoru's hand.
The sensation of his Back.
Demon Power exploded.
And also..
Tu Bai closed his eyes.
He remembered last night in the restaurant, Gojo Satoru saying, "You look quite cute when you're drunk."
He remembered being in Kyoto, when Gojo Satoru said, "My Rabbit is cute, isn't he?"
Thinking back even further, Gojo Satoru said, "I will take good care of your younger brother."
Why?
Tu Bai opened his eyes and looked at the Ceiling.
Why was Gojo Satoru so good to him?
Why was his reaction to Gojo Satoru so intense?
Why.. is my heart so restless?
The Mobile Phone vibrated again. This time it wasn't a message, but a call.
Tu Bai glanced at the Screen—it was Tu Bao.
He hesitated for a moment, but he still answered.
Hello, Brother.
Er Bao!" Tu Bao's voice was thick with tears. "Why didn't you answer the phone? I called three times! I thought something happened to you!
.. I'm fine," Tu Bai said. "I was in the shower just now.
Really?
Really.
Tu Bao breathed a sigh of relief, but immediately asked again, "What's wrong with your voice? You sound Incorrect."
I have a bit of a cold," Tu Bai lied. "I caught a chill yesterday.
Then you need to drink more hot water! Have you taken any medicine? Do you want me to come over and take care of you?