Is it fun?
It's fun.
Gojo Satoru didn't ask again.
But after a few days, he discovered the problem.
Tu Bai ignored him while playing the Game. When called for Breakfast, he didn't hear. When called to take a bath, he said "in a moment." When called to sleep, he said "just one more round."
Gojo Satoru was sitting on the sofa, watching Tu Bai curled up beside him, holding a mobile phone, his fingers tapping away rapidly. The character on the screen was slashing monsters, accompanied by a series of crackling sound effects.
Xiao Bai.
Hmm?
How long have you been playing?
Not long.
Three hours.
Tu Bai's Finger paused for a moment, then he looked up at him. "Three hours?"
Yeah.
Tu Bai looked at the time, then looked at his Mobile Phone. "Then let's play one more round."
Gojo Satoru: ".."
Another week passed, Gojo Satoru began to get jealous.
It wasn't jealousy over people, but jealousy over the Game.
When Tu Bai spoke to him, he was looking at a walkthrough. During meals, he was replying to messages. He even brought his Mobile Phone with him to the restroom.
Lying in bed at night, Tu Bai was still playing a game. Gojo Satoru was lying beside him, staring at the ceiling.
Xiao Bai.
Hmm?
“Do you not love me anymore?”
Tu Bai's finger stopped. He turned his head to look at Gojo Satoru, who was looking at the Ceiling with a somewhat aggrieved expression.
What did you say?
You play games all day long and completely ignore me.
Tu Bai was stunned for a moment, then laughed. "Are you jealous of the Game?"
"No," Gojo Satoru said, but his voice was muffled.
Tu Bai put down his Mobile Phone and turned over to face him. "I'll only play for a little while."
“How long is 'a while'?”
.. Two or three hours?
Gojo Satoru turned to look at him, his Blue Eyes shining in the dim Light. "Before, you were always staying with me."
Tu Bai looked at his expression, feeling a mix of amusement and a slight softening of his heart. He leaned in and kissed Gojo Satoru on the face.
Don't hit me too hard tomorrow.
Really?
Really.
Gojo Satoru pulled him into his arms and held him tight. "What about today?"
One more match today.
Tu Bai.
Just kidding, just kidding." Tu Bai smiled as he shrank into his embrace, "I'm not fighting anymore, not fighting anymore.
Gojo Satoru leaned down to kiss him.
That's more like it.
---
But on Day 2, Tu Bai started calling again.
Gojo Satoru sat nearby looking at documents, his peripheral vision catching Tu Bai holding a Mobile Phone, with headphones in his ears, talking to someone as he spoke.
Brother, move to the left! Left, left! Yes, yes, yes! Tu, zoom in—good! You killed it!
Gojo Satoru put down the Document and looked at him.
Tu Bai didn't notice.
What did you drop? Let me see—wow, it's Light Gold!
Gojo Satoru cleared his throat.
Tu Bai still didn't notice.
Gojo Satoru leaned in, resting his chin on Tu Bai's shoulder. "What thing is gold?"
Tu Bai was startled, his Mobile Phone almost flew out of his hands. "What are you doing!"
Watching you play a game," Gojo Satoru said. "Is it fun?
It's fun." Tu Bai moved his Mobile Phone toward him. "Look, I spent several days grinding for this equipment.
Gojo Satoru looked at the Screen, then looked at Tu Bai's face. That face bore a smile, his eyes were bright, looking very happy.
He said nothing more, simply leaning against Tu Bai, watching him run around in the Game.
After a while, Tu Bai took off one of his headphones and stuffed it into Gojo Satoru's ear.
What for?
Listen to this," Tu Bai said. "My brother is cursing someone out.
Tu Bao's voice came through the headphones: "Er Bao, you snatched my monster again!!"
Gojo Satoru laughed.
Tu Bai also smiled and leaned toward him.
"Will you play with me for a while?" he asked.
Gojo Satoru looked at him, looking for two seconds. "Okay."
Tu Bai taught him how to operate it, Gojo Satoru learned very quickly, mastering it in just a few minutes. The two teamed up to enter the dungeon; Tu Bai slashed monsters in the front, while Gojo Satoru followed behind.
"You fight," Tu Bai said.
Still fighting.
You're not even playing half as well as I am.
I am a support.
How are you a support?
I'll accompany you.
Tu Bai couldn't help but laugh, giving him a shove. "You're terrible at this, you're even playing support."
Gojo Satoru smiled and put his arm around him. "Then you teach me."
Tu Bai gave him a glare, but still taught him very seriously how to use skills, how to position, how to dodge the boss's ultimate move.
The two of them snuggled on the Sofa, playing games all afternoon.
That evening, Tu Bai sent a message in the game group: 【No playing today, spending time with my boyfriend.】
Tu Bao replied with a string of question marks.
Tu replied with a smiling emoji.
Dazai Osamu responded with a thumbs-up emoji.
Tu Bai tossed his Mobile Phone aside and curled up into Gojo Satoru's embrace.
"I'll play with you tomorrow," Gojo Satoru said.
No need, you don't even like playing anyway.
I like it when I'm playing with you.
Tu Bai curled the corner of his mouth and said nothing.
---
Winter Vacation passed just like that.
Playing games, taking on missions, bickering with Gojo Satoru. Time passed so quickly that Tu Bai almost forgot that make-up exams even existed.
One week before the start of the semester, a Message suddenly popped up in the Class Group.
Homeroom Teacher: [Classmates who failed subjects last semester, please note that the Makeup Exam is scheduled for next Wednesday. Please see the attachment for specific arrangements. Classmates, please prepare seriously.]
Tu Bai was playing a dungeon when he saw this message, his Finger paused.
The character in the Screen stood still, being hit by monsters several times.
"Er Bao, why have you stopped moving!" Tu Bao shouted through the voice message.
Tu Bai ignored him.
He stared at that Message, his Brain buzzing.
A makeup exam.
He had completely forgotten.
He had played too hard during Winter Vacation, studying had long been cast aside. He hadn't opened a single book, hadn't solved any problems, could barely even remember which subjects he was being tested on.
"I'm done," he said softly.
"What's over?" Tu Bao asked.
Tu Bai did not answer. He exited the Game and opened the academic affairs system. Makeup Exam Subject: Modern Japanese Literary History. It was still that same course he had failed by two points.