Mirror Eyes & Bright Blue Skies | Jujutsu Kaisen

Ⅸ. Cruelty

The sound of tires over asphalt reached Gojo's ears, and he turned to look as a black car slowed to a stop on the road behind them.

"That would be our ride," he said, standing abruptly to his feet as he tossed his crepe's paper wrapping into a nearby trash can, "I think we're going to skip to the last activity I had planned for today. All of this sugar is making me feel impatient."

Climbing into the backseat of the car, Gojo updated Ijichi on their change of plans, to which the man simply nodded. Nishimura slid into the seat beside him not a moment later but said nothing even as they pulled out onto the road.

Gojo was too busy wrestling with himself to notice the silence which had blanketed the car and caused poor Ijichi to glance back at them nervously, as if considering whether it was worth the risk to be the one to start a conversation. Specifically, he was wrestling against this warm feeling in his gut which both choked his windpipe and tugged his lips into a subconscious smile.

The first time he noticed the smile, he swiftly pulled it into a frown, peering over at Nishimura to see if she'd noticed. It seemed she hadn't, what with her head and eyes angled out the window. However, Gojo found himself unable to look away, his gaze trailing the length of her face, her hair, her body as he noted her light brown eyes, framed by her lashes, her pursed lips indicating her thoughtful expression, and her light brown hair which tumbled over her shoulders, shoulders which led her body in a slouched position against the car door. His eyes came to rest on her fingers, which she clutched tightly in her lap.

Gojo finally caught himself and forced his own gaze out his own window, What are you doing? he chided himself and forced the frown from his face.

But there he went again, replaying their crepe conversation in his head, remembering her blush, her smile, her laugh. Nishimura had surprised him with her honesty, probably as much as she'd seemed to surprise herself, and in turn, Gojo had surprised himself not once, but twice: first when he'd allowed that pleasant tingle to settle in his stomach at Nishimura calling him Sato-kun, and second when he'd returned her honesty with his own.

If Gojo had to compare it to something, it would be as if two dance partners at a masquerade were to lift their masks for each other, only slightly and only briefly, not enough to feel naked, but enough to shake them and pierce them with curiosity.

He realized that smile had crept back onto his face, but this time he left it there.

Yes, that's what this is: curiosity, he told himself. It was perfectly natural for Gojo to appreciate someone else's willingness to share a vulnerable moment with him.

"Gojo-san, where are we going?"

The small, almost trembling voice broke him from his thoughts, causing his head to whip toward the woman beside him. She still sat in the same exact position as when Gojo last glanced over at her, leaned up against and staring out the window, but her eyes had grown wide as saucers and her knuckles had turned white in her lap.

Is she just nervous, or is it something else?

Despite his previously occupied thoughts, Gojo knew himself well enough to know that nothing dangerous could have slipped past his guard, but he decided to play it safe, intentionally reaching out his senses and scanning their surroundings; he had a sneaking suspicion this wasn't about nerves.

Gojo plastered a smile on his face, intending to at least start out acting as if he thought she was simply nervous, "It's a surprise, but don't worry! We're not going somewhere for me to beat you up again. I already pinky-promised not to."

Brown eyes darted toward him, then back to the window.

"B-beat up?!" came Ijichi's protest, but Gojo ignored him, gaze focused on Nishimura.