Please, leave a stain on this vast emptiness

Juju Stroll #1

One evening Gojō catches Tsumi practicing on his own on the training ground and decides to have a chat: "Now you live quite different from your life back then right? How are you faring?"

"Gojō-sensei." Tsumi greets as he tries to mimic a move of Panda's: "It's different, but I'm doing well."

"How are you getting on with the students?"

Tsumi pauses and thinks about it.

Toge is someone who Tsumi thinks is similar to Komen in some traits, the kindess, the calmness, the prankster side all familiar like his sister. Despite the different circumstances, both of them have the habit of refraining from speech, while Komen likes to express herself with one syllable noises when she feels miserable, for Toge it is naming onigiri fillings for his replacement of words, Tsumi finds the familiarity endearing.

Maki is someone Tsumi regards with reverence, learning of her past where she walk out from the Zenin family who demeans her for her gender and low cursed energy, and her ambition of becoming heir to the family to spite them, Tsumi only has admiration to his impression. He often wonders, if Komen is as strong-minded as Maki, would her life have been easier? He plays out scenario after scenario when his mind is empty, even though imagining her need not his protection and comfort disheartens him a little, the personality also contents him. When he reunites with Komen, he would like her to meet Maki, very much.

Panda is someone who Tsumi thinks that they met to late. His optimism and jollity radiant like sunshine, would have made the siblings' life more bearable, in the times they spend together Tsumi notices Panda's way with words have a faint effect, his humour always chasing away the dreariness and despondency that still lingers from his previous memory, no doubt it would have the same effects on his sister.

He is able to get along very well with Megumi, because both of them are quite withdrawn, they could somewhat understand each other already at first sight. When the two first meet they synchronously set up boundary in silence as they see the other is reserved, so both decide to keep a distance that the other would be comfortable with. It takes them sometime to realize neither of them mind if the boundary is overstepped.

Tsumi finds himself looking forward to meeting other upperclassmen who are either currently overseas or serving suspension. This feeling different from weeks before, when he has been panicking about meeting and forming new relationships, because now he can confidently say that he likes everyone.

Tsumi finally realises after a long ponder, he is fond of everyone, maybe because he did not have many connections due to his upbringing, maybe he is just naturally overemotional, but his devotion and infatuation for them are close second to those for his sister.

"I hope I'm getting on well, I really like them."

"Good." Gojō grins: "How about your dear teacher then?"

Gojō holds his chin as he looks at Tsumi expectantly, only to see Tsumi deadpan and walk away.

"Eh? Wait! What about me——" Gojō whines while trailing behind the younger male.

Code of ethics for educators is probably one of the many lessons Gojō skipped during profession training, but he is still a somewhat good teacher. Gojō is a teacher who will protect one from any danger, but when one is safe he becomes their greatest danger.

But he would not trade Gojō-sensei for anyone else.

But he will not admit it aloud to avoid stroking the man's ego.