絆 | bond | gojo satoru

さんじゅういち | thirty one

絆 | kizuna | bond

31

Suguru

I WATCHED IN PLAYFUL DISGUST AS MY BEST FRIEND, shoveled yakisoba into his mouth as if there was no tomorrow. The look of pure enjoyment on his face was almost comical, and it was clear that he had no intention of stopping anytime soon. In fact, this was already his third bowl, and I couldn't help but roll my eyes. After all, I knew that I would be the one footing the bill for all this gluttony.

Satoru was in his own world, completely oblivious to my exasperation. Noodles dangled precariously from his chopsticks as he slurped them up. The yakisoba sauce splattered on his cheek, and he wiped it away with the back of his hand, seemingly unfazed.

I sighed, shaking my head at his antics. "Satoru, do you ever think about anything other than food?"

He paused mid-bite, giving me an innocent look. "Why would I waste my time thinking about anything else when there's delicious food in front of me?"

Typical Satoru...

I couldn't help but chuckle at his response. Despite his insatiable appetite and carefree attitude, Satoru was a loyal friend who could always bring a smile to my face, even when he was indulging in his culinary delights.

As Satoru continued to devour his yakisoba, I couldn't resist poking fun at him. "You know, Satoru, if you keep eating like that, you're going to turn into a yakisoba noodle yourself."

He shot me a mischievous grin, undeterred by my teasing. "Well, at least I'd be delicious."

I rolled my eyes, knowing it was pointless to argue with him about food. That's when Shoko, who had been silently typing away on her phone, chimed in without looking up. "You two are like an old married couple, bickering all the time."

Satoru and I exchanged amused glances. It was true; our dynamic was more like that of siblings or best friends who had known each other for years. We could argue and tease each other relentlessly, but there was an unbreakable bond of friendship beneath it all.

Satoru swallowed a mouthful of noodles before adding, "Well, Shoko, you're like the wise elder in this dysfunctional family. Always on your phone, doling out advice."

Shoko finally looked up from her phone, her expression uninterested. "Someone has to keep this chaos in check."

We all burst into laughter at that, the camaraderie between us palpable. Despite our quirks and differences, there was no denying that we were a team, a group of friends who had each other's backs through thick and thin.

Suddenly, Shoko showed us her phone screen. Satoru, with his cheeks still bulging from the food, looked over his dark sunglasses as he leaned over, and I shot her a funny, annoyed look before turning my attention to her phone. As I read the message, my face lit up with delight.

"Finally, sensei gave us a break," Satoru said, his tone a mix of relief and excitement. He leaned back more comfortably in his chair, his legs spread wide as he rested his elbow on the headboard. "One week off? Well, it's a start, but I could use more."