Bound In Love's Curse [Gojo Satoru x Female Readers]

52 ~ Fifty-Two

[I]n an unusual turn of events, a strikingly handsome man entered the bakery, attracting the attention of the staffs with his presence alone.

His usual white blindfold was absent, replaced instead by sleek black sunglasses as he perused the assortment of sweets on display.

The ladies behind the counter couldn't help but steal glances at him, their usual composure disrupted by the unexpected visitor near closing time.

"Um, can I take your order?" asked one of the ladies, her brown hair framing her face prettily, her rounded belly indicating she was heavily pregnant.

Without missing a beat, Gojo Satoru straightened up, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "Sure. I'll have a box of your Blueberry and Strawberry macarons," he replied casually, pointing at the box set of 40 macarons.

The lady nodded, her demeanor calm amidst the fluttering nerves of her colleagues. "That's quite a selection for one person," she remarked casually as she prepared his order.

Gojo chuckled softly, his shades slipping down to reveal his playful gaze. "They're not just for me," he replied with a wink, a hint of mischief dancing in his mesmerizing eye. The reaction from the ladies was no surprise to him; he was used to turning heads wherever he went.

The pregnant lady rolled her eyes at the commotion, sharing a knowing glance with her colleagues before refocusing on the mysterious customer.

Her casual response reminded Gojo of you, and he couldn't help but smile to himself.

"Are they for your girlfriend, then?" she ventured.

"Something like that," Gojo responded with a nonchalant shrug, his smile lingering.

Before the transaction could be completed, a familiar voice interrupted, catching both Gojo's and the lady's attention. "Dear, you're not closed yet?"

It was none other than the brunette man, who seemed taken aback by Gojo's misplaced presence in a bakery.

"Wait, aren't you that blindfolded guy who hangs around Y/N L/N?" he asked, his expression a mix of sternness and disbelief.

The white-haired sorcerer quirked an eyebrow at the man, his tone dripping with playful sarcasm. "So, you're that detective, huh? What did Y/N call you again? Ah, right... Shinji."

"Shinji Watanabe. And you are?" Shinji extended his hand, trying to maintain a friendly demeanor despite the sorcerer's obvious mocking.

"Satoru. Gojo Satoru," the white-haired sorcerer replied with a cocky grin, accepting the handshake.

The pregnant woman blinked in mild surprise, then turned to Shinji. "Honey, do you two know each other?"

"He's just an acquaintance of Y/N," Shinji explained to his wife, releasing Gojo's hand. Then, turning back to the sorcerer, he arched an eyebrow. "Are you by any chance ordering macarons?"

"Hmm? How'd you figure that out?"

"They're Y/N's favorite," Shinji stated matter-of-factly, a smirk playing on his lips.

Gojo mirrored his smirk, his tone cocky. "I'm well aware. Getting some for the both of us."

Shinji raised another eyebrow, observing Gojo closely. "Looks like you're quite taken with her, huh?"

Gojo shrugged nonchalantly. "Just being considerate. Gotta make sure she's happy."

"Is she with you?" Shinji's gaze shifted outside, searching for any sign of you. There was none.

"No, not at the moment. We're meeting up later. Why do you ask?"

The sorcerer's tone carried a subtle hint of darkness, a hidden implication that didn't escape the detective's notice. Yet, Shinji dismissed it as nothing more than a touch of lover's jealousy.

"I just wish she'd given me a call," Shinji muttered honestly, rubbing his temples with a sigh.

"Aren't you married?" Gojo's gaze flickered to the pregnant woman behind the counter, his tone teasing yet perceptive.

He sensed an underlying tension in the air.

Shinji, hastily raising his hands in surrender, tried to diffuse the situation with a nervous chuckle. "A-ah, it's nothing weird, I swear," he stammered, glancing at his wife with an apologetic smile.

Gojo Satoru leaned casually against the counter, his piercing gaze fixed on Shinji with a playful smirk. "Nothing weird, huh? That's what they all say," he remarked, his tone laced with teasing sarcasm.

He handed over his black card without hesitation, earning a curious glance from Shinji. Gojo merely shrugged in response, unfazed by the detective's scrutiny.

"Seriously, how did Y/N snag herself a rich boyfriend?" the lady mumbled thoughtfully as she processed the transaction on the card.

"Hm? You know Y/N too?" Gojo inquired, his tone casual but with a hint of curiosity.

"Yeah," she replied honestly, her expression serious. "She was a former classmate. Honestly though, how is she doing? I haven't heard from her in ages."

"Good," Gojo responded sincerely, a faint smile playing on his lips as he reclaimed his card as well as the paper bag containing the box of macarons. "Better than she has since her brother's death, I guess."

The mention of Y/N's struggles struck a chord with the sorcerer, but he maintained his composed demeanor, concealing the turmoil within.

"She's a survivor," the lady said quietly, her voice carrying a touch of sympathy. "Stronger than most people realize."

"Yuki." Shinji interjected with a warning tone, addressing his wife as he shook his head slightly.

"Hai hai, don't get mad," Yuki relented, turning her attention back to Gojo. "Drop by with her sometime, it'd be great to catch up with her."

"Noted," Gojo acknowledged with a nod, flashing her another charming smile.

The slight blush that crept to Yuki's face did not go unnoticed by him.

Shinji chimed in again, teasingly cautioning Gojo, "Hey, don't try to charm my wife."

"Wasn't even trying to," Gojo replied nonchalantly, heading towards the door as if to leave. However, Shinji followed closely behind, indicating he had more to discuss.

Once outside, Gojo, sensing the detective's solemn mood, demanded, "What is it?"

"I'm sure you must've guessed, right?" Shinji revealed with another weary sigh, avoiding direct eye contact with the sorcerer. "It's the boy. He passed away. I didn't know how to get through to Y/N, to let her know."

The news hit Gojo unexpectedly, his eyes widening in stern disbelief as he turned to face Shinji. "What did you say?"

"The boy she saved, Kota, was it. He died of unknown causes. I'm sorry, we couldn't do anything," Shinji explained with a heavy heart.