OBLINE, KUSUO SAIKI.

Ψ. do it for the cafe.

Ψ . . . GOJO'S VOICE WAFTED FROM THE receiver as Saiki brought it to his ear. 

"It's a beautiful day, and I'm terribly bored. Would you care to join me at Café Mami this morning? I'll treat you."

Saiki answered with only a hint of a thought. Sure.

"... Please? It'll just be for ... oh wait, did you agree? Great! I'll meet you there in a bit!"

Saiki ended the call, changed his clothes, said goodbye to his mother, and then began walking to Café Mami. He met Gojo halfway there and then listened as Gojo relayed how they'd spent all of last night finishing a level in their video game, enjoying the slight breeze in the air and Gojo's cheery smile.

It was only when the two of them got to Café Mami that Gojo stopped abruptly and fell to their knees.

"No. This can't be." Gojo raked their hands through their hair. "Café Mami is ... closing?"

Good grief, would you please stand up? I can see Mera and the owner inside. It's still open.

Saiki opened the door for Gojo. In a daze, they staggered to their feet, lurching forward until they found Mera wiping one of the booths.

"Mera, tell me it's not true," they said, clutching her sleeve. "Café Mami would never close, would it?"

Mera's eyes immediately filled with tears. "I'm sorry, Gojo-san, but it's true. I'm due to start at my new job tomorrow."

Gojo clutched at their heart. "But you can't! Why would this wonderful café have to close?!"

"We've barely had any customers this month," Mera said mournfully. "I've had to go back to eating grass and licking from pools."

Gojo began bawling into Mera's shoulder. She patted their back while Saiki looked around the café. He liked this café precisely because so few people came, preferring the trendier café across the street. Café Mami had already had the problem of being slow before. Maybe he could use his powers to mind-control a few people into coming here every day ...

"What's all this racket?" the manager of the café barked. "Mera, don't just stand around. Why aren't you serving our customers?"

"What's the point if we're just going to close tomorrow?" Mera asked.

"It can't be," Gojo lamented to the manager. "You can't close!"

"I'm afraid it's finally time," the manager said gruffly. "We've stayed afloat for this long, but there's only so much we can do. It's time to move on."

"There must be something Saiki and I can do to help," Gojo said. "Say the word and we'll do it."

As much as Saiki disliked Gojo speaking for him, he was willing to help out Café Mami. Mera and the manager went off to the corner to confer, and Gojo wiped their eyes, sniffling.

Why are you so upset? Saiki asked. You don't even come to this café that often.

"Where else am I supposed to get coffee jelly to bribe you?" Gojo grumbled. "The stuff at the convenience store isn't half as good. It's too bitter."

Saiki was momentarily struck. He knew they enjoyed the odd coffee jelly on occasion, but if they came to Café Mami everytime they wanted to bribe Saiki, they must have been coming here a lot. Saiki almost smiled before he caught himself.

There had been something wrong with him lately. Stray thoughts about Gojo would make him want to smile out of nowhere. He had been spending an inordinate amount of time with them and today was a prime example of that. He had just agreed to come, without comment or complaint.