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

101 ~ Hundred and One

"So, what brings the great Satoru Gojo here tonight?" Shoko asked, casually sipping her miso soup.

She and Utahime had decided to have dinner in the school's mess hall to break the monotony of spending too much time in her lab.

Oddly enough, a certain white-haired sorcerer was lounging dramatically in the chair next to Shoko, a faint pout on his lips.

Gojo wasn't eating, which wasn't surprising—everyone knew the mess hall's food wasn't exactly to his refined taste. Yet here he was, looking more like a sulking teenager than the strongest sorcerer alive.

Something was definitely off.

First, he wasn't teasing Utahime, which was practically his favorite pastime. Second, it was unusual for him to even be here when he didn't like the food. And lastly, he was sulking. Plain and simple.

Not to mention that he'd chosen the seat next to Shoko rather than a certain blackish-purple-haired teacher.

"I'm bored," Gojo finally said, leaning back so far that the back of his neck nearly touched the backrest of his chair, his arms draped loosely over the sides.

It wasn't a complete lie. He was bored out of his mind.

He'd rather be with you, but you were mad at him, and he was frustrated with the whole situation. His white blindfold lay discarded on the table, and his eyes were closed, the beginnings of a headache creeping in.

How was he supposed to relax when his thoughts were a tangled mess? Not that he'd ever admit that to anyone.

Movement at the edge of Gojo's vision drew his attention to a familiar figure.

A blonde man was meticulously selecting his dinner, his expression serious as he carefully chose which dishes would cause him the least displeasure tonight.

Sensing a gaze on him, Nanami looked up and immediately caught the mischief glinting in Gojo's eyes. Instantly recognizing the potential for trouble, Nanami decided it was best to leave before the white-haired sorcerer could rope him into whatever nonsense he had planned.

"Hey, Nana-min! Come join us!" Gojo's voice rang out, far too loud for the quiet mess hall.

Shoko, catching the scene, smirked subtly. "If it's not Utahime, it's Nanami," she muttered under her breath, amused by Gojo's antics.

Determined to avoid unnecessary interaction, the blonde continued toward the exit, pretending not to hear Gojo's call. He thought he might actually escape, but just as he reached the doorway, the strongest sorcerer appeared in front of him, his usual grin plastered on his face.

With a sigh, Nanami paused, feeling Gojo's firm hand on his shoulder. The taller sorcerer's grin left no room for negotiation as he steered Nanami back toward the table.

"What are you doing, Satoru?" Nanami grumbled, clearly irritated but resigned to his fate.

He knew that resistance was futile when it came to Gojo.

As he sat down next to Utahime, Gojo settled back into his chair, looking far too pleased with himself. "It's been a while since we've all hung out like this, right?" he said, his tone almost cheerful.

Nanami sighed internally. There was something unsettling about Gojo's sudden enthusiasm for a simple meal. Still, he decided to play along. "What's the occasion, then?" he asked, picking up his chopsticks and starting on his food.

Shoko took a sip of her drink, before saying: "No occasion. Satoru's just bored."

Nanami cast a sidelong glance at Gojo. "Don't tell me you expect us to entertain you."

The strongest sorcerer chuckled, his grin widening as he shrugged. "Hehe, maybe."

The blonde simply frowned, knowing full well that Gojo's idea of enjoyment usually meant chaos for everyone else.

Ignoring the white-hair's antics, he shifted his attention to something else. "By the way, where's Y/N?"

At the mention of your name, Gojo's confident grin wavered, replaced by a more complicated expression. Nanami noticed it but decided not to push the matter.

"Not sure. She's probably with the kids," Shoko answered casually, her eyes still focused on her drink.

There was a brief pause before the blonde posed the next question that had been bothering him most. "How is she? Were you able to determine if she used Reverse Cursed Technique to heal herself and her friend—Yuki-san, was it?"

The question seemed casual, but it caught everyone off guard, including Utahime. Gojo's eyebrows lifted slightly, a flicker of something uncharacteristic crossing his usually confident expression.

Did something happen to you that he wasn't aware of? Before he could say anything, Shoko chimed in.

"What do you mean, Nanami?" Her usual calm demeanor remained, but there was a hint of curiosity in her tone. "What about Y/N using Reverse Cursed Technique?"

Nanami's chopsticks hovered mid-air as he frowned. "She didn't come to see you?" His voice held a rare note of genuine concern. "She was injured yesterday while trying to save her friend. Her left arm looked... broken, but the hospital reports for both her and Yuki-san came back clean. No injuries. I assumed she used Reverse Cursed Technique."

The room went still for a moment.

Shoko leaned back in her chair, processing the news. "She didn't mention anything to me," she said, her tone reflective. "If she really used Reverse Cursed Technique on herself and her friend, that's impressive..."

Gojo's expression shifted slightly, his usual light-hearted tone carrying an undercurrent of something more serious. "She didn't mention it to me either," he admitted, though he tried to mask his concern with a casual air.

Was this why you were so upset with him? Was this the reason behind your accusation that he hadn't been there when you needed him?

Utahime, piecing things together, spoke up hesitantly. "Is this why she was so... distant earlier today? Right before I fell and twisted my ankle..."

"The fall you thought Y/N caused?" Shoko asked, just to clarify.

Her question caught Nanami's attention. This was the first he was hearing of it.

Utahime nodded, rubbing her temples as she recalled the events. "I grabbed her left arm. I didn't think much of it at the time, but..."

Shoko's gaze sharpened as the realization hit her. "She pulled away because she was in pain," she stated, her voice calm but laced with understanding.

Gojo's mind quickly connected the dots. "And that's when you lost your fell?"

Utahime slowly nodded, still processing the new perspective. "That... actually makes a lot of sense."

The strongest sorcerer couldn't resist but comment. "See, Utahime? Clumsy as always."

His teasing was typical, but there was an edge to it this time—a mix of frustration and guilt that was rare for him.

He couldn't believe that an argument with you had spiraled because of something so trivial, yet important. Maybe he missed more than just a hint this time.

"S-so, what do we do now?" Utahime asked after a brief pause.

"I think it's best to check on her. Y/N's not the type to complain or make a fuss about her problems," Nanami suggested.

The comment stirred something in Gojo. He had known you the longest, but it seemed Nanami always understood and empathized with you better.

Just then, Maki and the others walked into the mess hall, a frown on her usually stoic face. Gojo's attention snapped to them. "Maki-chan, Toge-kun! What are you two doing here?"

"Eating dinner, obviously. What else?" Maki rolled her eyes, clearly unimpressed by his lack of awareness.

Feigning surprise, Gojo leaned in as if searching for something. "So, where's Y/N?"

"She isn't with you?" Maki frowned, and Toge simply shrugged.

"No," Gojo dragged out his response with exaggerated drama. "That's why we're asking."

"Haven't seen her since..." Maki began, her expression shifting as she pieced things together. "Lunch. We thought she was headed to Shoko's because of her arm."

At this point, Gojo had clearly reached his limit. He shoved his chair back with a loud screech that echoed through the mess hall. "Alright, I'm going to look for her," he said firmly.