𝑭𝒂𝒄𝒂𝒅𝒆 | 𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘪 𝘬.

𝟏𝟓

The air between Nanami and Gojo crackled with unspoken tension as you stood frozen on the porch, caught between them. The weight of Nanami’s words still hung heavy in your mind, pulling at your heartstrings, while Gojo’s casual arrival only added to the conflict.

Your pulse raced, and you could feel the intensity of their stares—Gojo’s playful yet probing gaze, and Nanami’s steady, serious one.

Before you could react, Gojo pushed himself off the doorframe and strolled over to where you and Nanami sat, the corners of his mouth lifting in that familiar smirk. He had always had this way of appearing calm, unfazed, but you could sense something beneath the surface tonight—a sharpness in his eyes that belied his usual nonchalance.

"Looks like I missed something important," Gojo said, his voice light but with an edge. He leaned against the railing of the porch, his hands casually resting in his pockets.

Nanami didn’t flinch, his gaze locked firmly on you. "It’s not what you think," Nanami replied evenly, though there was a tension in his voice that you hadn’t heard before. "I’m just being honest."

Gojo’s smile widened slightly, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. "Honest, huh? Well, honesty’s good. But…" He turned his attention fully to you now, his voice softening. "You’ve got a decision to make, don’t you?"

Your stomach twisted at the question. The moment of choice you’d been dreading was staring you in the face, and there was no avoiding it now. But how could you choose between them when you still didn’t fully understand your own feelings?

You inhaled slowly, trying to steady yourself. "I—" you started, but the words faltered as a wave of uncertainty washed over you.

Both of them watched you closely, the pressure mounting. You couldn’t ignore what Nanami had just said. He had been so clear, so straightforward in admitting his feelings. But Gojo… Gojo had always been the wild card, the one who could keep you on edge, always making you question whether his teasing was more than just that.

Suddenly, the porch felt too small. The mountain air, which had been so calming earlier, now felt suffocating.

"I need some time," you finally said, your voice barely above a whisper. "I just… I need time to think."

Nanami’s expression remained calm, but there was a flicker of something—disappointment?—in his eyes. Gojo, on the other hand, simply nodded, that grin still tugging at the corners of his lips.

"Take all the time you need," Gojo said, though there was a challenge hidden in his tone. "We’ll be here."

Before the tension could suffocate you completely, you turned and slipped past Gojo, making your way back inside the lodge. The warmth of the interior felt stifling compared to the crisp night air, but at least it gave you space to breathe.

You headed for your room, the echoes of Nanami’s confession and Gojo’s pointed words still swirling in your mind. As you passed by the common area, you caught a glimpse of your classmates, laughing and relaxing, completely oblivious to the turmoil you were in.

Once inside your room, you shut the door behind you, leaning against it as if it could somehow block out the weight of the decision looming over you.

–

Later that night, as you lay in bed staring up at the dark ceiling, you couldn’t stop replaying the events of the day in your head. The waterfall, the laughter, Nanami’s confession—it all felt surreal now, like it had happened in some distant dream.

But there was no escaping the reality of it. Nanami had been so clear about what he wanted. No more pretending, no more fake relationships. He wanted something real. And Gojo… Gojo hadn’t exactly laid his cards on the table, but there was no mistaking the tension between you. The playful flirting had always felt like more than just a joke.

You rolled over, hugging your pillow tightly. You hadn’t asked for any of this. The fake relationship with Nanami had been a means to an end—a way to protect yourself from the chaos of your school life, from unwanted attention. But now things had spiraled far beyond what you could control.

The worst part was that you still didn’t know what you wanted.

Your phone buzzed on the nightstand, pulling you out of your thoughts. You reached for it, expecting a message from Yui or Ayumi, but your breath caught in your throat when you saw Nanami’s name flash across the screen.

Nanami: I meant what I said. I’m serious about you. But I don’t want to push you. Take your time.

You stared at the message, your fingers hovering over the keyboard as a mix of emotions rushed through you. Relief, confusion, guilt. He was giving you the space you needed, but the sincerity of his words only made it harder to sort through your feelings.

You started typing a response, then hesitated, erasing the words before they could take shape. Instead, you set your phone down and rolled over again, willing yourself to sleep.

–

The next morning, you woke to the sound of voices in the hallway outside your room. For a moment, you felt disoriented, unsure of where you were, but then the memories of yesterday came rushing back.

You sighed, sitting up and stretching as the early morning sunlight streamed through the thin curtains. Today was the last full day of the trip, and you knew there was no avoiding Nanami or Gojo. You’d have to face them both sooner or later.

After getting dressed and making sure you looked somewhat presentable, you headed out into the hallway, only to find Gojo waiting just outside your door. He was leaning against the wall, his arms crossed casually over his chest, but the moment he saw you, his grin widened.

"Morning, sunshine," he greeted, his voice light but laced with something deeper. "Sleep well?"

You blinked, surprised to see him here so early. "Uh, yeah," you replied, though your mind was still racing. "What are you doing here?"

He pushed off the wall, giving a nonchalant shrug. "Just thought I’d check in on you. You seemed pretty out of it last night."

You narrowed your eyes slightly, not sure whether he was teasing or being genuine. With Gojo, it was always hard to tell. "I’m fine. Just… processing everything."

He nodded, stepping closer. "I figured. Look, I’m not gonna push you, okay? But I want you to know—" He paused, his grin fading slightly, replaced by a more serious expression. "—I’m not going anywhere. Whether you want me to or not."

His words sent a shiver down your spine, the weight of them sinking in. Gojo wasn’t usually this direct, this vulnerable. But there it was, out in the open.

You opened your mouth to respond, but before you could, Yui appeared at the end of the hallway, waving enthusiastically as she approached. "Hey! Are you two coming to breakfast or what?"

The moment between you and Gojo shattered like glass, and you quickly stepped back, glancing away. "Yeah, we’re coming," you said quickly, grateful for the distraction.

Gojo’s grin returned, but there was a knowing look in his eyes as he fell into step beside you. As the three of you headed down to the dining area, you couldn’t shake the feeling that things were far from settled.

–

Later that day, the group gathered again for another hike, this time to explore a nearby cave system that the guides had been talking about since they arrived. The atmosphere was lighter than yesterday, with most of the students chatting excitedly about the upcoming adventure.

You hung back near the rear of the group, keeping your distance from both Nanami and Gojo. It wasn’t that you were avoiding them… well, maybe you were. But you needed more time, more space to sort through the tangled web of emotions that had formed between the three of you.

As you walked, Yui and Ayumi filled the silence with their usual chatter, but your thoughts remained on the conversation you knew you’d have to face sooner or later.