Fushiguro Toji was extremely impatient, waving his hand as if swatting away mosquitoes. "I'm still on the clock; my boss is going to dock my wages in a moment."
Kobe Suzuo was puzzled. "When did I ever dock your wages?"
Fushiguro Toji replied perfunctorily, "Not getting a raise is practically the same as a pay cut."
Zenin Naoya's expression of humiliation deepened as he was ignored, a dull ache throbbing in his back—the stinging pain from when Fushiguro Toji had slammed him into the wall last time.
He suddenly approached, stepping past the protective circle Fushiguro Toji had deliberately maintained, reaching out to grab Kobe Suzuo by the collar and pulling him fiercely forward. "You'd better give me an explanation for what happened that day, or else.."
Fushiguro Toji let out a light click of his tongue.
Zenin Naoya's speed wasn't fast, at least not from Fushiguro Toji's perspective.
But the moment he wanted to step in and stop it, his vision suddenly blurred, by the time he came to his senses, the blond-haired kid had already grabbed Kobe Suzuo by his tie.
Author's Note:
Is this also a part of a CEO's power?
Yes, yes, it is a part of the persecution.
Chapter 28: That Incident Body
Zenin Naoya had a youthful face, but his height lived up to Kobe Suzuo's stereotype that "Jujutsu Sorcerers are all gorillas," having shot up to over 1.7 meters during his middle school years.
He was used to being looked up to by his clansmen, as he reached out to grab Kobe Suzuo's collar, he imagined himself as a boss disciplining a subordinate, or a school bully taking down some clueless passerby.
But when Kobe Suzuo actually lowered his head following his movement, those pitch-black, emotionless eyes, like a freezing pool, met his gaze, Zenin Naoya felt an inexplicable sense of dread in his heart.
“Let go.”
Kobe Suzuo spoke indifferently, her voice devoid of any emotion.
“Your head of household should have told you that today is a special occasion, this is not a place where you can act as you please.”
Zenin Naoya subconsciously let go and took a step back, seeing and hearing nothing, his mind going completely blank.
Kobe Suzuo glanced at the onlookers who had already begun to whisper among themselves, then smiled regretfully at the members of the Zenin Clan, who were hesitating and afraid to step forward.
I assume the Zenin Clan has no intention of falling out with the Kobe Family, correct?
That's right, that's right.
The observant clansmen descended the steps, stepping forward to shield Zenin Naoya behind them while attempting to smooth the wrinkles on Kobe Suzuo's collar.
After being avoided with disdain by Kobe Suzuo, Zenin Risaburo, Zenin Naobito's subordinate and currently the Zenin Clan's financial manager, gave an awkward laugh and said:
“Young Master Naoya is still young and his personality is somewhat.. blunt. I am not sure if there is any conflict between him and you, but he will certainly come to apologize in person later.”
The child is young and naive; he is just a child, so please bear with him.
Kobe Suzuo had some impression of Zenin Risaburo, but he was noncommittal regarding his claims.
He turned his head to glance at Zenin Naoya's dazed state, wanting to ask Merlin right now if Zenin Naoya happened to fall within the range of his constitution's influence.
“I think Young Master Naoya and I should be of the same generation.”
One is a future heir of the Zenin Clan, the other is a "future" heir of the Kobe Family; how could they not be considered peers?
Zenin Risaburo's back broke into a cold sweat, thinking to himself that despite both being heirs-in-waiting for their respective clans, the gap between people was simply too vast.
Zenin Naoya was like someone caught in a nightmare, his lips twitching as he muttered something under his breath.
He shook his head like a puppy shaking off water droplets, immediately after, that arrogant, self-centered momentum returned once more.
Who do you think you are? What right do you have to treat me like this? I.. mgh..
Zenin Risaburo acted quickly to restrain Zenin Naoya. "Haha, well then, Young Master Kobe, shall we find a time to talk privately later, alright?"
Zenin Risaburo felt like he wanted to kneel down before Zenin Naoya.
Do you think this is still an era where you can have a say just because you have an ancient lineage or great strength?
No!
Ancestors, times have changed!
It is an era where whoever can afford to pay the wages and whoever can provide the capital holds the power of speech.
Zenin Risaburo was not a qualified Jujutsu Sorcerer, so he could not be a proper member of the Zenin Clan, but he was a good housekeeper who understood the logic that whoever could provide the money was the one in charge.
Before the Kobe Family Head took office as Jujutsu Director, aside from the Gojo Clan, which had both a "Six Eyes Limitless" and a business prodigy (Gojo Hirohira) and thus had ample funds, all the other families were living off their ancestors' wealth.
Even though Zenin Naobito was a head of one of the Three Great Families, he still had to take on missions from time to time to replenish his "private treasury."
Zenin Risaburo was unsure of what the Elders Council was thinking, but to a butler like him, who was steeped in the scent of money, the Kobe Family was a golden thigh that he could never afford to offend.
Zenin Risaburo had a massive headache; if it weren't for the Clan Head's orders, he truly would have been unwilling to help look after the child.
Especially since he always felt that Kobe Suzuo's gaze toward Zenin Naoya was strange—the kind of look one gives to a rare specimen.
Zenin Risaburo braced himself and said, "I think you and Young Master Naoya are simply lacking some, um, communication."
He wanted to slap himself after saying that; he simply couldn't understand how such words could have come out of his mouth.
Communicating with Zenin Naoya? We'll probably be fighting before we even finish three sentences, won't we?
Kobe Suzuo tapped the frame of his glasses with his index finger, silently calculating the time in his mind.
The news had already been released. Before long, everyone present, whether they knew what Sukuna's Finger was or not, would know that the auction item this time was a genuine, thousand-year-old "piece of dry goods."
Kobe Suzuo had no intention of continuing the entanglement, planning to find another opportunity to test his Cursed Technique later. He smiled, acting as if he were completely unbothered by Zenin Naoya's offense.
I am looking forward to it; I hope to learn more about Young Master Naoya.
He still remembered to maintain his persona of someone who had just recovered from a serious illness. He gave Fushiguro Toji a meaningful look and nodded slightly to everyone present. "I am feeling unwell, so I shall go rest first."
Fushiguro Toji stood by Kobe Suzuo's side; he was tall with long legs and possessed a commanding presence, the people around them instinctively made way for them.
Zenin Naoya felt as if something was wrong. He looked at the clansmen beside him, then slowly turned his gaze toward Fushiguro Toji, who stood out remarkably in the crowd, before finally fixing his eyes on Kobe Suzuo.
Is that it? Is that all? What kind of thing is this?
He stood there, his cheeks flushing red visibly.
Strange, it's too strange.
Zenin Risaburo sighed, his expression remaining unchanged, but in reality, he felt that Zenin Naoya was a massive nuisance and wanted to drag the brat, whose state was quite off, to the Zenin Clan's lounge to calm down for a while.
While he was thinking about how to report this farce to Zenin Naobito, he was also pondering how to coax Zenin Naoya into honestly going to have a "chat" with Kobe Suzuo for some friendly "peer-to-peer" communication.
The Clan Head was relatively easy to deal with, but the Clan Head's son was a bit of a headache. He couldn't understand how Zenin Naoya and Kobe Suzuo, two people who had absolutely nothing to do with each other, had ended up with such a personal grudge.
Zenin Risaburo wanted to sigh again; he was considering the possibility of making Naobito bear the responsibilities a father ought to have.
“Young Master!” a cry rang out.
Zenin Risaburo snapped back to his senses instantly, but Zenin Naoya, who should have been following behind him, was nowhere to be seen.
He broke into a cold sweat for no reason, quickly scanning the crowd for that eye-catching yellow head.
In front of everyone's eyes, Zenin Naoya tripped over his own feet and tumbled forward, his navy blue haori fluttering and his hakama billowing like the hem of a skirt.
And Kobe Suzuo, that sickly-looking Kobe Suzuo, turned around as if he had eyes in the back of his head, catching Zenin Naoya by wrapping one arm around his shoulder and the other around his waist, catching him steadily.
[CG There should always be a few supporting characters in this story]
Kobe Suzuo's temples throbbed; his movements as he released his grip and turned were a seamless, fluid sequence.
The noisy venue was terrifyingly quiet.
Kobe Suzuo walked very fast, so fast that Fushiguro Toji, who had been stunned by that scene for three seconds, almost couldn't catch up.
Merlin did not understand why Kobe Suzuo had such a strong reaction: "I thought you remembered. A special constitution brings more than just benefits; no one can guarantee that everything will go exactly as they wish."
“Of course I remember.”
But one could never truly get used to things like this.
Kobe Suzuo pulled off her headphones, feeling a long-awaited sense of annoyance.
Author's Note:
Suzuo arranged bodyguards for himself specifically to prevent situations like this, but a halo is something that is impossible to defend against.
Kobe Suzuo: I'm cutting your pay.
Toji:? You said yourself that there was no need to stop it.
Chapter 29: That Shoujo Manga
Suguru Geto watched the farce in the distance, silently lamenting that he had been tainted far too many times by the bizarre filter surrounding Kobe Suzuo, to the point where his resistance was stronger than that of an average person.
He nudged Satoru Gojo with his elbow. "Hey, this should be the first time you've watched this scene from a third-person perspective, right? How does it feel?"
Satoru Gojo said nothing, the thin "鲛纱" appearing as a shimmering, iridescent white under the light; others did not even know if he was "watching."
The blond youth in the kimono bearing the Zenin Clan crest had already been dragged away by the crowd.
The people around them discreetly spread out, not being so rude as to start gossiping on the spot, but their gazes were more intense than the last.
The younger ones exchanged looks and let out ambiguous yet knowing smiles, "Eh? Eh!! Eeeh~~" Their inner exclamations were so obvious they might as well have materialized above their heads.
When a trope that has become somewhat outdated in entertainment occurs in daily life, it becomes exceptionally captivating.
I feel a bit angry.
Satoru Gojo suddenly said, "It should be anger, right? That emotion is too 'scarce' for me, so I'm a bit unsure."
Suguru Geto let out a strained sound from his throat, letting out a question that shook his very soul: "Huh?"
Although Suzuo said that the target of the Cursed Technique's side effects is random, the feeling from a bystander's perspective is completely different from experiencing it firsthand.
No, seriously, since when did you develop such a taste for this?
Has he really figured out that so-called legendary "strange emotion"?
Satoru Gojo rested his chin on one hand, looking like a lovesick youth who was far too immature when it came to matters of the heart.
But he was trying a bit too hard, blurted out whatever came to mind as if he were dreaming.