Either Suzuo didn't plan on celebrating my birthday, or Suzuo forgot my birthday.
Author's Note:
A little more to go before the bonus update, a new chapter will be added later.
Chapter 80: That Day's Birthday
Silence, deafening.
Suguru Geto thought: Oh right, I almost forgot that the Gojo Clan is also a major family..
Oh, wait, what's with this attitude of yours, acting as if it's only natural to send people to investigate!
Was the process of reaching that conclusion too simplistic and crude?
Was reaching such a conclusion too hasty?
No, no, that's not the point.
Too many complaints, yet so few words.
Suguru Geto finally realized what was happening. With a blank expression, he turned around to head toward the dormitory door, Nobara Iori followed closely behind him without any hesitation.
It was no longer just a matter of whether Satoru Gojo's personality was bad or not.
Humans can no longer understand him!
Let whoever wants to be a strategist be a strategist!
Satoru Gojo saw that things were taking a turn for the worse and lunged toward the door, his long legs stretching out to block the entrance firmly. "Don't go! Aren't you guys my dearest classmates now?"
Suguru Geto gripped the doorknob, refusing to let go, as he squeezed the words out through his teeth: "We don't have a classmate as crazy as you."
Satoru Gojo planted his feet firmly on the ground, blocking the doorway with a Limitless flow as smooth as water:
“Don't be so cruel. I'm super—extremely sad when I come to negotiate with you guys, cry-cry.”
A vein throbbed on Suguru Geto's forehead, but he still did not loosen his grip: "If it weren't for that strange 'cry-cry,' I might have been able to believe you."
“Nobara Iori, Nobara Iori, say something, you can definitely understand me, right?”
Nobara Iori did not want to speak. She had chosen to protect herself by withdrawing from the fray the moment those two, one black and one white, burly men blocked the doorway.
Amidst the awkward silence after two 1.8-meter-tall, childishly muscular men struggled and accidentally snapped the doorknob, she spoke in a flat tone:
But, it's only natural that Mr. Suzuo wouldn't remember your birthday, isn't it?
Nobara Iori crossed her arms as she recalled the posts she had scrolled through on the forum a few days ago: "In those long-form, angst-filled romance stories, it seems like domineering CEOs rarely remember their partner's birthday."
While most of the time it's just a stereotypical depiction used to create dramatic conflict, in reality, Mr. Suzuo's health is poor, he is always working overtime in the middle of the night, having to manage both family affairs and the troublesome matters of the Elders Council.
She gave a reasonable conclusion: "It would be reasonable even if it were accidentally forgotten."
Satoru Gojo grunted as if his whole body were itching, "But.. but.."
If he didn't celebrate his birthday, how could he naturally find out Kobe Suzuo's birthday, how could he reasonably send Kobe Suzuo a birthday gift, how could he inconspicuously build a relationship with Kobe Suzuo!
That guy always looks as if he might vanish at any moment.
Because he came from another world, everything besides his appearance and name was likely fabricated.
Speaking of which, the fact that the Director's Department selected such a young Director in the first place was abnormal.
Details that can't be told, when the birthday is, or what things one likes—surely some of that can be revealed, right?
Even the fact that Kobe Suzuo prefers desserts that aren't too sweet was something he had to observe and figure out for himself.
This was no longer a question of whether his consciousness was strong or not.
Satoru Gojo felt that even if it were just about making friends, Kobe Suzuo should at least be a bit closer to him, to them.
Suguru Geto watched Satoru Gojo's expression change several times, then took a deep breath and let go of the doorknob.
The distorted expression on his face settled into calmness after the scrap metal hit the floor with a thud.
He suggested, "If you care, just send a message and ask. At this time, Mr. Suzuo should still be working."
Satoru Gojo still refused, "No, that would make me look childish!"
The corners of Suguru Geto and Nobara Iori's mouths both twitched simultaneously.
Damn that Satoru Gojo, calling his troublesome friends to the dorms at one in the morning to discuss teenage crushes, while the Kobe Family corporate slave over there was still working overtime at one in the morning.
If you aren't childish, then who is?
Satoru Gojo's gaze drifted, it was unclear what he was saying:
Suzuo is clearly both a CEO, a Clan Head, a Director, yet she still has to work overtime. How pitiful.
Nobara Iori slumped on the sofa, speechless. "This won't work, that won't work—are you some indecisive high school girl? What exactly do you want?"
Satoru Gojo looked quite aggrieved. "It's because I don't know what to do that I came to ask you guys."
Suguru Geto leaned against the door, his expression so indifferent that it was impossible to tell whether he had reached a state of enlightenment or was simply waiting for Satoru Gojo to provoke him enough to actually kick the door down.
At the end of the day, Mr. Suzuo is so good to you; how on earth did you come to the conclusion that he doesn't like you?
There must be a reason for such an emotional outburst, right?
As if remembering something, Suguru Geto frowned, "What is this thing Mr. Suzuo mentioned that requires your help?"
Satoru Gojo did not hesitate or hesitate this time, answering decisively, "It's a secret, I can't say."
Thud—
Suguru Geto pulled his fist out from the dormitory door, his eyes narrowing slightly as the corners of his mouth curled upward, looking relaxed, gentle, pleasant.
Then what can you say? Satoru, you should at least give us some useful information, shouldn't you?
Satoru Gojo suddenly shuddered.
This kind of Suguru Geto was truly terrifying, possessing a certain sinister quality, as if he were saying "Eat your medicine" without changing his expression.
He turned to look at Nobara Iori.
The short-haired girl toyed with a scalpel she had pulled from somewhere, the light reflecting off the blade slicing diagonally through the tear mole at the corner of her eye, as her brown eyes cast a casual glance at him.
After making a scene all night, Satoru Gojo finally settled down.
He slumped back down to the side of the bed and hugged that fat cat pillow again, "I just wanted to know Suzuo's birthday.."
Satoru Gojo added a sentence to the end of his previous statement as if trying to save face: "Aren't you all curious about Mr. Suzuo?"
Of course they were curious—but not that curious.
Aside from Satoru Gojo, most of the students at Jujutsu High basically only viewed Kobe Suzuo as a trustworthy elder, a respected leader, a reliable adult.
Most people, including Suguru Geto and Nobara Iori, would simply ask directly if there was anything they wanted to know.
Kobe Suzuo was always kind and friendly; asking about birthdays or preferences was a level of curiosity that wasn't considered offensive.
But Satoru Gojo was clearly sulking.
To prevent this farce from continuing and ending with a night of sleeplessness, Suguru Geto and Nobara Iori both simultaneously adopted a soft-handed approach.
They had simply oversimplified things.
Kobe Suzuo did not just fail to prepare for Satoru Gojo's birthday; he vanished on December 7th as if he had evaporated into thin air.
The sunlight was wonderful that day, so warm that one could almost forget it was the middle of winter.
The newly built training grounds of Jujutsu High included a luxurious gymnasium and, as a side note, an unmanned convenience store. With so few people at Jujutsu High, it certainly wasn't making any money, but it was indeed very convenient.
Several parasols stood in front of the convenience store, with round tables and small white chairs beneath them, offering a visible sense of coolness in the summer heat.
However, there were now three people at the table, each holding a cup of milk tea, with steaming oden placed on the table.
Still feeling chilled to the bone by the cold air radiating from Satoru Gojo.
Suguru Geto and Nobara Iori moved a bit further away from the drafty area, sipping their milk tea and whispering to each other:
Is there still no news from Mr. Suzuo?
No, Butler Ford said, 'The Young Master is doing something very important.'
Suguru Geto lowered his voice. "I heard all sorts of clattering and banging on the other end of the line, along with occasional explosions, so I didn't dare ask too much."
It wouldn't be strange if someone like Kobe Suzuo suddenly went off to maintain world peace for no reason.
Nobara Iori glanced at Satoru Gojo's face, which was gradually darkening as he held his phone: "Then we'll just wait here until Mr. Suzuo finishes his work.."
Before she could finish her sentence, a cocky male voice rang out abruptly:
Hey! Six Eyes of the Gojo Clan, where is that person?
Zenin Naoya was full of resentment, his tone even more arrogant and overbearing than his usual high-and-mighty self.
Suguru Geto observed the blond man who had suddenly appeared, his expression remaining calm.
His cheeks were small and exquisite, his eyes were round with upturned corners, he wore a series of highly distinctive accessories on his ears, paired with a high-collared white shirt, a short haori, a kendama hakama.
One look at him and you could tell he was a Young Master.
Beautiful, precious, foul-mouthed—he appeared on the scene just to arrogantly confront a white lotus in the style of a domineering CEO.
Where did such a textbook villainous supporting character come from?
Satoru Gojo didn't seem to hear, his head lowered as he stared at his phone so intensely he might have burned a hole in it.
Nobara Iori gave Suguru Geto a meaningful glance.
Suguru Geto understood. He stood up to initiate conversation, asking as kindly as possible, "May I ask who you are?? And who is this 'person' you are referring to?"
Zenin Naoya looked the person before him up and down.
After a long silence, just as Suguru Geto was about to lose his composure, the blond man raised his chin arrogantly, "Don't talk to me, Bangs."
He frowned and looked at Satoru Gojo:
I'm asking you, Gojo, my old man said that the ones from the Kobe Family always follow you. Where is he?
"Ahem!" The slight sense of offense that Suguru Geto had just felt vanished instantly.
This villainous supporting character is way too stereotypical; he's practically on par with the CEO impression of Kobe Suzuo.