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A bouquet of red roses appeared in front of Utahime, “For you.”
She looked up from her plate to see an unfamiliar man holding freshly picked flowers, most likely purchased from a nearby flower shop. Without thinking, she accepted the same, “Uh, thank you?”
The man grinned broadly at her, his teeth perfectly white. "You probably don’t recognize me, but I was the one who helped you a week ago; my name is Naoya," he said, holding out his hand to her.
Utahime flushed as she remembered that night, the one she’s trying so hard to forget, and hesitated before taking his hand, “You did? I'm Utahime.”
"I know. You were probably too drunk to remember." The man continued to smile at her, and she flushed slightly more.
Just then, a loud thud from the other side of the table startled them both.
“What the hell, Satoru,” Geto scowled at his friend while shaking off some spilled fries on his uniform. They were taking a break at a bakery when a man unexpectedly approached them, or rather, her.
Gojo glared at the guy who was still talking to Utahime, "Ant. There’s a large, annoying, ant.” Geto was still mumbling about being that ant but decided to let it go.
Utahime ignored him and turned to Naoya, saying, "Thanks for the flowers and for helping me the other night; I apologize if I caused you any trouble."
"Oh no, not at all. Glad to be of help," Naoya put his hands in his pockets. "I was actually wondering if we could have dinner sometime; I would like to get to know you better."
She could hear the hope in his voice and felt a stare stab her back, so she smiled at the man in front of her. “Sure.”
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“What do you want?” Utahime asked without looking back.
There was no response, so she continued walking faster for a while before turning and glaring at the man-child who had been following her for the past 20 minutes.
“Gojo.”
Gojo looked at her blatantly, in all his glory. Still, he remained silent. He just stared at her, as if he wanted to pin her down.
Utahime could feel her skin becoming hot from his stare, so she spun around and continued on her way.
"Are you going to meet with him?
Utahime came to a complete stop.
The nerve of this guy --
She had no idea that telling him about her emotions would make him feel entitled to ask anything.
A week ago, she decided to confess, fully expecting to be rejected. Voila , he did not let her down. His rejection caused her to drink shots after shots of alcohol until she could no longer feel herself.
“No, you’re not doing this.”
“Are you?” He persisted. “ Princess ?”
She stilled, then turned around, her heart beating fast.
Why are you still calling me that? No fair.
Scowling at him, she said, “Why do you care? And what makes you think I’ll tell you what happens in my life? Forget what I told you before. I decided that I deserve better, and I’m done with you.”
As if.
Gojo looked taken aback, as if some invisible force had pushed him. Seeing his shocked face infuriated her. What a conceited bastard.
He composed himself and shrugged, “He looks like an ant. Did you even see his jeans? Seriously? People still wear those?”
“Those jeans fit him well!”
He snickered, “You know, Utahime, even if you beg me, I still wouldn’t wear one. Can you imagine how damaging it would be to my image?”
“Who’s begging you?!” She nearly shouted.
“Do you want to?” He smiled mischievously as if he’s having the time of his life thinking about her begging. Although... no, I’m not going to think about that.
Utahime pressed her fingers to her temples. “Gojo, you--”
“He’s not good for you,” he interrupted.
Utahime paused. Blinking her eyes, she wondered if what she heard was real. “What?”
“What?” He scoffed. “It’s true. He’s probably the type to invite you over to his house after a single date.”
“Coming from a manwhore like you.”
“He’s not good enough.”
“And you are?”
He didn’t reply for a minute. "In terms of appearance, of course I am. When did your standard drop, princess? Perhaps I will just help you find someone better."
“As if you’ll admit that someone’s better than you.”
“Exactly.”
“What?”
He just winked at her and then moved along.
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"Thank you," Utahime said as Naoya pulled a chair for her and settled himself. There were only a few people dining, and she was glad to have a little peace.
“What would you like?” He asked while she scanned the menu.
She opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off by a loud, booming laugh that shook the entire restaurant. She looked back and instantly frowned.
"What are you doing here?" she hissed at Gojo, who was seated two tables away with a girl who looked like a clown due to the amount of makeup on her face. He had his arm around her shoulders, and the girl continued to giggle at his side, looking at him as if he were a saint.
A sharp pain shot through her chest, igniting her frustration. He still had that effect on her, she thought. And will have for a long time.
Gojo raised his brows at her. “I’m having dinner with my date,” he pointed out, emphasizing that last word. “Why do you care?”
Throwing my words back at me. So mature.
“I don’t. And please do lower your voice. This is a public place, for pete’s sake.” Utahime returned her attention to Naoya, who was looking at her with sympathy.
"I am sorry, that was my coworker, probably here to harass me," Utahime said, forcing a smile and placing her hands on the table while taking a deep breath.
Naoya reached out and placed his right hand over her left, "Are you all right?"
“I’m fine.” Why can’t I fall in love with this guy instead?
CLAAAANG!
Utahime once again glanced towards Gojo and his date .
He smirked at her while tightly gripping what appeared to be a fork, while his girl vigorously wiped the spilled drink from his shirt.
Too close.
Gojo mouthed, "Not good."
Utahime could sense her patience dwindling by the minute. She took deep breaths to calm her racing heart inside her chest and smiled at Naoya. "I will have the same as yours."
As they waited for their meal, a shadow fell across their table. She looked up to see Gojo smiling at Naoya, a gleam of mischief visible in his sparkling blue eyes.
“May I help you?” Naoya regarded him with genuine curiosity.
“No.”
“Gojo--” Utahime started.
Gojo reached out his hand to silence her, "Actually, do you have a car?"
Naoya looked perplexed and replied, "Yes."
“Would you mind getting the hell out of here tonight?”
“THAT’S ENOUGH!” Utahime nearly shouted before dragging him away.
She took him outside and stopped. “What’s your problem?”
“I told you he’s not good for you.”
Utahime put her hands to her hips and scowled at him, “You don’t even know him.”
“Really, princess, I can sense when some guy’s a dick or not.” He frowned at her.
"Of course, since you are one of them." Something told her he was probably jealous, but that could not be true. She sighed, refusing to entertain the thought.
Why am I getting into this with him again?
“I don’t have time for this nonsense. Leave me alone, or better yet, find someone to make fun of. I’m off limits.”
She turned around and went inside.
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Utahime could not take it any longer. She excused herself from Naoya and went into the restroom. She was sure they were getting into it now, and she didn’t want them to ruin her night. Especially this guy, who was deliberately annoying her.
She opened her phone.
To Gojo the Jerk: Would you mind?
He replied immediately: What? I was just having fun with my date. Unlike yours, this one’s better.
Utahime: I am trying to find some peace, but you are ruining it.
Gojo: You jealous?
She hesitated too long.
Gojo: Are you?
Utahime did not reply. She sighed. She wondered how many deep breaths she had taken today. Probably a hundred, almost all of which were courtesy of that jerk. If she is honest with herself, she will admit that she is extremely jealous of the woman he is with.
But what a spectacle, shamelessly displaying that girl in front of her. It was as if he was implying that he would never consider someone as plain as her; that he is only interested in women who own twenty pairs of Manolo Blahnik or wear Victoria Secret every night. Not her, who does not even know how to spell Louboutin.
She was aware she was judging, but what else could she do? Playing the good girl will only hurt her more.
Utahime leaned down towards the sink and inhaled deeply. All of her efforts to forget her feelings vanished the moment she saw him with someone else.
Knock, knock, knock.
“J-just a minute.” Her voice broke.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
She opened the door, “I’m sorr --“
Someone unceremoniously entered and pushed her into the back of the door, completely locking it behind her.
“Wait—“
She gasped as he grabbed her face with his large hands, leaned in, and began kissing her fervently. It was rough at first, as if he was attempting to shape her with him, but he softened, and before she knew it, Utahime was closing her eyes and grabbing fistfuls of his shirt. Her knees went weak, and she thought she whimpered, but she was not sure. She hoped it was all in her head.
The kiss ended as abruptly as it began.
Utahime opened her eyes and saw those endless sky blue eyes staring back at her as if she were a meal.
That is how it felt as Gojo stared at her, like a predator about to pounce on his prey.
“I should’ve done that a lot sooner,” he breathed.
The flutter turned into birds flapping around her stomach as she heard him say those words. She pushed him away with all the force she had.
"What are you doing?" she asked, surprised that she could still form a sentence after he kissed her so hard.
"I—," he began.
Utahime was still breathing hard, trying to control her racing heart.
“He’s not good for you,” he finished.
Utahime was stunned. That again?
With blood boiling in her chest, she nearly yelled at him, "Don't! You have already gone too far tonight. Go back to that clown of yours."
He looked up and stared straight into her eyes, a faint smile forming on his face.
God why is this man smiling? She thought. I’m probably in love with him more than before, and there's no going back.
“Clown?” Of all that she said, that one word was what caught his attention.
“Forget it.” Utahime tried getting away from him but then noticed that she was still grabbing onto his shirt.
She removed her hands, only for him to take them both between his.
“Clown?” he asked again, mischief dancing through his eyes. “Are you jealous, princess ?”
That again. She couldn't remember when and how it started, but she showed up one day and he’s already calling her princess . Despite her annoyance, she couldn’t contain her curiosity, so she asked him why, but he just shrugged and said, “Probably because you’re lazy and you're weak.”
Right now, it is different. The way he spoke, it felt like he was worshiping her, like it was the most sacred word he has ever known and will always be for a long time.
Utahime surrendered to her feelings and whispered on the ground, “What if I am?”
He lifted her chin up with their clasped hands and looked into her eyes for a few moments.
“Because I am.”
Speechless, all Utahime could do was stare back. She could not understand what he was trying to say. Or maybe she just didn’t want to believe it. Yet. Probably later, when she can finally slow her racing heart and clear her fuzzy mind.
“ Princess , I think I am in love with you.”
Her shocked expression was probably evident on her face. “I’m not good for you,” he laughed dryly. “But more than that is my dislike of seeing you with another guy. I don’t care anymore.”
He thought for a while before he continued, "You know, you're not on the same level as anybody else. You belong to a whole different tier where you're entirely on your own. And nobody gets near."
Still, Utahime could not react. Though she was marveling at his every word, it still felt as if she was hearing it from a distance. All she could remember was him saying that he was in love with her.
“And that was Mei Mei. I paid her to pretend to be my date. Too much makeup, apparently. Did it work?”
Utahime found her voice for the second time, “Are you saying you’re in love with me?”
Gojo thought for a minute before straightening up, gently holding her hands now, and saying, “Yeah.” Pause. “I am. I think I have always been, Princess .”
Utahime wanted to slap herself awake. It felt as if she was having the best dream of her life, and it would be best to just rouse herself up before she realized it was all just that—a dream.
Utahime wanted to open her mouth, to reply. But her vocabulary suddenly seemed to be limited to the words "I am in love with you." Her chest was still pounding hardly beneath her ribs, and she decided that before she lost the courage to do it, she'd take matters on her own, dream or not.
She removed her hands from his, to his utter disappointment, before pulling his shirt closer, whispering on his lips, “Gojo, you probably already know I'm still in love with you, so take responsibility for what I'm about to do," and taking his mouth with hers.
She had already forgiven him for what he did earlier, though he’d better prepare for a long speech from her soon, she noted.
Gojo circled his hands around her, gently rubbing her spine with his strong fingers while he kissed her back, and Utahime could not stop the sound from escaping her because of its sensation.
He kissed her slowly this time. And she took that with her own, exchanging unspoken words full of promises and hope and ... love, never taking more but always giving it all.
Gojo broke it after what felt like forever, smiling, and asking, “Can I take that as a yes?”
“For what?”
“For you to be my girlfriend.”
.
.
.
“Yes.”
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