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His class is silent as they work on their career counselling forms, and Getou flips his phone over, chancing a glance at the screen to see if there are any updates in the group chat between he, Satoru, and Shoko that he might have missed while he taught.
Shoko’s name flashes at the top of the notification pile, and the message brings an immediately mischievous smile to his lips.
♡ Shoko-Sama ♡: Utahime-Senpai’s having lunch in the cafeteria today, no need to end class early.
What a relief. He’d rather not abruptly cut today’s lesson short, despite it not having anything to do with the curriculum. Not to mention, trekking all the way to the Arts building would cut into too much of the lunch hour, and he wants to spend as much time as possible with his beloved Senpai.
He sets his phone down, and claps his hands together as he stands from his seat to get his students’ attention.
“Alright class, I think you’ve had enough time to fill in the main details. If there’s anything you haven’t completed, just do it at home today and bring it in tomorrow morning.” he tells them, a small smile gracing his lips at their relieved expressions.
“Since we’re halfway into class time, I’m going to go around the room and discuss some things about what you might wanna do after graduation. It’ll only be about a short chat since I wanna get to all of you, so make sure you ask the important questions now . Anything else we can discuss in my office after school or at the PT meeting on Thursday, understood?”
His students respectively nod and murmur their affirmation, and Getou makes his way to the first student, dragging his chair with him and placing it in front of the desk.
His eyes meet the nervous and sleep-deprived gaze of his star pupil, and Getou’s eyes crinkle into a kinder, fonder expression.
“No need to look so worried, Okkotsu, it’s just me. This chat is just for me to get a better idea of how to help you as we approach the end of the year. No pressure, I promise.”
The boy nods, his shoulders slumping in relief, and begins to speak with a comfort Suguru is glad to know he feels around him.
Gojo stares at his phone for the seventh time in the last ten minutes, nearly glaring a hole into it with the intensity of his gaze. He wills the numbers on his screen to move faster, praying for 12:09 pm to magically fast-forward into 12:15 pm . Time marches on as slow as it always does this close to lunch-time, and Gojo feels like his brain is about to explode. He’s almost tempted to end class early, not that it would make a difference. He’d gone through all the materials for this lesson in the first half an hour, and the rest of the time had been self-study, with students coming up to his desk with questions if they had any. Luckily these were the second years, already used to his chaotic teaching style from last year so there weren’t as many confused students as he’d expected.
If there were any perks to being the only physics teacher at an elite academy with a laughably small number of students enrolling each year, it’d be that he only ever needed to struggle with the first years who didn’t yet understand how his genius brain worked. There were always a few stubborn cookies in the beginning, but he eventually wore them down with a few practical lessons, igniting in them a love for Physics that they’d never have discovered without his expert guidance. After that, it was only a matter of a few one-on-one sessions to really drill the basics into each kid. His teaching style was flexible, and easily catered to each student. He’s just brilliant like that, what can he say.
It both amazed and baffled the rest of the faculty each year how his fail rate was so low despite it being one of the hardest subjects in the school, rivalled only by a few other oddball teachers like Higuruma from Humanities, or Tsukumo, the girls’ P.E teacher.
He looked forward to end of year faculty meetings for that exact reason, but also so he could rub his perfect record into Utahime’s adorable face.
He found unimaginable joy in the way her eyes would narrow in fury, her cheeks puffing out as she sputtered curses at him like a spitting fire.
Speaking of Utahime, when he checks his phone again for the time, he’s delighted to find the clock now reads 12:14 pm , just a minute away from lunch break, and his favourite time of day.
It’s become something of a tradition for the three of them: Satoru, Suguru, and Shoko. Ever since they met Utahime as first years all those years ago within these very halls.
Utahime was often busy during lunchtime when they were students, a habit born out of her overworking nature and her tendency to run errands for teachers when she had no studying to catch up on. Stubborn as she often was, and ever-oblivious to how she ran herself ragged, she wouldn’t listen to anyone who told her to slow down. Their Senpai was self-sabotaging and had high ambitions, and was deathly afraid of falling behind the rest of her peers. It was a silly thing to get so hung up on, but she wouldn’t budge no matter who told her. Not even Mei-san could convince her, and Utahime would normally have taken her words as the gospel at that age.
So, Shoko had suggested they bring out the big guns.
If Utahime wasn’t going to take a break herself, they’d just have to make her.
From then on, they would pester her until she relented, working her down until eventually it became a routine for her to spend lunch with them. Even after she graduated and went to university, she would spend a few lunches every week off campus and join them, luckily attending an institute close enough that commuting back and forth wasn’t a hassle.
And when the three of them eventually joined Jujutsu Tech as teachers, once again following Utahime’s trail like lost puppies, they continued their tradition, now with the added audience of their students and coworkers.
Over the years, the rest of their friends had joined in indulging in this game occasionally, though he, Shoko, and Suguru were the only constants.
When his phone finally ( finally!) reflects his favourite few numbers back at him and the bell chimes loud and clear, he enthusiastically jumps from his chair (surprising some students who were on their phones) and announces the end of the lesson.
“Class time’s over kids! Now get your tiny butts outta here and straight to lunch!”
The students, already used to this particular ritual of their three teachers, scramble out of their seats with a laugh and file out of the room quicker than Gojo could say “Utahime”.
Shoko’s out the door as soon as she hears Suguru and Satoru’s boisterous voices echo in the hall, followed by Utahime’s irritated whispers at them to quiet down.
The clattering of the infirmary door as it slides open surprises the few students standing around the hall, but they quickly relax when they see her, wishing her a happy lunch with a not-so-subtle glance in the direction Utahime, Suguru, and Satoru stand.
She shakes her head with a smile in response and makes her way to the three waiting for her.
As she walks, she pretends not to notice Utahime’s right arm already entwined with Suguru’s left; but a smug look must make its way on her face anyway, because he only settles her with an embarrassed roll of his eyes, silently telling her not to make a scene, before he loses his nerve.
Good for him, initiating skinship with Utahime for once.
“Shoko! How’d you know we were coming?” Satoru asks with a wide grin, though his tone pretends to be innocently confused.
“I’d be able to hear you two idiots from the other side of school with how loud you are. Besides, Senpai only raises her voice in the halls when students are running, or when either of you two are involved.”
She replies with a flick of her hair, taking her place at Utahime’s side and linking their arms after pushing Gojo out of the way unceremoniously.
He acquiesces with a sly smile and steps behind Utahime, wrapping his arms around her neck loosely and rests his chin on the top of her head. Utahime grumbles her annoyance but otherwise stay silent, more than used to Gojo’s overly clingy nature.
Getou only chuckles good-naturedly, ever the peace-maker as he watches over their interactions calmly.
The four of them walk on through the school taking their usual route as they chatter amongst themselves, seemingly unaware at the fond gazes their students and coworkers watch them with.