The two of them sat beside the vending machine, quietly drinking their matcha-flavored beverages.
The afternoon breeze drifted across the nearly empty school grounds, Gojo Satoru glanced sideways at the girl sitting beside him.
"By the way, Miku-san." He tilted his head curiously and asked, "Where are your sisters?"
The Nakano quintuplets were practically inseparable.
Even though they attended different classrooms, they always met for lunch and went home together after school.
Seeing Miku sitting here alone was almost unbelievable.
Did they abandon her? That thought come and gone in a second, he too know how much they love and care for each other.
There was no way something like that would happen.
Miku didn't seem bothered by him calling her by her given name so suddenly and even if she care, he definitely wouldn't!
She quietly took another sip of her drink before answering.
"I had something to do after school...So I told them to go home first." Her voice remained as soft and calm as ever. "I'll probably be home a little later."
"I see." Gojo nodded.
Then another question naturally followed.
"So...What exactly are you doing?"
Miku hesitated visibly.
"..."
She lowered her gaze toward the handbag resting on her lap.
Originally, she hadn't planned to tell him.
After all, it was a little embarrassing.
However...This game console had originally been recommended by Gojo Satoru himself before she took it after asking about it from Nino.
If anyone knew where it could be repaired...It would probably be him.
She finally spoke.
"My game console...it's screen broke today. I was planning to take it to an electronics shop after this."
Gojo blinked. "The screen broke? Let me take a look."
He said as he reached out his hand towards her.
"...Okay." Miku nodded obediently.
She opened her handbag and searched through it for few seconds before finally pulling out the handheld console.
Holding it carefully with both hands, she handed it over.
"Here."
Gojo accepted it.
He examined the handheld from several angles before lightly running a finger across the cracked screen.
A long fracture stretched diagonally across the display.
Fortunately...The LCD underneath still seem to function normally.
"The internal display is fine. It's only the outer glass." He said calmly to the concern Miku.
"Replacing the screen protector layer should solve the problem."
"...Replace it?" Miku voice came out a tad slowly as she asked, "So...I don't need to buy a new console?"
Gojo looked at her in disbelief,
"What are you thinking? It's just the outer screen. The console itself is perfectly fine."
"Oh..."
Realizing she had misunderstood, Miku scratched her cheek awkwardly.
"...I see." She quietly lowered her head awkwardly as she said slightly embarrassed, "To be honest...I didn't even know where to repair it. I was actually planning to ask a mobile phone repair shop."
Gojo stared at her for several seconds.
Then...He sighed dramatically.
"Miku...If I call you silly...I'd actually be complimenting you." Gojo didn't know what is going on her head, from the look of it she is a type of girl who like to stay in her rook and play game all the time but—"A phone repair shop, really?"
He couldn't help laughing.
"How many phone shops do you think repair handheld game consoles? Maybe one or two." From what he knows some phone repair shop does know about console and even repair them for you, "But most won't even touch them."
Miku blinked. "...Really?"
"Really."
Gojo nodded.
"If you want it repaired properly, you need to take it to a specialty game store."
"But...I don't know where one is." Miku hugged her knees.
She looked unusually dejected.
Watching her quietly sulk, Gojo clicked his tongue.
"...Honestly." He stood up and stretched lazily. "Okay, come on, I'll take you there."
"...Really?" Miku looked up.
"Of course." He casually placed the game console back into her hands.
"But." He raised one finger. "You owe me dinner."
"...Eh?"
Miku blinked again.
"You want help, don't you? Then shouldn't you at least buy me a meal once in a while."
"..." She looked conflicted. "...Wouldn't that be...a little inappropriate?"
After all...he was someone that Nino liked.
And walking around town alone with him somehow made Miku feel strangely guilty.
Almost as if she were secretly stealing time that belonged to someone else!
Gojo, however, remained completely oblivious.
"..." Gojo couldn't understand her thought process, "Do you still want your console repaired?"
"...Yes."
"Then stop overthinking." He smiled. "Let's go before the repair shop closes."
Miku quickly stood up.
"...Okay."
The two left Sobu High School together.
...
Five p.m.
By the time they arrived downtown, nearly one hour had passed.
The repair process had gone surprisingly smoothly.
Now...
Step-step-step!
"Hehe."
Miku walked out of the specialty game store holding her handheld console with both hands.
The cracked screen had completely disappeared as ut glimmer under the shop light.
It looked almost brand new, if not for the worn out marks at the sides.
A small smile unconsciously appeared on her usually expressionless face.
"Gojo-sensei."
She spotted him sitting on a public bench outside the store, lazily sipping canned coffee. After bringing her to the shop and telling her what to asked for, he had stayed outside wanting to give her a hand on experience so she could be able to do it later without needing anyone's.
Trotting over, she proudly held up the console.
"It was fixed."
Gojo glanced over. "Good. How much did it cost?"
"...A little over several thousand yen." The smile immediately vanished. Miku lowered her shoulders like a solemn child, "My savings...They're almost gone."
It could be said that she is really not good with handling money, due to them (she and her sisters) getting pocket money each month lessen the need to care about their spending. She didn't save much money in the first place, but now she had not only spent money to repair the screen of the game console, but also had to invited Gojo Satoru to eat.
She felt like she couldn't even afford a drink!
"Well." Gojo stood up. "The important thing is that it's fixed."
He stretched again.
"So...Should we go eat?"
"...Let's go. " Miku hesitated only briefly before accepting the fate of being poor.
After all...
A promise was a promise.
The two walked side by side through the busy shopping district.
They passed elegant cafés...
Western restaurants...
Seafood diners...
Family restaurants...
Miku silently assumed they were heading somewhere expensive. Her heart became heavier with every passing step.
Please don't be steak...
Please don't be sushi...
Please don't be yakiniku...
Then...Gojo suddenly stopped.
"We're here."
Miku looked up.
"...Eh?"
Standing before them wasn't an upscale restaurant.
It was...a lively neighborhood ramen shop.
Steam drifted from the entrance. The rich aroma of pork broth filled the evening air.
Miku blinked in surprise.
"...Ramen?"
She had expected something far more expensive.
Gojo looked back.
"What? Were you expecting French cuisine?"
"...A little."
She admitted honestly.
"You think too much." Gojo laughed. "Come on."
He ducked through the doorway.
Being considerably taller than the entrance frame, he instinctively lowered his head before entering, not wanting to bumped his head.
"Oh..."
Miku hurried after him.
Inside, the ramen shop was packed with customers.
The cheerful conversations and clattering bowls gave the place a warm atmosphere.
This was one of the ramen shops Hiratsuka Shizuka frequently visited.
Because of that, Gojo had accompanied her here many times before.
The moment he entered—
"Gojo-sensei!"
The proprietress looked up from behind the counter and immediately smiled.
"It's been a while!"
"It has." Gojo waved casually.
"So...Since I've finally come back after all this time. How about giving me a discount?"
The proprietress laughed heartily.
"Deal! Fifty percent off today."
Gojo grinned happily at the gain.
"Now that's what I call hospitality."
"The discount is only because it's you." She pointed at him with a smile. "If anyone else asked...They'd be paying full price."
"I feel honored." Gojo replied dramatically.
Then the proprietress noticed Miku quietly standing behind him.
She smiled knowingly.
"Oh? And who's this cute young lady?" She turn to the Gojo, as she asked playfully, "Your girlfriend?"
"...!"
Miku instantly froze at her question.
Gojo immediately waved both hands.
"Absolutely not. She's my student."
"Oh?" The proprietress covered her mouth while laughing. "A teacher and his student coming out for dinner after school? Young people really know how to surprise me."
"There you go again..." Gojo sighed helplessly, he was in similar situation with this lady. "You gossip too much."
Still chuckling, the proprietress pointed toward an empty corner table.
"Go on. I'll bring your usual bowls."
"Thanks." Gojo nodded.
He led Miku toward the quiet corner while the proprietress continued smiling mischievously behind the counter.
Miku silently sat down, still wondering if everyone Gojo knew enjoyed teasing him this much.
...
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Bonus Chapter:-
4 Bonus chapter at 100 powerstone
6 Bonus Chapter at 150 powerstone
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Word Count — 1,530