"You lot, clean up these glass shards." After leaving them with those words, Masamichi Yaga turned and left, ignoring Satoru Gojo's protests behind him.
"Finally, a field assignment! I'm definitely buying a ton of desserts later!"
"Buy them on the way back. Let's take care of business first, Satoru."
"Fine, fine. You really are rigid, Qingxiao."
After briefly cleaning up the glass scattered across the court, they dared not linger any longer and walked briskly toward Jujutsu High's main gate.
The evening breeze blew gently, dispersing the heat on the court, and they chatted and laughed along the way.
When they reached Jujutsu High's gate, a black van was already parked securely by the roadside.
Standing beside it was the uniformed assistant supervisor, Sato Kenta. Seeing the four approach, he immediately stepped forward. "Hello, students. I'm Satō, the assistant supervisor accompanying you this time. Four people have been assigned to this mission, so we've prepared two vehicles for your convenience."
He had barely finished when the ever-restless Satoru Gojo immediately piped up. "Two cars? Perfect! Qingxiao, you're with me. We're going to have a proper discussion about that basketball game on the way!"
A knowing smile flickered in Suguru Geto's eyes. Before Satoru Gojo could make any more noise, he reached out, grabbed him by the back of his collar, and effortlessly hauled him toward the first car like a child.
"All right, all right, you can discuss it on the way. Don't make a spectacle of yourself at the gate."
As he dragged him along, Suguru Geto briefly paused and turned to shoot Qingxiao a quick, encouraging look. His eyes practically spelled it out: I've made an opening for you. Make the most of it.
The two moved decisively, opening the door and getting into the car in one smooth sequence, giving Satoru Gojo no chance to struggle and Qingxiao no chance to speak.
In an instant, only Qingxiao and Shoko remained where they stood.
Looking at the firmly shut car door, Qingxiao could only marvel inwardly: Suguru Geto, you're practically my godfather. I have to treat you to a meal later.
He suppressed that little surge of secret delight and scratched the tip of his nose, pretending nothing was amiss. His voice was natural and casual. "Well, nothing for it. Looks like we'll have to share a car."
With that, he opened the rear door of the other car and stepped slightly aside, gently gesturing to Shoko beside him. "Go ahead."
Shoko looked at the two in the car ahead, who were deliberately avoiding them, then at Qingxiao pretending to be calm before her. A faint smile curved her eyes, and her voice held a hint of teasing. "Why does it feel like those two agreed beforehand to deliberately leave us alone?"
Qingxiao's heart tightened. He instinctively straightened his back and immediately countered with a serious expression. "No, they just wanted to sit together and chat on the way. That's all."
"Oh, really? I see."
Despite his perfectly earnest words, his ears quietly reddened beyond his control. He could not hide it at all, instantly betraying his little secret intentions.
Shoko caught every subtle change but did not call him out. She merely held back a faint smile and bent slightly to get into the car.
The instant she lowered her head and bent down, Qingxiao instinctively raised his hand, holding it firmly against the top of the doorway.
His palm pressed against the cold frame, shielding the sharp corner just right. The movement was natural and swift, entirely instinctive, for fear that she might bend too quickly and bump her head.
That small, gentle gesture quietly caught Shoko's eye.
She did not point it out, pretending not to have noticed as she settled gently into the soft back seat.
Only then did Qingxiao withdraw his hand, bend down to take the seat beside her, and gently pull the door shut.
As the door closed, the small, enclosed interior instantly shut out the evening breeze and noise outside, and the space abruptly became quiet and private.
They sat side by side, very close together, their sleeves almost touching, able to clearly feel the warmth surrounding each other.
Something about the air grew subtly different, tinged with faint awkwardness and a hint of romantic tension neither could quite put into words.
Neither spoke, as though by unspoken agreement. They looked straight ahead, their bodies slightly stiff, even unconsciously softening their breathing.
Satō in the front seat took it all in. Watching the two young people's awkward, inexperienced manner in the rearview mirror, he could not help giving a faint, knowing smile.
He tactfully refrained from speaking, silently started the car, and drove smoothly away from Jujutsu High's gate.
Once they were cruising steadily, he lightly switched on the car's music, and a soft instrumental piece with a soothing melody and a touch of romantic tenderness began flowing through the interior.
Having done that, Satō made himself as unobtrusive as possible and drove quietly, remaining an invisible helper the whole way, never disturbing the atmosphere of the pair's time alone in the back.
The gentle melody slowly lingered around them, easing the atmosphere in the quiet car. Yet Qingxiao still felt uncomfortable all over, sitting stiffly and feeling that the romantic tension was enough to make his whole body burn.
He broke the silence first, deliberately lightening his tone and speaking as though making casual conversation. "Honestly, I messed up that first shot. I hadn't touched a ball in a year, so I'd completely lost my touch."
Shoko turned to look at him, a faint smile in her eyes, and followed his lead. "Good thing you turned it around in the end, or Satoru would've made fun of you again. But that dunk from midcourt really was impressive."
At her frank praise, the tips of Qingxiao's ears reddened a little more, though he affected modesty. "It was all right. I accidentally shattered the backboard, and you all had to help clean up."
"It's fine." Shoko nodded gently, her voice soft. "Consider it the price of admission."
Their easy back-and-forth gradually dispelled the stiff awkwardness inside the car.
The atmosphere grew increasingly relaxed, and both sat much more comfortably, no longer holding themselves deliberately stiff and tense.
The evening breeze slipped through the gap in the window, carrying the gentle music with it. The atmosphere inside the car was comfortable, stripped of its self-conscious awkwardness, leaving only a faint, almost imperceptible trace of romantic tension quietly lingering between them.
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