"You really do see things clearly." The corners of Shoko's lips lifted into a faint smile, her expression relaxed completely, and even her voice grew much lighter, losing its earlier heaviness.
She turned to look at him with a faint smile and asked curiously, "We're all caught in the same predicament, all just as lost about the future, so how come you can see things so clearly?"
"It's not clarity. I just don't dwell on things." Qingxiao settled against the railing, the night breeze gently stirring his hair. Exhaustion still clung to his entire body, but his tone was relaxed:
"Since we can't change the rules of the world, protecting the people around us is enough. There's no point agonizing over the future. Living well in the present and protecting our companions are what we should be doing right now."
In reality, Qingxiao just wanted to use his superpowers to show off how super cool he was.
At his words, Shoko let out a deep breath of pent-up frustration and gently swung the hand resting on the railing, her expression relaxing. "True. With you all by my side, it feels like I can make it through even the hardest days."
The atmosphere on the rooftop changed completely, no longer lonely and heavy as it had been before. The night breeze was gentle, the moonlight tender, and a faint scent of tobacco lingered in the air, threaded with a relaxed yet subtle intimacy.
The two leaned side by side against the cold railing, quietly taking in the late-night breeze as they gazed down over the silent, sleeping campus of Jujutsu High.
Tree shadows lay dappled across the ground, and everything was silent, as though they were the only two people left in the world.
"Oh, right, why were you getting back to the dorm so late tonight?" Suddenly remembering something, Shoko turned toward Qingxiao and tilted her head slightly, asking casually, "I saw you walking back from over there."
Qingxiao raised his hand and gently waggled the understated, pitch-black Black Hole Ring on his finger. "I got a new cursed tool that suited me at the Cursed Tool Repository today. I couldn't stop thinking about trying it out, so I went to the Training Ground alone to train late into the night. I only came back when I really couldn't keep going."
"No wonder you look so exhausted." Shoko nodded in understanding, her gaze carefully sweeping over his slightly reddened wrists and somewhat pale cheeks. A trace of concern, hard to detect, hid in her voice. "Staying up late to train hard as soon as you get a cursed tool, without letting up at all. You're taking this way too far."
Qingxiao gently flexed his aching wrist, waves of soreness and weakness still coming from the muscles throughout his body. "This is the life I want."
Qingxiao changed the subject, his gaze passing over the ground beside her as he asked softly, "Enough about me. How long have you been out here? Aren't you worried about catching a chill, smoking out here for so long?"
"Not that long." Shoko casually waved the cigarette between her fingers, her tone indifferent. "Only about an hour."
As her words fell, Qingxiao instinctively lowered his head to look at the ground by her feet.
The moonlight clearly illuminated the floor tiles. An old metal ashtray sat in a corner of the rooftop, neatly piled with seven or eight cigarette butts-quite a few indeed.
The corner of Qingxiao's eye twitched involuntarily.
One hour. Seven or eight cigarettes.
Qingxiao looked at the cigarette butts in the ashtray, then at the unruffled Shoko. He pressed his lips together slightly, feeling quite helpless. "Even though you know Reverse Cursed Sorcerer, isn't this a bit much?"
Shoko raised an eyebrow slightly at his words, idly pinched out the remaining embers of her cigarette, then raised her hand and pressed the butt precisely into the ashtray beside her. "Well, like you said, I know Reverse Cursed Sorcerer. Smoking won't cause any problems."
"All right, fair enough." Qingxiao knew he had no right to interfere with Shoko's habits, so he said nothing more.
His body was clearly exhausted, yet standing on the rooftop in the night breeze, chatting with Shoko, felt especially comfortable.
The night was gentle, the breeze drifted softly, and the moonlight tenderly enveloped them both.
They set aside the weight of fate and pressure entirely, chatting on and off about the little things in their daily lives.
Shoko leaned against the railing, her posture loose and languid. Sometimes she picked up the conversation to quietly complain about Satoru Gojo's childishness; sometimes she remarked on Suguru Geto's reliability, her tone light and content.
They talked about the dull yet peaceful routine at Jujutsu High, about how precious ordinary days without fighting or risking their lives were; they also talked about the uncertain road ahead, yet having each other's company gave them immeasurably more confidence.
Most of the time, Shoko spoke softly, sharing the little reflections she usually kept tucked away in her heart, while Qingxiao listened quietly, occasionally chiming in with agreement.
He liked this atmosphere very much: quiet and relaxed, with no need to stay on edge, no need to scheme or fight, only a rare moment of peace.
The night breeze carried the fresh fragrance of Shoko's hair and the faint scent of tobacco, lingering around his nose, intimate and soothing, quietly drawing them closer.
Qingxiao did not break this rare, tender stillness. He simply stayed silently by her side, letting the night breeze ease the exhaustion throughout his body as he quietly enjoyed this late-night time alone that belonged only to the two of them.
Deep into the quiet night, all their oppressive worries dissipated on the empty rooftop.
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