Rebirth In The Days When Curse Gao Was The Boss Chapter 15

Day Fifteen of Transmigration

The brief, mandatory holiday cast an unreal sense of relaxation over the entire Jujutsu High. The sorcerers, who were usually driven like mules all year round, suddenly had time to catch their breath and were momentarily at a loss for what to do.

Nanami Kento pushed up his glasses, deciding to use these few days to finish writing all the overdue reports. Ieiri Shoko locked the door to the infirmary and hung a “Do Not Disturb” sign, reportedly catching up on sleep. The first-year students gathered together, discussing whether they should take the opportunity to visit a nearby city.

Meanwhile, Xue Yang, the “instigator” of this holiday, was enjoying undisturbed peace. He occupied the sunniest corner by the training ground, half-closing his eyes like a lazy cat, idly scrolling through his phone. Occasionally, he would click on links to various sickeningly sweet dessert shops sent by Gojo Satoru, offering a few critical comments.

Gojo Satoru himself perfectly exemplified the phrase “give him an inch and he’ll take a mile.” On the first day of the holiday, he brazenly moved into Xue Yang’s room, carrying his pillow and a pile of snacks.

“Hey, what are you doing?” Xue Yang frowned, looking at the white-haired teacher who was usurping his territory.

“Vacationing!” Gojo Satoru declared self-righteously, piling the snacks by Xue Yang’s bedside. “It’s only fun if two people vacation together! We can play games online, watch movies, or…” He leaned closer, his eyes blinking behind his sunglasses, “Teacher can make you special custom desserts, you know?”

Xue Yang was skeptical about “custom desserts,” but playing games online sounded somewhat appealing. Thus, the first day of the holiday was spent with the two of them holed up in the room, relying on takeout and snacks, slaughtering everything in the virtual world. That night, Gojo Satoru predictably repeated his trick, sleeping soundly while hugging Xue Yang. As for Xue Yang… perhaps because he had exhausted his energy playing games during the day, he actually fell asleep quickly, without the fierce resistance he had shown before.

The next day, Gojo Satoru escalated things, dragging Xue Yang to an arcade under the pretense of “getting familiar with modern entertainment.” Xue Yang scoffed at games like the claw machine and Taiko no Tatsujin, until Gojo Satoru led him to the dimly lit, sound-blasting racing simulators and shooting games. The competitive and thrill-seeking streak deep in Xue Yang’s bones was thoroughly activated. He quickly mastered the techniques, cutting each other off on the race track with Gojo Satoru and competing for headshot counts in the shooting game. He had a blast, his face showing undisguised excitement and focus.

Gojo Satoru watched his complete immersion, the smile never leaving his lips. He bought a large bucket of popcorn and two iced colas, handing one to Xue Yang. Xue Yang initially expressed disdain for the sweet, brown carbonated water, but after taking a sip, he silently hugged the cup, occasionally taking a large gulp while furiously mashing the controller buttons, eyes glued to the screen.

It was already dusk, with the city lights turning on, when they left the arcade. Gojo Satoru then dragged Xue Yang to eat conveyor belt sushi. Watching Xue Yang eye the various exquisite sushi on the belt with curiosity and pickiness, only to ultimately target the “calorie bombs” thickly coated in mayonnaise and roe, Gojo Satoru laughed like an old father watching his child eat heartily (?).

The last day of the holiday was sunny. Gojo Satoru somehow produced two stylish bicycles.

“Come on, I’ll take you for a ride and show you a different side of Tokyo.”

They cycled along the riverbank. The wind ruffled Xue Yang’s slightly curly black hair and Gojo Satoru’s white tips. Away from the city center’s hustle, the riverside was peaceful and pleasant. There were elderly people strolling, young people jogging, and children playing on skateboards in the open space. Xue Yang watched all this, his eyes losing their usual sharpness and scrutiny, replaced by a subtle, hard-to-detect calmness.

When they got tired, the two sat down on the grass by the river. Gojo Satoru magically pulled out two beautifully packaged boxes from his backpack—takeout from the Kaiseki dessert shop that required reservations three months in advance.

Xue Yang opened the box to find Japanese-style desserts that looked like works of art, too exquisite to eat. He picked up the small spoon and cautiously tasted a bite. It was light and sweet, not cloying, and had rich layers, truly different from the overly sweet styles he usually ate.

“How is it?” Gojo Satoru asked expectantly.

“It’s alright,” Xue Yang said grudgingly, but his hand didn’t stop scooping the dessert.

Gojo Satoru looked at him and suddenly said, “Next time, how about I take you to Hokkaido for a hot spring? Soaking in an open-air bath in winter while watching the snow is the most comfortable thing.”

Xue Yang paused his movement, not looking up, and mumbled a vague “Mm.”

The setting sun stretched their shadows long. Gojo Satoru stretched, lying down on the grass and gazing at the sky. Xue Yang finished the last bite of dessert, then copied him, lying down to watch the clouds dyed orange-red by the sunset.

The surroundings were quiet, with only the sound of the wind and the faint noise of the distant city.

“Hey, Gojo Satoru.” Xue Yang suddenly spoke.

“Hmm?”

“Did you… used to take other people out like this?” Xue Yang’s voice was very soft, carrying a hint of probing that he himself hadn’t noticed.

Gojo Satoru turned his head, looking at the profile of the young man, softened by the twilight glow, and smiled. “No, you’re the first.”

Xue Yang was silent for a moment, saying nothing more. But Gojo Satoru saw the fingers of the hand resting by his side unconsciously curl up.

The holiday ended, and missions were reassigned, but the pace was noticeably gentler than before. The higher-ups seemed genuinely “persuaded” by Xue Yang; at least, they were much more restrained in assigning missions to Gojo Satoru and Xue Yang.

Xue Yang still took on missions he deemed worthwhile, taught his peers “underhanded” martial arts techniques, and was then fed desserts by Gojo Satoru under various pretexts. At night… he was still forced to serve as a human body pillow.

However, when Gojo Satoru once again slipped into his futon late at night, bringing a chill with him, Xue Yang no longer resisted with a stiff body. He merely grumbled impatiently, “You’re noisy,” then rolled over, adjusted himself into a more comfortable position, and quickly fell back into deep sleep.

In the darkness, Gojo Satoru looked at the defenseless sleeping face of the boy in his arms. A faint softness, which he himself had never deeply examined, flickered in his pale blue eyes.

This little wild beast, covered in thorns, finally seemed to be getting used to, or even… acquiescing to his closeness. This process was more interesting and satisfying than exorcising any Special Grade Cursed Spirit. Gojo Satoru tightened his arm contentedly, resting his chin on the soft crown of Xue Yang’s hair, and closed his eyes.

The night was still long, and their “game” seemed to have just entered a more interesting phase.