Gojo stopped in front of Kirara's room and knocked softly. A few seconds passed, and the door finally opened, revealing Kirara, who looked at him curiously as she removed the headphones she was wearing.
"Gojo-sensei? Is something wrong?" Kirara asked, tilting her head. Her face showed a mix of surprise and interest.
Gojo smiled nonchalantly, his posture relaxed, but his eyes, though hidden behind the blindfold, reflected a more serious intent. "Good afternoon, Hoshi-chan. I need to talk to you about something urgent... may I come in?"
Kirara fully removed her headphones, nodding as she opened the door wider. "Sure, come in, sensei." With a gesture, she invited him in. Once inside, Gojo briefly looked around, noting the details of the room before turning his attention back to her.
Kirara, somewhat nervous in his presence, crossed her arms. "So, what's going on?" she asked with a mix of intrigue and a hint of tension.
Gojo stood silently for a few seconds, observing her intently as if trying to catch every nuance of her expression before speaking. Finally, he broke the silence. "I want you to tell me the truth: what really happened on your last mission?"
Kirara flinched, clearly not expecting that question. She took a deep breath and began repeating what she had written in the report, trying to sound convincing. "W-well... nothing outside of what I mentioned. We went to a cemetery on an exorcism and search mission. It turned out the curse's level was much higher than expected. Shortly after entering, Makima-chan and I were trapped in a domain... but it wasn't too hard, just a few hits here and there, and Makima managed to land the final blow after we fought together... y-yeah, that."
As Kirara spoke, Gojo watched her intently, and though his eyes were hidden behind the blindfold, she could feel the intensity of his gaze piercing through her. That invisible pressure made her feel even more uncomfortable, aware that her excuse sounded weak.
Gojo didn't interrupt, but his thoughts were a whirlwind. Why is she lying to me? Maybe she's loyally committed to Makima... or perhaps that influence in her technique is affecting her without her even realizing it. I can't risk ignoring this possibility. Despite the blindfold shielding his eyes, his perception was precise. He knew when someone was lying, and the uncertainty he saw in Kirara only confirmed his suspicions.
"I see... you have great loyalty," Gojo commented after a few seconds, a faint smile on his lips. "Thanks for telling me... but I know it's a lie."
Kirara blinked, surprised, unsure how to respond. Just as she tried to open her mouth, Gojo raised his hand gently, indicating she didn't need to continue. "You don't need to say anything else." So, Makima has her under her influence more than she even realizes. I really need to speak with her.
With that final thought, he turned and left, leaving Kirara even more nervous. As soon as the door closed, she pulled out her phone and quickly sent a message to Makima, warning her that they had probably been found out.
Meanwhile, outside, Gojo walked down the hallway, his relaxed smile concealing his serious thoughts. Makima is perfecting that technique more and more. With a little luck, Hoshi is just loyal, and if not, I hope she's not influenced to the level of Rika... though that won't stop this girl from giving me gray hairs sooner or later. He sighed, pausing for a moment as he glanced toward Kirara's door before walking away.
Elsewhere, Makima was deeply engrossed in reading a physics book in her room, filling each margin with detailed annotations. She had been absorbed for a while, her pencil gliding across the pages with precision, when she felt her phone vibrate. Raising an eyebrow, puzzled, she murmured to herself, "How strange." Few people messaged her. Only a handful had her number: Rika, Naoya, Kirara, and her father.
Unlocking the screen, she saw the message was from Kirara: "Gojo-sensei found us out!!! What will we do?! Lying in a report is considered treason! I don't want to be branded a witch!"
Makima blinked at the excessive exclamation marks and sighed, typing only a "?" in response.
The reply didn't take long, but this time it was a call. Answering, she heard Kirara's high-pitched, panicked voice practically shouting through the phone. "How can you just send a question mark?! This is serious, Makima-chan! They'll expel me, brand me a traitor... and you too! And you haven't even started your first year yet!"
Makima pulled the phone away from her ear with a sigh. Sometimes Hoshi can be a bit dramatic, she thought, staying calm. "Calm down and tell me exactly what happened."
Kirara took a deep breath on the other end of the line, trying to compose herself, and after a brief sigh, she apologized. "Sorry for yelling."
Makima nodded, adjusting her posture and returning to her calm tone. "It's fine. Now, what happened?"
"Well, just a moment ago, Gojo-sensei knocked on my door..." Kirara began. Over the next few minutes, Makima listened attentively as Kirara recounted the details of her brief and nervous conversation with Gojo, including her failed attempt to lie and the intense stare he had given her before leaving.
When Kirara finished, Makima reflected for a moment and, in a calm voice, responded, "I see... It's nothing to worry about. I doubt Gojo will really report you or me. He'll probably come to talk to me at some point. If anything happens, I'll let you know."
"Thanks, Makima-chan... I hope nothing happens. Rest well, and sorry again for yelling at you," Kirara said before ending the call.
Makima remained silent, thoughtful. How did he find out the truth? We were the only ones in the domain... I'll have to deal with him directly, she murmured, putting away her book and notes. Raising her voice, she asked, "Rika, is dinner ready?"
"Almost done!" Rika's voice called from the kitchen. Makima set the phone aside and began mentally preparing herself for what was sure to be a conversation.
Gojo was sitting in the school courtyard, stretching his arms behind his head, replaying his recent conversation with Kirara in his mind. He was still going over the details when a familiar voice interrupted his thoughts.
"I hope this is something serious."
Gojo turned toward the voice and smiled upon seeing who it was: a woman with tanned skin and blonde hair, wearing loose pants and a leather jacket that gave her a rebellious air. "I'm glad to see you too, Yuki..."
Yuki Tsukumo sighed, crossing her arms as she sat next to him. "You know I'm in the middle of a mission, and you call saying it's urgent... what's something you can't handle?"
Gojo only smiled, leaning back with his hands behind his head. "It's not something I can't handle... but if I don't do it directly, it'll be more effective."
Yuki raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "And what would that be?"
Gojo smiled broadly, as if he'd just had the best idea. "I need you to hit one of my students really hard..."
Yuki looked at him as if he'd just said the most absurd thing in the world. "Are you an idiot or what?" she asked, frowning.
Gojo shrugged. "What's the problem?"
Yuki sighed, exasperated. "You want me to hit a kid?"
Gojo nodded without hesitation. "That's right."
"For what reason?" Yuki asked, clearly still incredulous about the request.
Gojo, with a satisfied air, pointed forward as if he had just solved a great mystery. "Since I've known her, she's hidden everything about herself. I need to know what she's capable of and see her limits. I've already tried something serious, but it didn't work. So, I'm asking you this favor... push her to her limits, make her play her best cards."
Yuki looked at him in silence for a moment, processing the request. Then, her expression hardened. "Who is it?"
Gojo seemed a bit nervous, and after a second of hesitation, he replied, "Makima Zenin..."
Upon hearing the name, Yuki stood up immediately. "No. Absolutely not."
"Hey, hey, please," Gojo insisted, quickly getting up to stop her and, in an almost desperate gesture, grabbing her by the feet. "I'll give you all the money you want."
Yuki looked at him with complete disapproval. "I'm not interested in your money... do you know all the rumors about that brat?"
Gojo nodded. "That's why I need help. I want to prove she's not... that dangerous. Come on, you're a teacher too. Help out a fellow professional."
Yuki sighed, looking at him as if she were evaluating the situation one last time. Finally, with resignation, she muttered, "When?"
Gojo's smile was instant and triumphant, as if he had just won a great battle.