The Leave - Chapter 77

The Leave - Chapter 77

"Rika, keep these files and stuff for now," Ren muttered as he sat cross-legged on the hospital bed, a plain duffel bag opened beside him. He grabbed his bankbook, cursed energy journals, and the thirty books Gojo had dumped on him last week—including a few he picked up himself about curtain techniques—and tossed them casually into the small black void that shimmered near the corner of the room. Rika caught them all.

"And here, some spare clothes too," he added, throwing a bundled T-shirt and hoodie into the space.

Rika made a low rumble, then disappeared without a sound, as if she was never there.

Ren stretched with a groan, sore muscles screaming with protest. Today marked the beginning of his seven-day leave.

Gojo looked smug.

"Nice, huh?" he said, arms flared like a TV show host. "Big flat-screen TV, game consoles, microwave filled with snacks, clean bathroom, no loud neighbors, and even some anime Blu-rays. Perfect for a kid your age!"

Ren raised an eyebrow as he stepped into the apartment. It was nice. Too nice. The kind of place a spy might set up for a target they didn't plan to let walk away.

His gaze scanned the corners of the ceiling. Tiny black domes. Cameras.

He let out a sigh and deadpanned, "Ah, so who is stalking me other than you?"

Gojo stopped mid-tour, sunglasses glinting in the hallway light. For a moment, silence.

Then he chuckled. "Dame~ Sharp as ever."

He turned back with a theatrical clutch of his chest. "I'm not stalking you, Ren-kun! You wound me. Right here."

Ren rolled his eyes and walked past him toward the window. His arms crossed as he looked out over the quiet Kanagawa neighborhood. Not bad, really. Just not peaceful.

Behind him, Gojo's voice softened, more honest this time.

"The higher-ups at Jujutsu may be keeping their eyes on you. I know you don't like that, Ren, but you know how old people are, right?"

Ren gave him a sideways glare. His voice was flat with annoyance.

"Yeah. Old people are like annoying stalkers. Scared the young might grow too much."

Gojo gave no reaction. He only smiled a little.

"So?" Gojo asked, sliding his hands into his pockets. "Are you going to do something about it?"

Ren raised a brow.

Gojo grinned wide. "I'd tell you to rest, but we both know you won't. So… I'm going to live with you!"

He stepped dramatically forward, twirling with flair. "Just the two of us, Ren-kun~!"

Ren blinked. His voice came out completely dead.

"I will blow this room up if you don't get out right now."

A few minutes later, Gojo sat cross-legged outside the apartment door, sulking.

He muttered to himself, "Ahh, why does he have to be so stubborn? But it should be fine. I'll just come around every morning to check on him. Hmph. He's like a problem child. Always getting into messes."

Gojo kicked a rock, pouting like a scolded teenager, then stood and walked off with exaggerated goofiness.

Inside, Ren sighed as he heard the footsteps fade. He looked around at the tidy apartment. One window. One door. One TV. Too quiet.

"He's definitely going to check up on me," Ren muttered. "How annoying."

He sat on the edge of the bed and stared at the wall.

"And from what Gojo said… the higher-ups will keep their eyes on me too."

His fingers drummed against his leg.

"Sounds like I have to leave this apartment."

He reached for a packet of potato chips from the snack stack, ripped it open with his teeth, and plopped down in front of the TV. For the first time in what felt like weeks, Ren just chilled.

Flick.

A colorful anime OP blared through the room, bright lights bouncing off the windows.

He smirked.

"What are the chances this room is bugged?"

He leaned back and munched another chip.

"Who cares? They gave me seven days' leave. That's if they can catch me again after I leave. I already have everything I want."

His smile faded a little. Seriousness crept in.

"Next time I go back to Jujutsu High… it'll be because I finished the Red Cursed Circuit. Or because I found something new."

He let the words drift off.

"At most, I'll be gone two weeks. But let's hope I don't need that long. Knowing the higher-ups, they might name me a traitor just for skipping class."

Far from Kanagawa—in a room without windows and thick with incense smoke—the higher-ups gathered.

The oldest voice in the room rasped, "Now that he's out of Jujutsu High… what do we do now?"

Another murmured, "Hmm. Yes. It was easy to get him to leave the school. He did it himself. But what now? Should we frame him?"

A third voice, more skeptical, cut in. "No. It won't work. He's not stupid. He's proven that much. And Gojo is still on his side."

Whispers echoed.

"Not only that," another said, "he's been saving people. Public opinion is slowly turning."

A soft chuckle.

The voice of an old woman. Calm. Amused.

"He is still young. Why not try to control him? If removing him or framing him is too problematic… let's guide him instead."

Some murmured in disagreement.

But no one had a better idea.

"Okay," another elder finally asked, "how are we going to do that?"

The woman's voice returned. This time, it curled like a smirk.

"We will send her."