Chapter 3: After The Fire


She lied, of course.

Mari did not mean any insult although she said those words to elicit a strong response from her silver-haired lover. It was a jab to his pride.

She had an amazing night and normally, her etiquette after the fact was a tender goodbye. It helped that most sexual encounters she had in the past were one-night stands, in places where her visit was brief. Unfortunately, she's staying in Japan until the situation no longer needed her presence.

Mari could not afford to form intimate relationships in a setting where the status quo could change any second and the passion she shared with her silver-haired lover was explosive enough one night won't be enough to satiate the desire. The harvested negative energy she converted into lust had only abated but the leftovers were still there, licking and teasing her senses.

She craved him even now.

Mari wasn't worried. There were many ways to burn this ache because lust was like a flaming candle. However long it burned, it would still ran out and fizzled over.

Her silver lover's delectable lips turned down in a severe frown.

He was upset. Extremely so.

Good.

The night they shared was purely physical, of all factors to form a deep bond, it ranked the least likely to last or withstand temptation and hardships. The value of feelings was shallow, easy to break.

Mari was betting on that.

A man's pride was his most precious treasure, bruise it and you'll be persona non grata in no time.

Or so she reasoned. There was actually another way but alas, she'd missed it by indulging herself.

Her silver-haired lover crossed his arms and growled, "Come again?" He widened his stance.

"Don't be shy," Mari's lips tilted, "I can afford paying your tuition a hundred times over."

He wasn't young, doesn't look like a college student and yet she implied he was still in school.

Any man would be pissed.

But he didn't.

And Mari realized a little too damn late, this one's a freaking crackhead.

"Eh," He sang in a high pitched voice. "You wanna be my sugar mama? Not that I'm against it."

That was so fucking gay, Mari unconsciously thought.

He shook his head and cupped his cheek while his hips jutted out in a way that reminded Mari of effeminate men. "You gotta keep in line though. Let's see, hmmm, Ichimama-chan (Mama One) is always on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, Nimama-chan (Mama Two) visits me on Tuesdays and Thursdays, Sanmama-chan (Mama Three) won't give up Saturdays and Sundays, ya know."

He pointed a delicate finger to her, "You are Shimama-chan (Mama Four)! But what to do, what to do, I have no time for you."

Mari wasn't a stranger to trolling. In fact, she had her fair share of messing around with friends and family. So it took her no time to recognize the bluff and also the dig.

"Shimama-chan," She murmured. "Cursing someone to die, your grades in BS Clownery must be off the charts."

Mari puffed her chest, "and for the record. I am insulted to be number four (shi = death). I much prefer the number nine (ku = torture) but for you I'll settle for forty-nine (shiku = to run over) because as they said, compromise is the key to relationships."

"Well, aren't you a ray of pitch black."

"Thank you, I've often heard rainbows though."

"That was so basic. Google must have helped a lot."

"Puh-lease. You are so basic, I don't even try."

"Don't give me attitude, darlin--where are you going?"

"You were boring me to death. My survival instincts kicked in."

That. Actually...was funny. Gojo Satoru smirked.

"Stop smirking." The fiery maiden, his fiery maiden, Gojo Satoru decided to use this label from now on, fumed.

It was all an act, he could tell, but he let her anyway. Her reason for a change of behavior was a puzzle Satoru wasn't too curious to discover. Must be the type averse to commitment.

Not that he was one to talk. Looked like she was determined to end their relationship here. No complaints on his part, really.

Still, he thought, extending a little time won't hurt.

"Kamiya-sama." A shadow near the door called out.

Just like that, the mood fell apart.

"Your ride is here."

Satoru pocketed his hands.

"Thanks, Rose."

The fiery maiden's glare vanished and her soft persona emerged.

"Here," she presented two cheques. "I initially prepared a sum to leave behind but as I thought, last night was amazing." His fiery maiden explained.

Why was she explaining?

So honest, Satoru thought.

"So, I'm also leaving behind a blank cheque. Put whatever amount you like. Frankly, I don't care if you feel insulted or not, this is how I show my appreciation. Take it or leave it, you decide."

So unbelievably honest, it pissed Satoru off.

"Well then," she turned her back, "see you never."

"You're funny, ya know," Satoru mocked as he bent and retrieved the two cheques. "Appreciation, my ass. These are nothing but bribes. If you're gonna be all genuine, then don't be half-assed."

But, she was long gone, his fiery maiden who made him feel a little bit alive.


He haunted her in more ways than one and she hadn't realized it yet.

"They say I did something bad then why's it feel so good? They say I did something bad then why's it feel so good? Most fun I ever had."

Her phone rang and from it Mari identified who was calling before she read the caller's ID. Thank geniuses for customized ringtones.

"And I'd do it over and over and over again if I could. It just felt so good, good."

"Rei, sorry, I broke your tab."

"I heard. Must be quite the tumble, eh?"

Mari hummed as sakura petals rained down around her. "More like an unexpected harvest." She caught one spinning petal on her palm.

"Nevermind that, it's a one night thing and should be treated as such," Mari discarded the petal and resumed her stroll. "How's the club by the way. No one submitted any complaints I hope?"

Rei laughed on the other line. "No, better yet, we're receiving rave reviews!"

"That's good. I was afraid I released too much that night. But you know what to do if someone does complain, right?"

"Why, yes, dearest."

"Good. As always, I can depend on you, Rei. Thank you," Mari paused beside another sakura tree. "Your information gathering still sucks though."

"Shut up. I know you're complaining because I didn't add the juicy bits."

"Of course juicy bits are mandatory!" Mari harrumphed as she nestled on the tree. "Whaddya get from knowing a person's height or her blood type?" Mari's free hand fisted while the fire deep in her heart burst. "Gossips are the greatest measurement of a person's character. Why they exist, how the recipient reacted, those stuffs are gold!"

"Uh-huh, that's why dependable Rei gave you a surprise visit!"

Mari blinked and double checked the caller. "Can you repeat that? I think I forgot Japanese."

"Dearest." An exasperated sigh floated to her ear. "I'm here at the reception of CT Hotel, the concierge will ring your room in a while."

"I see. That's too bad."

"Hmm, why?"

"Because I'm here at Hamarikyu Gardens."

Rei was silent on the phone. "Why didn't you say so?"

"Don't think I've forgotten how you've stood me up."

"Ack," Rei played it off with a chuckle. "Well, look on the bright side, at least you get the hottest rump yet in the history of your life."

"Who said so?"

"A little birdie told me you were leaking. And not the liquid kind, that's disgusting. You know, that sexy stuff you got going. It's like the mouthwatering honey spiced samgyupsal before the samgyupsal part, when the pan sizzles and the umami blows up."

"That is so oddly specific," Mari rolled her eyes. "Atsushi can't keep his mouth shut."

"Just concerned for his big sister."

"Yes, this big sister who had wanted to spy on his crush." Mari blew a breath and stood. "Where are you? I'll meet you there, wherever."

"No, I'll come to you. In the meantime, listen as I regale you with stories of the woman who caught Atsushi-kun's eye."

"Fine," Mari leaned on the trunk and closed her eyes. "Tell me more of her, Zen'in Maki."

Much much later on the center of the Hamarikyu Gardens, on top of the sea water pond, and connected by wooden bridges to the land, was a tea house that appeared to float.

Mari sat on one of the benches outside the tea house. On the table was a bowl of traditional matcha tea and wagashi, a Japanese confectionary with a sweet bean paste inside.

Mari picked up the bowl with both hands and sipped the bitter tea. Yuck.

"What a stunning lady you would've looked like if not for that disgusted reaction," Rei remarked as he sat on the bench in front of her. He was a lithe man, tall and walked with an elegance of a ballet dancer. He also had feminine hips and oftentimes mistaken as gay. He wasn't. Which was why he's a goddamn successful playboy.

Rei put up his hair in the same style she did today. An outer part tied while the thinner part curled on top his shoulders.

He was hot, the ideal androgynous model and yet he did nothing to Mari. Except maybe helped her remember another type of guy.

He pointed on the untouched sweets and added, "The wagashi complements the bitter taste of the tea. Try it."

"I've tried it many times," Mari grumbled. She might not have lived in Japan but she was taught its language, culture, and history.

"Mari-chan, you know, your taste is weird," Rei remarked with a shake of his head. "You like strong stuff but only when its sweet. Take black coffee, for example, you love it so much but only if it's sweet but not too sweet either because you love to still taste the bitter caffeine."

Her silver-haired lover flashed in Mari's mind.

The soft wind disturbed Mari's hair. The outer layer of black strands styled in a messy bun did not budge while the inner layer dyed in platinum blond and simply let down swayed with the wind.

Come to think of it, she never asked his name.

"Sweetness should never disappear even when bitterness is all you have," Mari nodded as if memorizing an iconic quote from a well-respected individual.

"I expected stuff like that from Atsushi-kun's mouth."

Mari gasped and put a hand on her chest. "I am wounded! Just because Atsushi feels more through his mouth doesn't mean we all don't."

"That sounds so weird if others heard what you said."

Mari thickened her Japanese accent. "Gomenasai, Ore (I, masculine)-"

"Ahem." Rei coughed but his lips still twitched.

"Oh, um, boku (I, masculine)--"

"Try again," he whispered with a grin.

"Ah," Mari snapped her fingers, "Watashi (I, neutral)--"

"Passable," Rei held his stomach as he laughed. "I missed you, bitch." That was in English.

"Me too, Rei." Mari smiled along. "Now, then, let's get down to business."

Rei wiped the tears from his eyes and hunched closer. "First, are you interested to know the name of your lover boy?"

"Why would I? I'm done with him." She shrugged but she leaned. Just in case.

"Oh, but something tells me you'll be meeting him still." There was a glint in Rei's brown eyes.

This time, Mari raised an eyebrow. In a flash of insight, she frowned. "I've got the wildest idea he's loosely connected to them. Please tell me he isn't."

Rei propped his head. "I was curious what he looked like so I reviewed the club's security footage on the way. And damn, you really know how to fish big."

"This is not some kind of plot twist where I met an older brother of Zen'in Maki because I was doing research on her, does it?"

"..."

Mari's eyes widened in childlike innocence. "What? You don't think reality can be stranger than fiction?"

"You're off the mark."

The relief Mari felt surprised her.

"Barely."

She tensed.

"He is someone much, much, powerful."

Mari frowned as she tried to recall her silver-haired lover's face. Wait, silver hair.

"To be honest, I was surprised you didn't recognize him."

Even in the ever changing lights of the dance floor, she had seen him clearly, the vivid hue of his eyes, and the fucking blindfold she took off.

"Oh my god and all that is holy."

Rei clapped. "And it returns. Knowledge!" He leaned in to whisper. "He must have banged you real hard your head turned to puddle."

Mari groaned.

"I just touched and defiled," Mari gulped as her mind flashed back to a memory. Of the reminder her grandma gave before she came to Japan.

"Dear, please do not mess with the head of the Gojo clan. He is not easy to miss. For one, he has a blindfold on."

"Okie dokie, grammom."

"I'm serious, dearest one. When you hear the name Satoru--"

"Gojo," Mari's horrified whisper.

"Bingo. Gojo Satoru, whom the Jujutsu society calls their strongest."

"--run."

Somewhere in Europe,a phone dings.

Dear Grammom,

I almost forgot your reminder--about that blindfolded person--yeah. But don't worry, I did run away from him when we met. So, rest easy.

Progress here is still at turtle's pace and no fault of our own, ya know, you predicted it after all.

Anyways, wish me luck! Mwah!

Message received from contact named 'Demon Spawn #8'.


:Writer's Notes:

I was listening to Taylor Swift and the song, "I did something bad", came up from the Reputation album and I really wanted to put it here, after all, Mari-chan did something bad but she enjoyed it anyway. -giggle-

I had fun researching on word plays and dialogue prompts for Gojo and Mari's back and forth, I hope you guys enjoyed it too!

A little background on the word plays. In tonal languages, the way you pronounce a word changes its meaning. The thing is, some words are pronounced the same but may mean different things, a homonym in short. Japanese is one such language. Talk about double meanings, aye?

Examples are the above, mainly focusing on numbers and their significance in Japan. Specifically, four and nine are ominous numbers due to the fact that when pronounced they sound like death or torture, respectively. Due to this, number four and nine have alternative pronunciations widely used in Japan. Interested to know more? Check it out on Google.

Lastly, the different forms of "I". Unlike English, East Asia nations i.e. China, Korea, Japan have variations of "I" depending on the gender of the speaker. In this case, Mari-chan's skit on various forms of "I" are masculine, which means only males can say this. If a female says this, they'd be considered uncultured or rude. In fact, I was inspired by the anime movie "Kimi no Namai Wa" or "Your Name" in making that scene.

So, that's it.

By the way, if there's an error in my explanation, do reach out to me. I welcome any conversation.

:The Playlist:

1. After The Fire - Carole & Tuesday anime ver.

2. I Did Something Bad - Taylor Swift

:Translations:

(Jap.) ichi - (Eng.) one

ni - two

san - three

shi - four

ku - nine

shiku - forty nine

:Curiosity Corner:

1. What do you think so far?

2. Did you mind my little notes at the end?

3. Gojo's a complex character so, what do you feel of this interpretation? Was he too OOC? What facets of him are you interested to see?

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Also, I finally got some follows, yay!

thank you for reading!