It was no secret, really.

It was no secret that the two of them were either hiding it or were completely unaware of what's going between them. Bantering, teasing, and arguing like an old married couple - it was the norm every time Gojo and Utahime were at least one meter away from each other to the point that the people around them started a bet on what would be their subject of argument for the next day. Today was no different. Utahime attempted to strike him with an eraser whereas Gojo dodged it with ease.

"See?" the white-haired young man jumped from table to table. "I don't need Infinity when it comes to you, Utahime, you can't even hit me!" he stuck his tongue out.

Infuriated, Utahime glowered and grabbed a pen from the students' table and hurled it again at Gojo. It was all in vain as he quickly evaded the pen leaving her frustrated and decided to leave, swearing under her breath that he should know how to respect his elders.

No one inside the classroom had an idea of how the fight started just as always. From the corner, Geto snorted. He didn't miss the way Satoru gave her the look. Just guy things. But sometimes he wondered if his friend realized that teasing a woman to no end was not the way to go. It was funny how in every woman, Satoru's charm didn't seem to work on Utahime. That must be why he's chasing her. Challenge was one of the foolproof reasons why a man chases a woman. And knowing Gojo Satoru, he was too full of himself to deny a challenge. As a proud man himself, Geto can attest to it.

Next to him, Shoko shook her head after lightly scolding Gojo for once again getting on Utahime's nerves. It was the fifth time this week and she was sure that tomorrow, Utahime would ignore him yet again.

"Thirty thousand yen," he crossed his legs as he sat on the window sill. "Satoru would confess to her,"

Shoko tried her best not to bust a gut from laughing. "You trust him too much. Thirty thousand yen and Utahime would turn him down."

Geto smirked. "So it's a deal?"

Shoko smirked back. "Deal."

If there was one thing Geto hated, it was losing. He has never chosen a battle he cannot win and so, Geto wanted to make sure that he was winning this bet.

Just as Shoko predicted, Utahime was ignoring Gojo. The woman was sitting peacefully on one of the schools' benches. Across the other side of the table was Nanami who was also reading a book. Not knowing how to pass another boring day, Geto decided to pry on his target and joined the two. Utahime glanced at him in acknowledgment and returned to her reading and Nanami did the same. He wanted to start a simple conversation but found himself struggling for words that won't be too embarrassing or too obvious.

"Oh, Murakami?"

Utahime lifted her head to look at him. "Yes, have you read this too?" Geto remembered the book. Kafka on the Shore. Good book, but he didn't finish it. Truth to be told he wasn't into reading that much. He liked the writing style and the mystery behind it and of course, the occasional erotic theme that the author loved to throw here and there.

"Yeah, didn't finish it though," he replied and pulled out a cigarette. "Mind if I smoke?"

She has a strong dislike of smoking but the man was sitting on the other edge of the bench anyway, far enough for her to have a sniff of it in an open area.

"Go ahead, it's fine," she said and closed the book.

Geto thanked her and then returned to his musings. His thoughts came to stop when Utahime said something about the book and then he gave his opinion too and that was how their conversation flowed. However, Geto could not bring the topic of Satoru. Ah shit. He was no expert about shitty romances and relationships. Why did he even start that bet? Because it was fun and because he knew Satoru would eventually realize he was being childish. Along with their talk, he could say that Utahime was enjoying these kinds of topics, just simple ones about life and everything under. Maybe I should tell Satoru about this. But little did he know that seeking an opportunity to help his friend would result in something else.

There was nothing to do and it bores him to death.

He was looking for Geto to ask him to stroll with him in the city. Maybe hit the arcade or go malling, or eat in his favorite mochi shop - something that Geto would protest and maybe even try to fight him about it but he would find a way to convince him in the end, that's for sure.

Gojo ambled in the corridors of the school when he caught sight of a familiar white ribbon. Her hair floated gently in the air and her meek laughter was music to his ears. Unknowingly, he smiled at the image of her happy face until Gojo found the reason why.

Something in his stomach churned, eyeing at Geto sharing stories to Utahime. He could see how it was a high spirited discussion. Utahime paying Geto her attention and her smile, her smile, why did his heart skip a beat and was it….aching? On the way, she was freely giving her smile at another man.

She never smiled at me like that.

Gojo scratched his head. What am I thinking? It was his friend and Utahime...what was Utahime again to him? Aside from his senpai, Utahime was someone he knew for years, he annoyed for years, he ...yearns for years?

Wait.

Sweat rolled from his forehead. It wasn't even that hot. What was he thinking? What was he feeling?

"Satoru, there you are!" Geto waved a hand, sensing him.

Utahime looked at him, her smile fading.

And still, Gojo could not name the emotion he just felt.

She wanted to get stronger.

For herself, of course. Not because a certain idiot keeps on mocking her for being weak. She was not weak! She kept on telling herself that.

In the training room, Utahime asked Mei to spar with her, which the other woman gladly accepted. The sound of wooden staffs clicked beyond the four corners. Shoko cheered for her with Geto on her side, watching quietly. The panel door opened indicating that someone had entered. Utahime made a quick look at the person - it was Gojo.

"Eyes on the prize," Mei Mei warned before she slammed her staff at hers. Utahime turned her eyes at the weapons and blocked the attack.

"Wow! Did I scare you, Utahime?" Gojo dropped next to Geto and continued teasing her. Utahime shouted at him to shut up as she returned to spar with Mei.

"She's not bad at it, don't you think? Mei almost caught her."

He didn't know why Geto's comment made him pause.

Gojo observed his friend's face. "What's this?"

"What do you mean?"

The taller of the two smiled smugly. "You find her strong now?"

Something in Satoru's words didn't sit right with him. Geto wondered if this guy woke up today and chose violence. Although he was not the one to speak about Utahime's abilities because he once accidentally agreed to Satoru that they should not pick on the weak.

Geto didn't say anything and focused on watching. He was not in the mood to add oil to the fire. He could tell Satoru was taking his comment differently.

"I just think that maybe you should praise her instead of…"

But he failed. He failed to keep his mouth shut because he wanted to give him a piece of his thoughts. Again, he was no expert on this matter but dammit, why did he try to help him in the first place? It's not that Satoru asked for any kind of help. But seeing how he desperately failed at his version of flirting was giving him a headache and it needed to stop. Thirty thousand yen was at stake, enough to buy him an A5 wagyu but the thought of winning the bet was more of a victory for him.

"I'm beat," Mei massaged her shoulder blade with one hand.

"But I haven't won yet!" Utahime whined, asking to train with her more.

"You silly, I just spar with Geto earlier." her stamina depleted from sparring with Geto. It was a fierce one and Geto won at the end.

From the audience, Gojo was having a glaring competition with Geto. Shoko was bothered and tried to stop them.

"Are you telling me what to do?" Gojo asked in his most annoyed tone which surprised Shoko.

"What's your problem, Satoru?" Geto roared. "You wanna fight outside-"

"Hey, who else would like to be my sparring partner? Shoko?" Utahime, who had no idea what's going on between the two men in the room, inquired. Shoko shook her head and smiled at mumbling the words 'sorry I can't'. She only had a few seconds before a fight erupted between these two and she had to either stop them or save herself.

"Me," Gojo declared, his face lightened as he shifted his eyes from Geto to Utahime. "If you don't mind."

Utahime sighed. Beggars can't be choosers. Whoever was available she can spar with, then so be it.

"No tricks," she said, tossing another wooden staff at him. No tricks - no using of cursed energy techniques and that included Infinity. Gojo stifled a laugh at this but agreed. He caught the staff and stood up to walk at the center of the training circle.

Geto felt too annoyed to stay in the room. There was this stupid friend of his, being unnecessarily childish again. The fuck was wrong with him today? He was only trying to help him. For fucks sake.

"Hey, Geto!" Shoko ran to follow him outside. She was occupied by the spar to notice how on earth the two boys began bickering which grew into an almost brawl. Their Yaga-sensei was attending a personal matter at the moment and it was going to be a very bad idea if these two started to exchange blows at the training room. Good thing Utahime caught Gojo's attention. Then again, she always does.

"I'll go take an ice pack in the clinic," Mei said.

"Sprained muscles?" Gojo checked her with the Six Eyes. "That idiot gave you a run for your money huh,"

Mei chuckled, stretching her arm. He even used an idiom that fits her. "Don't get caught by him, Utahime," she advised the other girl before leaving. With everyone leaving the place, only Gojo and Utahime were left.

Utahime faced Gojo and pointed the stick at him. "Ready?"

He almost laughed at how she was full of confidence facing him. Looked like she was dead serious with this training. With a flick of his hand, Gojo poked her staff with his. "I don't have the time to teach you the proper way of holding it." he sniggered.

Brown eyes squinted at him impatiently. They haven't started yet and she's already running out of patience. "I know how to handle my weapon and myself!" she bellowed.

"Alright," Gojo prepared. "Show it to me then, Utahime."

In a blink of an eye, Utahime charged onto him swinging the staff as Gojo used his weapon as a shield. It was mostly her who attacked and more of him blocking it. Gojo ran around making Utahime chase him, laughing and giggling as the woman yelled at him to stop running away and fight her. The hell. It looked like they were hunting rather than sparring.

"I said stop running!"

Gojo got into a corner, a chance for her to strike him. But the man only smirked, raising the staff in front of him.

"Why are you not attacking?" Utahime's eyebrow twitched. "Don't look down on me, you idiot!"

The main reason why she was training hard was to one day defeat him in a spar or a fight. Perhaps he was asking too much of herself, but if this chance was the only chance she got, she was willing to take it.

He cackled, putting the staff on his side. It was entertaining, it was fun seeing her run around wanting to have a piece of him. "And what would I gain if I do? No point winning against a weak one!" he mocked.

Utahime groaned and raised the staff to hit him in the head when Gojo spoke again.

"Fine, I'll attack." he gestured in surrender. A bright idea popped into his mind and he couldn't bring himself to stop from grinning. "But if you lose, you will give me a kiss."

"HAA?!" Utahime jumped back, her whole face reddening. "I'd rather die!" she screamed at the top of her lungs. There must be something wrong in his brain today, did he hit it somewhere before getting here?

"Oh? Then you're saying you can't win?" Gojo was poking fun of her and she knew it. Yet Utahime had gathered all her stamina and deeply sighed.

You can do it, just think about beating his sorry ass!

"So?" Gojo placed a hand on his waist as he waited on her. "Deal?"

"But why a kiss?!" she asked.

"Maybe because I know you'd rather kiss a frog than me."

What a way to give her the strength she needed in this spar. Gojo's straight face while saying that was deadass funny and Utahime snorted.

"Hah! At least you know." she pointed the weapon at his chin. "But too late, I won't give you a chance to escape."

"Heh,"

Gojo smashed his staff at hers, splitting it in two. It all happened too fast, too fast for her to react in time but Utahime managed to get a hold of hers and lunged the broken piece forward only to find that Gojo was nowhere to be seen.

"Huh?"

"Surprise! Missed me?" the next thing, he was standing behind her. The wooden weapon at her neck, crosswise, aiming to choke her before she could run away from him.

Gojo pushed the staff at her neck but not too tight to completely obstruct her breathing. Utahime puffed and panted. She was sweating profusely and Gojo's body close to her was only adding heat on her. She can feel the rock-solid chest on her back as she leaned on him. His breathing was also quickened from all the running and chasing they've been doing.

"Do you surrender?" his breath tickled her neck and she gulped, silently praying that Gojo won't think she was getting aroused by their positions. Her throat was drying. That was all. Dammit.

"Never!" Utahime grabbed the staff that was preventing her from escaping and forcefully tore it apart with an uppercut. Gojo blinked in awe muttering the word 'wow' but he didn't fail to not let his guard down and not let her go. Utahime twirled her body and pulled his collar. She swung her right fist to finish him off with one punch but Gojo seized her waist and pushed her on the wall. Utahime's arm flew at the back of his neck and they ended in a compromising position.

"Well," Gojo flashed a wolfish grin. "I got you cornered now,"

Utahime glared at him, nose scrunching in irritation and defeat. A kiss. It was just one kiss and he didn't say which part. That means she can give one on his cheek or maybe on his forehead. It was never mandatory for her to give him one on his lips. The thought grazed her mind but soon brushed it off. Stop it Utahime, he's your junior!

"What are you going to do now, Utahime?" he teased, closing the distance of their noses.

"I can scream.." Utahime avoided his gaze, those beautiful, wonderful crystal eyes of his that have always left her weak on the knees. She hated it. She hated him.

Gojo chuckled and nodded. "I understand, I have that effect most of the time."

His fingers trailed down her cheek to her lips, outlining the shape of her mouth. Utahime shivered from his touch and out of the aching anticipation of the kiss, she wetted her lips in nervousness. Gojo leaned down, the tip of his nose on hers.

"What was that with Suguru the other day?" the question was laced with emotions foreign to him. Utahime gaped at him, confusion in her eyes were obvious.

"Eh?" she could not remember for the life of her what the conversation with Geto was about. Simple, innocent talk was unworthy to be remembered but still depends on how casual it was. After all, not everything that humans talk about everyday was that valuable.

It hadn't been so long and Utahime remembered a bit of it. "We were talking about a book by-"

Gojo peered and brushed his lips against hers. "I see, a book huh,"

It was as if her body and mind were in competition and Utahime failed to compete with it. She pulled the back of Gojo's head by the arm that clung on his neck. He kissed her gently, carefully, but it wasn't the gentleness she wanted, not when the time was fleeting. Gojo pulled himself to look at her and smiled. He could tell how this was her first kiss. The lack of experience was showing.

"I'll teach you how,"

Utahime swallowed shyly, her tension was too palpable for him not to detect that she was doing it for the first time.

Gojo pulled her by the waist and her hands flew on the sides of his arms to support herself from the crushing force that was his kiss. Her eyes widened until she decided that it was best for her to close her eyes as well because Gojo was doing the same. I'll just copy him. She said to herself to avoid further embarrassment.

Her breath hitched when he slid his tongue inside her mouth, surprised at the movement which left her body frozen. But she let him do it, let his tongue dart and roamed and glide with hers. Gojo put an arm behind her and pulled her gently, their bodies made contact and they felt feverishly alive sharing each other's taste.

"G..Gojo…" Utahime unlatched her lips from his to catch her breath, gasping for air before she ultimately collapsed from the lack of it. Her heart thundered in her chest like it would escape from its rib cage especially upon seeing the rising and falling of his chest, his intense gaze like a predator to its prey. Those magnificent blue eyes of his.

Gojo wasted no second and pushed her onto the wall and began kissing her neck, jawline until he's on her lips again. He was being aggressive. Those teenage hormones were partly to blame. He couldn't recall the last time he had tasted a woman but with Utahime it was different, even sweeter, and memorable to say the least.

He leaned back to her neck and then to her collarbones. Utahime moaned as he sucked in her pale, soft, and smooth skin leaving marks. An imperfection that made her even more perfect. She clung to him, nails digging in his back at the newfound pleasure that he introduced to her. Gojo grunted, swiping the part of her kimono robe, exposing more flesh and more skin for him to touch, feel and savor.

Utahime quivered before him, bringing a smile to his lips. She blushed a little before placing a hand to feel his body.

"Feeling me?" Gojo whispered. "I like it when you're being you,"

He should be grateful that she was in deep with the moment that she didn't lash out to him at the tease. Utahime looked up to see his face and Gojo drowned himself at her bare skin. He wanted more of her but taking her right now was a bad idea. If they were in a more appropriate place, he might consider.

"You know, Utahime, I have always…"

As Gojo was going to say something, his awareness told him of a person coming. He quickly put Utahime's kimono robe in its place and she complied, understanding what his actions meant.

"You always have what?" she asked, combing her hair with her fingertips, suddenly conscious of how she looks. If Shoko or Mei were to see her state, they would automatically know.

The panel door slid open and Geto entered alone, cigarette in between his fingers, he appeared to have calmed down.

"Satoru, Shoko was asking if we should get steak for dinner. Uh?" hand on the side of the door, Geto stared dumbly at the two people inside the training room. Why are they in the corner? and what was this tension all over?

Utahime stepped aside and pretended to gather the broken staff that was left forgotten on the floor. In doing so, Geto had a glimpse of her collarbone. He choked on his spit, eyes shifted at Satoru instantly.

"Are those…. marks?"

There was no need for him to say that one out loud. Utahime covered her neck with her hands and glared at Gojo before she hurriedly walked out, head down.

Geto was still looking at the other man and Satoru responded only with a smirk, wiping the corner of his lips with the back of his hand.

"Ha! You dirty little cretin!"

The sound of Geto's roaring laughter and profanities soon filled the air.

Shoko initiated that they get steak for dinner after a tiring training session. The woman was confused at Geto's hand signals since they left the school.

They happened to see the other students too along their way. Haibara shared a story passionately and Nanami nodded while listening. Geto slumped next to Gojo, sharing a private talk.

Utahime and Mei were the only people not with them. Mei stayed in her room saying that she needed to give her injury a rest. Geto felt bad but she assured that it was fine and that she would avenge herself next time. As for Utahime...it was a different case but only Gojo and Geto knew the reason.

"It's confession time," Shoko squinted at Gojo. "What did you do to Utahime? Don't tell me you broke her bones?"

"Nah, our spar was intense. She might be tired." Gojo replied, lifting a glass of lemon juice to hide his amused reaction. As if I would seriously harm her.

Intense. It was certainly an intense one.

Geto shook his head. Looks like the bet will be up for years to come.