But every time he opened his mouth to speak, the words stuck in his throat. Thankfully, Terra noticed his nervous fidgeting and broke the silence first.

Terra: You always take the late train too?

Gojo: Not all the time. Only when Emilia forces us to stay longer during karaoke Tuesdays.

Terra: (giggles) Karaoke? You sing?

Gojo: Uh… yeah, but I’m terrible at it. I’d probably get arrested for crimes against humanity if I ever tried singing outside the karaoke joint.

Terra burst into laughter, covering her mouth with her hand. Meanwhile, Gojo’s face turned red as he mentally facepalmed.

Gojo (to himself): Crimes against humanity? Really?! Think of something better, you idiot!

When Terra’s laughter finally subsided, Gojo cleared his throat and tried again, desperate to keep the conversation going.

Gojo: So, uh… what about you? Why’re you out so late?

Terra: Oh, I went to a friend’s house. Lost track of time, as usual. My mom’s probably going to scold me when I get back.

Gojo: Yeah… I can relate to that. My mom does that a lot too. 

Silence fell between them again, but it wasn’t uncomfortable this time. The air was cool, the faint sound of cicadas filled the distance, and the sky above them shimmered with early stars. Terra tilted her head up, her dark hair swaying as the evening breeze brushed through it.

Terra: Can you believe we’re almost done with high school?

Gojo: Yeah. Just one more year. Everyone else seems to have it all figured out, though. Feels like I’m the only one who doesn’t.

Terra turned to look at him then, smiling softly.

Terra: You’ll figure it out, Gojo. You’ve got talent, but you just don’t believe in it yet.

Her words made something tighten in his chest.

Gojo: You think so?

Terra: (nods) Speaking of talent… can I see what you were drawing in class today?

Gojo froze.

Gojo: Huh?! You saw that?

Terra: (giggles) Yeah, I did. So… are you going to show me or not?

*****

Gojo’s fingers trembled slightly as he rummaged through his bag. His heart was pounding hard enough that he could hear it echoing in his ears.

Finally, he pulled out his drawing book and handed it to Terra, trying his best to look calm, even though he could already feel the heat rising in his face.

Gojo: H-here.

Terra accepted it with a gentle smile and began flipping through the pages. The rhythmic sound of the paper turning filled the air between them, blending with the faint hum of the station lights and the distant whistle of a coming train.

Gojo watched her closely, every second feeling longer than the last. He’d never been this nervous in his life.

Then she stopped turning the pages. Her eyes fell on the rough sketch he had drawn of her earlier that day in class.

For a moment, she just stared at it. The sketch wasn’t perfect, there were smudges along the edges and uneven shading, but it captured her essence perfectly. The way her hair framed her face, the slight curve of her smile, the light in her eyes.

When Terra finally looked up at him, Gojo tried to avoid her gaze. But when he caught sight of her expression, those soft blue eyes glinting under the station lights, that faint, almost shy smile, he couldn’t look away.

Terra: This is beautiful. 

The air between them shifted. A warm breeze swept through the platform, ruffling Terra’s hair and carrying the faint scent of her shampoo. The hum of the night around them seemed to fade away, leaving just the two of them there.

And Gojo thought, this is it. This was the moment.

He swallowed hard, then spoke, his voice quieter than he expected.

Gojo: Hey… Terra?

Terra: Hmm?

Gojo: If I said there’s something I’ve been wanting to tell you for a while… would you want to hear it?

Terra tilted her head slightly, her lips curling into a soft, curious smile.

Terra: I guess that depends on what it is.

Gojo felt his palms grow sweaty. He adjusted his glasses, stalling for time, trying to steady his breath. The words were right there on the tip of his tongue, the same words he’d rehearsed in his head a hundred times.

And now that she was looking right at him, waiting… He knew he couldn’t back out.

Gojo: Terra, I… I like you.

He paused, his voice trembling slightly, but then he forced himself to keep going.

Gojo: I’ve liked you for a while now. I just didn’t know how to say it. Every time I see you, I want to talk to you, but the words never come out right. I didn’t want to ruin what we already have, but… pretending I don’t feel this way feels worse.

By the time he finished, his voice had dropped to a near whisper. He couldn’t bring himself to look at her. All he could do was wait, his heart hammering, his mind racing, every nerve screaming for her response.

*****

For a brief, fragile moment, it felt as if the world had stopped spinning. Gojo’s words hung in the air between them, heavy and trembling, silencing everything else; the faint hum of the station lights, the distant chatter of the city, even the sound of his own breathing.

He didn’t even notice the train pull in until the doors chimed softly, breaking the stillness like a needle through glass.

Gojo’s heart thudded violently in his chest. He’d finally done it, he’d taken Emilia and Reggie’s advice and laid his feelings bare.

But when Terra finally spoke, her voice was gentle, almost too gentle.

Terra: I’m sorry, Gojo… but I don’t feel the same way about you.

Her words struck harder than he expected, but what came next completely shattered him.

Terra: Because… I’m already in a relationship with someone else.

For a split second, Gojo swore he stopped breathing. It felt like an anvil had been dropped on his chest like everything around him had gone hollow.

He forced a small, brittle smile and adjusted his glasses to hide the trembling in his hands.

Gojo: (softly) Oh… I see. That’s okay. I totally understand. I’m… happy for you.

Terra: Oh… thank you.

She smiled when she said that; that same smile that had once brightened every dull morning, every boring class. But now, it felt like watching the sun set for the last time. That smile wasn’t his to treasure anymore.

Gojo took a slow breath, grabbed his sketchbook from her hands, and slung his backpack over his shoulder. He stepped toward the train doors, ready to disappear before the weight of the moment crushed him completely.

But then Terra spoke again.

Terra: But, I don’t get it…

Gojo froze, half-turned, frowning in confusion.

Gojo: Huh? What do you mean? (thinks) Is she trying to rub it in? No… Terra’s not like that.

When he looked back at her, her expression was puzzled.

Terra: I mean, you should’ve already known that I’m in a relationship with someone else.

Gojo: Wait... how was I supposed to know that?

Terra: Because… it’s someone you already know. I'm dating someone you know. 

Gojo blinked.

Gojo: What? Who are you talking about?

Terra hesitated, biting her lip before she finally said it.

Terra: Reggie.

The name hit him like a thunderclap.

Terra: Reggie and I started dating last week. I thought you’d already know since he’s your best friend and—

She didn’t finish her sentence as the expression of Gojo's face stopped her.

Gojo’s face had gone pale, his eyes wide, his mind blank. Every sound seemed distant, the whirring train engine, the chatter of commuters, even his own heartbeat.

He just stood there, numb, the air between them heavy with silence as the train doors closed behind him. 

Gojo: Huh?