Chapter 220 : Riko
[Birth]...
Jiang Lai's expression darkened slightly.
He knew this was Amanai Riko's mental world. Because Riko was currently [Birth]'s container, his conceptual older sister (brother) was also here, slumbering in this boundless darkness.
The events from a thousand years ago had long been gilded with time, but the emotion of longing continued to ferment, brewing into mixed feelings with sourness.
Gojo Satoru noticed Jiang Lai's dejected mood, he turned halfway toward him, his form pausing slightly.
However, he ultimately said nothing more, instead reaching toward his pocket, muttering: "Ah... Speaking of which, I wonder how much connection there is between the dream world and reality..."
As his words fell, the white-haired man pulled out his hand, holding a strawberry soft candy in his palm.
His eyebrows lifted, his tone cheerful: "Whoa, a little surprise! Seems the dream world understands me too, my pocket never lacks candy~"
Jiang Lai's attention turned to Gojo Satoru. Seeing the pink-wrapped strawberry soft candy in his palm, he couldn't help but laugh: "Why is it such a cute candy?"
"The packaging doesn't matter, as long as it tastes good. This strawberry soft candy's sweetness is top-notch~" Gojo Satoru gave it high praise, tossing it lightly toward Jiang Lai. "For you, try it."
Jiang Lai instinctively reached out to catch it. The strawberry soft candy landed in his palm, and he noticed it was bear-shaped, overall looking like children's candy.
Satoru sometimes acts like an overgrown child, this childish candy suits him quite well. Jiang Lai unwrapped the candy and put it in his mouth, smiling casually at the thought.
Then, in the next instant, Jiang Lai hazily realized that his originally gloomy mood had now calmed considerably.
Gojo Satoru's action of finding and giving candy seemed to be to ease the dejected atmosphere around him. It was somewhat unexpected that the strongest could show such thoughtful care.
But it wasn't too surprising either. Jiang Lai understood in his heart. Beneath the white-haired man's arrogant and carefree exterior was a sincere heart toward his friends.
The Six Eyes could see through all things, so Gojo Satoru naturally possessed excellent observational skills, he just usually couldn't be bothered with the surrounding noise.
If he wanted to, he could become an excellent social master at any time.
However, the strongest's personality meant he would never change himself for others.
Noticing Jiang Lai's gaze, Gojo Satoru smiled, his blue eyes blinking, then dramatically waved his finger: "I knew it, you were also won over by this candy! But I only have this one, so even if you want more, there isn't any~"
"It is quite good, just a bit too sweet. More suited to your taste, Satoru." Jiang Lai put away the candy wrapper, not littering even though this was a mental world, his tone gentle. "But having one occasionally isn't bad, thanks."
"Do we need verbal thanks between us?"
Gojo Satoru stepped forward, placing one hand on Jiang Lai's shoulder, joking playfully: "How about something material instead, like next time, you help me buy Suzunekomaru's limited edition pastries? You just need to get up at four to queue."
"Making a [minor] get up early and work hard to queue isn't good, is it?" Jiang Lai was currently using the brown-haired boy persona in the human world, he teased back. "Gojo-sensei, you are a teacher."
"Precisely because you're a minor, you should get up early to chase the sun and such. Can't waste the great time of youth, I'm helping you, teacher me." Gojo Satoru's tone was casual as he shrugged. "Principal Yaga always used to say this, I've memorized it all."
After this light daily banter, the last trace of gloom between Jiang Lai's brows also dissipated completely. After extracting himself from the emotional whirlpool, his mind cleared considerably.
Seeing that Jiang Lai had adjusted well enough, Gojo Satoru leisurely pointed forward: "Shall we go?"
"Let's go." Jiang Lai nodded, his gaze falling on that faint glimmer not far away, his expression gathering a certain determination.
He still missed [Birth], reminiscing about the past. But he wouldn't allow himself to wallow in gray sorrow.
Because only by continuously moving forward would suffering retreat.
The two walked side by side through the boundless darkness. This area was incredibly quiet, their footsteps making no sound upon landing.
Following the faint glimmer, they walked a long distance before seeing different scenery in the distance.
As Jiang Lai had seen during his previous visit, at the end of the faint light stood an ordinary wooden desk. The warm desk lamp on it was the source of the glimmer.
The braided girl in a Japanese sailor uniform was still as before, lying on the desk writing and drawing. With her movements, the white hair ribbon on Amanai Riko's head swayed back and forth.
Sensing the additional figures before her, Amanai Riko looked up, her expression showing somewhat cold wariness.
However, when her gaze fell on Gojo Satoru, that cold alertness paused slightly, transforming into visible surprise after brief recollection.
The braided girl stopped her paintbrush, widening her eyes: "Eh!? It's you...!"
"Long time no see, Amanai." Gojo Satoru had one hand in his pocket, his posture as lazy as before. He casually raised his hand in greeting: "Are you doing makeup work? How troublesome."
This seemed like casual conversation, but was actually further probing for intelligence. Jiang Lai saw this. Gojo Satoru wanted to confirm her mental state through what Amanai Riko was drawing.
"I don't need to do makeup work, these are my masterpieces." Amanai Riko pouted, standing up from her stool.
She picked up the papers from the desk, showing them forward: "Look! This is me, this is Kuroi, this is my former good friend Momoka, and my most admired idol Hata-san..."
The white paper she displayed to Jiang Lai and Gojo Satoru was covered in messy colored pencil lines. The carelessly sketched outlines, with Amanai Riko's pointing, could indeed reveal some unique character features.
"Mm... Of course, I also drew you all." Amanai Riko coughed, moving her finger to the corner, pointing at those figures. "This is you, and Geto-kun. Mm... and Tengen-sama from my imagination."
Gojo Satoru's blue eyes blinked lightly as he stepped forward several paces, making a show of careful examination: "Hey! I can make out a little bit. But indeed, my handsomeness cannot be drawn, you can't appreciate even one ten-thousandth of it from here~~"
Rather than directly questioning Amanai Riko's messy and strange colored pencil lines, he changed his approach, naturally guiding the conversation toward drawing through very natural dialogue.
"Egotist!" Amanai Riko made a face, then clutched her drawing, looking down and saying softly: "I really don't draw very well... because I, I can't quite remember what you all look like."
Blank confusion appeared on her face: "I still remember you, I haven't forgotten, I just can't quite remember clearly. It seems like a very long time has passed, how long has it been?"
Amanai Riko tilted her head somewhat puzzled, then relaxed her furrowed brow, returning to her previous carefree, innocent girl self.
"But you came this time! I've remembered, I'll definitely draw properly next time, my drawing skills are quite good!"
She raised her fist, waving it in encouragement. Her expression was full of anticipation, as if without worries.
At this point, Jiang Lai, who had been observing from the side, roughly determined that Amanai Riko's girl form in this dream world was most likely due to her mental state being stuck.
Amanai Riko seemed stopped at that middle school moment, stopped at her best year, which was also her worst.
Was it her brain's self-protective mechanism that made her block out the Supervisory Committee matters?
Or was the current girl image just a silhouette in the dream world, with the real Amanai Riko not yet fully manifested?
Regarding Amanai Riko's enthusiastic drawing plans, Gojo Satoru made no comment.
He didn't continue Amanai Riko's topic about drawing, but instead gestured toward Jiang Lai: "By the way, let me introduce you. This is my dear little brother, Lai~!"
"...Hey, Satoru." Jiang Lai gave him a half-moon stare.
"Just kidding." Gojo Satoru's words took a turn, then his voice became cheerful and his expression serious: "He's also my friend, a very important one, don't treat him as an enemy, Amanai."
The purpose of this statement was naturally to make Amanai Riko no longer reject Jiang Lai.
Gojo Satoru still remembered what Jiang Lai had said about being directly pushed out of the dream world by the wary Amanai Riko last time. So he now introduced him in time, putting Jiang Lai in the category of allies.
His blue eyes lifted slightly, his hand movements as graceful and elegant as a white long-haired cat swishing its tail.
Amanai Riko's gaze followed Gojo Satoru's guidance, turning to Jiang Lai.
She blinked and nodded: "So you're a friend, I understand! Nice to meet you, please take care of me."
This phrase "nice to meet you" made Jiang Lai's heart skip a beat.
He raised his brown eyes, gazing at the lively, polite braided girl before him.
Her expression didn't seem like lying, the bright middle school girl's eyes were full of sincerity and friendliness.
But shouldn't this not be their first meeting? Not long ago, they had just met in a dream.
After brief confusion, Jiang Lai's thoughts flowed, then he understood.
...It seems his earlier guess was correct. The person before him was probably just a silhouette in the dream world, not the real Amanai Riko.
She was the most beautiful part of Riko, so she guarded this beam of light in the dark night. She stayed here, becoming a lighthouse and also a fortress.
Then, if this deduction was correct, the real Amanai Riko, and [Birth] who also resided in this domain...
Jiang Lai's gaze passed beyond this faint light, falling into the boundless darkness around them.
The dark shadows floated with empty coldness, but hazily seemed to also carry the power of grass and trees growing in misty rain.
She and They were not inscribed in the brilliantly shining old memories, but floating and sinking in the surrounding hazy night.
Only those with bonds that could walk into old times, and the mindset to walk out of old times, could truly cross the mountains and meet again.