Ms. Gojo thought she was dating an ordinary person's boyfriend.

Natsume led the man to the corridor and introduced him gently:

"Mr. Kikawa, Mr. Gojo, this is Shuichi Natori, an actor and also a friend of mine."

"Hello." Sumi Kichikawa stood up and nodded gently and politely.

"Hello, I'm Natori." Natori took off his hat, a perfect business smile on his lips, and politely returned the greeting.

However, in the instant their eyes met, a hint of inquiry flashed quickly in the depths of Natori's always smiling eyes.

He is not only an actor, but also an experienced demon hunter.

He believes he has a good eye for people.

The black-haired young man in front of him, whom Natsume called "Mr. Kikawa," looked like an ordinary, gentle person in terms of his clothes and aura, but Natori's intuition was screaming that something was off.

Natori silently drew a line in his mind to warn this person, but his face remained expressionless.

However, what he didn't expect was yet to come.

The white-haired youth who stood up right behind Kikawa Sumi released a palpable pressure, mixed with an ominous force, that filled the air the moment he stood up.

Natori had just picked up the hot tea Natsume handed him when his fingers involuntarily stiffened. He forcibly steadied his wrist, took a sip of tea, and perfectly concealed the shock in his eyes.

Aunt Tazi quickly invited everyone to sit down on the outer corridor and have tea.

Natori held his teacup, his gaze intentionally or unintentionally shifting between Sumirei and Satoru Gojo.

He noticed that when Gojo Satoru sat down, he naturally positioned himself between Susumu Kisakawa and him, his body slightly turned towards Susumu Kisakawa, almost as if he were building a barrier for Susumu Kisakawa.

Natori smiled slightly at Gojo Satoru and tentatively asked, "Does Mr. Gojo work in Tokyo?"

"Yeah, at school." Gojo Satoru said lazily, glancing at Natori with his blue eyes behind his sunglasses. "The PE teacher."

Natori then turned to Sumirei: "Natsume said Mr. Sumirei is a doctor?"

"Yes, pediatrics." Sumi Kikawa nodded. "I work at a general hospital in Tokyo."

"So how did you two meet?" Natori asked casually.

Gojo Satoru and Sumireki Kawa exchanged a glance.

"Buy pudding." The two spoke almost simultaneously, then looked at each other, and Gojo Satoru laughed first.

Sumi Kichikawa added, "We met by chance at a convenience store, and then we bumped into each other a few more times, and eventually we became familiar with each other."

Natori picked up his teacup and took a sip.

Judging from their knowing smiles, which held a secret between them, it didn't seem like a lie. However, the fact that two people with such strange auras had come together... it truly sounded like a cruel joke of fate.

However, seeing Nyanko-sensei lazily yawning and basking in the sun, he didn't think there was anything wrong with the two of them, so Natori decided to suppress his curiosity for the time being.

He then chatted with Natsume about his recent situation.

Gojo Satoru wasn't idle either. He took his teacup and sat down next to Sumi Kichikawa, then turned and started chatting with Uncle Shigeru, who was repairing Aunt Touko's little flower bed.

"Uncle Zi, is this a hydrangea? The color is so beautiful."

"Oh, yes. They're blooming especially well this year." Uncle Zi put down his shears, smiling as he pointed to another corner of the flowerbed. "The lilies of the valley over there will be blooming soon too; they'll look even more beautiful then."

"Lily of the valley..." Gojo Satoru squatted beside the flower bed, gently touching the edge of a hydrangea petal. "There's one on Kosumi's balcony too, but it doesn't grow as well as this one."

"That's because there's not enough sunlight," Uncle Zi said with interest. "In Tokyo apartments, the balcony's orientation is very important. Next time, try moving the flowerpots to a south-facing windowsill."

"Okay." Gojo Satoru nodded seriously.

As Kikawa Sumi watched the person casually bring up the flowers in his home, looking as serious as if he were going to take care of them once he got back, she couldn't help but smile.

He liked how Gojo Satoru used such informal language to talk about everything about him.

While Gojo Satoru and Uncle Shigeru were having a lively conversation, Natori was at the other end of the outer corridor, talking quietly with Natsume.

"Natsume," Natori put down his teacup, his voice low, "how did you meet Mr. Kikawa?"

Natsume paused for a moment, then scratched his cheek. "That was before I met Mr. Natori. Mr. Kikawa seemed to have encountered some kind of accident back then, which led him to Yahara, where he stayed for a short time."

"Hmm." Natori listened quietly.

Natsume thought for a moment, her gaze softening yet tinged with a hint of melancholy: "Back then, I wasn't actually very close to Mr. Kikawa, but we would occasionally have meals together. I have a deep impression of him because..."

He paused.

"Because he's a bit like me in the past."

Natori raised an eyebrow slightly.

"Back then, Mr. Kikawa... well, how should I put it?" Natsume's tone slowed, "He was very kind to everyone. Almost everyone in the neighborhood had received his help, so they all liked him."

"But he never lets anyone do anything for him."

Natori lowered his eyelashes and did not interrupt.

"When Aunt Tako makes him new clothes, he repeatedly says 'Thank you so much,' and then gives her a gift the next day. When Uncle Zi makes him an extra soft-boiled egg at night, he will solemnly say 'Thank you,' and then secretly help his uncle fix the yard that wasn't finished."

Natsume sighed softly at this point, "Back then, I didn't understand what was wrong with that kind of interaction. I just vaguely felt that Mr. Kikawa seemed very afraid of owing anyone anything."

He looked away, gazing at the teacup in his hand. "I think he's the kind of person... who can never quite find his place."

Because he can't find his own place, he feels like he's intruding on other people's space wherever he goes. Every act of kindness from others is not a gift in his eyes, but a debt that must be paid off immediately.

To eliminate the guilt of overstepping boundaries, I always respond immediately, afraid of being seen as a nuisance.

After hearing this, Natori remained silent for a while, then turned and glanced at it.

Sumireki tilted her head, smiling as she watched the white-haired young man who was chatting intently with Uncle Shigeru. His posture was relaxed, his expression natural, and there was no trace of the restraint that Natsume had mentioned in the past.

"Natsume." Natori withdrew his gaze.

"Um?"

"He looks much better now than you said," Natori said softly.

Natsume followed his gaze.

Sometime later, Sumi Kikawa walked up to Satoru Gojo and picked up the corner of his clothes that had fallen to the ground, then patted off the dust.

Gojou Satoru looked down at him, a slight smile playing on his lips. He reached out and poked Satoru's face. Kikkawa Sumi checked his clothes for any remaining dust, glancing at him helplessly.

"Yes." Natsume smiled softly, "It's fine as it is now."