[ ...And sure enough, thanks to a few more sessions of Gojo's tutoring, Sumina manages to ace the next big test. While she would have been content with a simple, passable score, she certainly won't say no to a score that might help her breathe a little easier for the rest of the semester, too. It's a huge relief, if she's completely honest, so much so that she'd like to personally thank him.
Or she would, if she knew how to actually get a hold of him. It seems Gojo doesn't like to actually be around for lectures, nor could she find his contact information anywhere in the course materials, which leaves...
...Well, the option she'd hoped she wouldn't have to take. The most embarrassing option, really, and one that she cannot believe she's resorting to, after side-eyeing so many of her coworkers at the cafe for such an approach.
--
The next time Gojo visits the cafe while Sumina happens to be working a shift, he'll find his usual iced latte with vanilla cream and whipped cream with cinnamon and caramel chocolate drizzle slid over the pick-up counter to him with some extra writing on the cup: ]
[ Of all the days he wasn't able to stop and make small talk at the counter with her while ordering, of course it would be the one she decides to give him her number. That's probably by design, so Sumina can slip it to him unbeknownst, but also, because he's in a hurry, he doesn't...actually see the number. Oops.
So Gojo picks up his drink from the counter and heads out the door with only a customary wave given to Sumina on his way. Welp.
He doesn't notice as he sips his syrupy latte, either. He doesn't notice it as it sits on his desk, or later, when in transfers to the cupholder of his car, where is sits for several days. Preparing for midterms can be a bitch, and unlike Sumina, the students occupying his hours this week are utterly hopeless. Can't he just blow them off and let them deal with the consequences? But — no, despite everything, he can't quite bring himself to do that, either. He actually does enjoy seeing people succeed, especially when it's due in part to his own efforts.
...Come to think of it, he hasn't had a chance to ask Sumina how her exam went, has he?
It's only at the end of the week, after his empty latte cup has sat in his car for several days and he finally picks it up to toss it, that he realizes there's digits on there.
And instead of use those digits for their intended purpose, to text Sumina as a means for getting in touch with her, he instead returns to the cafe that evening, when he knows she has a late shift, approaches the counter, and slams down the cup for all to see.
...And hear. ]
Excuuuuuuse me! May I please have your attention — do you know what this is?!
[ To no one in particular, and so to everyone working. Oh dear. ]
Sumina, naturally, has no choice but to assume that the reason he hasn't messaged her is because he, in fact, secretly hates her. Maybe it's the stress of midterms talking, but also, maybe it's true. Maybe it's enough for him to have tutored her for a few sessions and to be a regular at her workplace and nothing else. And that's— that's more than reasonable, isn't it? She's busy, and he must be busy, too. It shouldn't bother her at all... only that it does.
Better not think about why. Maybe the stress of the week really is getting to her.
And being that it is midterms season, it's quite unfortunate for Sumina for reasons that are yet to be revealed to her that the shop is still packed at this hour, when it ordinarily would be empty enough for her to get a head start on closing up or even work on her own assignments. Tonight, there are more than a few fellow students lingering, pumping themselves full of caffeine for what is sure to be a long night of cramming ahead.
And they are all, unfortunately, the captive audience for whatever the hell Gojo - who secretly hates her, obviously - is here to pull. The only other barista on shift decides to duck into the back-of-house the moment he strides in with seemingly great purpose, traitorously leaving Sumina to fend for herself.
Of course, she also has no reason to assume straight away that this empty cup he's slammed down onto the counter is, in fact, the very same one she'd written her number on almost a week ago. So— ]
[ Yes...he secretly hates her, that's why he's here to make such a big spectacle revolving around her in particular. Okay, maybe that is what he would do if he hated her, but he'd do it in a very different way! It'd be mean-spirited, while this is...
Well.
Flashing Sumina an impish grin, Gojo lifts the cup between his hands like it's a relic from some video game, even going so far as to give it its own little theme music, which he hums out loudly, obnoxiously. More than a few cramming students shoot him disdainful looks, while others just roll their eyes — the ones that recognize him, no doubt, as a permanent resident of the idiot-genius quantum zone. ]
Not just any empty cup! What, don't tell me you forgot, Mina-chan! Waaaah, noooo way!
[ His bottom lip puffs out in a pout, as he makes a near approximation of the pleading emoji face. ]
[ She has no choice but to indeed take closer look, and sure enough, it's the very cup she'd left her message on.
Her message... from nearly a week ago. The message she's been stressing over, that she's been regretting leaving for fear of looking too desperate or like she's one of the countless other customers who've definitely tried to chat him up whenever he's sitting here or even just waiting for his coffee vying for his attention which— now that she has it undividedly so— she's entirely unsure what to do with. ]
Ahh...
[ He's pouting at her? He's the one who left her hanging all this time..! She meets his :pleading_face: with a :face_raised_with_eyebrow:— ]
You're the one that forgot, aren't you, Gojo? That was almost a week ago. Why do you even still have that cup? Just hurry up and throw it away if you're not going to do anything with it. And— would you keep your voice down? People are trying to focus...
[ People are actually more interested in whatever is going on here now, actually, but some are still pretending to try to focus. ]
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no subject
Or she would, if she knew how to actually get a hold of him. It seems Gojo doesn't like to actually be around for lectures, nor could she find his contact information anywhere in the course materials, which leaves...
...Well, the option she'd hoped she wouldn't have to take. The most embarrassing option, really, and one that she cannot believe she's resorting to, after side-eyeing so many of her coworkers at the cafe for such an approach.
--
The next time Gojo visits the cafe while Sumina happens to be working a shift, he'll find his usual iced latte with vanilla cream and whipped cream with cinnamon and caramel chocolate drizzle slid over the pick-up counter to him with some extra writing on the cup: ]
Gojo—
Thanks for the help.
Sumina
[ ...along with her phone number. ]
no subject
So Gojo picks up his drink from the counter and heads out the door with only a customary wave given to Sumina on his way. Welp.
He doesn't notice as he sips his syrupy latte, either. He doesn't notice it as it sits on his desk, or later, when in transfers to the cupholder of his car, where is sits for several days. Preparing for midterms can be a bitch, and unlike Sumina, the students occupying his hours this week are utterly hopeless. Can't he just blow them off and let them deal with the consequences? But — no, despite everything, he can't quite bring himself to do that, either. He actually does enjoy seeing people succeed, especially when it's due in part to his own efforts.
...Come to think of it, he hasn't had a chance to ask Sumina how her exam went, has he?
It's only at the end of the week, after his empty latte cup has sat in his car for several days and he finally picks it up to toss it, that he realizes there's digits on there.
And instead of use those digits for their intended purpose, to text Sumina as a means for getting in touch with her, he instead returns to the cafe that evening, when he knows she has a late shift, approaches the counter, and slams down the cup for all to see.
...And hear. ]
Excuuuuuuse me! May I please have your attention — do you know what this is?!
[ To no one in particular, and so to everyone working. Oh dear. ]
no subject
Sumina, naturally, has no choice but to assume that the reason he hasn't messaged her is because he, in fact, secretly hates her. Maybe it's the stress of midterms talking, but also, maybe it's true. Maybe it's enough for him to have tutored her for a few sessions and to be a regular at her workplace and nothing else. And that's— that's more than reasonable, isn't it? She's busy, and he must be busy, too. It shouldn't bother her at all... only that it does.
Better not think about why. Maybe the stress of the week really is getting to her.
And being that it is midterms season, it's quite unfortunate for Sumina for reasons that are yet to be revealed to her that the shop is still packed at this hour, when it ordinarily would be empty enough for her to get a head start on closing up or even work on her own assignments. Tonight, there are more than a few fellow students lingering, pumping themselves full of caffeine for what is sure to be a long night of cramming ahead.
And they are all, unfortunately, the captive audience for whatever the hell Gojo - who secretly hates her, obviously - is here to pull. The only other barista on shift decides to duck into the back-of-house the moment he strides in with seemingly great purpose, traitorously leaving Sumina to fend for herself.
Of course, she also has no reason to assume straight away that this empty cup he's slammed down onto the counter is, in fact, the very same one she'd written her number on almost a week ago. So— ]
It's... an empty cup?
[ wtf ]
no subject
Well.
Flashing Sumina an impish grin, Gojo lifts the cup between his hands like it's a relic from some video game, even going so far as to give it its own little theme music, which he hums out loudly, obnoxiously. More than a few cramming students shoot him disdainful looks, while others just roll their eyes — the ones that recognize him, no doubt, as a permanent resident of the idiot-genius quantum zone. ]
Not just any empty cup! What, don't tell me you forgot, Mina-chan! Waaaah, noooo way!
[ His bottom lip puffs out in a pout, as he makes a near approximation of the pleading emoji face. ]
Take a closer look...
[ He holds the cup out towards her now. ]
no subject
Her message... from nearly a week ago. The message she's been stressing over, that she's been regretting leaving for fear of looking too desperate or like she's one of the countless other customers who've definitely tried to chat him up whenever he's sitting here or even just waiting for his coffee vying for his attention which— now that she has it undividedly so— she's entirely unsure what to do with. ]
Ahh...
[ He's pouting at her? He's the one who left her hanging all this time..! She meets his :pleading_face: with a :face_raised_with_eyebrow:— ]
You're the one that forgot, aren't you, Gojo? That was almost a week ago. Why do you even still have that cup? Just hurry up and throw it away if you're not going to do anything with it. And— would you keep your voice down? People are trying to focus...
[ People are actually more interested in whatever is going on here now, actually, but some are still pretending to try to focus. ]