Capítulo 59: @-Tit-See-us - 14
***
We were in Chazz's room again, a place that had strangely become a routine. Honestly, I don't like it—Especially the part where I have to walk there with Alexis holding my hand like I'm a little kid.
I was constantly getting stares from the other male students in the academy: a mix of one-quarter sympathy and three-quarters jealousy. Alexis faced the same from the female students.
When we arrived, I immediately jumped onto the largest seat and sprawled out.
Chazz, Bastion, Tyranno, and Syrus sat together on one sofa, while Alexis and I occupied the other. Alexis perched at the edge, leaving me to take up most of the space.
It was during this time Chazz's duel spirit. One of the three boogeymen. Yellow Ojama came out in tears crying for Jaden. His loss of ability to hear and see duel spirits.
"This bout Jaden again?" Gojo groaned. "Didn't we already discuss this with the nurse?"
"Bruh, he's our key player. Show some concern." Bastion shot back.
"The only concern on my mind right now is what's for tonight's dinner," Gojo replied with a smirk.
Alexis clenched her fists and crossed her arms in frustration.
"Seriously, without Jaden, who will defend the red dormitory?" Bastion pressed.
"Um, hello?!" Chazz interjected.
"Well, that's not my problem. No offense, Chazz," Gojo shrugged.
"Yeah, whatever. I can handle anything Crowler and Jean throw at me," Chazz said, leaning back with a confident swagger.
"So, what do we do about Jaden, then?" Syrus butted in.
"I've got a better question. How the hell do you help someone dealing with depression?" Gojo responded with a question of his own. "He's been told he can never duel again. Dueling was his passion and dream. Ain't no power of friendship can fix that."
The room fell into a thoughtful silence as everyone pondered the weight of Gojo's words.
"What if we project Jaden's monster card through our duel disks? Could he see them that way? If he can't see his own cards. Then all we have to do is show him another way." Dark Magician Girl's voice echoed through the room. She had been brainstorming ways to cheer up Jaden, who had been struggling with a strange blindness that prevented him from seeing his own cards.
Tyranno glanced around, puzzled by the unfamiliar voice.
"I don't know, but it's a great idea," Gojo replied, complimenting his wife.
"Um, whose voice was—" Tyranno began to ask.
Suddenly, the sound of an electric guitar blasted through a nearby speaker could be heard in Gojo's ears.
"What the— Do you guys hear that?" Gojo interrupted suddenly, as distant music played, but everyone shook their heads in confusion.
…
"Ah, I hear it now." Seconds after Chazz stood up and glanced in a certain direction.
Gojo also turned to look in the same direction. "What the fuck is he doing?" he muttered under his breath.
Eventually, curiosity got the best of them, and everyone dashed out to see where that sound was coming from. Finally arriving at the location where the sound was the loudest we were in the middle of the bridge staring down at the river.
From under the bridge emerged a man in an aloha t-shirt and shorts, standing with a speaker on his head. He played an electric guitar, its cords connected to the speaker.
"Yo everyone," he said with a smile.
"Brother?!" Alexis exclaimed in disbelief.
"Daym." Syrus said
"Who is that attention seeker?" Tyranno asked.
"Wow. He's in good health now," Gojo observed, nodding at the man who returned the gesture with a nod of his own.
"That is Atticus. He's the oldest in our group. But he was recently hospitalized," Chazz answered Tyranno with a snort.
Atticus pointed towards a spot, indicating it as the rendezvous point. Understanding his gesture, the group interpreted it as his suggestion for their next meeting place.
***
"Brother, what are you doing here?" Alexis stepped forward from the group to greet him. However, he glanced sideways before turning back to face Alexis. This slight gesture irked Alexis a bit. Did he come to see Gojo or what?
"I see a new face among you guys—Anyways!" Atticus said, turning to face Tyranno before glancing at everyone else again. "Alexis, I'm here to pick you up. We need to head to the Obelisk club room."
"?!" Everyone was confused.
This sounds a lot like family trouble; that means it ain't my problem. Gojo whistled as he slowly backed away from the group.
Alexis stood silent for three seconds then suddenly a thought was emerging in her head. "No… you wouldn't…" she scowled.
"It is exactly what you think it is, my dear," a new voice emerged from the sea. A figure was climbing up the cliff, a boat trailing behind him.
Headmaster Chancellor Crowler appeared, clad in a deep dive swimsuit.
He could walk here normally, right? Seriously, what's wrong with this dude? Is this how he makes his entrances? Is this supposed to be some kind of aura of appearance or something? Gojo thought as he came back.
Atticus soon realized that he needed to clarify his earlier statement. "I need you to join the Obelisk Blue Idol Promotion Club."
"Excuse me, but WHAT?!" Alexis exclaimed. "There is no way I'm going to join that!"
"Alexis Rhodes. Will you really not return to the Blue Idol-promotion course?" Crowler asked with a snarky grin.
"You actually participated in that?!" Gojo's jaw dropped in disbelief as he turned to face Alexis.
"NO! I DIDN'T!" Alexis's face turned bright red as she shrieked in refusal. She immediately grabbed Gojo's arm with a desperate look. She didn't want to be known as an idol. If anyone could shift the perception of her from Duelist to Idol, it would be Gojo and his stupid antics.
"Besides, I have to protect the Red Dorm!" Alexis said, turning her head to face Atticus and Crowler.
"Can you let go of me now?" Gojo complained, but his protest went unheard.
"But why? Is the idea of becoming a beloved idol so disagreeable to you? The world already recognizes you as one. But I definitely know you don't haven't any experience with being an idol. It's only a matter of time before the school realizes you have no experience in that area." Atticus closed his eyes, shaking his head with a shrug.
"What's this all about?" Syrus asked, confusion evident in his voice. "I know Alexis went viral and all, but what does that have to do with her joining the Obelisk Idol Promotion?"
Alexis's face reddened again as she held onto Gojo's arm, struggling to contain her frustration. "Crowler wants to pair me and my brother up as a duo, and brand us."
"It's a wholesome sibling act, perfect for Duel Academy Island," Crowler explained.
"Just say it's for PR, for god's sake. It would save so much time," Gojo muttered.
"Ah, Gojo, I also wanted to pair you up with someone too! Honestly, there isn't anyone suitable to pair with you. But fear not! You can debut as a solo. You will be dressed fashionably andddddddddd~" Crowler said, brushing off the criticism and continuing his delulu (delusion).
Meanwhile, Chazz and the others couldn't help but imagine Alexis dressed up as an idol. They murmured amongst themselves about how nice it would be to see her in a cute costume, singing on stage.
"NO, we won't!" Alexis tugged Gojo's arm even harder, unintentionally squishing her mounds on his arm.
"Ah, I see. If it makes you feel better, you two could work as a duo. Imagine it: the perfect pair for Academy Island—the Queen, no, the Empress, and the Emperor of Obelisk!" Crowler said, his eyes sparkling at the thought of Alexis and Gojo together as he clasped his hands together in excitement.
"HOH?! That doesn't sound so bad at all! Father would even approve of this! I must let him know!" Atticus exclaimed, a lightbulb seemingly appearing over his head.
"Brother, shut up!" Alexis snapped, her face flushing a deep red from her cheeks to her neck. She was feeling extremely embarrassed, her breathing coming in quick, uneven bursts.
"Crowler might be onto something," Bastion chimed in with a smirk. "Honestly, there's no one else at the academy who's a perfect match for Gojo except for Alexis.
Gojo glanced at a spirit beside him, invisible to most people there. After a brief moment, he turned his attention back to the group.
Alexis's face turned an even deeper shade of red, the weight of their words making her feel more uncomfortable than ever.
"Alexis, your arm—" Gojo began, but his protest was quickly drowned out.
"Considering your age, you're on the border. Also, don't you have feelings for—" Bastion continued, but Gojo was dragged along as Alexis stormed up to Bastion and delivered a sharp slap across his face.
"Wow. That was totally on you," Tyranno said with a helpless pity look, glancing at Bastion, who was now face down with a red mark glaring on his cheek. Syrus looked on with a look of sympathy.
"Oh! It couldn't be that, could it?" Atticus exclaimed, thinking aloud as he watched Alexis's reaction.
From seemingly nowhere, he produced a cardboard cutout as tall as he was. The cutout depicted Alexis in a striking red dress, adorned with a scarf, holding a microphone, with a golden bracelet on her wrist and an earring.
"You don't like the dress?" Atticus asked, holding up the cutout for everyone to see.
Before Alexis could respond, Gojo's voice cut in, having noticed the cutout. "Obviously, she wouldn't wear those hideous dresses after trying on what I—" Gojo began, but he was abruptly silenced when Alexis, her face flushed crimson, slapped him hard, sending him sprawling to the ground.
It was also at that moment that she finally released his arm.
Ah, I can see it. It was Alexis's panties and butt. From his vantage point on the ground, Gojo couldn't help it. Even if he closed his eyes, the image was burned into his mind. So, like any normal man, he decided to enjoy the view—
Dark Magician Girl crouched down in her spirit form and began poking Gojo's cheeks with a pout on her face.
"That's enough everyone! Knock it off. I am not going to be an Idol!" Alexis voiced out, clenching her teeth in anger.
Atticus, oblivious to the tension, stood with his hands on his hips, shaking his head with a resigned look. "Yare yare, I don't know what to do about all of Alexis's demands."
"You can start by shutting up, bro," Alexis said, facepalming in exasperation.
Ignoring Alexis, Atticus turned to Gojo, who was on the floor with his cheeks puffed out, as if he'd been pinched.
"Gojo, you need to convince her! In the world of idols, Alexis could definitely use a partner like you," Atticus said, casting an expectant glance at him.
Everyone's jaws dropped at his statement, with the exception of Gojo. Atticus's suggestion was utterly outrageous, and Crowler's reaction was even more bizarre. Crowler, with tears of delight streaming down his face, clapped his hands and wore the most revoltingly gleeful smirk, his eyes practically sparkling with dollar signs.
In response, Gojo nonchalantly showed his hand, revealing a ring on his ring finger. He wants no part of this bullshit.
"It's fine. I got your wife's permission. She gave the okay sign." Atticus said with a deep, satisfied smile.
Everyone's jaw dropped even deeper and this time Gojo's mouth dropped too. He glanced momentarily at Dark Magician Girl, but she was already flying away, whistling innocently as if to avoid any potential consequences.
"THIS IS NOT OKAY!" Alexis shouted, her frustration boiling over.
"Everything is for your sake, sis. Don't you see the amount of work I've been putting into this?" Atticus said, adopting a sad puppy-dog look. Real tears actually started to fall. Alexis froze for a split second, momentarily taken in by his display, only to quickly realize he was just manipulating her into becoming an idol.
"Gojo, go tell him no!" Alexis quickly demanded.
"Now, Gojo, hurry and make Alexis your partner!" Atticus insisted.
"This is coming off really weird," Gojo said as he slowly got up. "I mean, isn't Alexis already considered an idol? What's the point of making her an official one? And me being a star too? Hah!" He scratched the back of his head, genuinely puzzled.
In Atticus's mind, he thought, I can't let anyone know I'm helping Father and Mother pair these two up for an arranged marriage or to get them close to tying the knot. Don't make this harder than it already is, Gojo Satoru! I already prepared the stage for you!
Another light bulb seemed to flicker on in Atticus's head.
"But Gojo—only you can protect her! There are over a hundred requests to see Alexis every day back at home! And you have no idea how many people are after her hand in marriage. It's incredibly overwhelming, especially for Mom and Dad, who have to turn down these offers repeatedly," Atticus said, his voice growing more urgent. He was trying to make it sound like only Gojo could shield Alexis from the relentless suitors.
Alexis listened quietly, reflecting on Atticus's words. There was some truth to what he said. She had received calls from her parents, their voices a mix of excitement and exhaustion as they recounted the flood of suitors and requests that had surged following Gojo's trending video. The number of proposals had more than tripled, and she could sense the strain behind their enthusiastic updates.
Although she was reluctant to admit it, she wouldn't mind the arrangement if it meant helping her parents and protecting herself from the relentless marriage proposals, especially those with hidden motives. She turned to Gojo, leaving the decision in his hands.
However, Alexis couldn't help but feel a little hopeful. Maybe this arrangement with Gojo would turn out to be a good thing after all. And she had a feeling Gojo would say yes—
"Eh, not my problem," Gojo replied shamelessly.
Everyone fell to the floor at his brazen statement. He was being offered a unique relationship with Alexis, yet he dismissed it without a second thought.
"Why?!" everyone shouted in unison.
Gojo shrugged. "I'm already busy with my own stuff. Why should I get involved in this? Am I even getting paid to play pretend?"
A/N: Reminder, Gojo is technically penniless.
"Also, she's a really big troublemaker," Gojo added with a sigh of exasperation.
"You're the last person I want to hear that from!" Alexis shot back, her face flushed red with anger.
Atticus noticed the way Alexis looked at Gojo. Ah, I guess she wanted Gojo to say yes. Don't worry, Alexis. Your big bro will handle this!
"Looks like we have to settle this, Gojo Satoru! I challenge you to a duel!" Atticus declared, ready to take matters into his own hands.
***
A/N: More details in the next chapter. Recently got a full-time job (temporarily) I am feeling weak.
A/N: I came to realize I have been pronouncing Atticus wrong I was calling him @-Tit-See-us Instead of At-Tick-us.
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