Gojo's Delicate, Electric Childhood Friend

[I'm torn between two names right now, QAQ. The blurb uses the first one for now, but I might change it to the second when I start posting.]

① Kamishiro Amatorodoroki (I won't admit I put this one first just because the pronunciation is so much fun.)

② Kamishiro Raika

First draft, April 21, 2026. To be revised.

Both his surname and given name are so long that his family calls him Doroki for convenience.

According to his parents, strange things happened in the heavens on the day Kamishiro Amatorodoroki was born. Lightning flashed and thunder roared, as if the heavens themselves had sent down a bolt of divine wrath.

And so he got his name.

Three-year-old Doroki has always believed he is a psychic.

That's because he can see all sorts of disgusting, terrifying monsters, while nobody else in his family can.

Different from birth.

With a setup like that, he's obviously the chosen one!

The protagonist!

He's excited, but also worried. At last, he secretly resolves to fight these monsters and protect his fragile parents from them.

His dad, watched with pity by his chubby little son: "...Are you hungry?"

Amatorodoroki was originally a lively little kid. Just then, the anime Fire XO Warrior was airing to great acclaim. Doroki watched the poker-faced heartthrobs Sasuke and his brother Itachi, who sometimes spoke and acted with the air of powerful men. (They were putting on an act.)

Sitting in front of the television, Doroki decides that he, too, will become a taciturn, stylish protagonist, just like those brothers!

And so Doroki's face grows more and more expressionless.

At first, his parents wonder whether their child has suddenly become depressed, but after they take him to a doctor, it turns out nothing is wrong.

Until a few weeks later, during the storm season, lightning comes down from the sky and strikes Doroki.

Doroki, still alive and only a little hurt: "..."

After two stunned seconds, the three-year-old psychic can't help but burst into tears.

Looks like the god of anime doesn't want him to be the protagonist.

Oh, Kami-sama,

Kamishiro Amatorodoroki is so sad,

His heart is breaking, he's about to die!

(Now turning evil.)

His parents: !!!

*

A thousand years ago, the Kamishiro family belonged to the line of Shinto priests. Unfortunately, they have declined over the past century and now depend on the Gojo family.

Doroki's mother is the illegitimate daughter of a Gojo elder. She has only a trace of cursed energy, so she was sent away to marry into the Kamishiro family, serving as the last way she could be of use to the Gojo family. But Heaven gave her a child with exceptional talent.

And so Doroki is packed off to the Gojo family.

His famous grandfather looks him over, tests his abilities, and says the boy has extraordinary talent, just as one would expect of his grandson.

The next day, his grandfather takes him to the training grounds.

Grandfather: "Doroki, you mustn't slack off. You have to grow stronger, no matter how hard it is, and then protect the Gojo and Kamishiro families, the Six Eyes, and young master Satoru."

Doroki nods quietly. Protagonists need someone or something to protect.

He knows that.

After that...

Doroki sees a beautiful boy his own age, spotless and snow-white amid the rubble, and falls silent.

Grandfather: "As expected of young master Satoru. He's almost mastered Blue. Doroki, you have to work hard. Otherwise, how will you protect young master Satoru?"

Doroki stares blankly. Me? I'm supposed to protect that white-haired kid over there, who's even more like a protagonist than I am???

Doroki can't help puffing out his baby-fat cheeks, but his parents told him to listen to his grandfather while he was here, so he nods, feeling very put out.

*

His grandfather uses a little influence to arrange Doroki's lodgings in the courtyard next to Satoru Gojo's.

The first night at the Gojo estate.

Next door, there's an assassination attempt.

Curled up in a tiny ball and buried under his blankets, Doroki pouts, eyes brimming with tears that threaten to spill. The more he thinks about it, the more miserable he feels.

Suddenly, the weight above his head lifts.

He hears the Gojo boy ask, "Are you crying?"

He actually barged in without even knocking, completely unconcerned about Doroki's privacy.

Startled into hiccups, Doroki can't hold it in anymore.

He tells himself to be strong, then demands of the intruder, "You stole my protagonist role! Did you come here to laugh at me?!"

WTW, who noticed the person he'd seen during the day crying in secret and came over on a whim to ask about it: ???

WTW, with the cosmic-cat look.

Did I make him cry?

Who did I steal a protagonist role from?

Wait, protagonist... Is that me?

Two seconds later.

WTW nods. "That's right, I'm the protagonist. But I didn't come here to laugh at you. I was just curious whether the incident earlier had scared you into crying."

Doroki, who's been found out: ???

How dare he!

*

A week has passed since the technical college term began, and XYJ and JRXZ are curious about the last classmate to arrive late.

His uniform has been altered to resemble the robes of an Onmyoji from the Heian era. So cool and mysterious, with a divine air and a delicate appearance. And he can actually put up with Gojo Satoru, even though they're childhood friends?!

Doroki, inexplicably filed under "people to protect": ?

Then they encounter the special-grade imaginary cursed spirit, Kuchisake-onna.

XYJ and JRXZ stare in silence as their classmate, crackling with electricity, charges into a fistfight with an obnoxiously confident grin they've never seen on his face before.

Doroki: "Can't you do better than that, you weakling? At least make this interesting for me! Come on, show me what a special grade can really do and give me a good fight!"

XYJ and JRXZ: Blah blah...

WTW, holding Doroki's jacket, laughs until he can hardly breathe. "I told you, Doroki isn't the cool and delicate type, but you two wouldn't believe me."

"Besides, Doroki's clothes are just a little loose. Take off his jacket and he's more ripped than any of us."

After all, even WTW couldn't have imagined someone deciding to get struck by lightning after watching too much anime and reading too many novels as a kid.

But unexpectedly, it worked really well.

Doroki, age six: I'll temper my body with lightning and reclaim the protagonist's role!

Tips:

1. The characters will definitely be out of character, please forgive me. (Bows.)

2. My writing is bad, and the plot might not be great either. (Scratches head.)

3. I'll add more if I think of anything.

Theme: Hard work makes the journey worthwhile.