Trapped Behind Words: InuOkko

Chapter 19: Alone

Waking up alone was not unusual for Yuta. He batted his heavy eyes, feeling the indent his phone case left on his chest. But that wasn't where he had been.

'I remember,' Yuta said to himself, looking around the messy bedroom. 'I remember!'

He jumped out of bed, happier than he had felt in so long. Why was he so joyous, though? Was it because he could remember the beginning of his healing process? Or was it that he could live alongside Toge in a world where they both could recall their kiss?

'Shit!' Yuta shouted.

There was no way to contact Toge. Gojo said the process of turning back time was malfunctioning, so there was a chance that Toge didn't remember either. That would have been unbearable. Their new friendship had only begun, and then there was the kiss. Yuta slammed his face into his comforter.

There was a bang on the door. That didn't happen in the previous timeline. It was still fresh on Yuta's mind. On Tuesday, he went out for a few things, and when he returned, Gojo had broken in. That white-haired prick seemed like he was always trying to run the whole group's lives.

The banging grew louder. It couldn't have been that ginger girl. No, she would have to be stupid to think that it was a good idea to repeat the very same thing that caused them all trouble. However, if time travel were really possible, there was a way to save Rika. But at what cost in the future.

She was a great friend. Rika was in love with him. But for so long, that love was a curse. The only way to really save Rika was to do as Toge said and live life for her. If Yuta was alive, then Rika's love would be pure. Right?

Yuta shuffled into some pajama bottoms and a baggy white top. There was too much to decide on, but one thing was certain: the only person trustworthy enough to rely on would be Toge. When Yuta opened the door, he saw two men.

One was tall and tan-skinned with his hair in a bun. The other was the blond from Gojo's place, except his hair was pink. His name wasn't coming to mind, and honestly, Yuta hadn't even thought about him since they had met.

The tall man spoke first, 'Excuse me, sir, I have your DoorDash order. This pink-haired guy keeps insisting it's his and not yours.'

'That's because it is!' the pink-haired man shouted.

Did the pink-haired man not remember anymore? Was that a possibility? Or was this all part of his plan? Gojo said they were supposed to keep things in a certain pathway, at least as far as Yuta understood. But there wasn't a DoorDash mix-up previously. Maybe it was a way to try and change the new timeline in a different way? Gojo did say that no matter what, Yuta would end up with Toge.

'Um, yeah. That's not mine. It's his,' Yuta struggled to pretend he wasn't aware of the pink-haired man.

If everyone else would be proceeding as they had-pretending they didn't remember-maybe it would be best to keep a low profile. But then again, if there was a way to start a faction without Gojo's input, that might prove useful. Yuta felt like an idiot thinking about it all. None of it was real to him. Then he remembered watching Star Wars with Toge.

Luke Skywalker was a run-of-the-mill moisture farmer on Tatooine until Obi-Wan showed up. Then he joined the rebellion. They were rebelling against cosmic oppression. It was politics, not just spinning laser swords. In that case, maybe it was Yuta's job to reach out to the pink-haired man and start that rebellious flame.

'Okay, well, if you say so,' the tall man said.

'Jeez, I showed you the app to prove it too,' the pink-haired man said.