To Infinity and Back //S. Gojo x OC//

Chapter Thirty Eight

Amati Tanaka

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Amati felt too tired to deal with anything, but she decided to stay with Yuji during his 'movie training'. Gojo had a meeting with Yaga Sensei so he had to go.

"You don't look so well, Tanaka Sensei--ah!"

Yaga Sensei's little boxing doll punches Yuji in the face, making him fall off the couch.

"Hmm?" She looks at him. "I'm fine."

He gives a look and carries the doll back to the couch. The movie they were just watching about this couple dying in the end--which Gojo spoiled anyway--made Amati just want to smash the television to bits, but she was not about to pay for a replacement.

"Finally this movie is done." Yuji speaks her thoughts and changes the CD.

"What are you putting?" Amati asks, and she swears if it's another couple film...

"Lord of the Rings." Yuji says and stands up to go back to the couch.

While the movie starts, she can feel Yuji glance at her.

"Can I ask a question, Tanaka Sensei?"

"Sure."

"What did Shoko mean by 'ten years'?"

Amati glances at him from the corner of her eye. "When did she say that?"

"Back in the classroom, when you and Gojo Sensei were fighting and she asked, 'ten years couldn't wipe off your bickering?'."

She sighs and sinks into the couch. She's so tired of talking, tired of listening, tired of remembering...

"Satoru and I were in the same classes back when we were students. We had Shoko and another classmate with us, so we were a class of four. But, when we were in our third year, we got betrayed by our own friend. Satoru's best friend who was also my lover. Feeling so betrayed and heartbroken, I left because I was such a stupid young girl who didn't know which was the right decision at that moment . And after I left... things happened. A lot of things. I stayed away for ten years because of them and only came back this year. I'll tell you the details another time, when I feel like it. But the point is, Satoru and I were alway bickering back then, so even being away from him ten years couldn't ever erase our habit of annoying each other to death."

"I'm sorry for what happened, Sensei."

Amati looks at Yuji and smiles, ruffling his hair. "It's alright, Yuji." She looks back at the TV. "I hate turning everything to a lecture, but, that's why you should be careful in this world. That's what we warned you of back on your first day. Shit happened to Satoru and I, and kept happening to the generations after us. So that doesn't mean you might not get your turn. Be careful and wary."

"I will." He smiles.

"Good." She grins back.

An hour into the film, Yuji has surprisingly picked his energy control training immediately. Not once did he get punched in a full hour, despite so many things happening in the film.

She feels Satoru behind them but she doesn't look back, not wanting Yuji to lose concentration.

She can feel Gojo calculating Yuji's progress, and planning new training methods.

"Sam! Sam! Where are you Sam!" Mr. Frodo calls.

"Yuji." Gojo waves.

"Gojo Sensei!" Yuji shivers a little, trying not to wake the doll up. He looks behind him at Gojo. "What about your errand?"