Trapped Behind Words: InuOkko

Chaper 22: Connect

"Don't apologize," Toge stammered.

"And you don't push yourself to talk to me," Yuta said, blinking with a sparkle across his irises.

"Okay," Toge felt his chest pounding in his wrists.

"Is there anything about yourself that you think I should know? Anything the other me might have?" Yuta asked.

Toge thought back to the situation with Megumi. The spiky-haired man of the past was different. Things in that timeline shouldn't affect the current, right? Was it wrong to keep something like that private? It might as well have been a kiss with someone in high school, something that no one would benefit from sharing. But, it still happened. With the Megumi from the current Yuta's timeline hanging around, maybe it was best to acknowledge the kiss?

The silver-haired man typed a message on his phone, editing it several times. "Fushiguro Megumi, the spiky-haired guy from the group, likes me. But, I don't like him."

Yuta cocked his head, staring at the screen. It was still difficult to judge Yuta's reactions. There were small things he did when he was nervous, like playing with his fingers, that Toge picked up on after a while. Other than that and the fact Yuta was quick to tears, Toge didn't really know much about the man. There was the trauma, and the situation with Geto Suguru, but nothing substantial enough.

"Does he know that you don't like him?" Yuta wrinkled his nose.

Was he annoyed? Or was that a sense of competition? Yuta was so buried in his sadness before that these small movements didn't bead up.

"Yes," Toge said, nodding.

Yuta smiled, the corners of his mouth twisting upward, almost an inversion of his eyes. "Good. That's all I need to feel secure."

Was that a lie? No, if he was lying, there would have been a more obvious sign. The other Yuta hadn't lied that Toge was aware of. So perhaps it was time for a test. Then again, Yuta was the kind of guy to be too honest or not reply at all rather than lying.

"Do you have anything I should know? Even if I already know, I'll pretend I don't," Toge typed out on his phone.

Yuta slumped back, taking a drink with a half-baked blank face. That must have been his face when he was deep in thought. Nothing like that had happened before, but Toge would remember it. Another face worth drawing.

"I have always wanted to learn how to use a sword, like a katana. I think I would look pretty cool," Yuta laughed as he said, twirling his fingers.

Toge giggled again. Such an odd man to be in love with. He didn't say anything deep or related to their previous movie adventure. Maybe that was the Yuta founded on Gojo's influence, and this Yuta was more natural. Either way, the man was a little goofy with a sense of childhood wonder in his words.

"Should," Toge said.

"You think so? I don't know where I would start," Yuta grinned.

Toge opened YouTube on his phone.

"That's a good point. I could definitely start there. Maybe teach myself based on anime or something. Sword boy energy," Yuta snickered at himself.

Then it dawned on Toge. This Yuta didn't know about Geto Suguru. This Yuta hadn't experienced the odd pizza delivery man. This Yuta was the same but so different.

"I-" Toge started to say.

"Yeah?" Yuta looked out of the corner of his eye.

Toge shook his shoulders as he typed out another difficult message, "What if I know something bad that you didn't know yet? Would you want me to tell you?"