What I Learned From You

The next morning felt a bit faster than the previous day. Not by much, but it was noticeable enough ー Yukito was more sore than in pain, and Ishigami was slightly less tired. It wasn't much better, but better enough for them.

After all, given everything that happened, they were grateful.

***

Yukito and Ishigami walked down the street together. It was sunny and warm again, and since Yukito A) needed to go get his phone and B) felt OK walking that day, they were both out.
Yukito stretched ー gently though, so he wouldn't accidentally pull anything. "It's so nice and sunny today, huh Ishigami?" he said contently.

Ishigami jumped slightly — he hadn't been paying attention — but nodded. "Yeah," he said.
Yukito stared a little at Ishigami for a second, but then shrugged and continued walking. 'I guess he's probably just tired,' Yukito thought. 'He did fight five 6 foot guys two days ago.'
"Actually," Yukito said, slowing his pace a bit, "how did you fight those guys off? The uh, y'know, the guys from two days ago."

Ishigami stopped. He had been looking down most of the walk so far, and he kept his gaze down now as well.
"Well," he started, rubbing the back of his neck, "I uh, I don't really know. It just... happened?"
Yukito nodded. "Things happen like that sometimes, I get it."
"I mean," Ishigami continued, turning in a circle slowly, "I remember parts of it, and I'm sure it was my karate and juujitsu classes I used to take in high school that got me through the fight, but of what happened I only remember seeing yー"

Ishigami stopped himself just in time. He had almost said "I only only remember seeing you on the ground and thinking, 'I have to do something'," which would've made this whole situation far more awkward than it needed to be.
"Remember seeing what?" Yukito asked quite unhelpfully.
"Justー I remember the building," Ishigami said. 'That was too close,' he thought.
Yukito nodded slowly and thoughtfully. "Ohhh," he said. "I didn't know you took karate lessons in high school."
Ishigami looked more towards Yukito. "Mm, briefly," he said, making a little "so-so" motion with his hand.

Just then, as the two continued walking, someone seemed to be following them from behind.
And as their footsteps stoppedー

"Wow, Ishi," a deep, smooth voice said. "Moving on that quickly?"

Yukito spun around to see who the voice belonged to, but Ishigami just stopped dead in his tracks.
"Uhー can I help you?" Yukito asked, looking at the person who had spoken.
The person behind them was a man with black hair and a dark jacket. For some reason, his hair seemed darker and sharper than Ishigami's, and his dark blue eyes were sharp. In one word, Yukito would personally describe him as "uncomfortable" or "creepy". Mostly "uncomfortable".
"Yeah," the man said, tilting his head and looking at Ishigami. "Could you uh... tell him I wanna talk?"
"There's nothing to talk about," Ishigami said sharply ー but quietly ー and without turning around.

The man chuckled, but it sounded kinda off to Yukito. "Ishi, why so distant? I just wanted to talk a bit, catch up, y'know!" he said, opening his arms out like this was all just a simple little misunderstanding ー and that Ishigami should know that.
Yukito looked between them, completely lost as to what exactly was going on. He almost asked but then was interrupted.
"Ishi, come on, I just want to talk," the man said repeated, taking one step forward.
"And I already said there's nothing to talk about, Misao," Ishigami turned to say, taking a step back away.
Misao sighed and shook his head, looking away as if he felt hurt. "This is why things never worked out for us," he said. "I really did like you, but you always asked way too much of me..."

Ishigami turned away again, this time because this was exhausting him. "Misao, just leave," he said. "We've been done for two years. You broke up with me. Justー just leave me be."
Misao sighed again and shock his head. As he turned to leave, he said, "well, take care of yourself, OK? And I wish you the best."

Then he walked back where he had come from.

Yukito watched in complete confusion as the strange man left.
After a few seconds, he said, "uh, Ishi? Who was that guy?"
Ishigami looked at the ground and sighed. That seemed to be happening a lot at that very moment. "That," he began, "that was..."

"... my ex."

Yukito spun around instantly and stared at Ishigami like he had just said that the sky was fake. "THAT WAS YOUR EX???" he shouted in disbelief. "OHH MY GOD, HE'S SUCH A JERK!!!"
Ishigami turned to look up at Yukito, confused and surprised. "Heー he is...?" he asked, eyes widening a bit.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT OF COURSE HE IS!!!" Yukito shouted, flailing his arms around. "He made everything about himself and he was being super condescending andー andー"
Yukito made a frustrated sound in his throat and started spinning in a circle. "HOWーOWWwww ow ow ouch," Yukito yelped, grabbing his side. "OK wait wait... OK, I'm OK now. Anyways," Yukito said, standing straighter again, "your ex is a total jerk. And like, I bet that your relationship didn't work cuz he'sー ARGH HE'S SO FULL OF HIMSELF!!"

Ishigami looked down and rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "I... I wasn't expecting you to say that," he said quietly. "I mean, he always said I was being clingy... or overreacting."
Yukito huffed, clearly disappointed in the behavior of this Misao. "I don't know exactly what happened but I'm sure he was just being a jerk. At least from what I know of you now, that must be what it was."
Yukito rubbed the back of his neck before adding, "I mean, you're a good guy. I don't think you'd be clingy or overreact that much."

Ishigami looked up at Yukito again. His blond co-worker clearly wasn't going to give this up. He was stubbornly sticking to saying that he, the one who got broken up with, was in the right.

And was even a good guy.

It was all very strange.

Not as strange as, say, breathing for the first time ー that's a bit extreme since that would be painful ー but it certainly was strange.

Either way, the rest of their walk was mostly quiet.

And quite awkward.

***

When they got back to Ishigami's apartment, Yukito was talking to Maria on the phone. She had been worried about him and she made that very clear.

"I'm fine now, don't worry!!" Yukito said to his friend over the phone.
<"Well,"> Maria said somewhat exasperatedly, <"just remember to bring your phone with you next time you go out.">
"Yeah, no worries," Yukito chuckled. "You can be sure I'm not gonna let that happen twice."
<"Good, good,"> Maria said.

Meanwhile, Ishigami stood alone in the kitchen in front of the toaster oven. He was still thinking about what Yukito had said before.

"I'm sure he was just being a jerk."
"I mean, you're a good guy."

"Good guy."

'Quit it brain shut up,' Ishigami thought. 'He literally said I wasn't enough, of course it's my fault. Of course I'm not enough, I should've been able to stay up to his standards, Iー'

"Uh, Ishi?" Yukito asked suddenly. "Are you OK? You looked kinda weird, like your eyes looked creepy, I mean."
Ishigami ー having been yoinked out of his thoughts ー whipped his head toward Yukito. "No I'm fine," he said quickly ー although it was a bit of a delayed reaction. 'I did that thing with my eyes again...' Ishigami thought.
Yukito furrowed his brows but left it be. "OK," he said suspiciously. "I'll believe you, but you say that a lot y'know, Ishi. You can tell me if anything is bothering you and if you feel comfortable talking to me."

Ishigami was slightly taken aback. 'Is he doing this on purpose?' he thought. 'Isー is he planning all this before he says it?'
'OK,' Yukito thought, watching Ishigami while trying to not look intimidating, 'I'm trying to give Ishi the benefit of the doubt, but he's really acting weird right now...'

'I mean,' Ishigami thought, 'it seems kind of off for Yukito to do that... he's been an honest guy so far... argh, butー what if he's like Misao? What if he's been lying and I'm just to slow to see it? What ifー'

Just then, Yukito snapped his fingers. "Right, I forgot to ask you something," he said, looking at Ishigami, who looked back at him.
"Yes? What is it?" Ishigami said, straightening a bit.
Yukito looked sheepishly at the floor and rubbed the back of his neck. "So uh... I was thinking, could Iー could I stay over again? I mean, just for tonight. Cuzー cuz everything that happened, y'know... and Maria, my friend, said I should be more careful, so... Like would that be weird?"
Before Ishigami could think of what he was going to say, he shook his head and said, "no, it's not weird. You can stay."

Yukito blinked ー surprised ー but smiled and nodded. "OK," he said, "that's good to hear! I'll just use the couch again, so you don't need to do anything for me."

Ishigami gave a small nod and mustered a polite smile before Yukito turned to go to the couch.

Then, Ishigami quietly walked to his room...

... lay down on his bed...

... and covered his face with both his hands.
He really wished he could just rip out all his strong emotions and throw them away right at that moment.