It was the second day after being admitted to the hospital.

The nurses had instructed you to do light stretches, to help with your soreness. Takemichi still hasn't woken up.

"He'll wake eventually. You don't have to worry," Inupi tells you.

He came over to visit. You just finished telling him about the battle and your condition. As well as your worry for your friend.

"That's what Chifuyu said too... Before he left for work," you reply, sighing afterward. The blonde beside you notices your mood. Especially when talking about Takemichi.

"It's-"

"I know it's not my fault..." You respond, already knowing what he'd say. "Chifuyu told me that too."

"Oh..." Inupi averts his gaze. You know he was trying to comfort you. But in the past 48 hours, you'd basically heard it all.

You look back at him, "How's D&D? I know Draken was allowed to go home, but his condition couldn't be that great... At least enough to still fix bikes."

"Luckily, any customers coming in haven't had any major issues," Inupi answers, "So working in his condition isn't a problem right now."

You nod, "That's good then... And you?" The boy tilts his head to the side. Staring at you blankly, letting out a hum like he was confused.

"Like... How are you?" You asked again.

"I'm fine," he says, "And you?"

"You already know that..." You say immediately. 'How are you?' was his first question, the second he sat down.

"Sorry..." He awkwardly apologized.

Though it was clear he wasn't the best with conversation and especially comforting in this situation. You were still grateful the boy came to visit.

"Our last conversation... You were right," you started. He looks at you, listening. "Koko really isn't much of a fighter."

"He didn't fight?" Inupi asks curiously. You shake your head, "Nope. Watched from the sidelines until the very end."

Inupi stayed silent. Unsure how to respond to your comment. You notice, "Did he ever choose for himself or did he always follow orders?"

"He always followed orders," the blonde answers.

You huffed. "Even though I hate him... I can't help but feel a little bad for the guy," you admit. "It just sounds like he gets pushed around to do everything for Mikey. I can't imagine not wanting to retaliate."

"Koko's always believed in a hierarchy," Inupi tells you. "To him, he's beneath Sano Manjiro. So he shouldn't oppose him."

"I was literally beneath Sano Manjiro and I still want to oppose him!" You say bitterly, "Does that guy ever get angry or what?"

"He does..." Inupi says, looking down. "During the Kanto Incident, he was pretty mad at me."

You asked why Koko got angry with him. He looks back up at you, "Oh, uh... I'd rather not sweat the details."

You apologize for trying to pry. The blonde waves his hands, saying he didn't believe you were.

"So..." Inupi sparks conversation this time. "What will you do once you're able to go home?"

"I... Don't know actually," you answered honestly. No one's asked you about your plans for after. And you weren't thinking of any.

You sighed, "I don't even know if I should continue to train..." You think pessimistically.

"Kanto Manji Gang won. Rokuhara and Brahman disbanded. And even though I want to defeat Mikey... I know I'll only get hurt in the end."

You pull your knees closer to your chest as you sit on the bed. You wrap your arms around and lower your head. Resting your chin on your arms. "No matter what I do, I'm bound to lose against him anyway..."

You had nothing else to add. You didn't know what else you could say. Inupi continues to stare at you. Thinking of a way to cheer you up.

What would Draken say in this situation... He looks up at the ceiling.

~

"Draken, I feel like giving up!" Imaginary Inupi says to his friend.

"Giving up's for losers! Now hurry up and change the oil!" Imaginary Draken tells Imaginary Inupi.

~

Probably shouldn't tell her that... Inupi thinks.

~

"Takemichi, I feel like giving up!" Imaginary Inupi says to his friend.

"Don't give up, Inupi! I believe in you! You can do it!!" Imaginary Takemichi tells Imaginary Inupi.

~

Got it! "Don't give up, [Y/N]. I believe in you. You can do it," he said, pumping his fist up with each sentence. His voice was as monotone as ever.

"I can do what...?" You asked, confused at his attempt at optimism. "Uh..." The blonde puts his arm down and thinks of what to say.

"Whatever you set your mind to...?" He gives you an unconfident smile and a thumbs up.

You look away from him to giggle and he hears.

It worked! Inupi celebrates his accomplishment in his head. You turn back, "I kind of missed Takemichi's annoying optimism. So thanks, Inupi."

Inupi thinks more about what he just said. "Well... Whatever you choose to do after. Uhm..." He continues to think. Wanting to choose his words wisely.

"Know I and everyone else will be there to support you," Inupi smiles.

You smile back at the handsome boy, "Thanks..." You look away from his face, feeling bashful.

The blonde looks out the window and then back at you. "It's getting late. I should let you get some rest," he says. "I wouldn't want you to lose sleep because I'm here."

I wouldn't mind at all... You think to yourself. Half jokingly. You say goodnight to each other and he leaves. Walking out the door.

You look at the window from where you were. Staring at the moon, wondering what he was even up to.

At the same time, trying to convince yourself you didn't care.

Mikey looks outside of the tall, penthouse windows. Looking at the moon in silence.

He and Koko haven't talked since they got back home from the battle.

Koko stayed in his room. Working on his laptop. Even though he usually and even preferred to work in the living area, he didn't want to be near Mikey.

This sort of distance would have normally been fine with the blonde. But he could tell Koko wasn't hyper-focused on work. He was upset with him.

What's his problem anyway? Mikey thinks, looking at the door to where Kokonoi's room was. We won. What's there for him to be mad about?

Mikey thinks more about the battle.

~

"You were not deserving of my love. Or anyone's. You're fucking pathetic!"

~

Pathetic...? Mikey clenches his fists, remembering what you said to him.

All she's been is pathetic. He says to himself bitterly.

Pathetically chasing after me. Pathetically fighting. Pathetically trying to replace me...!

His fists shake by his side. Thinking about it.

~

"Sanzu, how many times do I have to tell you? I don't concern myself with those feelings anymore!" I said with my back facing him.

"Believe me, boss, I only pry out of worry," he replied calmly. "But since it's clear you don't care. I won't tell you about what I saw. Relating to that girl."

I turn my head, now looking at him. "Did something happen to her...?" I asked in a low tone.

He snickered. His scars curve with his smile, "You could say that."

"Spit it out. You know I don't like vague answers," I fully turned around to face him.

Sanzu pulls out his phone from his pocket. Flipping it open. "It's just... Seems like that girl's pretty promiscuous."

My eyes widened in shock and my heart dropped for a second.

I stare at the photo displayed in front of me. Of the girl I love on top of someone I saw as a friend. Kissing in a public park at night.

"With how many guys she's friends with, who knows how many times she's done this in private," Sanzu continues.

I look up at my pink-haired subordinate. "How the hell do you even have this image...?!" I ask. Realizing there were only two ways Sanzu could've gotten this photo.

"I just happened to walk by, thought you might've been interested in what she's up to," he tells me.

I try to read his face. If he's lying or not. He closes the phone and puts it back in his pocket. Turning to walk away.

"But it's not like you care, right?" He says. "You don't concern yourself with those feelings anymore, especially about her."

My eye twitches as he uses my words against me. But I felt like I couldn't say anything back. It would only contradict my earlier statement.

Sanzu notices my demeanour. "I'm only showing this to protect you," he tells me. "This girl isn't to be trusted. She'll only get in the way of what you're doing now."

"You don't need her."

He turns fully. His back facing me. "But of course, I'm sure you already think that. So you don't need me to tell you what to do!"

~

I don't even know what I'm doing anymore...

Mikey looks down, staring at the palm of his hand.

This power... What's the use of it? He thinks about what Takemichi has told him about timeleaping before.

It's not like I can go back to the future without him. So I'm stuck here... But to do what?

Unlike Takemichi, Mikey was mostly repeating everything he'd done before timeleaping.

Like he's gone full circle. Having to restart everything.

~

"I got him!" He yelled at me. Seemingly replying to you. I was shocked to even see him.

"Quick! Grab onto my hand!" Both his face and voice show struggle. Attempting to lift me back up from the window.

I stare at him with a deadpan expression. "This is stupid..." I say quietly.

"Come on! We don't have much time left!" Takemichi continues to speak.

"Let go of me," I say, loud enough for him the hear. "I told the both of you to stop chasing after me for a reason. I didn't want this to happen!"

"[Y/N]'s dead, Takemichi," I told him bluntly. "There's no use in trying to save either of us. We're both practically dead."

"So please-"

"SHUT UP!!" He yelled. His tears fell onto my face.

His face wrinkles in the center. "Why are you always like this?! Why does it always have to end like this?!"

"Who said you have to suffer alone?! Who said you have to go through all this alone?!" Takemichi continues to yell in my face.

"Manjiro... You're allowed to depend on us! We're your friends!"

"Just say 'save me' and I'll do it, damn it!!"

~

I used the same hands he held onto to save me, to almost kill him...

His hands shake as he thinks about his future. As well as what just happened in his rewritten past.

In actuality, Mikey didn't even have a clue who he was anymore. His mind remained in Bonten while his body was in Kanto. Which version is he, really?

Which version... Does she see me as?

Ever since he timeleaped back. This power. This situation. His mind. Was only getting harder for him to grasp.

Mikey felt alone. He felt that, even if he spoke, no one would understand what he was saying.

At least, no one he was surrounding himself with.

He looks back at Koko's room door. Contemplating.

Chapter eighty-seven, end.