Yuta let out a long sigh as Kid Yuta kept staring at him with those narrowed, suspicious eyes. The boy had grilled them for what felt like hours, and though Yuta hated to admit it, he had indeed been like this back then.
Even though much of his memories were hazy, he did remember himself being ridiculously cautious and sussy in nature.
But now came the part he was dreading.
After a moment of silence, Yuta finally said, "I think… this was always supposed to happen."
Maki tilted her head. "What do you mean?"
Yuta looked out at the school building they had just leapt from. "Back then, I survived the fall. I didn't know why, but maybe it's because… we were here. Everything played out exactly like it should. Maybe that's why my memories from this time are fuzzy. Maybe this moment is the reason they were gone."
Maki crossed her arms. "So… according to that, we didn't change anything." She wasn't like Itadori, but this time jargon wasn't made for her heavenly restricted mind.
It was her body that got all the benefit, not the brain.
"Exactly," Yuta said, then turned back to his younger self. "Which means…" He hesitated. "…I have to erase your memories of us."
Kid Yuta's eyes widened instantly. "Erase my memories?!" He gritted his teeth.
Actually, before anyone had connected the dots, he already knew. But still, he didn't wish to let anyone inside his brain. Not even him.
"Yes."
"You mean… go inside my brain?!"
"Technically—"
"Not happening, forget it!" Kid Yuta yelped, pointing an accusing finger. "I don't want anyone messing with my brain!" He shook his head firmly.
"It's not just anyone, I'm you…" Yuta rolled his eyes.
"I especially don't want you in my brain. What if you delete something important? What if I turn like you when I grow up…!"
'Okay, this bastard is now asking for a beating.' Yuta took a deep breath. Maki now had a very amused expression on her face.
Maki tried to hold back a laugh, but Yuta stayed serious. "It's not a choice, kid. If you remember us, the future could change. You said yourself—you trust future-me to be okay, right?"
Kid Yuta froze, glaring. "…You're using my own logic against me."
Yuta shrugged. "I was once your age as well, you know…"
"Woah, now you're resorting to parent talk…" Maki gasped.
"Shut up…"
The kid groaned loudly, dragging his hands down his face. "Fine! But only because I don't wanna lose the chance to get stronger!"
"Sure, sure… now get ready."
Maki smirked. "You are future-you."
"Details!" Kid Yuta snapped.
Rika, still looking confused from all the talking, tugged on Kid Yuta's sleeve. "Yuta-kun… what's going on?"
Kid Yuta puffed his chest. "Don't worry, Rika. We're just over."
Yuta crouched down so he was eye-level with his younger self. "Alright, this won't hurt. You'll just… forget the last half hour. It'll be like you remember it—the bullies, saving Rika, me falling off the roof. Nothing else."
Kid Yuta gave him a deep frown. "And you're sure I'll still be… me?"
"You'll be exactly the same," Yuta assured. "Just… slightly less annoying for a few minutes."
"Hey!"
"Don't do anything besides erasing the last 30 minutes…" Kid Yuta shouted.
"Mah mah… don't worry."
"Don't do Kakashi talk to me, that just shows what exactly you're planning, you old goat." Kid Yuta was now sure his older self was going to do something bad.
"I'm only 16, kid."
"Practically a fossil for me." Kid Yuta rolled his eyes.
Yuta chuckled, then activated his Sharingan. "Get ready, both of you."
"Holy shit… Sharingan." Kid Yuta's eyes widened.
"Holy shit…" a cute voice came from beside him, making him shut his mouth immediately.
Yuta had a déjà vu moment, seeing Kid Rika perfectly repeating only those words she shouldn't focus on when he spoke.
"You're a bad influence on her," Maki chided.
"Ah, make sure she forgets this as well." Kid Yuta ruffled his hair with a hint of irritation.
'Seems like it was always like this between me and this girl…' Yuta couldn't help but sigh, looking at the little girl gazing at him—or rather, at his kid version—with adoring eyes.
'I was indeed too absorbed in self-survival to see around me. Maybe it's better to lose a little more than just a few hours of memories…'
"Okay… get ready."
The red glow reflected in Kid Yuta's eyes, and the boy stiffened for a moment before he blurted out—
"Wait…"
"Huh? What's now?" Yuta asked, a little annoyed.
"Hmmm, I want to ask you something." The kid pursed his lips and asked—
"What?"
"Di… Did we get strong? I have to know. How strong am I?" Kid Yuta looked into his older self's eyes with determination burning in them.
For a second, Yuta fell into a trance.
The long-forgotten feeling of helplessness surged inside him. Those times when he was weak…
Longing for power, doing anything and everything to squeeze out every bit of his body's potential to fight against his fate, just because this damn system had arrived too late.
Maki, on the side, felt something akin to reminiscence. She had been the same back then, doing everything she could to get stronger.
Fighting against the oppressive rule of the Zenin clan and trying to be bold, attracting all the attention to protect her sister from harm.
"Yes…" Yuta nodded, emotion entering his voice for the first time—emotion he had almost lost after Rika was gone.
"We're strong." Yuta clenched his mouth, voice hitching suddenly. That intensity in the kid's eyes reminded him of his desperate longing back then.
Maki seemed to notice Yuta's emotion and couldn't help but soften her features.
'This boy acts aloof all the time, but inside, he's just a softy…'
Kid Yuta needed more, though—anything more. Like how his older self had the Sharingan, what happened, what else he could do.
He almost desperately wanted to know. For a kid who had been bullied his entire life, coming to another world only to have no power—he was the only one who knew how it felt.
Maki, at this time, slowly went down on her knees, closer to his height. Closer so others couldn't listen.
Slowly caressing his hair, she softly spoke beside him, again only for the kids to hear—
"For all I know… my Yuta is the strongest."
Kid Yuta felt a soft sensation on his cheek.
'Was that a kiss?' He was left speechless.
"Don't touch Yuta…" Rika's face was swollen like a balloon with one of her iconic pouts. She frantically waved her little hands around to make Maki go away.
"Hahaha… sorry, sorry. Okay, you can have him back." Maki grinned and got up again, going back to Yuta, who was left baffled…
"What did you tell him?" Seeing his kid self all quiet, he was truly speechless. What could Maki have said to make him quieten down?
"Nothing, perhaps one day you'll remember…" Maki grinned.
Giving her a look, Yuta let it go, now just wishing this entire nostalgia-filled experience would end.
"Now, both of you just go to sleep, okay." Yuta whispered.
Within seconds, the tension left Kid Yuta's small body. Yuta carefully adjusted the memories, making it so in the boy's mind, he had pulled Rika back but lost his balance and fell, just like it had originally happened. Rika's memories were adjusted too—erasing the sight of Maki and Yuta entirely.
When it was done, Yuta blinked away the Sharingan's glow and exhaled slowly. "It's done."
Maki gave a small nod, watching as Kid Yuta shook his head like nothing had happened.
Once they were a little away from the school, making sure everything went as it was supposed to, Yuta smiled.
"My Yuta, huh…" He grinned.
Maki's face flushed.
xxx
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