Well... Seems like I couldn't wait to post this, so here you all go, an update on Tuesday!
This is the second part, so really, if you haven't read the first one I strongly suggest you to go back and read that one first!
The Memories of Today
Part 1
Just as promised, that day Kondo came to the hospital as early as he could, in less than an hour he had already let the ugly hospital clothes behind and his body was now clad in some comfortable jeans and a sweater—and soon as he put those soon he was received by the surprised that even after five years he was still using the same detergent.
After some more tests and some last words from the doctor, he was finally free to go—not before he promised to go back as soon as possible if he started to feel dizzy or if the pain in his head started to get unbearable.
It was only until midday that he finally managed to get outside of the hospital, with the little bottle of mayonnaise in one of his pockets and the picture Kondo gave him—the one in where they all were—in the other one.
"Where do you want to go first, Toshi?" Kondo asked, finally breaking the silence that has been building between them since they came out of the hospital.
They were walking around the streets—the hospital lost in the distance— and even if he wasn't that familiar with the hospital or with the places that were around, he didn't feel as strange as he thought he would be, it was a weird feeling, but he didn't dislike it.
"Is…" He swallowed, the words were burning his throat. "My house near…?"
The mere thought of being in a place full of the things his 'older version' had was enough to scare him, but maybe in there, he would be able to find some comfort, or maybe some answers… As to why he was on that construction site… As to why he didn't have anything with him… As to who he was…
"It is!" The man cheered. "When you moved here you made sure that there would be all sorts of things in case you or…" His voice got quiet all of the sudden, making that the last part of his sentence got lost.
And the important part that he should have noticed went unnoticed once again.
"Kondo-san?" He raised an eyebrow. "Is everything, okay?"
"O-oh? Ye-yeah! Ye-yeah!" Kondo answered in a hurry, and even though it was suspicious, he chose to not pried more on it. "I was just thinking if I had turned off the lights or not." He chuckled. "But… Yeah! You make sure to move to a place with all sorts of things near in case you needed them."
But before he could ask why he moved out of their old apartment, Kondo was already lifting his hand and pointing to a little store on the other side of the road.
"Li-like there for exa-example!" He nodded without paying much attention. "That one is a bar! You wanted to have a bar which sells good food near your house." He chuckled, but he only looked at him weird out.
He used to drink from time to time, it was one of his pleasures apart from smoking, but in the past, it was something he did only once every month or so—alcohol was expensive and he preferred cigarettes.
So when did he started to drink so much that he needed to have a bar near his house?!
"Over there," he now pointed at another store a little far away from the bar. "That one is a convenience store, and across the street, it's a little pharmacy." He explained.
"Kondo-san…" He opened his mouth as to say something else, but closed it soon after. Why did I move out? He couldn't ask, especially since he had the feeling that Kondo would avoid his question. But remaining quiet would be weird too, right? "When did I move?"
"Hmmm… I maybe it was three years ago… I believe..?" His hand went to touch his chin and a little smile appeared on his lips. "We did a big farewell party, everyone went! I'll bring you the photos from that time too!"
Everyone went… Does that mean that he… He shocked his head almost immediately, just what was he going to think?! He? Thinking about whenever Gintoki went to that party or not?!
Sure, he thought it was weird that Gintoki was in only one of the pictures in Kondo's wedding album, but that wasn't any reason for him to worry about!
Right…?
He surely just arrived late… Late and drunk. He tried to convince himself. But a part of him just remained on being curious, after all, he was the only one that hasn't change at all after all those years… Same annoying smile, same dead eyes, same weird hair.
Just like the Gintoki that he remembered sharing drinks with.
Maybe… Maybe he was trying to hold onto the Gintoki that didn't change, just like he was doing with the little mayonnaise in his pocket.
But his mind and heart ignored that possibility, just like it has been ignoring all sorts of things during those days.
"I want to see them…" The words left his mouth without even noticing. I want to see if he has changed… But to his own luck—or bad luck?—those last words were silenced by Kondo's sparkling eyes staring at him.
"Don't worry! I can fix that!" He answered, and he only nodded not sure of what has happened. But maybe that was Kondo's way of saying that he was going to arrange a sort of group meeting?
Was he even ready for something like that? He really doubted it.
"Oh look Toshi!" The man pointed at what seemed to be an apartment building across the street, with little balconies in every window, some with clothes hanging over them. "That's the place."
Even he had to admit that the place didn't look half as bad.
Surprisingly—or maybe not—as soon as they got to the door of his apartment, Kondo was quick to pull a little key from his pocket and put it in his hand.
"This was the only thing you had in your pockets, you know?" He laughed awkwardly. "I'm sorry, I know I should have given it to you before."
"Don't worry Kondo-san." He smiled sincerely while his hand clenched around the key. The only thing that he had with him… Why was that? He wasn't one to go out without his wallet and his cellphone, he was completely sure that wasn't going to change, no matter the years that went by.
So why…
Was he in such a hurry for him to just grab his key?
"Take your time Toshi," Kondo's hand went to on top of his shoulder, "you don't need to force yourself." He nodded and his gaze shift to the key in his hand.
There was no purpose to think so much, right? After all… He wasn't going to get any answers out there.
He sighed and put the key in the keyhole, for a second he could swear that the click of the key was louder than ever.
It will be alright.
Once again he was trying to convince himself.
Thinking that inside there were going to be all sorts of answers to all of his questions; that he would find out who he was, why he was in the place of the accident…
But what if he didn't?
He wasn't ready, but he still pushed the door open and found himself entering into—another—white room, with clean floors, and two pairs of sleepers waiting at the entrance—but he failed to noticed the quantity.
"It's a big place even if it doesn't look like that from the outside," Kondo explained, but he still waited for him to enter before talking more.
The first room of the apartment was the usual living room mixed with the kitchen, and he could already tell that the door next to the entrance was the toilet room. But unlike the empty and white room of the hospital, this one was full of life, some paintings on the walls, a little zen garden on the table, some little decorations here and there, and even some clothes over one of the sofas.
A little too lively for someone like him, but he didn't mind, in a way, it was comfortable.
After being trapped in that empty room for so many days, he was embracing all that with his open arms.
"Do you want me to show you around, or do you want to explore it alone, Toshi?" Kondo asked still at the door, and for once he was really grateful that the man wasn't as hyper as always and was instead giving him his space.
"I want to be alone." He bowed softly and smiled.
"Remember to take your time! I'll be here in the morning, okay?" He smiled and soon after the door closed.
He was once again left alone, but this time, he was alright with it.
It didn't take him long to explore the house, but during that time he got to a conclusion, one that was freaking him out.
He didn't live alone.
The clothes—man's clothes if he had to be exact—that by no means were his, the extra toothbrush, the different shampoos, there were all sort of things that were pointing that there was someone else living with him.
But who? Why was he living with another man?! What sort of relationship did he have with that person?
And what was worse; after exploring the whole house, he noticed that there was only one bedroom, so… Or that other person was sleeping on the couch, or…
"No!" He screamed as he was fuming around the—his—bedroom, there was simply no way! There has to be a good explanation! There was really no way he had turned to 'that' kind of thing in just five years, right?! "Maybe…" If he wasn't crazy before, he was definitely going crazy now. "Maybe…" Maybe he was just keeping extra things in case Kondo came over? But knowing Kondo, why would he leave his wife alone to go to his apartment to stay over. "Shit." That was all too surreal. "Shit, shit!" Without thinking he kicked a sweater that was on the floor.
But just as he was about to continue with his rage against the sweater, a sound echoing around the room send a chill through his whole body.
Metal hitting against wood.
In less than a second, he ran to the sweater, his impatient hands searching through the pockets until his fingers touch with something cold.
His heart was beating like never before as he took the thing out.
A cell phone.
