ic inbox

[odasaku]

Sakutarou Oda

Hello, Sakutarou Oda. I can't come to the phone now, but I don't know how to check my voicemail, so text me. Or call me again.

VOICE | TEXT | VIDEO | ACTION

Comments

[thesettingsun]

Then maybe we could just hang out?

[odasaku]

Shuji.

You already know, don't you?

[thesettingsun]

What do you mean?

[odasaku]

[ odasaku hesitates to answer. he wonders if he's being too pushy-- he could be wrong, after all. baren had said that he had found a cure.

but that idea doesn't sit right with him. a huge part of him still feels like things happened while he was unconscious and...

it hurts, for some reason. ]

You know what I mean. Baren talked to you, didn't he?

[thesettingsun]

Yes.

Sorry. After he texted me I couldn't not text you.

[Throw him under the bus if Oda finds out, Baren said.]

[odasaku]

Ok.

[ CONCEAL DONT FEEL DONT LET THEM KNOOOOOW ]

[thesettingsun]

[Since it seems like that's Oda's only response...]

Have I ever told you how jealous of you I am?

[odasaku]

Why would you be jealous of me?

[thesettingsun]

How many tries did it take you to graduate college? Less than three, right?

[odasaku]

I got lucky. If I hadn’t been able to finish, then I would’ve quit for good. You persevered.

Besides, a diploma doesn’t mean anything if I can’t do anything with it.

[thesettingsun]

It means a lot. It means you're two years younger than me and you're "an adult", while I'm 25 and I'm pathetic for still being in school. It means people will take you seriously. Did you have any idea how jealous I am of that?

[odasaku]

You think people take me seriously, Shuji? Not even I can take myself seriously when they ask me if I'm a writer. Yes, I'm a writer, but it's been a year since I've published anything. I'm as pathetic as they come and, according to my past life, I wasn't much better there either.

[thesettingsun]

So I'm not even jealous of you for a good reason.

Is that something I should hate myself for? Because that's what it looks like you're doing.

[odasaku]

Don't do that.

[thesettingsun]

Then don't do it to yourself either.

[odasaku]

Okay.

[ he’s agreeing mostly because he doesn’t want to continue this conversation. it’s really difficult to keep himself from looking as miserable as he feels. he’s still with baren, after all. ]

[thesettingsun]

You don't have to apologize for liking me or for being jealous, and I forgive you for hiding it from me.

Are we good?

[odasaku]

Clear as day.

[ unfortunately this doesn’t make oda feel any better, but he doesn’t think he deserves to feel well after causing all of this. ]

[thesettingsun]

Alright.

When you come back to the city, let me know so I can hug the hell out of you.

[odasaku]

Okay.

[ and i hope shuji’s ready to not receive any text when oda does get back to the city ]