GX Fic - A Bittersweet Homecoming
The return from the other dimension, for all its complications, had been surprisingly quick for Judai. After returning to Duel Academy, he'd greeted all his friends, announced his presence to the Headmaster, and requested a new Osiris Red jacket- after all that time, of course, none of his clothes were in any condition to keep. That bothered him a bit.
It hadn't initially registered to Judai why Chancellor Samejima had asked if he truly wanted to stay in the Red Dorm. His answer had come casually, second nature. "Of course; could you imagine me wearing anything else?"
As he opened the rickety old door to his old room, the reality had hit him. The dorm was empty by now. Not only that, but everything that belonged to specific students had been taken. Judai let out a sigh and managed a weak smile.
"So, he was humoring me, huh?"
It had been weeks now since his initial return. Johan and the others had already left for their own Academy. Sho has graduated to Obelisk Blue for his final few months of schooling and had become quite busy with work. Asuka was elected to the graduation comittee. Manjoume had begun applying for the Pro League.
Judai's disappeance was not lost in that chaos.
They'd noticed it the night he came back. He looked older. He looked tired. That was only natural- in the other dimension, he'd been through hell. Even then, no one knew what else he'd endured before his return. All of them assumed it would take some time for him to adjust, and sought to give him room to do so.
But things became more worrisome. Judai had always struggled with lectures, but it was rare of him to skip them altogether. He slept late, but not nearly as late or as often as he had done recently. And he certainly wouldn't have stopped dueling if he was his old self.
It was a warm, sunny day. The first signs of summer were arriving, signaling for the students their impending graduation. The small, rundown shack run by Miss Dorothy had been kept in business purely by the nostalgia of Judai's friends, who continued to eat there. It was 3pm by the time Judai had rolled in.
"Ah, hey, I don't suppose you'd be willing to make anything this late after lunch hours, huh?", he asked sheepishly, approaching the back of the building.
His clothes were disheveled, his hair a mess. The Osiris Red jacket, wrinkled from its time on the floor, was thrown sloppily over his black turtleneck shirt. He wore his duel disk on his left arm, in its folded position. Slotted in it was the deck that had carried him through everything. He had no interest in using that duel disk, but if push came to shove, fighting was his responsibility now.
It was at that moment that he caught notice of Sho. He was seated near the back by himself, glancing down at a small electronic pad. In his elaborate blue uniform, he looked much older than the childish boy who'd followed Judai around so long ago.
"Bro... there you are", he said softly, looking up with a worried glance. "Where have you been? Everyone was so worried..."
Judai avoided making eye contact, staring nervously at the floor, tugging at the sleeve of his jacket. "Oh, come on, Sho... everyone knows kids start getting lazy towards graduation, right? You really worry too much..."
Frustrated, Sho quickly rose from his seat, speaking firmly. "No, that's not what this is. Every time someone talks to you lately, you try to dodge the topic like that. Don't you have any plans after graduation? What are you going to do?"
Judai flinched for a moment, in shock. He took a small step backwards toward the door, a bit closer to fleeing back to the Red Dorm again. There he'd likely return to doing what he always did. Rearrange his deck, take another nap, and wait for something to happen.
"It's alright, don't worry about me", he weakly spoke. "You've all got so much on your plate already..."
Sho let out a short sigh, his shoulders slumping back. "Speaking of which...", he mumbled, exasperated. He then reached down to the bench he'd been sitting on, retrieving a small plastic container. He walked slowly up to Judai and handed him the box.
"You didn't eat, right? I asked Miss Dorothy to make extra. You can't just walk in here and expect her to be around at this time of day."
Judai smiled sheepishly. "Oh, trust me, I know...", he let out a nervous laugh and took the container. "Thank you-"
"What do you mean, Judai?", Sho asked alarmedly. It took Judai by shock. It was the first time in memory that Sho had used his name. "Are you not eating? Are you skipping meals!?"
Judai took another step back, his foot landing on the grass outside. "Ah, you know... not intentionally. I'm just a little disoriented..."
That had seemed to be enough. Sho had settled down, glancing dejectedly at the floor. "Hey, don't worry about it", Judai joked nervously. "I'm alive, right? We all made it through. That's what matters".
"Bro... what happened to you?", Sho mumbled quietly. He made no further effort to pry, and after some moments, Judai turned and began walk away.
"I'm alive... so none of you have to mourn. You can continue your lives in peace knowing nobody died back then, and that's what counts. Whether or not my life is worthwhile isn't what matters", he mumbled to himself, trudging through the forest on the way back to the dorm.
"I have one more mission to complete, and after that, it doesn't matter much. I doubt anyone is expecting much of me".
He hadn’t quite understood what Yubel meant back then, as he did now. All he could do now was recall the moments before he returned to Duel Academy.
“I’m finally ready to return, Yubel. I have to admit, it’s going to be comforting having you at my side through this”, he had mumbled as he made his preparations.
“I’m glad, Judai. But even with me there, it still won’t be easy. People don’t react well to their beloved friends changing too much”.
Reaching the Red Dorm, he quietly climbed the old wooden steps of what was now his secluded home. The door to his room creaked as he placed his hands on the handle and opened it slowly.
He set the container of food on a table, all his energy suddenly draining at the familiar sight of his bed in the darkened room. Quickly, he fell to his knees and leaned against the bed frame, burying his face in his arms as he cradled his own body, holding back tears.
“Yubel…”, he whispered softly. “I’m just so tired”.
After a brief pause, the response came.
“I know, Judai. It will be okay.”
