A Crazy, Noisy, Bizarre Adventure (Reader x Josuke)- Jojo's Bizarre Adventure

Chapter 20: Promise?

The next week of school passed with melancholy and avoidance. When the bus had returned to the plaza, you had found Junko and her dad waiting for you. You were too drained to say goodbye to Josuke, not even able to mutter so much as a goodbye.

Dragging yourself to school the next day was one of the hardest things you had to do, and everyday after that only got slightly better. Bringing yourself face to face with that little white flower that you couldn't avoid, always just in front of you, but still so ephemeral in meaning. It stood as a monument to inability, and ate away at the lining of your stomach to the point where every morning you felt sick.

It may have been that very feeling that drew you to the hospital day after day. On occasion, you'd run into Mrs. Ebina, but often you would just sit at Kazue's bedside alone. The bandages had been removed from his face, just as Josuke had said they would.

That was the other source of the stabbing pain in your gut. You couldn't look at him, it hurt your head to even think of his name. Was it because you were embarrassed of what had happened? Because he held your hand as you melted into grief?

Or was it possibly because you secretly resented him for not being able to fix Kazue?

He looked as if he were sleeping these days. If you hadn't known better, it was almost as if he had just happened to pass out on a hospital bed after a long day of school.

"We started doing an art class, you know." You spoke over his sleeping form. "Miko wanted to make you something, but I told her that you'd probably just make fun of her for it." You rummaged through your bag, pulling out a creased piece of paper, you set it lightly on the table along the side of the bed. "That didn't stop her obviously, but you know Miko, she's pretty headstrong."

Without his hitched breathing, the ticking of the clock on the wall was far more audible, passing its smaller hand over the number four.

"That's my cue, I guess." You stood up, dusting your skirt off. "Tomorrow's Friday, so after that I'll be able to stick around for a little longer." You smiled down at him and brushed his bangs out of his eyes. "Get better soon, ok?"

You and Miko were able to avoid the awkwardness surrounding Kazue, instead opting to pretend that he was on some sort of vacation. As time went on, the environment in the classroom went back to normal as well. The white flower wilted slightly, yellowing at the ends of those delicate petals. When the school day ended, most of the student population buzzed with the excitement of the freedom of the week's end, but as you and Miko parted ways at the gate, you had already made up your mind as to where you were headed. Maybe Mrs. Ebina would know what kind of flower that'd best replace the one on Kazue's desk.

Junko had started walking home separately, knowing that you were going to take the bus to the hospital anyways, so your afternoon walk was spent in comfortable silence. Every day that passed by slowly alleviated the ache in your heart, filling in the negative space with hope and planning instead.

"Mrs. Ebina?" You slid the door to Kazue's suite open, sticking your head into the hospital room. It was empty, save for the obvious patron. you sighed, closing the door behind you. "Damn, I was hoping that I'd be able to ask a couple of questions..." you took your seat beside Kazue's bed. "Hey, you wouldn't happen to know what kind of flower you'd like on your desk at school, would you?"

***

The sky had gone orange as the retreating form of the hospital shrunk farther from the bus window. You flipped your phone open, shooting a quick message to Junko, telling her you were on your way home, the time in the top right corner stating that it was a quarter past six.