Okuyasu's alarm clock blared next to his head. He groaned as he opened his eyes. The red digital clock flashed 9:00 AM. Sunlight streamed into his dingy room. As if on cue, Okuyasu's father knocked on his door, bringing Stray Cat in with him. Okuyasu forced the grimace on his face into a kind smile.
Due to a bizarre partnership with his father's former business partner in the 80s, his father was left in a mute, childlike state. He was short and portly, and his skin was green and looked as though it was melting off his body. Despite his monstrous appearance, his dad still held love for Okuyasu in his heart.
Stray Cat was a pink plant that Rohan and Koichi had guessed was some sort of "living stand." The plant was able to move and had the personality of a finicky cat. Initially, it had been very violent and had nearly killed Okuyasu five years ago, but Okuyasu and his dad took it in and it became something of a family pet.
"Morning guys," Okuyasu said tiredly. "You guys are hungry, aren't you?"
Okuyasu's father cheered and jumped up and down excited for breakfast. Okuyasu didn't work many overnight shifts, but his dad hated when he did since Okuyasu wouldn't get up until 9. Okuyasu got out of bed and followed his dad down the stairs.
The hallway was much more inviting than it was when he first moved in. After he took a job at Kame-Yu, Okuyasu began to feel unfulfilled. He took up home improvement as a hobby, and the hallway was the first project he took on. After painting the hall, repairing the steps, and adding in a new railing, Okuyasu worked on the living room and his dad's room. His dad hated having his room redone because Okuyasu made him sleep on the couch while it was being worked on. Ultimately though, his dad loved his new room.
Okuyasu and his family entered the kitchen, which was the current project that Okuyasu was working on in his free time. Different sets of wood and drywall were stacked to the side of the room, making it hard to navigate. In the middle of the kitchen were some of Okuyasu's shoddy tools.
"Dad, it's dangerous in here with all my tools. Take Stray Cat into the living room and put her on the window sill. Watch TV until I come back with your breakfast, okay?" Okuyasu asked his father kindly.
His father grunted affirmatively and gave a thumbs up. He grabbed Stray Cat off the counter and rushed into the living room. In an instant, the TV was on a cartoon and his dad was laughing hysterically. Okuyasu smiled as he began cooking frozen waffles in the toaster.
Okuyasu had gotten home around 4 in the morning. After showering and getting ready for bed, it was 5. Okuyasu was tired, but he knew he had to provide for his dad. He also knew that he could potentially finish the kitchen and get to paint it on his next day off.
He yawned. I remember falling asleep last night on my shift, Okuyasu thought. I think I had some sort of nightmare. I'm glad I was able to sleep once I got home, even if it was just for a few hours.
The house phone began to ring. Okuyasu didn't know who would be calling him at this time; Koichi was in America with the Speedwagon Foundation where it would be nighttime, and Josuke would be busy at the police academy. Okuyasu picked up the phone.
"Hello, Nijimura residence."
"Okuyasu!" Rohan's voice came from the other end. He sounded exhausted but Okuyasu didn't pay that much mind.
"Rohan? I thought you weren't going to have more information for us until Friday. Yesterday Diya told me—"
"Okuyasu, I need to tell you something important. I believe—" his dad's waffles popped out of the toaster.
"One second Rohan, my dad's breakfast is done and—"
"Okuyasu!" Rohan yelled impatiently. "I don't care about your dad's breakfast, you're pissing me off! I was attacked by a stand. I need your help," Rohan explained. "Now! Bring Diya as well," he added. Before Okuyasu could respond, he heard Rohan hang up.
His dad was whining in the living room. He had heard the toaster go off, but Okuyasu was on the phone. In an instant, Okuyasu put the waffles on a plate and rushed them to his dad.
"Dad, I have to go. Watch Stray Cat, the leftovers in the fridge are for lunch!" He called as he rushed out the front door, grabbing his keys. His dad waved lazily as he watched his cartoon.
Okuyasu sped down the road in his car. Diya is in school, Rohan should have known that. He sounded awful tired though. He has such a strict routine, I'm surprised he's this tired. He'll have to live with just me showing up.
Okuyasu turned the corner onto the street the Kame-Yu he worked at was on. As he drove down the road, he gawked at a group of people clustered around his work. He slammed on the brakes at what he saw next.
Okuyasu exited his car and saw the blue bus that arrives at the Kame-Yu every day crashed into a pole. As he got closer to the crowd of people, he was thankful to see police unloading all the seniors off the bus safely. The bus driver was sitting on the end of an ambulance, his nose bloody and broken.
"I don't know what happened, I haven't slept in days. I didn't doze off, but I didn't feel right driving," the man cried. "Please take me to the hospital, they have to help me sleep there right? I can't sleep!" The man began yelling at the paramedic.
"Okuyasu, what are you doing here? Isn't it your day off?" A gentle and curious voice attracted his attention. Okuyasu turned to see Diya standing in front of him.
"Diya? Shouldn't you be in school?" Okuyasu was confused.
"I… I needed to take the day off…" Diya looked to the side. Diya's parents had allowed him to stay home today to rest. Diya chose not to tell Okuyasu about his nightmare disorder, he was uncomfortable even remembering Okuyasu in his dream. "I heard a crash a few minutes ago. I ran down here to see the bus crash. The driver has been jumpy and distracted and screaming about how he can't sleep."
"You came down here all alone?" Okuyasu was impressed.
"I didn't think about it, I just rushed down here. I have to admit though, this crowd is giving me anxiety," Diya took a deep breath and decided to change the topic. "Here's the crazy thing Okuyasu. My Stand should be able to manifest near distracted people, correct?"
"That's what it sounded like from what you told me."
"I tried to call out my Stand to copy the bus driver, I thought maybe I could get closer to the paramedics and hear if they had any more information about what could happen. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't do anything. I struggled to pull faint images out of other distracted people around here, but nothing as strong as I did with Kato. When I try on the bus driver though," Diya gulped as his face went pale, "it feels like I'm reaching out into nothingness."
"Never mind that Diya, Rohan was attacked by a Stand. We need to get to his house immediately. He called me and asked that we come over."
"Rohan was attacked by a Stand?" Diya was shocked.
"I know you've never fought a Stand user before, but not every Stand user is as friendly as me, or even Rohan," Okuyasu admitted begrudgingly. The two of them ran down the road and got into Okuyasu's blue sedan. Okuyasu drove his car down the road, the dollar sign hood ornament guiding the way.
Okuyasu and Diya pulled into the driveway of Rohan's house, where Rohan was waiting on the front porch again. Diya felt his anxiety spike when he realized that Rohan was staring intensely at him.
"Okuyasu…" Diya asked shyly.
"What's up Diya?"
"I think Rohan is going to use Heaven's Door on me again…" Diya's voice quivered with panic.
"Let me try to talk to him," Okuyasu smiled and tried to reassure Diya.
The two of them exited the car and began to approach Rohan's steps. Okuyasu smiled.
"Hey Rohan, I didn't think Diya would be out of school today but here he—" Before Okuyasu could finish, Rohan dashed towards Diya once again.
"No, no, no not again!" Diya put his hands up to defend himself.
"Heaven's Door!"
Diya watched Pink Dark Boy lunge towards him, but it was slower today than it was just two days prior. Diya dodged to the left, thinking he was safe. At that moment, he felt an elbow hit him in the back of the head as he fell face first onto the ground. Rohan approached as the back of Diya's head opened like a book.
"You know you can talk to us before resorting to using Heaven's Door on the kid!" Okuyasu barked at Rohan. Rohan didn't even look at Okuyasu as he approached Diya's body. He kneeled on the ground and began reading.
"There have been no Stand attacks in Morioh since Yoshikage Kira. Two days ago you told me this kid could have a Stand, and all of a sudden, I was attacked by one." Rohan said coldly. "The day of the attack was Monday. On Monday I saw four people. You and Toshikazu Hazamada, whose Stands I know, but also Diya Nagata and an angry fan. One of those two attacked me."
"If they attacked you on Monday, why did you wait until today to tell me?" Okuyasu scratched his head.
"Hm, it seems that Diya's Stand allows him to create manifestations nearby unaware targets?" Rohan saw drawings of Diya's bully with the strange facial features. "At least that's his understanding. He doesn't even have a name for it yet, so it's hard to be sure. Though it seems Diya was not the one who attacked me." Rohan stood up and the book in Diya's head closed. He struggled to his feet and Rohan handed him a towel to clean his face. "I'm sorry Diya, I can't be too careful. Come inside you two, I'll explain the situation to you."