***JOSUKE'S POV***
It's been over two weeks since I've seen Kuroko. I was supposed to confess to her on top of a hill filled with beautiful aster flowers. I was supposed to kiss her. I was supposed to be her boyfriend afterwards.
None of those things happened.
Instead, I've just gone back to school like Jotaro told me to.
Once I went back to school, I asked Okuyasu and Koichi not to mention Kuro for a while. Well, it doesn't really matter, because she's the only thing that's on my mind.
I almost lost her.
And it's all because I couldn't protect her.
In homeroom, every time her name would be called out for attendance, a wave of whispering could be heard among my classmates. Today was no different.
"Kuroko Izumi?" The teacher called out.
"Isn't that the quiet girl that would hang around Josuke? Where is she?"
"Did she move?"
"My mom works at the hospital. I heard that she almost died."
"That's good, th-"
"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU JUST SAY?!" I slammed my hands on my desk and stood up, cutting through their gossip. Okuyasu, Koichi, and everyone else in the classroom were now staring at me. I looked at the group of girls that were in the back of the class dead in the eyes. "Say that again! I dare you!"
"Josuke Higashikata!" The teacher called out. "Please sit down!"
One of the girls with short black hair stood out from the rest of the girl groupies. She was one of the same girls that bothered Jotaro and me on the first day of school. "Wouldn't you want to hang out with other girls like us Josuke? What's with you and that weird girl? All she does is cling onto you like some baby!"
"Who I hang out with is none of your damn business! And how dare you say that it's good that she almost died!"
"I didn't say that!"
"Yes, you did! How would you feel if I said that it would've been great if your mother died!"
"I…" the girl's eyes began to water.
One of the girls behind her stood up, pushed her chair away, and ran up to hug the short black-haired girl. "Her mother is dead, asshole!"
"Josuke! Rin! Fumiko! The three of you stop and sit down before I send all of you to the principal's office!" The teacher ordered.
Great. Even though she started it, I look like a massive dick. And the last thing I need to hear is my mom fussing at me because I called some girl out at school.
I reluctantly sat down in my chair. Hopefully, today ends faster than usual. Koichi, who was sitting next to me, leaned in towards my ear. "Josuke, I need to tell you something important after lunch."
Important? Hopefully, it's not another enemy stand user.
"Sure, whatever."
Lunch came around like any other school day. Koichi brought a lunchbox Yukako made for him while Okuyasu and I bought a school lunch from the cafeteria. The three of us sat on the roof of the school building. "Koichi, what did you want to tell me again?" I asked.
"It's…about Kuroko."
I sighed. "I thought we agreed to not talk about her until she comes back to school."
"Yes but…I went to visit her this morning but they wouldn't let me. One of the nurses said that she tried to escape from the hospital."
Wait…
"She what?!" Okuyasu and I yelled out loud.
"Yeah. The whole hospital last night went into lockdown."
"Why the hell would she try to escape?" Okuyasu asked as he took a bite from his fried pork cutlet.
"I…don't know." I answered. "This isn't like Kuro at all. She's not the type of person that would do something like that."
"Either way, maybe it's good that she didn't escape." Koichi mentioned. "Last time I visited her, she was still bedridden and was on oxygen. I'm not sure if she escaped, she would've gotten far."
Oh.
That's right.
There's a reason why she's in the hospital.
"Josuke," I could feel Okuyasu place his hand on my shoulder. "You know it's not your fault."
I clenched my fists. "I know. I keep telling myself that, but it's just not getting through to me. I keep thinking that it's all my fault and I don't know why. I just…want things to go back to the way they were before this mess."
"Look," Koichi started. "When I went to visit Kuro yesterday, she was angry at her mom for not letting you see her. She doesn't blame you for anything and I'm sure she wants everything to go back to normal as well. But right now we need to focus on why she tried to escape the hospital."
Koichi is right. I can't do anything about the past. I just need to focus on what's going on right now. "You're right. What was she trying to do yesterday when you visited her?"
"Well, I only visited her for a few minutes to give her missing school work. She tried calling you from the hospital phone but the number was blocked."
"Dr. Izumi even blocked my house number? That sounds extremely desperate of her, almost obsessive."
Okuyasu cracked his knuckles. "Maybe she needs to be rescued? This could be an SOS signal. Maybe we need to do some B.N.E?"
Koichi tilted his head. "B.N.E?"
"You know? Breaking and entering? Like in the movies."
"Okuyasu, I think even with our stands that will turn us into criminals." Koichi sighed. "But we need to get to her as soon as possible. She might be in danger. Maybe we should talk to her mom?"
"Like she'll listen to Josuke," Okuyasu added. "Even though she gave us our flu shot, the way she looked at Koichi and me when we visited was like we were in trouble."
"Dr. Izumi gave the two of you flu shots?" I asked. "When?"
"When we found you and Jolyne at St. Gentleman a while ago. She seemed so nice." Koichi mentioned.
"Yeah. Did I ever mention how hot Kuro's mom is?" Okuyasu mentioned.
"Stay on topic dumbass!" I yelled. It didn't help that Kuro looked just like her mom. "But we need to talk to Kuro and ask if everything is ok."
"Maybe we should all visit her house after school," Koichi suggested. "Maybe Dr. Izumi will listen to all three of us."
"No, I'll go alone. I don't want you two to end up on Dr. Izumi's bad side as well." I said. "Even if she hates me, maybe she'll tell me how Kuro is doing."
"Alright, Josuke!" Koichi gave me a thumbs-up. "We're rooting for you!"
"Thanks." I smiled.
Once school ended, instead of going home, I took the long walk to Kuroko's house.
As I walked down the paved streets of Morioh, the more I realized that it would've been better if Okuyasu and Koichi came with me. If Dr. Izumi shoots me down, at least it would be easier to take it if the two of them were there. Maybe she might've been nicer.
When I arrived at Kuro's house, a stack of cardboard boxes sat next to the front door. I rang the doorbell hoping for a response. A light chime rang through the air.
No response.
This is usually the time she gets home from work. Maybe she's out for the week.
I looked at their driveway to see a black car sitting there.
She's definitely home.
I rang the doorbell once more.
Nothing.
I looked into the peephole on the door to see Dr. Izumi's in the entrance hallway.
She knows I'm here! She just won't answer the door.
I knocked on their door. "Hello? Dr Izumi?"
Nothing once more.
Yup. It was DEFINITELY a better choice to have Koichi and Okuyasu come with me.
Before giving up, an idea scratched my head.
I summoned Crazy Diamond and he pulled back his fist.
DORA!
My stand broke the front side of the door and fixed it instantly, creating a loud boom.
Just as planned, Dr Izumi finally answered the door. Once our eyes met, her eyes narrowed down in annoyance. "Um, hi Dr. Izumi," I greeted, rubbing my neck awkwardly. "How are you?"
Dr. Izumi continued to glare at me. "I'm doing fine, but you should still know that I don't want you to even talk to my daughter."
So she knows why I'm here.
I need to grab onto something to talk about. Something, anything!
Looking to the side, I noticed brown cardboard boxes stacked up along the hallway. Some of them were taped up while others were filled with stacks of papers. "So, what's with all the boxes? Did you buy something?"
Dr Izumi let out an annoyed sigh. "We're moving."
Moving…
Moving?!
"Moving? But the two of you just moved here a few years ago! Did something happen?" I asked.
"My family is having a few problems back in Hokkaido. It's easier to just move than to drive back and forth. Once Kuro gets well enough to leave the hospital we'll move."
That doesn't make sense. Dr. Izumi would leave Kuro at home for weeks all the time. Hell, one time Kuro said that she didn't see her mom for three weeks.
So…why now?
"Is there anything else you want to tell me, Higashikata?"
Damnit. She won't even say my first name.
But maybe…
"No. I came here to tell you something important."
"Well, spit it out."
I bowed my back and my head as far as I could. "DR. IZUMI, I LOVE YOUR DAUGHTER! I've loved her for years now! I was going to confess to her on that day, but we were in a motorcycle accident. I would've never hurt her! I'm…I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything."
I poured all my emotions out. Everything. Everything I could think of. However, when I looked up, Dr. Izumi's expression didn't change. It was stagnant as ever. "I know."
"Wait…you knew?! What?! For how long"
"I've known for years. It's so obvious it hurts watching you two sometimes. Hell, Tomoko and I already talked about the two of you dating each other." I could feel my cheeks getting redder by the second.
"But if you knew, why won't you let me see her?"
"Because Josuke, something happened that day. You don't just walk away from a motorcycle accident with multiple chest stab wounds. You failed to protect her, that's why I'm mad at you."
She's right. She has every right to be mad at me. I couldn't protect her daughter and because of that she almost died.
It would've been different if she was going to come back to school. That way, even if her mom hated me, we could still see each other. But now, it's really over.
But something feels off.
Why are they moving as soon as all of this has happened?
"Anything else Josuke?"
"No," I sighed. "Nothing at all."
"Then please give Tomoko my thanks for the past few years."
Kuroko's mom then closed the door on me, leaving me alone in the cold autumn air.
Is this really the end?
Right before I try to confess to her?
Was this all for nothing?
No.
It can't be.
Kuroko tried escaping the hospital the same month we were attacked and now her family is moving.
Something seems off.
And I need to find out.