Chapter Text
The summer afternoon hits; the air becoming warmer and warmer, flowers blossoming and thriving in their pots or in the earth. The water demand grows ever higher with every day that passes, not only for the blooming buds and full foliage, but for hard working students who hustle and bustle to finish the first session of the school year.
Two larger figures swim through the crowd of high schoolers dispersing from the campus grounds; one head with bright, red hair, signature cherry earrings framing either side of his face. The other is a jet black mess of hair, hidden underneath a tattered hat, adorned with golden pins.
“School is surprisingly mundane still,” Kakyoin opened, stretching his arms out.
“Mmhmm,” Jotaro nodded.
“You’re not very talkative.”
Jotaro just shrugged at his friend, continuing their usual walk back to their homes. He didn’t say much unless he had to, or if he felt like it. How mundane school is wasn’t necessarily a topic of interest either.
“I wanna have things shake up a little, y’know? Good grades and high test scores be damned, we both know there’s more outside of this!” Kakyoin’s burst of energy was certainly a change of pace, considering the months he’d spent bedbound and drained.
“You sure you’re not overdoing it?”
“Hmm?” Kakyoin raised an eyebrow, a pensive expression on his face. Jotaro’s shoulders went back as he adjusted his posture, standing up straighter, his height overshadowing his friend. “Oh, yeah, that ...”
The redhead’s arms wrapped around his torso. The skin grafts and scarring hiding beneath the fabric of his shirt, lacking the full sensation his skin once had. The middle of his spine downward now inorganic, attached with wires and an artificial, metal covering that stuck out like a sore thumb. Thankfully, it wasn’t incredibly obvious by looking at him, but it’s still a painful reminder of the journey to Egypt.
“Your doctor said your mobility may wane over time. I know it hasn’t been long, but you sure you’re not off balance or anything?”
“I- I’m okay,” Kakyoin sighed, gripping his gut. “I haven’t been pushing it, staying out of PE helps, and I’ve been doing the exercises I was told to do! The neurologist and PT cleared me to walk without the braces on, so-“
Jotaro moved one hand from his pocket to his friend’s shoulder, “I just don’t want your energy to get ahead of you.”
Kakyoin laughed and swatted the hand away, “if I collapse you’ll just have to- ... Jojo, whose car ... cars? Whose cars are those outside of your house?”
Jotaro’s eyes shifted forward, taking in the view before him. A van and a luxury vehicle? His mother didn’t have anything like this, and his dad wasn’t the one driving if a car was around. The van would maybe be one of the neighbors, but it was too new. It didn’t have the worn out, finger-smudged, family “loved” appearance as any other family’s car. Why on Earth would that be parked next to a nice luxury rental?
Jotaro’s expression went from thoughtful to shock as he heard his name being bellowed in a familiar, gruff voice.
“JOTARO, THERE’S MY GRANDSON!!”
“Oh good gri-oof!” The catchphrase was cut off by a smiling Joseph Joestar, wrapping two muscular arms around the grouchy teen and lifting him slightly.
“Good afternoon, Mr. Joestar!! Welcome back to Japan!” Kakyoin smiled with a wave.
“Kakyoin!! Glad to see you up and walking!” Joseph grabbed him and the two hugged, having been apart since the trip.
“More than that, I assure you. I’m basically back to normal!”
“What are you doing here, gramps?” Jotaro asked, straightening out his uniform.
Joseph frowned, “What? Am I not allowed to visit my daughter and grandson?!”
“Excuse me, Mr. Joestar? I take it this is the boy you’ve been talking about?” A new voice, not Holly, and certainly not Japanese.
Joseph turned back toward the house, his signature grin spreading across his face, “The one and only!”
A girl stepped forward from the house and into the entrance of the Kujo household. Overshadowed by the three crusaders, chestnut colored hair laying straight, and hazel eyes taking in the two, new figures before her.
The girl stepped forward, clearing her throat, and, in the best Japanese she could muster, “< It’s nice to meet you! My name is Mae. >” Her hand outstretched for a handshake.
Jotaro and Kakyoin looked at each other, and while Jotaro rolled his eyes and scoffed, Kakyoin laughed and shook her hand.
“Your Japanese is great! I’m Noriaki Kakyoin,” his hand dropped from their mutual grip and pointed over at the taller boy, “and that guy over there is, indeed, Jotaro Kujo.”
“Thank you! I’m glad I said everything right, I’ve been practicing for so long ... your English is fantastic!”
Kakyoin smiled, “Thank you. I appreciate your willingness to learn the language, ” < but you don’t speak fluently, do you? >”
The girl tried to reply, but came up short, “I don’t speak as much as I wish I did.” Embarrassment crept up on her cheeks as a pink blush.
“No need to worry about that here, miss Mae,” Joseph reassured her, “In this household, English is enough to communicate!”
Kakyoin couldn’t help but feel a bit out of place, even if English was a second language to him. He turned back to Jotaro, who was doing his best to just try and shrink away, despite his massive size. English wasn’t his friend’s forte, even with having an American mom. With someone who wholeheartedly accepted her husbands culture like Holly, Japanese was the primary language in the house. Jotaro’s English wasn’t terrible, per say, but definitely not fluent.
“< You okay? >”
“< I hate women, they’re so annoying! >” Jotaro snarled.
“< Be nice! She’s a guest with your granddad! >”
“< Doesn’t stop her from being rude. >”
“< What do you- >“ Jotaro pointed over at the girl. Even if Joseph was busy speaking at her and being the doting old man he’s proven to be, Mae was staring.
Jotaro walked forward and entered the house, arm colliding with Mae’s shoulder, nearly knocking her over ... and definitely out of her stupor.
“Jotaro! What the hell was that?! Is that any way to treat someone, especially a guest?!” Joseph scolded, chasing after his grandson.
Mae turned, her gaze following the Joestar men into the house, rubbing her shoulder. The embarrassment was visible on her face.
Kakyoin sighed, wrapping an arm around Mae’s shoulder, “Don’t mind Jojo. He’s just kinda like that. He warms up as you get to know him.”
“He’s so .. big,” Mae replied, looking up at the redhead, “Mr. Joestar didn’t say he’d be a giant!”
Kakyoin couldn’t help but laugh, “He’s not a giant! Tall, sure, but he’s no giant! Besides, you’re .. what? 167 centimeters?”
“I’m 5 foot 6.”
“Okay, 167 and a HALF. But don’t let his size intimidate you! Jotaro is just the strong, silent type.”
“Is he mute or something?”
Kakyoin hesitated, “Selectively.”
“Well, I’m glad you’re normal, at least, so far,” Mae said with a small, nervous laugh. “I’m sorry, that’s rude. I didn’t mean to stare before, I’m just ... taking it all in. Mr. Joestar moved my dad out here for business and -“
“Your dad works for Mr. Joestar?”
“Oh, yeah!” Mae smiled, puffing out her chest in pride, “dad’s one of the top sellers for Joestar Real Estate! When Joseph wanted to expand to have some international business, dad was one of his top choices!”
“And Japan was a first location because of Ms. Holly?”
“Bingo!” Mae beamed, snapping her fingers and pointing finger guns.
The two were interrupted by the sounds of high pitched screaming and the sound of heavy footsteps. Jotaro came darting back out of the house, two younger kids hot on his tail.
“TEACH ME YOUR WAYS, MUSCLE MAN!!” screamed the older boy.
“Leave him alone!! That’s no way to treat my body guard!!” shouted the younger girl.
Jotaro fled behind Kakyoin, “< THERE’S MORE. >”
The redhead looked at his friend, then back to the feisty children standing before him, having stopped dead in their tracks to figure out how to remove Jotaro’s human shield.
“You two are insufferable and violating all kinds of space!” Mae scolded, grabbing the younger child and picking her up. The older one took two steps away before his arm was yanked, “You don’t call someone that, you don’t designate them as your personal protection, and you leave them the hell alone in their own house!”
“Yeah, but he’s so-!” the older one was cut off, his arm hold becoming a headlock.
“No! You’re the older brother, you KNOW better!” Mae turned to the boys behind her, “I’m so incredibly sorry about these two, they know no boundaries. I’ll make it up to you with food or something.”
Mae walked back into the house, the sounds of protesting children following her.
“< What the fuck just happened? >” Kakyoin asked.
“< She has siblings, and they’re little goblins. >” Jotaro replied, straightening his hat.
-
Jotaro’s nightmare did not end so easily. His grandfather had introduced his mother to his star employee and his family of 6.
Mr. Ben Harrison, his wife, Jean, and their 4 children; Mae (18), Greg (9), Lila (7), and the baby, Charlie (1.5).
“< It’s a welcome party!! Isn’t this exciting, Jotaro?! >” Holly squealed, busily moving about the kitchen.
“< No, >” Jotaro sneered, having dragged Kakyoin inside to provide an excuse for escape.
“Don’t be rude!” Joseph snapped.
“< I- I have a guest of my own, I need to do schoolwork! >”
“Since when have you been focused on more than just passing?!”
Jotaro glared at his grandfather, grabbed Kakyoin by the arm and lead him away from the mass of people. Kakyoin gave Joseph a worried smile and a small wave as he was dragged off.
Jotaro went immediately to his own bedroom and slammed the door shut, letting out a groan of aggravation.
“... You wanna talk about it?” Kakyoin asked, placing his school bag down.
“No! Those dumb little fuckers got onto me and wouldn’t let go!”
“They’re kids, Jojo. They don’t mean you any harm, if anything, the little girl wanted you for a body guard! That’s a compliment! ... A weird compliment, but still.”
Jotaro groaned at the suggestion, “They kept touching me, climbing onto my arms and just violating my space, no matter how much I tried to remove them!! They’re worse than their older sister.”
“You just met them. I know those kids were wrong, but Mae literally just introduce herself.”
“She’s a woman. She’s annoying. End of story.”
Kakyoin rolled his eyes and sighed, “if that’s how you’re going to be, fine, but I feel like you should know someone a little before you decide to hate them.”
“I don’t hate her, I just don’t want to deal with her.”
“Whatever you say, Jojo. How’s about we actually do that schoolwork you were talking about?”
Jotaro sighed, there was no way around getting things done with Kakyoin. Not unless he wanted to play video games, and then he’d just be more annoyed by how much of a show off his friend is. He grabbed his bag and began to remove the papers and books from inside.
A knock, then the door crashed open, “What the hell was that?! How dare you leave your mother and I alone to host so many people!!” It was Joseph. Of course it was Joseph.
“Go away, gramps, mom is good at this stuff and you’re the one who taught her. You’ll be fine without me,” Jotaro sneered.
“That’s not the point! Get your ass out here and be social!”
Both boys just looked at the older man, “I don’t know if Jotaro is best suited for that, Mr. Joestar.”
“Papaaaa! Come back here and help!!” Holly demanded from the kitchen.
Joseph sighed, “I know you’re not the most social person ever, but I’m trying to make a good impression on a very reliable employee. He’s moved his entire family from America to Japan and it would be really helpful if-“
The clattering and crashing of pots and pans, then the sounds of a small human crying.
Jotaro huffed and moved to the doorway, moving his grandfather aside, “I ain’t doing this for you, old man. You owe me.”
Joseph smiled and sprang back toward the hubbub, Jotaro sauntering behind, Kakyoin following along to witness the potential disaster unfold.
The trio was greeted to a father holding his toddler in his arms, trying to comfort the little boy while cleaning up the spilled kitchenware. Apologies were repeated, Holly reassuring this strange man that it was okay and it happens with little ones.
The man stood up, rubbing his baby boy’s back, “Shhh, come on Chuckie, it was just loud, you’re okay!”
Mae walked across the scene, removing the tot from her father’s arms, “I got this, dad. A change of scenery and he’ll be right as rain.” The girl took her baby brother to the other room, patting his back and swaying gently to try and calm his screaming.
The stranger sighed and sank, elbows on the counter and hands holding his head. Joseph clapped a hand on the man’s back, “You’ve got a good one on your hands with her, Ben.”
The man’s hands slid back to his neck and he looked up at his boss with a weak smile, “Thank you, sir. That means a lot.” The man’s eyes moved over to the two teenagers looking cluelessly in his direction, “Sorry about that, boys.”
Joseph’s hand moved across his employee’s shoulders, bringing him in for a half hug, “Never mind that! Charlie’s little! Like Holly said, happens all the time.” The older man looked up and gestured to Jotaro, “He’s eventually gonna be a grouchy teenager like my grandson!”
“Ah! YOU are the famous Jotaro! Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Ben Harrison-“ the man walked over and exchanged pleasantries in English, Jotaro just nodding and politely shaking his hand as greeting. Ben’s attention shifted to Kakyoin, “and you, son?”
“Just a fellow guest, sir,” he replied, shaking Mr. Harrison’s hand.
“Nonsense!!” Holly interjected, “Kakyoin is basically family! He and Jotaro have been friends for a while now, and they’re practically inseparable!”
“Practically,” Kakyoin repeated, stepping to the side and wanting to be as far away from the kitchen as humanly possible.
The conversations continued, Jotaro being roped into cutting ingredients for his mother while the grownups discussed whatever it is grownups talk about, the middle siblings keeping each other busy under Mrs. Harrison’s watchful eye. Kakyoin actually managed to slip away and notify his own family that he won’t be home for dinner.