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“Psst. Hey.”
(Y/N) looked over at Josuke, who was trying to get her attention.
“Do you have a spare pencil I could borrow?”
“Yeah, sure,” she answered him. “Just let me find it.” She rummaged through her backpack, and handed a pencil to him.
“Thanks,” Josuke said.
“No problem.”
That was it. That was the extent of Josuke’s and (Y/N)’s relationship. If one of them needed something small like a pencil or some paper, the other would give them what they needed. The only thing Josuke really knew about (Y/N) was her name. He wanted to be friends with her, but she was always busy talking to her other friends, so he never got the chance. That is, until today.
As Josuke was walking home from school, he heard a scream come from not too far away.
“I’m telling you, I don’t have any money on me!” (Y/N)’s voice screamed. “Stop, please!”
(Y/N) had suddenly been confronted by three delinquents who demanded her wallet. When she told them she had no money, one of them kneed her in the stomach.
“Show us your wallet!” another one ordered.
“I don’t have anything, I promise!” (Y/N) clutched her stomach, trying her best not to cry.
“Then show us your wallet!” the boy repeated, punching her face. After that, the others started to join in, too.
“I’m telling you, I don’t have any money on me!” she cried. “Stop, please! I don’t even have a wallet!”
“We don’t believe you!” one of the boys yelled, twisting her arms back. “Look through her pockets!”
The other two did as they were told, but not before putting their hands in places that shouldn’t be touched.
“Help! He-” before (Y/N) could cry out again, the boy holding her back put a hand over her mouth.
“Hey!” Josuke called. The three delinquents looked over. “Let her go!”
Through her tears, (Y/N) saw Josuke, fists clenched.
“What are you gonna do about it, huh?” the one holding her, most likely the leader, laughed. (Y/N) tried to break free of his grasp, but he gripped her tighter.
“You don’t want to know,” Josuke scowled.
The boys looked at each other for a moment or two, then burst out laughing.
“You don’t want to know!” one mocked, using a playful tone.
“What kind of loser tries to threaten us with that?” another wheezed.
“What? What are you gonna do?” the leader said through tears. “Are you gonna give us all a stupid haircut like yours?”
As Josuke was about to walk to the payphone and call the police, he heard the leader say those words. The original anger he had before was nothing compared to what he felt now. He slowly turned back to the gang, a strange aura glowing around him.
“What did you just say about my hair?”
The delinquents stopped laughing, and noticed he was getting really serious. One of them stood up, and said, “I’ll protect you, boss, just get the girl’s money.”
However, that boy was not prepared for a punch to the stomach so hard it made him pass out.
“Who was it?!” Josuke demanded. “Who said something about my hair?!”
The leader pointed to the second guy, who was still feeling (Y/N)’s pockets for a wallet. Josuke immediately kicked him off of her, and held him down with his foot.
“Well?! Was it you?!”
“No, no, I swear it wasn’t me!” the boy whimpered, tears streaming down his face. “It was the boss, I swear to you, I swear!”
“So it was you!” Josuke let go of the second grunt, but not before punching his face in, just in case he was lying.
The leader was shivering in fear, but made sure to keep a tight hold on (Y/N). He could use her to his advantage. “Now, now, if you punch me, you’ll end up hurting the girl!” he sneered. But, without warning, something invisible to him punched him in the side, breaking his ribs and making him let go of (Y/N).
“I won’t let anyone, no matter who it is, make fun of my hair!” Josuke raged, repeatedly punching the boy, while (Y/N) was spectating, too scared to move an inch.
Eventually, when Josuke was done, he sighed with relief, and turned back to (Y/N).
“I-I-I-I-I-I didn’t say any-any-anything, p-promise!” She put her shaking hands up in defense. “I-I-I-I-I think th-that your hair is, is, is super cool!”
“I know you didn’t say anything,” Josuke reassured her. “I’m not gonna hurt you.”
“Thank you,” she answered. “For both saving me and not punching me.” (Y/N) tried to walk forward and give Josuke a hug, but her body was in so much pain she couldn’t move.
“They hurt you pretty bad, huh?” Josuke asked.
“They did,” (Y/N) winced in pain. “Um, I’m sorry for the inconvenience, but could you call an ambulance? I would, but I don’t have any money, and, well, you know.”
However, as (Y/N) was talking, she noticed the pain already subsiding. When Josuke took his hand off of her shoulder, she was completely fine.
“Hey, um,” Josuke put a hand behind his head. “I know this might be a weird question to ask, but do you want to go get ice cream with me and Okuyasu? We won’t bite, promise.”
“Sure, I guess,” (Y/N) answered him. “Like, right now?”
“Yeah, I was thinking right now,” Josuke nervously laughed.
“Okay, I’ll go, but only if you tell me why your hands can heal anyone in an instant along the way.”
“Well, it’s a long story, but I’d be happy to tell you. So long as you’re okay with the story getting a little… bizarre.”