Chapter Text
By the third Sunday, it had quietly become a habit.
Not something either of them officially planned.
It just… happened.
Around ten in the morning there would be a knock at the Higashikata front door, and Josie already knew exactly who it would be.
This week was no different.
She opened the door while still trying to fix the back of her hair and was immediately greeted by Yukako standing on the porch with her usual calm expression.
“Morning,” Yukako said.
“Hey.”
Yukako glanced at the half-finished mess on Josie’s head.
“You’re still getting ready?”
“I was getting ready until someone interrupted me.”
“I knocked politely.”
“You knocked loudly.”
Yukako shrugged.
“I thought Tomoko-san would answer.”
From somewhere inside the house, Tomoko shouted,
“I heard that!”
Josie snorted and stepped aside so Yukako could come in.
At this point, Yukako had been over enough times that she no longer hesitated before taking off her shoes and walking inside. It felt strangely natural seeing her there now, like she belonged amongst the chaos of the Higashikata house.
Josuke was sprawled across the couch half asleep when Yukako entered.
The second he noticed her, he sat up straighter.
“Oh. Morning.”
“Good morning.”
There was still a slightly awkward atmosphere between the two of them. Not hostile exactly, just… careful.
Josie still didn’t fully understand it.
Tomoko poked her head out from the kitchen.
“Yukako dear! You’re here early!”
“I hope that’s alright.”
“Of course it is!”
Josie narrowed her eyes immediately.
“You don’t sound that happy when I’m awake early.”
“That’s because you stomp around the house like a cryptid.”
“I do not.”
Josuke pointed toward her.
“You absolutely do.”
“Traitor.”
Breakfast ended up becoming unexpectedly crowded after Okuyasu showed up uninvited again.
Apparently he’d smelled food from outside.
Josie still wasn’t sure whether he was joking about that or not.
Now he sat at the table enthusiastically eating everything within reach while Yukako watched him with mild concern.
“You eat very quickly,” she observed.
“Can’t waste valuable eating time.”
“That sentence upset me.”
Josie laughed into her drink while Okuyasu proudly grabbed another piece of toast.
The morning passed lazily after that.
Eventually, once everyone had finished eating, Josie escaped before Tomoko could start fussing over whether they had enough money or jackets or emergency snacks.
The weather outside was warm enough that neither of them really needed coats anyway.
“So,” Josie said as they walked into town, “what’s the plan today?”
Yukako thought for a moment.
“I don’t know.”
“That’s helpful.”
“I figured we could just walk around until we find something interesting.”
“That sounds dangerously aimless.”
“And yet you came with me anyway.”
Josie grinned slightly.
“Fair enough.”
Their Sundays had slowly settled into a loose routine over the past few weeks.
Sometimes they wandered through shops for hours without buying anything.
Sometimes they sat by the river talking.
Other times they stayed at one of their houses watching television while pretending not to get emotionally invested in terrible dramas.
It was simple.
Easy.
Josie liked that.
Today they drifted through Morioh without much direction, occasionally stopping whenever something caught their attention.
At one point Yukako paused outside a tiny stationery shop, staring through the window.
Josie noticed immediately.
“You wanna go in?”
Yukako hesitated.
“…Maybe.”
That meant yes.
Inside, the shop was packed wall-to-wall with notebooks, stickers, pens, and tiny trinkets.
Yukako immediately gravitated toward a display of patterned notebooks while Josie wandered behind her.
“You really like cute stuff, huh?”
Yukako looked mildly embarrassed.
“Is that surprising?”
“A little.”
“Why?”
“I dunno. You just seem very composed all the time.”
Yukako gently ran her fingers along the spine of a notebook.
“I like things that make me happy.”
Something about the quiet honesty of that answer made Josie smile.
“That’s probably healthier than whatever Okuyasu has going on.”
“That’s a low bar.”
Eventually Yukako bought two notebooks and a set of flower-shaped stickers while Josie purchased absolutely nothing.
“You didn’t get anything?”
“I’m broke.”
“That’s unfortunate.”
“Thank you, Yukako. Very comforting.”
“You’re welcome.”
By lunchtime they found themselves standing outside Trattoria Trussardi.
Josie immediately slowed.
“…I don’t trust this place.”
Yukako blinked.
“You’ve said that every time we walk past it.”
“Because it looks suspicious.”
“It’s a restaurant.”
“The chef has evil energy.”
Before Yukako could respond, the front door suddenly opened and Tonio Trussardi himself appeared.
“WELCOME!”
Josie physically flinched.
“He’s so intense.”
Tonio enthusiastically ushered them inside before either of them could object.
The restaurant itself was surprisingly quiet and cosy despite the chef’s overwhelming personality.
Josie remained wary the entire time they sat down.
Yukako noticed immediately.
“You look like you’re preparing for battle.”
“I might be.”
“He’s just cooking.”
“That’s what he wants us to think.”
Yukako laughed softly under her breath.
The food arrived quickly, and despite all her suspicion, Josie immediately understood why people liked the place so much.
After one bite she froze entirely.
“…Wait.”
Yukako looked up from her plate.
“What?”
“This is incredible.”
“I know.”
Josie stared down at the pasta like it had personally betrayed her.
“I hate when people are right.”
Tonio looked deeply emotional after overhearing the compliment.
“You understand true Italian cuisine !”
Josie pointed her fork at him.
“You’re still weird.”
After lunch they ended up back at Yukako’s house.
Josie liked it there.
It was quieter than the Higashikata house.
Less chaotic.
Yukako’s room especially felt calm in a way that made it easy to relax.
Today they ended up sprawled across the floor surrounded by magazines, snacks, and nail polish bottles.
Well.
Mostly Yukako’s nail polish bottles.
Josie was terrible at painting nails.
“This colour looks nice on you,” Yukako said while carefully painting Josie’s thumb.
Josie looked down at the dark purple polish.
“You think so?”
“Mhm.”
Josie tried very hard not to smile too obviously at that.
The two of them continued talking idly while Yukako worked.
Mostly random things.
School gossip.
Movies.
Complaints about Josuke.
Apparently Yukako found his hair routine deeply concerning.
“It takes him nearly an hour every morning,” she said.
“I know. I share a bathroom with him. It’s traumatic.”
“I still don’t understand how it stays like that.”
“I’m pretty sure it defies several laws of physics.”
Yukako snorted quietly.
Josie immediately felt absurdly accomplished for causing that reaction.
By the time they finished, the sky outside had already started turning orange.
Josie blinked toward the window.
“…We were here way longer than I thought.”
“That keeps happening.”
Neither of them sounded particularly bothered by it.
Eventually Josie stood and stretched.
“I should probably head home before Tomoko sends out a search party.”
Yukako nodded and walked her to the door.
“I’ll walk with you for a bit.”
“You don’t have to.”
“I know.”
The evening air outside had cooled slightly, and the streets were quieter now.
They walked side-by-side without rushing.
Josie found herself glancing toward Yukako every now and then.
Not in an obvious way.
Hopefully.
Yukako didn’t seem to notice anyway.
She was too busy talking about a movie she wanted them to watch next weekend.
“…And apparently the ending is awful,” Yukako explained.
“So why would we watch it?”
“Because making fun of bad movies is entertaining.”
“That’s fair.”
Eventually they reached Josie’s street.
The two of them slowed near her gate.
“Well,” Josie said awkwardly.
“Well,” Yukako echoed.
There was a brief pause before Yukako gave a small smile.
“See you tomorrow?"
“Yeah,” Josie replied easily. “Definitely.”
Yukako waved before disappearing inside.
Josie lingered for another second before finally turning to walk into her house.