As the final bell reverberates through Budogaoka, Okuyasu cannot be happier that the day was over. He sighed heavily, slinging his bag over his shoulder and walking out of the classroom in much deeper thought than he usually subjects himself to.

Once again, Valentine's Day had rolled around, and it was more of a disappointment than ever before. No envelopes with pink hearts written in neat handwriting on his desk, no hastily written sticky notes on his textbooks asking to meet him behind the school after classes end, no confessions of love, period. Even if it was a fate that the younger Nijimura had resigned himself to long ago, the sheer lack of romance aimed his way on such a day of gushing love stung like hell.

 

Some little part of his heart had hoped that Morioh could be different; He was a teenager on his own terms now, and finally had some semblance of a friend group to confide in and revel with. That got Okuyasu remembering the only nice part from today, being lunch just a few hours earlier. He and Josuke had settled into their typical spots in the history classroom, buzzing with lively students handing out little pink cards and red heart-shaped containers of sweets to one another sheepishly. Koichi of all people had stopped by with Yukako as well, who held his hand tight and stood right beside the short teenager. They had both come to wish a happy Valentine's Day to the delinquents, and both gave the two a small platonic gift. Koichi handed them each a modest set of two sesame-honey mochi, and Yukako quickly gave them each a pink, twine wrapped sachet of milk chocolate, before returning to Koichi's hand with a smile. They waved the boys goodbye before leaving, where Okuyasu duly noted them picking up what was presumably their Valentine's to each other; Yukako held an expensive-looking gift box from that fruit parlor in S-City, and Koichi struggled to hold a red box of chocolates as big as his body.

Okuyasu looked down at the two small gifts on his desk, his eyes wide in amazement and gratitude. Sure, they were platonic gifts probably given out of pity by friends that he was sure all of Koichi and Yukako's friends got as well, but they were Valentine's for him all the same. He felt big, watery tears about to spill out of his eyes, and he sniffled and wiped his face quickly to keep them at bay. It's great to have friends , he thought.

Josuke sighed heavily, his pouting causing Okuyasu to turn back to the pompadoured boy. What could Josuke be so bummed out about? His face was contorted in an awkward expression, half-lidded eyes staring down at his desk; It was covered in letters, chocolates, and other various gifts stacked in a messy pile. Okuyasu hadn't even noticed how many little gifts his friend had received until that point, and his brain hurt to think about it. His dazed expression must've caught the attention of Josuke as well, as the other stand user gave Okuyasu a weak smile. "People sure are busy this year, huh?" He said, grabbing a pink rectangular gift box with a velvet red bow from the top of the pile, and offering it to Okuyasu. "Here, have some. I think a girl with glasses gave this to me during chemistry. I'm, uh... Just gonna throw them away." He said, leaning closer to Okuyasu as he whispered the last sentence. Okuyasu could feel the warmth from his blushing friend's face, his eyelashes long and feathered, and the smell of expensive hair product wafting towards him. Just as close, intimate, as they always were as best bros, but something about the lack of space between them today made Okuyasu's heart race. Yet, when he finally processed the words coming out of Josuke's mouth, he jolted up in his chair in confusion. "W-why the hell would you throw out your Valentine's, Josuke!?" He said, voice cracking at a volume higher than he had meant. A few other students turned their way, glancing at both boys with vague surprise... and possibly disappointment, from a few.

The Higashikata put his hands up defensively, shaking his head with fervor. "D-dude, not so loud, ok!? I can't carry all this shit home with me anyways, I gotta, uhh..." His sapphire-blue eyes darted around, before settling back to stare at Okuyasu. "I g-gotta go to see Jotaro and Mr. Joestar today after s-school at the hotel, something about the invisible baby..." He trailed off, glaring back at the mountain of gifts on his desk. "Please, Oku, take some of 'em. I don't think that, uh, Jotaro has much of a sweet tooth." Josuke held the candy out again, practically pushing it into Okuyasu's chest like it was something absolutely burdensome.

 

And so, that's how Okuyasu moped out of the school gates with a sigh, his bag a bit heavier with some of the begrudgingly taken sweets. Maybe he would give a box of them to his father for dinner, since Keicho never gave the mutated man anything but scraps. Could sweets be bad for dad in his state? He mused about it with his head towards the sky, feeling the warm sun through the brisk February air. He only had realized he must've taken a wrong turn home when he passed by Hoka-ben, crowded with young couples buying specialty meals of omurice with various heart-shaped ketchup designs. Okuyasu grunted, feeling frustrated once again at the love in the air that wasn't directed at him in the slightest. Could anyone blame him for feeling that way? The only Valentines he had gotten were from his friends, and the last few things were just to lighten the load for his best bro. Speaking of Josuke, Okuyasu scrunched his face, then blinked his eyes wide open at the realization that Josuke hadn't given the Nijimura anything for the holiday that was from him. He felt a sinking feeling hit his stomach, like someone was mocking him for being dense.

Had Josuke even mentioned giving gifts to anyone during the school day? He couldn't recall the pompadoured teen mentioning anything related to the holiday until their conversation at lunchtime. Had he given something like that to Koichi? Okuyasu hadn't seen it, so maybe Josuke just didn't want to participate in the gift-giving festivities at all?

Yeah, that had to be it; Josuke simply didn't want to participate! Okuyasu nodded his head silently at that conclusion, probably because the alternative, that Josuke had gotten someone a Valentine's gift, was simply too heartbreaking to bear. He continued to nod while turning the corner, approaching Yotsuba Electronics and Flower Shop with renewed confidence.

 

He would have kept on like that too, if he hadn't noticed Josuke stepping out of the flower shop wing before it was too late.

Okuyasu jumped like a frightened cat, darting behind an oak tree along the sidewalk to hide. His breath was ragged as he tried to calm his heart beating a mile a minute, and he sank to the cold earth at his feet while doing so. What the actual hell was Josuke doing there!? Why wasn't he at Jotaro's like he said!? And... Who the hell were those flowers for!? All of these things bounced around Okuyasu's mind at a breakneck pace, jumbling and thwarting any attempt he made to make it make sense. All he managed to do was turn his head around the tree trunk as quietly as he could manage, and continue to watch Josuke.

Josuke Higashikata stood right outside of the flower shop's door, holding a bouquet large enough to fill his arm handsomely. The flowers were roses, of course; Their base was a pale apricot tone that faded into a brilliant pink by the edges of the petals. They were wrapped in a mint green cloth, with an embroidered paisley design. Near Josuke's cradling hand was a small piece of off-white cardstock, bearing the insignia of the store in gold ink on the side visible to Okuyasu. It quivered slightly in Josuke's fingers. The Nijimura looked up at Josuke's face then, to notice how nervous the pompadoured teen seemed to be. He was flushed bright red, and kept turning his head back and forth as if he was checking to see if someone was coming. And just as quickly as he had left the shop, he rushed in the opposite direction that Okuyasu had come from, jogging and shielding the flowers all the while.

Okuyasu sprang into action, running across the street to tail Josuke. Why the hell am I following Josuke like this, he wondered? It was unlikely that a stand user had attacked Josuke and made him buy flowers for someone, but... Somehow, whatever was the more mundane explanation ripped at Okuyasu's heart strings like a rabid dog. Whoever was supposed to be the recipient of this gift, Okuyasu deserved to know, right? If it was some unstable person like Yukako when she first went after Koichi, it was best that Okuyasu knew who they were before Josuke got kidnapped, he figured. Of course, it could also just be someone mundane that Josuke wanted to meet with privately, and Okuyasu would just go on his merry way. Yeah, merry and content with the fact that his best friend, his... crush... was trying to swoon someone else. The delinquent felt tears gather in his eyes, wiping them away once again as he continued to follow Josuke's fast footsteps.

With every corner they turned, Okuyasu just felt himself sink deeper and deeper into the hypothetical despair his broken heart conjured up. It was just too much for him to handle, all of that hard thinking about the person that was nearest and dearest to him. How he had spent the entire day feeling excluded and alone, and now... His best friend had left him alone too.

 

That was it for Okuyasu. The straw that broke the camel's back. Before he even knew what he was doing, his mouth was opened wide and barking out a command.

"H-Hold it right there, Josuke!"

Josuke stopped dead in his tracks, standing still as a statue with his back turned to Okuyasu. Okuyasu approached him slowly, carefully, feeling his heart pulse like a jackhammer in his chest. It was eerily silent for a moment, before Josuke sprung back to life, turning his head only to face Okuyasu with his face bright red and dripping with a nervous sweat.

"O-Okuyasu!? H-hey, man... What's up?" He said, his free hand reaching behind his head to rub it bashfully, doing that fake laugh that was so played-up that it just made Okuyasu even angrier. He got closer to Josuke, hands in his pockets.

"...You told me you were going to Jotaro's." Okuyasu finally said, staring Josuke down with insurmountable pressure. 

The pompadoured teen's face went pale, before he waved his hand in the air dramatically. "O-oh, right! Y-yeah, I'm going there, just to, uh... get some leads on potential stand users in M-Morioh, y’know?" He said, inching away from Okuyasu bit by bit, hoping the Nijimura didn't notice. He did, in fact, notice.

"...You also told me that you were going there to take care of the invisible baby." He said, watching Josuke's face shift as if he was cursing himself internally for not being able to keep his lies straight. He had just about had it with these games.

"Okuyasu, listen, I c-can explain..." He said, putting his free hand up defensively, now turned to face the Nijimura completely as he walked backwards. The bouquet was even larger than Okuyasu had first thought, which just fueled his heartbroken, painful rage.

"J-Josuke, you... Who the fuck could you be bringing all of these flowers to, huh!?" He shouted, getting right into Josuke's bubble. The other teen seemed genuinely scared, biting his lower lip and leaning back.

"T-they're, um, they're for..." He stammered, staring into Okuyasu's eyes with complete and utter anxiety, his beautiful eyes darting every which way to avoid scrutiny. Okuyasu was at his breaking point.

 

"Hey, Josuke, Okuyasu! I made some Vermont curry, come in and have a plate-" Josuke's mother called out casually, before noticing how close to a fight both boys were. Both of them blinked at each other, then at her. What... Why is Tomoko here? Okuyasu thought to himself, completely dumbfounded as Josuke slipped past him hastily towards his mother.

He looked up then, and realized where they were; The Higashikata household. They had been running all the way there while Okuyasu was psyching himself out that he hadn't even noticed.

"H-hey, Mom... Uh, these are for you... Happy Valentine's Day..!" Josuke stuttered, pushing the bouquet into his mother's surprised arms. His face was completely flushed out of an absolutely adorable embarrassment, turning away from his mother with his eyes shut tight. Tomoko smiled wide, and started giggling. "Well well, I'm surprised you actually remembered! Thanks, Josuke. I'll put these on the kitchen table. Hurry inside now, you two, before the curry gets cold!" She said smiling cheerfully and waltzing back into the house with the flowers like it was the most normal thing in the world.

Josuke had gotten the Valentine's Day flowers... For his mother!? Okuyasu's brain practically fizzled out like a deflating balloon under all of the stress to wrap his head around the current situation. They weren't for some evil stand user, or a secret partner, or someone else that would take Okuyasu's desired place alongside his best friend and crush, just his... mother.

The Higashikata covered his face with his palm, and then coughed to the side. "Uhm... I've, uh, gotten my mom flowers every year on Valentine's Day since I was a kid, but... I didn't want anyone at the school to think I was going out with some chick." He said quickly, his eyes obscured by his pompadour as he looked at the ground away from Okuyasu. So that meant... Josuke wasn't crushing on anyone like that? Okuyasu breathed a heavy sigh of relief, before feeling a bit guilty for chasing his best friend halfway across town like a madman.

"No, no, s'alright, I just wanted to make sure, uhhh... That you weren't bein' controlled by somebody, or forced to buy f-flowers, or-"

"T-this is for you, by the way..." Josuke said, shoving the object towards Okuyasu so quickly and so hard that he huffed out some air. “I had it, um, tucked under my arm so no one would see…” Okuyasu looked down while he was stammering to finish his sentence and explain himself, and stopped immediately.

There, in Josuke's hand, was a tender bunch of three roses. Oxblood red, with delicately curled petals and the thorns painstakingly removed, wrapped in a pale lavender cloth and tied with a burgundy ribbon. Another piece of cardstock stood out in the middle with the insignia on it, and Okuyasu couldn't help but pull it out and read it in a stupor.

 

Okuyasu,

You're always there for me, so I want to always be there for you. Will you be my Valentine?

Josuke

 

At this point, the events of the day had fried Okuyasu's brain like an egg sunny side up. He couldn't even begin to process how this was basically a confession of feelings that he most certainly reciprocated, and could blossom into something so much more loving.

So, he didn't. He simply answered,

"Y-yeah, Josuke."

And it was Josuke's smile that was the most beautiful gift he could have received that day.