The Three O'clock Passenger

Ch. 4: An Overdue Revelation

Things had gotten confusing faster than the three boys could have thought possible. Okuyasu was used to being confused, but as for Josuke and Koichi, not so much. They all stood just where Jotaro had told them to stay, looking fixedly at Noriaki, the new stranger, and Jotaro, the acquainted stranger, the one whose facade none of them could truly break through despite the months he had spent in Morioh.

It was moments like this one that made them recognize the extent of how little they knew about the man. The whole time Noriaki and Jotaro had been talking, the three had been watching them, at first with boredom, but then rapt attention after Jotaro swept the man into his arms. Okuyasu had thought Jotaro was going in for an attack with the initial abrupt movement, crying, "He's an enemy?" right before Noriaki wrapped his arms around Jotaro and they realized it was just a hug, something quite uncharacteristic of a man like Josuke's nephew.

The embrace alone was shocking enough, but things got even more perplexing when an unfamiliar smile settled onto Jotaro's face and he even laughed a few times before kissing Noriaki's forehead! He was holding his hands and smiling and talking and doing every human thing that the three boys had never seen him do before Noriaki showed up. The difference in the way he held himself was jarring, almost miraculous; he was acting like a complete contradiction of who they thought he was.

It was only when Jotaro realized he was being watched that he shot the boys the cold, sharp glare they were all used to. They all looked away.

With the familiarity of the look, Okuyasu was finally able to break the puzzled silence and say, "Guys, I'm kinda confused right now..."

"I-I hate to admit it, but I'm lost too," Josuke said, right before Jotaro caught him staring again. He quickly looked away.

"I figured we'd be meeting a friend of Jotaro's, but the way they're..." Koichi trailed off. There was a pause as Noriaki and Jotaro exchanged a few words before Noriaki leaned against Jotaro, his head under his chin, and, moments later, they were hugging again.

"I don't think that's how friends act," Josuke said. A few silent moments passed as they waited for something to change. Nothing did.

"Sometimes I give friends hugs," Okuyasu said. "I hug you guys all the time!"

"But hugs like that?" Josuke said with a raised eyebrow. "They've been hugging for, like, super long now... It's-it's kinda weird, and not very, um, friend-like?"

"You know, the way they--" Koichi paused. When he spoke again, each word he said was slow and steady as if he was carefully measuring each sound that left his mouth. "They come off as more of a... couple?"

There was a pause as each of them considered this. Josuke nodded his head conclusively. "Yeah, I think that's a sound assumption."

"Oh, and it would explain the kiss! Jotaro kissed that guy's head!" Okuyasu said, incredulously. That fact that Jotaro was physically able to kiss someone seemed impossible to him. "I hug my friends, but I sure as hell don't kiss 'em! I don't give you kisses, Josuke, and you're my favorite!"

"Oh, thanks," Koichi muttered. "Glad I know where I stand, now."

"What? You want kisses or something?"

"N-no-- No, I don't! Not from you, Okuyasu, no!"

"Okay, good! I didn't wanna give you kisses anyway!"

They continued sniping between each other for a while, but Josuke wasn't listening to them. "You know," he said. "I didn't think Jotaro would be into guys."

Koichi, thankful for the out, disregarded Okuyasu who continued to grumble about 'lil' kisses'. He turned his gaze up to Josuke. "I mean, he seems to really hate women for some reason. And, on top of that, think about it: What do you know about Jotaro? If someone asked you for personal stuff about him would you have a solid answer? Like what he likes and what his hobbies are and other things like that?"