OKOSHI | JOJOLION

020 | tg university hospital.

★ . . . YOU'D ASKED EVERY PERSON YOU passed whether they'd seen a stumpy little dog with a mane and a clump of fur on its tail. When they didn't look slightly concerned, they all pointed you in the direction of the Honey Sesame Café, which you supposed was convenient. Somehow, the dog and Yasuho were going to meet you in the same location.

You weren't bad with directions, but you found yourself getting turned around a lot more than usual. You had appreciated Morioh for being easily navigable your first few days here, but suddenly all of the streets started blurring together, storefronts practically indistinguishable from each other. You felt bad for stopping a burgundy-haired woman to ask for directions to the Honey Sesame Café, despite being told where it was just a few minutes ago.

"It's just past that intersection," the woman said, pointing. "Take the left."

You thanked the woman, but couldn't help staring at her face as she left. Her eyes were strangely pinched-looking, and her nose and lips perched awkwardly on her face. A different woman passed by then, and with a start, you noticed she had the same awkwardly-placed features too.

Maybe they're related?

You went in the direction the woman had indicated, glancing into storefronts as you went. One of the mannequins made you stop in your tracks.

Their faces. Squinty eyes and awkward noses. They looked just like those two women you'd passed by earlier!

A mother and daughter exited the door just then, and to your shock, they had the same faces as the mannequins. When you looked back out at the people on the street, not a single person walked by without those awkwardly placed features.

Your heart started doing double-time in your chest. What the hell was going on?

The Sesame Honey Café, you thought. I just gotta get there. I probably didn't have enough water today or something.

You craned your neck to take in the names of the storefronts, and nearly cried out in relief when you realized you were standing right in front of the café. You ducked inside eagerly. You had to find Yasuho. She would help you with this.

Except . . . this wasn't a café. You blinked confusedly at your surroundings. This was a bank, wasn't it? But then, why had the sign outside . . .?

You happened to glance at a whiteboard sign on the back. SESAME HONEY CAFÉ! it declared in bold, red letters. You knocked into something as you began backing away. SESAME HONEY CAFÉ! the caution sign screamed.

"Excuse me, do you need something?" The security guard near the front door approached you, his face pinched and awkward. You looked at his name tag, but the only thing it said was

SESAME HONEY CAFÉ!

"Get away from me!" you cried, pushing the security guard away. You hurried out of the bank. Not only could you not recognize faces anymore, you couldn't read any words either. This was a Stand attack. But how? When could anyone have attacked you?

You fished your phone out of your pocket with shaky fingers. In your periphery, everyone that passed by was warped and strange.

You managed to unlock your phone, only to be met with a wall of gibberish. No. Not gibberish. Every single one of your apps said SESAME HONEY CAFÉ! You swore internally, then went to your calls. Except that wouldn't work because none of your contacts' names actually showed up.

On a whim, you pressed the first contact. Yasuho had been the last person to text you, hadn't she? Even if she hadn't been, you would be glad for anyone helping you right now.