Josuke and Rohan Sort Some Things Out

First Contact

"Say, Okuyasu..." Josuke digs his elbow into Okuyasu's chest. "Is it just me, or has Koichi upgraded his style lately?"

Okuyasu squints at Koichi's jacket, considering. "Well... I don't see much difference, but maybe that pin's new? I'm not too good at remembering little details like that."

"That's exactly what I mean. The pin. It's an expensive one. And his shoes are kinda high-end. It's suspicious, dontcha think? I mean, I can barely afford nice hair gel-"

"That's because you have so much hair, Josuke. You should get it cut."

"-and suddenly Koichi can have all this kewl new stuff? No way. He's gotta be doing something to get the money."

"So... why not just ask him?"

"WHAT? No way! That would be totally uncool. He probably has a job or something responsible like that. If I ask him, it'll make me look bad."

"So I will. Hey, Koichi! Come over here a minute!"

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"Well, you guys know Rohan-sensei has been staying at my house, since- uh, since his house... er, since the incident."

"So you're charging him rent! Brilliant, Koichi!"

"No. I have been working for him, though. Modelling and stuff, letting him read with Heaven's Door, that sort of thing. That way I get some pocket money, and he gets a hand with the manga. He says it's nice, since-"

"Hang on. Modelling? You? I mean, I know Yukako likes your looks, but... I mean - no offense - aren't you a little - I mean -"

Koichi laughs. "Yuka-chan and Rohan-sensei aren't looking for the same things, you know. Rohan says he likes having unusual models. He says he gets annoyed sometimes because he has such an average shape that he can't use it for any main characters."

"That makes sense," Okuyasu chips in. "I don't read a whole lot of Pink Dark Boy, since the plot kind of goes over my head, but it seems like his characters are different from the typical manga heroes."

"Exactly," cries Koichi. "You'd fit right in, Josuke! And Okuyasu too, of course."

Josuke feels a slow smile stretching his cheeks. "Yeah... I would, wouldn't I?"

Already, a plan has begun to form.

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"Koichi isn't home. Go away."

"Oh, no, Rohan, I wasn't looking for Koichi."

"Here to burn this house down too? You might want to let the dog out first, you know," spits Rohan. "I think I'll stay inside. Get you out of my hair for once and for all."

"No I... I was looking for you."

"Congratulations. You found me." Rohan shuts the door in Josuke's face.

This is particularly ineffective against Josuke, who has both the means and the wherewithal to enter any building regardless of silly things like locked doors. If it were really Rohan's house, he might hesitate out of consideration for the mangaka's privacy.

But it's Koichi's house, so Crazy Diamond takes out the door.

Rohan makes a strangled screeching noise. "What do you want, Higashikata?"

"It's Josuke. All my friends call me that."

Rohan knows this. Rohan does not see what it has to do with anything. Rohan has already decided to cooperate in the interest of getting rid of Josuke as fast as possible, without resorting to Heaven's Door. Koichi's request and all that.

"Josuke," he says through his teeth. "What do you want."

"Well, Koichi seems like he's been getting all these style upgrades lately. It's little things like new shoes and stuff? I mean, I guess you'd already know that, since you've been staying with him. Man, his pin is the best! I wish I could afford things like that. Do you have any idea how much it costs to keep my hair up in this cool 'do?"

"Would you kindly get to the point?"

"Sure! So what I'm trying to say is, I talked to Koichi the other day,"

"I don't care about Koichi. Hurry up, I have work to do. It's an especially difficult scene I'm trying to draft here."

"Right. Uh, Koichi was talking about how you're staying-"

"If you say another word about Koichi, I will personally-" Well, Rohan will do something, even if he's not sure what. Creativity is his forte.

"An unnamed person says sometimes he models for you and you pay him and since I'm too broke to buy mochi I was wondering if I could maybe do the same thing?" Josuke says in a rush. "Please?" he adds, less of an afterthought than it sounds like.

Rohan presses his fingers to his forehead. "Why don't you just get a normal job? Don't answer that; I don't care. Come in, I guess. I doubt Koichi would mind as much as I do."

Josuke puts Koichi's door back and follows Rohan into the house, chattering animatedly. "I didn't expect you to agree so easily, you know, because you kind of hate me, not that I understand why you hate me, because I try not to offend you, and I really didn't mean to burn your house down, and I'd fix it if you would just ask, and-"

"Hig- Josuke?"

"Yes?"

"Shut up."

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