Josuke and Rohan Sort Some Things Out

Disagreement

When Josuke finishes moving all the boxes Rohan can find for him to move, which takes a surprisingly short time because of Crazy Diamond (Rohan may currently like Josuke's Stand more than its user), Rohan has to admit that he may have been reading some negative qualities into Josuke that aren't there.

Josuke is still annoying, hyperactive, and overly expressive. And his hair is stupid. But he's not an ungrateful arsonist, so that's... good. Maybe "good" is too strong. Rohan settles on "mediocre."

"So, are you sure this is all you want me to do? Me and Crazy D are pretty good at getting stuff done."

Rohan bites his tongue to avoid correcting Josuke's grammar. "Yes. I don't need anything else. Let's see, how long has it been?"

"'Bout twenty minutes. Aah, I'll feel so guilty if I ask you to pay me for that measly bit of work. Don't you have anything else?"

Of course Josuke would feel guilty about being paid for honest work, but have no qualms about burning Rohan's house down and trying to swindle him for every yen he has. "I could have you model as sketching practice, but I don't think you'd be willing to do what I have in mind."

"I knew it!" Josuke cries. "You have been making Koichi do weird stuff! Man, I knew there was something off about this whole deal. I wouldn't expect him to agree. What are you gonna do if Yukako finds out, huh? She'll do a lot worse than burn your house down. Don't expect me to help you out if she does. I know better than to get in her way. I can't figure out what Koichi sees in her, really. If I didn't know better, I'd say he's been scared into dating her. He's too strong-willed for that, though. Koichi's so great."

"...suke. JOSUKE!"

"Huh?"

"Stop ranting and listen to me. First of all," Rohan resists the urge to dig his thumbs into his temples, "I don't ask Koichi to do, as you put it, 'weird stuff' for me."

"Wha-at? You use Heaven's Door on hi-"

Rohan shoves his hand over Josuke's mouth. "Shh. Shhhhh. Shhhhhhhh. Just. Shhh. No more talking."

Josuke licks the palm of Rohan's hand. Joke's on him. Rohan was just dissecting a salamander.

"Now. I do not use Heaven's Door on Koichi. I haven't even used Heaven's Door on you, despite near-constant provocation. Yukako sometimes comes over and models as well. Incidentally, I don't care what she thinks of me. I can win against a bunch of angry hair. When I said that I thought you would be unwilling to do what I have in mind, it's because I would be asking you to get rid of that ridiculous hairstyle."

Josuke tries hard to bite Rohan's hand. Rohan lets him speak.

"No way am I letting you diss my kewl hair! Say one more bad thing about it and just see what happens, punk."

"I can't have you wearing that hair if I try to draw you. It's your signature style. It makes you stand out. It's just about the most noticeable thing in any room."

Josuke preens.

"And the rest of you is just a generic, overly expressive shape with good exaggerations. If I take away the hair, you're a perfect model for all kinds of emotions."

"Can't you just draw it out?" asks Josuke, subdued. "I mean, you're such a good artist, shouldn't you be able to just imagine it different?"

"When you showed up with your offer, I assumed that you were familiar with the concept of modelling. Models exist so that the artist does not have to imagine. You can keep the hairdo or not, but I'm not drawing you with it."

Josuke considers the offer. He really needs the money. It's not like anyone else is here to witness his de-pompadoured head. If he gives up the pomp now, he can have a taller and more magnificent pomp later with the fancy hair gel he'll be able to buy. Okuyasu will marvel at the style and structure of the revamped 'do.

Slowly, reluctantly, Josuke reaches for the comb in his back pocket and brings it to his head. He has decided.

"No way, Rohan. This pompadour is the expression of my heart and soul. The day I sacrifice the pomp for temporary gain is the day I die."

Josuke runs the comb across his hair, perfecting its magnificent shape.

******************

"So, how did it go?" asks Okuyasu.

"Awful," moans Josuke. "It started out ok, just moving some boxes and stuff, but then it happened. Can you believe he asked me to... to... I can't even say it, man. It's too horrible. I just booked it out of there. Straight through the walls with Crazy D and never looked back. I don't know how Koichi lives with that monster."

A single strand of Josuke's hair falls from its perch and droops across his face.

"Man, I need a job."