Three of Swords-JJBA Part 3

A Day of Relaxation...Ruined

Jotaro had long since abandoned Kakyoin and Scarlet by the pool. As Kakyoin lay sunbathing (and still in his school jacket, which Scarlet teased him about), Scarlet sat at the edge of the pool with her legs in the water, swinging them back and forth and watching the ripples that were made because of her actions. The pool was surprisingly empty. She guessed most of the people in the hotel decided to spend the day acting as tourists. That was what they were, after all.

"Kakyoin. It's too hot. I'm going somewhere cooler." Scarlet said as she got out of the pool, turning to look at him.

"That's because you're still wearing your jacket. And your sweater underneath it." Kakyoin replied, still sunbathing. Scarlet frowned.

"I can't take off my sweater. I have nothing underneath. And that isn't the problem. How can you just lay there with your school jacket still on?"

"I'm a student. I have to dress like one."

Scarlet chuckled a bit and looked back into the water, putting her leg back into it and making circles with her foot. "In my school, they don't have uniforms. Well, they didn't. I don't know if they do now." Her small smile faded away as her thoughts went to her school, her friends, her family. Would she ever be able to see them again? Would her parents look at her the same way again, thinking she ran away from them?

She felt herself stop breathing for a second, her mind overflowing with questions, each one making her worry more than the last. 

Why did all of this have to happen to her?

A hand landed softly on her shoulder. Scarlet took in a deep breath, turning to be face to face with Kakyoin as he crouched down to be more at her level.

"I know. This is all...it's not ideal. None of it is. The thought of facing DIO...the thought of what may happen to us on this trip...there's no better word to describe it than horrifying. But..." Kakyoin took her hand with his other one and squeezed it softly. "..we will always have each other. None of us are going through this alone. Nor will we ever. We're all going through our own personal journeys along with this one. But we don't have to take those alone, either."

"..Kakyoin..." Scarlet whispered, then hugged him tightly. They nearly fell backwards, but Kakyoin steadied himself and returned the gesture, wrapping his arms around her torso.

"Thank you. Thank you. Thank you." She kept on repeating the words, then let go of him. He slowly let go of her, unhappy the moment had ended, but happy with the result.

"Now, if you're really that hot, we can head back into the hotel." He said with a smile. Scarlet chuckled a bit.

"I actually want to stay out here and swim, but I don't have a swimsuit." She said, looking back at the pool.

"Maybe we can just go for ice cream to cool off, then." Kakyoin suggested, pulling out some money that Joseph had given him.

"I thought that was only for emergencies?" Scarlet asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

"I'd say that keeping cool in the heat is an emergency." Kakyoin replied coolly with a slight smirk. Scarlet nodded and got up.

"I'd agree."

--

When they arrived at the little shack, the cashier greeted them with a smile.

"So, how'd you enjoy the coconut water?" He asked, turning to Kakyoin. Scarlet gave him a slightly confused look. Kakyoin had been here before?

"Excuse me?" Kakyoin replied, equally as confused as his partner. He had no recollection of ever visiting this spot before.

"Come on, you were just here earlier, with that tall guy wearing black and the young girl." The man said. He must have been talking about Jotaro and Anne. Scarlet tensed up. Kakyoin hadn't been with Jotaro since he left him and Scarlet at the pool. She knew that because she had been with him since that moment, and even before.