#chiexyosuke

Great question!  Let’s find out.  

………

“I’m going to jump!”  Yosuke’s fists tightened so much, his nails bit into his palm.  He sucked back a tearful sniffle and clenched his teeth until a muscle twitched in his cheek.  A soft, constant breeze fluttered his hair. His heart raced from the betrayal filling him from his toes to his head.  it threatened to burst from his body like an atomic explosion. 

His shoes were placed neatly side by side on the ground out of reach so he couldn’t retrieve them and change his mind.

Behind him, a small crowd of onlookers, too nervous to venture near, had gathered.  His friends and fellow Investigation Team members, Yu, and Yukiko, were among them.  

“How long has be been like this?” Yukiko leaned a whisper to Yu. 

“Five minutes.”

“Shouldn’t we do something?” 

“I’ve already called someone.”

A woman nearby mumbled, ‘What happened? Is he ok?’ among a chorus of clueless speculations.  

“Yosuke,” Yu slid his foot forward, inching closer. “Let’s talk about this.”

“How could she?” He wiped his sleeve across his snotty nose.  “How could she do this to me? After everything we’ve been through.” 

“I’m sure it’s not that bad,” Yukiko tried. 

“They hugged for a full minute! Tightly! What was I supposed to think?!”  His sock-covered toes curled into the edge.    

Yu glanced back to Yukiko, and saw the person he’d called settle smoothly and quietly next to his friend.  

Naoto nodded to him.  Arrangements had been made, and precautions taken. Yosuke’s father, and the building security were notified. 

He looked back to his distraught best friend perched precariously on the lip of the drop.  One wrong move and gravity would take over.  “Can you tell me what happened?”

Yosuke lowered his head.  “I came out of Aya’s with two mega beef bowls like she wanted, and he was there with a suitcase.  And she was in his arms. And she smiled…”  He clenched his eyes shut.  “She looked so happy,” he whimpered. 

“Then you left and came here?” Yu ventured.  

Yosuke nodded.  

“Why here?”

Yosuke’s eyes cracked open and he took a deep breath.  “I like it here.” 

“Yosuke!”  Chie pushed through the crowd and ran up next to Yu.  “What do you think you’re doing?!”

Her voice rammed an icicle through his chest.  For the first time, he turned sad brown eyes toward his friends, to take in their faces for the last time.  “Just tell me, Chie.  Who is he?” 

“What?”  She blinked.  “Wait… Is that what this is about?  Seriously?  Get down from there, you idiot! You’re being overdramatic! You’re scaring Yukiko!”

“I’m fine,” she answered calmly. 

Chie blinked at her friend.  “You guys aren’t remotely worried about this?”

Yu shook his head from side to side. 

Chie sighed, then continued, “Ok, well,you’re scaring me, then! Yosuke, please, just get your butt off that ledge! I’ll buy you your favorite snack.”

“You can’t bribe me with food.”

“It usually works.”

“My heart will need more than a melon soda and takoyaki to heal.”

“Can I have your bike?” Yu piped up.  

“Sure, bro,” Yosuke mumbled listlessly.  All life disappeared from his eyes.  “It’s all yours.  I’m a broken man.”

“Oh good grief,” Chie smacked her palm against her face.  “Look, it’s not what you think.  That guy, he’s–” 

“Good-bye, cruel world!”

She gasped.  “Yosuke, no!”

Yosuke’s arms extended to the side as he leaned back.  He took in azure blue sky overhead, drifting with puffy white clouds fresh from a storm, and cried. The faces of his friends, and the freedom of sky were the last things he would see as he let himself fall off the edge into the sweet oblivionof Junes’ newest rooftop addition 

The wind soothed him, calmed him slightly, but in the end, he couldn’t smile.

The impact plunged his world into darkness.  

“Yosuke,” a small voice nudged through the darkness, pleading, begging.  “Yosuke.” 

He groaned.  Tiny fingers poked his arm to get his attention. Sound muffled around him like his head was wrapped in a sponge.

Nanako stood next to him shoulder deep in a rainbow sea of plastic hollow balls.  “Are you ok?” 

Yosuke opened his eyes and stared up at the second level of the new play area where he’d made a perfect back flop into the ball pit.  He let out a weary sigh. 

She giggled.  “Silly.  You gotta go down the slide.  It’s way more fun.”

“I should leave him be,” Yu stated. “At least for a few minutes.”  He trusted that Nanako could handle it from here. After that point, he would go in and save whatever dignity survived.

Naoto shrugged. “His dad already said he’s grounded for causing a scene. Might as well let him wallow in his misery for a little longer.” 

Chie folded her arms at the edge of the pit.  “Are you going to get out there now that you’d embarrassed yourself?”

“Who is he?” Yosuke said to the netting overhead, and the kids on the second level who still watched the weird teenager out of curiosity. 

Chie sighed and lowered her arms, speaking more softly.  “He’s my cousin. Hideyoshi lives in the city.  He’s staying with us for the week until his mom comes back from her business trip. I haven’t seen him in forever. We were tight as little kids.” 

Yosuke’s eyes widened.  “Cousin…?”  What a fool he was.  He wanted to disappear, and knew exactly how to do it.  He slipped his headphones over his ears. “Nanako, bury me.” 

“Ok, Can we get ice cream later?”

“Sure.”

“Yay!” She piled as many colorful spheres over her older cousin’s best friend as her tiny hands could manage until only the tip of Yosuke’s nose remained.  

OMGGG