Cherry Dreams

It had been months since Jotaro Kujo finally killed the plague that hung over the Joestar family for generations. Jotaro waited for the inevitable: the funerals for the fallen. There was no way he could've been the one to make up a falsified truth about the death of the Kakyoins' son. Unsurprisingly, they wept and mourned. Unsurprisingly, they were angry at the Joestar family, much less wanted to accept the money offered in compensation for the funeral and any other expenses.

Still, the three survivors attended the funeral in the shadows. They wouldn't dare to show their faces – the fact they couldn't save their precious Noriaki was more than enough to hold a grudge… and no one would blame them. They had that right.

In their eyes, Noriaki had disappeared since their trip since Egypt only to be found dead in a tower due to mysterious circumstances weeks later. Circumstances that they probably would never imagine in their wildest dreams. A mixture of angry and sad tears would befall them forevermore as the death of their only son hung over them.

The three survivors didn't stay for the whole funeral. They wanted to stay to pay their respects and to, once again, apologize for not protecting him. They would have to wait until the proceedings for the funeral were over in order to properly apologize to the fallen teen.

And that day haunted Jotaro.

In his dreams, it would be red. In his nightmares, there would be a shadow – someone who resembled DIO. Because of the anger he still had in his heart, he would call out to the shadow. Star Platinum would appear to protect him, even in his dreams, as he prepared to fight a potentially new enemy.

A whisper echoed but it was distorted and Jotaro strained his ears to try to understand. Still, the words were too jumbled for him to even understand.

The shadows emitted a type of mist which didn't help his lack of eyesight.

"Goodbye."

Jotaro woke up in a cold sweat. The voice had been distorted and, what made it worse, was the guilt that built up inside him. He wouldn't dare show it on his face. His grandfather, Joseph, ended up staying at their residence a little longer, same with his grandmother Suzi Q, to completely make sure his mother was back to perfect health.

Sometimes Jotaro would glance at his mother when she assured her parents about her well-being and something prevented him from smiling along with everyone else. His mind did wander towards the other surviving friend.

Jean Pierre Polernarff long since left the duo back to his hometown in France. The Speedwagon Foundation had offered compensation money for the troubles, the death, the unnecessary death of his sister, and he took it. Naturally, since it was the only thing the Frenchman could do is move on with his life – what else could he had done? He had no reason to stay in Japan.

Another noisy day with his noisy family passed by and his mother smiled once again, unaware of the sacrifices made for her health.

Jotaro couldn't be angry with her. His mother was kind and sweet, something he didn't know she could maintain in this cruel world now cluttered with Stands. Human beings were always cruel to each other, Jotaro realized after this trip. Even after DIO was gone, another evil would surely rise. Another evil would take advantage of the Stands and their power and use it towards an evil goal.

He'd crush the coffee can in his hand.

"Jotaro, are you okay?" his mother asked, concerned.

He'd never answer. He just got up and walked away from the noise. The dream, or nightmare, last night bothered him. The truth of reality bothered him. He was promised by his grandfather he would get rest after DIO's death and yet…

He found himself in the park, as he sat on an empty bench, and watched the people of the town walk by – again, unaware of the sacrifices made for their safety.

Is it okay that they don't know? They know of a terrorist attack in Egypt. That's all they know. But do they know what happened?

Jotaro couldn't help but think this to himself. The needles of guilt pricked through him and he was unable to move. He was unable to think about the future beyond himself, beyond Iggy, beyond Avdol, and, especially, beyond Kakyoin.

"Ah, so there you are, Jotaro!" The familiar voice of Joseph Joestar surprised him but he didn't show it. He didn't even face him.

"I know what you're thinking," the old man surprised him once more. "And it's okay to feel guilty. Sometimes, when I think back on my youth and what I left behind, I get this feeling in my heart that I don't deserve what I have. I have wealth, and I have a beautiful wife and a gorgeous daughter. Now I have a grandson who, alone, defeated the greatest threat to the Joestar family and the world.

"You probably think that I'm just making up stuff to comfort you but, Jotaro, I've lost comrades myself. You're not the only one who lost comrades in the battle against DIO. You're not the only one who lost friends in your youth. It's… not your fault. Just remember that, Jotaro."

He patted his shoulder and got up to walk away.

Jotaro remained quiet. He watched the old man eventually disappear and he sighed.

That night, when he was home, wasn't any different than the previous. Instead of red, this time, it was green. There seemed to be a gleam which made it seem more of an emerald color than anything. Still, Jotaro didn't want to let his guard down at any costs.

Once again, the figure came up. Once again, it was in a familiar shape. Once again, Star Platinum came out to protect Jotaro.

"Don't be sorry," the figure said this time. The voice wasn't as distorted. "Don't feel guilty." A splash of familiarity hit Jotaro.

It was a voice that he had longed to hear since that night in Egypt.

"Goodbye, Jotaro," the voice said. A flicker of light hit the figure and all Jotaro saw was a sad smile. A sad smile paired with a couple of cherries hanging from both sides.

Jotaro cried out. His voice echoed as he repeated the words DIO had said during the course of their fight.

"The World!" his voice echoed and cracked with pain. Time seemed to stop and Jotaro could see his friend one last time without blood painted on him; behind his closed eyes, lied a Kakyoin. A phantom of Kakyoin, no doubt. Jotaro stared at him and felt a surge of emotion he never thought he would ever feel.

He wanted to reach out. He knew his own ability to stop time was much weaker than DIO's but he couldn't help but hesitate.

The dead teen, rather the phantom, seemed forlorn and the version Jotaro wanted to remember him as.

And when he knew the last second came up, he finally reacted. He finally reached out to touch Kakyoin once more, the last time.

But he disappeared just as time ran out.

Jotaro couldn't help but scream and reach out which woke himself up. Tears streamed down his face and he was surprised at himself. Even when he found out Avdol died, when Polernarff explained about Iggy's sacrifice, especially when his own mother was on the brink of death, he didn't shed a tear.

Why does it hurt so bad? Jotaro wanted an explanation but he knew why he wept. He should've hugged the illusion of Kakyoin when he had a chance and he cursed his own weakness. He should've used his time wisely.

He should've used his time wisely at the final moments of Kakyoin's farewells.

After he wept, and after he composed himself, Jotaro made a trip to the florist's shop. He ignored the swoons and coos of the women who saw him. He had to do this, not just for his dreams, but for Kakyoin.

At the sight of the grave, smoke from the incense quietly burned as he lit it up and paid his proper respects. He hoped no one saw him shed some more tears but he wanted the teen's forgiveness. Jotaro wasn't there to save him when he should've. He wasn't there for Kakyoin's final moments. All he did was run from DIO. He should've fought him first…

He placed the bouquet of flowers; mixed with purple hyacinths, cyclamen, acorns, and even mixed colors of zinnia. He turned around and left. He told himself not to look back; Kakyoin wouldn't want him to.

He never dreamed of the teen again, yet… there were hints of cherries here and there. The cherries always appeared when he felt the most lonesome and Jotaro understood.

In his dreams, he always would put the cherries in his pocket and kept them there. Comfort, he told himself, but he hoped he would have those cherry dreams again.