Crazy Heartbreakers - Chapter 6
"NiNi. The more shocking something is, the more you believe your eyes. The moment they start being able to see something for themselves, humans will buy it for sure!"
Double doubt (表裏の背理, Hyōri no Hairi, lit. Two-Faced Paradox) is the sixth chapter of Crazy Heartbreakers, a light novel based on the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure series.
Summary
A Chat with Tomoko
Hol Horse uses Emperor to shoot his way out of the dumpster that Josuke trapped him in, causing a loud commotion that draws attention from pedestrians. As he climbs out, he grumbles about Josuke when a furious woman aggressively confronts him, demanding to know why he mentioned Josuke. Initially mistaking her for Josuke's sister due to her youthful appearance, Hol Horse is stunned to learn she is Tomoko Higashikata, Josuke's mother. Her volatile anger quickly shifts to friendliness after hearing Hol Horse compliment her youth, and she insists on dragging Hol Horse to a coffee shop for a chat before her train ride to work.
Tomoko casually mentions that her father, Ryohei, had covered up the recent incident to prevent unnecessary attention, noting it was unfortunate Hol Horse didn’t get recognition for protecting the children. Hol Horse downplays his role, feeling he had done little during the fight. When Tomoko explains why Josuke avoids recognition, she reveals that her out-of-wedlock pregnancy had prevented Ryohei from receiving promotions, as higher-ups deemed it "unseemly." While Ryohei accepted the situation, the stigma left a deep impression on Josuke, who often fought back against bullying related to it. Hol Horse was struck by Tomoko's nonchalant tone when talking about her family, a trait he recognized as a hallmark of the Higashikata family. Their bold, reckless attitudes seemed to propel them through challenges others would avoid. Tomoko humorously attributes Josuke's rebellious phase to puberty, highlighting his distinctive hairstyle and tendency to confront anyone who mocks it. Hol Horse asks her about the mysterious high fever Josuke had ten years prior. Tomoko explains that the doctors didn't believe her because they thought she fed him something and he was having an allergic reaction. Strange things would also happen during that time, like Josuke breaking his own bed despite being unconscious, or the liquid from injections would go back into the syringe. Hol Horse says that he heard Josuke got his hairstyle from someone who saved him back then, but Tomoko couldn't remember if there was someone like that. Furthermore, Tomoko thinks that the blizzard only happened when they were leaving the hospital and not before it, but she can't clearly remember. Tomoko explains how Josuke's hairstyle stemmed from his grandfather's offhand comment about his long hair obstructing his vision in fights, since he hated having it cut by other people and would always return from school covered in bruises. The next morning, Josuke had that hairstyle, and Ryohei teased it for looking weird. Since then, Josuke didn't let anyone else insult his hair, aside from his grandfather. Hol Horse listens intently, struck by the warmth and pride in Tomoko's words. Though he feigned interest in her stories, Hol Horse finds himself reflecting on his own past and wondering if his mother might have spoken of him with the same affection.
Hol Horse's Past
Ten years earlier, Hol Horse told Boingo that while he lies to women, he has never hit one. He turned out that way because of his upbringing as an orphan in an Eastern European country which was nonexistent as of 1999. Hol Horse learned that it had broken up into several smaller nations and he no longer had a hometown. In his overcrowded orphanage, children were categorized as "H" (hospital-born) or "S" (street-found), which determined their government aid. As an "H" child, Hol Horse was slightly favored, a privilege granted by his unknown mother who died giving birth to him. He didn't even know her name or face because of the hospital disposing of the records, but his gratitude for his mother fueled his lifelong respect for all women. Hol Horse's Stand manifested in his youth and helped him survive comfortably. His Stand's power grew as he aged; at first only being as strong as an adult man's punch, but later being as powerful as a real gun by the time he turned 15. His power let him thrive in the underworld, and when his country collapsed into civil war, he escaped unscathed. While he overcame many hardships, his past as DIO's subordinate remains an unhealed scar.
Returning to the present, Hol Horse goes back to his hotel to retrieve a replacement for the toothpick he always held in his mouth, since he lost it after Josuke attacked him. He believes having something in his mouth had become part of his "design", feeling uncomfortable without it. In his room, he receives an urgent call from Oingo, who needs Boingo's help with Tohth. Hol Horse hides the fact that the comic is missing and promises to pass on the message. He wonders if Boingo actually left to find Tohth himself, surprised about Boingo's change in personality. Assuming Boingo would choose to search in places with less people, Hol Horse decides to search quieter streets. Along the way, he hears the word "useless" whispered faintly. He dismisses it as his imagination since he thought he killed Pet Sounds already, though his unease lingers.
The Lit Fuse
Ryoko and Josuke walk through the quiet streets of town, chatting casually. Ryoko tries provoking Josuke, calling him a delinquent who probably kicks stray cats. Josuke denies her accusations, claiming he's a timid guy who is even afraid of turtles, to which Ryoko calls him pathetic. Josuke tells her about how Morioh keeps changing; the street they are in used to have willow trees instead of Zelkova trees, and there weren't many houses in the area around his house when he was five or six, but it eventually developed into a residential area. Ryoko snaps at him, not caring about what he has to say. Josuke begins speaking about the inevitability of change and how dwelling on things you can't control is pointless. He tells Ryoko that while anger can help release frustrations, it doesn't solve anything and must be handled carefully. Josuke points out that Ryoko has been angry since they first met, warning her to manage her emotions before they consume her. He goes further to say that she's the angriest person he's ever met, even more angry than he can get. His observation deeply unsettles Ryoko, who realizes that the "fuse" mentioned in her comic's prediction refers to her own pent-up anger and not Josuke.
Overwhelmed by Josuke's words, Ryoko abruptly runs away, determined to consult the comic book for answers. She dashes through the streets, ignoring a red light and nearly getting hit by a car, before reaching a restricted construction site. She sneaks in, desperate to confirm the comic's next prediction. Opening it, she reads a cryptic passage instructing her to take a gun and aim it at "DIO's slave," with an illustration of Hol Horse being held at gunpoint by her. Before she can process the message, Ryoko suddenly hears a calm, familiar voice whisper, "I'm tired of this." She instantly recognizes it as Noriaki Kakyoin's voice, unchanged from ten years ago. Startled and emotional, Ryoko drops the comic and rushes toward the source of the voice, a dark, covered section of the construction site.
The Past and the Future
After Ryoko runs off, a shadowy figure retrieves the comic book she dropped, smugly claiming it as their own and that the future and past are now in their hands. Shortly after, Josuke arrives at the construction site, frantically searching for Ryoko. Hearing her footsteps above, he gives chase but is stopped by a chilling voice that echoes through the area saying "There's no need to answer that." The soft and gentle voice belongs to Ryoko's hero, a voice from the past with an eerie feeling that Josuke recognizes as being created by Pet Sounds's Stand.
Realizing the bird is still alive and orchestrating an attack, Josuke panics, knowing Ryoko is under its influence without realizing it. As he sprints to save her, Josuke unwittingly becomes influenced by Kakyoin's will—the will of a boy who once faced an overwhelming enemy a decade ago. Rather than strengthening him, the foreign will clouds Josuke's judgment as he is about to unknowingly face a terror that loomed over humanity for over a century.
