001 ★ VIDEO

[unbreaker]

[As the broadcast begins, it appears as though classes at Heropa High have let out for the day and Josuke has wandered off from his peers. Choosing to nestle himself comfortably beneath an indiscriminate tree, his school bag strewn haphazardly next to him on the grass, a bit of a discontented pout tugs downward upon his lips.

Something has been weighing heavily on his mind all day and, with a rather exaggerated sigh, the sort that one might elicit if they were being forced to do something they didn't want to, he begins.]

Alright, show of hands, how many of you have been here before but don't remember?

[Josuke raises a hand and then drops it into his lap again a moment later. Seems admitting that is like pulling teeth.]

I like the scenery, and there's been a lot of cool stuff to check out around town, but all these people acting like they know me is kind of...

[Exhausting? Frustrating?

He takes a few seconds to ruminate on that, but when he can't seem to find the word he's looking for, he shakes his head and dismisses the thought altogether.]

...anyway.

Instead of dragging this out, I figured I should just hit up everyone at once. Or try. That's what this network is for, right? So if you know me, or knew me, I guess what I'm trying to say is...sorry. I don't really know who any of you are — but I'd like to.

[There, that wasn't so hard, was it?]

The name's Higashikata Josuke. It's nice to meet everyone.

[Managing a small and friendly smile at last, he ends the transmission there.]

Comments

[restingstitchface]

I put a question to you; is it better to be loved rather than feared, or feared rather than loved?

[He repeats it verbatim - much like a teacher reciting by rote.]

Your answer didn't disappoint.

[Not in the development and opportunities it brough him, at least.[

[unbreaker]

Well, it's not really a hard question, is it?

[He's not asking what his answer was. He doesn't think he needs to. Love and fear are both necessary, each motivating in their own way...but in the end, the one power that Josuke always returns to above all others is that of love.]

[restingstitchface]

No, but try answering if it you don't hold conviction. I've seen plenty of students struggle to grasp the ethical dilemma Machiavelli put to us so long ago.

[unbreaker]

And what's your answer, doc?

[restingstitchface]

I might perhaps swipe Machiavelli's answer; that it's better to be feared, if one cannot be both.

[unbreaker]

What makes you think that? Keeping in mind I'm asking you and not Machiavelli.

[restingstitchface]

Personal experience. I never much coddled my students, but I never liked giving them easy, unchallenging work.

[unbreaker]

You make it sound like you're some kind of essay-assigning monster.

[restingstitchface]

Well, is it a bad thing to push people to their intellectual limits? Yes, I was harsh, but I was also fair.

[unbreaker]

Honestly, I'd say it depends on how you pushed them. I've had my intellect tested in some pretty shitty...

[He pauses, seeming to recall he's speaking with a doctor, and then clears his throat.]

Ah...that is, in some ways that weren't too pleasant. Did I learn from it? Yeah, but that didn't make it okay. What I'm saying is...there's limits. Things that are acceptable and not.

You mind me asking what you did?

[restingstitchface]

Nothing foolish. You see, people generally have too many problems in being called out on their behavior, especially when they believe paying tuition makes me a service provider.

[He says quite coldly. He is not ashamed of his honesty.]

Yet, I made myself available for credit opportunities and one on one office time. But it's the nature of young people to not realize their opportunities, IU guess.

[unbreaker]

[Well, that sure was a lot of words for a reply that was still pretty vague...]

You still teach now, or is that a thing of the past?

[restingstitchface]

[He tilts his head.]</small? The latter. I haven't stepped foot inside a classroom in fifteen years, at least...

[unbreaker]

[Probably, Josuke thinks, teaching was a stepping stone to becoming a psychiatrist and little else. But that's quite an assumption, so he asks...]

There was never really a love of it?

[restingstitchface]

Not hardly, I simply went into a career that offered more money.

[And respect. But that one he's not sharing.]

[unbreaker]

Huh.

Well, at least you found something you like better. You happy being a psychiatrist?

[Because money is good. As a teenager, Josuke especially likes the stuff. But happiness is far more important.]

[restingstitchface]

As a matter of fact I am. Plus it pays my bills.

[What kind of bills? He's not telling that, either.]

[unbreaker]

Don't imagine anyone could be too happy with a job that couldn't do at least that much for 'em. But I'm glad you're happy, doc.

Life's short. It's best to make the most of it. No regrets and all that.

And helping people...that's really admirable.

[restingstitchface]

Thank you. I honestly believe in doing exactly so - and to my best, at that.

[His best. Yeeeeeeah.]