Evasive

"Hey, tell me about you."

The first time he made the request, he was met with a surprised look and a slight smirk.

"Curious?"

"Maybe."

There was a hum. A thought of consideration. But that soon disappeared and so did the Composer.

The second time was at a party.

"How old are you anyway?"

He looked up from the plate of cake in his hands, pouting in mock indignation. "Don't you know that's rude to ask someone that question?"

"Yeah, if they're a girl," he said, jabbing his fork at the blonde. Joshua backed away, grimacing at the remnants of icing on the fork, before his visage returned to that of cool indifference. He pulled out his phone and began to rapidly text with one hand.

"Hey, you didn't answer my question."

"Hm? Oh excuse me, what was it again?" He asked innocently, looking up from his phone.

"I said-"

"Hey, Neku! C'mere, we're taking pictures!" Eri shouted, weaving through the crowd to grab Neku's wrist. "Have you seen Beat? I've been looking for him since he ate half of the cake..." Eri chattered on, deaf to the orange head's protests as he tried to pull himself free. He looked to Joshua for help, but the other just grinned, obviously amused, and waved to him before his figure was obscured by the crowd.

Ten minutes later, after a few photos and finding Beat hiding from Eri's ire, Neku found a slice of cake on the table, untouched, and a text message on his phone.

Sorry had to go.

Damp

Neku sneezed again as he walked down the alleyways. Rubbing his nose, he checked his phone another time, hoping that this wasn't the address of a strip bar or something. Considering who had told him, it wasn't unlikely.

To his relief, the path soon merged into a a familiar street where he saw the bright splashes of color across the wall. To his surprise, very few people were hanging around the new mural, most only gazing at it afar as they pulled their scarves and mufflers tighter around themselves. He did the same, staring at the art in awe as the people began to dissipate.

He sneezed again and pulled up his collar in hopes of shielding his red nose from the cold air. Soon there was no one left around the mural and he approached it.

There was the trademark brainy cat, crosses, and the occasional cloaked skull that reminded Neku of a reaper. A little bit off were something new: multiple spheres, each with varying color schemes and features. The first sphere was a beach with star-fruited palm trees and a bright sunny sky. Another appeared to be a town, with a bell tower and a warm sunset. Next in the line was a mostly brown sphere that seemed to be lit by cheerful yellow lights. Its nighttime sky was studded with bright stars.

The last and by far the largest was a gray sphere with spires protruding from it. All of the buildings were painted and shaded in different shades of gray, a monochromatic color scheme if it wasn't for the vibrant musical notes trailing from the spires and the buildings of the sphere. Rather than a sky, this sphere was surrounded by a pure, shining white figure.

He stared at them for a few moments before he slumped down and leaned against the mural. He let out a slow breath and watched as his white breath faded into the air.

He had been sitting there for a couple of minutes when he began to notice an uncomfortable dampness seeping through his collar and an odd stiffness in his hair. He was reaching toward his spikes when the smell finally pervaded his stuffed nostrils.

It was paint.

Bloody

One breath at a time. Not to fast, not too slow.

Don't stop.

Neku let out a ragged gasp as he clenched his chest, a burning pain where the bullet had pierced him.

Who are you? What did I ever do to you?

Why me?

He blinked, trying to push away the red spots in his vision and tried to remember the face of the person who shot him. Maybe he could haunt him the afterlife or something. That was the least the asshole deserved for shooting a random person.

A boy his age... or was it a girl? They were maybe blonde? Or was it dyed?

He knew he was laying on the ground, but the world spun around him as he felt himself fall, a numb emptiness engulfing him.

For a fleeting moment, all he could see was red.

And then nothing.

TWEWY belongs to Square Enix