Neku Sakuraba was a bit of a light sleeper, so when there was a knock on the front door at around one in the morning, he jolted awake. His mother, Taniko Sakuraba, was still awake, so she walked over to the downstairs entrance and looked through the peephole, as she always did. Neku didn't need to see her to know that.

He heard a loud gasp, and the door was yanked open. Out of curiosity, Neku opened his bedroom door and stood in the doorway, not daring to go any further lest he be seen. The downside to this was that he couldn't see downstairs, but at least he could hear everything.

"Oh my god," Taniko shouted before quickly remembering that her son was still asleep (or so she thought) and lowering her voice, "is that really you?"

"Can I come in?" said a male voice that was extremely familiar to Neku, and yet he couldn't match a face to it.

"Of course, of course!"

Neku heard footsteps, and the door closed.

"You haven't aged a day...!" Taniko gasped. Neku was trying to resist the urge to come out of his room more so he could see what was going on.

"Heh, well, you missed a lot. It's been a while, huh?"

"Why did you come back?" She sounded both confused and happy at the same time.

The man sighed, as though reluctant to answer. "My...my job...led me to a boy who seemed familiar, but I swore I'd never seen him before...and then I heard what his name was...I just had to make sure."

"Oh, you mean Neku? You met him?"

"I didn't know what his last name was at first. I couldn't believe my eyes when I read that report..."

"Report? What are you talking about, Koki?"

Koki? Now Neku was really curious. Wasn't that the first name of that lollipop-loving Reaper who'd tried to erase him on numerous occasions? He suddenly realized where he'd heard the voice. It had been a full year since then; the whole situation seemed so surreal now. But why was Kariya here? And how did Taniko know him?

"I'm sorry...but you wouldn't believe me," the Reaper sighed.

"Please, tell me," Taniko pressed. "And why do you look the same as you did ten years ago?"

"It's...it's complicated."

"Why did you leave?" She was starting to sound exasperated.

"Because...well...you know I never meant to hurt you. I couldn't stay...when I got that promotion, I had to cut most of my personal life to survive..."

"Stop being so vague! Just tell me!" she nearly shouted.

Kariya sighed loudly. "...The Reapers," he muttered, almost too quietly for Neku to hear.

"What...? Koki, if this is some kind of joke-"

"No, I'm being serious! I wouldn't have time...to hunt enough Players..." He sounded like he was struggling to find the words. "I didn't want to scare you. You know I always loved you, Taniko..."

Neku was hanging on the edge of the doorway. Kariya? And his mom? Together?

"What are you talking about?" Taniko replied nervously.

Neku couldn't take anymore. He had to find out what was happening. He ran downstairs as quickly as he could and said firmly, "Someone's going to give me answers, now."

"N-Neku!" Taniko gasped. "How long have you been listening?"

"Long enough."

Kariya chuckled. "Ah, there you are. I figured you'd be awake."

"Were you two..." Neku gulped and forced the word out. "...dating?"

"While I was but a lowly Support. Once I snagged the Harrier spot, it had to end." Kariya smirked.

"Koki, enough with the-"

"Neku knows what I'm talking about," he said matter-of-factly, interrupting Taniko.

She started to say something else, but Neku held up a hand. "Please," he said, "I need answers." His mom nodded slowly. "Why did you want to see me?" he asked, turning to the unwanted visitor.

Kariya walked up to him and leaned forward, hands on his knees. "What, you don't see the family resemblance?" He looked up at Neku's flaming-orange spikes, that somehow stayed up while he slept. "You really don't think you got that ginger hair from your redhead of a mother, do you?"

Neku's face blanched. He felt sick to his stomach.

"We did more than just dating, kiddo," Kariya continued, driving home the idea with a suggestive wink.

"Neku...I...I'm sorry..." Taniko mumbled. "I know I should have told you sooner, but...I didn't think you'd already met..."

"But but but..." Neku babbled. "Mom, he's a Reaper! A murderer! He tried to kill me!"

Before Taniko could protest, Kariya strolled over to her, grabbed her shoulders, and kissed her, right there in front of her - their - only son.

And then, time stood still.

No, I don't mean that Neku thought that everything stopped. Time literally froze. Neku couldn't move, but he could still hear. In that minute or so of stillness, in fact, he heard two new voices that were coming from nowhere in particular.

"Alright Josh, this is getting out of hand, dontcha think?"

"Aw, but this is the fun part! Did you see his face?" A feminine giggle.

"I thought we agreed that you wouldn't traumatize the poor kid."

A dramatic sigh. "Fine. You ruin all my fun."

All the scenery seemed to melt away, and Neku awoke with a start, sitting in a booth at WildKat.

Neku felt a hand leave his forehead, and the grip on his dreams was released. "See you later, Neku Kariya~!" Joshua sang as he fled the building, Neku right on his heels, hands seeking the silverette's neck.

The World Ends With You belongs to Square-Enix.