So what if the weather of Shibuya was tied to Joshua's emotions?
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
The weather had started out fairly gloomy that morning with the clouds staining the sky a dreary grey. The scent of rain was carried on a warm breeze and one could see many people carrying umbrellas and raincoats around with them as they went about their day.
A lone boy stood on the corner fiddling with an old flip phone as he waited for his turn to cross the street. A stock of unnaturally bright orange hair peeked out from a high collar only to be pressed down by a pair of large headphones. Dusky blue eyes wandered the streets for any sort of incoming traffic.
A couple hours earlier, Neku Sakuraba had gotten a very vague text from some of his friends telling him to meet at the WildKat around lunchtime. He had questioned why but they all seemed very stubborn with not giving him any sort of details which was why he was actually out and about on this bleak day.
Shoving his hands into his pockets, the boy hurried across the street, walking towards the coffee shop. Upon entering, he was met with the familiar smell of ground coffee beans and an unfamiliar and rather shocking shout of "Surprise!"
Neku jumped and fell into an instinctive battle position learned from those weeks spent in the Game. However, when he saw the smiling faces of Shiki, Beat, Rhyme, and Mr. H, he quickly dropped he stance looking around the room confused.
There a few balloons scattered here and there with a couple streamers hanging from the walls. A cake with the reaper decal sat on one of the tables along with a bunch of snack foods. A field for a Tin Pin game was set up in the corner along with a reaper creeper board sitting beside it. His eyebrows tugged themselves together.
"What's all this for guys?" he asked finally speaking to the people who had decided to keep him in the dark about this entire ordeal.
"It's the third year anniversary of when you beat the Game," Shiki said with a wide smile before planting her hands on her hips. "Or did someone forget again?"
Neku blinked at that one trying to figure out exactly what day it was. He had lost count due to just not being motivated enough to keep track of the date. His eyebrows tugged themselves together as he wracked his brain.
"He forgot again," Rhyme confirmed with a small laugh. Neku shot his gaze to the younger female, protests forming on his lips. He was cut off by more laughter this time from the entire group. He just let out a sigh, running a hand through his spikes.
"Okay, I did. So what?" he mumbled under his breath causing a few more snickers to run through the group. Neku could have sworn he saw a bit of money passed from defeated looking Beat to an amused Rhyme after he said that but he wasn't really able to tell.
"So nothin' Phones," Beat stated seeming to return to his normal self rather quickly. The blond boy's eyes was on the food. "Now that you're here we can eat yo!" The boy was at the table before anybody could say anything against it.
After a few eye rolls, the group of players were quick to join in with the fun and the party was soon in full swing. Tin Pin battles were fought, cake was eaten, Reaper Creeper was rigged, and drinks were brought around courtesy of Mr. H. One would never be able to tell that it was an occasion celebrating the time they all survived a death game by looking at them now.
It was in the middle of a game of charades when they heard the small ring that came from the shop door being opened. They all paused and looked over, Beat stuck in some odd bird like position.
A certain ashy headed angel strode through the door, orange phone held daintily in his fingers as he clicked away at it with a silent rage, most likely something to do with the UG. He looked the same as always. Same button up shirt and nice pants. Same hairstyle and same all knowing eyes. Same age as when they had first met him.
"The usual, Joshua?" Mr. H asked leaning on the counter. The boy just nodded and took a seat on one of he stools. It was then that he seemed to notice that he wasn't the only one in the usually empty shop. Grey eyes gazed up at old friends and for a moment there was nothing but silence.
Finally, the composer seemed to find his normal attitude and he spoke with a small smirk. "Still celebrating it huh?"
This seemed to snap everybody back to their senses and the group of four nodded, still too shocked to speak. They had only seen Josh once or twice within the years that followed the Game. He brushed it off with excuses of being busy finding new reapers and dealing with new games but now he couldn't run. Not when they caught him like this.
"How many years?" he asked looking to the side.
"Three," came the quiet answer. Shiki most likely.
"I see…" A small drizzle had started outside and the rain seemed to fall harder by the second. There was another moment of silence.
Mr. H soon returned to the scene placing a to-go cup in front of the youngest looking teen. Josh took it and dropped a bit of yen into the adult's waiting hand, before turning to the group with a forced smirk.
"Well I hate to come and run but I'm afraid there is some business that I must attend to~" And with that, he quickly exited the building. Outside, the rain fell, drenching anybody who stepped outside without protection.
Neku stared at the door for a moment before looking to his friends who shot him a small nod. He returned it thankfully before rushing outside after the composer. Words didn't need to be spoken between the group anymore. They knew what had to be done.
The ginger raced through the sheets of rain, following his instinct. Eventually he found himself standing at the mural of Udagawa, Josh staring at the latest design. Neku waited a moment to regain his breath before walking up to the boy.
"Was I really that obvious?" Joshua asked not even looking at his former partner. Neku let out a huff and stood by Josh's side, looking at the mural as well. A small part of him registered that he now stood a good couple inches taller than his old friend.
"It's practically storming out here Josh. Of course it's obvious," Neku stated earning a dry laugh from the blond. "What's wrong?"
Josh was quiet for a moment as he chose his next couple of words carefully. "It's really been three years…" he murmured quietly as if trying to accept the fact. Neku only nodded. "You guys will be graduating soon right?"
The question caught Neku off guard and once more did he nod trying to ignore the ran dripping down his face. Some part of him thanked whatever being gave him the idea to take off his headphones sometime during the party. They were safely tucked away with Mr. Mew.
"And you'll be leaving," Josh mumbled and everything seemed to click into place.
"Do you think that we are seriously going to leave and forget all of this?" Neku asked bluntly with a raised eyebrow. Josh huffed and crossed his arms, flicking a soaked lock of hair from his face.
"Of course not," he stated gaining some of his usual haughtiness trying to cover up the actual reason as he spoke. "I'm upset about all of you leaving and forgetting me. Not that the Reapers' Games. There is no way you're going to forget those amazing weeks playing my little game."
Neku was completely taken aback by the sudden confession from the normally secretive boy and he couldn't stop himself from throwing his head back in a laugh. Josh stared at him with a look of offense.
"Well if you're just going to laugh-"
Neku quickly cut the boy off, shaking his head. "Geez, Josh. If you're so worried about something like that, you should have told us sooner."
"…What?"
Neku ran a hand though his soaked hair before addressing the composer. "Josh, Shibuya's our home. There is no way we could just leave here and never come back. There's too many memories for us to even try and forget." Neku turned his gaze to the mural. The design that he had come to see all those years ago had been painted over, replaced by something a little less sinister. A soft smile graced his lips as he looked at the bold art style. "And forgetting you? Please, as if I could forget the biggest pain in the butt I ever had to deal with. You can't remember the games without remembering the annoying little prick that set them all up."
He could here a chuckle coming from beside him and some of the rain had begun to let up. Neku allowed himself to feel a little proud that he had actually learned to deal with the whole feelings thing over the years.
He turned to actually face Josh.
"C'mon. I'm sure the others can tell you the same thing but y'know better. I'm still not the best at this type of thing," Neku said and Josh shot him that famous smirk.
"You've definitely gotten better at it. Now you can tell that you actually have them at least," Josh said and Neku shot him a small glare.
"Whatever. Let's just get going," he said turning on his heel to begin walking back.
"Is it really okay for me to barge in like that though?" Josh asked sounding oddly sincere about the question since that was exactly what he had done a little earlier. Neku rolled his eyes and turned to look over his shoulder.
"Yeah. You were always invited anyways."
For the first time that day, the sun broke through the clouds.
Well that was a thing. I hope I got the characters' personalities right… Please let me know what you think in the reviews!