Chapter 1: You Call Yourself An Angel?
Rated: M
Disclaimer: I do not own "World Ends with You"
Summary: "You call yourself an Angel while making me play your silly little games? I'll play your games. But let's see if you can get through mines."
Joshua and Neku met on the wrong note, but with Joshua playing silly games on him, Neku decides to make up his own. Will these 'games' bring them closer as time progresses or will Neku suffer in defeat every time?
Neku POV
Neku Sakuraba is the name. What do I do you say? I practice graffiti. One day I would reach CAT's level. I don't want to replace him though. He inspires me too much for that. I want my graffiti to have meaning just like his do. Of course, I do have to watch out for the cops sometimes. My parents don't care anyway. There's no time cut out for me in their lives. My mother and father are divorced and technically I live in the crappiest place I call home. My father owns his own business, but now he acts like I don't exist anymore. And then school is such a hassle. I'm learning things I already know and I could easily pass with flying colors. I tend to drown myself in my headsets. They're the only thing that keeps my anger at bay. Currently I'm just about done with the graffiti on this wall I found earlier. Just need one final touch and—
"Shouldn't you be in school young man? I'm afraid it's illegal to vandalize public property." I turned around.
"Who the fuck are you suppose to be, my mother?" He giggled at my remark and waved it off.
"I'm not quite cut out for that job, dear." He responded flicking his ash blonde hair, or so I thought was a he.
"Then quit bugging me." I tried to move my headphones back on my head from resting on my neck and they were knocked off by a hard force. They crashed to the ground and broke upon impact. I turned around and saw him standing there in the same spot as before just smiling.
"W-What the hell just happened?!" I yelled out to him.
"I didn't do anything." He shrugged it off and just that made me pissed.
"Did you throw something?!"
"I have terrible aim." He bluntly said.
"What the hell? I bet you did do something." I assumed.
"How would you know? I was standing here the whole time. There's no one around but us two. I say it was a ghost."
"Quit fucking with me and admit it!" I got closer to him and all he did was turn his head away from me.
"I tell you what, how about we play a little game. If you win then I'll buy you a new set of phones." I looked over at the wall to my broken headset. I feel hesitant. I don't trust him, her, whatever IT is.
"They better be a high quality pair. And let me guess, if I lose I don't get them."
"Exactly! You're quite the smart one having skipped school and all." I want to bitch slap him into oblivion.
"Just tell me what the game is." I rushed him and he smirked. I don't like his expressions, they're too mischievous.
"Kiss me."
"Screw that." I yelled.
"Then you're not getting you're head set back." He turned his back.
"You fucking prick! I yelled aiming my fist at him while his back was turned, but he easily side stepped it.
"Oh will you look at the time. I have to run, dear. Bye bye." This asshole was looking at his watch the whole time? Wait, he's leaving?
"Shit, what now." I looked on the ground and saw a card laying there. A business card? I picked it up and read it to myself while walking over to my wall.
'Yoshiya Kiryu, Occupation: Writer.' So it is a he! It also has his number in it. I turned the back of the card around and saw an address. Is he trying to set me up? I'll show that bastard—
"Where the hell are my phones?!" I yelled searching around the area. I have my paint and my bag, but my damn headphones are gone! This doesn't make any since at all. Things can't just disappear into thin air. I've had enough of today! I'll teach that guy a lesson.
It didn't take me long to find the address. It was in a quiet suburban area. It was too quiet. His house was a light pink. Well at least his house wasn't the only colorful thing on the block.
"Hey you're that Neku kid!" I can tell that voice from anywhere.
"Daisukenojo!" I purposely yelled and he instantly jumped into defense mode.
"Yo Phones, I told you not to call me that! Wait…where are your phones?"
"That's what I'm dealing with right now." I shook up my can of red spray paint and stood in front of the building that had the address.
"Phones, what the hell are you doing!" He began to panic.
"Shut up and stop panicking!" I argued back.
"Do you know who you're dealin' with man?!"
"Hell yes and I'm calling him out!" I began spraying his wall as Beat continued to scream.
"Is this your house or something?" I stopped to look at him.
"N-No but—"
"Then I see no point in panicking." I continued to paint as he continued to freak out.
"J-J-Joshua?!" I saw Beat freeze, staring in a different direction.
"What is it now—" I noticed the same guy I saw early today was down the street drinking from what looks like a café cup. He didn't look fazed by anything around him as he walked up.
"What's wrong with your face?" He leaned in front of Beat waving his hand in his face.
"Hmmm…I wonder." He turned my way and walked over to me. He turned to the wall and took another sip from his straw before stirring it with a little shake.
"Wonderful, it captures my innocence." His reaction as expected didn't take long when he dumped his cup over my head.
"What the fuck!" I wiped my eyes of his drink and shook my hands.
"You tagged my lovely abode." He walked to his door and rummaged with his keys.
"And you broke my headphones!"
"Can you prove that?" I hesitated to answer, but how was I suppose to prove that? He giggles and opens his door.
"Come in so I could get you cleaned up." He signaled for me to come in.
"I can take care of myself thank you." I packed my things in my messenger bag.
"I'll give you your headset today if you play one more game with me. No joke this time."
"….No joke? Then what is it?" I turned to him.
"Clean the tag off my wall." He pointed.
"That's it?" I questioned.
"That is all."
"Fine, but you better be up to your word."
"I will." He welcomed me into his house. His home was actually….nice. The air was sweet and his rooms were spacious.
"You can set your things down in the living room." I heard his voice in the back room. I sat my bag on the floor by his cream colored couch and just began walking about in the living room. He had a nice set up, but there were no portraits on the walls. Did he have any friends? Family? There had to be at least someone. Well at least he had paintings of landscapes.
"I'm sorry about the mess, I just moved here" Joshua came out the back room.
"I don't see a mess" I was confused. How could this room look like a mess when it's perfectly fine?
"Maybe I should move this box to the back room." How could someone just contemplating about one mere box the whole time? He's doing this on purpose.
"Oh well, follow me." I walked behind him hoping he wasn't going to do anything suspicious. There were four doors in the hallway and we entered through the only one was opened on the right. When I looked in there it was a mess of boxes that were still being unpacked.
"You were right!" I shouted from looking at the clutter.
"Don't remind me." He rummaged through the boxes pulling out paint for his wall.
"This should be good for the walls. As for your clothes you can use this unless you want to create your own style." He handed me an apron. It had frills too! I can't believe I was doing this for him.
"I'll be back here if you need anything." I could care less about my clothes. My dignity was more important than wearing this apron. I put the apron on the couch and headed out the door with all the supplies and stood in front of the wall. Maybe this could go on as planned.
"Yo, I thought he killed you in there!" Beat popped up out of the blue once again. Why would I let someone like him kill me?
"Well here I am painting in the flesh." I began getting rid of the graffiti on the wall.
"I don't get it, why'd ya do it?"
"Reasons." I continued to paint.
"Well, whatever you say man, later." He left on that note with me still painting in the hot sun.
Man, why did I have to paint so much on this damn wall. It's funny what you can do in a short amount of time, but it's hot as hell out here. Is it the middle of the day already? Me and my fucking—
"Are you thirsty?" I almost dropped the paint brush after I saw what he was wearing…in the middle of summer? His sweater was large and stopped at his thighs. The sweater was off one of his shoulders that caught my eye other than the blue jean capris. Why does it feel like he's being suggestive?
"S-Sure…" The cool air from the house hit me right when I got on the door step. I see why he was wearing his sweater. But the shoulder thing was still suggestive.
"It's hot out there and I don't need you passing out on me." He walked into the kitchen, passing me a cold glass of water. I sat on the outside table where I can watch him through the open window.
"You care?" I asked taking a sip.
"We'll not really. I just wouldn't know where to dump your body." I almost choked on my water after hearing that.
"Are you sure you didn't put anything in my water." I checked the glass and he laughed.
"I promise you there isn't. So, are you almost finished with my wall?" he asked walking up to me with his own drink.
"Yeah…" I stared into the glass and just thought to myself. I was doing all of this for a stranger I just met. I don't feel like I should trust him. I don't trust anyone really. They just make matters worse, so I prefer to be alone.
"Um…Yoshiya, is it?" I questioned.
"You can call me Joshua." He smiled moving some hair from his face. So that's what I heard Beat say when he saw this guy.
"Why were you watching me earlier today?"
"I thought what you were doing was interesting. Do you like CAT?" He asked and I almost jumped out of my seat.
"I love CAT! He's my role model. His graffiti inspires me and I want to do the same." I think I sounded a little too excited as he just gawked at me with wide eyes.
"Well this is a good start at opening up." He said followed by a chuckle. His laughs sound suggestive as well. What is it with this guy?
"What about you? Do you like him? I questioned.
"I can say that he gives good advice." That was it? That's all he's going to say about CAT? Well, life goes on.
"Since I'm a writer I sometimes look for him for motivation which reminds me I have to stop by the café…want to come with me?"
"What about my headphones?" I had to ask.
"I told you you'll get them today. Besides you probably have nothing to do afterwards."
"Uh, I have homework."
"Quite the joker, now are we?" He laughed and grabbed his keys off the table when I followed suit.
"How far is this café?" I didn't want to spend too much time with this guy. Who knows what he might do.
"Down the street." That close? Alright I'll go as long as I get my phones.
We didn't say much as we walked to the café, but once we got in, it was just empty as hell.
"Where is everyone—" I was shushed by Joshua.
"Don't say that!" He said making me uneasy.
"But there's no one—" He covered my mouth when a man walked in the room.
"Hello Mr. Hanekoma!" We walked over to the mini café bar area and sat on the stools. This was really comfortable even if this place was empty. I don't understand why I can't say it out loud though.
"Joshua, what can I do for you again today?" The man asked cleaning his cups.
"Can you give me that?" Whoa what is going on here? Why is he talking like that?
"But I already gave it to you earlier." WHAT?! It just gets more and more suggestive as they talk!
"I demolished it,"
"Oh that's nice—"
"Over his head." Joshua finished pointing to me.
"It was delicious." Joshua laughed at my remark after I caught on to what they were talking about.
"Two please." Joshua said and Mr. Hanekoma sighed and began preparing the drinks.
"So Neku, why don't you go to school?" Joshua asked me. Why does he want to know?
"I feel like its unecessary. I already know what their teaching."
"Are you sure about that?" I watched him and he held that same expression. His smile scares me.
"If you are and inspired and want to be like CAT, don't you think school would be helpful to you? I think so…" He began stirring his drink with the straw once he received it. He has a point, but I don't want to go back there. I looked into my drink and thought about it.
"Mr. H, can I tell him?" Joshua asked taking the man's hand.
"Fine." Mr. Hanakoma came over to me and I felt my hand being grabbed and put into his.
"Neku, meet CAT." I froze.
"This a joke, right?" Joshua shook his head and I looked at Mr. Hanekoma.
"Nice to meet you kid, it's good to see some admirers once in a while." I couldn't let go of his hand. Was it really him? This was amazing!
"Hello, Earth to Neku! Where have you gone?" I slapped Joshua's waving hand out of my face and released CAT's hand. I shook hands with CAT. I actually met CAT! This is a one in a life time thing that I'll ever experience!
"Kid look, I know school is a bore and all, but if you want to get anywhere, school should be your number one priority first. Now will you go back? If I'm not too busy I can train you."
"I'll do it!" I jumped out of my seat in excitement. Hearing him talk to me directly feels great.
"You're welcome, Neku." Joshua intervened.
"Thanks. Wow, I just can't believe it! I'm standing in front of CAT!" They both laughed.
"You look much better when you smile. It gets rid of the wrinkles here." Joshua pointed to his forehead and giggled. I frown once more and he tried to smooth out my forehead.
"Stop, you're making the wrinkles come back." His touch feels so weird. I swatted him away and he gave me one of his now infamous giggles.
"Mr. H, did you fix it?" Mr. Hanekoma walked to the back of the café when I looked at Joshua. He was just flailing his feet on the stool until the man came back.
"Here you go. Good as new." I was shocked to see my headphones fixed as if they were brand new. They felt the same. Nothing changed about them.
"Thanks."
"You're welcome." They both said. I eyed Joshua who was the main reason why they broke. Well there was no point in staying now that I got what I wanted. But then again hanging out with them may not seem too bad.
"Before you decide to ditch us, let's play one last game." Joshua said before I could take one step towards the door.
"What's the game?"
"Tin Pin. Do you play?" Secretly I do.
"Yeah, sometimes." I scratched my head.
"If you win, I'll give you whatever you want. You name it." There are so many things I want and he's just going to do this? I'll make sure I definitely win.
"If you lose then you'll have to work for me everyday after school to get what ever you want." Everyday? After school? Now I have to win.
"And if I don't show up?' What could he possibly do—?
"Trust me I'll know where you are and embarrass you in front of everyone." Everyone? He must be joking. Ouch my dignity. Why are you always at stake?
"You just got into something that you will soon regret." Mr. Hanekoma said.
"Am I really that bad?" Joshua questioned.
"Bad is not the word." The man replied.
"So are you ready to get started?" Joshua ignored the man's comment and skipped to me. I was more than ready.
"Let's go." And that's when we started. Of course I was doing well, until he pulled a sneaky move on me and knocked my pin off the board. At first I thought I had it, but I let my frustration get to me. I think he found that to be interesting.
"I win!" He cheered when I stared intensely at my pin on the floor.
"You cheated!"
"Prove it." He waited for my response.
"You're horrible!" I yelled at Joshua and he put on an act.
"Why does everyone call me that? I'm an angel!"
"Bullshit." I said in between coughs and earned a kick to my shin from his stool.
"Come on dear, I'll show you your first set of chores tomorrow." I groaned as loud as I could and all he did was laugh as we exited the café. What have I gotten into?