It was, as I bitterly reflected, one of Those Days.

To begin with, it was a Wednesday. That alone would have ruined even the best day possible – all of my least favourite classes were somehow all on a Wednesday. It wasn't even a nice, sunny Wednesday, but one of the grey, damp and overcast days that are so popular in mid-November - and of course, I had forgotten my umbrella and my coat. It was one of Those Days after all.

It was also my birthday, but fate just had to be cruel to me, didn't it?

Due to not waking up on time – thanks to my alarm clock failing to ring – I had sprinted out of the house at top speed without my breakfast, coat, umbrella or even my schoolbag. I had arrived at school ten minutes late, without any of my schoolbooks or homework, which earned me detentions from both my English and Maths teachers. At lunchtime both Kaito and Keiko had to split their lunches to share with my as mine was still waiting for me at home on the counter. By the end of the day, the girls' constant remarks about my chest (or lack of it), Keiko's endless jokes about me and my organisation skills and Kaito's ridiculous magic tricks and skirt flipping antics had made me nearly lose my temper. When I lose my temper, things happen.

Of course, nobody had remembered that it was my birthday, not even Kaito. It was one of Those Days.

It was dark by the time I got let out of detention - cleaning the classroom for my maths teacher - and I ended up getting lost twice before ending up shivering and drenched on the doorstep. As I slammed the door shut, the family photograph album fell on my head and opened to reveal my sixth grade school photo and a few shots of my holiday at the beach. It hurt too.

There was only one message on the answer phone from Kaito, which said that he would have to cancel going to the movies with me, as he had to work late that night. My father was out – chasing Kid as always, where else? – And the note that he had left on the table alongside the laundry bill stated that he had had to throw away my lunchbox as it had gone off and that there was absolutely nothing to eat in the house due to the fridge short circuiting and could I possibly wait till tomorrow for something to eat?

'Some birthday.' I muttered. 'Eighteen years old and nobody cares.'

I could've sworn that I heard a quiet voice in the background.

Aoko …

Make a wish, Aoko …

I shook my head - I was probably just tired. Everyone knew that if you kept hearing voices in your head you were mental, which I certainly was not. Look what happens to people who listen to the voices in their heads – they get told to shoot people, command armies or kill themselves and then they spent their days chained to a bed in the psychiatric ward of the local hospital – after the press has invented several flattering nicknames for them and covered their loss of sanity from every aspect. There was no way that I would end up in the papers because I revealed that the spirit of Elvis Presley had ordered me to knife my dad's boss and tie him to the school flagpole. None whatsoever.

Plus, wishes never come true. How old did they think I was, eight?

They do!

All you have to do is ask …

'Leave me alone!' I shrieked. I was beginning to lose it - responding to the voices was the next step before getting told to shoot the President or some other mental task. And I was not mental. I was not.

As it was one of Those Days, there was a fizzle and the power went out, taking my entire history essay with it. And because it was one of Those Days, the 3000-word essay that I had just lost was due in for tomorrow morning.

'Sometimes,' I muttered as I looked around for candles, 'I wish that I'd never been born …'

Instantly, it was light and sunny. That puzzled me – it had been after dark when I was at home, and it was too hot for November. Of course, not that I was complaining. I hate cold weather, partly because it means skiing. I can't ski to save my life.

I was outside a school – my school, and lessons had obviously just finished for people were slowly making their way out of class. I waved at a few of my classmates, but they all gave me strange looks before walking away without a second glance in my direction.

Strange. I thought, scratching my head. Maybe there's something on my face?

I gingerly felt my cheek. Nope, nothing.

First I was hearing voices, then I was somewhere else, and then everyone ignored me. I must've fallen asleep in class and dreamed that horrible day, so everyone was giving me strange looks – after all, everyone said that I snored. That was it.

You don't know anyone here.

So much for dreaming.

And, I did know people here. It was my school after all.

I scanned the crowds until I spotted Kaito. If I knew anyone here, I knew Kaito.

Do you really know him?

'Yes.' I hissed. 'Now shut up and leave me alone.'

I sprinted after him and tapped him on the shoulder.

'You could have waited for me, you baka-'

I then stopped mid-sentence. The Kaito that looked at me wasn't the Kaito I knew. He didn't try to flip my skirt, pull a magic trick or make some stupid comment, as he always did. He just looked at me with the same expression that my classmates had used.

'Do I know you?'

This isn't Kaito, is it?

'K-kaito, it's me, Aoko!'

He shook his head.

It's probably a prank. I said, trying to reassure myself. Just a prank …

'You can stop play acting now, we're going to miss the movie!'

'What? Who are you?'

'Kaito, what the hell is going on?'

'I'm sorry-'

He doesn't know you.

'P-please!' I was getting desperate now. 'I-I'm your best friend! We've known each other since we were five-'

'Honestly, I don't know who you are – I've never known anybody that long, not even my father …'

I grabbed his arm, trying to get him to stay.

'And we met at the clock tower … and you produced a rose … just like that …'

He sighed. 'Look, I can't even do that. Nobody can.'

I was close to tears now. 'You can! You're the most amazing magician, as good as your dad-'

'My dad died when I was eight. I never really took an interest in magic after he died.'

'But you did!'

He was obviously exasperated now. 'I'm sorry, I've never met you before and I don't know who the hell you think you are-'

'I'm me! Aoko!'

Are you?

'-But I'm no magician. I never have been. I never made a date with you. I've never even met you before. Now if you'll excuse me-'

I could only watch as he walked away from me and turned the corner.

You don't know him, do you?

'I swear I know someone here, I swear!'

Yeah, sure, whatever.

'I-' I was doing it again. I had got to stop talking to myself.

'You too, eh?'

I whirled around and to my immense relief saw Momoi Keiko there. Keiko was one of my best friends and was always up to date with the latest gossip. She would know what was going on. I definitely knew Keiko.

She's a stranger to you.

'Me what?'

'After Kuroba-kun.'

'What do you mean? You know that we're just friends-'

'No, I don't. All I know is that everyone has tried to make a pass at him, and everyone has failed. You too, apparently.'

'But I'm his best friend! Keiko, you know that!'

She blinked. 'Do I?'

I gasped. What the hell was going on?

'Of course you do! Keiko, I've known you since I can remember-'

'You haven't! Who are you, anyway?'

I felt as though I'd been punched in the stomach. First my classmates, then Kaito – now Keiko too?

You're nobody.

'I-I'm me, Nakamori Aoko! I'm your best friend-'

She sighed. 'Listen pal, I don't have any friends.'

'You – you do! You've got me!'

'I'm flattered, but I've never even met you before. We know nothing about each other-'

'We do! You're Momoi Keiko, seventeen, you live in the suburbs and you catch the train to school every day and you love Kaitou Kid-'

'Who?'

I nearly fainted.

'Kaitou Kid! You know, that gentleman thief that all the girls love and I always hate because my dad always loses to him-'

'Look, this Kanchou Kid or whatever doesn't exist. I don't know you. I never have. Now I'm going to miss my train-'

'Keiko, please-'

She walked off towards the station where she caught the train from platform six to her house in the suburbs. I didn't need to follow her to know that.

Who would I exist to? Who would believe me?

Nobody, you're alone.

'What the hell's going on?'

It was your birthday.

'So?'

You don't get it, do you?

'It's just a birthday prank or something. Kaito always pulls pranks – and he normally asks Keiko to play along …'

Fine, go on fooling yourself.

'I will.'

It was twilight by the time I reached my house – or what I thought was my house. Number 46 was derelict and badly in need of a lick of paint. The windows didn't quite shut and the yard was full of rubbish. The only way I could be sure that it was where I lived was by the name scrawled on the letterbox in my dad's illegible writing – Nakamori Ginzou.

There was no tag for Nakamori Aoko.

Maybe it fell off and he forgot to put it back. I thought, trying to calm myself down. Yeah, that's it …

As you wish.

I tried my key in the lock, only to find that it didn't work. I was definitely freaked out by now. How could my key not work? It had worked fine last night …

You know, you are stupid. This isn't your house.

'It is! It … just needs a paint job …"

Trust me here. This – is – not – your – house.

It was. Definitely, whatever this mental voice said, this was my house. I'd lived at Number 46 for as long as I could remember. I really was going mad now – next thing I knew I would be armed and on my way to stab someone at the command of this voice. Sighing, I tried the bell. Dad was probably out at work, getting ready for the Kid heist that night … but what had Keiko said? Something about Kid … not existing …

'Look, this Kanchou Kid or whatever doesn't exist …'

I snorted. Kid did exist. Of course he did.

The door opened a fraction.

'Who the hell are ya and whaddya want?'

'Daddy! It's me! Aoko!'

'Who?'

No, please no …

'Aoko! Your only daughter-'

'Is this a joke or somethin'?'

'What?!'

He rolled his eyes. 'I've never been married, kid and I certainly never had a child.'

I could feel the tears rolling down my cheeks. 'But you did! You had me!'

He made to shut the door in my face.

'Wait!' I cried. 'What do you do for a living?'

'Ex-police officer. I used to work on the 1412 files, but he vanished eight years ago. Now, goodnight.'

'Otou- ahh, Nakamori-san?'

'What?'

'C-can I come in?'

Mumbling under his breath, he opened the door and I walked into my house.

No … I remembered … this isn't my house …

The floor badly needed re-carpeting and the wallpaper was bloated with damp. Water streaked across the grey ceiling and even more rubbish was piled in various places. I slowly climbed up the stairs and walked into what was formerly my room, but now what appeared to be a junk room.

What's happened to my life?

You don't exist here.

This bloody voice was driving me mental. All the same, I was alone, and it wouldn't shut up …

So much of who you are is tied to your surroundings … your sense of self …

'Who … who are you?'

Let me show you.

A shadow slowly materialised in the corner of the room. It seemed familiar … so familiar …

The shadow looked at me. I'm you, Nakamori-kun.

'You … no, you're not …'

I'm another version of you. The version that never really made it.

'What the hell-'

Everything is different here, can't you see? I'm the cynical, pessimistic side of you,, Keiko's depressed, Kaito doesn't know what to do with his life …

'What?'

Word of advice here.

Be careful what you wish for.

'What?'

The shadow rolled its eyes. Because it may come true.

'But wishes don't come true …'

Don't they?

'If they did then Okaasan would still be alive-'

You don't turn eighteen every day.

'I-I'll prove I exist! I'll prove it!'

There's no point looking in that album. You won't be there.

I flipped through the various photo albums like a woman possessed until I reached the family photos.

'See? Family Photos. I'll prove I'm here.'

I opened the page and then stared in disbelief at the photos.

There was the beach holiday … there was my dad on the beach … but where was I?

The drive we'd taken before Okaasan died … there she was with her arm around Tousan … but her other arm should've been around me …

My sixth grade photo … where was it? The background was blank … just a wall …

'I … where am I?'

You're not there.

'I do exist! I do!'

If you exist, how come you're not in the mirror?

Slowly I turned to look in the mirror. It was blank.

I wasn't reflected in any surface.

The shadow sighed. You wished never to have been born. What was I to do?

'Please …'

Why're you hitting the mirror? You won't leave any fingerprints.

'Please …'

Shall we have a bet?

'On what?'

Your life.

'I …'

You have all night. Get somebody to remember you, I'll reverse the wish. Otherwise …

'You're on. I'll prove I exist-'

You really are thick, aren't you? The point is that you don't exist here … just like I ended up in your world, you ended up in mine.

'What-'

Should I spell it out? There is an alternate world where certain events have not happened or have been reversed, which is where you are.

'But what do Kaito and Keiko and the house have to do with me?'

You idiot! The shadow made to grab me. Because you were never there to help Kaito get over his father's death, he never did. He never got interested in magic because you never motivated him to impress you.

'He-'

You never befriended the geeky Momoi Keiko, leaving her friendless. Your father had nobody to live for and to redeem himself for and so ended up like this. Can't you see how important your life has been?

'I … I have all night?'

Good luck.

'But-'

Until sunrise. It's corny, but what can you do?

'Hey-'

'Oi! You!'

I whirled around to see my dad – not my dad - glaring at me.

'Talkin' to yourself like a loony. You crazy or somethin'?'

'Err …' Shit. So much for not talking to shadows. He most likely thought that I was schizophrenic and that these voices were ordering me to stab him to death, tie him up with duct tape and bury him under the patio with an orange in his mouth.

'Listen, I have to go now, thanks for letting me stay-'

'Yeah- hey, you're sorta familiar … you were one of my late wife's friends? Michiko or somethin', wasn't it?'

I shook my head. 'Not quite.'

I tried Keiko's house first. Her mum answered the door and to my utter amazement seemed positively overjoyed when I announced that I'd come to see Keiko-chan, and was she in?

'She has no friends, you know,' she prattled on without needing to draw breath. I remembered that she was always like this. Some things just don't change.

' … and really, after what happened-'

You have to get to the point quickly, otherwise you'll never get there.

'Err … is she actually home?'

'No. she's out shopping for me – but she'll be back soon, I'm sure. You will stay, won't you?'

I was almost going to say no. When Momoi Fumiyo gets started, she never stops. If you don't believe me, then you're not the one that was made fifteen minutes late to class when your best friend's mum kept you to witter on about her begonias despite the fact that it was 7 am, mid-winter and that no begonia could've possibly flowered for another two months no matter how much special plant food you gave it. Then again, she was pleased to see me, which appeared to be a first here. Also, I could find out about Keiko and Kaito, especially from the living gossip column …

'So … ahh … Keiko seems a little depressed-'

'Depressed? A little depressed?! Keiko-chan's always been like this … ever since … hey, do I know you from somewhere?'

'Maybe.'

From out of nowhere, Fumiyo produced a plate of cream rolls, my favourite food.

'I thought you might like them,' she said as I bit into my fourth one.

'How did you know?'

'Just … just a feeling …' she kept glancing at me out of the corner of her eye, and then to an overturned photo on the mantelpiece. 'You know, she told me that she met you today. She said you were …'

'Mental?'

'No, but that you reminded her of … of one of her friends. You do look a bit like her, actually, and the way you act-'

'I thought you said that Keiko didn't have any-'

Fumiyo shook her head. 'She doesn't. Not any more.'

'But-'

'Oh, it's you.'

Keiko was standing in the doorway with a bunch of shopping bags and a not-too-joyful expression.

'Keiko-chan! She's come to see you specially, to talk-'

Keiko rolled her eyes. 'We already have talked.'

'Please Keiko, you need to be more sociable-'

'It doesn't matter who I talk to, she's not-' she stopped mid-sentence, before looking at me more closely through her thick glasses. 'You used to go to school with me, didn't you?'

Used to?!

'Ahh … yeah.' I said. 'We did.'

Keiko blinked. 'But that can't be right …'

'Listen,' her mother cut in. 'Keiko, you take … ahh … your friend up to your room and chat. I'll be cooking.'

She shrugged. 'Sure. Fine. Whatever.'

I grinned. 'You still haven't changed, have you? Not really …'

'What was that?'

'Nothing, nothing …'

Her room was unchanged from the old times, her unmade bed still having that ridiculous Two-Mix bed sheet. I gently sat down on it and looked at her.

'So, Keiko- I mean Momoi-kun …'

'Are you sure that I don't know you from somewhere? You're like, amazing at maths, right?'

'Yeah! Yeah, I'm not too bad …'

'Why were you making a pass at Kuroba-kun? Did you even know him?'

The opportunity I had been waiting for. 'Yeah, I knew him … once … listen, Ke- Momoi-kun, did you ever try to make a pass at Kaito? Ever?'

To my amazement, she nodded. 'Once … it was the year before high school. I'd always fancied him. But he liked someone else.'

What?! Keiko fancies Kaito? Does Keiko fancy Kaito back home? What the hell?

'At least, that was what he told me at the time. I did it really badly, I just walked up to him and said I like you and he's like you're a nice girl Keiko but no, and I'm like why and he's like because you're not the one for me and I'm like who is she and he's like I've not met her yet, but someday I will …' she broke off abruptly and looked down at her pillow.

I've not met her yet, but someday I will …

Because I'd never been born … he …

He didn't fancy Akako. He didn't like Keiko.

I've not met her …

Was I the one meant for Kaito?

But someday I will …

'Listen, Momoi-kun. I … I know that you like Kaito … but … you know, is there someone called Kenji in your class?' Kenji was the head of the school football team and was very good looking. If normally he ignored Keiko, then here …

'Yeah. He's like, so good looking and all the girls want to go with him but he never got anyone …'

'Talk to him. I think he likes you.'

'Really?!' her eyes lit up. 'Oh my god, I have to do my hair and wear contacts and make myself up and-'

'No … if he doesn't like you for who you are, then there's no point in trying …'
We chatted a bit more and then I asked her where Kaito lived.

'Oh, he moved away from home last year. He lives around the station, you know?'

Kaito moved? But he was always so devoted to his mother …

'Ok, thanks. I'll see you around … Keiko-chan.'

'Hey – I do know you from somewhere, I just need to remember …'

I eventually found the block of flats next to the station. It was decrepit, and rubbish was everywhere. Could Kaito possibly live here? Why would he have wanted to leave?

Please be in … I thought, pounding on the door. Please, please, please …

It was Kaito who eventually answered the door, and my heart leapt.

'Kaito!'

'Oh … it's you. Akiko or something, isn't it?'

'Ahh … not exactly.'

'Look, if you still think I made a date with you-'

'No! No … I … err … made a mistake over that. I just want to talk.'

He folded his arms and glared at me.

'Please.'

'Fine. Shall we walk?'

I nodded and we set off.

After a few minutes he spoke-

'Hey … is it just me or are you awful at skiing?'

My eyes widened. Could he …

'Y-yeah!' I said. 'Yeah, I'm awful! I remember I was on a school holiday … and I was with … some guy … and he paired with me and he was amazing at skiing …'

'And he did all the work and you won?'

I laughed. 'Yeah, basically.'

'Poor guy …'

'Hey! He liked me!'

'Yeah … you know, you remind me a lot of someone …'

I held my breath.

'What … who …'

'I can't remember who she was … but … I loved her. I'd fancied her for ages actually.'

I was curious now. 'What happened to her?'

He shrugged. 'Don't remember. I'm trying …'

We chatted a bit more, and eventually got onto the subject of family.

'So, my friend said that you used to live with-'

'My mum, yeah. Poor okaasan.'

'Why did you leave?'

'Why should I have stayed?'

If I'd never been born, Kaito didn't need to stay near me …

'what about you? You got any family?'

I laughed. 'No, I'm … I'm a free spirit here …'

'Free spirit. My dad would always say that. He was a magician, you know?'

Yeah, I knew. 'No! How interesting!'

'Yeah … he died when I was around nine … I didn't really want to continue with magic after he died. Okaasan said that it was in my blood, but … what was the point?'

Because you were never there to make him want to impress you …

-x-

AN: Yes, I know it's OOC. Yes, I know it's cliché, but I am a crappy fanfiction witer. Please review. I beg of you. Review.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the MK cast.