Disclaimer: I wish I owned TWEWY. However, all characters (except for maybe the one or two OCs) belong to Square Enix. Not me. Nope. Nada. Goose egg. Zero. Zip. Cero.

One day, he'd tell him.

As the dusk-blond played dead, it took all he could muster to stop himself from giving that cynical smirk, to keep that same look of surprise on his face.

One day, he'd tell that orange-haired boy that he was the new Composer.

In the meantime, as he watched from the sidelines while Neku Sakuraba played out his life the "right" way, Joshua smiled that cocky smile as he hung around WildKat café.

One day, he'd tell her. He had to.

Orange hair remained vibrant as he ran down to Hachiko, where he said he'd meet her after the whole Reaper's Game fiasco. He made sure to leave his headphones at home. He'd promised he would, if not out loud.

He was through with hiding.

Joshua mulled over some of his thoughts over a cup of Hanekoma's coffee, the 'man' standing behind the counter. He called him over.

"Mr. H?"

"Yes, boss?"

"Did I do the right thing? Keeping this Shibuya alive?"

"Wouldn't have a business if you Erased it, boss. I'd say you did it right."

"What about Neku? When should I tell him?"

"Who, Phones? Maybe eventually. Let him live just a little longer before crashing the whole world on him... quite literally."

"You'll help him, right Sanae? For me?"

Hanekoma laughed, reaching behind his head. "Come on, Josh. You know I will. I like the boy."

Joshua's eyes flashed dangerously. "Like him... how?"

"Hey! We're over here!"

"Yo, Phones!"

"Neku!"

The orange-haired boy lost his stride once he caught sight of Beat and Rhyme Daisukenojo alongside Shiki over at Hachiko.

'She must have had a good reason for this... right?'

"Hey, guys!" he said as he finally made it to the statue. He turned his attention to Beat. "That name doesn't apply today."

Beat looked confused, then began circling Neku a few times, then gasped. "Yo! Phones, where's yo phones!?"

Neku smiled. "I'm done hiding. You know... Trust your partner."

The group smiled at each other, all knowing the meaning behind what Neku had just said, then started off for AMX.

Sanae held his hands up, seeing Josh's look. "Hold up, boss! I like him as a friend."

Joshua relaxed, leaning back into the chair. "As long as that's all it is. The Angels can't have me or him... yet." Suddenly, the dusk-haired boy felt very old. As he thought about it, he also needed a new Conductor. Kitaniji was Erased, even by his power. He needed someone better...

"Sanae?"

"Yeah, boss?"

"Who would be best for a Conductor?"

Hanekoma regarded him for a moment, saw the perfected look of absolute seriousness, then sighed and turned to make another cup of his house blend coffee. "You know I can't say."

Joshua smiled that annoying smile, and flipped a bit of his hair back. "Indulge me."

The group groaned as they found AMX to be not only empty, but even so far as closed.

"Maybe we came too early?" offered Rhyme.

"Or too late," agreed Shiki, and turned a bit to Neku, "I'm sorry for this."

Neku was just about to respond when Beat started slamming his fists on the doors. "Yo, man! I didn't drag my behind out here for nuttin'! Open up, yo!"

Rhyme moved to the side. "Beat, stop that! It's not the building's fault!" Beat sighed as he ceased trying to bash the door in. Neku had no choice but to appreciate the bond those siblings had on each other.

Shiki held her arms across her chest, Mr. Mew in her grasp. "We'll just have to look somewhere else. Maybe Towa Records?" she asked. Neku nearly cringed, but managed to keep himself under control. Towa Records was too close to Cat Street... and CAT in the flesh... Hanekoma and his WildKat café.

"We'll figure something out." he said.

Joshua mused into his coffee after hearing Sanae out, tuning out the following lecture about how confidential information should remain confidential. 'So I should choose that one? Huh. I suppose it's a good choice. But what about the other one?'

"—understand me? Joshua? Josh! Boss! HEY!"

At last, Joshua looked up from his cup. "Yes?" Sanae groaned, holding his forehead in his palm.

"You... weren't listening to a word I said, huh?"

The boy smiled innocently. Sanae sighed. "Thought not. Damnit, boss, if the higher ups find out..."

Joshua stood up. "They won't find out, my friend. Thanks for the coffee."

"Are you going to pay?"

"Are you charging me?"

Sanae crossed his arms. "One of these days I might."

Joshua vanished from the RG. "We'll see."

They reached Towa Records after checking the Udagawa Back Streets, finding it was also empty and closed, within ten minutes, Beat being ahead and Neku at the back. The carrot-haired boy had a bad feeling about being here, and the unwanted chill at his back made it all the more worse.

"Yo! Tha's not fair!" came Beat's shout as he once more banged and hammered against the locked doors. "Where t'hell we s'posed to go now, man? All the good places is locked tight!"

Both Shiki and Neku looked at each other, and frowned while Beat huffed and paced with Rhyme following behind. A familiar chuckle filled the silent, tense air, startling everyone.

"Having trouble?"

The four turned to see Joshua. Neku nearly fell on his ass, only barely bracing himself against the building of Towa Records. "Wh-what?! How did-? Why're y-"

Joshua smiled that cunning smile.

"Oh, Neku. You should always...

Trust your partner."

It took them all a moment to realize just who it was in front of them, Neku the most aghast of them all. Beat moved forward, picking up the former Composer by the collar of his shirt. "Yo, you do somethin' to the music stores, man?!"

As Joshua smiled, Rhyme went by Beat's side, tugging on his shirt. "Beat, put him down! He's harmless!" Neku looked at Rhyme in shock, then to Joshua's cocky face. He frowned in thought, watching curiously.

'Josh? "Harmless"? But that would mean...'

He stepped forward, placing a hand on Beat's shoulder. "Calm down," he said, "He can't tell us anything if he's unconscious." He was surprised when Beat visibly calmed under his touch, quickly drawing his hand back. Joshua smirked inwardly as he was let down, seeing Neku's expression as Beat did exactly as he was told.

'Hmhmhm~ That's just the beginning.'

Neku got over himself and turned to Joshua with as serious a look as he could manage.

"What did you do, Joshua?"

The older boy shrugged, smirking a bit. He figured now was as good a time as ever. "Nothing. You heard the little girl. I'm harmless."

Neku growled as his eyes narrowed on Joshua. "'Harmless' doesn't bring you back from the dead. I want to know how exactly you're in front of me."

Joshua sighed, his arms held out in playful surrender. "You wanted everyone you cared about alive, didn't you?" he retorted, smiling as Neku was taken aback. He liked having an advantage. "You must have cared about me on some level, too, because I returned to life after you shot me... Composer."

Chapter 1 END

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