10…
The second week in the game was not the first time Joshua met Neku.
Perhaps Neku didn't remember. His violent reaction toward Joshua that second week was proof enough. But maybe, just maybe he did and didn't want to acknowledge it. Or perhaps Neku hadn't quite finished connecting all the dots yet, but Joshua didn't push him. It was one memory he has no desire of awakening unless absolutely necessary.
Joshua met this Neku when Neku was only five.
It was raining that day and a single gunshot rang loudly.
9…
In another lifetime, Neku would become Producer.
Sanae would have been sentence to death and the brand of a Fallen Angel. But he would have been granted the task of finding his successor first. Neku was his choice.
Of course, he never exactly told Neku. After all, Neku didn't know that Sanae was an Angel and the Producer, though Sanae liked to think he gave Neku more than enough hints. Merely, he offered to take the young boy under his wing and teach him everything he needed to know: about art, life and the Reaper's Game. Neku of course agreed in a heartbeat to work with his idol.
This of course left a very bitter Neku when Sanae finally died, who didn't know what was going on again. It also left a very tempting urge to strangle Joshua who seemed to know what was going on, no matter how much Neku trusted his former partner.
So when Neku finally came to terms with it again, he bitterly let his anger go because Sanae taught him better than that. He vowed to become a good Producer because he respected Sane that much. Then he flipped open the sign to Wildkat, accepted Joshua's offer of help and put his memories to rest because Sanae taught him that above else, keep moving forward.
8…
Makoto Miki was very worried.
For one reason or another, he cannot understand why Neku kept coming back to his store. He bit his lip and thought that maybe this kid was hitting on him! Which, for various reasons starting with the fact that he wasn't gay, was a very bad thing.
He explained this to Eiji one day, shortly after Neku had come in again. Eiji stared at him, and then looked at the retreating back of Neku before looking back at Makoto. Then he said, "Mick, he isn't hitting on you. Even if he swung that way, I'm fairly certain he would be hitting on purple eyed boy."
Makoto let out a sigh of relief. Perhaps he was merely overreacting.
But Eiji wasn't done. "No Mick, actually I think it's the other way around. I think you are in love with him."
Poor Makoto couldn't look anyone in the eye for days.
7…
On the other side, the day Neku met Joshua was not a day Neku remembered too fondly about.
Neku raised his eyebrow when he noticed Shooter drag in his cousin, Shiki, and her friend Beat into Ramen Don. But since they weren't supposed to "know" each other, he merely played along. Neku was amused that of all the people Shooter had grabbed to help with this "Tin Pin" problem were actually all Angels in disguised. However, Neku could have really done without that annoying human Joshua.
As a Soulreader in training, one could say this was Neku's very first mission on Earth. As such, he was excused from the fact that he ignored every gut instinct that was screaming that he was about to get in over his head.
Before Neku could even stop to catch his breath, he was swept away in a day of insanity and fun. He was called a Kindred Spirit, named after a crayon, "battled" against evil, dealt with Shiki and Beat's constant teasing (ooo he would get them back one day), and resisted the urge to smack Joshua.
When all was finally done and said, Neku wanted nothing more to then to be very far away from Joshua. Considering he was Angel, staying away from a human like Joshua seemed easy enough.
But then, Shiki calmly pointed out to Neku that Joshua was actually an Angel too and Neku's future superior no less. Joshua laughed and placed a feather light kiss on Neku's hand before smirking and saying, "I'll see you around Ne-ku~". It took all of Neku's willpower not to burst out screaming.
6…
Mr. Mew was more than a stuff animal to Shiki.
Mr. Mew was a friend, a lifeline, and a bond that could never be replaced.
Because, Mr. Mew was the reason why Shiki met Eri and ultimately the reason why she met Neku and survived.
5…
Joshua mused one day that Megumi and Neku are eerily similar.
Both favored a pair of headphone, both are able to deal with him, both originally had the same point of view towards people, and both had the ability to be very powerful.
However as vastly similar they are, they are both very different.
Megumi played by the book, Neku had broken nearly every rule in the game. Megumi was slow, but Neku moved oh so fast. Megumi took the wait-and-see approach in life, Neku charged head-forward to save those he cared about.
Thus ultimately, it was Megumi who failed and Neku who won.
While Megumi was a good friend and a loyal Conductor, Joshua knew that he didn't even begin to compare to the brightness of Neku's imagination. For the umpteen time Joshua considered making Neku his new Conductor, because Neku would be FAR more interesting.
4…
On the other side, Neku met his first student for the first time.
As he glazed into the bright hazel colored eyes, Neku already knew that this boy would surpass him in the future. On the other hand, he also knew that this boy would throw everything he had to gain for the sake of love. Briefly Neku wondered if his student was aware that he was repeating history. Because Neku threw everything he had to gain for the sake of love, and while he gained even more then he could imagined, he knew that his life could have been very different.
Instead, Neku ruffled the already wild chocolate hair and decided to let Fate run its course.
3…
On this side, Neku meets a familiar stranger.
It was an accident that they run into each other on the streets, a chance meeting. Before Neku could open his mouth to apologize, a laugh and a pair of bright hazel colored eyes that greet him warmly surprised him. Sooner than he realized it, Neku had found another friend in someone who was a total stranger to him ten minutes ago.
Then his new friend apologized that he must be going. He made movements to head towards a girl with white hair and ice blue eyes and to Neku's alarm, Joshua. But Neku didn't say anything, because he trust Joshua and he trust his new friend.
It was also then that Neku realized he didn't know his new friend's name and quickly asked for it.
His friend smiled at him and answered, "It's Asho."
2…
Shiki's new friends came with an unspoken rulebook.
Eri learn each rule the hard way. Each and every single rule began with the word "Never".
Never ask Rhyme what her hopes and dreams are. She won't be able to answer you without breaking down into tears.
Never write on anyone's hand, especially Neku. They all flinch from it.
Never be alone with Joshua. Shiki told her this one and Eri still couldn't figure out why.
Never ask exactly how Shiki met them. No one will give her a straight answer aside from "At Hachiko".
Never ask why all the shopkeepers love Neku and what he had done to gain their total love and affection. Personally Eri found this one to be a little scary.
Never text message to any of them. Like writing on the hand, they all flinch from it.
Never mock the power of Reaper Creeper.
Never make sound of a gun near Neku. By default, never take Neku to see a movie about guns either. Joshua actually glared at her for that one.
Never take Neku's headphones. He will freak and not speak to you for the rest of the day, or week.
But most importantly…
Never joke about death.
1…
Shibuya loved Neku.
Joshua knew this well.
It was the very reason why Joshua chosen him to be his proxy.
It was also the very reason why Joshua gave Neku his headphones.
0…
"I would die for you, Neku."
Remember most of these eventually connect together :3 Have you started to piece together which ones go together? Please review