"Slip Through My Fingers"
Part Seven: Harmony I: Proxy
The sound of a cell phone's tone could be heard echoing across the walls of CAT's graffiti. Abandoned by its owner and forgotten. It lay…
"Hello, I'm not here right now, leave a message and I'll get back to you. Peace!"
BEEP
"Hello, Neku? Where are you?" There was a short pause and a sigh. "Hey… Just—"
Beep--! Beep--! Beep--!
I continue to search for him.
The white form that haunts me in my dreams. He lingers in the edges of my waking world, near but never near enough. Always, always slowly fading away. In the real world, he may not have even existed. Dreams and reality are blurring and I don't know what to think of anymore.
If the white form disappears from me… I will end up the same as I had been before. Half-torn, wandering the streets, living a half-life.
I'm standing in the middle of Scramble Crossing, looking at faces of people, just watching. So many people in such a small place. So many strangers, friends to be made…
So many people…
And he is not here…
Before I turn away, my phone rings and I pick up, though I cannot hide the disappointment in my voice as I speak.
"Shiki? Is that you? Sorry for running off, It's just that—"
"Neku."
I stop.
"Neku…"
"Jo…shua…" I murmur.
"Come meet me."
"Joshua…" I call again, wanting to hear that voice again.
"I am here."
Before I can say another word, he hung up. There was no number in my phone, no record of his call but I know I'm not dreaming. I shouldn't be dreaming. Not while I stand here in the middle of the crossing. Taking a deep breath and straighten, and when I look forward, he is there, a few meters away I try to run toward him. He turns just a bit for me to see his face.
Then turns away again and he walks toward another street. I follow him, running as fast I could with my heart in my throat.
Street through crowded street, I follow him, my memories of another life flooding my mind, making my chest fill up with a thousand different emotions until finally I am in Udagawa with him standing with his back to me, looking at the graffiti on the wall.
I open my mouth to speak but he got me first.
"You're late, Neku!" He says and as he turns, he smirks and I remember him.
"…Idiot."
I drop my phone, vaguely, I hear it fall to the ground, ignoring it as I close the distance between me and him and the loneliness slips through my fingers.
Part Seven: Harmony I: Proxy
End
