Let's Try Something Else

by Kanthia

A series of TWEWY drabbles written in part for the 365 Drabble Challenge. Contains spoilers. 19: Mr. H is forced to contemplate what it means to be in desperate times, and what constitutes a desperate measure.

10. Existence

Title: Existence
Fandom: The World Ends With You
Pairing/Characters: Joshua, Hanekoma, implied Neku/Shiki
Warning(s): Spoilers.
Genre: Gen

"You look glum, boss," Hanekoma says, joining Shibuya's Composer on the rooftop of Pork City, cup of coffee in hand. "Something you wanna talk about?"

The mass of silver light that makes up Joshua darkens just a bit. "I am not glum," he mumbles, which makes it all the more obvious that he is.

"Oh? Just down a bit, Josh?" Hanekoma peeks over the side of the rooftop and notices exactly what has his Composer so moody -- Sakuraba Neku, his little proxy, is walking arm-in-arm with an anonymous girl.

Joshua knows that he knows, since they've been around one another for too many years to need Player Pins to read the other's mind. "He shouldn't be with her."

"Possessive much?"

"She's not right for him." He huffs dramatically. "She's not even pretty."

Hanekoma takes another peek at her, narrowing his eyes. The strong chin and dark hair seem oddly familiar; it takes about ten seconds for it to dawn on him. "That's Misaki Shiki, boss. She looked different during the Game, but -- anyways, there's more to being right than lookin' nice, though it helps."

"I know that, Sanae, and my judgment won't change. She's not right for him."

He laughs at that, because it's been years since Joshua has acted like such a child. But it's good for him to get his frustration out this way rather than bottling it up and letting it -- well, get to the point it did last time.

On the street below, almost lost in the middle of the scramble, Neku feels a slight tingle on the back of his neck as though someone is watching him. He looks up from mint-chocolate-chip ice cream; Shiki takes advantage of his distraction to steal a lick, then gives him a feisty little smile when he turns his attention back to her.

"Hear something, Neku?"

There was a spot of light almost like a halo above Pork City, but it could have been his eyes. "No, nothing. Wanna head for the movie theatre?"

If anything, just by existing Sakuraba Neku was saving Shibuya every day.