A/N. I miss Jestry. ;A; Come back soon, darling.

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Chapter Two

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Raimu Bito was not particularly outgoing by nature. She was slightly shy, an instinctive background worker, content to be the silent support for her friends- especially her brother. Therefore, she was shocked when Yoshiya dropped back to talk with her, content to let Beat and his friends lead the way.

"They're not really worth it, you know. People, I mean. Really. They're selfish and full of flaws, all ready to lash out at each other. " Yoshiya stated coolly, but she noticed him watch her out of the corner of his eye with vague intrest. Even so, Rhyme replied as she would have under any circumstance.

"We all have flaws. But if we just close ourselves up, we'll rot on the inside. Our whole lives are built around people, anyway- what they think of us, what we think of them. "

He paused for a moment, almost looking serious. Then he smirked. "You're such a child. "

With that, he sped up again to bother Neku, leaving Rhyme confused. Why would he want to talk to me if he didn't like what I had to say?

"Hey… um, Rhyme? "

The black haired girl had been released from Neku's grip when Joshua had started bothering the other boy again. She was now looking at Rhyme curiously.

"Yes? "

"How do you know Neku? "

The younger girl smiled. "I'm Beat's little sister. You? N-not to pry, " she added quickly.

"I'm his new English tutor, Shiki Misaki, " She offered. Rhyme smiled. "Really? That's so kind of you. Neku... well, he's a good kid deep down. He needs someone like you, I think. "

Shiki startled and blushed. "Wh-what? What do you mean by that?"

"Hey, stalker!"

Neku was standing in the doorway of a small cafe by the Miyashita Park overpass, looking at Shiki. "Yeah, you."

"My name is Shiki, " she murmured, scowling slightly as he waved her over and ushered her inside. Rhyme sighed, and murmured out loud, "He needs someone like you, Shiki, because you wish you were visible and he wishes he wasn't."

"Yo, Rhyme? They got curry in here!"

"Coming, Beat!" True to her word, she was quickly in the doorway, nodding politely to Yoshiya as he held the door open for you.

"Be careful, Rhyme," he murmured as he passed him by. "Some people aren't worth getting to know."

"Thank you, Yoshiya," she said in a normal tone. He smirked casually. "Call me Joshua."

Flashing a smile that belied his cold tone from moments ago, Joshua took a seat on of the couches in the cafe. WildKat, as it was called, was a few years old and very quietly owned by one Sanae Hanekoma, a rumored eccentric. But Rhyme, taking the seat beside Shiki and across from Joshua and Neku, knew better.

"Hey, if it ain't Josh and Phones." The man that came out of the back room was dressed in black slacks, a white shirt, and a loose white vest, with sunglasses perched on his nose and an attractive five-o'-clock shadow. His eyes were coffee-colored, and he smelled like the strong drink too. But his smile was what Rhyme liked the best; laid back, genuine, and permanent.

"And, what lovely young ladies you've brought with you today. Ah, Rhyme, is that the high school uniform I see you wearing?"

She nodded, and he laughed as he turned to Shiki. "Oh, and who's this?"

Neku shrugged. "The stalker's with me."

Shiki, daydreaming, was snapped into reality with that remark. "My name is Shiki. Shiki Misaki, " she clairfied with a bit of angry color in her cheeks.

"Whatever. " Neku's expression spoke more than he did. He couldn't care less. Shiki sighed, seeming frustrated.

"Shiki? Aren't you the girl who started that revolution last year? With... what's her name. Eri something. " Mr. Hanekoma cocked one eyebrow curiously.

"Eri Shiroi! Yes! " Shiki nodded, and blushed even more when Joshua turned to give her attention at last.

"Oh, I loved what you did with those parkas from LA. The rabbits ears were a nice touch, and the cuts in the shoulders were truly inspired, " Joshua noted, watching Hanekoma vanish into the kitchen. Shiki blushed.

"Eri did all the designing. She's the genius, really. I just help her. " The teenager adjusted her glasses. "You should tell her you like it. I'm sure she'll be thrilled to hear it from you."

"I'll be sure to, " smiled Joshua as Hanekoma reappeared with a plate of muffins and coffee all around. "Hope you like this, Shiki. It's homemade, everyday. " The cafe barista winked at her.

"You'll make a great wife someday," Neku noted as he downed a gulp of black coffee, still steaming.

Sanae chuckled, taking this in stride. "Drink your coffee, Phones."

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A good hour or two later, Neku got up from his seat, gathered up his books and headed for the door. "I gotta get home, Mr. H. See you guys tomorrow." Beat and Rhyme, jolted out of their talk with Hanekoma, smiled in reply.

"Aight, Phones."

"Until tomorrow, Neku."

Neku paused in the doorway, expectantly watching Shiki, who was busy in conversation with Joshua about the sale at Natural Puppy that weekend. At last, he snapped, "Hey, Stalker, let's go."

Shooting a glare at the pumpkin-haired boy, which he returned with sizzling coldness, Shiki grabbed her schoolbag and nodded a farewell to her new friends to follow Neku with a scowl and call after him as he vanished into the crowds with his smooth, fast walk. Joshua sighed in mock sorrow. "Neku's cheating on me. How depressing. "

The cafe owner cocked an eyebrow. "Rough at home, Josh? You're more persistent than usual."

Too quickly, Joshua's eyes flicked to the Bito siblings sitting on the couch, and his eyes darkened. Then his smile was back, if a little forced. "Tch. Don't bother our guests with such things. "

His adult friend did not reply, instead turned to Beat and admitted, "I'm working on a new design for a skateboard deck. Wanna see?" For Hanekoma wasn't just a cafe owner- he was the famous and infamous CAT, legendary designer and graffiti extraordinaire. Beat leaped at the chance to see such an item in progress.

"Le's check it out, man!"

Both vanished into the back room, and Joshua turned his eyes to Rhyme.

The younger Bito opened her science book and began reading, as she was used to sitting alone in the cafe for hours on end as Neku and Beat crowded Sanae's tiny workshop to ooze over the latest work. She was kind enough to let the boys have their space at this time- after all, she was just the little sister.

Speaking of space, she mused, of all the spots in the room at stare at, why is Yoshi- no, Joshua- staring at me?. She dared to look up, and noticed the cat-like smirk that twisted his lips up.

Beat had always told her to never show fear to a bully, but Rhyme had never met anyone like Joshua. He was a silent, amused, and distant sort of intimidating, and knew it.

"So, tell me, Rhyme, " he almost purred, voice smooth and cold as oil over ice, "what makes you so determined to get to know so many people? What if they don't want to be known? "

"Well, the heart opens to the heart that opens in return, so it's an effort on both sides. Plus, what do I have to lose by making friends? " She gulped, but was detirmined to stick to her guns in this.

"You could make enemies, " he murmured. "You could get hurt. "

"It's worth it in the end. I want to make others around me happy, and sometimes the best way to do that is be a friend, " Rhyme stated forcefully, and Joshua raised an eyebrow. She turned her eyes back to her schoolwork, but Joshua was not so easily detered.

His voice was a low, poisonous hiss laced with malicious amusement. "Really, now? " He chuckled slightly. "You are such a child, Rhyme. "

She looked up, startled. But his eyes were softer now, and warm. What? Had he been testing me in some way?

He took a seat closer to her propped his heels on the coffee table. "Neku always said you were the brains of the Bito family. I didn't think there could be. "

"Beat makes up for his book smarts with street smarts. Plus, he really loves me. " Rhyme forced a laugh, still recovering after Joshua's 180. Somehow, though, she felt like she could trust him.

"Street smarts, you say. Huh. All right. " He shrugged as Beat and Hanekoma came back into the main room, the former grabbing his bookbag and skateboard.

"Rhyme, we gotta hit it. Bye, Coffee Man. Bye, Prissy. "

"Bye, Skater Brain, " Joshua replied with the same friendly distaste- the teens being at a Neku-forced truce from their clashing personalities. "See you tomorrow, Rhyme, " he added with a little less bite.

As they left, Rhyme heard Joshua complain to Hanekoma, "You sneak. You've been preparing Rhyme for me, haven't you? "

The barista shook his head. "I'm surprised you would have 'tested' her so soon, but I didn't tell her anything. It's just her nature. "

As she stood behind Beat on the tiny skateboard, she felt Joshua's eyes watch her go.

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Dun dun duuuuuh! *brick'd* Reviews still equal love. xD