66 - Vignette- Post-Game
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Entry Fee
Besides the time that Shiki first discovered that she was Neku's entry fee for the second week, they had not brought it up again. They skirted around the subject, if either Beat or Rhyme got close to it, or they just changed the subject completely. They both had the feeling that it would make things awkward.
They didn't want things to be awkward - not when they all had just got back into the rhythm of living in the RG again.
So, when Shiki asked him a question about it, Neku was genuinely surprised.
Not only that, the question itself was unexpected.
"Was I really your entry fee?"
It was a strange question to ask all of a sudden, seeing as how the two of them had been sitting on the edge of his bed, watching a movie on his laptop, with it on Neku's lap and Mr. Mew on hers. They were comfortable with each enough now,with each other to things like this. Though as she was asking this question, maybe not as comfortable as Neku had initially thought.
"Of course you were," said Neku. "That guy took you away, didn't he?" 'That guy' being Megumi Kitaniji, the former Conductor of Shibuya.
"He did...but…" She hugged Mr. Mew tightly.
"Shiki...?" He shut the laptop, putting it aside and trying to look at her properly.
Neku didn't like this. The mood had dropped from the one he had become so familiar with, when it came to her. He wanted to get rid of whatever she was feeling insecure about.
She closed her eyes and bowed her head down, her hair blocking her from his view.
"I heard that the Conductor of the game, can't bring anyone back to life. What if he just took me because he couldn't get me back to the UG?" Her voice grew smaller and smaller as she spoke.
That was the first time Neku had heard anything like that. Where did Shiki get that idea from? It seemed very unlike Shiki to ponder too deeply on what happened in the past. And for her to reach the conclusion…
"Did...Joshua say something to you?" Perhaps it could've been some other Reaper who had that knowledge, but that was the name that instinctively slipped past Neku's lips.
The way she squeezed her eyes shut harder, told Neku that he was right. There wasn't any reason for her to do that...he wasn't going to get mad at her. Sure, Joshua hadn't even showed up to say hi to him yet, and it had almost been a year. Neku didn't ask Shiki where she met Joshua; he did as he pleased, and Neku was unlikely to find Joshua even if Shiki did say where they talked. When Neku did eventually find Joshua, he was not going to let him leave before telling him why he would appear before Shiki tell her that, of all things.
"Hey," Neku started. "It doesn't matter."
"It does!" she shouted suddenly, her eyes turning to look at him. There were traces of tears in the corners of them.
Shiki? Why was she about to cry? Neku felt like this had come out of nowhere. "Shiki, calm down. Why are you so worked up over this?"
"I,,," Shiki turned away from his gaze once more. "When I came back and you said that I was your entry fee I was...shocked. But I was also really happy. I thought...that if I was your entry fee...it meant that you were right - I was actually needed." Her voice went softer. "I suppose what I really mean was that I was needed by you. We had our ups and downs during that week but...I was glad to think I was important to you, in the end."
"So that was it…" Neku ran his fingers through his spiked hair, debating with himself on what his next words would be. "...Shiki. Even if you weren't my entry fee, you were - no, are important to me. Back then, you were the first friend I had made in a long time. Hell, I didn't even want friends for a long time. There's no doubting that you were important. And now, you're one of my best friends and I don't know how you can get any more important than that.
"Remember what Mr. H said, once? 'Live in the moment'. I didn't get it at first, but I do now. The past is the past, and the present is the present. We've just got to go with what we've got now."
Shiki stared at him, considering his words. Was she still not convinced?
"Well, if it would make you feel any better," Neku tugged at his hair, feeling like he would regret admitting this to her, "I was shocked when Shades first told me you were my entry fee but...I didn't really question it the rest of the week. That is to say, I never thought it was impossible that you were what I valued most."
He had been so focused on saving her because she was his entry fee that he never stopped to think that if it was true that he valued her most or not. Maybe it was because he was too irritated at Joshua to think about it at the time, or maybe somewhere, deep down, he did believe that she had been the one he valued most. It was slightly embarrassing, either way, considering how much grief he caused her in their week together.
"Oh…" A smile slowly spread on her face, all traces of her almost-crying gone. "Okay."
"Okay?" That was it? She wasn't going to laugh at him? (Not that he wanted her to). No tears of joy? (Not that he wanted her to cry). No heartfelt reply? (Not that he wanted one, but he had just basically spilled, his heart out, considering that he was Neku).
"Yeah." Her expression was back to how it was when she had got here. Cheerful and bright.
Was she relieved? Did he say enough? Did he say too much? Was she just pretending to have recovered?
"Are you sure?"
"Yep. If that's what you say, then it's okay." She reached across him to open up the laptop again. "I trust you."
Damn it. Now he wanted to hide his face away, and those three words were all it took.
"...Okay."
A/N: Four! Tadaaa! Four in today's update :D I left ya guys high and dry four over a month, which I am really sorry about, so I went ahead and did a mega-update today. Ch. 64 and 65 are both outfit changes, haha. Neku being flustered for the win. Ch. 62 is because I'm doing work experience and explains why I haven't been updating recently. Ch. 66 is...because I still love the Entry Fee thing and it never gets old. I actually like to think of the Entry Free thing as a friendshippy thing, but my NeShiki may have leaked out on this one. Whoops. (Sorrynotsorry).
Thank you to: B.A.G-GOMEZ, Crow's Gamble, I'll Break Your Heart, Xerzo LotCN, ElementLegend and The Professor of time for the amazing reviews.
Now, time for everyone's (not so) favourite corner! ADVERTISING TIME.
In my absence, NeShiki has still been active! Check out 'Whistling Takes Practice and So Do Relationships' by ThisPerson [the Neshiki is strong in this one] and for an AU look at Forgotten by Mistress of the Arts [superhuman abilities + Neshiki, thanks very much].
Also, I'm participating in a challenge on called the Twelve Shots of Summer, where writers post a one-shot for each week. Go search the forums and read all the amazing entries! Heck, jump in and join us if you'd like. You don't have to catch up to the previous weeks, just join in for the rest!
Hope you guys are having a good summer!
- Dina (23/7/2014)
