Thank you everyone SO much! I really appreciate all the support!

Blue-black flames - I'm glad you enjoyed the character development! Please PM me if you have any other plot ideas! I'd be happy to include them! I kinda like the first person POV and I'm sorry if its kinda confusing but I think it may be here to stay... I will try not to skip around too much tho... I will try to explain things in more detail but... Eh... I'm bad at this... BUT I WILL TRY!

Filthy Casul - Hope you enjoy! Thank you for the speculation!

Thank you everyone else for all the follows/favs! This takes place when Aika is helping Takashi find his cat BEFORE the whole ordeal with Hiro.

Aika's POV

Well there goes my promise to my mom. I am skipping yet again, though this time I have a legit reason. I wonder what I should do today with all this free time...

*ring ring*

I check my phone to see who texted me.

Takashi: Aika, it appears I have once again misplaced my cat... I can't seem to find her anywhere and my father will be very upset if he finds out I lost her again. Would you mind helping me look for her?

Me: 'misplaced'? Srsly? The cat's a living thing you know... You don't just 'misplace' it. It ran away! Plus don't you have classes to attend?

Takashi: Ah... Yes, that feline has always hated me. My father told me to stay home today because according to him I am 'sick' but I'm not. He is just over reacting.

Me: I thinking may be you, my dear Takashi, who is under-reacting. If your sick you SHOULD stay home. Plus, you know your father is just trying to be as fatherly as he possibly can considering the way HE was raised.

Takashi: I know but it still irks me. I suppose your skipping today?

Me: Aha... No. I have a pretty ugly bruise on my side and it is annoyingly painful. So I am staying home. Don't ask me how it happened I'll just tell you I was up to my usual antics.

Takashi: I didn't plan to. Plus, you really need to cut those habits of yours. They're gonna get you killed some day...

Me: Where r u? I'll help you find your cat.

Takashi: Stop avoiding the topic! I'm not kidding! I don't want to attend another friend's funeral Aika!

I turned my phone off.

I generally try to avoid these topics. The REAL reason why Takashi is staying home today. The REAL reason he wants to see me. Today is Rintaru's birthday. He would have been 15 just like us. Would have. But he is dead so its meaningless. According to both our parents its a 'mourning day' but mourning the dead is stupid. Rintaru wouldn't want us to be sad. Trying to talk to the dead is even stupider. Its like talking to a wall. Its not listening. They're dead. Crying won't change anything, it will just upset those around you. So what's the point? Rintaru is dead and there is nothing I can do about it. Takashi knows this as well. We both know it. Even though our parents say otherwise, we know he is gone and gone forever.

~ Later ~

*ding! dong!*

It must be Takashi. I walk downstairs and open the door.

"Aika! Why didn't you respond to my texts?!" Takashi yelled at me (which is very unlike him, he is usually Mr. Perfect, but he isn't around me...)

"Because I didn't want to. Where is the last place you saw your cat anyways?" I respond. He sighs.

"Last time I saw her was last night. My father was feeding her in the kitchen and that's about it."

"Wait... Why would it be YOUR fault that the cat is gone if the last time you saw her was last night?!" I yell. "Wouldn't it be someone else's fault or maybe even the CAT'S fault that it disappeared? Plus, I am so not going outside to help you find your stupid cat in the freezing cold! I can literally see myself breathing! That's not a good thing."

"It is my fault because I think I forgot to close the window in the living room and I'm pretty sure that's how she escaped. If you don't help me find her I'll do it myself."

Damn. This guy clearly doesn't take no for an answer and he knows how to get me to say yes. Then again, how can I leave him alone at a time like this... No point trying now that he is literally at my door steps.

"Fine. Lemme get my shoes on."

I put on my jacket and fuzzy boots. Outside is literally freezing and I don't want to die of hypothermia. Takashi is wearing a jacket and scarf but I can still see him shivering (even though he tries to hide it).

"Want a hat?" I offer him my dad's old one.

"No thanks."

I lock the door and we leave.

"So where do you think that lunatic cat of yours went?" I ask sarcastically.

Takashi's POV

"Well, if my memory serves me right, she always runs off to the park on the other block."

Aika Akabane. One of my oldest friends. Little does she know I will be joining her in E-class very soon. My father says it will do me some good and 'add to my experience.' I don't know what he means but it intend of telling Aika while we look for Shelly (my cat).

We walk in silence. I'm pretty sure she already knows I have something to tell her. Aika is a very sensitive person when it comes to others... But she uses it for, well, let's just say unkind things. It was nice having Aika around when I was little because she always seemed to know what I was thinking and how I felt. I was never able to express myself very well so she helped with that. My dad always had Sunday night dinners with the Akabanes so Aika and I hung out a lot.

Suddenly I bump into something.

"Hey!" Aika whisper yells. Then points to something on our left. I look over and see Shelly grooming herself on top of a metallic furnace box. Damn that cat. I look at Aika who looks back at me. We both nod, already knowing the other's thoughts. Both of us start walking slowly in opposite directions like predators stalking their prey. As we close in on our target we both jump her at the same time. Shelly jumped away from Aika but I was able to grab her by the tail before she could run off again. We put Shelly in a cage and locked it (hey at least it wasn's a gym bag like last time right?).

We were walking home on the frosty sidewalk when I feel Aika gently tug on my arm. I look at her and she points at a flower stand. There is a middle aged man with grey hair sitting behind the sign. On the from row of bouquets I see white carnations. I knew what she was thinking.

"Could we - " she starts.

"Of course. Its his birthday after all. We should get him something." I answer before she finishes. She looks at me and smiles sadly. I'm glad she can still act kind and human around me instead of like when she is around her classmates. I don't know what's up with her need to mess with people but I do know she is dishonest as far as showing herself to others. I buy the flowers and as we head to the grave yard I stop by a candy store and buy some caramel taffy - it was Rintaru's favorite candy. We walk in a comfortable silence until we reach the grave yard.

"Happy birthday Rintaru." Aika says gently. "I wish you were still here today." She looked like she was about to cry.

"Hey Rintaru," I say. I know my voice is probably quivering as I am fighting back tears as well. "We all really miss you. I got you some candy. Happy 15th birthday Rintaru."

Well... That turned out to be more depressing than I wanted it to be... Um... Yeah... Sorry... Review?