I. The 1st Day
Tick, tock. Tick, tock. Tick, tock.

The clock continued to tick in the quiet classroom. The summer heat seeped into the room, slowly grilling the already stressed students. They started to wipe off sweat from their foreheads, while trying to remember the answers for the questions in front of them.

Why did the teacher have to make a final quiz before the summer holidays?

Neku had already finished; he was rechecking his answers. Although he looked pretty serious, this was only to avert his hands from subconsciously reaching for his headphones. He keeps them around his neck, just in case he gets bored. But in his moment of need, he couldn't risk it.

Shiki had also finished, but fortunately for her, she can draw on a piece of paper provided for the quiz. She had written some of her rough work there, but she erased them to make space for her drawing.

As for Beat, he was obviously struggling. It almost seemed that he was facing a test for MIT students. The heat made it even harder for him, so he quickly took off his skull beanie and used it as a swab.

The heat continued to torment them. They were raring to get out and cool themselves. Fortunately, time was on their side that day.

The school bell finally rang. As the teacher delivers the stock speech before school's officially out for summer, the class took a deep breath of joy. Neku quickly put on his headphones and played a song. Shiki packed her things while humming a happy tune.

Beat slammed his head on the desk, his brain stressed, and his body weak from the heat.

__________________________________________________________________________________

"So, Neku," said Shiki, while drinking some iced tea, "what are you going to do this summer?"

The 3, having decided to go somewhere after school, went to a cafe near the scramble crossing and cooled themselves. It was a temporary refuge from the tormenting summer sun.

"I dunno, haven't decided yet. I'm thinking of working part-time, though."

"At the Coffee Man's shop?" asked Beat. Both he and Shiki somehow felt that their orange-haired friend would go there to work. After all, the owner was Neku's personal idol.

"Maybe," replied Neku, "but I've been visiting him too many times. Even he recommended trying someplace new."

Neku had gone to the WildKat Café almost everyday. The owner, Mr. Hanekoma, enjoyed Neku's company, but he encouraged Neku to try new things. "'Expand your world, Phones', he said," Neku recalled.

"But anyways, enough about me. Hey Beat, shouldn't you be picking up Rhyme now?"

"Naw, she's already at home. My folks picked her up at school," answered Beat.

Shiki sighed a bit, her expression saying 'that's a shame'. She wanted to meet little Rhyme again, at least once. They've never met even once since their last meeting at Hachiko.

"Oh yeah, Beat, what are YOU going to do this summer?" Neku said, "You don't seem to have any plans."

"Yeah Beat," Shiki added, "you haven't got any plans, do you? Would you mind helping me and Eri model for our clothes?"
Neku and Shiki knew that this is the perfect way to tease Beat. As they have expected, he screamed his usual shout: "BWAAAAAGH!"

"Yo, man, don't turn me into a cross-dresser! I'm a man, and that's final!"

They continued to laugh together, losing track of time. After it had gone dark, they decided to split up and go to their homes.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Two familiar figures watch from atop 104, as the three friends split up at the ever-crowded scramble crossing. One man wore a black vest, the other covered in a luminous white aura. He seemed to be overflowing with divine energy.

"Cross-dressing, hmm?" the white figure said, playing with his long hair. "I think I'm going to try and do it myself one of these days."

"You sure about that, Boss?" the black vested man said. He chuckled to himself for quite a long time, until the luminous one interrupted him.

"Hey, it's my choice, Mr. H. Anyways, that's beside the point. I see that Neku has made some progress since we last met."

"Right on the money, Boss. He certainly has shown changes. Good ones, to be exact," Mr. H replied.

The white-haired man smiled, looking down at the orange-haired boy leaving for the Shibuya West Exit. "I think I'm going to watch over my dear partner for just a bit longer..."

The white-haired man transfigurated into a younger form of himself. As he chuckled playfully, he disappears in a white flash of light.