II. My Dear Partner

Neku had lied down on his futon. He reminisced about the entire day; how he met his two friends, and their talk about summer. He had called them a few moments ago, telling them to meet again at Hachiko. He also added a special instruction for Beat: bring Rhyme too. Both he and Shiki wanted to meet her again. Everyone likes her kind and calm demeanor.

But there was one thing that still bugs him. He wanted to see him again. There was too much that he needed to say; his anger, his animosity, and also his deep gratitude.

"Heh, what the hell am I thinking?" Neku asked to himself. "He won't see me. Not in a long time. After all, he's got some work to do."

It was obvious that Neku never thought of seeing him again. He won't jump from the top floor of Cadoi City just to meet him at the UG again. He's not that desperate.

After brushing his teeth, Neku decided to call it a day.

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It was already a few minutes past midnight. The neighborhood where Neku lives has turned quiet, save for a few barks and howls from stray dogs.

Neku couldn't sleep. He was too excited, waiting for the morning to come. After a few moments of rolling on his own futon, he decided to play a few games on his DS, but turned down the sound, being careful to prevent waking his parents.

"You should sleep, Neku. Staying up so late would ruin your complexion."

Neku was startled by that voice. He put down his DS and looked across the room, but the owner of the voice was nowhere to be found. It was his voice.

As Neku started to calm down and return to his DS, pale white fingers tickled his chin. It came from his right.

"Quit it Josh. I always figured you were gay," Neku insulted to the white fingers. He knew that it was him; the one who pretended to be his partner, yet was bent on the destruction of his beloved Shibuya. At the last moment, however, he had a change of heart, and decided to stay his hand.

He is none other than Shibuya's Composer, Joshua.

"Oh, don't be so rash, Neku," replied Josh, "after all, I am your dear partner, hee hee."

"WERE. You were my partner. Now you're nothing more than Mr. Composer Guy. Anyways, whaddya want from me?"

"Do you always have to be so serious, Neku? Can't we just talk about other things, like friends do?" Joshua said. He was definitely disappointed of how Neku treated him.

"No. You were not my friend, and you won't be my friend in a very long time."

It was obvious that Neku despised Josh with all his passion. There is a small room in his heart that wants to forgive him for all that he has done, but unfortunately Neku was unable to think clearly at the moment. He was preoccupied with Joshua's behaviour, which he had not liked for a very long time.

"Well, I should get to the point, then. Why don't we go to the Dead God's Pad? We can talk more casually there," Josh suggested.

The Dead God's Pad is a lounge for the Conductor and his subordinate Officer Reapers meet. It is a highly luxurious lounge, equipped with a bar and a jukebox. It seems to be located above water, since fish can be seen swimming below through the transparent floor. Now that the Conductor's seat is empty, and there are no major Reaper officers, Joshua has turned it into his own personal getaway.

"I suppose, yeah, but how do we get there? It's past midnight," Neku asked.

"Don't worry, Neku. You of all people should know that I have, how do I say it, special privileges."

Joshua pointed his finger forward, warm beams of light streaming from his fingertip and engulfing the two. With Joshua's playful chuckle and a magnificent light show, Neku and Joshua disappeared with a flash of bright blue.