A/N. Thank god for prewritten chapters. And finally naming stories!

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Chapter One

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Still teasing Neku, Yoshiya walked carelessly into a girl with cropped black hair and large glasses.

"Oh! I'm so sorry. Excuse me. " She squeaked, head down and blushing.

Yoshiya nodded absently before continuing on, Neku staying silent but rebuking his pest/friend once they were past, and Shiki let out a breath.

"I hope they didn't recognise me. " Not that they really would. She was totally invisible, it seemed.

She had watched the pair's antics out in the courtyard, and was trying to form some kind of plan based on her knowledge. Her life had always been a content one, a simple one, with a few good friends here and there and sewing always to fall back on. But that had been before Yoshiya had come to her school and neatly stolen her best friend.

Eri was fashionable, popular, thin and pretty, and for some reason had formed a close relationship with the little nobody that roamed the halls with her plush cat clutched to her chest. Together, they had made a tiny revolution for handmade fashion in the streets of Shibuya, a fantastic combination of Eri's designing skills and Shiki's dedicated sewing. Now, Eri spent all her time with the rest of Yoshiya's fangirls, oozing love over the dazzling pretty boy.

Shiki wished more than anything she could enter that circle and be accepted again, but she couldn't. She didn't throw herself mindlessly at this rich, pale skinned boy. She was invisible, shy, reserved. She could not be anything else than Shiki- and she hated herself for it. She was different.

Perhaps she was different enough to steal Yoshiya away by herself?

Simply by being beautiful and flirtatious was not enough. She had to get inside his circle of true friends, and the easiest way would be through Neku. Why they were friends, nobody knew. Neku clearly disliked Yoshiya on some level, yet he always made time for the silvery haired boy, and was the only one at school who called him by the pet name Yoshiya called himself- Joshua. Why, again, was a mystery.

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The bell rang at last, signaling escape for the misrable students of the icy english teacher Mitsuki Konishi, often called 'Iron Maiden'. At least, an escape for some.

"Sakuraba," the blonde woman called as the student made for the door. "Come here, please."

Probably going to get lectured on his grade, Shiki absently mused as she passed by, only to stop dead outside the door. I got it! A way into the circle!

The student took a spot against the wall outside of Konishi's class, hoping to catch Neku as he left, but quickly lost all sight of the classroom door as the tidal wave of teenagers washed down the hallways. A break in the crowd showed her a flash of orange heading for his locker.

"Excuse me?"

Shiki tapped lightly on his shoulder, then stepped quickly back as he gave her a bored glare. His dark blue eyes were cold and hard as the sapphires in Eri's favorite earrings, and the orange eyebrows above were set in a sharp scowl as he watched her behind a surprisingly attractive mix of bangs and spikes. His hair showed the valley where the broad plastic band of his headphone typically sat like a saddle.

"What?" His voice was slightly hoarse, as if unused to being used, and had an almost threatening note embedded in it as he fished his headphones and homework out of his locker. He wasn't especially mad today- it was just Neku being Neku.

She swallowed, and Neku raised one eyebrow, waiting.

After a moment of silence, Neku snorted through his nose before setting the headphones in their rightful place and turning away. Shiki gathered her nerve, and grabbed for his shoulder again. "W-wait!"

He grabbed her wrist, and for a moment she though he was going to break it. All the violent stories she'd heard about this psychotic teen came rushing to her head, but all he did was pluck her hand from his shoulder and turn his head to pinion her in those blue eyes.

"What are you, a stalker? Leave me alone."

"I-I want to make a deal with you, " she managed to gabble. Neku released her wrist and turned his music down. When he stayed silent, she continued.

"You're failing english, " she started, only to freeze as his cheeks turned an angry red and he locked away. "What's it to you, " he muttered defensively.

"I can tutor you, " Shiki offered, "i-if... if I can... "

Neku's gaze slid back to her, a little less angry. "If?"

"If you let me join your group. "

He seemed taken aback. "Group? But I- "

Just then, in his typical blaze of brilliance, Yoshiya walked by, flashing a glance in Neku's direction. "You coming to eat with me, dear? "

"I'd rather eat out of the garbage, " Neku retorted automatically, not even bothering to look in his direction. If he had, he would have missed Shiki's wistful look.

"...Oh. " Neku noted in realization once Yoshiya and his fangirls had passed. "He's not that great, you know. " The orange-haired teen crossed his arms rather sullenly. "Really. You'd be better off staying away from him. He breaks everything he touches. "

"Do we have a deal or not? " Shiki held out her hand, and for one awful moment thought Neku would refuse. He eyed her hand coldly, as if she was holding something dead in it, before clasping her hand in his firm grip.

"Deal."

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Shiki was doing her very best to blend in with her surroundings, just to be safe. Eri would be so jealous of her! Little shy Shiki, sitting with Yoshiya Kiryu in the school courtyard, in the coveted shady spot by the fountain! She was seated daintily on the picnic table-styled, wooden affair, waiting with Neku for the rest of the group to arrive as their classes let out for the day.

Her passport to the silver haired wonder's tiny circle of friends raised a pumpkin-colored eyebrow as a brawny-looking teenager with scruffy blonde hair and a skateboard tucked under his arm sat thunderously beside him. This was Beat Bito. When Beat had been in elementary school, Neku was the new kid. They got in a fight, beat each other nearly senseless, and had been friends ever since. The skateboarding boy was generally fine to get along with, if a little slow, but often the life of the party.

"Yo, 'Phones! Wanna hit up Ugadawa?"

Neku cast a look at Shiki as he replied rather icily, "No. I got a tutor coming over this afternoon to help me with English. "

"Oh, really, Neku? I wish you would have told me sooner, though. I was planning on visiting Mr. H, but I'll always make time for you. "

Yoshiya, or Joshua as he insisted to be called, had appeared and was leaning over the table suggestively. Much to Neku's distaste, Joshua was still in the girl's uniform he had worn to school this morning, and even more to Neku's distaste was toying with Neku's bangs and giggling. It was a rather musical warble, really, except that is was so laced with smug pride that is sounded like nails on a chalkboard to whoever it was directed at.

"Not you. Not ever. Her, " and with a jerk of his head, Neku introduced Joshua to Shiki.

"Ah, what a delightful girl you've met, Neku. She looks almost as good in that sailor suit as I do. " Joshua lightly tossed his bangs out of his face as he turned back to Neku. "When can I send out the wedding invitations?"

Not deigning to reply, the orange haired outcast flicked Joshua in the forehead, a satisfying 'thunk' ringing out into the schoolyard. "Jerk. You're scaring her. "

"You know how easily I bruise, Neku. You're so abusive. " Mock-worry crossed the middle of Joshua's face as he touched where Neku had flicked him.

"Beat, there you are, " came a soft voice, and a young girl walked up. She looked to be a first-year student, with cropped blonde hair and big blue eyes. The bulky boy with the skateboard cracked a grin and ushered her over. Neku nodded at her, giving a faint smile.

"Good first week, Rhyme? "

She smiled shyly and took the seat that Beat offered her. Joshua shot a look to Neku that said something along the lines of 'what's with all the strangers, Neku? Get them off my table' or so Shiki guessed. The realization she wasn't accepted made her squirm and start to get up with a mumbled excuse, but a firm hand latched onto her shoulder and shoved her back down onto the bench.

Neku's orange spikes tickled her cheek as he murmured into her ear, "Don't let him get to you. I say you can sit here. " Raising his voice so the rest of the table could hear, he added, "He's bound by contract. "

"Yo, I don't see any 'cun-tracts' on his wrist or anythi- "

"Figure of speech, Beat, " Rhyme gently corrected while passing a confused glance to Neku. Joshua, however, neatly intercepted.

"Back in the good old days of a city-wide, city-run, only-option kindergarten, I was blessed to meet our dear Mr. Sakabura while he was pounding another child senseless with a plushie. By a fantastic coincidence, it was the same child who had yanked out a fistful of my hair the day before, so I pledged an allegiance with Neku. He'd fight my battles for me, and I'd share my snacks with him. We still hold that contract to this day but with a few revisions. " He lay across the table to wrap his arms around Neku's neck, "so his friends are my friends, and he does all my dirty work. I just hate breaking a sweat. "

"Which reminds me, " Neku growled as he shoved Joshua away, " why was there a pair of girl's underwear in your laundry? "

Not one to be disturbed by such an allusion, Joshua smirked and remarked coyly, "Kasume Toshimiya stopped by last week for a 'tutoring session'. "

"She must be desperate to be gittin' tutored by Prissy, " Beat remarked in sad awe, completely missing the suggestion behind Joshua's story. Another giggle escaped Joshua's sculpted mouth, and Neku rolled his eyes.

"The only 'friends' Joshua has are the ones he pays, " Neku remarked coldly. Joshua flicked his hair again, purple eyes glowing in the afternoon light.

"You're just jealous, " he defended, reaching over to grab for Neku's headphones and receiving a withering glare for his troubles.

"I'm sure that you could make friends if you wanted to, " offered Rhyme. Joshua, still grappling with Neku, smirked. "Who said I wanted any more friends? People are a pain to deal with. "

Neku growled, lost his patience and shoved Joshua across the table. "Shut. Up. "

Liberating the precious headphones in a fluid grab, Joshua tossed a smirk in Rhyme's direction. "Ah, I kid. I'm not as angsty as Neku, I just can't find many people I like. "

"How hard have you tried? "

Caught off guard, the silver haired teen found his arm twisted behind his back and was soon laying with his stomach on the table. Quick as ever, though, he neatly wriggled out of his captors grasp and held the glorious headphones precariously above the fountain.

"Don't move, Neku. I'll give them back if you all go out to eat with me. WildKat. My treat. "

Shiki colored, then started to stammer something about studies but found herself hauled off by Neku. "Deal. Let's go. "

Only letting go of Shiki to catch the purple plastic device Joshua so carelessly tossed at him, Neku led the way to the often-deserted cafe, dragging his thrilled tutor behind him. Quickly, she sent a text off to her mom. Eating w/ friends, B back at 7. Then she let out a muffled sound of glee.

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