Ahhhh, I love sudden plot epiphanies that give me content like this. ^^ Kinda long chapter, but I really hate to cut content. I hope I'm still striking the right balence between PLOT an FLUFF. Since no one complained about me having Untitled Chapters, I'm leaving everything as is because... I can.

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Chapter Thirteen

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The Misaki family car rolled calmly out of the grocery store parking lot, headed back home at last. For the younger of the two passengers, it was a prison on wheels.

"But that Neku boy, he's got charm, that's for sure. Maybe he's not as pretty or silver tongued as that Kiryu boy, but he's got a more honest look to him-"

Shiki was close to tearing her hair out. "Mom, can you please stop talking about them? I'm barely friends with either of them!"

Ririko Misaki passed a quick look over her daughter. "I'm sorry, Shiki, I just want you to get a boyfriend as soon as possible. I started dating when I was just a freshman, and while I think you were smart to wait - the world's a different place now than when I was growing up - I do think that you stand a chance of snagging a cute little-"

"I don't want to snag a guy. I don't want to... catch one like they're some kind of exotic game. I want to... " Here she trailed off entirely, her mind busy.

I wonder if Eri would like me more if I was dating Yoshiya...

The opening notes to Leah's smash hit jolted her out of her thoughts. 'Calling, someone is calling...' The number wasn't one she recognized, but what else could she do but answer?

"Hello?"

"Hey, where are you right now?"

"Neku?" She gasped, flushing as her mother arched an eyebrow. "Don't say it," she hissed to Ririko.

"Yeah, it's me. I got something for you that you left at Hanekoma's place. Where can we meet?"

Shiki glanced out the window. "Um, well, we're just passing the Scramble right now. I'll meet you at Hachiko?"

There was a static sigh. "I'm at Udagawa. How about Cadoi?"

"All right. See you in a bit."

The connection ended before she could echo his goodbyes, and she slumped against the seat as her mother pulled up to the curb.

"Don't make him wait, sweetie." Ririko winked as Shiki flushed again and slid out of the car. The crowds swallowed her up presently, and she found herself swept along to Cadoi City. It wasn't too far from the Scramble Crossing, especially when she cut in front of the Shibu Department Store, and shortly she was standing under the bold pink and blue advertisement for Natural Puppy.

Now that she was alone and still, she couldn't block the unease curling around her spine. What if I don't see Neku? He'll never spot me in this crowd. Subconsciously, she hugged her arms, missing the fuzzy softness of her plush kitty.

I almost wish I'd brought him with me. A scowl crossed her face. Wait a second... I don't remember packing him up when I left WildKat. Did I...

Something soft hit her gently in the back of the head - Shiki spun around to confront the black stuffed animal in the grip of her student.

"Mr. Mew!" Eagerly, she received the plush kitty, finding him none the worse for wear, and hugging her firmly to her chest. "Thank you, Neku," she murmured into the plush's shoulder.

He grunted, and shrugged one shoulder. "I figured the piggy would miss you."

"He's a cat," she insisted, but smiled softly. Her companion coughed and glanced aside.

"Hey, are you busy tomorrow, after school?"

She shook her head. "Nope." Assuming I get my homework done today, of course.

"Then, can you, um..."

"... Tutor you?"

He colored slightly and avoided her gaze.

"I'll take that as a yes." She sighed, and absently glanced at her phone. The old picture of her and Eri grinned back at her; the cheer stung her bitterly. "All right, after school then." She forced a smile.

I have to keep my end of the deal. For Eri.

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True to her word, Shiki waited for Neku at the schoolyard gate, her bag slung over her shoulder and the cold air biting at the pale skin between sock and skirt. She shivered, and tugged at the hem of the latter, willing it longer. She was down to the tiny skirt of little more than a week ago, and not totally pleased.

Still, though, she noted with a faint blush, I've gotten a few more looks than normal, and Yoshiya said it looked really cute on me. But maybe he said that just to bother Neku. I'm not cute like Eri... and I never will be. Hmm, but I do wonder why Yoshiya teases me to get to Neku?

Feeling Neku's eyes on her, she turned and scanned the schoolyard for him. Ah, there he was, talking to-

"Eri?"

Sure enough, it was her friend and idol in mostly one-sided conversation with her student as he flipped through the contents of his bag. At length he seemed satisfied and walked off without registering the redhead.

Her eyes followed his path until they met with Shiki's, then they dropped and she vanished quickly into the crowds. The seamstress felt her heart plummet.

"Hey, can you come right now? My phone died and I need to hurry home and recharge it."

Neku's casual inquiry was met with a sigh and a shrug. "What's the point, anyway?" she muttered under her breath.

She followed him, absently, and the trip to his apartment - including their way through the lobby where the ever-present receptionist smiled at them, and the ride in the elevator broken only by the low crooning of some has-been boy band - passed in silence.

Seeming unable to stand it anymore, Neku locked the door behind them and leaned against the metal surface, capturing Shiki's gaze.

"All right, what's going on?" Her companion's voice was hard as his eyes, but his abrupt manner didn't bother her this time. She just sighed, and looked away.

"You talked to Eri, didn't you?"

He shrugged. "What, the redhead? I guess. She was asking me a couple things, and I told her she should investigate for herself. Why?"

"She... she won't even look at me. What's the point? We'll never be friends again... and I..." Self pity made her eyes water, even as she rejected them in shame. I'm such a crybaby. No wonder no one likes me.

"And, so what? She's one person. Get over it," and, pushing himself off the wall on his way to the kitchen, he nudged her with his shoulder. As usual, she followed him.

"But she's... Eri. Sh-She's amazing, and smart, and cute, and p-popular, and-"

"And you're Shiki. I don't think I like her, anyway. Kinda... vapid and annoying."

She tried to force a smile, realizing he was trying to comfort her in his own strange way. "Th-Thanks..." Although I get the impression that you don't really like me...

He took in a breath, as though preparing to speak, then he sighed. "Your mascara's starting to run." And he rubbed her cheek with his sleeve.

Sniffing and wiping her face off with a tissue, careful to minimize smudging the black makeup all over her face, Shiki watched the teenage boy pull knives out of drawers, then throw a pot into the sink and start filling it with water.

"What are you...?"

"Cooking. You can help." He slid the pot onto the stove, pulling powdered chicken stock and miso out of the tiny cupboard and poured it in liberally. "Stir this while I cut up the vegetables."

"...Okay." And both set themselves down to work.

Neku handled the knife with ease, slicing through the stiff vegetables with almost professional speed and skill, his dark blue eyes fixed on the task at hand as Shiki stirred the bubbling pot, studying him.

"What are you staring at?"

His voice, so sudden, snapped his guest out of her mesmerized stupor and almost made her drop the spoon in the soup. Even more to her surprise, his voice was not as cutting as it might have been. Is he getting nicer or am I just getting used to his coldness?

"Oh, I was just thinking about how good you are with that knife. You must have a lot of practice cutting things."

Neku paused in his task to give her a cold stare and slide his sleeve up, flashing her the unmarked skin underneath. "If you're suggesting I cut myself..."

Shiki did drop the spoon in this time. "Oh, no no, I wasn't thinking that at all! Really, you're too fiery to be an emo in my mind, I just was wondering if you'd ever taken cooking classes or something, because that would be really cool, and no guy I know can cook, and that's a good thing because cooking is a life skill-"

Neku artfully shoved a carrot stick in her mouth as he fished around in a drawer and pulled out tongs. "You talk too much."

Successfully fishing out the spoon, Neku dried off the handle and handed it back to the black haired girl. "One of my foster fathers owned his own restaurant in Yokohama. He was teaching me how to handle the grill."

With this, he tossed the knife into the air, watching it spin almost lazily and catching it deftly by the handle. Using the blade, he scraped the latest vegetable chunks off the cutting board and into the soup.

He's actually opening up a little to me!

"That's really cool, Neku." She beamed as she stirred in the addition, then questioned carefully, "What happened to him?"

"He got dementia. Forgot everything, even his own recipes. So his son took over the business and didn't have room for me anymore." He shrugged, hiding his gaze behind his orange bangs again. "I think the old man's still alive, but probably rotting in some nursing home."

Before the anxiety on his face had been fully recognized by Shiki, an icy glare was shot in her direction. "I didn't tell you that because I wanted your pity," he snapped, and Shiki almost dropped the spoon once more before recovering to fire back with her own glare.

"Don't jump to conclusions like that, Neku. I was just thinking about how, on some level, you're pretty lucky." She turned her gaze back to the pot, feeling her cheeks flush a little. "You've lived such a diverse life, and you've got so many different talents and stuff and..."

She bit her lip suddenly. She was almost envious- Neku was so independent compared to her, and so talented. Just like…Eri.

Will he leave me, too, when the school year is over?

"You're comparing yourself to me," he growled, and turned her head around with one hand to lock eyes. "If all you ever do is compare yourself to other people, you'll always be jealous. Right?"

Shiki was taken aback by the intensity of his gaze. "Yes-"

"Then don't do it," he concluded, releasing her and returning to his chopping. "You're talented, too. You can sew things. That's cooler than any knife trick."

What was it about this boy? Every word he said to her made her furious, or sad, or... absurdly happy. She wiped away a sudden tear, hoping he didn't notice. What was it about this boy that made her feel so much?

"Stop watering down the soup," he ordered, and she managed a little sniffly chuckle. So he did notice.

She couldn't help it. A grin was taking over her face, and heating up her cheeks, and causing Neku to arch his eyebrows again.

"What now?"

"I'm just... happy," she confessed. "I'm happy that you feel like you can talk to me about yourself, even if it's just a little."

He snorted and turned away to chop up more vegetables. "Why would that make you happy? Isn't it boring to listen to other people go on and on about their pasts?"

"No, not at all. If I understand you better, I can teach you better, and we have a better chance of success." She stirred the soup more, searching for a good analogy. "It's like trying to find the right shape peg for a hole, you know?"

The rhythm of his chopping stopped, but she continued anyway. "Now that I know that you're, say, a round hole, I can use a round peg to-"

It was now that she noticed; her companion's ears were quite red. Shiki scowled, then realized the implications of her words.

"You pervert!"

"Shut up," he protested, avoiding her gaze at all costs. "I just spent five hours in classes with Joshua, okay?"

She smothered a giggle with difficulty. "You'll admit he rubs off on you?"

Neku snorted. "Never."

"So then, you'll admit you're just as bad as he is?"

He stopped, and glanced at her. Then he smirked. "This is rather un-Stalker like of you, teasing me," he taunted, closing the space between them.

Shiki felt herself backed against the counter, careful not to touch the hot stove, although she could feel its heat running up and down her spine. "Wh-What?"

"Is this Shiki, then?" He asked, tilting his head like a curious cat, his eyes especially dazzling up close.

What? He-

'Calling, someone is calling...'

The pop star's voice deflated the atmosphere entirely, and Neku returned to his task so fast Shiki wondered if she'd imagined the whole thing as she fumbled her phone out of her schoolbag.

"Hello?"

"Oh, Shiki, I'm so glad I got a hold of you." It was Rhyme, and she sounded worried. "Neku wasn't answering his phone; I think the battery must have died."

"Yeah, he said something about that earlier. What's wrong?"

"It's Beat. I can't find him anywhere!"

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I submit to the clichés of the urgent-phone-call-interrupting-romantic-scenes. But it happens in Real Life sometimes, so yeah. Irony rules over us all.

I hope I didn't just go and rape characterization in that last bit, though. I mean, Neku did start to be like that at the end of W1. But but but. I regret nothing.