Title: Stolen Recollection

Genre: Friendship

Summary: "I've been watching you, silly…". For Neku, that was just one of annoying quotes from Joshua, but to the composer, it's more than what ears could hear. Maybe he needs to keep it all to himself…

….Hahahahahaha….I'm starting to laugh like Neku and giggle like Joshua…

Disclaimer: ….Not mine, guys…

…

Ch 13: When Title doesn't matter

Stay here! I'll deal with it! Yeah, with cautions! Don't worry over something this trivial, Megumi! No, I keep my eyes peeled! Write the report, no need to report of the taboo noises…please, I've already have enough "stuffs" to think about! Be back in a minute!

Megumi was alone in the pad, scribbling the usual report he has known for a long time now. The report, like he was told by the composer doesn't include taboo noises report. It's lying to higher ups, should they knew, the composer will have a long 'talk' with them.

Order's an order…

Finishing the report, he put back the notes and glanced onto the glass floor filled with few small fishes he has begged the composer to take care of. Ah, might as well feed them now…they must be starving…

…

Sucking his lollipop, he brushed his orange bangs aside. Weird, he hasn't disappeared…yet. His partner won the game by a hair. Sheer luck the weird man in sunglasses didn't have time to make him 'kiss bye' to this world. Another lick to his sweet candy as he reached the far end of Udagawa, the first place he 'woke' up, told he's in the game, yada yada.

This place has its uniqueness, he bet his sweets on it, but not the type of place where you found out some random guy said 'You're dead! Let's play a game together, dude'. Crazy!

However, to find a random kid, getting beaten up by noises, of all things is crazier. He leapt toward both, acting like a hero of some sort as he stood; either brave or stupid between the noises and the kid. Idiot…he cursed, how idiot of you, Kariya! You don't have any pins in your pocket! Now, how should you fight? Slammed them with your hard-gooey lollipop?

"Uh, okay…" he chewed his lollipop, "…guess I'm screwed…"

He shut his eyes closed, muttering his prayer. A sharp, creaking voice was the next thing coming. One of his eyes snapped open, first sight, holy…what was that? The noises disintegrated, slowly, leaving traces of statics. Standing between the black traces was a man in dazzling light, staring back at him warmly. The man smiled, not clearly, but was smiling as he walked toward the still dazed Kariya.

"What's your name?" a soothing, gentle voice came out from the man's lips. Kariya half-dazed, half-awake blinked awkwardly, "…K…Koki Kariya…" he managed to say. "I see…Kariya, was it?" the voice repeated. Kariya nodded, least, this man doesn't look dangerous.

"Are you a player?"

This pleads more nod and less words. The man said nothing, but the gleaming light grew dimmer and Kariya caught a trace of grape-flavored candy color in the man's eyes. "…Do you still have something precious to you?". Kariya shook his head, pulling out his lollipop, jabbing it to the man's face, "None…I think, and this Game's robbed me good!" he shoved the sweets inside his mouth, "…'cept the taste of a lolly, that is…" he gloomily added.

An open hand hovered across his nose, "…Then, join us…" his ears perked up. The light was coming back, almost blinding that he had to twitch, "…We could use another hand in the reaper's force…a brave one, indeed…". Kariya snorted, "You're not the type I usually see in the reaper's side, lights and stuffs"

"…Then, welcome, Koki Kariya…" The man chuckled, "…I suppose…"

…

His blue eyes fluttered open, empty. Its dark again, he was alone.

"Neku!"

Turning around to the shout, he saw the all-too-familiar face. He gladly turned away, scowling. His hatred started to pile up, the teen approached him, but he didn't even give a glance. Then, all too suddenly, he felt a weigh struck him on the back. Unexpected of it, Neku stumbled and fell with the teen over him, mumbling countless apologize to him.

"Sorry…sorry…sorry…" the teen's murmured under his breath. "I…shouldn't leave you, should I? ". Neku stiffened. He couldn't shoo the fact that this teen has left him for a week, without any news. Especially, 'this' week.

"…You…are late" Neku sternly replied, "…too late…"

"I'm…" he stopped, realizing the pain in the boy's eyes. How long has he been with this not-so-little-anymore boy, yet was so hard to understand. He is hurt, pretty badly if he heard his tune long enough. It was his fault…

"I was grounded…" he said. "…It's my father…and mother…something about my exam came out bad…" his head drooped, weight of regrets. Of leaving the boy. And lying.

".…"

Joshua was ready to hear a scream from his companion, but he was welcomed with a barrage of small punches to the chest and sniffling Neku. "You're so mean!" sniffles, few packed punch, everything the littler boy could do, "W…w-why didn't you t..tell?" Joshua caught the words, smiling as the speaker began his 'assault' again. The boy cared. Neku cared for his existence.

Someone actually missed him. Need him. The 'attack' soon stopped, leaving a flushed Neku, hands still clenched in front of him. He ruffled the orangette hair, "I won't do it again…" he said.

"For real?" sparkles returned to both blue eyes as he looked up to Joshua. How quick…Joshua acted a nod immediately.

That's it…how he wished that's the last 'this' thing ever done.

A faint 'click' and one little angel flustered, unable to calm his nerve. He flipped the phone, making sure it slid back to his pocket gracefully. Wings stretched, quickly flapped as he flew straight back, remain unseen.

…

"You should talk to him"

Few minutes after Joshua gained Neku's trust, he heard what the boy has wanted to tell him so badly. A quarrel happened to take place between him and his friend, another boy named Shu. To sum it up, Neku asked Joshua to bail him out of this problem.

"But…I…I can't talk…" Neku whimpered, "…I'm…afraid I'll say something bad…and make things worse…" he looked down

Joshua slapped Neku's back, not hard, but enough to make him perked up, "Back straight, set your chin up!" Neku straighten his back, propped his head up, "…look at his eyes when you talk!" he turned to face Joshua.

Joshua chuckled at the boy's face of utter confusion

"Now you're ready!"

…

Perfect

That word haunted him. He, the head angel of South, longed for it. He hates it when composers broke the rules. He maintained his area so none of the composers tried anything funny. Even if they have had broke the rule, he surely gave them proper punishment. He may look sloppy outside, but inside, is one heck of complicated set of mind. For as much as a perfectionist he is, he knows, he is not perfect enough.

For he let HIM to slip past each punishment that HE has to face. THAT composer, who always grinning slightly, scratching his head, spurring a little lie that HE has a really nice reason behind every wrongness he made.

THAT darn composer of Shibuya

…

Take a deep breath…back straight, Neku looked past his shoulder, check…chin up with a small confident huff, he set his head straight, check! Last, talk!

"Shu!" check

Shu spun his head around, a bit shocked to see his shy friend talk. "Yes?"

"Err…" scratch the last check… his cheek reddened, check, scratch, check, scratch. The two words whirled inside Neku's mind.

Shu stood, waiting for more words. His friend has finally got the guts to call him. What's next? Seeing Neku flushed like this was amusing, but also awkward. For the next two minutes, both stay silent before Shu opened his mouth, but was cut immediately by a loud shout.

"CHECK! Shu, I DIDN'T DO anything to your broach!"

A few students were taken aback, including, Shu who took most of the blow. Huffed, red-faced, Neku was panting, keeping his over-limit embarrassment in charge before it exploded.

After a long silence in which Neku has became more than flustered, Shu cracked a hearty laugh. The brunette cradled his arm around one student's shoulder and yelled, "Hear that? He said he DIDN'T do it!" he flailed his arm, "…Proof enough, eh, Leads?"

"That still didn't proof anything, Kazaki!"

Shu rolled his eyes toward the glasses guy, "Please, Saito…Have you ever heard Neku said a word in front of more than 3 people?" sarcasm lingered in his voice (Neku flinched at this), "…Now, he TALK not in front of just me, but to anyone passed the hall when he shouted…"

His classmates nodded, painfully agreed that IF Neku was that brave to talk like that, he must be telling the truth. Saito clamped his mouth, fingers dug in his sleeve. He was agreeing too, but his pride rose up, blocking him from admitting it.

"Then who did it?" Saito finally asked.

Shu calmly made a gesture for everyone to follow him as he walked toward the window, opening it slowly. He put down his bright broach on his table, "Watch…"

Dark wings fluttered, and two crows flew inside the room as they noticed the broach, making caws before landed on the table, examining the broach more carefully. One of them perched on top of the broach, flapping its wing, successfully flew a few meters only to drop the broach on the cold floor below.

"And that's just how I explain about my broach…" he snickered.

…

Watching Neku telling his story about what has happened was comforting. Anything that has happened today has changed something inside this kid. A little burst flame of valor was lit, a nice tune flowing out from it.

"…I can't imagine, that were crows!"

"…I can't say I forgive you…yet…"

"…He's a genius! Who would've thought…"

"…or maybe I could never forgive you after what you've done…"

"…then, that Saito guy went up and apologized!"

"…but ya know, screw that! You're still my friend…"

"…it was relieving to see everyone warm faces…"

"…I'll see you, soon…"

Joshua smirked. The future was changing…this kid changed it…even just a tiny little bit…but he was sure on what he saw in the end. His smiling face

…

Finally, Kariya! Just about time the sweet-addicted guy showed his butt in here! Next time, it would be Sho…appearing out of nowhere shouting his usual crazy 'equation'! *evil laugh*.