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The sun was beaming today, making Shiki slightly wave her hand around in order to send a few cool breezes towards her face. She covered her brown eyes with one hand while staring up at the sky; a painting of vivid colors reaching from blue over to the soft white clouds and the golden sunshine. Thinking back at how the sky had been described to her by the Wicked Twisters, its surface dyed in a crimson red, covered in black swirls of noise, a shiver ran down her back. Though she hadn't exactly seen it with her own eyes, the imagine her mind projected was real enough to ignite sparks of fear inside her chest. She furrowed her eyebrows, pulling her Mr. Mew bag closer to her body. Her thoughts continued wandering, striding into unwelcomed directions.
What had Shinjuku looked like? Had it been even worse? Was it tainted in the darkest colors, not even giving the light a tiny chance to shine through? Were the lost souls of the people who had been doomed floating through the ghost of a city, singing songs of the tragedy that had destroyed their lives? Was it just a graveyard of innocent people who had been robbed of the chance of a simple life?
A shiver ran down her back and she hastily looked over her shoulder, needing a source of comfort. Fortunately, Hachiko was right there, proudly sitting beside her. She wasn't waiting alone. And she knew she wouldn't be waiting for more years anymore.
Shiki deeply exhaled, her shoulders faintly dropping as she allowed her heartbeat to calm down. Admittedly, she disliked falling into the abyss of negative thoughts, however, as bright as she shone on the outside, on some days her heart couldn't help but be thrown back into her worries and sadness. Especially with all that had happened, the experiences had left too much of a great impact on her soul. These were memories she wouldn't ever lose again - though many of them hurt, Shiki also was kind of grateful for them. Because if it wouldn't have been for them, many things would've been left undone. Shibuya would be in grave danger, her group of friends wouldn't have expanded and she wouldn't have been able to feel the absolute bliss of seeing him again.
Shiki moved into the shade of a tree, slowly taking out her phone and opening a chat. Her eyes landed on the profile picture of her friend, a smile decorating her small lips. Softly, she gazed at the CAT artwork that was displayed on her screen, chuckling to herself.
He still loved them so much... She knew some things would never change.
Waiting had been painful; so many hours of standing next to Hachiko despite the cold winter had brought, despite the perspiration that had run down her forehead because of the heat of the sun. So many days, lost to her worry and thoughts of losing what she deemed utterly precious. So many months tainted by lonely nights, checking her chat with him ever so often while praying for a single sign. So many years with tears shedded that had marked her path.
But all of that had been worth it. Just a few weeks ago, she had stood at Hachiko, finally being able to lay her eyes on the person she had longed for for years. The boy she had missed for such a long time. Somehow, she was reminded of their old days. The week spent in the Reaper's game, how often they had woken up at Scramble together, how many heated arguments they had shared but also the way they had grown together. How he had helped her and vice versa. And yet, their reunion was so different as well.
He had grown further, appearance and personality. Just as she had. Strangely enough, Shiki didn't weep to have missed those three years of watching them grow together. That moment she had finally been able to see him again, to feel him near her, all that had occupied her mind was happiness. Dreams of sharing future days with him. Of having their futures intertwined again. And that was what had remained the same. Their stories were reaching a point where they met once more. How grateful Shiki was for that could probably never be put into words.
It was magical in a way.
"Hey."
The familiar sound of his voice tore Shiki out of her thoughts, hence she turned around, the smile still on her lips.
A small weight fell off her heart, as she softly replied, "Hey Neku. I'm glad we could both make it today."
He took his hands out of the pockets of his grey coat and tilted his head a little to the side, returning her expression.
"Wouldn't have wanted to miss it."
A wave of heat rushed through her body, though not because of the sun this time. It was still a little odd to her to see Neku smiling more often but it definitely was a welcomed development. It made her heart flutter, painting her cheeks in a faint hue of pink ever so often.
"Well, seeing how hot it is today, how about we get some ice cream?"
Shiki remembered a small shop around the area that had recently opened and had wanted to try out its food ever since then.
"You got a place in mind?" Neku asked and when she nodded full of confidence, he deepened his smile. Of course he knew he could trust her to make plans. He loved how reliable Shiki always was.
"Let's go then;" he gestured to the side with his head, "lead the way."
. . .
The walk through Shibuya had been relaxing - sometimes, Shiki and Neku had shared conversations, smiles and chuckles, other times a comfortable silence had settled between them. Neither of them minded, feeling safe in their friend's presence. Soon, they reached the ice cream store. It took a while for Neku to settle on a flavor, his eyes continuously wandering from left to right, until Shiki suggested something and he decided to follow her idea. Eventually, they left the store, both of them holding a Soft Serve Swirl.
Neku tasted it a few times, seemingly in concentration. Shiki noticed his expression, asking, "Well, how is it?"
"It's edible." He replied, shrugging a little.
Said behavior immediately reminded Shiki of his reactions to all the different kinds of food they had tried during the Reaper's Game, putting a smile on her face because of the nostalgia. No matter how much time had passedd since these moments, Shiki remembered every second. They were indescribably precious to her.
She genuinely chuckled, holding a hand in front of her mouth, "Sorry."
Neku examined her facial expression for a bit, before unconsciously grinning himself. Seeing how happy Shiki was warmed his heart and he didn't even mind that the ice cream didn't completely match his taste. Her dazzling smile was everything he wished for. It managed to banish all the negativity from his mind - at least for a little. And that was more than enough. Her influence on him was out of this world either way.
"It's fine, I don't mind trying out new things."
Shiki nodded along, focusing on her food once more. She felt proud that Neku had adapted such a way of thinking because it expanded his view of the world, bit by bit. Furthermore, it showed her how much of an impact she and her actions three years ago had left. It was an incredible feeling to know that her words and tries to show Neku to not get stuck in one place meant a great deal to him. On top of that, it strengthened her resolve to be her own person and to keep walking down her path: Shiki was someone who had left behind a story, written by who she truly was. Not a fake persona to glorify reality. This was her, in all her weaknesses and strengths at the same time. Neku had seen both sides of her and still happily spent time with her. Being appreciated by others was on the one side a nice conformation, however, it also made her love herself more.
"You know, three years ago I wouldn't have believed we would turn out like this..." She started, deep in thought.
"We've changed a lot, huh?"
She hummed in agreement, yet kept going. "True, but then again, it also feels as if everything is the same. I'm aware how much you, Beat, Rhyme and I have developed as people but... I feel like our connection remains as strong as before. It's like..."
"It's comforting, right? The way the atmosphere surrounding us is warmed by our friendship."
Shiki halted, widening her brown eyes while staring at Neku who had stopped right next to her. His eyes softly landed on the young woman, mirroring her face in them. The boy who had never known how to express his feelings towards others was now capable of speaking freely? Partly, she wasn't surprise - but then again, it did baffle her. It was like a miracle she was witnessing, one so beautiful, it made her want to shed tears.
Shiki huffed with a smile, her shoulders dropping, seeing how Neku had exactly described what she had wanted to say. It was like he didn't need words to understand her and that was literally the comfortable atmosphere he had mentioned a second ago. She loved being around him.
"How did you manage to speak your mind like that, Phones?" She joked, holding her free hand in front of her mouth.
"I had a good teacher, that's all."
The smirk on his face made Shiki's heart skip a beat and she couldn't help but laugh out loud. Neku joined in with a chuckle himself and soon, some people on the streets were staring at them with strange looks - yet the partners didn't care. Their world was now focused on the comfortableness between them. Only their interactions mattered in this moment.
After a while filled with more chatter, the two of them reached Scramble Crossing once more, passing by Hachiko. Unconsciously, Shiki's gaze drifted over to the statue, her thought momentarily shifting back to her, waiting. The time had been worth it and she was looking forward to the future, nevertheless, negative thought would always accompany her. Life wasn't only filled with joy, she had learned. There were to sides to every coin. Even in this moment, where Neku was right beside her, dread sprouted inside her chest, making her heart grow heavy. She squinted her eyes, eating the last bit of her ice cream, feeling its cold gnaw at her lips. Like a winter wind, it passed over her, sending shivers down her spine, which caused her to pull her thick green cardigan closer.
Neku and Shiki stopped at the edge of the street, waiting for their light to turn green.
Meanwhile, Shiki cast her gaze downwards, watching her feet. Neku's shoes were right beside her, as big and ridiculous as always. She blinked once, feeling an emptiness settle in her stomach. She blinked twice. It hurt. Momentarily closing her eyes, she sighed and once she opened them again, her whole body froze. His feet were gone. She couldn't move, only a loud noise overshadowing everything while her thought drifted further away. If she looked up now, would he be gone for good? Would she have to be alone again, waiting day after day for the one she treasured to return home? Would she have to deal with this negativity all by herself again? After having been able to meet Neku once more, she didn't expect herself to face the same blow a second time. It would crush her. Perhaps she would even want to be buried beneath it all? Escape the feared event? Cries filled the air and soon, Shiki was able to discern who they came from. It was her own desperate tears, shattering on the ground into shards that mirrored her sadness. That mirrored the grief she had felt for three whole years. Of course she wouldn't be able to let go of it overnight. But she wished to look past it. She wanted to simply enjoy being next to Neku again. She didn't want to focus on what dragged her down..!
Shiki gritted her teeth, her knees trembling. Maybe, just maybe he would be gone again if she dared to look up. However, she wanted to try. She was a strong person with an iron will - she needed to do it. She wouldn't be able to rest, knowing she had been to afraid to take another step. After all, it was her goal to keep walking down her own path. And she was carving it right this second too. No turning back, no matter how scary the future seemed.
Gradually, Shiki raised her head, her body tensing up while her gaze focused on what was in front of her. He was moving. Walking away from her. All warmth left her now. Shock was written all over her face, screaming to not let him go again. She didn't want to be alone another time. She needed him to stay.
Out of desperation, she jumped forward, reaching for his right hand. Tightly, she grasped her fingers around his, the cold crawling up her back. She abruptly halted, trying to drag him back with her. She wanted to be selfish and for once keep him by her side. Was she not allowed to do that? Was she a bad person for wishing her loved one to stay next to her?
"Shiki?"
A worried voice reached her ears and suddenly, several sounds greeted her. Chatter of passing people, the beeping noise of the traffic light, warning pedestrians that it was about to change colors and finally, Neku's far away voice. It was coming closer with every passing second.
"Shiki, are you alright?"
Just now she noticed how she was almost squeezing his hand, firmly keeping her hold on it. Her breathing was ragged, she was sweating and her bag almost fell off her shoulder. Carefully, she peeked at Neku's face, spotting concern within. He immediately turned towards her and stepped away from the edge of the street, as the light had turned red. Shiki blinked a few times, seeing the light behind him turn red. Slowly, she realized how confused she had been. Neku had only tried to cross the street earlier. He wasn't about to leave her again.
Despite that realization, she still felt like an absolute mess. Gulping, she tore away her fingers, not wanting him to notice how they were shivering. Hastily, she put on a forced smile while spouting an apology and frantically waving around her hands in front of her body.
"Oh, sorry! I didn't even notice the light had turned-"
Mid-sentence, she stopped. What kind of trick was she trying to pull here? Obviously, Neku would see right through here. Frankly, she didn't even want to lie to him. At the same time, she also wanted to avoid worrying him. Though his facial expression already told her he had realized the truth.
Shiki heavily sighed, placing her hands behind her back and intertwining her fingers there for support. Sadly, she gazed downwards, admitting her fear, "I thought you were about to leave me again."
Even despite all the noise that ruled over Shibuya, there was silence for a second. She furrowed her eyebrows, becoming aware the weight of her glasses on her nose.
"I just didn't want you to feel guilty or worry about me. I'm usually fine, it's just..."
"You keep thinking of me disappearing?"
Once again, Neku finished the sentence for her. Nodding, Shiki faced him, pain reflected in her normally warm eyes.
"I get it. There are many scenes that keep replaying in my head too. I'm sorry for making you go through all of that..." Neku's voice drifted off, his eyes momentarily wandering to the side, "Honestly, I can't believe you've waited for me for so long. I don't know how to tell you how thankful I am for that. Coming back and being able to see you was..."
Shiki held her breath, warmth flourishing inside her heart. The spark moderately returned to her eyes.
"The best surprise I could've imagined. I... Really missed you over those three years."
Suddenly, a single tear ran down her cheek, followed by more soon after. She started sniffing, not caring about wiping them away. This was an expression of happiness, after all. As she had ascertained before - waiting had been painful. But oh had it been worth it. Every single second. To be able to hear this confession coming from Neku's mouth. After so many things had changed and stayed the same; she was overwhelmed in the best way possible. She wanted to tell him the same. How much he meant to her. And so, she did.
"Me too. I never gave up on the hope of seeing you again one day."
He widened his eyes for a second, before sheepishly smiling. Both of them merely stared at each other for a few minutes, still ignoring whatever was happening around them. After some time, the young woman stopped crying and Neku's gaze abruptly wandered skywards, before settling on Shiki again, which caused her to raise her eyebrows.
"What's wrong?" She immediately asked, worried for his sake.
Neku pressed his lips together in a firm line while a slight red hue tainted his cheeks. He averted his gaze once more, slowly holding out one hand.
"Want to... Hold hands so we won't get separated again..?"
That question, so innocently and hesitantly asked, moved Shiki's heart and she automatically chuckled. Shocked, Neku stared at her, hence she explained, "God, you're so awkward, you know that?"
Dumbfounded, he didn't look away, slightly offended but enchanted by her laughter at the same time. Before she would regret her words, Shiki quickly reached for his hand, softly gripping it.
"I'd love to."
Neku scratched his cheek but soon recovered, seeing how relieved and thankful Shiki was for his gesture. He carefully intertwined his fingers with hers, which made her blush too, though the color also stayed on Neku's cheeks. Nevertheless, both of them wore bright smiles that day, continuing to stroll through Shibuya.
Together.