Sorry for the delay there; crap happens and suchlies. Also, let's all keep Japan foremost in our minds and prayers after this March 11th earthquake, and all the lives ruined or lost in the following tsunami.

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In less depressing news, whoo hoo! Got a hundred reviews. Unfortunately Number 100 was anonymous, so no chapter dedication/ free story request. Tell ya what though, if this ever hits 200 signed reviews, I'll... be really happy. Maybe do something. I dunno.

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Chapter Seventeen

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There was a moment of panic of Shiki's part, as she tried not to gabble stupidly as Eri continued to smile like a movie star to the small group of teenagers.

"U-um, here, have a seat, at least I think, and um... it's okay right, Joshua?"

The seamstress bit her lip for a second, but Joshua shrugged smoothly. "I suppose I don't mind this time..."

Neku jolted slightly in his seat, gritting his teeth and glaring back at the boy across from him, whose smile took on an extra hue of innocence as the ginger rubbed his knee.

Eri snuggled down between student and tutor. "I know you, Neku, and of course Joshua and Shiki. So," she started, cheerful and confident as always, she turned to smile at the blonde siblings. "You must be Raimu and Daisukenojo-"

Beat lunged across the table, holding his hand millimeters from her mouth. "Bwaaaa! Don' say tha' here. Jus' call me Beat, yo, and ma sis' is Rhyme."

"Beat and Rhyme. Aww, that's so cool." Eri giggled as Joshua gave her a mildly interested look.

"So you say you're a friend of Shiki's?"

The question seemed to take the brunette a little off guard, but she recovered quickly. "Well, we were best of friends when we were younger and stuff, but things got kinda... hectic once we started high school."

Her smile softened, dampened by sadness, as she turned her large brown eyes to Shiki. "But I really came here to ask if you want to work together with me on the outfits for the cafe. I just spoke with the headmaster, and he's all right with it, so..."

The seamstress' eyes widened, and then she blushed and tried to hide behind her glasses. There's just no way I can do this... I mean, I'd love to get the chance to hang around Eri again but I don't think...

"I don't know if I can sew well enough for that... "

Eri tilted her head slightly to the side. "Course you can. It'll be just like the old days," she added, smiling sweetly in that way she used when she really wanted something.

This is really important to her. Shiki realized, feeling heavy with guilt and expectations. I... I have to. For her.

"I'll do my best, but-"

With a squeal of delight, the brunette wrapped her newly restored sewing partner in a tight hug.

"Oh my gosh, I just knew you'd say yes, this is going to be so much fun and ah, we gotta shop for fabrics now! Right now!"

Shiki barely managed to recover her footing as Eri jerked her out of her seat and headed for the main school building, gasping something about sales and her purse and 'so much fun, just the two of them.'

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the expressions of those still seating at the table; Joshua with condescending amusement like she'd expect to see on someone watching animals do inane things in a zoo, Rhyme with mild confusion, Beat with great confusion, and Neku...

His eyes were hidden, again, behind his bangs, but the muscles of his jaw stood out as though he was grinding his teeth together.

What's with him?

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Half an hour had passed in a total, gleeful blur as Shiki tried to find her footing, both on the mall floor and in her relationship with Eri. Right now, however, they were both thankfully sitting on a bench outside Edoga in 104, sipping orange juice and sharing a box of dango.

This is all so... crazy. Taking a long sip, Shiki reached inside her canvas book bag and played with Mr. Mew's ear gently. I mean, I'm happy, aren't I? This is what I wanted, isn't it?

But I don't know if I can just make everything go back to how it was three years ago. Things... people don't work that way.

"Hey," and a gentle arm nudged her in her side. "So tell me about that cute kid you're always hanging around."

Shiki gave her a quizzical look behind her glasses. "I figured you'd know everything there is to know about Jo- er, Yoshiya."

"No, not Joshua," Eri waved her hand, "although he is downright delicious. I mean the one with the headphones. Is he a hair dyer or something?"

The designer toyed with her silky locks. "I'm thinking about going pink again myself. But, um... what's his name. Neku."

"O-oh," her companion murmured. "There's not much to tell. He doesn't talk much, and the only reason I know him is because I tutor him in..."

Shiki clapped a hand across her mouth and gasped. Oh no!

"Shiki? Oh my gosh, do you tutor him in something secret?" Eri gasped then too, although a devilish grin was crossing her cheeks. "Oooooh, like biology?"

"No, it's just English, and I totally forgot about him!"

Opening her bag, she pulled out her cell phone, flipping through the received calls until she found his number. As she was saving it in her contacts, Eri giggled again.

"Sorry. I don't want to stop you two from having any tutoring sessions," she purred, as Shiki flushed and dialed his number.

Brrrr, brrrr rang the phone on his end.

"It's not like that!"

Brrrr, brrrr.

Eri smirked. "Oh really? Because I remember seeing him eyeing your legs on more than one occasion."

Brrrr, brr-click.

"That's probably because e-everyone else was looking. I'm pretty sure he hates my guts," she muttered in reply.

"Who hates your guts?"

Shiki jumped, swore and clapped her hand over Eri's mouth. "Neku?"

"... You called me and expected someone else to answer?" It didn't take much imagination to picture him rolling his eyes or mentally adding 'what an idiot' to answer his own question.

"S-sorry. I, um... Um..."

Suddenly, Eri snatched the phone. "Hey, are you doing anything right now? This is Eri."

"... Why?"

There was caution and ice in his tone. Shiki suddenly realized that maybe Neku was actually warmer to her than he was to the general public; she winced in slight sympathy for Eri.

"Well, Shiki and I are almost done here, so I figured you can come by and help her carry her stuff home. Then you guys can have a nice, long, romp. I mean," she added cheerfully, making it obvious she meant what she said the first time, "tutoring session. Totally."

A faint, low static rush replaced what Shiki guessed was his pissed growl, and she yanked the phone back, blushing furiously.

"I'm really sorry I forgot. Would that... be okay with you?"

He was silent for a while. Thirty seconds in, the seamstress checked the phone to make sure the call was still going.

"... Whatever. I'll be there in five."

Click.

Eri was practically bouncing in her seat with glee. "Oh, I'm so happy for you! I always wanted you to get a man!"

"Stop it!" Shiki suddenly clapped her hands over her ears, tears springing to her eyes. "Why won't anyone listen to me? He can't like me! There's..."

The angry, self hating words stuck in her throat like gum, and she turned away.

There's just no way he would. Not when he could have you.

Jealousy stung like a wasp, and she just avoided Eri's gaze as the other girl slid an arm around her shoulders.

"Okay, I won't say another word. I promise," the brunette whispered. The two girls sat quietly for a few minutes, waiting for time to soothe the wounds between them.

"Hey, Eri?" Shiki's voice sounded unbearably mousey and soft, even to her own ears. The designer grinned though.

"Yeah?"

"I'm glad to be friends with you again."

Eri's grin widened, and she hugged her tighter. "Me too, Shiki. Me too."

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A few minutes later, once their food had been finished, Eri glanced around restlessly.

"That Neku's late," she commented.

Shiki made a small shrug. "I don't mind, really; so long as he gets here."

"Still, isn't it a character flaw to be late? It shows disrespect to those who are waiting on you."

"You don't know the circumstances," the seamstress protested, albeit meekly. I am getting a little nervous. "He could be late from no fault of his own-"

"Or he could be lying around playing video games," remarked the brunette with an air of finality, and then nodded in the distance. "Speak of the devil."

Headphones covering his ears as usual, Neku adjusted his grip of the blue backpack he'd slung over his shoulder.

"You're late," Eri informed him pertly. He ignored the comment and the speaker entirely, addressing Shiki.

"Ready to go?"

"Y-yeah," she smiled back at him, gathering up the bags of fabric. Dark blue eyes widened, and then rolled with a groan as he took most of them from her.

"Let's take these to your place. I brought my books so we can study there."

"Um... yeah, that's okay. Bye, Eri!"

The designer waved. "Okay, text me sometime! I'll let you know as soon as I finish the designs!"

"I will, and thank you!"

Once there was a wall of people obscuring her friend from her sight, Shiki peered anxiously up at Neku. His past, and the rather dark mysteries that had been hinted around them, made her glad for once to be studying when her mother was home.

No doubt she'll make up a batch of ramen and send it all up on one bowl so we 'can feed each other'...

"Talk."

"Hmm, what?" She snapped out of her thoughts, unaware that she had been staring at Neku, and flushed.

"Talk," he repeated, his eyes never leaving the road as he wove in and out of crowds and traffic, crossing the street. "You're quiet. It's creepy."

"I am not creepy," she protested. "You're creepy; Mr. Icy Silence, running around with your headphones and your, your aura of antisociality."

He raised his eyebrow. "Antisociality?"

"It's a word! … I think. "

"Better be, Ms. English Teacher."

As they walked along, Shiki glanced back up at him. "Do you doubt my tutoring skills?"

He hesitated, looking to the sky as though for inspiration. "I wouldn't say that," he muttered evasively. "I doubt your experience, maybe."

"Well, you'll just have to help me get experience," she concluded. Neku coughed, and rubbed the back of his hand against his cheeks.

They stepped on her porch, and both hesitated, mentally preparing for the massive squeeing that would soon follow. Shiki recovered first, unlocking the door with her spare key, and stepping inside.

"Neku," she spoke softly to the boy on her porch, with faintly red cheeks from the cold, "come on."

"Right behind you," he answered, matching her tone, and as he stepped inside, there was a moment of calm silence.

Which was shattered seconds later.

"Oh, Neku, it's so good to see you again! Are you hungry?"

Ririko Misaki was standing in her tiny kitchen by the stove; a pot seated comfortably on a burner, and her husband comfortably seated at the kotatsu. She smiled broadly as she continued. "I was just about to cook some shoyo ramen, but I only have three bowls clean, so you and Shiki might need to share..."

Her daughter had to resist the urge to groan out loud. I hate it when I'm right.

"Oh don't worry about us, Mom, I ate a little bit at the Mall with Eri and I'm-"

Neku cut her off neatly. "Ramen sounds great. We'll be downstairs in a few minutes." His hands still full with bags, he nudged her down the short hallway to her bedroom with his leg.

"What- hey, ow, I get the point. Stop doing that," she scolded him as she slid back the door to her room, taking the shopping bags from him and tossing them onto her bed. "And why did you ask for food?"

"I'm hungry. I was out shopping for groceries on the other side of town when you called."

His blunt admittance made her look away in shame. "S-Sorry. I just didn't want to set off my mom any more than I need-"

"Why do you care so much about what people think?" Neku lounged against her wall, letting the backpack slide off a bony shoulder to thump gently on the floor.

"Why don't you?"

"Because you can't really judge someone just by spending a few hours after school with them; so they don't know what they're talking about." He shrugged. "Plain and simple."

"Has it ever occurred to you to let someone know you enough to judge you? That way they can be honest with you, and tell you things about yourself you might not see on your own?"

This statement seemed to crack his facade of cool expertise, and he diverted his attention to the far wall.

"It takes too long to build a friendship like that..." he murmured, seeming to finish the thought in his mind.

"...And?" She prompted, poking him in the chest with her finger for emphasis.

He pushed her hand away. "And nothing. Never mind."

Distracted by a new observation, Shiki let the subject drop and grabbed his hands.

Neku made a sound of surprise. "Hey, what's with you, Stalker?"

"Your hands are freezing." She gave him a questioning look. "Do you get cold often?"

"Kind of," he muttered, trying to tug his hand out of her grip. "Low blood pressure. It's why I wake up so slowly in the mornings. Let go," he finished, pulling harder.

Suddenly losing her balance, Shiki fell against his chest, bumping her forehead against his cheekbone.

"Oh, sorry, I just..."

Blushing in shame, she found herself unable to look Neku in the eyes, instead glancing at the door just as it swung open.

"Dinner is-"

Ririko paused, glancing at the two teenagers, chest to chest against the wall. With speed that Shiki's mind could not comprehend, the door was shut quickly and footsteps were heard retreating along with a few escaping titters.

"Aoi, dearest, whatever happened to that wedding planner friend of yours?"

Leaving Neku stock still against the wall, the red faced and black haired daughter tore out of her room.

"Mom!"

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Shiki's mom has got it going on,

She'll all I want, and I wish her scenes were more long,
Shiki can't you see, since you won't squee for me,

I know it might be wrong but I love writin' Shiki's mom.