DC: The time in the middle
A rough list of things that happened between the end of the game and this fic, in roughly chronological order;
Neku and friends meet up at Hachiko as shown in the ending; Joshua and Hanekoma watch from a nearby rooftop, but neither goes to the meeting. Joshua is unable to contact Neku directly, due to his entry fee to their last game.
Neku and co return to school. Neku meets Eri, who has made up with Shiki, but has no idea what happened over the three weeks, and they become friends. Overall, Neku is much more friendly with people, and Shiki is a bit less shy. Beat continues to be a poor student, frequently "forgetting" his homework.
Neku witnesses the first Game since his return to life, attempting to help a Player that's fallen on the street. She is Erased three days later, along with her Partner.
Uzuki dumps a bowl of ramen on Neku in Dogenzaka. She maintains her animosity towards him from his time in the Game, while Kariya is much more relaxed about their occaisional encounters.
Neku realizes that he can still use the Player Pin he kept to read people's thoughts. He keeps the ability a secret, and does his best to stay out of his friends' heads.
Rhyme gets a sketchpad for her birthday, and begins to draw Players subconsciously.
Joshua attempts to have Players Imprint Neku with the urge to come see him; however, because Neku still wears a Player Pin, all the attempts fail, and the Game in question ends on Day Four.
Neku begins leaving flowers for fallen Players at the entrance to the Shibuya River. He also begins writing music.
Shinjuku gains a new Composer, an unknown quantity from some nearby district, roughly six months after Neku's return to life. Shinjuku's Producer leaves the area, refusing to speak about the new Composer. Since then, no Shinjuku game has lasted longer than three days.
Joshua is reprimanded by the Angels for not choosing a new Conductor. He continues to run the Game himself, however, doing his best to handle the jobs of both Composer and Conductor.
Beat gets a job as a pizza delivery boy.
Neku first realizes that he's being watched, and, assuming that it's Joshua, leaves notes for the Composer along with his flowers at the Shibuya River.
Reapers begin to flee Shinjuku.
First anniversary of Neku's death. He goes to Udagawa expecting to see Joshua, but the Composer doesn't show.
Neku begins going regularly to the WildKat again, keeping up a bit with the goings on in the Game. Mr. H is silent regarding Joshua's inability to contact Neku, and instead suggests that if Neku misses him that badly, that he should go see the Composer himself. Neku refuses.
Beat plays around with a drum set in one of the music stores. He joins a band soon after, although he isn't much fond of their lead singer/guy-in-charge. They do a few shows, but never really get popular.
Neku begins to actively thwart Reapers, warning Players of dangers ahead and giving them some of his old Pins.
Joshua begins giving missions to Players with the intent of Imprinting Neku's friends to get Neku to him.
Rhyme starts drawing Noise, and Neku sees her designs popping up in the UG soon after.
Uzuki is promoted to Chief Harrier, with Kariya as her second in command.
One of Neku's classmates disappears for ten days. When she returns, she can't stop staring at Neku's Player Pin.
The Udagawa mural is changed for the third time since Neku's return to the RG, to a pattern of mismatched black and white wings.
Neku's second death anniversary. He goes to Udagawa again. Rhyme is successfully Imprinted by a Player with the idea of "Look him up in the phonebook." Start of fic.
Neku and friends meet up at Hachiko as shown in the ending; Joshua and Hanekoma watch from a nearby rooftop, but neither goes to the meeting. Joshua is unable to contact Neku directly, due to his entry fee to their last game.
Neku and co return to school. Neku meets Eri, who has made up with Shiki, but has no idea what happened over the three weeks, and they become friends. Overall, Neku is much more friendly with people, and Shiki is a bit less shy. Beat continues to be a poor student, frequently "forgetting" his homework.
Neku witnesses the first Game since his return to life, attempting to help a Player that's fallen on the street. She is Erased three days later, along with her Partner.
Uzuki dumps a bowl of ramen on Neku in Dogenzaka. She maintains her animosity towards him from his time in the Game, while Kariya is much more relaxed about their occaisional encounters.
Neku realizes that he can still use the Player Pin he kept to read people's thoughts. He keeps the ability a secret, and does his best to stay out of his friends' heads.
Rhyme gets a sketchpad for her birthday, and begins to draw Players subconsciously.
Joshua attempts to have Players Imprint Neku with the urge to come see him; however, because Neku still wears a Player Pin, all the attempts fail, and the Game in question ends on Day Four.
Neku begins leaving flowers for fallen Players at the entrance to the Shibuya River. He also begins writing music.
Shinjuku gains a new Composer, an unknown quantity from some nearby district, roughly six months after Neku's return to life. Shinjuku's Producer leaves the area, refusing to speak about the new Composer. Since then, no Shinjuku game has lasted longer than three days.
Joshua is reprimanded by the Angels for not choosing a new Conductor. He continues to run the Game himself, however, doing his best to handle the jobs of both Composer and Conductor.
Beat gets a job as a pizza delivery boy.
Neku first realizes that he's being watched, and, assuming that it's Joshua, leaves notes for the Composer along with his flowers at the Shibuya River.
Reapers begin to flee Shinjuku.
First anniversary of Neku's death. He goes to Udagawa expecting to see Joshua, but the Composer doesn't show.
Neku begins going regularly to the WildKat again, keeping up a bit with the goings on in the Game. Mr. H is silent regarding Joshua's inability to contact Neku, and instead suggests that if Neku misses him that badly, that he should go see the Composer himself. Neku refuses.
Beat plays around with a drum set in one of the music stores. He joins a band soon after, although he isn't much fond of their lead singer/guy-in-charge. They do a few shows, but never really get popular.
Neku begins to actively thwart Reapers, warning Players of dangers ahead and giving them some of his old Pins.
Joshua begins giving missions to Players with the intent of Imprinting Neku's friends to get Neku to him.
Rhyme starts drawing Noise, and Neku sees her designs popping up in the UG soon after.
Uzuki is promoted to Chief Harrier, with Kariya as her second in command.
One of Neku's classmates disappears for ten days. When she returns, she can't stop staring at Neku's Player Pin.
The Udagawa mural is changed for the third time since Neku's return to the RG, to a pattern of mismatched black and white wings.
Neku's second death anniversary. He goes to Udagawa again. Rhyme is successfully Imprinted by a Player with the idea of "Look him up in the phonebook." Start of fic.