Chapter Text
"Denji! Denji! The noodles Denji!" A high grating voice rang out. Grating Danji was used to but the higher pitch of it he was still getting used to.
"I hear you Nayuta, quit yelling." For various reasons Denji didn't like raising his voice at his new charge but sometimes the stressors of this new life he finds himself in (along with the beeping of the microwave) made that really hard.
It had been almost a full year since he.
Beat, let's say.
Makima and every thing that happened during and around that. As he removed the cup noodle from the microwave and doled out a portion for the girl at the table, his mind couldn't help but drift to thoughts of those days.
There's a part of him. A part Denji doesn't like looking at. That really liked when he lived under Makima. 'Consistent food, soft bed, and a hell of a babe we were living with!' Conveniently leaving out that she probably cared more about her 9 dogs (which also now lived with him and whom Nayuta was fighting to keep them away from her noodles) than she did about Denji.
'But then there was the Door…'
"SHUT UP!" The fight over their soggy noodles stopped as Denji realizes he had said that out loud. As the dogs slinked off to their own food, Denji quickly tried to run damage control as Nayuta quickly turned to him, fear in her eyes and tears threatening to well up.
In the softest voice Denji could muster "Hey, hey, Nayuta it's ok! I wasn't talking to you, I'm sorry!" He wasn't sure about her living situation before Public Safety found her but it wasn't anything good from the way he saw it.
"Liar! Denji's mad at me and hates me!" She haddent started crying yet but tears were threatening to spill down. As he did his best to prevent the waterworks, and then console his crying "younger sister" his mind continued to drift back.
Denji didn't like that much. Not much good for him to go back to. But as he let the thoughts take him he thought back to his family.
'I bet Aki would know how to calm her down. Shit, I'd bet he would have known how to get her to not cry at all.'
'I sure wish Power were here. At least then we wouldn't have to sit in this depressing quiet.'
Denji was never good at words by a long shot. Sometimes his actions were pretty bad too. But he always believed that as long as he had Pochita everything would work out one way or another, so with the words his best buddy gave to him almost a year ago now in his ears, Denji hugged Nayuta and hoped for the best.
It was almost midnight and Denji still couldn't sleep. Visions and emotions and names all swum through his mind, too fast to make sense and so loud they kept him from relaxing. From on the other side of their giant pile of dogs Denji heard a small voice "pss… hey Denji…? Are you still up?"
Denji sighed internally "Go to bed Nayuta you have school tomorrow."
He couldn't see her from beyond the fur mountain between them but he could tell she was bristling at that. "Whatever! You have school too tomorrow!" This deflated Denji a little "Oh, yeah…"
"What, did you forget?" Nayuta pressed her advantage, "Denji you've been acting super weird all night since dinner are you ok?"
Denji wishes he could have denied her. The last thing she needed was her guardian spazzing out on her, but against his better judgement he let her know. "Yeah, I guess I have been really off lately. I was just thinking about people from before I met you…" He might not like it, and he might seem unreliable now but it felt a little good to share that with her.
"You mean like Aki and Power?"
Denji's human heart jumps in his throat while his chainsaw heart drops through the floor. How did she know those names? The only one around them who would know is Kishebe and they hadn't seen him in months now! Could she be getting memories from Makima? If she was was she gonna turn into her again?
Would he be able to do that again? To Nayuta?
"Hello?… Denji?" Her voice brought him back to his body
"Where did you hear those names Nayuta?" He tried his best to keep his voice calm for her sake but couldn't help let a little severity creep in.
"You mutter them sometimes in your sleep. Sometimes some other names too." Nayuta eventually muttered out. Denji was so relieved she had an answer for him he decided to put off the talk he was gonna give her later about staying up later than him.
Once his heart let him get his breathing in order again he sighed out. "Yeah like Aki and Power."
Nayuta made a face "So who were they?"
He had to think about it some. "Well Aki was my…"
frienrivafathlandlorteach-
"Aki was my brother. Older brother. He looked out for me and cared for me. Taught me stuff. Made sure I ate something but always made sure I left some for later."
The smaller girl perked up "He was to you what you are to me!"
Denji paused a bit to let what she said sink in. Is that really how she saw him? Aki was so calm and put together. Much more. Mature? Than Denji felt. Is this what it was like for him? Was he doing a half baked job compared to Aki? Did he have to start taking this more seriously? Did he have to grow his hair into a topknot too?
"Denji? I can tell you're having a moment but can we finish up here first?" Nayuta once again snapped him back to their small kitchen.
"Right, yeah, uhh, Power! Power was…"
bestfidioroommpesgirlf-
"I guess you could say Power was my sister?? She was kind of a pest though. Barely bathed didn't eat her vegetables and was crazy rude to me and Aki…"
There was a weird smily look that came across Nayuta's face then "So what you're saying then, is that I'm the better Little Sister?!"
Denji let out a small sigh then. He had spent almost a year with Nayuta but he still wasn't used to this routine she did. It was endearing in a way. He wondered if it was part of her nature as the Control Devil. Hmm. Fiend? Devil.
"She was a devil too you know" he said offering more.
"Really?"
"Not as cool as you though."
"Of course!"
"She was a fiend actually. Blood. She was a little mean, but I knew she always had me and Aki's backs."
He was deep in thought when suddenly he felt a warmth on his back "Hmph! Well I guess as a full devil and the better younger sister I guess I can fill her role in covering your back!" She was hugging him from behind as best she could.
'It can be hard sometimes Pochita, but something tells me we're on the right track.'
"Alright kid now that you know them how's about some stories from my Public Safety days?" It was far too late now and Denji should probably be trying to get her to sleep. For both their sakes.
"Yeah!"
"Alright well go lay down on your futon and I'll tell you stories till I go to sleep."
"Right!" As she ran off out of the kitchen, Denji couldn't help but think about what a good kid she is.
She fell asleep not long after while he was telling her about a beetle devil he and Aki took down forever ago. By this point Denji was pretty bushed himself but thoughts still drifted to tomorrow. After school ends he has to go looking for a part time job that will take him in without asking too many questions.
'School huh? I guess I finally made it ——-…'
'Huh?' Who was he… thinking about? The shape of someone in front of classroom windows in the night…
But before he could think about it more. Sleep had taken him in.
That night he had the alleyway dream again.
He was a kid again. In the backstreet alleyways just off a main thoroughfare. He knew that's where it was based on dream knowledge telling him these things. He was standing in a crossroads.
Directly in front of him was the Door.
His Door
The Door He Must Never Open
The Door He Regrets Opening The Most
Behind him he thinks he hears the voices of Aki and Power. Joking and laughing and yelling like old times. Every time he tries to turn to face that direction, he turns to see His Door again and their voices are once again behind him.
To one side is the direction he's going. The place he needs to go and the place he will always end up in. But to the other side…
On the other side was a set of red footprints. Footprints that remind him of. Something? Someone? He can just barely make out a figure. Someone on a beach walking away from him.
He knows he must go the other way. His Way. But something about the red footprints called to him. A distant memory. A beautiful moment.
Almost unconsciously he began walking in that direction. His senses telling him that if he keeps going this way he'll eventually see their owner again.
But he also picked up something else.
As he made his way down the red footed path each time he turned to look down the alleyway he found that he was right back where he was. That it was looping around. The only difference being that he swears he could almost hear something coming further down the path, while at the same time he picked up a different presence.
It wasn't the theoretical speaker. That was right in front of him but as he walked he felt something.
First that something had noticed him.
Then that that something was moving closer.
As he walked he felt it getting closer and closer, but so was the voice. He could almost make it out now.
"Denji-kun"
"Denji-kun"
The presence behind him was almost on him now, but he was so close to the voice! If he could just make it to the voice maybe he could remember who he forgot! Where they were! What they were doing!
"Denji"
"Denji"
"Denji!"
Denji woke with a start. Nayuta was perched over him. "Come on! If you sleep any later we won't have time to get ready!"
As Denji bleary got up Nayuta continued "So what were you dreaming about this time, you kept saying stuff like 'Stay by me!' and 'Lets have fun!' was that Aki? Someone else?"
As he streched getting up Denji yawned "We really gotta talk about you listening to me sleeping."
"We're talking now and I wanna know what you were dreaming about!"
Denji fought against the fleeting of a dream when you get up to try and remember what it was.
Memories of…? A Bouquet? Laughing in a cafe? A Pool? It almost felt like…
"An old girlfriend…?" Denji hadn't really been on any dates lately or much of them in the past, but those definately felt like things you do on a date.
"You did not have a girlfriend stop lying Denji!"
"No its true, I think!" he could take a lot of mockery from his new "little sister" but for some reason this he wouldn't budge on.
"Nuh-uh!"
"Yeah-huh!"
The rest of the morning was something of a blur. Daily preparations mixed with new interrogations regarding Nayuta's new favorite topic.
"What did she look like?"
'A little like you actually.' Nope couldn't say that he was already on the back foot with her. If he said his mysterious ex girlfriend looked like her there's no telling when she would let it go.
Denji finished making the toast and settled to eat it with her. "She had short black hair. A little shorter and darker than yours actually. And she was kinda thin, but like in a nice and sexy way."
"Barf, I'm literally eating I don't wanna hear about your type again!"
"So this fake girlfriend of yours-"
"She was real!" Between the toothpaste it seems Nayuta decided to poke at this again.
"Sure, sure, so did you guys ever do it?"
Denji spit in the mirror
"WHAT THE HELL DENJI?"
"ME? YOU CANT JUST ASK SHIT LIKE THAT!" Where did she learn stuff like that?! He didn't tell her. He was never planning on telling her stuff like that. God, was he going to have to!?
"WHY? BOYS AND GIRLS KISS ALL THE TIME WHEN THEYRE DATING!"
"Ah, uhh" Ah shit.
Nayuta spits into the sink. "Why what did you think I was talking about?"
'I need to change the subject now'
"Yeah we kissed a couple times!" 'I hope that's enough'
"Really? How much is a couple?" 'Score! Well kinda…'
Denji thought back. How much had he really kissed this mystery girl? He screwed up his face thinking back… If he thought really hard he thinks he can particularly remember one time? There was no one around and they were talking? What were they talking about? Then something bright? Were they fireworks? Her lips were red. Were they on a date? Fireworks… fancy makeup… a festival date?
"Uhh, one time we had a date at a festival and we kissed on a cliff overlooking the festival as the fireworks started." Denji's response was stilted like he was remembering it as he was talking but each word was confident, solid. Like he was positive about each of them.
"Wow…" his little sister breathed. "I think I saw that episode the other day!"
"Hey!"
"YOU DONT EVEN KNOW HER NAME!?!" Nayuta's voice rang out through their small apartment, the threat of laughter played at the back of her throat.
"SHUT UP I TOTALLY KNEW HER NAME!" Denji's voice made its reply, his face suddenly hot.
"Your fake girlfriend is sounding faker and faker by the second!" She laughed
"Come on, I remembered the important stuff at least!" He was grasping now.
"Your girlfriend's name isn't important!?" And she knew it!
"Listen! Not only was that like a year ago or something but like, a ton of crazy shit happened between now and then! It's not like I can remember everything!" Denji throws his hands up in a gesture of self defense, but is more surprised when Nayuta pointed to something by the wall.
"Swear Jar!" She had stopped putting on her shoes and kept pointing .
"What??"
"Swear! Jar!" Denji couldn't believe it, was she really derailing this for that?
"Come on Nayuta if we keep messing around like this we're gonna be-"
"I let the last one go because it was the first one today but now you have to do it!"
Denji sighed at this, it was probably her nature as the Control Devil but Nayuta acted. Better. When there was rules set up. They had a system for chores and cooking and homework and the Swear Jar was one of them.
Off in the corner where she was pointing sat two jars each with their names on them. The idea was that whenever one of them said a "bad word" they would have to put something in the jar. Supposedly they were supposed to put change in them but between the two kids renting an apartment with no real adult they never had any real change so they were instead filled with little scraps of paper that had IOUs on them. Denji's was half full. Nayuta's was mostly empty but still had some. All the "proper upbringing" in the world couldn't change the fact that it was Denji raising her.
Sighing Denji started to pull out a scrap of paper from the kitchen counter.
"You know you're going to be late if we keep this up." Denji really didn't want to be late for his first day of school. There was something in the back of his mind telling him that it's what he's supposed to do now. What normal kids do.
At this Nayuta slowly moved her finger from pointing at the jars to pointing at him.
"Okay! Okay! I'm doing it jeez!" Though rules and rearing could curtail some of her threatening behaviors at the end of the day Nayuta was still a Devil and if he broke an aspect of their "contracts" she would extract her price. Something about chains. She could shoot them from her fingers, presumably if she felt a contact was broken and whoever they hit she could make do whatever she wanted. He remembered grimly one time shirking on some chore or another and waking up on the floor barking while Nayuta ate some ice cream he was saving for later. Not the most dangerous thing in the world but he really didn't want her using her powers like that. He'd seen what Makima could do, he didn't want Nayuta learning either.
"Well, why ain't she here now? How did you manage to chase her off?" Nayuta asked, a little too cheerfully for the topic suggested.
That however was something Denij really didn't like thinking about. Not "memory hole, put it behind A Door" bad but he knew that if he was gonna bring it up he would be thinking about it for the rest of the week.
"Come on, Nayuta I really don't wanna talk about that right now, can't you just let this one go?"
She merely smiled in that way younger siblings do when they know exactly how to strong arm you into doing what they want.
"I bet you cheated on her and she broke up with you on the spot!" she said smiling, daring him to correct her and tell her exactly what she wants.
"I DID NOT!"
"Denji, the big cheating pervert! I bet she never wants to see you again!"
Denji's face was burning hot now. It was embarrassment, yes, but not the embarrassment of being called a pervert out in public by his sister, but the embarrassment of knowing, deep in his heart, in the place he didn't like looking nowadays, that she was kind of right.
"Fine," he replied. It wasn't yelling hot anger he was feeling now but a deadening of his insides, like the memory he was about to relive was rotting and was going to hollow him out from the inside. "if you wanna know so bad I'll tell you."
Nayuta smiled in victory but Denji couldn't feel anything about it other than the incoming dread of bringing it back up. His words were stilted each word being remembered vividly as he said them.
"We were at the beach I think?… We were making plans… They felt. Important. Like our lives were going to be drastically different on how the next few hours were gonna end up. We were supposed to meet. Somewhere? And-"
"You never showed up?!"
He could feel it all over again now. The waiting. The anxiety, curdling into depression.
"She never showed up… I waited all day for her… and she just took off. I never saw or heard from her again after that."
"Oh…" Nayuta's reaction was much more subdued than she had been in the last 5 minutes as the weight of what he'd said sank in. It wasn't often that the young girl had felt the need to put her foot in her mouth, but as they walked on in silence to her school she suddenly wished she had. "Can I ask one more question?"
Denij let out a sigh like he was reliving the past full year in that one breath. "Yeah?"
"Why did you like her in the first place?" Her tone gentle but with an air dangerously approaching speaking ill of Her.
Denji thought a bit as they stood in front of her school gate to drop Nayuta off. Eventually answering with a far off look in his face.
"She taught me how to swim."
School was over and now Denji was once again walking through town looking for a place to work. As it turns out having no education and working only at Public Safety isn't great for a "resume" whatever that was. Denji had plenty of work experience! It's just most of it was in Devil killing, and since he's metaphorically hung up his ripcord, he was gonna have to find a "normal" job where "normal" people worked.
As he continued his aimless walk he thought back to That Girl.
What was She doing? Was She still around? For some reason a voice in the back of his mind told him she was probably out in the countryside somewhere. He wondered why? There's so much fun stuff to do here in the city and plenty to eat to boot!
So why did that thought make him so sad?
He stopped walking as he reached another intersection. As he looked around to see where he'd walked he noticed that he was in a backstreet, just a little ways off the main street, and to his left, facing the alleyway to get to the main street was a little cafe. Denji's stomach rumbled.
'Well Nayuta's out walking the dogs now. I'm sure she wouldn't mind if I picked up something for myself before heading home. Plus I could see if they're looking to hire, I guess…'
As Denji walked through the door the little bell that said someone had come in rang out across the small cafe. It was maybe a little bigger than his and Nayuta's apartment with a counter top to sit at and three small tables connected by a long couch with chairs on the other side of them.
A slightly older looking dude sat behind the counter reading the newspaper. "Hey, welcome in I'll be right wi- Hey! It's you!" Apparently he knew Denji??
"Um, hey, man" Denji really wasn't sure what to say he wasn't sure he remembered this place and he definitely didn't know this guy.
"You don't remember." He seemed to deflate a little. "Well I guess that makes sense, its been well over a year and it's not like you came here for the coffee. Plus all that crazy shit happened between now and then. Thank god Gun was on the entire opposite side of town right?"
"Wait. Did I used to come here?" Was this some kinda new marketing thing? It was creeping him out more than it made him want to stay.
"Sure, sure!" The owner put down his newspaper and stood up to greet Denji "Though like I said you were more interested in my waitress than anything I could serve you. Came here every day for a week and a half and I didn't hear a word about the food other than the coffee being too bitter."
Wait. Cafe. Waitress. Something about the bitterness of the coffee…
"Hey Cafe Owner Dude. You mentioned the waitress right? Short black hair? Kinda thin? Was that her?" Denji's pulse raced as he spoke. He already knew how She felt so why was he getting so excited at the prospect of hearing about her again?
"My name is Sojurou Yonezu, and if I didn't already know who you were talking about I wouldn't be helped out by a description like that. Yeah, Yeah her name was ahh" The Cafe Owner snapped his fingers a couple time before giving up. "Ah, what can I say kid, that whole period might as well have been a lifetime ago. Never get old. Terrible experience."
Denji deflated, disappointed but not surprised.
Sojurou picked up a mug and started cleaning it thoughtfully. "Mmm tell you what kid, judging by the little scene you made the last time you were here and the previously mentioned two weeks of patronage this girl probably means a lot to you, so let me do you a small service, for one of my best customers. I've probably still got her hiring record around here somewhere. Shouldn't take me too long to go through all of them and dig her name back up. That's about all I'm legally allowed to share with you, but you seem like a resourceful kid I'm sure you'll be able to do something with that."
Hearing this Denji stopped frozen, before stammering out "You- I… I was your best customer? I only came for like two weeks."
Mr. Yonezu closed his eyes in annoyance "Or I could just save myself the trouble and wish you a good day."
Denji couldn't let this chance pass him up. There was something about this girl he needed to know more about. Actually anything about. "Sorry, um, sir. I would greatly appreciate your help!"
If Sojurou had a cigarette he would blow smoke out of the side of his mouth laughing at his shift in attitude, sighing "Kids these days... Alright kid, in about 2 it'll have been a year since the last time either of you showed up here. Come back then and I'll get you that name and food on the house. As a little anniversary party celebrating our favorite waitress."
Denji's eyes widened "Whoa seriously Free food?" Denji and Nayuta's food situation was far from bad, at least by his standard, but Denji would never be one to turn down free food. Wait. Nayuta. "Oh, is it all right if I bring someone else with me?"
Sojurou crossed his arms "What, you're not about to bring a bunch of your friends or something with you now that I'm offering you free food. Or maybe you think because its free you can bring your date with you and-"
"No no, nothing like that I was just wondering if I could bring my little sister with me?"
"Little sister? Don't think I remember you talking about a little sister last time you were here."
Shit. This guy sure did remember a lot of stuff that wasn't Her name. Not like Denji was one to talk. "Oh, well you know. Back then… Our… Parents… were taking care of her. Buuut, they. Died? During the Gun Devil's Rampage."
Sojurou crossed his arms thinking for a bit, then. "Taking care of her all by yourself then?"
Denji nodded.
A beat passed between them. Denji wasn't sure if he was really buying that before,
"I'm sorry to hear that kid. I know a lot of good people who died in that attack. Knew, I guess." He let out a wry chuckle "Still can't believe… Well, bastard's dead now. Thanks to Chainsaw Man."
Denji cocked his head a little. "You know about Chainsaw Man?" There was something in Denji asking that question that not even he was aware of. Like it was a loaded question for both the speaker and the listener.
"Well course I know about Chainsaw Man. Destructive bastard but if it weren't for him a lot more people would be dead by now. Haven't seen him in a bit though. Guess taking Gun down really took it out of him."
'You don't know the half of it old man'
"Anyway. You and your sister are more than welcome here. And she can come to our little party too. Just no more surprise guests alright? I'm already losing money as it is." That last part he muttered quietly but Denji could appreciate the sentiment.
"Thanks a bunch Cafe Dude! You have no idea how big a help this has been!" Denji rushed out the door to start for home and tell Nayuta before stopping just before the door. "Hey by the way, you hiring right now?"
Mr. Yonezu scowled. "It's Sojurou Yonezu and how about you remember that first before asking about a job." He sighed out again. "How about we see after the party huh?"
Denji felt like he'd had his first lucky break all year! "Thanks Cafe- I mean, Mr. Yonezu! I'll see you again!" He ran out nearly slamming the door on the way out.
As Sojurou stood alone in his cafe again he could see the shadow the kid who just left his cafe jump in celebration and couldn't help but let out one last "Kids these days…" as a small smile played on his lips. 'Reminds me of good times…'
That night he had the alleyway dream again.
But this time it was a little different
He stood at his crossroads again, his Door in front of him again, smaller alleyway behind him, there was even the path of the red footsteps, and his Proper Path mirroring it, but something about this whole thing felt different. Heavier.
Once again he started down the path following the footprints. He was already this close, maybe if he kept going he could hear her again, maybe even see her, something to get him closer to learning more about her.
Odd enough rather than feeling like he was getting further down this path, it instead felt like he was getting further away from the other path. Like if he kept going this way he would entirely lose what waited for him down the other, but at this particular moment, when he was so close, he wasn't even sure he cared that much he just needed to go this way.
Suddenly the alleyway fell away and he was just standing in a white void. Only now did Denji remember that presence from the other night. He couldn't see where it was coming from but he could hear a laugh as if from all around him.
"Yes! Keep running! Keep chasing the path with no promise of success or reward!"
This gave Denji a pause. He did want to keep running after the footsteps but the thought that he wouldn't ever get anywhere didn't sit right with him.
"Who are you? Why did you say that?" As Denji made demands of the disembodied voice it merely laughed at him.
"Dear boy, you know me quite well! Everyone does! I am what keeps the salary man working his dead end until he dies. I am what keeps the battered child in his classes and what gives him the courage to ask his crush to dinner. And I am what let you pulling your ripcord ever since you got that Chainsaw Heart. Even as you fell to Control."
Denji screwed his face up thinking "What-I don't-"
"I AM HOPE DEAR BOY" The Devil showed itself then. Even though the space they occupied was a plain white void, looking at it made the area around it seem brighter somehow. Like it was a light brighter than any other around it. There in the middle was a singe disk of darkness and at the center of that was a smaller pinprick of light.
Denji's mouth dropped agape. "Wha- that's… that's stupid! Who's afraid of hope?"
The eye got much closer, it's brighter light bending around it as it moved, like a set of wings or the tail of a comet "YOU used to be quite afraid of me dear boy, before you got your new Heart, your fear of me used to be so great you would wish you would freeze to death overnight so you didn't delude yourself into thinking you could ever pay off your debts. You were afraid of me when you were living with the Hayakawas, wishing a Devil might kill one of you so you don't have to worry about building a life with them and in a shining moment you overcame your fear of me when you sat in that cafe, bouquet in hand waiting for the girl to come."
Admittedly some of this was flying over Denji's head, but at that he snapped to attention "You know about that Girl?"
The Light at the End of The Endless Tunnel chuckled. "I am with all people sweet boy, I know who she is, where she is, and what she's been doing since last you parted."
"Please, you gotta tell me, something anything!" Denji had never been too proud to beg, and if this thing knew something about That Girl he didn't think there was anything he wouldn't do.
Hope chuckled "That's exactly what I came to you now dear boy! I've come to make a contract with you!"
That stopped Denji a bit. He knew that's how Devils work, make a contract to borrow power, but what would a Devil like this want from him?
"It's a simple contract really, you've already started in fact! I'm sure you've felt it by now. Moving further down this path will bring you closer to your lost Lenore however you should know. That's not where you're meant to be." Hope dropped its voice now, sending shivers down his spine. Also he was almost certain her name was not "Lenore" "Her part in your story has come and gone. To bring her back to you, would mean you are no longer where you are supposed to be. You can keep walking this path, and I will put you back to that day in which you waited for her, that day she never came, only this time I will ensure she walks through the door. You two can run away and have the life you wanted together, however because it was never meant to happen that way you will never find your way back to life as it is now."
Denji was reeling. They wanted to run away together? Why? It was gonna send him back to that day? But then-
"Wait, What about Nayuta?"
"Ahh yes, Control's latest iteration. Having run away from Public Safety, yours and everyone else's lives went quite differently, ultimately, you never defeated the old Control and the new Control you live with would not exist."
Even if it were a dream, just that thought nearly caused Denji's heart to stop then and there. He'd only known Nayuta for a year or more but that time spent with her felt so real, irreplaceable, learning that he had to choose between either her or his Mysterious Girl… but something about Her…
"So my choices are get That Girl back, and lose Nayuta or keep Nayuta and never see Her again?"
"Quite right dear boy! Though you may plan to meet with that shopkeeper soon, I'm afraid even that will lead you no closer to what you seek."
Denji bit his lip hard. Frankly he was surprised he hadn't woken up yet, but such was the nature of dreams. There was no way for him to choose between either of the options. He couldn't see Her face or remember Her name but there was something in Denji's heart that screamed at him to take any opportunity to see Her again. To fulfill the promises they made to each other. To live like normal people together. But he didn't want to lose Nayuta either! Even if she would never exist anyway if he chose The Girl it would still never sit right with him if he just abandoned her like that! Clenching his fists Denji made his declaration:
"I CHOOSE BOTH CHOICES!" Denji thrust two fingers toward Hope.
"I do beg your pardon? You want both?" Hope blinked at him.
"You heard me you overgrown lightning bug! I want both options!"
Hope paused for a second before it began laughing again."huhuhAHAHAHAHA! YES CHAINSAW, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I WAS HOPING FROM YOU! BE GREEDY! ASK FOR MORE THAN YOU'RE OFFERED! If you want a better deal you can only hope to get more! Alright Lad, you can have your cake and eat it too BUT DON'T PUSH YOUR LUCK"
Denji could feel the brighter light enveloping him.
"It's in the works now Denji, my boy. You just need to trust that I've held up my end of the bargain."
"Wait, then what did you want?" Denji would very much like to know the terms of the contract he had apparently stumbled into, having been on the bad end of so many other deals.
"My Dear Boy, I've already taken my price."
And with that Denji woke up having had the best dreamless sleep he'd had in a while. Things really were starting to look for him!
The next two days were both a blur and endless. Nayuta was almost as excited as Denji was to hear that not only might he have a job coming up, they were even offering the two of them free food!
Nayuta wasn't sure how Denji know this guy especially since he wouldn't tell her no matter how she prodded but she let it go since it didn't seem like they knew each other too well.
School had let out and they met in front of Nayuta's primary school. Together they set off walking to the cafe. After walking for some time with only small talk between them Denji asked the question that had been on his mind since he picked her up.
"Hey so what's with the bouquet?" It was pretty big, being able to hide her whole head behind it. It was full of some kind of white flower that Denji didn't really know about.
"They were giving out rewards to kids for a buncha stuff! They gave me one because my grades are really good and I have really good attendance!" Nayuta beamed with pride behind her new flowers.
She was not alone with her delight as Denji beamed just as bright! "Look at you little genius!" He took this opportunity with her hands being full to muss up her hair, something she doesn't like, but lets him do anyway.
Denji thought to himself 'Geez she's so smart, way smarter than I was at her age. I need to start saving so she can go to college. I owe it to her, to Aki and Power, hell even Ms. Makima to make sure she gets as good a life as possible…'
As they continued down the streets talking animatedly, they almost passed by the cafe before Denji finally caught himself.
"Hold on, this is the place!" Denji said pushing the door open, hearing the chime of the bell once again.
"Welcome in, oh hey, good to see you again kid I guess the days just came and went like that!" The cafe owner cheered smiling at the two. "Then this must be the little sister you were telling me about?"
"That's right Mr. Yonezu, its good to see you again too. Do you wanna introduce yourself Nayuta?" Denji said subtly nudging his sister towards the cafe owner.
"Hello sir, my name is Nayuta Hayakawa, I heard you were giving us free food today?"
Denji, chuckled nervously in the face of his sister's brash attitude, a trait he would have been proud of literally any other time.
Mr. Yonezu simply sighed with a "You guys really are siblings."
Denji caught him before he could disappear into the door behind the counter, lowering his voice "Hey about that thing we discussed? About the other employee?"
Sojurou didn't know why he was whispering all of a sudden but he resolved then and there to stop trying to figure out his strange regular. "Yeah, yeah I got it for you. Let me get your food first and then we can discuss business, huh?"
As the store owner disappeared behind the door to ready their food, Nayuta's eyes bulged from her head, apparently having heard them anyway. "How did you say you know this guy again??" She hissed out.
Denji scratched the back of his head "This was the cafe where my Ex worked and also where we had our first. Date?? Was that what they were?"
Nayuta had gotten too used to her brother's stumbling memory, particularly when it came to his """Ex""" "Ok, so this isn't a drug thing then. Unless you were all in on it I guess."
"What?! No!? Why do you think its a drug thing??"
"WELL! You know how you guys sounded just now?? It sounds like back alley yakuza stuff!"
"We are in a back alley… Wait where did you hear that stuff? Sometimes I wonder if I need to be seeing what you watch on TV."
"NOOOO"
And on they bickered, until Mr. Yonezu came back with their food. A couple sandwiches, lightly toasted to be just a little crunchy.
As he set the plates down for them at their chosen couch booth, Nayuta looked up at him "Is this it?"
Denji elbowed her slightly "She means thank you Mr. Yonezu."
Sojurou crossed his arms. These kids. He sighed "It's a start, I've got some cookies and other things in the back but I figured we'd get some real food in you first. I see you two brought a bouquet with you, Denji why don't you bring it back here and we can discuss that matter while we put it in some water. Be a shame to waste such nice flowers."
As they got up Nayuta shouted after them "They're my flowers! I got them for being so smart!"
Denji smiled at her enthusiasm, and Mr. Yonezu got a vase from under the counter. He hummed thoughtfully "Hey so, before we start proper, that kid…" He squinted looking at her "Looks a lot like-"
Denji caught on and cut him off before he could finish the implication "A lot like your normal seven year old don't you think? Lot older than the first time we met don't you think?"
Setting the vase down the older man put his hands up in defense "All I'm saying is that I don't see either of you around for a long time and suddenly you come walking in here with a much younger looking girl who looks a lot like one of you! But that's enough out of me, you wanted to know something else right?"
Denji nodded his head vigorously, it would just be a name, but it would go a long way at the very least to set his mind at ease, to set right this void in his heart that he got whenever he thought of her, something that was happening a lot more often nowadays.
Sojurou Yonezu crossed his arms again "Frankly it was a little depressing how little paperwork I had to look through to get to her hiring record but I got it pretty easy. I dunno how much it's gonna help you but her name was-"
Just then the door opened and someone else came in startling the both of them.
It was a girl, maybe a dozen centimeters shorter than Denji. Her hair was a little ragged looking, like it hadn't been combed in a while but still hung just a bit above her shoulders. The coat she wore was big and thick, like it was made for a climate different than what they might get in Urban Japan, almost floor length but open showing off the dark blouse she wore under similarly dark shorts showing off nice slender legs. As Denji finally looked her in the face everything came rushing back to him in a wave that almost knocked him off his feet. The memories, the feelings all at once. Even the name.
"Reze!"