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Let’s Meet Again in the Next Life (Part 1)

[AO3] [Tumblr Chrono Tag]

Title: Let’s Meet Again in the Next Life

Series: DNAngel

Summary: Reincarnation is a funny thing--when you die, your path and your ties to the past are cut, and you get reborn to live again as someone new in someplace different. But not all bonds are severed, and some souls can’t rest until fate deems it--and so they continue their destiny.

Author’s Note: So this came about kind of randomly and spontaneously after talking to jilli-bean about DNAngel AUs, but this is really more of a future fic (not really a next gen fic?) than an AU. Seeing as reincarnation is involved, all of the characters in this fic are both original and not, but I’ll leave it a mystery for now as to who’s who. This fic also slightly features the DNAngel fandom’s “reincarnation theory” and some of my headcanons for it. I’m also utilizing one of my DNAngel Coffee Shop AU plots here (and expanding it) because I had no idea what else to do other than that I wanted to do something with reincarnation and this fit it well. (Though for the record I know nothing about coffee.)

I was hoping for a one-shot but the plot I talked about with Jill is pretty deep so in all likelihood it won’t be. Hopefully it’s enjoyable!

If you see any typos let me know. Also, I’d love to hear from you guys about who you think got reincarnated into who!

~~~~~~~~~~

He didn’t really know why he came back here. He didn’t know what he thought he’d find. The likelihood that he would be here was slim to none, but who knew--maybe he was still alive.

He didn’t know what he’d do when he saw him, but he promised so long ago that he’d come back. And now, finally, he was.

He was old now. Undoubtedly. They were all old. He wondered what they looked like now--if he’d recognize the people he loved most. Guilt and grief twisted his gut as he looked into his memories and saw only blurred faces--time and age did that to a person. He felt lucky he remembered them at all, he thought as he looked down at his trembling hands, breathing deeply to gather his courage as he looked up at the place he stood in front of now.

He steeled his nerves and finally rang the bell at the gate that surrounded the small estate--it was a larger than a normal house, yes, but it was hardly a mansion. It was a little bigger than he remembered--the yard was larger and there was a third story on the building, and he vaguely wondered if the inside was the same as when he lived in this house, so long ago.

“Who is it?” The intercom beside the black iron gates blinked with green light, signalling that he could speak and that whoever was on the other side could hear him. It sounded like a young girl--he cracked a smile at that. He hadn’t seen a girl in that family since his mother--it was nice to know that had changed.

“An old family friend,” he answered lightly, ignoring the slight accent on his words--the accent was inevitable. He’d been gone a long time, after all, but he only hoped they would recognize him regardless.

He paused, glancing dubiously at the gold-colored name plate above the intercom. “This... this is still the Niwa residence, isn’t it?”

“Yeah. Who are you here to see?” The girl asked, sounding somewhat skeptical.

He paused, his voice choking for a minute as his heartbeat sped up in anticipation at the thought that he might finally get to meet him.

The name left his lips with a bittersweet aftertaste.

“D... Daisuke.”

There was silence, and all of his excitement dropped in an instant, replaced by dread.

“I’m... sorry... um, who are you?” The girl asked meekly after a few moments, “Daisuke was my great-grandfather. He died like twenty years ago.”

His heart sank, pain rippling through his entire being, but he reigned it in--he had sort of been expecting this after all. “Oh. Sorry... I--I didn’t know.” He shuffled his feet awkwardly, “Thanks for letting me know. I didn’t mean to bother you. Sorry, I’ll go.”

“Wait,” the girl said, and the light on the intercom blinked off.

The door of the house opened, and a little girl stepped out onto the main path, coming toward the gate. Actually, little was an understatement--she looked about fourteen years old, and he couldn’t help the tiny smile that made its way to his face when he thought of his days as a fourteen-year-old. No, the girl wasn’t little by any means. Young was the more appropriate word; but then, everyone looked little and young to him.

The young girl stopped at the gates and scrutinized at him through slightly narrowed carmine eyes. Her face was sharp and her hair was a shade between auburn and burgundy, straight and long against her back even when it was done up in a ponytail and framing her face with that untamable Niwa flare. He grinned charmingly at her, a pang of pain shooting through his heart as he realized who the girl’s great-grandmother must have been--the resemblance was striking, except for the eyes. Those eyes were undoubtedly just like his. The Niwas always did have very defined red eyes.

“You look a little young to have known my great-grandpa,” the girl said suspiciously, not at all phased by his awkward smile. The man before her seemed like he was in his early twenties--if he knew her great-grandfather, it had to have been when he was very small. “Who are you?”

He shrugged, stuffing his hands in his pockets as he looked down at himself. “I’m a little older than I look,” he said simply, looking up again as if the fact that he was barely in his twenties himself didn’t mean anything, “I knew him a long time ago, before he died obviously. I had to leave for a while, but I said I’d come back... I guess it was stupid to think he’d live long enough for me to meet him again like this.”

The girl peered at him incredulously. “You still didn’t answer who you are,” she stated with a subtle tilt of her chin.

“Not important,” he shook his head, smiling sadly, “sorry. I won’t come again--I only came to find Daisuke, but I guess it’s too late now. Oh well.”

The auburn-haired girl’s eyebrows furrowed, but she said nothing as he turned and walked away, removing one hand from his pocket to throw a backwards wave.

“Thanks again, kid. Bye, and take care.”

A melancholy sigh escaped him as he looked up at the sky. He really should have known better than to get his hopes up. Still, he had come all this way--and he wouldn’t stop now.

No matter what, he would find Daisuke Niwa. He had promised, after all.

~~~

“This is it, Daisuke. We did it.”

“What... what happens now?”

The white world around them was alive with gentle red fire and caressing wind, blowing his dark hair wildly around him. Violet eyes locked on red, and a sad smile came to his face.

“No... no, Dark.” Daisuke shook his head in denial, “I... I can’t... without you, I...”

“You’ll be fine, Daisuke,” Dark said softly, some of the melancholy melting away as his eyes closed slowly. Daisuke suddenly looked at his face and, for what felt like the first time, he really saw it.

His face was old. And when those ancient claret eyes opened, he saw exhaustion wash away, becoming peace and hope.

Dark was old. Dark was ancient and eternal and immortal--but no more. Daisuke sagged as he realized that this--this ending, this gift, this final goodbye... this was what he had never gotten, what he had always been denied, what he had so dearly wished for so silently, and what he had waited for so patiently.

Who was Daisuke to take this chance from him, just because of his own selfish desires.

“You’ll be fine, Daisuke,” Dark said again, stepping closer, his hand coming up to wipe away the tears Daisuke didn’t know he’d begun to cry, and Daisuke leaned into his warm hand longingly. “You can do it. You’re strong.”

“I’m not. Dark, I... I don’t want you to go.”

“I know,” Dark replied in that same tender voice, softer than Daisuke was ever used to, yet somehow this foreign tone of voice... it was comforting, it lit up Dark’s maroon eyes with life and it filled his smile with genuine happiness. “But Daisuke... I’m free now. I’m finally free... I have to go.”

Daisuke nodded in somber acceptance, reaching his hand up to grasp Dark’s. “I never want to see you trapped.” He echoed the words he and Risa had both felt deep within their hearts--this was their love for this man, their promise to him: the freedom he’d never had would be his. They would never trap him with their love, so they would let him go.

“Daisuke,” the comforting baritone reached his ears, and ruby red eyes looked up and met their other resolutely. “Please don’t be sad for me. I’m happy, I promise,” he murmured with a shake of his head, “this was the best lifetime I’ve ever had, and even if our time together was short... you made me happy. Thank you. I’m happy... so smile.”

Daisuke sniffled, nodding and launching forward, wrapping his arms around his other half in a desperate squeeze. “I’ll miss you, Dark. I don’t know what my life will be like without you.” And he didn’t want to admit it, but he was scared to face it alone.

“Me too, Daisuke. Me too,” Dark wrapped his arms around the boy and held him just as tight, his black wings folding over them like a warm, protective blanket. “But you’re free now too. You don’t have to worry about me anymore... you don’t have to do any of this anymore. I’m sorry that I stole your life the way I did... but now you can do whatever you want. You can have that normal life away from all of this... that life I never had. So please... please, go live it, and be happy, Daisuke. For the both of us.”

Daisuke choked back a sob, and he nodded, burying his face in the crook of Dark’s shoulder. “I will.”

Dark pulled back, his hand carding lovingly through the boy’s red hair and his feathers brushing his cheek. He stared at Daisuke as if he could read all of him, and Daisuke knew he probably could. Dark knew and felt everything Daisuke did... they were two halves of a whole, after all.

“Be happy and live, Daisuke. Smile--I know it will be hard right now, but please... please find your smile again soon; find peace in your heart and smile again soon.” Dark whispered quietly, and Daisuke’s heart fluttered at the words. “I’ll be watching over you from wherever I’ll be going next, and I’ll be happy too. You won’t be alone.”

Dark knew exactly what Daisuke needed to hear right now, and nothing he said was something he didn’t wholeheartedly believe. Daisuke knew this, and he made his resolve.

“I will,” Daisuke repeated, squeezing Dark’s hand one last time before he stepped back, reluctantly parting from the other half of his soul. “I promise.”

He looked up at the man and only barely registered the maroon bleeding into the darkness of his hair, or the way his inky, night sky wings rusted over with an ethereal red. He smiled peacefully and took another step back, the hope in his eyes becoming pure happiness as his soul finally found its long-awaited rest.

Daisuke knew they couldn’t stay in this small eternity forever--this was it. It was time to say their farewells, as the white world began to fade around them. He was trying really hard not to break down into sobs. He didn’t want this to be how Dark would see him last, but these last words were hard to say. “G... goodbye, Dark.”

Dark paused, his smile faltering before it came back with twice as much joy. “No--no, not goodbye. It’s not goodbye, because that means it’s for good. It’s see you later, right?” He asked cheerfully, and Daisuke couldn’t help but brighten at that. That was more of the familiar Dark he was used to. “So see you later, Daisuke.”

“Yeah,” Daisuke nodded, straightening and taking a deep breath, closing his eyes for a brief moment and listening to the steady beat of his heart. It calmed him, because he could still feel Dark’s beside him--but this would be for the last time. He opened his vivid red eyes and met Dark’s shining maroon, and he smiled as best he could through the bittersweet tears escaping his eyes.

“See you later, Dark. Let’s meet again in the next life.”

“I promise we will.”

And finally, his soul moved on.

~~~

“Oh--Daisuke-san, right? Good morning!”

“Good morning,” the older teenager offered a small smile, “you called me Daisuke.”

“Of course, you told me to!” The young barista chuckled, twirling his pen in his hand, “What can I get you today?”

“Since you remembered my name, do you remember my usual?” Daisuke's lips twitched up more into a smirk.

“Americano with one sugar, large? And a croissant?” The barista grinned widely, and the grin only grew when Daisuke nodded in confirmation. He grabbed a cup from the side, writing the order on the side. He put it aside, turning back to ring up the order on the register. “It’ll be up in a minute.”

Daisuke nodded, quickly paying before moving off to wait near the other side of the counter. He idly watched the barista make his drink, looking around every so often. The cafe was nearly empty this early on a Sunday morning--not too many people came in when there was no work or school to be had. It wasn’t nearly as busy on the weekends as it was on the weekdays--something Daisuke was rather grateful to find was a constant.

“Here you go!”

Daisuke turned around, smiling politely at the barista as he took his paper bag of pastry and steaming hot cup of coffee. He didn’t need to look at the boy’s name tag to remember his name, as he’d learned it two weeks ago and not forgotten, but he still spared it a quick glance because he noted idly that the boy had gone from having a plastic laminate name tag to a metal one. It looked like the younger teenager was settling into his new job just fine.

“Thank you, Tsuneyuki-kun,” he nodded, then turned and went to find a seat--he picked one near the window, just beside it so he was out of the sun.

Tsuneyuki looked surprised for a moment, tilting his head curiously in Daisuke’s direction, before he shook his head and went back to work, grabbing a rag to clean up his station. Daisuke nibbled on his croissant idly as he set his bag down on the chair adjacent to him and pulled out his laptop, glancing at Tsuneyuki out of the corner of his eye.

The seventeen-year-old brunet had caught his attention two weeks ago when he started working at the cafe--at first he’d been perplexed by the young barista’s cheerfulness, since the previous morning shift barista tended to be cold and business-like. Tsuneyuki liked making small talk and apparently got to know all the regulars, charismatic in a way Daisuke had seen only a few times before. The previous barista was, quite frankly, not a morning person and actually kind of rude--Daisuke honestly wasn’t all that surprised to hear she got fired, though he was surprised to meet her replacement.

The boy only worked the morning shifts as he still had school, which he went to immediately after. The previous week, he’d been training under the cafe owner, but the owner had two young kids to look after and get to school in the mornings, so she left Tsuneyuki to his own devices after the first week. Apparently he learned fast and his boss was confident enough in his skills to let him work on his own after such a short time--that, and the stress of trying to train a new employee so suddenly after abruptly firing the previous one while also trying to take care of her kids was probably fraying her nerves.

Daisuke came in every morning to get a coffee and some breakfast before he went to work--well, work was a loose term, since he was just an intern. He could have gotten coffee and donuts at the lounge in his workplace, but honestly the canned stuff from the vending machines was disgusting and Daisuke preferred something hot and just a little bit sweet. So he came to the little cafe wedged between a sandwich shop and a book shop, and he was rather happy about Tsuneyuki’s customer service--he was slower at making the coffee, since he was still new, but his personality was so much more inviting than the previous girl’s.

He hadn’t really expected Tsuneyuki to be working the weekends too, though--he’d only started coming the previous Sunday, mostly just to see if he was there but also to try getting some studying done for his college classes, but it was a pleasant surprise to find that the brunet worked at the cafe every day of the week. The boy was fascinating, and Daisuke honestly had no idea why. Maybe it was just Tsuneyuki’s unique charm. Which was why Daisuke had returned this weekend to get some studying done too--and maybe get a little internship work done while he was at it.

He was brought out of his absentminded musings by a ring at the door signalling another customer had come in, and he shook his head and sipped his coffee, turning on his laptop after finishing his breakfast.

“Good morning! Welcome to the Qualia Cafe! My name is Minoru Tsuneyuki, I’ll be your barista today. What can I get you?” He heard Tsuneyuki greeting the new customer--a quick glance let Daisuke see that it was a woman, maybe twenty-three or twenty-four years old, with bleached blonde hair showing dark roots, tanned skin, and a somewhat business-smart but still fashionable outfit. Daisuke guessed that she was a college student, or maybe a recent graduate, because she had a newspaper and a few papers under her arm alongside her purse.

“What’s on the menu, cutie?” The woman asked casually, flashing a mischievous smile. It didn’t look flirtatious, but Tsuneyuki blushed anyway--Daisuke guessed that she’d done that on purpose to get a rise out of him. “I’m in the mood for something extra sweet.”

Tsuneyuki quickly gathered himself and cleared his throat. Daisuke smiled a little and went back to his laptop, turning his focus away from the pair.

“Well, if you want something sweet, I think the iced white chocolate mocha is a good drink. Another good choice is the caramel cappuccino.”

“Hmm! Tough choice,” the woman tapped her chin decisively, “let’s go for the iced mocha. Make it a medium, cutie.”

“Coming right up,” Tsuneyuki wrote the order on a cup, very professionally ignoring the nickname, “anything else I can get you?”

“Nah, I’m good, I already had breakfast,” the woman waved, fishing her wallet out of her purse and getting out some money to pay.

After Tsuneyuki rung her up and started making the drink, he spoke cheerfully as he worked, “I haven’t seen you around before. Are you new in town?”

“Yeah, just moved here from the city with my boyfriend,” the woman grinned like a Cheshire cat--Daisuke, only idly watching now, got the impression that this woman smiled like that a lot. And, just as she had gotten a rise out of Tsuneyuki last time, it worked again because he paused his work to look at her in surprise. “Luck would have it he gets a job out here right out of college.”

“Wow, so you moved out here with him?” Tsuneyuki looked impressed, “What about your own job?”

“Me, with a job? Kid, the market’s tough! Especially in Tokyo!” The woman laughed with a shake of her head, “I wasn’t having any luck out there for a whole year, so I figured why not try a small town. My boyfriend’s covering our expenses right now, but I don’t want to be a drag, you know?”

Tsuneyuki went back to making her order, topping it off with whipped cream. “Yeah, I know how it is. I actually wanted to get a job at the art store, but they didn’t have any openings and this place was closer to school,” he chuckled. He handed her her drink after he put on the cap, smiling kindly. “Here’s your coffee. I wish you luck, ah...”

The woman caught the cue, laughing with a tone of embarrassment. “Ah. Fuyumi Gouriki,” she introduced herself, taking the drink.

“Good luck then, Gouriki-san. If you’re staying, feel free to ask me for anything else.”

“Thanks!” Gouriki nodded, going over to one of the tables and setting her stuff down, sipping her drink experimentally. She lit up at its taste, glancing over at Tsuneyuki and giving him a wide grin and a thumbs up. Tsuneyuki beamed, nodding his thanks, before he went back to cleaning up his station.

Daisuke idly glanced up at Gouriki, watching her unfold her newspaper to the wanted ads and start looking for the job she implied she needed. He went back to his homework on the computer, his eyes scanning the words of the article he was using for some research.

The young barista finished cleaning the main counter, then went around it and started cleaning up the tables of crumbs and other things, preparing it for the next customers who would use the tables. When he came to a table near Daisuke, he paused to look over his shoulder.

Daisuke heard a gasp of surprise behind him, and he looked up inquisitively. Tsuneyuki blushed, rubbing his neck sheepishly. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to hover, I just--that article you’re reading...”

The older teen glanced at his laptop screen, then back at the brunet. “Yes, it’s about the legend of the phantom thief,” he nodded with a small smile, “I’m researching some of his cases for my criminology courses.”

Tsuneyuki blinked. “Criminology... you’re studying criminology?” He asked in surprise, “Are you going to be a cop?”

“I’m a detective in training, actually,” Daisuke nodded, “I intern at the station.”

“Wow, that’s cool,” the younger brunet grinned, then paused and tilted his head curiously, “but why are you researching the phantom thief? It’s just a local legend.”

“No, not actually. The phantom thief really existed, though it’s been over seventy years since he last appeared. If not for the photographic evidence of his... rather flashy methods of operations during the last appearance, I would think he’s a legend too.” Daisuke chuckled, “I’ve always been fascinated by the legend of the winged phantom thief, so I chose to research him for my paper. It’s amazing that no one has ever figured out how he did the flying trick, though.”

“Same, about the fascination thing--I think it might be because we’re both locals?” Tsuneyuki offered with a chuckle, “It’d be a crime to not have been interested in the Phantom Thief when one grows up in Azumano.”

Daisuke smiled and nodded in agreement. He was about to speak up again when, nearby, Gouriki piped up. “What’s the legend of the phantom thief?”

Tsuneyuki lit up, glancing over at her. Daisuke chuckled, motioning with his hand. “Go ahead, you tell her. I need to get back to work.” He nodded towards the bleach-haired woman.

Tsuneyuki nodded and grinned excitedly, going over to Gouriki and beginning the tale all children in Azumano knew.

“Throughout history, works of art have been stolen under mysterious circumstances, said by some to be the work of a phantom thief that flies on black wings. The name of this mysterious thief is Dark. His identity--no one knows...”

~~~

Alexander Russell woke up from his dream feeling disoriented and lost, like the world around him was too big and he’d been sleeping a lot longer than a few hours.

In the corner of the room, his two-and-a-half year old sister cried softly in her crib. For a moment, he stared blankly at the crib and thought, Wait, I have a sister?

Then the daze from the dream cleared and he jumped up, running over to her and picking her up and rocking her gently, shushing her soothingly as best a little six year old could manage.

His mom stirred in the other corner of the room, and Alex watched her wearily to see if she would wake--thankfully, she didn’t. The poor woman needed her rest, working two jobs to try supporting her kids on her own--Alex glanced at the clock and groaned quietly. It was two in the morning--his mother had likely only gotten home an hour ago.

“Dana, shh,” he cooed, patting his sister on the back as he carried her in his arms, pacing back and forth near her crib, “dun wake mama, she needs to sleep.”

Alex knew his mother worked hard--he may have been six but he wasn’t stupid; he knew they were struggling. He had been taking care of his sister since his father died when she was one, if only to lighten his mother’s load, but there was only so much he could do.

The dark-skinned girl quieted after a few minutes, burbling tiredly at him. He chewed his bottom lip, not sure what she wanted, but hoping to get her back to sleep, he rocked her gently and sung quietly. When that didn’t work, he started whispering to her, like he was telling bedtime stories.

“I had a weird dream just now, Dana,” he murmured thoughtfully, ignoring that she was tugging at the short black curls on top of his head, “There was this boy--he was big, and he had really red hair. Really red. I dunno what he was saying, but when I talked I had a deep voice. I dunno what I was saying either.”

Dana looked up at him with large, curious dark eyes. Alex giggled and rubbed her back as he rocked her. “Then, I dunno, there was a lot of blurry... stuff. I think I saw angels, ’m not sure... dun remember. Angels are good though right?” The little girl only stared at him blankly, her eyelids drooping. He shrugged and continued, “Then I think... there was another bigger boy, he had really light hair. Looked blue, which is weird...”

The baby had fallen asleep by now, and Alex smiled tiredly, gently replacing her in her crib. He trudged back to bed, pulling his thin, scratchy blanket over his shoulders and closing his eyes, dreaming of flying through the night sky.

~~~

“Hey, Li, I heard a funny story yesterday.”

“Hmm?”

Fuyumi grinned at her boyfriend, who lay sprawled on the couch with his feet up in odd positions and his arms straight out, holding a book open over his head as he squinted at the tiny print.

The blonde woman giggled, grabbing his glasses from the kitchen table and putting them on his face. He made a noise of discomfort, glaring up at the book. “Thanks,” he huffed, putting the book down on his chest, still open so he could save the page, reaching up to adjust the glasses to sit more comfortably on his face. “What story? And why didn’t you just tell me yesterday, Fuyu-chan?”

“You went straight to bed mumbling about your annoying boss being as annoying as ever...?” Fuyumi lifted an eyebrow, “I still don’t really get that, by the way. Didn’t you meet him like, a few days ago? How can he be annoying as ever?”

“We talked on the phone before I took the job you know.” The dark-haired man looked up at her as if it should have been obvious, though something about the answer didn’t sit right with her for some reason. “The man’s more annoying in person. His son’s not any better, but hey, the apple never falls too far from the tree.”

“Yeah, okay, whatever,” Fuyumi rolled her green eyes, “want to hear the story or not, Li?”

“Sure. Where’d you hear it? I thought you were job hunting yesterday.” Li picked up his book and sat up, swinging his legs over the edge of the couch to sit properly and make room for her, “Are you already telling jokes around the water cooler when you haven’t been hired yet?”

“Nah, nothing like that,” Fuyumi giggled, plopping down next to him, “I stopped by the coffee shop after I got some applications from the nearby restaurant and the barista there told me about this local legend.”

Li’s eyebrows disappeared under his hair, and he echoed her curiously, “Local legend?”

“Yep. About this winged phantom thief who used to steal priceless artworks around here.” Fuyumi grinned widely, “And guess what. The thief’s name is Dark.”

“Oh.” Li shrugged nonchalantly, “I already knew about the legend.”

“I thought so. It’s the same Dark as the one you’re playing for your movie! Ha!” Fuyumi pumped her fist triumphantly, “I knew it! So that’s why we had to move out here! No wonder! Wow, they must be going for authenticity, using this town as the setting.”

“I guess,” Li replied with a small chuckle, looking back at his book contemplatively, then he decided he didn’t want to read it anymore and put it on the coffee table, propping his feet up next to it. “But after the movie, Saga’s got a more permanent job for me as a fashion model, so that’s the other reason we moved.”

“Wow. I’m so proud of you, hon!” Fuyumi grinned widely, leaning over and pecking him on the cheek. “You’ve got the best luck, I swear. Good looks, a job right out of college, and a guaranteed career?”

He grinned and threw his arm around her, pulling her closer. “And a beautiful girlfriend to boot.”

“Tch,” Fuyumi rolled her eyes, but she smiled her signature Chershire cat smile. “Yeah, but you literally got all the luck! I mean, come on, I’ve been trying to get a job for a year and my business went down... ah well, at least I have you.”

Li pressed a kiss to the side of her head, right above her ear, his hand brushing circles onto her shoulder from where he had it wrapped around her. “No one appreciates a good chef these days. You’ll catch a break, Fuyu-chan. Besides, the move is supposed to be a fresh start--maybe your luck will be better here.”

“I hope so... hey, any chance that movie crew of yours needs a caterer?” Fuyumi cackled brightly. Li laughed with her.

“I’ll see what I can do.”

~~~

Alex was fourteen when he realized his dreams weren’t dreams.

“Do you believe in reincarnation?”

“Like... that thing where you get reborn when you die?” An eleven year old Dana tilted her head curiously, “I heard you can turn into a barnacle or something.”

“Err,” Alex grunted, stopping as they waited for the light to change so they could cross the street, “yeah, sorta like that. Ya think it’s real?”

“Dunno, maybe. I like Heaven better though, it sounds like a nicer place to go when you die. Dun wanna turn into a barnacle.” Dana made a disgusted face, “Bro, what exactly is a barnacle?”

“You don’t know and you’re--uhg, never mind. I think it’s like, a sea creature or something.” Alex shook his head, “Anyway, I’m not entirely sure how reincarnation works, but I think my dreams’re a past life getting through? I’m not sure.”

“Sounds weird and psychic-y. We should try getting on those ghost shows with this kind of stuff!” Dana suggested excitedly. The light across the way changed from the red hand to a white stick figure, and the siblings stepped off the curb to continue on their way home from school.

Alex sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Dana, I’m being serious. I think I’m remembering things from a past life.”

“Okay, okay. Jeez. You’ve been telling me about your dreams since I was a kid. I think they’re too... y’know, they make sense. For dreams. A lil’ too much,” Dana shrugged, making circling motions with her hands as she looked up at the sky, “like one time I dreamed I was Ross Geller from Friends and I was investigating something with the Scooby Gang, and then suddenly halfway through the dream I’m that one girl from that one game--uh, the girl Indiana Jones.”

“Lara Croft?” Alex supplied with a lifted eyebrow.

“Maybe? I dunno, mama dun let me play those games. But basically dreams dun make sense a lot. Yours do,” the girl’s chocolate-colored eyes landed on her darker-skinned older brother, “except they’re in backwards order or something. I mean, I heard you can only dream about stuff you’ve seen before but you’ve never seen those people, so I guess that’s the only thing that doesn’t make sense?”

“Yeah...” Alex mumbled, falling silent as he tried to gather his thoughts.

Suddenly knowing that his dreams were actually memories was a little disconcerting. He understood everything in the dreams, but at the same time he didn’t--like how everyone in those memories was speaking Japanese but he didn’t speak a lick of it, yet he still knew exactly what was being said. He felt older and more mature, like an old man who had seen so much and was ready to die, but at the same time he knew he was just a fourteen year old boy, struggling through school and trying to take care of his family despite how young he was.

He stayed quiet all the way home--Dana’s face contorted with worry, but she said nothing when he sent her to do her homework while he started making dinner. A quick glance through the nearly-empty fridge and pantry had him sighing, and he grabbed two TV dinners and set them on the counter to defrost while he did his own homework.

He had contemplated getting a third dinner out, but he doubted his mother would be home in time for dinner. He glanced the bills sitting on her desk, knowing full well that she had been trying to decide which ones could be put off.

At the back of his mind, he remembered the red-haired woman who had doted on him in his previous life, and how she never worried about much more than if her son--sons?--were okay. Bitterly he wondered why his family now couldn’t have the same fortune as that lady and her family had had.

Then again, they were a family of thieves. And his mother had taught him better than to stoop to stealing or violence or any of the stuff people expected out of the race they constantly stereotyped to be “thugs”.

“Everyone’s gonna expect it outta you, Alex. You gotta show them you’re better than that,” she had said once when he’d nearly been suspended from school for “starting a fight”--he was cleared of his crime when he proved he’d only been defending his sister from bullies. “It ain’t gonna be fair--but you’re gonna get blamed for a lot of things. But you keep your head cool and you play it smart, and you don’t run--like today, you did good. You keep doing that, and you’ll be okay.”

He sighed at the memory, glancing down the hall to where his little sister’s room was. In his previous life--”Dark”, he dimly recalled through the fuzzy dreams--he had never had siblings. The closest thing he had had was “Daisuke”, but Dana was significantly different when he was comparing the relationships. Dark and Daisuke were more like best friends, sworn brothers rather than blood-related. But Alex had practically raised Dana--he and his mother both tried their best to keep her happy and safe. Alex had foregone presents on multiple years so his sister could get something nice for Christmas and her birthday, and he was naturally protective of her.

He had always made sure she knew she was safe and loved and could always go to her brother when she needed someone to depend on--just as his mother made sure to let both him and Dana know that if they were ever in trouble, she’d drop everything to come help them. She might have been at work all the time, but her job was less important when it came to her children, and she had passed this sense of priority onto her son.

Somehow, seeing Dana live happily felt right. And when Alex looked at her, he couldn’t help but feel a tug on his heart, and the image of someone cold and lonely and alone would come to his mind. It was the image of someone who life had been unfair to, who had been hurt and who had never deserved that, and all the riches in the world couldn’t make a difference in their broken, empty life.

Alex didn’t know if he was just imagining Dana living in that kind of circumstance, but he knew that even with their run-down apartment and poor lifestyle, the only thing missing from Dana’s life was a father she knew knew. She never complained about not having money or only having little food, and she was thankful for what they did have--and she was happy. She had always been a happy child, with an optimistic personality that couldn’t be brought down. No, she wasn’t rich, but she was constantly surrounded by warmth and kindness, which she gladly passed onto the homeless man living in their alleyway and the stray cats she saw on the street and whoever she saw needed it.

Alex was never quite sure why he felt that way for Dana, when he himself thought his life was a little unlucky. He had been forced to grow up faster than most boys, and the memories of a four hundred year old angel didn’t help in that regard. He wasn’t optimistic like Dana--he thought he was unfortunate, but at least he had his purpose.

It was a purpose different from Dark’s--and that train of thought led him back to his earlier wondering about reincarnation. He remembered the promise Dark had made to Daisuke--he wondered if he was allowed to remember his past life because of that. Or maybe it was just because Dark was used to moving between lives--maybe his soul’s memories were just easier to access because of that four hundred year old curse. He didn’t really know, but he knew that Dark had made it his purpose to protect Daisuke just as Alex made it his to protect Dana.

Idly he wondered if Dana was Daisuke’s reincarnation--they did promise to meet in the next life, didn’t they? Was that why he was so protective of Dana even with these memories of Dark’s? He had been sure that, knowing Dark’s promise, he would have tried to drop everything and go find the redheaded Niwa--but he hadn’t.

A glance at the calendar brought him back to reality though. It was 2012--Daisuke would have been twenty-nine years old by now, he couldn’t have been reincarnated already--he was far too young to have died and been reborn. He was probably still in Japan, raising a kid of his own by now. Alex smiled ruefully at the thought that he was missing out on Daisuke’s life--but he quickly shook the nostalgic feeling away, knowing it was more Dark’s than his own. Dark may have promised to meet Daisuke, but Alex wasn’t Dark... he isn’t. He didn’t owe Daisuke anything... and right now, he didn’t have the means to go see him anyway--he was a little African-American boy from a gritty neighborhood in America. Daisuke wouldn’t recognize him even if he went, and it wouldn’t be the same.

No, he was Alex now--he had his own life and his own family and something he had to do. He had been reborn, given a chance to start over, no matter how unfortunate his circumstances were. That was how reincarnation worked--and he was pretty sure that usually, people weren’t supposed to remember their past lives for a reason.

Maybe someday, far in the future, he would go see Daisuke and check up on how he was doing. But right now...

Dana’s voice interrupted his thoughts. “Hey bro, how long till dinner?” She called, poking her head out from her door.

“Do you wanna eat now?” Alex replied, going back to the kitchen and grabbing the now defrosted TV dinners, popping them in the microwave and setting the time. “We can eat in like ten minutes.”

“Oh, okay.” Dana’s head disappeared through her door again, probably to go back to homework or go to the bathroom before they had to eat.

Alex tilted his head contemplatively as he leaned against the counter, clearing his previous thoughts from his head and picking up a new thread. His beloved little sister wasn’t Daisuke’s reincarnation, that was for sure, but she had to have been somebody’s. He mused over the thought of who she could have been in a past life, but the possibilities were endless.

Whoever she was in the past, though, whether she was happy or sad or a bad person or not, Alex felt that Dana rightfully deserved all the happiness in the world, and nothing would ever change that. He would make sure of it.

~~~

Minoru gave a strained grin as he quickly rang up the next customer and made their coffee for them--continuing his rhythm for the next customer, and the next, and the next.

Weekdays were hectic, and his boss wouldn’t be in to help him for another ten minutes. He didn’t know how the previous barista managed doing this all by herself.

“Oh, good morning, Daisuke-san! The usual?” He grinned at his favorite regular--he was polite and, while they both enjoyed making conversation when they saw each other, he did understand how busy it was on weekday mornings--plus, he had his own job to get to, so weekdays weren’t the best days to make small talk.

Thus, he nodded and held out his card. “Of course. Make it a cheese danish today, though.”

Minoru nodded, quickly entering the order, swiping the card, tearing off the receipt, and handing it to him. He bagged a cheese danish, handed it to the older teen, and quickly made the coffee.

“Thanks,” Daisuke smiled at him when he got his cup, “good luck with the rest of this.”

Minoru chuckled, nodding, and went back to the register to take the next customer. Daisuke left soon after that, and out of the corner of his eye, Minoru could see him walking past the window sipping on his drink.

Finally his boss came in, and he inwardly sighed in relief, gladly taking over the register while she made the coffee. He was glad when the student crowd died down--most of them were already heading to school, and it meant he’d have to go soon too.

“How’re you doing, kid?” His boss asked him with a sympathetic glance when they were given a brief reprieve from the constant traffic of customers.

Minoru smiled wearily. “Good--though with how many people come through in the mornings...”

“I know,” the woman nodded, “I used to be able to help with the morning shift, but with both my kids in school this year...” She shook her head. “I should probably hire someone else, but I don’t have time to train another employee.”

“I... I could do it,” Minoru offered shyly, “I mean, I know I haven’t been here long, but...”

The woman laughed, shaking her head. “I like you, kid,” she grinned broadly, “that’s sweet of you. But I do need to give them some proper training--might have to give them afternoon shifts for a while so I could get that through, then put them on the morning shifts. Think you can handle yourself alone for another week or two?”

The brunet straightened up and nodded confidently. “Yes, ma’am.”

“Okay, I’ll go put an ad out then,” the woman nodded, moving off to the side to make her way into the back where the kitchen and office were.

The ring of the bell over the door alerted Minoru to another customer, and he brightened again at seeing yet another familiar face that morning.

“Good morning--Gouriki-san, right? Welcome back to Qualia Cafe!” He greeted the woman cheerfully. He’d only seen her a few times in the past week, but it was enough to realize she’d probably be a weekly regular, if not a daily one like Daisuke was.

“Do you make it a habit to remember everyone you meet?” Gouriki giggled. “Nice to see you again, ah...” She paused to glance at his name tag--Minoru didn’t take offense to it, used to remembering people’s names but not being remembered much in return. She grinned and continued, “Tsuneyuki-kun.”

Minoru nodded in acknowledgement, readying his pen. “What can I get you this morning?”

“A job?” Gouriki joked, motioning to the newspaper under her arm in exasperation. “I’m kidding. Can I get an iced tea? Uh, let’s go with mint. Medium size.”

Minoru nodded, entering the item on the register. “Anything else?” He lifted an eyebrow curiously.

“Nope, you know me--no breakfast from here. I’m broke enough as it is.” Gouriki smiled wryly, paying as he finished ringing her up, “Just stopping by between the job hunt, you know?”

Minoru moved to the side to make her drink. “What kind of job are you looking for anyway?”

“Preferably one in a restaurant--I graduated culinary school, I’d like to put that to use somewhere, you know?” Gouriki moved to the other end of the counter to wait for her drink, “But at this point, I think I’ll be happy with any job in the food industry.”

Minoru blinked at her, his blue eyes wide. A grin slowly stretched across his lips. “I know you were joking about the job part, but... my boss was about to put out an ad. She’s looking to hire. If you want, maybe...?”

“You’re kidding,” Gouriki’s own eyes widened, “really?”

“Well, yeah. It’s not much, but it’s something, right?” Minoru grinned kindly, handing her her drink, “Just till you can get something better, but my boss is like you--she went to culinary school and then used her skills to open up this little place. So you’d do well at this job.”

“Wow, that’d be great!” The woman nodded enthusiastically, “Thanks, cutie!”

Minoru blushed shyly, rubbing the back of his neck. “No problem. But, uh, you still have to apply, Gouriki-san. I can vouch for you though.”

“Jeez, you’re a saint!” Gouriki nodded, “Get me an application, I’ll do it right now!”

Minoru grinned and nodded, poking his head into the back office. “Hey, are you still writing up that ad?”

“Yes?” His boss looked up.

“I think I can save you the publishing money. This lady I’ve been talking to all week--she’s looking for a job, and...” Minoru trailed off awkwardly, grinning sheepishly, “well, I told her you were looking to hire, and she wants an application. I think she’d be good for the job, really.”

The woman lit up, her eyes gaining a sharp glint. “Really now?”

“Yeah, she’s here right now if you want to talk to her.”

The woman nodded, grabbing an application and coming out. Minoru pointed her to Gouriki, who was still standing near the counter, grinning excitedly. The woman gave the blonde a once-over, nodding in approval at her smart outfit. “At least you look like you’re ready for an interview.” She grinned, handing Gouriki an application after she introduced herself. “Fill this out and come talk to me when you’re done. You can have an interview today.”

“Thank you!” Gouriki nodded eagerly, bowing her head deeply. She quickly went to claim a table, pulling a pen out of her purse.

Minoru turned to his boss. “I think you’ll like her,” he grinned knowingly.

“I think so too--I like her spunk already,” the woman laughed. “Now get on out of here, Tsuneyuki-kun. You have school don’t you?”

“Ah! Right!” Minoru untied his apron, running to the back to hang it up and get his book bag. He ran out again through the front, waving to Gouriki as he left. “Bye, see you later!”

“Huh? Oh--ah, bye, Tsuneyuki-kun! Thanks again!” Gouriki called.

The bell rung as the brunet raced through the door, a cheerful grin on his face.

~~~

At thirty years old, Alex was walking his sister down the aisle, beaming more proudly than he’d ever done before. His sister, getting married! He was so proud of her, so happy for her, and he knew it was everything she could have ever wanted.

They weren’t rich, the wedding was small, and Dana was wearing her mother’s wedding dress--but it was perfect in every way. Their old mother cried happily, and the groom was one of few people Alex would gladly call his brother and friend, and he knew that the people who couldn’t make it to the wedding were with them in spirit now.

Dana believed in Heaven, and Alex didn’t tell her otherwise when their mother told her their father was watching over them from Heaven, and that he’d be so happy for her now, just as her brother and mother were.

Alex watched Dana and her new husband have their first dance, mulling over those thoughts.

He didn’t know if he believed in Heaven--years ago he’d accepted that he was Dark, in soul if not in body, and he wholeheartedly believed in reincarnation. But sometimes he wondered if there was such a thing as both--and if someday, he could rest there too.

He had been an angel once, after all. He remembered what it was like to fly and to fall, so maybe he’d been to Heaven before.

“Alex,” Dana murmured quietly when it was his turn to dance with the bride, and he grinned down at his beautiful, dark-skinned sister lovingly. She looked back at him with deep chocolate eyes, full of light and wondering and excitement. “You seem a bit distracted. You okay?”

“Yeah, just busy being happy for you,” Alex whispered back, “you know I always thought you deserved all the happiness in the world.”

Dana giggled, squeezing his hand gently as they danced. “I’m happy. I really am,” she nodded, “I just wish you would be too, bro. I’m not the only one who deserves it.”

Alex blinked at that. “This isn’t another attempt to set me up with one of your friends, is it?” He joked lightly.

“No,” she shook her head, “but I mean it. You spent your whole life taking care of me, and I... I owe you so much. I just want you to be happy too.”

“...Dana?” He looked down at his sister in wonder. “What’s this about?”

“I want to pay you back--not just for the wedding, but... for everything,” Dana said resolutely, “I think you should go to Japan.”

Alex froze for a moment, opening his mouth, but he found that his words were stuck in his throat. After another attempt to speak, he snapped it shut, shaking his head.

Dana spoke again before he could gather himself. “You don’t need to take care of me anymore, Alex. I’m all grown up, I’m married now, I’m going to make a family soon.” She slowed down as the music stopped, stepping back but still holding his hand. Without a word, they made their way off the dance floor. “I know you don’t have much else but me and mama--no one could ever really understand everything I do, about you, about your dreams or... everything.”

She took a deep breath, sighing softly. “And I guess that’s why you’ve never gotten married or gone to school like I have. I think we both know you just had something else to do.”

“Dana, I...” Alex trailed off, looking away. “I made my sacrifices to take care of you. I don’t regret any of it.”

“Alex, you’ve been more ‘Dark’ than you realize,” Dana smiled wryly, “and I know you’d regret it if you didn’t go to Japan in this lifetime.”

Alex looked back at his sister, staring at her long and hard. Dana may have believed in Heaven, but she also believed everything Alex had ever told her about his dreams--his past life. She knew everything--she knew about Daisuke, and Emiko, and all the ones that came before them. She knew about Satoshi, and Krad, and all the hate and anger that he’d been dealt. She knew about every heartbreak, every death he’d seen, and every person who had grown old without him. He had never stopped dreaming of the past--four hundred years was a long time and a long life to remember, and the memories just kept going further and further back. He didn’t think he’d ever stop having the dreams.

Just like he had never stopped seeing something cold and lonely when he looked at her--someone he still dearly wished life had been fair to. He still didn’t know why he felt that about her, but he was sure that until that feeling went away, there was still something he had to do here.

“Maybe,” he finally responded, meeting Dana’s gaze evenly, “but I’d regret it more if I didn’t at least see my first niece or nephew.”

“Alex.” The dark-skinned woman frowned sternly, “This could be your only chance. You don’t even know if you’ll remember Dark again in the next life, or if Daisuke will still be alive. Maybe you only get one chance--and you should take it.”

“I know, Dana,” Alex shook his head, “and thanks. Really. I’ll get to Japan someday, but... let me stay with my lil’ sister a while longer, okay?”

Dana was silent, but after a long moment, she nodded in understanding and dropped the subject, finally breaking her gaze away. She looked at where her mother was dancing with her husband, smiling softly. “What did you dream about last night?”

“You really want to know? Today of all days?” Alex shook his head, “You know how depressing these memories are.”

“Yeah, but they’re important to you.” Dana glanced up at him out of the corner of her eye, squeezing his hand, his fingers warm in hers. “You’re important to me, bro. I might be moving out and all, but I still want to know everything going on in your life--this one and the last one. That’s never gonna change.”

Alex closed his eyes and shook his head. “The memories are getting more jumbled--Dark sometimes recall things in a past generation I haven’t seen yet. Last night, he was remembering... I think it was the first Hikari,” he murmured thoughtfully, “and now that I think about it... he looked a lot like Satoshi.”

Dana turned her head and gave him a fey stare--the same stare she always gave him when the Hikaris were brought up in any way. He stared back at her, pulling his hand away from her loosened grip and looking down at it.

“All I--he... all Dark could think about was how sad Hikari was. How sad that generation’s Hikari was, how it didn’t seem fair to fight someone whose spirit was as broken as that. He was older than my... Dark’s tamer.” Alex sighed, closing his fingers into a fist, “That Hikari had lived with Krad for years longer than that Niwa had lived with... Dark. He was broken, and Krad was... worse than normal. Crazier, I guess. It was... scary.”

“You thought it was scary, or Dark did?” Dana asked softly.

“I don’t know. I can’t tell. I’m not sure where Dark ends and I begin anymore.” The older man shook his head, looking back at her. “But I do know what I think right now. I really hope that kid--that Hikari... I hope he’s not suffering right now.”

His sister smiled gently, nodding in agreement. “You think he got reincarnated into a better life?”

“God, I hope so,” Alex ran his hand down his face tiredly, “I hope he’s better off, wherever he is. I hope he gets a chance to be happy.”

“Well, if I were him...” Dana started slowly, and Alex’s abruptly wide, bewildered eyes snapped to her. She didn’t notice though, looking to the dance floor again--looking out at all the people laughing and smiling happily and celebrating her love for her husband. She continued sagely, “If I were him, I think I got the best second chance anyone could ever ask for.”

Alex’s mouth worked, but no words came out. His heart felt like it had stopped, and suddenly the strange tug he felt when he looked at her made sense.

“I think he’s okay now. So you don’t have to worry about him anymore, okay, bro?” Dana grinned up at him, comforting and reassuring and bright. “Who knows. I might really be his reincarnation.”

He was brought back to reality by her shining smile, and he couldn’t help but smile too. “Yeah... you’re right.”

After all his suffering, after all his pain... yes, he truly did deserve every bit of happiness that Dana had now.

Alex turned away to head back to the festivities, offering his arm to his sister playfully.

“Who knows.”

~~~

Li smiled as he looked down at his phone, rereading the email he had received that morning.

“Let’s meet at Qualia Cafe, 8 AM Sunday. - Detective Saehara.”

It wasn’t really the coincidental meeting place that had him smiling--though Fuyumi would probably love to see him at her new job. She had left their apartment two hours ago for her first morning shift after a whole week of training--this was her first shift with her younger coworker too. Li had heard a lot about the kid who had helped get her the job, so he was looking forward to meeting him.

Though more than that, he was excited to meet Detective Saehara. He’d contacted the police station earlier that week to see if he could find a private detective, and he was pleasantly surprised when he was directed to that particular man.

He knew that name, Saehara... so he wondered what the man would be like.

He stepped into the cafe a little bit before 8 o’clock, pushing his sunglasses up to rest on top of his head. His eyes scanned the little cafe, searching for anyone who might be the detective, but there was only a young woman and an elderly couple sitting at the tables. He shrugged--maybe the detective wasn’t there yet, he thought. He might as well order something while waiting.

“Good morning, welcome to Qualia Cafe! My name is Minoru Tsuneyuki, I’ll be your barista today.” The teenager at the register greeted him cheerfully, and Li blinked at him in surprise.

Something about the blue-eyed brunet brought forth images of sunlight and warm starry nights and the faint smell of charcoal and... something else. He wasn’t sure what, but it seemed bittersweet, and it tugged gently at his heartstrings.

“Uh, good morning,” Li replied a little dumbly, a bit taken aback by the boy’s bright, genuine charm, scratching his half-shaved head awkwardly. He paused, the boy’s name finally registering with him. “Wait--you’re Tsuneyuki?” He grinned broadly, stepping up to the register. “Fuyu-chan told me about you. Nice to meet you!” He held out his hand in a friendly manner.

Minoru blinked in mild confusion, awkwardly reaching over the counter to shake his hand, apparently unused to the gesture. “Fuyu-chan... oh! Gouriki-san?”

“Yep! I’m her boyfriend. Name’s Li Bai,” the dark-haired man introduced himself with a charismatic smirk, pulling his hand away to gesture to himself. “Speaking of, where is Fuyu-chan?”

“Ah, nice to meet you,” Minoru smiled, his expression becoming more relaxed, “Gouriki-san is baking pastries in the back. Do you want me to get her?”

“Nah, I’ll be around for a while, she can see me whenever she’s not busy.”

The brunet nodded in understanding. “Okay. Uh, did you want to order something...?”

“Just a latte for now, I guess. With extra milk and foam? I dunno, do something nice with it.” Li shrugged, though he smiled in amusement at the way Minoru lit up. He must have liked making lattes.

“Sure thing.” He typed a few things into the register, and Li pulled his wallet out of his pocket to pay. After the boy moved away from the register to start making the order, he started talking to Li--which he totally expected, given how much Fuyumi had told him. “So how long have you and Gouriki-san been going out?”

“A couple years now, but we met at the beginning of college.” Li shrugged.

“Really? Are you a culinary chef too?” Minoru looked at him curiously.

“Ah--no. We didn’t go to the same college,” Li chuckled, “we sort of met because of a friend of a friend who had some mutual friends with her, and--I dunno, it just sort of happened. We started out as friends, then when I needed a roommate the next year, she offered me her place.”

“Isn’t rooming with the opposite gender a bit awkward...?” The younger teenager asked, looking a little awed even as he focused on making the man’s drink. He was drawing something with the white foam on top.

“Not really? We respected each other’s spaces,” Li quirked an eyebrow at the boy, smirking. “Ah, are you girl-shy? That’s cute.”

Minoru blushed, flustered, but he didn’t dignify that with a response. “Here’s your drink!” He said abruptly, presenting the man with a smallish cup, steaming gently and smelling strongly.

Li blinked down at the drink, impressed by the rather artful bunny that stood white against the brown drink. “Nice, you got talent, kid.”

The blue-eyed boy smiled brightly. “Thanks! I like drawing a lot, and this is a little different but it’s fun.”

“You’re an artist?” Li looked up at him in surprise, carefully taking to cup in his hands and holding it up to take a sip.

“Yeah--I’m saving up to go to art school after I graduate high school.” Minoru beamed.

Li stared at him hard, once again calling up images of warmth and wind. “I’d love to see your art sometime.” He said after a moment, smiling softly.

“Ah, maybe sometime.” Minoru nodded, glancing behind Li and toward the door as it rang. “Oh, excuse me, I have to get back to work.”

Li nodded, turning to go claim a table while Minoru tended to the next customer. He paused, however, when he heard Minoru greet the next customer.

“Good morning, Daisuke-san! The usual?”

The dark-haired man blinked in shock, turning his head to look behind him. He saw a dark-haired older teen standing at the counter, and he shook his head, turning away again and claiming a table near the center of the sitting area. He sipped his latte calmly, eyeing the teen called Daisuke in appraisal.

He had short black hair that was combed neatly back, though some stray strands of his bangs rested on his forehead and framed his well-defined face. He was dressed neatly in a button-down shirt and black slacks, a messenger bag at his side indicating that he may have been a student.

He didn’t seem very much like a “Daisuke” to Li, but that might have just been his opinion. Still, he looked vaguely familiar, though Li couldn’t figure out why.

“Getting some studying done today?” Minoru asked Daisuke as he made a drink for the boy, pretty much confirming Li’s suspicion that he was a student.

“No, I’m actually meeting someone for work,” Daisuke replied, “so I can’t talk much today.”

“Oh... so you’ll be going after this?” Minoru looked a little disappointed, handing Daisuke a large cup of coffee and a bag with a pastry in it.

“No, I’m meeting him here.”

Li started when the boy turned to scan the cafe and his eyes came to a rest on the older man. He could see those dark brown eyes flickering slightly as they took in his undercut and swept hairdo, the purple icing the tips of his slightly long hair, the silver piercings and accessories, and the black punk outfit that looked like it was bordering on visual kei--it was a fashion he’d picked up in Shinjuku when he’d lived there, and he hadn’t given it up, though he did tone it down when he got to Azumano.

He straightened a little when the other’s gaze met his own deep indigo one, a feeling of cold and loneliness coming to the forefront of his mind, though it was laced with peace. His eyes widened at the vaguely familiar tug deep inside his heart.

“Oh, there he is.” Daisuke said, his eyebrows furrowing slightly as if he could feel something similar to Li. Li’s own eyebrows raised in surprise. Minoru followed the older boy’s gaze, blinking.

“Hm...? Him?” Minoru asked curiously. “Well, I shouldn’t keep you. I’ll talk to you later, Daisuke-san.”

“Yes, later.” Daisuke nodded at him, making his way over to Li’s table. “Hello. Are you Bai-san...?”

Li quickly composed himself, standing to greet the younger boy. “Yeah. You’re... you’re Detective Saehara?” He asked uncertainly, “Uh, nice to meet you. You’re... younger than I expected.”

“I get that a lot,” Daisuke smiled wryly, “nice to meet you too. May I?” He motioned to the seat across from the man.

“Please,” Li nodded, sitting down again. He awkwardly picked up his coffee mug, sipping it again. He had been excited to meet the other, but now he was suddenly lost on what to say to start the conversation. “So you’re really a detective...?”

“Yes,” Daisuke offered a kind but professional smile, “or, I’m training to be one. I assure you, I’m good at my job--I may be a freshman but I’m studying criminology at Azumano U and I’ve already worked several independent cases, if you need my credentials.”

“Oh, no, I believe you,” Li nodded, “it’s just... I’ve heard your name before. Wasn’t there a Saehara who worked on the Phantom Dark cases like seventy years ago?”

Daisuke grinned at that. “Yeah, that was my great-grandfather,” he said somewhat proudly, “and my grandfather, Takeshi Saehara, was the only person who ever actually got an interview out of the phantom thief. It really jump-started his career early.”

“Looks like justice and sleuthing run in the family,” Li chuckled. He suddenly realized why Daisuke looked familiar, a nearly forgotten face coming to the forefront of his mind, and he couldn’t help but comment, “You sort of look like him--Takeshi Saehara, that is.”

Daisuke’s eyebrows raised. “I’ve never actually met my grandfather--he died before I was born in a car accident--but I’ve been told I look exactly like him when he was my age,” he mused thoughtfully, “but why would you know what he looked like? It’s not exactly something people look up often.”

“Ah, actually, I’m an actor for the Phantom Dark movie Saga Entertainment started working on--I auditioned for the role of Takeshi Saehara,” Li admitted with an embarrassed laugh, practically hiding behind his coffee cup when he lifted it to take a drink, “I saw a picture of him in the background info packet I was given when I signed on for a different part.”

The black-haired teenager’s expression become incredulous. Something about Li’s answer felt off, but he dismissed it with his general astonishment. “Ah, yeah, that movie... I heard about that from my parents when they got contacted about using my grandfather’s name and likeness in the movie, since he was the only person who interviewed Dark.” He shook his head in exasperation, sipping his own coffee, “I’m a little skeptical about how interesting a Phantom Dark movie will actually be if they go for historical accuracy... but there are so many unknowns, still. Do you happen to know if they’re taking liberties with the story?”

“They’re definitely taking liberties,” Li snorted. Daisuke perked up in interest.

“You know the legend enough to know how they’re changing it?”

“I did my research on it,” Li grinned, “I sort of had to. I’m playing Dark.”

Daisuke’s eyes widened. “You?” He looked at the man more critically now, pursing his lips in reappraisal. “I... suppose I can see it. I would have thought they would have gone for a more... acclaimed actor, no offense.”

“None taken, this is basically my ‘big break’,” the older man snickered, “I actually never meant to get into acting--it sort of just happened. I’m a model more than anything, but my girlfriend encouraged me to at least try some theater classes in college, so... here we are.”

“Well, you certainly have the celebrity look down,” Daisuke chuckled, “but I digress--I doubt you wanted to meet me to talk about my grandfather or Phantom Dark. You hired me to be a detective, didn’t you?”

Li nodded, looking down at his coffee somewhat nervously. “Yeah... I was actually--um, I need to find someone,” he explained hesitantly, “I don’t know if they might have died already, though, but...”

Daisuke lifted an eyebrow. “Someone who could have died already... are you looking for a long lost parent or grandparent?”

“Something like that. More of an old friend--emphasis on old. A few old friends, maybe.” Li shrugged, not meeting his eyes.

“Alright, I can look for them for you,” the young detective nodded, “what are their names?”

“I don’t know if she got married and changed her name or anything, but...” Li took a deep breath, indigo eyes coming up at last. “Risa Harada.”

Daisuke’s expression morphed into shock instantaneously, and Li flinched. “Uh, what...?”

“I--I’m sorry,” Daisuke managed out after he composed himself, “I just... I didn’t expect that.”

Li furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, but before he could wonder about the boy’s surprise, he continued.

“Risa Harada is my grandmother.”

Li’s stomach twisted anxiously in his gut, suddenly. “Is... you mean she’s still alive?”

Daisuke nodded. “You know my grandmother?” He asked, looking genuinely curious. Why did this stranger know his grandmother? And by her maiden name, at that...?

The other man nodded uneasily. “Sort of. It was a long, long time ago. She probably wouldn’t recognize me.” He shrugged uncomfortably, “If you don’t mind, I kind of don’t want to bother her too much, so can I ask you...?”

“Sure,” Daisuke nodded, “but I’m sure you wouldn’t be a bother, I could take you to meet her if you wish.”

“Ah--maybe some other time,” Li said quickly, then snapped his mouth shut and took a breath through his nose. After he exhaled, he continued, “Can I ask, ah, which side of the family she’s on, for you?”

“She married Takeshi Saehara,” the boy replied easily, “she’s the one who tells me stories about him all the time.”

“That’s sweet,” Li smiled softly, looking down at his nearly finished coffee, “it sounds like she was really happy with him.”

“She was,” Daisuke nodded, once again wondering how this man knew his grandmother but not that she had married his grandfather. He looked far too young to have known Risa only before she had married Takeshi--that had been over fifty years ago. Something was off about him, but the young detective couldn’t figure out what.

He doubted asking would help any, though, so he continued, “She was about as happy as anyone who married one of their best friends would be.”

Li didn’t look up to meet his eyes, but he still smiled almost nostalgically. “Yeah, I can sort of see that happening,” he murmured to himself, “I’m glad.”

He took another deep breath, lifting his head at last. “And, uh, this might seem weird, but... can I ask about her sister? Riku... Harada? She was your... uh, grand-aunt, right?”

Daisuke nodded. “Yes, but she died a few years ago,” he explained sadly, “did you have anything you wanted to know about her?”

“Oh.” Li chewed his bottom lip. “She was married too, right?”

“Yes. My grand-uncle’s name was Daisuke too. Daisuke Niwa--he was both of my grandparents’ best friend,” the black-haired boy smiled a little. “I was named after him, but I never got to meet him either. He died just months before I was born.”

Li perked up at this. “H-he did?” He stared at Daisuke with wide, bewildered eyes, and for some reason there was a spark of hope in them. Daisuke didn’t know what to make of that. “I--sorry. I mean, oh, gosh, this is sort of awkward. Never mind.” The man rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, realizing how strange he must have seemed.

Daisuke frowned now, shaking his head. “I’m... a little confused, Bai-san. Why did you want to know about my grandparents and their friends?”

“It’s a little hard to explain,” Li shrugged, “Actually, I can’t explain it. At all. But I’m not some creepy weird stalker or anything, I promise.”

“Can’t you explain it, even a little bit?” Daisuke tilted his head.

Li was quiet for a long time, not meeting his gaze. For some reason, he found his eyes drawn to Minoru, who was cheerfully greeting another customer at the front counter--distantly he registered that the customer was a teenage girl with long auburn hair tied back in a neat ponytail by a big white bow. Fuyumi entered from a door behind the counter, and she lit up when she saw her boyfriend, waving at him enthusiastically. Li couldn’t help but smile and wave back, and Daisuke followed his gaze.

When he looked back, Li had already turned back to him. Daisuke saw a longing, melancholy look entering the other man’s dark eyes.

“Do you believe in reincarnation?”

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