Greetings! This is my first chapter-running fanfiction without an OC (other than the parental figures... ). So Kaori-haters, you'll like this story :)

This story centers around Mello and Matt's childhood together, starting from the age of 8, to the age of 13. It's sort of like a prequel to "OBSESSION", though the events in this fic relate more to things mentioned in "SECRETS". All the same, you can read this fic without worrying about not understanding anything. All of the events that happen in this story occure BEFORE the other two fics. Originally the chapters in here were intended to be Bonus Stories for "SECRETS", but there became so many of them that I made them their own fanfiction.

There are 19 chapters in all, my shortest yet. Please look forward to the rest, and REVIEW if you want more!! :)

第１話

"Meeting"

.:.8 YEARS.:.

"Mihael, Mail's family just moved here from France. He's exactly your age, isn't that nice?" His mother smiled at him as she introduced the two boys. "He doesn't know any German, so your good English skills will come in handy."

The blond-headed boy studied the newcomer carefully; he was wearing normal clothes, and had reddish brown hair that obviously was hardly ever brushed. His family didn't have much money, the blond boy could tell. The new boy was looking down towards the ground, with a vacant expression on his face as the adults conversed above them.

Taking another drink of the bottle in his hand, the blond boy continued observing the other family. The woman was short, and had brown hair like her son. She was pretty enough, but very plain. The father was handsome, with dark black hair and modest blue eyes. He didn't resemble the younger boy at all. If anything, the blond boy would consider him a stepfather.

"Mihael, we're all going to go inside for a drink. Why don't you show Mail around a bit?" the blond-headed boy's mother said.

"Alright," he agreed grudgingly; it wasn't going to be the highlight of his afternoon, but at least he would have something to do.

When the parents disappeared inside the house, their was an awkward silence between the two boys.

"Um...hi," the blond boy ventured cautiously.

"Hey," the other boy smiled slightly. "My name's Mail, but you can call me Matt if you want. All of my friends back home do."

"Alright then."

"Our parents said we'd be going to school together from now on," Matt said. "But since I don't know German, I'll probably suck at everything..."

"Don't worry. A lot of kids at school have already learned English, so it won't be so hard," the blond assured him.

"Thanks, that's a little reassuring. So...your name is Mihael?"

"Yeah. But I hate it."

"Really? How come?"

He shrugged. "I just do."

Matt laughed. "Alright then. So what do you want your name to be?"

"I dunno," the other boy said, taking another drink.

"Hey, what is that?" Matt said, pointing to the drink. "You like Mello Yello?"

"Yeah, it tastes great! My dad brought it from overseas."

"Hm..." Matt thought for a minute. "Alright, how about I call you Mello then?"

"Mello... Alright, sounds good to me!" he said, smiling. Maybe this arrangement wouldn't be so bad after all.

It turned out, Matt's family had moved to Germany on business. His father was a salesmen, and he had gotten a promotion that sent them there. Mello's father had been friends with him in high school, which was the reason that they were meeting up once the promotion was finalized.

Matt's mother didn't have a job, and stayed home cleaning and cooking; she and Mello's mother quickly became friends, and visited each other often.

As for Matt and Mello's friendship, they were inseparable from day one. Almost as if Matt lived there, he would be over at Mello's house almost every day, playing video games and pleading for help on his homework.

Matt's parents went out gambling a lot though, and Matt often stayed over at Mello's house on those nights he was alone. Mello could sense that his friend's family was beginning to have money troubles, but the adults always shooed the boys out of the room when they began to talk about it. Matt often confided in Mello his fears about how his family might end up, but Mello always assured him that whatever happened, he would be there.

第１話　－　終

Author's Notes:

This is basically just a recap of Mello and Matt's first meeting, which is longer than the excerpt used in "OBSESSION" (Chapter 22. Bound)

I laugh slightly, thinking about how their parents were the ones who pushed their friendship, and how now his father would freak out about their relationship. And maybe you're thinking, "Well his father likes Matt, here, doesn't he?"

There is a reason Mello's father stopped liking Matt, though.