dreamcrystals | open 💀 first recording

Entry tags:

open 💀 first recording | passive dream

Sender: Beat
To: Everyone
Subject: Passive Dream Recording
Warnings: Some spoilers for the OG The World Ends With You.

Whenever this time of the year came around, a sense of dread would bubble up deep within him. It would start in his stomach and slowly make its way up to his throat, settling itself there. It was uncomfortable and no matter what he'd do to try to gulp it down, it remained stuck.

This day was no different.

Beat seems to be a few years younger, wearing a slouchy beanie with a skull sewn onto it, his hair pulled back and tucked underneath it. His usual headphones are absent from his head. He’s dressed in a school uniform, but his surroundings do not depict him to be in any such place.

Instead, he wanders Shibuya aimlessly—riding down the streets of Dogenzaka on his skateboard, perusing new albums available in Tower Records, even just hanging out at the convenience store by the Moyai statue. Everywhere but where he was supposed to be.

He reaches into his pocket to pull out his phone, navigating his way to the unread message from someone named “Rhyme”.

Are you coming home soon?

A moment passes before he types up a reply:

ill head home when i feel like it

His message was cold and he knows it deep down. But he sends it anyway, tucking his phone away before he continues loitering about the city.

By nightfall, he finds himself staring up at a modest two-story home, standing just outside its gate. He doesn't know how much time has passed since he's gotten here, but he lets out a sigh, steeling himself for what was to come. The gate’s hinges creak slightly as he pushes it open, a plaque on the gate reading the family name “Bito”.

The lump in his throat still remains.

It isn’t before long that he finds himself standing in front of a Japanese man, dressed in business attire, his tie loose around his neck after a long day at work. To his side sits a rather tall woman with blond hair, an apron draped in front of her dress. He’s filled with dread once again, the pit in his stomach growing larger and deeper as a tightness begins to form in his chest.

Beat reaches out and hands over a card toward them. On it are his grades for the semester. They are well above the passing grade, but nothing spectacular. He knows they’re nothing spectacular. He knows he isn’t anything spectacular. Not in their eyes.

The expression on his face is hard to read as they go over his grades and Beat hasn’t said a single word throughout. His lips remain a straight line and his eyes appear to be downcast. Is it apathy? Is it fear?

He opens his mouth, ready to put himself down, ready to fight them. That’s how it always is after all.

“Good job, son.”

The words catch in his throat before they could leave him. Beat’s eyes widen and his mouth hangs open, staring at them. They look back at him with proud smiles on their faces.

“You did well, Daisukenojo,” said the man.

Beat recoils when he hears the name but doesn’t say anything at first. He continues to stare at them for a moment longer, dumbfounded by the turn of events. “Are you two serious?” he finally asks. His usual manner of speech is missing, but the same inflections and brash tone of his voice remain.

“Of course we’re serious.” This time it’s the woman who speaks, looking back at him incredulously. “You did your best, didn’t you? As long as you do that, we couldn’t be any prouder of you.”

The man stands from his seat and walks to Beat, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Let’s eat out tonight to celebrate, all four of us. How does hot pot sound?”

Beat looks at the man, then the woman. Finally, the surprise on his face disappears and he lets out a laugh. His voice almost cracks when he speaks. “Yeah, hot pot sounds great, dad.”

He hears a quiet ring of a bell nearby. Turning towards the source, he sees a young girl with blonde hair and blue eyes smiling at him, a bell pendant hanging from a leather strap around her neck. He smiles back at her, blinking back the tears that begin to pool at the edge of his eyes.

And then he wakes.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Beat knows about the stereotype that most Asian parents put on their children, and he's aware that others have to deal with that sort of thing too. But the amount of pressure his parents had put on him always made it feel like he was suffocating. That there really was no pleasing them.

He takes a sip of tea from his own cup, its warmth slowly dissipating over time.]

Yeah. Sometimes I think they want me to be perfect. And it's like they don't give a damn that I'm at least tryin'.

[ The pressure in Susato's case comes mainly from Japanese society--and even from herself at times. The fact that women are encouraged to know their place, the fact that society refuses to see women on an equal level... It has gotten even harder to bear after being in a place like Songerein.

She places a hand on Beat's shoulder. ]

Well... I think that counts for a lot, and it is a shame that they don't see it. You do not need to be perfect. You merely need to be "you."

...It is something I am learning as well, at least.

[It's only when he feels the weight of Susato's hand that he finally turns to look at her, having avoided her gaze for the majority of their conversation.

She has heard what she was telling him before in different manners. From his sister, from his friends back home, and now from her. It's reassuring to know and, more importantly, to hear that from people whose opinions he actually cared about. A small smile tugs at the corner of his lips and a breathy chuckle escapes him.]

Thanks, Loops. I know that but... guess I had to hear it again.

[He lets out another breath before he shakes his head, the smile turning melancholic.]

I know that, even if I don't give two shits 'bout what they want me to do. But that's also why it's weird that I still care 'bout it, you know? 'Bout what they think.

[ There's a pause. Maybe she just imagined it, but she can see the weight lift off him a bit within his smile. She doesn't really know what to say, but she's come to understand the value of little "reminders" every now and again. She hums to acknowledge that, and makes a note that he might need one again in the future. ]

It is not so strange. They're your parents... We are raised to care what they think, even when it feels like they do not. It's a value that's been instilled in all of us.

[ Some things really don't change. ]

Hear them, but do not let them define you.

[This isn't something he has spoken about in much detail to most people. But this was the first time someone else had seen his dream beside himself. And with how dreamotion and dream energy seemed to work, it was harder for him to forget the dream, as much as he wished to.

Despite the thoughts and feelings he was wrestling with, Susato's gestures and reassurance aren't lost on him. Beat didn't think talking about this would help but here they are.]

Heh, don't need to worry 'bout no one definin' me. 'Specially 'em.

[And just like that, the smile from earlier is back on his face.]

Thanks, Loops.

...You're welcome.

[ Seeing that smile return to his face, she feels satisfied to let the silence to linger between them, at least for now. Perhaps it would allow the sentiments to sink in, and it would more of what she has seen to process in Susato's mind.

At its core, it still felt like Japan, but an entirely different world as well. After a moment, she speaks cautiously: ]

So... "Daisukenojo," is it?

[For all the noise Beat needs to quiet his own voices in his head, there was something about the silence between him and Susato that he finds comforting. While he may not be the type to think too much or too far ahead about most things, there are some things that she said that he knows he might need to dwell on for a long, long while.]

[But just as he takes another sip of his tea, he hears her break the silence between them. His reaction is immediate.]

[SPITTAKE]

[And now he's hacking and coughing at that, most of the tea spilled over the steps and on himself from the spittake and the jerk reaction upon hearing the name. His name.

Just... give him a second.]

[ ......!!!

SHE BROKE HIM. ]

[ Susato shields herself from all the spilt tea, wincing, but only for a moment before his coughing fit registers as such. She then closes the distance, slapping a hand onto his back with a look of concern. ]

Beat! What's wrong...?!

[ That name comes to her far more naturally-- ]

[ On second thought, though-- ]

N, Never mind, just breathe.

[It takes him a moment to get over his coughing fit even as he strikes his own chest, trying to get it to pass.

And when it finally does he speaks, weakly, his voice gruff from the coughing.]

It's jus' Beat, yo.

[ She continues rubbing his back while he pounds his own chest, then eases as it appears to indeed pass. She's glancing down, and it's hard to see, but she can tell that the tea has done its damage.

Guess it was good that it was at least cool enough not to burn him. ]

...You've rejected the name they gave you?

'Course I did. I mean, it's hella lame, yo. I ain't down with bein'called that.

[He takes some time to examine himself. The tea has definitely done its damage. Thankfully the cup hadn't been full by then. Though Beat couldn't see where it had spilled, he could definitely feel it. Even he can't help but sigh at his own luck.]

Big talk from a guy who looks like he just wet himself.

[ There is a quiet chuckle that starts to escape, but she pulls back her hand and uses it to cover her mouth. ]

It is kind of a mouthful... [ God forbid someone from the West try to pronounce that. ] I like Beat just fine.

[ She looks over him, a natural silent pause passing them by like a cool night breeze. ]

Do you wish to change? I can brew us a new pot, if you don't mind me using your kitchen.

[He smiles at that, glad to hear that it doesn't sound like he needs to argue about how he preferred to be called. Getting back on his feet, he offers a hand to Susato to help her up.]

Already said it's aight if you do. Sorry 'bout the mess though.

[Once they get inside, Susato will see that his place is quite the mess. A few used clothes were strewn over the backs of chairs, a few torn pages from his sketchbook are scattered over the kitchen table, and parts of a half-made skateboard sits on another open surface.]

Pot's in the left cabinet and the tea's in the second drawer. I'mma be right back.

[It doesn't take long for Beat to change. Once he's back, this is probably the most casual Susato's seen Beat, their time at the beach aside. He walks back in dressed in a sleeveless shirt and a pair of sweatpants. That jacket he usually wears definitely hides a lot of his toned body.]

Find everything okay, Loops?

[ Susato automatically takes the time to take her shoes off, because that sort of thing, among others, has been what's been ingrained in her ever since she was a child. She blinks when she can finally take in the state of the room, but doesn't say anything and allows Beat to take his time and change.

It is not her place, but she can't help it. On her way to the kitchen, she finds herself picking up the various torn pieces from his sketchbook, even the ones he probably never meant to be seen. Then one thing becomes another, and when she goes to neatly place the pages onto a nearby table, she also straightens out some of his clothes that are thrown about.

She also admires the remnants of his skateboard, but when Beat walks back in, Susato will already be in the kitchen. She hears him from a distance however and quickly pokes her head out. ]

Ah, yes! Not to worry, it'll be ready any moment now.

[It's at this point that Beat makes his way to the kitchen, immediately noticing how much cleaner the entire place suddenly was. While he knew where to find things in his own mess, he had to admit that the place looked much better than the sorry state it was in only a few minutes ago.

While he pads in barefoot, his footsteps could still be heard as well as the rustle of papers as he looks through his sketches, one of which having a mostly crossed out drawing of a squirrel like creature with decals for arms and its tail.]

D'you do all this, Loops. Youse already makin' tea. You didn't haveta clean up my mess too.

[The last time person who did that for him was Rhyme after all.]

. . . [ The worst part is, she held back. She can probably point out another three things that could be picked up or otherwise straightened. There is still a sheepish smile, however. Despite how much better it looks, Beat might find it harder to find some of his things for a little while. ]

Sorry. I simply can't relax when things are untidy, but I promise I haven't thrown anything away.

[ A pause. ]

...Quite the opposite, in fact. I... have something for you.

[The thought that she might've thrown something out hadn't even crossed his mind until she said it. Not that he would've thought she would.

But before he is even able to say anything about it, a look of confusion crossed his features. There's a bit of a tilt to his head at his, similar to that of a curious dog.]

Something for me? It ain't my birthday or nothin'.

[Because why else would she be giving him anything?]

open 💀 first recording | passive dream

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