dreamcrystals | open 💀 second recording

Entry tags:

open 💀 second recording | passive dream + extra

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

A smartphone is shoved in front of your face, and confusion takes over, not sure what exactly you're looking at. Then you realize that it's an innocuous advertisement for a piece of jewelry that had shown right before the video played. You turn to the owner, and it takes you a moment to recognize her, your sister Rhyme. She's young, with short, blonde hair framing either side of her face. Her usual beanie is absent from atop her head.

"It's cute, right?" she asks. She's never really had any interest in jewelry before, which only further added to your confusion.

She smiles back at you, noticing the look on your face. "Don't worry. I don't plan on buying it. I probably wouldn't be able to afford it anyway."

A sigh escapes her mouth before she withdraws her arm, turning to lie back on the bed as she proceeds to watch the following video that starts to play.

For a moment you wonder what that was all about before you turn your attention back to the skateboard you'd been working on.

- - -

It's morning and you've been in line since the crack of dawn. You're not a morning person and you let out the biggest yawn, not even bothering to cover your mouth.

A few hours have passed since you got here, able to get a spot in line toward the front of the pack, only beaten by those who camped out the night before. You decided to come out this early only because you learned that the item was limited. Seeing all the people in line before you makes you realize just how coveted this might actually be. For a while, you wonder if you even have a chance of purchasing it.

There are a few whispers from further back in line, and they don't make an effort in keeping their voices down.

"What is he doing here anyway? He looks completely lost."

"Stop that. Maybe he's buying it for his girlfriend or something."

A rush of heat color your cheeks, but you're quick to shoot a glare their way, baring your teeth just to drive the point further. They see you and all of a sudden they have nothing more to say.

- - -

The box in your hand is wrapped messily, the bow atop it leaning off one of the corners. Maybe you should've let someone else do it instead. But it's too late for that now. You rap your knuckles against the door.

It opens to reveal Rhyme. A large smile adorns her face as she greets you but she quickly sees the box in your hand. "Huh? What's this?"

You hand it over to her.

"For me?" She examines it for a while before looking back up to hold your gaze. "Can I open it?" You nod and she immediately begins tearing through the wrapper. When she opens the box within, her face immediately lights up, and whatever anxiety you had felt coming into this washes away.

"Oh gosh! You actually got it." She holds up a cord with a large, brass bell pendant hanging at the end. It's the very same one as the piece featured in the video ad.

Before you can even get a word out, she throws herself at you, jumping to curl her arms around your neck. "Thank you so much, Beat!" A warmth spreads throughout you and you smile, bringing your arms around her to return the embrace, hugging her tight enough to make her giggle in your ear.

And then you wake.

Sender: Beat
To: Close CR (except for Gina and Futaba)
Subject: a little help?
Warnings: Cursing. Will update as needed.

[Forward dated to the 23rd.]

yo i kinda got myself in a predicktament
and i aint sure how im supposed to

[There's a long pause before he continues writing this next part.]

deal with this one
so imma need some advice
any of ya got some time to help a brother out?

[If you're unsure if your character counts for this second part, feel free to poke me at

riyuji or at Riyuji#9693 on discord.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

There's no need. I can meet you there, just give me a time. [ How far away is he? ]

yo imma be there the whole day
been getting antsy as hell staying inside
see ya there

[And true to his word, Beat makes his way over immediately, parking his ass on one of the tables outside after getting a drink. The drink however seems to have been forgotten as he busies himself with sketches on his drawing pad, hood up and back turned away from people about to head into the establishment.]

[ Susato won't keep him waiting long. She does take a moment to make sure things are covered at the Harvest, however, to the best of her ability. She doesn't know how long this will take, but when she is relatively certain that the place won't catch on fire while she's gone, she heads off in the direction of Dreambucks.

She really doesn't come here often anymore, though she does feel a little nostalgic when she walks in. She can probably still spot the exact table she sat at when Kazuma saw her for the first time.

The bell chimes, and though she does not see the head of blond hair she is looking for right away, his hood looks familiar enough. Susato approaches him, her boots clicking to announce her arrival. ]

Beat?

[With his back turned and his music playing loudly from his headphones, Beat hadn't heard Susato's entrance nor her approach. He'd been busy working on a number of sketches on the pad. The current one seemed to be of Gina and another was of another girl.

It's only when Susato calls his name that he realizes that someone was close—]

Bwuuuh!

[Which makes him throw his entire body over his pad to cover what he was working on just a moment too late. With eyes still wide, he turns to look over his shoulder to finally spot Susato.]

Loops? Yo, you scared the hell outta me.

...Hello.

[ She said she was coming, didn't she? She flinches a little at his reaction, but then seems make herself comfortable, sitting right across from him. She is staring at the sketch pad beneath is large arms, though Gina's signature cap is still hard to miss, and it still shows. ]

Don't worry, I didn't tell her I was coming to see you.

[ ...Then she notices the other sketch, as if he'd drawn them side-by-side to compare. It takes her longer to recognize this one, particularly since she's only seeing everything upside down from this angle. ]

Is that...?

[Despite knowing that she was coming, he couldn't help but feel jittery. There's an immediate sigh of relief from him when she says that she hadn't informed Gina that they were meeting. But he noticed her looking down at his drawings, only realizing that he hadn't been able to hide everything.]

What? Nah— It ain't...

[His initial instinct was to slide the pad even closer to his chest, much like a child embarrassed to share what they were working on with a parent.

But what was he even going to say? He had asked her for help, right? And she still didn't know the whole picture. With another sigh that sounded a little bit like a groan, he flipped the pad to show Susato. Crossing his arms on the table, he planted his chin against them, covering the lower half of his face in an attempt to hide his shame.]

D'you know her?

[ ......

Her expression remains neutral in light of Beat's shame, though she does make attempt to tilt her head, as if she's trying to get a better look. Finally, she gives up, reaching a hand forward to touch the sketch pad without pulling it. ]

May I?

[ Gotta get permission. ]

[The blush across his cheeks spread even more but he relents, lifting both his arms just high enough for her to pull the pad away from him before resting them onto the table once more.

He doesn't say anything, making this possibly the quietest Susato has ever seen him. But his eyes train on her as he looks over his drawings and although rough seems to have been done with a lot of care. The drawing of Futaba has he smiling with a wide grin, eyes closed in glee. Gina's on the other hand, while still unfinished, had a smirk on her face with one hand holding onto the lip of her cap.]

[ Susato pulls the pad closer and turns it around, giving herself a clearer picture. Her eyes settle on Gina, of course, and she thinks he's captured her essence admirably... but then there is the other. The longer hair, the glasses with a wide grin...

She traces some of Beat's drawn lines with her finger, as if she might divine the answer from it. ]

This is Sakura Futaba, is it not?

Yeah, that's her.

[He takes this time to turn off the music from his headphones, slipping them off his head. This talk was important.

After returning back to his original position on the table, he mumbles something, almost eating his words as it leaves his mouth.]

Gina ain't the only one I'm having trouble with.

[ Oh.

It almost feels like something has grabbed her heart and squeezed. Not enough to hurt, but enough nonetheless. Why should that be, though? She isn't the topic of any of this, though maybe the feeling is something she feels in sympathy for Gina. ]

What do you mean? You might have feelings for her as well?

Maybe? I dunno, yo.

[He groans into his arms, causing an echo within. This dilemma has been something on his mind for a while now. He's tried to see if it would go away, only for it to persist and nip at the edges of his thoughts to no end. He was at a complete loss which prompted him to ask for a little help from his friends.]

I ain't never really felt like this 'bout anyone 'fore. An' now there's two of 'em!

[ Susato gives him a distant look, almost like she is thinking about something else for a moment. ]

When... or how did you realize?

We kinda got caught with 'em slug things. The one that keep sayin' you gotta smooch and kiss? So.. 'bout a month ago.

[Beat doesn't seem to realize the look she gives him, unable to meet her gaze. Hell, he just about wanted to bury himself into his hoodie right now.]

Leas' it was 'cause a' that when I started thinkin' 'bout it.

[ The look seems to pass anyway, and instead, there is a blush that seems to creep onto her own cheeks as well at the thought. She knows those slugs well enough by now. ]

You must mean the pink ones.

[ The only one that has yet to get her of the three, it seems. ]

I don't suppose it got you with them both at the same time, or I suspect we might be having a very different conversation.

Hell no!

[There's an obvious jolt of surprise at the question as his entire face and neck turn red. His arms move to plant his hands firmly on the table. Beat couldn't imagine having to deal with both at the same time. The aftermath was bad enough.]

Yo, if they was there at the same time, I... Shit, I dunno what I woulda done!

[ Haha... just Susato then!

Susato finds it hard to look at him for a second, but the fact is, she was probably lucky the one that got them was white. But this is not about her, this is about Beat... so she eventually turns to him, the slight amusement from his reaction fading. ]

Um...

Well... How, How did they react?

...

Did Gina shoot it? [ RIP slug. ]

...Whatchu jus' say?

[Did he even hear that correctly? Though, with the way she was acting, he could see that happening. Wait.]

Hold up, you tellin' me that she's packin'?

[ BEAT......... ]

Packing what? I, I meant her smoke bombs?

[ ISN'T THAT... WHY HE CALLS HER SMOKES... ]

Never mind.

Smoke bomb...?

[And here we learn that this isn't the reason why he calls her that.

But if she wants them to move on. Beat scratches the back of his head, eyes downcast as he tried to recall what had happened.]

It was all kinds a' awkward, you know?

Shorty was— [He clears his throat.] Futaba was—well, the two of us went to my place after 'cause we was gonna trade music 'fore all that went down. Smokes though was pissed off 'bout it the whole time. But I told her I wasn't gonna do nothin' until she said she was okay with it.

[Despite the situation they found themselves in, Beat knew that consent was an important thing.]

[ She doesn't know Futaba that well, but that sure does sound like Gina. She can picture her all huffy and indignant... and with that in mind, she'll urges Beat to continue. ]

And what was she 'okay' with? [ What would she have been okay with that was also satisfy the slug...? ]

You know... A kiss.

[Auuugh, he's dead. Just bury him now. Let him rot in his hoodie prison.]

[ There is a pause during which Beat is allowed to rot, after which Susato gently brings up her pointer finger to indicate her lips. ]

Here?

[Even as he peeks from behind his arms to look at her, it's obvious how red he's gotten. It's enough to rival the inner lining of his jacket, almost enough for him to completely blend into it. All of this is just making him think about the kiss all over again.

His reply is soft, almost weaker than the other one.]

Yeah... Twice.

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choked on my own spit because of that icon