The World Ends With You - Aesthetics

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Aesthetics

Summary: It's all about what the final product looks like, right?
[ Possible spoilers. ]

Status: In progress.

Prequel
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"An Accident."

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[ Endo High School, Monday at 8:20 am ]

. Kaede's PoV .

The birds outside look so free. I wish I could trade places with them. Soar through the sky without a care in the world. Be free of the burdens of everyday life.

Turning back to the blackboard in the front of the classroom, I sighed. Funny how school always made me feel that way. When I'm free from this ... prison, I'm happy. I feel so much lighter.

That is, until I realize I have an assignment due the next day that I haven't even started.

I glance up at the clock, which is ticking oh so slowly. If memory serves, I have gym next. Which, in my opinion, is definitely a step up from math. God, how I loathe this class.

Twenty minutes and counting...

I can last that long, right?

Just as I'm about to rest my head in my arms and attempt to take a nap, I feel a light tap on my shoulder. Looking behind me, I see Ryota smiling at me.

I blink at him, whispering a quick "what?".

"What class do you have next, Kae?" he whispers back. I roll my eyes. I swear, I've told him my schedule a thousand times.

"Gym, Ryota. Did you forget again?"

He grins and shrugs, "Maybe, maybe not."

I can't help but smile. Despite his short term memory, Ryota's a good friend.

He sighs this time, casting a wistful look at the clock, "Ugh, so close to art. I can almost taste it!"

"Oh really?" I tease, "What's it taste like?"

"Doing nothing and an easy A." he responds, grin spreading across his face again.

"Lucky," it's my turn to sigh, "Mrs. Ashida is a tough marker. If you don't give 110% you're doomed to a failing grade."

Okay, so maybe I was being a little melodramatic. But she really is strict! Or maybe she just seems that way to me because I barely try in her class... whatever.

"Really, Kae? I don't think she's that bad; my sister's in your class, remember?" Sure I do. Aoki Chiyoko, Ryota's twin sister. She's a nice enough girl; I like her. We just don't talk much, considering I'm best friends with her brother. Weird, huh?

"Yeah, I know."

"Chi says Mrs. Ashida isn't that bad. Strict, yeah, but not completely unapproachable."

"Yeah, well, Chiyoko's like ... her favorite student. She doesn't like me much."

Ryota stifled a laugh, probably so Mr. Kato didn't "accidentally" overhear our conversation.

"Are you sure, Kae? She probably likes you just fine, she just doesn't like the fact that all you do in her class is lay about."

I gaped at Ryota, outraged.
"Ryo!" I breathed in a rush, "How could you SAY that?! I'm a good student! I participate in class and everythong!"

Ryota looks at me, clearly amused, "Is that so, Kaede? So if I ask Mrs. Ashida, she's agree with everythong you've just said?"

I squirm. Dammit, Ryota always manages to catch me in a lie.

"Well... maybe not everythong..."

He chuckles and moves to gather his things for next class. I glance at the clock: five minutes. Wow, time sure flies when you're talking to your best friend.

"I'll talk to you later, Kae. Meet me by the lockers after school, okay?" Ryota taps my nose before he heads towards the door. I nod. Unfortunately, math with Mr. Kato is the only class we have together. But we always meet each other by my locker after school so we can walk home together.

I pick up my schoolbag and head to the door, too, only to be greeted by hallway traffic. Sighing, I trudge towards the other end of the school for gym.

I reached the gym later, probably because I was, quite literally, dragging my feet all the way over here. Kasumi, another girl in my class, noticed me peeking throw the small window in the gym door and opened it for me. I murmured a thank you and slipped in. When I found my place next to Chiyoko and some of her friends on the bleachers, Mrs. Ashida was bellowing out instructions to the class.

"Alright, kids, listen up!" Mrs. Ashida yelled, whistle in one hand and baseball cap planted firmly on her head. "Get changed into your swimsuits, we're using the pool today. I want all of you to complete fourteen laps by the end of class, alright?"

I could have sworn she was looking right at me when she stressed 'all of you'. It's not like I never participate. Just... not often. I sigh and head towards the locker room to get changed. I wasn't the best of swimmers, nor was I even much of an athlete. Gym was not my favorite class, but I definitely liked it more than math. As I pulled on my swimsuit, I quickly thought of some way I could get out of having to participate. I could feign a muscle cramp ... no, I'd have to keep that up all day. I could fake the flu, but then she'd expect to see a note from my parents the next day... Dammit! Nothing seems legit enough! Another sigh escaped my lips as I resigned to my inevitable fate and walked over to the pool.

"Alright, begin!" Mrs. Ashida blew her orange whistle and we all sprang into action, jumping into the pool. We were then assigned teams and a lane, because Mrs. Ashida likes to do things backwards. First string prepared themselves as the rest of us clambered out of the pool. I scowled; why did she have just jump in the pool only to jump out again?

I barely noticed when first string took off, staying in their seperate lanes. It was when they'd reached their tenth lap that I finally noticed Chiyoko was participating. She finished and I gave her a smile and a congratulatory "good job". She smiled back at me.

"Second string, get ready!"

Mrs. Ashida's voice cut through my thoughts. I sighed and slid into the water, preparing myself for the long and tiresome laps ahead of me.

About halfway through my fifth lap, a voice crackled over the intercom, "Mrs. Ashida, you are needed in the front office."

"I'll be back as soon as I can," she told us. "So behave yourselves and finish your laps. If anyone acts up while I'm gone, it's thirty push-ups for the entire class." she turned and left.
At first, we just continued our laps, too scared to try anything. But once we were sure she was out of earshot, everythong changed.

"... Who's up for Marco Polo?" Daichi, the class clown, queried, a bright grin on his usually tan face. A bunch of kids raised their hands, eager to act up now that the teacher is gone.
"Then let the games begin!" he yelled, followed by a very quick, "NOT IT." This proclamation was followed by another chain of "not it" ringing from the majority of the class. Of course, I was last.

Just my luck.

"Okay, Kaede!" Daichi hollered, hopping into the pool and creating a huge splash, "You're it!" he sputtered afterward. I mentally scolded myself, then closed my eyes.

"Marco!" I called.

"POLO!" the class replied. I moved towards the right, feeling my way with my hands. I could hear some kids snickering and I instantly felt my cheeks heat up, 'I hate this game.'

"Getting close, Kae!" someone encouraged me. The sound of water splashing followed along with a not-so-subtle, "Shhh, idiot! You're not supposed to be helping her!"

I heard another splash behind me, so I turned around and dived for whomever it was. Instead of finding someone to hopefully make it instead of myself, I was greeted with nothingness and the feeling of a firm hand on top of my head. "W-what?" I sputtered, water suddenly filling my mouth as I was dunked underwater.
I panicked, of course, flailing my arms and legs. My eyes opened instantaneously, only to see pale blue water and that hand holding me down. Distorted laughter reached my ears; the class was laughing. At me.

This cannot be happening.

I struggled to get back to the surface, pushing and kicking as much as my body would let me, but the hand would not let up. I couldn't break free. Panic took over all parts of my mind. I'm running out of air down here! Why aren't they letting me breathe?! I thrashed below the water, trying to twist away from my tormentor, but to no avail. I inhaled; big mistake. My lungs quickly filled with water. My eyes widened as realization dawned.; I was going to die. I'm not going to be able to meet Ryota after school today... or ever again. My thrashing was getting weaker, and it was getting hard to keep my eyes open. I felt the pressure on my head weaken, and my eyes closed. Then there was darkness.

. Mrs. Ashida's PoV .

I scowled as I marched down the hallway, eager to return to my class. I can't believe the fools in the office. They could've waited until after class to confront me about my promptness in returning the attendance sheets, but noooooo! They have to class me down right smack-dab in the middle!

As I neared the gym doors, I stopped to take a listen.

Silence.

That's not right, my class is a rowdy bunch. Especially Daichi. But I can't even hear him.

I burst through the doors and the first words out of my mouth are "What happened?!" before I can even assess the scene.
Beneath the shimmering water of the pool is a body. Motionless.

I recognize her.

Ishikawa Kaede.

"What the hell have you done?!" I bellow, scrambling into the water. I know why the class is so quiet now: she's not breathing.

A few kids who aren't too stunned to move help me pull her out of the water. Daichi is blubbering and saying something about "I didn't mean to!" and "It was just a game!".

I attempt CPR on the girl, but to no avail. Just what the hell had they been doing?!

"It was an accident, Mrs. Ashida, an accident!"

I sit back on my knees and stare at the girl lying motionless before me. An accident. Of course.
Daichi wouldn't have killed her on purpose.

It had to have been an accident.