yogen | when the bubblegum pops

Entry tags:

mo dao zu shi: meng yao

when the bubblegum pops

Who: Rantarou Amami & you

What: September catch-all

When: September & some backdates

Where: Various locations

Warnings: TBA

01.) the world lights at your smile
•　open — 08/27-31, around the school

( it's true that, the morning after he opens his eyes in the courtyard once more, amami doesn't waste any time on checking up on the people he feels like he needs to speak to. at the same time, it's a pretty short list, and half of them are gone. how much of a difference does it really make if he comes back one week or the next anyway? if he doesn't go out of his way to find someone though, it's still entirely possible to see him around the school — borrowing a sketchbook from the art room, taking some notes in the music room, or moving what seems to be an obscene amount of money into his locker. noticing the presence of anyone he hasn't seen in a while, he'll offer a wave and a warm smile in the midst of whatever he's doing.

on the 27th in particular, he can be found rummaging through a locker that some might recognize is clearly not his. the first twenty minutes or so are spent haphazardly scribbling notes down from a series of stickies pinned up against the locker door. the remainder of the time is spent picking out belongings from the locker one-by-one to take a look at before he decides whether he should drop them into a backpack that's half-slung over his shoulder. to his credit, he doesn't seem to be interested in too much of it, putting the majority back in after a cursory glance, but it's entirely possible that it could stand out to someone familiar with locker 097. )

02.) and shines at the sound of your laugh
•　open — anywhere, any time

( have an idea? feel free to throw anything else my way, or if you're unsure, you can hit me up via pm or at kagehira! )

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( ...

the thump against the door doesn't startle him, but he does lean back while examining how much particular strength the male put behind his hit. komaeda blinks slow, his fingers trailing the grooves and makeshift designs of the door curious if it'll shatter at his touch. it doesn't, nothing does. he withdraws his hand, slipping one hand into pocket while he reaches out with his mechanical one instead, he grips the door knob, and it turns easily.

he parts the door only a crack, like someone who isn't expecting visitors at this time. )

Amami-kun... ( not reluctant, but like hea disappointed in himself for being a burden to a hopeful individual. though, brain runs a mile a minute, and familiar greeting leaves from his lips. comments, responses, and things of that matter doesn't stick with komaeda at times. his brain has moments of failed executions in conversation, so it's why he: )

What a pleasant surprise, are you looking for someone?

( but he does sound genuine about it, the scary part about his illness. remembering information from years ago, remembering what he said seconds ago... time doesn't really exist. )

( why... is he like this.

amami's brows scrunching up like he's not quite sure what to make of this new, shyer komaeda setting that he's activated, kind of tilting his head, but ultimately he just... looks kind of exasperated. lets try this one more time: )

You. Can I come in, Komaeda-kun?

( he's tired. let him in. )

( he takes a step back, allowing the door to open wider, and wider so that amami can make his way inside. don't ask where everyone's stuff is, because i don't think it's been decided who has which bed yet, and so imagine everything to belong to saihara because he has seniority in the room because of his talent. )

I didn't expect you to skip class, or did something happen?

( not like amami is wrong for it, he's an ultimate that can do whatever he wants, but if he looks at a bed, there's a few books from the first year class, a few scraps of paper, and a pencil with some notes already written. )

( oh, it worked. thank god, because he probably wasn't about to try again. amami will make his way in, shutting the door behind him, and kind of looking around as he registers that, ah, of course they don't really have anywhere to sit in any of their rooms yet, huh? that's fine. they can danganronpa stand, they're in their natural habitat. as for komaeda's comment, amami just kind of... blinks. because he probably skips more often than not, but guess komaeda can't be expected to know that. )

Just thought I'd stop by. You guys are the first to come to mind when I think of the star rooms, so I was hoping you'd let me take a look around.

( komaeda can study later, he's here for lore. )

To be on the mind of an Ultimate, but it's fine... Saihara-kun is what gives us any semblance of importance here.

( he pauses, walking towards a bed to sit down himself as he proceeds to pick up a few of his of his papers, putting them together just in case he needs something there too. with them all together, he leaves the stack on the bed as he tries to find a place to stand, but he winds up leaning against the wall next to the room's entrance. )

If you need to rummage through Goto-kun's things, I'm sure they won't mind.

( because they're not here to stop him. )

( oh, jesus. the only reason he's not sighing again is because i can't remember if he sighed in the last tag or not, and he can't be sighing in every single one. know that's the energy of his expression though, grimacing he's in the room and that the door can't be slammed in his face again.. )

Maybe it's your way of trying to make me feel welcome, but I don't think Goto-kun would appreciate that, y'know. I'll get permission from them if I need something like that.

( not everyone's a freak like you, komaeda. )

Besides, didn't you just say that you had a talent too? Don't think I didn't catch that.

( he didn't say that. )

You didn't come to make conversation, Amami-kun... You're interested in this room more than me.

( remember, he said he wanted to check out the room which is filled with more secrets than komaeda. the ultimate looks towards the ground, hoping there can be something of use here. it's not like he doesn't know the other typically skips classes, but it's not every day that there's a goal behind it. )

Don't allow trash like me to throw you off, so what did you need in here? The sky window is pretty different, don't you think?

( he points up to emphasize it. )

There's no reason I can't be interested in both.

( especially when he's spent all this time thinking komaeda was just some fanboy. like, bro, what's his talent, ultimate talent scout? )

But I guess it's fine for now. You can tell me more about that after, I just wanted to take a look around if it's fine with you.

( he's not expecting anything in particular, but, y'know. best to get an idea of things sooner rather than later, holding up his adderstone again. )

Now, now...

( he laughs sheepishly, holding up his hands like he's been accused of something more because of the other's opinions. with a shake of his head, he watches as amami pulls out his adderstone, and that item is good at seeing the other side of the world — a more broken down place. )

Do you see anything different from the usual?

( he crosses his arms, glancing off towards amami for whenever he peers within the item. aside from how useless he sounded before, his voice regains its composure as he tries to resume a more serious personality. )

( kinda eyes komaeda, but in a way where even if he's not quite buying it, he's also not quite looking like he's gonna shake him down for it. whatever, plenty of time for that later. instead, he'll take this as his cue to peek through the adderstone, looking the room up and down from top to bottom, and letting out a thoughtful hum as he does so. )

Yeah, it's the opposite of the room me and Rika-chan have, actually.

( given a moment, he'll crouch down, tracing his fingers against the smooth surface of the flooring. makes a bit of a face, like he's confused, and moves the rock away from his eye so he can get a better look at the floor itself. )

Huh... So that's how it is.

Interested in the floors? I believe the ones here are better than the other rooms.

( from what he's seen when busting into their dorms looking for certain people to bother, you notice different things.

well, he frequents josh and dito's room pretty often. )

If you're touching it, there must be something out of place.

I noticed. I'd say they look pretty new, if I had to guess.

( which, there's an obvious reason for that hunch that komaeda will see in a few moments, though amami should at least try to be polite about it, so... )

But there's something I want to check out, yeah — you don't mind taking trips to the other side, right?

( he asks, but he's already reaching into his pocket as he speaks, not really looking up to see komaeda's reaction. in a moment, he's unwrapped both his mirror shard — small, but sharper along the edges — and his left hand, which... admittedly already has a number of small cuts going through various stages of healing. it's fine, he'll disinfect them again later. for now, he moves to press the corner of the glass against his skin, dragging it across before there's time for komaeda to object or volunteer up a more violent means of entry, even though he does turn his hand a little before any blood can actually fall onto the floor. he'll spare a glance back to komaeda once he does. )

If you want to step out, now's your chance.

( he flinches in his spot, body stuttering at the sight of a blade, and almost offended that it isn't him being cut. he's standing right here, ashamed that his body isn't utilized properly to avoid bringing harm to an ultimate, and komaeda takes a step closer as a hand reaches out. )

What are you doing? You can hurt me for these trips, don't waste your blood on something so insignificant.

( there's not much he can do now, his vision blurry as he closes his eyes for a moment, forcing them back into accepting the reality around them.

he sighs, clenching his fist, rubbing his teeth against one another. )

Tch— it's fine! If this is how you want to demonstrate your hope... in this room... then I'm grateful. Let's go! Let's go...!

...

( just kind of... looks at komaeda for a minute. amami's not sure if he's pissed, or disappointed, or just being a freak (general). ultimately though, it probably doesn't matter so much — it was his decision to make, and he's gotten the okay he needed. so with one last questioning glance to komaeda, he drags the part of his hand that he's cut across the floor, looking down so that he can watch as their reality falls away to reveal the bones underneath. )

( reality splinters as he stands very danganronpa-ly, the world shifting and changing from it's colorful appearance to a more grotesque construct —

what's the room like now? )

[ The world shifts and falls into darkness like they're so accustomed to, walls falling apart until they're standing in a wide open space, no longer separated into bedroom, common room, and kitchen.

Amami in particular may be hit with a sense of familiarity: they're in an auditorium, without a stage, walls in the real world hiding the scuff marks in this one, in three rows where students stand or sit, facing whatever speaker is at the end of the room. ]

... Huh.

( very eloquent, to be sure. anyway, it's not what he'd expected, but it probably should have been, huh? amami looks around like he's measuring up his surroundings, wandering his way over to the window that he remembers being in here so that he can take a peek outside. )

Hey, Komaeda-kun, you remember what I told you about the other day, don't you? About the old school building?

( he might not have gone into all the details, but this is where he'd found that set of rules komaeda had so generously shared with him earlier. )

( he's heard of it, rather attentive when amami spoke about his shared discovery with everyone else, but to see it with his own eyes is something else. komeda takes aa step forward, listening for any creaks under his footing to get an idea of how old the location is — ) I remember, so this is where you all were spirited away to.

( this is something easily accepting, telling as he looks around with a smile on his face, drinking in the imagery as he thinks about where they just were, and where they are now. he keeps his distance as he follows amami, but part of him does want to wander off. his eyes every so often glance towards the rows, and then at the back of amami's head. )

How amazing! The old school building really are our dorms, it's comforting to know the setting is once again being reused.

( every time they went to the void, to went to the other version of the world, no matter the location, but this trip is a rather drastic change. which gives certain people a sense of familiarity, and that can be used to their advantage to move through the area without limiting their search. since the other has already once, checking again should prove no problem. ) Anything outside piques your interest? ( even as he says that, he walks over to look out the window himself. )

( he chews on the comments in his mind as komaeda makes them; it's true, this is exactly where he had been before, with meng yao and gundham. he's not sure if "comforting" is the word he'd use, but it's definitely... something. not necessarily bad, but just needing to be processed when that last question draws his attention back. )

No, but... now that we know, I have to wonder about the other rooms, too. Well, there are a few things we can probably check. C'mon.

( he's pretty confident there's not much in here, so the first order of business is wandering back down the hall to where he remembers the bulletin board being, because of course he wants to show komaeda that first. also, it's a good chance to check if things are really the same here through and through, considering that he only really has the two points of reference to compare, and that'll affect the way he approaches the rest of the rooms while they investigate. )

( he doesn't latch onto amami for so long, walking away from him as he tries to find the exits of the room — is this where the star room leads them? if they slit their hand in another room, does it take them here as well? he'll have to find out later, but he's already hanging by the room's entrance, waiting for amami to catch up as komaeda's hands rest against the surface of the area, taking it all in. )

Wow... I can't believe you came here, ah... this is different from what I seen.

( the memory, which i'll have to tag that back soon, crying, but komaeda's tail end of his coat is visible, before disappearing around the corner. catch up amami, komaeda's beating you! )

( oh, there he goes. luckily, amami's not far behind, and they can make their way out of the auditorium and into the hall. if komaeda pauses at all in the entryway, lined with cubbies for shoes and whatever else you put in an entryway that i'm not double-checking i guess, amami will make his way over too. )

The rules you showed me, the ones from the old school, they're pinned up over here.

( and, as he makes his way up, he'll tap on the board where they're printed in full. )

Like I said, it looks like they were all focused around keeping the students safe from Kazuki-san. I didn't get much of a look around the rest of the rooms though.

( pale green eyes glance over to the list of rules, a full set unlike the ones that were etched out by the fire, and he chuckles wheezily. hand on his hip, he lifts the other to point at the rules — )

How lucky... to think you'd go somewhere to see these again, it's almost like you didn't need me at all, Amami-kun...

( each hint written one by one, and as he thinks about it, it would make sense they were meant to be protected by kazuki — komaeda-arata almost watched saihara get eaten alive by him. now, he crosses his arms now, looking towards amami for a moment as his lips purse into a straight line. )

...I wonder if the rules now are meant to protect us from someone, and if not someone... something... or ourselves, have you seen them?

( he questions, trying to recall the newfound school rules, and there's some he remembers vividly than others, but there are some that brings concern, and a bit of hilarity if reread again. )

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. Ourselves — or each other.

( it can't be helped that he remembers the killing game so vividly; the rules and motives meant to make them turn against one another for escape — for survival. it might just be a hunch, but it's one that he can't shake. "give one another space, and if you aren't satisfied with that space, make those around you pay." that's the vibe he gets. )

Anyway, you say that, but I wouldn't have recognized them at all if it weren't for you showing me back when I first got here. Thanks to that, I was able to make the connections pretty quickly.

...I'm glad scum like me couldn't benefit you, it's... an honor really, I guess you were pretty lucky.

( at first, they didn't make any sense, but if they could benefit an ultimate out there, he doesn't feel so useless for a moment, it's brief, but it cuts through the praise as he ignores it. as for the story, he's heard about it, aware of some that happened, and komaeda reaches out to trace his fingers over the rules. )

It's odd, how long ago were these rules? ( with them pinned up front, it's easy to tell that these were seen every day, unlike at the other school where it was hidden by the boards. ) Since they're set up visible like this, hardly hidden... they were the main focus of the student body here. They probably aren't aware of the version that we have...

( how interesting, and he's curious to lift up the sheet to see if there's anything underneath, he's met with nothing useful, and so he sets it back into place. )

Yeah, well it was helpful, so I should show my thanks, right? I appreciate it.

( even if, between then and now, komaeda still hasn't become someone that amami understands. he'll glance to the other, lingering for a moment before looking around again. )

When the school was founded. If I had to guess, anyway — pretty sure they've always been here, and only changed recently. It's good if they're here now though, so that the others who didn't come with us can see for themselves.

Speaking of which, I didn't get to see what was in the other rooms. If you want we can take a look around, but otherwise... this isn't really what I was looking for.

( why was the floorboard in their room all pulled up?! )

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commences - 2021-09-26 03:04 (UTC) - Expand

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when the bubblegum pops

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!!!!!!!

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