The Other Side of Paradise {Pregame AU}

No Faith In Humanity

I felt concrete on my face as soon as I tripped through the portal. Then I registered the pain of banging your head and nose against concrete.

"Nice job idoit." I heard my pregame self tell me before the portal shut with a loud zap.

"Oww,, fuck." I swore. I lifted myslef up, clutching my nose as it bleed onto9 my face. Not good.

God, this was not the start that I wanted to have. Trying rescue my friends, but I instantly trip over something. Wow, that'll be a story to tell.

I firstly looked down to see if any blood have gotten on my uniform. It hadn't, but I found out that I was wearing my 'pregame self' uniform. There was also my cap on the ground, falling off when I tripped. I reached down to pick it up even if it was still a painful memory. God, if I was like this for miniscule things like picking up a cap, imagine what I'd be like seeing my... 'no longer decreased' classmates.

Surveying my surroundings, I could see a few clear objects and building around me.

I was outside on a path next towet grass in the early morning. A few students were walking a few metres away. They didn't seem to see my fall.

A pathway made out of stone and concrete was underneath my feet. As well as a few drops of pink blood from my nose bleeding.

The path led to a few buildings with clearly marked names for each one metallised in silver on the ends of them.

And the morning sun was shine above me. As well as a few shadows, from the trees contantly dotting the grass.

I would take a deep breath in and out to prepare myself for whatever this hell show was gonna be, but I didn't really feel up to doing that since my nose was still bleeding. Besides.... This world looks peaceful. And more energetic than the one that me, Maki and Himiko know.

I walked along the path towards the buildings. I was looking for a medical center or something, but they all just had subject names on them like Creative Writing or Advanced Math.

That confirmed my suspicion that this was a school. Where else would you find a bunch of highly suicidal teenagers.

Okay, I'll admit, that wasn't funny.

I finally found a building that looked like a medical ward or something. All the buildings here were the same, the only information I got was from the silver plates of writing screwed to each block.

I walked into the one with called 'Medical', pushing the glass doors open. To my surprise, it was bigger than what I expected. A reception like desk waited on my left, with one of the teachers at the desk directing all her attention to her phone. (or at least, I think she was a teacher.) She didn't even notice me come in, even though there was a bell and everything.

"Uhm, hello." I approached her, tapping my fingers nervously on the desk to get her attention..

"What do you want?" She mumbled, not even glancing up from her phone.

"This is a sick bay, right?" I asked. Hurry up lady, my nose is literally bleeding everywhere.

"Yay, you can read." Her eyes never left her phone and her voice was monotonous. "Bandages are in the storeroom to the right of this desk, medical beds and stuff is floor three, and therapy is floor four if you can afford it."

"Therapy?" I asked, appauled. Whst kind of school has therapy.

"They forced us to install it after the past three suicides, but it's basically useless." I couldn't believe how monotone her voice was, especially while talking about such a gruesome and horrific thing. "Now piss off." She hissed.

I didn't know people in this world were so rude. In my time, they'd just ignore me or be obsessed with me. But never rude.

I stumbled to the right corridor, looking for the supply closet. I found a small metal door which I assumed was it.

I was wrong.

A small room with three hospital beds laid in front of me, light filtering through the small window boxes that lined the room. But that wasn't the only thing.

Two people in front of me seemed to be arguing. One was in a hospital bed sitting up while the other stood next to the bed. They were having a heated debate and didnt see me come in.

"You always do this! You say that he cares about you, but really, you're on your own. Plus, I wouldn't define what you two have together as friendship. More like a weird type of obsession." The standing one concluded. They wore a dark blue uniform with a red tie. Blond hair trickled down to their chest.

Her voice seems familiar...

"Just stop it, you don't know anything!" The sitting one reacted violently to her words, shaking his head and pulling his feet towards him.

"It would have been better for you to be one of the three who suicided. You could go out how you lived. Like a pussy!" The standing one was getting even more violent, her words getting louder.

I needed to stop this.

"Hey!" I yelled, getting the attention on me. "Get away from him."

The blond turned around to face me. "Ah Shuichi! Glad you could make it."

What....

What.... is this......

The girl I saw facing me......

Was Kaede.......

She smiled and walked towards me. I backed up. Her smile faltered as she noticed me backing away.

"Aww, what's wrong?" She asked. I couldn't say anything. It's really her.....

I couldn't prepare myself... I thought I could handle this but......

She's really here......

Kaede......

"Kaede...." I breathlessly said. I was taken away. She looked just as beautiful and genuine and kind as I remember... Aside from the uniform, nothing had changed.

"Yes...?" She asked, leaning closer to me. I couldn't do anything, I was still taken aback.

She turned to face the person in bed. I couldn't see the person over her head.

She turned back around. "Let's leave! I have something I really really, think you'd like!"

She then pushed past me, grabbing my hand lightly and turning to the corridor.

I stopped, not letting her drag me out.

She turned back around, a bit disgruntled. "Shuichi... Let's go, come on." Her voice was still excited, even if she seemed a bit pissed.

I tried turning back to see the person in the bed that Kaede was talking to, yet I was dragged forwards by her. She pulled me towards her, laughing.

"Come on, come on!" She tried pulling me again but I didn't move. "You're not usually this hesitant... What's up with you today?"

I looked between her and the room. I really really wanted to hang out with her.... but I also needed to find out what was going on.

"Maybe later. I need to check up on something."

I'm doing this so I can save her. I'm doing this so I can save her. I'm doing this so I can save her-

I repeated that to myself as I walked into the hospital room again.