COTE x TBATE | A Masterpiece

SS - Arisu Watsken

// Arisu Watsken //

Patches of silvery-white clouds wandered in the wide azure ocean. The sun was at its zenith, adding colour to the crisp autumn day. The wind was brisk and refreshing. The mellow chirps of different birds singing echoed as I took another step.

The shadow over me receded as I took a step in the sunlight. The sound of my cane against the marble floor was suppressed by the sudden gust of wind. Today was the day of graduation—the day we finally passed out of ANHS.

Placing a hand on my weak, palpitating heart I looked up. The serenity of the sky calmed my eyes, tired from waking up all night. The class that started at the bottom, graduated as Class A. The class, consisting of nothing but defects—delinquents, low academic and physical capabilities, crawled their way up from the very bottom to the top.

Nothing but a borrowed victory because of just one individual.

The false genius—Kiyotaka Ayanokouji.

My heart skipped a beat once again as I remembered the last few months in this school. He built the class up from the shadows, nurtured them. And when the time was ripe, he betrayed them, wanting to see how everything he had invested his time and intellect in would bore fruit.

When all was set and everything was about to set into play, he disappeared. After the incident when a student from class 3A, Kei Karuizawa was somehow abducted, Kiyotaka Ayanokouji disappeared as well. Within the next seven hours, Kei Karuizawa returned.

Her expulsion was nothing short of guaranteed. Yet, somehow she survived and even graduated as a Class A student. But, even to this date not even a single hint that could indicate the whereabouts of him was found.

The blow was enough to tarnish the name and popularity of ANHS which was once a behemoth among all high schools in Japan.

Walking forward, I caught the sight of a bench. Taking one pained step at a time, I walked closer and closer to it. Tilting my body, I sat on the bench. The bench was situated between lofty trees. The subtle susurration from the trees as cold winds blew, audible crunch from the dried foliage with every distant step, crisp rays of sun that illuminated different parts of the ground as they permeated through the gaps in branches—it had a soothing effect.

*ba-dum*

Once again... my heart palpitated, the meek clobber sounding like a distant echo of booming thunder in my ears. My breath hitched, pulse dropping with every strained beat of my heart. It was struggling yet failing. My hand reached into my coat, searching for my phone.

I always had a weak heart. Due to my congenital heart disease, I had even experienced trouble while walking—rendering me useless physically. The only thing that helped me all these years was my mental ability.

However, all abilities and accomplishments meant nothing. There was no one capable enough left to compare myself to. The only one I ever wanted to test myself against was gone.

A resigned sigh escaped my mouth as I receded my hand from my pocket. Looking up I saw the trees shed more and more leaves as autumn firmed its grip. Like the dying trees, I could feel my own end nearing me. With every falling, dried leaf I could feel the memories of my whole life flash before my eyes.

And all that followed was an unending regret.

I closed my eyes... one final time, embracing the sensation of my slowly ceasing heart. It was cold. I could feel the cold piercing my skin—like ripping it apart. The cold continued to increase with every passing second of my life slowly trickling out of me.

My already defective feet went limp, followed by my middle section. Most people would be scared of death or whatever came afterwards. Yet all I felt was an unending dissatisfaction. Not with myself, but with others.