Disclaimer: I do not own TWEWY or its characters.

Author's Note: I plan to write a lot about The World Ends With You and its amazing universe full of amazing characters. It's a shame I didn't get into it sooner... Also, I may or may not add make this a series of oneshots. It depends on if I feel the story will benefit in any way, or if it's better left as it is.

.:the first day:.

"Yo!"

"Over here!"

I run towards the familiar voices, and I see them waving at me over the crowds gathered around the familiar statue.

Don't cry.

"Hey guys." I don't need to force a smile anymore, not when I'm standing in front of them. My friends.

Don't cry.

I lean down to touch her, to make sure she's there. Is she real? After surviving those three long weeks in the Game, I feel that anything I touch will turn to static and vanish. I blink and smile some more. She's still there. And she's still smiling as I ruffle her hair.

Don't cry.

I guess he feels choked up too, because all of a sudden I find myself in a headlock. I'm caught off guard, but I'm still happy. We're all here together. Breathing. Alive.

Don't cry.

"You don't have to be so physical with him, Beat." She tilts her head to the side, all smiles. She doesn't look like she'll cry. But maybe she feels a bit choked up too. Maybe we're all on the edge of sanity now, where a tiny push might break us.

"Aw, he can take it Rhyme. Right, Phones?" He slaps me across the back, hard. I wince, but then I smile again. There's pain, but it's a good kind of pain. The pain means I can feel. The pain means I'm alive.

Don't cry.

"You only say that 'cause I can't hit you back," I smirk, although it still feels like a smile more than anything. He awkwardly rubs his neck, but he's grinning. Is this what I could have missed out on? No, what Shibuya could have missed out on?

Don't cry.

Instead, I laugh. I laugh, and they glance at me and then at each other before they laugh too. It feels like I'm teetering on the edge of sanity as we laugh at each other and at ourselves but we're still alive.

Don't cry.

As the crowds pass by, unaware, we talk about anything and everything. But we avoid one topic. The details and memories are still scattered in our minds, and I don't think we're ready to put everything into words (not yet). I glance around to see if he shows up, but I doubt it. Maybe one day we'll all be together, and we can all finally understand...

Don't cry.

But not today. And what we do end up talking about is still just as important. (Their favorite colors are yellow and black. He's started talking to his parents. They both love curry. She wants to spend her time gazing at the stars.) Every detail is important now. Because we can appreciate it all.

Don't-

And all of a sudden, I feel someone tap my shoulder. I turn around, and see her smiling at us – at me – with the piggy in tow.

And I don't cry. I can't, because instead I need to smile and hug her and everyone and they're my friends and they're here and I'm here and we're alive. The city is still moving forward and we're all alive.

I don't need to cry.

…

Oh, and her eyes…

They're blue.