Part 160: Free Time Roundup #10

School Mode Free Time Roundup #10: Yasuhiro Hagakure





: Now that we're in the post-game, it's time to wrap up all the Free Times for the survivors. We're going to start with Hiro because he only has two more Free Times to do with him.
: Events 1 and 2 can be found in Chapter 4, Part 10, event 3 was in Chapter 5, Part 5, and event 4 was in Chapter 5, Part 6.



> Spend time together



: Hey, you wanna go take a nap? A little mid-day shuteye always makes me feel better.

I went and took a nap with Hiro... Hiro and I grew a little closer today.



> Yes, definitely



Silent Receiver: A phone that, for some unknown reason, doesn't let you hear the person on the other end, and doesn't let them hear you.



: That's real nice of you, man! I'll gladly take it.

I get the impression that he liked it. That's good...





: This is getting serious, man...
: When are we gonna get outta here!? The world is so big, so freakin' huge! And we've all been stuffed into this one tiny little corner...

I guess even Hiro is starting to get stressed out by all this.



: Can we talk, man to man? I haven't told anyone else, but I need to get this off my chest...
: Huh? What is it?
: There's a big reason why I'm so anxious to get out of here.
: A big reason...?





: I'm super worried, man! I'm afraid someone's gonna bust into my house and steal my collection!
: What collection...?
: I've been surfing black markets and back channels to build a huge collection of OOPArts!
: ...



: No reaction? Wait... Don't tell me you don't know about OOPArts! You know, OOPArts! Out-of-place artifacts!? Stuff they find in the ruins of ancient civilizations, but with no explanation how it coulda got there! The crystal skulls, the golden airplanes of Colombia, the Baghdad Battery, just to name a few!
: But OOPArts can be more than just artifacts! For example, I'd definitely classify the famous geoglyphs of South America as OOPArts!

Famous South American geoglyphs...



> Nazca

: Those are called the Nazca Lines, right?
: You got it, Ace!

Why Ace...?



: Plenty of museums and research centers claim to have all those different OOPArts, but ya see...
: Here's the shocking truth! For all of 'em, the real deal is at my house! Did I shock ya? Did the truth slam into your soul like the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs!?
: But...you have all that stuff at your house?
: Yup! Got it mostly through the Internet! It's more caluable to me than anything!

He's gotta be the world's biggest sucker...



: I've invested every penny I have into that collection! Which is why I'm so worried... If that stuff gets stolen while I'm gone... It'd just be the most tragic tragedy! You know what I've had to go through to get that stuff!? Why do you think I got held back, like...ya know...three or four years...?
: ...Huh?
: Oh, uh, Nothing! Forget about that last part!
: Okay... Anyway, everything I've read is that when you really do serious research on those artifacts...most times they end up finding out that there's a perfectly normal explanation for them.



: Don't be stupid! You--stupid--Makoto! It's a government cover-up! They want to hide the ancient aliens and the secrets of the universe!
: ...So tell me again how much you hate the occult?
: This isn't the occult! It's about aliens and ancient civilizations living together! Yes, it's possible!



I don't think there's anything I could say to change his mind...

: This event gives us SP+1.
: The sixth and final event starts in the laundry room.





: Huh? You wanna hang out with me?
: Well then, have I got a story for you! My research revealed a surprising connection between Tokyo Tower and the lost Lemurian civilization!

Hiro spent a lot of time talking about stuff that didn't make any sense to me... Hiro and I grew a little closer today.



> Yes, definitely



Crystal Skull: A skull carved from pure rock crystal. Some think skulls like this were created jundreds of years ago, perhaps with alien intervention, and consider them "OOPArts."



: Huh!? You're sayin' I can have this?
: All of a sudden I feel invigorated! I feel awake! I feel like I like you!

Seeing Hiro so pleased with something I gave him makes me happy!



: Makoto! You ready for me to tell your fortune!?
: I told you, I'm done with that!
: C'mon, don't be like that! This one's on me! Free of charge! No money down!

That just makes me even more suspicious...

: I'll be waiting for you in my room! Meet me as soon as you can! *leaves*



I'm super skeptical...but I can't just ignore him.

: I guess I'd better just go and get this over with...

But I'll have to be on my guard. This could be another one of his traps... Considering how he's been up till now, there's no way I can believe he'd do anything for free.

Against my better judgment, I headed to Hiro's room...



: Yo, Makoto! Welcome!
: Th-Thanks...
: Listen, before we get to the reading, I have a little favor to ask...
: I knew it! Forget it, I'm out of here! I was right to be skeptical--!





: No, man! I'm for super serious this time! Er--I mean, I really am serious! I want to talk to you about a problem I'm having...
: A problem?
: I listen to everyone else's problems all day, right? But who do *I* have to talk to? Friends? Nope. I mean I literally have zero friends...

Jeez... I figured he didn't have many friends, but none at all...?



: This is the first time I've felt like there was someone I could talk to, could share my problems with.
: H-Hiro... Okay. If you don't mind telling me, I don't mind listening.
: Thanks...!



: So, you remember I told you how I got held back a few times, right?
: Y-Yeah, you mentioned that.
: Well, there's kind of a serious reason for that.
: There is...?
: Someone's after me.
: Someone's after you? Who!? What did you do!?





: No, I--what makes you think I did anything? I just got dragged into it. I had an appointment come in, the daughter of some rich upper management type guy. Maaaybe I pressured her a little to pull out her entire life savings... Well, when her dad found out, he went apepoop, and it turned into a whole legal thing...
: ...
: And it turns out, this Mr. Richie Rich guy just so happened to have ties to the mob. So then I had these super scary gangsters coming after me...!
: And you tried to run?



: Yeah. But they caught up to me, of course. They tried to force me to pay them...well, more than I could afford. So I snuck my way into Hope's Peak...
: The instant I leave this school, they're gonna come for my guts! Black market organs are in huge demand! But I love my organs! I don't wanna give 'em to someone else!



: So, here's the deal. Sell me some of your organs on the cheap, and I can resell 'em at market price!
: ...
: Just one! One's all I need!
: ...
: Okay, fine! Sell me your identity! Those are pretty valuable these days!
: ...



: Gah...! You're so selfish!
: Be honest, you used that money to buy those artifacts of yours, didn't you?
: Gwah! H-How'd you know!?
: I remember you mentioning how expensive that stuff was. What else could it be?



: Wait! Y-You're not suggesting I sell my OOPArts, are you!?
: Why not? That makes the most sense, doesn't it? If you can't bear to do it yourself, I'll help you.
: No! No no no! No freakin' way! That collection is all I have in life! How could you even suggest such a terrible thing! You're a cruel man, Makoto Naegi!
: You can call it terrible, but---



: That's enough! Forget I ever asked! No matter what it takes, I'm gonna get out of here! Even if it means demolishing my life savings!
: Wait, you have life savings!?
: Tch. So now you know. I figured if I sold your organs, I wouldn't have to dip into my retirement fund...
: What the hell is wrong with you!?
: What!? Okay, I've had it! If you're not gonna give me your organs OR your identity, you can just get out!



Hiro angrily sent me away, and I was glad to go.





In the end, I think I'm better off having talked to him about...all of this. If nothing else, I got to know him a lot better. I learned to never let my guard down around him...

: Could what we have be described as a kind of...friendship?
: This final event gives us SP+1. It also gives us a star on our Report Card and unlocks a bronze Playstation trophy titled The Sixth Nonsense.


Yasuhiro Hagakure's Character Art