Part 135: 9/28/09

9/28/09

It seems like all anyone’s talking about is Apathy Syndrome anymore. I almost wonder if that’s making it worse.



Loud Student: There’ve been a few around my neighborhood, too. I’m scared…
Gossiping Student: They said on TV that it’s not contagious, but I feel like it’s a sign of the end of the world…
Loud Student: Wh-What…? Don’t say that!
> The first bell has rung.

Regular math class is almost as weird as when Edogawa is around honestly.



Did we? When we that…?
Well either way, I just told you, so let’s go to the next question.
…The answer will be 8.
Ooh… Don’t you think 8 is such a darling number?
Almost as precious as the curly tail on the 9.
And the number 2! Not many people appreciate it, but 2 is awesome!
Numbers are so adorable!
On the other hand, things like the square root sign, or the sigma, have a more mature feel.
Put them together with numbers, and you can express anything in the world.
Heart, mind, emotions… It all boils down to synapses firing in the brain.
Which means they can be expressed by numbers! Isn’t it amazing what those cute numbers can do?

Akihiko wanted to talk to me about something, at first I wasn’t really sure what he was getting at.



How are you? …Physically, I mean?
I’m all right.
I-I see. All right, then…
> Akihiko looks troubled…
It’s just that… When I watch you fight…
I get… I don’t know…
I feel... angry.
I’m sorry…
Oh, no… I didn’t really mean it that way…
> Akihiko scratches his head, obviously troubled…
It’s not so much that I get angry, but I get irritated…
No, that’s not it, either. I guess… I get nervous.
Do I seem unreliable?
No, you’re really doing a great job.
> Akihiko sounds kind…
> Akihiko falls silent…
Is…
……

Talking with him has kind of rubbed off on me I guess.



Oh…
Never mind, sorry. Forget what I just said.
I mean, you’re trying the hardest out of all of us. I shouldn’t have said that to you.
> Akihiko sighs…
What’s the matter?
…Sorry. I’m confused, myself…
* sigh * What am I saying…?
> Akihiko seems completely stumped…
……
Deep down, I know why I don’t want you to be fighting…
It’s just that… I’m worried about you.
> Akihiko avoids your face and turns towards the ground…
> …You feel like your bond with Akihiko has grown stronger…

Still, I’m happy that he’s worried about me I guess.



C’mon… Eat. Eat up.
……
> The two of you finish your meal without another word, then walk back to the dorm together.

Junpei and Chidori are pretty cute, obviously they’d be cuter if she wasn’t part of Strega but oh well.



Do you want to hear about it?
Yeah, tell me!
You know how I’m always at the hospital, right? Well, there’s this old bag who works at the reception desk there.
Dude, she’s soooo annoying! She’s always asking me these embarrassing questions!
And when she’s not doing that, she’s telling me I have to leave cuz it’s past visiting hours!
She totally rules all my precious time with Chidori! Man, I wish she would just leave me alone!

Anyway I stayed in with Shinjiro tonight.



……
Why don’t we stay here?
Sit over there.
……
C’mon, say something.
Let’s talk about something fun…
Yeah, that’d be best…
> Shinjiro sounds happy.
> You talked to Shinjiro about many different subjects…
> Shinjiro’s expression doesn’t change much, as usual…
> However, for some reason…
> …He seems lonesome.
Are you done?
C’mon, tell me more. Encore, encore!
> Shinjiro laughs…
> At Shinjiro’s urging, you continued talking…
> You told him about school, your friends, the clubs you’re in, what you’ve seen on TV…
> Shinjiro just listens to your aimless conversation…

I’m getting a bit worried, honestly.



You look best when you laugh.
……
So don’t cry, got it…?
Of course I won’t!
Yeah… Keep smiling. Just like that.
> Shinjiro looks downwards…
I gotta make sure I don’t leave anything behind…
No doubts, no regrets…
……
Leave behind?
……
I keep telling you what to forget and what to remember…
What to want and to not want…
I’m… selfish, aren’t I?
That’s not true.
……
…Hey.

It’s like he isn’t sure he’ll be here tomorrow, which is silly.



All right.
You don’t have to forgive me…
But forgive everything else…
What’re you talking about?
…You’ll understand later.
It should be like this for a little longer…
I just want it to be… normal…
> Shinjiro smiles while looking down at his hands.
> You don’t really understand what Shinjiro meant…
> Still, you feel like he told you something important…

Isn’t it?



Is it getting late?
…Ugh, I forgot that I don’t have my watch.
Did you lose it?
Yeah, I lost it somewhere.
It was a shabby old… pocketwatch. I got it from someone sometime ago…
…Damn it.
> Shinjiro sighs…
> It seems that his watch meant something important to him…
> If you can find his watch, Shinjiro is sure to be happy…
So? You have any more?
I want to hear what you’ve got to say. You’ve got more stories up to your sleeve, right?
…Anything’s fine.
> You talked with Shinjiro about all kinds of things, late into the night…

Then why do I have this horrible feeling, like something is coming to a close?