Part 14: 5/1/09-5/2/09

5/1/09

I can’t believe it’s already May.



…Yikes, we’re at school already!?
That reminds me, it’s gotten so warm lately. Well, I guess today is the start of May after all.
Time flies!
Seriously! A lot’s happened!
Ya know, it doesn’t seem like the number of Apathy Syndrome cases has been decreasing lately…
We’re the only ones who can fight the Shadows, so…
I guess we should train more, so we’re ready if anything like THAT comes up again.
...Me especially. I don’t wanna be a burden on everyone else.
…Oh, c’mon. Let’s go.

We ran into Junpei after school.

Video- “Akihiko”

Watch

He called me earlier, and asked me to bring him something.
Yup, he knows who to count on.
He only asked you cuz you don’t have anything to do after school.
H-Hey, I resent that.
* giggle * I’m just kidding. So, what’d he want you to bring?
The class roster for 2-E.
What’s he want that for?
…Well, I don’t have practice today, so I’ll go with you.
You’re coming too, right?
Definitely!
Cool.
W-Wait a minute…
What? Is there a problem?
Well, it was ME he asked…

We got to the room Akihiko was supposed to be in, but there was someone else there. He seemed kind of… intense.



Umm… Is… Akihiko-senpai…?
…in this room? By any chance?
What are all of you guys doing here?
We came to see you.
I’m just here for a checkup.
Is that it, Aki?
Yeah, thanks.
Tch… I don’t have time for this shit.
You…
> The young man was on his way out when he stopped and looked at you…
Never mind…

I’m still wondering what he was going to say to me, and who exactly he was.



A friend from school… sort of.
You know how the number of Apathy Syndrome cases has been increasing?
Well, he knows a few people who are suffering from it, so I was asking him about it.
Hey Junpei, did you bring what I asked?
Of course, Senpai.
Sorry for the trouble.
Well then, let’s get going!
Uh, you shouldn’t move your arm…
It’s nothing.
I’ve wasted enough time already. I need to get back to my training.
By the way, Senpai, why boxing?
You mean, why did I choose that sport?

The question ended up a bit more personal than I would have expected.



It’s not the sport itself I like; I just wanted to learn how to fight.
I know what it’s like to feel powerless…
…and I don’t want to feel that way again.
Besides, I’m curious to see how strong I can get.
It’s like a game, only I’m competing against myself.
That’s an interesting way of looking at it.
Ya know, I’m into games too…
Yeah, VIDEO games.
Oh, but I like fighting games too.
…Whatever.

Oh, Junpei. Anyway, Mitsuru is getting worried about how many Lost have been appearing recently.



A long weekend is coming up, so I suggest we go to Tartarus.
It may take some time for Akihiko to fully heal, and I don’t want anything like that to happen again.
Besides, the number of victims seems to have been increasing.
…I have a bad feeling about that.
We had best muster as much strength as we can.

Akihiko was still at the hospital.



Yukari was still thinking about that guy from earlier as well.



Yeah, I think so.
Akihiko-senpai said that guy goes to our school, but I’ve never seen him there before…

I’m sure we’ll find out who he was some day.

5/2/09

Now that we’ve got our cable back, I’ll be able to check that shopping show on Sundays out.



Loud Student: Ehh… Not really. But I’m not gonna miss tomorrow’s show!
Gossiping Student: Oh, yeah! You mean Tanaka’s show, right?
When I hear that jingle, I can’t resist buying something…
I never miss it when it’s on Sunday afternoons. I’m about to go broke!

I headed down to the bookstore for a bit after school, not much else to do today.



But, I can’t seem to find it.
Looking for something?
Aelita-chan?
How’d you know I was looking for something? Are you psychic?
> Bunkichi seems rather surprised.
I’m looking for my glasses… No, not my glasses—my wallet… I can’t seem to find it.
I’ll help look for it.
Wow! Aelita-chan, you really can read minds!
I was just thinking it’d be nice if someone gave us a hand.
> Bunkichi seems rather surprised.
> You search for the wallet with Bunkichi and Mitsuko.
Where could it be…?
…Wait, what were we looking for?
Voice: Konnichiwa, ‘ello!

Met someone pretty interesting while I was there, an exchange student who goes to Gekkoukan.



> The mysterious foreigner handed a wallet to Bunkichi.
Wow! This is it! I’ve been looking for this wallet everywhere!
Well, it’s not a golden wallet, but I’m still happy to have it back!
Sumimasen, excuse me…
Aren’t you ze transfer student everyone eez talking about?
I go to ze same school—Gekkoukan!
Nice to meet you.
I came ‘ere from France to study abroad. My name eez Andre Laurent Jean Geraux.
But, zey call me “Bebe”!
Nice to meet you.
Hajime mashite, it eez nice to meet you too!
I work in ze Home Economics Room every day. If you get bored, come say ‘ello!
I ‘ope to see you zere. Sayonara, goodbye!
> Bebe has left the store.
Well… He seemed like an interesting young man.

I’ll have to go check out the Home Ec room some time soon. Anyway, Bunkichi was really looking for something inside his wallet and not the wallet itself.



…Ah, here it is! I knew it was I here!
…Dear? Is that key for…?
Come on, dear, you know what it is. It’s the key for our son’s car.
Seeing Aelita-chan reminded me of how things used to be…
I haven’t heard the roar of the engine in a long time. How do I look, dear?
Please don’t!
Why must you get into a car!? Do you want me to end up all alone!?
Alone?
Um, Aelita-chan…
I’m sorry for raising my voice. Did I scare you?
Our son… Remember what I told you? How he passed away…
On the way home from work, he got into an accident… He was hit by a dump truck driver who was drunk on the job…
I’m sorry to hear that…
Aelita-chan, please slap me… Slap me for being an insensitive fool…
With all my excitement, I forgot to consider how my wife might feel… I’m such a… I’m such a…
> It seems like Bunkichi feels guilty.
> Bunkichi and Mitsuko told you the truth about their son’s death.
> Your relationship is stronger now!

With all these monsters around, it’s easy to forget how many entirely normal ways there are to die.



> It’s getting dark out.
…Hm? Why should we let this get us down?
Since I found my wallet, why don’t we eat out, dear?
Thanks for searching with us, Aelita-chan. Consider this your allowance.
> Bunkichi stuffed a Medicine into your pocket.
> Obtained Medicine.
> After saying goodbye to Bunkichi and Mitsuko, you decided to go back to the dorm.

Junpei’s pretty excited about the long weekend.



Three-day weekend starting tomorrow!
I asked some peeps if they wanted to hang out, but the only ones interested were guys…
Man, I don’t want no sausage fest…
I don’t mean to interrupt, but need I remind you that midterms are quickly approaching?
You had best use your time wisely.
* sigh * You HAD to remind me…

Elizabeth had asked me for some sort of pine resin, and told me I could find it today. Turns out Yukari uses it in her archery practice.



You need some?
Why would I have pine resin…?
……!
Ohhh, okay… You mean the powder we use in Archery Club, right? The yellow stuff?
We use it even in practices, so it runs out quick…
But I think I have some left…
Hang on.
Here you go.
…What did you need it for, anyway? Got a bow to take care of?
Well, whatever.
> Obtained Pine Resin.

I took it down to the Velvet Room, she seemed excited.



Ah, no… it must be the pine resin I requested.
It does look like soybean powder, though…
It’s so similar that even an expert on soybean powder such as myself can’t tell the difference.
Your reward for this assignment will be soybean powder.
…Ah, excuse me. I was just cooking something with soybean powder, so…
…Hmm. Which hand was the pine resin in… my right, or my left…?
……
They look so similar…
Please accept your reward.
> Obtained Siren’s Song.

It was some kind of bow, I’ll give it to Yukari. The news is trying to focus on the holiday instead of the Lost. Oh well, I’m going to get some sleep.



Newscaster: The Hachiju Hachiya means “88th Night.” It marks the beginning of the late dew season.
It’s widely known that this time of year is when the best tea leaves are picked.
The weather has been clear with no fog, and the tea’s flavor is excellent.
There were many tea parties thrown around town in celebration.

That kid showed up again.



> …As you were dozing off, you felt someone’s presence…

He had another warning for me.



One week from now, there will be a full moon…
Be careful. A new ordeal awaits you…
What kind of ordeal?
You will encounter one of THEM.
You must prepare for the ordeal, but time is of the essence…
I’m sure you’re aware of that, of course.
I’ll come see you again when it’s over. Goodbye for now.
> The boy disappeared…

Them, eh…? I have a bad feeling about that…