Part 38: June 29 - July 1: A Special Occasion

-The Path is Open-




The initial draft of Ryotaro Dojima's design. It was established that he was a detective, but since it made him seem more like a suspect, his design was changed later to the one seen in the game.



-Like A Dream Come True-

> Okina City, in front of Okina Station...You came here because Ai insisted.


What should we do instead?
Come shopping with me.
"I bet I can buy some serious weaponry somewhere around here. Maybe we could even find a nice dainty flail or battle-axe to match your handbag."
What? You mean YOU want to go shopping? Wellll, I guess that could be interesting once or twice...

> Ai seems willing enough...

You know, it's pretty funny...If I didn't sign up to manage your team, you wouldn't be here with me now.
Looking at it from your perspective, I'd say you got pretty lucky.
I appreciate it.
Haha, I guess you should be thanking me.

> Ai looks almost happy...

It was your advisor who put me on your team. He said something like, "Ai, being on a team should teach you something about putting someone besides yourself first!" I don't understand people who play sports in the slightest...
But I guess it wouldn't kill me to go cheer you on every once in a while.
If they ever play an actual game.

> Ai smiles with self importance for some reason. It seems she's begun to like you a little...




Yasogami Student: U-Um, us meeting here like this...I-It must be f-fate, right!? So, um...Y-You w-wanna go o-o-out with me sometime!?
Ha, are you kidding me?
Have you looked in a mirror recently?

> Ai rejected him without a second thought...

You coulda talked to him...
"At least long enough for me to slip a lit Yashichi into his pants pocket."
Why? Even if he's a nice guy, I'm not attracted to him at all. Then I'd be getting his hopes up for nothing, right?
*sigh* I'm bushed. Let's go home.

> You returned to Inaba with Ai and went home. Dojima pushed Nanako to your room for some reason...



> It seems Dojima has something in mind...

Sorry, but can you go call Nanako down here? Take your time.

> You called Nanako, as Dojima ordered you to do...




A cake!? Wow! What are we celebrating!?
Uhh, well...Today is a special day for us.
A special day...?
That's right. Today's the day when you, me, and him become "family."
...What about before?
Uh, well...A-Anyways, it's the day that we become a real family.
Hmmm...I don't really get it...But it makes me happy!
Alright, let's eat.
Yeah!

> You spent an enjoyable time together...Nanako used up all her energy and fell asleep.


Er...Sorry about making you go along with this.
It was fun.
Huh...You're a nice guy.

> Dojima looks happy.

I felt like I needed to do this to draw the line. And I wanted Nanako to know...She has to know how important my daughter is to me...
She's looking more and more like Chisato...Her smile...Her strong attitude...It was hard for me to even look at Nanako's face, because she reminds me so much of Chisato. Chisato died because she went to pick up Nanako...There were times when I'd come close to believing that. But even then, I can't count the number of times she's saved me just by being there...
If I was living by myself, I would never've thought about taking you in.
I think I was...scared. Scared to have someone else around...I was afraid we'd become a family...And then I'd lose it all again. I was running away by chasing a guy who'd run away himself...It was almost funny.

> Dojima's smile looks sad...

I've been scared this whole time. That's why I used revenge as an excuse to not spend time with her...
You've stopped running?
That's right. I can't make Nanako wait any longer.

> Dojima nods.

Running, regretting...That crap all ends tonight. I'm not going to lose the things that are important to me...
Never again.

> You can feel Dojima's strong resolve...


That's the strength you've shown me...Thanks.

> You sat with Dojima for some time in silence before going to your room.



-Specialist-


Mr. Yamada: But I've gotta say, if you keep trying, something good will come of it someday...Wow, I said something inspirational. Just try not to take things too seriously. That'll only tire you out faster, right? So let's take a quick break. I have an interesting question for you. Let's see...Hmm...Sanzo-kun! Which of these is the name of a real river?


Mr. Yamada: Correct! Sounds like you're officially an ex-city boy now! Haha, not that it matters. Anyway, that river is in Nicaragua, and "Pis Pis" is pronounced "pie pie." It shares the name with a water weed there. Lots more places have silly names. There's "No Name Canyon" in Colorado, or the city of Uncertain, Texas in America.
Or the village of Fucking, Austria!
Mr. Yamada: But you can call it whatever you want, and it'll still be there. Isn't geography just fantastic? ...Ooops, I wasted a lot of time on this. I hope I have enough time to cover everything that'll be on the test...

-Heartbeat, Heartbreak-


Male student: Hmm...I don't think it would be very relaxing to move to a place you're not used to and have never been to before. Or, maybe...Did she used to live somewhere around here years ago?...She couldn't have, could she? Oh, right! I have another request for you, if you'd like...Can you use your connections to find me a mineral? I need a silver needle ore. Well, I mean, it's a kind of ore...Silver Lump. That's what I need. It may be pretty hard to find. I'll give you a reward, of course. Something you can't find in stores. What do you think? Can I leave it to you? Hey, thanks! I'm sorry for always giving you these strange requests so suddenly.
This one actually drops from something in Rise's dungeon--Silver Dice, I think--even before you rescue her. It's one of Daidara's crafting items rather than the usual fetching MacGuffin, so be careful what you sell to him.

> You gave him Silver Lump.

Male student: Thanks a lot! I'll finally be able to finish, now that I have this. I don't know if this is enough to thank you, but...Here, I built these radios.

> Received Uplifting Radio x 2.
A single-use Matarukaja. Pretty good, but I'll probably be getting that skill any day now.

Male student: They tend to break easily, but I thought it'd be nice if you could have a listen to them...That said, the quality of this silver is amazing! If something else comes up, can I count on your assistance again?

-Like A Dream Come True-

> The hill overlooking town...Kanji took you here.


Being able to see my house and school and everything from up here...It makes me feel small.
Uhh...When you met Ma at the hospital...She say anything about me?
Plenty.
That's what I thought...Well, you already know everything about me. I got nothin' to hide.

> Kanji has an embarrassed smile on his face.

Wish I could quit being afraid of hospitals. I gotta get stronger...Huh? That kid...He was with Ma at the hospital...


Quiet-looking boy: Uh...Ummm...Nothing...
Then how come you look like you're gonna cry?
Quiet-looking boy: I...lost a doll...I lost the knit rabbit doll that Sana-chan let me borrow...Taka-kun said it was girly and stomped on it...It got all dirty...And he said, "If you're a man, then throw it away..." I...threw the doll in the river...And it got washed away...Waaaaaaaaaaaaah!! *hic* What should I do!? I hafta give it back to Sana-chan...She liked that bunny...And I...I...
So why are you here? You ran away?
Quiet-looking boy: *sniff* *hic*
...Ya dumb kid!
Quiet-looking boy: Waaaaaaaaaaah!!
C'mon! Don't just stand there!!
Oh, uhh...I'm gonna go now.
I'll go with you.
Huh? Really!?

> Kanji's eyes are wide open...Samegawa riverbank. Kanji is looking in the river...


You shut up. Stay where you are so you don't get in the way! Senpai, make sure he doesn't come in after me! Whoa, this is cold.

> Despite his efforts, Kanji was unable to find the bunny doll...


Quiet-looking boy: I'm going to apologize to Sana-chan. Even if she's mad, I'll say I'm sorry...
Uh, yeah, well, if you do find the rabbit, make sure you give it to her...
Yo, hold up. What kind of rabbit was it? Spill it.
Just tell me!
...Alright, I got it. You apologize to this "Sana-chan." You're the one who "threw it away." It might not be the same, but I'll get you a new one...So let it go with that.
Quiet-looking boy: M-Mister...
Who you callin' mister!?


Do I really look that old? Maybe it's the eyebrows...Oh...Anyways, sorry 'bout dragging you into this.
You're giving him a new one?
...So you heard me, huh?

> Kanji seems really embarrassed...

It was like I understood how he felt. Wanting to be accepted, afraid of being left out, doing stuff that you shouldn't...Then taking the one person you shouldn't make cry and making 'em bawl...So...Y'know, I thought maybe I could help him. Was I going too easy on him?

> Kanji has an embarrassed smile on his face...You feel you understand Kanji a bit more...




Ah...hmmm? Guh, I feel like sneezing but it won't come out. This sucks...It looks like I'm catching a cold...I better head home.

> You parted with Kanji and went home.

-Sky Full of Stars-


Drunk subordinate: He asks me to follow his lead, and asks me if I ate, and tells me to brush my teeth...He's such a nag! Does he think he's my mom or something!?

-Smile-




Math is just remembering the right formulas and applying them. Chemistry is just remembering chemical equations. The tests are just there to see if you can remember them, and to penalize you if you forget...Is there any bullying at your school?
No, there isn't.
I guess I'd expect that from people in high school. You're more mature.

> Shu nods.

It's not like they're punching him or hiding things from him or anything...They're not stealing his money...It's just that he...He doesn't have a place there. Maybe that's not the same thing as bullying.
Leave it to me.
...Sensei. Oh...Uh, thank you.

> Shu looks happier.

It seems that I've been talking to you about things that really aren't relevant to my studies...
I don't mind.

> You told Shu that his talking about school didn't bother you.

...Thank you.

> Shu seems somewhat happy.

Umm...You'll come again, won't you?

> It seems that Shu is starting to open up to you...


Then...take care.




Attendant: Even in a country town like this, people do like to talk. And everyone's talking about the same thing. There are all kinds of different people, so why would that be?





-Signs of Love-



> The tree is decorated with Tanabata decorations...A card on the tree reads, in small letters, "I hope Dad won't get hurt." Maybe you should write something on a card...



Why can't Sanzo dominate the world with Nanako? That's not fair.

-Who's There?-



> You see an old lady in a mourning dress...Is she...real?


Oh...Forgive me...

> It seems the old lady is looking in your direction...



> The old lady left...Who was she?


You could just slack off and do a half-assed job, but you really do work your cute little butt off, don't you?...So why are you working at a job like this?
For the money.
Hmmmm. You're a starving student? Then should you really be caught up here with a "naughty" lady like me?

> Sayoko smiles mischievously...

But still, a young child shouldn't be wasting time wiping windows at the hospital...I'm sure there are girls who would cry if they saw you doing menial chores like this. Speaking of which...Say, do you have a girlfriend?
I do.
"I'd show you a picture, only I left it in my...other wallet."
Oho...Then you can't let your girlfriend see you like this, hmm?

> Sayoko smiles mischievously...

...High schoolers are so young. They're only ten years younger, but they seem so far away...
"Only" ten years I wonder how much of that distance is court-ordered.
It's like they're glittering...I feel this...what do you call it? Envy? Maybe that's why...
...I just want to see them get screwed over by life...Oho, that was a joke, of course. Half of it was, anyway...Do you see what I'm getting at?
Stop it!
Oho...I keep telling you, silly, that that's the kind of reaction I just find...irresistible...!

> Sayoko smirks at you...

I have to go now. I have a lot of work piling up. But I just can't help myself...It's because you're just so cute...

> Sayoko smiles in satisfaction...You can feel Sayoko's mischievous affection for you...


Sorry to bother you while you're on the job. Keep up the good work, okay?
Okay it's easy to go "HUR HUR WISH I HAD A BOSS LIKE DAT AT MY FIRST JOB" but that lady is a fuckin' creep, pure and simple.