Part 39: July 2 - July 4: Daisuke's Mean Side

-Heartbeat, Heartbreak-




Boy: I don't have any money.
I don't want your money.
Boy: You're not here for anything else, then, right? I don't have any friends. So nobody ever wants to talk to me...

> The boy seems sad...He said he doesn't have any friends. Perhaps he's the one who wrote the ema request the fox showed you.

Lonely boy: Everyone talks about things I don't know about. Right now, they're all collecting stickers. I have a sticker, too, but they all said, "Everyone has that one..." If I had a rare sticker, I bet they'd become my friends...

> The boy wants a rare sticker so he can make friends.

Lonely boy: Huh...? Mister, is that a sticker?

> The boy noticed the Prize Sticker.

Lonely boy: "Granter of your desires?" If this sticker can do that, then I'm sure to make friends! Mister, can you give me this sticker? Yay! Thank you! I'm sure to have lots of friends now!

> The boy ran off cheerfully. Will he make lots of friends...? You should ask him another time.

-Back In The Saddle-













> But you feel as if you've gotten a very good feel for the place. If you ride around a little more, you'll be completely familiar with the area...

-Sky Full of Stars-


I've been really busy lately, though. Dojima-san's kicking my ass. He found out about me hanging out in Junes, so I'll have to work seriously for a while...

> Adachi seems busy...You don't think you can get closer to him until the investigation progresses.

-Smile-


Um..."He is good at..."


...That's funny.

> Shu shrugs.

There's going to be a fair commemorating the anniversary of my school's founding. So there was a discussion about what our class was going to do, and all the girls were being noisy...*sigh*
Were they a pain in the ass?
A major one.
...They're all stupid.
You're just at that age.
...You used to think that before, but now you don't? Is that what you mean? Is that how it goes...?

> Shu looks curious.

...School's like that all day, and when I get home, Mom is all over me. "You're so excellent." "You can be number one." "Mom's so proud of you." "You're my pride and joy." But I'm...

> Shu looks worried.

Um...You only come here because you're being paid to, right?
That's not it.
Well...I don't need to know why you keep coming back.

> Shu looks happy, despite what he just said.

Up until now, all I ever did was go back and forth from home to school...
I look forward to when you come to tutor me.


...Oh, there's something I still don't really understand. Can you tutor me for a little while longer?



-Signs of Love-


Would you like to go somewhere with me today?
Sure.
Great! Please don't forget, okay!?

-Like A Dream Come True-

> Okina Station...You came here with Ayane.


I'm almost never here, so I don't keep up with this place very well.
Um...Do you have any suggestions?
Let's just walk around.
Okay, let's see all the stores!
Why don't we start from...Huh? Isn't that Daisuke-senpai?


...Is this your girlfriend?
W-Well, ah, it-it's not...!!
Oh, I get it.
It's still a work in progress, right!?
...This is because Sanzo hasn't been to practice in six weeks, isn't it.
P-Please don't tease, Senpai!
Senpai...? Oh, are you from Yasogami High too?
...We went to the same middle school too, Senpai!

> Today will surely be an entertaining day. The three of you spent some quality time together.

-Tanaka's Amazing Commodities-



-Sky Full of Stars-


I'm on my way back from an errand. It was a long walk, and now I'm a little sweaty. That's why I was cooling down here. Huh? Okay. I don't mind chatting at all.


I usually cut down on the time I spend helping out at the inn before exams...But staying cooped up in my room studying all day makes me feel like I'm going to suffocate. By the way, how is your exam prep going, Sanzo-kun?
"...There's an exam?"
I haven't really started.
Huh...? Really? That's surprising. You must be very confident.
Come to think of it, you always seem calm when you're fighting Shadows too.

> Yukiko seems impressed.

When I come across a problem while studying that I don't know how to solve, I ask the staff about it...But then everyone gathers around and it turns into a big fuss, so I don't really like doing it. Um, like the other day...

> You enjoyed your idle chat with Yukiko...

Oh...I should be getting back. I didn't even notice how long we'd been talking. Oh, right...Here.

> You received Fruit Candy from Yukiko.

This is a gift we received. If you don't mind, I'd like to share it with you. Well, be careful on your way home.

> You saw Yukiko off to the bus stop and then went home.



-Specialist-


Your brains aren't smart enough to retain this just by listening. Make sure you write all this down for later review! Especially "Man is but a reed, the most feeble thing in nature; but he is a thinking reed." That's incredibly important!
Hey, are you paying attention, Yosuke Hanamura!? I doubt you have many deep thoughts going on in your daily life. Who said this: "Man is but a reed, the most feeble thing in nature; but he is a thinking reed?"


Sanzo, Sanzo! You gotta help me out!
Pascal.
Oh...? I see that you did pick up on something I was saying while sitting there with that stupid look on your face. "Man is but a reed, but he is a thinking reed" came from the mind of Blaise Pascal. Write that down! All right, so if man is a thinking reed, do you know what an un-thinking reed is? An un-thinking reed is just a reed! So I expect you idiots to at least keep thinking! And read some books!
Oh, thank God, Sanzo. I don't know what he would've said if I'd given the wrong answer...

-Your Affection-


Lonely boy: I showed it to them, but they said a grown-up sticker didn't count. Here, you can have it back...Where am I supposed to find a rare kid's sticker? I don't know any...

> The boy is looking for a rare sticker that is popular among kids. Maybe you should ask some kids for ideas.


Avid reader: Have you read any picture books? Don't just assume that they're for small children. They're expensive, and hard to get too, but...Are you interested in them? Ah, I knew you would be! I'll let you have one, but...it won't be for free. Hmm, okay...Have you heard of Hard Boots? If you can bring me a pair, I'll trade you for a picture book, okay? I think that's a fair trade. What do you say? Just bring them to me, and we'll make the trade.
You have to sell ten Tough Hides to Daidara before he starts stocking Hard Boots. They drop from Dancing Hands in the Bathhouse.
Avid reader: Oh, Hard Boots! Are you really going to trade with me? Great! Okay, here you go.

> Received Guide to Pests.

Avid reader: And you can have this, too.

> Received 5,000 yen.

Those boots cost 22,000, and the book is completely useless to Sanzo. Hooray!

-Music Box-







-Aria of the Soul-

> This must be another of Marie's poems...

...Rrrraaaaaahhhhh!


If you keep doing that, your eyes are gonna rot out! They'll rot away and you'll be sorry you read my stuff!

Ihateyouyousuckmurderer. Stop reading!

> Marie blushes angrily.

This doesn't make sense...I wouldn't leave this here...

> Marie returns to her seat and looks confused...

-Like A Dream Come True-

> Junes food court...You came here with Yosuke for a quick bite to eat.




...What is it today?
Gaudy student: How come Kazumi can take the day off and we can't?
...Huh?
Snooty student: We told you before! We can't work Saturdays! So when we refused, they said they were going to fire us! I don't get this!
Hey, I talked to the manager. Senpai...Have you two been taking absences without leave lately?
Gaudy student: I-I just forgot to come...Besides, that's not the point! What're you going to do about this!? I have a date that day!
Snooty student: How come you're favoring Kazumi, huh!? You were like that with Saki, too!

-Who's There?-

...Huh?
Gaudy student: Don't try to hide it! We all know! You liked Saki and treated her special!
...I don't think Saki-senpai has anything to do with this subject.
Gaudy student: Yeah, it does!! You told the other workers to take it easy on Saki too, didn't you? You think you can do anything just because you're the manager's son!?
Snooty student: So it's Kazumi now that Saki's dead!? Don't even bother, she has a boyfriend. Didn't you get it!? Saki didn't like you! We heard so from her! She may have acted that way, but...

> They started to badmouth Saki-senpai...

I feel bad for Saki-senpai.
Sanzo...
Snooty student: Who are you? Are you stupid!?



-Traumerei-

Just shut up, will you!? You're really getting on my nerves! What do you know about Saki-senpai!? She didn't do things half-assed like you! She looked lazy, but she worked hard! She talked bad, but she was good inside! So she hated me? I knew that! She's not here anymore! I'm left behind!...Just leave me alone.
Gaudy student: Wh-What the heck...?
Snooty student: ...Let's go.


You were just upset.
N-No, I was just...

> Yosuke is smiling pathetically...

Damn...Another pathetic display from Yosuke, huh? Thanks, though. Hearing you say that stuff to them...It made me happy.

> Yosuke is smiling sheepishly...


Link rank 7 gives fighters the Endure ability. Once per battle, an attack that would have KO'd them will instead leave them standing with 1 HP.
*sigh* I don't want to...I really don't want to, but I'll go talk with Dad. At this rate, those two are gonna quit...I should tell him and apologize.
I don't know...What do I want to do? I don't get it...even though it's my own future...Sorry, but I'll see you later, Sanzo.

> You saw Yosuke off and went home.

I wish Yosuke wasn't made to be the jackass so often in all the group scenes. He's a lot better in the game's first week and near the end, but otherwise it feels like there's a disconnect between Yosuke in his Social Link and Yosuke outside of it.

-Signs of Love-

> Come to think of it, there is a boy looking for stickers that are popular among children...Maybe you should ask Nanako about them.

Who'd know rare kid's stickers better than a rare kid?


(Ask Nanako about stickers)
A children's sticker? Ummm...I'll go look.

> Nanako came back with a sticker.

This is pretty popular. Here you go.
Thank you.
*giggle*

> Nanako gave you Tankiriman Sticker. You should try giving this to the boy who wants friends...

-Sky Full of Stars-


Down in front!
I'm just enjoyin' the night breeze. It was gettin' a little too hot inside. Hey, if you want, we could chat a bit.


What's the point in studyin', anyway? It ain't like I'm gonna use classic lit and quadratic equations in the textile shop.
The only thing a real man needs is a burning red body handed down from his parents!
Burning red body...?
Uhh...I actually don't know what I meant by that. I just blurted it out in the heat of the moment.
Sorry, now that I think about it, that didn't make no sense at all.

> Kanji seems to have calmed down...

*sigh* Now ain't the time to whine about it. I gotta at least keep from bein' held back...

> You enjoyed your idle chat with Kanji...

Damn, look at the time. Sorry for keepin' you out here with me.
Oh yeah, you want some of this? I can't get enough of the stuff.

> You received Seaweed Cracker from Kanji.

Well, catch you later!

> You part with Kanji and go home.