Part 24: 5/30/11-6/2/11

5/30/11

Kanji's still out, which Morooka can't stop harping on. Douche.



I bet he's out there dicking around all day long! …What? What's with your faces?
You trying to tell me I shouldn't assume things…? Well if you don't want it to happen to you, keep this in mind!
Unless you behave well, people are gonna have their doubts!
Descartes once said…
"The senses deceive from time to time, and it is prudent never to trust wholly those who have deceived us even once."
Besides, we don't need society's trash like Tatsumi here. The school would be better off without him!

I went to drama later, Yumi was kind of preoccupied and left right at the end. Not much else to say.

5/31/11

Yumi's really doing poorly.



No!
The bell hasn't rung yet!
You want to quit early? You're slacking off! You need to take this more seriously!
Vice President: Y-Yumi, you shouldn't work too hard…
I feel like I'm the only one who cares about this club! Stop holding us back!
The reason you never get any lead roles is because you act like that!
President: Yumi!
Oh…
……
School PA: It is time to go home. Please, don't forget anything.
Vice President: L-Look, it's time to go home now, anyway. Let's all just stop for today, all right?
Club Members: Okay.
> Yumi stands, silent and unmoving.
…Was I wrong when I said that?

I mean she had a good point but damn was that harsh.



Y-Yeah, I'm just doing my best, huh…
> Yumi nods to herself.
I'll… keep practicing. At the riverbed or somewhere…
…Anywhere but at home.

Personally I don't think she should be going off alone at a time like this.



No… But thanks.
> Yumi smiles…
…There's nobody at my house.
Mom's been going straight to the hospital after work, to see HIM.
There's no real point to going home now…
…When I'm by myself at home, I can't stop thinking about all that stuff.
The past… Why things turned out the way they did… You know.
I thought I'd forgotten them…
Sorry… I've just been whining…
Just forget about this, okay?

She was pretty clearly uncomfortable about this.



Thanks. I don't like to show off my bad side…
> Yumi smiles wryly…
I have my acting.
That's how I can keep going. No matter what happens, I will go on!
Yeah, that's right!
Thank you, Souji-kun! If I was by myself, I'd have been down in the dumps for a while, I just know it.
So, um… I'm glad you were here.
Haha… I hope you'll stick around for a while longer.
> It seems you were able to help support Yumi…
> You feel that your relationship with Yumi has deepened slightly…

I hope she'll be okay.



I'm going to stop somewhere on my way home and practice some more there.
I finally got a lead role! I have to make sure I can do it!
Alright!
> You left Yumi and went home.

Not much I can do but be there for her I guess.

6/1/11

I decided to take another job part-time at the Hospital.



Then I went to soccer. Daisuke was kind of dogging it on the field.



Huh? What do you mean?
Wow, basketball practice finished before soccer today? It's a miracle!
Soccer Player: You're running like a fat kid with asthma, and you're letting guys drive right past you.
Don't worry… When I play for real, I'll be fine.
Soccer Player: Yeah, well, when I play for real, I'm a freakin' juggernaut! Haha.
You have to play seriously, dude.
If you're not gonna play for real at practice, why are you playing at all…?
Kou…? What's that supposed to mean?
You think I don't know?
……
Soccer Player: H-Hey you guys… lighten up…
Go on, say it, Kou. What do you mean?
> The air is tense…
Why don't you ask yourself?

One of the varsity players came by to break things up.



……
Varsity Player: …Daisuke, sprint over to the gym and then give me twenty sets of burpees!
……
Female Student: Hey, are you okay?
…Kinda.
Female Student: Um… maybe next time you're free-
Varsity Player: Daisuke! You just earned yourself five more sets!
Female Student: S-Sorry. Was that my fault?
No. I needed the practice anyway.
Female Student: O-Okay. I'll, um, see you later then.

Daisuke's seriously freaking out.



……
Souji, we need to talk.
It's about him…
I have to do some family stuff today, though. Would next time be okay?

Kou knows what's up, but I can understand not wanting to talk about it in front of everyone.



> You promised Kou that you'd listen…
Thanks…
> Kou smiles with relief.
> This seems very important to Kou…
Daisuke really likes you, man.
I do too. You're the only guy I can trust to talk about him with.
> You feel Kou's trust in you…
> You sense a bond has formed between you, Kou, and Daisuke.

I think we're close to some kind of breakthrough.



Oh, sorry. I better get going.
Seeya later.
> You finished practice and went home.

Oh, and we went shopping earlier.



I was thinking of taking Nanako out to Junes…
You wanna come along?



> You came shopping with Nanako and Dojima.
"Every day's great at your Junes!"
> Nanako is enjoying herself…
Did you want something, big bro?
Go ahead and get whatever you want, but make it quick.
> You decided to purchase something that caught your eye.
> …You spy a Royal Jelly.
> Obtained Royal Jelly x 5.
> The three of you went home happily…

We should really do that more often. Still no news on Kanji. It's going to start raining tomorrow, too.

6/2/11

Yumi didn't make it to drama practice today.



> The lead role Yumi is supposed to play for the concours is being played by the vice president…
> Did Yumi go to the hospital…?
> …You decided to visit the hospital after practice ended.

She was at the hospital, sure enough.



> Yumi is sitting here, looking gloomy…
Souji-kun… Why are you…?

I didn't want to make her feel even worse by saying I was worried.



Your house is in the other direction from school.
Geez…
> Yumi looks happier…
I'm sorry. You came because I didn't show up to practice, right?
…Mom collapsed.
She works from sunup to sundown, and then she comes here to look after him every day…
The doctor said it was exhaustion. She'll be released from the hospital soon, but…
She's pushing herself too far. She's so stupid…

Even with the life and death stuff we've gone through, I can't imagine what it would be like to have something happen to a family member.



…It is.
Nothing matters anymore.
Now I have to look after Mom, like she looked after him.
If I don't quit the drama club and get a job, Mom will just make herself sick again working all the time…!
I'm stepping down from my role!
The lead role… I had all my lines memorized! My script was full of notes! I'd practiced by myself all this time…
……
But there's no point now.
Nothing goes my way…
It's all because of my parents. They're both holding me back…

At the same time, though, she should make sure to do what makes her happy.



…Thank you…
…You didn't seem very reliable when we first met, but you know, you're pretty kind after all.
> Yumi smiles and looks relieved.
…I'm sorry for complaining like this.
It's not like you have anything to do with what's happening in my life.

What I've learned since I got to Inaba is that friends need to stick together.



In for a penny, in for a pound?
Ha… It's nice to hear you say that, though.
> Yumi blushes…
> It seems you were able to support Yumi in a time of need.
> You feel that your relationship with Yumi has deepened slightly…

What a damn mess this is.



I'm going to visit my mom's room now.
…I'll see you at school.
> Yumi walks off sadly. You decided to go home.

While I was at the hospital I picked up some things I'd need for that janitor's position.



> You busily cleaned the dark, silent hallways…
> ……!?
> You thought you heard something from down the hall…
> You decided to pretend not to hear it and continue cleaning…

A doctor and nurse were talking quietly down the hall.



> You can hear bits and pieces of the conversation between the doctor and the nurse…
Doctor's Whispers: …After patrolling… the empty room…

I couldn't help but hear, and the nurse came up to me after the doctor left.



Oho… You're cute. You're the student who started working here today, right?
I'll show you something fun the next time you're here.
I'll see you again.
> You finished your job and went home.

Should I be excited or nervous about that promise…?