Part 27: 6/9/11-6/13/11

6/9/11

I saw that dude who was having an affair with Mayumi Yamano around town, I guess he lives around here.



But I'm helping with the family business now. The life here is nice too…

Poor bastard. Speaking of poor bastards I met up with that kid again at the riverbank.



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.

More on this later. Anyway, I decided life was too short to be very worried about skipping some school and talked to Ai again.



Huh? …With you?
……
> Ai is staring at you intently…
…Whatever.
You should skip your afternoon classes next time. We'll go somewhere far away.
> With your overabundant Courage, you're able to slip out of class with ease!
I'll invite you to come with me when I feel like it.

I figure it doesn't hurt to make friends with more people who aren't actively involved in this whole murder thing. Anyway, I also heard a disturbing rumor from some girl.



Female Student: I hear he started his own gang and goes around bullying people. How did I get to be in the same class as him…?
He's out snooping around the Practice Building right now. How scary is that?
> It seems Kanji is bullying people…
> …Are the rumors true?

Now I figured it was bullshit but I had to go check it out. He was looking in on some club when I got there.



I-I wasn't peeping inside! It's not like that!
…So, why are you making that scary face at me? Do you have something to tell me?
Yes, I do.
…I see. Let's go somewhere else, then.

We headed to the flood plain.



Oh, you here to tell me off or somethin'?
I'm just here to talk.
How come you're soundin' like a cop?
So, what is it?
> You asked Kanji about his ties to the gang of bullies…
Eh? Bullies? M-Me!?
Senpai, you suspecting me!?

I didn't really think he'd do it but I had to ask him.



Senpai… I didn't do it.
I mean… Maybe it ain't that easy to trust me, since they say that I was in a gang…
But you gotta believe me…
…'s my own fault rumors like that go around, huh…?
At this rate, I'll be causing trouble for you guys…
Don't worry about it.
Senpai…
……
Uhh…
Whenever you got time… Could you maybe hear what I have to say?
I feel all cramped inside… And I'm too dumb to know what it's about…
> Clumsy as he is, it seems Kanji is looking for an opportunity to change…
You feel a faint bond forming between you and Kanji…

These aren't even really a surprise anymore.



To make sure I don't cause you any trouble…
Huh…
……
Well, I guess I should smack that gang of bullies around?
> You talked with Kanji for a while and went home.

Yeah I don't quite think Kanji got the point but I guess that's okay. Oh and I asked Nanako about those stickers.



> Maybe you should ask Nanako about them…
Big bro…?
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…

I also had a talk with Dojima, who is seriously the most suspicious guy in the whole wide world.



About… Well…
I heard you guys hang out at Junes pretty often.
> Dojima's probing stare hurts…
Nothing wrong with that, of course.
The question is…
Why do you make so many trips to and from the electronics department?

Luckily I was saved by Nanako.



Oh, er, this isn't what you think. I'm not interrogating him…
It's not fair. You're always talking with big bro.
What…?
I mean… Today, you're home, but…
…I always talk with you.
When is always?
I…
I wanna… talk…
> Nanako rubs her eyes sleepily as she says it…
*sigh * It's bedtime for you already.
Go to sleep. I'll play with you… next time.
…You promised.
> Nanako reluctantly returned to her room…
"When is always," huh…?

It didn't seem like Dojima was very good at talking with Nanako.



No… It's not that.
I mean, I am bad with kids, but that's not the problem…
> Dojima's expression looks bitter…
Truth is, I mostly left raising her up to my wife… her mother…
So… I don't really know how to approach her.
Plus… I'm not fit to be her family…

Even if he feels that way, he's all she's got.



…Maybe you're right.
> Dojima is smiling wryly.
You think just being related by blood makes you "family"?
……
That's not the case…
> You feel you began to grasp the worries Dojima carries inside him…

I still don't know why it is that he's like this, though.



Oh… sorry. You didn't need to hear about that.
Get some sleep. 'Night.
> You said good night to Dojima and went to your room.

We need to be more careful, though. We can't forget the police are watching.

6/10/11

Where to start on today?

VIDEO- "The Campout"

Click Here For Video!

Who do you think'll show up on the Midnight Channel next?
I heard it's going to rain this evening, but it's not going to last all night.
Hey, have you been trying to solve the case on your own in your spare time?
I know, I should be thinking about it, too. But that kind of stuff just isn't my specialty.
How about you?

I've been thinking it through but I'm not making much headway.



I'm jealous.
Well, everyone has strengths and weaknesses. I'll stick to kicking things.
So let's prepare ourselves! Times like this are perfect for working out!

We got together to eat some lunch, and discussion moved to the upcoming school campout.



You know, the rainy season's just about here.
Isn't it a little early?
Once it starts, it'll be raining every night. We'll have to keep a constant eye on the Midnight Channel.
Crap, I didn't even think of that… Well, so it goes.
Hehe, I thought you were worried about the rain 'cause of the school campout.
Why are you so excited about that?
That's right, it's the first time for you two…
You realize the only purpose of the school campout is to "develop a love for one's hometown in young people," right?
Yeah, they tell us that up front. So?
Well you see, the way we supposedly develop that love is by picking up trash of the mountain.
P-Picking up trash? "Develop a love" my ass! That's slave labor!
Well, the night's kinda fun. We cook our own meals with mess kits and sleep in tents.
The four of us are in the same group.

Poor Yosuke still had some hope that this wasn't going to be absolutely terrible.



You wish! Guys and girls sleep in different tents!
I'm warning ya… If you leave your tent at night, you'll be expelled on the spot.
Ugh… This gets worse and worse. I thought it was gonna be fun…
It's only for one night and we disband before noon the next day. It doesn't last very long.
Oh… We did have some fun at the river before going home last year.
Do they let you go swimming?
I think so? There's always someone who takes a dip, although we didn't.
I see… So you can swim in the river…

Yosuke looked very thoughtful after that. God only knows what he's up to. Anyway, it was raining pretty heavily so I stopped by Junes to dry out and ran into Dojima's partner.



Uhhh, well, I was buying a toy, and this magic set was on sale, you see.
It was so cheap, I couldn't resist! You know how it is.

Good to know we've got such dedicated officers on the case. I grabbed an Aiya bowl to try to combat my crippling depression and then went home. I decided to see what Nanako was up to.



Dad's late again today…

Just then we got a call.



Dad!
Huh… Really!?
Okay… Okay, I understand.
Dad's coming home now.
I need to get dinner ready.
> Nanako is in high spirits.
We're out of pickled radish…
Dad'll be disappointed.

I figured as long as we went together it'd be okay for us to go get some.



Really?
Thanks, big bro!!
> Nanako looks really happy.
*giggle * We're going shopping together!
> Nanako looks happy…
> You feel Nanako's affection for you, and that your relationship with her has grown deeper…

I mean the killer's not after either of us.



Let's go, big bro!!
> You went to Junes with Nanako.
> A while later, at the house…

Dojima was already home when we got back.



Dad! Welcome home!
Where did you go at this time of night?
Oh, uhh… Junes…
Didn't I tell you not to go outside this late?
B-But, you were coming home… so I…
No matter what your reason was, rules are rules. You promised me, remember?
……
> Nanako looks sad…

It really was my fault, though.



Big bro…
> Nanako looks relieved.
…It's not my fault? Then why is Dad angry…?
Why won't he listen…?
Dad's stupid…!
Stupid, stupid!
Nanako! How dare you call your father stupid!!
> You explained to Dojima why you went with Nanako to Junes…
Pickled radish… for me…?
…Is that so.
……
But I still can't allow kids to be walking around this late at night.
You know how dangerous it's been lately. You shouldn't be wandering around out there at night either!
> Dojima yelled at you, too…
> You decided to go back to your room.

Yeah won't do that again.

6/11/11

Not much happened today, played some soccer, talked to Nanako, worried about who might appear on the Midnight Channel next. Nobody's been on the news, though, so I guess the killer doesn't have a target yet.

6/12/11

Yukiko called me up, she wanted me to try some of the food she'd been cooking.



> Yukiko handed you a hand-made boxed lunch…
It came out well, so I packed it up. Try it out.
> It looks normal…
> ……?
> For some reason, an unusually pungent smell hangs in the air…

I tried to at least act enthusiastic.



Go ahead!
> Yukiko is looking at you expectantly…
> It seems you have no choice but to eat it…
> You started with the… omelette-looking… thing…
> ……
> It's actually soft…
> ……?
> There's something too hard to bite on inside…
> And it smells burnt, yet raw…
> You worry that your body will reject the foreign matter…
> You were finally able to swallow it…
…You're not about to tell me how delicious that was, are you?
……
> Yukiko looks sad…

I mean Rome wasn't built in a day.



I-I suppose… Thank you.
> Yukiko seems relieved…

Nanako had gone out for something and came by just then.



Ah, Nanako-chan… Well, I was just having him try my boxed lunch…
Ooh, I want some.
I-I'm sorry, but I can't give you any. It's not good…
Oh. If you make a good one, will you let me have some?
Huh…? S-Sure, if you want…
Yay! I'm rooting for you!
Nanako-chan…
Thank you. I'll do my best, okay?
I need to go now.
I'm going to Mai-chan's house. By!
Be careful.
Umm… I'm sorry to drag you around…

Even with the food this wasn't a bad time.



R-Really? I'm glad to hear that…
> Yukiko seems relieved…
> You can sense that Yukiko is relying on you…
> You feel your relationship has grown deeper…

She just needs more practice. A lot more.



Only about a year left, huh…?
I need to be able to do anything on my own by then…
> You handed Yukiko the rest of the boxed lunch and went home.

I guess Nanako had gone to Junes because there was enough food for me to cook some lunch.



> You have the ingredients to make potato salad.
> You decided to make potato salad.
> ……
> What should you do after boiling the potatoes?

Easy.



> You added ham, onions, and other ingredients after smashing the potatoes.
> Obtained Tasty Potato Salad.
> …In addition, you made Bait x 3 from the leftovers.

I should do this more often.

6/13/11

I heard a sort of heartening thing this morning on the way in to school.



Dark-Haired Girl: Ah, it's finally time to break out the summer wardrobe.
Athletic Girl: So refreshing!
I hope it's not going to get cold again with all this rain…
Dark-Haired Girl: I don't think we'll have to worry about that this year.
I heard there's going to be less rain than there was last year.

After yesterday I decided to treat Yukiko to my own cooking.



> You ate lunch with Yukiko.
> You ate Tasty Potato Salad together.
Oh, it's really good! Did you make this on your own, Souji-kun?
The flavor is excellent, and the presentation is great, too… Do you want to work as a chef at our place?
I'm just kidding…
…Though you'd be more than welcome if you wanted to…
> It was Yukiko's favorite!

After lunch we had P.E., and Mr. Kondo tried to trip me up again.



Mr. Kondo: June in Japan can be pretty tiring, thanks to all the humidity and heat!
But don't waste your days away with laziness! Summer is very near, my friends!
You wouldn't want that special someone to see you being lazy, would you?
So today, let's do 30 reps of the 100 meter dash! Running keeps the body and mind from rotting away!
…What's with that sourpuss face, Souji? Do you want it to freeze like that?
Okay, okay, how 'bout this? If you get this question right, I'll cut it down to five!
What kind of exercise is a sprint classified as?

This was a sort of tricky one honestly but he can't defeat my mastery of the trivial.



Mr. Kondo: Ugh…! So you knew! I didn't think you were that informed about athletics, Souji!
Well, a promise is a promise! I'll make it five instead of 30!
But I only promised Souji! Hahaha! Everyone else, you have ten reps, got it!? Get ready!

That kid was back on the floodplain, so I gave him that sticker Nanako gave to me.



Lonely Boy: I can't come up with anything…
> The boy is looking around for a rare sticker that is popular among kids.
Lonely Boy: …A Tankiriman Sticker?
Wow, thank you!
This is cool-looking, so I'm sure they'll let me play after I show them this!
> The boy ran off cheerfully.
> Will he make lots of friends…? You should ask him another time.

Yumi wasn't at drama, so I headed to the hospital to check on her. In her own way she's doing just as poorly as her father.