Part 34: 6/28/11-6/30/11

6/28/11

Kou decided to reveal his plan today. It… could have gone better. He stopped us before we got to practice and told us to come out to Okina.



So… What's all this about?
You made us skip out on practice, man. I think you owe us an explanation.
Pretty Girl: Oh, there he is. Kou-chan!
Hey! Sorry for calling you here on such short notice.
Pretty Girl: That's okay. We weren't doing anything anyway.
What's going on…?
What does it look like? I set up a group blind date for us.
Huh!? Why didn't you tell me!?
> You can hear the girls conversing with each other…
Cute Girl: They're from Yasogami High, huh? How'd they get here? By bus?
Attractive Girl: Yeah, that's way out in the boonies. I wonder how they plan to get home…
Cute Girl: Maybe they're hoping we'll invite them back to our place… Pervs! *giggle *
Pretty Girl: Well, I think they're passable as far as looks go, don't you?

Daisuke wasn't so interested, unfortunately. Would have been nice to spend some time with a person without anything mystical going on but no such luck it seems.



Huh? No, wait!
S-Sorry ladies, looks like tonight isn't going to work out!
> The three of you rode back home on the bus in awkward silence…

We caught up to Daisuke on the flood plain.



I never asked you to try and set me up with anyone.
I only went because you told me it was important…
Don't drag me into that BS. If you want to get a girlfriend, do it yourself.
I did it for you!
You're always going on about how "girls are just a pain in the ass." But it's all an act!
Whaddya mean, "an act"!?
> Their quarrel starts to escalate…

I had to get things calmed down before someone did something dumb.



He's right… Sorry. Yelling won't solve anything.
> Kou looks apologetic…
You're just scared! You hear that!? Scared!
Scared…? Of what?
Of girls!
You're scared of being rejected again, aren't you?
That's why you give them all the cold shoulder. You don't have to worry about it if they hate you already, right?
And it's no different with soccer! You're half-assing it!
You're scared to play seriously and hit your plateau!
You're afraid that if you play hard, you'll be depressed when you can't improve anymore!
Wha…? N-Now you're just making things up!
You take all the fun out of life if you never have to feel pain. What's the point of living like that?
I don't need you to lecture me about my life!
You got that!? It's MY life! You guys have nothing to do with it!

What an idiot.



Of course we do!
What am I to you!? What is Souji to you!?
And what are you to Souji and me, huh!?
Don't talk like we have nothing to do with your life, dumbass!
I'm sorry…
Yeah…

We went down to the riverbank.



Girls are a pain in the ass, but I don't hate them… I'm just scared.
They come up and say they like me…
But then they tell me they can't understand me, they get disappointed, and break up with me.
Makes me wonder about myself…
You're talking about that girl you dated in middle school, right?
Dated? Tch, I don't think you could even call it that.
I still remember… She said, "You're not the guy I thought you were. The real Daisuke is the one on the field."
When I think about going through all that again, I get scared… or maybe lonely. It's hard to tell.
Forget about her…
There's always gonna be people like that. But you have to just let 'em go and move on.
……
But… I can't let it go…
I still have feelings… What'll happen to them?
Ahh… You really liked her, huh…?
After she asked me out. But…
She was my first girlfriend.
I was thrilled… All I wanted to do was hold her close to me.

There's really only one thing for Daisuke to do.



…You're too nosy, you know that?
Yeah, what of it?
…Thanks.
You can be pretty sincere when you want to, Daisuke.
That's his charm.
Knock it off!
> Daisuke's face is red.
> You felt your bond strengthen with Kou and Daisuke…

Now we just need to make sure Daisuke actually goes through with this.



Alright, Souji, it'll be your job to make sure Daisuke doesn't get cold feet about this thing.
I won't, dang it!
> The three of you had a good time before heading home.

Not much else going on, the weather's been pretty clear.

6/29/11

Ai asked me out at lunch, I decided to take her up on that.



Today I feel like getting something that's easy to slip into.
Hmm, doesn't look like they've gotten anything new in. I already have all of this…
We'll have to come back.
I'll get something next time, but I want something today, too. I came here to buy, not to look.
> Ai looks enthusiastic…
Hey, I'm thirsty.
But me an ice latte.

She's loaded, I think she can afford her own latte.



Huh…? Did you seriously just say that?
You're probably the first guy who's ever taken that tone with me.
> Ai is surprised…
Saleswoman: Oh, Ai-chan! You're back again?
…Well, yeah?
Saleswoman: Are you looking for anything in particular today?
Oh, we got a purse in that's just your style! The guys'll be alllll over you!
…That's all right. I'm not shopping for purses today.
Saleswoman: Ooh, is that your boyfriend? He's quite a handsome one! Are you gonna introduce him to me?
I've had the worst luck with men lately! We were at the bar the other night-
Sorry, we've really gotta get going. I'll be back.

Ai is certainly not the nicest person in the world.



*sigh * I hate salespeople.
I'm the one keeping them in business, why do they have to pounce on me every time I go in there?
They should get rid of all salespeople and put in vending machines. Press a button, and out come your clothes.

I'd definitely support machines where I put yen in and get weapons out so I'm down with that.



Isn't it? I don't need all that pointless banter.
I can see right through it… There's no such thing as a relationship without ulterior motives.
> Ai looks somewhat sad…
I don't know why, but I got a little annoyed when she was talking about you back there.
She said you were handsome. Good for you, I guess.
> Ai looks like she was pouting…
> You feel like you understand Ai a little bit more now…

I don't know, though, the way she lives does seem pretty sad.



Let's go home. It'll be dark by the time we get back.
Not like I have any reason to hurry…
> You returned to Inaba with Ai and went home…

I headed to the hospital again, and had a somewhat unsettling encounter there.



> Is she… real…?
My…
……
Oh…
Forgive me…
> It seems the old lady is looking in your direction…
> The old lady left…
> Who was she…?

And then of course things went from new and creepy to familiar and still pretty creepy.



> Sayoko found you and brought you here…
Well done.
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?

This was technically not the truth, though it helped serve a greater truth that as far as she's concerned I'm not available.



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…
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?

I don't know that she's actually serious about all of this though.



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…

I mean she could just be messing me.



Sorry to bother you while you're on the job. Keep up the good work, okay?

I guess I get huge supernatural power out of this but it's still pretty strange.

6/30/11

These days have just flown by, it'll be exams and break in like a month.



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… Souji-kun!
Which one of these is the name of a real river?

It's lucky I caught the episode of 'Worlds Dumbest Place Names' that had this in it.



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.
…Ooops, I wasted a lot of time on this. I hope I have enough time to cover everything that'll be on the test…

Yosuke offered me a meal to pay me back for last time, and as my free stuff policy remains ever intact I accepted.



> You came here with Yosuke for a quick bite to eat…
So whatcha gonna eat today?
Gaudy Student: Hey, Hanamura!!
…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 weekends!
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 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!
…Huh?
Gaudy Student: Don't try to hide it! We all know!
You liked Saki and treated her special!

I could already tell this was about to get uncomfortable.



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…

People shouldn't be speaking ill of the dead.



Souji…
Snooty Student: Who are you? Are you stupid!?
Don't talk like that to Souji!
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.
……
I just blurted out a buncha crap, huh?

I mean he just told it to them like it was really.



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…
> You feel your relationship with Yosuke has grown deeper…

Yosuke told me after that freakout he thinks he can help knock some sense into people having problems in battle. I guess that will remain to be seen.



*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, Souji.
> You saw Yosuke off and went home.

There's not going to be any sustained rain for a while it looks like, which is nice. Even though we've saved Rise, it's always unnerving when that fog descends on Inaba.