Part 62: 9/20/11-9/22/11

9/20/11

God, my life sucks some days.



Mr. Kondo: Did you all take good care of your elders? I sure did!
My grandmother is over 90, but she still gets out and sweats by playing gateball!
I just know she's gonna live over 100 years! Heck, she's almost there! I wish her all the best to reach 100!
…Oh, Souji! You're a city boy, you might know this!
What do you call people between the age of 100 and 110?

This wasn't really that tricky.



Mr. Kondo: Wow, I'm amazed by that brain of yours, Souji. Are you close to your grandparents?
"Centi" is a prefix for 100, right? So it makes sense for a centenarian to be between the ages of 100 and 110.
I learned that from Mr. Hosoi. Interesting, huh?
Say, why don't we practice gateball so you'll be able to play it with your elders!?

I took a quick walk down by the river and met a guy who had to be the dude who made that wish at the shrine.



Man: …Oh, d-did you hear that?
Ahahaha, well… I-It's okay, right!?
People have the right to think of their beloved!
*sigh * I'm getting married…
> The man seems melancholic about his wedding for some reason.
Man: Dammit… Everything would be great if it wasn't for him…
Who am I talking about? That horrendous furball…
The c…
Argh! I'm scared! I can't even say it! Those fanged demons are terrifying!

I can't say I'm get a guy who's afraid of cats after fighting Shadows for my life.



Man: Arrrgh! D-Don't say the "c-word"!
> The man is actually physically trembling at the thought of cats…
> Perhaps he's the one who wrote the ema request the fox showed you.
> He wants to overcome his fear of cats…
Ailurophobe: The meowing, and the whiskers, and the evil little claws! It's all just so scary…
Of all the pets, Miyoko-san wants to have a c-c-cat… She said we can't get married if I won't let her have one.
Arrrgh! Why must you put me through this horrible test, Miyoko-san!?
> You try and figure out a way to force him to overcome his fear.

I tried to explain why cats were great, but he wasn't buying it.



Ailurophobe: S-Stop it! Stop that right now!
What do you want? Money!? I'll give you money, just get away from meeeeee!!

I remembered that a stray cat lives near our house, and a plan began to form in my mind. I'll need a bit of prep work for it, though. Anyway, I went back to school. Yumi wanted to talk to me, so we went to drama for a bit.



I'm thinking about finding answers to the questions I had before.
To "bear good fruit…" What can I do? What must I do?
I hated him… I despised him… But he was my one and only Dad…
He and Mom are the ones who gave me life…
Then… What can I do for the people who gave me this life? For the people who have supported me?
I've been thinking about it all this time…
I think I was using acting as a way to hide from the world.
To me, the plays were where I could live a different life.
Where I wouldn't have to look at my own sadness…
I don't know what I can do, but I'm going to find out.
I'm not going to run from my own life anymore. After all, I'm the only person who can live it.
So… As of today, I'm quitting the drama club.
I'm sorry I didn't tell you about this sooner. But I know if I had, I would be depending on you.
If you told me it's okay to quit… I'd stop right there, and not make any decisions on my own.
And sooner or later… I'd be blaming you for it, even if you only had my best interests at heart.
That's why I had to decide myself…
I'm sorry. And… thank you.
Um… Can you take this?

She handed me her copy of our script. We never got to perform it.



Even if it was my escape from the world, I put my heart into my work.
If you can remember what I was like back then, I can carry on even further.
Souji-kun… Thank you… For listening to me and supporting me…
You gave me the opportunity… to start walking.
> You feel Yumi's deep gratitude…
> You feel a strong bond forming between Yumi and yourself…

It well may be that we will never meet again in this lifetime.



Still, whichever way this story ends.



She's made mine brighter by being my friend.

Y-Y'know…
I… I love you…
So, uh…
I'll turn around, so if you're going to reject me, just leave the room. That way, I won't have to see you go…

So anyway I hate my life.



…Goodbye.

Not even talking to Nanako could really make me feel better, and normally that does it. But seriously, what if I died in the TV world? How would that be fair to someone who doesn't even know about it? It's for the best like this. I keep telling myself.

9/21/11

I am a veritable hub of relationship problems, though at least they're not mine for once. Ai wanted to ask me about something after school.



> Ai yanked your arm all the way up here…
H-Hey. Umm…
Th-Thank you for that, last time…
You're welcome.
I was… you know, happy.
> Ai looks embarrassed…
I-I'm…
I'm in a weird mood…
Every time I think about what happened, I can feel my heart beat faster, and I hardly sleep at night…
Wh-What should I do…?
I…
I think…
What should I do? I think I'm… in love.
It's funny, isn't it? Like… why now?
I just keep thinking back on that day…
And about Daisuke-kun…
D-Do you know if he has a girlfriend?
Do you think maybe I'm his type? O-Or do you think he hates… people like me?

I am probably not the best person to ask about this.



Y-You're right!
> Ai nods seriously…
I-I'm not used to things like this…
You're the only one I can turn to…
> Ai is looking at you with pleading eyes…
> You feel your relationship with Ai deepen as she reveals a side of herself you've never seen before…

I'm not sure what Ai and Daisuke have in common but I guess that's why I'm supposed to ask him.



C'mon, please… You'll help me, right?
All I need you to do is… ask him what's his type. That's it.
No problem.
Thank goodness…
Um, y-you don't have to do it today or anything, but… p-please…
> You parted with Ai in silence and went home.

Oh, and Nanako and Dojima seem to be talking more.



I gave it back to Dad.
He looked happy and smiled at me.
Big bro… I love my Dad.
He loves you, too.
> Nanako is smiling cheerfully…
Dad didn't forget about how we used to pick flowers at the Samegawa River.
He smiled at me and said, "You remember, too?"
Dad loves Mom.
…I feel sorry for him, losing someone he loves.
He still has you.
Yeah! I won't go anywhere!
> Nanako smiles vigorously…
I'm glad to be Dad's daughter!
> Nanako is smiling so happily…
> Through that smile, you feel your relationship has grown even deeper…

I knew Dojima hadn't forgotten.



…It's your turn to talk!
> It's just about Nanako's bedtime…
> What will you do…?

I decided to let her stay up a while.



Yay!
Then, uh, I know! Let's play cards!
> Nanako looks really happy.
> You decide to play some cards with her.
> It's getting late, so you put Nanako to bed and went to your own room.

9/22/11

Kanji and I went up to the hill that overlooks town after school.



> Kanji took you here…
I've always liked this place.
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…

Sure enough the kid his mom took to the hospital was around.



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…
Waaaaaaaaaaaah!!
*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: Waaaaaaaaaah!!
C'mon! Don't just stand there!!
Oh, uhh… I'm gonna go now.

I had sort of guessed what Kanji was going to do and offered to help.



Huh? Really!?
> Kanji's eyes are wide open…

At the same time, unlike Kanji I was not so gung ho to jump back into the Samegawa.



> Kanji is looking in the river…
Quiet-Looking Boy: I-I'll help…
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 a bunny doll…
Quiet-Looking Boy: I-I'm sorry…
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!?

The kid ran off to give the bad news to his friend.



…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…

I'm not sure where he's gonna get the rabbit though.



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.

I also headed down to the hospital to work a bit, Sayoko seems to be more serious than before but maybe it's just me.