Part 87: 11/22/11-11/24/11

11/22/11

This damn fog is still covering the town, and everyone's getting freaked out.



Guy With A Backpack: The weather's really been weird lately. What's up with all this fog?
This fog looks like it's going to say here forever.
Lazy Student: But I heard it's noooothing to worry about. That's what some great guy on TV said.
Oh, I also heard it's poisonous. Veeeeery toxic! And nobody even knows why it's toxic!
…Maaaan, just thinking about how toxic it is makes me feel ill.
I should probably say home for a while. *cough *
Guy With A Backpack: You're just too lazy to take the finals beginning next week, aren't you?

I don't know if I'm more or less worried knowing what I do.



Mr. Yamada: Luckily, we've got an inn right here in town. Now only that, but the manager there is young and beautiful! Yeah?
Unfortunately, my family is more interested in a ski trip than going to an inn…
What's the point of going somewhere so cold? Are they that desperate to see the snow?
I said to them, if you wanna see snow, why not go to the glacier in South America?
Hmm? I see doubt written all over your faces.
You've never heard of it? Hmm, why don't I turn this into a question… Souji-kun!
What's the name of the glacier in South America?

I'm an expert in South American geography.



Mr. Yamada: Wow, you're a smart fella. And yes, it's a rather special glacier between Chile and Argentina.
Of course, I was just joking about going there. The weather is so harsh, very few people ever go…
But I don't think my wife gets it. She's been picking up brochures about South America…
She's really too gullible. How could she not be at least a tiny bit guarded about going to a glacier…?

None of us really felt like studying.



*sigh * I don't feel like taking tests…
How, whatcha doing today?
If you're going to check up on Nanako-chan, I'll tag along.
Alright! Then let's go.

We all headed down to the hospital.



……
> Nanako seems to have noticed your presence and woke up…
We came to see you.
Thank… you…
> Nanako is smiling weakly…
> Nanako's condition doesn't seem like it's getting any better…
Nanako-chan…
……
> Your friends are as worried about her as they would be about themselves…

I headed out to tutor Shu after we got back from the hospital.



…This forms a circle here, with a radius equal to the base of the triangle… and the height is… uh…
> You began to explain the problem to him in an easily-understood manner.
Um…
What do you think of your school?
It's boring.
…I guess schools are like that everywhere…
> Shu nods to himself.
Moving on to the other matters…
There's a transfer student in my class.
He looks down on everything here and says we're all a bunch of hicks living in the boonies. Everyone ignores him.
……
Well, it is the countryside.
You're right…
> Shu laughs…
I guess being out here is like being the proverbial "frog in the well."
Oh, uh… That's what he said. That he was the frog because he, uh…
That he's from the city, and out here is the country, and, uh…
…...

Despite how easy it is for him, Shu clearly has a hard time at school.



All my classmates are stupid, and the lessons they try to teach are absolutely pointless.
…Your lessons are a lot easier to understand.
> It seems Shu is slowly opening up to you…
> You feel that your relationship with Shu has deepened.

I mean it can't have anything to do with how much of a prick he can be. No sir.



Oh, time's up. This is a good spot to finish, actually, so let's just end it for today.

11/23/11

We had the day off today, somewhat spoiled by this damn fog. I saw Hisano, so I decided to bring her those letters.



Souji-chan, those…
> Hisano is surprised about something.
…Yes, I would like to talk.
> Hisano seems to have regained her composure…
Those are letters I sent to my husband…
> You told her that you had found these at Daidara as well.
So, he'd been keeing my letters in the storehouse as well…
Haha… We thought alike.
I need to throw these away as well.
…But first, can you let me read them?
> Hisano began reading a letter…
"We compared our hair; / now it reaches my shoulders. / If not you, then who / will tie it up for me when / it becomes necessary?
"The path you left on this has long been buried by fallen leaves.
"Will I be able to meet you again when the cherry blossoms bloom and the cicadas buzz?
"Each day grows brighter. I can feel you coming closer, step by step."
……

Hisano is still convinced that she's Death.



> Hisano began reading the next letter…
"That poem you sent me was from the Ise, wasn't it? It's fitting, as I'm waiting here for you.
"But I wish I could just spring away from here and run to your arms.
"It would be an adventure to search for the 'Cowrie of the Swallows' in order to win your heart.
"If I could transform my heart into the wind and make it rush to your side, would you take it into your hand?"
……
…I loved him this much…
And because I loved him, it saddened me that he forgot my love.
I was miserable and jealous…
I was a fool…
I was left behind because I was such a fool…
He… He was all that I had…
Now, he's gone…
I must accept that…

But as long as you're alive, you have to keep living.



You're right… But can I do it…?
> Hisano smiles through her tears.
> You feel that you've touched Hisano's heart…

There's always time, no matter how late it is.



Thank you…
If it's okay with you… I'd like to see you again.
> You left Hisano and went home.

11/24/11

If this fog goes on much longer there could start to be some serious problems.



Chatty Girl: I can't even see the sky with all this fog… I really don't like this weather.
Braided Girl: Huh, why? I'm fine with it.
Some people say the fog is poisonous, but I don't feel bad at all. You're worrying too much.
Just imagine that the town was supposed to be like this form the very beginning. Pretend that this is natural!
Chatty Girl: If you say so…
…More students are calling in sick lately, but I guess it's nothing really unusual.

It's even spreading to some of the teachers.



Mrs. Nakayama: The fog doesn't seem to be lifting, either… Don't you feel drained on foggy days?
The bad news is that I can't go home yet, though. That's the crushing reality of a full-time employee.
So, back to the lecture… Math and civilization evolved simultaneously, which allowed us to solve problems…
Although, there are some math problems that have yet to be solved. They're called "millennium prize problems."
In the year 2000, they announced seven unsolved problems. If you solved one, you were awarded with 1,000,000 dollars.
Hmm, Seta-kun.
How many millennium prize problems do you think remain unsolved?

I remembered a big to-do when one of these got solved.



Mrs. Nakayama: Ahh, I'm surprised you knew. But yes, one of them has been solved.
I envy whoever solved it… He walked away with the money. And so you know, he solved the Poincare conjecture.
They even tried to award him the Fields Medal, which is kinda like the Nobel Prize, but he declined it.
I guess geniuses don't think along the same lines as us normal people. *sigh *
…Sorry that I'm getting off topic, but my husband is acting weird lately.
Not that we've been fighting… But he's been going on about how the fog is poisonous…
Ugh, I'm so depressed. Let's just continue the lecture…

Rise was worried about Nanako, so we got the gang together to head to the hospital again.



We saved Nanako-chan… right…?
…Oh, I'm sorry. Umm… Are you going to visit her today?
Okay! I'm sure Nanako-chan'll be happy!

I kind of feel bad that we're waking her up, though.



……
> Nanako seems to have noticed your presence and woke up…
You can go back to sleep.
Mm…
> Nanako is smiling weakly…
> Nanako's condition doesn't seem like it's getting any better…
Nanako-chan…
……
> Your friends are as worried about her as they would be about themselves…

Nanako, and this damn fog… It seems like we've got more to worry about after catching Namatame, not less.