Part 107: Tokimemo Girl's Side Chapter 17: Almost There
Tokimemo Girl's Side, Chapter 17: Almost There11/7: Summons from Shiho
Goonko: I wonder who's calling?
Shiho: Hi, this is Arisawa.
Goonko: Oh, Shiho-chan? What's up?
Shiho: They're holding a practice exam at my prep school today.
Shiho: Would you like to take it too?
Goonko: What? A practice exam?
Goonko: Sure, I'll try it.
Shiho: Good. I'll wait for you at the station.
Goonko: Got it, see you there.
Shiho: Don't be late.
Goonko: Phew. That was exhausting.
Shiho: If that's enough to make you give up, then you'll never survive the war to get into college.
Goonko: Don't tell me that.
Goonko: Do you like taking tests, Shiho-chan?
Shiho: Huh?
Goonko: Sorry. That was a stupid question.
Shiho: I've never really thought about it that way.
Shiho: But you have to know where you stand before you can set realistic goals for yourself.
Goonko: Is that so?
Shiho: I think today's exam was good for you.
Shiho: The more experience you have, the easier it gets.
Shiho: Let's keep taking these together. It gives me more motivation, too.
Shiho: Fudou-san, do you want try using this?
Goonko: What? But that's--
Shiho: Yes, it's the textbook I was using.
Shiho: It highlights all of the most common exam questions, so it should be easy for you to use.
Goonko: Are you sure you're okay just giving this to me? Thanks, Shiho-chan!
Shiho: You're welcome. Oh, and I marked all of the important parts in red, too.
Goonko: (I received an Arisawa-brand surefire cram book!)
Goonko: (I feel smarter already!)
Shiho: Let's both work hard, Fudou-san.
Goonko: I will. Later, Shiho-chan!
Shiho's book is worth +5 Academics and +5 Social, which is nice but far too little and too late for this particular Goonko. If she's going to college at all, she's getting there on a basketball scholarship. The only other career path possible appears to be Harlem Globetrotter.
11/13: Two versions of the school play
Once again, the success and failure of Goonko in the two weeks of festival prep before the school festival determines what she and her highest-ranked boy do in the school play. In other words, it's almost completely random. Here's what happens if she fails more than she succeeds:
Kazuma: Y, yo, Kimiko.
Kazuma: I'm ready on my side. What about you?
Goonko: Hey, Kazuma. I'm ready too.
Kazuma: Okay. But it must be rough for you to be in charge of all of the sound.
Goonko: It's true. What if I use the wrong sound effect at the wrong time?
Goonko: My fingers are trembling...
???: The Habataki Academy school play is about to begin.
Kazuma: Y, you'll be fine! Take deep breaths and calm down.
Kazuma: I, uh, I'll be right here with you.
The play that Goonko's class puts on is an adaptation of Konjiki Yasha, a classic work of Meiji literature also known as The Golden Demon or The Usurer. Written by Ozaki Koyo and serialized from 1897 to 1902, it's the story of Hazama Kan'ichi, a penniless student, and his fiancee Shigisawa "Omiya" Miya. Their romance is cut short when Omiya's parents force her to marry a wealthy banker named Tomiyama, and the scene where Kan'ichi bitterly rebukes the desperate and remorseful Omiya is legendary. I'm going to crib a 1917 translation I found at the UC Berkeley library, to try and preserve some of the old-fashioned speech of the characters.
Kan'ichi: So, you cast me aside so easily? Do you no longer love me?
Omiya: Oh, what am I to do?
Kan'ichi: How would I know? Damn your eyes, clouded by wealth!
Kan'ichi: My bitterness is so great...
Kan'ichi: Next year, on this very night, my tears will cloud the moon!
I'm horribly massacring the line and I'm sorry, but then again, the popular version of this line is hugely truncated from the original (flip to page 83). The full line ends with something like "And when you see the moon shrouded by the clouds, remember that I shall be weeping--with tears of anger and resentment."
Kazuma: That guy's kind of a loser.
Goonko: Huh?
Kazuma: Well, I mean--I don't know how people used to think back then.
Kazuma: But if you love her, why don't you just take her for yourself?
Kazuma: Don't blame her for everything.
Goonko: The poor girl... she's marrying another man to ensure the future of the man she loves.
Goonko: She doesn't deserve this.
Kazuma: ...Yeah.
Kazuma: And she's thrown away her own dreams! Isn't that the definition of despair?
Kazuma: If that was me, I don't care how hard it would be.
Kazuma: I would get the girl and the money.
Goonko: Yeah?
Kazuma: Yeah. That's what makes a man a man.
Goonko: Haha, that's so you, Kazuma.
Kazuma: Yeah?
Kazuma: Hey! What're you laughing at?!
Kazuma: Forget everything I just said, okay?!
Goonko: (Kazuma's such a positive thinker, I believe him when he says that.)
So that's the failure scene. This is the successful version of the school festival:
Goonko: What's with that crowd over there?
Girl A: Ohhh my goddd! Shiki-kun, you're so pretty!
Girl B: Can I get a picture?
Goonko: Mihara-kun?
Shiki: Hey there, Fudou-kun.
Goonko: "Hey there" nothing, what the hell are you wearing?
Shiki: Oh, this? Everyone kept telling me to wear it for the masquerade, so...
Shiki: I know, it's weird.
Goonko: N, no, that's not weird at all, just--
Shiki: It's fine, I understand all too well.
Shiki: It's definitely bad.
Shiki: This color is awful!
Goonko: The... color?
Shiki: Wardrobe! I knew it, that white dress we tried before suits me much better.
Girl A: Understood!
Girl B: We'll get it ready right away!
Goonko: Uh... Mihara-kun?
Shiki: I'm going to go back and change, Fudou-kun!
Goonko: Umm. Okay.
Shiki: Now, if you'll excuse me.
Shiki: Let's go, girls!
Girls: Okay~!
Goonko: (Mihara-kun seems pretty cheerful about this whole thing.)
Shiki stays in character the entire time. It's pretty impressive.
Goonko: (Ugh... it's really nerve-wracking right before you go on stage.)
Kazuma: Y, yo, Kimiko. Hey, are you--are you nervous?
Goonko: Oh, hey, Kazuma.
Goonko: Hey, are your legs shaking?
Kazuma: N, no way!
Kazuma: I'm, uh, I'm just getting pumped up, that's all. Yeah, that's it.
???: The Habataki Academy school play is about to begin!
Kazuma: Well, here goes nothing. Let's try to be ourselves out there, okay?
Kazuma: So, you cast me aside so easily? Do you no longer love me?
Goonko: Oh, what am I to do?
Kazuma: How would I know? Damn your eyes, clouded by wealth!
Kazuma: My bitterness is so great...
Kazuma: Next year, on this very night, my tears will cloud the moon!
Goonko: Wait! Please, for pity's sake, hear me out!
Kazuma: There is nothing left to say! Unhand me!
Goonko: No! I'll never let go!
Kazuma: If you insist on being so stubborn, then I'll have to use force!
Goonko: Nooooooo!
Goonko: What an amazing performance! There were tears in your eyes at the end, Kazuma...
Kazuma: Sh, shut up! Y, you were looking pretty rough yourself, you know.
Kazuma: But... even though it was just a play, that was hard to take.
Goonko: Kazuma?
Kazuma: It's nothing, you dork! I'm gonna go wash up.
Goonko: (What did he mean by that?)
Goonko: (And that is how the last festival of my high school life came to an end.)
Goonko: (I got the lead role in the play, and I'll have nothing but fond memories.)
11/14: Clothes shopping and bomb clearing with Shiki
Shiki's reached friendly status, so the first part of the date is different.
For reference, he seems to like Elegant. With swords.
Goonko: Sorry, was I late?
Shiki: Fudou-kun, you made me wait for you... I can't believe you.
Given that he was over an hour late for two years running, I can't be sympathetic.
Goonko: Um... are you angry at me?
Shiki: No, I'm not angry.
Shiki: But never forget, my time is precious.
Yep, my sympathy dried up completely right there.
Shiki: Your outfit is wonderful today.
Goonko: What, this little thing?
Shiki: Yes. Did you know that it suits you so very well?
Shiki: It's great, I love it.
Goonko: (So Mihara-kun likes these clothes...)
Shiki: Ah, Fudou-kun.
Shiki: I believe that these clothes will look very good on you.
Option 1: What the hell is that? You have awful taste!
Option 2: Really? I'll buy them right now!
Option 3: Hmmm, I wonder...
Given that this is the store Goonko works in, I bet she gets a great discount from Goro. What's the harm in buying some clothes, right?
Goonko: Really? I'll buy them right now!
Shiki: Oh? I'm so glad you trust my fashion sense!
Goonko: (Yay! A perfect impression!)
Look, the guy has proven he wears a dress better than Goonko does, she better listen to him.
Shiki: Today was a lot of fun.
Shiki: You know, I might just invite you out next time.
Goonko: I'm looking forward to it!
As long as Mizuki doesn't think I'm horning in on her man, that is.
Shiki: I'll walk you home today.
11/23: Bomb clearing with Wataru
If this is what Wataru wants in a girl, then he's not worth dating. Just saying.
Wataru: Ummm, Fudou-senpai, want me to lend you my jacket?
Wataru: You're making me cold just looking at you, dude.
Well then! That's a point in Wataru's favor.
Wataru: Man, the autumn leaves are so pretty.
Option 1: If we use them to roast some yams, it'd be so delicious!
Option 2: Their time is so fleeting, but they're somehow comforting.
Option 3: The colors on the trees are so pretty.
There is only one option for a Tokimemo 2 fan!
What I think Goonko looks like right now, part 23:
Goonko: If we use them to roast some yams, it'd be so delicious!
Wataru: Dude, senpai, you're more interested in eating, aren't you?
Goonko: (Ugh... I think I made a bad impression.)
11/25: A little bit of Shiki
Goonko: Say, Mihara-kun, can I ask you something?
Shiki: Sure, ask me whatever you like.
Goonko: What kind of music do you like, Mihara-kun?
Shiki: I love beautiful music.
Goonko: Beautiful? Umm, what kind of genre is that, usually?
Shiki: Genre? I don't know anything about that. I don't need to know.
Shiki: I love beautiful music. Nothing more, nothing less.
11/28: The last flea market
I had to. Wouldn't you have?
What I think Goonko looks like right now, part 24:
At this point, Goonko also triggered a Chiharu meeting. The way to meet him and see more of his events is pretty simple - every sixth time Goonko goes shopping, he'll pop up in either e-mail form or in person, though the game tries to pull the "you don't know who this is even though he's obviously your pen pal" card.
???: Excuse me.
???: Where's the bookstore?
Goonko: Umm, to get to the bookstore, you turn right at that corner, and then go straight.
???: Umm, I have been saved by your help. Thank you.
Goonko: Oh, it's nothing big. You're welcome.
Goonko: (What a polite guy.)
12/3: It's perfectly innocent
Kazuma: H, hey, Kimiko.
Goonko: Hi, Kazuma. Yeees?
Kazuma: Say, about this Sunday... you don't have plans or anything, do you?
Goonko: Not really...
Kazuma: Th, then, you wanna come over to my house?
Kazuma: I mean, if you're okay with it.
Goonko: Okay!
Kazuma: R, really? Alright, it's a date!
Kazuma: I'll meet you in front of your house.
Unlike in Persona 3 and 4, where the "come over to my house" date is a fairly thick with implication, this is Tokimemo and therefore completely innocent. Besides, it's pretty much alien to think that Kazuma would make a move like that instead of challenging Goonko to 1 on 1 hoops.
12/4: Kazuma's birthday
Goonko: What should I get him?
Option 1: Skullbear cell phone strap
Option 2: Horror movie
Option 3: Basketball shoes
We pretty much know at this point that Kazuma is bad with scary things (lions and tigers and bears, oh my!) and besides, who wouldn't want to get this man a nice pair of Air Jordans?
Kazuma: Wow! I love these! You know just what I want.
Kazuma: Thanks, Kimiko!
Yep.
12/5: I had to try
I mean, do you blame me?
Kazuma: Wh, what's with that outfit?
Kazuma: You have a fever or something?
Goonko: Oh, I knew this was no good.
Kazuma: It...it's not that it's no good.
Kazuma: I mean, I know you want to try a lot of things.
Kazuma: But... could you walk a little further from me?
Goonko: (I knew it! I shouldn't have worn this...)
What I think Goonko looks like right now, part 24:
Kazuma: So, uh, just to warn you--don't mess with my stuff, okay?
Kazuma: And, um, it's not very clean in there.
Goonko: Don't worry about it.
Kazuma: Well, this is my room. Go ahead and find a good place to sit.
Option 1: This is a great room.
Option 2: This is a very, um, unique room.
Option 3: This is definitely a boy's room.
One of these is insulting, one of these sounds like Goonko's just being polite, and the third one seems just right.
Goonko: This is definitely a boy's room.
Kazuma: Y, you think so?
Kazuma: It's kind of embarrassing, but that's a compliment, right?!
Goonko: (Yay! A perfect impression!)
12/6-12/10: Midterms
3rd: Arisawa Shiho
80th: Hazuki Kei
96th: Mihara Shiki
133rd: Konno Tamami
141st: Sudou Mizuki
163rd: Fudou Kimiko
250th: Suzuka Kazuma
12/13: Walking home with Shiho
Goonko: Hey, Shiho-chan.
Shiho: Are you going home? Want to walk together?
Goonko: Yeah, let's do that.
Shiho: Winter break...
Shiho: This is a critical time for us.
Goonko: What? Oh, you're talking about tests, aren't you?
Goonko: Yeah, I guess you're right.
Shiho: Are you going to take any practice exams? Want to take them with me?
Goonko: I'll, uh, I'll think about it.
Goonko: (I can't believe winter vacation's coming so soon.)
12/20: Walking home with Kazuma
Note that, at this point, I had already scheduled a trip to the mountains with Kazuma. It makes this conversation pretty funny.
Goonko: Have you already made plans for winter break?
Kazuma: Yeah. I'm gonna go skiing until I drop.
Kazuma: Man, I can't wait to glide down the slopes.
Goonko: (I bet Kazuma looks great in skiwear.)
12/23: One last shopping trip
I didn't buy anything, but I wanted to throw in the post-shopping events, which are mostly random and tend to toss two characters together so they can play off of each other, which rarely happens during the rest of the game.
Kazuma: Hey, Kimiko. I didn't expect to bump into you here.
Wataru: Dude, 'sup, senpai?
Goonko: What? Hibiya-kun's here too?
Kazuma: Yeah, we just bumped into each other.
Kazuma: We started talking about martial arts and lost track of time.
Wataru: Yeah, strong guys are so cool, man!
Wataru: Dude, I want to learn one myself.
Wataru: We're gonna head back to Suzuka-senpai's house and binge on pro wrestling, dude.
Kazuma: You wanna come?
Goonko: Uh, I'll pass.
Wataru: What?! Seriously?
Wataru: You can get so much stronger just watching it, man.
Wataru: It's, like, the battle cry of the soul!
Goonko may be an athlete, but she's smart - don't get between two teenage boys and their 'rasslin'. It's dangerous. You could end up like Yumi!
Kazuma: Well, it's a man's world. I don't think she'll understand.
Wataru: Hey, if you change your mind, you can join us any time!
Wataru: I'll welcome you with open arms!
Kazuma: Sure.
Kazuma: See ya later, Kimiko.
Goonko: (Those two get along pretty well, don't they.)
12/24: Christmas!
This Christmas starts out pretty much exactly the same as always, from STRANGER DANGER speech to Mizuki's squealing paroxysms of delight to Kazuma's awkward "uh, hi." So I'll just cut to the part that's different.
Shiki: Ah, Fudou-kun. So this is where you were.
Shiki: I was looking for you.
Goonko: Hey, Mihara-kun.
(...)
Shiki: Well, I have to go. Have a merry Christmas!
STRANGER DANGER: Fudou-kun, you came.
Goonko: Hi, Chairman.
(...)
STRANGER DANGER: I must excuse myself. Merry Christmas.
And, as usual, just picking Kazuma's name from a list means automatically receiving his gift in the white elephant exchange. This year, his present is "The fitness machine everyone's been talking about." We got the Roomwalker again, since he seems to have worn his out in the last year. That, or he collects them.
Goonko: (Hey! I saw this on an informercial.)
Goonko: Hi, Kazuma.
Kazuma: Y, yo, Kimiko. H, hey, that's my present you have.
Goonko: Really?
Goonko: Oh! And you're holding the present I bought, Kazuma!
Kazuma: Whoa! I was just thinking that I wanted one of these!
Kazuma: I'm glad your present came around to me!
And, finally, there's one more scene to watch.
Kazuma: Fudou! This is delicious.
Kazuma: Here, let me grab some for you--oh, shit!
Goonko: Ack!
Kazuma: Well, crap, I'm sorry.
Kazuma: Ugh, my sleeve's all sticky now.
Goonko: You need to wipe it off now, or it'll stain.
Goonko: Here, use this hand towel!
Kazuma: Okay...
Goonko: No, don't scrub it!
Goonko: You have to dab it--
Goonko: Geez, just follow me!
Kazuma: Holy crap, it's cold out here. Could you make it quick?
Goonko: Yeah, yeah, give me a second...
Kazuma: Hey, look at those stars.
Kazuma: They're so bright, doesn't it feel like you can just reach out and touch them?
Goonko: Yeah... they do say that about starry nights.
Goonko: But is something wrong? You're acting a little poetic today.
Kazuma: Can it, you dork!
Kazuma: You know, when I was a kid, I actually tried to catch a star.
Kazuma: I would always sneak up on top of the roof.
Goonko: Ahahaha! I can totally see you doing that!
Kazuma: Right? I would grab my dad's fishing pole, or a bug net, and I'd run around trying to get one down.
Kazuma: But my success rate was zero.
Goonko: That must have been hard work. Too bad you didn't catch anything.
Kazuma: I was a stupid kid.
Kazuma: Back then, I couldn't understand why I couldn't nab one.
Kazuma: I cried for a whole night, I was so frustrated.
Goonko: You can't stand losing, can you, Kazuma.
Kazuma: The other way of saying that is that I don't know when to give up.
Goonko: That's not the case at all.
Goonko: I think it's way better than being the kind of person who always gives up and makes excuses.
Kazuma: You really think so?
Goonko: I really do.
Goonko: Here, your sleeve's fine now.
Kazuma: Oh, thanks!
Kazuma: But... you know, when you say that kind of thing, I think that maybe it's not so bad...
Kazuma: You're a hard one to figure out, you know.
Kazuma: Thanks.
Kazuma: Merry Christmas.
Goonko: Kazuma...
Kazuma: A, anyway, my sleeve's all good, right? Let's get back inside!
Goonko: Oh, right. Okay.
12/26: Skiing with Kazuma
Since I missed a chance to show Kazuma's reaction to wearing his present, I tried again here.
After the "I guess you're a girl after all, huh" exchange, Kazuma suddenly switches gears and says:
Kazuma: Kimiko, uh, um... thanks.
Goonko: Where did that come from?
Kazuma: You wore it.
Kazuma: It's kind of embarrassing to see it...
Goonko: (Kazuma seems really happy! Hehehe, I'm glad I wore it.)
Kazuma: Awesome! It's all white out here! Let's get skiing!
Kazuma: Hey, are you sure you're okay skiing on this course?
Goonko: I'm fine, I'm fine! We shouldn't waste any time here.
Goonko: I want to ski with you!
Kazuma: Y, you dork.
Kazuma: Well, be careful at least.
Goonko: Roger!
Goonko: Wh, whoa! Ahh!
Goonko: Eeeeek!
Kazuma: Hey! Are you alright?
Goonko: Hehehe, just a little tumble is--
Goonko: Ow!
Goonko: I think I twisted my knee.
Kazuma: You idiot! Don't move it!
Kazuma: Lemme see that.
Kazuma: It doesn't look like you broke anything, but this is probably going to start swelling.
"That knee is critical to your future as a basketball player, you idiot!"
Kazuma: Alright, get on my back.
Goonko: What? But--
Kazuma: But nothing, what's the point in being shy at a time like this?
Kazuma: Ahhh, shut up and get on!
Goonko: Kazuma, are you okay?
Goonko: I'm not too heavy, am I?
Kazuma: J, just shut up for a second, will you?
Goonko: What? Oh. Okay...
Kazuma: N, no, it's nothing like that. Just...
Kazuma: You're breathing into my ear, and it tickles.
Goonko: ...
Kazuma: S, something wrong with that?
Goonko: Kazuma, your ears are all red.
Kazuma: Sh, shut up, you dork! If you keep talking about that shit, I'll throw you off!
Goonko: Ahahaha!
Kazuma: ...
Kazuma: Umm. I'm really sorry.
Kazuma: You tried to keep up with me, and you got hurt...
Goonko: It's not your fault, Kazuma.
Kazuma: But, I mean, as a guy, getting a girl hurt...
Goonko: Kazuma...
Next time: If you love her, why don't you just take her for yourself?
