Part 120: Your mouth's moving fast, and your brain's moving slow

Tokimeki Memorial, chapter 7: Your mouth's moving fast, and your brain's moving slow

9/4: Wakaoji's Birthday

The options for Waka's birthday are:

Option 1: A glossary of current slang
Option 2: A manga I drew during class
Option 3: Improve your memory in three easy steps!

Wakaoji's birthday continues the trend of offering gift options that are just plain insulting. We can give him proof that we're not paying attention in class, or a guide to curing his absentmindedness, or we can get him something that might theoretically help him communicate with teenagers.

The correct option is the glossary of current slang, so we go with that.


Siren: Wakaoji-sensei!
Wakaoji: Hello, Fudou-san. Is something wrong?
Siren: Today's your birthday, isn't it, Wakaoji-sensei? I got you a present!
Wakaoji: Oh, that's unfortunate.
Siren: Huh?
Wakaoji: I just received a warning from the head teacher this morning. He was very insistent that I not accept any gifts from students.
Siren: Is that so...
Wakaoji: Exactly so. I am so sorry.
Siren: (He couldn't even take my present.)

Wakaoji will not accept gifts until we reach a higher affection level with him, and in this scattershot run I've built so far, he is pretty far from that affection level. It'd require a decent amount of save scumming to be able to give him this present, and quite frankly that's not important enough to do in year one.

9/10: Raise your freak flag high, Haruhi.


Siren: Huh? Who could be calling?
Haruhi: Hiyadoin'? It's me! Y'know who this is?
Siren: Haruhi-chan, right?
Haruhi: Pretty smart of ya ta figure that out! Good on ya!
Siren: Thanks. But why're you calling in the first place?

Haruhi, you are one of only two people in this game with that accent. It's not that hard.


Haruhi: Whoa, I almost forgot! I was about ta blabber on about nothin' for another half hour.
Haruhi: Y'know, my last phone bill was crazy! Ya think I talk too much?
Siren: Haruhi-chan, you're doing it again.
Haruhi: Oh. Hahaha, sorry.
Haruhi: Alright, I'll get to the point. You busy today? Wanna come out with me?
Haruhi: There's a special, limited-time-only sale of cakes from a famous patissier today!
Haruhi: Only the first thirty people get one, so let's go get in line!
Siren: Yeah, let's go!
Haruhi: Whoa, seriously? You're so awesome! Thanks!
Haruhi: Okay, I'll be waitin' for ya at the entrance to the shopping district.
Haruhi: I might get in line before ya get here, but I'll see ya!


Haruhi: This cake is a freakin' dream come true! I can't believe it!
Siren: I'm glad for you, Haruhi-chan.
Haruhi: This was a great buy! I could eat this all day!
Siren: What?
Haruhi: I'll make a rice bowl! A huge one! My diet can go to hell!
Haruhi: Anyway, I'm really happy about today. Thanks!
Siren: (Cake... and rice?)

Haruhi mixes her metaphors to the point of confusion here. The idiom she uses literally means "I could eat this with three bowls of rice" and means "I love it a lot". But then she talks about making a donburi rice bowl, and things just get confusing.


Haruhi: Thanks a lot for comin' out with me today!
Haruhi: This ain't much in the way of thanks, but here!
Siren: Huh?
Haruhi: I cut out pages from magazines and make my own catalog of sweets.
Haruhi: This is my latest issue, coverin' all the latest and greatest from the last couple weeks!
Siren: Thanks, I'll make sure to read the whole thing.
Haruhi: Oh, whew! This is the first time I've ever shown it to anyone.
Haruhi: I was afraid you'd be all weirded out. Glad you like it!


Siren: (She gave me her handmade catalog! It feels like I've gotten faster at picking up info.)
Haruhi: Thanks again for comin' out today! You were a huge help.
Haruhi: Next time, it's my turn to go out on whatever goofy errand you want, so call me whenever you think of it!
Siren: I will.
Haruhi: Alright, I gotta run. Let's hang out soon!

Is... is scrapbooking cakes and pastries out of magazines weird? Is it normal? Please help. Being a girl is hard.

Anyway, Haruhi's catalog provides a no-fuss +5 to the Social and Fashion stats, which is a pretty good use of a Sunday.

9/16: A normal human conversation with Teru

Skipping the usual "Hey. Let's walk home together." "Why?" "No reason." "Okay, I guess" exchange here - just assume that it happens for all dates and walks home until further notice.


Siren: Hey, so how long have you been helping out at Sangosho, Saeki-kun?
Teru: I only helped a bit when I was in middle school. I really started working a little before the first day of high school.
Siren: Since middle school? That explains why you seem so at home there.
Teru: Back in middle school, all Grandpa allowed me to do was wash dishes and wait a few tables.
Siren: Really? Your grandpa must be really particular about his coffee.


Teru: Yeah. But now, he lets me brew the coffee myself, and every once in a while he lets me try and create my own blends too.
Teru: Oh yeah! The other day, my grandpa actually called me "our barista" to a customer!
Siren: What's a barista? Someone who brews coffee?
Teru: It's not just that. I can't quite explain it, but it's someone who makes sure you only get the best coffee.
Teru: I'm nowhere near that yet.
Teru: I can't really work on it much because I still have to concentrate on school, but once I graduate, I'll work on getting better, and then--
Siren: Mm-hmm?
Teru: --then, well, who knows. That's what I feel, anyway. I'm done talking.
Siren: (He didn't have to cut himself off, I didn't mind.)

These conversations on the way home from school are the only ones where Teru hasn't hopped back and forth between casual/brusque and polite forms of speech, so it's very likely that this is the only time that he relaxes.

9/17: Another track meet...


And another loss. This is going to be a recurring theme in Siren's run, since she is only on the track team to keep up appearances - I'm focusing her stats on being a social butterfly as well as a good student.

9/24: Date with Teru on the observation deck near the Bayside Bridge


Teru: Whoa, cool! The fog's rolling in, and the bridge looks so hazy.
Option 1: I wanna bungee jump from there!
Option 2: It's so beautiful, like a scene from a movie.
Option 3: The light hits the bridge just right from here. It's beautiful.

For reference, if we choose option 1, he calls Siren an adrenaline junkie for a neutral reaction. Option 2, he calls us unimaginative. Thanks, save states!


Siren: The light hits the bridge just right from here. It's beautiful.
Teru: Yeah. They must've put a lot of thought into how the bridge works with the rest of the scenery.
Siren: (The mood's pretty good right now.)


Teru: What're you doing?

Siren: Sorry, I was playing with your bangs and hearts just came flying out of your head. I can put them back in, if you want.

9/27: Chatting with Haruhi after school


Siren: Say, Haruhi-chan...
Haruhi: Yuh-huh?
Siren: Do you have a favorite sport?
Haruhi: I like all of 'em! I think the only sport I don't like is sumo.
Siren: Sumo, eh?


Haruhi: What's with that look? Somethin' weird cross your mind?
Siren: What?
Haruhi: You were makin' a face like you were thinkin' "I bet you'd be good at sumo."
Siren: N, no way, I'd never think that!


Haruhi: Ahaha, I'm just messin' with ya! You sure are a fun one.
Haruhi: But be honest. You thought about it for a second, didn't ya?
Haruhi: I won't get angry, I swear, so 'fess up!
Siren: (Haruhi-chan, you may be smiling, but you're kinda scaring me right now...)

10/1: Field trip #2 with Wakaoji


Wakaoji: I'm no curator, so I really don't know my way around this museum.
Students: Whaaaaat?!
Wakaoji: So, the first person who looks me in the eye will be the teacher for the day.
Wakaoji: Ah-ha.
Siren: ???


Wakaoji: Alright, everyone, a round of applause for today's teacher!
Students: Yay!
Siren: What? Me? Seriously?


Wakaoji: Sensei! I have a question.
Wakaoji: Why do dogu look like that?
Option 1: They're modeled after aliens!
Option 2: I... guess it was the art style of the time.
Option 3: I think they were objects of worship for the native beliefs of the time.

If you're a Darkstalkers fan, then you'll believe option 1. The mini-boss Huitzil/Phobos is modeled after a dogu, and he indeed came from outer space.

Actual scholars don't really know what dogu were used for, but the most common theory is related to option 3, so we choose that one.

Siren: I think they were objects for the native beliefs of the time.
Wakaoji: I see! You really know your stuff. I'm glad I made you teacher for today.
Siren: (Yay! I made a great impression!)

Siren: (And I was a better teacher than he was, too!)


Siren: I learned a lot on this field trip!
Wakaoji: Yes, you did a great job. I had a lot of fun learning alongside all of you.
Wakaoji: A round of applause for today's top student, everyone!
Wakaoji: That's all for today, everyone. See you at school tomorrow.

I know that the end-of-the-day dialogue is canned, but it would've been awesome to flip Wakaoji and Siren's lines here, with Siren being teacher for a day.

10/6: Itaru's birthday


Present 1: Saturn mousepad
Present 2: Super Alloy glasses case
Present 3: How to Win Friends and Influence People

Strangely, there's only one outright insulting gift for our helmeted stick-in-the-mud. The good gift, in this case, is the mousepad with a picture of Saturn on it. I would've liked a Super Alloy glasses case, myself.


Siren: Hikami-kun!
Itaru: No running in the hallway, Fudou-kun!
Siren: Oh. Sorry.
Siren: Anyway, happy birthday! I got you a present!
Itaru: Really? For me?
Siren: Yeah. Here!
Itaru: I'm glad you remembered. Time to open this up.


Itaru: This is--wow. How did you know exactly what I wanted?
Itaru: This is the best present anyone's given me. Thank you.
Siren: (Yay, he really seemed to love it!)

10/7: Harry harries hurried hair


Harry: No way, I'll bet you anything. It takes an hour, at least.
Teru: No, it doesn't.
Siren: (Saeki-kun and Harry?)


Harry: Sup, Ren?
Siren: Hey, Harry. Hey, Saeki-kun.
Teru: Ugh...
Siren: Rude. So, what're you two talking about?
Harry: Hey, what do you think about this guy's hair?
Siren: His hair?


Harry: I figure it takes at least an hour to make his hair look like he didn't spend any time on it.
Siren: Now that you mention it, I bet he does put a lot of effort into that mop.


Teru: It doesn't, and I don't.
Teru: Why's it even matter to you twerps, anyway?


Harry: Hear that? He called us twerps.
Harry: Look, you can either act all cool or you can play honor student. Choose one.
Harry: Hopping between the two just makes you look lame.
Teru: Shut up. Leave me alone.
Siren: (Does Harry really have Saeki-kun on the back foot?)
Siren: (This is pretty fun to watch.)

Every once in a while, we'll stumble into a conversation between two characters that we know. It's a nice touch that TMGS 2 uses to make the game world revolve less around you, as characters can actually be seen interacting with each other without us around.

I don't know if Harry is allowed to call someone else out on trying to act too cool for school and utterly failing.

10/22: Teru at the zoo


I haven't talked as much about Siren's wardrobe as I did about Goonko's wardrobe, but I would like to note the convenient Cold -> Warm chart at the bottom of the dressing room. October's right around when we'll need to start dressing up warm, so it's time to pull out the sweaters and dresses.


Teru: I feel like that giraffe's been staring at us for a while...
Option 1: Maybe he's just curious about us?
Option 2: He's probably scared of you, Saeki-kun.
Option 3: Then let's stare right back at him.

At this point, I figured I'd save, pick the obvious troll option in 3, and reload. Then this happened:


Siren: Then let's stare right back at him.
Teru: Way ahead of you. He just won't blink, will he?
Siren: (Things are going pretty well!)

That was the best answer.

10/26: Siren's birthday


Haruhi: Surpriiiise!
Siren: Whoa! You scared me! What's going on, Haruhi-chan?


Haruhi: Happy birthday! Here, I gotcha a present!
Siren: Thanks, you shouldn't have!
Haruhi: Of course I shoulda! Who doesn't get a present for their bestest friend, huh?
Haruhi: Seeya soon!
Siren: (I'm so happy that Haruhi-chan gave me a present!)

Unlike pretty much every other character in Tokimemo history, Siren takes her gift home before opening it. It's unusually demure.


Siren: (I wonder what she got me?)
Siren: (A compact mirror.)
Siren: (Oh, and she wrote a note, too. It says...)
Haruhi: Use this mirror every day, and watch yourself turn into a great gal!
Siren: (Hahaha, that's so her. Alright, let's make good use of this!)

Haruhi's birthday present is worth +5 Social and +5 Charm.

10/31: Asking Haruhi the hard questions


Siren: Say, Haruhi-chan...
Haruhi: Yuh-huh?
Siren: What kind of music do you like?


Haruhi: Wh, why do ya ask?
Siren: Huh? I just wanted to know what you listen to, that's all.


Haruhi: L, lately, I been... listenin' to a lotta rock...
Siren: Really? Why?
Haruhi: Uh, there, uh, there ain't no real reason!
Haruhi: Ya don't need ta read real deep into it or nothin'.


Haruhi: I just heard it was good, so I figured I'd give it a try, ya know?
Siren: (I wonder why she got so hot and bothered about that? Weird.)

11/11: The school festival

Siren: Our class is running a cafe today. I need to hurry if I want to help set up!


Siren: (Oh, there's Saeki-kun.)
Siren: Saeki-kun!
Teru: Ren.
Teru: What's it like doing slave labor?
Siren: Stop being so negative.
Siren: Say, if you have some time, you should swing by my class' cafe!


Teru: Maybe. Now, I should go back to my leisurely tour of the premises--
Girl A: Hey! There you are, Saeki-kun!
Teru: Crap.


Teru: Erm, hello!
Girl A: Saeki-kun, did you come by my class yet?
Teru: Sorry, I was just about to head that way.
Girl B: Saeki-kun~, come by our class too~!
Teru: Of course. I'm looking forward to seeing it.
Girl C: Whaaaat? Then when will you see me?
Teru: L, look, I'll be there in due time, okay?
Girl A: Hurry up!
Teru: Ha... Hahaha. Well, see you soon!
Siren: (So much for his leisurely tour. I wonder how long it'll take before he can swing by...)


???: Mimimiiiii...
Siren: (Was that Harry's voice?)


Harry: Laaa, laaaa...
Harry: Shit, my voice just isn't working right. Laaaa!
Siren: (Oh yeah, Harry's going to sing today. I wonder when he's taking the stage?)


Siren: (And there's Hikami-kun.)
Itaru: Take that down this instant!
Itaru: If you keep this up, then I will be forced to revoke your temporary business license.
Boy: Aww, c'mon, can't you just let this slide? It's the centerpiece of our whole booth!


Itaru: Since you did this without permission, I cannot allow it.
Itaru: If you ignore my warning, then I'll shut you down immediately! I don't make exceptions.
Boy: Okay, okay, we'll take it down.
Siren: (Looks like he's on patrol. Hikami-kun goes strictly by the book, even during the festival.)

These appearances are, as usual, based on current affection levels. Haruhi runs around and eats everything in sight, and Wakaoji bemusedly tries to hawk the Young Prince Cafe.


Siren: Thanks for waiting! That's one hot coffee, one black tea, one iced cocoa, and... hmm.
Siren: (This is super busy.)
Yuu: Sis!
Siren: Oh, Yuu-kun! I'm glad you made it.
Yuu: You've been acting kinda careless lately, so I was a little worried about you, Sis, so--
Siren: And what's that supposed to mean?


Yuu: Nothing! I'm here because you said the cake was delicious. That's all.
Siren: Alright, sir. What would you like to order?
Yuu: Ummm, I'll have the tea and cake set, please!


Yuu: Thanks! That was pretty good!
Siren: Uh-huh.
Yuu: But you know, Sis, you're pretty good at being a waitress. You were acting really professional.
Siren: Really? Me, acting professional?
Yuu: Yeah, you were way way better than I imagined.
Siren: I really don't want to know what you were imagining.
Siren: (But to be honest, it feels nice when someone says you're doing good work.)


Siren: Our cafe was really popular, and I had a lot of fun!
Siren: Oh no, Harry might be done with his set already. I should run over and check!
*crash*
Siren: Whoa! What was that?


Harry: Fuck! Why does this always happen?
Harry: Pathetic...
Siren: Harry?
Harry: Ren.
Siren: Are you... done?


Harry: Yeah. I've been done for a while. So get outta my face.
Siren: But--
Harry: I said get outta my face!
Siren: I'm sorry I missed your show.


Harry: I think you're better off that way.
Siren: What's that supposed to mean?
Harry: There's no reason for you to look forward to my shows.
Siren: Don't say that!
Harry: That's enough!
Harry: ...Sorry. I'm always like this after a show.
Harry: I just never get any better, do I.
Harry: But talking to you calmed me down a lot.
Harry: I still need to think about this, though, so could you please give me some time?
Harry: And... sorry for yelling at you.
Siren: (Harry...)

A Skinship prompt comes up here, but any action other than canceling it leads to Harry dejectedly asking us to leave him alone.

Next time: I think it's time we blow this scene, get everybody and the stuff together.