Part 129: Just another case about the wrong path
Tokimemo Girl's Side 2, Chapter 16: Just another case about the wrong path9/28: Hanging with Harry
Now that Harry and Siren don't have to deal with the awkwardness of unresolved teen relationship status, hanging out with him after school works a lot like it does with Haruhi and Siren. The two of them sit down, small talk a bit, and the blushing and mumbling is kept to a minimum.
Siren: By the way, Harry...
Harry: Huh?
Option 1: What can you tell me about boys?
Option 2: What kind of girl do guys like?
Option 3: What makes you excited?
Siren: What can you tell me about boys? I want to know more.
Harry: ...And what would you do with that knowledge?
Siren: Well, the more I know, the more I can plan my defenses, you know?
Harry: Plan your defenses? Seriously? Stop thinking like that!
Harry: Just body up on them as they come!
Siren: You want me do what with my body?
Harry: W, wait, don't get it all twisted, that's not what I meant!
Harry: Gah, where's this conversation going, anyway?
Siren: (Why's he so worked up? That's weird.)
Hey, I said the blushing and awkwardness would be kept to a minimum. Not entirely avoided. As a bonus, here's another version of the same conversation.
Siren: What kind of girl do guys like?
Harry: Jeez, that's a loaded question.
Harry: Well, you can't go wrong if you just keep improving yourself.
Harry: It's probably easier to change how you look than how you act, so... hey, why're you looking at me like that?
Siren: Are you implying that there's something wrong with how I act?
Harry: What? No! How could you get that out of what I'm saying?
Harry: Geez!
Siren: (Ack, I made him angry...)
10/1: False flags
Wakaoji: I have an exciting announcement for you today, class.
Class: What could it be?
Class: A transfer student?
Class: I hope it's a girl!
Wakaoji: That's... half right?
Boys: What's that supposed to mean? Spit it out, Waka-chan!
Wakaoji: Alright, alright. Everyone, we have a new friend in class today. Come on in!
Wakaoji: Go on, introduce yourself.
Komori: (inaudible whispering)
Class: Hey, speak up, we can't hear you.
Wakaoji: Alright, once more with feeling!
Komori: .....
Siren: (Is he just nervous?)
Wakaoji: "My name is Komori Taku. This is how you write it."
Komori: ......
Wakaoji: Ummm, any questions for him?
Girl A: I have a question! Do you have a girlfriend?
Komori: ......
Siren: (Oh boy...)
Wakaoji: "Well, I'm looking for a girlfriend and some good friends too!"
Wakaoji: Next question!
Girl B: What are your hobbies?
Komori: .......
Wakaoji: "I like picking fleas off of cats!"
Boy A: Speak for yourself, Waka-chan!
Wakaoji: Oh, sorry. Alright, that's enough questions for now--
Boy B: Hey, why haven't you said anything?
Girl A: He's kinda gloomy...
Komori: I, I...
Komori: Umm. Never mind.
Boy A: What's that supposed to mean?
Siren: (Komori-kun looks pretty scared... alright, I know what to do)
Option 1: I should tell everyone he's just nervous on his first day!
Option 2: I shouldn't butt in.
Our Siren's one to speak her mind, even if it gets her in trouble.
Siren: It's his first day, can you blame him for being nervous?
Wakaoji: She has a good point. Let's not rush Komori-kun into anything.
Wakaoji: Now, Komori-kun, you'll be sitting...
Siren: (I said what I could, I hope he can do alright from here.)
Fans of Sayonara Zetsubou-sensei will remember that Komori is a really common name for characters with crippling reclusiveness, thanks to the phenomenon known as Hikikomori. It's pretty easy to see which way Komori's story arc will go, and since it makes for really dull Let's Playing, we'll skip the rest of it after this.
10/4: Coffee from a beaker? Is that safe?
Siren: (Ugh, I hate being on cleanup duty after lab. Let's see, where do the glass slides go... ah, there they are)
???: Fudou-san?
Siren: Huh?
Siren: Ack!
Siren: Whew, I didn't drop anything. That was a close one...
Wakaoji: Good job.
Wakaoji: Are you alright?
Siren: Uh, I think I am.
Wakaoji: You surprised me.
Siren: (I don't think he realizes who surprised who...)
Wakaoji: I was brewing some coffee, care for a cup?
Siren: Sensei, do you always take your coffee like this?
Wakaoji: I do.
Siren: Umm, does it taste better that way or something?
Wakaoji: I don't really know. It most likely doesn't, though.
Siren: Then...
Wakaoji: I used to keep reminding myself that I should bring my coffee maker here.
Siren: Uh oh.
Wakaoji: And I don't know why, but by the next morning I would completely forget about it.
Wakaoji: In the end, I just gave up on the idea.
Siren: You just gave up.
Wakaoji: Exactly.
Siren: (Hahaha, there's no other way this story could have ended with him.)
10/16: A look at what could have been
Wakaoji: And that concludes our homeroom for the day!
Wakaoji: Oh! Wait a second. Could anyone deliver these worksheets to our absent Komori-kun?
Siren: (Oh yeah, we haven't seen Komori-kun since that first day, have we?)
Wakaoji: I would do it myself, but I have business tonight... oh dear.
Option 1: I can do it!
Option I'm pretty busy...
Siren: Want me to do it, Wakaoji-sensei?
Wakaoji: You're a lifesaver. Thank you. Let me find Komori-kun's address...
Siren: (Let's see... Hanegasaki district F. That's pretty close to my place, I think.)
Siren: (It should be around here somewhere -- there it is!)
Siren: (Room 302. There's no name plate, but this should be the right one. I'll just buzz on the intercom.)
Siren: (...)
Siren: (...)
Siren: (Is he not home?)
Siren: (...)
Komori: Hello?
Siren: Oh! My name's Fudou Siren, I'm one of Taku-kun's classmates at school.
Komori: Umm, what are you doing here?
Siren: Oh, is that you, Komori-kun? I brought you this week's worksheets.
Siren: Komori-kun! You don't look so hot, are you still sick?
Komori: Those worksheets. Um...
Siren: Here they are!
Komori: ...
Siren: Hmm?
Komori: ...Bye.
Siren: Uh, bye it is, then.
Siren: (I hope he's alright.)
As you can see, this isn't exactly the "draw the shut-in out of his shell" story isn't exactly full of scintillating dialogue. So it's time to drop this and get back to the main story.
10/23: Dodge duck dip dive and dodge
Wakaoji: Fudou-san?
Siren: Oh, hi Wakaoji-sensei!
Wakaoji: Thank you for delivering those worksheets. How was Komori-kun doing?
Siren: He still seemed pretty pale when I saw him...
Wakaoji: You saw him?
Siren: Only for a little bit, but yeah.
Wakaoji: To tell you the truth, I haven't seen hair or hide of him since his first day.
Siren: Really?
Wakaoji: I'm afraid that he doesn't trust me because I'm a teacher. But that doesn't mean I can simply give up on him.
Siren: Yeah!
Wakaoji: Fudou-san, could you stop by his place every so often on your way home from school? Just to try and talk to him?
Siren: What? I, I don't know...
Wakaoji: I see. Thank you anyway.
Sorry, Komori, but your crippling personal issues will sidetrack Siren's story significantly. So you'll have to be sacrificed on the altar of Chasing the Main Character in a Tokimemo Game.
10/26: Siren's birthday
Haruhi: Surpriiiiiise!
Siren: Ah! You scared me! What're you doing, Haruhi-chan?
Haruhi: Happy birthday! Here's your present!
Siren: Oh, wow, thanks!
Haruhi: It's my favorite gal's birthday, anythin' less would be uncivilized!
Haruhi: Anyway, seeya 'round!
Siren: (I wonder what she gave me?)
Siren: (A postcard of an angel!)
Siren: (Aww, she wrote a message on it too. "They told me this angel will bring ya nothin' but happiness and love!")
Siren: (I hope she's right!)
Haruhi's present gives +5 art and -5 stress, which is really handy when Siren's quietly been grinding her stats to Teru-worthiness.
Siren: Hello?
Masaki: Yo.
Siren: Oh, good evening, Masaki-senpai. What're you doing here?
Masaki: It's your birthday, isn't it?
Siren: It is. You remembered?
Masaki: I guess I did. And I guess that means you get this present, too.
Siren: Really? Thanks!
Masaki: Now, you're not allowed to say "I looked inside and saw nothing but disappointment," got it?
Masaki: Anyway, have a good night.
Siren: (I wonder what he got me?)
Siren: (A stuffed skullbear!)
Masaki's present gives +5 Social and -5 Stress, which is less useful than Haruhi's since Social is Siren's strongest stat. It's mechanically the same as Teru's present, which would have been a stuffed capybara.
Next time: Teru returns, fluffier than ever.
