4. View Free Time Events
[Eizo - Free Time Event #3]
Eizo: Umeko, good to see you. Were you looking for me?
I decided to spend some time with Eizo. Looks like Eizo and I grew a little closer today.
Eizo: [thoughtful] I wonder…
Umeko: Penny for your thoughts, Eizo?
Eizo: Ah, I apologize, Umeko. I thought I was muttering quietly enough under my breath that you wouldn't hear. It's rude of me to be distracted while with you.
Umeko: N-No, seriously, you don't need to apologize. What's up? Is it something I can help with?
Eizo: [uncomfortable] W-Well, you see...I've been looking at the others in the class, and I can't help but notice…
Umeko: Notice what?
Is he going to mention some sort of misbehavior he wants my advice on how to correct? What's it going to be this time? Yoshihiki's pranks? Wakako's aggressive flirting?
Eizo: I've been watching the others...having fun.
Umeko: ...Say what now?
D-Does he want to outlaw fun?
Eizo: [thoughtful] I only meant...I was watching Taro and Miyumi hanging out the other day. And they looked so at ease talking with one another. I was pretty surprised at how quickly the two of them became so close, given the circumstances. And I was watching Mordecai and Fukumi up to their usual antics, and Yoshihiki messing around with Samira…
Umeko: Was...there a problem with that?
I'm confused...is he trying to implement a new rule now or something and wants my advice?
Eizo: No, it's just...I look at them having fun with one another, and I just can't help but think to myself…[disappointed]...why have I never been able to have that same experience?
Umeko: What do you mean by that?
Eizo: [uncomfortable] It's just that...well, I had a best friend once. He and I would do everything together. But he...had to leave. ...And ever since then, I've...I've never really had a friend that close to me. Ever. Not the way Mordecai has Fukumi, or Taro and Miyumi have each other...you know what I'm saying? [disappointed] And I can't help but look at my life up to this point and wonder...just how many times have I ever actually had fun with another person? Most of my life has been taken up by rules and assignments...projects and exams...leadership training and business classes...I can't remember the last time I really tried to let loose and just...well...be a teenager. If ever.
Umeko: I see the problem…
Eizo: [disappointed] I suppose I feel...I don't know...jealous? Jealous that the others know how to have fun but...I...um...don't? The idea of a fun activity to me is...an alien concept. What's the word for what I'm feeling? It's on the tip of my tongue, I feel, and yet...it eludes me.
Umeko: You must mean…
1) HOMO
2) FOMO
3) SLOMO
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
Answer: 2) FOMO
Umeko: FOMO...Fear Of Missing Out. Correct?
Eizo: [shocked] Wow. You nailed it. Yes, that's exactly what I'm talking about. [disappointed] I just don't want to feel like I've wasted my life doing what's expected of me and never having fun.
Umeko: Okay, well...tell me what your idea of doing something fun is like. If you were to do something fun right now...what would you be doing?
Eizo: [uncomfortable] ...I don't know? Reading the newspaper?
I tried as hard as I could to not roll my eyes.
Eizo: [thoughtful] Hey, catching up on the latest news is important, and educational. It keeps me up-to-date with current events and the international political climate. Those are much more important than frivolous merrymaking. [disappointed] ...And I'm starting to sound like my father again. [annoyed] Damn it…
I know I didn't imagine that venom in his tone. He really is bitter about this...
Umeko: Maybe you just need to learn to let loose with another person.
Eizo: Oh yeah? Like who?
Umeko: Um...like…
1) Yoshihiki
2) Samira
3) Fukumi
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
Answer: 3) Fukumi
Eizo: [worried] Fukumi? Really?
Umeko: She's the SHSL Daredevil, after all. If anyone knows how to let loose and have fun...it'd be her, right? And she's not problematic like Yoshihiki or holding a grudge against you like Samira.
Eizo: [worried] But Fukumi's so...irresponsible.
Umeko: Even so, maybe you need to learn to let go of responsibility for a bit.
Eizo: [distressed] Let go...of responsibility? That's...that's sacrilege.
Umeko: Do you want to try having fun, or not?
Eizo: [disappointed] ...I suppose I could give it a shot. Fine. I'll try talking to her.
Umeko: Good man. Lighten up, and try not to worry so much. I'm sure she'll teach you how to have a good time for once.
Eizo: Thanks, Umeko. I hope I can learn from her. [uncomfortable] Oh man...does this mean I have to ask Fukumi to be my "teacher"? This is such a bad idea...
He shuffled away, still looking deeply conflicted, like there was two sides inside of him fighting for control: one that wanted to stay prim and proper and the other that simply wanted to throw caution to the winds and have fun with a person like Fukumi.
He's even talking about learning to have fun like it's a lesson, something that needs to be taught instead of just...being experienced. I can't even imagine living so sheltered and constrained by rules as he has...
[Eizo's Report Card has been updated based on your experience with him.]
[Eizo - Free Time Event #4]
Eizo: Excellent. There you are, Umeko. I was hoping you'd seek out my company. Would you like to stay and chat?
I decided to spend some time with Eizo. Looks like Eizo and I grew a little closer today.
Eizo: [thoughtful] I took your advice from the other time, and I spoke with Fukumi.
Umeko: Oh, good. How did it go?
Eizo: [uncomfortable] At first, she wanted to take me to do all kinds of crazy stunts, like cartwheeling down the stairs or jumping onto chandeliers. But thankfully, for her sake and mine, I talked her out of it. She did tell me that, if I wanted to learn to let loose, that I should finally acquiesce and let her go crazy in the kitchen like she's always wanted, and that I could even join in.
Umeko: And did you?
Eizo: [uncomfortable] Yes. She was quite wild in there. It wasn't terribly fun for me, however. At the end of it, I ended up being the one who cleaned up after her.
After all that, Eizo's attempt to become more fun ended with him cleaning up the kitchen? You can't make this stuff up...
Umeko: Oh. Sorry to hear that…
Eizo: Still, at least she was willing to try and help me. She may not have chosen the most fun activity but her choices are, understandably, limited, as long as we're stuck in this Killing Game. That being said, I do think I learned something from my interactions with her.
Umeko: That is?
Eizo: I'm too constricted by rules. For too long, I've let rules dictate my life, and let my parents control my decisions for me. From the moment I was born, I've had my whole life planned out to a tee, as is the Oshima way. I was raised from birth to be a leader, and no other choice in life was even considered as an option. It was only today that it truly hit me, that I've made so few conscious decisions of my own accord. [disappointed] Fukumi's so carefree precisely because she's never governed by rules, set by anyone or herself. She just lets life take its course, and she's happier for it. And that's something I've never gotten to experience. It's gotten to a point where I'm not sure I would even be able to appreciate living without rules, because I've lived with them for so long, I don't know what I'd do otherwise.
Umeko: That...sounds awful, Eizo. You sound really oppressed…
Eizo: [disappointed] You don't know the half of it. I'm only surprised...it took me this long to realize it myself.
Umeko: Can't you...talk to your parents about this?
Eizo: They would never understand, Umeko. They could never.
Umeko: What about your siblings?
Eizo: [worried] Most of them follow the same path. They're all important authoritative figures in whatever occupation or industry they've made their careers in. Doctors, lawyers, businesspeople...they'd just chide me for talking out of turn and act like I'm being juvenile because of my age. "It's natural to want to act out", they'll say. But that's the extent of it when it comes to seeking advice from them.
Umeko: What I meant was, haven't any of them also expressed similar desires to be less governed my your parent's rules and expectations?
Eizo: [thoughtful] ...I've...honestly wondered about that before, but...no. None of them have ever told me of anything of the sort. Either they've kept it to themselves or...or maybe they really don't care.
Umeko: The path of an SHSL Commander...is that really what you want for yourself?
Eizo: [disappointed] I don't know, Umeko. But it's the only thing I have. Without it, I...I'm nothing. I don't have any other talents or hobbies or passions or...anything, really. It's all I've got, so...I have to make something out of it. And yet, it doesn't feel right anymore. Like...like I've just been living a lie. Playing the role of a character in a book that was written for me without any of my input, and my parents were the authors.
He can be surprisingly eloquent on this topic...
Eizo: [disappointed] I don't know what to do, Umeko. The life as a leader was given to me and like it or not, I've grown into it after years of being groomed for this title and position as the SHSL Commander. They dictate everything. Everything! From what I eat to what I do every second of everyday… It's the only way of life I've ever known. But I wish I could get more from life than just what my parents have laid out for me. And yet I have no idea how I'm going to go about doing it. Despite being in a leadership position, I think I have even less autonomy than the people I command. What should I do?
Umeko: ...I think you should...
1) Keep following your parents' plan
2) Take a risk and forge your own path
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
...
Answer: 2) Take a risk and forge your own path
Umeko: I know it's a big risk, Eizo. But honestly? Hearing everything you've been telling me these few days...I think you need to take a chance, and make an independent decision for yourself.
Eizo: [worried] Really? You think so? What are you saying, Umeko?
Umeko: I'm saying…you need to forge your own path in life, even if it deviates from what your parents had planned. It sounds to me like...you were never really happy with the life you've been forced into, so...why keep going the way things are going?
Eizo: [worried] But what if I choose the wrong path? I've always tried to be confident when giving my people orders and instructions, and yet I can't even make this decision by myself. I'm useless…
Umeko: You can't expect to do everything right without help, Eizo. No one can do everything perfect like that, no matter what your parents may have led you to believe. Everyone needs a little help every now and then and there's no shame in that. I really do think you wouldn't be happy settling for only the life your parents laid out for you. And...as your friend, I wouldn't want you to regret not making a change in your life until it's too late.
He sighed heavily, hand up to his chin, a steely sparkle in his eyes that made it seem like a million things were running through his mind at that exact moment.
Eizo: [worried] You've...given me a lot to consider, once again, Umeko. You speak truth. I...I should be less averse to taking such risks.
He rubbed his eyes, tired.
Eizo: [thoughtful] I need to sleep on what you've said to me for now, Umeko. But thank you. Talking to you...has brought me a refreshing change in perspective, and perhaps...it's exactly what I needed.
Eizo still looks deeply troubled...I hope I was able to help him somewhat. I can only imagine the mess he must be in right now, mentally...
[Eizo's Report Card has been updated based on your experience with him.]
[Eizo - Free Time Event #5: Finale]
Eizo: [thoughtful] Umeko. If it's not too much trouble, could we speak?
I decided to spend some time with Eizo. Looks like Eizo and I grew a little closer today.
Umeko: Eizo?
Eizo: [thoughtful] I've given a lot of thought to our last conversation. Might we speak someplace more private? Perhaps...we could continue this in my room?
Umeko: Sure.
Eizo and I headed to his room to finish our talk.
Eizo's room was neat and tidy when I arrived, as I expected. He had several similar suit jackets hanging in his closet. His bathroom was immaculate and clean, without a single hand towel out of place. His bed was perfectly made, and not a crease was in sight.
He sighed and sank down onto the edge of his bed.
Umeko: So what's up? You wanted to talk about what we discussed last time?
Eizo: [sad] Yeah. To be honest, it's really been weighing on me.
I waited as he composed himself.
Eizo: [thoughtful] What you said to me about needing to forge my own path...it really struck a chord inside me. And I think, deep down, it was the decision I wanted to make all along...I just needed to hear someone else confirm it. And so I've decided...I'm going to be independent. I'm not going to let people dictate my life anymore.
Umeko: What have you decided to do?
Eizo: I don't know. But when we escape this place, I think I'm going to have to have a long talk with my parents. It won't be an easy conversation, and I'm certain they'll disagree with me. But I need to do this. [annoyed] They think they can control me, dictate every little aspect of my life, and follow the exact set path they've laid out for me. And I'm tired of feeling like I can never do anything that I want to do, on my own. That I always have to obey and do what they want of me, what they expect of me. All these expectations and rules and regulations...I'm tired of them.
Umeko: Even your own rules?
Eizo: There's a part of me that's always going to be a little bit OCD, always a stickler for the rules and wants to be the leader. That's probably not gonna change too drastically any time soon. But I do think it's important for me to learn to let loose a little bit. Being so uptight isn't a healthy way to live. I'll still be the SHSL Commander, and I'm still proud of it. But I think I need to take a break from this lifestyle, at least for a while.
Umeko: Does...that mean you no longer wish to a part of Hope's Peak?
Eizo: [thoughtful] I need to find my own lot in life, whether it involves working in a leadership position or not. I think I'd like to start by going overseas for further studies. I'd like to pick up a variety of new subjects to see which one captures my interests. I want to broaden my horizons a bit, so to speak.
Umeko: What if your parents refuse?
Eizo: [worried] As I'm sure they will. There's not much I can do to prevent that from happening until we escape. I love them dearly, but...they've kept me a prisoner in my own life for far too long. It's less my life and more their own. But I have a goal now, and I'm going to work towards it no matter how many obstacles are thrown in my way.
Umeko: That's a good attitude to have, at least. I'm sure the path will be rocky, but I'm proud of you for making this decision for yourself, Eizo.
Eizo: [happy] Thank you, Umeko.
He paused, swallowing, a muscle in his neck tensing.
Eizo: [worried] I confess that the thought of all this scares me. The unknown. The lack of a predictable future, the lack of a structure to follow, to rely on. I don't know where I'm going to go or where this will all take me. And...[worried] I admit, the idea of confronting my parents like that fills me with dread. I've been obediently following their every instruction for so long, the idea of freedom seems almost...alien. I can't imagine how I'll even broach the subject with them.
Umeko: You can do it, Eizo. I support you. I'm sure the others would too, like Hanako. And you just need to be bold when you approach them about it.
Eizo: [worried] You will? I know it's pitiful, but the thought of going up against them is still a little scary…
Umeko: I'm here for you. You know what you have to do.
Eizo: [excited] You're right, Umeko. Thank you again. Your support is important to me. You've truly helped open my eyes to the flaws of my current lifestyle. When I'm a better man, I'll be sure to thank you and show you how much you've been able to change me!
For Eizo to recognize how unhappy he is with his life the way it is now, and to have the courage to work towards changing it, I can only imagine how he must feel to have to make such a shaky decision...
But I can tell he really wants this, and for him to have trusted me enough to seek advice from me...I suppose we really have grown closer as friends.
I could see the resolve in his eyes, the determination to take this next step forward no matter how much it unnerved him. It was an unexpected display of inner courage that I didn't realize I would have found in a boy like Eizo, with his background and lifestyle.
I might never be able to understand what it was like to live in his shoes, in his household, but at the very least, I can try my best to. And I can help him make the changes he wants to, to become his own person and not a puppet of his parents, to become someone he can be happy and proud to live as.
Because that's what friends are supposed to do for one another.
[Eizo's Report Card has been updated based on your experience with him.]
[PRESENT OBTAINED: Eizo's Undergarments]
Eizo's Undergarments: Even down there, Eizo remains as prim and proper as usual, with a pair of normal, boring black briefs.
Eizo's Report Card:
#1 - Worried about being the black sheep of the family, Eizo asked me what traits I think a good leader embodies. I told him a good leader knows how to relate to his people. He told me he would take my advice to heart and resolve to change and become an even better commander than before.
#2 - Eizo confessed to me that, because of how strict his family is, a small part of him is grateful to no longer have them breathing down his neck. Part of him seems to resent being part of the Oshima bloodline, despite claiming it immoral to resent one's own family.
#3 - Eizo was jealous watching the others having fun with their friends, because it made him realize he never really learned to let loose himself because of his regimental lifestyle. Not wanting to let his teenage years go to waste, he asked me for advice, and I recommended that he seek out Fukumi for guidance.
#4 - Eizo confessed to me he was tired of his parents always dictating his life for him, to the point where he felt he'd hardly made any conscious decisions for himself. I advised him to take a risk and forge his own path in life, rather than settle for complacency and staying unhappy.
#Finale - Inviting me to his room, Eizo announced that he had decided he was going to speak with his parents once he escaped the Killing Game, to discuss his future. No longer willing to settle for whatever life decisions they made for him, he was ready to try making decisions of his own, for himself. He was understandably afraid, but I encouraged him that he was making a right decision because it was his decision and not theirs, and reassured him that he could count on support from me and Hanako and everyone else.
[Mordecai - Free Time Event #3]
Mordecai: [excited] Umeko! Perfect timing! I was just looking for a welcome companion to cavort around with, and Fukumi is currently absent. Spend time with me! [accusatory] At once!
I decided to spend some time with Mordecai. Looks like Mordecai and I grew a little closer today.
Mordecai: [happy] Tum te tum...I am the greatest...dum de dum...warrior that ever lived…
Umeko: ...Feeling in the mood for a jaunty today, are we?
Mordecai: [happy] Sure! Good spirits require a good song, full of positive reinforcement, no?
Umeko: I've been wondering, Mordecai…
Mordecai: [excited] Wonder away, dear Umeko! Did you have something to ask of me?
Umeko: Well…it's just…
Mordecai: [excited] Yes?
Umeko: This is...kind of a hard question to phrase without...coming off a certain way, but I'm just...I couldn't help but...I'm ever so curious why…
Mordecai: [excited] Spit it out, don't be shy!
Umeko: Why do you...think so highly of yourself?
Mordecai: [excited] Because I- [confused] Huh?
Umeko: I-I'm not trying to accuse you of being overly conceited, or egotistical, o-or...or anything!
...Well, I kinda am.
Umeko: N-No, it's...it's just that…sometimes you...I mean, even you have to realize that you're...well...
I watched as, with every badly chosen word, Mordecai's face continued to fall and reflect his bewilderment.
I'm doing a terrible job at this. Why am I never as eloquent in daily life as I am during serious moments?
Umeko: You're...like, all you ever talk about is how amazing and awesome you and your marksmanship skills are, and your tall tales as a great warrior, and I just...I just wanted to know what...what first made you decide on this...um...path.
Smooth.
Mordecai: [thoughtful] Oh...hm.
Oh dear. I hope I haven't upset him...
He looks...
I held my breath, expecting him to storm off, offended or upset, but instead, in typical Mordecai fashion...
...delighted.
Mordecai: [excited] Why, that is a spectacularly simple question to answer, Umeko! Fret not, for my glorious ego is not bruised from this line of inquiry, but rather...it has been bolstered by your boldness in posing it to me! I will gladly answer!
I don't know why I was ever worried.
Mordecai: [happy] It is easy. It all began...when I was born.
Umeko: ...Really?
Mordecai: [happy] Actually, it began when I was about four or five years old. I still remember that day...quite, quite vividly in my mind's eye. I was walking through the village, returning home from a hunt with my mentor. On the road back home, the two of us encountered a blind soothsayer, on the side of the road. An old wizened woman, she was, but...she sensed our presence, and beckoned us closer. Not wanting to be delayed from our quest to return to our living quarters, I called upon my mentor to lead us away, when I noticed the soothsayer seemingly staring at me, as if enraptured by my presence in spite of her blindness. I knew then, right away, that whatever it was she had to say...would be of paramount significance. That day...would soon become a turning point in my life.
Umeko: ...Wow. Where...is this going, again?
Mordecai: [excited] And so we approached the soothsayer, and she placed her hand atop my head, like a priest blessing a new disciple, and I will never forget the next few words she uttered. She said to me…"you, young child...you are destined for great, great things. You are fated to become the greatest warrior who ever lived, and life has a wild path in store for you...one that only a bold and courageous warrior such as yourself...can undertake. You are prophesied to be the only one who can vanquish the demon of doomsday himself! Seek out the girl with the funny hair, for she shall guide you along this path to greatness!"
Umeko: …
Mordecai: [happy] And then my mentor paid her the five gold coins she required to make her predictions, and we departed.
Umeko: ...Right.
Mordecai: [happy] We set off on our merry way after that, but inside me, I was...forever changed. Now that I knew my lot in life was set...I was thrilled with endless possibilities! I knew then that I...I had to fulfil my destiny. I had to become the greatest warrior who ever lived, and live the life the fates had decreed me to live!
...Sounds more to me like you got scammed of five gold coins.
Mordecai: [accusatory] For years, I have waited, and bided my time. For years, I have toiled away, working at my skills, training to get strong enough, so that when I do face this "doomsday demon" mentioned in the soothsayer's prophecy...I will truly be ready to defeat him, and save this planet from a terrible fate!
Umeko: And this girl, with the funny hair that she mentioned…? Have you tried searching for her?
Mordecai: All the time. She haunts my dreams...dancing just gaily out of my reach. But I know that one day...I will find her. And only then will I have the answers I seek!
Umeko: So your...main goals in life are to...find a girl with funny hair, and then...defeat a demon?
Mordecai: [happy] And now, you know why I believe I am destined for greatness. It is because I know I am!
...Right.
Well, that was about as kooky a story as I should've expected. I don't know why I anticipated anything different.
To put so much stock into a soothsayer's "prophecy" at the tender age of five...
I wouldn't expect anything less of a backstory for Mordecai.
[Mordecai's Report Card has been updated based on your experience with him.]
[Mordecai - Free Time Event #4]
Mordecai: Umeko, wonderful. I was hoping to run into you! I was on my way for a spot of archery. [confused] ...You don't look terribly surprised. Anyway...care to join me?
I decided to spend some time with Mordecai. Looks like Mordecai and I grew a little closer today.
Mordecai: [shocked] Umeko! Umeko! I bear great news!
Umeko: What is it? What's happened? Have we been released?
Mordecai: [shocked] No, even better!
Umeko: What, then? You made contact with your family? You found an escape route?
Mordecai: [excited] I have had the most marvellous epiphany in a dream that came to me the night before!
Umeko: ...O-Oh. Well...what was it?
Mordecai: Do you remember what we spoke of the other day?
Umeko: The other day? You mean...about your uh...your prophecy?
Mordecai: [accusatory] Indeed! The sage soothsayer's prophecy, dripping with eternal wisdom, that I was destined for greatness; the fated "Chosen One" who would be guided to my destiny to defeat the fabled "Demon of Doomsday" with the help of the girl with funny hair.
Umeko: Right, yeah...that story. Well...what about it?
Mordecai: [accusatory] I have finally found this girl she spoke of!
Umeko: Oh. Have you? Um...who is it?
Mordecai: [accusatory] She's standing right in front of me!
Umeko: She is? ...Where? W-Wait...you don't mean…
Mordecai: [excited] Exactly! [accusatory] You ARE that girl, Umeko! You must be!
Umeko: Uhh...Mordecai, I hate to disappoint you, but…
Mordecai: [accusatory] But it must be you! Look upon your hair, Umeko! That odd appendage of yours sticking out like a sprout atop your skull…
Umeko: ...Please don't refer to that as a sprouting appendage. Matter of fact, please don't ever refer to anything as a sprouting appendage, ever again! And besides, that's my ahoge. It's not-
Mordecai: [accusatory] It's hilarious! Me and the others often agree it is quite a peculiar feature of yours. It is, quite literally, funny hair! Therefore, you must be the girl the soothsayer mentioned. You are part of my destiny!
Umeko: Oh...boy. Am I?
Mordecai: [accusatory] Indeed! You and I...our fates have been intertwined by the delicate, mischievous hands of fate! That must be what has brought us together this day, at this very moment!
He grabbed me by the shoulders and shook me.
Umeko: A-Ahh!
Mordecai: [accusatory] Quickly, Umeko! Bestow upon me thy wisdom, the advice and the knowledge I have sought for most of my life since the day I received that soothsayer's damned prediction. Not to pressure you or anything, but this is a big moment for me, as I have spent countless sleepless nights fretting over what this monumental wisdom the fabled "girl with the funny hair" will grant me! Your next few words could very well shape the course of the rest of my life for good!
Umeko: O-Oh. ...Okay.
Mordecai: [distressed] Speak at once, Umeko! Let your heart sing loud and proud and true! What is it you have to say to me?
Umeko: U-Um...Mordecai, this is...this is all a bit sudden, I...are you quite sure you're not mistaken here?
Mordecai: [accusatory] I have never been more certain about something in my life!
Umeko: What, er...what advice did you want again?
Mordecai: [shocked] You are supposed to guide me on my path, my destiny, to defeat a legendary demon of doom! It is the destination my life has been building towards for years, and now is the moment you help me learn the truth behind my existence!
Umeko: …Cool beans. So, no pressure, then.
1. Convince him the demon is inside him
2. Invent a fictional demon of your own to pretend to fight
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
Answer: 1. Convince him the demon is inside him
Umeko: Mordecai, have you ever...considered that maybe this "demon" of yours you're so intent on vanquishing...might have been inside you all along?
Mordecai: [shocked] Inside of me? What, as in...I have secretly been possessed this whole time? Good heavens! Umeko, quickly! We must purge this demon from my body at once! Get the holy water! I'll prepare the religious materials we need for an exorcism, and you'll need some of this red rope-
Umeko: N-No, that's not what I meant! A-And why do you happen to have red rope on you? Listen...what I meant was...maybe the demon the soothsayer was referring to was actually...an "inner demon". You know...maybe she meant it all, metaphorically…?
Mordecai: [shocked] As a...metaphor? What…? ...I did not consider that. Please, go on.
Umeko: Perhaps...this demon inside you is not an actual, tangible, physical being you need to defeat and conquer in battle, but rather...a quality or personality trait of yours that is undesirable, which you need to learn to overcome?
Mordecai: [confused] A trait of mine that is...undesirable? But how can I have any undesirable traits? [accusatory] I am Mordecai Fisher, legendary marksman and unparalleled hero! What qualities of mine could possibly be deemed as undesirable?
Umeko: ...Maybe your...uhh...boastfulness?
Mordecai: [shocked] Egads! My what now?
Umeko: Well...don't you think you can be a little...ah...boastful, at times?
Mordecai: [shocked] I never! [snide] I'm the humblest person I know! [confused] But you think this...pride I have...will be my downfall?
Umeko: Besides pride, I think you also put too much pressure on yourself. You're always trying to live up to this idealized heroic version of yourself because you believe in the concept of your "destiny" and stuff like that. What if that's the inner demon within you that you need to vanquish instead?
Mordecai: [shocked] But how can it be wrong to consistently strive for excellence in all that I do? I am simply putting one foot in front of the other and becoming an even greater person each day than I was the day before! It's called self-improvement.
Umeko: I'm just saying...you believe you're destined for greatness because of this prophecy, and that's why you keep trying to prove yourself and your worth, and maybe that's what's been eating away at you. Maybe, the key to defeating your "inner" demon is to acknowledge that you're...well, that you're...only human. Like me. Like the rest of us.
Mordecai: [thoughtful] Hmm…
Umeko: ...You know?
Mordecai: [thoughtful] You've...given me quite a lot to think about. I think I need to go…
With a flourish of his cloak, he departed.
[Mordecai's Report Card has been updated based on your experience with him.]
[Mordecai - Free Time Event #5: Finale]
Mordecai: [excited] Umeko! Once more, just the gal I was hoping to run into. Let us converse!
I decided to spend some time with Mordecai. Looks like Mordecai and I grew a little closer today.
Mordecai: Umeko. This is serious. I must speak with you at once!
Umeko: O-Oh. Uh...okay. Sure. What about?
Mordecai: [uncomfortable] ...In private.
I followed Mordecai into his room. I spotted several cloaks that matched the one he was always wearing, hung on a coat rack by the door. He'd also fashioned arrows out of a bunch of tree bark, which I saw now cluttering his bedside table.
Mordecai: [worried] I called you in here, Umeko, because I have a very important thing to tell you.
Umeko: ...Okay…
Without warning, he got down on one knee and grasped my hand firmly. For one ludicrous, stupid moment, I thought he was about to propose.
Mordecai: [distressed] Thank you for your wisdom!
Umeko: Wh-Wha! Mordecai, w-what are you...get up! Get up, at once!
He extended his fists before me, fingers intertwined.
Mordecai: [accusatory] This is a sign of respect and gratitude to you, o wise one!
Umeko: Pl-Please don't do that…Pl-Please! Please, stand!
Mordecai: [distressed] I cannot stand in your presence, o wise one! Not when I am so blindingly foolish and mortal, unlike you, my teacher!
I tried to pull him to his feet.
Umeko: Get...up...
Mordecai: [distressed] No! I am not worthy! [in tears] I AM NOT WORTHY!
I finally got a hysterical Mordecai to stand up again after much insistence and we sat on the bed together to discuss what just went down.
Umeko: Please never do that again.
Mordecai: [happy] As you wish.
Umeko: Why...did you do that?
Mordecai: [thoughtful] Ever since you gave me that advice the other day, I did a lot of introspective reflection on my own.
Umeko: Okay…
Mordecai: [snide] And through countless hours of meditation and deep, intense soul-searching and pondering over your words...I have come to an inevitable conclusion. [accusatory] That you are right!
Umeko: ...Beg your pardon?
Mordecai: [thoughtful] I have obsessed for so long with this idea of being "great" and "heroic" and "legendary" that I have forgotten a simple truth. [shocked] I don't need to prove those things to anyone, not even to myself! Because...I already am all those things!
He saw the look on my face and bristled.
Mordecai: [worried] Oh, but! Not to worry, Umeko. I remember what you said about being too prideful. I understand! [snide] In taking the soothsayer's words to heart, I have become the very demon I'd hoped to one day vanquish! It is as the wise saying says, "One either dies the hero, or lives long enough to become the villain".
Umeko: That's a wise saying?
Mordecai: You were right. In wanting to prove my worth to everyone around me and mostly to myself, I lost sight of myself. I got too caught up in it all, and it was wrong of me. [snide] I KNOW I am the greatest, and henceforth...I need not fear if others see me that way or not!
He must've seen my skeptical expression because he relaxed a little.
Mordecai: [happy] I'm still going to be me. As the SHSL Marksman, that will never change! But you were right. I have let myself get carried away, and turned into the very thing I was told to destroy! But as the soothsayer said, I must be the one, and the only one, to defeat this inner demon of mine. And so I shall take your words to heart!
He placed both hands on my shoulders and gripped me tight.
Mordecai: [happy] Thank you, Umeko. You have taught me a valuable lesson today. You helped me vanquish my inner demon! You really were the girl of the soothsayer's prophecy!
I feel like this was more Mordecai twisting my words and convincing himself of this than anything else.
I didn't really do much of anything, but...
Umeko: ...Heh. You're welcome, Mordecai.
Out of the blue, he planted two pecks to my two cheeks, startling me.
Umeko: M-Mordecai!
Mordecai: [snide] As thanks! When I return to my hometown, I will tell all about the wise and noble Umeko Hirayama, whose worldly advice can defeat beasts and obliterate demons with ease! You will be exalted to GODLY status, to the status of GODS! Children will pray in your honor! Men and women weep and tremble with adoration at the merest mention of your name!
Umeko: Th-That won't be necessary…
Am I about to be exalted as another one of Mordecai's fabled legends?
I suddenly had a mental image pop up of a church built in my name in his village, and of dedicated acolytes praying to a statue of me erected in massive gold.
Wh-What am I thinking?!
Mordecai: [excited] So! From now onwards, I will strive to be 35% less boastful and 50% more humble! Isn't that wonderful?
Mordecai: [shocked] I'm afraid I don't know how well I'll do, though. [excited] Umeko! Won't you teach me how to be more modest? You're the most humble person I know!
Umeko: Are you asking me to be your mentor now?
Mordecai: [happy] That's a splendid idea! As to be expected, from someone so full and overflowing with wisdom such as yourself!
I sighed.
Looks like I'll be doing this for a while longer...
Although...looking at Mordecai's eager face, that might not be so bad.
...Maybe I really am the girl of his prophecy.
[Mordecai's Report Card has been updated based on your experience with him.]
[PRESENT OBTAINED: Mordecai's Undergarments]
Mordecai's Undergarments: A true warrior knows that boxer briefs are the way to go.
Mordecai's Report Card:
#1 - Mordecai attempted to convince me to have him as my mentor in both physical and spiritual training. He told me about how his own mentor used to guide him on similar matters, and the importance of patience and inner peace in his marksmanship skills.
#2 - I learned that Mordecai got his flair for the dramatic and recounting tall tales from his caretaker and mentor, who raised him and his stepsister, and taught Mordecai all he knew about marksmanship. It also appears Mordecai took all of his mentor's bedtime stories to heart...a little too literally.
#3 - Turns out, Mordecai also has another reason why he believes himself a great warrior. He was, quite literally, told he was destined to become one, by an old soothsayer on the side of the road when he was but a child. Now, he seeks to find a girl with funny hair, prophesied to aid him in vanquishing a "doomsday demon" that only he can defeat.
#4 - As only Mordecai can do, he inexplicably came to the conclusion that I was the "girl with the funny hair", destined to give him the advice he'd need to defeat this so-called "demon" that haunts him so. I convinced him this "demon" was actually an inner demon of his, a metaphorical manifestation of his desires to prove his greatness to others to live up to his mentor's stories and the soothsayer's expectations of him, and that to emerge victorious, he had to be content with who he was and not obsess over others' validation of him.
#Finale - Mordecai invited me to his room and knelt before out of the blue, as a sign of respect and gratitude. My advice seems to have got through to him and he has decided to be a little less boastful and not obsess so much over defeating some mystical "demon" that more than likely exists nowhere outside Mordecai's own vivid imagination. Still, humility is an important lesson, and I think I was able to help Mordecai a great deal in that department.
[Ichiro - Free Time Event #4]
Ichiro: [bored] ...Oh. It's you. Need something?
I decided to spend some time with Ichiro. Looks like Ichiro and I grew a little closer today.
Ichiro: [bored] So...how's the plant?
Umeko: The what?
He glared at me.
Uh-oh. I know that look.
Ichiro: [annoyed] Please tell me you're joking.
Umeko: Uhh...
We've barely started talking and he already looks pissed! I better think fast.
The plant...the plant...
Umeko: Ah, right! You mean…
1) The plant you were growing for me
2) The plant you gave to Miyumi
3) The plant I was growing
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
Answer: 3) The plant I was growing
Umeko: ...the plant you told me to try and grow on my own. Of course I remembered.
Ichiro: Good. So I presume you've been taking care of it since I last gave you the seeds and equipment you needed, right?
Umeko: Yup. And I remembered your tips too.
Ichiro: Go on.
Umeko: You uh...reminded me to…
1) Put it in a warm area, don't give it too much water, show it a little love
2) Put it in a cold area, don't give it too little water, show it a little love
3) Put it in a wet area, don't let it get too cold, show it a little hate
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
Answer: 1) Put it in a warm area, don't give it too much water, show it a little love
Umeko: I took all your tips to heart!
Ichiro seemed to relax a little.
Ichiro: [happy] Good. That's um...good to hear. May I see it?
Umeko: Sure. I have it in my room. Wanna come with?
And so I took Ichiro to my room and showed him where I'd put the small sunflower he'd given me. There it was, a small fragile thing still in the early stages of its life cycle, perched on the mantle atop…
Ichiro: [shocked] Why did you put it above the fireplace?
Umeko: You told me to put it somewhere warm, right?
Ichiro: [annoyed] Warm doesn't mean near FIRE, Umeko!
Umeko: Er-
Ichiro: [shocked] And look! The soil in the pot's too dry! [annoyed] You didn't water it enough, Umeko!
Umeko: What? B-But...it looks fine to me. It's petals aren't wilting or anything...and you told me not to water it too much or I'd drown it!
Ichiro: [annoyed] That doesn't mean you let it dehydrate to death!
Pretty sure that's not the right way to say it.
Ichiro: [annoyed] How else did you fuck it up? Did you try to make out with it in your blind attempt to follow my instructions on showing it "love" and affection?
Umeko: What? No! Of course I didn't! I just talked to him like you asked. What, are you gonna lecture me for that too?
Ichiro: [annoyed] L-Lecture?
Umeko: You gonna say I talked too much or too little? Or maybe that I should've sung him a song or read him a bedtime story?
Ichiro: [annoyed] Tch! If you're not gonna take this project seriously…
Umeko: I am! I did take it seriously! I did everything you asked of me, and it looks fine.
Ichiro: [annoyed] It is NOT fine, Umeko! It's a plant. It can't tell you whether it's all fine or not. You have to be able to sense these kinds of things.
Umeko: Well, I'm sorry. I'm no SHSL Botanist like you. I thought, since it didn't look too bad, it was okay. You didn't have to snap at me like that.
Ichiro: [annoyed] You know I take my plants seriously, and you know that I'm a snappish person. This shouldn't be anything new to you.
Umeko: Yeah, but so I messed up a little bit. I'm sorry I don't spend all my time with plants to the point where I can pinpoint exactly what's wrong with it…
I could tell I hit a nerve then, as Ichiro's entire body tensed and he glared daggers at me.
This is getting a little out-of-hand...
Ichiro: [annoyed] Ugh. Forget it. I only ever tried to help you with this because you asked me to! Remember? But since I'm such a bother to you, then maybe you shouldn't bother trying to take care of a plant at all!
Umeko: Why are you getting so mad at me for? It's just a...I mean, it's a…
Ichiro: [annoyed] ...a plant? That what you were gonna say?
Umeko: I...Well…
Ichiro: [annoyed] Forget it.
Ichiro stormed out of my room at that moment.
...That could have gone better. I should probably talk to him again when we've both cooled down.
[Ichiro's Report Card has been updated based on your experience with him.]
[Ichiro - Free Time Event #5: Finale]
Ichiro: [worried] ...Hey.
I decided to spend some time with Ichiro. Looks like Ichiro and I grew a little closer today.
Ichiro: [worried] …
Ichiro seemed strangely out-of-sorts. Not that him being quiet was anything out of the ordinary, but he seemed more uncomfortable than usual.
Ichiro, even more uncomfortable than he already was? Something must really be weighing on his mind...
Before I could ask, he spoke up, rubbing absentmindedly at the nape of his neck.
Ichiro: [worried] Look, mind if I...talk to you?
Umeko: Talk? Um...aren't we already-
Ichiro: [annoyed] Not out in the open. Like...in my room?
Umeko: Sure.
He grunted his thanks and led the way.
Ichiro took me back to his room. I was both taken aback and yet, at the same time, completely unsurprised to see that most of the space in his room was taken up by his botany projects. Multiple different species of plants were being grown and cultivated all around his room. There were sunflowers, daisies, orchids and cacti placed in pots around the tables and chairs, by prominent spots near the windows. Gardening cans and trowels and fertilizers littered the area.
Umeko: W-Wow.
Ichiro: [worried] Pardon the mess. I don't usually make space for visitors.
Umeko: No, it's fine. It's real...cozy.
Ichiro: [nervous] Like a little greenhouse, right?
He sighed.
Ichiro: [worried] Look, I...I'm sorry about the other day. When I yelled at you like that.
Umeko: It's fine. For the record, I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have gotten testy about what you were saying. You were just trying to help me, and it was me who asked for gardening tips in the first place anyway.
Ichiro: [worried] Yeah, I know, but...I probably could've gone about it a little less...you know, a little less snappish. A little less "me", so to speak.
Umeko: I guess, but...you did say that I should've known you were that kind of person. To be more than a little upset that I wasn't taking proper care of my plant...that kind of reaction from the SHSL Botanist shouldn't have been unexpected.
Ichiro: [annoyed] That doesn't excuse my behavior, Umeko. I know you're trying to be nice and tell me to let it go, but I shouldn't. I was in the wrong there.
Umeko: R-Right.
Ichiro: [disappointed] Sorry. I'm getting snappish again.
Umeko: It's fine. Really. I'd imagine anyone would get upset the same way in a similar situation. Like if I wasn't taking proper care of a puppy, I'm sure Kaori would flip out.
Ichiro: [happy] Haha...yeah, she totally would.
He shuffled his feet awkwardly.
Ichiro: [worried] Did I ever tell you the moment that first pushed me into wanting to become a botanist?
Umeko: No. Wasn't it because of some science project?
Ichiro: That's when I first discovered how good I was at it. But there was a moment before that really cemented my love for plants.
Umeko: I'm all ears.
Ichiro: [worried] It's...kind of a stupid story, but...I think I owe you that much. [annoyed] ...Ugh. I can't believe I talked myself into telling you this. I wish I'd never yelled at you to the point that I felt this guilty over it…
Umeko: I won't deny I'm curious now. I'm not letting you off the hook.
Ichiro: [annoyed] Hmph. You villain. Fine. When I was a kid, there was this really old apple tree in my old school courtyard. Like, really old. Really, really old.
Umeko: I get the picture.
Ichiro: [worried] And eventually, the school administration decided to just chop it down, so they could install a koi pond in its place. [annoyed] C-Can you believe it? A stupid pond with some stupid ugly fish, replace that ancient, majestic tree? It still produced ripe apples, too! It was way more useful than some dumb fish pond.
Good thing we don't have an SHSL Fisherman or anything in the class...
Ichiro: [thoughtful] I always loved that tree. During lunch break or after school, I used to sit in the shade of that tree by myself and do my homework. Sometimes I...well, I...I even…
1) Hugged it
2) Kissed it
3) Talked to it
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
Answer: 3) Talked to it
Umeko: You...talked to it?
Ichiro nodded mutely, face burning red.
Ichiro: [annoyed] Don't. Laugh.
Umeko: I'm not.
Ichiro: But yeah...I used to tell him all sorts of things. I called him Frank. I talked to the tree about my family, my classes...even...well, even some of my other classmates. And...there was the time I told him about this boy that I...kinda had a crush on back then.
Ichiro: [embarrassed] I don't want to give you too many details! Long story short, I plucked up the courage to tell that little jackass how I felt. And he...he...well, he laughed in my face.
Umeko: O-Oh…
Ichiro: [worried] I remember running to Frank in tears because I felt so humiliated. But what made things worse was that stupid kid who I'd confessed to chased me down and continued to make fun of me, even there. I could only cower in the shade of that big apple tree and tell him to go away but he kept standing there and pointing at me and taunting me over and over again…
Ichiro's eyes had a bit of a sunken quality to them now, like he was recalling his own personal Vietnam moment.
Ichiro: [sad] So, yeah. That sucked. He kept teasing me and I thought about punching him, but I figured...I'd probably get my ass kicked in return. I was always a spindly, weak kid even then. But it turns out I didn't need to. I'd had my eyes closed at that point so I didn't have to see his stupid sneer or his spiteful eyes. And I kinda heard him cry out in pain in the middle of one of his taunts. [thoughtful] Turns out an apple had fallen from one of Frank's branches, right onto the kid's head.
Umeko: S-Seriously? Go, Frank.
Ichiro: [snide] He started bawling even harder than I was. I don't remember where he went after that, but I didn't care. It kinda felt like Frank had my back.
Umeko: What happened to Frank in the end?
Ichiro: [thoughtful] By some miracle, the administration decided to install the koi pond elsewhere. So Frank lived! Once I left school though, I wasn't allowed to keep going back and visit him. But I never forgot about him. [embarrassed] I uh...I still have pictures of him, back home. Once a month or so, when they allow me, I revisit just to check up on him. I can't remember what's become of him now but...I'd like to think, against all odds, he's still growing strong.
Umeko: Aw...that's kind of a sweet story.
Ichiro: Sure. And if you repeat it to anyone else, I'll kill you, them, and then myself.
Umeko: Wonderful.
Ichiro: [snide] Heh. But yeah. That moment was probably a defining point for me, when I decided that plants and nature were way better than people. [annoyed] People suck. They hurt each other, tear each other down, and just generally ruin everything they touch. [happy] But nature...Mother Nature existed, and thrived before any of us. Plants don't hurt people. They sustain life on this Earth. I think it's beautiful. This world would be better with less sucky humans and more plants and wildlife.
Umeko: …
Ichiro: [bored] But you don't want to hear me ramble. You've been asking me to tell you about where my love of plants started and...I suppose it was more or less that moment.
Umeko: Thank you for sharing your story with me. Truly. I'm...glad you feel comfortable enough to open up to me.
Ichiro: ...Sure. [worried] And uh...about your plant?
Umeko: Don't worry, I remedied everything you told me I did wrong, I promise…
Ichiro: [happy] Haha...that's not what I was gonna say. Just…as long as you take good care of it, I'm sure you'll be fine. Gardening and taking care of a plant is a responsibility but...you should also take some form of pleasure from cultivating something small and helping it grow. That's what makes it so meaningful.
Ichiro truly believes that the old apple tree in his childhood was his friend and protector, and perhaps it really was. I'd like to believe that. Maybe there is more to plants than meets the eye.
Hearing him talk so earnestly about his passion like this...there's no doubt how much he cares for this, his plants and his work. They're more than just plants to him, that much was obvious.
I never see Ichiro's face light up the way it does when he's discussing plantlife. Botany really speaks to him in a way that nothing else does. It's...endearing.
Ichiro: [worried] Also, if you ever experience any problems taking care of it or you feel like there's something you're not doing right...please, come to me. I'm...I'd be more than happy to help you out. Also, no offense, but I get paranoid knowing it's in your care.
Umeko: Hey!
Ichiro: [playful] I'm teasing.
...He's still kind of a jerk though.
But like everything else, in a way, it's endearing too.
[Ichiro's Report Card has been updated based on your experience with him.]
[PRESENT OBTAINED: Ichiro's Undergarments]
Ichiro's Undergarments: Like his pyjamas, Ichiro has plants emblazoned on his favorite underwear. Mention that fact to anyone, and both you and him will wind up dead.
Ichiro's Report Card:
#1 - He asked what my favorite plant was, and I told him it was the sunflower. He told me he preferred plants over people (shocker) because people were more complex and harder to understand. I think he feels his talent as the SHSL Botanist is inferior when compared to the others.
#2 - When the silence between us ended up stretching too long, Ichiro snapped at me and started to rant about the pointlessness of small talk. He got a little carried away, and started complaining about feeling like he was constantly judged by others during their conversations.
#3 - For the first time, Ichiro was actively engaged in talking with me, once the topic of conversation switched to his passion for plants and gardening. He's not as uncomfortable or easily awkward when talking about something he's genuinely interested in. It makes me wonder how much more he'd be willing to talk to people if he could get over his social anxiety.
#4 - Ichiro got angry at me for messing up when taking care of the plant he'd assigned me to nurture. We ended up squabbling with one another, and he stormed off in a fit.
#Finale - Upon inviting me to his room, Ichiro apologized for getting upset with me the other day, and was willing to let me in even further. He opened up about how his botanical skills are the only things he feels he can be proud of, because he felt he usually screwed up everything else thanks to his anxiety. His love for plants was prevalent even as a young boy, and especially after a rather comical incident when a confession to his crush ended up horribly wrong.
[Azuma - Free Time Event #4]
Azuma: [happy] Hey, Umeko. How's your day been?
I decided to spend some time with Azuma. Looks like Azuma and I grew a little closer today.
Azuma: You know, it's crazy…
Umeko: What is?
Azuma: [thoughtful] All my life, I've dedicated myself to my work, and my missions. I've never really once considered any sort of life outside the agency. But this whole experience, interacting with all these people who come from all walks of life, has been quite the eye opener.
Umeko: Oh yeah?
Azuma: Yeah. I never thought I'd want more than what my life already had to offer. I was content with my life and my job, working with my friends and going on missions, keeping the country safe from acts of terrorism. But now that it's just me, on my own, with you and the rest of the class...it feels like a life I never would've had the chance to live before. Life as an ordinary schoolboy, when...I used to feel like anything but.
Umeko: It's pretty weird that you're enamored by the idea of an ordinary lifestyle. Meanwhile, ordinary boys and girls out there are probably dreaming about living the kind of life you do, as a spy.
Azuma: [happy] Haha. I guess. It is weird to think about it that way. My life isn't all it's cracked up to be like in the movies or in books. I'm okay with it, like I've said, obviously. I almost feel like I was born into the job, me and the rest of my fellow agents. We were moulded into it. But for an outsider, the thrill of espionage and dangerous missions might sound fun, so I suppose I can see the appeal. Of course, though, there's a lot more to the job than just that.
Umeko: Like what?
Azuma: [confused] Hmm?
Umeko: If there was anything unfavorable about your job as a spy...what would it be?
Azuma: [thoughtful] Oh...hm. Well, think about it this way. You're directly working for a division of the government. Your entire life is dictated by this job. It's not exactly the kind of job that provides paid sick leave or vacations, you know? When a crisis occurs, you have to be there on the double, ready to pounce into action at a moment's notice. It's stressful, but I learned to live with it. And that's not even talking about the missions themselves.
Umeko: You must have some crazy stories, right?
Azuma: Sure. I wasn't always lucky, after all. I remember the first time a mission went sour. Me and my best friend, his codename's Wasabi...we were captured by this gang of mafiosos, at a small villa in Sapienza. Turns out they were hired as a security detail to protect some shady corporation that'd been conducting inhumane experiments at a secret underground laboratory.
Umeko: Whoa.
Azuma: [sad] They tried to torture Wasabi and I.
Umeko: T-Torture?! Azuma, th-that's...that's terrible!
Azuma: I've put it behind me. Now it's only a bad memory. We were lucky enough to be rescued in the nick of time by N...by Crazy Cat. She's another operative; I think I told you about her before.
Umeko: Yeah, I remember. Well...I'm glad you didn't die.
Azuma: [laughing] Heh. Thanks.
Umeko: Any funnier stories?
Azuma: [thoughtful] Let's see. ...There was one time I had to go undercover at a shadowy organization's meeting, on a castle out on an island in the middle of the Pacific.
Umeko: A c-castle?
Azuma: [laughing] Haha. It was practically a cult at that point. There was a giant cauldron, a sacrificial chamber, chalices of red wine...It's a real long story. Point is, I had to sneak onto the island dressed as one of the cultists, with only my handler on a hidden earpiece rooting me to the outside world. I was there to steal a thumbdrive's worth of confidential info on an operation of theirs that could've had catastrophic consequences if it was put into action.
Umeko: Your handler?
Azuma: I suppose I can tell you his codename. We all called him Iceman. He was our main handler for us agents back at HQ. Reliable sort, you can always count on him.
Umeko: So what happened?
Azuma: [playful] Well, of course, the mission went off without a hitch. I am the SHSL Spy, after all.
Umeko: My hero. Saving the world like it's nothing, huh?
Azuma: It wasn't exactly a glamourous escape, mind you. I had to sneak out through the sewer system and be picked up on a boat by some of my fellow spies.
I laughed and he shot me a look.
Umeko: Sorry.
Azuma: [laughing] It was putrid! Daisuke joked that I stank so bad, no one would shake my hand or congratulate me on a mission well done, not even S…
He trailed off out of the blue, looking almost a little confused.
Azuma: [thoughtful] Not...even…
Umeko: Not even...who?
Azuma: [worried] ...I don't remember.
Umeko: Huh?
Azuma: [worried] Sorry. I should probably go now.
Umeko: Oh, uh...o-okay.
That was abrupt. What was that all about?
[Azuma's Report Card has been updated based on your experience with him.]
[Azuma - Free Time Event #5: Finale]
Azuma: [happy] Good to see you, Umeko. Did you want to chat for a bit?
I decided to spend some time with Azuma. Looks like Azuma and I grew a little closer today.
Azuma: Say, Umeko. Would you like to have a cup of tea with me? [embarrassed] In...my room?
Umeko: A c-cup of tea? I-In your room?
Azuma: [happy] Heh. Yes. That is what I said.
Get it together, girl. He just wants a drink!
"Yeah, he wants a drink alright. A tall glass of-"
Azuma: Umeko?
Umeko: R-Right! Um...I mean, sure. That'd be lovely.
I followed Azuma back to his room. The place was relatively neat. I wasn't surprised to see that Azuma had made his bed perfectly. The room smelled of him too, a familiar and comforting vanilla aroma that reminded me of Azuma.
Azuma: [nervous] So uh...sorry I brushed you off so soon the other day.
Umeko: Hm? Oh, that. Don't worry about it.
Azuma: [worried] It was strange. It just kinda felt that...well, it's weird, that's all. I thought I remembered something, but then I didn't...it's just more weird memory issues.
Umeko: Tell me about it.
Azuma: [laughing] Haha, sorry. I know you probably have it much worse. We've only forgotten two years but you've lost much more.
Umeko: It's okay. I'm making new memories now, I suppose.
Azuma: [disappointed] I only wished they were happier.
Umeko: What did you bring me here for?
Azuma: [shocked] Ah, that's right. I told you all about the stress of my missions, right? Well, my missions usually take me to all sorts of places, not just around the city but the world too. I've been to various different locations before. Russia, Korea, Singapore, England, the States...but never for fun. Never on vacation. It was all business. [thoughtful] And after we talked, it kinda got me thinking...it seems a bit of a waste to have visited all these places and picked up different languages without properly getting to enjoy myself, experience these different cultures and all that these places have to offer.
Umeko: What are you getting at? Are you saying…?
Azuma: I know it sounds a little stupid to be thinking of this right now, given our situation, but...I'm thinking that when I get out of here and everything's back to normal again...I'd like to go on an extended vacation. A nice, long trip to different places, outside of a work setting. Just...as a young man, heading out to see more of the world and have an adventure that won't involve me getting tortured or potentially dying.
Umeko: I think that's a great idea! Would the people at work allow you to leave, though?
Azuma: [worried] Who knows with them, honestly? It's not often one of their agents goes on...vacation. Not in our line of work, at least. And especially not one of their...I'm gonna sound real conceited here, sarcasm aside, but especially not one of their better agents. That being said…[playful] I think I deserve some time off after all this.
Umeko: Haha...I agree with you there.
Azuma: You know, that's not all I wanted to tell you about. I was also wondering…[nervous] if you'd...like to come with me.
Umeko: C-Come with you? Like, you mean...on your trip around the world?
Azuma: [laughing] You make me sound like some globetrotter! [happy] I'm not traveling around the world in 80 days or anything. I just want to visit a few places and see the sights. And there's nothing wrong with traveling alone. The peace and tranquil is nice. That being said...I'd like to spend this trip with a friend. And...I'd like to spend that time with you.
Umeko: R-Really? Wow...I can't say I expected that.
Azuma: [worried] You don't have to say yes, of course. It's an invitation, not an obligation. [happy] I'd be happy for you to join me but if you have other ideas for how you'd celebrate our freedom, that's fine too. I'm mostly just happy thinking about what we'll all do once we're outta here!
Umeko: Well, it's not like I have any plans since I can't even remember who I am outside the Killing Game…
Azuma: [worried] Oh, that's true...sorry. That was insensitive of me.
Umeko: No, no, it's fine. If anything...I like the invitation to make some new, better memories outside. See the world...maybe visiting different places would help jog my memory. But maybe before seeing the rest of the world, it'd be better for me to explore the city, see if I can find out why I can't remember anything.
Azuma: [happy] If that's the case, I'll gladly help you on your journey to recover your lost memories and rediscover your true self. A vacation can wait.
Umeko: But once all this is over and everything's more or less settled down...I'd love to go travel with you.
Azuma: [happy] You would?
Umeko: Yes...I would. I'd love to see all kinds of places with you. And as long as we're together, I'd know we'd be safe.
He took hold of both my hands and turned properly to face me, so we were looking into each other's eyes.
Azuma: [happy] Then I'd like to make a formal promise to you, Umeko Hirayama. We will escape this place together, and once we put this place and this experience behind us and our friends and we are safe again...I promise to you that I'll help you regain your memories. Then, we'll make some new ones...some better ones, together.
I tried to picture it now, me and Azuma on a voyage around the world, vacationing to all kinds of beautiful places, whether as friends or something more.
The Eiffel Tower.
Leaning Tower of Pisa.
The Louvre.
The Roman Colosseum.
To go snorkeling, or cliffdiving.
To check out museums and cafes.
To take pictures at beaches and mountains and rivers.
Visiting tourist attractions like a couple of regular people, not a superspy or an amnesiac burdened with the absence of her past. Just...ordinary people. Wanting to live life, and have fun. The thought of it brought me comfort, as did Azuma's honest, hopeful smile, and the promise of a happy future.
...I'd like that. I'd like that with you a lot.
[Azuma's Report Card has been updated based on your experience with him.]
[PRESENT OBTAINED: Azuma's Undergarments]
Azuma's Undergarments: Azuma's silk boxers. Designed for comfort as well as ease of access. Keep well out of Wakako's reach to reduce the risk of a heart attack.
Azuma's Report Card:
#1 - Azuma showed me a photo of his parents. Although they couldn't make as much time for him as he would've liked due to the nature of their jobs, I assured him he still had a very close family with his fellow spies and agents. He told me of two of his friends, nicknamed Wasabi and Crazy Cat.
#2 - Azuma told me about a date he vaguely remembered having. Though he couldn't recall or tell me many concrete details, just the very notion of him having been romantic with another person made my stomach do somersaults inside of me.
#3 - Azuma told me he used to be scrawny, which shocked me. No longer wanting to be the weakling of his agency, he decided to bulk up at the gym, with the help of his personal trainers and friends as motivation. He offered to introduce me to his daily exercise routine as my trainer.
#4 - Turns out the life of a spy isn't always so glamorous. Azuma told me there's a surprising amount of paperwork like a regular cop's would have. He's been tortured on one occasion, and made a comical escape through a sewer during another. While he can remember fellow agents he worked with during these missions, one name in particular seems to evade him.
#Finale - Azuma and I made plans to go visit faraway countries together once all this was over, and explore the world. I think it'd be a fun vacation, and a nice way to get to know him - and for him to get to know himself - in a carefree environment, away from the pressures of his work for once. But before that, we made a promise to escape the Killing Game, and regain my lost memories first...
[Taro - Free Time Event #2]
Taro: [nervous] H-Hey there, U-Umeko. D-D-Did you...w-want to read a b-book together?
I decided to spend some time with Taro. Looks like Taro and I grew a little closer today.
Taro: [nervous] S-Say, Umeko...do you have a favorite b-b-book?
Umeko: A book? Um...I'm not really sure, to be honest.
Taro: [thoughtful] B-Because you c-c-can't remember, r-right? Well...wh-why not try reading s-some of the b-books in the L-L-Library and see which g-genre captures your f-f-fancy? The best way to f-f-find a particular b-b-book you love is to r-r-read loads of them! We'll f-find one you r-r-really like!
Umeko: I don't even know how keen I am on reading. I don't think I was particularly fascinated by books but...I'm not against it.
Taro: [excited] Then let's r-read some and find out!
Umeko: Haha...why are you so excited about this?
Taro: [shocked] B-Because! Finding out what g-g-genre of books s-someone prefers says a l-l-lot about their p-personality and their i...interests!
Umeko: Is that the case?
Taro: [excited] O-Of course! F-For instance...I know M-Miyumi likes r-r-romance novels. St-Stories with a female pr-protagonist, and a h-handsome, k-kind and c-c-compassionate male l-love interest. She also l-l-likes stories with a f-f-female s-superheroine, because that's who sh-she aspires to be. Wh-What about you? Have you r-read much lately?
Umeko: Uh...not a lot. Hmm...I guess you have a point. I don't know what kind of book I would particularly enjoy the most, though.
Taro: [shocked] Th-Then we need to f-f-find out! You might even l-learn more about yourself in the pr-pr-process!
Umeko: Oh, actually I was gonna-
Taro: [annoyed] Y-You have to tr-try, Umeko! You c-c-can't not know wh-what kind of b-b-book's your f-favorite! Everyone has a f-f-favorite! [excited] To the l-l-library!
I found myself getting dragged back to the library by an enthusiastic Taro. He began scouring the shelves for several books he figured might suit my fancy, and dumped a stack of them onto the table for me.
Taro: [happy] H-Here! Try one of th-these!
I gingerly picked up the first of the many dusty tomes he'd selected.
Umeko: "Swashbuckling Sarah's Seaward Stories"...
Taro: [excited] F-Five daring tales of the r-r-rebellious female pirate lord and her all-female p-p-pirate crew as sh-she sails the s-s-seas in search of the world's m-m-most mystical tr-treasures, th-that only the br-bravest of adventurers d-dare seek! For the c-courageous at heart, and th-th-those with a love f-for adventure.
Umeko: I don't know if it's for me, but it sure sounds like something up Samira's alley.
I selected another book from the pile.
Umeko: "The Martians Want Maria!"...
Taro: [nervous] C-Creepy...it's a st-story about a f-f-female astronaut who ends up st-st-stranded on M-M-Mars with a few f-fellow astronauts. They're k-k-kidnapped by a s-society of Martians and m-m-must work t-t-together to escape and f-find a way back home before they're m-m-made the subject of the M-M-Martians' experiments! It's q-quite b-b-bone-chilling, actually…[worried] the author r-really went all-out describing some of the th-th-things the Martians t-try to do…
And another book...
Umeko: "Henrietta Finn in The Brazen and Bold"...
Taro: [excited] That's a cl-cl-classic! It's about a w-w-woman in the olden days who n-n-never gets hitched or f-f-finds a husband, so r-r-rather than w-waste away working at her f-f-family's f-farmhouse, she s-s-sets off on a p-personal journey around the c-c-country, helping the d-d-different p-p-people and c-communities she comes across. It's actually a v-v-very inspirational st-story about compassion and s-s-self-worth!
I took out another random book from the pile.
Umeko: "The Lusty Argonian Maid"...
Taro: [shocked] N-NOT THAT ONE!
He snatched the book back from me.
Taro: [embarrassed] H-How'd th-th-that get in there?
Umeko: Uh...Taro? What was that?
Taro: [nervous] Aha, l-l-look at the time! S-Sorry, Umeko, gotta c-c-cut this r-reading session sh-short! I really need to...um...be anywhere else! B-B-Bye!
He took off, earlobes a furious red.
What the heck just happened? Do I even want to know?
[Taro's Report Card has been updated based on your experience with him.]
[Taro - Free Time Event #3]
Taro: [happy] H-Howdy, Umeko. W-Were you looking f-for me?
I decided to spend some time with Taro. Looks like Taro and I grew a little closer today.
Taro: [worried] U-Um...Umeko?
Umeko: What's up?
Taro: [sad] I've b-been th-thinking...you...don't r-r-remember anything ab-about your life, c-c-correct?
Umeko: Nope. Nada.
Taro: [sad] Th-Then...that includes your p-p-parents too, r-right?
Umeko: I...Well, I know I must have them, yeah. But...you're right, I can't remember anything about them.
Taro: [worried] Not a n-name or f-f-face? Nothing?
I shook my head and he looked down.
Taro: [disappointed] I...S-Sorry.
Umeko: Why are you apologizing?
Taro: [worried] N-No, it's j-just...I c-can't even imagine wh-what that must f-f-feel like. My p-parents are l-l-like...my closest fr-friends. I...I d-don't know h-how I'd feel to...to f-f-forget them entirely. It j-just…[sad] It just m-makes me s-s-super sad...the idea that I m-might one day f-f-forget that th-they even e-exist…
He caught the look on my face and hastily recovered.
Taro: [worried] S-Sorry! I sh-shouldn't be b-b-bringing this up...it'll only m-make you f-f-feel w-worse…
Umeko: No, it's okay. It's true that I really can't remember anything about them, so...I don't really feel super sad about it or anything. Obviously I'd like to remember my parents, if they're even still around for me. But...I don't take offense to you asking about them.
Taro still looked troubled, and I got the sense this was more about him missing his family than me, so I pressed on.
Umeko: Do you want to talk about your parents, then?
Taro: [nervous] M-Mine?
Umeko: Yeah. You said you were close. Everyone has different relationships with their parents; some are really close to theirs and others are more estranged, like Samira. How about you?
Taro: [thoughtful] W-Well...it's as I s-s-said. Th-They're, um...they're my c-closest friends a-and...and m-m-my biggest s-supporters. Gr-Growing up...y-you know...t-t-talking with a st-st-stutter isn't f-f-fun. I h-had to g-g-g-go see a b-b-bunch of sp-speech th-therapists and…[sad] it was d-d-difficult. I...um...I had to r-r-rely a lot on my p-parents to enc-c-courage me, k-keep me optimistic…
Umeko: I'm sorry. Now I'm the one who's making you feel worse.
Taro: [nervous] N-No, it's f-fine...I'd r-r-rather talk to you about th-them out here than...than lie in b-bed all evening cr-crying about it.
Umeko: I can't imagine what you must be going through. And the others who miss their families, too.
Taro: [worried] R-Right. I know it affects everyone d-d-differently...Ichiro was v-very candid in saying he didn't h-hate his dad or anything b-b-but it didn't br-break him up to be s-separated from him. And I know S-S-Samira's emancipated t-too…
Umeko: If you want, you can talk to me about it. Better to talk out your feelings than bottling them up.
Taro: [worried] I'm w-w-with you th-there. I d-don't see the point in h-hiding your p-p-pain from people because of pr-pride o-or...or ego. E-Especially...with b-b-boys.
It sounded like there was more of a story there.
Umeko: What do you mean by that?
Taro: [worried] W-Well...that's the th-thing with being a b-b-boy, isn't it? P-People always t-t-tell boys that they n-need to be t-t-tough, and st-strong...you get m-m-mocked and r-ridiculed for being anything l-l-less. That h-hasn't always been the b-b-b-best for my s-self-confidence, especially with my st-st-stutter…
Umeko: You don't have to listen to people who say things like that.
Taro: [disappointed] I kn-know I d-d-don't have to, Umeko. But I'm n-not d-d-deaf. I can't always t-t-tune st-stuff like that out. At any r-r-rate...my p-parents have always b-b-been kind to me, and h-helped me deal with my sp-speech impediment. [nervous] I've...always c-c-considered myself bl-blessed I didn't g-g-get super st-strict ones wh-who...might n-not have been as understanding…
He choked back another sob.
Taro: [sad] Oh n-n-no...now I'm w-wondering how they m-m-must be f-f-f-feeling n-now, knowing s-s-something's happened t-to me. Th-They must be s-s-sick out of th-their minds with w-w-worry! Oh n-n-no...Mom must be d-devastated, and D-D-Dad…
He'd said it was alright to talk about this, but I'm starting to think it really was a bad idea from the start to veer down this conversational territory.
Taro: [disappointed] I'm s-s-sorry Umeko...I th-think I should probably go for now…
Moping, he turned on his heel and took off.
I know none of us like to imagine what our families might be going through in our absences, but Taro definitely seems to take it the hardest. Maybe I should come up with a way to cheer him up...
[Taro's Report Card has been updated based on your experience with him.]
[Taro - Free Time Event #4]
Taro: [happy] Hey th-there, Umeko. W-Wanna r-r-read a book?
I decided to spend some time with Taro. Looks like Taro and I grew a little closer today.
Taro: [nervous] Um...U-Umeko?
Umeko: Yeah? What is it?
Taro: [nervous] I...uh...w-w-wanted to ask you s-s-something.
Umeko: Oh? Whatever you need, I can help you out. What's been on your mind?
Taro: [nervous] S-S-See, um...it's k-kinda embarrassing t-to ask, b-b-but…
Umeko: Well, um...I don't know what it is or how much I can help with whatever's ailing you, but ah...I'll try my best to help. Go ahead and ask.
Taro: [embarrassed] O-Ok. Um...so...d-d-do you...like me?
Umeko: Like you? Of course I do, Taro. You're my friend.
Taro: [worried] N-Not that. I mean...r-r-romantically?
Umeko: W-What?!
Taro: [distressed] Pl-Please d-d-don't misunderstand! I'm n-n-not interested in y-you th-that way! I just...I'm...I m-m-m-mean…
Umeko: T-Taro, slow down, why don't you. Let's start from the top. Why are you asking me if I...like you like that?
At that moment, I couldn't tell which one of us was blushing more, me or him.
Taro: [disappointed] It's n-n-not what you think. It's just...I w-w-want to know if a g-girl like you would ever...s-see someone like me as a-attractive.
Umeko: A girl like...me?
Taro: [thoughtful] R-Really, any g-girl. I j-just wanted to kn-know if girls w-would ever th-think that, a-and...it felt s-s-safest to ask you for your opinion f-f-first. S-Since...we're fr-friends, and all...and I know y-you w-w-won't make f-fun of me. I c-can't exactly ask any of the other g-g-girls...
Umeko: Why not?
Taro: [distressed] Isn't it o-obvious? I c-c-could never ask, s-say, W-W-Wakako about this. It'd be m-much too embarrassing...I'd n-never hear the end of it f-from her. B-Besides...I d-d-don't exactly trust a w-woman with a history in reality t-television and a p-p-penchant for gossip with information like th-that, n-no matter how much experience sh-she has in r-r-romance...
Umeko: ...Yeah, Wakako wouldn't be the best to ask, despite the fact I'm sure she's had lots of experience with asking boys out.
Taro: [nervous] A-And it's n-not like any of the other g-g-girls are great at th-that kind of advice. S-Samira's an obvious n-n-no. Fukumi would be even w-w-worse. B-Basically, the p-point is...y-you're a g-girl...and you're also m-my fr-friend. Th-That's why I'm asking...
Umeko: Um...well, that's a bit of a hard question to answer, Taro. I mean, I don't like you or think about you that way personally, but...that doesn't mean another girl out there wouldn't. Attractiveness isn't a universal thing, right? It depends on the people and the context.
Taro: [sad] Y-Yeah, I know...I s-s-suppose I w-was just a bit too s-scared to a-ask her outright, s-s-so I...I thought it b-best to ask y-you first.
I mean, there's realistically only one girl he could be talking about, right?
1) Hanako
2) Miyumi
3) Shizuko
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
Answer: 2) Miyumi
Umeko: If you want to know whether or not Miyumi likes you, you can just ask her.
Taro: [embarrassed] I n-never said M-M-Miyumi's name!
Umeko: Oh. Right.
Like you'd be talking about anyone else.
Umeko: Well, if you want to know whether a girl likes you or not...you could always just ask her.
Taro: [disappointed] I know, I kn-know. B-But it's...w-w-weird, you know? I l-look at m-myself in the m-mirror each morning and I c-c-can't imagine s-someone f-f-finding me...attractive. Not in th-that sense. I've n-never really worried about th-things like r-r-romance and l-looks before. It's n-not like I ever r-r-really had anyone I w-w-wanted to impress like that, s-s-so I never gave those th-th-things much attention.
Umeko: But now...you do?
Taro: [distressed] I'm n-n-n-not trying to impress anyone!
Umeko: I-I wasn't saying you were!
Taro: [nervous] Or...m-maybe I am. I d-d-don't know. I just...I just th-thought…
Umeko: Well, I mean...it's not always about looks, you know.
Taro: [confused] Hm?
Umeko: You can always find someone attractive even if their looks aren't...well...even if they're no Adonis or Aphrodite, I guess I should put it. That doesn't make them any less of an option to want to be in a relationship with.
Taro: [worried] I guess you h-have a p-p-point...I'm s-s-sorry.
Umeko: Why are you apologizing?
Taro: [playful] Hehe...b-because this c-c-conversation must seem d-dreadfully superficial…[disappointed] I s-suppose I was just g-g-getting into m-my own head, w-w-wondering if M...if a girl I l-l-liked would ever l-like me back if I w-w-wasn't...y-you know, dashing or a Pr-Prince Ch-Ch-Charming or wh-whatever. Wh-When I read b-b-books, the m-male leads are always h-handsome or br-brooding or cool. You h-hardly ever read about a m-m-male r-romantic lead that's sc-scrawny or dw-dweeby or sp-speaks with a st-stutter…
Umeko: I'm sure there are some books out there with unconventionally attractive leads. You just haven't found them yet.
Taro: [laughing] Heh. Y-You're telling the SHSL B-B-Bookworm that th-there's a b-b-book he hasn't f-f-found yet?
Umeko: Of course! There are probably millions of books in the world. And even if there isn't one, who's to say you can't make one on your own?
Taro: [thoughtful] Wr-Write one, huh? B-B-Believe it or n-not, g-given my t-t-talent, I...I've honestly n-never really s-s-seriously considered it…
Umeko: Either way, when it comes to love...looks aren't everything. Besides, no one said scrawny or nerdy people aren't attractive. You don't always have to be suave or athletic to be attractive to someone.
Taro: [worried] Th-That's n-not what I was t-trying to say either!
Umeko: In that case, don't be so harsh on yourself! I'm sure Mi...I'm sure this girl you like will like you just the way you are, as long as you stay true to yourself. Because if you try to be anyone else, then...that's not really you she likes, is it?
Taro: [shocked] Wow…what w-w-wise words. M-Maybe you should wr-write the book, Umeko!
...Should I?
...No, that's ridiculous. I didn't even know if I liked books the last time we spoke!
[Taro's Report Card has been updated based on your experience with him.]
[Taro - Free Time Event #5: Finale]
Taro: [nervous] H-Hi, Umeko...
I decided to spend some time with Taro. Looks like Taro and I grew a little closer today.
Taro: [nervous] Hey, um...U-Umeko? I'm gl-glad you're here...I w-w-wanted to t-t-talk with you.
Umeko: Aren't we talking right now?
Taro: [nervous] N-Not here. Alone...in p-private. S-S-So n-no one c-can overhear…
Umeko: Would you like to talk in my room, then?
Taro: [nervous] A-Actually...how about m-m-my room? I can p-pour you a cup of t-tea…
Umeko: Oh! Um...sure.
Taro led the way back to his room. The first thing I noticed upon entering was the distinctive smell of books. Old paper pages, dust, parchment, binders and the like, all bundled together to fill the room with a particular aroma that made the place feel more like a library than a bedroom. As it happened, the tables were stacked high with books Taro had taken from the inn, and the bathroom and bedside drawers were filled with them too.
Taro: [nervous] S-S-Sorry. I kn-know there's a l-lot of books…
Umeko: T-Taro? You have m-more books than furniture in here!
Taro: [nervous] Haha...y-yeah. I have a b-b-bit of a problem. Even wh-when I finish one b-b-book, I go and pick up tw-two more. It's a pr-problem at h-home too...my l-library keeps expanding, a-and I c-c-can never have the h-heart to l-l-let go of my b-b-books to f-free up shelves. My m-mom eventually h-had to st-start giving some away to ch-charity. I w-w-was a little d-disappointed b-but it's g-g-good that th-they'll hopefully find some n-n-new readers. At th-the very least I k-kept my f-f-favorite, m-most sentimental ones…
I was afraid the conversation would start veering to his parents again but luckily, all the talk of his books back home only seemed to further brighten his mood.
He served us both cups of tea - with difficulty, considering how cluttered the place was with books, books and more books - and then we both sat on his bed.
Umeko: So what is it you wanted to talk about that you didn't want others to overhear?
Taro: [nervous] W-W-Well...Umeko, I j-just wanted to say, f-first and foremost...thank you.
Umeko: What? Um...you're welcome, of course, Taro. But...what are you thanking me for?
Taro: [nervous] H-Heh. I'm th-thanking you for being my fr-friend, s-silly.
He scratched at the back of his neck, clutching tightly onto his cup of tea with the other hand.
Taro: [nervous] Before all th-this, I d-didn't really have a l-lot of fr-friends. My st-stutter made it d-d-difficult to talk with p-people, o-or s-some people f-f-find me t-too ch-chatty or annoying l-like Ichiro first did when we g-got here. I m-mostly st-stuck to talking with my p-parents about things on my mind. B-But getting to talk to you...it's b-been great. Y-Y-You've been a g-great listener...and a gr-great c-conversationalist.
Umeko: Don't mention it, Taro. I'm uh...I'm glad I could help. And I like talking to you. But I'm not your only friend here, right? I mean...you have Miyumi too, don't you?
Taro: [nervous] Y-Yeah...about that. Th-That's another th-th-thing I w-w-wanted to talk to you about...why I w-w-wanted us to h-have this conversation in here.
Umeko: O-Oh...
He glanced around the room, almost as if searching the place for bugs or for people eavesdropping.
Taro: [worried] I've g-g-given what you s-said to me th-the last time a b-bit more th-thought, and...and I…
I waited for the shoe to drop.
Taro: [embarrassed] I w-w-was...th-th-thinkingabouta-a-askingM-M-M-Miyumigtob-b-bemyg-g-g-girlfriend!
He rushed the last part out so quickly I barely caught any of it.
Umeko: Um...in English, Taro? And...a little bit slower?
He sighed, and took a deep breath to compose himself.
Taro: [worried] I...w-w-wanted to ask M-Miyumi to...be my g-g-girlfriend.
He muttered the last three words so quietly, it was almost in defeat.
Umeko: O-Oh. Oh! Taro, that's wonderful. Miyumi adores you. I'm sure she'd be delight-
Taro: [nervous] Y-Y-Yeah, b-but...I d-don't know how!
Umeko: Eh…?
Taro: [nervous] E-E-Everytime I th-think about b-b-breaching the s-s-subject with her, she...I...I g...I g-g-get even m-m-m-more t-t-t-t-tongue-tied, and I...my st-st-st-st-st...my st…
I waited patiently.
Taro: [disappointed] My st-stuttering gets...ten times w-w-worse. I can b-barely control my n-n-nerves with her. And sh-she can s-sense s-s-something's up too. I th-think she m-might get the wr-wrong idea soon that sh-she's m-m-making me nervous soon. I m-mean...it's true. But not f-f-for the r-r-reason she might m-misunderstand!
Umeko: Taro…
Taro: [nervous] I've n-n-never talked about this st-stuff with a g-girl before. O-Or anyone, r-really. I feel st-stupid. All those r-r-romance novels I read d-don't really help at all…I c-could use some advice.
Umeko: And you came to me for help?
Taro: [nervous] W-Well...aside from M-Miyumi, y-you're the only other g-g-girl I feel cl-closest to here. I'm n-not sure h-how much help the b-b-boys will be, th-though I know Azuma would p-probably love to help. The r-rest of the boys...w-would p-probably give terrible advice.
Umeko: Well, I'm flattered, Taro, but I'm not sure how much help I'd be there. Isn't maybe Wakako a better help for matters of the heart?
Taro: [laughing] Haha...a-are you k-kidding? She'd be s-s-so embarrassing to approach...I can't even i-imagine the d-d-disaster that m-might occur if I w-w-were to c-confess this to her.
Umeko: W-Well...again, like I said, I'm...flattered you thought to come to me for advice, like last time. I'm just...still not sure how much help I can really be. I'm no master of the affairs of the heart, really.
Taro: [thoughtful] Um...in th-that case...w-would it be okay if y-you let me p-p-practise with you?
Umeko: Rehearse what you're gonna say, you mean?
Taro: [nervous] Y-Yeah. B-B-Because I kn-know I'm gonna st-stutter worse th-than ever when I f-f-f-finally decide to c-c-confess.
Umeko: Okay then. Pretend I'm Miyumi.
Taro: [nervous] Oh b-b-boy...okay. S-S-So, um...h-hey Miyumi.
Umeko: Hi.
Taro: [nervous] U-U-Um...I...uh...I h-have s-s-s-something to t-t-tell you…
Umeko: What is it, Taro?
Taro: [disappointed] N-No...this isn't w-working. Y-Y-You need to g-g-get in ch-character more!
Umeko: Get in character? Um...okay, uh…[as Ms. Shortcake] Would you like to...um...have a tea party with us, Taro? [as Umeko] Wow, that's a terrible impersonation.
Taro: [giggling] Heh...it'll w-work. [nervous] Um...n-not now, M-Miyumi, b-b-but...um...I r-r-really want to t-t-tell you this. I've...b-been m-m-mulling it over f-f-for a wh-while now...and...uh...um…
His mouth hung open for an almost unbearably long amount of time before he finally shook his head forcefully with a strangled cry, pulling at his hair.
Taro: [embarrassed] I...Um…! I…[disappointed] Oh, f-forget it. I c-c-can't do this...
Umeko: Yes, you can. Look, Taro, listen.
I grabbed his shoulders, hoping for a balance between gentle and forceful. He jolted a little, startled.
Taro: [scared] W-W-What?
Umeko: I know you're self-conscious about your stutter and everything, but you know that Miyumi likes you. A lot. And even if it's only as a friend...as much as I highly doubt that...I know she wouldn't tease you or mock you or laugh at you or...or anything! Okay? You know her better than that. She doesn't seem that sort of person, right?
Taro: [nervous] N-No...of course not!
Umeko: There you go. You have your answer. And you're going to find the right time to tell her how you feel and it'll all work out in the end. Okay?
Taro grinned sheepishly.
Taro: [laughing] Hehe...y-you k-k-kinda remind me of my m-mom right now, Umeko. Sh-She can get r-r-really inspirational w-when she g-g-gives her little sp-speeches like you do...[happy] Th-Thanks for the encouragement, Umeko. And th-th-thanks...f-for t-talking to me, and...and f-f-for listening t-too. Y-You're a g-g-good friend...a l-loyal friend. Exactly the gr-great k-k-k-kind of fr-friend I r-r-read about in my f-f-favorite books!
His earnest smile melted my heart. A sisterly compulsion to take care of him welled up inside me, so alien and yet oddly appropriate at the same time.
Like a mom, huh? I don't know about being motherly, but a big sister, I can do.
Umeko: Thanks, Taro. You're my friend too.
He really has this odd purity within him that most people lack, a purity that I can't help but want to preserve and protect.
He'll be alright. Whenever he decides to have this talk with Miyumi, of course. I believe it'll work out.
[Taro's Report Card has been updated based on your experience with him.]
[PRESENT OBTAINED: Taro's Undergarments]
Taro's Undergarments: Taro's favorite underwear, with his favorite book quotes imprinted on the hem.
Taro's Report Card:
#1 - Taro was tricked into giving up his glasses to Yoshihiki, who stole them and left Taro stumbling around blindly until Miyumi got them back. He feels disappointed that he's too gullible for his own good, and wonders if he keeps getting taken advantage of because he lives in his own world of books more than he does the real world.
#2 - Wanting to know more about me from my book preferences, Taro took me to the library to check out a bunch of different books geared towards a female demographic. I also found an...interesting book of his among his selections.
#3 - I made the mistake of getting into a conversation with Taro about our families. He misses his parents because they've always been his biggest supporters, helping him with his stutter and whatnot.
#4 - Taro wanted to know if I, as a girl, would ever find a boy like him attractive. It seems pretty clear he was wondering if Miyumi would ever be interested in him. I told him the best advice was for him to just be himself, despite his concerns that the "scrawny, dweeby" types like him weren't conventionally attractive. Looks aren't everything, after all.
#Finale - After all our talking, Taro felt close enough to me to confide in me about how he wanted to confess his true feelings to Miyumi. I gave him as best of a pep talk as I could, and helped him rehearse what he wanted to say. He couldn't eventually get the words out, but I convinced him that Miyumi was his friend no matter what, and he shouldn't have to worry about her reaction regardless of whether she accepted or refused. I suppose I'll have to hear back from him on whether or not he succeeded...
[Nagatomo - Free Time Event #1]
Nagatomo: [bored] ...Hey. It's you. Were you looking for me?
I decided to spend some time with Nagatomo. Looks like Nagatomo and I grew a little closer today.
Nagatomo: [bored] … [thoughtful] Hmph. How curious…
Umeko: I beg your pardon?
He eyed me up with catlike curiosity, his eyes never leaving mine.
Nagatomo's gaze has always felt particularly analytical, but he's really laying on the scrutiny today. That piercing gaze of his...what I wouldn't give to know just exactly what's going on inside his head...
Nagatomo: [bored] Nothing. I didn't mean to think out loud.
Umeko: Well, what's curious?
Nagatomo: … [thoughtful] I was simply wondering...why you chose to spend your time today, with me, of all people.
I frowned.
Umeko: Am I not allowed too?
Nagatomo: [snide] Haha...of course, I can not stop you from choosing to spend your time around me. It is, after all, your time you are choosing to spend. I can, likewise, simply make the choice to ignore you. It is of no difference to me.
Umeko: So, uh...what's got you so curious about it then?
His eyes twinkled.
Nagatomo: I simply found it a little strange. After all...I wouldn't have pegged you the type.
Umeko: The type to...what?
Nagatomo: The type to hang around someone like me. Someone mysterious. Reserved. Someone who you know has a seedy reputation.
Umeko: Seedy?
Nagatomo: [thoughtful] Perhaps that's not the best word for it. Shall I say...criminal reputation?
Umeko: What, because you're a thief?
Nagatomo: [annoyed] Don't simplify it like that. I am more than just a common thief, Umeko Hirayama. You know that, of course.
Umeko: Right...of course. SHSL Thief, and all. But...what's the big deal? You return everything you steal anyway, don't you?
He looked off forlornly into the distance.
Nagatomo: [sad] Not everything.
Umeko: And besides, you're my classmate, right?
The corners of his lips twitched.
Nagatomo: Right.
Umeko: Who cares if you're a thief? Why do you think I wouldn't want to hang out with you just because you're a th...just because you're the SHSL Thief?
Nagatomo: [snide] It's not exactly a glowing reputation, to be a thief. Even
I did return everything I ever stole. Some things you steal, as you might figure...are valuable in and of itself. The simple act of being able to break into and penetrate locations with high-class security systems reveals a vulnerability in how those places are protected. That lack of security is dangerous too. It removes one's peace of mind to consider that no matter how strongly they protect something, it can still be stolen by someone who puts in enough effort.
Umeko: Well...if there's any silver lining, if it does expose vulnerabilities in a place's security system, doesn't that mean they'll reinforce it to prevent future break-ins? Isn't that a good thing?
He raised an eyebrow.
Nagatomo: [confused] Are you...trying to suggest what I'm doing is a good thing?
Umeko: N-No, I mean...stealing is still wrong. I'm just saying...some good can come out of it, somehow?
Nagatomo: [annoyed] Hmph. That's an uncommonly optimistic outlook on it, but...yes, I suppose that is one good thing that might come out of it. Theft and the act of burglary itself, though...you cannot possibly deny that that is a crime, no matter the intention or whether or not the item or items stolen were ever returned.
Umeko: Yeah, b-but...you were still given a place at Hope's Peak. That must mean, even despite your thievery, you were...given a spot at such a prestigious academy. It means you're not all bad. And we're classmates!
Nagatomo chuckled softly.
Nagatomo: [snide] Will that be your eternal defense anytime you choose to spend time with some of the, ah...more troublesome members of our class? That because we are, as you have so eloquently put it, "classmates", we should all...get along, no matter what? Say, for example, there was an SHSL Policeman among the group. Would you also expect me to get along with him based solely on the fact that the academy put us in the same class?
Umeko: I mean, that's not taking into account your characters and personalities and senses of humor and all those things that factor in whether or not people gel well and become friends. Plus, there are people here with talents connected to law and the government, like Eizo and Azuma. But even so...you're missing my point. I'm spending time with all my classmates regardless of what they've done before or are still doing, and making friends from there. I'm not going to judge someone based on their talent before I even get to properly know them. As it happens, I know very little about you, Nagatomo. I don't even really know why you steal or do what you do. I wouldn't shun you or avoid you without knowing your full story.
Nagatomo: [annoyed] And knowing my story would change your mind, is that it? Has it not occurred to you it might change your mind to think the worst of me rather than improve your opinion? Maybe sometimes it's best not to know the whole story about a person, Umeko. Especially if you might not like what you learn.
A rather melancholy look had overtaken him now. He sighed, fiddling with his bowler hat again.
Nagatomo: But that's enough talk for today. I usually don't talk this much...if nothing else, you provide quite the stimulating conversation. ...I must go.
Umeko: Oh, uh...okay.
He left rather abruptly.
[Nagatomo's Report Card has been updated based on your experience with him.]
[Nagatomo - Free Time Event #2]
Nagatomo: [bored] Hm? ...You again. Well, I suppose I'm not doing anything at the moment. Shall we take a walk?
I decided to spend some time with Nagatomo. Looks like Nagatomo and I grew a little closer today.
Umeko: So, Nagatomo...about our last conversation…
Nagatomo: You'll have to jog my memory. I'm afraid I can't quite remember…
Umeko: Nice try. We were talking about why you didn't want people to spend time with an SHSL Thief such as yourself.
Nagatomo: [snide] ...Can't say I recall.
This damn guy...
Umeko: Alright...let's change tracks.
Nagatomo: Yes, let's.
Umeko: You said you think I should get to know someone first before I formed a proper opinion of them, regardless of whether it's a positive or a negative one.
Nagatomo: I never said that.
Umeko: Aha! So you do remember our conversation!
He scowled.
Nagatomo: [annoyed] I...suppose I do recall more bits and pieces than I thought at first.
Umeko: Either way, it was definitely something you implied, even if not said out right. Now! I wanted to know more about you. Specifically...your talent.
Nagatomo sighed theatrically, as if I'd just asked him to recite all of one of Shakespeare's plays.
Nagatomo: [bored] And...what is it you wished to know?
Umeko: You act like your talent as a thief is something that should turn people off from wanting to get to know you. But I don't believe you're ashamed of it or anything. I mean, you're the SHSL Thief. Not a lot of people can say that. So...where'd you learn to steal the way you do? And why do you do it?
Nagatomo: [annoyed] That's more than one question.
Umeko: You didn't say I could only ask one, did you?
Nagatomo: [bored] Hmph. I suppose not. Very well. I shall indulge your...insipid curiosity.
He laced his fingers together and adopted a sage position.
Nagatomo: Truth be told, I have always had an uncanny knack for it. It started out as a fun game when I was younger. I would try to swipe my uncle's belongings, wait for him to notice they'd disappeared before putting them back. I would see how long I could stay, blending into the background, as silent as possible, before he or anyone else realized I was hiding in plain sight in the room without saying a word. I never stole anything permanently. The thought had honestly never occurred to me to keep the wallets I took or the watches or valuables I pilfered. It was always natural to return them once I'd had my fun and because none of the things I stole ever stayed stolen, I was never caught or punished too severely in my school days.
He had a thousand-yard stare now, remembering something from long ago. Content to hear as much as I could from the typically reserved man, I stayed silent.
Nagatomo: As time went on, I started to challenge myself more. I would set harder, more impossible goals to achieve. Stealing things left behind in classrooms was standard fare, but swiping, say, the principal's car keys or graded papers? Those were much more fun to attempt. I wasn't perfect. I did fail. But the more I practised, the better I became until there were times I could've sworn I was almost invisible. I could steal practically anything I set my mind on provided I planned smartly enough ahead of time. Sleight-of-hand was key, too. I practised for hours, sometimes playing games with my little sister or using cheap magician's sets to test my skills with simple playing cards. It was more than a hobby, soon. It became almost an obsession. It was the talent that defined me. I became known as Nagatoma Yamaoka, the boy with the nimble fingers who could make anything he wanted disappear without you even knowing it.
Umeko: How old were you when you garnered such a reputation?
Nagatomo: [thoughtful] Does it matter? I was still young, and hadn't escalated to stealing truly valuable items yet. But rumors took shape nonetheless. Rumors that I could steal something of yours even if you thought you had your hand on it the whole time. With those rumors came the expectations. And with those expectations, I decided to truly escalate the art of thievery into something greater. I would aim even higher than I had before. But I never used my talents for my own personal gain. It was never about the value or the money. It was about the challenge, the thrill of the theft and the strategies that came with planning out my approach, taking into account all possible factors, and the like.
Umeko: That's...pretty incredible. You must've been very methodical through all this.
A small smile spread across his lips.
Nagatomo: [playful] One could say that.
Umeko: You must have some wild stories about things you've stolen. Anything outrageous to tell?
Nagatomo: That will, I'm afraid, have to wait for next time. I am tired. I would like to retire to my room.
Umeko: O-Oh...okay. Already?
But just as abruptly as before, he vanished.
[Nagatomo's Report Card has been updated based on your experience with him.]
[Nagatomo - Free Time Event #3]
Nagatomo: ...It's you. Here to talk to me again?
I decided to spend some time with Nagatomo. Looks like Nagatomo and I grew a little closer today.
Nagatomo: [bored] I see you are, once again, taking an unnatural interest in me and my talents as a thief. Am I wrong?
Umeko: Well, I...um...no. I admit, I am curious.
Nagatomo: [bored] Truly, the well of your curiosity is endless.
Umeko: I asked you last time about what were some of the most outrageous things you've stolen before in your...um...exploits.
Nagatomo: Is that what we called them? At any rate, I don't believe I promised you anything.
Umeko: You did, actually. You told me the stories would wait for next time.
Nagatomo: [snide] Ahh, but next time does not necessarily have to mean today, now, does it?
I planted my hands on my hips.
Umeko: Well, now that's just mean.
Nagatomo: [shocked] Hey, now. Don't get violent. It was only a joke. [bored] Very well. If it will sate your curiosity for today, I am willing to part with a tale. I just need to figure out which one to tell. I have a lot, you see. Sometimes, stories get mixed up in my head. With the list so long, I need to choose one carefully, one that will hopefully get you off my back long enough that I don't have to worry too soon when you'll next appear.
He acts like my conversations irritate him, but judging by how long he tends to prattle on whenever we do speak, he clearly enjoys them more than he likes to let on.
Nagatomo: [thoughtful] Let's see...ah. How about this? I can regale you with a story about the time I broke into a castle out in the middle of the ocean to steal this necklace known as the "Cloud Serpent". I never actually kept or sold the thing, of course, but it was a fun enough challenge getting past the security systems and infiltrating the place to get to the thing. For all the money they invested into it, you'd think they'd have made it a little harder to get into. Turns out a simple Venetian mask was all it took to pass off as one of the cultists there at the time. Really, it was rather elementary, but the thrill of being out there in the middle of the ocean with civilization miles away among masses of potential hostiles is truly something.
Umeko: A...castle? With cultists?
Nagatomo: Long story. I'll condense it.
Umeko: By all means.
He cleared his throat.
Nagatomo: I'd learned through a contact in the underworld that a ah...prized historical artifact, this necklace, was being held in a glass exhibit located on a castle on a remote island. Only catch was, the treasure hunter in question that had acquired it, had connections to a shady secret organization full of members of the elite and powerful in society. Finding a way onto the island to begin with was a challenge in and of itself. Planning not only the infiltration but the escape route as well, too, proved difficult. And all this isn't even taking into account the actual theft.
I shook my head, more puzzled than anything.
Umeko: Why go to such lengths to steal something for the challenge of it? It sounds like this necklace is valuable. And heading straight into the den of the enemy for it...you'd risk your life for basically nothing?
Nagatomo: I wouldn't say it was for nothing. I was honing my skills.
Umeko: But you weren't getting any money or value from it all. You could've died or been in serious trouble. I don't get it.
Nagatomo: [annoyed] You are mistaken. What I didn't obtain in terms of monetary value, I gained in experience. To me, that is of all the value.
Umeko: Is that...really worth it?
Truth be told, I still found it hard to wrap my head around it. Risking one's life so brazenly for...basically nothing? I could understand a guy like Azuma needing to put his life on the line on his missions to protect his country, but for Nagatomo to do it for the thrill of the danger and the experience alone...it was odd. Then again, perhaps what was odd to me made perfect sense to an enigmatic man such as himself.
Nagatomo: [disappointed] I understand people's confusion. But my reasons and motivations are mine and mine alone. If others cannot decipher them, then that is not my concern.
Umeko: Very well...I guess.
Nagatomo: I think I'm done telling stories for today. Perhaps we will talk more about this...another time.
Leaving that hanging in the air, he departed as mysteriously as always.
[Nagatomo's Report Card has been updated based on your experience with him.]
[Nagatomo - Free Time Event #4]
Nagatomo: ...Umeko.
I decided to spend some time with Nagatomo. Looks like Nagatomo and I grew a little closer today.
Nagatomo: [bored] I surmise that, once more, you have come to me with an inane question about me and my past?
Umeko: Guilty as charged.
And this time, I knew exactly what I wanted to ask him.
Umeko: Nagatomo...I've always been curious…
Nagatomo: Yes?
Umeko: Well...you've always talked about your moral code. That, when it comes to your profession as a thief, you only do it for the experience and the thrill, and that you never steal anything that you don't later return. But you've always said...that there was one thing you did steal, and never returned.
I saw his shoulders stiffen ever-so-slightly at my words. The previous look of boredom on his face had frozen now, and I caught a trace of something alien in his eyes. Panic? Regret?
Umeko: ...Would you tell me what it was?
Nagatomo: [annoyed] Why does it interest you?
Not panic. Not regret. I could see now he was defensive...guarded. Like I'd poked at something deep inside him, a wound he hadn't been able to fully close.
That's an odd reaction. I've always heard him talking about it, this one thing he stole and never returned. It's certainly never bothered him before to keep prattling on and on to the others about his "moral code" and the one time he was made to break it.
Why the odd behavior now that I'm the one asking him to talk more about it?
Umeko: I just...I was curious. You've always told the others about it. Everyone knows it. But...no one here knows anything else at all. Like...not what it was, when you stole it, why you stole it…
Nagatomo: [annoyed] Does any of that matter?
Umeko: I...you don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I was...I was only curious about the details. ...That's all.
He eyed me with cold suspicion.
Nagatomo: [annoyed] *sigh* I suppose...I can excuse the curiosity. And it's no secret that it happened. I just...don't enjoy going into specifics with the details.
Umeko: Oh...okay. Sorry. I didn't mean to pry, I just…whatever it is and for whatever reason you did it, it seems to have left a profound impact on you even to this day. I thought...if I knew the truth behind it, I could, I dunno, understand you better.
Nagatomo: [annoyed] And why do you seek to know me better like that? Don't tell me. [bored] It's because I'm your classmate?
Umeko: I've taken an interest in you, I suppose. Who wouldn't? You're an enigma, Nagatomo.
Nagatomo: Is that meant to be a compliment?
Umeko: I don't know. Does it sound like one to you?
Nagatomo: [thoughtful] In my line of work, I need to keep my secrets to myself, Umeko. Some secrets are more dangerous than others. So I'm sorry. I can't tell you what it was that I stole. Not now. Hopefully, not ever. Let's hope it never comes to that.
Umeko: If you're such a closed book all the time, I don't see myself getting to know you all that much more anytime soon.
Nagatomo: [snide] Perhaps you should give up then?
Umeko: Hmm...no. I'm too stubborn for that.
Nagatomo: [disappointed] Unfortunately, I figured as much myself. You are an endless well of curiosity surrounding me. Truly.
His eyes seemed to pierce right through me and penetrate deep into my thoughts.
Nagatomo: [thoughtful] I wonder…
Umeko: ...What?
Nagatomo: [thoughtful] It's...nothing. But...you really are fascinating, Umeko. No matter how much I brush you off, you keep coming back for more from me.
Umeko: Well, I have managed to weasel out a couple stories and facts from you so far. I figure, if I keep probing…
Nagatomo: [thoughtful] You'll find out more?
Umeko: You claim to be annoyed by me and yet you still spend time with me.
Nagatomo: I can't exactly drive you away with my bare hands, now, can I?
Umeko: I would go if you really, really wanted me to. But I think, deep down, you like opening up to someone, even though you try to behave like a closed book as much as possible. You like behaving cryptically, don't you?
Nagatomo: [annoyed] I beg your pardon?
Umeko: Don't get me wrong. I think it adds to the air of mystery surrounding someone befitting of the title of the SHSL Thief. I'm just saying…
Nagatomo: [disappointed] You're wasting your time trying to puzzle me out, Umeko. I get what you're trying to do, but really. You need to give it a rest.
He cast me another strange look.
Nagatomo: [thoughtful] I think I've had my fill of this conversation. Would you kindly take your leave now?
Umeko: You...want me to leave? Usually, you're the one who vanishes at the end of our little interactions.
Nagatomo: [snide] You said earlier that you would leave at my behest if it was what I really wanted. Now, I am telling you, that is what I want. Will you grant me my request?
I guess if he doesn't want to talk anymore, I can't possibly force him to.
[Nagatomo's Report Card has been updated based on your experience with him.]
[Nagatomo - Free Time Event #5: Finale]
Nagatomo: Good to see you, Umeko. If I may...would you like to talk?
I decided to spend some time with Nagatomo. Looks like Nagatomo and I grew a little closer today.
Nagatomo: Umeko.
Umeko: Yes, Nagatomo?
Nagatomo: I would like to have a proper conversation with you. In private. Away from...prying eyes and ears.
Umeko: Uhh...sure.
Nagatomo: Come with me back to my room?
Umeko: W-What?
Nagatomo: [annoyed] ...To have a chat?
I followed Nagatomo back to his room, noting how noiselessly he moved all the way through. The first thing I noted about his room was how spotless it was. The place was tidy, spick and span, bedsheets pulled so tightly it was as if the bed itself had never been slept in. The room was also considerably sparse of furniture. Had Nagatomo nicked everything he could've off the shelves and tables?
Nagatomo: Please. Sit.
I did as he said and he sat across from me, lacing his long fingers together and studying me with those mysterious eyes. Shifting a little underneath this scrutinizing gaze, I cleared my throat.
Umeko: So?
Nagatomo: So.
Umeko: Why the secrecy? I mean...you're normally like this, sure, but...why the sudden invitation to chat?
He studied me a little longer before continuing.
Nagatomo: I've mentioned before how much your behavior has intrigued me. For so long, I could not fathom the reasons behind your probing and prying. Perhaps, even now, the truth to those reasons still eludes me.
Umeko: Uh...where are you going with this?
Nagatomo: [thoughtful] You wished to know what it was that I stole, and never returned. Yes? The one thing I broke my moral code as a thief to procure?
Umeko: Whoa. Are...you actually going to tell me what it was?
Nagatomo: ...No.
Umeko: Oh.
Nagatomo: But I am going to tell you why I stole it.
Umeko: You are?
Nagatomo: [annoyed] Just...know that you're the only living soul in existence who I'm telling this to. I would...appreciate it if you kept it to yourself.
Umeko: Why the sudden change in heart? Why are you telling me this now?
Nagatomo: Perhaps...I'm curious too. Curious to see how it'll change your impression of me thus far. Curious to see how you'll react. Because what you expect my motivation to be might be something completely out of your expectations.
Umeko: Enough teasing. Spit it out already.
Nagatomo: [snide] Heh. So impatient…[worried] ...I was blackmailed into it.
Nagatomo: This...organization. They...kidnapped my sister.
Umeko: What? Nagatomo...that's horrible.
Nagatomo: They needed someone to steal something for them, an item of significant value to them. A technological marvel. And it was being kept in this...facility. A government base. Top-secret. Known to be unbreachable. Guarded by world-class security. It took me the better part of a couple months to finally break in and make off with what they wanted.
Umeko: You...managed to break into a government facility? W-What did you steal from a government facility?
In my mind, I imagined a weapon capable of mass destruction. Perhaps a plasma rocket launcher or a nuclear ray gun of some sort. But Nagatomo simply chuckled and shook his head at me, eyes twinkling.
Nagatomo: [playful] If only you knew…
Umeko: You're never telling me, are you? You're the worst.
Nagatomo: [snide] Why, thank you.
Umeko: So you stole this...this weapon or object or whatever. What did they do with it?
Nagatomo: [thoughtful] ...It appears they carried out more experiments on it. I...didn't care one way or the other. I knew that stealing the item back to stay true to my moral code would only jeopardize my sister's safety further. I saw firsthand this organization's power and resources. So...I let them keep it. And they stayed true to their word, and returned my sister safe and sound.
He hung his head, a dark look in his eyes.
Nagatomo: [annoyed] Doing what I did is my biggest regret. I knew I had no other choice. And if I was tested again the same way, I know I would do anything and everything in my power as long as it kept my sister safe. I would break a million moral codes for her. She's family. That being said...not a day goes by that I don't question what my actions may have led to, what this organization has done with what I stole for them, what other events I may have set in motion. ...I consider my thieving skills a gift. I dislike my gifts being manipulated by others' selfish decisions.
I didn't know what to say. I figured there had to have been a reason behind Nagatomo breaking his moral code in the regrettable way he always talked about it, but I never would have imagined it like this. This wasn't just some famous painting or fancy sculpture he'd stolen. It was a weapon, something that could cause destruction or damage or even loss of life if fallen into the wrong hands, supposedly. And he was going to have to live with that knowledge. But even then…
I could see the resolve in his gaze, and hear it in his words. He did what he did to save his sister.
I would break a million moral codes for her, he'd said. There was no line he wouldn't cross with her life on the line.
Umeko: I can't speak for what might have happened with this...this weapon you stole. But I do know one thing. If it was someone I loved on the line like that, not that I can remember my own family or otherwise, but still...I don't know what I would've done. But I don't blame you in the slightest for what you did. It wasn't your fault. If anything...it's their fault. The people that put you up to it. They're the ones to blame, and them alone. Not you.
His eyes met mine and his expression was unreadable. As per usual, I couldn't read his thoughts or emotions in the slightest. A million different thoughts could've been running through his mind at that moment and I was none the wiser to any of them.
Eventually, he nodded, and I was taken aback to see his eyes had started shining more intensely, damp.
Nagatomo: [sad] Right. ...Thank you.
Respectfully, I pretended not to notice as he blinked away the momentary wetness in his eyes.
He cleared his throat, and got to his feet.
Nagatomo: You've been asking, and now, I have answered. In a way...it felt good to take this load off my shoulders. So...I thank you for being my audience.
Umeko: And I thank you for trusting me to talk about it with.
Telling me all this was a big step for Nagatomo, that much was obvious. For some reason or other, he'd deemed me trustworthy enough to share with me this secret. Perhaps, one day, we could be close enough for him to share more.
He led me to his door. Before I could leave, I turned back to face him.
Umeko: One day...will you ever trust me enough to tell me exactly what it was that you stole?
Nagatomo mulled it over, then his face broke into a sly grin.
Nagatomo: [playful] Something tells me you wouldn't really like to know. There are truths in this world, Umeko, that are better left unsaid and unknown. ...This is one of them.
With those ominous parting words hanging in the air, he quietly shut the door in my face.
[Nagatomo's Report Card has been updated based on your experience with him.]
[PRESENT OBTAINED: Nagatomo's Undergarments]
Nagatomo's Undergarments: Nagatomo's white briefs, made from thin fabric, and easier to move in.
Nagatomo's Report Card:
#1 - Nagatomo hinted, not so subtly, that he was curious and maybe also a bit suspicious that I would be willing to spend time with him. He seems to think his skill as the SHSL Thief should put most people off of wanting to get to know him, and dismissed the idea that I did it because I wanted to know him better as my classmate.
#2 - I asked Nagatomo how he first discovered his talent as a thief. He told me stories of how he first practised stealing in his childhood, and as the rumors started to spread of his skills, so strengthened was his desire to meet their expectations and keep getting better and better at what he did.
#3 - Nagatomo talked about one of his exploits, a Cloud Serpent necklace kept in a castle on a mysterious island. He also told me about how he likes to challenge himself and hone his skill by methodically planning more and more complex, challenging heists.
#4 - When I inquired more about the one thing Nagatomo stole and never returned, his whole demeanour changed considerably. Whatever the story behind it, it clearly conceals a sore spot. He remained as aggravatingly cryptic as always, if not more. Will I ever be able to fully puzzle him out?
#Finale - Out of the blue, Nagatomo evidently decided he trusted me enough to confess the truth, or at least some of it, about the one and only object that he'd stolen and never returned. Turns out, his sister was kidnapped and used as blackmail against him, forcing Nagatomo to steal a secret, deadly weapon from a government facility and deliver it into the hands of a terrorist organization. He has regretted it ever since, but I reassured him that he was not at fault, and that anyone, myself included, could and would do the same to save the life of a loved one.
[Kenji - Free Time Event #2]
Kenji: [playful] What's good, Umeko? Just the lady I was hoping to see!
I decided to spend some time with Kenji. Looks like Kenji and I grew a little closer today.
Kenji: [disappointed] Man...this sucks.
Umeko: What does? Talking to me?
Kenji: [playful] Haha...nah. Nothing sucks when I talk to you, unless, of course, you had other ideas. I was talking about being stuck here. There's nothing to do all day!
Umeko: Sure there is. You just need to find something to occupy your time with.
Kenji: [bored] I want to be back on my skateboard! Skateboarders like me aren't meant to be cooped up here like this.
Umeko: What do you miss most about being back skateboarding?
Kenji: [playful] Oh man...it's hard to describe. Just the feel of the wind whipping through my hair and the speed of the board beneath my feet...nothing can beat the rush. I'm honestly more comfortable on those wheels than I am on my own two feet! I don't know how some people could be scared of a skateboard or be hesitant to try it. I've loved it since I started and never looked back. What about you, Umeko?
Umeko: Well...I can't exactly remember if I've ever been skateboarding before…
Kenji: [shocked] Oh, right. The whole amnesia thing. That sucks. [worried] Man...so as far as you know, you've never even experienced skateboarding for yourself before.
Umeko: Who knows? I'm sure some of the others must've done it at some point though. You could talk about it with one of them! I bet Fukumi's tried it, with her talent.
Kenji: [disappointed] Yeah, but I'm not interested in geeking out over skateboarding with Fukumi. [playful] I'm more interested in talking about it with you.
Umeko: O-Oh...okay.
I'm not sure how much I can really contribute to a conversation like this, a topic of which I know close to nothing about. But I suppose I could try...
Umeko: Well...what's your favorite trick to perform on a skateboard? You must know loads, right?
Kenji: [playful] Sure! My favorite trick...let's see. Oh! There's this really tough one to do that even a lot of pro skaters fail to properly master. It's super fun to show off because of how hard it is to pull off. The way it goes is…
Kenji began gesticulating wildly with his hands, the enthusiasm burning bright in his eyes.
Kenji: [excited] Basically, I do a heel flip and then a body varial in the air, which means my body spins around 180 while my board stays in the same space. I've seen Tony Hawk do it before. Most people would laugh when I tell them what the move's called because they don't understand skateboarding jargon.
Umeko: Tony Hawk, the pro skater?
Kenji: See, you do remember some things! Have you ever heard or seen the trick in action then, as far as you can recall?
Umeko: Is it…
1. Heelflip sex change melon grab
2. Downwards kickflip jockey twist
3. High kick body varial carrot spin
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
Answer: 1. Heelflip sex change melon grab
Kenji: [playful] Real mouthful of a name, isn't it?
Umeko: I won't pretend to know much about skateboarder's jargon but yes, it's quite the name.
Kenji: [playful] Younger me would've thought it was some crazy convoluted sex move, before I learned all the tips and tricks to being a skateboarder.
Umeko: Would you ever perform that trick for me then? Someday, if we get out of here?
Kenji: [happy] 'When' we get out of here. And sure, why not? Just make sure to remind me, because I will forget. And then, when my board and I are reunited, I'd be more than happy to show you a move or two. You better get the cameras recording too, because it's no easy trick.
Umeko: Do you think you're a better skater than Tony Hawk then?
Kenji: [uncomfortable] Man, why you gotta put me on the spot like that?
Umeko: Come on, be honest! I won't judge you either way.
Tony Hawk is a legendary skateboarder, but is he an Ultimate Skateboarder, or better? How does the Academy even measure the degree of talent an Ultimate-in-training has compared to one with years more of experience?
Kenji deigned not to answer my question.
[Kenji 's Report Card has been updated based on your experience with him.]
[Kenji - Free Time Event #3]
Kenji: [happy] 'Sup, Umeko? What's up, girlfriend?
I decided to spend some time with Kenji. Looks like Kenji and I grew a little closer today.
Kenji: [excited] Hey, Umeko! Would you come with me and check this out? I got something cool I wanna show ya.
Umeko: Really? Somehow, that doesn't instil confidence…
Kenji: [snide] Oh, ye of little faith. Just come!
Wary, I followed Kenji as he led me to the top of the stairs in the inn. He'd placed a metal food tray next to the bannister, and when we got to the top, he picked it up and gingerly placed it atop the railing.
Kenji: [thoughtful] Alright...get ready, and watch this.
Umeko: Wait, what are you-
I never got the words out in time. I watched, stunned into silence, as Kenji leapt up onto the tray and began to slide haphazardly down the railing. Impressively enough, he stayed balanced for a good few seconds before the tray slid out to the side from underneath him midway through and he toppled, tumbling down the rest of the stairs a good few feet.
Umeko: K-Kenji! Are you hurt?
I ran down to check on him as he groaned, wincing and attempting to pick himself up off the floor.
Kenji: [uncomfortable] I'm...f-fine…
Umeko: That was remarkably stupid! What'd you do that for?
Kenji: [distressed] Y'know how bored I've been, trapped in here! I just wanted to try and emulate the skateboarding experience, in whatever way I can! I'm losing my mind being idle in this inn.
Umeko: Kenji, even someone as reckless as you can't possibly have thought that was going to pan out well…
Kenji: [shocked] Ooh! You've given me a great idea! I should use a pan instead of a tray for next time!
Umeko: No! There should never be a next time! Also, you're bleeding!
Kenji: [laughing] I am?
Umeko: Come on.
I dragged Kenji away to look for a first aid kit. I was able to procure a couple Band-Aids from my bathroom cabinet to cover up the cut he'd sustained on his forehead.
Kenji: [uncomfortable] Ow…
Umeko: Better?
Kenji: [worried] Sorta. Yeah. Sorry.
Umeko: What're you apologizing for, dummy?
Kenji: [playful] Hehe. For making you have to take care of me like this.
Umeko: Well, then in the future, don't pull a stupid stunt like this. Got it?
Kenji: [playful] I can't help myself sometimes! I just get so bored being cooped up all the time. Ask Samira, I'm sure she sympathizes. She hates being indoors as much as I do.
Umeko: Why'd you even make me witness you do something like that? I thought you were gonna fall off and get yourself killed or something and give me a heart attack.
Kenji: [playful] Pft. Like I'd get killed from something as stupid as a skateboarding accident. You can't expect something like that from the Skateboarding King! Besides, I wanted to impress you.
Umeko: That wasn't very impressive.
Kenji: [disappointed] Damn. I knew that.
Umeko: Didn't you think of the consequences before you acted? Aren't you scared of pain?
Kenji: [worried] I guess. But I mean, if I spent all my time worrying about pain or consequences, I'd miss out on so much in life! That's my philosophy, at any rate. Getting hurt's part of growing, isn't that what they say?
Umeko: There's a difference between taking risks and being stupid.
Kenji: [playful] Ah. Can't fault me for not knowing the difference. That's just me, I'm afraid. Stupid and reckless.
No kidding. Typical foolhardy boy behavior, thinking he's invincible all the time because he's good at one sport...
Kenji: [playful] Even if you weren't all that impressed, I'd say this little stunt was still worth it, injury be damned. After all, I got to see you all flustered and concerned over me. It's very sweet.
I could feel a flush creeping up my cheeks.
Umeko: Don't be such a…
Kenji: [playful] Dumbass?
Umeko: I wasn't gonna say that. Even injured, you can't put a lid on all the flirting?
Kenji: [playful] Are you sure you'd even want me to?
Umeko: If you're gonna injure yourself just for attention, then yeah. I'd rather you stop.
Kenji gave me a mock salute.
Kenji: Duly noted, ma'am.
Umeko: When we get out of here, you can skateboard to your heart's content, okay? And I'd be more than happy to watch you then. But in here...maybe keep the dangerous stunts to a minimum?
Kenji: [bored] What'll I do to keep myself entertained then?
Umeko: Uh...we could play pool? The arcade machines in the Rec Room might be worth a shot too.
Kenji: [disappointed] I suppose...nothing beats a skateboard though.
Umeko: I'm not saying it's a replacement or anything, just...a substitute. Something to take your mind off your boredom while we're in here.
Kenji: [disappointed] Man, it's just not fair. Everyone else has a cool talent they can use while they're in here. Samira can still paint her murals, Mordecai has those darts, Taro has an entire frikkin' library...Miyumi has her dolls, Ichiro has his cactus, even Kaori had Buddy with her. Why do they get all their things but Monokuma wouldn't even leave me with one skateboard?
Umeko: There's not exactly a lot of safe space for you to skateboard in such a cramped inn. Besides, it's not like everyone else can have fun with their talent while in here. Fukumi can't really do much in the inn as the SHSL Daredevil besides maybe a couple violent pillow fights. And hey, silver lining. At least you remember your talent.
Kenji: [playful] Haha...that's true. Sorry. Can't forget to not overlook that.
Umeko: So come on. Let's go do stuff in the arcade today to take your mind off things. Have you tried your hand at them yet?
The two of us went to spend time playing rounds on the arcade machines for the next few hours. While Kenji didn't complain any longer about not having a skateboard on deck with him, I could tell he was still feeling glum about it all.
[Kenji 's Report Card has been updated based on your experience with him.]
[Kenji - Free Time Event #4]
Kenji: [playful] What's good, Umeko? I was hoping we could spend some time together.
I decided to spend some time with Kenji. Looks like Kenji and I grew a little closer today.
Kenji: [happy] Hey, Umeko! Guess what we're gonna do today?
Umeko: ...Something safe, hopefully?
Kenji: [playful] Safe? That sounds dreadfully boring. Still got the incident from last time on your mind, do you?
Umeko: Of course! It was dangerous, and dumb.
Kenji: [playful] Sounds like a hell of a combination. Like me! But no. Today, we're doing something fun! To the Rec Room!
Taking my hand, Kenji charged down the hallway and led me up to the Rec Room. There, I saw something I'd not seen before: a stereo placed atop the bar countertop, and plugged into the socket that the arcade machines were normally connected to.
Umeko: Where'd you find this?
Kenji: [excited] Dug it out of the dusty old attic! Looks like Monokuma was kind enough to provide us with some tunes. C'mon!
He moved to turn the stereo on and it came to life with the press of a couple buttons, blasting some techno music to fill the room. I stifled a laugh as Kenji started dancing to the beat of the music.
Umeko: What are you doing?
Kenji: [playful] What does it look like? I'm jamming out! Come on, join me.
He took my hands again and made me join him in the middle of the room. With the pool tables on one end and the couches on the other, the place was no nightclub, but there was still enough space for us to move freely about. Kenji looked like he was having fun, swaying and gesturing his hands about to the beat. He looked very much in his element here, a teenage boy moving and vibing along and having fun.
Umeko: See? I told you you could have fun, even in a place like this, without your skateboard.
Kenji: [snide] Sure. And hitting the club's a great way to meet girls, you know? Well, I guess you wouldn't. Even without the amnesia, you never struck me as the clubbing sort.
For some reason, that irked me a little.
Umeko: I don't?
Kenji: [thoughtful] You seem like the goody-two-shoes sort, Umeko. No offense. But that's cool too. [playful] You can be nice and responsible enough for the both of us.
Umeko: And you do this often? Hit the club, I mean. To, what, pick up chicks?
Kenji: [playful] Hey, your words. Not mine.
He took my hands and did a twirling motion with his finger. I did as he asked and couldn't help but smile as he dipped me low to the ground and back up again, spinning around me.
Umeko: Nice footwork.
Kenji: [happy] Thanks.
Umeko: Did you...meet a lot of girls, then?
Kenji: Sure. [playful] Having a title like "The Skateboarding King" made it easier to score too. Turns out some girls like flirting with a pro skateboarder more than they would an average Joe. Being super talented, or an SHSL Talent I should say, has its perks, believe it or not.
Umeko: ...Hmm.
Kenji: [worried] Something bothering you?
Umeko: No. Nothing like that. I just...you must have had a lot of relationships then.
Kenji: [playful] Relationships? If you'd call making out with some girl whose name I've already mixed up with the last one for a few minutes a relationship, then yeah. I suppose I have had my fair few.
Umeko: You're one to play the field, then?
Kenji: [annoyed] I wouldn't call it that, but yeah. If that's how you want to look at it. [playful] I mean, why not? What's the point of going to a school like Hope's Peak without flaunting it to my heart's desire?
Umeko: Is it really all that great? Attention, I mean. From women or otherwise?
Kenji: [playful] Course it is! What else is there to life? Don't you agree? I like being known as Kenji Enomoto, the SHSL Skateboarder. I like the fame and the attention. That's why I like skateboarding for an audience, participating in tournaments. It's why I like doing tricks to show off. That's the whole reason I skateboard. To do something dangerous and electrifying to hear the "ooh"s and the "ahh"s from onlookers. It's fun. It's cool. No?
Umeko: I guess I can't really relate, being...well, being whatever I am. I don't even know.
Kenji: Let me tell you how I used to be, Umeko. I wasn't always as popular as I am now. There was a time when no one would even look at me, give me the time of day. Be it girl or guy. I had no friends. No one paid attention to me. NO ONE. I was anonymous, obscure, a nobody. A loner and an outcast. Finding my life's passion in skateboarding changed all that. It gave me a name, a face that people would know. A title, that people would view with admiration, and even envy. [playful] You can't really blame me for wanting to ride the wave for as long as I can, can you? Whatever your thoughts on my lifestyle, it's been much better than my past ever was and ever would have been.
Umeko: I...I'm sorry if I offended you.
Kenji: No. You shouldn't apologize. I get it. I've had my fair share of people disapproving of how flippantly and carelessly I like to live. [playful] Like I said, you're one of those goody-two-shoe types, Umeko. But that's alright. I like that about you. You balance out my wild side, you know.
Umeko: ...Right.
Kenji: [playful] Now lighten up! Look. I'll show you some tricks I can do on my own two hands and feet, without a board! Watch…
Without warning, Kenji bent his knees and leapfrogged onto a pool table, which teetered dangerously on wobbly legs.
Umeko: K-Kenji!
He planted a hand firmly down in the centre of the table and gingerly raised his legs off the surface, so he was doing a tentative handstand atop it. Meeting my eyes upside-down, he stuck his tongue out at me with a crooked smile.
Kenji: [playful] Betcha can't do this, Umeko! I dare you give it a try. Or are you too much of a goody goody?
Umeko: Be careful...I don't want you to hurt yourself again.
Kenji: [laughing] But then I'd get to watch you all worried and concerned for my well-being again. That in itself is a treat.
He was focusing too much on talking and not enough on keeping his balance centered. His legs teetered forward a little too far and I yelped as he tried to recover and wound up careening off the table and crumpling to the floor.
Umeko: Kenji!
Kenji: [uncomfortable] Oof! Ow...damn it.
Umeko: Y-You did that on purpose!
Kenji: [worried] What? N-No, I didn't. That was - ouch - actually an accident…
Umeko: How many times are you gonna get yourself injured like this? I don't even think Fukumi, the SHSL Daredevil herself, has gotten herself injured as much as you have thus far.
Kenji: [playful] Relaaax, Umeko! It's fine. I didn't fall on some deadly spikes or anything. Luckily it was only a fall…
Umeko: Yeah...lucky…
Watching Kenji rub his sides and wince but try to disguise how much it hurt, I was left to wonder how many times he'd pulled off dumb stunts like this in the past to try and impress some girl in a club or skate park.
[Kenji 's Report Card has been updated based on your experience with him.]
[Kenji - Free Time Event #5: Finale]
Kenji: [playful] Hey there, goody-two-shoes. Sure you want to hang with a rebel like yours truly?
I decided to spend some time with Kenji. Looks like Kenji and I grew a little closer today.
Kenji hopped up onto the nearest cabinet, legs dangling and swinging beneath him. He had a sneaky grin on his face.
Umeko: ...Whaaat?
Kenji: [playful] What do you mean, "whaaat"?
Umeko: You look like you've got something else planned.
My mind went back to the last two incidents.
Umeko: What is it this time? You're gonna swing from the chandelier? Wreck someone's room? Climb up the chimney?
Kenji: [playful] I like having a fun time and mucking about to impress girls, Umeko. I'm not an insane kid who can't control himself. Not like Fukumi, at any rate. I think any and every stunt imaginable would thrill that girl. For me, it's really only skateboarding that helps scratch my itch. Everything else is just to pass the time. But no, nothing crazy from me today. I wanted to talk to you.
Umeko: I'm right here.
Kenji: No, I mean...a proper, sincere talk. Do you uhh...mind meeting me in my room?
Umeko: Y-Your room?
Kenji: [playful] I thought you were a goody-two-shoes. Get your mind out of the gutter, you little minx. I only want to talk, and by talk, I actually do mean "talk".
Umeko: My mind's not in the gutter! If anyone's mind is in the gutter, it's yours!
Kenji: [playful] Guilty as charged? Shall we, then?
Not gonna lie, with all that I know of Kenji's past as an incorrigible Casanova and his relentless flirting, can he blame me that my mind really did sway to the gutter for a second?
Innocently enough, Kenji led me back to his room. It looked almost exactly as I'd imagined a typical boy's would: messy, untidy, with sheets strewn here and there, junk food and soft drinks littering the bedside table and other available surfaces.
I noticed an odd empty space on the wall, where it looked like the outline of a skateboard had been drawn in black marker.
Umeko: What's this space for?
Kenji: [playful] Oh, that's where I'd put my skateboard. [angry] If I HAD ONE! [playful] Ahem. Excuse me…
I plopped down onto the nearest chair as he slumped down onto his bed with a little bounce and satisfied sigh, leaning back on his haunches.
Umeko: So, what's on your mind, Kenji?
Kenji: [playful] You are.
Umeko: Oh, stop it, you.
Kenji: [playful] I see the blush.
Umeko: I thought you said to get my mind out of the gutter.
Kenji: [playful] That I did. I said you were on my mind but that doesn't mean it had to be in a romantic way. I only want to talk!
Umeko: Suuure...you're incorrigible sometimes.
Kenji: [laughing] I think you mean all the time. Okay, but seriously. I did want to talk to you, Umeko, my good friend, in a totally normal and platonic manner.
I waited for him to stop snickering and continue. His face became a little more serious then as he cleared his throat and intertwined his fingers around each other, licking his lips and looking as if he was trying to come up with the right words to say.
Kenji: [worried] I...I've had some time to think about what you've said to me, in the past. About how I willingly make an ass of myself just to show off and get attention from other people. You might not have said it out loud but I can tell what you think of me. That I'm egocentric, a bit of a narcissist. An egomaniac and attention-hog who wants to always be the centre of attention, the life of the party.
Umeko: That's...I don't…
Kenji: Let me continue. And I figure, you've probably not been too fond of my er...my ways of "playing the field", as you so eloquently put it yourself.
Umeko: I shouldn't have said that. You're right. We may be friends, but who am I to judge how you like to have fun and live your life?
Kenji: [worried] Thing is, you're not wrong. I did do all those things because for the longest time, I've always assumed that attention was the most important to me in life. I didn't really care how dangerous my skateboarding tricks became, how often I put my own body through the ringer whenever something didn't go right, whenever I skidded and fell, the times I would sprain a wrist or almost break an arm trying out something new and insane. I told myself, it was worth it. Every single mad thing I was doing...it was worth it, for the attention. For the adoration. For the feeling of being someone other than myself, someone who wasn't small, unknown and insignificant.
I wanted to say something, but I felt that it would probably be best to let him continue on on his own.
Kenji: Can I confess to you something?
Umeko: Of course.
Kenji: [annoyed] I hate the feeling of being insignificant. Of being a nobody. Of being nothing. Worthless. Unimportant. That's why being an SHSL student means so much to me. My talent, as a skateboarder. Without it...I'd be empty inside.
He fingered one of the deliberate holes in his jeans, circling the scuffed threads with the tip of his index finger like he regretted it.
Kenji: I don't have relationships with people. Not the way someone like you would, at least. My interactions with people are meant to only serve a purpose. I talk to the girl at the club so I can get her number, so we can hang out and flirt harmlessly and make out and then never talk to each other the week after. I don't meet people to make friends, to commit to any serious relationships.
Umeko: Do you...ever feel lonely?
Kenji: Sometimes. But I wouldn't acknowledge it. I'd double down instead. Tell myself nothing had changed and keep walking the same path. [playful] That it's okay to just be this flippant, reckless, fun-loving skateboarder who impresses girls but never sticks around for long. Because if I'm not Kenji Enomoto, Skateboarding King, then...what am I?
He hunched over in his seat, brooding.
Kenji: [worried] The thing I've learnt about attention is that it's an addiction. Each time, it feels like I'm chasing a high. The look of admiration everytime I do a backflip, the shrieks and squeals of excitement from a crowd or an audience at the skate park or at a tournament...it's music to my ears. Any moment I spend without it or without my skateboard feels wasted. Maybe that's why I view human relationships in much the same vein. A waste, if not to fulfill some other purpose.
Umeko: You can change that. If that's not who you really are, you can stop. You can start trying to take relationships and people more seriously. Put aside the desire to draw attention and focus on other things.
He smirked suddenly.
Kenji: [snide] Might be a bit harder than you'd think to do that. But thanks. I appreciate you lending a listening ear.
He pulled away from me with a heavy exhale.
Kenji: Let's be honest, Umeko. You and I both know I'm a piece of crap.
Umeko: Kenji, don't say that about yourself...you're really not. You've been nothing but kind to me when others have treated me like I've got the plague because of my talent...or lack thereof. I don't care whether you've only spent time with me because you want attention or...you know, if you're only playing the field or whatever. I still think of you as a friend. And I want to get to know you as you, as Kenji Enomoto, the person. Not the Skateboarding King or whatever.
Kenji: No, Umeko. You don't have to try and sugarcoat it. I'm an asshole. I've hurt a lot of people. [playful] Mostly girls. [sad] I've been a player and I've broken many hearts before. I know I'm not a good person. I'm kind of a jerk. I'm a playboy. I've never denied that. But Umeko...you're different. You make me want to be... better. You make me want to change. And I promise you, that's not just some dumb rehearsed line I use on all the ladies I fancy. This time...I mean it. [nervous] I have no clue where to start...but. Would you...help me become a better person? ...Together?
In that moment...I could feel Kenji's sincerity...and I knew that we had become, in every sense of the word, friends.
Umeko: Of course, Kenji. You are my friend. And you don't need to do anything stupid or dangerous for that to be true. You don't need a skateboard to impress me or have my friendship. You just need to be yourself.
I couldn't tell if he really believed me or not. But as we stood up to share an embrace, I didn't care. These brief glimpses into who he was as a person was enough for me to know that there was more damage underneath. And I was willing to help him fix it.
[Kenji's Report Card has been updated based on your experience with him.]
[PRESENT OBTAINED: Kenji's Undergarments]
Kenji's Undergarments: Kenji's tight-fitting purple underwear, all the better to impress the ladies with.
Kenji's Report Card:
#1 - A regular Casanova, Kenji was feeling jilted that Azuma's stolen a bit of his spotlight from the other girls and that none of them were paying much attention to him. He asked me, as a girl, what he should to do to seem more appealing to women, and I told him he could be more like Azuma and try being a little more humble.
#2 - Bored without his skateboard, Kenji bemoaned our situation and talked about his love for his sport and a special trick he knew to do. He promised to show me once we got out of the village, but became withdrawn when I challenged him if he was a better skateboarder than Tony Hawk himself.
#3 - Wanting to impress me, Kenji attempted to skateboard down the stair rails on a metal tray. It didn't work out, and I ended up having to tend to his injuries. Despite the pain, it didn't seem to bother him. Not only did he consider it part and parcel of life, but he thought it worth it just to see me fuss over him. Trying to take his mind off his perpetual boredom and gloominess over not being able to exercise his talent while stuck in the inn, I invited him to play on the arcade machines in the Rec Room.
#4 - Having found an old stereo in the attic, Kenji invited me to the Rec Room this time to pretend like we were dancing at a nightclub. He told me about how he used to hit on girls at the club, and about how he relied on doing stupid skateboarding stunts and other fun things for attention and approval from others, mostly women.
#Finale - For once, Kenji was serious, as he confessed how hooked he was on attention from other people, and how he viewed relationships as a means to an end rather than anything serious to commit to. He spoke about the girls whose hearts he'd broken because he only wanted a fun time before moving on. Wanting to change and be a better person but not knowing how to begin or where to start, he asked if I could help him, and as his friend, I agreed.
[Yoshihiki - Free Time Event #4]
Yoshihiki: [playful] Can't stay away, now, can we, Umeko?
I decided to spend some time with Yoshihiki. Looks like Yoshihiki and I grew a little closer today.
Yoshihiki: [playful] Hey, Umeko! Could you come with me for a sec?
Umeko: Go with you...where, exactly?
Yoshihiki: [excited] I got something really, really awesome to show you! I found it the other day. You're gonna flip out when you see it! Come on, quick!
Yoshihiki grabbed my hand and took off before I could protest any further. When we got to a corner up ahead, he suddenly let go and dashed forward by himself.
Yoshihiki: [excited] It's this way!
He rounded the corner and vanished from sight.
Umeko: Yoshihiki, wait!
I panted, turning the corner to catch up with him. And then my foot caught on something.
Umeko: What the-
The tripwire snapped in half as I stumbled over it. I caught a glimpse of a brief flash of red before the water balloon swung down from the ceiling and nailed me right in the face.
Umeko: Yawk!
I fell back onto my butt as Yoshihiki's cackles reverberated around the room.
Umeko: You little brat!
Yoshihiki: [annoyed] Hey, you take that back!
I stuck my lower lip out at him.
Umeko: I mean, you started it…
I picked myself up off the floor, inspecting the pendulum-based contraption connected to the water balloon that Yoshihiki had set up.
Yoshihiki: [snide] Don't hate the player, Umeko. Hate the game!
Umeko: The game of what?
Yoshihiki: [snide] Pranking, of course! [playful] A relentless, neverending tug-of-war between two or more parties, where you're constantly trying to get the other with all kinds of tricks and jests! Granted, most people don't seem to tug the rope back very much in their direction because I'm the only one pulling - or, er, 'pranking'. But you get the idea! Why do you think all those pranksters on YouTube always do so well, especially couples that make it a game to prank each other nonstop? The couple that pranks each other together, stays together!
I don't remember much about my experience with the Internet but even I can tell that's a recipe for disaster brewing.
Yoshihiki: [laughing] That's why I had to prank you first! I hadn't pranked you in a while too. It's nice to vary up my targets once in a while so I'm not always going after Taro or Ichiro or Wakako or Miyumi.
Going after the weakest targets or the most fun to mess with, is he?
Umeko: You really never tire of pranking, do you? What, is every day April Fool's to you?
Yoshihiki: [playful] Course! Wouldn't it be ironic if April Fool's was the one and only day I took a break? I find that the paranoia of people expecting me to pull off some ultimate prank would be just as good of a prank in my book. My only regret is I wasn't born on April Fool's Day so I could make it a double celebration.
Umeko: What you said about people that prank each other nonstop...that can't be good for any relationship, can it? Not just romantically, but between friends as well? I mean...the constant mistrust and suspicion could be poison.
Yoshihiki: [bored] That's cos you're thinking about it from a boring perspective, Umeko. Y'know, cause you're boring. If you'd learn to lighten up and have fun with it like I am, then you'd see the pure joy in it. Everyone would, and should too, if they just got the sticks out of their arses. I mean, just look at all these people! "Never in all my years have I seen a group of people more in need of a good time," a wise man once said. Our class is full of a bunch of numpties who wouldn't know a good time if it bit them on the butt.
Umeko: But even you have to realize that it's not exactly the best way to make friends…
Yoshihiki: [snide] Friends schmiends! Who cares? People love my pranking! It's the best way to make a first impression!
My fingers tingled a little from the memory of our very first meeting, and handshake.
Yoshihiki: [bored] And it's not like I care either way. If people don't want to be friends with me because they can't handle a little harmless pranking, then they're not the sort of people I'd want to be friends with anyway!
Umeko: Do you...really not care?
Yoshihiki: …
Yoshihiki's face went strangely blank for a moment.
Yoshihiki: You want to hear a story, Umeko?
Umeko: What about?
Yoshihiki: I wanna tell you a story. It's about a boy I once knew. Want to hear it?
Umeko: Uh...okay. Sure.
Yoshihiki: Before I fully embraced my identity as a prankster, when I was still a kid, I had this other friend. He was a bit of a loser, but then again, so was I at the time. We were social outcasts together. Just a couple of weirdo dorks that no one really cared about in school. We did all sorts of things together. We always sat together at lunch. We did our homework together. People would make fun of him, though, because he had a lot of health issues. One of those being that he was deathly allergic to peaches. For whatever reason, even coming into contact with the little bits of fuzz on the outside of a peach would cause his whole body to break out into these hideous red rashes.
Where's he going with this...?
Yoshihiki: When I learned about the joy pranking brought me and started to do it more and more, he was never really all that fond of it. I'd pranked him a couple times by then, harmless stuff. And I was upgrading to more and more tricks with the rest of the class and neighborhood, really building up a reputation for myself. But I always left the more severe pranks alone when it came to him. Until I had this really great idea, one day.
Umeko: You didn't.
Yoshihiki: [snide] You can see where I'm going with this, can't you?
My stomach tightened into knots.
Yoshihiki: It started like any other day at school, really. I'd felt that my reputation as a prankster was starting to go stale by that point, and knew I had to do something to bolster it up again. And so I came up with this ingenious idea. I got the entire class in on it. I lured my friend to the classroom with me after lunch, purposely made him open the door first. And when it did, a bucket of peaches collapsed onto him.
I could see it now, Yoshihiki doing this very clearly in my mind's eye.
Yoshihiki: The reaction was pretty instantaneous. I'd gathered the whole class inside to watch it happen. I remember a few things here and there about what happened that day. The explosion of raucous laughter, for instance. The slaps and pats on the back for a prank well done. The red rashes that sprung up on his pale, freckly skin within seconds. And that look in his eyes when he realized I'd done it. How quickly he sped out of there to find the matron's office.
Umeko: ...What happened after that?
Yoshihiki: Nothing. We never spoke again. About a week later, I'd heard he transferred schools and had went to live with a distant relative. A month after that, his family moved out of the city to join him and I've lost contact with him ever since. Honestly? The last words I ever said to him were probably at lunchtime that very same day he was ambushed by peaches.
Umeko: I don't understand.
Yoshihiki: What's there to not understand, Umeko?
Umeko: Why...why did you do such a thing? To your best friend, too? For the lulz?
Yoshihiki: Maybe.
Umeko: A-And...and why didn't you try to talk to him after? To apologize? Make amends? Didn't you feel bad? Guilty? And why are you telling me this story?
Yoshihiki: You asked me a question, didn't you?
A question...?
Yoshihiki: You asked me if I didn't care if my pranks stopped me from having friends. [snide] And so I gave you my answer.
Umeko: So...you don't care. That's your answer?
Yoshihiki: [snide] If I could drive off my best friend like that for a silly little prank, then what's the difference with you people? You're just a bunch of people I'm meeting for the first time in this little village. You don't matter to me.
Umeko: ...Somehow, I find that hard to believe.
Yoshihiki: So you think I care, then? You think, deep down, I do care on some level, and I'm just...what? Disguising that, with malignant apathy? I'm not some puzzle for you to figure out, Umeko. Maybe I really am exactly who I say I am. An incorrigible prankster without a care in the world for what I do or who I hurt.
Umeko: You and I both know that's not true, Yoshihiki.
Yoshihiki: [annoyed] How do you figure?
Umeko: Because you wouldn't have told me that story otherwise.
Yoshihiki: [annoyed] … [bored] Man, talking to you really blows, sometimes. You're the worst to hang out with, Umeko.
Umeko: Yoshihiki, wait-
But before I could get the words out, he'd turned tail and ran.
Not a puzzle to figure out, huh? He definitely called me out on that. I was looking forward to trying to get through to him. But I never would have imagined he'd put up so many defenses along the way.
That story, though...
He acts like he really doesn't care, that it's all fun and games, but...
Even when recounting that story for me with as blank of an expression as he could muster, I could see it in his eyes.
The memory of it all rattled him.
[Yoshihiki's Report Card has been updated based on your experience with him.]
[Yoshihiki - Free Time Event #5: Finale]
Yoshihiki: [bored] Oh...it's you. ...What is it?
I decided to spend some time with Yoshihiki. Looks like Yoshihiki and I grew a little closer today.
Yoshihiki was throwing a ball from one hand to the other, eyeing me up with caution.
Yoshihiki: [worried] …
Umeko: Do you have something to tell me, Yoshihiki?
He grumbled, looking annoyed.
Yoshihiki: [annoyed] ...Yes.
Umeko: I'm all ears.
He sighed.
Yoshihiki: [disappointed] ...Can we go talk elsewhere? Like...how does my room sound?
Umeko: Lead the way.
I followed Yoshihiki back to his room. It was a pig's sty in every sense of the word, a complete and total mess with furniture and pillows and sheets and clothes strewn all over the place. I spotted several tools and gadgets a prankster would have a field day with: whoopie cushions, joy buzzers, a clown's horn, empty buckets, whipped cream and more.
Umeko: Good grief. How do you sleep in this mess?
Yoshihiki: [snide] It's really not that hard. I don't let the mess bother me when I'm crying my eyes out into my pillow. So, will you take a seat?
I placed myself gingerly on the edge of his messy bed, as he slumped onto the floor on one of his pillows and crossed his legs.
Yoshihiki: [worried] …
Umeko: ...What's on your mind?
He fixed me with a strange look, almost like he was having second thoughts about inviting me here.
Yoshihiki: [worried] …
Umeko: Did you...have something to say to me?
Yoshihiki: [annoyed] ...You were right.
Umeko: I...huh?
Yoshihiki: [worried] About what you said. That story, with my friend.
He buried his chin into his pillow as he hugged it to his chest and drew his legs upwards.
Yoshihiki: [worried] …
He didn't seem inclined to say any further and met my inquisitive look with one of displeasure.
Yoshihiki: [annoyed] Well? Not gonna preach at me again?
Umeko: N-No, it's just...that...well, why this sudden change of heart?
Yoshihiki: [disappointed] ...I don't know. I guess...some of the things you said stuck with me.
I regarded him curiously, almost on edge, half expecting the other shoe to drop and for Yoshihiki to burst out laughing as he normally did and reveal that it was all another big, stupid prank.
But he was abnormally sullen, and seemed...inexplicably honest.
Yoshihiki: [bored] You wanna know something? ...I don't even remember that guy's name. The boy I pranked and chased out of town. We used to be so close. In time, however...I think I blocked his name out of my memory. I remember all the small little innocuous details of the day that I did what I did and how he and the people around me reacted. Yet such a simple thing like his name...I've forgotten. It's like my brain doesn't want me to remember. Not that I would've wanted to reach out to him years later or anything, but...I've always wondered why I could never recall who he was.
Umeko: You didn't have any photos at home, or, I dunno, a diary where you wrote about him?
Yoshihiki: [annoyed] I'm not a twelve year-old girl, Umeko.
Umeko: R-Right.
Yoshihiki: [annoyed] Plus, my home life wasn't exactly what one would call...cozy, for that kind of nostalgic keepsaking.
I waited for him to continue speaking.
Yoshihiki: [bored] ...If you thought that prank was bad, you wanna know the worst one I ever pulled?
Umeko: ...Okay.
My mind was already wandering.
Yoshihiki started biting on his thumbnail, eyes scouring the threaded carpet on the floor and not meeting mine.
Yoshihiki: I...used to live with my uncle. He and I never...got along, you could say. It wasn't a happy childhood. He was sour, resentful and bitter at life. Sometimes he'd take that out on the people around him. It was one day, when I was still really young. He used to have women over at times, though not often. On this particular day, I remember this one lady visiting him. She was one of those...spiritual yogi types. The kind of people who believed in meditative sabbaticals, sexual healing, pseudoscience and alternative healthcare and nutrition. She'd given him a gift that day. A box of scented candles. I can still picture how happy my uncle was when she presented it to him. It was an expensive gift, not something we saw often in that household.
He drew a circle on the floor with his finger almost absentmindedly, a thousand-yard stare coming over his face.
Yoshihiki: I don't fully remember all the details of why I was mad at him that day. I just remember hating him so viciously for the last week, more so than usual. It was like an explosion of spite and malice took over my body. When night fell and I knew he would be asleep, I found myself sneaking into his room at night, taking out that box of candles, and lighting them one after the other, all over the house. In the kitchen, living room, bedroom. At the time, I wasn't sure what the plan was. To make it seem like a poltergeist had done it, maybe? It was an immature idea. Or maybe just to see the look on his face when he realized his fanciful gift had gone to waste overnight? I would've paid for my transgression dearly the next morning, for sure, but at the time, I so badly wanted to screw up something that he was so happy about that I didn't care for the consequences.
Yoshihiki really hated his uncle, by the sound of it. This sounds like it's coming from a much rawer place than a simple familial dislike. It hasn't escaped my attention either that he's yet to mention either a father or a mother in his stories.
Yoshihiki: [playful] Of course, lighting candles all over the house isn't the best idea when you don't know what you're doing. I don't know how it happened, but a couple of candles must have been placed too close to flammable furniture. Curtains, bedsheets, the laundry hanging on clotheslines...multiple things caught on fire. I'd retreated sneakily to bed when I was done and awoke only minutes later to a thick fog of smoke and hysterical screams.
Umeko: Holy crap...Yoshihiki, you didn't...you didn't kill your uncle, did you?
Yoshihiki: Would it bother you if I did?
I didn't know how to answer. But he broke out into another lopsided grin and waved my concern aside.
Yoshihiki: [playful] Relax. I'm no murderer. Not yet, at least. We escaped the house unscathed. But all my uncle's possessions went up in smoke. Every last one of them. We lived in a neighborhood with a pretty crappy response time from the fire department. And we could never afford a smoke alarm either so it had taken a while for my uncle to awake in time to realize his house was burning to the ground.
Umeko: What...happened afterward?
Yoshihiki: Are you asking about my uncle, or our house?
Umeko: Either.
Yoshihiki: [bored] ...We found a new place after a while. I admit...part of me was hoping the fire would mean the two of us would be separated. But...I had nowhere else to go. And...that day was the day I learned, I didn't have to put up with my uncle forever. I was scared when the fire first started to spread. Terrified, to be honest. But I remember the dominant emotion when I was standing out by the driveway, watching my uncle careening around the house, yelling for help and crying over everything that he'd lost as the flames consumed it all. ...I was happy. Happy to watch him suffer. I didn't dare pull off any pranks on such a scale after that, but I learned from that experience I could enact revenge against him in small, almost unnoticeable ways. Misplaced keys or punctured tires...mismatched or discolored laundry, wasting soap or toothpaste so he'd be forced to make repeated trips to the grocery store. They were small victories. But they were my victories.
Umeko: I...can't believe you burned your uncle's house down. ...If he hadn't got out in time…would you have regretted it?
Yoshihiki hesitated, then shrugged.
Yoshihiki: I honestly don't know.
Umeko: What if...what if you hadn't got out in time?
Yoshihiki: [playful] Oh, that's an easy question. I wouldn't have regretted it at all. Going out in a blaze of glory? It would've been a helluva middle finger to my uncle. Maybe I might even have gotten him arrested for neglect.
Umeko: You can't really mean that…
Yoshihiki: [playful] Can't I?
I didn't know what to believe anymore.
Yoshihiki: [worried] I wish I'd stuck to that path, though. Of only tormenting people who deserved it. So when you asked me the other day, if I regretted what I did to that boy at school? Then yeah. I admit it. I do. But I'll never be able to find him again. So there's no point in me thinking twice about it. He's gone, out of my life forever. I'll never have a chance to make amends, so I'm just going to move on.
Umeko: Well...I always think you should never say never. Where there's a will there's a way, right? I mean, you have friends here in powerful places. You have Eizo, Azuma...I'm sure one of them could use their resources to find your friend, even if you no longer remember his name. When we get out of here...maybe we can find your old friend after all.
Yoshihiki: [playful] Pfft. Dream on, Umeko. There's a difference between being optimistic and being naive.
Well...never mind. I'll just have to have enough faith for the both of us.
Yoshihiki: [happy] Don't worry though. I might still like to prank you, but...I'll never do something that cruel to you, or to anyone else here. Not unless they really deserve it.
Umeko: Does that mean we're friends now?
Yoshihiki: [shocked] Weren't we always? [laughing] Damn, Umeko...that really stings.
I truthfully never expected for Yoshihiki, of all people, to spill so much of his backstory to me like this in one fell swoop. He didn't trust me enough yet to tell me the whole tale, clearly. But baby steps. This was a start, at least.
And if anything, I felt like I was finally starting to get to know him. Underneath the petulant prankster lives a guy with a good heart, deep down inside.
I just need to find a way to reach out even further to him.
[Yoshihiki's Report Card has been updated based on your experience with him.]
[PRESENT OBTAINED: Yoshihiki's Undergarments]
Yoshihiki's Undergarments: Yoshihiki's boxers, covered in blue and yellow polka dots. Whether ironic or otherwise is anyone's guess.
Yoshihiki's Report Card:
#1 - When I asked him why he liked pranking Wakako so much, he admitted he knew he had no shot with her. Taking that line of questioning further, he got defensive when I asked him about his thoughts on having a stable relationship, and evaded my questions about commitment in relationships. Despite seemingly being an open book, he might be more private than meets the eye.
#2 - Yoshihiki told me he hated his nickname, 'The Little Terror', only because of the word 'Little'. He used to prey on people's perception of him as cute to prank others relentlessly, and also mentioned having committed 'The Ultimate Prank'. When I asked him more about it, he talked about getting his revenge, but left without elaborating.
#3 - I tried asking Yoshihiki more about some of his meanest pranks, and was horrified to learn that he'd once tricked a classmate into believing he was adopted, with fake adoption papers and all, leading to the aforementioned classmate leaving home for a week. Not only did he show no remorse about the deed, Yoshihiki also rationalized his actions by claiming the other boy deserved it, and that the experience ultimately did him more good than bad.
#4 - Yoshihiki told me a story of one of his crueler pranks, where he tricked his best and only friend in school into having an embarrassing and potentially dangerous allergic reaction in front of his entire class. He acted like the story was meant to show how little he cared for his prank's victims and how it would affect them, but...I can tell he's lying. Not only to me, but to himself as well.
#Finale - One of Yoshihiki's earliest and worst pranks involved using an expensive box of scented candles to burn down his and his uncle's home. From the sound of it, Yoshihiki wasn't fond of his uncle. He admitted that he wished he'd stuck to only pranking the people that deserved it, and confessed to wanting to make amends with his old friend, but ultimately had forgotten his name and where he moved to and knew he would never have the chance.
Notes:
After several months, it's finally out! You'd think these would be easier to write than the murder-mystery plots but surprise, it was much harder. I also had a serious case of writer's block at times, but it was still super fun! Next chapter's gonna be the seven wonderful women, some of whom I'm very excited to get to so I can reveal aspects of their backstories that I've had to keep secret, which I've been dying to finally unveil. Thanks for being patient with me!