The next morning, Lenny woke up and felt a little better from yesterday's interaction. Lenny forgot that he was so tired that he practically fell asleep shortly after cleaning himself. It must've felt like Emi was pushing him harder as the days went by. Lenny hoped that Emi was doing okay. As the morning went by, Lenny found his way back down to the track to do his morning run. He looked up at the sky, it was dark and gray. Lenny decided to take the run around the field in the hope that Emi was going to show up to spend some time with him. As the minutes ticked by, Lenny looked around but Emi didn't come. What was taking her? After running around for about a mile on the track, Lenny decided to give up on the wait as Emi was clearly not going to come. How could this day get any worse? Lenny looked up as the water began to pour out of the sky onto him. It was definitely raining, what else was new? Lunch was in a few but with the rain happening, he doubted that anyone would be on the rooftop in this weather. Well, he might as well spend the lunch period in the library. Lenny slowly walked off, getting showered by the rain as if it was cleaning the sweat off of him. Lenny then entered the building, drenched wet.
Katawa Shoujo- Fripperies
The library always seems cooler than the rest of the building. Probably to keep the books from getting damaged by excessive heat and humidity. Books are sturdy objects, but if you want to keep them in good condition it takes a little effort. Lenny entered to see that Hanako has got several books that are so well-worn the pages are barely clinging to the spine. It seems impossible for them to still be usable, but if you handle them with care... anyone can find a way to make them work. Lenny arrived at the main desk soaking wet, where he spotted Yuuko busying herself with something or another. She smiles at me as Lenny enters and waves.
"Hello, Lenny. Good to see you again and my you're soaking wet! What are you looking for this time?" Yuuko asked Lenny what brought him inside of the library this time.
"Nothing in particular, I guess. I just didn't really feel like going back to my room, is my reasoning. I haven't spotted Emi at all and then the rain came." Lenny explained to Yuuko. Yuuko nods. Yuuko then headed off and grabbed a towel for Lenny as he was dripping water onto the library.
"Well, if you're unoccupied, maybe you could help me look for something?" Yuuko asked while she tossed a towel at Lenny. Lenny caught it and began to dry himself off.
"Sure, what do you need?" Lenny asked, he had nothing else better to do today, might as well use this to pass the time if it meant helping Yuuko out. Yuuko brings a finger to her lips and looks around furtively. She seems to be looking for eavesdroppers.
"Come closer." Yuuko instructed Lenny. Lenny tossed the moist towel to her bin where she was going to take it to dry off later as Lenny then decided to take a few hesitant steps forward while feeling distinctly unnerved. Yuuko lowers her voice to a confidential whisper.
"I'm on the trail of the Yamaku Cat Burglar." Yuuko whispered to Lenny. Lenny was confused about what Yuuko had said but he was curious to figure out what Yuuko had said and wanted some explanation.
"The what?" Lenny asked, he felt rather dumbfounded by this.
Katawa Shoujo- High Tension
"Shh! The walls have ears, Lenny! Or they might. But listen! Those missing books, remember them?" Yuuko asked while whispering to Lenny about the books that had disappeared. He could clearly remember him being with Hisao when they got back from the Shanghai and Kenji was carrying a large stack of books.
"Er, yeah?" Lenny whispered to Yuuko if he remembered something from what Yuuko needed from him.
"Well, they weren't missing! They were stolen! I'm convinced of it!" Yuuko whispered to Lenny as her voice was blunt and to the point.
"I remember you saying something of the sort earlier, but how do you know?" Lenny asked. He was curious about what he had just heard, did Yuuko know something that he didn't? Yuuko leans in closer and, if possible, whispers even lower.
"Because I found one of his hiding places!" Yuuko whispered to Lenny that she managed to find one of the stashes of books.
"You did what?" Lenny asked Yuuko about this discovery. Yuuko looks triumphant.
"Found one of his stashes! It was under one of the stairwells in the boy's dorm! Three books I'd been looking for, all there! I'd suspected a thief before, but this proves it!" Yuuko explained to Lenny that she managed to find where some of the books were located and if she was correct, it must've been on the first floor, there was no way for the stairs to descend into the basement.
"So did you take back the books?" Lenny asked Yuuko if she managed to take the stolen books back to the library. Yuuko looks as if Lenny had just suggested she walk around naked.
"Are you nuts? He can't know I'm on to him! He might go to ground and evade capture!" Yuuko explained that she didn't want to do this herself if it meant that she was going to get found out and captured by whoever it was that was hiding the books.
"Uh... huh. So what do you need my help with, then?" Lenny asked Yuuko what he could do to assist her if she needed it. Yuuko paused and began to think about it for a moment, Yuuko cast another glance around the library and leaned in closer.
"You've got to spy for me." Yuuko whispered to Lenny that he better act as a spy for her if she was to get the missing books back.
"Spy?" Lenny asked. He didn't know if he wanted to follow along with what Yuuko needed from him. Lenny didn't know if he would meet Yuuko's expectations.
"Yeah, like when you're in the dorms, you know. Keep an eye out for suspicious activity." Yuuko whispered to Lenny. Lenny gave a nod with the shake of his head. He didn't know what Yuuko wanted, Lenny began to think: What constitutes suspicious, anyway? Yuuko could mean Kenji, he's a pretty suspicious dude, but Lenny will have to wager he barely goes to class, much less sneak into the library to pilfer books. Wasn't he not allowed to be here? Still, what's the harm in saying yes? At the least it'll get Lenny out of this weird conversation.
"Yeah, I can do that. No problem. If I can't, I'll get Hisao as he's closer to Kenji and not me." Lenny explained to Yuuko. Yuuko straightens up and claps excitedly.
"Great! Now, hurry up and talk about something else in case someone comes in! How's the school treating you?" Yuuko explained before rapidly changing the subject for Lenny. She wanted to see how he was doing.
"Er, pretty well, actually. I've been running in the mornings with—" Lenny awkwardly began speaking to Yuuko about it. Yuuko listened in as if she seemed interested.
"Emi Ibarazaki, right?" Yuuko asked with a smile on her face. Lenny was kind of curious about this and what drew Yuuko's attention.
"Uh, yeah. How'd you know?" Lenny asked, he didn't remember anything that happened last week, it turns out that Emi's runs was turning his memory to mush or was it Mutou's science lectures, Lenny didn't know which was which at this point.
"I served you two in the teahouse, remember? I deduced that if you were going to run with anyone, it would probably be her." Yuuko explained as she tried to get Lenny's memory on track. Lenny felt himself getting shaken by Yuuko to get him to snap out of it. She looks pleased with herself.
"Impressive. Anyway, yes. We've been running in the mornings. And uh, we kinda started dating." Lenny awkwardly explained this to Yuuko that they managed to get together. Yuuko claps her hands together excitedly.
Katawa Shoujo- Generic Happy Music
"Really? That's great! I'll bet you two are great together! I love seeing people find one another like that, you know? I even thought to myself when you walked into the Shanghai that one time, "I wonder if that kid will wind up with one of those girls." Hisao found someone and you did too!" Yuuko expressed her gratitude to Lenny that he found someone that he cared for and that she cared for him.
"...Really?" Lenny asked curiously. He still didn't know that this newfound love for Emi Ibarazaki was real but to Hisao, it was. Yuuko doesn't seem to notice Lenny's somewhat weirded out tone and nods affirmatively.
"Yup! I could tell that you'd wind up with one of them, you know. I've got an eye for that sort of thing. Of course..." Yuuko explained to Lenny that this was something she kept track of like a student's name, face and whatever info they say, Yuuko knew everything yet her expression droops slightly.
"I'm not so good at it myself." Yuuko admitted that she had trouble keeping track despite knowing a lot about the students she was with.
"Aw, I'm sure that's not true." Lenny told Yuuko that he was reassuring her that she knew what she was talking about and that she was good at remembering at least something.
"Oh, it's true. I met this guy once... We got along really great, but it turned out he was younger than me. And that was kinda weird, but not terribly so. What was really weird was that he disappeared one day, and I've not seen him since then." Yuuko described her experience to Lenny about what she remembered. "Brown hair, blue eyes, he had a lot of trouble walking but he sure knew where all the books were in the back of his mind." Lenny sighed, at least it wasn't Kenji she had mentioned.
"Huh. That does seem kind of odd." Lenny explained, the second part of the conversation he was fine with but the first part was strange.
"Doesn't it? I hope it wasn't something I did..." Yuuko told Lenny that she felt kind of scared about what was going on, if it meant trying to do something to bring back an old memory, she might as well tell Lenny more about her experience. I feel compelled to reassure her.
"I'm sure it wasn't." Lenny told Yuuko as he intended to try and calm her down further, but the both of them jumped in surprise at the ringing suddenly coming from his pocket. Yuuko sighs to steady herself as Lenny quickly pulls the phone from his pocket. Lenny was feeling a little sheepish for indirectly causing the incident.
Katawa Shoujo- Stride
"Emi? What's up?" Lenny asked Emi if there was something on her mind and that brought Lenny's attention to her.
"Oh thank God I haven't called your phone before so I didn't know if this number would work or whether you would pick up and I can't—" Emi sobbed on the phone as the words were tumbling out of her mouth at a million miles an hour. Lenny had to pull the brakes on the Emi train.
"Woah there Emi, slow down. What's wrong?" Lenny anxiously told Emi that if there was something wrong with her she better explain it a little slower, he could barely understand her. There's a pause on the other side of the line, during which Lenny can hear Emi trying to control her breathing in order to calm down. Something's got her terribly agitated, and it's starting to agitate Lenny too.
"Can you just... Can you stop by? Like, now? Or shortly after now? I really, really need to talk to you." Emi asked Lenny if he could drop by her dorm as she needed to speak to him personally. There's a tone of pleading in the last sentence that Lenny doesn't think he's ever heard from her.
"After the last class concludes, I'll be right there. Hold steady, okay?" Lenny told Emi that he wanted to finish the day first before coming to Emi's rescue, he didn't want to skip class for her sake. Those classes weren't going to complete themselves. In Lenny's increasingly agitated state, he was worried that he would apparently start saying things that don't quite make sense.
"Okay. I'll be okay." Emi told Lenny that after class was a good time for him to visit. Lenny looked at the clock as lunch was going to conclude in a few minutes.
"See you after class." Lenny told Emi. Lenny presses the button to end the call before slipping the phone back into his pocket, apologizing to Yuuko for running off,
"Sorry Yuuko, I don't think I have any more time to continue the conversation, I have to go. I wish you luck in your quest to find the Yamaku cat burglar." Lenny told Yuuko before turning and heading off.
"See you." Yuuko told Lenny as Lenny ran off. Perhaps at some point Lenny would have stopped to think about the time, or how suspicious it looks for a guy to enter the girls' dorm at this hour. Except right now he's just concerned with getting to Emi and finding out what's wrong and how Lenny can help her.
English class seemed to drag on for Lenny as it didn't help that the rain wasn't letting up. He was extremely worried for Emi. Time had seemed to just stop for Lenny as Lilly and Hanako noticed Lenny was in a state of high alert. To Shizune and Misha, she wanted to do something to Lenny but they couldn't at the moment. After the bell rang, Lenny gathered his things and bolted his way to Emi, he didn't have a moment to spare as the thought of Emi in trouble was still plaguing him. He didn't want to speak to Lilly and Hanako about this. He continued to run until finding his way to Emi's dorm, out of breath and his heart racing to the point where it was going to explode, the heart monitor beating out rapidly, almost if Lenny's heart was going to malfunction, wheezing heavily. Lenny panted and he knocks on the door and am greeted with a subdued "Come in."
Something is very wrong as Lenny stares at the scene before him. Emi's there, yes. But she's in a wheelchair. And her legs are missing. Lenny glances around the room and sees them sitting in a corner, looking like they've been thrown there. Emi responds to his entrance with a lopsided grin that is both pleased to see him and completely, utterly heartbroken.
"Hi, Lenny, you look like you're going to collapse, what convinced you to run all the way here?" Emi asked Lenny as she noticed the state he was in, wet and out of breath. Lenny lifted his face up to Emi's and stared at her. It looks like she's been crying, but if she was, she's stopped now. Lenny notices that he needed to sit down and cool off, having taken the stairs two at a time in order to get here. Lenny's heart was still struggling under the strain, though. Lenny decided to file this happy fact away for later consideration. Like when he was not staring somewhat dumbstruck at his girlfriend in a wheelchair. Realizing Lenny still has not responded to her greeting, Lenny's brain lurches into gear.
"Emi? What happened? I ran all the way here thinking you were in trouble." Lenny asked as he was still wheezing, trying to catch his breath. Emi wheeled over and tried her best to help Lenny out by placing a hand over his chest and feeling his heart.
"Guess I should've listened to you, Lenny." Emi began. "My leg's got a nasty infection. I'm not allowed to run on it for at least a couple of days. The nurse told me that the infection was mild but it could have been a lot worse" Emi explained before sighing and giving Lenny some water for him to drink. Lenny began to drink the water as he was just recovering the strength to swallow. She gives a bitter laugh that shouldn't be coming from her. "Heh, I can't even walk on it. I could have used a crutch and kept one of my legs, but I didn't see the point. Why hop? You can't run on one leg. At least this way I can still, I dunno, roll fast or something." Emi explained to Lenny about what happened to her and why she wanted to speak to him about this.
"Y-yeah, that's good, right?" Lenny asked while panting as he was still out of breath. his awkward attempt to look on the bright side seems appreciated, but not really effective. Emi shrugs again.
"It's just... kind of a nuisance. I mean, we can't even eat up on the roof now. No wheelchair access." Emi explained, Lenny looked to see the rain still pouring out of the sky, they couldn't do anything at the moment and now they were here… in the room.
"Yeah, but that's not a big deal, right? I mean we can still eat together, and that's the important thing." Lenny explained as at least they were still together, they might as well change things up if it meant doing something new. That lopsided grin again. It hurts to look at.
"I suppose so, yeah. But like I said, it's a nuisance. I mean, I haven't really used a wheelchair in..." Emi began before she thought for a minute. "Maybe seven years? Something like that, anyway. A long time. I'm afraid I'm a bit out of practice. Well, practice is over for the semester as there isn't much left before it ends next week?" Emi asked. Lenny nodded with agreement.
"Well, fortunately it's only temporary, right?" Lenny asked Emi if this wheelchair bounding was only going to be for a day or two. Emi nods.
"Oh yeah, of course. It's not like I've lost 'em permanently. But it's a pain in the ass all the same." Emi explained to Lenny about losing her legs and how this wasn't anything new to her and it must've felt like this was the new normal for her. Lenny nodded sympathetically. There's not much else he can do, after all. What was he gonna do, say "I told you so?" Although he did tell her to get that leg looked at. But by the time Lenny noticed, it was too late anyway.
"Do you need help with anything? Er, that is, can I help with anything?" Lenny asked, he wanted to do his best to give a helping hand for Emi. Emi shakes her head and there's a bit of her usual grin back.
Katawa Shoujo- Letting My Heart Speak
"Nah, I can manage fine by myself. Although if you want to help me over to my bed, it would save me the trouble of rolling over there myself." Emi told Lenny that he really wanted to be helpful, he could pick her up and place her on the bed. Lenny blushes, in spite of himself. Emi giggles. "You're such a prude, Lenny."
"I'm not a prude! I just wouldn't want to take advantage of a young woman such as yourself. It's ungentlemanly." Lenny tried his best to explain as he got up and prepared to take Emi to her bed. Lenny began to wheel Emi's chair to her bed, and easily scoop her up and deposit her there. She quickly sorts herself out and sits on the side. She's actually a little heavier than she looks. It would be rude of me to observe this aloud, of course. "Man, you're kind of heavy." Lenny admitted, he was still somewhat out of breath from running all the way here to her dorm. Emi hits Lenny with a pillow as her response to his comment.
"Ass." Emi playfully told Lenny while sticking her tongue out at him.
"Just sayin', is all. Must be all that running." Lenny tried his best to explain this to Emi. At the mention of running Emi's grin falters slightly.
"Heh, well I guess I won't have to worry about that for a bit, huh? Maybe I'll lose some weight." Emi teased Lenny about this and being immobile means that she could eat less if she was running less.
"That's what you do to lose weight, right? Cease physical activity?" Lenny asked, he found Emi's statement to be counter productive if it meant getting lighter.
"I'm pretty sure that's what the nurse would recommend." Emi stated if this was something she was going to remember Lenny by.
"Speaking of which, are you going to still be showing up in the mornings? I'd hate to run alo—" Lenny asked as he didn't want to be out there by himself. Emi swiftly cuts him off as she remembers something.
"Ah, shit..." Emi began. "Emi's sudden interjection, more a disquieted muttering than anything too profane, causes him to look over in shock. She's leaning forward, trying to cover the fact that she's crying by covering her eyes with a hand. Of course, the subdued sobbing makes it pretty obvious that she's crying.
"Hey, I'm sorry. Forget I said anything, okay?" Lenny tried his best to tell Emi that he didn't want to see her upset as much as she hated Lenny for much the same reasons as he did. Lenny tried to place a hand gingerly around her and pulled her close. He can think of nothing else to say or do. How do you comfort someone who's just lost their legs again? Emi wraps Lenny in a hug and stays that way for a while. "Sorry. I'm pretty bad at this whole comforting thing, I guess. It makes me feel even worse about myself."
"Don't say that. I'm fine, really." Emi tried her best to reassure Lenny that no one was at fault, not even himself or herself. Her voice is slightly muffled by his chest. Lenny decided to gently pat her head reassuringly.
"That's the spirit, right? You'll get through this fine, I know it. Besides, I'm here to help you, remember?" Lenny asked Emi if this was something she was going to do if they were to both improve. Emi lifts her head and stares at Lenny with tear-stained eyes.
"Can you? Can you really?" Emi asked if he was going to be there to help him like how she helped him in the beginning. Lenny felt like he was repaying Emi the favor. She's grinning lopsidedly, and something sparkles in her gaze. Lenny can't tell if he's being mocked or not"
"Of course. I mean sure, you're a bit heavy, but -" Lenny tried his best to explain to Emi before Emi cuts him off. Mmph! Lenny's witty comment is cut off by the sudden press of Emi's lips on his. Lenny had been caught off guard, and was rewarded by hitting his head on the wall behind her bed. "Ow." Lenny told Emi as he rubbed the back of his head. Emi pulls back, trying to look concerned rather than like she's about to laugh.
"Are you okay? Sorry!" Emi asked Lenny if he was doing okay after his head had managed to strike the wall. Lenny was rubbing his head ruefully and grinned back at her.
"Caught me off guard, there. Is that going to become a habit? Am I going to be lectured by Shizune and Misha more?" Lenny began as he didn't know if this was going to be something new by her or was the Student Council going to show up again and give him another lecture. At the mention of the duo, Emi giggles.
"Honestly, those two... If I didn't know why, I'd be utterly confused as to why she hangs around with someone so bossy." Emi explained to Lenny that she herself wouldn't hang out with Misha and Shizune.
"Which one are we talking about?" Lenny asked Emi if she had to choose one, which one was it going to be.
"You know exactly which one, Lenny. Misha's hardly bossy." Emi explained that she wasn't going to hang out with Shizune, Misha was just light hearted and the fact that Shizune was the one pulling all of the strings regarding the relationship.
"So what's the reason, then?" Lenny asked curiously.
"Huh?" Emi asked Lenny. She didn't get what he was trying to ask.
"The reason why Misha hangs around Shizune." Lenny tried to explain to Emi what the motive of them hanging out was. Emi shrugged before she gave a nod. Emi waves the question off with a smile.
"No idea." Emi explained to Lenny that she didn't understand what Lenny meant, she most likely didn't know.
"I see." Lenny told Emi as Emi wanted to snap him back to her direction.
"Anyway, you seem to be forgetting the original question, don't you?" Emi expressed the fact that their heads crashed together and how he managed to hit the wall.
"Oh yeah, I guess I am. You wouldn't mind giving a guy a little warning, would you? Otherwise I'm liable to wind up with a concussion." Lenny told Emi as he had remembered what Emi said to him. Lenny had to emphasize the point by rubbing at the back of his head. Emi giggles madly.
"You could wear a helmet. Some kids here do, you know." Emi suggested to Lenny that he can put something on his head to act as a cushion to protect his head. Lenny had other ideas.
"Or I could just take revenge!" Lenny told Emi. He grabs a pillow from beside him and whacks Emi over the head. Emi topples off the bed and lands on the floor with a thump. Her arms promptly reappear on the bed, and she manages to pull herself back up. She really has a surprising amount of strength in that little body. Her face is turned downwards and away from his, making me think Lenny might have accidentally hurt her.
"Emi? You okay? You didn't hit your—" Lenny asked but Emi seemed to be one step ahead of the entire situation. A hand shoots up and grabs Lenny by the collar. She pulls him in with a sharp tug, her face now barely an inch away from his as she grins cheekily. "Emi...?" Lenny asked but Emi went forward as their skulls met. Clank! She gives Lenny a sharp headbutt, our foreheads making quite a loud thud. Lenny sits back and rubs his now sore head as Emi smirks victoriously.
"How's that for revenge?" Emi asked Lenny as Lenny tried his best to figure out what Emi had in mind.
Katawa Shoujo- Hokabi
"No fair! You can't take revenge for revenge!" Lenny told Emi. He tried to grab Emi and pin him but for someone missing most of her legs, Emi's surprisingly agile. Lenny tries to swipe at her, but she deftly rolls out of the way and lands a hit with her pillow. Of course, the odds are against her. Lenny can stand up, for starters. "Oof!" Guess Lenny couldn't, after all. Emi seems to have effectively tripped him up, and is now sitting primly astride Lenny as he lay on my back. Lenny was not even sure how she managed it.
"I win!" Emi declared with a big smile to her face. Her eyes twinkle mischievously. Lenny had been thoroughly defeated, and by a girl that's a fraction of his size, at that. Then again, being defeated doesn't seem quite so bad. Emi being positioned over his waist isn't something that Lenny, or his body, can ignore easily. Lenny opened his lips to speak, but Emi's head darted downwards before Lenny could get so much as a word out. With his heart beating faster this time, he gives no resistance as she presses her mouth to his, not that Lenny wanted to. This is... different, somehow. She pulls back, nips at my lower lip, and reinitiates the embrace. Her tongue darts inside his mouth, exploring. Lenny could feel a warmth spreading through his body as his heart began to uncomfortably beat faster. Lenny's mind starts to go foggy, and he becomes vaguely aware of her hand forcing him to travel up Emi's blouse. Emi gasps as She made Lenny's hand reach for her breast, then there's a giggle, and then… Lenny stares up at a grinning Emi.
"Told you. That makes it my second win, now." Emi explained to Lenny that her second win this time was her being able to kiss a pinned Lenny. Lenny didn't think that was fair.
"What? That doesn't count; you used feminine wiles." Lenny tried his best to explain but this caused Emi to laugh as Lenny began to blush, that wasn't a good argument he had made.
""All's fair in love and war," right? Ha, and you're even blushing! I didn't know you were a blusher, Lenny." Emi explained to Lenny that he was easy to break down as his emotions were easy to push through.
"You were blushing too, you know. Probably because of your prudish ways." Lenny tries his best to explain it to Emi but Emi once again laughs it off. Even Lenny has to admit this is a stupid thing to say to a woman who is currently straddling him and has been, up until a few seconds ago, playing tonsil hockey with him.
"A prude, am I? Well then, let's see who blushes first, shall we?" Emi explained to Lenny as she had placed a bit over this. Whoever blushes first was going to be the loser. Lenny was not sure whether the tone of her voice terrifies or arouses him, but that question is quickly made rather moot. Emi leaned down and began to kiss Lenny.
Thump Thump.
Thump Thump.
Thump Thump.
Thump Thump.
"So... did I blush?" Emi asked, Lenny's mind felt hazy about the entire thing as he didn't remember what exactly happened. Emi was still straddled over him with only her panties on.
"I didn't notice. Did I?" Lenny asked Emi if this was something new to him. Emi shrugs, still breathing a little heavily.
"Didn't notice either." Emi explained to Lenny about this. Lenny didn't respond, Emi began to speak up. "Well, maybe we should—" What Emi didn't realize was the fact that she forgot to lock the door when Lenny came in and he began to play around with Emi. As a result, Emi got a rude awakening when Rin entered the room without knocking to find Lenny and Emi in the state of almost being completely naked. Rin meanwhile needed something from Emi or rather, her room.
"I need to use your window." Rin began speaking to them. Lenny's first instinct is to hide, but then he realizes that he's still utterly exhausted and sitting next to a topless Emi, so there's no running anyway. Rin's eyes pass over Emi and Lenny, and focus on the window. "There was a cloud."
Katawa Shoujo- Generic Happy Music
"A cloud?" Emi asked Rin if that was the reason why she came over here for her window. Rin nods.
"I was watching it from my window, but it didn't stay in my window. So I need to use your window." Rin explained to Emi why she needed to use her window for something. Emi shifts a little, causing Lenny to cough in order to cover up a giggle of his own.
"How long do you need the window for? We're uh. Busy." Emi asked. This time Emi can't contain her laughter. Rin ignores both Emi and Lenny and peers out the window. It had stopped raining at the very least as the sky was covered in clouds. Her shoulders slump, and she looks disappointed.
"Hmm. It changed into something else. Disappointing." Rin told them. She turned and walked away. It wasn't what she wanted in the end and for her, there the sky was starting to turn blue though the clouds smothered much of the sky. Emi on the other hand wanted to keep Rin out of her room as she wanted some alone time with Lenny. Emi is having trouble keeping a straight face as a result from this.
"Sorry to hear that, Rin. Could we have a little privacy now, please?" Emi asked Rin if she could be able to do something like this. Rin shrugs as if to say "Can you?" and hooks her foot around the door, pulling it closed behind her. Emi and Lenny both dissolve into raucous laughter, unable to deal with Rin's bizarrely timed visit any other way. After our laughter dies down, Lenny looks to Emi. They're both a total mess.
"Well." Lenny asked as they were still alone, the heart monitor was still beating fast as this activity had taken its toll on him. Emi however raises an eyebrow.
"Well?" Emi asked. "Again?" Emi grins and laughs, and then she nods. She didn't give Lenny the chance to answer her question. "We should probably ditch the clothes, this time."
Katawa Shoujo- Daylight
A couple hours later and Lenny was out in the afternoon sun, puddles formed along the sidewalk from rain that came through here hours ago. The sky was blue except for the odd gray cloud that still dotted the sky. A light breeze blows the scent of early summer around Lenny's head while he waits for Hanako.
"Lenny? Are you here?" Hanako asked. Lenny lifted his head to Hanako as he wanted a look around. Hanako's voice lilts on the breeze as if they were one and the same thing. Lenny stops gazing into the sky to examine Hanako. Hanako was in a long-sleeved dark blue denim jacket with a light pink frilly necked blouse with a small black ribbon, a pair of long black pants, and black shoes with a black beret on her head. She's quite a nice sight.
"Yeah, I'm over here, Hanako. Near the gate. Were you able to sneak away from Hisao?" Lenny asked Hanako if she was able to get away from Hisao and spend time with him. Hanako walked over as she stood next to Lenny.
"Yes. It's not uncommon for me to go out during week-days especially with exams coming up, so I don't think she noticed anything suspicious. That, and... he has been busy. I actually wanted to spend time with you… you and me." Hanako explained to Lenny that she was going to spend some time with him by themselves. Hanako purses her lips, as if she maybe shouldn't have continued. Lenny finds it a little hard to believe.
"Should I be seeing someone? Really?" Lenny asked Hanako if he was going to think of his condition. Hanako paused as she began to think about this.
"No, it's just… you're not as emotionally damaged as I am." Hanako explained. "All of us have had traumatic events for most of their lives, yours had happened just recently. You were able to rebound quicker than Mutou expected."
"Oh. Well. That does make a lot of sense." Lenny tried his best to explain to Hanako. Hanako rubs her arm uncomfortably, and after one look at his troubled expression, Lenny needed to quickly move to change the topic away from Hanako. Hanako meanwhile was trying to do much of the same thing.
"Huh..." Lenny tried to piece together what was happening.
"Yes?" Hanako asked Lenny.
"I was just wondering... you can get around the city on your own? I can't… really…" Lenny awkwardly explained to Hanako as he didn't know what to say. Hanako sighs at Lenny's consternation surrounding the topic of his own anxiety. Lenny was his own worst enemy, sometimes.
"I can, yes. It's easier when I'm out with Lilly or Hisao, though." Hanako told Lenny that getting around the city wasn't much of an issue. Lenny was beginning to wonder how Hanako gets along with friends sister. Being an only child, it's hard to imagine what having a sibling or a close friend would be like, so it makes Lenny a little envious of Hanako.
"Right. Well then, the bus arrives in a few minutes, so we should probably get a move on." Lenny told Hanako that they better catch the bus if they were to get to where they needed to go.
"Indeed; it's a long wait if we miss this one." Hanako replied. They began to walk from the school to the bus stop on the hill. It's only a small distance from the school gate, so it's very convenient.
"It's a nice view from here. Coming from the city, I never really got to see scenery like this, let alone on a daily basis." Lenny explained to Hanako that he never really got to see something like this often. Hanako nodded before giving a smile to Lenny.
"This area is nice for me as well. It's tranquil, and away from the noises and smells of the city." Hanako explained. Hanako's head perks up in a trademark gesture of hers, signifying that she's caught a sound. "Oh, here comes the bus..." Lenny looks down the road to see the bus trundling up the hill. Her hearing's quite a useful tool. The bus only takes a short while to reach the bus stop, forcing its way up the road, and within a minute they are on their way to the city.
Katawa Shoujo- Ease
Walking around the city, Lenny began to feel a distinct nostalgia. The smells, the traffic, the tall buildings everywhere... It's a lot like my native city, save for the raised walkways. It feels a little weird; walking around a city as casually as he and Emi would in a park, but with cars rushing around underneath them. As Lenny was busily pondering the engineering marvel that is the raised walkway, he got a surprise.
It takes a moment for Lenny to realize that Hanako has wrapped her arm around Lenny's, extending her right hand in front of her with her other hand. For a moment Lenny's a bit startled, but he manages to keep enough of a lid on it for Hanako not to notice. While it's the first time that Hanako's relied on Lenny for guidance, she'd only held onto his sleeve's cuff before. It's logical that it would be easier for her to navigate a crowded and complex area such as the city while securely linked, but he's far from being as used to this kind of contact as Hanako is. Finally realizing the growing silence between them as Hanako waits for Lenny to get moving, Lenny quickly kicks his brain into gear.
"You know, it was quite a surprise that you like to sing. Have you ever had to do that before?" Lenny began as he was trying to trace a conversation he remembered hearing about with Hisao. Hanako began to think for a moment.
"I have indeed. We've been to karaoke sessions several times, along with Lilly and Hisao. I can say I take to the activity much, but Lilly's the odd one out." Hanako explained to Lenny as they walked along together. Maybe Hanako doing karaoke is more fitting than Lenny initially thought. Just her and those she knows, all alone in a little room. It would give her a rare chance to let her guard down, with nobody else there to judge her. But to Lenny, he would be judged for something Hanako liked. The thought seemed to run in his mind a little terribly.
"Maybe it would be nice to bring someone into town for a karaoke birthday party, if they would like doing it." Lenny began to reply to what Hanako had said. She was thinking of things to do with Lenny and bring him into town if it meant getting to know him better.
"Hmm. I'm not sure you would deal very well with the excitement." Hanako tried her best to explain. "I'm still trying to get used to a crowded setting." Lenny wanted to move in protest, but her face shows that she's mulling the proposal over some more. It takes quite some time for her to come to a conclusion.
"Then again, the best thing we can do for us at this point is to try to create some pleasant birthday memories. Mine certainly were but you said your birthday was in May? Continually treating us as if we're abnormal won't help." Hanako continued to explain to Lenny regarding the whole birthday situation going forward. This left Lenny to think.
"I think you're right; I definitely didn't have a pleasant one in the hospital. If I have something to remember apart from loss, then maybe I'll have to come around." Lenny explained that he had no one close and the thought of losing the people was something that he wasn't fond of. Hanako paused as she began to think.
"If I bought you something nice that you could see every day then maybe you'd be able to take your mind off your past and remember that you have friends. And in any case, I think you can handle something like this. In the time I've spent beside Hisao, I've learned that I'm not quite as frightfully fragile as I first thought I was." Hanako explained to Lenny as they continued to walk around, if Lenny had something to remember Hanako by which would show that he had people that still cared for him, he might rebound like Hanako.
"So, shall we be off? I'm not really sure about the layout of this area." Lenny asked Hanako if they were going somewhere now. Hanako paused before giving a smile.
"Very well. I might like to suggest having something to eat, first." Hanako suggested as they must've had a long day and them needing to keep their energy reserves up was something she wanted to help Lenny with.
"I haven't either, so that sounds like a good plan." Lenny gave a smile of his own to Hanako.
"Make sure you choose a nice place, Lenny." Hanako instructed her friend. She gives a teasing smile, one that makes Lenny smile reflexively in response even if she can't see that.
"I'll make sure I do, don't worry about that." Lenny did his best to tell Hanako about this. Hanako smiled. They walked up to one of the street cafes and tried to figure out if this was a good choice.
Katawa Shoujo- Everyday Fantasy
Once inside, Hanako orders two slices of pie and accompanying cups of tea and takes them back to the table. Lenny pegged this café as the type to appeal to Hanako; small and quiet, but well-kept and somewhat upscale. Going by the dainty smile she wears, Lenny... doesn't really know if he chose right. It's kind of common to not see Hanako smiling, after all. Nevertheless, Lenny takes a seat near her at one of the corner tables and lays down the small meals. Hanako gingerly brings her head over the slice of pie placed in front of her, delicately taking in the aroma.
"Lemon pie, is it? Thank you, Lenny. Lilly told me she got this when she and Hisao went here looking for birthday presents for me." Hanako explained as this was something she was more than happy to share with Lenny.
"No problem. The tea's just next to it, so be careful not to knock it over." Lenny explained to Hanako that the tea was nearby and that it shouldn't be spilled. Hanako nods appreciatively, but judging from the slightly weak smile she has, the warning wasn't really necessary. Lenny had to suppose the sound must have tipped her off to its position. They both tuck into our food without further ado, both of them remaining largely silent as we do so. Hanako isn't the type to take part in discussion while eating, and Lenny can't say he would like it either. Eventually they finish both their meals, and the last of their teacups follows in short order. Hanako's the first to break the silence.
"That was very nice. I must say you've chosen quite well, Lenny." Hanako explained how she really enjoyed this.
"This is the first time I've really had much of a look around the city, so all I could really do is choose somewhere that looked nice. Uh... damn. Sorry." Lenny tried his best to explain before he faltered and had to resort to apologizing to Hanako. Lenny was beginning to feel really bad for inadvertently bringing up the subject of the sight to Hanako, but she doesn't appear to mind much. Quite the opposite; she almost looks amused by Lenny's awkward attempt at an apology.
"You are thoughtful, Lenny, but sometimes I fear that it gets the better of you. There is no need to change your speech on my account." Hanako explained as she was trying to figure out what exactly would work better for the both of them. Lenny nodded, still confused by this notion. Hanako truly was starting to be pretty comfortable in dealing with her condition, just a couple months ago the most basic interactions would be like climbing up a mountain for her. Lenny still hastened to change the subject, as he can't really say that he shares her confidence in the matter.
"Have you lived here for very long? It seems like you have this place pretty much sorted out." Lenny asked Hanako if she lived in this part of Japan. Hanako quickly waves her hand in front of her face to dismiss the notion.
"It's nothing like that. I've attended Yamaku since the start of high school, but I didn't walk around the city very much because I couldn't bear myself to go outside that much thinking someone would judge me for my scars." Hanako explained that she wasn't one to get made fun of for her scars. Lenny meanwhile was feeling much the same way.
"Oh, right. You mentioned living in the dormitories." Lenny explained to Hanako about this. Hanako nodded as she gave a smile. It's quite a surprise. Lenny just assumed she'd been living here since entering Yamaku at the least, which would give her a few years here.
"I've lived with my family for the first few years until that horrifying incident where I lost both my mother and father, then I was just together in the orphanage. With me trying to find my own way in life, and Lilly planning on going to Inverness when this trimester ends, I ended up having to move to Hisao." Hanako explained to Lenny exactly what was happening. Lenny wasn't too comfortable about explaining his situation to Hanako but was curious about Lilly's travel location.
"Inverness? Isn't that somewhere in Scotland?" Lenny asked as they were beginning to clean up the place and get the plates out. Hanako paused as she had to explain to Lenny.
"Oh, did I not tell you? Lilly's family currently lives in Scotland, the birthplace of her mother. My father's side is mainly Japanese, though." Hanako explained to Lenny about Lilly's past and what she planned on doing. Huh. The question of what gave Hanako her looks did cross my mind every now and again, but Lenny never thought to ask. That answers that, then.
"To be honest, I'd never have guessed. Considering Lilly has no accent, I'm guessing she were born here?" Lenny asked Hanako if this was true.
"Full marks. She is thankful for her heritage though, as without it I'd likely have not been taught English so easily and neither would you. Speaking of which, what of you, Lenny?" Hanako explained before she asked for Lenny. Lenny paused before asking:
"What about me?" Lenny would ask Hanako. He didn't know what she was going to say but his mind looked like it wasn't in the best shape. Hanako gives a moment's thought. She probably should have thought of what to ask Lenny before switching the topic.
"I'll go with... what are your plans for the future?" Hanako asked Lenny. Lenny began to think of the career survey he received and he didn't jot anything down. He didn't know if he would make it to University without dying. He had to swallow a bitter pill and tell the truth to Hanako.
"To be honest, I haven't thought much about that recently. After my accident and subsequent months in hospital, enjoying my life here with you and Emi has been enough for me." Lenny explained as there was still nothing on his mind regarding what was going to happen. In fact, Lenny doesn't think he's thought at all about a "future" for some time now. It seems almost futile.
"This is your last year of school. After this, you will have to fend for yourself one way or the other." Hanako explained to Lenny. He was going to have to face the future when it came to it. Lenny's mother was completely absent from his life and with no one else to turn to he didn't know what the future will be for him.
"It's not like I don't know that, I just haven't put much thought into it since then..." Lenny tried his best to explain this to Hanako despite how painful it must've been. Hanako opens her mouth to continue, but gives a small sigh instead. She seems to have realized that she really doesn't know enough about his situation to go too deeply into this.
"Well, we all have our own pace. I just hope you'll take any chance you see." Hanako sighed as Lenny was most likely still taking this slowly.
"...I understand. I'll think about it." Lenny sighed, he still felt defeated about not making a decision. Mutou was encouraging him in the right direction but he was still unable to make up his mind. As they walk back out into the city, Hanako takes hold of Lenny's arm once again.
"So, did you get any good ideas for a present exchange?" Hanako asked, she wanted to get Lenny something that would make him remember her.
"To be honest, no. I've never been very good at picking them." Lenny admitted to Hanako that he wasn't good at picking out presents for himself or more importantly a friend.
"As absurd as it sounds, perhaps we should just... look around?" Hanako asked if they should walk around until they found something that caught their interest. Hearing Hanako utter those words throws Lenny off for a moment.
"Er... right. How do we do that?" Lenny asked as he was confused. He wasn't much of a window shopper himself.
"That's just the reaction I was expecting. It's simple; you can go window shopping, and just tell me what is around. If something interesting comes up, then we might get an idea." Hanako explained to Lenny what the definition of window shopping would be.
"Right... I'm still not so sure of this, but I'll take your word for it." Lenny told Hanako. Hanako gave a nod before she would take the lead.
"I think we'll manage. Lilly, Hisao, and I manage to do it well enough." Hanako explained to Lenny. With Hanako's simplistic and rather optimistic statement, they set off into the shopping district of the city and Lenny looked around with Hanako and Hanako herself trying to find what piqued her interest. It's hard to think of Hanako going window shopping. She doesn't feel like the type to place much stock in fashion, nor have Lenny noticed her reading magazines or the like. In fact, all Lenny does think he's really seen her do as a hobby is read books.
"There's a housewares shop just ahead. Looks like it's mostly crockery though." Lenny explained to Hanako, he didn't sound too interested about it though he tried to come off as interesting.
"I can't think that I have much of a need for that, and what type of message would that send to me?" Hanako asked Lenny. She tried her best to keep herself smiling though to her it seemed a little hard to do so. Lenny tried to think of a message.
"Um... "cook more food?" That's not such a bad idea, maybe..." Lenny tried to explain, Lenny felt nervous thinking his response came off rather bad. Hanako nodded as she took note of Lenny's nervousness.
"Sometimes it's best to leave these things alone, Lenny." Hanako told her friend. Once again, Lenny began to get the feeling that Hanako's exploits in the kitchen aren't always successful. Lilly must have had to help her with that sometimes according to Hisao.
"Let's see, next along is a bookshop... that seems like a good one, we're always reading." Lenny told something as that was something they seemed to enjoy a lot. Hanako, on the other hand, wasn't too sure about that.
"Yes, but there are a few problems with books. I'm not quite sure what we have and haven't read." Hanako explained that there were problems with books that someone could and could not have read especially if they were literacy freaks like Lenny and Hanako.
"Same thing about a gift card then?" Lenny asked. "I never really have a use for them."
"There's nothing as impersonal as giving someone a gift card. It's like saying "I don't know enough about you to work out what you'd like."" Hanako explained to Lenny. Lenny nodded and spoke up.
"I always thought of it as making sure they got what they wanted." Lenny explained to Hanako. Hanako paused as she began to think for a moment. After coming to some sort of conclusion, she began to speak.
"Giving people gifts is supposed to show them the level of affection you have for them. If you can't decide on a simple gift for them, then how much could you think of them?" Hanako began.
"Since we don't have a use for gift cards, it'll be a bad choice."
"Right, right, no gift cards." Lenny sighed as Hanako had her arm around him. Hanako seems overly passionate about this, but Lenny can see her point. If you're going to get something for someone, then you should put at least some thought into it. If Lenny wants to get something for Hanako that reminds her of us every day and she can do the same for Lenny, then what good is a gift card? "In that case, what did you get for your birthday when I wasn't there to celebrate?" Lenny asked. Hanako began to think about her birthday presents and began speaking.
"A porcelain doll and a Chess game. I thought that if I had someone to talk to, it might help us ease our pain. A doll isn't ever going to criticize us, after all." Hanako described her presents to Lenny. Lenny began to think, was there a shop that sold these types of gifts? He began speaking.
"So should I be looking for a doll shop?" Lenny asked if that is something they should go looking for next? Hanako gave a smile.
"If you could be so kind as to keep a lookout for one, I would be grateful." Hanako spoke with a smile.
"Sounds good to me, though I wish you'd mentioned it earlier." Lenny explained before sighing, he should have thought about what Hanako really liked.
"But if I did that, then you wouldn't have started thinking for yourself, would you?" Hanako asked Lenny if thinking of what they liked would be a good idea. It made for an interesting conversation to have right? Once again Hanako has a point. Lenny's brain is currently analyzing every store we pass for gift options. If Hanako had mentioned a doll shop to begin with, Lenny wouldn't have thought of anything else. They wandered through the city's streets, but seemed unable to find anything that resembles a doll shop, or anything that Lenny would consider a fitting present. The simple act of searching is starting to clear his head. The events of last week are starting to fade away, and Lenny was looking forward to giving Hanako her gift... ...if he can find one, that is.
"This is hopeless. I thought we'd be able to find something in the city for sure. And I'm sure we've walked down this street at least once before." Lenny sighed as if they had been walking in circles and they weren't going to find what they were looking for. Hanako wasn't ready to give in and began to speak.
"That almost sounds like you're giving up, Lenny." Hanako began. Lenny decided to sit down as his brain must've been overthinking this.
"I'm not, but it's a lot harder than I thought." Lenny sighed. It didn't help that his heartbeat had been steadily picking up as they walked, he needed to cool down. Hanako sat down next to Lenny.
"Try not to be so restricted in your thinking. Maybe we should actually go into some shops and have a look around?" Hanako suggested. Lenny thought that would be a good idea but he didn't know if he was ready.
"That might work. I've never really been any good at window shopping." Lenny explained to Hanako. Maybe a change of tactics was going to work if they were going to find something for each other. They got up and tried their new plan. Hanako and Lenny circle around the city's streets once more, this time popping into stores that catch our attention. In the end, though, nothing comes up as especially appropriate. Hanako's tastes are often quite hard to pin down at the best of times, thanks to her intensely private nature, and those tastes we do know are hard to accommodate. "May we take a break for a minute? I'm a bit exhausted." Lenny asked Hanako. Hanako agrees and leaves Lenny to rest against a railing while Hanako goes to get a couple of drinks from a nearby vending machine. After walking up to the vending machine and grabbing them some lemonade, She finds herself at a bit of a loss. Not really knowing Lenny's tastes, Hanako decides to take a guess and grab something that seems a little similar to Lenny but instead gets the same drink she got. She walked over and handed Lenny the can.
"Back." Hanako told Lenny as she handed them the Lemonade. Hanako walks up to him and places the can into his outstretched hands, making sure he has a grip on it before letting go. Lenny feels out its contours before opening it and taking a very tentative sip, his approving smile afterwards telling Hanako she made the right choice. They both rest and have a quiet drink for a few minutes. A familiar soft ringing begins to sound from Hanako's side. She quickly apologizes as her hand goes into her pocket, pulling out her mobile phone. "Do you mind if I take this?"
"It's fine, don't worry." Lenny told Hanako that he would be fine to take the call. She nods to Lenny in thanks before turning away and flipping the phone open, bringing it to the side of her face as she picks up the call. Going by the tone of Hanako's voice, the person on the other end is no doubt some friend or another. Lenny tunes out of their conversation pretty quickly, as the snippets that Hanako says make it sound like little more than gossip. Without much else to do, Lenny finds himself watching Hanako. She really is a pretty girl, which would hardly hurt her but how she acted told him she didn't have that many friends. It's interesting just how much Hanako and Emi contrast with each other, in both personality and appearance. For a few minutes Lenny just leaned back and drank, watching her. Before long, Hanako says her goodbyes to the person she's talking to and hangs up, placing her phone back in her pocket and leaning back against the railing as before.
"Sorry, it's Lilly, she's wondering where I am and I told her I was with you." Hanako explained to Lenny who she was on the phone with. Lenny takes one final swig from his can before throwing it into the bin. Hanako gives Lenny her can to throw away soon after, finishing it off relatively quickly.
"You seem to be really good friends with Lilly." Lenny began.
"Oh?" Hanako asked Lenny if this was true. Hanako waits for Lenny to continue, her interest piqued.
"I was just thinking that you and Lilly contrast really heavily. It's hard to imagine Lilly doing a lot of the things you do, or knowing the people you know." Lenny explained to Hanako. Hanako placed her hands together and she began speaking.
"You seem to think about Lilly and I quite a bit." Hanako told Lenny that she was a little happy for her.
"I don't know. It's just... you're mysterious, I guess. I kinda want to know more about you, which isn't that easy." Lenny explained to Hanako about this as she thinks that Lenny was starting to doubt her and Lilly. Hanako placed her hands together and began speaking.
"It almost sounds like you're doubting your relationship to us." Hanako expressed herself to Lenny. Lenny felt like he was back at square one as he began to think.
"I don't think it's that. I just want to do more for Emi, being her friend and all. I don't even really know how she sees me, we're more than that at this point." Lenny expressed to Hanako what his intentions were. This statement seems to interest Hanako quite a bit. Lenny wondered if Emi said anything about Lenny to Hanako during their conversations. He's about to ask what's on her mind as she picks herself up from the railing.
"Shall we be off, then?" Hanako asked Lenny. Her voice and expression show that she's playing games with him. Hanako knows damn well that she's leaving Lenny hanging. With a sigh, Lenny picks himself up off the railing as well and has a brief look around. They have stuff to do, so he'll just try and get back to her about this later. Tucked in between a newsstand and a convenience store is a small shop. The sign above the door reads "Othello's Antiques" in decorative English script. It would be easy to miss if we were walking along the street, but since we're stationary and I'm purposefully looking around, it's just noticeable.
"Say, Lenny… that doll Lilly got me; was it new?" Hanako asked Lenny if he remembered what he remembered in Hanako's phone call with Lilly.
"Well, yes, but I'm not quite sure I know what you mean." Lenny told Hanako as he was puzzled about what was happening. Hanako smiled as she began speaking.
"I think I've found our shop where Lilly got it from. It's across the road." Hanako expressed this to Lenny. Lenny nodded while looking at the shop.
"Oh? What is it? Some kind of toy shop?" Lenny asked. He wasn't entirely sure about what was going on. Hanako decided to explain.
"It's an antique shop. I think it's probably going to be our best bet." Hanako explained to Lenny.
"First time I'm coming here as this is where Lilly went to."
"Really? I didn't know we even had one of those near here." Lenny told Hanako that he had never seen something like this before. Hanako smiled as they prepared to cross the street.
"Neither did I, I missed it the first time we went by here. It's pretty well hidden." Hanako explained. They waited for the green light to flash and when it did, they crossed the street. Lenny wasn't too sure but if this is where they wanted to go, they were going there.
Katawa Shoujo- Air Guitar
"Well then, it can't hurt to check." Lenny told Hanako. Inspired by this new find, they quickly dust themselves off and head towards the store, Hanako's hand finding its way to his elbow for guidance as she opens the door. The store has a strange, musky scent to it. The layout is more like a garage than a store; things are strewn around the floor without any immediate semblance of order. The shopkeeper gives them an almost bored look though his particularly small eyes. His face looks weary and tired, and his dress style is distinctly anachronistic. He gives us a polite nod of welcome before going back to his book. Hanako holds tightly onto Lenny's arm, and he finds himself having to split his efforts between making sure he doesn't miss a potential gift for Hanako and making sure Hanako doesn't do the same. The task is quite difficult given the haphazard way the store is laid out, and the many things poking out of the shelves they're on or sitting on pieces of furniture. To make things easier, they decided to split up as it would mean they could cover more ground but at the same time, figure out what gifts they can get without the other noticing but eventually Lenny safely arrives at an old desk covered in dolls and teddy bears.
"I think this is the right place. There's pretty much every kind of doll you could imagine here." Lenny began. He looked at the desk as the shopkeeper walked over to him.
"That should make the choice much simpler. I keep them all arranged here so people can figure out what they want." The Shopkeeper explained. "Animal dolls are in another part of the shop as I want to keep them separate." Lenny had a feeling that it would come to this. He began to picture Hanako in my mind, and try to imagine which of the dolls before me would suit her the best. His eyes wander across the collection; each one is as exquisite as the one before it. The sheer number of styles is boggling, but eventually one catches His eyes.
"Here, what about this one?" Lenny asked the Shopkeeper. Lenny picked up a small porcelain doll that looks to be at least somewhat affordable. Dressed in an Edwardian Era blue dress with a little brown hat and a blue ribbon going across sitting atop its brown hair, it looks a little like Hisao. Lenny gently passes it to the Shopkeeper, who delicately feels his way around the object while wearing a look of slight concentration.
"It certainly looks beautiful. Do you think it would suit you, in your opinion?" The shopkeeper asked Lenny.
"I think it would; it could look good in her room. It's a gift for a friend." Lenny explained to the Shopkeeper. The shopkeeper gave a smile and a nod.
"In that case, I'll trust your judgment. Will you be getting her something as well, or shall this be a shared gift?" The shopkeeper asked Lenny.
"Hmm, I'm not sure. I think I should get her something myself, but I don't think getting her another doll is such a great idea. Maybe..." Lenny explained to the shopkeeper. He decided to let his voice trail off as he looked around the shop. Resting on a writing table not far from us is a decorative box that catches his eye. "Wait here, I think I've found something..."
"My my, that was fast." The Shopkeeper told Lenny, he was surprised for his decision making
"Lenny gingerly walked through a collection of crystal glassware and picked up the box. The small wooden sides are covered in carvings depicted in what seemed to be a music box. The top, however, looks far too familiar. The tune that had been playing throughout the store. Lenny held the music box gently in his hands
"That's a really nice item. The melody isn't my favorite and it has been shipped from overseas." The shopkeeper explained to Lenny. "Kind of reminds me of the days when people would come and fix some of the antiques here. Probably my favorite customer who came here a couple years ago. Mr. Hirahi and I would often be in conversation over these things. He would talk about his family and his son… You certainly look like him."
"The store owner's sudden realization startles Lenny a little; He didn't see him as the person to recognize him at all. Lenny supposed he's trying to help us because Lenny and Hanako don't really look like they know what they're looking for. ...Or on the other hand, maybe he wants to keep an eye on them because he suspects they might shoplift instead.
"I'm... looking for a present for a friend and thanks. It's a surprise you were able to recognize me." Lenny gave the reply. He certainly wanted the music box to be purchased. The shopkeeper nodded with a smile
"I see. In that case, this music box would make a fine choice." The Shopkeeper explained. Lenny was ready to figure out how much he was willing to sell the music box to Lenny for. Realization floods into Lenny's mind. This is a pretty good-looking music box, but this is an antique shop. They're not well known for their bargain prices.
"How old is this?" Lenny asked the Shopkeeper if he knew the age of the music box.
"This is a reproduction. My best estimate is that it's about eight years old." The Shopkeeper explained to Lenny. Lenny gave his nod as now came for the price.
"I see. How much?" Lenny asked. The Shopkeeper began to think as he wanted to see how much he was willing to sell it. He tells Lenny the price which is slightly disconcerting.
"I'll let you take this now for 6000 yen." The Shopkeeper told Lenny. Lenny balks at this a little; He wasn't expecting to spend that much, but this does seem perfect. Then again, maybe that's a testament to how well he worked out how much he could make him pay.
"Couldn't make it 5000?" Lenny asked as he didn't know if he was going to afford this. The Shopkeeper thought about this as he was still going to get a decent amount of money for the music box. He thought about it before coming to a conclusion.
"5000, no lower." The Shopkeeper explained to Lenny as he was still looking at him. "Since you asked so nicely, you have your dad's mannerisms. You're a polite young man."
"I'm sold. Oh, we'd also like to get that doll..." Lenny told the Shopkeeper as they went over to go pay for the items. The shopkeeper looked over his shoulder as he decided to ring Lenny's items up first and hid them as they were for Hanako. Then Hanako came along shortly afterward with a nice stuffed cat, it looked brand new with the tags still on them. She handed it over to the Shopkeeper and he rang it up. His eyes narrow, and he visibly takes a moment to switch mental gears. In the process, his smile drops slightly.
"Ah..." The shopkeeper began. Lenny looked around to see what he was going to ring the cat up for. He could guess that means that not everything in his store is a reproduction. "Are you quite sure that you want that doll, miss?"
"Yes sir." Hanako explained to the shopkeeper. Lenny was too busy looking around to see the present Hanako got for him.
"I see... oh, no offense…" The shopkeeper explained to Hanako.
"None taken. If you could please wrap it for me, it would be appreciated." Hanako asked nicely and the Shopkeeper nodded. He began ringing everything up.
"Yes, of course, but it is 25,000 yen..." The Shopkeeper told them. Hanako reaches into her pocket and presents five crisp-looking 5,000 yen notes.
"Here you are, 25,000 yen." Hanako told the shopkeeper. The storekeep dutifully takes them and the doll, and proceeds to the counter. Lenny takes Hanako's arm to guide her there.
"Are you sure about this?" Lenny asked Hanako as he was unaware of the present that Hanako had got him.
"It's okay; I... have the funds I need from Lilly. As I said, I trust your judgment." Hanako explained to Lenny. Lenny was starting to feel a little guilty on two fronts; firstly because Hanako has just spent a lot of money on his recommendation, and secondly because Lenny has a feeling the value of his gift isn't high enough. Nevertheless, Hanako does seem to get somewhat awkward whenever the mention of money comes about... Lenny looked on curiously while he put the cash into the register before busying himself with wrapping the doll and repeating the process on the chessboard. Eventually, he finishes the gift wrapping and hands them both the presents.
"Please be careful on your way back, and do come again." The Shopkeeper told them as they began to walk out. Lenny waved goodbye to the shopkeeper while walking out with Hanako.
"Thanks." Lenny told him.
"Indeed, thank you very much." The Shopkeeper replied. He then bows deeply to them as they leave."
"Well, it did take us all day, but we found something in the end." Lenny asked Hanako. He looked up to the light blue sky turning into an orange color, sunset was here. Hanako nodded and began to speak.
"That we did." Hanako explained. Lenny looked at his bag, now that the presents are wrapped, Lenny was feeling a little impatient to give them to Hanako. It's a common reaction to buying gifts; wanting to see the reaction of the receiver as they discover what it is. And part of him wants to return to Hanako, just to confirm her condition with his own eyes.
"So should we head back?" Lenny asked as they should head back to their dorms after what seemed to be hours outside of Yamaku, they might as well head back to the school and prepare for bed.
"Let's. We've done a lot of walking today, so I don't mind taking a rest back at the dormitories." Hanako explained. Hanako's right. Now that the need to find a shop is over, Lenny's legs are feeling quite tired.
"Well then, back to the school for us. I'm looking forward to resting for a bit, too." Lenny told Hanako that they better find a bus station to hop on to and use that to get back to Yamaku. Hanako holds out her arm, and Lenny links his with hers. Together, they make our way back to the bus stop. They caught the next bus to Yamaku Academy shortly afterward and they boarded it. After making their way back to the school Lenny handed Hanako the bag containing the gifts.
"The small one is for Lilly, it's a thank you gift for recommending the store in the first place.
"Alright and here's yours. We'll speak about it in the morning." Hanako told Lenny. Hanako made her way back to her dorm with her present while Lenny did much the same thing. Lenny arrived at his dorm to see what Hanako got him. Taking the wrapping paper outside of the bag, Lenny found the cat plush Hanako bought for him. The cat plush was a nice soft Himalayan cat with a cream colored body and brown ears, muzzle paws and tail. Hanako got something to make him comfortable.
He had to say thank you but he didn't know how he was going to say it tomorrow.
[A/N]: A long one but I decided to include a bit of shopping as Hanako and Lenny get to know each other more. There isn't much from Emi's third act that is worth diving into but since I'm going to be making Act 3 longer, I'm going to start taking stuff from the other routes. Also who wants to see more of this, I know you do so let's try getting more views for this.