Say Hisao's parents couldn't afford Yamaku...

[AaronIsCrunchy]

In the VN, Hisao's decision is made for him that he's going to Yamaku Academy, one which he initially takes great umbrage to but later on... Well, we all know. Anyway, if his parents couldn't afford to send him to Yamaku, what would he have done? His parents couldn't homeschool him, we know that much, but going back to school after 4 months with a heart condition would surely either hospitalise him again, or even kill him. And even if that doesn't happen, 4 months away from a class that you've slowly built up bitterness for, he wouldn't be able to go back to how it used to be just like that, surely?

What if he didn't go back to education at all?

[brythain]

This kind of story goes back to a really early node, and totally excises the Yamaku experience. Even Leaty's excellent Mean Time To Breakdown doesn't do that! In fact, I'd say that you're looking at a non-KS story.

[Mirage_GSM]

If his parents hadn't been able to afford the tuition, probably either health care would have filled in or there would have been some kind of scholarship - after all Hanako managed to get admitted to Yamaku as well. There might also be other less prestigious and expensive schools that meet his requirements - maybe simply one that is close to a hospital.
Finally, nothing says that returning to his old school would neccessarily kill him. Practically all larger Japanese schools have a resident nurse and even without one... He manages most routes without the medical staff of Yamaku having to help him (physically) at all.

Edit: I wouldn't even call it a "story" per se...

[AaronIsCrunchy]

Aye, the point about the nurses in schools is something I hadn't really considered, but it would make sense. And I guess not, he only has difficulties with his heart of a fairly serious nature on two routes, and on one of those he's not even at Yamaku. The only thing could be that, as he's not at a specialist school, the pupils may not be as aware of his condition, and would either mollycoddle him, stretch him too far, or ignore him through not knowing how to approach it. In short, thinking about the points you made, in the immediate future he may come off worse socially.

That is, presuming he returns to his former school, and not a cheaper alternative to Yamaku.

[SpunkySix]

That would all be highly unfortunate. I doubt that he would ever just not go to school at all, it would just end up being more taxing on his family, and likely more dangerous as well.

[metalangel]

What if he didn't go back to education at all?

AMUSING: He'd be selling his ass on the streets of Roppongi to buy heart medication.
MORE LIKELY: He'd become a hikikomori and withdraw deeper into his depression.

[Guest Poster]

Pretty much this. Japanese are some of the most highly educated people on the planet and without finishing high school Hisao'd be extremely unlikely to get a decent job. Especially since any job involving physical labor is already off his list.

[AaronIsCrunchy]

He'd probably end up as someone on a till or something. And for someone that does seem to need constant brain stimulation, that would be pretty much the worst thing possible. Poor hypothetical Hisao.

[Mahorfeus]

Well, attendance to Yamaku was supposedly just a recommendation anyway. A rather heavy-handed one, but a recommendation nonetheless. Chances are, he would end up returning to his own school. I don't see that going down well.

From his point of view, his three best friends, as well as his "girlfriend," abandoned him while he was in the hospital. Things with Shin, Takumi, and Mai would probably be unbearably awkward. I have my doubts that their friendship could survive something like that, though it could certainly rebound in the long term. It would be even worse with Iwanako, who would probably avoid Hisao altogether. That being said, it would certainly not be very healthy for Hisao's mental health.

[SpunkySix]

It would be even worse with Iwanako, who would probably avoid Hisao altogether.

I have to wonder if she'd come around eventually, though. She does manage to send Hisao her letter in every route, so maybe with him directly there she'd make herself face what happened, possibly even sooner.

[Atario]

From his point of view, his three best friends, as well as his "girlfriend," abandoned him while he was in the hospital.

Imagine for a moment that he goes straight back to his original school instead of Yamaku… for the sole purpose of making everyone as uncomfortable as possible. His little revenge.

[Munchenhausen]

From his point of view, his three best friends, as well as his "girlfriend," abandoned him while he was in the hospital.

Imagine for a moment that he goes straight back to his original school instead of Yamaku… for the sole purpose of making everyone as uncomfortable as possible. His little revenge.

"Oh, it's a shame you failed that test, Iwanako! You studied really hard for it too, didn't you?
I bet you feel really disappointed!

Well, maybe not as disappointed as I was.
Y'know, when you abandoned me.
When you left me to wither away alone.
But still, it's a shame about that test."

[RandomPerson]

Pretty sure yamaku is a place where investors who give money to the school get paid back by the government rather than the actually students. Otherwise how else would emis mom, a widow who didn't have a job for several years (and may still not have one) caring for emi or a orphan like hanako supposed to afford it?

[bhtooefr]

Emi's case may well be a massive insurance settlement.

There's three main possibilities for Yamaku's funding model, and they're not mutually exclusive:

• Most of Yamaku's students are the inconvenient children of well-off families (this is implied to be the case in at least some cases, Lilly being a perfect example), and the administration takes advantage of this by setting the tuition so that those families subsidize those that cannot pay for it
• Yamaku receives large donations from local businesses - either this is done to improve their image in the community, or Yamaku has some Yakuza influence and it's an obligation for doing business in the area
• Yamaku is a Yakuza money laundering scheme

We do know that Yamaku takes students on scholarship - Misha is a canon example of this. (It is theoretically possible that Hanako was sent using government funds, but highly unlikely - from what I've found, the orphanages that she would've gone to have their own school facilities.)

There may also be some enrollment standards that make them eligible for some government funding at some level, and (not sure if this is a thing in Japan) they may also have the local school districts as clients (the school I went to, and later worked at, almost all of their business model was based on contracting to local school districts for the students that they weren't capable of teaching due to behavioral handicaps or learning disabilities).

[brythain]

Yamaku is a Yakuza money laundering scheme

"It is an act of philanthropy from one of many noble organisations dedicated to uplifting the common man and providing mutual aid and assistance. Such organisations are older than and perhaps even more noble than organisations such as the St John Ambulance organisation. Why, recently such organisations handed out envelopes of ¥30k to victims of the Fukushima disaster. That is not 'money laundering' at all."