Short version: I love it and her to death, I simpatize with Lilly a lot, I love the chill, calm vibe, and I can live with the few issues the story has.
Long version:
After finishing KS for the 4th time in a +10 yeas span, I noticed something: Every time I play I like a different part of the game better.
It depends on how I'm feeling at the moment, what I'm going through and what stage of life I am.
Hanako's route was like a lifeboat for me the first time I played. It was like a comfortable place for me in a bad time of my young years, and I still love her route to death.
HOWEVER, the third time I played KS, a few good years later, Lilly stole the spot for me. I was at a better, even if not great, time of my life, I was a bit more confident, but I still enjoyed the peace and serenity, as well as Lilly's maturity and understanding. Today, I really can't choose between Hanako's or Lilly's routes, since I think both bring something for the table (for me).
Just to further illustrate my point, I used to see Emi's as the 3rd best route and Rin's as 4th. I just replayed Emi's, and I could barely stand to finish it. Something about it just ticked me off so much this time. Meanwhile, Rin's, which I remember playing last time just for completionism sake, now feels so much more enjoyable for me.
But I guess maybe it's just me that keeps changing too much lmao
Also, I just really enjoy how chill and calm Lilly and Hanako are, so I feel right at home with them XD
Also, about Lilly's "betrayal". One of the things I like the most about Lilly's route is how human it is. There are many times when the characters say or do something just to immediately realize/discover/find it was rude, insensitive or just dumb.
The reason I like that is because it's very human, and it really contrasts with Lilly's "I have all under control" vibe. At the end of the day, Lilly is just a young girl trying to navigate life. She also has worries and insecurities, but hides and deals with them by herself both because she's mature for her age and because she IS, in fact, quite proud, in the sense that she hates being treated like a child or having people be overly conscious about her blindness, even if she appreciates some help when actually needed. I really love that nuance.
A good chunk of her route is about that:
► Show Spoiler
She really likes and cares about Hanako, and she tried to help her in the way she thought was better, but she also realizes that Hanako might have become too dependent on her, and hopes Hisao might help with that. She is even called out about scheming and kind of using Hisao in that sense, but I personally don't see the problem there since she didn't hurt or harm anyone. She only nudged things in a direction she thought was better.
And that is the main point of Lilly's route: She THOUGHT it was the best choice. First, she THOUGHT it was better to just give Hanako a safe space. Then, she THOUGHT it was better to get Hisao and Hanako to become friends. Then, in the end, she THOUGHT the best choice was to leave Hisao, as heartbreaking as that was, to be with the family she has been longing for since she was little.
For all of Lilly's maturity, wisdom and the dignified way she behaves, she's still little more than a kid. She doesn't KNOW what she's doing. And that's what Hisao finally realizes at the end of her route. He was so caught in his worries that he failed to realize Lilly also had her own, but was to proud to show them or ask for help. He thought of Lilly as a semi-divine entity that had everything figured out and that was there to help others. Lilly shows how guilty she feels when Hisao confronts her about her about her leaving. She kept delaying telling him because it was a heart breaking decision for her, and she didn't know how to throw something like that at him. Yes, it really REALLY sucks for him, and I'm not saying she did the right thing, but I think it's understandable FOR AN 18 YEARS OLD to not handle a situation like this perfectly.
In the end, the only time I think the route drops the ball
► Show Spoiler
(aside from the first half of the farmhouse trip, where Hisao is suddenly a dick for no reason?) is how Hisao doesn't really show any concrete plan on how he will "support Lilly from now on". He just promises he will, that he'll be there for her, that he'll help her deal with her stuff like he should have from the beginning. And that's all nice and good, but also very empty. I'd have like an actual explanation of what he should have done or plans on doing. But still, it's just a footnote on a great story for me.
