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Eurobeatjester wrote:New chapter should be up in a few days. Finally home and things have settled down a bit

Its been a month and a half

bnash22 wrote:Its been a month and a half

Better late than never.

I wanted to deeply apologize for how late this has taken to update. The last month has been hell since Christmas. I've had issues with work not being as slow as I thought it would be, I've had to move to a new apartment, and I've injured my leg fairly badly to the point I will most likely need surgery on my knee. Percocets are awesome, but don't lend themselves to writing coherently very well.

To make up for it, this chapter is loooong and split up into two parts. I wanted to get the first part of it up tonight, while taking a few more days to get the rest of it edited and put up.

Thanks for your patience guys, I hope this is worth the wait.

Act 1: Life Expectancy

Scene 3: Electric Daisies (Part 1)

BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP

…eep beEP BEEP BEEP-
The alarm clock sears through my head with all the subtlety of a speeding train. I reflexively flop over, fumbling blindly to smash it, but to no avail. I clip the corner of it, and it makes a leap for safety – right down behind my nightstand. To add insult to injury, I hear rattling as it takes several pill bottles with it.

I groan and clench my teeth as the electronic taunting continues. I hoped I would have at least hit the snooze button during those theatrics, but to no avail.

I sit up and swing my legs out over the edge of the bed in one swift motion, wanting to get this over with as soon as possible. Standing, I lean over the edge of the nightstand to see the cruel red display staring maliciously back at me. It takes a few seconds, but I'm finally able to silence it and put it back in its place along with half of my medications.

It takes a bit longer for the cobwebs in my head to completely clear. There's no class today, so I had set the alarm for a bit later than I usually would...but I didn't think I'd actually sleep in until eleven. I guess the rigors of this first week at Yamaku ended up taking a bigger toll on me than I thought.

I stretch, the sore muscles in my back protesting. My sleep schedule still isn't normal, so I either wake up incredibly early like the time Saki rescued me from Shizune, or I find myself barely making it to class. I idly wonder if part of it could be because of my medication as I wrestle with the top of a bottle. Maybe I should talk to Nurse about it.

Yawning, I step over to the window and take a look outside. Not only is it Sunday, but it's the day of the festival as well. I can see a few people lingering around between the various booths and stalls set up, half of which must be students. Maybe it's still early for too many people to show up.

I didn't really have any plans for the day myself. There are a few tests this next week I need to study for, but I shouldn't have a problem with them.

I hear some shouting drift up from down below and look to see a group setting up rows of seating before the stage. I gave them a hand in setting it up yesterday because Saki asked me to, but I didn't realize they were setting it up right under my window. Chisato is directing a pair of fellow students with chairs under their arms with the precision of someone on the flight deck of an aircraft carrier.

Saki had roped me into helping yesterday purely by chance, or at least, that's what she'd claim if questioned. I had woken up insanely early, and was unable to get back to sleep. I had surrendered to the thought of it being a long day and decided to take a walk around campus to kill time before classes started, something I've started doing more recently this week. I ran into Saki completely by coincidence over by the arts wing, heading back towards her dorm carrying a gym bag over her shoulder. Joining her on the walk back, I found out she had a morning routine of heading to the school pool early before the day truly started. I didn't think much of it, equating it to my morning walk or Emi's morning runs.

After she dropped her bag off, we grabbed breakfast again in the cafeteria and I asked her how the festival preparations were going. Between bites of bland eggs and burnt toast I learned everything was nearly ready except setting up the collapsible stage for the performance tomorrow.

Without thinking, I asked if there was anything I could do to help, and sure enough, hours later I was wrestling with lengths of pipe and various hand tools.

Okay...maybe I exaggerated when I say she roped me into it.

My stomach growls as I finish taking the last of my morning medications. I should probably head down to get something to eat; I'm curious to check out the festival anyway, and I'd like to see the band performance later, especially after skinning my knuckles setting up the stage yesterday.

After buying a plastic plate of takoyaki from a stall belonging to the class next to ours, I take a seat in the school gardens and watch people pass by as I dig in. It's a bit bland, but I shouldn't complain as it was fairly cheap and does a good job of curbing my appetite.

As I sit there nibbling, I notice that the school grounds are getting more crowded as people file in. I see families of children excitedly dragging their parents around from one event to the next, filled with energy from the sugary treats they carry. Some people are parents or guardians of students, as evidenced by someone in uniform showing them around and pointing out various things. Still others are there by themselves, and I can't help but notice most of these are in an older age bracket.

Come to think of it, I noticed that earlier in the week when I went down into town to go shopping.

This must be one of those towns where the only people left are those that lived here their whole lives and refuse to leave, or those wanting to live out the rest of their lives in one of the increasingly few tranquil places. That must be one of the reasons Yamaku's atmosphere is so easy going and laid back, not that I mind one bit. I like how calming Yamaku is, especially after what happened to land me here.

The humidity, though, is another matter entirely. I can already feel my shirt starting to stick to my back where I'm leaning against-

Gah!

I'm shaken from my thoughts by a loud clanging of bells blaring from the school's PA system. I stand up, and a few of the people near me share my reaction. I hear the principal make a garbled announcement over it, officially declaring the opening of the festival, already well in full swing. The statement draws varied responses from the people around me. Some smile, others groan, and interestingly enough most of the students I see don't react at all. I imagine they wouldn't, given they've been in the festival mindset for the last week. When the voice goes silent, everyone gives polite applause before going back to whatever it was they were doing.

I stare down at the now empty plate, wondering how I'm going to spend my day. I could go get another plate of takoyaki; this one wasn't that bad. Rin was working frantically at her mural up until the last moment. I could go see how that turned out. I could go see what time band is having its performance. I could check out some of the games that have been set up. Or I could just retreat back to someplace quiet like the rooftop or the library.

Still undecided but opting to move, I throw the plate into a trashbin and lose myself among the flow of people. They all seem to be heading towards the main school building, which seems as good a place to start as any.

As we draw closer, I'm actually surprised to see how many stalls have been set up around the perimeter of the main building. A few clubs and classes must have opted to have more than one booth. I see stalls hosting all the standard games one would find at a festival, along with all the low quality foods that are just as much of a staple.

I make up my mind to start over by the booth on the end of the line and head down. I hear an excited shriek and general applause as I get closer from the people gathered around it, but I can't make out the reason through the throng of people surrounding it. A few seconds later, a small girl darts into view holding a plastic jar with a goldfish in it, awkwardly running in her excitement as her parents take long strides to keep up. I have to make a quick sidestep to avoid being crashed into.

Completely oblivious, the girl careens on, the poor fish being shaken like a baby rattle. The mother gives an apologetic nod as she passes me.

“Hisao!”

I turn back towards the stall, the gap in humanity letting me get a clearer view of who's running it. I see Saki rising to her feet, her lower body being blocked out by a very large fish tank at waist level. She waves to me and I find myself waving back as I pick up my pace.

Saki had mentioned that the band was setting up a stall during her argument with Shizune earlier in the week, but I honestly didn't know what type of stall it was going to be.

“So, this is what the band is up to?” I say, coming to a stop in front of the booth. I stare down at the tank to see the surface rippling with the cream and orange bodies of dozens of small goldfish. Taking in the rest of the surroundings, I see a few boxes of paper nets near the back of the booth, along with some colorful banners explaining the rules to those not familiar.

“Yep! At least for a while,” Saki says. “We have that booth over there too,” she continues, pointing to the one next to us. A quick glance shows a ring toss game of some sort.“Two?” I say, impressed. “You weren't kidding about being busy.”

“We're not on our own,” she explains, brushing a stray lock of hair out of her eyes. “The art club has these few booths and we're rotating shifts during the day. Band's running the show for another...hour,” she says, turning her wrist to look at a small golden watch. “Then drama takes over while we have our performance.”

“That seems fair.”

“It would be, if half the people bothered showing up,” Saki mutters darkly. Just as quickly as the cloud descends on her face, it lights up again as she looks off to the side. “Sorry,” she says apologetically to me, “but it looks like we have someone who wants to try!”

Next to me I see a young boy gawking wide-eyed at the fish tank, completely hypnotized by the motions of the creatures within. Saki squats to bring herself to eye level with him across the top of the tank, getting his attention. “Would you like to try and catch one?” she asks cheerfully.

His eyes get bigger as they make contact with Saki's. “Can I?” he asks, in wonderment.

“Mhmm!” Saki affirms, nodding. “That is,” she hesitates, turning a beaming smile towards the couple standing behind the boy, “if it's okay with your parents?”

The child looks up towards his mom, his face plastered with the purest look of expectation and longing I think I've ever seen. What makes it even better is that Saki joins her gaze with his, matching his expression perfectly. It's all I can do to keep from bursting out laughing.

What mother could stand up under that barrage? Not this one. She sighs as she hands over a few paper notes to Saki while the boy gives an enthusiastic clap of his hands and emits a squeal of delight. Saki turns and puts the money away into a box behind the counter, then turns back with a paper net already in hand.

“Now, be careful!” she says as she hands over the net. “Pick one you like, but choose a good one! If you let the net stay in the water it gets weaker, and if you try to pick one that's too big he may break out!”

With laser like precision, he focuses in on one he likes and dips the net in. Sensing danger, the target fish makes a beeline for the other side of the tank when the net approaches. The boy's brow furrows in concentration as he gives chase.

After a few seconds of epic struggle, he pins the fish against the side of the glass!

“You got him!” Saki encourages. “Now just lift the net up carefully...”

The boy follows the advice and actually manages to get the net above the surface of the water. Just as he starts to smile however, the goldfish flails violently and tears through the fragile paper. It lands back in the tank with an audible plop, clearly imitating the youngster's spirits.

All of watching give a sympathetic groan as the fish dives at full speed towards the safety at the bottom of the tank. The boy looks absolutely crushed.

“I almost had him!” he exclaims, staring intently at the one that literally got away.

Saki gives the parents a wink over the top of their son's head, then crouches down to his level again. “That was so close! Do you think you could get him if you tried again?”

“Yes!” he answers at once.

“Alright! One more time then!” she says, mirroring his enthusiasm. Reaching one hand under the counter, she pulls out another net. This net looks a little different, although I can't quite put my finger on why before the boy snatches it and dunks it in, intent on trying again.

The fish puts up a valiant fight, but in the end gets pinned against the glass again. The boy lifts it out of the water, and at the critical moment, it starts to thrash around. This time however, it isn't so lucky and the paper holds.

“I got him, mommy!” he shouts, full of accomplishment. Saki takes the net from him and swiftly deposits his prize into a waiting jar.

“Good job!” she praises, carefully handing him the fish. “Now make sure to keep him in a nice clean bowl and feed him every day, okay?”

“I will!” he says, taking the jar with both hands. The father looks amused at the whole situation, having not said a word the entire exchange up to this point.

“Come on Yutaka,” he says, taking his son by his free hand. “Let's see some more and then we'll take him home, okay?”

“Okay dad!” Yutaka replies, all smiles. “Thank you!” he says to Saki, bowing slightly before dragging his parents away, high on his recent victory.

I'm just left there staring, trying to piece together what just happened.

Saki grabs a nearby towel and wipes the water off her hands. She puts both the net and the towel underneath the counter again when she notices me looking at her.

“Okay,” I say, narrowing my eyes. “What just happened?”

“What?” Saki answers, staring at me with an innocent grin. Too innocent.

“That net...”

She laughs. “Oh, that? Maybe he was just really lucky...”

The stare I give her lets her know I'm not buying it for a second. This only causes her to laugh harder.

“Uh huh,” I prod. “And are you going to say you didn't help at all?”

“Will you believe me if I say no?”

“Probably not.”

“Then it doesn't matter what I answer, does it?”

I sigh, admitting defeat, and move to change the topic of conversation. “When did you set all this up? I didn't see you when we were putting up the stage yesterday, which, I may point out, you asked for my help with.”

(continued...)

Without missing a beat, she responds. “Just because I wasn't there doesn't mean I wasn't busy. And besides, you should know better than to ask me to lift heavy objects by now.” She pauses for a moment, and raises an eyebrow. “You wouldn't want me to tattle on you to Shizune that you weren't giving a hundred percent, would you?”

“Alright, alright,” I say, holding up my hands. “You win. You're welcome, by the way.”

“Honestly, I do appreciate it,” she sighs tiredly, all the playfulness gone from her tone. “We're not the only ones using it today either.”

“Where did the fish come from?” I ask, staring at the darting figures again.

“We get them in bulk down at the pet store in town. They're cheap because they use them as feeder fish. The jars are just from a food service place, and we order the nets online.”

There's many more fish in the tank than there are jars from what I can see, unless there's a hidden cache that I'm not seeing. “What do you do with the leftover fish at the end of the night?”

“We've already paid for them,” Saki explains, “so we just end up giving them away at the end of the festival to anyone who wants one, or two, or ten.” With another sigh, she sits down on one of the folding chairs and starts to fan herself with a piece of paper.

I notice her forehead is slightly damp. It looks like the humidity and heat might be getting to her too.

“What time did you get to sleep last night? You look completely drained,” I observe.

“Not that late, but I was up pretty early. Nobody’s been sleeping much this week. Getting ready for the festival has been hectic enough, plus I've had to practice with the rest of band for our show in a bit. I'll be glad when it's over. I might just skip out on the rest of the festival and go straight to bed,” she says, punctuating her last statement with a light yawn.

I lean against the edge of the stall, feeling my own lack of sleep catching up with me after hearing her mention it. “Aren't you supposed to run the booth for the rest of the day after you play?”

Saki snorts derisively. “Let Chisato do it. She was supposed to be here already helping me, but she had to go set up chairs. I know she wasn't doing it by herself, and it doesn't take four hours even if she was.”

“Four hours? Ouch. Don't tell me you've been here the whole time.”

“Since about eight this morning, yeah.”

“So you haven't had anything to eat?” I ask, alarmed.

“No, not since last night. That’s another reason I'm going to smash Chisato over the head with my violin the next time I see her,” Saki growls.

“I can get something for you, if you want.”

Saki looks genuinely grateful for a second at the gesture, then looks around to see who else is manning the adjacent booths. Her gaze settles on another student that I've seen earlier during the week – a girl around Saki's height with long purple hair pulled up into small loops on either side of her head.

“Noriko?” Saki asks, getting her attention. The girl snaps her head around.

“Hm?”

“I'm famished...is it alright if I cut out a bit early to get some food before the performance starts?”

Noriko ponders this for a moment, checking to see how heavy the traffic is around the booths at the exact moment. “Sure. I don't think it should be too much to handle,” she answers in a small, shy voice.

“Thanks! I owe you!”

Saki quickly retrieves her cane from the back of her chair and sits on the edge of the booth, swinging one leg over followed by the other. She holds out her hand expectantly towards me, waiting for me to help her up. I oblige, and we turn towards the direction of the food stalls.

“So,” I ask casually, putting a hand in my pocket as we start to walk. “What are you in the mood for?”

“The fattiest, greasiest thing I can get,” she answers, her eyes twinkling as visions of sugar plums dance in her head.

I laugh. “So basically, the worst stuff for you that you can find?”

“Screw being healthy, right now I need the calories. What, you don't want to try whatever deep fried horror someone came up with this year?”

I grimace in revulsion. “Ugh, no thanks.”

“Oh come on,” Saki says teasingly. “It's not like it's going to give you a heart attack.”

...ouch.

Both my mind and my body come to a screeching halt when I hear that. Suddenly, with that simple sentence, all the joy and fun of the day fly out of my head with reckless abandon...and ever present at the edge of my consciousness, the dark thoughts I've been keeping at bay are more than eager to fill the newly vacated space.

Saki, for her part, has no idea what she just said. Nor would she, as the topic of my reason for being in Yamaku has never seem to come up in the chats we've had the last week. Nevertheless, the sudden stop and palpable change in mood from me is enough to clue her in that something is wrong. She stops half a step in front of me and turns towards me, confusion written on her face.

“Hisao...?” she questions tentatively.

“No,” I say, trying to shrug it off but failing miserably with my tone. “No, I guess it wouldn't, would it?”

Saki's amber eyes look at me with an intensity I've never seen directed at me before, searching me. Studying me.

Her brow furrows slightly as I can see her mind racing to figure out what this means. A quick glance at my chest – almost too fast for me to see, if I wasn't staring back at her – and I can almost read her thoughts as she stares through me. I've done this same routine in the mirror more than once this last week. I know what she sees.

A new student, transferred suddenly to Yamaku after the year had already started. That type of transfer means something serious and sudden must have happened.

And yet, you'd never know from looking on the outside. All you’d see is an outwardly healthy looking boy. No missing eyes, ears, limbs, or anything else like that. No walker, wheelchair, or cane to get around. Nothing really eye-catching except a pale lankiness created by the hospital stay that would have followed whatever that something was.

The only logical conclusion based on this – and my reaction to what was just said - is that I ended up at Yamaku because of something to do with my heart.

Almost as if I was speaking aloud, Saki finally puts enough pieces of the puzzle together as I finish my internal monologue. Her eyes go wide and she brings her free hand up to her mouth.

“Gods,” she says softly. “I'm sorry Hisao...I didn't realize...”

“It's okay,” I answer quickly. “I mean, it's not like I told you...”

Saki nods and averts her gaze.

And yet...why?

Why didn't I bring it up sooner?

It's not like I didn't have plenty of chances to earlier. I haven't really told anyone except for Rin who asked outright. I suppose I'm one of the “lucky” few that require more than a quick glance to figure out whatever their “problem” is.

I look around at the people around us, feeling desperately uncomfortable. Sadly, this doesn't seem to help my mood at all.

It’s almost as if I can feel their looks, both at the school in general and towards the other students in particular. The way they openly gawk when someone has their back to them, but then quickly turn away when the object of their attention turns in their direction, as if guilty of being caught.

Such as staring at someone climbing a flight of stairs.

This is going downhill fast.

“I think I'm still getting used to it myself,” I offer up lamely.

“Weelllll...” Saki drawls, a slight smile coming to her lips in an attempt to cheer me up. “You can't use the 'new guy' excuse forever, you know.” Her eyes grow softer, as does her voice. “You learn to adjust to...all of it.”

“I guess so. It just...gets to me at times. But still, baby steps, right?”

“Speaking of steps,” she says, turning her body back towards the food stalls and inclining her head to make sure I get the hint, “can we keep walking? I'm still starving.”

And just like that...the oppressive atmosphere deflates. How does she manage to switch from carefree to serious and back again in the span of an eyeblink? Can one really simply brush off these types of things that easily?

I guess you could, if you've gotten used to it. Or maybe her sense of humor is much drier and darker than my own.

“Um, sure,” I stammer out quickly when I realize I haven't answered her question. We resume our course towards the far end of the main building.

The sense of curiosity over the previous exchange simply won’t stop nagging me, and I can’t stop myself.

“Can I ask you a question?”

“Hm?” she mutters, turning her face towards mine to give me her full attention.

“Why...why didn't you ask? Why I'm here. At Yamaku, I mean,” I stammer, the words fighting desperately to not leave my mouth.

“I just figured you'd tell me if you wanted to,” she puts simply, in a matter-of-fact tone that seems to scold me for thinking the answer would be anything but. “You haven't asked me about my cane either. I've seen you looking at it, and every time I catch you at it, you look so damned guilty.”

I rub the back of my neck, feeling more guilty than ever as my face heats up. When that seems to be the only reply I’m able to muster, Saki stops and waits for me to face her.

“You’re still stuck on it that much? Okay. Look, Hisao,” she starts, her tone deadly serious. “You can't tiptoe around people like this. Or yourself. Everyone here has a reason that they're here.” She points down the walkway towards a student in a wheelchair being pushed by a family member, and then gestures at my chest. “Sometimes it's obvious. Sometimes it's not. I don't know what exactly happened to you, but please, take it from someone who's been where you are for a lot longer than you have been. We're not normal. And that's fine.”

“Saki...” I blurt, too stunned at her outburst to say anything. She just continues rolling on right over me.

“I know it takes time to adjust. But you know what? Deliberately going out of your way to treat someone like they're some sort of, I don't know, 'extra-normal' person makes them feel ten times worse, and just rubs it in that they aren't.” Her voice lowers as she glances around. “We all get enough of that from the people around us. So don't you start doing it too. Not even to yourself. Especially not to yourself,” she finishes, with a voice filled with intensity.

My first reaction is anger.

My second reaction is that she's right.

“I...”

...can't manage a reply.

Saki sighs and turns her eyes away from me. “I'm sorry, I didn't mean for that to sound so harsh. It's just...”

I wait for a few seconds before she continues, her voice much softer than before, with a twinge of regret.

“So many people that end up here fall into the same trap,” she says, closing her eyes. “Some are like Lilly, or Shizune, or Rin, where they're born with issues so they haven't lost anything. Then others come here because they lost everything. Car crash, heart attack, diving accident, some doctor tells them there's a tumor in their brain that will kill them before they're thirty...it doesn't matter what happens, just that something does.”

She pauses for a breath, letting it out slowly, as if trying to order her thoughts in her head before speaking again.

“They get here, they run into people who try to treat them like they're made of glass, and they shut down. They never accept what happens because people around them keep trying to sweep it under the rug like it never happened. So they feel like failures because they can't get over it when everyone is trying to tell them they should. And they just...give up.” She shakes her head. “Nobody says 'It's okay to feel sorry for yourself once in a while. It's okay to think that whatever happened to you isn't fair. It's okay to get pissed off and cry and scream and punch a wall or throw something.' So they get into their own little world of pity and never come out of it. I don't want to see that happen to you, Hisao.”

I'm stunned. That's the only word I can use to describe it, and it's so inadequate.

In the months since my heart attack, everyone around me – my parents, my friends, my doctors, even and especially Iwanako – have all tried their best to cheer me up, to make me feel normal.

It’s painfully obvious when it’s forced.

Saki's completely right – it did start to wear at me. My parents even tried to be optimistic about Yamaku, saying it was an opportunity. By that point I was so pissed off and wallowing in self pity that I was resenting every good-natured attempt around me out of habit.

By trying their best to make sure the full weight of what happened never hit me, I still haven't truly been able to mourn for anything I've lost.

Thinking back, I did deal with a small handful of people during my hospital stay that were frank and open with me, and I appreciated it. I even find Mutou's concerns and Nurse's lecturing refreshing, when compared to the way people were treating me beforehand. They haven't tried to avoid or tiptoe around my issues, or the problems of anyone else for that matter.

By addressing those issues, they just make them another part of everyday life and not some black sheep or elephant in the room.

There's a very large difference between someone telling you what you want to hear, and someone telling you what you need to hear. Sometimes, you don't even recognize the difference until someone does...well...whatever it was that Saki just did.

“Thank you,” I say, a small smile coming to my face with the sheer irony and absurdity of it all. “I needed to hear that.”

“Damn straight you did,” Saki chastises. My smile turns into a laugh, just like it always seems to do when talking with her.

<< Previous Chapter :: Next Chapter >>

Oh my god, definitely worth the wait.

Eurobeatjester wrote: “I know it takes time to adjust. But you know what? Purposely going out of your way to treat someone like they're some sort of, I don't know, 'extra-normal' person makes them feel ten times worse, and just rubs it in that they aren't.” Her voice lowers as she glances around. “We all get enough of that from the people around us. So don't you start doing it too. Not even to yourself. Especially not to yourself,” she finishes, with a voice filled with intensity.

There's the Saki I know and love! Just a hint of fire starting to poke through the cutesy outer shell. Well done, eurobeat!

timetravelzero wrote:Oh my god, definitely worth the wait.

Eurobeatjester wrote: “I know it takes time to adjust. But you know what? Purposely going out of your way to treat someone like they're some sort of, I don't know, 'extra-normal' person makes them feel ten times worse, and just rubs it in that they aren't.” Her voice lowers as she glances around. “We all get enough of that from the people around us. So don't you start doing it too. Not even to yourself. Especially not to yourself,” she finishes, with a voice filled with intensity.

There's the Saki I know and love! Just a hint of fire starting to poke through the cutesy outer shell. Well done, eurobeat!

Thank you!

I had to rewrite that part about a dozen times before it sounded right. I'm torn between wanting to write Hisao as accurate as possible and (as a player) wanting to smack him for being so damned stupid at times. Since I can't do that, I might as well have someone (in character) point out whenever he goes into one of his famous "master of romance" moments

No problem!

Eurobeatjester wrote:Since I can't do that, I might as well have someone (in character) point out whenever he goes into one of his famous "master of romance" moments

Saki does seem to be a wonderful way to make Hisao see he's being an idiot.

Oh, and don't stress out by that, I mean apologize for a delayed update. Personal life takes priority.

There's no classes today,...
There's a few tests this next week...

"Classes" and "tests" are both plural, so this needs to be "there are" in both cases.

Transferred suddenly to Yamaku a few months before the end of the third year of schooling.

More like "...a couple of weeks after the start of the..."
Otherwise a good chapter. It's a bit disorienting how likeable your Saki is. I definitely prefer her to the other version.

Mirage_GSM wrote:

There's no classes today,...
There's a few tests this next week...

"Classes" and "tests" are both plural, so this needs to be "there are" in both cases.

Transferred suddenly to Yamaku a few months before the end of the third year of schooling.

More like "...a couple of weeks after the start of the..."
Otherwise a good chapter. It's a bit disorienting how likeable your Saki is. I definitely prefer her to the other version.

I'm confused by the timing of the schooling thing.

Hisao had his heart attack in the winter and was in the hospital for several months before transferring to Yamaku. If I recall correctly, Shizune's route ends with them talking about graduation. However, Japanese schools start in the spring (usually April) for the first trimester, then have a break over the summer that lasts several weeks, before the second trimester ends around Christmas. Then the final trimester starts after new years and goes through March.

I may be hazy from all the narcotics, but I always had the impression from this that Hisao was only in Yamaku for a few months and not most of the year. I was replaying Hanako's route the other day and I believe it was Miki who made the comment how strange it was to get a transfer student so late in the year.

So either Yamaku doesn't follow the standard procedures for Japanese schooling, or the routes are all different on deciding when in the school year Hisao transfers. I had always just chalked it up to the writers making Yamaku conform to an American schooling system either for simplicity's sake or because they didn't think about it until afterwards.

I guess I'll take the comment about Saki being likable as a compliment? Haha. I'm glad you like it.

Yamaku does use the regular Japanese school year, and the date when Hisao arrives in Yamaku is one of the things that is actually consistent through all paths.
IIrc it is June 4th 2007 - which would be two months into the year and as Miki says quite late if transfers usually occur between school years.
Emi's and Hanako's paths finish before the summer holidays. Lilly's and Rin's last into the holidays and Shizune's path lasts until the graduation the next march.

Mirage_GSM wrote:Yamaku does use the regular Japanese school year, and the date when Hisao arrives in Yamaku is one of the things that is actually consistent through all paths.
IIrc it is June 4th 2007 - which would be two months into the year and as Miki says quite late if transfers usually occur between school years.
Emi's and Hanako's paths finish before the summer holidays. Lilly's and Rin's last into the holidays and Shizune's path lasts until the graduation the next march.

Ah, that makes sense now. It has admittedly been a while since I've done a complete playthrough. I've mostly been replaying all the Act 1 scenes for similarities that I can use for the festival.

Eurobeatjester wrote:It has admittedly been a while since I've done a complete playthrough. I've mostly been replaying all the Act 1 scenes for similarities that I can use for the festival.

Boy, do I know that feeling :P

Anyways, great chapter, wonderful job so far! I'm hungry for whatever happens next, but take your time.

Ah, it is refreshing to read about someone that has more than half of brain for a change.

did i see a reference to tomorrow's doom in there?

muffinseal wrote:did i see a reference to tomorrow's doom in there?

If there was, it was purely coincidental. I haven't read Tomorrow's Doom yet.