Numbered Days

[kosherbacon]

Even after reviewing this beforehand, my mind still gets blown when Hanako shows up in the Iwanako confession scene.

[Devon]

Here we go again~

[Shades of gray]

trekki859

how the hell havent you been fully banned by now is a miracle that only the devs can explain, i've seen at least three posts that have gotten you temp-banned.

anyways, excellent story so far, looking forward to the epilogue

[Mirage_GSM]

I'm hoping there'll be an epilogue. There's still a lot of questions unanswered ("yet...")
Oh, and instead of deliberately inducing a heart attack, I'd rather go to a doctor for a check-up and ask to be sent to Yamaku afterwards. Less painful and skips the months in the hospital;-)
Now, I'd better continue writing my own story. Was a bit delayed by another project (not KS-related) but I should be able to finish it in the next few weeks.

[Necrous]

YAY New chapter! ^_^

Aww! Last chapter! u_u

Aww! He had another heart-attack. But at least this time you could keep going with the plot, since Hanako visited him at the "Starting Point", then she (and everyone else, possibly) could all visit him in the hospital before he comes to their school! That'd mess with the doc's head... "Hi, we're Hisao's classmates. Oh, no. We're not from his current school. We're his classmates from the school you are going to send him to in four months. We wanted to say 'hi' and wish him a good recovery before he transfers to our school."

[Sperance]

You, my good sir, have created a masterpiece. Thanks a lot for sharing this with us!

[neumanproductions]

I'm hoping there'll be an epilogue. There's still a lot of questions unanswered ("yet...")

Told ya they'd be wanting more after you chose to add the Misha/Shizune segment and basically the chapter as a whole, Leotrak.
Going through it again, I really do think this is one of the best stories in terms of length and substance on the forums; beats my "A Day in the Life of ___" series hands-down but i'm going to give a close second to Mirage_GSM's "Victory Day". (ranking based on having at least a minimum length written for a single story)
Naturally for 'blowing my mind every other story', that title goes to Kosher, but i'd give you the title of 'having the most indepth thoughts'.
Overall, congrats on such a well recieved release.

[kosherbacon]

I'm hoping there'll be an epilogue. There's still a lot of questions unanswered ("yet...")

Told ya they'd be wanting more after you chose to add the Misha/Shizune segment and basically the chapter as a whole, Leotrak.

I dunno, I was wondering where Shizune and Misha fit in before he even added them in this chapter. You gotta admit, their tight-lippedness about the situation was really suspicious when it came up earlier.

[neumanproductions]

I'm hoping there'll be an epilogue. There's still a lot of questions unanswered ("yet...")

Told ya they'd be wanting more after you chose to add the Misha/Shizune segment and basically the chapter as a whole, Leotrak.

I dunno, I was wondering where Shizune and Misha fit in before he even added them in this chapter. You gotta admit, their tight-lippedness about the situation was really suspicious when it came up earlier.

I know what your saying but now there's the whole...

I look at her, asking despite knowing the answer, "So, what does that sign mean, anyway?"
"Ahahahaha~! Sorry, Hicchan, can't tell you that yet~." With which she runs after Shizune, who by now has turned around and started walking again, having done whatever it was she set out to do.

Wait, Misha said "not yet". Why would she-

...thing to deal with. For while it does answer the question that Misha and Shizune did know, it implys that something will happen in the future that would require Misha to address what the sign actually is. But maybe the two didn't realize it would be different this time? aka. Hanako showing up 4 months earlier to the confession scene. Hmmm...who knows but Leo.

[Mirage_GSM]

Apart from the "yet" there are some more open questions:
- How did Hanako appear there?
- Is the cycle broken, or does it continue?
- What is the meaning of Hisao's vision (if any)?
Not to mention the big question of "Who was responsible for the loop in the first place?" but I understand if that last one won't be answered.

beats my "A Day in the Life of ___" series hands-down but i'm going to give a close second to Mirage_GSM's "Victory Day".

I'm honoured that you consider my writing so highly with all those awesome stories on these forums - especially since "Victory Day" was supposed to be no more than a thought experiment that got a little out of hand ^^°

[DaMan65]

WOW!!! I mean seriously I started reading the first part of this fic and got drawn in couldn't stop. Very well done. Minor editing issues aside (But I all reality those don't matter all that much if your story's good) It is one of the better fics I've read on these forums. No offense fellow writers. Characters spot on reacting in a believable way to the situation in the story. I think I remember someone saying something about Hanako being a little off but I couldn't find the quote, but honestly if she's experienced these things over and over like everyone else I can see what she does in the story as believable. I was a little upset about Rin not being a love interest but I guess we all can't be followers of her grand wisdom I really hope you continue and write that prologue I look forward to it if you do.

by Mirage_GSM on Fri Feb 11, 2011 5:58 pm
Apart from the "yet" there are some more open questions:
- How did Hanako appear there?
- Is the cycle broken, or does it continue?
- What is the meaning of Hisao's vision (if any)?
Not to mention the big question of "Who was responsible for the loop in the first place?" but I understand if that last one won't be answered.

These questions also plague my mind as well. Besides the first one I feel like that was just necessary to the plot and doesn't really need an explanation. And Hiaso's vision I feel was pretty clear in that he was trying to reconcile this whole mess and try to make sense of it in his mind. I mean how would you deal with something like that? Feeling like your doomed to repeat a section of your life for eternity and finally find a way to break out of it and then realize that maybe nothing really has changed? Maybe you really are doomed? He was presented subconsciously with a choice. Go back to the cage and isolate yourself again hence giving up and just letting this continue on and on forever. Or take the harder path and stand up to deal with whats going on rather than letting the madness consume him like the swirls were consuming the cages. I mean if you were forced into that kind of a situation repeating things over and over until you didn't even know who you were anymore numb to even those strongest of all feelings love. Idk maybe I'm reading too much into it and making too much out of something but that's what I feel it meant. Anyone else thinking along those lines? or am I preaching to the choir.

[Leotrak]

Hoo, boy O.O

Actually, you're pretty spot-on with both matters you tried to explain - Hanako's presence in the winter scene was all Part Of The Plan™ (as to how she got there? Hisao somehow dragged her along - least, that's how I tried to describe it in the roof scene (floating balls of energy in a vast nothingness just as everything's going back to the starting point)), and what Hisao saw during his brief bout of madness was all about making a choice, indeed.

Darnation, I really should finish that epilogue... Well, don't expect too much out of it, honestly ">_> You people are giving me way more praise than I deserve already <_<"

[DaMan65]

Hehehehehe Sorry if that was a bit overwhelming I tend to rant about the meaning of things when I get to thinking about it.

[Leotrak]

Took me long enough once again, but this too is finally finished! Sorry it's a bit short, though ">_>

Anyway, I hope you'll all enjoy the final piece of Numbered Days! I had fun writing this, reading the comments made about this, and in some cases, the crazy speculation that came way out of left field ^_^"

So enjoy, read it all again from start to finish if you like, and maybe leave a comment or two!

I hereby finally present you...
================================

Epilogue: "Our Numbered Days"

It's been several 'loops' now since Hanako first showed up in that snow-covered grove, and man, did that change things around. For starters, the first time Hanako was with me during my hospital stay, I got to leave the place three weeks sooner, much to everyone else's surprise. I can still remember Shizune and Misha's stunned expressions, both of them completely silent for the whole of the first lesson.

That was probably partly because Hanako and I enrolled together, letting it be known far and wide that we were a couple, and anyone who so much as made a passing remark about her had me to contend with. Kenji, naturally, completely freaked out when he heard, and raged at me for days about not being strong enough to stand up to the Feminist threat, and that I needed his help to combat their memory-control techniques. Which gave the others a surprise, because I'd never mentioned him knowing.

There were some extra changes in this for Hanako, because by coming to my hometown with me, Hanako's memories of the past few years didn't fit with the fact of her being at my old school. Her memories now tell her she didn't go to Yamaku at the start of high school, but came to mine when her mother moved here for a new job. She's flat out refused to give me anything detailed, but her life here, and with that her new memories of it, couldn't have been pleasant. But after two years, her mother had convinced Hanako to start attending Yamaku anyway. Apparently, my condition played some part in Hanako's sudden change of heart...

Rin's mural looks different every time she paints it now. I swear Hanako and I were depicted in it that first time, but the artist denies it every time I bring it up. Everything else, she's taken in her usual stride. She's also convinced there's no problem with my tackle after all. I have no idea why.

Emi almost broke down again when Hanako and I showed up together. I still feel bad for breaking her heart the way I did, but I've made my choice. Besides, I can't keep up with her, physically or mentally... The thing she hates the most about this 'loop' thing is that everything resets come the fireworks. Including all the progress she's made in her running. At least it gave her the time she needed to accept she and I won't be more than good friends for the time being, but I think she still resents my choice...

Lilly seems to have made a game out of messing around with the student council in different ways every 'loop', like turning in the paperwork either weeks early or at the last second. Or making the weirdest requests for her class' festival stand. I swear she had actually listed "three kegs o' rum, arr!" the last time we went through the week. Really, I'd never have known she could be this playful...

Fortunately for Shizune, Lilly's the only one who's been messing around with her like that. She's also learning to not blow up every time it happens, but I'm still sure I heard her scream in agony when that rum line showed up in front of her. Or maybe that was Misha. Who's taken to following me and Hanako around whenever we try to be alone. So we've taken to watching out for an angry Shizune stomping around whenever we do. Misha thinks it's all a big joke, of course.

Neither student council members have shown signs of relenting in their denial of what's happening, which is both weird and annoying. We've tried dozens of different ways to show them what's going on, but nothing seems to work to open their eyes. Rin's already suggested the idea of simply dragging them up there, but I doubt we'd manage... Their behavior is way out of whack now, though. They never bug me about joining the student council any more, for one. For another, everything they do screams 'we know all about it!', yet they're still refusing to admit it out loud. Really, I'm this close to giving up on them.

I still have to hold on to Hanako tightly come the last sunday at Yamaku, when everything goes back to the starting point. If I don't, it's just Iwanako and me in the snow, and everything happens as it used to. Hanako's presence seems to be needed for me to recover faster. For some reason, she's also the only one I can drag along with me. At Lilly's suggestion, I've tried the same with her and Emi, but we're forced apart much sooner than if I try pulling Hanako along. Rin doesn't want to try, for reasons untold.

For now, we're stuck in this 'loop', with no way out, and no way to advance. All we can do is make the best of our situation. Right now, lying in the hospital again for God knows the how manieth time, wih Hanako curled up against me, I can't think of a better way to spend infinity.
===========================

That's it, folks! Again, I apologize for every delay in posting chapters on this, every single one of these came down to me ">_>

[griffon8]

Well, it's nice to have a finish, even if they're still stuck.