playerprophet

Welcome back, friends! We continue today with Ryouta's route, part 2! Can we transform our true friendship into true love?!

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August 30th

Okay so August 30th is the day Hiyoko wakes up late and arrives a day early for school. Nothing much happens here. Nanaki-sensei invites you to help him out but on Ryouta's route we don't need him for anything so we don't go along with him.

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September 1st
We'll skip this stuff too since it's just a bunch of chatter. Woop.

OH also on September 1st is the day you find the abandoned ID card in the hallway.

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September 3rd

And now we're also going to sKIP GYM CLASS! What an exciting LP.

Hiyoko leveled up!
Vitality increased by 5!

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September 13th

Some new content at last!

Aah! That was a productive day.
Time to go home and indulge in idleness and debauchery!

"Hey, Hiyoko?"

"Ryouta!
What's up?"

"Want to walk home together?
Though, if you were going somewhere else..."

How could you say no to those beady, soulless eyes?

"The sun's going down already...
I guess it's fall, now."

"The most elegant of seasons..."

"Hey, look, a swallow!"

"The most elegant of birds..."
Oh, there's its nest!"

"They're supposed to be done rearing chicks by the start of summer... I guess all birds are changing, now."

"I guess so. The chicks are really small..."
"That reminds me of something from a long time ago."

"Me too.
...thank you, Hiyoko."

When I was young, I found Ryouta freezing on the ground after falling out of his mother's nest.
Doves breed all year round... no wonder they're everywhere.

"That was how we met, right? When I found you flopping around in the dirt and carried you back up to your nest."

"Th-that's mean!"

"Thinking about it, if I hadn't walked by then, you'd be dead."
Though, you're still not exactly the healthiest bird around!"

"Yeah... thank you, Hiyoko.
If you hadn't found me then, I wouldn't be here now."
"I remember it as if it were yesterday. Ever since, I've... I've always loved your kindness and monkey tree-climbing genes."
"And you're just the same as you were then. Never change, okay?"

"Ehehe..."

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September 25th

Today's the school festival!
Our class decided to do a maid cafe. I'm not scheduled to work til tomorrow, so... I have today off!
I don't have anything to do, so I guess I'll look around.
Where to go, where to go!
Let's see...

"Hiyoko, wait!"

"What's up, Ryouta?"

"Are you free right now? We've got way more customers than we expected and we could really use another waitress..."

"Y-you're right... Where are they all coming from?!"
"Leave it to me, Ryouta!
I'll give them a taste of my SUPER MAID technique!"

And so I never ended up looking around the festival.
Only maids now!

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October 19th

I window-shopped too much on the way home and the sun's already down. Whee!
Huh? Who's the cute girl handing out flyers?

"?!"
"Wh-what are you doing, Ryouta?! The festival is over!
Or is that... is that what you always wear?!"

"No! No! This is my job!"

"What kind of job is that?!"

"You're misunderstanding!
It's just a cross-dress cafe!"

These things happen, folks! If you go to a cafe in Japan you may not be served by the gender you think, so muslim ladies take care to hide your hair. Cross-dressing cafes might even happen at an anime con near you! I ended up in one by accident once but I had missed the memo it was a confusing experience.

"I'm not misunderstanding at all!"

"We need the money..."
"Here, you take a flyer, too!"

It's not our place to decide how you live your life, boo. Dress and present how you please!

"I'll be sure to ask for you."

"Thank you! I'll be waiting, Hiyoko!"
"Oh, and my name at work is 'Coolene', so address me with that."

"Coolene? Okay!"
"See you later, Coolene!"

I'll tip you big, little lady!

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November 10th

(St. Pigeonations' Institute)

The school bell rings to signify the end of the day.

"Ryouta! Want to walk home together?"

"Um... sorry. I need to go somewhere right now.
Maybe later?"

"Okay!
...is something wrong, Ryouta?"

"It's nothing. Don't worry about it, Hiyoko."

His smile is incredibly unconvincing.
But if he doesn't want me worrying about it, worrying about it won't do anybirdie any good.
Maybe I'll go to the arcade...

Aah, that was fun!
I haven't played in a while. I should practice some new songs to get back into the game.
Huh?
What's Ryouta doing over here?
And why is he coming out of...

"The hospital...?"

"!"

"Ryouta, were you..."

"Hiyoko..."
"...
Hiyoko, I want to talk to you.
Is now a good time?"

"Of course! What is it?"

The screen fades out, and back in to the park.

This is another beautiful track you'll definitely want to listen to. Tsuioku (追憶) means "recollection".

"Umm, well...
..."
"Sorry, I'm... not sure how to say this."

"Take your time. I'm not going anywhere."

"Thanks."
"...my mother... isn't doing very well.
She was never very healthy..."

"She did always used to catch colds during the winter."

If that's all it takes to be considered unhealthy then I'm screwed.

"Ahah... yeah. Even though doves are supposed to fare better in cold than in heat."
"She's been getting worse since the end of September. After a certain point, I couldn't take care of her on my own..."
"So she's in the hospital now."

"And that's where you've been going after school..."
"I hope she gets better soon, Ryouta!"

"She won't."

Sh--
She won't...?
He's crying.

"...sorry for holding you up, Hiyoko. S-see you."

"Ryouta...!"

And so he fled into the night.

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December 8th

Today is getting marks day and for some reason Nanaki tells us we're getting better in spite of the fact we go to gym class and always skip math.

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December 24th

Somebody sent me a text message!
It's from... Ryouta.
"Meet me in the park at 7."
What's going on? I hope it isn't something bad.

The quiet piano of Silent Night begins. After doing two Christmas scenes now it's really remarkable the emotional response the song alone evokes from me. IT'S NOT FAIR.

"Ryouta! I hope I didn't keep you waiting?"

"Nope. Sorry for dragging you out like this, Hiyoko."

"What is it?
Is your mother okay?"

"Yeah, she's fine now.
Thanks."
"She said, 'You're old enough already, go spend the day with someone important!' and wouldn't let me back into her room."

Did I mention that Christmas is more of a romantic holiday in Japan?

"Going home... is too lonely.
So I thought maybe if I talked to you I'd feel a little better."

"So you called me?
Do you feel better?"

"Yup.
...thank you."
"Oh, sorry, sitting here on Christmas Eve is kind of sad.
Want to go somewhere?"

"I don't mind, Ryouta. Anywhere's fine with you."

And so Ryouta and I spent the evening sitting together in the park.
It wasn't very Christmasy, but I didn't mind.

And that's a wrap for Term 2. Next time: will Ryouta's mother be alright? Will Ryouta be able to survive? Can he fend off Hiyoko's seven evil exes? The answer to these questions and many more, next time on Let's Play Hatoful Boyfriend!

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Return to Gateway - To Ryouta's Route Part 3

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