LET'S PLAY HATOFUL BOYFRIEND - NAGEKI ROUTE PART 1

Welcome back to Let's Play Hatoful Boyfriend! For our next route - from my lovely fiancee's suggestion - we'll be dating Nageki, the loner in the library.

Unfortunately, because Nageki is not actually in the same class as Hiyoko, there are many scenes in which he cannot participate. So while Okosan was the centre of our attention during his route, we have a lot of downtime without Nageki. Please take this time to continue reading over all the class scenes, and get to know the other birds in Hiyoko's life. Maybe you'll find somebirdie you're interested in!

Without further adieu... let's join the Library staff!



( Read more... )

It looks like Nanaki-sensei's is the only one here. I guess Nageki couldn't be bothered to leave the library.

 

What should I wish for?

Nageki is more of a light touch.

I wish to take the reins of power through clever schemes and rule the world from the shadows!

 

"Oh, hello... is that you, Tosaka?"

"Mister Nanaki!"

"You should be careful out this late! It can be dangerous for a girl, you know."

I was about to head home.
Would you like me to walk you to your place?"

 He's such a darling looking after all his students. Sorry, Nanaki-sensei.

"No, thank you. I still have some errands to run."

"Oh?
Well, don't stay out too late!"

Nanaki fades out.

Wasn't the Keymania IIDX public playtest starting today? Maybe I'll stop by the arcade...

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July 11th

"Sir! How will integral calculus help us in life?"

The answer is: it won't, ever. I don't even know what that is and I'm an Adult. I pay bills.

"Hmm... hard to say.
It might never help you at all, Tosaka!"

"But, only studying things that help you in life is tiresome. Think of it as intellectual candy."

Okay, that's a good answer.

 

Integral calculus is educational candy?! I'm not prepared to accept this...

Hiyoko leveled up!
Wisdom increased by 5!

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July 15th

We get our finals back today!
I'm not sure I did too well...

"Tosaka!"

"Sir?!"

"Well done! You've gotten even better. Keep up the good work!"

"Yes, sir!"

Success!

 

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July 20th

The school bell rings.

Today's the last day!
It's been a semester already...

Sometimes it seemed long, and sometimes it seemed short, but either way, it's summer now!

I need to check all the assigned books before I go home. There will be a lot of students in to borrow their summer reading pretty soon!

 

Today is the closing ceremony, so there are even fewer birds in here than usual.

Am I the only one? Well, that just makes my job easier.

...but I'm probably not alone.
I've seen this situation before.

"Nageki?"

 

No reply.
Maybe he's not here.

"Are you here, Nage--"

"Please be quiet in the library."

"Hello!"

"You're rather noisy today.
Did you want something?"

"Nope!
I was just wondering if you were here."

"Of course.
I'm always here."

 

He replies from his corner, in a somewhat annoyed tone of voice.
Oh! The book he's holding...

"That's assigned reading this semester! Is it any good?"

"...not really. I'm almost done with it."

"It enforces its' 'safe' ethical viewpoint on the reader.
Like all assigned reading."

The whole concept is inane.
Why force everyone to read the same books?"

"It is pretty boring most of the time."

"What do you like to read?"

"Huh?"

"You volunteered to work here.
So you must like books.
I was wondering what to read next."

"So you want me to recommend something?"

 

He nods.

Night on the Galactic Railroad is a Japanese classic that has a lot of narrative throwbacks later on in Hatoful Boyfriend: Holiday Star. If you like, you can read it here. (I'll be reading it before I make a Holistar LP, just so I can unpack all of the referential material.) It is a very short, easy read and is often told as a story for children. It is, however, also VERY SAD, so beware all ye who enter.

"OreHato" I'm not sure is referencing anything in particular, but it means something like "I, Pigeon", which is pretty funny.

EDIT: Thanks to the dedication of the lovely tumblr user tubbsen, she discovered that "OreHato" might actually be a reference to the Light Novel series "Oreimo", which is a shortening of it's full title: Ore no Imouto ga Konna ni Kawaii Wake ga nai, or My Little Sister Can't be This Cute, where a brother bonds with his previously distant little sister when he discovers she's a closeted otaku. I wonder what My Pigeon Can't be This Cute is all about.

"What about Night on the Galactic Railroad? I liked it."

"Too stereotypical."

"Oh! Sorry. You've already read it, I imagine."

"Yes.
Though..."

"I liked it, too."

 

And so I spent the afternoon working in the library, occasionally exchanging a word with Nageki.

Time flows slowly by.
This sort of thing is nice, too.

 

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July 22nd

I am belatedly cutting out this Azami scene, so please go back to Okosan's route if you would like to read it over. Sorry friends!

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July 24th

 

It's still a long time until the semester starts...
And I still have a lot of homework!

Maybe I should apply for a part-time job, since I have the chance?

Hiyoko, look at your life. Look at your choices. You have this wonderful cave to sleep in. Surely in times like these someone else in need could use that job.

 

Hmm... I think I'll wait until I'm in college. That way I can skip lectures to go to work.

Slacking off and having fun is more the highschooler thing to do.
Wheeee!

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August 6th

 

Today's the local summer festival! I think I'll go with somebirdie.

Will the elusive Nageki emerge from his lair?

I'll invite Nageki. He needs to get out more!

...but I don't know his address or phone number.
I'd go look in the library if the school weren't already closed.

Now that I think about it, I only know him as "the depressed freshman who's always in the library".

I'd like to learn more about him... though, he'd probably never tell me anything if I asked.

Aah, going out is too much trouble. I think I'll have some udon and go to bed!

In this route, Hiyoko becomes me.

 

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August 14th

 

Today is my day as receptionist.

IN THE SUMMER???????

 

There's nobirdie here, as usual.
Maybe I should work on the newspaper...

"Nageki?"

"...yes?"

"Do you have a minute?"

"What is it?"

"Want to write a book review? I'm working on the library newspaper, and there's a corner open, so I thought..."

"Can't you write one yourself?"

"I'm always writing them! We never get submissions, so the book reviews are just turning into our personal soapbox!"

"Perhaps it would be better to remove them from the paper."

Nageki kinda reminds me of a guy I had a crush on when I was 14 that I hate now.

 

My thoughts exactly.

"I'd like to see how you'd write one, though."

"It doesn't have to be very long, either!"

"...I'll write one later.
Leave the paper there."

"Yaaay! Thank you!"

 

I think that's everything for the September issue. Wheee!

 

And that's a wrap for Nageki's Route, part 1! Coming up next time: Will Nageki ever leave the library? Will he ever learn a little tact? What's in store in Hatoful Boyfriend Nageki's Route Part 2? Stay tuned!

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Return to Gateway - To Nageki's Route Part 2

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