LET'S PLAY HATOFUL BOYFRIEND - RYOUTA ROUTE PART 1

Welcome back to Let's Play Hatoful Boyfriend, where we pair you up with the pigeon of your heart. I'm your host, playerprophet.

So far we've seen the charms of the rambunctious Okosan and the quiet Nageki. Now, what will we find when we pursue the heart of our childhood friend, Ryouta Kawara?

Assuming you've been reading along, Ryouta's route will be clipped a little bit to get rid of some of the repetitive content that's already shown up a lot already, but I don't want to cut out too much of the lead-in so a lot of smaller parts will stay. I'll let you know when we cut out a bigger section.

So! Without further adieu...( Read more... )

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July 7th

Today is Tanabata!

There's probably a bamboo tree in the plaza this year, too...
I think I'll go make a wish.

Wow, there're lots here already!
Anybirdie I know?

:,,,)

What should I wish for?

The guide says we want to conquer the world by force but I have no idea what difference it makes.

"I wish to crush all opposition that rises before me and rule the world with an iron fist!"

Aside from that I think I'll skip past the part where we turn Nanaki down for a walk home. Moving right along!

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July 11th

Gym!

A rock dove is wiggling about on the surface of the water, advancing neither forwards nor backwards.

"You can't swim, Ryouta...?"

"I-I'm doing my best! I'm going to learn before I graduate...!"

Hiyoko leveled up!
Vitality increased by 5!

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July 13th

*breathes deep* aaah... new content!

 

We're in a different classroom for next period, right...?

Barely two hours into the day and I'm already hungry...! Aaah, I can't bear this...

"Ryouta! We're in the textile room next, right? Let's walk together!"

"Uh... sure."

 

Huh?
That was an awfully unenthusiastic response.

"Umm... you don't look too good.
Are you okay, Ryouta?"

"I-I'm fine! I'm fine. Let's go.

Uurgh..."

"You're not fine!"

"Y... yeah... It's my stomach."

"This happens all the time. It's nothing to worry about."

"I'll just go to the infirmary for a bit... could you let the teacher know, please?"

"Can you make it there on your own?"

"Yeah, I can. Thanks.
See you in a bit.

The screen fades to black, and we reopen in the hallway.

 

He never showed up for third period, or fourth.

Is he still in the infirmary?

I'll go check on him after I eat lunch.
A Hiyoko marches on her stomach, after all!

"...Ryouta?!"

"Oh... hello."

"Are you okay? You look even worse than you did earlier..."

"I'm... fine. Sitting around just makes it worse..."

"I got some medicine from the doctor, but..."

I'm not convinced that medicine is doing him any good!

I wouldn't trust anything that doctor prescribed.

"Something's wrong if you go to the infirmary feeling sick and go home feeling worse!"

"Wait a minute, Ryouta. I'm going to go give that doctor a piece of my mind!"

"W-wait, Hiyoko!
It's not his fault! I just have a weak stomach..."

I think Hiyoko has a point! The doctor could do a better job taking care of this darling dove.

"That has nothing to do with it!"

"I'll be back in a minute."

"Doctor! Doctor Iwamine?!"

"Barging in the door and shouting for the doctor is hardly accepted practice. Shall I prepare a sedative for you?"

"No, thank you!"

"I want to talk to you about Ryouta!"

"Ryouta...? Oh, Mister Kawara.
He left some time ago."

"He rested here for two hours, and he wasn't any better for it!
You did something to him, didn't you?!"

"Wouldn't it have been worse to do nothing to him?
Doing things to people is my job, after all."

"Well, yes, but...
I mean something unnecessary!"

"I'm afraid I can't respond to complaints with no evidence."

"I examined his condition and provided him with the appropriate medicine."

"Beyond that, it's all down to how quickly his body recovers. You can't possibly be holding me responsible for his unhealthy nature, can you?"

"Waah...!"

 

He's probably right... he doesn't have anything to do with Ryouta's weak body.

"I-if you did something to him...!"

"Please, do send in a complaint.
...after you find evidence, of course."

 

An evil smile flickers across his face for a moment, and is gone.

He did something to Ryouta, didn't he...

 

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July 15th

 

Today we get the finals back and, of course, we do terribly.

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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.

Let's find out now what OreHato is all about!

"What about My Little Nicobar Can't Be This Cute?
I liked it."

Tubbs was right! And here's some information on the Nicobar Pigeon, if you're curious. I believe that Hato Moa represents herself as this species, and I'm pretty sure we later see that the principal of St Pigeonation's is one of these as well.

"I've never heard that name before. What is it?"

"It's a Light Novel that came out last month."

"It's about an incredibly tsundere Nicobar with a complex, and her faceless male protagonist brother, and..."

"I see."

 

He sounds extremely uninterested.

Don't look down on light novels!
Kirinico is cute!

"Kirinico" I believe is a nickname for the sister in OreImo, whose name is Kirino Kosuke. Kirinicobar?

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July 22nd

On this date there is the event with Azami. If you're interested in revisiting it, please browse the Okosan or Nageki routes!

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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?

Ahh, yes. It's finally time to break into the real world and GET A JOB. Only one of two endings suggest you go for it, so it's not a thing you need much. Let's do it!

"I think I saw a flyer at the station hiring high school students over the summer..."

It was the cafe, right?

"...it's beautiful in here!"

???

"Oh, my!"

"Pardon me, miss, but we're not open yet."

"If you could come back at noo--"

"Oh! Sorry! I was here to ask about the job."

 

The proprietor of the cafe is an extremely elegant parakeet.

A true gentlebird, without a doubt. This must be what people mean when they refer to a "mature attractiveness"!

All the students at school are young and hyper, and the most dignified birds there are the teachers!

"Oh, is that right? Forgive me."

"I am called Urushihara Kenzaburou.
I am the owner of Torimi Cafe."

"Tori" in Japanese means "bird". Although I'm not sure what the spare "mi" is for.

"I'm Tosaka Hiyoko."

"Welcome, miss Hiyoko. I hadn't expected a human..."

"Um, are you going to interview me...?"

"I do not see any need to test such a wonderful young lady's desire to work here."

"And I believe you will be much more capable than I at moving the boxes of coffee and tea about."

If only it was so easy to get jobs.

"I'll be glad to!"

 

After all, I am an 840-vitality girl!

I take this to mean she looks a bit like Sakura Oogami.

"I shall be relying on you for this summer, then, miss Hiyoko."

"It is perhaps a little sudden, but could you start tomorrow?"

"Of course!"

"I am glad. I shall be waiting for you here in my cage."

"Tomorrow, then, Miss Hiyoko."

 

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July 25th

 

Today's my first day working at mister Urushihara's cafe! I think I'll leave early, to make a good impression.

"Good morning, Miss Hiyoko."

"Good morning, sir!"

"Let me start by showing you where everything is."

"I'm sure you'll be able to remember everything soon, so please ask if you can't find something."

 

He shows me around the cafe, explaining everything inside.

The shop is small and he keeps everything very tidy, so I'll be able to remember it all.

"Well, then. What do you think?"

"It's very nice! I almost want to move in!"

"Come, now, it's far too plain for a young lady such as yourself!"

"Actually, compared to my hou--"

???

"Excuse me...!"

"Umm, I saw the flyer at the station, and..."

"Ryouta?!"

"Hiyoko? Wh-what are you doing here?"

"A friend of yours, Miss Hiyoko?"

"Oh, yes. This is Ryouta."

"You came for the job, too, Ryouta?"

"Yeah, I saw that it starts at noon, so I thought I could fit it in after my other job...
But if you've already got the position then that's that."

"Umm... Mister Urushihara, could you use two people...?"

"Hmm...
Sadly, my cage is too small to have that much work to do."

Well, Hiyoko can get by just fine on her own, somehow. Ryouta needs this more than we do.

"Mister Urushihara, do you think you could take Ryouta instead of me?"

"Hiyoko...?!"

"I don't see why not, but..."

"I don't really need a job, but Ryouta does. Don't worry! He's a hard worker!"

"Are you sure, Hiyoko? It's not really fair to you..."

"I do feel a little bad leaving on my first day, too, but..."

 

Ryouta works several jobs every summer to support his mother.

Mister Urushihara is a real gentlebird, and Ryouta deserves to be treated nicely.
This is for the best.

"I know you'll do a good job, Ryouta."

"I... Thanks, Hiyoko."

"Well, then."

"Our encounter has been as transient as a comets' tail on the horizon, but I am glad I met you."

"Please do stop by. I will always be here, Miss Hiyoko."

"I will! Thank you, Mister Urushihara!"

And that's that.

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August 6th

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

"Thanks for inviting me, Hiyoko!
Come on, let's go!"

"So many booths!
How are we supposed to choose?"

"Use your hunter-gatherer instincts, Hiyoko!
Let's go find something to eat.
I'll pay!"

"What? No fair!
I'm paying for yours!"

"It's a deal!"

"Hmm... yakitori sounds good right about now!"

"?!"

The joke is that she's eating chicken.

And so I spent a happy evening with Ryouta.

Maybe we can go again next year!
I love me some yakitori.

 

That's all for now, friends! Coming up soon: Second Term in Hatoful Boyfriend: Ryouta Route! How will we pass the second semester?! Stay tuned!

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Return to Gateway - To Ryouta's Route Part 2

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