|
|
Line 23: |
Line 23: |
| HANAKO: "..." | | HANAKO: "..." |
|
| |
|
| {{Box 1 start}}
| | ''If Hisao introduced himself in [[Gateway Effect/Transcript|Gateway Effect]]:'' |
| ''(Only said if Hisao introduced himself in [[Gateway Effect/Transcript|Gateway Effect]])'' | |
| HISAO: "I did a self-introduction too."
| |
| | |
| "..."
| |
| {{End boxes}}
| |
| |-|
| |
| "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." =
| |
| content
| |
| |-|
| |
| </tabber>
| |
| | |
| label en_choiceA8:
| |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| "Hi! I'm new here. Hisao Nakai. We're in the same class.":
| |
| return m1
| |
| | |
| "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you.":
| |
| return m2
| |
| | |
| label en_A8a:
| |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| label en_A8aa:
| |
| | |
| HISAO: "I did a self-introduction too."
| |
| | |
| "..."
| |
|
| |
|
| | : HISAO: "I did a self-introduction too." |
|
| |
|
| | : HANAKO: "..." |
|
| |
|
| label en_A8ab:
| | NARRATOR: "The girl still doesn't say a word, but simply stares at me, wide-eyed." |
|
| |
|
| scene ev hana_library
| | HISAO: "I'm still getting used to the place so I'm trying to meet as many people as I can. So, er... what's your name?" |
| with locationchange
| |
|
| |
|
| "The girl still doesn't say a word, but simply stares at me, wide-eyed." | | HANAKO: "H... Hanako..." |
|
| |
|
| HISAO: "I'm still getting used to the place so I'm trying to meet as many people as I can."
| | NARRATOR: "Her speech is stuttering and so quiet that it is barely audible even in the still library. Somehow I think that my “delinquent” impression of her was wrong." |
| | |
| HISAO: "So, er... what's your name?"
| |
| | |
| ha_ "H... Hanako..."
| |
| | |
| "Her speech is stuttering and so quiet that it is barely audible even in the still library." | |
| | |
| "Somehow I think that my “delinquent” impression of her was wrong."
| |
|
| |
|
| HISAO: "Hanako, eh? So what are you reading?" | | HISAO: "Hanako, eh? So what are you reading?" |
|
| |
|
| scene bg school_library_ss
| | NARRATOR: "She gently tips the book backwards so that I can read the title, at the same time hiding her face behind it. She must have noticed me staring before." |
| show hanako emb_downtimid_ss at center
| |
| with locationskip
| |
| | |
| "She gently tips the book backwards so that I can read the title, at the same time hiding her face behind it." | |
| | |
| "She must have noticed me staring before."
| |
| | |
| HISAO: "“Life of Pi”? I've never heard of it before. What's it about?"
| |
|
| |
|
| Hanako: "A boy... and a tiger..."
| | HISAO: "'Life of Pi'? I've never heard of it before. What's it about?" |
|
| |
|
| Hanako: "...on a boat..."
| | HANAKO: "A boy... and a tiger... ...on a boat..." |
|
| |
|
| "I can see this taking some time." | | NARRATOR: "I can see this taking some time." |
|
| |
|
| HISAO: "Sounds interesting. Is it any good?" | | HISAO: "Sounds interesting. Is it any good?" |
|
| |
|
| "She nods from behind the book, but stays silent." | | NARRATOR: "She nods from behind the book, but stays silent. She looks kinda tense. A bit like Yuuko earlier, but in a different way. More like... petrified with terror, I'd say. So the mystery delinquent girl turned out to be anything but, and she is quivering in a way that makes it look like she is mortally afraid of me. The only way out of this, as far as I can tell, is to try to get a normal conversation going." |
| | |
| "She looks kinda tense. A bit like Yuuko earlier, but in a different way. More like... petrified with terror, I'd say."
| |
| | |
| show hanako emb_downtimid_ss at centertremble
| |
| | |
| | |
| "So the mystery delinquent girl turned out to be anything but, and she is quivering in a way that makes it look like she is mortally afraid of me."
| |
| | |
| "The only way out of this, as far as I can tell, is to try to get a normal conversation going."
| |
|
| |
|
| HISAO: "Is it a library book? I'm looking for new ones to read, but there's just so many..." | | HISAO: "Is it a library book? I'm looking for new ones to read, but there's just so many..." |
|
| |
|
| show hanako emb_sad_ss
| | HANAKO: "N-no. It's mine." |
| | |
| | |
| Hanako: "N-no. It's mine."
| |
|
| |
|
| HISAO: "Oh. So... do you come here often?" | | HISAO: "Oh. So... do you come here often?" |
|
| |
|
| stop music fadeout 5.0
| | HANAKO: "..." |
|
| |
|
| "..."
| | NARRATOR: "A huge, huge blush spreads on Hanako's face and her eyes widen far larger than I thought it was possible for eyes to do. Uh-oh. Did she interpret my lame attempt at small talk as a feeble attempt to pick her up?" |
| | |
| show hanako emb_blushtimid_ss
| |
| | |
| | |
| "A huge, huge blush spreads on Hanako's face and her eyes widen far larger than I thought it was possible for eyes to do." | |
| | |
| "Uh-oh. Did she interpret my lame attempt at small talk as a feeble attempt to pick her up?"
| |
| | |
| HISAO: "I mean... ehh... I didn't mean it like that..."
| |
| | |
| | |
| label en_A8b:
| |
|
| |
|
| | HISAO: "I mean... ehh... I didn't mean it like that..."|-| |
| | "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." = |
| HISAO: "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." | | HISAO: "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." |
|
| |
|
| ha_ "It... it's okay."
| | HANAKO: "It... it's okay." |
|
| |
|
| "The girl certainly doesn't look like it's okay, but I let it slide." | | NARRATOR: "The girl certainly doesn't look like it's okay, but I let it slide." |
|
| |
|
| HISAO: "So, umm... do you mind if I sit here?" | | HISAO: "So, umm... do you mind if I sit here?" |
|
| |
|
| "She seems to be very uncertain whether it's okay or not for me to sit, but finally she nods, just a little." | | NARRATOR: "She seems to be very uncertain whether it's okay or not for me to sit, but finally she nods, just a little." |
| | |
| scene ev hana_library
| |
| with locationchange
| |
|
| |
|
| ha_ "O... okay."
| | HANAKO: "O... okay." |
|
| |
|
| show ev hana_library_read
| | NARRATOR: "I take the seat next to her, and she hides herself behind her book. 'Life of Pi'... Never heard of it." |
| with locationchange
| |
| | |
| "I take the seat next to her, and she hides herself behind her book." | |
| | |
| "“Life of Pi”... Never heard of it."
| |
|
| |
|
| HISAO: "So, errr... sorry again for startling you. I'm Hisao." | | HISAO: "So, errr... sorry again for startling you. I'm Hisao." |
|
| |
|
| show ev hana_library
| | NARRATOR: "She looks up from her book, stalling a little before replying." |
| with locationchange
| |
| | |
| "She looks up from her book, stalling a little before replying." | |
| | |
| ha_ "I... know."
| |
| | |
| ha_ "We... are in the same... same class."
| |
| | |
| "Her speech is stilted and so quiet that it is barely audible even in the still library."
| |
| | |
| "Somehow I think that my “delinquent” impression of her was wrong."
| |
| | |
| ha_ "H-H-Hanako. I'm... Hanako."
| |
|
| |
|
| stop music fadeout 8.0
| | HANAKO: "I... know. We... are in the same... same class." |
|
| |
|
| "..." | | NARRATOR: "Her speech is stilted and so quiet that it is barely audible even in the still library. Somehow I think that my 'delinquent' impression of her was wrong." |
|
| |
|
| "I resist the urge to say “that's a nice name” just to have something to say, but really, it's the only thing that I can think of." | | HANAKO: "H-H-Hanako. I'm... Hanako. ..." |
|
| |
|
| "I feel like an idiot. Everyone here must be used to being different to each other, and here I am being all bothered and fussed about that kind of thing." | | NARRATOR: "I resist the urge to say 'that's a nice name' just to have something to say, but really, it's the only thing that I can think of. I feel like an idiot. Everyone here must be used to being different to each other, and here I am being all bothered and fussed about that kind of thing." |
|
| |
|
| HISAO: "Don't let me interrupt your reading. I'll... just check these books if you don't mind." | | HISAO: "Don't let me interrupt your reading. I'll... just check these books if you don't mind." |
|
| |
|
| "She nods a little, and sighs a little sigh of relief." | | NARRATOR: "She nods a little, and sighs a little sigh of relief." |
|
| |
|
| "..." | | NARRATOR: "..." |
|
| |
|
| show ev hana_library_read
| | NARRATOR: "So I try to read the covers and the introductions of the books I picked up and she buries her face in her book. Uncomfortable silence consumes us. My eyes still wander to her direction, and I sneak peeks at her flowing hair and the scars it's hiding. After a while I realize that she's doing the same, and only pretending to immerse in 'Life of Pi.' Her gaze is not inquisitive at all though, it darts around like a scared rabbit. When our gazes finally meet, the chain reaction is unstoppable. She stands up forcefully from the beanbag and takes a deep breath."|-| |
| with locationchange
| | </tabber> |
| | |
| "So I try to read the covers and the introductions of the books I picked up and she buries her face in her book." | |
| | |
| "Uncomfortable silence consumes us."
| |
| | |
| "My eyes still wander to her direction, and I sneak peeks at her flowing hair and the scars it's hiding."
| |
| | |
| show ev hana_library
| |
| with locationchange
| |
| | |
| show ev hana_library_read
| |
| with locationchange
| |
| | |
| "After a while I realize that she's doing the same, and only pretending to immerse in “Life of Pi.”"
| |
| | |
| show ev hana_library
| |
| with locationchange
| |
| | |
| show ev hana_library_read
| |
| with locationchange
| |
| | |
| "Her gaze is not inquisitive at all though, it darts around like a scared rabbit."
| |
| | |
| show ev hana_library
| |
| with locationchange
| |
| | |
| "When our gazes finally meet, the chain reaction is unstoppable."
| |
| | |
| play sound sfx_impact
| |
| | |
| scene bg school_library_ss
| |
| show hanako def_worry_ss at center
| |
| with vpunch
| |
| | |
| "She stands up forcefully from the beanbag and takes a deep breath."
| |
| | |
| | |
| label en_A8c:
| |
|
| |
|
| Hanako: "I..."
| | HANAKO: "I..." |
|
| |
|
| Hanako: "I... I..."
| | HANAKO: "I... I..." |
|
| |
|
| HISAO: "I...?" | | HISAO: "I...?" |
|
| |
|
| show hanako defarms_strain_ss
| | HANAKO: "Ivegottogodosomething!" |
| | |
| | |
| Hanako: "Ivegottogodosomething!"
| |
| | |
| show hanako defarms_strain_ss:
| |
| xalign 0.5
| |
| easeout 0.5 alpha 0.0 xpos 0.0 xanchor 1.0
| |
| with Pause(0.5)
| |
| | |
| hide hanako
| |
| with None
| |
| | |
| "Without warning, Hanako takes off and runs towards the counter."
| |
| | |
| "Her hare-like takeoff catches me so off guard that I don't manage to go after her until she has a good head start."
| |
| | |
| scene bg school_library_ss
| |
| show lilly cane_smileclosed_ss at twoleft
| |
| show yuuko neutral_down_ss at tworight
| |
| with locationskip
| |
| | |
| play music music_pearly fadein 4.0
| |
| | |
| "By the time I reach the counter she is nowhere to be seen."
| |
| | |
| "Lilly and Yuuko are happily chatting away."
| |
|
| |
|
| "Knowing that I won't be able to catch Hanako myself, I approach the girls." | | NARRATOR: "Without warning, Hanako takes off and runs towards the counter. Her hare-like takeoff catches me so off guard that I don't manage to go after her until she has a good head start. By the time I reach the counter she is nowhere to be seen. Lilly and Yuuko are happily chatting away. Knowing that I won't be able to catch Hanako myself, I approach the girls." |
|
| |
|
| HISAO: "Hey, did you see... er... notice a girl run past here?" | | HISAO: "Hey, did you see... er... notice a girl run past here?" |
|
| |
| show yuuko smile_down_ss
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| YUUKO: "Um, maybe... what did she look like?" | | YUUKO: "Um, maybe... what did she look like?" |
|
| |
|
| HISAO: "Long, dark hair. Kinda shy. She had... well... some scars... on her... face." | | HISAO: "Long, dark hair. Kinda shy. She had... well... some scars... on her... face." |
|
| |
| show lilly cane_surprised_ss
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| LILLY: "You wouldn't be talking about Hanako, would you?" | | LILLY: "You wouldn't be talking about Hanako, would you?" |
|
| |
|
| HISAO: "Yeah, that's her. I saw her reading and tried to talk to her, but I think I scared her off or something." | | HISAO: "Yeah, that's her. I saw her reading and tried to talk to her, but I think I scared her off or something." |
|
| |
| show lilly cane_sad_ss
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| LILLY: "Oh dear. Yuuko, would you excuse me, I had better try and find her." | | LILLY: "Oh dear. Yuuko, would you excuse me, I had better try and find her." |
|
| |
| show yuuko neurotic_up_ss
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| YUUKO: "S-sure. I'll just hold onto these until you come back." | | YUUKO: "S-sure. I'll just hold onto these until you come back." |
Line 293: |
Line 128: |
| HISAO: "Right. I'll see you later then..." | | HISAO: "Right. I'll see you later then..." |
|
| |
|
| hide lilly
| | NARRATOR: "Lilly hastily grabs her cane and hurries out of the library, leaving me alone with Yuuko." |
| with charaexit
| |
| | |
| show yuuko neurotic_up_ss at center
| |
| show bg school_library_ss at bgleft
| |
| with charamove
| |
| | |
| "Lilly hastily grabs her cane and hurries out of the library, leaving me alone with Yuuko." | |
|
| |
|
| HISAO: "I don't think I'll ever get the hang of this place." | | HISAO: "I don't think I'll ever get the hang of this place." |
|
| |
|
| HISAO: "Did I do something wrong?" | | HISAO: "Did I do something wrong?" |
|
| |
| show yuuko smile_down_ss
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| YUUKO: "What did you do?" | | YUUKO: "What did you do?" |
|
| |
|
| | | <tabber> |
| | | If you selected: "Hi! I'm new here. Hisao Nakai. We're in the same class." = |
| label en_A8d:
| |
| | |
| HISAO: "Nothing! I just... talked to her. Tried to get to know her. Didn't even manage to get started." | | HISAO: "Nothing! I just... talked to her. Tried to get to know her. Didn't even manage to get started." |
|
| |
|
| show yuuko worried_up_ss
| | NARRATOR: "Yuuko sighs and looks awfully bothered, even more so than she did before." |
|
| |
|
| | | YUUKO: "I guess you weren't 'wrong' so much as 'tactless.'" |
| "Yuuko sighs and looks awfully bothered, even more so than she did before."
| |
| | |
| YUUKO: "I guess you weren't “wrong” so much as “tactless.”" | |
|
| |
|
| HISAO: "Tactless?" | | HISAO: "Tactless?" |
|
| |
| show yuuko smile_down_ss
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| YUUKO: "That girl is a bit of a special case. It's like she never really talks to anyone." | | YUUKO: "That girl is a bit of a special case. It's like she never really talks to anyone." |
Line 335: |
Line 152: |
| YUUKO: "I wonder... It's just how she is, I think." | | YUUKO: "I wonder... It's just how she is, I think." |
|
| |
|
| "Yuuko doesn't sound all that convincing. Then again, maybe this is just the norm around here." | | NARRATOR: "Yuuko doesn't sound all that convincing. Then again, maybe this is just the norm around here. Everyone has their own problems, or else they wouldn't be here. Perhaps I was being a little tactless after all."|-| |
| | If you selected: "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." = |
| | HISAO: "Nothing! I was just looking for some books and then she got this fit and ran off. The most offending thing I can think of was that I might've looked at her general direction a few times." |
|
| |
|
| "Everyone has their own problems, or else they wouldn't be here."
| | YUUKO: "Well, she is a very timid girl. You have to be very careful around her. She can be very jumpy, I think, and she's not accustomed to talking with other people." |
| | |
| "Perhaps I was being a little tactless after all."
| |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| label en_A8e:
| |
| | |
| HISAO: "Nothing! I was just looking for some books and then she got this fit and ran off."
| |
| | |
| HISAO: "The most offending thing I can think of was that I might've looked at her general direction a few times."
| |
| | |
| show yuuko worried_up_ss
| |
| | |
| | |
| YUUKO: "Well, she is a very timid girl." | |
| | |
| YUUKO: "You have to be very careful around her. She can be very jumpy, I think, and she's not accustomed to talking with other people."
| |
|
| |
|
| HISAO: "Isn't that a bit... strange?" | | HISAO: "Isn't that a bit... strange?" |
Line 360: |
Line 162: |
| YUUKO: "I wonder... It's just how she is, I think." | | YUUKO: "I wonder... It's just how she is, I think." |
|
| |
|
| "Yuuko doesn't sound all that convincing. Then again, maybe this is just the norm around here." | | NARRATOR: "Yuuko doesn't sound all that convincing. Then again, maybe this is just the norm around here. Everyone has their own problems, or else they wouldn't be here."|-| |
| | | </tabber> |
| "Everyone has their own problems, or else they wouldn't be here."
| |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| label en_A8f:
| |
| | |
| HISAO: "But how should I deal with these people? Forcing myself to act overly casually only makes me feel phony."
| |
| | |
| HISAO: "Like I was supposed to be ignoring the elephant in the room."
| |
| | |
| show yuuko neurotic_up_ss
| |
|
| |
|
| | HISAO: "But how should I deal with these people? Forcing myself to act overly casually only makes me feel phony. Like I was supposed to be ignoring the elephant in the room." |
|
| |
|
| "Yuuko fidgets, looking like she wants to say something to that, but resists it." | | NARRATOR: "Yuuko fidgets, looking like she wants to say something to that, but resists it." |
|
| |
|
| YUUKO: "I think it's an elephant only if you feel that way." | | YUUKO: "I think it's an elephant only if you feel that way." |
|
| |
|
| "I guess she doesn't have a good sense of self-restraint. It makes me smile, and she blushes heavily." | | NARRATOR: "I guess she doesn't have a good sense of self-restraint. It makes me smile, and she blushes heavily." |
| | |
| show yuuko panic_up_ss
| |
| | |
|
| |
|
| YUUKO: "W... what? Did that sound stupid?" | | YUUKO: "W... what? Did that sound stupid?" |
Line 388: |
Line 177: |
| HISAO: "No no, it sounded really wise. I guess you're right. It's more about me than anyone else." | | HISAO: "No no, it sounded really wise. I guess you're right. It's more about me than anyone else." |
|
| |
|
| show yuuko smile_down_ss
| | NARRATOR: "Neither of us has anything to add so Yuuko fills the silence by shuffling some papers around. People who have papers on their desks really like doing that." |
| | |
| | |
| "Neither of us has anything to add so Yuuko fills the silence by shuffling some papers around." | |
| | |
| "People who have papers on their desks really like doing that."
| |
|
| |
|
| YUUKO: "Did you find any books? I should be closing soon. I mean this library should be closing. But I have to do it. I hope that's not too inconvenient for you." | | YUUKO: "Did you find any books? I should be closing soon. I mean this library should be closing. But I have to do it. I hope that's not too inconvenient for you." |
|
| |
|
| HISAO: "Oh. Yeah, I want some books, but I left them over there because..." | | HISAO: "Oh. Yeah, I want some books, but I left them over there because... ...I'll just go get them." |
| | |
| HISAO: "...I'll just go get them."
| |
| | |
| "I fetch my stack of books from beside the beanbags where Hanako and I were sitting and return to the counter."
| |
| | |
| show yuuko neutral_down_ss
| |
|
| |
|
| | NARRATOR: "I fetch my stack of books from beside the beanbags where Hanako and I were sitting and return to the counter." |
|
| |
|
| YUUKO: "Wow. You read a lot, don't you?" | | YUUKO: "Wow. You read a lot, don't you?" |
|
| |
|
| HISAO: "I surprise myself with that too, honestly. At least, when I really think about it." | | HISAO: "I surprise myself with that too, honestly. At least, when I really think about it. I had a lot of free time earlier this year, so I just kind of... started reading books to fill that time. I couldn't do much else." |
| | |
| HISAO: "I had a lot of free time earlier this year, so I just kind of... started reading books to fill that time. I couldn't do much else."
| |
|
| |
|
| YUUKO: "I see." | | YUUKO: "I see." |
|
| |
|
| "But she doesn't say anything else, and just checks out my books for me." | | NARRATOR: "But she doesn't say anything else, and just checks out my books for me. I guess this is what they call 'tact.'" |
| | |
| "I guess this is what they call “tact.”"
| |
| | |
| stop music fadeout 2.0
| |
| | |
|
| |
|
| <p style="text-align: center;">'''Next Scene: [[Bizarre and Surreal/Transcript|Bizarre and Surreal]]'''</p> | | <p style="text-align: center;">'''Next Scene: [[Bizarre and Surreal/Transcript|Bizarre and Surreal]]'''</p> |
| [[Category:Transcripts]] | | [[Category:Transcripts]] |
| [[Category:Act 1 Transcripts]] | | [[Category:Act 1 Transcripts]] |
NARRATOR: "My first impression was right; the library is surprisingly big. Ambling down the narrow aisles, I study the spines of the books in random order, occasionally sliding one out to read the blurb, taking it with me if it looks good. In a few moments I have a respectable stack of books in my arms. I guess I'll never be stuck for choice in here. The normality of the library sinks in. Sure, there are large-print and Braille books scattered throughout, but it is what it is: a library. It's as if the calm mood from the room I had tea with Lilly in snuck with us in here, unless it was here to begin with. Something about that puts me at ease, just like before."
NARRATOR: "I reach the end of the aisle and find a collection of desks, set up for study or personal reading. Going a little further, though, I discover a nice quiet corner at the back. While the rest of the library has the odd student sitting at a desk either reading or stealthily sleeping, the back is pretty much deserted. As I glance around, I see someone who I recognize sitting on one of several beanbags."
NARRATOR: "It's the dark-haired girl from my class. The one who snuck out of the classroom earlier. She's reading a book, keeping it close to her face which makes her look like she's really into it. From the way she was acting today, I had her pegged as more of a delinquent than a bookworm. In fact, her mysterious disappearance from the class raises all sorts of whys in my head. Intrigue floats slowly but surely towards the surface, and before I know it I'm walking towards the mysterious long-haired girl. I guess there's no harm in introducing myself as I would with anyone else. She's a classmate after all. Walking over to another beanbag, I take a seat and lay my books beside it."
NARRATOR: "The girl starts, looking scaredly up at me from underneath her fringe. This is the first time I've seen her this close. Underneath her long, dense bangs, I can see that part of her face, at least a third if not a half, is pretty badly scarred. My eyes are immediately drawn to the scars, subconsciously peeking past her hair until they meet her own eyes. For a second, I am shocked, and divert my eyes to the book in her hands, before I realize that looking away probably only makes it worse. It takes too many seconds to collect myself and remember what I walked up to her for."
HISAO: "Hi! I'm new here. Hisao Nakai. We're in the same class."
HANAKO: "..."
HISAO: "Umm... I just transferred here the other day. Maybe you don't remember?"
HANAKO: "..."
If Hisao introduced himself in Gateway Effect:
- HISAO: "I did a self-introduction too."
- HANAKO: "..."
NARRATOR: "The girl still doesn't say a word, but simply stares at me, wide-eyed."
HISAO: "I'm still getting used to the place so I'm trying to meet as many people as I can. So, er... what's your name?"
HANAKO: "H... Hanako..."
NARRATOR: "Her speech is stuttering and so quiet that it is barely audible even in the still library. Somehow I think that my “delinquent” impression of her was wrong."
HISAO: "Hanako, eh? So what are you reading?"
NARRATOR: "She gently tips the book backwards so that I can read the title, at the same time hiding her face behind it. She must have noticed me staring before."
HISAO: "'Life of Pi'? I've never heard of it before. What's it about?"
HANAKO: "A boy... and a tiger... ...on a boat..."
NARRATOR: "I can see this taking some time."
HISAO: "Sounds interesting. Is it any good?"
NARRATOR: "She nods from behind the book, but stays silent. She looks kinda tense. A bit like Yuuko earlier, but in a different way. More like... petrified with terror, I'd say. So the mystery delinquent girl turned out to be anything but, and she is quivering in a way that makes it look like she is mortally afraid of me. The only way out of this, as far as I can tell, is to try to get a normal conversation going."
HISAO: "Is it a library book? I'm looking for new ones to read, but there's just so many..."
HANAKO: "N-no. It's mine."
HISAO: "Oh. So... do you come here often?"
HANAKO: "..."
NARRATOR: "A huge, huge blush spreads on Hanako's face and her eyes widen far larger than I thought it was possible for eyes to do. Uh-oh. Did she interpret my lame attempt at small talk as a feeble attempt to pick her up?"
HISAO: "I mean... ehh... I didn't mean it like that..."
HISAO: "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."
HANAKO: "It... it's okay."
NARRATOR: "The girl certainly doesn't look like it's okay, but I let it slide."
HISAO: "So, umm... do you mind if I sit here?"
NARRATOR: "She seems to be very uncertain whether it's okay or not for me to sit, but finally she nods, just a little."
HANAKO: "O... okay."
NARRATOR: "I take the seat next to her, and she hides herself behind her book. 'Life of Pi'... Never heard of it."
HISAO: "So, errr... sorry again for startling you. I'm Hisao."
NARRATOR: "She looks up from her book, stalling a little before replying."
HANAKO: "I... know. We... are in the same... same class."
NARRATOR: "Her speech is stilted and so quiet that it is barely audible even in the still library. Somehow I think that my 'delinquent' impression of her was wrong."
HANAKO: "H-H-Hanako. I'm... Hanako. ..."
NARRATOR: "I resist the urge to say 'that's a nice name' just to have something to say, but really, it's the only thing that I can think of. I feel like an idiot. Everyone here must be used to being different to each other, and here I am being all bothered and fussed about that kind of thing."
HISAO: "Don't let me interrupt your reading. I'll... just check these books if you don't mind."
NARRATOR: "She nods a little, and sighs a little sigh of relief."
NARRATOR: "..."
NARRATOR: "So I try to read the covers and the introductions of the books I picked up and she buries her face in her book. Uncomfortable silence consumes us. My eyes still wander to her direction, and I sneak peeks at her flowing hair and the scars it's hiding. After a while I realize that she's doing the same, and only pretending to immerse in 'Life of Pi.' Her gaze is not inquisitive at all though, it darts around like a scared rabbit. When our gazes finally meet, the chain reaction is unstoppable. She stands up forcefully from the beanbag and takes a deep breath."
HANAKO: "I..."
HANAKO: "I... I..."
HISAO: "I...?"
HANAKO: "Ivegottogodosomething!"
NARRATOR: "Without warning, Hanako takes off and runs towards the counter. Her hare-like takeoff catches me so off guard that I don't manage to go after her until she has a good head start. By the time I reach the counter she is nowhere to be seen. Lilly and Yuuko are happily chatting away. Knowing that I won't be able to catch Hanako myself, I approach the girls."
HISAO: "Hey, did you see... er... notice a girl run past here?"
YUUKO: "Um, maybe... what did she look like?"
HISAO: "Long, dark hair. Kinda shy. She had... well... some scars... on her... face."
LILLY: "You wouldn't be talking about Hanako, would you?"
HISAO: "Yeah, that's her. I saw her reading and tried to talk to her, but I think I scared her off or something."
LILLY: "Oh dear. Yuuko, would you excuse me, I had better try and find her."
YUUKO: "S-sure. I'll just hold onto these until you come back."
HISAO: "Um, what's going on?"
LILLY: "I'm sorry, but I'll have to explain it to you some other time."
HISAO: "Right. I'll see you later then..."
NARRATOR: "Lilly hastily grabs her cane and hurries out of the library, leaving me alone with Yuuko."
HISAO: "I don't think I'll ever get the hang of this place."
HISAO: "Did I do something wrong?"
YUUKO: "What did you do?"
HISAO: "Nothing! I just... talked to her. Tried to get to know her. Didn't even manage to get started."
NARRATOR: "Yuuko sighs and looks awfully bothered, even more so than she did before."
YUUKO: "I guess you weren't 'wrong' so much as 'tactless.'"
HISAO: "Tactless?"
YUUKO: "That girl is a bit of a special case. It's like she never really talks to anyone."
HISAO: "Isn't that a bit... strange?"
YUUKO: "I wonder... It's just how she is, I think."
NARRATOR: "Yuuko doesn't sound all that convincing. Then again, maybe this is just the norm around here. Everyone has their own problems, or else they wouldn't be here. Perhaps I was being a little tactless after all."
HISAO: "Nothing! I was just looking for some books and then she got this fit and ran off. The most offending thing I can think of was that I might've looked at her general direction a few times."
YUUKO: "Well, she is a very timid girl. You have to be very careful around her. She can be very jumpy, I think, and she's not accustomed to talking with other people."
HISAO: "Isn't that a bit... strange?"
YUUKO: "I wonder... It's just how she is, I think."
NARRATOR: "Yuuko doesn't sound all that convincing. Then again, maybe this is just the norm around here. Everyone has their own problems, or else they wouldn't be here."
HISAO: "But how should I deal with these people? Forcing myself to act overly casually only makes me feel phony. Like I was supposed to be ignoring the elephant in the room."
NARRATOR: "Yuuko fidgets, looking like she wants to say something to that, but resists it."
YUUKO: "I think it's an elephant only if you feel that way."
NARRATOR: "I guess she doesn't have a good sense of self-restraint. It makes me smile, and she blushes heavily."
YUUKO: "W... what? Did that sound stupid?"
HISAO: "No no, it sounded really wise. I guess you're right. It's more about me than anyone else."
NARRATOR: "Neither of us has anything to add so Yuuko fills the silence by shuffling some papers around. People who have papers on their desks really like doing that."
YUUKO: "Did you find any books? I should be closing soon. I mean this library should be closing. But I have to do it. I hope that's not too inconvenient for you."
HISAO: "Oh. Yeah, I want some books, but I left them over there because... ...I'll just go get them."
NARRATOR: "I fetch my stack of books from beside the beanbags where Hanako and I were sitting and return to the counter."
YUUKO: "Wow. You read a lot, don't you?"
HISAO: "I surprise myself with that too, honestly. At least, when I really think about it. I had a lot of free time earlier this year, so I just kind of... started reading books to fill that time. I couldn't do much else."
YUUKO: "I see."
NARRATOR: "But she doesn't say anything else, and just checks out my books for me. I guess this is what they call 'tact.'"
Next Scene: Bizarre and Surreal