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| |tab1 = Information | | |tab1 = Information |
| |tab2 = Image Gallery | | |tab2 = Image Gallery |
| }} {{Realpage|Emi Ibarazaki|[[Emi|here]]}} {{Infobox act | | }}{{Realpage|Emi Ibarazaki|[[Emi|here]]}} |
| | name=Emi's Route
| | ==Acts== |
| | image=1Form.png
| | * [[Act 2 - Form]] |
| | prev=Act 1
| | * [[Act 3 - Perspective]] |
| | prevdesc=Life Expectancy
| | * [[Act 4 - Motion]] |
| | scenecount=30
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| | choicecount=4 to 6
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| }}
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| ==Act 1 ~ Life Expectancy==
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| [[Hisao]] first encounters [[Emi]] on his third day at Yamaku while going to lunch (with either [[Lilly]] and [[Hanako]] or [[Shizune]] and [[Misha]]). Emi crashes into him while running in the corridors and nearly causes Hisao to have a heart attack. He encounters Emi a few days later at the track for light exercise as per the [[Nurse]]'s instructions. On the second attempt Hisao overexerts himself and has another heart murmur, inciting Emi to take him to the Nurse who reprimands both of them for carelessness, making Emi well aware of Hisao's arrhythmia. In apology Emi invites Hisao to the roof for lunch with her and [[Rin]].
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| Over the next two days Hisao and Emi help Rin with painting her mural for the festival and Emi invites Hisao to be her running partner in the mornings, to which he agrees. On the day of the festival Hisao is caught buying fried food from one the stalls by Emi, who insists that he eat healthy. She then ends up dragging him, and later Rin after stopping by her mural, around the festival for the rest of the day. Hisao manages to slip away and buy something sweet in the end before retiring to his dorm room for homework.
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| ==Act 2 ~ Form== | |
| [[File:1Form.png|thumb|Act 2: Form]]Hisao arrives for his first morning run with Emi, resulting in her winning a bet with Rin. The two run a mile around the track and to Hisao's surprise he doesn't feel so bad when it's complete, beyond tired that is, his first runner's high. Emi invites him to lunch on the rooftop again and Hisao watches Emi and Rin have an argument about perspective, predictability and time travel. Upon his return to class Misha ruthlessly teases Hisao about his 'rendezvous' with Rin and Emi. Class ends and Hisao gives up halfway through his homework and decides instead to go see Emi at the track. | |
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| After the, now traditional teasing greetings, Hisao asks Emi about her friendship with Rin. Emi doesn't seem to understand it herself but it seems that the two have one crucial commonality, they work hard at what they like, what they shouldn't be able to do. Hisao also learns that Emi started running because her father was one revealing a brief moment of melancholy. Emi returns to her training and reminds Hisao to come tomorrow for morning run. Hisao is unable to sleep and decides to go for a walk in the wee hours of the morning. Eventually he falls asleep on the bleachers, waking only when Emi finds him. Today's run is even harder for Hisao but Emi snaps at him when he considers giving up. Afterwards she says that she can't stand the notion of giving in. Later that morning in the nurses office Hisao learns that before he worked at Yamaku the Nurse was one of the doctors who helped Emi recover after the car accident that cost her both legs. Sheer determination enabled her to complete years of convalescence in one years time. The two know each other well and have a friendly relationship.
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| The day of the track meet arrives and Hisao attends (another loss for Rin) and meets Emi's mother, [[Meiko|Meiko Ibarazaki]]. After introductions (and teasing) the trio watch Emi run her events. Hisao had glimpsed it before during their runs but he finally gets a good look at "Emi at her Emiest" as Rin puts it. Hisao also begins to notice that Emi appears beautiful to him when she runs and that he might be growing attracted to her. Mrs. Ibarazaki leaves mid-way and Rin and Hisao notice Emi stumble on the final event, suggesting that she's in pain. She still wins and as they congratulate her, Emi invites Hisao to join her and Rin for a celebration later in the week, reminding him to be bright and early for their run as usual. A few days later Hisao is with the Nurse due to mild chest pain as the result of neglecting his medications. As he advises Hisao to take it easy for a few days the nurse lets slip that Hisao's running with Emi means more to her then he may have realized. In the hall an agitated Emi babbles worriedly about Hisao until he surprises her with a hug and some reassurance. The dangerously tender moment is interrupted by the grinning Nurse.
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| During lunch Hisao, Emi and Rin discuss the future. Hisao has no clear idea of his own and he and Rin are highly amused with Emi's desire to be a pirate. Hisao is quite conscious of Emi throughout and it appears that Rin has noticed this. Upon his return to the classroom he must endure Misha's teasing yet again and is informed that the Student Council left something for him in his room. As class resumes Hisao, analyzing Rin's words wonders briefly if Emi might share his growing feelings for her. After class he bumps into [[Kenji]] outside his room. Kenji advises him to stay off the roof in case the 'limbless wonders' decide to assassinate him by throwing him from the roof, and asks him for 500 yen. After he has gone Hisao finds a letter in his room. It's from [[Iwanako]], an apology for those final awkward, uncommunicative weeks in the hospital. Hisao, who hasn't thought of the hospital in weeks, crumples the letter and throws it away.
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| The afternoon of Hisao's picnic with Emi and Rin starts off with overcast skies and gets worse when the downpour starts, much to Emi's chagrin. The trio take shelter at the Shanghai where Hisao encounters [[Yuuko]] for the second time. As Hisao and Emi enjoy some cake Hisao learns that sometimes she comes here with the [[Track Team Captain|track team captain]] for discussions, although Emi seems nervous explaining it. The trio walk back to school when the rain stops. Despite previous claims that today's an off day Emi decides to run laps at the school, Hisao can either stay quiet or offer to run with Emi, in which case she sternly tells him to rest. The rain picks up on their return but Emi goes for her run anyway. Inside the dorms Hisao bumps into Kenji carrying a stack of books. After some rambling on Kenji's part Hisao lets slip that he went to The Shanghai with Emi and Rin, and receives a vehement lecture never to go again if he wants to avoid some horrible fate at the hands of the feminists! The next day Emi doesn't show up and a worried Hisao learns from the Nurse that she is sick in bed. Hisao resolves to see her after classes end. The day drags by monotonously, the only interesting moments: Yuuko looking for a stolen book, and meeting Lilly, who asks after Emi's well being.
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| Finally when class ends Hisao looks in on Emi, for some reason or other the two get into a pillow fight and a compromising position. The two enjoy a companionable time as Hisao tells Emi about the days events, until she falls asleep that is. Unable to escape Hisao watches as Emi experiences a nightmare before waking her up out of it. Emi is reluctant to talk about it and Hisao decides to leave. Before he does, assures Emi that if she ever wants to talk about anything, he's there. Only now does Hisao realize that he developed romantic feelings for Emi, but he is afraid of ruining their friendship as well as feeling inadequate alongside the track captain, who he perceives as a rival. The next day Hisao resolves to find out whether or not Emi and the track captain are dating. He can't ask Emi or Rin of course so he decides to try the Nurse. After their morning run Hisao notices that Emi is a little preoccupied with something, most likely the previous night, but Emi refuses to elaborate. At the Nurses office Hisao makes a few oblique enquiries of the nurse and is happy to hear that Emi will never date the track captain, although how the Nurse knows this is puzzling.
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| Later Hisao finds himself alone with Emi on the roof during lunch, as she unknowingly transmitted her cold to Rin. After the usual teasing openings Hisao begins looking for an opportunity to ask Emi out. Emi is suddenly troubled by a memory of her deceased father, reluctantly she reveals that the nightmare from last night is a fairly recurring instance and is depressed by that. Hisao embraces her, reaffirming his promise to be there for her. There is a short interlude of talk about the future and suddenly Emi tells Hisao that if he wants to kiss her he should do it before the bell rings for class. There is a stunned silence, then Emi admits that she has a crush on Hisao and the two kiss. The kiss lasts until the bell rings and Emi invites Hisao to dinner after practice, giving him one more kiss in the hall before they part ways. Misha teases Hisao but he doesn't care.
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| ==Act 3 ~ Perspective==
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| [[File:2Perspective.png|thumb|left|Act 3: Perspective]]Class passes quickly for Hisao who is eager to go on his first date with Emi. [[Mutou]] asks Hisao some questions after class about future plans and suggests forming a "science club". He gives Hisao ''A Brief History of Time'' to read. Hisao returns to his room and promptly falls asleep. Fortunately he awakes with enough time to prepare and meets Emi at the track. With neither one having any clear plan, they grab some food from the convenience store and eating in the park. Although Emi remarks that it's not much different from what they would have done as friends, the pair enjoy a few flirtatious moments and Hisao returns to the dorms well satisfied. Only then does he notice Emi favoring her left leg. Emi waves it off and Hisao is left vaguely disturbed by Emi's reluctance. The next morning run goes well but Emi stumbles in pain immediately after and a concerned Hisao takes her to the Nurses office. Emi fobs off the visit claiming other things to do.
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| Both Hisao and the Nurse recognize that she's hiding her pain and the Nurse tells Hisao to make sure that Emi sees him later. During lunch on the rooftop Hisao teasingly, but firmly enforces the Nurses command and Emi reluctantly agrees. Emi and Hisao kiss goodbye before going to their respective classes and Hisao receives a scolding from Shizune and Misha against public displays of affection. Mutou and Hisao meets for a second Science Club meeting and Mutou suggests that a true scientist should look at any problem or question from more than one angle, in order to find a solution. Hisao takes this saying to heart, thinking that it might help him overcome the distance he feels between himself and Emi.
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| With nothing else to do Hisao goes to the library where Yuuko confides that she is on the trail of the person who stole the missing books, although she has yet to determine who it is. The conversation is interrupted by an urgent phone call from Emi and Hisao rushes to her room to find Emi in a wheelchair. It turns out that she developed an infection and has to avoid running for a few weeks. Hisao attempts to cheer her up with varying degrees of success. He notices that, yet again, Emi is maintaining some kind of distance from him. However the mood lightens and yet another pillow fight turns into love-making. This is rudely interrupted by Rin who, seemingly utterly oblivious of Hisao and Emi's nudity, wants to watch a cloud from Emi's window, but leaves disappointed when the cloud changes shape. Hisao and Emi laugh and Hisao returns to his room.
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| The next day Emi arrives in her wheelchair while Hisao prepares for his morning run. Emi insists that she needs gloves from the track shed to exercise in her wheelchair and Hisao realizes too late that this is just a ruse to spend some intimate time with him. Hisao discovers a tube of lubricant revealed to be the track captain's, who is revealed by Emi to be gay. Inspired by this, the pair hesitantly experiment with anal sex that is less than successful. Both laugh at themselves and resolve never to do it again. Worn out, Hisao naps until awoken by Kenji who is convinced that Hisao is exhausted because Emi knocked him out. Emi visits later and informs a startled Hisao that they need to stop seeing each other until after exams, Emi claiming that their current intimacy will be a distraction.
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| On the day before the exams Hisao finds himself in the library again, thinking about how the exams have been taking their toll despite even starting, and how Hisao feels about the exams themselves. He then hopes that his relationship with Emi would improve but also worries about some moments where Emi has displayed anxiety and evasion. However before he continues on he gets startled by Yuuko who has claimed to have found the identity of the Yamaku Cat Burglar, the person who has been stealing library books. After changing subjects, Hisao asks Yuuko for advice for his relationship with Emi and how she's been avoiding serious questions. Yuuko suggests that he just needs to confront her about it and prevent her from changing subjects, in which Hisao decides to do.
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| After the exams finished, Hisao wondered how Emi did before being approached by Mutou who starts discussing scientific philosophies with Hisao. The discussion ends with Mutou giving advice to Hisao, then commending him for making it through the exams. Before heading back to his room, Hisao begins to ponder about Emi again. Back in his room, Hisao continues to think on the reactions of Emi and how he should act. Suddenly someone knocks on his door, turning out to be Kenji. They engage in a typical conversation before Hisao heads to Emi's room. Once Hisao heads to Emi's room he knocks on the door, only to hear a choked up response. Instantly Hisao knows she has been crying. Emi invites Hisao inside and the two do a long kiss, only to have Hisao end it by saying that they need to talk. Hisao then proceeds to the bed where he puts his arm around Emi and just sits there for a little bit. Then he starts to talk about how she really needs to start opening up to him, because it will help her feel better about whatever is bothering her. Emi then says that she can't allow him to know anything that personal, that if she tells him she will have to rely on him, the two then get into an argument and it ends with Hisao leaving her dorm. The next day Hisao meets Emi at the track for their daily run. Once they finish they head to the nurse's office. Emi gets checked out, kisses Hisao on her way out and runs off to her dorm. Hisao then goes to see the nurse. The nurse starts talking about how Emi has rubbed off onto Hisao and not in a good way (Jokingly). Hisao only responds with a frown. The nurse seems confused with his response. Before the nurse can say anything Emi comes back in and asks Hisao to join her at her mom's house for lunch. Emi and Hisao take the bus to Emi's moms. When they get off the bus for the first time Emi mentions her Dad to Hisao only briefly. They then walk to her moms house. Once inside they talk over lunch and Emi's mom asks Emi if she will be visiting her dad this year, this makes Emi tear up and she quickly covers it up by bringing Rin's mural up. Meiko waves it off. Emi then says she needs to go to the restroom, Hisao knowing she is not going to the restroom follows her, soon to found out that she in fact did not go to the restroom, but to the kitchen. Emi then says for him to leave she wants to be alone, Hisao doesn't listen and presses Emi on and on to tell her what is eating her up. Soon enough Hisao oversteps his boundaries and says that Emi needs his help. Emi, furiously yells at Hisao and it ends up with him being kicked out of her house. Hisao then goes back to Yamaku and does not talk to Emi anymore.
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| If Hisao stays after class to talk to Mutou the two will talk about science and how if one can't observe something one way, then you have to observe the things it affects. Hisao and Mutou talk more about it until calling it a day. the next day Hisao meets Emi at the track finishes their run and heads out to the nurse. Emi gets checked by the nurse, gives Hisao a kiss and then runs off to the showers. Hisao then goes to the nurse to do the everyday ritual of checking his heartbeat, The nurse brings up Emi's name and Hisao can't help but frown a bit, the nurse seems to be baffled by Hisao's response to her name. Hisao then starts to tell the nurse what is going on, but the nurse cuts him off, and says exactly what Hisao was about to say, how Emi won't tell him what is going on and won't let him in close. Hisao is confused about how the nurse knows that, the nurse just says that he has known Emi for a long time and is like this about the same time every year. The nurse then tries to offer advice to Hisao if Hisao accepts the advice the nurse tells Hisao that the anniversary of her accident is approaching and she gets very depressed when it comes around, Hisao tries to press more out of the nurse, but the nurse doesn't budge. Hisao is about to say more but then Emi knocks at the door, she comes in and invites Hisao to her mother's house for dinner. Hisao accepts, goes back to his dorm and gets ready to meet Emi at the bus stop. The two leave the bus and Emi leads the way to her house. Meiko greets Hisao and Emi at the door and invites them inside. The group starts to to eat, Meiko then brings up Emi's father asking Emi if she is going to visit him this year. Emi, not expecting the question, avoids it and asks her mother if she noticed Rin's mural. Meiko looks confused and says that she didn't pay any mind to the painting. Emi then says she needs to go to the bathroom and leaves. Both Hisao and Meiko know that Emi is not going to the bathroom. Hisao has a choice to <u>''go after Emi''</u> or <u>''stay and talk to Emi's mom''</u>. If Hisao choses to go after Emi, the two get into an argument which leads Emi asking Hisao to leave. This puts Hisao on the path to the '''bad ending'''.
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| Whenever Hisao sees Emi, he hides. He stops running in the morning and no longer eats lunch on the roof. Soon Misha confronts him and asks him what is going on between him and Emi. Hisao has a choice to <u>''ask Misha for advice''</u> ('''good ending''') or <u>''downplay the issue''</u> ('''bad ending''').
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| If Hisao tells Misha what is wrong, she calls Hisao stupid and that he needs to apologize and tell Emi how much he cares about her. Hisao goes the track and sees Emi running. She talks to Hisao, saying she forgives him, and runs off. Hisao calls to her, but she doesn't hear him. Hisao chases after her and catches up to her, but starts to wince in pain. She looks compassionate for a split second, until returning to anger. She tells him their relationship is over. Hisao fights back and earns another chance with her. She says to meet her at the track next morning for their run.
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| ===Bad Ending===
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| If Hisao chooses not to tell Misha, she convinces him to go and talk to Emi after school. Hisao meets Emi at the track and starts says that he's sorry for avoiding her. Emi shows no emotion and curtly forgives him. When she starts to run off, Hisao calls her back. She declares that their relationship is done, that Hisao crossed a boundary he shouldn't have, which means they aren't right for each other. Hisao angrily stews, but Emi has made up her mind. Hisao contemplates how he started running to prove to Emi he wasn't weak, but she was running too fast for him, and he chose not to catch up. He returns to his dorm and resets his alarm, knowing there will be no more morning runs.
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| ===Alternative Path===
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| If Hisao chooses to stay and talk to Emi's mother instead of going after Emi, she will apologize for what just happened and that she should have known Emi to be touchy about this situation. Hisao asks about the accident, but she refuses to share, saying Emi asked to be the one to tell it. But she does confess that, as a result, Emi resists getting close to people because she discovered how easy it is for it all to go away. Hisao just needs to be patient -- Hisao has gotten closer to Emi than anyone before. Hisao feels the opposite -- that he and Emi have gotten further apart -- which Emi returns just in time to hear. Her mother starts to protest, but Emi cuts her off and tells Hisao to leave. Hisao agrees to, but asks her not to be angry with her mom.
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| Hisao returns to Yamaku, but has difficulty sleeping. While wondering how to apologize to Emi, he is reminded of the letter from Iwanako. After searching his room, he finds the letter and discovers that Iwanako thought he became distant and disheartened. She wonders if they will ever meet again and ends the letter by wishing him the best. Hisao places the letter on his desk, the words seeming unpleasantly familiar. Hisao thinks how he would have said "yes" that day, but concludes there's no point in wondering about the past. But that he shouldn't forget it, as he has learned an important lesson.
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| ==Act 4 ~ Motion==
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| [[File:3Motion.png|thumb|left|Act 4: Motion]](Alternative Path continued) | |
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| The day after being kicked out of Emi's house, Hisao continues to wonder if he made the right decision. He rushes to the track, but Emi has yet to arrive. After a bit of waiting, Hisao starts his morning run, hoping to see Emi soon. But she never does. Hisao heads to the Nurse, hoping he knows where she is.
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| Unfortunately he has no knowledge of Emi's whereabouts but knows what happened last night. After being filled in on what happened, the Nurse is surprised on how far Hisao actually went but now doubts he will go further. This motivates Hisao in thinking that he won't give up, claiming that he loves her. This interests the Nurse and he even wishes him luck.
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| The morning passes and lunchtime arrives. Hisao has decided how he is going to do things as he heads towards the roof, expecting only Rin. Instead he finds out that Emi came to the roof before him, foiling his plans. Emi apologizes for sleeping in and missing the morning run and the two begin to awkwardly converse. Hisao attempts to invite Emi somewhere after school but fails as she says she promised to help the [[Track team|track club]] after school. Hisao can't figure out Emi's feelings and never gets the right opportunity to confront her. Days keep on passing and Hisao feels worse as Emi becomes more tired and distracted..
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| One lunchtime, Hisao finds Rin alone on the roof. He asks where Emi is, but she responds with a befuddling answer. Emi finally arrives. Rin indelicately tells Emi that Hisao was worried about her, then leaves for "somewhere less awkward".
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| Hisao explains to Emi how he's been worried about her ever since that night at her mother's. Emi tells him she thinks they aren't right for each other. Hisao sees her reluctance in her face and presses on about not facing her fear. Emi asks why he is so determined to help and he confesses his love. Emi finally breaks down and bursts into tears, admitting her own love, but that she was too scared of losing him.
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| Emi invites him back to her house tomorrow (since she has to help the track team tonight), knowing she must explain some things and wants to rest before doing so. The scene ends and continues from with the beginning of the normal route of Act 4 below.
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| (Alternate Path ends)
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| At their morning run, Emi tells Hisao that they are taking a bus somewhere, but avoids saying where. They get checked out at the nurse, who seems to know what Emi has in mind, but won't disclose anything. At the bus station Emi tries to open up to Hisao, but can't get the words out. Hisao agrees to wait as long as she needs. Once they get off the bus, Hisao follows Emi to her mom's house.
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| They enter and are welcomed by a hearty meal prepared by Meiko. After lunch, Meiko drives Hisao and Emi to the cemetery. Emi seems to tense up, but Hisao reassures her. Meiko leaves them to walk into the graveyard alone. Emi walks with a fast pace, then stops at a tombstone engraved with a name and no other markings. After a pause, Emi breaks the silence by confessing, unprompted, that her favorite color is not pink. Her favorite color is blue. Only her mother and father, and now Hisao, ever knew that. She makes more personal declarations -- she can't carry a tune, she only has a few close friends because she's afraid of losing them, she's actually one year older because of being left out of school due to the accident, that she had a boyfriend during her second year but broke up because she didn't want to get closer -- then describes the accident where, eight years ago today, she lost her legs and her father.
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| It took her two months to visit the grave, she wasn't even able to attend the memorial service. Hisao says that he's sorry, but Emi is tired of hearing that. Crying, she says that the best advice she heard is "these things happen". Emi then realizes that living life to the fullest doesn't just have to be by herself. The two leave the graveyard, side by side, and head back to Yamaku.
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| Emi invites him into her dorm before he takes his leave. Inside, after a passionate kiss, she asks him "Stay with me? Please?" Hisao contemplates the meaning of this statement, but eventually says "of course." Hisao and Emi make love in a combination of humorous awkwardness, lust, and eagerness. They fall asleep in each other's arms.
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| Hisao wakes in Emi's bed, realizing this is the first time they've spent the night together. Emi wakes up and thanks Hisao for sticking around, despite her efforts to push him away. Finally, she asks "What do you want to do today?"
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| [[Category:Plot]] | | [[Category:Plot]] |
