Miki Route 3-2: Rubber and Glue

label en_M12

   #hallway, people passing by in the background

    "It's Friday and most of the students are trying to get to the cafeteria as quickly as they can. The menu as always features a choice of either bland or barely edible food and since most people don't bother making their own lunches here, it's first come first serve."

    "Fortunately I don't fall in that category, so while Suzu and I do head downstairs along with the others, we leave the herd to go outside instead."

    #outside, bench

    "While the blossoming flowers and the forest on the other side of the fence make it one of the most tranquil places on campus, I can't help feeling uneasy as this spot doesn't exactly have my best memories of Miki attached to it."

    "Suzu decided to let her stay in her room today, since Miki didn't show any sign of improving when she took her to class yesterday."

    "I reach for the lunch I packed in my bag for today, but I know I'm just trying to put off our conversation."

    "Fortunately for me, Suzu seems equally disinclined to get the ball rolling and produces a lunchbox of her own."

    "We glance at each other's meals, mumble praise and eat slowly."

    "From the corner of my eye I can see Suzu looking up at me. I immediately eat another mouthful and chew it carefully. To avoid her stare I glance over to my left, at the carefully tended flowerbed."

    "Twenty times is the recommended amount, right? Better make it thirty."

    "The flowers have started to bloom. Bright colors help make this place stand out from the rest of campus. It looks so different from the rest that I can't help but wonder if we're not sitting in someone's pet project."

    "Maybe one of the teachers or students is maintaining this place. Even the lawn looks like it is tended to with scissors rather than a mower. I wonder how long that would take?"

    "Next to me Suzu clears her throat. Maybe she chewed on something spicy, so I offer her my bottled water while I examine the wall opposite us. She gently pushes the bottle away, so that can't be it."

    "Boy that masonry is fascinating."

    "She coughs again and I can't pretend I don't know why anymore. I did come here to eat, however, so I quickly help myself to another mouthful."

    "As I chew, I count the bricks. It's actually kind of fun, maybe Suzu would like to play the game too."

    "I can see her staring at me from the corner of my eye. Maybe she wouldn't."

    "By now I've chewed so much that I dread swallowing, but I can't exactly spit it out and pass it off as providing the local flora with mulch either."

    "Suzu puts her lunch next to her on the bench, announcing that time is up."

    su "Hisao? You can swallow now. I'm sure by this point there's more saliva than rice in your mouth anyway."

    "Guiltily I comply. The food disappears along with my appetite."

    hi "Sorry. It's just this whole mess with Miki…"

    su "It's not going to get resolved if we keep ignoring it. We need to do something."

    "The look Miki gave me when I caught up to her here flashes through my mind. I'm not sure that if I get involved I won't be treated as an intruder this time as well."

    hi "Why? Don't you think she'd come to us if she needed help? Maybe after the weekend she'll have bounced back on her own."

    su "That's a gamble and one with low odds at that. Even if we did wait, how do you think she'd feel, knowing we left her to her own devices to sort out whatever it is she's going through? I think she needs her friends. Don't you?"

    hi "It's not like you didn't try to reach her, though. There's only so much we can do if she isn't willing to let us in."

    su "Let me in."

    hi "What?"

    "Suzu's eyes harden and for a brief moment I feel the stare she gave Shizune."

    su "You didn't so much as greet her yesterday."

    hi "I didn't think she'd hear me. She looked like her mind was exploring Jupiter."

    "With a sigh she relents. I don't really think I did anything wrong. Miki didn’t show any sign of wanting anything to do with me, or anyone else for that matter."

    su "Idiot… Never mind. Miki needs to come back to class in any case. She doesn't have the kind of grades that allow her to just take a week off and I don't want her to fall behind."

    "She sounds more like a parent than a friend, but I don't feel like pointing that out."

    hi "What can I do, then? We saw yesterday that dragging her to class doesn't work. Have you tried talking to her again?"

    su "Yes, so many times that I had to tell myself I was being annoying, because she still wouldn't say anything to me."

    hi "Do you think we should get Mutou involved?"

    "Suzu rolls her eyes dismissively."

    su "Please. He's not equipped for this kind of thing and besides, I doubt Miki would tell him anything even if he tried."

    hi "He's a teacher, it's supposed to be part of his job. He gave me some good advice when I first got here. Without that I might still have been moping around about having to go to a place like this."

    "Suzu glances at me, quirking an eyebrow. Her eyes widen and with a triumphant smile she looks away."

    su "Miki doesn't have the same connection with Mutou that you do; for one, she doesn't care for physics if the questions don't involve cars somehow."

    su "But I just had a thought… Maybe you should try to talk to her? You might stand a better chance with her."

    "The last words linger in the air and I think back to the festival and our trip to the park. I can feel my heart beating a little faster."

    "I catch Suzu staring at me and try to focus on our conversation, instead of Miki's smile."

    "I might stand a chance with her."

    "Even if Suzu didn't mean it that way, the words echo in my mind. I need to focus."

    hi "Why do you think so? Why me?"

    "She smirks knowingly and I can't help feeling like a cog in one of her plans."

    su "You're alike. In the general sense, I mean. You both enrolled in the middle of the year, both of you have fairly recent disabilities and I can only guess at how that's changed your lives."

    hi "If you put it like that… But do you think she'd even tell me anything? Yesterday she didn't even seem to know I existed."

    "Suzu groans, annoyed with the fight I'm putting up. She scowls at me and takes a deep breath to avoid voicing her frustration."

    su "It's worth a try, isn't it? It's your choice, I obviously can't force you."

    #Choice! This only pops up when you pick 2-8's "Be evasive" en_M8b.

    #If you picked en_M8a instead, skip the choice menu as you will automatically proceed to label en_M12a.

    "I'm not sure. Suzu is right about being there for her, but the last time I tried to support Miki it backfired. There is no way of knowing if that won't happen again this time."

label en_choiceM12

    menu:

        with menueffect

    "Talk to Miki"
return m1

    "Give Miki more time"
return m2

    #if you choose 'Give Miki more time', the scene continues at label en_M12b in the other pastebin upload.

label en_M12a

    hi "I guess I'll try talking to her, but I just don't really think it's going to work."

    su "What are you talking about? I'm sure it will. You're her friend, aren't you?"

    hi "Yes, but-"

    su "That's all that matters. You owe it to her to try."

    hi "Yes, but last time I did she yelled at me for it and before that she yelled at you for worrying over her training and the track meet."

    su "That's all?"

    su "Miki's impulsive, stubborn and quick to fly off the handle. That doesn't mean she won't listen to reason."

    hi "She didn't-"

    su "Oh act your age, will you? Yes, she yelled at me before the track meet, but we both know how stressed she was. As much as Miki likes running, she didn't go out three times a day just for the fun of it."

    su "And she yelled at you moments after losing, of course she'd be upset. But the fact she decided to leave –rather than take it out on you- tells me she cared enough to keep from doing something she'd regret."

    su "And that tells me there's a good chance you and I can get through to her together. Do you understand?"

    "I try to get a word in, but I realize I'm making excuses again. Suzu is right. I need to do something. Waiting around for Miki to get over this on her own is going to take too long and after all she's done for me, the least I can do is try to talk to her."

    hi "You're right, but it's still a little hard to believe I'll make all that much difference. I promise I'll do what I can, though."

    su "I'm glad you came around. We'll go see her after class."

    "It feels a bit sudden, but I can't back out of this. If there's any chance of being able to help even if it's just by talking to her through a closed door, I owe it to her to try."

    hi "Alright. I hope this is going to work."

    su "Miki can be stubborn, but she's not unreasonable. I think she will at least hear us out."

    su "…At least I hope she will…"

    hi "What?"

    "Suzu packs her lunch away quickly, pretending not to hear me."

    su "Come on, lunch is almost over and I'd like to make it to our next class without getting trampled. You can ruminate in there. If you ask nicely I'll even draw you some flowers to gawk at."

    "I try to think of something clever to throw back at her, but nothing comes to mind. Suzu seems to notice and smirks victoriously, nodding her head at me to get up."

    "Since she shows no intention of staying, I pack up my half eaten lunch and obediently walk her to class, ruminating."

    #Girl's dorm, hallway

    "The afternoon's classes passed in a blur, I'm not even sure I wrote all the homework assignments down. All I could think of was what I'm about to do."

    hi "I'm not sure what I should say to her. I mean, I don't want to end up only making things worse."

    "Suzu offers a reassuring smile as she leads me through the girls' dorm. It's funny, it seems much more crowded here than back with the boys."

    su "It's enough that you think before you talk. When you put your mind to it even you manage to say the right thing every once in  a while."

    hi "I appreciate the vote of confidence, but what you're really saying is you have no clue either, right?"

    "She narrows her eyes and sighs, defeated."

    su "If you can hang on to that perceptiveness of yours, you'll do fine."

    "I think I just won an exchange with her. Maybe that'll make for a good story to tell Miki."

    "As we walk past the common room the din of friends and classmates chattering feels oddly nostalgic. It's like I'm walking the halls of my old school again. The boys' dorm just seems so much quieter, more like a long-term care wing than a place for teenage boys to stay."

    "From the corner of my eye I notice a blonde girl showing off her dress to her friends with such flair it takes a double take for me to notice the cane she's leaning on."

    "She notices my stare and jokingly curtsies. I open my mouth to greet her, but Suzu disrupts the reverie with a tug at my sleeve. I settle for a wave before continuing down the hall, inciting a cascade of giggles."

    "Suzu grumbles at the din and I am acutely aware of what this must look like. I am tempted to go back and explain why I'm here, but Suzu's pace doesn't give me any opportunity, nor do I feel like I would improve matters any."

    su "If you keep stopping to ogle every pretty face in this place we'll never make it to Miki's room. Focus, will you?"

    hi "You're right, sorry."

    su "It's fine. We're almost there."

    #Hallway first floor

    "We climb a flight of stairs and turn into a new hallway. Suzu slows down as we get closer to her and Miki's rooms."

    "Suzu produces a key and opens the door to her own room, casually tossing her bookbag inside before turning around to face me."

    su "It's your turn now. Give it your best shot, alright?"

    hi "You're not coming in with me?"

    "She glances at Miki's door."

    su "I'm not sure it's me she needs right now. In any case, I'll be right here, but I'll probably be asleep before long."

    "There's an edge of frustration to her tone. I'm not sure what exactly is causing it, but I have a pretty good idea."

    hi "You're a good friend, you know. I don't think Miki could wish for someone better."

    "Surprised, Suzu quickly looks away and steps inside her room. For someone as serious as she, it's kind of cute to see her get embarrassed so easily."

    su "Just… Just let me know how it went, alright?"

    "She doesn't wait for a reply, closing her door instead and leaving me alone in the hallway."

    "I look at the next door. Aside from the room number it's identical to Suzu's, but it still feels as if it's shut more tightly than ordinary locks could manage."

    "Relax, take a deep breath."

    "I exhale and to keep myself from overthinking what I'm about to do, I bring my hand to the door and knock."

    hi "Miki?"

    "I can hear shuffling inside, so I rap on the door again."

    "Footsteps approach the door and with a turn of the key it's unlocked. Miki opens the door."

    mk "Hey. How've ya been?"

    "She speaks in a slow and monotonous tone that matches her blank expression. When I don't answer right away, she steps back and retreats further into her room."

    mk "Close the door behind ya."

    "I'm surprised. Considering the effort Suzu put into trying to talk to her, this seems remarkably easy. Still, I don't want to look a gift horse in the mouth, so I follow her inside, making sure to close the door."

    #Miki's room

    "Light shines in through the window and I imagine Miki's room has seen better days."

    "The floor is littered with clothes. I spy her running shoes carelessly tossed in a corner of the room. The desk is a cluttered mess of books, scrap paper and knickknacks."

    "The walls are mostly bare. She's hung up some posters and from the torn corners that still stick to the wall it looks like she used to have more."

    "In the middle of it all is Miki, sitting on her bed. Her hair is an uncombed mess and she's wearing an old and oversized shirt and shorts. I don't think she's moved from her position on the bed much."

    hi "So… Haven't seen you in a while."

    "Miki doesn't respond and I feel my insides already tying themselves in a knot. I need to get this right. Maybe some fresh air will help."

    "Carefully avoiding her belongings scattered on the floor, I make my way over to the window and notice the track off in the distance. There are students out there, probably from Miki's club."

    "With little effort I open the window enough to feel a cool breeze flood into the room. I shiver, more from nerves than cold."

    mk "What're you doing?"

    hi "I was feeling a bit hot, so I thought I'd help myself. Do you mind?"

    "Miki shakes her head. This is like trying to run through a brick wall."

    hi "You didn't really seem yourself in class yesterday."

    "She shrugs, as if barely remembering leaving her room."

    hi "You don't seem yourself right now, either. What's going on?"

    "Another shrug."

    "I decide to help myself some more and pull up her desk chair, sitting down opposite her. Miki notices, but doesn't speak up."

    hi "I know this isn't just because you lost to Emi."

    "Miki's eyes meet mine and for the first time express curiosity. Finally I have something to go on."

    mk "Why?"

    hi "Doesn't seem like you."

    "She nods faintly, somehow relieved by my reply. The silence returns to the room. Outside I can hear members of the Track and Field club cheering, making me wonder what's going on."

    "Miki's curiosity also seems piqued; she turns to face the window, trying to figure it out as well."

    hi "Wonder what they're doing out there."

    mk "Probably just goofing off."

    hi "You don't feel like joining them?"

    mk "Nah."

    "I feel like I'm close to getting her to talk, but I need the right approach. Maybe if I can keep things light she'll be more at ease."

    "Then again, that might not be enough to get her to open up. Maybe if I open up to her she'll tell me what's bothering her. I could take advantage of the similarities Suzu pointed out."

    #choice time

label en_M33

    menu:

        with menueffect

    "Put Miki at ease"
return m3

    "Talk openly"
return m4

label en_M33a

    "It's probably better not to be too direct, I don't know how fresh the memory of losing still is to her."

    hi "I was thinking of joining the track and field team."

    "Her gaze is pulled away from the open window and her eyes lock onto mine again."

    mk "Why?"

    "I offer a shrug in reply and nod at the people outside."

    hi "I would probably just be there to help out like I did with you, but with the weather getting better it might be nice to keep spending time outside."

    hi "Though I think it'd be more fun if you're out there too."

    "Her eyes dart over to the running shoes in the corner. She looks down at her feet, curling and spreading her toes as if she just discovered them."

    mk "I don't think I can run like I used to."

    hi "Well, you've been in here for a few days, someone told me it's easy to lose whatever progress you make if you don't keep at it."

    "She looks up at me and frowns, then shakes her head."

    mk "Yeah. Something like that, I guess."

    "I think I've got her attention, this is so much easier than I expected."

    hi "You know, we could go out there right now. See your friends, run a couple laps."

    mk "Hisao… I look like a zombie."

    hi "Then imagine the looks on their faces when you start chasing after the people on the track!"

    "Miki chuckles as she is caught off guard and for a moment I see a hint of her old self returning."

    mk "Bite me, cripple boy."

    "She's smiling. I actually made her smile. I can't believe I managed it."

    hi "Aren't you supposed to do the biting?"

    "Miki bares her teeth, chomping for effect."

    hi "So are you ready to leave this room now?"

    "The smile fades. Miki cradles her bandaged wrist and now seems lost in thought."

    hi "Miki?"

    "She sits, motionless. I didn't expect her to make huge leaps of progress just from talking to me, but this feels like we took one step forward and two steps back."

    mk "What do you think when you see me?"

    "I lean back in my chair trying to make sure I heard her right. How do I even answer that when she's like this?"

    hi "What? What do you mean?"

    mk "How would you describe me to someone who's never met me?"

    "Where is she going with this?"

    hi "Well… You're athletic, you don't dress like the other girls do. You have long hair and of course the missing hand is-{w=.5}{nw}"

    mk "I see. Thanks, Hisao."

    "Her weary eyes look up at me, then the open window."

    mk "I'm sleepy. Would you mind…?"

    hi "Sure."

    "With two steps I'm at the window again and I make sure to close it firmly. All the while Miki watches me intently."

    hi "How would you describe me? If you had to, I mean."

    "She stares, considering her reply."

    mk "I'd say you're… Well, you stand out in a place like this."

    "I'm not sure what that means, but I like that I stand out to her."

    hi "Thanks."

    "Time slows to a crawl as we hold our gaze. It feels backwards somehow, like I should be the one in bed and she should be up and about."

    mk "I think I'll get some sleep now."

    hi "Oh. Right."

    "Embarrassed, I retreat towards the door. I'm not quite ready to go yet, though."

    hi "I'll be at the track tomorrow morning. Will I see you there?"

    "Miki has lain down on her bunched up duvet. She lazily lifts her head, nodding."

    mk "Sure."

    "She mumbles something, but I can't make it out. I think I've said all I can. She did seem a little better than when she opened the door."

    "I got her to talk and tomorrow we're running again."

    #Hallway, first floor

    "Carefully I close the door behind me, the click barely audible. Just in time for two girls to see me come out of Miki's room. Feigning embarrassment they quickly walk past, whispering to each other when they think I'm out of earshot."

    "Great. I can only imagine how this will play out. Maybe Kenji does have the right idea."

    "With my job done, I quickly make my way out of this birthplace of rumors and back to the bastion of radio silence I've learned to call home."

return

label en_M33b

    "I need to get this right. If I pressure her too much, she might close herself off to me as well. This feels more like a minefield than a conversation and the more I try to think of the right way to get Miki back on her feet, the more the thought of Suzu relying on me throws me off."

    "The silence is palpable and I know that if I don't talk soon, I'll miss my chance. I can't begin to guess what's bothering Miki, but Suzu seems to think our similarities are something to build on."

    "I hope she's right."

    hi "You know, it still feels kind of alien for me to be here."

    mk "Sorry for the mess."

    "I almost lose my train of thought and try to stifle a laugh. Miki betrays the slightest hint of a smile. It's all the encouragement I need."

    hi "No, I've seen much worse. I mean this school. This time last year I was back home, making plans for summer with friends that never really went anywhere."

    hi "I know I need to embrace this place, but I don't feel any different. Does that make sense?"

    "She nods. Her eyes rest on her bandaged wrist."

    hi "How did you do it? Adjust, I mean."

    "Miki massages her arm, taking her time to formulate a reply. The silence between us draws me in; however this question came up, now I genuinely want to know."

    mk "I don't feel any different…"

    mk "I've been here for a year, but I don't feel like I belong here."

    mk "People here are blind, or deaf, or they have no legs, or some creepy disease that's gonna kill them long before they get a chance to grow wrinkles."

    mk "Compared to that, what am I doing here?"

    mk "What am I doing here?"

    "She bites her lip, squeezing her eyes shut in a vain attempt to keep tears from streaking her soft cheeks."

    mk "It hurts, you know?"

    hi "I know, I'm still-"

    mk "No, my hand. It still hurts. I can feel it. Every day I feel it and it hurts. Do you know how pathetic it is to tell someone your hand hurts when everyone else is putting up with much worse?"

    "I'm not sure what to do. I get up from the chair and slowly move onto the bed, sitting down next to her. She doesn't object."

    hi "It's different for everyone. I've wondered why I'm here myself."

    mk "Your heart…"

    hi "…Isn't a big deal. I take a handful of pills to keep things from getting worse and I have to be careful about exercise. It's just a new routine I've had to pick up."

    hi "It makes me wonder why I had to be sent all the way out here to learn just that. I still don't really have an answer. I know I could've learned all this at a normal school."

    hi "I don't feel like I’m disabled. I'm not in pain, I can still do most of the things I used to. Frankly I don't know how you manage to make it look so easy."

    "Drops stain the front of Miki's shirt. Before I realize what I'm doing, my arm wraps around her and I'm rubbing her shoulder. She leans into me a little bit, stifling her tears."

    "We sit in silence, interrupted only by the faint sounds coming from the track and the breeze rustling the loose sheets of paper on Miki's desk."

    "I want to try again."

    hi "Why was it so important for you to win?"

    "Miki doesn't respond immediately, as if it didn't register. Maybe it was the wrong question to ask. She clears her throat, brushing her bangs out of her face."

    mk "I run because it's something I can do just as good as I used to."

    hi "Before…?"

    mk "Before the accident."

    mk "I'd play lots of sports with my brothers and my dad."

    mk "When I had my accident, my dad wouldn't let me work in the shop anymore and wouldn't let my brothers play sports with me."

    mk "Everyone started treating me like I was so fragile. I hated it, so I focused on running to show them I'm still the same."

    "I'm reminded of my stay in the hospital. Out here I have the luxury of looking more or less normal, but in there my classmates, Iwanako and my parents all would look at me with such pity that I preferred to be alone."

    mk "Then my mom came home one day and told me I was gonna enroll at this place."

    mk "I begged both my parents not to, especially after I found out how expensive this place is, but it was no use."

    mk "To them, I'm not the person I was anymore. I know they love me, but it feels like they treat me like less than a person because there's less of me."

    mk "My only consolation when I got here was the Track and Field Club."

    mk "My mom didn't approve of it. She still tells me she sent me here so I'd "have access to facilities that allow me to focus on my studies". If it was up to her she'd probably sign me up for the Literature or Newspaper Clubs."

    mk "I don't care about any of that. I don't want to spend the rest of my life cooped up in some stuffy office."

    mk "All I want is for them to see me for me. I'm still the same and not some frail thing that's gonna follow in my mom's footsteps instead."

    mk "I thought showing my parents I'm still a great athlete would prove I'm not what they think I am and maybe I'd get to come home."

    mk "I was such an idiot."

    hi "So that's why you needed to win."

    "She nods as fresh tears make their way down."

    mk "I couldn't even do that and now I messed up my last chance."

    hi "Miki… Even if you had won, it wouldn't change anything."

    hi "Winning a race isn't going to undo everything leading up to it. You have to realize that, don't you?"

    "She nods, not entirely convinced."

    hi "It wouldn't have made your parents decide to take you out of Yamaku. Even if we don't feel like we belong here and don't see the reasons why our parents decided to send us here for ourselves, we can't pretend we're still the same and only the world around us has changed."

    hi "The only thing you can do is tell your parents what you told me."

    hi "As much as I hate to say it, my heart condition is a disability that I have to accept. I can't go back and prevent it and it's not just going to go away on its own. It's part of who I am now. Not all of me, just a part of me."

    hi "It's no different for you. You're a great person and without you I don't think I'd bother to go for a run every morning, but you can't go back in time any more than I can. You need to accept who you are now, instead of who you used to be."

     "Miki rubs her eyes with her right hand, wiping the tears on her shorts."

     mk "How?"

    "I let my hand slip down her back and instead bring it up, offering a handshake."

    hi "Nice to meet you, I'm Hisao Nakai. I still like arcade games, but I prefer reading now. My favorite subject is science and I have a heart condition."

    "Miki looks from me to my outstretched hand, back to me again. She lets out a surprised chuckle and shakes my hand."

    mk "Hi Hisao, I'm Miki Miura. I still like cars, my favorite subject is P.E. and I've only got one hand."

    hi "Just like that. You're still you, less one hand. I think if you can come to terms with that, people will notice."

    "She smiles and quirks an eyebrow as she emphatically stares at our hands. With more than a little reluctance I let go."

    mk "Thanks… For coming here and stuff…"

    "I grin like an idiot, but I take it as my cue. I get off the bed and make my way over to her door."

    hi "If you feel up to it, I'll be at the track again tomorrow morning."

    mk "Yeah… I'll try to look less like a zombie."

    hi "You don't have to. It might make for good motivation."

    #thump

    "Miki's pillow hits me in the face before I catch it. I can't help but notice the scent of her hair on it while she laughs triumphantly. I throw the pillow back on the bed and open the door."

    hi "See you tomorrow."

    mk "See ya, cripple boy."

    "The door closes quietly. I think things went well; the promise of seeing her at the track is enough to put me in a good mood."

    "I'm sure the smile on my face will start more rumors before I make it out the door, but I can't bring myself to care."

return