There's a story... 20
Uh... where am I?
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I'm lost.
The Millennium campus is too big.
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I was trying to go home...
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So now I'm wandering around Millennium aimlessly.
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If I run into someone...
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Aside from those thoughts, there are a lot of students on the streets of Millennium.
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They all have really unique hair colors and halos.
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But... it feels like I'm getting more and more attention?
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"Who's that girl?"
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"She doesn't look like a Millennium student..."
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"Is she someone's younger sister?"
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"She's cute..."
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Eek!
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I quickly headed towards a less crowded area.
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If I go this way, there shouldn't be anyone-
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Thud-
Crash
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"Ouch!"
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"Ugh!"
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I bumped into something that suddenly popped out of a side alley.
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"Ugh..."
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I checked the thing I bumped into.
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A uniquely shaped halo that looked like a computer power button.
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"Eek! I'm s-sorry!"
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That thing, no, Yuzu, quickly got up and tried to run away.
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"Wait!"
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If it were any other character, I wouldn't bother, but if it's Yuzu, it's okay to catch her and talk.
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She's not the kind of character who would cause any trouble.
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Yuzu stopped when I called out to her.
But she tried to run away again.
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I noticed that and quickly grabbed Yuzu's hand.
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"Eek?!"
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"Let's talk for a moment. I'm not trying to do anything."
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Yuzu nodded frantically, maybe out of fear.
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...This makes it feel like I'm threatening her.
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Anyway, I took Yuzu to a place where there were no people.
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And that place was the Game Development Department.
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I've come full circle...
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Momoi and Midori weren't around, maybe they were looking around Millennium.
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Well, there's no need for them to stay here if the person they were looking for isn't here.
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The person they were looking for is right next to me now.
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"So... why were you trying to run away?"
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I already knew the reason, but I asked anyway.
It was probably because of the terrible reception to the prototype of that legendary game, Tales Saga Chronicle, or TCS for short.
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"That's..."
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It must be hard to talk about.
It was a spectacular failure.
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"I know you must have a reason. So I wish you would tell me."
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Even if it wasn't me, Momoi and Midori would have helped Yuzu.
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There's no reason for me to interfere and be nosy.
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But... I saw Yuzu's expression.
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That expression of having faced such great despair that she had lost all courage and passion to do anything anymore.
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So somehow... it ended up like this.
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"Y-you don't have to bother..."
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"Really?"
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"Ugh..."
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"Wouldn't it be better to talk about it a bit? They say even brushing sleeves of a shirt is fate."
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"Ugh..."
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"Wouldn't it be better to talk about it a bit? They say even brushing the sleeves of a shirt is fate."
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Well, I've hardly ever seen characters who say things like this actually form a proper relationship.
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"..."
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I guess I was being too forceful because Yuzu became silent.
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Am I... more of a nuisance than I thought...?
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"Then... will you listen...?"
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Huh?
That worked?
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Yuzu explained her situation in a trembling voice.
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I already knew the story, but it was still heartbreaking to hear it again.
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Yuzu almost burst into tears midway, overwhelmed by her emotions.
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But she held it in and continued her story.
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When she finally finished, Yuzu was looking at me with a face that looked like she was about to cry.
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"Yeah... thanks for telling me..."
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"Me, me too... I was feeling so suffocated... thanks to you, I feel a bit relieved... th-thanks..."
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Yuzu seemed to be thinking after saying that. Then, as if she had made up her mind, she asked me in a determined voice.
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"What's your name...?"
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"It's Nito. Aoi Nito."
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"I see... I'm Hanaoka Yuzu..."
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"Yeah... Yuzu... let's be friends."
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"...!"
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Yuzu froze.
Was it too sudden for the timid and shy Yuzu?
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"O-okay! L-l-let's be friends, Nito...!"
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She must have been happy.
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I successfully succeeded in communicating with Yuzu like that...
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"I think we've seen all the places we wanted to go!"
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"If we just meet 'that person' at the Game Development Department, we'll have accomplished all our goals for today..."
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The voices of the bratty sisters came from outside the door.
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Yuzu seemed to panic.
Yuzu tried to hide in the cabinet, but the twins opened the door and entered before she could.
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"Huh? Nito? Why are you back here again... who's that next to you...?"
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"No way..."
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"Eek!"
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"UZ...?"
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They seem to have recognized her.
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"I-I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I won't make games anymore. So please forgive me...!"
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"Eek?!"
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"What are you saying! You made such a fun game! You can't just make a prototype and quit!"
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"I'm so curious about what happens next! After setting it up like that! I'm disappointed in you as a developer!"
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"...Huh?"
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Yuzu was flustered by the unexpected words that weren't the criticism she was expecting.
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It was a really good scene when I saw it in person.
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It's my favorite part of the Game Development Department story.
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"Excuse me! I really enjoyed Tales Saga Chronicle!"
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"That's right. We played it all night."
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"You were laughing along next to me while playing! Even though you weren't interested in the game!"
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"Uh. Well. Even though it was pixel art, the characters were cute."
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Playing such a terrible game all night long.
These two definitely have some level of madness in them.
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"...?!"
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"Anyway, you're UZ, right?!"
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"Y-yes, that's right."
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Yuzu answered, flustered.
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"I'm a fan!"
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"Me too! Midori and I want to make fun games like UZ!"
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"...!!"
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Yuzu was genuinely happy.
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If you're a developer who poured your passion into your work and meet a fan who gives you one of the highest praises you could hear, it's only natural to react like that.
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"But Nito, why are you back here again?"
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"Yeah, why...?"
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"Nito should know..."
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I somehow got caught up in the moment and ended up coming back.
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Then...
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"Should we go again...?"
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"It feels kind of awkward..."
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But it's 3 o'clock now.
There's nothing else to do.
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Since Sensei doesn't have any classes today, I really just want to go home and rest.
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That's why I was trying to go home abruptly earlier.
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But I ended up seeing the origin story of the Game Development Department in a roundabout way.
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It's a shame Alice isn't here, so it's not a complete origin story.
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"Then Nito..."
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Momoi looked at me and said.
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"Want to play Tales Saga Chronicle with us...? It's only the prototype, but..."
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You want to play that crappy game?
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I was about to refuse Momoi's ridiculous suggestion immediately.
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"N-n..."
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Yeah, I 'was about to.'
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I failed.
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How can I refuse when Yuzu is right next to me...?
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"Okay... let's play..."
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"Yay! Nito will definitely enjoy it too!"
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And so, I spent the day I could have had without Sensei playing Tales Saga Chronicle with Momoi, Midori, and Yuzu.
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...My life.
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