hontou ni sou omou?

A major milestone in Rin and Asa’s relationship as they share painful childhood secrets. And Asa kisses Rin (the image above corresponds with that scene in the game). Meanwhile Kareha continues to play cheerleader to their relationship and there is a hilarous scene when Ama is introduced to the rest of the gang.

I have had significant difficulties with this part. As the details are rather important to understanding the story, I couldn’t use my usual style of skimming on the top and reporting the gist. Translation was particularly difficult when pronouns were not used and sentences are constructed somewhat in reverse. Any comments on errors and omissions will be greatly appreciated.

9/7 (Fri)

Asa meets Rin near school. It’s the last day of exams. She’s really cheerful and energetic. Asa asks Rin if he is free after school. He is and she invites him to her home to thank him for sheltering her under the umbrella the other day and to try a new flavour of cake. Rin is very keen on her cake. Rin speaks in an exaggerated manner that he solemnly promises to be available. They arrange to meet at the school gate tomorrow after classes. Asa asks if Kaede can come along with Rin but apparently not.

Nadeshiko sensei collects the exam scripts. Mayumi goes berserk, wanting to have fun. Rin refuses to get dragged along because he has made a prior appointment.

Later at Asa’s house, Asa leaves Rin in her room while she goes to change. Rin reflects again on the girliness of Asa’s room. He looks at some of her photos, noting her childhood pictures and the Shigure family of three. They look happy together. Although Rin knows Ama-san well, this is the first time he has seen what Asa’s father looks like. Ama-san’s appearance hasn’t changed at all since then.

Rin then notices something about the photo that no one else seems to have mentioned about, neither Kaede or Kareha. Asa returns with cake and red tea. Rin goes “Asa-sempai…” and Asa notices that he has a really serious look. Rin asks if it is ok for him to ask her a question. Asa replies that other than her three sizes, especially her waist size, it’s ok. She’s very cheerful.

Rin asks her: What is the Mazoku (demon race)? Asa is shocked and surprised. Rin apologizes for upsetting her but it’s just that he’s noticed, from the photo on her wall board, that Ama-san’s ears are… [Well, that explains the nekomimi head dress that Ama-san sports. It’s to hide her demon-type ears.] Asa turns to look at the photo and sighs.

She’s always decorated that wall board, above her bed’s headboard, with the photos and has forgotten about it. She sits down on her bed and smiles in Rin’s direction and declares: I am a human being, an ordinary human being who cannot use magic, just a human. Rin is correct to point out that my mother is of the demon race. But that has no bearing on me. I am human. I cannot be anything other than human. That’s why Rin also thinks so. That Shigure Asa, no matter what anyone says, is human and nothing will change that.

Rin is pretty stunned. Asa continues: I will continue to be human. I’ve decided so. And because my birth is the only atonement.

Rin: Atonement?

Asa: Yes, atonement. That’s why I didn’t say [those words]. I never want to. [These two sentences are Asa’s key sentences in the game OP.] I can’t forgive myself.

Rin asks if this is related to why she hates magic. Asa says Rin wins the prize and says he isn’t mistaken. Now it’s her turn to ask questions now that he knows her great big important secret and that to be 50/50 fair, he should share his secret with her. He can’t think of one. She prompts him with why Kaede used to hate him.

Rin asks how she knows about it. [In the anime, he mentions this to her in passing in Ep 13 when he wished that Kaede would blame him for losing Primula and tell him that it was all his fault, like in the past.] Asa heard it from Kaede, of course, when they were together in the cooking club when Kaede wanted to learn how to cook delicious food for someone. That someone was sad, hurt and suffering but was selfless in bearing her grudge and Kaede wanted to return that person’s kindness. That person is Rin and everyone who sees the two of them understand that. But Asa still finds it unbelievable that Kaede hated Rin. That’s why she wants to know the reason as a friend.

Rin warns her that it’s not interesting. Asa doesn’t mind. Rin takes a deep breath and sits with Asa. Rin begins with the traffic accident which cost the lives of his parents and Kaede’s mother. The crux of the problem was the cause of the accident and the deaths of the three people. They had been out on a sightseeing trip but unluckily, Kaede had fainted from fever and they were rushing back. The accident occurred on the way back. Rin still feels what he felt then when the hospital called and Uncle (Kaede’s father) had an ashened face. He was told to get ready to go out. And in the dark hospital, was told all of the shocking truth. He cried as now he was orphaned but he could not let Kaede see him cry as she could not stop crying while he cried. He told himself that he must protect Kaede.

He did not tell her the truth about what had happened. Kaede especially loved her mother who was very loving towards children. He did not want her to hear that her mother had died because she was rushing back to see a sick Kaede. He told her that it was his fault. Since the accident, Kaede hadn’t eaten or spoken and seemed to have lost the will to live, worsening day by day, not responding to medical treatment as it was not a sickness of the body. That’s why Rin told a bit of a lie. The three had died because of his unreasonable demands. He thought that would make Kaede feel better but didn’t think it through as he was just a child. Of course, Kaede got very angry and hated his guts. That hatred was became the purpose of her life. [My understanding of the rest of this paragraph is much fuzzier than the rest.] But actually he was really only half alive. He had fallen down stairs and cuts from knives. He has scars on his back and arms and offered to show them to Asa with a smiling face but Asa was not smiling at and was very serious. And her eyes were filled with heartfelt sorrow as she apologized for making him tell her.

Rin says he doesn’t mind telling her. Asa asks if those memories still hurt. He says not really, it was all started by his lie after all but preventing a close childhood playmate from killing herself was serious. Because of his promise to look after her. By the way, it was around that time that he first meet Lisianthus and Nerine.

After his parents died, he lived in the Fuyou household with Kaede whose father did his best to show he wanted Rin to continue living. Kaede’s attitude changed pretty radically. His loneliness was assuaged by Kaede.

Asa: I see, so Rin-chan has also suffered greatly in the past.

Rin felt it was because he was stupid and that lie, though told in the innocence of child, could not be withdrawn. Asa notes that Kaede has forgiven him. … Asa praises his strength. And finds it like “that person” (i.e. Ama-san) who endured a lot of pain and cruelty to protect her child. Her most respected person in the world.

Rin doesn’t realize Asa is talking about Ama-san and he is really curious. [Probably because Asa hasn’t talked about how angry she was at her mother when she was young. In this way, Asa can understand both Kaede’s initial anger at Rin and the sacrifice that Rin made for her.] She finds Rin quite cool right now and she’s quite touched. That’s why she wants to give him a reward for his efforts. She kisses him. Rin finds that he can’t move and for the first time, starts to think of Asa The Girl (isei – literally the opposite sex) instead of Asa The Senior (sempai). [In the anime, it is the Takisawa confession in ep 7 that achieves this effect.]

10/7 (Sat)

At school, everyone hopes that their test results will ok.

Outside Flora café, Rin thinks about Asa’s kiss. And bums into her. She is surprised and Rin is really shocked and shouts her name really loudly. Kareha is also there and asks why they are reacting like that to each other. Asa says it’s nothing. Rin confirms it. Kareha isn’t fooled. She says that both are getting along so well, like they are sharing the same breath.

Asa says of course they are good friends, having known each other for four years. Rin and Asa both start to blabber. Asa then tells Rin that she and Kareha are going to have cake together and says see you next week to Rin. Rin wishes them a good weekend. Kareha invites Rin to join them. Rin wiggles out it and Asa drags Kareha off with her.

11/7 (Sun)

Rin runs into Eustoma in town. Blah blah blah. He bugs him about Lisianthus, of course.

12/7 (Mon)

In class, Mayumi asks Kaede about her first kiss. She faints. Mayumi hasn’t had one yet. Neither has Kaede who keeps looking at Rin. Mayumi nags Rin about it. Mayumi then asks Nerine who mumbles and looks at Rin. The atmosphere in the class turns deadly. Lisianthus turns up and asks what everyone is talking about and why the atmosphere in the class is so scary. Mayumi says they are discussing the taste of a kiss and grumbles that the whole class is full of pure youths and nobody knows. Sia says she has. The whole class is in an uproar. Kaede and Nerine look alarmed. Sia says eight years ago… she kissed Rin in the street. Rin has to beat a hasty retreat from the class – rest of the guys give chase. Kaede has fainted.

Outside the school, in the evening, Rin sees Kareha being accosted by some guy. He takes her hand and leads her away but he attacks Rin, knocking him down. Kareha screams and he leaves. Kareha apologizes for getting him into trouble and thanks him for helping her. She heals the wound with her magic.

She thanks Rin again and asks him not to tell Asa that she used magic. Rin agrees as he knows of her strong prejudice against magic.

14/7 (Wed)

In class, Sia complains to Rin about the 3pm English test. Rin finds out that Sia mastered Japanese perfectly to speak to him [Ep 2 in the anime] and that she would normally use translation magic instead for languages she didn’t know. She tries to get help from Kaede instead.

On the rooftop during lunch, Sia asks Rin where is his bento. Rin thanks Kaede for making his bento everyday and wants to lighten her burden. Itsuki rambles about Rin not appreciating his good fortune. Nerine offers some of hers although she didn’t cook it. Kaede makes a small sound of distress. Nerine feeds Rin. It’s Foebeshii’s cooking.

After school, Rin goes to Café Flora and is greeted by Kareha the waitress. She looks good in the frilly thing with short skirt. She working there part time. She uses the money for touring as well as to buy a present for Asa. Asa was her first friend in Verbana Academy and she really enjoys school life with her. She feels that it is more meaningful and with more feeling to buy Asa a present with money she earned herself. Rin thinks that the two are really close and asks if Asa knows Kareha is working here. Kareha says yes and she had considered working here as well but was too embarrassed after seeing the uniform. Rin thinks it’s not really in character for Asa to like this kind of uniform but it really suits Kareha. Kareha has to get back to work and asks Rin not to tell Asa about the present. Rin thinks that Asa has such a good friend. And half the guys in the café are looking at Kareha.

15/7 (Thu)

Asa and Kareha find Rin in the corridor. Asa gives him a wrapped present of cookies which she just made at Home Economics class. They’re beautifully made and taste really good. Kareha says that Asa’s cookies are the best. Rin says he is happier than anyone in the world to have her cookies. Asa’s face turns red. Asa says she doesn’t normally give cookies to guys but will make an exception for Rin. Kareha: Maa! Asa tells Kareha not to tell anyone else. Kareha: [say it with me, folks] Ma-ma-maa! And says that Asa should be more honest and direct. Asa asks her what is she talking about, being more honest about what. Kareha replies that due to Asa’s cheerful nature, she has many guy friends but when conversing with her, only Rin’s name comes up over and over again. Rin is surprised. Asa blabbers and tries to cover by saying it’s because they are just good friends. She says that Kareha is imagining things and asks Rin why his face is turning red. She drags Kareha back to class while saying bye to Rin. Rin goes back to class with his cookies.

After school with Kaede, Nerine, Sia, Itsuki and Mayumi outside the gates. Somehow the conversation turns to Mayumi suggesting that Rin is a lolicon i.e. he likes Primula? Sia and Nerine panic but Kaede reassures them that Rin is a perfectly kind big brother to Primula.

As they are talking a familiar voice greets Rin. It’s our favourite nekomimimode MILF but her identity is given as ? at this point in the game. Rin and Kaede greet her. She’s here to pick up Ah-chan [who's probably collapsed in school] and asks Ri-chan and Kae-chan to visit her when they are free. Itsuki immediately starts hitting on her, calling her “Ojousan” (younger sister), asking her to join the gang for tea. Mayumi grumbles about another Tsuchimi girl appearing. ? is flattered that Itsuki thinks she is younger than him. Itsuki berates Rin for not introducing such a beautiful young girl earlier. ? is surprised at being described as kawaii and Itsuki continues to butter her up with more sweet talk. ? isn’t used to being talked to this way and feels shy. Itsuki is surprised that this is the first time she is hearing talk from guys like that, generally digging himself deeper into his hole. Kaede and Rin inform Itsuki that this is Asa-sempai’s mother. Itsuki, Mayumi, Sia and Nerine do a collective jaw drop and are stunned. Rin emphasizes that this is the mother of a child. Everyone seems to have turned to stone. (The display turns to black and white.) ? introduces herself as Shigure Ama and has heard about everyone from Asa. She hopes they will all be cheerful and continue to be good friends with Asa. Everyone struggles to say something and Ama says she hopes to be a grandmother soon. Sia asks Nerine if anti-aging magic exists. Nerine confirms that it does not. Ama-san excuses herself, wishing everyone to a fun evening. Everyone is “……” Rin and Kaede say that they were so shocked they were speechless as well the first time they met Ama. [This is SUCH a great scene. I do hope they incorporate it into the anime.]

16/7 (Fri)

Two class girls want Nerine to teach them how to sing like her but she declines.

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