Shu Nakajima

> You tutored Shu.

With regards to Question Four, here:
why does it use this formula?

> You tried to explain it to him in a
way that he could understand...

Isn't this cheesecake delicious?
I bought it from an online shop that's
all the rage these days. It's been the
top-ranked store for 15 weeks straight.

Just like Shu-chan!
First place in everything!

...Stop it!

But you're my pride and joy...

So, -kun, about Shu...
Do you think he could make it into
Tokyo University?

I don't want him to ever have to have
any hardship. Once he's in a good
college, he's "set," right?
Everyone has a natural talent.
Shu-chan's just happens to be
how smart he is!
I just want him to go to a good college
so he can get a good job, then buy a
good house and find a good--

Mom!
Don't you worry about me, Mom.
I'm always on top. I am right now,
and I always will be.

That's right! He really is the perfect
child...

> Shu's mother continues to lavish
praise on her son...

......
...If I get into a good college...
Am I really "set"?

...I see. Then I should be aiming
for that, huh?

> Shu seems a little distracted...

...Isn't it almost time for the
entrance exams?

> Shu looks at you questioningly...

...How would you know? You're not even
in college yet!

> Shu sneers at you.

I don't really need to be "set" just
yet. I don't really know what that's
supposed to mean, anyway.

...Well, I need to study. There's no
point in asking about college unless
I'm really smart.
......

> Shu is looking down...

"Raison d'etre."

...Do you know what that means?

...I'm surprised. Well, it makes sense,
since you're three grades above me.

> Shu nods.

...Er, never mind.

> Shu looks disappointed...

...It's irrelevant.
......

I only have Mom, and the guys at
school are all kids...
......

> It seems that Shu has opened his
heart to you, if only a little...
> You feel that your relationship with
Shu has deepened slightly.

Huh... Time's already up. We were
still in the middle of that last
question...

...I see. Well, until then.

I don't think you'll get paid overtime
if you work after our time is up.
...But thank you for offering to
do that for me.

> Shu looks happier.
> You tutored Shu some more.

> You finished your tutoring job and
went home.

> You tutored Shu.

...This forms a circle here, with a radius
equal to the base of the triangle... and
the height is... uh...

> You began to explain the problem to him
in an easily understood manner.

Um...
What do you think of your school?

Ahh... I thought so.

> Shu looks disappointed...

Hmm... It doesn't sound like, though,
from what you've told me before.

> Shu sounds interested.

...I guess schools are like that
everywhere...

> Shu nods to himself.

Moving on to other matters...
There's a transfer student in my class.
He looks down on everything here and
says we're all a bunch of hicks living
in the boonies. Everyone ignores him.
......

......!
Oh... I-Is that so...
I didn't know...

> Shu seems surprised.

Oh, that's why...

> Shu thinks.

You're right...

> Shu laughs...
Shu
I guess being out here is like being the
proverbial "frog in the well."

Oh, uh... That's what he said. That he
was the frog because he, uh...
That he's from the city, and out here
is the country, and, uh...

......

I don't want to.
...I mean, I don't like him.
He's too self-absorbed.

> Shu looks down...

School is a pain.
All my classmates are stupid, and the
lessons they try to teach are absolutely
pointless.

...Your lessons are a lot easier to
understand.

> It seems that Shu is slowly opening up
to you...
> You feel that your relationship with
Shu has deepened.

Oh, time's up. This is a good spot to finish,
actually, so let's just end it for today.

> You finished your tutoring job and
went home.

> You tutored Shu.

...Oh, I see. The word "that" was
omitted... So it's really saying...

> You began to explain the sentence to him
in an easily understood manner.

...To tell you the truth, I'm not that good
with the English language.
I can memorize what's in the textbook
and get good grades on tests, but I
don't really understand it...
But the teacher doesn't comprehend
the difference between reading from
the textbook and speaking to people.
Teaching must be a great job. Even
idiots can be arrogant when they know
more than you do.
...They don't get what it means to
learn at all.

A student's value is equal to how well
he scores on tests... Well, at least
THAT'S easy to understand.

> Shu nods.

...I don't see it that way.
A student's value is equal to how well
he scores on tests. That's all the
school cares about.

> Shu frowns...

...About the transfer student I told you
about before...
His grades are pretty good...
But he can't beat me.
So then, the rest of the class and the
teacher made this face like "the transfer
student is no good after all..."
...Looking down on him...

And yet, he acts all big, so everyone
hates him. Lately, no one even talks
to him...
...It's all so stupid.
......
Why do I have to go to school when it's
so obviously dumb?

That place...

......
I know that much.
......

> Shu frowns.

But, isn't getting an education
required by law?
Even if I transferred to a new school,
that school would be just as stupid.
It's the same everywhere.

> Shu grimaces.

> You scolded Shu.

Oh... I see. Everyone goes to school
against their will...

> Shu thinks deeply...

...Yasogami High looks fun. At least,
I get that feeling when I see you.

Oh... but by the time I'm a first-year,
you'll already have graduated...
Then there's no point, huh?

> It seems that Shu is slowly opening up
to you...
> You feel that your relationship with
Shu has deepened.

Oh, time's up.
...Be careful going home.

> You finished your tutoring job and
went home.

> You tutored Shu.

It comes after the word "have," so
I should be using the past participle...
"done," right?

> You began to explain the sentence to him
in an easily understood manner.

...Is English all about memorization, too?
Math is just remembering the right
formulas and applying them. Chemistry
is just remembering chemical equations.
The tests are just there to see if you
can remember them, and to penalize you
if you forget...
......

Is there any bullying at your school?

Hmm... So there are idiots, even in
high schools...

> Shu smiles wryly.

I guess I'd expect that from people in
high school. You're more mature.

> Shu nods.

I wouldn't really expect to see that
from high schoolers...

> Shu thinks to himself.

It's not like they're punching him or
hiding things from him or anything...
They're not stealing his money...
It's just that he...
He doesn't have a place there.

Maybe that's not the same thing
as bullying.

He is ignoring them.
...They just ignore him, too.

> Shu looks down...

Effort...
Oh... I see.

> Shu thinks to himself...

...Sensei.
Oh... Uh, thank you.

> Shu looks happier.

Oh, uh... It's not about me.
It's about... the transfer student.
The one I was talking about before.
Not me.

......
It seems that I've been talking to you
about things that really aren't relevant
to my studies...

It's not... like me?
What is like me...?

> Shu looks confused.

> You told Shu that his talking about school
didn't bother you.

...Thank you.

> Shu seems somewhat happy.

Umm... You'll come again, won't you?

> It seems that Shu is starting to
open up to you...
> You feel that your relationship with
Shu has deepened.

Then... take care.

> You finished your tutoring job and
went home.

> You tutored Shu.

I need to make this sentence have the same
meaning as the one in the example here...
Umm... "He is good at..."

> You began to explain the sentence to him
in an easily understood manner.

People who grow up speaking a different
language end up thinking in their native
tongues, right?
...That's funny.

> Shu shrugs.

There's going to be a fair commemorating
the anniversary of my school's founding.
So there was a discussion about what
our class was going to do, and all the
girls were being noisy...
*sigh*

A major one.

I don't want to.

...They're all stupid.

...You used to think that before, but now
you don't? Is that what you mean?
Is that how it goes...?

> Shu looks curious.

You've never had to be around them.

> Shu looks disgusted...

...School's like that all day, and when
I get home, Mom is all over me.
"You're so excellent."
"You can be number one."
"Mom's so proud of you."
"You're my pride and joy."
......
But I'm...
......

> Shu looks worried.

Um... You only come here because
you're being paid to, right?

...Yeah, I thought as much.
I should get back to studying, then.
Need to keep my value high...
It'd be a shame if I let a brain like
mine go to waste...

> Shu looks sad...
Shu
......

There's something else?
...It's the cake my mom keeps feeding
you, isn't it?

> Shu laughs...

Well... I don't need to know why
you keep coming back.

> Shu looks happy, despite what he
just said.

Up until now, all I ever did was go
back and forth from home to school...
I look forward to when you come to
tutor me.

> It seems that Shu is opening up to you...
> You feel that your relationship with
Shu has deepened.

...Oh, there's something I still don't
really understand. Can you tutor me
for a little while longer?

> You finished your tutoring job and
went home.

> You tutored Shu.

...I've memorized this formula, but
what exactly does it mean in real life?

> You began to explain the problem to him
in an easily understood manner.

These equations can be used in a bunch
of different situations, huh? The people
who came up with them were geniuses.
...I wish I was a genius.

You can become a genius through hard
work? I thought you had to be born one...
...I've already been trying pretty hard,
in my opinion. It's still not enough...?

> Shu thinks to himself.

No, I'm not.
If I was a genius, then I wouldn't be...
......

> Shu shrugs.

That was unnecessary.
But you're right... I can't do
anything about it.

> Shu shrugs.

I'm sorry, I've been tired all day
today... Can we finish the rest of
this lesson next time?

> Shu looks pale...

Let's change the subject to something
else. What's up?

> You talked about school with Shu.

...Whenever you talk about your school,
you always look like you have so much
fun there.

> Shu looks sad...

> You and Shu talked about a TV show that
you both happened to see...

...They always talk about what happened
on some show or another.
I don't watch that kind of stuff, so I
never know what they're talking about.

> Shu smiles wryly...

> You told Shu about the kinds of
girls you like.
> ...You ended up being pretty frank
about it.

Hmmm. ...That was a bit surprising.
By which I mean, really surprising,
actually.

> Shu laughs...

...Oh, I'm sorry. It looks like we're
already out of time.

Thanks for talking with me today.
I think I was able to relax a little.
I'd like to hear some more later.

> It seems that Shu is opening up
to you...
> You feel that your relationship with
Shu has grown even deeper.

Then... Goodbye.

> You finished your tutoring job and
went home.

> You tutored Shu.

...Is this going to show up on any
tests? If it is, I want to know a way
to memorize it.

> You began to explain it to him
in an easily understood manner.

I've got a big test coming up...
It's going to cover a lot of material.
...Oh, well. I'll be at the head of the
class this time, too. I won't lose!
I will not lose...

> Shu looks anxious, despite what he said.

...Hey.
Getting good grades, being great at
sports, being fun to talk to, and
good-looking...
Is it possible for anyone to be all
those things? Do you know anyone
like that?

I see... I guess those kinds of people
really do exist...

> Shu smiles wryly...

Then... if there ever was a guy like that,
he'd be something really special?
So, if I ever met someone who was all
those things... then there'd be nothing
I could do, huh?

> Shu smiles wryly...

...You mean yourself?
You're really full of yourself,
aren't you?
Teach me your ways!

> Shu laughs.

......
I've been having this dream lately.
In my dream, I'm on a train...
It keeps speeding up, but I don't know
where the tracks lead.
There are no exits, so I can't get out,
but there's someone coming from the car
behind me.
I can hear the doors opening and the
footsteps... I don't know who it is,
and I get scared...
...Every time I have that dream, the
person gets one car closer to me.

Probably...
The only time I get to rest is when
I'm sleeping, and I can't even do that
right now. I want to be free...

> Shu's face is pale...

Huh...?
...Please don't make fun of me.
The only time I get to rest is when
I'm sleeping, and I can't even do that
right now. I want to be free...

> Shu's face is pale...

If I'm not at my best...
......

> Shu suddenly looks tormented.

...Nothing. Nothing's bothering me.

> Shu seems unwilling to talk about it.

I don't want to be hated.

> Shu tries to smile...

Yes...
You're right. I need to do my best...
Thank you.

> Shu tries to smile...

......

> Shu remains silent.

...Oh, sorry. I guess I wasn't making
much sense, was I?

Please... come back again.

> Shu looks helpless...
> It seems that Shu is opening up
to you...
> You feel that your relationship with
Shu has grown even deeper.

I feel like I'll be able to sleep well tonight.
Goodbye...

> You finished your tutoring job and
went home.

Uh... Hey...
Well, uhh, today...

Sh-Sh-Shuuuuu!
I just! *huff* Got a call! *puff*
F-From the school!

Shu!
It's not true, is it!?
Shu, it's a lie, right!?

Shu, look at me! Shu!

It's true.

......!
Shu...

I'm sorry. Please go home today.
I'm sorry...

> Shu's voice is trembling...

Shu, what's going on!? I...

Go home, please...
Go home!

> ...It looks like you should just
go home today.

> You decided to go home...
> What happened with Shu...?

Um...
I-I'm sorry about what happened last time.
It got kind of ugly...

......

> Shu says nothing for a while...

> ......
> The awkward silence continues...

> ......?
> Today's date is circled on the calendar.

Oh, that's right...
Today... is my birthday. I forgot...

There's nothing to be happy about...

> Shu looks ready to cry...

My birthday doesn't matter.

> Shu looks ready to cry...

Mom forgot it, too. She's not even here.

> Shu looks sad...

> You decided to throw a birthday party
for Shu.
> First, you need...

> You need to get a cake...

> You need to get presents...

> You need to get guests...
> ......

> Only one place springs to mind...

> You decided to call Yosuke...

Yo, what's up?

> You explained the situation to Yosuke...

I get it. Well, I can see why you'd want to
help the kid out.
Leave it to me. Just text me the address
and I'll find directions to his house later.
I won't be long, okay?

Huh...? What's...?

> You decided to wait for Yosuke to arrive.

......

> Shu is in total shock.

Hey, I called the whole gang.
It's cool, right?

> Yosuke seems to have gathered
everybody...

> You were going to have a small
celebration, but Yosuke invited
everyone...

Yosuke just called us up out of
nowhere, y'know?
He was all, "Meet us at Junes!"
I was worried there for a moment...
But a surprise party like this is the kind of
surprise I like!

Me too. But we have to start this off
right... with a song!

Happy birthday to you!
Happy birthday to you!
Happy birthday dear Shu-kun!
Happy birthday to you!

......

> Shu is still in shock.

C'mon, now for the candles!
Blow 'em out!

Huh? But...

If you don't hurry, you'll end up with
a wax-flavored cake!

And no one wants that!
Now come on, blow!

...O-Okay.

One... two...!

> Shu takes a deep breath.

Whoa, it got dark! The lights, hit the lights!
...Hey, who did that!?

I-It's not meeee! Aaaaaack! No kicking!

Ow! Stop kicking me!
Our legs just bumped into each other!
Who'd wanna touch you!?

Huh? Isn't the switch somewhere
around here...?

...Oof!

Ahh!

I-I-I'm sorry! I'll get the switch...

Oh, no, it's my fault... Huh?
Is this your face?

Y-Y-Y-Yes! Let go of my nose!

S-Sorry! I'll just sit back down...

Ow! You're stepping on me!

Ow! Yukiko, get off my foot!

I-I'm sorry! ...Wait, where am I?

Sheesh, Yukiko... Let me handle this.
...Guh!

Ugh! Right... in the... solar plexus...

Whoops, I-I'm sorry...
The switch is...

Everyone, just sit down!
, get the lights!

Is the cake okay!?

That's the first thing you ask about...?
Well, let's put that whole mess behind us...

Happy birthday!

Th-Thank you.

How old are you?

Uh, er, 13... I mean, 14.

Wow, that's young! Man, it must be great
being in the prime of one's youth.

Umm, you're not exactly an old lady,
you know...
But, um... Shu-kun. Your life is only
beginning here.

> Yukiko smiles gently at Shu.

...Oh, yes.
......

Man, you have no idea when to turn on
the cute.

I mean... it's nothing...
...It's just the day I was born.

Yep! It's a time for celebration.

It's a reason to be happy.

Should I... have been born...?

> Shu mumbles to himself...

...Stupid!

Stupid!

Stupid.

Stupid.

Stupid.

Stupid!

...Stupid.

......

> Shu is surprised...

Of course you should've!

......

> Shu is surprised...

...Ah...
Yeah...

Alright, now for the cake!

Yes, let's all have a slice.

> The party livened up at this point...

> It's getting late, so everyone went home.

Um...
Thank you.
I-I...

> Shu begins to cry...

I...
I was suspended from school...
I'm sorry, Sensei...
I cheated...

I was so worried about the test...!
If I wasn't number one, I thought...
There's no point in anything if I'm not
the best... It's all I can be... If I'm
not, Mom won't... love me anymore...
Mom asked me why I did it... She said
she was betrayed, embarrassed...
She said... I'm not her son...
She was crying...
......

> Shu begins to sob...

> You gently soothed Shu...

> You waited for Shu to calm down...

I... I'm sorry. *hic*

*sigh*
When I was able to write my name for
the first time... Mom praised me.
She would tell anyone who would listen
that I was a genius...
So I did my best...
I studied all the time... so I could live up to
her expectations...
So that people would accept that Mom
could raise a child on her own...
......

I always had to be number one...

But then, he... that transfer student
came along.
The school he came from was ahead of
us, and he always got perfect scores
on the tests...
Plus, he's good at sports...
Good at talking to people...

He became "the best" in everyone's eyes,
and they all started laughing at me...
I know that all I'm good at is studying...
But now... I don't even have that.
Studying all day! No clubs! No friends!
What do I have left...?
I don't... have anything...

I'm nothing if I'm not number one!
If everyone... If even Mom gives up
on me...
I'm scared...
Cheating was the only option I had...
That's what I thought...
So I...

...Sorry... I'm sorry...

> Shu begins crying again...

M-Mom must be sad... I... I...

> Shu won't stop crying...

> You gently explained to Shu that he
should never do it again...

Yes... I won't ever do it again...

> It seems Shu understands...

*sniff* I'm sorry...

> Shu seems to be deeply ashamed of
what he's done...

It's Mom... She's back...
I...
......

I'll go... talk with her...
...Thank you... for today.
I was happy...

> Shu tries to get his emotions
under control.
> You feel that your relationship with
Shu has grown even deeper.

Come back again. I'll do my best...

> You left Shu's house and went home.

Umm... Thank you very much for
what you did last time.
My suspension wasn't very long.
Having everyone staring at me hurt,
though...

It's my own fault... I need to change.

> Shu looks hopeful...

Mom bought me cake. For my birthday.
She said, "I lost my temper and said
terrible things to you, but I didn't mean
any of it."
"I'll always be proud of you, dear."
That's what she said.

...I also told her... Why I cheated...
About what I was thinking, about the
transfer student, about not wanting her
to hate me...

Then, she said... "Let's start over."
"Let's start over... as a family."

I always thought a family was something
that is already "there..." That it's
something "finished."
But it looks like you can try to start it
over again...

...I wasn't paying attention to Mom
this whole time.
I thought that if I wasn't the best,
she'd look down on me.
...Because of that, I must have thought
that I needed to be number one in order
to be loved...
But that wasn't true. It didn't matter.
She loved me this whole time.

> Shu holds back tears...

I have to thank you... And your
friends, too...
Thank you for recognizing... "me."
I wouldn't have been able to talk to
Mom if you hadn't.

...Thank you.

> Shu smiles...

About this...

> You obtained .

I got this for getting the best score
in a mock exam a while ago.
I thought that this... was my only bond
with Mom.
But... it wasn't something I can see.
So... please take it away. Until I can
laugh at how I thought about myself...

I cheated on a test, I got suspended...
My permanent record must be a wreck.
I've gone right off the rails leading into
a good college and a good company.

But... I can see now that I don't have to be
on that straight and narrow path.
If I'd stayed on that rail, not thinking,
not seeing anything except what was
right in front of me...
My life would've been empty...

...I'm going to think about my life
and set my own path.
I feel... like my life is just beginning.
Not because I'm young...
...Because I just realized that.

> Shu laughs, embarrassed.
> You feel a tight bond between
yourself and Shu...

I have a favor to ask of you...
...Starting today, I want to stop.
The tutoring, I mean.

I was thinking of joining a club.
Umm... th-the baseball team.
I've never played baseball before,
but I've always wanted to...
...I don't really know the rules, though.

> Shu laughs like a child...

I only had my studies... I had to be
number one... That's what I thought
all this time.
But if I think that, then I'll never have
anything...
So I want to try a bunch of things.

I'm sorry, but please let me quit.
...We can play baseball together
sometime, though.

> You spent your last session as a tutor
talking with Shu...