I'm not too confident with my writing either, and couple it with my lack of Japanese it's really a road to disaster.
I'm reviving my summary project not only for the sake of completion on my blog but also my fandom. I lost interest in DCII last year coupled with time constraints preventing me to play games. Because of the anime my interest was somewhat revived, and seeing that I'm already halfway through it feels rather bad to leave out the other girls (considering they are the main ones).
Everyone, feel free to go to my blog for my Minatsu summary, if anyone hasn't read about her yet. Actually I'm doing Otome first before Yume because I'm saving my best for last (Yume fan here), so I and relentlessflame would cover a fair amount of ground in (hopefully) a short time.
Actually I'm doing Otome first before Yume because I'm saving my best for last (Yume fan here), so I and relentlessflame would cover a fair amount of ground in (hopefully) a short time.
Cool deal. Would you like me to work on the D.C. plot then, so that we can hopefully get everything covered before the anime gets there? I'm also planning to go through Otome's path again at some point, but rather than focusing on a summary (since you've got that covered), I think I might write up some impressions and comments about various parts of her path. Not that anyone really cares, but it's something for my fandom. Writing forces me to think.
Quote:
Originally Posted by bluemist
I'm reviving my summary project not only for the sake of completion on my blog but also my fandom. I lost interest in DCII last year coupled with time constraints preventing me to play games. Because of the anime my interest was somewhat revived, and seeing that I'm already halfway through it feels rather bad to leave out the other girls (considering they are the main ones).
My original post was kind of rushed since I was at work ( - don't try this when you grow up, kids), but I wanted to say... The real reason I started working on the Yume and Otome summaries in the first place was actually because I already wrote the summary to their path in Christmas Days, but it made no sense to post it until people understood their paths in the original game. Since you had commented in the thread that you were out of time, I figured that if I didn't do it, no one would. And the Christmas Days story is too funny/silly to go unposted. How Yume's summary balooned into a 24-page monstrosity is another story though...
Anyway, I'll post Part 4 of the Yume summary in a few hours, hopefully. Things are heating up!
Edit: Actually, need some sleep... I'll see what I can do in the morning.
Last edited by relentlessflame; 2007-10-10 at 00:55.
So is Bluemist going to work on Otome's path while you relentless finish doing up Yume's path, then after that you can put up the summaries for the christmas days story?
So is Bluemist going to work on Otome's path while you relentless finish doing up Yume's path, then after that you can put up the summaries for the christmas days story?
Something like that, I guess. Once the Otome summary's available, I'll add my thoughts/comments about Otome's personality, and then post the Christmas Days story.
Anyway, for now, back to Yume's story. The long-awaited (?) Part 4!
Originally I was going to put parts 3 and 4 together (which is why you'll notice they're both a bit shorter than parts 1 and 2), but I think it works a little bit better this way from a suspense perspective.
Spoiler for Yume's Plot Summary - Part 4 of 5:
Shortly after Yoshiyuki wakes up, Yume arrives to check on him and brings food. He realizes he's got no time for that, since he's going to be late for school, but Yume tells him to take the day off and rest. She then offers to spoon-feed him some food. He's a bit worried at first, since Yume's doing the cooking... but she tells him to just accept it. He also says he can feed himself, but she won't have anything of it. Sick people should just let themselves be taken care of (sound familiar?) Turns out the food was actually good, anyway. Yoshiyuki then worries that Yume may run late for school on his account, but she announces that she's not going. After all, he took care of her when she was sick, and Otome isn't around... Yoshiyuki started noticing that she was getting embarrassed, but she told him to just stay quiet and eat his food.
Sometime later, he decides to get up and go see what Yume's up to. She tells him that it's too early for him to be up and about, and that he should head back to bed, but he decides to sit with her anyway. When there, he thanks her. She says it's fine, since it's natural for siblings to help each other in times of need. He agrees, but wants to make one correction. She asks him about it, and he struggles over his words -- he comments that she's beet red; is she still sick? She throws it right back at him; it's because he's embarrassed.
But before he could complete his confession, she stops him. "Don't..." She says that what he was about to say is a mistake; he's just imagining things. But this really sets him off - "You think I'm imagining things?! I love you, you idiot!" And of course, now she's ticked as well -- that was his confession?! He's the idiot here! How could he ruin something so important?! Of course, as so often happens, her outburst just gave away her true feelings, which causes Yoshiyuki to chuckle (much to her annoyance). He then proceeds to confess properly. Before she has a chance to get in a cross word, he adds, if she doesn't feel the same way, it's okay. But obviously that's not the issue -- the truth is that she's always...
And, of course, not 10 seconds later *ding dong* -- the classmates are here! It's Akane, Anzu, and Koko here to check on Yoshiyuki on their way home from school. Akane comments that Yoshiyuki must have gotten the cold from Yume while he was taking care of her, and jokingly adds that they really shouldn't kiss each other when they're sick. Gachaan!! (Picture the big symbolic arrow saying "kiss" flying right into them.) Yume yelps, and lets out quite possibly the most suspicious reply ever -- "Wh-what are you saying, Hanazaki-senpai?! Nii-san and me... ki-ki-kissing?!" As Anzu so elloquently puts it, "Bull's-eye".
Yume keeps trying (very, very badly!) to deny it all, but Yoshiyuki decides there's no point trying to hide it from those three. "A wise judgement," Anzu says, and Akane notes that it makes it no fun to tease them about it anymore. Koko's a little shaken up by the fact that they actually did kiss, and so goes back to being the target of Akane and Anzu's teasing. With that, it's time to head out -- the sick need to rest, plus... they wouldn't want to get in the way of the two lovers. But, Akane reminds them, sick people shouldn't kiss, to which Yume yelps again. All the embarrassment was just too much for Yume, who just sat there stunned even after they left.
「って、由夢さん？」 。。。 「ダメだこりゃ」 "Um, Yume-san...?" ... "Nope, no good..."
(You should remember Yume's stunned-speechless face from that time he praised her cooking. )
Sometime later, Yoshiyuki's getting ready to go to bed, when he hears a knock on the door. Finding that he's still awake, she lets herself in and sets her pillow down on the bed. He wonders what's going on ("Umm... Yume-san...?"), but she says (in her usual embarrassed/trying to hide the obvious truth sort of way) that since he's sick, she was thinking she'd stay nearby and sleep in his bed. Not missing this opportunity, he pushes to make sure that her coming to sleep with him had no other meanings, to which she embarrassingly reiterated that of course it didn't -- she was "just" worried about him since he's sick. There were absolutely no other meanings or reasons! Nope, absolutely none! Oh well, he figured, and he wishes her goodnight.
As Yoshiyuki wakes up in the morning, he finds Yume there, sleeping peacefully. Not wanting to disturb her, he decides to go down and make her some breakfast. But when he gets there, he finds someone already there -- Otome's back! But when he goes to say hello, he finds her extremely on-edge. Something's clearly not right. He offers to help her out with breakfast, but she says it's fine -- he can go watch TV while he waits for her to make it. But he affirms that he wants to help, so she lets him. As they're making breakfast, he asks what's going on. Apparently Junichi and Sakura are still gone, and she came back on her own.
She then asks if he and Yume had a chance to make-up while she was gone, and before he could answer, in walks still-sleepy Yume. In her dazed state, she asked him why he woke up early, since he wasn't there beside her when she woke up -- and then, she noticed. "Oh, Onee-chan! Yo-you're back!" Awkward! "I guess you really did make-up, then... and that's some apology, for you to be sleeping together..." You could pretty much see the black clouds forming overhead (Yume may have her "black" side, but as I said earlier, few things are scarier than "Black Otome" ) Yume takes the opportunity to get out of the way, leaving Yoshiyuki alone to face his fate. "Nee~, Ototo-kun..." "Y-yes?!" Surprisingly, though, she did a total 180, and said how great it was that they apologized -- "it's best when everyone gets along!" Yoshiyuki could barely believe the turnaround in attitude.
Back at school, Nanaka comes by at lunchtime to join Koko for lunch. When she sees that Yoshiyuki's back, she invites him too. On their way out, they notice Yume out in the hallway. While she says she wasn't really there to see him, he knows better than that, and invites her to join them for lunch. At the lunchroom, Nanaka comments that Yoshiyuki never packs his own lunchs, and jokingly offers to make an extra share for him -- which catches Yume's attention. As they overhear others talking in the lunchroom, the conversation turns to the problems they've been hearing about on the news. Things are getting worse, and even the school doesn't seem totally safe anymore.
On the way home, Yoshiyuki finds Yume waiting for him by the gate, complaining that he's late and that she's cold. She mentions that her throat's really dry... but our blockhead doesn't take the hint, so she tries again. He, of course, still doesn't get it, and she's getting frustrated and upset, so he tells her just to tell him what she wants straight out. Eventually she just gives up and says that she was thinking he'd take the hint and take her out on a date to go get a drink. He's embarrased, but agrees - and she offers her hand (if they're going on a date, they should hold hands, she says).
Yume knocks on Yoshiyuki's door later that night, saying she has something to talk to him about. She's worried about Otome, and wonders if he noticed how she really seems to be forcing herself. Yume wonders what Otome might be so worried about. As they're done, and just about to say goodnight, things turn a bit awkward, and Yume starts making a comment about the "goodnight ki--" but is too embarrassed to say it, and rushs off. This time, though, Yoshiyuki does get the hint, and stops her. After the kiss, she's totally embarrassed and wishes him goodnight all totally flustered before she rushes out the door.
Back at school, Anzu and Akane are pressing Yoshiyuki for all the latest news and gossip about his and Yume's relationship, wondering just how far they've gotten. Of course, they haven't gotten all that far. Anzu jokingly wonders if maybe they're too familiar with each other to be physically attracted to each other, having basically grown up together, but Yoshiyuki says that's not it. Akane decides that she wants to make sure that Yoshiyuki's a healthy boy using her... more than abundant assets. He clearly knows this is a bad idea, and comments on how bad it'd be if Yume saw them... Eventually Koko also tells her adamently that she should stop, to which she says it's no big deal since they're classmates. When Koko points out that that's not the problem, she gets what she's trying to say and stops.
"Good afternoon, Nii-san. You haven't eaten yet, right?"
He immediately tries to tell her that what she just saw was not what she thought it was, but she (in her cold, detached, "black" voice) replies that she has "no idea what he's talking about". The looks on Koko and Akane's faces show that they know that something really bad just happened to Yoshiyuki, and he knows it too. She apologizes to the other girls for taking Yoshiyuki away from them. He keeps trying to apologize, but she keeps acting like she she has absolutely no idea what he means.
After he leaves the room, Anzu remarks that that was quite a show of force. Koko criticizes Akane, saying that she shouldn't do things like that, but Akane brushes it off, saying that, just like a play, all love stories need a few obstacles.
(Rather than showing Yume and Yoshiyuki, the camera stays focused on Koko and Akane.
Notice how things get progressively worse as Yume keeps talking. )
Outside the classroom, Yoshiyuki continues his appeals to "Yume-sama", who, in a more normal voice, says that it's okay and that she believes in him. He's quite relieved to hear that she's not as upset as he thought she'd be. But then, just as he thought it was over, she asked "So, how did Hanazaki feel? She has big breasts, so it must have felt good..." Okay, clearly not over. Not at all. He tried to assure her that he doesn't particularly like women with big breasts, but she pointed out that all the books under his bed featured women with large breasts, so he must really love them after all. (She wasn't supposed to have seen that, apparently... ) Anyway, they keep fighting about it a bit, but eventually he gets around to asking her why she came to his class anyway, and of course it's because she wanted them to eat lunch together. Not in the cafeteria though, because apparently she made him a lunch. That it's a lunch she made has him a little on guard, as usual...
In the nurse's room again (to avoid the embarassment of onlookers), Yume unveils her lunch box. And amazingly it actually looks... normal? Before he teases her too much about it, he says he'll eat it, so she goes to grab the second set, only to find... that she forgot to bring it. So, of course, "it can't be helped" that they'll have to share. "Aaaahh..." (She so did that on purpose, of course. ) He gave it a taste and it was actually edible! When he told her it was good, she was really happy. It was a bit too sweet, but still, her cooking was improving a lot.
Yume was waiting for him again by the school gates on the way home from school, and this time he was able to get the hint when she said she was cold and a bit hungry. But before they could head off, Otome caught up to them, totally out of breath. When they asked her what was up, she said she had something important to talk to Yoshiyuki about, and asked Yume if it was okay that she borrowed him for a bit. She said it was fine, since it wasn't like they had any firm plans or anything, and excused herself. Yoshiyuki asked Otome what it was, but she asked him to follow her.
At the ever-blooming cherry tree, Yoshiyuki figured out that this -- Otome's seriousness and need to talk to him -- must be about Yume. And sure enough, her first was question was just that -- did he love Yume? And, was that as a sibling, or as a woman? He replied that he loved her as a woman, and apologized for not having told her sooner. She said it was fine that he hadn't told her yet, but she had a request: break off with Yume. Forget that he ever loved her and go back to being siblings.
He couldn't believe what he was hearing, and asked her why, but she replied that she couldn't tell him the reason, just that he could not love Yume. Obviously, this was upsetting -- there was no way he could possibly do that! She said it was for both of their sakes. He continued pressing, wondering how it could possibly be in their best interest, but Otome said that was all she had to say, and that he should think about it.
Otome's words still echoed through Yoshiyuki's mind that night. And as he laid in contemplation, he heard a knock on the door -- it was Otome. She asked him if he had considered what she had said earlier, but of course, no matter how much he thought about it, his answer would still be the same -- he loved Yume, and that wouldn't change. "Then, it can't be helped," she said, "I'll make you forget about Yume myself."
She wrapped her hands around him, and said that it was okay -- she'd take Yume's place and give him everything he wanted from her. She'd satisfy his every desire, so... and just then, the door opened. "Onee-san, what is it that you wanted to talk about? And why in Nii-san's room...?" Before Yoshiyuki could start explaining, Otome cut in, squeezing Yoshiyuki tightly: this is what she wanted to tell her.
Otome wrapped her arms around him, and said that it was okay -- she'd take Yume's place and give him everything he wanted from her. She'd satisfy his every desire, so... and just then, the door opened. "Onee-san, what is it that you wanted to talk about? And why in Nii-san's room...?" Before Yoshiyuki could start explaining, Otome cut in, squeezing Yoshiyuki tightly: this is what she wanted to tell her.
And now, the conclusion.
(Sorry, couldn't resist Be sure to read the first four parts first: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4)
WARNING: This sort of goes without saying, but the conclusion of this story contains major spoilers for the whole of Da Capo II.
Spoiler for Yume's Plot Summary - Part 5 of 5: "At the end of a dream...":
Yume ran off, and before Yoshiyuki could go after her, Otome grabbed him -- "Don't! Don't go! I'm begging you, don't go after her!" Yoshiyuki said that he knew that Otome was obviously doing this because she cared a lot of both of them. It's always been like that -- she always went out of her way to care for both of them, and that's what he loved about her.
But this time, he can't do as she says -- he loves Yume, and no matter how long he waits to go after her, he couldn't give up on her. Even though what she's asking him to do may be the right thing, he still can't do it. Besides, Otome could never take Yume's place, just as Yume could never take Otome's place -- they're both the most important people in his life. Thinking of having to substitute either is too sad. He thanks her, and also apologizes, before he heads off.
Yoshiyuki heads outside to find Yume waiting for him. But before he could explain what had just happened, she stopped him saying that she already knew; Otome's little demonstration was for her sake. Otome had spoken to Yume too, saying that she should give up on Yoshiyuki before she has any regrets.
Even though Yume's a bit cold in her pajama, they go for a walk under the beautiful night sky. She then asks him for some wagashi (the sweet that he and Junichi make by magic); that power was supposed to be a secret, so he was surprised that she knew about it. When she sees that he does indeed have that magical power, she comments that it's mysterious. Now that he thinks about it, he realizes that it sort of strange -- why does he have that power anyway?
Yume then asks him if he sees dreams; obviously, as we all know, he does and then some. But then she explains that, in fact, she doesn't see any dreams -- not from the moment she was born until now. Yoshiyuki had a bit of trouble reconciling this, as he knew that he saw her dreams before. But she went on to explain -- what she sees aren't dreams, but the future. Whether it's the near future, or the distant future, she doesn't know, but it will all happen. She asks whether he believes her, but as he reflects on it, he realizes that everyone in that family has magical powers -- Junichi, Yuki, Otome... and so it's not surprising that she would too. Every morning, when she awakes from her sleep, she takes note of everything she saw in her dreams of the future. But it was pretty pointless, because there was nothing she could do to avoid it -- otherwise it wouldn't be the future, would it? (He recalls the scene early on when she warned him to look out on their way home from school, but it was too late.)
Yume says that she knows that Otome wants the absolute best for them, and she warned Yume that she would regret it if she stayed in love with Yoshiyuki. But, nevertheless, she... her words trail off, as Yoshiyuki thinks it all over. His conclusion was (essentially) that he doesn't know about the future, but he knows that he wants to stay together with Yume. Besides, what's he supposed to do about it? He can't just throw away his feelings for her. Maybe Otome's wrong, maybe the future Yume saw was just a dream after all, but, he figures, she should have a little faith in her boyfriend. After a response like that, all she could do was point out (lovingly) that he was such an idiot, and since it was cold, it was time to back inside, to his room...
Yume asked whether Yoshiyuki would regret it, to which he chided her for not having listened to anything he just said. But, likewise, he asked her whether she'd regret it; she said that she's a fool -- despite all the warnings, she wants to stay together with him too. So, from that night on, they could never go back to seeing each other as siblings...
Later that night, Yume was feeling uneasy, and couldn't sleep. She was actually feeling worried; at the moment, she was so happy because Yoshiyuki was so near to her, but...... Yoshiyuki said that he didn't know her worries, or the future she had seen, but he'll always stay by her side. So she should just relax and have happy dreams of the future. Who knows -- maybe it's her worrying that causes a bad future through her dreams! Yoshiyuki noticed the happy look on her face as she fell asleep.
Morning had come, and it was time to wake the sleepy-head. As usual, he was sleeping like a log, so Yume once again threatened "something terrible". When he still didn't wake up, she commented it was his fault... before going for a kiss. Eventually, though, he had to go up for air -- that's one way of waking someone up! She beckoned him to hurry up, since breakfast was ready. When he brought up what had happened last night, of course she was embarrassed, but they still exchanged a real "good morning" kiss.
Nanaka came by Yoshiyuki's class at the end of the school day, and invited him to go out with her and the other girls. Akane agreed unless, of course, he had plans with his girlfriend... which he said he didn't. But, speaking of the devil, Yume showed up in class, and the other girls invited her to come along since they have lots to talk about. Of course, Akane and Anzu are hoping for something really juicy, which Yoshiyuki awkwardly indicates isn't there... As they're all ordering at the cafe, Yume's having a hard time picking between two deserts, so Yoshiyuki says they can share both. This display of affection has the other girls slightly flustered, and Nanaka decides to grab Yoshiyuki's hands (to see what he's thinking)... which has her much more flustered.
As they arrived home that night, Yume was all tired out. She remarked that Yoshiyuki had quite a number of female friends, and said that he must have been happy to hold Nanaka's hands... but as he started his embarrassed denial, she started laughing and said it was just a joke. After all, she says, she knows that Yoshiyuki loves her. That said, she comments that, even though she trusts him, she still feels a bit uneasy when he's with other girls.
Otome was busily preparing dinner in Yoshiyuki's kitchen when the went inside. She was a bit concerned that the may have already eaten, but he said both he and Yume were still hungry, and offered to help her out. As they prepared dinner together, he brought up what had happened last night, but Otome asked if he could just forget about that, which he agreed to do. She then asked him what he would do if, hypothetically, he were forced apart from Yume; if it were something that couldn't be avoided. He says that he doesn't know what he'd do, and there's no sense worrying about it right now. But if he were ever in that situation, he'd do everything he could to prevent it.
Yume came to visit Yoshiyuki in his room that evening and he was met with embarrassed, shifty eyes when he asked her what was up. Of course, he knew what that meant, so he invited her over. She awkwardly commented that they had a day off tomorrow... so Yoshiyuki (putting two-and-two together) asked her what she'd like to do on their date. But, surprisingly, that wasn't what she was getting at. Since they don't have to go anywhere tomorrow, they can sleep in, so she wonders if... they could sleep together again... (dot dot dot)
The next morning, Yoshiyuki finds Yume still sleeping peacefully next to him. As he ponders whose dream it was he saw the previous night, Yume opens her eyes, calls to Yoshiyuki in a daze, and kisses him. Noticing she's still in her dream-like trance, he calls out to her, which finally wakes her up for real. Apparently she wasn't still dreaming! ^^; But rather than get up and going, he lays her back down. She comments that their date will be nice, but for now she just want to stay like this for a while longer...
(And, as a total aside, Yume was doing the cutest little playful thing while they were resting - nipping at his ears, his nose... "I thought I'd eat you". So cute! )
Yoshiyuki runs into Otome at school two days later, and notices she seems a bit lifeless. When he asks her what's wrong, it doesn't seem to be anything unusual -- she's just a bit tired. Mayuki then shows up, having finally found Otome, and starts getting on Otome's case for exerting her brother-complex again. But she says that's not it, and besides... which prompts Mayuki to remember Yoshiyuki's "situation". That's, of course, followed by a bunch of teasing from Mayuki -- and apologies from Otome, who apparently wasn't supposed to tell anyone...
A few days later, as Otome, Yume, and Yoshiyuki are walking to school in the morning, he notices that Otome still seems lifeless. Otome still denies there's anything wrong, saying she just has something on her mind. She says it's just some Student Council stuff that she can't find a way to resolve. Yoshiyuki asks if there's anything he can do to help her out; she thanks him, but declines.
At lunch, Otome takes the unusual step of joining Yoshiyuki and Yume for lunch. At first they're not too sure what's going on, but of course it's okay. Apparently, Otome got up early to prepare lunch for everyone, hoping they could eat together; it's really the first time they did that. After a relaxing lunch, Yoshiyuki comments that they should do this more often, and Yume offers to cook lunch next time. Yoshiyuki's slightly taken aback by this for... historical reasons? And when they go to ask Otome's opinion, they find her... on the verge of tears. She struggles to get out an agreement... "that's... right... we can all eat... together..." She apologizes, and runs off. Yoshiyuki's left wondering if it was something they said, but Yume doesn't think so...
That night, Yoshiyuki's trying out Yume's latest meal, which, when she asks him to rank it, he gives a 75/100. Still quite an improvement, but Yume realizes that it'll take more work to catch up to Otome, who's practiced cooking since childhood. They decide to watch some TV together, and as they flip through the channels they hear a shocking news bulletin: the sakura trees on Hatsunejima are dying! Yume wonders what happened all of a sudden, and comments that it'll be sort of lonely without them, since they've been there since their childhood. As Yoshiyuki goes to get up, though, he all of a sudden collapses. Yume rushes to his side, and wonders if he's okay. It seems he's okay, but just felt weak all of a sudden...
Yume asks Yoshiyuki the next morning if he's feeling up to going to school -- he shouldn't push himself if he isn't feeling well, she says. He decides that he's up for it though. As they walk to school, they see the streets lined with bare sakura trees. They really did whither... Yume comments that it feels colder without them. Yoshiyuki wonders where Otome went, but Yume says that she must have already headed off to school early. She didn't see her the previous night either, since Yume got home late.
As they get close to school, they run into Mayuki, who wishes Yume "good morning". Yoshiyuki also wishes her a good morning... but she goes on talk about the sakura trees being bare. Huh? Yoshiyuki wonders what's going on, and Yume goes into asking about it, but Mayuki says she has to go, and heads off. Yume asks Yoshiyuki if he did something to upset Mayuki, but he doesn't think so. She didn't even acknowledge that he was there...
That night, Yoshiyuki's in his bed, contemplating. Something very strange is going on. First the sakura trees go bare, and now some people aren't even noticing him. Is there a connection? Just then, he looks out his window and notices Otome there. She apologizes to him, and he decides to go see her.
By the sakura tree, Otome asks Yoshiyuki how he's feeling. She says that he must have noticed things changing since yesterday, because, after all, she's the one who caused it. Otome figures it's time that she explained the past. She asks Yoshiyuki if he knows why the sakura trees never whithered. The reason (as all D.C. fans know) is because they're enfused with the magical power to grant wishes; to collect the power of everyone's wishes, and grant miracles.
But there was one flaw in this perfect-seeming system: it granted wishes whether no matter how perverse or dangerous. So, Otome killed the tree; that was her duty. As a mage, she had to protect all of Hatsunejima. But Yoshiyuki's own existance was an example of the tree's wish-granting power. Even now, his existance and everyone's memories of it were slowly disappearing. If no one anywhere knows you ever existed, then what was your existance in the first place? That's why she had told him to forget about Yume; that he'd regret it. On the verge of tears, Otome apologizes that she wasn't able to protect him. But Yoshiyuki realizes that he doesn't regret his existance, and he apologizes to Otome for making her go through something so painful, which moves her to tears.
Yume attempts to wake up the sleepy-head again the next morning but, as usual, doesn't seem to be having any luck. She warns him that something terrible will happen if he doesn't wake up, and warns him again... but still no dice. So, she proceeds to climb under the covers and... do something we can't discuss on a PG-13 forum! When he wakes up and asks her what the heck she's doing, she replies that it's "something terrible".
At the end of the day at school, the class president comes by the classroom, and notices it's still open. When Yoshiyuki goes to say something, she doesn't even notice he's there at all. It's just as Otome said -- little by little, everyone was forgetting that he had ever existed.
Out in market square, the next day, Yume and Yoshiyuki are out on a date. As they try to decide where they might be able to go, Yume comments that anywhere's fine as long as she can spend time with him.
That night, Yoshiyuki sees another dream -- it's Yume's dream. She's standing by the gate, waiting as usual, when she asks herself what she's doing. No matter how long she waits, Nii-san isn't around anymore. Even though she knows that, she still waits by the gate. "I'm lonely, Nii-san... I don't want to be alone..."
When he wakes up the next morning, Yoshiyuki realizes that the dream he just saw isn't just a dream, it's the future. He flashes back through all that's happened... Otome's words by the tree, everyone at school gradually forgetting him, Yume asking him if he won't regret it, and his promise to stay by her side forever...
That night, Yume comes to see him. She notices that he seems tired, and asks him what's wrong and gives him a kiss. But Yoshiyuki starts apologizing -- he knows that he won't be able to stay with her forever after all. Yume cheers him up, and tells him to smile; when he's with his girlfriend he should smile, be happy, and enjoy every day. Since she wants to enjoy the happy days, and not have any regrets, she wants to stay by his side. So she asks him to keep smiling and acting normally, because that will make her happy. And she asks to sleep by his side one more time.
A normal morning, a normal morning routine, a normal "good morning" kiss. But on the way to school, as Yoshiyuki greets Koko and Nanaka, who they run into along the way... nothing. They carry on their conversation about their band, even commenting about their lack of a guitar player. Yume tries to play it off, saying they must have been too absorbed in their conversation to notice. As they head closer to school, they run into Akane and Anzu and as he steps into the conversation... they carry on; Akane even wonders if Koko might have a crush on someone...
Yume decides that, since the weather's nice, why don't they skip school and go on a date! A fun, everyday date! Even though they stick out like sore thumbs with their school uniforms on a school day, Yume wants to make the best of it. They stop by a shrine, and Yume makes a secret wish. They go to the park and grab some food. They stop to check out the sunset, and Yume wonders if Otome will get mad at them for skipping school.
Yoshiyuki finally realizes that he knows this moment -- this dream... he's seen it before. It was Yume's dream -- Yume's dream of the future. A normal date, going to grab some crepes, trying to pick their favourite flavours, staring at the sunset, wondering if Otome would be mad... all of it...
And then Yume asks him to go to one last place...
On the school rooftop, back to the sunset, Yume comments on how fun their date was. It was like a dream; a dream she's had since childhood of becoming Yoshiyuki's girlfriend. But it was a dream she had given up on long ago; it was natural when she realized that she could never stay by Yoshiyuki's side.
Even though she always loved him, she thought she would let him go. But, Yoshiyuki wouldn't let her. Even though she had been trying so hard, and lying to herself... She knew that happiness would only bring regret, and that every happy memory would bring pain... and it hurt, a lot. She endured it all this time... but she can't endure it any longer.
Yume thanked Yoshiyuki for their time spent together; it was fun, and she was so happy. They're all precious memories. But now it's over; like all dreams, this too is fading. "So... this is goodbye, Nii-san." As he begins to fade away, Yoshiyuki declares his love one last time, and that he wants to stay with her forever. With tears steaming down her face, she screams out...
「兄さんっ！ いやぁぁぁぁぁぁっ！」 "Nii-san!! Iyaaaaaa!!"
Yume was awoken that morning by Otome -- it was the start of a new school year, and it was time to get going! Her wishes for "just 5 more minutes..." were not being accommodated. ^^; At school, Minatsu announced that they'd once again be in the same class...
At the school gate, Yume's waiting for Yoshiyuki as usual. As he arrives, they make small talk about their uniforms, and he asks where she wants go. How about getting some crepes at the park, she wonders, and Yoshiyuki concurs...
Flashback to the classroom at sunset, where Yume's wondering where she is. Alas, it was only a dream, and, of course, could never happen. The tears start to flow as she remembers the past... "I'm such an idiot..."
And then, all of a sudden, she remembers that, in fact, that was a dream. And she doesn't see dreams, the only thing she sees is...
She dashes through the school, heading straight for the door. The red of the sunset that brought only painful memories now seemed a much gentler shade. There was so much say, but only one thing to start with...
「―――おかえりなさい、兄さん！」 "Welcome home, Nii-san!"
Spoiler for Answer to your probable first question (after reading the summary)...:
If you're wondering what happened in between the "final scene" and the epilogue, please stay tuned for the Otome and D.C. plot summaries!
Spoiler for rf's closing thoughts:
Well, that's it! What was your impression?
Did you notice how the little scenes that happened earlier came back later in the story? For example, Yume's "something terrible", or buying crepes at the park... waiting by the school gate, the notebook, Yume's cooking, all the dream scenes... And, of course, the final scene ties back perfectly to Yume's birthday scene (finally giving the complete explanation to the "challenge" I mentioned from Part 3), bringing the whole story full circle. Hopefully, if you read that part of the story again, Yume's actions, and her reasons for them, will make a lot more sense to you now. At least, I know they did for me.
One could say that Yume's story follows the absolutely classic "crying game" pattern to a T, but it's classic for a reason. Along with the excellent use of image songs in the closing sections (something I unfortunately just can't convey in the summary), I found the story to be quite moving and just all-around well done.
Above all, I have to say that I actually came to admire Yume -- she bore such a heavy burden with her knowledge of the future, and how her love for Yoshiyuki was doomed from the start, but she still chose to spend every last moment with the one she loved. It may be true, as she said, that you can't know happiness without knowing regret, and perhaps ignorance is bliss, but "it is better to have loved and lost" also comes to mind.
All in all, it's this courage and determination in the face of adversity that really sets Yume apart, and even above, Nemu in my opinion. At first glance, you might think that perhaps she inherited too many of her grandmother's "black" traits (though I maintain: she isn't the one you should really be worried about ), but when you begin to understand the burden she bares, and the way she decides to handle it in this story, it's really, really hard to hold it against her. Couple that with her shyness, her prim-and-proper exterior (that masks her lazy side shown only at home), her extremely transparent roundabout way of coincidentally being somewhere, or absolutely not asking for something... I think she's a very worthy "moe~" character in her own right.
Anyway, enough of what I think... what about you? I'm looking forward to reading everyone's thoughts and impressions of Yume's story. Thanks for reading, and I hope that if anyone spots any errors, they'll let me know.
~rf
2007-01-22 to 2007-10-15
(Holy frickin' crap - it took me almost 9 months to finish! )
hmm I still don't get it... Did Yoshiyuki come back or something at the end? Why did Yume say "welcome home, Nii-san!".....
It's surprising to see that in the yume path, it appears that Otome didn't have any romantic interests in Yoshiyuki... She was more a caring motherly figure then a possible love interest for Yoshiyuki and even that scene where she hugged him, seemed like it's done in order to help him rather then any selfishness on her part....
That is actually quite dissapointing as I was looking forward to an Otome/Yume confrontation over Yoshiyuki, like the classical Sakura/Nemu confrontation. I guess there would be more of that in the Otome path, but it's interesting to see how the characters attitudes are different with each path.
hmm I still don't get it... Did Yoshiyuki come back or something at the end? Why did Yume say "welcome home, Nii-san!".....
Spoiler:
Yume saw a dream with Yoshiyuki in it. But then she realized that the only dreams she sees are dreams of the future, which means that Yoshiyuki is back. So yes, he came back. As for the reason why, stay tuned for the Otome and D.C. paths to know a bit more.
Quote:
Originally Posted by holyman282
Spoiler:
It's surprising to see that in the yume path, it appears that Otome didn't have any romantic interests in Yoshiyuki... She was more a caring motherly figure then a possible love interest for Yoshiyuki and even that scene where she hugged him, seemed like it's done in order to help him rather then any selfishness on her part....
That is actually quite dissapointing as I was looking forward to an Otome/Yume confrontation over Yoshiyuki, like the classical Sakura/Nemu confrontation. I guess there would be more of that in the Otome path, but it's interesting to see how the characters attitudes are different with each path.
Spoiler:
Well, to consider: Otome loves both Yume and Yoshiyuki very much. Even if she did harbour feelings for Yoshiyuki, as an older sister, she would sacrifice that to make them happy. Other than her "doting big sisterness", she wouldn't force herself on Yoshiyuki. Again, the fact that she's two years older than he is (that she plays the "older sister" role to him) is very important to understanding the way she acts, even when she's in love. But stay tuned for Otome's path to know more about that.
But, as a little teaser, I would also say to look forward to the Christmas Days story -- I think you'll enjoy it (although it's very much a fun/non-serious story).
Seems like Bluemist(hi my fellow D.C fan!!) revived his interest on this game...Oh well im still waiting for the Playstation 2 game version(D.C II Plus Situation which will be released next year):
By the way relentless i'm wondering which one of you is actually going to summarise the Otome path.. You or Bluemist?
Well, at the moment, I think bluemist said he'd work on it, so I'm going to try to work on the D.C. path -- maximum coverage in the least amount of time. After that, I have the D.C. II Christmas Days story on deck, and then I've received a request to work on some Spring Celebration stories. So, at this point, it looks like bluemist is it for that one.
Well... after all the epic translation by relentlessflame and bluemist I've felt
inspired to try my hand at some translation myself. But what's there left to
translate? Only the lyrics for the music, of course! Specifically, the Asakura
sisters' ED, If ~I Wish~.
Disclaimer: I'm not very good at this, so take it with a grain of salt.
Asterisks represent parts where I've guessed, deduced or outright
fabricated lyrics. Feel free to point out any egregious errors.
If ~I Wish~
Spoiler for minor spoilers for both paths:
乾くキス 涙の音 思い出すよ
生温い感触が 空に溶けてく
A dry kiss, the sound of tears, I recall
Feelings of living warmth, as the sky melts
If, today, this world were to end, the best way to spend it would be with you
I feel that I've lost something; even if you were a lie, I still don't want to accept it
火照る頬手のぬくもり 夢でもいい
はにかんだその仕草も もう離さない
Blushing cheeks, warm hands, it was such a nice dream
Shy gestures, don't ever let go
If, today, this world were to end, wishes would fall from the sky like roses
All over the world, everyone would pray for their loved ones to be smiling at the end*
もしも私に翼があったなら風に乗り君の待つ場所へと
たとえ二度と飛べなくなっても それが私の全て
Maybe these wings of mine will carry me on the wind to where you await
Even if I never fly again, that's all I ask for
If, today, this world were to end, wishes would fall from the sky like roses
All over the world, everyone would wish for their loved ones to be smiling at the end*
~ I wish for you ~
~ Again ~
~ Zutto zutto(forever, forever) ~
~ Dream again ~
After doing this I can't get the image of Otome with a pair of angel wings out of
my head... heh
Well... after all the epic translation by relentlessflame and bluemist I've felt
inspired to try my hand at some translation myself. But what's there left to
translate? Only the lyrics for the music, of course! Specifically, the Asakura
sisters' ED, If ~I Wish~.
Disclaimer: I'm not very good at this, so take it with a grain of salt.
Asterisks represent parts where I've guessed, deduced or outright
fabricated lyrics. Feel free to point out any egregious errors.
If ~I Wish~
Spoiler for minor spoilers for both paths:
乾くキス 涙の音 思い出すよ
生温い感触が 空に溶けてく
A dry kiss, the sound of tears, I recall
Feelings of living warmth, as the sky melts
If, today, this world were to end, the best way to spend it would be with you
I feel that I've lost something; even if you were a lie, I still don't want to accept it
火照る頬手のぬくもり 夢でもいい
はにかんだその仕草も もう離さない
Blushing cheeks, warm hands, it was such a nice dream
Shy gestures, don't ever let go
If, today, this world were to end, wishes would fall from the sky like roses
All over the world, everyone would pray for their loved ones to be smiling at the end*
もしも私に翼があったなら風に乗り君の待つ場所へと
たとえ二度と飛べなくなっても それが私の全て
Maybe these wings of mine will carry me on the wind to where you await
Even if I never fly again, that's all I ask for
If, today, this world were to end, wishes would fall from the sky like roses
All over the world, everyone would wish for their loved ones to be smiling at the end*
~ I wish for you ~
~ Again ~
~ Zutto zutto(forever, forever) ~
~ Dream again ~
After doing this I can't get the image of Otome with a pair of angel wings out of
my head... heh
Oh wow. If that was an accurate translation, I just got to like the song even more (already love the song just for the way it sounds, and considering the DCII girls involved with the song's theme).
Great work, rcoltsaaeln. The lyrics to that song are just so absolutely perfect for those two endings... wow... Don't know what else to say. Thinking about it is choking me up - heh...
Here's to hoping the anime can deliver on something as powerful in the end.
Well... after all the epic translation by relentlessflame and bluemist I've felt
inspired to try my hand at some translation myself. But what's there left to
translate? Only the lyrics for the music, of course! Specifically, the Asakura
sisters' ED, If ~I Wish~.
Disclaimer: I'm not very good at this, so take it with a grain of salt.
Asterisks represent parts where I've guessed, deduced or outright
fabricated lyrics. Feel free to point out any egregious errors.
If ~I Wish~
Spoiler for minor spoilers for both paths:
乾くキス 涙の音 思い出すよ
生温い感触が 空に溶けてく
A dry kiss, the sound of tears, I recall
Feelings of living warmth, as the sky melts
If, today, this world were to end, the best way to spend it would be with you
I feel that I've lost something; even if you were a lie, I still don't want to accept it
火照る頬手のぬくもり 夢でもいい
はにかんだその仕草も もう離さない
Blushing cheeks, warm hands, it was such a nice dream
Shy gestures, don't ever let go
If, today, this world were to end, wishes would fall from the sky like roses
All over the world, everyone would pray for their loved ones to be smiling at the end*
もしも私に翼があったなら風に乗り君の待つ場所へと
たとえ二度と飛べなくなっても それが私の全て
Maybe these wings of mine will carry me on the wind to where you await
Even if I never fly again, that's all I ask for
If, today, this world were to end, wishes would fall from the sky like roses
All over the world, everyone would wish for their loved ones to be smiling at the end*
~ I wish for you ~
~ Again ~
~ Zutto zutto(forever, forever) ~
~ Dream again ~
After doing this I can't get the image of Otome with a pair of angel wings out of
my head... heh
Hrm...all in all not a bad shot, I'll put in a few corrections, perhaps?
Spoiler for corrected lyrics ver.KBTKaiser?:
A dry kiss, the sound of tears, I recall
Feelings of living warmth, melting in the sky
Maybe if I were more honest, maybe if I gave a little more compassion
Countless [If] fragments of wishes laid out before us beyond our control
Maybe if the world were to end today, then the best way would be to spend it with you
I don't think I'll get used to losing something and lying about it
Blushing cheeks, warm hands, even if it was just a dream
These embarassed gestures will never be let go
Maybe if we may not have met that day, maybe if we turn time back
The ungranted [If] may be able to truly grasp the future
Maybe if the world were to end today, wishes would scatter in the sky
I pray for you more than anyone else in the world for the best smile
Maybe if I had wings, I will ride the wind to where you await
And even if I can never fly again, that is all I have
Maybe if the world were to end today, wishes would scatter in the sky
I pray for you more than anyone else in the world for the best smile
Eh, it's shoddy, but I think I covered all the kanji issues and then some. ^^;
Thanks KBTKaiser, the part about the tree and the second chorus were indeed frustated random stabs in the dark. If you happen to have time, maybe you could take a look at the other songs? I got the lyrics from http://www.eien-acg.com/read.php?tid=7509. The Christmas song is especially difficult. 'Jikan no paraado'? Time's parade? Huh?
In the meantime I've been working on the insert song, Time Will Shine, that plays at important scenes like
Spoiler:
Yoshiyuki confessing to Koko under the big tree and ammnesiac Anzu talking to Yoshiyuki about her past
If tomorrow it turns out to be a dream
When I wake up I'll still believe
Because there was a promise made here
Dancing flower petals fall, turn over, *
Turn to the next page
Together the two of us*
Time stops, now.
Scenery streams past, little by little
At which place did these gradual feelings crystallize?
All the past words, every single one
They're calling to me.
Even if we were distant stars apart
Or if we were born in a different place
We would search each other out, find each other again
Even as the seasons change
We would keep each other in sight*
In these eyes I see now*
I pray for light*
そう確かな記憶の中で眠る
ふたりで癒してきた傷も涙も
Time will shine...
This sleeping memory would definitely
Heal the wounds between us, and the tears too
Time will shine...
If tomorrow it turns out to be a dream
When I wake up I'll still believe
Because there was a promise made here
Dancing flower petals fall, turn over,*
Turn to the next page
Together the two of us*
Time stops, now.
Spoiler:
Sleeping memory? A promise made in a dream? Is it just my inner Anzu fanboy or does it sound a lot like it was written as Anzu's ED?
Great work, rcoltsaaeln. The lyrics to that song are just so absolutely perfect for those two endings... wow... Don't know what else to say. Thinking about it is choking me up - heh...
Here's to hoping the anime can deliver on something as powerful in the end.
Yeah, I had a big lump in my throat when I was translating it too... especially near the end. If I had known the meaning of the lyrics when I finished Otome's route I'm quite sure I would started blubbering onto my keyboard =(
Next up is Mabushikute Mienai, which is Nanaka's ED. Unfortunately, for some reason the songs are starting to make less and less sense as I go along. Please forgive me =(
Also, I found the romanji on Bluemist's blog. If you ever come back here, thanks, man, you saved me from having to listen, pause and rewind that thing for about fifty times.
Disclaimer: I don't like Nanaka anyway. But it is a nice song. Asterisks, as usual, represent places where I'm not sure I'm at least within a mile of what the lyrics actually say. Salt, large spoon, etc.
kimi no sono te ni yadoru kizuna no akashi
mayou kono me ni ima mieru kana sasaerareteru
itsumo kimi wa nani mo iwazu ni itsunomanika tasuketekureru
mabushisugite nani mo mienai dakedo ashioto sugu tonari
hitori dewa kowasenai takai kabe no mae ni tatsu
These hands are the proof of our bond
These hesitating eyes, do you see them? I'll support you
You never ask for help, but before I knew it I was helping you
It's too bright, I can't see, but I can hear your footsteps next to me
Can't do it alone, there's a wall in front of me.
ano hi no sora ni mau kotori mitai ni dokomade mo tobitsudzukeyou yo
tsukareta hane wo yasumetai toki wo ano koro no minna wo omoidashite
aisubeki to omou toki wo itsumade mo wasurenai yo
Like that little bird circling in the sky that day; keeps flying no matter where
Tired wings take a rest, recall those days spent with everyone
This time of love, I'll never forget it
taisetsu na hodo kizutsuketeshimau itsumo
butsukariatte zenbu hajiketeieteshimatta
itsumo muchuu gamushara na toki mawari nante nani mo mienai
dakedo hora ne sugu motodoori namida mo niji ni kawaru kara
me no mae no uso ya zuru wo erabazu ni ikiteyuku yo
This important wound always festers
We fought amongst ourselves, said things we shouldn't have*
Always so reckless, never watching out around you*
But hey, these tears might just become a rainbow
It's no lie, it's in front of your eyes, it's the path you chose*
ano hi no sora ni mau soyokaze no you ni itsumade mo jiyuu de iyou yo
hirogeta hane wo sono kaze ni nose odorou yo chijou wo wasureru hodo
hitamukisa shitta kimi wa dareyori mo kagayaiteru
Like the wind dancing in the sky that day; forever free
Spread your wings and ride the wind, forget the mundane world
Head toward your dear one, for whom you shine*
ano hi no sora ni mau kotori mitai ni dokomade mo tobitsudzukeyou yo
tsukareta hane wo yasumetai toki wo ano koro no minna wo omoidashitetoku
ano hi no sora ni mau soyokaze no you ni itsumade mo jiyuu de iyou yo
hirogeta hane wo sono kaze ni nose fuwari tobu
aisubeki to omou toki wo itsumade mo wasurenai yo
ienaide kimi no hikari kono mune ni…
Like that little bird circling in the sky that day; keeps flying no matter where
Tired wings take a rest, recall the days spent with everyone and
Like the wind dancing in the sky that day; forever free
Spread your wings and ride the wind, fly high
This time of love, I'll never forget it
Keep your wordless light in my heart
Was the original Da Capo's Kotori written as 小鳥? It's a weird metaphor no matter how I slice it, but then maybe it's just the language. It might explain it if it were an inside joke or something like that.
It was another new day, and the sky was shining,
The room was a little cold, and white mist danced on my breath
天気予報は「午後から雨です。」 なんてこった！
窓際のサボテンも 外を見ては知らんぷり
The weather forecast was [Rain in the afternoon]. Just a little, looked forward to it!*
The cactus outside my window gazed outside and seemed to be anticipating it too
咲き誇るGarden 君が待つ場所 なんだかいいんじゃない？
Blooming garden, where you were waiting; Kinda feels good, isn't it?
Right now, your best love is being sent to me, like water to a flower*
From now to forever, will you stay with me?
In this age of challenge, let's push the limit*
On this path shown by a ray of light, I'll follow in your footsteps
土砂降りの午後 曖昧な空 予報通り
寒い中雨宿り 君は少し嬉しそう
Afternoon, and it was pouring heavily; overcast sky, just like the forecast said
Sheltering from the cold rain, you seemed a little happy
移り変わる空 雪のパレード なんだか綺麗じゃない？
Sky changed, parade of snow; somehow it's beautiful, isn't it?
Right now, let's make the clouds happy, let's make the flowers smile *
A small red flower blooms in our hearts
Open the door to endless glory, walk on a carpet of flowers*
It's a road to a wonderful future, let's go
いつものこの街 君と歩けば 綺麗な花も咲くよ
It may be just our normal streets, but if I walk with you, beautiful flowers bloom here too*
Right now, your best love is being sent to me, like water to a flower*
From now to forever, will you stay with me?
In this age of challenge, let's push the limit*
On this path shown by a ray of light, I'll follow in your footsteps
That was... more flowery than I expected, really. Should have guessed from the name.
Also, I can only think of one D.C. II girl as keeping a cactus, of all things.
2007-10-09, 23:42
Administrator
Writing forces me to think.
- don't try this when you grow up, kids), but I wanted to say... The real reason I started working on the Yume and Otome summaries in the first place was actually because I already wrote the summary to their path in Christmas Days, but it made no sense to post it until people understood their paths in the original game. Since you had commented in the thread that you were out of time, I figured that if I didn't do it, no one would. And the Christmas Days story is too funny/silly to go unposted. How Yume's summary balooned into a 24-page monstrosity is another story though... 
(already love the song just for the way it sounds, and considering the DCII girls involved with the song's theme).
