Katawa Shoujo - Akira Satou Route

Act 2-3 Black Coffee

"Well, I'm already standing up." I comment aloud as I return to my desk, sliding my keys and wallet into my pocket. Guess I'll take the cell phone as well, in case something happens - actually, I should probably go ahead and throw the emergency hotline on speed-dial; at least it'll give me some contacts other than 'Mom', 'Dad', and 'Voice Mail'.

The clicking of the doorknob indicates that my room is now impenetrable and I set out for the iron-wrought front gates of Yamaku, stepping out onto the long road to the town at the base of the hill.

I've thought about it before, but it still bothers me. Why was this school built on a hill? Was it some kind of bastion a couple hundred years ago when hills afforded maximum defensive capability? Was it originally a normal school populated by healthy, able-bodied students who had no trouble climbing this hill every time they had to go out and do something?

Maybe this was the only place they had to build it. I'll go with that; that makes the most sense.

I like things that make sense. Maybe that's why science clicks so well with me; the idea behind scientific method is figuring out why and how things work, and why and how they make sense that way.

Hydrogen and Oxygen merge and create a water molecule. Why? So that each molecule can have a complete outer-shell of electrons. How? Hydrogen and Oxygen form a covalent bond - Oxygen shares two of its electrons, and both Hydrogens share their one electron.

My heart beats erratically and is at nonstop risk to just up and stop working. Why? Because the series of 'electrical impulse conductors' in my heart sometimes fumbles the signal that keeps my heart beating, thanks to a kind of nerve damage I was born with. And how? The erratic beat and jumbled up electrical signals can cause an interruption of equilibrium in my heart, resulting in cardiac arrest.

Those are definite facts. I may or may not like them, but it's how the world works.

I'm socially incompetent and miss every chance I'm given. Why am I at a loss for words in social situations? Why am I terrible at meeting new people? How do I fall flat on my face any time I'm given an opportunity?

Why couldn't I just man up and join the student council? Barring that, would it really be so much of a hassle to just get up and run a little every morning? I even had someone who was willing to be my running partner.

Lilly was accommodating, but I just can't bring myself to take her up on her generous offer. Hell, maybe if I did that I'd be able to actually talk to Hanako, instead of scaring her off again.

If only I could find some answers. Why aren't there any definite facts there? Why is it just how it works? What can I do to solve this problem? How can I get a grasp on this crazy rollercoaster my life has turned into?

So to speak, I could jump out of the car at the perfect time, knocking the operator out of the way and taking control of the ride. But what do those things stand for? What do I have to jump out of? Who do I have to knock out of the way? How do I control my life once I have the operating panel in my hands?

...

I'm rambling again. Too much thinking about pointless things and not enough figuring out where the grocery store in this town is. I remember going to a convenience store with Lilly called "Aura Mart," but I can't remember where exactly it was.

There's an art supply store, a music store, and even a book store; but no convenience store. I've even found the small restaurant that Shizune and Misha used to try and coax me into joining the student council.

It would also appear that a pang of hunger has found its way to my brain as I stare at the diner, a sign hanging next to its entrance reading 'Shanghai.'