Love365, In Your Arms Tonight: Tsukasa
I found this post, Top Voltage Inc. guys, whose writer seems to have similar tastes to me and recs some promising sounding Love365 routes. I was having a bad day so decided to splurge the $6 to actually pay for one.
I settled on Tsukasa from In Your Arms Tonight: a younger man who thinks the divorced protagonist is married, and so just quietly pines.
It was super duper sweet, a really lovely story of two lonely, emotionally repressed, self sacrificing people who always cover their own needs with a smile helping each other learn to be more expressive and emotionally honest.
This does involve the love interest becoming a bit more Masculine, but it mostly felt like the right journey for him as a person rather than just because Obviously All Men Want To Be Manly.
Content Notes: There's a repeated theme of people not eating enough due to stress and losing weight. There's a brief moment of obligatory dub-con but it's not bad for otome. The overall dynamic is really lovely.
I was like "Well as a divorcee she'll have had sex" but just now is a flashback to the protagonist shyly approaching her husband in a silk negligee and him grumpily ignoring her and going to bed and her thinking "It's been 3 months and we still haven't slept together", so. Still, she wants to have sex and knows it!
The depiction of a lonely, empty marriage where she keeps trying so hard to be A Good Wife and he just barely acknowledges her is pretty effective. MC is so sad :(
Coworker: I'm a nice guy, why am I still single? *looks significantly at MC*
yeah...no thanks dude
(She's still married at this point, afaict she is married at the end of the prologue and some routes have her divorced and in some she has AN AFFAIR)
There are SIX female characters with sprites. SIX. Mostly well drawn and surprisingly hot!
Even the CEO of her company is a hot woman. It's like there's a secret yuri version of this game hiding in there somewhere...
Here are the protagonist's FOUR female friends:
The first three are her BFFs, the fourth is a more casual work friend and secret yuri LI of my heart.
But wtf is up with the first BFF's character design??? She's an unfortunate stereotype, too, the unattractive woman who claims to Be Too Sensible For Dating but also complains about other women stealing all the hot guys. Luckily she mainly just gets Generic BFF dialogue.
MC: My new boss accused me of being a lazy housewife who doesn't take work seriously :(
BFF1: Well, focus more on work then!
BFF2: Quit and start making babies!
BFF3: Balance is important. Have an affair :)
BFF2: ...wait is that your ex-boyfriend, the international soccer star?
amazing
Ex-boyfriend: I came back to Japan for two things. To help Japan win the world cup...and for you, MC.
BFF1: Sorry, she's married :(
Ex-boyfriend: Who cares, when I want something I take it ;)
MC: Haha, what a kidder
oooh so she sees her husband cuddling another woman and I'm given the choice: divorce or not divorce! I wonder if the prologue goes differently if you pick Not Divorce.
Random guy: Ouch, was that your husband? Harsh.
MC, sitting collapsed on the ground in shock: :(
Guy: Want me to carry you? ;) Here, I'll put my contact details in your phone.
MC, who is 30: Stop messing with adults and grow up >:(
Guy: Hey, I'm a grownup, I just turned 20!
Man screw this husband guy he hasn't helped take out the trash in THREE MONTHS? Even when some of it was really heavy!
Ex-boyfriend: I know 12 years is a long time but I figured you'd wait for me
12 years dude, come on
Haa her new boss shows up at her house, furious she forgot to take a work thing she needed home, but then sees she's been crying and takes her to a bar...so they can discuss it's interior design (they're interior designers) But the 20 year old guy from before, Kiyoto, works there as a bartender... and invites himself to sit with them??
MC: BACK OFF, I'M MARRIED. ALSO, BRING ME MARGARITAS
MC, drunk: See the problem with men is they give off mixed signals >:(
Kiyoto: You mean your cheating husband, right? I'll comfort you if you like ;) Or there's your footballer ex.
boss: Uh. What?
omg and then the next thing she knows she's waking up with a hangover while boss is carrying her drunk ass home on his back
MC: OH GOD SIR I AM SO SORRY I CAN WALK THE REST
Boss: Ok. Here, have this herbal drink. And remember to send the envelope for work!!
And that's the end of the prologue!
The boss, Kippei, looks more promising than I'd have expected. Getting back together with the husband...does not.
Here's all the love interests! You can see them on the wiki page.
In the prologue:
Genji: Obnoxious footballer ex-boyfriend
Shohei Aiba: Nice guy coworker
Kippei: The strict but basically decent and endearingly awkward boss
Kiyoto: Flirty 20 year old bartender
Koichi: Shitty ex-husband
Not in the prologue:
Ritsu: poison tongued physics teacher
Ginnosuke: naughty 40ish gentleman
Soji: Genji's little brother, who has pined for MC since highschool
Tsukasa: sweet younger guy
Trying Tsukasa's first chapter...
Tsukasa: Hi! I'm a uni friend of Kiyoto.
Kiyoto: No picking up girls in my bar >:(
Tsukasa: I'm not picking anyone up! Or are you jelly? I can pay more attention to you if you like ;)
Kiyoto: >:(
Tsukasa, whispering to MC: Isn't he cute when you tease him?
Well that's not a ship I was expecting but I can roll with it.
Tsukasa is studying sculpture and metalworking. She goes to his college's art festival and is all inspired as a designer, but wishes she had someone to discuss colour theory with.
And I liked it all enough to buy the route!
She sees Tsukasa being friendly with a girl and assumes they're dating. I assume this is a misunderstanding because it always is.
Tsukasa asks MC about her favourite art and then is all "Oh yes I love Vermeer too!" etc, reflecting back her opinions rather than really expressing much of his own.
She asks who his favourite sculptor is and he says Kotaro Takamura, who I'd never heard of. Google image search got me photos of this middle aged 1950s Japanese sculptor and a bunch of cool looking sculptures...
...and images from the otome game where you can date him. He was actually kind of hot in his youth but ONCE AGAIN we have blatant moustache erasure in historical otome: compare this hirsute excellence to this boring bishie.
ANYWAY. I love them bonding about art. He asks for an honest critique of his snowflake themed jewellery and she says it's beautiful but seems cold and lonely, and he really appreciates that she was honest with him.
MC keeps thinking about touchy and friendly Tsukasa is and how if she was younger she'd totally get the wrong idea. But she knows he totally doesn't mean it that way! He's just nice! She is aware of being attracted to him, but trying not to pay attention to it.
I am not into Kiyoto as a LI but he is endearing as Tsukusa's younger brother-y friend, who wants to look Adult and Sexy to MC but can't help brattily grumping when Tsukasa teases him.
Someone at work notices she's not wearing her wedding ring, and she thinks sadly that she's just not up for telling everyone she's divorced yet. So she puts it back on. Ah, oh no, poor Tsukasa...
He turns out to be a waiter at a bar she's at with Nice Guy Coworker Aiba.
Tsukasa: You're...married. Is this the lucky guy?
Aiba: Haha, no, her husband is really tall and handsome and successful. Seeing their wedding made me want to get married myself.
Keep it in your pants, Aiba.
Tsukasa: Yay, lucky MC :)
MC: Yes :)
Oh god I love pairings where both of them are emotionally repressed and self sacrificing and pretend everything is fine BUT IT IS NOT.
Tsukasa gives her a bowl of free food and asks his boss, the bar owner, if he'd consider hiring these two to do interior design for the upcoming renovations. But Aiba is busy so MC gets hired to do it alone. Ahhh I was wondering how she'd keep seeing Tsukasa.
Owner: I want to make this place more welcoming to young guys like him, who follow their dreams and are too young to fear anything. Back in my dad's day people would come here and scratch their dreams into the counter.
MC's meeting up with Tsukasa at his uni to discuss the design when she happens to see him getting dumped by his girlfriend. Huh! I assumed she'd jumped to a false conclusion, but no!
Girlfriend: You're not even upset!
Tsukasa, coldly and passively: What do you want from me?
MC: Um, sorry I saw that.
Tsukasa: It's fine, it happens all the time :)
MC: UM??
Haa but he gets blushily embarrassed when she nearly sees some of his unfinished sculptures.
MC: That's a nice ring!
Tsukasa, putting it on her ring finger: It suits you.
MC: Whoa, be careful, if you say stuff like that you'll give a girl ideas.
Tsukasa: Ah. Then you can have it!
MC: What? No??
Tsukasa: Then I'll make you something. What do you like?
MC: Anything you think is worthwhile.
Tsukasa: *distant melancholy look*
Awww.
Tsukasa: I always wonder about what's going on in the lives of well dressed adults when they come to our bar and get super drunk.
MC: *cough*
Turns out they live near each other, and she bumps into him at the convenience store saying he's forgotten his wallet. She pays his bill, and thinks it's super cute when he gets embarrassed. Then his stomach grumbles and she finds out he can't afford to eat regular meals.
MC: I'll cook you something!
Tsukasa That's a wonderful offer but would your husband be comfortable with it?
MC: ...yes >.> Anything you want?
Tsukasa: Meat :D
Game you are making me feel like a skeeve. He's 25 not 15.
His apartment is cramped and messy, not at all what she imagined. The kitchen looks unused yet he immediately offers to help her cook, saying he's learned how at work.
"This younger man was starting to feel like a younger brother to me"
GAME
Ha she trips and falls on top of him and is like "MAYBE THESE ARE NOT LITTLE BROTHER FEELINGS". They both apologise and he acts like it's no big deal.
She sees some half finished jewellery that was scattered when he fell. Instead of his usual detailed, cold work it's rough and masculine but somehow fascinating (fine, fine)
Tsukasa: So, are you here because you had a fight with your husband?
MC: >.>
Tsukasa: You should make up, it's hard to work when you're worried.
She wonders why she's so reluctant to tell people about the divorce, and whether they could have made things up if she'd actually tried to talk to him about the affair.
And then she sees her ex-husband with his girlfriend and she instinctively runs. She thinks "Why am I running? Will I do this every time I see him? Is it because I have low self worth?"
Tsukasa, out of breath: MC! You forgot your...hey are you ok?
MC: I'm fine :)
Tsukasa, patting her head: It'll be ok. We'll just both keep trying, right?
MC, sniffling: Right.
She's been so down she's had trouble eating. At their next meeting Tsukasa silently takes her to the restaurant, which is closed, and makes her something to eat, saying she looks too thin and he worries she's not doing well. But she is reminded of cooking the same dish for her husband and him coldly telling her he didn't like it, and she feels tears roll down her face.
Tsukasa: Still can't make up with your husband?
MC: *laughs darkly* I'm sorry.
Tsukasa: Why?
MC: I'm divorced. I've been divorced since before you even met me.
Tsukasa: :O
She tells him the whole sad story: Their dads being friends and arranging everything, her deciding he was a kind man she could fall in love with, then finding out he'd been cheating on her the whole time.
MC: I picked the wrong guy, and now I don't think I'll ever be happily married.
Tsukasa: That's not true.
MC: What if I pick wrong again? Every time I trust someone's kindness I wonder, am I wrong? I can't trust anyone. Not even myself.
Tsukasa, holding her shaking hands: You'll find Mr Right. The man you married just wasn't him.
MC, taking off her ring and holding it so tightly her knuckles go white: I feel stupid for relying on this for so long.
Tsukasa, pulling her into a hug: Don't reject your past self. I love you just the way you are. And the ring did nothing wrong.
That's cute but this is only episode 7 why is he declaring his love??
Ok from her lack of reaction he said "I like you" and the translator got over-excited. Anyway she decides that even if she made the wrong decision, she did her best.
Tsukasa, gently touching her hair: This brings back memories...
MC: Of hugging...women...?
Tsukasa: My little sister! She's the one who made me this friendship bracelet when I moved from Kyushu to Tokyo. Every object is made by someone who put their heart into it.
There is a somewhat confusing exchange where he asks for her ring using formal respectful language towards an older person and she teases him about it.
He invites her to his first solo exhibit. She's disappointed to realise it's all cold, delicate work and not the more dynamic pieces she saw hidden at home.
Tsukasa, with an empty expression: What do you think?
MC: It's beautiful.
Tsukasa: Great :)
She leaves him to be surrounded by fawning female fans, but he jogs out to catch up with her, saying he knows she wasn't being honest and asking her to tell him what she really thinks.
MC: I liked your work at home better. It was youthful, masculine, wild and liberated...
Tsukasa: But everyone loves the other stuff. It's the sort of pretty accessories people can show off...anyway thanks for your opinion. Bye :)
She thinks about how he always cares so much about other people's feelings and never his own. He always smiles, even when he's sad.
Restaurant owner: So I know construction begins in an hour, but I want to keep the old counter, with it's historical graffiti.
MC: We both agreed it was scaring away new customers. At length. In many meetings.
Owner: Sorry :(
MC: Well. I guess. I'll make a new plan then. In a day. And delay the contractor. >:/
Tsukasa: Why didn't you just go along with the owner?
MC: We spent many hours figuring out that design. It's our job to make the bar he needs, not the one he wants. If you really care about him, you have to face him with your real opinion, not just go along with whatever he says to make him happy.
Tsukasa: What if I'm wrong? What if my actions hurt the other person?
MC: Then you figure it out together.
Aw and then she comes up with the idea of putting the counter on the wall and using it to showcase local upcoming artists. I really like how careful she is to make sure not to go over the owner's limited budget.
Tsukasa: You're so cool, I'd have never have come up with that!
MC: Neither of us could have come up with it alone, it was a result of us combining our strengths.
He blushes and she wonders if he's so used to self sacrifice he's never had mutual support before.
Kiyoto: Tsukasa's getting skinny and not showing up at school.
MC: He is an adult, I shouldn't meddle.
The next day she shows up at his apartment door offering to take him to lunch, lol.
Tsukasa: Sure, we can look for materials for my designs. Just let me get changed! *takes off shirt*
MC: PUT ON SOME CLOTHES??? D:
She notices that he's more willing to express his own opinions and wants now, when before he'd always get her to decide on everything. He's still very observant and attentive with her mood and preferences. The two of them discussing art together is super sweet.
I think it was around here he showed her a new piece he's working on, something masculine and dynamic that he actually wants to be making.
AHAHA OMG SHE HAS SPENT THIS WHOLE TIME THINKING HE WAS TWENTY BECAUSE HE'S IN THE SAME CLASS AS KIYOKO
"He did seem mature for his age" lol. Turns out he left a previous four year degree to switch to metalworking.
She teaches him the exotic art of eating scones with tea, enjoying his cute surprise at the rose jelly.
MC: Roses can mean so many things...the colour but also the flowers, the buds, even the thorns. I want to be like a rose and let people enjoy a variety of ideas, while still expressing myself.
MC: Wow, Tsukasa, you understand all the complex English words in that technical book?
Tsukasa: Actually, I don't know any English, I just use them to display things on >.>
He blushingly asks to walk her home, and to go "looking for materials" with her again. It feels like he's asking her on a date, and she reminds herself that she's 6 years older and divorced. Anyway: they have a lovely friendship, and care about each other, but that's not love. Right?
BFF: You seem happier these days :)
Aiba: She must be getting along well with her husband!
Coworker: Oh but you forgot to wear your ring again!
BFF: ... :(
MC thinks about how Tsukasa has had the strength to change and face people.
MC: ...I'm divorced. Sorry I never told you.
Aiba: That explains why you were so sad. I'm glad you feel better now!
Coworker: Have you met someone new? ;)
MC: ...no...(Tsukasa is a wonderful gift, but not in the way she means...)
She tells Tsukasa that he gave her the courage to be honest, and he pulls her into a hug and shakingly says he's happy for her. He takes her hand and says it finally feels like he's touched her. She wonders what this means, and how he sees her.
They bump into Kiyoko, and Tsukasa stubbornly refuses to let go of her hand.
Kiyoko: So you two hooked up huh?
Tsukasa: No :) I just want to take care of her.
MC: (What does that mean?!)
He leads her to the park where they discussed facing people instead of just going along with them. He kneels down in front of her and says that day she inspired him to change. He never realised it before, but he started putting other people first when his little sister was born when he was eight. MC has helped him realise what he was doing, and learn to face people.
I was expecting a more angsty backstory, but sometimes you don't need any specific trauma to end up in a toxic rut.
She finds herself crying, and realises that she's in love with Tsukasa.
MC: I never faced my husband. That will stay with me a long time. But I'm going to stop thinking about it.
He insists on walking her home, and asks to keep holding her hand when they arrive. She is about to ask him to clarify what he meant by "taking care of her" when he says he wants her to be the first person to see his new exhibition, and kisses her hand, saying no-one else will do. She decides it can wait, that what they have now is enough.
She's running early for meeting up with Tsukasa, when she bumps into her ex-husband Koichi. And she finds she has the strength to go up and say hi. He's awkward at first, but then bows deeply and says he's really sorry for making her so miserable. She in turn apologies for not giving him the chance to talk things through with her.
OH HIS MISTRESS WAS HIS BOSS'S WIFE??? OH DEAR. Word got out and he got demoted, oops.
She hasn't forgiven him. But she holds his hand and tells him he'll be ok.
He says he's glad she seems happier now, and she thinks about how much Tsukasa has helped her.
Koichi: How's work?
MC: Good. I'm working on a bar renovation, you should come see the opening.
Koichi: Are you sure?
MC: Yes. I don't think I ever showed you my work before.
Awww Tsukasa is being sad and distant, always saying he's busy with work. MC is supportive but lonely. Did he see them together and get the wrong idea? USE YOUR WORDS TSUKASA.
Kiyoko: I hear Tsukasa isn't sleeping much. There's a few ways you could pay me for that info... ;)
MC: Uh huh :/
Kiyoko she is not going to sleep with you for info on her crush, come on. It's pretty cute how under the veneer of skeeze he cares about Tsukasa and actually ships him with MC.
Wow I just realised this route doesn't have 13 chapters it has 17! It's been quite meaty and long, I definitely feel like I got my money's worth.
Except for this background. This is possibly the worst background I have ever seen in a paid visual novel. THE WALLS AREN'T EVEN VERTICAL. Those jpeg artifacts aren't from me!!
And it doesn't even match the scene. They're looking at antique Chinese sculpture, not paintings and...weird glowy green things!
They went to the bother of making three different backgrounds for the bar in various stages of renovation, and those are pretty good...even if they actively contradict the way MC described it. An attempt was made.
The correct choices for Tsukasa generally involve being honest and actively expressing interest in his company and well being. Which fits the game's theme about the importance of honest communication!
Sadly Tsukasa hasn't realised this is the theme yet, but I like how him being distant is still friendly and cheerful, he still communicates with MC about the bar job etc. He just makes polite, plausible sounding excuses to avoid being alone with her. Even if I'm all NOOOO TSUKASA JUST TALK TO HER YOU DUMBASS.
Poor MC thinks she must have made him angry by being too nosy and needy ;_;
Koichi shows up! He thought this was the opening but it's actually the staff party, so he's not invited. MC feels bad so brings him in as "an old friend", and since he's working in wine imports makes a business introduction to the owner. LOOK AT WHAT A GOOD WIFE YOU COULDA HAD KOICHI.
Man even when he's being friendly and happy Koichi's sprites are mostly kinda mean looking.
And of course Tsukasa watches all this with his heart quietly breaking. He walks out, and barely stops himself from snapping at MC when she follows before being all "Haha just needed some air :)"
MC: That man is my ex-husband. I finally felt able to face him!
Tsukasa: Just as I thought :)
MC: You made that possible Tsukasa, thank you!
Tsukasa: I'm happy for you :)
Oh god these poor babies /o\
MC realises he's holding back tears behind his smile.
Owner: Am I interrupting something? ;)
Tsukasa: No :(
The owner starts talking about how Tsukasa always went on about how great and inspiring MC is. Koichi looks at him thoughtfully and Tsukasa looks like he wants to sink into the floor and die.
Time passes and now MC has no reason to see Tsukasa. She tries unsuccessfully not to pine, going to Kiyoko's bar every night in the hopes Tsukasa will be there.
Kiyoko: Lonely?
MC: ...yes :(
Kiyoko: Sigh. Look...he never comes here to drink.
And then I played through the rest without pausing!
They bump into each other in the convenience store again but it's just more awkward politeness and she thinks: is this all I will ever have of him now?
He's waiting for her outside but just awkwardly thanks her for helping inspire his entry in the upcoming competitive exhibition.
She tries to get him to explain what's going on, walking around to face him when he turns away, but he just coldly says "What do you want?" and refuses to express himself.
He doesn't show her his exhibition first. She goes to the main hall and his stuff isn't even there. Kiyoto shows up and takes her to a small out-of-the-way room: the one for works that didn't get accepted. There is Tsukasa's work.
But she's happy, because he's finally expressing himself. The jewellery is rough and unfinished, some of it not even wearable, but it's fascinating and really saying something.
Tsukasa's mentor shows up, saying how happy all the teachers are that he's finally expressing himself. He's not quite exhibition standard yet, but on the right path. His fellow students don't accept the change yet, but Tsukasa needs to stop caring so much what other people think.
I like this. Sometimes when you stop caring so much about what other people think, it makes you less popular. But it's still worth doing.
Tsukasa sees her there, being gratuitously flirted with by Kiyoko, and grumpily drags her off for a private conversation. It's the first time he's ever let her see him even a little angry.
He says he saw her with Koichi, and decided she'd be happier with a cool confident business man instead of a poor student. He told himself he'd get over her if he avoided her, but he couldn't stop thinking about her. He slips her wedding ring back on her finger and says he doesn't want anyone else to get to the the one who makes her happy.
She tells him she loves him too, that she doesn't care about Koichi that way, and they happily hug, and then kiss.
Awwww
Haha aww, a few weeks later her friends ask how their sex life is and she thinks about how they snuggle in bed but just kiss and it's nice but also Tsukasa is super hot and it's GETTING FRUSTRATING. Use your words, MC!
She gets up the courage to vaguely imply she might like to maybe take his shirt off, and he gets a bit "OK I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO BE GOOD BUT WE ARE HAVING SEX NOW, NO ARGUMENT" but she's all "hell yes", so I just rolled my eyes and went "yes, yes, Voltage, you're catering to your audience's rape kink, I understand".
The fade to black sex was a bit meh but they're both very happy. He kisses her hand and shows her that he engraved a rose petal inside her ring.
And that's the end! I am not sure I can bring myself to play the less happy ending, even though past experience with other games implies it's perfectly nice.
...ok it's EXACTLY the same up right through to them kissing.
MC finds him talking about his art ambitions SUPER HOT and unsuccessfully attempts to "invite him in for tea".
There's some slightly different but still cute moments, and then he tries to kiss her and she pushes him away because she's having trouble dealing with how self confident and in charge he is, she feels weird especially since she's older. He admits he's just bluffing, and is nervous too, and the two of them are very cutely soppy about each other and then kiss.
That was cute too!
He only has one side story, which is 200 coins ($3) for 3 chapters. Eh.
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comments.
I settled on Tsukasa from In Your Arms Tonight: a younger man who thinks the divorced protagonist is married, and so just quietly pines.
It was super duper sweet, a really lovely story of two lonely, emotionally repressed, self sacrificing people who always cover their own needs with a smile helping each other learn to be more expressive and emotionally honest.
This does involve the love interest becoming a bit more Masculine, but it mostly felt like the right journey for him as a person rather than just because Obviously All Men Want To Be Manly.
Content Notes: There's a repeated theme of people not eating enough due to stress and losing weight. There's a brief moment of obligatory dub-con but it's not bad for otome. The overall dynamic is really lovely.
I was like "Well as a divorcee she'll have had sex" but just now is a flashback to the protagonist shyly approaching her husband in a silk negligee and him grumpily ignoring her and going to bed and her thinking "It's been 3 months and we still haven't slept together", so. Still, she wants to have sex and knows it!
The depiction of a lonely, empty marriage where she keeps trying so hard to be A Good Wife and he just barely acknowledges her is pretty effective. MC is so sad :(
Coworker: I'm a nice guy, why am I still single? *looks significantly at MC*
yeah...no thanks dude
(She's still married at this point, afaict she is married at the end of the prologue and some routes have her divorced and in some she has AN AFFAIR)
There are SIX female characters with sprites. SIX. Mostly well drawn and surprisingly hot!
Even the CEO of her company is a hot woman. It's like there's a secret yuri version of this game hiding in there somewhere...
Here are the protagonist's FOUR female friends:
The first three are her BFFs, the fourth is a more casual work friend and secret yuri LI of my heart.
But wtf is up with the first BFF's character design??? She's an unfortunate stereotype, too, the unattractive woman who claims to Be Too Sensible For Dating but also complains about other women stealing all the hot guys. Luckily she mainly just gets Generic BFF dialogue.
MC: My new boss accused me of being a lazy housewife who doesn't take work seriously :(
BFF1: Well, focus more on work then!
BFF2: Quit and start making babies!
BFF3: Balance is important. Have an affair :)
BFF2: ...wait is that your ex-boyfriend, the international soccer star?
amazing
Ex-boyfriend: I came back to Japan for two things. To help Japan win the world cup...and for you, MC.
BFF1: Sorry, she's married :(
Ex-boyfriend: Who cares, when I want something I take it ;)
MC: Haha, what a kidder
oooh so she sees her husband cuddling another woman and I'm given the choice: divorce or not divorce! I wonder if the prologue goes differently if you pick Not Divorce.
Random guy: Ouch, was that your husband? Harsh.
MC, sitting collapsed on the ground in shock: :(
Guy: Want me to carry you? ;) Here, I'll put my contact details in your phone.
MC, who is 30: Stop messing with adults and grow up >:(
Guy: Hey, I'm a grownup, I just turned 20!
Man screw this husband guy he hasn't helped take out the trash in THREE MONTHS? Even when some of it was really heavy!
Ex-boyfriend: I know 12 years is a long time but I figured you'd wait for me
12 years dude, come on
Haa her new boss shows up at her house, furious she forgot to take a work thing she needed home, but then sees she's been crying and takes her to a bar...so they can discuss it's interior design (they're interior designers) But the 20 year old guy from before, Kiyoto, works there as a bartender... and invites himself to sit with them??
MC: BACK OFF, I'M MARRIED. ALSO, BRING ME MARGARITAS
MC, drunk: See the problem with men is they give off mixed signals >:(
Kiyoto: You mean your cheating husband, right? I'll comfort you if you like ;) Or there's your footballer ex.
boss: Uh. What?
omg and then the next thing she knows she's waking up with a hangover while boss is carrying her drunk ass home on his back
MC: OH GOD SIR I AM SO SORRY I CAN WALK THE REST
Boss: Ok. Here, have this herbal drink. And remember to send the envelope for work!!
And that's the end of the prologue!
The boss, Kippei, looks more promising than I'd have expected. Getting back together with the husband...does not.
Here's all the love interests! You can see them on the wiki page.
In the prologue:
Genji: Obnoxious footballer ex-boyfriend
Shohei Aiba: Nice guy coworker
Kippei: The strict but basically decent and endearingly awkward boss
Kiyoto: Flirty 20 year old bartender
Koichi: Shitty ex-husband
Not in the prologue:
Ritsu: poison tongued physics teacher
Ginnosuke: naughty 40ish gentleman
Soji: Genji's little brother, who has pined for MC since highschool
Tsukasa: sweet younger guy
Trying Tsukasa's first chapter...
Tsukasa: Hi! I'm a uni friend of Kiyoto.
Kiyoto: No picking up girls in my bar >:(
Tsukasa: I'm not picking anyone up! Or are you jelly? I can pay more attention to you if you like ;)
Kiyoto: >:(
Tsukasa, whispering to MC: Isn't he cute when you tease him?
Well that's not a ship I was expecting but I can roll with it.
Tsukasa is studying sculpture and metalworking. She goes to his college's art festival and is all inspired as a designer, but wishes she had someone to discuss colour theory with.
And I liked it all enough to buy the route!
She sees Tsukasa being friendly with a girl and assumes they're dating. I assume this is a misunderstanding because it always is.
Tsukasa asks MC about her favourite art and then is all "Oh yes I love Vermeer too!" etc, reflecting back her opinions rather than really expressing much of his own.
She asks who his favourite sculptor is and he says Kotaro Takamura, who I'd never heard of. Google image search got me photos of this middle aged 1950s Japanese sculptor and a bunch of cool looking sculptures...
...and images from the otome game where you can date him. He was actually kind of hot in his youth but ONCE AGAIN we have blatant moustache erasure in historical otome: compare this hirsute excellence to this boring bishie.
ANYWAY. I love them bonding about art. He asks for an honest critique of his snowflake themed jewellery and she says it's beautiful but seems cold and lonely, and he really appreciates that she was honest with him.
MC keeps thinking about touchy and friendly Tsukasa is and how if she was younger she'd totally get the wrong idea. But she knows he totally doesn't mean it that way! He's just nice! She is aware of being attracted to him, but trying not to pay attention to it.
I am not into Kiyoto as a LI but he is endearing as Tsukusa's younger brother-y friend, who wants to look Adult and Sexy to MC but can't help brattily grumping when Tsukasa teases him.
Someone at work notices she's not wearing her wedding ring, and she thinks sadly that she's just not up for telling everyone she's divorced yet. So she puts it back on. Ah, oh no, poor Tsukasa...
He turns out to be a waiter at a bar she's at with Nice Guy Coworker Aiba.
Tsukasa: You're...married. Is this the lucky guy?
Aiba: Haha, no, her husband is really tall and handsome and successful. Seeing their wedding made me want to get married myself.
Keep it in your pants, Aiba.
Tsukasa: Yay, lucky MC :)
MC: Yes :)
Oh god I love pairings where both of them are emotionally repressed and self sacrificing and pretend everything is fine BUT IT IS NOT.
Tsukasa gives her a bowl of free food and asks his boss, the bar owner, if he'd consider hiring these two to do interior design for the upcoming renovations. But Aiba is busy so MC gets hired to do it alone. Ahhh I was wondering how she'd keep seeing Tsukasa.
Owner: I want to make this place more welcoming to young guys like him, who follow their dreams and are too young to fear anything. Back in my dad's day people would come here and scratch their dreams into the counter.
MC's meeting up with Tsukasa at his uni to discuss the design when she happens to see him getting dumped by his girlfriend. Huh! I assumed she'd jumped to a false conclusion, but no!
Girlfriend: You're not even upset!
Tsukasa, coldly and passively: What do you want from me?
MC: Um, sorry I saw that.
Tsukasa: It's fine, it happens all the time :)
MC: UM??
Haa but he gets blushily embarrassed when she nearly sees some of his unfinished sculptures.
MC: That's a nice ring!
Tsukasa, putting it on her ring finger: It suits you.
MC: Whoa, be careful, if you say stuff like that you'll give a girl ideas.
Tsukasa: Ah. Then you can have it!
MC: What? No??
Tsukasa: Then I'll make you something. What do you like?
MC: Anything you think is worthwhile.
Tsukasa: *distant melancholy look*
Awww.
Tsukasa: I always wonder about what's going on in the lives of well dressed adults when they come to our bar and get super drunk.
MC: *cough*
Turns out they live near each other, and she bumps into him at the convenience store saying he's forgotten his wallet. She pays his bill, and thinks it's super cute when he gets embarrassed. Then his stomach grumbles and she finds out he can't afford to eat regular meals.
MC: I'll cook you something!
Tsukasa That's a wonderful offer but would your husband be comfortable with it?
MC: ...yes >.> Anything you want?
Tsukasa: Meat :D
Game you are making me feel like a skeeve. He's 25 not 15.
His apartment is cramped and messy, not at all what she imagined. The kitchen looks unused yet he immediately offers to help her cook, saying he's learned how at work.
"This younger man was starting to feel like a younger brother to me"
GAME
Ha she trips and falls on top of him and is like "MAYBE THESE ARE NOT LITTLE BROTHER FEELINGS". They both apologise and he acts like it's no big deal.
She sees some half finished jewellery that was scattered when he fell. Instead of his usual detailed, cold work it's rough and masculine but somehow fascinating (fine, fine)
Tsukasa: So, are you here because you had a fight with your husband?
MC: >.>
Tsukasa: You should make up, it's hard to work when you're worried.
She wonders why she's so reluctant to tell people about the divorce, and whether they could have made things up if she'd actually tried to talk to him about the affair.
And then she sees her ex-husband with his girlfriend and she instinctively runs. She thinks "Why am I running? Will I do this every time I see him? Is it because I have low self worth?"
Tsukasa, out of breath: MC! You forgot your...hey are you ok?
MC: I'm fine :)
Tsukasa, patting her head: It'll be ok. We'll just both keep trying, right?
MC, sniffling: Right.
She's been so down she's had trouble eating. At their next meeting Tsukasa silently takes her to the restaurant, which is closed, and makes her something to eat, saying she looks too thin and he worries she's not doing well. But she is reminded of cooking the same dish for her husband and him coldly telling her he didn't like it, and she feels tears roll down her face.
Tsukasa: Still can't make up with your husband?
MC: *laughs darkly* I'm sorry.
Tsukasa: Why?
MC: I'm divorced. I've been divorced since before you even met me.
Tsukasa: :O
She tells him the whole sad story: Their dads being friends and arranging everything, her deciding he was a kind man she could fall in love with, then finding out he'd been cheating on her the whole time.
MC: I picked the wrong guy, and now I don't think I'll ever be happily married.
Tsukasa: That's not true.
MC: What if I pick wrong again? Every time I trust someone's kindness I wonder, am I wrong? I can't trust anyone. Not even myself.
Tsukasa, holding her shaking hands: You'll find Mr Right. The man you married just wasn't him.
MC, taking off her ring and holding it so tightly her knuckles go white: I feel stupid for relying on this for so long.
Tsukasa, pulling her into a hug: Don't reject your past self. I love you just the way you are. And the ring did nothing wrong.
That's cute but this is only episode 7 why is he declaring his love??
Ok from her lack of reaction he said "I like you" and the translator got over-excited. Anyway she decides that even if she made the wrong decision, she did her best.
Tsukasa, gently touching her hair: This brings back memories...
MC: Of hugging...women...?
Tsukasa: My little sister! She's the one who made me this friendship bracelet when I moved from Kyushu to Tokyo. Every object is made by someone who put their heart into it.
There is a somewhat confusing exchange where he asks for her ring using formal respectful language towards an older person and she teases him about it.
He invites her to his first solo exhibit. She's disappointed to realise it's all cold, delicate work and not the more dynamic pieces she saw hidden at home.
Tsukasa, with an empty expression: What do you think?
MC: It's beautiful.
Tsukasa: Great :)
She leaves him to be surrounded by fawning female fans, but he jogs out to catch up with her, saying he knows she wasn't being honest and asking her to tell him what she really thinks.
MC: I liked your work at home better. It was youthful, masculine, wild and liberated...
Tsukasa: But everyone loves the other stuff. It's the sort of pretty accessories people can show off...anyway thanks for your opinion. Bye :)
She thinks about how he always cares so much about other people's feelings and never his own. He always smiles, even when he's sad.
Restaurant owner: So I know construction begins in an hour, but I want to keep the old counter, with it's historical graffiti.
MC: We both agreed it was scaring away new customers. At length. In many meetings.
Owner: Sorry :(
MC: Well. I guess. I'll make a new plan then. In a day. And delay the contractor. >:/
Tsukasa: Why didn't you just go along with the owner?
MC: We spent many hours figuring out that design. It's our job to make the bar he needs, not the one he wants. If you really care about him, you have to face him with your real opinion, not just go along with whatever he says to make him happy.
Tsukasa: What if I'm wrong? What if my actions hurt the other person?
MC: Then you figure it out together.
Aw and then she comes up with the idea of putting the counter on the wall and using it to showcase local upcoming artists. I really like how careful she is to make sure not to go over the owner's limited budget.
Tsukasa: You're so cool, I'd have never have come up with that!
MC: Neither of us could have come up with it alone, it was a result of us combining our strengths.
He blushes and she wonders if he's so used to self sacrifice he's never had mutual support before.
Kiyoto: Tsukasa's getting skinny and not showing up at school.
MC: He is an adult, I shouldn't meddle.
The next day she shows up at his apartment door offering to take him to lunch, lol.
Tsukasa: Sure, we can look for materials for my designs. Just let me get changed! *takes off shirt*
MC: PUT ON SOME CLOTHES??? D:
She notices that he's more willing to express his own opinions and wants now, when before he'd always get her to decide on everything. He's still very observant and attentive with her mood and preferences. The two of them discussing art together is super sweet.
I think it was around here he showed her a new piece he's working on, something masculine and dynamic that he actually wants to be making.
AHAHA OMG SHE HAS SPENT THIS WHOLE TIME THINKING HE WAS TWENTY BECAUSE HE'S IN THE SAME CLASS AS KIYOKO
"He did seem mature for his age" lol. Turns out he left a previous four year degree to switch to metalworking.
She teaches him the exotic art of eating scones with tea, enjoying his cute surprise at the rose jelly.
MC: Roses can mean so many things...the colour but also the flowers, the buds, even the thorns. I want to be like a rose and let people enjoy a variety of ideas, while still expressing myself.
MC: Wow, Tsukasa, you understand all the complex English words in that technical book?
Tsukasa: Actually, I don't know any English, I just use them to display things on >.>
He blushingly asks to walk her home, and to go "looking for materials" with her again. It feels like he's asking her on a date, and she reminds herself that she's 6 years older and divorced. Anyway: they have a lovely friendship, and care about each other, but that's not love. Right?
BFF: You seem happier these days :)
Aiba: She must be getting along well with her husband!
Coworker: Oh but you forgot to wear your ring again!
BFF: ... :(
MC thinks about how Tsukasa has had the strength to change and face people.
MC: ...I'm divorced. Sorry I never told you.
Aiba: That explains why you were so sad. I'm glad you feel better now!
Coworker: Have you met someone new? ;)
MC: ...no...(Tsukasa is a wonderful gift, but not in the way she means...)
She tells Tsukasa that he gave her the courage to be honest, and he pulls her into a hug and shakingly says he's happy for her. He takes her hand and says it finally feels like he's touched her. She wonders what this means, and how he sees her.
They bump into Kiyoko, and Tsukasa stubbornly refuses to let go of her hand.
Kiyoko: So you two hooked up huh?
Tsukasa: No :) I just want to take care of her.
MC: (What does that mean?!)
He leads her to the park where they discussed facing people instead of just going along with them. He kneels down in front of her and says that day she inspired him to change. He never realised it before, but he started putting other people first when his little sister was born when he was eight. MC has helped him realise what he was doing, and learn to face people.
I was expecting a more angsty backstory, but sometimes you don't need any specific trauma to end up in a toxic rut.
She finds herself crying, and realises that she's in love with Tsukasa.
MC: I never faced my husband. That will stay with me a long time. But I'm going to stop thinking about it.
He insists on walking her home, and asks to keep holding her hand when they arrive. She is about to ask him to clarify what he meant by "taking care of her" when he says he wants her to be the first person to see his new exhibition, and kisses her hand, saying no-one else will do. She decides it can wait, that what they have now is enough.
She's running early for meeting up with Tsukasa, when she bumps into her ex-husband Koichi. And she finds she has the strength to go up and say hi. He's awkward at first, but then bows deeply and says he's really sorry for making her so miserable. She in turn apologies for not giving him the chance to talk things through with her.
OH HIS MISTRESS WAS HIS BOSS'S WIFE??? OH DEAR. Word got out and he got demoted, oops.
She hasn't forgiven him. But she holds his hand and tells him he'll be ok.
He says he's glad she seems happier now, and she thinks about how much Tsukasa has helped her.
Koichi: How's work?
MC: Good. I'm working on a bar renovation, you should come see the opening.
Koichi: Are you sure?
MC: Yes. I don't think I ever showed you my work before.
Awww Tsukasa is being sad and distant, always saying he's busy with work. MC is supportive but lonely. Did he see them together and get the wrong idea? USE YOUR WORDS TSUKASA.
Kiyoko: I hear Tsukasa isn't sleeping much. There's a few ways you could pay me for that info... ;)
MC: Uh huh :/
Kiyoko she is not going to sleep with you for info on her crush, come on. It's pretty cute how under the veneer of skeeze he cares about Tsukasa and actually ships him with MC.
Wow I just realised this route doesn't have 13 chapters it has 17! It's been quite meaty and long, I definitely feel like I got my money's worth.
Except for this background. This is possibly the worst background I have ever seen in a paid visual novel. THE WALLS AREN'T EVEN VERTICAL. Those jpeg artifacts aren't from me!!
And it doesn't even match the scene. They're looking at antique Chinese sculpture, not paintings and...weird glowy green things!
They went to the bother of making three different backgrounds for the bar in various stages of renovation, and those are pretty good...even if they actively contradict the way MC described it. An attempt was made.
The correct choices for Tsukasa generally involve being honest and actively expressing interest in his company and well being. Which fits the game's theme about the importance of honest communication!
Sadly Tsukasa hasn't realised this is the theme yet, but I like how him being distant is still friendly and cheerful, he still communicates with MC about the bar job etc. He just makes polite, plausible sounding excuses to avoid being alone with her. Even if I'm all NOOOO TSUKASA JUST TALK TO HER YOU DUMBASS.
Poor MC thinks she must have made him angry by being too nosy and needy ;_;
Koichi shows up! He thought this was the opening but it's actually the staff party, so he's not invited. MC feels bad so brings him in as "an old friend", and since he's working in wine imports makes a business introduction to the owner. LOOK AT WHAT A GOOD WIFE YOU COULDA HAD KOICHI.
Man even when he's being friendly and happy Koichi's sprites are mostly kinda mean looking.
And of course Tsukasa watches all this with his heart quietly breaking. He walks out, and barely stops himself from snapping at MC when she follows before being all "Haha just needed some air :)"
MC: That man is my ex-husband. I finally felt able to face him!
Tsukasa: Just as I thought :)
MC: You made that possible Tsukasa, thank you!
Tsukasa: I'm happy for you :)
Oh god these poor babies /o\
MC realises he's holding back tears behind his smile.
Owner: Am I interrupting something? ;)
Tsukasa: No :(
The owner starts talking about how Tsukasa always went on about how great and inspiring MC is. Koichi looks at him thoughtfully and Tsukasa looks like he wants to sink into the floor and die.
Time passes and now MC has no reason to see Tsukasa. She tries unsuccessfully not to pine, going to Kiyoko's bar every night in the hopes Tsukasa will be there.
Kiyoko: Lonely?
MC: ...yes :(
Kiyoko: Sigh. Look...he never comes here to drink.
And then I played through the rest without pausing!
They bump into each other in the convenience store again but it's just more awkward politeness and she thinks: is this all I will ever have of him now?
He's waiting for her outside but just awkwardly thanks her for helping inspire his entry in the upcoming competitive exhibition.
She tries to get him to explain what's going on, walking around to face him when he turns away, but he just coldly says "What do you want?" and refuses to express himself.
He doesn't show her his exhibition first. She goes to the main hall and his stuff isn't even there. Kiyoto shows up and takes her to a small out-of-the-way room: the one for works that didn't get accepted. There is Tsukasa's work.
But she's happy, because he's finally expressing himself. The jewellery is rough and unfinished, some of it not even wearable, but it's fascinating and really saying something.
Tsukasa's mentor shows up, saying how happy all the teachers are that he's finally expressing himself. He's not quite exhibition standard yet, but on the right path. His fellow students don't accept the change yet, but Tsukasa needs to stop caring so much what other people think.
I like this. Sometimes when you stop caring so much about what other people think, it makes you less popular. But it's still worth doing.
Tsukasa sees her there, being gratuitously flirted with by Kiyoko, and grumpily drags her off for a private conversation. It's the first time he's ever let her see him even a little angry.
He says he saw her with Koichi, and decided she'd be happier with a cool confident business man instead of a poor student. He told himself he'd get over her if he avoided her, but he couldn't stop thinking about her. He slips her wedding ring back on her finger and says he doesn't want anyone else to get to the the one who makes her happy.
She tells him she loves him too, that she doesn't care about Koichi that way, and they happily hug, and then kiss.
Awwww
Haha aww, a few weeks later her friends ask how their sex life is and she thinks about how they snuggle in bed but just kiss and it's nice but also Tsukasa is super hot and it's GETTING FRUSTRATING. Use your words, MC!
She gets up the courage to vaguely imply she might like to maybe take his shirt off, and he gets a bit "OK I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO BE GOOD BUT WE ARE HAVING SEX NOW, NO ARGUMENT" but she's all "hell yes", so I just rolled my eyes and went "yes, yes, Voltage, you're catering to your audience's rape kink, I understand".
The fade to black sex was a bit meh but they're both very happy. He kisses her hand and shows her that he engraved a rose petal inside her ring.
And that's the end! I am not sure I can bring myself to play the less happy ending, even though past experience with other games implies it's perfectly nice.
...ok it's EXACTLY the same up right through to them kissing.
MC finds him talking about his art ambitions SUPER HOT and unsuccessfully attempts to "invite him in for tea".
There's some slightly different but still cute moments, and then he tries to kiss her and she pushes him away because she's having trouble dealing with how self confident and in charge he is, she feels weird especially since she's older. He admits he's just bluffing, and is nervous too, and the two of them are very cutely soppy about each other and then kiss.
That was cute too!
He only has one side story, which is 200 coins ($3) for 3 chapters. Eh.
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