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This is the summary I wrote before I took a break from the game, I started again and realised this was already pretty long so am posting it now.
It's all rather sad and just going to get sadder.
Content Note: consent issues, Code Realize spoilers
Beniyuri accidentally pulls a bookcase down on top of them, and either Hikage is faking a blush or he's genuinely embarrassed about being stuck on top of Beniyuri, but is still keeping a much cooler head about it than her.
Monster hunting with Hikage! He's clearly disappointed that he's on a team with Beniyuri.
Beniyuri: Do you...not like me?
Hikage: Do you have a victim complex? I don't dislike you. I just think you're unreliable.
Beniyuri: Oh :(
Hoikage: You misunderstand: I think all girls are weak and unreliable. I'm not sure I'll be able to protect you.
WELL IF I DIDN'T ALREADY KNOW HE WAS A VILLAIN
Looking back he's said a few other old fashioned things about women, but honestly they all have.
Beniyuri: So you don't hate me, yay! But don't worry about protecting me, just run away!
BENIYURI. YOU'RE GENERATION Z. HAVE HIGHER STANDARDS.
Hikage: Ok, this is something I DO hate about you. You think self sacrifice is some kind of virtue. It's the people left behind who have to deal with the guilt. You really care about your friends? Don't give up on your life until the end.
In both this and the scene hunting monsters with Kagiha, they came across calm children in masks, who vanish the moment they look away. This one claims to have lost his memory too. Are they servants? More lost souls, but ones the master doesn't care about enough to gather and is just letting wander?
And now for a scene that only unlocks after you've seen someone else's ending, and thus know that Hikage is not who he seems...
Twin Brother:
Hikage comes to Beniyuri's room to make sure she's ok and offer her some chocolates to help recover from post-monster-killing fatigue. She runs off to make tea so they can share them.
Hikage: You should be more careful inviting a man to your room. You understand what a man might think in a situation like this.
Beniyuri: But I can invite you because I know you won't think things like that!
Hikage, radiating as much desire as someone grumpily reading a shopping list: What would you do if I gave into my desires and had my way with you? And you should be more conservative in your dress. And more careful your clothes don't come undone!
Beniyuri, laughing: You sound like my dad.
This makes her think of her family, and she asks Hikage if he remembers anything of his own. He pauses, then talks with every sign of sincerity about the older twin brother he admired, clearly describing Takuya and Kazuya's relationship. He bites his lip and shakes slightly, and Beniyuri is surprised to see him display so much emotion haha. YOU'RE OVERPLAYING IT, HIKAGE.
She talks about her little sister, and he says he's glad to know he's not the only one in pain, with more warmth than usual in his cold eyes. Yeah, I bet you are, Hikage.
Oooh. I go back to the Chapter 3 scene I described in the Real World ending: "I want to solve the mystery of this manor".
There's a new choice where Hikage asks what Beniyuri is thinking about. "About Hikage" leads to the same end I got before, connecting back to the common route.
But now I choose "About the kaleidoscope". That's the last choice on the walkthrough. *prepares for who knows what*
Beniyuri: I wonder what wish the master wants to grant with it.
Hikage: Who knows.
Beniyuri: And I wonder how outlandish a wish it can grant. Like, could I have a lifetime's supply of chocolate chip icecream?!
Hikage: ...you're terrible at cheering people up. Though talking about food is a very "you" thing to do.
I like the subtle distinction between Yamato's flailing "IT'S NOT LIKE I LIKE YOU YOU IDIOT" bat-at-feelings tsundere insults, and Hikage's colder "not entirely hiding his genuine disdain" ones. At first he just just comes across as bluntly tactless but he genuinely thinks she's an idiot (though maybe he likes her a bit as well? I'm really not sure where this is going)
Beniyuri: Well, how would you cheer someone up?
Hikage: You put your hand on their shoulder, smile, and tell them "it will be ok".
Beniyuri: Hahaha! That's such a cliche!
Hikage, blushing: It's still better than yours.
Beniyuri: But it's funny, when you say "it will be ok", I believe you.
Hikage: ...
Yeah, you know it's not going to be ok, don't you Hikage? And entirely because of you.
Hikage: This is stupid. When I'm with you, I forget everything else.
Beniyuri: What?
Hikage: I'll take the compliment. Thanks.
He gives a really sweet smile Beniyuri hasn't seen before. She feels her heart speed up and doesn't know why, and I remind myself how little of a happy ending she got with Kagiha, who had way better odds than this guy.
Beniyuri: If there's any way I can help you out, let me know.
Hikage: You're so innocent, you're like...
Beniyuri: Hmm?
Hikage: We need to concentrate on that kaleidoscope.
And so she decides to see if she can learn anything useful from Usagi.
Nnnng.
I decide it's a good time to go to stop playing and go to sleep.
So, Beniyuri puts notes in the baskets Usagi brings with food, asking to meet with her. She eventually gets a reply, telling her to come in secret to a specific location nearby. Usagi appears as if out of nowhere, and brings Beniyuri through a hidden door down dark steps to a cute little girl's room that she's apparently never told anyone about before.
Usagi is clearly very excited to have a visitor, offering tea and "foreign sweets called biscuits". But she doesn't eat or drink herself, citing her mask.
Beniyuri: You say people wear masks to hide their lack of a face. But you have one, so why hide it?
Usagi says she can't show her face "for other reasons", and it occurs to Beniyuri and I at the same time that she must have been ordered not to.
And I remember Code Realise, where the mad scientist father creates an artificial human with his dead daughter's appearance. She sees him as a father, but he sees her as nothing but a soulless husk. Mad scientist fathers treating their daughters badly is a bit of a repeated theme in Otomate games.
Did Hikage create Usagi while trying to resurrect his daughter, but see her as a failure, and thus make her work as a servant? Is she so loyal to him, to the point of helping him kill people she likes, because he's the only family she's got? :(
Beniyuri asks Usagi a bunch of questions Usagi doesn't feel able to answer. Usagi becomes distressed, reminding Beniyuri of her little sister. Beniyuri apologises, and Usagi feels comfortable taking off her mask. They have a nice afternoon tea.
After that they keep sending each other little friendly notes, and sometimes meeting in secret. They grow closer, like sisters.
It looks like Beniyuri never finds Yamato's secret greenhouse in this timeline. But she still hopes Yamato will return to life with the rest of them. They keep fighting monsters, and the kaleidoscope nears completion.
A luminescent, translucent masked girl comes out of nowhere and shouts BIG BROTHER before hugging Hikage. He flinches, and I realise HE'S NOT THE DAD, HE'S THE BIG BROTHER. Ok, that makes a lot more sense thematically, and is less squicky as a love interest for a 17 year old girl (I mean he's still effectively an old man at this point but...immortal and ghost ages feel different... LOOK, I DON'T CLAIM MY SQUICKS ARE LOGICAL)
Hikage: I'm sorry, you have me confused with someone else.
Girl: Oh, you're right! My brother is smaller, and a different age...I can't find him! My parents are dead, and I can't even remember my brother's face! What do I do??
Hikage: It's ok. Your brother is waiting for you, in the place where flowers bloom and butterflies dance. You know where it is, don't you? Just close your eyes.
Girl: I'm afraid to go alone.
Hikage: It will be alright. Just walk forward and don't get lost.
The girl closes her eyes, and disappears in a kaleidoscope of white butterflies.
Beniyuri: Was that the right thing to do?
Hikage: He parents are dead. Children can't live alone!
He seems angry, though he's trying to hide it, so she changes the subject.
Beniyuri: Did you have a little sister? Yamato's the older brother, but you were so gentle with her.
Hikage, muttering: Me, gentle? Impossible...
Later, Usagi asks why Beniyuri seems distracted.
Beniyuri: It's Hikage...I'm always wondering what he's thinking. He's sarcastic and nags and is so strict, but then whenever I'm unwell he worries about me. It seems like he never lets his guard down around us and acts strong and dependable. But today there was this little girl, and he was so gentle...he seemed fragile. I'm just curious.
Usgai: That's LOVE.
Beniyuri: WHAT. NO?!
Usagi: You want to know him better! And get closer!
Beniyuri: I...guess...but now isn't the time or place!
Usagi: You want mutual understanding. I'll do my best to help! Hikage seems frightening, but I think he's actually very sweet. And if he fell in love, I'm sure he would...anyway! We need a plan!
Beniyuri isn't convinced it's love, or a good idea to consider relationships right now, but has to admit she does like the idea of becoming closer with Hikage. So why not follow Usagi's advice to spend time together...
I still don't know where this is going, past experience suggests anything between bittersweet redemption through death and a fluffy happily ever after that glosses over all the sadistic murder.
Beniyuri: Hikage, I want to ask you a question. Please be direct with me.
Hikage, seriously: I will do my best to answer.
Beniyuri: What's your favourite food?
Hikage: ...Japanese food?
Beniyuri: Any dish in particular?
Hikage: If I have to answer, stewed wild vegetables.
Bewniyuri: Yeah, those are delish! Thank you for your cooperation. I hope you'll answer another question tomorrow!
Beniyuri cheerfully writes down his answer on the list of ONE HUNDRED questions Usagi gave her. Kid, you KNOW she doesn't have a hundred days left to win this guy to the side of non murder.
The next day he seems resigned to being questioned, but is baffled when she asks what kind of girl he likes. After much prompting he says he has no preference, and hasn't thought about it. Sorry, dude, you might THINK being an evil immortal ghost wizard from the nineteenth century means you're beyond such worries, but this is otome.
The questions continue:
Eventually he confronts her.
Hikage: Do you have feelings for me?
Beniyuri: AHHH. Um. I'm...uh...trying to figure that out? I want to be closer to you.
Hikage: If you say things like that I'll get my hopes up. I might make a move...like this...
And then he kisses her! (With no CG, boo) His voice as impassive as ever he says "We don't have physical bodies here, I wonder if we can have a relationship like any other man and woman. Want to give it a try?" When she flails he toys with her hair and says "I figured you'd be happy about the invitation. Or do you want me to just take you? That actually sounds kind of like fun."
Beniyuri: Why are you being so mean? I know you wouldn't force yourself on someone, or do this just for a laugh.
Hikage: That's what you want, not me. You don't know anything about me, Beniyuri.
Beniyuri: That's why I want to know more!
Hikage: You're a coward, but you always insist on sticking your head in other people's business. You've always been like that.
Beniyuri: I know I'm not brave but...I want to know the real you.
He stares into her eyes, and then looks away, saying "I'm me." He lets her go, and says he was just joking around.
Well! I really do owe Kagiha an apology for misreading HIM as the older-brother type yandere villain, don't I?
HMMM.
I took a break here and checked the flowchart. Where the Kagiha route only had two scenes we're already up to seven with the Hikage route. I was assuming it didn't have time to get really disturbing, but now I don't know.
OH MAN
So I looked up a review, and it turns out KARASUBA is the rapiest one?? I mean he has been until now, but most otome tend not to stick with that kind of dynamic.
That reviewer interprets Kagiha as persuading Beniyuri to just stay in their dream world with him, which on second thought is probably what the writers were going for. But I like my ending better, so I'm sticking with it.
From a brief skim, the dynamics are:
Hikage: Tragic, focus on family dynamics
Karasuba: Rapey, entitled, and abusive HOORAY (though the link to an abuse help page was a bit much, reviewer)
Yamato: Closest to traditional romance arc
Monshiro: Lots of angst, ambiguous but romantic ending
That reviewer doesn't seem to acknowledge sexy dubcon as a thing, so maybe Karasuba will still be fun, but he hasn't been very sexy so far. Rapey younger brother type is certainly an unusual choice o.O
ALSO they pointed out you can DRAG the mouse OVER the butterflies instead of clicking them individually and I got an A and A THOUSAND POINTS :D
Anyway, Hikage looks like he's not too bad, so.
Karasuba: Is something going on with Beniyuri and Hikage?
Hikage: Lol
Kagiha: He's definitely gotten softer.
Hikage: D:
Beniyuri comes across a picture book in English, and reads it with the help of a dictionary.
Two things I didn't mention before that are relevant:
1) Takuya/Kagiha mentioned having read this story, and used a shortened version to cheer up Ai/Beniyuri when she was sad about her mother's death, and her sister being unable to understand it.
2) The mourning jewellery sold by the old man in the Real World ending was labelled "Psychdelos", which he translated as "Psyche=butterfly, soul" and "delos=to see".
So.
Two butterflies are in love, but one of them dies. The other hears from a traveller of a paradise called Psychedelica where those who have passed on gather.
The way is difficult, and the butterfly's white wings become blackened by mud. Everyone laughs at the black butterfly but it does not give up the search for it's other half.
(I know I saved a nice screenshot here of the black butterfly approaching the swirling kaleidoscopic mandala of Psychedelica, but can't figure out where I saved it or where the image is in the gallery, so you'll have to use your imagination)
Beniyuri: What a relief, looks like a happy ending!
But the last page has been torn out.
She shows it to Hikage, who tells her how it ends: the butterfly turns it's back on paradise. It collapses in the desert, and sees a mirage of the white butterfly, and dies happy, but alone.
Beniyuri is sad and confused.
Hikage: I understand. It had become twisted into something ugly. Could you show yourself to your loved ones in that state? They might not even recognise you. They might come to hate you. That is why the black butterfly turned away, despite how much it yearned for paradise.
Beniyuri: What about the white butterfly's feelings? I'd never hate someone because of that. I'd tell the others off for mocking it.
Hikage: I see. You're much stronger than I am. How did you even find the book?
Beniyuri: I was alphabetising the bookcase and wiping off moisture. But this one didn't have a title.
Hikage: In Japanese it's called "Psychedelica of the Black Butterfly"
And then he gasps, but before she can ask why, they're interrupted, and he leaves.
She finds him asleep on a sofa, holding the book, and enjoys how calm and beautiful he looks (...with Kazuya's face, but never mind) Her feelings about him have become more complex, something sad and sweet. She needs to keep it bottled up inside, but will it ever have a chance to bloom?
She whispers to herself "I do have feelings for Hikage". He makes a sound of pain, muttering "Don't go", then wakes up, looking agitated, and says "Where am I? Why did my memory...why are you always next to me? You intrude on my space and mess everything up!"
Beniyuri: Mess everything up? What's wrong with you?
Hikage: You're always oblivious to the trouble you cause. You want to be closer to me? Your innocence ruins everything! You just waltz around doing whatever you want, with no thought to the impact it might have!
I mean, it's hardly her fault she's ignorant, Hikage.
She tries approaching, telling him to calm down, and he shouts DON'T TOUCH ME.
Beniyuri: If something happened, I want you to tell me.
Hikage: If that's what you want.
He pins her to the couch and kisses her, despite her trying to push him away.
Hikage: You wanted to know me better? Are you happy now?
She freezes, unable to process her feelings.
Hikage: Oh, you've stopped resisting, were you only pretending? If you want, I can give you more. I can bless you with what you desire. But in exchange, stay away from me. If you want attention, go to Karasuba or Kagiha.
She slaps him. Good for you, Beniyuri.
Beniyuri: I don't just want attention! I wanted to be closer to you! Why would you do this?
Hikage: I don't understand you. You're the cruel one.
They stop talking after that. They don't find any more kaleidoscope pieces, either.
And at this point it was ALL TOO MUCH TRAGEDY FOR ME and I switched to Yamato for a little bit, but the unfinishedness of this route bugged me so I stopped playing for, like two months.
This is a depressing place to stop but afaict it's ALL DEPRESSING ALL THE TIME from here on out, so. I have started again, but we'll see how quickly I get through it.
This is the summary I wrote before I took a break from the game, I started again and realised this was already pretty long so am posting it now.
It's all rather sad and just going to get sadder.
Content Note: consent issues, Code Realize spoilers
Beniyuri accidentally pulls a bookcase down on top of them, and either Hikage is faking a blush or he's genuinely embarrassed about being stuck on top of Beniyuri, but is still keeping a much cooler head about it than her.
Monster hunting with Hikage! He's clearly disappointed that he's on a team with Beniyuri.
Beniyuri: Do you...not like me?
Hikage: Do you have a victim complex? I don't dislike you. I just think you're unreliable.
Beniyuri: Oh :(
Hoikage: You misunderstand: I think all girls are weak and unreliable. I'm not sure I'll be able to protect you.
WELL IF I DIDN'T ALREADY KNOW HE WAS A VILLAIN
Looking back he's said a few other old fashioned things about women, but honestly they all have.
Beniyuri: So you don't hate me, yay! But don't worry about protecting me, just run away!
BENIYURI. YOU'RE GENERATION Z. HAVE HIGHER STANDARDS.
Hikage: Ok, this is something I DO hate about you. You think self sacrifice is some kind of virtue. It's the people left behind who have to deal with the guilt. You really care about your friends? Don't give up on your life until the end.
In both this and the scene hunting monsters with Kagiha, they came across calm children in masks, who vanish the moment they look away. This one claims to have lost his memory too. Are they servants? More lost souls, but ones the master doesn't care about enough to gather and is just letting wander?
And now for a scene that only unlocks after you've seen someone else's ending, and thus know that Hikage is not who he seems...
Twin Brother:
Hikage comes to Beniyuri's room to make sure she's ok and offer her some chocolates to help recover from post-monster-killing fatigue. She runs off to make tea so they can share them.
Hikage: You should be more careful inviting a man to your room. You understand what a man might think in a situation like this.
Beniyuri: But I can invite you because I know you won't think things like that!
Hikage, radiating as much desire as someone grumpily reading a shopping list: What would you do if I gave into my desires and had my way with you? And you should be more conservative in your dress. And more careful your clothes don't come undone!
Beniyuri, laughing: You sound like my dad.
This makes her think of her family, and she asks Hikage if he remembers anything of his own. He pauses, then talks with every sign of sincerity about the older twin brother he admired, clearly describing Takuya and Kazuya's relationship. He bites his lip and shakes slightly, and Beniyuri is surprised to see him display so much emotion haha. YOU'RE OVERPLAYING IT, HIKAGE.
She talks about her little sister, and he says he's glad to know he's not the only one in pain, with more warmth than usual in his cold eyes. Yeah, I bet you are, Hikage.
Oooh. I go back to the Chapter 3 scene I described in the Real World ending: "I want to solve the mystery of this manor".
There's a new choice where Hikage asks what Beniyuri is thinking about. "About Hikage" leads to the same end I got before, connecting back to the common route.
But now I choose "About the kaleidoscope". That's the last choice on the walkthrough. *prepares for who knows what*
Beniyuri: I wonder what wish the master wants to grant with it.
Hikage: Who knows.
Beniyuri: And I wonder how outlandish a wish it can grant. Like, could I have a lifetime's supply of chocolate chip icecream?!
Hikage: ...you're terrible at cheering people up. Though talking about food is a very "you" thing to do.
I like the subtle distinction between Yamato's flailing "IT'S NOT LIKE I LIKE YOU YOU IDIOT" bat-at-feelings tsundere insults, and Hikage's colder "not entirely hiding his genuine disdain" ones. At first he just just comes across as bluntly tactless but he genuinely thinks she's an idiot (though maybe he likes her a bit as well? I'm really not sure where this is going)
Beniyuri: Well, how would you cheer someone up?
Hikage: You put your hand on their shoulder, smile, and tell them "it will be ok".
Beniyuri: Hahaha! That's such a cliche!
Hikage, blushing: It's still better than yours.
Beniyuri: But it's funny, when you say "it will be ok", I believe you.
Hikage: ...
Yeah, you know it's not going to be ok, don't you Hikage? And entirely because of you.
Hikage: This is stupid. When I'm with you, I forget everything else.
Beniyuri: What?
Hikage: I'll take the compliment. Thanks.
He gives a really sweet smile Beniyuri hasn't seen before. She feels her heart speed up and doesn't know why, and I remind myself how little of a happy ending she got with Kagiha, who had way better odds than this guy.
Beniyuri: If there's any way I can help you out, let me know.
Hikage: You're so innocent, you're like...
Beniyuri: Hmm?
Hikage: We need to concentrate on that kaleidoscope.
And so she decides to see if she can learn anything useful from Usagi.
Nnnng.
I decide it's a good time to go to stop playing and go to sleep.
So, Beniyuri puts notes in the baskets Usagi brings with food, asking to meet with her. She eventually gets a reply, telling her to come in secret to a specific location nearby. Usagi appears as if out of nowhere, and brings Beniyuri through a hidden door down dark steps to a cute little girl's room that she's apparently never told anyone about before.
Usagi is clearly very excited to have a visitor, offering tea and "foreign sweets called biscuits". But she doesn't eat or drink herself, citing her mask.
Beniyuri: You say people wear masks to hide their lack of a face. But you have one, so why hide it?
Usagi says she can't show her face "for other reasons", and it occurs to Beniyuri and I at the same time that she must have been ordered not to.
And I remember Code Realise, where the mad scientist father creates an artificial human with his dead daughter's appearance. She sees him as a father, but he sees her as nothing but a soulless husk. Mad scientist fathers treating their daughters badly is a bit of a repeated theme in Otomate games.
Did Hikage create Usagi while trying to resurrect his daughter, but see her as a failure, and thus make her work as a servant? Is she so loyal to him, to the point of helping him kill people she likes, because he's the only family she's got? :(
Beniyuri asks Usagi a bunch of questions Usagi doesn't feel able to answer. Usagi becomes distressed, reminding Beniyuri of her little sister. Beniyuri apologises, and Usagi feels comfortable taking off her mask. They have a nice afternoon tea.
After that they keep sending each other little friendly notes, and sometimes meeting in secret. They grow closer, like sisters.
It looks like Beniyuri never finds Yamato's secret greenhouse in this timeline. But she still hopes Yamato will return to life with the rest of them. They keep fighting monsters, and the kaleidoscope nears completion.
A luminescent, translucent masked girl comes out of nowhere and shouts BIG BROTHER before hugging Hikage. He flinches, and I realise HE'S NOT THE DAD, HE'S THE BIG BROTHER. Ok, that makes a lot more sense thematically, and is less squicky as a love interest for a 17 year old girl (I mean he's still effectively an old man at this point but...immortal and ghost ages feel different... LOOK, I DON'T CLAIM MY SQUICKS ARE LOGICAL)
Hikage: I'm sorry, you have me confused with someone else.
Girl: Oh, you're right! My brother is smaller, and a different age...I can't find him! My parents are dead, and I can't even remember my brother's face! What do I do??
Hikage: It's ok. Your brother is waiting for you, in the place where flowers bloom and butterflies dance. You know where it is, don't you? Just close your eyes.
Girl: I'm afraid to go alone.
Hikage: It will be alright. Just walk forward and don't get lost.
The girl closes her eyes, and disappears in a kaleidoscope of white butterflies.
Beniyuri: Was that the right thing to do?
Hikage: He parents are dead. Children can't live alone!
He seems angry, though he's trying to hide it, so she changes the subject.
Beniyuri: Did you have a little sister? Yamato's the older brother, but you were so gentle with her.
Hikage, muttering: Me, gentle? Impossible...
Later, Usagi asks why Beniyuri seems distracted.
Beniyuri: It's Hikage...I'm always wondering what he's thinking. He's sarcastic and nags and is so strict, but then whenever I'm unwell he worries about me. It seems like he never lets his guard down around us and acts strong and dependable. But today there was this little girl, and he was so gentle...he seemed fragile. I'm just curious.
Usgai: That's LOVE.
Beniyuri: WHAT. NO?!
Usagi: You want to know him better! And get closer!
Beniyuri: I...guess...but now isn't the time or place!
Usagi: You want mutual understanding. I'll do my best to help! Hikage seems frightening, but I think he's actually very sweet. And if he fell in love, I'm sure he would...anyway! We need a plan!
Beniyuri isn't convinced it's love, or a good idea to consider relationships right now, but has to admit she does like the idea of becoming closer with Hikage. So why not follow Usagi's advice to spend time together...
I still don't know where this is going, past experience suggests anything between bittersweet redemption through death and a fluffy happily ever after that glosses over all the sadistic murder.
Beniyuri: Hikage, I want to ask you a question. Please be direct with me.
Hikage, seriously: I will do my best to answer.
Beniyuri: What's your favourite food?
Hikage: ...Japanese food?
Beniyuri: Any dish in particular?
Hikage: If I have to answer, stewed wild vegetables.
Bewniyuri: Yeah, those are delish! Thank you for your cooperation. I hope you'll answer another question tomorrow!
Beniyuri cheerfully writes down his answer on the list of ONE HUNDRED questions Usagi gave her. Kid, you KNOW she doesn't have a hundred days left to win this guy to the side of non murder.
The next day he seems resigned to being questioned, but is baffled when she asks what kind of girl he likes. After much prompting he says he has no preference, and hasn't thought about it. Sorry, dude, you might THINK being an evil immortal ghost wizard from the nineteenth century means you're beyond such worries, but this is otome.
The questions continue:
Eventually he confronts her.
Hikage: Do you have feelings for me?
Beniyuri: AHHH. Um. I'm...uh...trying to figure that out? I want to be closer to you.
Hikage: If you say things like that I'll get my hopes up. I might make a move...like this...
And then he kisses her! (With no CG, boo) His voice as impassive as ever he says "We don't have physical bodies here, I wonder if we can have a relationship like any other man and woman. Want to give it a try?" When she flails he toys with her hair and says "I figured you'd be happy about the invitation. Or do you want me to just take you? That actually sounds kind of like fun."
Beniyuri: Why are you being so mean? I know you wouldn't force yourself on someone, or do this just for a laugh.
Hikage: That's what you want, not me. You don't know anything about me, Beniyuri.
Beniyuri: That's why I want to know more!
Hikage: You're a coward, but you always insist on sticking your head in other people's business. You've always been like that.
Beniyuri: I know I'm not brave but...I want to know the real you.
He stares into her eyes, and then looks away, saying "I'm me." He lets her go, and says he was just joking around.
Well! I really do owe Kagiha an apology for misreading HIM as the older-brother type yandere villain, don't I?
HMMM.
I took a break here and checked the flowchart. Where the Kagiha route only had two scenes we're already up to seven with the Hikage route. I was assuming it didn't have time to get really disturbing, but now I don't know.
OH MAN
So I looked up a review, and it turns out KARASUBA is the rapiest one?? I mean he has been until now, but most otome tend not to stick with that kind of dynamic.
That reviewer interprets Kagiha as persuading Beniyuri to just stay in their dream world with him, which on second thought is probably what the writers were going for. But I like my ending better, so I'm sticking with it.
From a brief skim, the dynamics are:
Hikage: Tragic, focus on family dynamics
Karasuba: Rapey, entitled, and abusive HOORAY (though the link to an abuse help page was a bit much, reviewer)
Yamato: Closest to traditional romance arc
Monshiro: Lots of angst, ambiguous but romantic ending
That reviewer doesn't seem to acknowledge sexy dubcon as a thing, so maybe Karasuba will still be fun, but he hasn't been very sexy so far. Rapey younger brother type is certainly an unusual choice o.O
ALSO they pointed out you can DRAG the mouse OVER the butterflies instead of clicking them individually and I got an A and A THOUSAND POINTS :D
Anyway, Hikage looks like he's not too bad, so.
Karasuba: Is something going on with Beniyuri and Hikage?
Hikage: Lol
Kagiha: He's definitely gotten softer.
Hikage: D:
Beniyuri comes across a picture book in English, and reads it with the help of a dictionary.
Two things I didn't mention before that are relevant:
1) Takuya/Kagiha mentioned having read this story, and used a shortened version to cheer up Ai/Beniyuri when she was sad about her mother's death, and her sister being unable to understand it.
2) The mourning jewellery sold by the old man in the Real World ending was labelled "Psychdelos", which he translated as "Psyche=butterfly, soul" and "delos=to see".
So.
Two butterflies are in love, but one of them dies. The other hears from a traveller of a paradise called Psychedelica where those who have passed on gather.
The way is difficult, and the butterfly's white wings become blackened by mud. Everyone laughs at the black butterfly but it does not give up the search for it's other half.
(I know I saved a nice screenshot here of the black butterfly approaching the swirling kaleidoscopic mandala of Psychedelica, but can't figure out where I saved it or where the image is in the gallery, so you'll have to use your imagination)
Beniyuri: What a relief, looks like a happy ending!
But the last page has been torn out.
She shows it to Hikage, who tells her how it ends: the butterfly turns it's back on paradise. It collapses in the desert, and sees a mirage of the white butterfly, and dies happy, but alone.
Beniyuri is sad and confused.
Hikage: I understand. It had become twisted into something ugly. Could you show yourself to your loved ones in that state? They might not even recognise you. They might come to hate you. That is why the black butterfly turned away, despite how much it yearned for paradise.
Beniyuri: What about the white butterfly's feelings? I'd never hate someone because of that. I'd tell the others off for mocking it.
Hikage: I see. You're much stronger than I am. How did you even find the book?
Beniyuri: I was alphabetising the bookcase and wiping off moisture. But this one didn't have a title.
Hikage: In Japanese it's called "Psychedelica of the Black Butterfly"
And then he gasps, but before she can ask why, they're interrupted, and he leaves.
She finds him asleep on a sofa, holding the book, and enjoys how calm and beautiful he looks (...with Kazuya's face, but never mind) Her feelings about him have become more complex, something sad and sweet. She needs to keep it bottled up inside, but will it ever have a chance to bloom?
She whispers to herself "I do have feelings for Hikage". He makes a sound of pain, muttering "Don't go", then wakes up, looking agitated, and says "Where am I? Why did my memory...why are you always next to me? You intrude on my space and mess everything up!"
Beniyuri: Mess everything up? What's wrong with you?
Hikage: You're always oblivious to the trouble you cause. You want to be closer to me? Your innocence ruins everything! You just waltz around doing whatever you want, with no thought to the impact it might have!
I mean, it's hardly her fault she's ignorant, Hikage.
She tries approaching, telling him to calm down, and he shouts DON'T TOUCH ME.
Beniyuri: If something happened, I want you to tell me.
Hikage: If that's what you want.
He pins her to the couch and kisses her, despite her trying to push him away.
Hikage: You wanted to know me better? Are you happy now?
She freezes, unable to process her feelings.
Hikage: Oh, you've stopped resisting, were you only pretending? If you want, I can give you more. I can bless you with what you desire. But in exchange, stay away from me. If you want attention, go to Karasuba or Kagiha.
She slaps him. Good for you, Beniyuri.
Beniyuri: I don't just want attention! I wanted to be closer to you! Why would you do this?
Hikage: I don't understand you. You're the cruel one.
They stop talking after that. They don't find any more kaleidoscope pieces, either.
And at this point it was ALL TOO MUCH TRAGEDY FOR ME and I switched to Yamato for a little bit, but the unfinishedness of this route bugged me so I stopped playing for, like two months.
This is a depressing place to stop but afaict it's ALL DEPRESSING ALL THE TIME from here on out, so. I have started again, but we'll see how quickly I get through it.
no subject
Date: 2021-06-20 04:56 pm (UTC)Hoikage: You misunderstand: I think all girls are weak and unreliable. I'm not sure I'll be able to protect you.
WELL IF I DIDN'T ALREADY KNOW HE WAS A VILLAIN
Yeeeah. The fact that they call back to this as "proof Hikage is actually decent deep down" was...certainly a choice.
Looking back he's said a few other old fashioned things about women, but honestly they all have.
Yeah. :( I feel like Hikage has the worst lines, though, but he does have the villain and the 19th century excuse. Kagiha does it too in the benevolent sexism way, but I'm pretty sure every time he says "women", he actually just means "Ai but I'm being sneaky about it". I'm not sure if that makes it better or worse.
Hikage, radiating as much desire as someone grumpily reading a shopping list:
:DDDDD
YOU'RE OVERPLAYING IT, HIKAGE.
LOL YES I THOUGHT THIS TOO. He was doing great at first, and then he went right into hamming it up.
I like the subtle distinction between Yamato's flailing "IT'S NOT LIKE I LIKE YOU YOU IDIOT" bat-at-feelings tsundere insults, and Hikage's colder "not entirely hiding his genuine disdain" ones.
Oh, yes, I didn't catch that, but yes! Hikage uses his insults as status plays to show that he Knows Better and also to distance himself from everyone else. And probably because he's very caught up in LARPing being an OTT villain, and this is the sort of thing OTT villains do.
When I was playing through I made a note about " ...you're terrible at cheering people up. Though talking about food is a very "you" thing to do."; the mix of insult and explaining Beniyuri to herself felt very reminiscent of his Best end monologues!
(...with Kazuya's face, but never mind)
...yep, I thought this too.
She needs to keep it bottled up inside, but will it ever have a chance to bloom?
Huh, reading this it feels like flowers really are a motif! The ending song references flowers that never fruit too.
I like the review you linked, by the way; it's very satisfying to see someone else want to punch Kagiha. :D
no subject
Date: 2021-06-21 11:39 am (UTC)I'm pretty sure every time he says "women", he actually just means "Ai but I'm being sneaky about it". I'm not sure if that makes it better or worse.
yeahhhh
Ooh you're right about that being more flower imagery. Butterflies and flowers, hmm.
no subject
Date: 2021-06-22 06:42 am (UTC)Butterflies and flowers, hmm.
Hikage actually explicitly references that in his evil soliloquy episode, which I just played!
"The kaleidoscope. A mirror that reflects a thousand flowers.
The butterflies are enthralled by its beauty... Drawn to it, like moths to a flame.
There is only one wish in my heart..."
no subject
Date: 2021-06-24 01:03 pm (UTC)Ooh, hmmm. Flowers as life/goodness/love?
no subject
Date: 2021-06-24 04:45 pm (UTC)I should start saving the references I find.
no subject
Date: 2021-06-27 04:36 am (UTC)Ooh, right! I look forward to seeing any others you pick up.