Sayuri

Available Chapter 1

1st Event

Sayuri: Why would they hold us captive like this? Us in particular, of all people? Is there some moral or philosophical point to specifically choosing niche but talented youths?

What should I do? Should I invite Sayuri to hang out?

Invite Sayuri to hang out

See who else is around

Sayuri: You want to spend time... with me? That's rather curious, isn't it? Do we even have any hobbies in common? This is rather exciting, don't you think?

After an arduous process, we settle on drawing.

Looks like Sayuri and I grew a little closer today.

Would you like to give Sayuri a present?

Definitely!

Not really...

#95 Espionage Irises— A pair of contacts that allow the reader to see any invisible ink, regardless of the type. Used in spy work.

Sayuri: Is this a dream? How could you have come across something so marvelous? Was it fate that I receive this, or did you change destiny for my sake?

...

Sayuri: This was a rather sudden request, was it not? What could you want of me this fine day?

Yuu: Shush. What I want today is to be the one asking the questions. Does that work?

Sayuri: Oh? Quite out of the blue, is it? Could you not have given a girl a bit of warning?

Yuu: What, you can't take being the one to answer?

Sayuri: Well, I have no right to stop you, do I? Doesn't everyone deserve access to information?

Yuu: See, that's already interesting. Are you as direct with giving information as you are with receiving it?

Sayuri: Everyone has their secrets, don't they? And doesn't that just make everyone a bit more intriguing? Even so, yes, I will answer *most* of your questions to the best of my ability. Will that suffice for you?

Yuu: Sure. What do you say we start slow and then get more personal later?

Sayuri: Is that for your benefit or mine?

Yuu: Um, both, I guess. Okay... how'd you get your sense of style? You usually wear these white, strappy wedge sandals. Though they're not necessarily delicate shoes, they're still feminine, a tad on the showy side— but not in a bad way.

Sayuri: Well, if the shoe fits... right?

I can't help but laugh a bit at the stupidity of the pun.

Yuu: So you're saying your style matches your personality?

Sayuri: For the most part. Shouldn't that be the case with everyone?

Yuu: You'd think.

Sayuri: I like to think of my style as like... a slightly preppy picnic aesthetic. Does that come across well?

Yuu: Very.

Sayuri: Does it put you at ease?

Yuu: The aesthetic, or the fact that I can easily read you based on it?

Sayuri: Why not both?

I stop to think for a while. I'm not exactly sure how to answer. Her eyes grow ever more curious as that signature "angelic" smile spreads across her face. This girl is trouble, I know it. But whether she's good or bad trouble, I'm still not sure.

Yuu: Is that the point? To put people at ease?

Sayuri: Would it be alright resuming this next time? Inspiration strikes fast and hard, y'know?

Yuu: You said you'd answer!

She giggles and leaves. Oy vey.

Sayuri's Report Card has been updated based on your experience with her.

2nd Event

Sayuri: Aren't our— um, roommates, I suppose? Would that be the term?— Aren't they utterly fascinating? Switching our perspectives is important to facilitate healthy bonds and therefore keep us safe, correct? So then why don't we get more invested in our peers?

What should I do? Should I invite Sayuri to hang out?

Invite Sayuri to hang out

See who else is around

Sayuri: Oh? You want to start with me? Then may I start with you? With, you, Yuu? Hehe!

We spend a far longer than reasonable time shooting puns back and forth right in the middle of the hallway, to the dismay of everyone.

Looks like Sayuri and I grew a little closer today.

Would you like to give Sayuri a present?

Definitely!

Not really...

#39 Transforming Pen— A pen that can change form to suit all of your writing moods. Contains a fountain pen, glitter gel pen, fountain pen, and stylus form.

Sayuri: Oh my, well isn't this just absolutely darling? Where did you go to find it? Across bogs, deserts, and frigid wastelands? Or simply to the Monomono Machine? Does a gift's source define any of its value? Personally, my opinion is no, because I love this no matter where it's from.

Yuu: Ready to get back to our game?

Sayuri: Ooh, you think of it as a game? That's rather pleasant, isn't it?

Yuu: Okay, getting right into the questions. What's your spirit animal?

Sayuri: Don't you find that I'm rather akin to a house cat? Curious, intelligent, mischievous... a little bit bad with people...

Yuu: Mischievous? You?

As soon as I say it, I start to think.

Yuu: Wait, no, that's not terribly inaccurate. Your mischief is just on the subtle side.

Sayuri: Right? Don't I know myself quite well? Nya!

Yuu: Oh my God, don't you dare.

Sayuri: Why? Does it bother you? Nya?

Yuu: Sayuri, please, no!

Sayuri: What about this is annoying to you, Nya? Is it t pitch? The association to anime pop culture? The cringe, Nya?

Yuu: All of the above! I take it back, your mischief is not at all subtle!

I start running off, trying to suppress the smile I can feel forming.

Sayuri: Would it be catlike to... pounce?

I suddenly feel her throw herself across my shoulders, and we nearly fall straight onto the ground.

Yuu: Ack! Don't do that! ...Seriously, don't.

I gently pry her arms off me. Her hyper, playful demeanor seems to shrink as she curls up slightly.

Sayuri: I— I'm sorry. Did I do it again? Umm... ignore personal boundaries? Am I making you uncomfortable? Do you... want to stop spending time with me?

Yuu: Hey, relax. You didn't know. I'm not upset. Just don't do anything like that again. Ask next time, okay?

Sayuri: What if I forget? Will you be fed up next time? What's your limit? Why are people so confusing?!

Yuu: I don't know, Sayuri. Just try to take it day by day. I'll try my best to be patient with you, if you agree to be patient with me. Cause God knows I need it.

Sayuri: That makes two of us, then, doesn't it?

Suddenly, we hear the all-too-familiar voice of Wakumi yelling out for Sayuri, and she sounds seriously pissed.

Sayuri: What did I do this time? I should probably go face the music, right? Or, um, hide? Bye, Yuu!

She scampers off. Good luck, you'll need it,

Sayuri's Report Card has been updated based on your experience with her.

3rd Event

Sayuri: How long do you suppose we can last trapped in here without suffering adverse consequences to our health? And how long can our souls last without the beauty of the outside world? Sure, the greenhouse is a microcosm of the planet's riches, but will we grow restless without the expansive and freeing feeling of being entirely surrounded with wild unknown?

What should I do? Should I invite Sayuri to hang out?

Invite Sayuri to hang out

See who else is around

Sayuri: Would you be so kind as to help me with a poem? When inspiration strikes, you must listen to its call, right? Is it the same with you?

I spend a while listening to Sayuri compose and narrate a poem, occasionally chipping in with a rhyme or extra syllable, if it doesn't sound right.

Looks like Sayuri and I grew a little closer today.

Would you like to give Sayuri a present?

Definitely!

Not really...

#30 Kitten Hairclip— A hairclip in the shape of a little kitty cat. Properly placed, it can make a girl positively sparkle.

Sayuri: Oh my, well isn't this just absolutely darling? Where did you go to find it? Across bogs, deserts, and frigid wastelands? Or simply to the Monomono Machine? Does a gift's source define any of its value? Personally, my opinion is no, because I love this no matter where it's from.

...

Yuu: After what happened last time, I figure... it's probably better if the questions get just a smidge more personal now. And trust me, I'm not usually the type of person to recommend that. Just... is that okay?

Sayuri: Do you think that will help?

Yuu: Help what? We're just talking.

She shrugs. I take her attentive eye contact as permission.

Yuu: What inspired you to start writing poetry?

Sayuri: On the expanses on the Internet, you can find practically anything, right? It's like a swirling sea; you can skim the surface of any topic and ride the waves, or you can plunge deep into its depths to learn about any given topic. Poetry is what I dove deep for. For a human to pour their innermost thoughts and feelings onto a page... doesn't it just sound utterly fascinating? And doesn't the idea of being part of that world exhilarate you?!

Yuu: That sort of thing... the mushy-gushy "innermost thoughts" stuff... I'm not good at stuff like that. But, okay. So you got inspired by the internet. What was your first poem?

Sayuri: What about a little test, Yuu? What kind of poem has five lines, an AABBA rhyme scheme, and more syllables in the first, second, and fifth lines?

Sonnet

Limerick

Villanelle

Yuu: A villanelle?

Sayuri: No, but do you think I should write one soon? Those have nineteen lines (with five tercets and a quatrain) and two repeating lines. They're rigidly structured, but isn't structure helpful for societies?

Sonnet

Limerick

Villanelle

Yuu: A sonnet?

Sayuri: Not quite. Those have fourteen lines. ABABCDCDEFEFGG! They're usually love poems, but why? What about that structure makes us think of romance?

Sonnet

Limerick

Villanelle

Yuu: What about a limerick?

Sayuri: Did school actually teach something of value? Wow! Yep, my first was a limerick!

Yuu: When was that?

She makes a three with her fingers.

Yuu: Three years ago?

She looks away and snorts a bit, as if sharing a joke with herself.

Yuu: No fucking way. You started writing poetry when you were three?!

Sayuri: Since everyone has the same general reaction to that information, I must ask... is that particularly strange?

Yuu: Sayuri, most kids are barely learning letters at three, and in fact, it's usually a little later than that! ...Wait, that means you were already on the internet at age three.

Sayuri: Now, I know that one isn't strange! Children of this age spend a large amount of time watching videos or playing games online, right?

Yuu: Yeah, sure. I watched dumb cartoons online when I was a toddler. But I had parental controls up the wazoo to make sure that was ALL I did on the internet! How did you find your muse online at age three?

Sayuri: Is it bad that my parents never put parental controls on anything? They were around to watch whenever I used it, so it's okay, right? I-I mean, they never let me stumble upon scams or disgusting websites, so aren't they protecting me just as much by being there? A good portion of my childhood was spent surfing the web for documentaries and poetry blogs.

Yuu: Your parents are particularly unconventional, Sayuri, that much is for sure.

Sayuri: Would you like to hear more stories?

Yuu: Duh.

But then Azumi suddenly trips and falls not far from us. She groans and stalks over to grab me, ranting about needing another lesson on heels.

Sayuri's Report Card has been updated based on your experience with her.

Available During Chapter 2:

Event 4

Sayuri: Yuu! Perfect timing, as always. I must admit, I'm a smidge bored. I don't want to force you, so I won't request it. But I will leave you with the choice of whether to spend some time with me or not.

What should I do? Should I invite Sayuri to hang out?

Invite Sayuri to hang out

See who else is around

Sayuri: Excellent! Would you— Oop! I almost broke my code, but I caught myself! Let's have a tea party, Yuu! Be a dear and fetch some tea from Tozen while I get some cups and saucers. Maybe Bisque has some particularly nice ones!

Sayuri and I throw a tea party. You'd think I'd mind, but it's actually pretty damn pleasant.

Looks like Sayuri and I grew a little closer today.

Would you like to give Sayuri a present?

Definitely!

Not really...

#4 Minstrel's Herbs— A tin of loose-leaf tea said to boost creativity and energy. Perfect for a last-minute deadline or curing artist's block. It even comes with petit fours. No special effects come from them, but they sure are tasty!

Sayuri: Is— Whoops!— This is incredible! Thank you dearly for the precious gift. I will have to find someone equally special for you. Be on the lookout for a gift! Oh, that might count as a request. Well, now I'll DEFINITELY have to get you something!

...

Yuu: You promised more parent stories. I need to know more about these people.

Sayuri: Ah, right. Um, well, they're very, very intelligent people. They're constantly learning, and they've always answered any question I could possibly have. If they don't know the answer, we learn it together! In fact, if Keiji wasn't so morally depraved, he'd remind me of my parents. I think it works— they're very rigorously factual people, and they have a philosophical, artistic daughter.

Yuu: Wait, do they seriously answer every question?

Sayuri: Yes, sir! If you ever wonder why I am the way I am, keep in mind that I had the death talk at three and the birds and bees talk a year later.

Yuu: I don't know whether I should be surprised at this point or not. So, they taught you to read and write in toddlerhood and actually explained those mature subject matters around the same time.

Sayuri: I've also been homeschooled!

Yuu: Of course you have. Naturally, you grew up very unguarded and not very aware of what people tend to shy away from talking about.

Sayuri: Exactly! But it definitely helped my poetry. I made my own poetry blog when I was, say, four or five.

Yuu: How'd that go over? I can't imagine that people would be particularly willing to believe a young child could be crafting high-quality poetry.

Sayuri: You imagine correctly. There were plenty of naysayers trying to claim that my parents were feeding me poetry. My parents, being absolutely crazy, got all sorts of poetry associations involved, and even dragged the news into it, just to protect our pride. The people gave me a few topics to write about and a rhyme-rhythm scheme, and I just went at it! Nobody bothered me about it again.

Yuu: Dang. When I was that young, I'd achieved absolutely nothing.

Sayuri: Allow me to read a poem I wrote recently.

Since that's a request, I'm forced to comply. Not that I would've said no anyway, but it is kinda out of nowhere. I sit down. She takes a deep breath, and then starts to narrate dramatically.

Sayuri: This is somewhat new form for me, so don't judge it too hard, please. Ahem...

I wonder where it's been all of my life

The fibers rushing 'long my skin when

I pull it 'cross myself

Desp'rately, to warm me to good health.

The cashmere softens over time, you see.

Its secrets let themselves be known and

It knows where my frame curves

Intricate, to soothe my long-frayed nerves.

It's durable, more than I've had before

And moreso sturdy than I'd have guessed

When I saw the first cost.

Long-lasting, to comfort me when lost.

We sit in a suddenly tense silence for a moment.

Sayuri: D-Don't leave me hanging. Tell me your opinion.

Yuu: It's a lot cozier than I was expecting, considering how vast your imagination is.

Sayuri: Y-Yes, I suppose it is.

She giggles nervously.

Yuu: It's a good thing. Don't worry.

She sighs in relief.

Sayuri: Oh! It's grown much later than I expected. Unfortunately, I think it's time I get going. See you next time!

She rushes off in a hurry, twirling her pen as she goes. I— Wow.

Sayuri's Report Card has been updated based on your experience with her.

Event 5:

Sayuri: Ah, Yuu! Once again, I'll provide you with a choice whether you want to spend your time with me, just in case you're still in and can't refuse.

What should I do? Should I invite Sayuri to hang out?

Invite Sayuri to hang out

See who else is around

Sayuri: Wonderful! Please, choose what you want to do! Something you can teach me! I want to experience something I never have before!

After much deliberation and back-and-forthing on my part, I decide to teach her some soccer drills.

Looks like Sayuri and I grew a little closer today.

Would you like to give Sayuri a present?

Definitely!

Not really...

#58 Virtual Insanity— A complex VR set-up that wires nearly every part of the body for a fully immersive experience. It's hooked up to a library full of hundreds of scenarios so that you can follow your every whim.

Sayuri: Is— Whoops!— This is incredible! Thank you dearly for the precious gift. I will have to find someone equally special for you. Be on the lookout for a gift! Oh, that might count as a request. Well, now I'll DEFINITELY have to get you something!

...

Sayuri: Come to my room. We'll be able to talk with a bit more privacy in there.

Yuu: I have to, because code, but this feels like a slight violation of boundaries.

Sayuri: I wouldn't kill you in my own room. Frankly, I'm a tad offended that you'd think I'd kill you at all, after everything.

Yuu: I'm sorry... It's just a force of habit. I'm coming.

To make it up to her for the way my brain works, I take her hand as a sign of trust.

Yuu: Sayuri... up to finish our game?

Sayuri: Of course. These are gonna be the most personal questions, so that's why I brought us here.

Yuu: Always thinking. So... how do you feel? About the fact that people tend to be a lot more guarded than your parents, I mean.

Sayuri: It's lonely. And sad. I want people to feel comfortable being truly and wonderfully themselves. Cause all I've ever wanted is to deeply understand. Understand the world... understand people. And in turn, with my poems, I want to reflect humanity, so that other people can understand.

Yuu: The problem with that whole system is that people hurt each other. People get afraid of being themselves because if you're yourself, the stuff people can do or say is a lot more painful.

Sayuri: I understand that part. But then people start to become those masks. The real them gets swallowed up and buried under layers of deceit, and it becomes much harder to actually find something genuine.

Yuu: What would you do to understand new things? Like, is there any boundary?

Sayuri: No. Well, almost none. If I have to do something that'll hurt people, I'll do it in that way that'll hurt the fewest amount of people. So like, no genocides for the sake of a scrap or two of info. Hey! Don't sigh in relief!

I laugh.

Yuu: I'm just kidding around.

Sayuri: But if you're asking if I'd like... do drugs or go bungee jumping... I'll try anything once, as long as I'm taking proper safety precautions. I still really wanna fall in love, too... but people don't like how I come on too strong. I've never even made any real friends before this. Pretty disturbing. I can only successfully socialize in the middle of the most horrifying situation of our lives.

Yuu: If I'm being honest, I think at least a couple of us are actually kind of happy in here. People are learning and becoming close and all sorts of good shit like that.

Sayuri: You've certainly taught me!

I'm taken aback by her earnestness, but I can't be surprised at this point.

Yuu: What do you mean?

Sayuri: You have shown me considerable amounts of patience, even when I've bothered you. I know I'm not the easiest person to deal with, what with my ceaseless attempts to breach people's defense mechanisms in search of insight. Yet you stuck around. In return, I've committed to try and be patient with other people. Be more sensitive of their soft spots. You cleared a blind spot in my understanding of people. I thought I'd have to meet someone completely transparent, but all I needed was someone patient. Thank you!

I'm not particularly good with sincere outpourings of emotion. I don't think I could possibly top that. But I have to say something.

Yuu: Sayuri... I'm happy to know you.

I offer my hand to her in a business-like manner. It looks like she's gonna try and go for a hug, but she stops herself and shakes my hand, beaming. I don't say this lightly, but I think I can call Sayuri a friend.