[A/N] So Yuu's FTE's work in a sort of unconventional way. He doesn't actually go through all five with the same person. Expect perspective shifts.

Yuu

Available During Chapter 2:

Event 1:

Yuu: G'morning. I'm really tired. I'm sure for you girls it was the same, but we all stayed up really late for that Guy's Night. By the way, I still haven't forgiven you guys for that speaker prank!

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

Invite Yuu to hang out

See who else is around

Yuu: Sure. I don't have much of a choice, but I wouldn't say no anyway.

We make and drink some iced peppermint tea to become more alert. We also make various fruit juices to surprise everyone.

Looks like Yuu and I drew a little closer today.

Would you like to give Yuu a present?

Definitely!

Not really...

#109 Electric Scrub Brush Kit-- An electric scrub brush with multiple attachable heads to truly get the best clean. Neat freaks everywhere agree that it "gets the tough stains out," and is incredibly fun to use.

Yuu: Oh, wow. Gift-giving is kind of a precise art, and you definitely pulled this one off really well. Thanks!

...

Sayuri: I don't think I've pointed this out yet, but you have a nice smile, Yuu. Your teeth are very straight.

Yuu: Oh, uh, thanks!

Sayuri: In general, you seem to care very much for your appearance. Your hair always looks smooth, and your style is sleek.

Yuu: Thanks. Yeah, I do put a lot of effort into it. Just a personal point of pride, I guess.

Sayuri: You've remarked upon being very detail-oriented.

Yuu: Mhm.

I wait for a moment, unable to come up with a way to probe for more information without asking a question and ruining my code. Eventually, he seems to clue in, though not without some nervous shuffling at the silence.

Yuu: Y'know, when I was a kid, I had buck teeth.

Frankly, I'm surprised with the direction he led this conversation, but fascinated nonetheless. I nod receptively, settling my chin in my hands and leaning in with interest. He momentarily backs up before returning to his previous position.

Yuu: I did. They didn't displace the rest of my teeth too much, and they didn't make it particularly hard to eat, either. Just looked a little funny, and caused my speech to come with a slight whistle. Honestly though, I kind of liked them. It sounds weird, but it was sort of one of those strange things that made me feel unique.

Sayuri: You no longer have them, though... even though they made you happy.

Yuu: Yeah... that's right. Sometimes, people would tease me a little for it. They'd purposely stick out their top teeth or make little whistles when I passed. I never really minded much, but my sister and parents were concerned about it. My parents have always been very... realistic. They know that people are kinda shitty, and they figured the jabs wouldn't get any better as I got older, since middle schoolers are mean. So they had me do clear aligners for a few years, and I didn't fight it.

Sayuri: Yuu... it must've hurt a little, deep down. I'm really sorry.

I extend my hand to cover his. He rolls his eyes lightly, not dismissive of my care but moreso the general situation. A smirk fills his face.

Yuu: I guess you could say I bit my lip, but ultimately kept my mouth shut. I had to brace myself for it.

Sayuri: Ayyyy! Nice ones! Corny puns are awfully fun, no matter how much our companions may protest.

Yuu: Right?! Wordplay is just a lot of fun!

Sayuri: Back to what you were addressing before...

Yuu: Well, with the other stuff, I've kind of just always liked everything to be perfectly in place. Taking time to look my best gives me a sense of accomplishment and a sprinkle of confidence, too.

Sayuri: Tell me about your morning routine. I'd love to know more about how you get ready for each day!

Yuu: Yes ma'am.

Sayuri: Oh, also... thank you for trusting me enough to tell me this.

Yuu: Y-Yeah, no worries. I know I need a lot of patience, but I don't want talking to me to be a total slog. Anyway, though, as for my routine...

He explains in detail until Bisque enters. He's thrilled at the juice assortment we made and enthusiastically calls everyone around. It's absolutely delicious!

Yuu's Report Card has been updated based on your experience with him.

Event 2:

Yuu: H-Hey! How's it going? Have you had a fun day?

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

Invite Yuu to hang out

See who else is around

Yuu: You... want to hang out with me? Okay, I'm down.

We run around and play tag and jacks and jumprope and stuff like that! I kinda feel like I'm dragging him around and starting something new before he can even adjust, but I'm having a super duper lot of fun and he reassures me that he is, too.

Looks like Yuu and I drew a little closer today.

Would you like to give Yuu a present?

Definitely!

Not really...

#44 Swatch Book-- A book filled with hundreds of different material and pattern swatches, for those interested in the craftiest of hobbies. Unlike many swatch books, it also details what each material is, a brief history, and places to acquire whole bolts of it.

Yuu: Oh, wow. Gift-giving is kind of a precise art, and you definitely pulled this one off really well. Thanks!

...

Yuu: Bisque, be careful when you're running. Your shoes are starting to fall apart, and I don't want you to wind up hurting yourself.

Haruto: Aw, but I like these sneakers! They're my lucky pair! I trip less when I wear them! If you think I trip a lot now, you should see me with one of my other pairs. I swear they're cursed!

Yuu: Pretty sure that just means they're either too long or too small for you and they just feel decent enough that it's hard to tell. But how about this? If I can make you a new lucky pair, would you wear them? I can make lucky cat and koinobori symbols all over them.

Haruto: Huh?! You'd do that for me?! That's way too nice, you don't have to!

Yuu: It's okay. I need to keep in practice anyway. I clearly can't work in my grandparents' shop, so small, personal projects are the way to go for now.

Haruto: Your grandparents are shoemakers, too?

Yuu: My dad is from a really long line of them. He chose not to do it himself, but the legacy is important to everyone, so he and my mom made sure my older sister and I were taught how. My family's actually pretty well-known, and I've had a lot of awesome opportunities.

Haruto: What made him not want to?

Yuu: Umm...

Haruto: Sorry. Is that too personal?

Yuu: ...My dad was kind of a sickly kid. Sepsis caused him to need an arm amputation. He didn't want to re-learn how to make shoes, so he took the opportunity to do something else. He does quality assurance for a soda company, cause he may have lost his arm, but not his attention to detail.

Haruto: How did your parents meet?

Yuu: Mmm... my dad got picked on a lot because people absolutely suck. Doesn't help that he's very small and was a lot meeker when he was younger. These bullies nearly tried to beat him up for money once, and my mom whooped the shit out of them. She was kind of known for being a vigilante-type, but she scared everyone, including the victims she protected and anyone who might have made fun of her for not being "womanly." Not my dad, though. He thought she was super cool. They were best friends for nearly two decades. Made a marriage pact. Followed through with it.

His eyes shine when he describes his parents, which makes my heart feel happy.

Haruto: So... they're friends... who got married?

Yuu: Yeah. I know it's kind of unconventional, but they both wanted a family, neither actually fell in love with anyone, and they're each other's closest confidants anyway. It just made sense. My mom even learned shoemaking from my grandpa. My parents are pretty in-sync, in a lot of ways. I don't think I've ever seen them disagree on how to raise us, even with our more... difficult qualities. I'm very grateful to them... and I never want to make them sad. I-- fuck it, nevermind, forget I said that last part.

Haruto: Are you okay?

Yuu: Yeah, it's okay. Sorry, I got carried away. Didn't mean to even scratch the surface of my personal shit, but it was nice to tell that story.

Haruto: You know you can tell me the personal stuff if you ever need to, right? I may not always look like the most reliable person ever, but I'm your friend!

Yuu: Thanks, bud.

Sayuri sees us and requests to be included in our game of jacks, so the three of us play together for a bit until Yuu decides he wants to take a nap.

Yuu's Report Card has been updated based on your experience with him.

Available During Chapter 3:

Event 3:

Yuu: Hey, Bisque. Can't sleep? Me neither.

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

Invite Yuu to hang out

See who else is around

Yuu: Mhm. Better not to be alone right now, I guess.

We work on our individual crafts together, not talking too much but being in each other's company and keeping each other safe.

Looks like Yuu and I drew a little closer today.

Would you like to give Yuu a present?

Definitely!

Not really...

#23 Cuddly Mittens— Soft, padded gloves that exude heat to amplify any physical contact. Great for animal care or simply for better hand-holding.

Yuu: H-Huh. Interesting. I wouldn't have chosen it for myself, but I think that's exactly why I like it so much. It can help me grow. Thank you.

...

He suddenly gets up and starts flicking a light switch on and off. He stops after eight times.

Haruto: Hm? What was that for?

Yuu: Tradition.

Haruto: That's kind of a strange tradition!

Yuu: My older sister does it every night. Says it'll keep us from getting nightmares. I don't believe that, but sometimes, when I'm lonely, I do it to feel closer to her. She's off at uni already.

Haruto: What's she like?

Yuu: Perfect. Ayame is almost annoyingly perfect sometimes. And even more of a perfectionist than I am. She's beautiful, ambitious, incredibly successful in academics, a great volleyball player, has lots of friends, and nearly as good at shoemaking as I am. She was her student council president in her last year of high school. But I know it's not all sunshine and rainbows in her life. You think I'm anxious? Ayame is never able to relax. She's constantly doing something or practicing for something or making something. Her room is constantly immaculate, and there's never a single thing out of place. She cries when she thinks she messes things up sometimes. Seems to run in the damn bloodline, frankly. Sometimes I want to be as amazing as her at everything, because she sure as hell set up some giant-ass expectations for me, but I know I shouldn't be jealous.

Haruto: Are your guys' parents really hard on you or something?

Yuu: Mmm... it's like this. Since my dad was made fun of, and since my mom stuck up for more people than she could count on both hands, they know all the bad shit that comes with being bullied. So they raised us to avoid it at all costs. They never expected us to be fantastic at everything. But they always said the world doesn't give you any slack. Work hard enough at school that people can't call you stupid or apathetic. Be athletic enough that people can't call you weak or lazy. Be friendly or funny enough that people can't call you standoffish, rude, or any of that other stuff. They said, take care to block as many avenues for people to hurt you as you can, so that hopefully you'll be safe when people have access to things you can't control.

Haruto: What kind of things can't you control?

Yuu: Well... nobody ever tried to dissuade me from some of my more "feminine" sensibilities, because that's just who I am. And, um, with my sister... ah, I shouldn't talk about it.

Physical Attributes

Neurodivergence

The Way She Talks

Haruto: Mmm, like the way we talk? We can't really super duper control that! We pick up all sorts of phrases and our vocabularies are different. I can imagine some people might make fun of you if you talk "too posh" or make a lot of mistakes.

Yuu: That's true, though I actually hadn't thought of that before.

So it's not the thing he means.

Physical Attributes

Neurodivergence

The Way She Talks

Haruto: Maybe something about our bodies? Like your dad was.

Yuu: Yeah, people are really shitty about hurting people based on their appearances. It's so incredibly stupid, I swear. My sister and I are able-bodied, though, and neither of us are sickly. Our mom's healthy genetics shone through.

Haruto: That's good! I'm glad you're okay!

Physical Attributes

Neurodivergence

The Way She Talks

Haruto: Ooooooh. This is gonna seem bad if I'm wrong, so I'm sorry in advance. But does she have OCD? She flicks the light switch all the time and she makes sure everything in her room is just so.

He avoids eye contact and bites his lip a bit.

Yuu: That's... very astute of you. You're right.

Haruto: H-Hey, I promise you that if I ever meet her, I won't ever make fun of her! She and I can be neurodivergent buddies!

Yuu: Neurodivergent buddies? Thanks... I think she'd really like that.

Yuu's Report Card has been updated based on your experience with him.

Available During Chapter 5:

Event 4:

Yuu: ...I can't finish breakfast again. What do you want to do during your watch?

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

Invite Yuu to hang out

See who else is around

Yuu: Y-Yes, please. The hallucinations are being especially loud and I could use some help.

We perform meditation. I work tirelessly to make the experience as relaxing and enriching as possible so that it will soothe his weary soul.

Looks like Yuu and I drew a little closer today.

Would you like to give Yuu a present?

Definitely!

Not really...

#20 Hospital Socks— Perfect for someone practical, these fuzzy socks are both incredibly well-insulated and equipped with grippers to prevent slips.

Yuu: I don't... deserve such a kind gesture. But I'll accept it, because it'll make both of us happier. ...Thank you for the present.

...

Azumi: Do you get cold easily?

Yuu: Not particularly. Why do you ask?

Azumi: I have noticed that you wear socks to sleep. I also recall you wearing water shoes in the pool.

Yuu: Uh, yeah. It's not a temperature thing, but it is very deliberate. Before I showed the motive's results, the only person here who saw my feet was Sayuri. And that's because she accidentally caught me making an alginate last.

Azumi: I see. I shall respect your privacy in that manner. I was merely curious.

Yuu: Th-There's nothing wrong with them! Please don't think there's anything weird about them, I'm normal, it's normal!

Azumi: You must not worry. I hold no assumptions. If there is anything you wish to discuss, I highly encourage it. If not, however, we may move on to another line of conversation.

A contemplative expression crosses his face and he seems to ponder his next words very carefully.

Yuu: Would you believe me if I told you I was at the top of the social totem pole for a while?

Azumi: I did not attend regular schooling, and, as such, I have very little exposure to the typical hierarchy. Despite that, I have heard of it. It is perhaps slightly surprising, though not unimaginable, that you held a position such as that.

Yuu: ...Are you humoring me?

Azumi: I insist, I am not! I can envision it.

Yuu: I was on the Varsity soccer team, and I had a lot of friends, and I was confident in myself. Crazy, right? There was even a girl I was sort of interested in.

Azumi: What happened that drained your self-assurance so?

Yuu: The story is kind of gross. I'm just warning you in advance. I don't, like, want you to faint or anything.

I smile teasingly.

Azumi: My constitution is not that weak. I am prepared.

Yuu: This happened when I was still a novice to certain kinds of shoemaking. I was good, but very overconfident. I made my own cletes for soccer, and it was rainy season, and... I got a nasty-ass fungal infection.

He says the last few words in a mumble, severely embarrassed.

Azumi: I see. Is that why you're so afraid of infections?

Yuu: One of a few reasons, yeah. I hid it as well as I could've while it was being treated. But we... we had this class trip to the lake. My friends pressured me into coming, and then got upset when I didn't want to get in the water. The girl I liked started wrestling to get my shoes and socks off, and I didn't really fight back because I didn't want to hurt her, and then everyone in my group just... knew. After that, I kept thinking I heard people laughing at me or making grossed-out faces, and I caught the girl talking about it, and it was just— I never knew who knew and who was smack-talking me! I didn't feel safe with anyone! Not the team, not my friends, ESPECIALLY not the girl. So... I had to watch myself become progressively less trusting, less social, more of a total dick to people who didn't deserve it. For years! Long after the infection cleared! And then, to be dropped here! In a place where there's so much more at stake than a damn reputation— where my fucking life is at stake every single day— how was I not supposed to listen to those conversations?! And I— I fucking killed someone! Oh, god!

I do my best to soothe him. It takes a long while, but eventually, he is able to breathe properly and stop crying. At that point, though, all he wants is a distraction. So I oblige, and he teaches me how to play a certain video game despite how awful I am at it. It is hard to describe what it is, but something feels different about him now that he's vocalized it.

Yuu's Report Card has been updated based on your experience with him.

Event 5:

Yuu: Good morning, Zu. I actually ate all my breakfast! Look!

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

Invite Yuu to hang out

See who else is around

Yuu: Gladly. Actually, there was something I wanted to try, if you'd indulge me.

We go swimming! He seems to genuinely enjoy himself, and that pleases me immensely.

Looks like Yuu and I drew a little closer today.

Would you like to give Yuu a present?

Definitely!

Not really...

#71 Antique Doll-- A porcelain doll. Due to the exquisite craftsmanship of the doll and its clothing, many people still collect and prize them to this very day.

Yuu: I don't... deserve such a kind gesture. But I'll accept it, because it'll make both of us happier. ...Thank you for the present.

...

Yuu: Hey, sorry to sour the mood, but could I talk to you about... the story about my friends from last time?

Azumi: Of course.

Yuu: You... didn't tell anyone about any of that, right?

Azumi: I said nothing. I figured that was a story you would rather I keep private.

Yuu: Thank you. I... I never told anyone else except my older sister. My father... was bullied as a kid, and my mom stood up for him, so they were always very cautious about making sure that Ayame and I were never bullied. I never told them what was happening to me, because I didn't want to make them feel like they'd failed. Or I guess, in less altruistic terms, I was trying to protect my own pride. Because... for as much as I blamed everyone around me, deep down, I don't think I blame anyone for it more than myself. My old friends may have been the start of everything, but... I'm the one who ruined it. I shoved everyone away, sometimes preemptively. Maybe some people really just wanted to be my friend, or had no idea about what had happened. Do you remember that first trial, how I assumed there was no way someone like Bisque could be truthful? If I hadn't pulled myself together and apologized, I would've never become his friend. My complete inability to conceive that someone could just be not an asshole... I made my own hell. For so, so long. And I carried those attitudes here, and so when I lost Sayuri and Bisque, I felt like I had nobody left who cared enough to protect me. The mental break wasn't my fault, and I know that, but... I just reenacted my sick, twisted game again. And this time it came at the cost of innocent people.

Azumi: I can only imagine how isolated you must have felt this whole time. I deeply apologize for everything you have gone through, and I once again dedicate myself to assisting you in overcoming your hurdles.

Yuu: I miss my sister so much. She's off at college, but when she was here, she used to understand me so well. She understood worrying about the stupidest shit and fixating on it for so long, desperate for a solution. She was the one who made me feel like I wasn't broken. She--

He takes deep breaths and opens his eyes with a certain amount of clarity.

Yuu: Ayame has OCD. She flicks the light switch on and off a certain amount of times every night, she panics if her picture frame's off by a few degrees, and she repeats the same phrase a few times when she worries that it came out wrong. I-- I-- I think I have it too, but it's definitely less severe than hers. I can curb my impulses, most of the time. When I'm really stressed, sometimes I wash my hands till they're raw. But mostly I'm just constantly afraid of things that don't matter, and I think so damn much until I can come up with a way to fix it. And the ways I fix it are so dumb and drastic. I hide my feet so people won't judge me, even though the fungus is gone now. I isolate myself so that people can't betray me. I wash myself to a ridiculous extent, especially when I have wounds, because I'm scared of infections. I just want to feel safe!

Azumi: May I hug you?

He leans into it, letting me comfort him.

Azumi: I am so proud of you for being able to admit this to me, and I am honored that I can be here for you. I vow not to tell any of your secrets, and, though I know this may not mean much, I vow to do my best to be a companion to you.

Yuu: I... trust you.

Trust... it's such a complicated concept, so hard to grasp at times. But for him to trust me... how miraculous. I am glad more than anything that I am able to be Yuu's true friend.