Seven years after his last visit, Yuuichi Aizawa returns to the wintry city where his aunt and cousin live in order to attend high school there whilst his parents are away. With his past memories of the city hazy at best, Yuuichi sets about reacquainting himself with the city, and little by little, he finds himself befriending some of the girls that live there. Yet not of all these girls are what they seem, and as Yuuichi gets to know them and uncover their secrets, he also begins to recall those buried events of seven years ago…

As a big fan of Air (KyoAni’s previous adaptation of a Key eroge), I have to admit that back in October, I was content to go along with the hype and look forward to the Kanon remake as much as anyone. At the time, I had yet to see Toei’s version, and I felt sure that Kanon-new would be as curiously addictive as Air had been before it. Little did I know that things were about to turn out very differently- so much so, in fact, that a mere six weeks into its run, I ended up writing a lengthy appraisal-rant about Kanon’s flaws.

Unfortunately, eighteen episodes later, and Kanon still hadn’t redeemed itself- in fact, aside from a few select scenes, it had all proven to be rather boring. Although he did improve over the course of the series, Yuuichi never really recovered from his poor start, with his sarcastic attitude and sense of superiority over the girls he interacted with making him an extremely dislikeable lead. In comparison, the girls themselves never became more than shallow personalities with pasts so drenched in angst and tragedy that Yuuichi became the only thing worth living for. If they were fortunate enough to have a back story, it would all be revealed at the last minute in an “oh by the way, I have a previously unmentioned brother/mother/tragic secret”, whilst Makoto was lucky enough to get a whole new character introduced just for the sake of explaining her situation. Arc upon arc followed this same formula, until at long last, the whole thing concluded in what could only be called a rather lacklustre ending.

As to be expected, however, when it came to the more visceral aspects of the show, Kyoto Animation proved that they could at least get that much right. The visuals are as sumptuous as we’ve come to expect from the studio, elevating the character designs far beyond their earlier animated forms, and also providing some beautiful settings and backdrops along the way. Background music is taken from the game, and thus fits into the usual visual novel style of predominantly light and forgettable tracks interspersed with a few more emotionally charged pieces that help to enhance the scenes they are used in.

Final Thoughts
Although it managed to garner much acclaim elsewhere, the relationship between Kanon and I was never a strong one. Thanks to the general disinterest the cast generated, the story never clicked for me in the way that Air did, and ultimately the most enjoyment derived from the series was in constructing the characters’ secret agendas in the Kanon Diaries.

Conclusion: Yuuichi lived happily ever with Ayu, playing bondage games night and day.

Nayuki
I have been through so much and hatched so many schemes over the course of this series, but with the help of Kaori and her revelations about HARD YURI, I can put that chapter of my life completely behind me now. When I think of how close I came to a life of servitude under Yuuichi’s cruel reign, I can only breathe a sigh of relief at my lucky escape, and savour the years of freedom that stretch out ahead of me.

Conclusion: After Akiko destroyed the bead, no one was able to trace Nayuki’s crimes back to her, and she lived a happy life free of Yuuichi.

Akiko

After months of attempting to perfect it, I have finally been able to produce the jam that will be able to finish the plot once and for all (I call it Power Berry Jam). With this recipe, I can bring Ayu out of her coma and speed her along the road to recovery, ensuring that Yuuichi ends up with her instead of Nayuki. In order to obscure my motives, however, I must use the jam on others as well- perhaps it can cure Shiori and speed the recovery of Mai and Sayuri. Provided they all survive taking the jam, I may even be able to make millions by marketing it as a cure-all.

Conclusion: Akiko made millions selling jams, which we now know as the particularly hideous medicines we had to take as children.

Ayu
Now that I have fully awakened, I can admit the truth behind everything. My innocent and naïve persona was merely one I created to ensnare Yuuichi; having deduced his love for lolimoe, I devised the ultimate holographic projection to win his heart- something even the scheming Nayuki could not have thought of. Unfortunately, powering the projector took up so much of my life energy that I was forced to remain in a coma whilst I was using it, but now that it has been switched off, I can once again awaken (I also feel a lot more energetic after eating some jam that appeared by my bedside). My plan was seven years in the making, but I believe it is worth it, for now I have Yuuichi all to myself, whilst the other girls have been forced to turn to HARD YURI and are thus no longer a threat to me.

Conclusion: Ayu became Yuuichi’s love slave- or was it the other way around?

Shiori
Even after coming off the sickness inducing tablets, something hasn’t been quite right with me, but ever since Akiko came round and gave me some of her special jam, I’ve felt a lot better- in fact, I am in almost perfect health! From now on, I will not try to snag men by hanging around courtyards pretending to be ill, for instead I have my sister.

Conclusion: Having survived a fatal illness, Shiori became so energetic that she ended up breaking her leg when she ran across an icy road and slipped over.

Kaori
Nayuki, now that I have showed you HARD YURI, I know that you will be able to put Yuuichi behind you and join the rest of the girls in the best future available to us. The only obstacle in our way is Kitagawa, but he should not be too much of a problem to dispatch.

Conclusion: Kaori outwitted Kitagawa’s plans and became a HARD YURI harem master.

Mai

After all those weeks in the hospital, I have finally made my feelings plain to Sayuri, and we have agreed to begin a HARD YURI future together. Although I never this to her, however, I must admit that my time with Yuuichi has left me craving for a man now and then. Could including Kitagawa in our inner circle be the answer?

I must also admit that I feel a lot better even since I ate that jam that Akiko gave to Sayuri and I. In fact, shortly after we finished the jam, the doctor told us we were well enough to leave hospital. Could it be more than coincidence?

Conclusion: After watching Toei’s ending and the Kazahana special, Mai and Sayuri realised they were supposed to go abroad for HARD YURI together. They promptly did so, and Mai eventually forgot about men.

Sayuri
For a long time, I didn’t really understand what HARD YURI was, but thanks to Mai, I have now been explicitly introduced to its charms. I cannot believe I did not indulge in it before, for now that it has been revealed to me, I know that Mai is the only partner I need…

Conclusion: See above.

Kitagawa

Ah, Yuuichi, what a fool you were- and what a mess you made of your harem. Last time I was able to snatch Kaori and Nayuki from you, and thanks to your casual suggestion that Mai and Sayuri invite me to their party, I can now make my move on them. At long last, my patience has been rewarded, and nothing can possibly stand in my way! Spin-off series, here I come!

Conclusion: Kitagawa was defeated by HARD YURI without ever quite knowing what it was.

Piroshki

Meow~

In the future, people will look back at this series and they won’t remember the humans- but they will think of me. Remember, cats are superior.

Conclusion: Piroshki starred in his own spin-off series, Piroshki Monogatari.

Yuuichi
The forest is the key to it all, I am sure of it. That was where I last saw Ayu, and it is surely where the plot has decreed I can find her again. I don’t mean brief visions of her saying goodbye- I mean lengthy romantic scenes followed by promises that she will never leave me again. I gambled away minor harem members in an attempt to discover just what exactly works when seducing a woman, but I cannot afford to lose Ayu too. She was my perfectly trained love slave, attentive to my every need, and without her, all I am is an average high school student without a woman to my name.

Nayuki
Kaori, I cannot thank you enough for coming and saving me from my formerly futile existence. Trapped alone in my room with the incriminating bead, I could not stop dwelling on how much I had sacrificed to be with the worthless Yuuichi (even now he prefers a cold forest and the memory of Ayu to spending time with me). It all seemed so hopeless, until Kaori came to me and explained about HARD YURI- the one true tool we females can use to fight back. Only now have I come to realise the value of HARD YURI, and how it will not only be possible but even preferable to continue my life without Yuuichi.

Makoto-real
I know it might seem strange for me to show up at this point in the series, but when I got a call from my agent saying that someone had used my name to star in the show, I just had to come and investigate. I can’t seem to find any evidence of this second Makoto, but the next time she lands a job by pretending to be, there’s going to be trouble. In the meantime, the producers struck a deal with me, paying compensation provided I appeared in this one episode. I think I’ll use the money to go on holiday.

Kaori

Nayuki, I know we did not part on the best of terms, but now I must return to your side to share all that I have discovered in my time off-screen. Both Shiori and I have come to realise that we girls cannot afford to fight; instead, we must stand together and form a united front against the men who would so callously use us and add us to their harems. HARD YURI is the future, Nayuki, and it is my duty to show that to you, for I am sure you will be much happier once you embrace this new way of thinking.

Kitagawa
It may be late in the game, but everything is proceeding as I originally planned. Thanks to my constant reminders, Yuuichi has become obsessed about Ayu, to the point where he spends all his time randomly wandering around the forest and looking for her. It may seem a little cruel to the outsider, but in lieu of helping him, I have decided to move in on his turf and snag both Nayuki and Kaori for myself. They all said I was hopelessly optimistic to keep on waiting week after week for my turn in the spotlight, but I knew that my patience would pay off. Who’s laughing now, eh?

Piroshki

Meooowww~

Translation: What happened? One week I was at the centre of events, and now I have been shoved to one side again. Mark my words, Yuuichi, you will pay for this- expect cat hairs in your food from now on.

Yuuichi
Where did it all go wrong? As I refer back to the exploits of Shirou and Hakuoro, I see that they had amassed a respectable harem by this point, but all that I am left with is my depressed cousin! In such desperate times, only desperate measures will suffice, and so I must do what I can to restore Ayu somehow. I am sure that randomly wandering around in the forest is the way to do it, even if my Flashback Modes seem depressingly pessimistic about the matter.

Nayuki

What have I done? All this time that I was single-mindedly chasing Yuuichi, I never cared about who I hurt or killed, but now I have dragged my own mother into this- for even as I was planning to get her out of the way with a simple hit-and-run, she somehow got caught up in a far worse accident. This must be my punishment for all the acts I have committed, and I now realise how pointless it all was- for what do I want with Yuuichi? No matter how hard I try, he will never love me, for after all, he has already chosen sick girls and fox spirits over me. And yet, without this goal, what exactly do I have to strive for? What is the point of my existence?

I thought I’d gotten rid of this incriminating bead, but it has returned to taunt me.

Makoto

Auu~.

Translation: I’m not really supposed to be in this part, but I was low on money and so I begged the producers to give me a well-paid cameo.

Kitagawa

I know that some would call the recent events that have befallen both Ayu and Akiko both tragic and upsetting, but I have come to realise they represent an opportunity for me, for if Aizawa becomes too depressed and despondent to be functional, I can become the main character! All I have to do is hover around him and exacerbate the problem by periodically reminding him of his woes. It has to work- and even if I only get to be the main character for a single episode, it will have been worth it.

Piroshki

Meowwww~.

Translation: At long last, Yuuichi seems to have acknowledged my superiority; he has begun leaving full meals out on the floor for me to eat, and has generally let me have the run of the house. My only lack is a harem of my own- maybe I should find some nice female cats.

Don’t mention it, old chap.

You made me dinner? You shouldn’t have.

Don’t worry, I’ll be sure to clear my plate.

Okay, I admit I was just being polite- cats don’t really eat this sort of thing.

Ah, that’s more like it.

Could you do me some steak tonight?

Yuuichi
Well, the moment that I hoped would never come is here, and I have been forced to resort to Nayuki in the absence of any other eligible female. Although Nayuki isn’t bad, I just don’t feel the same sense of accomplishment with her that I did with the other girls, and so I must go to extreme lengths such as indulging in Flashback Modes and trying to find ways to restore Ayu- perhaps that small doll she buried is invested with plot powers that can do it. I have also recalled that I once treated Nayuki badly in the past- I guess even then I knew she was not a vital component of my ideal harem.

Nayuki

My greatest rival has been removed, and to my surprise, I didn’t even need to resort to that poison-filled bead in order to do it. I have since placed the bead in a snow bunny so that no one will be able to trace it back to me; admittedly Yuuichi knows of its origin and location, but I am sure I can prevent him from ever saying a word about it. Now I can finally spend every waking moment with Yuuichi, and indeed, be it homework or digging holes in the forest, I vow never to leave his side. I have also been careful to maintain my cover, covering those times when I wake up early with childishly simplistic behaviour such as pretending to have named all the cats on my bathrobe.

I was loath to mention it in this diary before lest it fall into the wrong hands, but at last I feel confident enough to reveal one of my secrets- a subliminal message recorded onto the alarm clock I gave him that encourages him to reject other girls and turn to me. After I told Yuuichi he could not record over it due to the trouble I had with creating the message, he thought me a fool, but little does he know the hidden complexity of this device.

In other news, I must sadly report that I have come to believe my own mother may have been sabotaging my attempts to find love with Yuuichi. I may have to find a way to dispose of her too.

If Auu~ and Uguu~ worked, then Nyuu~ should too.

Akiko

Where did it all go wrong? I arranged girl after girl to distract Yuuichi from the prospect of going after my Nayuki, but somehow they have all disappeared for one reason or another. My last hope now is to play the ‘family’ card- by reinforcing the fact that we are all family, I shall try to decrease the desire for and acceptability of a romantic relationship between Yuuichi and Nayuki.

Kitagawa
At this late stage in the game, I have realised that I must start taking drastic measures if I want to net some screen time, especially as I still haven’t received that phone call about the second season (maybe I should check to see if the producers have my number). Anyway, in the meantime I have made sure to barge my way into every scene possible, even going so far as to help Yuuichi dig some holes in the woods. I didn’t quite catch why he was doing it- is he hoping to land a role on the next Harvest Moon game?

Piroshki

Meeoow~

Translation: That Yuuichi still has not learned his place, to the extent that he thinks he can just manhandle me! It is a proven fact that cats increase the appeal of anime by a factor of five, and so he must be made to pay. Perhaps I will sink my claws into him when no one is looking.

Yuuichi
Oh no, what have I done? All I did was go with Ayu to see her school (based on my experiences with Mai, I thought this would be a good place to seduce her), and not only was there only a stump where the school should be, but she then said a tearful goodbye and disappeared! I must have done something wrong to trigger this event, but what? At least on the other occasions I had some warning before the girl left me, but this time it occurred unexpectedly. Has all my training been for nothing? Am I left with only Nayuki to sleep with? All my dreams of a wonderful harem are lying in pieces on the floor…

I was just getting Ayu to do whatever I wanted, and then this happened! There isn’t enough time to start training up a new girl from scratch.

Ayu
I love Yuuichi so much, but now I realise that I love Nayuki too- what should I do? Nayuki has always been so nice to me; she spends time with me and gives me special things too- I wish I could be with her and Yuuichi forever! Oh well, if I have to choose just one, I guess I’d better stick with Yuuichi. I think I’ll show him my school tomorrow…

The next page is blank.

Nayuki
At long last, my carefully laid plans for Ayu have come to pass, for after weeks of living together, she finally trusted me enough to come to my room for a cosplay session. During this time, I allowed her to try on my uniform, which I had earlier soaked with a special hallucinogenic drug (naturally I took care not to handle the drug myself) which will infiltrate her mind and hopefully cause her to have some sort of breakdown. Some may argue that there were easier ways to dispose of Ayu, but I prefer to try out new methods and evaluate their effectiveness.

I have to admit that Yuuichi caught me in quite an alert state this morning, but hopefully he will not dwell on it too much- the last thing I need is for my cover to be blown at this stage.

Akiko
I have tried my best to push Yuuichi and Ayu together, but what if I have done too much? They do seem to be spending a lot of time together, but my fear now is that either something will happen to Ayu, or Yuuichi will tire of her. I must whip up more of that love potion and put it in my jam, even if everyone seems oddly reluctant to eat it these days.

Piroshki

Meow.

Translation: Damn that Yuuichi, how dare he keep kicking me away? Doesn’t he know that cats are more important than humans? I will have my revenge in the end.

Yuuichi
I have begun to realise that I may be getting through girls a little too quickly; Makoto is dead, Mai and Sayuri are in hospital and now Shiori and Kaori are staying at home- what am I doing wrong? Whatever it is, I must not make any mistakes with the next object of my affections- the lolilicious Ayu. Ever since she came to live with us, I have been training Ayu and using her as backup girl when no one else is available, but now she must be brought to the forefront of my attentions. Of course, there is Nayuki to consider as well, but I think of her as more of a last resort.

Girls are expensive.

Ayu
Last time Yuuichi said I would have to share him with other girls, but these days he seems to be spending more and more time with me. I don’t mind either way, of course; Yuuichi is the most important thing to me (except taiyaki, of course), and sometimes I even feel like I don’t even exist when I’m not with him.

Nayuki

Within this bead lies Ayu’s downfall!

At long last, my plans are coming to pass- whether or not the jam was responsible, Shiori has stopped coming to school, and now only Ayu stands between Yuuichi and I. With most of my rivals eliminated, I have finally been able to spend more time with Yuuichi; I even arranged to win the inter-high relay by making a comeback from behind so that he would notice me (he should be doubly impressed since he has come to believe I am sleepy and stupid most of the time). In the greatest stroke of irony, however, I was able to get Yuuichi to buy me a glass bead filled with poison which I plan to use to dispose of Ayu at the first opportunity. Yuuichi, soon you will be mine and mine alone.

Akiko
The situation is getting desperate now; despite my efforts with the jam, Shiori seems to have disappeared, leaving Ayu as the only barrier between Yuuichi and my precious Nayuki. I must do my utmost to ensure that Yuuichi ends up with Ayu and does not seek out any more girls- I have even placed a love potion in their food to accelerate this process.

Kitagawa

Aizawa’s appetite for girls is like nothing I’ve ever seen.

Even though I have now pinned my hopes on a second season, I am beginning to wonder if there will even be any girls left for me- Aizawa seems to get through them so quickly.

Special: The Past Uncovered

Young Yuuichi
I don’t understand why all my friends say I’m too young to be going out with girls- it’s just such fun! Ever since I came to this town, I’ve seen so many, but Ayu must be the best of them- she even let me see her ‘special place’! I hope I can come back here when I’m older and make all the girls into my own personal harem; although hopefully by then Ayu’s cooking will have improved…

So that’s how you pleasure girls…

Young Ayu
This winter I met a nice boy named Yuuichi; he loves my cooking and says he wants to marry me when I’m older! Then again, he might not like me if I get bigger, so I need to find a way to stop myself growing too much…

…whilst I slip into something more comfortable?

Yuuichi
Part of creating a successful harem is getting all the constituent members used to the idea of being just one member of a group of girls, and so it was today that I decided to bring together Shiori, Kaori, Ayu and Nayuki under the pretence of holding a birthday party. Happily, this event went off without a hitch, with even Kaori gelling together with the group- only a harem master such as myself could have engineered such a meeting without any fears of jealousy or friction between the girls.

With Mai and Sayuri now out of the picture, I have had to rely on Shiori to make my lunches.

Of course, given that Shiori may suddenly drop dead on the stroke of midnight on her sixteenth birthday, I gave her additional attention above beyond that showed to the other girls. Since she said that she could stay up late, I took advantage of that to make her into a real woman; perhaps the power of my love will even be enough to cure her illness.

I must also note that Kitagawa is slowly becoming a threat to me; he may be unappealing, but I cannot underestimate the power of his sheer determination. My only hope is to completely eliminate him as a rival by turning him HARD GAY.

Nayuki

I cannot help but laugh evilly, for at long last, my plans have come together in a way that even Death Note’s Light would be proud of. Thinking that I didn’t know her, Yuuichi invited me to Shiori’s birthday party, enabling me to get closer to her than I have ever done before. Thanks to this, I was able to give her a jar of Mother’s strawberry jam, laced with poison; no matter what illnesses she may or may not have, this jam should put an end to her life.

In the meantime, Kaori seems to have broken away from my influence and made up with Shiori; once I would have considered this a setback, but on reflection, perhaps I can encourage them to start a HARD YURI relationship and forsake Yuuichi once and for all.

Akiko
I am glad that Yuuichi has found a partner in Shiori, but I fear for her health; due to this, I gave Nayuki a jar of strawberry jam to give her- the jam contains a special substance which should boost her immune system and hopefully lengthen her lifespan. My only fear is that Yuuichi will tire of her anyway- he seems to get through girls so quickly.

Ayu
Today Yuuichi explained to me that although he loves me very much, he has other girls that he loves too, and that I should try to get along with them. He seemed worried that I might argue about this, but why would I? I’m happy that those other girls can see how great Yuuichi is- and I know that I will always be his favourite.

Shiori

I have to admit that I have had a good time with Yuuichi this week, but now, as always, I find myself tiring of him. Once, I was so depressed over the prospect of having no screen time that I tried to slit my wrists, but after I met the main character, I realised that I should stick it out and wait for my inevitable arc. Those days of sitting out in the cold and pretending to be pathetic and ill certainly paid off, but now I must move on to my next conquest, whoever he may be. To that end, I have told Yuuichi that I cannot possibly see him again after my sixteenth birthday, because my ‘illness’ will magically take a turn for the worse and make it impossible for me to go out.

Men do not understand that you can’t just take off your clothers and do it anywhere.

Kaori
Nayuki, I know you think I have gone back on my word and forgiven Shiori, but even though I have not yet explained my plans to you, I have done no such thing. Instead, I have pretended to forgive her so that I can get close enough to her to gain both revenge and screen time. Thanks to my former cold treatment of her, she will eagerly rush to me when it appears that I have forgiven her, and then I can slip the proverbial knife into her back.

Kitagawa

Today I accompanied Aizawa to Shiori’s birthday in an attempt to get a look at all the girls that will be coming my way once my arc begins. Since I have to admit that the number of episodes remaining is ever decreasing, I did try to advance my arc by attacking Aizawa and putting him out of commission, but he was somehow able to defend himself. Oh well, I’m sure the producers won’t mind running to a second season in order to accommodate me.

Yuuichi

A part of me still feels like it is a waste of time to work on a girl whose lifespan may be limited, but at the same time, I would hate for a valuable resource to go completely unused- even if the worst happens, at least I can use the techniques I have refined with Shiori in order to pleasure other girls better (although my supply of willing young women is slowly running dry). She also provides a vital diversion whilst I continue to train Ayu to my exacting standards; many men desire a loli, but few of them have any idea how much time and effort one must invest in training one to service them in all ways.

Akiko

It seems a little odd, but after Nayuki brought me some soup in hospital, I started feeling even worse than ever. Nonetheless, I have decided to return home, for I must protect dear Nayuki from Yuuichi.

Nayuki
Mother seems to be more resilient to my concoctions than I had anticipated, but no matter, for I have bigger concerns now. Shiori is my greatest rival of the hour, and even the machinations that kept her out in the cold are no longer enough- I must take more direct action. First, I must get close enough to Shiori to discover the true nature of her illness, for only then can I figure out how to aggravate her symptoms without raising any suspicions. I must also take care with Kaori, for I fear she has begun to confide in Yuuichi. I must prevent her from straying, and perhaps even manipulate her into taking care of Shiori for me.

Ayu
I love it when Yuuichi and I are alone in the house together. It’s just like we’re husband and wife; I do all the cooking and cleaning whilst Yuuichi watches television, and then when he’s ready, we go up to the bedroom together for some special games. I’m so glad I came to live with Yuuichi- it really is a dream come true for me. I don’t even have to think for myself anymore, because Yuuichi has promised to do that for me.

Shiori


My plan has worked splendidly; now that Yuuichi thinks I am dying, he seems willing to spend as much time with me as possible. Although I cannot drag this out forever, I can use this period to obtain as many gifts from him as possible, as well as getting one over on my sister. She always said that she would be the one to get a boyfriend first, but thanks to my underhanded tactics, I have won this round.

Kaori
Nayuki, thank you for warning me about Shiori- that little hussy has gotten so close to Yuuichi that she has stolen all of the screen time that could have been mine! I must take action in order to prevent this; perhaps Nayuki has some suggestions as to what I can do to remove that irritating sister of mine.

Kitagawa

I don’t know what I’m doing wrong, but I just don’t seem to have the same way with women that Aizawa has. Maybe I should just be patient; my turn will come soon.

Yuuichi
I think I have exhausted all the possibilities that Mai and Sayuri have to offer me; our late night encounters were fun, but really, how long can a man go without sleep? I must now turn my attention to a quieter and more easy to please woman; perhaps Shiori, since she may be dying soon, I must get all the use I can out of her before she passes away.

The key to making girls want you is to make it look as if you are doing them a favour by spending time with them.

Nayuki

How dare Ayu spend time with my Yuuichi?

Why is it that all my plans end in failure? In an attempt to get some time alone with Yuuichi, I slipped a light poison into mother’s food- my hope was that she would have to go to the hospital, and that Ayu would accompany her. Although this part of the plan went off without a hitch (and still no one suspects me!), Yuuichi himself disappeared to be with another girl! Why is that no matter how many rivals I eliminate, he always finds another girl to spend time with? Well, never mind; he will be mine even if I have to kill or incapacitate every other woman in town.

Akiko
Today was a very stressful one for me; having contracted an unknown sickness, I was forced to go to the hospital, leaving me concerned that Yuuichi might take advantage of my Nayuki. In desperation, I placed a phone call to Shiori, asking her to occupy Yuuichi whilst I was away- hopefully this will be enough to keep Nayuki safe.

Kaori
…Okay, so I do have a sister, but ever since she started getting more screen than me, a rift has grown up between us. Nayuki has been such a good friend to me in this time, listening to my story and telling me how right I am to feel aggrieved; if not for her, I would have surely caved in and forgiven Shiori by now. Nonetheless, I must now confide in Yuuichi, for he is the main character, and may be able to move the plot forward in such a way that I can have more screen time.

Shiori

I don’t go outside much.

Today I was in the hospital to get more sickness-inducing drugs when I happened to run into Yuuichi and Ayu. Fearing that Ayu could pose a real threat to my ending up with Yuuichi, I decided to play my trump card and explain how close I am to death (no one need know that it is all a sham). Now Yuuichi will feel bad and want to spend as much time as possible with me.

Ayu

I love preparing delicious food for Yuuichi!

It’s great having someone like Yuuichi to look after me- he always tells me what to do, so I need never have to worry about thinking for myself. Cooking, cleaning, attending to his needs- I will do it all!

Mai
Although I was unable to kill myself, I have now been hospitalised until the spring; a worthwhile secondary measure for escaping from Yuuichi. Better yet, Sayuri is in the next bed- perhaps now I can confess my feelings to her and we can begin a life of HARD YURI together.

Sayuri
I’ve come to realise that Mai is all I need now; I just hope that Yuuichi will leave us alone so that we can get on with our lives without the plot troubling us further.