Irotoutoshi-hen Chapter 7 (第7話 Dai Nana-wa) is the seventh chapter of Irotoutoshi-hen.
Summary[]
The horrified Rika asks Irie if there really isn't anything to stop the people of Hinamizawa and Polaris from developing terminal symptoms of Hinamizawa Syndrome and Polaris Syndrome with no Irie Institute and no cure, but Irie says they just need to leave it up to time. While Hinamizawa Syndrome is getting more unstable over time, it also has a tendency to subside, and so patients can improve with enough rest and anti-anxiety medication. Irie theorizes that brain parasites that manipulate human behavior need to adapt to their host, otherwise they'll die along with the host. Polaris Syndrome may also become inert like Hinamizawa Syndrome over time, and the original hosts of Polaris Syndrome didn't have symptoms independently. Therefore, they just need to keep both peoples living peacefully and stop them from having excessive contact with one another.
Rika sees that they have to accept that Hinamizawa's changed, and it may take years to get used to. She worries if the elders will accept that since they're old fashioned, but Irie says this may be a trial given to the village in the Reiwa Era that will end with them dying out if they fail. Rika thinks back to her past; there were times she felt it would be better for the village to disappear, but she never thought of staying forever and went to travel the world. She believes she can be protected so long as her friends are there, and realizes that she's being sentimental over the thought of her home town disappearing.
Rika gets a call from Keiichi and picks up, learning that he has a plan to appeal to Polaris and stop the hostility running across both sides. Rika wholeheartedly agrees, seeing that her friends reached the same conclusion Irie did. Keiichi is confident that they can create a new beginning for Hinamizawa. He says they'll prepare a strategy meeting with the club members and their kids tomorrow, and will accommodate for Rika to remote in. Rika is renewed with strength that they can overcome the tragedy.
The next day, June 16th at the Maebara household, the club and their kids gather. Keitarou and his friends reminisce on how they haven't done anything like this in five years. Keitarou says he tried inviting Kururu but she turned him down, having to prepare for the Polaris Festival which happens to be on the same day as the Watanagashi Festival. Sakiko wonders if it's a festival where they do drugs and chant, and Keitarou tells her to stop speculating and badmouthing them. Keitarou explains that, according to his dad, Polaris is a domestic violence victim support group, and that Hinamizawa should try to get along with them since they coexist. Sakiko is annoyed by him showing support for the group. Keitarou says they should still talk it out, and then gets the idea to go help with the Polaris Festival after the meeting to better understand them.
The rest of the club is confused at Keitarou's proposal, with Kihiro looking especially concerned. Even though Keiichi had something important to tell everyone, Keitarou starts scratching his head and says this is a good opportunity to better understand Polaris. Sakiko says that there's no point to helping them since they're harassing Hinamizawa, and that they have to prepare for their own festival. Keitarou doesn't believe that Polaris is really spreading harassing graffiti, but Sakiko says that one part had the Polaris emblem painted on it. Keitarou gets angry and accuses Sakiko and Tamaki of not caring about restoring peace to the village, and insists that they can get along with Polaris just by talking to them. His head scratching intensifies as he says that he needs to put his life on the line to prove how big a problem this is, and Tamaki tries to calm him down. Kihiro finally says that he doesn't approve of Keitarou's plan, and suggests that they settle things in a club game, as whoever wins will be right.
Outside, Kihiro and Keitarou equip themselves with water guns and wear paper sashes, with the aim of the game to get the other person's sash wet enough and rip them. Tamaki says she prepared this game earlier for everyone to play. Kihiro declares that if he wins, then Keitarou will give up on his plan to gather with Polaris, and Keitarou says that everyone will go along with his plan if he wins.
Tamaki calls for the game to start, and Keitarou and Kihiro begin going at each other as the adults come out to watch. Kihiro asks if Kururu even asked for help with festival preparations, and Keitarou says she didn't, but he feels that noticing problems and fixing them is what Hinamizawa's all about. Kihiro thinks the opposite, that forcing themselves onto the group when they never asked would be a nuisance, and that groups of people showing up all at once would overburden Polaris. Kihiro gets a good shot in and narrowly misses Keitarou's sash.
Kihiro asks plainly if Keitarou ever considered things from Polaris's point of view, and believes he's being egotistical in assuming that everyone would react with kindness just by being treated kindly themselves. Keitarou claims he's doing this for Hinamizawa and Kihiro yells that that's a lie, getting another good water gun shot in. The shot narrowly misses Keitarou's sash again. Kihiro yells that Keitarou's just doing this to justify his own beliefs.
The spectating club members comment on the boys' movements. Sakiko says she's never seen Kihiro this angry before, as normally he stays calm and watches, and respects other people's wishes; he usually treats Keitarou nicely as well. Rena says that Kihiro's been having dreams lately, and its shown that Kihiro has Fragment memories of Oniokoshi's world where Keitarou died in the fire. Kihiro regretted that he didn't speak out when he had the chance, and couldn't fulfill his dream of the club members having fun in Hinamizawa. Kihiro laments that he wasn't able to tell Keitarou that it's dangerous to dive in blindly despite his love for interacting with others, and knows that he'll harbor that regret forever. Kihiro remembers that Keitarou has always been reckless ever since they were kids, remembering a time when Keitarou got stuck in a cave; while it was funny, Kihiro still regretted that he could've done something to stop him then. Kihiro feels now that Keitarou's going down a dangerous path and wants to stop him before it's too late.
Kihiro declares that he wants Keitarou to keep moving forward but doesn't want to regret not keeping him out of danger, and resolves to protect him if it means beating him up. He says that there's a correct way to get involved with Polaris. Keitarou asks him to explain it right now then, but Kihiro says he doesn't have one, but that they still need to think things through together. Keiichi watches their argument with intent.
Keitarou and Kihiro slow down, as they're running out of water in their guns. Keitarou starts thinking about things from Kihiro's point of view and wonders when was the last time they fought seriously. He does feel that he's been neglecting Kihiro and his friends ever since learning about Polaris, and wonders what he wants to hold dear and cherish. Remembering his dad telling him that his allies are his treasure, Keitarou comes to understand that an ally is someone standing in front of him and thinking earnestly of him.
Keitarou then recalls memories from Oniokoshi's world of dying in the house fire. Remembering the regret from ignoring his friends' warnings and apologizing to them as he burned to death all alone, Keitarou yells and douses himself with water. As his friends watch in confusion, Keitarou realizes that true harmony starts with cherishing the people in front of him. He apologizes for neglecting his friends in the past and promises to calm down and listen to what everyone has to say. Keitarou thus destroys his sash and accepts defeat in the water gun battle, and asks Kihiro to hit him if he ever starts acting like an idiot again. Kihiro and Keiichi smile, the latter escorting the boys inside to take a shower and have food later.
Characters[]
- Rika Furude
- Kyousuke Irie
- Hanyuu (memory)
- Keiichi Maebara
- Satoko Houjou
- Sakiko Kimiyoshi
- Tamaki Sonozaki
- Rena Ryuugu
- Kihiro Ryuugu
- Ichirou Maebara
- Aiko Maebara
- Keitarou Maebara
- Mion Sonozaki
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- Keitarou is shown playing a game called WanyaDora Families, a reference to the recurring wanya.
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