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[Ogami]

Right. Guess I'll forget about my work and take it easy for the first time in a while.


[Ayame]

Ogami-kun? What's the matter?




[Ogami]

Since the manager gave me permission to take the day off, I was just thinking of going out or something...


[Ayame]

Hmhm, that sounds good. Since it's New Year's Day at long last, go off and take it easy.


[Ogami]

Y-Yes'm. ... um...




Yeah, that's right, Ogami knows when to cut his losses.

[Ayame]

I'll leave those girls in your hands! ... hang in there, Ogami-kun.


[Ogami]

Eh!?


----
[Ogami]

What, plural!?

[Ayame]

... not quite what I meant, Ogami-kun.

----



[Ogami]

........




[Ogami]

........
I wonder... who should I ask to join me for a temple visit...




And then it's free roam time. There's no time limit!



... on the other hand, there really aren't any events going on, either.

Nevertheless, there are still a few glimpses into the horrors of the Imperial Theater's day-to-day life points of interest to check out...


----


[Ogami]

As expected, the soba noodles that Maria and Sakura made were well-done, but...


[Ogami]

The ones that Iris made were basically clay, so...




The cafeteria!

[Ogami]

Kanna kept downing bowls of rice and meat as if they were individual soba noodles, in tens and twenties...


----
Elsewhere:

[Ayame]

Manager Yoneda, do you remember the budget that we had planned out for the living costs of everyone in the theater?

[Yoneda]

Yeah! Hah, we really outdid ourselves this year, didn't we?

[Ayame]

... do you remember what we'd written down for the cost of feeding everyone over the entire year?

[Yoneda]

Yup, I--

[Yoneda]

-- oh GOD no. Kanna broke the budget on the first day of the year?

[Ayame]

Again. Not only are we going to have to redo all of our calculations, but--

[Yoneda]

Yeah, yeah, I'll go call in a loan from that council of old men. And possibly another country, at this rate.

----



Pshaw, forget goodwill towards mankind on New Year's, I want my freaking bromide. WHERE IS MY FREAKING BROMIDE



Right, one more thing.



Bypassing the "this is the Manager's Office" and the "are you in? / Oh, c'mon in" dialogue...


----

----


[Ogami]

My resolutions for the year...?



----


[Ayame]

........




[Ogami]

Eek!? N... No way...


----
[Ogami]

... well, I'll graduate from ticket-taking one of these days, so I'm in no hurry.

[Yoneda]

Ha! Ha! Ha!

[Ogami]

Manager, wha...?

[Yoneda]

Man, Ogami m'boy, that was a freakin' hilarious joke! I--

[Yoneda]

Oh... you were being serious again, weren't you.

[Ogami]

I... just... never mind, sir.

----



[Ogami]

Y-Yes'm... I'll get going.


Right then, back to reminiscing. First, the stage...



[Ogami]

The many faces of the Flower Division. They'll definitely continue to run rampant this year too, no doubt about it.


Then, the dressing room...



[Ogami]

Kohran pulled out her dish-spinning trick again, and we all had a blast...


The hangars...



[Ogami]

That she'd do a major cleanup of the Koubu... As expected of Kohran.


Even though it took her three months to get to checking up on the Koubu's actual ability to fight

Right then... the medical office.



[Ogami]

It's because my our health is really the most important thing.


The baths...



[Ogami]

It can't be helped. Let's go somewhere else.


... well, now we know what Ogmai thinks the baths are for: Entertainment.



The library!

[Ogami]

I might stop by tonight.


Where... he doesn't seem to think that he'll be spending any time with, say, whichever romantic interest he may or may not choose to pursue for New Year's.


----


[Ogami]

Ah... happy new year to the three of you! Aren't you off work today?


[Tsubaki]

We came to greet everyone for the new year~!


[Kasumi]

... in any case, we were on our way to greet the manager.


[Yuri]

... right then, seeya, Ogami-san!


[Tsubaki]

Drop by the shop to visit afterwards~!


[Ogami]

Got it. See you all later.


And with almost indecent haste, the three theater girls flee the scene, leaving Ogami to his own devices.



[Ogami]

In any case, the greatest joy is probably that we were able to greet the new year in peace.


----
[Ogami]

You know, never mind the fact that there's still plenty of time for something bad to happen, or the fact that this would be the PERFECT time for something bad to happen, what with all our Koubu being on the verge of blowing up and all.

[Ogami]

...

[Ogami]

Right, I'ma think of something else now. MOre importantly, I should probably go back and check to see that Kohran hasn't rigged my Koubu to blow or anything.

----



Back to the salon...

[Ogami]

It's suddenly the new year after just one night passes. Somehow, it's a mysterious feeling.


... for some random contemplation, before going back to Ogami's room.



[Ayame]

Ah, Ogami-kun. Do you have a moment?


[Ogami]

Ah... yes'm.




[Ogami]

... I'm sorry for the bother. Thank you very much.


[Ayame]

It's fine. It was on the way, after all.
Now then... go invite a girl you like to the New Year's temple visit. ... see you.



----


Oh, Kayama. The things I could write about Kayama. ... eh, we'll leave that for some other game.

[Ogami]

Ah... this one's from big sister Futaba, isn't it...


[Futaba]

"Ichiro-san, how are you? My son and I are doing quite well.
My son Shinjiro is striving in his swordsmanship exercises to become a soldier like you.
Please make sure to join Shinjiro in his practicing the next time you come visit.
Now then... take care of yourself.
~ Futaba Taiga."


[Futaba]

"P.S....
Come back home every now and then. I'll make you that Shimotsukare that you like so much."


[Ogami]

Big sister Futaba...
... it sounds like Shinjiro's really grown in what little time I haven't seen him.
Since I was so busy last year that I hadn't had time to write a New Year's card, I'd better write a reply...


Here's hoping that the little bastard stays nice and comfy in NPCdom, rather than get wrapped up in the hellish morass that is Ogami's life as a mecha pilot-slash-dating sim protagonist.

[Ogami]

Now then... I can't stay in my room forever. I'd better get going.




Geh.



[Ogami]

U-Um, well...




[Ogami]

Y-Yes'm!




----
[Ayame]

Also, quite frankly, this is at least the third time I've tried hammering the idea into your head, Ogami-kun. What on Earth could possibly be so important that you put off trying to pick up a girl?

[Ogami]

Well, I had to walk around the theater and check out each and every one of the rooms that I already spend most of my waking life using. That's pretty important. I was also all alone, and... uh...

[Ogami]

...

[Ogami]

Good lord, what the fuck AM I doing!?

[Ayame]

Attaboy, Ogami-kun.

----



Right then.


----

----

----

----


Right then. Only one of these six people won't horribly torture and/or deal bodily damage to Ogami.



... well, okay, Maria will, but at least she won't do so without good reason.



[Ogami]

It's Ogami... Maria, are you in?


[Maria]

Captain? Come in, it's unlocked.


[Ogami]

Right then, I'm coming in.



----


[Maria]

Yes. I don't have any plans, other than reading...


[Ogami]

Maria... um...




----
[Ogami]

(-- oh JESUS cold feet cold feet butterflies in stomach am I really doing the right thing do I really want to be doing this--)

----



----
[Ogami]

(... wait, why the hell am I panicking? It's not like the outcome of this choice is going to dictate the course of my life for the next few years, or even for the next few months. It's just a temple visit, it's nothing special.)

[Ogami]

(... I think.)

----

[Ogami]

Maria... come on a New Year's temple visit with me.




[Ogami]

Yup. That is, if it wouldn't be a bother for you...




Oh shit, it's the return of Maria (Radiant Blush Ver.)!

[Ogami]

I see... that's great. I wouldn't be sure what to do if I got turned down...


----
[Ogami]

... other than to, y'know, go for the next available person.

[Maria]

You really didn't need to add that last bit, Captain.

[Ogami]

Actually, I'm pretty sure that Kanna or Kohran are free, if--

[Maria]

Shut UP, Captain.

[Ogami]

Yes'm, shutting up.

----

[Maria]

This will be the first time I've done something like a New Year's temple visit... I'm in your care, Captain.


[Ogami]

Just leave it to me. Right, let's go to the Meiji Shrine by steam-powered train.


... of course. What OTHER form of transportation could they possibly ride?



And then, into the legend...


NEXT TIME: A nice calm date in which nothing bad could ever possibly happen, ever.





















Whoops, Kohran hates me now. OH WELL


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