[player] ...On second thought, maybe not.
[-] A whole workbook's worth of homework is too much. If she can't finish in time, she'll still be in trouble when she gets home.
[-] Besides, I'd rather that she go home and own up to her mistake than get a new workbook to cover it up.
[player] Haruna, we may not be able to get your workbook back. Why don't you go home, tell your mom the truth, and apologize?
[player] She'll probably still be angry, but if you tell her how sorry you are, I'm sure she'll forgive you.
[Haruna Igarashi] No... I don't wanna. You have no idea how mad she'll get, I'm scared...
[player] I'll come with you, so it won't be as scary.
[player] With me there, your mom might even go a little easier on you.
[Haruna Igarashi] But...
[Stray Cat] Nyaa!
[-] A few familiar stray cats have appeared out of nowhere and gathered around Haruna, their cries rising and falling.
[Haruna Igarashi] What's the matter, guys?
[player] Maybe they're here to encourage you? Even the stray cats are cheering you on--as their "leader," you can't let them down.
[player] Otherwise, they might not play with you anymore after this.
[Haruna Igarashi] N-No way! I can't let that happen...
[-] Looking at me, then the cats, then back to me again, Haruna lowers her head and clenches her fists... a few moments later, she stamps the ground resolutely.
[Haruna Igarashi] I'm no coward! I'm going home right now! And I'm going to tell Mom I'm sorry!
[player] That's the spirit, Haruna!
[Haruna Igarashi] ...PLAYER, would you hold my hand on our way back?
[player] Of course.
[-] Haruna's hand is a little clammy. I grab it tightly, trying my best to give her courage.
[-] At Haruna's house
[-] When we arrive at her house, Haruna lowers her head and comes clean to her mom.
[Haruna Igarashi] I'm sorry, Mom... I didn't actually finish my homework. I was afraid you'd find out, so I hid my workbook... and now I can't find it anywhere...
[Mrs. Igarashi] ...School starts in just a few days. What are you going to do without your workbook?
[Haruna Igarashi] Um... I'll use my allowance to buy a new one, and I'll finish it before school starts.
[Haruna Igarashi] Please don't be mad at me, Mom. I promise I'll never lie to you again... and I'll do all my homework...
[-] Haruna's head gets lower and lower and her voice gradually starts to break.
[player] Mrs. Igarashi, Haruna knows that what she did was wrong. She did everything she could to try and find her workbook before coming back here to apologize to you. Do you think you could forgive her?
[Mrs. Igarashi] ...Sigh, from the looks of her filthy clothes, she really did do everything she could.
[Mrs. Igarashi] Fine. Chin up now, Haruna. Don't worry about your workbook.
[-] Saying this, Mrs. Igarashi takes a slightly dirtied workbook from the drawer next to her. Haruna's eyes widen in disbelief.
[Haruna Igarashi] My workbook?! H-How did it end up here?
[Mrs. Igarashi] A janitor found it and went to the trouble of bringing it here after finishing work. Don't forget to go and thank him later.
[Haruna Igarashi] So the janitor really did find it...
[Mrs. Igarashi] When I saw the state of your notebook, I more or less guessed what had happened.
[Mrs. Igarashi] Did you think you could get away with pretending to lose your workbook so I couldn't check it over? Or that I wouldn't just buy a new one for you to complete?
[Haruna Igarashi] Um... Th-That's right...
[Mrs. Igarashi] Feeling ashamed now, are you? At first, I was going to have you finish your original workbook as well as a whole new one as punishment when you got home.
[Haruna Igarashi] No! Mom, no, please! I know what I did was wrong--{var:Shake}
[Mrs. Igarashi] I know. Seeing as you tried your best to find it and you owned up to your mistake, I'll let it slide this time.
[Haruna Igarashi] ...Really?! I'm so happy! PLAYER, Mom forgave me!!!
[Mrs. Igarashi] Don't just stand there celebrating, go finish your homework. An apology alone won't right this wrong.
[Haruna Igarashi] I'll go and finish it right now!
[player] Phew, that's great. I'm glad everything worked out okay in the end. Well then, Haruna, Mrs. Igarashi, I'll be going now.
[Mrs. Igarashi] Wait.
[player] Huh?
[Mrs. Igarashi] Thank you for your help. If you hadn't been with Haruna, I doubt she would have come clean to me so soon. She'd probably still be hiding outside somewhere now.
[Mrs. Igarashi] Dinner's almost ready, please stay and eat with us. But before that, could I ask you to keep an eye on Haruna...?
[Mrs. Igarashi] (whispers) At least to make sure she's actually doing her homework and not just watching TV.
[player] Haha... Sure, I'd be happy to.
[Haruna Igarashi] Aw... How can you yell at me and then turn around and be all nice to PLAYER... U-Umm...!! I'm sorry, I didn't mean it! I'm gonna go do the rest of my homework right now--
[Mrs. Igarashi] Stop right there, young lady!
[-] Ooft... Haruna, all I can say is that you've earned every lesson you've been taught...
[-] Finally, Mrs. Igarashi goes to get dinner ready, while the freshly-scolded Haruna sits obediently at her desk to do her homework.
[Haruna Igarashi] (whispers) Hmm... I don't know about this one... I'll just go with "C"...
[player] ...
[-] I've got a bad feeling about this...
[player] Which problem are you having trouble with, Haruna?
[Haruna Igarashi] Um... lots of them. Can you help me, PLAYER?
[player] Isn't that why I'm here? Let me take a look... Um...
[Haruna Igarashi] Well? Do you know the answer?
[player] Th-This is an interesting problem alright, it's more complicated than it looks. I should take my time with this one...
[Haruna Igarashi] Pfft!
[player] Hey, don't laugh! If an elementary school student can do it, it should be no problem for me.
[Haruna Igarashi] I wasn't laughing at that... I'm just really happy. After all, my gut was right--trusting you will bring me good luck!
[player] Huh?
[Haruna Igarashi] All I had to do was tell my mom I was sorry, and she forgave me. You were right after all!
[player] In that case... the next time you have a problem, come talk to me about it first before you get yourself into trouble. Got it?
[Haruna Igarashi] Got it! Thank you, PLAYER! You're my best friend in the whole wide world!
[player] You're welcome. Now, let's tackle this homework.
[Haruna Igarashi] Okay!
[-] Haruna's smile is as sunny and bright as always. Even if I have to contend with a mountain of bizarre homework problems now, seeing that smile makes it all worth it.
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