Hishida Shunsou/Route

On her way home, the heroine Mei was caught up in the middle of a magic show held by Charlie. It was supposed to be a standard disappearance trick… except Charlie accidentally teleported Mei back in time to the Meiji era.

Turns out Mei can’t go home unless it’s in a situation similar to how she got there – that is, a fullmoon. So Mei had to wait a month before she can go back. Having snuck into Rokumeikan for some food with Charlie, she found herself in trouble when police officer Fujita Gorou confronted her on who she was and the like. From here on, she’ll be rescued by a different guy depending on the player’s choice.

Route:

Mei was saved by Ougai, who claimed that Mei was his cousin who recently returned from America. Ougai then took Mei home and offered to shelter her as the time slip messed her up and now she can’t remember anything about herself other than her name.

Not being able to go home till at least the next month, Mei stayed with Mori Ougai, who’s kind, but is really my-pace and nudist eccentric, and his boarder, Hishida Shunso, a student artist Ougai liked the work of, who seemed cold, snarky but a lot more grounded than his host.

Shunso wasn’t initially fond of Mei, seeing her as nothing more than just extra baggage. Still, Shunso did attend to Mei, taking her out, showing her around .etc because he saw it as a duty to Ougai. However, after Mei saw Shunsou’s rumored ‘artist mode’, which Ougai mentioned before. Put simply, whenever Shunsou saw something he finds is beautiful and wants to draw, he ends up talking really seductively/romantically to it.

You can’t ever know what triggers him. He got triggered by prawn and shells and prevented Ougai and the girl from having their seafood dinner as he spent a few hours drawing like a crazed/possessed person who… seemed really attracted to seafood? Even worse, he doesn’t even realise he does this.

During which, Ougai convinced Mei to join a beauty contest – to further throwoff Ougai’s Grandma who wants him married, Ougai claimed Mei was his fiancee, he then said this beauty contest is a way to show his fiancee is the best. Of course it involves a talent segment.

One thing he’s really into is cats. The real Hishida Shunsou is pretty famous for his drawings of cats, his most famous being the Kuroki Neko, black cat. This particular black cat was the one he was crazily talking to when Ougai took interest in him and took him inside his house.

So now Mei the cat, and despite her attempts to get him to come inside for breakfast, he pretty much totally ignored her. Until that is, she sneezed and scared the cat away. But that night Mei saw the same cat in her room. She called Shunsou, but by the time he got there the cat was gone.

That is, until he realised later through her question after she saw Izumi Kyoka’s spirit rabbit, that she may have been a Tamayori – someone who can see spirits and what she saw was the spirit from his drawing that he lost. She was then determined to find the cat – for Shunsou. Seeing her frantically look for his cat, he appreciated her hardwork, and her as a person more and apologised for doubting her about seeing his cat before.

As time goes and they spend more time – going to art galleries, shopping, eating Shunsou began to like Mei more and more, eventually being jealous when Ougai treated her as his ‘fiancee’, speaking sweet words to her and the like.

In the end, during the beauty contest, Shunsou escorted her. Mei lost despite her efforts of studying English as her talent etc. Mostly, Shunsou suggested, as even if the Mori family is influential, there are other more influential families – and these contests are based on that, so Mei shouldn’t feel too down. In any case, Mori Ougai loudly proclaimed that he wouldn’t accept this! His fiancee is the best, and regardless, he would marry her! Shunsou reacted to this unlike how Ougai or Mei could’ve predicted. He took Mei’s hand and ran with her.

When she asked where are they going? He said he doesn’t know. But – he couldn’t take seeing her being proclaimed as Ougai’s fiancee there even if Ougai was lying. He said he liked Mei – and kissed her for the first time then and reveals that he might be slowly turning blind.

The fullmoon was approaching and Mei knew she had to leave soon. Yet part of her began to have doubts about leaving. At the last moment, Shunsou showed her a drawing of her he did – he believed she was beautiful, hence why he drew this. He wanted to do it before he lost his sight – he was so scared of going to the doctors because he was scared the doctor would confirm that he is losing it, that’s why he pretends he’s alright to her and to Mori Ougai – but it’s true, he’s beginning to feel ill. He can’t stand the idea of not painting. But on top of that, he can’t stand the idea of not seeing her face. Here, then, he asked her to always stay by his side.

That same night, the cat returned to Shunsou’s painting the night before Mei had to leave. Mei felt that now, all she had to do in this era is done; it’ll be alright.

Finally, it was another fullmoon. Mei left to find Charlie. He asked her; does she really want to leave?

Endings:

1. Going Home
Mei choses to go back to her own timeline. Before that, however, she wanted to find Shunsou one last time. Shunsou told her that he wished that she hadn’t recovered her memory – because if she hadn’t, she’d always be by his side. Though it’s a cruel thought, that was what he felt.

At this, Mei started crying she would never see him again – and cried – especially as this was after he asked her to stay by his side. He of course, didn’t get it as to him, ‘this isn’t the last time we met’, something she couldn’t actually tell him – well, it is – and she can’t promise him she’ll ever come back, because she can’t.

In the end, Mei returned; she got her memory back – and she saw Shunsou’s work – the black cat she was chasing as being immortalised in Japan’s national memory.

Meanwhile, Shunsou and Ougai dealt with her not being there. The house was much quieter, and the table, now only shared between the two of them, much emptier without the girl who disappeared as mysteriously as they appeared. Also Shunsou telling Ougai how much he respected him etc.



2. Going home with Shunsou
Mei realised she wasn’t sure about going home. Charlie then disappeared, and Shunsou appeared in front of her, in the festival she was meeting Charlie at. The two of them walked hand in hand, when suddenly, flashes of light appeared. Mei was back to her timeline… except Shunsou was with her.

Shunsou became an artist – easily accepted into an art school with his ability. He still loved chasing cats and the like – this time with a digital camera. He was amazed, that in an age where cameras like these exist, that can take pictures instantly and in colour – people still value artwork.

Though one thing he did miss was his paintings from before – Mei said that his painting was now in a museum nearby. Shunso was moved – in his time, he faced harsh criticism – so the fact that his painting was seen as a national treasure now was something else. He would work more – and now with Mei in this era.



3. Staying in the Meiji Era
Mei wasn’t sure, but this time, when Charlie disappeared she found herself waking up in her bedroom in Ougai’s house, with Shunsou waking her up to tell her that night dinner’s her favourite beef. She realised that her place was with Shunsou now – she loves him and she wants to stay by his side, in this era, in this house.

During tanabata, they found themselves alone, and she told him the story behind Orihimesama and Hikouboshisama. Which mei thought was romantic since they were only able to meet once a year. Shunsou then said, well, if she found it so romantic, he’s actually going to America to travel, so then she’d only really see him once a year instead of everyday like they do now. She then realised that – okay, in theory that may sound romantic, but in practise, that’s not what she wants at all and she wanted to stay with Shunsou. He also asked her to marry him once he graduates.In the end, Shunsou left for America – but he took Mei with him.