Category: To Heart 2

Review Coverage: April 18 to 24

Finally, some plot! Yuji at last became a role player by being second conscience to Takaki. And because of his hard-hitting words, Takaki is slowly realizing that Konomi isn’t quite the girl she used to know. Slowly, their relationship is gonna change. Will it finally be romance? Or just plain childhood friends? This is not yet the final week, but we can see the Takaki and Konomi relationship step up a notch higher. The second sleepover by Konomi isn’t the same as before anymore because of this. Things are going to get finally exciting… read on!

April 18
Takaki all by himself again.

April 19
Konomi says that she has just made some close friends in class. Her two new friends seem to like drawing, and so they also invite Konomi for a manga festival this coming Golden Week.

During a break, Takaki and Yuji step outside, and they see Konomi along with her two new friends. Yuji finally played matchmaker, and aims to let Takaki realize his feelings for Konomi. Yuji asks if Takaki likes Konomi, not as a childhood friend, but as a girl and a potential romantic partner. Yuji believes that Konomi likes Takaki, and it seems that both are afraid to say it to each other because it may break their childhood friend relationship. Yuji says that sure they are indeed childhood friends, but having Konomi cook bento meals for Takaki, walk with him everyday, and even sleep over in the house, it doesn’t seem like Konomi wants to be just childhood friends with Takaki. Takaki remains stubborn throughout the whole conversation, and so Yuji gives up, and says “Well, believing on me or not depends on you. Just don’t regret later.”

After the heavy conversation, Konomi approaches Takaki. Konomi asked what is wrong with him, while he is feeling embarrassed the conversation was about Konomi. Konomi leaves and goes to her new friends, who is apparently gossiping with each other about Konomi and Takaki.

April 20
Tamaki tries to quiz the boys about where she went. Konomi says that Tamaki is blooming these days, and looks particularly beautiful. The boys remain clueless about it.

Konomi seems to have a problem with her studies, so Takaki agreed to help her a bit. This made her happy, so much that she would treat Takaki to a special dish. So they go to Konomi’s house and eat. While at Konomi’s house, Takaki remembers his conversation with Yuji. By this time Takaki should have been slowly realizing that he has feelings for Konomi. He is starting to be careful about her.

April 21
Konomi and Takaki play a word game called shiritori in the morning. After class, Takaki meets Konomi. Konomi expected them to go home together, but Takaki says he still has business to attend to, so Konomi goes on ahead. Takaki seems to start to avoid going home with Konomi.

April 22
Takaki goes to Konomi’s house too early. Her mother says that she’s still asleep, and so Takaki goes on ahead. Along the way, Konomi catches up to him, and is quite upset. After class, Manaka announces that they are supposed to talk about the upcoming exposure trip. Takaki uses this as an excuse to avoid going home with Konomi again, and so he informs her. Konomi looks upset. That night, when Takaki is about to go home, Konomi appears. Apparently she didn’t go home early too, so they went home together.

April 23
After class, Takaki is set to go home alone, but Konomi appears. She is upset now, and asks is Takaki is avoiding her lately. Takaki defends with an incomplete answer.

April 24
Konomi appears in Takaki’s house to pick him up, maybe because she thinks that she will not be picked up at her home. Outside, they actually meet her mother, who is in a hurry to go on a business trip with her father. They will be out for this day, and so Konomi’s mother asks Takaki to let Konomi sleep on his home again. Takaki agrees, but after Konomi’s mother left, he is showing apprehension. With all his avoiding Konomi lately, this is a most troubling event.

At Takaki’s home, Konomi cooks their dinner, and prepares their baths. After that, Takaki wants to sleep ahead, and so he goes into his room. Again this upsets Konomi, so after a while, Konomi goes to his room and asks directly, “Taka-kun, are you angry with me?” Konomi says that lately Takaki has changed, seems distant to her, and she wonders if there is something that she did that he is angry about. She’s visibly worried about it. But Takaki finally answers that it is not like that. Konomi is relieved a bit. Konomi says that she will not change, she will stay as herself, the childhood friend of Takaki.

There we go! Some heavy events finally happen! You can notice that Tamaki isn’t appearing too much lately, and so Yuji can do his role as Takaki’s second conscience. Yuji’s goal is to make Takaki realize his feelings for Konomi, and I think he succeeded a bit. Takaki started to be shy around Konomi, trying to avoid her. In effect Konomi gets upset, and worries if she did something wrong towards him. In the end, Takaki remains kind to Konomi, and she is relieved a bit.

Konomi may have said that she will never change, but that’s probably because she doesn’t want Takaki to desert her. But in fact she is striving for more. As Yuji said, she makes meals for Takaki, walking to and from school with him, even sleeping over for the second time. By this time it has been made clear that Konomi really likes Takaki a lot. But, as Yuji had said, both parties may be afraid to go to the next level in their relationship, partly because they don’t know what they really mean to each other.

I think this will be the main thread of Konomi’s scenario in To Heart 2. We will see in the final week what kind of events would happen that will lead to Konomi and Takaki finally realizing their feelings for each other, and finally showing that feeling to each other. Stay tuned! We’re almost there!

(Home)

Now Konomi picked me up in my home.

“Ehee~”

Konomi’s mother also arrives.

Mom “Your father called up you know…”

Apparently Konomi’s mother will go with her husband for some business I’m not sure of.

Mom “This time it’s Okinawa.”

Konomi “Eeehhh? Iina…” (envious)

Her mom promised to buy some souvenirs or food.

Mom “Taka-kun, could you take care of Konomi for me just like always?”

Konomi’s mother is in a hurry to leave, so more last-minute reminders to Konomi, then she goes.

Konomi “Taka-kun? What’s wrong?”

“Could it be… it’s troubling you?”

(Unlike the last stay-over in Takaki’s house, Takaki is now showing apprehension.)

(After class)
I seem to be acting annoyed again. My eyes wander about whenever I’m with Konomi. (It’s really troubling to be in love)

Looks like Konomi’s gonna cook for me again.

(Home)
Konomi asked me to sit for a while she cooks.

Here she is again in some cooking trouble.

“I’m alright over here.”

“How about it?”

Delicious.

“Really?”

“Ehee~~ I practiced by helping my mom on the cooking you know.”

She asked me to just watch TV while she cleans up the utensils.

This time, the bath.

“Taka-kun, the bath is ready. You go first.”

Afterwards.

“How’s the water?”

Okay I guess.

“I see, thank goodness.”

“Okay, I’ll go take a bath.”

“HEH!” She screams inside the toilet.

I seem to tell her that I’ll go ahead and sleep now.

“Oh, okay, goodnight.” (avoiding her again)

After shutting my eye for a while… Konomi enters my room.

“Taka-kun…”
“Taka-kun? Already asleep?”
“Hey, Taka-kun?”

She shrugs me awake.

“Hey…”
“I bought new pajamas… Tama-oneechan was the one who picked though, ehee~~ does it look good?”
“Taka-kun?”
“I guess, it doesn’t look good after all?”

Well she’s asking me, but I seem to be annoyed and want to sleep.

“Taka-kun, are you angry with me?”

“Did I do something to hurt you?”

No.

“But, but Taka-kun, you act weird lately…”
“You don’t seem to talk to me often, and you ignore me.”
“Even today, your eyes wander around…”
“Even right now…”
“Taka-kun, do you hate me?”

It’s not like that.

“But… then why?”
“What can I do?”
“What can I do to bring back the usual you?”
“I don’t know.”
“I don’t know what to do.”

I seem to give a heartfelt explanation. (well, not yet the love part)

“Thank goodness, I was really troubled whether you hate me or not…”
“I haven’t changed ok?”
“I, will stay as me (Konomi), I will not change anything…”
“I haven’t gotten too tall, I’m still not as strong, I haven’t changed.”
“From now, I will stay as me. The me who’s always with Taka-kun…”

Okay, so she says she will sleep now.

But first…

“EEYA!!” Konomi shrugs me big time.

An embrace? Or maybe in same bed… (not sure…)

“Taka-kun, you’re warm…”

“Very warm…”

“Taka-kun…”

(Street)

Meet with Yuji. Some miscellaneous talk again.

(Note that for the past few days, Takaki is deliberately avoiding Konomi)

(Gate)
“You didn’t wait for me…”

“Taka-kun, are you avoiding me lately…”

Anyway I try to explain it’s not like that. Konomi feels a bit of relief in that.

(Konomi’s house)
Konomi’s mother reacts on how early I am in picking Konomi up.

“Well she’s still asleep, I’ll wake her up.”

I told Konomi’s mom not to.

(Street)

Konomi caught up.

She’s quite upset.

I seem to tickle her hair or something.

“It tickles…” (hmm… slowly showing physical affection?)

(After class)

Manaka announces that the class will have to discuss about the exposure trip, so after clubs we must go back to the classroom.

Mixed reactions from the class. Yuji says he has a part-time job to do.

(Outside)

I tell Konomi that I’m gonna be late again because of the exposure trip meeting.

“Okay, I’ll go home already…”

She seems upset…

(Night)

On the way out of school… Konomi is there! Why?

She also seemed to do something in school, and it got late.

“It’s already dark, and it seems scary to go home alone…”

Okay, let’s go home together…

(Street)

We seem to be playing shiritori, a Japanese word game in which the players take turns continuing a pattern of saying a word which begins with the last syllable of the previous word.

“Wa… watarigani”

Apparently I always say words that end with wa, so she is always required to say a word which begins with wa.

“Wa? Wa… wahabi”

“Waraji… waitashi… wai -janakute” (having a hard time)

“You always end with wa… unfair…”

(After class)

Meet with Konomi.

I seem to still have some business to attend to, so Konomi leaves alone.

This business… seems to be about the exposure trip. (But something tells me that Takaki is slowly trying to avoid going home with Konomi)

(Street)

Konomi reacts on how Tamaki looks beautiful today.

We boys don’t understand.

Tamaki “Then, a question to Taka-bou. I went somewhere yesterday. Where did you think I went?”

I don’t get it. (Probably an onsen)

(Halls)

“It’ll be over soon ok?”

I agreed to wait for Konomi again.

(Street)
“Sorry, I was thinking about my studies…”

She seems to be in a slump.

“Taka-kun, please help me.”

“Please?”

Sure.

“Yatta! Arigatou!”

“Ehee~~”

“As thanks, I’m gonna treat you to a totomiya no casterra… (that unknown food again)”

“It’s really delicious.”

(Konomi’s house)
“Wait for me ok?”

“Wait 10 minutes… um no… 30 minutes”

Why so long? And so I agreed to go home first.

Afterwards, I go back to Konomi’s house…

We sit at the table, she offers me the totomiya no casterra.

She forgot something, so she left me alone for a while.

Suddenly I remember the conversation with Yuji yesterday. (I guess this is it, Takaki will start to realize how close Konomi is to him.)

After eating the food…

(Home)
I remember Yuji again.

Yuji “Well, believing on me or not depends on you. Just don’t regret later.”

(Street)

Konomi seems to have made some new friends in her class.

Some mention of Golden Week. (Golden Week is from April 29 to May 5)

She seems to be invited by the friends as part of… manga matsuri? (Manga Festival?)

(Break)

Yuji and I look at Konomi and her new friends.

“That chibi-suke, seems to have changed a lot lately…”

I seem to not agree, Konomi is the same.

“You’re so slow.”

“She’s more a girl now than before. A lot cuter too. I could never even have dreamed it.”

“What do you think of Konomi?”

I answer bullishly again, saying I’m not interested.

“You might be saying that now, but what if Konomi gets a boyfriend already?”

“Isn’t it about time you up your relationship to be more than just childhood friends?”

Are you serious?

“I’m always serious.”

“Actually, it seems that someone in her class may have taken a liking of her.”

I seem to be a bit disturbed, but still not interested.

“Well, the guy doesn’t seem to be serious in saying that.”

“But, if you continue to be like that, if you realize that you are serious about her later than expected, she will turn you down.”

We’re just childhood friends, and I think Konomi thinks that way too.

“Are you serious? I thought you are just slow, but this is a turn for the worse.”

“Sure you are just childhood friends, but having your so-called childhood friend walk with you every morning, cook you bento meals… And she’s in this school too, but that seems normal enough.”

“I’ll say this to you, I could say that I’m also childhood friends with Konomi. Even so, I don’t remember walking with her alone in the mornings, nor cook me bento meals.”

“And I can’t even imagine having her coming to my house, or even her sleeping over with matching pajamas in our futon whenever her mother is going away…”

“Do you understand?”

“But if, Konomi herself doesn’t realize her own feelings, you must be a really good match.” (in not realizing one’s own feelings part)

“Well, believing on me or not depends on you. Just don’t regret later.”

Konomi sees me.

Konomi tells me about her friends.

“What were you talking with Yuu-kun anyway?”

I seem to be blushing, because it’s about Konomi after all. I try to escape the conversation.

“You’re face is red, anything wrong?”

This is nothing.

“But look…”

“You seem hot…”

I think she’s either touching my forehead with her hands… or with her own forehead. (the usual bishoujo way)

Konomi’s friends call her out.

Yuji seems to be surprised with what happened.

Konomi comes back to her friends.

I overhear:

Friend 1 “Hey hey, that person…”

Friend 1 “Maybe…”

Friend 2 “Ehh? That means…”

(Only Takaki talking to himself again. Sundays are boring.)

Review Coverage: April 11 to 17

Some of the major events that happened in this week include Konomi having to cook bento (lunch) for Takaki. Finally, Karin Sasamori has been introduced, and we get to see part of her scenario when Takaki gets (forced) to join her Mystery Club. They get to pet a cat too…

April 11
All Takaki talking to himself, so I won’t understand what happened.

April 12
Konomi asks and suggests that the four of them eat up on the roof from now on, seeing that there are too many people in the canteen every lunch time. Seeing that Yuji and Takaki only could only buy and eat bread everyday, the girls propose that they will cook bento for them! So Konomi will cook for Takaki, and Tamaki will obviously cook for her annoyed brother.

After class, Takaki bumped into Karin Sasamori. She seems to hold a questionaire, and wants to advertise her club through it. That point, she seems quite soft-spoken. Given Takaki’s kindness, he answers her questionaire. But turns out that he got tricked! The questionaire seems to be an application form already! More on that later…

Konomi and Takaki walk home, talking about Genjimaru. While in a flight of stairs, she does the jumping thing again, and falls. Takaki is quite annoyed, meaning worried, about her. Konomi implies that she can’t be as strong as her onee-chan Tamaki.

April 13
Konomi made a mess of herself when she jumpstarts the day with the wrong school uniform. During a break, Konomi called Takaki as Takaki-sempai (attributed to upperclassmen), but it’s kinda weird to hear. At lunch, as promised, Konomi made Takaki a bento. It tastes quite good, but just because it was partly made by her mother too. Anyway, Tamaki gave some tips and advice to Konomi, with the usual antics reaction by Yuji.

After class, Manaka appears and says that the teacher is quite happy for Takaki that he has finally chosen to join a club. Club? He’s forced into it. And so the thing with Karin yesterday was resurfaced. Takaki rushed into the backroom of the gym to meet with Karin. Indeed she was there. Karin introduced her Mystery Club and all, but doesn’t seem to be interested. After numerous pleadings by Karin, she starts to cry. This softens Takaki a bit and forces himself to join the club, albeit not quite seriously though. Well Karin became quite happy for that, and so she continues on with her Mystery Club blabbering, until a comic accident made Takaki stumble on top of Karin! A quite embarassing situation, but Karin turned this into her blackmail event, and so Takaki should really join the mystery club now, or else…

April 14
At a break, Takaki saw Karin, but he doesn’t give her too much attention. At lunch, the four is at the roof again. Konomi made another one of her bento, but it seems like a failure in cooking for now. Yuji reacts again. After class, while waiting for the girls, Takaki and Yuji play with this puzzle toy game called “chienowa”, where you seem to have to disassemble metal rings, with a bet of a free treat. Their little bet gets halted when the girls arrive and get interested in it. They join the bet… and Konomi wins! It already seemed like Yuji loses and will treat the girls in this expensive cafe, but thankfully Tamaki treats everyone instead.

April 15
Konomi mentions about Takaki’s school field trip to Hokkaido, and is quite jealous. She wanted to be together with him on a field trip, but instead she will suggest some good ramen shops over there that her father might know.

Then, Takaki came back to the gym’s backroom where Karin is waiting. Karin talks about the Mystery Club again, although she doesn’t seem to be clear in explaining at all. She just says that there are many mysteries to solve in the world. Aliens and UFO’s maybe. She also seems quite obsessed with food, especially something with eggs on it, and so she has a ham and egg sandwich. She also gives Takaki some.

Karin wants Takaki to return after class, but he doesn’t go to her. Takaki meets Konomi, who says that she saw some black cat around. They finally found it, and surprisingly the cat is quite friendly to Takaki, but not to Konomi. Maybe it’s because Takaki’s hand smells like the ham and egg sandwich.

April 16
Karin meets Takaki outside, and seems to ask what kind of girls Takaki likes. Takaki answers, maybe a girl with short hair. More talk, and now Karin concludes that Takaki likes normal girls, and is quite sad about it (why, she’s not normal?)

Walking home, Tamaki ordered Takaki to look closely at Konomi, and see if there’s anything different about her. Anyway, Tamaki says that Konomi has matured. This embarasses Konomi a bit.

April 17
They seem to be talking about the cherry blossoms in the morning, then ghost stories in the afternoon.

This week, our impending lovers make a notch up their relationship by the bento cooking. Yup, the best way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. Konomi doesn’t seem to be confident about her cooking skills though. Also, we see that Yuji is still Tamaki’s pinching bag, very unlike when she is still not around. I guess his true role in To Heart 2 will be up later on. Tamaki remains the big sister of Konomi, who is looking up to her and tries to be like her. And Karin finally makes her major appearance.

Karin seems to have a mix of Aoi’s story (about unpopular clubs) and Shiho’s hyper attitude. She’s an interesting girl, maybe I’ll play her scenario next (if I still have the energy to). Well it seems evident by now that the other To Heart 2 girls will not make an appearance anymore. None of the twins, and none of those two mysterious characters. Maybe next time (if I still have the energy to).

Having known a little bit more about the game thanks to all the help from game-players all over the net, I find out that To Heart 2 is a branching visual novel that is quite easy to win through. It seems that some wrong choices would not instantly veer you away from a particular girl’s scenario, but a player should make sure to make the right major choices, such as choosing places where they can meet the girl, choices that accord to the personality of the girl, etc.