Other Sotsugyou M stuffs :novels (original)

Volume 2 - Bokutachi no Weekend Press

This book is a bit different from the others in the series. Like in the PLUS novel set, this one has small segments devoted to each of the characters individually, although unlike the PLUS novel equivalent, the segments tell the boy's point of view of the same weekend. Hence the name "Weekend Press", I suppose.

I get a touch irked that Mikimaro plays a main part in each chapter, simply because the author likes him best :S

The book also includes interviews from the Seiyuu (and the author, Kotani Miya) about E.M.U, their characters and various things. I really hope I'll find time to translate at least some bits and pieces from those at a later date, because they're pretty cool.

The story segments are roughly as follows:

Arai Tougo-hen:
Arai's had a bad night on the town and turned up back at the dorm just as Nakamoto's getting ready for class (it's Saturday, but apparently in this canon Seiryuu Academy has classes on a Saturday morning). We later discover he's had a fight with a girl, and that's the reason for his bad mood. He tries to sleep, but it seems to be a noisy morning and by the time he does nod off, Mikimaro's yelling down his ear and dragging him to eat lunch with them. He has little choice but to go, but manages to get out of shopping with them later thanks to Takagi's efforts, and heads back to bed.
Later, when he wakes, he slips outside for a cigarette since noone's around to scold him (he thinks) and he's not sure if he's in the mood to go out again quite so soon. He bumps into Nakamoto, who's been feeding the cats. He gets a scolding from Nakamoto (who has some interesting health logic - "If I don't see you drink, it doesn't bother me...I see you smoke so you should quit", basically.) From Nakamoto he discovers Mikimaro has a new computer game and he resigns himself to playing it later. Then when Mikimaro and company turn up to invite him to hang out some more, he decides that Nakamoto's coming along with them...whether he likes it or not!

Nakamoto Shou-hen:
Nakamoto's daydreaming in class. Yes, Nakamoto. In class. I know. But he's thinking of his stepmother, Kyouko. He even gets called on it by the teacher (amusing scene) and afterwards by his friends, who want to know what's up with him. He's also pondering on the fact that since Mikimaro brought him into the group (er, I thought it was Takagi's idea, but anyhow) he's felt less confused over Kyouko because he's been doing stuff he's not usually doing. After class he gets dragged out with Miki, Takagi and Yuusuke, and arrives back at the dorm quite late. He goes to feed the cats and has the encounter with Arai as mentioned above, then before they can head out again, he has a phone call from home (his stepmother?!)

Takagi Shimon-hen:
Takagi's in his room listening to a CD that makes him feel nostalgic. Inspired, he begins to write a song, using the various equipment he has at his disposal to make a demo tape. Mikimaro intrudes, wanting to know if he wants to come out, but Takagi tells him he's busy working on the song. He also asks Mikimaro to help put the music to script at some point, and Mikimaro agrees.
Takagi then goes to speak to Nakamoto, asks him to hear the song, lends him his cassette player so that Nakamoto can. They have quite a nice friendly interplay although some of their conversation is about Mikimaro and his impact on them (bleh). Takagi says he's not as susceptible to Mikimaro's persuasion techniques as some of them are (good for him!). Arai turns up at some point and they discuss the song and whether it can be performed at a later Live.

Katou Yuusuke-hen:
Yuusuke has free time and he's bored. Mikimaro is studying (third year middle school maths, on Nakamoto's suggestion - apparently all of Miki's bad grades so far are down to bad teaching not the fact he's an academic nincompoop) and it's weirding Yuusuke out more than a little bit. He decides to go out to buy some snacks since he's run out, and as he heads out he bumps into Arai who's 'going for a walk in the garden'. This is novel-Arai speak for going for a cigarette. Yuusuke is really interesting in this scene, actually. Not only does he give Arai really short shrift on the smoking thing, he also threatens to get Nakamoto to come and yell at him (Arai freaks out about this, he doesn't want a Nakamoto lecture, so puts out his cigarette and promises not to smoke any more!) and then teases Arai about how much Mikimaro likes him (which drives Arai to lighting up another cigarette!). They have a pretty good interplay actually, though Arai accuses Yuusuke of taking Takagi's tack. Mikimaro then finds them and suggests they head out. Yuusuke's all for it, Arai not so much...so they head off to buy food and quash Yuusuke's boredom!

Shimura Mikimaro-hen: