Previously on Hatoful Boyfriend: Holiday Star, we discovered the existence of mysterious Christmas Thieves, stealing festive trees around town. We’re off to a department store to investigate the scene.
He… read my mind…!?
“More importantly, we need to ask a clerk about the thefts.”
“Right, right. Umm, excuse me!”
The protagonist flags down a clerk.
The clerk eyes her with disapproval.
“…… Do you know where you are, young lady?”
“Umm… this is the High Society Seagull Department Store, right?”
“That is correct. The High Society Seagull Department Store! Say it once more!”
“The High Society Seagull Department Store!”
“Good. This store is of High Society, by High Society, and for High Society. It is no place for obviously low society humans. Please leave!”
Naturally, the protagonist won’t take this lying down.
“This is blatant speciesism! I hope you’re ready to swallow your words or defend them with steel, cretin! Draw, man, draw, before I stick you like a rotisserie chicken!”
And just what does Okosan have that makes him so much more High Society than me!?
“Please, we just want to ask you a question. We’ll leave right away!
Did the Christmas Thieves really break into this store?”
“They… did not break into the store, no. They were not allowed in. However, as you know, the store faces onto the street. The three Christmas trees we had arranged outside were stolen.”
“Trees placed outside… just like at Torimi Cafe!”
“Yeah. Looks like they really are aiming for easy targets first.”
“They seem to be quite crafty. I think this might get difficult, Ryouta. Aah, I can feel the thrill of the chase! My hunter-gatherer blood boils!”
“Right on time. I knew it was a good idea to ask you along.”
“The stolen trees were of little value. We have already sent away for new ones.”
“Do you think you could wait a little before setting them up? The thieves might come back…”
“True, but Christmas is almost here. If not now, when would we put them out?”
“Christmas trees are just so much rubbish once it’s the 26th…”
“They’re not rubbish! You can use them every year! Umm, were there any witnesses?”
“The trees were in a blind spot between security cameras, so alas, we have nothing.”
“Too busy staring down your own noses to look out the window, were you?”
“I hope I never see you here again, young lady.”
This is, all told, probably fair.
Well, that was a disappointment. About all we’ve found out is that the thieves aim for trees placed in vulnerable spots outside. Maybe we should leave?
We’re given three options, one of which ends the scene, while the other two provide little optional scenes. With the magic of LPs, we can do both! First, we’ll stop by the clothing section.
“It’s out of ‘place’, not ‘face’!”
H-he did it again! Can birds even wear clothes like these? Are they just for decoration?
???
“Shops are always so pretty this time of year! I feel like I’m looking into a different world…”
“They do look a little unreal. Do you like Christmas, Tera?”
“My family’s Shin Buddhist, so I’ve never really celebrated it, but… I do like it when everybirdie’s all festive!”
“I’m not exactly Christian, but I like this atmosphere, too. … actually, I don’t think that many people celebrate it for religious reasons anymore… And there’s all kinds of work this time of year, too! I always end up really busy.”
“You dress up as Santa, right?”
“Yup!”
“With a miniskirt?”
“Yup!”
Some things never change.
Why does Ryouta get all the female main character jobs!?
“That must be fun… I’d like to try doing something cute and high school girl-ish like that sometime, too.”
“I’m not sure how costumes are high school girl-ish, but I could refer you! We could go together next year!”
Cosplaying as Santa right before junior year exams… just thinking about it makes my heart flutter!
And scene end. Let’s drop by the furniture section now.
There are humidifiers, hot water bottles, and other thermal frivolities lined up nearby. Winter goods are awfully fancy… Maybe I should indulge in something? A bonfire alone just doesn’t say “decadent”.
“Hey, Tera… look over there.”
!
A disturbingly familiar quail is fast asleep on a display bed.
“Sir, you can’t just crash in a department store! You’re a grown-up now, you need to take care of yourself!”
“Oh, if it isn’t Thielle… And Kawara. What is it? Did you want to talk about career plans?”
“Are you fully awake, sir? We’re not at shcool!”
“Oh……? Good heavens, so we aren’t.”
“You might’ve been here until closing time, if we hadn’t happened by…”
“Oh, yes… it’s been so cold recently, I was thinking maybe I should buy a new bed. It does get very chilly after dark. Make sure not to catch cold, you two.”
Mister Nanaki crawls out of the bed and wobbles off towards a table covered in wool blankets of various dimensions.
“Blankets…”
“I bet my Casio Mini he’ll fall asleep on that, too!”
With those diversions out of the way, we can leave the store.
“All right, where to next?”
“The thefts have gotten onto the news—if we ask around, we should find some eyewitnesses.”
“Sounds good!”
Just as the pair turn to leave, the sound of shattering glass fills the room.
”!?”
“What? Huh?”
Some glass object splinters with a monumental crash behind us as we make for the exit. I turn around, and—
A pair of strange, white creatures start bouncing around enthusiastically.
What are those? They look… a little like doves, but not really… are they… maybe they are doves??
In any case, a pair of bizarre white creatures are bludgeoning themselves against a number of glass Christmas trees and reindeer.
“What are those? Are they doves?”
“Umm… I’m not sure. I’ve never seen anything like them.”
“Merry Christmas!! Merry Christmas!!!!”
The creatures frolic through the Christmas display like fuzzy wrecking balls, leaving behind nothing but broken glass and lost profits.
The creatures continue to bound around energetically.
“Merry! Christmas!”
“In any case, I’ll have to take you to the employees’ lounge. High Society does have rules.”
They stop, looking crestfallen.
“Merry…? Christmas…”
The creatures trail dejectedly after the security guard.
“What were those?”
“I can’t believe people let their kids run loose like that! I’d love to see the parents’ faces when they get billed.”
I guess Christmas gets everyone pretty excited. Sort of like demons which rampage during the full moon!
As things quiet down, the pair finally depart the department store.
Apparently trees aren’t just being stolen from outside, but from inside houses as well. If only we knew what the culprits looked like…
Just a hunch, but I think we might have a few clues already. Regardless, they’ll have to wait, as we leave the investigation there for now. How many more trees will be stolen before the thieves are brought to justice? Until next time, everybirdie!