I can't. It's a nightmare. I haven't suffered this much emotional damage in a long time... And the strangest thing is, after everything I read, it's like liquid happiness has been poured inside me. I'm bawling my eyes out, but inside I feel so warm and good.
This is simply a masterpiece. You can delete all the compliments from my vocabulary forever – I still pass them on to the author of this novella and everyone who helped in any way with its production. And even so, they still won't be enough to convey what I went through.
I also read the work that preceded this one, but this one is simply a powerful step forward in every way. The plot, which at first sounded like a rather strange idea, developed into a serious drama that managed to tug at my heartstrings and find parallels with my life. It's no exaggeration to say that this novella helped me maintain one of my longest friendships in life (no joke).
The novella's writing style literally keeps you right there with the story, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in it. I lived through the entire story with the main characters. And even though I had almost no choice, I still felt like a tiny cockroach in the protagonist's head. His voice of reason, which he doesn't notice, doesn't listen to, and doesn't even suspect. So all I could do was scream, trying to reach this poor guy's thoughts, through thoughts of boys, music, and himself.
Speaking of music, it's simply unfair to me. Each track was perfectly chosen to convey the exact mood implied in that moment. They are so telling to me that as soon as I heard the music, I would start dancing, feeling the vibe, worrying, smiling, crying, feeling fear, cringing, internally screaming, or freezing in a stupor. I don't understand where those tracks with the gurgling bass guitar came from, but I almost always stopped reading and simply melted in that sound. I haven't gone into the music room to listen to the songs yet, because I can't remain silent, feeling so much emotion even after reading to the end and not sharing it. And now I'm sure I'll listen to them and feel everything they contained. And I'll probably cry like crazy (P.S. That's what happened).
I won't even mention the backgrounds, all the drawings, and the characters' expressions. I was so absorbed in what was happening that I swear I saw every character move. They blinked, twitched their ears, moved their lips, adjusting to my reading speed. Every character was alive. Facial expressions weren't limited to the face. Every image conveyed the character's personality. Every wrinkle, furrowed brow, blush on the cheeks, or cartoonish little faces. All of this brought the characters to life so completely that I didn't even think for a second, "Meh, they're just drawn, it's all just a story." I was a witness to this story. All these guys became acquaintances, friends, enemies, and important people in my life.
Forgive me for ranting, I'm just a rabid fan. It all just became so personal to me. As I said before, the novella intertwined with my life in many ways and shaped it for the better. And to have that level of impact, you have to put your heart and soul into the work. I'm incredibly glad I came across this VN, read it back then, and was able to learn the ending of this story about how suspicious adventures can lead to radical changes in life. I'm not hinting at anything, but if you ever create another (or two, three, or even more) visual novel, I'll be here to read it and listen to all the stories you want to share.
I sincerely thank everyone who supported, helped, and was a pillar of strength for this project. And a huge thank you to konpeito for sharing a piece of his soul with us all. It was deeply personal and profound. I laughed, rejoiced, cried, was embarrassed, envied, empathized, feared, and fervently rooted for a better ending. I doubt I'll sleep tonight. And I don't regret it one bit.