The Walk of… Shame?
Now, this is a welcome change! You know how most otome games err terribly on the side of chastity? Well, not this one. This one starts with a supremely drunk and perfectly ill-advised one night stand. I love the premise. Obviously, the MC is beyond embarrassed by her own behavior, and since the other party must be someone from work, she is also mortified because she will a) see this person again and b) totally not remember who it was. Which is hilarious, since she comes across all the possible candidates, and, not knowing who she slept with, doesn’t know what to do with herself around them.
Now, again, we have the sticky issue of consent, or, more to the point, its absence in this story. Reader, I am aware, as mentioned here. At this stage, I guess, if you’re into otome games at all, you will have resigned yourself to the circumstance that consent just isn’t a thing that’s gonna happen here. As did I. Apparently, the MC did have a good time, though, so, er, okay.
It’s also funny that she worries quite a bit about what the men in question might think of her. You know, those men who did the exact same thing she did? Nice double standard you’ve got there, Voltage/Japan/world.
What’s the Story?
The MC works at an important advertising company, the number two in the country. She loves working there; when she was young, she saw a commercial, written by the impressive Mr. Tachibana, that touched her so deeply, she decided she wanted to go into advertising and make a similar impact on people.
One night, while celebrating with her company at a bar, she gets exceedingly drunk. The next morning, she wakes up in a hotel room she doesn’t recognize, with clothing generously strewn about, and a man who, at present, is taking a shower. She vaguely remembers having had sex – presumably with the person in the shower – but she has no idea who that could have been. Mortified, she gets dressed and flees the scene before she has to deal with the man in question.
Things being as they are, she has no time to go home and get changed, so she hurries to work in her slightly disheveled state. Throughout the day, she comes across most of her possible paramours.
Now, apparently the prologue was changed to accommodate the addition of Dr. Maki to the cast. What remains is the MC’s panic every time one of the men makes a suggestive comment in her general vicinity.
The Guys
- Tachibana Shunichiro is the MC’s superior at the advertising firm. It’s one of his early commercials that inspired the MC to choose a career in advertising in the first place. He is a superstar, people are in awe of him; could he possibly have taken an interest in the MC, a simple employee? He is good friends with Toshiaki and Yukihisa, with whom he hangs out on the rooftop.
- Kijima Toshiaki is cold as ice. His behaviour is professional and distant at all times. He is the head of Accounting. It is unthinkable that he would lose his composure and have a one-night-stand.
- Kiriya Toma is the hot shot copywriter. Young, talented, and aloof, he knows that a base one-night-stand can never lead to true love. He seems to know Taku from earlier in his life. The two have a weird rivalry going on.
- Asaoka Natsume is the MC’s childhood friend. He is very dependable. He also turns into an old lady at the drop of a hat, admonishing the MC on how to behave in her personal life.
- Okubo Go is the cute and very young bartender at the joint where the MC got so unbelievably drunk. Could it be…?
- Hayama Taku is a regular at that same bar. He appears to know the MC somehow, but she cannot recall having met him before. Surely she wouldn’t bed a total stranger?
- Maki Yukihisa is the in-house doctor at the advertising firm. He is friends with Shunichiro and Toshiaki. His route is also very new, so I basically have no idea his deal is.
Why would I date you?
FINALLY a premise where the MC gets some action right up front! I believe this title was even rated 17 and up in the English version, due to all the sex. Spoiler: there is ALL the sex in some of the routes, but really not all. While the MC has her usual bouts of embarrassment, they are not for the usual reasons, and I enjoyed that. I mean, of course she is discomfited when she has to share an elevator with the stone-faced Toshi the morning after, but wouldn’t we all be?
I choose you!
My first was Toshi, because I love thawing the hearts of stone-cold men. His story is touching, even if the source of his reluctance is a trope as old as time. Shunichiro’s story is surprisingly engaging. It’s also the one with all the sex. Toma was a bit weird, but that’s because the character is a bit weird. In Natsume’s story, the MC did not actually have the ONS with Natsume, because that would have been a little bit icky. The story is not predictable, precisely, but a bit tame. There’s only one guy who doesn’t interest me in the least, and that’s Taku. He comes across as fairly creepy in Toma’s story, so I decided to give him a wide berth. I haven’t purchased Go’s route, but I might. I have recently acquired Yukihisa’s route, and I can’t wait to find out who that guy is! I’ll keep you posted.
Pretty Boys All in a Row 