Even when the flowers have faded, we will not forget our original aspirations.

A few words before we begin: hellogwu has surpassed ten million views! I was originally planning to write an article to celebrate and share my experiences, but then "Root Letter" suddenly popped into my head. I've had it platinum for a long time and have been thinking about it ever since, but haven't had time to write it down. Things always have an order of precedence, so I'll write this first. If too much time passes, I'll probably forget the plot altogether.

Root Letter, as a typical Japanese visual novel, isn't particularly high quality, and its gameplay is only average. However, as a rare Japanese visual novel in Chinese, out of my love for Japanese games, I specifically imported an official copy from China. It didn't disappoint me.

The game tells the story of an artsy young man searching for his high school pen pal. While tidying up his belongings, he discovers an unread letter from many years ago (slightly eerie and unsettling). He sets off for the small town where his pen pal lived, only to find that her house was destroyed in a fire 10 years ago, leaving only a meadow. He also discovers that the pen pal shares the same name as a brilliant and beautiful high school student who died 20 years ago. The protagonist stays in the town for 10 days, reading and reviewing one of the previous letters each day and searching for new clues. The entire game revolves around uncovering who her pen pal was. Along the way, he encounters the pen pal's close friends and classmates. After various bizarre experiences and puzzle-solving, there will ultimately be a conclusion, with five different endings depending on the path taken.

The game revolves around six letters from a pen pal and a close friend. Each friend has a different personality, but the only thing they have in common is that they are living lives different from the high school dreams described in the letters. Most of them become decadent and frustrated because of their high school experiences and ultimately fail to pursue their dreams, leading unhappy lives.

I replied to the letters and made choices according to my own preferences, and eventually arrived at the ordinary (missed) ending. In this ending, the female protagonist (pen pal) pretended that the child was resurrected to take care of the mother who lost her genius child. Although the mother eventually died in the house that caught fire, she still helped the father fulfill his wish. The female protagonist also went to work overseas because she could not wait for the male protagonist, and eventually missed him. Everyone returned to their peaceful lives.

As you may have noticed, the story depicted in this game is very simple and pure. Driven by curiosity, the protagonist searches for her high school self, overcomes various obstacles, solves the mystery, and then everyone returns to their normal lives. This is why I like it. I played the Chinese version of Tokimeki Memorial in middle school, and afterwards, I became particularly interested in Japanese student-themed games. Unfortunately, there are very few official Chinese versions available; it's frustrating when these kinds of games aren't translated. At the end of the game, I felt like I was back in high school—naive, innocent, full of dreams and the future. Everything seemed to remind me of myself now. The daily grind has slowly eroded my dreams, bound my hands and feet, making me feel like I'm in prison, unable to get out or in. Occasionally, recalling the courage and dreams of that time fills me with motivation to make changes.

Out of pity for the male protagonist, I played through all five solutions (only in this way could I reach the perfect ending). The five solutions involved schizophrenia, national conspiracies, curses… all of which were resolved. Although there were some plot holes, I admire the designers for the clever use of suspense; each solution had its own unique characteristics, and the stories were quite vivid. The final solution, the one leading to marriage, was predictable: the female protagonist finally met the male protagonist and they returned to work in the same city. The story of the male and female protagonists in this solution wasn't particularly special, but it resolved the unresolved issues among the six classmates, bringing everyone back to their dreams and highlighting the fruits of their labor at the end.

Even after the flowers have faded, I haven't forgotten my initial aspirations. After starting work, everything piled up. I had to solve all my own problems, seemingly few in number but incredibly varied. My time was practically shattered, and with eight or even ten-hour workdays, life almost lost its passion. Every day, I'd come home, finish the chores, and then fall asleep, exhausted. Thinking back to before university, we had our parents' care. Although we studied for 8-10 hours a day, we still had plenty of time to hang out with friends, do our own things, and live among a large group of peers—life was vibrant and fulfilling. In university, although I had to solve many things myself, I had ample time to do what I wanted. Now, at work, I have to solve my own problems, and I have no time left. Damn capitalism!

Gradually, everyone focuses on avoiding mistakes at work, avoiding being scolded by the boss, or thinking about promotions and raises. The life plans and dreams they once had gradually fade away. After all, basic sustenance and the opportunities around them are the most important things. But sometimes, when they quiet down, they feel inexplicably sad. This seems different from the life they imagined. It is indeed different, but now we are bound hand and foot; how can we move forward boldly, let alone change direction? Entering society is like entering a machine. As a cog in a machine, there's very little you can do; transforming yourself into another cog is extremely difficult.

Is this your excuse for not doing anything? As a child, I thought my life would be just like my parents'. Growing up, I realized I had the ability to change the world, and now I've reverted to the mindset that life is just as it is. If I don't do something in my twenties, my thirties will probably just be so-so. After having children, the burden of family will make me increasingly ordinary. By forty, I might just hope my children are successful and live well. As for myself? I'll have already drifted out of the mainstream of society, so I guess I'll give up. At fifty, I'll start thinking about retirement, and at sixty, I'll retire and enjoy my old age. Life seems to have passed by uneventfully. That's good, that's good.

I believe that the ten years from age 2 to 3 will determine the course of my life. These ten years are when I have the most energy and the lightest family burden. If I don't pursue my dreams, I will "waste" them in busyness.

While the game itself didn't give me much of a boost, it rekindled the passion and enthusiasm of my childhood, inspiring me and affirming my choices. I hope my peers don't lose their way at this age; think back to your childhood dreams—what can't you achieve?

P.S., I recently had a sudden idea: I think if programmers are nimble-fingered and have a good ear for music, why can't they play the piano? I'm planning to put it into practice; the piano was a childhood regret of mine. I'll share some tips with everyone later; first, I'll learn how to read sheet music.