Suicidal schoolkids (one with PTSD) meet online with their teacher and plan to blow up their school. In short, Steve finds the plot doesn't gel with Rika's emotional arc, but Rika sleeps with Ryo! Can finding love stop someone from causing terrorism?
X-Day (vol. 2)
(X-Day of her and the others / Kanajo tachi no x-day)
By Setsuna Mizushiro
Translation by Lisa Blank
Synopsis:
Rika's plans seemingly come to fruition, the school blows up in an explosion of fire, sending debris everywhere as Rika watches on. Amongst the rubble she finds Kako begging for help. Rika, being responsible for the explosion is cruel and refuses to aid Kako.
X-day was all a dream and Rika wakes up in the bed of Kako's boyfriend. She goes home ashamed and upset. She logs in to the chat room to contact her friends and feel better. Mr. Money notices that Rika is upset but the next morning he tells Jangalien, that despite his feelings for Rika, he is afraid of women. In another room Polaris is riddled with anxiety as the class vote her to be the swimming anchor.
Later, they conspire to blow up the school, Rika holds Mr. Money's hand, however he flinches, knocking Rika's bag and spilling the school journals. Rika accidentally takes Mr. Money's journal home with her. She calls but gets no answer, then uses the address in his journal to go find him. She finds him at home living with a violent and abusive mother.
The next day Jangalien doesn't go to class and instead buries his dead pet, Polaris skips her class to help him. Soon Jangalien's stalker shows up to visit, Polaris pushes her out, and the well-meaning stalker falls down the apartment steps. Both Polaris and Jangalien flee the crime scene. They spend the afternoon at an amusement park before hiding at a hotel. With Polaris full of hopelessness, Jangalien prevents her from jumping off the hotel roof and the two embrace each other.
Ryo calls Rika, he tells her he has the house to himself but rejects Ryo. Rika starts to worry about Mr. Money, she leaves her place to go and meet him. Once there she confronts Mr. Money's mother. He tells her that unhappy people do terrible things, and so Rika and Mr. Money spend the night together. The next day Jangalien is informed by the school chancellor, the father of his stalker, that she is well and has only sustained a mild concussion. Jangalien confesses to the chancellor that he has no feelings for his daughter and wishes to be left alone. Jangalien thinks it best he resigns due to his relationship with Polaris. In the meantime, the chancellor delays such action so not to cause harm to the school's reputation. The next time Rika meets up with Polaris, Jangalien and Mr. Money they decide to light fireworks from the school roof, postponing their plan to collect gun powder and to bomb the school.
In Rika's dreams, she sees Kako and Ryo on the school roof, she runs past through them, forward and goes for the high jump, a record-breaking jump over the bar. She lands safely in bed with Mr. Money. X-Day has been delayed, at least for now.
Topics:
· The delay of X-Day (Using the fireworks as a cathartic release of celebration instead of blowing up the school)
· Rika sleeps with Ryo.
· Mr. Money and his abusive mother.
· The "stalker" of the story being a plot device.
· Is X-Day a coming of age story?
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