There’s a lot we don’t know about between The Not So Much An Accident and the Prelude. So, as far as Nat-chan’s socialization you can play it several ways. This whole business of 7′s is really just me taking that unhealthy relationship of mine with 3′s and 4′s another step towards dementia.

nonpresence :

I think you must be right on the year they met. It’s interesting though, how their relationship gives a few mixed signals. When I watch the anime I can’t help thinking that there’s a level of comfort there that just seems like they’ve known each other for more than over one, less than two years. On the other hand, you get no clues as to whether Natsuki knows the first thing about Shizuru’s background which does take away from that ‘known each other for ages’ feeling.

That’s exactly my feeling too. Three years is a long time to nurse an intimate crush (unrequited love or whatever ^^), but three years is also a long time to “know” someone without knowing much about ‘em. Three years would be fine for an average friendship, but clearly this isn’t an average relationship. This weirdness is something I intend to address, anyway…

Then there’s that other implication- that perhaps the first time Natsuki had a conversation that wasn’t born of necessity after the death of her mother was when she was 14. 7 years of innocence, followed by 7 years of loneliness. Mmm, numeric symmetry… Yeah, it’s the kind of thing I like to think about <.<

OKAY, I GET THE HINT. (Wait, are you inferring this from something specific, or are you just being rambly? ‘Cause I’d hate for my omake chapter to be off by a year. T_T)

Then there’s that other implication- that perhaps the first time Natsuki had a conversation that wasn’t born of necessity after the death of her mother was when she was 14. 7 years of innocence, followed by 7 years of loneliness. Mmm, numeric symmetry… Yeah, it’s the kind of thing I like to think about <.<