Try rewatching Toumei Answer. It really is a heartbreaking song, especially once you realize how poorly Shintaro thinks of himself even before Ayano died.
“Don’t touch this heart that wants nothing more than to disappear.”
“The ringing alarm says to the alone me, ‘You’re a cold-hearted fool.’”
“If I died right now, someone would replace me.”
And of course, Ayano’s death doesn’t help things; he blames himself for her suicide.
“Maybe if I was able to get even a little closer to the answer, then these days could have continued forever.”
Shintaro may be a lame, silly, pathetic NEET, but he’s also a lot more tragic than people give him credit for. All he can do is find solace in his dreams of Ayano, but as dreams go, they’re only temporary.
“The moment that I stop the ringing alarm, I’m forced to notice that everything is gone.”
Once you realize all these things, it’s no wonder that Route XX happened.
