The Castle contains plenty of distractions and side-stories to lose yourself in. And one of those is the Cabaret Club minigame in Like a Dragon Gaiden with its many hostesses, like Kokoro.
The middle option of The Castle’s cabaret lineup, Kokoro is an aspiring actress with quite the penchant for mahjong and beefy dudes. That seems right up Kazuma Kiryu’s alley. But appearances alone aren’t enough; you’ll need to build up the Affection meter and three hearts’ worth of good answers before you can see the end of the Kokoro Cabaret Club romance line in Like a Dragon Gaiden.
How to up your Affection with Kokoro
Affection is accrued and banked in the love meter at the top-left of your screen. Once you’re in a Cabaret Club hangout with Kokoro, you’ll be able to order drinks, give gifts, and answer questions to win her over to Team Joryu.
In my experience, gifts are plentiful by the endgame, which you’re probably near if you’re grinding out Cabaret Club sessions. Feel free to hand those out, especially the nicer ones, as they can add a little boost of Affection. Drinks are useful too, but often pricy; I don’t really recommend using expensive stuff unless you have more cash than you need.
The best way to raise Affection is, of course, saying all the right things. And so we’ve gathered together a handy table of the best answers for every topic in the Cabaret Club session with Kokoro in Like a Dragon Gaiden, each one getting you one step closer to a home-cooked meal with Kokoro.
Best Cabaret Club answers for Kokoro in Like a Dragon Gaiden
Romance Level 0 (No hearts)
| Topic | Question | Best Answer |
| Romantic Interests | “What’s your type?” | You like gorilla-like men? |
| Marriage | “Interested in marriage?” | I might consider one with you. |
| Kids | “Do you like kids?” | Kids are great! |
| Mahjong, Anyone? | “Have you ever played mahjong?” | Heh, wanna try me? |
| Makeup | “I don’t usually wear makeup.” | Looks like it’s doing your skin good. |
| Getting Drunk | “I’m a chatterbox when I’m drunk…” | You look sexier when you’re drunk. |
| Physique | “How did you get so fit?” | I fight thugs. |
Romance Level 1 (One heart)
| Topic | Question | Best Answer |
| Your Dreams | “What are your dreams?” | A trip around the world. |
| Spice It Up! | “Let’s kick things up a notch!” | Yeah! Let’s have a blast tonight! |
| Moving House | “I think it might be time to move!” | I can help you make space where you’re at. |
| The Perfect Relationship | “What’s the perfect relationship?” | You make a good point. |
| Opinion on Me? | “What do you think of me?” | I’m not particularly interested. |
| Age | “How old are you?” | 51. |
| Yakuman on East One. | “I dealt into a dealer yakuman in east one, and immediately zeroed out.” | I’ve done the opposite before. |
Romance Level 2 (Two hearts)
| Topic | Question | Best Answer |
| Fun Together | “Wanna have some fun?” | Let’s play some mahjong. |
| Birthday Present | “Any recommendations for a present?” | An accessory. |
| Domestic Bliss… | “I wish I had a sweetheart husband waiting at home…” | With a delicious home-cooked meal ready? |
| Gorilla | “You remind me of a gorilla!” | I’m a long way off compared to a real gorilla. |
| Overwhelmed | “Sometimes, work consumes my whole life.” | I’d like to support you if I can. |
| Public Relations | “How should I deal with people?” | Secretly record them. |
| Feeling Tense | “I haven’t had a massage in a while…” | I could do with one myself. |
Special
| Topic | Question | Best Answer |
| First Encounter | “Hey there, I’m Kokoro!” | I’m sure I will. |
| Biggest Accomplishment | “What’s your greatest accomplishment?” | It’s still to come. (Affection up) |
| Hobbies | “I have so many interests.” | How do you find the time? |
| Saving Up | “I’m saving up for my dreams.” | Then I’ll be sure to ask for you every time! (Affection up) |
| I Need a Clone | “I can’t help but wish there were two of me…” | I feel the same way sometimes. |
| Frugality | “Maybe I should give up on something.” | Don’t give up. Go for what you want! OR Take a break and think about it. |
Completing Kokoro’s Cabaret Club romance
After hitting three hearts and answering questions just right, Kokoro will invite Joryu out for a night in. Specifically, she’ll take him back to her place and cook up some omurice, feeding it to the camera. It’s sweet, if not a little strange; though definitely not the weirdest of the bunch.
Anyways, she’ll invite Joryu to stay the night—where the two will peaceably sleep and that’s it—and you’ll get your clear. For clearing the Cabaret Club romance for Kokoro in Like a Dragon Gaiden, you’ll get the Kokoro’s Companion achievement on the Akame Network and a solid stash of points to spend. You know, I’m now four guides deep on this minigame, and it’s just now clicking with me that Akame is getting a notification every time Kiryu wins the heart of these FMV actresses. Apps these days, am I right?
