#AOI : go make a wish come true .

[timeskip]

Akane loses her humanity in exchange for staying alive, and in doing so she's kept the eternally the same, eternally searching for the correct path. Akane is as close to being a god as someone can get through the morphogenetic field, and this is not a good thing for her.

[artofvisualshock]

Messages from the GazettE to the fans (Google translations)

〈 RUKI 〉

At the end, he said, "I want the GazettE to be forever." I think what he meant by "forever" was that he hoped that the amazing scenes he saw from the stage in 2023 would continue forever.

The scenes he saw with his fans, the happy faces of his fans, and the scenes where we all sang together were treasures that could not be replaced by anything else, and I think he hoped that moment would continue forever.

I remember him saying that he wanted to perform live soon.

Even now that he's grown up, he was a kind and passionate man who can honestly say, "Even if something bad happens, it's the most fun when we get together like this and laugh with the band members."

I loved that honesty.

This year was no different, and every year on our birthdays we would jokingly tell each other to take care of our health.

The band will never be a four-man band.

No matter what anyone says.

Because you're the only bassist we have.

Because I believe that my soul is always beside me to the right.

I'm sure everyone can feel it, even if they can't see it.

The proof that Reita has built up in the GazettE so far will not disappear and will definitely live on.

I believe that, so I will continue to sing beside him so that his soul can be right beside me.

I will not become the GazettE that Reita hates.

I don't want to make him sad.

Although all humans live in a finite life, I believe that souls never disappear.

Reita's soul, the members, myself, and the fans.

I want to continue to perform live shows that make all the people who loved me want to come back to the stage forever, even after they have become souls.

So it is only with each and every one of our fans that we can create the scenery that we hoped he would be eternal.

That's why I want him to stay by my side and be there, unchanged from now on.

He should look at me and smile, and think, "He was the best guy!", rather than looking at me with a sad face.

We are more determined than ever to protect this band.

We will make Reita's wish for eternity come true.

So, Reita, rest assured that you can come to every live show from heaven.

Your seat will always be there.

You're going to be super busy from now on.

I'll contact you again when the schedule is decided.

-----------------

<Uruha>

To all the fans who have supported REITA up until now.

I think he was a huge support for everyone, and for me.

I myself have not been able to accept and realize the fact that he is no longer here and that we can no longer stand on stage together.

There may be many things that I will come to understand little by little from now on.

However, if I continue to be drowning in sadness, I will not be able to make his wish for eternity come true, and I strongly feel that now is the time for me to have the strength to look forward and move forward.

I also think that the path we walked together until now was irreplaceable for him, and I think it will continue to live in the hearts of everyone and myself.

He gave us so much, and we walked together for so long, and he is still and will always be our best friend.

Please treasure all the words, memories, and love he left behind in your heart.

REITA will continue to exist and live in everyone's hearts.

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to everyone who has supported and cheered on the GazettE REITA.

-----------------

〈 Aoi 〉

For a long time, the members and a small staff have been working on various projects, saying "this and that," but writing this letter was the last thing I wanted to do.

There have been moments when I felt like giving up on my dreams.

Every time, we talked about it again and again, sometimes pushing each other, and pulling the members' arms so that they wouldn't give up.

Because we were such a band, the GazettE has been able to keep moving forward without stopping.

REITA, you're not the one who wishes for eternity, you're the one who connects eternity.

I can't say something clever like "I'll take care of you."

I wanted to make more music with you, and see more scenery together.

Every scenery is wonderful because we see it with the five of us, surrounded by our fans.

I don't know why, but it's so painful that I can't make it happen even though I have so many things I want to say.

When I get there, I'm going to start with a big lecture. I know it's lonely because we're gone so suddenly, but please take a rest until then.

I have a few more things to do here.

Thank you for walking this long road with me. Rest in peace.

-----------------

〈 Kai 〉

For me, REITA is an immeasurably big presence, saved by his many words and sounds, the mood maker for the band, and all I remember are really fun things, and above all, the sight of him shining on stage.

He is the best partner and the only one in the rhythm section.

That has never changed, and will never change in the future.

I want to continue carrying his feelings and continue with the GazettE with even greater resolve.

Finally, to all the fans and people involved who have supported us for the past 22 years.

Thank you very much.

And from now on, our feelings will remain the same and we would like to continue running as a group of five, so please continue to support us.

REITA

Thank you for all your hard work.

With the same feelings, we will continue to protect the GazettE together with our many friends... I promise.

There are many friends out there who don't want your 22 years to go to waste, and they are waiting for you.

You must come to our shows too!

Let's have some good sake again.

[sprinklenoodles]

Read Chapter Two and reread the first as well! Mostly as a refresher and cus I didn't say anything for the first chapter and I felt bad hehe! As for my little queries (which I hope there aren't too many! 1. What fantasy species are Junko and Mukuro? 2. What specific age is Byakuya and the others? Guessing they're around their canon ages like late teens/early adult hood but I wanna make sure! 3. What species is Toko since she's now been introduced? Furthermore, on the general side of thoughts, I like the dinner scene in the first chapter. The hint of weakness on Kijo and how Byakuya showed a bit of concern. After all, Byakuya's still young! He's valid for worrying about the man! He's probably never seen him like this before. Secondly, I like Kyoko and the crew just plotting to abduct Byakuya. It makes me happy and I can't wait to read one of them potentially lifting him up fireman style. Or, well, I CAN wait hehe! But, I am very pumped for when that occurs. Or just the potential duel that could transpire since he's clearly a powerful individual and won't go without a fight, especially since they're targeting his father! Some other thoughts are that I like Toko and Komaru being here. Their subtle handholding is not unnoticed! Plus, the bit of lore for the Naegi's!! Helps explain why they're here with the others as, at least Makoto, is less likely of a character one would expect to be plotting the potential murder of a king. Also, another good thing is that it still leaves a mystery on what the other's are really plotting. They of course want Kijo gone, but are they a sort of resistance group? I like the intrigue of what they're up to, with the bonus of the despair sisters plotting as well with who I assume is Izuru. Aoi's just cute too. Just in general. I just had to say it cus it's true! But, yeah! Like how it's going and wish you good luck on future chapters!!

There's never too many questions! I always love answering them!

1. Both of them are dark elves. Can't say too much about dark elves just yet, but they do have a devil-like tail. Why? Cuz it's cool.

2. It was mentioned a few times, Byakuya just turned 16. The coronation happened a month after his sixteenth birthday and the rest of the fic takes place shortly after that, at least for now.

So, the rest of the kiddos are also around 16. Taka and Mondo are 17 though, and Chihiro is 15 (but almost 16) Kyoko also just turned 17, but the rest of the rebels are 16. Well, Komaru is 15.

3. She's a sorcerer! A big difference from sorcerers and wizards is that sorcerers don't use a want nor do they have a big-ol hat. Sorcerers also didn't inherit their magic, which is also why they're so rare. They actually come from humans- who do exist here! They are just very rare and almost extinct.

So, Toko's parents were humans. She just got lucky and got magic powers!

And, yeah, there is a small fight. I'm not the best at writing fight scenes, but it's there in the third chapter!

Also, they're a resistance group. More of that will be explained in the next few chapters, but let's just say that they see Kijo as an awful king. In one way or another (well, mostly the same way. Go guess what that can be) their lives have changed for the worst cuz of his actions.

Can't say more about that tho, even though I really want. Gotta make sure the chapters actually give some good info... and that I don't retcon myself...

But Aoi is very cute. Sakura would agree with that.

[demonslayedher]

The Taisho Secret canon content regarding The Legend of Zenitsu has unfortunately made me have to give up beloved concepts in this future!Zennezu headcanon post. Most specifically, Old Man Zenitsu's with a mustache, because Word of Gotouge says he never grews facial hair. Zenitsu is probably far more disappointed than I am about this.

But also, it has all given me a much deeper headcanon about "The Legend of Zenitsu" being a bonding experience in their marriage, for Nezuko is a big fan, like so, what with Nezuko being a willing model for Zenitsu's praise-worthy paintings.

And is my brain spinning headcanons again? Yeah.

--

Zenitsu wished he could rub it in Tanjiro's face that he got a book deal. Not on everything, just on "The Demon Slaying Arc ~Fated Encounters~," "The Heavenly Maiden Arc ~I Am Willing To Die For You~," and "The Life of the Man Who Loved The Spirit of the Plum Tree Arc." No one else deserved to know "The Tastiness of Nezuko-chan's Cooking" anyway, for Zenitsu had described it too well and it would be like sharing his wife with a bunch of slimy readers. Bad enough that he still had to share with Inosuke all the time.

But Tanjiro didn't rub it in. He smiled and made as kind a sound as even, and congratulated him.

Maybe Tanjiro had grown too mild to say or feel anything more than that.

Because Zenitsu had a publisher and small fan base, he got paid a small advance to keep writing. Not even to stop going to an office job in town, if he wanted to to keep spoiling Nezuko with nice things. The stroke to eager made him write "The Beautiful Swordswoman Nezuko Arc" in one night, but "The Golden Dragon Wandering Alone Arc ~Go And Rescue Nezuko!~" was one he slogged through. It was getting to be a handful, going to work and raising a kid living up to expectations now that people had them of him. It felt good at first, but it made the writing less fun.

His heart was hardly in it when he wrote the "Botamochi from Zenitsu Arc." The sales tanked, and Zenitsu's publisher didn't bother him when he said aside his pen for a while. It was a long while, and there were other things going on anyway.

Not long after Tanjiro died, Nezuko caught a flu that was going around. It honestly made Zenitsu a little glad to have an excuse to leave his kid with Aoi for a while so that he could have Nezuko to himself while she was contagious. He didn't need anyone's help to take care of him, because every cell down to his soul cared only about how he might pamper and comfort her.

"Nezuko-chan, come on and drink a little. It'll make your throat feel better."

"I can't. I don't want to," she moaned. Tears escaped her hopeless eyes. She still must have felt so gutted, and Zenitsu knew he could do little to fill her for the time being. Some of that hopeless look must had been from thinking she'd never be free of the headache, but at least that much he might be able to soothe.

"Why don't you rest your head on my lap for a change? Here, I'll stroke your forehead for you."

"You should sleep."

"I can do it in my sleep," he smiled to her. "Actually, did you know that the legendary hero Agatsuma Zenitsu can be even more powerful when he sleeps?"

At this, she gave him a weak smile. The first he'd seen lately. "Yes."

"It's true! It's because he can hear the sound of his wife at his side. It powers him up like lightning coming right out of his empty eye-sockets! Actually, there was one time when he blinded his enemy before the roaring sound of his power knocked him over."

"Or the sound of his snoring."

"No, no, it's thunder like it shoots right out of him! You see, it all started one night in a terrible, creepy forest, when he saw a helpless man swooped backwards into the tree tops..."

When Nezuko recovered, Zenitsu picked up his pen again, and published "Rumble of the Knock-Out Secret Swordsmanship of Zenitsu Arc ~The Legendary Man’s Eyes Shine With Light~" not long afterward. It sold decently, and it was nice to hear that he had some fans who were excited about it.

Life fell back into a new busy normal, and Zenitsu's muse was fickle. "The Potato Feudal Lord Arc" was just a passing thing for fun, not something he'd ever tell his publisher about. It was more fun for a while to try out other things, like painting. As long as Nezuko was his model, Zenitsu found he had a knack for it. He ran into Yushiro one time though, who told him he was a hack, and they got into a big argument that ended with Zenitsu throwing all his brushes and unused canvases at him and daring him to do better. Those had all cost a lot of money, so Nezuko was not happy about that. Likewise, she wasn't happy when Zenitsu refused to sell a painting of her and tore his pants while throwing a fit.

By the looks of Nezuko's ledgers, it looked like Zenitsu was stuck at that desk job, selling electricity around the little mountain foothill town. He had been there so long that he got promoted for being good at sitting in the same chair for years, and that meant moving closer to a bigger town, closer to the growing metropolis, where Zenitsu felt right at home and Nezuko assured him she would adjust.

What would Tanjiro think, now that nobody bought charcoal anymore?

The world that once had demons seemed further and further away and the droll of adulthood stretched on, and powers he couldn't behead with a swift Thunderclap and Flash fought amongst themselves. More and more, there were expectations of Zenitsu, and people depending on him. He had to assure people they would still have light and heat even as Tokyo burned, and the sound of planes rattled his ears almost daily. He was a man of his community now, and the only one his family could depend on. At Nezuko's insistence, they collected nearly-blind Kanao and his nephews and niece, and he tried to insist to Inosuke to stay with them in town where there were bomb shelters, but Inosuke, just as responsible for his own family, felt he kept them safest going deeper and deeper in to the mountains.

Nezuko knew nothing but worries. Sometimes, he almost wished she could be back to a childlike state of mind, protected from all the pain and horrors she so unfairly had to endure. In the darkness of a bomb shelter, he hugged her close as she trembled. "Say, Nezuko-chan. Do you remember that time..."

"What?"

"...that time the great hero Agatsuma Zenitsu was a teeny-tiny, but very, very strong mouse?"

He could hear her worries lift, however slightly. Maybe that was all a mouse could do.

"Actually, it was when he was a little boy. You'd never guess it, but he was very cowardly. That was a terrible warlock with a fancy red mark around his eye painted him with a magic white makeup that turned him into a mouse!"

She stifled a snort against his chest. "Uzui-san..."

"Yeah, that was the warlock's name! Did I already tell you this story before?"

"A mouse?" his son clung tighter to him, sometime he hadn't done in years. Even when he was little he always clung to Nezuko instead anyway. Zenitsu could tell by the tone of his son's voice that he was already teary-eyed and sniffly.

"Yeah. A little mouse who thought he had no power at all. That the world was too big for him. But as it turns out..."

What really hurt was Nezuko's reaction. She sighed with disappointment, and lamented that this was why he spent so many long hours away from home.

That was a story Zenitsu recorded later, as a memory of those times. It stayed on his bookcase at home next to the Potato Lord story, now that the world was quiet again.

Business picked up really well. The world got brighter, and so did the indoor lighting. As a general sense of optimism filled the world again, the small but dedicated base of "Legend of Zenitsu" fans called for a new installment. He responded well to praise, and soon gave them "The Dragon Palace Arc ~Eternal Nezuko~," but being so busy as a highly promoted seat-warmer at the office meant he had things he had to do while sitting in that seat. He put on weight again, and spent a lot of sad, long evenings stuffing cookies in his face while streaming with tears that he couldn't be eating one of Nezuko's homecooked meals instead. "Sitting In A Happy Circle and Boiling Tea in Our Bellybuttons Arc" was something he secretly wrote at his desk as a form of silent protest. His publisher rejected that one after reading only one page.

Of course! He had to be at home to write his best work! He had to be in the same space as his muse, Nezuko! Another quickly written revenge work of his, "The Future Holds Zenitsu Arc," was considered one of his better ones.

After that, he was satisfied with writing for a while, and he muse pushed him to start playing (perfectly) the piano. Nezuko was not thrilled about the piano he bought.

If only he had taught it to Nezuko, then. Her joints all bothered her, but she kept sewing out of willpower.

This new hobby inspired another novel, and Nezuko inspired another novel after that of course, and the stress of their son getting married and wanting a lavish wedding inspired another novel and another novel after that was a desperate attempt to strike it big and get out of the debt that wedding cost them. After all, Zenitsu's daughter-in-law was a cutie and he wanted to spoil her. It made Zenitsu remember how cute Nezuko was when they were newlyweds, and before that too, of course, and now too, and before he knew it he had written yet another novel, despite his dwindling fan base. Nezuko sure liked that one, though, and that was all that mattered.

The years went by. Zenitsu felt he lost his mind over how his granddaughter got cuter every time he saw her, and he eventually reached some arbitrary age when his company could only promote him to retired. Aside from the aches in his legs, he felt as young as he always did, though. Kanao said it was probably the effects of Breath technique. It sustained them without reaching a threshold at which it would be dangerous to them.

Zenitsu still wrote sometimes. He stayed busier when his busy-body grandson read the old unpublished "The Birth of Zenitsu Arc" and insisted on learning Thunder Breath. That was like a new job Zenitsu never asked for, especially since he still only knew one of the original six forms, but Kiriya sent him a letter askeing him to give it a shot, for who knew what the future held. Certainly not demons, Zenitsu was assured of that much. If Yushiro gave his novels a bad review one more time, he'd make sure of there were no more demons left in the world.

He got back in touch with Inosuke. He thought it might never happen after he abandoned the old house and charcoal mill, but the whole time, Inosuke had been on the mountain next to it, where he had always been King of the Mountain. He still took care of the house, he said. But a King still had to be King. They weren't the only people on the mountain, though. Aoi paid house calls. Still, Zenitsu gave Inosuke a stern lecture about making Nezuko (as well as Kanao) worry, so Aoi made sure to drag Inosuke into the bigger and bigger city sometimes.

Zenitsu's newest hobby to drop money on was photography, but now that he was a pensioner, Nezuko did not mind so much. She even agreed to let him fulfill his dream of taking her to Paris. He was glad he had that camera, to prove how the city could not outshine her.

He was glad he took her when he did. Her joints made it harder and harder for her to get around, even though she always smiled and insisted Zenitsu's legs must hurt more. He didn't like it when she laughed and joked around about chopping her legs off to grow new ones.

"Grandpa," his youngest granddaughter looked to him with a tearful face, "Grandma was saying something about being a demon again. I wish she'd stop that."

"I know, right!? She's a princess, and the very spirit of a plum blossom tree! A shrine maiden too!"

"There's no way someone like Grandma would ever go to hell."

He paused, and his stomach sank.

Nezuko gave up her sewing. She spent more and more time in bed, but with no desk job to sit at and a grandson taught enough that he could be told to go off and practice on his own, Zenitsu spent his days writing again. He took a long time on that novel he wrote for her, putting in all the sorts of parts he knew she liked. Sometimes he couldn't help himself and reads parts aloud to her without telling her everything else that already happened in the story. She smiled and enjoyed each fragment anyway.

"I've finally got the title for this one!" he announced. "It's called, 'I Will Be In Love With You A Thousand Years Arc.' Perfect, huh? Well, maybe it's still missing something. A million years, maybe?"

"Zenitsu-san... tell me a story..."

"I am! I'm telling you the greatest story yet! It's about this immortal princess who..."

"Tell me a real story..."

He paused and listened to her heartbeat as she took a breath--a simple, unpracticed breath in tired human lungs. Nezuko still made the same warm sound that she always did. It had a different resonance when she was a demon, and when he carried another life inside her, but it was always uniquely her.

"I want to hear... about the time you spent with my brother."

"Tanjiro? Yeah, he... hasn't been in these for a long time. Maybe I'll bring him back."

"You cared so much about him," she smiled from her futon. "That was why you protected my box, before you even met me."

"He... yeah."

"I'm glad you were such good friends... I want to hear about all those good things that happened to you. About your Ojiisan, and your little bird..."

"Yeah," he grimaced to a smile, and the inside of his nose zapped like a storm was brewing. "I had a lot of good things happen to me. A lot of bad things too."

"It's up to you to decide if you're happy or not. I hope... you'll decide you were happy."

"Yeah," he said, the snot already flowing. "The happiest. I'll tell you all about it. I'll make it my best story ever."

"You promise...?"

He kissed her forehead. "I'd never be able to come up with anything better than the truth."

[chiki-chiki-ahh]

April 17th member messages

I managed to get the post translated by a native speaker for better accuracy and less meaning getting lost by google translate being confused by idioms and such.

I believe that we, international fans, deserve to get the same closure.

RUKI

At the end, he said, "I want the GazettE to be eternal."

What did he mean by eternity?

I think he hopes that the view that Reita himself saw from the stage in 2023 will continue forever.

The view he saw with his fans.

The happy faces of his fans.

The view where we could all shout together.

That is a treasure that can't be replaced by anything else.

I think he wanted those moments to last forever.

I remember him saying he wanted to perform a concert as soon as possible.

Even now as an adult, he was a kind and passionate man who could honestly say, "Even when I'm having a bad day, I have the most fun when I get together with the band members like this and laugh."

He was a kind and passionate man who could honestly say that.

I loved that honesty.

We used to jokingly tell each other every birthday that we should take care of each other's health every year, and this year is no different.

The band will never be four people.

No matter what anyone says.

You're the only bass player in our band.

I believe that [your] spirit will always be right next to me.

You can feel it even if you can't see it.

The living proof that you've built up the GazettE up until now will never disappear and will always live on.

I believe that, and I want to make sure that the soul of the GazettE is right next to me.

I'll keep singing next to you so that your spirit can be right next to mine.

I will never become the GazettE that Reita hates.

I won't make you feel sad.

I believe that we all live in a finite world, but the soul is something that never disappears.

Reita's soul, the members' souls, mine.

And the fans.

I want to continue performing in such a way that everyone who loves me [/ us] like this will want to come to the stage forever, even if they become just souls.

Therefore, only with each and every one of our fans we can create the view that he wished would be eternal.

That's why I want things to remain unchanged and him to remain there.

Rather than people looking at him and being sad, I think he would want people to remember him as being great.

We are more determined than ever to protect this band.

We'll make the eternity Reita wished to come true.

So, Reita, come to our gigs from heaven every time without hesitation.

Your spot will always be there.

We're going to be extremely busy from now on.

I'll contact you again when the schedule is fixed.

URUHA

To all the fans who have supported Reita so far,

He has been a tremendous support for everyone and for me.

I myself have not been able to accept the fact that he is no longer with us and that we will not be able to stand on stage together.

There may be many things that I will gradually come to understand in the future.

I strongly feel that I need to have the strength to look forward and move forward now, because if I remain in sorrow, I will not be able to fulfill his wish for eternity.

And I believe that the path he has taken with everyone so far has been invaluable to him, and I think it will live on in everyone's and my heart for a long time to come.

He has given so much and has been with us for so long that he is and will forever remain our best friend.

Please keep all the words, memories and love he left behind in your hearts.

Reita will continue to exist and live on in everyone's hearts.

We would like to thank everyone who has supported the GazettE's Reita so far.

AOI

For a long time now, the members and a few staff have been doing a lot of different jobs, "this and that", but I wanted to do anything but write this.

There have been moments in the past when I felt like giving up on my dream.

Each time, we discussed it again and again, and sometimes we pushed our backs [and supported each other] so they wouldn't give up.

It was because we were such a band that the GazettE was able to keep going without stopping.

Reita, you are not the one who should wish for eternity, you are the one who is supposed to connect eternity.

I can't say to you, "I'll carry the burden [of connecting the eternity] for you", that's not a cool line.

I wanted to play more music with you, I wanted to see more of the world with you.

Any view is great when you see it with us five, surrounded by fans.

I don't know, there are so many things I want to say, but it's just too painful that none will be a reality.

Anyway, when I go over there, I'm going to start scolding you. I know you'll miss us since we're suddenly gone, but until then, just rest up.

I have a few more things to do over here.

Thank you for walking this long road together. Please rest in peace.

KAI

For me, Reita is an immeasurably big presence, I was saved by many of his words and sounds, he is the mood maker for the band, and all I can remember is how much fun he is, and above all, how he shined on stage.

He is our best and only rhythm partner.

That has never changed and will never change.

I will continue to carry his thoughts on my shoulders and continue the GazettE with even greater determination.

Finally, to all the fans and everyone involved who have supported us for 22 years.

Thank you very much.

And from now on, we would like to continue to run with the five of us without changing our thoughts and feelings.

Reita,

Thank you for your hard work.

I will continue to protect the GazettE with the same feelings and many friends… I promise.

I don't want those 22 years [with you] to be in vain, there are a lot of friends that are waiting for us.

You should definitely show up at the gigs too!

Let's have a good drink again.

[thelunarfairy]

hellooo im curious abt how hanako and no.6 had something planned together or a deal in earlier chapter, where in a meeting of the mysteries, hanako just knows no.6 will take care of the supernatural disturbance, and how when no.6 sees hanako as the visitor in his boundary, he says "he's making appearance now of all times" just heard like, they met before and had a deal together?? And the look hanako gives to him is so suspicious... Like it was hanako's plan from the start to use aoi as a sacrifice for yashiro's lifespan and to stop the disturbances. But then we never see them interacting and i think its a loss because then we get to see if hanako would know what his yorishiro will be like to be destroyed by his own hands or yashiro's.. what do you think?

Hellooo

Number 6 is the guy who has been responsible for the sacrifices with the Kannagis for a long time and Hanako has this information.

We must remember two things, the first is that Hanako, Tsukasa and number 6 work for the same God, it is not the same God that the other mysteries work for, the one who will "forgive Hanako".

The other mysteries and the Minamoto family apparently work for the God who is sealing the entity that is inside Tsukasa. (the mysteries)

This is because number 1 said that it is a dangerous entity. In other words, different gods. (it is a hypothesis).

Second, Hanako knows about the sacrifices, he lies to Nene when he says that they do not make sacrifices anymore, but they do. And as I said before, the one who makes the sacrifices is number 6.

In this case, we also have to remember about Yashiro's wish to live 100 years. The other wishes that Nene made for him had lower prices, but this one would require a sacrifice.

Knowing that Hanako does not have the power to make complex wishes come true, he probably asked the God and offered Aoi as a sacrifice so that Nene could live.

So the number six would do his job.

The connection that Hanako has with the number 6 is linked to this, he is probably the one who leads people to the sacrifice and the number six performs the ritual.

So much so that, in the new reality, the one who spreads the rumors about Tsukasa is Amane, he purposely tells the girls so that they become sacrifices when they summon Tsukasa.

This time, there is no ritual, it is something direct with the God, the girls go crazy quickly too compared to the other reality.

So, it seems that this is it. Hanako plans the sacrifices and Hakubo performs the ritual.

Hanako intended to sacrifice Nene, but fell in love with her, so he looked for another alternative.

[ngmn2002]

*** Ch: 110***

As always, just side notes...

Who was right to guess the yorishiro is within Mirai? Yep, me.~ would pay to be in Hanako's, Nene's, Teru's place or the owls and watch Tsukasa in action and going -far shore No.6 mode but X1000 COOLER like they were doing. the amount of self confidence he has has always impressed me. my goodness it's limitless… but this chapter is on another whole level. SO SMUG! I love that mood of his. oooooh SO COOL!!!

...

Why the yorsihrio of No.1 had to be a key of all things? ........

What nat did to Mit 2.0 on her order... what a simp. Indeed proved his words in here.

So the 'welcome between us party', the whole big-bro nat facade, the nice gestures he showed together with his lady toward Mit 2.0 were fake all along? How funny. What a shock. I didn't expect they are this sort of people. I'm shocked with nat and his lady. lol

So, I was right in the end? They are plotting things of 'her' own together. No way Tsukasa would plan for Mit 2.0 end up this way.

It's her not being able to wait to have her wish come true no matter who she will hurt. That makes her so happy.~ what a softie. lol

(can't be) Though, if the 2 were plotting to put Mit 2.0 in a situation where he'll be forced to have a yorishiro by having nat do that so they can destroy it later... hmm... judging from Tsukasa's words in here...

What a devious face. 💜 Uh, how cool-looking... Tsukasa amazed me all chapter long. What a force. ✨

Is that what he meant by calling No.3's case a 'done deal' in ch 92? The only yorishrios that are left are him and No.1's. what about old No.3's yorsirhio that's still on the ceiling?

and... I get what nat meant with his words of 2 yorishiors are left. No.1's and No.7's. I see what he meant.

I see... I see...

What happened to granting Mit 2.0's wish btw? Tsukasa, you're going to carry on with that or..... wait... maybe there is no reason... once all yorishrios are destroyed, if what she said is true..... hmm..... things are going way too fast..... if we assumed the world will be rewritten so the living, the dead, supernaturals are equal and can live together... that means Mit 2.0's wish is granted along the way? uh, that's too much thinking

Anyway, don't think Mit 2.0 will end here. We need to have Kou in the picture, don't we? His long-wanted wish coming to play???

Love how he aimed for the sleeve!!! He is not there to harm Tsu, he wants to keep him safe and protect him at all costs!!!! What an emotional moment... oooh!! the position!!! it's always the same!!!

So we have a promise to keep Tsukasa moving... The core to all we have now. It only takes a spark for a fire to start -The promised Neverland keeps echoing in my head. Promises.....

And...

Hmm, did this trigger Hanako's memory to recall a some kind of promise he made to Tsukasa or maybe himself in the past?

This might be related as well...? will Tsu really /disappear/I mean I've always wondered what will happen to him once the seal is gone? hmm... does Amane know of Tsukasa's condition or not? if he does and still see that will happen....

Hmm... what is your duty?!

So? SO?! You broke him sir. Easy on him.

After all he voiced out you went SO? How cruel. Do each of you take turns in acting rude to each other at times? What he said to you next is well deserved, Tsukasa. Even though Amane didn't mean it literally. Understand his aching, feelings, pleading. SO?! .............

on the verge of tears? Is that Amane face close to the one Tsukasa fantasize over from when he *killed* saved/protected him? What does this face of Amane mean to you Tsukasa!!! What kind of emotion do you see held in it!!! CAN YOU SEE THE HUGE LOVE!!!!

AND THIS?!

Awww, it must feel lonely while like that.. let's add it to the family. a little side 'that rejects him' of Tsu he... AkaneAoi interaction got me I will go mad if Tsukasa went Aoi mode and came up with a thing like you don't really need me, I'm disappointing by your side..

Tsukasa got him TALKING about his feelings?! WOOHOHO Finally?! I'm not dreaming?! GOOD JOB TSU!!!!!!

Come on, he actually voiced such sentence out loud?! It was there sleeping inside his heart for soooooo looooong!!!!! He said I "LOVE" you so much?! FINALLY?!

He answered the question with words?! whooohoo we need to celebrate over here!!!

Between question and answer.

Tsukasa!!! LET THAT SINK IN!!!!! in the way intented. please don't take it literally like your little self once assumed it. You see and think differently now, right?

And I was waiting for Nene to confess to him. Look at the move he took. AHAHAHA This arc is full of confessions on their side. WAAAHHH

Ok, now waiting for this next, thank you.

And later on this!

Come on, Amane! You can do it! Just take a step forward! You're almost there! I need you to reach this point, fianlly lose it and shout out all the love you have for him with all your might so Tsukasa will finally understand......

What a nice way of talking he has. Between the 2, some cool development! Keep it up, Amane! I'm cheering for you! Talk more about your feelings!! Voice them out to those you love and love you back!!

It's impressive how he is ready to let Nene go twice and with Tsukasa... that's never an option.

I assume it's within his belief of she will move on someday, and have her dreams achieved and have a nice life, she doesn't really need him there to be happy as he voiced out before. now we have a swap with Tsukasa taking his place as he takes Nene's. tragic.

While with Tsukasa, he knows they can't ever let go of each other, it's never an option for them.

Yet, Tsukasa insists on leaving him, on sacrificing himself! One time, another time, and another time! Give the boy a break!!! His heart won't take it anymore!!!

If there is a thing he won't want to ever happen it's to lose you!!! He is NOT happy without you beside him!!

He does want to be with you, but he needs to be shown you REALLY wants it. That you needs him to be happy. That you needs him beside you. He needs a reason to stay.

Ok, Amane. Give him the reason to stay by your side. Let this 'I hate you' shine. Come on, prove to Tsukasa what he is worth to you! Tell him/show him what you want for real, your real desire, what makes you happy for real. And!!! Tsukasa, accept his wish!

Would having a wish coming true make him happy if he were to lose you?! I mean, if you're not gone Nene is also saved! who cares for her wish, huh?! Amane always comes first to you, right? Your top priority is to keep the promise you made to him and grant his real wish. Didn't you ask him to decide?! He did!!! Consider his decision!!!

You always go saying people should have the chance to do what they want, alright! Between the contrasting wants of your twin AMANE and assistant, which will you choose?! One has to get lost. It's her! Care for those who care for you, not the ones who want you gone to get what they want.

Between the 2 of you... what would keeping that promise mean if he were to lose you in exchange? He doesn't want that.

Boy......

I seriously wonder if Amane knew these… would he react nicely to her? Those who treat his precious ones as if they were nothing… oh… will he be merciless?

Seriously, even though I was trying to give her a chance, even though I was trying to keep in mind she might have had a hard life and just wants to be free, with everything new I see of her I can't help but despise her and her dog more. Sheesh. They piss me off.

The true definition of selfish and hypocrosity, manipulation at its best right there.

Anyway... TSUKASA!!!

TSUKASA!!! THIS!!! THIS!!! RMEMEBR THIS?! MAKE THE CONNECTION!! THIS CONNECTION!!

.......

I can't with these 2.......

Then I remember Nene is fated to die and her life is linked to the yorishiros and I'm......... T.T ......... what is going on?! What's with all the drama?! Easy on ME!!!

I can't with all of them...

........

Uh...

About Amane going for the yorsihrios detruction in the start... so... what was his plan really? Didn't he include Tsukasa in there...?

So in the end, he doesn't want to do this? At least not with Tsukasa...

Hmm...

Uhhh.... he doesn't want to *do it right* after all?

Tsukasa... the seal is there! It is right there on your face! Don't be blind and see what it means, Tsukasa!!! Before we ask for anyone else to see it, it's meant for you!! you're the one who needs to see what beautful meanings it holds! Isn't that obvious?

Talking issues-listening issues. Providing issues-understanding issues. Isn't it the perfect combination for the perfect miscommunication? How cruel.

Hmm, it's easy to stop Tsukasa if both Amane and Nene went: we won't destroy you, how about it?

Hmm... maybe some things naturally, intended by the bad 2 or maybe Tsukasa himself? come to play to force them to?

I'm toally confused. With time I will get a grip, for now... I will leave this here.

.......

They seriously need to talk. One long talk, get over this miscommunication issue between them. Because I can't take it anymore.

........

Things escalated quickly this chapter, wooh.

[cheergoodtimes]

and im just having so many theories for Alteration Arc, bc during the red house, kou was with tsukasa the most, tsukasa had the ability to make kou's deepest desires come true within the house, which they did as a taste of what tsukasa could potentially give him, and when kou opened up to him as to why he has these desires, tsukasa told him that they CAN be real and couldnt just be inside that house, hes done it multiple times even

LIKE WHAT IF THIS IS THE PART THAT THE CLOCKERS CHANGED?!??? did he GO through that door??? it mightve been a different scenario bc him and nene arent close but???

KOU was the one who told him that amane killed himself after killing tsukasa, after giving him a talk about how hard it is to losing a family member, which convinced tsukasa with the idea of leaving the house

but it became the catalyst of the old timeline

but in the new timeline, everyone seems to be living their best lives objectively, yet, MOST of the things that seem to be wrong doesnt seem to be found in kou's perspective

nene, she got the lead role as dorothy and she seems to be popular, but seeing a visage of hanako snapped her out of it because without him, things ARENT right

amane is alive, hes an ADULT like tsukasa said that he wished for if he didnt leave the house (this is good for him tbh idk what to say but it contributes to doomed het so its a downside ig idk man its supposed to be a bad thing that him and nene cant be together or smthng)

akane, the love of his life that he JUST got together with, is engaged to the person he cant fucking stand

aoi, she doesnt remember anything from the old timeline, yet her feelings for akane stayed the same and is unhappy with her arrangement with teru

teru, hes keeping up his composure and spiting akane rn but hes on the same boat as aoi about the engagement, and the thought of losing a world where his mom will be away again seems to waver him a little

but kou??? what downsides does he have??? his best friend is alive, his mom is alive, and mitsuba called him bc hes a dependable exorcist

tsukasa is still doing wishes it looks like, did he do that ritual???

idk man my thoughts are crazy rn i cant wait for the next chapter i LOVE Alteration Arc so far

[twilightmalachite]

Hinata Aoi - Immersing in the Reverberations 2

Author: Kanata Haruka

Characters: Hinata, Sora, Anzu

Translator: Mika Enstars

"Umm, really, why are you here, Anzu-san? If you need something with Game Research, I can leave…"

[Read on my blog for the best viewing experience with Oi~ssu ♪]

Season: Winter

Location: Yumenosaki Academy Game Research Club Room

Hinata: Whoa, just what is this crazy barrage?! I’m not sure if I can dodge it!

Oh no oh no oh no! Sorry Sora, I can’t do this anymore~!

Sora: It’s okay! Leave the rest to Sora! There’s a safe spot here from the boss~. Hang around the area, and attack when there’s an opening, and…

HaHa~! Sora and Hina-chan were able to beat it in co-op!

Hinata: Amazing! The boss was defeated so quickly… Was I dragging you down then, Sora-kun?

Sora: Nothing of the sort! There were times Hina-chan drew the enemy’s attention and really helped Sora out!

Hinata: I’m glad, then, but… Since you’re so good at this, I’m worried I’m making things boring for you.

Sora: No need to worry, then~! It’s a lot of fun to play games with Hina-chan!

Besides, Sora’s always playing this game over and over again with Shisho~ and Anzu, so it makes sense he’s good at it~. ♪

Hinata: A-ahaha… I see, so you’ve been playing it with Sakasaki-senpai and Anzu-san~…

…So, does that mean that the reason Anzu-san came here was also to play games~…?

Sora: HiHi~! Sora’s very happy when Anzu comes to play too~! ♪

Hinata: (I feel awkward. And it was really a great help to have Sora-kun here with me too…)

(But I can only distract myself with games so much. Maybe it’s because Anzu-san keeps glancing over at me…)

Umm, really, why are you here, Anzu-san? If you need something with Game Research, I can leave…

Huh? I’m the one you need something with?

Yuuta-kun contacted you through HoldHands to tell you I was struggling with the Feature Live?

I’m so touched by Yuuta-kun’s consideration! He didn’t abandon his Onii-chan after all that, huh!

(Though, I feel it was pretty mean-spirited of Yuuta-kun to reach out to Anzu-san, but…)

(In reality, the easiest way through all this really is to consult Anzu-san~.)

(I couldn’t bring myself to reach out to her, so honestly, I think I really am grateful for Yuuta-kun’s consideration.)

Sora: Anzu wants to play the game too? Wanna try a bit after watching huh!

Hinata: Ahaha, well, it’s hard not to wanna play after watching other people play, right~?

Huh? Anzu-san, you’re surprisingly good at this, aren’t you? You’re easily getting through the part I struggled with!?

Sora: Sora plays this game a lot with Anzu~! ♪ It’s a game that brings back lots of memories!

Hinata: Really~? Just listening to the game’s BGM brings back memories of playing the game with your friends?

It’s true, I often feel nostalgic listening to things like the BGM of games I used to play~.

And listening to nostalgic music in the Light Music Club room makes me wanna play instruments.

Speaking of which, maybe I’ll take a quick peek around the club room…

Sora: Does Hina-chan wanna go to the Light Music Club room?

Hinata: …Yeah, I was thinking maybe I could come up with some good ideas for a candid shot.

Sorry, since you went through the trouble of inviting me over to play!

Sora: It’s okay! It’s for Hina-chan’s Feature Live, so Sora’s rooting for Hina-chan too~! ♪

Location: Yumenosaki Academy Light Music Club Room

Hinata: S’cuse me~. Ahaha, there really isn’t anyone here, huh?

(Shoot. Now I’m alone with Anzu-san. No, I shouldn’t be surprised, I’m here to ask for advice…)

(Uu, so awkward. I wish Sora-kun came along.)

(But then I’d feel bad for dragging Sora-kun into such a delicate atmosphere…)

I-I thought Oogami-senpai might’ve been here, but he’s graduating soon, so guess he’s busy.

Ahaha, Oogami-senpai will be graduating soon too, huh~? That means after that, it’ll be just Yuuta-kun and I left using this club room, huh~.

You’re going to miss it? Nahh, you say that, but it’s not like you really care about the Light Music Club, don’t you, Anzu-san?

I mean, it’s not like you come around too often since you’ve moved to the Production Department.

Hinata: Sob, sob… It was so lonely, you wouldn’t come to see me at all!

I’m gonna miss you? Well, I’ve worked with you for quite a long time, Anzu-san…

It was this place where you and 2wink’s first encounter, when we kidnapped you over here.

Well~, I do feel bad about the trouble I caused you back then. But Sakuma-senpai ordered me to, so I didn’t have any choice. ♪

…Strange~. I thought I didn’t have many memories with you here in the clubroom, Anzu-san, but now I can remember them all so easily.

Hm? Oh, now this is a nostalgic music score~. I’m pretty sure I still have the original sound on my smartphone… Here it is!

Hinata: ♪~♪~♪

Ahh, sorry! I forgot you were there and put on my headphones.

You wonder if you can recognize the song? Fufu, curious about what song it is?

Here’s a hint; it’s definitely a song you should recognize, Anzu-san. It’d be really embarrassing if you couldn’t. Think you can answer~?

♪~♪~♪

Hinata: Oh, that’s correct! Amazing as always, Anzu-san. The song really takes you back, doesn’t it?

It’s the unreleased Light Music Club song for Trickstar back when the unit was getting its start… Well, that’s a weird way to put it, since it’s released now.

But back then, it was 2wink’s opening act for Trickstar. It wasn’t even that long ago, but it feels waaay back.

…Hey, Anzu-san. Thinking about it, a lot sure has changed since then, hasn’t it?

You overcame a lot at the academy, and now you’re earnestly working in the world of idols at ES…

In order to survive in the idol industry, I’ve changed a lot too.

But it’s not just me. The same goes for Yuuta-kun and Sora-kun too, you know.

And we’re going to have to keep changing if we want to keep on fighting in this world.

And I’m fine with that. I know it’s something that needs to be done.

Hinata: But… That’s also why it’s nice to have moments like this to reminisce every once in a while, right? Immersing yourself in a memory-filled place, listening to memory-filled songs…

*camera snap*

Eh, when did you have that camera, Anzu-san? Did you just take a photo just now?!

I’m embarrassed, you just took a photo of me being somewhat sentimental!

Wow, you have a huge smile on your face, Anzu-san. Are you that glad over how I was?

…I see. Well if you say so, then I’ll believe you.

But, I kinda feel like I was just pranked by you~.

Ahaha, guess it’s not too bad getting pranked on every once in a while. ♪

(I kinda feel things are less awkward, somehow? Do I have Anzu-san to thank for that?)

Alright, time to get serious about figuring out what to do for my Feature Live!

‘Course, you’ll be accompanying me, won’t you, Anzu-san?

[ ☆ ]

← prev | story directory

[cheiyunn]

Kimisute main story [3部 ] Part 3

Side: Fujin Rizing

[Park]

Fuuta: He’s in critical condition… Aoi, are we there yet?

Aoi: We’ll be there in 10 I think. Y’know, the place we always go to

Fuuta: Sakutaro… he’s in constant pain…

Aoi: Right. I already made a call so they can look at him immediately 

Fuuta: Thank g–

.

--[Flashback]--

[Hospital room]

Fuuta’s mother: Fuuta… you should also [       ] to Sakutaro

Fuuta: Saku-niichan? [       ]...?

--[Flashback ends]--

.

Fuuta: ah….

Aoi: Fuuta? What's wrong?

Fuuta: Hey… Aoi… Who’s…. ‘Sakutaro’ ?

Aoi: eh….!?

.

[Sharehouse]

Kohei: Aoi! Fuuta!

Aoi: Hah, hah…! We- we’re back!

Misaki: …oi. Is the stuff about Fuuta recalling all true?

Aoi: Well thats…

Fuuta: …hey… so who’s…. Sakutaro?

Fuuta: Isn’t Saku-niichan…

Fuuta: Why can’t I remember him? Saku…nii-chan… where is he… now?

Kohei: Thats…

Aoi: Ko-nii….

Fuuta: Why aren’t you telling me !? You know don’t you! Both Ko-nii and Aoi!

Misaki: Fuuta, lets calm down for a bit

Fuuta: Misaki… Lemme guess, you know too?

Misaki: …yeah, I know. I’ll tell you in a bit so give us some time

Misaki: Ko-nii. Choose a side

Kohei: Misaki…

Misaki: Fuuta himself is giving you this chance. By ignoring what he wants, do you think that’ll make him happy?

Misaki: Fuuta ain’t a kid anymore. Take this timing and it suddenly coming back to him, dontcha think it's ‘bout time to tell him

Aoi: …it’s become too hard to hide it from him now too

Kohei: ( I know what Misaki and Aoi are getting at. Even I wanna tell Fuuta about Sakutaro. But how…)

Kohei: ( how am I supposed to tell Fuuta without breaking that promise…)

Kohei: ( the last words of Sakutaro’s… to 「protect Fuuta’s happiness」...)

Kohei: ( I made a promise that I’d honor his final wish. To make Sakutaro’s wish a reality alongside Fuuta…)

Kohei: ( If I really tell Fuuta everything that he wants, I can’t tell if he’d break down like last time…)

Kohei: …sorry. Right now, I can’t… tell you everything

Fuuta: why…?

Kohei: I promise, one day I’ll tell you everything I know. …Misaki, you should at least tell him about Sakutaro

Misaki: ….got it

Kohei: …thanks

Fuuta: … … …

.

--[Flashback]--

Misaki: When I first met your brother, Sakutaro, I was pretty young back then. Maybe that was around, 3 years old I guess? I’m talking way before I met Aoi levels

Misaki: He was 7 years older than me so I always thought he was a cool bro. And you were all attached to your brother’s, always going around callin’ him 「Saku nii-chan, Saku nii-chan」.

Sakutaro: Kohei. Is it okay if my little brother and his friend come along to play?

Young Kohei: Saku nii-chan’s little brother, and his friend..? Sure, I’m okay with that

Sakutaro: Fuuta, Misaki. This is my friend, Kohei-kun. He said he’s happy to play with you

Misaki: Ko–he -kun?

Sakutaro: Kohei-kun is 2 years older so maybe it's better for you to call him Kohei onii-chan

Fuuta: Ko-he nii-chan !

Kohei: Er… nice to meet’cha, Fuuta-kun, Misaki-kun

Misaki: Ah..ah… um.. Is it okay to call you Ko-nii?

Fuuta: Ah! That also sounds good! I wanna call you 「Ko-nii」 too!

Sakutaro: These kiddos are also in the same nursery as you

Sakutaro: They’re different years but maybe if you come to play with them at the park. I’d love for you 3 to get along

Kohei: Got it. Maybe I’m not as good as Saku nii-chan but… I’ll be you two’s onii-chan!

Fuuta: Yaaay! I got a second nii-chan!

Sakutaro: Haha, rather than a friend you ended up getting a 「onii-chan」 huh. Isn’t that nice, Fuuta, Misaki

.

Misaki: …but Sakutaro prone to gettin’ sick, so when we hit elementary school he got hospitalized, and wasn’t able to play with us anymore

Misaki: and then… when we were our 2nd year of middle school, his illness suddenly got worse and…

--[Flashback ends]--

.

Misaki: ..You couldn’t bear the idea of your beloved brother passing away that you well… by forgetting everything up ‘til that point you were able to stabilize yourself

Fuuta: My memories were…

Fuuta: so… to me, that Sax is…

[ur-local-demon1]

TBHK 111 SPOILERS BELOW CUT

GUYS THEY DIDN'T JUST GO BACK TO BEFORE THE FAR SHORE ARC HAPPENED. THEY WENT BACK TO 1968 WHEN THE TWINS WERE ALIVE WTF

Also, I KNEW IT. Yugi Tsukasa died in 1956 at four years old. TBHK just got real dark because damn. That entity has been using Tsukasa's body as a puppet this whole time, AND AMANE KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG THE SECOND HE LOOKED AT HIM OMG

It was implied ever since the red house arc that the Tsukasa we meet in that house is not Tsukasa, it's just his body. The last time the real "Yugi Tsukasa" talked to Amane, he told him "of course I love you!", and then, without having talked to him after that, red house arc Tsukasa says that Amane hates him? Yeah he's a fake

This was also implied with the God telling Sakura that the wish she made hundreds of years ago would come true soon. HOW does Tsukasa know that? The twins have existed for maybe 50+ years, so this means that Sakura doesn't work for Tsukasa, but the God living inside of him. She could be his worshipper, a kannagi sacrificed to him, or sacrificed someone to him to get her wish granted (or all of those options)

Because of the clock keepers arc, we know that everyone will remember everything (except Kou, because he hasn't been frozen in time, and Aoi for some reason). Hanako remembered because he's a supernatural, and a high ranking one at that, and Nene would have remembered if it weren't for Mirai trying to move her time forward. Nene remembers at least, she wouldn't be making a face that screamed "I was five years old and in court two seconds ago, what happened."

There are so many things that could happen like... If Teru DID hear what Akane said, he might find Nene first which we don't want yet since we don't know what Akane asked of him. Now, since Hanako always keeps his memory of a jump back in time, it's possible he's alive as Amane right now and has his memories as Hanako. If we're lucky, he'll find Nene first. GUYS THOSE TWO BEING IN 1968 IS SUCH A BLESSING IN DISGUISE. AMANENE COULD BE CANON IF THIS TIMELINE BECOMES THE NEW PRESENT

[withered-rose-unbreakable-lotus]

So...I had this thought, and maybe I'm overthinking this, but I don't think Reita's wish for the band to keep going forever necessarily meant the band should keep being active forever. And before you get angry hear me out, I am not saying they should disband, I am just explaining why that being the meaning alone didn't sit right with me.

One of the things Ruki questioned right away was "What did he mean by forever?". Now, Reita liked using overexaggerated phrases like forever or saying that we should get prepared to be killed by him in lives, because the Gazette and lives to him were more than your common human experience. They were trascending human limits. Anyway he was an all or nth person in general too, that much makes sense. He knew they aren't immortal. But while all this is true, I can't imagine Reita would bind his friends with sth like that. He sure wouldn't like them to let sadness win, he would want them to keep their dream alive, but what if one of them couldn't go on. What if one of them was so devastated it affected his health really badly. Would he still push them keep going. Part of me thinks he would, but at his final moment...maybe not so much.

So I was thinking...regardless of what Reita meant, his wish is already fullfilled. Even if the Gazette had chosen to disband, the band wouldn't stop existing. Because they managed to make history and become a big name, even if they didn't produce anything more, people would remember them, and pass their love for their band to future generations. Take a few western artists for example. Michael Jackson, David Bowie, Prince...they all died. But their work, their essence lives on. And before you also come for the fact the Gazette didn't reach that worldwide acclaim, I'd like to remind you how many artists had pretty much no acclaim in their time, but after their death eventually were recognized as legends for their craft and are still remembered and celebrated to this day. So yeah. I think Reita's wish is already fullfilled. And all the band and we can do, is add to its size. We could have left the Gazette and what was passed on to others from now on, to what we have so far, that too would keep the band alive no matter what. But we could also add new songs, new lives, new memories and waaay more stuff to pass down to the eternity Reita wished for.

That's what I think. And if they too saw it like that maybe they'd feel a wee bit less stressed while honoring his wish (Cause there is no way their perfectionism won't escalate from now on, hoping every new thing they make iiis as good enough for Reita's expectations too)? Because the wish fullfillment appears to already be there and all they have to do is keep creating and have fun at lives like before. And of course make sure there is a space for Reita to come down and play too cause I'm sure they'll hear from him if they stopped that. ^^' Anyway yeah. It's just a different take. From Aoi's words about Reita's opinion on eternity, it appears that Reita never really saw them having reached that level until he died. So I hope he at least can see it now. Bro had already won and didn't even know. Aoi said Reita yearned for them to do such thing, connect the band to eternity, but that in the end he's the one who immortalized the band. I disagree. They had already managed that together while he was still here. And I wish he could have seen it while he was still with us. ._.

[hanako-san]

HanaAoi Arc(2) After the rain comes the sun, part 1

Hanako had been greeting Aoi for a month, waiting for her at her locker near the school's front door. For some time now, Aoi has "accidentally" met Teru on her way to school while waiting at a nearby store.

"How do you feel today?" He asked, smiling seductively at Aoi

"I left the house in a great mood, but I saw someone I didn't want and the mood was ruined when I left the house" Aoi grumbled, glancing at his seductive smile, his face was shining with brightness, she sighed, looking with a grimace and looking away

"Cold as always" He blushed

"And you think that your charm will one day work on me" She said in a sharp tone without looking at him

Aoi really didn't want to be around someone who used his appearance to seduce her like every other girl at school. Aoi really hated this kind of behavior, she saw this kind of behavior from guys all the time and Teru was no different from them. She respected him as an older colleague, but she hated that about him. He was no different from other guys who confessed their feelings for her or wanted to flirt with her.

Teru couldn't express his feelings to Aoi any other way. Aoi rejecting his feelings makes him like her more.

They walked halfway to school in silence.

"School. Time to leave!" She said and ran to the front door where Hanako was waiting.

Teru looked at Hanako with contempt and hatred, his hands clenched tightly into a fist. Anger and hatred grew when he saw a broadly smiling Hanako wrapping her arms around Aoi's neck, hugging her in greeting.

"Hanako Kun" Aoi, closing the shoe cabinet, looked curiously at her friend

Hanako was leaning against the lockers, his hands behind him resting his head and his legs tangled.

"What is it about?"

"You can touch me but I can't touch you, why?"

"Hmm? Why do you need it?" He asked, looking seriously at his friend

"I just. I wish…" Aoi's eyes lit up and she reached out to touch his face, but her hand passed through him. She failed to cover the seal that was on his face. Hanako's eyes widened and he straightened up, standing in front of her. Hanako blushed and looked at her with sparkling eyes.

Suddenly Aoi felt cold. It was from Amane, she touched his cheek which was cold

"Can I touch you?" She asked, surprised

"I let you" He said, slightly embarrassed

"You allowed it?" She repeated, surprised

He nodded, grabbing her hand that she held on his cheek, his sad eyes falling into the blackness in which the sparkles were still visible. He pressed her hand against his cheek

"Terrible feeling, isn't it?" He smiled sinisterly

"Not true!" She denied it

"Huh?" Amane's eyes became normal

Aoi grabbed his other hand and held it on her cheek. Amane's hand was in Aoi's embrace. She pulled his hand to her cheek, blushing more and looking at him.

"Thank you" She replied, hugging his hand tighter

"..........?!"

Hanako turned beet red, his eyes were piercing, he froze and didn't know what to say. He was dead, and he felt the emotions, sweat, overwhelm him, his dead body felt warm all over his body, he felt the warmest was in his heart.

The bell ranged. Aoi let go of his hand when she heard her friend's voice and looked straight towards her voice. Hanako managed to turn his back to hide his reaction, he didn't want Aoi to see him like this.

"Hanako Kun, see you later" She said

Hanako nodded in confirmation. The words wouldn't leave his throat.

"I'll go back to the toilet." He adjusted his hat

---------------------------------------------------

Hanako walked holding his chest near his heart. A heart he couldn't calm down. He had a heart, but it hadn't been beating for decades and shouldn't be beating, and today he felt like the heart was behaving as if it were alive. Hanako, thinking about what happened, didn't realize that his cheek was cut, he felt it when blood flowed from the wound, he looked at the wound and after a while, wiped the blood with his sleeve in the other direction.

An angry Teru stood in front of Hanako. He returned the favor with an evil look. Hanako imitated Teru's every step and movement with his eyes. He knew perfectly well who he was.

Hanako didn't make it because Teru threw his sword at his raised hand, his sword pierced his arm and threw Hanako against the wall with the sword embedded in the wall. He screamed as blood poured from his hand. He looked angry at Teru, he didn't want to show fear of him, he felt drops of cold sweat on his body.

Teru grabbed the shaft of the sword, put one foot up and hit the wall with his boot, preventing Hanako from escaping.

"You!…." He began quietly, burying his face in his hair and looking down, gritting his teeth

"………"

"Seven!" He finally looked at Hanako.

If teru's eyes could kill he would have, his blue eyes turned icy as if they wanted to pierce Hanako's heart. Hanako felt the murderous lust this man felt. The air between them was so sharp it could be cut.

"What do you want from me?!" Hanako spoke sharply and coldly

Hanako's tone of voice and icy look at Teru made him even more angry, he grabbed Hanako's uniform and dozed off slightly, tearing it away from the wall

"Ouch" He pursed his lips to muffle the pain of the sword in his hand as Teru brought it closer to him slightly.

“I don't know what you did to Aoi, but stay away from her!"

This caused teru to throw him against the wall with great force. Hanako screamed, suppressing the pain he felt, and in addition to the piercing pain of the sword in his hand, he felt pain throughout his entire body.

"It's a choice-." He replied, catching his breath, breathing heavily

"You're so pathetic seven" He interrupted him "You're acting like a kid trying to be happy. You're just a supernatural and you'll never be a normal human. Aoi won't help you with that, you're only here because your sins are keeping you. Stop playing around like you are . You stay close to the shore instead of disappearing. With you, Aoi may feel threatened and in danger. I advise you to leave Aoi alone or I will help you find peace" He said sharply, he took the sword from Hanako's hand. He fell to the ground, his back against the wall, and went to class He turned to Hanako who was trying to calm down from the tremors he was feeling He turned to Hanako. "Something like you has no feelings," he added and left.

Sitting on the floor, he looked at the sky full of sadness, crouched his legs, hid his face between his legs and his torso.

"He… is right." He said, tears starting to flow down his face. "I was wrong to agree to this wish," he added in a broken voice.

--------------------------------------------

Aoi came to Hanako's toilet.

"Hi" She greeted him happily when she saw him at the window

"Hanako-Kun, today you weren't in-"

"Aoi-chan" He stopped her with his finger touching her forehead as she ran towards him.

She opened her eyes and looked at him seriously. She wanted to say something, but he came first.

"I have fulfilled your wish. You don't have to come here anymore" He said coldly

"I'm sorry Aoi" He spoke in his mind

"What? Are you kidding?" She laughed

" No"

"I appreciate every moment with you" He continued in his thoughts

"We are friends" She said, close to tears

Hanako walked up to her, looking at her with his black eyes

"We're not. I'm dead and you're a living human, it won't work. You thought wrong." He replied coldly, keeping his voice from breaking

"I will always appreciate our friendship. You are my friend and you always will" He continued in his thoughts

"Hanako-Kun, did I do something wrong? What made you angry?" Tell me, I'll get better" Aoi felt her heart shatter into a million pieces.

"Just go away" He turned away "You and I will never be friends" He said sharply and his voice was breaking as tears flowed from his eyes.

"Why are you like this?" She cried

Hanako heard Aoi sobbing and wanted to hug her, but he suppressed the desire.

"I'm sorry Aoi, I'm really sorry" He said in his mind.

"I HATE YOU!" She screamed in anger and ran out in tears.

Hanako looked at the door and looked sad, then looked at the gray ugly sky and the rain hitting the windowsill with tears in her eyes.

"It should be"

Heartbroken, Aoi ran into her friend's arms in front of the school.

"Aoi-chan, what happened?" Nene asked concerned

A week of this situation passed and Aoi came to the toilet and didn't know him again. She reached the cabin and saw his legs. She knew he was there. She placed her left hand on the cabin and said.

"Hanako-Kun, I hope you're doing well. Are you still mad at me? I don't really hate you. I like you. I really do"

Her response was met with silence

On the other side of the cabin, Hanako placed his hand in the same place as Aoi, their hands may have been together, but the door separated them

She left in silence. Hanako opened the cabin door slightly so that she wouldn't hear or see him. Hanako, having a vertical view, saw her silhouette and it was him who turned around with sadness, holding back tears, he lowered his eyes and saw his shoes on which tears were falling, he closed his eyes and sat down, hiding his head in his arms and legs, crying

"Yes, it should be, right?" He assured himself, doubting whether it was really a good solution

Hanako's life became colorful instead of the boring gray everyday life at school as a leader and no.7. He believed that Teru was right because he considered himself a monster who also did not deserve friendship and he believed that no one should speak to a person like him. He didn't want Aoi to have anything happen because of him, and there was a risk.

"I miss her" He added, his voice breaking. He couldn't kill these feelings, even though he felt he had to.

[shiningwonderland]

A Class Prologue (Repeat)

Translators: Ladylancer (Twitter: utatranslations), Raz, (Twitter: agnadance)

Proofreaders: Boo (Twitter: masatoswife), Belen (Twitter: reiharus)

Editors: Aoi (Twitter: AoiTsukihime), Mae (Twitter: itoshikimaegirl)

A Spring Day's Introduction

‘Idols:’ those who are unattainable and who we long for.

‘Idols:’ those who give people dreams and courage.

‘Idols:’ those who I...

I’m Haruka Nanami—15 years old. Starting this spring, I’ll be aiming to become a composer, someone who creates songs for said ‘idols’!

Looking back, I was nothing in middle school.

I was extremely shy, didn't have any friends... The neighborhood dogs would bark at me and stray cats would scratch me.

I wanted to be helpful to others but my efforts were always in vain, no matter what I tried to do.

During the many days I felt depressed, the idols on TV were the ones who would always pull me through.

So I decided that one day, I wanted to make songs for these ‘idols’! In order to fulfill that dream, I wrote a piece of music.

I filled the song with my feelings and sent it along with my application to Saotome Academy, a school specializing in the performing arts with a success ratio of 1 in 200.

It's a few weeks later and I've finally received a notice from Saotome Academy.

Select the Phrase!

Aクラス... わたし受 かったんだ. A Class... I passed.

It’s the first time my wish has been granted, the first time my dream has come true. This is the first step towards changing myself.

From here on, my story begins!

Haruka Nanami: … I couldn't sleep a wink.

Today is the long-awaited entrance ceremony for Saotome Academy.

The past two days, I’ve only been thinking about things like whether I’ll be able to get along with my classmates, or if I should bring a small gift with me.

Because of all my worries, I haven’t been able to sleep.

Haruka Nanami: ... Ugh. I’m sleepy… But despite that… I’ll do my best today!

Hayato: Ohayaho~! All of you 10 million HAYATO fans nationwide, how are nya?

Hayato: I’m wishing you all well today from Studio 2!

Hayato: Today’s theme is, you guessed it, ‘final tax return.’ Eh? You've already done yours? Of course…!

Haruka Nanami: Ah… HAYATO-sama. He looks as magnificent as always.

My favorite idol, HAYATO-sama, is a rookie idol who debuted last year.

No matter how harsh his trials are, he never loses his smile. He’s a bright and energetic person, like the brightest star that lights up the night sky.

HAYATO-sama’s show, ‘Ohayaho News,’ is the only show I make sure to watch no matter how busy or sleepy I am.

Once the clock hand ticks to this exact time, I’m always ready in front of the TV!

That’s how it goes every day.

Hayato: … That’s all! Reporter HAYATO, signing off! Everyone, bye-bye nya~!

Haruka Nanami: Alright! I’m fully charged! Let’s go to school!

Oh no… I had no idea a train would be this merciless during rush hour…

People who go to work must be doing their best to overcome this every single day…

Rustle.

Haruka Nanami: ...!!!

Mmh… Just now, it felt like something touched my butt...

Rustle, rustle.

Haruka Nanami: ...!

… I was right. I-is it a molester?

W-what in the world should I do?

???: Can’t you see you're bothering her?! Knock it off, you old geezer!

Haruka Nanami: Ah…

What a nice voice… Beneath its childlike simplicity, you can feel a core of strength. A straightforward, sincere voice that carries well.

… Actually… Did this person just... save me...?

Pervert: Tsk, what a brat. I hate goody-two-shoes like you!

???: Ah! Hold up, don’t you run away! … Dammit.

Ah… The pervert got away. He managed to slip through the crowd… But if he were still here, I would feel uncomfortable...

I’m glad he’s far away now...

???: Are you okay?

Haruka Nanami: Eh… U-um… Well… I’m not sure what to say…

M-my words aren’t coming out right. Um, umm…

???: In a situation like this, I think ‘thank you’ would work.

His smile is dazzling. Bright, like the sun…

Haruka Nanami: T-thank you…

Pat. He gently places his hand on my head.

I’ve never been touched like this by anyone other than my father...

His eyes are gentle and warm, like a summer breeze. His smile is just a little mischievous, yet refreshing. Somehow, he looks like the protagonist of a shounen manga...

Otoya Ittoki: I’m Otoya. Otoya Ittoki. Nice to meet ya.

Haruka Nanami: Ah, right. Um, i-it’s n-nice to m...

Pshhh.

Upon arriving at the station, the doors slide open and a horde of people begin to file out.

… However, e-erm… Um…

Caught in the wave of people, I'm forced off the train…

Otoya Ittoki: Eh? W-wait! Aren’t you wearing a Saotome Academy uniform? You’re not supposed to get off he—

Pshhh.

Ittoki-kun’s words are cut off by the closing train doors. Erm…

Where am I… This is the station before the Academy’s… isn't it? The next train is… not coming anytime soon!!

I have no choice but to run for it! I prepare myself for the sprint.

Right after passing through the ticket gate, I start running like a racehorse released from its paddock gates.

I run down the street in front of the station, up the hill that makes my heart start pounding, and bolt straight through the residential area.

Then, at that moment...

Cat: Meeeow.

Haruka Nanami: … A cat?

I can hear the pitiful crying of a cat.

Cat: Meeoow. Meeoow.

Haruka Nanami: I can hear you, but…

When I look around, there’s no cat to be seen.

Cat: Meeoow. Meeoow.

Haruka Nanami: Ah!

The cat is crying from the top of a utility pole.

Haruka Nanami: I see, you don’t know how to get down, do you? It’s going to be okay. I’ll catch you, so… Come, kitty...

I spread my arms wide and show them to the cat. It hesitates for just a moment before jumping off.

Haruka Nanami: What a relief... It seems like there are no injuries.

Cat: Meow!

The cat meows happily in my arms.

Haruka Nanami: Please don’t climb up high places anymore, alright?

After giving the cat my warning, I set it down and start running towards the school once again.

Haruka Nanami: I have to run fast to make up for lost time!

Then, after fifteen more minutes of running, the school finally comes into view.

Haruka Nanami: Haaa… huff… huff… Ah… H-handkerchief…

I search my pockets for my handkerchief in order to wipe away the sweat flowing from my face like a waterfall, but...

Haruka Nanami: It’s not there!

… I must have dropped it on the train earlier. It was my favorite one, too… Either way, I've gotta keep going for now.

When I pass through the school gate, other students are still arriving as well.

Haruka Nanami: I-I made it in time...

Lost in my thoughts, I can’t slow down easily...

—Thud.

Haruka Nanami: … Nnh.

I bump into something and fall, but it… relatively... barely hurts. Eh? This soft feeling on my lips...

Haruka Nanami: ...!!!

M-m-my lips are touching those of an unfamiliar boy… T-this is… my first kiss…

… That aside, what a handsome person...

Long limbs, dark, lustrous hair, and beautiful, white fingers. His eyes look a little austere; they’re very profound and stunning.

I’m in awe. I've never seen anyone this beautiful before.

??? A: … Will you please get up?

Ah!

Haruka Nanami: A-ah, kiss, u-um, m-my first, i-it... was s-soft.

A-aaah. What should I say? At the very least, I have to apologize…

??? B: Y-young Master! Are you injured?!

??? A: There's nothing.

??? B: You commoner! Do you have any idea who you’re talking to?!

Haruka Nanami: Eh…?

??? B: You’re talking to the heir of the Hijirikawa Group—one of the world’s seven financial conglomerates—Masato Hijirikawa-sama!

??? B: Don’t be haughty! Bow down, bow dooown!

Haruka Nanami: Eh… O-of course.

I obediently kneel down on the ground and apologize.

Masato Hijirikawa: Jii… Step down.

Jii: But…

Masato Hijirikawa: There is no problem. Step down.

Jii: Very well! As you wish.

Masato Hijirikawa: ... You’re not injured, are you?

Haruka Nanami: … I’m fine.

I remain kneeling on the ground and nod without raising my head.

Masato Hijirikawa: … Truly?

I-I think so… In all honesty, I feel too frightened to even raise my face.

Then, Hijirikawa-sama takes my hand and helps me up.

Masato Hijirikawa: … You are injured.

Eh? A-ah… Now that he mentions it, my knee seems to hurt a little bit…

Masato Hijirikawa: I will treat it...

Haruka Nanami: Eh, um, er…

While I'm unable to say anything out of panic, Hijirikawa-sama pulls off the necktie from his uniform.

He gently places a white handkerchief on the wound and wraps his necktie around it, securing it tightly.

After finishing up his treatment, he stands back up.

Masato Hijirikawa: … What is your name?

Haruka Nanami: … Eh?

Haruka Nanami: … Eh, um… I’m… Haruka. Or, well, u-um…

Haruka Nanami: U-um, I’m really sorry!!

I flee the scene, not quite knowing why.

I guess it's because, well... Because I feel embarrassed.

A-about the k-kiss, that is. Besides that… he went so far as to treat my wound...

I was a little absent-minded until just now… The moment he asked me for my name and I introduced myself, I suddenly came to my senses…

Then I started feeling so embarrassed that before I knew it, my feet were already moving away…

The venue for the entrance ceremony is simply glorious.

Chairs are lined up in the wide auditorium, and large flowers can be found on either side of the stage.

And for some reason, there's an orchestra class of 120 people on standby in front of the stage.

It’s almost like an opera event could start at any moment. Or perhaps the venue could be compared to the giant stage used for that once popular, nation-beloved comedy show....

As the entrance ceremony begins, the orchestra begins their majestic performance.

The drop curtain parts to both sides of the stage. But…

Haruka Nanami: Huh? There’s no one on stage.

At that moment, the auditorium ceiling starts to split into two and opens up little by little.

Male Student A: W-what is that?

Male Student B: A jet plane? But… why is it in a place like this?

Looking up at the sky, I can see countless jets flying overhead. Then, one of the jets opens its hatch.

The person inside...

???: Haa HA HA HA~~!!

... jumps.

Haruka Nanami: ...!!!

Male Student A: Is he... skydiving?

Male Student B: No! If you look closely, he isn’t carrying a parachute!

He’s right, the skydiver doesn't have a parachute. He appears to have noticed it himself, too...

He reaches his hands towards his back for a moment and then shrugs helplessly.

W... W-what’s going to happen...?

THUD!!

Along with a terribly loud crashing sound, the stage is wrapped in smoke.

Male Student A: Oh man… He’s dead, right…?

Everyone lowers their eyes out of grief. We all expect a tragedy. But then...

Shining Saotome: Everyone! Congratulations on your admittance. This school’s principal is ME, SHIIINING Saotome, yeah!

Haruka Nanami: ...

As if nothing happened, the school principal begins the ceremony on the stage.

He's styled his hair like horns on either side of his head and wears pitch-black sunglasses.

He has a polka-dot shirt, with a pink necktie under his grey suit. He is clearly a very unique individual.

Shining Saotome: This school was, of course, founded by ME for the sake of discovering and nurturing ‘renowned idols!’

Shining Saotome: Now, applause~!

Clap, clap, clap. While everyone is still in shock, we start to clap.

Shining Saotome: Hm~ OK, OK! It seems like you’re all good kids.

Shining Saotome: As of right now, I will tell you about the Seven Commandments all Saotome Academy students must know.

Shining Saotome: So clear out your ears and listen closelyyy.

Shining Saotome: This is quite sudden, but ME loves songs! SONG IS NUMBER ONE! That’s why….

Shining Saotome: Even though idols are idols, here at Saotome Academy, becoming an idol singer will be your main goaaal!

Shining Saotome: Before graduation, everyone will perform songs in the graduation audition. Those that pass will immediately get a CD debut!

Shining Saotome: Those songs will also be made by you! That’s what the composer course is for!

Shining Saotome: Idols and composers will team up and aim to become the strongest renowned idols!

The principal is explaining important information, so I know I’m supposed to listen seriously…

But for some reason, my legs start to feel like jelly and I feel dizzy. Come to think of it, I haven’t been sleeping too well these past few days…

I couldn’t get anything down my throat this morning and then ran at full speed for twenty minutes without anything in my stomach…

Then, someone patted my head for the first time… And it was the first time I k-ki...

Remembering it now makes my heart beat faster. Ah, somehow, my dizziness is...

Shining Saotome: That said, please spend your school life with ‘Purity, Integrityyy, Beautyyy!’

Ah… The principal’s speech… is over… —Thud.

As soon as the principal finishes his speech, I black out and fall backward.

Haruka Nanami: Mmm…

It… doesn’t hurt. It looks like the person behind me caught me as I collapsed.

???: ... You’re alright. Stay just like that.

Such a gentle voice…

???: … It’s probably anemia. At times like this, it’s a good idea not to move around too much. You can take it easy, please put your weight on me.

He’s holding me firmly from behind. Warm, gentle arms… For some reason, I’m already feeling a little better.

… Huh? Could this be… a hug from behind…?

Haruka Nanami: … Ah, aah. M-my... my apologies…

???: It’s alright. Please stay like this for just a little longer. When it comes to anemia, you shouldn’t rush things.

As he says that, he gives me a sweet smile. Wire-framed glasses cover his long eyelashes and his curly hair is a color reminiscent of milk tea.

Such sheer white skin… His features are very delicate and gentle.

And, above all, his kind and warm voice that speaks so politely. Just listening to it gives me soft feelings.

Natsuki Shinomiya: My apologies, I should have said this sooner. My name is Natsuki Shinomiya.

Haruka Nanami: I’m… Haruka Nanami.

Natsuki Shinomiya: Haruka Nanami-san. That’s an adorable name. It suits you very well.

Haruka Nanami: T-That’s…

Natsuki Shinomiya: Nanami-san, please excuse me for a moment.

Haruka Nanami: Eh?

His slim fingers undo the ribbon on my uniform and then begin to undo the buttons on my shirt.

Haruka Nanami: ...!!!

The people around us quickly start shifting uncomfortably. ... But Shinomiya-san isn’t bothered at all and continues to loosen my clothes.

Natsuki Shinomiya: How does… this feel for you? Does it feel any better?

Haruka Nanami: A-ah… um… Well, my-my clothes…

Natsuki Shinomiya: Ah… Pardon me… Um… With cerebral anemia, it is best to increase blood flow by lowering your head.

Natsuki Shinomiya: Since you can’t lower your head any further… at the very least, loosening your clothes should help with increasing your blood flow…

Haruka Nanami: Ah…. Thank you….

Natsuki Shinomiya: Ah... There’s no need to… You’re very welcome...

When I show him my gratitude, Shinomiya-san’s cheeks flush red.

Natsuki Shinomiya: Well… Anemia is usually a result of lack of sleep, missing breakfast, or sudden, intense exercise...

Shinomiya-san gives me a gentle smile as he tells me about anemia.

Ah… I meet all those conditions... I’m sorry.

Because of those things, I've become a terrible inconvenience…

Once the opening ceremony has finished, everyone starts heading to their respective classrooms.

Natsuki Shinomiya: Ah, Nanami-san.

Haruka Nanami: Shinomiya-san… Ah, I wanted to thank you… for earlier.

I bow my head to him gratefully.

Natsuki Shinomiya: Don’t worry about it. As long as you feel better now, that’s what matters the most.

Otoya Ittoki: Huh? You’re from this morning… Whoa, so we’re in the same class. Were you okay this morning, Nanami? Did you make it to the opening ceremony on time?

Haruka Nanami: Eh? Ittoki… kun...

This morning, he saved me from that molester…

Haruka Nanami: Um… I somehow managed to get here on time. Ah, thank you… for back then.

Huh? But, how does he know my name…? I don’t recall introducing myself…

Otoya Ittoki: Ah, that’s right! Here, you dropped this on the train.

Haruka Nanami: ...!!!

Before my eyes, he holds up the handkerchief that I lost this morning.

Otoya Ittoki: "A Class, Haruka Nanami." It’s kinda unusual to see a name written on a handkerchief. But it’s thanks to that that I got to know your name.

Otoya Ittoki: Let’s get along this year!

Haruka Nanami: O-of course. Likewise, it's very nice to meet you.

Masato Hijirikawa: Hm? You are… that woman from earlier… How is your injury? You ought to have consulted the infirmary, just in case…

Haruka Nanami: ...!!!

T-the person from this morning… H-Hijirikawa-sama!!!

I never thought we would meet again. W-what should I do…? I ran away from him without thinking earlier…

Haruka Nanami: Ah, no… I... I-I’m fine… Well, um, I’ll make sure to wash the handkerchief and tie and return them to you…

Masato Hijirikawa: Please do not stress over it. … I have plenty of spares, so why don’t you keep them?

Haruka Nanami: Eh, ah… Of course. Thank you…

Otoya Ittoki: Ehh, I see you’ve already met Natsuki and Masa too.

Masato Hijirikawa: Rather than meet… I would say it was more of an accident.

Haruka Nanami: U-um… Do you all know each other?

Otoya Ittoki: Yeah, we were all together for the school orientation.

Natsuki Shinomiya: Yes, the two of them are wonderful friends.

Otoya Ittoki: That event deepened our friendship a bunch, more than we actually needed.

Masato Hijirikawa: It was a severe trial that I do not wish to dwell on… However, it was meaningful in terms of friendship.

Otoya Ittoki: That’s for sure… Well, anyway, let’s be friends this year!

Whoa... To think that everyone I met this morning is in the same class as me…

Moreover, all of them are friends with each other… What an amazing coincidence...

Otoya Ittoki-kun. Masato Hijirikawa-sama. Natsuki Shinomiya-san.

All people who allowed me to experience a lot of firsts. This year, I will be in the same class as all three of them…

Just thinking about it makes my heart pound with excitement.

Alright! I’m going to give it my all and become a splendid composer!

Prologue End - Choose your partner!

[acacia-may]

If I Were To Pluck On Your Heartstrings [AmaNene Week 2023]

Story Summary: When a tour of the Land of the Dead goes wrong, King Hanako of the Underworld finds himself eternally bonded and married to Nene, a lesser deity of horticulture who mistakenly ate the food of the dead, pomegranates said to make all of your dreams come true. Hanako has never paid much attention to that legend and sees no point in wishes and dreams, but as he and Nene grow closer he begins to wonder if maybe...just maybe...there might be some truth to it after all.

Fandom: Toilet-Bound Hanako-Kun/Jibaku Shounen Hanako Kun

Genre: Romance, Arranged Marriage, Mythology AU inspired by Hades and Persephone

Relationships: Hanako (Yugi Amane) and Yashiro Nene

Characters: Hanako (Yugi Amane) (POV Character) and Yashiro Nene

Rating: G

Warnings: Some very slight hurt/comfort, arranged marriage, and some mentions death, the underworld, and the end of the world.

Word Count: 4434

Link to original post on AO3. Please do not repost to another site.

A/N: Written for AmaNene Week 2023. Illustration (linked here and seen as part of the cover art) by co-creator @nothing-to-see-here-bye-yall.

Story Below the Cut! Thank you so much for reading! 💕

6 Months Ago…

“We have a problem.”

Hanako sighed and rubbed his temples. “What is it now, Tsuchigomori?” Being king of the Underworld there always seemed to something going wrong. Most recently it had been King Minamoto cutting their funding. Hanako huffed. The other deities didn’t think his work was important—or maybe some of them wanted a whole slew of hauntings or a zombie apocalypse as a way to cure their boredom. Hanako couldn’t be sure, but he got the feeling that it might be personal. After all, he wasn’t particularly well liked by the other gods and goddesses and King Minamoto himself most of all. Rather than start an all-out feud, Tsuchigomori had suggested they open up tours of the Underworld to all the other deities to show them the important work they did there and maybe they would petition King Minamoto for proper funding on their behalf—or at the very least their entrance fees could help to offset some of the funding deficit. Hanako already regretted it and had a feeling he would regret it even more as soon as Tsuchigomori explained what exactly the trouble was.

“It seems someone has eaten one of our pomegranates.”

Hanako blinked at him. “What?”

“A girl—a lesser deity of some sort—she has eaten one of our pomegranates. Apparently she was stopped before she ate the whole thing so she isn’t completely ‘dead’ per se, but…”

“But?” Hanako interrupted with a huff.

Tsuchigomori adjusted his glasses. “But she’s still going to be stuck down here, I’m afraid.”

Hanako sighed. He knew this but had still been hoping for a different outcome. “Where in the world was the tour guide?”

Tsuchigomori shrugged his shoulders. “I’m sure he was somewhere…”

Natsuhiko was good for very little if anything. Hanako should’ve known better than to put him in charge of giving tours, but he figured even that moron couldn’t manage to mess up something so simple as showing people around. Clearly he had been wrong.

“Fire him and get someone else.” Hanako shook his head. “And bring the girl in here, I guess.”

Tsuchigomori nodded solemnly before excusing himself, and within minutes, he returned accompanied by a confused girl with long hair.

“Oh wow!” she exclaimed with wide eyes. “This really is some tour if I get to meet the king of the Underworld.” She bowed quickly but respectfully. “Hello Your Highness. I’m Nene.”

Hanako’s jaw fell slack and he blinked at her dumbfounded. His brow furrowed. “Do you have any idea why you’re here?”

“Well…my friend Aoi heard that you were giving tours of the Underworld and thought it might be fun and…”

“No,” Hanako interrupted and corrected. “Why you’re being brought here to see me…”

Nene tilted her head. “Is this not part of the tour?”

“No, it’s not part of the tour.” Hanako huffed. “You’ve eaten some of our pomegranates.”

Nene shuffled her feet as a faint tint of pink flushed in her cheeks. “Well…only half of one,” she insisted pulling the other half out of her pocket.

“These are Underworld pomegranates—if you eat them you will die and be stuck down here forever. Didn’t the tour guide tell you that?”

Nene hummed thoughtfully. “Maybe…I don’t know, but he did tell us that they’re magical pomegranates and the people who eat them have their dream come true and my dream is to find true love.”

Hanako pressed his hand to his forehead with a weary, disbelieving shake of his head. Not only did this girl have no impulse control but she was also completely stupid.

“Remind me to fire Natsuhiko,” he muttered under his breath to Tsuchigomori before he turned back to Nene. “Good luck with that seeing as you’re going to be stuck in the Underworld now.”

“But I’m a deity—only a small one of horticulture, but I still can’t die.”

“You can if you eat the food of the Underworld. I don’t—” He stopped abruptly as he watched the tears well up in Nene’s eyes.

“But…but I can’t die. I haven’t even been kissed yet. Can you imagine anything worse than dying before you’ve been kissed?”

“Yes,” huffed Hanako, but Nene just cried harder.

“Please, please King Hanako, do something!”

“There’s nothing I can do,” he insisted.

“But you’re the king of the Underworld. Surely there’s something…” As Nene’s voice trailed, she stared up at him with wide, pleading eyes, and Hanako’s cheeks grew warm. He bristled but conceded with a sigh.

“Alright…There might be something. Give me the other half of the pomegranate.”

Sniffling, Nene did as she was told and handed him the pomegranate half. She audibly gasped when he ate the other half himself. Even the usually emotionless Tsuchigomori’s eyebrow twitched.

“Sire…” he muttered through his teeth, but Hanako ignored him.

“There. Now you’re only half-affected.”

Nene’s brow furrowed, and she tilted her head at him in misty-eyed confusion. “I don’t understand…”

“You only ate half the pomegranate, and I ate the other half so you’ll only have to spend half of the year here with me.”

Nene wiped her eyes, but she blinked at him in disbelief. “Really?” she choked.

Hanako nodded. “Yes, in six months from now you’ll get to go back to the surface.”

“Thank you! Thank you so much, Your Highness!” she exclaimed as a smile spread between her cheeks. Hanako’s face flushed again, but he frowned as he heard Tsuchigomori clear his throat pointedly.

“Oh right…” he added somewhat dismissively. “There’s something else. You’re…uh…kind of Queen of the Underworld now.”

Nene stopped abruptly and her eyes widened. “What?”

“Yeah, when the pomegranates are shared between two people they’re kind of eternally bonded together or whatever.” Hanako waved his hand dismissively and shrugged it off. “But don’t worry about it. It’s no big deal. I don’t really want a queen, but I could use some help around here given that our funding has been cut so if you just help me out with some housekeeping things we can call it even, okay? Deal?”

Hanako held out his hands to her, and Nene blinked at him before she took his hands. Hanako smiled, and Nene swallowed hard but nodded in agreement albeit a bit unsurely. “Deal.”

5 Months Ago…

Surprisingly enough, the citizens of the Underworld took to their new queen immediately. Within weeks she had hoards of Mokke following her around like little ducks, and the mermaids in the river of the dead had composed several, somewhat haunting ballads about her. Even Yako who usually didn’t take to new people warmed up to her after a month had passed and had lots of fun dressing her up in lavish gowns and extravagant hair styles. Hanako supposed Nene just had that effect on people—she was bright, bubbly, and cheerful like a little ray of sunshine in their otherwise dark and depressing land of the dead.

She was also a hard-worker and had been a great help in cleaning things up and keeping things running on the shoestring budget King Minamoto had recently given them, and, Hanako supposed, Tsuchigomori was right that her efforts deserved to be rewarded so he called her into the throne room for an audience.

“You called for me, Your Highness?” asked Nene with a polite bow.

“You can call me Hanako if you’d like. You are the queen after all.”

Nene nodded. “Right, yes. Did you need something, Hanako?”

“Tsuchigomori has recently sent me the report from the last couple of months and it seems things are running much more efficiently, and everyone is much happier with you here.”

Nene smiled with pink cheeks. “Really?”

Hanako cleared his throat. “Well maybe not everyone. King Minamoto—”

“King Minamoto is worried about me?” gasped Nene with a bright beaming smile, and Hanako rolled his eyes.

“No, but his brother is. He has been writing me asking me to let you return to the surface with the other deities even though I’ve explained that I can’t do that for another four months.”

“I didn’t know King Minamoto had a brother…” she tilted her head in confusion.

“Well, he does apparently, and he’s worried about you. You should look him up when you get out of here.”

“I guess...” Nene sighed with a shrug of her shoulders. “Is that what you wanted to talk to me about?”

“Not exactly. I…” He cleared his throat. “I wanted to make sure you were comfortable and happy here…or at least as happy as you could be.”

Nene’s smile brightened. “Oh that’s so nice! It’s nice here and everyone is really friendly, but I do miss my garden.”

“Your garden?”

Nodding, Nene hummed thoughtfully. “I’m the goddess of horticulture, remember? Up on the surface I had a beautiful garden full of plants and flowers even some berries and vegetables too, but it’s always so dark here, I can’t get anything to grow—well…besides your pomegranate orchard, which is great, of course, just…”—she sighed—”I miss my flowers and vegetables too.”  

“I see…” sighed Hanako. “Well…I’m not sure there is much I can do about that. It’s the Underworld so it’s supposed to be dark here.”

Nene’s face fell, but she nodded. “I understand.”

“I guess I could write to King Minamoto and ask if we could put in a skylight or something.” Hanako shook his head slightly. “But I’ve asked him before, and he said no so…”

“You asked before?” she interrupted with a curious tilt of her head. “Did you want a garden?”

“No,” Hanako replied with a shrug of his shoulders, regretting having said too much already. “It’s honestly kind of stupid, but when I was first put in charge of things around here, I really wanted to see the moon. No funny business or anything, just wanted to put in a skylight so I could see it every now and again or at least could see the moonlight.”

Nene frowned. “You’re not one of those men obsessed with the moon goddess are you? Sure, she’s very pretty, but she’s kind of overrated. And I’ve heard she hates men so…”

Hanako laughed and playfully rolled his eyes. Natsuhiko was one such man, and he was particularly annoying about it—though, Hanako supposed, he was particularly annoying about most things. “No. It has nothing to do with her. It just gets so dark down here, and I figured I’ve been down here so long that my eyes wouldn’t adjust to the sunlight but maybe moonlight…” His voice trailed. “Never mind.”  

“Well maybe if I write to King Minamoto’s brother, he could help us get a skylight and then I could get my garden and you could see the moon.”

Hanako shrugged. “Sure. Knock yourself out, but King Minamoto hates me so I doubt even his brother will be able to persuade him to do me a favor.”  

4 Months Ago…

Hanako had quickly been proven wrong. After Nene had written to King Minamoto’s brother, Prince Kou, about their dilemma and wish for a skylight, he had personally petitioned the king to get one installed. Within weeks, they had a small skylight overlooking a clearing near the River of the Dead, and Nene immediately set to work planting all manner of flowers and vegetables in her garden which seemed to spring to life almost overnight. Though Hanako would never admit it, it warmed his heart to see her so happy. Her face practically beamed any time she mentioned it, and she thanked him profusely for letting her have her own part of the Underworld to grow things in. She spent hours in that garden, and one evening when Hanako was fast asleep she burst into his room shaking him awake with an excited, “Hanako! Hanako! Wake up!”

Hanako rubbed his eyes sleepily, mumbling something vaguely incoherent about leaving him alone to rest, but Nene continued shaking his shoulders. “Wake up! You need to come see this!”

“Alright. Alright,” he finally conceded with a yawn as he grabbed his robe and followed her out into her garden.

She practically bounced as she led him directly under the skylight with a triumphant, “Look!”   

Hanako rubbed his eyes. Maybe he was just exhausted but he didn’t have the slightest idea what he was supposed to be looking at.

“You can see the moon!” she explained, and Hanako’s eyes widened as he gazed up through the skylight to the moon outside. It was bright and shimmery surrounded by a sky full of stars as moonlight shone through the skylight’s glass. Hanako stopped in his tracks, and his eyes began to feel misty. He turned to Nene whose entire face was beaming and bright with the biggest smile he had ever seen.

“Isn’t it beautiful, Hanako?” she asked with a bubbly excitement, and he mumbled almost in spite of himself.

“Yes, beautiful…” Though he wasn’t looking at the moon.

3 Months Ago…

It quickly became a sort of tradition for them on nights when the moon was out, they would work side by side for hours in her garden talking and laughing about the most random, everyday things. Though they spent time together throughout the day, it was mostly business, related to running their Underworld Kingdom. They frequently shared dinner together, but they never talked with each other as freely and openly as they did in Nene’s garden. It was only there that he truly learned about her—her hopes, her dreams, her many failed attempts to find love and her firmly held belief that her soulmate was still waiting out there for her.

“What are your dreams, Hanako?” she asked one evening after talking about her own.

“What do you mean?” Hanako replied with a tilt of his head.

“You know besides seeing the moon… Do you have other dreams? Other things you’d like to do?”

Hanako shrugged. “Not really. As an immortal being, things get kind of old—especially when you’ve been stuck in the Underworld for as long as I have. It’s hard to believe there’s new and exciting things out there, you know?”

“I’m kind of new and exciting though, right?”

Hanako blinked at her, but his mouth curved into a playful lopsided grin. “Annoying is more like it.”

Nene pouted teasingly, and Hanako laughed at her playful huffiness. “Oh come on. Surely you have something you want or something you want to do.”

“Nope,” Hanako quipped with a cheeky smile, but it was a lie. He had a wish—a wish for more days with Nene just like this one, but he didn’t see the point in wishing for things that would never come true.

2 Months Ago…

As much as Hanako hated to admit it, slowly, but surely she wore him down with her complaints that he knew everything about her, but she knew next to nothing about him. Hanako insisted, somewhat cheekily, that that was only because she didn’t know when to keep her mouth shut and talked constantly, but he still found himself slowly opening up to her. The words seemed to tumble out of his mouth before he could stop them and despite his best attempts to stay guarded, it wasn’t long before Nene knew things about him that he had never told anyone: his regrets, his fears, those burdens that he denied even to himself.

“I didn’t know you had a brother…” she had said when he had finally told her about Tsukasa and his life before he had become King Hanako of the Underworld when he had just been Amane, a run-of-the-mill lesser deity who loved his family and wanted to visit the palace of the moon.

“Not many people do, I think,” he sighed. “He got mixed up in something really dark—tried to end the mortals’ world…King Minamoto has him locked up somewhere, and I”—his voice hitched—“I helped put him there.”

Nene’s eyes widened, and Hanako turned away from her abruptly. “It needed to be done, of course, but I…I still…” He swallowed hard but muttered, “Never mind.” He took a deep breath and shook his head. “I could tell King Minamoto didn’t trust me either, but he made me king of the Underworld after that and I haven’t been up to the surface since, which is just as well, I guess. I—”

He stopped abruptly as Nene wrapped her arms around his shoulders and hugged him tightly. “I’m sorry.”

“Knock…knock that off…” he muttered as his face flushed red, and he tried to shake her off of him. “It’s not a big deal, and I’m fine. I didn’t tell you because I wanted you to feel sorry for me.”

“It’s not just pity,” Nene insisted with kind eyes. “You’re…my friend…and…”—she blushed red. “I care about you, Hanako.”

Hanako’s cheeks felt suddenly hot, and he frowned though he was sure his face was nearly as red as Nene’s. He couldn’t remember the last time someone had told him they cared about him, and Nene’s words were so earnest, so genuine, and so unexpected that he felt a pang in his chest. Before he could even think to stop himself, he wrapped an arm around her and pulled her into his chest—his fingers gently tangling in her long hair.

He heard her gasp in surprise, but she soon relaxed, almost melting into his arms and pulled him close to her as well—pressing her chin to his shoulder. The words he so desperately wanted to say got caught in his throat and all he could manage was “Thank you.” But he hoped she would know that his words meant so much more than just that. And for the first time in longer than he could remember he said, “And you can call me, Amane…if you want…”

1 Month Ago…

The King of the Underworld couldn’t describe the absolute rush he felt whenever Nene called him by name—by his real name: Amane. He knew he was probably kidding himself, but he couldn’t help but wonder if there was something in her eyes when she called him by name—if she truly saw him, not just as the fearsome ruler of the Land of the Dead, but as a real person, a real friend and, dare he even allow himself to hope, perhaps something more. But, of course, they never spoke of that. Never spoke of the fact they were technically king and queen, were technically eternally bonded to one another though their marriage was only in name and agreed to as a last resort. They never spoke of the fact that Nene didn’t belong here—among the dark, the death and decay. They never spoke of the day she would one day have to leave, and certainly never, ever spoke of the fact that the longer time went on, the more Amane didn’t want her to. But he could never ask her to stay. She belonged on the surface and in a month’s time, she would finally return there and—Amane thought with an ache in his chest—would likely forget all about him. Though he knew she would never want to come back to him once she had remembered how wonderful life was in the Land of the Living, he still couldn’t help but hope she would still remember him, perhaps even look back on some of the times they had shared together as fond memories.

“I have something for you,” he said with a lopsided smile even though he could feel his heart racing as he fumbled around with the box in his pocket. Nene looked up from the patch of garden she had been weeding with a curious tilt of her head, but she set down her trowel as Amane handed the little box to her. Nene’s eyes widened as he opened the lid of the box to see the beautiful ring of twisted golden vines and flowers with priceless gems in the center.

Nene gasped but smiled. “It’s beautiful.”

Amane’s cheeks grew warm, but he shrugged his shoulders. “It’s nothing really, just I wanted to get you something so…” He swallowed hard but tried his best to sound nonchalant. “So you won’t forget me.”

Nene took his hands, and as she met his eyes, Amane could have sworn his heart jumped into his throat. “I could never forget you. I’m really going to miss it here when I have to go away.”

Some of Nene’s entourage of Mokke began to whimper, and Amane’s own face flushed but he shrugged his shoulders. “It’s only for half the year. We’ll all still be here when you come back. But just you wait…you’ll be so happy up there on the surface that you’re not going to want to come back.”

Nene sighed and twisted her hands. “Maybe... but I don’t think so.” She smiled slightly at him. “I’m going to miss you, Amane, and all the Mokke and Yako and Tsuchigomori. I’ll probably even miss Natsuhiko.”

Amane snorted a laugh. “I seriously doubt that.”

Nene frowned, but her expression softened as she fidgeted. “Do you…do you think you’ll miss me?”

Amane’s face flushed, but he bristled and shrugged. “Well…I think it’ll be harder to run things around here without you.”

“Oh…” she said quietly as her face fell.

Sighing, Amane reached out and took her hand. “But yes, I…I’ll miss you…”

“Amane, I—” Her voice hitched, and she stopped abruptly. “I…never mind…” She shook her head before returning to her garden and trying to wrestle her trowel back from the playfully thieving Mokke. Something ached in Amane’s chest. Some things were better left unsaid.

Today...

Nene’s six months in the Underworld seemed to fly by in the blink of an eye, and though Amane and his subjects planned a lavish goodbye banquet and festival for Nene to celebrate her last day with them, Nene and Amane spent their final evening together as they always did, tending her garden by the moonlight. He promised her multiple times that he would be sure to take care of her garden while she was away and reassured her that everything would be waiting for her just the way she had left it when she returned in six months’ time. Nene thanked him graciously, but there was something forced and bittersweet in her smile.

Amane quickly got the impression that she was stalling as she began overwatering and pushing dirt around, if only to look busy, but when he had teased her about it, she had simply met his eyes and asked if he would stay with her for just a little while longer. He couldn’t find it in his heart to say no.

As they lied down in the soft grass and stared up at the moonlight streaming in through the skylight in the ceiling, Nene had curled next to him. His heart raced as she nestled into his chest.

“What if I stayed?” she asked quietly at last. Amane’s heart jumped into his throat, but he sighed.

“I couldn’t ask you to do that, Nene. You belong on the surface.”

“But…I don’t want to leave you here.”

“I’ll be fine,” he reassured her. “It’ll just be like it was before.” Only it wouldn’t be. He knew that better than anyone. “You have a whole world out there waiting for you.”

Nene shook her head. “This is my world now.”

“Then it’s a very small one.”

“Maybe…” she conceded with a sigh. “But it’s beautiful and it’s enough for me.”

Amane scoffed as he sat up and shook his head as he turned to face her. “What about your dreams, Nene? Didn’t you only eat that pomegranate in the first place because you wanted to find true love? Are you really going to give up on your dream that easily?”

There was a long, heavy pause before Nene whispered so quietly Amane almost couldn’t hear her. “But it already came true…”

As she smiled at him, his cheeks flushed red. “Don’t…” his voice hitched but he frowned. “Don’t be stupid…”

“I’m not stupid,” she insisted crossing her arms. “Amane…” His stomach backflipped at the look in her eyes when she said his name. She reached out a gentle hand to stroke the side of his cheek. “I love you. I don’t want to leave.”

“Nene…” he began to protest, but she interrupted him.

“Natsuhiko was right about that pomegranate. It really did make my dreams come true. I don’t need to go back to the surface to find true love. I already have it with you.” She smiled slightly, but her smile quickly faded as she fidgeted nervously and asked, “Do you…do you really not…love me?”

Amane swallowed hard. He wasn’t sure how to lie his way out of this one, and worst of all, he wasn’t sure he even wanted to. “Nene, I…” He stopped abruptly—growing suddenly aware of how close she was to him, of how he could feel her warm breath on his cheeks, of how he could count every freckle on her nose. With a sigh, he turned away from her. “I do…I do love you, but that’s why you have to go.”

“Why? I don’t understand.”

“Because you deserve more—deserve better than this.”

“Amane…this is what I want,” she insisted. “This life…you…all of it. This is my dream now. All of my wishes came true”—her cheeks flushed—“except one.”

Amane blushed but cleared his throat. “And what’s that?”

“To be kissed.”

“Well I…I think I…might be able to fix that…” His mouth twitched in the corners before he gently cupped her face in his hands, closed his eyes, leaned in and kissed her. As he pulled her close and tangled his hand in her hair, everything that came before and everything that may come after suddenly didn’t matter anymore. When they broke apart breathless and red-faced, Nene stared up at him with bright, pleading eyes. “Are you…are you still going to make me go?”

Amane pressed his palm to her cheek. “I don’t have a choice, Nene, but you’ll get to come back. Six months isn’t very long to spend apart, and you can write.” He pushed a piece of long hair out of her face. “I promise I’ll be here right where you left me.”

And half-a-year later, when she returned home—returned to him running straight into his arms with the biggest brightest smile on her face, he was.

[thelunarfairy]

What do you think about Amane's rumor?

Because every mistery has some parts of the rumor mistaken, but the only true part about his rumor is that he is in the womens bathroom.

He is a boy, and most importantly HE DOESNT GRANT WISHES

He doesnt have that ability and has to resort to pretty unorthodox methods lol

Love your posts btw lol

Awww thank you ♡

Hahaha The legend of Hanako-san from the bathroom. Basically Hanako-kun is very similar to the legend from my country.

Yes, here (Brazil) we have the same legend. Here she is known as "the blonde in the bathroom", the blonde girl who was a student and killed herself in the last stall of the women's bathroom. Since then she has haunted the last bathroom stall. The way to invoke her is identical to the anime. She doesn't grant wishes, but people always try to invoke her to find out about her true story.

It's the best-known legend in the schools here hahaha so, at the school where I studied we tried to summon the blonde from the bathroom to try to discover her true story (there are several versions)

Unfortunately, or fortunately, she never showed up haha

In none of the versions, whether Brazilian or Japanese, do they grant wishes, this only exists in JSHK. (Here in Brazil, Hanako-kun's anime/manga was nicknamed "the Japanese bathroom blonde anime" hahahaha)

But back to Hanako, he doesn't really grant wishes like that God, but he always charges for the service. Tsukasa doesn't seem to be able to do this either, in fact the two are linked with the God who grants wishes.

See, when Hanako went to try to fulfill Yashiro's wish to extend her lifespan, Aoi would be sacrificed in her place, right? Right.

Then, Aoi would be taken as a sacrifice to that God. Number six even started the ritual with her, similar to what happened with Sumire, Aoi had to change her clothes because she was going to be sacrificed. In exchange for Aoi's sacrifice, Yashiro's life would increase.

Isn't that what happened to Amane? Tsukasa asked God to save his brother, Amane was saved, but Tsukasa was sacrificed.

In other words, they ask God to make their wishes come true, but Hanako prefers not to do that because the cost is high. Tsukasa doesn't seem to have many problems with this, he has a greater connection with the God than Hanako, it seems.

One thing I don't understand is, if the supernatural must necessarily follow what the rumors say, why didn't Hanako turn into a girl? Mitsuba became that deformed monster for a while, so why don't the rumors totally work with Hanako?

What would happen if Tsukasa decided to change the Hanako rumor? I think he hasn't done it yet because he wants the yorishiros to be removed.

Anyway, I rambled too much now hahaha

The Hanako rumor is an urban legend, it doesn't say anything that is directly related to Amane (until now), it's a fake story. All mysteries have a false story (rumors) and a true one.

I'm looking forward to the arc of number seven *u*

Hoooope you liked it, thanks for the ask! ♡