#All of Yuki's canon songs start with T or I ;;;;

[bunsandstuff]

Spell your URL

Spell out your URL using song titles that can describe your muse, then tag as many people as there are letters in your URL!

Tagged by @humblemooncat , thank you for tagging me!! (*´꒳`*)

B - Brother - Alice in Chains (Oliver)

U - Under the Darkness - Kichiku Megane OP (Oliver)

N - Namikaze Satellite -Snowkel (Yukiya)

S - Shingetsu - Sakurai Atsushi (Oliver)

A - Aishte Aishte Aishte - Ver. Izuru Kanade (Oliver)

N - Nutshell - Alice in Chains (Oliver)

D - Decode - Paramore (Shared)

S - Snow - Lisa Hannigan (Yukiya)

T - Trade Mistakes - Panic! At The Disco (Yukiya)

U - Untitled - The Cure (Oliver)

F - Forty Six & 2 - Tool (Yukiya)

F - Fuyu no Hanashi - Given (Yukiya)

I tag! @intoxicfox @cadrenebula @bunnythembo @bnuuywol @ooeygooeyghoul @wine-dark-soup @upatreewithoutaharness @uldahstreetrat @ladyameline @starrysnowdrop @redwood-lodge @koijikido

[bigtopveggie]

YOU BETTER DO THE 18 AS WELL. 🔫

1. who do you currently produce?

Takamine Midori! Otogari Adonis! And Morisawa Chiaki! Can't have too many bois to produce or else the gacha hell will be endless but I'm lucky I'm very picky in a way~!

2. who did you first produce?

Midori of course! The first pick as the four stars and then my first banner boi as I happened to have started during the Hello Kitty event and Dollhouse banner!!

3. do you have a producersona?

I wish we could have one... I'm way more of a fan of gacha games where the player character is a supporting character in the background AND can be of any gender... I think I am too much of a canon stickler to have a producersona at the moment? ...... wait does Gatekeeper count he's not a producer but he owns the entire t—

4. what got you into enstars?

✨✨F E L I C I TY ✨✨my bestie!!! I LOVE YOU MWAH MWAH!!! Follow them for the best brat content!!!

5. what’s your favorite headcanon about the character you produce?

That Midori at graduation becomes the tallest idol in ES.

6. how long have you been in the enstars fandom?

A bit more than one year now thank you for having me!!! I'm happy to see it is not dead on social media and the in-game community is so earnest and lovely!!

7. what is your favorite unit?

RYUSEITAI! Immediately was drawn to them. I love the concept of Super Sentai, I found that having an idol unit of them was hilarious and their stories kept delivering! I love how amidst the other units they really are 5 very different people, I love how they keep bursting with personality and how healthy they are together! They make me all warm inside!

8. what is your favorite song?

Forbidden Rain definitely topped it all. I love swinger and having a jazzy song really made me go AAAAA because damn Enstars really does not like getting out of pop does it now. I was so happy too and Koga and Adonis' vocal performance really KILLED IT I knew about Ono Yuki's talent but daaamn I'm really happy to discover Hatano Wataru his range is insaaane IT IS SO HARD to reach this high a note and have a deep voice!!! Adonis the best singer frfr!!!

9. which unit do you think is the most underrated?

RYUSEITAI ofc! I get it vibes go first and sex sells but if you open your mind you'll find all that degenerate stuff and more..!

10. which character do you think is the most underrated?

ADONIS! Adonis is so slept on because he is not as. Ahem. Sexily aggressive as other characters. He does not bring the sexy fantasy angst which they did "somewhat" address it in Forbidden Rain, but then again the game criminally does not put his appeal at the forefront..!

11. do you have a least favorite character?

Boi. That entirely depends on the perspective of least favorite. I'm very much more of a meta media consumer personally rather than an immersed one! Meta wise in my general enjoyment... I think it's hard to pinpoint one least favorite? For the most part, I dislike the characters who make the reading not interesting or even grinding. Like they will drag the already dragging gacha game writing by... just being not interesting. Enstars send its characters on wild goose chases, they are just silly little guys, and if they are not silly well I'm falling asleep. So let's put Kohaku Oukawa, Yuuki Makoto and Isara Mao there at the top. You three are just white guys whose biggest personality trait is liking white bread. And then Sakuma Rei, Sakuma Ritsu, Himemiya Tori and Kagehira Mika because I Know What They Are Designed For And That Makes Me Uncomfortable, technically a whole other bunch do that but they are the worst at it. From an in-universe perspective, definitely Tenshouin Eichi, which I nod to all his fans who handshake me on his atrocities. He is the perfect encapsulation of extremely privileged martyr syndrome and the most cruel acts possible... on an animu high school scale, but an Emperor is still an Emperor. The same goes for those who applied it, I'm thinking Aoba Tsumugi and Hasumi Keito. Again, it depends entirely on how you want to consume Enstars. I like analyzing its world and charismatic characters. From my standpoint, it takes a lot of, to be polite, balls to see teenagers throw themselves off the school rooftop, see the first corpse be dragged off by the medics, and be like "Yes. The purge is working. Let's continue." until there are so many young deaths that there is an epitaph of them. Amongst many other policies. There is a certain level when in the benefit of the doubt or suspension of disbelief something just reach the threshold of ok this is not just the animu tragedy aesthetic (like idk Leo or Madara who have not done anything to entire communities their angst is self contained to their personal story) this is heavy shit. If someone sees this happen once and don't blink I just. Meta wise though? I'm a fan, great antagonists. The realism is what I believe make for this cast a really compelling drama. For Eichi I wish they leaned more into the side of him that is just absolutely discriminatory and cruel to people but then again the writing does not like to lean too hard on one side or the other for gacha projection sake sigh... if it wasn't the case I'd probably be writing him... Eichi is, at the moment, too crafted of a martyr for him to get to the "you meanie you annoy me" to "you are despicable I love you" threshold. Would love to RP someone who brings out this character's full potential! I had way too much to say on this segment, but that is how I enjoy media to just. Surgically break it down with all its flaws and love it for that.

12. what was your favorite event?

RYUSEITAI Climax, definitely. Unlike a. LOT of Enstars it had actually interesting and tangible character growth that kept echoing through the characters afterwards, very poignant moments and also every duo had their moments. The cast of the unit being this colorful and endearing made it a very enjoyable read where those clashing personalities actually challenge one another to become better people.

13. which server are you on?

Global English! I'm here for the characterization I don't think I could play a game I cannot read.

14. what card are you currently saving for?

For Yuruseitai and Adonis FS2 in two years... I wanna max those... so better start now... wish me luck.

15. what is your favorite ship?

16. what is your favorite underrated ship?

Can't say Midochia again because it is the most popular ship in the East so...

17. what non-problematic ships do you dislike?

What do you mean they are literally all problematic. Well... No. They are all problematic. I cannot think of a single ship in this game who is not problematic. Every single one of those characters are toxic little shits amped up to 11, that is why they are so fun to see frolicking around. Add intimate relationships and it explodes. Plus, they are also like. All colleagues. Being together is a big 🚩 that complicates so much of their life for no reason so even entertaining that thought in the idol world is oof. But ok let's imagine the question is about ships period. We're really talking here about me playing this game... in roleplay anything goes. Any ship with Kaoru that is not with a girl. There is way too much sausagefest in this leave one for the girlies. I do not care what y'all say anything Kaoru says is... like, anything all those characters say are so coworkery and talking about their idol sex appeal is also like saying to your coworker chef that they cooked the steak nice today. Ok. He's had the heaviest subtext about legitimately falling in love with the main character that I am like. Guys. Guys. Leave him there jfc why you hate girls that much. I also find most ships just wildly professionally inappropriate. I get the shipping as a fandom phenomenon, it's very fun. I mean in-universe. It's like. Putting your entire livelihood at stake for a coworker you find hot I'm kinda eeEeeehhH. Ships I like are usually ones where the intimate connection has been done outside of the industry (the easiest path being in the same school) and then those characters happen to end up in ES. Especially the Leader x Unitmate ones. Antis losing braincells on two years difference between teenagers and here I am losing braincells over work power dynamics I'm thinking way too hard on this—

18. what is your favorite shuffle unit?

AtoZ because I find Chiaki hot, Getto Spectacle for best song and Flambé for best aesthetic.

19. what are your favorite 5* and 4* cards?

I put that sundae card twice I know just assume I REALLY like it... Limited myself to Music!! because jfc...

Again the bunny twice... assume I am really into bunny bois...

20. what are your favorite 3* cards?

21. do you have a favorite story?

idkwhatthedifferenceisbetweeneventandstory? If we're talking about I wanna say the broader story narrative, Meteor Impact and Crossroads is definitely out there! If we're talking Main Story, Music!! first main story introducing ALKALOID and Crazy:B is nice and effective, I enjoyed the twists. SS gets points just because it introduced my best boi Gatekeeper.

22. do you have any enstars ocs?

Gatekeeper got OC-fied don't look at me.

23. do you interact with the enstars community often?

Outside the RPC no, I am on the reddit discord if I got questions (people touch grass and are nice for an occasional pop in) and I interact with the Midochia community on Twitter - everyone is really nice and supportive and we share a single braincell! I do send messages through the ingame chat, again people are mostly teenagers who are living their best life and just enjoying themselves and that is really the healthy type of players I like to be around so I'm sticking to it~!

[m1ckeyb3rry]

The amount of scrolling I had to do just to get the bottom of MY OWN ASK LMAOO

My face after reading that first paragraph after having written an essay with yuki thoughts even though it’s not really a request in the same way LMAOO I definitely trust you more with direction than I trust myself so hopefully something in there helps spark something!! LMAOO ok I will keep that in mind going forward I wasn’t sure how stumped you were but definitely very good to know now HAHAHA

I remember always looking at this one accounts YouTube videos and they were usually like no more than a minute long and usually detailed the breeding plus mass feeding of the dragon (the dude had like 100 billion treats I swear) I definitely started using guides after that…especially for events!! Like where you get some special event currency and cash them out for a dragon in shop I’d look up all the evolutions and see what looks best before I picked LMAO you know what my biggest betrayal is…the galaxy dragons…like the eggs are so pretty and in concept the galaxy theme was so nice but why were the most of the dragons so. UGLY????? Like really giant blocky heads or odd proportions please I just wanted a pretty galaxy dragon </3

I always laugh at your responses “haha…girl you’re so funny..” sends me LMAOAOA so true though bro just had to smile and wave

TRIO???? This just keeps getting better and better but SHHSS THE “spoiler: not well” also sends me your responses are just as entertaining to read as your actual pieces LMFAO I cannot wait….im like more excited to read this than whatever’s going on in the actual PxG match right now (if they give Karasu some action I’ll get more hyped though)

Great minds think alike hehe but I saw that note about the ooc concern and I honestly think you did his canon character more justice than a good majority of fics out there HSJSHS Like maybe ooc in terms of fanon sae LMAO (sometimes I feel brainwashed by the fanon and I’m like wait a minute…so I mean I guess in terms of fanon fboy sae it’s ooc but that cancels out and makes him more canon compliant LOL)

100K WORDS IN A MONTH IS INSANE OMG stop I’m going to go read it now it’s binge reading hour…and sometimes atp I’m like is what geges writing right now even canon either LMAO I’m def gonna revisit that post of yours too to see what you meant I remember reading it in passing and being like I have NO idea what this means but I’m sure it’s right LMFAOAO

SHDSHS I HOPE IT ACTUALLY HELPED YOU SOMEHOW BECAUSE I LOWK DONT KNOW WHAT I WAS WRITING HAHAHA also feel free to take the ideas and mesh them however you see fit or don’t use them at all if you’re not feeling the vibe LOL I think I’d classify these more of just brainstorm thoughts as opposed to a request or anything else so just have at it LMAOAOA I’m always up for a good brainstorm session (whether any good ideas come out of it is a different story LOL)

Wait you’re so right I didn’t even register the tabieitaken order but now that I think about it it also fits their top 6 ranking order?? Our man Karasu #3 >>>>> (sometimes I forget Shidou exists and think he’s #2 but whatever ) no because any miscommunication or drama trope would DIE with yuki he’s just too mature and socially adept like I bet he has no problems communicating at all like…actually reading the Bible kinda poured some water over my head though because I’m wondering if maybe he’s more selfish than he leads on?? I guess we see it in his confrontation with Isagi in BM but apparently his shortcomings (I think) are like “idgaf about other people’s lives” LMAOO but I mean that doesn’t change the fact that he’s probably the most emotionally/socially mature still….I mean peak eye condition time is always good for angst I feel since that’s probably when his emotions are all over and he’s probably not at peak mental condition!! But yk!! Anyways LOL

BEST FRIENDS BROTHER FROM VICTORIOUS???? SHUT UP I LOVED THAT SHOW HAHAHAH The songs from that show are still some karaoke go-tos for me and my friends to this day!! I also get sm inspiration from tiktok too the stuff on there is too funny sometimes… but um!!! If you feel inclined to do so!!! You should definitely add those onto a to write list!! Definitely NOT because I’m dying to read what would come out of them….definitely not…just a passing thought!!! Haha!! (Really only if you feel inclined since your lineup is LONG LMAO) But anyways that’s actually genius honestly I love seeing family dynamics in fics…I’ve definitely seen a couple ones where it’s like Y/n is otoya’s sister who gets with Karasu which I found was an interesting take but being bffs with their sisters is a whole different story…I feel like that avenue is a bit more interesting also because like, well their siblings are already sorta established?? Like having y/n be one of them feels ever so slightly off to me (no shade to those writes though!! Still fun to read from time to time)

I guess I shouldn’t be but I was kinda surprised to see all the only children in bllk I mean well statistically they aren’t that overpowering?? But what the combo of Nagi Reo Isagi Bachira yuki hiori shidou somehow always stuck out to me….I mean some characters the only child is kinda important like how Bachira is lonely and Nagi has neglect issues but I think itd be interesting to consider what’d happen if they had siblings! Idk siblings also spice up the dynamic and I love just looking into character lore and background and siblings are just a fun little bonus LOL

-Karasu anon

HAHA NOOO omg i love reading your thoughts and essays!! your requests are always fun because they set up the groundwork of what needs to happen and then i can expand on that in my own way…truly a teamwork makes the dream work scenario 🤩

HELPP I WAS LURKING ON THE FORUMS i forget there was a guy on youtube who i used to watch as well LMAOO it was probs the same one ngl…and yeah the galaxy dragons were so disappointing 😔 the theory was showstopping jawdropping gorgeous but then they hatched and were just kinda awk looking 💔 i do remember one of them had a rlly pretty pale yellow and lavenderish blue color scheme but that was the only redeeming quality it had and the others didn’t even have that much 😭

bro the pxg match chapters are just too short i feel like nothing has been going on but i know it’ll be so fun to read all at once!! me personally though i only release chapters if they’re over 5k words so you’ll always be in for a bit of reading whenever hollyhock updates 😏 hehe besides otoya x y/n there’s so many relationships that i can’t wait to write and so many characters w more layers than you expect at first glance!! NOBODY IS SAFE 😈

100% i think every time i’ve thought i’ve written a character ooc it’s just been me being so accustomed to their fanon selves that sticking close to canon feels odd almost?? the same thing happened w kaiser in the instrument rin in cherry tree and even nagi in peregrine…but every time people say that i wrote them super in character so i think it’s just a me thing 😭 plus canon and fanon being so diff

OMG KEEP ME POSTED ON YOUR THOUGHTS AS YOU READ!! i think pomegranate ink will be more reflective of how hollyhock is going to go in the sense that it’s more in depth and lore heavy than my one shots, plus it incorporates original characters and ideas which i tend to do in my long fics but not as much in shorter things!! i hope you like it hehehe yuta and y/n’s relationship in that is so important to me…like truly i will never stop thinking abt them

BRAINSTORMING FTW!! for sure i def will draw from your ideas if/when i get around to writing him 🫡 YES karasu on top as always (as he should be) him being number three in bllk always gets me like omg wdym you’re number THREE like the world 5 and ego thought you were that good 🤩😍🤤⁉️ also if you think abt it he’s the highest ranked one of the people who didn’t score on the world 5 which is sooooo 🤭🙂‍↕️ WHAT A MAN!!

i agree yuki’s egoist bible entry is kinda conflicting to me?? because in some questions he seems like super sweet and such a family guy but in others it’s like “yeah idc abt other people’s lives” HELLO?? i’m going to assume he means like randoms though which is honestly fair in a way. maybe he’s secretly the true kitty cat of tabieitaken…only sweet to those he cares abt and neutral on the rest!! he’s def the best communicator though HAHA like the miscommunication trope isn’t flying w him at all and honestly he has such a generally kind demeanor that having a rude mc (like fwtkac reader and her bff) would just feel excessive 😭 he might work better w someone who has a personality like freaky friday y/n or even y/n from seabird/the instrument?? generally pretty benign and almost oblivious at times but not afraid to put people in their place when needed

YESSS FROM VICTORIOUS!! haha i must confess i never watched it but i love sooo many songs from it (best friend’s brother and take a hint are the ones i can think of atm) and as soon as i heard best friend’s brother earlier i was like FIC ALERT 🚨 honestly don’t be surprised if i post those next LMAOAAO i’m so bad at being disciplined and just doing my requests…it doesn’t help that everyone who’s requested is so sweet and completely okay w waiting 😭💖 i think brother’s best friend is a super explored trope especially in bllk because we don’t really see any of the sisters (besides chigiri’s but she’s much older) in the main manga!! i’ve seen it a lot where y/n is reo’s younger sister and ends up w nagi too, and for sure i’ve seen a couple where y/n is otoya’s younger sister and ended up w karasu HAHA. i do think it’s fun to see a reader who takes up a canon character’s mantle in that way every now and again but i like to deviate from the mold myself and i just think best friend’s brother has sm potential w tabieita specifically!! like it’s almost an angsty character study w karasu whereas it’s more of a cliche romance novel type of thing w otoya

okay wait going off of the earlier point i think another thing is a lot of reader inserts i’ve seen have this tendency to shy away from having female characters in them — the exception is if they’re MAJOR parts of canon and kind of unavoidable, but there’s def a trend where like any female side characters are treated w disdain almost?? maybe i’m just jaded as someone who likes to write w an extensive female side cast and has received annoyed comments abt it on w*ttp*d LMAOAOA but that could be another reason why people go for the brother’s best friend trope instead of the best friend’s brother trope 🤔

i think the diff characters who do and don’t have siblings for the most part make sense to me!! i will say isagi lowkey has younger sibling energy though…i always forget he’s an only child he feels like he should have an older sister LMAO and kunigami being a middle child instead of an eldest did throw me off at first but it grew on me!! OTOYA as a middle child though i’m still stunned by that he does not have those vibes 😭 and karasu at first was kinda giving older sibling (maybe because of how he is w hiori) but tbh he’s a particular brand of shithead that only a younger sibling could ever be plus him having an older sister does fit so it’s again it’s grown on me. SHIDOU BEING AN ONLY CHILD IS SOOO REAL THOUGH because if i was his mother and i gave birth to HIM i’d not dare to try again 😩

[lys-lilac]

Yuki Sohma: An In-depth Character Analysis

I remember getting this anime as a recommendation in summer almost 2 years ago. Right, when the reboot season 1 started. I was so engrossed in this that I can’t tell you. The theme of the series always made me keep at the edge of my seat. And yeah, as the title suggests, I got to admire him the most-

I know, many of you might think that I fell in love with his beauty after seeing him in the anime for the first time, but unfortunately, it’s a big no. I love the characters who care about others so much. And he is the perfect example.

Now, the point is, what makes him steal the top rank for me while most of the fandom is basically about Kyo and Tohru? Let me put down the points. But before that, grab your earphones or headphones, and play this song as you read about the things he has been through.

1. His selfless attitude

His kind nature shines throughout the series. We see in the beginning that it was he who discovers Tohru living in a tent. He welcomes her to stay in Shigure’s home, even after knowing that their curse is being put at risk and takes care of her fever. After she sleeps, he ventures out in the night to dig up her belongings. Even though he mentions that he had selfishly taken her just to rebel against the family curse, still this is replaced by his benevolent and sweet nature towards Tohru. As a result, their relationship is beautiful.

He also has helped her countless times, whether it’s taking her back from her relatives, or lending her hand to carry the grocery bags. These all moments define how pure their bond is and how both trust and care each other.

2. His willingness to sacrifice everything 

This point actually reminds of Kasumi Toshiki from Romance MD: Always on Call. Even though he appears plain on the surface, he can go to any extent just for the sake of her happiness. One instance of this can be from season 2 episode 22. Kyo and Tohru seem to be in the hallway, with Tohru trying to grab the script from his hands. Just then, Yuki says whether they would give him way to go upstairs. It is obvious that Yuki would have seen the whole thing, but for her sake, he doesn’t interrupt. The line he says here is-

“You are precious. I look up to you. I cherish you because you provided for me what I desperately longed for.” 

Now what did he yearn for? It was Tohru’s love and affection for him, which he didn’t get from anyone else, not even his mother when he was a child.

3. The heart-fluttering sweet moments and his character development

Ah! Thanks to the production for such sweet moments of Yuki and Tohru. Even if the ship is not canon, they will still remain my favorite.

In my opinion, this story actually portrays Yuki’s development in character more than any other thing. This is amazing. The boy, who was unable to let go of his dark past, the truth that he was after was covered with a lid, all are slowly untangled with Tohru’s compassionate nature towards Yuki. Unlike the fan club who adored him only for his looks, she sees him in a different, more friendly light, which mellows him up. What’s more, the once timid boy builds up so much courage within himself that he doesn’t get afraid of Akito anymore and confronts her face to face. The warmth he searched for, finally reaches him just like a soft feather, landing on his palm, giving a soft and soothing touch of happiness. 

Let’s look at this background here. Yuki is surrounded by chinese bellflowers, which symbolize honesty, unchanging love and obedience. In his hand lays a white rose, which means, devotion, and innocence. The color white itself and his name are a symbol of peace and silence. This actually is an imagery for his character, and it resembles it truly.

Yuki had no intentions of getting on bad terms with Kyo. But it’s seen in episode 20, that Kyo shouts at him outside the banquet saying it was all his fault. Although he was small, but those words were like a heavy blow to him. What’s more, even when he comes back crying hoping for his mom to console him, she slaps him and warns him not to disappear again. (Noo... T^T)

(Kyo shouts this to him outside the hall.)

There is some fault with Kyo as well for this point. All Yuki wanted was to become friends with him. He yearned for the parental love and friendship which Kyo had since his childhood. But, the latter has the misunderstanding that Yuki had everything.

Yuki says this when he remembers that Kyo didn’t take the hat from his hand when he gives him. This makes him cry so hard, cause he was just a little child going through these painful things, all at once.

“There was something I wanted. Parents who would embrace me. A home I wanted to return to.” 

(Yuki cries after being ignored by Kyo.)

Even though Kyo’s behavior initially compelled him to be like that, even though he knew that there is a lot Kyo was internally suffering from, but in episode 22, he just couldn’t take it anymore. Instead of debating, he stays silent and shows his most vulnerable and hurt face to Kyo, because he didn’t want things to end up like that between them. He didn’t want the person he admired to lash out at him every time, when he was at no fault at all, and still is the prey of Kyo’s anger and apathy. This only leaves Kyo speechless, making him break the window out of frustration. This part pains me a lot, because Kyo had at least someone he can throw out his anger and put the blame. But Yuki didn’t even had that.

There is again this pretty imagery here. Yuki, when looking at Kyo, is bathed with the sunlight. This symbolizes the change he has gone through and accepted it, which is really stunning to notice. 

[The rest are in paragraph form from here]

Now that I have talked much about his positive points, let’s explore a hot topic which is often a reason of disagreement between Yuki’s fans and Kyo’s fans.

What are Yuki’s actual feelings towards Tohru? 

I know that almost all the fandom here will say these feelings which he talks about is what a mother would give to his child. And this point strengthens a lot more as it was confirmed by the author. If that’s the case, then let me state my thoughts on this, which are opposite to the author’s.

Let’s again move back to episode 22 of season 2. In the first half, Yuki talks to  Kakeru about his first meet with Tohru when he was a child. At that time, he was tortured so much by Akito, both physically and mentally, that he thinks that there is no purpose of his life, and he is not needed by anyone at all. With this thought in mind, he disguises himself with a baseball hat and runs away from the Sohma estate. After some time, he discovers Tohru’s mother, Kyoko, crying because she was missing. He suddenly remembers to have seen her earlier, crying in the street, and helps her to reach her mother. At last, he places the hat on her head and disappears. It is later seen that he has converted to his rat form, and cries on realizing that at least at that point, he was needed by Tohru, and his thoughts were proved wrong. 

He mentions that he almost forgot to ask her name at that time. And when he again was hitting the bottom, Tohru approaches him in the high school, slowly building courage and giving love to him. He also discovers later that the girl, whom he once his hat was none other than Tohru. With things unravelling, their bond becomes stronger. 

But, although he mentions that he had only motherly affection towards her and couldn’t see her in a romantic light, I still doubt the line itself.

“But she appeared before the hopeless me once again. To be with me, close to me. She even listened to what someone like me had to say. Time after time, she accepted me time and again. She’s beloved to me. Like how the sky feels so close, yet so far.”

This line, although somehow shows that Yuki is saved by Tohru every time he is in need of it, but it feels weird to say that he only thinks of her as a mother here. I mean, one can also feel like this if he/she is helped by a good friend, or a dear one. And Yuki also mentions that she is beloved to him. But, what about the last line? Doesn’t it sound like, he can’t reach her even if she was close to reach? Because this is the exact meaning. If we analyze word by word, then this makes sense, as Yuki had already realized by that time that Kyo and Tohru had mutual feelings towards each other. In fact, he says it himself that it dawned on him in the last episode of season 1 when Tohru chases after Kyo into the forest, the latter being converted to his monster form. And how could he not? This guy is mature enough to figure out anything. Then this would have been nothing.

One instance of this realization could be the beach arc episode 7 , where he says-

“I probably actually knew, in the back of my mind. What would happen if I opened the lid. What I must do. Thanks for always being willing to lend an ear. Thanks for always accepting my weaknesses.... You probably don’t know that you are the one who’s always saving me. You always shared your kindness, warmth, and joy with me. That’s why, I won’t lose. I will keep going forward, and keep believing.”

Tohru asks the exact thing which was going on my mind listening to that voice acting. Why did he look so sad there? And Yuki replies that she is just like the sky, very dear to him. Doesn’t it sound exactly like a confession to a person about what she did for you till now? Yuki already had realized that, and this is just a proof. He sounds sad, and he also compares her to the sky. The metaphor which comes to mind is that he is basically symbolizing that her vast expanse of kindness is just like the sky, which is so close, yet so far. Even if he wanted, he can’t keep her all to himself. That’s why he just says that she is dear to him. The way it is portrayed here, is just like saying goodbye before parting ways. Huh... I didn’t continue the season afterwards because of this scene. T~T

(Why, why did he cry after saying that she was dear to him....? Isn’t it right in front of your eyes? *sobs*)

And, if he only sees her as a mother, then what does this mean-

“I was so confused, not to mention incredibly embarrassed. I wasn’t sure how to deal with it, so I didn’t. I shut it away immediately. I stuffed those feelings down, teased and flirted like a normal guy with the girl he likes. But still, it felt wrong.”

It’s clear here. He had somehow developed romantic feelings for her, earlier. But when he realized it was not what he meant, and saw the gradual progression of Tohru and Kyo liking each other, he changes his mind, thinking that he might have been wrong the whole time. That the feelings he harbored for her weren’t correct. But when he thinks of her as a mother, he feels embarrassed. And it’s no different. Why wouldn’t anyone feel like that if it’s someone of your age? This implies that their relationship wasn’t a romantic one, but not a motherly one either.

Kakeru asks the same thing next. He says that maybe he has twisted his thoughts and feelings just after knowing that he had lost her to Kyo. But Yuki denies it saying-

“It’s not true why I feel like this. But, he properly sees her as a woman. He loves her. You can see it in his eyes. Her too. The way she looks at him... But I... I don’t want that! That isn’t what I want! I’d feel... so lonely. I am not willing to give up. I don’t know when to give up.”

(Such a pure boy... Just cried after saying that... )

Definitely as said above. He is obviously jealous of Kyo here. Not in a romantic way, but because he didn’t want Tohru’s kindness and hope she gave him to recede away. Even if it was like a good friend, he wanted to stay by her side. He is mature enough to see the bonds that she and he shared. And he is not the type to fret over getting rejected or anything like that. Moreover, you can already get a hint from the line that he approved of Kyo and Tohru. This always impresses me. The bond that these two have is so beautiful and unspoken, that it transcends romance itself. 

Although this is probably half of my reasonings, I will stop here. Although I covered the most important ones here, but I wanted to discuss many other scenes too. Let’s keep it for next time!

[x-lulu]

Hey lu 👋🏻

It’s been a while, so I’m gonna do this

Idk, there’s just SO MUCH I WANT TO KNOW ABOUT YOU, but I hate questioning 🤡 mostly because I blank out on questions. But,

Do you have a pet? Cats or dogs? Coffee or tea? Any lifelong bffs you’ve had so far? Been a relationship before? What’s your mother tongue (yk, like, native language or English or…?) omg these questions are getting too personal I should move on…favourite canon ships in HP? Give me book recs PLEASE I haven’t read *anything* in a 100 million years!! How are you so good at moodboards 😩💖 please your picture-selection and your filters. YOUR FILTERS. Babe please ✋🏻🤌🏻 what’s your go-to love song? Go-to break-up song? Go-to road trip song? Go-to karaoke song? GO-TO SONG!!?? (Lmao not me asking you about go-to sh*t as if I have a go-to of my own or even know anything about them 💀) which reminds me, do you curse 👀 I’m just really curious, because you seem like the sweetest purest angel on Earth istg. Fav HSM movie from the trilogy? Favourite Disney tv show (from the past two decades 💀 lmao my question choices) Fav Disney channel original movie? Have you watched Lemonade Mouth? Do you watch Nickelodeon channel movies? Do you watch Nickelodeon tv shows? What’s your all-time fav Disney Prince? Who’s your all-time fav Disney animal? Who’s your all-time fav Disney villain? Who’s your all-time least fav Disney character? Do you believe in true love? Do you have any new year resolutions? Do you put to practice resolutions? What are things you’ve achieved that your most proud of? What’s your dream job? How have you been these days? Are you drinking enough water? Are you getting enough sleep?

Okay I’ll stop that there 💀

I remember following you because I saw one of you moodboards, not sure which one. I think it was a six of crows or an outerbanks one, and I saw more of your moodboards, and I was like, dang, I have to follow her. But then I did the ask game thingie and I was so happy we started talking 🥺❤️

I’m thinking about this game lol 😂

YOU’RE TO THE SWEETEST, KINDEST, AWESOMEST, MOST TALENTED, MOST AMAZING, MOST ANGELIC HOOMAN AND YOU DESERVE ONLY AND ONLY THE BEST!!!! 😤💖

Okay this one’s probably tough 😬 I want you to choose between HSM movie trilogy and HSMTMTS 😬 sawwy

How’s do I survive college? Coz I’m kinda trying to balance both studies and socials but it’s quite a bit tougher than I expected it to be…

Wait…a secret…um…I don’t even have any…lemme think…Jackie is my online name? Was that supposed to be a secret? Idk 😬

I associate you with any aesthetic that’s warm and comforting, anything Hufflepuff (as much as ik you’re Slytherin, if I’m correct?)

You’re one of my first ibfs and I love you so much and I’m sending you love and prayers and positivity and happiness and more love and more happiness and an invisible blanket of care 🥺💖

ahw you’re sweet!! I want to know so much about you as well <3 and same to the blanking haha, but bubs that are a lot of questions hajsksks (love it)

I like personal questions so dw, I’m not one for just talking about nothing, although I love that, for me personally it matters if you can talk about the deep stuff yk?

anyway I used to have two cats, they passed away sadly, my dad is allergic so we couldn’t get new ones but now we got two dogs :) one is called pip and the other yuki, they’re both just 3 years old ☺️ they’re from spain and we adopted them out of a not so healthy situation. I also got two turtles and we have a pond in the garden with lots of fish. when I was younger I gave them names based on disney characters haha

my best friend i’ve known for 5 years so not life long but still a couple of years. a few other people i’ve been friends with for 5 years. but after certain phases in my life i just ban the people i don’t have a honest connection with (not like ghost or ditch them, just in a natural way, I wouldn’t hurt them at least not on purpose). uhm lost some friends over the year, also my other best friend left me so that was a hard ‘break up’. but since like two years i’ve started to make new friends while being truly myself so :) and also online friends, one of my ibf i’ve also known for 5 years hihi. this story is all over the place sorry haha

relationship not really, always in the talking phase. I have been proposed to tho hahah, that was weird (just some guy on the internet I had been talking to for a few months, well more like he was talking and I was trying to show him I wasn’t interested, wow I sound like a bitch)

my mother language is dutch, I’m from the netherlands

wolfstar is canon in my opinion so definitely that one haha, also love hermione and ron and luna and neville (luna and ginny would also be iconic tho)

book recs; it ends with us, the song of achilles, daughter of the pirate king / siren queen, to kill a kingdom, the cursebreakers trilogy, riordanverse, grishaverse, potterverse, heartstopper, six crimson cranes, red white and royal blue and if you like poetry I recommend anything by nikita gill (lmk if you need authors, I’m lazy) UPDATE I JUST READ RHE LOVE HYPOTHESIS AND FHATS ALSO A REC I LOVE IT SHAJJSJSJSKS

BUBS HOW DO I DESERVE YOU

bitch (in a loving voice) I can’t choose, I can’t even decide what to eat or in what room I’m gonna study, how am I gonna choose between songs.

I’m not a big love song listener tbh, but I guess these songs since this is my ‘wedding’ playlist haha (haven’t updated it in a while but yea)

currently i’m just obsessed with abcdef (angrier), but like I never search for love or break up songs, it’s more like when I hear one and I like it so tbh i have no clue, but amnesia by five seconds of summer is my go to I think

anything by one direction is perfect for road trips tbh

for road trips i just like songs we can all sing along to so basically just some throwback songs and stuff like that. it also depends who i’m in the car with what I listen to. bon jovi is also perfect for driving

karaoke? anything disney or k3 (dutch girl group)

nope I can choose a go to song, sorry haha

yess I curse, quite a bit hah, I try to not do it when I don’t know if others are comfortable with it. but when I know they don’t care I curse a lot, especially irl

fav hsm??!!! that’s so hard!!!!! tbh it changes all the time but i’m just gonna go with the first one, but i love all of them. the other question I liked rhe first season of the series but didn’t really connect with the second one (maybe i just wasn’t in the right mood or concentration) so I definetly choose rhe movies over the series (sorry)

I wasn’t allowed to watch disney channel and nickelodeon from my parents so don’t really know the answers to those questions sorry hah

disney’s prince uhm i liked eric (but maybe i’m just the little mermaid obsessed) also aladdin (ig he is a prince now?) and flynn is just iconic uhm these are the once that pop in my head but maybe i’m kissing a really important one so yea

princess; ariel, also pocahontas and belle

villain; uhm well the songs are all so iconic, especially friends on the other side and scar also is a diva. they’re not my fav tho but idk who is. maybe ursula? (do you see a theme here?)

animal; ALL OF THEM, idk if you’ve noticed since we don’t know each other that long yet but animals are all I need to be happy. if I have to choose I love meeko, also mushu ofc uhm the one from encanto in the circle with bruno was also iconic hahah but this would get really long if i name all the once i love. so idk if these are my favs but they pop in my head (also the once from princess and the frog? they have a soft space in my heart, so have the ones from oliver and company)

least favourite? uhm that’s a hard one, so i really hated cruella, she is rhe only one i didn’t think deserved a redemption arc (again animals) even though she is iconic and i wanted to dress as her for halloween, BUT the new one with emma stone? amazing so yea idk

this is going so well with the ‘idk’ hahah

true love? i change my mind every day but I think I do actually. not sure if everyone experiences it but i do think it exists

the resolutions are always hard bc lose weight is always on there and I know it isn’t really a good resolution to have (expect if it’s bc of health ofc). I’ve also had really toxic resolutions like stop being who you are and change to what people want you to be and stop whining and stuff (i struggle with mental health if you couldn’t tell haha) so yea i’m not really rhe right example for nee years resolutions. I try to stick to them but yea doesn’t last long

things I’ve achieved, I think making friends while actually being myself

I want my own bookstore/cafe. so it will be a bookstore but people can also read there or study with a drink and some cute foods (mostly bakery style, but healthy and guilty pleasures stuff, idk how to explain haha. just so everyone has something, including all kinds of allergies or decisions) also want to give people who weren’t able to (finish or start) their education bc of health or money or just inequality or something a chance to work there. that plus building out and being able to have students show their art and maybe sell it or like a piano that anyone can play on ( like on a station) am I making sense? in my head it’s very detailed and probably unrealistic but if we’re talking about dream job this is it. i’ll also have cats and they will walk around the shop as well but there will be an area where they can’t come for people who are scared or allergic

drinking enough water? I think so, sleeping enough? so fun fact i suffer from night terrors/nightmares disorder so we’re trying out different stuff to help the disorder, so now i have to cut hours off sleep, also have used medication and all kinds of stuff

how i’ve been, uhm life’s hard but i’m managing I think :)

six of crows is wonderful, have you read the books or watched shadow and bone? also you like outer banks? AND THANK YOUUUU SKSJSJS 🥺

same here lovely, same here mwah

SO DO YOU, HOW ARE YOU SO KIND IM- 💗💕

the movies, hope that doesn’t upset you haha, i think i also said that while answering the questions

surviving school is just hard ngl. I think it’s important to set times for yourself. like for example studying for 3 hours and then doing something you’ll enjoy. it also depends on the time you study best, like morning afternoon or evening. bc in the times that you’re least productive you could hang out with friends or something or agree on a day of the week to do social stuff (other days can still do, but then you have at least one day or evening or something for social life) and if you’re really busy you can just cancel a week but try to do this as less as possible. apart from that I think it’s important to not be too hard on yourself and not to overwork, you score better when you don’t work too hard. just be kind to yourself, when you pas you pass and that is enough don’t need to get the maximum score. so yea hope that helps. maybe make a planning or a list as well, that can help

oeh now i’m curious for your real name haha, but jackie is cute!! yes lulu is a nickname but it’s similar to my real name.

haha yea I get that a lot, that people think/feel like i’m hufflepuff. I’m gryfferin actually, pottermore gives me both slytherin and gryffindor :) but thank you!! hufflepuff is a huge compliment <3

ahwww I love you too 🥺 I’m really glad we started talking and I enjoy it sm. sending so many cuddles and kisses to you x

YOURE WONDERFUL, LITERAL ANGEL 💜💜

[writer-and-artist27]

Miyako-bachan

The theme for this thing is Egao to Kimi ni, or, when translated, “To the Smiling You,” by Suzuko Mimori. The original version for Washio Sumi is A Hero or the shorter piano version done by YouTuber Hiumann works just fine. Because it’s such a nice song, and I couldn’t resist. -///- Even with the Yuki Yuna franchise being flawed like all heck with the ableism present in its magical girl system, the music and voice acting is still great.

Anywho.

The other song I’m going to mention here is actually My Neighbor Totoro’s Path of the Wind by Joe Hisashi, since Lang and Os both apparently see it as Tomoko’s theme. I’m surprised I totally missed that, but it works with all the classical orchestra cues! Hehe. ^_^

Copyright stuff. I don’t own anyone except Tomoko. Kei and Miyako belongs to @langwrites​ and Otoha to @owlsofstarlight​.

And to Os? This is my first time writing nonverbal cues and the like for Otoha, so feel free to correct me on anything.

Canonically takes place after How to Kill a Slimy Snake Man.

“To-To, you feeling better?”

Kuroha-san again. I was lucky. I really was. I wanted to hug them so much, if not for the fact that we had just finished what could be the biggest Group Hug out of all Group Hugs, and it was all out of thoughts of killing a Resident Snake.

What had the world come to. What had it come to, indeed.

Leo and Josh would probably be proud. I think.

Hisako simply shrugged when I leveled a questioning mental stare in her direction. Ninja world isn’t the best world, dear. Just take what you can get.

…Fair enough.

I wiped at my eyes as much as I could, trying not to sniffle. Crying for the entire day was not on my agenda. “Y-Yeah, better. A bit shaken, but better. You?”

A soft and reassuring dinosaur roar was my answer.

A giggle left my lips. How cute. At this point, I couldn’t think of a time where I would get tired of hearing replies like that. It was better than the ninja silence, so woo! “Of course, Osie. Of course.”

I didn’t have to look up to know Otoha was beaming and Kei was smirking. “‘Osie,’ huh?” Kei said softly, the smirk already seeping into her voice. “That was fast. Though, Tomo?”

“Hm?”

“Don’t you think you’re forgetting something?”

I wiped at my face a bit more with my hands to get rid of any remaining tear trails before trying to keep a level frown in Kei’s direction, because the warm fuzzies had already gone somewhere. “Forgetting what? We just talked about our latest Conspiracy Plot of killing a Creepy Slimy Snake Man, Kei, what else is there for us to do?”

“It’s not really something for us, but more you, Tomo,” Kei said with a small shrug of her shoulders, pointing at the hanging clock behind her with a thumb. “The Snake Man was way too distracting.”

“Um,” I said instead to fill in the silence, and over Otoha’s confused mumbling, I glanced at the clock. The seconds-hand was moving as usual, so what was the problem—

Wait.

Hisako nearly fell out of her chair and onto the library floor. You have training today, don’t you, Tomoko-chan? And it’s…

“It’s…after…1…in the afternoon…” was the slow response leaving my lips, and the hot coals were already flooding my face as butterflies started emerging from unseen chrysali in my stomach. “OH GOD!”

MIYAKO’S GOING TO KILL US!

It didn’t take long for the adrenaline to start coming in, and wearing a skirt was definitely not in this afternoon’s schedule. My cheeks were burning, but I needed to change, like now. Combat skirts were not a thing in Narutoverse, and I was not going to start making it a thing! Even if it was tempting! Mama would kill me first, all for ruining good clothes. “K-Kei, why didn’t you say it sooner?!”

Her only response was a quiet and perplexed, “I meant to say it earlier?” Emphasized with a raised pointer finger.

“THAT DOESN’T HELP!”

“T-To-To?” Otoha yelped. I couldn’t blame them for the reaction, since I ended up jumping to my feet before running over to my closet, narrowly avoiding accidentally kicking them. It took all I had to not slam the door open, instead putting in the least amount of force my emotions could allow while glancing over every single drawer and hanger I had in the area, because skirts could not become a thing in kenjutsu practice. Practice that I forgot about entirely. Frig.   

Aaaand without even being a sensor or looking behind me, my gut already knew that Kuroha-san was totally caught off guard. Aaaaaah, I needed to be better about this shit. Scheduling and sleeping late was one thing for Vy, a new life should’ve meant improvement! But nooooo, emotions had to be something else. Gosh darn it.

I probably could have worded it nicer, but what left my mouth instead was a rushed, “Oh gosh, I’m so sorry, Kuroha-san, think you could look away with Kei while I change? I need to run over to meet Miyako-bachan for afternoon training with Hayate, and I still can’t believe I’m the doofus who got too emotional over an overpowered, useless snake and totally forgot about it in all that shit!” Because my closet was big and I still needed to find a good pair of sweatpants. I couldn’t even help letting out the loud and pitiful, “Baaaaah!”

Otoha’s only response was a yelp caught between a squeak and another dinosaur roar.

“And that’s why I meant to say it sooner if not for the Orochimaru issue…” Kei trailed off. Probably because I unintentionally let out a loud and mortified hiss. Cat-like, too. Aaaaah. Closet, closet, give me glass slippers and then I’d be off, so cooperate!

Tomoko-chan, breathe. Remember to breathe. Cinderella references aren’t going to help you calm down.

Aren’t you terrified too, Hisako? This is Miyako-bachan we’re talking about!

Who, last I checked, has never seen you late until now. And it’s only been… Hisako raised her left hand to count off fingers. Well, an hour, so it shouldn’t be too bad! First time’s for everything!

Welp.

Sure, the advice was nice, but bleh. The smile she was giving me didn’t help anything. It only made the butterflies in my stomach mutate into loud and angry vultures, hungry for my anxious entrails. I was lucky that Miyako-bachan wasn’t as hard on me like some other people, but still. Anxiety did not help anything.

Um, Hisako, it’s still an hour. And it’s MIYAKO-BACHAN.

…Point. Hope she won’t be angry?

In my haste, I ended up grabbing the nearest pair of pants I could find, being baggy blue shorts before pausing. Oooookay, this specific pair wasn’t in my best interest, considering the flecks of dirt covering the pockets from my last Gai-related training session, and considering my nearby…full laundry basket, um. So…

My gaze fell down to my bottom half, my hand tugging at the hem of my shirt. “Er, Kei? Silly question, but is Miyako-bachan okay with skirts? Because I forgot to do laundry.”

There was a pause as a hand made hard contact with a forehead behind me. It was obvious who it was. “Tomo, we have training gi. You could just go as you are right now.” She paused before adding, “Or I could just piggyback you back home?”

Uh. That was nice, but the stomach butterflies could beg to differ. Heavily. I did my best to swivel my head back to meet her questioning stare without rolling my eyes. “If not for the fact that I worry about throwing up over your shoulder, sure! Anyone have a magic cure for motion sickness?”

There was a soft crow caw as a response as a hand flapped in the air. Of course it was Otoha. “To-To, no. That’s not how chronic sickness works.”

“My point exactly, Kuroha-san. My point exactly.” I smoothed out my blouse, dusted off the back of my skirt, and glanced over my closet again before grabbing the nearest pair of clean exercise socks. Why, oh why, did I forget to do laundry today? Oh right. Snake man. Sucked ass. “Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate you two very much,” Kei and Otoha glanced at each other and shared a chuckle at that, “but I don’t want to get bile on you two! I set myself up for this, so I have to reap my mistake! Even if it means facing Miyako-bachan’s wrath!”

Maybe the fist pump was a bit much. Still, it was a good way of getting myself in the spirits to face the future, and once I grabbed a spare hair band for exercise, it was turning back and fully facing them. My best friends. There was one thing left. “So, uh. Well, you two can still follow me?”

Kei grinned widely before getting up from her seat cushion. “I still have to head back and look after Hayate, so that’s a given, Tomo.”

On the other hand, Kuroha-san blinked before letting out what sounded like a combo of her usual happy dinosaur trill and something more nervous. Huh? “I’m coming too!” The remark was said rather loudly too, so I couldn’t help but jump.

…What just happened? Hisako filled in for me.

Kei gave Otoha a confused glance. “Os? You okay?”

“Um. Yeah. Just fine!” Otoha gave us both a thumbs-up when it became obvious we were staring in her direction. It seemed alright, but Hisako’s quirked eyebrow was more than enough to express my concern. After the snake man, I had more than enough of an excuse to be fussy.

Staaaaaare.

“Uh.” Otoha waved their hands in the air vigorously, shaking their head all the while. “To-To, Kei-Kei, really, I’m fine. Promise!”

I closed my eyes, doing my best to not clench my jaw. Teasing and prodding wouldn’t get us anywhere, and the clock was ticking. Way too ominously. Gosh darn it. Miyako-bachan wouldn’t let me hear the end of it at this rate. “Well, the tables are turned now. But time is precious. Talk later, run now?”

Otoha nodded just as Kei snapped her fingers. “Yep. Still up for a piggyback, Tomo?”

Um. The answer was obvious. “Please, Kei. No.”

“It was an idea.”

“Again, no. Let me handle your mom’s anger, please?”

“You sure about this, Tomo?”

My hand was already resting on the doorknob when the question was posed. I took in a breath to steady myself. Running had become easier, considering I wasn’t sweating this time, buuuuuut. “...50% sure.”

Behind my right shoulder, Otoha interrupted with a quiet and vibrating, “Why 50%, To-To?”

Because she’s Izumi Curtis in a yukata and longer hair?

Instead of saying that, I blurted out a high-pitched squeak of, “Because Kei’s mom is a badass swordswoman and a wonderful teacher, but she’s still scary?”

Kei’s stare was already starting to burn holes into the back of my head. I couldn’t tell if it was worry or suspicion or both, considering how her stare was still unreadable sometimes. It almost felt like I could burst into flames alone from her stare. Aaaaah. “Tomo, I can handle Mom for you. You don’t have to worry.”

Sweet idea…buuuut.  

I turned back to shake my head, feeling the familiar heat flood my cheeks, this time of shame. “Kei, I’m an hour late. Even if I had emotional issues,” she gave me a raised eyebrow at this, but I continued, “that doesn’t change the fact that I’m late by more than an hour!” It took almost everything I had to not pace back and forth and keep my grip on the door handle. “I promised Miyako-bachan, and I missed it. I-I’m a bit scared, but I have to deal with it.”

Otoha and Kei’s stares in my head, from what I could see past my bangs anyways, spoke volumes of their disbelief. “To-To…” Another soft dinosaur trill graced my ears as soon as a hand reached over to squeeze my free left one, and I turned my head to meet Kuroha-san’s brown eyes. “It’s okay. Kei-Kei wouldn’t lie. We got your back.”

“Besides, Tomo,” Kei said softly, poking the back of my head with a finger, “Mom’s been fond of you for years. I don’t think she’s going to explode on you.”

“…I hope?”

Another poke to my head. Aaah. Kei was giving that same unimpressed look again. She wasn’t buying it. “Tomo. Just relax.”

I gulped, nodded, and turned back to the door. It didn’t take much to open it, but once the visage of a lavender yukata registered in the new space, I was already freezing.

She was standing right behind the door.

“Hello, Tomoko-chan,” Miyako-bachan said coolly, hands hidden away in her yukata sleeves. From what I could see of her face, she was completely stoic, giving away nothing as her gaze was level with mine. “I see Kei-chan is with you.”

Tomoko-chan, breathe. Breathe.

Of course my Nobody would notice that my lungs stopped taking in air first.

“Um,” I said instead, because a lump had surfaced in my throat and I could vaguely make out some shocked noises behind me that I knew wasn’t from Kei. Panic was already bubbling up in my gut like a volcano. Aaaaaaah. What was I supposed to say in the face of that? My mouth moved without thinking as I ducked my head.“Yeah. Um, Miyako-bachan, I’m sorry. I’m so, so, so sorry! I met up with Kei and another friend—”

“Tomoko-chan.”

“We were talking for a long while, andIkindagottooemotionalandlosttrackoftime, soI’msosososorry—”

“Tomoko-chan.” A hand landed on top of my head, stopping the ramble right in its tracks. I tried not to flinch, closing my mouth in time to look up. Miyako-bachan only smiled serenely. “I am not angry.”

“…Oh?” was the rather intelligent answer from me.

“Surprised, but not angry,” she added in the same quiet voice, brushing a stray strand of hair back before glancing past me. “From the situation, I am assuming you and Kei-chan have made a new friend in your unexpected absence?”

“Yep!” Kei answered for me, rather proudly too. She had wrapped an arm around the now apparently frozen Otoha in the time it took for me to ramble like a dolt. “This is Kuroki Otoha, Mom! Our friend, fellow ninja and bookworm. Otoha, Mom. Mom, Otoha!”

“A-Also known as Kuroha-san?” I added sheepishly. “To me, anyways…” My voice cracked again.

If Miyako-bachan was surprised, she didn’t give off the impression of it. Instead, she lifted her hand from my head to smile broadly in Otoha’s direction. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Otoha-kun. Would you like to come in?”

“A-Ah,” Kuroha-san said simply, jaw clenched before putting up what looked like a crooked smile and a shaky wave of her hand as acknowledgement. The vibrating nod was hard to miss, and from the looks of it, it seemed like Otoha had lost all sense of words. Her mouth was on the edge of saying something affirmative, but with the wind behind us, nothing came out of it.

I glanced at Kei in question, but she only shrugged and squeezed Kuroha-san’s shoulders all the while, almost as if to steady her. Kuroha-san was still staring in Miyako-bachan’s direction with wide eyes and that clenched jaw.

Meanwhile, Miyako-bachan glanced between the three of us with that same smile. She wasn’t fazed, I’m guessing? “How about the three of you come in? I can prepare tea and some snacks.” She turned back around with a dainty step into the Gekkō household, and paused. “Tomoko-chan, be sure to talk to Wataru about training gi, alright? We will start as soon as you are ready.”

Hisako let out a small sigh. Of course. …Yep, knew she wasn’t going to let us out of this.

I still couldn’t stop myself from smiling because Miyako-bachan wasn’t angry. Thank the gods. Or Buddha. Or whoever. Because good luck was good luck. “O-Okay!” Maybe it was the stress. Or the fading heat of my cheeks. Still. I don’t even know where the name came from before it was already coming out of my mouth. “Thank you, Miyako-shishō!”

I could already feel Kei and Otoha’s surprised stares boring into my back. Aaaaaah, what the fuck did I just say. Sure, Miyako-bachan was pretty, awesome, and really well-off for a woman in Konoha, and I just respect her, okay?! Aaaaah.

Miyako-bachan visibly paused her walking pace back in the house. “Shishō?” Without wasting a single second, she turned her head to face me again, long black ponytail brushing her neck all the while, a smaller smile on her face. “Tomoko-chan, you don’t have to call me shishō.”

Oh gosh. “B-But you teach me a lot of things, Miyako-bachan, so you’re shishō to me too!”

Miyako-bachan’s smile broadened. “Oh, Tomoko-chan, come in and take off your sandals already. You will catch a cold if you stand out in the wind all day.”

More embarrassed heat. Aaaaah. I was so cheesy. My feet were already sweating. “Okay! I-I’m coming!”

Kei simply chuckled softly behind me. Otoha was still silent.

“Strike-one! Block! Backstep! Tomoko-chan, you are faltering! Keep a steady breath!”

“Hah! Hah!” The snap of a shinai in the air. “R-Roger that, Miyako-shishō!”

“Block again!”

“Hah!”

“Backstep! Backstep! Backstep! Strike-two! I did not hear a snap of the shinai, Tomoko-chan! Swing harder!”

“H-Hai, Miyako-shishō!”

“You can do it, Tomo-nee!”

Otoha was still staring out towards Miyako with wide eyes as Kei drank some of her green tea. Tomo was doing fine based on chakra alone, even with her iffy endurance, so it was time to focus on the other person in the vicinity. Miyako could take care of Hayate. “Something the matter, Otoha?”

The enby startled before turning to her with a sheepish smile. She waved her hand in the air as discreetly as she could, shaking her head to the previous question. “Okay. Just really really really happy, Lang-Lang,” was the mouthed response, and Kei nodded. It was a nonverbal moment. Alright. “You have—” Otoha paused at this, glancing back at the training session still going on between Miyako and Tomoko for a moment.

A moment of silence, aside from the snapping of shinai, Hayate’s cheering, and Miyako’s barked instructions, passed between the two.

“Os?” Kei whispered.

Otoha turned back to her with a big, shaky grin, vibrating in place on her seat cushion. “You have a really awesome mom, Kei-Kei.”

Kei grinned back. “Mom is awesome. I’m glad you like her.”

Otoha nodded vigorously, opening her mouth again. “I-I wanna cry, just a bit,” they mouthed. “Could I come here more often?”

“No one is saying no, Otoha,” Kei replies, the grin already making her cheeks hurt from how big it was on her face. “It’s always nice to have company.”

Otoha’s shoulders tensed just as her smile broadened, nodding hard again. “Th-Thank you, Lang-Lang,” was the silent, mouthed reply. Accentuated with another wave of a hand in the air. “Thank you.”

“No problem, Otoha,” Kei turned back to the training session with that same smile, holding back a snicker at the latest event going on. “No problem.”

“Tomoko-chan, your stance is too loose! Tighten your muscles!”

“H-Hai, Miyako-shishō!”

“Strike again!”

“HAH!”

Even with the hard swipe of Tomoko’s shinai in the air, Kei didn’t miss the small and happy dinosaur trill nearby. It was peaceful. Just as it should be.  

[tokupedia]

Linkara’s Kamen Rider Fourze review

@atopfourthwall

REVIEW KITAAAAAAAAAAAA!

Hello, Channel Awesome fans! I am one of the many western representatives of this little fandom Mr. Lovhaug is about to encounter in the comments section of the video you see before you.

Now the first thought that some annoyed fans of his unfamiliar with KR might ask is…”Why this? This isn’t a comic!”

Ah, but a comic book creator is responsible for its inception, or in this case a manga creator: Shotaro Ishinomori. He was known for creating a lot of superheroes in Japan among other things. Plus, Kamen Rider has been adapted into superhero manga stories like Kamen Rider Spirits or Futo Detectives and its original incarnation’s main character was a manga drawing concept first before becoming a TV star.

And for those disappointed that Secret Origins Month was cut short, well this counts as an origin of a super hero, just one you are not familiar with. So ..you get three origins to heroes this year instead of four *shrugs* Plus, Lewis deserves a break and a honeymoon after all that non-stop work. :)

0:33-0:34: “Known for having an insect-like look” Hmm… fair enough. The core trait of a Kamen Rider is that they have detailed and round compounded eyes on the mask. (most of the time, some play with that aesthetic or drop it altogether). The original 15 Riders were themed after different insects and this bug theme carried over on and off again until Double. (OOO briefly brought it back with the Gatakiriba Combo). The producers, costume designers and staff also decided to play around with various costume themes aside from bugs like Oni, Japanese folklore with trains, a Vampire with a stylized pumpkin head, chimeras, wizards, video game genres ..and cars. This season’s hero as of late 2017, is organic things like animals fused with inorganic objects! (A Hawk mixed with a Gatling gun for example).

If one were to ask me personally about what the draw is, it is the slightly heavier focus on characters than fluff and a balancing stance on being as over the top and crazy as possible or having dramatic and quiet moments that invest you in what is going on….also crazy-awesome weapons and karate cyborgs and/or men in belt activated power suits who can stop/destroy evil by kicking and punching them really hard!  And bikes! Cannot forget the cool motorbikes!

Fun fact, the original Kamen Rider’s actor also played Segata Sanshiro!

0:57-1:02: “Patreon sponsors will get a KR: Dragon Knight review if they donate enough $$” Given the pattern I’ve seen so far based on this and the preceding Gokaiger review, odds are you are more likely to encounter/collide into a request for either another toku series from 2011-2012-2013 or an anniversary event of media like Gokaiger vs. Gavan or Ultraman Mebius. Am I the only one noticing that he has done anniversary seasons of different franchises and both are from 2011?

1:03-1:25 GAH! MASKED RIDER! *DEMONIC HISS* Yeah, some KR fans can agree this was a horrible mistake as Saban tried too hard to force Kamen Rider into a Power Rangers mold…which doesn’t work because there are tropes and elements that separate the two that cannot be removed to fit that format. Also the fact that KR was absent from TV for most of the ‘90s aside from clipshow specials and a 12 minute crossover with Ultraman in one said special. Using clips from the darker Shin Kamen Rider movie and the two movies directed by Keita Amemiya was just a hodgepodge mess when blended with Black RX.

1:26-1:28: Ah, Dragon Knight! A good series adaptation screwed over by 4Kids execs for those wondering why it was cancelled despite winning an Emmy.

1:43-1:53: Even Linkara dislikes Ferbus, the Jar-Jar of our fandom.

1:55-2:36: Four-Zay. It has to do with Japanese pronunciation of the “e” sound. Don’t feel bad about the complaints though, we are getting drama right now here about the correct pronunciation of the current secondary hero Kamen Rider Cross-Z. It is just one of the pitfalls of being fans or observers.

The reason for the space theme was to celebrate the 50th anniversary of man’s first flight into space, hence the astronaut motif of Fourze’s costume!

4:10-17: It’s a Space Station. Though it would be easier to identify as such if Sir Alec Guinness was present. 

4:35-37: It is a kind of male cowlick pompadour, he is reflecting the style of a high school Yanki in popular Japanese fiction. But, unlike them, he isn’t a jerk. Also, I really like saying pompadour. Pompadour, pompadour! Pooom-paa-douuur!

4:50-58: “Better to be an idiot than a tool” I want that phrase on an arts and craftsy bathroom sign that you get at a flea market to hang on my wall.

4:59-5:30: I can accept you not liking the visuals and critiquing the opening but sorta liking it, that’s fine. But... this is our jam, so let’s crank it! Ladies and gents of the uninitiated to Kamen Rider, for your possible audio pleasure I give you...SWITCH ON! by Anna Tsuchiya! Woooooooo!

5:36-42: Don’t tempt fate man. Toei is a vicious beast when it comes to Kamen Rider related materials on the interwebs, ask Des or anyone in the toku community. Also since you mentioned the complaints about subbing: *Queen music* Another one gripes the subs, another one gripes the subs, and another logs on and another logs on. Another one gripes the subs! Hey, he’s trying to do a review, but another one gripes the subs!

... Sorry.  Also, fans, be thankful he took time out of his busy (and now married) life to even do this. He could have ignored the request to do a Rider series and gave you nothing...just sayin’.

5:43-50: heheheh....Setup.

6:19-29: aaaand pay off of a man surprised by a burger toy being in a show when he was only being sarcastic about one being there. This burger thing actually has some possible explanation behind it. See Kamen Rider had changed TV sponsors in the start of the 2010s. One of those new sponsors? The American fast food giant, McDonald’s. Yeah, as part of a deal with the toy company Bandai and TV Asahi, the mighty Golden Arches could sell Happy Meal Toys (or Happy Set toys as they are known in Japan) of Kamen Rider characters and promote Bandai’s Ganbaride and later Ganbarizing arcade game by handing out special collectible trading cards in the kids meal. The Foodroids, as the assorted mini bots are called, are all coincidentally based on McDonald’s food products like McNuggets, burgers, a milkshake, french fires and the Japan exclusive McHotDog Classic. Still, not as cool as the McMegazord or a Mr. T Holographic Trading Card.

6:45-48: “Always follow the nice one talking about friendship and stuff, that person will become an all powerful god or something.” Wait....is that a Madoka reference? Hehehehe...should I tell him?

7:16-22: Well, the idea is that Gen wants to be a good friend to everyone by reaching out to people and trying to help them, even if they won’t admit that they have problems. He’s just that nice of a guy. And...it works. There is an excellent article that the now defunct Comics Alliance did a while back on Fourze that explains it better.

7:41-55: Amanogawa High School (shortened to AGHS by some fans) is a Japanese education structured school but has an American high school aesthetic, especially with social cliques and the environment reflecting one. 

(Minus the budget cuts and selfish parents and politicians refusing to pay more taxes to further improve learning and engage in creative activities, increase a teacher’s pay or failing to maintain the building and spending all the special education and tutoring money on a new football stadium)

8:01-05: That is the power of Koichi Sakamoto at work. Yes, THAT Koichi Sakamoto.

8:28-30: Powder-izer? Sounds like an Avon product, what is this... Powder-izer you speak of, stranger of our ways? I kid, I kid. I know that one’s going in the New year’s bloopers. Go easy on him folks, to err is human.

9:10-13: Yuki is useful at times and is a good friend, it depends on who’s writing the episodes how the characters act. Sometimes a Rider series can have up to four writers working on it, hence why some shows suffer in quality while others are more consistent.

9:53-10:00: “It’s a Bomb!” Ha!

10:24-26 Saw that coming a mile away...and still a good reference joke.

10:27-30: Fourze’s suit design is loosely based on another creation done by Shotaro Ishinomori, Skyzel from the Space Ironmen Kyodyne show of the mid 1970s. Fans of Lucky Star already know of that series thanks to the humorous karaoke of Konata singing the opening theme song. It took a bit of getting used to when fans first saw the suit, but most of us grew to love it!

13:07-17: That is Tomoko Nozama, a precious little cinnamon roll who is a geeky goth that is into the occult and urban legends. She will be an important thing later, but that comes past the point where he stops.

13:28-47: No surprise, this show is about the younger Millennials and the Japanese writers actually do research on subjects beforehand in some cases. Unlike the luddite schlock kings of tinseltown, who think com-pew-tors are magic boxes or write them as such thinking the audience is stupid.

14:05-08: *Driver.

14:24-30: Well, if that didn’t shock you, I know a scene in a little show called ToQger that will make you yearn for the days of seeing a bike go into space. Or a Shinkenger V-Cinema or even...Amazons.

14:40-46: Ah, legacy. The original plan for this series was that the kids would investigate the Kamen Riders and their legends and gain the powers of past Riders in switch form...which was turned down by execs due to Decade doing something like that a few years back. The idea in some ways was salvaged in expanded non-canon materials, Legend Rider toys and the Ganbaride game. Since Linkara went a bit fast on that shot, the Riders you see before you in the footage are Kamen Rider 1 (the first Rider if the number didn’t give that away), Super-1 (Rider #9 from 1980 and also astronaut themed like Fourze, only mixed with a hornet), Black RX (Evolved form of Kamen Rider Black from the late ‘80s) and Kuuga (first Kamen Rider of the new millennium) and a scanned newspaper photo clipping of Futo Tower’s destruction by the evil Kamen Rider Eternal from the Kamen Rider Double summer movie. (great film, check it out after you watch a bit of Double!)

14:50-53: Behold, the most Redbubbliest logo in our fandom!

16:40-44: *spits drink and laughs* Does....does he know what KR Ghost is? Even if he doesn’t, that is too surreal, given Ghost’s poor reception among some fans after a certain point punctuating the joke.

16:50-56: Well, Japanese Superheroes don’t really always go for the secret identity thing. It is admirable that they are willing to risk their own privacy and lives just to save someone. They don’t do the dumb thing some comic book heroes do where they have to choose between their secrecy or saving a life, they just suit up and go right to it! Plus, with such a large community of heroes with them or the confidence they can defeat their foes, risk of death is minimal in most cases unless a “defeat flag” is triggered.

18:30-34: Miu grows as a character, she does become a little nicer and realizes the value of true friends later.

19:05-08: Shun is a jerk at first, but there is a good reason for that involving his life at home.

Yeah, the fourth episode is a bit weak.

Happy you like Gentaro!

21:40-22:04: Well, it depends on the suit and Mr. Seiji Takaiwa’s direction by the film crew. Some fights are fastpaced, some slowly build and others fizzle out with a beatdown or curbstomp. I’d argue that it is more Gentaro being new to fighting in-suit as he later learns things like kick boxing, gets better at using his Astroswitches and mixing his fighting style with the use of his jetpack. Koichi Sakamoto did a good job on the out of suit fight action and the battles got more intense in the movies due to a higher budget.

All in all, a fun time for everyone! Now I did see the comments of those who were curious about where to start with Kamen Rider and I’ll answer with the usuals that most recommend: Black, Amazon, Kuuga, Den-O, Double, the original 1971 show, OOO, Ex-Aid, Drive and Gaim. 

Before leaving this post, I have something to personally say to Mr. Lovhaug and the KR fandom will agree this is a good choice…

That quote from Mr. Belt is useful when somebody ties the knot!

Count up your sins and make amends. Believe in hope and your friends. Let the desires of a bright tomorrow, overcome every sorrow, and may you love each other ‘til Diend!

May your love for Viga always be in top gear and your lives together burn bright!

The Kamen Rider Fans of the USA, UK, etc.

Thank you for your time Lewis and giving our heroes a moment in the spotlight! We are grateful! 

A. Fox

[lucifersus]

I forgotten who post this 'All Love Is Unrequited' trope but I am curious as to what are your thoughts on it; Shun Loves Hajime, Hajime loves Haru, Haru loves Kai, and Kai loves Shun. (PS love your theories)

I did hear something like all love is unrequited because different people love in different ways…..but I don’t think it was the ‘All Love is Unrequited’ trope lol.I think it’d be quite sad? The current situation with one-sided KaiShun is sad enough lol. A potential love triangle is enough conflict, all love is unrequited would be really chaos. There’s no resolution, so I don’t see a point. Unless it’s for the angst effect in a fic or something. 

From my theories though, I think it’s more like Shun loves Hajime, Haru loves Hajime, and Kai loves Shun. And Hajime who the hell knows who he loves…I mean I assume you’re asking in accordance with canon and my theories? So I think from what I’ve analyzed at least it’s not quite accurate. Hajime, while not loving Shun back (for now) also doesn’t seem to show any romantic interest in anyone either. The most he did was agree Yuki looked good in her T-shirt, but Haru had to prompt him on that, and Yuki and Hajime are distant relatives anyway (even if she was Penelope to Odysseus). Yuki said it was embarrassing but Hajime was just his usual dense self.

So HajimeHaru…I can see HaruHajime with Haru’s songs and how he seems to have a one-sided rivalry towards Hajime and how he seems to care more about their friendship (or express more care) than Hajime does but HajimeHaru (romantically) is quite hard to see. I mean Hajime has a habit of iron clawing Haru lol and as I quoted in that analysis on why Shun loves Hajime and why Hajime doesn’t return his love (yet), Hajime is kind of merciless to Haru. Well that was when they first started but overall, even though he’s learned to relax and trust others (thanks to Shun by the way) Hajime is still very much a man that’s focused on himself. 

If he can’t see that Shun’s love for him is romantic despite like Shun expressing his love openly, calling him his beloved (no matter how you see this, it’s romantic especially when Shun says it to his freaking face), and basically being faithful in his love for years (to get an idea of that, Tsukiani is a depiction of them in 2013. Now there’s Tsukipro in 2017 and thank god Hajime finally seems to be warming up to Shun even if it was only one scene) I don’t think Hajime even knows what romance is. 

Sure, Shun is another guy, but Shun expresses his love to the extent that he uses the word ‘ai’ which Japanese people almost never do, they prefer suki because they believe feelings shouldn’t be expressed so openly (if you watch romance anime, confessions are always like ‘suki da’ or ‘suki dayo’) And Shun throws the word ‘ai’ around with Hajime like he doesn’t care what other people think, even calling Hajime his beloved.

I mean what more does Hajime need Shun even said ‘If it’s what you wish, I’ll do anything to grant that wish.’ ‘Whether you change or not, you’re amazing either way.’ ‘Even if there is someone out there who does and says the exact same things as you do, my heart won’t be moved even the slightest.’ Basically saying he loves Hajime for who he is, and he loves, and will love only Hajime.

Like?? Hajime??? Don’t you find it suspicious?? That another man cares so much about you even though you’re not a girl?? Aren’t you supposed to be smart? Don’t you find it odd?? He even took you on a date? Hajimeee??

…I think Hajime needs to go read some shojo manga borrow manga from Koi or something and get an idea of what is romantic and what is not.

So yes Hajime has one of the most romantic guys (those words man) spouting love confessions anytime he can in public or private he doesn’t give a damn. If he can’t see he’s being loved romantically his head must be buried in sand.

So yeah if Hajime can’t recognize romantic love even if it’s staring him in the face with loving green eyes and hugging him happily and smiling like Hajime is the whole world and even declaring they want to marry him on a national radio broadcast to like 120 million people (I am sure Gravi and Hajime listened to Procella’s radio broadcast since they’re friendly rivals after all) going against the script of the radio show, I doubt he could even have romantic love for anyone right now, no matter if it’s Shun, Haru, Kai or Yuki. (Well I’m hoping he has romantic love for Shun but doesn’t realize because he doesn’t know what it feels like and doesn’t know romance which is why he goes all tsundere yes) 

(But then again that fond, loving look to Shun in tsukipro anime aaaahh Hajime you better damn well have woken up after freaking years)

So unrequited HajiHaru is kinda out for me. Hajime has a comfortable relationship with Haru. I think for a man, a King so unaccustomed to feelings and needing or even wanting people, if he fell in love with someone and realized it, he wouldn’t be able to be comfortable around them because it’s something he’s never dealt with. It shows in his conversation with Haru in the recent analysis I did, well I’ll just quote this here again.

Haru: Our home is the same, our school is the same, work too. In the end, when we wake up each day we’ll mainly spend time with each other.

Hajime: What you’re saying makes me feel sick

Haru: Ha ha ha, you don’t need to have that obviously resentful expression. Anyway, the first time that we came back, it came up that even though I like being with others, with the distance with you that’s suddenly become closer, I still can’t understand it. That’s why it’s unusual, I want to know what Hajime’s thinking of…

Hajime: …That’s your own problem isn’t it. Haru, you really like to go on and on. Each time it’s like this, you’ll think about it over and over, or it’s an act. In the future you’ll definitely be some super annoying old man.

-

Hajime: Hey Haru, I don’t understand at all why you care about this, and why this is necessary at all. Don’t you understand me the most? I am my own person, if I want to be alone then what other people say isn’t needed at all. I don’t think it’s necessary to prove that. There’s absolutely no need for me to say it, I’m clear on myself.

Haru: Uwa… So confident in yourself… But, if it’s as Hajime says, rather than your own self, isn’t it more like a king’s aura… Ow!

Hajime: Anyway, that’s how it is. Seeing all of their faces each day it’s already become normal. And then by the way, your face, I think it’s already been promoted to the background section.

Haru: Background… I don’t know if I should be happy or not, really such a subtle thing. But, I see… For Hajime living with everyone else together isn’t a burden huh. I see, I see, if I know that then I’m happy. Ow! Hajime… just now you used so much strength to hit me!

http://tsukiuta.wikia.com/wiki/Okaerinasai-hen

So here Haru was saying to Hajime that seeing Hajime everytime was strange for him and he wanted to know what Hajime was thinking of. In other words he was affected by Hajime even though Hajime didn’t even do anything, he felt the distance between them became closer, so possible HaruHajime here.

But Hajime didn’t give a damn. Not only about the distance between him and Haru having gotten closer. He just didn’t notice it at all. That he was living together in a dorm with everyone else, not just Haru. People he hadn’t known before.

I am my own person, if I want to be alone then what other people say isn’t needed at all. I don’t think it’s necessary to prove that. There’s absolutely no need for me to say it, I’m clear on myself.

What this means is that Hajime gives zero fucks whether he’s with people or not with people, in the end his focus is himself. 

Normal people like maybe Haru might feel affected suddenly living in a house with strangers even if they’re juniors of their idol group. It’s the concept of unintended invasion of personal space, that you’re living in a house with unfamiliar people, not your family. Normal people will take time to get used to it, that they will have to interact with people they’d only recently known, or that their space is suddenly occupied, and the distance between them and other people has become shorter, just like how Haru feels.

Anyway, that’s how it is. Seeing all of their faces each day it’s already become normal.

But Hajime doesn’t feel that way at all. Nothing has changed for him, he’s an idol for himself, he’s in a new place but with new people, but he’s there for himself. 

Hajime has always been on his own even if there are people following him, if he loved someone, he’d notice they affect him. I mean romantic love involves being conscious and aware of the other person. And for someone like Hajime who’s a King who lives in his own world, for his own dream, if there was someone who could shake him off his pace and actually catch his attention out of his own ‘I am my own person’ bubble, he’d definitely notice it. And he wouldn’t be comfortable with it because it would feel like an invasion of his privacy he hadn’t even wanted. 

He who never had much feelings towards others suddenly has all these feelings towards a person. He who can do anything, who’s strong, intelligent, can cook, can lead, is a King, suddenly faces something he doesn’t know how to deal with because he’s never experienced it before. I think even a confident man like Hajime would have difficulty dealing, especially since he’s been able to do everything he’s wanted. 

Yeah just imagine Hajime as like the cool, cold, loner guy in shojo manga, that’s basically what he is plus the tsundere element and the denseness, that’s the easiest way I can explain. For a guy who’s always been on his own even with people admiring him.

So since Hajime is quite comfortable with Haru, and Haru has shown hesitance (see the scene above) towards Hajime, I think it’s more likely to be one-sided HaruHaji than HajiHaru instead.

(And I just realized with what I analyzed that means Hajime could potentially really love Shun if he doesn’t know how to deal with him + the twitter fight where he was angry and hurt enough to avoid Shun, emotionally affected by Shun, doesn’t give him an excuse to make Shun cry though seriously Hajime)

And I don’t know about Haru towards Kai, I don’t know much about their relationship only that they’re good friends and good confidantes to each other regarding Hajime and Shun lol. But yeah rather than HaruKai I see HaruHaji.