#I'll post more about Azuki

[the-genius-az]

You should definitely share more of your Azuki ideas! :D

Oki :3

When Azula and Suki met after the war, they ignored each other.

Azula was training calmly and Suki joined her, neither of them saying anything.

Suki is the first one who spoke to Azuka without being hostile.

Suki was the first to receive a soft smile from Azula.

Suki became Azula's protector, no one can speak ill of the princess, nor can her friends.

Azula chases Suki everywhere, she didn't want to be separated from the only person who is kind to her.

Suki taught Azula how to put on makeup, and how to do her hair.

They kissed for the first time out of jealousy, Suki couldn't stand the way they looked at HER princess.

Azula blushes no matter how many times she has seen Suki train shirtless.

Suki fell in love first but Azula fell in love harder.

[mikunology]

Locations in Sapporo

things in my personal life has calmed down somewhat for the time being so I figured I'd write up an easy lore post that I completely forgot I could make so here we are

I wanted to list some common locations found in Sapporo as featured in Vocal Android! I haven't actually talked about the setting too much and while I'm kinda bad at designing locations, I figured I could at least talk about them a little

But, yeah, I'll do my best to explain, so some lore under the cut?

Crypton Laboratories HQ/Crypton Towers: The place where the CVs live and where Meiko and Kaito work. A huge white, gray, and cyan building shaped like a C if you look at it from above, it's home to Crypton's various research labs. The building has floors entirely dedicated to be Miku, the twins and Luka's living spaces, and they each have their own color-coded rooms and living areas. There's a recording and dance studio in the building for the CVs to do their idol work and music playing, as well as a virtual reality training room. There's also the CVs' very own superhero base of sorts, which Gumi helped design, and allows the crew to oversee the city in case danger makes itself known (it's also a convenient place to hang out and take a nap). There's also a sizeable garage below the building, where Rin keeps the road roller.

Kenmochi Academy High School: Miku, Rin and Len's school. A large, clean campus made of three V-shaped buildings with their points pointing towards each other and hexagon-shaped windows. A pretty high-bar school with a lot of recent technology, it's one of the more popular and well-known high schools in town (and thus, an excellent candidate for Meiko's goal of having the CVs interact with humans their age). It is headed by Principal Sasaki. (Current Student List: Hatsune Miku, Kagamine Rin and Len, Kobayashi Matcha, Masaoka Azuki, Yumemi Nemu, Hibiki Lui, Akira Kano/Arsloid, Otomachi Una, Sato Sasara, Suzuki Tsudumi, Kokone Aime, Kizuna Akari, Futaba Minato, Hoshino Ichika, Tenma Saki, Hinomori Shiho, Mochizuki Honami, Koharu Rikka (formerly), Suzune Ring)

Ichikawa Academy High School: Gumi's school, a high school on the eastern side of the city. It's a more "normal" high school, less flashy than Kenmochi and looking more typical, but still has a few good programs to its name, including its science program (which Gumi tries to participate in). (Current Student List: Megumi "Gumi" Nakashima, Kotonoha Akane and Aoi, Tohoku Zunko, Gahata Meiji, Kamishiro Rui, Kusanagi Nene, Tenma Tsukasa, AiSuu, Tsuina-chan)

Utahako Elementary School: The local elementary school a block or two away from Kenmochi. It's a modest little elementary school, having been newly refurbished from an older building. Many of the students that go there end up graduating to Kenmochi later. Kiyoteru teaches here. (Current Student List: Kaai Yuki, Oliver Twitchell, Rana, Macne Petit, Tohoku Kiritan, Otomachi Unagi, Ryuuto Nakashima)

The Macne Cafe: A fresh-looking little internet cafe that sits in the town plaza and is the CVs' favorite hangout spot. Established by the Macne Family, it's become slowly but surely known around town for its delicious green apple cheesecake and desserts. Nana has been trying various ways to spread their customer base further.

The V5: A swanky nightclub and bar that is also in the plaza, run by four friends: Amy, Chris, Kaori and Ken. Many of the adult characters come there to drink and chat a bit.

UTAU Studios: A record label company and radio studio stationed in the industry hub of town, notable for its large staff and loooong list of talents. The studio runs a daily radio broadcast that's fairly popular, and their top talent is Namine Ritsu (or it was, anyway).

Sapporo University: The local college. A bit of an older building since it's been there basically forever compared to a lot of the rest of futuristic city. Has a small, colorful dormitory community next to it where students stay. (Current Student List: Galaco, Po-uta, Tsurumaki Maki, Shirosaki Yuudai; Utatane Piko isn't a student but he lives there)

Kamukura Shrine: A humble shrine that's only a little ways away from the beach, and is where most of the cast goes for holiday celebrations (such as New Years). It's headed by Kigashima Sourin and his protégés, Kurono Takehiro, Wakamatsu Akashi, Aoyama Ryuusei and Shirakami Koutarou, who are training to be proper priests. They also have their shrine maiden, a fussy teenage girl named Lumi who claims to be a jellyfish kami from the sea. Her antics tend to bring a lot of visitors.

SEKAI Auditorium: A venue a few blocks away from Crypton HQ and the main place where Miku and friends perform locally. Very spacious and known to host tons of acts, including smaller ones like local bands, singers and theater shows. Also functions as a sort of convention center at times. However, it's tendency to get raided by supervillains (mostly in pursuit of Miku and co.) has given it a bit of a weird reputation.

The Nebula: A recently-established nightclub in the plaza run by American DJ CYBER DIVA (and her partner CYBER SONGMAN), who is also the headlining act of the place. Used to have a bit of a rivalry with Miku, but they're both over it. Gets a lot of younger customers than the ones at the V5.

Dr. Momone's House: A modern house in a quiet neighborhood next to the industrial part of town where Dr. Momone, Momo and Defoko live. Their neighbors consist of Yufu (who lives down the lane), Eru (who lives at the far end of the lane), Tsukishiro Hakupo and his servant bot Kunishiki (who live next door) and Sensei.

Gumi's Apartment: Gumi, Gakupo and Ryuuto's small apartment in a building not too far from Crypton HQ. Not the nicest apartment that ever was, but it's homey.

Gin no Hana: A old-fashioned restaurant that has reasonable business and is popular due to the comfy atmosphere. Managed by Ginsaki and his wife, Koharu.

The Old Soul Theater: An old theater in town that's mainly still in the city for the sake of preservation, but still has small plays and acts now and again. Has been turned into an acting school of sorts by Miriam Stocks, a theater connoisseur.

Ruko's candy shop: A hole-in-the-wall shop in an alleyway managed by Yokune Ruko, where they sell candy, snacks and cheap cups of drip coffee. Totally not shady in the slightest. Is almost constantly out of coffee-flavored hard candy because Ruko keeps eating it.

Meiko's apartment: Meiko's home, a simple apartment in a simple complex where she crashes after a long day at the lab. The CVs have never been to it.

There's probably more than this but yeah :>

[askhirepinkamena]

Ahh, I know it's been a looong time since I have posted anything and there's probably no one that really cares about this blog anymore. I had some trouble with my hard drive and it finally died on me. Unfortunately I didn't have any back ups for my drawings or any of my sketches which means I lost a ton of the drawings I made. It made me super unmotivated to draw anything for awhile. Um, I'll have a post ready for tomorrow. Maybe i'll actually start on the story I've had in mind for this blog.

Oh, if any of you are interested I have been trying to post more on my mod blog @azuki-beans. If you have any requests you can send em to me. Thanks for the ones that have stuck with me all this time!

[autism-corner]

Convenient Trouble, Levi x reader smut

It was the only way to achieve what he wanted. There’s no way that Levi could actually just directly approach you or anything. No, he’s way too much of a loser for that. So, to get what he’s been so desperately dreaming of, it had to look like an accident. It had to look like something went unfortunately wrong. That’s the only way to get things right.

Here he is. The moment of truth. All his brothers had left the house, only leaving you and him for a surprising amount of time. His plan was laid out, alongside the rope he’d need. This was the only way Levi would get you to be his.

(I realise it might look like he’s going to kill himself. He is not don’t worry =w=b Its just the good ol' 'whoopsie ive tied myself up in a sexual way teehee thats so silly lol')

II Top Reader II AMAB Reader II you/yours pronouns II 2,200 Words II Trans Levi II Also posted on AO3!! II

It’s one of the few peaceful days in the house of Lamentation. All the nuisances have left the building and the only two current occupants were both holed up in their rooms. You took this quiet day to watch a movie you’ve been looking forward to.

It had only been a few minutes before your watching was interrupted. A call from Leviathan? Now you’re curious. Levi is the last brother to call unnecessarily, so something must be really amiss. Quickly you press the button.

“Levi, are you okay?” you nearly scream. Despite his distant character, you’ve really grown to care about him. Maybe a little more than you’d like.

“Yeah, I’m fine. I mean. Somewhat.” You feel relieved. He doesn’t sound like he’s in too much distress. His voice sounds a lot more nervous than panicked. “You see, like…” A breath. He needed to take this slow, and you knew not to interrupt. “So you know in Season 4 of Ruri-chan there’s an episode where this bad guy that has kidnapped Azuki-tan and Ruri-chan goes to save her and to have enough time to untie Azuki-tan Ruri-chan actually ties up the bad guy so he won’t interfere and she does so successfully and they both make it out and so this rope that she used to tie up the bad guy is actually pink with little flowers all over it so it’s like a real Ruri-chan rope and now they’ve released it as merch. And so I had to get it. But now I’m stuck.”

These were the most words you ever heard Levi say. How passionate can this guy get about a kids show? Although, you have to admit, it’s kind of endearing. Wait. He’s stuck?

“You’re stuck?” He lets out a whine. “Please don’t laugh at me. I was just excited and it got all b-bungled up. I know im a good-for-nothing otaku, but could you p-please come help me?” God, it sounded like he was on the verge of tears. You smiled, “Of course I'll come help you Levi. I’m on my way.” He exhaled with relief. “Good! You know, the newest episode from ‘Help, I Have A Crush But No Idea How To Approach Him So I Tied Myself Up And He Had To Help Me’ begins airing soon and I absolutely cannot miss that, so you better hurry.” You laughed, responded with a simple “I will.” and hung up. For how much of an introvert he is, this sure is a very direct method.

— Upon entering the room, it was clear what kind of predicament Levi had gotten himself into. And gotten himself into it he had, because there’s no plausible way for that to have happened by accident. He was on the floor with his face near the ground, arms and legs bound to his torso and ass clearly presented in the air.Ofcourse his ass was pointed directly at the entrance, both granting you a beautiful view, with the added bonus that Levi couldn’t catch you staring.

The way the rope wound over and under Levi’s legs, arms and stomach made it possible for him to be entirely picked up by one hand. He looked pathetic and helpless, and the bright red colour on his face didn’t help.

“Ah! You came!” He must have heard the door, because you’d been just standing there, taking it all in. The way his aquarium reflected a soft blue light everywhere made it look that much more heavenly. You close the door behind you, and turn the knob to lock. Slowly you approach your stuck prey, who’s silently sweating away. With the way his face is pressed against the floor, his vision is extremely limited. He tries to listen to your approach, but still lets out a surprised yelp when he feels your hand on his head.

“Poor little lamb. Levi dear, how could you have possibly ended up in this situation? You know, I’m really starting to think this isn’t that much of an accident.” You smiled and watched as his cheeks got just a little more vibrant. “NO! I swear to you this wasn’t on purpose! I’m so sorry you have to see a gross pervert otaku like this I shouldn't have even started this I knew it’d be bad. But it was an accident! I’m telling you!!”

You kneel next to him, trying to look him in the eyes, while he’s actively avoiding yours. You don’t know Levi all that well, but it’s very clear that this is a played up innocent act. The way he’s biting back his smile and the way his eyes are glistening can’t be a coincidence. Debating how to handle this situation, you continue.

“Hm. Well, if that’s how you want to play it.” Levi’s eyes finally meet yours, and the mutual understanding is immediately clear.

You switch up your attitude, now that you know there is a joint goal.

“Levi dear, how could I possibly help you? I mean. Look at the predicament you’re in.” Your voice is filled with fake concern and a bit of amusement. Standing up, you take another good look at him. There are only a few knots, reachable by Levi’s own hands. He could’ve easily come out if he wanted to. He is still on all fours, ass high up in the air. The only thing that has changed since you’ve come in is the way his legs are positioned, now slightly more spread than natural.

“You know what I think?” Your hands find his ass, and god do they feel divine. It really was a shame he always wears that long-ass cloak.

You get on your knees behind him, and bend over to whisper in his ear. “We might need to remove the clothes you have, just to make some space between the rope and your body. Do you mind?” Patiently you wait for his response. Levi really isn’t a guy that talks much when he’s in these situations, but it’s not like you mind. You just need a quick actually verbal confirmation. “Baby? I am going to need a response, darling.” He whimpers.

“I- I didn’t expect it to go this well. Please just do whatever you want! I want to be in your complete mercy!” He cries out. You place a quick kiss on his ear. “That surely can be arranged, don’t you worry pretty.”

Getting up again, eager to finally start the action, your eyes notice the convenient ways some of the rope is bound. It seems that there’s been successfully left just enough space for Levi’s pants to be pulled down. How favourable.

Deciding to keep teasing him for a bit, you snake your hand between his legs and cup his sex. You didn’t exactly find the dick that you were expecting, but his pussy felt wet and soft and you couldn’t wait to delve in. The small gasp he let out only encouraged you.

He seemed to be just as turned on as you, slightly wet through his pants. To let him know just how much you were enjoying him, you press your hard-on against him, causing Levi to let out a harsh moan. While he doesn’t like talking that much, you have a feeling he is rather vocal. Which only means you’ll want to try your hardest to hear all of Levi’s delicious little noises.

With one hand on his hip and the other slowly playing with his front, you begin to move your hips as well. Levi is whining and struggling underneath you, desperately trying to get any more friction he can get.

Deciding you’ve both been tormented enough, you pull down Levi’s pants and underwear as far as they can go. It’s something you’ve been dreaming of seeing, and it’s a great deal better than you’ve hoped. Round cheeks with freckles sprinkled here and there, and a surprisingly wellkept grooming situation. Given the state of his usual hygiene, you were certainly not about to complain.

“It sure looks like someone came prepared.” His hole was clearly stretched already. Finally being able to touch his actual skin, you reach for his clit. While he’s trembling beneath you, letting out soft groans and moans, you reach down to undo your own pants.

Levi is ready, spread open all for you. His holes are beautifully exposed, his cries steadily growing louder. Still slowly rubbing his tiny dick, the hand on Levi slowly moves downwards, inching to his precious warmth. Your other hand is leisurely stroking your own dick, preparing it for what’s to come.

Your fingers have reached Levi’s hole, and are now slowly prodding at the entrance. Finally having gained the courage by Levi’s lavish voice, you push in two fingers at once. It looks like Levi had been playing with his bits for quite some time already, since there was barely any resistance. Hearing him moan loudly only reinsured your ideas.

The soft feeling of him surrounding you was already heavenly, and the best was yet to come. Thanks to the way Levi was still desperately grinding against both your hand and erection, you knew time was running low. So, reckoning Levi is prepared enough by both your and his previous preparations, you decide to dive in. You remove your fingers from his hole, making him let out a desperate sob. The hand moves up to his hips, still delightfully positioned due to the ropes. You guide your dick to his hole, and without warning, push in.

The way Levi squeals out is something that you will always remember. It began low and rumbling, quickly rising in volume and tone once he realised you were actually, properly inside him. That first embrace, combined with Levi all packed up for you, truly felt like heaven. Giving some time for Levi to adjust, you bend over his body again. “God, you feel so good like this, Levi.” You let out a groan. “So perfect and pretty, only for me right?” His only responses are small wails and shrieks, apparently already to fucked out to answer. Deciding it’s certainly been long enough, you finally begin to move.

Getting up again, both your hands grasp a firmer grip on his hips. You begin with slowly thrusting halfway in and out, but after just a few smacks you cave in. Levi had explicitly said to use him however you please, so why should you even have to be careful? Your movement becomes quicker, the sound of the smacks making a beautiful symphony alongside Levi’s moans.

The way his body moves in response to yours is mesmerizing, so limited by the rope but all to free against his tiled floor. He made a good choice to bind his confinements in a way that still leaves a layer of cloth between him and the cold hard ground. Your performance leaves his body making small shocks, and he is both propelled by your thrusts yet contained by the firm hands still on his hips. The way your momentum is constantly hitting him in the middle of his breaths makes his yelps sound that much better. Every time you hit his spot, his noises become more angelic. There’s no doubt as to why he might have fallen.

While you’re continuing to ravage his body, the small pressure in your stomach keeps growing. When you notice it slipping past the point of return, you quickly place your hand lower, to start playing with Levi’s clit again. Somehow, Levi begins to let out words again. “Please..” he moans. “Fuck me. Fuck me. Fuck me.” His voice starts hiccuping and it’s clear that he too, is close. Gathering the very few thoughts you have still left, you respond.

“Yeah baby? Do you want me to fuck you full?” He returns quickly, with the loudest voice you’ve ever heard out of him “Yeah fuck!” You join him with his moans, his walls tightening around you, wanting to pull you even closer. “Fuck me full daddy please I’m so close. Please fill me up. I need you right now.”

Although you would love to focus on the things Levi’s continuing to babble out, you feel his peak coming in. He shakes and clenches around you, pulling you over as well. It’s delicious, and you wish to experience this over and over again. You continue to thrust and fuck him roughly, getting both of you trough your respective climax, while filling him to the brim.

Getting down from the high, you slowly pull out. The string of your release keeps you connected for a bit, before splitting and dripping on the ground. Gross. You really need to clean both of you off. Still half-dazed, you go to check on Levi. His tongue is rolled out, drool making a little puddle on the floor. His eyes are closed and if you wouldn’t know better, he might have fallen asleep. Poor thing. You pick him up, and slowly you begin to untie his creation.

How he managed all of this in the first place, is something you’ll have to ask him later. Currently, the only thing that matters is him curled up in his bath with you, lazily and with a surprisingly confident manner, talking about his feelings for you. A proper confession was really due, after all.

[itsuki-minamy]

"AYAKA – SIDE STORIES 02" (Part 02/04)

"IZAKAYA "KAPPA" PROSPERITY STORY"

TRANSLATION: NARU-KUN

* List of Chapters

"I'm sorry. Please come quickly."

Said a man. Pretty tall looking and somewhat philosophical. His age ranges from his twenties to his thirties. He wears an apron over his pants and clean shirt.

"If you don't think it's bad, don't call me."

The answer was from the other man, Jingi. Sticking both thumbs into the left and right pockets of his pants, he looked at the aproned man with a nonchalant face.

"Didn't I tell you on the phone? The mansion is going to Ichinoshima for a family wedding, so we don't have enough people."

"That's why I'm your assistant."

"That's because you're the most reliable."

"Not at all."

The aproned man's response made his eyebrow twitch. Although his expression was still negative, it seems that it was a good answer that tickled the heart of this labor denialist.

"Above all, you were the easiest to persuade. If they tell you, "I won't let you drink on the account again", you will definitely come, right?"

"Persuasion, huh? The general public calls it a threat, mind you."

Jingi clenched his fists and shook his body.

Seeing that, the man in the apron gave a small laugh.

"If you don't want to be called that, stop drinking on the bill from now on."

"Then please make the drink free every time. Then there will be no bills."

"Do you want to destroy the store, idiot?"

The man in the apron shook his head with a wry smile at the unlikely proposition. Then suddenly a boy was caught in the corner of his vision. It was Yukito Yanagi.

"Uh..."

Noticing the aproned man's gaze, Yukito touched the post next to him as if he was calling for help. It is a special post where Kurama Haruaki accepts applications from the Ninoshima Islanders. Oddly enough, Yukito was brought here for his mission, right near the place where he met two of Kurama's disciples the other day.

"Jingi, who is that kid?"

Looking at Yukito, the man in the apron asked.

"You've talked to him before. He's Yukito Yanagi."

"Oh, Yanagi-sensei."

The man in the apron nodded two or three times in response to his answer. Apparently, to some degree, he had heard Yukito's information through Jingi.

"I am Azuki Mitarai, the owner of the Izakaya "Usagi" in the back."

The man in the apron, Mitarai, jerked his thumb behind him. What is there is a nice two-story wooden building, although it is not large. On the sign on the second floor, the word "Usagi" is written in large letters.

"Nice to meet you, Yukito-kun."

"Hello. I'm Yukito Yanagi."

Yukito waved back as he rolled his eyes. Aside from Jingi and Momoko, who he sees every day, he still feels awkward when he meets someone for the first time. It cannot be avoided because it is the result of living a life that avoids socialization.

"Ah, that's right, Azuki-chan. He will be working with you today."

"Ah!"

Yukito's eyes widened in surprise at his words. It's an expression like "I haven't heard of that" that he wanted to model.

"I'll save myself with more manpower, but... Yukito-kun, is alright?"

"No, I..."

The next moment, when Yukito was about to reply to Mitarai's confirmation…

"Why don't you go there and have a chat with your teacher, my beloved disciple?"

Grabbing the disciple by the neck, the master pulled him without saying yes or no. Yukito finally managed to untie the devotion arm from him when he was some distance away from "Usagi" and Mitarai.

"What is this? What happened to the new training?"

Yukito frowned and walked over to him.

"This is training."

Jingi spoke without any sign of remorse.

"Please stop joking around. No matter how you look at it, it's a part-time worker at an Izakaya. It's completely irrelevant, right?"

"Hey, who said that you are training to connect your pulse? This will train your communication skills!"

"This, my communication skills?"

"That's right. You've lived avoiding people because you're afraid that your powers will get out of control, right? That's why, when you talk to people, you're afraid. Your eyes water. Your voice shakes. So, what do you do when your classmates talk to you in high school? Don't miss out on making friends."

"Oh...!"

Yukito, who was leaning forward to denounce his righteousness, leaned back slightly.

Definitely, without a doubt, the words of dedication are a fallacy. He intends to involve Yukito in order to reduce his own work, even a little.

Even Yukito is fully aware of that. But...

"Will I improve my communication skills through this "training"? If that's the case, a fun high school life surrounded by friends is your thing."

Just like the finishing blow, Jingi whispered into Yukito's ear. The cloudy smile, the sweet words that make people happy and the whispers of the devil.

"That's cowardly... That way of saying it."

Yukito didn't want to give up. However, the words no will no longer come out.

"I'm going to tell Azuki-chan that you're ready to work too."

"Ah..."

Yukito's voice stopped him as he realized something.

"What?"

"Actually, I'm a high school student yet. Is it okay to work part-time?"

"Don't worry. Ichinoshima's mainland atmosphere aside, other islands don't care about such details."

"But..."

"I get it. Well, let's say you're here to help out at a friend's house, not a part-time job. Then, as a token of gratitude, I'll get paid for it and that'll solve the problem."

Jingi moved away from Yukito as he waved his hand. He is sure that he plans to go to Mitarai again to tell him that Yukito will also be working.

Looking at that back, Yukito said:

"How often do such quips come to you so easily?"

He muttered that with a half-astonished, half-impressed face.

Like the exterior, the interior of the Izakaya "Usagi" was very simple. It consists of four long tables that seat between six and eight people, and seating at the counter that seats about seven people.

"Then, it's a job I'll be in charge of."

Mitarai in an apron opened his mouth. At the end of his line of sight, he saw the figures of Jingi and Yukito, who are also wearing aprons. They were having a pre-opening meeting in the kitchen, across the counter.

"My duty is to help cook and drink. Yukito-kun, I will ask you to attend to the customers."

"Eh?"

Jingi slightly raised his hand while yawning.

"Hahaha!"

Yukito straightened his back... no, he stiffened and answered.

"You're very nervous. He's funny."

Jingi happily patted Yukito's tense back. Usually, at times like this, the disciple shakes off the hand of the teacher upset with him.

"...I'm nervous. It's my first time serving customers, so I wonder if I can do it right."

It's the first part-time job of his life and it doesn't seem to be a problem in the hospitality industry. It seemed that his face was turning pale.

"Silly. No one is waiting for you."

"That's right!"

Yukito's face became visibly hurt by the words Jingi uttered. Perhaps it was strange for Yukito to keep changing his expression like that.

"It's your first time, so it's not going to work out anyway. You make a lot of mistakes and you get really embarrassed."

"Does that mean failing and being embarrassed is also training?"

Yukito asked anxiously. Despite his low level of socialization experience, he tried to understand the true meaning of his words. He believed sanely.

But...

"No, I just want to see you. It seems interesting to see you nervous."

"This person is a devil."

Yukito was horrified by his response as he laughed.

Reality and Sagawa Jingi are generally not good.

"It's almost time to open. Jingi, break it up into small appetizer bowls of potato salad."

"What I hate the most is that kind of detailed work."

Responding to the merchant's instructions, Jingi went to the shelf to grab a small bowl, even as he grumbled. At the same time, Mitarai approached Yukito.

"Don't worry, Yukito-kun. When the time comes, Jingi will follow up."

"Jingi-san is a follower?"

Yukito's eyes were half suspicious. Since there was an exchange before, it seems that the trust is buried rather than in the ground.

"The guy who comes to the store as a customer is the worst kind of person who doesn't pay the bill for his drinking habit. But as a staff member who works with him, there is no one more trustworthy than him."

After saying that with a smile, Mitarai tapped Yukito on the shoulder.

"Then please bring the noren. The shop is open."

"Oh, yes."

Yukito left the kitchen and picked up the noren placed near the restaurant's entrance.

However, he didn't go out to the store as he was and silently looked back over his shoulder. He could see the kitchen over the counter. Next to Mitarai, who was working with a straight face, Jingi was about to yawn.

"Reliable, huh."

Yukito shook his head as if to say that it was impossible and left the store.

And when the night approached Ninoshima, opened "Usagi".

As soon as he opened the shop, customers came for the May Rain ceremony. There are already two groups at the table and three seats at the counter. Izakaya "Usagi" seems to be quite popular, even if you subtract the fact that there aren't many stores on the island.

"W-Welcome!"

Yukito greeted the new group of elders with an awkward yet smiling face. He has come into contact with various groups so far. It's actually easier to have a conversation with a customer than it is to exchange words with someone you meet for the first time in your daily life.

(I think I'll try to work as a waiter when I start high school.), Yukito thought.

Yukito's tension eased as his thought flickered.

But...

"Ah! There's a cute girl I haven't seen before! Yashiki-chan, are you free today?"

"Uh, well, it's a family wedding. So instead..."

"Look, this kid! He's the one staying with Momoko-chan."

"Ah, so you are Yanagi-sensei's son who returned from the mainland!"

"I am indebted to Yanagi-sensei in many ways!"

"Well, that's correct. So, the order is..."

"At your age, Yanagi-sensei was a sweet boy!"

"That's right! Young Inou always had a pale face when he was influenced! I can't believe he's the mayor now!"

"Um... the order..."

Yukito was there with a worried face along with the elders who recalled their memories. To be able to get into this quick conversation, that's exactly what is missing in his training right now.

"Don't be silly, order fast and contribute to sales! This is not the front porch next door!"

A voice that sounds like a person interrupting a sports game came flying in from the kitchen. The source is Jingi with a mischievous smile on his face.

"Haha, what's up? Are you doing the dishes today to pay the bills?"

"Azuki-chan, you should use him as much as possible!"

The old return a great mockery to the truth. They then turned to Yukito again.

"I'm sorry I kept you waiting. So, can I place an order?"

"Yes."

Yukito filled out the handwritten sheets with the names of the sake and the dishes that were finally ordered.

(I wonder if he helped me.), Yukito thought.

Yukito looked towards the kitchen as he took orders. The person who could have helped him was laughing open-mouthed with the customers sitting at the counter. It seems that Jingi also frequents this shop frequently, so if he sees a regular customer, he can always say hello like this.

(By chance? But...), Yukito thought.

Still, that didn't change the fact that he wanted to do it. However, since there was a high probability that he would get involved in a problematic way if he said it directly, Yukito decided to thank him in his heart.

"Here's the order. Two draft beers, one highball, one oolong highball, one edamame, one sashimi of the day, one bowl of yakitori sauce, one salt, one thick omelet, and one or more specialty salads."

About an hour had passed since the business opened, and Yukito and the Izakaya lounge staff were already following the board. They do not hesitate to take customer orders and communicate the content to the two people in the kitchen.

"Ok."

Mitarai nodded in response to Yukito, and immediately called the person in charge of drinks, "Jingi", who was about to start making alcoholic drinks.

"Help me cook. I'll make the yakitori, so make the sashimi, salad, and tamagoyaki."

"Huh? Do I somehow have more stuff than you?"

Despite the dissatisfied voice, Mitarai brilliantly ignored him. He then called Yukito over the counter from the kitchen.

"I'd like to order a drink from you. Please bring the green soybeans as well."

"I'll do Jingi-san's job!"

A kitchen that cannot be said to be big, if it hadn't been for such a place, Yukito would have inadvertently withdrawn. Of course, he was happy to be entrusted with a new job.

However, this is the first part-time job for Yukito. It cannot be avoided that anxiety prevails over happiness.

"It's okay because the menu isn't that difficult. The recipe is written in the notebook on the back shelf. It's something like a manual I wrote when I moved into the mansion."

"Yes."

As he answered, Yukito headed towards the shelf at the back of the kitchen pointed out by Mitarai. The target notebook was in the drawer, which was mainly used to store tableware.

"So, I wonder if I can..."

Yukito wondered with a stiff expression. So...

"Take it easy, easy."

At the cutting board, Jingi smiled as she lightly sliced through the colorful vegetables. He looks like he's making a special salad himself right now.

"Customers here don't mind if they get drunk. They don't know the taste of sake anyway."

"I can hear you!"

Laughing protests rang out from the audience in response to the open and honest comments.

Seeing such a light-hearted exchange, Yukito laughed as they called out to him saying "Hahaha...". He made him feel a little better.

(Let's try for now.), Yukito thought.

Yukito made up his mind and began to move.

The first thing Yukito started was a beer that required the least amount of processing.

Pouring beer from a beer mug into a pre-chilled mug. Simple as that.

However, even if it is simple when you write it, there are many things that do not turn out as expected when you try it. And apparently, pouring beer, for Yukito was one of those.

"I ended up with nothing but bubbles..."

Looking at the mug, which clearly had too much white area, Yukito's face darkened.

He was aiming for the golden ratio of 3 for bubbles and 7 for liquid, which he saw in movies and dramas, but ended up with something with the opposite ratio.

"That's strange... I followed the manual..."

Yukito looked at the notebook. There are instructions and illustrations on how to pour beer. Whether it was made by Mitarai or added by the mansion is unknown, but it is a cute round design.

"Ah. Was the angle supposed to be more?"

Yukito found the words "The angle at which the cup is tilted is the point" taped to the side of the illustration. Then, using the experiences of the predecessors as inspiration, he tried again.

"Ok, nice feeling."

A beer with a beautiful contrast between white and gold was born. Yukito satisfactorily lifted his mouth and poured a second glass of beer.

"Next is Oolong High."

Right next to the beer page, there was an entry for shochu high, so Yukito happened to work at oolong high.

He puts some ice in a chilled glass and adds an appropriate amount of shochu. From the attached illustration, it seems like the trick is to give it a slight stir once in there to make it delicious. Then he adds the oolong tea and mix it up so the whole thing feels familiar and complete.

(Maybe this is the right one.), Yukito thought.

Having finished preparing the three drinks that had already been ordered, Yukito's heart was beginning to relax a bit. But...

"Eh? Bubbles..."

He realized it when he took out the glass of whiskey. The foam of the first beer burst and the balance that seemed to be the golden ratio was lost.

"Uh, um... what should I do in this situation?"

Yukito flipped through the pages of the notebook quickly. However, while there are tips and tricks on how to create a drink menu, there's no way to fill in the gaps.

Also, by doing so, the foam area of not only the first beer but also the second beer became suspect.

"Sorry! Do you have the beer yet?"

As if to add another punch, a demanding voice rose from the audience.

(I have to do something... I have to do something soon... Quick, quick, quick...), Yukito thought.

Yukito desperately tried to find a solution. However, the more he hurried, the duller and heavier his thought became. It's a vicious circle to the point of being splendid.

"What the hell are you doing alone?"

"Cold?!"

Suddenly, a cold and stinging sensation hit the back of his neck. Then, his reduced field of vision suddenly widened and he noticed that there was a familiar person next to him.

"J-Jingi-san?"

"Don't serve beer while looking like it's the end of the world. I told you take it easy, take it easy."

With a fearless smile, Jingi tossed rock ice into the sink. It seems that this has alienated Yukito from his own world.

"Are you okay with cooking?"

"Ok, it was nothing, I was too efficient and I have free time."

While joking, Jingi looked at the area where Yukito was working. After a while, he made a guessing face with "Hmm.".

"Prepare the edamame for now. Then refill the beer."

"So, this foamy beer is..."

"I'll take care of that. Look, the guests are waiting. Hurry up."

"Yes."

Yukito nodded, backed by the momentum of his dedication. The boy's face was much brighter than when he was alone and desperate.

Yukito ran to the refrigerator and took out a container containing edamame. The already boiled yellow-green pods were then transferred to a bamboo strainer for individual servings.

"Edamame is fine. After that, beer..."

Yukito muttered as he moved his hand away.

Jingi, who was looking at him sideways, said with a small smile, "Didn't you learn the word carefree in school?" But he's not just looking at the boy at work, his hand is in constant motion.

He poured ice into a glass, add whiskey and mix with soda. He inserted a mixer to finish, but the number of times he mixed is extremely small. This is to prevent carbonic acid from escaping.

"Eh..."

Yukito was involuntarily fascinated by the flowing tricks.

"Don't be blown away, get it to the customer quickly. You'll run out of bubbles again."

Was much. He placed the finished highball on the worktable. The sound made Yukito come to his senses. He had two freshly refilled beers in his hands and was playing refreshing music.

"I'm coming!"

Yukito ran towards the audience.

After that, going back and forth to the kitchen several times, he was finally able to offer all the drink menus.

"All drinks are gone."

When Yukito returned to the kitchen, the food was placed on the work table that had been handling alcohol until just now. A colorful salad and white sashimi that makes you feel fresh and elastic. They both look very delicious.

"I can cook. Please take that."

The tamagoyaki, the aroma of dashi soup rising along with the steam, was placed on a new square flat plate, and Jingi looked to Yukito.

"Oh, yes."

Yukito took the plate of food and spoke to him in a low voice.

"Thanks for that earlier. It was helpful."

He was embarrassed, so he tended to look away a bit instead of looking at him squarely. However, there was no reaction from Jingi.

"Jingi-san?"

Thinking that he hadn't heard, Yukito looks at Jingi again. So...

"Glup, glup, glup...!"

"Hey..."

Yukito widened his eyes and was surprised at what happened. That was because the sage in front of him was crouching on the spot and holding a mug of beer.

"You're crazy, Jingi-san...! You're at work...!"

[rose-of-the-valley]

Mooncake Headcanons Pt. 1

Featuring the demon brothers! (all others coming soon in a separate post!)

Happy Mid-Autumn Festival! Mooncakes are one of my favorite holiday foods even though they're getting more and more expensive every year. My mom used to make them when I was little so that she could make them with the fillings she liked, which then led to us knowing the extent of how bad these things are for your cholesterol.

I still eat them though because I think they're delicious and I am no stranger to hedonism. I would eat an entire box of mooncakes in a day if people would let me.

Lucifer

Lucifer's favorite mooncake flavor is Wu Ren (five kernels/mixed nuts). It's a pretty traditional mooncake filling, favored among older generations but less popular with younger people

Thus, perfect for the Devildom's resident Old Man™

If you remind him about the Mid-Autumn Festival early enough, he might even ask Diavolo for permission to bring you to the human world to celebrate

Knock on his study door the night before with an ornate box of them. He'll actually pause his work for once, even pulling out a bottle of demonus for the occasion

Offer to feed him a piece and his eyes will go wide, but he'll chuckle and let you do it anyway, so long as you can keep it a secret

"Mooncakes? Is it that time of year already? I'll have to arrange for us to go see a lion dance together. You'll share these with me later, won't you?"

Mammon

He's not particularly picky about what flavor he gets, but his favorites have a salted egg yolk core. Bonus points if it's got two

The sweet-and-salty combo is admittedly good, but mostly it's about the fact that the golden center makes him think of money

If you're planning on surprising this demon with a gift box, you better hide it well. They sell for a lot, and he's got a knack for finding things in hidden spots

If you manage to pull it off, watch this demon light up with joy. He knows how much they cost, so you must care for him a lot if you got him some

The tsundere will never admit that that's why he's happy, of course. He'll brush it off saying he's only blushing because it's warm, never mind that it's the middle of fall

"Whaddya mean the egg yolk's supposed to represent the full moon? Doesn't that look like Grimm to ya? Whatever, ya better not have gotten mooncakes for anyone else!"

Levi

Everyone's favorite otaku loves red bean mooncakes

You can bet that there's an Azuki-tan limited edition mooncake design that he just has to get

Imagine his surprise when you show up at his door two days before the release with a box of them! Just for him!

Poor guy can't decide between asking what strings you pulled to get these and just blurting out that he loves you. What comes out is a garbled mix of the two followed by a string of attempted clarifications

You'll have to convince him to actually eat them; he loves them so much that he tries to keep them on his shelf with all his other merch and gifts from you

"T-These are the Azuki-tan mooncakes! They only release them once a decade! I'll cherish them forever! Now we gotta watch the episode the design is based on!"

Satan

A bit more into modern styles than his older brothers, Satan's found that his favorite mooncakes are lava custard

The gooey liquid center surprised him the first time he had one, but he found that he quite liked this alternative to salted egg yolk fillings - it provided a nice flavor contrast without the annoyance of the egg yolks falling out when you tried to cut them

(Besides, think of the look on Lucifer's face when he gets these from an "anonymous fan" and cuts one open only to spill egg yolk everywhere!)

Catch him when he doesn't have his nose buried in a book (or cat fur) so you can share these without worrying about making a mess

However, when you find him he's got a box of your favorite flavor in his hand. He likes to keep up with human world holidays, after all

"You know, I've heard that you're supposed to solve lantern riddles for Mid-Autumn Festival. You'll come with me to try and guess some, right?"

Asmodeus

Asmo's favorites are snow skin mooncakes

Look at how delicate and beautiful they are! Just like him!

He's definitely snapping a bunch of pics for Devilgram. Cue a collage of him holding up mooncake halves and winking or blowing kisses at the camera

Of course, if you were the one to gift him the mooncakes, then you have to be in the photos too! Show the Devildom how much you love him and how adorable you both are!

His favorites are the ones where you're feeding each other a bite. He'll only post the one where you're using dessert forks though, saving any spicier ones for his personal collection

"Oooh they're so pretty! Look at all these colors! If you come to my room later I'll show you how thankful I am ♡"

Beelzebub

While he'll take any mooncakes he gets, Beel's favorites are the savory Suzhou style mooncakes with a minced meat filling

Soft and flaky, they're not as dense as regular mooncakes, but oddly enough they feel more satisfying than their sugary counterparts

When you share these with Beel, he'll likely try to devour them in one bite, which really isn't too bad of an idea considering how many crumbs these flaky pastries leave

If you're feeding him though, be careful not to get your fingers bitten

You won't have to worry about saving any for yourself. The holiday is about family after all, and Beel loves nothing more than sharing with the people he loves

"I want to have a big dinner with everyone. Then I want to share these with you after. They'll taste better if I eat them with you."

Belphegor

Belphie's favorite is another regional variant - specifically the Teochew/Chaoshan thousand layer mooncake. He prefers his with a mochi and black sesame paste filling

This demon loves the human world, and with the mochi craze it's no wonder that this is his (current) preference

Take him out for an Authentic Festival Experience™ and surprise him at the end with these mooncakes. Break one in half and feed it to him if you want to see him blush

He might be sleepy after a day of activities, but he'll try to stay awake and admire the full moon with you

If he does fall asleep, you can bet he'll be dreaming about laying under the moonlight with you

"Hey, come lie down next to me. Just make sure you don't get any crumbs on my pillow, ok?"

support me on ko-fi!

[rabbitintheeast]

Last 2 Days

Sorry for the delays in posting, yesterday and today have been light duty to recover from the hiking in the heat. Yesterday we spent most of the day relaxing at the hotel aside from going out to eat. In the evening, we went to Fushimi Inari shrine. We didn't get to go up the famous trail with the hundreds of torii gates - but that was because there's a festival going on in Kyoto, and we got to attend a Taiko drumming concert at the entrance instead! Sorry about the lack of better pictures, but the square was packed shoulder to shoulder.

Today was a bit more eventful. We checked out of the Kyoto hotel - and into a ryokan, an inn which is run in a traditional way. This one, Izyaku, has been in business since 1839. The rooms are all traditional, and very cozy despite the lower ceilings and older style furnishings.

For our activity today, we visited Kinkakuji, the Golden Pavilion and its grounds. There are a variety of traditional buildings, wells, staircases overgrown by the gardens, and more on the grounds, but the centerpiece is of course the pavilion itself.

We've been keeping to basic but tasty foods for the most part during the last two days, such as ramen and Yakitori, which is grilled meat and vegetable skewers with dipping sauce. We made up for that big time, tonight. The owner of Izyasu offers an eight course kaiseki signing experience, where a series of small plates are served.

The menu is never the same twice, as the owner plans it based on the season (the old Japanese calendar divides the four seasons we're used to into 24 total) and the ingredients purchased at the markets that morning. The variety was massive - from grilled eel to sashimi served as artwork, looking like a sashimi boat sailing down a frozen river, to local vegetables and rice with shredded trout, and an azuki bean and matcha cake with figs for dessert. The owner and his employees even took the time to explain each course and how/why it was presented in the way it was. Sorry, but there aren't any pictures of this one - with the attention being shown to us as the only diners that night, snapping photos would have felt very rude. I'll just sum it up by saying anyone who doesn't think food can be art is wrong.

That's all from me for now. Tomorrow, we take the shinkansen to Tokyo!

... oh, and Kinkakuji does a very traditional take on entrance tickets. I like it.