#Japanese coaching center

[japanese-language-institute]

Japanese Teaching Course In Delhi

Teaching Japanese to a beginner is just like teaching ABC to a child Except the child already knows how to say "onigiri"! It's not hard - just that you need to learn it from somewhere you can trust. Therefore, it is essential to seek out a reliable source from which to learn. This can make all the difference in mastering the material and ultimately, achieving success as a Japanese teacher. This process is similar to building a house: if you want the structure to stand, it’s essential to use quality materials and take the time to lay them out correctly. The same is true when studying Japanese: use reliable sources, and you’ll get the solid foundation needed for success. We can help you find the right materials and resources to make sure your study foundation is strong and reliable. This way, you can maximise your efforts and make the most out of your studying time.

[3rreflexology]

The Complete Guide to Reflexology Treatments in Killumney: Wellness and Healing at 3RReflexology

Reflexology is a powerful, holistic therapy that helps promote healing and balance in the body through the application of pressure to specific points on the feet, hands, face, and ears. At 3RReflexology in Killumney, we specialize in a wide range of reflexology treatments, offering personalized care to support your overall well-being, reduce stress, and alleviate pain. This article will guide you through the various reflexology options available at 3RReflexology, ensuring you find the best treatment for your needs.

1. Reflexology: A Natural Path to Wellness

Reflexology is based on the concept that specific points on the feet, hands, face, and ears correspond to various organs and systems within the body. By stimulating these points, reflexologists aim to improve energy flow, relieve stress, and promote the body’s natural healing process. At 3RReflexology, we are dedicated to providing expert care for clients in Killumney and surrounding areas, helping you achieve balance and improved health.

2. Reflexologist in Killumney: Expert Care You Can Trust

At 3RReflexology, our highly trained and licensed reflexologists offer a range of services designed to meet your individual needs. Whether you're seeking relief from chronic pain, managing stress, or looking to enhance your overall wellness, our team is here to help. With years of experience and certifications in various reflexology techniques, we are proud to be recognized as one of the best reflexology centers near Killumney.

3. Facial Reflexology Near Killumney: Rejuvenate Your Skin and Body

Facial reflexology is a unique treatment that focuses on stimulating pressure points on the face to promote healing and rejuvenation. By activating these points, facial reflexology helps to reduce tension, improve circulation, and even enhance the appearance of your skin. Japanese facial reflexology is particularly popular at our clinic, known for its relaxing effects and ability to improve the skin’s tone and texture. If you're looking for a gentle yet effective way to improve both your appearance and well-being, facial reflexology near Killumney is an excellent option.

4. Plantar Reflexology in Killumney: Foot Care for Better Health

Plantar reflexology, also known as foot reflexology, is one of the most popular reflexology treatments at 3RReflexology. This technique involves applying pressure to specific points on the soles of the feet, which are believed to correspond to various organs and systems in the body. Foot reflexology in Killumney can help relieve tension, reduce pain, and improve circulation, making it an ideal treatment for those suffering from chronic conditions such as headaches, digestive issues, or back pain. If you’re searching for the best reflexology foot massage in Killumney, our skilled therapists will tailor the treatment to meet your unique needs.

5. Auriculotherapy Killumney: Healing Through the Ear

Auriculotherapy, or ear acupuncture, is a powerful method of stimulating specific points on the outer ear to address a wide range of health concerns, from stress and anxiety to pain management and addiction support. At 3RReflexology, our Ear Acupuncture Clinic in Killumney offers this gentle, non-invasive therapy to help you restore balance and improve your well-being. Whether you're dealing with chronic pain, emotional distress, or seeking a natural approach to support weight loss or smoking cessation, auriculotherapy near Killumney can be a valuable addition to your wellness routine.

6. Hand Reflexologist in Killumney: The Power of Touch

Hand reflexology is another highly effective treatment that targets pressure points on the hands to improve overall health. At 3RReflexology, our hand reflexologists in Killumney use this technique to relieve stress, reduce pain, and promote relaxation. This treatment is ideal for individuals who prefer a more localized approach or are dealing with hand-related issues such as arthritis or carpal tunnel syndrome.

7. Fertility Reflexology in Killumney: Supporting Your Journey to Parenthood

For couples struggling with fertility issues, reflexology can be a supportive, natural therapy to enhance reproductive health. Fertility reflexology in Killumney focuses on stimulating specific points on the feet to balance hormones, reduce stress, and improve circulation, all of which are essential for optimizing fertility. Whether you're preparing for conception naturally or undergoing assisted reproductive treatments, reflexology for fertility in Killumney can help create a more harmonious environment for conception.

8. Pregnancy Reflexology Killumney: A Safe, Gentle Approach

Pregnancy can bring about physical discomfort and emotional stress, but pregnancy reflexology in Killumney offers a safe and gentle way to support your body during this important time. Our licensed reflexologists are trained to provide treatments that focus on relieving pregnancy-related symptoms such as back pain, swollen feet, and fatigue. Reflexology can also help prepare your body for labor and promote relaxation throughout your pregnancy journey.

9. Reflexology Massage Killumney: A Holistic Approach to Pain Relief

A reflexology massage combines the therapeutic effects of reflexology with the soothing benefits of massage therapy. This treatment is designed to release tension, improve circulation, and promote healing by targeting specific pressure points on the feet, hands, or face. At 3RReflexology, we offer customized reflexology massage treatments in Killumney to address your individual needs and enhance your overall well-being.

10. Licensed and Certified Reflexologists Near Killumney

When choosing a reflexologist, it’s essential to ensure that the practitioner is both licensed and certified. At 3RReflexology, our team of experts is fully trained and certified to provide a wide range of reflexology treatments. Our goal is to ensure that you receive the highest standard of care, whether you're seeking relief from chronic pain, managing stress, or looking to improve your overall health.

11. Reflexology for All Stages of Life

Reflexology is a versatile therapy that can benefit people at all stages of life. From newborns to the elderly, reflexology offers a natural way to promote healing and balance. At 3RReflexology in Killumney, we offer specialized treatments for clients of all ages, including child reflexology, which is gentle and effective for supporting children's health and wellness.

12. Nutrition Coach Killumney: A Holistic Approach to Wellness

In addition to reflexology treatments, 3RReflexology also offers personalized nutrition coaching to help you achieve your health and wellness goals. Our nutrition coach in Killumney will work with you to develop a customized plan that supports your body's natural healing processes, whether you're aiming to lose weight, manage a health condition, or simply improve your overall diet.

13. Why Choose 3RReflexology in Killumney?

At 3RReflexology, we pride ourselves on offering a comprehensive range of reflexology treatments designed to support your health and well-being. Our certified reflexologists are dedicated to providing personalized care that addresses your unique needs, whether you're seeking relief from pain, stress, or looking to enhance your overall wellness. With our holistic approach, you can trust that you're in expert hands.

Book Your Session Today

Whether you're searching for auricular therapy near Killumney, reflexology foot massage, or specialized treatments like fertility reflexology, 3RReflexology offers a range of services designed to promote healing, relaxation, and balance. Contact us today to schedule your appointment and start your journey to better health.

[slamdunkhcs]

This is something I’ve thought about for a hot minute and i wanted to make an essay on it :))

socioeconomics in slam dunk

Like many things in life, basketball is a money sport. While inherent talent and skill is incredibly important, without the resources and opportunities to succeed, you can only get so far.

Throughout Slam Dunk, the importance of money and how it has a massive role in the world of basketball is not explicitly stated, but through the depictions of different teams in the series, it is prevalent.

We are first introduced to Shohoku High, a public school in Kanagawa. Shohoku is not a “poor” or “ghetto” school, but it is by no means a prestigious school either. Shohoku is initially depicted to be an ordinary school, but we are also shown how it has delinquency and school fights — especially among its protagonist and his “gang”

Shohoku’s normalcy is extended into its clubs, in particular, its basketball club. This club isn’t necessarily “run down” or “at risk of not existing anymore”, but aside from its coach (Coach Anzai, a man who used to coach the Japanese national team) and Akagi, their star center, Shohoku’s basketball team doesn’t have much going for it. Due to being a public school, Shohoku doesn’t have the money incentive to recruit star players (like some other schools I will mention soon), and most stars (besides Rukawa LOLLL) won’t go to an ordinary school “on a whim”

Moreover, the financial disparities become even more personal through the experiences of the characters themselves.

Sakuragi is hinted at to be poor, and the notion that basketball is “pay to play” is first explored through him in volume three, where Hikoichi (a player from Ryonan who “scouts” their competition) points out that it is strange Sakuragi doesn’t have basketball shoes, but he is quick to tell himself that it is likely because Sakuragi can’t afford them. Many basketball shoes, especially the Jordans that Sakuragi obtains throughout the series, are well over the $150-200 USD price range. While it is possible to play without basketball shoes, not having shoes that are designed for basketball automatically puts a player at a slight disadvantage.

This brings into question how resources—or the lack thereof—can subtly but significantly influence the trajectory of a player’s journey and a team’s potential for success. Sakuragi was lucky to have gotten practically free basketball shoes due to the generosity of a store owner, but those costs were his own out-of-pocket expenses. Unfortunately, a public school without special stipends for their programs cannot provide financial assistance to provide some of the resources to nurture potentially talented players.

While schools like Shohoku do not have funds to incentivize players or potential talent to come their way, they also do not have the funds to incentivize star coaches to coach at these schools. While Shohoku was able to have gotten Anzai (who wanted to retire by coaching highschool basketball), many public schools do not have that same luck.

In fact, the reason that two of the starting players, Mitsui and Miyagi, even decided to attend Shohoku was due to its coach, Coach Anzai. I think this goes to show that if a school invests in incentives like star coaches or a star basketball program, then these talented players will want to attend.

In terms of schools who provide ALL the incentives, and has thus led to star teams, I want to focus on Kainan, Shoyo, and (especially) Ryonan.

All are labelled as prestigious, private schools with amazing basketball programs, with Kainan having a stellar track record at nationals. But why is that? How did they get so.. good?

If I had to best answer this, money.

Ryonan is known to have scouted its star players, with Coach Taoka even scouting Sendoh and Fukuda from a junior high in Tokyo. For reference, Kanagawa is about two hours away from Tokyo, so Coach Taoka has to provide incentives for these boys to move to a different prefecture rather than staying in a city that likely has many powerhouse schools. In his case, these incentives would likely be full rides to Ryonan, as well as extra stipends to cover these student’s additional costs (such as food, money to move away, etc). Since Ryonan has the funding to do this, Coach Taoka is able to travel around to different areas, find these hidden talents, and bring them over to Ryonan. Public schools like Shohoku, who do not have allocated funds for sports programs, do not have this opportunity… and thus, are at an automatic disadvantage.

It is not explicitly stated how prestigious of a school Shoyo is, but having a program-related disadvantage affecting their players is prevalent. They do not have an official coach (for an unmentioned reason), and their star player Fujima has to coach his teammates as a result. Unfortunately, this additional responsibility prevented him from focusing on his own skills. I do believe Shoyo IS a school that has funding, but this highlights how a program being neglected directly impacts the strength of a team.

Another team I wanted to point out is Toyotama, a team that faced some of the most immense pressure in the entire series.

While Minami and Kishimoto, the team’s leaders, are characterized as “brute assholes”, it is shown that their irrational behavior stems from their pressure to perform well in order to potentially bring back their former coach, Coach Kitano.

Although Toyotama is 8th in the country, for the investors in their school’s basketball program, this isn’t enough. And thus… Coach Kitano was fired in the hopes of getting a coach who could lead the team to a better performance.

For these prestigious schools, their end goal is making a return on their investments. After all, what is the point of pouring all that money and resources for a team that doesn't even land them in the news?

While this is sad, it is very realistic. And as a result... even though Toyotama has a prestigious program, they felt even more pressure to *make a return." and this pressure poured into the team and their behavior.

However, the school that truly encapsulates the opportunities that money and resources provide for their players is Sannoh Technical High School.

Sannoh is practically a world class basketball team, with "anyone in Japan who gives a damn about basketball knows them", a team that had won nationals for years on end.

But how can one team be so good, let alone having a lasting legacy of greatness?

While their players are undoubtedly talented, Sannoh has invested aplenty into nurturing their players' talents.

Like Coach Taoka of Ryonan, Sannoh’s Coach Damoto scouts the best and brightest for their team. Eji Sawakita, although residing in a different prefecture, was discovered and scouted by Sannoh. While it isn't explicitly said how many players they scouted, or what incentives they provided Sawakita (aside from opportunities and their prestige), it can be inferred that Sannoh likely looks for the best and brighest to be apart of their teams.

In addition to the money and resources spent scouting, Sannoh provides their team with immense opportunities that most schools do not.

It is stated that Sawakita had been sent on a trip abroad to play basketball in America, and that he even learned new techniques during his trip. To say the least, a trip like that is... expensive. To send students to a country across the world just to play basketball is a hefty price to pay, and yet Sannoh was willing to pay it.

To prepare for Shohoku's match, Coach Damoto arranged a practice match with Sannoh alum who have a similar playstyle to Shohoku. While it is possible that these alum were willing to volunteer their time doing this, Damoto going out of his way to bring them all together and schedule that practice match is something that likely cost a significant amount to make happen. And it is certainly an opportunity that many schools would not provide.

Unfortunately, it is difficult to compete with money, and this sentiment is universal for any sector.

But what makes Shohoku’s victory over all these powerhouse schools, especially Sannoh, so shocking is the fact it is an “ordinary, no name school.” Theoretically, Shohoku would never beat a team like Sannoh, especially given the fact that Shohoku didn’t even have half the money, resources, and opportunities that Sannoh does.

Yet… Shohoku did it. And I think this part of why Slam Dunk is such a beautiful story: an ordinary team was, even for a moment, able to be extraordinary.

[perfectsunlight]

21 ⸺ TYPE

warnings: infidelity, angst, swearing

word count: 3.2k

part of the series: LOGICAL

when aeri read it, her heart stopped. she read it again, and then again, trying to make sense of it. somi? with chaeyoung? the two people she trusted most? she hadn’t seen it coming. not even a little. 

at least, that’s what she tried to tell herself. deep down, she always feared this moment would come.

aeri had always felt like she wasn’t enough for somi, but now, seeing the confirmation of her worst fear in that single text, it all came crashing down. 

and all she could think about was how she wasn’t the type of girl somi really wanted. 

or maybe she never had been.

jeon somi had more ex-girlfriends than she could count on her hands. she was tall, blonde, and very athletic—anything a girl could have ever wanted. similar to lisa, girls followed somi around like moths to a flame. whether it was her charming smile or her flirtatious nature, somi had no trouble finding someone new, someone fun. she thrived on the chase, always seeming to have someone wrapped around her finger.

but aeri had been different.

the japanese girl wasn’t like anyone she had ever met. somi usually went for the ones with carefree attitudes and a bit more rough around the edges. tattoos, piercings, and wild nights out were usually her style. 

but aeri was serious, quiet, and more grounded. she was always around the basketball team but never part of the spotlight. as the team manager, she kept her head down, organizing schedules, making sure everyone had what they needed, and barely giving somi a second glance. 

and maybe that was what had intrigued somi in the first place. 

aeri didn’t care that somi was the best center in the league, or that every other girl in the gym was vying for her attention. she didn’t care that the taller girl had a fanclub that waited to take pictures with her after every game, some even asking for her number as well.

to her, somi’s achievements and popularity were irrelevant. 

the first time somi had asked aeri out, she’d been friendzoned faster than she could blink. 

it was after a particularly exciting game against hanyang university, where ygu had won by a massive margin. the gym had buzzed with the energy of the win, the crowd’s cheers echoing off the walls as the team celebrated. the players, sweaty and exhilarated, were starting to disperse, while aeri was methodically packing up the equipment, her focus on tidying up the chaos left behind.

somi approached, her usual confident character on display. her dyed blonde hair was damp from sweat, sticking to her forehead in a way that made her look more approachable. she grinned broadly, the kind of smile that was more than just a bit friendly, and leaned casually against the table where aeri was working.

“hey, aeri,” somi said, her voice bright and casual. “you up for celebrating with the team tonight?”

the japanese girl barely looked up from the clipboard she was scribbling on. with a practiced efficiency, she finished jotting down notes and then glanced at somi with a polite and disinterested thin smile.

“no,” she replied, her tone steady and unflustered. “i’m not interested.”

somi’s smile faltered for just a moment, her eyebrows lifting slightly in surprise. she straightened up, pushing off from the table, but her body language remained open, trying to keep the mood light. “oh, alright. well, if you change your mind, you know where to find me.”

aeri nodded, already turning her attention back to the clipboard. “i won’t be changing my mind.” and with that, she turned on her heel, walking briskly towards coach irene and coach taeyeon who were discussing the game’s highlights.

as she watched the shorter girl walk away, somi’s shoulders slightly slumped in defeat. 

the energy she had carried into the conversation had dissipated, leaving her standing alone, a lingering frown creasing her brow. she watched as aeri moved towards the coaches, blending back into the background of the post-game routine, and realized that the casual rejection had not only stung but had also stirred up a deeper, unsettling awareness of aeri’s indifference.

jeon somi knew she had to try again. she just had to. the first rejection had stung more than she’d let on, but it hadn’t deterred her. instead, it had fueled her determination. she convinced herself that persistence might win out in the end, that maybe if she kept trying, aeri would eventually see her in a different light.

the second time somi asked aeri out, it was during media day, a high-energy event where the team was swarmed by reporters and photographers. the gym was buzzing with the activity of the media, flashing cameras, and the loud hum of excited chatter. the team’s new uniforms were on display, and everyone was in high spirits, mingling and preparing for the season ahead.

somi spotted aeri amidst the chaos, standing near a backdrop where players were taking their promotional photos. aeri was dressed in her usual managerial attire, a sleek blazer over her team polo, her hair pulled back neatly. she was chatting with a couple of reporters, her demeanor calm and professional. somi took a deep breath, steeling herself for another attempt.

with a confident stride, somi made her way over, navigating through the crowd of reporters and camera flashes. she approached aeri with a warm, friendly smile, trying to exude an air of casual charm.

“hey, aeri,” somi said, her voice rising above the background noise. “got a second?”

the dark haired girl looked up from her conversation, her eyes meeting the center’s with a mixture of surprise and a faint smile. she was clearly busy, but she made a polite effort to engage. 

“yes?”

somi took a small step closer, leaning in with a hopeful grin as she clasped her hands together. “i was thinking, with the season starting soon and everything, maybe we could have dinner tomorrow night? just the two of us. what do you say?”

the japanese girl’s smile widened, but it was accompanied by a hint of incredulity. she laughed lightly, shaking her head with a mixture of amusement and disbelief. “you’re really persistent, i’ll give you that.” her tone was warm but laced with a gentle mockery.

the blonde’s grin faltered just a touch, but she maintained her hopeful gaze as she rocked back and forth on her heels. “so, is that a yes?”

aeri’s laughter was soft, almost incredulous. she shook her head again, her eyes twinkling with amusement. “no, i’m not interested. you should know by now.”

somi’s smile dimmed, and she nodded, trying to mask her disappointment. “alright. maybe another time? when do you have some time? what’s your schedule like next week?”

aeri offered a sympathetic smile but turned her attention back to the reporters, signaling that the conversation was over. somi lingered for a moment, the weight of the rejection settling heavily on her. the lively atmosphere of the event felt distant now, overshadowed by the sting of the repeated rebuff. 

as she walked away, she couldn’t shake the mix of frustration and resignation. despite her persistence, it seemed that winning aeri’s affection was going to be far more elusive than she had ever anticipated.

but the more aeri resisted, the more somi wanted her.

by the time she considered trying a third time, somi was determined. she didn’t even care about aeri’s supposed indifference anymore. it had turned into a challenge, something she needed to win. but what somi hadn’t expected was that, somewhere along the way, it stopped being just about winning aeri over. 

she had started falling for her—hard. 

everytime aeri came in for practice, somi lost all focus.  the sight of her managing the team with that efficient grace, the way she interacted with the players, her infectious laughter—it all had a magnetic pull on somi. even the simplest gestures, like aeri adjusting her glasses or brushing a strand of hair away from her face, became captivating. it was as if somi was seeing aeri in a new light, each moment amplifying the depth of her feelings.

one evening, after a particularly grueling practice, somi found herself lingering by the gym’s entrance, her heart pounding with a mix of excitement and anxiety. the players had dispersed, but aeri was still there, packing up her things. somi watched as aeri’s movements were precise and deliberate, her focus intense. it was a side of aeri that somi had come to admire, the dedication and professionalism that seemed to shine even in the smallest details.

taking a deep breath, somi approached aeri, who was now organizing her clipboard and making last-minute notes. somi’s heart raced, not just from the anticipation of asking aeri out again but from the realization of how deeply her feelings had grown. she could no longer deny that this wasn’t just a challenge—it was something much more profound.

“hey aeri,” somi began, her voice slightly hesitant but filled with genuine emotion. “uh, can i talk to you for a minute?”

aeri looked up, her eyebrows slightly raised in curiosity. she set down her clipboard and gave somi her full attention. “sure, what’s up?”

somi took a step closer, her gaze steady. “i know i’ve asked you out a couple of times before and you’ve turned me down. i get that. but i need to be honest with you. i really like you, aeri.”

the other girl’s expression softened, but there was still a flicker of surprise in her eyes. she considered somi’s words, her gaze dropping to the floor for a moment before meeting somi’s again. 

“i appreciate your feelings, somi,” aeri said with a sigh. “but i have a lot on my plate right now. tomorrow night, i’m completely booked with team obligations and personal commitments. it’s just not a good time for me.”

somi’s heart sank slightly, but she tried to maintain a hopeful smile. “i understand. i didn’t expect you to be free.” the basketball player rubbed the back of her neck in defeat, trying to ignore the pang in her chest.

the japanese girl began to gather her things, preparing to leave. somi simply watched her, feeling a mix of sadness and resignation. just as aeri reached the door, she paused, her hand resting on the handle. she turned back towards somi with a thoughtful expression.

“what about the day after tomorrow?” aeri asked, her tone a bit more tentative. somi’s eyes lit up with a glimmer of hope, her sadness momentarily forgotten. “the day after tomorrow? are you sure?”

aeri nodded, offering a small smile. “yeah, i should be free then.”

somi’s heart swelled with a renewed sense of optimism. she couldn’t help the grin that formed from ear to ear. when aeri finally said yes, after months of persistent flirting and half-serious jokes, somi felt like she had conquered the impossible.

once they started dating, things were a bit rocky. aeri had always felt out of place in somi’s world. 

she wasn’t like the other girls somi had dated, and she knew it. somi had never said it outright, but aeri could feel it in the small, subtle ways—the way somi’s gaze would linger just a little too long on other girls, or the way her friends would make comments about somi’s type. 

aeri had tried to ignore it, tried to believe that somi really wanted her, but the insecurity never left.

maybe that’s what had slowly started to pull them apart.

aeri had always feared that one day, somi would wake up and realize she could do better—find someone more exciting, someone who fit her lifestyle. she had always worried she wasn’t enough, and now, standing in her apartment, staring at lisa’s text, it felt like all those insecurities had been right.

she had never been enough for somi.

son chaeyoung was somi’s best friend since college started. they had met at one of the many parties thrown during welcome week and they clicked instantly. chaeyoung was everything aeri feared she wasn’t—confident, carefree, and spontaneous. where she tended to overthink and second-guess herself, chaeyoung just seemed to live in the moment. 

she fit perfectly into somi’s world, the one aeri always felt slightly out of place in.

how could she not have seen it?

sure, she had known about somi’s history—about the exes, the flings, the friends with benefits. she had always been surrounded by people, and aeri was just always hovering on the outskirts of somi’s chaotic, lively life. but even though aeri had friend-zoned somi more than once, she’d let her walls down eventually, let herself believe that maybe, just maybe, somi had chosen her.

but maybe somi had never really chosen her at all.

she thought about the little things—the way somi would glance at her during practice, the shy, teasing smile that only aeri ever seemed to notice. the way that the taller girl would wrap her jacket around her during winter practices, knowing how cold the gym was. or even how everytime somi scored, she’d make the letter “a” with her fingers and put it on her heart.

was it all a lie? did anything have any meaning?

“aeri,” somi’s voice was heard from outside the japanese girl’s apartment door. “please. let me explain.”

the mentioned girl stood frozen, her hand hovering over the doorknob. somi’s voice, muffled but pleading, cut through the numbness that had settled in her chest. explain? what could possibly explain this? but something in her still wanted to hear it. maybe it was the part of her that didn’t want to believe it was all over. 

maybe it was the part of her that still loved somi, despite everything.

with a shaky breath, aeri unlocked the door and pulled it open. somi stood there, her eyes red-rimmed and glassy, tears streaking down her face. she looked a mess, and definitely heartbroken. but aeri wasn’t ready to feel sympathy—not yet.

somi took a hesitant step inside, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. “i—i’m sorry,” she stammered. “i just, look, i didn’t mean for any of this to happen once, let alone twice.”

aeri stayed silent, closing the door behind her. her arms were crossed, more out of self-protection than anything else. “what exactly didn’t you mean to happen, somi?” her voice was cold, a sharp contrast to the trembling girl in front of her. “what do you mean it happened twice?”

the blonde’s gaze fell to the floor, the weight of her confession hanging heavily in the air. “aeri, please,” she took a step forward, her hands raised as if to ward off the distance. “it wasn’t supposed to happen like this.”

she felt her heart race, her eyes narrowing as she scanned the features on her girlfriend’s face. “what do you mean it happened twice?” she repeated, the tension in her voice palpable. she had known something was wrong, but she had convinced herself that she was just being paranoid. 

she wasn’t.

somi hesitated, her breath hitching as she tried to find the right words. she ran a hand through her hair and sighed deeply before looking back at the shorter girl. “the first time was just a kiss,” she finally admitted, her voice shaky. “i was with chaeyoung, and it happened when we were out celebrating. i was drunk and i didn’t think it meant anything.”

aeri felt her heart drop. she had never known about that. and the fact that the girl she loved kept it a secret for so long seemed to make her feel even worse. “a kiss? you kissed her? and then you slept with her? how is that supposed to make sense?”

“no! i didn’t sleep with her then. that was a mistake, too. but last night? that was different.” somi’s eyes were wide with fear, her voice rising with desperation. “i swear, i didn’t mean for any of it to happen! i was confused. i thought we were okay, and then—”

“clearly, we weren’t okay. you knew we weren’t okay,” aeri shot back, her voice trembling with hurt. “how could you do this to me? i trusted you, somi. i thought you loved me.”

“i do love you!” somi cried, tears spilling down her cheeks. her heart was entirely the japanese girl’s. even if she didn’t show it “you have to believe me. but at that moment, everything got blurry. it was chaeyoung, and she was there, and i didn’t think—”

“didn’t think what?” the brunette’s voice was low and dangerous, her heart racing. “didn’t think about how i would feel? didn’t think about what it would mean for us? didn’t think you were making a mistake?”

somi’s shoulders slumped as she struggled to articulate her feelings. “i didn’t want to hurt you, aeri. i thought it was just a moment, something that wouldn’t change anything between us. but then i woke up next to her and realized...”

“realized what?” aeri pressed, her voice icy. “that you made the wrong choice? that you let someone else in when you should have been with me?”

her girlfriend swallowed hard, her hands trembling as she reached out toward aeri. “i didn’t mean for it to happen. i promise. i wanted to be with you, but—”

“but what?” aeri challenged, her heart aching. “you tell me that you wanted me, but you didn’t think twice about sleeping with your best friend?” somi’s eyes were filled with tears as she shook her head. “no, please don’t say that. i care about you more than anything. but i messed up. i messed up so badly. and i hate myself for it.”

aeri felt a deep pain in her chest, a raw ache that wouldn’t go away. “you think saying you hate yourself changes anything? you’ve already made your choice. and now, you’ve lost me.”

the taller girl stepped back, her face crumpling in despair. “please, aeri don’t do this.” the center fell to her knees, continuing to plead with tear-filled eyes. "i can't lose you. i can't—" her voice cracked, her heart visibly breaking before the japanese girl’s eyes.

her hands trembled as she stared down at the blonde, her chest tightening with emotions she couldn’t entirely suppress. she had told herself not to give in, not to let somi’s tears sway her, but seeing her like this made it so much harder.

“you already have,” aeri whispered, her words making somi’s head spin and her heart shatter into the remaining fragments that were left of it. “i’m done. we’re done.”

the next day at practice, the team manager felt as if she was watching a stranger on the court. somi was clearly off her game, unfocused and distracted, a shadow of the dominant center she usually was. her movements were sluggish, lacking the usual power and precision that made her such a key player. every missed shot, every fumbled pass, only seemed to deepen the frustration etched across her face.

it truly did pain the uchinaga girl to see the girl she loved like that, but somi had done it to herself. 

lisa shook her head everytime the center fumbled a play or missed a shot, leaning over to y/n with a scoff. “she’s a mess today,” the thai girl muttered, her frustration evident as she watched somi stumble through another drill. “she needs to get her shit together.”

y/n frowned, her eyes following the blonde’s every move. “something must’ve happened,” she whispered quietly, concern creeping into her voice. she glanced at aeri and then made a quick glance towards her girlfriend.

because although it was unusual, y/n couldn’t help but feel like her girlfriend had something to do with this, too. 

TAGLIST ⸺ ✭ @silantryoo @rosiehrs @niniwhiskers @cwpiqwon @jisooftme @1luvkarina @scarfac3 @santasbitch @lisas-earlobe @wallfl9wer @aerihiltonn @unforgivenangel @uzumakioden @skydreamed @haerinfangs @la-douleur-ne-finit-jamais @haerinkisser @giginings @lilsvx @milanlaia @pandafuriosa60 @wifey-badalee @slowlyturninggay291 @dreamingst99 @7daysronnie @thefckghost @drawing-into-the-night @xszn

[triptychgrip]

Yuri!!! on Ice post-canon headcanons - Part 1

-Yuuri becomes the first skater to ratify the quad flip in-combination, with a triple toe-loop. When he lands the combo at the 2018 Winter Olympics, it predictably breaks the internet and becomes known as the Katsuki Combo. Phichit becomes the second person to cleanly land it

-Minako bartends at the Viktuuri wedding reception in Hasetsu, and is single-handedly responsible for getting everyone trashed on their 'Stammi Vicino' signature cocktail. Things get pretty risque towards the end of the night when the new grooms begin to make exceedingly over-the-top declarations of love for one another. Neither Hiroko nor Toshiya bat an eye at any of this

-The first 'Viktor and Friends' ice show -- even with the Chihoko drama -- was such an incredible success that the Katsuki-Nikiforovs make it an annual excuse for all of their friends to get together in the off-season. The Hasetsu City Council becomes so fearful over liability issues when they notice how many tourists try to scale Hasetsu Castle to get pics in 'Shining Chihoko' pose, that they permanently install guardrails on the top of the Castle

-Viktor begins learning how to pole-dance under Yuuri's instruction. It's a 50-50 in terms of whether their lessons are actually productive versus them just ending up having sex, lol. B/c they are the most extra ppl imaginable, they work with Christophe to come up with a routine to perform at the 2022 Beijing Games banquet. This is their "last hurrah" in terms of banquet shenanigans, as the 2022 Olympics marks Yuuri's last competition before retiring

-Mila and Sara begin dating during the 2019 off-season, and Sara eventually moves to St. Petersburg so they can live together. Mila has Viktor choreograph a gala skate proposal routine, and when she performs it for Sara, everyone thinks it's amazing/adorable that she caps it off with her new fiance's damnably difficult signature jump combo (the triple lutz-triple loop)

-After a few years in St. Petersburg, Viktor and Yuuri move permanently to Fukuoka, Japan, where they coach/train at the same rink as Kenjirou (who never quite gets over his Yuuri hero worship, but does learn to tone it down...somehow). The move to Japan allows the Katsuki-Nikiforovs to begin working with the Nishigoris on long-term plans to expand Ice Castle Hasetsu into a top-tier training center

-Once Yakov retires, Yurio "follows" Viktor/Yuuri to Fukuoka and becomes Viktor's second student. This "works" in some respects, and is a disaster in others. With his ample free time upon retirement, Yakov attempts to repair things with Lilia

If any of the above headcanons sound interesting to you, you might be interested in my 2018/2022 Olympic Games fic series, which is currently comprised of 7 different parts! When I first began posting part 1 (currently at 212K words and counting) last November, I didn't do a great job of promoting it. So, as it (and the overall series) gets closer to completion, I'm striving to do better around that!

I originally set out to write an in-depth, post-canon series for two main reasons:

1) I find the politics of competitive sport really interesting and, obviously, canon Yuri!!! on Ice doesn't really touch on this in just 12 episodes. But politics/bureaucracy truly do weave into just about every aspect of an athlete's career, and particularly with such a talented/prominent Japanese skater moving to St. Petersburg to live and train alongside the sport's "Living Legend", I found myself ideating around what the implications of that would mean in-universe, particularly for the Winter Olympics

and 2) I wanted to see more of the "give and take" that we know to be true of Viktor and Yuuri's relationship. Naturally, as Viktor grows into his role as Yuuri's coach in canon, the narrative is largely about how he supports Yuuri, and I wanted to be able to explore more of the opposite (Yuuri learning to support Viktor in a more overt way than is implied).

Part 1 of the series is centered around the 2022 Olympic Games, but jumps back and forth in time so that you are able to get glimpses of how their relationship has evolved from their earlier days, as well as to see the ripple effect of a big event that took place at the PyeongChang Games.

Last but not least, if you like reading post-canon Yuri!!! on Ice but don't have energy/interest in reading a very long WIP, I have lot of other stories up on ao3, which you can find here

[remypat]

In 2016, I heard many of my friends talk about a new anime centered around figure skating. I was eighteen years old, closeted, and I had never given figure skating a second thought. It just didn’t seem appealing to me. Well, after a couple weeks of having my tumblr page be flooded with clips from Yuri on Ice, I caved in and watched it. After all, you can only see butt-naked Victor so many times before finally saying “You know what? I guess I’ll give it a try”

And Oh My God. My life was never the same. 

First off, the story that is woven in this anime is so beautifully hilarious. Like, you’re telling me, that this 27 year old living legend got swept off his feet by a drunk Japanese man and he dropped everything to go be his coach? At eighteen, it seemed ridiculous but now as an openly queer 26 year old, all I can say is: I GET IT. I would have been in Japan yesterday. I’m a writer that loves campy humor and this was not just my cup of tea, it was like ambrosia sent from the gods of olympus. I love it.

I also fell in love with figure skating. I’ve watched Worlds, the Grand Prix, Nationals, and both the 2018 and 2022 Winter Olympics through my TV screen. I was so into figure skating, I still remember when Nathan Chen said that it was really hard for him (a straight man) to compete a gay-dominated sport. (Yeah, no one wants to bring that up since he won his gold medal.) But my point is, Yuri on Ice means a lot to me. It always will. Thanks to YOI, I fell in love with figure skating and it’s thanks to that love that I have created my own little story centered around figure skating. 

My story is called Why Lie Now?

Yes, it is a queer romance and yes, it is about figure skating, but it’s not Yuri on Ice. I cannot possibly ask you all to fill the void in your hearts with my story, but I implore you, that if you like queer romances, and you like figure skating, you just might really like this story too. 

I am updating in parts but for the meantime, please check it out!

[thefinalcinderella]

Tsurune Book 3 Chapter 6 - Genuine (Part 2)

My brain as I was translating this: what is bro yapping about

also please don't ask me to clarify anything that happened in this chapter, i also have no idea. i'm pretty sure only the author knows 😂all i know is that they were definitely doing kyudo.

TW: suicide mention

Glossary here

Full list of translations here

Translation Notes

A saijiki is an almanac of Japanese seasonal terms used for poetry

Asahina's name (朝日奈) contains the characters for morning sun

Adults (成人) and saints (聖人) have the same reading (seijin)

A box-like structure where rain shutters are stored when not in use

Previous | Next

Masa-san, there’s something I want to tell you.

Don’t laugh and just listen to me.

The competitors from both schools met face to face at the prefectural finals. The sky began preparations to show off its triumphant end.

Asahina and Minato faced each other.

“Looks like ‘Minahead’ worked. Thanks.”

“Please don’t make surprise attacks like you did the other day.”

“Hahaha, sorry. The protection around you was strong, so that was the best I could do.”

Eddie pushed up his hair. “We have no need for superstition anymore.”

“That’s right, partner.”

Asahina and Eddie bumped elbows. They were like children who played a secret prank on their parents.

Haneina’s coach, Tsucchi, and Masa-san faced off.

“My archers are in top form. We’re going to win.”

“I don’t know about that. Kazemai can use the wind, after all.”

“I don’t want any funny tricks. Show us what you can do.”

“Go easy on us.”

The archers from both schools entered the shajo with orange and yellow-green headbands tied around their heads.

Haneina High School had Eddie, Matsuda, Kanuma, Igarashi, and Asahina.

Kazemai High School had Kaito, Ryouhei, Seiya, Nanao, and Minato.

They each stepped onto the shooting line and spread their legs.

The oomae of Haneina was Eddie. His golden hair fluttered in the sun. Spreading his white wings, the archangel descended upon the land of the east. The eccentric was an assumed figure, and the truth was revealed.

He objected to the strange land of Japan, where everyone wore matching outfits to find jobs. Who told them to wear black? Was it because it wouldn’t stand out even if they settled down in a graveyard? Those who prepared loyalty tests for the company would have been promoted and given a nice apartment. Ceasing to think for yourself was what politicians wanted you to do. Misguided servility made the conceited even more fattened. If you were going to dance the same dance, then dance in your own colors.

The arrow was aimed at the demon’s heart. But Eddie and Kaito hit the center.

Next was Matsuda on the second target. One day, a house party was held. The servants, who were usually unsmiling, broke out into big smiles as soon as the host appeared in the room. Before he knew it, everyone in the room had smiles pasted onto their faces. “Supporting the disabled is my purpose in life. We are very concerned about you. With this product, you can reduce your anxiety about your future,” they whispered, but the bow made no distinction between the disabled and the able-bodied. The love that asked for nothing in return was always there.

The released arrow shattered the window glass. Ryouhei followed as well.

Kanuma on the third target opened his haiku saijiki. (1) Beautiful phrases that reflected Japan’s weather, astronomy, geography, and human affairs were lined up side by side. The finely honed senses of their ancestors that resided in each phrase hadn’t faded away even now.

Words were twisted, woven, knitted, and tied together. Weaving brocade was the living wisdom and culture of creatures without fur. The clothes we wore revealed our environment and thoughts. Those who could manipulate words and know the hidden power of words could transcend the concept of time and fly to the moment at any time. Right now, Kanuma has composed a song.

Kanuma and Seiya summoned tsurune.

Brain, be deceived. Make a miracle happen.

Taking the sound of the matooto as a signal, Igarashi raised his bow. Anyone could step into his flower garden. Flowers such as bellflowers, gentians, and campanulas were preferred, and the bells rang when the wind blew. Bees and butterflies frolicked amidst the flowers, grass lizards and rainbow-colored lizards lay in the grass, and red-flanked blue tails rested on the branches. He picked the withered flowers and thinned out overcrowded foliage. A garden that took time to grow was a treasure. Igarashi applied that image to his own bow. He slept every night holding his bow, of which only one existed in this world.

As Igarashi and Nanao’s arrows flew, flowers bloomed along the path.

In the stands, Hanazawa, Shiragiku, and Seo gasped. Since there were a lot of hits in quick succession, they braced themselves so they wouldn’t miss the chance to cheer.

“Wow, it’s so beautiful.”

“Both schools are sparkling.”

“This is exactly what ‘brilliance’ is.”

The ochi Asahina, as his name suggested, was the embodiment of the sun. (2) His red hair burned in the twilight.

Fire.

Fire knew what you had done.

It also knew the name and face of your accomplice.

If you wanted to purify yourself, go to the sea. If you wanted power, go to the mountains. Whichever path you chose, he would be a torchbearer and a guide. Heaven watched the deeds of those who lived on earth. Three children were born out of the fire. At any given time, there existed something that recorded the events on earth. Memories that were passed down became stories.

Asahina and Minato released their arrows.

For the second shot, nobody missed.

For the third short, the sound of the matooto didn’t cease.

The wind blew through the kyudojo, where conversation and even breathing were taboo.

Where was the wind going? Who was it bringing with it?

A memory of a day he spent with Masa-san flashed through Minato’s mind.

Yata Forest, where the crescent moon hang in the deep blue sky. The sound of rustling leaves sounded like the trees were welcoming them as the two walked along the white path illuminated by moonlight.

“Masa-san, there’s something I want to tell you. I had a strange experience a long time ago. I haven’t even told Seiya and Ryouhei about it. They’ll probably think I’m crazy or just laugh at me and say I was dreaming. Will you listen to me?”

“I will.”

“You won’t laugh?”

“I won’t.”

Minato took a deep breath.

“I was a bit out of it that day, and when people told me that it was Setsubun today, I was like, ‘Huh?’ It seemed like I got the date wrong by a day, and I had no memory of the day before Setsubun.”

“Hmm.”

“After scattering the beans, I slept like usual, and the next thing I knew, I was paralyzed. My arms and legs were numb, and I couldn’t move my body at all. While I was panicking, I heard three sounds. It kind of sounded like something used in an old sci-fi movie. Then, all of a sudden, a beam of light hit me from right above my head to my feet with a ker-wham. Just as I was thinking Oh crap, what do I do, I heard the three sounds again, and then I was hit on the top of my head with a wham. I still couldn’t move my body, so I was thinking about reciting the Heart Sutra when my dad woke me up. Apparently I was crying out in my sleep.”

Masa-san’s eyes widened. He burst into laughter.

“So you laughed at me after all. I’m a chuunibyou even in my dreams.”

“No, I was laughing at the onomatopoeia. I wasn’t laughing at what you said.”

“Are you telling the truth?”

“I had a similar experience. I never told anyone about it, so it’s a secret.”

Masa-san began speaking.

I’ve told you before that when I was in my third year of high school, I got target panic and my master gave up on me. I’ve also told you that in my first year in university, my father sent me a notification of my brother’s death, but actually, when I was nineteen, I got into an argument with my master. I declared that I will never forgive the person who made my brother disappear and that I will take revenge, but my master just lectured me in the usual way, saying that revenge was a foolish thing and that my anger will burn me to death. I asked him why he had been ignoring it until now, and why is it that you, my own family, didn’t understand me. I showered my master with the hateful words that should have been directed towards my father. That ended up being our final conversation.

When I was twenty, in my second year of university, my master passed away. I overcame my target panic and received invitations from several kyudo schools to join them, but I had lost sight of the significance of drawing the bow. I kept asking myself why I was drawing a bow—and then I realized it. No, I finally admitted it. I wanted to be acknowledged as an archer by my “master Yasaka,” no one else. And that will never come true.

In the spring of my third year, I completed shooting a hundred arrows, but all I felt was a sense of emptiness. My father casually sent us letters, as if he was unaware of the despair and threat he posed to us. Was it okay to just do nothing? Would I have no choice but to take these negative feelings with me to the grave?

As summer approached, I began to deeply regret the last words I spoke to my master. Every time I entered the kyudojo, my body became stiff, and I found it hard to breathe. Before I knew it, I couldn’t sleep soundly, and the doctor’s comforting words and medicine didn’t make me feel better. My mother, unable to just watch, took me to a temple in Shikoku.

The chief priest was a quiet person. He read sutras in the morning and sat in front of the Buddha at noon and night. He would visit me from time to time, and we would talk about casual everyday things before going home. During that time, I remained lying on my bed.

Several choruses of cicadas passed by. Everything that lived was covered in shame, and I longed to disappear, but I couldn’t commit suicide for the sake of the family I would be leaving behind. At night, I closed my eyes, hoping that I would never wake up again. If I could at least forget everything, I could live.

I closed my mouth in the morning and laid down on the ground during the day and night.

Sleepless days. I couldn’t escape the memories that replayed over and over again.

One night, as I was looking back on my life and regretting every detail, I heard a voice coming from the upper left corner of my head. Just a single “Good.”

The two looked at each other and smiled.

It was a strange feeling of empathy with each other.

Ah, that’s right. Someday, when the time was right, I can tell others about this day. When the truth dwells in Minato’s words.

When Masa-san finished, he grinned.

This was a secret between master and disciple.

“Good.”

“Good.”

The sixth voice was heard.

With three scales, arrows of light descended from the heavens and pierced through Minato’s body. His whole body went numb and his head became hazy.

The sounds came again.

When he decided to “come,” the arrows passed through his body and spread from the soles of his feet to the ground.

Meigen. That was the sound of the dawn.

Three sounds and arrows of light fell from the sky.

The arrows of light pierced my body.

The ultimate goal of kyudo was “the true, the good, and the beautiful.” True archery didn’t lie, deceive, or betray.

Truth in archery was proven by the brilliance of the bow, the tsurune, and hitting the target. What was true was beautiful, and what was good was also beautiful. Once you met the genuine article, you would never be confused again.

Hayake—Yips was a state in which the body became warped due to accumulated fatigue and stress, and the brain ends up malfunctioning. That was why beginners didn’t get target panic. It occurred when the brain remembered the experience of failure so strongly that it issued an emergency alert every time those memories replayed. This became a regular occurrence, and if proper treatment wasn’t taken, it would only get worse. In archery, hayake was called “target panic,” and it was an accurate description of this sickness.

The solution was to regulate one’s breathing. It was to get rid of the distortions in one’s body and allow the brain and body to rest.

There were actually very few people who could maintain a natural and comfortable posture. Regulating the autonomic nervous system and improving the functioning of the central nervous system was the key to good health. The autonomic nervous system referred to the nerves that were responsible for unconscious processes such as pulse, breathing, and digestion. The sympathetic nervous system was dominant during the day, and the parasympathetic nervous system was dominant when sleeping at night. The central nervous system were the nerves that acted like a command center, issuing commands to various parts of the body.

Anxiety and fear were a kind of self-protective instinct. Once living things experienced something scary or painful, they tried to avoid it next time. When it was overreacted to, they became stuck in the memories of the past, worried about the future, and unable to take even a step forward.

When you drove a car, you got too scared to drive if you thought about what would happen if you caused an accident. You made sure you were in good physical condition and inspected your vehicle before driving. Even so, if you caused an accident, you would have to pay for it for the rest of your life. If you were willing to accept all of that, everything else would become possible.

Cars run on gasoline or electricity, but what did the human body need to move? Oxygen. Oxygen produced heat. “Breathing” was an important way to obtain oxygen efficiently. Because modern people breathed with their chests, they were unaware that they were about to drown due to the lack of oxygen in their brains.

Let’s slowly take a deep breath.

You could see what you couldn’t see before.

You could touch what you couldn’t touch before.

The days I spent with you.

The days I will spend with you from now on.

Who should I thank for this happiness?

Right now, I’m breathing.

Blessed are the creatures that shed their fur.

They have rented lodgings on earth and eaten many lives.

Now, I offer a moment of silence.

The fourth shot began. The ten’s heartbeats grated.

Gradually, slowly, the surroundings were dyed in green, like vines were creeping around. This place, with its spreading leaves and blooming orange flowers, was just like the earth after humans have left.

Those who gathered in the Land of the Rising Sun. Kaito, who had just been born, let out a single cry. The roar that announced the joy of birth hit right in the middle of the target.

Ryouhei also raised his voice. What beautiful stars, what delightful companions. Now, let’s set off. Let’s row the boat. What kind of place would the new continent be? What kind of encounters await us?

Seiya followed suit. I knew you were worried about me. I was taking advantage of your kindness. Thank you for being by my side. Thank you for getting angry.

Nanao was enjoying himself, happy, and sun—. The place I belong is where I draw my bow. I want it, I want it, I want it. But it didn’t come true. I got an abode that I should have given up sometime ago. Someone whispered to me that it’s okay to stay here, that there’s no need to leave so quickly. When he blew a whistle, the matooto resounded at the azuchi.

Minato was standing on the earth.

We are temporary residents who are renting a part of the earth.

His memory flew back to a few weeks ago, to something Saionji had said with blooming azaleas behind him.

“Narumiya-kun, please try to explain the ‘Heart Sutra’ to me.”

“Yes. The universe is emptiness. If you think something exists, it exists. If you don’t think it exists, it doesn’t exist. You can see it if you try to see it, and you can’t see it if you don’t try. It’s dyed in every color, and it’s not dyed in any color. The mind is emptiness. The mind is the body, and the body is the mind. Although they are considered different things, they used to be one and the same. The ‘box’ that is me contains all the necessary software. Now, recite the password called an incantation and open the box. The box will then start up normally.”

“That’s a bold interpretation. It’s very interesting. Continuing studying in that vein.”

“Thank you very much.”

“It’s not about right or wrong, it’s about how you feel. That is the answer of the current you. Religion was originally meant to be a guidebook to help you live a better life.”

The mind and body were the same person.

The heart was responsible for pumping blood, the stomach was responsible for digesting food, and the brain was responsible for thinking. All were functions of internal organs, and each had a role. It was just that the roles were divided, and it didn’t mean that the brain was the best and the others weren’t. Confusion arose because only the brain was viewed as special.

Humans tended to rely on vision when obtaining information, and were creatures who liked to take things apart before observing them. However, if you were too short-sighted, you would lose sight of the true essence. If you take a step back, you could see the whole thing. Man and woman, good and evil, the surface and below, real and imaginary numbers, joy and anger, sadness and healing, health and illness, life and death, meetings and partings. Dualism was just one classification method, and the classification depended on the time and situation.

The two couldn’t be separated. They were intertwined from the start.

They were one from the beginning.

A spell was a mysterious word that went beyond human comprehension. Although words could be shown to have special power, the basis for the current phenomenon couldn’t be explained. Because it was “power beyond human understanding,” it was difficult for ordinary people to understand, much less put into words. Just because you couldn’t see, hear, or quantify it doesn’t mean that it “didn’t exist.” It was only latent, not yet manifested.

A text that had been simplified by an expert in the field by only extracting the important points was, on the contrary, even more difficult for beginners to understand. Rewording the text into concrete episodes, in other words, accumulating stories, helps to deepen understanding. Stories were the perfect tool to convey something. It was hoped that someday, someone would explain it in an easy-to-understand text.

Minato and Asahina’s arrows pierced their targets.

Ten people. Forty perfect hits.

This was in the exact region of a hundred shots and a hundred hits.

Viewing this amazing scene, there was a standing ovation in the spectators’ seats.

Ren, who was watching in the stands, squeezed his hands. Seiya’s brother Gaku hugged himself.

“It looks cold. How long will this continue?”

“…I hope it doesn’t end like this.”

No winner was decided, so it became a shoot-out. Each archer released a shot, and the school with the most hits won. If it couldn’t be determined in one round, it was repeated until the ranking was decided.

The oomae had begun to raise their bows.

Roaring bows. Arrows that cut through the wind. Summoning thunderclouds, colorful dragons swam through the archery range.

Dizzingly clear paths of light bounce, dance, and splashed. Legendary creatures ran to the end without turning around or stopping. The “insect” contained in the kanji for “wind” and “rainbow” meant dragon, and although they were feared as gods in the East and monsters in the West, they weren’t influenced by human expectations. Each went their own way. Their colors and speeds were different, but they all arrived at one place—somewhere bright.

Once more, everyone hit.

The people watching the ten, who never missed, felt a thirst in their throats. What were they witnessing? Did something like this truly exist? Were they becoming witnesses to history?

Kaito, Ryouhei, Seiya, Nanao, and Minato faced the target.

The five melted into one and returned to that day. They were hearing Greensleeves.

Minato was talking to his mother in a dream.

“This song is about the moment when a disciple told their master the answer to a problem, right? I think the moment the master heard this, they smiled with joy.”

Greensleeves was a “Song of Naru.”

After completing his trials, the boy became an adult.

It was a rite of passage, an initiation.

Farewells and encounters were one and the same. On the winter solstice, the sun died and was reborn. Rather than having two sides, rather than being parallel, it was a chaotic thing that blended and mixed together. Today was like yesterday, and tomorrow was like today. Time didn’t exist there.

“Goodbye” was a magic word. It was devised from the beginning.

The sound of knocking on the door. A ringing sound.

Yearning, chasing, wishing.

Cowering, struggling, being doubted, despised.

Raging, despairing, cursing.

When you repent, mourn, accept death…

And give up.

Bow your head, love, and forgive. The door finally opens.

With a “welcome.”

Love meant forgiving yourself and others.

Could you embrace the person in front of you who you hated so much that you wanted to kill?

Those who cleared this final task were called “adults (saints)”. (3)

Admiration for the opposite sex and affection between parents and children were biological desires based on the perpetuation of descendants, and it wouldn’t be too difficult to love someone who had been kind to you. True friendship was rare and beautiful. Those who walked on the same path, master and disciple and friends. The two would be on a journey that would never end. The only difference was whether one went first or went later.

Even if one, two, three, or even four people finished, the match wasn’t decided.

The fifth, Asahina and Minato, began to raise their bows. They opened their chests wide and stretched their limbs in all directions. Two crosses emerged in the shajo dyed by the sunset. The boys flew into the sky. Migratory birds passed between the clouds, rivers meandering across the land, and cows grazing. A dragonfly rested its wings on the tip of an ear of wheat and flew away, seemingly uninterested in human activity.

A beautiful bow with a length unparalleled in the world. That was a divine implement. The sacred instrument inherited by archers chose its user. It looked for those with clear, unclouded eyes. The sun was a form of unconditional love. An existence that shined on everyone, both good or bad, without distinction. The Japanese called that star Amaterasu Oomikami.

When Minato’s arrow was sucked into its target, Asahina gently brought down his bow.

It was at that moment that Kazemai High School’s victory was decided.

Exclamations and screams arose at the long battle. The applause and cheers were deafening. In the stands, Hanazawa, Shiragiku, Seo, and Gaku were crying.

Kaito and Eddie, Ryouhei and Matsuda, Seiya and Kanuma, Nanao and Igarashi, and Minato and Asahina bumped gloves.

Asahina laughed. “That was so much fun. Let’s do it again.”

“Yeah, I had fun too.”

After they finished leaving the shajo, the first years Kanbayashi and Himuro ran up to them, and the members of Kazemai High School’s kyudo club hugged each other’s shoulders.

Minato and Kaito were screaming.

“Woooooooo!”

“Yeaaaaaah!”

“You don’t have to do your yagoe here. You’re hurting my ears,” Seiya chided them, but made no move to remove their hands from his shoulders. Ryouhei put his weight on them, causing the seven to lose their balance and collapse to the ground.

Nanao’s eyes were wet with emotion. It was not a little frustrating for him to be left out of the lineup in the preliminaries. He didn’t want to admit that he was frustrated, not wanting to show such an uncool part of himself, and unconsciously tried to keep up appearances. The other members all noticed this. They had the same feelings. Kaito, Seiya, Minato, Ryouhei, and even Himuro and Kanbayashi patted Nanao on the head. Nanao did the same thing back to them. Tommy-sensei watched the seven boys with a smile as they seemed to return to their childhood. Masa-san picked Nanao up and walked around with him. “Pick me up too!” Ryouhei badgered him.

The appearance of the Kazemai High School Kyudo Club was deeply etched into people’s memories.

After the awards ceremony, Kazemai prepared to go home. The support group that brought the cars walked ahead, followed by the club members. The championship cup was held by the president, Seiya.

The feeling of elation couldn’t be contained. The scenery they usually saw was more color saturated and lacked a sense of reality. On the stage of the finals, all five of them achieved six shots without missing. This was exactly a dream came true.

As they were leaving the kyudojo, the Kirisaki members came to congratulate them. The Young Prince’s eyes were more melancholic than usual.

Ryouhei put his arms around Kaito and Nanao’s shoulders.

“Ah, I’m still excited. I feel like running.”

“Alright, let’s run home.”

“You guys are gonna get wiped out if you do that,” Kaito said, but he couldn’t remain still either and started walking faster.

Minato, Kanbayashi, and Himuro formed the tail end of the group. After the match, they walked slowly from exhaustion.

“I’ve been inspired. I’m going to become an archer like Narumiya-senpai.”

“You’re making too much of me. I’m not even close to Masa-san or Shuu.”

“All three of you are amazing.”

Himuro nodded wordlessly.

“Kyah, I’m sorry!”

Someone appeared, interrupting Minato and the others’ conversation. A girl passing by bumped into him when he wasn’t looking, it seemed. The contents of the plastic bottle she was holding spilled onto Minato, and he wiped the liquid with his sleeve.

“Your collar got soaked. Do you want to change?”

“Some of it got into my mouth, but it seems to be just water. It’ll dry right away.”

By the time they finished loading their bags into the car, Minato felt sluggish. He felt nauseous, and his whole body was itching. When he looked at the inside of his arm, he saw that a rash had broken out.

“What’s wrong with me? I feel itchy, and kinda sick…”

“Your neck is turning red! Should I call Takehaya-senpai? He might have some medicine.”

“Ah, it’s fine. I’ll wait until we get back.”

But soon, Minato was crouching down in a corner of the parking lot. Seiya, noticing that Minato and the others were acting strange, rushed over. Minato was clutching his throat as he crouched.

“What’s wrong, Minato!?”

“…I don’t know, but I feel sick and lightheaded.”

“Could it be heatstroke? Do you have a fever? How’s your stomach?”

“It’s hard to breathe…my throat…”

His voice was raspy and his breathes came in short gasps. Nanao rubbed Minato’s back, and the other members formed a human barricade to guard him. From Seiya’s perspective, he was experiencing system symptoms such as nausea, sweating, dizziness, rashes, and shivering. What was going on?

Seiya’s brother Gaku, who had gotten into the car earlier, also ran over and put his nose on the back of Minato’s neck.

“Seiya, wait. It’s really faint, but he smells different than usual. …It’s an unpleasant smell. What is this, ginkgo fruit?”

Seiya and Ryouhei looked at each other.

“Minato’s allergic to ginkgo!”

“That’s right. A long time ago, when our families went to pick ginkgo fruits, we were shocked when Minato got a rash even though he never touched them with his bare hands.”

“But there aren’t any ginkgo fruits this time of year,” Gaku murmured. “Are these symptoms of anaphylactic shock?”

Seiya’s expression froze.

Anaphylactic shock was a condition in which an allergic reaction to food or other allergens caused a drop in blood pressure and deterioration of consciousness.

Masa-san pushed through the human barricade and went to Minato. He was lying limp in the laps of Kanbayashi and Himuro. His face was chalk white.

“Sorry about this, Minato.”

Masa-san suddenly lifted up Minato’s hakama and pushed something that looked like a thick pen into his thigh. There was a click sound. Seiya widened his eyes, and Kanbayashi blinked rapidly.

“It’s a self-injection of adrenaline. I’m allergic to wasp poison, so I carry it around with me.”

Gaku got out his phone. “Coach Takigawa, thank goodness. Don’t worry, I’ll get him to the hospital right away.”

The injection seemed to have worked, and after a while Minato was able to sit up on his own. His breathing had settled down, and it seemed that his life was no longer in danger. Minato was escorted to the hospital by the Takehaya brothers.

Afterwards, the dashcam in one of the parents’ cars parked in the parking lot showed the girl who was holding the bottle. Despite repeated appeals that the water in the bottle was suspicious, the case was shelved without much investigation, as it was assumed that Minato had just accidentally ingested food that he was allergic to.

Seiya had a pained expression on his face.

“I know someone whose hobbies include hacking into surveillance camera data and using AI to analyze internet articles. The girl from the dashcam is a Kuon devotee. We also confirmed contact between a detective and a Kuon family servant. Apparently, the detective got their hands on ginkgo fruits from a university lab. It seems like there are all sorts of people at Kuon’s house.”

“Why Minato?” Ryouhei asked.

“It’s probably jealousy. The Young Prince only has one brother disciple. No one can take Minato’s place.”

Hanazawa, Shiragiku, and Seo stamped on the ground in frustration.

“I can’t believe we can’t do anything even though we know that much.”

“It’s frustrating.”

“Yeah, I feel you. But wouldn’t it also be bad if the hacking is discovered?”

Masa-san, who had been listening silently until then, rubbed his cheek.

“We have to punish him hard for this.”

Kuon was spending the weekend at the villa.

“Has that woman’s identity been exposed? How useless. Hmm, no need to bother with a orthopedic surgeon’s son and a bunch of commoners.”

His phone rang, and the screen displayed a certain person’s name.

It was Fujiwara Shuu.

“Kuon Takumi, will you apologize to Minato?”

Perhaps it was because he was calling from somewhere far away, but there was so much noise in the background that it was hard to hear.

“What are you talking about? I’m on vacation right now. Do you mind if I ask you to refrain from calling?”

“He’s heading your way right now. I’m not going to be able to stop him.”

“He?”

Asahina and Eddie had pinpointed Kuon’s location. He was in a richly decorated mansion deep in the mountains. The heavy doors opened.

Masa-san leisurely walked from the central entrance to the front stairwell. A female servant of the mansion, suspicious of the smiling, cheerfully walking stranger, called out to him.

“Excuse me, sir? Are you a guest?”

“Hey there, young lady. I’m glad you seem to be doing well.”

“I’m afraid that I cannot let you through to the next room.”

“Oh, don’t worry. I’m very close to Takumi-kun.”

Masa-san smiled softly, and the servant felt cold air blowing on the back of her neck. Contrary to his words, his quiet anger was something that couldn’t be hidden no matter how hard he tried.

The woman screamed. “Takumi-sama, there’s a suspicious person here! Somebody help!”

Kuon sensed the man’s impending presence and hurried outside.

Masa-san got behind the men guarding Kuon and slammed his fist into the back of his liver. He dodged another man’s kick, and when he fell to the ground with a heavy thud, Masa-san jumped over the stair railing.

All the while, Kuon was running at full speed. His pursuer closed the distance in the blink of an eye, and Kuon, panicking, tripped on the grass and fell. Despite this, he still crawled on the ground, trying to escape, but couldn’t move forward.

Masa-san grabbed Kuon by the nape of his neck.

“Swear that you’ll never lay a finger on Kazemai’s students again.”

“O-Okay. I swear, so let me go first.”

When Masa-san loosened his grip, Kuon raised himself up and faced him directly. Immediately after, he saw the shadow of a muscular man behind Masa-san. Masa-san punched him in the face without looking back.

Kuon clutched at the soil.

“Who the hell are you!? There’s no way an ordinary person can do that!”

“I’m sure you know that I’m Kazemai’s coach. A long time ago, I learned self-defense. You don’t seem to realize what you’ve done.”

“Isn’t it just a little bit of itchiness? A long time ago, I had a classmate who got itchy after eating eggs, but it cleared up after a week. Isn’t this just a child’s adorable prank?”

“Don’t tell me that you’ve done the same thing in the past? Allergies can be life-threatening if you don’t take care of them properly. What you did was equivalent to poisoning him. Lately, I haven’t been able to control myself…whatever will I do?”

Masa-san put his hand in the inside pocket of his jacket. He took out a permanent marker, and after removing the cap, he placed the tip of the pen on Kuon’s cheek.

Approximately ten seconds later, Kuon’s face was covered with the same pattern as the one on the powder container Masa-san had received from his master. Yes, depending on how you looked at it, it looked like a bikini.

The look in Kuon’s eyes changed when he saw Masa-san turn on his phone.

“No way, you’re going to take a photo?”

“A souvenir. I borrowed the pen from Kazemai’s president, and it turned out to be a very tasteful picture, if I do say so myself.”

“You lowly citizen! I’ll call Father!”

“As you requested, I’ve already called him. ‘My foolish son has wronged your friend. Please scold him on my behalf,’ he said and invited me to this villa. Now that I’ve taken some pictures, I think I’ll send them to the Kirisaki twins.”

“Father would never… S-Stop it! Doesn’t Buddhism tell you to not take revenge even when something is done to you? Your real job is being a monk, isn’t it?”

“Everyone keeps calling me a monk, monk, monk. I’m not a monk, I’m a priest!”

As Masa-san’s finger was about to slide across his phone’s screen, the wind created by a helicopter made the leaves and branches of the mountains shake. It was a tremendous amount of dust. When he looked up, the door of the low-flying aircraft opened.

Shuu jumped down. His pale eyelashes were swaying.

“Kuon, if you’re going to use the power of your family, I won’t hesitate to borrow the power of my family as well. Have you forgotten my name?”

“…Fujiwara-senpai.”

Minato also peeked out from the helicopter.

“Masa-san, stop! Don’t do anything more than that! I haven’t learned pro wrestling yet.”

“Good grief, my disciples are always too soft!”

Masa-san and Shuu stood in front of Kuon, who bowed his head in resignation.

Young leaves danced in the sky.

Members of the Kazemai High School Kyudo Club gathered at the Yata no Mori Kyudojo.

A fleeting time of overnight practice. The warm sunlight that poured down upon them made them sleepy.

“Oh, what happened to the boys?” Tommy-sensei asked Hanazawa, Shiragiku, and Seo.

“They went to see the dormouse.”

Masa-san pressed his hand to his forehead. “They got too much power, don’t they? Let’s get started on dinner.”

“Yes.”

Minato and his friends were in the forest. They were standing in front of an old mountain hut.

Nanao pointed to the door of the hut.

“At dawn, I volunteered to go look for Miyama stag beetles. Then, I saw it there.”

“Wow, that early morning walk was all about collecting bugs? I’m glad I didn’t go,” Ryouhei said, patting his chest.

Minato asked him to let him sit on his shoulders and peered through the gaps in the tobukuro.* It was a nostalgic scene for Seiya, who was watching them from the side as he waited for his turn to sit on Ryouhei’s shoulders.

“You guys are way too big to do little kid stuff like this,” Kaito said to Seiya.

“You don’t have to look, Kaito.”

“…I guess it’s fine to take just one look.”

Keyaki and Kanbayashi were searching around for new discoveries, and Himuro was listening to the voice of the forest’s master.

The mountains were shining.

The mountains were singing.

By the time the owl woke up from its sleep, Minato and the others had dinner.

Previous | Next

[pavo-ocxllus]

❝ 𝐢'𝐦 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐚 𝐛𝐢𝐠 𝐟𝐚𝐧—𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠-? ❞

𝐢𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡… two men who's share a single brain cell decides to give you their jersey in the most unconventional way possible 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠… atsumu miya x gn!reader, shoyo hinata x gn!reader 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠… fluff, second-hand embarrassment, 1.9k words (atsumu: 0.9k, hinata: 1k) 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬… sweaty atsumu = menace atsumu, definitely not realistic lololol, i guess it's suggestive?? it won't be in the rated-r tag; coming from a volleyball player, [name] mentions a play atsumu did that i'm not sure is entirely possible 𝐝𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫'𝐬 𝐜𝐮𝐭… after who knows how long, i finally found the inspiration to write slightly based on this (https://youtu.be/71G7IXjUx6U) video of ronaldo giving a fan his jersey! you could also think of this as sort of a sequel to this post, just with different characters! happy late new year and pretend i didn't disappear for a bit <3

𝐚��𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐮 𝐦𝐢𝐲𝐚. ･ﾟ: *. — 宮侑

the victorious sentiment echoed in the stadium, the cheers specifically belonging the crowds adorned in gold and black. the match between the msby jackals and the ejp raijin had finally concluded, with the jackals coming out on top.

the thing about atsumu was that no matter what—once he gets into your life, he never seems to get out of it. you thought taking a job as a manager for the raijin (which, last time you checked, their home location was definitely not in osaka) would finally get you to part ways with the setter and heal from the obviously unrequited puppy crush that grew out of hand. 

unfortunately, the japanese volleyball world seemed to be quite small, considering the numerous times the two teams went against one another. well, perhaps it was good luck for you; you weren't exactly ready to let him go as a friend yet.

(in your opinion, the word 'friend' was a bit of a stretch, but your point remained standing.)

atsumu, like always, was one of the players that were the center of attention in all his sweat-drenched glory; honestly, it was quite difficult not to notice him.

so, after congratulating the opposing team's manager and coach, you decide to be the good sportsmanship-like person you are and praise his performance (as well as stretch his already over-inflated ego... but it wouldn't be that bad, right?)

"miya-kun!" you called out once he was finished talking to some interviewers, running up to him when he acknowledged your presence with that stupidly big grin of his. once you eventually stood before him, it was as if the words you were mentally preparing yourself to say we're stuck in your throat. "y-you did great today!"

"didn't i tell 'ya to call me atsumu? 'ya know i'm not gonna let 'ya call me that when 'samu and i are in the same room, so why stop there?"

you flushed at the forwardness, though you respected his wishes regardless. "well then... atsumu-kun, you did great!"

he arched his neck back with his hands stationed at his hips, laughing for a while at how swiftly you corrected your "mistake."

"wow," the setter chuckled a bit before finishing with a cocky smirk. "didn't think i woulda had one of my fans be a manager for the raijin, out've all people."

you froze a bit slightly for some reason, but found yourself relaxing not long afterward. he never seemed to change. sometimes, you forget he's just as dorky as ever. you didn't hold back from comparing it to volleyball—he still played the same way as he did in high school.

"well, of course i am, atsumu," you've stated blankly, as if this were and obvious fact. before hearing those words fall out, the blond's head drifted slightly to study a nearby team warming up for a match. however, when he finally registered it in his head he widened his eyes, doing a double take. "you've come a long way from high school... and that rally when you faked a dump, a set, yet actually dumped was nothing short of incredible-"

not bearing to let you incessantly compliment him despite it being only five seconds, the man interrupted. "yeah, yeah... i know, i'm amazin', aren't i? is it gettin' hot in here? personally... i think they should tone down the heater right about now, heh."

you noticed that? was along the lines of the blond's thoughts as he tried to cool down the burning red on his face, blazing across his cheeks. the announcers kind of brushed it under the rug, much to his chagrin, yet it wasn't a big deal that he was noticed. why did you make it a big deal? most importantly, why did he?

"atsumu!" you called out, breaking him out from his thoughts by perching your hand on top of his shoulder. "you're heating up and spacing out... i know i'm not the jackals' manager but you really have to start lookin' out for yourself. though, i suppose it's kind of warm in here..."

"'ya know what? you don't gotta get me to the infirmary, [name]-san. it's scorchin' in here!"

not paying attention to the somewhat cryptic wording, your eyes bounced around the arena, attempting to find the quickest route to get atsumu taken care of. "right, just follow me okay—oh my god."

it all happened too fast—you swore he was wearing a shirt a few seconds ago, and now it was held snugly around his arms before he practically shoved it into your hold.

rather than resting your focus on his defined figure (though, to be fair, you couldn't but sneak a glimpse of it), your eyes were trained on his damp, black and gold jersey, displaying the number in bold font: 13. a part of you didn't even feel the least bit disgusted at the admittedly gross gesture, you simply were standing there, paralyzed in the sheer audacity of it all.

"i- atsumu, there's no way i can-"

"anythin' for a fan, am i right?" he smirked, paying no heed to suddenly grabbing the attention of various newscasters not to far from you two.

deciding to escalate the situation even further, he added something else to the conversation in a lower tone. "if 'ya want, i can give 'ya my shorts, too."

winking at you and flashing his teeth, you couldn't help but feel the urge to turn in your two weeks' notice.

𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐲𝐨 𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐚. ･ﾟ: *. — 日向翔陽

the awe of the crowd watching the tiniest player in the msby jackals soaring above his teammates and opponents couldn't even come close to holding a candle to your own expression.

it's only amazing to see that he's come so far... you remember when you first discovered HINATA on that low-quality, youtube video you discovered when searching for nothing in particular attempting to fill the void of having absolutely nothing better to do. even at his debut, even at the clumsiness he initially felt during the beginning of the match, you could feel that there was pure passion and skill behind it all. 

when you heard that the infamous ninja-shoyo was coming to japan and made the msby black jackal's starting lineup, you knew you just had to purchase a ticket for one of his games as soon as your busy, hectic life would let you. and now here you are, already have been to seventeen of his games (and counting!) managing to somehow score the same seat in the middle of the stadium, particularly on the side with the gold and black team playing.

the excitement coursing in your veins still remained even after 30 minutes since the match had concluded. the little grin on your face continued to stretch as you ordered some onigiri near the food stand that had been set up right outside the volleyball court; not even the scene where one man (who, may you add, bore a strange resemblance to the owner of the food stall) and two others out of your peripheral vision were causing beside you, clamoring about how they deserve food on the house for "winning," wasn't able to break your attitude.

inevitably, your prior upbeat mood had toned down, now replaced by a strong sense of curiosity regarding the situation behind you. it was only a matter of time before you couldn't handle it, swiftly turning your head around to see what was up. though, you weren't necessarily expecting to have your eyes widen at the sight. 

the blond one was somebody you recognized from the game earlier and behind him was a spiky, silver haired man, who also participated in the match. apparently, you didn't notice the obvious pattern, seeing as you still managed to widen your eyes even more when you noticed the fluff of orange hair right behind you. 

for a split second, both you and hinata locked eyes, before you glanced away first. you directed your attention toward the onigiri stand, hoping that they could just hurry it up your order so you wouldn't have to stand around here for much longer-

"hey!" an unfamiliar voice called out. judging by the way it came behind you, there was an unfortunately high possibility of it being one of those three players. reluctantly, you glanced back, with the opposite hitter's eyes practically boring into yours. "didn't i see you before?"

he was met with confusion as you quirked an eyebrow. "w-what do you mean?"

you hope to the universe he didn't mean he saw you doing something embarrassing, like buying his merch in public or something of the sort. 

a few moments pass, mostly consisting of hinata pondering a bit, glancing at you every now and then while looking down at his shoes trying to figure out your identity. how long was your onigiri going to take to get ready?!

"ah! i know!" hinata suddenly exclaimed, pushing the side of his fist into his palm. "you're the person i always see at our games!"

you take what you previously thought was embarrassing back—nothing compared to that tiny observation could be any more humiliating.

"bokuto-san, miya-san, i think we just found a fan!!"

"as if we don't see more than one everyday, shokkun," the blond disregarded hinata's discovery, going back to haggle the price of onigiri with the owner once more, the sounds of their bickering fading behind you.

"ah, it's your very first fan interaction!" the owl-headed one piped up—based on how loud he was, you were surprised he didn't cause an even larger scene. "they're really special, and they're regular too, which makes it super special! you should give them something!!"

ignoring the blatant display of total embarrassment shoved in your face, you noticed how hinata seemed to be thinking rather hard on this subject. 

"you know what, i know what you can do!" might as well get something out of this, right? "my onigiri is taking a little while, and since your teammate seems to know the proprietor personally, maybe you can get it on the house for me-"

"i know!" the ginger-haired man interrupted your brilliant idea. regardless, you didn't say anything; you were curious what was in his mind that he believed was better than free food. "i can get you my jersey!"

you blinked owlishly, feeling the urge to cock your head to the side in confusion at the sudden outburst, only being able to muster up a, "huh?"

hinata nodded, almost excitedly. "yeah, i think that sounds good, doesn't it?"

"well, sure, but i think my onigiri would be even better-"

you suddenly sputtered, your words refusing to come out of your mouth as you watched hinata pull up his shirt, exposing his attractively toned body. understandably, not wanting attract too much attention and cause your onigiri to be even more delayed, you grabbed the hem of his jersey and yanked it down. 

"i'm good! really, a selfie or something would do!" you panicked, retracting your hands away from him.

"but, wouldn't you want a jersey of your favorite player?"

"...you aren't wrong-"

"then it's settled then!" before your reflexes activated, he yanked his jersey over his head, handing it to you as he bowed. "i hope you support our team in the future!"

you weren't sure if this "souvenir" would encourage you to come to more of their games or swear off of watching volleyball ever again.

𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐠 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲𝐞𝐝 <𝟑

[m1ckeyb3rry]

Ok…chapters 3 and 4 here….separating this out so it’s easier to read…but enjoy!! Yukimiya has me crying

3 - Talent:

Soccer’s fun! After Kenyu comes home from school, he takes his soccer to a nearby empty lot. There wasn’t a soccer club in his elementary school, and his friends were all too engrossed in video games, so he usually practiced dribbling on alone. The lot was a big rugged and uneven, scattered with pebbles and grass here and there. While it wasn’t an ideal place to play soccer, it was fun to dribble around the stones and dips, and Kenyu rather enjoyed the feeling of the ball sticking to his feet.

“Woof woof!” “Wah-?!”

One day, while practicing alone as usual, a large dog approached him. It was wearing a collar, and though it was large, it seemed to be friendly. It was hopping up and down, running circles around Kenyu. “Do you want the ball?”, Kenyu asks. He lightly passes the ball over, and the ecstatic dog hits it back with the tip of its nose. It continued to kick it forward, and once again started to skillfully dribble, much to Kenyu’s fascination. He chased after the dog, only for the dog’s owner, an elderly man, to approach. He called over his dog, whose name seemed to be Cannavaro, and apologized for the inconvenience. But Kenyu didn’t mind; Instead, he invited Cannavaro to continue playing. Cannavaro was a golden retriever. If he stood up fully on his hind legs, he’d surely be around Kenyu’s height. He was really cute when he was playing around with the ball. He had so much fun that he ran around playing ball with Cannavaro until dinner time.

“Let’s play again sometime!”

“Woof!”

That was Kenyu’s first 1-on-1. Every now and then, Cannavaro would come to the lot, and they’d play soccer again. As expected of a Golden retriever, his speed and reactions were both fast, he’d immediately snatch the ball from Kenyu. At first, he suffered utter defeat at the pass of Cannavaro, but as they continued playing everyday, he gradually got the hang of it. He learned to keep his touches narrow when he dribbled. If he made too wide of a movement, Cannavaro would pounce on the ball, so he needed to keep the ball at his feet at all times. He had to take small kick-like steps, keeping the ball trapped in between his feet. But Cannavaro was smart, he gradually began to read Kenyu’s movements, moving his body in the direction he wants to steal the ball from, successfully taking the ball. Truly clever. It seems like he’s reacting to how Kenyu aligns his center of gravity. Kenyu took advantage of that. He’d feint going right and then go left. And when he wanted to go right, he’d feint to the left first. When he successfully got past Cannavaro, he felt an overwhelming sense of satisfaction. He didn’t know what it was called at the time, but he had done a move very similar to drag scissors, a difficult feint technique, just by following what felt natural to his body. He got better at feints, and his steps became even narrower, his dribbling became top notch. With Cannavaro’s bottomless stamina, Kenyu gradually became tougher too.

“Today was Ken-chan’s win wasn’t it”, Cannavaro’s owner commented while spectating. “Ken-chan’s getting better and better.” Kenyu was elated at the older man’s compliments.

“Thank you! I want to become a pro soccer player in the future.” A pro soccer player, that was Kenyu’s innocent, childhood dream.

“That’s nice isn’t it. Ken-chan will become a pro soccer player and represent Japan on the national team. You’ll definitely become number 1.” The Japanese National team. The best in the world. The old man’s words had sparked excitement within Kenyu’s heart. He told the man he’d aim for number 1, and the man responded in kind. Seeing Kenyu so happy, the old man’s eyes crinkled to the max, narrowing as his smile pushed his cheeks up. The old man decided to mention that his own son had always played soccer and was now a soccer coach at a soccer school. He invited Kenyu to come to the school. Kenyu took up his offer with excitement. This marked another important “meeting” in his life. He got the name of the school from the man and immediately told his mom about it.

From the moment he entered the school, Kenyu’s talent had blossomed. The stamina and dribbling skills he had forged in his practice with Cannavaro, along with the athletic physique he was born with, and his one-track-mind stoicism. But above all, Kenyu was endowed with a strong sense of self confidence, believing in his self. Even though he was overflowing with self confidence, it wasn’t a childish sense of omnipotence that he felt. He’s happy when someone acknowledges him, a pure heart that responds to the trust of others. Becoming class president, being the anchor for the relay race, beginning soccer, they’re all a result of people looking out for him, helping him discover himself. The talents and parts of himself that even he wasn’t aware of. Thinking that people believe in things with their hearts, that was Kenyu’s honest thought process. Under his coach’s guidance and his rivalries with his teammates, Kenyu continued to level up his skills, establishing his position as a striker.

“Someday I’ll go pro. I’ll be on the Japanese national team and become the number one striker!”

Without a shadow of a doubt, that was Kenyu’s dream.

4: Straight and honest

By the time he entered middle school, Kenyu, who had been in the middle of his growth spurt period, continued to grow taller. But at the same rate he grew, the letters on the blackboard became increasingly hard to see. His eyesight had suddenly started to decline. He had to press his face up against his book to read it. Engrossed in his book, he subconsciously sat in a very hunched position. His mom would often warn him to sit up straight and keep the book farther from his face. The bookshelf in his room houses a variety of books including a series of biographies he has collected since he was a kid, classics like The Great Gatsby and The Catcher in the Rye, and manga magazines like Shounen Jump and Weekly Shounen Manga. Reading the series of biographies now has led Kenyu to make a new discovery. Beethoven, Galileo, Joan of Arc, Nobuguchi Hideyo. These people blessed with talent have had their fair share of tragic difficulties in their lives. The reality is that these amazing people, who had succeeded despite those difficulties, had already passed and no longer live on in our world. That unspeakably sad reality had hit him with a wave of sympathy. He so immersed himself in all 30 of those stories, but he wonders if rereading them was a mistake. Maybe it’s genetics, since both his parents also wear glasses, but he went and got a thorough eye exam. Although he was disappointed, there were pro soccer players who wear contacts too. After Kenyu got contacts, his eyes became less of a hindrance on his plays. It was like his eyes were good as new. He beyond surpassed the typical abilities for is grade level, practicing with a passion despite being gifted with such talent. His love for soccer was honest and pure. In his free time, he’d kick the ball on his own. While he was in elementary school, he’d play in the empty lot. But now, he often took to the streets and roads. On days off from practice, he’d carry his ball in one hand and head to the streets. He’d choose times where the streets had few people, dribbling around obstacles like curbs and fire hydrants. Like there was a rubber band attaching the two, the ball never left Kenyu’s feet. Even on a familiar street, there were always new meeting and sights to be had while playing street soccer; Kenyu loved it. He became attached to the stray cats and would come across unexpected scenery. As if it was asking him to follow it, a stray cat meowed at Kenyu while he was walking home. Intrigued by the cat, he followed it while dribbling along. Just up ahead on the street, cherry blossoms were in full bloom. Kenyu thought they were beautiful. He had always loved cherry blossoms, it had probably been ever since he saw the falling petals at his elementary school entrance ceremony, beautifully blooming and cleanly scattered about* He was immersed in that fragility, feeling the beauty and sadness of the cherry blossoms, he was lost in thought. He loved those moments. The wind blows gently, making the petals dance. With the stray cat, Kenyu could gaze at the cherry blossoms forever.

Then, one day, while Kenyu had been practicing street soccer as usual, he had heard a voice call out from one of the side streets. Curious, he slowed down his dribbling. When he took a look, there was a building under construction, with only its framework in place, with four middle school students standing around. In between them was another middle school student, curled on the ground with his head bowed. He was wearing the same middle school uniform as “Hey, did you bring the money as promised?” Thud. The boy with brown-dyed hair kicked the stomach of the boy on the floor, who let out a pained grunt. This is bad, they’re extorting him. The surrounding boys continued to harass him for money; they kept kicking his back. “Please stop already….I don’t have any money…” the boy responded in a broken voice.

“Well if you don’t have any you better make some! Get a part time job, steal some from your parents, or find a way to extort some!!”

“I can’t….I really can’t…” his voice trailed off, to which the bully responded with a an angry “Shut up!!”, only to resume kicking him. Kenyu contemplated what he should do. One moment he was thinking, and the next he was running over to them. “Die!!!”, yelled the bully, to which Kenyu interjected with a yell, telling them to cut it out. The brown haired bully had his foot up ready to kick the boy again when Kenyu’s soccer ball had smacked him. The bully huffed. The surprise attack had smacked him right in the nose. “What the hell are you doing?!” He yelled to Kenyu. In a burst of anger, Kenyu punched the bully in one blow. The only problem was that he had no plan from there. The blatant injustice has caused his body to move on its own, but honor student Kenyu had never once gotten into a physical fist fight. Oh…..shit…he thought to himself. Coming to his senses, his legs went stiff. “That hurt, you bastard!”, the bully said. He hit Kenyu back, and a radiating pain spread across his cheek; this was also the first time he had ever been hit. The group of bullies began commenting amongst themselves, questioning Kenyu’s audacity. Before he knew it, Kenyu got punched in the stomach, causing him to double over. The bully then raised his leg and ruthlessly kicked Kenyu in the face. Kenyu was relentlessly beaten without even being given the time to strike back. There’s no way he’d be able to win against those four; the taste of blood had started invading his mouth. While the boys spat condescending insults to him, Kenyu had regretted not calling the police first. “Toodles ~ Justice Hero” the bully called out with a guffaw, tossing his now empty wallet, from which they pilfered all his money, into his face. Kenyu let out a groan as the four bullies walked away, cackling at the situation. At some point, the previous boy they were bullying had disappeared, running away while they targeted Kenyu. Kenyu had been beaten and stolen from, yet that boy had disappeared without a single word of thanks to his savior. After all, Kenyu had gotten angered and attacked without thinking; he had brought this upon himself. He laughed to himself solemnly, “This is the worst. I’m an idiot….letting something like this happen…I’m really an idiot.” Remaining on the floor, Kenyu looked up at the sky and masochistically laughed at himself. “It hurts..” When he laughed, his kicked ribs and cut lips hurt like hell. While holding back tears, Kenyu continued to laugh.

The next day, Kenyu ended up going to school with his face swollen. As he passed through the school gates, his classmates stuck their heads out from the windows and called out to him. You’d think that an idol had come to visit with how much of an uproar they were causing. Some people were leaning their bodies out to wave at him too. Kenyu wondered what was going on. It wasn’t just his classmates, but somehow, it was like the entire student body had their eyes on him. No, it wasn’t just his imagination, they really were looking at him. He thought it might’ve been because his face was swollen, but quickly rejected that idea. Even people he didn’t know were making a commotion: “Hey, is that Yukimiya?” “He’s so cool!” What exactly was going on? Still just as clueless, he entered his classroom to be greeted by his classmates swarming around him.

“Yesterday, you saved the board chairman’s son!?” “Did you really take on four other dudes?” “You’re so freaking cool!” Somehow, news of yesterday’s event had spread like a wildfire. Someone’s eyes widened, announcing that Yukki’s story had been written about and posted on the school site’s bulletin. It seems that yesterday’s bully victim, who ran way without even a word, had reflected and decided to redeem his actions. Kenyu had already left the scene, but his optometrist registration card had fallen out of his wallet in the scuffle. The boy from yesterday thought he had seemed familiar, but he never thought his savior would’ve been the soccer ace of his school. The boy who was bowing his head, crouched on the floor yesterday had then gone to the school’s bulletin and written about the event. The comments on the bulletin all praised Kenyu, calling him an ally of justice and complimenting his humbleness. It’s not like he did it for get praised, but he was happy receiving those compliments. The pain in his body, how pathetic he felt, and his regrets all flew away in that instant. He was relived, the his decision to move to help that boy out wasn’t a mistake. He felt so pathetic that he wanted to cry yesterday, but somehow it felt like God had been looking out for him again. That wasn’t all though. The boy he saved was the school board’s chairman’s son. Kenyu’s actions had given him courage, and the boy finally confessed to his father the entirety of the situation he had been caught in. His father had immediately contacted the police, reporting the details extortion and bullying of the perpetrators, and they were thus dealt appropriate punishments. Regarding Kenyu, since they didn’t want to associate the sports club with this incident of violence, they did not thank Kenyu publicly, a proper thank you was prepared. When Kenyu became a third year, he had a wide range of high schools he was recommended to. Above all his grades were good, but he behaved well and his soccer talent was top notch too. He didn’t have to take any underhanded paths, he fit the criteria for a standard recommendation slot. But with mediation from the board’s chairman, Kenyu was emphasized as the top priority recommendation. Kenyu ended up choosing Miyazaki’s prestigious school, Soranin High School. As soon as he had been recommended to their soccer club, Kenyu was able to focus on practice without having to worry about taking exams. God had, once again, been looking after him.

*the word cleanly used here to describe the petals used the same kanji and spelling as Isagi, the word being read isagiyoku

-Karasu anon

STOP IT YUKI IS SO CUTE WTF 😭😭😭 him learning to play soccer with a dog is adorable 🥹 and the way he jumped in and saved that kid too?? literally THE green flag of bllk truly none of the others can compare…the way he’s all like “idc abt other people’s lives” but is also so selfless he jumped into a 4v1 with no fighting experience is soook 😭😩 i love him

[yuurei20]

Leona Info Compilation part 24: Leona on NA, Fairy Gala and More

Leona has the phrase “Be prepared” removed from his dialogue in at least seven places in the EN adaptation of the game.

(The Japanese translation of the animated Lion King movie had Scar say 準備 for “be prepared”, changed to “覚悟” in the musical, which seems like the more accurate translation! It is also what Leona says.)

It was included in the EN adaptation of Book 6.

Leona’s references to Scar’s “you shall never see the light of another day” were also removed from EN, as were plot-relevant references to his older brother and a reference to “kittens” (changed to “in diapers” for EN).

Fairy Gala begins with Leona refusing to participate, though he does not say “Galas? Gag. Balls? Barf.”, which was added to his dialogue on EN.

Crowley pressures him into joining the group by pointing out how the beastpeople of his dorm will suffer in the cold weather.

Crowley recommends that Leona bring on Jack to keep an eye on Leona himself, but Leona refuses, telling Crowley that he is welcome to remove him from the team if he does not trust his decision to employ Ruggie instead.

Leona insists on Ruggie’s participation for his pickpocketing skills. Jamil brings Crewel and Vil on as instructors; Leona is not amused.

On the day of the event Ruggie becomes nervous about the risk he will be taking, but Leona assures him that he will not let anything happen to him. (The wording is pretty close on EN, but his original dialogue sounds a little more protective.)

Leona takes center-stage during the show (apparently to the surprise of Kalim and Jamil), but the risk (and Vil’s dramatic pose idea) pays off and the heist is a success.

Ruggie, Grim and the prefect are nearly caught by guards in the subtropical zone of the gardens after the automatic sprinkler system washes off their fairy dust, but Leona intervenes and saves them, as promised.

Vil ultimately compliments him with, “You pass,” saying he should be grateful for having Vil himself as his coach.

Much like Jade and Floyd, Leona dislikes constrictive clothes: particularly the school’s ceremonial robes as the hood presses down on his ears (also mentioned in the game’s first visual book).

While Leona does says that “brains are the most important thing”, he also says that there are times when “fists speak louder than fancy magic spells” and we see him promoting violence as an option in Fairy Gala, Halloween and Phantom Bride.

While it is unclear how much of Leona’s humor is reaching the EN-audience, Leona is sarcastic to the point of providing comedic relief on JP.

[nowoyas]

thinking about noya's timeskip and trying to figure out why, exactly, I don't particularly like it

the thing is that I don't think traveling doesn't suit him, necessarily. he's a (sonic the hedgehog voice) Guy That Loves Adventure! 👍 and wants to experience challenges and new things endlessly. but, I mean... there's too many questions.

the first, biggest issue I have: Noya cannot afford this.

Karasuno is not a rich school. They have, available, one bus for sports stuff for all their clubs. The team has to go out of its way to fund trips of any kind. They get where they get to from a combination of hard work and luck. Sure, Noya chose Karasuno not strictly because of money -- "it was close to my house", "the girls' uniforms are hot", and "I wanted to wear the style of boys' uniform that Karasuno has" are his three leading reasons for coming to Karasuno. You could probably argue, too, that there's an element of challenge involved--he keeps playing volleyball even at Karasuno with no coach, a rotating door of advisors (Takeda being in his first year of advising for the club), and the newly negative reputation that Karasuno has cultivated as a fallen powerhouse -- and maybe there's the academic element of "Noya is choosing to go to high school but isn't exactly cut out for Elite Rich Kid School With Horses and Fancy Buses and Navigation Signs On Campus" both in terms of personality and the fact that he's not academically-minded. But to me, Noya choosing Karasuno also implies that he doesn't come from a well-off family with the kind of money needed to suddenly decide "I graduated high school, time to travel the world with no clear source of income". He's got three older sisters, lives in a multigenerational household ("Compared with children in middle-income families, children from low-income families were more likely to coreside with their grandparents than to live far from them..."), and what little we do know about his grandfather only tells us that 1. he wears hawaiian shirts casually and traditional Japanese clothing on New Year's and 2. according to the Best Order Popularity Poll in 2020 (as referenced here), he’s an alumni at Chidoriyama middle school--notably, the only character in the "senior team" lineup who doesn't have a high school listed. Sure, maybe Furudate just knew that Mineo went to the same middle school that Noya ended up going to and didn't think that far ahead, but Furudate can also tell us how many siblings every single character has and how many are older/younger. This reads to me as an intentional choice: Mineo didn't go to high school, and hasn't left Miyagi since middle school.

All this reads to me as: Noya does not come from a rich family. I'll admit that I headcanon him as having a single mom and them being basically just well-off enough to be comfortable (or at least unaware of being poor a la my experience growing up, where in hindsight it's really obvious that we were poor but in the moment I just didn't know how hard my mother was working to keep us afloat), but even setting aside the single mom headcanon for these purposes, the evidence to me points to a generally lower-income family. In other words, unless Noya literally won the lottery, his family can't afford to bankroll him world traveling to Italy to go spearfishing and running to Egypt. Sure, it's possible that the Nishinoyas had college funds for their kids, and Noya's traveling on his college fund instead of going to college, but I think if he's coming from that kind of background he's less likely to go the "American who used to bully the poor kids for off-brand shoes taking a gap year" route and more likely to either funnel that money to his sisters (if they choose to go to college) or otherwise supporting the family. And sure, you can travel a decent amount if you're middle-class, but that's more like... upper-middle class, maybe center-middle class, and Noya's family reads to me as lower-middle class at the absolute highest.

given what we know and can extrapolate about Noya's background and family, I think Noya's working something out, but I don't think he's traveling unless it's like, once or twice a year and continuing to live with his family the rest of the time. it's more likely he's found part-time work, like cashiering or waiting tables, and spends the rest of his time thrill-seeking.

honestly, I do like Noya continuing to play volleyball, even if he hasn't gone pro. and I think under specific circumstances, he might choose to go pro--he has the skill and love of the game for it, and what he's lacking is more likely the day-to-day discipline required of professional athletes to maintain their bodies.

so this is what I would like to propose:

terror of the neighborhood association and its youngest member, recent high school grad nishinoya yuu. he's working part time. he rides into the city to wait tables. he's ten years younger than everyone else on the neighborhood association team, and nearly twenty centimeters shorter than the next shortest member. ukai can never stop bleaching his hair blond not even because he has a Look™ now, but because regular constant exposure to high school graduate Nishinoya Yuu is giving him grey hairs in his thirties. he works out and plays volleyball because it's fun. sometimes he helps out at Karasuno practices and for the two years after he graduates, he intimidates the shit out of his underclassman libero, not even on purpose. he's not officially a coach or anything, but he helps out a lot, especially if, for some reason, Ukai is sick or can't come to practice (eg. helping Ukai Senior with his continuing medical issues). he saves as much as he can to visit places like Italy and rent spearfishing equipment there, or see the pyramids in Egypt, or eat shit surfing in Hawaii for a week, and maybe he's not on the road or in the air as much as he'd like, but he's happy. I think, like Mineo, he can be happy anywhere.

[japanese-language-institute]

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[chupenguin]

Chuuya Nakahara is back

(since I don't know when or if it'll be complete one day at all the figure skatar Chuuya fic, have the prologue that is the only part i finished for real)

Spring is arriving late this year, there is no sing of the cold wind of the previous months going away anytime soon and, inside the venue, cold sink to his bones, making him shiver. For someone born during spring, having his birthday approaching with bad weather always has looked like a bad omen. 

He sits there, one leg crossed over the other, hands resting over them. Calm and collected, eyes fixed in the ice, sharp as ever.  

There's a flash, the click of a camera next to his face, but he ignores it. He blinks a few times, so the whiteness disappears, and his vision focus again.  

Chuuya sits there, wrapped in his black leather jacket, with his brother by his side.  

They sit in the front row center at the Sud de France Arena. In the sidelines, coaches take jackets from the skaters and offer water bottles sprinkled with last advice. Young girls in pink dresses wait for their time to take the ice, once flowers fill the surface of the rink, they'll take it, dreaming of one day where they would be the stars.  

The last of the five group of skaters take the ice. Murakami first, followed by Kitakata and Ibuse. Contesti and Gauthier, the only Europeans in the last group, wave as they glide across the ice. Jin-Seo, from Korea, closes the group. Even if the skaters from the last group made almost clean programs, this is the moment of truth.   

This last group will determine the winner.  

Chuuya and his brother watch, in a venue filled to the rim for the first time in years, as the skaters start their warmup. In thirty minutes, a new world champion is going to be crowned.   

(more under the cut)

Verlaine's hair looks almost white under the lights, maybe it is, the last three years have been nothing but cruel to him.  

"They're watching," he says. French rolls easy on his tongue. Even after two decades, there's no trace of Japanese in his accent when he speaks. "Vultures."  

"They always do."  

The click of the camera doesn't distract him from the ice, from the six skaters using every second of the warmup. The Italian kid, because he’s not even a man jet, is jumping out of his axe. He doesn't fall, he doesn't stumble, but it feels so wrong in Chuuya's eyes.  

His hands tighten against the fabric of his pants, his legs crave to get down there, to teach all these kids how it's done. If the Korean skaters wins here, he’ll tie his lifetime record of three world titles in a row.  

The cold air burns his nose when he takes a deep breath, and it feels like home. The razor shape pain of jealousy fills his lungs and Chuuya eyes narrow when the first kid takes his starting position.  

The gold medal is within this six. But he only cares about the one who is been trying less than a point apart from his record four times already. The man who can make two of his records in this sport disappear like it’s nothing.  

“They’re trying to catch you angry. They want to see you rooting against him,” Verlaine is more collected that Chuuya thought he could be in this situation. “What did I always tell you?”  

“Don’t let it show in your face,” since he was a kid, Chuuya always wore emotions in his sleeve, in his face. And that wasn’t good once you stepped out of the rink. He was asked to be royal once he was seated in the Kiss & Cry or in the green room, especially in the green room. 

In the ice, representing Italy, Marco Contesti, the announcer says.  

Contesi is 6th after the short. He needs 123,2 need to take the lead. Good skater, nice jumps, but he gets nervous the moment he makes a mistake.  

"Want to share anything with the classroom?"  

When Verlaine speaks, his lips barely move. He doesn’t tear his eyes apart from the ice, not letting anyone know what is happening in their seats. In a few hours, they will appear in magazines and blogs, under the news about the just crowned champion.  

“He always messes his second jump in the free if he had a clean short.”  

The quad loop is his worst jump, the one Contesi fails two of each three times. Having a clean loop in the short, means that right now, the jump is the only thing in his head, and that overthinking is going to be his demise.   

Skaters are, after all, creature of habits. Once something is engraved in you, dropping it is almost impossible.   

Chuuya squares his shoulders before a jump, and he always turn to fall on his left hip.  

Verlaine used to prerotate all his flips, even if it was so subtle that only Chuuya and himself knew.  

“Maybe Kitakata can stop him, he has a good free. If he skates clean, he’ll already be 3 points over Jin-Seo with the segment score only.”  

"Kitakata has a cursed song and a stiff presentation, everyone knows it. Nothing good comes of skating to La, La, Land soundtrack.”  

It started as a joke, between both fans and skaters, but each year it proves to be real. Chuuya only saw two skaters finish a clean skate with that music.   

And in top of that, he is from Kagawa, of course the federation hasn’t even blinked in his direction to help him improve the messiest parts of his programs. Why would they do it, when they can focus in their new brilliant Tokyo stars?  

“He's bending his knee to much he'll-”  

The takeoff is clean, but not high enough, so he falls.  

In the second jump, Verlaine almost smiles.  

“You haven’t lost it.”  

“I don’t know what you mean.”  

The kid leaves the ice, waving and bowing to the judging panel. To the public. The smile on his face is fake and forced, the one you offer after a mediocre presentation.  

“Every skater has a weak spot, a flaw” Verlaine says. “And you’ve always been fantastic at seeing them.”  

“Right,” it’s in his veins, in is blood. It's in every single cell of his body. He has spent more years in the ice than out of it. Observing program after program across the world, both in person and trough a screen. He as attended to camps and seminars. He has imparted them. If a part of his body is more trained than his legs, is his eyes.  

“So, what’s Jin-Seo?”  

There's an answer in the tip of his tongue, but he can’t say it out loud.  

“I can feel you staring Paul,” even if he hasn’t stopped looking at the rink. “Jin-Seo relies too much on quads,” not like that’s a big flaw. Chuuya used to do that too. If you have a jump, why not use it?   

“But he does them so often that his triples are unpolished.”  

“Lots of power, but he's slow, he needs too many crossovers to jump. He’s fast on his spins and in the air, but for the preparation, he’s not quite quick as Contesi or Tetcho.”  

“Or you,” his brother says. “There’s nobody on the circuit right now who is as fast as you were. Not just with your feet, but with your head, too.”  

Because he was one in a million.  

Because he had been training two hours a day when he was just six.   

Because he was born to step in that podium, one time and other and other.   

“I’d have to face a bunch of kids with powerful quads and ten years younger, though,” he tells Verlaine. “Maintain the speed and my jumps.”  

“That won’t be easy.”  

“Not at my age,” Verlaine scoff at that. At twenty-eight, Chuuya is past the age of skating. In this sport, most people retire young and broken, and Chuuya is just one of those things. “I don’t have the jumps I used to have.”  

Another skater takes and leaves the ice, boring program, the millionth guy in a plain purple shirt, skating to Prince.   

“That’s truth,” Verlaine reaches for his bottle, taking a sip. “And you’re out of shape, you’ll need to go back to your previous regimen.”  

He’s not that out of shape.   

He still trains, he still goes out for his morning run. But he doesn’t spend five hours in the rink each day, burning until his legs can’t take it anymore.  

“If I did it...” he says, the answer he had a few minutes ago burns in his tongue.  

Jin-Seo takes the ice. Four minutes and it’ll be over. He'll tie his record.  

Or two of them.  

A migraine starts to grow as he visualizes it. He's stuck in this chair, watching as a kid takes everything he ever earned from his hands.   

He wants to scream. He could be his weak spot.  

His flaw.  

Facing him, the face of facing a living legend would be their demise.   

“Who’s going to coach me? You?”  

Because, if Chuuya at least steps in the rink each day for job, this is Verlaine’s first time facing the ice in three years.  

“That’s on you Chuuya,” because he wouldn’t blame his brother if he wanted to take this road alone after everything that happened.  

“Fuck,” Jin-Seo's only messy jump, the triple axel, is flawless. Around them everyone leans forward. Everyone waits for a perfect program, for a record to be smashed.  

Chuuya looks at the screen, this looks bad for him.  

The boxes are green, the TES keep getting higher.  

His stomach sinks, he feels sick.  

So Chuuya squares his shoulders and, without looking at him, Verlaine gets his answer.  

“Are you sure?”   

No.  

Absolutely not.  

“I’m not at my best.”  

“Neither I am.”  

Does people even remember him? Do reporters even care about him from something apart from gossip?  

“You’ll coach a ghost.”  

“I’ll coach the best figure skater the world has known,” Verlaine’s hand rest in his leg.  

Even after all those years, affection doesn’t come easy to them.   

In the ice, after one last jump, all Jin-Seo's boxes are green.  

“You’ll really do it?”   

“It can ruin everything,” he whispers. “Prove that I run away, that I was scared... I’ll lose my name and my legacy.”   

“This is not everything Chuuya,” his hand squeezes his leg, and Chuuya feels tears prickling his eyes. Oh, he knows. God, he knows that world doesn’t end once he takes off his skates, he learned it the hard way.  

He feels so cruel, because for a moment, the thought of telling him that he’s wrong crosses his mind.  

“You’ll have to work me to the bone.”  

“It would an honor,” he jokes. Like he had ever done anything but working his brother to the bone, squeeze all the talent he had out of him. “To coach you again, it’ll make me so happy.”  

Jin-Seo sits in the Kiss & Cry.  

His coach, an old Korean figure skater, puts a jacket over his shoulders.  

The glint on his eyes tells Chuuya everything.  

The way he punched the ice is enough.  

“I guess I’m coming out of retirement,” he says, and Verlaine’s hand squeezes his leg a little tighter when the numbers show in the screen.  

Jin-Seo jumps, hands in the air, he just crowned himself world champion for the third time.  

“Let’s see how long that last.” 

Nakahara surprises the world one last time  

Nakahara Chuuya (23) takes the gold in Saitama, his third world title in a row stabilizes a new record since the federation statutes changes. But the record is not what everyone is talking about. After a challenging event, where he struggled to take the lead, Nakahara announced his retirement from competition skating without any previous statements about it. For now, he has not announced any press conference, and all his social media has been deactivated. Both fans and teammates ask what the reason behind this is. An injury? The pressure of the new generation of skaters? For now, we don’t have any answer, but will the ice prince become a coward prince? We'll see it.  

Amanda Campbell, Golden Rink. March 2019, issue 345.  

[perfectsunlight]

03 ⸺ LIABILITY

warnings: anger issues, manipulation, language, toxic behavior

word count: 4.3k (half written)

part of the series: LOGICAL

seoul national university was one of the weaker teams last season. needless to say, that was far from true this year.

from the moment the game started, ygu was running into problems. 

this wasn’t an official game, it was only a scrimmage, but this was collegiate basketball. and ygu was the reigning champions of last year’s national title.

coach taeyeon had the starting five picked out since the night before the game. seulgi was the starting point guard, lisa was shooting guard as always, yujin center, yeri small forward and rei power forward. 

one of the issues was rei’s nerves. the second youngest player was making a few small mistakes due to her nerves, and both of the coaches understood why, but lisa was not as forgiving.

they were down by 10 by the end of the first half. 30-20, in favor of snu. 

“get rei off the court.” lisa snapped at seulgi as she clutched her water bottle in her hand. the captain raised an eyebrow at her co-captain, scoffing lightly. “give the kid a break. she’s just nervous.”

the basketball star rose to her feet, raising an eyebrow. “then stop setting her up. she isn’t doing shit for us. just give the ball to me and i can bring us back.”

y/n noticed the way rei’s demeanor changed when lisa said that. the brunette scooted over to the japanese girl, wrapping an arm around her shoulder in a comforting manner. “you’re doing great, rei. don’t listen to her.” she whispered, just loud enough for the freshman to hear.

coach taeyeon intervened, her voice firm but composed. “we can't afford to play selfishly. if they start double pressing you, we lose our offensive advantage. rei will find her rhythm. just stick to the plays we practiced.”

y/n watched as her girlfriend clenched her jaw and scoffed quietly. lisa’s body language radiated irritation and restlessness. the point guard knew her girlfriend was aggravated, lisa hated losing, even if it was just for a moment. 

lisa turned to face coach irene and coach taeyeon, setting her water bottle down on the bench before speaking.

“then give me my point guard. switch seulgi out for y/n so we can run the new plays.”

coach taeyeon exchanged a knowing look with coach irene. they both understood that they needed to gain a lead, and fast. coach irene nodded in agreement, giving her approval. “alright, we'll make the switch. y/n, you’ll go in right now. somi, you take yujin’s place too. yena, you’re going in for yeri. lisa stays in, but we’re keeping rei in too. ”

y/n nodded and quickly removed her warm-up pullover, revealing the dark forest green uniform underneath. she exchanged a determined glance with rei before heading onto the court. rei gave her a grateful smile, and y/n couldn't help but offer an encouraging wink.

y/n kim had played alongside lisa countless times. the pair knew each other better than the back of their own hands. every micro expression, every movement, every twitch in their muscles, they knew and could read it all. 

needless to say that despite the volatile relationship, the two lovers had insurmountable chemistry on the court. 

right before heading onto the court, y/n felt a tug on the back of her waistband. she already knew where this was going as she waited for her teammates to walk in front of her.

the shorter girl felt a pair of hands on her waist, guiding her backwards until she felt her back pressed into her girlfriend’s front.

“i swear to god,” lisa mumbled as she brushed her lips against the shell of her girlfriend’s ear. “you better not set rei up.” she tightened her grip ever so slightly, noticing how the shorter girl poked the inside of her cheek with her tongue.

y/n felt a shiver run down her spine, a mix of dread and trepidation. lisa's touch was dangerous, and it sent conflicting emotions coursing through her. she looked over her shoulder, her voice barely a whisper as she replied, 

“i’m going to do what needs to be done.”

lisa's chuckle was dark and low, sending a chill down y/n's spine. “good,” she purred, her fingers tracing a tantalizing pattern along her girlfriend’s waistband. “but just remember you need me to score.”

the door slamming open caught both of the lovers off guard. yena stood in the doorway, a small scowl on her face as she glanced in between the two. she motioned with her head towards the court where the rest of the team was. 

“hurry up.” 

y/n quickly extricated herself from lisa's hold, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. lisa's expression had shifted from possessiveness to irritation, her eyes narrowing at yena's interruption. the tension in the air was palpable as y/n hurriedly made her way out of the locker room, leaving lisa behind.

“what was that all about?” yena asked, raising an eyebrow at her roommate. y/n shook her head as the noise from the crowd increased when the ref blew his whistle. “nothing. let’s just get ahead.”

the pair joined their teammates out on the court, waiting for the other team to join them. y/n glanced behind her at rei, noticing the way lisa was glaring at her. the point guard jogged over to the japanese girl, putting her hands on her shoulders.

“rei, look at me.” y/n said softly, shaking the younger girl gently. “you’re starting in the first scrimmage of the season. that means you are a great player. shake your nerves off, okay?”

the freshman timidly nodded, fully aware of the pair of eyes burning into the back of her head. 

whistles from the referee were the signal for each of the girls to get into position, but just as y/n turned to jog back to her position, she shouted over her shoulder.

“i need you, rei!”

the vipers have always been known for their impressive offense, especially within the past few seasons with lisa being the star player. lisa may be the face of the basketball program, but true fans knew that y/n was just as important.

y/n was the only reason lisa could play the way she did. after all, lisa was only one of the pawns.

kim y/n was the game master, and she could choose which pieces she wanted to use, as well as the ones not to.

y/n did her best to support rei. she passed the ball to her whenever she could, boosting the freshman's confidence. rei, in turn, started gaining momentum. with each successful dribble and accurate pass, her nerves began to fade.

however, y/n's decision to focus on rei did not sit well with the superstar. 

the star player was accustomed to being at the center of attention, and being the hero who always clinched the wins. now she just felt sidelined. her frustration bubbled beneath the surface, transforming her usual dominance on the court into a deliberate lack of effort.

during defensive plays, lisa would linger a moment too long, allowing her opponent to slip past her. when the ball came her way, she would pass it to someone else instead of taking the shot herself. it was subtle enough that the coach and other teammates didn't immediately notice, but y/n saw through it.

yena noticed it, too. but she knew better than to start arguing with her roommate’s girlfriend in the middle of a game.

“y/n! run yellow!” coach taeyeon barked from the sidelines. it was the middle of the third quarter and ygu was still down, 52-48. lisa’s head snapped in the direction of their coaches, only to return her gaze to her girlfriend as she watched y/n bring the ball down.

“you heard your mom.” lisa shouted, already implying what needed to be done. each of ygu’s plays were assigned color code names. 

and yellow was the only play that involved lisa the most.

y/n knew she had no authority on the court at the moment. her girlfriend was the co-captain, and her mother was the head coach. she had no choice but to comply.

with a swift nod, y/n shouted out the play name. yellow was a play that only worked if they were guarding man-to-man, and not in a zone. 

this meant that anywhere the vipers moved, snu’s defense followed. ygu was going to use it to their advantage. 

yellow was a triangle offense play that utilized herself as well as lisa and yena. however there was one problem.

somi, lisa’s best friend and “yes” woman, was the center.

“somi!” lisa barked, and the tall blonde moved quickly, already knowing better than to disobey her best friend and roommate. the blonde positioned herself in the low post, using her height and strength to create space for lisa. she braced herself for the incoming defenders, determined to execute the play flawlessly. 

her role was clear: be the reliable anchor in the paint.

y/n, with a sharp focus on the game, dribbled the ball near the three-point line, orchestrating the offense. she scanned the court, analyzing the defense and looking for an opportunity to exploit. rei looked at her anxiously, but made a small cut across the key, drawing the attention of her defender.

however, lisa was quicker than the japanese girl. 

the older girl crossed over rei’s cut with her own, moving in front of the freshman after y/n had passed the ball into the opening. with a quick bounce and jump shot, lisa finished the play with the ball in the net.

the crowd from snu was loud, especially since this was just a scrimmage. but their basketball program this year was becoming increasingly popular, especially with their lineup.

and especially since their former star player, huh yunjin, was now playing for ygu.

“keep back!” lisa snapped at the japanese girl as they jogged back to their side of the court to defend the basket. somi nodded in agreement, looking down at the freshman. “yeah, you’re getting in the way.” the blonde added with a bit of venom.

rei looked down at her shoes as she ran, trying to concentrate on the game and not the way she felt like crying.

the bloodbath for possession continued until the end of the 3rd quarter, and coach kim and coach bae both were getting restless. the score was too close still, and the vipers needed momentum. 

but ygu was still losing, 68-64.

“are we changing anyone in the lineup?” lisa asked as she side eyed a certain japanese freshman, who was fidgeting with her forest green jersey and trying to ignore the shaded question.

coach taeyeon nodded her head. “yeji, go in for yena. everyone else stay in.”

the thai girl licked her lips before nodded in disapproval, but knew that she had no control over the lineup. the whistle blew, and the fourth quarter began right where the third had left off.

lisa, yeji, and somi, however, had their own agenda. they kept exchanging covert glances, silently acknowledging their plan. their eyes would often drift toward rei, the talented freshman who had unwittingly become the center of their discontent.

it wasn’t personal, but it was about performance. and lisa was blaming the younger girl for the gap in the score and all the points they lost from her nervous mistakes.

rei tried her best to focus on the game. her movements were precise, her passes accurate, but every time she attempted to make a move, she found herself blocked out.

somi would either linger too long, and not help create the space rei wanted to make. yeji would fake passes in the younger girl’s direction, only to give the ball to lisa instead. and lisa? 

well, she wasn’t one to share the glory that came from scoring.

the trio's strategy was working — they were isolating rei from crucial plays, effectively minimizing her impact on the game.

y/n knew this wasn’t good. it was bad enough lisa’s posse was bullying her friend. it was even worse because she knew rei wasn’t a pushover player.

the girl was starting in the scrimmage for a reason, and it was not to be blocked out and bullied into staying put.

but she knew they had to win. they had to. 

basket after basket, ygu managed to claw their way back in the 4th quarter. it wasn’t easy, and there were a lot of issues with fouls, but they still stood their ground.they had narrowed the gap, keeping it within 2-4 points rather than 10-12. but time wasn’t on the viper’s side.

81-80, with only less than 1 minute and ygu still trailing. 

there was one big problem; lisa, yeji, and somi, were all 4 fouls each. if any of the three received a fifth, they’d be benched for the rest of the game.

y/n hated what the trio was doing, but she knew that they were still good players. she couldn’t sacrifice the integrity of the game, but she also knew she had to sacrifice a pawn.

if she decided to set up somi, there was a risk that she’d immediately foul because of her position as center. if she went with yeji as the exploit, it would leave a hole in the defense. 

and if she sacrificed her girlfriend, it would be betrayal. 

she knew she had to sacrifice herself, because she only had 3 fouls.

coach kim was yelling something on the sideline, but her daughter wasn’t paying attention. y/n had 3 fouls already, and as she saw snu’s offense barreling towards their zone defense, she knew a 4th foul was incoming.

the crowd's roar echoed in y/n's ears as snu's player drove towards the basket, eyes locked on the hoop. y/n's mind raced, weighing the options in the split second she had. she couldn't afford another foul, and yet, she couldn't let her opponent score easily either.

with a burst of speed, y/n intercepted the snu player, her body moving on instinct. she jumped, arms raised, attempting to block the shot. the referee's whistle blew, and the gymnasium fell into a tense hush. it was a foul. y/n's heart sank as the reality of her situation settled in. 

four fouls.

snu's fouled player and point guard, kim chaewon, stepped up to the free-throw line. the pressure of the game was evident on her face. the first shot left her fingertips, sailing through the air and landing perfectly in the net. 

the score now stood at 82-80, snu still in the lead. the crowd erupted into a mix of excitement and anxiety.

the second free throw was about to be taken, and y/n's eyes narrowed in focus. she couldn't change the past, but she could influence the future. as the snu player released the ball, y/n willed it to miss. 

the ball hit the rim and bounced off. a clear miss.

the point guard could feel the beads of sweat falling from her brow as she glanced at the scoreboard. the glowing countdown made the adrenaline in her body spike as she felt her vision tunneling in. 

there was still time left on the clock, and ygu had one last chance. 

she glanced at her teammates, and then her mother, determination burning in her eyes. for a moment, kim taeyeon saw a version of her younger self in her daughter.

the referee handed y/n the ball, and she dribbled past half-court. the gymnasium seemed to scream and simultaneously hold its breath as the vipers orchestrated their final play. 

y/n’s heartbeat pounded in her skull as everything seemed to move into slow motion. her eyes scanned the court briefly, taking in the situation and analyzing the best course of action.

they were down 2 points. there was an 80% chance of them fouling again, and even though it wouldn’t mean much since the game was ending, y/n knew both her mother and coach bae would be livid if any of them fouled out. winning was crucial, but so was winning with a statement.

it’s why yunjin was benched for this entire scrimmage against her former university. they wanted to prove they could beat snu without using their former star player.

time was running out. but y/n still had one final ace up her sleeve.

she still had rei.

with seconds ticking away, the point guard made her decision. she saw rei, standing just beyond the three-point line, her eyes focused and determined. it was a risky move, passing up the opportunity to give the ball to lisa, her girlfriend and star player known for her clutch shots. 

but y/n believed in naoi rei. all she needed was a decent chance at proving that to herself. 

the point guard could feel the beads of sweat falling from her brow as she glanced at the scoreboard. 5 seconds left.

when y/n attempted to create an opening, somi quickly moved so her defender followed and crowded the other girl’s previously open position. this left two options. 

lisa and rei.

y/n glanced at the japanese girl, who looked like she was a kicked puppy because of the glare lisa was shooting at her. it was a silent warning to not intervene. 

lisa wanted this, the blood and the glory of being the one to push their school over for the win.

the shooting guard made her way to the top of the arch, ready to receive the pass from her girlfriend. but in one swift motion, y/n passed the ball to rei, who stood open in the far corner.

the gymnasium roared with anticipation as rei squared up, her shooting form flawless. the defenders closed in, but the freshman seemed unfazed this time.

“rei, now!” the point guard shouted as she took one final look at the clock. 0.5 seconds. it was now or never.

rei released the ball, a perfect arc guiding it towards the hoop. the crowd held its collective breath as the ball sailed through the net, swishing cleanly. 

83-82. ygu had won.

y/n immediately ran to the freshman with a smile on her face, shaking the smaller girl as she hugged her.

the gymnasium was alive with euphoria, the sound of victory echoing off the walls. y/n couldn’t help the surge of pride that filled her. rei, the freshman who had been doubted, had just become the hero of the game. 

as y/n released her in the midst of the celebration, she saw the disbelief and elation in rei’s eyes. “you did it, rei!” y/n exclaimed, her voice drowned out by the cheers around them. 

the younger girl’s face lit up with a radiant smile. “i did it!” she screamed, her voice filled with a mixture of excitement and gratitude. “that was so scary, unnie!” she shouted back as she hugged the point guard tightly, but still holding that million dollar smile on her face. 

the moment was interrupted by yuqi rushing over to the japanese girl, pulling her from y/n’s grasp and swinging the smaller girl around in a circle. “you did it, kiddo!” she shouted as the japanese girl laughed, wiggling out of the other girl’s arms.

the rest of the team swarmed around them, engulfing their second youngest in a sea of congratulatory pats on the back and hugs. coach taeyeon, her stern expression replaced by a rare smile, approached them, her eyes gleaming with pride. she clapped a hand on rei’s shoulder.

“fantastic shot, rei. congratulations,” coach taeyeon said, her voice carrying a genuine warmth. she then turned her attention to her daughter, and pulled her in for a side hug. 

“good call.” taeyeon whispered to the point guard, who only gave her a small smile in return. 

“i learned from the best.”

lisa’s eyes locked with her girlfriend’s, and y/n noticed just from the body language that she was upset. she didn’t go up to the shooting guard yet, wanting to savor the win for just a moment longer without having to deal with the drama.

eventually, it was time to get back onto the bus. the vipers gathered their things from the visiting locker room, and packed up to return back to their university.

y/n was in the middle of putting her hoodie on when somi bumped a bit too harshly into her shoulder. she knew it was a hostile move, especially coming from the center. 

but it was always like this. if lisa was mad at y/n, somi was also mad at her too.

yeri saw what had happened and immediately rose to her feet, moving over to grab the center by her arm. the blonde girl looked over at her senior, raising an eyebrow.

“what?” somi said nonchalantly, earning an icy stare from the older kim family member. 

“watch where you’re going, jeon somi.” 

it was more than a warning. it was a threat.

the tension in the locker room was palpable as lisa entered the room, her jersey top draped over her neck like a rolled towel. irritation was evident in her demeanor as she slammed the door behind her shut, making sure everyone’s attention was on her.

the moment she locked eyes with her girlfriend, she turned her attention to rei, who was sitting on the bench in front of her. she subtly addressed the freshman with a venomous tone that sent shivers down everyone's spines.

“are we going to ignore how many mistakes were made? how much of an embarrassment that was?”

yeri raised an eyebrow at the star player, replying with a flat tone. “are we counting your fouls as mistakes too?”

the thai girl’s eyes narrowed in on y/n’s older cousin before she pointed a finger at the freshman on the bench. 

“sure. but the majority are all rei’s. don’t forget to count that too.” 

y/n felt a mix of frustration and helplessness as she watched lisa target her young friend. the freshman looked utterly bewildered, her eyes wide with shock and hurt. but despite the accusations, rei remained silent, not daring to argue back. the weight of lisa's words was crushing, but this time it seemed different.

“lisa, that's enough.” yuqi's voice cut through the tension, but lisa ignored her, her focus still fixed on rei.

yena, unable to contain her anger, stepped forward. “you're out of line, lisa. we win as a team and lose as a team. blaming rei for everything is unfair and petty.”

seulgi, the captain, stood up and spoke, adding to the conversation. “everyone made mistakes today. everyone is accountable for them. but we don’t need to point fingers.” she said sternly as she zipped her team jacket up. 

lisa scoffed, dismissing yena and seulgi’s words. “unnie, if i remember correctly, you were the one who said you didn’t want freshman on the team this year because of things like this?” she said as she shot a glare towards her senior.

tears started to trickle down rei’s cheeks, her hands trembling in her lap. she was just nervous today, and she thought she had made up for it by winning the game for her team. however, that wasn’t good enough for lisa.

but nothing was ever good enough for lisa.

hanni, unable to bear seeing her teammate and friend so distraught, moved closer to rei, wrapping a protective arm around her. the youngest player also knew better than to talk back to lisa, regardless of what she said. 

seulgi’s jaw clenched as she remained silent. lisa had hit a nerve, but she decided to keep going in at rei. “hey kid?” the shooting guard snapped as she looked back at the younger girl, who flinched at the co-captain’s words.  

“remember that you just got lucky. the only thing you’ve proved tonight is that you’re just a liability.”

yena, who had been watching the altercation with growing anger, couldn't take it anymore. she lunged forward and tried to swing at lisa.

the small forward could handle a lot of things. she could handle yuri’s shouting, she could handle lisa’s temper, and she could handle people criticizing her.

but she drew the line when it came to her younger players.

“lisa you cunt!” she shouted as yuqi quickly held her back just before the girl’s fist could collide with the side of lisa’s face. the taller girl’s eyes wide as she looked next to her for help holding a very angry yena. 

“yunjin, a little help!” 

while yunjin helped yuqi, ahn yujin motioned with her head for them to start moving back to the bus so they could go home. yeji and somi both followed an unfazed lisa as she pulled her hoodie over her head and exited the locker room.

seulgi quickly shot a warning glare at yena, who immediately stilled her violent swings and sighed in defeat.

“put her down. let’s go.”

the rest of the team filed out, and the girls made their way back onto the bus. rei pulled her hoodie over her head tightly, not wanting her coaches to see her tear stained cheeks or her bloodshot eyes. y/n gave the japanese girl a soft pat on the shoulder as she passed by her row, and mouthed a quick “take care of her” to hanni before she made her way to sit next to yena.

yuqi was sitting in a row by herself, using the extra space to stretch out and sleep until they arrived back at the university.

yunjin looked out the window at the curb, noticing a familiar head of dark hair peeking out from a navy blue hoodie. the transfer student blew a small kiss, and if it wasn’t for the smile she saw on the other girl’s face, she would’ve thought that she didn’t see it.

TAGLIST ⸺ ✭ @silantryoo @rosiehrs @niniwhiskers @cwpiqwon @jisooftme @1luvkarina @scarfac3 @santasbitch @lisas-earlobe @wallfl9wer @aerihiltonn @unforgivenangel @uzumakioden @skydreamed @haerinfangs

OPEN!! comment below the masterlist to be added.

a/n: el oh el im alr stressing abt this ...

[pudding-parade]

So, figure skating…

I know most (all?) of y'all don't care, but I have lots of Things To Say about the World Championships last weekend and the state of the sport in general. But I'll put it behind a cut, to be nice.

First of all, it was an awesome competition all around. One of the best things about it was the full-to-capacity arena for most of the competition, not just because the Covid years meant no spectators at all but also because in general the sport seems to be losing steam in terms of popularity, particularly so in the US. I was at Four Continents, and the crowds just weren't there, especially when there were no "big names" competing, despite the fact that Colorado Springs is a major training center for the sport. It was very disappointing. Fortunately, the World Championships were in Japan, where figure skating is still hugely popular, largely because of Yuzuru Hanyu. So to see 20,000+ people in the arena for this competition was awesome. And it wasn't just the number of people, but the fact that the audience supported everyone, not just the Japanese skaters, giving out standing ovations and raucous cheering freely to anyone who did well and also cheering along skaters who weren't doing so well, offering them encouragement. Kudos to all the fans there. :)

Now for the competition.

Ice Dance: It and the men's are my favorite disciplines, but the ice dance competition wasn't that exciting to me. I mean, it was good, but the finish order was pretty much as I expected. I was hoping for Fear/Gibson to get on the podium, but I didn't expect them to, and it wasn't to be. Oh well. Perhaps I'm blah because I'm not a fan of Chock/Bates, the winners. Meh. I dunno.

Pairs: So, so happy for Riku Miura and Ryuchi Kihara. They are by far my favorite pair, not only because of their skating but because of their sunny personalities. So happy they beat the Americans, who I also don't like. (Which is basically a theme for me. Other than Jason Brown, I haven't really liked any American skater since….Michelle Kwan back in the 90s, probably.) It was so sad to watch Riku think that they'd lost the gold because of a mistake she made, and it seemed like she didn't think they deserved to win, but they definitely did. Their free wasn't perfect, but their short was astounding, which put them on top.

On another note: It was amazing to see Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps in 4th place. Deanna is 39 goddamn years old and had been away from skating for about 15 years after injury pushed her away from her singles career. Then she decided to come back, but as a pairs skater. And that's not even half the story! And now here she and her partner are, fourth in the world. Fantastic!

The Wimmens: TBH, I haven't really liked the women's competition in about a decade, because of Russian domination. It's not that I don't think the Russian teenagers are talented. They obviously are. I just can't support the whole mentality behind Russian women's skating, at least when it comes to the most popular coach of them, Eteri Tutberidze. She takes 12-year-old girls, underfeeds/overtrains them in order to stave off puberty so that they remain small and light enough to do the quadruple jumps that are otherwise generally reserved for physically-mature men because they have the muscle power to overcome the size/weight of their bodies. Then she trains those young teen girls to do those jumps. Gravity is a thing, and those jumps are hard on mature bodies, much less on bodies where the bones are still developing and growing. So, you end up with 16-year-olds with broken hips or who require multiple knee surgeries of the type that 50-year-olds get. You end up with 18-year-olds with destroyed backs who can never skate again. And that's not even mentioning the drugging that apparently goes on. All of this so that one teenage girl can win one Olympic gold medal and become a vehicle for state propaganda for a while before being relegated to a life of pain. I just can't be enthusiastic about that.

And, on top of that, it takes all of the suspense out of the competition. It comes down to which of three interchangeable stick-like, under-developed 15/16-year-old Russian girls will win the Olympic gold and then burn out immediately after, never to be heard from again. While those girls and/or their parents might be willing to destroy their bodies for the sake of one medal, the other competitors value career longevity over doing the ultra-c jumps that, generally, are part of the men's competition for a very good reason. So one of the underfed Russian girls du jour always won. Snooze.

But now, with the Russians banned because of their government's terror campaign against Ukraine, suddenly the women's competition interests me again. Yes, there are still 16-year-olds, but at least they aren't underfed (except Kimmy Repond from Switzerland and Isabeau Levito from the US; I hope they eat many sandwiches in the off-season) and overtrained with bodies about to explode on them. And, those who aren't 16 are actual women. In women's skating. Women who've been competing, in some cases, for fifteen years or more. Imagine that.

And the competition was actually exciting! Would Kaori Sakamoto get her shit together (she's had a very "off" season) and defend her title? Would Loena Hendrickx get her shit together because she's been inconsistent, too? What about the Koreans, who are all very talented, elegant skaters yet forever in the shadow of Russia and Japan? What about the other Japanese ladies with their 3As? Really, it was anyone's game, and it was exciting. Women's skating hasn't been exciting in about a decade, IMO, because the Russian "Use 'em up until the Olympics, then toss 'em aside for the next 12-year-old" system makes the competitions so boring.

And ultimately, Kaori won, and since she is my favorite female singles skater, not just because of her skating, I am very happy for her. But honestly? I would've given it to Hae-in Lee of Korea, who was second. Kaori was good, and she definitely got her shit together, but she just wasn't as…sparkly…as she usually is. Something's been off with her all season, which isn't terribly uncommon after the high of an Olympic year, especially when you medal in one. Hae-in, OTOH, was amazing at Four Continents, and she was amazing here. I think she should have gotten the gold and Kaori the silver. I agree with Loena in third and Isabeau Levito in fourth. At least I don't dislike Levito. I think she will be amazing for the 2026 Olympic season. She's just not the whole package yet. Hopefully she will 1) Eat many sandwiches so she can stop being a stick and 2) Stay healthy so that she can become the whole package for 2026.

But really? My favorite thing about the women's competition? Nicole Schott from Germany. She's 26 now, I think, and yet she is improving. Unfortunately, she had a disastrous short program at Europeans, but came back with an amazing free to get into the top ten. And here at Worlds, both of her programs were great and she ended up in 7th place. Which, given the powerhouses that are Japanese and Korean women's skating (with three entrants each), plus the strength of Loena and Isabeau Levito, is extremely respectable. And she's 26, about a decade older than many of the others in the top 10! You go, girl!

And finally, saving the best for last, The Dudes. It was supposed to be a battle between Shoma Uno, my fave and the defending champion from Japan, and the US's Ilia Malinin, the self-styled "Quad God." Except it wasn't really a battle at all. I don't care how many quads you throw into your program. Doing that shouldn't win you a title. Any title. Why? Because anyone can learn to do quads if they have the right body type and dedicate all their training to it, at the expense of everything else. But jumps are only half the story. The other half is performance. Artistry. Which is an entirely different mindset that is much, much harder to learn than jumps, and then it's harder still to be able to integrate the two halves into the whole package that all world-class figure skaters ought to be. I don't care if you're Ilia Malinin or Alexandra Trusova, just jumps shoudn't win you any medal, much less title. Because at the end of the day, figure skating is more of an artistic sport than an athletic one. Watching someone skate from one end of the rink to the other doing quad jumps is boring. I want to watch a performer, not a jumping bean with delusions of grandeur.

And that's the difference between Shoma Uno and Ilia Malinin. The former used to be just a jumping bean, too, but he realized that Yuzuru Hanyu and/or Nathan Chen was going to beat him every time no matter how many jumps he did. Because they were the whole package and he was not. So, he switched to a coach renowned for artistry and completely transformed himself into an artist who can also jump. He became the whole package. Maybe he doesn't do six quads in a program…but he doesn't have to. With fewer quads -- and also nursing an injury! -- he beat Ilia by about 15 points, to no one's surprise except possibly the hype-y US media around Ilia.

Ilia's just not there yet. He's only 18, of course, and no doubt his ego is tied to his jumping right now. But maybe he will reach the same conclusion that Shoma did, that just jumps aren't going to win you international titles, no matter how many of them you do, not when your skating skills and presentation suck because all you've been working on is jumps. I hope he reaches this conclusion, because if he does and he follows through, he will become one of the greats, and rightfully so. But right now? He's faaaaaar from there. Still, he finished third. I would've put him lower, quite frankly, and put Kevin Aymoz on the podium instead. It's not that I hate Ilia or anything because I don't, at all. It's because I would hate to see figure skating turn into a jumping bean contest, so I don't think that whole mentality should be rewarded. I wish the ISU would lower the point value of jumps and raise the point value of the other elements so that skaters would focus more on them, or at the very least I wish the artistic score was weighted heavier than the technical score. But I dunno. Maybe that's just me. I just don't give a shit about jumps. I want to see performance, which is part of the reason why I like ice dance so much. I wish ice dance was less heteronormative, of course, just as I wish for pairs, but maybe we'll get there one day.

ANYWAY! The "battle" between Shoma and Ilia aside, who stole the show? Korea's Jun-Hwan "Chaos Bean" Cha, who along with Shoma and France's Kevin Aymoz are my favorite male skaters. Jun's been inconsistent for his entire career and, in my opinion, has been unfairly judged much of the time, as well. He's always been nit-picked over edges and under-rotations when the Japanese skaters and others have gotten away with worse. This competition, he was still robbed of the 100-point short program that he should have gotten, but both of his performances were amazing, with his two quads in the free -- all that's needed! -- being effortless and absolutely beautiful. And his Ina Bauer at the end of his free literally made me cry, it was so beautiful. This netted him the silver and almost broke the 300-point barrier for the competition. My adorable little chaos bean got his shit together for this competition, and I hope that's a sign of things to come for him.

And speaking of Kevin Aymoz: He got fourth, which is great. He was also fourth at Europeans, after a disappointing short program. But fourth on the world stage is a much bigger achievement, and well-deserved after turning in two great programs. He's coming back from injury, so I hope that this is a sign of things to come for him, too. I'm hoping to see him win Euros and be on the podium at Worlds next year. *fingers crossed*

Finally, the best thing about the World Championships: Listening to the Japanese arena announcer mangle practically all of the non-Asian surnames. It was hilarious. Even some of the skaters were laughing and shaking their heads as they were introduced. LOL

[elvenbeard]

Long long rambly headcanon post regarding my V and Kerry specifically, because I have feeeeeels XD On a meta level this time, bc some coincidences you just cannot plan out beforehand.

I know this all is gonna sound so fake, but I promise, it's not xD Also, it's maybe not as deep, but I want to write about all these things at some point in more detail too and not forget about them, so here they go for now!

I put several details into V's background way before meeting Kerry in game that ended up connecting to his life and questline in amazing ways. Mind you, I went into my first playthrough almost entirely blind. All I'd looked up at some point was the romanceable characters' names and who can romance them, because River was sending so many mixed signals xD.

Heck, I wasn't even too excited about Kerry XD I was hell-bent on River, bc V and he hit it off so well imo, and when I looked up that River is not available to romance for masc body/ masc voice V I was so disappointed xD Thinking "urgh fine, let's see how Kerry is like then, if he's the only MLM option". I was half-expecting though to probably finish the game without playing any of the romances - wouldn't have been the first time that happend to me in a game, sometimes my OC just doesn't click with any of the characters XD

During Johnny's first flashback it didn't even fully register with me that you're actually talking to *the* Kerry there, just his younger self. I'd basically forgotten about him again until the Voodoo Boys job. And overall, the little Johnny says about him didn't intrigue me (or V on that matter) that much, beyond an "okay, noted, it's complicated with you two". Overall I was basically expecting a less funny Johnny 2.0 with Kerry, personality-wise. I was still looking forward to meeting him, because he was taking his sweet time to show up XD But otherwise I had zero expectations.

Since I didn't know the lore or world of Cyberpunk that well either, a lot of stuff I made up for V's background along the way, and it led to so many amazing coincidences in the end...

Like, Vince his half-Japanese. That I settled on while messing in the CC, filling in some gaps as I got to know the world better. His father was a huge admirer of the Arasakas, Hanako in particular, gave his life for the corp, yadayada. He wanted his family and his kid to resemble the Arasakas' grandiosity in as many ways as possible, and so amongst other things V learned how to play the piano when he was a kid. He ended up hating it, stopped playing, because it was not something he wanted to do but was forced to do, more or less. Then, what's the first thing you see walking into Kerry's mansion the first time? Front and center, big piano. Admittedly, pianos show up here and there elsewhere, but somehow at Kerry's villa it felt the most out of place for me, just how V felt like out of place snooping around there. I'd like to think that Kerry inspired him to pick it up again at some point, on his own terms this time, playing what he wanted, not what others told him. Out of the other former Samurai members he also gets along best with Nancy, and they stay in regular contact after he helped her out with her request.

Another thing, I don't even remember where you can read about it in-game - in Kerry's database entry, or in a shard? - that kinda caught me a little off guard, a "what the heck" moment, was Kerry apparently doing yoga on his patio every morning. I think one of the first things I added to Vince's background for flavor was that he did yoga for a long time, picking it up some time after starting at Arasaka (recommendation by his life coach to cope with the stress) and eventually falling out of the habit after leaving the corp, because all his routines kind of went out the window for a while there. Here I'd also like to think Kerry makes him pick it up again, bc it's some additional time they can spend together in the mornings, especially important when the rest of the day they don't get to see each other anymore, until late at night maybe.

When V and Takemura talked about their childhoods during Gimme Danger, first thing I did afterwards was drive to Charter Hill and figure out where V might have grown up, which street and building he and his family could have lived in. The building I ended up settling on turned out to be one of the first you see when you step onto the rooftop lounge of the Dark Matter with Kerry. The thought of Kerry going there during important moments in his life, and the kid that would really change everything for the better for him a few years down the road living right across the street, neither of them aware of the other... I live for shit like that. So if anything, that one settled the deal for me for good XD Not to mention that Kerry was not what I had expected in the slightest, and I mean that in the best way possible.

The more I think about it, and as I'm replaying the game, I might notice or remember even more stuff or little coincidences. But yes... they were meant for each other, from the start, without me or either of them realizing it then, and I love it XD