#but somehow along the way you and yuuta become friends and it's. a lot for megumi lets just say that

[yuwuta]

inuokko.... yuu2... yuwuta do i dare ask you how you feel about okkofushi next?

ofc you can but be prepared for me to be very unnormal about everything mentioned in this ask 😁😁🤒

[just-jordie-things]

omg you’re back?! and you’re doing prompts?! this feels like christmas!!

can you do 28 with inumaki?? but also maybe if you’re listening to something nice 25, i’d like to know what song inspires the drabble (:

25: Kiss Inspired By A Song (stargirl interlude - lana del rey) 28: First Kiss ___

you don’t know why you think to ask such a personal question, especially to someone who can’t express his answer very easily- not that it’s his fault- but the thought creeps in your mind like a parasite and you just know it won’t go away until you have his answer.

“have you ever kissed anyone?”

at first toge thinks you’re only asking this question to distract him, because his focus shifts away from crossing the finish line on rainbow road, his thumb stilling on the joystick of the pink remote and his eyes are on yours.  simultaneously, you’re passing his character and claiming first place for yourself, a victorious smile on your face, until you see his perplexed gaze.

in your brief silence, you catch the change in song on your shared playlist.  you can’t help but nod your head along as your current favorite melody begins.

he’s raising a brow at you, the slight frown on his face making you realize your suspicious timing.

“that wasn’t on purpose!” 

you try to explain yourself, but toge’s not sure he believes you.  you had to have known such a sudden and personal question was going to throw him off his game.  you and toge certainly spent a lot of time together, often playing mariokart or smash bros, but even outside of your free time you were a duo.  he was your favorite person to train with- maki was too rough and that made her a better match for panda, and yuuta barely even went to this school anymore- and you seemed quite comfortable with his odd way of communicating.

still, as close of friends as you were, you’d never really talked about these sorts of things with one another.

“okay, i’m sorry,” you apologize when his gaze remains unrelentingly upset.  “i wasn’t trying to distract you.  i just got curious” 

the first question on his mind is the obvious, why? what had gone on in your head to make you wonder such a thing? did you assume he had? but his thoughts derail quick as a more pressing question pops up.

have you ever kissed anyone?

you’d never really talked about any romantic interests before- neither of you had, hence his initial surprise with your question- so toge wasn’t sure he could safely assume you had kissed anyone.  that said, you were a pretty girl with a warm personality, if you wanted a kiss from someone, he was certain you would have gotten it by now.  

and now he wondered what kind of person you would look for to be potentially kissed by.

surely he’s blushing in front of you now with how off track his thought process had become, and he wishes he’d worn his uniform instead of the tee shirt and sweats he sported because at least then he’d have a collar to hide behind.

“so… have you?” you ask, impatient to know the answer, and you sound like it too.

you have toge absolutely bewildered by your anticipation for his response.  what impression had he made to make you think he could have kissed anyone? it was sort of hard to get to that step when you couldn’t even talk, after all.

“bonito flakes”

his voice is quiet as he shakes his head for good measure.

“really?” you ask in surprise.

his brows are furrowed as he tilts his head you, silently asking what you’re trying to imply, before his cryptic words question you.

“mustard leaf?”

“i dunno,” you shrug, setting your controller down now that your game had finished.  “i guess i just wondered.  you’ve never talked about it before” 

toge laughs, and it comes out more like a scoff.  you understand him somehow.  he’s amused that you thought about such a thing.  but then he’s smiling at you, quirking an eyebrow as he seems to shoot the question back at you.

“what?” you feign misunderstanding, even though you both know perfectly well that you know exactly what he’s asking.

it’s obvious in the way your cheeks turn pink and you pick up your controller again so your fingers can fiddle with it.  despite being sat on opposite ends of the bed- with toge leaning against the headboard and you at the foot of the mattress- his bed suddenly feels small.  the whole room suddenly feels small.

you’re anxious, you both realize.  although toge finds more interest in it than you do.

“mustard leaf?” he questions you and you curse yourself for getting to know him so well that you understand he’s repeating your question back to you with those two words.

when you turn to look away toge scrambles to straighten his posture, suddenly very invested in your answer.  he’s grinning excitedly, his eyes wide with amusement.

“salmon cod roe!” he demands through bubbling laughter, and despite your embarrassment, you give in, because he’s just so adorably curious, and he’s your friend, right? he wouldn’t judge you, would he?”

“no!” you cry out, covering your face as you fall back onto the bed.  

you kick your feet in the air in childish frustration.  your face is burning from the admission, but you suppose you brought it on yourself, seeing as you asked him first.

toge’s laughter is silenced as he watches you throw your arms to your sides and let out a huff.  he gives you a comforting smile.

“salmon” he tries to communicate to you that it’s okay, that he doesn’t judge you, but you frown back at him.

“don’t you think it’s a little embarrassing?” you ask, your eyes staying on him to gauge his honest reaction.  “or down right humiliating?” you mutter bitterly.

“bonito flakes” he mutters back in mock offense, but you seem to ignore him.

“it’s not like i haven’t tried,” you say to the ceiling, and it leaves a bitter feeling in toge’s chest.  “but the options aren’t exactly… numerous,” you mumble the last part.  “i think if i asked, maki would kiss me,” you think aloud, before turning your head to look at toge again.  “but i’m too scared to ask,” you whisper, as if she could hear you from her dorm across the hall.

toge chuckles at your wide eyes, and smiles at you again.  your worry about something so silly was funny to him.  you’d clearly had this on your mind for a while to consider kissing one of your friends- the scariest one of your friends, too.

he reaches behind him to grab the little whiteboard on his night stand, uncapping the magnetic dry erase marker so he could scribble on it.

why maki?

you shrug back after reading it, folding your hands over your stomach.

“figured she’d kill me if i asked yuuta.  figured you’d say no” you reply.

he blinks back at you, but you’re turning to look at the ceiling again, humming along as your song comes to an end, so you don’t see the way your answer stuns him.

of course he wouldn’t say no! is his initial thought, but the way it crosses his mind so loud and certain has his heart stuttering in his chest.  did he want to kiss you? he’d never really thought about it before, he’d never really thought of it as an option.  your friendship meant a lot to him, more than he could express, whiteboard or not, he couldn’t do anything to jeopardize it.  but of course if you asked him, he’d say yes.  he’s certain of it.

in the name of being a good friend, of course…

“mustard leaf?”

you hum curiously back at him, tilting your face his way again to watch as he scrawled across the board again.  the marker squeaks softly as he tries to write as quickly as he can while still keeping his handwriting legible.

when he lifts the board for you to read, your eyes follow each letter slowly, carefully.

why do you think i’d say no?

the insinuation behind the question has you opening and closing your mouth a few times, struggling to find the words.  you’re beginning to fluster, and toge can see it in the way your fingers tangle and untangle themselves where they rest over your stomach.

“i- i don’t know,” you stammer, your eyes landing on his only briefly before you grow too shy to hold his stare.  “figured you’d think it was a dumb thing to worry about,” you say, and there’s some truth to your words.

the rest of the truth would have been admitting that kissing toge had been on your mind for some time now.  a long time.

“but i just- i just want to get it out of the way, you know?” you sigh, your eyes falling shut.  “that way, in the future, when there’s someone i- i really want to kiss…” you grow quiet as you realize you’re really only embarrassing yourself further.  you sigh again.  “i just don’t want to be humiliated by kissing someone badly” 

it’s quiet for a minute, long enough that you peek over at toge, just to make sure he was still there.  he nods at you in understanding.  maybe he didn’t share this anxiety, he didn’t feel any sort of rush to get his first kiss out of the way, but kissing someone wasn’t exactly on his realistic bucket list.

your song ends, and soon the familiar echoed strumming of guitar makes it’s way to your ears with delight by you- another one of your favorites.  lana del rey’s angelic voice follows shortly after.

he holds your stare for a moment before deciding to take a leap of faith, and then he’s writing on his board again.  you keep your focus on him this time, watching the way he bites his lip as he writes, and how he re-reads his words a few times before he finally presents the board to you again.

if you want to ask, i’ll say yes.

as soon as you finish reading it, your eyes shoot back up to his, quickly trying to make sure he wasn’t joking, that he wasn’t going to burst out into laughter and tease you for jumping on the first offer of a kiss you could get.

when you find that he’s smiling at you, so kindly you could just melt, you sit up right away.

“really?” you mumble out, just to be sure he’s not pulling your leg.

toge wipes the board clean before scribbling on it again.  you move quickly to peek over at it while he doodles two stick figures with their faces pressed together and a big MUAH written above them.  you giggle at the cute drawing, and he beams at you.

he caps the marker and sticks the magnet to the board before setting it aside, giving you his full attention.

you’re right across from him now, and you move your legs to get more comfortable, sitting criss cross.  the exhale you let out is a little shaky, but you give him a hopeful look.

“promise not to tell anyone if it’s bad?” you ask him quietly.

toge wants to laugh, because there’s not a chance that your plump looking lips could ever bestow a bad kiss, but he doesn’t.  he wants you to feel perfectly comfortable.

“salmon” he says with an affirmative nod.

you nod back, eyes flickering between his apprehensively, before falling to his lips.

you’d looked at toge’s mouth many times before.  it was easy to get distracted by the markings, sure, but they were a good cover for you to let your mind wander to curiosities you had- such as if his soft lips felt as soft as they looked.

“tuna” he tells you, raising his hand to cover your eyes.  you chuckle nervously, but follow the command and let your eyes fall shut.

toge can’t help but admire you for just a moment.  he feels an excitement bubble up in his chest at the prospect of kissing you.  his heart was suddenly beating very fast, and he had to bite back a smile as his eyes wandered your pretty face.

what kind of good deed did he do in a past life to earn such luck in getting to kiss someone so perfect? 

maybe he was a little too ready to kiss you.

his fingers touched the underside of your jawline delicately.  the action was so new and intimate he nervously watched your calm expression, praying you wouldn’t flinch.  you didn’t.  the corner of your lips tilted into the smallest of smiles, and as he slid the rest of his hand against the rest of your jaw, you tilted your chin up, bringing your face just the slightest bit more towards his.

he followed the movement, his nose brushing against yours carefully, and he found his own eyes falling shut on their own accord, a soft sigh escaping his lips as a wave of exhilaration washes over him.

when you don’t instantly feel his lips on yours, you prod your nose against his in a small, gentle movement.  he smirks at the action, intrigued by your impatience, and he wonders if you’d meant to do it or if your anticipation was getting the better of you.

but he doesn’t spend any more time stalling, and leans in the rest of the way to connect your lips.

you’re a little slow to react, stunned by the new sensation.  but it only takes a few seconds of getting used to the feeling of having someone else’s mouth on yours for you to fall into it, naturally, and you kiss him as if you’d kissed him a thousand times before.

he feels your hands tremble as you rest them against his arms, the pads of your fingers barely pressing into his skin.  your lips move over his curiously, enjoying the velvety sensation of his soft mouth.  it was even softer than you could have imagined, you thought in a cloudy daze.

the gentle but alluring beat of the song seems to synchronize with the fast paced beating of your heart, and the distant cooing of lana’s harmonizing has you feeling all the more six feet off the ground.

but i love it, i love it, starboy… 

when you do part, it takes a moment for your eyes to flutter open.  your mouth is still parted, and you find yourself fixing your gaze on toge’s lips, as though amazed by them, before your eyes peer up at his.  an amused smile stretches over your face, your eyes positively twinkling at him.

he knows he should probably move back a little further, you’re still inches apart and his hand is still on your face, but toge stays put, just to bask in the warm feeling for a little longer.

you’re not rushing to move away, either.

“is it always gonna feel like that?” you whisper, your dazzling smile demanding all of his attention.

he could tell you that sure, it could if you wanted to.  but he decides that you don’t need to go finding that out for yourself, that if you want it to always feel like that, then you’ll just have to stick to kissing him whenever it is you so please.

so with a cocky smile and bright eyes, he shakes his head at you.  and when he pulls you in for another kiss, your eyes flutter shut and you meet him halfway with a newfound eagerness for kissing your best friend. ___

a/n: i adore this song and just thought it'd be the best to makeout to yaknow? hope you enjoyed <3

xoxo ~ jordie

[itsboketto]

imaginary friend - jjk hcs

featuring: toge inumaki, yuuji itadori, junpei yoshino , & yuuta okkotsu

warnings: nothing :)

plot: you’re their imaginary friend but when they start to grow up you start to fade away...

a/n: i was super interested in the plot that i found on pinterest that i whipped this up rq! i hope you enjoy <3

INUMAKI

Inumaki knew he was bound to get an imaginary friend one day, and to be honest, he was quite excited when he met you.

You were over optimistic, which totally mirrored to Inumaki as he consumed your energy.

You’d be someone he’s able to open up to very quickly because he knows you won’t be able to tell anyone else about his feelings.

He’s able to talk freely to you and start up conversations very fast when he talks to you in his head.

“Heehee, I think my classmate got in trouble today! They definitely deserved it~”

He never forgets to give you his share of sushi whenever his parents bought some. 

He’d even prepare an extra plate just for you.

He’ll end up eating it all since you couldn’t eat it anyway.

“Inumaki, you’ll never forget me, right?” 

“Never! Why would you ask that? I’d never forget you!!”

He’d always listen to your voice as he read books, it was calming to him that he always fell asleep mid-story.

He grew up to be a great jujutsu sorcerer. And yet he still remembered to tell you about all the adventures he went on.

“Hey Inumaki....It’s about time I leave...” you whispered after he passed out from the tired work.

Squeezing his hand one last time, you disappeared from his mind.

YUUJI

Yuuji would never thought he’d ever need an imaginary friend. But you suddenly came into his life and didn’t even try to push you away.

He didn’t have any parents, only his grandfather was his parental figure. So you were his comfort whenever he felt like he needed someone.

You were able to see a lot of his downfalls. Everything behind all that happiness was something dark.

But of course you got a ton of silly and funny moments too! You were able to slip in some friendly insults while he did the same to you.

“Itadori-kun, if you keep sulking on the floor like that, you’ll become a slug.”

“S-slug?! No way! I’m not going to become a slug!!”

He always remembered to go outside and take a walk because he thought you wouldn’t be able to see the rest of the world if he kept sitting at home.

He even bought ice cream for you once but ended up eating it on the way back to you.

“Itadori, you’ll never forget me, right?”

“Hm? Nope!”

Yuuji went through a terrible accident, causing him to get involved with jujutsu sorcerers. he was even sentenced to death.

But you were still there for him. To listen to his worries and try to calm him down. However...

When time passed by, when he had way more on his mind, you were fading from his memory.

“It’s about time I left now...Goodbye Itadori” you whispers as he slept on his bed. You ruffled his fluffy hair once more before you vanished. 

JUNPEI

Junpei wasn’t at all surprised he got an imaginary friend, in-fact we was waiting to have one show up sooner or later

You were someone he was able to trust, someone that he could unload his emotions to.

And you were definitely happy you were. Judging from his past, he really needed someone to talk to.

He lives with a single mother, meaning that you were there to look after him whenever she was busy.

Junpei would usually come back home either in his usual state or in a very annoyed state. Either one was dealt with when you listened to how his day was.

After his rambling, he’d stop to take a breath and finally ask

“How was you day?”

“It was fine, Junpei. Thanks for asking” you’d say and pat his fluffy hair

Junpei always remembered to talk to you at the end of the day, not only because he needed someone to talk to, but he enjoyed having some company after a long day.

However, he met a very strange man. Someone you definitely do not trust. But he passed on your warnings about him and continued to follow the mysterious man.

Little did he know, he was lead to his own death as he kept ignoring your worries. You already knew you couldn’t stop him no matter how hard you try.

“Y-you were r-right..H-ha ha..I’m s-sorry” he said to himself, knowing he was missing you presence and your weren’t there anymore.

YUUTA

You were his best friend.

He was scared of you when he first met you. Always telling you to leave him alone and stay away.

Of course, after a time, he finally opened up to you and actually got along with you very well.

Which is why you’re his most trusted friend. Someone he was able to have actual fun with. Someone he enjoyed to be with.

He’d always wake up and the first thing he’d think of is you. 

“Good morning!” 

“Haha, good morning lazy head” you said as you entered his thoughts.

He had the habit of making breakfast for you, but since you weren’t able to eat it, you’d always offer him little bits until he eats it all.

Then he’d eventually say sorry for eating it all and rub the back of his head.

But you’d smile and giggle at him to enlighten the mood.

“You know I’ll never forget you, right?”

“Haha that’s good to hear, Yuuta”

He was always with you, and you were always with him. He was very unaware of your last moments with him.

He finally enrolled into a jujutsu school, which somehow relieved you. It was probably because you knew he was going to be able to find all kinds of friends.

....And eventually forget you

You were right about that. Your spark, your warmth, it was fading away as he started to get very busy.

Before you left forever, you said his name one more time.

“Yuuta Okkotsu.”

[kanasmusings]

[Translation] StarMyu Third STAGE Drama CD - Track 2

Here’s track 2 for StarMyu Third STAGE~!! Let me just say that this track is a recipe for disaster XD 1 - There’s Tatsumi in it, 2 - there’s cooking involved. And, as we all know from what Eigo said, Tatsumi and cooking do not go well together. Ever.  (￣▽￣) Poor Hoshitani and Kuga~

※ Please don’t re-post the English translations without permission. Please just like/reblog them instead ^^

Under the cut, enjoy~!

Track 02: [第1幕『寮の食堂にて』] “Chapter 01: In the Dorm’s Cafeteria”

[0:00]

  HOSHITANI: I’m Hoshitani Yuuta!

HOSHITANI: After overcoming our trials in Ayanagi Academy’s prestigious music festival, it’s finally been decided that we’ll be entering the Musical Department in our second year!

HOSHITANI: This is a light-hearted little story about our spring break that happened while we were waiting for the new school term.

 HOSHITANI: Chapter 01: In the Dorm’s Cafeteria!

(boiling sounds)

  TATSUMI: Fufu. Alright, dig in ♪

(Tatsumi sets a plate in front of them)

KUGA/HOSHITANI: …

HOSHITANI: You… made this curry, didn’t you, Tatsumi?

TATSUMI: (with a slightly ominous tone of voice) That’s right. I followed Nayuki’s instructions right to the letter.

TATSUMI: Right~?

NAYUKI: (with a nervous and slightly shivering voice) Ye-yeah…

KUGA: (sniffing) It smells… normal.

HOSHITANI: It looks… Like normal curry, huh?

TATSUMI: That’s because what I made is curry, you know~?

HOSHITANI: You’re right!

TATSUMI: Nayuki, I’m sorry for asking you to do something strange in the middle of spring break.

TATSUMI: I just asked you “Will you please teach me how to cook?” and all.

NAYUKI: No problem… That’s all okay but… Why so suddenly?

HOSHITANI: Yeah. I mean, putting Nayuki who likes cooking aside, the dorm mother cooks the meals and there’s the school store during lunch so I don’t think it really matters if you knew how to cook or not…

TATSUMI: There’s really no deep reason.

TATSUMI: Eigo and I didn’t go back to our hometown for spring break. And since we didn’t have any homework and Eigo’s off somewhere else trying to gain “new experiences,” I just got bored.

TATSUMI: I was looking for something good to do.

TATSUMI: And then I thought it’d be a good chance to improve my cooking.

NAYUKI: Oh…

HOSHITANI: I see now~! Tatsumi, you’re really amazing!

HOSHITANI: You’re already perfect at musicals, you’re good at sports, and you’re so smart, too!

HOSHITANI: You’d be the best if you got better at cooking, y’know~?

KUGA: Your desire for improvement is admirable.

TATSUMI: Well, I only wanted to try because I haven’t done it before.

NAYUKI: Yeah…

HOSHITANI: Alright~ If that’s the case then, I’ll happily become a taste tester for you~

HOSHITANI: Somehow, I’m sorry. After what happened during the sports festival, I kinda put myself on guard [when it comes to your cooking]. (chuckles)

HOSHITANI: But, I was actually a bit curious about Tatsumi’s cooking~

KUGA: Me, too. It doesn’t look too complex so I think it’d taste good.

TATSUMI: That’s very encouraging to hear~

NAYUKI: (silently panicking)  

TATSUMI: Then, Hoshitani, Kuga, please have some before it gets cold ♪

KUGA/HOSHITANI: Yeah.

KUGA/HOSHITANI: Thanks for the food. / Thank you for the food~!

(they start eating)

[02:36]

 KUGA/HOSHITANI: …!!!!!!!

NAYUKI: Hoshitani-kun! Kuga-kun!

(Hoshitani’s spoon clatters)

HOSHITANI: (choking)

NAYUKI: (panicking)

TATSUMI: Fufufu~ How’s the taste, you two~?

HOSHITANI: (with a strained and forced voice) Y-yeah… I-it’s okay…!

KUGA: (choking and hitting the table with his fists)

NAYUKI: U-um…! Would you like some water?!

HOSHITANI: P-please give me some…!

KUGA: Give it…!

(they drink the water desperately)

KUGA/HOSHITANI: (gasping for air)

KUGA: H-How do I put this…?

HOSHITANI: It was a very stimulating flavour… Or something…? No…?

KUGA: Ah… Well… I guess so…

NAYUKI: A-ah…

EIGO: You don’t have to force yourselves, Hoshitani-kun, Kuga-kun.

ALL: Huh?

EIGO: Good afternoon.

UGAWA: Hello~!

TATSUMI: (excited) Eigo!

NAYUKI: Ugawa-kun?

EIGO: Tatsumi…

EIGO: I let my eyes off of you for a second and then, you go on ahead and put an apron on…

TATSUMI: Nayuki let me borrow it~

EIGO: No, I didn’t mean it that way.

UGAWA: Are you guys okay? Hoshitani-kun and Kuga-kun look so blue.

EIGO: Ah… Everyone, I sincerely apologize for the trouble Tatsumi has caused.

NAYUKI: Ah, please don’t.

HOSHITANI: It wasn’t really any trouble at all.

HOSHITANI: Um… It was a liiiiiiiiiiiitle bit unique for a curry.

KUGA: I don’t think… that it’s… inedible…

EIGO: You can be direct, you know? Tatsumi is aware that he’s very bad at cooking.

TATSUMI: I am aware but, I can’t really tell.

(Tatsumi tastes the curry he made)

TATSUMI: I think it’s delicious though~

EIGO: Ah, Tatsumi! You shouldn’t eat something like that. It’s poisonous for your body.

UGAWA: Saru-kun…

HOSHITANI: That direct…?!

KUGA: He has no sense for cooking…?

NAYUKI: Or maybe he just has no sense of taste…?

TATSUMI: But, it’s strange… I thought I made it exactly according to Nayuki’s recipe and instructions…

TATSUMI: I wonder why the taste is so different…

UGAWA: It’s true that that’s a bit strange.

UGAWA: Maybe Tatsumin’s poisonous?

HOSHITANI: Oh, like something comes out of his hands and stuff~?

NAYUKI: Eh?!

EIGO: None of that matters.

ALL: Huh?

EIGO: Tatsumi, even if you are not good with cooking, you have been gifted with a lot of other talents.

EIGO: Standing confidently on stage suits you so much better than standing in a kitchen you’re unfamiliar with.

TATSUMI: (chuckles) I feel like you’re being exaggerated.

TATSUMI: But, if you say so, then I’ll make this the last day I try cooking, Eigo~

EIGO: That will be wonderful, Tatsumi.

EIGO/TATSUMI: Fufufu~

UGAWA: Um…

KUGA: They’re completely lost in their own world, huh.

HOSHITANI: They really get along well, huh~

NAYUKI: (chuckles) That’s right.

[05:40]

  UGAWA: Hm? Hey, Nayuki-kun.

UGAWA: What’s that pot over there? Did Tatsumin make that much curry?

NAYUKI: Oh, this? (Nayuki grabs the pot)

NAYUKI: This is the curry I made as an example.

NAYUKI: I have to refrigerate it since I made so much… Oh! Would you guys like to have it for dinner then, Hoshitani-kun?

NAYUKI: Since the dorm mother is off today.

HOSHITANI: Ah, I want some! What about Kuga?

KUGA: I’ll eat.

NAYUKI: Then, I’ll make some hamburg, too, and turn it into hamburg curry~

HOSHITANI: Alright! It’s my favorite~!

KUGA: You think Tengenji and Tsukigami’d like some, too?

UGAWA: Team Otori’s just like a family now, huh?

HOSHITANI: What about Team Hiragi? Do you guys want to eat with us~?

UGAWA: Eh?

TATSUMI: Nayuki’s cooking is perfect after all~ Should we join, Eigo?

EIGO: Indeed.

UGAWA: Yeah. I-if it’s not a bother then…

NAYUKI: Of course it’s not. I made enough for everyone after all.

HOSHITANI: Ah! Then, why don’t we try inviting the other teams, too?

ALL: Eh?

KUGA: By other teams, you mean…?

HOSHITANI: Team Akatsuki, Team Yuzuriha, and Team Sazanami~!

HOSHITANI: I mean, they’ll be our classmates starting this April, right? They’ll be our friends who’ll do their best in the Musical Department, too~

HOSHITANI: Plus, there are some I haven’t talked to yet, you know?

HOSHITANI: Let’s try to invite the others who didn’t go back to their hometowns, too, and let’s have a social gathering~

HOSHITANI: Kinda like a celebration party for being accepted in the Musical Department!

UGAWA: A celebration party?

NAYUKI: (chuckles) Hoshitani-kun said the same thing when we got accepted to Team Otori, too.

NAYUKI: He said, “I wanna have a celebration party with everyone in the team~!”

HOSHITANI: I didn’t manage to get along with everyone quickly that time so, we couldn’t do it in the end, huh?

EIGO: Is that so?

UGAWA: It’s a bit unexpected that you didn’t get along well.

TATSUMI: If that’s the case then I’m all for it~ A social gathering-slash-celebratory party~

TATSUMI: But…

HOSHITANI: Hm?

TATSUMI: Unlike us, I wonder if the other teams would agree to join… Right, Eigo?

EIGO: Indeed… There are some quite… difficult to handle people after all.

HOSHITANI: Difficult to handle?

TATSUMI: Ah, I’m sorry. I guess that was too much.

TATSUMI: I’m sure that it’s nothing you need to worry about, Hoshitani~

HOSHITANI: Huh…?

TATSUMI: (chuckles) Ugawa, can you go ask Toraishi and Inumine, too?

TATSUMI: I’m sure that Toraishi would try to contact the members from the other teams, too.

UGAWA: Yeah, got it.

NAYUKI: Then, I’ll go and tell Tsukigami-kun and Tengenji-kun—

KUGA: Tengenji’s probably in our room.

NAYUKI: Is that so? Thank you!

UGAWA: Alright, we’ll be on our way~

NAYUKI: We’re off~!

HOSHITANI: Oh! Come back soon~

  ==END==

※ Please don’t re-post the English translations without permission.

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[virtualhavenmag-blog]

Chuuinbyou's Contradiction

The bizarre nature of theatrical romance is infectious, constantly warping our sense of "love" into something unattainable. These theatrics may be exciting, but they provide a series of misunderstandings in our expectations when it comes to romance.

There are many examples of this, like how two characters can somehow manage a "genuine love" even if they barely interact. Infatuation at first sight is a common occurrence, but it's typically followed with chatting, interaction, meeting up, or going out on dates. We shouldn't be expected to believe that two characters can love each other when they're unable to communicate properly. If a romance like this exists in the real world, it would be short-lived and childish.

Another example gives us stories that are miraculous, full of drama, and constantly exciting. With little to no downtime, we quickly assume that every step in love has to be somehow emotional. You can see this in many modern films, where the drama never ends. Even in real life, these situations are always mixed in with lighthearted ones. It's hard to imagine a relationship with none of these, and even if it can happen, to properly convince the audience that it's happening realistically is tough.

Additionally, sex, the first kiss, a marriage proposal, and physical passion are highly valued in most drama. They're also highly valued in society, but I'm referring to this in a directorial sense. By inserting dramatic music, building lovely scenery, or directing fantastic cinematography, you're showing your audience how important this is. By having these moments play before or during passionate moments, you're assigning an absurd amount of value to them.

For all of these reasons and many more, our perception of romance is heavily skewed. People want a fairy tale when they fall in love. They want their life to conform to these romantic stereotypes that they grew up exposed to. They want their marriage proposal, first kiss, and sexual encounters to be as magical as it was in their favorite movie. This has created quite a detached mindset. We're so obsessed with a form of love that just doesn't exist, and if it does, it's incredibly rare.

In reality, romance isn't so melodramatic. It certainly can be, but it's often more casual, awkward, and heartfelt. A romantic interest is someone people get along with akin to a best friend. They're the person you can confide in wholeheartedly, and few to no relationships functions in the same way drama thinks they do. Of course with every relationship, there's drama, but to portray it as wholly dramatic is problematic.

Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions! portrays its romance by taking inspiration from both concepts. The series mostly showcases this "casual" love, with Rikka and Yuuta treating the other like a best friend. Rather than barely interacting, being obsessed with the others physical attributes, or becoming constantly involved in drama, the two enjoy each others company casually. The series even mocks romantic stereotypes, claiming that kisses and sexual desires aren't necessary to sustain a romance.

However, as it mocks stereotypical romance, it continues to revel in its own attempts at portraying these stereotypes. It'll tell us that these things aren't important, but the series is directed in a way to suggest that it is. There are a number of scenes in season two where the show implies that something passionate is about to happen, but nothing ever does. The most infamous scene occurs during the final episode, where Rikka and Yuuta are about to have their incredibly dramatized first kiss, until Yuuta's phone starts ringing and they never do. At an earlier point in this scene, the two come to an agreement that these passionate gestures are meaningless in their pursuit of romance.

This is problematic, as there are three contradictory philosophies here:

First, the writer wants to tell us that passion is relative. You cannot assign your experience to what another's romance should look like. People shouldn't feel obligated to conform to gestures they're not comfortable with. If you don't want to kiss, have sex, or touch the person you love, then don't feel obligated to. Love should be what you want it to be. It feels as if the writer wants to mock the romantic stereotypes that plague modern drama. There's even a character that's meant to be the audience's mouthpiece, constantly going "Ugh! Why can't these two just kiss already!"

Second, the director consistently puts emphasis on these passionate gestures. There's a clear attempt at assigning value from how much time is spent on it with dramatic music, fantastical cinematography, exaggerated acting, and glossy animation. There's so much build up right before two characters should do something passionate. If the writer is trying to argue that these gestures mean nothing by making them never happen, then why is the director trying to build them up in such a misleading way? Is it just to screw with the audience?

Third, the characters very clearly want to enjoy these passions, but they don't have the courage to. In an attempt to run away, they claim that these things don't have to be enigmatic of their love. So, what do the characters actually think? Do they genuinely believe these things mean nothing, or are they just too afraid?

Is all of this just for the sake of screwing with the audience? Perhaps it is and I'm simply overthinking, but it seems as if there could be a lot more to it.

Like I've mentioned early, there's a character whose meant to be the audience's mouthpiece. If you're unsure what I mean by this, I'm referring to how this character is supposed to represent the voice in our head. We're meant to be thinking something and this character was made to be the one saying it out loud.

This character is of course Nibutani, someone who constantly tries to get Rikka and Yuuta to be more passionate with each other. She also gets angry whenever they don't end up doing these passionate things. The main character even tells her to mind her own business and not get involved with his romance, but she does so anyway.

This seems like the authors attempt to insert what he assumes his audience is thinking into a character. He wants us to feel the same way as Nibutani, constantly upset that these two won't kiss or hold hands. The writer understands perfectly that his show is directed at young teenagers, so he expects that he understands their expectations. However, it seems that the director didn't really understand the point. Instead of keeping the style consistent with the writing, he instructed his animators to be as flamboyant and romantic as possible, creating a genuine misunderstanding between the script and direction.