#cute washi tape can make everything look better

[inkydorky]

☀ I try to draw in my sketchbook from time to time, especially since I've got so many washi tape and pretty pens to use now ! ☀

• This was my Concept page for Pomme ! The troll on the upper left was my first idea and was gonna be pastel pink and blond. But then I was like "Wait i have short hair now ! I should have my sona reflect that !" So i remembered when I would put my hair in a hat to mimic having short hair, and I thought it was genius, so I kept it. (And of course I had to give her a Gavroche hat and overalls)

• Fun fact : the green from her color palette comes from one of my plushie who is yellow, orange and green.

[the-flaneur]

hello my very helpful assistant 😄 flan's busy cooking up something in her dru- sorry, very ethical laboratory. anyways, here's how you can help her today:

ENTER ONLY ONE OF THE FOLLOWING LABS

LAB ONE

☆ write a brief description of what you want the request to feature (can include smut, kinks, dialogue and more) as well as the driver

LAB TWO

☆ from below - pick a flask, choose a label, select up to four chemical compounds, choose up to three catalysts and call out who the other assistant is (driver: im down to do anyone or the grid or "recently" retired)

☆ NOTE: the final item is very important, so please never forget it, otherwise flan won't be able to start the reaction

SOME REQUESTS WILL BE 18+ and ALL REQUESTS will available under the tag (see below) #chemical attraction ♥︎

all of your concoctions/requests can be made to my asks or inbox (here), and i'll get to producing it as soon as possible.

EXAMPLE REQUESTS

hi flan! with lewis hamilton and a boiling flask labeled with a sticker i am looking to mix together, fluorine, calcium, arsenic with nail polish.

thank you <3

flask

conical: fluff

boiling: smut

round-bottom: hurt/comfort

label

sticker: fic

marker: drabble

washi tape: smau

ribbon: texts

hairtie: combination (please specify)

chemical compounds

hydrogen: "oh, shut up." "you shut up." "make me." "okay, but you might moan a little."

helium: "i'm not the jealous type, but what's mine is mine. end of story."

lithium: "don't kink shame me"

beryllium: "we shouldn’t do this" "you’re absolutely right. we should not do this"

boron: "you're so cute when you pout like this"

carbon: "move my arm is falling asleep"

nitrogen: "the problem is, if i kissed you, i don't think i'd be able to stop."

oxygen: "you've ruined that song now, thanks."

fluorine: "don't talk with your mouth full"

neon: "if you can’t take it, why did you talk back"

sodium: "fucking is a reward, but you haven’t been good.”

magnesium: "is it really that hard to love me?"

aluminium: "why aren't you dating him?" "because i'd destroy him" "he seems like he'd be into that"

silicon: "i know they're just stuffed animals, but it feels like they're watching us"

phosphorus: "you know, i could always get you off here right now"

sulfur: "you deserve so much better than me" "stop lying"

chlorine: "give me a little show"

argon: "why are you being like this?"

potassium: "watch you mouth before i decide to spank your ass"

calcium: "it's going to sound controversial, but i think that went well"

scandium: "oh my god are you actually reading the terms of service?"

titanium: "the next time you pull something like this, i'm telling your mother what we did in vegas that one time"

vanadium: "if you don't like being called a whore, then stop acting like one."

chromium: "everything you own, everything you wear i paid for. so i guess that means i own you."

manganese: "i might have slept with your shirt while you were gone"

iron: "i'm not moving, your lap is comfortable"

cobalt: "please..." "you need to learn to be better with your words, don't you think? tell me what you really want,"

nickel: “are you my cum dump?”

copper: "you're not allowed to touch my pussy"

zinc: "you could've just told me"

gallium: "are you trying to flirt with me?" "is it working?"

germanium: "if i buy it, will you stop pouting?"

arsenic: "you're just mad that that my cock fits perfectly in you now. must be a blow to the ego that we're a perfect match."

selenium: "how long have you been covering/covering up this?"

bromine: "you're like my arm rest'

krypton: "i know i'm warm, but we really have to get up now"

rubidium: "you’re starting another cult. you bitch."

strontium: "it’s broad daylight, if someone looks up they'll see you pressed against the window."

yttrium: "you're not alone i promise"

zirconium: "im sorry but i'm done waiting"

niobium: "i promised to give you something, but i didn't promise it would be an orgasm."

molybdenum: "i'm bad at texting, so i always hope that you're the first one"

technetium: "let me take care of it. let me take care of everything"

ruthenium: "is it a bad time to tell you i have [your phobia]"

rhodium: "im so horrible to you" "no you're not"

palladium: "why is there rope next to the bed"

silver: "i don’t want to be able to walk tomorrow.”

cadmium: "you dumbass, don't ever do that again"

indium: "would you like to explain..." "no, but maybe there is something I could do to make you forget about it?"

tin: "i know for a fact that you can be a hell of a lot louder than that.”

antimony: "after all this time and you still can't look me in the eye"

tellurium: "i can't remember the last time i did something so fun with someone"

iodine: "i was expecting a written apology, but this is so much better"

xenon: "i have a headache and it looks just like you.”

cesium: "stop throwing things at me"

barium: "do you really think you can get away from me?"

lanthanum: "do you trust me" "no" "smart"

cerium: "i like the way your hand fits mine"

praseodymium: "because i care about you"

neodymium: "i trusted you...with everything"

promethium: "if you stay, you'll get hurt too"

samarium: "would you have believed me if i did?"

europium: "don't make promises i know you can't keep"

gadolinium: "can you please just hold me?"

terbium: "can i bother you for a sec?" "you always bother me, but go ahead"

dysprosium: "you cancelled plans for me?"

holmium: "my clothes look better on you that they do on me"

erbium: "i dont like it" "you don't like anything" "well i like you and [you specify]"

thulium: "no tickling, or no kisses"

ytterbium: "did i mean anything to you?"

luteium: "does your daddy know you call me daddy too?"

actinium: "n-no, don't cry. i hate it when you cry"

thorium: "but you have me now"

protactinium: "please don't go"

uranium: "i’m literally naked on your bed and you’re talking about work?”

neptunium: "you're hurt, let me take care of you"

plutonium: "you're staring" "i like seeing you happy"

americium: "stay...please"

curium: "i...i just needed to know you were ok"

berkelium: "you'll back off if you know what's good for you"

californium: "didn't you say we were friends"

einsteinium: "this is why we can't have nice things"

fermium: "not out here please"

catalyst

flan: au [request a specific one]

red pill: sub!character

blue pill: sub!reader

glue: dom!reader

lip balm: dom!character

lemon juice: driver!reader

sand: idiots in love/denial

salt water: crack fic

bath water: size kink

soap: exes to...

bubbles: fix it fic/sickfic

nail polish: daddy kink

shampoo: overstimulation

lotion: possessive/jealous sex

slime: accidentally launching relationship

copper coin: cnc/dubcon

flowers: leaving the window open/door unlocked

silver jewellery: age gap

gold jewellery: miscommunication

rock: neighbours

paper: love triangle

plastic bag: enemies to...

tissue: rivals to...

ink: 100% platonic friendship

foam: found family

water babies: secret admirer

ceramic: forced proximity

yarn: roommates

water: childhood friends to...

fruit: married couple/established relationship

beads: fake relationship

heat: brother's best friend

ice: best friend's brother

bark: body swap

grass: reverse tropes [specify]

© the-flanuer || do not copy, rewrite or translate any of my work on any platform.

[mango-bango-bby]

another request for midoriya and isamu cus I’m fully obsessed with them now.

like your isamu’s FAVORITE person in the whole wide world. so for valentines she makes you the most beautiful card/ present ever. like it has stickers, ribbons, drawings, cards, literally everything. her gift stands out. all your other students give you gifts as well. your students ask you if you have a special someone. you say you don’t and everyone is surprised. how someone as special and amazing as you don’t have someone?!? you deserve the best person. who isn’t better than the No. 1 hero Deku. Then Isamu goes to her father excitedly to tell him that you are single.

♡ Valentine ♡

(A/N: I know it’s not even close to Valentine’s Day but this request was just so cute I had to write it!! I just love single dad!Deku au, and honestly I’m glad that you’re obsessed with them because I am too!!)

Content Warning ⚠️: Yandere, domestic stuff, children, fluff

Summary: Isamu is in shock that you don’t have a valentine and immediately goes to tell Izuku that he needs to be your valentine (Yan!Izuku x GN!reader)

Masterlist ➸ ♡

︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵

You loved holidays in your classroom, today your class was celebrating Valentines Day. You didn’t have a date for valentines but you got enough gifts from your students make up for it. You had already gotten so many cards, candies, also Radom things your students found to give to you. And that was before Isamu walked in.

You knew Isamu loved having you as a teacher, often begging to stay in your classroom during lunch and recess. And it wasn’t as if she didn’t have friends or was being bullied, in fact she was probably the most popular in the class considering her father was a pro-hero. No, she just wanted to be with you all the time. She would even try to leave the room with you when it was nap time. She just loved you.

You look over at all the cards that you brought home from your students, Isamu’s definitely stood out. The front was a crudely drawn picture of you and her holding a hands.

On the inside it was almost unreadable but you assume it said ‘Happy Valentine’s Day’. It stood out from all the ribbons, the glittery heart stickers, the washi tape, and even more glitter. And that wasn’t even all considering she also came to school with a bunch of candy for you.

You chuckle a bit, remembering your students faces when you told them that you don’t have a valentine. Isamu immediately raised her hand, quickly taking the opportunity to tell you that her father didn’t have a valentine either and that you should be her fathers valentine.

Then the rest of the class began asking you to be their valentine or for you to be their parents valentine. However you didn’t know the first thing that Isamu did when she got home was tell her father that you didn’t have a valentine.

♡ ♡ ♡

“Papa!” Isamu yells as soon as they get into the home, yelling as loud as she possibly can. “W-What is it?” Izuku asks, almost concerned as to why she had such a serious look on her face.

Izuku had a pretty obvious crush on you, more than a crush actually. He would try talk to you every time he picks up Isamu, sometimes during slow shifts he watches you, watches you live your life and basically stalk you a bit.

He really wants you, yet every time he tries to talk to you he just gets so nervous. “Mx. Y/n doesn’t have a valentine!” Isamu yells, clearly distraught by the idea that you were going to be alone for Valentine’s Day. She wanted you to be her other parent so bad especially because she could see that her father liked you.

Izuku stands for a moment in thought. You were lonely, you needed someone like Izuku! Perhaps him and Isamu might have to ‘accidentally’ run into you while you were out.

Next year, he would be your valentine.

︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵

Thank you for reading, darling!!

[cosmowes]

paper notes ❤️

sorry notion girlies… i’m a biased paper note taker. i actually have a notion, but i never use it lol 😭 doing stuff physically works sm better for me

i just wanna talk about some benefits of physical/digital notes, and how i keep mine cute :)

THE BENEFITS

taking notes physically has been shown to help improve memorization (01). another thing i’ve noticed for myself is that i tend to just copy when i take digital notes since there’s more space, but with physical notes i rephrase and consider the notes as i take them.

this venn diagram (taken from 02) shows some basic information about different ways of taking notes. paper is slower but generative; laptop is faster but nongenerative.

for me, i’m willing to make that sacrifice because long term retention is my goal, not quick memorization. but if it isn’t a class you’ll need for a long time (eg. my drama class) i think digital can work.

one last thing- when i’m studying, i have trouble going over my notes again bc i find it boring. with physical notes, this is usually when i highlight and make them cute, so it forces me to look over them again. speaking of which:

THE AESTHETICS

so fun fact: you don’t need fancy supplies for cute notes. i use a three ring binder from staples, some cheapy plastic dividers, office depot pencils and some pastel bics.

if you like pens, then def get some in cute colors! pentel are my holy grain, but they are sort of expensive. i had every color but most of them have run out of ink by now.

thin mechanical pencils >>> i don’t have any at the moment but i’m definitely getting more soon. love them. perfect for details.

good highlighters!! these are so important to me. i have pastel bics but i wanna get mildliners sometime soon.

cute bullet point shapes. i do hearts, stars, flowers, etc…

stickers sticker stickers! i put stickers on everything they are so amazing, they make everything cuter

if you wanna get fancy, try washi tape

also little cutouts are great!

sticky notes for trivia q’s and corrections and such since you can flip them up :) i have see through ones and they’re great

[searihart]

Hello!! I've been working out a new phone case design and realized I've been picturing making a collage like the ones you posted (I have some milgram and miku stickers I want to make look nice under a clear case). I was just wondering if you had any tips on making them, they're so beautiful! ✨️

I- woah- thank you, that was so sweet (⁠´⁠；⁠ω⁠；⁠｀⁠)

Tips... I'm not sure if I can really give tips, it has been a bunch of trial and error, of seeing what I like and what I don't, but I'll give you what I've learnt, and walk you through my process!

For example, the orange one is cute, but to me it felt like it had too much white, the same happened with the yellow one, I tried to fill both backgrounds with little doodles, the orange with black pen didn't convince me, and the yellow with marker, which made it look better and that became my go to

The next problem I faced was wanting to use everything I had, making it looked cluttered. From here I also learnt that I don't want everything filled and having a bit of background show and irregular edges does wonders for the final thing (but that depends on where you are doing it tho, since yours is a phone case, it'd probably look good if you slightly go past the edges and cut away the excess)

I also found appealing using many different shapes and tones! While some things are on top of others, layering them (like the Luigi, he is above everything except the "important" tag) gives them a nice vibe.

Also, sometimes less is more! This are some of the most simple pages I have, but I love how they look. They make the main focus of something stand out, and applied the irregular edges with little doodles on the background. And even so, in here I did use the full post it's, but since they aren't all lined up, it still gives off that asymmetrical look!

And lastly, I always plan it out! I first get out all the materials I think I will use or fit the theme I'm going for, I usually get more than I'm going to use, and then start to lay them out one by one. Usually the biggest that will work as background first and then start to see where I'll put the little ones. moving slightly, checking if changing the angle will look better, putting parts of a same piece above and under others, tweaking little by little. Once I arrive at something I like, I take a picture and take it apart to then start working on it.

Another thing is playing with the textures! On that last one one post it has flowers washi tape and the other one doesn't and is all crumbled up! And making little handmade parts like the doodles, marker background, the EKG on Shidou's, or the stars on the second to last, all that gives it a unique vibe, a little extra sparkle, at least for me

I'm not sure if this is of any help, I'm sorry heh, but this are the things I've learnt that worked for me! I hope they work for you as well!

[dailyrandomwriter]

Day 169

So the batch of stuff (and it was a lot of stuff), arrived earlier than I had expected. Like I thought it was arriving on Tuesday, but it arrived on Friday. I spent my lunch sorting through all the stickers and thinking about how they would get used. There are thoughts percolating in the back of my head.

The gold foil tiny stickers from the brand BGM was what I expected in terms of size. They’re really cute stickers and I got a lot of food ones because I like cute food, especially cute sweets. The ink themed stickers were also what I expected though I wonder if the plastic ink bottle cut out that came with it for design purposes is also a sticker…

If it’s not a sticker can I glue stick it to the paper or am I going to need washi tape?

(Yes I used glue stick as a verb, but it makes sense doesn’t it?)

The stickers from the Magic Land brand turned out to be much larger than I expected. However, they are also delightful in design, I wished I got all the packets to be honest. They’re just very whimsical, they’re the kind of thing I would love to play with.

The two major items in there that fascinate me and I wanted to play with the most were not stickers or washi tape but pens. I’ve been looking for metallic brush pens that I could actually write with. The last set I bought, while they laid the ink on very well and were very shiny, the brush tips are too long and too big for the letter size I work with. I got smaller ones, but the ink is very light. I am going to have to learn to write in pencil, erase it and then write with the pen I think will work best as long as I don’t erase hard to remove everything.

The other item is a glue pen, both of these are Japanese in design I believe. I wanted to see if it was better than the glue pen. It is certainly more comfortable to use than the clunky glue stick, but it doesn't stick any better I don’t think than a glue stick. Which was a pity… But I made two pages with these items. The first page was very simple because I only cared about the writing. The second was using the scrap paper I have.

I’m still not sure about the busy aesthetic that comes with using vintage scrap paper and stickers. Still, it was a neat thing to do.

[johaerys-writes]

Could you pls do 3, 6, 15, 19, 23, 28 & 30 for patrochilles?

Thank you so much!!! I had so much fun answering these 💙💙

Who smokes and who pulls the cigarette from between their lips every time they try to light one? 

Okay so I have this headcanon that Achilles took up smoking at some point in highschool because he was hanging out with the Cool KidsTM, and every time he tried to light a cigarette Patroclus would pull it from his lips and bring it to his own, lighting it up himself instead. Then Achilles started doing the same. Sweet boys stealing kisses because they're both too shy and baby to confess their feelings 🥺

Who can fall asleep anywhere (and does) and who has to put them to bed?

Achilles falls asleep super easily - as soon as he closes his eyes, he's asleep in seconds. But I have a feeling he's more or less alert until he gets himself to bed, he isn't the type to fall asleep when he does not mean to. Patroclus, on the other hand, constantly falls asleep during movies lol, so Achilles always bridal carries him to bed and tucks him in 🥰

Who unconciously holds their breath the first time they kiss, and who pulls back and says, "Breathe..."?

Patroclus, 100%!!!! The first time they kissed he had a mini brain melt, and every time they kissed for a little while thereafter, until he was finally convinced that no, this isn't a dream or some sort of one-time thing, that he can actually kiss Achilles all the time now if he wants to. Achilles finds this very cute and adorable, hehe

Who has the plain black phone case, and who ordered one with cat ears off ebay?

Ooh that's a good one. I feel like Patroclus is the kind of person that doesn't really splurge on superfluous stuff, he's learnt how to get by with few things since he was a kid so most of his possessions are utilitarian. Achilles on the other hand lives to impress, so cat ear phonecase it is!! (Also, he's a catboy at heart 😸)

+Bonus headcanon: one of the very few things Patroclus splurges on is stationary, he has tons of notebooks, fun pens, highlighters, washi tape, you name it, and his notes at school and college are always super pretty. 

Who gets offended by the intensity of the other's crush on a celebrity?

Ahah that would be Achilles. He just can't accept that Patroclus can adore anyone other than him. I've been watching the Sandman recently and thinking about Patroclus going all heart eyes when the Corinthian shows up (because he's HAWT) and Achilles pouting until Patroclus reassures him that yes, Achilles is prettier and smarter and more charming and-- what? Yes, of course his hair looks better and yes Patroclus still loves him to the moon and back, and---

Who runs their battery down to 1% and who feels the need to charge theirs at 80%?

Achilles is totally the one to play fast and loose when it comes to charging his phone, whereas Patroclus not only makes sure his phone is fully charged before leaving home, but also tends to carry a power bank with him when he knows he'll be out for hours. Gotta be prepared for everything!!

Who would rather be barefoot if the setting is appropriate, and who has the huge and spectacular shoe collection (possibly also socks)? 

Achilles would 100% go shoeless or shirtless or pantless at any given opportunity because he's a shameless exhibitionist and loves wearing as little as possible. He also has a huge and expensive shoe collection because of course he would. However, fun socks are definitely Patroclus' department 😌

Feel free to send me more otp asks from this list!

[vminity21]

Recompense | myg

Pairing: student!yoongi x student!reader, college!au f2l

Word Count: 2,925

Genre: angst, fluff

Warning(s): language, mention of death of a relative; Rated: pg 13

Summary: Underneath the tough exterior is truly grief, yet Yoongi is unable to execute it well until he discovers that you relate to him more than he realized. Sometimes learning that you are not alone is the best form of healing.

Credits to: @suhdays​ for making such a beautiful cover!! And thank you @cyberkryptonitecupcake​ for making the request! I really hope you like it!

Rain clouds encompass campus as easily as entering the end of a thread into a needle. At least, that’s the analogy you groggily come up with and you are sticking with it. Compiling your textbooks into your backpack, you trace your steps in finding your dorm key and with a brief look in the mirror, you inhale and exhale slowly. You can do this today. You are smart. You have great hair. You will not annoy Yoongi for the millionth time in two days.  It has taken a lot over the years to give yourself positive affirmations to start your day as your mother always taught you to do so, but when she had passed, you went a very long time without encouraging yourself at all.

But that’s the secret you keep. With no social media for anyone to discreetly look at of you, you bury the heartbreak as best as you can because overall you know that your mother is proud of you. She would want you to stay positive; she would want you to smile not only for you but for the sake of others. Stepping onto the sidewalk, you put in your airpods with an upbeat tune as you saunter to class. You were partnered for a project with Min Yoongi, and one thing you have learned is that he is not your biggest fan for reasons you are uncertain. Maybe it has to do with how much you antagonize him with your charms? Maybe it has to do with the irresistible way you cut letters out of construction paper. Who even knows? But…. He does have a cute bu-

The brief collide of a large shoulder astonishes you as you jolt to remove an airpod, “Hobi, are you insane?” You stifle a large smile as he scrunches his nose at you.

“Saw the perfect opportunity and I took it.”

“Well, good for you. How are you and Monnie holding up? This project is intense.”

“Firstly, I better confess before she calls me out. She’s done all the work. Secondly, is it the project? Or the partner?”

Flashing your best friend with a warning look, you keep the subject away from Yoongi. “Of course, your girlfriend has done all the work! What is the point of a boyfriend if he is completely useless!”

“Excuse me, Heathen. I’ve come up with some of the facts that we have to present so I have put in a smidge of my time.” He shakes his head, ruffling his strands from his laughing eyes.

“You better be glad she loves you. I’d washi tape your eyes closed. And then superglue wiggle eyes in your hair.”

“I’d also give him a mullet and replace his eyebrows with pipe cleaners. Hello guys,” Monnie joins from the library as all of you continue to class.

“And what makes you think I wouldn’t fight back?” Hoseok muses while laying a steady hand upon his beloved tendrils in preparation to protect.

“I have my ways, peasant.”

Feigning to be nervous, Hoseok’s gaze flickers between you and Monnie. “I don’t know what kind of vile thoughts are festering within your skulls, but I do not want any part of it. But, to return your question because I have human decency unlike you stale croutons, how is the project going with Yoongry?”

“Hobi, how many times do I have to tell you that he’s not angry, he’s just… I don’t know difficult.”

“Seems angry to me, ow!” Hoseok rubs his side from where Monnie jabbed him with her elbow upon entering the classroom.

“Sh! He’s right over there,” Monnie whispers in warning. Yoongi is leaned in his chair with arms crossed, his intimidating gaze observes the room while his tousled, black hair reveals his forehead. As much as you hate to admit this, you are very attracted to him- especially when his eyes move to find you. Shit! Smiling in his direction as happily as you can muster, he briefly rolls his eyes in response before returning his gaze to the front where you happen to make a quick trip to the professor.

“Um, Professor Namjoon, how are you doing?”

“Ah! My straight A student, I am wonderful, how are you?”

“I am doing great, Professor, just wanted to let you know that I read over the articles you suggested for the project! Super helpful!” You gleam.

Yoongi eyes you as you continue your conversation with Professor Namjoon. One thing he has picked up on is how much you like to people please which is something he has never fully understood about the human population in general. Nobody should have to go out of their way just to make someone happy if they do not want to, but then again, it’s hard for him to express his emotions especially after his mother passed away before the semester even started.

“Good morning!” Your chirpy voice resonates with the intention of making Yoongi smile, but instead he murmurs his greetings in response.

“You studied over Furosemide last night, haven’t you? That’s one of the major heart medications used in the veterinary field.”

“I sure did. You studied up on pimobendan as well, correct?” The project is based on medications for congestive heart failure and the importance of why they are needed along with the explanation of what happens within the heart when it is functioning abnormally. ‘Lucky, I got stuck doing a project on the prostate,’ Hoseok’s whine echoes in the forefront of your brain.

After a few seconds, you can’t seem to refrain from taking Yoongi’s presence in. He really grew up to be so handsome. The thin curve of his chin, his button nose, his soft, umber eyes and the way he gels his hair in place, even the scent of him is alluring.

“Staring at me isn’t going to get the job done,” he mumbles, slipping the rolled poster behind him to unravel upon the desk.

“Looking at you?” You jump, frantically moving to gather the materials needed to decorate the project. “I’d rather look at a pin cushion.”

“It probably would appreciate it if you didn’t stare at it either.”

Squinting your eyes at him, your mouth open and shuts multiple times without a subtle comeback. “What is with you? You know I’m not going to cower until you smile, right?”

Shoulders tensing, Yoongi peers at you, “Can you take anything seriously for at least one second?”

“If taking this project would help boost my immune system, sure, why not.”

“You’re impossible.”

“And you need a dose of sunshine. Hoseok has a contagious smile, why don’t I introduce?”

You are unaware of the grip you have on the chair beside you, trying everything you can to maintain your happy façade no matter how much you are tempted to let it crumble. How was your mom so good at handling people like this? There has to be something deeper tormenting him to resonate so much hatred to whatever it is he is clinging to.

“I would prefer to be introduced to a tree. Now if you’ll so kindly hand me the stencil sheet, I will begin formulating words to define the jobs of the atriums versus the ventricles before tracing the letters.”

“I’ll leave you to it then. In the meantime, I’m going to grab a coffee, I’ll be right back.” Shuffling to retrieve your wallet, you are sure Professor Namjoon wouldn’t notice the few minutes that you would be gone and for what it’s worth, you need a moment to relax. What happened to make him so cold? Unbeknownst to you, a picture of your mother swoops to the ground to land at the tip of Yoongi’s shoe. Eyebrows scrunching, he bends to pick up the picture to see a woman whose smile matches yours, but not only that, there is a familiarity about her as if he has seen her before.

“Miss Jeon?” Memories swarm his mind of his childhood where an exuberant joy was in the air mingled with the smell of chocolate chip cookies. A little girl chased him around the backyard while giggles reverberated throughout the atmosphere. Miss Jeon would call out for you guys when the treats were ready and would always make sure Yoongi had everything he needed when he would come to visit. But that little girl who was his best friend as a child happened to be none other than you. How had he not recognized you? Another memory resurfaces, one of his own mother sharing laughter with yours. They had been friends, too.

From what is written on the back of the portrait, it is revealed that your mother is no longer on earth right beside you the same as his mother left this world so soon. Tears gather in his eyes as the shame overwhelms his chest in all entirety. Who was he to judge you based on your happiness? If you could lose someone who obviously meant the world to you and can still maintain your kindness, then why can’t he?

Bustling of the other students is loud enough to not focus in on the man whose world has seemed to halt. Swallowing roughly, he tries steadying the picture with his quivering hands as a tear drips off his cheek. His mother would be disappointed in how he coped with his anger and today was the day he would need to make a change. And he will. When you return, the Styrofoam cup warm in your palm, you set it onto the table, “Alright, now that I’ve retreated for a few minutes, I would hope your top tier attitude has-”

Quieting immediately, you take in a trail of tears resting on Yoongi’s face. Eyebrows furrowing, you are so surprised that words do not exist in this very moment. Why is he crying? Did you say something wrong?

“I’m sorry,” he whispers through the trembling of his chin, “I’m so sorry.”

“Yoongi, what’s?” Eyes trailing to his hands, you gasp at the realization that he is holding the picture of your mother that you carry with you everywhere you go. Before you can even verbalize anything, Yoongi hands you the picture without a word and exits the classroom while you stand there in silence.

-

Days pass and you haven’t seen nor have heard from Yoongi. Running your hands over your face, you’re leaned over your desk with nothing but the days events cycling heavily on your brain. Any form of homework has not been touched, and Professor Namjoon seemed to fully understand the circumstances of why you needed to leave class early. Collecting the materials as well as the posterboard, Hoseok and Monnie had helped you carry everything back to your dorm and offered to stay with you for the evening, but you declined. LenLen, your roommate happens to be with her boyfriend, Jimin which saves time for you to cry.

You miss your mother more than anything in this world, and she is the first person you would have called if she had been alive. How did you miss the picture falling out of your backpack when you grabbed your wallet? Deep down you always knew who Min Yoongi was, he was your ‘soulmate’ when the pair of you were children. Your mothers would always joke about a future of grandchildren with the absolute assurance that you and Yoongi were destined to be husband and wife. Unfortunately, you and your mother had to relocate for her job opportunity and you never saw Yoongi again until you recognized him the beginning of this semester.

It is funny how life works sometimes, as if an invisible string tied him to you in all aspects of life. Alas, he did not remember you, hence why you had been so lenient with his annoyance directed at you. You wanted to believe that he would wake up, and because he was so stand offish, you couldn’t find the bravery to confront him nor confess that he was your friend at one point in life. Instead, you bottled it up. When you called your brother to give an update a few days ago, he relayed the news regarding Yoongi’s mother which all made sense as to why Yoongi was so distant; your heart shattered for him as tears pooled. How could you possibly ever bring up a subject as devastating as that? But you wanted Yoongi to know that he is not alone. You are mourning as he is. If only he would realize who you are-

A soft knock on the door jolts you from your palms while sparks dance along your vision before clearing up. Confused due to not expecting anyone, you carefully step to the door, cracking it open to realize that Yoongi of all humans is standing with a bouquet of roses in his grip. “Yoongi?” You take in a sharp breath, “How did you find my dorm? I don’t remember-”

“I met Hoseok,” he says softly, “You were right, his smile is… definitely contagious but rather mischievous for lack of a better term. He told me where to go.”

Giggling, not only at his accurate description of Jung Hoseok, but also out of uncertainty because you have no idea how to truly react. Is it odd that you are very happy that Yoongi is here? Gaze flitting to the roses, you are in awe of how beautiful they are against the dark shade of his trench coat. “They’re beautiful.” You say, “How did you know I loved roses?”

A gentle smirk graces his lips, the closest to a smile you have ever seen, and you have never felt your heart pitter patter the way it just did. “I remember always seeing them in a vase when my mother and I would visit.” His fingers stir along the plastic cover around the stems, “Really, I am so sorry. You did not deserve to be treated that way. I was wrong to take my frustrations out on you. Not that this is an excuse but, my mother-”

Reaching your fingers to lightly press to the back of his hand, he stops as his eyes widen. “Why don’t you come in?” You whisper, and straight way he enters, following you to a sofa set off to the side. “My brother told me about your mother. Yoongi, I am so sorry about that. She was the sweetest woman. My mom always missed her after we moved.”

“And mine always missed your mother,” you take the roses and swiftly prepare a vase of water to settle them in, decorating the kitchen counter with the beauty of the red petals. “I think… I think I just blocked out that time in my life because I hated that you weren’t there with me anymore.”

Your heart skips a beat. Did Yoongi eventually remember everything after all? “I was heartbroken, too.” Turning to lean your back against the counter, you cross your arms to try to bring some comfort to the anxious feeling beneath your chest. The pain of the losses will never go away, but the man across the room will end up being the bloom of happiness that you will need, and you will be his solace- the one person who will remind him that he is not alone. He has you. “I don’t want to hear another apology, okay?”

His mouth falls open, “But-”

“Nay, you shan’t.”

“Really though, how will I ever repay you for my actions? I should have never forgotten about you.”

Arms still crossed, you gradually near him as he stands to his feet, your eyes connect with his, “All I want you to know is that you are not alone. Sure, you may not have known who I was majority of the semester, but at least you know now.” When his gaze, filled with guilt, strays, you move your head to regain his focus. “Yoongi, really, you remember me now. So, lets try to live life the way our mothers would want us to.” Your voice breaks, knowing how proud they must be of the pair of you reconciling and reuniting after years of being apart. “Besides, we have a lot to learn, and a project to finish, so whaddya say?”

For the first time in years, you get to see it, the gummy smile glowing from his face as he shakes his head at you. “Must I be reminded of that wretched thing? I’d prefer to shave my eyebrows.”

“You have a sense of humor?” You tease lightheartedly as you nudge his shoulder with your knuckles. “I knew you had it in you!” Chuckling, he reaches for your frame to pull into a tight embrace, you immediately relax into his mold while you breathe in the crisp scent of his cologne. “Goodness, you smell like a dream. If our moms were correct about our future, I am not going to be disappointed!” For once, the pair of you feel complete even if sorrow will awake from time to time- as Yoongi squeezes you tighter, you bury into the crook of his neck, pressing a small kiss to his warm skin. “We better make an A+.”

Pulling away slightly, to rest his forehead upon yours, he is still smiling, “Following up with some extra credit.”

“Agreed,” you beam, letting his warmth encompass you to its full extent, when you almost lose balance due to him shifting his feet, he catches you.

“I’m so-”

“Gah!” Your fingers brush his lips, “What did I tell you?”

“No more apologies.”

“No more apologies.”

[likeawildthing]

in terms of design advice, any ideas for a broke college student apartment room? 💕💕

college is a weird time because you are kind of a grown up but also definitely not! and your interests and tastes will change so rapidly in the next few years. so honestly it’s a great time to experiment and be creative. this advice all depends on your particular space, but in any small space everything that can be double duty, should be double duty (night stand is also a tv tray/laptop tray, art is also bulletin board or jewelry holder), the more uses you can get out of something, the better! going vertical on the walls where you can get away with it is amazing. here are a few easy and cheap ways to upgrade and some basic design principles:

take this design quiz to find out your style (plug in a fake email) and then google or pinterest away. you’ll see repeat themes (for ex. major bohemian trend is macrame, which easily DIYable, or MCM is all about legs and clean profiles). maybe that would be fun post - to highlight different styles and trends. but here are some upgrades that translate to any design style for cheap:

PLANTS

don’t go to a nursery and drop a hundred dollars you don’t have. a plant or two or three you really love will change the vibe of the whole space, and give you something to take care of, which is ofc good for your mental health. tips for getting plants and planters on the cheap!

think of a relative or friend who already has houseplants and ask for free ones next time they’re splitting. i literally did my entire garden this way in my first place. 

look on like FB marketplace or whatever your swap site is because people are often selling plants or cuttings for a discount.

i have literally split the cost of a plant with a friend and then split it in half, like a baby before Solomon

pothos plants of any kind are easy to take care of and can split into smaller plants pretty regularly.

succulents are usually a few dollars at the store and everyone loves them! start with one simple succulent.

herbs! if you get herb garden seeds or plants you literally make what you eat!

if you have pets, make sure they are pet friendly.

i do not spend a lot of $$ on planters! i use terra cotta because 1. they’re cheap as hell and 2. cute! some of my favorite planters are terra cotta pots kristina painted for me! you can also thrift pots, which i would encourage, or reuse food containers by putting small holes in the bottom. 

create hanging plants by making yarn macrame holders! youtube is your friend on this! you can get a ceiling hook for like $3 if it’s a solid ceiling (drywall) and super easy to patch up when it’s time to leave.

ART

function + form. something organic that you can change out inspiration or art, like a cork or inspiration board (look on like a varage sale or in a thrift store for this).  you can get four12x12 cork boards from target for $7 and create something like this from two of them, which is in and of itself a piece of art (and you can take it down w/out damaging walls)

other cheap things i have done for art:

calendar or magazine pages in thrifted frames  (my favorite cheap tricks is to get matte black or white craft paint for $1.25 from wm or target and paint a bunch of odd frames to unify them)

a picture ledge like this from ikea is your best friend because you can interchange the art to be whatever you want!

embroidery hoop fabric bulletin boards

seriously, posters are cool. get a cheap poster online and hang it with washi tape. it’s not precious. if you want something more grown up, try to thrift a frame for it for cheap. if you don’t like the color of the frame, paint it! if you can’t hang something heavy like this on the wall, use command velcro strips OR set it on top of a dresser or bookcase and lean it against the wall.

i love tassels and buntings. just google either of those and you’ll get thousands of cheap ideas. in my last bedroom i just had a bunting i cut and made over my bed and it acted like a bedframe and i loved it.

just free prints from the internet hung up with little clips like this ($2 from target) or bulky push pins – those holes are so easy to patch!

when my kids were little until two weeks ago i had an entire wall covered with their artwork. i’m saying maybe go to the thrift store, get some ugly canvases with your friends, and have a painting party. everyone brings a $4 thing of acrylic paint and a brush and have a party. good memories + new art for everyone. swap at the end!

pictures! actually print out those pictures and tape them to the wall with washi tape. you can also do something like this with push pins for as big or small as you want to make it (i have this in my living room

here’s a proper primer on the 7 elements of design, but you can skip that and go here if you want!

BALANCE

white space and focal points. in the same way that you need to break up one massive wall of text into digestible paragraphs, you also need to break up the focus in your room. a FOCAL POINT is a statement area in your room (i.e. the window, over your bed, your desk) that your eye is drawn to, and where you want your eye to be drawn to. ideally rooms should have ONE focal point (that’s like the adverb room for writing) but in a dorm apartment, that isn’t practical because it HAS to be multifunction. the important takeaway is that white space on your walls is okay, and important. it gives you a soft space to land, visually, which is important in making you feel more relaxed and even productive.

groupings – grouping like with like makes great sense organizationally AND design wise. a collection of postcards will look amazing on the wall together rather than spread around the room. 

LAYERS

adding layers can make a space feel luxurious – curtains, rugs, extra throw pillows or an extra blanket on your bed or chair. plants are great for this, but fabrics and baskets can add another layer. these can be pricey so i would a. raid your mom’s house if that’s an option and ask if she needs ‘x’ rug or curtains anymore. you can also thrift curtains for cheapppp or even look for clearance fabric – once you wash the curtains they really are safe to use. clearance frabric can be hemmed without being sewn and hung with curtain rings if you need to. and $5 tension rods can work as a curtain rod inside a window frame if needed. i could do a whole post on this but a cheap rug next to your bed and something soft on a window can do wonders!  dude i have also bought cheap cotton weave cloth from walmart and used rit dye to make turqoise curtains and i loved for years. see also: RIT DYE

so decorative pillows are expensive as HELL but regular, cheap pillows are like $4. i get cheap fabric or thrift fabric and sew my own, which you could do by hand, really, and use the pillow stuffing to make it. ikea also sells great cheap pillow covers! 

COLOR

gosh there are no hard and fast rule here but here is a great primer series on color theory for design that you can translate to your room

simplifying a color palette will feel more calming to you, and so will using cool colors like blues and greens. but again, no hard and fast rules. repeat a color or element (shape, pattern) throughout a room 3x (ex. i have a blue rug and that same blueish tone is in a chair and also on a bookshelf. they don’t have to be the same blue, just color family, and it makes it all seem more intentional)

HOW TO DO IT CHEAPLY

buy secondhand. there are entire thrift makeover and upcycle youtube channels that are amazing! same for diy blogs. 

reuse and repurpose what you have. i turned a dvd player box into a toy oven for my kids and they used it as a play kitchen for four years. my bookshelf that stores our games in my living room was $12 from salvation army - i just painted it and added casters for $15. my dresser was a thrift from the REstore, a habitat for humanity store. my end tables are actually butcher block pieces that were in my dad’s factory for forty years. i love bringing old things back to a different life. and you don’t always need a ton of tools to do it.

barter and trade. i traded a one of my kid’s dressers for the hutch that holds our toiletries outside of our upstairs bathrooms. 

sell and repurchase something that works for you. i sold my old bookshelves on fb marketplace and bought another that actually works better. this isn’t applicable to everyone!

make muffins for someone in exchange for their sewing skills or knowledge. i’m teaching my friend to sew right now! libraries often have classes and such to learn new skills.

OK so i have rambled enough. i could ramble more. i hope this gets you started and if you have more specific or follow up questions, on this or organization side of things, let me know! remember these are all just guidelines and the most important thing is having a space you love, that makes you feel comfortable and that you’re proud of and happy in. comparing yourself to others isn’t always the best and you can make it a space you love no matter where you are. 

[peace-coast-island]

Diary of a Junebug

Island hopping for gyroids

It's been busy these past few days, traveling from one island to another, staying undercover, and retrieving gyroids. Jamie's on a big gyroid mission so she recruited me and two old friends I haven't seen in forever. Tagging along with Jamie on her adventures are always fun, especially when it involves traveling and high stake escapades.

Joining us are our old friends from Wizpire - Alex and Holly. I haven't seen or spoken to them in years so it was nice catching up with them. Being with them again almost feels like old times, except everything's a lot different now.

Holly used to drop by Wizpire once in a while to donate paintings to the museum but since her garden in Camellia really took off, she's been super busy. Holly's latest project involves putting together rare hybrids to make even more rare flowers. She also teaches online classes on interior decor for the Happy Room Academy.

Last I heard from Holly was a couple years ago when she was living in Airy. She was a well known patron at the museum much like how she was in Wizpire. Holly was also seeing Sam, though they drifted apart about a year later. Sam's a good guy and a dedicated father, but I always felt that he and Holly were incompatible as a couple. They're both old fashioned, though I think Holly's more progressive while Sam's more traditional. There's also the fact that it shouldn't be Holly's job to coddle him when he puts his foot in his mouth, which I'm pretty sure was the source of their conflicts.

Right now Holly has no time for romance. In fact, after being with Sam, she realized that she has no interest in it at all. Holly always figured that she'd be into a romantic relationship when the right person comes along, which obviously turned out to be false. There's nothing wrong with having no desire for romance. From experience, coming to the realization that it's okay to be who you are is a freeing thing. It's also good to know that you're not broken or messed up just because you've never had a crush or experienced attraction towards someone.

I'm glad that Holly's out there living her best life. She made the decision to move to Wizpire on a whim and never looked back. Before that she had an unfulfilling corporate job that constantly stressed her out. Finally, she had enough and took the plunge. Now look where she is, donating to museums, growing a garden, being a seamstress, and teaching interior decor!

Alex has kinda dropped off the face of the earth since leaving Wizpire. She's always busy, hopping off from one thing to another - that's just the way she is, you can't keep her in one place for too long. From deep diving in the Cavernous Seas, racing down Rainbow Derby, skydiving at the Double Helix Nebula, to making treats at the Land of Sweets - Alex has done it all!

Right now she's been staying in Charma making scooters and bikes. After that she plans to move to Etienne Falls to dig up fossils and other hidden treasures. Alex runs a travel blog called Girl on the Run and at this point I think she's traveled to over a thousand different places. As much as I enjoy traveling, I don't think I can keep up with her lifestyle. I like trying out different things and going on adventures but I also need downtime where I can do nothing without feeling like I'm wasting time.

So we've been busy traveling to various islands to retrieve lost gyroids to take back to their respective homes. Some places are easier to access than others, and no two islands are alike so we have to be prepared for the challenges that lie ahead.

The first island we stopped by was Banana Bay, where we went digging at the beach. There, we found a couple gyroids, some old tech, and a couple of rusty keys. Since we needed the keys to get access to an old hideout where the other gyroids were hidden away, Jamie took them to a friend to get them cleaned up. While we waited for the keys we had coconut banana ice cream with bubble waffles, a local treat that was perfect after a long morning of digging in the sand. By the time we were done, they keys were ready to go.

As expected, the old shack was armed with security robots. No one really runs the place anymore except the machinery. The tech may be outdated by over twenty years but the alarm system's still up and running so a simple slip up can put the entire place into lockdown and get us into a heap of trouble.

I was given the task of unlocking doors and disabling cameras. I'm no hacker but the tech is pretty primitive - meaning easy to figure out. All you have to do is solve a bunch of puzzles to get into the system and most of them aren't even that hard. Meanwhile Alex came up with strategies to evade the robots while Jamie and Holly split up to retrieve the gyroids.

The robots were more of a nuisance than a challenge to get through. The blue ones with the giant red eye creep me out though. I made the mistake of looking into one of them and instantly regretted it when a giant four headed spider peeked through.

On day two we went to two islands that were side by side to each other - Teal and Turquoise. In contrast to the sunny beaches of Banana Bay, Teal Island was a snowy forest. In order to get in the caves we need stones to unlock the passageways and pickaxes to get through caved in areas.

We happened to arrive after a big blizzard so that complicated things a little. Light snowfalls made it a bit hard to see, which means we have to be extra careful. Wolf tigers roam the island and they're aggressive as fuck. Ice balls will do the trick when you need to subdue them, but you have to be quick because they can sneak up on you when least expected. Jamie and Alex have dealt with their share of wolf tigers so Holly and I were well covered. Those creatures are scary fast and sneaky.

Walking into the caves was kinda like heading towards a death trap. Along with the wolf tigers, we also have to worry about falling rocks, scorpion bats, and mega tarantulas. While preparing for the mission Holly made us gloves and masks so we won't hurt ourselves with the sharp rocks and dust. I had some of Em and Ludwig's light formula so we used those as flashlights.

As soon as we got what we needed, we headed to the neighboring island of Turquoise. Since we were a little traumatized by the caves, we hung out at the motel and went sightseeing. I found a cute stationery shop called Milk Clouds and bought some washi tapes, stickers, and a notebook. Alex bought a bunch of scented candles from Petrichor Gifts, Jamie treated herself with a lovely handmade silk dress, and Holly bought some handwoven fabric and starflower peach seeds.

Then off we headed to the long abandoned labs in the far end of the island. Jamie rented a plane so we can get there instead of having to go through a dense jungle. We had to land on top of a cliff and then parachute down in order to get to one of the entrances.

Although the lab is pretty much abandoned, it's home to many hostile creatures so we have to be careful if we encounter them. They could care less about the gyroids - and could've made our job a million times easier if they helped us out - but alas we have to that ourselves. Jamie managed to talk to a few of them beforehand and they pretty much just said as long as we stay out of their way then it's good. Do what we have to do and get out. Fine by us.

So that's what we did. There wasn't even that much to look for anyway, and some of the gyroids were in such a bad state that we didn't even bother. I mean it was expected that we can't save everything, still, it's sad that some things will remain lost forever.

Thankfully, the rest of the island is nothing like the hostile creatures residing in the lab. I think I was more traumatized by them than the cave. I try to see the good in everyone but you gotta listen when the warning bells go off in your head. I'm sure a few of them have some good inside them but it's the power hungry and abusive ones who run the place, so you can't let your guard down.

Day three - earlier today - was the final stretch. First, we swam to Crick Island - as in we scuba dived there. Planes can't access it so we have to travel underwater. The island has no residents but it's heavily guarded as it's full of stolen artifacts. It's run by a secret organization that Jamie's been trying to hunt down for years, only for them to elude her as soon as they were within her grasp.

The underwater passages are full of security robots that go off if we bump into them. They only move around the same place so they're easy to bypass. Problem is the water  makes it hard to move - unpredictable currents and such. Luckily we're all pretty strong swimmers, but those currents can get pretty rough. Getting thrown into a tangle of weeds is much better than accidentally hitting a robot, no matter how frustrating it is to get out of a sticky situation.

From there, we were able to infiltrate the pyramid lab. Alex was tasked with unlocking doors and disabling security, Jamie did the navigating as she knows the ins and outs of the place pretty well, I evaded the robots while Holly kept a lookout for guards. Since the lab is far from being abandoned or run down, we had to be stealthy and clever.

Then it's back to the underwater passages where we swam to two more secret labs - radium and ionic. I have no idea if the names mean something or they're just random. Had a few close encounters where a guard could've walked in on us but thankfully we managed to steer them away easily. I don't mean to judge but their snobby attitudes just scream pretentious assholes - not the kind of company I'd wanna get stuck with if caught.

Now we're back in Banana Bay, taking it easy before having to do inventory on what we found. It's been a lot of fun but I think that's enough high stakes adventure for me. We're leaving tomorrow evening so Jamie and Alex will go off their separate ways while Holly's gonna be staying at the camp for a couple days before heading back to Camellia.

Gonna treat myself with bubble waffles and coconut banana ice cream - we sure as hell deserve it!

[hhunjins]

Photograph + KSM

Song Inspiration: Photograph by Ed Sheeran

Word count: ~1000

Warnings: none

Notes:  Happy 19th birthday Seungmin! I am always in awe with this boy because he always surprises me with everything that he does, whether it be flexing his vocals, blowing me away with his random rap verses, or just being chaotic. Wishing him only smiles and good times on his day!!! 💕💖

“Stand there.” Seungmin manhandles you into position before you even register what he had commanded you to do and begins snapping away on his camera. “Tilt your chin to the side. Maybe 30 degrees?”

“Seungmin, how am I supposed to know what 30 degrees is?”

He just laughs, letting his camera hang from the strap around his neck and scooting towards you to adjust your chin so that it’s at the optimal angle for peak aesthetic. “There. Now don’t smile yet. Look cool.”

You let out a strangled noise. “Excuse me?” Before you have time to say anything else though, he’s already snapping away. You resign yourself to your fate: the awkwardest model in the history of models just because Kim Seungmin is your boyfriend and self-proclaimed personal photographer.

“Okay, now smile.”

It comes out more like a grimace and Seungmin pouts annoyingly (endearingly) cute as he whines for you to do it for real.

“Look at the camera. You’re doing amazing, sweetie.”

“Seungmin, now is not the time to be quoting memes. My nose itches!”

With a huff, Seungmin finally puts his camera away – into the actual camera bag this time – and approaches you with wide arms. “Fine, fine. We’ll stop.” He hugs you tightly, “Lunch?”

“That’s what I’ve been asking for the past thirty minutes, but you really had to get that flower patch.”

“It’s pretty!” he argues. Seungmin lets you out of his arms only to swing one around your shoulders. You lace your fingers together so he doesn’t have a hand just flopping around (and because you genuinely like holding his hand) and wrap your other arm around his waist. “Where do you want to go?”

“Chicken,” you reply.

“This is the first time you’ve ever had an answer to that question.”

“That’s because I’ve been thinking about it for the past thirty minutes.” You stick your tongue out at him in a playful gesture and he bops your nose with a finger in retaliation.

Life is good. Simple, in many ways but so, so satisfying. Seungmin is the type to slow things down, take it step by step to really treasure every second. You reckon it’s a good balance to the marathon you’re attempting to run. But maybe it’s also him just trying to stretch out the moments he has left with you before summer ends.

And that’s the thought that makes you really sad.

You frown at the sight of Seungmin’s bags packed and ready to go. Your boyfriend is rummaging through his closet, almost getting engulfed by the ample amount of clothing he has left in it. He doesn’t seem to notice that you’re there, judging from the way he continues to mumble to himself and go about his business without a single glance at your general direction.

“Seungmin.”

A loud yelp emanates from the closet, followed by a thump and an exclamation of pain. Seungmin’s face emerges moments later. He has a pout on his lips and a red mark on his forehead. The sight of his crooked glasses manages to get you to smile fondly. “Hey.”

“How long were you standing there?” he asks. He hasn’t stepped away from the closet yet though, which is odd.

“A while. What are you doing?”

Seungmin smiles nervously, grabbing the handles to his closet door and shutting it slowly. “Nothing.” He blinks a few times and then finally steps away from his closet. “Who let you in?”

“You’re hiding something,” you say accusingly.  

Seungmin winces, muttering “damn” under his breath. “You’re too good.”

“We’ve been together for nearly three years, of course I’m good. What is it?”

A huff leaves his lips and he reopens his closet. There’s no point in arguing when he’s already cornered. You watch as he pulls out a little book, barely bigger than your hand. Seungmin looks at you with a sort of wistful look in his eyes as he approaches you. “A present. I was going to leave it at your place, but you caught me.”

You look at him in confusion. “What for?”

He merely smiles, kissing your forehead lightly before ruffling your hair. “Don’t worry about it. Open it after I leave.”

Your face pinches up at the reminder of his departure. “Fine.”

“I better be on the plane right now or else I’ll fight you next time I see you,” is the first thing you see when you open the book. The note makes you snort but your sentimental side gets the better of you and you run your fingers across Seungmin’s neat handwriting. Another note greets you on the next page. “Hope you don’t miss me too much yet.”

“I missed you the moment I left the airport, dummy,” you mutter.

The next page catches you off guard. You’re sipping from a steaming mug in the photo, staring outside at the snow. The way Seungmin manages to capture the lights glistening in your eyes and the soft pink of your cheeks can only be described as art. There’s a little caption written on washi tape at the bottom of the page: First date with my favorite person!

Warmth fills your insides, fingertips tingling as they trace over Seungmin’s words. And no matter how much you try to hold back, willing yourself to not cry because he’ll be back in a few months, the first tear slips down your cheek anyway. You make quick work flipping through the rest of it, feeling all sorts of emotions well up inside you as you relive each memory with Seungmin. He appears in the photos as hands wrapped around yours or two shadows melted into one. The last photo is captioned “30 degrees” and you let out a choked laugh when you finish it.

And as if on cue, your phone dings with a text from Seungmin. “Arrived safely!” it says.

You pick it up, pressing on his contact and waiting not two rings before you hear his voice on the other end. “You made me cry!”

Seungmin chuckles, not at all fazed at the lack of greeting. “That wasn’t the intention.”

“But I miss you. And now I’m even more sad.”

“I miss you too,” he says. You can practically hear the smile in his voice as he speaks. “I’ll be home soon, okay?”

Home.

“Okay. I’ll be counting down the days.”

[comecesario]

Hey guys! School’s starting again, and I figured I’d make a masterpost of resources for studying and general school life. 

stationery:

I’m a huge fan of buying new stationery for the new school year – there’s something about opening a new set of pens and notebooks that just makes me feel ready to start the year! Here’s some of my favourite brands/shops:

Paperchase: I love Paperchase! Their folders and notebooks are so cute! I don’t use planners (I’m more fond of using my own bullet journal), but if you’re a fan of them they have gorgeous planners as well. You’ll find physical stores all over England (and other countries, I’m sure), but their online shop is also here.

WH. Smith’s: I’m pretty sure this is just an English shop (sorry!), but their pencil cases and folders were too cute for me not to mention them! They’ve also got gorgeous lunch boxes and water bottles for a really decent price.

 Tokyo Pen Shop: this shop is exclusively online (and you can find it here). They sell mostly Japanese stationery, and all their stuff is super cute!

Aliexpress: so this website doesn’t just sell stationery, but if you’re after extremely cheap stickers and washi tape, you couldn’t find a better place! Their stuff takes a while to arrive (and it’s best to read reviews before you buy anything!), but honestly I can’t fault it! I’ve loved everything I’ve bought from there, and it’s all been super cheap. 

Kikki.k: This is a Swedish stationery brand that I just find so charming! They’ve got a really clean, crisp aesthetic that I really appreciate, and their stuff is always so pretty. They’ve got stores all over, but you can also shop online here.

school bags:

I’m super picky with my backpacks – they’ve got to have a laptop sleeve, be big enough to hold my music scores, laptop, and everything else, and be nice to look at. I’ve looked at quite a few, but here are some of my favourite brands:

Herschel: their bags are definitely on the pricier side, ranging from £40-£80, but they’re worth every penny imo. They’re sturdy, with padding on the back and shoulder straps, they’re roomy, with a padded laptop sleeve, and they’re super well built, so they’ll last a while. They’re also cute, which doesn’t hurt. 

Kanken: these are around the same price as a Herschel, and in my opinion they’re just as good. I took mine with me when I went interrailing, and it held up! They’re not padded, so I’d keep that in mind if you’re planning on taking a laptop into school with you. They are, however, super colourful, and definitely very sturdy!

UGRACE backpack: this isn’t a brand so much as a specific backpack I found on Amazon, but I had to mention it because it has a portable charge built in! As someone who’s always forgetting her stuff, I know I’d love something like this! It’s also a little cheaper than the previous options. 

Himawari backpack: like the previous point, this backpack is a little cheaper, and a super cute alternative to the Kanken if you’re on a budget.

study spaces:

If you’re like me, you’re not a huge fan of studying at home. I love using libraries, museums and cafes to study in, ‘cause it gets me out of the house, and often makes me feel a little better if I’m in a bad mood. Here are some of my favourites (all London based, sorry!):

Maughan Library: I’m headed to King’s in September, so I doubt anyone’s surprised this is on my list! If you’re not a King’s student, you can apply for a visitor’s pass when you enter, which I’m pretty sure is free. This library is gorgeous, and a lovely place to do some research or write your essay. There’s free Wifi, and plug sockets as well.

The British Library: You need a membership to access this library, but it’s free, and you’ll then have access to a huge selection of books and texts. 

The V&A Art Library: Again, you’ll need a membership, but this one’s also free! As someone who adores the V&A, I feel a little biased putting this one here, but it really is one of the prettiest places to work I’ve ever seen! When you’re finished working, reward yourself with a trip through the museums, or a walk through South Kensington.

The Barbican Centre Library: For a music student, this one’s heaven! It’s got a huge CD collection that’s free to browse, and it’s also spacious and right in the centre of London. I can’t say the building’s the prettiest I’ve seen, but it gets the job done.

The BFI Reuben Library: For film and media students, this is the best place to work. You’ve got a huge collection of films and books free to browse, plus you can reward yourself with a film after you’ve finished studying! (under 25s get £3 tickets!)

Timberyard coffee house: This one’s close to Covent Garden, and serves pretty good coffee in a really cozy setting. 

Yumchaa: With big tables and a late closing time, this one’s probably best for revising with friends, or those late cramming sessions close to finals (don’t worry, we’ve all done it!). It’s pretty close to Tottenham Court Road, so you’ve got plenty of places to go to if you need some retail therapy after your study session!

The Espresso Bar in Paperchase: This one’s perfect if you run out of pens! Like Yumchaa, it’s got large tables, and it’s got huge windows with lots of light. 

Gail’s: This one’s a little pricier, but the atmosphere is so cozy and lovely that I can’t fault it whatsoever! The sofas are soft as anything, and the coffee really is great. 

Picturehouse central: This one requires a yearly £30 membership, but you get some serious perks (£3 off cinema tickets, free access to their reading room, 20% off food and drink, etc.). The room is cozy and warm, and of course it’s on top of a cinema, so you can reward yourself with a film after you’ve finished your essay!

study playlists: 

I can’t work without something playing! If it isn’t the music I’m currently trying to learn, it’s one of these playlists:

lofi study

vaporwave study club

ghibli study no.1

ghibli study no. 2

pop study

study lofi

lofi hip-hop beats

apps: 

I’m on my phone all the time. So I try and make at least a little of that time productive. Here’s what I use:

duolingo: I love this app. I’m currently learning Russian, French, German and Italian using it, and it’s super helpful! The app is easy to use, and free!

headspace: I feel like it’s no secret that I struggle with my mental health. One of the apps that has helped the most with this is headspace. It’s a mindfulness app that has anywhere from 3-60 minute guided meditations that you can follow along to. It’s also got sleepcasts, which are visualisation exercises for sleep, and plenty other wonderful things. I can’t recommend it enough, honestly. 

I would list more things, but this list is long enough already! I might make a part two if there’s anything I feel I missed, though. I hope you guys have a lovely school year! 

[sohmariku]

RIKU’S RANDOM LIFE: BACK FROM JAPAN & SOUTH-KOREA

I safely made my way back home yesterday. Compared to last year, this year’s flight was as enjoyable as it can be, but yeah... not being ill does most certainly make a flight a 100 times better. Strangely, this probably was the first time in my life I was actually happy to go home. Not that I didn’t like my time in Japan, it’s just... when I left I was already emotionally overloaded and not having sufficient time to myself for three weeks didn’t make things any better. Thus, I’m glad to be home and have some time to myself. And it might also be related to the fact that most places I wanted to go were left in a state of devastation by Tyfoon no.19, so... I kind of ran out of things to do.

So now it’s time to look at the damage that’s been done (to my wallet). Spreading everything I bought out on my floor I can tell I once again bought too many things. Some things were rather expensive, other things were surprisingly cheap...

NENDOROID HAUL

When I left for Japan, I was planning to buy two new Nendoroids to add to my collection, Sengo Muramasa and Ishikirimaru. Which I did in Akihabara. Then, as it happened, Hachisuka was released right as I came to Japan. Though I didn’t buy him instantly, I returned to the shops the next week to get him after all. Then, I also ran into Kasen Kanesada. He was relatively cheap and... I guess I felt my Sayo just needed a friend. At the same time I also found the petit version of Hachisaka for a couple hundred yen. Had to get him too! While shopping in Nakano I ran into a very cheap Taikogane. He appeared to be in perfect shape, so I had to get him. Before I left for Japan I had noticed one of my Kashu Nendo’s faces had lost an earring and by chance I ran into a separately sold face. Also bought a random (funny) face. And in Machida I bought the random patient body.

MANGA HAUL

I didn’t buy that many manga in the end. First of all I caught up with Rengoku ni Warau, because I like the series and would like to have it complete. Then, at some point I was in a funny mood and decided I needed Dororo. Somehow managed to find all volumes in the Book-Off. Also found the Touken Ranbu the Movie novel right there at a ridiculously low price, so just took it. Kuroshitsuji vol.28 was a surprise purchase, because according to my Manga Inventory List I already owned the volume. Except, it was released in 2019 and last time I came to Japan was 2018. Just checked our Manga library and discovered what went wrong. I seem to have mistaken vol.18 for vol.28... That’s what you get when they count in these ridiculous ways...XVIII or XXVIII... I also seem to have vol.18 double, that’s probably why I didn’t notice before.

TOUMYU/SUTE HAUL

The Mihotose 2019 and MusuHaji blu-rays had been on the to-purchase list from the very start, but due to other expenses it wasn’t until the very last day. I only did purchase MusuHaji in the end, because I had to withdraw money from the ATM and didn’t want to withdraw only 2000 yen. (The amount I actually needed) It wouldn’t make sense considering the fees I’d be paying. So, I withdrew 9000 yen and purchased MusuHaji. (Instead of ordering it online later...) Surprise purchases were the Be in Sight and Kodou singles. I wasn’t planning on getting them, but they were cheap. Same for the bromide, postcards and can badge.  The Mihotose novel was something I only decided to purchase quite late, because well, I’ll be back to subtitling Mihotose, might as well get the official script this time.  The pen light eventually became a necessary purchase, because I had forgotten to bring my pen lights to the show and... I needed a pen light. Plus, it has new colors, so... I kind of needed it either way. Thought it’s not pictured, I also got one of the Kisho Hongi scarves. (Tonbokiri colors)

BLU-RAY/DVD HAUL

None of this was really planned, but since it was super cheap I couldn’t resist bringing it. I’m mostly happy to find the Bakumatsu Rock blu-ray at such a low price (2800 yen). Since I saw the show in the theater I’ve been dying to see it again, but I didn’t really have spare money to buy it at full price. What mostly surprises me about the other discs though, they’ve never been opened and I managed to buy them at those bargain prices! It’s a mystery...

KOREA HAUL

This is my (Daiso) Korea haul. While in Korea I somehow haven’t had any real opportunity to go shopping. Or maybe I just didn’t feel like it. So, the one time I had some minutes to spare I hopped into the Daiso and tried to find something to bring home.Of course, I ended up with socks... the one thing I absolutely don’t need, but... they are so cute!!  And of course I had to end up with cat toys! I don’t even have a cat yet, but I do have a load of cat toys, so why not add to that? xD (I’ll be getting a cat very soon though!) The only things that didn’t come from Daiso are the chocolate-filled marshmallows, got those at a convenience store.

FIGURES

For two years I’ve owned Yasusada, for two years I’ve been looking for Kashu. I found them as a set in Nakano. I bought them as a set in Nakano. Now I still have a lonely Yasusada. Guess the search continues... Or I need to find a new home for my spare Yasusada. ^^;;

More little cuties I simply couldn’t leave behind. Luffy was just a figure I got by chance. I don’t follow the series really, but I tried the gacha anyway. The little figure was one of two A-prizes. They also had B and C prizes. I had lots of luck that day.

GACHA GACHA

Lots of little things I got from the gacha machines. I just can’t resist these! The little fan came in the treasure chest. I adore the little gacha machines. (Didn’t add stickers to the blue one yet) And I’m just overall happy with the results...

DAISO JAPAN HAUL

Can’t skip Daiso in Japan. Once again, I got myself more socks. Four pairs in total, two pair not pictured because I wore those and they are in the laundry. Got some craft goods that might come in handy. Some skin peel and the candy my mom came to like while she was in Japan (as a present for her). 

FOOD HAUL

As always, I end up with some random food. The Touken Ranbu Manju were a gift from a friend. The white envelope thing is a tea given to us by random elementary students from Shizuoka. The purple bag contains apple-pie flavored kitkats. I got my favorite potato&bacon cup-a-soup. Some dark chocolate snickers. Obviously I couldn’t forget about some Black Thunder bars either... anyway, just lots of random food.

RANDOM

A tea cup from Odawara castle, little squirrel/cockatiel magnet from Machida squirrel garden. A random Seigaku tennis ball. One Piece magnet. Neko magnet (from daiso). Other Touken goods. Some mask (also from One Piece) I still need to assemble and won by beating the Usopp game in One Piece Tower. A little konnosuke figure to decorate my earphones... and some yellow washi tape I got for free when shopping at Lashinban for some reason. The Saiyuki bromides were gifts given to me.

POKEMON

Last but not least, we increased our clear pokeball collection. Last year we got the squirtle, this year we expanded with Lycanroc and Alolan Raichuu. It’s all random what you get. I had hoped to get others, but these aren’t bad either. ^^

---

And that’s the full haul. It’s really quite a lot, but I don’t regret any purchase. ^o^

[nachtgraves]

kuzuhina with 11 or 50?

ty for the prompt(s)! I kind combined ‘em :D

Title: Hinata-Sensei’s Got a Secret // AO3Word Count: 2,125Warnings/Tags: G. Alternate universe, established relationship, kindergarten teacher hajime, unspecified businessman fuyuhiko, surprise your boyfriend at work dayPrompts: kiss out of love/happiness

It’s not often that Fuyuhiko visits Hinata at work. Mostly it’s because he’s been mistaken as a student far too many times and he’s not exactly the biggest fan of children. If he does show his face, it’s at the end of the day to pick Hajime up. But sometimes Hajime forgets things at home, like his bento or his rarely used reading glasses, even his lesson plans on the rare occasion. And sometimes Fuyuhiko’s been away for business and he’s going through boyfriend withdrawals.

So he’s not there often, but he’s been around enough that Hajime’s coworkers know him by name. As do his students.

“Hinata-sensei! Hinata-sensei! Ryu-san is here!”

The five-year-olds who only care about the second half of his family name notice him before their teacher does. But Fuyuhiko gives his boyfriend a pass since he’s busy sorting out some sort of situation between two boys who haven’t learned how to share yet. He’s bent over, hands on his knees and back to the door, and Fuyuhiko can’t help but run his gaze under the tie of Hajime’s apron. He’s missed his boyfriend, sue him.

The other children bombard the door and Fuyuhiko steps inside before they can break it down and escape. He’s interrupted arts and crafts time judging by the desks covered in glue and colored paper and glitter. A million questions are thrown at him ranging from what he’s doing here to how his trip was, what’s in the bag, and did he ‘take care’ of anyone.

“Hinata-sensei told you I was out of town, huh?” Fuyuhiko says before answering the questions he catch down the line: visiting Hinata-sensei, good, lunch, and no I’m a business man where did you learn things like that?

With his short, uninteresting answers, most of the kids leave him for their craft projects. By then Hajime’s settled the feuding boys and comes to the door, brushing his hands against his light green apron decorated with white bunnies and warm yellow suns. “I thought you weren’t going to be back until Saturday.”

“Finished up earlier than planned and I took the next train in.” He was supposed to be gone for two and a half weeks. Hajime doesn’t need to know that he rushed through everything and didn’t sleep for two days to complete almost four days’ worth of work. He slept during the train ride.

“Did you come straight here from the station?” Hajime worries. It’s a bit more concern than Fuyuhiko thinks is really needed but maybe the train nap wasn’t enough. His suit is a bit rumpled.

“Had someone take my travel bag to the office and went to a konbini first, I haven’t eaten lunch. Thought we could go home together when you’re done?”

Hajime looks down at the plastic bag in Fuyuhiko’s hands and his shoulders relax in relief. Odd. “Yeah, if you don’t mind waiting.”

Before Fuyuhiko can question Hajime’s strange reactions, they’re interrupted by one of the kids, a nosy little girl with pigtails that crack like a whip from her energetic and exaggerated movements. She pokes around and tries to look into Fuyuhiko’s shopping bag. “What did you bring?”

“Secret,” Fuyuhiko says, quickly lifting the bag away. He doesn’t want to get Hajime in trouble by explaining condoms to his kids. There’s no way Hajime would let him use them when they got home.

The kid pouts but brightens up and smugly raises her chin, running behind Hajime’s legs. “Well, I have a secret, too! Hinata-sensei told it to us and you’re not allowed to know.”

“Oh really? And what am I not allowed to know?” Fuyuhiko teases, looking up at Hajime. He doesn’t think it’s anything big, but Hajime looks panicked, eye wide and smile strained enough it’s a flat-lined grimace more than anything else. It only grows more trained whe, at the loud talk of juicy secrets, the other kids gather around like ants.

“Hinata-sensei’s secret is a big one!” one of them gloats.

“Yup, we’re not supposed to say anything to Ryu-san,” says another.

Hajime claps his hands together, cutting anyone else off. “Okay, everyone. We’ve still got some time before the end of the day. And we still have to clean up so if you want to finish you better get a move on.”

There’s a loud groan but the kids totter back to their tables of glue sticks and glitter and googly eyes. It’s going to be a nightmare to clean up. Hajime turns to Fuyuhiko, seems to hesitate, but steps close and lightly grabs Fuyuhiko’s wrist. His thumb rubs against the soft, sensitive underside, as close to PDA as he’ll allow himself at work. It’s an innocent gesture but Fuyuhiko’s heart ticks, heat pooling low in his stomach and coloring his cheeks. Hajime tends to tease him there with soft kisses and gentle nibbles and maybe he should have just waited for Hajime at home.

“I…give me a minute?” Hajime asks, voice quiet and soft.

Fuyuhiko wants to lean up and close to the distance to get the kiss he’s been missing but settles for twisting his wrist in Hajime’s loosely linking their fingers. “I’m going to sit at your desk and eat my lunch. You handle the brats. Pretend I’m not even here.”

When he moves to do as he said, he faintly hears Hajime mutter, “That’s impossible.” He doesn’t turn around to check, but he’s sure Hajime’s smiling like a sap.

Fuyuhiko settles himself at Hajime’s desk and gets busy with his food. He’d bought a small karage bento, a bag of karinto, and a bottle of sweet tea. He sets to work on the bento first, all but shoveling rice and fried chicken into his mouth.

Fuyuhiko enjoys watching Hajime work. It’s a different side to him but it’s not surprising. He’s got a calming temperament and he likes kids, and as far as Fuyuhiko’s seen, kids and small animals tend to like Hajime too.

The tables are arranged so Hajime can stand in the center and supervise all the children, easily seeing if anyone is struggling or calling for help. He helps one kid cut hearts, praises another for their arrangement of stickers, and writes the characters for words they don’t know to copy with crayon and markers. One kid’s making a birthday card for their older sibling. She wants to put actual candles on the card, light them up, but Hajime convinces her to just draw them instead.

So Fuyuhiko just observes and before he knows it, the bento’s cleaned out and he moves onto the karinto. He eats those just as quickly, regretting buying the smaller bag but knowing it’s for the best. But now his hands are a bit sticky and he doesn’t have any napkins. Luckily, his boyfriend is a kindergarten teacher, the stickiest class to teach, and Fuyuhiko knows Hajime always has a packet of tissues somewhere.

He’d ask Hajime, but his boyfriend is busy listening to a kid explain the story of his project, so Fuyuhiko goes through Hajime’s desk drawers. The first one he opens is full of stickers ranging from the thick foam ones to the usual flat and sparkly, rolls of washi-tape, sticky note pads, and colorful pens and markers. The second one he opens is all paperwork and forms and Hajime’s glasses case. Hoping third time’s the charm, Fuyuhiko pulls open the next drawer and finds Hajime’s personal office supplies and, finally, his collection of pocket tissues, a whole six pack with a cute farm animal print. He goes to rip the packaging and steal one of the packets to use, but as he moves the pack, Fuyuhiko spies a flash of black tucked towards the back. Curious and feeling snoopy, Fuyuhiko digs out the item, his fingers wrap around a palm-sized box made with a sturdy velvet casing. When he pulls it out, his heart pounds against his chest and his breath gets stuck in this throat.

He’s caught between wanting to open it and stuffing it back in the drawer, pretend he didn’t see it because now was not the time. But he’s frozen in place, holding the ring box. He only moves when a child yells, “Hinata-sensei’s secret!”

“Miyo-chan, what are you…”

Fuyuhiko looks up as Hajime’s voice trails off. His face is pale and he’s staring at the box in Fuyuhiko’s hand.

“I was looking for tissues,” Fuyuhiko says in a daze, automatically. He’s not defensive, he found the box by accident and if it’s what he thinks it is, he might faint right then and there. But he’s not the fainting type so he’s just frozen, stuck in the calm before a reaction he’s still trying to figure out.

Hajime’s flustered. His skin is pale and his eyes wide. Fuyuhiko still hasn’t figured out what reaction he’s falling into but the need to know is overwhelming and he opens the box. Inside is a ring, a silver piece, two threads of metal woven together, one engraved with a reptile-like scale pattern and tiny gold gems spaced out along the waves.

“Fuyuhiko,” Hajime stutters. “I, uh, I can explain.”

But Fuyuhiko doesn’t want an explanation. He’s moving before he can think things through, striding the short distance from Hajime’s desk to Hajime himself. Everything around Fuyuhiko fades into nothingness, there is nothing except the ring box in his hand and Hajime frozen like a deer in the headlights.

And it’s quite convenient because Fuyuhiko can throw his arms around Hajime’s neck, tugging him down for a kiss because that’s all that’s on his mind. He’s smiling, beaming ridiculously he can’t even properly kiss his boyfriend, his soon-to-be fiancé. Questios run through his mind in the background, how long has Hajime had the ring, when was he going to ask, is it the kind of ring Fuyuhiko thinks it is, and more, but he’s too busy being happy.

Hajime kisses him back once he shakes himself of his shock and his arms go around Fuyuhiko’s waist, squeezing him into a hug, lifting Fuyuhiko to his toes and almost off the ground.

“So you’re not mad?” Hajime breathes when the kiss ends.

Fuyuhiko tugs at Hajime’s hair sharply. “Stupid question.” He pulls away, letting Hajime straighten his back. Hajime keeps his hands at Fuyuhiko’s waist. Fuyuhiko holds the ring box between them.

“There are worse hiding places,” Fuyuhiko comments with a laugh.

Hajime huffs. “I was paranoid about losing it, or you finding it somewhere at home.”

“So you stuffed it with pens and pocket tissues.”

“Shut up. I didn’t think you’d be digging through my drawers at work. I was planning this whole thing for when you got back this weekend. And now you’ve got karinto crumbs and syrup all over the box.” Hajime’s smiling, if a touch ruefully.

“I’ll get karinto crumbs and syrup all over the ring when it’s on my finger,” Fuyuhiko retorts. He’s not really thinking and his words register only after they’re out of his mouth.

Hajime’s looking down at him like he’s something amazing, lips parted and curved in a soft smile. He removes one hand from Fuyuhiko’s waist and lays it over Fuyuhiko’s hands, encasing the ring box. “So, can I take that as your answer?”

“Oh no, you’re not getting out of it. Ask me properly, dumbass.”

For a second Fuyuhiko thinks Hajime is going to do just that, get on his knee and propose right then and there. Or he’s going to kiss Fuyuhiko and Fuyuhiko is fine with either scenario.

But reality makes its appearance in the accusing cry of a five year old. “Ryu-san said a bad word!”

Around them, Fuyuhiko observes all the children just watching the two of them. They quickly separate and in their rush drop the ring box. Hajime scrambles to catch it and holds it close. He’s bright red and Fuyuhiko knows he’s of a similar shade himself, probably radiating heat from his embarrassed flush. Hajime clears his throat and Fuyuhiko runs a hand through his hair.

The kids are grinning at them, erupting in chatter about Hajime and Fuyuhiko’s wedding, what the two are going to wear, about Fuyuhiko finding out Hinata-sensei’s big secret, and Fuyuhiko calling their beloved sensei a dumbass.

The day’s almost over and Hajime has a classroom of kindergarteners to get a hold of. He claps his hands in a simple rhythm, and as if entranced the kids echo is back and fall silent, staring up at Hajime and Fuyuhiko with wide, expectant eyes.

“Uh, um,” Hajime stumbles. “It’s almost time to go home so let’s start cleaning up. And, uh, how about we keep this,” he glances to Fuyuhiko, biting his bottom lip as he smiles, “a secret?”

[interventicn-blog]

ngl, i already had this typed up since yesterday bc i just wanted all my ideas out. at first, i had 3 different charas in mind, but then i thought why not combine all ideas into one? without further ado, here’s eleanor richards’ intro + her pinterest! note: i didn’t proofread, so if there’s info that doesn’t line up w/ dad being old money, mom being new money, etc. then my bad.

inspired by the tv show, dynasty (ngl i’ve been watching dynasty & rewatching degrassi lately so) and my love for anime/manga + video games.

‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒FAMILY. ‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒

eleanor is from both old and new money. 

from her dad’s side, the family generations became old money as they worked in banks, politics, and real estate with other wealthy families before her great grandpa decided to work on his own. he started off with real estate then ventured into hotels. her father, mark warner, currently runs the businesses as it was eventually inherited to him. her mother, penelope richards, grew in new money. they got into the fashion business and penelope runs her own clothing and bag line.

they soon fell in love and her grandparents, on both sides, basically pushed them to marry as they thought it was a good deal to have different rich families come into one. however, they eventually divorced. 

penelope became more greedy and showed her true colors. she was manipulative, using people, keeping shady secrets, etc. and more focused on power, trying to make the best deals, and money. her dad just wanted a nice, calm life with someone he loved and hardly recognized his wife anymore. now, her mom’s been married more than 3 times by now, which eleanor became used to.

her dad soon moved back to new york to be with his side of the family and still stays in contact with him. even decided to live with him for a few years for her middle school education before going back to mom. there, she learned money isn’t everything and to be grateful. even now, she stays on contact and visits during summers and sometimes christmas. as for the other men in her mom’s life, she hasn’t been close to them as she wanted to. she just saw no point when they would eventually leave anyway.

growing up, she became used to drama almost everyday and still wonders why she hasn’t changed her last name yet. that meant she was tired of the life her family was living. a reason why she chose to hardly be in the richards’ family business and wanted to work on her own life.

she also has a sister she used to be very close to when they were young, but her sister grew and became just like her mom, a selfish bitch. she would create schemes in school, be the most popular student, think about only herself, etc. eleanor couldn’t stand being with more people like mom and became distant.

‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒HER LIFE.‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒

to deal with anything her mom was doing and to get away from reality, she turned to anime, manga, cartoons and video games. she felt these things kept her sane in her wild family. her room is decorated with anime posters, shelves of manga, and watches anime almost everyday. she’ll also go to multiple cons every year and will cosplay once in a while.

another interest she took up was baking. specifically french pastries and sweets. it made her realize she wants to become a pâtissier and her goals are to be world-known and have her own bakery company someday. she started baking around the age of twelve when she was with her dad. he bought her baking books and supplies. since then, she worked on improving her skills and sharing desserts she made with others around the neighborhood to hear feedback.

although, that’s not the only hobby she decided on. when it came to video games, she would play in arcades and at home with console and handheld ones before going into pc games. one game she fell for was overwatch. she’d end up staying all night playing and getting her rank up. soon enough, she was able to be in a team of professional players.

being into two different hobbies, she became torn because of how much time either one took. she wanted to continue playing overwatch and being able to meet so many new people, but she also enjoyed baking and loved seeing how her sweets made others happy.

she was already in college for baking, but when overwatch appeared in her life, she felt, and still feels, conflicted.

more may be added as i continue to think because the family certainly has a lot of secrets.

‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒DISAPPEARANCES.‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒

she has mixed feelings about the disappearances of everybody else. she’s sad to not see her mom and the staff around the house anymore, not being able to talk to her dad, and not being in contact with the team. however, she feels oddly calm about the situation too. for some reason, she just isn’t freaking out entirely. sure, she finds it strange that everyone else is gone and wants to find out more about the situation, but she feels there’s really not much she can do, so why stress over it?

the reason she’s in kitchen help is because she’s already used to being in a kitchen for so long and feels that’s what her most useful skill is right now.

one thing she truly dislikes is having people sleeping in her home. she feels uncomfortable sharing the space with those she hardly knows and argued about it for a while before giving up. eleanor continues to feel uncomfortable, so she kept a few important pieces in her own room away from others.

‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒MISCELLANEOUS.‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒

traits

ardent, enthusiastic or passionate: she loves anime, manga, and video games so much, she has decorations of them covering her room.

candid, truthful and straightforward: she’ll tell it like it is and isn’t interested in sugar coating.

critical, expressing adverse or disapproving comments or judgments: she’ll give her opinion even though no one asked for it sometimes. she also tends to say things she doesn’t mean.

decisive, producing a definite answer: for the most part, eleanor knows what she wants and is able to make decision easily.

effervescent, vivacious and enthusiastic: she can be seen as a happy-go-lucky person.

impetuous, acting or done quickly and without thought or care: eleanor has her moments where she’ll have an idea and go into it right away without saying another word. especially during matches.

loquacious, tending to talk a great deal: when she talks about an interest, it’s as if she can’t shut her mouth.

obstinate, stubbornly refusing to change one's opinion or chosen course of action, despite attempts to persuade one to do so: if she’s being told something she doesn’t want to hear, she’ll argue about it and try to change the situation. (e.g. having people living in her home)

aesthetics

wearing a school uniform and running out the door with toast in her mouth because she’s late, watching anime in bed and in the dark, pastel pleated skirts, pastel zebra midliner pens, headphones around the neck, strawberry milk, shelves of manga, bedhead, figurines of magical girls, cute animal plushies, vanilla scented candles, colorful wigs, patterned washi tape, taro milk tea in one hand and a manga in the other, a bag full of anime merch from a convention, picking up graphic tees at hot topic to have a better look, placing an anime as completed on myanimelist

her style consists of mostly pink and pastel colors, but denim, anime/video game graphic tees, and a few black clothing items are added onto this.

her overwatch mains

dps: ashe, genji, widow maker.

tanks: wrecking ball, d.va

support: ana, brigitte, moira.

all-time mains: d.va, ashe, widowmaker.

her favorite manga includes jojo bizarre, one piece, fruits basket, and more. some of her favorite anime are my hero academia, fairy tail, sailor moon, puella magi madoka, tokyo mew mew.

she loves watching star vs the forces of evil and steven universe.

she loves studio ghibli movies, but would definitely rewatch your name and a silent voice.

the type of music she listens to are pop, k-pop, j-pop, and sometimes rock.

more hobbies

shopping: it makes her feel better and she just loves fashion.

eating: she’s such a foodie. if anyone brings her food, she’ll be the happiest girl in the world.

sleeping: even though she hardly sleeps, she still loves sleeping. she could doze off anywhere.

self-care: she’s very into hair care and skin care. she’ll watch youtube videos for days about it, has her own skincare routine, and everyday is a different hairstyle.

japanese: because of how much she’s into anime and manga and wants to visit japan someday, she planned on taking japanese classes. she also has several japanese language books

has three tattoos

this one on the side of her left wrist (same place as laurdiy’s)

this right thigh tattoo

this on the back of her right arm. 

she planned on getting a fourth for her 21st birthday, but can’t now.

she’s mostly a closeted lesbian. her mom has always been trying to set her up with boys, but she only pretends to be interested. eleanor wonders what her family will say and keeps her sexuality a secret because she’s afraid news will spread around and it’ll be heard from her family. she’s only told a handful about it, including her sister.

[cutiecrates]

Cutie Reviews: Kawaii Box May 19

Before I begin I have an announcement: later/tomorrow I plan to post a sort of... glossaryish post that will be about ALL the boxes I subscribe to :D Because earlier today it occurred to me, I never really talk about the brands themselves anymore unless they have some update or if I complain in my reviews. I thought this type of post would be nice for anyone who just wanted to learn more about a specific box to see if they would be interested in it. I will also be including my own opinions on the box as a whole, pros and cons, how the box has changed, etc.

So if you like things like that, then make sure you come back soon!

Until then, we’re gonna focus on this:

Word of the month: Tanjyoubi - Birthday

Disney Princess Dress-Up Puffy Stickers

Our first item is a set of Disney Princess Ariel/Little Mermaid stickers. Covered to the brim with stickers, this sheet has multiple outfits, accessories/props, and deco bits to have fun with the sticker doll and then-some!

Besides Ariel, there are other Disney Princess and I’ve even seen they added a really cute Minnie mouse one on Blippo.com. Those in this set each cost $3.90.

I was really torn between all 3 dresses, the turquoise one was a classic for Ariel, and I love how the pink one reminded me of Aurora, but I actually settled for the purple one because I though it looked really pretty on her. Then I chose the shell purse and matching decoration/accessory and a light pink sash to add more to her dress, what do you think?

While on the subject, which dress would you have chose for her? Or would you have given her a different colored dress entirely?

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 

It’s really simple, but it’s also pretty fun and cute, I love dress-up stickers because of how creative you can be. I mentioned this before but I really want to start a scrapbook or photobook and fill it entirely with dress-ups~

The stickers puffiness is nice and soft, and I like how these don’t feel finished. So I could go back to it a few days later and swap out her purse and hair piece to make her classier with a sun hat. Or I could give her the turquoise dress if I wanted. 

Sanrio Ziptop Bag Set

Next up is this pack of adorable Pompompurin zipper bags. You get 6 in total, including 3 Small 70mm x100mm, and 3 Medium 160mm x 190mm. Each set offers different designs, and besides Pompompurin (who I couldn’t find on blippo btw) there was also the other basic characters like my Melody, Gudetama, Little Twin Star. Each set costs $5.90.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 

I think these are really cute, and practical :D according to the back of the package you could put all sorts of things in these, and I like that both sets are zip-locks. These would be a perfect gift for any Pompompurin fan.

Kawaii Dreams File

This is the monthly Exclusive item, a file folder featuring a variety of kawaii designs and items you can find on the Kawaii Box box and booklet, with the inside panel being white and pink to match the box’s color scheme. It’s kinda small-medium, about the size of the booklet that comes in each box, and it’s a little flimsy, but for most part it feels durable and sturdy.

You can buy this off of Blippo for $2.90.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥  

I usually don’t look forward to getting these files in the boxes because as cute as they are, they’re always big and bent. This one fits in the box with no problem, so I feel like even though you would need to fold certain things into it, it’s more practical. I also like how despite how colorful and busy it looks, it doesn’t feel too-busy.

Soft Jell Rainbow Gel Pen Set

I loved gel pens growing up x3 my friends and I loved to draw on our things and each other during class (but only when we weren’t actually doing anything important <3< I wasn’t a model student but I didn’t get into trouble either), and I remember just admiring the massive rainbow collection my friend had; she must have had at least 100!

My collection was much smaller and modest though, I only had a few glittery metallic ones and a couple multicolored pastels. So for someone who used to love these, getting a whole pretty set like this just made my day~

It’s also pretty rare for us to get a whole set of anything in the boxes. If you’ve seen my prior reviews (or check out the items on blippo) its usually just one separate of your choosing. This set costs $6.90.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

The colors are vibrant and really pretty, as you can see I did decorate the box with them which in hindsight might not have been the best thing to do, but they still worked once the ink got flowing. They’re juicy and are capable of long lines, writing, dots, coloring.

My only complaint is that both blues (or I suppose you could say one is indigo? Turquoise?) look almost exactly alike. It’s the same in the actual pens, but there’s still a noticeable difference until you go to use them both, so I wish they would have darkened or lightened one of them to make the difference more noticeable.

Cute Animal Friend Masking Tape & Nekoni Cherry Blossoms Badge

For our next items, I got bunnies for both ♥

 First is an adorable pastel bunny washi tape that consists of a kawaii bunny doing some silly actions. I would have taken out a piece to show the design, but when I unraveled a long, long amount of it I saw no end to the pattern >3< like it kept going, there was no repeat bunnies. Each bunny was cuter, or sillier than the last.

There are several varieties you could get, and you can guy them in sets of 4 for $5.90 on Blippo.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 

Well besides being very cute and silly to look at, I like how this doesn’t seem to be repetitive like most tapes. I’m sure it starts repeating somewhere but for now, I just think it would be cute to use them individually as little emoji icons, like for notes or letters or something.

-----

From the brand Nekoni are these adorable pastel badges with cherry blossom designs, ranging from animals, a human girl, scenery, and adorable foods. Each badge costs $1.90.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 

It’s very cute, but there isn’t really much I can say about a badge other than the fact it seems to be fine quality. There was no problems with it or anything to complain about.

Cute Stationery Buddy

This probably would have been better suited for a school theme- but you also use stuff like this to decorate :P so, our next item is an adorable, soft but firm plush themed after various stationery items. There are 7 in total, each with a ball chain and costing $4.90.

I really hope I’m not the only person, but when I saw this (and even now) I think of a snail; it’s a roll of tape! I was so surprised initially but now that I’ve had it for a while I’ve been seeing it more.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 

Again, I find myself with little to say. It’s really cute though, and the quality is nice, there’s no obvious flaws or issues.

Yogurt Jelly Hair Clip Set

In comparison to stationery, we always get sets of hair clips so I’m happy about that :3 I love their kawaii hair clips and accessories, they’re usually always one of my most favorite items~

Anyway, this set is themed after yogurt jelly and features a small translucent clip attached to a clear, colorful, glittery yogurt jelly attached to it, each with labels, a colorful lid, and a tiny lotte written in the corner. These come in several cute color schemes, each set costs $2.90.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

As I’ve been saying this entire review, these are very cute. They’re also well made, in that the pieces don’t feel loose or flimsy, which has been in a problem with one or two past-sets I’ve gotten, but you can easily fix that with some good glue. I was also very happy to get a very pink set, but you couldn’t go wrong with any of them in my opinion!

DIY Fruity Doodle Pen & Flower Candy

Our last item is this cute little fruity doodle set. Technically I don’t consider this to be a DIY considering you’re just spreading gel on the gummies, but it’s very cute and I really wanted to try it. I started seeing it like a year or two ago?

It’s available on Blippo for $3.50.

As you can see, I got tons of yellow gummies, along with a single pink, and two blues. The gel is supposed to be sour, but it’s actually very light- it reminds me a lot of strawberry jello/gelatin. The gummies are individually flavored, and this is what I thought:

Yellow - might be apricot? It tastes a lot like the apricot jelly filling in the mochi I buy from the mall.

Blue - my favorite, tastes like blue raspberry.

Pink - no flavor I could pick up, just sweetness.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

As I said, I’m not sure this is entirely a DIY so I didn’t make a separate post on it. All you do is apply the jelly, which I thought actually tasted the best out of everything in the set, but it was very tasty and cute overall, I just wish the colors/flavors of the flowers were more varied.

♥ Cutie Ranking ♥

Content -  5 out of 5: I’m not sure they were all my absolute favorite or anything, but I did genuinely like everything we got this month. I found no quality issues or problems, plenty of variety in both the types of items, and for each item. A very practical and fun box. Some items were fairly pricey though, and I’m not sure if I agreed with some of those. Also, we got one item less than usual, which I assume has something to do with the price?

Theme -  ????? out of 5: I found this Happy Birthday theme to be extremely open and up for interpretation, so I had I’m not sure how I feel about how they did on it. On one hand I could say “yes, these are items you could use for gifts or decoration for a birthday“, but on another I’d say “sakura badges and yogurt hair clips don’t make me think of a birthday.”

Total Rank: 8.5 out of 10 Cuties. I liked the items, and I can see why they chose the theme they did, but because of how open it is, I’m not sure how my feelings are towards it. The items worked great and I would recommend mostly all of them. I’m not sure this is my favorite box though...

(I’m sorry but I ended up skipping the last part of this review, I was fine this entire time but towards the end things got really busy in the house and I’m not feeling well at the time. I would have went to lay down but my laptop has been weird lately and I didn’t want to risk losing the work T^T sorry if you were looking forward to that part.)