#do you know how many times I fantasize about being asami over the day?

[unpersoniverse]

I realized I never posted these here anyways (⁠ ⁠ꈍ⁠ᴗ⁠ꈍ⁠)

she lives rent free in my head

[storyofauke]

hi! how are you? your tumblr is just great thanks you. i would like t o ask you is the extra "embrace in the night" the festival summer i mean of the extras is they are in the main line, or they jut bonus that have nothing to do with the main line. because if they are in the main line, we would see how they got closer little by little, their relation to strengthen. idk if you will understand what i mean. sorry english is not my language. anyways thanks you, thanks to you i understand better VF

I’m fine, thank you. I hope you are well! This is a great question and something that is very much up for debate. So I can only give you my impressions: some are in the main line, some aren’t, some are pure fantasy.

Love Surprise (New Year) is very much part of the story line because it’s referenced later. 

Cameraman Takaba’s Wonderful day also part of the story line, shows progression of their feelings, particularly Aki’s in questioning what he means to Asami. I also really like how Asami lets on that he would love to have a drinking partner but that Aki obviously is never going to be that, but Asami still takes him home, anyway.

Temporary Paradise (which many forget was initially an extra) very obviously part of the story containing critical information, as well as Drowning in a Sea of Bloody Marys. 

Takaba Akihito’s Fulfilling Life as Housekeeper part of the story, also contained canon information. (The death of the stalker from volume six.)

The Romantic Life of Service of Photographer Takaba Akihito (onsen three-way)  is NOT canon. (Made clear in the most recent chapter, where Aki states he has not seen Fei Long since the casino ship.)

Takaba Akihito’s Graceful Summer Holiday, Photographer Takaba Akihito’s Summer Story, and Head of Department Takaba Akihito’s Rose-Colored Accomplishments are all part of the story and represent a brief sort of idyll in between Aki moving in with Asami and all of the stress and misunderstanding that led us into the current arc. It is in these extras that their bond is strengthened and you see the real sweetness in their relationship that the story itself doesn’t have time and room to explore. In these extras, Asami drops his mask for Akihito and Akihito alone, showing many sides of his character that he rarely displays within the story. 

The Day Businessman Asami Ryuichi’s Little Monster Arrived: This one, too, part of the story, and giving us a rare glimpse at the story through Asami’s point of view. (It tickles me that in these rare POV moments, Asami views himself as so very tolerant of Aki.)

There is also Takaba Akihito’s Asami Ryuichi Report, the extra from the Character Book, which I would place with those early extras (Love Surprise, Wonderful Day.) Obviously before they moved in together, probably before the Naked Truth arc, when Aki was still acting like he was bent on taking Asami down. 

And would you consider Aki’s and Asami’s appearance in Koisuru Finder no Hyouteki an extra? I would firmly place that as canon, in between volumes six and seven.

There are some extras that feel like canon to me but do not fit into the ongoing timeline of the story, but are perhaps looking forward to when all the strife is over and these two are in a settled and happy relationship. Those would be:

My Fair Prince (which to me just crowns the entire series with a perfect expression of what this relationship can and should be. My full take on why here.)

Young Businessman Asami Ryuichi’s Little Monster +1: I know a lot of people complain that this is mpreg fanservice when in fact it is absolutely the opposite. It is sensei very firmly stating this is not going to and never will happen. Neither Asami nor Aki want a child. And therefore, this is (for a yaoi anyway) a fairly realistic take on a couple coming to an understanding that they are complete within themselves. So again, it falls into that happy future canon, where they have time to really work on the relationship. Also notable for exposing Aki’s driving sexual kink. (He LIKES being scared of Asami.) And again giving us a bit of Asami’s POV. (He worries, he cares about what Aki wants.)

The Boss’s Secret Life with a Furball: The fluffiest of the fluff extras, puns and all, but the little twist at the end making it arguably canon, though future canon again, where they have returned to “normal” life. Aki back to his work, Asami back to his, which separates them and drives Asami to dream of his neko Aki. Once again, we get Asami’s POV where Asami views himself as very tolerant, kind, and caring. It’s the little tidbits like this that go a long way towards creating a fuller image of Asami’s character and what really drives him within the main story.

Then there are some that are up for debate:

The Animate Anniversary Extra, where Aki is working undercover in the book store. There’s nothing about it to make it non-canon, but it’s just a bit over-the-top for me. Not fanservice so much as sensei thanking a sponsor.

The Demon of The Guardian Forest Shrine, this is the one from Finder no Souen. I don’t know. I’m on the fence on the idea of Asami and Aki having these little “meet cutes” in the distant past, but if you accept Finder no Souen as canon, you have to take this as well. Just feels super fanservice-y to me.

The Onslaught of Love of the Diligent Photographer Takaba Akihito, the drugged up Aki, sex in the office extra. So you might want to fight me on this one, but there’s something about it that doesn’t fit for me. Again, it just feels a bit over-the-top, particularly with the rewritten ending with Asami feeling up Kirishima, pushing it into fanservice for me. But I don’t strongly disagree with anyone that wants to believe it’s canon. 

Then there are the obvious non-canon extras: The Failure of Taka-bunny and the extras where Aki is a businessman in charge of Asami and the others. Although even these can be read as Aki’s dreams and fantasies, as he has little real power (at least, he doesn’t recognize the power he does possess) and so fantasizes about scenarios where he is in charge.

So that’s my take. Did I miss any?