#find the hidden haiku

[poppliolover1]

Digimon Ghost Game liveblog: First cour, AKA: The introduction

Overall opinion: A great introduction to the characters and stakes of the show, all the basis for the characters are there and the vibe of a spooky show with slice of life elements is in full swing

By the way, there's a hidden haiku in the commentary, try to find it

[moonpie016]

Ok I'm going to post this, possibly ramble (it's expected) and then SNOOZE.

I finish once again, another Love interest reference. Does the crowd cheer? Will I stick with this design? Who knows.

---

---

Sooo.. they're grayscale, kinda. A hit of cyan on them. I didn't wanna stay too long on this one because I rarely draw them at all. Unless it's for something.

They go by any pronouns. I didn't know exactly what to do with them. I wanted to keep them fem presenting, and she still is. But, I guess I hit them with the "androgynous wand" or something.

Mostly every character I draw has that look somehow. Huh.

But anyways, I thought about what each third thinks of Berry.

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(Heart): Refers to Berry with she/her. Explodes with the idea and thought of having a partner. Feeling his need to be the most bestest person ever for them. Even if he's not an expert at all. Nor has any idea on what is "normal couple behavior". Sees saw the best in her. His hatred and love intertwined afterward. Man's a hopeless romantic.

---

[Mind]: Refers to Berry with he/him. Doesn't or didn't find it all that exciting at first. Knowing something bad would come with this. But with that in his head, Mind kind of developed an attachment towards Berry. Not a strong one, not even of romantic intent. But something to experience. Or maybe it was romantic. He didn't know. Nor cared. Was too busy handling everything to think about it, and now hates Berry even being mentioned.

---

{Soul & Whole>: Both refer to Berry with any pronoun. They both have somewhat of the same view. Merging Mind's thoughts, and Heart's, it becomes clear. But, there's one thing that's missing.

Hate. The Sun and Moon hate them. Yet the Star and Vessel don't.

It doesn't make sense to them. Any of them.

---

I could add more but I'm tired and I can't think of anything else, or I'd be just explaining stuff I've written.

I also don't know what this could be considered. Since this technically is a running narrative across different artworks and fics. Not in any particular order of course. Because I just like drawing!

(Trying to sit and think to make multiple chapters and plan stuff is difficult.. <:3 )

---

Sooo yeah.

You get androgynous, genderless Love interest. Cool beans./lh

*I return to the depths.*

---

[talltalestogo]

Hidden

Hidden in each leaf /

is the chance to do good — /

if you can find it.

.

.

#hidden #chance #good #find #you #photo #poem #poetry #haiku #oldnorthknoxville #davidebooker #october #monday #102323 #2023

[archangeldyke-all]

something short and fluffy about making lunches for sevika

enjoy gays! love, angel :)

men and minors dni

i like to think she moves you into her apartment pretty early on in the relationship. (uhaul lesbian sevika the loml)

she doesn't work normal hours, usually coming home in the early hours of the morning and leaving in the late afternoon, so when you get up every morning (after about half an hour of convincing sevika to let you leave the bed) you have your mornings to yourself.

the two of you don't have time to cook that often, but you make sure to keep the cupboards and fridge stocked with snacks and deli meats for easy eats.

about a week into living with sev, you start tucking snack packs and granola bars into her cloak's pockets and satchel before you leave for work.

one night she mentions it casually, thanking you with a gentle kiss to your head for the chips you had hidden in her bag. you decided to step it up a notch after that.

it starts with paper bag lunches. peanut butter sandwiches and a piece of fruit, wrapped in wax paper and signed with a heart from you.

when you have time in the mornings, you write her a little note, something quick and simple. 'love u baby,' or 'u + me = <3.' it gives you a laugh to imagine sevika finding the notes while shes at work, getting flustered in front of silco or ran, trying to crumble up the note before they can see it.

but a few weeks later you're in her office waiting for her to finish some paperwork, and you see the little notes you've been packing her taped up behind her desk in a neat little row. (you crawl under her desk to give her some sloppy head after this particular discovery.)

after this you decide to take your lunches to the next level. you carve out a good 20 minutes in your morning routine to dedicate to her lunches.

you start baking. nothing serious, just quick treats you can pop in the oven in the morning. cookies, brownies, muffins. you always pack her two, in case she decides to share-- but you doubt she shares.

you start cutting her sandwiches into hearts like a lovesick fool.

your notes get a little longer. quick lists of the things you'd like to do to her once she gets home, sometimes innocent, sometimes not. little love letters, haikus, doodles of the two of you holding hands.

you buy increasingly ridiculous snacks at the store for her, chips with wild flavors, crackers in the shapes of various animals, bright candies and air puffed vegetable sticks. you switch out the napkins and old receipts you'd been writing her notes on out for some heart shaped sticky notes.

eventually you bite the bullet and buy her an actual lunch tin. you try to find something subtle, something that matches her vibe, but the closest you can find is a purple tin with black polka dots decorating it. she scoffs at the sight of it, but takes it with her to work every day and brings it home each night, empty besides a few crumbs.

the intimidating image of her stomping down the street with her usual scowl is somewhat obscured with the addition of the little lunch pail swinging along in her grip, but not enough for anyone to say anything to her.

you ask her one night if it embarrasses her-- tell her you can go back to using the paper bags. she pouts.

"fuck no. i like my lunch box. you got it for me." she says simply.

sometimes, instead of a note you'll snap a dirty polaroid and throw it in her pail. your cleavage, your ass, a shot of the matching set you're wearing under your work uniform. each time you do, sevika comes home with a dark look in her eye and fucks you for hours on end.

"you're such a fuckin' tease. had to work five more hours knowing you were at home wearing these. nearly quit so i could come home and get my hands on you sooner."

when she's having a particularly rough week, you'll roll her a hefty joint and pack it alongside some extra snacks for munchies. these nights, she comes home and drags you to the couch to cuddle for hours. she burrows under your shirt, breathing in the scent of your skin and mumbling about her day as you rub her back.

one day you come home from work to see the purple lunch pail still sitting on the counter. it breaks your heart to think of sevika going without her food and note, so you scoop it up and march down to the last drop to hand deliver it to her.

at this point, the bouncers recognize you, they move aside to let you in with a nod. you navigate through the rowdy crowd looking for your girlfriend. eventually you spot her in a heated conversation with a few of silco's goons, pinching the bridge of her nose and snarling. the man beside her flinches every time she moves. you smile.

you let her finish her little lecture before approaching her. the second her eyes meet yours, her face melts. the tension in her shoulders falls, the stress in her face disappears into a soft little smile. when her eyes catch the lunch box in your hands, her eyes go big and round.

she scoops you up into her arms, clinging onto you, burying her face into your neck. "you're the best thing that's ever happened to me." she mumbles. you giggle, kissing her hair.

she drags you to her office, forcing you to sit on her lap, alternating feeding herself and you bites of the food you packed her.

"you make a good housewife." she mumbles around a mouthful of food. you laugh.

"gotta be a wife for that." you snort, elbowing her. you expect the usual laugh and smack on your ass you get when teasing sevika about marriage, but instead you're met with silence. you look up at her.

"would you wanna be?" she asks, so soft and quiet you would've missed it if you weren't looking at her. you blink.

"sevika." she looks at you, her eyes sparkling. "you are not about to propose to me in your office." you command. a guilty little smile creeps up her lips. you raise your eyebrows.

"no, i guess i'm not." she says. you giggle, nervous and giddy.

"no, you're not." you confirm. she pouts. "'cause if you want me to say yes, you at least gotta get me some flowers. and you gotta do it somewhere you haven't disemboweled someone before."

"doesn't leave very many options open for me." she grumbles. you laugh.

"you'll figure it out." you say. "or you'll just have to wait 'til i propose to you." you tease.

"fine." she huffs, shoving the remainder of her sandwich in her mouth. "just as long as you keep making me lunches."

[seireiteihellbutterfly]

Bleach Headcanons : Oddities Part 2

More weird stuff that members of the Gotei 13 do. Part 1 can be found here.

Genryusai Yamamoto

Enjoys knitting and spends his evenings creating intricate scarves and blankets for his squad members. He considers it a form of meditation and finds solace in the rhythmic clicking of the knitting needles.

Has a hidden stash of adorable cat-themed trinkets in his office, gifts from squad members over the years. 

Has a peculiar habit of conducting morning exercises with his subordinates, insisting on leading synchronized stretching sessions that include overly enthusiastic jumping jacks and cartwheels, much to everyone's surprise.

Shunsui Kyoraku 

Composes dramatic, overly poetic love letters to his favorite sake brands, expressing his undying devotion and appreciation for their taste.

Is known to challenge squad members to bizarre competitions, such as a haiku battle or a contest to see who can take the longest nap. He always claims victory, regardless of the actual outcome.

Keeps a stash of disguises in his office and occasionally infiltrates other squads just for fun, but he's always caught due to his distinctively lazy demeanor

Izuru Kira

Has a secret collection of adorable plush toys hidden in his office. Whenever he's stressed, he takes a break with these plushies, assigning different voices and personalities to each one. 

Creates a mini zen garden in his office and spends hours meticulously arranging the sand and tiny rocks, finding solace and inner peace in its careful maintenance.

Collects unusual stationery and spends his downtime experimenting with different types of ink and quills. 

Toshiro Hitsugaya

Develops an unexpected fascination with ice sculpting and spends his free time sculpting intricate, mini ice replicas of notable Seireitei landmarks. He insists they're just practice, but secretly cherishes them in his office. 

Unintentionally is a magnet for lost animals in the Seireitei, and his squad often finds him shooing out stray cats and birds from his office.

 Becomes overly protective of the squad's refrigerator, labeling each item with his name and fiercely defending his snacks from any potential thieves within the squad, even going as far as setting up "ice traps" to catch unauthorized snack bandits

Zaraki Kenpachi

Pretty sure he’s adopted a pet kitten that he secretly dotes on in his spare time. He refuses to acknowledge its existence in front of anyone and grumbles about "just tolerating its presence," but his squad members catch glimpses of him sneaking it bits of fish and milk.

Started a food stall called "Kenpachi's Cooking Corner" where he attempts to teach his squad how to cook. The sessions usually end in chaos and burnt food, but everyone participates out of fear of upsetting him.

Enjoys reading shoujo manga in secret and has a vast collection stashed away in his office, fiercely denying their existence whenever someone accidentally discovers them, insisting that he got them for Yachiru. 

Mayuri Kurotsuchi 

Holds "Bring Your Weirdest Invention to Work" days in his lab, encouraging his subordinates to create the most outlandish and impractical gadgets imaginable. However, he always mysteriously makes his own invention vanish right before the judging, claiming it was too advanced for everyone else to comprehend

Holds a weekly "Fashion Forward Friday" where he experiments with unconventional clothing designs, resulting in outrageous outfits that his squad members struggle to comprehend

Has a peculiar habit of meticulously organizing his lab by arranging test tubes and equipment according to their color gradients, which nobody dares disturb for fear of incurring his wrath

Becomes obsessed with perfecting the art of making perfectly shaped and flavored jelly desserts. His squad members often find themselves unwilling taste-testers for his latest bizarre jelly concoctions

[aimerays]

right before the confession

summary: they've known you for a while now, and it's finally time.

characters: xiao, kaedehara kazuha, shikanoin heizou

xiao doesn't care for mortals and their silly emotions. that is, until he meets you. suddenly, he's experiencing the very feelings he had deemed foolish and useless.

xiao arrives at the balcony of wangshu inn, but upon seeing you leaning on the railing with the most peaceful expression he's ever seen, he stays hidden. he watches you take in the crisp night air, the wind caressing your features. though he knows it's strange for him to think so, the thought crosses the adeptus's mind that you look very pretty. your eyelids are half closed, and the steady rhythm of your breath is enough to keep him in a trance. xiao stays silent, watching you for a few more minutes, trying to capture all of your beauty in one single snapshot in his memory. he's aware it's wrong of him, but who is he to disobey the pounding in his chest? then, he hears you whisper, "i wish xiao were here," and it's all he needs to step out of the shadows and finally tell you how he feels.

kazuha has always looked out for you, regardless of if you were accompanying him on a voyage at sea or simply taking a stroll in the outskirts of narukami island. the feelings developed so gradually that he isn't sure when he started thinking this way.

kazuha beams. the weather is especially good today: the sky is clear, and the wind is telling him there won't be a storm anytime soon. because of the wonderful weather, he's invited you to... well, he's not really sure himself. all kazuha knows is that he hasn't seen you in a while, and that has to change. he fidgets with the piece of paper in his hands. he's decided to reveal his feelings today, and to do that, he's written you a haiku. it's unlike kazuha to be restless, but as each second passes, he grows more and more nervous. when did he get so bold? was this actually a bad idea? would you reciprocate his feelings like he hoped? kazuha's mind is running wild, and he considers crumpling the paper and tossing it somewhere no one will ever find. maybe he could throw it in the sea the next time beidou invited him onto her ship. before he can follow through with anything, though, kazuha sees you in the distance, grinning widely and waving. this sight is enough to convince him. clutching the paper, he waves back and makes up his mind.

heizou, perceptive as ever, always picks up on the smallest of changes in your behavior. he's known about your growing feelings for him, but he could never quite pinpoint his own.

heizou has noticed the way you sneak glances at him and treat him just a little differently than you treat everyone else. he knows that everything--all the "evidence" in this "case"--points to you reciprocating his feelings, but he's never had the courage to confront you about it. it's weird and really out of character for him, and heizou's aware of this. he knows about his reputation as the flirty and confident ace detective, but even so, he can't bring himself to be honest with you. he swears his heart skips a beat when you look him in the eyes, and the confidence drains from his body as soon as you smile. finally, after weeks of being pestered by his colleagues at the detective agency and everyone around him, heizou spills everything he's been thinking. starting with exactly how he feels about you.

[hungwy]

i also wrote up this (maybe not?) crazy theory that the 「横たう」 part in that first haiku is specifically chosen because the たう part of the verb would've probably stood out to his contemporary readers also as a noun. and there are a few really good nouns that were pronounced たう back then

佐渡に横多雨 ��heavy rains upon Sado”: very thematic because, you know, there's a rough sea happening in the line above. also calling the milky way a "rough sea" and "heavy rain" is sick

佐渡に横陶 “a fog beside Sado”: seems to fit with the physical appearance of the milky way as it rises against the island. also could also be a literal reference to sea- or island-fog. which is symbolically significant because at the time sado was an island for political exiles, i.e., hidden away

佐渡に横鳭 “The ibises at Sado”: crested ibises were widespread in basho's time but nowadays their only sanctuary is on sado island! they actually were extinct from japan for a while! anyway these birds are apparently known for being really annoying to catch so like. though sado is for political exiles. they are actually full of "ibises". "we're not really free but check it out we got our own island away from you idiots" type stuff. there's also apparently ibises in ancient japanese texts symbolizing something like a connection between earth and heaven but i couldnt find a good way to search the nihon shoki for that

[instruth]

GOLDMINE YOURS AND MINE

Goldmine yours and mine

Tears and joys combined

Pottery, stones, arts fine

Hidden history ill defined

Memories, rawly refined

Treasures buried, confined

Clues, signs, sticks and lines

Left behind for a future find

Dig, chisel, sweep the mines

Heart and Truth undermined

ah searching to find

with wealth hidden underground

when will we be found

©Johnny J P Lee

06 February 2025

HAIBUN: Gogyoshiren10 + Haiku 5-7-5

Photos Credit: J. P. Lee

[sneeb-canons]

I like to think that HMS acted diffrent when they had a crush phase with love interest™ (aka the one to who Haiku and Hidden in the sand was singed to)

Heart was, litterally talking about them ALL THE TIME.

Soul would be "alright guys, remember we have to make the best impression on them"

Meanwhile Mind would look at them both and be like "you idiots" and act 'normal' but constanly she would think about them when she do anything slightly relateting to, then she would go totally flustered finding she also have a crush in them

Headcanon #514

[goldenflowerinthedark]

Kouyou Headcanons Post!!

She's transfem!!

She kept her birthname because she liked it.

She wears her hair down when she has bad dysphoria days.

She smells like cherry blossoms and tea.

Her favorite flowers are cherry blossoms.

Her favorite tea is either green tea with cherry blossoms or oolong.

She makes the best tea.

She keeps a sword hidden not only in her parasol, but also under some of her layers of clothing. Due to all the layers, it's very tough to spot.

She's a questioning lesbian, though she has loved a man before (the lover she tried to leave the mafia with).

She likes to make and put together outfits, especially more traditional Japanese ones or anything she finds particularly stylish.

She has very good posture.

She also has very good manners!

Animals usually don't like her, for some reason.

Sometimes in her free time, she'll do origami.

She completed 1000 paper cranes once, and the wish she made was to either have her lover back or to be able to leave the mafia.. It didn't come true. (Inspired by @duckduckgoose-exe :3)

She gets sunburnt easily, which is part of the reason she has a parasol (the other is because it's stylish).

She likes haikus, and occasionally tries to write some.

Before she was an executive, when she would mess up in her job, she would get "punished accordingly" or "shown the right way to do it" through torture, since that was the department she was in.

She has a few scars, but they're all usually covered by her clothes.

She believes that scars are actually quite beautiful, and a symbol of one's strength and ability to adapt and overcome things.

In the summer, she switches out her typical kimono for a yukata so she doesn't melt in the heat.

Aaand more to come!!

@shusei-tokuda @kijimha

@pm-black-lizard (I know she hasn't really interacted with you yet... But someday I'll think of a prompt.. Trust..)

@dogskahara @nakahara-chuuya-18 (Sorry for the tags... Not sure if it was something you'd wanna see-)

[poppliolover1]

Digimon Ghost Game liveblog: Final cour, AKA: An ending yet a beginning

Overall opinion: A fantastic ending that brings together everything that Ghost Game tried to tell, done as well as it could be done since you can feel the sudden episode cut since again, Bandai and Toei love to sabotage digimon. Already said my thoughts on the commentary itself, but if it isn't clear already, Ghost Game is in fact my favorite season and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants a horror slice of life show with fun characters, moments that makes you question how this is a kids show and amazing tunes and animation.

By the way, there's a hidden haiku in the commentary, try to find it

[moonpie016]

This'll be probably a long post because I have accumulated art again.

First of all, some random artwork.

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Mind design timeline, random doodles of the THDPH because I was bored, Heart (pre-ROE) trying to reassure Whole (which fails later), and HMSsonas trying to become "Whole". Or bond in a way.

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Ok, now for the lengthy stuff. :]

Soo, since the toy symbolism of 'A human's Touch' was now in my brain, I thought, "what if I just made HMS toys?"

Then I went and thought more, I don't know whether this could be considered an AU or something. But it is still based upon Haiku and Hidden in the sand, as well as other songs that fit the narrative.

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Whole/Harmonia and Berry (Love interest).

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Mind, Heart, and Soul as plushies/toys.

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Now I'm going to go on a full on ramble/ deep dive. Or whatever.

So, since it's shown in the animatic that Heart is mostly in control for the start of everything, he's happy, optimistic, affectionate, kind, sees the best in everything and tries to always see things in a wider lens.

Tries to do his best.

But after the trials of dealing with the ups and mostly downs of this new experience, he asks Mind to fill in his shoes, finding the whole thing tiring but still wanting and hoping for everything to go well.

And Mind obliges, trying to mimic Heart's personality, or at least seeing how Heart would react to certain feelings and actions. But it's more observant, seeing the nice and kind nature of this relationship dwindle. And the obvious pit in their vessel grow. Yet Lune pleads to stay. And the two just observe, cautious. Soon enough, it's too much for the emotional side to bear, but he pleads more to continue. Mind knows this isn't good, even Soul knows this isn't good, telling him that they need to leave. It will be good for them all.

Artemis refuses, fearing the thought of being alone. Trying to reason illogical things.

Berry sees through the unsure words of Whole that he isn't the same as he was in the beginning. He changed. Berry begins to leave... but not until they're met with a furious Harmonia.

Heart completely breaks, all the kindness and ever loving emotions turned into anger, yelling at Love interest through his tears.

Then, they're off.

Leaving a weeping Heart, a foggy confused Mind, a petty Soul, and a fearful Whole.

Cycling through this tiring and scary hole.

---

So yeah, that's the jist of this entire thing.

It's something.

I might compile a bunch of songs that fit with this narrative into a playlist. For fun.

Might ramble about this again.

But that's all for now, hope you enjoy. :]

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[talltalestogo]

“Hidden”

Hidden Hidden in each leaf / is the chance to do good — / if you can find it. . . #hidden #chance #good #find #you #photo #poem #poetry #haiku #oldnorthknoxville #davidebooker #october #monday #102323 #2023

[sosoribro]

Social Butterfly Jaime & Bart and their Cringe But In A Good Way™ music

jaime:

-well he's sosoribro!jaime of course he likes the songs that i like- i mean ummmm

-he'd really like tally hall. he'd enjoy greener, haiku, and hidden in the sand the most from MMMM. i think he'd like Good & Evil more tho. his favourite song on it would probably be Hymn For a Scarecrow. i get the feeling he'd enjoy Two Wuv aswell, and The Trap.

-by extension, he'd like hawaii pt ii aswell. his favourite would be White Ball :]

-he'd love Two Time by jack stauber

-oh and we all know by now that one of his favourite songs is What Makes You Beautiful by infamous boy band one direction

-he'd LOVE cabinet man by lemon demon. like. with the scarab and everything he'd hear the "im half human and half machine" and be like "oh my god so me... more or less."

-he'd enjoy soft fuzzy man too because of the fun sounds

-(i actually havent listened to that much lemon demon... out of the few i've heard, these two just stick out the most as songs he'd like.)

-and i know for a fact that i/me/myself by will wood is in his top 5 songs ever. 1: i think it really fits with him still trying to figure out his identity. 2: it tickles my ears real good so therefore it tickles his ears too. 3: bro have you HEARD tje song its such a groove

-as for any more will wood songs..... uh i may need to bring a friend of mine to the stage (psst @smelly-welly69420 psssssst give me a hand here)

bart:

-jaime would get him REALLY into tally hall. bart would love turn the lights off, two wuv, out in the twilight, and the flibbity jibbity part of ruler of everything.

-he'd also enjoy time machine from hawaii part ii :>

-again, i havent listened to a lot of lemon demon at all but i think bart would enjoy the jumpiness of touch-tone telephone. he'd also really like ultimate showdown. and he'd find cabinet man to be really cool. maybe he'd also like eighth wonder.

-as for will wood...... hmm i'll get back to ya on that one

[thefinalcinderella]

Tsurune Book 3 Chapter 6 - Genuine (Part 2)

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

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

TW: suicide mention

Glossary here

Full list of translations here

Translation Notes

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

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

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

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

Previous | Next

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

Don’t laugh and just listen to me.

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

Asahina and Minato faced each other.

“Looks like ‘Minahead’ worked. Thanks.”

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

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

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

“That’s right, partner.”

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

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

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

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

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

“Go easy on us.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kanuma and Seiya summoned tsurune.

Brain, be deceived. Make a miracle happen.

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

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

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

“Wow, it’s so beautiful.”

“Both schools are sparkling.”

“This is exactly what ‘brilliance’ is.”

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

Fire.

Fire knew what you had done.

It also knew the name and face of your accomplice.

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

Asahina and Minato released their arrows.

For the second shot, nobody missed.

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

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

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

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

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

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

“I will.”

“You won’t laugh?”

“I won’t.”

Minato took a deep breath.

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

“Hmm.”

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

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

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

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

“Are you telling the truth?”

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

Masa-san began speaking.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The two looked at each other and smiled.

It was a strange feeling of empathy with each other.

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

When Masa-san finished, he grinned.

This was a secret between master and disciple.

“Good.”

“Good.”

The sixth voice was heard.

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

The sounds came again.

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

Meigen. That was the sound of the dawn.

Three sounds and arrows of light fell from the sky.

The arrows of light pierced my body.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Let’s slowly take a deep breath.

You could see what you couldn’t see before.

You could touch what you couldn’t touch before.

The days I spent with you.

The days I will spend with you from now on.

Who should I thank for this happiness?

Right now, I’m breathing.

Blessed are the creatures that shed their fur.

They have rented lodgings on earth and eaten many lives.

Now, I offer a moment of silence.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Minato was standing on the earth.

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

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

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

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

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

“Thank you very much.”

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

The mind and body were the same person.

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

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

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

They were one from the beginning.

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

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

Minato and Asahina’s arrows pierced their targets.

Ten people. Forty perfect hits.

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

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

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

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

“…I hope it doesn’t end like this.”

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

The oomae had begun to raise their bows.

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

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

Once more, everyone hit.

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

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

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

Minato was talking to his mother in a dream.

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

Greensleeves was a “Song of Naru.”

After completing his trials, the boy became an adult.

It was a rite of passage, an initiation.

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

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

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

Yearning, chasing, wishing.

Cowering, struggling, being doubted, despised.

Raging, despairing, cursing.

When you repent, mourn, accept death…

And give up.

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

With a “welcome.”

Love meant forgiving yourself and others.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Yeah, I had fun too.”

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

Minato and Kaito were screaming.

“Woooooooo!”

“Yeaaaaaah!”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Alright, let’s run home.”

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

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

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

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

“All three of you are amazing.”

Himuro nodded wordlessly.

“Kyah, I’m sorry!”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“What’s wrong, Minato!?”

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

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

“It’s hard to breathe…my throat…”

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

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

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

Seiya and Ryouhei looked at each other.

“Minato’s allergic to ginkgo!”

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

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

Seiya’s expression froze.

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

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

“Sorry about this, Minato.”

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

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

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

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

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

Seiya had a pained expression on his face.

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

“Why Minato?” Ryouhei asked.

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

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

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

“It’s frustrating.”

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

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

“We have to punish him hard for this.”

Kuon was spending the weekend at the villa.

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

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

It was Fujiwara Shuu.

“Kuon Takumi, will you apologize to Minato?”

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

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

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

“He?”

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

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

“Excuse me, sir? Are you a guest?”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kuon clutched at the soil.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Shuu jumped down. His pale eyelashes were swaying.

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

“…Fujiwara-senpai.”

Minato also peeked out from the helicopter.

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

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

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

Young leaves danced in the sky.

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

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

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

“They went to see the dormouse.”

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

“Yes.”

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

Nanao pointed to the door of the hut.

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

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

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

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

“You don’t have to look, Kaito.”

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

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

The mountains were shining.

The mountains were singing.

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

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[baizhoobies]

For you event for BSD, black butler and genshin impact for any adult male characters

Im a female Sagittarius , my mbti is intj, I have a high pain tolerance. I can actually sing really well but only when I’m alone. I never wanna drink alcohol in my life and I secretly despise it. I’m also an introvert. I’m also Latina and 4”11. I rarely get grossed out. I’m straight . I love horror and rarely get grossed out and I like cats more then people . I have autism. I love watching movies and playing genshin impact. I also like learning and reading . I know English, my Spanish is rusty and the basics of French. I love desserts. Im also Demi which means I can’t fall for someone romantically or sexually until their is a emotional connection . We have to be friends first. I love the dark and macabre. I prefer a cafe to a concert for a date.

I match you up with . . . ♡

˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚ ❀ Edgar Allen Poe | Bungo Stray Dogs

Poe was the first character that came to mind because much like you, you are introverted, have a love for the macabre and of course, for reading. I have headcanoned Poe as a demisexual as well, so he can relate to you on a personal level.

As someone who doesn’t like big crowds, he would find himself coming out of his shell more when its just the two of you - he will most likely want you to read any and all novels he has written. He would take you to a nice, quiet cafe and would beg ask you to read over his works.

As much as he would get excited over sharing common interests, he will also take a keen interest in your hobbies that he himself has not partaken in; such as Genshin Impact. He could happily watch you play, and if you explain the game mechanics to him (in particular the wish system) he would absolutely become an enabler when it comes to purchasing wishes. - the man has got money $$$

You log in one day and see that you have a ridiculous amount of primogems and you kinda just ??? - which Poe may play coy and say some shit like “oh that is a mystery~” like yeah, right, a total mystery, Mr Money Man.

˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚ ❀ Sebastian Michaelis | Black Butler

Phew, what to say about this man. I will start with the obvious that the both of you prefer the company of cats rather than people; something you both can closely relate to. Once the both of you get closer to each other, he would absolutely show you his collection of cats that he keeps hidden away. They are his pride and joy after all.

As someone who regularly tutors Ciel, he would be more than happy to help you in learning another language, especially in French. Sebastian is fluent in a few languages, including french, so if you were to ask him, he would absolutely teach you. As for Spanish, I am sure he would be just as enthusiastic to learn with you.

He would encourage you to sing! I can imagine him one night walking down the corridor and hearing a sweet voice singing, your voice. He would hide behind your door and listen to you for a while, smiling to himself. If he ever walks in on you whilst singing, he would definitely tease you, but ultimately would encourage you to sing more, especially to him.

Oh and one last thing, if you tell him you like desserts, he would ensure to make an extra portion whilst baking for his young lord, Ciel. He would either wait till he has done serving his master to give it to you in person, or he would deliver it to your door, wrapped up nicely with a bow; which is attached to a little love note.

˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚ ❀ Kaedehara Kazuha | Genshin Impact

The first person I had in mind to match with you was Kazuha. He is a gentle soul that is quiet, at least at first. He is someone I can imagine would prefer to get to know people on an emotional level before getting into a relationship.

Kazuha is known to be a bit of a poet, and would regularly write haikus - and if the both of you get comfortable enough with each other, he would gladly show you some of his works, even if he doesn’t think they are any good.

As someone like myself who also has autism, I would say Kazuha is one of the most emotionally understanding characters of Genshin; coming across as someone who is sensitive to your needs. Kazuha has a very easy-going personality, but is also determined to help and support his friends - honestly he is the perfect example of boyfriend material!

If you ever did feel comfortable in singing in front of Kazuha, he would happily play his Shibabue and whistle to the rhythm. Kazuha loves music and believe me, he’d love to hear you sing.