#fuji menu

[just-a-waifu-lover]

Every new chapter of Emiya Gohan is always great (even if I don't understand Japanese).

[solxamber]

Bid for Disaster - Kaito Fuji x reader

When Kaito borrows money from Romeo again, he's forced to become a product at Romeo's auction. To his surprise, you are the one who bids, rescuing him from the humiliation of being sold off to strangers.

Kaito stood on the auction stage like a deer caught in headlights, his face a mix of desperation and sheer mortification. The crowd murmured in amusement as Romeo paced the stage, drawing out the tension with an exaggerated grin.

“And next up, we have Kaito Fuji!” Romeo’s voice dripped with a sarcastic lilt. “Ladies, gentlemen, and everyone in between, a man with... well, questionable judgment but hey, a date’s a date, right?”

Kaito’s eyes widened, and his cheeks flushed a deep red. You could practically see him calculating the odds of survival if he just made a break for it. And Romeo, of course, was in his element, milking the moment for all it was worth.

"Come on, folks! You’ll be helping him pay off his debt to me! A noble cause, don’t you think?"

No one moved. The silence stretched uncomfortably long, and Kaito looked like he wanted the earth to swallow him whole. He shot a panicked glance at you, as if begging for help, though you weren’t sure if it was intentional or just his desperation seeping through.

You couldn’t take it anymore. This whole situation was wrong. He might’ve had bad luck—or maybe terrible financial management skills—but he didn’t deserve this public humiliation. You glanced at your wallet, sighed, and then...

“I’ll bid!” Your voice rang out louder than you expected.

All heads snapped toward you, including Kaito’s, whose mouth was hanging open in complete shock. His eyes locked onto yours, utterly speechless.

The crowd erupted in a chorus of whispers, and Romeo actually froze mid-stride, blinking at you like he couldn’t believe what he’d just heard. Recovering quickly, his face broke into a wide grin. “Sold to the lovely bidder in the back!”

You could’ve sworn you heard Kaito let out a sound that was somewhere between a whimper and a gasp. As the hammer came down, he tried to leave the stage with a shred of dignity, but his nerves betrayed him. In his haste, he misjudged the steps and tripped, rolling down in an almost comical display of limbs, landing in a crumpled heap at the bottom. The crowd gasped, and you winced, trying not to laugh.

This guy had been trying to ask you out for months? He was absolutely pathetic—but in the kind of way that made your heart feel oddly soft.

Despite Kaito’s less-than-graceful exit from the stage, you decided to go on the date. After all, he had tried to talk to you for ages, and hey, maybe he’d surprise you.

He didn’t.

You arrived at the restaurant he’d picked, and from the moment you stepped inside, you had a bad feeling about this. It wasn’t the ambiance—it looked like a cozy enough spot. No, it was Kaito’s jittery demeanor, like he was two seconds away from bolting. His eyes flicked from the menu to you, back to the waiter, then the ceiling, and then the exit—like he was mapping out all the ways to escape. It was endearing, in a trainwreck sort of way.

“So, um, yeah. I hope you like this place.” He fumbled with the menu, almost knocking over the silverware. “I read some reviews, and they said it’s like... good?”

You smiled politely, trying to put him at ease. “Yeah, looks nice.”

The waiter appeared, and Kaito scrambled to order. “Uh, we’ll take the... uhm, I’ll have the chicken... wait, no... the fish... or maybe the...?”

The waiter raised an eyebrow, and you were pretty sure you heard a quiet sigh escape from him. Finally, Kaito settled on something, and you ordered too, hoping for the best.

But then the waiter returned almost immediately, looking apologetic. “We’re out of chicken. And fish. And... well, everything you ordered.”

Kaito’s eyes went wide. “What? How is that even—? Okay, uh, we’ll just have water for now.”

Water. You tried not to laugh, biting your lip as Kaito’s face flushed. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t... I didn’t expect this.”

“It’s fine,” you said, trying to hold back your amusement.

But then things got worse. Kaito, clearly flustered, reached for his glass of water—only for it to slip out of his hand and spill directly into your lap.

“Oh my god—! I’m so sorry!” His voice cracked as he frantically grabbed napkins, dabbing at your soaked pants.

“It’s okay, it’s okay!” You couldn’t help but laugh now, because really, it was all too ridiculous.

Kaito looked like he wanted to sink into the floor. His hands were trembling as he tried to wipe up the spill, his face so red you were starting to wonder if he’d combust.

The rest of the meal, if you could call it that, wasn’t any better. Kaito kept jumping from topic to topic, trying to start conversations, but every time he looked at you, it was like his brain short-circuited. You watched him stammer through half-finished sentences, laugh awkwardly at jokes that weren’t funny, and at one point, he knocked over the salt shaker, which promptly shattered on the floor.

It was bad. You almost felt sorry for him. Almost.

By the time Kaito dropped you off at your dorm, he looked like a broken man. His shoulders were slumped, his face etched with despair. He turned to you, eyes filled with regret.

“I... I’m so sorry. That was... the worst. You’ll probably never talk to me again, and honestly, I wouldn’t blame you. I... I’ve been trying to ask you out for months, and then when I finally do, it’s... this.” He waved his hand vaguely, as if gesturing to the entirety of the disaster that had unfolded that night.

You stood there, watching him fall apart, and felt something unexpected. Endearment. Sure, the date had been a complete catastrophe, but Kaito was trying. He genuinely cared. And somehow, in his fumbling, pathetic way, it was... sweet.

“Kaito,” you said softly, stepping closer. You could see the tears welling up in his eyes. He was really beating himself up over this. Before he could spiral further, you leaned in and kissed him gently on the cheek.

His eyes widened, and he froze.

“I had fun,” you said, holding back a laugh as his expression shifted from utter confusion to disbelief.

“What? Fun? How could you possibly have fun?”

You handed him a small piece of paper with your number. “That’s my number. How about we try again?”

He blinked, staring down at the paper like it was some sort of mystical artifact. “Wait... you... you want to go on another date? With me?”

You couldn’t help but laugh and nod at how utterly baffled he looked. All you could think was: Yep. I think I have a taste for boyfailures.

As you skipped back into your dorm, Kaito remained rooted to the spot, staring at the door in a daze. Slowly, the realization hit him, and his entire face lit up in a giddy, disbelieving grin. He laughed under his breath, still too stunned to move.

Masterlist

[putschki1969]

2024/09/27 Wakanaとみんなで行って来た！屋形船でまんぷくに！！〜一日目の巻〜

❗This is Fan Club EXCLUSIVE content❗ ❗PERSONAL USE ONLY❗ ❗Do NOT SHARE on other sites❗ ❗Join her FAN CLUB! Check out my detailed TUTORIAL ❗

Let's All Go Together! On A Houseboat Full-Course Tour!! 〜Day 1〜

The other day, my “Join Wakana! Houseboat Full-Course Tour” ended successfully after two eventful days ＼(^o^)／I had so much fun that time went by in a flash…just like a live show😂

I'd like to look back on these two fun days and share a lot of photos with you! First, I'd like to talk about the Day 1 event which took place in the evening😊Here's the meal I've been looking forward to for a long time! Huge tempura!! 🍤🍤🍤 So crispy!! A variety of amazing dishes!! 😭✨Take a look at this big ~Menu~. I'm so happy that we were able to do justice to the tour name by having so many different courses😊

I am saying my greetings to all participants of Day 1✨Cheers!! ♪(^^)o∀∀o(^^*)♪ Everyone seemed to enjoy their meal which made me very happy♪ We were all divided into groups at each table. Since there were a lot of solo attendees, I wondered what it would be like for them~?😳 Even though, some of them were meeting each other for the first time, everyone seemed to enjoy pouring drinks for each other and chatting. I was relieved to see you getting along with each other😊As expected, all my Botanical companions are full of kindness!! ＼(^o^)／Thank you!! ＼(^o^)／💕

We all got to enjoy the night view of Odaiba while feeling the night breeze on the boat♡ On that day, it was pretty windy and rainy in the morning so I was quite worried about our little boat trip…😱 I couldn't help but feel anxious💦 But just in time for the boarding, we were able to see the most beautiful sunset once the sky had cleared up a bit. The temperature was just right with a nice breeze. I think everyone enjoyed watching the sunset while waiting for the boat…😊(I was secretly watching everyone on board from afar and waving at you.) Anyway, I'm glad it was sunny😊💕

Here's a picure of Rainbow Bridge as seen from the houseboat🌉 And he Fuji TV building was shining brilliantly📺 There were many houseboats all around us ♪

We did a Q&A corner! It was fun😂But of course, the best thing about this houseboat was karaoke!! After boarding, we distributed a song list to everyone, and each table got to choose one song they wanted to hear. They all wrote their request on a little board we provided🌟(Here's one of the request boards. A fan drew this cute picture!) Here I am during the karaoke session🎤The song choices were well-balanced and varied, which was fun. Unfortunately, we all struggled a lot with the karaoke machine on Day 1🤣 I didn't know that I had to "select the original key," so I was confused when I kept getting a key that was too low for my voice. As for the microphone, I wanted to sing close to the speaker, but there was always feedback…It was difficult to find a goof position that didn't cause any trouble💦After a lot of trial and error, I ended up singing with my back facing the audience😂😂 Sorry to everyone behind me…😭😭Actually, the mystery was solved the following day. It seems that the houseboat karaoke machine is designed for people to sit while singing. Makes sense if you think about it. But at that time I wasn't able to figure it out at all🤣 That's why every time I stood up to sing, I got this horrible feedback *sobs*. But eventually, I found a good position that worked for me so I didn't leave that spot for the remainder of the karaoke session🎤At the end of Day 1, I found a wonderful message by a fan…😭✨A rabbit and sharks🦈🦈Thank you for the message😊

I chose this yukata for Day 1 because the yellow flowers were cute🌼I used a gyoza ornament for the obidome🥟This is actually a gyoza magnet that I received from a fan. I had it attached to my obidome🥟My manager actually helped me put on the yukata‼ ️＼＼\٩( 'ω' )و //／／Some of the participants came to the event in kimonos and yukatas, it's amazing that you can put them on by yourself…😳 I'm jealous😳

All right, that was Day 1 of my “Join Wakana! Houseboat Full-Course Tour” ･:*+.(( °ω° ))/.:+ Next time I'll write about the event on Day 2 which took place during the daytime.

~To be continued~

Last but not least! Today, the key visual for "Wakana Classics 2024", was released, so I thought I'd talk a little bit about it here ♡ Sorry for the sudden departure from my houseboat stories😂For the photo shoot, I got to wear a beautiful dress again✨ It was raining really hard that day but thanks to my photographer who always brings the sun with him, it ended up being sunny! 😍 I'm glad we were able to take many pictures outdoors surrounded with greenery🌿 Actually, the composition of this key visual is pretty much the same as the one for my May live. I'm even looking in the same direction😊 This year, I was able to safely celebrate my 5th Anniversary as a solo artist. I'm looking towards the future, at all the things that I believe await me beyond today, "sono saki e". Believing that there is an even bigger world waiting for us "beyond," gives me the courage to continue to forge ahead with all of you. Please continue following me‼️＼＼\٩( 'ω' )و //／／

Well, that's all for today! Until next time~☆( '▽')/

＊＊＊Wakana＊＊＊

2024/09/28 Wakanaとみんなで行って来た！屋形船でまんぷくに！！〜二日目の巻〜

❗This is Fan Club EXCLUSIVE content❗ ❗PERSONAL USE ONLY❗ ❗Do NOT SHARE on other sites❗ ❗Join her FAN CLUB! Check out my detailed TUTORIAL ❗

Let's All Go Together! On A Houseboat Full-Course Tour!! 〜Day 2

Well, today I'd like to talk about Day 2 of “Join Wakana! Houseboat Full-Course Tour”! This time, the event took place around noon‼︎＼＼\٩( 'ω' )و //／／It rained from the morning on this day as well (why!😂) and I wondered what would happen but thankfully…the sun came out just in time！！ ！ ！ ＼(^o^)／The view from the houseboat was the same Odaiba area, but during the day, it was completely different from the previous night's view. Such a refreshing blue sky! The Rainbow Bridge♪ And Fuji TV📺Look at those beautiful clouds…😍The sun was bright, but there was a lovely breeze, very pleasant〜😊

On the second day, I wore a grape🍇 patterned yukata🤗 Here I am filming something for my FC video section! 🎥 (please be patient and wait a little while longer)

My Botanical companions of Day 2 were watching over me with smiles on their faces😂Thank you everyone〜😆Here's a photo of everyone on the boat on Day📸Cheers‼️♪(^^)o∀∀o(^^*)♪ Everyone was just as energetic as during Day 1‼︎😊I'm actually jealous that you were all drinking alcohol in the daytime😍 (I just had oolong tea!) Once again I was looking forward to the freshly fried tempura!! 🍤💕I was so happy to see them bringing out all the delicious fried food…😭✨

It goes without saying that we were able to enjoy the view outside better than at night. I was also surprised at how fast we were going😳 I had a blast eating amazing food and looking at the gorgeous view 😊(Here's a lovely photo taken by my manager📸 Kind of looks like Spirited Away)

On Day 2, I finally learned how to use the karoake machine properly so I sang while sitting in the request karaoke corner😂I tried a few different sitting positions *laughs* Look at my half-sitting posture🤣🤣So innovative! I got to sing in a great place again😁🎶I wonder if it's okay to have karaoke sessions like this more often? Where I can just casually do whatever I want🎤*laughs* Sorry to everyone who only got to look at my back😂 I got another cute picture drawn on one of Day 2's request boards😊Amagi-Goe by Sayuri Ishikawa! It was fun to sing enka in front of everyone for the first time🎤

At the end of both days, there was a big raffle corner in which I gave away parts of my precious Pothos to two people each day! It's growing fast so I have to cut it regularly. It was the perfect timing to cut off a few parts for you😊 I actually bought my Pothos baby at "Shibuya Engei". My trip was featured in Botanical Tsushin Vol.12! Page 17!! (Look how tiny it was!😳By the way, the pot in the photo has since been repurposed for another baby of mine, a plant called Agave Titanota🌱) If you put a cut part of my Pothos into water, this is what will happen…! ＼＼\٩( 'ω' )و //／／Once the roots have grown, you can just change the water about once a month (it's okay if you forget to do it occasionally) By the way, I did an experiment to see if roots would grow from just the leaves, and they did! ＼＼\٩( 'ω' )و //／／That's amazing 😳To the four people who won parts of my Pothos, please take care of them and let them grow 😊💕And please don't worry, it's okay if they die! Plants are sensitive to their environment, so they die all the time! But once they find a place they like, they'll grow really big! I hope you have fun growing plants‼ ︎😍Everyone else, if you're interested, please also try growing a Pothos🌿

Finally, here are some of my stuffed animals. I had them on display all over the boat! So cute~🤤💕🐙🦈I put a lot of them around the karaoke machine too🦈In fact, I also placed a Kaito Kid plushie all the way in the back (￣▽￣) Thank you everyone for the fun time over the course of those two days‼ ︎‼ ︎‼ ︎･゜ﾟ･:.｡..｡.:･'(ﾟ▽ﾟ)'･:.｡. .｡.:･゜ﾟ･

It was my first time planning an event like this but we all had fun eating, talking about all sorts of things, taking pictures, singing songs… It was great😂I also got a lot of presents from you…😭✨My Botanical companions are always so kind and warm, you make my heart feel at ease😊Thank you so much!!! I'll keep thinking of more fun fan club activities for you! ! ! ＼＼\٩( 'ω' )و //／／Hopefully we can get back together soon!!

〜The end〜

Today, the advanced ticket lotteries on various ticket platforms for "Wakana Classics 2024" have started! 🎻🎹🎶Let's spend time together surrounded by music at Wakana Classics at the end of yet another year ('▽')

[Date] December 18th; Open at 17:45 / Start 18:30 [Venue] Hamarikyu Asahi Hall (Music Hall) [Performers] Vocals: Wakana Music Director/Piano: Sin (Hashimoto Shin) Violin: Yanagihara Yuya Cello: Nishikata Masateru

And since this concert marks the end of my 5th year as a solo artist, I decided to create a special music box to commemorate the anniversary‼ ︎･:*+.(( °ω° ))/.:+ The song is "Sono Saki e"😊 I told the team I'd like to have a design inspired by stained glass. They really did a great job with the pattern on the top and the illustration in the box😭✨I hope you will enjoy this commemoration of my 5th Anniversary. Matching the title of the song "Sono Saki e"🌟, I'd like to convey all my thoughts for the future with this.

[Pre-order] Wakana 5th Anniversary "Sono Saki e" music box

And finally! I'd like to remind you of the submission deadline for this month's podcast talk theme!! ＼＼\٩( 'ω' )و //／／This time the main topic is "Everyone's Rules of Healthy Living"! Do you take a walk every day? Or do you drink anything special?! Maybe you always try to remember to smile? Things like that...Please let me know what you all do to stay healthy😉

▼Next talk topic -Everyone's Rules of Healthy Living -Any Questions for Wakana https://wakana-fc.jp/answers/botanical_oshaberi_14/new

So, that's it for today!! Until next time~☆( '▽')/

＊＊＊Wakana＊＊＊

[feastingonfanfiction]

Waiting on the red string of fate

Alt Route Ending 1 [Ending 3b]

Tanya Denali x fem!reader

Chapter 3b: found you, fights, and figuring this out

Summary: She's found you. Important talks are needed, but the hanahaki hits. What will she do about it when she's just found you?

A/N: Back again for another serving of fanfiction? Welcome to the first alt ending, Ending 3b, This ending is not so bad, I think, I did write some of it at 3am, though, so if quality ain't so great, then....idk

not confident in writing dialogue, but I tried :P

It won't hurt as much as ending 3a though!

So uh....Bon Appétit!

Happy readings!

Consider reading the other parts if you haven't

Part 1

Part 2a

First ending: Part 3a (very sad)

Other alt endings can be found on the:

Masterlist menu

Warnings:hanahaki as its own has its own set of warnings( choking on flowers, blood, vomiting) angst? I guess ish idk never sure what's angsty enough anymore. There is character death, not gonna be specific or go into detail bout it, read to find out

You had just returned home from your latest travels due to the hanahaki getting really bad in your eyes, stopping your grand travel, you had already gone to see some major landmarks and places you were curious about. From going to the uk to see Big Ben and the London eye. To Japan to see the streets of Harajuku fashions and the view of Mt Fuji. To many landmarks and touristy spots in America and many more that you could list off.

When the flowers started coming up in bulbs, you thought it wise to take a break and go home, and you'd rather not pass on somewhere far from home.

So off on the first flight back and now in the comfort of your own home you lay.

Your body was growing weaker as you had a trash bin next to you in case the flowers came up again.

You could feel how slowly the hanahaki was taking everything from you. You were so tired. It was like you were constantly drained since your arrival home. Sometimes, you were able to eat something light, but other times, the flowers would come up alongside bits of food from your last meal. It was definitely getting worse.

Looking over to the letters you had written to her, you had recently wrote a final goodbye to her, unsure now what to do with the relatively large amount of envelopes you had written over the years to the person who didn't return your feelings. You were half tempted to send it to the nightclub you first saw her at. Maybe she went there a lot? If she did, the manager of the place would probably know her and give them to her for you.

No way did you have what it took to go find her and potentially break up a relationship or homewreck a situation. She deserved her joy.

The coughing had disrupted your sleep, and the occasional throwing up of food with your flowers had left you in a much weakened state. You just wanted to sleep right now.

Closing your eyes for a bit, hoping to grab some amount of rest, almost lulled into a sense of peace, you hear a knock at the door. Peaking an eye open, you contemplate if you should get up and see who it is, probably no one as you shut your eyes again,

But then the knocking came again, and you knew you could just ignore it, but something in you told you not to. You should answer it, you thought, so slowly you shuffle to the doorway, leaning against the wall for support. Finally, the trek from the couch to the door is made,

Choosing not to look through the peephole, you open the door, wanting to point the wandering lost traveler on their way, and then you regret doing so cause there stood her...

The cause of your pain.

She looks into your eyes with a surprised expression at the suddenness of the door opening, and then as if realizing here you were! her eyes widen a bit. Tanya couldn't help but feel something in her pull her towards the person in front of her. She just felt.....right, and this sensation surprised her that she was momentarily shocked and couldn't stop staring.

You stare into amber eyes that feel warm and right but are brought back to reality to remember she doesn't want you. The universe was cruel like that.

She keeps looking at you, unblinking as if frozen in time, all you could feel was discomfort in your throat as your eyes break contact and you cough into your elbow a wet congested sound. As if to break out of whatever trance she's in, she makes a move to look at her hand and peers her head to see how your strings attached, she takes a moment, unknown to you to school her features, then as if winning a prize she sends a dazzling smile your way.

All you can feel is discomfort, it clearly showing on your face before you swallow what little saliva in your mouth you had. "What do you want?" Your tone sounded flat, uncaring. You remind yourself you can't fall for her. Her smiles falters at your tone, "Hello, I'm Tanya, and I believe we're soulmates," she says in a more chipper tone. You look down and away from the eyes you wish you could spend an eternity with, "we are....." Perhaps that sounded a tad too defeated, but you couldn't find it in yourself to care as much to hide the discomfort and pain of the situation. Why was she here?

You don't notice due to looking away, but Tanya is even more confused at this development, 'why are you not over the moon to finally meet?' she can't help but think.

The silence that hangs between you slowly grows awkward. All you want to do is rest, but all Tanya wants to do is really meet you. You're not sure what to do as suddenly Tanya asks if she can come in. You open the door wider and try to get back to the couch. The fact that you lean against the wall for support does not go unnoticed by her. "Are you alright?" She asks concern evident. You can only mumble back a weak, "I'm fine," before getting back to the couch. You can't help but think that you feel the flowers are growing upwards and another fit will happen soon.

Tanya can't help but look around your place as she enters, a little dusty from the looks of it but the place also has little touches of personality she can't help but wonder more of who you are.

Tanya smells the floral scent first before realizing and then picks up on the notes of blood. Her mind racks for an explanation. There were no flowers around your place. She knows this scent, she's encountered it before. She can't help but look around hoping it isn't so, but as she approaches where you sit in exhaustion on the sofa, she sees the dark circles in you eyes, the slightly gaunt face from the inability to eat, the floral scent that slowly wafts from your mouth followed by a tinge of copper.

Seeing the garbage can by your feet, she peers into it, having her worst fears come true, you have hanahaki.

With eyes full of concern, she turns to you,

"You have hanahaki," the question tumbles from her mouth

Your head is resting on the back of the couch as you open one eye with a grimace.

"Yeah? What about it"

"Who caused this?" Is all she can ask,

Who did you fall for? who denied your affections and caused this cursed disease onto you is all she can wonder.

"Who?" You laugh a bitter laugh,

"Who do you think?"

She doesn't understand as confusion takes her face, trying to solve this puzzle. There were no images of anyone else in your life, and she had only just met you now.

"I saw you before, you know, almost a year ago"

You say, breaking the silence that she brought in the state of confusion

"I had decided to take a gap year to come look for you, and I did. I was so....naieve and hopeful then, and then I found you in a nightclub kissing some guy." You say the end part bitterly reminiscing the memories of that night

Realization dawns on her face

You look up at her, the brokenness in your eyes displayed all too clearly.

"I hope you're happy with him," you say through a smile, though the smile is clearly pained.

She? Was the cause of your hanahaki? Tanya didn't want to believe it. She was the cause of your pain...

You have to understand she loves you

And she's not saying that just because she knows hanahaki goes away with reciprocated love.

Her face shows hurt to think you could think that. She moves to declare that she does, in fact, love you

But all you can do is laugh at that, "You love me? You love me?" A chuckle escapes

"So what about the guy you were with? What about him?"

"He meant nothing to me. He means nothing to me even now," she tries to say

"I SAW YOU, I WAS THERE!"

you try to scream, it came out more hoarse than you intended. Part of you just wanted all of this to go away, the other part could feel the waves of sorrow and sensations of betrayal flaring up from the memory of the first time you saw her, your head was spinning as your emotions took over, some parts irrational jealousy some parts despair.

"So what was he? If he meant nothing, does that mean I'll mean nothing to you, too? Am I just a rebound to you? Are you just getting to know me and then trying to break me even more?

The pain in your voice is evident as your voice starts to get worse, your breathing starts to get labored, strained you start to cough,

And cough

And cough...

The stress of having to have this conversation to the pain of the feelings resurfacing from seeing her in person to actually meeting her made your connection grow, but this one moment started to make your hanahaki worse.

All the variables of the situation caused a reaction and spike in stress and emotions, you know a little more about your soulmate but that makes it worse as the agigtation of the events caused the hanahaki to grow exponentially, the flowers are in bloom and there's nothing you can do.

Tanya sees this and starts to panic

"No no no, you have to believe me, I love you! Please no," as she rushes forward to your side.

Those words fall on deaf ears as you begin to cough

You don't hear a word past no as you're focused more on trying to breathe.

As the coughing fit grew 10 fold you felt this was the worst it's been as the flowers you tried to grasp, wet bloody flowers that came from your mouth and slipped from your grip came unending, they never stopped coming out no matter how hard you try to get rid of them, as you gasp for air. Perhaps this was it is all you can think, partially losing the fight you start to give up.

Tanya watches on as she sees you try to pull out flowers, tossing them to the ground in wet puddles of blood and spit.

She turns your head and tries to help you get the flowers blocking your airway out of you but they wouldn't stop, the hanahaki was in its final stage she realizes and she was going to lose you...

You slowly stop the fight, and that sends a wave of fear to her.

She can't lose you as she suddenly throws caution to the wind, all her hope into this one shot. Fearful that the flowers might claim your life before she even got to know it. She held you close to her in a hug and whispered an apology before biting down on your neck.

You don't see or hear anything at that point, but you do feel the sensation of being held as you start to black out from lack of air. All is starting to slow...

But then, as if being thrown into a freezing lake by someone to wake you up, you suddenly jolt as fire then starts burning you. The pain is unbearable. Were you being burned? You thought you were finally going to find peace, but now all you feel is excruciating pain as you try to scream, but the flowers in your throat partially stop that. Is this a punishment for trying to push away your soulmate? Were the fates mad at you? As thoughts started to go as you gave into the pain.

The scene in this moment would look like a tragic painting in the eyes of an onlooker with no knowledge, a lady holding in her arms her love who's dying of hanahaki, petals, both stained with blood and not surround them on the ground as she whispers apologies and begs her lover to come back to her.

Tanya holds you and whispers her apologies, hoping that it isn't too late for the vampire venom to take effect.

This was a gamble, as she's heard of vampires before suffering the unfortunate circumstance of getting hanahaki. But usually, they'd have already been vampires for a while at that point, there's not been any known cases of a person being turned at the final stage of hanahaki...could it be that they don't make it? No, she's got to hope, you'll make it through this you have to...

She doesn't know what'd she'd do if you don't...

With the hanahaki muffling your screams she quickly goes around your place grabbing what you might need and finding your box of letters to her, grabbing that along she picks you up bridal style and carries you off to her car, she's going to take you home, being near humans would be too dangerous as a newborn.

A day passes, and she can't help but worry she stays by your side and waits, hoping that the venom can counter the hanahaki.

When she had gotten home, everyone came out to see her carrying you, the concern evident, and the realization that you were her mate also held some impact.

A day goes by and your heart beat stops your mouth still has flowers but the growth of them has slowed, some around the edges seemed to have wilted which she takes as a good sign, she tries to help take out the flowers hoping it'll help you.

There's not too much on hanahaki with vampires at such a late stage, usually if it's a normal vampire who's been around for a while they have ways around it, but if they don't fight it they get weakened, and it causes issues with life. But you were hopefully on your way to becoming a newborn, and she hasn't heard of any cases as such. So all she can do is stay by your side and wait, pleading to the fates that it works.

Whilst in this time though she does take to reading the letters you addressed to her, her heart warms at the oldest looking letter in the box, faded and worn down in an aged envelope with childish scrawl, she gets to know you through the years from the letters, and to say it's endearing is to say the least. It gives her hope that maybe you guys can make it through this.

The letter of you seeing her that night, though, hurts to read, she can feel the pain in the writing, and the next letters after a sense of you accepting your fate whilst traveling has her sad. Silently swearing to herself, she promises to show you that she does love you, that you are loved, and now that she's found you, she won't let you go.

On the third day, you awaken, your eyes open, red as blood.

Your instincts takes over screaming that you crave something to sate the inferno in your throat, as you move to sit up your eyes look around, landing on her, the instincts in you tell you that she's important to you. You move forward,

As Tanya calls for someone to bring her some blood, she has prepared for your awakening. Glad to see you had awakened, relieved she has more time with you, you look ever the part of a newborn besides the flowers cascading like a waterfall out of your mouth, overtime some had died and she had pulled some out but the core of the flowers was still there, she didnt want to risk it whilst you were still human. Now that you were immortal, she hoped it would hurt you a little less if she ripped the flowers out of your throat.

You try to move to her, but as she was handed an animal, she tackles you to the ground, keeping you down.

Apologizing saying it's gonna hurt as she rips the stems and flowers from your mouth with force, you gag as you feel stems and roots start to come up. Gasping and taking in a breath, there were still more stems deeper down your mouth, but this will have to do for now as she cracks open the squirrel and trickles the blood into your mouth, it tastes off but you drink regardless as it quenches the fire in your throat, you're able to swallow down the blood as you move to grab the squirrel draining it dry, she rushes off and drags in another animal, a doe, already taken down you move quickly and start to drain this one dry as well, despite the slight difficulty of the hanahaki slowly trying to regrow in your throat, you fight on still drinking.

As you drink, Tanya slowly runs her hands through your hair, praising you

"You're doing so good." Some part of you can't help but preen at the praise.

Eventually, after another animal or two, this ends as the thirst in your throat is quenched enough. Your mind clears for a moment to see her, really see her as you gain some semblance of control again, the bond of a mate is much more prominent whilst you're a newborn, and you almost forget about everything and give in to her

......

Almost.

A flash of the memory that hurt you about a year ago flashes through your mind, and in your emotional newborn state, you couldn't help but flinch. Part of your instinct screams to go to her, yet the part of you that's hurt and jealous fights back as you're torn.

Tanya sees this and can't help but feel pain at the conflict going on, she could see that you were torn between the intensity of the instincts for the bond to shine through versus the pain you had felt. It hurt to see you so conflicted. You didn't even realize you were a vampire yet, and that was a different bridge she would have to cross soon.

Not wanting to see your internal war anymore, she goes towards you, your eyes are shut as if you have a headache and are in agony. You don't feel it until she does it, but she's hugging you. Your mind tries to fight her, but your instincts wants you to melt into her. It hurts, the irrational side in you makes you want to cry, slowly, slowly, you start to break down as you stop fighting her hold.

She brings your head to the crook of her neck, cradling it in such a way, trying to comfort you.

It works as you stop fighting her.

You've calmed enough that she thinks she can speak and have you listen to her, so she starts.

"I know you believe I don't return your affections, but I do." You try to wiggle away at her words, but she uses all her strength to hold you there.

"You may not believe it, but I've lived a millenia before I could meet you", you stop squirming at that, confusion evident at the fact she said she's over 1000 years old.

"I had lost hope after a long time cause before I realized you were around, I had stopped looking at my string after all that time..."

"My string before you was dull and was short and lead nowhere.....I thought long ago that you were gone back then before I knew who you were, before I got to meet you"

"You have to know I never meant to hurt you when you saw me that night...I didnt know you were there and even though I didn't know, it's no excuse but even if I did know, you have to understand it was not my intention to hurt you...i would never hurt you intentionally...ever, you mean so much to me..."

Your mind brought the memory up and all you could feel was the desire to cry

"I've lived for a long time, and I once lost someone"

The jealousy rears it's green head around at who it could have been until her next words

"In a sense, she was basically my mother"

You stop and couldn't help but feel bad at the stupid feeling of jealousy. She had lost someone...

"This was long ago but our family at the time was really close, and the loss hurt...

You weren't around yet, and I didn't know how long you would take to be around, and the grief was all consuming...

It led me to turn to others, to just feel something..."

At this point, you were a mix of conflicted emotions...

"The man you mentioned that night meant nothing to me, my love. You say you saw me kiss him, and you might assume more, but I did nothing... I swear it"

"Something in me felt wrong after a bit, so I left, I can only assume the wrongness was the feelings through our bond..."

"I didn't realize it until my sister Irina, you may meet her later, pointed out to me that my string actually led somewhere, I decided to come looking for you after that"

"It may be hard to believe, but I am a vampire"

Yeah, that was definitely hard to believe you thought

"But when I found you and when...when the hanahaki almost took you I couldn't let that happen, I had only just found you and I didn't want to have to say goodbye, not before I could know you..."

"I'm sorry for bringing you pain, but I'm not sorry for changing you... you have to know how much you mean to me....I love you..."

You didn't know how to feel, a part of you felt her sincerity through her words and got a sense that she was being truthful....but the part of you that was still uncertain didn't know what to do...

"You don't have to believe me if you don't want to...but I will make it known for as long as I have to that I love you and I will always love you" she squeezes you a little tighter at those words

And for a second you let go of the denial for a bit that she doesn't actually love you, that what she says is false....and you can breathe a little easier, the hanahaki isn't entirely gone, there's that uncertainty to everything, but for now you let go of some of the feeling that's been hurting you, and this allows the hanahaki to weaken allowing you the breath that you no longer need.

You feel her turn and kiss your head, and some part of you warms at the gesture.

Your arms raise, and hug her back.

You know this won't be easy but you have to make it known.

"I forgive you... kind of...though part of me is still weary at all this.

Part of me feels like it can't trust you right away...another part of me despite this still holds love for you even after all of this. I'm confused, and I...I just don't know, I want there to be an us, but part of me feels that maybe that won't work..."

Tanya's unbeating heart hurts at the idea of the uncertainty in you, but she knows she would do whatever and tells you that she will try her best to mend the heart she accidentally broke even if it takes forever.

Her words soothe your pain a bit and the flowers relax a little more.

You know it won't be an easy road, but you and her will try to work to a point where you could be together...

You were both done waiting on the red string. It's finally brought you together. Now you have the road ahead to walk together in your eternity to figure this out.

[riggerbison]

*skips in like I've kept up with this like I said I would*

Okay, so I have actually been feeling like my dash is a bit dead especially during the week...which could also just be that I'm a bit busy lately and haven't been able to check it as much but even checking my fellow close mutuals blogs and show tags (a shock that I'm doing that I assure you) there hasn't been too much I have found to keep my queue full. So, I figured why not go back through some of my favs that I didn't give the extra love to over the last few months by doing this. Also, I've gotten a few new followers (hi, hello, welcome to the chaos) and figured why not possibly put some amazing things in front of y'all that you might have missed or not seen because you've come to us at this hellsite only recently.

So without further ado, here are the lovely creations that crossed my dash in April through July that I just couldn’t stop staring at. Will be setting up my queue to give all these sets some more love that they deserve. Thank you for continuing to share your gifts with the fandom!

Asian drama’s

The Known Artifacts of Zone 16 - Moths of Memory by @oswlld

Fuji x Phleng + Fire & Water by @hup123hup123slapslap

Akk's journey, BL SIde Dish Menu, & Akk x Ayan Kisses by @chinzhilla

Pansexual Coded - Thai Characters by @sparklyeyedhimbo

Theerapanyakul Main Sons + Mama , Vegas + Name Meaning, Kim Barbie, & KP Scenes + Video by @spicyvampire

Our Skyy 2 + quotes by @taeminie

Puen x Talay + This Love & Pat x Pran + Won't Say I'm in Love by @morkofday

The Villian that is Vegas & Vegas Barbie by @thoresque

Porsche x Pete + Besties & Tankhun the Icon by @kinnporsche

Kinn Pantone & Porsche Pantone by @moerusai

First x Khao + Your World, My World by @dropthedemiurge

Kinn x Porsche + sun, moon, stars by @kinnsporsche

Gun Guntaphon + purple by @sollucets

Ink x Pa + Pink by @akingyouniverse

Akk x Ayan + Rainbow by @pranink

Misc

Endure & Survive & Henry x Sam Burnell - If my brother is dead... by @taiturner

The 99 + discord profiles by @jakeyp

Imagine Me & You + lesbian pride by @cobiesmlders

Pride Dinos by @pimsri

Shadow & Bone + guide to the ships by @taoargents

Ted Lasso + Forgiveness Quote by @anya-chalotra

Jamie Tartt + Bisexual Poster Boy by @lemoncupcake

Kaz x Jesper + Quotes by @christophernolan

teen flicks 101 by @obligatorymain

bisexual nick nelson by @revengeofthesiths

the crows + If I had a kruge... by @alinaastarkov

Joel x Ellie + Ivy by @claire-randall

Joel + blorbo status by @arthurpendragonns

Jesper x Wylan: A summary by @yenvengerberg

Steve Harrington + Dancing in the Dark by @ladyhawke

Max Mayfield + colors by @clarkgriffon

[ywpd-translations]

Ride 725: Towards a new trial!!

Pag 1

1: Sohoku will become even stronger!!

An injection of will-power to power up!!

Pag 2

1: The Izu Peninsula is a group of massifs perched on the Pacific Ocean, with a view of Mt. Fuji and Hakone

2: In the center of the peninsula there's the hot spring Shuzenji

3: Since a long time ago, a railway for the hot-springs has been made

4: And it made it prosper as a tourists attraction

5: About 10km east of Shuzenji, climbing a ridge in the mountains

Pag 3

1: There's the sports park circuit for bicycles

Pag 4

1: Ohh, woah.... it's so huge, teh

Waaaaa this is incredible Rokudai!!

2: A huge pylon!

It looks like an hotel from that anime with the cars

3: It's- it's huge, teh

Where should we run, I don't kow this level!

4: You've never come here, Kinaka-kun?

I... I've ran in races, but I only went as far as Saitama, it's the first time I come here!!

Pag 5

1: This is Shizuoka!!

When we in the car, we even saw Mt. Fuji...!!

2: Th-th-th that's Mt. Fuji, teh!!

Wooah, it's true! It's so huge! It's more huge than in pictures

3: The camera makes it look smaller

You're right, teh

5: They're in high spirits, those two

Yeah

Pag 6

1: They were chose for the quaolifiers.... and won...

Of course they're excited

3: Let's go, the meeting is soon, Furuya

Yeah, Murakami

5: From now, for the next four days, the training camp will start!!

Pag 7

1: Those of you who get injured or don't feel good, report it immediately

There's no need to overdo it, you can retire in the middle

2: So we can retire, too?

Yeah

I'm glad

3: However

4: This training campalso serves as a selection for the six members who will participate in the Inter High

5: Those of you who want to run in the national competition, the Inter High

6: those of you who want to make a name for themselves, those of you who want to contribute to the team, and those of you who have the secret ambition of playing a flashy active role....

Pag 8

1: Run with everything you have!!

Squeeze out beyond your limit!!

This training camp's finishing order...

2: The first

3: six people

5: Will be the Inter High members regulars!!

Pag 9

1: This course has a 5km long climb

The practice menu for these four days

2: is to run

Pag 10

1: 1000km!!

Pag 11

1: 1000km!

1000km

1000Km!!!

2: Running 1000km is the only practice menu!!

3: Kinaka-kun....!!

4: 1000km... don't tell me

5: Yeah, it's an impossible number

My father's family home is in Aomori, so every year we go there by car, and to go there by car it takes half a day

6: How far do you think it is from Chiba to Aomori!?

Pag 12

1: It's 700km!!

3: 1000km is 300km longer than that!!

4: It's longer.... than from Chiba.... to Aomori.... teh

5: And tht's not all

10: This training camp is simple but intense

Naruko-san said it

Pag 13

1: This electronic scoreboard will show the distance and number of laps accumulated

2: There's a chip installed on your bikes

3: So you'll know the individual number of laps and ranking

4: So I don't have to count them myself?

I'm glad, it'll be comforting

1000km, so, uhm...?

5: You can check after every lap

How many laps you did

6: And how many laps did the others!!

Pag 14

1: “How many laps the others did”..... that means that you can see your own rank on the eletronic scoreboard!!

You have opponents to fight.... in other words, this is a “race”!!

2: During this training camp

A race of 1000km....””

3: It's not just running, it's about how to reach the goal faster than the other members

4: We're being tested!!

5: No!! Wait, Kinaka- the third years are included too, and including both the second and third years, there's no way we can be in the top six!!

Furuya

6: If it's just running... then isn't this training camp is useless?

7: We're too much at a disadvantage!!

It's too much for us first years!!

Pag 15

1: No.... I don't think we have no chances at all!! At the end Naruko-san talked about “requirements”

I think those might become our breakthrough!!

2: Requirements”!!

3: Breakthrough!? How!?

Well.... somehow- I've been thinking about various things...

See, as expected it's impossible

4: As nexpected, Kinaka-kun is thinking about how to make a breakthrough, teh!!

5: The “requirements” for the training camp that the Sohoku racing team organized to work towards the Inter High....

6: How to run during the training camp is basically up to you

Think for yourself and run

Pag 16

1: But there is one “requirement”

Huh? A requirement, what is it!?

Like they'll give us handicaps?

2: Until now, in mine and Hotshot's personal experience in Sohoku training camp

3: many things were used to bind us and made each of us stronger

4: But we talked about it and decided not to use them this time

Those who want to do it can do it on their own accord

5: Instead of that

6: For the next 15 minutes, discuss with each other and choose a partner

Huh, a partner!?

Pag 17

1: The onw you choose will be your buddy for this training camp!!

3: Buddy!?

4: They a partner... who you'lll... run with?

Among us!?

Can I choose anyone?

5: What do we do?

Can we choose someone who's around as strong as us? How about that

6: Sure

Pag 18

1: “Fighting in pairs”

This is this training camps “requirements”!!

2: Kinaka-kun!!

3: Rokudai!!

Pag 19

1: I'll say it once again!! Will you run with me, Rokudai!?

Okay!! Yeah, teh!! Kinaka-kun!!

4: The stickers on their helmets!!

5: To make it easy to identify your chosen buddy, stick the same stickers on your helmets

6: Ugh... the two who participated in the qualifiers

Furuya, we can't lose either

Nogami!!

Pag 20

1: Being a pait means that we can protect each other from the wind

That's right

2: And we can cooperate with other pairs, as four people!!

Alright!! Let's settle aqnd run!! No, as six people!!

I have a feeling this is gonna be okay

4: The other first years wioll be a bit of an hindrance

I want to scatter them as soon as possible

5: Can I ask you that?

6: Kaburagi-san!!

Pag 21

2: As expected

3: I guess they started already

We're a little late

4: Sorry, Danchiku

No, it's alright....

5: Uhm... so it's really.... not good?

7: Yeah

It's better to stop

[spicykaraage]

Kunimitsu Tezuka Tenigo Episodes - Story Translation

Asterisks next to Tezuka means he’s smiling. [Improvement Level 1 - Episode 1]

Kikumaru: Tezuka~! Today’s an off day, but do you still plan on doing voluntary training?

Tezuka: I was, yes…

Kikumaru: How about you cancel it and come mountain climbing with the other members!?

Tezuka: Climbing… you mean the mountains nearby?

Kikumaru: Yeah, yeah. It’d be a great way to take a breather while training your legs and feet too, dontcha think?

Tezuka:* …Yes. You do make a good point there.

Kikumaru: Alright! I’ve already got the OK from everyone else! And since you’re on board too, that makes all of us!

Oishi: Eiji, what’d Tezuka say?

Kikumaru: Oh, Oishi~! You have Fuji and Shorty with you, too. Tezuka said he’ll come~!

Tezuka: Right. I think it’d be good since we can relax and train during it.

Ryoma: ‘Kay, so we’re all in. What should we bring?

Tezuka: Staying hydrated is necessary. Each of you make sure to bring enough sports drinks.

Kikumaru: Then, there’s food! I think we should bring lunch, don’t you?

Fuji: Oh, you’re right. Since it’ll be around that time once we make it to the top.

Tezuka:* I’ll make onigiri…

Kikumaru: That sounds good~! I wanna eat karaage~! And sausages, too!

Ryoma: I think I’ll add grilled fish to the mix.

Fuji: I could make tamagoyaki and bring it along.

Kikumaru: Oh, this is gonna be great! Looks like we’re gonna have the standard menu for a sports festival~

Ryoma: We can use the kitchen, right?

Kikumaru: Yup! C’mon, let’s go!

Oishi: Haha… it’s starting to sound more like a picnic than mountain climbing.

Tezuka:* Well, it’s fine. It’s a nice change from the usual training I put my mind to.

Tezuka: Taking the time to stretch out your wings is necessary now and again.

Oishi: Right. Especially for you, Tezuka, since you always do voluntary training even on your days off.

Oishi: I know Eiji and everyone else is glad that we’re able to go out together like this.

Tezuka:* …I know. I’ll make a conscious effort to have more occasions like these from now on.

[Improvement Level 1 - Episode 2]

Kaidoh: Huhh? Momoshiro, you asshole, don’t just cut in front of me when you see me walkin’ here!

Momoshiro: Huh? You’re the one that got in the way!

—

Tezuka: …

Kawamura: Ughh… jeez. They’re fighting again.

Inui: This trip was meant for us to unwind. Probability that those two will fight when they’re not in a situation where they should cooperate, such as matches: 100%.

Kawamura: Fuji and Eiji have already gone ahead of us. Echizen, too.

Inui: It appeared they were having a pleasant discussion about the plants. Echizen even had a squirrel with him.

Kawamura: Whoa, he had a squirrel? I wish I could’ve seen it…

Momoshiro: HEY, WHAT’D I JUST SAY!? DON’T JUST WALK IN FRONT OF ME!

Kaidoh: YOU’RE THE ONE THAT DID IT TO ME, YOU IDIOT!

Kawamura: Well, I don’t think anything will come near us with how loud they’re being.

Tezuka: Pay attention when you’re on a mountain, you two!

Momoshiro: !!

Kaidoh: Captain Tezuka…

Tezuka: Distracting each other and not paying attention to your surroundings can be fatal on a mountain. You should know better!

Tezuka: For starters, Kaidoh, you didn’t even see what was going on around you during the Red vs. White competition.

Kaidoh: Ughh… I’m sorry…

Tezuka: And you, Momoshiro.

Tezuka: While you’re busy needlessly distracting yourself, those three have already started having lunch at the mountain hut ahead.

Momoshiro: …Okay, I’m sorry.

Tezuka: Climbing is just like life and tennis. It’s important to keep a good eye on the path and go steadily. Keep that in mind.

Momoshiro: Right!

Kaidoh: Understood!

Momoshiro: …Man, this is just like practice.

Kaidoh: Sh-Shut up!

Kawamura: Haha… Well, anyhow, let’s have fun instead of fighting. Tezuka makes a good point.

Tezuka: …Right. Climb steadily with each step and take in the nature around you.

Tezuka: If there is anything to be gained from this, then it would be the meaning of doing this climb.

Tezuka: Remember to enrich your spirit, and don’t let your guards down!

[Improvement Level 1 - Episode 3]

Tezuka: …What a magnificent view.

Kikumaru: Mmm, for real! It’s great a view~

Fuji: It was worth the effort to climb up here. It’s such a spectacular view…

Kawamura: We all made it up here safely. That’s probably another reason why it feels so accomplishing.

Oishi: Yeah. It feels extra special since we’re viewing it all together…

Inui: Probability of this moment being engraved in the memories of us members of Seigaku: 100%…

Inui: Actually, I don’t even think I can make calculations on this.

Kikumaru: It kinda feels like we really made it to the top! Just a teeensy bit like that excitement we felt when we won the championship, y’know?

Tezuka: …Yes, you’re not wrong.

Fuji: Yeah. Maybe when the next generation wins, they could climb this mountain and take in this view again.

Tezuka: That is, if those three still share that sentiment.

Oishi: Haha, we’ll see. Kaidoh, Momoshiro and Echizen… will they even remember this?

Kikumaru: Well, we’ll all be gone by then. Who knows what’ll happen?

Tezuka: Our team this year is mostly comprised of third years. As is inevitable at any school…

Tezuka: It will be important for us to discern if any of the second and first years have developed over the course of the year, and if they will continue to do so.

Fuji: How Seigaku will turn out after we’re gone… I don’t even wanna think about it yet.

Kawamura: But I’m pretty sure we’re almost at the time where we’re gonna have to.

Inui: I’ve been keeping a fair amount of data on the first and second years. However… the probability that there are those who will show remarkable growth is infinite.

Tezuka: There was a time when we were set aside as well. And from then on, Seigaku continued to forge itself and was able to stand at the top of the nation.

Tezuka: To ensure that it wasn’t merely a one-time twist of fate, we must leave behind a variety of tools for our underclassmen to use in the future.

Kikumaru: Exactly. Momo, Kaidoh and Shorty. There’s still gonna be times where they’ll need our help~

Tezuka: I wish for them to continue climbing steadily, step by step; with humility and without haste, just as we climbed this mountain today.

Tezuka: I’m sure they will realize this view is what lies ahead.

Kawamura: You’re right… Here’s hoping we can watch over them with peace of mind then.

Kikumaru: Yeah, maybe? Or maybe we’ll get too anxious and wanna help them anyway?

Fuji: Fufu, maybe. I can’t say I wouldn’t do that.

Inui: But, there’s a very good chance that you won’t have to.

Oishi: Right. I believe in them.

Tezuka: …As for us, we hardly have the time to be concerned for others.

Tezuka: To be able to stand tall before our underclassmen, we must keep walking down the path that lies before us.

Tezuka: (Not just for someone else’s sake, but for my own… Perhaps it’s time to leave the future in their hands and walk my own path…)

[Improvement Level 2 - Episode 1]

Tezuka: (…This mountain’s close. But if I were to go from here, just the trip itself would take three hours, and that’s only one way…)

Tezuka: (And even if I went on an off day, I’d probably still end up returning late…)

Shiraishi: See? I told you so.

Tachibana: I see… he really has been reading mountain climbing magazines for a while now.

Tezuka: …? What are you talking about?

Shiraishi: Tezuka-kun, you’ve been reading mountain climbing magazines all the time recently, haven’t you?

Shiraishi: I think you’ve been stressing out since you wanna go climb these mountains but you can’t right now, so I talked to everyone about it.

Tezuka: …What do you mean?

Tachibana: We’re thinking it’d be good to get you another hobby you could do here at the training camp to help put your mind at ease.

Tezuka: …Okay.

Shiraishi: Sooo, I talked with the captains from the other schools, and after much thought and planning, they each came up with their own ideas~!

Tachibana: Right. As for my suggestion… how about you try cooking?

Tezuka: Cooking…

Tachibana: It takes a lot of time, and it’s like a science. But anyone can do it if they follow the steps properly.

Shiraishi: Do you do any cooking, Tezuka-kun?

Tezuka: I’m not sure if I’m good at it or not. I simply do what I can.

Tezuka:* I don’t think I could make something too elaborate… but I can do basic dishes.

Shiraishi: Yeah, that’s fine. Here’s some recipes Tachibana-kun brought, they look pretty simple, right?

Tachibana: They should be. It’s a collection of recipes that are easy for anyone to make and can be done in 15 minutes.

Tezuka: It’s a good collection of recipes for beginners. And they each seem to have a good nutritional balance.

Tezuka: However…

Shiraishi: Hm, is there a problem?

Tezuka: This training camp already provides our nutrition.

Tezuka: So there’s really no reason to make it ourselves…

Shiraishi: Oh, so you’re saying we don’t really need to make a hobby of it here?

Tachibana: …On second thought, you’re probably right.

Tezuka:* Right… But I appreciate your suggestion. I’ll see what I can come up with myself.

[Improvement Level 2 - Episode 2]

Kite: So you’re still here, Tezuka-kun.

Tezuka: Now it’s Kite and Minami.

Minami: Based on your reaction, you already know why we’re here, huh.

Tezuka:* Yes. You’re here to suggest a new hobby for me, right?

Kite: Well, since you’re already aware, this should only take a moment.

Kite: I don’t understand this obsession with mountains in the first place, though.

Minami: You’re from Okinawa, right? So you’re more used to ocean than mountains, aren’t you?

Kite: Naturally. However, Tezuka has been living in Tokyo, so I don’t believe he’d understand that sentiment.

Tezuka: …Yes, you may be right.

Minami: Well, trying to do stuff like mountain climbing or swimming in the ocean isn’t easy while you’re at this training camp…

Kite: Oh, are you saying that I should forget about the ocean as well?

Minami: N-No! I’ve never implied that either of you should forget about the mountains or the ocean.

Minami: And since you’re here too Kite, I think it’ll be nice to show you my hobby as well…

Tezuka: What’s your hobby, Minami?

Minami: Right. It’s relatively cheap when you start, but it gets pretty deep the more you get into it…

Minami: How about stamp collecting?

Tezuka: Stamps… I see. You’ve certainly collected a myriad of them. It may take some time to start a collection.

Minami: Right, right. There’s all these different kinds like the local ones.

Minami: And as you can see, they’re not always shaped like squares.

Kite: You’re right, there appears to be some with very intricate shapes.

Minami: There’s also a lot that are limited edition. And they come in all these colors and designs.

Tezuka: …This is—

Minami: Right, that one with the mountain design. It’s a limited edition stamp that was issued in a city that had a famous mountain nearby… Oh!

Tezuka: …

Minami: Uhhhh, Tezuka…?

Tezuka: …

Kite: He can’t even hear you. He’s that engrossed with mountains.

Minami: Ahaha… What can I say, I guess this had the opposite effect… Sorry about that…

[Improvement Level 2 - Episode 3]

Tezuka: …Atobe, what is this?

Atobe: As you can see, it’s tea time. You too, may get drunk on my special tea.

Tezuka: No, I don’t think you can get drunk from tea.

Yukimura: Fufu, how interesting. It’s a lot more entertaining with someone serious in the mix.

Atobe: Tch… Anyway, how’s the taste?

Tezuka:* It’s very good. Also… the water’s good too, isn’t it?

Atobe: Heh, how keen of you. This was made with a special mineral water extracted from the foot of a popular mountain.

Atobe: The tea leaves that are paired with it were specially ordered, and even the steeping was timed to perfection.

Atobe: If you made it a hobby to brew tea with this much attention to detail, you’d forget all about the mountains…

Tezuka: …Mineral water, huh.

Atobe: Hm?

Tezuka: Mineral water does contain high mineral content. Although it is drawn from groundwater, it can only be called mineral water on the condition that it contains dissolved minerals.

Tezuka:* Judging from the taste, I’d say the mineral water you used is excellent in quality…

Atobe: …Why the hell is he paying more attention to the water than the tea, seriously.

Yukimura: I guess he’s just always interested in things related to mountains. Looks like this hobby isn’t gonna do it for him.

Atobe: …

Yukimura: In any case… Tezuka.

Tezuka: What is it?

Yukimura: Let’s play some tennis. Come to the courts.

—

Yukimura: Let’s go… hah!

Tezuka: A nice course… but weak!

Yukimura: Fufu, same to you. Come on, don’t hold back!

Tezuka: All right then, I’ll give it my all!

—

Shiraishi: Well, in the end, it looks like the thing that gets him going the most is tennis.

Kite: So those cheap attempts were unnecessary then.

Minami: Well, we can’t really speak for others, but I guess in the end, tennis is our favorite hobby.

Tachibana: Right… I’ll ask them to let me join in a bit.

Shiraishi: Haha… I get you. Let’s all do it since we’re here!

[Improvement Level 3 - Episode 1]

Tezuka: What are you reading, Oishi?

Oishi: Oh, Tezuka. It’s this magazine.

Tezuka: Aquariums… they’re quite beautiful.

Oishi: Right? An aquarium is like creating a world of your imagination inside a fish tank.

Oishi: It’s interesting to see people create all these different atmospheres in them.

Tezuka:* I see… each tank truly does have its own atmosphere. I especially like when they add ruins or sunken ships.

Oishi: Totally. I feel like the ones that include buildings are the best at representing the person’s outlook.

Tezuka: If you were to make one, what would it look like?

Oishi: Me? Well, let’s see… I think I’d like to try doing it with freshwater fish first.

Oishi: I know it’s generic, but probably goldfish. There’s actually a pretty big variety of them, so I think they’d be cool to watch.

Oishi: And then I could add some Japanese-style monuments to build the atmosphere.

Tezuka:* Yes, goldfish… a lot of them are unique in size and shape.

Tezuka:* They come in many colors too, like red, black and gold. I’m sure you’d enjoy doing that.

Oishi: Yeah. A lot of people like goldfish, and I can see why.

Hirakoba: What’s that? You guys like fish, too?

Tezuka: …Oishi does. But are you interested in them, too?

Hirakoba: I like fishing more than I do fish.

Tezuka:* Fishing, I see.

Hirakoba: Especially spearfishing, it’s a lot of fun.

Tezuka:* I haven’t tried spearfishing, yet…

Hirakoba: There’s tricks to it, but once you figure it out, you’ll catch more than you think.

Hirakoba: You should try it, Tezuka. I think you’d be really good at it.

Oishi: I agree, you’re usually good at things that require deep concentration.

Tezuka:* Hm… okay. I’ll give it a try when I get the chance.

[Improvement Level 3 - Episode 2]

Irie: It’s true that most tenor sax music is jazz, but it’s also featured in many famous classical pieces as well.

Choutarou: Yeah, I guess you’re right. I really like the saxophone in Carmen: Intermezzo.

Irie: Ah, yes, that one. I’m more of a fan of Air on the G String.

Tezuka: …

Irie: Oh, Tezuka-kun. What’s with that curious look on your face?

Tezuka: …I’m sorry. It’s just unusual to see you two interacting.

Choutarou: Yeah, that is a good point. But believe it or not, we found out we have something in common.

Irie: It turns out that we both play instruments. I play the tenor saxophone, and he plays the piano and violin.

Tezuka:* Right, and you’re into classical music…

Irie: So you knew the titles we mentioned. You like it too, Tezuka-kun?

Tezuka: Yes, I do. I listen to a lot of classical music. I especially like Beethoven.

Choutarou: Oh, Beethoven’s good too. I play his songs a lot on the piano. Like “Moonlight Sonata”.

Irie: You’ve been reading foreign books lately, haven’t you Tezuka-kun?

Irie: Wouldn’t it be a good idea to listen to music while doing so?

Tezuka:* Yes, I do from time to time. Listening to music does help me concentrate better.

Choutarou: If I remember correctly: you can speak German right, Tezuka-san? Do you like any pieces by other German musicians?

Choutarou: He’s pretty famous, but I like Bach. I also like Pachelbel.

Irie: Yeah, they’re good. I like Beethoven too, but I also recommend Wagner and Mendelssohn.

Tezuka:* Sounds good. I’ve always been biased towards Beethoven, but I’ll give those composers’ songs a listen as well.

Irie: Oh, there’s actually a song I can put on for you right now. Give it a listen and see if it’s to your liking.

Irie: Mendelssohn’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” is the name…

~♪~♪

Tezuka:* …It’s a good song. The harmony of the wind instruments and the delicate overlapping of the strings draw you in.

Yagyuu: Oh? Is that Mendelssohn?

Tezuka: …Yagyuu. You know about it?

Yagyuu: I often listen to classical music when I wake up in the morning. Mendelssohn is one that I listen to a lot.

Yagyuu: Hearing those overlapping sounds makes me feel a bit more dignified.

Tezuka:* I think I understand that feeling. I feel more composed when I listen to Beethoven’s music, too.

Irie: For you though, Tezuka-kun, I’m pretty sure you can be composed with or without music.

Choutarou: But even so, I never knew there were so many classical music lovers around me. I’d like to know more of your favorite songs!

Irie: Fufu, how about we discuss classical music on a regular basis then?

Yagyuu: That sounds great, I’d love to be a part of it.

Tezuka:* I as well.

[Improvement Level 3 - Episode 3]

Momoshiro: Oh, there’s a camping special on the TV!

Kawamura: Camping equipment seems to be really evolving these days.

Tezuka: Right. Especially tents nowadays always have that nice trinity of being lightweight, durable and easy to pitch.

Momoshiro: Wow~, really?

Tezuka: Technology is evolving everyday. And the same can also be said for camping equipment…

Tezuka:* But even so, if you go to the mountains, you will still have to find ways to spend your time without electricity or running water. That still hasn’t changed.

Kawamura: Because some tools that are considered useful can become useless once you’re in nature. The whole point is if you can enjoy that.

Tezuka:* It’s something to be enjoyed, and it’s also something that can train you… It’s really interesting when you think about it.

Tezuka:* (It’s not something I can do at the moment, but once I have the time again, it would be nice to go climbing and camping on top of a mountain.)

Momoshiro: I’m also really into glamping!

Tezuka: …Right. I view it more as like having a hotel in the middle of nature. But…

Tezuka: I don’t think it’s bad in terms of being able to enjoy nature more easily.

Kawamura: Well, different strokes for different folks, but I think it’s cool too.

—

Amane: …Oh, Bane-san. Take a look. They’ve got a camping special on.

Kurobane: Hm? Oh, you’re right.

Kurobane: But all they’re showing is mountain camping… they’re not gonna show any beach camping?

Amane: Camping’s always associated with the mountains for some reason. Even though the beach is cool too…

—

Tezuka: Beach camping…

Kawamura: Oh, yeah. I think it’d also be really cool to pitch a tent on the beach and do stuff there.

Tezuka: …Just walking in the sand on a beach is a good workout.

Tezuka: And it has the advantage of being easier to go to than finding a place on a mountain.

Tezuka: Camping is about engaging with yourself… the beach seems like a good place to be able to do that more conveniently.

Kawamura: Haha… camping still boils down to training for you huh, Tezuka.

Momoshiro: But either way, the mountains or the beach would be fun!

Tezuka:* Right. Let’s plan on it in the future.

[Improvement Level 4 - Episode 1]

Tezuka: …

Hiyoshi: Oh, Tezuka-san… Nice work today. Did you just step out?

Tezuka: Yes. There’s no one in there now. It should be okay to use.

Choutarou: Thank you very much… Huh?

Tezuka: …? What is it?

Choutarou: Your hair’s still wet, don’t you want to dry it?

Tezuka: Well, I usually just let it dry on its own.

Hiyoshi: Is that so. Well, that’s surprising…

Choutarou: With you being so diligent, I thought you’d dry your hair properly.

Kabaji: …Right.

Tezuka: Hair dries regardless. So I don’t see the point in taking the time to blow dry it.

Tezuka: There’s a multitude of other things you could be doing in that time.

Hiyoshi: Yeah, that makes sense… being “super efficient” or whatever.

Choutarou: But I’m jealous of how good your hair always ends up looking.

Tezuka: Oh… really?

Choutarou: Usually when people let their hair air dry, it ends up looking messy or tousled.

Tezuka: …Yes, that is true.

Tezuka: But I don’t sleep while it’s wet. So that solves that problem.

Hiyoshi: So you’re aware of that at least.

Kabaji: …Of course.

Tezuka:* Well, I’d better get going. Be sure to rest well.

Choutarou: Oh, right. Thank you very much.

Hiyoshi: That was unexpected, but oddly satisfying.

Choutarou: Yeah. We got to know a little more about Tezuka-san.

Kabaji: Right.

[Improvement Level 4 - Episode 2]

Tezuka: It looks like tomorrow will be an off day. Everyone is free to spend their time as they wish.

Marui: Ah, really? I dunno what I’ll do~!

Kirihara: I’m gonna play some more of my video game. I’m halfway through it but I’m stuck at this one part.

Marui: Oh, video games, huh. That does sound fun, but I think I’ll go shopping.

Sanada: It’s good to take a break, but don’t become too lax.

Marui: Yeah, yeah, we got it.

Kirihara: Well, what do you guys plan on doing, Vice Captain, Tezuka-san?

Tezuka: Voluntary training.

Sanada: Same here.

Marui: …Well, we could’ve guessed that.

Kirihara: Huh, what about something other than that!? Like what you’d do on an actual day off!

Tezuka: …I don’t really have what people consider “days off.”

Marui: Wow, classic Tezuka.

Kirihara: But don’t you have times where you go out and do something!?

Tezuka: Well… I spend more time reading books than I do going out.

Tezuka:* And I often talk about fishing with my grandfather as well.

Sanada: I see, fishing. The perfect thing for mental training.

Tezuka:* Right. It’s very interesting trying to strategize how to catch the fish, it also sharpens one’s nerves.

Sanada: Strategize… do you mean lure fishing?

Tezuka:* …Yes. I had actually caught a lot of fish using a lure I received as a birthday gift.

Sanada: Oh, what kind of lure?

Tezuka: I have a photo… Here.

Marui: Wha…

Kirihara: That’s…

Marui: Oishi’s face!?

Tezuka: Yes. He had made it himself.

Marui: Buhahahahahaha! Seriously!? That’s actually genius of him to make that!

Kirihara: Hyahahahahaha!! Ah, my stomach!!

Sanada: Hm… it’s well crafted. The resemblance is rather nice. I like it.

Tezuka: Right. I still treasure it. But whenever a fish bites it… I…

Kirihara: Please stop…! I don’t think I can laugh anymore!

Marui: Jeez, how can you guys talk about it with straight faces…?

[Improvement Level 4 - Episode 3]

Kintarou: Oh, it’s Mister Tezuka! Heyy!

Tezuka: …Tooyama.

Shiraishi: Hey, Kin-chan, pipe down. Sorry, Tezuka-kun.

Tezuka: No, it’s fine.

Kintarou: Oh, it looks like you’re eating eel! Is that unadon?

Tezuka: It’s unacha. It’s basically chazuke with eel.

Kintarou: Wow, so you actually wanted to eat chazuke.

Chitose: If it’s eel, then Gin would be a fan too.

Ishida: I would. But I’m having unajyu today.

Tezuka: I get it. The eel today is especially nice and fatty.

Ishida: Oh, I’m excited then. The burnt ends look irresistible.

Tezuka:* It was impressive how meticulous the chefs were when they cooked it.

Tezuka: This first bowl is a combination of the eel and white rice, and the second one is the dashi you pour over it, which changes its aroma.

Ishida: I see, so that’s how it works.

Tezuka: And another nice thing about it is you can change the flavor by adding condiments.

Tezuka: You can add various condiments such as seaweed, wasabi, or momiji oroshi.

Ishida: Really. I’ve never had unacha before, but now that you’ve explained it, Tezuka-han, I’d like to give it a try.

Tezuka:* You should, I think you’d enjoy it.

Kintarou: …Hey hey, Chitose, Shiraishi. Gin and Mister Tezuka are having a good time, right?

Shiraishi: Yeah, I’d say so.

Chitose: The two of them don’t change their expressions, so I’d see why you’d be confused, Kin-chan.

Kintarou: Oh, yeah? I dunno why, but now I’m in the mood to eat eel!

Shiraishi: Haha, I get you, Kin-chan. How about we all have eel for dinner?

Chitose: Yeah.

[Improvement Level 5 - Episode 1]

Tezuka: The benefits of increasing endurance and how to train for it…

Tezuka:* Not that I wasn’t aware of it before, but it would be useful in many aspects if I studied it in detail again…

Kite: Agreed. It is an area where you should learn from the experts, rather than taking it upon yourself.

Kite: I felt that today’s lecture was very useful in that sense.

Tezuka: ! Kite…

Kite: You appeared to be deep in thought. Thinking of another training regimen?

Tezuka: Yes. For my whole team.

Tezuka: It’s essential to increase muscular endurance to be able to move your body more efficiently and for longer periods of time.

Tezuka: When it comes to strength training, our focus is usually on whole-body endurance, but they included more training to increase muscular endurance.

Tezuka: But… as of right now, the training for our low-twitch muscles is still lacking. Initially, we had a poor grasp of understanding which muscles had slow-twitch properties.

Kite: Pectoralis major, latissimus dorsi and quadriceps, I believe.

Kite: But I personally thought the training we’re doing is quite sufficient.

Tezuka: I feel that we need to adjust the intervals a bit more.

Tezuka: Plus, if pushing yourself to the limit can help build muscle strength, then I think it’d be good to add in another set.

Tezuka: But since I want us to do as many basic workouts as possible, I’ll also have to adjust which ones we do.

Kite: You do make a good point though, it’s not just a matter of building up your muscles.

Kite: But you may not see much of an effect if it’s only basic workouts.

Tezuka: …That’s true.

Kite: Especially since they seem to be doing fine with their current training regimen as well.

Tezuka: So you’re saying I shouldn’t be so lenient?

Kite: That’s right. Trying to be lenient now would have the opposite effect.

Kite: Well, no matter what you do, nothing can match the Spartan-level training we did over at Higa. There’s nothing we aren’t capable of.

Tezuka: …Higa’s done that kind of rigorous training? Now I’m curious.

Tezuka: Would you mind sharing what workouts you did for that?

Kite: I don’t mind, but I’m not sure if it would help in your case.

Kite: …Here.

Tezuka: Yes… I see. I think it’s within the realm of what some of us can handle…

Kite: I would also advise you to take into account the extent and development of your physiques. It will be different for Seigaku.

Tezuka: Yes, of course…

Tezuka: Physiques, huh. That’s also an area I’ve not delved in. I should also take that into consideration with this new regimen.

Kite: You’re very straightforward… Well, I suppose I should say that is typical of you. At the very least, good luck.

[Improvement Level 5 - Episode 2]

Tezuka: Sanada, I’m going to use the machine next to yours.

Sanada: Mm… Tezuka. Yes, that’s fine.

Tezuka: How long have you been running?

Sanada: I’ve only just started. It hasn’t even been five minutes.

Tezuka: All right.

Sanada: By the way, Tezuka. How is your grandfather faring?

Tezuka: Oh, he’s the same as always. Still working hard to improve his shogi skills.

Sanada: Heh… I see. My grandfather is the same, too.

Sanada: He’s still upset with your grandfather over that time he postponed their game due to him going fishing with his grandson.

Tezuka: …I apologize for that. But I was able to try out a lure I had never used before. For that, I’m grateful.

Sanada: Well, that’s fine… You probably needed some time to unwind too.

Machine: “Now at: 20 kilometers per hour.”

Sanada: But while you’re taking your time to relax, we’re still out here training hard. Keep that in mind.

Tezuka: It’s the same for us. Seigaku will win the Nationals next time, too.

Sanada: We won’t let that happen. Rikkai’s third consecutive victory was taken from us, but we will reclaim it next time.

Machine: “Now at: 30 kilometers per hour.”

Tezuka: I can count on my underclassmen at Seigaku. I intend to convey to them all that I can before I graduate, so that they may succeed me.

Sanada: Rikkai has many talented players. We have first and second years who are already prepared for their roles… So that means Rikkai will win next time.

Machine: “Now at: 40 kilometers per hour.”

Tezuka: My teammates were chosen to participate in this national training camp this year, and some are beginning to show abilities that surpass even the high schoolers.

Sanada: It’s the same with Rikkai. Our growth rate is even faster.

Machine: “Caution, now at: 50 kilometers per hour.”

Tezuka: Seigaku will win the Nationals!

Sanada: It will be Rikkai who wins next time!

Machine: “Now at: 60 kilometers per hour. Abnormal speed detected. Performing emergency shutdown.”

Tezuka: Ah…

Sanada: Huff… huff… huff… huff… I suppose I went a little overboard… *sigh*

Tezuka: Your treadmill stopped working… you caused an error…

Sanada: …I’ll go apologize to the staff.

Tezuka: Right…

[Improvement Level 5 - Episode 3]

Tezuka: Hah!!

Atobe: How weak!

Tezuka: You think that course is good enough!?

Atobe: Huhh? Watch who you’re talking to!

Tezuka: There’s still a ways to go!!

—

Tezuka: …It’s been thirty minutes. Let’s take a break, Atobe.

Atobe: I guess it is about that time… Fine, break time.

Tezuka: It looks like they’re practicing on their own on the other courts as well.

Atobe: Heh, of course. There’s no time to rest if you wish to become stronger.

Tezuka: …I’m certain my underclassmen don’t even think about taking breaks.

Atobe: Huhh? That’s what I should be saying. The winner will be Hyotei. That’s the fact of the matter.

Tezuka: It was Seigaku who prevailed during that Red vs. White Competition.

Atobe: Huh?

Tezuka: The only red balloons that remained were members of Seigaku.

Atobe: …Hiyoshi boldly challenges me, the captain of the club. Do any of your underclassmen at Seigaku have that kind of backbone?

Tezuka: I’m always taking up challenges from my underclassmen. What happened during the Red vs. White competition was no different from any other occasion.

Tezuka:* Besides, Kaidoh is actively working to become captain.

Atobe: Hmph… you can’t judge who’s superior in that area.

Tezuka: True. There’s always room for improvement.

Atobe: Right. They’re also working to overcome their weaknesses. If they keep this up, then next year should be promising.

Atobe: Hyotei will win, though.

Tezuka: Seigaku will win.

Tezuka: …No matter the victor, let’s not let our guards down, so that we may leave a legacy behind for them thereafter.

Atobe: Huhh? Who do you think you’re talking to. Spare me the reminders, I’m well aware.

—

Hiyoshi: Captain Atobe. If you’re just gonna sit here and chat, then how about you have a round with me.

Kaidoh: Captain Tezuka, if you don’t mind, I’d also like to…

Atobe: Heh… and here’s the cheeky underclassman himself. Fine, I’ll go all out with you.

Tezuka:* All out, huh.

Atobe: Did you say something, Tezuka?

Tezuka: No, it’s nothing. Kaidoh, I’ll go all out as well. Are you prepared?

Kaidoh: Yes! I look forward to it!

[Improvement Level 6 - Episode 1]

Tezuka: (I’m done with my early morning run. So now…)

Tezuka: (I’m just in time for my English lesson. I’ll take a break and listen to it here.)

—

Kaidoh: Fshhhh… Finished today’s running. Next is… Hm?

Kaidoh: (It’s Captain Tezuka. But… is he listening to something? And it looks like he’s meditating and feeling the breeze?)

Kaidoh: (Maybe I should wait until after he’s done to say hello… maybe. But, I…)

Fuji: Huh, what’s up Kaidoh?

Kaidoh: ! Fuji-senpai. It’s…

Fuji: Hm? …Oh, it’s Tezuka. Looks like he’s doing his usual routine.

Kaidoh: Routine?

Fuji: English lesson broadcasts. He likes to listen to them in the morning.

Fuji: I think learning by ear is more efficient, don’t you?

Kaidoh: English lessons… Wait, he studies this early in the morning?

Tezuka: …Fuji, and Kaidoh. You’re here too.

Fuji: Yeah, I just happened to pass by. Good morning, Tezuka.

Kaidoh: Good morning, Captain Tezuka.

Tezuka: Yes, good morning.

Fuji: Kaidoh was nervous about calling out to you. The usual English lessons?

Tezuka: What I’m listening to right now? Yes, it is.

Tezuka: I use my cool down time to also learn English. Killing two birds with one stone, right?

Kaidoh: Yeah, that’s true…

Tezuka: If you want to play tennis professionally, then it’s better to know how to speak English.

Tezuka: And it’s also best to learn these things little by little as soon as you can.

Tezuka:* Not to mention, it’ll save you a lot of trouble down the line.

Kaidoh: …Of course. As expected of you, Captain Tezuka. You never miss a beat when it comes to training or studying…

Fuji: Very typical of you, Tezuka. And it’s not just English, you study German too.

Kaidoh: …I think I’ll listen to radio lessons, too.

Tezuka: You can learn anywhere. By taking advantage of this, you will be able to study and train at the same time.

Tezuka: But as with everything, don’t let your guards down.

Kaidoh: Right!

[Improvement Level 6 - Episode 2]

Tezuka: Echizen, that right shot was weak! That speed won’t cut it!

Ryoma: Got it!

Tezuka: Yes, like that! Let’s raise the bar now!

Ryoma: Okay, I’m not gonna lose though!

Tezuka: Hah!!

—

Kikumaru: Whoa-ho, those shots are incredible! It’s almost like an actual match, isn’t it?

Inui: The duration of their stroke practice has already exceeded one hour… but both still seem to have a lot of fight in them.

Kikumaru: It’s normal for Tezuka, but Shorty’s gotten a lot more stamina too.

Inui: Right. It is quite a feat to be able to keep rallying for this long…

Inui: But I would say it’s about time they take a break.

Kikumaru: Right. Heyy, Tezuka! Shorty! It’s time for a break~!!

Tezuka: …So it’s that time already.

Ryoma: Huh, Kikumaru-senpai and Inui-senpai, when did you guys get here.

Kikumaru: Ahaha, you’ve only been paying attention to Tezuka, huh, Shorty. Here, have a drink!

Ryoma: Thanks.

Inui: You too, Tezuka. Here, I didn’t put any Inui Juice in it, so don’t hesitate to drink it.

Tezuka: Thank you.

Kikumaru: Oh, come to think of it, the pairs here were on the same teams during the Red vs. White competition. Me and Shorty, Tezuka and Inui.

Inui: Yes, that is true. As for me though, I wasn’t able to participate in it for very long.

Ryoma: …Captain Tezuka was really going toe-to-toe with those eagles.

Kikumaru: What’s this, now? You feelin’ upset over it, Shorty?

Ryoma: No, I don’t really care, but… we were basically fighting for our lives when we did it on the cliffs.

Kikumaru: Oh, so you are upset!

Tezuka: …But we were able to assess the situation beforehand due to your prior experience.

Tezuka: Without your information, it would’ve been a lot more of a struggle. So thank you, Echizen.

Ryoma: …That doesn’t make me feel any better.

Kikumaru: Yeah, I feel the same way~

Kikumaru: But y’know what, Shorty. Next time we face off, we’ll blow ‘em right outta the water!

Ryoma: Wha… don’t pat my head.

Inui: However, I have gathered more data from it. And the probability that we would win next time: 100%.

Tezuka: Naturally. If it’s a match, then victory is certain for me. I can’t lose to any of you yet.

Ryoma: …‘Kay, then I’ll just have to gain more experience by playing against stronger opponents.

Ryoma: So, Captain Tezuka, let’s keep practicing.

Tezuka: …Very well. We’ll pick up the pace even more now. Let’s go, Echizen!

[Improvement Level 6 - Episode 3]

Tezuka: (German traditions… culture… and modern customs… Travel guides would be useful, too.)

Tezuka:* (I’ll borrow some books covering that area next time. Next is—)

Byoudouin: You seem pretty eager.

Tezuka: …It’s you.

Byoudouin: German culture, huh. So I take it you’re already preparing to leave Japan?

Tezuka: Well… There’s nothing wrong with simply wanting the knowledge.

Byoudouin: Hmph… Looking ahead to the future, then. That’s not a bad idea, either.

Ryoga: Oh-ho, what do we have here. Two guys who are both as serious as they come. And here I was hoping I could kick back and relax~

Ryoga: Gonna be hard to do that with you guys around~

Byoudouin: You shouldn’t laze around to begin with.

Ryoga: Haha, that’s true. So, you’re studying, middle schooler?

Tezuka: Yes. I thought I’d expand my insight a bit.

Ryoga: Hmm, reading books, huh…

Tezuka: …What is it?

Ryoga: Wellll… with books, you’re just looking at things through another person’s perspective, right? But what does that tell you?

Ryoga: You won’t understand the world if you just read something written from a single, narrow point-of-view.

Byoudouin: It’s rare for you to say something substantial.

Byoudouin: But in the end, it’s not knowledge that counts, but experience.

Byoudouin: There are things you can only gain by seeing and experiencing the vast world with your own eyes.

Ryoga: Plus, it’s actually a lot of fun. Experience is the best teacher, y’know?

Tezuka: …I see.

Ryoga: But it is interesting to read about it, I’ll admit. I recommend these books.

Tezuka: …Manga?

Ryoga: Manga’s good too, isn’t it? It’s fictional Germany! And it’s still realistic too to an extent.

Tezuka:* That’s one way to look at it…

Tezuka: (He does have a point, it may be interesting to compare the differences between knowledge, reality, and fiction.)

Tezuka: (But most importantly, your own experiences will speak for themselves… I must keep that in mind.)

Ryoga: Hahah! Now he’s back to looking so goddamn serious.

Tezuka: Thank you very much for your advice.

Ryoga: …So strait-laced.

Byoudouin: Hmph, well, it’s fine. Remember to stay vigilant.

Tezuka: Right.

[shoheiakagi]

I don't know if you're doing any requests but if you are could you do one where anna gets her period for the first time and how the boys would handle it please?

Hello!!! Sorry for being super late with this :/ I don’t really write out scenarios/fics since I’m not a writer by any means, but I can definitely put out some headcanons!

Naturally, Totsuka and kusanagi are the first ones to find out. Totsuka is perceptive and notices her being more quiet than usual, sometimes wincing in pain. Kusanagi finds out when he goes to clean her bedsheets and comes across the blood stains

Kusanagi and Dewa are the only ones mature enough to go out and buy the pads and heating pads for her cramps

Totsuka is in charge of the menu for the week and makes sure that Anna eats clean, most of her meals being filled with fiber and fish. Unfortunately for Anna, this means that she won’t be able to enjoy fried rice and curry. He also makes sure that she stays hydrated by having her carry around a large water bottle and serving her a small plate of sliced fruits throughout the day. The boys personally think totsuka is overdoing it, but wisely keep their mouth shut

Yata avoids Anna as if she’s carrying a disease at first, instinctively flinching and moving away when she comes near him. Bandou is completely normal and taunts yata for acting weird, only to get his ass beat. Just another day for bandou, really.

Eric has no idea on what to do. Should they buy her expensive jewelry to celebrate a new milestone in her life? Chitose did say that she’s on her way to womanhood now

Chitose makes an offhand and inappropriate comment which leads to yata and dewa smacking the shit out of him

Kamamoto, Fuji, and Shouhei would spoil Anna by buying her favorite candies, desserts, and toys in hopes of making her feel better. Totsuka scolds them for trying to indulge her in sugary snacks, and makes sure that anna can only have one small treat per day

Mikoto doesnt act any different, and thats perfectly fine with anna cause his warm presence is enough for her

[alln64games]

Mario’s Photo Studio

JP release: 2nd December 1998

NA release: N/A

PAL release: N/A

Developer: Nintendo, Datt, Fuji, Tokyo Electron

Publisher: Tokyo Electron

Original Name: Mario no Photopi

N64 Magazine Score: N/A

Mario’s Photo Studio (or Mario no Photopi) is a photo editing software for the N64 that was exclusive to Japan. It used a special cartridge that had slots to insert SecureMedia cards, which were presumably popular with digital camera in Japan at the time. In terms of emulation, there’s no way to load photos in to the game without the actual physical cartridge (even using an EverDrive on real hardware), however a modified version has been made that lets you test out the features without opening images.

The main part is editor. Here you can load images and manipulate them. You can add different layers, draw and add some renders of characters from Super Mario 64. Some of the menus also use sprites from Yoshi’s Story. Another feature lets you create a slideshow, and another saves your creations in a format to use in Fuji prating machines found in stores.

There’s a minigame that cuts up an image into squares and you have to put it back together by clicking two to swap them. However, it’s not as simple as it initially looks as swapping two will also flip them, so you have to get them in the right place and the right orientation. You can use the title screen image or (if you have the actual cartridge) load your own photo in to the game.

Mario’s Photo Studio is fairly basic software, built around the editing of photos to make fun postcards rather than an artist’s tool (the 64DD games are for that). If you wanted to do some basic things to photos and didn’t own a PC, this would have provided that service.

Adventurous artists can use the software to create ‘original postcards’, add text (Japanese and English), and then take it along to any FDI photostore (Fuji) to run off exclusive colour prints.

- Max Everingham, N64 Magazine #20

Remake or remaster?

This is just an interesting novelty.

Official Ways to get the game

There is no official way to get Mario’s Photo Studio

[adriansvetozaroff]

Some different crossovers.

Bruno the Kadabra. 2023. Pokemon/Encanto crossover. Firstly, Bruno is a touching character, secondly, he reminded me of my favorite psychic type, just as thin, can seem sinister and is considered a harbinger of trouble, but in fact he is not without charm. Thirdly, Nintendo for 16 years: "Not a word about kadabra!"

Anzati Hunter D. 2016. Star Wars/D: Bloodlust crossover. I think it's rather stylish.

Lysandre Cafe. 2022. "Do you want to be with those who give or those who take?". Idea of a crossover with "Menu" (I can't vouch for the accuracy of the quote, as I watched the film in my native language, but its theme, in my opinion, suits Lysandre)

I, Mewtwo. 2014. Crossover with "I, Frankenstein" made for fun.

Fuji's Monster. 2023. Mewtwo as Frankenstein's monster from "Mary Shelley's Frankenstein" movie. "Have you thought about the consequences of what was started by you? Who am I? Do you think I'm evil? You hardly know how much love and affection is in me, and hardly believe how much hate is in me. And if I can not meet one sense, I am completely give myself for other!"

Rose Red. 2013. Sabrina's youth associates for me with S. King's "Rose Red", that's why I wanted to draw her like this. 

Bonding. 2015. Mewtwo and Indominus Rex. Crossover with "Jurassic world"

I did it 35 minutes ago. 2016. Mewtwo as Ozymandias from "Watchmen", just for fun as a perfect ending for "Mewtwo strikes back"

Guilty! 2014. «I was weak. That's why I needed you... Needed someone to punish me for my sins...» Professor Fuji as protagonist in "Silent Hill" game series. Crossover is based on SH 2, but totally AU. 

[peow-31]

So it wasn't Death ;-;

... Anyway

Fuji really went cooking tho 😎

Anyone watched the film "The Menu" yet?

Coz I agree with this tweet

"The Menu" was literally my first thought upon reading these panels

PS: Also, ig these panels from 102 & 105 makes sense now...

102

105

It kinda makes sense... if, you know, she DID kill that person from the orphanage. (Deserved tbh) 123 (recent chapter)

[manqsax]

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ライブ告知

一部の方にはお誘い済みですが

【ACO SCRAMBLE FUJI Vol.4】

●9/10(日)富士ANIMAL NEST

開場12:30 開演13:00

チケット1,500円＋1drink500円

■出演

13:00-13:10 KUNI

13:15-13:35 新原広樹

13:40-13:50 yokko

13:55-14:15 門間アキオ

14:20-14:40 真船整

14:45-15:15 黒沼近衛

15:20-15:40 MANQ←ここです！！

15:45-16:05 石川冬樹

16:10-16:30 富田哲平

16:35-17:05 髙橋勇太

17:10-17:40 宗野俊男

17:45-18:05 MASA

18:10-18:30 はる

18:35-19:05 鈴木健太郎

19:10-19:40 tetsu&hide

19:45-20:15 nicomaru

・チケット予約なしでご入場できます。

・入場時お目当ての演者さんのお名前をお尋ねします。

MANQで来た！と言ってください！

・巻きで進行する可能性がありますのでお目当てのアーティストさんの出演時間に余裕を持ってお越しください。

・再入場可

・FOOD MENU有り

■問合せ

TEL090-4867-0669

animalnest_live@tokai.or.jp

ご来場ご検討ください！！！！！！

[saikourobyn]

Japan 2020 - Day 2

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Our Hakone adventures continue.

Tuesday 25th February 2020

Hakone

Our second day in Japan we had a traditional breakfast which included lots of new and strange looking foods. Helpfully they have a laminated card at the table telling you what everything is, I had fun trying to remove all the bones from a fish and drinking an egg with something mixed in with it.

We are headed off on the circular trail around Hakone that includes buses, trains, cable cars and boats that look like pirate ships, but first we are headed up Mt. Kintoki. Back into town we went to store our luggage at the station, purchased our Hakone Free Pass, then took a bus up the hill and found the Mt. Kintoki Hiking Trail.

We found a shrine, as it was my first one I wanted to make a donation for a fortune, although I couldn’t read it, google translate showed some good luck in there so I took that to mean it was a good one, Oli got one too which was only minimal luck, if they had been bad luck we supposed to tie them up there.

The trail was made up of many many steps we met quite a few people walking down the mountain, everyone was very friendly a quick “konichiwa” and a bow much like a friendly “mornin’” to your fellow brit it was very welcoming, that is until we heard loud noises sort of like thunder or perhaps something was awakening from below the ground…

Although it was a cloudy day we got a good view of Mt Fuji at the top, we had brought some snacks with us from the 7-11 at the bottom of the trail but we couldn’t resist getting some hot food from the shack at the top, the menu consisted of various noodle based dishes, we ordered our curry noodles from the lovely old lady who seemed to run the place, we ate while friendly locals made small talk “curry noodles” and “chopsticks” perhaps they were impressed by our skills with the utensils, we did our best to respond in Japanese “Hashi” I replied while gesturing with my chopsticks, they asked where we were from so we could break out one of the few phrases we could remember “Watashi wa Igirisu-jin desu” I’m from England.

After they had left the lovely lady who had brought us our food made small talk with us, we expressed our enjoyment of the food “oishi” delicious, and we got given sweets and crackers to take with us on our trek, she informed us it was her birthday so Oli began singing Happy Birthday and I joined in before realising we didn’t know her name, this was swiftly covered up with another line of “Happy Birthday” she seemed to enjoy it anyway and we got some more freebies by way of a postcard.

We thanked her for everything and set back off down the hill by a slightly different route and caught a bus to the next part of our trip, one of the trains was out of action due to a landslide but we got to the end station to get the replacement bus but we discovered that we’d spent too long eating noodles and we would not be able to get back as the last cable car was going or had gone already, as they’re still on their winter schedule it stops earlier than in the summer, reluctantly we get back on the bus toward the station to grab our luggage and head back to Tokyo, The Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park will have to be added to the list for the next visit.

Tokyo

Our first few days in Tokyo we were staying with Hiroshi and Aiko, Hiroshi and Oli are old friends.

We made it back to their place around 8pm where we had dinner. For Hiroshi’s wedding reception he had picked up a Nintendo 64, I was more than happy to help test it out with a bit of Mario Kart and Bomberman.

◀ Previous | Next ▶

[knowledgeatbargainprices]

Mercury In Retrograde

One of my Favorite film cameras is the Mercury II. It's a half-frame camera from the 40's that was supposed to be the American rival to Contaxes and Leicas since we were having... second thoughts about doing business with Germany, and even Japan. Even though I'd adapted this lens to my Fuji X-E2 before, I'd never thrown it on my Sony A7ii.

Here are some shots!

I figured I'd be able to use the APS-C mode in the menu, which just punches into the sensor, since half-frame is about the same size as APS-C anyway.

Overall, I'm pretty astonished by this lens' performance. It handles color and contrast well, and definitely has a vintage focus fall-off in the corners, which is common for three-element lenses like this one. The Bokeh looks good, and sharpness are on point!

So not bad for APS-C  crop, right?

I've been withholding something. These are all shot full frame. Turns out this tiny lens covers the sensor at wider apertures with just a vignette. Stopped down, the corners fall out. Here's f/2.7 compared to f/8.

Not bad for a lens the size of a quarter!

[downtoearthmarkets]

Rosh Hashanah is a festival celebrating the start of the Jewish New Year that occurs in late summer or early fall. This year Rosh Hashanah begins at sundown next Wednesday, October 2nd and ends at nightfall on Friday, October 4th. It marks the start of the Jewish High Holidays, a ten-day period of reflection and repentance, leading up to Yom Kippur, also known as the Day of Atonement.

Like many religious holidays, Rosh Hashanah’s origins are connected to the agricultural cycle. In Semitic cultures of the ancient Near East, the new year was celebrated in the fall after the harvest was gathered and the growing season is over. This is a time of great bounty when fresh fruits and vegetables are at their peak abundance.

The culinary customs at Rosh Hashanah reflect the bounty of the harvest season and often include symbolic foods called simanim which are eaten to help ensure a good new year ahead. As you plan your holiday menu this year, here are several traditional foods that you can easily find in the farmers market this weekend.

A Sweet Start 

It's customary to dip sliced raw apples in honey at Rosh Hashanah to symbolize the hope for sweetness and health in the coming year.

Honey was the sweetener of choice in biblical times, as neither sugar nor maple syrup were known to the Israelites. Israel is described in the Bible as flowing with “milk and honey,” so enjoying honey at Rosh Hashanah is a reminder of the historic connection with the Holy Land.

Apples are eaten for both their healing power and their sweetness.  The apple tree is honored in biblical passages for its specialness among the other trees of the forest, as well as for the sweetness and attractive aroma of its fruit.

Some of the best locally grown apples for Rosh Hashanah are those that are bursting with sweetness like Gala, Golden Delicious, Fuji and Red Delicious. Their sugary crispness will pair perfectly with the premium local honey you can find in our farmers markets. Our honey vendors’ products are influenced by the surrounding environment, or “terroir,”, that the bees feed upon, which gives their different honeys unique and complex flavors. 

Putting Your Heads Together 

In Hebrew, Rosh Hashanah literally means “head of the year,”and including some sort of head on the menu is a symbolic representation of that. It’s a way to start the year off by moving forward and making progress, rather than lingering in the rear. When served, it’s customary to recite the blessing “May we be heads, not tails”, as a reminder to be like heads—leaders and changemakers—and not tails, or followers.

Traditionally, sheep or fish heads were eaten, but you can achieve the same effect by serving a whole, locally caught fish from American Pride Seafood or P&S Seafood. For the vegetarians and vegans at the table, a head can be incorporated in dishes made from vegetables with a head such as cauliflower, cabbage, garlic and lettuce.

The Pumpkin Homonym 

The Hebrew word for pumpkin or gourd is karah, which is similar in pronunciation and spelling to the word meaning “to be torn or ripped away” and the word meaning “to proclaim.” The homonyms gave rise to a tradition of eating pumpkin on Rosh Hashanah to convey the hope that one's merits and good deeds from the past year will be proclaimed and any evil decrees will be ripped up. As the gourd is consumed, a blessing to this effect is recited.

Pumpkin and winter squash come into season in late summer and early fall, which further strengthens their associations with Rosh Hashanah. Plus, pumpkin's rich golden color is linked with happiness, a common wish for the coming year. Enjoy this recipe for Moroccan Pumpkin Soup which is a popular choice for Rosh Hashanah.

Round it Out With Challah 

It’s traditional to eat challah on Shabbat and other Jewish holidays. However, on Rosh Hashanah, challah is specially baked in a round shape to symbolize many things including continuity, the wheel of the seasons, and a spiral of upward progress.

Challah is also made a little sweeter than usual for the new year, and sometimes raisins or apples are mixed in. Of course, many people bake homemade challah for Rosh Hashanah. But, if you’re pressed for time, our bread vendors carry round challah to make your holiday prep just a bit easier.

We wish Shanah Tovah to all that celebrate, and we look forward to seeing you in the farmers market this weekend!

[onejamtart]

OJT EATS | Oriole

This week, we're off to the new 2nd iteration of the cocktail bar Oriole. After closing up shop in Farringdon, and having a brief pop-up across the road of their new place as Prelude, it has now re-opened in Covent Garden. As before, there are sets of live music but what's new is that this place has a fully fledged food menu; you can even book in for a dinner and show option. We weren't that hungry so just went down for drinks and some bar snacks.

We love us some padron peppers and these were good ones. They were surprisingly large but super well roasted and nicely seasoned. Perfect with a couple of drinks.

And right on cue, the drinks arrived. This was the Aomori which was gin, quince rakia, meadowsweet and Fuji apple. Super refreshing, slightly sweet and the fact that it came with a big chunk of candy floss on top was a bonus!

The other drink we ordered was the Arcadia which we were told was the Oriole signature that had been on the menu since the beginning. Once it arrived and after we'd eaten the delicious chocolate floating on top of the ice, it was easy to see why. Made with bourbon, maple syrup, peanut butter, rowan berry and grapefruit juice. Incredibly velvety and smooth with a sweetness from the maple syrup. Definitely worth ordering!

Now onto a bit more food. Shiitake mushrooms with an egg yolk. Super tasty and once you cut into that yolk, you get this lovely unctuous sauce. Definitely a step up from your normal bar finger food!

If you are looking for finger food though, they can also oblige. These truffle parmesan fries were excellent. Super truffle-y and with a good layer of parmesan on it. The fries were also crispy and fluffy inside. These are perfect alongside a few drinks.

The original Oriole was voted one of the best bars in the world and if our first visit to this new version was anything to go by, we would not be surprised if this iteration will end up on the same lists.

Oriole, 7-9 Slingsby Pl, London WC2E 9AB

Cheers, JL