#geta footwear

[kobikiyama]

@YJningning

[apartment315]

[maigeiko]

The look of… IX: Hakone-Yumoto Onsen

History Although it‘s likely that Geisha worked in Hakone since the late 19th century, not much can be found about their history. The current Kenban was built in 1950 [1]. In the early/mid 80's (before the bubble economy), 400-450 Geisha lived in Hakone [2]. The Otosan of Ikedaya Okiya reformed the traditional employment system and introduced benefits like pension plans and financial compensations for cancelled jobs [3].

In 2000 latest, the Hakone Yumoto Kenban launched its own website [4], creating a space for Okiya to advertise and look for new members [5]. In 2001, the Okasan of Wakita became the current head of the Geigi Union. In order to ensure the survival of local Hanamachi culture, the Kenban became open to public in 2008, and the Geisha band Basara (婆娑羅) was founded in 2009. [2]

In the late 2010's, around 150 Geisha from age 18 to 80 lived in 32 Okiya. Lack of work during the Corona pandemic reduced their numbers to 109 in 2021. The amount of Geisha working in Hakone has increased meanwhile, with 140 of them active in January 2024, but still hasn‘t reached its pre-pandemic levels. [2]

The look of Hakone Maiko

Local term: Kirariko きらり妓

※ Hairstyle: own hair, Shimada mage and Hanaogi mage ※ Kanzashi: Kushi, maezashi, non-seasonal hana kanzashi ※ Make up: western make up or light oshiroi, both lips painted from the start ※ Kimono: Furisode mostly without tucks (rarely with sleeve tucks) ※ Eri: white, white with embroidery (red, red/pink) ※ Obi: Koken musubi ※ Obiage: tied and tucked in, red ※ Obijime: red with simple, rectangular Obidome ※ Footwear: white or black Zori

The look of Hakone Geiko

Local term: Geisha

※ Hairstyle: Taka shimada or Tsubushi shimada Katsura ※ Kanzashi: Taka shimada: Kushi, Tama in the back, Kogai in the back, and sometimes in the front too. Tsubushi shimada: Kushi, Tama ※ Make up: Oshiroi ※ Kimono: Mostly Homongi/Tsukesage, sometimes Hikizuri. Kuromontsuki for Tachikata is always a Hikizuri ※ Eri: white, rarely with white or pink embriodery ※ Obi: Yanagi musubi with Kuromontsuki (white/blue Hakata ori), otherwise Otaiko musubi ※ Obiage: always red with Kuromontsuki, otherwise white, pink or light blue. Usually not patterned. ※ Obijime: light-coloured. No Obijime with Yanagi musubi ※ Footwear: Zori, Geta with white or blue Hanao

Casual/Jikata style

※ Hairstyle: Yohatsu ※ Kanzashi: usually none, maki (蒔絵) kanzashi at best ※ Make up: western make up ※ Kimono: Kurotomesode, otherwise Homongi ※ Eri: white ※ Obi: Otaiko musubi ※ Obiage: mostly warm pastel colours, but basically anything goes. Not patterned. ※ Obijime: Sometimes with Obidome ※ Footwear: Zôri

Tachiyaku style

※ Hairstyle: Maeware Katsura ※ Kanzashi: Tama pin in the back ※ Make up: Oshiroi ※ Kimono: Hômongi ※ Eri: white ※ Obi: Koken musubi with mint/light green Kakae Obi (抱え帯) ※ Obiage: red, white, pink or light blue. Obidome not uncommon ※ Obijime: light-coloured

Notes

Arts: The schools taught in Hakone are Nishikawa 西川 (dance), Honjo 本條 (Kouta, Hauta and Min‘yo), Kineya 杵屋 (Nagauta) and Tosha 藤舎 (Hayashi). [6]

Kirariko is a newly coined term in use since 2003 to call junior Geisha in the age group from 18-30. [7] Upon turning 30, Kirariko have to take either a „dancer grade B“ or „dancer grade A“ test. To pass the B test, she has to perform two dances. For the grade A test, she has to perform three female style and three male style dances. [8]

Companions: Okiya recruit and employ companions as well as Geisha. Companions receive a fixed wage, which is usually lower than that of the Geisha, but the customer pays the same price. Companions can be requested to wear either western clothing or Kimono. Western clothing is a business suit provided for free by the Okiya, Kimono can be rented for a set fee by the Okiya as well. [9] Companions receive professional names like Geisha. They don‘t study performing arts and can work part-time. Their job is to serve drinks and food and engage in „pleasant conversation“ with customers at banquets. [10] In my opinion, a good entry-level job in the Karyukai – some companions became Geisha later in their carreer. [11]

Becoming independent: after being Geisha for seven years, you have the opportunity of opening a branch of your debut Okiya. In all cases I know, the new Okiya takes one or two characters from the original Okiya. For example Ikedaya 池田家 → Wakita 和喜田 and Yukieda 雪江田 (田 Kanji is part of the new name). Wakita 和喜田 → Suzuwa すず和 and Yukiwa ゆき和 (和). Kitami 㐂田見 → Kisaya 㐂茶家 (㐂).

Changing Okiya registration: only possible when becoming independent, or when your (biological) mother, sister, or daughter opens a new Okiya.

Sources

[1] https://note.com/meetgeisha/n/n1cc907ffd4c9. [2] https://www.tokyo-np.co.jp/article/301712, [3] https://conex-eco.co.jp/hakonesaisai/71824/ [4] https://web.archive.org/web/20000919171055/http://www.geisha.co.jp:80/ [5] https://web.archive.org/web/20001017234326/http://www.geisha.co.jp/okiya-name.htm,[6] https://geisha.co.jp/kenban/, [7] https://web.archive.org/web/20040408030159/http://www11.plala.or.jp/fukunoya/what_is_kirariko.html,[8] https://konohanasakuya.blogspot.com/2012/03/dance-performance.html,[9] https://yukieda.com/kyuujin_answer/, [10] https://yukieda.com/recruit/companion/,[11] https://web.archive.org/web/20080220191156/http://www.00wakita.com/hyousyou.html

Picture sources: Group picture 2024, Hakone Odori, three Kirariko 2023, Kirariko back view 2023, Geisha dancing, Geisha preparing Tosenkyo set 2019, Sumomo with a dancer 2009, Anzu and Yuho 2023, really nice picture of Yumiko with Kokyu 2022, Chacha dancing 2022, Atsumi and unknown Tachikata 2019, Natsumi 2022, Matsuyoshi new year's picture 2023

[dejwrld]

˚₊𓆩༺🎸༻𓆪₊˚ — summer of 22', choso kamo

𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓 𝐈𝐈𝐈 — FIREWORKS AND FIRST KISSES

🩰 — choso & y/n attend a summer festival together as technically their first real date, but feelings and the summer heat kinda get the best of them.

ᩍ before reading please be advised of the following warnings — female reader, female anatomy describe, slice of life au, band member!choso, skater!choso, record shop worker!choso, extremely fast paced fic, tooth rotting fluff, kinda my own ossumption and characterization of modern choso, profanity, mentions of family drama, reader & choso making out, slight exhibitionism kinda, brief clit play, kinda, festival chapter yay, mentions of other characters: utahime, geto, maki, yuji, mimiko and nanako (whose aged down for plot purposes) | mdni, taglist, masterlist, other creations

chapter playlist | moment by vierre cloud, small infinity by houston kendrick, honeymoon fades by & sabrina carpenter

It’s been a week since Choso admitted to having a crush on you and your mind still was running rapid about him telling you this. You’ve completely ignored the fact that he was crushing on you when you two would text or talk on the phone late at night. You adore how patient he was with you, even though you were sure he craved to hear your thoughts on the crushing situation—he didn’t pester you about a decision on if you like him back or not. 

He was so soft with you that it caused your stomach to fill with butterflies and your cheeks to radiate so much heat. Choso clouded your mind so heavily that even your little class of eight-year-old dancers could tell that you were thinking of someone. The innocent teasing of them claiming you have a boyfriend when they catch you staring off with a smile. Currently, Utahime is sticking a beautiful pink flower hairpin in your braids that was pulled back into a perfect bun.

“Your head has been in the clouds lately, are you okay?” Utahime questioned as she glanced in the mirror in front of your vanity. “I’ve noticed you dazing off when you practice.” 

“It’s nothing.” Your words tumble out so quickly that Utahime knew that was a lie. She finally managed to neatly place the hairpin in your hair before she glanced in the mirror at your reflection. 

“Is it that boy?” Utahime questioned. “It’s so strange because your mother always would say the same thing when she would space out. Just to find out she was daydreaming about your bonehead of a father,” Utahime chuckles before she motions for you to stand from the seat you were sitting in. 

You stood up smoothing out nonexistent wrinkles from your attire before speaking, “He admitted to having a crush on me.” Your eyes glance down at the geta footwear that was on your feet before you glance at Utahime’s teasing smile. 

“That’s so cute, but he’s a nice guy. I met him when he first got hired at Suguru’s shop.” Utahime pointed out. “How do you feel about that? The last time you were serious with someone, it was that one guy. What was his name?”

“Naoya. I wouldn’t count that as anything serious. We didn’t really get anywhere. He just was a bed warmer after long hours in dance class.” Your shoulders shrug. “I don’t know, maybe we’re moving too fast.” Your words sting your own tongue even saying.

You liked Choso, you liked him more than you expected actually. He brought a smile to your face without you realizing it. He made you feel so alive that on some occasions you forgot to breathe. He was a breath of fresh air in your suffocating world of dance and you loved that. 

“Do you think you’re moving too fast or are you only saying that to consider self-sabotaging what you guys are growing into?” Utahime waltzs around you to ensure that your yukata is perfect. 

Which it was. The floral print and pastel pink shades complement your complexion wonderfully. You felt like a princess that just got pampered and frankly, you couldn’t wait to see the way Choso’s eyes light up brightly when he saw you.

“Maybe, I am self-sabotaging. I’m only here for three months before I have to return to the States for university.” You grabbed your clutch to place important things in it. “What’s the point of putting my all into something that could be temporary to the both of us.”

“You don’t know that Y/N,” Utahime says. “You don’t know if he views this as a temporary thing. You’re just overthinking.” She playfully slaps your shoulder. 

The sound of your phone ringing interrupted your next words and your cheeks heats immediately seeing his name flash on your phone. Your thumb drags alongside the screen to answer the call and hearing Choso’s voice sent a nourishing quiver down your spine. 

“Hey, I’m outside. I was wondering if you wanted to walk to the festival together.” He then kisses his teeth. “I should have asked this earlier, but I was helping with the inventory at the shop, so I forgot.” He rambles on about his day of counting records for Suguru and your lips curve into a smile as you’re mouthing a farewell to Utahime and leaving the room. 

“I’m coming down now, just give me a couple of seconds.” 

You end the call and when you finally make it down, Choso is leaning against a wall waiting. The black kimono he wore hugged his figure nicely and displayed that whatever free time he had outside of being a responsible older brother, skateboarding, working in a record shop, and being in a band—he worked out. When his eyes landed on you, his smile grew bigger and his eyes glimmered while he closed the gap in between you. 

“Wow.” was the only thing he could utter as his dark eyes glossed over you one more time. He extends his arm for you to grab upon and you do immediately. “The festival isn’t that far away, so I hope you don’t mind if we walk. I just thought it would be nice to do so.” 

You smile at him while gripping his arm while walking, “I’m okay with that. I’m just glad to be spending time with you.” You look over at him and notice the tip of his ears immediately reddens at your words. “Does your ears always do that?” 

“When a pretty girl has me blushing, yup!” Choso bluntly admits as he walks in the direction of the festival. The two of you can already hear the loud music from different instruments. 

“That’s good to know. It means I’m doing a good job at winning you over.” You playfully nudge his side with a smile. “I’m glad you invited me to this, I would have been stuck being bored in Utahime’s place.” 

“They have a pretty cool firework show at the end and I thought it would be cool to watch it with you.” Choso smiles and now it was your turn to feel your heartbeat quicken and your cheeks steam with heat. 

You peek down at your shoes before speaking, “Then thank you again.” You quickly pressed a kiss on his cheek before continuing to walk. 

This time not only did his pierced ears illuminate a shade of red, but his cheeks also. You had a charm on the man and you knew it. “Did you ever talk to your brother? You guys left off on a sour note,” You pointed out as you glanced over at him. 

“He actually hasn't been home lately. Staying over at a friend's house because it’s closer to his internship,” Choso’s lips form a straight line as if he was trying to believe his own words. “But he’s supposed to be here tonight because he volunteered to work at one of the booths.”

“Well, I still think you guys should talk. It seems there's some tension between you two,” You point out. “But we don’t have to talk about it,” A comforting smile spreads across your face while you continue to walk. Your eyes look ahead seeing the decor for the festival bit by bit. 

“I don’t want to dampen the mood, it’s just when our mom just up and left leaving us with his grandfather—it took a toll on him when he was younger. He told me he saw her again when he was out with his friends and she completely ignored him.” Choso comment. “So, I feel like he’s doing this just to try to get her attention. Which he’s never going to get.” Choso sighs. 

A frown appears on your face hearing his words and you sigh, “I’m sure he’ll realize that she isn’t a good person.”

“But I just don’t want him to realize it when it’s too late,” Choso interjects and when you two finally make it to the entrance of the festival, the gloomy look that decorated his face disappears. “But on a lighter note, let’s have some fun.”  

You didn’t want to pester him anymore about the situation. You gave him a smile and let him guard you through the crowd at the festival. As you two ventured through vendor booths and food booths, Choso noticed Noritoshi holding the hands of Mimiko and Nanako while talking to this dark-haired girl who wore a royal blue kimono. 

“Choso!” Noritoshi yells while waving the hand he briefly detached from holding one of the twins. 

You approached the group with a smile and Noritoshi couldn’t help but return it. 

“Suguru, went to go find Satoru in this crowd of people and I’m stuck with the two lovely twins.” He motions to the twins who were gripping his attire completely shy since it was a certain stranger by you.

“Mimiko and Nanako, how’s dance class?” Choso bends over to their height to open his arms and let them run into them. He picked both of them up with ease. “You know, my friend here always is a dancer.”

“Really?” Nanako glances over at you and you wave at her but her shyness overcomes her again and she hides her face in the crook of Choso’s neck. 

“So, Choso. This is Maki, she's the newest employee at the shop and guess what? She’s a bassist player,” Noritoshi smiles at him. 

Maki adjusted her glasses on her face before waving, “Suguru told me you guys needed a bassist player,” Her voice trails off before speaking. “So, here we are. Do I need to like audition?”

Choso and Noritoshi share a look and you were expecting for them to say yes because that’s what bands do. They held auditions for members to join, but they shook their heads and let out a similar laugh. “No, if Suguru hired you, you got to be one hell of a player,” Choso answers. 

He places the twins back down, ruffling up their hair before looking at Noritoshi and Maki. “I’m going show Y/N around, text my phone.” He stops abruptly to give Noritoshi a warning look. A look that told Noritoshi to not call his phone at all while he showed you around. 

“Jeez, I get the memo. Remember you’re opening tomorrow, so don’t stay out too late.” Noritoshi’s eyebrows weary together. “Now, who wants taiyaki?” He asked the twins who cheered excitedly and grasped Maki’s hand to follow Noritoshi into the crowd of festival attendees. 

Now you and Choso were alone again to enjoy the festival, engaging in childish games at booths, and now enjoying food before the firework show to conclude the evening. You ate your food and soon you felt someone staring at you when you glanced up from your food, you met Choso’s alluring gaze as he tapped his silver ring-covered fingers on the table you sat. You swallowed the last bit of food that was in your mouth before speaking, “Is there something on my face?” You question while hands embarrassingly brushing anything off your face.

“You don’t have anything on your face, Y/N.” His lips swell into a smile before adding. “You’re just so beautiful.” He sighs happily and leans forward to pick up one of the dumplings from your food and pop one in his mouth. 

Your body grows hot and a tingling chill travels down your spine before clearing your throat and sipping at your throat. “Thank you. But I must remind you, if we want to have a nice spot for the fireworks show, we should hurry.” You glance at the time on your phone. 

Choso continued to eat as if your words went into one ear and exited out the other. He takes a bite out of his food and shrugs his shoulders, “I know a spot that has the best view of the fireworks. Don’t worry,” He flashes a comforting smile that causes you to ease in your seat—correction, make your whole body fill like a bowl of putty Geto’s twins possibly play with. 

“Special spot? I’m flattered, have you brought every one of your dates to this special fireworks viewing spot?” You ask. 

“No, I usually don’t go to these types of things. But I thought it would be romantic to take you,” He grins and you can’t help but return the smile. 

Choso finishes his food and tosses it in the trash closest to you before speaking again, “Do you have doubts that I’m actually interested in you?” His dark eyes that you tend to be afraid to gaze at look at you. 

“It’s not that.” You split your last dumpling in half—picking it up with your chopsticks and guiding it towards Choso’s mouth. He eagerly eats the half you offered and waits for your response. “It’s just I refuse to believe that you’re single or it’s not other girls in life or interested in you.” You eat the last bit of your food. 

Choso picked up your trash to throw away before finding his seat yet again. His fingers comb through his jet-black strands of hair, “Obviously, there are girls that are interested in me. That private message me on social media, and believe it or not—even a groupie or two. But they don’t pique my interest as much as you.” He explains.

He watches you chew at the straw of your drink before grabbing your free hand. Despite the summer heat that had you sweating in your attire, the coolness of his rings cooled you down. The pad of his thumb rubs against your hand, “I know, we only have such little time together before you’re back in New York. But, I feel good about this. About us. As hopelessly romantic and cliche as this sounds.” He sighs and removes his hand from yours. 

You felt empty when he drew his hand away to stand up. 

“Are you ready to see some fireworks?” He extends his hand for you to take and you grab onto it because you wanted his touch more than ever. 

You let him guide you through the crowd of people who were making their way closer to the sight of the fireworks. But, when Choso made a turn in an area that you were sure wasn’t meant for festival goers—you gripped his hand tighter, and like the gentleman he was, he returned the squeeze just to comfort you that you were going to be okay. He opened the gate and let you walk through first and the two of you followed a trail that led to a hill that overlooked the festival. Many people that were wandering around looked like ants compared to where you and Choso were. Completely starstruck from the view, you didn’t notice that Choso put down a blanket for you to sit on. You kick your shoes off and sit down on the blanket next to him just in time for the first firework to decorate the night sky that had a sprinkle of stars twinkling down on you. 

Your eyes glance at the colorful works of art in the sky, but you didn’t even notice the stare Choso was giving you at the moment. As his body was sprawled out on the blanket and his head resting in his hand, he stares at you as if you’re the best piece of art in the world’s exclusive museum. As if you were the muse of every song he’s written with Noritoshi. While you were astonished by the fireworks in the sky, he was astonished by you and your beauty that causes the blood to rush to his olive shaded cheeks. 

“If you take a picture, it’ll last longer,” You turn to look at him, your body moving a bit to be closer unintentionally. 

“Maybe I should do that,” He fishes for his phone and put the camera on you. “Smile.” 

You smile for the camera and when he was done, he show you the picture. You wanted to admit that this the happiest you’ve been when you were away from home. From traveling to Russia to Europe, your ballet trips around the world were eventful—but lonely. You’ve spent the time with your peers, stunned everyone with your skills, but still felt alone. But this summer, you felt as warm as the weather that kissed your skin when you left Utahime’s apartment. He made you feel this way. 

“Can I ask you something?” Choso breaks the calming silence between you two. His eyes glancing at the fireworks but then back at your face to meet your curious look. 

“Sure, ask away.” You respond. 

“Can I kiss you, Y/N?” 

Your heart pulses in your chest and you are forced to swallow the lump that suddenly formed in your throat. Timidly, your head nods because you are lost with words—but if those words were to untie and come undone, they would be eagerly saying yes. Yes, that Choso could place his soft pink shaded lips on yours as if it was the end of the world. 

When he leaned up to meet you halfway, his lips crashed on yours so intensely that your mind immediately froze. Choso kissed you as if you’ve never been kissed before. Stealing the thought of every guy that you’ve lip-locked with and tossing it in the trash because they no longer mattered. The kiss was hot—moist and breathy, the two of you weren’t per se trying to win a battle of who’ll kiss harder, but more so still learning what kissing technique can cause the other to gasp in a hot moan or cause goosebumps to garnish each other’s skin. Less likely a battle, but a union—a mere collaboration to want to be close with each other. Surely, Choso knew this. He’s urging you on your back under the blanket that was on the ground, while his large frame climbs on top of you—not breaking the kiss at all. 

You wanted to curse yourself for deciding to go all out at this festival. Utahime made it known to you that you didn’t have to wear the attire because people also go to the festivals in regular clothing, but you want to respect the culture and be in the spirit of the date insisted. Now it was in between the steamy moment of Choso’s guitar playing hands from free roaming your frame. His lips travel across your jawline, kisses, sucks, and nibbles. The sound of the fireworks blocks out your moans, but just at the sight of Choso’s pierced ears growing red—you knew he could hear them. He knew he was making you feel better even if he couldn’t indulge in the wetness in between of your thighs.

His lips travel back to yours to deepen a kiss that made your heartbeat. Your eyes shift close in the bliss of the moment before your fingers comb through his hair. You tugged his long strands just a bit to gain a moan before he finally gave you what you wanted. His touch. 

The fireworks expand brightly in the night sky above you two, practically being the only source of light you and Choso had. His fingers dance behind you to undo the knot that holding your kimono together and close. But he didn’t fully push it open, just a bit to help him be comfortable in between your thighs that he used his own knee to push them apart.

His hand disappeared in between your bodies and you anticipated him to slide those guitar-strumming fingers in your panties, but teasingly—his index and middle fingers pushed upon your folds. Even you can feel how wet you were due to such a small task causing your panties to stick your lips provocatively. Your eyes finally open and you’re met with Choso staring down at you. His cheeks were stained with a crismon colored blush and kissed swollen lips were curving into a smirk. 

“All we did was kiss, Y/N.” He reminds while fingers trace alongside the waist line of the seamless nude panties you wore.

You cover your face in embarrassment just in time to feel your face warm up. “Oh shut up.” You slap his shoulder playfully. 

“Do I have that much of a charm on your, hm?” He rubs his fingers in a circular motion, not even bothering to pull your panties to the side. But to let you wither under him as he teases you.

“Maybe you do,” Your words were like a broken record. You can hardly get your words out with him toying with you like this. 

“That’s good to know,” He clicks his tongue and he pulls your panties to the side. His lips kissed you so sensually until you were moaning mess beneath him with each motion of his fingers. 

You’ve heard many rumors and jokes about how band members are splendid with their fingers and gosh, was he proving those rumors to be as true as ever. He haven’t even inserted any in you yet, but just the way he strummed your clit as if it was his guitar caused you to moan out his name. 

Choso. Choso. Choso. 

In a faint whisper in tune with the fireworks, he says in your ear, “That’s right, say my name.” 

Through the cracks and booms of the fireworks, for the remainder of the night—the only name you knew was his and the fact that he was very talented with his fingers. 

(🎸🩰) — tags. @maydayaisha @spiderpunkfien @bbytamaki @honeybleed @yeagerzprettyblnt @smileyy-cakee @hoohoohope @theclassbookworm

[3600frames]

in terms of potential character name origins

-i do think the getta in getta-guy is alluding to the sushi restaurant jargon for "3" being "geta" despite the extra "t", as it'd be following on from "ryan" being "2" from the previous game. geta can also refer to the wooden board that sushi is traditionally served on, due to its resemblance to the footwear of the same name.

-the "guy" is veeery likely referring to the word for shellfish (to keep it simple, words often change sounds when put at the end of other words, k→g), so 貝/kai→gai→guy

-putting all that together, "get a guy" is a fitting, if extremely on-the-nose, name for a musician-for-hire

[ashenmind]

Since I saw someone wondering, Aya does often wear unusual footwear known as “tengu geta”.

Geta broadly refer to a type of toothed sandal. Tengu geta specifically have one, often long, tooth, which make them hard to walk in, but useful for messy fishery work or walking on stony mountain paths.

Aya’s footwear varies quite a bit, but it’s generally fitting garb for one so light on her feet.

[gubbymcyt]

I tend to see etho often drawn with one of these types of shoes, so now I'm curious about general opinions. What do you guys draw/imagine ethos everyday footwear?

[detectivesplotslies]

On Your Marks

Description: It's Kaito's first Sports Day at Hope's Peak Academy and he's ready to make it count! Is everyone else? Written for Luminary of the Stars: A Kaito Momota Zine Word Count: 2082 Read on AO3 The sun was high in the sky, the conditions were perfect, not a cloud out there. No one, not even Mother Nature, was going to rain on his parade today! With a bounce in his step, Kaito crossed the grounds. His eyes skimmed over the track where the staff and volunteers were already starting to set up the coming events. Sure, there was still attendance and homeroom, but after that, he was going to have his first big victory here at Hope’s Peak Academy! He pushed open the entrance doors into the busy halls of before-class bustle.

As Kaito made his way in, a hand slapped his shoulder. “Good to see you came prepared with better footwear!” a voice boomed. The towering figure behind him was an upperclassman, one who seemed just as hyped as Kaito was for the event: the Ultimate Team Manager.

“Sure did.” Kaito grinned, hefting the sneakers he had slung over his shoulder by the laces. They had a personal touch too: gold laces and tiny embroidered shooting stars. Perfect for him! “I’m serious today, you’d better watch out!”

“Excellent! We could use a challenge from the first years!” Nekomaru laughed, hands falling back to his hips. He was wearing his own odd footwear, geta sandals, but the bag on his shoulder made it clear he was ready to change.

“A challenge? You gonna take us on? Bring it!” Akane chimed in from behind him, a wicked grin on her face as she packed a fist. What kind of challenge was she expecting?!

“Yeah, I’ll see you at the tug of war!” Kaito prompted, trying to steer things back to the event and away from… Whatever idea Akane had. He glanced across the hallway and pointed at the redhead leaning over a girl’s locker. “Your class too, Leon! You bring your all!”

“What?” The baseball star looked up with irritation, then shook his head. “Oh right, Sports Day? Tch, like we musicians care about something so dumb. Right Sayaka?”

Popping her head out of the locker, Sayaka giggled and smiled behind her hand. It always looked like that girl had a secret. “Oh, I don’t know, I think it’ll be fun! Got to stay in top form to perform.” The look of betrayal on Leon’s face was priceless. The idol turned her dazzling smile to Kaito. “Good luck today!”

“Thanks!” Taking this chance to escape before Akane set her sights back on him, he waved and left. He heard her challenging Leon as he made his way out of sight, Sayaka’s melodious laugh ringing out again.

The astronaut trainee rounded the corner into the hallway with his own year, his anticipation mounting. Their first time competing together as a team! Most of the studying done at Hope’s Peak had everyone split off for talents, but this? This would be a group effort.

Kaito opened the door to the hubbub of chatter, everyone spread out and ready to go! The energy in the air was excellent! He could feel the excitement, they really were going to show those upperclassmen that they wouldn’t be taken lightly! He pumped a fist in the air. “Alright!”

He was nudged out of the doorframe, his shorter classmate, Ryoma, muttering an ‘excuse me’ to pass. Looking back into the room, the bubble burst, his imagination having painted the room with far brighter impressions than actually resided within. There was chatter; Kaede in particular was talking with Miu and Angie, while Gonta was in discussion with Kirumi who was marking down attendance in the absence of their teacher. However, the only two who looked ready were Tenko, who was jogging on the spot, hair looped up into a bun as her eyes roved the room, and Rantaro, who had arrived in his gym clothes. Most others were seated at their desks like it was an ordinary day.

Kaito’s grin squished inwards at the underwhelming feeling, but he soldiered on, crossing the room to his sidekicks. They were both at Maki’s desk, the detective waving from his spot standing beside it while Maki glared from her seat. Kaito’s smile returned at the acknowledgement. He thumbed back at the rest of the class over his shoulder as he arrived, “Can you two believe this?”

Shuichi checked behind him, as if he was expecting something amiss, but looked back at a loss. “Believe what, Kaito?”

Maki didn’t even spare the room a thought, still waiting on the astronaut to spit out the rest. He was a little shocked neither of them seemed to notice.

“Believe the lack of spirit! Doesn’t look like everybody’s ready to win yet!” Kaito explained, patting Shuichi on the shoulder as he caught him up.

“We’re not going to win,” Maki retorted, sighing as she shook her head.

“What? Maki Roll, that’s quitter talk! Don’t you believe in us? I’m sure we can pull it off!” Kaito shot back as he raised a fist in the air, his shoes swinging from his shoulder loose as he did. The caregiver sat back to avoid them, crossing her arms, apparently unmoved by his declaration.

“Ah, it’s not that we don’t believe, Kaito, but, well… Our chances aren’t all that high,” Shuichi sheepishly chimed in. “Our class only has two athletes, and one of them is Ryoma. You know as well as we do his feelings on his talent. I doubt he’s going to be all that competitive today.”

“Now hold on! Just cuz someone’s talent ain’t athletic doesn’t mean they aren’t a competitor,” he countered. “Just look at Gonta, he could turn the tide in something like the tug of war, so long as we’ve got his back! Or front, since he’ll probably be the anchor, but y’know what I mean. And how about Rantaro and I!”

At the mention of his name, Rantaro glanced up from the stretches he’d started. He was without context but waved at them on cue before returning to extend his arm across his chest and push it back.

Kaito beamed and mirrored the same stretch before looking back to his sidekicks. “Both of us are in perfect shape for our own talents, even if they aren’t sports. Can’t be caught on any mission or excursion without some endurance.”

“So you think we’ll win with three more competitors? That’s not even half the class.” Maki frowned. Kaito could be imagining it, but she didn't seem to have the same finality this time. Progress! He patted her head happily. She ducked a few seconds later, like a delayed reaction.

“Well, not just them, there’s you two as well! Since we started training a couple months ago you’re both our secret weapons! Don’t tell me you weren’t counting yourself, Maki Roll? You’re fastest at pushups,” Kaito insisted. He really hadn’t expected that from her in the beginning, but given how tough her childhood in that orphanage had been, it wasn’t a complete surprise. Shuichi’s improvements were far more impressive, but he’d understand them assuming he wasn’t a ringer for the class.

“I appreciate the vote of confidence, Kaito,” Shuichi chuckled, cracking a smile. “I’m not really the best at these sorts of things.”

“Do you really think we can win? The whole class has to participate.” Maki remained unconvinced but diplomatic. “I’m not saying I’m not going to try, but we’re not exactly a team.”

“Those are just the easiest people to point out,” Kaito sighed. “A team isn’t all about peak physical condition, it’s gotta have lots of parts. Everyone’s got a job, even if that isn’t lifting something or running fast. I bet there’s loads of secret strengths we can use! C’mon!” He grabbed Maki’s hand and swiftly yanked her up out of her seat.

Her eyes went wide as she found her balance, sputtering. Kaito didn’t need to worry about that of course, he knew she was on the ball. Kaito pulled her up to the front of the class with him, looking for someone to add to their arsenal of secret weapons. Of those sitting at their desks he locked onto someone who looked to need some spirit, a hand propping up their cheek.

“Here’s something no one else has!” Kaito announced, near scaring him out of his chair. He turned to look at the two of them nervously. “No other class has an Ultimate Robot! He’s bound to give us an edge!”

“Are you referring to today’s events?” Kiibo asked dubiously. “I’m unsure what help, if any, I’ll be. As a physical activity for health, they don’t account for someone like me. But I told Miu I want the true student experience, so I turned down her suggested improvements…”

No upgrades, huh? Kiibo’s strength was pretty average, most of his functions were smaller utilities. But that wasn’t enough to give up!

“That’s not the edge I’m talking about,” Kaito said, waving a hand. “I mean, sure those would help, but I bet a cool robot like you has more to prove than anyone else! Think of all the future robot highschoolers you can inspire if you win today! Something like that’s gotta be motivating, right?”

“That sounds ridiculous,” Maki said from behind him, freeing her hand and crossing her arms. “Just like the kids back at the orphanage talking about their Saturday morning shows.”

“It’s not ridiculous if it gets you going, though!” Kaito said, turning to lean back over the robot’s desk. “Don’t you want to be the hero of the class? The first robot to win at Sports Day?”

Kiibo seemed unsure.

“You should! Hold on, Maki Roll, you start training with him, I’ve got just the thing,” Kaito pushed off the desk and pivoted away.

“You are aware,” came a chilling voice as he passed another desk, “that we are to adhere to class rules until we’re excused, yes?” Kaito spared a glance over at Korekiyo, who sat tall in his seat, bandaged fingers clasped on the desk. His soft laugh as always was muffled by the mask. “Someone’s eager.”

“‘Course I am, you should try it,” he said, crouching in the closet. Kaito was positive this was where Tsumugi had stored her last project. Peering over his shoulder to be certain Korekiyo hadn’t followed him for a cheap scare, Kaito’s hand touched hair. He flinched back, eyes going to the closet again, where a face greeted him in the darkness. He caught himself when he recognized it as a familiar sleepy one.

“I’m just meditating, to gather mana…” Himiko mumbled from her spot tucked tight in the back. Tenko’s endlessly searching eyes made more sense now. In her own way, the mage probably needed this more than a warm-up; she might tire out if it was one guided by the other girl.

“Sure, do what you gotta,” Kaito agreed, reaching behind her to grab his quarry. He yanked free the black and white pom poms from his classmate’s cheerleader cosplay, bouncing them once experimentally before straightening up.

Maki was there facing him as he stepped out. Behind her it looked like Kiibo had taken up the stretching routine with Rantaro, to the latter’s amusement. Shuichi was speaking animatedly with Korekiyo. The energy in the room was changing, bit by bit. Even Ryoma was back, talking with Gonta, demonstrating some step-technique. Maki raised a brow at his find.

“They’re for encouragement!” Kaito said, waving the pom poms in the air.

“I think you’re already doing that without a prop. If we do stand a chance at winning, it’s going to be because you lead us there. I don’t think Kiibo’s a hero, or that Gonta will turn any tides. Shuichi and I might not be secret weapons, either, but I think you made a fair point about not quitting, there’s still a chance.” A faint smile appeared on her face.

Kaito’s eyes lit up. He jumped up to throw his arms around Maki, who startled. “That’s all I’m asking! We can’t go down without a fight!” He squeezed tight, the pom poms ruffling behind her a moment before—

“Yoink!”

The pair looked behind them as Kokichi liberated the fluffy props, and waved them about, laughing. “Can’t have a team without your supreme leader, right?”

“You give those back to Kaito,” Maki demanded, indignantly freeing herself from the embrace. Kokichi took off and she ran after him.

“Hey, wait! Save it for the relay you two!” Kaito laughed. They were all fired up now, there was no stopping this! They’d leave their marks on this school.

[furesshu-log]

※ The "tray" in "sushi tray" is "geta" in Japanese, which just so happens to be the same word for traditional Japanese footwear.

[tanuki-kimono]

Fun and colorful modern tabi socks and zori/geta by Meku

I feel like footwear is still too often super quiet in kimono fashion so such pop designs are treat :D

[notecapn]

Heizou from the arranged marriage au - again, by @throwingstuffhere, very inspiring, thank you

Ayato here for emotional support (and as a point of reference)

some thoughts on that under the cut (and close ups of the coloured Heizous)

i talked previously about this a bit, so there are going to be things i've said previously and a couple of new thoughts. but mostly just rambling

the design choices were made as if Heizou was an in-game character who frequently fights but still needs to look presentable

i’m still on the hakama pants for Heizou, and if not that, he’d probably ask to make the trousers loose (like slacks maybe), with all the splits Heizou can do they’d tear otherwise, unless the material is more flexible than how it looks on Ayato. but quite frankly they look just like normal ones, if a bit more expensive

i am, in fact, speaking from personal experience, dress trousers are very likely to tear if you try kicking something high above your waist level - especially if it's more than once, and i don’t imagine Heizou is very careful about this, and i think he’s used to more freedom in his leg work, or any body part actually, he has a lot of skin showing

as for everything else: it's pending, really.

the vision could be both on his right hip - just like Ayato, or his left one - sort of like it used to be, and mirroring Ayato and also kind of completing the Kamisato's vision placements: Ayato and Thoma on the right hip, Ayaka on her back and Heizou on his left. i also could be reading too much into things (or i'm actually not reading into this enough and it's very important for the characters where they place their visions: like how important their vision is to them, or there's symbolism of the placement, or it's just pure aesthetics)

i had half a mind to put Heizou in a pair of dancing shoes. they look so funky - i have no idea if they are comfortable or not and they look like they could slip off at any moment. for the record i am not planning on putting him in a pair of funky dancing shoes (for now)

tbh i didn't think too much about his footwear previously, i just thought to put him in some dress shoes like Ayato, even if those are not particularly comfortable - but it would be more painful if he delivers some sick kicks: physics of pressure, with the area being smaller and the force staying the same and all that

he could also go with geta (or sandals?) like Ayaka - which would also make sense. Ayato's job requires him to sit a lot so naturally he doesn't walk too much for the shoes to cause him any trouble, but if we're going with the assumption that Heizou tends to work best on foot (old habits die hard, you see), then he'd be miserable if he wore the shoes all the time. counterpoint, however, is that i don't want to draw toes, and i am a coward

also the coloured designs are what i'd consider his formal outfit: as far as my research goes, yukatas (which Heizou usually wears in the au from what i can tell) tend to be worn for less formal events, and it's at the very least not customary to wear yukatas under hakama pants, so..

also also it has been a while since i’ve properly worked with colour so i am extremely unsure how I want this to look, that is why there are two sets of colours of each design. and i don't even think i'm satisfied with that? and obviously the outfit can be a combination of the two styles, i just threw things at the wall to see what sticks

the first version is based on the one i've made previously, with some minor changes, like the Anemo inspired print on the pants and on the inside of the cloak (i don't know if it is noticable, there are sakura petals as well), and the arm guards (also yes, the red does not look very good on him, i just wanted to add something different, spice things up a little). and yes, i still imagine Heizou magically discarding the cloak when he attacks

(edit) additionally, Heizou with more blue in his palette:

the second one is very heavily leaning on Ayato's design, with less layers, loose trousers and a western shirt underneath. this one was done mostly to test out the coat and the trousers

and lastly: i'm not a historian or a fashion designer or a historian fashion expert. i have no idea what i'm doing other than looking at all the pictures available on the internet and drawing inspiration from that

and @raccoonwithacoffeeproblem, if you wish to see it

[reticent-writer]

Omg sorry I’d i already requested this I forgot but if I didn’t then here it is

But male y/n has a pair of Japanese geta shoes (he’s tall lol) and they increase his height by 4 inches Can you do a scenario we’re shinobu steals the shoes to be taller this isn’t really shinobu x reader more like a filler episode

Don't worry this is the first time I've seen this. Sorry it took so long.

✿✼:*ﾟ:.｡..｡.:*･ﾟﾟ･**･ﾟﾟ･*:.｡..｡.:*ﾟ:*:✼✿　　

"Good morning Shinobu" You smile brightly as you greeted her.

"Good morning. It's a nice day, don't you think." she smiled and repeated the greeting looking up at you.

You were basically her second hand, not just at the estate but on missions too. Spending all that time with someone you can teel when something about them changes, weather its physical or emotion.

Shinobu definitely could tell something was different the moment she saw you.

Were you... Taller!

Around 4 inches to be exact

With shinobu being Shinobu she knew immediately it was because of your shoes.

She looked down to confirm her suspicions and she was right. A new pair of geta sandals.

----------

After a long day of medicines and dealing with patients you went to your room to retire for the night.

taking off your shoes and changing into your nightwear you lay down on your futon.

If you weren't such a deep sleeper you would have heard Shinobu sneak into your room and steal your shoes.

----------

When you woke up to the sun in your face you started the day.

Getting dressed.... until you noticed your shoes her missing.

You laughed to yourself, already knowing the culprit.

Putting on some other footwear you exit your room and greet Shinobu.

"Good morning Shinobu." You greeted her as usual.

"Good morning, did you sleep well?" She smiled up at you as usual. Though she was a bit closer to your height.

"Quite well, thank you for asking. But I was a bit surprised to see my shoes missing. I wonder why that is." You said, pretending like you were trying to figure out the "mystery".

"Ah well, standing her and doing nothing isn't going to help if I want my shoes back. I going to go look for them." You walked off looking at her feet before you went.

In the end you let her keep the shoes. It's funny to watch her.

[emblematicemblazer]

World building and theories of Engage

Kagetsu

Kagetsu does not come from Elusia but his name still carries the tradition of being named after a flower. In Japanese his name can be divided into ‘moon' and ‘flower‘. Moonflowers are believed to be visionary plants and have medicinal applications. Kagetsu has a form of visionary powers that give him correct predictions but ultimately these visions have little utility. The moonflower on!y blooms at night so it could be considered a metaphor for beauty and truth blossoming from the darkness. 

His outfit features the colourway of black, white and red. These three colours are considered traditional colours because they were the colour of eyes and pigments available to artisans and artists. White is believed to symbolise purity and truth. Kagetsu‘s friendship intentions with Ivy comes from a pure and true heart which surprises her as she is accustomed to people with hidden, often malicious intentions. White is also associated with priests and brides, especially in the Shinto tradition.  It is also the colour of mourning. Samurai's adorned white when they were to perform spooky - a ritual sacrifice. 

Red has many associations, including being the colour of tori (shrine gates, temples and daruma dolls). It is an important colour said to symbolise power, strength, fire and protection. 

Black is the traditional colour of samurai and represents masculinity. 

Starting from the feet outwards, Kagetsu is wearing a pair of waraji. If you compare his waraji to zori and geta with raised soles, the low ground nature of his footwear really is unsuited to Elusia's environment of rain, pear and snow. The waraji is associated with commonfolk, not royalty like Kagetsu, because they were cheap and easy to create. Kagetsu is a traveller in search of worthy opponents. The waraji is perfectly suited for travellers because of the lightweight nature a supply could be carried and then discarded eleven they were worn out. 

His hakama are known as horse riding hakama because they are divided into separate legs. To keep his umanori hakama from falling down, there are himo (straps) attached on either side of the front and smaller ones around the back. Hahaha are traditionally associated with practitioners of martial arts. The belt which helps hold the hakama up is known as the ‘obi'. The colour of the in I can symbolise the skill level of a martial art practitioner, but not In Kagetsu's case, since he wears hakama, the obi colour does not indicate his skill. His obi is tied with a knot known as ‘tateya musubi’ or ‘standing arrow knot’ and is a symbol for double joy. Another important item of his ensemble is a knot charm. This charm would be for warding off evil spirits and as a mizuhiki knot (The knot gets tighter the more it is pulled), could symbolise bonds between people. 

Finally his hair style is a variation of the warrior's top knot, a style to keep the hair from his face and symbolise his warrior's spirit. 

On his casual onigiri gear are tomoe, these are swirly symbols similar to a heraldic badge. His tomoe features three and four swirls, these particular mitsudomoe are associated with the guardian of warriors Hachiman. In Shintoism, four represents the mitama (souls) and three represents the three aspects of the four mitama. Japanese aristocrats were known to use these symbols as family crests. The mitsudomoe also represents the cycle of life in Buddhism.  

There is a fun aspect to his outfit with designs of his favourite food; origiri. A red circle is also visible, a nod to the hinomaru, the Japanese flag. Hinomaru means ‘circle of the sun'. 

In the Somniel he ditches his waraji for geta, finer sandals for a sacred place. These have a raised heel and are made of wood. 

[maigeiko]

The look of... VII: Mukojima

Welcome to the 18th installment of this series (my 7th). This time, we’re having a look at the Geigi that work in one of Tokyo's Hanamachi: Mukojima (向島).

Historical context Geisha started to live in Mukojima in the early Meiji period (1868-1912) [1]. From the Edo to Meiji period, Mukojima was a recreational area for the common people, and was frequented by Yanagibashi and Yoshiwara Geisha with their customers. [3] The earliest record of a Mukojima Geisha (known to me) is Omomo お百, who was featured in "Contemporary Beauties", 1897 [2]. In 1906, 30 Geisha lived in the area. By 1928, their number had increased to 239. In 1940, several Kenban united, further increasing the number of Mukojima Geisha to 1300. Like in all Hanamachi around Japan, their number declined steadily after the second world war. In 1951, their number was 600, in 1993 240 [7], in 1996 170, in 2007 120 [3], in 2020 around 90 [4]. This makes Mukojima approximately as populated as Gion Kobu and Tokyo's largest Hanamachi.

The look of Mukojima Geiko. Local Term: Geisha 芸者 ※ Hairstyle: Taka shimada, Tsubushi shimada ※ Kanzashi: Kushi, Maezashi, Hirauchi or Tama in the back, rice husk in the new year period ※ Makeup: Oshiroi ※ Kimono: everyday Kimono: Homongi. Kuromontsuki Hikizuri mostly in the new year period or for Erikae, rarely non-black Hikizuri. ※ Haneri: white ※ Obi: Taiko musubi, Yanagi musubi with Kuromontsuki Hikizuri, Tsunodashi musubi with other Hikizuri ※ Obijime: mostly light-coloured. No obijime with yanagi musubi ※ Obiage: mostly red, pink, or white. Seldomly turquoise, white/green, white with red shibori (red/red-white shibori with Kuromontsuki) ※ Footwear: mostly Zori, also Geta

Casual/Jikata look ※ Hairstyle: Yohatsu ※ Kanzashi: none ※ Makeup: western makeup ※ Kimono: Homongi, Kurotomesode ※ Eri: white ※ Obi: Taiko musubi ※ Obijime: mostly light-coloured. In rare cases with pocchiri ※ Obiage: white with red shibori, pink, white, pink/turquoise ※ Footwear: Zori

The look of Mukojima Maiko. Local term: Hangyoku 半玉 ※ Hairstyle: Momoware (own hair or wig), Yuiwata for senior Hangyoku (only wig). Shibori, Kanoko and Chinkoro are mostly red, but can also be pink during summer. ※ Kanzashi: seasonal flower kanzashi (1-2 Daikan, Katsuyama, 1-2 Bira-Ôgi, Shidare popular during the entire apprenticeship), Maezashi (optional), Hirauchi. Minimal flower kanzashi with Yuiwata. ※ Makeup: Oshiroi, both lips painted from the start ※ Kimono: Furisode with or without tucks (all variations possible) ※ Eri: mostly white or red/white. But also pink/red, red/purple/green on white base, pink, green, black/pink/white, etc., etc. ※ Obi: kôken musubi ※ Obijime: light-coloured. sometimes with pocchiri ※ Obiage: most common colour variations are red/silver, or red/white shibori. But there are many other combinations. ※ Footwear: mostly Okobo (with red or pink straps), Zori

Dances [6] Some dances that are local speciality of Mukojima: ※ Asazuma bune かさずまぶね ※ Fuji musume 藤娘 ※ Fukagawa Kuzushi 深川くずし  ※ Gorô ごろう ※ Mukojima ondo 向島音頭 ※ O-Sumio お角力 ※ Otemoyan おてもやん ※ Sôran bushi ソーラン節 ※ Yosakuraya 夜桜や

Others that you can also see in Ozashiki outside of Mukojima: ※ Ayame Yukata 菖蒲浴衣 ※ Echigo Jishi 越後獅子 ※ Hanami Odori 花見踊り ※ Hatsuharu 初春 ※ Ina bushi 伊那節 ※ Kiyari Kuzushi 木遣りくずし ※ Sawagi さわぎ ※ Setsuhonkaina せつほんかいな ※ Shichi fukujin 七福神 ※ Takeda bushi 武田節 ※ Tatsumi no hidarizuma 辰巳の左褄 ※ Tsurukame 鶴亀 ※ Yakkosan 奴さん ※ Yoshiwara Suzume 吉原すずめ

Notes Mukojima allows part-time workers, calling them Kamome かもめ [5]. Most of them are students or work in a different job already. Their task is mainly assisting Geisha/Hangyoku in the Ozashiki. Kamome can become Hangyoku or Geisha if they wish to work full-time. Mukojima dancers also play instruments at ozashiki: Hangyoku frequently play shime-daiko, Tachikata more often play ko-tsutsumi, sometimes fue. Shamisen seems so be reserved for Jikata.

Usually, Ryotei and Okiya are separate businesses in Tokyo. In Mukojima, however, several Ryotei also function as Okiya [3], similar to how in Kyoto, several Ochaya also have an attached Okiya.

Sources - Text [1] Foreign Press Center Japan, Mukojima Press Tour April 2006 https://fpcj.jp/en/assistance-en/tours_notice-en/p=6744/ [2] https://www.flickr.com/photos/blue_ruin_1/28442353867/ [3] numbers 1906-1951, 1996-2007: Sumi Asahara "Tokyo Rokkagai", 2007 [4] not an exact number (account required) https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/tsurukomaiko/hanamachi-population-reference-wip-t2000.html [5] Kamome http://sengoku-japan.com/ [6] dances compiled at Tsurukomaiko, it's by no means a complete list (account required) https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/tsurukomaiko/list-of-dances-in-all-hanamachi-t1988.html [7] 1993: Tsuiseki (追跡): The World of the Geisha, ca. 1993 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkhRWNDwTyM Sources - Pictures Omomo ※ Kingyo Ozashiki ※ Momoka ※ Komachi ※ Yuki+Otokichi ※ Chikage ※ Senyume ※ Hiroya ※ Chikage+Natsuki ※ Tamaki ※ Shingetsu ※ Natsuki (twitter) ※ Soraka (insta) ※ Tomoka ※ Kingyo (fb) ※ Teruka 2x ※ Kanzashi ※ Kintaro (insta) ※ Ayame ※ Kingyo+Rin Ozashiki (fb) ※ Sakura matsuri 2023 I tried to trace back all pictures. If you find the missing links, let me know. "The look of" other Hanamachi: Yamagata, Tokyo Yoshicho, Niigata, Atami, Gifu, Tokyo Kagurazaka, Arima Onsen, Tokyo Asakua, Nagoya, Tokyo Shinbashi, Anjo I Osaka Kitashinchi, II Tokyo Akasaka, III Osaka Nanchi, Fukuoka, V Yuzawa, VI Morioka More Mukojima content: https://maigeiko.tumblr.com/tagged/mukojima Layout: @geimaiko, thanks as always! ♥

[catladywriter]

Inotan Fanfic: The Height of Friendship - Chapter 3

The Thought That Counts

Synopsis: Inosuke's excitement knew no bounds when he finally surpassed Tanjirou and Zenitsu in height. But a series of incidents lead him to believe that being taller than his companions comes with drawbacks, leaving him feeling left out and dejected. Determined to lift Inosuke's spirits, Tanjirou hatches a plan. Zenitsu is sceptical about the feasibility of the hare-brained scheme, but decides to put friendship before sensibility. Will the plan succeed, or will it backfire?

Main Pairing: Inotan (Inosuke x Tanjirou)

Secondary Pairing: ZenNezu (Zenitsu x Nezuko)

Setting: Canon AU, 3 years after the main story ends

Wordcount: ~9000 words across 3 chapters

Chapters: 1 2 3

Status: Complete. 4th story in the Series: Where the Wisteria Always Bloom.

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

Nezuko's kiss had provided Zenitsu with the energy boost he needed to keep going. But by the end of the day, he felt like this was the longest day of his life. 

As the group made their way back home from the eatery, the night enveloped them, and the sky was lit by a dazzling array of stars. However, Zenitsu was too preoccupied with the pain in his feet to appreciate the beauty around him. The walk back was excruciatingly slow, each step sending a sharp, shooting pain through Zenitsu's tired feet. He winced with each movement, trying his best to hide the discomfort from his companions. 

“You and Nezuko can go ahead, Zenitsu and I will catch up soon,” Tanjirou urged Inosuke.

“No. It’s dark and you move like snails. I’m staying to make sure you both don’t get eaten by a bear.” Inosuke puffed his chest self-importantly. 

Zenitsu felt touched, despite wanting nothing more than to have Inosuke gone so he could remove his tengu geta and sit down. It must have been by sheer miracle or stupidity that Inosuke still hadn't noticed he had been tricked by their artificially elevated footwear. Despite that, he was still trusting them implicitly and wanting to protect them without suspicion. Inosuke's simple-mindedness and naivety were almost endearing. That’s why he was willingly sacrificing his comfort and sanity to cheer Inosuke up. Still, Zenitsu felt that this was all a literal pain in the feet, to be surrounded by idiots. He was so preoccupied with his own discomfort that he didn't notice a rock in his path.

"Zenitsu! Watch out!" Tanjirou's voice cut through his thoughts, bringing him back to reality. 

But it was too late. Zenitsu's foot met with the rock, and he felt himself losing his balance. Panic shot through him as he flailed his arms, desperately trying to grab onto something to steady himself. He saw Tanjirou reaching out to grab him, but he too lost his balance and fell forward. Inosuke reacted with lightning speed, wrapping his arms around Tanjirou's waist and pulling him back to safety.

Zenitsu, unfortunately, wasn't as lucky. He landed on the ground with a loud thud, pain shooting up his ankle. He clenched his teeth, biting down hard to stifle the cry that threatened to escape his lips. The throbbing sensation was almost unbearable, and he felt like his ankle was on fire.

Nezuko darted over, her face a picture of worry as she crouched beside Zenitsu. Tanjirou and Inosuke followed, hovering anxiously around their injured friend.

“Zenitsu, are you okay?” Tanjirou asked, his voice tinged with concern and remorse. He bent down and carefully inspected the injured ankle.

Zenitsu drew a ragged breath, feeling the pent-up frustration and rage he had held back since this morning erupting to the surface.

“My ankle is shattered!!!” he shrieked. “This is all on you, Tanjiroooou!!!”

*

Tanjirou and Inosuke hauled Zenitsu back to their home, his shrill screams piercing the night. After a careful examination, Tanjirou assured them that it was just a sprain, not a break. Everyone was relieved, except Zenitsu, who retorted, “Just a sprain, huh?! Why don’t you sprain your ankle too and tell me how it feels!”

Nezuko took control of the situation, rubbing a cooling balm on Zenitsu’s swollen ankle and vowing to watch over him until he was fully recovered. Zenitsu’s spirits lifted considerably after that, happy to exploit the opportunity for her undivided attention and care.

Feeling more at ease in his futon, Zenitsu began to contemplate the aftermath of his mishap. Tanjirou’s harebrained scheme had backfired, as he had predicted. And Inosuke would realise that they had been deceiving him the whole time.

Zenitsu glanced at Inosuke, who had been unusually silent and looked troubled and scared, only speaking to inquire if he would be okay. Zenitsu was moved by Inosuke’s concern for him. As he reflected on this, Zenitsu realised that Inosuke was a truly kind person at heart, just ignorant and lacking in common sense at times. It probably hadn’t even dawned on him that he had been duped.

Tanjirou remained by his side, apologising over and over and looking remorseful as he did so. Zenitsu decided to forgive him, although it was mostly to prevent him from asking Nezuko to let him take over the care-giving. He knew he would never forgive Tanjirou if that happened.

“I owe you an apology too, Inosuke,” Tanjirou turned to Inosuke after Zenitsu said he would forgive him. “You must be angry that we deceived you. This whole thing was my idea, though. Please don’t hold it against Zenitsu.”

Inosuke looked confused for a moment before his expression turned smug. “Actually, I saw those dumb things you were wearing this morning. Your pants flapped in the wind when you walked towards me.”

Tanjirou and Zenitsu gaped at him in disbelief.

“So… you knew… right from the start?” Zenitsu said incredulously.

"Of course!" Inosuke flashed a wide grin. “I just didn’t say anything because I wanted to see what you were up to. I must admit, it was funny seeing you two wobbling around in those things all day just to be taller. You both are such idiots!” He burst into laughter, his first genuine laugh in weeks.

Tanjirou's face lit up at the sight of Inosuke laughing, but Zenitsu could feel his blood simmering inside him.

"You ungrateful boar! Out! Both of you! Yes, you too, Tanjirou! This was your moronic idea! Get out of my sight and stop infecting me with your stupid!" Zenitsu shrieked, his piercing voice reverberating throughout the house.

*

Tanjirou and Inosuke strolled in the backyard under the starry night sky. The cool breeze caressed the leaves on the trees, and the moon shone bright, bathing them in a gentle light. Inosuke squeezed Tanjirou’s hand, happy that he could finally do so. Tanjirou had been so busy keeping his balance with the ridiculous footwear earlier that Inosuke didn’t want to bother him. Still, he couldn’t help mocking his boyfriend for it.

“So, how does it feel to have your feet back on the ground?” Inosuke teased.

Tanjirou chuckled at Inosuke’s quip. “It feels wonderful! I’ll treasure this feeling from now on,” he said earnestly.

Inosuke scoffed in response. “Don’t do such a lame thing again. What if you seriously hurt yourselves?”

Tanjirou shook his head gently, his eyes warm and sincere. “And you should stop worrying about your height, Inosuke. We’re best friends, and that’s not something that changes with height or size. Besides, you’ve seen for yourself how size doesn't determine strength and power. You’ve faced countless demons of all shapes and sizes, and you’ve never backed down from a challenge.”

Inosuke grunted, unable to argue with that logic. He scratched his head and said, “Fine, I get it. Just don’t go breaking your ankles again trying to keep up with me.”

Tanjirou smiled, happy to see his boyfriend back to his usual self. He tilted his head and asked curiously, “Are you not mad at us for lying to you?”

Inosuke shrugged his broad shoulders. “Nah. I mean, it was pretty insulting that you thought I wouldn’t notice, but I guess thinking counts, or however the saying goes.”

Tanjirou chuckled softly. “It’s the thought that counts,” he corrected.

“Yeah, that’s exactly what I meant to say. It’s the thought that counts,” Inosuke repeated.

Tanjirou nodded earnestly. “I knew you would figure it out sooner or later,” he clarified. “But I hoped you would notice our efforts and see how much we care about you. You’re our best friend, Inosuke, and we love you just the way you are.”

Inosuke felt a burst of warmth and fuzziness in his heart. Tanjirou was a sweet and thoughtful lover as always, and Zenitsu had proven to be a loyal friend and minion, even if he was probably seething and swearing at them right now. And of course, Nezuko was always there, supporting them with her quiet strength.

He stared at the twinkling stars in the night sky. A ripple of calm and gratitude washed over him, and he was glad to be alive and in the company of people who loved him.

He glanced at Tanjirou, who stood beside him, gazing at the night sky with a serene and peaceful expression, his hanafuda earrings dancing lightly in the breeze. The stars sparkled in his gentle eyes, and it made Inosuke’s heart flutter. He wanted to lean in and kiss him, but curiosity got the better of him. He wondered how a kind soul like Tanjirou could come up with a plan that resulted in Zenitsu getting hurt. He didn’t think it was a serious injury, and he knew Zenitsu was exaggerating as usual, but he still remembered Zenitsu’s loud wailing in his ear.

“So, was falling part of the plan?” he asked.

As he expected, Tanjirou shook his head emphatically, his face full of guilt. “No, no, of course not. That was an accident. I never meant for Zenitsu to get hurt.” He bit his lip, feeling responsible for Zenitsu’s sprained ankle.

Inosuke reached out and gave Tanjirou’s shoulder a squeeze, trying to reassure him.

“He'll be fine. He has Nezuko.” He nodded towards the direction of their cosy house.

Tanjirou nodded gratefully, but his brow furrowed slightly. "You know, Zenitsu is really a great guy. He was so concerned about you and he agreed to go along with my plan even though he had doubts about it. Can you please be nicer to him and stop making fun of him?" He looked at Inosuke with a hopeful expression.

Inosuke snorted indignantly. “What do you mean? I’m always nice to my underlings!” he protested.

Tanjirou shook his head slightly, his eyes gentle but firm. “Remember weeks ago when you kept messing up his hair and holding his things out of his reach? It really bothers him, you know.”

Inosuke’s eyes widened in disbelief. “He’s mad about that?” he exclaimed. “He’s so sensitive! I just wanted him to praise me, but he's so petty!” He waved his arms wildly, trying to justify his actions.

Tanjirou blinked in surprise at this revelation. “So, you did all that, just because you wanted his praise?”

“Yeah,” Inosuke confessed. “You and Nezuko praised me, but he was the only one who didn’t, so I had to keep trying until he gave in.”

Tanjirou’s face softened into a smile, and then he laughed softly. Inosuke felt confused by his reaction. He opened his mouth to ask what was so funny, but before he could speak, Tanjirou’s face turned serious again.

“Zenitsu doesn’t even praise himself, so how can you expect him to praise you?”

Inosuke frowned. “What does that have to do with anything?”

“Zenitsu doesn’t get much praise growing up, so he has trouble seeing his own worth. That also affects how he praises others,” Tanjirou explained patiently.

Inosuke crossed his arms. “How can he not see his own worth? He’s my underling, so he must have some good points.”

“Well, you can help him by praising him,” Tanjirou suggested with a gentle smile.

“Praise him??” Inosuke exclaimed. That sounded like an impossible task to him.

Tanjirou chuckled at his reaction. “You don’t have to force yourself. It’s the thought that counts.”

Inosuke fell into a quiet, pensive silence, his mind mulling over Tanjirou’s words. He knew that everyone enjoyed being praised, himself included. He couldn’t deny that he felt a surge of pride whenever he received praise from others. Even Nezuko, who was always so generous and selfless, beamed more whenever Zenitsu or Tanjirou praised her.

But there was someone who seemed to defy this universal truth. Inosuke couldn’t help but wonder why Tanjirou didn’t seem to seek praise like everyone else.

“Why don’t you care about being praised?” he asked.

Tanjirou looked at Inosuke, his eyes warm and gentle. “I don't need admiration from others,” he said, his voice mild but firm. “If my loved ones are safe and happy, that’s enough for me.”

Inosuke’s eyes widened in surprise. Tanjirou’s words were simple yet deep, as expected of him.

As the leader of his pack, Inosuke felt a strong duty to protect and care for his companions. But he never expected to derive joy from this in the same way he would when he excelled at something or received praise for his achievements.

This was a new way of thinking about happiness for Inosuke. He admired Tanjirou for his ability to see things differently and to appreciate the simple things in life.

Inosuke realized he had learned a lot that day. He was tired and he wanted to rest and reflect on everything he had learned. But he decided to humour Tanjirou, since making others happy was important to him. There was something that bothered him, and maybe Tanjirou could help him with that.

“Well, I’m still unhappy about something,” Inosuke said.

Tanjirou looked at him with worry. “What is it?”

“I get what you said about heights and all, but… it’s easier to kiss when we’re the same height.” Inosuke tried to hide his blush with a scowl.

Tanjirou cupped his face with his hands. “That’s not true.”

Tanjirou leaned up and kissed him, their lips melting in a soft, passionate kiss that made Inosuke’s heart throb. He felt a surge of emotion in his chest, and he wrapped his arms around Tanjirou, deepening the kiss. He pulled back slightly and flashed a cocky grin. "You do a passable job of making me happy. Keep it up and maybe you’ll get better at it."

Tanjirou smiled and hugged him tighter. He kissed his cheek and whispered in his ear, “I will, Inosuke.” They stayed locked in each other's embrace, relishing the sound of their racing heartbeats.

*

A few evenings later, Zenitsu dashed out to the yard to collect the laundry, his sharp ears catching the ominous rumble of thunder. A storm was brewing, and he had to hurry. Inosuke trailed behind him, wanting to lend a hand. He had been awkwardly following him around in the past few days, trying to offer a helping hand in view of his injured ankle. Zenitsu’s ankle had healed thanks to Nezuko’s loving care, but he was still bitter with Tanjirou and Inosuke and had avoided talking to them as much as possible. Still, he appreciated some help, so he let Inosuke tag along.

As they were taking down the laundry, Zenitsu heard Inosuke trying to say something.

"Uh… Zenitsu… S-s-s-s..." Inosuke stammered, wrestling with his tongue.

"Why are you making that noise, are you a snake or something?" Zenitsu snapped, confused and irritated.

Inosuke's face contorted in effort as he forced the words out. "S-s-sorry!!! For your ankle!" he spat out.

Zenitsu stared at Inosuke, taken aback by the unexpected apology. "Uh, sure…" he said uncertainly.

“And…” Inosuke’s face twisted as he struggled to utter the words. “And… and you’re seriously a great guy!” he finally blurted out, his face looking distorted and deformed in the process.

Zenitsu felt a chill run down his spine. Inosuke would never apologize, let alone compliment him. He gazed at Inosuke’s hideous face and thought that there was no way this entity was human.

Zenitsu took a deep breath and unleashed a shriek. “Tanjirooooou!!! There’s a demon in the backyard!!!”

Pandemonium broke out as Tanjirou and Nezuko sprinted out to intervene. Amidst a flurry of garbled yelling, angry headlocks and confusion, they managed to get Zenitsu and Inosuke to calm down and explain themselves.

“I praised him, Tanjirou! I praised him like you asked me to! But stupid Monitsu called me a demon and attacked me!” Inosuke flailed his arms wildly at Zenitsu while Tanjirou wrapped his arms around his waist, struggling to restrain him.

“His face was all twisted when he said that! He was obviously trying to scare me!” Zenitsu snapped back, feeling a bit embarrassed for his overreaction. Nezuko patted his back soothingly, holding his hand to prevent him from throwing a punch.

"Inosuke was really trying to praise you, Zenitsu," Tanjirou said, trying not to laugh. "But it probably came out a bit strange."

Zenitsu looked at Inosuke with a raised eyebrow. “You were praising me?”

Inosuke scowled at Zenitsu. “I was! But you went nuts and called me a demon!”

“Oh,” Zenitsu said, feeling sheepish. “I didn’t get that you were trying to be nice.”

“Yeah, well, don’t count on it happening again,” Inosuke huffed, jabbing an aggressive finger at him.

“Why not?” Zenitsu demanded.

Just then, a blast of lightning lit up the sky, and rain began to gush in buckets. Nezuko let out a squeal, and they all rushed around, trying to save the clothes. Inosuke, always eager to prove himself, grabbed all the clothes in his arms and took off sprinting.

"Faster than all of you, shorties!" he yelled triumphantly, sticking out his tongue and bolting back indoors.

"That boar will never change," Zenitsu grumbled as he raced alongside Nezuko and Tanjirou.

"But it's the thought that counts," Tanjirou said with a smile, trying to ease the tension.

Zenitsu sighed, feeling that maybe he had been too harsh on Inosuke. He decided to let it go and focus on the fact that Inosuke had tried to make amends, no matter how clumsy the attempt was.

As they huddled indoors, Zenitsu couldn't shake off the doubt that lingered in his mind. Would Inosuke ever truly be nice? But then he found himself caught up in the rhythm of their easy banter, his own laughter joining in with theirs. Inosuke's carefree laughter was infectious, and in spite of feeling cold and wet, a warmth spread through his body. The tension from the past few days washed away with the sound of the rain outside. Maybe, just maybe, they were all perfect like this.

Next Story in the series: Drinking Party

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Author's Notes: This fic started out as a silly frivolous piece of fluff, but along the way, it evolved into something deeper about self-worth and friendship. I'm not knocking on frivolous fluff (love it myself), but I'm surprised by how working on something can take one in a different direction sometimes. I hope you like the ending! Poor Zen, the only one with a shred of sense among them, and yet he still ended up taking the brunt of their idiocy. But at least he has Nezuko to keep him sane. I can't help but wonder if any of you saw it coming from a mile away that Inosuke knew it right from the start and just decided to sit back and watch his friends make fools of themselves. He may not be great at expressing himself, but he's certainly smart and can put on an act when needed (hello, Inoko). I drew inspiration for Inosuke's "praising face" from Tanjirou's "lying face," as you might have guessed! Since Tanjirou looks terrifying enough to scare people when he lies, I bet Inosuke would also terrify Zen with his "praising face" lol. I hope you enjoyed the Inotan kissing scene, which took up half of the editing time lol. It was supposed to be a touch-and-go kind of thing, but then I decided to lengthen it a bit because why not? Thank you for reading! If you enjoyed my fic, it’d really make my day if you could drop a like, reblog, and/or comment to let me know! This story is also published on AO3 where you can comment anonymously! Although I mostly write for myself, your encouragement keeps me motivated to post and share my work.

[otherworldseekers]

👠 - What kind of shoes does your muse usually wear? What is most comfortable for them in regards to footwear? Can your muse walk in high heels?

🦵 - Does your muse have any physical ailments? How do they live with them?

🧠 - Does your muse have any mental ailments? How do they live with them?

For adventuring, Severia prefers boots that are worn in enough to be comfortable, they might be open toed depending on the weather and environment. The most important thing is her ability to move easily in them. For casual wear, she tends to go with either flats or sandals, often geta which she grew up wearing. She can walk in high heels because her balance and agility is stellar, but she doesn't like them all that much. She prefers more solid footing. The one thing she will willingly wear quite high heels for is dancing, because with their height difference dancing with Nero is a challenge and a few extra inches is helpful.

Let's see, she had pet allergies. Does that count? Severia is, on the whole, remarkably healthy and fit because that is my personal fantasy I am living through her. lol

To balance out her good physical health, I have saddled her with a good deal of trauma and depression. At first, she lives with her trauma by telling herself that she deserves it. It takes her a long time to unlearn that. But eventually, through the collective efforts of her friends and her love and the lessons she learns along the way, she does come to accept that her life is precious and she deserves to be happy.

Thank you for the asks! 🥰