#i did some research! Now I know the names of Japanese ice cream flavors

[fullofsunsetwhispers]

Important question!

When Jack and the monks finally go out for ice cream together, which flavor do you think each person would choose? (Love your Xiaolin posts btw!)

Oh, my! That surely is a very important question!

I'll try my best and provide you with some ice-cream hcs!

Firstly, if our lovely 5 were to go out for ice cream, I would like them to choose a place that offers flavors gathered from all over the world. Considering that Omi is a curious little fella I'm certain his friends can't wait to give him a taste of ice cream popular in their respective countries. Aaand since they also miss their fav foods they would not hesitate to give themselves such a treat <3

Kimiko - I think Kimi would like something that is a perfect mix between juicy and salty.

My first guess - is satsumaimo ice-cream

Kimiko really likes sweet potato ice cream because its taste reminds her of home. She remembers how her father would often take her

to Kawagoe region for autumn holidays and buy her this particular flavor.

If the place doesn't have such a treat, she would go with

either lavender, vanilla, cherry, matcha, or salted caramel. Or maybe she'd choose a dessert consisting of 3-4 scoops of different ones! And ask for sprinkles or marshmallows.

Raimundo - jabuticaba ice cream with m&m's

That particular ice cream is made from jabuticaba fruit, which is common in Brazil. Its taste is similar to a grape.

In general, Raimundo seems like a guy who eats lots of fruits. So, exotic flavors are fine with him. At some point, he would come around to adding nuts or walnuts instead of sugary toppings.

In my mind, his second favorite flavors are blueberry, peanut, or dairy ice cream with nuts. Maybe coconut, but he ain't picky, he would literally eat anything because ice cream in any form is cool.

3. Clay - He would opt for either Butter pecan

or cookie ice cream since these are pretty popular flavors in Texas.

However, the butterscotch sundae sounds tasty too.

(the truth is if there was a bacon flavor, our cowboy wouldn't shilly-shally and order it as the first person lol)

Vanilla, chocolate, and toffee are ok, too! He's not a fussy eater he would eat anything, just add as much fruit, a syrup-like topping and he'll be satisfied!

4. Jack-o

I imagine Evil Boy Genius is an ice cream expert. He orders tons of different flavors from shops and stores them in the fridge for the rest of his family, too. He is prone to coffee-like flavors, but he consumes chocolate and cake batter in large amounts.

He's also a fan of Neapolitan and Mint Chocolate Chip (His inner good!Jack tells him Mint is the best. what a shame Mint ain't evil, liking these ice cream ruins his reputation as a bad guy) He would struggle the most with making the final decision on what to order.

5. Omi.

Ok, I lied - Omi can't decide because he wants to taste ALL OF THEM. He's so intrigued by the many shapes and colors of ice cream displayed in the shop window, the others have to calm him down. Kimiko advises the little monk to try out matcha green tea ice cream. It turns out to be a great choice.

Additionally, he takes a liking to Basic flavors such as vanilla and chocolate. If I recall correctly Omi insisted on getting a sundae, do Rai would order a a strawberry sundae for him

But dear god, Omi can't sit calmly once the ice cream ordered by his friends lands on their table. He jumps on the table and steals a spoonful of each lol

Aaand taking into consideration Omi has a big appetite... As big as my desire to have some wholesome Jack-Omi BRO moments, please consider Jack and Omi sharing a Banana split.

Jack is that lil shit tm and eats all the cherries, not leaving even one for Omi. Omi declares he'll pay for that in the next showdown.

As you can see, I can't quite give you the One and only option for Kimiko, Raimundo, Clay, Omi, and Jack bc I wasn't sure if they should go to the place which offers ice cream in scoops or in the shape of big desserts. Anyway, I hope you like this post!

[x0401x]

Jeweler Richard Fanbook Short Story #11

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Delicious Recipe

I would soon be at an age where I could envision my 50’s. My only daughter was a college student. I didn’t think of myself as too much of a passionate clerk, but I was fond of my current job at a mass retailer. Said shop was on the line of so-called “luxury supermarkets” in a way, so it had many products that weren’t available at supermarkets in my neighborhood, which meant stocking shelves was a hassle, but it was fun to look around. It had things such as assortments of high-quality cheeses or pouches of cold soup called vichyssoise. Since the shop was within walking distance of one of the largest stations in Tokyo, its clientele was diverse and there were many first-time customers, but on the other hand, that was exactly why it was so easy to remember the face of repeating customers.

“Hmmm...”

The young man glaring at the syrup shelf for a while now, who seemed old enough to be a university student, was actually a regular customer as well. Said regular – who stood out like a sore thumb in this shop, which had an overwhelming elderly customer base – always asked for simplified receipts. The name on them was “Jewelry Etranger”. Must be from a jewelry store. I believed him to be about as old as my daughter.

He was pacing back and forth in front of the shelf. Even though he usually came to buy snacks such as youkan and cookies, he was groaning in front of the cocktail syrup shelf today. Was it for private use instead of an errand? While I was staring at him, our eyes met, and with an apologetic face, he came over to my counter. There were no other customers.

“Hum, excuse me.”

As I welcomed him with a “yes, what might it be?”, he asked for a strange piece of advice.

“I want to make melon soda.”

“Haa.”

“The kind that you can quickly make into cream soda, with vanilla ice cream floating on top...”

“Haa.”

Then wouldn’t it be all right if he just bought the melon-flavored shaved ice syrup and carbonated water over there and mixed them in the appropriate proportions?

Before I could say this, he cut off, a crease rippling between his brows as he furrowed them, “I want it to be tasty. Very tasty.”

“Haa.”

A tasty melon soda. A very tasty one, no less. What kind of melon soda would that be?

I fumbled around my memory for the latest experience I had with a melon soda. The last time I had gone to a fast food was when my daughter was about ten years old. It had already been quite a long time. But I didn’t think there were any revolutionary changes in taste since then. It was carbonated, green and simply sweet. It didn’t have the same variety as tea or coffee. As if pressed with a stamp, melon soda was just melon soda. It was different from those confusing flavored-tea leaves.

He had actually already bought the melon syrup, he told me. But no matter how he changed the proportion of carbonated water, it didn’t have enough of a punch to it.

“I did some research at bars about how different the taste was from the melon sodas that we drink out there, but I kind of couldn’t tell... I think it might be best if I mix it with something. That’s why I’m looking for syrup, hmmm...”

With the exception of standard syrups for shaved ice, all syrups we handled were meant for cocktails. Bottles of vivid colors, in flavors such as apricot and mint, were lined up there. But I didn’t know whether any of them could be the secret ingredient for melon soda. The prospects were dim.

For starters, why had he decided to make something so troublesome by hand? To the point he was thinking of purchasing a bottle of syrup that was by no means cheap.

Of course, I didn’t say such things in front of the customer, but as if seeing through my hesitation, he smiled, as though a bit embarrassed. “No, hum, I have a friend who likes cream soda. She will be coming to the shop I work at one of these days... so I wanted to surprise her. Ehehe,” he laughed, looking happy.

I would guess that I did nothing but blink silently for a moment. It was an astonishingly good motive. I didn’t know what kind of friend she was or what kind of shop she would be visiting, but if nothing else, she seemed to be someone important to him.

If it were me, that would probably become a memory to last a lifetime.

A secret ingredient for a sweet juice. What suddenly crossed my mind was a time when my daughter was still little. A time when she caught a cold. I once made her a sweet juice when she didn’t want to take her medicine. I had a memory of being troubled as she was reluctant to drink water, saying it was painful. This had happened either in September or October, so there was still some leftover shaved ice syrup from the summer in our fridge. Making sugared water using it as colorant apparently gave it a special vibe, so she cheered up and drank it. Was it just sugared water? Hmm, if I wasn’t mistaken, in order for it to feel refreshing in the mouth, I had added—

“Ah, lemon juice.”

“Eh?”

“Mr. Customer, I’m not a bartender or anything, so I might be giving a wrong guess, but...”

Lemon went surprisingly well with sugared water.

As many cocktail recipes had lemon juice in them, I believed it strained the flavor that tended to unilaterally turn into “sweetness”. I didn’t think there was freshly squeezed lemon in the melon sodas of fast food shops, but if he was in pursuit of tastiness, wasn’t it a possibility?

When I told him this, he looked at me with a happy face, bowing his head with a “thank you very much”. And so, when he was about to leave the store without buying anything, he came back as if remembering something, lining up in front of the register and buying a package of specialty cookies from a certain place. When I was about to make the receipt, he told me he didn’t need it today, so I could tell it was his own pocket money.

“Really, thank you so much,” he said with an uplifting face, and this time, he exited the shop for good.

I didn’t think the suggestion I gave him warranted such consideration, and yet, what a proper child he was. His mother certainly must be happy to have a son like that, I thought, but afterward, I changed my mind, as he might surprisingly not be like that at home. My daughter, too, was an unfettered general at home, but the boyfriend that she discreetly brought over at the end of the previous year said some dreadful things about her, such as that she was a “refined young lady”. I thought they wouldn’t last for long, but it seemed they were still dating. It might be that people possessed many sides, just like those stylistic syrup bottles. Like the gemstones sold in jewelry shop. And he had showed me a wonderful, brightly shining side of his.

As a clerk, I wished from the bottom of my heart that his peculiar act of hospitality would go well.

   On Thursday morning, while I was extremely busy with stocking items, someone called to me with an “excuse me”. Even though I wished people wouldn’t talk to me at times like these, I couldn’t let it show on my face. When I turned around with a “yes, what might it be?”, my facial expression froze up. A blond, blue-eyed man was standing there. He was such a beautiful man that you’d end up asking yourself if it was okay to be breathing the same air as him. My face stiffened. He was speaking in fluent Japanese.

“Do you have canned cherries?”

“Eh, hah—aah, cherries?”

“Cherries. I need them urgently,” he said with a sour face.

Whatever might be the situation that required such a pretty young man, who looked like he had fallen from Heaven, to purchase canned cherries, it was beyond me. Anyway, with a manner of walking that looked like a frantic penguin, I guided him to the canned fruits corner and bowed with an “it’s this way”. He smiled as if relieved, leaving me floored.

“Much obliged.”

You’d think of it as an ordinary expression, but it was difficult to describe this with any word other than “bombshell”. His smile was like the glowing summer wind. As a result, you’d find yourself wondering about even unnecessary things, such as if this person had lived a life full of hardships. Was he an actor? Could be a model. His beauty was so removed from this transient realm, so I couldn’t think he was someone from the same world as myself. If a person like him were playing the hero in a tragic drama, I had the feeling that the audience would be a bit turned-off. As in, wouldn’t the role of charismatic villain suit him better? After a brief moment of escapism from reality, I came back to my senses and returned to stocking the items.

Once the checkout of the canned cherries was finished at the register, the elegant man left the shop while cursing someone’s carelessness with an “honestly, that heedless guy,” using a word that even a Japanese person seldom would.

At that moment, for some reason, the figure of that regular customer boy suddenly surfaced in my brain. The one who had told me he wanted to make melon soda. The kind that could quickly be made into cream soda, with vanilla ice cream floating on top. Melon-flavored soda aside, if you wanted to make a cream soda, the cherry was the last thing you should forget - that was what I had always been thinking, but unfortunately, he hadn’t showed up in the shop yet ever since then. Well, someone who had been so obsessed with the melon flavor probably wouldn’t do something like forget about the cherry, but there were instances such as the blond Onii-san of today. If he ever showed up again, I would make sure to mention the cherries.

On that day’s afternoon, I finally gave it a thought, and just as I was going home, I went into a family restaurant for the first time in ten years, and while tasting an awkward embarrassment, I ordered a cream soda. I had actually been wanting to drink it all this time ever since I saw him. My first cream soda in a while had the painfully sweet flavor of childhood.

[patchwork-panda]

If A Moment Is All We Are (30/?)

AO3 link: HERE

OP theme: HERE

“Ah, Kusunoki-san!”

I turned my attention away from my computer and looked up to see Atsushi and Kyouka arriving at our shared work area. I’d finished cleaning myself up a little and had changed into the spare clothing I’d kept in my locker and was now poring over emails before I went out for the day.

“Good morning!” Atsushi called, smiling brightly.

He dropped his bag on his desk as Kyouka quietly bobbed her head in a tiny bow behind him. I grinned and waved, my eyes on them but my mind still on Kunikida’s smile.

“Good morning Atsushi-kun, Kyouka-chan!”

I gestured to the plastic bag on my desk.

“Want some bread? The manager gave me extra, so I’ve got a few too many...”

Atsushi’s golden eyes went wide.

“Really? Can we?” he exclaimed as Kyouka immediately zipped over to my side and reached into the bag.

“Uh-huh! There’s tea and coffee too. Help yourselves.”

“Thanks!!”

As Kyouka went back to her desk, already munching on a freshly opened strawberry roll, Atsushi took his time and hung around, picking through the bag for tea.

“You look like you’re in a good mood this morning!” he said, his eyes sparkling. “Did something good happen earlier?”

“Ah, sort of?”

I fidgeted a little in my seat, my face growing warmer as I thought about the training session with Kunikida this morning.

“Yeah? Do tell.”

Without warning, a bandaged hand dropped down from above and plunged into the bag of treats I’d brought for the office.

“Oh! You’ve got ramen in here!” Dazai exclaimed, looking excited. “And it’s crab flavored, too! Don’t mind if I do.”

“Hey!”

I reached up to snatch it back but I was a second too slow.

“That’s my lunch—”

“Hmm? Instant ramen? But I thought Kunikiiiiida-kun wanted you to eat more vegetables,” Dazai said, tossing the cup of noodles up and down in the air.

“What’s it to you? Give that back!” I snapped, snatching the cup of noodles from him mid-toss.

But as I returned my attention to my computer, I felt a weight settling in near my elbow and looked back up to see Dazai actually sitting on my desk.

“You never answered my question,” he said.

His expression was suddenly gleeful, curious. He clapped his half-bandaged hands together and wiggled around in front of me like an excited schoolgirl.

“What did you and Kunikida-kun do this morning for your first time together? Did he go at it one-hundred percent? Did he pin you to the ground?”

“Dazai-san!!”

I flushed. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a piece of bread fall out of Kyouka’s mouth. Atsushi was suddenly choking on his tea.

“What kind of question is—”

“What are you doing sitting on Kusunoki’s desk, Dazai?”

I snapped my head around so fast I nearly got whiplash. The tall blonde detective had appeared just in time and for some reason, Dazai suddenly looked more gleeful than ever.

“Hey, Kunikiiiida-kun!”

Dazai hopped off my desk at once, a grin so wide it could only be described as manic stretching across his face. He skipped around my chair and threw one bandaged arm around Kunikida’s shoulders, forcing the taller man to duck down to his level.

“Perfect timing! I have a question I need to ask you!”

Kunikida sighed, looking irritated but resigned.

“What is it, Dazai-san.”

Dazai’s dark eyes glinted with mischief.

“Did you like the way she fought?”

Kunikida stared.

“Huh—?”

Something clattered to the ground and as one, Dazai, Kunikida, Atsushi and I turned to Kyouka, who’d knocked over her empty bottle of juice and was now pulling her kodachi out of her kimono.

“I can’t believe,” she said hollowly, the light fading from her ice-blue eyes, “that I thought Kunikida-san was an honest, upstanding person...”

Blood lust radiated off every inch of her tiny frame. The blade of her kodachi gleamed vividly in the light.

“But it looks like a man is just a man after all. Let me teach him a lesson for you, Kusunoki-san.”

“Wait! Kyouka-chan!” I cried, throwing myself between them as Kyouka advanced on Kunikida (who was hastily ripping a page out of his notebook) with her weapon drawn.

“This was a misunderstanding! Kunikida-san was teaching me self-defense. It was just a training session, that’s all, I swear!”

The tiny assassin hesitated, her weapon faltering in her hand.

“Really? But Dazai-san said—”

“Don’t listen to him!” I groaned as Atsushi nodded fervently and Kunikida slowly put his notebook away. “He was just trying to cause trouble so that...”

I trailed off and glanced at my desk, where the bag of ramen and snacks had suddenly disappeared along with any trace of the bandaged maniac.

“So that he could steal the rest of the food,” Atsushi sighed, slapping his palm against his face.

Seething, I hurled my notebook at the ground.

“Dazai-saaaaaan!!”

***

In the end, I never managed to hunt down Dazai or my lunch...

I sighed and hiked my bag a little higher over my shoulder, trying not to think about the horrifyingly suggestive questions Dazai had asked me and Kunikida and the way Kyouka had reacted.

Dazai, that asshole... all that just so he could steal my ramen.

I briefly thought about putting my lunch tab on him before coming to the conclusion that if I did, I’d only be adding to poor Shimeko’s worries. According to her, Dazai hadn’t paid back his tab at the Uzumaki Cafe for nearly eight months now...

Pausing to check the map on my phone, I glanced up and examined my surroundings.

Nomura said the university’s history department should be located somewhere around here, but...

I spun in a circle, looking around at the tree-lined streets and sighed.

Thanks to all the heavy greenery, it was hard to see the buildings, much less the tiny lettering embossed next to the entrances. If the map was correct, I needed to take a left here and head deeper into the campus if I wanted to reach the main library.

Shrugging, I stuck my phone back into my pocket and went left.

Right now, I knew pretty much nothing about the mysterious “Kei.” I didn’t know when he’d died, whether he’d actually killed himself, or if “Kei” even was his real name. If I wanted to get that police report, to check if Nomura had a good reason to be suspicious, then I’d need to learn Kei’s full name. And the only real lead I had so far was Kei’s connection to Professor Shin Matsuyama...

So I came here, to Nomura’s university, hoping I could find some more information on Professor Matsuyama at the history department’s library. I’d spent a couple hours doing some digging online but the professor was either highly secretive or not very well-known. If his research was on the obscure side, then there would be no way of accessing it outside the university. Moreover...

I opened my notebook, where I’d stashed some printouts before I’d gone out.

Apparently Professor Matsuyama had been a student here at the university before deciding to teach at the history department. If Nomura’s memory was correct, the professor looked to be around our age in the photograph he kept in his office. And if that was true...

I stopped before the nearest building on my right, a squat, white-tiled structure marked, “World History Department,” by a tarnished copper plaque.

...Then it was quite possible that Kei had been a student here as well.

I checked the map again and made a face.

Great. Low signal. Must be the trees...

I pressed refresh on my maps icon and waited. But even though the seconds dragged on and on, the three dots in the middle of my screen refused to fade away. I sighed and slipped my phone back into my pocket.

Guess I’ll have to ask for directions...

Unfortunately, no sooner had I picked up my feet and turned to the left than I walked right into someone mid-stride. Or rather, someone walked right into me.

“Ack—!”

I was on the ground before I even knew what hit me, my bag scuffing heavily against the ground and my butt bruising painfully beneath me. I heard the rapid clicking of thick, chunky heels hitting the pavement as the person who’d bumped into me came rushing over.

“Oh my goodness!” a woman exclaimed, her voice sounding strangely nasal and muffled. “I’m so sorry! I didn’t see you there.”

She knelt down at my side, folding her long, cream-colored dress beneath her legs, her light, airy clothing rustling softly as she moved.

“Are you alright?”

A pale, delicate-looking hand stretched out towards me and I looked up to see an elegant, well-dressed woman in her late thirties kneeling beside me in the dirt. She was fairly tall and slender, with long, wavy hair the color of desert sand and long lashes that curled beautifully over large, expressive dark-brown eyes. There was a strange red mark over her nose and a very thick book under her arm. As I took her hand and allowed her to pull me to my feet, I realized her voice had sounded muffled earlier because she’d been reading her book as she walked and had hit herself in the face with it when she bumped into me. However, even with the red mark over her nose, she was still very pretty.

“I’m fine,” I mumbled.

I took a moment to keep my Ability suppressed before rising to my feet.

“Thanks.”

The woman’s dark brows knitted together as she studied my face.

“Are you sure?” she asked, searching me for any sign of injury. “There’s a clinic on campus for injured students if you need any sort of treatment.”

“I’m sure,” I insisted, brushing off my clothes. “Really. I’m fine.”

“What a relief,” the woman sighed, her hand flying to her chest. “To think I could’ve hurt a student—and during exam week, no less!”

She sighed heavily, hanging her head.

“All because I had my nose in yet another book.”

“It must be a really nice book,” I said, smiling slightly.

“Oh, it is!” she gushed, flipping it over so that I could see the cover.

“...D. Keene?”

I squinted at it.

I’d never heard of this author before...

“He studies Japanese literature,” the woman said, “specifically modern Japanese literature. It’s a paperback version of one of the required reading books for the history students.”

She laughed a little as she tucked it back under her arm.

“I know it’s not the sort of book people find so fascinating that they can’t put it down but, well...”

She made a sort-of shrugging motion, her smile turning shy.

“I’m still really happy my husband is letting me borrow it for so long. Most people aren’t allowed to take university library books off campus but...”

Her eyes sparkled and I was once again struck by just how pretty she was.

“I suppose they make exceptions when you’re married to one of the faculty members.”

I studied her.

The wife of a faculty member... with special access to the history department library... It couldn’t be...

Could it?

“Which... professor are you married to?” I asked.

The elegant woman beamed at me.

“Professor Matsuyama Shin,” she said. “He teaches modern Japanese history here.”

She bobbed her head in a quick bow and I rushed to do the same.

“My name is Matsuyama Natsuki. Are you one of his students, perhaps?”

I shook my head.

“I’m actually not,” I admitted, surprising Natsuki. “But my friend, Nomura-kun, is and—”

Natsuki’s eyes widened.

“You’re one of Nomura-kun’s friends?” she asked, bringing her fingers to her lips.

I was taken aback.

“You know him?”

“Of course I know him,” Natsuki said, covering up a small laugh. “In fact, he’s very close to my husband. To be honest with you, he’s almost like a son to us. Such a kind, well-mannered boy...”

She studied me, her smile softening.

“I’m glad to see he’s making friends his own age. He comes over to the house so often that I was starting to worry he didn’t have any...”

“I see...” I said, suddenly feeling awkward.

Friends... huh?

Something about her words nagged at me, making me feel like I was forgetting something—something important in regards to Professor Matsuyama...

“...He keeps staring at this picture in his office and talking to it... When I asked him who was in this picture, he answered, ‘Natsuki and Kei...’”

I gasped.

That’s right...!

If Natsuki and Kei were both in the picture with the professor, then that meant Natsuki might know Kei. Maybe I could ask Natsuki for Kei’s full name so I could go and get that police report I needed.

But there was just one small problem with that...

I chewed my lip.

Thanks to Dazai’s meddling, I’d missed a tiny, but important detail on the first page of the case briefing. Due to the sensitive nature of the case, Nomura had requested that I try not to let any of the professor’s close friends or family know exactly what I was investigating. Made sense considering I was looking into a potential murder...

I studied the kind, friendly woman standing in front of me.

And now that I’d met Natsuki, I completely understood why. If I let the wrong thing slip, the results would be disastrous. If Nomura’s suspicions proved wrong, then I could potentially be wrecking Natsuki’s marriage for no reason. And if he was right...

I shuddered slightly.

I didn’t even want to think about what I’d have to do if he was right...

“Are you okay?” Natsuki asked, her pale brows furrowing together. “Are you cold? I could let you into a building to wait for Nomura-kun, if you’re here to meet with him.”

“Oh, no, I’m fine!” I said quickly, trying to put the smile back on my face. “Just... thinking about things...”

Natsuki blinked at me.

“Things...?”

I wasn’t going to have an opportunity like this again. I needed to ask her about Kei... but how was I going to do that without raising suspicion?

Okay, think... What would your mentors do here?

What would Kunikida do?

“Y-yeah, you know, exams, projects...” I trailed off.

Kunikida would probably go for the direct approach. He’d just ask her point blank if she knew someone by the name of “Kei,” and then prepare some way to deal with the consequences if things went south.

I crossed my arms and looked down.

No, that wasn’t going to work. I couldn’t come up with a contingency plan as fast as Kunikida could and I really wanted to spare Natsuki as much as possible.

Which meant I’d have to lie to her.

Lie... so that I could protect her...

At once, the memory came flooding back.

“I checked in with Yamazaki-san a few days ago...”

Dazai’s smile was gentle, his chocolate-brown eyes warm.

“She’s doing well... and she said to tell you ‘hi...’”

And just like that, I was back in the conference room again, sitting in a warm, well-lit room with papers scattered all around me and Dazai’s hand slowly drifting towards mine.

My arms unfurled from around my body. My hand twitched upwards; I was already reaching back. But when I lifted my head and glanced back up at the tree-lined path, it was Natsuki, and not Dazai, who was standing there before me.

I put my hand back down.

Dazai-san... Was this why he lied to me that day in the conference room...? To try to spare me the pain that he knew the truth would inevitably bring...?

My hand closed into a fist. I found myself biting the inside of my cheek.

Is this what I would have to do...?

Natsuki chuckled. She didn’t seem to have noticed a thing.

“Ah, I see,” she murmured, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “Yes, you must have a lot on your mind right now. It’s always a busy time for students, isn’t it? No matter what the season or what you’re studying...”

I nodded, a small smile creeping back onto my face as the gears began to turn.

“That’s very true,” I said, the smile on my face stretching wide. “You’d think I wouldn’t be so stressed, being just a simple art student.”

Think like Dazai. Do what he would do...

I took my phone out and flipped through my gallery. I came to the pictures of Minato Mirai and flipped the phone around so I could show them off.

Mix the truth with lies. Layer them so that it’s harder to tell where one starts and the other begins... Make it so that you can’t tell the difference between them yourself...

“I actually came out here,” I said slowly, “to take some reference pictures of the scenery. Nomura-kun said this part of campus was really nice at this time of year so I thought I’d come check it out.”

“Oh, I see!” Natsuki gasped, leaning in to take a closer look at the photos. “You’re very talented, aren’t you? Um...”

“Kusunoki,” I said, inclining my head in a slight bow.

I felt my smile soften on its own.

“My name is Kusunoki Kyou. Thank you, Matsuyama-san.”

“Just telling the truth,” Natsuki said warmly, straightening back up. “If you want to take some more pictures, you should probably head a little deeper into campus, get closer to the library. There’s a wide field out that way and a small student garden beyond that as well.”

“That sounds great,” I agreed. “But the thing is, I’m not just looking for scenery today... I’m looking for models too.”

Natsuki’s deep brown eyes went wide.

“Models?” she repeated, her hand automatically going to her hair.

I watched as she began smoothing down the wildest of her curls.

“Yeah.”

I nodded and pulled out my phone, scrolling through the apps as if I were looking to open an email or memo.

“I was asked to draw a group portrait of three adults between the ages of thirty and fifty,” I said. “The teacher specifically told us not to ask other students to sit for us because they want us to get used to drawing people all ages and body types.”

I fidgeted a little, trying not to cringe as I thought about how Dazai might ask her to sit for a drawing. He’d probably flirt with her in some grandiose, over-the-top way and then ask her to commit double suicide with him, that maniac...

No, I had a better idea...

“If you don’t mind my saying so,” I mumbled, looking away. “You seem very nice and... I feel comfortable asking you this since you also know Nomura-kun.”

I glanced back up.

“Would you mind letting me draw you and your husband?”

“Not at all!” Natsuki exclaimed, looking flattered. “But I thought you needed three people?”

I nodded again.

“Yes, I do. Do you or your husband happen to have a friend who wouldn’t mind coming over to the campus park for an hour or two? Someone around your age?”

“Ah...”

At this, Natsuki grew quiet. She lowered her eyes.

“About that...”

A shadow crossed her beautiful face and she smiled.

“It’s funny that you should make such a request, Kusunoki-san,” she said, her smile growing wistful. “I actually know just the man to ask.”

I balked.

“Y-you do?”

“Yes.”

Her dark brown eyes flitted back up towards mine.

“But sadly...”

Her lips twitched, as if she was holding something back, something that looked an awful lot like tears. I felt my stomach clenching tightly as I saw the look on her face.

“I cannot ask him to meet with you. You see...”

She closed her eyes and sighed.

“He is no longer with us.”

“I... I see...”

Oh no...

Guilt flooded through my body. I felt the knot in my stomach tightening as Natsuki heaved a breathless sigh and stared up at the leaves that were beginning to rustle overhead. Her eyes seemed to shine with tears...

“I’m so sorry, Matsuyama-san,” I stammered, fidgeting in my bag for my handkerchief. “I shouldn’t have asked—! I didn’t mean to—”

“No, it’s okay,” Natsuki said graciously, her gaze still firmly fixed on the swaying branches above us. “You couldn’t have known.”

Her eyes met mine at last.

“How could you have? When we’ve only just met?”

Yes, how indeed? I thought with another stab of guilt as I pulled the handkerchief out at last.

But I offered it to her, Natsuki waved it away, her smile more gracious than ever.

“I’m alright, thank you,” she said, looking touched. “It’s very sweet of you to be so concerned about a complete stranger like me, Kusunoki-san. Your friends must be very fortunate indeed.”

This time, it was my turn to look away.

Friends...

I’d cut off contact with everyone I knew when I’d become a shut-in all those months ago. Now, the only people I was close with were my coworkers at the ADA. But did they think of me as a friend as well...?

“I... I guess so,” I mumbled, unable to meet her eyes.

Natsuki chuckled, prompting me to look back up.

“You seem easy to talk to, Kusunoki-san,” Natsuki said, tucking her hair back behind her ears as the wind began to pick up once again. “Like a good listener... Perhaps I could tell you about him one day...”

My mouth was as dry as cotton. I could hear my heart beating loudly in my ears.

I felt my lips slowly forming the words.

“Tell me about... who?”

Natsuki smiled.

“Kei.”

The wind began to howl. I clutched my jacket to my body as it tore through the tree-lined path. Leaves and dust and gravel scattered everywhere and I opened my eyes just in time to see a deluge of leaves descend from the heavens in a shower of glittering gold and green. Natsuki looked back at me through the storm.

“Our dearly departed friend Masaoka Kei...”

[ick25]

Rockman.EXE Episode 31 Review.

And here is Netto!

Oh, sorry, that’s my Gulpin who I nicknamed Netto.

Here is Hikari Netto!

Well, now I remember why I called him that.

I like how Netto admits that the title is a bad pun. XD

We open the episode with a Star Wars parody for some reason, don’t believe me?

Long ago in a far away parody...

Netto narrates the text since it’s in english, and we then see a flying curry saucer near the Earth and a shot of Netto’s plane arriving at Namaste, a country known for its curry. Apperantly, Namaste takes this title seriously since we see something resembling the hand of the statue of liberty holding a curry dish.

As soon as Netto leaves the airport he is greeted by an indian looking man who tells him that he will partake in an “all you can eat curry buffet”. Netto, being the hungry anime boy protagonist, is delighted by this idea and accepts to go with the perfect stranger, despite Rockman’s suspitions.

We inmediately cut to a fancy hotel where Netto gets ready to eat his first curry meal.

Before watching this episode I had no idea what curry was, all I took from this episode is that it was some kind of sauce.

It just looks like a regular dish with rice and meat sauce with some vegetables on it to me.

Netto begins to chow down the curry like crazy, ignoring Rockman’s warnings.

Soon after we get a montage of all the dishes he has to eat in a single day.

How is a curry ice cream even posible?!

 Anyway, the curry sushi seems to hit the spot for Netto as he has another over the top reaction, with the indian guy crying with joy.

What does tasting curry have to do with being in the N-1?

Get ready ladies, because right after this we get a close up of Netto’s belly expanding.

Rockman is not to be blamed if Hikari Netto explodes.

More belly expansion.

What’s strange about this scene is the amount of detail they put into these close ups, it’s suppoused to be funny, but it feels like it has another purpose. Then again, I might have a dirty mind. X(

We leave Netto asking for more as we zoom in to some mountains where we find Madoi and Count Elec hand gliding. They talk about Mahajarama summoning them to Namaste and that Hinouken already there. We still don’t know why, but since they are gliding really high their gliders freeze up and the two of them fall into an abyss.

I’m sure they’re fine.

 We then see Netto’s friends on a ship where Yaito tells them that they should surprise Netto at Namaste since it is his last stop, and what better way to get there fast than in a freaking rocket!

Even Yaito seems like she’s having second thoughts. XD

Speaking of bad decisions, we return with a shot of a super stuff Netto. Naturally, he is too full to keep eating, but since Netto loves curry so much he wont quit.

This guy doesn’t see that Netto is too full?

It took this long for his vest to finally open.

We then see the fat Netto on a bed where the indian guy tells him to get ready to meet the best curry restaurant in Namaste with a very familiar name.

Good to know your ears are not stuff too.

After this, we cut to Count Elec and Madoi with some souvenirs for Mahajarama.

I like how the Count gets offended after Mahajarama underappreciates the souvenirs.

Turns out Mahajarama owns a popular curry restaurant that has been in his family for generations, to which Count Elec asks him why he didnt bother paying for airplane tickets for them.

They also ask why he called for the World Three members.

Well that came out perfectly for you, considering you took the wrong plane in the last episode, but now that I think about it, could Mahajarama had something to do with that too?

Mahajarama tells them the harsh truth about them never getting real jobs and that their only hope is to rebuild World Three, and the only way to do that is for them to finally defeat Netto and Rockman.

Since the last time you saw them? Because you still believe last episode was a dream, right?

After Hinouken mentions something about team work, we cut to Netto’s friends who are finally at Namaste. Not knowing where Netto is, Yaito tells them that she will track him with her spy satelite and that they will wait in the air for the results.

She has an automatic lawn mower as part of her security system, a giant tree house that doubles as a secret base, her own private jet, a limo that can drive over water, her own battle submarine, and a freaking rocket! What else is new?

We cut back to the World Three with Mahajarama giving a speech about curry being a combination of different spices and compares it to the perfect team work, as he reveals the other three members rising from the floor with colorful chef hats.

I like their different expressions, Count Elec looks angry, Hinouken is embarrassed, and only Madoi seems cool with it.

They are all gathered in an underground Net Battle arena that doubles as a curry research lab where Mahajarama reveals a giant machine with several arms like a hindu god.

Pfff... Puririkko-chan.

This giant machine scans the brain waves of all the World Three members and has the ability to create a curry dish based on their team work.

Each plate comes with a glass of water, cooked rice, some chopped vegetables and a spoon.

Since they know nothing about team work the taste of the curry is flat out horrible. Mahajarama tells them that if they can master working together the curry will taste better.

Outside of Mahajarama’s restaurant, Netto arrives with Rockman. Their suspitions are confirmed once they see a life zise statue of Mahajarama at the entrance, Rockman warns Netto that it is a trap, but Netto’s stomach proofs to be stronger than his brain since the smell of the curry inside is enough for him to go in.

Geez, Netto, if it wasn’t just the World Three you would’ve put your life in danger just because you couldn’t resist the smell of curry.

Netto quickly remembers he walked into a trap as soon as he hears Mahajarama’s voice, who captures him inside a ball that transports Netto to the underground floor.

After commercials, Netto arrives at the underground arena where he is greeted by the World Three operators challenging him to a Net Battle, Netto agrees and sends Rockman into a cyberworld that looks a giant curry stew.

Just like their operators, Fireman and Elecman can’t wait to fight Rockman and interrupt Magicman’s witty dialogue attemp.

Rockman points out that they are cowards and the two Navis rush over to attack him, with Coloredman joining in by thowing his ball along with some vegetables he picks up accidentaly hitting Fireman and Elecman who fall in the apperantly boiling curry water.

Mahajarama nags them and the machine scans them again revealing another curry dish that they dont even bother to taste.

Netto sends in the Shot gun to Rockman, but the four Navis finally work together to block the attack and make a combo. Rockman dodges the attack but a new curry dish is created.

Normally when lightning strikes, it means something bad.

The World Three curry is getting better as they score another combo attack, which is just them passing Coloredman’s ball to eachother like in a soccer game, and they knock Rockman into a giant bread cooker that rises from the water.

Rockman is being cooked inside, and it looks like Yaito’s spy satelite can also capture images from the cyberworld because Netto’s friends inmediately receive the footage of Rockman’s face! They figure that Netto and Rockman are in trouble and they hurry to where the footage came from.

Netto points out that the World Three strategy is dirty, but Mahajarama just complements himself by saying that the dirtyness adds that extra flavor to his curry.

Okay, now the machine has cooked meat too?!

Yaito’s rocket arrives and drops two drilling cars with arms that bust through the ceilling to where Netto and the World Three are, because what can’t you buy when you’re rich?!. After casually greeting him, Netto’s friends plug in their Navis to break the container where Rockman is.

The World Three Navis proceed to attack them, but Rockman’s friends protect him with a cuadriple barrier. After seeing how in synch they are we eachother, Mahajarama scans the group’s brain waves and a new curry dish appears, literally blowing the World Three away.

Netto and the others explain to him that their team work is better because they’ve been friends for a long time, and that the best curry is the one that is left out after a day.

Rockman activates a new style change, the Elec Team Style aka Elec Brother Style.

Somehow Netto knows the Elec Brother’s ability since he asks Tohru to lend him Iceman’s power by using an “extension chip” from who knows where, because I have never heard of that until now.

The extension chip downloads Iceman’s data into Rockman which might be the anime’s version of a Navi chip, this grants Rockman the power to send his electricity to the WWW Navis and freezing them.

For some other unexplained reason, Piririkko-chan...Pff, blows up after this and Netto and friends manage to escape on Yaito’s rocket just in time, where Netto then tells them that he might not eat curry again in a long time after his experience in Namaste.

Mahajarama survived the explosion where he is found by Beet, he says that he have finally realized that he’s indian curry is superior to the japanese curry and that he will proceed with his plan of expanding his restaurant world wide.

However, the other World Three operators overhear him and are not happy with the fact that he used them in order to confirm his theory, leading to them beating him up off camera.

Netto finally returns home, where his useless mom had no idea he was coming back that day nor did she even consider picking him up at the airport. Netto asks her what’s for dinner and falls over after she tells him that its curry. And the episode ends with Rockman laughing at Netto’s bad luck and telling the viewers that their trip around the world is officially over.

She sure seems trilled to see her only son back home! XC

My thoughts?

This episode wasn’t just for comedic purposes, it also lets us know what the former WWW members are up too after the whole Pharohman incident. Any other criminal would just go find another job, because its not like the police know who they are and the Net agents have proved to be useless in arresting people. No, these guys want to keep creating chaos and get revenge on Rockman, Mahajarama already has a different goal, why can’t the others do the same? Just give up already, you’re never gonna beat Rockman!

“Namaste” is an Indian greeting, and in the anime it is the name of a country that seems to be based on India, though it is never mentioned again after this episode.

We also learn what curry is, curry is a dish that was created in India and is a sauce made by combining spices and herbs. Curry is a popular dish in other asian countries who adopted it and created their own curry recipies based on reginal preferences. For example, did you notice how the curry plate created from Netto and his friends teamwork was yellow rice? That is because thats a japanese styled curry. Rice curry is a popular dish in Japan, so in any anime series you will always find atleast one episode where the main characters are eating rice curry.

The Elec Team style is actually named the Elec Brother style, I guess it is because Rockman and Netto are suppoused to be brothers in the game. This style is activated when using Navi chips often, since there are no Navi chips in the anime they decided to let Rockman gain another Navis ability with the help of some “magical” extension chip that appears out of nowhere, seriously, I have no idea where Netto got that thing or knew it was compatible with the new style.

[evyautumn]

High School/Lifestyle Headcanons

I thought giving this a try...

Taichi: Pretty well known among his classmates and obviously the star of the football team. A good amount of girls might have a crush on him because of his good looks but some may find him a little too loud. A total prankster and very goofy. Has a large group of friends to hang out with every now and then but prefers to spend lots of time with Koushiro, Yamato and Sora. Mostly Koushiro on days off. Likes to tease Joe about him studying forever but really he just wants him to loosen up a bit. He probably buys something (favorites sweets or drinks) on his way home to Hikari making up the excuse that he was just passing by. A favorite hobbie of his is planning with Takeru the next prank for Yamato. Pretty active, with initiative. He may not have Yamato´s cooking skills but he does well in that area and knows how to do a good damn omelette. Not so bad in school, you can tell he does his homework and studies the necessary but can be lazy and Sora is always reminding him when the next exam or project is gonna be. A pretty good strategic and analyses the situation very carefully. Doesn´t show it too much but he does care when his friends can´t make it to his soccer match or a little trip to the fair. He can be very carefree but sometimes he can pressure himself very hard. 

Yamato: The Cool Guy. Or at least, that´s what he seems to be. Very good looking and all the girls in the school have a big crush on him. Want to attend his concerts and fangirl over him lots. Seems to be unapproachable but he is just a quiet person. People are intimidated by him at first but once you get to know him you see he is just a nice guy. Like Taichi, not so bad with his grades and is very organized with his schedule having a good balance between high school responsibilities and band practices. Loves music. So passionate to the point that he gets very stubborn and his mood changes constantly like the name of his band. A good cook. Always inviting Takeru to come over and taste his new dish. Gets scared pretty easily and hates horror films. Tries to maintain the cool image in front of his good friends but fails miserably.

Sora: The mother of the group. Reliable and caring. She could have been a class rep. Her classmates always know they can count on her. Likes to keep herself busy and although she is not the first one to take the lead and make some decisions she is always ready to create some cool stuff for the theme they are working on this years class cafe and so. Prefers to keep lots of things to herself and doesn´t tell anyone when she is in trouble. Wants to do it and resolve it herself but worries too much about others. She is always telling Taichi to be focused during class but knows he sometimes falls asleep so she makes sure to give him a copy of her notes. Telling Koushiro not to push himself so hard and gives him extra oolong tea. Checking on Joe and keeping him on good spirits. Hanging out with Mimi while shopping and talking about the latest. Advicing Takeru not to get in trouble on flirting with so many girls. Inviting Hikari to go with her to this new pastries shop. She and her mom have a better mother/daughter relationship and always spend time to talk and checking up on the other. Because of a lot of activities, she doesn´t play tennis that much like she used to but takes time to do some exercise by herself.

Koushiro: Kind of a loner, loves to be in his office a lot. Has a small group of friends in high school where they talk about the latest trends on technology. A prodigy on his field and very respected by his professors. Always curious, always doing research. Very awkward around girls and gets shy easily. Talks to lots of online friends and is more comfortable knowing his laptop is with him at all times. Likes to spends time with his family and is always making little surprises for them on special occasions. Hangs out with Taichi at his apartment always feeling very comfortable at the Yagami home and thankful when Yuuko makes his favorite meals when he is there. He might not show it but feels lowkey excited whenever he and Taichi are doing some kind of trouble together. 

Mimi: Independent, strong headed and free spirited. Lowkey likes that she is still a bit spoiled by his parents. Does and says whats on her mind not caring what other people think about her. Hates when people are not truthful and don´t say the things they want to say or what they really feel. Likes to have fun and bring some of the America culture to the Japanese which sometimes can be amusing yet confusing to her classmates and can every now and then get her into trouble with some of the girls not sharing the same thoughts. Lots of boys have a crush on her but she´s somewhat oblivious to it. Has become stronger and tries not to cry in front of others. Loves fashion and even more going shopping trying new clothes and combining new looks. Very girly. Likes to experiment with food and although her choices can come off as weird, stated by Koushiro one time, she finds absolutely an incredible combination of flavors that needs to be put out in the world. 

Joe: Responsible, very responsible. Feels pressured of what society expects from him but really he just want to makes his parents feel proud. Very smart, but struggles with his nerves that get the better of him and push himself sometimes a little too hard. Has a good amount of friends and dislikes that he cannot hang out with them that much now. His girlfriend is always texting him to take care of himself and relax. When he gets focused he can become very lonely and isolates himself to reach that goal on his own terms. Taichi and Sora are the ones who check on him the most and Mimi is the one who always tell him to drop the textbooks and go eat some at this new ramen shop. Even though he is the oldest of the group he likes when they all ask him how did it go or how is he and feels always included when they invite him to celebrate the good news. But in the end he is always giving some piece of advice to each of them when they most need it like telling Taichi some good options for his future career and comforts in every way he can.�� 

Takeru: The little tease. Doesn´t get scared easily anymore and loves teasing the others for good fun. Very popular among his classmates and very flirty with the girls. Knows when to say the right words at the right time and is always advicing his big brother Yamato to control his impulsive nature. May not show it, but he is still a pretty sensible boy and hates when people he cares about the most get hurt. Likes to hang out with his friends. Pretty intuitive. Good grades. Probably has a secret online blog where he writes about his experiences and thoughts on some delicate matters making some controversial statements. Likes to be with Hikari and have a pretty good bond between each other. Knows when she is upset and knows exactly what to tell her even if sometimes it can hurt a little bit, but he cares about her very much that he only wants means well. 

Hikari: A little tease too. Always making fun of Takeru´s little flings and even if she appears innocent, she loves to be cheeky. Sensible, always making sure her brother is okay, eating well and trying not to disappoint him. She has a good amount of friends, but feels more comfortable being around Takeru and confides on him in lots of things which she doesn´t feel she can do with her girl friends. Loves photography and keeps lots of albums of her memories with her brother, family and friends in a shelve. Really good grades. Very reliable among her classmates and boys tend to fall head over heels for her. Her health condition has become better but still can feel a little down every now and then which makes Taichi worry and tells her to take it easy. Likes to be organized and helps her mother tidy around the apartment. Likes sweets, specially ice cream, and is always happy when Taichi comes back with a little treat for her. Tries not to be a burden to others therefore think she can overcome everything herself not relying on others. 

[party-hard-or-die]

North Korea, Time Warner, World Cup: Your Tuesday Evening Briefing

(Want to get this briefing by email? Here’s the sign-up.)

Good evening. Here’s the latest.

1. The historic handshake between President Trump and Kim Jong-un of North Korea has raised many questions, starting with: What really changed? And what comes next?

The biggest concrete development: Mr. Trump’s suspension of war games on the Korean Peninsula, which surprised South Korea and the Pentagon.

Here are the day’s biggest moments (including a hyperbolic movie-trailer-style montage of images that Mr. Trump showed Mr. Kim), our analysis of Mr. Trump’s “huge gamble” and 10 major takeaways.

2. A federal judge approved an $85.4 billion merger between AT&T and Time Warner, rebuffing the government’s effort to block the deal.

The blockbuster merger would create a media and telecommunications powerhouse, reshaping the landscape of those industries. The combined company would have a library that includes HBO’s hit “Game of Thrones” and channels like CNN, along with vast distribution reach through wireless and satellite TV services across the country.

The ruling is a major setback for the Justice Department, and it’s expected to unleash a wave of takeovers in corporate America.

3. “We fled a war zone dominated by gangs, walked across the desert, ran out of money. I have no idea what to do now but wait.”

That was Carolina Cortez, above, a Salvadoran mother seeking to enter the U.S., in Nogales, Mexico. At an array of points along the U.S.-Mexico border, Central American asylum seekers are camped out, waiting to be allowed to apply for entry to the U.S.

Their presence points to a resurgent exodus of people fleeing gang violence, cartels and poverty — and to shifting policies making it harder for them to seek asylum in the U.S.

____

4. Voting is wrapping up in primaries in five states: Nevada, Virginia, Maine, South Carolina and North Dakota. Here’s what you need to know about key races in each of them. (And some more about Virginia, which is having what appears to be its busiest federal Primary Day in modern history.)

And a political committee formed by former President Barack Obama is gearing up to push Democratic-leaning turnout in the midterms. The group, called Organizing for Action, is targeting more than two dozen congressional races and several key state elections.

5. Larry Kudlow, the director of President Trump’s National Economic Council, is recovering from a mild heart attack that landed him in the hospital on Monday. The 70-year-old former Wall Street economist, seen above in April, is expected to return to work.

And Peter Navarro, one of Mr. Trump’s top trade advisers, said it was a mistake to have suggested that “there is a special place in hell” for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada.

Mr. Navarro made the remark as he backed up Mr. Trump’s rage at Mr. Trudeau after the G-7 meeting.

____

6. A proposal to allow faculty to carry guns is making the rounds in school board meetings in Illinois, one of 40 states that currently prohibit concealed weapons on school campuses.

Across the state, firearms facilities are offering free classes to teachers and school staff.

Teachers there are turning out in droves for firearms training. “None of us ever want to have to use our guns,” a third-grade teacher explained. “All of us want to protect our kids.”

7. She’s been called an evil genius. But in a good way.

Meet Sarah Masoni, a food designer who works in a lab to help companies create delicious products. Her sense of taste is so keen that one client, an ice cream maker, says she has “the million-dollar palate.”

Her recent projects include writing tasting notes for cheese curds from a new creamery; helping a Japanese company produce fruit flavors of a fermented egg-white drink; developing a cookbook for Oregon’s specialty crops; and visiting supermarkets to help companies come up with new uses for seaweed and dehydrated vegetable powders.

You won’t find her name on any food packaging. She says she likes to be the “wizard of Oz behind the curtain.”

____

8. Soccer officials from around the world vote Wednesday on where the 2026 World Cup will be played. A joint bid by the U.S., Canada and Mexico is a strong contender.

But many soccer officials had reservations about the Trump administration’s restrictive travel policies. So President Trump gave U.S. soccer officials letters to FIFA’s president, vowing that players and fans from all competing countries would get visas. We got an exclusive look at those letters.

This year’s games start Thursday in Russia. (Above, FIFA-themed decorations in Moscow.) For updates and analysis delivered to your inbox twice a week, sign up for our newsletter, Offsides.

____

9. Our critic at large says the new movie “Ocean’s 8” is the latest example of a supposedly feminist Hollywood trend that’s selling women short.

Lots of studios are doing remakes of lucrative films with all-female casts. (See “Ghostbusters.”) But the template requires women “to relive men’s stories instead of fashioning their own,” Amanda Hess argues.

“And they’re subtly expected to fix these old films, to neutralize their sexism and infuse them with feminism, to rebuild them into good movies with good politics,” Ms. Hess writes. “They have to do everything the men did, except backwards and with ideals.”

____

10. Finally, our magazine writer set out to solve a mystery.

Two decades ago, a renowned professor promised to create a flawless version of “Ulysses,” one of the 20th century’s most celebrated (and, thanks to botched and corrupted production, least perfectly published) novels. Then he disappeared.

Our writer went looking for that professor, John Kidd, who once ran a Boston University research center entirely dedicated to the study of “Ulysses.” Supposedly, he had died “under sordid circumstances in 2010, buried in debt, detested, insulted, alone.”

Here is the story of finding him very much alive — and in Brazil, above — and of what may be the most-obsessed-over novel of the 20th century.

Have a great night.

____

Your Evening Briefing is posted at 6 p.m. Eastern.

And don’t miss Your Morning Briefing. Sign up here to get it by email in the Australian, Asian, European or American morning.

Want to catch up on past briefings? You can browse them here.

What did you like? What do you want to see here? Let us know at briefing@nytimes.com.

The post North Korea, Time Warner, World Cup: Your Tuesday Evening Briefing appeared first on World The News.

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[newestbalance]

North Korea, Time Warner, World Cup: Your Tuesday Evening Briefing

(Want to get this briefing by email? Here’s the sign-up.)

Good evening. Here’s the latest.

1. The historic handshake between President Trump and Kim Jong-un of North Korea has raised many questions, starting with: What really changed? And what comes next?

The biggest concrete development: Mr. Trump’s suspension of war games on the Korean Peninsula, which surprised South Korea and the Pentagon.

Here are the day’s biggest moments (including a hyperbolic movie-trailer-style montage of images that Mr. Trump showed Mr. Kim), our analysis of Mr. Trump’s “huge gamble” and 10 major takeaways.

2. A federal judge approved an $85.4 billion merger between AT&T and Time Warner, rebuffing the government’s effort to block the deal.

The blockbuster merger would create a media and telecommunications powerhouse, reshaping the landscape of those industries. The combined company would have a library that includes HBO’s hit “Game of Thrones” and channels like CNN, along with vast distribution reach through wireless and satellite TV services across the country.

The ruling is a major setback for the Justice Department, and it’s expected to unleash a wave of takeovers in corporate America.

3. “We fled a war zone dominated by gangs, walked across the desert, ran out of money. I have no idea what to do now but wait.”

That was Carolina Cortez, above, a Salvadoran mother seeking to enter the U.S., in Nogales, Mexico. At an array of points along the U.S.-Mexico border, Central American asylum seekers are camped out, waiting to be allowed to apply for entry to the U.S.

Their presence points to a resurgent exodus of people fleeing gang violence, cartels and poverty — and to shifting policies making it harder for them to seek asylum in the U.S.

____

4. Voting is wrapping up in primaries in five states: Nevada, Virginia, Maine, South Carolina and North Dakota. Here’s what you need to know about key races in each of them. (And some more about Virginia, which is having what appears to be its busiest federal Primary Day in modern history.)

And a political committee formed by former President Barack Obama is gearing up to push Democratic-leaning turnout in the midterms. The group, called Organizing for Action, is targeting more than two dozen congressional races and several key state elections.

5. Larry Kudlow, the director of President Trump’s National Economic Council, is recovering from a mild heart attack that landed him in the hospital on Monday. The 70-year-old former Wall Street economist, seen above in April, is expected to return to work.

And Peter Navarro, one of Mr. Trump’s top trade advisers, said it was a mistake to have suggested that “there is a special place in hell” for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada.

Mr. Navarro made the remark as he backed up Mr. Trump’s rage at Mr. Trudeau after the G-7 meeting.

____

6. A proposal to allow faculty to carry guns is making the rounds in school board meetings in Illinois, one of 40 states that currently prohibit concealed weapons on school campuses.

Across the state, firearms facilities are offering free classes to teachers and school staff.

Teachers there are turning out in droves for firearms training. “None of us ever want to have to use our guns,” a third-grade teacher explained. “All of us want to protect our kids.”

7. She’s been called an evil genius. But in a good way.

Meet Sarah Masoni, a food designer who works in a lab to help companies create delicious products. Her sense of taste is so keen that one client, an ice cream maker, says she has “the million-dollar palate.”

Her recent projects include writing tasting notes for cheese curds from a new creamery; helping a Japanese company produce fruit flavors of a fermented egg-white drink; developing a cookbook for Oregon’s specialty crops; and visiting supermarkets to help companies come up with new uses for seaweed and dehydrated vegetable powders.

You won’t find her name on any food packaging. She says she likes to be the “wizard of Oz behind the curtain.”

____

8. Soccer officials from around the world vote Wednesday on where the 2026 World Cup will be played. A joint bid by the U.S., Canada and Mexico is a strong contender.

But many soccer officials had reservations about the Trump administration’s restrictive travel policies. So President Trump gave U.S. soccer officials letters to FIFA’s president, vowing that players and fans from all competing countries would get visas. We got an exclusive look at those letters.

This year’s games start Thursday in Russia. (Above, FIFA-themed decorations in Moscow.) For updates and analysis delivered to your inbox twice a week, sign up for our newsletter, Offsides.

____

9. Our critic at large says the new movie “Ocean’s 8” is the latest example of a supposedly feminist Hollywood trend that’s selling women short.

Lots of studios are doing remakes of lucrative films with all-female casts. (See “Ghostbusters.”) But the template requires women “to relive men’s stories instead of fashioning their own,” Amanda Hess argues.

“And they’re subtly expected to fix these old films, to neutralize their sexism and infuse them with feminism, to rebuild them into good movies with good politics,” Ms. Hess writes. “They have to do everything the men did, except backwards and with ideals.”

____

10. Finally, our magazine writer set out to solve a mystery.

Two decades ago, a renowned professor promised to create a flawless version of “Ulysses,” one of the 20th century’s most celebrated (and, thanks to botched and corrupted production, least perfectly published) novels. Then he disappeared.

Our writer went looking for that professor, John Kidd, who once ran a Boston University research center entirely dedicated to the study of “Ulysses.” Supposedly, he had died “under sordid circumstances in 2010, buried in debt, detested, insulted, alone.”

Here is the story of finding him very much alive — and in Brazil, above — and of what may be the most-obsessed-over novel of the 20th century.

Have a great night.

____

Your Evening Briefing is posted at 6 p.m. Eastern.

And don’t miss Your Morning Briefing. Sign up here to get it by email in the Australian, Asian, European or American morning.

Want to catch up on past briefings? You can browse them here.

What did you like? What do you want to see here? Let us know at briefing@nytimes.com.

The post North Korea, Time Warner, World Cup: Your Tuesday Evening Briefing appeared first on World The News.

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[cleopatrarps]

North Korea, Time Warner, World Cup: Your Tuesday Evening Briefing

(Want to get this briefing by email? Here’s the sign-up.)

Good evening. Here’s the latest.

1. The historic handshake between President Trump and Kim Jong-un of North Korea has raised many questions, starting with: What really changed? And what comes next?

The biggest concrete development: Mr. Trump’s suspension of war games on the Korean Peninsula, which surprised South Korea and the Pentagon.

Here are the day’s biggest moments (including a hyperbolic movie-trailer-style montage of images that Mr. Trump showed Mr. Kim), our analysis of Mr. Trump’s “huge gamble” and 10 major takeaways.

2. A federal judge approved an $85.4 billion merger between AT&T and Time Warner, rebuffing the government’s effort to block the deal.

The blockbuster merger would create a media and telecommunications powerhouse, reshaping the landscape of those industries. The combined company would have a library that includes HBO’s hit “Game of Thrones” and channels like CNN, along with vast distribution reach through wireless and satellite TV services across the country.

The ruling is a major setback for the Justice Department, and it’s expected to unleash a wave of takeovers in corporate America.

3. “We fled a war zone dominated by gangs, walked across the desert, ran out of money. I have no idea what to do now but wait.”

That was Carolina Cortez, above, a Salvadoran mother seeking to enter the U.S., in Nogales, Mexico. At an array of points along the U.S.-Mexico border, Central American asylum seekers are camped out, waiting to be allowed to apply for entry to the U.S.

Their presence points to a resurgent exodus of people fleeing gang violence, cartels and poverty — and to shifting policies making it harder for them to seek asylum in the U.S.

____

4. Voting is wrapping up in primaries in five states: Nevada, Virginia, Maine, South Carolina and North Dakota. Here’s what you need to know about key races in each of them. (And some more about Virginia, which is having what appears to be its busiest federal Primary Day in modern history.)

And a political committee formed by former President Barack Obama is gearing up to push Democratic-leaning turnout in the midterms. The group, called Organizing for Action, is targeting more than two dozen congressional races and several key state elections.

5. Larry Kudlow, the director of President Trump’s National Economic Council, is recovering from a mild heart attack that landed him in the hospital on Monday. The 70-year-old former Wall Street economist, seen above in April, is expected to return to work.

And Peter Navarro, one of Mr. Trump’s top trade advisers, said it was a mistake to have suggested that “there is a special place in hell” for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada.

Mr. Navarro made the remark as he backed up Mr. Trump’s rage at Mr. Trudeau after the G-7 meeting.

____

6. A proposal to allow faculty to carry guns is making the rounds in school board meetings in Illinois, one of 40 states that currently prohibit concealed weapons on school campuses.

Across the state, firearms facilities are offering free classes to teachers and school staff.

Teachers there are turning out in droves for firearms training. “None of us ever want to have to use our guns,” a third-grade teacher explained. “All of us want to protect our kids.”

7. She’s been called an evil genius. But in a good way.

Meet Sarah Masoni, a food designer who works in a lab to help companies create delicious products. Her sense of taste is so keen that one client, an ice cream maker, says she has “the million-dollar palate.”

Her recent projects include writing tasting notes for cheese curds from a new creamery; helping a Japanese company produce fruit flavors of a fermented egg-white drink; developing a cookbook for Oregon’s specialty crops; and visiting supermarkets to help companies come up with new uses for seaweed and dehydrated vegetable powders.

You won’t find her name on any food packaging. She says she likes to be the “wizard of Oz behind the curtain.”

____

8. Soccer officials from around the world vote Wednesday on where the 2026 World Cup will be played. A joint bid by the U.S., Canada and Mexico is a strong contender.

But many soccer officials had reservations about the Trump administration’s restrictive travel policies. So President Trump gave U.S. soccer officials letters to FIFA’s president, vowing that players and fans from all competing countries would get visas. We got an exclusive look at those letters.

This year’s games start Thursday in Russia. (Above, FIFA-themed decorations in Moscow.) For updates and analysis delivered to your inbox twice a week, sign up for our newsletter, Offsides.

____

9. Our critic at large says the new movie “Ocean’s 8” is the latest example of a supposedly feminist Hollywood trend that’s selling women short.

Lots of studios are doing remakes of lucrative films with all-female casts. (See “Ghostbusters.”) But the template requires women “to relive men’s stories instead of fashioning their own,” Amanda Hess argues.

“And they’re subtly expected to fix these old films, to neutralize their sexism and infuse them with feminism, to rebuild them into good movies with good politics,” Ms. Hess writes. “They have to do everything the men did, except backwards and with ideals.”

____

10. Finally, our magazine writer set out to solve a mystery.

Two decades ago, a renowned professor promised to create a flawless version of “Ulysses,” one of the 20th century’s most celebrated (and, thanks to botched and corrupted production, least perfectly published) novels. Then he disappeared.

Our writer went looking for that professor, John Kidd, who once ran a Boston University research center entirely dedicated to the study of “Ulysses.” Supposedly, he had died “under sordid circumstances in 2010, buried in debt, detested, insulted, alone.”

Here is the story of finding him very much alive — and in Brazil, above — and of what may be the most-obsessed-over novel of the 20th century.

Have a great night.

____

Your Evening Briefing is posted at 6 p.m. Eastern.

And don’t miss Your Morning Briefing. Sign up here to get it by email in the Australian, Asian, European or American morning.

Want to catch up on past briefings? You can browse them here.

What did you like? What do you want to see here? Let us know at briefing@nytimes.com.

The post North Korea, Time Warner, World Cup: Your Tuesday Evening Briefing appeared first on World The News.

from World The News https://ift.tt/2y74dML via News of World

[girlnextthel2door]

Tokyo

For our October travel, Paolo and I decided to visit Tokyo Japan but airfares were too pricey 😅 so we decided to go to Kuala Lumpur instead. Our leaves and itineraries were all set for Kuala but when we checked the airfares the next morning, flights to Tokyo on our preferred dates were on sale (happy dance 😂). Paolo got his round trip ticket for around 8,000php (including the airport tax 👍🏼). And just like that, we’re going to Tokyo! ❤️ Tip: follow different airline pages on Facebook so you can get updated on seat sales. ❤️

Where to stay

Most of the accommodations on our preferred dates were already sold out (we booked around 3 months prior the travel date) and the remaining were selling out fast (that’s what Agoda told us), which basically translates to hotel rates going up 💔 so we thoroughly check all the hotel booking apps to get the best hotel deal and I guess we did. First off we research on the most ideal location, which for us, was Ueno, then we scanned all apps and then we stumbled upon this accommodation called Crea Un House in Iriya Ueno. Rate was 11,400php for 4 nights including the breakfast, plus the hotel manager was so helpful and accommodating. Tip: contact the hotel beforehand on the easiest and cheapest route from the Airport.

Where to go

Gundam Cafe in Akihabara 3/5

Paolo is a huuuuuge fan of gundam and anime so we just had to. As expected food and drinks are pricey, but if you’re a fan as well then you wouldn’t wanna miss this one out.

Yodobashi-Akiba 4/5

Shopping heaven. You can find almost everything in there. Make ups, stuffed toy, gadgets, appliances, stationery stuff, bags, wallets. Tip: gundam is cheaper here than in the Gundam base in Odaiba.

Ueno Zoo 5/5

See real panda! ❤️ They were really far though, there’s a meter distance between their pen and the viewing area. 💔 On the brighter side we get to see the polar bears up close.

Diver City Tokyo in Odaiba 3/5

Home of the Unicorn Gundam Statue. Tip: the unicorn gundam transforms every 1500H and 1700H. On the 7th floor you’ll find the Gundam base where you can find limited edition gundam there’s also a hobby room where you can build your gundam together with other enthusiasts, which I think is really cool.

Disneysea 6/5

There’s so many places to go and there’s so little time, we had to pick between Disneyland and Disneysea. Like choosing between cookies and cream and brownie almond fudge, it was a tough decision but I came up with the argument that we can always visit Hongkong Disneyland and there’s only one Disneysea. And it didn’t disappoint! Disneysea could be my absolute favorite place if only the food weren’t so expensive but then again that’s already expected. (Regular popcorn is 310 jpy, chicken salad and grilled chicken with veggies and drink is 1780jpy. Sea saltice ice cream is 310 jpy as well buuut it’s soooo good!) My absolute favorite spot is Ariel’s Castle ❤️ ❤️❤️Disney Sea is so amazing it could share the top spot with Everland on my favorite theme parks.

Shibuya Crossing and Hachiko 5/5

A must for your Instagram stories. Tip: there’s an instagrammable wall a few meters from hachiko. For some reasons, Shibuya crossing is a good kind of crowded. Walk around the crossing and you’ll find a wide array of restaurants, malls, boutiques and anything you can ever think of.

Takeshita-dori 3/5

Around 20 minutes away from Shibuya crossing (by foot). They say it’s the hub of Japanese teen culture and that could be true (with all the colors and life) but it’s too touristy for my liking.

Meiji Shrine 5/5

To complete our Tokyo experience of course we had to see the Meiji Shrine. Around 10 minutes walk from Takeshita-dori is the famed Shrine. It’s fascinating how we’re quickly transported from the busy city of Tokyo to the tranquil, culture-filled shrine of Meiji. Strolling around areas that are part of the history would always make me want to go back in time or think of the parallel universe. Immersing into cultures that are different from ours is very fulfilling and is something that money can never buy. If that doesn’t make you want to pack your bags and book your ticket now, I don’t know what will. 😉

Getting around

Take the train and walk. Taxis and Uber are really really reaaaally expensive. Take the subway, it can be complicated and some stations do not have English translation, but is generally efficient. Download the google translate app, use google maps, ask the locals, remember that station numbers and line colors are important. Trains are open only util 1am and costs around 140jpy and up.

Don’t worry about getting lost, sometimes it will take you to the best tempura shop. Except maybe if you have a flight to catch.

What to eat

Yoshinoya and Pablo Cheese tart

Of course we have to try it straight from the source.

Ramen, tempura, grilled beef, grilled pork, miso soup and all other Japanese stuff. We did not have any particular place to eat. Whenever we feel like eating, we just pick any random Japanese restaurant and trust me, there’s a whole lot to choose from. Don’t forget Japanese ice cream and chocolates because dessert goes straight to the heart. ❤️

Most people say that food in Japan is expensive, if you’ll compare it to the average combo meal in a fast food in the Philippines then maybe you’re right. Set meals range from 450 jpy to around 1500 jpy. Personally, I think the food is worth the price and money spent on food is never money wasted. 🤣

What to buy or what I bought 😂

Shiseido medicated powder less than 300jpy

Shiseido aqualabel 1800jpy

Shiseido perfect whip 380jpy

Japanese and Korean skincare products are very gentle and perfect for Filipina skin, in general. ❤️

Japan goodies

Japanese groceries is one of the many reasons why I love Japan. All those goodies, from chocolates to breads to chips to drinks, will got you thinking how wonderful the world is.❤️  P.S. we tried the facebook famous drink, Strong Zero, it comes in different flavors and we decided on what looks like orange and lemon (there’s no English translation on most products, which makes things more exciting). It was too bitter for my liking I had to ask myself why am I even drinking looool. Obviously, I didn’t finish it. Paolo finished both cans and was telling me that he couldn’t feel his limbs after 😂

Tips

✔️Navigating around Tokyo is soooo much easier if you have internet connection. Upon arrival at the airport, you can purchase pocket wifi. Rates were around 4,000 yen for 5 days for 300mb per day. Or you can get a sim card, for around 3,000 yen for 3gb for 7 days. (There are couple more data plans.) We picked the sim card and we only consumed .64gb. You can always get a data plan that suits your internet dependency. 😂😅

✔️Have your money changed at the airport. Trust me on this one. Some of my friends buy their JPY before leaving Manila.

✔️Wear comfy shoes and be prepared to have walking as your second name.

✔️Respect other’s culture.

✔️Local groceries and pharmacies have better prices than tax free shops which swarms touristy areas, or at least on items that I purchased. A general rule when I travel: go where the locals go, eat where the locals eat and buy what the locals buy😅

✔️Traveling with your boyfriend/girlfriend will make you all sorts of crazy, but it’s one of the most fulfilling things to do together. You’ll have a deeper understanding for each other and funny stories to talk about in the future.