#i do like tomo and jun together in general

[crehador]

this season’s astonishingly mediocre romcoms are making me realize shikimori was waaaaaay better than i originally gave it credit for

[chill-pills-yandere-haven]

The Shadows of Paradise

An: pic from namelessan on Zerochan. Breaking into the Enstars fandom with this!

Tw: implied physical assault, implied stalking, yandere stuff in general, religious references (I mean, it's Eden), let me know if I missed any

Eden.

Paradise, huh?

More like the gateway to hell.

And these boys. 

These boys were shadows, dragging you in so deep you couldn't even move anymore. Tying you up so you couldn't move a muscle, all while telling you how much they 'loved' you.

That was your current predicament.

"Ibara, you don't need to tie it that tight, you'll hurt them!" One of them said, complaining.

 Hiyori, you were sure, his voice was a little higher than the others. It would've been easy to tell from looks though.

 Not like you could differentiate them by sight anyway, they had blindfolded and gagged you for some reason.

 You didn't know them that well. Just that you ended up in the same places a lot and they were friends with your boyfriend. Right now, they were tightening the ropes that tied you to the chair you were on.

Who were they?

Eden of course.

Known as one of the 'big three' in the idol world. Giants in the entertainment industry, one of its members were head of one of the big idol agencies and another was an aristocrat whose family owned your favourite cafe chain. 

All their members practically drowned in riches so it's no wonder they were able to kidnap you so easily.

"No worries, your highness, their grace will be alright," that was Ibara. He always addressed people with weird titles, calling you 'their grace' as though you were some paragon of holiness.

"Speaking of that, they're awfully calm, aren't they? Especially for just having been kidnapped. Are they still asleep?" Hiyori asked. 

Of course, you weren't, you were just biting your tongue at the moment.

"By their breathing patterns, I'd say they're awake, just very calm for being in this type of situation. We really do appreciate it, your grace," Ibara replied, happily patting you on the head. 

The truth was, you just didn't know what to say. You had been kidnapped by a group of J pop idol boys and tied up in what was probably some kind of basement. God, you were practically the MC of some crappy Tumblr fic at this point.

How did this even happen?

You were off on another date with your amazing boyfriend, Kaoru, and the two of you decided to go to your favourite cafe.

He ordered drinks for the both of you since he knew all your favourites and you sat down and talked together.

 He was an idol who was in the unit Undead. Though in the eyes of most he was a merciless playboy, you knew it was all just a facade for the cameras.

He had eyes for you and you alone.

The place was great. It was quite popular among idols as well as it was a good hide away from the paparazzi. It was part of a chain owned by the Tomoe foundation whose second son was an idol, Hiyori Tomoe of Eden.

There was also a rumour that if you got lucky and were there at the right time, you could see the entirety of Eden sitting and eating together. 

In this case, it was the most unfortunate thing to happen to you.

“Oh, Kaoru, I didn’t expect to see you here,” a man with long

soft-looking silver hair and ruby red eyes that reminded you of one of Kaoru’s bandmates started up a conversation with Kaoru.

“And who is this?” A green-haired guy with pretty violet eyes asked, his head tilted and smiling. You almost mistook him for a woman, but then recognized him.

Hiyori Tomoe from Eden!

So then that silver-haired guy was… Nagisa Ran. Which meant the blue-haired one was Jun Sazanami, and the guy with glasses was Ibara Saegusa. The entirety of Eden which included the president of COSPRO, one of the big idol agencies.

Kaoru told them your name and followed it up with, “They’re my lover, we’re on a little outing.”

Then he took your chin in his hand and kissed you to prove it. Somehow, this boy could always make you feel butterflies no matter how long you were together.

You loved everything about him. His bright blond hair, his pretty amber eyes, the way he spoke to you. You could go on and on about your beautiful boyfriend.

You happily reciprocated and then kissed him on the cheek in return. A smile grew on your face at his affectionate antics.

Eden sat with you and instead of going on with your date with Kaoru, you got familiar with the entirety of Eden.

From that day on, the four of them seemed to randomly appear where you were: At a grocery store, the mall, even an Undead concert live.

Individually or all together, they appeared where you were.

Such a pretty little thing.

You were gorgeous.

Your voice was akin to a siren's.

So so pure. 

Not long and they already wanted to taint you.

Yet you were in the arms of that damn play boy. 

Didn't you know he was bad?

Did you want your heart broken?

You were their sweet little angel, sent from Heaven itself.

And a snake was tempting you.

No need to worry though. Adam and Eve wouldn't make the same mistake they did before.

They'd make sure to cut off that snake's head before it could lure you into the darkness.

The last thing you could remember was going home from somewhere, texting your boyfriend, and then darkness.

"Well then, since you're so good right now, I suppose we can take the blindfold and gag off you. No screaming or panicking. Or it goes back on," Ibara said, untying them and taking it off you. 

Your vision was a little blurry but got clearer with a bit of rubbing and blinking. Ibara Saegusa and Hiyori Tomoe. Sitting around you with soft smiles as though they hadn't just kidnapped you.

Hiyori reached out to you, petting your hair and cupping your cheek, squeezing lightly.

"Oh, you are adorable, aren't you, angel?" He said in response to your surprised look.

"They really are," Ibara said with a lovesick look on his face.

You felt your face heat and you looked down. This was embarrassing. You felt like nothing but a little pet for them. That was probably what they thought of you anyway…

You tried to speak, but all that came out was a small noise as something bigger caught your attention.

The door opened. 

The sheer amount of locks you heard on that thing was more terrifying than the situation itself. 

The rest of this god-forsaken idol group was here, great…

"Are they already cooperating? I expected us to only take off the gag after a couple of days," Nagisa asked. He was dressed in casual clothes, just a black hoodie and sweat pants… Nagisa never dressed like that… What did he do?

To your horror, you noticed one more thing. A few spots of deep blood red in otherwise spotless silver hair… 

You looked over to Jun. 

He was happy to make eye contact with you and smiled at you. He was in the same type of discreet outfit. His short blue hair looked a little messed up, as though he had been in a fight. As soon as you noticed, he quickly combed his hair back with his fingers.

You recognized blonde hair sticking to his hoodie…

No, it couldn't be.

That wasn't the right shade of blonde, was it?

Yeah, it had to have been someone else's.

Your face felt wet and your breath quickened. 

No, not Kaoru.

Anyone but Kaoru!

Anyone but your Kaoru…

"What-what did you do?" You asked, trying to convince yourself that all of this pointed to something completely normal and not involving your Kaoru.

"We just got rid of a snake in the garden, love," Nagisa said in a little lovesick tone. He kissed you on the cheek and smiled sweetly.

[nazukisser]

200 FOLLOWERS EVENT MASTERLIST

sazanami jun; I meant it when I said I wanted to start a family [drabble]

suou tsukasa; I meant it when I said I wanted to start a family [drabble]

sakasaki natsume; your mom is coming over today.” “tell her to bring fried rice or she’s not invited.” “you tell her, she’s your mom.” “but she likes you more!” [drabble]

shiina niki; making tea or coffee for their love interest before bed [drabble]

sakuma rei; making tea or coffee for their love interest before bed [drabble]

sakuma rei; painting their child's room together [drabble]

nito nazuna; “your mom is coming over today.” “tell her to bring fried rice or she’s not invited.” “you tell her, she’s your mom.” “but she likes you more!” 

sakasaki natsume; one covering the other with a blanket when they fall asleep watching a movie on the couch [drabble]

shinkai kanata; running a bath for their s/o [drabble]

ayase mayoi; nagging in general [drabble]

nito nazuna; your mom is coming over today.” “tell her to bring fried rice or she’s not invited.” “you tell her, she’s your mom.” “but she likes you more!” [drabble]

hasumi keito; “where’s the new coffee mix?” “i’ll tell you if you tell me where you put the keys?” “i TOLD you i don’t know where—” [drabble]

tenshouin eichi; making tea or coffee for their love interest before bed (and just the fact that they know exactly how they like their tea and coffee swooon) [drabble]

isara mao; long movie nights where one is in charge of the blanket and pillow fort and one is in charge of the snacks

hibiki wataru; one character covering the other with a blanket

sakasaki natsume; “i am one hundred percent content to stay with you on this couch until the end of time.” “that sounds pretty damn lovely to me.”

fushimi yuzuru; “wake up and come get breakfast, love.” “…. now…….. when i said yes to this whole marriage thing i thought we were on the same page and you understood when i said i don’t wake up before 6pm.” “i made hashbrowns.” “i’ll be right there.”

tsukinaga leo; “your mom is coming over today.” “tell her to bring fried rice or she’s not invited.” “you tell her, she’s your mom.” “but she likes you more!”

kiryu kuro; “one character covering the other with a blanket when they fall asleep watching a movie on the couch”

tomoe hiyori; making coffee for their love interest before bed

tomoe hiyori; one character covering the other with a blanket when they fall asleep watching a movie on the couch

narukami arashi; long movie nights where one is in charge of the blanket and pillow fort and one is in charge of the snacks

otogari adonis; running their love interest a bath after a long work day

nito nazuna; painting the kid's room

isara mao; baby-proofing everything because of his s/o

kagehira mika; baby proofing the house cause of a clumsy character

sena izumi; “it’s your turn to do the dishes.” “let’s get a divorce.” “we aren’t married yet, my love.” “well we sure as hell aren’t getting married now.

amagi rinne; covering the sharp part of the table

[hyenahunt]

Solid: Dark Clouds on the Horizon - 4

Writer: Nishioka Maiko

Season: Autumn

Characters: Jun

Proofreading: royalquintet (JP) & Skyress (ENG)

Translation: hyenahunt

Jun: ( — but to Eden... what am I...?)

Location: TV Station Set Backstage

Time: One hour later...

Jun: Oh, looks like he's finally here. Anzu-san, I'm gonna go introduce myself.

Huh? Nah, I'll be fine on my own, I'm not gonna mess up something like an introduction. You and Ibara sure worry a lot.

Alright, I'll just be a sec.

Location: TV Station Dressing Room

Jun: (Woah! I've practically grown up seeing this guy on TV...! So he really does exist... I'm feeling a lil' starstruck.)

Good morning!

I'm Jun Sazanami from Eden, an idol from Cosmic Production. It's a pleasure to work with you today!

......

(Huh? What's up with the face he's making...?)

Sorry—? A newbie...? Um, well... We've already debuted, yes. In fact, our activities have been in full swing these days...

(Maybe he doesn't know of Eden... That's gotta be it, right...? He's saying he feels like he's heard of us somewhere...)

(Nothing we can do if the older generation's not all that into idols, I guess.)

(Well, it's fine. Even if he doesn't know of us now, I'll make sure he remembers our name today.)

(All the same, it looks like Eden's reputation varies a lot between different age groups...)

(Hmm? Looks like he remembers something.)

! Oh, yes. That's right. It's the unit lead by Nagisa Ran!

Me? That scowling kid from Nagisa-kun's unit? Ahaha. Is my expression that bad? My name is Jun Sazanami. I look forward to working with you from now on!

Yes. Ohii— er, Tomoe's been actively performing, too.

Huh? Ah~ The other three are occupied by other matters, so I'll be the only one here today.

Ah... Of course. I'll be sure to tell them we should come all together next time.

— Yes. Right. Oh, is that so? Got it. I'll let Tomoe know.

Well then, that's about it for my introduction, so I'll be excusing myself for now.

I'm looking forward to filming together.

Location: TV Station Dressing Room

Time: Three hours later...

Jun: Thank you for your hard work. If you'll excuse me, I'll be taking my leave.

......

! Oh. Um... Anzu-san, thanks for everything.

Sorry. I'm a lil' out of it...

Huh? Right, I'm glad the recording looked like it went well to you.

Ahh. Ahaha. You might be right. Maybe I'm a bit worn out from how tense I was the whole time...

Mmm. I'd like to hear the new song sample but I'm getting kinda tired. Maybe next time.

So yeah, I'll be heading back first. See you.

Location: Outside Starmony Hall

Jun: ......

(Goddamn! Each and every one of those assholes kept calling me 'that kid from Nagisa-kun's unit.' I've got a name and it's Jun Sazanami, got that?)

(Sure, maybe I don't have the kind of presence Ohii-san or Nagi-senpai do, and I'd never hold a candle to Ibara's management skills, but...)

(I'm proud of being in a unit like Eden, and I'm proud that I've come all this way as one of its members! To me, Eden is where I belong.)

( — but to Eden... what am I...?)

(Why would they need Jun Sazanami...?)

✦✦✦✦✦

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[mirroredtranslations]

Jinrui Saikyou no Netsuai - Chapter 2

Jinrui Saikyou no Jun'ai – Nisioisin p. 11-15

[Previous Chapter]

Well, I've gotten busy again. Not quite enough to say I'm in vogue, or that I'm working nonstop, but I've been receiving so many commissions lately that I can talk about the time when I was cut off from work as if it were a fond memory. Nah, it's a bit much to call being shunned by the whole world a fond memory; but, in any case, it was definitely an extraordinary experience. A lot happened after that; I very nearly got banished from Earth in the guise of contract work. Too much happened, enough to make me do some rare self-reflection about whatever the heck I did to become so disliked. Well, I might do self-reflection, but I don't do self-restraint; isn't that one of my charm points? But they say gossip only lasts 75 days, and when all the commotion had died down, some real work, the time when I can feel my life's purpose, started coming back to me. That said, though; I know it's odd—or rather, I know it's selfish—but the busier I get, the more I think it'd be nice if I had a bit more free time.

“I wonder about that, my dear friend. One could say that the world is more stable when you're busy.”

That's how the great thief Kouta Ishimaru appraised my current situation, when we met on the job (as enemies). Are you one of my critics? No, you're just having a laugh at me, aren't you. Even so—well, if I can maintain world peace by working hard, then it would be my honor.

“No, that is not what I meant, my dear friend. If you aren't working, then aliens start arriving, and God himself becomes desperate to keep you occupied. You really ought to have something to do, regardless of what it might be. It seems God is aware of how unpredictable you are when bored.”

God? Hmph. That's not like you. If a wonderful guy like him exists, then people like you and me would never have been born in the first place.

“Gods are not omnipotent, after all. Surely he feels responsible for producing a failed creation like you, and has devised various measures to keep you fenced in. So you won't destroy the world in a fit of boredom.”

That is the purpose for which you were originally created.

Said Kouta, as if I were some kind of ultimate weapon. Well, I can't argue with that point. But if you say I'm a failed creation of my fathers', and a failed creation of God's... I think a ladylike phantom thief liable to steal the halo off of God himself would be more of a failed product, one created on a whim, than me.

“Hmm. Still, that is quite perfect. Failure and success are just different perspectives, after all—either way, if the business is thriving then all is well. While you gaily toil away, my dear friend, I simply sneak around taking your leftovers.”

The leftover she was stealing was a bronze statue valued at several hundred million dollars—though, for a bronze statue, it was as big as a building. What part of that is “simple”? Is she some kind of magician? Even I couldn't do that. ...Anyway, I don't know how serious Kouta was being (in the first place, it's rather doubtful whether that ill-natured, slippery woman is ever really “serious”), but if world peace is brought about by me being swamped, then my work starts seeming more and more meaningful. I took any sort of job I could get my hands on, big jobs and small jobs, from mediating wars to looking for lost kittens. And then, one day...

“You Jun Aikawa?”

During one of the teensy bits of free time I had between jobs, someone called out to me—with a voice precise enough to pass through the eye of a needle, but still rough.

“You're so red, I could tell from five kilometers away.”

Liar. No way you could tell from five kilometers away; I'm not luminescent. I wanted to give that as a retort, but I held back. Why? Because I was happy—happy at the respect the guy was showing me. As if to snarl, he was glaring at me through glittering sanpaku eyes that looked like they might really be gazing from five kilometers away. His hair was garishly spiked, as if prodding the heavens themselves; it seemed to be a vivid analogy for an aggressive personality.

“What are you grinning for? Something funny?”

He looked puzzled, so I apologized. Sorry, sorry, I just got a little happy; I couldn't help it. I mean, work has gone back to normal, but it's been a while since a character appeared who knew who I was and still was this hostile.

“You trying to say I'm young?”

Well, actually, I'd say he's very young. With the exception of the sanpaku eyes, nothing about his appearance suggests he's anything but a young teenager; there's no doubt he's a youngster. One of those kids from the generation that knows nothing of the Great War, where I started being called “Overkill Red”. These generations are advancing smoothly, aren't they... So, what do you want to do? Gonna fight right here?

“If I didn't want to change location, I'd have attacked you from the back without saying anything. I waited for you to be done working.”

Hmph. That's pretty stalker-ish. I didn't sense him watching me while I was working, though... Doesn't seem like concealing his presence is a specialty of his, but does this mean he's a pro player? Which family are you from?

“I'm me. Just me. I'm not from the Killing Names or the Cursing Names, or the Kunagisa Organization, or the Four Gods and One Mirror—just a private citizen. Same as you and Kouta Ishimaru.”(1)

Oh, he knows about Kouta too? Really? So there are youngsters like that around. He's got some backbone in him, for a youth these days—even if saying that makes me seem all the more grown-up. And it's my nature to want to smash that backbone of his to pieces (I really haven't grown up). All right, fine. Escort me to wherever it is you want to go. Ah, before we go, can I ask your name? Even if there's no one to tend to it, a gravestone needs a name, right?

“Matsuri Shimegiwa. Seventeen years old.”

Young, aren't you. And that's a good name too.

[Next Chapter]

Footnotes: (1) In the Zaregoto-Saikyou-Ningen universe, there are four “layers” of society. Those not born into special power are the “outer” layer, which is where most people are, including Ii-chan, Jun, Kouta, most of ER3, etc. The “economic” layer consists of five large business conglomerate families (zaibatsu), together called “Four Gods and One Mirror” after the characters in their family names. Iria Akagami is an exiled “princess” of one of these zaibatsu. The “political” layer also consists of several zaibatsu, all of which are under the control of the Kunagisa Organization. Tomo Kunagisa is of course a member of the Kunagisa family that operates the organization, and her older brother Nao is its leader. The “violence” layer is made up of a large number of assassin clans and their branch families, who generally work as mercenaries and boast near-supernatural powers. The “Killing Names” clans kill people up front—though the Zerozaki clan is an exception, as they mostly kill for sport—while the “Cursing Names” clans kill more indirectly, through deception and poison and such. Hitoshiki Zerozaki and the Niounomiya siblings are members of Killing Names clans.

[chanoyu-to-wa]

Nampō Roku, Book 4 (21.2):  Displaying the Kakemono [掛物], Part 2.

3)  Displaying two scrolls at the same time¹.

[The writing reads:  jun-gyaku ku-den (順逆口傳)².]

4) When hanging one scroll by itself³.

_________________________

¹Ni-haba ittsui [二幅一對].

    “Two widths [displayed] as a unit.”

    As discussed in the previous post, haba [幅], which literally means “width,” is the counting word for scrolls (and also bolts of cloth -- which were rolled up around a dowel in a similar manner).

²Jun-gyaku ku-den [順逆口傳].

    “The way to arrange [these things] in the jun [順] and gyaku [逆] [settings] is something that should be transmitted orally.”

    This note refers specifically to the kōro* (shaped like a bird) that is shown in the drawing -- which may have been inspired by the kamo-kōro [鴨香爐] shown below†, that was one of Yoshimasa’s treasures -- as well as other objects that can be said to face in a certain direction.

    This, Tanaka Senshō points out, refers to the same set of arguments that were articulated in the previous installment, with respect to the way to orient the kame-tsuru shoku-dai [龜鶴燭臺] (a candlestick shaped like a crane standing on the back of a turtle) when it was displayed as part of a mitsu gu-soku:  “in a toko that opens toward the south” (i.e., one where the toko-bashira is on the left), “the bird’s left eye should be seen” (that is, the bird should seem to be looking toward the toko-bashira), as in the above photograph.  “In a toko that opens toward the north” (the toko-bashira is on the right; and the toko is located on the guest’s left), “the right eye of the bird (or other animal) should be to the front.” ___________ *It can also be understood to refer to the scrolls as well, though in the reverse manner -- since the orientation of the scrolls (whether the subject faced to the left, the right, or straight forward) determined the orientation of the tokonoma in which they were to be hung.

    Whether sets of several scrolls (at least those intended to constitute a set by the original artist), or a single composition, the toko-bashira was supposed to be located on the side where the artist’s colophon, signature, and name-seals were found.  This was so that an oil-lamp could be suspended from a hook temporarily nailed into the toko-bashira to illuminate the name (this was because the original pieces displayed in the toko were created by renowned monk-artists, and so the works were considered to be their “shadow;” thus the name was important as the focus of the viewer’s reverence, and so more “important” than the painting itself).

    Thus, the toko was only designed after the painting came into the host’s hands -- and it was not unknown for people to change the orientation of their rooms appropriately when they came into possession of a new and important scroll.  (It is important to note that this was not simply a sixteenth century idea:  the construction of Yoshimasa’s residential palace appears to have been undertaken only after the dōbō-shū concluded their inventory of the shōgunal storehouses, and selected the collection of pieces of art that would thenceforth be displayed in the various shoin of that complex -- some mounted as scrolls, and some, due to partial deterioration, used to paper the sliding doors and panels in the various rooms.)

†This shows how distortions can creep in -- when the people responsible for creating the sketch have never seen the original object that is being depicted.

——————————————–———-—————————————————

3) Displaying two scrolls at the same time.

    Here, Tanaka Senshō quotes the ku-den (as it was articulated by the Enkaku-ji scholars):  “[In the case where two scrolls are hung at the same time,] you must understand that the space between [the scrolls] should be two-thirds of what is found on the left and right*.  The kane-wari remains the same irrespective of the largeness or smallness [of either the scrolls or the tokonoma]†.

    “[However] when two go-motsu [scrolls] that are unequal [are displayed at the same time], then one must consider this very carefully before deciding [what to do]‡.

    “When two scrolls are hung at the same time, however, there are no other special considerations, but [you] must know that the kane correspond to the size of the toko**.  This [point] must be understood very carefully, because [you] must understand that the same always applies when even a single scroll [is being displayed]††.”

    As for the oki-mono, it should be arranged on the central kane. The reason is because the flowers and censer, placed [together] on a joku, should be located in the space between the scrolls‡‡. ___________ *Naka no aki-ma hidari-migi no san-bun-no-ni to kokoro-e-beshi [中のあき間左右の三分二と心得べし].

    Aki-ma [空き間] refers to the “empty space” between the scrolls.

    San-bun-no-ni [三分二], “two parts of three” -- two-thirds.

†Dai-shō tomo ni onaji kane-wari nari [大小共に同じ曲尺割なり].

    Here, dai-shō tomo ni [大小共に], “largeness or smallness,” could refer either to the size of the tokonoma, or to the size of the scrolls -- and, most likely, both of these meanings were intended.

‡Go-motsu mu-jun no ni-zon ni te kiwameraruru to iu-iu [御物無準の二尊にて極めらるゝと云々].

    Go-motsu [御物] refers to scrolls that came from Ashikaga Yoshimasa’s Higashiyama collection.

    Mu-jun [無準] means unequal, not equal (to each other).  This allows for several possible interpretations:

- While both scrolls came from Yoshimasa’s collection, within his collection the scrolls were segregated into those of the highest quality, those of average quality, and those of inferior quality (or questionable provenance) by the dōbō-shū.  Therefore, if a scroll of the highest quality was being displayed simultaneously with one of a lesser quality....

- However, this could also refer to the case where scrolls of equal quality would be ranked according to their subject matter.  For example, an image of Kannon, paired with a second scroll that depicted a natural scene or landscape.

    Ni-zon ni te [二尊にて].  Ni-zon can mean two images of the Buddha (or of his Buddha-forms).  However, it can also refer specifically to an image of the Gautama Buddha, Siddhārtha (Shakamuni-butsu [釋迦牟尼佛]) and an image of the Buddha  Amitābha (Amida-butsu [阿彌陀佛]).  In this case, Shakamuni would probably be considered “superior” to Amidaᵃ.

    No direction is given by the scholars.  Only that the host must consider very, very carefully before deciding what he will do:  perhaps the two paintings will be displayed side by side, as explained here, or perhaps one will be displayed in the middle with the other off to one sideᵇ. ___________ ᵃThe ancient Amida temple in what is now the Seochang valley between Pusan and Ulsan featured a small mountain in the middle, which was shaped like the dying Shakumuni.  The rolling hills to the east were likened to his human followers, while the high cliff to the west, which leans toward the valley at the top was likened to Amida bowing his head in homage to the Buddha as he entered into nirvana.  This scene offers the precedent for this interpretation.  (Chanoyu appears to have entered Japan from that temple, which was destroyed during the early Joseon period.)

ᵇAnd if they are arranged equally, which one will be on the left (the side closest to the toko-bashira, which is the higher position within the tokonoma), and which one will be hung on the right?

    If both portraits are looking to one side, then they should be arranged so that both look toward the center of the toko.  If one is looking forward, while the other is looking off to one side, perhaps the one looking forward should be hung on the left, while the other looks toward the center of the toko.  But, again, it is not possible to set these things down as rules, and the host must consider very carefully before he hangs them up.

**Kane wo kokoro-eru koto toko no dai-shō sō-ō ari [曲尺を心得る事床の大小相應あり].

     The kane -- in other words, the spacing of the five kane -- are determined by the width of the toko.  Nothing else determines their locations.  This is why this idea is repeated twice in the ku-den.

††Ichi-haba-butsu izure mo kono kokoro-e nari [一幅物何れも此心得なり].

    Ichi-haba-butsu [一幅物] means a scroll that should always be displayed by itself.

    Izure mo [何れも] means “in every case;” “under any circumstances;” “always.”

    In other words, when a single scroll is being hung by itself, it should be hung in the center of the toko.  And the center (and all of the other kane) is determined by the dimensions of the tokonoma itself.

‡‡Kakemono no ake-ma ni hana to kōro to ga joku ni yotte okarete iru-koto ni chū-i-subeki de aru [掛物の空け間に花と香炉とが卓によって置かれて居ることに注意すべきである].

    In general, the things stood on the floor of the tokonoma should be located in the spaces between the scrolls -- especially if they are high enough to obscure the lower part of the scrolls (as are the things placed on the joku).

——————————————–———-—————————————————

³Ichi-haba no toki [一幅の時].

    “When one width [is displayed by itself].”

——————————————–———-—————————————————

4) Displaying one scroll.

   Here, the scroll (whether narrow or wide) is simply hung from a hook attached in the center of the toko, with the oki-mono -- a bon-san [盆山] -- placed directly in front of it*.

    Notice that, in the early period, bon-san were usually displayed on round trays‡.  The oblong appearance in the sketch from Book Four may simply have been intended to represent perspective -- though, beginning in the Edo period, oval trays started to appear (perhaps the result of taking sketches such as this literally), and remain the mainstay even today. ___________ *The ku-den includes the assertion sukoshi demo jiku wo mi-kiru-koto wa kinmotsu to shite aru [少しでも軸を見切ることは禁物としてある], which means “it is forbidden to obscure the scroll, even by a little.”  This is the rule that has been handed down since ancient times, regarding the oki-mono; and it is the reason that it was said (in the previous entries) that the oki-mono should be located in the spaces between the scrolls.

    While the idea of placing the bon-san in the center of the tokonoma might appear to contradict this pronouncement, it is important to note that there was always an exception to this rule -- and it is possible that showing the oki-mono as a bon-san was done deliberately, as a way to illustrate this exception.

    To summarize Tanaka Senshō’s explanation of this important caveat:  if the thing that is displayed in front of the scroll(s) is low enough that it will not hide any part of the scroll, then it is permissible for it to be displayed in front.  Thus, the naga-joku, bearing the mitsu gu-soku, could be arranged in front of the three scrolls -- but only when the table was low enough that the things arranged on it did not hide the lower part of the middle scroll, as is clear in the sketch from Sōami’s O-kazari Ki [御飾記], below.  (Tanaka adds that there is also another exception, which will be covered under the discussion of a subsequent illustration.)

     Tanaka adds, however, that this rule is not generally understood by ordinary people.

    Yoshimasa’s treasured bon-san, known as Zan-setsu [殘雪] (“lingering snow”), resting in the Korean sawari tray that accompanied it from the continent, is shown above -- and it seems that it was this bon-san that established the precedents associated with its use.  Even though the tray is empty in the photo, the addition of sand would not raise the height of the stone much, since it would be settled into the sand (rather than sitting on top of it).  When placed on the floor of the tokonoma, the bon-san would be low enough that it does not hide part of the scroll, even if the scroll was so long that it nearly touched the floor.  This is because the guest’s eyes will always be a certain distance above floor-level, so, as a consequence of the parallax effect, the stone will not hide part of the mounting.

‡One entry in Rikyū’s Nambō-ate no densho [南坊宛の傳書] deals with the way to arrange the bon-san.  I will quote the entry in its entirety.

    “Concerning the display of a bon-seki [盆石]ᵃ, there are very few people who understand how to do this correctly.

    “Now, there is this poem by the Higashiyama-donoᵇ:

    ‘bon-seki no mae ni ha futatsu hama-bisashi          ushiro ni tōki umi sowe naran’

    [盆石ノマエニハ弐ツ浜ヒサシ          ウシロニ遠キ海ソヱナラン]ᶜ.

     “This poem reveals the secret tradition concerning the display of a bon-seki, so you should pay careful attention to every detail that it recounts.

    A rough sketch will help [you] remember [the matter].

     “Depending on the season of the year, the wavesᵈ [behind the stone] should be handled differently.  And, of course, the manner of arranging the sand should be appropriate to the scene suggested by the bon-seki’s appearanceᵉ.”

    It is precisely because of the parallax effect that the waves are seen on the far side of the stone. ___________ ᵃBon-seki [盆石] (“a stone in a tray”):  the word is usually translated “viewing stone” in English.  It is another name for the bon-san [盆山] (which literally means “a mountain in a tray”).

ᵇHigashiyama-dono [東山殿] refers to Ashikaga Yoshimasa [足利義政, 1436 ~ 1490].  During his retirement, he was also known as Jisshō-in-dono [慈照院殿].

ᶜ“In front of the bon-seki, two sand-dunes; and behind it, [we] should suggest the far-distant ocean.”

    The sand-dunes are low mounds of sand (created by pouring the sand through a paper funnel); the distant ocean is suggested by raking the sand, on the far side of the stone, into the shape of seasonally appropriate waves (the sand-dunes obscure the transition from smooth sand in front to the raked sand behind, which is why they are located near the two ends of the stone). ᵈThe sand in the tray is raked into the shape of waves like the sand in a kare san-sui tei-en [枯山水庭園], using a bamboo skewer.

ᵈIf the stone resembles and island, for example, or a distant mountain, or a plateau, in each case the sand in the foreground, as well as in the background, needs to be treated somewhat differently.

[ada254]

Five Things Tag!!!!! 

Tagged by: @catchthespade!!!!! And thank you so so so so so much for doing so ahhhhh!!!!!!!!!! 

5 Things You’ll Find In My Bag

2 cold water bottles (my weak alternative to coffee)!

portable charger!!

portable hair brush!!!

lots and lots of loose leaf/flashcards!!!!

a pack of tissues!!!!! (i have spring allergies.....)

5 Things You’ll Find In My Bedroom

A bunch of my friends’ fanart I’ve commissioned/been lucky enough to be gifted with on my birthday!!!!! (i love looking at them when i wake up because they make me smile.......:) )

2 idol figurines!!!! (both of my muse best girl Hanayo!!!!!!!)

A couple of drawings/special moment pictures done of me!!! (....and one picture of Itaru Yuikawa from Liar! but shhhhh) 

Pokemon plushies!! (a giant pika named Elly, an Axew named Pascal, and a Mimikyu named Marshmallow!!!!!!) 

A giant Rinharu calendar hung in the center of my room.....(shhh.....)

5 Things I’ve Always Wanted To Do

GO TO JAPAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Maybe even study abroad there....................:)

Actually finish a short story/novel I HAVE started but then stopped?????...

.....Go on an actual date......? (embarrassing but I really do want to and I still haven’t yet but bhjesgbesihkj yEA THAT..!!)

Have a giant sleepover with friends!!!!! (something I’ve also never done yet but still would love to do!!!!!)

Group trip to Disney with all of my internet friends together!!!!! (especially since I haven’t gone back there since I was like 7....)

5 Things That Make Me Happy

My dog Oreo!!!!! (he’s turning 5 in a couple of weeks :’))

My friends!!!!! (from internet to real life!!!!!!!)

VANILLA ICE CREAM!!!!!

Voltage love interests (beCAUSE I /AM/ TRASH!!!!! and I mean like from KBTBB to FLD to the Amemix series just......I can’t help it; they honestly make me SO happy)

MY SHIPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! With special regards to Rinharu, Tomoe x Nanami, Wishfulshipping, Contestshipping, and JR (but honestly just all of them; they all make happy when I see them being happy....)

5 Things I’m Currently Into

Saitama and Genos from One Punch Man (both romantically/platonically and also just as characters liKE YEA!!) (and also in general since I just got around to watching this finally!!)

RACHEL AND JUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (LIKE OKAY SO I JUST FOUND THEIR YOUTUBE CHANNEL THE OTHER DAY AGO AND FUSYJFHIEUKFJSH I LOVE THEM!!!!!! IF YOU WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT JAPAN WHILE ALSO WATCHING THE CUTEST MARRIED GOALS TM EVER THEN PLEASE CHECK THEM OUT!!!!!!! THEY ALSO HAVE CUTE CATS AND JUN HAS A B E A U TI FU L BOMBASS COOKING CHANNEL!!!! SO PLEASE CHECK THEM OUT IF YOU’RE EVEN A LITTLE INTERESTED!!!!!!)

Club Crackers (not even joking like I seriously forgot I used to love them and now I re-obsessed again)

rESEARCHING JAPAN AND POSSIBLE STUDY ABROAD PROGRAMS!!!!!!!! (I went to a study abroad seminar a week ago and got hooked to possibly doing this but regardless I’m really getting into learning about Japan in depth!!!)

Mystic Messenger (primarily JUMIN HAN because I just finished his route and I love him) and being more involved with Voltage in gen.!!!!!!! (particularly Liar! and Irresistible Mistakes recently!!!)

5 Things On My To-Do List

Study for my second to last Music test for the semester!

Write my last paper for Global History before my birthday!!

Find possible volunteer/part time work for the summer!!!

Finish watching/reading a bunch of animes/fanfiction I’ve started all at once but never finished!!!!

Create a concrete plan for study abroad for either next year or in my third year!!!!! (and oh yea study for finals first maybe ahahaha oops)

5 Things People May Not Know About Me

My birthday’s next Monday and I’m stressing over the fact I’m going to be 19 and then 20 next year and then-

I don’t know how to swim or ride a bike or drive or basically very essential things I will try to learn in the future.....

I like watching “really OUT THERE”/trashy/weird animes/dramas and I either generally tend to genuinely like them in the end or have a giant love/hate relationship with it but usually either way I’ll have fun with it!!! (like if there’s a romance drama about a girl who turns into a pig and her love interest must kiss her as the pig to break the spell, then yea I’m probably saving it to watch later)

I can rEALLY be salty/mean spirited about people I don’t like (mainly like ex friends who betrayed me or treated my friends horribly)

I put too much thought and details into tag/ask memes which is why this took forever but mAYBE MOST PEOPLE KNOW THAT I DON’T KNOW...

Tagging!!!!! (which you obviously don’t have to do if you don’t want to!): @noodlerama, @toasty-coconut, @kasuria, @karikamiya, @viktorsyuurii, @espeonsweetie, @pkmncoordinators, @ikarikari, @mooites, and really anyone else who wants to do this!!!!!!! (SORRY FOR TAGGING YOU IF YOU DIDN’T WANT TO BE!!)

[jundoe]

After Maxx started colouring these, I finally finalised the lines... L-R: Shion, Kurou, Nayuta, Shika, Jouichi - or, as they used to be known, Shiratori, Tomo, Kei, Shikage, and some defunct guy called Mitsuka. Here is weeb story: this could be an old art redraw of sorts, but it’s really more a "please God no" revamp of something 14 years old... When we keep saying "that 'band manga we keep talking about fueled by 2ks v-kei nostalgia that will probably never happen" we really mean "that 'band manga' we came up with in 2003," which is why we know it'll never happen, being that it's been 14 years. To be fair, it's been shelved deep for most of that, but after finding our old J-rock CDs in the move last year, we started talking about and somehow redesigning these guys...or gutting most of them and really only keeping the two ‘S’s in some way. I'm going to be sUPEr embARRASsed now and stick something dated 2004 under the cut with a lot of evolution exposition. It's REALLY AWFUL with prime weeb-stage Jun art so please don't click if you think you might never be able to look at me again...I might never be able to look at you again... QAQ

Actually, what’s the Chinese equivalent of a weeb? Back in 2003, we were rEAlly into J-rock and the V-kei subculture, and ended up planning a band manga about a band named Ennui trying to recruit a genius songwriter dead-set against joining a band. I know. Please don’t say it. This was by far the most weeby and deliberately (??) tropey of our projects, and, heck, yeah, it was horrible fun and mostly an excuse for Maxx to design endless V-Kei costumes. Oh wait I just looked down at the art again I take it back it’s just horrible.

Wow, I remember struggling so hard with “Tomo.” Looking at this, clearly the struggle never ended. Anyway...we really only cared about Shikage and Shiratori, with the other three largely band/anime trope characters that we hadn’t fleshed out much, so we ended up vastly redesigning them for more updated trope - uh, I mean, hopefully marginally more interesting characters.

Ennui → LEAVE: We went from an unironically named pretentious band name to an ironically named terrible band name that Maxx vectored a logo for and so we can’t change anymore. Ennui used to be a newly-assembled indie band desperately seeking a songwriter. LEAVE is a label-created unit scraped together from the leftovers of the three groups that were disbanded from the voluntary formation of Hanami, whom I love 500% more than these losers.

Shikage → Shika: One of the more defined incarnations of a perennially ported OC character concept of mine...back then we named him “Shikage” - literally “poem-shadow” - because we were pretentious teenagers, but now that we are old peopleTM with a better grasp of Japanese, that is clearly the worst name ever. I still have a lot of nostalgia for it though, so I shopped around for a kanji set that could let me preserve the “Shika” part, and ended up with 子華, which is exactly the traditionally pretentious kind of name someone like his dad would have chosen, so I’m really happy with that. I kept the defining element of his character, which is to say his murder face, and swapped out the inexplicable 90s anime extension-ponytail for an actual ponytailable hairlength. The glasses ended up getting shuffled over to “Shiratori,” and now he’s second guitar instead because keyboards are out of vogue and we never ended up designing a rhythm guitarist?? It’s embarrassing but 14 years later I still really love this terrible kid haha...

Kei → Nayuta: He’s vocals so you know he’s the main character...a character that literally had no character, the kind of guy you call the “MC” in a dating sim...so we ended up just basically overhauling him into the opposite kind of main character that has no character: the singer who’s the singer because he can’t play any instruments at all and keeps forgetting the lead singer of a V-kei band isn’t supposed to smile. Really the only thing we kept from the original design is a cropped approximation of his characterless hairstyle. Since even his name had no character, we just picked a whole new one - I wanted to see if I could still stick the “poem” kanji in somewhere, and ended up with 夏詩 for Nayuta, which is an absolutely awful name and I couldn’t be more delighted.

Tomo → Kurou: We basically scrapped Die from Dir En Grey and ended up with Wolverine Lite or maybe Maxx from the darkest timeline so help me. That one was a weird process of evolution, but it happened. Somehow, he managed to keep the same hair colour and approximate expression - and the hell struggle argrhagh I spent so much time shaping and reshaping that damned mohawk strip... OH NO WAIT he also kept the pauldron, I don’t know why Maxx keeps putting one pauldron on this guy, but after he designed the new outfit, he looked back at this and went, “Oh f- he has a pauldron here too.”. He also inherited the “K” that we scrapped from “Kei.”

Shiratori → Shion: Yet another terribly-named character we loved enough to want to keep parts of. Shiratori is an untenable anime-ism that means “white bird,” so I swapped it out for Shion, which, while still being clichéd, is at least an actual name that I actually like and still preserves the feel of the original to me. Actually, pretty much only the general feel of his character - and his height, for some reason - was preserved. He doesn’t even play the drums anymore, having migrated to the bassist position Shika would rather have (not least because when we started talking about this again, Maxx was convinced he was the bassist and we argued over this until I dug out this picture and showed him we wrote “drums” in 2004 - and then we cut Mitsuka so Maxx got his way after all), and his character and backstory have been shaken up, along with a massive haircut. Still love him though.

Mitsuka: Mitsuka, being a legacy character from the Mana days, didn’t make the cut, since we never really liked him anyway, and we already had a bassist after the reshuffle. He’s been replaced by Jouichi, who is the guy people kept saying would never make it in a band and is just happy to be here and do his best, a really nice boyTM, which is sort of terrible for a V-kei band, but at least he’s in good company with Nayuta, I guess.

I don’t know why I told you all this, but now you know what horrible weebs Maxx and Jun were back in 2003-4.

[hyenahunt]

Conquest: Armageddon - 4

Writer: Akira

Season: Spring

Proofreading: royalquintet (JP & ENG)

Translation: hyenahunt

Hiyori: All the same, what a shock it was... I'd truly picked you up on a whim, you see, but the marks from where you'd bitten me have never faded since.

[Location: Café Cinnamon]

Jun: Ohii-san—

Hiyori: That's right, that's all I am — nothing more than a lovable princess. For my way of life, it was the best and most sensible choice, and I had no complaints.

But when you'd called me that for the first time, it did make me laugh a bit, you know.

To think that even a tactless, boorish blockhead like you could see right through me... It made me wonder just how much that identity had become my truth.

Jun: Um, no, I was just making a pun on your name.

Hiyori: Mm. Of course, you're not capable of such astute irony, are you?

All the same, what a shock it was... I'd truly picked you up on a whim, you see, but the marks from where you'd bitten me have never faded since.

You're now the second-most important existence to me in my life, right after my family.

Jun: ......

Hiyori: ...Ah, maybe not second-most, now that I think about Tsumugi-kun and Eichi-kun and the like... Sorry, do let me correct myself, okay?

Jun: No, um, the order doesn't really bother me but — just knowing that I actually matter to you, and you find me so special that I can't be replaced... it makes me kinda happy.

I mean, whoever's in second place is probably way behind first place anyway, so you might as well just lump together everyone from second place onwards.

Hiyori: Yes, yes, it's just like you with Sagami-sensei.

Jun: Why the hell are you bringing that guy up? He's just some stupid old fart who's got absolutely nothing to do with my life, okay!?

Hiyori: Heheh. The harder you try to deny it, the truer it seems ♪

Jun: In what way exactly...

Oh well, at least after being stuck with you for so long I've gotten kinda used to your vague way of speaking, I guess~?

Hiyori: No but honestly, what's Sagami-sensei like? I'm suuuper curious, you see — it just sounds like some juicy gossip ♪

Jun: There's really nothing much to him; he's neither here nor there... A while ago, I had to take on some job for a kids' show.

And even though no one actually invited him, Jin Sagami came and crashed it saying that as someone with actual experience, he'd guide me along. From there he showed me the ropes and —

Huh? Or was that all a dream?

Ughhh, I don't wanna remember that shit! Nooo!

Hiyori: W-what's wrong, Jun-kun? Are you okay?

Jun: ...In any case, forget about me ~

Nagi-senpai's your number one, who's more special to you than anyone else. Are you okay with fighting him like this?

Hiyori: ? We're not fighting, though?

Jun: Seriously? How can you even say that?

That's what Conquest is all about, no? Eve and Adam having some sorta showy fight and —

Hiyori: Yes. Truly, what a silly little spectacle it is.

Jun: Yeah. I didn't like it either, but if I didn't go along with it, I'd get 'exiled'...

But as for you, lately it seems like all you've been doing is trying to rile up Adam, or rather Nagi-senpai, y'know?

It just looks like a fight from an outside perspective, like you're taking Nagi-senpai's whole sentencing thing seriously.

It looks to everyone like you got seriously pissed off, and wanna get back at him by trying to break away from Eden—

Hiyori: Well, of course I'm furious. That's a given.

I've been angry and upset ever since I even heard the plan for Conquest. Did you not notice?

Heheh, well, it is the nobleman's etiquette to conceal any violent emotions behind a smile, after all ♪

Jun: Um, no, you've seemed pretty upset to me this whole time.

I mean, I totally get how much it'd tick you off, to be threatened outta the blue that you'll get fired if you don't do as you're told—

But for some reason, I always thought it was impossible for you to get mad at Nagi-senpai... To be honest, it leaves me real surprised and confused.

Hiyori: Heheh. Jun-kun, you really are adorable.

Jun: What? By that you mean ''you really are stupid'', don't you? Guessing games aren't my forte, but even I can understand that level of sarcasm, y'know?

Hiyori: Yes. Adorable is a word that can indeed sound like an insult, depending on context.

All the same, veiling one's words in sarcasm rather than being as direct as a pointed blade is yet another display of the nobleman's creed — one of love and kindness.

But of course, there may be people who find it more infuriating than simply getting punched in the face.

If you're of that mindset, Jun-kun, then Ibara and society in general most likely feel the same way, too...

It's a sad thing to close yourself off from satire and jest, you know? In a way, it's like shutting yourself away from love.

But I'm sure Nagisa-kun would be open to it. It's just as you said earlier: the two of us are equals, after all.

Surely he believed I'd be able to understand his true intentions when it came to my 'exile' — so he struck me with all those harsh, heavy words.

Jun: ......?

Hiyori: Jun-kun. You and the general public are all mistaken, you see. I'm not angry at Nagisa-kun in the slightest.

What I can't stand the most is that I'd allowed him to play the villain. No, the one I'm angry with is in fact myself —

The ever foolish, ever stupid Hiyori Tomoe.

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