#i love being on campus i purchase the same exact food items and it makes me entire fucking week

[fieldworm]

I go to Monster Community College

[dialovers-translations]

DIABOLIK LOVERS MORE, MORE BLOOD Vol.13 Kino [Track 2]

Original title: 寒冷

Source: Diabolik Lovers More, More Blood Vol. 13 Kino [CD not owned by me]

Audio: Here (15:28 ~ 29:54)

Seiyuu: Tomoaki Maeno

Translator’s note: I was already kind of curious about the contents of this track from reading the title, but as soon as the MC returned from the cafeteria with a popsicle, I already knew what was going to happen. I can really imagine the struggles of having a boyfriend like Kino who loves pulling pranks on you. Although compared to some of the other stuff the boys have done to her, being teased with a popsicle isn’t even all that bad. Seeing him try and make it up to her afterwards made for a cute moment as well.

Track 1 ll Track 2 ll Track 3 ll Track 4 ll Track 5 + Epilogue

→  LIKE MY TRANSLATIONS? SUPPORT ME ON KO-FI!

Track 2: Coldness

“ーー And then I ended up arguing with Yuuri over who is correct. What do you think? Which one of us was right?”

You hesitate.

“Seems like you’re having trouble answering my question. Don’t hold back and just tell me. In return, I’ll punish you if you don’t say it was me.”

You frown.

“You’re struggling that much? Guess I have no other choice. I’ll give you some time. Try and come up with an answer by the end of classes today.”

The two of you come to a halt.

“...So, is this the classroom we had to move to? (1)”

You explain.

“The science lab, huh? It’s really such a pain that science classes take place in a different classroom. Oh well, guess it’s fine. Hurry up and open the door.”

*Rattle*

“...Hm? What’s wrong? You’re not going inside?”

You close the door again.

“...Eh? Why did you close the door again? Don’t we have class here?”

You tell him it’s the wrong room.

“Haah!? Who goes to the wrong classroom!? Unlike me, you’ve been going to this school for quite some time, right?”

You apologize.

“Honestly...I don’t know whether you’re just slow-witted or if you actually have a few screws loose...”

You seem confused.

“Eh? What’s weird?”

You tell him there seem to be more doors than usual.

“What are you saying? You’re just imagining things, no? There’s no way the number of doors would suddenly increase. Doesn’t it just feel that way? It’s no good to try and blame your own mistakes on someone or something else. Also, that barely makes for a decent excuse.”

You insist.

*Dingー Dongー ・ Dingー Dongー*

“Ah-aaah...Right, right. There’s more doors than usual, huh? Anyway, the bell of the next period just rang. We won’t make it in time for our class so what should we do?”

You frown.

“Well, if we’re confirmed late, might as well say ‘screw it’, right?

You tilt your head to the side.

“You know, let’s just skip class.”

You protest.

“If we go now, we’ll just get scolded for being late, right? So why not? ...Come on, this way! Let’s go!”

Kino drags you along.

*TIMESKIP*

“Fufufu~ I’m almost done with this quest...”

*Tap tap*

“Ahー But before that, I have to use this item.”

*Tap tap*

“Hm? What do you want? I’m busy playing my game right now.”

You seem anxious to get in trouble for skipping.

“You’re still worried about that? We already skipped class, so there’s nothing we can do about it now.”

*Tap tap*

“Isn’t spending time out on the rooftop during class something you have to do at least once while you’re young? We’re here now anyway, so you should try and have some fun as well.”

You frown.

“No buts! ...Ah, I get it.  You end up having unnecessary worries because you’re bored, no? In that case, I’ll give you something to do.”

You tilt your head to the side.

“There’s a cafeteria on campus where you can purchase food and such, right? Go buy me something there.”

You ask him what to get.

“Hmー Let’s see...What to choose? ...Then, how about you get something you think I’d like?”

You want him to be a little more specific.

“What would that be? The whole point is that you figure it out.”

You whine.

“It’s not difficult, is it? If you’ve been keeping a close eye on me, it should be a piece of cake! ...Pick the thing that would make me the most happy! Alsoーー”

*Rustle*

“You better not keep me waiting, so I expect you back here in ten minutes, okay? If you’re even one second late...You’ll get a pentalty.”

You flinch.

“Come on. Hurry up.”

You run away.

*TIMESKIP*

*Creaaak*

“Ah! You’re finally back...!”

You ask if you made it back in time.

“Haah? What are you saying? You didnt even come close to making it back on time. Just how far did you have to go for those?”

You explain.

“You got lost? You’ve been a student at this academy for a while, haven’t you? That doesn’t make any sense. Stop making those lousy excuses.”

You try and defend yourself.

“Hmm~? So you got the location of the cafeteria wrong? I guess you went down the wrong stairs or something? Oh well, whatever. More importantly, hurry up and hand it over. You obviously got one of my favorites, right?”

*Rustle rustle*

“...Eh? That?”

You nod.

“Ice cream...? Haah...”

You frown, asking him if he doesn’t like ice cream

“It’s not that ice cream’s bad or anything but...Why didn’t you get me guava juice? You know that I like it, don’t you?”

You tell him that wasn’t an option.

“Haah!? They don’t sell it here!? They really should reconsider their line-up then. But that doesn’t matter, does it? Not only did you make me wait forever, and on top of that, you weren’t able to buy something which would make me happy. Fufu~”

*Rustle*

“This calls...for a punishment.”

You protest.

“No point in fighting back. ...Come here.”

Kino pulls you close.

“Gotcha. When I’m holding you tightly from behind like this, you can no longer get away, can you? That being said, this ice cream has been well chilled. I’m sure it would feel extremely cold if I were to press it against your skin. For example...Against the back of your nape.”

*Rustle*

You flinch.

“You’re already reacting that strongly from just slightly brushing it across? I wonder what would happen if I were to slip it inside your clothes then? Aren’t you curious?”

You shake your head.

“Oh come on~ No need to be modest. Come on...”

*Rustle*

He presses the ice cream against your bare skin as you shriek.

“...Ahaha! Did you hear yourself just now? Well, I guess it would feel cold and disgusting to have an entire popsicle slide down your back. Ah-aah...Your uniform’s a mess as well.”

You call him out for bullying you.

“I’m not being mean, am I? It’s a punishment after all. Besides, that scream just now wasn’t half bad, you know? I’d love to hear it one more time.”

You tell him the ice cream has already melted.

“Guess so. You didn’t buy more than one popsicle after all. ...But you know, I have this.”

*Cling*

“If we use the hourglass to reload, the ice cream and your uniform will return to their original state. You should be grateful.

*Tick tock - Tick tock - Tick tock - Tick tock*

ーーー

*Creaaak*

“Ah! You’re finally back...! ...Hehe, you gave the exact same reaction as earlier. Why are you looking around in confusion? I told you I would reload, didn’t I? Time got turned back. You remember what happened earlier, don’t you?”

Kino approaches you.

“Exactly. Seems like you properly recall. I pulled you close like this...”

*Rustle*

“...And played with you using this popsicle you bought, didn’t I?”

*Rustle rustle*

“Say...There’s something I’m curious about. I can test it out, right? You already know just how cold this ice cream is. The chilled sensation from having it directly pressed up against your skin. So I was wondering...How will your body react if I repeat the same action one more time, now that you’re already well aware of how it’ll feel?”

You try and get away.

*Rustle rustle*

“...Woah there! You better don’t think I’ll let you get away!”

He grabs hold of your wrist.

“...There. Gotcha.”

*Rustle rustle*

“No point in resisting. There’s just no way you could get away from me after all.”

Kino opens the popsicle.

“There we go~ It’s time for the ice cream you’ve just been dying for~ If I run it across your nape like this...”

You flinch.

“Exactly. You can feel it even stronger when you already know what to expect, don’t you? I wonder if it’s your brain playing tricks on you...?”

*Rustle*

“...Hm? What? Throwing in the towel already? Guess I have no other choice. In that case, I’ll warm you up next.”

*Sluuuurp*

“Hm...The taste of this popsicle is pretty mediocre. I don’t think I could finish the whole thing. The person who bought it should take responsibility and eat it all instead. Here you go.”

He forces the popsicle inside your mouth.

“You’re whining was starting to annoying me, so this works perfectly. Keep it in between your teeth for a bit, okay? Meanwhile I’ll dig into this to cleanse my palate. In the end, it seems like I...”

*Rustle*

“...enjoy this the very best. mmh...”

Kino bites you.

*Gulp gulp gulp*

“Nn...You like this too, don’t you? The whimpers slipping through...They’re different compared to when I teased you earlier. They’re sweet yet sorrowful. Almost as if you’re begging for me.”

*Rustle*

“Let me hear more of those...”

*Rustle*

“...Ah!”

You drop the popsicle.

*Splatter*

“Ah-aah...The popsicle fell down. Your skirt’s a mess now as well.”

You apologize.

“Why are you saying sorry? Ahー Because you dropped it? I don’t care, really. ー Wait, what’s with that face? You’re in tears. Your lips are all sticky from the ice cream as well. I’ll wipe you clean, so look this way.”

You turn around.

*Rustle rustle*

“Perhaps I took my teasings a little too far? ...Were you scared?”

You nod.

“I see. ...Fufu. You’re such a crybaby, how cute~”

*Smooch*

“There, all clean. Now cheer up, okay? You don’t want things to become awkward between us, do you? I guess that leaves your skirt...Honestly, it’s kind of a drag, so would you like me to turn back time to before you dropped the popsicle?”

You ask him if it’s okay. 

“Of course I don’t mind. ...But in return, I might mess with you again~”

You protest.

“I’m just kidding. Let’s kill some time together until classes end? Ah! But don’t get the wrong idea, okay? I’ll still use the hourglass. ...Well then, how should we enjoy ourselves next~?”

ーー TO BE CONTINUED ーー

Translation notes

(1) At Japanese high schools, students stay in the same classroom for 90% of the classes. For some subjects like science, art, etc. they may move to a different classroom which has the right facilities and material. These are called 移動教室 or ‘idō-kyōshitsu’. 

[mister-lucky-bunny]

The Grand Neopian University Chapter 3: Haggling and History

Lucky and his friends take a trip to the book store and prepare for their first class: Neopian History.

"Sheesh... I always forget just how much books actually cost," Krugg the Moehog mused, looking over the cover of a textbook titled Evolution of Biology.

"Yeah, we got this fancy thing called 'paper' in these parts," Val, the Darigan Aisha, snarked, idly scanning through another textbook. After a quick look, she added it to her small, growing collection, seemingly unfazed by the cost that they would all total out to.

"Uh, yeah, I've heard of paper before, thank you very much," Krugg replied, rolling his eyes. "Just because Tyrannians use stone for everything doesn't mean we're uneducated."

"Ah, don't let her get to ya, man," Enele the Kyrii stated, standing next to Krugg as he scanned over his own book list and schedule. "She's probably bitter that these books aren't bound in gold," Enele chuckled, making Krugg laugh along as well. Naturally, Val rolled her eyes, again unfazed by the other twos' comments.

"Ha ha," She replied coldly, turning her attention to another shelf with a stern frown. "Have you guys got everything, yet? I don't wanna be here all day," She continued on, changing the subject.

"Nearly have," Krugg replied, looking at his own future purchases. "Problem is, we may still have to wait. The other two haven't shown up yet."

"Probably got held up in the line," Enele suggested as Val rolled her eyes to herself. "Hang on a sec... I see em now," He said, pointing to the Xweetok and the Acara as they made their way into the store and towards the others.

As Lucky looked around the store for a bit, admiring the various displays and books, May laughed a bit, nodding. "Sorry we're late! Took my advisor awhile to get a schedule that worked with me! She said that I applying for too many options at once, so we had to mark my days down to be 'less impossible', as she put it," The Xweetok girl rambled.

"Jeez, how many did you try to sign up for?" Enele asked with a perked eyebrow.

"Uhh... at least 10 of em..." May said, thinking aloud. "I had to settle for five classes for my first semester," She said, sighing in slight disappointment.

"Well, at the very least we all have at least one class together, right?" Krugg suggested with a big smile.

"Hey, yeah! Don't we all have that Neopian History class?" May asked, her tone once again eager.

"Yeah, I look forward to waking up early," Val added on with a sarcastic tone. "That class sounds easy anyways. Everyone already knows the main points, anyways."

"Well, maybe we're missing something," Krugg suggested. "After all, this is a prestigious school. No doubt we'll learn something we've never heard about before!"

"Yeah, maybe we'll learn if Dacardia is a real place or not..." Enele suggested with a thoughtful tone.

"What do you think, Lucky?" May asked, turning her attention towards her roommate now. The Acara was distracted, however, as he found more interest in the assortment of books that filled the shelves. Currently, he was skimming through a book titled The Faerie Index.

"Hm? Oh, sorry!" Lucky replied after a few seconds of not responding, laughing nervously as he set the book back. "Was just having a quick look around."

"Yeah, there's no shortage of supplies here!" Enele chuckled. "Nothing new for a someone like you though, hm?"

"Well, I have been in plenty of bookshops before, but none as big as this one," Lucky replied, scanning the shelves. "Besides, I've never even heard of some of these before."

"Me either! I've heard that the University is the only place to buy some of these!" May added on.

"As long as you can afford it, of course," Val said with a small smirk.

"Of course we can!" May replied with a wave of her hand, looking towards a shelf as she scanned through it. "Illusen granted me a small bonus so that I could afford my initial costs! Besides, how much can a copy of... 'Neopian History For Freshmen' cost?" She asked, reading the cover as she lifted it up. As she turned the book around to check the pricing on the back, her eyes widened as her ears fell back, clearly alarmed by the price. "Ah. That much, huh?"

"Good luck," The Aisha said, continuing her own shopping.

"Maybe it's a good thing you only have five classes then, eh?" The Kyrii said with a small laugh.

As Lucky picked up a copy of Neopian History For Freshmen (since it was part of his book list), he said, "Yeah, this is what I was worried about." After checking the price on the book and confirming just how expensive it was (6,500 NP wasn't exactly cheap, especially on his budget), the Acara held onto it and sighed. "Well, maybe I'll find a job on campus somewhere to work part time. Earn some food money, y'know?"

"That's not a bad idea," Krugg replied with a nod. "So long as you have time to work, as well as do schoolwork and attend classes."

"No one ever said the college life was easy or cheap," Enele said, shrugging his shoulders in a casual way.

"Either way, a job would definitely help with finances! Though, I may have to haggle for now... haha..." May said with a sheepish laugh. With that, the group continued further into the book store, gathering up anything they needed (or said they needed, in a couple of cases), as well as admiring the other various books. Soon, their conversation began to lead towards each others' classes.

"While I doubt I need it, I feel like Beginner Magicka is a good way to stay sharp on my skills," said Enele, taking a copy of The Mysteries of Magic. Lucky and May did the same, with the Xweetok nodding.

"For sure! Illusen would be right cross with me if she found out I wasn't practicing!" She laughed, now holding a sizeable stack of books, much like the others.

"I just wish that we didn't have to take Battling class with it," Lucky said with a small groan. "Doubt I'll last even a minute in the Battledome, let alone a whole semester!"

"Hey, look on the bright side," Val began, patting his shoulder in a semi-comforting manner. "Maybe if you run around screaming, they'll have a harder time hitting you," She laughed, the Acara's nerves not being settled in the slightest. This caused Enele to roll his eyes and May to shoot a scornful glare at the Darigan girl.

"Oh, quiet you," Krugg shushed harshly. "I'm sure plenty of other freshmen won't have any idea of what they're doing either. It'll be a learning experience, as it should be."

"Are you doing the Battling class, Krugg?" May asked, turning her attention to the Moehog. "Surely you'd do well in it!"

"Well, thank you, but I have no interest in fighting," He said with a shake of his head. "I'll stick to Yooyuball when try-outs open up." This brightened up the Xweetok once again.

"Oh I love Yooyuball! I'm definitely gonna join you at try-outs!" She beamed, turning to the others. "What about you guys?"

"Well, I'll certainly watch," Enele replied.

"Yeah, I'm not really a sports person, if ya couldn't tell..." Lucky added on with an unsure tone.

"I'm out, too," Val said. "Besides, I'll have enough fun showing you guys up in the Battledome," She continued with a wicked grin.

"Well, we'll see about that," May responded, sticking her tongue out. "Have some faith in your fellow friends!"

"Yeah, because I don't have any in myself," Lucky muttered, finding his last book. For the time being, he'd skip out on buying the book he required for Music Class. Mostly due to the fact that he didn't know if he would actually be allowed to sign up, but also because he was now starting to scrape by with what little money he already has.

He and May were done a little bit later than the others, but it didn't take long for all of them to start walking through the line to check out. Unlike the lines where students have to make their schedules, this one was taking a lot longer than it probably should have. While certainly annoying, the reason was due to the fact that a few other students were trying their luck at haggling down prices for their items. As Lucky grew closer to the cashier, however, he realized just how much of a process it actually was. For one thing, it wasn't exactly normal for a student to be screaming at a cashier, yet it seemed a bit weird to Lucky that they weren't even budging in regards to lowering any prices.

"Listen, sir, I came all the way from Kreludor! I've read more books than this store carries, I assure you! There's no reason these books should cost this much!" shouted the angry voice of a Grundo, a pile of books laid out before an unimpressed looking Shoryu, who looked to be a few years younger than the Grundo.

"Well, tough luck," He answered in a cold, bored tone. "I don't set the prices on these books, the professors do. So unless they all decide to change their minds at the exact same time, the price of all of this is still going to be 35,000 NP."

"Feh! Fine! Of all the... rip-off artist..." The Grundo began to mutter, pulling his Neophone out and scanning it across a small machine on the counter. With a small 'beep!', the Shoryu bagged everything up and passed it across to the disgruntled Neopian, who took his purchases without another word.

"Have a nice day," The Shoryu cashier added on in an insincere tone, turning to the line. "Next, please."

As the next student went up, the group looked between each other curiously, wondering about the exchange. Lucky, however, had a different thought in mind as he pulled his phone out and examined it. "...can my phone do that?" He pondered aloud, referring to the instant digital payment.

"Oh fer- of course it can, as long as it's connected to your bank account," Val answered with a sigh, also looking over the Acara's phone over his shoulder. "...well, I think so, anyways. Yours looks like it's about to go extinct."

"It's still in... useable shape," Lucky insisted, pocketing it with an embarrassed look on his face.

"I think our bigger problem is getting past that guy," Enele said, pointing to the Shoryu, who looked to be refusing another attempt at haggling, this time from a glasses wearing Lenny. "He seems to be a real stickler for the prices."

"Maybe we oughta just pay without making a fuss about it..." Krugg suggested, rubbing the back of his head.

"You can, but I'm gonna try and cut a deal!" May said with an enthusiastic tone, puffing her chest out.

"Yeah, hold us up even longer for the same result, sounds like a fun idea," Val snarked as she rolled her eyes.

"Next, please," Called the Shoryu, his gaze turned towards the group of friends.

Giving a smug smile to Val, the Xweetok whispered, "Watch and learn." The girl stepped forward and placed the books on the counter, standing on her toes so that she could lean over it in an appearance to seem casual. "Hiya! This'll be all for me today, good sir," She greeted to him. The cashier wordlessly scanned everything in a rapid manner.

"Terrific, you're total is 30,000 NP," He stated to the Xweetok.

"Wow, that's a lot!" May began, the Shoryu beginning to sigh gentle, knowing where this was already going. "How about this... since you don't seem to have a shortage on these here history books, and also because all freshmen need them, maybe we can shorten it to-"

"30,000 NP," He stated again, much more firmly this time.

"Ah, right! Makes sense," May yelped out, quickly losing her nerve. Looking into her money sack, she quickly pulled out a large stack of Neopoints, passing it to him with a sheepish look on her face. "Er... will this cover it?" The Shoryu quickly pushed the coins into a nearby sorting machine, which clattered and rattled around loudly for a few seconds. The noise didn't seem to bother him, though, as he soon nodded and bagged up her purchases.

"Here, have a nice day," He finished, with May nodding and quickly running back to the group. Her smile was obviously one of embarrassment, as the others looked at her in both confusion and disappointment.

"...wow, uh... that was an experience," The Kyrii said, unsure of what to even say to her.

"Okay, s-so I gotta work on my haggling skills, so what?" The Xweetok said, slumping forwards.

"Next please," Called the Shoryu, glancing over to the group again.

"You give it a shot, Mr. Confidence," Val said, pushing the quiet Acara forward a bit.

"Hey, what..?" Lucky began, resisting a little.

"You're from Neopia Central, I'm sure it'll come naturally," She added on.

"Wh- okay fine," He said, sighing and stepping forward. His nerves already felt like they were made out of dung jelly, but he couldn't back out at this point. Either way, he had to pay for his books, so it was now or never. As the bored stare of the Shoryu seemed to drill into him, the Acara placed the books down and cleared his throat. "Uh, hello," He began simply.

"Hey," The Shoryu said, scanning everything. "Find everything alright?"

"Yes, I did," Lucky said, fiddling with his necklace a bit. "Well I mean, except for the fact that it was awfully hard to find 'used' books that had all of their pages..." He said, trailing off. This comment caused the Shoryu to pause momentarily, glancing upwards to the Acara, his facial expression changing from 'bored' to 'slight confusion'.

"Oh? What do you mean?" He started.

"Well..." He began, scratching his head as he put on a concerned tone. "I'm on a budget, so I always buy the secondhand stuff," He said, pointing to a cover that had a bright red 'USED' sticker on it. "However, with a few of them, I had to take some time in making sure all the pages were in tact. Heck, I'm pretty sure one of them is still missing a couple! Not to mention the writing inside of them..." He prattled on.

The Shoryu's eyebrow lifted a bit more as he looked over the cover of one of the books. The books had definitely seen a bit of usage, as they weren't in the best shape. "Well... we usually do a good job of making sure the books aren't damaged when we buy them back," He said.

"That's good!" Lucky said with a small smile. "Guess other students must've been a bit too rough while they were looking them over then," He sighed. "Hopefully it won't impede my work too much."

The Shoryu began to flip through the pages of one of the books carefully, quickly shutting it as his eyes grew slightly wider, a bit nervous as well. Was the Acara correct? He couldn't see any missing pages, although there was some blatant graffiti on a few pages. That wouldn't be good for the book store's reputation if he told others about the damages. Leaning in a little, he whispered to Lucky, "Alright look. I know what you're trying to do... but at the same time, I can see where you're coming from. I'll get you a set of new books, and won't charge ya. Just keep it a secret alright?"

Lucky merely winked and gave a small grin. "So how much do I owe?" Lucky stated, discreetly writing his room number on a note and sliding it to the Shoryu, who secretly pocketed it.

"For these used books... 20,000 NP," He answered. Lucky nodded and began counting out coins from his sack. Thinking a bit, he looked back to the Shoryu.

"Are.. you the only cashier here?" He asked. The Shoryu sighed and nodded.

"Well, aside from my manager over there, yes," He answered, pointing out a tired, yet eager looking Scorchio. "I'm just trying to get through this shift. And the next. And the next," He said with a groan.

"Well, I am in need of a job..." Lucky began with a smile, which perked up the Shoryu. Not only that, but the Scorchio quickly hurried over, sliding an application sheet and pen towards Lucky.

"Say no more!" He said with a boisterous voice, watching as the Acara signed his name, as well as writing down any information they needed, and skimming through the fine print of course. "Come by the store as soon as you can, son, and we'll get you started on training right away!"

"Wow, uh, thanks a lot, sir!" Lucky said with a friendly tone, watching as the paper was taken up.

"No problem at all, uh..." The Scorchio replied, looking at the sheet. "...Lucky! Hope to see ya soon! Now excuse me while I ring up these folks over here!" He said, darting away.

"Is he always that fast?" The Acara asked the Shoryu.

"Oh yeah. He's just looking to get through the line as fast as possible, too. Still, that was cool of ya to sign on with us. It'll certainly help," He said with a gentle smile.

"No problem! I need the money anyways," Lucky said. "Anyways, don't I also get an employee discount?"

"Oh, right, of course," The Shoryu replied, typing something on the register. "Your new total is-" He paused suddenly squinting his eyes to the Acara. "...oh you're good." Lucky merely replied with a wink and a grin.

After paying a discounted fee of only 16,000 NP, Lucky collected his purchases and walked towards the group. "Well, I just barely scraped by, but at least I got a job! I'd say that went fairly well," He said.

The others were both shocked and quite impressed with how he managed to walk away with a good discount on everything. "Woah, you really are a natural, Lucky!" May exclaimed.

"Yeah, gotta hand it to ya, that was impressive," Val added on, crossing her arms with a small grin.

"Too bad it won't work with us... I don't think, anyways," Enele said, a hand to his chin.

"Wouldn't hurt," Lucky said, turning back to the cashiers. "They seem really understaffed..."

"Next, please!" The Shoryu called out, apparently having yelled that a couple of times previously. The Kyrii quickly stepped forward to check out as he was called forward.

_______________________________________

The next day soon arrived, with the sun just starting to seep through the blinds of the dorm's windows. Lucky was laying face down in his bed, his top half exposed from the blanket. After all, the Acara slept much more comfortably wearing only a pair of simple briefs. He snored gently as his arms wrapped loosely around the pillow he was sleeping on. His glasses and phone rested on the nearby nightstand, his phone staying plugged in so that it could charge.

The Acara's peaceful sleep was soon quickly disrupted, however, as his Xweetok roommate quickly opened the door to his room, stepping in. She was already fully dressed, her hair still a bit wet from her shower. Funnily enough, the flower she chose to put in her hair also seemed to be as bright and chipper as she was, being a bright orange marigold today. "Hey hey, Lucky, get up! Classes start today!" She sang cheerfully, quickly startling the boy awake.

"Guh?!" He grunted out, lifting his head off of his pillow, wiping some drool from his mouth. Blinking a bit, he quickly reached for his glasses, fixing them as he turned around and sat up in his bed. "Whuzzat..?" He groaned sleepily, stretching a bit. It took him a few moments to realize that he was still at the college. 'Guess I'm still here, huh..?' He thought to himself, still groggy from being woken up so suddenly. It also took a few seconds to realize that he was essentially half naked in front of his roommate, who didn't seem to take notice. Lucky's face flushed a bit as he yanked his covers up to hide himself. "H-hey, knock next time, May!" He exclaimed. It didn't appease his embarrassment when the Xweetok began to giggle innocently, turning to head out of the door.

"Aw, relax, I didn't see anything!" She reassured (quite unsuccessfully, if the frown on Lucky's face was any indication). "Besides, it's not like I haven't seen someone's chest before. Now c'mon and get ready! Class starts in a couple hours and I wanna see what the food court has for breakfast!" She continued eagerly, moving out of his room. Lucky groaned as he sat up, putting on his glasses and trying to move past the semi-embarrassing incident.

"Jeez... this place is definitely more interesting than Neopia Central, that's for sure..." He'd say to himself as she shuffled towards his room's bathroom to take a shower. After drying himself off, he moved to his closet to pull out and put on a pair of jeans. As he began to fit into a large, comfy t-shirt, May opened his door and stuck her head back in, alerting him yet again.

"Oh, by the way, your books came!" She said before quickly closing the door behind her.

"Thanks..." He groaned out, quickly shuffling his shirt on before she gave herself another opportunity to interrupt him.

The rest of the morning went by without too many events. Lucky managed to collect his new set of books from the package he received before he and his roommate went off to find themselves some breakfast. Soon, the two found themselves looking for the rest of their friends.

"Mmh! I didn't even know they made pumpkin hazelnut coffee!" May exclaimed, taking another big gulp out of a paper cup. In her other hand, she was holding a delicious looking strawberry crepe with whipped cream on top.

"I still can't believe a cup of coffee here is only 100 NP," Lucky stated, taking a sip from his own cup, which contained salted caramel flavored coffee. For breakfast, the Acara decided to go with a simple granola, yogurt, and fruit cup. Even back home, a simple meal would've costed around 500 NP.

May couldn't help herself and took a bite out of her crepe, starting to talk with her mouth full. "You worry 'bout money too much..!" She replied, gulping down her mouthful of food. "Don't feel guilty about buying something you want! Especially if it's food," She explained eagerly. Lucky nodded, finding quite a bit of agreement in her statement. Soon, she waved to a table, where Enele and Krugg were currently sitting. "Oh, heya guys!" She said, hurrying to join them, with Lucky tailing behind her.

Krugg waved back before going back to eating at a giant mushroom and cheese omelette, leaving Enele to also wave and greet the other two. Oddly enough, today the Kyrii was wearing a clean, yet fashionable white and blue stripped polo shirt. "Morning, you two. Hopefully you slept alright? I know everyone tends to be excited and anxious on their first day, making it hard to do so," The Kyrii said before taking a bite out of a breakfast sandwich. Lucky hoped he was imagining the fish head sticking out of it...

The two sat themselves at the table, with May stretching and nodding. "Mm-hm! The beds here are suuuper comfy! I could've slept for hours!"

"Yeah, you can say that again," Krugg said in between mouthfuls. "I almost slept in!"

"Same here," Lucky responded as he began to scoop some granola and yogurt with a spoon. "Guess I better set my alarm a little bit earlier next time."

"That would definitely help!" Enele offered with a smile. "After all, a rested, healthy body begins with a rested, healthy mind."

"By the way, Enele, where did you get that shirt at? It looks so good on you!" May asked suddenly to the Kyrii.

"Oh, this? I got it at the clothing store on campus. They have some pretty nice choices here," He answered, looking over his own attire.

The Xweetok gasped out as he answered. "They have a clothing store too?!" She asked, visibly excited by the prospect of it. "Oh, we've so gotta check that out, Lucky!" She squealed eagerly. The Acara laughed gently at this, wondering if they'd actually have anything that would look good on him.

"Well, couldn't hurt," He said with an unsure tone. "I've got plenty of clothes, though."

"Aw, but you could get some cooler and cuter stuff!" She replied.

"Damn, what's with the yelling?" Said the tired voice of Val, who had just walked up to the table. She was only holding a paper coffee cup, and from the smell of it, it contained some very very strong black coffee. She wore her usual robes, though her eyes looked a lot more tired than they did yesterday.

Enele couldn't help but snicker a bit as she sat with the group. "See, Lucky, this is what happens when you don't get enough sleep." The Acara started to help but quickly held it in, due to how peeved Val appeared. Krugg snorted a bit while May openly laughed at the joke.

The Aisha merely rolled her eyes and sipped her coffee. "Whatever," She grumbled. "Just not used to being up this early. More of a night person, y'know?"

"We do all have our own internal clocks," Krugg said as he soon finished up his breakfast. "Also, unrelated, but do you have a roommate, Val?"

"No. Why?" She answered a little too quickly, raising an eyebrow to the Moehog.

"Just wondering," He said with a shrug. "It's just that Enele and I are roommates, and Lucky and May are as well."

"Yeah, don't tell us you managed to luck out with a single?" May said as she leaned towards Val.

"Yeah, I did," She answered after taking another sip of her coffee. "Lord Darigan made sure I got a good room. Nice and big, spacious, and no roommates."

Despite this, only May seemed to be the one to believe her, as Enele, Krugg, and Lucky shared a look between each other, confirming that they all figured she was hiding something. Of course, the Acara looked to his phone, perking up as he looked back at everyone. "Class starts in about 15 minutes, we should make our way to the room," He announced. Everyone quickly finished off their food and drinks before throwing away any garbage and heading to the building.

Thankfully they didn't have too far to go, and they were fortunate enough to get into a good row of seats that accommodated all of them. Many other freshmen also filed into the room at an even pace, with conversation being abundant.

Right at 9:00, an older, smartly dressed, green Kougra man walked in. He wore a nice button up with a green tie and nice slacks, as well as a set of glasses. He stood in front of everyone, setting down his bag and a large three-ring binder. The moment he cleared his throat, every student turned their attention to him, slowly quieting up.

"Good morning everyone," He began gently, a large warm smile on his face. "My name is Dr. Katzbury. Welcome to Neopian History," He began, turning towards the giant dry erase board and writing out his name. "Before we get properly started, I wanna go ahead and go ahead and go around the room and see what everyone knows about general history," He started. This confused quite a few students, as they began to murmur to each other. What exactly did he mean?

It wasn't long before he randomly pointed to a checkered Gelert in the front row. "Anything come to mind, mister..?"

The Gelert quickly sat up, not expecting to be picked immediately. "Eh? Uh... well, there's the war between Meridell and Brightvale," He said hesitantly. Dr. Katzbury seemed pleased by this answer, giving a simple nod.

"Ah yes, of course. This oughta lead to another easy answer..." He said, pointing right at Val with a small grin. "Especially for you, Ms..?"

"Valyssa," She said, not bothering to straighten up. "And I believe you're referring to when Kass overthrew the Citadel?"

"That's right! Common knowledge to everyone, I should hope," The Kougra said, scanning the students. Val smirked to herself, rolling her eyes a bit. Of course everyone should know that. "Anything else? Doesn't have to be a war or a battle, you know."

"How about the Volcano on Mystery Island?" Enele offered with a hand raised.

"Would the finding of Altador count?" Called out a random Gnorbu girl.

"Don't forget about Maraqua's curse!" Hissed the voice of a Hissi.

"And King Coltzan's death!" Stated a Nimmo.

The teacher lifted his hands up to silence everyone, an impressed smile on his face. "I see, I see! You all know quite a bit about current events. Of course, it wouldn't be fun to re-teach you everything you already know... but what about the stuff that isn't' talked about?"

"What about the citizens of these cities that lived through these events? How was the rest of Neopia affected due to the Citadel? How did the death of King Coltzan III change how the Lost Dessert was run? You see, the fun in learning about history is in the small details. To truly appreciate what had happened, it's always in your best interest to learn everything that you can."

He began to scan through the students again, thinking aloud. "I know some of you guys know something obscure. Come on, impress me!" He challenged, pointing to an Eyrie, who from the looks of it, came from the Lost Desert. "How about you, Ms..?"

"Rasha," She greeted bluntly. "As for something obscure, not a lot of Neopians know about the Scarab infestation. Left us with a famine so horrible, we could barely recover," She stated, sounding quite bitter as she brought up the bugs. The teacher looked sympathetic, but kept a polite smile.

"Ah, what a terrible occurrence. I do remember reading about that, though. I would love to hear more about it sometime, if it's no trouble?" He asked simply. The Eyrie didn't answer, instead sitting with quite an intimidating look. Lucky was personally scared to look in her direction.

After a few seconds, he continued on, pointing to a rather... strange Cybunny girl, who was dressed in tattered clothing and looked almost like a zombie. "Perhaps you have some information to enlighten us with, Ms... uh...?"

"Ehehee, yes!" She giggled in a creepy manner. No doubt that this girl was from the Haunted Woods. "I'm Elvira! One time, the Esophagor got so hungry, that it wouldn't stop groaning and shrieking, no matter how much anyone fed it!" She cackled. "It took everyone a whole month before it was even satiated... ehehehe... they say they had to feed it other Neopians... but I never saw anyone go that far..." She said, finishing her sentence with another creepy giggle. There was something about her that was definitely weird, even if the Acara didn't want to stereotype. He wasn't the only one freaked out, though, as a few other students noticeably squirmed when she laughed. May couldn't help but cower a bit, Enele stared at her with a wide, unsure gaze, Krugg couldn't even look at the Cybunny, and even Val slumped in her seat a bit.

Dr. Katzbury was the only one not put-off by her strange appearance, who merely nodded with a wide, interested gaze. "Now that's something! Little stories that no one else would probably know! Let's see here..." The Kougra pointed to the Acara suddenly, an eyebrow raised. "How's about one more, Mr..?"

Lucky jumped a bit, not having a story prepared. Being quiet, he had to clear his throat and speak a little louder than usual, which made him uncomfortable. "Uh... L-lucky," He stammered. "Uh... nothing really happened back where I lived..."

"Come now, anything will be alright! No such thing as a bad answer, after all," He reassured. Lucky felt a few eyes fall on him, which only made him more uncomfortable. It took the Acara a few seconds to even think of anything that happened.

"...uh... one time I saw a bunch of merchants go on strike," He said simply. "I think they were unhappy about a store that was trying to buy them out."

"I see! I told you there's no bad answer," The Kougra said happily. "After all, how else were we supposed to know if someone didn't tell us? It could have lead to something big, after all!"

The teacher now spoke to everyone as a whole. "You see, there's no such thing as an insignificant event. Everything always matters to everyone. Of course, there is no way of knowing everything, at least not without witnesses. That is why we're all here," He continued. "A vast knowledge of how our nations exist and came to be is the first step in coexisting peacefully," He concluded.

It was quite an important lesson for sure, even if it was a little standard. For the most part, everyone followed along, and it relieved Lucky quite a bit when he felt the pressure of everyone go away, turning back to their educator. Of course, that was only the beginning of their first class.

The Kougra moved to his desk and opened up his binder, stating, "Open your copies of Neopian History For Freshmen, please, and let's get started."

[sakuurae]

wonder years; preview

» summary: Two years passed since Taeyong made it to a celebrity status. As time flew by, so did the distance between you two, marking the relationship with each other as good as strangers. Before he left, a promise was made when you were both young, and after those two long years he came back with intentions to fulfill it.

❀ pairing: celebrity!taeyong & reader insert || childhood friends!au

❀ includes: fluff, light angst

❀ wc: 2.2k for this preview !

❀ note: This fic will be complete fluff except for some ... minor angsty parts, hahaha. I havent written something like this (a hearty fic) on this current blog, so itll be a little different and i hope the finished product will be as enjoyable for you all as it was for me : ) The final product is estimating to be 20k~ words, give or take ... hahaha.

But heres a small preview for now ! It might seem abruptly cut off but i had to do it there since the rest would reveal how the rest of the story will probably go ! Haha. I also havent written anything in a while ... so forgive me if this isnt my prime adfgfkhgl

Im also still not used to putting ‘sakuurae’ on covers hah this is a sign to go back to ‘honeytaeyong’ huh ... lmaooo

Lee Taeyong was the cynosure of attention these days—well, months to be exact. He had risen to stardom expeditiously, and even the media was barely able to keep up alongside his worldwide activities. From country to country he had partnerships and photoshoots; filmings for commercials and parties by other celebrities on the top of the unspoken hierarchy. Deeming him as a busy man was an understatement, and honestly he strongly despised it. Taeyong missed his old, placid life more often than he should, almost as if he never had a peaceful life when he was young and the thought of a calm way of living was a dream he longed for. In fact, his past was seemingly clouded by a grey haze, for he could no longer remember what the sweet taste of fast food was like or even the feeling of spare time in his hands. Rather, the world was entering his grasp as power and fame creeped into his hands, but, of course, great power and fame came little choices—and it was far too late for Taeyong to escape.

Believe it or not, you had known the rising star Taeyong longer than anyone in the showbiz world had ever. Since you were six, and you had film photos as concrete evidence. Every time you saw his face on the screen and not on your hung picture frames you felt proud, happy for your friend; however, there was another sentiment that loomed desolation upon you. Due to Taeyong’s newfound hustle and bustle lifestyle, the messages and calls he would give you became rare—almost as if you were a fan whose luck was tested for a surprise call from his or her favourite celebrity. Needless to say, that disrupted the friendship and you were unsure if Taeyong and you were still as close as before. And the term “close” to describe your old friendship was too subtle.

Recalling the way you met Taeyong was easy, especially since the encounter was unforgettable. During recess when you were six years old you were on the field picking at dandelions to take home, in the distance you heard a boy yell incomprehensible words towards you. Once you looked up, a soccer ball went straight at your face, knocking you over to the grass. As ugly sobs spilled, a teacher accompanied you to the nurse’s office who only gave you a frozen bag of ice and the two empty words of “It’s okay.” The bump that formed on your head was sticking out protrudently so that the slightest touch made you wince in pain. Thinking about the rude boy at the time, you were furious, telling yourself you will never forgive him. But those silent swears were kept to yourself once the same young child that accidentally kicked the soccer ball to your face sneaked into the nurse’s office to release a string of apologies. Tears were prickling at his eyes as if he was the one who got physically hurt and not you, sniffles were not enough to prevent the upcoming sobs, and he was a nervous wreck. You glared at him in annoyance, aching to push him out of the office—maybe even punch—but before you committed to any actions he mumbled, “I’m really sorry.”

Those three words caught your attention; they were more genuine than the nurse who told you your injury was not as bad as you believed, as a result you stared at the flustered kid who kept on saying sorry. Each time you remained silent, tension thickened in the room. Silence ensued as you remained angry, and caused the boy to spit out, “Can I make this up to you somehow?”

Puffing your cheeks out, you declined and left the nurse’s office to sit in the front. That day you thought it was the last you would ever see Taeyong, but the next day he came into your class before lunch break with a can of soda in hand and another apology. Taeyong trailed you for a couple of minutes once lunch started; he took a seat next to you and offered you some carrots as if the item was a token of forgiveness, and you smiled at his gesture. That day you forgave him, and a friendship had formed. Instead of lingering around his friends, Taeyong spent time lingering by you around the slides of the play structure daily. That continued for a long while until junior high, where you would sit at the same table and chat the respite away childish drama.

You used to patronize his home when you were still young, accepting the love and affection from his family as if you were one of their own from day one, and he committed to the same—given the rare times your parents were both home. Since elementary to junior high, all throughout high school, you and Taeyong attended the same school and spent practically everyday pestering one another for fun. After racing to the nearby park where the loser would have to purchase an icy treat, the two of you always sat down on neighboring slides in the play structure and informed each other about the boring day. The closeness was perceptible to everyone: students, teachers, and strangers. Many assumed the guy named Taeyong was your boyfriend, and subsequently raw shock was their reaction when you both denied the claims.

The thought of you dating Taeyong never crossed your mind until he started to drift away from you after high school graduation. There had to be something more than those races and hang outs that were able to be passed off as dates. Half a day was spent next to him typically, which made the week incomplete if failed to do so. You spent an incredible amount of time by his side, and you wondered why Taeyong and you never became an official item. Of course there was something more than a friendship—even if it was never spoken of, an attraction was active. But nothing changed. Often, you wondered if there was such thing as being too close to the point dating was out of the spectrum?

With his burst of fame, gone were the days of you and Taeyong constantly visiting each other’s houses and eating meals together as a complete family, sneaking into his bedroom through his window to finish one new series on Netflix, and subsequently crawling out through the artful entrance to spend the night out in the town. Once Taeyong was able to drive the nights became longer, and rather than freezing in the cold, situated on the park swings struggling to stutter words through the gelid air, you and Taeyong rested in the back seat of his vehicle and talked about all the stupid things in life. Annoying teachers, petulant drama, and words that reflected a broken heart poured from the lips and strengthened the bond. And sometimes when life became too much, a silence by him was all you needed.

Whenever you gawked at Taeyong at three in the morning, tired eyes fighting to remain open, you recalled how he used to be: physically and mentally. The boy who used to have black hair longer than most, a frown etched on his face to convince the universe he was tough, and an array of flannels had transformed into a man that flaunted an extended quiff and a sparkling smile by senior year. Of course you were not the only being who noticed the distinct change; that was how he was scouted to become the successful man he was today.

The night Taeyong told you he had a couple of auditions for minor roles in movies surprised you; in fact, you never suspected such a day would come so soon. You see, Taeyong was always partaking in theatre activities on-campus and off-campus. He earned thespian awards since he began acting extremely merituous, and soon his name was featured on articles and local news. He was the best of the best, and everyone knew. So once he booked a flight out of the country to fulfill his dream, not many were surprised.

However, before Taeyong had left to fulfill his dreams, he made a promise to you: to be able to make you the happiest in the future. It wasn’t like he pledged to marry you in the future or take your hand accompanied by all the love he could spill; he wanted you to be happy alongside him as friends because life at the time was rough. Stress arrived like no other due to testing and college applications. The struggle to maintain nonpareil grades became a competition—the factor that determined the winner of a four year battle to gain valedictorian. Not only, but you and Taeyong were active participants in on-campus and off-campus theatre. Needless to say, you were both incredibly busy—and as all the stress from family and school accumulated, and so much more, the light that was joy had dissipated throughout the years. With parents kept entirely busy committing to their own service, you never had time to see them, which resulted in the element of trust falling short to speak to them about your issues. Taeyong was the only friend you trusted entirely—your heart and mind craved to vent to him whenever something went wrong—and he felt your pain the more you cried out to him in the middle of the night.

To the insane degree that Taeyong cared for you, everything was given to why he promised to make you happy.

His journey to fame was a long process sprawled throughout two years; nonetheless, Taeyong’s name was finally circulating the world like wildfire. Media wanted to feed off his fresh talents and looks, and other celebrities obtained an interest in the dashing man. Event after event, Taeyong was the name that hopped off everyone’s tongue. Acting modernly in prominence, he became closer to fans and created bonds with strangers, and despite Taeyong becoming closer to the whole entire world, the distance was growing rapidly between you two.

⭒ ⭒

The morning was busier than normal at the corner coffee shop you worked at—especially for a Tuesday morning. Most customers tended to be among the range of adults to elderly, but on this specific day there seemed to be clusters of young teenagers, each ordering the most aesthetic drinks from the menu. There was definitely going to be a boost in sales thanks to the younger group, so there had to be a reason for their spontaneous visit. The shop was extremely packed to the point you had no room to think of extra thoughts like those; all you were able to do was focus on drinks. Since the shop is on the compact side and cozier than most, gossip was simple to overhear.

“Did you see him yet?” said an excited girl who was balancing herself on her tiptoes.

Her friend seemed to shake her head, replying, “No, are you sure the tweet was true?”

“It had to be,” said another girl who was a stranger to the two. “It’s from an official news source.”

“Then where is he?” mumbled someone else.

Holding the tea shaker in hand, you stared at the cluster of curious girls, wondering who and what exactly they were referring to. A bump came to your hips from a fellow co-worker who wanted to snap you back to work, your trail of thought ended. “Focus, (y/n),” he ordered.

“Sorry, Ten,” you muttered, continuing to align the cup for the proper order. “Focusing is hard when there’s a bunch of loud customers.”

Ten laughed in agreement. “Apparently it’s because some celebrity is in town.”

“Did you read that from the tweet as well?” you jested, pouring the iced tea into the clear cup.

“Maybe.” He grinned while topping off his order with whipped cream. “I don’t even know what celebrity would have any business here. This town’s tiny, dingy, and quiet. The person’s changing everything.”

Chuckling, you capped the tea and went to the opposite end of the counter. “Kick the person out your town, Ten.” Reading the side of the cup, you read the black marker aloud, “Two large passion fruit iced teas for Johnny!”

The customer approached the counter and grabbed the drinks and grinned at you before reaching onto two straws. Before you were able to offer him a cup holder, he answered a call on his bluetooth and continued onto his day. “Hello, Tae?” said Johnny, who was clad in a casual outfit consisting of a white shirt tucked into black jeans. “Where are you?”

You stared at the man for a short while, the name that left his mouth lingering in your mind. “Tae,” you whispered. “God, the name reminds me of Taeyong.”

“Everything reminds you of Taeyong,” Ten poked fun, raising an eyebrow in a suggestive manner. “You sure the two of you weren’t some item or anything?”

Annoyed, you scoffed and brushed him aside to continue your busy morning at work. “Very funny.”

“Thanks.” Ten smiled. “My second job should probably be a stand-up comedian.”

[lewigm-blog]

Newsletter 2: To be (consoled) or not to be (consoled) that is the question…

San Pedro de Apostal Iglesia, Andahuaylillas, Peru. Yes, I celebrate mass here regularly, it is aesthetic to say the least Published January 21, 2019

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” (Matthew 6:25-34)

*Full reading can be found here

 Folks,

I am writing to you all after being on “retreat” in Peru’s capital, Lima! I put retreat in quotes because I had to go through the grueling and time-consuming process of becoming a Peruvian resident, but the rest of my time here will be to explore the wonders of the bustling city of Lima. I thought that I would have a bit more time to write while I was still in Andahuaylillas, but with the New Year and all its celebrations, this comes to you late. With that in mind, I will focus on the last part of my in-country orientation in Anda. These next few weeks are part of the what my second-year community mates call the end of “The Honeymoon Phase.”

Since arriving, I have had several introductions (and re-introductions) with those involved in Fe y Alegria 44, the school I will be working in, those from La Parroquia, or the local parish, and several of the residents in Andahuaylillas. I feel that I am following closely my original intention of walking and doing as they do here in Peru, which includes trying Chicha Morada, a fermented corn drink, dancing and singing along with to the Cholitos song at a wedding, and participating in the consumption of Cuy, or Guinea Pig. From what I’ve already seen (and eaten), I believe that Anda will have a place for me with what it has already shown me!

To highlight some of those potential places or roles, I have found an opportunity to join the church band who call themselves “The Rony’s” to enhance improve on my guitar skills and learn how Andean liturgy is structured. There is also a unique role in which a Spanish person is coming in to coordinate and develop an Ignatian Sports program in which physical (and spiritual) exercises are united and inculcated through the medium of sports, namely fútbol. I have also recently had a 4-hour evaluation meeting with a Jesuit coworker which gave me a quick overview of the school year and an idea for things to come. It seems that many of the values learned from my time with the Jesuit Center, Campus Ministry retreat teams and on the Fell Charter school board will be essential and alive here! With my role still being defined, I really feel that I am able to make this time and experience my own, feeding those hungers and talents mentioned in the last newsletter.

           While there have been a number of moments of consolation, there have also been moments of desolation during this transition. When I speak of consolation and desolation, I use the definitions offered by Dean Brackley’s Discernment in Troubled Times. Consolation refers to the peace and joy that arises from our center and affects our interior state as a whole. It isn’t just about the temporary “good feelings” that can comfort us, but rather a long-lasting feeling that can release new energies, widen our vision, and direct us beyond ourselves. The opposite is true of desolation, which is much more negative and destructive, ultimately draining us of energy and hope.

This was a theme presented on our transitions retreat in the region of La May in the Sacred Valley just a few hours away from Cusco. It might seem early to start writing about consolation and desolation, but I felt that this should serve as a rather key theme in the time since last writing to you all. It is something I had thought about previously, but no amount of pre-country counsel or preparation can account for everything in-country. One of the readings from our transitions retreat was from Matthew 6: 25-34, which is about our concern and worry for things that God will provide. After having a few weeks of in-country observation, I know that my “needs” with respect to life and the four pillars of JVC (Spirituality, Social Justice, Simple Living and Community) will be challenged and redefined, but that is part of the process of learning to trust more in God. The three main experiences that I will share regarding consolation and desolation are titled capitalism abroad, community defined, and developing boundaries. I believe that with these three themes, I can best give an idea of a few of the personal struggles, success and hopes I have during the rest of my time here in Peru!

 Capitalism Abroad: Among the things that was brought from the States were habits of materialism and capitalism. At odds with the core JVC pillar of simple living, materialism continues to be a constant temptation in my life. This was true especially leading up to my departure as I made several purchases of outdoor wear, teacher’s materials and self-care items. I tried to be as intentional as possible in organizing myself, but those financial habits didn’t completely go away as smoothly as I had expected. With our humble monthly stipend of only 60 US dollars, those temptations to splurge on meals, luxury items and experiences would be tested.

           For context, it is important to mention that currently a single US dollar is equivalent to about 3.37 soles (Peruvian Currency). Initially, I was consistent in my frugal approach for the entirety of December as I had only spent a single sol on six freshly baked loaves of bread. Then we decided to make a trip to Cusco on the 24th of December, where thousands of people were walking throughout the Plaza for the annual Christmas market. I brought with me only 40 soles and told myself that I would only walk around at first to get a sense of the area. If, and only IF, I was blown away by a good would I consider the purchase. This was challenged as our group walked past scores of llama wool sweatshirts, handcrafted Inca-Spanish themed chess sets, chocolate sweets and much more. (Pictured in the google photos album)

           Present around me was a beautiful chaos of hundreds of vendors in the plaza, as both formal and informal stands auctioned off panoplies of goods and services. There were hordes of people maneuvering at different paces and directions being caught in a zombie-like trance by the color of textiles, the smells of burning incense and the shouts of street vendors grabbing one’s attention with their invitations talking to you as a close friend might. There is a rush or excitement of being on the hunt for something that you didn’t know you wanted at the mall or online especially during the holiday season. It is really amazing the ways in which we rationalize a potential purchase by telling ourselves that our friend or family member would LOVE an item. “Of course, they would appreciate this gift” you tell yourself, while perhaps subconsciously thinking about how you would appreciate a gift from someone SO thoughtful and SO caring. Well, I certainly had these thoughts surface, realizing how quickly one can get caught up in this way of thinking.

While searching for a good deal is what shopping and markets are about, there is a challenge in trying to be mindful of the work and livelihood of the people selling their merchandise. I noticed the interesting reality of the vendors on foot who sell products and services such as fruit drinks, selfie sticks or massages or tours. I am sure that people have come ALL the way to Cusco without having coordinated with a local tour agency and conveniently was seeking the exact service the foot vendors provided. I wondered to myself “Who would ever buy that, and even if they did, how much would these vendors need to sell to really make a profit? How can this be done effectively if there is another street vendor selling the same item a few feet away?” This sharply contrasted the experience of more established vendors had protected stands who were comfortable losing a sale to me because they know that in a few minutes someone else will come along.

Behind and off to the side were the vendors who were from different campamentos or rural outskirts of town. One of these areas had for sale various Nacimientos or Nativity scenes fashioned out of natural elements. Some were better than others, but generally they were not all interesting enough to attract a great deal of people. In this area were families who had brought their young children in in dilapidated clothing, who were eating with rotting teeth as their mothers struggled to make a sale. There was a look of despair and. at times. indifference in the faces of these mothers. It was almost as if coming to Cusco was a waste of time and they wondered how everything would turn out.

This stirred in me a frustration because whatever the education and economic systems that were in place did not allow for these groups of people to live comfortably. How is it that there is so much corruption over years of there being a “democratic” system in place? It was disheartening to think about especially seeing the number of children in this section and reading and seeing news outlets report on widespread corruption throughout Peru. The involvement of bigger established companies such as PeruHop, Uber and other chains absolutely crush these small vendors selling their products as well, but I think I should save more of my social justice rant for the next newsletter.

Overall, this theme of capitalism abroad came up several times during Christmas time, but what gave me some hope and consolation was that with all this tourism created an increased demand for people to work in hoteleria or the service profession. At the parish in Andahuaylillas, there is a program specifically training young people who do not attend university that teaches them specific trades. The people in these programs are genuinely proud of the services that they provide. It tells me that slowly people are bettering their own lives. This change is slow, but steady and I can’t wait to see just how some of these folks end up.

Overall this is the challenge that I have in living simply in another country. I suppose I could stay disheartened by the current state of affairs, but I think I realized that I need to rethink the way I understand this problem. While things are very challenging for some families, there are good things that are coming out of it. There seems to be an overwhelmingly sense of community, support and comaraderie amongst the people here. I remember sitting and watching the fiesta of the 77th year anniversary of Andahuaylillas and seeing the Peruvian tradition of sharing in a large Inca Cola soda or Cusqueña beer. One would open a bottle and then with two or three cups each take turns passing and sharing in the drink. It is an interesting way in which everyone shares in a single cup of drink and allows for everyone to have a bit of a sweet drink. Before anyone is passed a cup, the bottle opener pours out a little bit of drink onto the floor so that way Pachamama, or mother earth, has a bit to drink before anyone else. This sense of gratitude for what the earth has provided is expressed constantly and might give us all something to think about.

 Establishing Boundaries

“When his parents saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, “Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.” And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand what he said to them. He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them;” Luke 2: 41-52

This is the December 30th reading from Luke 2: 41-52. I believe that this account is about a young Jesus and His temporary disappearance from Mary and Joseph. A relevant reading for this time because I realized that I did just leave my home and, perhaps like Jesus, had failed to discuss a few things with my parents, namely boundaries. In-country I have had to detach more from some of the comforts of friends and family, but I haven’t forgotten them. While I am learning from many great teachers here, I still have some duties to my parents at home. This proved to be especially challenging with the Christmas season.

           The holidays can be a challenge for families as they tended to travel together to meet under one roof in close quarters for an extended period of time. I am sure you may be able to relate on some level, but my family seemed to be particularly dramatic during the holidays, especially after my departure. While I don’t have frequent internet access, I am aware that I need to stay in touch make efforts to converse with them when I can. I made my rounds via phone calls and WhatsApp on Christmas Eve and resented it a bit afterwards. My time “catching up” was essentially equivalent to slowly downloading and watching half a season of a Spanish Telenovela and there was nothing that I could really do about it except listen. It became a chore as I would randomly stop listening and it became a game of “Uh huh, yeah, Oh really, Hmm.” Bill Burr does an excellent stand up bit with this in You People Are All the Same when he realizes he has droned out his wife for too long and she changes the pitch of her voice. He realizes that she changed it because she had asked him question, so he goes with a neutral “Eh well, what are you gonna do? It is what it is.” And just like that he makes it through! (Starts at minute 24:00 but the link starts where you can contextualize the joke.)

Is this what I have become? An empty shell just deflecting every so often with someone I was talking to? I was hoping to be energized by my family during this time, but all I felt was desolation and frustration. How could they not be more understanding of my position here in Peru? They expected the same amount of attention, and in some cases more! Although I was frustrated, I understood where it was all coming from. I had left an integral role within my immediate family and it was a space that wasn’t going to be filled easily. Although I struggled with the idea initially of what life for my family would be like without me, I went back to the quote mentioned in our transitions retreat (Matthew 6:25-34).

           I realized with this passage that life would go on without me, I just need to have more faith that all will work out for the best. I came back from the Parish WIFI (as we don’t have internet access at home) into community a bit stressed out. What brought me back into consolation was the comfort that I wasn’t the only one going through a similar longing to be with family. In fact, I had 5 other people in my JV Community going through the same thing. This, along with baking Christmas cookies and creating our own stockings helped me during this challenging time. Christmas Day we were invited by a past volunteer, Sam Hayes, and his Andahuaylayan wife, Lily, for a Christmas lunch. Everything was wonderfully prepared at their home and we got to understand and hear about a past JV’s experience. The power even went out, which for some might be an inconvenience, but served as a blessing because I was able to disconnect from all else and simply be with my community.

           I realized how strange it can be to have one foot in Peru, while having another back in the States. I think that I am growing more comfortable with the idea of my family without me, because life does go on and because at one point or another I won’t be available for them and that is okay. I think that I just really need to create a space for myself in which I can recover and let my family know what that means to me. I realized that by not letting them know, I am not only hurting them by growing resentful, but I am also taking away from who I can be for community as well. Truly this is a worthwhile cause, but a difficult one as well.

 Community Defined (Part 1)

One of the areas in which I felt that I would be challenged most greatly as a Jesuit volunteer was community. There are many reasons for this, but quite frankly one of my greatest fears was being paired up with a community mate that came here for what I deem “the wrong reasons.” I have had several previous experiences and group projects in which I had someone in my cohort that was completely disinterested in the work or task at hand, or at least that’s how it was perceived. Some of you may very well know which (international) experiences I am referring to, but I digress. Even still, I was aware of the possibility that my community may not be what I expect or that we might not get along perfectly at first and this is experience was no exception.

           The way that I wanted to approach the community aspect of my JV experience was that it would be a sort of an arranged marriage for two years. What I believe to be one of the most important elements in any marriage is that love is at its core and all parties need to constantly revisit how this is expressed and defined within the arrangement. I think I knew this to be the case from the moment I met my incoming JV community mate. We weren’t part of the same crowd or had many common interests, but I was okay with that. What mattered was that we were here to serve others and grow together in our new community.

Initially it was a challenge, but I am now beginning to see how our differences can form many of strengths. By having two different approaches and mindset towards what the life of a Jesuit volunteer in Peru is like, we can share those gifts with each other and future volunteers to come. While I personally wouldn’t focus on the “things to do in Anda” or household amenities such as hot showers or access to internet, these are things that my community mate could help ease and clarify for incoming volunteers that are more on the fence about this experience. This sounded wonderful in theory, but to truly surrender to that was a much harder process to trust. I struggled with these concerns mostly because I have been preparing myself for this experience for two years, and I know that my level of attachment (or detachment) from these things is notably different from most. I would learn this much more greatly in Lima, but I will save those details for later.

During this “Honeymoon Phase” of our time in Peru, there were three moments in which I began to understand the gifts of community. The first moment involves a Christmas retreat, the second a despedida, or going-away party, for a second year Jesuit Volunteer. The final moment involves a Jesuit from the Midwest providence who helped foster a very impromptu house flash mob.

           *Said in Spanish “…What is it about ourselves, or what we think we see in others, that makes it so difficult to find Jesus in others?” This is the question that stuck with me from our mini-retreat in Urcos at the Saint Peter Claver parish. Our in-country coordinator, Father Gonzalo, gave us an excellent retreat that revolved around the idea of trying to figure out who Jesus was for us and the personal challenge in seeing Him in others. I can’t exactly recall if it was Father Gonzalo or Father James Martin who said it, but I can only strongly remember thinking to myself during this time “We are all called to be disciples of Christ, but we don’t get to choose who those Disciples are.” What a moving statement! This, for me, summarizes why community can be so challenging.

           The temptation to judge others quickly can ensnare and prevent any possibility of one being surprised by others. After having only been in Peru for two weeks, I had already boxed in and defined what these JVC values and others meant to me. I did not allow any room for change and that was a very isolating and draining feeling. I struggled much during this time because I had an expectation that we would all be in what I call a baseline standard or agreement as to how we might begin to live out our values as a community. I still struggle letting that thought go and surrendering because I was under the impression that with a two-year commitment, we would have considered these values seriously. Truthfully, I didn’t allow myself to move into what we can ALL consider community because I wanted community to be done my way. In retrospect, I see that I wanted to immediately have conversations as to what OUR new community would be, and I longed for something that wasn’t the main focus during my orientation in country. I had to simply be open to seeing Jesus in others rather than magnifying the areas where our more human and errored ways are apparent. It is much more of a challenge to see people as Jesus would as I continue to learn. It takes time and moments that are out of our comfort zone to realize this.

           I suppose it is hard to see Jesus in others if you literally haven’t had enough time to get to know Him. Such was the case with the departure of our second-year community mate, Karla. Karla’s Despedida was quite a challenging time for us as incoming volunteers because we couldn’t empathize with others in the community because we haven’t had time to form a close bond. I had shared a few conversations with Karla during La Misa the first Monday here, a Chocolatada in Urubamba, and a late-night post-spirituality chat.

           What gave us some more clarity and understanding of Karla and community generally was Karla’s despedida. It was a night of celebration for all the work done, relationships built, and provided us 1st year volunteers understand what an impact one can have in a short two years. There were a great deal of community members present from all over Quispicanchi and it made the spacious auditorium seem incapable of hosting so many. So much dancing, laughing and reminiscing was shared and it was topped off with a special mariachi band serenade! It was in the dancing that I began to see the gifts of my community mate. She had an energy that added to the joy already present in the room. I knew that I certainly wasn’t the main impetus for getting people out of their chairs! It gave us both something to look forward to and I think it was necessary early on to see community in this way.

Taylor Fulkerson, SJ was another character who helped bring this out an amazing aura of understanding, compassion and levity to our community that was much needed. I approached the early part of our experience a bit more serious that I would have liked, and Taylor reminded me of the power of joy, laughter and silliness. While we had shared a few intentional reflection spaces and discussions while in the Sacred Valley, we also learned to enjoy ourselves as we rewatched the classic John Tucker Must Die movie; and how we cried with laughter as we improvised an argumentative dinner scene complete with Jersey accents between a fictitious Mikey Scheroli and his sister, whose overtly Italian name escapes me now.

It is moments such as these that truly brings out and shapes community and it is a hard thing to describe. Perhaps the best moment that brought us all together occurred on December 18th with Brittany and Lulu’s (our new second year volunteers) one-year anniversary dessert celebration. We were concluding our time with Taylor with a final dinner together. I remember that we had a delicious dinner and our second-year volunteers, Ghipsel and Karla, had surprised Lulu and Brittany with a Chai cake. For some reason or another we decided to start playing dance songs over the speaker and what happened next was a beautiful blend of theatrical dance and instrumentals.

The fluorescent lighting in our house seemed to be holding us back, so we turned off the lights for the cake candles. Something in me wanted for us to see each other a bit more so I quickly ran upstairs to grab a few more candles and flashlights and passed them out. We used them to create a personal light show as each of our sources of light shined differently, I guess you could say literally and figuratively. A few members of our community began clinging silverware and plates, while others sing along to a variety of pop culture classics such as N-Syncs Bye, Bye, Bye and Chris Brown’s Forever. In this moment, we each put into this moment our own accent to OUR community and something that we will all remember. (See videos in Google Photos Album)

This reminded me of another similar time during my orientation when our Internatioal group “performed” and did Karaoke to Abba’s Dancing Queen. I don’t know how we were signed up to go first, but it left us with all of 10 minutes to rehearse. We all came together, and we presented for all of the JVC staff and domestic volunteers an amazing show. The video is also in the Google Photos Album if you would like to see it. Yes, it might seem ridiculous to outsiders looking in, but this was what made our community what it is; a beautiful, diverse cohort of individuals looking to serve others and be served, while having fun. It has helped me be much more open to moments of consolation rather than desolation.

Fin

           Thank you for making it through those 13 or so pages. I appreciate your interest and hope that we can keep and stay in touch every so often through this medium! Any, and I mean any, comments questions or critiques are greatly appreciated. I have been trying to stay on top of things while they are moving but at times, life moves too quickly for me to be able to write about it. The next newsletter will hopefully be done within the next two weeks. I have been writing, editing, and revisiting both newsletters at the same time so keeping within my “set” timeline is difficult.

I DO have a request from you all, however. After writing about my time of much needed levity and joy with Taylor, I would like for you to share with me an anecdote(s) or a moment(s) these past few weeks that made you take life a little bit less seriously. I think that it would be a great exercise in reflecting on these moments, but also so that I can hear some more about your lives as well!

Peace,

Luis

On the left: Andahuaylillas, Peru; On the right: An exhausted Luis Melgar sitting on top of Coriorco Mountain after a 5-hour hike (Elevation: 4,300 meters/14,000 ft.)

San Pedro de Apostal Iglesia, Andahuaylillas, Peru. Yes, I celebrate mass here regularly, it is aesthetic to say the least

Note to self: Don’t share any remotely suggestive photos of you holding other people’s hands that aren’t Cat’s to Kayla and especially not Aly.

Readings, links and Google Photos Link

Matthew 6:25-34 here

Luke 2: 41-52

Bill Burr Clip (Link to video Starts at 23:09 for context and minute 24:00 for the quote. I suggest watching the special)

Google Photos link: https://photos.app.goo.gl/HvHRqVjV7soEPkfe9