#the important thing is that both manami and onoda are there

[ywpd-translations]

Ride 784: The first day's mountain

Pag 1

3: We're passing through the riverside road

4: I see it

6: Kaka

7: Ah!!

8: Teh!

9: It's the first day's

Pag 2

1: “mountain”!!

Pag 3

2: As we “promised”!!

Pag 4

3: It's the “first day's mountain stage”!!

4: A year ago

6: Manami-kun said it after the finish line, on the third and last day of the Inter High, when both of us were all worn out and barely still on our bikes

Pag 5

1: But having our race at the end on the final stage is too much pressure

2: Next year, if we both have the chance to run in the Inter High....

3: …. yeah

4: Let's race for the mountain stage on the first day

Yeah

5: Like Toudou-san and Makishima-san last year

Onoda!!

Manami-san!!

Pag 6

1: Manami!!

Manami-san!!

2: Onoda!!

3: He collapsed!!

Manami!! Take off his helmet

It's okay, I caught him

Onodaa!!

Onoda-san

Do we have a towel?

Danchiku, water!!

4: Next year... the mountain stage on the first day.... yeah

5: Got it....!!

Pag 7

3: When you run along a river....

4: the water only flows if there's a difference in elevation, either uphill or downhill!!

5: Here it's definitely uphill!!

Even if it looks like a flat at first glance, it's gradually climbing!!

Pag 8

1: Toward that mountain!!

Reading the map, it says that it's 5km until the base of the mountain!!

2: 5km!!

3: Don't lose sight of it like last year!!

Yes!! Sorry!!

4: Hold on tight!!

5: 'Cause I'll carry you all the way to the foot of the mountain!!

Pag 9

1: Thank you!!

2: “Positioning”....!!

3: When going from a flat to a climb you need to “position” yourself

Each team accelerates from the flats in order to bring their climbers to a good position

4: It's the so called “mountain's launching pad”!!

5: There will be a difference of several hundred meters in the first stage between a climber who was launched near the front of the group and a climber who was made to run up from the back of the group

Pag 10

1: Bring Onoda to the best possible position, Naruko!!

Oh-

Sohoku is moving up!!

Pag 11

1: -ruaaaagh

Ugh!! Sohoku's Naruko is so fast!!

2: I get what you're tryin to say, Hotshot!!

I'll take him!! Definitely!!

3: That's why I left the first result to Kabu!!

4: On that winter day, with an apologetic face

5: Ah....

6: Ah- uhm, I have something to tell you, but

Onoda-kun, who told us like it was difficult to say....

Pag 12

1: Ah the stove? You can just turn it off, we're the last ones

Yeah, please. Woah, look outside, it's snowing

Seriously? It must be cold

2: That's not it!!

3: Th-th- this morning... I got a text

4: What was that, an acceptance letter?

The proficiency exam?

5: It's a reply to the text I sent....

6: Three months ago!!

7: Uhm... really, I was worried that back when we made that promise it was right after the race and we were tired, so I thought maybe he had forgotten

Three months?

It was a long wait

So I sent him a text to ask him if he remembers?

Pag 13

1: And I received it this morning

Must be the proficiency test

Shut up!!

What are you whispering idiot

“Back when”, when was it?

No idea

2:He said only one word, “of course”

4: So, uhm... this time

5: Is it okay if I run for the first day's mountain stage during this summer's Inter High?

7: Is that so? Kakaka

Onoda-kun's eyes, like he couldn't contain his excitement...

Pag 14

1: I haven't forgotten it!!

2: I can't forget it!!

3: Onoda!!

Onoda-kun!!

Pag 15

1: 2km left until the foot of the mountain!!

2: Do your beeest....!!

Aren't they climbing at an amazing speed!? Each team is getting in line!!

Yeah, you're right!!

3: Every team is trying to “position” themselves for their climbers!!

“Position”!?

4: Also, look closely

Right now, the cyclist in the second position in the ranks

Pag 16

1: is the one who will race in the mountain stage!!

Pag 18

1: Oi, are you kidding me? Hakogaku is sending Manami?

From the first day!?

Manami is in second place

2: He's the “final boss”....!!

3: My dream of getting the red bib has been destroyed even before reaching the foot of the mountain....!!

4: Oi, look over there, that's not all!!

For Sohoku....

5: Naruko is pulling the “King of the mountain”!!

Wa- we're done for!! Completely!! My mountain prize!!

Pag 19

3: Manami-kun!!

4: Sakamichi-kun!!

Pag 20

1: It's time for our promise!!

We're almost at the foot of the mountain!!

[blondthndrninja]

Yowapeda drabble based on Onoda's new and old rivalries, Manami's pettiness towards new opponents, and Toudou trying to help but absolutely being no help at all.

The phone rang and immediately was picked up after a quick glance at the caller ID, “Hello Manami-kun! How good to hear from you!”

“Hello Toudou-san.”

“So how’s it feel being in the Captain position now? You better be acting responsibly! Hakone Academy’s reputation is still very important, you know!” he laughed loudly as he leaned back in his desk chair, “So is there a reason you’ve called? Come to get the former Mountain God’s advice on leadership? Or maybe it’s about how to make sure to keep your fangirls at bay? It’s not easy being so popular you know!”

“Actually Toudou-san it’s none of those things.” Manami answered, “But it is important.”

Violet eyes sparkled brightly, “Oh? Urgent huh? Well you have my full attention! What can your former senpai do for you?”

“How much do you know about MTB?”

Toudou looked at the phone, “Huh? MTB? You mean mountain biking? I don’t know anything about it? Is there a reason?”

“It seems that a famous MTB champion is entering the Inter-High this year with the goal of winning both a title in MTB and road racing.”

“Oh! Is that right? How did you find out about this?”

“It seems he’s gotten close with Sakamichi-kun…his name is Kiji Kyuui.”

Toudou laughed, “Oh I see how it is! You’re afraid your rival is going to get stolen from you! Don’t worry he can’t be all that bad!” he said as he typed the name in the search bar and immediately saw a MTB article that popped up with a picture and then paused as he took in the appearance of this challenger, “….Oh…I see why you’re so concerned now. His appearance is a 10!”

“….”

Toudou felt his brow start to sweat, “Um…well not to worry Manami-kun, he may be a 10 in the looks department but I’m sure his skills don’t match up to yours at climbing! A-And I’m sure him getting close with Glasses-kun is nothing to be concerned about! Glasses-kun doesn’t seem his type anyway!” he sighed, “Then again, since he’s already won two Inter-Highs he would be more popular with other racers wouldn’t he? Yeah he’s not much in the looks department still but…he does have a charm to him that seems to get to others. I’ve fallen for it too a few times and…Manami-kun? Are you still there?” he looked at the phone and noticed that Manami had ended the call.

‘Uh oh’ he thought to himself and soon pulled up his email and addressed it to Makishima, ‘Maki-chan, a storm is coming to this year’s Inter-High. Tell Sohoku to look after Onoda-kun.’

[toumakibangs]

More High [English version]

@suzuka-nitta‘s prompt was: “In my defence, I thought this would go a lot more smoothly” and I personally think they nailed it (THANK YOU FOR SIGNING UP!) - let’s follow our favourite couple through a day-long date at an amusement park! Or better, THE amusement park! XD

You can read the original version (in French) here.

And thanks to @liesmyth (who literally saved my life this week), you can read it in English under the cut! Thank her for the best parts of the translations, blame me for anything that might be incorrect! 

[About this, @suzuka-nitta: if you see anything that needs to be corrected, do not hesitate to message me and I’ll edit accordingly!]

Jinpachi Tôdô had impression he was living the best day of his life. Even if he already said it during his last date with Makishima. Every new day spent in the company of the climber of Sohoku made him full of joy. He couldn’t sleep for the excitement. In his bed, he mentally organized his ideal day, the clothes he should wear, the pick-up lines. Nothing was left to chance when it came to spending time with his boyfriend. And, as always he had been being a pain the ass of his team mates for the whole week. The latter had finally learned to ignore him while shaking their heads to let him believe they were paying attention to his words. It was easy to do so when you realized that in his monologues, Tôdô was too busy thinking about his rival or focusing on himself to even consider the opinion of others. It was no secret that the best climber in Hakone had feelings for his main opponent, and he was not shy about it. So much assurance worried a few people. His closest allies who had been following him for three years. After all, not everyone was open about homosexuality. Some cadets could not see a boy like him as vice-captain. But Jinpachi had a natural charisma and a talent for climbing highly recognized. And above all, he was protected by Fukutomi’s serious glances, by Arakita’s frowning ones and Shinkai’s demoniac ones, who discouraged everyone from bad-mouthing him when he spent too much time on the phone. He had never noticed his guardian angels. The two climbers had started hanging out regularly during their second year of high school. Even if Makishima proclaimed that a casual encounter in the same race couldn’t be considered a date, Tôdô treated it as such.

After all, every moment spent with the man he loved was a blessing. Whether it was on a race, at his place or the other’s, or like today, in the famous Tokyo Disney Park. The Inter-High had been over for two weeks, and the return after the summer vacation was approaching. It was the perfect opportunity for a romantic date. They hadn’t foreseen that some of their respective teammates, who had decided to enjoy the end of their summer vacation as well, would have come too. It seemed that all the third year students of Sohoku and Hakone had made an appointment, as was Manami who had been forcibly brought along.

- He hasn’t been feeling well since the end of high school, - Fukutomi has said.  - We put a lot of pressure on him. He must relax before school starts and put up his best face.

- Look who's talking – stammered Arakita.

He was sure that in terms of “best face”, Fukutomi was far from being at the top of the charts. He and Kinjo stared at each other as if they were assessing each other before a race. Everyone felt the pressure emanated by the two captains with the exception of Arakita, who compared them to two strangers embarrassed to have farted in the elevator. Apart from this group, Manami seemed elsewhere, so discreet that we would forget his presence. And on that hot day, the young climber looked more like he wanted to ride his bike or take a nap in the shade of a tree.

- Your team is not complete, - Kinjo pointed out to his rival. - Your second sprinter is missing.

- Izumida didn’t want to come. He is busy polishing up all the club's weight machines before school starts – explained the blond.

- Where are your kohais? The keys to the success of your team?

Indeed, the three young recruits of Sohoku, who had distinguished themselves so much during the Inter-High, shone for their absence. It wasn’t bad, thought Tôdô. Onoda's presence would have made Manami uncomfortable. He liked little Glasses, but he could not help but feel the discomfort of his kohai when someone mentioned the winner of the Inter-High. And then, Onoda might have glued himself to Makishima, so it was better that he was not in the game. Tôdô wanted to spend time alone with his boyfriend, disappearing as soon as possible from the group and take him where his program planned.

- Onoda is attending a unique event in Akihabara, he preferred to go there and try to win something, - Kinjo explained. – As for Imaizumi and Naruko, they spent the summer challenging each other, and that's what they were still doing today. There’s no way to stop them. But we brought two other important members of our club.

Indeed, Teshima and Aoyagi were part of the expedition. The poor eliminated from the Inter-High were delighted to spend a day with their senpai Tadokoro after failing to ride with him on the race they had dreamed about since their first year.

Although disappointed by the presence of so many people, Tôdô kept a good face. It was quickly necessary that the group separated so that he could enjoy his boyfriend. Each seemed to have different expectations for the park so it would be easy to disperse. He could then run away with his Maki-chan, and finally steal his first kiss of the day. Makishima ended up accepting hugs in public. He especially understood that it was useless to dissuade Tôdô, who wanted to scream his feelings to the whole world. However, the spider still refused to kiss him in front of other people, even if it was his team, who he trusted. None of them seemed to be disturbed by their relationship, and it seemed totally obvious to them how they had evolved together. It was not the same for society in general who could not see two men kissing each other at an amusement park. Tôdô was totally indignant with this system. His meetings with his boyfriend were so short and precious that they did not want to waste time looking for a place to hide. His lips itched, so he cut right into the chase. He took the hand of the green-haired boy and exclaimed out of the blue.

- Let's meet at the entrance at 7 pm. Have a nice day.

And immediately he fled, carrying, despite himself, the spider, who let out a long "sho" of surprise. Tôdô insinutated himself without any problem into the park, discreetly passing between the different families like the ninja he embodied on his bike.

- Tôdô, where are you taking me?

- I have a sudden urge," he said, turning towards the bathrooms.

- You do not need me for that sort of thing, - lamented the green, who had been pulled inside one of the stalls.

As soon as the door closed, Jinpachi pressed hard against Makishima in a tight hug. The receiver stiffened before relaxing. All the time, he had to be able to anticipate this kind of attention coming from his touchy boyfriend.

- Maki-chan – whispered the dark-haired man, then raised his head asking for a kiss.

Makishima met his expectations. He wanted to kiss him too. This was one of the reasons why he wasn’t happy with the choice of destination. The presence of his team didn’t bother him, but to be out in a place so crowded, even more during the summer holidays, was the worst way to jeopardize their privacy. They didn’t have the opportunity to see each other every day, and Makishima enjoyed savouring the time spent with Tôdô. He loved him sincerely, but at the same time he didn’t often say it. That wasn’t the case for his partner, who never failed to remind him during his daily calls, and even more when they made love.

- I love you, Maki-chan, - he whispered between kisses. - You’re the only one I want for me. The others can manage very well, and I entrusted Manami to Shinkai. Arakita doesn’t inspire me much confidence, Fuku has a unique chance to let go. It's not easy at all to be our captain. He must already be worrying while we are still on vacation. But Shinkai has a little brother, I guess he'll do well.

The red sprinter looked really friendly. As for his own teammates, Tôdô was right about the fact that they would be able to cope very well. Basically, he wasn’t very unhappy that the handsome brunet had brought him by force. The place was not romantic, but he ignored that, focusing on the beautiful man who was still clinging to him. Purposefully, he leaned over to offer him another kiss, his long green hair hiding their faces, while his hands slid on his partner's back, making him shudder.

- Mmh, - groaned Tôdô, when he felt the fingers go under his shirt and touch his skin. - Maki-chan, it's not the best place to do this.

Makishima silenced him with another kiss. He didn’t intend to indulge in a place like this. Despite the frustration between each of their separation, they had never lost themselves to such primitive instincts. Tôdô's dream was to convince Makishima to let himself go in the open, but Makishima was too modest and anxious to be discovered and he’d always refused.

- So, what did you plan to do? - asked the green when he finally loosened his embrace, but without releasing the two hands that held his.

- I just want to spend time with you. We did not have the opportunity to celebrate our birthdays together this year, with the Inter-High”

The two lovers occupied important spots in their respective team, as climbers. They’d had very little free time in recent weeks. Mornings, evenings and rest days were devoted to their training. During July, in particular, their schedule had become extremely busy. The Inter-High was held in early August, just before Jinpachi's birthday. They’d both wanted the victory of their own team, and knew it would have been difficult to meet and have fun together shortly after the defeat of one of them. Even though Makishima had been more than happy about his team’s victory, he also knew that Tôdô and the entire Hakone team had mourned their second place. Including Manami, whose behaviour had changed from a careless joyful teenager to a tortured boy, which greatly worried his senpai.

Tôdô felt guilty for not caring for him, but Makishima was a priority. They had hardly seen each other during the summer, it was too much for him.

- Are you thinking about your kohai? - asked Makishima, who had noticed the pensive look of his companion.

- I know that Manami has the abilities to recover from this defeat. The team regulars of Hakone aren’t just anyone. But I blame myself a little for abandoning him.

- If you prefer to accompany…

- No way, - cut in the brunette. - It's you I want to enjoy today. It was Shinkai who suggested taking him out of his room. He promised he would take care of it. He's a good senpai as well, just look at how devoted Izumida is. I trust him. It's just that I feel defeated when I see him so depressed, but at the same time I understand him. I wouldn’t like being in his place.

Even though he wasn’t used to taking the initiative, Makishima pulled his boyfriend against him once again before pressing a chaste kiss on his head and saying softly:

- You're a good senpai.

- And you are the perfect boyfriend - Tôdô replied, wrapping his arms around the other’s waist.

Makishima didn’t think so. He wasn’t very sociable, didn’t know how to smile, or even how to chat. All the opposite of the brunette, who could have been going out with whoever he wanted, and yet that divine being had chosen him. He was more than honoured, but of course he would never admit it out loud.

- And today, I planned to make you climb even higher than the mountains - said Tôdô smiling.

- Higher than the mountains?

- Today, I'm going to take you into space.

As he spoke he pointed his finger at the sky, which left Makishima puzzled. What did Tôdô have in mind?

- But for the moment, I just want to enjoy the day with you. Come on, let's go, I spent days memorizing the map of this park.

What a perfectionists. It was a quality that just had to be expected in the talkative climber.

~**~**~**~

If he had been able to hide, Makishima would have done so gladly. Even Mickey's Mansion seemed far less ridiculous than his current situation. Wearing a headband that sported the ears of the park’s mascot, to match Tôdô's one, he wandered around the park with this ridiculous accessory. The two of them weren’t the only ones wearing a similar outfit, but Makishima couldn’t stand the mockeries of Tadokoro, who he met in front of a restaurant window, or Arakita’s taunting as he queued with Shinkai for an attraction. He went red like the knot of the famous Minnie. How did his boyfriend always manage to put him in awkward situations?

They had also crossed paths with Kinjô and Fukutomi in the accessories shop. The two captains went on defiantly, but Goofy's ears and Donald's hat serving as headgear made them lose all credibility. Well, at least there was someone worse off than them, Makishima consoled himself.

- I have the feeling that something is missing, thought Tôdô after they had met their friends.

He held the thought for a moment before letting it go. I couldn’t be that important.

If Makishima didn’t like crowds, it was because he never went unnoticed. Children looked on intrigued at his particular style. He was used to being stared at from head to toe, but adults could be much more discreet. He hadn’t been around so many children since he himself had been one. This kind of place was definitely not for him. It was the opposite of Tôdô, who seemed totally in his element. He strode from right to left without any restraint, acting ecstatic in front of the fairy decors and threw himself shamelessly at the mascots to give them a hug. As always, he got himself noticed and dragged Makishima into his mayhem.

As excited as the other kids, he chatted with ease, debating with them the studio's feature films. Some girls even compared him to a prince, and he amused himself by kneeling before them for a kiss, making his boyfriend somewhat jealous. Noticing his confusion Jinpachi jumped in immediately by pointing at him and saying how important Maki-chan was to him. He never detailed the exact nature of their relationship. The younger children thought they were just best friends, but some older kids and parents understood the meaning of his words. Makishima wanted to tell him to stop revealing so much, but no one could deny the love the brunette felt. His violet eyes shone, filled with adoration, powerful, honest and irresistible. Makishima blushed again, realizing that he was the target of this look, admitting to himself how much he loved this boring boy. With as much as he wanted to please him, he forgave him, as always, and he smiled. A sincere smile this time, which even caught the eye of some of the women and girls. Who would have believed that Tôdô had the power to imitate that natural charm on his scary face.

Makishima was finally happy to be here. Here or elsewhere, as long as he could be in the company of the other climber. He wasn’t particularly fond of this kind of place and attractions. He had always preferred the feeling of feeling free when riding on his bike. But Tôdô spent more time looking for the mascots, taking selfies with them in front of the minimal scenery, and the day went by quickly, especially when the line for the least tour lasted between half an hour and one hour, sometimes even more. No wonder, at this time of year and with the school holidays. Everyone was impatient in these interminable tails, except for Makishima, who preferred these moments because it was a pretext to stick against his boyfriend without it seeming suspicious. In the end, the couple only made the most out of the park, and themselves. Makishima noticed that Tôdô only chose quiet attractions.

-Do not you like strong feelings?

- It's just that they may mess me up. I want to stay perfect in front of you.

- It's not so important…

- Yes, it is, -  Jinpachi cut in, very seriously - I don’t want to embarrass you.

Makishima wanted to say that rather, he was the one who didn’t feel at home by his side. Since they had started going out together, Jinpachi still placed him on a pedestal. Surely if the vain Mountain God praised someone other than himself he must be damned infatuated. Makishima just regretted never being able to return the favour. Would Jinpachi ever tire of never receiving attention in return? He knew his boyfriend was very cuddly and tactile, and he was not the type to take the initiative.

- And then in that case, I will get you to hold me against you as long as possible - the brunette ended up justifying himself.

Indeed, the attractions he chose were often held on boats or auditoriums, in darkened spaces. Jinpachi always managed to get to the back or in a corner. So that he could be close to his boyfriend in all discretion. Anyway, the other visitors were far too busy enjoying the show and watching their children to care about them.

Jinpachi insisted on carving their names on one of the slabs at the entrance of the park, in memory of that day. In exchange for tolerating his many quirks Makishima got to enjoy an ice cream, something Tôdô usually protested by singing his eternal refrain about the need for a healthy diet. He ended up choosing a sherbet as sweet as possible. Around the time they enjoyed their afternoon tea they met Tadokoro and Shinkai again, who were trying to swallow the biggest ice cream in the park. They were almost finished, followed closely by Aoyagi who was doing pretty well when it came to ingesting a tremendous amount of calories. Tôdô felt nauseous just looking at them. Fortunately, Arakita and Teshima were much more reasonable in their choice.

- I still feel like something is missing, - Jinpachi said, for the second time that day.

But no one knew what he could refer to. The day was coming to an end and Makishima wondered what Tôdô meant when he said he would take him to the stars. They were in line for a final attraction. To his astonishment, Tôdô had this time chosen a high-speed train: the mythical Space Mountain. He shrugged, not even trying to understand why he had suddenly changed his mind about this kind of attraction. Maybe because it was late and he could now afford to get his hair windblown. Tired after the long day, Makishima listened with a distracted ear to yet another story that his boyfriend shared to pass the time in these long queues. And when he got the change, he read the warning signs and safety instructions.

- An attraction that combines the words "space" and "mountain" is indisputably made for us, Maki-chan, - Tôdô finally explained. - I found out about it I wanted to do this with you. Today, we will climb higher than the mountains, into space. I would have taken you there sooner but wanted to save the best for last.

So that was what he’d meant, a simple attraction. It was just like Tôdô to take him to such a place, wanting to give him the illusion of climbing ever higher. It was awkward, but he appreciated the intention.

Once they were finally sitting in the wagon, quite naturally, Makishima removed the headband ear and tied his hair, which immediately outraged his partner.

- Maki-chan, you're supposed to keep that on all day! - the other climber shouted.

- But we have to remove it to use this ride.

- How so?

- Sir, - one of the Space Mountain managers told him - please remove and protect any mobile props that may fall. Headband, bezel, also store your phones, cameras and cameras.

Jinpachi obeyed without understanding, somewhat disappointed, at least until the huge safety strap was lowered down on his chest, tight enough to take his breath away.

- So much protection for a little dance among the stars.

- Uh, Jinpachi, do you know how this ride works? - suddenly realized Makishima who could not believe that Tôdô did not know what would happen now.

The restriction imposed on them by the harness prevented him from leaning forward to see him better. Makishima extended his arm to grab his boyfriend’s hand.

- Maki-chan! - exclaimed Tôdô, at once surprised and excited.

- It will be okay.

And before the brunette could answer, the train went off at full speed. Makishima didn’t find it very enjoyable; this kind of attraction wasn’t particularly fun. Nothing could replace the satisfaction he felt climbing on his bike. It even bothered him to have to bear the shouts of all the other passengers, those of the boy next to him mingling with the others. He squeezed his boyfriend's hand even harder, and felt him cling desperately to him. Having no other choice but to enjoy the spectacle of the scenery of the space that the attraction offered them, Makishima decided that the ensemble was well done, although the speed of the train prevented him from visualizing well. His eyes didn’t have time to take in everything. In just a few minutes they had returned to the starting point. It was only when they were released that Makishima was able to inquire about Jinpachi's condition, finding him still clutching his hand. His boyfriend seemed paralyzed, as if he had just received the biggest shock of his life.

- We must get off, Tôdô.

Without letting go, Makishima took him outside. The first steps of the Hakone climber were disoriented. He decided to lead him to a bench to sit and rest.

- Why did we go if you don’t like this kind of ride?

- In my defence, I thought this would go much more smoothly.

- But the Space Mountain is very well known. You didn’t hear the shouts from outside, or see all of the  warning messages?

- I don’t know, I didn’t pay attention. I was so excited to share that with you. I thought it was a kind of planetarium. I feel ridiculous, and I'm sure I must be looking horrible. I am so stupid.

He had tears in his eyes, visibly still shaken. It was not much, of course, nothing serious. But Jinpachi was very detail-oriented. He did not want to feel so stupid in front of Makishima, whom he loved and wanted to impress so he would not lose his love. Makishima didn’t like to see it like that. Although they were still in public, he pulled him against his chest to kiss his head. Tôdô was dumbfounded, realizing that his boyfriend had not let go of his hand.

- I liked it a lot, thank you very much.

- Don’t say that just to console me. I know I screwed up on this one.

- It's not just because you brought me through the stars. I loved today. I can’t thank you enough. It's always you who organizes our meetings. You only want to make me happy, and I do nothing in exchange.

- But knowing you are happy is what makes me happy, Maki-chan.

- I think that, within a couple, we should both pull our weight, - said Makishima, pressing a simple and chaste kiss against his boyfriend’s lips. - I promise you I’ll do more, too. I love you Jinpachi.

This time there were tears of joy. Tôdô threw his arms around his boyfriend's neck in a hug that was both tender and tight, quite different from all those he’d shared with the mascots.

- Maki-chan, Maki-chan, Maki-chan, it's so good to hear you say that. I love you, I love you so much.

They remained entwined for several minutes, indifferent to other visitors who mostly ignored them. They just enjoyed this closeness, the warmth and smell of each other, the happiness of being together, quite simply. Their hearts beat in unison, beating against their chests as if they were trying to get out of their cage to join.

- Come sleep at my house tonight, - invited Makishima.

- My parents wanted me to help them tomorrow.

- Tell a lie. A train strike, an accident on the track, anything, but sleep with me tonight.

- Of course, as long as I can stay with you.

They kissed again, simply but tenderly. Ignoring the world around them and the curious eyes of the passers-by. And to think that at the beginning of their relationship, Makishima hadn’t even dared to hold Tôdô's hand. At each new meeting, they felt as though they were evolving in their connection, rising higher, always higher, like a climber who travels the hills on his bike. They loved each other madly and each day a little more. Both of them wanted to continue on this path, until they reached the summit, and even beyond.

- I just had the best day of my life - Jinpachi said.

- You say that every time.

- I think it every time.

 The day was coming to an end. They only had time to go to the gift shop. There they found all their friends. Arakita was lining up at the cash register, two plushies under his arms, each for his two younger sisters. Elsewhere in the shop, Shinkai was looking for the perfect gift for his little brother Yûto, who loved cute objects. Tadokoro, meanwhile, had purchased several baking pans shaped like Mickey's head. Teshima and Aoyagi had much simpler tastes, choosing small accessories such as pens, keychains and notepads that were totally overpriced. Everyone was surprised to find Kinjô and Fukutomi in the same position as at the beginning of the day, staring at each other, arms crossed, without even blinking. Had they enjoyed the park, if only a little?

- I definitely feel that something is missing -  proclaimed Jinpachi for the third time.

And once again, nobody could understand what he was thinking of. It was only when he took a look around the shop, observing plushies of the various characters, some decked out with angel wings, that he suddenly realized.

- MANAMI!!!

That’s what it was. He hadn’t seen his junior since the morning, when he had fled with Makishima, entrusting the young climber to his teammate.

- Shinkai, what did you do to Manami?

- Manami? Damn, since when he’s no longer with us?

- But how irresponsible! - said the handsome brunette, who had already taken out his phone to contact him.

- He was so discreet that I didn’t even notice that he was no longer following us.

- He must be sleeping somewhere, as always” said Arakita, who knew the boy's tendency to take a nap anywhere and anytime.

- He’s not answering his phone! - Tôdô panicked even more.

- Don’t worry Jinpachi, he can’t have left the park. Let's go and find him, and let someone go to the front desk to make a call - Shinkai suggested.

Meanwhile, the managers of the dolls' house saw one of their boats empty of any passenger, except for a young boy who had been drowsy for several hours.

- We should tell him to go out now. Did you hear the announcement? His friends are looking for him.

- It would be about time.

For several hours, Manami had been rocked by the songs and the sweet atmosphere of the attraction that had managed to soothe a little of his pain. The managers, seeing him alone and so peaceful, hadn’t dared to disturb him. It was not until the end of the day that another young boy, a brunette with curly hair, came to pick him up. He thanked them for taking care of him before leading the boy to the park exit. The little climber from Hakone was barely aware. He thought it might be Tôdô leading him away, but his senior did not have such curly hair. However, this head was familiar to him. Probably one of the members of the second string of Sohoku. He hadn’t slept well since the end of high school and felt very tired. He rested his head on the other boy's shoulder, an arm around his waist, and he let himself be guided, warmed more than he thought by this presence at his side. For him, it was not such a bad day. One day, no doubt, Manami would unfold his wings again to fly and rise, starting from where he had fallen. That burden on his shoulders wouldn’t prevent him from going higher, always higher.

 THE END

[evvazi]

I already annoyed ppl on discord but I’m still super emotional about the last yowapeda ep so have an analysis post on the results of day 2:

Kyofushi: They won, so obviously this was objectively good for them, but it was also done super well. Midousuji specifically won this at the same point where he placed third last year, because he learned from his mistakes. Somewhat. He didn’t change anything about his core ideology - as shown by him abandoning a rando (kiriya) again even tho that put him at such a disadvantage last year on the third day - but he learned how to apply it more efficiently. Baby steps. And also a huge opening for him to crash and fail on day three. It’s not just that he abandoned one guy who could’ve helped on the last day, but he also is way too sure of himself being the only deciding factor. He says he won because he is “the most right” and thinks very obviously it’s due to his new way of “holding victory”, which are obviously part of it, but it’s also partially due to sohoku struggling so hard imaizumi had to go without a launching part and hakogaku sending Yuuto instead of Ashikiba. On the third day, the conditions will be different, and if he fails to really take that into account, he can get too arrogant and lose. As for the others, seeing Mizuta be genuinely good and passing Onoda after Midousuji won was amazing, it both shows that Midousuji can genuinely inspire people to be better even the way he is and that Mizuta could probably be doing much better than he is currently if he wasn’t looking up to Midousuji of all people. Komari was suspiciously absent from the award ceremony despite being Midou’s #1 fan, so I’m guessing he’s upset about losing the sprint, but we’ll have to see where that goes. Funatse was cute but let’s face it he’s never gonna be important.

Sohoku: Honestly the most difficult to interpret here. They just keep losing, but they’re not necessarily making horrible mistakes, they make some mistakes and also get unlucky but they make up for it and get a good shot, it’s just always barely not enough. Which is basically the same as last year, except last year it sometimes was just barely enough. Everyone’s getting character development too, in this race especially Imaizumi, so it feels weird that they never win, but it’s definitely interesting to see how they keep pulling themselves back up over and over, every time a little more desperately. They’re technically in the same position as last year with their ace in second place and a third year with a damaged leg that is likely to drop out in an emotional scene on the last day, but it feels much worse. It’s great to see Onoda trying to distract himself from the question if he can pull the team to victory again, because so far, it really doesn’t look like he can. But he knows thinking that would hold him back, so he just thinks of something else. He’s doing fine on his own (and will do even better probably after next ep hehe) and I’m so proud of him.

Hakogaku: Oh god where do I even start. My boys. Yuuto. Yuuto did nothing wrong and I will murder anyone who implies he did. They got third place and it’s honestly 100% Ashikiba’s fault. I like him but man does he suck at making decisions in important moments. If Kuroda and Izumida drop out/fall back on the last day, this will probably be hakogaku’s worst problem. All those people worrying that a sprinter as captain couldn’t instruct the team at the end had a point. It’s another nice parallel to last year, because Fukutomi and Toudou ignored Midou’s taunts, gave up the mountain checkpoint and then won. (Unrelated but it’s one of the things that really makes me love Toudou like he’s selfish on the first day sure but he wasn’t kidding when he said he’d ride for the team after that bless him.) But hakogaku was in a much worse position last year, they’d broken apart after Shinkai lost the sprint and generally not as assured in their ability to win what with Izumida losing the first sprint and the finish line three-way-tie at the end of the first day. And I think it’s also partially because Ashikiba just doesn’t have as much respect for his opponents as his senpai did, especially Fukutomi and Toudou. He raced sohoku like once and he lost, but it sure seemed like he took it more as a step in his personal growth, and he’s only really acquainted with Teshima, who he never raced since middle school and mostly respects for his karaoke skills. Meanwhile Fukutomi got to witness Kinjou’s iron will first-hand after he injured him and I don’t think I need to explain what Toudou thinks of Makishima. With that in mind, it’s not surprising Ashikiba got a bit too arrogant and greedy, possibly even convinced that it was that exact mindset that losing is such a real possibility that made them lose in the first place. I genuinely hope this was the wake-up call for him (and possibly Doubashi who seems to think along the same lines) and he does better on the last day so they can get that final win even if it’s not a perfect 9/9. At least Yuuto got so, so much potential to grow, how he sees himself in relation to his brother, getting over the fact that he lost, possibly even seeing Ashikiba more as a person with flaws than as the perfect hero he seems to be in Yuuto’s mind. I can’t wait to see more of him. I wanna see everyone’s reactions to the loss too. Manami probably won’t mind much, but he might try to cheer Yuuto up (he knows what it’s like to fail at a finish line as a first year after all). Doubashi might be angry??? Idk he’s a proud guy but I doubt he’d be too mean to anyone. And I really want to see how Izumida and Kuroda handle their strategy meeting and what they say to Ashikiba and Yuuto.

This got really long so congrats if anyone actually read it, if not it doesn’t matter I killed some time until the next episode which I know will be amazing because of my boy Toudou.