#where is my Mochita??!

[nightrae13]

A random screenshot from Chapter 1 of the (translated) MochiAka novel 2 bc Mocchi is so precious, he's taking his screenwriting talent to the exteremes:

Here's him being embarassed becaused his poetic thoughts were captured in Akari's perfect drawing through his intense stare at her that time lol. He's so precious!!

[ayakinari]

every once in a while i listen to yakimochi no kotae again and go ohhhhh this is how my brain has been rewired beyond repair

[yume-fanfare]

why are all the honeyworks artists so Good

[leparadoxpolyglot]

A Wedding Dress for You  Epilogue

???: ...chita

Enomoto Kotarou: Mochita!

Mochizuki Souta: Fwah?

Enomoto Kotarou: Have you woken up? Thank god...

Mochizuki Souta: Kotarou? ...Huh, I... What happened to me...

Enomoto Kotarou: The ball hit your face and you fainted. Just for a short while though...

Mochizuki Souta: (I see... So everything I’ve seen was just a dream...)

Enomoto Kotarou: You ‘kay? My soccer club senior went to call the school nurse....

Mochizuki Souta: Oh...

Mochizuki Souta: ......

Mochizuki Souta: No... Sorry, Kotarou. I have to go.

Enomoto Kotarou: Eh? Ah, oi, Mochita!

Mochizuki Souta: Haruki, Yuu! Are you guys still here!?

Serizawa Haruki: Mochita...

Setoguchi Yuu: What’s wrong, what got you all flustered?

Mochizuki Souta: I... There’s a film I want to shoot!

A few weeks laterー

Serizawa Haruki: Mochita, this proposal script for the film is amazing!

Mochizuki Souta: Really?

Serizawa Haruki: Aah. Giving a wedding dress to a partner you like. Where did you come up with this story?

Mochizuki Souta: That... Well...

Mochizuki Souta: (In a dream when I fainted... Yea, that has to be a secret...)

Serizawa Haruki: Let’s get to filming from next week onward. Yuu’s handling the schedule now.

Setoguchi Yuu: Ouh. If things go well, we may be able to start next week. Since the budget’s all settled.

Mochizuki Souta: Really? That’s great!

Serizawa Haruki: Oh right. This time, we have people helping out for the filming. I think they should be coming soon.

Mochizuki Souta: Eh...

Serizawa Haruki: You can come in

Hayasaka Akari: Hello.

Mochizuki Souta: ...

Mochizuki Souta: (A-Akarin...!?)

Setoguchi Yuu: Thing is, I got Hayasaka to read the script too.

Setoguchi Yuu: Romance and that kind of stuff... I wanted to know a girl’s opinion.

Serizawa Haruki: And so, she seemed to really like it and wanted to help out.

Hayasaka Akari: Yup

Mochizuki Souta: (So that’s what had happened...)

Hayasaka Akari: Mochizuki-kun

Mochizuki Souta: Y-Yes...!

Hayasaka Akari: The script this time... You wrote it right? It was really wonderful!

Hayasaka Akari: To be able to write such pretty stories... I think it’s amazing.  

Mochizuki Souta: ...

Serizawa Haruki: What’s up, Mochita? You look like you’re dreaming.

Mochizuki Souta: N-No...

Mochizuki Souta: (This... isn’t a dream, right?)

Seeing Akarin in a wedding dress, holding her hand, they were all in a dream.

Mochizuki Souta: (Even so... I feel like my body still remembers it in a strange way.)

The warmth of her hand... And how it trembled slightly...

Hayasaka Akari: What’s wrong, Mochizuki-kun?

Mochizuki Souta: Ah, it’s nothing...!

Mochizuki Souta: Thank you for helping us film. Please treat us well.

Hayasaka Akari: Yea!

I still don’t know where this unrequited feelings are heading.

Even soー

Mochizuki Souta: Hey, Hayasaka-san.

Hayasaka Akari: Yes?

Mochizuki Souta: If it’s alright, do you want to head home together today? ...I have a lot of things to chat with you.

Hayasaka Akari: Alright, with pleasure!

Here’s the smile that I’ve fallen for once again.

[deus-ex-mona]

a weirdly long event “summary” of the honeypre harumiou event!

this got weirdly long, so here’s a tl;dr: dumb himbo serizawa haruki tries to cook for his cute not-gf aida miou

Chapter 1:

Our protagonist for the first 5 chapters is Serizawa Haruki.

The season is Spring.

During lunch, Haruki and Miou talk about the season of spring, and about how nice it would be to go flower viewing.

Miou asks Haruki to go flower viewing with her.

Haruki: How about next Sunday?

Miou: Sounds great!

Haruki: Nice! I'll invite everyone else too! See ya!! [runs off]

Miou: ... :/

In the classroom, Haruki tells everyone else (Natsuki, Yuu, Mochita) about the flower viewing plans.

Natsuki: :/

Haruki: What’s wrong? 

Mochita: ...you haven’t realised it? Aida was asking you to go flower viewing alone with her.

Haruki: ... eeh!?

Yuu: ...from that reaction, you clearly didn’t realise it.

Haruki defends himself, saying that Miou didn’t explicitly mention going alone with him.

Natsuki all but calls him dense and wonders what Miou sees in him.

Natsuki muses that all they talk about is movies.

Haruki says that Miou always looks interested when he talks about movies... then he comes to the realisation that he has yet to listen to Miou talk about her interests.

Natsuki, Mochita and Yuu all look at him like :/ and all but internally pity Miou for her horrible taste in men.

Natsuki: If this carries on, what if Miou gets taken by another boy?

Haruki: Another boy!? What do you mean by that?

Chapter 2:

Natsuki explains her point, saying that Haruki’s insensitivity to Miou’s feelings may result in her falling for another guy instead.

Natsuki returns to the topic of the flower viewing, asking Haruki if he had even considered Miou’s feelings on the matter. 

Judging by his resulting expression, the answer is “no”.

He admits as much after thinking it over for a moment.

Haruki: You’re right. I should have considered Miou’s feelings.

[Cue timeskip]

The school day has ended and Haruki is walking home with Miou.

As they walk together, Natsuki’s words (regarding the consideration of Miou’s feelings) keep revolving around in his mind.

Haruki ponders so hard about Natsuki’s words to the point that Miou gets concerned about the troubled expression on his face.

Haruki: It’s nothing!

Miou: If it’s really nothing, it’s fine but...

Miou: I’ll be willing to listen to anything that’s troubling you!

Haruki: Miou...

Cue Haruki’s internal monologue, where he praises Miou’s kindness and consideration for his feelings.

Inner Haruki: Miou is always looking out for my feelings, and she is always willing to say kind words to me...

Inner Haruki: On the other hand, I've never really considered Miou’s feelings nor spoken kind words to her.

Inner Haruki: Natsuki was right. If this carries on, Miou will fall for someone else.

Having made up his mind to consider Miou’s feelings, Haruki makes a suggestion to Miou.

Haruki: Hey Miou, for next Sunday’s flower viewing... why don’t we go, just the two of us?

Miou: Eh? Just the two of us?

Haruki: Yup. Just us two.

Miou: ...yes. I’ll go!

Haruki breathes a sigh of relief.

Haruki then asks if Miou wants him to do anything special for the “event”.

Miou can’t come up with anything, so Haruki asks what she wants the most as of that moment.

Miou: Hmm... I want to eat delicious food.

Cue Haruki deciding to cook food for her for their “date”. 

Haruki then apologises to Miou before running off to make preparations for his upcoming cooking exploits, leaving a confused Miou behind in his wake.

Chapter 3:

The next day, Haruki calls Yuu and Mochita out.

Haruki: I need your help to make this mission a success!

Mochita: What is this mission, anyway?

Haruki: Take a look around the room we’re in for a clue.

Mochita: We’re in the Home Ec. room..

Yuu: I haven’t got a clue as to what’s going on.

Yuu: Stop talking in circles and just explain your plan already.

Haruki: As I was saying... I want to make a reeeealllyyyy delicious bento for Miou when we go flower viewing together!

Mochita: ...oh. As I suspected.

Yuu: Have you even cooked before?

Haruki: Nope! But if I try my best, it’ll all work out somehow!

Mochita and Yuu: [visible doubt and confusion]

Mochita: I’m worried about this... extremely worried, in fact!

Yuu: Same here.

Haruki: Hey... everyone has to start trying from somewhere, right?

Mochita: That’s true... but it’s difficult to start off with a bento.

Haruki: Really? Well, I brought some ingredients with me!

Haruki places the ingredients he got at the supermarket onto the table.

Mochita considers the ingredients before him and guesses that Haruki intends on making karaage.

Haruki affirms Mochita’s guess, saying “It’s a staple component of bentos, right?”

Haruki: Well, let’s get cooking! [starts cooking]

...only to be immediately stopped by Yuu for trying to put the (unseasoned) chicken into the oil as-is.

Mochita begs Haruki not to rush through the cooking process.

Haruki: I’m making karaage, right? So what's wrong with putting the chicken into the oil? Why are you guys stopping me?

Mochita: ...he’s hopeless.

Yuu: Okay, Haruki. What's on the karaage you always eat? Think carefully.

Haruki: Eh? Um... lemon?

Yuu: ...let’s leave, Mochita.

Mochita: Yeah.

Haruki: Oi! Guys, wait! Just what’s on the karaage?

Yuu: [sighs] It’s coating. In other words, you have to coat the chicken in batter.

Haruki: Oh! If you say so, it must be true!

Yuu: Saying something like that... you’re really... 

Mochita suggests giving up on making Miou a handmade bento (and bringing her a ready-made one instead)

Haruki refuses the suggestion, vocalising the fact that (as Natsuki had said earlier) he had not taken Miou’s feelings as seriously as he should have, and that he was basically being spoiled by Miou. 

He finally says that he wants to do his best to make the bento for Miou as a way of doing something for her, despite him being bad at cooking.

This wins Yuu and Mochita over and they agree to help him with his cooking shenanigans.

Chapter 4:

Aided by Yuu and Mochita, Haruki begins his cooking shenanigans.

“Thanks guys! I’ll do my best!” - Serizawa Haruki, moments before disaster.

[a few moments later]

Haruki: What is this…

Yuu: Isn’t it supposed to be karaage? :/

Mochita: Isn’t this too burnt?

The result of Haruki’s first attempt at cooking karaage: basically charcoal.

Haruki: I suck at cooking :(

Yuu and Mochita: You just realised it?

Yuu encourages Haruki anyway, saying “Don’t be too depressed, Haruki. You’ve been so focused on filmmaking, so it’s only natural that you’re bad at something (like cooking).”

Mochita jumps on the encouragement bandwagon, saying “That’s right, Haruki. We’ve only just begun, so keep at it!”

Haruki brightens up at his friends’ words of encouragement and strives to do his best.

[mini transition here]

Yuu: [instructs Haruki on his cooking]

Mochita: It’s rare to see Haruki so focused on something other than his filmmaking.

Haruki: Everyone calls me a “movie idiot” because I’m always thinking about movies… But when I think of Miou, I forget all about movies because my head is filled with thoughts of her.

Yuu and Mochita are mildly stunned/amused by Haruki’s honesty.

Haruki is embarrassed.

Mochita laughs and tells Haruki to carry on with the tamagoyaki.

And so, Yuu and Mochita helped Haruki out until he was finally able to make a decent bento.

[cut to Sunday]

Haruki brings the bento he made to meet Miou at the park.

Haruki: (thinking) The sakura have started to bloom, huh… 

Haruki thinks about how he immediately contacted Miou when he saw some info about the blooming sakura on the news the previous day, and about how he woke up extra early to make the bento for the two of them.

Haruki: (thinking) I want Miou to eat the bento soon…

Haruki walks towards the park, holding the bento carefully so that the contents don’t spill.

Suddenly, Natsuki appears.

Natsuki: Where are you going with such a big grin on your face? Wait… is that a bento?

Haruki: T-this is…

Natsuki: That’s right! Your date with Miou is today!

Haruki: I-it’s not a date…!!

Natsuki: Did you make that bento yourself? It can’t be… Making a bento for a girl is so unlike you, Haruki…!

Haruki: Is that a bad thing?

Natsuki: Not at all! This is definitely a good change! Haruki, you’ve always been focused on movies, so it’s definitely alright to focus on something else every once in a while!

And with that, Natsuki leaves with a “Do your best, Haruki! :)”.

Haruki thinks about the “focus on something else every once in a while” part of Natsuki’s words for a bit… and is late for his meeting with Miou.

Chapter 5:

Haruki reaches the park that he arranged to meet Miou at.

Haruki thinks about how amazing the bloomed sakura look.

Haruki spots Miou standing under a tree near the entrance of the park.

Haruki: (thinking) Miou looks beautiful… 

While Haruki was thinking, Miou approached him with a wave.

Miou: Haruki, you’re here! Is anything the matter?

Haruki chickens out of calling Miou beautiful, saying  “N-no…” in response to her question instead. 

Miou notices the large bag that Haruki is carrying and inquires about its contents.

Haruki takes out the bento, saying “I made this for us to eat together.”.

Miou is shocked that Haruki made a bento for them.

Haruki shrugs off Miou’s surprise and urges her to “Hurry and eat the bento!”.

And so, they sit on a bench under the sakura and uncover the bento.

Miou compliments the bento (“Wow…! It looks delicious…!”)

Haruki agrees with her (“Right? I added karaage and tamagoyaki to this!”)

Miou is amazed by Haruki’s karaage. 

Haruki responds with an “It was easy!”. 

Miou laughs. Haruki asks her what she was laughing at. 

Miou says that she saw the small burn marks on Haruki’s fingers. Haruki is displeased that she had noticed it. 

Miou laughs and says “Haruki, you’ve really done your best, yeah?”.

Haruki is highkey embarrassed because “It isn’t cool to have difficulty with making a bento…!”.

Miou asks if Haruki made the bento for them because she said that she “wanted to eat delicious food” a few days ago.

Haruki affirms this, saying that he just wanted to make Miou happy because she was always kind to him.

Haruki: But, I can’t ever do anything for you, Miou.

Miou: Haruki…

Haruki: I always talk about movies… Sorry for always being so uncool during times like those.

Miou: No, I'm happy. Thank you.

Haruki: Miou… 

Haruki: (thinking) I see… I’ve wanted to see this expression on Miou’s face.

Inner Haruki: This feeling is different from the sense of accomplishment I get when filming goes well in the Movie Research Club… This feeling warms me from the bottom of my heart. I wonder what this feeling is… It only comes up when I’m with Miou… 

Miou: Hey, let’s hurry and eat this bento.

Haruki: Y-yeah…!

And so, the two of them began to eat the bento.

Miou: Haruki, that looks delicious.

Haruki: Wanna eat this? [raises food to Miou’s mouth]

Haruki: (thinking) Feeding Miou like this… Just what am I doing?!

Miou: [softly and shyly] Yeah… I wanna eat it.

Haruki: [embarrassed] A-ah, please eat up! There’s plenty of food to go around!

Miou: Okay. So, thank you for the food. [opens mouth]

Haruki feeds Miou a piece of tamagoyaki. Miou smiles.

Miou: This is delicious…! Haruki, this is really delicious…!

Haruki: (thinking) Whoa… This is kinda amazing.

Haruki is surprised by the fact that Miou is eating his handmade bento with such a happy expression.

Inner Haruki: Maybe Natsuki was right. If I can see this expression on Miou’s face, it’s not so bad to turn away (from my movies) every once in a while.

Epilogue:

It’s now in Miou’s pov.

The two of them are still at the flower viewing.

Inner Miou: The bento that Haruki made was a little ugly, but it was delicious.

Miou: Which part of the bento are you most confident about, Haruki?

Haruki: Of course it’s the karaage! There were many failures… not because I didn’t put in the effort or anything! 

Miou: I see. :)

Inner Miou: (laughs) Haruki seems to suck at cooking fried foods… 

Miou: [eats the karaage]

Food critic Miou: The karaage looks ugly, but its taste is decent.

Miou: Yup! It’s delicious!

Haruki: Really!? [blushing]

Miou: Yup, it’s really delicious.

Haruki: I’m glad…!

Inner Miou: Haruki really did his best, huh…

Miou: You should eat as well, Haruki. It’s delicious.

Haruki: Okay! [enthusiastically eats the karaage]

Inner Miou: He must have skipped his breakfast in order to make this bento.

Miou: [imagines Haruki panicking in the kitchen]

Miou: [laughs]

Haruki: What’s wrong, Miou?

Miou: Nothing! 

Miou: Ah. Geez, Haruki, a grain of rice has fallen onto your lap.

Haruki: Ah…! M-my bad! 

Miou picks the rice off Haruki’s lap. Haruki is flustered.

Inner Miou: Haruki seems different from usual today… He’s kinda cute like this. :)

Inner Miou: But I can’t say this to him in-person… [getting depressed] 

Miou: … anyways, I didn’t know that you were doing things like this in secret. Let’s do it together next time! (probably referring to cooking/bento construction)

Haruki: Yeah! Hey… Miou.

Miou: Yeah?

Haruki: It’s nice to make plans like this, huh.

Miou: … Yeah. [blushing]

Inner Miou: We’d have graduated by this time next year. Will we still be able to spend time together then? 

Inner Miou: [mentally shaking off her previous line of thought] For now, I should just enjoy the time I have with Haruki.

Haruki: Miou, want another piece of tamagoyaki?

Miou: Yes! Thank you for the food. [gets fed by Haruki]

The tamagoyaki: CRUNCH

Miou: …

Haruki: What’s wrong?

Miou: There was an egg shell.

Haruki: A-are you okay!? 

Miou: Yeah. I’ve already swallowed it.

Haruki: I’m sorry, Miou…!! This happened even though I practised cracking eggs like crazy!

Miou: [laughs] Is that so.

Haruki: [is embarrassed]

Miou: [laughs at the flustered look on Haruki’s face]

[ramirei]

Assertion of the Heart - preparation 10 + epilogue

Takamizawa Arisa is eager to make friends and fit into class at her junior high school. However, she doesn’t fit into the girl groups and the only person she talks to is Enomoto Kotarou who sits in the seat behind her. Though she feels close to Miura Karen, a fellow classmate who doesn’t fit in class, she was scared of being singled out by her peers. Shibasaki Ken, Kotarou’s friend, takes notice of the conflicted Arisa but – “It’s too boring to hate all the time.” What awaits Arisa as she takes a step forward in her own way!?

Find the masterlist with all the chapters here!

Please support Honeyworks by purchasing the novel here! (CDJapan is also a good alternative).

AND I AM DONE! But this isn’t over yet because next up is Mean Encounter!! If the tenses sound weird, don’t worry, they’re weird in Japanese, too. There’s a lot of point of view jumping and tense changes, so once the text changes to I/you and it’s not in quotes or italics, just remember they’re the thoughts of the narrator of that section. (i’m just gonna post this for now and hope it stays alive on tumblr)

preparation 10

 On the day of the sports tournament, the entire school changed into their gym clothes and participated in events respectively held in the gym and the schoolyard. Students were supposed to be watching the other ongoing games from the grass in the schoolyard or from the cheering stands in the gym in between their own games. However, everyone freely walked around the school since no one was actually enforcing this rule onto them.

Arisa hurried headed to the back of the gym after the 9th grader’s games ended. The person she was looking for was in the middle of washing his face at the outdoor sink.

Good, there’s no one that will get in my way! After checking that the coast was clear, Arisa stepped up to him, making sure he didn’t notice her.

Lifting his head, he realized that the towel he hung at the edge of the sink had disappeared, prompting him to look around, “Huh?”

“Setoguchi-senpai*, you dropped this.” Arisa nonchalantly held out his towel with a sweet smile.

Setoguchi Yuu, Hina’s older brother, returned her smile with a, “Oh, thank you,” and took the towel from her. He had great looks, he was smart, and, to top it off, he was also great in athletics. He was a prince with everything that a girl wanted in a guy.

“Um…?” Yuu looked at Arisa, slightly confused, after wiping his face with the towel, “Setoguchi-senpai, are you Enomoto-senpai’s boyfriend?” She asked boldly.

Yuu paused, then exclaimed, “Huh!?” in surprise. “Why… this question all of a sudden?”

“It’s because Enomoto… no, a male student in my class is worried about whether or not the two of you are secretly dating.” Arisa said, looking at Yuu with both hands clasped together.

“What, Kotarou? Why would he care about something like that?”

“Eno… it’s because he’s going through puberty. He has all kinds of complicated worries.”

“…All kinds as in?”

“That’s, well, various… so, are the two of you going out?” Arisa approached his face without hesitating, causing Yuu to bend backwards to escape her approach.

After a few seconds of silence, he averted his gaze without thinking. His cheeks were becoming slightly red, “Um, no… I don’t… think we are?”

“Really, really!? You swear to God!?” Arisa cornered Yuu to the wall, thrusting out her hands on either side of him with a thump so he wouldn’t escape.

Yuu’s expression stiffened slightly as his back pressed against the wall, “We’re just childhood friends. On second thought, why are you making me say this?”

Arisa brought a hand from the wall to her chin. Huh, I see. It doesn’t mean they’re going out… However, the elder Setoguchi was no doubt in love with Kotarou’s older sister. Moreover, so was Koyuki.

“Oh, Yuu… and Takamizawa!?” Hina yelled, noticing them after exiting the gym.

“Hina, do you know her?” Yuu looked at Hina, hanging his tower around his neck.

“Well then, Setoguchi-senpai, good luck on your next game.” Arisa said with a smile, then immediately left the scene.

“Wait a second, Takamizawa!” Hina ran after her, leaving Yuu behind, “I said wait a second! Why were you talking to my brother?” She asked, yanking the sleeve of Arisa’s jersey.

Arisa turned with a sigh, “You sure are a busy person.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Koyuki and your brother don’t belong to you. Anyone is free to go up and talk to them, aren’t they?”

“Even if you say that… you’re definitely plotting something, aren’t you!” Hina looked like she didn’t plan on releasing Arisa’s sleeve until she found out why they were talking.

Without a choice, Arisa softly sighed, “Oh, Koyuki.”

“Huh, where!?” Hina reacted immediately and searched their surroundings. Arisa quickly walked away while she did, “Takamizawa, you’re mean!”

Arisa let out a giggle, listening to Hina miffed about the fact that Koyuki was no where to be found, “Really, such a busy person.”

Koyuki, Hina, and even Kotarou. Everyone was doing their best in love. Life surely didn’t feel dull if they lived like that every day.

Surely, the world… appeared even more dazzling to them.

♦     ♦     ღ     ♦     ♦

“Heeey, Yuu.” Catching sight of Yuu, Kotarou walked up to the gym. Yuu lived in the house next door, was something like a childhood friend to his older sister and was someone he knew well.

“Kotarou…” Yuu looked at Kotarou, grabbing the towel hung around his shoulders with both hands.

Hina was supposed to be cheering for Yuu’s game. That’s why he thought he’d be able to see her if he went to the gym, but…

Kotarou walked up to Yuu, restlessly looking around them, “Did you see Hina?”

“Hina? Oh… she went off somewhere with that Takamizawa girl.”

“With Takamizawa!? She didn’t say something weird again, did she?”

For some reason, Arisa and Hina did not get along. It was apparently due to the fact that Arisa was hanging around an upperclassman by the name of Ayase Koyuki as of late with utmost persistence. Because of that, Hina was recently constantly in a foul mood. That’s why he had nothing but a bad feeling after hearing that they were together.

They aren’t fighting, right…?

Kotarou made an about-face and was about to go searching for them when Yuu called out to him, “Kotarou.”

“Hm? What?”

“Well… how should I say this… sorry.”

Kotarou looked back at him in confusion at the sudden apology. Did something happen that Yuu had to apologize to me for? He had a feeling that there were several incidents in the past that he had to apologize to Yuu for. However, he didn’t remember any of the opposite.

“For not nothing a lot of things.”

“Huh? What’re you talkin’ about?”

“If there’s ever anything you need to talk about, you can come talk to me any time.” Yuu said seriously and patted both of Kotarou’s shoulders consolingly.

I’m getting even more confused though!? Nevertheless, he felt like he was being looked at with an extremely sympathetic gaze for some reason.

“Oh, there you are. Yuu! The next game is starting?” Natsuki, Kotarou’s older sister, rushed up to them while waving.

Kotarou exclaimed a, “Ugh!” at his sister’s voice, “Natsuki!” He unconsciously made to run due to a defensive instinct that was instilled into him since he was little.

“Kotarou, what’s with your reaction? Why are you saying ‘ugh’ at seeing your older sister’s face? Why?” Natsuki, now at their side, lovingly yanked at Kotarou’s ear before he could run.

“Let me go, you ugly woman!”

“You’re so annoying, you monkey!”

“Natsuki, let it go. Weren’t you going to go see Mochita’s game? He’s going to get sulky if we don’t go and support him.”

“Huh, wait, Yuu!!” Yuu grabbed Natsuki’s arm and forcefully pulled her away.

Kotarou watched as the two returned to the gym, stunned. What the heck was that? I don’t understand what happened at all…

♦     ♦     ღ     ♦     ♦

After returning home, Arisa ate dinner, took a bath, then shut herself in her room. She quickly ran her colored pen across loose pieces of paper that were spread out onto the low table in her room.

The elder Setoguchi likes Enomoto’s older sister (?).

Enomoto’s older sister likes the elder Setoguchi (?).

Koyuki likes Enomoto’s older sister.

Setoguchi likes Koyuki.

Enomoto likes Setoguchi. **

Arisa gazed at the relationship char, resting a cheek on her hand and sighed. Kotarou and Hina, plus Koyuki, Hina’s older brother Yuu, Natsuki… It was as if they were threads that got tangled together. If she pulled at them, she had a feeling that the threads would smoothly come undone, but she also felt like they would do the opposite, instead tangling together and not come undone at all.

“Hmmmmm…” Arisa hummed, lifting her cheek from her hand, “Oh, I get it! In short, if I stick Koyuki with Enomoto’s older sister… then Setoguchi has no choice but to give up on Koyuki! Isn’t this killing two birds with one stone?” Arisa’s eyes sparkled as she hurriedly drew a new line with her colored pen.

There was no choice but to make one person unhappy. Setoguchi’s older brother was popular, so it shouldn’t be a problem for him to experience a broken heart once or twice. If he could valiantly give up just this once for his younger sister’s happiness…

“As if things would turn out that well.” She dropped her head onto the table with a thump. The colored pen she was holding rolled onto the table. Arisa turned her face to the side, glancing at the relationship chart. It didn’t seem like Yuu and Natsuki were going out yet, “But it’s not going to be easy wedging yourself in between them…” Arisa mumbled, recalling Koyuki gazing at Natsuki from a distance.

If Koyuki experienced a broken heart, then it meant that Hina still had a chance. In the unlikely event that things went well between them, then it would be Kotarou with the broken heart this time. It would be better for Hina to give up on Koyuki when she considered Kotarou. She came up with various ways to make it happen, but Hina was earnest in her own way and so was Koyuki. The solution to what would be the best thing to do if their feelings ever came to light was one she couldn’t answer.

“Ugh, seriously.” Arisa was becoming increasingly irritated and rolled onto her rug.

Why won’t things go well?

The feelings of people…

♦     ♦     ღ     ♦     ♦

Once the week began, the sky looked like it would rain for a while.

After school, Arisa headed to the entrance to find Koyuki standing stock still with an umbrella in hand. He was watching Yuu and Natsuki as they headed to the front gates. In the midst of heavy drops of rain hitting the asphalt, the two walked closely together with different colored umbrellas.

Arisa averted her eyes from Koyuki’s lonely and gloomy figure. She couldn’t even look at him.  I mean, it’s because I know. You end up being found out because you’re so obvious.

It seemed like Koyuki was always alone even in class. The only time Arisa witnessed him talking to someone was when he was with Natsuki.

The ��him” who became like a ghost in class. How happy and how significant would it be for there to be someone in class that connected with him just like she did with everyone else? It would make him feel like it was okay for him to be here, too, just by her greeting him in the morning and smiling at him. That made him feel like he wasn’t a ghost, but just a normal student like everyone else. That was what Natsuki was to Koyuki.

For Arisa to ask him to give up on her…

Clutching tightly onto the handle of her umbrella, Arisa walked up to Koyuki, “Koyuki.”

Koyuki turned in the direction of her voice, “Takamizawa…”

“Are you not going to talk to her?”

“Huh?”

“To Natsuki.”

“Oh… no…” Koyuki lowered his gaze with a slight smile and did not finish his sentence.

Arisa stood next to him. They could no longer see Yuu and Natsuki now that they passed through the gates. Their surroundings became slightly clearer due to the dark sky and the nonstop rain.

Really… there’s nothing but things that won’t turn out the way we want them to…

♦     ♦     ღ     ♦     ♦

Hina, now ready to go home after she finished cleaning, was walking down the stairs looking down. She feet naturally came to a stop when she discovered Koyuki sweeping the hallways.

“Koyuki…”

“Oh!” Hina’s heart leapt when she realized Koyuki had heard her. She immediately turned away. “Wha… Setoguchi?”

How many more times… how many more times if our eyes keep meeting… surely… Her heart continued to pound thump after thump.

Hina pressed her back against the wall in the hallway, having returned all the way back to the 7th grade classrooms, and caught her breath. Her hands burned and they were sweating. She tightly gripped her hands.

“Setoguchi…?” A voice called out uncertainly.

Hina jumped in surprise. She turned to find Koyuki looking at her with a worried expression, a broom still in his hands.

See…

It’s because when our eyes meet, you smile so kindly at me.

I’ll end up realizing.

Realizing my own feelings –

♦     ♦     ღ     ♦     ♦

When Arisa left their classroom after school, she found Kotarou stopped in the middle of the hallway. “…Enomoto?” She called out, approaching him. Kotarou didn’t reply.

He was watching Koyuki and Hina. Koyuki was consoling Hina, who looked on the verge of tears, while flustered. Hina was laughing at Koyuki’s reaction. She looked happy, her cheeks blushed red.

Arisa quietly peeked at Kotarou’s profile. She had imagined that he would’ve been irritated, but his expression was surprisingly calm. “Are you fine with that?”

“With what?”

“Those two.”

Hina’s expression had already become the face of someone who had completely realized her own feelings.

“It’s… fine, isn’t it?” Kotarou stated. He turned to return to their classroom.

Arisa glanced at Hina and Koyuki, letting out a small sigh.

As expected, this was… going nowhere.

People’s feelings were something that others couldn’t do anything about. They don’t even go the way the person themselves want them to. Surely, even when they knew there was no hope.

Humans can’t live without falling in love.

♦     ♦     ღ     ♦     ♦

Spring – March, the graduation ceremony.

Kotarou went up to the rooftop alone. Once he was there, he leaned against the fence and gazed at the people below. He saw the 9th graders coming out the front gates with their parents after finishing their graduation. There were also students receiving bouquets while surrounded by their underclassmen.

“Is it okay for you to be up here? Isn’t your sister graduating?” Arisa said from behind as she approached him.

He turned to her, “I guess.”

“Shouldn’t you be celebrating? Like going out to eat.”

“Oh… She said that she was going somewhere with Yuu’s family.”

“You’re not going?” She leaned against the fence next to him.

“It’s too much trouble.” Kotarou said, linking his hands together behind his head.

The sky was clear. White clouds were slowly crawling across the sky. The wind was still slightly chilly, but it was mild.

“…What about Setoguchi?”

“Hina has club activities. Thought up until a second ago she was bawling.”

“Oh, because Koyuki is graduating, too… Are you staying back at school ‘cause you’re worried about her? Enomoto, you’re honest, or more like, admirable?” She teased.

Kotarou grimaced, “Shut up.”

“And yet, I wonder why you haven’t entered Setoguchi’s sight at all.” Even though he’s this dedicated.

“It’s fine. Because, before long, I’ll turn into an awesome guy that will make her say that she has no one else in her sights but me!” Kotarou declared full of confidence, but his expression soon became bashful.

“Well… isn’t that fine, too?” Arisa brought her fluttering hair to her face to hide her spreading smile.

It almost makes me envy him because he only sees one person.

“Besides, there’s a phrase called ‘having nothing left to lose’.”

“Go on, keep saying that.”

They laughed, bumping their fists together.

The debt from that time still remained unpaid in her heart. That’s why… She wished upon the clear, blue sky spreading endlessly until the ends of the earth.

May this person’s feelings one day reach her…

epilogue

During the weekend, Arisa was at the shopping mall in front of the station. She had been looking forward to it since that morning and she was slightly embarrassed that she had put so much energy into dressing up.

There was already a long line in the ventilated central event hall. Arisa stood around the middle of the line and was marching small steps in place unable to calm down.

“Please stand in order of the number on your ticket!” An official loudly shouted.

What do I do… what do I do? I’m actually here… Her heart kept rapidly beating ever since she arrived in line.

Three days ago, she found out that Narumi Sena was holding a handshake event as part of a magazine PR event. Arisa wanted to see her even for a few moments despite only ever having seen her on TV and had lined up in front of the automatic doors of the shopping mall before opening hours to obtain a numbered ticket. She intended to come early, but a line had already formed in front of the doors; that only spoke of how amazingly popular Sena was.

It was her first time going to someone’s handshake event. It was also her first time wanting to meet someone this strongly before. She had completely become a fan of Sena ever since seeing her on TV. Without fail, she would buy the magazines that Sena appeared in and she would always set the TV to record if she heard that Sena would be in a morning show so that she wouldn’t miss it. She even bought the lip cream Sena endorsed.

The more Arisa learned about Sena, the more she thought, “Wow, this person is amazing.” She admired her and began to want to follow her. Those lined up here likely thought the same way.

She heard someone say, “Sena is adorable, right!” from around her.

In her head, she agreed, “She is!” If it were possible, she almost wanted to say, “Include me in the conversation, too!”

It would probably be okay for her to talk to Sena for a little bit once it was her turn, right? Or would it be better for her to move aside immediately after shaking her hand because of the people waiting in line behind her? It was her first time at an event like this, so she didn’t know the protocol. She restlessly peeked up at the front of the line.

“My… my hands are getting sweaty!” Arisa realized with a start and hurriedly wiped her hands on her clothes.

As she did so, it was rapidly getting closer to her turn. The girls in front of her in line happily told Sena, “I buy your magazines!” while shaking her hand.

Ok, it should be okay for me to talk to her for a little bit! She quietly clenched her fists in triumph.

A voice called out, “Next person in line.”

“Yes!” She squeaked, her voice raising sharply due to her nerves.

Sena sat in front of her, smiling amicably as she talked with an official.

It’s the real persoooooooooon!

She looked just like she did on TV. Her face was small, her eyes were large and bright, and both her hair and skin were shiny and smooth. Her entire being was adorable. No matter where she looked, Sena was adorable from head to toe.

Wait, no, I have to say something. Something… but what!? Arisa began to panic, making it even more difficult for her words to come out. She even forgot to hold her hand out.

Sena smiled at Arisa, who stood frozen, and held out her own hand, “Thank you for coming here today.”

Arisa broke out of her trance at Sena’s words and frantically shook her hand. Her hand was shaking slightly, “T-Thank you very much!” It took all she had just to say that one phrase and, without properly meeting Sena in the eye, she briskly walked away from the table.

Ahhhh, seriously! That wasn’t what you were supposed to say!! Arisa walked all the way to an empty area before she brought both hands to her warm cheeks.

I’m a really big fan!

I love you!

I admire you!

I was really encouraged by your words after seeing you on TV!

She had had so many things she wanted to say. She even thought of what to say in line.

“What the heck is ‘thank you very much’!?” Arisa came here today because she wanted to tell Sena that, on that day, she had been saved by her words, that she made her happy, and to express her gratitude. That’s why, what she told her wasn’t exactly wrong.

It isn’t… but definitely none of what I wanted to say got conveyed. She sighed, placing a hand on a wall with a poster.

But –

She met her. She looked down at the very hands that shook Sena’s own. I actually met her! Arisa broke into a smile and gripped her hands tightly.

She still hadn’t become the person she wanted to be in the slightest. Things continued to go wrong and the world surrounding her continued to maintain the status quo. She hadn’t been able to resolve anything nor had anything changed. Everyday was a fight with her weak self. She still did not have the courage to firmly walk down the path she found herself with her own two legs like Sena. Even the idea of where she should head was vague and she was still fumbling around for answers. But she couldn’t stand still.

Because that person is also the same. I have to move forward, too…

“Let’s go!” Arisa exclaimed as she walked straight ahead.

Are you ready to get a running start? Head into the direction you believe in and don’t look back. There are new encounters waiting –

♦     ♦     ღ     ♦     ♦

“Oh, I just got here. Wait a bit…” Ken said, his phone pressed against his ear, as he walked through the fountain plaza. He headed towards the automatic doors of the shopping mall.

As it was a holiday, the doors were opening and closing without a break as customers filtered in and out of the mall.

“I said I didn’t make any other plans. I’ll be with you all day, y’know?”

Ken stopped. Arisa walked past him as she exited the mall. Her eyes shined and her expression showed that she couldn’t help but be happy as she dashed towards the plaza. A smile crept onto his face without warning as he watched her walk away.

“No… it’s nothing.” He said to the person on the other line and walked into the mall.

With the desire to put an end to the days where they merely passed by each other, the first time he would speak to her would be after they began their first year in high school.

I won’t get serious, y’know? Cause we know that those that enjoy themselves are the ones that win in this “love game.”

You bluntly told me who thought of this as a game, “That must be so boring.”

You denied everything about my world. This was a mean encounter –

* I would usually take out any honorific suffixes, but I needed a distinction between the Setoguchi siblings and the Enomoto siblings, so Yuu and Natsuki keep their -senpai titles since Arisa respectfully calls them by their last names. 

** Adding this note just in case anyone gets confused, remember that a majority of this novel is in Arisa’s POV and she addresses Kotarou as Enomoto and Hina as Setoguchi. So in any instances where “Enomoto” and “Setoguchi” appear without the -senpai title, we��re talking about the younger siblings.

[renna-translations]

Picture Book of My First Love (Chapter 3)

This is beyond late, but here it is!

Here’s the third chapter of the novel adaption of HoneyWorks’ “Hatsukoi no Ehon (Picture Book of My First Love)“ about the president of the Art Club, Miou, and the Film Club’s star, Haruki. The two third years from Sakuragaoka High School walk home together every day, but Miou is too shy to tell him her feelings. While helping with his movie, Miou asks him, “Do you have a crush on anyone?” and to her great surprise, Haruki answers, “I do.” And what’s more, Haruki confesses to Natsuki, his childhood friend?!

Masterpost with links to all the translated chapters can be found here. You can find the masterpost with all the Confession Executive Committee/Sound of Confession series-related translations here.

←Chapter 2　|　Chapter 4→

＊If you can, I highly encourage supporting the creators by buying the book for yourself at Amazon!

——

Chapter 3

Summer was nearing its end, and the autumn bugs were starting to make themselves heard amongst the cries of the cicadas at sunset.

Feeling a cool breeze brush against his neck, Haruki looked up from his laptop.

The lights in the room were on, but he hadn’t noticed them come on, and Souta, who should have been sitting next to him editing the script, was nowhere to be seen. Maybe he’d turned the lights on his way out, since Haruki was still staying behind to work.

“....Crap, what time is it now?”

“Almost time for the school to be locked up for the day.”

Having not expected to hear a reply, Haruki startled in his seat on his folding chair.

Akechi Saku, his homeroom teacher, as well as the Film Club advisor, peered in from the doorway. Although he was in charge of teaching Classical Japanese, he always wore a white labcoat as part of his uniform for some reason, and even now, it stood out in the dim light.

“Just you? Where’s Setoguchi and Mochizuki?”

Akechi came inside, his sandals making slapping sounds against the tile floor.

Haruki had been startled by Akechi’s sudden appearance, but that ridiculous sound, paired with that monotone voice, made him let out a sigh.

“Yuu has prep school, and Mochita…. probably went home.”

“Probably? Ah, I see…. You didn’t even notice when he told you he was heading home, huh?”

As a teacher, Akechi didn’t bother with touching on the fact that Haruki, as usual, spoke so casually towards him.

They were well-acquainted due to Akechi being a friend of Haruki’s older brother, but more than anything, it was mostly because Haruki didn’t care. Akechi had to go as far as telling him, “Call me ‘Sensei’ when we’re at school.”

‘In the first place, he hardly even seems like a teacher.’

As Akechi peered over at the laptop screen with great interest, both his hands stuffed into the pockets of his lab coat, he didn’t look all that different from Haruki and the others. At best, he might pass for a graduate student, but he hardly seemed like an adult at all.

It wasn’t because he had a baby face or anything, but perhaps because he gave off the impression of being aloof and unworldly.

‘Although to put it in one word, I’d say he looks downright shady.’

“Huh? What, so you were just checking over your movie?”

‘….I want to say, ‘What did you think I was looking at?’ but that’d be like admitting defeat.’

As Haruki started to put away his laptop in silence, Akechi, who must have found his reaction boring, reached over to place a hand on his shoulder.

Before Haruki could shrug his off, Akechi lowered his voice to say,

“When a high school boy is staring intently at something in a dark room all alone, it’s usually…. You know what I mean, right?”

“No one asked!”

As Haruki made that retort while actually shaking him off this time, Akechi moved away with a light laugh.

“If you’re making rounds, hurry up and get going already.”

“My turn to do that isn’t until tomorrow.”

“What? Then seriously, what’d you even come here for?”

“Why, to do my job as an advisor, of course.”

Noticing that Akechi’ had suddenly lowered his tone, Haruki paused and turned around.

As Haruki stared back at him, Akechi gave a small nod.

“You made it through the preliminaries for the contest.”

“....Cool.”

“Hopefully, you’ll be able to keep this up and win.”

“....Yeah.”

“You don’t sound very enthusiastic. What, aren’t you happy about that?”

“.....”

Having run out of curt, one-word responses, Haruki fell into an awkward silence.

The contest that he’d passed the preliminaries for this time had a prize that he wanted more than anything.

The winner would be given the chance to study abroad.

‘Although, even if I don’t win, I still plan on studying abroad.’

Still, he’d prefer to keep any conflict with those around him to a minimum if possible.

If his movie gained recognition, and a university from overseas recruited him—

If that happened, both the school and his parents would be sure to understand.

At the very least, it would go a whole lot smoother than simply proposing that he wanted to go study at a film school overseas.

‘Then…. why am I suddenly hesitating now….?’

“You still have something holding you back here, don’t you?”

Haruki startled. The timing with which Akechi said this made it seem as if he’d read his mind.

Akechi was smirking again, and staring in his direction.

“....I thought I told you to quit watching people like that.”

Haruki glared back at him, but Akechi’s grin only widened.

Haruki didn’t have to ask to know why. He was smiling as if to say, “I guessed right, didn’t I?”

‘It’s frustrating that I only realized after having Saku-nii point it out, but….’

Haruki had figured out that he did indeed have something holding him back, and also what that something was.

At the same time, seeing as how he’d needed someone to point it out, he realized that he had been unconsciously trying to deny it.

“A wise man once said, ‘What is done cannot be undone.’ And also, ‘You never know what you have until it’s gone.’”

Hearing him say this so clearly made Haruki look up, but Saku was already at the door.

He turned around, and for once, he wore an expression that actually made him look like a teacher.

“With that said, do your best to enjoy your youth.”

How does what you said have anything to do with that?

Haruki wanted to make that retort, but in the end, he just silently watched him go.

Now that he was all alone, the room was almost disturbingly quiet.

❀　❁　❀　❁　❀

When he stopped to think about it, summer had gone by so quickly this year.

By the time they’d finished shooting the extra scenes, and started to compile everything together, the new term was already beginning.

Students were starting to adjust their school uniforms for the changing seasons, with short sleeves being swapped out for long ones.

‘Damn, I feel like time just keeps slipping by….’

Haruki tousled the hair on the back of his head as he walked down the empty hallway.

It was a habit of his to walk around the school when he was stuck on ideas.

For some strange reason, he found he was able to think better only after forcefully emptying his mind.

“I mean, it’s the same with computers, too. They run better if you free up more space.”

“Now, if only you had a function to come back on your own, it’d be perfect.”

Souta nodded in agreement while Yuu smiled, but the smile didn’t quite reach his eyes.

As soon as Haruki came up with an idea, he would start taking notes on the spot to make sure he wouldn’t forget, so often times, he wouldn’t come back for close to an hour. Whenever that happened, the other two would come looking for him.

‘Honestly, they’re such good sports~’

Maybe it was because of the ventilation, or the fact that the window was open a crack, but he could the voices of the Baseball Club from outside.

‘....Sounds like there’s even less of them running around out there.’

With all the third years retiring from the sports clubs, it made sense that there were only the first and second years left behind.

Due to the fact that the Film Club was a culture club, Haruki and the others planned to keep going with their club activities up until graduation, though they had already given up their positions of president and vice president to their juniors.

‘Graduation, huh….? It still hasn’t sunk in….’

The film that he was in the midst of working on right now also doubled as his graduation project.

Haruki didn’t really pay attention to the theme of “graduation,” but it was different for Yuu and Souta.

Once they’d reaffirmed the importance of their roles, and the significance of the three of them creating something together, they worked actively for that goal. Souta, who was in charge of the script, had worked particularly hard in writing a touching love story about a first year heroine who was in love with a graduating upperclassman.

‘....I’m positive that this film will be a turning point for me.’

Lately, every time he picked up the camera, and every time he received an award, his feeling of impatience would grow stronger.

Isn’t this just a rehash of what I did last time? Is there even any point to what I’m filming?

It felt like his focus was blurring the more he thought about it, which only made him panic even more. And the more he panicked, the less confidence he had in his decisions. Before he knew it, he was stuck in a vicious cycle.

But if he was with those two, he just might be able to break free from this cycle.

He’d be able to exceed the limits that he’d placed on himself, and reach a new domain.

‘More importantly, I want to meet their standards….’

That was how he felt, but lately, things were starting to feel uneasy between the three of them.

In particular, something must have happened with Yuu over summer vacation, because he was a lot quicker to anger now.

During yesterday’s meeting, as well, they had started out talking about how Akari was progressing with the artwork, and somehow the conversation had shifted to their love lives.

Haruki had been the first one to bring it up.

But, after hearing Souta say that Akari was his first love, Haruki had only said, “Yuu, like you’re one to talk when you can’t even face your first love,” without any special meaning behind his words.

‘....No, that isn’t true.’

To be honest, he had been trying to shake him up a bit.

If Yuu was going to torture himself by playing along with Natsuki’s confession rehearsals without even confirming her feelings first, he might as well be honest about his own feelings for her.

“Speaking of which.… Haruki, how are things between you and Aida?”

“Same as usual? Or, well actually, she said she can’t walk home with me for a while.”

Yuu must have wanted to get back at him by bringing up Miou.

That’s why Haruki had told him the truth. He’d actually received that text from Miou before summer vacation had started, but he saw no reason to go into that much detail.

“....Actually, Haruki and Aida aren’t even going out with each other, right?”

“Ah, I wanted to ask about that, too.”

Contrary to his expectations, Yuu refused to back down, and Souta had joined in, as well.

He knew full well that no harm would come from answering that question.

In the first place, there was nothing going on between him and Miou, so there was nothing to hide.

He was certain that Yuu and Souta were already aware of Haruki’s feelings towards Miou. Just like how Haruki had figured out their crushes, it was just something obvious after spending so much time with each other.

It was a good opportunity to make things clear.

But another part of him immediately objected.

The reason that Yuu asked about Miou was because he’d been misunderstanding something.

After Natsuki had told him about her confession “rehearsals,” Yuu thought that she planned to confess to someone other than him.

And it would seem that Haruki was being treated as being one of the possible candidates.

‘I wondered why he thinks it’s me, but for Natsuki, it must be hard just to find someone she’d confess to.’

While it was obviously because the one Natsuki liked was none other than Yuu, there wasn’t any gossip of her being around other guys. Even if she hung out with Haruki and the others, everyone knew that they were childhood friends, so there was nothing surprising about that.

But Yuu knew better than anyone that childhood friends were no exception.

That was probably why he saw Haruki as a rival.

‘Anyway, isn’t he being a bit too narrow minded?’

If Haruki wanted to be indifferent about this, it really didn’t matter to him what misunderstandings Yuu had.

But to be honest, he didn’t like the way Yuu just went around collecting information to reassure himself instead of just telling Natsuki how he felt.

‘Although, Natsuki backed out at the last minute too, calling it a rehearsal and all….’

Still, there was no denying that she’d taken a small step forward, and would probably go for the real thing in the near future.

That’s why Haruki didn’t want Yuu taking the easy way out.

“And what would be the point in asking? If I told you that I was going out with Aida…. No, that’s not right. If I said that I liked anyone other than Natsuki, would you feel relieved? And then what?”

What’ll you do once you know that I’m not the one Natsuki likes?

Go and confess to her yourself. If you don’t, nothing’s going to change.

Haruki stared at Yuu without saying another word.

On the other hand, Yuu was at a loss for words, and could only stare blankly back at Haruki.

The silence continued for a while, and a tense atmosphere enveloped the club room.

It was only due to Souta being there that a definite rift didn’t open up between them.

Souta, who had been quietly observing the situation, didn’t blame Haruki for his provocation, but he didn’t try to smooth things over, either.

He just gave them a chance to change the subject by saying, “Aren’t you guys hungry?”

‘And after this, apparently Ayase hit him with a counter punch….’

At the ramen shop they’d gone to, for some reason, Koyuki had joined them to make a table of four.

It was due to Souta inviting him that had made this unlikely gathering a reality.

“Yukki! Wait no, I mean, Ayase-kun! Are you free right now? Wanna come eat ramen with us?”

“Ahaha, you can call me Yukki if you’d like. Ramen? Sure, I’d love to.”

Souta was fascinated with the way Koyuki had transformed himself, so he probably couldn’t help but call out to him when recognizing him from afar.

Koyuki had seemed surprised about the sudden invitation, but he accepted with a smile on his face.

Haruki just saw it as their party size increasing by one, and wasn’t particularly affected.

Yuu, however, had an unusually sour look on his face.

Haruki guessed that meant something really had taken place between him and Koyuki over the summer break, and feeling that this was the perfect opportunity, he patted Yuu smartly on the back.

“Well isn’t this a great opportunity? To have a nice man-to-man talk, that is.”

And just as Haruki had predicted, Yuu and Haruki had a one-to-one confrontation.

After they’d finished eating and left the ramen shop, Koyuki had pulled Yuu aside to talk about something.

‘Well, it’s probably about Natsuki…. I wonder what they’ve got planned.’

The fastest way would be for Natsuki to move on from her confession rehearsals and move forward with the real thing.

But Haruki knew it wasn’t very reasonable to expect that of her.

Natsuki was one of his precious childhood friends. He would support her, but he couldn’t force her to do anything.

Koyuki was free to confess his feelings to her if he wanted to. He could already see the outcome, but who could have the heart to tell him to keep them to himself just because it would make things complicated?

Thunk.

The sudden noise made Haruki stop in his tracks.

He was so lost in thought, for a moment, he had no idea where he was.

Looking around, he caught sight of the sign with the classroom number.

‘Huh, isn’t this Yuu’s class….?’  

Casually peeking inside, Haruki spotted a familiar bun-shaped hairstyle.

He immediately felt something was out of place, seeing that Natsuki was sitting in Yuu’s seat.

Natsuki had her face down on the desk, and wasn’t moving an inch.

‘Wait, hold up, she’s not crying or anything, is she?’

He considered just walking away, but his curiosity led him to enter the classroom.

“Natsuki? What’re you doing?”

Suddenly having someone call her name must have given her a scare, making her jump up from the seat with a startled scream.

Haruki casually checked Natsuki’s face, but it showed no signs of any crying.

He felt relief, just as his agitated childhood friend addressed him.

“H-Haruki? What’s up? Did you forget something? Wait, this isn’t even your class.”

“Wow, good job on delivering your own punchline. So Natsuki, what are you doing at Yuu’s desk?”

Haruki knew that it was a rather insensitive question to ask, but he still came out and said it.

And just as he’d expected, Natsuki turned beet red.

She probably hadn’t expected him to know it was Yuu’s desk, seeing how they were in different classes. Natsuki waved her hands around defensively, and only managed to stutter out, “No, um, this isn’t…”

‘I see, so that means she was sitting at Yuu’s desk on purpose.’

If not, she wouldn’t be overreacting like this right now.

Since she could have just replied with something like, “I was just borrowing his seat,” or “Oh, I didn’t know this was Yuu’s desk,” there could only be one reason why she was so flustered.

‘Well, not that I plan on pointing out every little thing.’

Deciding that he’d retrieve his dictionary now that he was already here, Haruki walked up to Yuu’s desk.

Yuu was supposed to return it once their club activities were over, but he probably wouldn’t mind giving it back a little earlier than that.

‘And it’ll give me an excuse for having come to this classroom.’

Haruki motioned for Natsuki to make room, seeing how she was just standing there awkwardly.

“Well, I just came to take back something I let him borrow. Excuse me.”

“Ah, right….”

The inside of Yuu’s desk was as tidy as usual, and he found the dictionary he was looking for right away.

The cover of the dictionary that his brother had handed down to him was all worn out, clearly showing that it had been used a lot. After the ownership had been passed to Haruki, it had been stuck full of sticky notes and memos between its pages, increasing its thickness.

“….An English dictionary?”

“Mm, yeah. We got an extra assignment to do.”

“Ahh! Right, Haruki, you’ve always been terrible at English, huh?”

“Shut up. I’m telling ya, I’ll be totally fluent one of these days.”

He heard Natsuki let out a sigh at his usual joking reply.

It would be easy to keep pretending he didn’t know anything, but he suddenly recalled Yuu and Koyuki from the day before.

It didn’t make sense for Natsuki’s timing to confess be affected by their situation.

He’d only just been thinking about not getting so involved a moment ago, but in the end, it still bothered him.

‘It’s fine if I just give her a little push, right….?’

“And what about you? Those confession rehearsals… Still not ready for the real deal yet?”

“….W-Well…. about that….”

Natsuki’s shoulders gave a jolt at having the conversation suddenly focused on her, and she looked visibly flustered.

He had heard that she’d been busy with the art contest since the beginning of July, and the confession rehearsals had been put on hold. But now that she was only waiting for the results to come out, she couldn’t keep using that excuse.

He was certain that Natsuki knew full well of that herself.

“….Sorry to disappoint you.”

Seeing Natsuki’s shoulders slump dejectedly, Haruki felt a little bad for asking.

‘There’s probably two reasons she’s apologizing….’

One was because she’d let the confession end as a rehearsal, and the other was because she still couldn’t move forward with the real thing.

Perhaps it was the fact that Haruki had helped her with the confession that day before summer vacation that she felt he was justified in bringing up things she really had no reason to apologize for.

‘That’s right, this is how Natsuki’s always been….’

She was an honest and “good” person, and hardly ever doubted others.

She might deny it, but from an outsider’s point of view, it was like she never even considered the possibility that there might be some hidden agenda behind a person’s actions.

Even just now, he was sure that she realized he’d asked her about the confession because he was worried about himself.

‘....Well, not that I’m not worried about Natsuki, too.’

Not wanting Natsuki to keep apologizing for the wrong reasons, Haruki grinned at her.

He wanted her to know that he’d only asked her that question earlier to tease her.

“Nah, don’t worry about it. It just means that you have your own timing, right? I’ll be rooting for you, so hurry up and confess like your life depends on it! Well, maybe I shouldn’t make that joke.”

“Haruki, that’s not funny,”

Natsuki replied in a serious tone, but the air around her was a lot lighter compared to earlier.

Feeling relieved, Haruki let himself burst into laughter.

“….Just kidding. I shouldn’t be chastising others when I’m not much better.”

Haruki was surprised at the unexpected bitterness that came out in his voice.

Natsuki blinked several times, surprised by the sudden confession.

“Wait, I didn’t know that you had a crush on someone too!”

“Sure I do. Something wrong with that?”

“Of course not! I’m rooting for you too!”

“Well that was a quick response.”

Haruki let a laugh escape, but Natsuki didn’t laugh along with him, and merely stared back.

Feeling a bit uncomfortable by how hard she was staring, he urged her to speak up.

“Yes?”

“How come you haven’t confessed to her, then?”

“….I want to focus on finishing the movie, first.”

The words flowed out smoothly, as if he had rehearsed them beforehand.

Since Natsuki was also postponing her confession for a similar reason, it looked like she couldn’t say anything. She tilted her head and made a humming noise, as if contemplating over Haruki’s words.

And then, as if she’d come up with the answer, her face suddenly lit up.

After knowing her for so long, Haruki knew she was about to say something outrageous.

He could only brace himself to take the explosive statements to follow.

“In that case, why not try doing a confession rehearsal?”

Just as he’d expected, a completely unpredictable proposal had come hurling at him from some impossible angle.

He had no idea how she’d even come to that conclusion.

It was a pretty big jump to suggest a confession rehearsal just because he couldn’t confess.

Unable to find the words, Haruki could only muster the simplest response.

“….What?”

“I don’t mean with the girl you like, but….”

“Oh, you mean with you?”

“Yeah! When I tried actually confessing, even if it ended up being just practice in the end, I was really nervous. And after I told him I liked him….”

Natsuki stopped mid-sentence and placed a hand on top of her cardigan, where her heart was.

Haruki couldn’t help but hold his breath at the look of inexplicable happiness on her face.

“I’m thinking of confessing to him for real next time.”

“…Really? Good for you.”

Haruki answered before he even had time to think about it.

He had been greatly disappointment when he’d heard about how Natsuki’s confession to Yuu had ended up as a rehearsal. And to make things worse, Yuu now mistakenly assumed that Natsuki planned to actually confess to someone else. It was enough to make Haruki think that it would’ve been better if Natsuki had just played the confession off as a joke.

‘To be honest, I still kind of think that way….’

But right now, he felt like the answer could be found in the expression Natsuki had on her face.

“Why do people fall in love?”

He was sure of it now, the answer to his question—

‘Come to think of it, isn’t this the first time I’ve ever confessed to anyone?’

His heartbeat quickened the moment he realized that.

He knew it was just a rehearsal, but his nerves showed no sign of subsiding.

‘....Sheesh, who knew I was such a coward?’

It was pathetic, but once he admitted that, he felt a little more relaxed.

As Haruki mumbled to himself to practice for the confession, he saw Natsuki quietly moving away.

She was probably trying to be considerate and give him some space.

‘I appreciate the thought, but it’s only having a negative effect right now.’

“Sorry to make you wait. I’m ready now, so whenever you are too.”

As Haruki hurriedly called out to her, he wanted to laugh at how cornered he sounded.

Natsuki froze in surprise.

“Ah, okay….”

One step at a time, Haruki closed the distance between them.

Natsuki must have found the tense atmosphere too much for her, and was looking down now.

“….Hey—”

He had only said one word so far, but his voice was already trembling.

He could feel heat gathered in his face, and pain in his chest.

She must have caught his nerves, because her face was also bright red.

‘Crap, what was I supposed to say again?’

His mind had turned blank, and he couldn’t recall the lines he’d just practiced.

The only words that remained were unmistakably his true feelings.

“You might be misunderstanding something, but she’s not the one I like…”

No, now he was just making excuses.

He was joking about it to himself now, but it was something that had always bothered him.

Miou had started acting strangely after the meeting in the art preparation room.

When she had texted him saying that she couldn’t walk home with him for a while, maybe she had also been trying to tell him that she didn’t want to go home with him.

“Haruki, you shouldn’t base everything on your own standards.”

Although he didn’t remember from when exactly, Haruki suddenly remembered Souta telling him that once before.

He didn’t understand what Souta had meant at the time, but he felt like now, he did.

During the meeting, Haruki said something some pretty harsh things to Miou.

He had been trying to encourage her, but maybe he had only managed to push her away.

‘....That’s really how I thought it was.’

But at the time, he refused to believe that he had messed up.

All because he thought that he was the one who understood Miou the most.

But even so.

Even if that were the case, that didn’t change Haruki’s feelings for her.

He would make sure he conveyed them clearly, and take a fresh step forward.

“I like you!”

As soon as he finished saying this, they heard the door shake with a loud rattle.

Startled, Natsuki and Haruki turned around, but they didn’t see anyone there.

“….Guess it was just the wind.”

“Probably.”

The moment they had finished with the confession rehearsal, there had been a sudden, mysterious loud noise. His heart was pounding so fast, he thought it might explode. Worried, he placed a hand over his chest.

He glanced up to look at Natsuki, and saw that she was making the exact same pose as him. It was like looking in a mirror.

She seemed to have realized this too, as as soon as they made eye contact, they both burst out laughing at the same time.

“Damn, I never thought confessing was so nerve-wracking.”

“Ah, come to think of it, Haruki, is this your first time confessing?”

“Yeah. I’m usually the one that’s always being confessed to.”

“What? Well if you say so~”

The atmosphere from earlier had completely disappeared, and Natsuki sounded like herself again.

As Haruki laughed, he glanced in the direction of the hallway.

‘Mochita…. and Hayasaka?’

His eyes widened as he recognized their retreating figures.

Had they overheard the confession rehearsal just now? They hadn’t taken it the wrong way, right?

It bothered him, but since he wasn’t sure if it was really them or not, he didn’t go after them.

‘Even if they did overhear, I’ll just clear up any misunderstandings later.’

At the time, Haruki had yet to realize that he’d made another misjudgement.

You shouldn’t base everything on your own standards.

It would be a long time before Haruki realized the true meaning behind Souta’s warning—

❀　❁　❀　❁　❀

It was fall now, and with each passing day, the nights grew longer.

Lately, the sunset would come so quickly, it was hard to stop by anywhere on the way home.

In just less than an hour, the sun would completely set.

‘At this rate, it’ll be dark out by the time Miou reaches her house.’

He had to bring it up soon.

But it had been so long since they’d spent time together like this, part of him couldn’t help but want to prolong it for even just a few more seconds.

He snuck a glance at Miou sitting beside him, and saw that she was silently watching the sunset.

‘Damn, I wish I’d brought my camera.’

The view from the top of the steps was one of Haruki’s favorites. It was perfect for just passing the time, and he had taken numerous shots here so far.

However, he had yet to get a single shot of Miou.

He was a bit embarrassed to do so, and more importantly, she didn’t seem to like being photographed, either.

There had been a time that he’d pointed the camera at her as a joke, and she had turned bright red and been on the brink of tears.

“Huh? What, you don’t like having your picture taken, Miou?”

“Well, not exactly…. I just think there are better things to take pictures of!”

Since she refused so insistently, Haruki had turned the camera away.

He knew how shy and reserved she was.

That what why he found her reaction so cute, but now, seeing how she’d refused in that self-depreciating way, he regretted not trying harder to convince her.

Don’t say there are better things to take pictures of.

It’s you, specifically, that I wanted to take a picture of.

Even if he’d said that, Miou probably wouldn’t change her mind so easily.

But it was important, more than he could ever know, to tell her in his own words what he thought, and how he felt.

‘....In the end, it’s these small incidents that just keep piling up.’

The results for the film contest would be announced next week.

He decided to go to the art room again and talk to Miou before the results came out.

He wanted to come out and tell her his feelings, on his own terms.

It had been a while since either of them had said a word.

Making up his mind, Haruki took a deep breath and turned to face Miou again.

“H-Haruki-kun, do you have a crush on anyone?”

The timing with which Miou popped this question was impeccable.

Having been thrown off guard, Haruki found himself short of breath.

“Ah, no, I mean, um….”

Miou, being Miou, seemed to be struggling to find the right words as she frantically waved both hands in front of her face.

She must have brought up the topic on a whim, and was feeling embarrassed now that she’d realized what she had just asked.

‘Come to think of it, we’ve never talked about this kind of thing before, huh.’

He was surprised at the suddenness of it all, but this was actually a good opportunity.

Haruki pulled himself back together and opened his mouth to speak again.

“I do.”

His voice came out a lot clearer than he had thought it would.

He was certain that it had been loud enough for Miou to hear, then.

Ignoring his noisy heartbeat, Haruki quietly checked her reaction.

Miou lifted her face with awkward movements, her eyes shining as if trying to tell him something.

‘Ah, this isn’t good.’

If she said something to him first, he just knew he’d lose his nerve.

It was just a hunch he had, making him reflexively look down.

“I do have a crush.”

He said once more, to be clear.

He heard her gasp beside him, and then speak in a quiet voice.

“Ah…. I see.”

That was Miou’s only response.

He waited a bit, but the silence dragged on. All he could hear was his noisy heartbeat.

‘Why won’t she say anything….?’

Doubt, anticipation, anxiety.

All these different feelings swirled around, running amok as if to tear him apart from the inside.

Haruki suppressed the urge to give into his emotions and scream, and instead asked nonchalantly,

“What about you?”

This time, he heard Miou gasp even more clearly than the last.

He glanced at her without turning his head, only moving his eyes, but Miou had her face turned away, and he couldn’t see what kind of expression she was making.

He looked down, and saw their hands that were just a small distance apart.

‘....About ten centimeters, huh.’

The space between them was about the size of a fist. If he spread out his hand, he could just touch Miou’s fingertips.

He knew this, but he couldn’t even lift a single finger.

‘You’re telling me I can’t even move a mere ten centimeters….?!’

“I do.”

For a moment, he wasn’t sure what she had just said.

He blinked several times, and gradually, the circuits in his brain began to function again.

He had asked if she had a crush on anyone, and Miou had answered that she did.

That was all, plain and simple, and to Haruki, it was like some conclusive truth.

‘So she does like someone.’

He repeated this silently to himself as if to confirm it, and felt a pain run through him, like his heart was being crushed.

It became hard to breathe, and his vision blurred.

Meanwhile, Miou stood up, and picked up her bag that she’d left lying on the ground.

‘Wait…. Don’t go…. Don’t go….!’

He called after her desperately in his head, but his throat only emitted silent whistling noises.

Was this really his body?

He couldn’t speak, and he couldn’t reach out to grab her arm.

All he could do was sit on the steps, and watch as Miou left.

Her soft hair and skirt danced in the wind as she descended the stairs with light footsteps.

When she got to the fourth step, she finally turned around.

“Oh, I just remembered I had something to do, so I’ll be going home now.”

“….Okay, see you later, then.”

When Miou spoke to him, he replied half-unconsciously.

By the time he heard his own voice echo in his eardrums, an intense regret was closing in on him.

‘Damn…. I’m not just a coward, but an idiot, too.’

This had been his last chance.

He knew this, and yet he’d run away from it all, choosing to take the safe way out.

Miou gave a small nod, and didn’t say anything else.

It must have been an urgent errand, or perhaps because she didn’t want to be here, that made her all but run away.

The reality of this plunged deeply into his heart at a sharp angle.

“It isn’t me?!”

Once Miou was completely out of sight, he spread out his arms and legs and fell backwards.

The autumn wind cooled down his burning cheeks.

The blurry sunset he saw was so beautiful it was almost infuriating.

❀　❁　❀　❁　❀

“Huh? Miou-chan?!”

She heard a voice call her from behind, carried along by the chilly wind.

‘....It’s…. Akari-chan.’

She had been running this whole time, so she must have been spacing out due to a lack of oxygen.

Miou slowly blinked her eyes, feeling somehow detached from reality.

Blink, blink.

She opened and closed her eyes to try and regulate her rapid heartbeat.

Suddenly, she felt something hot forming at the corner of her eyes, and hurriedly rubbed them away with the back of her hand.

‘No, I can’t cry….’

Even as she told herself this, her vision began to blur over.

If she couldn’t turn around, she should at least give some sort of reply.

Or was it better if she kept going, pretending she hadn’t heard her?

As Miou tried to decide, she heard footsteps approaching her.

“Miou-chan, let’s go home toge–”

Miou was drawn in by her soft voice and clear eyes.

The moment they made eye contact, Akari gasped, and furrowed her delicate eyebrows.

‘I guess she saw me crying….’

Unable to hold them back any longer, Miou’s tears finally spilled forth.

“It isn’t…. m-me….”

As Miou stuttered in a tearful voice, Akari listened quietly.

Comforted by the warm hand wrapped kindly behind her back, Miou continued between sobs,

“He said that he has someone he likes already….”

“Mm-hm.”

“I was the only who thought….”

Thinking back on it now, Haruki hadn’t said anything definitive.

But for some reason, she felt like she had some idea.

If Haruki had someone he liked, maybe it was her.

Haruki was so outgoing, and could get along with anyone right off the bat.

But at the same time, there was a part of him that didn’t let anyone come near.

Because of the clear boundaries he set for himself, that made him sensitive to the boundaries that others wanted to set. That was how he was able to maintain good relationships with people without making anyone uncomfortable.

‘But Haruki-kun doesn’t talk with other girls much.’

Miou realized this after she’d started going home together with Haruki, but he only ever talked about other guys. It was rare that he would even mention a girl’s name.

If Haruki ever talked to any girls, it was usually just his childhood friends, Natsuki or Miou.

Speaking of Natsuki, Haruki had been the one to encourage her to confess to Yuu.

If Haruki was interested in Natsuki romantically, he probably wouldn’t have done that.

Even if he were to support her feelings for Yuu, judging by his personality, he would make sure to confess his own feelings for her first. And only after hearing an answer from her would he decide what to do with his feelings and how to proceed from there.

In this way, Miou made these arbitrary speculations and hopeful observations to reassure herself.

But when she lined up at the realities that she had put together to suit her own needs, she realized there was no point.

She had been denying it all this time, but now, she finally felt able to acknowledge it.

For these past two years, Miou had been by Haruki’s side, but that was all.

She was happy to be beside him, and hadn’t put any effort in drawing his attention.

“But I don’t want to give up.”

Before she even realized, Miou said this in a clear voice.

Not “I can’t give up,” but “I don’t want to give up.”

Embarrassed by her own misunderstanding, Miou had run away from Haruki.

She felt like she couldn’t bear to face him again.

But even so, strong and definite feelings for him still remained at the bottom of her heart.

“....Yeah, I know.”

Akari’s words made her chest feel warmer than any other form of comfort would have.

She was still so ashamed, but her heart was slowly starting to feel less heavy.

“Come to think of it, I’ve got cake at home!”

“Huh?”

Miou lifted her face, surprised by the sudden change in topic.

Akari looked down at her, her eyes filled with a warm light. They were eyes that seemed to accept and acknowledge her as a whole, and she could feel her tears fading away.

“It’s a new menu item from the Hoshiya across the station! Do you want to try some?”

“Y-yeah~!”

If she wanted to respond to Akari’s sentiment, and be able to move forward, she couldn’t keep on crying.

Miou balled both of her hands into fists and firmly declared,

“I can allow myself to eat sweets just for today, can’t I?”

She would stuff herself with sweets with her dear friend.

Just for tonight, she wouldn’t hold back on seconds at dinner, either.

She would take a nice, long bath, and watch her favorite movie with a mug of hot chocolate.

She’d even stay up later than usual tonight, and once it was morning, she’d smile again.

Telling this to herself, she moved forward, one step at a time.

Miou then realized that Akari wasn’t walking beside her, and turned back around.

“Akari-chaaan?”

When she called, Akari hurriedly rubbed at her eyes.

Had something gotten in her eye? Or maybe—

“C’mon, let’s hurry! The cakes aren’t going to wait, you know?”

Miou decided not to ask about it, and called to her while waving her hand in the air.

Akari gave a small sigh, before soon flashing a brilliant smile.

“….Ahaha! Looks like we’ll have to race to my house, then.”

She looked up at the sky, and saw the moon glowing faintly in place of the sun.

Smiling at the thought of a clear, sunny day tomorrow, Miou raced down the hill.

[nightrae13]

Haruki and Akari.

I know I already mentioned it in my other posts, but dude, the Haruki-Akari friendship is so dear to me, and it is my business to waste my time breaking down underappreciated dynamics such as this.

The thing is, I love how great of a red-herring they are in Yakimochi no Kotae. Akari went from having a crush to this guy she really relates with (and low-key giving her a sneak peek of the pain of love as she mentioned in the 2nd novel) to still finding motivation to be a better artist and person through him even if her feelings for him are now only platonic (and as she was growing fond of Mochita more and more now). I perhaps love the connection they have and how Akari sees him perhaps bc it felt the characters more real and expanded to me. Yes, in their generation, mutual love from the beginning (except for MochiAka) was their theme, and they're obviously were the most shojo-like, but I love how (to me) gen 1 was also the most bonded with overlooked combos of characters that aren't the couple.

Maybe what I love about Haruki and Akari is the fact that it mirrors me and my class president. Sometimes you have those people you initially had a crush on, but then you'd find it even better to be your friend. I admire my president so much even if it's now platonic (I still feel happy joking around with him even if he's the one mostly joking about my height lol).

I cheer him and his doll-like gf about them living out their High school days. He remains my inspiration to be a better student even if during that time I was reading the novel, I had someone else from my class who I like and I'm happy to have that getting to know phase like Akari and Mochita (it ended up like Koyuki and Natsuki thoo....so yeah😅) There's just those crushes that fade away, but the admiration stays, and you still feel motivated by those people. It's so true and I love that.

Like, in the novel 2 (spoilers) when Akari was struggling and was pressured on what path she'll take, she admired Haruki for the certainty he has, and it didn't take long for her to seek his help and open up to him about it (she even cried to him lol). I really like that friendship between them. They were both those seen as prodigies in their squad and what they have in common (like the pressure on meeting everyone's standard especially Akari, and the same creative wavelength as artists) gives them a chance to support each other. I'm a little sad Mochita has to disrupt their moment in novel 2 lol.

(image is from Yakimochi no Kotae btw, not the exact scene in novel 2 I was talking about)

Like dude, you're already the one she keeps going out with and the only guy who confessed to her that got the chance to do so (even helped you in your dream when your sick lol), no need to be jealous especially because you know that even she knows Haruki has feelings for her best friend lmaoo. I hate that moment lol, I know he wants Akari to open up to him instead, but grow up, man... and learn to trust her. You had an exact moment with Koyuki, she can have something like that too!

Anyway, despite this, Haruki who was living up to be that "best" wingman in the squad, confronts Mochita about what happened with Akari. He tried to cheer Mochita up by stating that even if Akari and him has many similarities to bond over, they both need someone who complements their personality and gives something different in their lives (referring to Miou and Mochita).

And yeah, Mochita now had something to think about, and one of the times he was reflecting about his feelings was in the famous "I called your name" scene from the mv where Akari realized she finally fell in love with him. I just find it cute Haruki confronting Mochita was the scene before it, and in the mv, he also bumped to Akari before she really confirmed her realizations.

--

So that. I just came in reading MochiAka novel 2, and I just have to appreciate Akari's friendship with Haruki, and her and Mochita as characters. I love how the novel focused on their respective passions and dreams outside of each other honestly with the help of their friends. As someone who relates to both Mochita and Akari, I'm happy to know how they were expanded and too bad we didn't see much of it on-screen (+ the painting thing in the anime was Miou's arc now... Even though it helped boost HaruMiou, it's still sad considering that part and the character pressure was more for Akari with her character and her relationship with both Mochita and Haruki esp the latter for that part).

I really love the gen 1 novels because it explored the friendship and bond of the characters outside their romantic relationships that the anime portrayed with so little justice (like dude, they really deserve winning the friendship poll lol. Their friendship is one of the points that mainly moves their plots forward).

Even gen 2 and 3 novels explore other dynamics and gives deeper character developments. That's why the novels are my favorite HoneyWorks media.

In conclusion, MochiAka novels deserve an anime in so many levels. Their story was mostly overlooked excluding KoyuRyou lol. Not only were we robbed from their sweetness, but also the gen 1 friendships that were mostly present in their story (like Midori-Mochita and Mochita-Miou are also there!!).

[nightrae13]

Guess who went to prom last night?

No one's probably gonna read this. However, this is just a quick sharing since I don't want it to be over-personal lol, but I just had this great realization during that night I want to share.

You see, there's this classmate of mine I developed a huge crush on almost like Mochita for Akari (Solution for Jealousy was so my song lol) that started during our retreat (kind of like meditation and sessions that re-ignite our faith for two and a half days). Before that, though, I think I jokingly mentioned on one KoyuRyou reblog of mine in the tags and some of my KoyuHina posts that there was this other guy who was my first love went unrequited for three years. Our story is literally like Hina and Koyuki's except we're former classmates and batch mates lol.

It's just so funny that when I moved on and started liking the new guy, I wrote a poem addressing my feelings for him, yet I quickly mentioned my first love in the first stanza.

Grand endure suffered in three,

Old hope that had never been,

On those poems he'd never seen,

Died finally a withered daisy.

You see, since I wrote this during the time of retreat where our phones are taken care by our teacher, I had no access to research on what a daisy even meant lol. I just had tendencies using flowers as metaphors in my poems, and daisy rhymed, so I put it in lol.

Since then, daisies became my get-go when either referring to my first love (my next, and last poem meant to be my over all goodbye and thank you to him called him a daisy again) or a dead love or both since he's my dead love.

... but you know who gave the daisy to me during prom as seen in the picture above? Yeah... it was the new guy.

To be honest, I just laughed at the irony when my other seatmate (yeah him and I are beside each other in the table) confirmed it was a daisy (since I'm no flower expert at all, I'm sorry lmaoo) after the girl I sat next to on the other side joked it was the flowers given to the dead. The thing is, I already felt rejected and heartbroken after seeing my supposed Hayasaka (he's a dude, but for the sake of no confusion, I'll use Akari's surname for the new guy lol. I'll probably use Yukki in reference to my first love too since he'd be here again in the later part), take someone else as a date... him giving me a little flower he just found in our table which reminds me of "dead love" while he was preparing to give the bigger one to someone from another table (to which he'd be sitting with later on) could only make me laugh dryly. It reflects us so much... he only entertains me out of kindness and consideration (and I appreciate that so much just as he was still the first person to give me a flower) but it was never me who he liked.

Still, even if daisies for me means dead love or my dead love for Yukki, it still was Yukki's symbol in my life. Also, I finally looked it up, and daisies mean "new beginning". That's really amazing since what'd you know, right? After 3 years, I finally found closure with Yukki during the night. The guy I currently liked may have never danced with me, but my first love did which was a big deal. We talked, we both acknowledged our mistakes in the past and now decided to start again as friends. Ofc, I no longer have romantic feelings for him, and he always saw me as a friend (I'm kinda proud of that right now lol), but after ignoring each other for so long, and after many regrets and pain, everything's finally okay once again.

I don't know where this post is going now, but everything that happened was just so unexpected yet meaningful. My dead love gave me a new beginning with him, while the other one whom I thought was my new beginning is actually now a dead love. It's so funny yet amazing right?

I'm still thankful to Hayasaka so much though. Yes, it still makes me sad, but it didn't hurt as much and I don't think it'd even reach a year lol. I knew from the time I started to like him, I should be prepared for rejection and he's only part of a chapter in my life. And he is. I said that I'd enjoy only those short moments and not be worried about tomorrow where it'd end. I could die tomorrow, but it doesn't mean I couldn't live today. That tomorrow with him finally happened yesterday, and I respectfully accept it.

With that, I don't regret being brave enough to annoy him back then lol. On those times we spent together, it still made me really happy. I never thought I'd be as brave and happy about being into someone after 3 years of rejection after all. Yukki taught me so much and made me brave tbh. Not just the Yukki of my life, but the real one from HoneyWorks. Rejection is better than regret. I'm happy finding out myself through talking to Hayasaka, and reading his body language and how he chats instead of assuming things like before that ended up in a 3 year misery.

Everything happens for a reason. Both of them may have never returned my feelings, but they both made me grow and learn as a person. Yukki taught me to be brave to know what's real for myself (bc back then I was a coward with him lol), and Hayasaka made me enjoy a moment without worrying about what could happen next.

It does not just reflect my romantic feelings or how I approach a person I like, but also about other parts of my life such as my faith in God as a Christian. I am in no way forcing you all to what I believe, but God just gives you a free choice to. I now am braver in speaking about my faith, and like what I did with Hayasaka, I want to know Him better, but this time, I am assured He'll be choosing me because he always have even in those I times I did not choose Him. I also just trust Him much more in my life. I overcame depression bc of Him. I don't know what'll happen, but he's got everything into plan like He always have, and when it's Him in charge, I don't need to worry about tomorrow.

"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." - Matthew 6:13

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 4:13

I don't know if there really is a guy for me, but I'm still happy there is a God who saw me worth dying for and loves me eternally, a family who sacrificed all their time and energy for a sloth like me, and friends whom I can share my secrets to and lean on when I need it.

[deus-ex-mona]

lmfaooo i forgot my name was “bl fanfare” for a moment

[an hour to midnight edit] big clownery under the cut.

as my birthday passes into birthnight, i started to overthink stuff… like about how i even got into this honeyworks fandom lmaooooo

i’m pretty sure i started liking honeyworks stuff from around the time when every other rinlen fanfic was based on “suki kirai”… man, fanfics from the early 2010s sure were wild… and repetitive…

then i guess i started vibing to “yakimochi no kotae” somewhere along the line because i found mochita cute?

but anyways, the first song i remember being around for was “inokori sensei” (i.e. wayyyy before the characters even had official seiyuus). i first watched it subbed on the original descentsubs channel (the one that’s now axed, rip to our fallen god), where it then proceeded to live rent-free in my head for the next few weeks or so.

then eventually “kinyoubi no ohayou” was released and i proceeded to find narumi sena incredibly plain until the release of “kawaiku naritai”.

and uhhh… as for the love story i related to the most… it was koyuhina’s! though it was different in the sense that we were of the same age… the dude i liked had the same birthday as koyuki, so it kinda counts, right? ksksksk

oh right… as for aiyuu, the reason why this dumb tumblr thing was even refurbished from whatever tf i had originally created it for, i actively avoided lipxlip content until the bandori cover of “romeo” was released on the en servers.

why? well, i just wanted to avoid shipping them together, thinking “this is honeyworks. of course these guys are gonna be hetero af. i don’t wannaaaaaa get attached to them, only to get disappointed.” looks like that turned out well for me, i guess…?

oh and dai!!! he’s bae. i love dai and his amazing fedora. i started off clowning on him because of the fedora, but somewhere along the line, i started genuinely liking him?? idk how it happened, but i’m now a proud dai stan!!!

like goodnessssss i can’t wait for dai to come to honeypre. i may have to change my name and comment on the profile from my aiyuu-shipping one to a dai-loving one, but who cares? DAI!!!!!!!!!!

DAI PLS COME TO HONEYPRE!!!!! well, the rest of ft4 can come too, but DAIIIIIIIIII PLEASEEEEEEEEEE

tl;dr of this rambly af post: dai in honeypre when?

[leparadoxpolyglot]

Late Spring Chapter 8

Kiyomizu temple was dyed with the glow of the sunset, the wind clad it with the dancing of sakura petals. It looked radiant and brilliant.

During the journey of the arrival to the Kiyomizu temple, like the teahouse, there were favourable places for photography and filming and what was left was the temple’s main building.

Mochizuki Souta: Yea! Guys, it’s hereー!

Mochita was strangely enthusiastic about leading the group, pulling us behind.

Behind Mochita, Hayasaka and Narumi seemed to be having fun chatting while following him.

Setoguchi Yuu: (That Mochita thinks he’ll look cool in front of the girls if he’s the one leading the group, huh.)

To continue to Kiyomizu temple, we were climbing the stone stairway when I could hear Natsuki’s voice.

Enomoto Natsuki: Nn geezー! It’s hard to walk normally in a kimonoー!

To avoid threading on the bottom of her kimono, she was rolling it up a little with both her hands as she ascended the stairs.

Aida Miou: Nacchan, just a little more!

Beside her, Aida was holding her to prevent her from falling.

I had a small distance with the group in front with Haruki walking alongside me.

Serizawa Haruki: Kiyomizu temple’s nostalgic, huhー

Setoguchi Yuu: Oh, you did say before that you’ve been here.

Serizawa Haruki: Aah, at that time my brother accompanied me. I think it was autumn then.

Serizawa Haruki: But I... I don’t know why but I kinda prefer Kyoto in spring.

In the backlighting, I wasn’t able to see his expression but I could feel from his vibe that he was a little lonely.

I felt that I had to fill in the pause so I opened my mouth in the spur of the moment.

Setoguchi Yuu: So, we’ve been keeping up with the schedule, huh!

Serizawa Haruki: Oh, are you back in the rhythm? Producerー

Haruki turned his regular smile to me.

Setoguchi Yuu: (I think I was just imaging his weird behaviour just now...)

Setoguchi Yuu: What do you mean rhythm? I’m just like always.

Serizawa Haruki: Is that so～? Ever since we’ve merged with the girls’ group, you’re acting different.

Setoguchi Yuu: Shut up. You’re caring about way too many unnecessary things. We should be focusing on filming a great film.

It felt like I was letting Haruki see through me so I opened the schedule and pretended to confirm the programme.

Setoguchi Yuu: (His sharp perception doesn’t changes...)

Serizawa Haruki: Well, if you say that nothing changed, I don’t really mind.

Setoguchi Yuu: Yeah, nothing changed... Where did everyone go?

Serizawa Haruki: Crap- We were left behind. Let’s go.

Setoguchi Yuu: Aah.

In the main building of the Kiyomizu Temple, when we arrived to the so called 『Stage of Kiyomizu』, the sky has considerably grown dark.

Under the sky where the sun and moon were peeking behind at the same time, the sakura petals floated on the stage of Kiyomizu. It was an incredible scene.

Enomoto Natsuki: Akariー! Miouー! Senaー! Come over! It’s super pretty!

Hayasaka Akari: It’s true... Pretty...

Aida Miou: I’m enchanted!

Narumi Sena: Hey, let’s take a picture with the sakura as our backdrop!

Enomoto Natsuki: Yup! Let’s do itー!

I absentmindedly watched as the girls took the picture.

Serizawa Haruki: That Natsuki’s been yelling since just now.

Setoguchi Yuu: Ah, aah... Yeah.

Serizawa Haruki: She’s really merry, do you think she’ll fall off the fence soon?

Setoguchi Yuu: Haha. Yea, maybe.

Serizawa Haruki: I’ll be around here handling the camera so look out for her in case she does. Aight bye.

Setoguchi Yuu: Haah? Why am I...

Enomoto Natsuki: Yuuー! Don’t stand in that sort of place! Come over! The scene’s amazingー!

From afar, Natsuki was waving her arm.

Setoguchi Yuu: I’m going.

Wile I felt the beating in my chest sped, I headed over to herー

[leparadoxpolyglot]

The Lovers’ Happy Christmas Chapter 3

Mochizuki Souta: A-Akari...! You’re here...!

Hayasaka Akari: Yup. I came to buy the new cakes

Hayasaka Akari: Setoguchi-kun to Hina-chan, even Kotarou-kun... Why’re you guys gathering here?

Enomoto Kotarou: It seems like Mochita is figuring out the Christmas date plan with Hayasaka-senpai

Hayasaka Akari: Eh...

Mochizuki Souta: Ah...

Setoguchi Hina: Wait-... Kotarou! You dummy!

Setoguchi Hina: Exposing him like that is so awful of you��!

Setoguchi Hina: Mochita said he wanted to be seen as cool so you should have just kept your mouth shut, shouldn’t you!

Mochizuki Souta: (H-Hina-chan...! Another one who said things that shouldn’t be said in front of Akarin...!)

Setoguchi Yuu: For the time being...For this once, keep quiet, Hina. You too, Kotarou

Enomoto Kotarou: Ah...

Setoguchi Yuu: Ah...! I’m sorry, Mochita! I did it too...!

Mochizuki Souta: No, it’s alright...

Setoguchi Yuu: My bad, Mochita. I’ll take Kotarou and Hina away so afterwards, you can have a chat with Hayasaka

Mochizuki Souta: U-Urm... You’ve heard what Kotarou and Hina-chan said already... right

Hayasaka Akari: Yup...

Mochizuki Souta: (Aah... Even though I wanted to make a perfect date plan without Akarin’s knowledge and be able to look cool in front of her...)

Mochizuki Souta: (With everything spilled, I’ll be so uncool...!)

Hayasaka Akari: About Christmas... Souta-kun has really thought about loads of things about it, huh

Hayasaka Akari: Thank you

Mochizuki Souta: Akari...

Hayasaka Akari: If thinking about it by yourself troubles you... can we think about it together?

Hayasaka Akari: A surprise would make me happy but... thinking about it together is more like us, right?

Mochizuki Souta: (Like us... huh)

Akari is my girlfriend In the moment that I’d noticed her during the high school entrance ceremony, I’ve fallen in love at first sight

Then, I became the first boyfriend of Akari who for a long time did not know what love was...

The us who were inexperienced in love, together, little by little, while we deepened our understanding of it, we continued to date till today

Mochizuki Souta: (It’s true that if you compare us to a normal couple, we may be progressing at a slower pace but...)

Mochizuki Souta: (That may be something that’s more like us)

Mochizuki Souta: Yup, that’s true. Thinking about the preparations for Christmas  together will make me happy

Hayasaka Akari: With pleasure!

Akari and I thought of several plans regarding the Christmas’s preparations

Hayasaka Akari: Ah, the illumination at the shopping district is pretty. Here, it’s in front of the place where we went to eat pancakes

Mochizuki Souta: Sounds good! We will do it near the Tokyo Tower. Well, I’m also curious about the Christmas cake

Hayasaka Akari: There’s so many places that we want to go that it’s troubling, huhー!

Mochizuki Souta: (Discussing it with the two of us is really fun. I may have been too eager to do it myself...)

Hayasaka Akari: Speaking of which, I...

Mochizuki Souta: Hm?

Hayasaka Akari: Urm... Ah no, it’s nothing

Mochizuki Souta: ...? If you say so...

Hayasaka Akari: I wonder what we should do with the preparations

Mochizuki Souta: Right. It’s difficult to abandon any of them... I know, what do you think about deciding by lot?

Hayasaka Akari: By lot...! That may be good!

Akari and I cut a paper into smaller pieces, wrote our choices of the preparation on them and lined them up on the table

Mochizuki Souta: This may be a little simple but... With this the lot is completed! If it’s ok with you, pull one out, Akari!

Hayasaka Akari: Yup!

Hayasaka Akari: Well then... I guess I’ll have this one

Mochizuki Souta: Let’s hear it!

Hayasaka Akari: Yup! Urm...