#yoshiko and the gift of charms

[fuzzysparrow]

So many books, so little time

Yoshiko and the Gift of CharmsAuthor: Julia SuzukiPublished: 4th September 2014Goodreads Rating: 4.06 out of 5Reviewed: August 2016 Yoshiko and the Gift of Charms is the first book in the children’s series The Land of Dragor by Julia Suzuki. Dragor is the land inhabited by dragons, hidden from the rest of the world, away from the evil humans by the smoke produced by The Fire Which Must Never Go…

[brightmiraii]

NCT 24th member || Harumi

FACE CLAIM: Remi (Cherry Bullet)

DANCE CLAIM: Lee Chaeyeon (ex IZ*ONE)

VOICE CLAIM: Jo Yuri (ex IZ*ONE)

STAGE NAME: Harumi (하루미)

BIRTH NAME: Miya Harumi (宮晴美) 晴 (Haru) - bright 美 (Mi) - beauty

KOREAN NAME: Moon Myeong Hee (문명희)

ENGLISH NAME: Ellie Miya

CHINESE NAME: Gōng Qíngměi (宫晴美)/Wen Ming Xi (文明熙)

NICKNAMES: Haru, Brainnie, Xiao Měi, Bright Myeong, Rumi-hime (princess Rumi)

BIRTH DATE: November 25th, 2000

PLACE OF BIRTH: Madison, Wisconsin, USA

ETHNIC: Japanese

NATIONALITY: Japanese, American

EDUCATION: unknown elementary school in Madison, unknown elementary and middle school in New York, unknown middle school in Seoul, Seoul School of Performing Arts - practical dance (2016-2019)

ZODIAC SIGN: Sagittarius

MBTI: ENFJ-T

EYE COLOUR: Black

HEIGHT: 163cm

WEIGHT: 45kg

BLOOD TYPE: O

POSITION: main vocal, lead dancer

UNIT: NCT DREAM, NCT 127 (Limitless - now), NCT U (Timeless), NCT U (Make A Wish)

TRAINING PERIOD: 2 years (2014-2016)

LANGUAGES: Japanese and English (native language), Chinese and Korean (proficiency obtained), German (learning)

FAMILY: Miya Hayao (father, deceased), Miya Yoshiko (mother, deceased), Moon Seungyeon (adoptive father), Moon Bom (adoptive mother), Jianyu (adoptive cousin)

B A C K S T O R Y

Harumi was born in Madison, Wisconsin. Daughter of a young Japanese couple that moved to USA to start a new life, Miya Hayao and Miya Yoshiko

Since her father was an Algebra teacher in an middle school near their house and her mother was a Japanese teacher in a local language school, Harumi grew up highly influenced by knowledge and curiosity

Unfortunately, at the age of 6, Harumi and her parents were involved in a car accident, resulting in their death at the spot. Luckily Harumi survived, despite heavily injured

She was transferred to an orphanage in New York, where she could afford a better treatment to her injuries and social assistance with her double nationality

Harumi was the eldest child in the orphanage and the least interviewed kid for possible adoptions, because of her age. Because of that, she matured quickier and learned how to mask disappointment

She decided to learn by herself Chinese and Korean - in an attempt to increase her chances of being adopted, even if through an international adoption

Four years later, when she was 10, Moon Seungyeon and Moon Bom adopted her and brought her to South Korea

Harumi got casted during a Sunday outing she had with her family. A scout heard her singing and playing guitar and decided to invite her for an audition

Seungyeon, Bom and Jianyu (her cousin) convinced her to try for it and, eventually, join SM as a trainee

A couple of months after she began a trainee, SM introduced her as one of the SMRookies, participating in shows such as "Mickey Mouse Club"

Debuted in August in NCT DREAM, charming the fans with her powerful and husky voice

P E R S O N A L I T Y

Harumi is perceived as a sweet extrovert, always polite and warm towards anyone who approaches her. Though her soft looks and voice could mistake her as a shy girl, she is a truly happy virus

Her energy changes according to her surroundings. Whenever she’s with more playful members, she’s joking around and making a mess. However, with the calmer members, she can blend with them very well

Since she was the eldest in the orphanage, Harumi usually takes care of everyone around her, including the older members. She makes sure all the members are comfortable, healthy and happy

Extremely independent, struggles on relying on other people - which gives constant headaches to the older members

Keeps all negative comments and feelings to herself, not wanting to burden anyone

Has a hard time saying “no” to people, that being one of her biggest weakness

Constantly looks for improvement and new knowledge, so she's either learning a new dance style, an instrument or improving her producing skills

Because of years of rejection, Harumi is extremely self-conscious about herself as an individual

F U N F A C T S

Harumi learned Korean and Chinese through grammar books she found in a library. Because she was really young, the girl often reached out to the employees to explain some topics (what was a verb, noun, for example)

An volunteer in the orphanage taught Harumi how to play guitar and, eventually, gifted her his old one

Every Saturday afternoon, the orphanage headmistress would take the kids to Central Park. Harumi started to sing and play guitar there just for fun, but people started to spare her a dollar or two

In her audition, Harumi sang "Growl", from EXO, an acoustic version that fit perfectly her huskier tone

Seungyeon and Bom gave Harumi her Korean name, but let her decide whether she would use it or keep her given name (Harumi actually cried when they let her keep "Miya Harumi")

She surprised all the trainees with her almost perfect Korean, especially after introducing herself with her Japanese name. They were even more shocked when they discovered she knew as well English and Chinese

Contrary to all the Dreamies, Harumi did not drop out of school, juggling her student and idol life. All the members were worried about her health, but when they discovered the reason why Harumi was so adamant to keep studying, they did everything they could to help her

In 2017, Harumi got Korean and Chinese proficiency through the official test, formalizing her fluency in both languages. Because of that, fans gave her the nickname Brainnie

Before joining NCT, Harumi focused her vocals on acoustic versions and ballads. She was often told that her tone didn't match girl groups

Because of the car accident, Harumi has a long scar from her sternum to her bellybutton. Only in Ridin' era she felt comfortable enough to wear crop tops that showed a bit of it

Following the trend of peculiar dislike of foods in NCT, Harumi doesn't like nuts. She's actually heavily allergic, needing to have an epinephrine shot with her whenever she goes out to eat

The part she loved the most during her trainee period was dance classes, Harumi had so much fun and created a soft spot for it

Harumi despises winter the most, snowy days are the worst for her, because remind her of the car accident

Loves all Disney movies, even the underrated ones

Harumi's a quick learner, but feels extremely burnt out and unsatisfied, dropping one or another activity every once in a while (she usually tries again, because she hates the fact she gave up on something)

Her official emoji is ✨, because of the meaning behind the kanji of her name (Haru). Her introduction during her debut days was “Hello, I’m sparkling Harumi!”

One of her favorite hobbies is re-recording songs. She would record all the instruments, getting all notes by hearing and - finally - get the vocals done

Likes affection, but hates aegyo

Her favorite color is yellow

Maintains Dream’s dorms up (she does do cook, she does the cleaning to the point the others scold her for doing all by herself)

Her lives are mostly songs recommendations, guitar sessions and whenever she’s at practice room, she does a few covers

She’s a huge fan of BoA, EXO, SHINee and MAMAMOO

In 2019, Harumi became an official MC at Music Core alongside SF9 Chani

[ryqoshay]

FemslashFeb2022: Happy Life: Hearts

Primary Pairing: YohaRiko Words: 529k Rating: G Fandom: Love Live Sunshine Prompt: Hearts Parent Fic: Happy Life Time Frame: Sometime after the two become a couple

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Author’s Note: Entry for the 14th

Summary: Yoshiko has a trick to show Riko

---------

“Riri! Riri!” Yoshiko bounced up alongside her girlfriend. “Pick a card! Any card!” She splayed out a deck, face down, so neither of them could see.

Riko smiled and did as instructed. It had been a while since Yoshiko had done a magic trick for her, so she was curious what was in store this time.

“Now look at it and remember it.” Yoshiko continued.

Ah, Queen of Hearts. Riko noted. “Now put it back?” She asked aloud.

“Don’t skip ahead!” Yoshiko whined.

“Right, sorry.” Riko giggled.

“But, uhm, yes, please put it back.”

Yoshiko then set the deck down on the counter and began cutting it into several stacks, recombining them, shuffling, and repeating. Riko tried to watch for whatever special bit would set this trick apart from a generic card finding one but was unable to catch it.

“Is this your card?” Yoshiko suddenly asked, presenting one.

“Yes.” Riko confirmed with a smile and a nod.

“Great!” Yoshiko began shuffling again. “Once more to make sure it wasn’t a fluke.” She fanned the cards out again.

Huh… Queen of Hearts again. Riko tried to subdue her reaction to the coincidence. She slid the card back in the deck and watched again as Yoshiko shuffled.

“Is this your card?” Yoshiko asked, holding up the Queen of Hearts.

“It is.”

Yoshiko displayed a toothy grin. “One more time. Third time’s the charm and all.”

Riko reached forward, but this time decided at the last second to move her hand a centimeter to the right and take the card there instead.

Queen of Hearts…

“Yocchan…”

“Mm?”

“Are you trying to do something subtle to make sure I get the same card every time?”

Yoshiko giggled. “Well, maybe not all that subtle…” She flipped the cards to reveal an entire deck of the same card.

Ah, so that was the trick. Riko couldn’t deny her amusement.

“I was kinda wondering how long it would take Riri to figure things out.” Yoshiko continued. “And I guessed right. And as for why that card, it’s ‘cause Riri is the queen of my heart.”

Between the declaration and the adorable smile, Riko’s heart ended up skipping a couple beats.

“And for my next trick!” Yoshiko made a quick motion with both her arms.

Suddenly, a small box and several roses appeared before Riko. She blinked and refocused to see them better. The box was stylized to look like an oversized box of cards, though Riko believed it was actually chocolates inside, with a Queen of Hearts displayed on top. The roses were secured by what looked like playing card rolled around their stems and tied with a ribbon. Riko suspected it was also a Queen of Hearts.

“Happy Valentine’s Day, Riri!” Yoshiko cried merrily.

Riko graciously accepted the gifts, but quickly set them on the counter next to her so she could pull her girlfriend into a hug.

“Thank you, Yocchan.” Riko said, tilting her head down for a kiss.

As Yoshiko wrapped her arms up around Riko’s neck to pull herself up and deepen the kiss, Riko decided this may very well have been the best magic trick Yoshiko had ever shown her.

---------

Author’s Note: Short and sweet and to the point. I realize I haven’t done much with Yohane’s hobby of magic, though in my defense, the canon material seems to have forgotten it a while ago as well. I may have a magic trick scene or two to my notes.

[silentvoicezine]

Download the Koe no Katachi zine here for free or donate! All proceeds go to Deaf Child Worldwide!

Queen is one of our writers that wrote about a cute date between Shoya and Shoko! Please download our zine to read it, along with 30+ illustrations and 4 other fics!

Queen - Tumblr | AO3 | -  They want to essentially capture everything the world has to offer. The skies, the beauty, the joy, you name it. Writing is no more than a gift, a chance to relive memories that allows them to do so. Their favorite Koe no Katachi character is Shouko. Please visit their AO3 if you’re interested in Love Live and some Mystic Messenger fics!

Served with a Pinch of Spice (Love Live Sunshine) - Kanan’s eyes were sparkling in elation, arms wrapped firmly around Yoshiko’s waist as she leaned in for another kiss, lips curled in a tender smile when Yoshiko whispered back in tears, “We’ll figure it out. we have all the time in the world.” 

Our Start form the End (Mystic Messenger) - Together they ruled the world. Then, their kingdom collapsed around her until there was a crack between their thrones and dents in their crowns. This time there would only be one throne, only one crown. So he drank. Drank the very poison he despised while waiting for the charm to sink in. From then on, he blacked out. That was what he liked about the elixir. It gave him a means of escape. The next time he resurfaced, was when he saw her.

[furinjuru]

Going Home

A Valentine’s Day fic in March? It’s more likely than you think.

I almost forgot to post this, but it’s here. Sequel to my Secret Admirer fic, but you definitely don’t have to read that one before. Shoutout to @animeender and @polarishyn for helping me proofread this.

Pairings: Mainly YouHane, minor RubyMaru, mentioned ChikaRiko

Yoshiko watches as her two best friends, Hanamaru and Ruby, return to class with their arms linked. They separate only for Ruby to take a box of chocolates from her bag and give it to Hanamaru, who accepts the gift gratefully. Looks like it’s official now; those two are finally dating. It’s a bit surprising, to be honest. Not the fact that they’re with each other, because anyone can see that those two are a perfect match. It’s just that Yoshiko didn’t expect them to be able to confess to each other. She’s happy for them, though.

“I see my two faithful little demons have returned.” She says, smirking at them. “Your darkened hearts have begun to resonate with each other. With the blessings of the Fallen Angel Yohane, you have chosen to further train your bond. I congratulate you for such a feat.”

Ruby tilts her head, confused, but Hanamaru instead smiles. “Thanks, zura. Good luck for you, too.” She pauses, then continues in a teasing tone. “Would Yohane like a divine blessing for good luck?”

Yoshiko scoffs loudly. “Yohane has no need for such things. She can give herself a blessing, but I will require no such things to pursue my goal.”

“Oh, that’s too bad, zura.” Hanamaru shrugs, pretending to look a little disappointed. “Even though I brought a few love charms with me today. Looks like you won’t need any....”

“Wait, are you serious?” Yoshiko asks. “I-I changed my mind! I want them, give it to me.”

“Nope, sorry. I don’t actually have them.” Hanamaru giggles as Yoshiko frowns. “You’ll be fine!”

“Hmph, whatever. Yohane has no need for such blessings.”

“But you just-”

“Silence!” Yoshiko exclaims, much Hanamaru’s amusement. “I have no need for that. No mortal, not even the great Watanabe You is immune to Yohane’s charms. And lastly, I have this!” She pulls out the box of chocolate from her bag, holding it in the air like some kind of prize. “This item, filled with Yohane’s blood, sweat, and tears-”

“That’s really gross, zura.” Yoshiko glares at her, finally getting her to quiet down.

“...filled with Yohane’s dark magic, even more powerful than a concentrated potion of love, will be all I need to recruit her as Yohane’s Number One Little Demon!”

“That’s all well and good, zura, but you should clean it up before you give it to her. It’s kinda dirty.”

“Huh?” Yoshiko blinks at the shorter girl. “Dirty? What do you mean dirty?” She had immediately put the box into her bag last morning and never took it out, so there’s no way there’s any dirt on it.

Hanamaru points at something brown leaking out of the box, dripping onto the floor. Yoshiko tentatively gathers some on her finger before putting it in her mouth, her eyes going wide when she realizes what it is. “Oh shit.”

“Huh? What is it?” Ruby asks, panicking; if Yoshiko cursed, that must mean it’s something really, really bad, right? Yoshiko ignores her, frantically undoing the ribbon she had tied around the box while praying to Satan as well as every god she knows of (just to be safe). As she opens the lid, her worst fears come to life.

“They melted.” She mumbles out.

“....”

The chocolates she made for You melted.

Somehow, despite it being Winter right now, they melted.

“Oh.” Hanamaru says as she looks into the box. “That’s a whole new level of bad luck, zura.”

“....”

“See? The gods got angry at you for rejecting their blessing, and this is your punishment.” She glances at Yoshiko, who has tears running down her eyes. “H-hold on, I didn’t mean it, I’m sorry Yoshiko-chan! It’s just a joke, zura!”

“W-what I do?” She asks, her voice cracking as she stares at her ruined gift. “I can’t give this to her now!”

“Don’t worry, don’t worry,” Ruby says, although even she’s starting to sound frantic. “It’ll be okay. Just think of something to say and she’ll definitely forgive you. Just remember that we’re supporting you.”

Yoshiko sighs. “Thanks....” As she puts the box back in her bag, she’s able to see that the melted chocolate had gotten everywhere. Some are starting to soak into the pages of her textbooks.

Fuck. Her. Life. 

The final bell rings and Yoshiko only gives her friends a brief wave before running out of class. She keeps running, eventually arriving at the designated meeting spot. She had asked You earlier to meet up with her here after school is over, before she knew everything would become a mess. But things would only get worse if she suddenly canceled, so she decides to get it over with quickly.

“Yoshiko-chan!” There she is. Yoshiko takes a deep breath before turning around as You runs towards her. She seems cheerful, but stops when she sees Yoshiko, her mood dropping as fast as it has risen. “Are you okay?”

“Of course I am,” She says, then adds. “It’s Yohane!” There. That’s much better. You smiles again, moving until she’s standing beside her, only a few centimeters apart.

“So, how was your mission?” She asks curiously.

“It was a success, of course. Although I didn’t really do much. We were having a conversation and Hanamaru started thanking me, then she went off and when she came back with Ruby, they were already dating.” She shrugs. “What about you?”

“Well...both of them were super scared of confessing, but I think everything’s going to work out.” She laughs. “They’re both kinda dense in their own ways, but they really love each other a lot.”

“I see....” Yoshiko hums. “Must be nice.”

“Yeah.” The two stand in awkward silence until the bus comes and they sit down. Then, You continues. “So how are you?”

“Okay, I guess,” Yoshiko mutters, opening her bag to make sure all of her stuff is in there. “You?”

“Same as you.” Away from Yoshiko’s line of sight, You opens her own bag, rummaging around for something. “Doesn’t it bother you? You’re trying to get Hanamaru and Ruby together, even giving them advice, but you’re not dating yourself?”

“Nope. It’s the same as you with Chika and Riko.”

“Not really,” You says, causing Yoshiko to direct her attention towards her. “It bothers me. Not a lot, but enough. I thought about what it’d be like to have a girlfriend, and I thought it’d be nice.”

“I see,” Yoshiko says, trying desperately to ignore the painful lump in her throat. “I never thought about it,” she lies. “But I guess it would be nice.”

“Yeah, I agree. Which is why...” She pulls out her gift from her bag, causing Yoshiko’s heart to beat loudly. “Yoshiko-chan, this honmei chocolate is for you.”

Yoshiko opens her mouth, but no sound comes out. Her throat feels dry, and it’s almost like a dream. She checks You’s expression to see if she’s joking, but nothing that would indicate such is visible. Her eyes are closed, her head lowered, and her cheeks tinged red. If Yoshiko was to be optimistic, she would describe her as looking like a maiden in love.

Slowly, she takes the chocolates from You, but doesn’t open it yet. This is honmei chocolate, something she thought she’d never receive in her life. But here she is, receiving a genuine confession from You, one of the most popular girls in school.

“T-thank you.” She says, taking out her own chocolates. More of it has spilled out onto her bag, and as she takes it some drip onto her clothes, but she offers it to You nonetheless. “I made this for you, but it kinda....” You slowly takes the box, being careful not to touch any of the melted chocolate.

“What happened?”

“Well...it’s truly unfortunate,” Yoshiko says, reverting to Yohane. “The gods have realized that I’m too powerful. They realized that the only way they can defeat me is by defying the laws of logic they themselves had created long ago. As such, my offering to you has reverted to their original state, as if they had been placed in the fiery pits of Hell.”

“They melted,” You says, a nod from Yoshiko confirming her suspicion. “...that sucks. You put a lot of effort into it.” She then smiles. “Can I ask you a question?”

“O-of course. What would you like to inquire?”

“These chocolates. What kind are they?”

“Black chocolate. Yohane does not like chocolate mixed wi-”

“That’s not what I meant, silly.” You chuckles. “I meant are they honmei?”

Oh. Yoshiko’s cheeks begin to burn, but she pushes through the embarrassment, and stares directly into the other girl’s eyes. “Yes.” You’s eyes light up with joy.

“So that means we gave each other honmei, right? So I was wondering.” She leans closer, whispering into Yoshiko’s ear. “Do you...want to go out with me?”

“Yes!” Yoshiko exclaims, her voice attracting the gaze of other passengers. You laughs at her misfortune, only talking again once no one is staring at them.

“I’m glad. I was honestly worried, but now I’m happy that you feel the same way.”

“You were nervous? Pretty much everyone in class was talking about the chocolates they’re going to give you. I think I got a few heart attacks throughout the day.” You laughs again at the joke.

“So, are we dating now?” You asks.

“In case my earlier answer wasn’t loud enough, then yes. If you’re willing to.”

“Don’t get cheeky with me.” You grins, poking at Yoshiko’s cheeks. “I know that you’re happy. Trust me, I am too. There’s no way today can get any better.”

“I mean, I am happy, but....” She regretfully stares at her gift. You follows her gaze, realizing what seems to be bothering her.

“Why don’t you come over to my house?” Yoshiko blinks; did she hear that right? “You got time, right?”

“I do, but why?”

“We can make chocolates together!” You says cheerfully. “I got all the stuff we need back home. Let’s make some together, just the two of us.” Yoshiko blushes at the thought.

“J-just us? Your parents aren’t home?” Yoshiko’s embarrassment rises when You’s smile turns even wider.

“Now why would you ask that? Get your mind out of the gutter, Yoshiko-chan. Don’t tell me you’re thinking abou-”

“Stop, stop!” She doesn’t want to think about that. “But...I won’t be a bother.”

“We’re dating now.” You tries to make it sound casual, but it still embarrasses her to think of Yoshiko as her girlfriend, rather than just a friend. “Of course not.”

“Really?” You nods. “I have really bad luck.”

“Doesn’t matter.”

“What if bad luck keeps affecting me and we keep ruining our chocolates?”

“That’s fine. That means we get to hang out for longer. You can even stay over tonight.” Yoshiko nods, trying to keep her emotions under control as excitement and anticipation starts to bubble inside her. You opens the box and dips her finger in some of the chocolate, then puts it in her mouth. “This is really good. I think you have a talent for making chocolate.”

“Really?” Yoshiko asks. “Can I have some? I haven’t tried it.” 

You’s eyes glint with mischief, as if she had been waiting for Yoshiko to ask that. Without warning, she tugs on Yoshiko’s ribbon, pulling her into a kiss. She briefly tastes the chocolate from You’s lips before the other girl pulls away, grinning.

“That’s enough for now. Don’t wanna ruin the main course, after all.” You winks, and if Yoshiko’s face could get any redder, it would. As it stands, all she can do is stutter out incomprehensible words.

She leans back against the comfortable cushioning of the seat, thinking to herself. I don’t know if You is an angel or a devil. She looks at the girl, who catches Yoshiko staring at her and smiles back. She does know one thing.

For the first time in her life, Yoshiko is a lucky girl.

[schyven]

Rating: G Word Count: 2825 Pairing: KanaDiaMari, ChikaRikoYou (mentioned) Summary: Holidays are stressful.

A/N: Happy belated holidays, @illichi! I heard that some people unfortunately didn’t receive their gifts for the @lovelivesecretsanta2017, so I volunteered to give another gift and got you! I hope you enjoy this!

    Kanan had a love-hate relationship with the holidays, specifically the gift-giving ones. When you had a stupidly wealthy significant other, shopping for them could extremely difficult and frustrating and soul-crushing. Unfortunately for Kanan, she had not one but two stupidly wealthy girlfriends to shop for during the holidays, which meant double the challenge, double the frustration, and double the soul-crushing. With almost every holiday season, Kanan was faced with the exact same problem: What the heck do you get someone who could simply buy what they want, when they want?

    Thanks to a deadly combination of procrastination and her tendency to run from her problems, Kanan found herself in a state of panic with only a week to get both Dia and Mari Christmas gifts. With absolutely no starting point, she knew she needed to turn to her other friends for help. Which was how she found herself sitting at the small table in Chika’s bedroom with Chika and You.

    “A gift for Dia and Mari?” Chika blinked at her for a moment before she tried to think of something. Crossing her arms over her chest and screwing her eyes shut in concentration, Chika hummed thoughtfully as she racked her brain for ideas. Beside her, You glanced up from her needlework and shot Kanan a curious look.

    “Isn’t Christmas in a few days?”

    “You, I came here for help, not to be criticized,” Kanan grumbled, shooting her a glare. You simply shrugged and turned back to the dress she was sewing.

    “Have you tried asking them what they wanted?” she asked, completely unhelpful. Kanan simply continued to glare at her, to which You shrugged in response. “Sorry, I don't really know them as well as you do.” For someone who was supposedly sorry, You certainly didn't sound or look like it. In fact, she looked rather amused by the entire situation.

    “It's hard coming up with something they’d want. They both have the money to just...buy whatever,” Kanan explained with a frustrated huff.

    “Who’s that μ's idol Dia loves so much? Why not get her another poster or something?” You suggested.

    “Dia’s got everything.”

    “Even the rare merch?”

    “You. We’re talking about the person who somehow got μ's original training schedule!”

    “Point taken.”

    They fell into silence as You continued with her sewing and Kanan tried to brainstorm gift ideas for her girlfriends. She lasted a total of two minutes before she gave up.

    “Chika, you've been quiet. Please tell me you have an idea?” Desperate, Kanan looked back at her other friend, who'd been lost in her thoughts since the beginning of the conversation. When Chika remained quiet, clearly still thinking, Kanan heaved a sigh and slumped forward, burying her face into her hands in frustration. “Why is this so hard!?” came her muffled shout. You chuckled, taking further amusement in her distress.

    “I’ve got it!” Chika abruptly shouted, leaping onto her feet with her fists in the air. The other two started at her suddenly burst of energy, and You cursed under her breath when she accidentally pricked herself with her needle. “When it comes to gifts, you gotta give them something from the heart!”

    “‘From the heart’?” Kanan asked.

    “Something that holds meaning, duh! And I've got just the idea!” Chika beamed at her before she scrambled towards her desk. From its messy surface, she fished out her lyric book and tossed it and a pen onto the table. “You can write them a song and perform it for them on Christmas!”

    “But I can't write music!” Kanan whined. Chika rolled her eyes.

    “Dude, you’ve got the main lyricist of Aqours right in front of you—who also happens to be dating Aqours’ main composer!” she shouted. “And one of their costume designers!” she added when You cleared her throat in mild annoyance.

    “... You guys would really do that for me?” It was actually a really good idea—a great idea, even—but Kanan didn't want to step over any boundaries by asking any of them to help her compose a whole song.

    “Well, Chika seems eager to help,” You said. “And I'm sure Riko will be more than happy to help out. It obviously means a lot to you.”

    Kanan glanced between the lyric book and her two friends, still hesitant. She thought about it, contemplating on whether they'd have enough time and if it was really okay for her to ask this of them, while Chika and You smiled encouragingly at her. After a few minutes, she made her decision.

    “Thanks, you two. I really appreciate that you're willing to help me write a song for them,” she said.

    “Of course we’d help! You're our friend!” Chika replied, red eyes sparkling with excitement now that she's gotten the ‘okay’ to help. “Let’s get Riko over right away so that we can get started!”

    “Are you sur—” Before Kanan could finish, Chika barreled over to her balcony and shouted over the railing.

    “RIKO! COME OVER! WE’VE GOT A SONG TO WRITE!”

---

    Mari loved, loved, loved the holidays! She loved the festive atmosphere, all of the merrymaking, the time spent with friends and family—everything about the holidays were absolutely wonderful!

    She did have one qualm, however—Just one. And that was the “no expensive gifts” rule that Dia absolutely insisted upon and enforced as though it were law.

    It just wasn't fair, if you asked her. How else was she supposed to show her lovely girlfriends how much she loved them if she couldn't shower them with presents!? No fair, Dia, no fair!

    Usually, she'd simply break that rule and get them something really nice (Dia certainly didn't complain that one time she received that limited edition Eli figurine for her birthday!). However, as much as she loved getting a rise out of Dia, she decided to play by the rules for once. After all, she'd been away from them for two years and she wanted to forge as many positive memories with the two of them as humanly possible, for the rest of her life.

    Thanks to that, though, she had a dilemma: What was something “cheap” that she could get either of them and still express her love for them?

    And so, she turned to her fellow Guilty Kiss members for some help.

    “You're shopping on a budget?” Yoshiko had every right to sound skeptical. Of all people to be shopping on a budget, it obviously wasn't Mari “I could buy you Antarctic” Ohara. When Mari had suddenly dragged her and Riko to Numazu’s shopping center, she hadn't been expecting it to be some half-baked prank. “And I'm a angel blessed by god—Stop pulling my leg! The great Yohane sees through all your lies!”

    “It’s true! It’s true!” Mari insisted with a pout. “Dia’s being a big meanie and said we’re not allowed to get each other expensive gifts!”

    “That certainly sounds like her,” Riko chuckled. She spared the shops around them a quick glance before directing her gaze back onto Mari. “Might I recommend getting them something practical?” She jumped back when Mari whirled around and jabbed a finger at her.

    “That's booooooring!” she shouted in English. How dare Riko suggest something like that! Her beautiful girlfriends deserved something more exciting! “It needs to come from the heart, Riko! Something that screams passion and shiny!”

    “‘P-Passion and shiny’?” Riko asked, nervous. From their time together, she's learned the hard way that “shiny” could mean many, many things to Mari, and to have “passion” included in the package could only mean trouble.

    “Of course, Lily!” Yoshiko jumped in. This, of course, only added to Riko’s anxiety. “When it comes to gift-giving, the gods and spirits demand only the most sincerest of offerings! Think, Lily, wouldn’t you rather be given a gift to aligns with your heart’s desires?”

    “I-I can see what you're saying, but I also don't see the harm in a gift that’s prac—”

    “What did You and Chikacci get you for your birthday?” Mari demanded, trying to get some gift ideas. Almost immediately, a red-hot blush covered Riko’s face and her hands shot up defensively in front of her.

    “N-N-Nothing!” she shrieked, voice several octaves higher in her flustered state. “They didn't get me anything!” Her shouting drew some stares, and Yoshiko huffed in annoyance.

    “We both know those little demons got Lily dou—ACK!” In a flash, Riko had the younger girl in a headlock.

    “No one asked you!” At this point, Mari concluded that she was making zero progress towards her goal for the evening, and all of their shouting was starting to draw a crowd of annoyed shoppers. Deciding that Riko and Yoshiko were too busy wrestling with each other to be of any help, Mari wandered off to look at the stores for some gift ideas (which she probably should've been doing since the beginning). Looking at the various items on display, she sighed and frowned at the lack of anything noteworthy.

    It took all of her willpower to skip over the pricier stores.

    Riko and Yoshiko eventually caught up with her, both disheveled and annoyed from their fight. They walked alongside her as she browsed the shops, occasionally pointing out suggestions. Riko remained adamant about practical gifts, pointing out school supplies for Dia and workout clothes for Kanan. Yoshiko offered more unique suggestions, presenting lucky charms and trinkets for either of them. Nothing stood out. Nothing was good enough.

    “We still have about two weeks before Christmas,” Riko eventually said, exasperated. They had been looking around for almost two hours now. It was getting late, they had school tomorrow, and they still needed to work on their homework. “Why don't we come back another time and try again?”

    Mari was about to concede defeat when her suddenly caught sight of a small, unassuming, shop in the corner of her eye. Whipping around, she dashed over to it, much to Riko’s dismay and Yoshiko’s surprise. The shop was nothing special. Small, plain, and easily overlooked. However, what caught her attention were the small dolphin and penguin plushies sitting on display.  They were small, barely bigger than her hand, and lumpy.

    They were perfect.

    “Are you serious?” Yoshiko asked, eyeing the misshapen plushies with a look of disgust.

    Oh, she was deadly serious.

---

    If it weren't for calendars and her friends’ adoration for the holidays, Dia would honestly forget about a majority of them. It wasn't that she detested the holidays or had bad experiences with them—On the contrary, her friends and family made them enjoyable enough. She just simply couldn’t be bothered with them.

    That is, until this year.

    “You’re overthinking things, sis,” Ruby reminded her for the umpteenth time that afternoon.

    “You don’t think I’m rushing things?” Dia asked for the umpteenth time that afternoon. She had gone to a small jewelry shop in Tokyo an entire month before Christmas to purchase gifts for Kanan and Mari. She had taken Ruby and Hanamaru along with her to 1) help her navigate Tokyo’s mess of a transit system and 2) assist her with picking out her gifts.

    They had also been brought along with moral and emotional support.

    “It's not cheesy or cliche?” Despite her sister and Hanamaru’s gentle tones and warm smiles, Dia still felt incredibly anxious and uncertain. She nervously eyed the display case in front of them.

    She loved Kanan and Mari very much—This, Dia was absolutely certain about. However, what she wasn't so certain about was whether or not she was making the right decision. When one considered the two year gap they had in their relationship, they've only officially been “together” for a relatively short amount of time.

    The last thing she wanted was to rush things.

    Dia had spent hours, days, weeks, and almost a month thinking over this decision. She'd done her research, and obtained the information she needed. Kanan and Mari deserve nothing but the best, after all. However, would she scare them off with her eagerness?

    Perhaps she needed to reconsider.

    “It’s kinda cheesy,” Hanamaru said. Dia was moments away from simply leaving the store. When she turned around, however, she saw that Hanamaru had a gentle smile on her face (as opposed to the teasing smirk she'd envisioned in her mind). ”But Kanan and Mari wouldn't be bothered by that.”

    “...You really think so?”

    “Dia,” Ruby abruptly spoke up, voice firm. When Dia winced at her stern tone, she placed a comforting hand on her arm, coaxing Dia to look at her. Ruby’s expression was absolutely resolute as she said: “They both love you so, so much.”

    Dia stared at Ruby silently, letting her words sink in. She then called for over an assistant, turning her back to Ruby and Hanamaru just in time to miss their celebratory high-five.

---

    For a song that was written, composed, and choreographed in a week, Kanan thought she pulled off a decent performance. Of course, Chika, You, and Riko had all been a huge help, and she would be sure to thank them all again when she had the chance. For now, she had to survive the crushing hug Mari was giving her.

    “Oh that was so shiny, Kanan!” the blonde shrieked in her ear. “You've had me swooning the whole time!” Kanan returned the hug with equal fervor, lifting her slightly off the ground and burying her nose in soft blonde locks. Dia watched them fondly from her spot on Mari’s bed. Kanan and Mari remained locked in the hug for a few moments before Mari practically sprang free with a loud gasp. “I need to give you your gifts!”

    She pushed Kanan towards the bed, motioning for her to sit before scrambling over to her closet. As Mari dug around in her closet, Kanan scooted closer to Dia, intertwining their fingers together and offering her a warm smile. Dia returned the smile, though it seemed a little stiff. Before Kanan could comment on it, Mari plopped down between them, nearly crushing their hands and giggling uncontrollably. Without a word, she thrust a carelessly wrapped box into each of their hands, yellow eyes gleaming with excitement and expectation. Dia tilted her head in confusion before carefully unwrapping her gift. Kanan, on the other hand, tore through the wrapping paper quickly and popped open the box.

    They found lump, misshapen stuffed animals in the boxes.

    “So! What do you think?! They’re shiny, right?!” Mari asked, practically shaking in her excitement. She nudged their shoulders with her own, prompting them to respond.

    “I’m surprised you actually listened to me, for once,” Dia admitted, with a small smile. She lifted the penguin plush she’d been gifted, carefully turning it over in her hands as she inspected it. It was surprisingly very soft. “Thank you, Mari. I will treasure it.”

    “Mari.” Dia and Mari turned to Kanan, and found her close to tears with the dolphin plush squished to her chest. “I love it! It’s so soft and cute I could die!” With one arm, she pulled Mari into another hug, who eagerly returned it with a laugh. They then turned to Dia, causing her to stiffen under their expectant gazes. Dia fidgeted a bit, clearly nervous.

    “Before I give you my gift, I would like you both to know that I love you both very much,” Dia began. Kanan and Mari straightened up, caught off guard by Dia’s serious tone. She took a deep breath before continuing: “We’ve been through so much together, and I am so happy to have you two by my side once again. I would like to remain by your sides.” Dia reached into her pocket and fished out two small ring boxes. With a deep, calming breath, Dia offered them the boxes, opening them to reveal two rings with red, green, and purple stones. “We’re too young to consider marriage, but I can at least promise myself to you two until then, and I would love it if you two were to do the same.” As she finished speaking, she averted her gaze to hide her flushed face and not subject herself to their reactions.

    Her gift had them both completely speechless.

    Suddenly, Mari tackled Dia, nearly knocking the rings from her hands and causing her to cry out in surprise as she pulled her into a tight hug and buried her face into the crook of her neck.

    “Yes! Oh my god, yes yes yes!” she yelled, voice choked up with tears. Before Dia could respond, Kanan swept them up in a crushing hug.

    “Yes!”

    They eventually pulled back and allowed Dia to slip the rings onto their hands. She also took out a third box, revealing that she had also gotten herself a ring to match theirs. They spent the rest of the night cuddling and showering each other with affection.

---

    “Hey, wait a minute! No fair, Dia! I thought you said no expensive gifts!?”

    “What is or isn't ‘expensive’ is subjective, Mari.”

    “...damn you, rich people...”

[oumiyuki]

Valentine You-chan (YouYoshi)

Ch 6 - Fallen Angel Pocky Game

Summary: How many tries does Yohane need before she can complete The Pocky Game with You properly?

You may read YouYoshi at ff.net or AO3.

Author Notes

The Fallen Angel has descended! Upon us tonight with the Pocky Game! 

May you enjoy~ XD

Yoshiko closes the door to her room, her exterior posture and expression would show that she’s normal, confident and nothing is stressing her…at least from the behind. Her hands were actually shaking a little, her palms were beginning to sweat from nervousness and her heart was beating furiously like crazed harpies’ wings.

I can do this. I can do this. There is nothing this Fallen Angel, Yohane can’t handle!

“Yoshiko-chan, are you okay?” Her guest for tonight asks from where she has made herself comfortable on the floor.

“O-Of course… And it’s Yohane!” The girl with the Fallen Angel persona spins around, steps over almost robotically and sits opposite to her little demon companion that was smiling in wait. The Fallen Angel’s gaze rests upon her little demon’s moist and ready lips, stares a little longer before she turns away, red in the face.

A k-k-kiss is inevitable from the Pocky game after all! And k-k-kissing is nothing to Yohane!

Yohane grabs a box of pocky from the plastic bag on her table and opens it. She gives the pocky stick a stern glare before muttering. “I won’t let you overthrow this chosen one, the Fallen Angel!”

You chuckles and makes herself more accessible by moving to the side of the table. “Coming over, Yoshiko-chan?”

“It’s Yohane! And don’t laugh!” The girl with the bluish-black hair directs her glare to the cheeky little demon that was also the little demon that she is in a relationship with; Yoshiko believes she used up her life’s time luck for this.

I just have to get this game done and over with and prove that I can play the Pocky game!

“A-Alright. Here we go…” Yoshiko approaches her girlfriend via knee-waddling and with shaky fingers, she poked the pocky stick into You’s mouth with minimal pokes against the ash-brunette’s face. “Sorry…”

“It’s okay.” You gave a slight nod of encouragement.

Here goes nothing!

Was what Yoshiko told herself on the inside, but she has yet to put the other end of the pocky stick in her mouth. Amethyst eyes squinted to the small round end of the pocky biscuit since the chocolate covered part was in the high diver’s mouth, most probably melting while waiting for Yoshiko to connect.

H-H-H-How does those normies do this sort of things?! Eating from the same pocky stick! That’s- That’s..!

Fallen Angel Yohane’s mind could not accept the brazenness of “normal” people as she broke the first pocky stick with a rushed and partly angry bite. “Ah…”

I broke it.

“You broke it, Yoshiko-chan. Now we gotta take a new one.” You raised both eyebrows at the remainder of the pocky in her mouth, shrugs and finished it.

“Yohane. And that was planned. It’s so you can get to know the taste of the pocky stick. E-Else you would be too distracted by the inevitably, sure to be coming, k-kiss from this Fallen Angel!” Yohane came back on strong as she averts her blushing face from You’s stare to grab another pocky stick.

“Okay. I like the chocolate taste.” The ash-brunette takes it in her stride to agree with whatever her girlfriend feels like saying as an excuse tonight.

“O-Of course. Chocolate is one of the great gifts bestowed upon you lowly humans to get a taste of hell!” Yohane praises her favourite food in a very Yohane manner before passing the pocky stick to You to put it in her mouth herself.

Alright… This time…

Yohane breathes in. Breathes out. Another deep breath. And perhaps a minute has passed before she put the other end of the pocky stick into her mouth.

Alright! The first phrase of the game has passed. Now I just have to-

Initially excited amethyst eyes made the mistake of looking up and into impossibly blue and impossibly kind and charming eyes; Yoshiko bites off the pocky to gulp her nervousness away. Meaning to say, the second pocky has broken.

“Waa..!” Yohane cries in exasperation while You simply chuckles again.

“You did better. Let’s try again.” The ash-brunette moves closer to her girlfriend so that they didn’t need to take another minute for the first-year to make an approach.

You cheering me on is just making me look bad…

“T-That was-”

“Planned? I understand.” You smiles that dumb, shining smile that Yoshiko loves and is jealous off at times as it just makes her speechless and makes her heart ring in her ears.

Of course you understand… You’re too kind after all…

Yoshiko holds back a sigh as she puts another pocky stick in You’s mouth.

However, whether it was the Fallen Angel’s bad luck or the Fallen Angel’s nervous streak, or the many times the Fallen Angel falls spell to her little demon’s alluring eyes, blushing cheeks, cute round nose, very kissable lips or anything from You; Yoshiko finds herself unable to reach the end of the pocky stick and prove her capability to play the pocky game by connecting lips with her amazingly still patient girlfriend.

WHY?!

“Yoshiko-chan… This is the second box already, you know?” The costume designer points out with a brief glance to the now empty boxes of pocky thrown to the floor.

“I know that!” Yohane snaps in embarrassment, her face a shade of reddish pink, a cute scowl on her lips and hands across her chest.

It’s just a simple pocky game and yet-

You’s laughter makes the indignant Fallen Angel turn to face the ash-brunette angrily, but stops short from scolding as her girlfriend was right beside her, a hand cupping her cheek. “Let me give you some assistance, my Fallen Angel.” You winks and puts the pocky stick’s other end into Yoshiko’s opened mouth.

Wait-

You guides Yoshiko to take a bite instead of jumping away by gently pushing the under of Yoshiko’s jaw, and since You already made the pocky stick a short one when her girlfriend had her back turned to her in embarrassment, their next bite would lead to a kiss.

You-

Two nervous and visibly quivering lips met each other for a good two seconds before You let go and Yoshiko lowered her head to avert making eye contact too soon, her Fallen Angel heart might not be able to recover if she does so.

“I…I knew you could play the pocky game, Yoshiko-chan.” You comments softly.

“Thank you…” Yoshiko mutters softly, too embarrassed to admit she loves You for helping and that she loves the kiss with You.

“What?” You’s own heartbeat in her ear made hearing Yoshiko’s whispers harder.

“I said of course!” Yoshiko shouts and looks into her favourite blue eyes and as quickly, looks away as they both had their cheeks illuminated by blushes. The Fallen Angel and her little demon had just begun their journey together in finding out more about love with each other; tonight’s pocky kiss was just one.

Author Notes

Our Fallen Angel is so dishonest. =w= hehe~ But her Little Demon is more than understanding! *w*

But seriously, I think I would be as capable as Yoshiko in playing the pocky game. Hahas. ^w^”

Leave me comments to let me know how the story is for you! It’s always appreciated~ XD

[we-say-nosoro]

Celebration

Chikayou for Chika’s birthday! Happy birthday, chika!!

—

Chika is used to going on You’s boat. It’s modest, small and comfy. You’s father gave it to her for her 15th birthday after finding it abandoned at a scrapyard, and Chika and You spent an entire day cleaning and painting it in their favourite colours.

They go for regular trips on it, weather permitting. They sail out, but not too far. You steers it most of the time, with Chika helping out here and there. Once, You even gave Chika her captain’s hat whilst she taught her how to steer.

These are all very pleasant memories in Chika’s mind as her best friend drags her over to the boat on her seventeenth birthday.

“It’s just a simple trip to celebrate. Nothing special,” You had told her, dismissing the idea of anything fancy.

But as they climb on the boat, walking up to the front, they receive shouts of “Surprise!” and the rest of the Aqours members pop out of random places. You grins, eager to see Chika’s reaction.

Before Chika can say anything, You pulls at the rope tying the boat to the dock, which loosens it, and they are free on the water. You grabs the steering wheel, focusing for a moment to make sure they get out safely, whilst everybody else crowds Chika and hands her their gifts. They’re wrapped in brightly coloured paper, which are torn apart as Chika opens them one by one, joyfully thanking each and every one of them. Mari envelopes her in a large hug, saying “No need to get so teary-eyed!”

Even though her eyes aren’t on the scene right now, You smiles to herself. It’s just like Chika to get all soppy now of all times. When she is satisfied with the boat’s position, she returns to the group, joining in.

They play a few games until Yoshiko suddenly pales, muttering that she gets seasick. Riko quickly takes her over to the side of the boat, and everybody else respectfully averts their eyes.

After a while, they go to sit at the back of the boat, watching the sun set in the distance. They’re bathed in a warm orange glow that stretches out across the water, which glistens in the light. You stands up, asking Chika to follow her to the front of the boat.

It’s silent for a few minutes as they look out across the water together, shoulders touching. Eventually, You turns to Chika.

“Are you enjoying this?”

Chika nods excitedly. “Yeah! I had no idea that you had planned this! Thanks so much, You-chan.”

“Ah, well, I didn’t really do that much.”

You digs around in her back, before pulling out a silver necklace with a charm of a mikan on it. Chika gasps in surprise as her best friend claps it around her neck. It’s perfect.

You brings out another necklace, similar with the exception of the charm on it, which is a blue boat. Chika begs to put it on for her, and You happily obliges, turning around so Chika can secure the clasp.

“We’re matching, now,” Chika finally says when she steps away. “I love you so much, You-chan.”

You smiles back. “I love you too, Chika-chan.”

Chika shakes her head, taking a deep breath. There’s something she’s bothered by, maybe. You wonders if she’s getting seasick, even though she’s never had it before. Nothing can prepare her for the next few words that spill out of Chika’s mouth.

“Not like that. I mean, I love you as more than a friend. Like, a girlfriend.”

You is stunned into silence. Her eyes widen, and a blush forms across her cheeks. If she could, she would jump straight into the water from her embarrassment.

She does manage to find her voice again after a while. “I love you like that as well,” she stutters out.

The mood is broken as Chika laughs. “You look so funny right now! I wish I could take a picture of it.”

“No!”

“Just kidding.” Chika leans in, kissing You on the lips. It tastes so sweet, like a bright summer day, if that could have a taste.

When they finally part, You has her hands on Chika’s shoulder.

“Happy birthday, Chika-chan.”

They are interrupted by Dia rushing towards them. “We’re about to hit a rock!”

“Eh?!” You whips around to the steering wheel, turning the boat away. From the back of the boat she can hear Yoshiko muttering some kind of spell to herself in panic before leaning over the side again. She looks fondly at the rest of the group, taking a hold of Chika’s hand.

“Come on. Let’s make the most of your birthday!”

They kiss once more before going back to the others.

[neon-pastel-color-blog]

My idea about Love Live x Danganronpa crossover

(Warning! Too many bad english + weird idea)

Muse 

Honoka Kousaka: Ultimate Patissere. Her main theme is Japanese sweets. Her goal is to combine Japanese sweets and western style, and gets so many awards because of her creativity. Her family also own Japanese sweets store named Homura. She also weirdly obsessed with breads.

Kotori Minami: Ultimate Fashion Designer. She is the daughter of headmistress of Otonokizaka High. From her designing clothes as a hobby, into something big. She is known as cute, but beautiful and comfortable dresses. She once works as a maid in Akibahara.

Umi Sonoda: Ultimate Archer. Her father is the master of traditional Japanese martial art, and her mother is the master of traditional Japanese dance. She also member of archery club in her school. She wears long skirt because, she feels shameless when she wears short skirt.

Maki Nishikino: Ultimate Doctor. She comes from famous and wealthy family of doctors. Her geniuses since young age make her recognized as one of the youngest doctor. She is somewhat believe in Santa, and keep the fireplace clean.

Hanayo Koizumi: Ultimate Botanist. Her success start with her obsession with white rice and curiosity. Now, she become a scientist in botany and agriculture, while her great obsession with white rice and idols still remain. 

Rin Hoshizora: Ultimate Athlete. She is a member of athlete club in her school, and she is one of the talented member in the club. She great at any sport, but her main sport is football, basketball, and hurdling. She tends to say “nyaa~” a lot, while ironically have allergies to cat. 

Eli Ayase: Ultimate Ballerina. Her mother and grandmother are great in ballerina, and passed down to her. Her another charm point is her beauty. She is partly Russian from her grandmother. One of Russian language than she tends to speak is “Harasho”. She is also student council president in her school.

Nozomi Tojo: Ultimate Fortune Teller. Her accuracy at fortune telling make her famous. She usually use tarot cards. She is also student council vice president in her school. She has unique technique called “Washi Washi”. 

Nico Yazawa: Ultimate Idol. One of her charm point is her smile. Her optimism and cheerfulness, sharing happiness to people around the world through her songs. She actually born from poor family, but her occupation as famous idol helped her family finance. Her catchphrase is “Nico Nico Nii~” 

Aqours

Chika Takami: Ultimate Servant. She is one of the servant in her family ryokan (Japanese inn). Compared to her two older sisters, she is better at serving the customers. Furthermore, her family ryokan also known for their open air, and the ocean-view hot springs, making her become more famous. She has obsession with mikan.

You Watanabe: Ultimate Sailor. Her father is sailor, and she inspired by her father. She is also one of the youngest sailor. She is also great at swimming, and she is good enough at it to qualify for the national team, but she continue become sailor with her father instead. Her catchphrase is “Yousoro!” 

Riko Sakurauchi: Ultimate Composer. Started with piano and viola. Now, she is a well known young composer. She is from Tokyo, but later moved to Numazu. At free time, she tends to reads doujins, mostly kabedon and kabekui, a sub-genre under shoujo ai (girls’ love), . 

Hanamaru Kunikida: Ultimate Choir. She is work at her family shrine as shrine maiden. Since her school have club for choir, she joining in, showing her gifted talent. At free time, she goes to library, and reads some books in there, sometimes borrow it. Says “zura!” a lot.

Ruby Kurosawa: Ultimate Fan. None of the idols things that she doesn’t know. From merchandise to “something bigger than that”, she owns it for her collecting goods. Never skipped for concert, and swing her light stick. She is actually a shy girl that born from well known, and rich family. 

Yoshiko Tsushima: Ultimate Summoner. She is best known with her trick to calling satan, or so it’s known. She usually broadcasting her effort, and spreading all over the world. She calls herself as “Yohane” and acknowledged “Yoshiko” as her fake name. 

Dia Kurosawa: Ultimate Heir. Her politeness, intelligence, and her strictness, is which made her famous. She is born from well known, and rich family. She tends to speak with formal and polite Japanese. She is also a student council president in her school.

Mari Ohara: Ultimate Director. She is a young director of famous hotel. Behind her leadership, she is actually a girl who loves joking around, saying some random English like “Shiny!” or “It’s Joke!”. Her father is American-Italian, while her mother is Japanese. 

Kanan Matsuura: Ultimate Diver. Started with working at diving gears shop with her grandfather, now she is one of the member of International Diver Club, as well as the youngest. She enjoys underwater scenery, a lot. 

[satoshi-mochida]

Nintendo has updated the Japanese official website for Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia with details on six more characters and launch day downloadable content.

Get the details below.

■ Characters

Python (voiced by Shinji Kawada)

Starting class: Archer.

A member of the Zophia Liberation Army. Born in a provincial town, he was invited by his childhood friend to join the military. He tends to look at the world cynically, but is unexpectedly serious and does his job without fail.

Zeke (voiced by Kazuhiko Inoue)

An unidentified knight who serves the Rigel Empire. He lost all of his memory, including his real name. After ending up in Rigel from somewhere else, his ability is recognized and he is appointed a general. He opposes Alm and company, but not just because he’s a Rigel general—there seems to be another reason.

Sonia (voiced by Rei Shimoda)

Starting class: Mage.

A female mage who guards the south side of the desert that leads to the thief Grieth’s hideout. She prevents Celica and company from passing through the desert. She is a cool and determined woman with a mature charm drifting about her. She has some sort of horrific past, but never talks about it in detail.

Masked Knight (voiced by Takuya Satou)

A mysterious man who suddenly appeared before Celica and saved her from a crisis. The true face and intentions underneath his mask are unknown. He seems to be a skilled knight, but is he really an ally, or something else…

Judah (voiced by Shuuhei Takubo)

A shaman of the Duma faith that worships Duma, the God of War. While leading the Rigel Empire’s magic army to help the Empire’s invasion of Zophia, he seems to have some other goal as he sends in subordinates to attack Celica. As is suited to his unordinary appearance, he possesses sinister and powerful magical strength.

Mila (voiced by Yoshiko Sakakibara)

The goddess who protects the Zophia Kingdom in the southern region of the continent of Valentia. The Zophia Kingdom was long kept at peace under her protection, but recently the harvest was bad, monsters appeared, and the Zophia Kingdom was invaded by the Rigel Empire. What is happening to the goddess?

■ Downloadable Content

The following content is due out alongside the game in Japan on April 20.

DLC #1: Fighter’s Journey Set (800 yen)

Temple of the Star (400 yen separately) – Difficulty: one star. Rewards: items (any number of times) and Star Frag (random drop). It is said that various burial accessories are hidden within the temple destroyed by thieves. You may be able to obtain a lot of items.

Villain and Treasure (300 yen separately) – Difficulty: one star. Rewards: silver coins (any number of times). Merchants whose places of business have been destroyed by thieves are in trouble. If you help, you may be able to expect a money reward.

The Dead Don’t Sleep (300 yen separately) – Difficulty: one star. Rewards: experience points (any number of times). A monster that becomes stronger each time you defeat it seems to have appeared in the ruins. You may be able to earn a lot of experience points by fighting it.

Gift of the Goddess #1 (free)

Includes a pair of Boots that you can obtain as a gift from the goddess Mila.

Upcoming Downloadable Content

A “DLCs 1-3 Set,” including DLC #1, DLC #2, and DLC #3, is available for 4,800 yen. For those who purchased the limited edition, a “DLCs 2-3 Set” will also be available. By purchasing this, you’ll get the new content when it’s released.

DLC #2 – Content that makes it easier to progress from the middle to the end of the game’s story. (Includes three items.)

DLC #3 – Content for those looking to further strenghten their party. (Includes 10 items.) Content that depicts the unknown story that occurs a day prior. (Includes four items.)

Downloadable content packs #2 and #3 will be released before June 30 in Japan.

A fourth downloadable content pack, which will be a collaboration with Fire Emblem 0[Cipher], is also planned.

Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia is due out for 3DS on April 20 in Japan and May 19 in North America and Europe.

View a set of high-res character artwork at the gallery.

[t-a-k-o-y-u-c-k-i-blog]

so. uhh. i guess i have a lot to say and update and hhhh.

yoshi. holy shit i am in love. like, straight up, getting to spend time with yoshiko in the way that we have been for the past few days has been so special to me. we came to japan just to go on a trip and be together before i really get thrown into comeback time, and i think it was one of the best decisions we ever could have made. we’ve spent a few days now in osaka and i’ve been able to see my family, which i think i really needed. i didn’t realize how much i missed them all until my dad and i got misty eyed while hugging. even though things have been rough i’ve been surrounded by love and it’s made me feel much more grounded than i’ve felt for the past few week weeks, really.

after we leave osaka, we’ll be taking the train to hokkaido, and yoshi seems so excited. i’m nervous to meet him family, but nervous because i really want his mom to like me. his mom sounds like a fun person to spend time with. i’m also just... happy to be surrounded by nature. i’m usually at my happiest when i just get to be deep in the trees so i think the days we’re in hokkaido are going to really give me the quiet reset that i need.

then there’s taeyong. had you told me two weeks ago that he was going to become incredibly important in my life in the way that he has, i wouldn’t have believed you all that much. but he’s my bear, and i love him. i would say that i love him similarly to how i love yoshi, in the sense that it was a friendship and a closeness that acted as the foundation to what we have now, but that’s where the similarities end. yoshi is, no doubt, a soulmate. he doesn’t complete me but being near him brightens my day and he always seems to know what to say. but taeyong... i don’t know. it feels like we’re so similar to each other and we just get each other. he’s loving and understanding and he’s able to talk me down when i’m too deep in my own head, and i can only hope that i do the same for him. i wouldn’t go as far as saying i’m in love with him, but i definitely love him no doubt.

even beyond whatever weird connection we have, i’m just. happy. it makes me happy to have him in the way that i do. i’m excited to get home and see him and hug him real tight. i’m excited to keep letting whatever this sweet, gentle thing we have continue to bloom and flourish and see where it takes us.

and then there’s sicheng. god. i care about him so much, and it breaks my heart to know how deep in his own head he gets. i know he and taeyong just had the chance to talk things out a bit, but i won’t get to see him any sooner than i get to see taeyong. part of me is hoping that maybe that breathing room and time to decompress will help in the long run, but i’m still just... nervous. i had the idea of getting him a charm, just a small gift, and i hope he doesn’t think it’s stupid or cheesy or crossing a line. i just. i want to show him and tell him that even if things don’t work between us romantically, he still means a lot to me, and i don’t want him to feel shut out. do i wish i could have all three of my boys? yes. but if that’s not what sicheng wants or what’s good for him... i can’t ask him to put himself in that situation. i can’t watch him put on a mask, knowing he’s not happy, just for my own benefit.

it’s a lot. it’s been a very long, very emotional week. but i’ll be okay. i know i will.

[recentanimenews]

The Real Life Locations of "Love Live! Sunshine!!" – Aqours' Hometown

As promised, after last week’s excursion to the northern Hakodate, this week’s installment of Anime vs. Real Life is all about Love Live! Sunshine!!’s main setting, the sunny seaside town of Uchiura. Aqours’ lovely little hometown is located at the northern end of the Izu Peninsula, right in the Suruga Bay, and is part of the much larger Numazu city.

    It wasn’t until very long ago, that Uchiura was merely a quiet fishing village with only a few seaside resorts. The small town never really was the hottest tourist destination in the area, and certainly not one to attract the younger anime fan demographic, but all of that changed with the start of Love Live! Sunshine!! last year. The anime catapulted Uchiura and Numazu on the map for watchers of the show, prompting fans from far and wide to visit the rural town that Chika calls her home – and the constant stream of visitors hasn’t slowed down since. Cities trying to capitalize on the growing anime tourism trend have become a dime in a dozen recently, but only a select few manage to sustain their momentum and the increase in anime tourists after the show is finished.

Uchiura’s and Numazu’s success can partly be attributed to the extremely high popularity of the Love Live! franchise (the Tokyo locations of the original are still beloved pilgrimage sites years later), but it also stems from the sequel’s convenient location itself. On top of the really lovely scenery, the area is also reasonably easy to reach, being only roughly two hours away from Tokyo, making it a good distance for a day trip, or even better an overnight stay over the weekend. Not too close to be uninteresting, but also not too far away to be exhausting and overly expensive. Furthermore, the myriad of collaborations and tie-ins, ranging from decked out busses, to live events, and stamp rallies, surely also played their part. And last but not least, the currently airing second season of Love Live! Sunshine!!, which further raises the small town’s profile. But to be honest, at this point, I almost have the feeling that tourists would’ve been flocking the coastal town regardless of the second season. At least that was my impression on my latest trip there this summer. I already made the trip down to Uchiura last year (Part 1,2), just after the third episode had aired back then, and was highly impressed by the sheer number of tourists, who obviously only came because of Love Live! Sunshine!! And I was just as amazed this year, when I saw just as many, if not more, fans, who were also trudging around the show’s locations. I myself decided to pay the town a second visit because I finally wanted to see that spectacular view of Mt. Fuji, which comes up so often in the show, but also simply because I just had a wonderful time on my last trip.

    Let’s start off with the show’s most prominent location, which was also on the anime’s first promotional art, Mito Beach. The beach’s best feature is the beautiful view of Uchiura Bay, simply because…

    … the small beach itself is rather dirty and has a lot of trash lying around. I was sure that the beach would be properly cleaned up this time around, due to the countless fans visiting the spot, but nothing has changed over the past year. On the other hand, it might’ve also been the influx of tourists, that's been causing all the littering in the first place.    

    History in Love Live! really does seem to repeat itself, only this time its Chika jumping off the pier, and not Riko. 

    Aqours’ high school is located across Uchiura Bay and Mito Beach, atop the hill here.

    I’m sure you’ve spotted it a few times by now, but lo and behold, the majestic Mt. Fuji! As already mentioned, the main purpose for my trip this time was to finally see that exact view that’s been advertised in the show since the first episode, which is Uchiura Bay with Japan’s highest mountain looming in the background. The weather wasn’t clear enough during my last visit, but as you can see, I was not disappointed this time around. This view here, with Mt. Fuji emerging between the coast to the right and Awa Island to the left, has been especially impressive. Although, seeing a giant cruise ship sailing through the narrow Uchiura Bay like in the anime would’ve also been a sight to behold. 

    The Izu Mitohama Shotokan is a traditional Japanese inn, and surely has seen a significant increase in overnight stays by anime fans, but most of the fans planning a stay around Uchiura Bay will surely first take a look at the inn across the street, which is…

    Yasudaya Ryokan! Chika’s home does not only serve as an inn in the anime, but also in real life. 

    Unfortunately, there isn’t actually a dog house in front of the inn, but everything else almost matches up nearly perfectly with the anime. 

    Except for the design of the noren, which are the traditional Japanese fabric dividers you'll find in front of many doors.

    And also the Takami’s actual living area is missing in real life. As you can see, there isn’t a second large building in the back of the actual inn.  

    In the latest episode, Chika’s mom presents her a few New Year’s gifts instead of money, one of them being a daruma doll. These dolls come in various shapes and colors, and are a good luck charms that are supposed to keep you focused on achieving your goals. Once you have a specific wish, goal, or dream in mind, you paint in one of the two initially blank eyes, and only once you've actually achieved it, you get to paint in the second one. It seems like Chika and I myself still have some work to do. 

    Yoshiko and Riko return Nocturne Laelaps Anko to his owner in this little street next to Chika's inn.

    Let’s move on to one of the show’s other big locations, the nearby Izu Mito Sea Paradise. The aquarium already served as the venue for Aqours’ Koi ni Naritai AQUARIUM single early on, and was also in this season’s fourth episode.

    Dia-chan.

    The aquarium opened in 1930 and was the first one that kept bottlenose dolphins, whale sharks, walruses, and sea otters in Japan. There are also several sea animal performances a day, although I never actually went to see one myself. Well, third time's the charm.

    I did however check out the animals at Awa Marine Park, on Awa Island. 

    The best way to get to Awa Island is by boat, which obviously has also gotten the full Love Live! Sunshine!! treatment in real life. 

    There are not only penguins and other sea creatures on the island, but also Kanan’s diving shop, which in reality is a small terrarium, containing a vast variety of frogs.

    That’s where the dolphin performances take place on Awa Island.

    Let’s take a quick detour to Numazu, where the girls saw off the Saint Snow sisters in front of Numazu Station in the last episode. 

      The only way to get from Numazu to Uchiura is by a 45 minutes bus ride with the Tokai Bus Orange Shuttle. Just like anything else in the area, also the buses have been taken over by the nine school idols. And not only the exterior, but the show’s voice actresses also announce the stops along the way.

    One spot you should definitely not miss on your own trip, is this place right across from the tourist information center in Uchiura. Not only does it appear several times in the anime, but it’s also here where Riko and Chika shared an intimate moment together in the first season. 

    And on the other side of Uchiura Bay is the Nagaisaki Junior High School bus stop, the closest one to Aqours’ school. All of the people wandering around the area in the picture above were only there for Love Live! Sunshine!!

    Awa Island (in the background here) is also where Mari’s luxurious Awashima Hotel is located. 

    Continuing up the slope will get you to Nagaisaki Junior High School, or Uranohoshi Girls’ High School in the anime. 

    But unlike in the anime, this school actually isn't an all-girls school. 

    Entering the school grounds is not permitted.

    And since I’m sure that you still haven’t seen enough of it, let’s top off this week’s installment of Anime vs. Real Life with even more pictures of Mito Beach!

    And finally, just like last year, I once again left behind a small memento in Uchiura. 

  The map below also includes all of the locations that that I did not feature in this article. If you ever plan your own trip to one of these places and need some help, don’t hesitate to contact me. 

    What do you think of the Love Live! Sunshine!! locations? And who’s your favorite idol in the series? Sound off in the comments below!

---

Wilhelm is an anime tourist, who loves to search for and uncover the real-world spots he sees in anime. You can talk with him on Twitter @Surwill.

By: news+feed@crunchyroll.com

[furinjuru]

Matchmaking Mission - Morning

Rating: G Word Count: 8,000~ Pairings: ChikaRiko, RubyMaru, background YouHane A/N: Happy (extremely late) Valentine’s Day! @frozentides9, I’m your Secret Admirer for @lovelivesecretadmirer2018! Sorry for how late this is, hope the does of cute ships make up for it! Massive shoutout to @galileosunshine (Joey) for beta-ing the ChikaRiko parts as well as@youriko-is-my-jam (Magi) and @polarishyn (Ochako) for beta-ing the RubyMaru parts! Next Parts: [ChikaRiko] [RubyMaru]

As the coldest months of Winter in Uchiura pass, a speck of warmth begins to return to everyone’s daily lives. Thick coats are deemed unnecessary as people ditch them in favor of something more-fashionable like a jacket or a scarf. People become ‘warmer’, smiling and laughing more frequently.

For Chika, it all feels bittersweet. After all, there are only two months left until the end of the school year and the third-year’s graduation. The end of Uranohoshi and their school idol club. All good things must come to an end, but she didn’t expect the end to come so fast. It felt like it was only yesterday that she had accidentally pushed Riko and herself into the sea.

Speaking of Riko, Chika notices that she hasn’t arrived yet, which is odd. She’s usually punctual, arriving at least half an hour before the bell rings, but now she’s nowhere to be seen. It worries her more than she lets on.

Ever since the New Years’ party Aqours held, Chika has been thinking about Riko a lot. One talk with Kanan later and she’s confident that she’s in love, but Chika thinks that she started liking the other girl romantically way earlier than the party. Maybe it was the morning of their training camp when Riko told her that she loved her (she still doesn’t know whether she meant that platonically or not).

Yeah, that was probably it. But Aqours took up most of her time then, so she couldn’t think too much about stuff like dating. Now, they’re in the finals and have a good shot at winning, with the entirety of the Shizuoka prefecture supporting them. They have their  song, choreography, and costumes ready. Practice is being put on hold for a bit, which leaves Chika with nothing to think about other than her studies—she mentally gags at that thought—or her feelings. What a coincidence that today is Valentine’s Day, causing thoughts about the latter to become even more prominent.

She lets out a groan, burying her face in her hands. Everything would be so much easier if Riko would just confess again. That way Chika can ask what she really meant by it, and everything would work out. They would either start dating, or they would move on. It’s a decent plan that didn’t consider the possibility of Riko not being in class.

“Riko-chan isn’t here yet?”

Chika looks up, her eyes meeting You’s blue ones. She lets out another groan before shaking her head. You offers her a pitying look before sitting down on her seat beside Chika’s. “Cheer up. Hey, look what I got you!”

Chika turns her head, watching as You waves a box of chocolate in front of her. She immediately perks up. “Mikan chocolate!”

“That’s right!” The two smile as You hands the box towards Chika, the latter beginning to unwrap the gift. “But seriously, how can you not get bored of this stuff? It’s always the same every year.” Every year since elementary school, You has always given Chika the special mikan chocolate she loves so much.

At the question, Chika giggles a bit. “Of course I won’t get bored of it. This,” She points towards the opened box. “Is a symbol of our friendship. It’s been with us for as long as I can remember. And even though things in our lives change, our friendship stays the same, just like these chocolates.”

You stays silent, carefully processing the deep meaning behind Chika’s words. “Chika…are you alright?” She grins as her best friend’s smile turns into a pout. “I’m kidding! But seriously, I didn’t expect that from you. You really changed a lot.

“I can say the same for you,” Chika says off-handedly. “Oh! Speaking of chocolate….” She takes out a box of chocolate from her bag and offers it to You. “Here’s yours.”

You excitedly takes the gift, appreciating the nice wrapping before she opens it. “Thanks a lot! It’s nice getting friendship chocolate once in a while.”

“Look at Miss Popular here,” Chika teases. “I bet you’re gonna keep getting honmei all day. So much delicious chocolate….”

“That’s not a good thing.” You sighs. “Eating too much is unhealthy. And I feel terrible having to reject them. It’s so…sad.”

“Oh no!” Chika gasps, the shock on her face completely over-exaggerated. “You’ll have to reject girls who you rarely ever talk to and never even considered as a romantic partner.”

“That’s cruel, Chika. Even if it is true.” You chuckles as she looks for her book in her bag. As she does that, Chika takes a peek inside, finding a few other boxes of chocolate. Most of them look the same except for one that’s smaller and packaged in blue. You usually doesn’t discriminate between her friends, so for someone who doesn’t know what’s going on it would look more than a little odd. But Chika knows exactly what’s going on.

Her voice dropping to a conspiratorial tone, she leans towards You with a wide grin on her face. “Hey, You-chan...” She waits until her best friend looks up to face her before continuing. “Is that what I think it is?” She asks innocently, pointing at the box. You’s eyes follow her finger until they land on the box, her face turning bright red as she closes her bag to hide it. The reaction causes Chika’s grin to become even wider. “It’s for her, isn’t it?”

“Well yeah, but it’s not what you’re thinking.” You says, placing her book on her desk. “You know she loves chocolate, so I wanted to give her something nice. Really, that’s it.”

“You made this yourself, right?” Slightly embarrassed, You nods at Chika’s prodding. “Why couldn’t you have given her the same chocolate as the rest of us?”

“Of course I couldn’t do that. She doesn’t like mikans.” You seems proud of having thought of an excuse. Chika doesn’t buy it, however.

“So instead of buying chocolates that don’t have mikan in them…you decided to make the chocolate yourself?”

“Uhh….” You flushes. “…yeah?”

“You-chan, you’re a horrible liar.” Chika resists the urge to laugh when You turns redder. “I mean, it’s not like you have to hide it. Everyone in Aqours already knows.”

“Everyone?!” You balks. “Even Yoshiko-chan?” Her voice takes on a panicked tone as she wonders if she’s already outed herself.

“I guess not her…” Otherwise, they wouldn’t even be having this conversation. “But that doesn’t change the point. Your crush is super obvious.”

“You mean like your crush on Riko?” You asks, in a desperate attempt to change the subject from her.

“Yeah,” Chika answers unflinchingly. “So that’s why you should just confess. There’s nothing wrong with Yoshiko, and I’m sure she likes you too.”

You shakes her head, sighing. “I know that she likes me, but…what if she doesn’t like me in that way? What if she likes me as just a friend?”

Are we talking about the same person? It’s not like Yoshiko is less obvious about her crush. There are times when Chika wants to push them into a closet for an hour until they confess. Seriously, You-chan is hopeless without me. “I’m sure that’s not the case,” she says instead. “It’ll work out.”

You nods, Chika’s words helping to soothe her nerves. “…so, what about you? Did you make something for Riko-chan?”

“You bet I did!” She pulls out a nicely-wrapped box of chocolates from her bag, holding it up proudly.

“…that’s just mikan chocolate, isn’t it?” You asks.

“It’s the Takami’s special mikan chocolate!” Chika corrects her. “Passed down from each generation to the next, it’s a good luck charm to ensure a long, happy relationship!”

“I see.” You hums. “I never thought you’d be someone who believed in superstition, though.”

Chika shakes her head. “I usually don’t, but I’m super desperate.” She mutters, resting her head on her desk. “I’m so normal, and Riko-chan’s so amazing, so I’m willing to do anything to help my chances.”

Your chances are already really good, though. You sighs inwardly. It’s not like Riko is less obvious about her crush. They’re practically dating already with how much time they spend together. Seriously, Chika-chan is hopeless without me. “I’m sure Riko-chan will be blown away by whatever you made.”

“Thanks, You-chan.” Chika smiles at her best friend. “I’d wish you luck, but I don’t think you really need it. You make really good chocolate, and Yoshiko-chan loves chocolate, so it’s like a match made in heaven.”

“More like a match made in hell.” You says, her eyes meeting Chika’s flat stare. “…since, y’know, Yoshiko-chan is a fallen angel? Never mind, I shouldn’t ha-“

“Is that what you two do nowadays?” Chika teases. “Roleplay chuuni things together? I guess that counts as romantic.”

“W-we don’t do that kind of stuff together.” You quickly defends herself. “It was just a joke.”

“For now, but it’s only a matter of time before she turns you into one of her ‘little demons’ and you start joining her streams.” Chika ignores You’s whining as her attention is directed to the entrance of the class, perking up when she sees the person who just stepped in.

You follows Chika’s gaze, watching as Riko walks towards her seat, barely on time. “Riko-chan, good mor- are you okay?” As she approaches them, it’s clear that she isn’t herself. She seems to lack energy, and the foundation of makeup she had hastily applied can’t hide the dark rings around her eyes.

“Good morning you two.” She yawns while collapsing onto her desk. You would’ve guessed that she was asleep if she hadn’t spoken up. “The teacher hasn’t come in yet, has she?”

“Nope, you’re safe.” Chika suddenly stands up.

“I think I’ll go to the bathroom before classes start.” With that, Chika walks out of the class. You waits for her to be out of earshot before turning to Riko.

“Let me guess.” She smiles. “You stayed up late making chocolate for Chika-chan, right?” Riko can only let out a grunt in response. “I bet she’ll love it.”

“I hope so.” Riko sighs. “I’m not sure my heart will be able to take a rejection.”

“I’m rooting for you,” You says, hoping to lift Riko’s spirits. “I’m not sure I can take watching you two dance around each other for another day.”

Before Riko can muster up the energy to respond, the first teacher of the day comes in. Chika enters a bit later, earning a minor scolding from the teacher even though she was only in the bathroom.

Yep, You thinks to herself. This’ll be an interesting day.

“Yoshiko-chan! Wait up!”

The navy-haired girl stops at the school entrance, turning around to face the person who had called out to her. The girl’s signature red hair is a dead giveaway, and Yoshiko waves as Ruby approaches her, slightly out of breath. “Ruby, what’s up?”

“I want to give you something! Just hold on a second....” She mumbles, unzipping her bag. Yoshiko’s expression progressively becomes more horrified as the redhead rummages through the contents. Before she can say anything, Ruby pulls out a neatly wrapped package and presents it to her.

“Happy Valentine’s Day, Yoshiko-chan!” She smiles brightly, not noticing Yoshiko’s distressed expression. “This is my gift for you, please take it.” Yoshiko stares at the package, wondering if she fell asleep on the bus and this is a dream.

She bites the inside of her cheek. Not a dream.

With shaky hands, she takes the item. The wrapping is simple yet elegant, and she can already guess what the actual gift is, considering the date. Ruby is still staring at her with her cheerful smile, which makes what she’s about to say all the more difficult.

“Ruby...I-I’m sorry.” She stutters, closing her eyes so she won’t have to see the other girl’s expression. “I only like you as a good friend, nothing more. So...I can’t accept this gift. I’m really, really sorry!” She bows deeply, hoping that the two of them can still be friends after this and Dia won’t kill her.

Ruby blinks, confused by Yoshiko’s reaction. “Huh? Hold on, I think you’re misunderstanding.” She waves her arms frantically, her face red with embarrassment. “This is just friendship chocolate!”

“What?” Yoshiko straightens up, once again staring at the package. “Friendship chocolate?”

“Y-yeah.” Ruby nods. “Even though we’ve only known each other for about a year, I think of you as a really good friend too.” Yoshiko continues staring at the gift like it’s a foreign object, and it takes a while for Ruby to realize why that might be the case.

Has she never received any before? I guess it makes sense, since she the last time she saw Hanamaru-chan was back in kindergarten. Other than that, it’s not like she’d receive friendship chocolate in elementary or middle school.

...That was a really mean thought, wasn’t it? Oh no. Ruby can feel her face turning even redder. “S-sorry.” Of course, since she didn’t voice the rest of her thoughts, it only leaves Yoshiko confused.

“What are you apologizing for?” She asks, beginning to tear apart the wrapping paper. “I should be the one apologizing. I don’t have anything to give you. I’ll…try to make it up to you later.”

“It’s fine,” Ruby assures. “Just enjoy the chocolates.” Yoshiko looks a bit better, but when she inspects the gift and realizes what brand of chocolates she’s been given, she instantly pales.

“Isn’t this that super-expensive brand from Tokyo?” She gulps nervously. “Is it really okay?”

“Of course!” Ruby pouts cutely, her expression resembling a cute puppy. “I’m being serious here, just enjoy it. You don’t even have to give me anything as long as you’re happy.”

Yoshiko chuckles, slipping into her fallen angel persona and poses. “Well, I suppose I can’t reject my little demon. Dark chocolate is the perfect offering for a dark being such as myself.”

“Sure, glad you like it,” Ruby says cheerfully, zipping her bag back up. “So you won’t be giving any chocolate today?”

At that question, Yoshiko blushes. “Well...not really. I’ll be giving one to someone.” Ruby perks up, her smile becoming even wider.

“I won’t tell anyone. Anyway, I have to go now. There’s still plenty of chocolates I need to give out today. Do your Rubesty!” With another wave, Ruby is off, leaving Yoshiko alone as she walks towards class. She considers putting the chocolate in her bag, but is worried that they’ll melt in spite of the weather, so she takes a chocolate piece and eats it.

It’s good, Yoshiko thinks. She eats another piece as she makes her way to class, walking through the school halls. She sees other students exchanging chocolates in the hallway, laughing and having fun. A few people even stop her to give her more chocolate, which she guiltily accepts while promising that she’ll return the favor soon.

By the time she finally makes it to class with a bag chock full of chocolate, she laments having to eat all of it before they melt. Still, as she stares at the chocolates, given to her by her friends, she can’t help but smile.

This is shaping up to be a pretty good day. 

As the first bell rings and school starts, the previous lighthearted atmosphere vanishes almost entirely, replaced with palpable tension. With all kinds of chocolate having been exchanged already, there’s only one thing left; honmei chocolate. The main event of Valentine’s Day. Both teachers and students alike can agree that this is the worst day for school. Students can’t focus, and teachers struggle to teach students who can’t focus.

Hanamaru stares out of the window of the classroom, watching the grand sakura tree right in the middle of the schoolyard. It would be a nice place for a confession, like a scene from a book, but too many people share her thoughts. Call her a romantic, but she wants it to feel personal. Confessing at a place where many others do sounds like the opposite of personal.

She turns away from the window and towards her bag, catching a glimpse of a package wrapped in yellow paper. Her face flushes and emotion bubbles in her chest. She might not have a solid plan, but she’s more than sure of her own feelings. Somehow, she will confess. 

Unfortunately, not everyone is as optimistic. Riko is one such example. As she glances at the energetic girl sitting behind her, she feels a tight knot forming in her throat, making her feel breathless. There are many reasons for Riko to be pessimistic.

First of all, even if Chika isn’t the most popular second year—that would be You—she’s still incredibly popular from virtue of being the leader of Aqours. She’s pretty, warm, kind and radiant. Chika is truly, utterly amazing, and Riko knows that. Riko also knows that everyone knows that. It’s not hard to imagine other people falling in love with the loveable girl.

That’s where the second problem comes in. Riko knows exactly how bland she is. When people hear her name, their first thought is ‘the transfer student from Tokyo’ more often than not. Arguably, it’s better than ‘the girl who reads doujinshi’, but it saddens her to realize that she’s so boring, to the point where the most memorable thing about her is that she’s from the big city.

Riko is so bland and uninteresting, unlike Chika. Chika can go on the same spiel about shining for the hundredth time and still captivate her, because that’s who Chika is. Chika is the girl who insists that she’s normal but keeps doing amazing things. Chika is the girl who never gave up on Riko, even when she’s given up on herself. Chika is the girl who, just from her actions, caused Riko to fall head-over-heels for her. Chika, the girl who wanted to shine, and became the light of her life.

Riko lets out a depressed sigh, returning her gaze to the front of the class. Why would Chika want someone boring like her? The chances of her feelings being returned are pretty much zero. Still, at the very least she wants to get those feelings off her chest. She seeks closure, even if it means getting rejected.

Even if it means getting hurt.

Because today is Valentine’s Day. The day where logic gets sidelined and emotions take up the foreground. As they say, love turns people into idiots. Even someone as calm and logical as Riko isn’t immune to its effects.

When the bell signaling lunch break rings, “Operation: Confess” begins.