#After Ikkyu

[subtextures]

Quick Take after re-reading Jim Harrison’s “After Ikkyu"

I read “After Ikkyu” by Jim Harrison again last night. Over the last 30 years I must have read this book 30-40 times all the way through (It is short), and then countless other times dipped into it for psychic and spiritual relief. After Ikkyu was another book I stumbled across at a Half-Price books. I had never heard of Jim Harrison, and had never heard of Ikkyu, so that day I pulled After Ikkyu off the shelf was an important date in my poetic literacy. Harrison over the next few months quickly became my favorite poet and novelist. I even read his memoir, and collection of essays written for foodie magazines. The poems in After Ikkyu are modeled after the Japanese poet Ikkyu. They are brief observations about the fleeting nature of life, and our constant inability to see the beauty right in front of us. The poems are imagisticly clean, and delivered with a wry sense of humor. Every time I read them I am stunned by their beauty, craftsmanship, wisdom and wit. 

[bluemonkwrites]

i'll be dead

and the same weeds

will still grow

but by then i'll be

on to other gardens

[deus-ex-mona]

still too much lxl on the dash, stream kimikawaii instead~~~

[cagedchangeling]

i will never understand how people think Kent hates animals for what he said to Heroine after Kuro’s death.

let’s start with how after Kuro gets hit by the car Kent immediately takes control of the situation directing both her and the driver so Kuro can get to the vet quickly so he doesn’t die.

next what he says to the Herione isn’t him blaming her it’s him trying to help her by pointing out what she could’ve done/ can do in the future to prevent something like this happening again. Heroine actually agrees with kent she fully acknowledges that this happened due to her in proper care

Kent is coming form the perspective of learning form your mistakes and keywords here

Respecting kuro

the heroine right after this flash back realizes that Kent wasn’t acting maliciously and did care.

he quite literally feels guilty for Kuro’s death despite knowing it’s illogical.

he doesn’t hate animals or anything he’s just not a dog person.

[deabruarenjarraitzaileaya-ha]

Eyeshield 21: 2024 Winter Gift Exchange

For @beansterpie

Sorry I'm late, hope you like it! This fic dips a bit into my headcanons (mostly our headcanons at this point lol) for the university years, with as many of your prompts as I was able to fit.

And thank you @eyeshields for organising this event once again! It's always so much fun ❤️❤️

“ENMA!”

“FIRES!”

“ENMA!”

“FIRES!”

The Enma university students and supporters waved their flame-shaped foam gloves as their kicker got ready for the point after touchdown. The score was 21-13, and the crowd was rippling with anticipation as number 99 pocketed his comb, ran up to the 10-yard-line and kicked the ball.

The stadium roared when it made a beautiful arc and passed directly through the middle of the posts. The counter changed to 21-14, and the Enma Fires were suddenly one touchdown away from tying with the Nihon Phoenixes. 

“Kotarou-kun’s kicks are as beautiful as always,” commented Anezaki Mamori, assistant manager of the Saikyoudai Wizards, making a cursory annotation on her notebook.  

“Fuu, like an electrifying riff from Tom Morello’s guitar.” While she considered herself passably good at musical theory, she could never keep up with Akaba’s more specific music tastes, so she could only nod and smile. 

The Wizards had a whole team of workers and volunteers that took care of the data recollection and analysis of other teams—unlike the Deimon Devil Bats, who were only an official team because of Kurita’s fiery determination and Hiruma’s efficiently frightening methods, and as such had barely enough people to play a match, let alone to gather data and take care of other administrative tasks. 

Right then, Obara-san was attending to an overly complicated camera Mamori had no hope to ever understand, while Masao-kun recorded the match from a closer angle and Izaya-san wrote down the times of the plays. Mamori didn’t need to be here—none of them did, really— but it was the Enma Fires. Friendly rivalries required both cheering the team on and taking note of their strategies to overanalyse them before the next match. 

Ikkyu leaned back on his seat, a slight quirk to his lips. “It’s almost half-time; if Unsui-san can keep this rhythm until then, the flow of the match should stay in their favour.”

“Kekeke, the Phoenixes are good but way too straightforward, they won’t be any match for that scheming fucking monk,” Hiruma agreed from the seat next to hers, unwrapping a new gum stick.

“Tch, they are lucky the Phoenixes are nothing special. Fires’ defense is shit and their offense is missing key players, they’ll lose against a better team,” said Agon, who was seated on Hiruma’s other side and nonchalantly munched on an energy bar he had grabbed from the blond’s bag.

(He had arrived 15 minutes late, complaining about the early hour—even though their usual morning practice started significantly earlier and he had not missed a single one lately. Even the upperclassmen had tensed up when he just plopped down and kicked his feet up into another seat, but Hiruma had only cackled and called him a sweet little brother that came when called.

“Aaaah!? Like I’d come just because you said so, trash. Are you delusional?”

Personally, Mamori thought Hiruma needling him was 80% of the reason why Agon did anything these days, but felt it would be impolite to point it out aloud.

“Besides Unsui, Hiruma is the only one who is able to steer Agon through his wildest moods,” Banba had told her the time they had brought the data of their last match for analysis to the cute new patisserie next to their campus, the one that boasted the best French chocolate-dipped cream puffs in Tokyo. “As long as it works, they can keep at it.”

That seemed to be more or less the consensus everyone on the team—and in university as a whole, it seemed— had arrived to. Not that anyone would admit to it; Agon was still terrifying.)

Yamabushi rubbed his hairy chin in thought. “Phoenixes’ line is no match for Kurita. Right now, not even the upperclassmen can beat him in a one on one, the only one in Japan who can challenge him is Gaou.”

“That fat trash can plough through the centre to open a path and Unsui can think up all the strategies he wants, but the only half decent runningback is number 15 and all receivers are trash. Their only trump card is that kick freak.”

“Don’t underestimate the effectiveness of kick plays,” Akaba said, just as Enma stole the ball and started their offense yet again. “They have no counter for Kotarou’s kicks, and his success rate is 99% in good weather; with Kurita and Unsui it won’t be difficult to secure a down, and from there they have three points guaranteed.”

And just like their kick expert predicted, the Fires managed to score two field kicks before halftime and were just one point away from tying the match. The next 20 minutes were spent comparing notes and predictions, asking Obara-san to watch a few of the recordings, and trying to ignore the two devils insulting each other almost gleefully. Even the older adults have given up on getting them to sit properly and without profanity.

The second half started with both teams giving their all. While taking notes, Mamori felt her phone vibrate and she pulled it out to read the text. “Banba has just finished his history exam and won’t make it before the end of the match. He’ll meet us at the train station.”

The announcement was met with nods and words of acknowledgement, except—

“Banba, huh?” Hiruma repeated, rolling his head to glance at her from the corner of his eye.

(She wasn’t sure what he was even implying with that tone. There was nothing to imply, other than a polite, reliable friendship born during these past months while trying to wrangle a team of eccentric geniuses and an overly stubborn coach, but long dealings with Hiruma Youichi had made her realise that he often just said things to get a reaction—people apparently gave away a lot of information inadvertently when mad and discomfited— and she refused to play the game his way.)

She smacked his shoulder with her notebook. “Stop putting your feet up on the seats, Hiruma-kun.”

His grin was razor sharp as he turned his attention back to the game. Underneath his usual devilish bravado, she noticed the dark skin under his eyes and the slight slump to his usually lounging posture. She wouldn’t deny worrying about him—he was exasperating, but Mamori liked to think they were friends of a sort, after all this time—and the year had been hard on everyone, but especially him.

She had seen him in various states of exhaustion and hurt before, (during the death march, after those “secret” training sessions he did after everyone went home, when Gaou broke his arm in the match against Hakushuu Dinosaurs…) but the training regimen he had gone through that year was nothing short of brutal. She had wanted to stop him, remind him that no matter what he liked to pretend he was still human, but she also understood: out of everyone on the team—even herself—he was the one who had had to earn his position the most; and it was only now, in the autumn season, when he had convinced the coach to make him an starter player. The assistant trainer, Hirayama-san , had helped by designing his diet and training, and even by keeping tempers cool when Hiruma and the coach inevitably butted heads. The players that had gone with him to the Youth Club had supported him, of course—and Mamori was pretty sure Hiruma had spent time training with Agon one on one to hone his skills even more—but in the end it had been all his merit, to get better and stronger and faster, enough that even an old coach set in his ways couldn’t find fault with making him the starter quarterback.

As she had done during their time in Deimon, she would support him from the bench while he thrived in his natural habitat: confounding the rival team on the football pitch. 

“The Phoenix players are standing closer than before,” she noted, comparing her annotations on their positions in previous plays with where they were standing at the moment. “They are going to try and stop Kotarou-kun from kicking.”

“Well, that just leaves an opening for countless trick plays, and that fucking monk won’t waste such an opportunity.”

What followed were many minutes of frantic scrambling and last minute saves on the Phoenixes’ part, while the Fires slowly but steadily gained ground. The stadium cheered both teams, with Enma students chanting their call and response song—some said “Enma” while others answered with “Fires”, but Mamori wasn’t sure how it was decided who said what. Had they practiced beforehand? Such a dedicated fanbase!

They were nearing the end of the match. The Fires’ captain being a man of few words, it apparently fell on the quarterback to say a few words to the team just before their last play. “Our passion for football is unmatched,” they heard Unsui say, face serious and set with determination. “A fire that rages hotter than any inferno. Like fire, it will burn any opponent to the ground. Like fire, it will light a path to the Rice Bowl. BURN WITH PASSION, ENMA FIRES!”

“Ugh, that was corny as shit, Unko-chan,“ Agon muttered, at a volume that suggested he’d never had to keep an opinion to himself.

Corny or not, the speech did its job; the team was properly fired up—Mamori giggled to herself at the pun—and ready to give their all and more. With two minutes left on the clock, anything could happen, but they would need to be at their best to win.

And win they did. Mamori took furious notes as Kotarou faked an onside kick, while Unsui used the previously unnoticed number 59 for a faint that looked vaguely inspired by the dragonfly and scored the final touchdown himself.

Hiruma’s cackle was heard loud and clear even with the whole stadium coming to life with a roar of celebration, and the Fires’ own shouts of joy and shocked amazement.

Among the Wizards, the feeling of satisfaction was palpable. Yamabushi even excused himself and climbed down the stairs to congratulate the Fires personally. Mamori watched him go fondly, tempted to follow, but decided to wait. The players were already celebrating by hugging and dancing and laughing.

“Their next match is against Ojou; it won’t be easy to overcome that perfect defense.”

“Not perfect.” Hiruma pointed a finger towards Ikkyu, grin razor-edged. “No team is perfect.”

“Fuu, you have a few ideas already, Hiruma?” 

“At the clubroom, fucking red-eyes.”

“Hey, what the fuck is that fat trash doing to Unko-chan?”

Mamori turned to the celebration and saw Kurita spinning around in joy while cradling Unsui to his chest. She would have thought nothing of it, if it weren’t for Hiruma’s answering cackle. And Kurita was a very effusive and tactile person but… mmh. 

“Aah!? The fuck you laughing about? Spill!”

“Kekeke, are you really so flummoxed by healthy camaraderie between football players? That’s so tragic, fucking dreads.”

“Are you pouting!? Don’t make that shitty face at me, trash, what the fuck. Stop laughing, trash!”

It was probably just Hiruma trying to get a rise out of Agon… but if it wasn’t, she’d probably hear about it the next time she met up with Kurita to sample Kariya’s cream puffs.

🏈❄️🏈❄️🏈❄️🏈❄️🏈❄️🏈❄️🏈❄️🏈❄️🏈❄️🏈❄️🏈❄️

“Oi, trash, seriously, what the fuck was that about?” he asked yet again when they were climbing the stairs to Hiruma’s apartment. He didn’t want to think it over, that fat trash and his twin brother, but he couldn’t let it go. “You know something, don’t you? Tell me!”

A grin full of shark teeth was his only answer as Hiruma jiggled his keys and opened the door, and he grumbled as he followed the blond trash inside.

(Not like a dog. Not at all like that smelly mutt that followed Hiruma around all the time begging for scraps. No, stop that.)

He could see that the skinny trash was getting comfortable, pulling out his laptop and phone, probably planning to update his information network or player roster, and he wasn’t having it.

Faster than Hiruma could ever hope to move, Agon grabbed him by the collar of his leather jacket and pushed him against the wall. “Stop fucking around,” he growled.

Hiruma didn’t look particularly bothered, the crazy bastard, and popped a bubble of gum in the narrow space between them. “Well, this brings back memories,” he snickered, tilting his head to the side. Agon remembered that night when they first met back in middle school, both blond and several centimetres shorter, in this exact position. “Are you sure you want to know, fucking dreads?”

“Tell me what you know.”

“And then what? What will you do if I tell you they are good friends? If I tell you they are fucking? If I say they loathe each other's fucking guts but put on that little display just to fuck with your head? What then?”

Agon glared, fist opening and closing by his hip. Hiruma kept his toothy grin, tapping Agon’s wrist twice. “Think it over and ask your brother, dreads. Now, you wanna finish the Superbowl match we were watching yesterday? I have it paused.”

Clicking his tongue, he let the blond trash go and followed him to the tiny sofa. Arranging themselves into something resembling a comfortable position, shoulder to shoulder and hip to hip, they continue watching the only football players that could probably keep up with him plough each other to the ground. 

The next day he would text his brother. For the moment, Agon let his ankle brush Hiruma’s and pointed out what a better job he would have done at catching that number 46’s shitty pass.

[kyouxa]

Amnesia World: Normal World (Part 4)

In terms of the gameplay: Whenever you’re given a choice in the game, the translation will lead to the different choices. The name of your MC will be Y/N (your name) in the translation, but in game screenshots it might mention my name.

Waka: —Come again, young lady.

Well then, that was today’s last customer. Good job, Y/N.

Nova: …Is “come again” correct in Kansai dialect?

Ikki: Waka, the thing you asked me for the other day… she accepted. She said she’d pay us a visit soon.

Waka: Oh, that would be helpful. We are complete beginners on this topic, after all.

Shin: What are you talking about?

Ikki: It’s about the outfits for the event. You can’t buy these kinds of outfits in town. 

Toma: Ikki, do you know a lot about that kind of clothing?

…Are those your everyday clothes, perhaps?

Shin: …Yikes.

Ikki: Don’t take these accusations seriously. They’re made up.

Kent: Sorry to disappoint everyone, but Ikkyu isn’t the one in charge of the costumes.

Ikki: Exactly. I was the only one asking someone to provide the costumes for us.

Kent: And even if you’re looking to buy these kinds of clothes, there’s probably someone better suited to ask than him.

Nova: Hm? That’s—

???: ——Did you call for me, Ikki!?

Nova: W-Woah. This woman…

Ikki: Perfect timing, Rika. I was just talking about you. 

Rika: What a coincidence. 

I had a feeling that I was being talked about by you, so I came here at full speed, entering the store by pushing my way through. 

Nova: And you call that a coincidence?

Shin: …Ah, I get it. There’s nobody more qualified than her for the job.

Kent: Exactly. Don’t worry, Toma. If you leave it to her, the costumes are undoubtedly going to be perfect.

Toma: I don’t feel safe regardless…

Ukyo: Ah, Rika. So this was where you were heading.

Mine: How rude, leaving us behind like that.

Sawa: I was already wondering where she was going when she suddenly started sprinting. 

Rika: A-Ah, my apologies. I was simply acting on impulse…

Toma: Sawa and Mine aside, but Ukyo is here too? What a strange combination.

Mine: I heard that Rika was going to hold a meeting about the costumes, so I came along to give my opinions. 

Shin: Then what about Ukyo? He has nothing to do with it.

Ukyo: I was just walking down the street when Rika called out to me.

Rika: Ukyo, you will be responsible for the photography on the day of the event, right?

In that case, I’d love to hear your opinion on how the costumes look as well.

Toma: Ah, Ukyo is a bit of a problem. We can’t tell him the details about the event until the actual day it happens.

Rika: Oh my, is that so? 

Shin: Yeah. Ukyo, can you go home now?

Ukyo: Eh, wait… ! Why am I the only one who’s been kept in the dark here!?

Kent: Isn’t it okay if he’s here? I don’t think there’s any particular need to keep this part of the project hidden.

Ikki: I agree. It would be a shame to kick him out. Wouldn’t you agree, Waka?

Waka: It’s no problem for me as long as no information gets leaked. Rika, be careful with what you say, then.

Rika: Yes, of course. I’m pretty good at keeping my lips sealed.

Ukyo: Thank you… If I had been sent outside, I would have seriously cried.

Everyone, if there’s something you absolutely don’t want me to hear, please tell me beforehand. I will move to the corner and cover my ears so as to not hear anything.

Nova: T-That’s thoughtful, but it would make the situation even more awkward…

I mean, why is he being so thorough?

Even though he’s not good at keeping secrets, Ukyo is a part of this team too. So it should be fine—

time skip

Toma: …My head is really starting to hurt.

Ikki: Endure it, Toma. It’s all for the sake of the event.

Toma: I know that, but to think that this will continue until the day of the event…

Nova: ….. ?

Waka: …Say, I’ve been wondering about this for a while now…

What’s in the thick paper bag you’re holding, Rika?

Rika: Thank you for mentioning it, Manager!!

To make this event a success, I brought all kinds of materials from different brands!

Ukyo: Woah, that’s so much. You’re amazing, Rika.

Uh, hm? This brand is…

Shin: Do you know it, Ukyo?

Ukyo: Yeah. I remember seeing that same brand in a catalogue at a photo studio before.

Could these be from a custom-made store?

Rika: What are you saying, Ukyo?

There’s no way I’d buy something pre-made for Ikki to wear!

Ah, how troublesome… ! I wonder what clothes would bring out all of Ikki’s charm!?

…Even if I said I’d bring the best out of them, Ikki’s beauty is already heavenly!

Is it possible to create a costume that matches his beauty… ?

Mine: What are you talking about, Rika!? Now isn’t the time to test your true strength as his fan club president.

We’re all here to help, so let’s do our best together!

Rika: M-Mine… I’m so happy to have an honorary member like you… !

Sawa: Rika, Rika! Aren’t these shiny gold boots lovely? They’re not plated, but pure gold.

Rika: Yes, you’re right. Very good point, Sawa.

Waka: Ah, um, Rika? I know I said I’d leave the arrangements to you, but there’s a limit to the budget—

Rika: …..

Waka: I’m sorry, it’s nothing. 

Ukyo: Waka, your tone! Don’t let her threaten you!

Kent: …Ikkyu, are you sure we should leave this to them?

There are budgetary issues, but it’s possible that things might get out of hand and end up straying from the main focus.

Ikki: There’s nobody more into that genre than Rika. If we take her off the team, I wouldn’t know anyone else.

Shin: Agreed. Sloppy costumes won’t attract any customers.

Toma: That might be true… but won’t it put off customers if the costumes are too much as well?

Ukyo: Right… they might be intimidated before even going into the store.

Waka: Hmm. The opinions are split in half, but you’re both right…

— Okay, Y/N. You decide.

Nova: What? You can’t put me on the spot like that.

Waka: Should we entrust everything to Rika, or should we talk to her about this? The choice is yours.

No matter what you are about to decide on, I’m certain she won’t listen anyways.

Don’t think too much about it. Make a quick decision, okay?

Nova: If I don’t think about my decision, won’t that put the business into jeopardy… ?

Haa, Y/N. Another choice to make.

But I feel like this one isn’t as difficult.

Considering the target audience of the event, which opinion is better? 

Choices

1) I’ll leave it to Rika

2) Maybe she should be a bit more mature about this…

— I’ll leave it to Rika

Rika: Leave it to me, Y/N. I’ll definitely prepare something that will meet your expectations!

Mine: I knew you would understand, senpai! When it comes to things like that, a girl's sense is what really shines.

Sawa: Now that we have Y/N's approval, we can continue the discussion!

Nova: …I'm still a bit worried. But it's best to leave this to them.

— Maybe she should be a bit more mature about this…

Two people: What are you talking about, Y/N!?

Rika: We can’t possibly give in on this once-in-a-lifetime event!

Mine: She’s right! The dreams of girls all over the world depend on this!

Nova: All over the world, huh?

Sawa: Um… it’s not like I’m as passionate about this mission as these two.

But if we want to do this, it would be better to make it as showy as possible. It’s more fun and exciting, and most importantly, fun. 

Nova: …Sawa is also enjoying herself. Especially after mentioning “fun” twice.

Guess you have no choice but to leave it up to them…

end Choices

Kent: Then it’s settled.

Now that the costume design is up to them, we won’t interfere anymore. Is everyone fine with that?

Shin: Sure.

Toma: …Fine.

Ikki: However, it’s best to set a budget limit. If not, we might suffer a total loss.

Waka: Right… I’ll keep a close eye on that.

Yet… I wonder why I can’t shake off this feeling of unease.

Ukyo: Ah, Waka. I can’t help you with anything, but I’m more than willing to listen if there’s anything bothering you. 

Waka: Thank you, Ukyo. Human warmth really does hit home…

time skip

Nova: …Amazing. When girls form an alliance, it’s incredibly powerful.

They didn’t allow any refusal nor for anyone else to open their mouths.

…To be honest, I was a bit scared.

Ah, no… haha. That doesn’t include you, of course.

Maybe before you lost your memory, I would have been… maybe you’re a strong-willed person too?

…..

A-Anyways, no time for daydreaming, right? 

Let’s try to get more information before everyone goes home.

↳ Heart (Shin)

↳ Spade (Ikki)

↳ Clover (Kent)

↳ Diamond (Toma)

↳ Joker (Ukyo)

[stuffingprize]

Why ship Agon & Yoichi? Finally the 3rd & final portion of my long AgoHiru meta post!! Ready to dive in full? Part 1 | Part 2

~~Part 3~~

WORLD YOUTH CUP - A smile worth 3 million

We've reached the final arc!! After the Christmas Bowl, Japan gets a chance at forming an all star high school line-up to play in America. Agon decides to join & we get to see him interact with a wider variety of characters, showing us more of his similarities to Yoichi as he's put in places where he must team up.

Violence, deceit & lack of patience over sentimental speeches #justgeniusdevilthings

Unsurprisingly, he still gives Ryokan lots of flack, refusing to acknowledge him throughout most of the arc despite everyone else agreeing that he is an essential asset to the team.

Truly unbelievable! Agon just can’t stand having Ryokan in the way of his time with Yoichi two years & one lost match later...

On Yoichi's end, however, he doesn't seem to be the type to hold on to grudges. Despite the hurt Agon put his friends through, Yoichi prefers being practical & can put it all aside if it means gaining an ally for his current goals. Ultimately, Agon is a useful player to have & we know that Yoichi is especially fond of those he finds “useful.”

Plus it's fun to see that Yoichi is practically the only person who can talk smack & laugh at Agon's face & get away with it (Mizumachi tried).

And because there are areas where he & Agon just get each other, Yoichi calls on him to do a Flying Dragon & Criss Cross together during their game against the American team, which they pull off perfectly despite never having played together before.

When Sena & Monta attempted their first Criss Cross against Teikoku, they fumbled the ball bad

Finally, Agon gets a chance to play with Yoichi, & it is absolutely of no surprise to me at all that THIS is the precise moment Agon begins to enjoy football!!!

Agon has smiled plenty on the field before, when his motivation was to “crush those without talent.” Agon has done the Flying Dragon before, with Ikkyu whose talent he praises & his twin whom he actually cares about. But here, his enjoyment is enough to make him laugh. By wordlessly being in sync with Yoichi. Teaming up with & having fun with Yoichi, perhaps like they used to before football.

In fact, Agon was so engrossed in that feeling of joy that he overlooks Mr. Don coming for him!

Shien (the Kid) is comparing Agon's experience in this moment to the time when he had finally admitted to something he truly wanted during the Hakushuu game!! An interesting insight

Lucky for Agon, Ryokan comes to his aid because winning this game is more important than their drama! (& because he's a sweetheart)

And after these successful series of plays where Agon finally shared the field with Yoichi & friends, we get this small development:

Is this tentatively the beginning of Agon letting go of his hurt & seeing Ryokan for what he truly is?

Although Ikkyu was usually his only exception when it came to adequate teammates, Agon would still say he was best if there were "22 players exactly like me." Here, Agon is opening up to the idea of finding value in other players. In Ryokan. In Yoichi. Even if he still sounds sore over it, it’s progress.

Yoichi influences Agon: +10 points! (Agon tempts teamwork.)

Despite this final arc's ups & downs, I enjoyed the small developments we got for Agon, as well as seeing Yoichi talk to him so casually. We begin to see how they treat each other differently now that they're teammates instead of opponents:

From weariness to fondness…

BONUS 100 POINTS: Agon & Yoichi enjoy playing football together!!

Before reaching the end, there’s still one more topic I’d like to talk about. Why has Yoichi, since so early on, piqued Agon’s interest anyway? It isn't about smarts or attraction, or deviousness. Well maybe just a little bit. Here's what I mean:

~

CRUSH THE UNTALENTED - Agon's Dissatisfaction

Above is Agon's officially stated no homo reasons for playing football back in vol 20 before Deimon vs Shinryuji. My interpretation being that Agon hates average try-hard players because his brother Unsui IS the average player who resigned himself, which really pisses Agon off because they’re twins & Agon feels his pain.

I personally think that if Unsui hadn't given up on himself so soon, then Agon wouldn't be twice on edge about average players who could be him. It's something that becomes evident in the World Youth Cup arc when he sees Unsui in Habashira & even taunts his brother over it.

And yet Yoichi who also fits the “average try-hard player” is someone Agon continues to be drawn to. We have this insight from Unsui himself during the Ojo vs Deimon rematch:

...Where Agon didn't follow up his usual "HUH??" with anything ridiculing Honjo's words. It's a rare moment that also happens between him & Yoichi back when they used to hang out:

These instances where Agon does not dismiss the speaker’s words as something ludicrous means that he’s in fact considering them as something valid! *gasp*

With this in mind, I think one reason Agon so carefully watches Yoichi is because he senses an answer he craves to his perpetual annoyance of average people. See, despite not being physically impressive, Yoichi continues to enthusiastically work towards his impossible goals seemingly undeterred by limitations. He “gets creative.”

Agon is a genius, they have a long history of them trying to read the other out, & yet he still says, "I've never understood this about you."

What is ambition all about? What is something worth struggling for? What good are teammates? I think Agon has always wanted to understand these differences between himself & Yoichi.

Yoichi influences Agon: +10000 points! (Agon’s attitude toward life football changes.)

~

AND TOUCHDOWN.. or is it? - The Undefeated Saikyodai Wizards

By now, I hope I've proven that Agon is continually drawn to & influenced by Yoichi & that it largely dictates many of his actions—whether it's to resist & oppose him or simply follow him into whatever interests him next. So it is only natural that Agon would follow Yoichi into college.

Well, it probably helped that Yoichi intentionally chose a different college from Ryokan this time around (lol).

These two devious men who had once teamed up to frame & take advantage of others, then threw each other out, are finally now fighting together for good after six years of back & forth drama..!

And thanks to the recent 21st Anniversary of the series, a Special chapter was published which revealed Saikyo College as the then Undefeated Champions. However, Sena Kobayakawa has joined the fray & the plot revolves around a chance for either Yoichi or Sena to join the NFL. The deciding factor being which team wins—Saikyo or Enma.

Back at the World Youtch Cup arc, Agon heard from Yoichi himself how badly he wanted to join the NFL. With this knowledge in mind, it’s safe to say that Agon not only is now playing because he wants to, but this game in particular because victory means Yoichi's new dream can come true!!

Similar to Gao, Agon once played football to destroy Yoichi's dreams. But now, it’s the opposite!

You see, all along, what Agon wanted was to get himself in the Devil’s sights. What he hated Ryokan for (taking Yoichi through football), what he hated Sena for (being Yoichi’s ace), was now his alone. Agon is the trump card Yoichi can count on..! 

Such intense focus!! Agon as Saikyo College's Ultimate Player

Like we saw when they played against the Americans, Yoichi & Agon don’t need explicit instruction from each other. Their compatibility carries on. Wordlessly communicating~~~

Agon-speak for Of course I read you, honey.

With Agon becoming a serious athlete who trains & is now happily playing alongside Yoichi Hiruma, it’s no wonder that their team holds the title of Champions so far…!!

Yoichi influences Agon: +20 points! (Agon attends Saikyo College. Agon plays for the sake of Yoichi’s dream)

>>Yoichi influences Agon, FINAL COUNT: OVER 9 THOUSAND…!!!!!!!

AND THUS CONCLUDETH THEIR GET-TOGETHER LOVE STORY!!!

Standing together like this, they make up the titular #21!

Thank you for reading 🏈

[hellcatinnc]

Get To Know The Amnesia Boys

I thought would be cool to have alot of the amnesia boys info in one place to come back to and share. This is for all the amnesia lovers.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CLOVER ROUTE

Kento (Kent) ケント

Age: 25

Birthday: September 23rd

Height: 190 cm (6'3")

Blood Type: B

Western Zodiac: Libra

Occupation: University Graduate

Likes: creating math puzzles and observing things

Colors Associated: Green & Black

Architect Type: Kuudere

Best Friend: Ikki

Voice Actors: Akira Ishida & Tyler Galindo 

Fav. Quotes:

“Argument and logic are not always the right path to take. Honestly expressing emotions is important. You were the one who helped me realize that.”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SPADES ROUTE

Ikkyu (Ikki) イッキ

Age: 22

Birthday: June 1st

Height: 183 cm (6'0")

Blood Type: AB

Western Zodiac: Gemini

Occupation: University Student

Likes: Darts, Pool, Table Tennis, Math Puzzles

Colors Associated: Blue & Gray

Architect Type: Flirt/Teasedere/Hiyakasudere

Best Friend: Kent

Voice Actors: Kishō Taniyama & Blake Shepard

Fav. Quotes:

"If you lose your memories again , I'll tell you everyday i love you, no matter what happens I'll protect you"

“There’s always been something heavy in my heart that’s made me suffer. But when I hear your voice or see your face, that something starts to melt.”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

HEART ROUTE

Shin シン

Age: 18

Birthday: November 30

Height: 179 cm (5'10")

Blood Type: A

Western Zodiac: Sagittarius

Occupation: College Student/Law

Likes: Dogs, Melon Soda, & Sweet Tamagoyaki

Colors Associated: Red & Black

Architect Type: Tsundere

Best Friend: Toma

Voice Actors: Tetsuya Kakihara & Houston Hayes

Fav. Quotes:

"I'll protect the sweet, silly part of you, and the hard working part of you...I'll protect everything"

"Please go out with me, I can't see you as a family member anymore"

"It was you who showed me that surrendering to misfortune and giving up is just running away"

"I will definitely protect you. I've decided not to let you get hurt a second time"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DIAMOND ROUTE

Tōma トーマ

Age: 20

Birthday: April 12

Height: 181 cm (5'11")

Blood Type: B

Western Zodiac: Aries

Occupation: Maid's Sheep

Likes: Spicy Food, Basketball, Cycling, Reading, & Cooking

Colors Associated: Yellow & Black

Architect Type: Yandere

Best Friend: Shin

Voice Actors: Satoshi Hino & Christopher Ayres

Fav. Quotes

“I don't want to see you cry. I don't want to see you sad or see you suffer, either. I always want to see you smile and I want to make you smile.”

“If I can't protect you, should I break you?”

“The truth is, I want to look after you more than anyone. But I can't.”

“I only want to keep you from crying, but even that wish, I couldn’t grant.”

“I love you… I always have, and always will…”

“I always want to see you smile and I want to make you smile. So for that purpose, I don’t mind if you hate me, that’s what I decided. But IT HURTS.”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

JOKER ROUTE

Ukyo ウキョウ

Age: 24

Birthday: March 3rd

Height: 185 cm (6'1")

Blood Type: O

Western Zodiac: Pisces

Occupation: Professional Photographer

Likes: triathlon, cheerleading, hula dance, soccer, lacrosse, rugby, kabaddi, dance, art, riding, debate, braiding hair, collecting underwear, and photography(also cleaning other personality likes)

Colors Associated: Green

Architect Type: Loner

Best Friend: MC

Voice Actors: Kōki Miyata & Patrick Poole 

Fav. Quotes:

“While I was traveling, searching for you, I died again and again, and I finally realized: a world where you and I can both live doesn't exist.”

“Even though I knew I had to give up, I wanted to see you. I wanted you to smile for me one more time.”

“I've lost count of the number of times I've met you and lost you. But I still… still love you.”

“There's only one way to save you. I have to disappear from this world. Let my wish for you to survive come true.”

[yamayuandadu]

Hisami and Zanmu. What drives their love for each other? Does Hisami just like egotistical oni? Do they go on dates? Do they ever cuddle? Would Hisami prefer if Zanmu kissed her or scolded her? Both, maybe?

A truly profound set of questions. Sorry it took me so long to answer them, I haven’t been on social media much lately. I didn’t lose enthusiasm for this pairing or anything - my general interest in Touhou might fluctuate, but I’m fairly sure that much like in the case of junheca my interest in Zanmu and Hisami is here to stay.

I won’t bring much new to the world of zanhisa discourse with this but like many people I like the idea that Zanmu enjoys the fact she can’t fully account for what Hisami does. This idea simply has a lot of comedic potential. Maybe she enjoys the element of uncertainty this introduces to her plans, specifically. Surely it can boost her ego if her plans work even if she is not in full control of some element. And there’s no way Hisami isn’t doing some sort of cartoon villain sidekick yes-man routine during the planning stages (which doubtlessly also provides the desired ego boosts). To put it sort of bluntly, I also think Zanmu is into Hisami on the level of physical attraction. She’s supposed to be a corrupt monk, her irl counterpart according to a legend associated with Ikkyu who famously wrote love poetry and had multiple relationships over the course of his life, there’s no way she doesn’t experience it on some level imo. On a relevant note, it would be cute if Hisami’s title was essentially her memorializing something Zanmu said about her early on after they met. On Hisami’s side, ever since I read about the riveting academic arguments over whether it’s defensible to call yomotsu-shikome forerunners of oni I’ve been thinking about how to adapt that with her character in mind. What I have to offer is that she originally developed feelings for Zanmu in no small part because they share the unusual “sort of kind of oni but you can poke holes in this claim” status (logically Zanmu should be a tengu, that’s the default path for corrupt monks, I would really love to see that referenced at some point). Otherwise she’s just been assigned henchman at birth, and Zanmu lets her truly utilize her talents to follow this calling. 

I like to interpret the game’s events as a pivotal point in their relationship so imo they WILL go on dates at some point at the very least - Hisami’s ending is essentially the first one as far as my headcanons are concerned. I do think they cuddle though. Perhaps more, even. Hisami occupies the position of a henchman with benefits.

Last but not least, clearly a combination of both is optimal. I have some more relevant thoughts pertaining to that that I will spare the readers from (for now).

[mountain-sage]

Studying texts and stiff meditation can make you lose your Original Mind.

A solitary tune by a fisherman, though, can be an invaluable treasure.

Dusk rain on the river,

the moon peeking in and out of the clouds ;

Elegant beyond words,

he chants his songs night after night.

~IKKYU~

[dyns33]

Spot the difference

It took me a while to finish this Agon x reader story, and it's not as good as I was hoping for, but I hope someone will like it

It had always been possible to differentiate Agon and Unsui Kongo. It was quite rare with identical twins, but even when they were babies, their behavior was so different that their parents knew who they were holding.

Then there was the hair, the style of clothing, the way of speaking. It was completely impossible to confuse them, much to everyone's relief.

No one wanted to talk to Agon thinking it was Unsui, because that meant taking the risk of being scorned, insulted, or even hit.

The only times there had been errors were because of the administration, which mixed up their files by only seeing their last name. It made Agon laugh a little when a teacher told him that he had gotten a bad grade, just as it pained Unsui who believed that he was being rewarded for his hard work.

This kind of thing however happened less and less as they grew up. Shinryuji's high school did not tolerate mistakes.

Then there was the tournament in the United States and the hair accident.

Following this horrible incident, many of the team members thought they saw Unsui in the corridors of the hotel, the moment Agon decided to walk around without his glasses and wig. This was quite normal, since after all they were identical twins, and they saw him from afar, without him opening his mouth.

But it gave the genius a weird ideas. As soon as he returned to Japan, he annoyed his brother until he agreed to participate in his stupid game. A second wig was bought, several clothes, and hell began for everyone who came across them.

Sometimes there seemed to be two Unsuis, sometimes two Agons, sometimes the brothers were not together, but no one could guess which one was here. They could have joined the acting club, because each was very good at imitating the other.

“What do you want, trash ?”

"Oh. Sorry Agon, I thought… I thought you were Unsui."

“But Ikkyu, it’s me.”

"Oh, Unsui, sorry ! You act like your brother so well, I…"

“No, but it’s really me, idiot, what do you want ?”

Even Hiruma got lost sometimes, which didn't please him, while Agon cried with laughter as he made fun of him loud enough for everyone to hear.

There was, however, one exception.

Some might have said that it was probably because she had known them forever, having practically been raised with them since they were neighbors, but Y/N always managed to recognize the brothers.

“Hello Unsui.” she said without the slightest hesitation as she passed by him, who was wearing the wig and glasses, and who had been letting everyone believe that he was Agon for several hours already.

“… Hello Y/N.”

“You’re totally ridiculous.”

"I know. Tell that to my brother."

More than with the others, there came a time when Agon mainly wanted to have Y/N. Even though she was slightly less stupid and annoying than the majority of the trashes, he didn't appreciate it when someone managed to beat him in any field.

He therefore insisted that his twin make an effort to behave exactly like him, while doing his best to sound like Unsui when he met the young girl.

But each time, the result was the same.

“It’s quite scary when you smile like that.”

"I do not see what you're talking about."

"And when you speak like that. I don't understand the purpose of your approach, Agon."

"But how do you always know ?! I was perfect ! All the other trashes were wrong !"

“It’s obvious, though.”

It was absolutely not obvious to anyone. Even Unsui admitted that his twin was horribly good at imitating him.

There really didn't seem to be any noticeable difference between the two brothers when they wanted to, and yet Y/N still knew.

She had been very close to them when they were young. Then as with all the others, Agon had moved away from her, leaving her with ordinary mortals and his twin. It was therefore possible that she mainly recognized the eldest, whom she saw almost every week.

But even when they weren't talking, staying completely still, in the meditation position like their trainer had taught them, Y/N could see the difference.

It became a game with the other players, and even other teams, organizing bets.

"Easy. Agon on the right, Unsui on the left."

"Are you sure ?"

"Completely."

"She's right…" Unsui sighed as he opened his eyes, delighted to be able to remove the fake dreadlocks from his head because he was starting to feel hot.

"You're cheating." Agon growled as he walked away, kicking a trash can. “There is no other explanation, you are cheating !”

While he was probably the one who was least interested in this game, Unsui also ended up wondering how his friend was doing to determine which twin was in front of her.

At first, the skin might have helped a little. With all the UV sessions and products he used, the youngest was slightly tanner than him. But with training and by preparing his little joke, Agon had made sure to find his birth color, the same as his twin.

They had no visible distinguishing marks, such as a mole or a scar. They were the same size. Maybe the muscles. Agon's were more powerful, bigger, but that didn't really show with the clothes they chose.

He dared to ask Y/N directly as they met to study and have coffee.

“I don’t really know how to explain.” she said very sincerely. "It seems obvious to me, that's all. In fact, I especially know when it's Agon to tell you the whole truth. It's… It's a weird feeling. He gives off something and I know everything straight away whether it's him or not."

"You mean he's scary. A lot of people feel that way around him."

"No. It's something else, I couldn't explain it to you."

In addition to this ability that Y/N possessed to differentiate them, Unsui was troubled by Agon's determination to succeed in trapping her.

His refusal to lose was well known, but it wasn't so bad that she was able to recognize them. It didn't matter. So why was he so stubborn ? It was more difficult to dare to ask him the question. His brother didn't like people questioning his actions.

“Ugh ?!”

"I'm just saying we could take a break. There's really no point…"

“We’ll stop when I say we’ll stop.” Agon almost shouted, grabbing his twin's face. "I'm the one who decides, as always."

“I just don’t understand why it bothers you so much that Y/N can recognize us.”

“That doesn’t bother me, Unko chan.”

It was obvious that this annoyed him a lot. Unsui eventually understood that it was mainly because he didn't know how she did it either, and that he simply didn't like to understand. More than beating her, he wanted to know how she did it.

This insistence began to tire Y/N. It might have been obvious that this was why she was wrong as Agon came to greet her with a huge smile.

Her mistake troubled him. For a moment, he even seemed disappointed. Then he regained his superior air, proudly announcing that he had beaten her.

But in his corner Unsui could see the young woman's expression, and he understood that she had done it on purpose, because she showed no sign of surprise while his brother continued to boast.

It was just an innocent ruse to get him to leave her alone.

Unsui could have said nothing. Besides, he didn't say anything. It wasn't his fault that his twin always knew what he was thinking and it was impossible to hide something from him.

All it takes was a smile for Agon to frown and regain his bad mood.

“She did it on purpose, didn’t she ?”

"Leave her alone."

“All she has to do is tell me how she does it !”

It was by chance that Unsui discovered the answer. While his brother had put his wig back on and he wasn't pretending to be someone other than himself, to flirt with two girls.

He noticed Y/N going to take the bus. She didn't see him, but her eyes fell on Agon, and then Unsui understood.

It was very simple at the end. There was a big difference between the two brothers for Y/N. There was only one she was in love with.

Like a super power, she could always know who she was talking to. Love didn't make her blind at all. She knew perfectly well how painful and dangerous the youngest could be. That was probably why she had never tried anything.

Knowing this, Unsui became more interested in Agon's behavior. He had never tried anything with her either, but even if she wasn't as sexy and rich as the girls he dated, it wasn't normal that he never did anything to impress her.

If he had known about her feelings, he would have spoken about them. Agon could be cruel, and he would have used this information to mock her. Either he didn't know, or he didn't want to hurt her.

Since he knew everything, the only way to explain the genius missing out was that he didn't think when it came to Y/N.

And either way, that could only mean one thing.

“You’re angry because you like her.” Unsui declared as his twin dressed like him to test their coach.

"… Eeeeeh ?!"

"If it's any reassurance, she'll never confuse us. I think she sees me more as a big brother."

"You've lost your mind, Unko chan. The wig melted your brain."

"I'm just saying she sees me as a brother, and only me."

Agon stared at him, his face growing serious, as if peering into his mind. Without his glasses, it was true that he looked a lot like Unsui at that moment.

"Just, please don't make fun of her. Leave her alone."

"Shut up."

"Despite everything, we are friends…"

“Unsui, shut up.”

He never called him by his first name. Never. Unsui couldn't tell if this was a good thing or not.

The pranks stopped after that. Agon let his hair grow back and never took off his glasses. Probably so no one could see when he looked at Y/N. But his brother saw him, and Hiruma saw him, but the demon kept the information in his threat notebook for later.

Until one day Agon approached Y/N in front of everyone to order her to come on a date with him.

"… Unsui, that's not funny, Agon won't be happy with you making him say things like that in public." Ikkyu whispered to him nervously.

"It's not Unsui."

"Yeah, leave us, trash. Let's go Y/N ! Now !"

"… All right."

“And you stop smiling stupidly, Unko chan !” Agon yelled at his twin, putting his arm around Y/N's shoulders to take her with him faster.

Hiruma scoffed something in his notebook. What wasn't secret wasn't important. Everyone watched them leave, while Unsui continued to snicker, thinking that in some things, they weren't so different.

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Sunrise on the Chattahoochee River — at Rogers Bridge Park

[Carter Cooper]

* * * *

Studying texts and stiff meditation can make you lose your Original Mind. A solitary tune by a fisherman, though, can be an invaluable treasure. Dusk rain on the river, the moon peeking in and out of the clouds; Elegant beyond words, he chants his songs night after night.

Ikkyu

[empress-lotus]

“The legend was about a beautiful courtesan, a daughter of a samurai, who was "kidnapped by his enemies and was sold to a brothel". She started to call herself "Hell Courtesan" after an encounter with a Buddhist monk, Ikkyu Sojun, who was known for his taste for sake and prostitutes. According to the story, Ikkyū met the Hell Courtesan during one of his visits to the pleasure district. Santō Kyōden's book from 1809, All Records of Drunken Enlightenment of Our Country, tells that she "found him dancing with a bunch of skeletons instead of being entertained by dancers and geisha. It occurred to her that he may not be an ordinary human being." She then became his disciple and achieved enlightenment. The story first appeared in 1672, in the anonymously written book Ikkyū kantō banashi.

Dayu was the highest rank of a courtesan, and Jigoku means not only hell, but the homonym also meant "the lowest streetwalker prostitute in the Edo period".” (From wiki article on Hell Courtesan)

Hell Courtesan by Kawanabe Kyosai (1874)

[lonita]

Ikkyu

I passed! I looked down once right after my first waza, to look for the tape – which should not do; and quickly after that I realised I lost the location of the tape entirely, but decided not to care. You have to not care at my level if you lose the tape, because you can't look down for it. Higher up, they'll start caring a lot more about that sort of thing. Basically, at this level, it's all do the waza in order, don't drop your sword, and don't make a face. Even if you do the most spectacular screw-up, you might still pass if you show no reaction to it and just keep on going. I must have managed that one.I did the waza in order. I did not drop my sword. And I am pretty certain I did not make a face.

[subtextures]

At least 25 years ago, I read The Road Home by Jim Harrison. I read it again for the second time slowly over the last month. The Road Home was the first novel by Harrison I read. I had read his short book of poetry “After Ikkyu,” which is still one of my favorite books of poetry. I have since read pretty much everything he wrote. The Road Home is the sequel to Dalva, which I read after The Road Home. The Road Home had an enormous emotional impact as I finished it the first time, and now again 25 years later. It wrestles with themes of history, family, place (as in location), nature, art, and love, and how all of these interact in one’s life for good and ill. Harrison’s prose style (poetry too) creates the illusion of someone talking directly to you, going on short and longish tangents and asides as the story is told. All the while adding nothing that is not necessary as the story unfolds.  Here are some quotes from The Road Home: 

“The mind by itself must discipline itself to open wide enough to allow the soul to clap its hands and sing.”

"..as if we were all undertakers for our past.”

“If it all was based so resolutely on chance it seemed by far the best course to seize what chances were offered.”

“Obsessions don’t seem extraordinary if it’s just the way you are.”

“I wondered at the time and still do why they allow people to teach who don’t read.”

[kyouxa]

Amnesia World: Normal World (Kent‘s END + CG)

Nova: I wonder how Kent's doing. Ikki's teaching didn't appear to help much; therefore, I got a horrible feeling about this.

Kent: …..

Woman 1: …..

Woman 2: …..

Kent: …You princesses over there. Is there anything I might help you with?

Woman 1: Eh, U-Ummm—

Kent: Once you choose what to order, please let me know. Or do you want to call for a certain prince?

Woman 2: No, that's not it. We want you...

Kent: ….. ?

Nova: If someone tells you that, you should get it!!

…Phew. I was so mad that I yelled, which is not like me at all.

Kent, you're just being yourself. Even though you speak properly, you behave more like a soldier than a prince...

...But strangely enough, it seems to be a hit with the women.

Woman 3: That guy looks really cool. He's tall, and his eyes are so pretty… !

Woman 4: W-What should I do? I'm a little scared, but should I be brave and go up to him?

Nova: Look, the female customers are staring at him closely, even though they are standing far away.

—Ah. Look, Y/N. The customer from just now is approaching him.

Woman 1: U-Umm… ! Is it okay if I take a picture?

Kent: …A picture?

Sure, I'll arrange it right away. Who would you want to photograph?

Woman 1: Eh?

Kent: If you want to take a picture with Prince Ikkyu, you will have to wait 30 minutes.

If you want to call for him, please put your name in this form and wait.

Woman 1: H-He's not the person I meant.

Kent: Hm, you didn't mean Prince Ikkyu? I'm sorry for that.

Woman 2: Y-Yes. We actually meant you—

Kent: Me – as in Toma is behind me?

Woman 1: E-Ehhh… !?

Nova: In terms of insensitivity and leaving a negative impression, that man is the ultimate example… !

Ah, geez, I can't watch this anymore. The girls are trying their best over there. We need to step in and help them.

Kent: Ah, Y/N. You came at just the perfect time.

If you have time right now, could you please tell Toma to come to table 4? These guests want to take a picture.

Choices

1) They're not asking for Toma.

2) I can take the picture.

— They're not asking for Toma.

Kent: …What, seriously? But he's the only person behind me.

Nova: Please stop making unnecessary interpretations.

— I can take the picture.

Kent: ….. ? No problem. I had no idea you had to report that.

We are open right now, after all. Even after closing time, you are free to take as many pictures as you like.

Nova: That's not it either. We were simply trying to take the picture for them...

end Choices

Woman 2: U-Um. It's just as she says.

Woman 1: We want to take a photo with you, not with other people...

Kent: …What? With me?

Woman 1: W-We can't?

Kent: No, it's not that…

Is it really okay if it's me? Are you certain?

Woman 2: Y-Yes! We'd love that.

Woman 3: Eh, does that prince also let people take pictures with him? Then I want a picture with you too!

Kent: Ah—

Woman 4: M-Me too! I've been looking for an opportunity to speak with you for quite some time now!

Kent: P-Please wait. I'll take pictures with the princesses in the order they applied for—

multiple women run to his side

Nova: And in an instant he was surrounded by all of the female customers. You look surprised, Kent…

I don't think he'll be able to handle all this by himself, so maybe we can help him… First, we need to calm the women.

Choices

1) Everyone, stay calm.

2) Princesses, your prince is overwhelmed.

— Everyone, stay calm.

Nova: …..

Ah… it's pointless; they can't even hear you.

We can't shout because we're still in the cafe… Let's take a slightly different approach then.

— Princesses, your prince is overwhelmed.

Woman 1: Eh, ah… I-I'm sorry, prince!

Woman 3: I must have gotten carried away...

Kent: I-I hope you understand…

…I appreciate being chosen by all of you, but there is no reason to rush.

I swear to fulfill everyone's requests as long as they follow the proper procedures.

I want the princesses to come to a mutual compromise so that they can fully enjoy our cafe.

…In addition, before we begin our photo shoot, why don't you enjoy our food?

The special menu for today is something I made for all of you. Please take your time and enjoy it.

Woman 4: Eh, are you the one who made all of these creations!?

Woman 2: If that's the case, I'd love to try… !

Kent: Thank you. Well, I'll return to take your orders as soon as you've decided.

I apologize, Y/N. I never imagined you would save me twice in a row.

…But why? I'm not the type of person who becomes overwhelmed easily. Moreover, my build differs significantly from those of the girls...

And yet I was perfectly overawed.

Nova: That's fine. It's a common emotion among men all around the world.

Kent: How does Ikkyu normally interact with so many women at once… ?

I was usually puzzled by his behavior, but this time I can respect how he interacts with women.

It's his natural talent, after all. It's not something that can be replicated with minimal training.

…I wonder if a man like him attracts all women.

Maybe even you—

Woman 1: Excuse me, can I order?

Kent: …Hm, it's the same customer from earlier.

Sorry, Y/N. I'll go wrap this up for now.

…There's no need to look like that, Y/N; don't worry about it.

Next time, I promise to be completely prepared so that no matter what happens, I will not be shaken.

I will try not to make a fool of myself again. Y/N, please pray for my success.

Nova: …He seemed very motivated at the end. I wonder if he was thinking about something specific.

Finally, he was able to complete it on his own. I suppose there's no need to worry so much anymore…

Time skip

Nova: Y/N, good work today. You did really well.

It became extremely crowded in the afternoon, but I'm glad we got better results than expected.

Kent was also doing his best, in his own way. When things got really busy, he was great at dealing with customers.

Kent: Y/N, I finished removing the sign outside. How about you?

Looks like we're finished. I can finally change out of these clothes.

Well, I can't change it right now.

Shin, as the first one, has only just begun to undress, so it will most likely take some time.

This outfit is not particularly comfortable to begin with. It is simple to put on, but taking it off requires a significant amount of time and effort.

Nova: I think it should be easier to put it off than on… What kind of structure do those clothes have?

Kent: …Do you want some tea while we wait, Y/N?

I was thinking about having it with everyone together, but I doubt everyone will still be here. Let's have it early.

Nova: Good idea. Then let's go into the kitchen and prepare—

Kent: Ah, wait. You don't have to go, Y/N.

I will make it this time… It's thanks to you for helping me out so often today.

Time skip

Kent: …..

…Despite everything, today was truly special.

I never expected to be out on the floor. Especially dressed like this.

Initially, I was reluctant to participate, but...

I think it was a positive experience. I could learn firsthand about the challenges of being in charge of the floor.

…However, I would prefer to avoid it in the future.

This event confirmed one of my previous realizations. It's that I'm completely incompatible with customer service.

I was a failure as both a waiter and a prince. Do you think so, too?

Choices

1) You were a brave and lovely prince.

2) I wish I had a prince like you, Kent.

— You were a brave and lovely prince.

Kent: …..!!

…Sorry. I dropped my cup.

That was close. If there had been anything inside, the situation would have been disastrous.

Mine said the other day… that black and green tea stains require bleaching over time.

Although, from what I can tell, bleach cannot be used on this type of costume.

If she discovers a stain, she will undoubtedly leap upon me, leaving no room for recovery. I shudder just thinking about how much this costume costs.

…..

…In any case, I don't want to talk about it anymore. I was so shaken up that I must have changed the topic by accident.

I never thought I'd hear you say those words...

— I wish I had a prince like you, Kent.

Kent: …Hmph, I won't be angry over this type of teasing. It's not for nothing that I'm Ikkyu's best friend.

If you truly want to surprise me, you'll need to plan more carefully—

…..

…Or maybe it wasn't a joke?

end Choices

Kent: No, well... I apologize. It's not like what you said offended me in any way.

Nevertheless, I'm still not used to your open emotions and words.

In the past, whenever we met, we would debate… no, argue. I suppose that feeling hasn't left me yet.

Nova: Eh, you guys didn't get along? …I mean, you wouldn't know.

We were having nice conversations, though. It's kind of strange to hear this…

Kent: Now that I think about it, I might have a lot to reflect on.

No, I apologize. I deeply apologize. I made several remarks that were not considerate of you. Even if I say so myself, they were terrible…

…It was that time that stood out the most out of all of them.

You may remember it; it was when I stopped tutoring temporarily.

Nova: ….. ! This feeling… !

Flashback

Kent: …What's the meaning of this?

Y/N: Um, is it really that weird that I want to give you a gift?

Kent: Yes, it is. I would even call it impossible.

Are we in a relationship where we can give and receive gifts from one another? You don't have to respond. Because there is no other option than no to begin with.

…I see. So, this is it.

It's to express how relieved you are not to see my face again, isn't it?

If so, that's a wonderful expression. The irony hidden behind a pleasant-sounding word like "gift" is painfully obvious.

In fact, the relief I felt after finishing this pointless part-time tutoring job has now been completely ruined.

…You should be satisfied now. I'm already busy, as you can see. I don’t have time to spend with you—

Y/N: …I like you.

Kent: ….. ? Did you say something?

Y/N: I feel so stupid…

Kent: Eh… ?

Y/N: And I feel so lonely…

So you're saying I'm the only one feeling sad… that we might never see each other again?

Kent: Wha—

Y/N: I know we fought every day, but over time — you started to pay attention to me and what I had to say.

I kept thinking that maybe we're getting closer... I was so happy about it.

But it was all a misunderstanding on my part…

Kent: …That's not—

Y/N: I'm sorry to still be a bother. You can keep cleaning up without having to worry about me; I'm leaving now.

Kent: Wait, Y/N! I… !

door closes

Kent: …..

Flashback ends

Nova: It's a lot worse… than I thought it would be.

It looks like Kent used to work as a part-time tutor at your school. That means you didn't meet him at your part-time job.

But was that really Kent? He was acting so prickly that I can't imagine it now.

What can we do to make such a cold relationship more positive… ?

Kent: After you left, I started to regret everything. How we parted ways… and how I made you feel that day.

That's why I was so surprised and pleased to see you when I started working here.

The person I thought I'd never see again appeared right in front of me.

From then on, I was desperate. I tried to apologize to you in some way.

Well, actually, I was afraid of rejection, so I didn't try talking to you at first…

And after a long time, I've finally made up my mind. When I bowed deeply…

…You finally smiled at me.

Instead of me saying, "I'm sorry," you simply stated, "I'm glad to see you again."

At the time, I felt as though you had saved me.

That's when I realized it. I've always wanted to speak to you like this.

Nova: …I see. So that was the turning point that changed your relationship with one another…

Kent: …That was the only time I was able to fully express my true feelings.

I'm still unable to express all of my feelings to you.

Every time I try to communicate with you, my brain doesn't work properly…

I open my mouth and spew out a slew of meaningless theories and arguments, concealing my true feelings.

…That's why… Sometimes I feel envious of Ikkyu and Toma.

Their feelings for you are quite straightforward. It's as if you can feel it.

Even if it was only a tenth of that amount, it would suffice... How many times did I wish for that kind of integrity?

…..

An ideal prince who can express genuine love...

I don't think I can imitate all of Ikkyu and others' behavior, but...

I'm still dressed in the costume, so I might as well stay in character for a while longer.

Kent: —My beautiful princess.

You are probably unaware of it. But I'm always thinking about you.

Your eyes, your voice, your smile—

Ever since we met, I've been captivated by all of it.

Knowing your existence has made my world more beautiful, colorful… and precious.

…Ah, am I dreaming?

I never thought the time would come where I could touch you like this…

…At least tonight, just for this moment, would you allow me to be close to you?

Princess, I love you more than anyone else in this world—

Kent: …..

…No… that's…

…If you make such a face, it makes me feel perplexed as well, princess…

O-Okay? Don't leave just yet. We're now getting to the important part.

Y/N, I want you to—

You…

….. !

No, I can't say it anymore… !

Kent: Haha… It's always the same in the end.

…I'm not sure why that is. When I try to convey the most important information, I find myself at a loss for words.

Perhaps it's because I'm attempting to express myself to you, Y/N.

Emotions really don't work the way you expect them to.

…But until now, I didn't even have the courage to get in touch with you.

When you think about it, this could be a significant step forward.

Just a little... No, it's quite embarrassing.

I am able to express emotions that I would normally suppress. If it brings you happiness, then...

Maybe it's not so bad to dress like this once in a while.

an hour later

Nova: Hmmm… seems like you can just about see me.

As I expected, one memory wasn't enough to separate us. I thought it was a really important memory for you... But perhaps I was wrong.

Well, for the time being, we can be happy that one of your memories returned and that the event was a success.

We definitely hit a strong trigger. It was probably why the memory returned by itself before I could use my magic powers.

…But, to be honest, I feel a bit lonely already.

When I think about the fact that the time to say goodbye to you is getting closer… I just, you know.

Place: Heroine‘s home

???: —Ah, are you awake?

The End