#I'm looking forward to reading and translating this part in next volume

[fallenwingzero]

The importance of Wufei training Milou in Frozen Teardrop just dawned on me.

Noin entrusting her own son to Wufei, who was responsible for the death of the cadets that she trained back at the Victorian base, to be raised and trained by him for 3 years really shows how far the two of them have come and how must trust Noin has in Wufei and his abilities.

It well and truly shows that, at least with these two, the cycle of revenge has ended.

[bookaddict24-7]

REVIEWS OF THE WEEK!

Every week I will post various reviews I've written so far in 2024. You can check out my Goodreads for more up-to-date reviews HERE.

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196. My Love Mix-Up! Vol. 7 by Wataru Hinekure (writer) , Aruko (Illustrator) , Jan Mitsuko Cash (Translator)--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I'm happy I'm slowly devouring this series because I can make it last as long as possible. Watching these characters grow and fall further in love, or challenge their ideas of what love should look like is quickly becoming something I'm looking forward to reading every month.

This volume focused a lot on meeting parents and how each dynamic looks. I definitely giggled and thoroughly enjoyed the side couple's adventure in meeting the one set of parents. I never expected the dad to be the way he was, but he was hilarious and it makes a lot of sense why that character is the way she is.

The main couple also had some cute moments and some great discussions about the communication between the two of them and what they wanted in their futures. It was overall adorable, but also heartfelt.

Onto the next volume!

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197. Friends with Boys by Faith Erin Hicks--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I really enjoyed FRIENDS WITH BOYS, I just wish that it was either longer, or part of a series.

The relationship between the MC and her brothers was full of complexity that made them realistic. I think the author did a good job of showing the relationship between the twins and how some connections change with growing up. One of the great mysteries I'd have liked to see explored more is the kids' relationship with their mother and how she isn't a part of their lives anymore.

I also would have loved to see more of these budding feelings the MC and one of her new friends hinted at during the story itself. And I really, really liked the new friendships that the MC finds when she feels at her loneliest. Which brought us to the history of one of the new friends and how anyone is capable of change, but even change can't alter the behaviour of someone in the past.

FRIENDS WITH BOYS explores the complexities of bullying, family, history, friendships, growing up, abandonment, grief, and overcoming judgments. I liked how Hicks tackled all of these topics, while still including a creepy undertone with the haunting.

With all of that being said, the ending felt rushed and feels super incomplete. I know that maybe this is intentional because it's supposed to just capture a moment in time for these kids, but I do wish I had more.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read and I think it'd be a great one for those readers on the cusp of high school. I hope the author re-explores this world in the future!

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198. My Summer of You Vol. 1 by Nagisa Furuya--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I was very surprised by MY SUMMER OF YOU. It was cute, but so heartfelt. It also dealt with such a great friendship that turned to more and I loved seeing that journey for both of the characters. I could feel the angst and the slow burn in this, even as that heavy feeling of heartbreak lingered over the pages.

I know there are more in books in this series, but I loved how this story was captured in one volume. I thought that this story felt like one of those nostalgic summer experiences one might recall from their high school years, when they knew they were on the cusp of change.

If you want a pretty sweet story of two friends who move into potential love in the span of a summer, then this is the manga for you!

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199. Punch Drunk Love Vol. 2 by Moscareto,Okdong(Illustrator)--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Where volume one of PUNCH DRUNK LOVE was endearingly odd and over the top, this one was starting to verge on cringey territory. I still enjoyed the hell out of it and devoured it, but even I had to pause at times to just shake my head at this MC.

I did feel bad for him at times, though--especially because his interest is so definite and pure that seeing the other guy treat him badly had my empathy going wild. I wanted him to have one of those moments where he just stepped back and let the love interest miss him, but then I realized it would completely go against his character.

We got some more background for the love interest and some good reasoning for why he is the way he is. I'm so curious to see how he's going to be when he finally gives into the MC fully (which may or may not have been hinted at here). I'm definitely looking forward to volume three, because I need to know how chaotic these goblins will get in the future.

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200. Mind Games by Nora Roberts--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

One of the things I really enjoy about Nora Roberts is how wary I always am of reading one of her books but then when I'm midway through the book I always come to the realization that I'm really, really enjoying myself.

There is a kind of comfort in the somewhat predictable nature of her novels.

MIND GAMES had a paranormal twist to it that made it slightly different from so many of her other romantic suspense books. I do find it entertaining how coincidental some of the character connections are. Like, what are the chances that THAT would be the love interest?

I think books like this one, even though they have jarring violent language sometimes from the antagonist (I don't mean swearing, I mean dark, murderous shit and misogynistic language to get a reaction out of the reader), are perfect for summer because they're so dependable. That's probably why I'm so hooked on Roberts' books.

I loved the relationship between the FMC and her grandmother and felt my heart break for her after the tragedy the family experiences. I would have wished a bit more of the one side of the family--in a weird way, that felt a little like a plot hole. Although, I AM grateful that it took some drama out of the whole thing.

The ability was cool and made me think a bit of INCEPTION, which I was not expecting. These FMCs always have such interesting jobs, I wonder what the next character will be!

Overall, this was enjoyable. It wasn't mind-blowing, but it was fun and had its darker moments. Another successful Roberts read!

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201. The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The way that THE GOOSE GIRL is told may be simplistic to some, but I enjoyed it particularly for this reason. I think I would have enjoyed the heck out of this when I was younger, especially because of how the story begins and then proceeds to prove that the princess is indeed a badass.

I know this is an older title, but I feel like THE GOOSE GIRL is a hidden gem--kind of like THE WINTER KING (but of course, more age appropriate for younger readers). There was such a great sense of adventure and survival in this, plus I loved the fact that the princess had to hide who she was in order to survive. (I love a great underdog story).

This had a very low level romance, but I enjoyed that because this isn't really a story about the Princess and her future love interest--this was more about the MC herself and how she can come to accept and learn who she really is. She is also, quite literally, the epitome of the theme that "being different" can be a thing of beauty, despite what society tells you.

Anyway, I really, really liked this book and I want to read the second one soon. I can't wait to dive back into this world!

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202. Kick at the Darkness by Keira Andrews--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I love Keira Andrews and she honestly has yet to let me down. KICK AT THE DARKNESS is one of her older titles and it was so much more than I was anticipating.

First of all, can we get a round of applause for the surprising third character in this book? That motorcycle is a pure hero and the fact that it was so protected during the whole book scratched at an itch I didn't know I had when it comes to apocalyptic novels (I always wonder what happens to the things characters leave behind in their attempts to survive). I love that it was to the point where near the end I was asking "What about the motorcycle?"

I kind of wish we had gotten a dual POV story, BUT I also understand why we didn't after a certain reveal. I like thinking back on all the hints I missed and how it all added up nicely when everything was revealed. I wasn't expecting it and it added a whole different layer to the story.

I liked how the two characters navigated their tense relationship. That enemies-to-lovers trope worked hard in this book. It was one of the major draws to the story for me and I loved seeing how much of a cinnamon roll one of the characters was, while the other one just started to melt for him.

I loved the road trip aspect and the connection between the two characters. The survival and misadventures as they travelled through the country was one of my favourite themes in this genre of fiction. It was spicy and had some surprising bits. Anyway, I loved this and I DO want to read the sequel one day.

I continue to love this author.

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203. Heat Stroke by Tessa Bailey--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Okay, first of all, I didn't know Tessa Bailey had an MM romance. I will say that, despite how much I DID actually enjoy these two characters together, it was interesting to read a MM book from an author who I didn't even know wrote one or two MM books. There were a few scenes that...could have used some more research.

Anyway, the story itself was incredibly enjoyable. The one character being the biggest golden retriever was adorable af. But I liked that despite he wasn't the sharpest knife in the drawer, he had goals and he strived to achieve them, even if the people around him didn't believe he could succeed. I also felt for his internal battle with his sexuality and how those he loved would perceive him if the truth was revealed. Even though this will always be a heartbreaking trope in certain MM romances.

The other MC was fun because he was so determined to be one way, that it was definitely enjoyable watching his facade just completely fall. I love characters who are so set in their ways that they don't realize when the love interest has gotten under their skin. He also had a horrible event happen to him in the past, so I can understand his hesitancy and guilt.

I picked this up because they're both lifeguards and I was craving more lifeguard MM stories. While the characters were cute together and I loved the angst, I do wish there was more lifeguarding bits. I know it sounds silly, but sometimes a very specific craving for a certain theme in a book hits and it's a little disappointing when I don't get a lot of what I thought I was going to when I first picked up the book.

Anyway, despite the lack of true lifeguarding (lmao), I enjoyed this and recommend to lovers of MM. Just keep in mind that the sex scenes are hella unrealistic and could have used a lot more research. Yes, they were spicy, but it felt very hetero but with an LGBTQ+ label on them (certain situations were incredibly unrealistic).

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Have you read any of these books? What were your thoughts?

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Happy reading!

[seekers-who-are-lovers]

While I read that the next episode next week will be a special compilation, a recap, of all the things that happened (from episodes 1 to 13) complete with behind the scenes and the audio commentaries of the voice actors of Yukiya (Matsumi Tamura), Asebi (Rina Honnizumi) and Hamayu (Hiroki Nanami), I came across an article from NHK that came out early this month, an interview of Miyu Irino (Wakamiya/Nazukihiko) and Eiji Takeuchi (Sumio).

The recap, some people hate it bc it is a filler, I think, is necessary as it signals that we are probably going to move on to another arc. It means they will also possibly animate the other key points of the other volumes in the novel series.

These are only excerpts. (Like always, a very rough translation.)

What kind of person was played for each role?

Irino Miyu (hereinafter referred to as Irino): Wakamiya is a mysterious man. I look beautiful and am smart, and I don't have any favourites. But I am also called "utsuke" (a fool) by the people around me. Wakamiya is a man who calculates that much that he's showing that he's a good person, or that, he thinks he can be.

Eiji Takeuchi (hereinafter referred to as Takeuchi): Sumio is a person that takes on the role of a "worker," who safeguards Wakamiya alone.

Irino: He’s the perfect person and a perfect escort for Wakamiya, so at first, it runs flawlessly with only these two people.

Takeuchi: Moreover, there is an underlying reason there is only one escort.

Irino: The only reliable person for Wakamiya is Sumio at the beginning, so when Yukiya comes in as Wakamiya’s new servant, a change in the dynamic is born.

How did Yukiya, who is both noisy and loving, capture the changes caused by his entry between these two?

Irino: I feel that Yukiya is the best partner for Wakamiya. Especially as the story progresses, Yukiya brings out the good in Wakamiya, and Wakamiya brings out the good points and potential parts of Yukiya. In the case of Wakamiya, it is while driving Yukiya into a rough pinch (laughs). I felt that it was interesting to play the way the good points were brought out by the synergistic effect.

Takeuchi: From Sumio's point of view, I think he was very happy that Yukiya came. I think there was only one escort for Wakamiya, or rather, only one person could be placed. Meanwhile, Wakamiya recognises and trusts Yukiya's ability so much that he wants to install him as his kinju. On the other hand, I think Sumio was just happy, and considering that Yukiya is there too, Wakamiya doesn’t need to be the only one with Sumio, who is fine that Yukiya comes along too. Of course, he should be there as support for Yukiya.

Irino: Wakamiya and Sumio are the types who keep their thoughts to themselves with a reason, but Yukiya is the type who drives by his emotions.

Takeuchi: That's right, his position and personality are different from the two of us.

Irino: I'm excited to see the three of us becoming a team by making up for each other. I want you to look forward to this dynamic because it will also be an element that moves the story.

…

Irino: As the story progresses, all the characters will change more and more from the first impression. That's one of the charms of this story. Each relationship will change greatly, so I want you to look forward to that change. " This character was actually like this!?" It's full of it.

…

Takeuchi: From Sumio’s point of view, Wakamiya seems to be quite changing.

Irino: Really? Is that so? (lol)

Takeuchi: Especially when I see you interact with Yukiya. In the beginning, Wakamiya was only saying the facts, so if you say, ‘I won't change….’ Sumio is not the type to put out his thoughts, so I don't think you can feel much change, but please look forward to what will happen there on.

Today there are a couple of events before the 13th episode screening where the VAs of Yukiya, Matsuma Tamura, and Asebi are radio guests and Hamayu’s VA, Nanami, as a guest of Yuki Kaji for a radio play.

And yesterday they unveiled the first batch of merchandise!! Yayyayyyay!

[omentranslates]

Owari no Seraph volume 30 author's afterword english fan translation

"Afterword

Well, everyone, we've made it to Volume 30!!

I think that, for a manga publishing monthly, 30 volumes is quite an accomplishment, so I'm deeply grateful to all of you. This might come off like, 'well you say that every time,' but I really do love everyone. So, I'm not sure there are many people who keep reading from the 'afterword,' but usually it goes like this: Lots of "it's finally here!" and "The next volume will move us towards the truth at long last, meaning that everything that happened will be drawn there, so everyone, please look forward to it....." I'm not sure if expressions like that make for good back of the book content, but I'll appreciate your support.

As a recent topic, AI has been progressing steadily. When Owari no Seraph starts the world ends immediately, so they don't get smartphones. The light novles take place before the end of the world, though, so they do have cellphones, and they were used by saying the words "phone, start." In the process, I ended up changing the word to "look."

The timing was perfect, for something that was about half and half cellphone and smartphone. Even though the story is from a bit earlier, its world had been introduced to smartphones, unknown viruses, and AI. I want to write something like, "We'll surely see smartphones able to utilize AI, so isn't it about time for aliens to visit us too?" and it makes me think of my interview in France before where I was asked how I'd predicted the virus. In anticipation of the questions I'll receive if Earth does welcome some visitors, I'm just going to write for the record that I'm not in contact with any aliens (lol.) They're stored in my smartphone.

Ok so anyways, things are really starting to come together in the story. That's what I'm feeling, although I don't think people's tendency to worry ever does change. Even when I read books from the past (REALLY old stuff like the Bible, the writings of philosophers and the legends of gods for example), I get the feeling that people from ancient civilizations were just as smart and just as prone to worry as us. The sun rises in the East and sets in the West as if not a single new thing has happened since it started, it's strange to think about.

We dream of paradise, but how exactly will we bring it about? That's what I've been writing about this whole time. With everyone's support, we've welcomed a 30th volume and I'm just grateful.

Also, I already wrote this in the news about Jump SQ's authors, but I succeeded in dieting. I'll be a liar if I don't make it to the next sign event without breaking it, though, so even though I don't know if there will be another one, I'm going to be strong (lol).

I'm going to go keep writing this manga, so everyone, I hope to see you next time as well!

Kagami Takaya"

T/N: *there's a pretty big distinction between smartphones and "cellphones" which usually refer to like flip or slide phones, those stayed culturally relevant in Japan for a lot longer

**the part about the cellphones with AI in the prequels is translated almost directly from the text bc I have not read cat16 and I don't have context on how their phones work I'm sorry if it's confusing :(

[jovianjournal]

February 2024 (comics time)

took me a while to finish this post because i actually had to work, for once.

Kimi ni Nidome no Sayonara wo / Un second au revoir -- Takogawa Takomaru, Tanaka Tomo, French translation by Essia Mokdad

I saw this manga in my local bookshop and i picked it up because the art looked really cool, but it's not the kind of story i usually read: it's a... psychological horror mystery with some supernatural elements? The story begins when a young man goes to the funeral of a childhood friend who had been missing for several years and whose body has just been discovered, hidden for all this time in their old high school. At the funeral, he gets attacked and wakes up in the body of his younger self, a few months before his friend's disappearance.

For me the main appeal is the art and the vaguely homoerotic ultra-toxic friendship, the plot is sometimes a little lacking, a little tropey. At the time of writing, there's still one volume to be published in France at the end of the year and i'm looking forward to the end of the mystery, because i've guessed some parts of it, but there's some time travel shenanigans that still need clarifying. overall i'd recommend it! (although: tw for child abuse & violence)

*

Country Diary - Haru kara natsu e -- Ishino Aya, French translation by Gaëlle Ruel

Sometimes you read a book and you think the whole time "gosh i wish i was living in this story". A 2 volume series about a university professor who quits his city life to buy an old abandoned house in the countryside, where he befriends a local carpenter and learns to tend his field with the help of his farmer neighbours. Very Story of Seasons, very cottagecore fantasy. A sweet lil story about community and frienship and craft and nature and... idk it's just really cosy and charming.

*

Blue Period (volume 14) -- Tsubasa Yamaguchi, French translation by Nathalie Lejeune

One of my favourite currently running series, about a fine art student and his art school adventures. Lot of really interesting stuff about art and being an artist. This volume focuses on some of the side characters, who are truly the strength of the story, a big cast of colorful weirdos.

*

Dungeon Meshi -- Ryoko Kui, French translation by Sébastien Ludmann

Okay unless you've been living under a rock you've probably heard of delicious in dungeon, who was adapted into an anime earlier this year. I'd been meaning to read it for a very long time and after watching the first couple episodes i finally bit the bullet... and binged the whole thing in a couple months. Exactly the Kind of Story I Love : fun fantasy with complex worldbuilding, great characters with complex relationships, expert comedic timing, beautiful art, complex themes in a silly wrapping... can't recommend it enough.

*

Rivages Lointains -- Anaïs Flogny

A story about gay mafiosi in mid century america. Great art, great ambiance, i just wish there was at least one character i could root for. don't get me wrong i'm all for morally ambiguous anti heroes, but they either need to have some likeable traits or to be fun to hate. These guys are mostly just unsympathetic. I still really liked it tho!

*

Squire -- Nadia Shammas, Sara Alfageeh, French translation by Florent Degletagne

ooooh this one was really good. it took me a long time to read, because i'd heard great things about it, but it's a thick one, and i was waiting for the right time to read it. Second world fantasy with middle eastern vibes. the authors are palestinian and cisjordanian (if i remember correctly) which add an extra layer on the themes of colonization throughout the story. I loved the secondary characters and i wish they got more time to be developed, but other than that it's a great story that felt extremely relevant.

*

that's all folks, see y'all next time

[arwainian]

Reading This Week 2024 #4

working on catching up on reading since i was sick the week before! i think I'm gonna be using a new color for skimmed reading, so i don't mislead you into thinking I fully read more than I did. right now that color is blue

Finished:

Lost Children Archive by Valeria Luiselli

just housekeeping since I already shared my thoughts in the last post, read for the global novel

Started and Finished:

"The Pocahontas Perplex: The Image of Indian Women in American Culture" by Rayna Green

"Indian Women as Cultural Mediators" by Clara Sue Kidwell (skimmed)

"Decolonizing the Queer Native Body (and Recovering the Native Bull-Dyke): Bringing "Sexy Back" and Out of Native Studies' Closet" by Chris Finley (skimmed)

above three for my native indigenous bodies class

"The Deadly Corruption of Clinical Trials" by Carl Elliott

"Community-Centered Praxis: Toward an Alternative Non-dominative Applied Anthropology" by Merrill Singer (skimmed)

"Ethical and social dilemmas in community-based controlled trials in situations of poverty: a view from a South African project" by Nosisana Nama and Leslie Swartz (skimmed)

"The Personal is Political: Developing new subjectivities through participatory action research" by Caitlin Cahill (skimmed)

above four for my wgs foundations class, the Carl Elliott article is devasting, and a harrowing read

"Prologue," "IV. Bisclavert," and "V. Lanval" from The Lays of Marie de France with commentary and translation by Edward J. Gallagher

"Did the Middle Ages Believe in Their Miracles?" by Steven Justice (skimmed)

above two for the fantasy class i'm assisting. really liked Bisclavert as a werewolf story but there certainly is a lot of misogynistic stuff going on with the women in these stories

excerpts from Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino, translated by William Weaver: "Cities & Memory," "Cities & Desire," and "Cities & the Dead 1, 2, & 4"

read for my global novel class, cool to read part of one of those books everyone talks about

"The Fairy Way of Writing" by Joseph Addison from The Spectator No. 419

also for fantasy class

Started and Ongoing:

Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift, specifically read "The Publisher to the Reader" and "A Voyage to Lilliput"

way more potty humor than i expected, and i enjoyed torturing a friend by reading some of the piss heavy sections of lilliput aloud

The Book of Disappearance by Ibtisam Azem, translated by Sinan Antoon

now this is a book i have a lot to say on (and i technically finished it the morning i'm writing this but i remain committed to how I am dividing my reading logs). i'm reading it for my global novel class. it's a book by a Palestinian author with the premise of "What if, with no warning or explanation, every Palestinian within the borders of Israel and Palestine just disappeared?" It's largely about the reaction of the state of Israel and its citizens, told from the perspective of an Israeli journalist who is reading the personal diary of his Palestinian friend.

yknow how a lot of the time when an author is writing characters that they politically disagree with, they'll end up in the realm of caricature pretty quickly, either cartoonishly out of proportion or softened in a way that shows the writer doesn't actually understand them? this book avoids that entirely and Azem is just masterful at writing Zionist characters that are damning critiques of Zionism without falling into parody. i'm really looking forward to talking about this book in class tomorrow

Ouran High School Host Club, Vol. 6 by Bisco Hatori, translated by Naomi Kokubo & Eric-Jon Rössel Waugh

and now for something completely different. just reading some good old fashioned shoujo for fun! my library has a very eclectic spread of the ohshc ebooks, so i'll have to wait to read the next volume, or skip significantly ahead (tbh. would be fine with this manga probably)

[wevelocityteampresents-blog]

Pokémon Pocket Monsters DP Volume 1 - Chapter 12

Red finds a rare Manaphy egg while swimming with his Pokémon.

Another new Pokémon joins the fray! And this time, it's a mythical Pokémon! Manaphy seemed like a big deal during the days of the Advanced series. So seeing more stuff done with it outside of Pokémon Mystery Dungeon is always nice. You shouldn't get too excited though, because Manaphy also shows up for a single panel.

I'm confused as to where this story takes place. The DP series is supposed to take place in Sinnoh (obviously), but Red and the others seemingly arrived at Professor Oak's lab in Pallet Town, in the Kanto region, in minutes. You could argue that this is just a regional lab he's set up in Sinnoh. But if you take some shots of his lab from the original series, the interior and exterior of the building look exactly the same.

I'm not even sure where this is set in the manga's timeline. It's either set in the present, with Red and his Pokémon taking a vacation back in Pallet Town or it happens sometime before the DP series. Confusion aside, Clefairy goes back to his greedy ways and is rightfully punished for his actions. His shenanigans aren't that annoying and are still funny to read as he moves the story along.

This chapter might have been enjoyable. But the confusing implementation of Kanto and the disappointing use of Manaphy kind of bring it down for me. I'd give it a 7/10 at best.

And with that, we've finally finished the first volume of Pokémon Pocket Monsters DP. This series was easier to read compared to Pokémon Pocket Monsters RS. I could actually focus on what I was reading and translation work went more smoothly than I thought it would. It was also fun seeing how Anakubo worked the DP series stuff into the Pokémon Pocket Monsters canon. Being part of my favorite Pokémon series, it's easily one of the best sagas in the manga.

Now that Pokémon Pocket Monsters DP is finished, Pokémon Pocket Monsters HG SS will be next for manga translation. And being a manga based on what people consider the best Pokémon games of all time, I'm looking forward to getting this manga out to more people. From what I read last year, this might easily be my favorite Pokémon Pocket Monsters saga.

[kestrellady]

April 2024 Reading Round Up

Definitely on the lighter side in April. It's been a rough month.

Stand Out Books from April Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang This book gets pretty dark, but I really loved the academic magic system and the exploration of the cost of magic, especially when that cost is high, but hidden.

Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett I was a little hesitant about this book because it's so popular on booktok, and that usually means it's not my thing, but I really enjoyed this. I love a faerie book that actually makes their faeries distinctly not human, and the main character is so very autistic, but that's part of what makes her good at her job.

What I'm Reading Now I'm doing Dracula Daily! I got the book version for Christmas and I'm loving all the little commentary and art in the margins. I also finally got my husband into it via the Re:Dracula podcast. I'm still in the middle of Babel because life has been very tough and all my holds came in at once (thank you library for having enough physical copies to let me renew). I'm also reading The Ocean of Churn, an incredibly readable history of the Indian Ocean trade.

What I'm Looking Forward to in May I just got the next Emily Wilde book from the library, so I'm super excited about that. I also finally got the fourth Warlock Holmes book from Interlibrary Loan, which mean I can move on to the final volume. These books are so much fun. And I've got Emily Wilson's translation of The Iliad on hold, so hopefully that comes in soon. I really loved her translation of The Odyssey, so I'm looking forward to the Homeric epic that I'm less familiar with. The next (and last, I think) volume of The Devoured Worlds series by Megan O'Keefe is supposed to be published this month, so fingers crossed I can get that one from the library quickly!

Reading Challenges Finally went through and updates some of the challenges I'm working on, but I'm definitely a little behind on my Book Riot Read Harder Challenge, so that's the main thing I'll be working on this month. I'm in the middle of The Ocean of Churn for 4. a history book by a BIPOC author, and I've got The Hanging City on hold at the library for 21. a book that went under the radar in 2023. I'll probably also pick something up for either 6. a middle grade book with a LGBTQIA main character, 11. a picture book published in the last five years, or 15. a YA nonfiction book for a quick bump.

Follow me on The StoryGraph!

[anneclover]

2022 Re(ading)cap #3

Category is: it's been a while, huh?

Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation/Mo Dao Zu Shi (MDSZ) by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu

Volume 1 (4.5★)

Volume 2 (4.5★)

Volume 3 (5★)

I'm going to skip the summary I usually put here, because I think the only people who will care to read this already are already familiar with MDZS.

My love of this franchise started with CQL. I adored each and every character in the show, for all their flaws and quirks. If anything, their flaws made them more relatable. Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangi and their, albeit masked, queer love had me in the palm of their hands. I loved every single character, even with all their flaws and quirks. Of course, I knew the show was based on the novel, but I never read any fan translations. I also knew there were English editions being officially released, but then I fell out of the fandom, and one day realized that three of them were out.

They're all fantastic. I love them for the same reason I love the show.

The reason volume three is 5 stars while the others are 4.5 requires some context. In CQL, the part I disliked the most was the Yi City arc. Unpopular opinion, I know! But it was long, and I always found myself wanting to get back to the main story. The time and attention given to Yi City in the book gave me a complete change of heart. I dreaded reading it, just like I dreaded watching it. Despite my negative bias, I felt infinitely more connected to the characters on the page than on the screen. The ensuing tragedy made me bawl my eyes out, and any book that makes me cry is bumped way up in my ratings.

Another factor is the queer love that is, unfortunately, left out of the show is in full force in the novels. Well, not quite yet, but we're seeing the beginnings of it in the last book. That's what I'm looking forward to the most in the next two volumes. I'm going to read them as they release to have the full experience.

Overall, nostalgia definitely colors my opinion here, and I don't even care. I love these guys, despite it being such a big departure from my usual reading preferences.

[littleeyesofpallas]

I've mentioned the gate guardians once before as kind of a tangent in a follow up on my post about Soul Society landmarks. But I realize I never bothered with their names. So why not, here we go...

Ikkanzaka Jidanbo[一貫坂 兕丹坊]. Family name Ikkanzaka breaks down as

[一]: 1

[貫]: "kan" (a measurement of weight = 3.75 kg/8.25lbs?) or alternatively "volume(as in a book in a series)" and

[坂]: "Hill"

As far as family names go it seems like a pretty straight forward locational name? I think it's just describing the first in a series of hills? It doesn't seem to carry with it much of a theme or any word play that I can catch.

The private name Jidanbo reads,

[兕]: "(female)Rhinoceros"

[丹]: "RedEarth/Cinnabar" and

[坊]: "Monk" or "Boy/Son."

The common suffix for a boy's name aside the "Rhino" bit feels weird... It's actually a Chinese reading as I couldn't seem to find any uses of the kanji in more conventional Japanese. An interesting note in the wiktionary entry specifies,

a kind of bovine-like animal; traditionally often thought of as a female rhinoceros (Bencao Gangmu), modern research suggests it probably originally referred to wild water buffalo (Schuessler 2007). 

Which all in all seems to just tie into his giant size. Although in conjunction with the Cinnabar bit it all seems a little off considering his is the East gate associated with Byakko the White Tiger, and even before it was brought up later, it's still implied that there is a Red South gate that would better fit the Cinnabar thing...

Just to get it out of the way, his little brother Jirobo's name is

[慈]: "Mercy,"

[楼]: "Floor(of a building)" implies a tall building, and again

[坊]: "Monk" or "Boy/Son."

A little weird given his personality, but the implication of something like a tall watchtower makes sense since he's a projectile user with a crow zanpakutou. (It's the same kanji that's part of Rojuro's name and also implies a tall tower there.) It's not about the name, but the little brother wears several buddhist bead chains, which is a little odd when his persona does not seem to adhere to buddhist values much...

And while I'm here... his zanpakutou Tsunzakigarasu[劈烏] means "split/divide/cleave/break off" + [烏]: "crow" and several other situational synonyms. It's a little hard to tell if that's meant to be "a crow that splits things" or "a crow that is (itself) split apart" since his shikai does "split" the single katana blade into a bunch of shuriken.

But moving on to the real point of this point, the tragically glossed over other gate guardians! None of them seem to have a surname that way Jidanbo does, which is a little odd, so these are all just the private names.

Higanyudo[比鉅入道] is the guardian of the South gate, associated with the Vermillion Bird, Suzuaku.

[比]: "Equal/Match"

[鉅]: "Steel/Iron" or in some contexts "Great"

[入道]: "Priest/Monk" or just a person with a bald or shaven head (i.e. someone who looks like a monk.)

It basically reads as "Monk Equal (to) Steel" which is appropriate enough for a giant as well as a guard, and it evokes some familiar tropes of old wushu lore and kungfu film genre surrounding "iron skin" techniques.

He has a kind of vaguely Chinese look about him and a distinctive monk's hood and what seems like a buddhist shawl(?) (the bit they wear over the more central robe itself, or sometimes over a bear chest) And alternatively it could indicate that he's tied to the Kido Corp, who wear similar monlike face covering. I do not agree with the digital colorist's choices here...

Next up is Kaiwan[嵬腕], the bearded and barechested guardian of the Eastern gate, associated with the Blue Dragon, Seiryu.

[嵬]: "Rugged/Towering" again dipping into Chinese for the meaning as it's a seemingly irregular kanji.

[腕]: "Ability/Talent"

So to clarify some context, [嵬] is comprised of [山]: mountain and [鬼]: oni as radicals and I feel like that makes more sense of the kind of awkward attempts at English translations. It's a Devil/Ogre/Monster-like Mountain quality that it describes, one that is jagged, rugged, towering, and looming; high and uneven cliffs. Thus his name describes someone whose talent or abilities are monstrously imposing.

And appropriately Kaiwan is kind of a messy, scary looking dude. The other 3 guardians are big but still reasonably human in demeanor, even if Jidanbo comes across as a little dim witted. But Kaiwan looks almost feral. The whole hair situation does absolutely scream dragon though, so that's actually a solid match.

And finally Danzomaru[斷蔵丸] guardian of the Northern Gate, associated with Genbu the Black Tortoise(+Snake).

[斷]: "Cut off/partition/interrupt" but also "(a) judgement/decision"

[蔵]: "warehouse" or alternatively "to store/to hide"

[丸]: just indicates a (typically) boy's name

I don't know how to parse this one really... A "cut-off warehouse boy" doesn't impart much character, but it would be a literal name you might find for, say, an orphaned kid hiding out in a remote storage building, one "cut off" from a central property. But maybe more obtusely "hidden judgement boy" does at least feel like it has more heft to it, but it's hard to say what it could ""mean"" when there are no character details to compare it against.

Also, Danzomaru has a funky hair(?) style that seems like it's meant to evoke tiger stripes?? (that or maybe it's a tattoo?) But again that feels like it would be better suited for a Byakko motif.

I do love the nio-dasuki in place of the normal belt. Very appropriate for a gate guardian given the obvious direct associations with the ni-o, agyo and ungyo. Technically TBtP Kensei also had a tasuki belt too, but not worn in the distinctive style associated with kabuki and the ni-o statues.

[yurimother]

LGBTQ Light Novel Review – I'm in Love with the Villainess Vol. 2

A Defining and Relentlessly Queer Work in the Next Era of Yuri

I have backed myself into a corner and see no way out of it. For I have already awarded Inori's I'm in Love with the Villainess a perfect 10/10 score for its stellar first outing. And then, upon seeing what Inori did in the second book, I regret my choice because I have no way to raise the bar on perfection as Inori did in her light novel. Indeed, it has taken me far too long to write this review. My mind is thoroughly exhausted after pondering what I read and accepting the honest truth: that that may very well become a defining work in the next generation of Yuri. For as much time as I spend diving into the Sapphic news of the day, I devote even more to looking to the next big movement of Yuri. If I'm in Love with the Villainess Vol. 2 is a signal of what Yuri's future holds, then we are entering an extraordinary queer era.

The story takes off shortly after the first book. At least for the moment, the commoner revolt is quelled, and Rae continues schooling alongside her beloved Claire. Storylines include a new transfer student rivaling Rae for Claire's affection and the girls going on vacation to visit their families. However, the story takes a pretty dramatic and welcome turn halfway through the book. Through a combination of luck and her expect negotiation tactics, a fruit of her intimate knowledge of Revolution's world and inhabitants, Rae is tasked with investigating corrupt nobles. This change allows Inori to take the world and characters further than in the previous book. While the first volume did an excellent job establishing the world inside the school, this entry ventures beyond the academy's borders into international relationships, the church's role and goals, and the dealings of various factions and political parties. It is appropriate progression and one that lends to the story's main arc well.

While all of these events occur, Rae continues her mission of protecting Claire from the inevitable new order. By the time the finale rolls around, it is so immensely satisfying to see all of her plans and strategies pay off. It carefully balances rewarding the reader's attention and keeping them engaged with new twists and revelations. As the story develops, Claire is exposed to more of the reality of common life through Rae and comes to appreciate her privilege and understand the realities of socioeconomic inequality, evolving from the arrogant young woman we initially met. This path has two effects on the story; first, it allows Inori to explore real-world economic disparity issues while still worldbuilding. Second, it ultimately continues the story of Rae's plan, as she wants Claire to be in the commoner's good graces.

These elements make for a fantastic story in a rich, developed fantasy world. However, I adore I'm in Love with the VIllainess not for its intricate magic system but because of the phenomenal LGBTQ+ representation. I was floored by a frank, open, and wonderfully thoughtful discussion of queer representation in the first volume. Few, if any, Yuri works have done anything similar, and it was honestly an inspiration for me, so much so that I awarded it a perfect score almost solely for that passage. However, Inori once again usurps her own throne, taking this forthright and deliberate queer content and turning it up to eleven!

It is almost easier to count the number of main characters not confirmed as members of the LGBTQ community. Figures big and small have their identities explored and revealed during this novel. Some began believing themselves to be straight and exploring their sexuality further. In contrast, others are comforted by Rae's fierce, outspoken, and brazen support and pride in her identity to come forward. One particular scene that comes to mind is when she scolds a pair of nuns for using religion to justify their homophobia. This moment was particularly satisfying to return to after the Catholic Church's recent disavowing of same-sex marriage.

The series even has a character struggling with gender dysphoria who is liberated from society's expectations thanks to a rather ingenious plan of Rae's and her friends, new and old. While not exactly an example of authentic transgender representation as we consider it, as the character's struggles with gender result from a magical curse, but the parallel is clear. Speaking of reality though, the volume grants some glimpses into Ohashi Rei's life, the woman that would one day wake up as Rae.

Rae's experiences with LGBTQ+ identity, set in the real world, are powerful and pull few punches. It is perhaps here that Inori gets most honest and tragic, as Rae painfully describing the ostracization and suffering faced by queer people, culminating in a trans man's suicide (the author thankfully does not describe the actual death). However, Inori balances this pain with the thrill and joy of discovery and accepting oneself, and finding kinship. It is writing that could only come from an author who had experienced these feelings herself, and they will be immediately understood and have a visceral effect on queer readers. I love these moments so much for their vulnerability and relatability. But my favorite part has to be the ending (skip to the final paragraph if you want to avoid spoilers and somehow have not seen the cover of Volume 3).

We finally come to the big queer happy homosexual ending, which is also gay, and my great Yuri goddess, it is perfect! After wading through a revolution and enough surprise revelation to last a lifetime, Claire and Rae settle down into their new life together. Although they cannot legally get married, despite their best efforts, they are absolutely wives. Their families support them, they love each other, and they even have kids! Yes, this unexpected and blissful development, the final gift of this volume, comes in the form of adopted children May and Aleah.

As I exclaimed upon the reveal of Vol. 3's cover, which features the mothers and children, "WE DID IT!! YURI FAMILY!! In Yuri, there are virtually NO stories about queer women raising a family with children together. It is a long dream of mine, the YuriMother, to promote such stories. To have one of the most profound and explicitly queer Yuri stories end in such a happy and new way brought me to happy tears. Except, this is not the end! There are two more volumes beyond this one that continue the story of Claire, Rae, and their children! There is even a very sweet and wonderfully sappy, tear-jerking, bonus chapter of the mother's bonding with the children and helping them recover from their traumatic past. And even become TEACHERS; I could just die happy in this Yuri paradise!

'We need to show we are prepared to live happily ever after, as a family of four. So, I swear to God: I will always love May, Aleah, and Rae.' When Claire said this, she broke out into a tremendous smile and I found myself once more overflowing with love for her. I held her close without saying anything.

Inori's I'm in Love with the Villainess Vol. 2 is precisely what an excellent sequel should be and everything I have ever wanted from a Yuri story. It appropriately raised the stakes in every way, expanding the world, flushing out its many factions and conflicts, and setting a new bar for queer representation and discussion in Yuri. Everything Inori writes feels so perfectly slotted together. Each set piece adds to the character development; each queer issue and identity showcased helps build towards the satisfying and exceptionally gay finale. It is a superlative weaving and integration of the priceless artifacts into an absolute masterclass of LGBTQ+ storytelling. I suspect that this is one of the opening works in Yuri's next era, and I cannot wait to see what follows.

Ratings: Story – 10 Characters – 10 Art – 4 LGBTQ – 10 Sexual Content – 2 Final – 10

Check out I'm in Love with the Villainess Vol. 2 digitally and in paperback today: https://amzn.to/39gE664

Review copy provided by Seven Seas Entertainment

My sincere thanks to Jenn Yamazaki, Nibedita Sen, E.M. Candon, and the rest of the team at Seven Seas Entertainment for translating and adapting this light novel.

[nakachuchu]

Bunny | Armin Arlert

SYNOPSIS: Modern AU - He has a crush on his friend's crush.

READER: female

WORDS: 1556

WRITTEN: 03/08/2021

"Hey, Armin," you greeted as you leaned down, tucking your hair behind your ear.

"H-Hi, Y/N," he replied, eyes glancing to the textbook pressed against your chest and your pretty smile.

"Can I sit next to you again? You're a lifesaver when it comes to taking notes."

"Oh, yeah, definitely," he said as he scooted to the side, allowing you to sit next to him in the lecture hall.

You often sat next to Armin because he had good handwriting and his notes were easy to understand.

You often blanked out, thus missing part of what the professor said. He once asked what you were thinking about, and you winked at him before making a zipper gesture on your mouth.

It was always a struggle when you asked to sit next to him. He had to fight himself to pay attention to the professor and ignore the little devil on his shoulder who kept telling him dirty thoughts about you.

If you didn't sit next to him, he wouldn't have to worry about how good his notes were because you wouldn't need them.

It wasn't like you didn't take notes. You simply got distracted sometimes. You would be taking notes, and the next time Armin decided to glance at you, the end of your pen would be in your mouth, tongue swiping at it mindlessly.

Armin was in constant trouble whenever you were around. You were pretty on your own, but the way your teeth nibbled on the cap and how soft your tongue looked made his brain short circuit.

It was the second year you had the same class with Armin, and he didn't know if he wanted to be thankful or not.

The first encounter he had with you was on moving day. He dropped his pink pen that had a bunny as the clicker. It was given to him by his mother who had been sobbing when he left for college.

You picked up the pen and called out to him. He was absolutely embarrassed and dizzy that someone saw the pen, let alone a pretty girl picking it up for him.

You laughed at how red he was and stepped forward to put the pen back into his front pocket, patting his chest before waving goodbye and walking away.

"Armin," you called out, "class is over, bunny."

God, the nickname you gave him always made his body hot. It was a simple, shameless nickname. It was obviously from the pen he dropped, but he couldn't help but fantasize that something deeper was in the works.

"R-Right. Thanks, Y/N."

You smiled. "Of course. Text me your notes later?"

He nodded.

"Great. I'll see you around. Make sure to eat lunch."

He nodded. "You too."

Once you left the room, he sighed and banged his head onto the desk. Even your kindness in reminding him to eat made him like you even more.

He eventually packed up his stuff, walking to the same table outside the lecture hall that his friends claimed since the first day of school.

"How'd it go?" Eren asked.

He knew about Armin's crush on you, but the question was easily hid as "How was the lecture?"

"It was good," Armin replied, which translated to "I made a fool out of myself again."

"Did you see Y/N? What was she wearing today?" Jean asked.

"Uh—You know, the same," Armin said with a wince.

Jean sighed wistfully. "She's so damn beautiful."

"She'd never go for you," said Eren with a glance at Armin.

"Huh? You wanna fucking fight? We'll go at it right now!"

"HUH? Did you say something, twerp?" Eren retorted, standing up from the table to slam his foot onto the bench.

"HUH? You're shorter than me, you fucking midget," retorted Jean as he got into the same position as Eren.

The two boys began to fight as Armin awkwardly laughed and sat down. He was royally fucked. What was he supposed to do when Jean seemed so smitten with you?

"I'm gonna do it," said Jean as he let Eren out of the chokehold.

Eren gasped for air, then punched Jean on the shoulder. "Do...what?"

"Ask Y/N out," he said as he walked off.

Armin followed the direction he was walking in, then saw you crossing the lawn with one of your friends. His shoulders slumped as he realized he wouldn't ever be able to date you.

Eren and Mikasa glanced at each other before glancing at Armin who was watching the exchange between you and Jean.

You whispered something to your friend as Jean began to talk. You stood there with a smile on your face and occasionally nodded at whatever he was saying.

"I—Um—I'm gonna go back to my dorm. I have studying to do," murmured Armin as he grabbed his bag and walked away.

You laughed at something Jean said before nodding and waving goodbye to him. He walked back and sighed heavily as he sat on the bench.

"What happened?" Connie asked.

"She likes someone else, but hey, she called me cute. That accounts for something, right?"

"Do you think—"

Mikasa nodded at what Eren was implying.

Jean looked between them. "What?"

"You see—"

"Hey, if that dumb ass can ask you out, you can ask Armin out," your friend encouraged.

"Me? I don't have the guts for that," you said.

"No, but you got the tits and that disgusting kindness going for you."

You rolled your eyes. "None of that is true. Besides, I don't know where he is."

"Call him."

"I'm not going to ask him out through tech. It's not sincere," you muttered.

"So you need to do it in person? I got you."

"W-Wait, where are you going? Come back!" you shouted as your friend ran out of your room.

You sighed, a dreadful feeling settling in your stomach. You chewed your lip nervously as you turned to your notes to study, trying to ignore your fantasies of dating Armin.

You put your earbuds in, turning up the volume so that you wouldn't have to think. You drummed your pencil on your desk while reading the notes you took, even though you knew the information wasn't staying in your brain.

You let out a shriek when someone yanked your earbuds out. You spun around in your chair, ready to smack someone until you noticed Armin standing by your door nervously.

Your friend stood in front of you and smiled. "Good luck," they whispered before walking out and closing the door.

"Armin," you breathed out.

He raised his hand slightly before folding them together in front of him again. "Hi. Um—Your friend said you needed to talk to me?"

You nodded, tucking your hair behind your ear. "Sorry. I didn't mean to make you come out here. My friend is impulsive."

"It's okay," he reassured. "But isn't it bad if someone notices us alone in your room? What if Jean hears?"

You tilted your head to the side. "What about him?"

"Well, aren't you—aren't you two dating?"

You blinked before laughing. "We're not dating. I don't like him. I like you."

"Oh, I see. You don't like—You like me?" he repeated.

You smiled. "Yeah, I do. I really, really like you."

"Oh. Oh, this is—Oh, I never thought—" His face went red and his mind was playing fantasies of you again. "I—Uh—I didn't think you'd ever like me. I've liked you for a while now and I mean, you're so pretty, and I'm me."

"I like you, bunny," you reassured. "I like that you're you."

"I've never—I've never had a girlfriend."

"That's okay. It doesn't matter. Do you want to be my boyfriend?" you asked.

"Yes!" he exclaimed. His shoulders slumped after a moment. "But I would be a bad friend if I did that. Jean's liked you for a while and I can't betray him like that."

You smiled softly. "I understand. That's—"

The door burst open, hitting Armin in the back and sending him flying forward. You got up from your chair and wrapped your arms around him so that he wouldn't fall.

Armin was dizzy. His face was shoved into your breasts and all he could smell was you. Your arms were wrapped around him for safety and his hands were dangerously close to your ass.

You looked up to see Armin's friends crowding your door. They were all breathing heavily.

"Say yes!" exclaimed Jean. "Why didn't you tell me you liked her? I just thought she was hot!"

Armin said something, but it was muffled by your breasts. You wiggled around at how ticklish it felt, before helping him move away.

He blinked at you before slowly looking up at you. His face was incredibly hot and he couldn't think straight.

"Armin?" you called out.

Oh, your voice was so pretty.

"Armin, are you okay?" you asked.

"Huh? Y-Yeah, I'm fine. Um—I—Yes?"

"Yes?" you repeated.

"I want to be your boyfriend," he said. "Is that okay?"

You smiled. "It's more than okay," you said.

"Thank God," muttered Eren as he turned around with a hand latched onto Jean's collar. "Team, roll out!"

Mikasa followed him silently, dragging Sasha and Connie with her.

"What should the first thing we do as a couple be, bunny?" you asked.

"Um... Food?"

You smiled. "Sounds good."

[kanjukucompany]

【A3! Translation】 Furuichi Sakyo R: South Hill Prison (2/2)

PART 1 / PART 2

happy belated birthday sakyo!

(translation under the cut)

Gap Moe Tattoo

Gap Moe Tattoo

Sakyo: It's a temporary...?

Kazunari: That's right! It's stuck to this transparent film.

Kazunari: You put the tattoo where you want it, then rub it with a wet towel and...

Kazunari: See! Now it's on!

Muku: Actually, in this shoujo manga I'm currently reading, there's a guy who looks a little like Sakyo-san. He's a bit of a bad boy.

Muku: He's got a tattoo at the base of his neck, but you find out it was actually just a temporary one later on.

Kazunari: When he said the reason he wanted to be shunned for his tattoos was because he wasn't good at interacting with others, he was like, so gap moe!

Muku: He really was...!

Taichi: So, Mu-chan ended up buying temporary tattoos like the one in the manga.

Taichi: We were thinking that this would be perfect for Sakyo-nii's next role!

Taichi: Something like this would really beef up the vibe of your image, right?

Sakyo: I see... A temporary tattoo, huh....

Taichi: Don't ya think, Mu-chan!

Muku: Fufu, you're right!

Taichi: Sakyo-nii! There's a scene I want you to do!

Kazunari: Oh, is it maybe, 'that' one!?

Sakyo: ?

Muku: In 'that' scene, there's a line the boy says that's really famous among fans...!

Muku: It's on volume 6 page 73... I'll go grab my manga now!

Sakyo: Oi...! I didn't say I'll do it yet!

-

Muku: I'm back! Um, here, this scene.... please!

Sakyo: No, I'm not going to....

Taichi: It's Sakyo-nii, so I'm sure it'll be cool!

Kazunari: A tattoo on your neck may be a little hard, but... here, put it on the back of your hand instead!

Sakyo: You brats...!

Muku: Are you really not going to...?

Kazunari: You're gonna refuse such a request from Mukkun....?! And as a member of the Shoujo Manga Club, no less....!

Taichi: Mu-chan was really looking forward to it, he even prepared the tattoo and everything!

Sakyo: Sigh.... jeez.... I'll do it once and that's it.

Muku: Wah~, thank you so much....!

Sakyo: So it's this scene....

Sakyo: "....When I'm in front of you, I don't need these temporaries."

Muku: ...!

Muku: Ahh~....! You even reenacted the chin tilt....! Thank you so much! I'm so impressed!

Taichi: That was so awesome, Sakyo-nii!

Kazunari: A chin tilt from Frooch-san, that's super rare!

Sakyo: Sigh.... I'm not doing it again.

Izumi: Good work today!

Omi: Yuki, were you observing?

Yuki: Yeah, I was able to get an idea for your costumes, thanks.

Yuki: Actually... There's just one thing, what's with the Money Grubbing Yakuza?

Banri: I was wondering the same thing.

Sakyo: The temporary tattoo? ....Well, I figured I might as well just leave it.

Taichi: Actually, blah blah blah...!

Sakyo: Oi....! You don't need to explain!

-

Banri: Pfft, no matter what Muku asks, you still...

Azami: Shitty Sakyo's chin tilt...

Sakyo: Shut it.

Omi: Haha, that's Muku.

Juza: If it's Muku asking, you've gotta listen.

Sakyo: Looking back, I'm thankful. It helped me differentiate my role.

Yuki: Even though it's a temporary.... I think you should put it on your neck.

Yuki: Well, putting them on your arms would also look good in the performance.

Sakyo: Sigh... I knew you were going to say that, that's why I didn't want to bring this up....

Sakyo: But, if you want to incorporate that into your design, let's discuss.

[mutants-and-soldiers]

The Proposition (Ch. 1)

summary || You've been thinking about Steve's proposal a lot. Part of you wants to decline but a bigger part of you wants what he's offering.

pairing || alpha!Steve x omega!Reader (Past alpha!Bucky x omega!Reader)

word count || 3,706

warnings || A/B/O, eventual smut, therapy talks, kink negotiation, lots of dialogue — 18+ ONLY//MINORS DNI

notes || I can't get this story out of my head, really! First chapter is all about setting up the smut so I apologize but I believe in talking things out. Thank you to everyone who commented on the first part of the series! I'm going to try and be better about answering comments from here on out! Keep the comments coming, I love hearing from you guys so much!

You can also read it on Ao3. Do not copy, translate, rewrite or repost any of my work, even if you credit me. I always welcome comments and reblogs!

Sequel to Helping Hands: One Two Three Four Five

Divider courtesy of the talented @firefly-graphics

After so many years of going to see Dr. Beta, you were used to the routine when you stepped through the doors. It was late in their work day so you were the only person in the office other than Valarie, the receptionist, who gave you a kind smile. “Good afternoon,” she said, typing something onto her computer. “Dr. Beta’s just about ready.”

“Thanks, Valarie,” you say, setting your bag down to take off your suit.

It had been weird the first time Dr. Beta had demanded you not wear the suit during your sessions. You protested but in the end, she won out. There were a lot of reasons for choosing a female-only office but this was the biggest one. They accommodate you so much just to make you feel welcome and safe in your own skin. It was one of the few places that you could take the suit off and feel comfortable.

The suit was just being zipped up into your bag when the door to the doctor’s office opened. Dr. Beta was a matronly middle aged woman with plenty of laugh lines and crow's feet from years of laughter and joy. She was a kind beta who had done wonders for your mental health and self esteem. Without her, you probably wouldn’t have gone through with the job proposal.

She called your name with a gentle smile, “You ready?”

“Yep,” you smiled, walking over to step into the room. The blinds were closed tight but there were several lamps around the space that allowed a soft light to keep it illuminated. The wooden diffuser was pumping out the soothing smell of lemon and sandalwood. Dr. Beta had always said the lemon helped cut the potency of your powers but you weren’t sure if that was true or if it was something she said to make you feel better.

The two of you settled into your usual spots before the doctor asks, “Anything new since we last saw each other?”

It had been a month since your last session. The milestone of going monthly instead of bi-monthly had been huge for you. There was a time that you saw her weekly, which was when you were at your lowest. You were glad to be where you were.

“Where do I even start?” you laugh, leaning casually back on the leather couch. The cold material felt nice on the bare skin that peeked out from your denim shorts and athletic tank top. “I’ve been meeting regularly with three guys to run with them every Tuesday and Thursday. We also go out for drinks and the game on Sunday.”

“Wow, that’s fantastic!” she gushed, genuinely excited for you. She even sat her clipboard and pen down to lean forward with her elbows on her knees. It was something she only did when you made some kind of...positive choice in your life. The way it made your chest swell with self pride was silly and kind of childish but the woman had always been extra motherly to you. “Clients?”

“One of them was,” you nod, trying to keep the flush of excitement from making you seem too eager. “They’re really nice guys and they invited me to start sparring with them next week after our runs.”

A gentle look crossed the doctor’s face that had you melting. It was a look that she gave when she was proud and the way your name came out of her mouth spoke volumes. “I’m so proud of you,” she said aloud even though you knew it by her body language. “It’s been a long time since you took time for yourself in your personal life. Are they on your level of martial arts?”

“Better!” you said, excited to have a good challenge.

“Better than you?” she laughed, sounding incredulous. “I’d have to see that to believe it!” You join her for the laugh. “Anything else?”

Your mind flutters to a certain blond and his proposition but decide to keep that to yourself for now. It wasn’t good for you to hide secrets from Dr. Beta and you usually didn’t, however, she would definitely encourage you to take him up on the offer. You didn’t think you were ready to come up with reasons (lies) for why you couldn’t do that yet.

“Not really.”

She nods, grabbing her clipboard to flip the paper. “Dr. Noland said you were going to get your heat early this time around. She said you mentioned you might know why?”

Damn it. You forgot how much the two doctors communicated between each other about your health. It was the program you were in and, while amazingly helpful, could be very annoying at times. Case in point, now you need to make a choice on whether to point blank lie to Dr. Beta or just tell the truth. Lying by omission was much more your style.

“Yeah,” you sigh, resigning yourself to the conversation. “The last client I helped had...intense pheromones. I think it may have kicked me into my heat cycle early.”

The doctor’s hazel eyes widened in shock, “Even with the suppressant you took?”

Nodding, you look away for a second. “The client was a super soldier,” you admit, running a hand through your hair in frustration.

Understanding blossomed on her face when she made a guess as to who you were talking about. “Well, that might do it, for sure,” she nodded, making a note. “Still, I’m going to have Dr. Noland change your suppressant just in case it’s not working.”

She stood up, going over to the cabinet behind her desk. She took out a large bottle, tossing it to you, that had heat vitamins in them. Another bottle was thrown your way full of pills specifically for healthy slick production. The last thing she came over with were a few vouchers for omega-centric energy drinks and heat-snacks.

“I know you hate this question but I am legally required to ask,” she chuckles. “Do you have someone you trust to help you through your heat?”

You hesitate. “No.”

Her head snaps up, hazel eyes pinning you to the spot. “You hesitated. You never hesitate,” she points out with far too much excitement. She sets the clipboard down, doing the lean again. “Do you have someone in mind?”

Well, the cat was out of the bag and now you couldn’t lie because she would never believe you now. “I was...propositioned,” you admit, feeling stupidly relieved that you had been honest with her. She had conditioned you so fucking well to feel better when you told the truth as opposed to lying. It had been a ‘bad coping mechanism’ you created during your childhood to gain some control of your otherwise uncontrollable life.

“By one of your new friends?” she asked, already getting the gist of the conversation. “Was it your client?”

“No, not my client but his...best friend,” you whisper, feeling a little embarrassed that you were having this conversation.

Dr. Beta is quiet for a moment, contemplating how to ask the question. “What’s the big deal then? Why not take him up on the offer?”

You cringe. “There are…a lot of reasons but I’m sure you’re going to make them seem like they’re not problems but things I’ve blown up in my mind.”

She laughs, shaking her head. “You know your feelings and worries are valid! I just help you see things in a more logical light. I think you should really talk this through with him but...would you like to practice with me?”

You bite your lower lip but give a heavy sigh when you realize there’s still nearly forty minutes left of your time with her. “Fine. It can’t hurt.”

You sat in the booth twitching with your napkin. You and the owner were good friends from back in your academy days so he allowed you to pay a certain amount for the whole rooftop terrace. It meant you could enjoy a meal with someone without having to wear your suit. You also got the same female server every time who knew your situation and didn’t care.

“Hey, sorry I’m late,” you heard a familiar voice say to your left.

Not really sure why, you stood up when he approached. He was wearing a thin blue zip-up jacket over a blue and white plaid button up shirt that was unbuttoned enough for you to see the white t-shirt he had under it. His jeans were dark and fit far too well around his massive thighs. A plain blue ball cap sat on his head and some fake glasses to help hide his identity. The smile he gave you was enough to make your preheat brain purr.

It took you by surprise when his big arms wrapped you up in a hug that smothered you in his masculine scent. Your hands touched his back, hugging him hesitantly. The squeeze lasted a little longer than you expected, just enough for your head to be perfectly swimming in his pheromones.

You pulled away when he did, allowing him to sit at the far side of the table, facing towards the rest of the area. He had insisted that you come without your suit so it was the least you could do to keep the waitress from noticing his erection.

“It’s okay, I ordered some water for us,” you smile, genuinely happy to see him. It wasn’t often that you saw any of the three men individually. They usually hung out in a pack and you were happy to know that you fit into the group pretty well. “Get whatever you want, Steve. It’s my treat.”

He gave you a look. “I would prefer it if you let me pay.”

Your heart gave a hard thump in your chest. There was something about the way he said it that was just short of a command. You look into his blue eyes, trying to gauge his intent before setting down the menu. “Is this some old-fashioned pride I see leaking through?” you tease, giving him a mischievous grin.

“No, I just figure it was only right that I buy you lunch before helping you with your heat,” he said so casually it made your face heat.

“What makes you think I’m going to agree?!” you laugh loudly.

There is a knowing glint in his eyes that makes your stomach flip. “Isn’t that why we’re here? Alone?” he questioned easily, looking up just as Julia came to the table.

“Welcome back,” she greets you, setting two empty glasses and a pitcher of water down on the table. “My name’s Julia.”

“Nice to meet you Julia,” Steve responded with a neutral smile. It caught you a little off guard because it...definitely wasn’t the smile he gave you. Was it just part of his disguise?

You both ordered a beer and your entrees. It wasn’t until Julia walked away that you focused back on the alpha across from you. He was already looking at you with an intense expression. You feel like he’s basically prying into your soul.

“I...spoke with my therapist yesterday and…” you start, finding it very hard to talk about this kind of thing. It was so easy to soothe your clients but so hard to give yourself a break. “She...convinced me to talk with you about my...worries.”

His expression softens a bit. “I’m willing to work with you,” he soothes, reaching out to take your hand. His fingers curled around yours, warm and solid. “Tell me everything.”

You take a deep breath. “I’m not afraid of hurting you,” you blurt out. “You can take me even on your worst day. I’m...embarrassed to count myself among the small population of omegas that go...feral during their heat. I...fight my partner. Dr. Beta says it's because of the trauma I experienced. Trauma doesn't just disappear during heat...it gets worse. I’m just not the usual kind of docile omega that society seems to exemplify.”

He looks up to alert you that Julia was returning with your drinks. He didn’t speak until she was back inside the building. “Truthfully, I’m actually more intrigued than put off by the notion,” he finally said after taking a sip of his beer. “Do you fight the whole time or just in the beginning?”

It wasn’t a line of questioning that you expected so you gaped at him like a fish out of water for a few seconds before finding your words. “I don’t...know,” you admit sheepishly, sipping your hard cider. “I’ve only been with one alpha during my heat and he had to go to the hospital a few hours into it.”

Something dark and tempting flashed through the blond’s eyes. “How do you feel about restraints?”

Your core throbbed at the simple question. It probably showed on your face because his smile started to widen in understanding. “Yes, that’s fine,” you breathe, trying not to think too hard about the implications.

“Would you prefer to do this at your house or in my suite?” he asked as if you had already agreed to the whole thing.

Your mind screamed at you to say decline. It was dangerous and there were so many things that could go wrong. Your omega brain though had already bought into the whole thing. You wanted this big, powerful alpha to hold you down and take you in the most forceful of ways. You wanted him to restrain you to your nest and have his way with you until the heat fog cleared.

“Wait, wait,” you say, trying to finish your thoughts before deciding anything. “I’m serious when I say I’m insatiable. I don’t have any refractory period between one wave and the next.”

Julia opens the door, alerting you both that she was coming out with food. You both wait until everything is set and she walks away before continuing. The food smells delicious so you grab the burger and bite into it. You always craved red meat before your heat so when the flavors burst across your taste buds, you hum in appreciation.

Steve took a few bites of his own meal before responding. “The super soldier serum makes it so I don’t have any refractory period,” he shrugs casually with a smile. “I’ve never met someone who could keep up with me so...I’m interested to see if you can. Any other worries?”

Heat blossoms across your cheek and in your chest. “I don’t want our friendship to be jeopardized,” you finally admit after finishing half of your burger. You grab some of the fries and eat them while thinking.

“Did helping Bucky keep you from being friends with him?”

“No, of course not,” you sigh, running out of excuses. Dr. Beta had been right, talking with him had definitely made you a little more comfortable with the idea. “Fine, okay, I accept your offer.”

“My place or yours?” he asks with a genuine smile.

You mull over the question for a bit before shrugging. “I have all of my nesting supplies at my house so we can do it at mine,” you chuckle, feeling a little nervous but excited too.

He nods. “Do I need to bring any supplies? Snacks or drinks?”

The two of you continue talking about the logistics of your heat while you finish the food. It makes you feel a lot better knowing you wouldn’t have to go through with it alone. You had already taken the initiative to send a message to all of your clients to let them know you would be out for your heat. You even went ahead and took an extra week just for yourself.

After you pay and you have your layers back on, the two of you stand outside the doors to the restaurant. You don’t want to leave him, truthfully. He smelt so good and you were so close to your heat that it was hard to separate from him. “Thanks for talking with me,” you smile despite the bonnet covering everything but your eyes. “I’ll give you a text when I’m ready.”

“Of course, thanks for lunch,” he chuckles, leaning down to kiss your forehead through the layers. “Here, take this for your nest.”

He shucked his jacket and offered it. Your hand reaches out to take it slowly. “Thanks but this might just push me into it faster,” you laugh brightly, holding the large jacket close to your chest. You could smell the scent of him even through all of your layers. It made your head foggy.

“That’s the idea,” he smirked, turning towards the tower with a wave. “Just let me know when you want me to come over.”

You watch him walk away, eyes lingering on the way his biceps stretched the fabric of his shirt and down until you stared at his toned ass in those jeans. It was obvious how close you were to your heat when sweat started to form along your temples and slick started to dampen your panties.

Once you got back home, you arranged your snacks and vitamins on the counter so they were easy for Steve to find. He might need to feed you for the first few waves because you weren’t sure if you’d be coherent or not. Then you went into your extra bedroom that you used for your heats and started getting it ready.

You pulled out all of your slick-resistant pillows, cushions and blankets from the closet to make a nest on your king sized bed. It was a nice four post bed that had your mind in dark places. All you could think about was being restrained with cuffs around one of those posts while Steve fucked into you.

It didn’t take long before you needed a pad for all of the fucking slick that was making everything so annoying. The nest took a lot longer that you would like to admit because it just didn’t seem...right. You’d never had this kind of issue before but your omega brain wanted Steve to be comfortable and happy too.

Looking back at the closet, you debated on whether or not you wanted to pull out the box of toys. You weren’t sure if Steve would want them or need them or…

“Fuck it,” you mutter, grabbing your phone to send the alpha a quick text. Toys or no toys?

You were adding his jacket to your nest when your phone vibrated in your pocket. Instead of the one or two word answer that you expected, it was...something else.

Definitely toys. I’ll enjoy teasing you until you’re begging for my knot.

Fuckin’ hell! Was this the same blond with the surprisingly boyish face that you had met during lunch today? The same guy that Sam teased about being an old virgin?

You didn’t think the pad was going to hold up to all of the slick that gush from you at the text. How does one respond to a text like that? You grabbed out the delicate pink box out of the closet, wincing at the color because it was the only color that the shop had to store your toys. Omegas were feminine right?! They liked pink, right?!

Laughing at yourself, you set the box on the little table in the room. You opened the lid and set it to the side so you could look at your assortment of toys. It was a collection you started when your first heat hit you at sixteen. You had been a late bloomer because of your constant martial arts training, which stilted your omega hormones.

It had all the necessities and even some extras. You had your typical knot dildo, a vibrator, a clit vibe, a few different types of condoms for when you weren’t in your heat, a bottle of lube that encouraged slick production, a bottle of regular lube, and a few different sized anal plugs. The last few were just because you enjoyed the feeling of being full when having sex.

Quickly you took a picture of the box and sent it to Steve as a reply. It was the best you could come up with. You had never really been good at those kinds of things. Well, you’d never had someone try and sext you.

Happy that everything was prepared, you cuddled under your fuzzy blanket in your nest. Comfort flooded through you as you nuzzled into the man’s jacket, deeply taking in his scent. It was nice and musky and made you feel warm and safe.

The phone buzzed. You’re okay with anal during your heat?

Your pheromone idled brain made you giggle, “Consent is important,” before you could text him back. Yes, I like being stuffed full.

It didn’t even register how inappropriate the text sounded before you hit send. You were obviously a lot further along than you had previously thought. The subtle throb of your core was starting to get worse but you weren’t too far gone to see his last text.

Good to know. Get some rest. Need me to come out and check on you before dark?

You groaned as a cramp hit your pelvis, slick becoming an issue. It simultaneously hurt and felt good. You were so distracted that you couldn’t answer the text message. Everything was suddenly too hot so you threw off your clothing, slipping your hand down to brush against your clit. It was already so sensitive it hurt but you needed relief.

It wasn’t enough and you knew that it would be futile to try and get yourself off with just your fingers but your brain wasn’t working. You groaned helplessly as the lackluster orgasm washed over you. It wasn’t enough, so frustratingly not enough. Sweat dripped down your cheek from your hairline making you kick off the blanket so you could turn over.

You didn’t care how it looked with your ass up because the scent of Steve on the jacket helped clear your head a little. It made your core throb but it also helped you become coherent. Enough so that you grabbed the phone and typed in a one word response that only said:

Now.

Credits for the pictures in Moodboard:

Unsplash photographers:

1. Kelly Sikkema

2. Vulkan Olmez

3. Toa Heftiba

Like, comment and reblogs are always welcome! Thanks for reading!

[grewlikefancyflowers]

so suika has confirmed on twitter that the mistakes in vol 1 of mdzs will be updated in the ebook, and that part of the reason vol 2 was pushed back was because they needed more time, and that 7s have been working on improving the translating & editing processes since vol 1.

i'm still optimistic for the next volumes and am looking forward to reading them 💞

[amaya-chwan]

Therapy Game Restart Discussion: Who is Onodera?

Hello everyone! Hope you are all well~ ❤️💛💜 I've had a headscratcher of an ask/message regarding Onodera, so I figured I'll make it into one big post!

Before I begin this Q&A/discussion post (feel free to comment below if you have any thoughts), I have looked through past chapters to gather the information I will put into this post to support my predictions. Not all chapters are readily available for everyone at the moment as only one volume of TGR is out right now, so I shall put the chapter numbers for your future reference! ⚠️ Also, just a note! These opinions are my personal thoughts, conjectures, and opinions, so please don't think I am saying one idea or speculation is wrong--this is just how I see it, and of course I could very well be wrong! And I also am not fluent in Japanese, so I may have some translation errors!

⚠️ Also, a warning, this will be a long post! Keep reading if you're interested and please let me know your own thoughts!

First, in an earlier ask, I was directed to a translation group that said Onodera is a man. With the help of Google and Google Translate (because I don't understand/speak Spanish), I found that post (dated April this year) and the origin of the picture they used in that post. The image is from Hinohara-sensei's 13th August 2020 tweet here and is also below for reference:

Now, all I can remember from first seeing that image is "Woow, so pretty! A female character? A love rival? A threat? OH it's the infamous director they're all talking about???"

This image was released around the time chapter 8 was released, i.e. the first chapter we see Onodera in full.

Looking at the image again, I can see how Onodera could be seen as a female or a male. Onodera has long hair, yet no visible breasts. There is no evidence of an Adam's apple, but that could just be because of the turtleneck as part of their outfit. Furthermore, in chapter 13, we see a view of Onodera from behind. There are no "womanly curves" visible in this view of Onodera.

After searching some Japanese blogs, some fans also had the same thoughts: no breasts = possible male, the shape of the face etc. Here are the blogs I found: [1] [2] [3] but most of these are from around chapter 8.

Just about the breast argument: there are a lot of different shapes for breasts. I learnt that when working at a department store selling bras during university. It is possible that Onodera is really flat chested or just has very little breast tissue. Not sure if that's getting too technical now, ahah, but what I want to say is that the lack of breasts isn't a definite yes to Onodera being a man.

Hinohara-sensei also has not explicitly stated throughout TGR so far (ch1-13) that Onodera is male or female.

From chapters 8-12, Onodera is always referred to as 院長 (director) by Shizuma and the nurses at the clinic. No gender-specific pronouns have been used in the story nor by any characters to refer to Onodera when speaking so far (that I have read). So confirming Onodera's gender is just misleading at the present moment.

We do find out in chapter 9 that Onodera's first name is 昌 akira. Akira is a gender neutral name in Japan. It is often given to males, but it is not uncommon for females to have this name. Which, I think, is genius on Sensei's part. It leaves us all thinking!

Q: So Amaya-chwan, what do you think Onodera's gender is?

Just for me as I've been reading TGR the past 1.5 years, I see Onodera as a woman as I have been "encouraged" to see Onodera as one by the little subtleties in the story, and Minato sees Onodera as a female, so I probably am viewing Onodera in Minato's POV.

(Please keep reading on for more insights and answers to questions! Really, this post is long! 😅)

In chapter 9, Onodera's older brother, who is also Shizuma's university professor (and his last name is not Onodera), makes small talk with Shizuma regarding the staff at his placement:

Shizuma's professor says: By the way, Shizuma-kun, how've you been!? You haven't been bullied, have you!? // The female team here is scary, right~ You know, Nakajou-kun and I were in the same grade...

So here, I'm made to think Onodera's clinic is pretty much all female, including Onodera too.

Fun fact: His professor uses the suffix -kun for Nakajou-sensei, yet Nakajou-sensei is a female and -kun is commonly used for males these days. But, it is also used for females in very specific situations. I'm not too sure what the situations are, but I have heard them used for females before.

In the same chapter (9), while Shizuma is changing out of his scrubs in the men's locker (?) room, Onodera walks in. He is slightly flustered, and kindly reminds her that she's walked into the men's locker room. Her reaction is "Huh? Ahh..." So here, again, I am made to believe Onodera is female.

While no gender-specific pronouns have been used to address Onodera, Minato and Itsuki have referred to Onodera as a female in chapter 13.

The kanji for "female/woman" is 女. In these two images, Minato refers to Onodera as 上司の女 female superior, and from Minato's story, Itsuki hence calls her 職場の女の人 female from (Shizuma's) workplace. This is the only time Onodera has been referred to as a female.

⚠️ Just a note going forward in this discussion, I will now call Onodera "she/her" as that is what I believe Onodera's gender is at the present moment!

Now, I did get a second ask from an Anon! Here they are below with my responses:

This one is about what's behind Onodera. I think she's a pretty interesting character. I actually think she's a trans woman or a non-binary trans woman. Sensei has been dropping so many hints to that... The name her brother calls her might be her dead name. He complains about her hair and what their father would say. She's designed to have flat breasts, perhaps she's not under hormone therapy, perhaps her "trips" and "days off" have something to do with reassignment surgeries...

She most definitely is an interesting character. I wouldn't say Onodera being transgender is out of the realm of possibility because the story is still ongoing. But regarding her name, I don't know if I'd call it a dead name since it is gender neutral already. Perhaps the kanji for a male Akira name would be different to a female one though?

About the hair comment (ch10), I just thought it was unruly? I honestly didn't think too much of it! What I will add is that the kanji for hair (髪) is used, but the reading is あたま head. Not sure why just yet, so I'll just leave that here as some extra information for the moment.

Not sure what I really think about a) her flat-chestedness and b) her insanely long business trips yet! I figured a) might be a character design, and b) she really is a top-notch veterinarian so she's probably in high demand. But I could be completely off the mark!

Also, I don't know where to add this random bit in from the story, but in chapter 12, we find out that Onodera has been calling one of the staff the wrong name for more than 10 years now. Not sure if this new piece of info affects anything?

But again, that is a very interesting prediction/thought you have about Onodera, and I wouldn't say it's not possible!

She's kind of a female Minato, psychologicallly and in appearance, which brings some challenges. And one more thing that I think hints to that: "I'll make it so your body can never be satisfied by any woman", Minato says to Shizuma. As the last chapter leaves it at that, we don't know exactly what he is talking about. [spoiler?] I haven't seen the Japanese text yet to be sure if he's clear about topping Shizuma.

That was exactly my thought when she was first introduced! That's part of the reason why I think Minato sees her as a threat, especially when he saw her for the first time and was told she is a 美人beautiful person (both in chapter 12). She and Minato definitely share some characteristics, but I find she's a bit more socially-awkward than Minato given her background (Chapter 9 & 10).

For the dialogue, the Japanese lines and the most literal translations I can give are:

今から　静真くんを抱く From now, (I'll) hold/embrace you, Shizuma-kun.

どんな女に出会っても　絶対満足できない体にしてあげる No matter the women you encounter, I will make it so your body definitely cannot be satisfied (by any of them).

Hopefully we'll find out what Minato means by that exactly in the next chapter, which I hope comes to me this week!

But if that's what he's talking about, it's 1. poor Minato being transphobic (besides being biphobic towards his own boyfriend)* 2. poor Minato probably foreshadowing his own fall. If Onodera happens to be a woman with a d**k, she can do whatever Minato thinks a cis man only can do. That's not what will make Shizuma stay by his side. Shizuma will stay by his side because he loves Minato. And that's that. Debunks biphobic myths, debunks transphobic myths. *He's not a bad person, he's got issues

Okay, this is probably as straight-forward as I can say this, but I just want to say that I don't know enough about the issues faced by the LGBTQI+ community. My friends have kindly answered all my questions so far as I don't want to be ignorant or rude when learning more about my friends and the community. I don't want to give off the air that I'm assuming anything since I don't want any misunderstandings. And I am fully aware that I need to educate myself more regarding this!

So about Minato, I'm not completely sure what you mean by number 2. But he definitely has his share of trauma, insecurities, and fears regarding his relationship with Shizuma. Having Onodera as a threat in this story really helps drive Minato's growth. The story is titled Therapy Game Restart, so what I gather from the title is that Minato is going to face another fear/insecurity he has, something deeply-rooted in him, and it's going to get really heavy and complicated, but he will eventually get through it and it will help him heal and grow as a character, and hopefully strengthen his faith in his relationship with Shizuma.

So far, I believe this "fear" is carrying on from +Play More, that Shizuma can be whisked away by a female at any moment.

But yes, Minato has to realise for himself that his and Shizuma's love, relationship, and bond is strong enough for him to not worry about Shizuma leaving him so abruptly. He has to learn to trust in Shizuma more, and TGR is slowly revealing that, especially in chapter 13.

I'll stop here. I have already written long analyses on this series and I think about making them public at some point. But it would be nice to hear from you! Maybe I'm completely wrong in my interpretations! I'm really sorry for being so annoying and maybe using inappropriate language. I really didn't mean to bother you. But I never see anyone making these points. I just want to know if I'm thinking unreasonably...

I love reading different analyses, opinions, story predictions, the whole lot!! So please feel free to ask me or post your own ideas. It's always a welcome thing for me to discuss stories and learn new things! Don't be sorry that you're being a bother or annoying, because it's not a bother at all!

We're all allowed to have our own ideas and opinions about stories, and these ideas will change once something is canon in the story, and ultimately is something we will have to accept too.

So yeah, just my two cents. Thank you for being so patient with my response, dear Anon!

To anyone reading at this point, thank you for reading this far! ❤️💛💜

I shall see you in our next set of takeaways~ As always, stay safe and take care of yourselves and your loved ones! 💜

(2021-05-17: Speedy proofreading is done ahah! And yes, my brain is still so full of 山河令/Word of Honor right now, so I have been VERY distracted! Highly recommend this drama, guys! It's up for free on the official Youku Youtube page! Totally not an endorsement, but I love this drama! AHHHHH!! Gong Jun [Simon] be living on my mind rent free~)