#am i the only one who remembered my beloved's birthday today...

[lesbianashleywilliams]

MASS EFFECT ☼ 15TH ANNIVERSARY

「 We impose order on the chaos of organic evolution. You exist because we allow it. And you will end because we demand it. 」

[inlovewithregencyera]

A letter from Maximilian Worthington to Frederick Worthington:

July 8th, 1817

Often, I am haunted by the fear of judgment for expressing my emotions so freely, save for you alone am I truly able to confide in. Today was extremely hard for me because it would’ve been Mama’s fiftieth birthday. I remember her death so clearly in the back of my mind, just as if it were yesterday. I returned from my daily ride, shortly before the usual dinner. I picked Mama a handful of daisies hoping to lift her spirit as she had been so melancholy with the loss of my dear sister the year prior. I hastily walked up to her chamber, knocked, and received no answer. Knocking once more and still hearing nothing, I entered the room, only to find her lifeless body limp and sprawled across the bed. I screamed for Father, who rushed from his study, and upon seeing his dear wife, collapsed and was immediately consumed by tears. His scream was heard all over Ivyhurst, as Isabella came immediately from the drawing room. We were all overtaken by grief, and sprawled on the floor in our despair. Miss Hurst, Bell’s governess, gently took the poor desolate girl away from the scene. I attempted to console my dear Father and it seemed my mind had gone blank. I don’t know how long I sat there with him weeping into my arms, perhaps it was an hour or two because when I looked out the window the sky was pitch black. Papa refused for anyone to come near her body, and told Reverend Smith to be damned to the depths of hell. When the funeral furnisher and undertaker finally arrived, he could not part with the corpse of his beloved Phia and therefore attacked both men who tried to get her. Because of this, he was given one last night alone with her, and he didn’t sleep. He held her in his arms and wept into her bosom the whole night, begging God to do the irreversible and take him instead. He said it wasn’t right that a man's sweet little daughter and now his beloved wife must go before him. I sat with Bell the whole night who cried herself to sleep in my arms. I didn’t sleep and had no more tears to cry, so I just sat there with my right leg joining my heart in numbness. At the crack of dawn, Father called us to embrace Mama’s lips and say a last farewell. I knew this kiss would be the last I should ever bestow upon on the woman who held all my affection. In the evening, she lay in the chapel with all the servants and the few people she held dearest to her heart around her coffin. The only person missing was you, as Papa blamed the entirety of your household for her demise, thus you were forbidden from coming. The daisies I picked for her were placed into her hands, and that was my final gift to my mother. She was taken to Thornfield before nightfall, to be reunited with the vessel of her daughter just as her spirit had been. Papa refused to watch her be put into a grave as he said he would jump into it with her, and Bell and I knew our hearts couldn’t handle that same sighting we saw less than a year ago with the death of our Elle. I watched the hearse head for the gates, and before it left, I kept telling myself that it was a nightmare. I hoped it would return with haste and bring back my nurturer, my savior, my most cherished Mama-but it never did.

[mybelovednick]

Crimson and Clover, Honey (Chapter 2)

Main Page

Previously

Nick Sturniolo x Male!character

Summary: Nick Sturniolo is a Bookstore owner in a small town in Northern Italy. Vayu Arora is an elementary school teacher who is a frequent customer at Nick's Store. Both of them meet and they are suppose to fall in love like faith intended. But what happens when one of them is unable to let go of their past selves?

Nick x male!character Angst Fluff/comfort Hurt/comfort

TW: Too corny ig, smoking (don't do it kids. it is not cool)

******

2

“I have no news. I live quietly, I love you and I wait.”

This quote has always been a mystery to me. I wouldn’t remember where I first read it, or from whom I had heard it. But it stuck with me, forever. Yearning makes a person susceptible to the madness of love. If you yearn for something or someone, the line between love and obsession becomes blurry.

It was a lovely Friday evening. The breeze was just right as the clouds swiftly danced across the violet sky. The sun was about to set but the moon was already up. Tara invited us to her family restaurant to celebrate her grandpa’s seventy-second birthday.

Nate rode my red Vespa, with me on the back while holding onto his waist for dear life; because to him, my vehicle was a race car and the world was a Drag race. We reached Tara’s restaurant an hour late, regardless of the death race.

“You bitches were supposed to be here half an hour prior to the party and you reached in hour late. Explain, now” Tara was fuming.

“Yell at Vayu, if he had dressed up a little quicker we would be here so much earlier.”

“What? You were the one throwing a tantrum like fucking baby after seeing me wear the same coral shirt that you are wearing now! Of course I had to change into a boring black one.” I tried to defend myself.

“Not my fault I look better in coral.”

“Nathan I swear to God-“

“Okay fine, Jesus!” Tara yelled at us again. (We deserved it), “Let’s go inside and hurry up, Grandpa is waiting for you guys.”

“Awe I missed you Jeremy.” Nate cooed from behind as we entered the room and everyone cheered.

The restaurant was not a very fancy one. But it did feel like home. I’ve always loved Tara and her grandparents, Jeremy and Lizzy. Frank Sinatra was playing in the background because Jeremy loved Sinatra, “Play his songs in my funeral” he’d say every time.

Tara, Nathan and I were the only ones who were not above the age of fifty-five. We all wished Jeremy ‘Happy Birthday’ and Lizzy kissed him, to which all of us cheered like monkeys in a zoo. I loved watching people smile. I loved watching people enjoy their time. Tara was in charge of the food and overall party. I was on tea duty, i.e. ensuring that every single person had their tea cups filled up to the brim. It wasn’t a difficult task considering there were barely over twenty people in the party. Yes, tea in Italy is a bizarre concept but apparently Lizzy can’t stand the smell of coffee and ever since she visited Darjeeling with her husband, she has been addicted to this beverage.

Nathan? Well he was busy impressing Lizzy’s friends. Those sixty-year old ladies loved him for some reason. “Oh you look ravishing today, Demi. And you too! Rebecca, that hair is flawless, Jim is a lucky guy.”  Who am I kidding? Everyone loved Nate.

I was simply observing them, holding the warm tea kettle close to my chest; almost zoning out in the process.

Perhaps this is what love is after all; watching people you love fall in love with other people you love.

Being in love on the other hand, will always be strange, no matter how many times you’ve experienced it in your life. It is like falling in love with the moon. It looks beautiful from afar and even more tempting in theory. But no matter how many songs or poems you write about it, it will remain absurd in practicality to be in love with the moon. And you feel like the ocean, reflecting the image of your beloved moon in your turbulent waves just to get a glimpse of it. Even during the most intense storms in your life, you strive to keep your water as still as possible to catch your beloved in the reflection. It is the madness, and obsession that we humans love to bask in. This madness is love; and this love is strange.

“Yoohoo! Vayu! Tea boy, fill this up please.” Lizzy called for me raising her cup. I quickly nodded and rushed towards her. But as I was about to pour her up, she held me by my wrist and sat me down beside her. She was one strong woman for someone claiming to be suffering from arthritis.

“So, who’s the boy?” Lizzy asked in a sing-song tone.

“What? Tara told you?” I panicked.

“Oh dear, no. I just noticed that you seemed pretty distracted there and you have a glow to your face.” Lizzy said and I had to smile, how could I not? “See? You are so giggly and smiley like that. You should smile more often, you look even more handsome.” Lizzy winked.

“Well, I’d have to be a psychopath to be able to resist smiling when you say stuff like that.” I knew my face lit up like a Christmas tree at that point.

“Well, I mean it baby boy.” She held my hand carefully, “Now tell me about this man.”

I raised my eyebrow when she scooted herself closer to pay attention. She was determined to get me married to a nice man because…Honestly? I don’t know.

“Well he works at the bookstore. The one near the Marylyn street.”

“Oh I go there sometimes, I think. Is it the Libreria del Sentiero ?”

“Yes! That’s the one! Wait, do you know the guy who works there?”

“I think I have met that gentleman quite often. He comes here to get a cup of black coffee and abrownie. He is such a sweet man, and he sure does love my brownies.”

“No one could ever not like your brownies, Lizzy.” I smiled at her and she smiled back, “So, uhm… is he here often?”

I could feel her grin growing on her face. “Yes, Nick does come here on Wednesdays and Fridays.”

Nick.

Short for Nicolas, maybe. It does suit him. I remembered thinking that immediately.

Just then Lizzy’s eyes lit up. “Oh goodness, Look at that! He is standing right there, near his motorbike just along the parking. This is a sign! Vayu. Go now!” She was practically jumping in her seat while shoving my shoulders to push me out of the chair.

“But the party-“

“Fuck this party.”

Goddamn, this old lady was not playing.

She touched my cheek and kissed it quickly, “Look, V. You deserve to be happy, it is not a crime. Stop being so kind to the world and so harsh to yourself. Love doesn’t show up at your doorstep, you know? You need to chase it. Even if it doesn’t work out, you don’t get stuck in a world of what ifs. Nick is a good man. He is worth taking a chance.”

I hugged her and bid her goodbye. “Thank you.” I whispered mostly to myself. I made an excuse to get out of the party and pushed the door open.

He was standing a few meters away. I felt like I was in a romcom movie. Maybe it was because of the stars in the sky or the warm fairy lights right outside the restaurant window. Or it could be because I was willing to take a chance again.

Nick was wearing a bright red vest and a black leather jacket with black jeans. His shades were tucked on top of his messy blonde hair. And he had a pack of Marlboro in his hand. I walked towards him, still unsure of my footsteps.

God, he is beautiful.

“Need some help with the lighter?” I tried to be casual.

“Yeah, sure.”

He was so nonchalant that it was almost infuriating. He handed me his green lighter and I helped him light up his cigarette.

I watched him take a deep drag out of that cigarette. He closed his eyes and let out the smoke through his mouth and nose. He was leaning against his bike with his arms crossed. He watched the cigarette getting eaten up by the reddish-orange flame, firmly placed between his fingers.

Nick quickly bit into his own cigarette lightly with his lips and held the pack of Marlboro towards me while raising his eyebrows, gesturing if I needed one too.

“I am good, thank you.” I instantly replied.

He rolled his eyes.

Cocky bastard.

A few moments passed. It was really awkward too. I felt like pushing myself off a cliff. But I noticed a few things; he was just a few centimetres shorter than I was. However, nobody could deny that he was built. I actually felt like a twig beside him.

“Vayu, right?”

I thought I was going to combust with joy. “You remember me?”

“Of course I do. Who else would buy one of Shakespeare’s best classics with a fucking Porn magazine?”

If it were someone else, I would have knocked their teeth out (breaking my knuckles in the process.). But I saw a beautiful smile starting form in his face. He was really proud of what he said.

And I was glad I met him once again.

"You should smile more often." I blurted out. Nick looked at me with furrowed eyebrows. But soon his expressions relaxed a bit.

"Then make me." he said

*******

Next Chapter

A/N: I promise there will be more nick in the upcoming chapters

p.S. I love Lizzy

Tag: @ohmtoff @freshloveforthefit @miloisdone1 @nicksfavhoe @heyitsmemia @neo404 @matty-bear2 @thenickgirl @loud-sturniolos @maria4mari @solarsturniolo @darl1ngdr1sta @tkhzs @soursturniolo @certifiednatelover

[miniaturecollectiveendermen]

omfg so this is for @strawberrylabs birthday which was a month ago school has overtaken my life and i havent been able to work on any reqs or really anything except school i am so sorry to anyone whos requested and i still havent done the request - im trying my best to finish them but final year is very hectic

anyways without further ado~!

how they celebrate your birthday !!

ft. nagi seishiro, bachira meguru and kaedehara kazuha

!!WARNINGS!! gender neutral reader / no pronouns mentioned no actual warnings just pure fluff

nagi seishiro

so nagi

my husband

we all know how he is, he's very lazy and does not like putting effort into things

he loves you very much but he doesn't have the energy for anything

honestly a part of me feels like he'd forget about your birthday and reo would have to remind him

when he remembers its your birthday he'll do a little something

i think he'd by you a little gaming console as your gift so you could play games with him

this man cannot cook to save his life so dont expect him to cook you dinner

but he would order some food and light a small candle and make it look like a cute romantic dinner date

he only puts effort into / pays attention to things he likes

and he likes you a lot :)

after the dinner he'll drag you to bed and cuddle with you

and once he's latched on to you good luck getting him off he'll be on top of you cuddling you

and this man is h e a v y

tall muscle man

if you need to get up for whatever reason youll either have to pry him off or beg till he gives in (which will take a long time so you better start prying his arms off your body)

i like to think he likes wearing oversized hoodies so he can pull them over your head and the two of you can cuddle in his hoodie

my skrunkly baby mwah mwah i love him

bachira meguru

this rat /affectionate

this man would do SO MUCH for your birthday

imagine coming home from work / school and the entire house is decorated

like there's balloons everywhere and confetti

oh and a giant pile of gifts

you'll do a double take when you see the huge gift pile "meguru darling! what is this-" you call out to him "hun!! you're back!!" he pops his head into the room

he has a giant grin on his face and he's wearing a little party hat

he runs over to you and spins you around in a hug and puts a little crown on your head

"come on i have so much planned for today!"

he doesn't even let you get a word in he just drags you off

you have an amazing birthday

he makes you open all the presents while he records because he wants to show his mom his amazing partner

most of the gifts are very sweet and things you wanted

but there will be a couple of… odd- gifts

like a single sock

idk don't ask

anyways!

this man will literally tell you he's proud of you for being born

10/10 very good boyfriend

kazuha

kazuha my love

so as we know from what beidou said when she introduced him flowers come out of his mouth the moment he speaks

so just be prepared for that

i think kazuha would write poems for and about his s/o all the time and that includes a special birthday poem for you

if at the time of your birthday youre out at sea with the alcor crew then your birthday will be celebrated by the whole crew all together

its a very lively and fun celebration

but afterwards (when most of the crew passed out) kazuha will take you to a part of the ship where no one else is

the two of you will sit in the moonlight and he'll sing? recite-? idk but he'll tell you the poem he wrote for you

the two of you will have a nice romantic moment

the two of you might end up falling asleep together on the ships deck under the moonlight

AN// ohkay! thats done now

i hope you like it beloved <33 and others who read hope you enjoy too~!

i am now going to go work on other requests while im still in the groove

[tragedyofdevotion]

Enmity

Ayato x f! reader, implied Thoma x f! reader

Angst (Slight yandere if you squint)

The story about how Kamisato Ayato and his spouse keep missing each other.

You loathe your husband.

You can be certain that he detest you, too.

During the two years of your marriage, you two have never communicated with each other more than what is absolutely necessary.

That might be because you are keeping your distance from him during all of your daily routine.

You are aware that he prefers to perform the majority of his duties in the house, and entrust most social appearances to his sister. As oppose to his preference, you engage in outdoor duties as much as you can, be it helping Miss Ayaka with her work, or handling your family business.

It is only natural since the partnership between the two of you is purely merit-based.

You come from a renowned family of merchants in Inazuma. Although your family was buried in riches, it did not have a strong political background. So, they had to live under constant fear of being exploited by more authoritative clans.

On the other hand, Kamisato clan was in a difficult position at that time, and was in dire need more allies and financial support.

That was why, the engagement between you, the single daughter of the Retailers, and Kamisato Ayato, the eldest son of the Kamisato clan, was decided. You were only ten years old when your fate was determined with no consideration for your wish or happiness.

…

“Mother, why are you dressing me up? Today is not my birthday.”

“No, it isn’t. But today is just as important as your birthday. Because it is the day of your engagement to the young master of Kamisato clan.”

“Engagement? What is it? Why is more important than my birthday?”

“I will explain it when you grow older. For now, just know that you are the pride of our family.”

You wished you could remain oblivious like when you were young.

…

You did not despise him as much before. In fact, you even felt sorry for him, thinking that he was in the same situation as you, and was forced to marry someone whose face he could not even remember.

But he…

At the bridal night, he robbed you of your purity. You begged for him to at least wait a little until you were mentally prepared, but all of your pleas fell on deaf ear. And the worst part of it was that, you, as his legal wife, had no right to refuse.

Your first night was not one filled with sweet promises and whispers of love as you imagined. It, instead, was a night of your despair and his desire. And your innocence, which you wished to offer up to your beloved was so easily tainted.

Yes, your beloved… who was kind and warm, unlike the calculating nature of your husband.

You met him in Ritou, before one year to your marriage, while you went there to discuss about the future dealings between your family and the international trade association.

Ritou, unlike the Inazuma city, was away from the watchful eyes of your parents. While you were enjoying the meager of liberation, you fell head over heels for the charming foreigner who came from the City of Freedom, freedom which you could truly never attain.

The few months you spent in Ritou were the happiest of your life. You and him would always be together, be it discussing about the economy of the country or walking around the shops of Ritou. However, the proverb, ‘All good things must come to an end,’ is there for a reason.

…

“Hurry up! Over here!”

“______”

“Yes, I know. It’s pretty, isn’t it? We can see the port if we look at the west, and in the east, there is Mount Yougou. With the Statue of our Raiden Shogun, and the maple tree, this is a perfect place for picnic. I knew I have to show this place to you as soon as I saw it.”

“______”

“I am glad you liked it.”

“______”

“You have something you to say? Then say it, why are you being so ceremonious about.”

“______”

“You… like… me…? I…”

“______”

“What? No, I am not angry. But I am sorry. It was like I was leading you on. I should have told you this before but I-”

You were interrupted by a call to your name.

“Miss y/n, I am sorry to bother you when you are with friends. But your parents have ordered me to call you back to Inazuma city.”

“What? I have already told them in the letter that I am staying here until the Crux arrive. And it is so important that you cannot wait until I am back in my room.”

Your bodyguard was shocked by your unusual display of anger. But he continued to press on.

“Miss, your fiancé has sent the marriage offer to the house. The ceremony will be held in two months, and so your parents has demanded your urgent return.”

…

After that, you left Ritou.

Although you thought you would never meet him again, your reunion with your love happened earlier, much earlier than you would like to be.

And it was as unexpected as it was brutal, laced with your tears and regret.

Your wedding. That was where you met him again. He was a housekeeper of your fiancé.

You did not know he was a confident of the Kamisato clan, just like he did not realize you were the fiancé of his Lord. You two fell for each other without knowing what kind of future was waiting for you.

Although your love was within a hand’s length, you lacked the right to embrace him.

So, these days, it is painful for you to see him, more painful than seeing your insufferable husband.

Oh.... How much did you want to leave everything behind.

How much did you wish for him to just steal you away.

…

Ayato loves you.

However, he also know that you abhor him.

He cannot blame you though, for the fault lies only on himself.

That night, the night of your wedding, he defiled you forcefully.

He did not plan for it to happen. He realized you might have some reservation at consummation considering he was only a stranger to you.

However, he could not contain the jealousy, incinerating his heart and soul. He is sure no man would be able to if they were to see the tear stained face on his wife when she saw his servant at the wedding. Ayato, being who he is, he was able to guess the relationship between the two of you, oh so easily, which lead to the inflammation of his envy , and made a mistake he will regret forever.

…

“My Lord, please spare me. I beg of you.”

“I am only demanding you to perform your marital duties. Or would you prefer I call for separation in this instant.”

“No! I… I … just need a few months, no… only a few days to mentally prepare.”

“Our engagement was ten years ago. Wasn’t those ten years enough time for you?”

“I understand where you are coming from. But… my Lord, this is my first experience. Have mercy.”

“If you utter another word of denial, I will announce the Inazuma city that you are an unfaithful lady who played around with other man even though you had me as a fiancé. I am sure your parents will not be pleased to hear that, will they?”

…

Ever since that incident, you avoided him like one would to a street rat. Nothing he does now can make up for his actions on that night. No presents can please your mind.

However, he is not too worried. He believes there is no wound time cannot heal. Fortunately, he is a patient man. He had to wait for a decade for your body to finally become his. He can wait for a few more years for your mind to give in, too.

Y/n, she was his first love. Ten years ago, he found you who was crying alone in the Chinju Forest, on his way back from Narukami Shrine.

…

“Hey you, for what reason you are here?”

“Oh! Who are you? Are you the tanuki-sama?”

“No. I am-”

“Tanuki-sama, please don’t eat me.”

“What are you talking about? Why would I eat you?”

“Are you sure?🥺”

“Yes.”

“So, why are you here?”

“I am here chasing a violet butterfly. Before I knew it, it is gone and I am here in the middle of nowhere. Wahhhh… The ghosts will eat me!!!”

“Should I tell you the way out of this forest?”

“Will you?”

Your face brightened up in an instant.

“Thank you. You are so kind, aren’t you, Tanuki-sama?”

…

You forgot about him after a good night sleep, but without knowingly, you had stolen his heart, and changed his whole world.

After that, he studied and studied and studied until he understood how adult society works. He proposed the idea of you two’s engagement to both your parents and his. Even though he was a child about twelve years old, he successfully convinced both families that your union will only bring happiness. Perhaps, his manipulative nature was born at that time.

And even now, he is proud of his skills at judging others’ personality. So, he knew that no matter how much you hate him, you did not have the courage to leave everything behind, even if you wished u had.

You are too clever to be so dreamy.

You know what his influence can do both mentally and physically. You also know that a cherished lady like you cannot survive in the cruel world, against everyone’s criticism.

And even if you begged his servant to steal you away, he is sure that his servant won’t. His loyalty for Ayato and the clan ran is rooted in the deepest part of his heart. So, he doesn’t need to concern about infidelity happening between the two of you.

He knows of all those and has never worried about you leaving him.

However…

However….

He wished….

If he had the right to do so…

That you would look at his way.

Or, at least, realize how much he is suffering because of his love for you.

...

[lunaevangeline]

Hydrangea

Happy birthday Oikawa Tooru my beloved ♡ Here's a tiny birthday present from me: a childhood friends to lovers trope with him.

If someone asks you what your favorite thing in the summer transition is, it would be hydrangeas; leaving you in awe before summer heat strikes.

The memory is still so vivid in your mind. You and your best friend were catching each other, stomping on the puddle, splashing the water unto the blue-purplish color flower crowns. Both of you were laughing carelessly during your last summer as high school students. As if he won’t go to the other side of the world next year, as if he will stay here forever.

Oikawa realized you were no longer a little girl he used to know as he successfully caught you. Circled his arms around your waist, a winning grin plastered on his face. He pulled you closer, hugging your figure from behind. His lips almost stumbled upon your ear leaf. Your heart was pounding a bit faster when you felt his warm breath against your skin.

He was enticed at the moment, gazing at your frame softly and whispering a phrase that can dangerously change the state of your friendship. Fortunately (or unfortunately) it was muffled by the heavy rain that suddenly fell to the ground. He loosened his embrace and took your palm instead to run with you, heading to your house nearby.

The poor summer uniform with a simple pale blue shirt and a maroon bow was totally drenched, only to enter the washing machine as soon as you came home. Of course, the moment the washing machine started you could hear the noise not only from the motor but also from your mother's mouth. A one-hour lecture, yours truly from your beloved mother, while your best friend was sitting peacefully in the corner of the room. He looked really comfortable, already all warm because your mom lent him a set of your brother's clothes, holding a mug of hot chocolate and sipping it religiously. You can feel he occasionally glanced at you, to which you automatically replied with a glare.

You were cursing in your heart, protesting why Tooru didn’t get the same treatment. An argument from your mother would be because you’re the one who’s her only precious daughter. But you know your mom, or even your entire family members, love him a little too much. He’s really good at captivating one's heart, you guessed. He smiled sheepishly at your mother, confessing that it was his idea to drag you in the middle of the rain and just that your mom finally stopped her lecture.

You dragged him to your room, doing the same ritual as you both usually do; playing video games, snacking, then talking and lying on your bed while staring aimlessly at the ceiling. You were oddly quieter than usual and he wondered if you were still mad. So he tried to make amends by saying 'sorry' and promising to treat you.

You rolled over, propped your head and turned your gaze to him, "You only feel sorry for today?"

He let out a soft chuckle and grinned, “Okay, I made so many mistakes to you and I really am sorry.”

You moved your body nonchalantly, sitting on his abdomen and pointing at his chest. “Yes, you must feel sorry, for so many things,” you gestured your hands exaggeratedly.

You started counting on your fingers, “For taking too much of my ice cream portion.”

“For breaking my favorite console.”

“For not coming to my birthday because of the tournament.”

“-and for leaving me really soon.”

The tone is moving so quickly from being dictatorial to melancholic. He reached for your cheek and cupped it with one calloused hand, caressing softly.

“I don’t want to leave you.”

You stared at his doleful eyes, you can't argue because you already knew the answer.

He pulled your head into the crook of his neck and positioned you to cuddle, you gave in easily. Engulfing his clean scent, your lips almost met the skin on his neck and your embarrassed soul preferred to hide more in his chest. He held you tight, you felt so comfortable and that was the last thing you remember before you fell asleep that day.

They said the heart knows what it wants.

Today you wake up and found that the hydrangea flowers blooming on the sidewalks smell just like him, serene and content. A beautiful cold metal circling both of your ring fingers, you smiled in realization.

“Are you already awake, beautiful?” You find the man in front of you propping his head, a duvet covering half of his naked torso. He watches you with adoration.

Your smile grows even wider, “Good morning, mi amor.” You reach for his locks and pull him in for a kiss.

“What were you dreaming about?” he asks curiously.

You giggle, giving a peck on the tip of his nose, it flushes a bit.

"It’s a secret.”

He is your hydrangea and you are the rain drops who give him the first kiss on every morning drizzles.

masterlist

taglist: @hyeque @passionateuchiha @crystal-lilac @ohtobiors @pklm10 @aizumie @miya-dynasty @satisfactooru @wolffmaiden @wayyen @justheretoaskandread @simp4ren @filledasaf @momochimo @simpforerenn @sweetkoshi @suckerforsugawara @tjjjrsj @i4tsumu @snowcoveredkiss

[fatuismooches]

greetings, miss smooches ~

hello hi dearest!! i hope all has been well for you today <3 if not, i hope this lengthy and i mean lengthy ask can manage to bring at least a smile to your face.

on the ninth of june this year, i discovered your blog again through your very first installment of your kabukimono series. i never had the courage to send an ask until recently, and my dumbass realized i never followed your blog.

it's a little surreal to believe that it's been so long, i remember being a wee seventeen year old back in 2022 gushing over every kuni piece you published, then i read your masterlist on my birthday, and was swoon since then. it's a shame that i never had the courage to reblog your works at least, but i suppose it's better late than never ~

i saw your post today morning regarding your kabukimono series and i would like to present mindful:

first of all, your last two chapters i did read and HAH! I WAS FUCKING RIGHT ABOUT WANDERER'S BEING BITTERSWEET — cough. excuse me.

but absolutely yes omg. a lesson in forgiveness had my heart reeling because the sweetness of kuni still remembering both little and big things about his dearest beloved almost made me shed a tear which is natural because they were lovers but fuck me sideways that combined with the bitter reality that reader isn't able to remember neither do they remember the past the two shared. i can just about imagine him, after the encounter he had with reader in the cafe, he wonders if he'll be able to make things right, wonders of he deserves a second chance to love you like he used to and... ugh. i hate him. i hope he gets microwaved. ( lies aya loves him way too much )

the bonus lesson, a lesson in the heart — shut up because getting MARRIED to kabukimono is literally fucking everything. that lesson had me giggling and kicking my feet and smiling from ear to ear like come on?? kabuki is literally the husband of all time and i just wanna lay down in the puddle of tears i metaphorically shed reading that lesson :( the way he was just kissing reader so lovingly and talking about how grateful he is for you, how much his life has changed thanks to your wonderful presence like .. fuck. i need a moment

there is so much more that i could honestly say about the last two installments to your series, your series as a whole is something i will never shut up about. such a hauntingly beautiful piece of work and i adore everything it tackled; from the delightful to the depressing and everything in-between if you hyper analyze it like i do — it's surreal to see it come to an end, but it makes me all the more proud to be one of the people who discovered it early, stuck around to read it because it was that enthralling to me.

you rarely ever find a kabukimono fic or any kuni fic in general that's set in a more fluffy and domestic atmosphere ( until shit goes down hill ) and i think that's what adds to the haunting nature of it, something so beautiful and simple can at times be taken away too soon by the hands of fate.

i am so happy for you, smooches. so happy and so proud to see you come this far, and i cannot wait for not only future installments for the other harbingers, but just in general a lot more to come from you <3

if you do start on that dot series, make sure to take your time and write it at your own pace! you are a busy individual, and i hope you get the much needed break you deserve now that the kabuki series has come to a close.

take care lovely, remember to stay hydrated and treat yourself to whatever you crave! be safe, and i will see you when i see you <3

— signed, ayame.

AHHH HI AYAME!! <3 This ask is SO SO SO SWEET ahhh thank you so much it really did put a smile on my face!! Damn i can't believe you've been around for so long 😭😭 I'm really glad you were able to make your way back to me. It's super sweet to hear how much you like my Scara works ❤️ BUT YEAHHH YOU WERE RIGHT I just felt like it being bittersweet for Wanderer would be the perfect ending. Yup the sad things happened and there's nothing he can do about the past, but the future is always waiting for him. Especially when you're there with him now. AND OMG THANK YOU FOR NOTICING THE STUFF KUNI REMEMBERS WITH YOU 😭 I was literally going back to the previous lessons to try and find the best memories to incorporate with Wanderer. And yeahhh he definitely wonders if he's worthy of another chance with you :( He already blew the first one and turned into this kind of person so does he really deserve you? I imagine he's a bit stiff and perhaps even a bit quiet around you which is really strange? I mean he's silent around a lot of people except he always has a few scoffs and mean things to say but around you, he doesn't do much of that. It takes a lot of nudging from Nahida to get him back to normal.

I'm glad you feel the same way about marrying Kabukimono 😭 It's literally the SWEETEST thing ever omg he'd be over the moon every single day even though the wedding is months away. He's like. beyond excited to marry you. I just know he tries to be the perfect fiance for you in every way possible. He has a little notebook with tips from the villagers and Niwa. *gives you a tissue and a hug*

AHHH EJDEDENDJW shit you're hyping me up too much Ayame 😭❤️❤️🥺 I don't know what else to say beside thank youuuu I'm beyond overjoyed that this series means that much to you 😭😭 It does make me really sad to see it end because i truly enjoyed writing it but. I'm satisfied and I'm glad i gave reader and Wanderer a happy ending :))

AND YEAHHH i think fluff for Kabukimono is in limited quantity so I'm glad i could add to it!! i think adding fluff before angst is a really good way to build up the sadness. Because you see how lovely and simple life was before things changed and it just hits harder since you now know things will never be the same again... </3 once you know how good things used to be, it's hard to accept the opposite.

Once again thank you so so much Ayame <33 I hope you continue to enjoy my future works. Whenever i write Scara I'm going to be thinking of you now. Please make sure to take care of yourself as well okay? ❤️💗💗💗🫶

[aita-blorbos]

AITA for just trying to help my kids succeed?

I (82M) am the father of 3 (40M, 30sM, 30sF) children, as well as their brother (50sM if I remember right). I’ve done everything in my power to make sure my children have been given everything in life. They’re more than just well-taken care of, they’re spoiled beyond measure. It disappoints me greatly that none of them have figured out how to help themselves.

Around a year ago, my eldest son (40M, not 50sM) attempted to boot me out of my own company. Of course, his attempt failed because he’s an idiot, but this kicked off an unfortunate chain of events. As he kept coming after me, threatening to take my down, I had no choice but to blackmail him into submission.

For business reasons, I was placed in a position where I was forced to choose a successor, someone to take over the company after me. Of course, I don’t plan on dying anytime soon, so the question of a successor seems relatively pointless to me. I decided to use the opportunity to get my daughter involved with the company, promising her the position.

This fell through, of course, due to her repeatedly demonstrating to me that she was too emotional to truly handle it. The nail in the coffin was when she begged me not to scapegoat her husband for a company scandal.

I instead chose my eldest son, who of course was still blackmailed into obedience, as the scapegoat. I explained to him, quite reasonably, that he never could have been my successor anyways, as he lacked killer instinct. Truthfully, this was more a sacrifice on my part anyways, getting my own beloved son sent to prison.

He ended up surprising me, however, by publicly accusing me of being behind the company scandal. I was admittedly impressed by his show of strength, but quickly grew disappointed as he repeatedly demonstrated that he couldn’t actually take me out. It seems like he’s grown too used to shooting himself in the foot to aim for me.

This all came to a head at my ex-wife’s wedding. Another company was offering to acquire mine. This seemed a good deal to me, so I entered into talks behind my children’s backs. I knew they’d never let me sell the company because they’d grown too attached to the idea that one day I’d let one of them take it over.

The three of them ended up finding out about my plan, so they conspired against me to not only stop the deal but oust me from my own company. Luckily, I was notified in advance by my daughter’s husband, so when my children arrived I was ready. I ousted them from the company and told them to stop riding on the coattails of my success like the failures they are.

Today is my 82nd birthday. My children have not talked to me in months. I feel older and more alone than I’ve ever felt and it scares me. A part of me wonders if this is my fault.

[akuaya-eng]

(Main story) Chapter 1 - Episode 6

- THE END OF A LOVING HEART -

Fiori

Did we succeed in the purification...?

Espada

No, it has weakened significantly, but it’s still there.

Ghost's voice

Ah...ah...

Fiori

It’s true. I can still hear the voice. There must be something keeping it here.

Ghost's voice

Where...? Where--

Fiori

...! It’s heading towards the Prince!

Espada

Watch out! (rushes towards Dia) Hah!

Ghost's voice

...not...here...

Fiori

...The ghost can’t see us, right?

Espada

That should be the case.

Fiori

But this ghost went straight to the Prince. It might be a coincidence... but it’s not leaving his side.

Espada

Looks like... instead of just seeing Lord Dia...

Ghost's voice

...for...give...

Fiori

It’s hard to hear, but... is it saying "forgive"?

Dia

..........

Espada

...Something is wrong. Stay alert.

Ghost's voice

Oh... Dia... my Dia...

Dia

!

Espada

It called Lord Dia’s name!?

Ghost's voice

Where have you gone... Are you safe? Your mother is here... I am here...

Dia

It's my mother, after all...

Fiori

No way... the Prince’s...

Ghost of Dia's Mother

Why... why today? From now on, every time my child celebrates his birthday, he will remember today... Oh... before I pass, I want to hold you in my arms one more time... Dia, who was so small when he was born. My Dia...

Dia

...Mother...

Ghost of Dia's Mother

Please, I beg you... please... survive. My beloved Dia. Forgive your mother who leaves you...

Fiori

It wasn’t "I won’t forgive"... it was "forgive me". Repeating it over and over...

Espada

Lord Dia...

Ghost of Dia's Mother

Beloved... beloved Dia... no matter what, I will always--

Dia

Mo... Mother...

(The mother's ghost fades away)

Espada

That was Lord Dia’s mother... the queen of this castle...

Dia

...No... that's a lie... If that was my mother... she wouldn't treat me like that...

Fiori

What do you mean it's a lie? Your mother loved you until the end. She was so worried about you that even in spirit form, she cared for you... Poor prince. You even got your kind mother involved in this.

Espada

Hey, Fiori!

Dia

That's right. That's why I believed I was hated and surrounded by curses. I've always thought that...

Espada

Lord Dia, your mother held a love for you stronger than any hatred.

Dia

Mother...

Fiori

That's good, right? No matter what the other citizens you killed might think, at least your mother didn't hate you.

Espada

Think about how you phrase things...!

Fiori

But it's true, isn't it? Don't pretend you haven't heard all those voices until now.

Dia

You're right. I did something that deserves hatred. I have no intention of denying that fact.

Fiori

....... Oh, it's unsettling. But there's one thing I don't understand. If your mother didn't hate you, why did the curse form in the first place?

Espada

This is just a hypothesis... but perhaps cursed energy doesn't only come from malice. This cursed energy was born from your mother's deep love. Love, like hatred, can also become a curse...

Fiori

Or maybe... the deeper the love, the more your concern for the other person changes into a curse? Things like attachment and obsession might be similar. But... isn't that sad? In the end, it causes suffering for the person you loved. Right, Prince?

Dia

...No matter what emotions are tied to the curse, a spirit is still a spirit. The dead do not come back to life. This is just an echo of my mother's soul... a lingering scent of someone who is no longer here.

Fiori

...I see. If you say so, Prince, we'll leave it at that.

Espada

.........

Dia

Let's stop the idle chatter. You realize it too, don't you...? Even though we can't hear her voice anymore, my mother's curse is still in this room.

Espada

Yes...

Fiori

...It seems to have come from that birdcage. Where did it go?

Espada

The way your mother's spirit moved earlier... even though she shouldn't be able to see, there was a clear intention. She might be mimicking actions she used to do in Lord Dia's room during her lifetime.

Fiori

I see. It was born from that birdcage and stayed by the bed. Maybe she used to put the young Prince to sleep.

Dia

...Mother... loved the little bird she kept in this birdcage. When I was young, she used to read me picture books before bed... and then she would often gaze at the picture hanging on the wall.

Espada

...The painting that's still on the wall now.

Fiori

I wondered why that picture looked so old when all the others were new... It was your mother's favorite, wasn't it?

Dia

...

Fiori

It's so damaged, it's hard to tell... but what was in that picture?

Dia

...I don't know. I've forgotten.

Espada

Look. Just as we can expect, there’s cursed energy coming from the painting.

Dia

...Let's purify it quickly.

Espada

...Are you sure?

Dia

Don't make me repeat myself.

Espada

Understood. Let's do this, Fiori.

Fiori

This is the last of the cursed energy in this room. Let's finish it.

[pennyserenade]

aries birthday bash 2023 : gregory peck & pedro pascal

pedro pascal has proved himself to be quite the exceptional human. though his career has started to take off later than many people’s in hollywood, it is no less impressive because of it. in fact, i’m certain that it is more impressive because of it. pascal has done so much with his short time in the spotlight, it is hard to figure out just where to start. starring as javier peña in netflix’s narcos, pascal helped open the door to bilingual projects on a mass scale. not only that, but pascal himself has spoken openly and proudly of his ethnicity and nationality, aligning himself with his beloved chile in a way that has made it all too easy to want to root for him. he has proved himself, like gregory peck before him, to be exceptionally compassionate and kind individual, taking to using his platform to spread resources and speak out against injustices that have polluted our planet. apart from being an exceptional human, pedro is also a magnificently talented actor who has went above & beyond in every role they’ve allowed him to fill. from the memorable oberyn martell to the world-weary joel miller, pedro has time & time again proven himself to be an actor to watch. i’m incredibly proud to see his career blossom before my eyes, but even prouder as latina to witness him do it so proudly as a latino. to him i say, “feliz cumpleaños, pedrito. te amo mucho.”

i am under the impression that it is an exceptional thing to be remembered for your warmth and your compassion. for gregory peck to have been immortalized in the form of a gentle man named atticus finch is so fitting a destiny for someone of his nature. he was such a incredibly talented individual who spearheaded projects he believed wholeheartedly in, even if the public as a whole wasn’t ready to digest the message. in a time when keeping up with one’s squeaky clean, white public image was paramount in hollywood, gregory peck took on roles that dared to challenge society’s view as a whole - sometimes to the chagrin of many individuals. he starred in films such as gentleman’s agreement, to kill a mockingbird, and on the beach, films with messages that he felt needed to be said, and he supported them completely, not just as an actor, but a member of a society he wanted to see bettered. he always took on the role of the compassionate human, even when it wasn’t easy. he protested the vietnam war, earning him a spot on president nixon’s enemy list; he spoke openly about his belief that women should have access to birth control and abortion, despite his own catholicism and their stance on it; and he often took time to speak out against the injustices he saw happening, from reagan’s trying to elect corrupt supreme justices, to congress’s failure to ban teenagers from obtaining firearms, to merely advocating for a younger and more diverse hollywood eons before we started to see it. peck time and time again proved not only to be an exceptional actor in his decades long career, but an exceptional human too. i am so happy to be wishing him a happy heavenly birthday this week.

both of these men have filled my life and many others lives with lots of warmth, and i am forever grateful to be able to witness what they have done. in celebration of them both i have compiled a list of foundations & organizations that they both support/have supported. i think there is no better way to honor and celebrate two men such as these ones than giving and helping those around us. under the cut you will find the links & some information about them.

gregory peck:

la jolla playhouse is one of gregory peck’s creations. peck grew up in la jolla and the la jolla playhouse was a product of his wanting to bring theater to his community. you can read more about la jolla playhouse’s beginnings in this article called, “the curtain rises” by virginia butterfield. here is the link to donate to the theater itself, which is still operating today. 

the american cancer association is an organization that peck found himself to be the national chairman of in 1966. you can support them by donating here.

gregory peck was on the national committee for handgun control incorporated, which was later renamed the brady center to prevent gun violence, and then just brandy. gregory peck was very vocal about his desire to see gun control take place, especially after the columbine shooting of 1999. brandy’s goal is to find a solution to the gun violence epidemic that consumes america and that has for many decades now. you can read about brandy, brandy’s plans, and make a donation to the organization here. 

peck created a noted reading series at the central library in los angeles, where celebrities would get together and read their chosen material for library donors. peck himself was the honorary chair of the los angeles library foundation and greatly enjoyed taking hold of this project in his older years. you can learn more about peck’s reading series here, you can learn more about the library in general here, and you can donate here. 

pedro pascal:

todo por mi familia is a foundation that pascal has supported in the past. this foundation supports families that have been separated at the us border. you can donate here.

pedro pascal did the community table read in 2020 in order to help raise money for the world central kitchen. you can donate to that foundation here. 

pedro pascal has long been a supporter of women’s rights and a wonderful place to donate in order to honor him on this day is planned parenthood. you can donate here.

pedro pascal posted an instagram post about the robin hood relief fund in 2020. the fund helps new yorkers affected by COVID-19. you can donate to it here

[yourlocalartsonist]

ROTTMNT Moths Fly In Packs - Chapter Four

A/N: Hello I have returned with yet another chapter for y'all to feed on! I am lowkey so happy the fanfic's going on for so long cuz I have a history of abandoning projects after like the third chapter, so clearly tis a sign I might actually keep this fic long running for years and years to come :D I know I have a lot of ideas for it so I'm def taking a few years on this one but oh well I'm having fun. Hope you guys like this one, tidepod duo is one of my favs and I got to implement some of my own lore bits here and there and foreshadow certain things... Also can y'all believe the Hidden City Zoo was mentioned in one of the episodes but we never got to actually see it like fuck u Nickelodeon, now I'm forced to write a self-indulgent fanfic so my brain can finally rest >:( But yee tell me your fav parts if y'all feel like it <3

Also! Credit to: @sweaterrat for being my beloved beta reader, and my irl friend "The Leo Hater Reading a Leo Fanfic" for inspiring some quotes~

*Phuphu means "paternal aunt" in Bangla

Next Chapter

Previous Chapter

Chapter One

Disclaimer: Chapter involves themes of abusive family, mention of death, violence, and curse words. If you're sensitive to that stuff, scroll past and stay safe!

“Remember we’ll be back by nine, this place better be spotless or you’re staying up and making sure it is!”

“I know Phuphu*, I’ve got it. You and Meeta just enjoy your day.”

My aunt called for her daughter who was still at the mirror adjusting how she looked, smoothening out her patterned gold dress and putting any flyaway strands back in place. They were both going to a birthday party for one of my aunt’s friend’s sister’s brother-in-law’s son and, as usual, I wasn’t invited. Instead, I got tasked with keeping the apartment in check while they’re gone in case there’s an explosion or something. They never give me a better reason. 

“Hurry up child, we’re going to be late!”

“Mommy you’re the one who always says beauty takes time.” 

Meeta took one last look in the mirror and joined her mom at the door.

“Well, don’t you look stunning!”

“Um, of course I do? Have I ever not looked perfect?” There it is, my ever so humble cousin. I mean don’t get me wrong I admire her confidence, just crosses a line when she starts putting others down for not looking as good as her. And by others I mostly mean me.

But regardless, it was true. Meeta did look stunning all day everyday. She’s only fifteen but still considered the beauty of our family, especially to our relatives outside America. Tall, dark eyes, milky skin. Shiny black hair done up in a tight bun. Meeta takes great care to always look picture perfect.

I waved goodbye as they left for the party. It did feel a little bad, never getting to tag along and join them anywhere. But then again, eight years of technically being in debt to my aunt didn’t exactly leave any respect for me so parties are the least of my concerns. She acts as if not yelling at me for one minute would end with tragedy just because she’s letting me stay here for free. My only form of compensation: taking care of the house. Cleaning, shopping, running errands, all that jazz. It’s either that or a job so I chose household chores, it’s got more perks.

Like getting to choose my own schedule! As always, I was told ahead of time that they’d be out today so while my aunt and Meeta were sleeping last night, I got the majority of the cleaning done (with the exception of their rooms, of course). I asked Jaiden if we could hang out today and miraculously they agreed so I had to make sure today's cleaning would take no more than an hour, even if that sacrificed a little bit of sleep yesterday. All I’ve gotta do now is just some light sweeping. Totally worth it in my opinion.

Soon after I was done, I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket and saw it was a call from Jaiden. Fumbling with the buttons I eventually managed to answer.

“Jaiden? Are you out already? Give me like ten minutes I’ll-”

“I can’t make it.”

Wait, what? “Wh-what do you mean?”

“I can’t make it today, something came up. I just wanted to quickly call you and let you know.”

Beep!

They hung up.

My heart sank thinking about their words. Something came up? I’ve been so excited to hang out with Jaiden all day and now something came up? We already haven’t spent much time together lately. They don’t talk as much at school and stopped responding to my texts. I got worried I did something wrong but every time I’d gain the courage to ask they’d just say they were low on energy and I’d accept that answer because what else could I do? After all of this time of practically begging them, I finally got them to agree on making plans in hopes we could talk and now today of all days something just happened to come up? 

I sighed and quickly returned to rationality. It must be a last minute situation, I mean they barely even called for a minute. Probably something important or maybe a parent randomly said no. Jaiden did say their parents are a bit flip-floppy. Either way, no point in getting mad at Jaiden, it’s not in their control. I begrudgingly shoved my phone back in my pocket and paced around the house trying to entertain myself. I’ve already cleaned every nook and cranny I could bullshit into justifying as a mess so that’s not an option. I don’t really have any inspiration to work on my art or writing either. 

I went into my room and flopped on the bed. 

Ugh, this sucks! It’s only three pm, I still have so many hours to kill. Maybe I should just take a nap. 

Before I could try to doze off to dreamland, a sound forced my eyes back open.

A knock? At my window?

But when I stuck my head outside no one was there. So either the wind was being a little bitch or I’m so depressed I’m hallucinating. I groaned and was about to go back to bed but, the very second I turned my back, two voices shouted in unison before I got tackled to the ground. 

“Surprise attack!”

My poor back stung against the hard floor as the two mutant idiots curled around me. 

“Leo, Mikey! I missed you guys! But, um, I do still need to breathe.” 

We sat up, still on the floor and my soul eventually returned to my body. 

Mikey flashed a vibrant grin “So, whatcha doing? Any plans or are you free today!? Please say you’re free!”

“Oh, I am now, I guess. I was supposed to hang out with a friend but they canceled last minute so my day just about cleared up.”

“Aww sorry to hear that Salena.” And he’s back to hugging. I’d be more annoyed if Mikey didn’t give such great hugs, he’s as soft as a sponge. “But, on the bright side, that means you can come hang out with us now! Leo and I were planning on going to a zoo and-”

“A ZOO!?” 

Am I dreaming because holy daze it feels like I am! I could barely contain my giddy giggles the entire walk over. 

“I’ve always wanted to go to a zoo literally my entire life! Getting up close and personal with all the amazing different animals! I mean don’t get me wrong, books are great but it’d be so different to see one in person! I feel like I’d get carried away and go inside the enclosure, though, but that’s fine! Just the usual intrusive thoughts and stuff!” 

“Hey Salena, love the enthusiasm and it’s really great to see you so happy but, maybe you should save your energy for when we actually get there?”

“Sorry! I’m just so excited!”

“Yeah, I had a feeling you’d enjoy this.” He smiled and turned back to Mikey. “Hey Angelo, we there yet?”

“Yepperoni! Just give it a sec and let the Master of Mystic Arts do his thing.” Mystic arts?

He held out his hands and they started glowing. Contrasting with the neon blue I’m used to seeing, a portal opened up in sunset colors. 

“Guys, am I missing something? Why are we opening a portal?” I glanced over at Leo for some answers only to be met by his stupid amused smirk.

“So, we may have hidden a tiny little detail about this zoo trip.”

“Damn, you don’t say?” 

Mikey, the only thing between me and the glowing mystery hole, stepped off to the side. “We weren’t just gonna go to any regular zoo. We’re going to the Hidden City Zoo!”

Hidden City? Oh wait, that’s the place Raph talked about, the reason why there were so many Yōkai near my house! This is probably one of the gateways to it? I leaned in a bit closer, a little more cautious than usual. It sounded thrilling to explore the Hidden City but a zoo? What kind of animals could a mutant zoo have? 

“Um, we’re not gonna get immediately mauled death by some crazy rabid mutant lion or something, right?”

“Dunno. Only one way to find out!”

“What.”

The blue bastard pushed me through without hesitation as my poor knees made contact with the hard, rocky surface on the other side. I thought of letting my violent desires get the better of me for a minute. Until... 

The new world in front of me left me starstruck.

The sky painted in various hues of pink and gold, an enormous entrance built on seafoam-colored stone displaying the words Hidden City Zoo. Peeking inside it only got better, the place was littered with wild and wacky creatures I’ve never even dreamed could exist! And in the distance, I think I can make out a rollercoaster?

It seems like Mikey’s in just as much awe as I am “Omigosh look at how big it is! And it has an amusement park nearby? This place is even cooler than I thought!”

“Dudes, what’d I tell you, this was totally a great idea! Ugh, I should’ve gone here last time instead of that stupid spa.”

“Why didn’t you just go after the spa?”

“Oh cause we all got thrown in jail. A dumb bird and an evil wig framed me for theft so that kinda took up the whole day.”

“But Dad and I bailed them out and saved the day! Who’s the best turtle now Leon~” 

A giggle escaped my lips “The fact that I’m not even surprised. Now c’mon, enough blabbering, we gotta go explore!” 

A mutant zoo is somehow exactly what I expected it to be but also completely different at the same time. Most of these guys look like regular animals, just bigger and louder. But a few others actually reminded me of more traditional Yōkai I saw in a book about Japanese folklore. I remember Mom used to hate how interested I was in it, which was pretty strange since she herself was Japanese. That was the only thing I ever knew of her heritage. She kept trying to tell me Yōkai knowledge was useless and I’d have way more fun learning about real animals instead. Unfortunately for her, my curiosity was not one to be quenched so I simply ended up learning about both. 

I looked at one of the bear Yōkai, they’re called onikuma I think. We made eye contact and either I need to get my vision checked or it just smiled at me. Weren’t these supposed to be wild animals? Come to think of it actually, the more Yōkai-looking creatures resembled the mutants outside the zoo enclosures more than the ones inside. You know, the guys walking around on two feet wearing clothes and taking pictures on their phones the same way we were and are very obviously not wild animals. 

“Whatcha writing, Salena?” the tangerine looked over my shoulder while I was typing on my notes app.

“Oh, just trying to learn a bit more about these guys. I don’t know why but something just feels-” 

Before I could finish my sentence, my stomach chose violence sending a sharp pain through my body as it rumbled louder than a whale call. 

“Oh yeah, I forgot to eat today.”

“You do that too?”

Mikey let out a dramatically loud gasp “What is wrong with y’all? How can anyone forget to eat? We’re getting food right now.”

“Chillax Mikey, I’ll be fine! We can wait a little-”

“Don’t make me go Doctor Delicate Touch on you.”

“N-Nevermind.”

We were unwillingly dragged by the terrifying midget to a food booth nearby. I mean, it’s not too bad honestly, the food in the Hidden City is way better than in New York. We got a super delicious burger packed with juicy meat, creamy cheese, tomatoes that actually taste like something, and… worm fries. I avoided that last delicacy but Leo seemed to enjoy it. Mikey on the other hand wrote down every tiny detail while rambling to himself the whole time. 

“Don’t mind him, Mikey loves to cook. Sometimes he tries remaking recipes of any food we liked outside.”

“Ahem, I don’t just recreate them, I improve them!”  

I looked at the giant burger in my hands amazed at Mikey’s confidence. “You want to improve this? This is literally the best burger I’ve ever had in my life! How could you top this?”

“Yeah, Miguel, you sure you’re good enough for this one?” He glared as Leo playfully stuck out his tongue. 

“You’ll just have to wait and be impressed! But on another note, how’re you doing Salena? Enjoying the day so far?”

“Enjoying doesn’t even begin to describe it! Everything is so cool here! I’ve always wanted to go to a zoo like this. I bugged my parents about it a lot when I was younger but we never had enough money for the tickets and stuff. They promised they’d take me one day but…” They died before they could. 

I never realized how I completely forgot about that. Life got so busy that getting upset over zoos seemed too silly to do anymore.

I snapped back to reality feeling the boys’ eyes on me.

“Sorry, sorry! I didn’t mean to ruin the mood-”

They hugged me. 

“It’s a good thing we took you here then!”

“Yeah, consider it a thank you gift for Mr. and Mrs. Moni.”

This feels… warm. And familiar? It’s a hug. I’ve hugged plenty of people. But those hugs felt different. I feel so small right now and that’s strangely a good thing. Everything is warm and cozy and a little dreamy. 

I think the last time a hug felt like this was when my parents were still here.

The rest of the day went by delightfully. We took a stupid amount of pictures - mostly because Leo wanted to boast to Raph and Donnie later - and Mikey even dragged us on to a few of the rides at the amusement park. The mood felt a little softer than before. I’m not entirely used to it but I honestly don’t mind.

But as usual, the pleasantly chill vibe can never last for too long. A loud crash grabbed our attention towards one of the exhibits where a bunch of employees were scrambling around with cages in their arms. Mikey managed to stop one of them mid-panic to ask what’s going on.

“Something broke the glass and now they all escaped!”

I caught Leo inspecting the broken glass. Following his eyes, they landed on what seemed to be a giant crab claw. He quickly noticed the two culprits in the distance frolicking around in acrobat uniforms and groaned. “Ugh, I think I know who that something was.”

“Who are those guys?”

“The Sando brothers. We just can’t enjoy a single day of peace can we?” Mikey grit his teeth with a murderous glint in his eyes. Like I said, soft as a sponge. Just when he’s mad, he’s as soft as a sponge left out too long without water.

The employee was focused more on the escaped critters and rushed off before we could ask anything else. “They’ll wreck everything! We need to catch them before they wreck everything!”

“Hey wait! What animal got loose!?”

I squinted at the label trying to read the small text, immediately filled with dread now understanding everyone’s panic. One of the raccoon-sized demons hissed to my right, preparing to pounce.

“Uh, guys? This was a shrew enclosure!”

“A what enclosure?”

“Duck!” 

“Wha- GAH!” It would seem I managed to avoid it at the expense of traumatizing the blueberry. “GET IT OFF ME! GET IT OFF ME!”

Mikey kicked the shrew off revealing poor Leo’s scratched up and terrified face. “Why are they so violent!?”

“They’re shrews, that’s their job! But they’re usually no bigger than a human palm, I can’t believe ooze could supersize them that much.” I quickly wrote down the new info on my phone as Mikey helped Leo up.

“Leo, what’s the plan?”

He looked at the crabs while dusting himself off “We should probably take care of the circus clowns before they destroy anything else. What do ya say, Angelo? Think you can keep up with professional acrobats?”

“You know I can! Cowabunga!”

“Wait! What do I do?” 

“Oh, Mikey and I can take care of this. You don’t wanna just lay low till we’re back?”

“And let you two hog all the fun? I thought you knew me better than that.”

He softly chuckled “Right, adrenaline junkie, how could I forget?” He looked at the several mutant shrews raging havoc all over the place “Well, we could use someone to help catch the… shrews right? You seem to know a bunch about them. Maybe you could help make sure they don’t destroy the whole place.”

My eyes lit up “You got it chief!” 

“If you need any help, holler!” 

I went over to the employees. Some of them were still trying to capture the tiny devils while a few others were getting a mystic wall ready where the glass broke, I’m assuming to temporarily keep them in. I’ll need a plan to get all the shrews in there. Mindlessly chasing around already proved to be a fail. 

I know I definitely read about this before. Shrews are carnivorous, they like eating things like snails and slugs but those were the regular-sized shrews. What could I feed these giants?

Think, think, think. There’s gotta be something around here I can bait them with…

“Wait! The burgers! Of course!”

I bolted inside a kitchen and scanned around for any giant clumps of meat.

“Hey, kid! Who are you, what are you even doing here?” 

“Sorry, I’m in a hurry. Shrew problems.” 

“What?”

I looked past the confused guy and saw what I was looking for. Shoving down my guilt, I grabbed a bunch of bacon patties and ran out the kitchen. 

“Hey!”

“I’m sorry, it’s a necessary sacrifice!”

Back outside, I found a shrew and waved one of the patties, catching its attention. 

“Over here, buddy!” Usually, thin bacon strips would be enough to lure them but I figured giant meat circles were more appropriate for these guys.

Once I got it close enough to the enclosure, I threw the patty in letting the shrew jump after it, getting trapped behind the transparent magic wall. One by one, all the menace mice were eventually recaptured. Not gonna lie, I’m still a little surprised it actually worked. 

“Salena, look out!” 

I dodged to Mikey’s instruction just in time for another giant crab claw to fly bullet-speed past me getting absorbed into the wall. It would seem mystic glass can’t really be broken, good thing too since the shrews escaping again would’ve broken my will to live alongside it. 

Unfortunately, I spent too long collecting myself and got snatched up by the back of my shirt, now facing the presumed Sando brothers.

“Look Carl, it’s the gross little human that keeps ruining our plan!” 

“Ha! Look at it swing!”

“Put me down you bald red freak!”

He suddenly looked at me in pain as if my dream of breaking his dumb claws open had actually come true “B-bald?..”

“Did you just call my brother bald!?”

“I can’t believe that’s the part you’re focused on.”

“I… I used to be so beautiful with my luscious long locks before I got turned into this! You still got to keep your hair, why was life so cruel to me!?” The red nuisance began pouring a waterfall of tears.

“See what you did!? Now you made him cry! Hey, it’s alright Ben, that human doesn’t know beauty when they see it.” Are you serious.

“You’re right! We should do something awful to it! Something that’ll make them regret calling me bald!”

“Yeah like!.. Like…”

“Ooh, I know! We should eat it!” 

“DUDE! Why is that the first thing you think of!?”

A familiar taunting voice joined in the conversation “Lame! You guys are so awful at plans, no wonder you got outsmarted by a regular ol’ human!” I’d be offended if I wasn’t preoccupied with my confusion. 

“Excuse me!? Did you just call my brother lame!?”

“Why does the universe hate me today!?”

“I’d like to see you idiots do any better!”

“Oh-ho we could do so much better, right Mikey?”

“What are you guys-”

“Duh! I mean there are rollercoasters everywhere and they didn’t even realize higher ground would speed things up by a trillion.”

HUH!? “No no no no no no! We do not need to go higher ground!”

“Hey come to think of it, Mike, dropping someone from a high place is a pretty heinous thing to do, too. Way worse than eating them.”

“OH YOU TWO ARE SO DEAD IF I’M NOT!”

“Ben, they actually have a point.”

“Y-yeah they kinda do… Welp doesn’t matter if we take credit for it, anyway! See ya later, jerks!”

They jumped onto the coaster as I helplessly awaited my fate, praying the dumbass turtles had some sort of plan and didn’t just use me as live bait for the crab monsters. 

“Look down at your death tiny pest! I bet it’d take you days just to finally hit the ground!”

“Woah, you really think we’re that high up, Ben?”

“Yeah! Or actually, no not really, I think it’ll only take like a minute or something.”

“Really? That doesn’t sound as cool. Should we go higher ground-”

“UGH! Why does it matter, I’m dead either way you buffoons!”

“Oh yeah, good point.” He let go of me and off I was screaming as I fall to my doom.

But just above me, a pair of chains wrapped around the rollercoaster and snapped it like a stick, sending idiot crab men falling down with me. Still in shock, I didn’t notice the blue katana fly by, teleporting a smirking turtle just in time to catch me. 

“Leo?”

“Missed me?~” He drew his blade mid-air and opened a portal landing us to safety. 

“You didn’t think we actually ditched you, did you?”

“Aha, I was starting to…”

I looked past his shoulder towards the sound of Mikey’s hyper yelps.

“It’s mystic time, baby!” I gawked as the orange portal, just like the one from earlier today, opened up swallowing the terrified acrobats and sending them to who knows where. 

“Mikey can open portals, too!?”

“Don’t tell me you thought there was a gateway to the Hidden City directly outside the zoo.”

“Actually, yeah I kinda did.”

Mikey walked over pressing against the glass wall between us. Wait, glass? Where even are we?

“Leo, Salena! Are you guys okay?”

“Don’t worry, little brother, we’re perfectly fine. We just gotta get out here.”

“Uh…L-Leo!” He followed my frightened gaze to the giant mutant bullfrogs behind us. 

“So that’s what the glass was for.”

“RUN!”

I grabbed his hand and started sprinting away from the green enemy, making sure to dodge the enormous pink tongue currently hunting us.

“You know, for someone who supposedly failed gym, you’re pretty light on your feet.”

I furrowed my brows, more towards his accusation than his inappropriately relaxed smirk “I did fail gym! You’re just lucky dodgeball’s the only sport I’m good at.”

We hid behind a nearby rock, gasping and trying to catch our breaths.

“Man, of all the places you could’ve picked, why’d you portal us here?”

“Hey, it’s not like I meant to! My portals mess up when I panic.”

“You were panicking?”

He looked just as surprised as I did “Ah-”

“Guys! Are you dead?!” his comms let out Mikey’s panicked voice.

“We’re okay, Mikey. Just resting for a bit.”

“Oh good. Cause uh, THE COPS ARE HERE! WE’VE GOTTA MOVE!”

“The cops? Eugh boy.”

“Wait why is that a bad thing? Does the Hidden City not have Good Samaritan laws or something?”

He laughed and rubbed the back of his neck “So uh, remember the whole ‘us getting thrown into jail’ thing? Yeah, we may or may not still be wanted criminals for that whole shebang.”

“You said you got bailed out!”

“I never said legally!”

“Oh my god.”

He peeked from behind the rock, making eye contact with Mikey still waiting for us outside the enclosure.

“Okay, I’ve got an idea but we’ve gotta make a run for it. You ready to leave the zoo?”

“Yeah, I think I’ve had enough mutant mayhem for one day.”

We raced past the mutant frog. Leo swung his sword one last time, creating a portal, and shoved it so it reached both sides of the glass barrier. The three of us dove in as it closed behind, falling back to a soft carpeted floor. 

I rubbed my head and looked around “My room… M-My room! Omigosh we made it guys, we’re alive!” 

Mikey and Leo were a little less celebratory than I thought they’d be. 

“Sorry for dragging you into a fight, Salena. Again. Man, that’s the second time that’s happened. Which, I guess it isn’t a lot, but still weird it happened twice.”

“Ugh, this was supposed to be a fun, relaxing trip to the zoo. I can’t believe those stupid crab jerks showed up and ruined it.”

I had no idea they’d be so dejected over this. 

“Who said anything about ruined?” They looked at me puzzled by my unfazed smile.

“Did you hit your head or something? We should check for injuries. Leo-”

“No, guys, I’m fine! Really!”

“You almost died twice today and you think that wouldn’t ruin anything?”

“Okay, yeah, that would’ve been inconvenient if I did, but I didn’t! I mean, come on! Think about literally everything else that happened! My first ever zoo and we just so happened to save it from disaster that exact same day? Guys, this was amazing!” I let myself breathe a bit, feeling the adrenaline calm down. “Life’s been so much better ever since I met you.”

Leo stared at me silently while Mikey caved into his emotions. “That’s it, I can’t take it anymore! Group hug!” 

The teary tangerine pulled us in. For a while, we all stayed like that, cuddled on the floor. Warm, cozy, and comfortable. As weirdly thrilling as the danger was, I think the hugs were still my favorite part about today. 

I would’ve loved to just enjoy it a bit longer but my phone alarm rang, the one I always set to be an hour before my oh so beloved family returned.

“You better go. I don’t think my aunt would be very happy with two random turtles in my room.”

After our goodbyes, I happily jumped into bed ready for some quiet downtime. I guess even though I didn’t get to hang out with the person I initially planned to, today might have turned out better this way. I opened up Instagram and started scrolling and catching up on everything else in the world. A YouTuber posted a new video, a couple and their cat went on vacation, an artist opened up commissions. All in all, seemed to be a pleasant day for everyone else, too. 

My thumb paused. A new post from Zane. They were pictures from a party he went to today, seemed like he had fun.

I got to the last picture on his post. My eyes went wide, staying glued to the person next to him. Heavy eyes. Dark hair straightened into a ponytail.

I felt my stomach doing flips realizing who it was. 

“Jaiden?”

Next Chapter

[everythingsinred]

Let's Talk About NatsuMikan: Mikan (pt. 15)

Hey, friends! We're about to begin one of my favorite arcs! (Don't ask me what my favorite arc is; it changes like the weather.) The New Year's Arc, or in my head the "Discovering Natsume Arc," is super important to Mikan's development and to her feelings for Natsume, so we'll be having a field day, y'all and I. Let's get to it!

<- Prev Next ->

Chapter Fifty-Three

This arc has everything!!!!

Ignore me, I HAVE to quote SNL right now.

This is the beginning of a pretty important arc. In the Natsume essay, I called this arc the “Discovering Natsume” arc, which made it less important for him and more important for Mikan. To be entirely honest, so much happens here--particularly with Mikan and her feelings, both for Natsume and her insecurities--that it almost feels like a climax. If you only read up to the New Year’s Arc, it almost feels like a complete story, as unsatisfying as it is. I’ll discuss that more later (“Yeah, later later--I’ve heard that one before!”) (I'm made of references. If you get this one, we can be best friends!!!).

In any case, the arc begins with the elementary Class B dorm New Year’s party! Everyone is gussied up and star ranks have nothing to do with the feast for once, so everyone can tuck in too! (Although the money packet is still dependent on star rank.) Mikan is properly excited, especially because today is her birthday. 

Class B, my beloveds.

She tries to subtly remind her classmates, asking if everyone knows why this day might be special besides being New Year’s Day, but nobody seems particularly interested in indulging her. She has memories of celebrating with Jii-chan, who was often the only one she could celebrate with, only to have her New Year’s packet be her birthday present. It must be so sad to be born in the winter months, when the gift-giving holidays are all clumped together and your special day gets lost in the mix. Tragic. Can't relate because I was born in the summer so I am super privileged--I always got the whole day to myself.

(Natsume is left-handed, Mikan’s birthday is New Year’s--they’re so oppressed.)

In any case, she’s excited to celebrate with friends for once, to have her birthday be a big event. Mikan likes attention and, unlike Natsume, she actually wants people to make her birthday a big production because it never has been. But nobody seems to care at all, too preoccupied with it being New Year’s. It’s finally her chance to have a proper birthday and she’s still being overshadowed by the coming of the new year. 

The arrival of the New Year’s cards in particular distract everyone from Mikan’s obvious hinting, and even Mikan temporarily forgets the subject when she finds out she got a little stack of cards too! She’s touched to see the card from her Jii-chan, the only person who actually remembers her birthday. Her stack is small though, nothing compared to Hotaru’s tower of fanmail or Ruka’s mysterious postcard from his family. 

Her mood switches around so quickly!

Ruka and his family are very mysterious. Mikan may be friends with Ruka now but his past, family, and friendship with Natsume remain obscure. It’s important that our arc begins with this concept! You may remember Natsume’s essay for the Reo Arc, when I pointed out that Natsume’s dream in the beginning was important because it signaled that some change must occur by the end of the arc. Similarly, for Mikan, her dislike of Natsume and Sumire being stressed at the start of that arc also was a sign that things must change. Similarly, Mikan muses here that she knows nothing about Ruka or Natsume or their families. Thus, by the end of the arc, we can expect that to change.

(You can track foreshadowing this way. Not all stories are well-written, and even if they are, some stories have foreshadowing that you’re not meant to pick up on the first time around. But when an arc begins with a thought like this--”I don’t actually know much about Ruka’s family”--then you should keep it in mind for later, especially when such importance is placed on it. Gakuen Alice is, for the most part, pretty well-written, and most arcs begin with foreshadowing like this, which is very fun to track. These hints help us figure out what the central themes of the arc are and why they’re important. The Reo Arc was important because Mikan made friends with people she previously disliked. The Z Arc was important because Mikan realized that her wish to be useful and “sacrifice something” is not as simple as she thought. And now, the Hanahime Den Arc is important because Mikan will completely uncover both Ruka and Natsume by the end of it.)

Mikan and friends are able to get their hands on Ruka’s post card, where they see his bizarre family as well as a holiday message from his mother, mentioning Natsume and a person named Aoi. Of course, the immediate focus is on Ruka’s beautiful foreign mother. But Mikan picks up on the mention of Natsume and wonders about who Aoi could be. All Mikan knows is that Ruka and Natsume came to the academy together. The details are still out of reach. See, Mikan is closer to Natsume, but she never stopped trying to figure him out. He’s still the king of mysteries, after all! Higuchi Tachibana said in Natsume’s character profile that solving his mystery was kind of like solving the general story’s mystery, which is part of the reason why this arc feels like a climax. Mikan’s little oblivious crush on Natsume only makes her curiosity about him more potent, which is why the message stands out to her so much. 

I love this page. It's uncomfortable, but still somehow manages to be the moment before a disaster.

But Natsume confiscates the letter and gives it back to Ruka, scolding Mikan for being rude because it’s not nice to take somebody’s postcard without permission (which is true!). Mikan feels guilty and uncomfortable (because he’s right!), so she tries to change the subject to something nicer, asking him innocently how many cards he got today. But the atmosphere only gets more tense. He stays silent but glares at her. He just leaves the room, slamming the door shut behind him and leaving an awkward vibe in his wake.

Mikan asks what just happened and Sumire is eager to fill her in with as much judgment as possible, beginning her scolding by saying “And you made such a fuss when it happened to you.” Natsume never gets any letters, not during the year and not even on New Year’s when everyone else does. The censors are always strict and it’s tough for anyone to get a letter sent or received, but Natsume is special: he has never gotten letters and never will. 

And Mikan remembers the “fuss” she had made, when Natsume told her that they were special cases, that they’d never get a letter and shouldn’t trust the teachers. Sumire says that if Mikan had thought a little about it, she could have figured it out before she ruined the mood and Mikan feels instantly guilty. 

She didn't mean to!!!

This moment is important for several reasons!

One is that we (and Mikan) can see that even though Mikan is like Natsume in some ways, his struggle at the school is different from hers. He’s singled out just a bit more (for now). This creates curiosity in us (and Mikan) about what exactly his circumstances are and why it has to be this way.

Second is that this is the second time now that Mikan has hurt Natsume’s feelings (that she’s aware of). The first time was when she refused to dance with him at the culture fest afterparty, when she realized that she was just taking her anger out on him. But it’s more than that this time, because Mikan didn’t mean to be hurtful. She was curious and acting on her curiosity and accidentally pressed the wrong button. She feels awful because she didn’t think before speaking. This (in regards to Natsume) will be important in the future, particularly in the Sports Festival Arc, which is why I’m emphasizing it now. This instance is small-scale, but still important. What matters is that Mikan feels bad that she wasn’t more considerate.

And the third reason is to give Mikan some birthday angst!

Anyway, the biggest take-away to get is that Mikan is guilty because she hurt Natsume’s feelings, even if she didn’t mean to, because she was thoughtless. She wanders around outside, consumed by guilt and cajoling herself for being insensitive, especially after she’d gone through similar troubles. She runs into Narumi, who is only the second person to remember her birthday, spurring her into sobbing. 

Poor Mikan! That's my favorite thing to say.

Mikan is a child--still, after everything that happened to her--so she is simultaneously happy that he remembered, sad that nobody else did, and convinced that she doesn’t deserve birthday wishes. It’s a confusing cocktail of emotions. It’s only logical that she cries about it. She also misses her Jii-chan, which makes her cry more. She tells Narumi what happened with the ESP at the Christmas Ball, asking again why she’s being singled out. She admits that she causes problems and is concerned about being punished for it. 

I feel like I’m repeating myself but whatever: Mikan may seem carefree and cheerful on the outside, but she keeps a lot of her worries inside. She never stopped worrying about the encounter at the Christmas Ball, even if she stopped talking about it as much. She never asked any questions about “that woman” or the mysterious teacher with the same alice as her, and yet she clearly has the feeling that they’re tied to her somehow. She still worries deep down about Natsume and his alice shape, even if she tries not to think about it. She definitely doesn't want to want to think about her feelings for Natsume or romance in general. Mikan isn’t a character who doesn’t or can’t worry; she’s a character who chooses not to, especially in front of others. When she’s alone, or feeling vulnerable, like now, she does express concern. This encounter with the ESP is really weighing on her, despite all her smiles and cheer.

But Narumi attempts to comfort her, not by addressing her concerns (because he can’t right now), but by telling her not to worry, because he will always protect her. Mikan is moved by this and quickly recovers her mood, blushing and smiling again. She tells Narumi that she loves him. He responds that he loves her too, more than anyone, which she knows is a lie. She laughs about that for a moment, as well as pondering how one of Narumi’s hands is warmer than the other, but Mikan’s mood has genuinely lifted. 

She loves so many people! She just doesn't like to think about how she loves one particular person...

She shouldn’t be scared because she has all of her friends with her, standing by her side. She has people she loves, who love her too. Whatever issues she faces in the future, she won’t be facing them alone.

She overhears her friends calling for her, expressing worry and concern for her, as well as voicing remorse for pretending not to know it was her birthday (which was all Hotaru’s idea… for some cold reason). She has a surprise party waiting for her, so she is able to smile and rejoin her friends again. 

The New Year may have started chaotically, but she hopes that the year will be great, just like last year--and that the next few years will be great too!

Ha. Ha…

We call this foreshadowing too, but when you’re first reading it might seem like just words on the page to wrap up the chapter. It’s not really that meaningful until you reread, when you realize that Mikan’s year will be difficult and painful, that she will be darkly traumatized. And that the years that follow will have her stripped of her memories. It’s foreshadowing in that Mikan makes a wish, and it won’t come true. 

I love foreshadowing!!

(We will ignore Mikan refusing to let herself be sad. Her insistence on finding a silver lining despite how dark things become does not cancel out how terrible the upcoming year will be for her, starting with today and tomorrow.)

Chapter Fifty-Four

Mikan’s finally having a party with all her friends. She would be entirely content, if not for the fact that she still hasn’t reconciled with Natsume after hurting his feelings. He’s still sulking, Mikan is still guilty, and thus the party has a minor hiccup. 

But the biggest distraction is when Hotaru gets personally invited to the Flower Garden Association Party. Tsubasa and Misaki visit before we can focus too much on that and suddenly the whole gang is making mochi.

Natsume seems to be the only one abstaining from the activity. Everyone else is making up their own mochi recipe--some better than others. For example, Ruka’s seems to be a big hit that the others covet, while Mikan’s is a bizarre monstrosity.

During the exam chapter, Mikan announces proudly that she loves cooking, and I believe her. Where Yuka is a terrible cook at all the basics, burning food, Mikan is happy to cook! But the combinations she puts together are so ridiculous that there’s no way they could turn out tasty. For example, today she has prepared bean broth with orange mochi. Now I know very little about Japanese flavor profiles, but that sounds horrible, especially compared to Ruka’s or Sumire’s. Based on all the other characters’ reactions to her mochi, it can be deduced that those flavors do not mesh well.  She is perhaps too creative.

As they prepare to eat, Mikan sees Sumire offer some mochi to Natsume and then gets the idea that she should too, offering her terrible mochi to him as an attempted apology for speaking insensitively before. 

She loves him so much I'm going to cry.

But the thing is that it’s hard to apologize to Natsume. Mikan always has trouble when there’s something important to discuss between them, especially when the tone is so serious. At the afterparty, she couldn’t admit that she had taken her anger out on Natsume when he hadn’t really done anything. During the Z Arc, Mikan struggled to say that Natsume was ignoring her in particular, because it felt too uncomfortable, putting herself on the line like that. Later, at the lake, she couldn’t fully complete her sentence that she wanted to give him her alice stone because she feared rejection. This is one more example of a similar issue: apologizing to Natsume, or even just implying that she cares about him or his feelings, is tough for her to do.

So she doesn’t apologize. She just stands there, trying to get the words out, until she gives up, leaving her bowl there and taking off. Things with Natsume are always awkward for some reason (because Natsume is different!) so even though she feels genuine guilt and really wants to make up, actually taking that step in vulnerability is difficult for her. She’s nervous how he’ll react, more so than with anybody else.

Misaki is able to explain all she can about the mysterious organization that has invited Hotaru. At the beginning of the last chapter, we got a breakdown of the three divisions and the vibes they give off: the elementary school is childish and impulsive, the middle school is a breeding ground for gossip, and the high school feels like a secret society. Though the entire school is mysterious, the middle school seems to be the most mysterious, with its bizarre headmistress and the countless rumors. If you pay attention while reading GA, you’ll notice that the phrase, “I heard there was a rumor in the middle school division” tends to be the precursor for the sharing of gossip. All rumors seem to have roots in the middle school. Thus it makes sense that it’s Misaki sharing the information now. Not only is she in the division and would therefore know a little bit more about her own headmistress than the elementary schoolers, but she is part of the gossipy school. 

In any case, the organization is like a harem of pretty girls, a grouping of the most impressive girls in the academy, so it makes perfect sense that Hotaru, a genius with a unique alice and a beautiful face, would be selected. Hotaru only becomes interested when she finds out the flower princesses get special treatment. But there are terrible rumors about the middle school principal and her flower princesses, that the principal locks away her favorite girls, that the position of flower princess is nothing more than a status symbol. And yet, despite all of Misaki’s warnings, the elementary girls all want the jewel ball that goes to a random girl that will allow them to attend the party. 

It’s fun to see all the girls be a little shallow. We know Mikan is already, that Hotaru has a fondness for all things glamorous and expensive, and that Sumire has a shallow affinity for the cutest boys in class despite their sketchy personalities. But all of the girls are focused on the shallow status symbol party now, entirely unmoved by the creepy rumors. They truly are children. Sniffle.

The desperate search for the jewel is interrupted when all the kids start flinging across the room towards each other, sticking like magnets. Anna and Nonoko, Koko and Kitsu, Hotaru and Youichi with Ruka, and Natsume and Mikan. Turns out they’re all stuck together because of a prank Tsubasa played, where he put a prank mochi-mochi powder in the mochi, so any people who ate the same mochi would stick together. So Anna and Nonoko, as well as Koko and Kitsu, who probably willingly shared their mochi together, are stuck. Hotaru and Youichi stole bites of Ruka’s tantalizing mochi and that sadly means he’s stuck to both of them. And Mikan and Natsume…

Well, if they’re stuck together, then that must mean that Natsume actually ate her nasty-ass mochi! The page becomes sparkly and sweet as Mikan asks if he ate her broth after all. She doesn’t really need to ask. He wouldn’t be stuck to her if he hadn’t. He brushes it aside with a mean comment about having to choke it down, but it doesn’t matter. Mikan is still sparkly! Natsume ate her apology mochi! 

I love sparkly panels! I always pay attention to them!

She bickers with him about the flavor of the mochi, but she’s relieved, because they made up after all. Now Natsume is back to normal, which is what she’d been wanting all day. Now that it’s much less awkward, she’s able to actually say the words, “I’m sorry about the card thing earlier.” Now that the atmosphere seems less serious, it’s not as vulnerable for her to put herself out there and apologize. He’s already forgiven her, pretty much, so saying the words is easier.

Immediately after this, Mikan finds out that she got the prize jewel invitation! Which means she can go to the party with Hotaru! 

What I really love about this moment compared to some other books or movies with similar tropes, is that Mikan isn’t actually special enough to have earned this random invitation. In another manga or show, for example, the main character and her best friend might be invited because even though Mikan thinks of herself as stupid or plain, the truth is that she is very special and beautiful! She gets invited because there’s something about her!

But that’s not what happens here. Mikan being invited isn’t a coincidence and furthermore it doesn’t even have anything to do with Mikan. This is a plan to lure Natsume to the Hanahime Den dungeons, where he will have to be punished for his insubordination. If the MSP had any say in the matter, Mikan certainly wouldn’t have been invited (and it’s for this reason that Mikan is treated so cruelly at the party). In another show, Mikan and Hotaru going together would be a given, so much so that you’d roll your eyes at the contrivance (I’m saying this because I hate that kind of plot). But here, Mikan and Hotaru both being invited is suspicious, something that sets off alarms for Tsubasa and Misaki.

But it’s been an hour, so most people are becoming unstuck, except for the Ruka mochi gang, whose bodies have compatible body chemistries with the prank mochi-mochi powder, meaning they could be stuck for two to three days. 

Mikan is, like always, ?????????????

Natsume and Mikan do not have compatible body chemistries with the powder, so they become unstuck, except that Natsume grabs her hand and holds her still. The plot could easily benefit from Natsume and Mikan remaining stuck like the Ruka mochi gang, but instead, Natsume makes the choice to fake it. This is important because it makes Natsume’s behavior unusual and suspicious. He’s planning something. If they’d genuinely been stuck, then that suspicion might be missing, and it’s necessary for the next few chapters.

Chapter Fifty-Five

Mikan wants to be honest. She doesn’t want to be stuck to Natsume anymore! But he hurts her hand and insists that they’re still stuck. He turns to her for her to agree that they’re stuck and many unspoken threats are apparent. If she disagrees, he will hurt her somehow. So she agrees.

Ruh roh!

From Mikan’s POV, Natsume is being needlessly sadistic. He must be doing this to torture her because there isn’t any other clear reason why he’d go through all this trouble. The girls might not be able to go to the party, they can’t be parted enough to take baths, go to the bathroom, or sleep separately. Hotaru’s group is lucky to have her because she has pills and sprays to control their bathroom needs, but poor Mikan is being bullied by Natsume, who’s not even really stuck to her!

She hates being stuck to Natsume and she loudly says it to everybody who can hear. She bitterly muses that being stuck to Ruka would be much more pleasant because Ruka is nice. He wouldn’t insist on staying stuck for no reason, wouldn’t be angry when they go to the bathroom, wouldn’t be threatening her and ruining her birthday. All those happy sparkly feelings about Natsume eating her mochi are gone, replaced by bitter indignation. This is important too. We are in the Discovering Natsume Arc, after all, which means Mikan will have to learn more about him. Additionally, Mikan has and will continue to have misunderstandings about Natsume’s behavior, leading to hurt or anger when he genuinely doesn’t mean to hurt or anger her. 

We know from Natsume’s POV that this isn’t some fun prank for him. He doesn’t want to torture Mikan. He doesn’t even want to be stuck to her because he has feelings for her because, as we know, he’s already given up on that option. Instead, he wants to find his sister and this ruse is the only chance he has of getting into the girls-only Hanahime Den. 

And so Mikan will continue to misunderstand him, partly because he’s a mystery and partly because he tends to be dishonest on top of that. Keep this in mind for later.

For the moment, Mikan gets called out by Koko, who teases her by asking if that means she prefers Ruka to Natsume. She answers yes without thinking, only to realize what she’s said and start yelling at Koko not to meddle. 

That's nice, Mikan. Not that Natsume is being nice.

Mikan messes up a lot by being rash and impulsive, by saying or doing the first thing that pops into her head. She is so preoccupied currently by her own feelings that she doesn’t even think about how Ruka or Natsume will feel hearing something like that. Of course, anybody can answer a question too quickly without thinking and end up messing something up (like answering one question at work too honestly and then having the work offer rescinded as soon as you get home so you have to find a new job after only one day… sigh). Still, this is the second time today that Mikan hurts Natsume’s feelings because she’s too preoccupied with her own to think before she speaks.

In any case, they’re sleeping together in Natsume’s room. He is open to sleeping in her tiny bed if she prefers it, but the issue isn’t the bed, it’s who she’ll be sleeping with. He tells her he really doesn’t want to sleep with her either, which just pisses her off because this is all his choice! If he wants to sleep by himself all he has to do is let go of her!

But then he says, “I’m sorry for not being Ruka.” He’s very serious all of a sudden, and Mikan can’t be angry anymore because now she’s confused instead. He announces that the ruse will end tomorrow, and even though Mikan has no idea what he means by that, her anger has dissipated. 

They’re alone in the dark in a huge bed now. They can let go of each other’s hand. She muses about how much nicer his bed is than hers. He’s not doing anything weird. Sleeping with a boy is not as terrible as she’d assumed it would be. She asks him what his plan is, pointing out that she deserves to know if she’s going to go along with it. But he just tells her to go to bed without answering any questions. 

♡ ♥♡ ♥♡ ♥♡ ♥♡ ♥♡ ♥♡ ♥♡ ♥♡ ♥♡ ♥♡ ♥♡ ♥♡ ♥♡ ♥♡ ♥♡ ♥

Natsume is mysterious for many reasons. He doesn’t talk a lot. When he does talk, it’s usually to insult or tease her. He seems to be involved with the shadier parts of the academy, but nobody is willing to tell her much about any of that. Additionally, all the real information she gets about him is second-hand. Misaki-sensei warns her about him being dangerous. Hotaru and Yuu tell her the rumors of him being a murderer. Ruka insists there’s more to him, that he hates his own alice. Reo is the one who spills that he works in black ops missions for the school. He rarely tells her anything about himself. Not before, not now, and not during this arc.

Natsume, as we know from his essay, would never willingly drag someone into his dark life by oversharing. Telling someone about his dark backstory would be out of character. Explaining to Mikan why he’s doing this whole act would be out of character.

But as a result, Mikan can’t help but misunderstand him. She’s the only one actually trying to fill the gap between them, despite his every effort to be as mean and rude as possible.

Mikan is wide awake and lonely. Natsume managed to fall asleep, which means she has nobody to talk to. She yearns to attend the party tomorrow and bitterly thinks it’ll all be Natsume’s fault if she doesn’t end up going. But again, for the tenth or twentieth time, her anger vanishes as soon as she hears Natsume groaning in distress. 

She will never care about any anger more than making sure that he's okay. He's more important than grudges.

During the Culture Fest, when Natsume faked being sick to get her down off her carpet, Mikan forgot her anger because the idea that Natsume could be in genuine danger concerned her. She distinctly worried about his potential alice shape and then acted upon it.

This is a similar situation, where Mikan can see that he’s having a terrible nightmare and even looks like he’s in pain. She wakes him up and is instantly relieved when his eyes open. She was so nervous that something serious was going on that she felt like she had to wake him up to check on him.

But then he pulls her closer into a hug and snuggles her.

She naturally starts freaking out. We already know that Mikan gets nervous whenever Natsume does anything remotely kind or gentle. Their nice, intimate dance during the Christmas Ball made her very nervous. The idea of kissing him freaked her out even more. And this is snuggling! Natsume definitely doesn’t seem like the type who would snuggle, and especially not her, and yet! She blushes and panics, but he tells her to shut up, which lets her know that he’s still awake. He tells her some confusing stuff about giving her back to Ruka after tomorrow--stuff that I’m sure she understands at least a little.

I genuinely think Mikan has an idea that Ruka has romantic feelings for her, as I’ve said before during the Christmas Ball. I think she has a semblance of an idea about it all, some level of understanding that she’s in a bit of a love triangle. I don’t think it’s a fully fleshed out thought because, as we know, Mikan doesn’t really like to linger on uncomfortable concepts. But she knows Ruka likes her. She cares for him too, although I’d argue not romantically, even if she doesn’t fully realize that. This situation is only confusing to her because she doesn’t know what she feels or why.

Doki doki!

But Mikan’s heart is racing, and even though he’s telling her to just shut up and be quiet, she still thinks he’s cute. She stops arguing pretty quick and does indeed keep still, blushing while her heart beats fast and loud in her chest. 

I don’t know if Mikan decided to hug him back before she fell asleep. She thought he was cute so it’s a possibility that she decided to snuggle him back. I mean, she kissed him back on Christmas, so it's a possibility! In any case, she’s definitely hugging him by the time they wake up, though Natsume seems to not remember any of that nonsense and instead accuses her of clinging to him. She’s very upset that she wasted her emotions on him, ashamed that she’d actually thought he might be cute.

Mikan may be our protagonist and occasional narrator, but she doesn’t actually reveal very much in her narration. If you’re reading and feel yourself getting confused, asking yourself, “What is she actually thinking right now?” then you’re not alone! Mikan doesn’t actually tell us very much. She doesn’t tell us what she thinks of Natsume kissing her, or about him snuggling her. All she ever seems to say is that she’s confused because she is. I think that, just like she’s nervous to voice her serious feelings to Natsume, she doesn’t want to admit it to herself (or us) either. She’s confused too, so she doesn’t always know what she’s thinking. Mikan is not nearly as upfront as she may seem. She needs to be analyzed too, just like Natsume. 

Cute! She snuggled him back!

See, Mikan only said (to us) she thought Natsume was a little cute after she got pissed off at him. She didn’t think anything clear in the moment. She only admits it (to us) when she’s upset to voice her shame. Thus, we have to connect some dots. Mikan acts a certain way when Natsume snuggles her, a similar way that she acted during their kiss--at first surprised and maybe a little panicky, until she settles down and maybe thinks he’s a little bit cute. It’s a victory for us that she’s willing to share even just this small crumb, admitting that she finds him cute at times, especially when he’s affectionate.

She’s such an enigma. Analyzing her is so much work. Anyway!

It turns out Mikan and Hotaru can attend the party after all, even with their male companions. The thing is, though, that they have to crossdress in order to gain entry.

Yet another plot element that might seem contrived or cheap until you realize this is a big conspiracy to lure Natsume into the dungeon where he’ll be trapped forever. 

Conclusion

Wow, that was so much emotional repression! It makes my head hurt. But we've wrapped up Mikan's birthday, so next time we'll talk about how the actual party goes (hint: not well).

I won't be posting for at least ten days, because my precious Zoe is coming home for Spring Break, so I'll be devoting those days to spending time with her. I'll still be here. Ask questions to your heart's content! I'll be back soon to continue the New Year's Arc!

I don't always listen to my NM playlists while writing/editing/formatting these posts. Maybe I listen to a specific album or an emo playlist. Or maybe I listen to a seven hour playlist featuring music from the precise time I was in middle school (why was it so eerily accurate, down to the years, to my specific experience? Creepy that it just randomly appeared on my recommended). Anyway the playlist still fits because I first found GA when I was in middle school so I associate it with this particular era.

<- Prev Next ->

[whumpdoyoumean]

7, 17, 18, 19 and 25!

7. I love sci-fi so much and I feel like a lot of my picks are the same as yours 😂 SO I am going to go with Source Code because I think that's one that is severely underrated and also it's Jake Gyllenhaal's birthday today! (But also Moon, Sunshine, and The Martian my beloveds)

17. I never get tired of talking about Mad Max: Fury Road :') The way George Miller said, Yes this is a franchise that is historically very male driven,but I don't care let's turn it into a high-octane feminist MASTERPIECE...It's so good. I'm (a raging) feral just thinking about it.

18. I never want to hear about Interstellar again 😅 I didn't love it when it came out, but then when I was in the film program at BYU there were so many obnoxious film bros who ONLY ever talked about Christopher Nolan (but only his PG-13 films lmao) and in particular idolized that movie and it has just put a bad taste in my mouth.

19. The movie I'm most looking forward to seeing at the moment is The Boy and the Heron!!! I'm a massive Miyazaki fan and this one looks just as mind-bendy and beautiful as the rest of his filmography.

25. I have a lot of favorite movies (and have already talked about The Man From UNCLE and Fury Road), but my very first favorite movie was Star Trek (2009)! It's really the film that launched me fully into Fandom. I used to watch it once a month, and for a time whenever I couldn't fall asleep I would mentally go through as much of the cast as I could remember and when that got old I started doing it in alphabetical order 😁 It's especially funny to me how into it I got considering that the first time I saw it in the theater, I spent a good chunk of the movie feeling very cranky because I grew up watching ToS and and I knew that it was KIRK not Spock who was meant to be the captain hahaha

Thanks for the ask, friend!!

[katchwreck]

The letter...

Soon after the liberation of the Belarusian city of Liozno in 1944, when parsing the brickwork of a destroyed furnace in one of the houses, a small yellow envelope sewn with threads was found. It turned out to contain a letter from a Belarusian girl named Katya Susanina, who was forced into slavery to a Hitlerite landowner. Driven to despair, on the day of her 15th birthday, she decided to commit suicide.

Before she died, she wrote her last letter to her beloved father. On the envelope was the address: “Active Army. Field mail No.... to Susanin Peter”. On the other side, the words are written in pencil: “Dear uncle or aunt, who finds this letter hidden from the Germans, I beg you, drop it right into the mailbox. My corpse will already be hanging on a rope.”

⬇️ The contents of the letter:

“March, 12, Liozno, 1943.

Dear, kind daddy!

I am writing you a letter from German bondage. When you read this letter, Daddy, I won't be alive. And my request to you, Father: punish the German bloodsuckers. This is your dying daughter's will.

A few words about mother. When you get back, don't look for Mom. She was shot by the Germans. When they were asking about you, the officer hit her in the face with a whip. Mom could not stand it and proudly said, here are her last words: “You will not intimidate me with a beating. I am sure that my husband will come back and throw you vile invaders out of here.”

And the officer shot Mom in the mouth...

Daddy, I turned 15 today, and if you met me now, you wouldn't recognize your daughter. I have become very thin, my eyes have sunk in, my pigtails have been cut off, my hands have dried up, they look like a rake. When I cough, blood comes out of my mouth — my lungs have been knocked out.

Do you remember, Dad, two years ago, when I turned 13? What a good birthday party I had! You, Dad, then said to me: “Grow up, daughter, for the joy of a big one!” The gramophone was playing, my friends congratulated me on my birthday, and we sang our favorite pioneer song.

And now, Dad, when I look at myself in the mirror — the dress is torn, in scraps, the number on the neck, like a criminal, she is thin as a skeleton, and salty tears flow from her eyes. What's the point that I turned 15 years old. Nobody needs me. Here, many people are not needed by anyone. Hungry, hunted by shepherds roam. Every day they are taken away and killed.

Yes, Dad, and I am a slave of a German baron, I work for the German Charlene as a laundress, I wash clothes, I wash floors. I work a lot, but I eat twice a day in a trough with “Rose” and “Clara” — that's the name of the owner's pigs. The baron ordered it. “Russ was and will be a pig,” he said. I am very afraid of “Clara”. This is a big and greedy pig. She almost bit off my finger once when I was getting potatoes out of the trough. I live in a woodshed: I'm not allowed to enter the room. Once Jozef's Polish maid gave me a piece of bread, and the hostess saw and beat Jozef on the head and back with a whip for a long time.

Twice I ran away from the owners, but their janitor found me. Then the baron himself tore off my dress and kicked me. I was losing consciousness. Then they poured a bucket of water on me and threw me into the basement.

Today I learned the news: Jozefa said that the gentlemen are leaving for Germany with a large party of slaves and female slaves from the Vitebsk region. Now they're taking me with them. No, I'm not going to this thrice-cursed Germany! I decided it was better to die on my native side than to be trampled into the cursed German land. Only death will save me from a cruel beating.

I don't want to suffer any more as a slave to the damned, cruel Germans who didn't let me live!..

I bequeath, Dad: avenge Mom and me.

Goodbye, good daddy, I'm going to die.

Your daughter Katya Susanina.

My heart believes: the letter will reach you.”

NOTE: THE TEXT WAS AUTOMATICALLY TRANSLATED FROM RUSSIAN TO ENGLISH AND MAY CONTAIN TRANSLATION ISSUES AND ERRORS!

[bgallen]

A birthday list for August

25 years ago yesterday, my maternal grandmother died on a beautiful day on a farm hidden in the mountains of Virginia. A loss that was incredibly sad, yet at 11 years old was hard to grasp the enormity of. Four years ago yesterday, we buried my paternal grandmother in a sleepy town in the Pine Belt of Mississippi. A loss that was incredibly painful and deeply impacted my life. My love for both of my grandmothers has always been deep and they both have made an indelible mark on my life. What you don’t fully grasp at 11, at 32 you grasp more than you would like to grasp. And my paternal grandmother’s loss at 32 also brought about grief about having lost my maternal grandmother at 11 and realizing on a deeper level what I had missed. I do not have the words to accurately portray the importance of all four of my grandparents in my life. I am who I am because I have been deeply loved by wonderful people who have taught me so well. And for that, I am eternally grateful.

Today, is my birthday and I have made a list of some of my favorite things. As always, I hope that you enjoy this list and find something that you like. Have a wonderful weekend, and stay cool!

Favorite book(s) –

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy | Goodreads

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas | Goodreads

Favorite quotes (from said books) –

“You have a consistent character yourself and you wish all the facts of life to be consistent, but they never are. For instance, you despise public service because you want work always to correspond to its aims, and that never happens. You also want the activity of each separate man to have an aim, and love and family life always to coincide – and that doesn’t happen either. All the variety, charm and beauty of life are made up of light and shade.”  Tolstoy

“Tell the angel who will watch over your future destiny, Morrel, to pray sometimes for a man who, like Satan, thought himself, for an instant, equal to God; but who now acknowledges, with Christian humility, that God alone possesses supreme power and wisdom. Perhaps those prayers may soften the remorse he feels in his heart. As for you, Morrel, this is the secret of my conduct towards you. There is neither happiness nor misery in the world; there is only comparison of one state with another, nothing more. He who has felt the deepest grief is best able to experience supreme happiness. We must have felt what it is to die, Morrel, that we may appreciate the enjoyments of life. Live, then, and be happy, beloved children of my heart, and never forget, that until the day when God will deign to reveal the future to man, all human wisdom is contained in these two words, - ‘Wait and hope.’” Dumas

Favorite songs (top 3) –

Luciano Pavarotti sings "Nessun dorma" from Turandot (The Three Tenors in Concert 1994) - YouTube

Avicii - Wake Me Up (Official Lyric Video) - YouTube

Yo-Yo Ma - Bach: Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major, Prélude (Official Video) - YouTube

Favorite place to travel –

Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau - Unique Mackinac Island, MI Vacation

Favorite movie –

REMEMBER THE TITANS Trailer (2000) Denzel Washington Movie - YouTube    

[lea-heartscxiv]

SK8 ~Golden Week: Showing Spain. El Bar de Tapas~ - (May 1st in Spain)

Ainosuke as promised day they celebrated his birthday (Sunday in Spain, during afternoon where in Japan it was May 1st) is showing a bit of Spain to everyone in Golden Week, and this was day 1.

You can read it below cut line or on our Blogger where you can see extras of Day 1. (From me and @van-yangyin)

Blogger: English | Español

You can read below cut line ↓

Everything written at the end with this * symbol, is text in Spanish.

Monday, May 1st in Spain. Ainosuke got up, got dressed "well", combed his hair and got ready to make a video call he had scheduled with his "beloved" aunts, although in reality only one of them was the one who had the lead.

**Video call with her aunts**

Ainosuke: Good afternoon, my beloved aunts.

Ichiko (Aunt A): Good morning Ainosuke-san. We've been late because they didn't know how to put this up. Are you making good contacts? 

Ainosuke: The most important thing is that we are talking now. And of course, I'm making good contacts. 

Ichiko (Aunt A): Remember to come back as soon as Golden Week is over. No, better a day earlier, because of time difference.

Ainosuke: Of course, I'll do my best to get there sooner. 

Ichiko (Aunt A): Well, I hope that "I'll do my best" will be sooner. Also, remember not to dirty our family name, let alone abroad.

Ainosuke: Don't worry, it's something I always keep in mind. But even if I wanted to, it's hard to dirty here. 

Ichiko (Aunt A): Ainosuke-san, yes they can. There are people who know you there too. 

Ainosuke: In that case, you have nothing to worry about. I won't. - «Bitch, I know very well that you've sent someone to find out what I do, since with Tadashi you can't. What you don't know is that he has lost us.» - thinking.

Ichiko (Aunt A): Good. Because being with people who don't bring you anything is unnecessary.

Ainosuke: All people love Japan as much as we do. Excuse me, I'll say goodbye now. I hope my beloved aunts have a good night, see you again tomorrow.

Ichiko (Aunt A): Remember, Ainosuke-san, don't dirty the family name overseas. See you tomorrow.

**End of video call with her aunts**

Once the video call was over, he tousled his hair.

And then took off the top of his suit.

Ainosuke: One day less to bear your obligations.

And put on his everyday clothes.

Ainosuke: Now time to go skateboarding.

When mid-morning came, someone rang the doorbell of Shindo's vacation home and an elderly woman appeared in front of the door.

Older woman: Good morning! Nice to finally meet you, my granddaughter has told me a lot about you. I am Carmen. Pilar told me you were coming this week on vacation to Spain.*

Ainosuke: Nice to meet you, Carmen. It is an honor for me to meet such a beautiful woman like you.*

Carmen: When Pilar told me that you were a very handsome and kind person she wasn't wrong. I came to invite you to spend the noon in my bar, I know that today is the worker's day, but we have prepared a special place for you and your friends, although if you don't mind you may find many more people because we have gathered all the family.*

Ainosuke: Thank you. If you give address to my secretary, we'll be glad to come.*

Carmen: So young and you already have a secretary?*

Tadashi: Excuse me.*

Carmen wrote the address to Tadashi and said goodbye to all of them. Thanks to Carla, most of them could understand what she said, as Carla translated it out loud. So once she left, they all continued with what they were doing until it was close to noon when they got ready to leave.

The bar is also a restaurant and is called Bar-Restaurante Casa Carmen.

Tadashi: This is it, Ainosuke-sama.

Ainosuke: Perfect, a tapas* bar.

(*) tapas says it in Japanese

Reki: Ta-pa-su?

Ainosuke: Yes.

Reki: What's that?

Langa searched the internet for タパス and the search turned up this.

Langa: Food that looks very tasty. Look Reki.

Reki: But why is it so small?

Langa: So you can eat more?

Ainosuke: It's to whet your appetite, though Langa-kun, I think you don't need it.

Everyone was entering the place.

Sure enough, Kojiro hit it off with the owners and offered to help them get a new experience while Ainosuke was given a table. Although all this was spoken in a mixture of Italian and Spanish with one of the workers as mediator.

Finally with a table chosen, everyone went upstairs to sit down for some tapas. So they started to choose from the whole menu.

While waiting for the food Ainosuke stares at Langa, while Langa is thinking about the food.

Meanwhile Kaoru looks with an angry face... At whom?

And Kojiro is writing to his friends from Italy, Nicola and Franco about the Spanish experience, as they are currently sharing the same schedule.

At last the food arrived, or well, the tapas. And Reki keeps thinking why spend so much money on something that won't fill your stomach.

Ainosuke: It's not the first time I've eaten tapas, there are many more varieties. It also depends on where you go in Spain. In this area for example sometimes it can be accompanied by....

Tadashi: Bread with tomato and oil, but the tomato is uncrushed, rubbed on the bread. It's something typical that you can find in the Mediterranean area.

Ainosuke: Indeed, it will be something we will try. But now taste what you have brought, my servants. [to know why he says "my servants" go here]

After finishing his meal, Langa thinks it's little more than a starter...

Langa: Is that all?

Ainosuke: Yes, Langa-kun. Was that not enough? Now that we've worked up an appetite, we'll go home for lunch. Tomorrow I'll show you another gastronomic wonder. 

Langa: Gastronomy ✨✨✨

Ainosuke before leaving with everyone, went to congratulate the chef for the tapas they brought him and talk to José, Carmen's husband, about other matters. They said their goodbyes and went home to eat lunch Kojiro had previously prepared. Tomorrow Ainosuke would show them something new about the country.

~End of Day 1 of Golden Week~