#are you team yuki fan club or student council?

[pinceauarcenciel]

Full illustration I did for the @yukizine 🐭🌸 I had fun drawing those very different visions of precious prince Ratboy! Which one's your favorite? 👀

🐭 Leftover sales are currently open so be sure to check the zine and all the lovely merch before they're gone~ 🐭🐭

※ Fanart: Fruits Basket © Natsuki Takaya / Hakusensha

[turtlycute]

do you have an anime watch list for beginners like the best animes of all time

Hello Nonny, thank you so much for your question. This is going to be a long post so get comfortable.

Like any anime lover, I have my own ideas of what some of the best animes for beginners might be. Unfortunatly, a lot of the "best of all time" type anime is not really the best for newer viewers. Like for so many others, my first animes were epic series like Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Sailor Moon and Inuyasha. These all hold special places in my heart and are all fun nostalgic or first watches.

The anime genres I tend to gravitate towards now are slice of life, comedy, drama, romance and shoujo with some sports, supernatural and mystery animes thrown in. So, keep that in mind as you read this list. If those are not your kinda things, then this is not the list for you. A lot of shows on this list are classics or highly popular in these genres. I've also choosen anime that comes in both English sub and dubbed versions because, for beginners, dubbed is sometimes easier to follow and enjoy. Subbed or dubbed, there is no judgment here as long as you are enjoying what you watch. Finally, I tried to stick to anime with mostly 1-3 seasons only. There is nothing wrong with the more epic long running series and many of these fall under "the best of all time" heading but seeing that an anime has 100+ episodes can be kinda daunting for a novice viewer. Now to the list...

First of all, if you are just wanting to try anime but, not wanting to commit to a whole series, I would recommend starting with a movie or two. Some classic films I would recommend would be Totoro, Spirited Away and Howl's Moving Castle from Studio Ghibli. Some more contemporary films like, Your Name, Weathering With You, A Silent Voice and Wolf Children, would also be great anime starting points. These films are staples for any anime collection.

Now, as for anime series, here is just a list of 10 that I think quality animes and would be great beginner watches.

Ouran High School Host Club:

Haruhi Fujioka is a scholarship student at the elite Ouran High School. One day, Haruhi becomes accidentally indebted to the school host club. Now she must work off her debt by playing the role of a male host to the female student clientele. Hilarity ensues.

This reverse harem show is a much loved modern classic for a reason. It's full of fun characters and lighthearted comedy moments with just enough drama and romance to keep you coming back for more.

Maid Sama:

Misaki Ayuzawathe is the first female student council president for a previously all boys school. Now, her life is busy with maintaining top grades, keeping the male students in line, recruiting more girls to the school and keeping her part-time job at a maid cafe a secret. When one day Takumi Usui, the most popular boy in school, discovers her secret job, Misaki finds herself doing everything she can to keep him from revealing the truth to the whole school.

This shoujo has enough of comedy, romance and drama to satisfy anyone's appetite.

Fruits Basket:

After finding herself orphaned and homeless, high schooler Tohru Honda makes a new home with classmates Yuki and Kyo Sohma along with there guardian Shigure Sohma. But the Sohma's have a dark secret, they are under a curse that causes them to change into animals from the Chinese zodiac when hugged by members of the opposite sex. Now, Tohru must keep their secret as she learns more about this family and their curse.

There are actually 2 different versions of this show. Many people would recommend that you start with the completed classic 2001 version but, I'm going to say it's okay to skip that for later and dive into the 2019 reboot and ongoing series. The newer series is so beautifully animated and has a more detailed version of the story than its predecessor. This shoujo is full of drama, comedy, romance, supernatural mysteries and inspirational moments. You'll definitely need a kleenex box when watch this one.

Kamisama Kiss:

One day high school student Nanami Momozono finds herself abandoned by her father, penniless and homeless. After she saves a mysterious man in the park, he offers to help her by giving his home to her. She soon discovers that this gift home is really a rundown shrine and she has magically become local land god. Now, she must learn to juggle her school life and her new position as a land god. Luckily for her, a reluctant fox familiar named Tomoe comes with the shine and has to give her assistance with it all.

This classic is part shoujo comedy and part supernatural adventure. I definitely recommend this in the English dub if for no other reason than to enjoy J. Michael Tatum's voice work as Tomoe.

The Morose Mononokean:

Hanae Ashiya spends his first week of high school with a mystery illness that has left him feeling increasingly weak. He eventually discovers that the cause of his illness is a large fluffy creature that has attached itself to his back. When Hanae comes across a flyer advertising an exorcist who expels youkai, he decides that exorcism might be just the thing to remove the creature. The flyer leads him to the Mononokean and a magical tea room which suddenly appears. The Mononokean turns out to be a fellow classmate, Haruitsuki Abeno, who reluctantly helps Hanae but, demands that Hanae work as his assistant to repay him for the exorcism. Now, Hanae spends his free time working to learn about yokai spirits and how to best help the yokai that live in the mundane world.

This supernatural comedy is just fun to watch, with enough drama to keep you interested. It really has that classic Saturday morning anime adventure feel but, for a slightly older audience.

The Devil is a Part-Timer:

Just as Demon Lord Satan, a.k.a the Devil has nearly conquered the world of Ente Isla and destroyed his enemies, a hero named Emilia corners him and forces him and his top general to escape through a portal to modern day Earth. Emilia, of course, follows him determined to finally defeat the Devil. But now they all find themselves on Earth with no powers, they must discover how to survive even if that means the Devil must get a part-time job at Mc Ronald's just to pay the rent.

What can I say about this show... It starts out with an almost stereotypical supernatural action/adventure anime feel only to turn into a comedic slice of life with a little romance and the ocational fight sequence thrown in. This show is one of the best examples of how versatile anime can be and a great way to get a little taste of a lot of genres.

Death Note:

High school student Light Yagami stumbles upon a supernatural notebook that allows its owner to kill by simply writing someone's name down. Light soon sees the death notebook as a way to reform society's ills by killing criminals and undesirables to create world without crime. Once the police discover that a mysterious serial killer is targeting criminals, they bring in the worlds greatest detective, L, to find and capture this serial killer. This begins a epic battle of witts between Light and L.

This classic anime is a lot darker than anything else on the list but, it's definitely worth mentioning. It was one of the earlier animes I watched and I'm still a fan to this day. It falls mostly into the categories of thriller, supernatural, mystery, horror and crime drama. It is also another one that I'd strongly recommend the English dub over the subbed version. So, if you want to take little walk on the anime dark side, this is a good place to start.

Yuri On Ice:

After a disastrous performance and coming in last place at the Grand Prix, ice skater Yuri Katsuki is thinking about retiring. That is until his skating idol and living legend Victor Nikiforov shows up to his home offering to be his coach. Now, with Victor's help Yuri works to rebuild his career and fight his way to a gold medal at the Grand Prix Final.

Yuri On Ice is my all time favorite anime so, of course it's going to make the list. So much about the struggles and perseverance of the characters in this sports anime is inspiring. Then, when you add in a little romance, flashy skating routines to a great original soundtrack and the drama of competition, everything about this show gets a gold medal.

Free!-Iwatobi Swim Club:

Haruka Nanase has always had a strong connection to the water and a passion for swimming. As he starts high school, Haruka is reunited with childhood friends from a youth swim team, Nagisa Hazuki and Makoto Tachibana. The three decide to start a school swim team. Now, they must recruit a fourth member and train to be able compete in their first swim meet. Watch to see these guys bond as a team and friends and as they pursue their goal to compete at Nationals.

There are a lot of great sports anime out there but, this one is a good one to start with. Free! exemplifies so many standard tropes within this genre and does in an engaging way with an easy to understand sport. There are multiple seasons and movies for this series but, the first season, Free! -Iwatobi Swim Club, is satisfying enough as a stand alone.

My Roommate is a Cat:

Subaru Mikazuki, an introvert writer with social anxiety, adopts a stray cat after a chance encounter. Together they both learn they are not as alone as each of them believed.

This slice of life anime is sooooo relatable, cute and funny. If you're looking for something that's low key and will make you feel all warm inside, than this is the show you should start with.

Here are some honorable mention animes to also consider: Toradora, ReLife, Princess Jellyfish (I just love this show and think everyone should watch it), Black Butler (if you're willing to sort out the correct viewing order it can be worth it), the classic Avatar: The Last Airbender (yeah, yeah, yeah is it anime or isn't, doesn't matter it's a great gateway) and Kakuriyo- Bed and Breakfast for Spirits

So here are some of my top favorite anime for beginners recommendations. A nice mix of classic standards and a few newer shows that really show off specific genres. These are just my opinions, I'm sure there are many other animes that should probably make this list. As always, if anyone wants to add to this list or make some different suggestions please feel welcome to add your own favorites in the comments or as a reblog. Thank you Nonny for the ask and I hope you find this list helpful.

[somegirlsnerdywords2]

Anime i’ve Watched

That begin with a C!

Yep this is how i’m going to bring over all the anime and manga i’ve watched and posted about on the old blog. It’s not so detailed but it will have to do. Anything new I watch or read from this point on will have their own posts.

Cardcaptor Sakura:

Genres: adventure, comedy, drama, magic, romance, fantasy, school, shoujo

Synopsis:  Sakura Kinomoto is your garden-variety ten-year-old fourth grader, until one day, she stumbles upon a mysterious book containing a set of cards. Unfortunately, she has little time to divine what the cards mean because she accidentally stirs up a magical gust of wind and unintentionally scatters the cards all over the world. Suddenly awakened from the book, the Beast of the Seal, Keroberos (nicknamed Kero-chan), tells Sakura that she has released the mystical Clow Cards created by the sorcerer Clow Reed. The Cards are no ordinary playthings. Each of them possesses incredible powers, and because they like acting independently, Clow sealed all the Cards within a book. Now that the Cards are set free, they pose a grave danger upon the world, and it is up to Sakura to prevent the Cards from causing a catastrophe! Appointing Sakura the title of "the Cardcaptor" and granting her the Sealed Key, Keroberos tasks her with finding and recapturing all the Cards. Alongside her best friend Tomoyo Daidouji, and with Kero-chan's guidance, Sakura must learn to balance her new secret duty with the everyday troubles of a young girl involving love, family, and school, all while she takes flight on her magical adventures as Sakura the Cardcaptor. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

My Rating: 8/10

Finished airing in 2000 with a total of 70 episodes. 

My Thoughts: A childhood classic that’s probably due for a rewatch! Give me that nostalgia! Gonna need to watch the English opening though. Just recalling how much the artwork in older anime tends to make me cringe though looking back Cardcaptor doesn’t look all that bad. 

Charlotte:

Genres: drama, school, superpower

Synopsis: While on the surface Yuu Otosaka appears to be just another charming and intelligent teenager, he has a secret—he has the ability to slip into people's minds and fully control their body for five seconds at a time. Yuu has been using this skill for years to gain the highest grades, which allowed him to enter a prestigious high school. When the enigmatic Nao Tomori catches Yuu using his power, she coerces him and his sister Ayumi into transferring to Hoshinoumi Academy, a school for students with supernatural abilities. The student council of the school, led by Nao, is tasked with secretly tracking down adolescents who abuse their powers. Yuu is forced to join the student council and together, they face formidable challenges that bring him closer to the shocking truth that his own, seemingly incomplete ability, might be more powerful than he could have ever imagined. An original story from Jun Maeda, creator of Angel Beats and Clannad, Charlotte explores the supernatural lives of these teenagers and the price they must pay for being special. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

My Rating: 9/10

Finished airing in 2015 with a total of 13 episodes. Also has a separate solo special episode. 

My Thoughts: If I remember correctly the final few episodes are what really stood out to me in this anime. The beginning was alright but just after the half way mark is when it really blew me away. A slow starter if you will. I’m a sucker for some high intensity emotional drama and i’m pretty sure that’s what happened here. Whether that makes this a good anime or not is debatable. Perhaps a rewatch is in order?

Cheer Danshi!! (Cheer Boys!!):

Genres: sports, drama, school

Synopsis: After suffering from a shoulder injury, shy first-year university student Haruki Bandou gladly takes the opportunity to give up judo, failing to find happiness in the sport regardless of his family owning a dojo. He did not expect, however, that his best friend Kazuma Hashimoto would also decide to leave their university's judo club at the same time as him. Despite Haruki's protests, Kazuma already has plans for a new and revolutionary activity: a cheerleading team made up of only men. Although heavily reluctant, Haruki ends up helping his friend set up the team. Through sheer determination, and with support from their newfound club members, Haruki and Kazuma persist in founding the Breakers, the first ever all-male cheerleading team of Meishiin University, slowly making history in spite of the feminine tag attached to the sport of cheerleading and the prejudices, physical challenges, and self-doubts that inevitably follow. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

My Rating: 6/10

Finished airing in 2016 with a total of 12 episodes. 

My Thoughts: Cheer boys! That’s it. That’s all there really is to it. Not a great or memorable anime. Just wasn’t for me. 

Chihayafuru:

Genres: drama, game, josei, school, slice of life, sports

Synopsis:  Chihaya Ayase, a strong-willed and tomboyish girl, grows up under the shadow of her older sister. With no dreams of her own, she is contented with her share in life till she meets Arata Wataya. The quiet transfer student in her elementary class introduces her to competitive karuta, a physically and mentally demanding card game inspired by the classic Japanese anthology of Hundred Poets. Captivated by Arata's passion for the game and inspired by the possibility of becoming the best in Japan, Chihaya quickly falls in love with the world of karuta. Along with the prodigy Arata and her haughty but hard-working friend Taichi Mashima, she joins the local Shiranami Society. The trio spends their idyllic childhood days playing together, until circumstances split them up. Now in high school, Chihaya has grown into a karuta freak. She aims to establish the Municipal Mizusawa High Competitive Karuta Club, setting her sights on the national championship at Omi Jingu. Reunited with the now indifferent Taichi, Chihaya's dream of establishing a karuta team is only one step away from becoming true: she must bring together members with a passion for the game that matches her own. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

My Rating: 9.5/10

Finished airing in 2012 with a total of 25 episodes. 

My Thoughts: I freaking love Chihayafuru. Sports, friendship and all that good stuff is what this anime has to offer! One of my top 5 series of all time with my all time favourite female lead. Highly recommend! 

Chihayafuru 2:

Genres: drama, game, josei, school, slice of life, sports

Synopsis: Chihaya Ayase is obsessed with developing her school's competitive karuta club, nursing daunting ambitions like winning the national team championship at the Omi Jingu and becoming the Queen, the best female karuta player in Japan—and in extension, the world. As their second year of high school rolls around, Chihaya and her fellow teammates must recruit new members, train their minds and bodies alike, and battle the formidable opponents that stand in their way to the championship title. Meanwhile, Chihaya's childhood friend, Arata Wataya, the prodigy who introduced her to karuta, rediscovers his lost love for the old card game. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

My Rating: 10/10

Finished airing in 2013 with a total of 25 episodes. 

My Thoughts: The good times keep on rolling and i’m even more in love with the series and its characters! An obvious must watch for fans of the previous season. 

Chihayafuru 3:

Genres: games, slice of life, josei, school, sports

Synopsis: Winning the high school team tournament was a great accomplishment for the Mizusawa members. Each of them has made great strides in improving themselves, and the victory symbolizes how far they've come. But after accomplishing one goal, their individual aims are within reach. Chihaya Ayase has her sights set on Wakamiya Shinobu and the title of Queen, and now that Taichi Mashima has made it into Class A, he can finally compete against Arata Wataya. Everyone in Mizusawa wants to get better, and there's no telling what the future holds if they keep trying. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

My Rating: 9/10

Finished airing in 2020 with a total of 24 episodes.

My Thoughts: Blessed with a third season and I can honestly say that i’m ever so thankful! Finally getting a little hint of romance with this third season as well. I can only hope there will be a season 4! 

Chio-chan no Tsuugakuro (Chio's School Road):

Genres: comedy, seinen

Synopsis: For the average Japanese high school student, walking to school can be a chore, but for first-year Chio Miyamo, it's always an adventure. Constantly running late due to her long night sessions playing video games, she is forced to come up with new routes to make it to Samejima Private Academy on time. On her many bizarre journeys to school, Chio contends with obstacles like street-blocking detours, overzealous kabaddi players, and befuddled motorcycle gang leaders. But these minor hindrances are no match for the special ops training that Chio, AKA the legendary assassin "Bloody Butterfly," has received from her extensive gaming obsession. Together with her best friends Manana Nonomura and Yuki Hosokawa, Chio will do whatever it takes to avoid her school's harsh penalties for tardiness. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

My Rating: 9/10

Finished airing in 2018 with a total of 12 episodes. 

My Thoughts: A perfect and hilarious situational comedy. Plus a glasses wearing female lead to boot! Highly recommend for those looking to watch something short and light. Great series for when you’re having a bad or off day in my opinion. 

Chobits:

Genres: sci-fi, comedy, drama, romance, ecchi, seinen

Synopsis: When computers start to look like humans, can love remain the same? Hideki Motosuwa is a young country boy who is studying hard to get into college. Coming from a poor background, he can barely afford the expenses, let alone the newest fad: Persocoms, personal computers that look exactly like human beings. One evening while walking home, he finds an abandoned Persocom. After taking her home and managing to activate her, she seems to be defective, as she can only say one word, "Chii," which eventually becomes her name. Unlike other Persocoms, however, Chii cannot download information onto her hard drive, so Hideki decides to teach her about the world the old-fashioned way, while studying for his college entrance exams at the same time. Along with his friends, Hideki tries to unravel the mystery of Chii, who may be a "Chobit," an urban legend about special units that have real human emotions and thoughts, and love toward their owner. But can romance flourish between a Persocom and a human? [Written by MAL Rewrite]

My Rating: 10/10

Finished airing in 2002 with a total of 26 episodes. 

My Thoughts: One of my first animes and one that really caught and kept my attention. Character driven and comedic with a bit of a darker twist. Be forewarned though this one has some typical, eye roll inducing pervy scenes that seem to serve little purpose. Asid from that though it really is an interesting and beautiful stoyr. I actually have the complete manga series and have been meaning to read it for ages... maybe i’ll get around to it this summer. Dream big!

[soranihimawari]

No Risk, No Reward

taglist: @kaidasen

Side notes: part 3 of this tale and well i hope you like some cafe banter and maybe some calculus problems. this was my favorite conversation(s) to write between muda, akaashi, and bokuto, lol.

next >>

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ℙ𝕒𝕣𝕥 𝟛:

18:17

To: ┌( ಠ_ಠ)┘blessed_setter keiji┌( ಠ_ಠ)┘

Frm: ಥ⌣ಥmiserablerage_muda ಥ⌣ಥ

Waiting on you guys to show up and I texted Bo-kun. He said you weren’t coming? What the hell Akaashi? It’s not my turn to babysit him

18:38

To: ಥ⌣ಥmiserablerage_muda ಥ⌣ಥ

From: ┌( ಠ_ಠ)┘blessed_setter keiji┌( ಠ_ಠ)┘

Listen, Bokuto literally begged me to have you tutor him (last minute mind you because I knew you were home right now), Hotaru-san [1/2]

We were in a practice match and he just freakin’ blurted it out of left field after  he was called out by our coach for his low grade in the trigonometry quiz this week. Then he went into his “dejected-emo mode,” and to make matters worse, he heard from Kaori-senpai archery club is going to be disbanded by the student council. He got all worked up and every time he kept missing the tosses Shuichi was giving him. Bokuto means well, and he’s a big dumbass because he doesn’t know how to properly act around you. 

TLDR: just lecture Bokuto about sin cos and tan today. 

18:40

To: ┌( ಠ_ಠ)┘blessed_setter keiji┌( ಠ_ಠ)┘

Frm: ಥ⌣ಥmiserablerage_muda ಥ⌣ಥ

…? Bokuto’s always been the kind one Keiji-san. Did Bo-kun actually catch feelings for me? Or are you just being snarky with that? 

18:41

To: ┌( ಠ_ಠ)┘blessed_setter keiji┌( ಠ_ಠ)┘

Frm: ಥ⌣ಥmiserablerage_muda ಥ⌣ಥ

ISTG AKAASHI-BOKE! YOU BETTER OPEN THIS WHEN YOU GET HOME! >..< 

                                                   After reading Akaashi’s essay of a text, I propped open my thermos and began drinking the warm tea in hopes of hiding my grin. Oh no, is Bokuto starting to catch feelings for me? Oh crap! I thought. This can’t be happening, bonk that noise. Let’s do some calculus homework!  

I nodded my head back and forth like an Etch & Sketch. I then took out my notebook and calculus textbook in order to prep my mindset for trigonometry tutorials. 

Once I got into my studious rhythm, I had thoroughly solved two limit equations where one answer yielded “the limit does not exist,” and the other was just a graph of a function, f(x) = x3 − 3x + 2.

I saw a hand reach out for my parfait and I smacked it away.

“Oww,” Bokuto yelped. “I was just going to taste one spoonful Hotaru-chan!”

“You’re late Bokuto,” I mused. “So no parfait for you!” 

I picked up my spoon and took another portion into my mouth. The blueberry tartness made my facial muscles contract into a slight pout. I was humming along to the cafe playlist absentmindedly when Bokuto pulled out the chair across from me and sat down. We sat in silence for a few minutes as I let him settle down post-volleyball practice. He took out his notebook and without even thinking, he leaned into my personal space bubble. I had to lower my gaze away from his because I had one final equation to complete before I could devote some time to a proper tutoring session.  

“Are you going to be ok Hotaru?” 

“Yeah, why do you ask Bo-kun?”

“...,” he paused for a moment before continuing; his silver hair was being swayed by the air vent on top of our table. I smiled gently because I know Bokuto usually has trouble with trying to say many thoughts at once but he does have a particular sweet tooth (i.e. he loves lemon ice pops on a spring morning; appreciates me coming to all the volleyball matches especially if Nekoma’s captain is involved (and the fact that he kept the friendship owl-origami Akaashi and I made for him on his birthday last year). He had a hard time communicating properly, but his body language telegraphed to me that what Akaashi’s text said was true. 

“If this is about the archery club being dissolved by our student council, then don’t worry ab-”

“I do worry about you because you’re the coolest captain our school’s ever had!” 

“Coming from the captain of the volleyball club that sounds more like an insult.”

“You don’t mean that, right?” His eyes were darting all over the place and suddenly, I wished I hadn’t said that aloud.

“Bokuto, of course I don’t mean that, but have you or Akaashi ever come to any of my tournament matches?” I closed my calculus textbook after I had copied the last problem in pencil in my notebook.

“No, we haven’t. It’s not like we can pick and choose when our matches are either.”

There was a silent rage building in the back of my mind and maybe now wasn’t the time nor the place to say this to my friend, but he needed the reality check since he’s the ace.

“Kotaro, please hear me out as a fellow captain first then as your friend second.”

I closed my notebook and stuck the spoon inside my parfait glass; I pushed the dessert toward his side of the table and he began to pick at the whipped lemon-zest flavored cream.

“OK, Hotaru. I’ll listen, but man! This whipped cream is amazingly refreshing!” 

I chuckled at his childlike wonder when it came to beautiful and photogenic desserts. Wait a second, has Bokuto always seemed this handsome in the evening sky? Oh, oh no. I thought. I shook my head in order to tuck those nsfw thoughts away in the back of my mind. I took in a deep breath and on my exhale, I started to stare into the space behind his head where the window to the outside public was. 

“I’m the only member of the archery club left in Fukurodani, Bokuto. All my third year senpais graduated in our second year. You and Akaashi were always so busy and dedicated to your own club that you even got to be in the top five aces of Japan. I’ve been to every single match I could because I was able to finish my practices early enough to catch some of the highlights on the evening news.

“You never asked me once when my tournaments were or what the awards ceremonies were like. Akaashi is equally as guilty because you’re always together with the club or hanging out with other teammates during away training camps.” 

“Well, those were trips arranged by our coach and managers, but that can’t be helped. Are you angry at me? What did I do wrong?”

“Ko, please listen to me first and you didn’t do anything wrong. I can’t stay mad you (or Akaashi) forever, but I need to say this so you can understand what is making my voice sound bitter.”

He folded his arms over the table and leaned forward almost as if he wanted to receive some sort of praise but with his stare being more obvious now, I had lost my train of thought.

Bokuto is many things to the outside world (loud, kind, ace, etc), but for right now, I needed to level with him as a captain and set aside our mutual friendship for once. When this conversation would cease, would he still want to give it his all on his court? Will my emotions cause me to lose my sense of pride as an archer or worse, his and Akaashi’s camaraderie?

“The student council told me that when the inter-high games start up again for volleyball, I was given a month left to clear out and organize the archery club belongings. My mornings are spent alone on the target fields, Kotaru. I set up and clear out an hour before classes begin because I know the other sports teams need the space. 

After my meeting today,  Kaori and Yukie saw me sauntering off into the faculty office to let our maths-sensei know what had occurred minutes prior. That’s why Kaori asked Akaashi about me and when I heard you were having a rough day too, Akaashi told me you were going to meet here like we always did for our tutoring sessions.”

I closed my spiral notebook with a solemn face. Bokuto, who is usually brash and fearless was eerily quieter since his voice was softer than normal when he spoke to me.

“I didn’t know you practiced alone in the mornings, if I did, then maybe I would have texted Shuichi or Akaashi to help you. Hell, even if I would have woken up too.”

I reached out to place a hand on his right shoulder to show I had appreciated the gesture, but I pushed my calloused fingertips on to the knots that were forming there. Being an ace is tough work, but being an archer has left my hands “unpretty” with calloused fingertips. 

“Did you or Akaashi know that I’m in the top three inter-high archers for our prefecture? Did you know that I have fired nearly three hundred arrows since we gained club captain status?” I inquired. “That’s almost the same amount as spike tosses Akaashi practices with you in like the last four years alone.”

I felt the sting of my own angry tears glaze over and even if Bokuto was maybe three hours overdue for another deject-mode, he got all mopey again because I invaded his personal space bubble without meaning to. He was able to relax a little bit while the tensed knots loosened; I noticed he was looking at my right hand because it was swiftly tucking away pens into my messenger bag pocket. I released my firm grip off his shoulder when he reached out to hold my hand in his. 

If this were a shojo romance, maybe this would have been an amazing meet-cute idea to introduce the main couple. However, Nanase Ohkawa did not write my life with the parliament of owls, although Cardcaptor Sakura was the only magical girl manga I truly loved. I actually was more interested in reading more horror manga at this point in my life since I was a fan of early 1930-1950s monster films (cira the Twilight Zone reruns on YouTube) nowadays anyway.

“Your hands are rough,” Bokuto stated in an empathetic tone.  “They’re pretty though. I like how they feel calloused from your bow. Do you want me to hold your hand?”

Smooth as hell, this one, but thick headed when it came to trigonometry, I thought. I shrugged my shoulder and extended my other hand to him.

“I have two hands, Bokuto,” I said. His laughter shook through his entire body. Two of us can be as sweet as we wanted because we were too stubborn to admit that maybe, just maybe, we might actually like each other in the same way as when someone hands you a warm cup of hot chocolate on new years’ eve. 

“Can I walk you home like this?” Bokuto raised our linked hands.

“Of course, but first, I need you to tell me what the difference is between sin, cos, and tan.”