#citrons tea time

[fidjiefidjie]

Tea time ! 🍵 🍪🎄

Gif Chez Anna

[good-chimes]

In honor of Life series four, Life Series Bake Off AU

NEW SERIES LAUNCHES:

Nation charmed by fresh crop of 12 amateur bakers including intensely competitive student GRIAN, ambitious cake artists BDUBS and SCAR, scientific bread experts TANGO and IMPULSE, and ETHO who has no discernible social media presence and, rumor has it, doesn’t officially exist. Married couple JOEL and LIZZIE raise eyebrows—will they be able to compete against each other?—but this is settled when Lizzie immediately announces she would murder Joel in real life to win and has bought the kitchen knife set for it, and Joel lovingly declares he keeps an axe under his pillow in case this happens.

The judges as usual are renowned cake chef PEARL, bread expert MUMBO, and our two inimitable presenters: BIGB, beloved by the nation for his gentle reassurances of weeping contestants, and MARTYN whose main contribution is his trademark eyebrow waggles as we find out from the judges who’s in trouble this week.

TART WEEK (1)

Tart week gets off to a strong start, with contestant REN charming both the judges and Martyn with his exquisite tarte au citron and his total inability to let a double-entendre go to waste (‘I’m just a tart triumph all over’ he proclaims, to Martyn’s immediate delighted riposte ‘Mm, but what do you do on the weekends?’). Law student JIMMY is not so lucky when a misreading of the recipe leads to ten times the correct amount of butter and a catastrophic oven meltdown. Star baker goes to early favorite BDUBS for an exquisite three-tier tart showstopper.

Week one elimination is, of course, the hapless Jimmy, and the recaps are united on two fronts: it's always nice to see someone on the show who reminds you of your own midnight experiments, but holy shit Jimmy, did it not give you a clue when the melted butter started pouring out of the oven like you’d stabbed the spirit of margarine to death in there. Jimmy's butter meltdown becomes a meme and he sells T-shirts; Joel immediately posts a picture wearing one.

CAKE WEEK (2)

Week two brings cake week and an impressive performance from SCAR, who embarks on a showstopper Baked Alaska in the shape of a snow-covered mountain. Tranquil in the face of GRIAN’S constant disparaging comments about his whisking technique and browned meringue, Scar perseveres and is crowned star baker for the week, while Twitter immediately declares Grian the villain of the season. A contingent of viewers theorising ‘could this be flirting’ are swiftly shouted down on social media and retreat to a dedicated subthread on a cookery forum.

Last week’s star baker BDUBS seems distracted by his new-found friendships with the quiet ETHO, who spends hours on the surprisingly unambitious Victoria Sponge. A conspiracy theory emerges that Etho invented the Victoria Sponge, refuted by weak counterarguments like “cannot possibly be true” and “he would have to be several hundred years old.” Meanwhile the nation is won over by JOEL and LIZZIE’S chemistry as they trade quips and spatulas, unfortunately Joel is eliminated after a jam mishap, at which he declares “at least I went out after Jimmy.”

TEA-TIME WEEK (3)

Tea-time week brings florentines and shortbread, but it’s a sad week for love as REN is out after his overambitious scones fail to impress. “I’m heartbroken,” Martyn announces, and cannot be consoled even by Scott’s superb showstopper petite-fours. Ren was a good sport to the end, everyone agrees. Ren spotted at a Covent Garden coffee shop with Martyn three weeks later.

HALLOWEEN WEEK (4)

The mood is jovial for Halloween week, with judge MUMBO in fake vampire fangs while ETHO bakes cookies in the form of anatomically correct skulls. LIZZIE starts off with adorable witch-hat cupcakes in little witch hats, then spends the rest of the episode precisely and effortlessly crafting a blood red mirror glazed sachertorte which the presenters refuse to look at because it “makes them uncomfortable”, and is subsequently awarded star baker for the most genuine aura of threat ever achieved by a cake.

Meanwhile GRIAN and SCAR continue to genially snipe at each other throughout. TANGO asks BDUBS to turn his oven off at a crucial moment; unfortunately Bdubs forgets and then blames Tango for relying on him, leading to the charred mess of Tango’s showstopper and a social media uproar dubbed “OvenGate”. Bdubs alternately sorrowful and dramatically dismissive. This cruel betrayal knocks Tango out of the tent; a public petition is started for his reinstatement.

WEDDING WEEK (5)

Puppet theater designer CLEO has her star turn in wedding week with ranks of beautiful marzipan figurines on all her bakes. An intense rivalry develops between her and wedding-enthusiast BDUBS, who declares his magnificent fondant confection a dry run for his impending marriage to ETHO, a stranger he met ten days ago. When asked by presenters how much of this is a joke, Etho laughs and says “I guess?”, which leaves the nation none the wiser. Unfortunately IMPULSE’S canapes are considered uninspired and he is uninvited from both the wedding reception and the series.

BREAD WEEK (6)

The feared bread week comes around and all the artistic cake-makers wobble badly. SCAR and GRIAN just scrape through, but CLEO’S triumph last week turns to tragedy despite the trouble she has gone to to model a realistic centaur out of sourdough. Bdubs makes an impromptu speech to camera about how she was robbed but he intends to triumph in her honor.

MEDIEVAL WEEK (7)

The experimental medieval week takes the bakers on an outdoor camping trip where they will attempt to build their own stoves and use them to replicate historical bread techniques. BDUBS’S enthusiasm for this and his drive to impress ETHO turn out to be his downfall as, distracted, he builds a stove that bleeds heat and fails to brown his bread. Etho meanwhile excels at both the survival and breadmaking aspects, leading to a divide on Twitter on whether this level of competence is hot or just very concerning, potentially the cake equivalent of a serial killer. The Victoria Sponge theory is raised again. Etho alleviates some concerns by getting lost three times in an open field over the course of the episode, which loses him enough baking time that dark horse SCOTT pips him to the post of star baker.

WINTER WARMTH WEEK (8)

Week eight arrives and five bakers remain: LIZZIE and SCOTT are known to be good all-rounders, ETHO is the reigning technical expert, SCAR remains the favorite on the cakes side, and GRIAN is mainly known for his habit of constantly sneaking spoonfuls of Scar’s cake mix so he can mock the taste. Social media opinion is divided into “Grian is a good baker actually”, “Grian is only still in because of executive meddling”, and the small but determined contingent of “no guys we really think they’re flirting??” who have emerged from their cookery subthread unbowed and with compilations of video evidence.

The set gets cozy with winter warmth week. Brandy-based showstoppers are the order of the day, and LIZZIE wins the episode by crafting a biscuit unicorn with a mane you can set on fire. ETHO invents an intricate brandy plumbing system to shoot flaming alcohol above his plum pudding—this attempt is in fact a good deal too successful and instead sets MARTYN’S hair on fire. GRIAN comes to his aid but ends up adding more brandy. Judge PEARL extinguishes the flames with a bowl of cinnamon milk. The judges are clearly not feeling merciful when it comes to the scores and Etho’s run comes to a premature end.

DOUBLES WEEK (9)

Some old favorites return for doubles week, where each of the remaining four bakers is helped out by an eliminated contestant on the other end of the phone. GRIAN for once assesses the limits of his own talents and asks to pair up with ETHO, a plan that immediately pays off when the contestants are challenged with a tricky technical that sees them baking the perfect pumpernickel bread. SCAR, having asked to pair up with BDUBS, is quickly underwater as neither of them understand yeast.

Scar’s floundering proves too much for Grian, who belligerently passes along his pumpernickel tips from Etho, saving Scar’s technical enough for him to scrape through. When challenged by Martyn, Grian grudgingly admits, “I just want Scar to stay in, okay?” Some recaps clear him of his villain status; others are still convinced it’s a fluke.

Meanwhile SCOTT turns in an efficient technical with help from CLEO and also JIMMY, who is apparently sitting in Cleo’s living room just to heckle Scott. LIZZIE calls on husband JOEL, but a combination of overconfidence and flirting distracts them both, leading to a burnt crust and Lizzie’s elimination from the final four.

MERINGUE WEEK (Final Episode)

In the finale, SCOTT, SCAR, and GRIAN face off over a series of escalating meringue-based challenges. Whatever alliance sprung up between Grian and Scar in the last episode is clearly water under the bridge as the two of them obsessively steal each other’s ingredients and annoy each other into trivial mistakes. This escalates into a noisy quarrel over the main challenge of the week: an edible diorama of a cactus ring. Scar’s attempts to ‘aesthetically correct’ Grian’s mountain diorama leads to Grian melting his sugar-spun cacti with a crème brulée torch.

The two are no longer speaking by the showstopper, where Grian embarks on a desperate attempt to make up points with an ambitious trifle in a castle-shaped wall of macarons while Scar builds his own grand macaron diorama. The clock ticks down. Scott is creating an impeccable strawberry pavlova. The trifle is going badly. Grian is covered in sugar and regret. BigB pats him reassuringly on the shoulder.

At the last moment, Scar sacrifices half his perfect macarons to donate to Grian’s diorama. Grian, for once lost for words, grabs his apron and kisses him right in front of Martyn’s swiftly-derailed countdown. “Grian had a beautiful artistic vision,” Scar says sentimentally afterwards. “You have to respect the craft!” They snog behind the tasting table. Mumbo gamely attempts to award points. Pearl in a laughing fit behind the cameras. Martyn and BigB solemnly wrap up the shot with Martyn’s best cake-based innuendoes. Grian and Scar do not notice.

Scott wins the series. He got so many more points on the cactus ring technical.

[pefkaes]

10.02.2024 // not exactly a study post but a day of pottery, bookshops and some delicious ramyun with korean citron tea.

The first time I tried my hand at pottery; I went for a 90 minutes one-off pottery session and the result was three pieces (obviously with a lot of support from the instructor, whose hands are visible in the first photo). It's something I had wanted to try out for a long time and I'm so happy that I got to do it. I hope to return to it when I have time and money.

{of course, I ended up buying more books even though I had promised myself that I won't.}

[the-himawari]

A3! Outing Event Translation - You're my first and last love. (11/11 Epilogue)

*Please read disclaimer on blog

---

Today's Princess

*knock, knock*  

Izumi: …N-Nghh. What time is it right now…  

???: It is morning. Please wake up.  

Izumi: Morning…? (Whew, I slept like a log after the event ended. Come to think of it, I feel like I’ve heard those words somewhere before…)

*door opens*  

Troupe members: Good morning.  

Guy: Were you having a pleasant dream?  

Izumi: Huh!? Ah, yes… um, what…?  

Chikage: My, my. It still looks like you just woke up. Perhaps you should wash your face first?  

Izumi: Ah, right… wait, that’s not the point—.  

Kumon: The weather’s great today, so it’s a great day to go out and play catch! You’ll join me, right?  

Azami: Who would play catch first thing after wakin' up? Ahem… err, would you like rice or bread for breakfast this morning?  

Izumi: U-Uh… I’ll go with bread then.  

Azami: Comin’ right up.  

*leaves*

Izumi: (I’ve had this conversation before…! Which means this is—.)

*knock, knock*

*door opens*  

Summer troupe: Rise and shine.  

Izumi: G-Good morning…!  

Kazunari: Excuse me. Please allow us to help you get ready.  

Yuki: Heh, you’ve got some adorable bedhead. I’ll brush your hair for you, so come over here.  

Misumi: How about this outfit for today? I’ve prepared some trendy triangle patterns.  

Muku: I’ll hang the clothes you’re going to wear on the hanger. Is there anything else you need?  

Izumi: I-I’m good.  

Tenma: Alright, please call us once you’re finished changing.  

Izumi: O-Okay… (Yep, I remember this too…!)  

-pause-  

Sakuya: I see you’re done getting ready. Now then, we’ll guide you to the dining room.  

Itaru: You look wonderful in your outfit.  

Tsuzuru: Right… you look very beautiful.  

Izumi: Thank you? By the way, is this…  

Citron: Please come over here.  

Tsuzuru: Breakfast is ready.  

-pause-  

Sakyo: Thank you for waiting, my lady. Please give me your hand.  

Izumi: !  

Juza: Here’s your seat. …Go ahead.  

Taichi: Today’s breakfast is the chef’s special eggs benedict!  

Omi: As sides, I’ve prepared pickled bell peppers and mushroom potage.  

Izumi: Woah, it looks delicious. What a fancy breakfast…!  

Banri: And we’ve got seasonal fruits over here. I also prepared some jelly—.  

Juza: …  

Banri: Dude. This ain’t for you, got it!  

Taichi: Hold it, hold it! It’s gonna get wrecked!  

Omi: I made some for everyone. We’ll have our share later.  

Sakyo: God, guys…  

Izumi: Ahaha!  

Azuma: What kind of tea would you like? Or would you rather have coffee?  

Izumi: I’m good with tea.  

Tsumugi: Darjeeling, earl grey… we have all of them on hand. We shall prepare whichever you like.  

Homare: Would you like some lemon or milk with that as well?  

Izumi: I’ll take lemon then…  

Tasuku: How about some nilgiri tea that pairs well with lemon?  

Izumi: Err… sure.  

Hisoka: I’ll prepare some special marshmallows that go with it too.  

Homare: We shall pour our hearts into making it. Please do wait a moment.  

Izumi: Thank you very much. Um hey, is all of this…  

Masumi: Today is your very own Princess Day.  

Izumi: Masumi-kun! Yeah, I thought that was what was happening. Why are you all doing Princess Day again though?  

Sakyo: He came up with the idea. He said we couldn’t repay you enough.  

Azami: I can’t believe Masumi-san asked everyone to help out.  

Izumi: Masumi-kun did?  

Masumi: …You said you like all of us, remember? I would’ve liked it to be just the two of us. But I thought you’d be happier receiving thanks from everyone… so I asked them.  

Izumi: Oh, I see. Thank you, Masumi-kun. It was a lot of work, wasn’t it?  

Masumi: Not at all.

Hisoka: Everyone responded immediately, saying it was for Director.  

Misumi: Yeah~! Hisoka responded super quickly too!  

Azuma: And you lent a hand too, Sakyo-kun?  

Sakyo: …Well, I gave him a hard time earlier. Besides, I agree with what he said. You’re helping out for the same reason, aren’t you?  

Azuma: Mhm…? You’re being quite accommodating.  

Sakyo: Oh, shush. …I haven’t lost to that brat yet.  

Azuma: My, my. How childish of you.  

Sakuta: I’m sure everyone feels the same way. We all want to convey our gratitude towards you, Director.  

Izumi: You guys…  

Sakyo: C’mon. There’s still somethin’ Usui has to do.  

Masumi: I was going to even if you didn’t tell me. …Now then, let’s head out, princess. We will take you anywhere you wish.  

Izumi: Fufu, thank you. In that case, where should I go…  

Itaru: Btw, senpai and I will be the ones driving.  

Chikage: That’s the way it is. That’s why we can’t let you two be alone together. No hard feelings, alright?  

Citron: That’s right! All of us are going to serve as Director’s escorts all day today! We won’t let Masumi screech you away!  

Tsuzuru: It’s sneak away!  

Masumi: …I’ll bear with it just for today. I know I can’t prepare a play or surprise by myself, and they wouldn’t make you happy.  

Izumi: Masumi-kun…  

Sakuya: Alright then, let’s decide where to go while we eat breakfast.  

Izumi: Yeah, good plan!  

Masumi: Tell me whatever you’d like. I’ll make all your wishes come true.

---

previous |

[jujumin-translates]

Sakuya Sakuma | [SSR] Mankai Crepe | A Crepe Bouquet

Citron: Good afternoon, Madam! You seem in a good blued today~!

Fukatsu: Ooh, I think you’re trying to say, “in a good mood”! You’re still as funny as ever Cito-chan.

Citron: Thank you!

Citron: By the way, Madam. What was it you wanted to talk to me about?

Fukatsu: Ah, right, right, I have an acquaintance who runs a crepe cart. They usually hire students to work, but…

Fukatsu: They’re having staffing issues because all those kids are going to be unavailable because of exams.

Citron: Oh, that sounds like a problem!

Fukatsu: That’s why they’re looking for people to help fill in for the time being.

Fukatsu: Hey, Cito-chan, do you know anyone who could help? You must have lots of friends and acquaintances, right?

Fukatsu: You’ll be paid for it, of course, and there’s a training period, so there’s no need to worry if you don’t have experience.

Citron: If you are the one asking me to do it, I must accept, Madam! I will talk to everyone at the dorms about it first.

Fukatsu: Thank you so much! By the way, the shop name is--.

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Sakuya: Ah, Citron-san!

Citron: Oh, Sakuya! I thought you were working until this evening.

Sakuya: It was pretty calm around the shop, so we closed up at lunch. That’s been happening a lot lately.

Sakuya: Where have you been, Citron-san?

Citron: Having tea with one of the madams I know! She was asking for some help.

Sakuya: Oh, really? I hope she can get that help soon…

Citron: I need to talk to everyone else about helping! I want to talk to you and the others when we get back.

Sakuya: Got it!

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Kazunari: Mh~, this pear crepe is supes tasty and good! The line in front of the cart was like, crazy long, but it was totes worth it~!

Banri: I usually just get stuff from the regular cafe, but this sweet potato chai latte is real good and spiced too.

Izumi: Wow, they all sound so good. I’ll have to go sometime.

Sakuya: We’re home.

Citron: We are home!

Izumi: Welcome back.

Sakuya: Waah, those crepes look really good!

Kazunari: They are! I swung by a crepe shop on my way home from uni and got ‘em~.

Kazunari: There was this super cute, inste-able cart and they all looked supes good! There was major hype around that place!

Sakuya: Now I kinda wanna go there too…!

Kazunari: BTDubs, the shop’s name is “Epoch de Crepe”--.

Citron: Aha! That is exactly the shop!

Izumi: Huh?

Banri: What is it?

Citron: I need to talk to you about that crepe shop!

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Kazunari: I getcha~, so that’s why there was a poster on the side of the cart looking for part-time workers.

Izumi: From what I’ve heard, that place is pretty popular, so being short-staffed is a big problem. I’d love to help out myself, but… could you guys do it?

Citron: It was one of the madams’ requests, so of course I will!

Citron: But I heard that they need around three people to help, so I am not enough.

Sakuya: Well then, let me help too!

Sakuya: My part-time jobs haven’t been very busy lately, so I think I should be able to do it.

Citron: Thank you, Sakuya. That will be much help!

Banri: That said, can you guys really help out at a crepe shop?

Citron: You can count on us! I will be able to handle anyone in line!

Sakuya: I do customer service and cashiering at some of my regular part-time jobs, and I’m sure I'll be able to adjust my shifts, so I’ll be fine.

Banri: Nah, it ain’t just about the customer service part…

Citron: Anyway, two is not enough. So I must find someone else!

Kazunari: Ah, wait a sec, RonRon!

Kazunari: I think Setzer said earlier that he’s relatively free right now. So maybe he could help out…!?

Citron: It would be berry helpful if you came, Banri! I would like it if you joined us!

Banri: Well, whatever. You ain’t gotta worry anymore.

Izumi: Well then, I guess we’ve got our three!

Banri: Yep.

Sakuya: I’ll do my best!

Citron: Now that it is decided, let us do our best to bring in even more customers than the usual workers~!

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Citron: Hello! We are the people Fukatsu-san sent to help.

Sakuya: We’ll do our best!

Banri: What he said.

Shop Owner: I’ve been waiting on this, so I’m really thankful for the help! Let me start by explaining the schedule.

Shop Owner: I don’t think you’ll be able to make the crepes right away, so you’ll just be in a training period for a while--.

Citron: Eh?

Sakuya: Make?

Banri: Ugh… I told you we wouldn’t be able to do this.

· ❀ —– ٠ ❀ ٠ —– ❀ ·

Sakuya: …Alright, so, there’s a training period, but I wanna get good at baking the crepe batter as soon as possible.

Sakuya: So, that’s why I wanted to ask for your help with making the crepes, Omi-san. And also why I wanted your help with tasting them, Juza-kun…

Omi: I see. Well, how about we make them together then?

Juza: I’ll help as much as ya want if ya want me to.

Izumi: I can also help out!

Sakuya: Thank you so much, guys!

Sakuya: Anyway, I got this utensil for spreading the batter. They call it a rake.

Izumi: Wah, how professional!

Omi: Nice preparation. Well then, let me borrow that from you for a bit, Sakuya.

Sakuya: Yeah, of course!

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Omi: Hmm… it’s not quite up to the quality of something you’d sell, but how’s this for now?

Sakuya: It’s amazing! I never knew you could make something like that in such a short amount of time…!

Izumi: The thickness of the pastry is even and it’s at the level of something you’d find in a shop!

Omi: Haha, thanks. Now, finish this one off with some fruit and cream…

Omi: And, done. Here, try a bit of it.

Sakuya: Lemme try!

Juza: ! ‘S’incredible.

Izumi: It’s so fluffy and delicious!

Sakuya: It’s really tasty and it’s got a good balance of pastry and filling…!

Omi: Well then, you ready to try, Sakuya?

Sakuya: Sure! I’ll try my best to get the same outcome as you did!

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Sakuya: Whoa, it was too thin and I ripped it! And the other one was a little too thick… uuueh.

Omi: Seems like the rake is a little tricky to handle.

Juza: The thick ones are good ‘cause they’ve got more to ‘em, and the thin ones are good ‘cause they’ve got more fillin’.

Juza: But if you’re gonna sell ‘em, guess they’ve gotta have a consistent thickness.

Sakuya: Yeah…

Izumi: How about we look up some tips online? Maybe we’ll find a method that works well for you, Sakuya-kun.

Sakuya: Ah, no, I’m gonna call it here for today!

Omi: Already?

Juza: We can still help ya, y’know.

Sakuya: Thanks, but you guys have already done enough! I’m gonna go out and look for some crepe shops in town and study from pros.

Sakuya: I’d be glad to get your help again next time I practice!

Izumi: (Sakuya-kun’s enthusiasm is so admirable…!)

Izumi: Got it, good luck with your search. See you later!

Sakuya: See you!

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Sakuya: Ah, seems like there’s another food truck crepe shop just like “Epoch de Crepe”…!

Sakuya: (It’s amazing how fast their hands are working. And the batter isn’t sticking to the rake at all.)

Shop Worker: Welcome, sir, would you like to order something? If so, the menu can be read there…

Sakuya: Ah, sorry for staring! Actually, I was just…

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Shop Worker: I see. So you want to see the making process?

Sakuya: Yeah, I was really impressed by how you were handling the rake. Sorry…

Shop Worker: No, I appreciate the compliment. I can give you a few tips if you’d like.

Sakuya: Eh, are you sure?

Shop Worker: We’re in a low-traffic time right now. Actually, I also struggled with this at first.

Sakuya: Really…!? Thank you so much, I’ll do my best to learn.

Shop Worker: No problem. Alright, first, for using the rake…

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Shop Worker: …And make a point like this.

Sakuya: That was so helpful! I’ll definitely practice this again by myself. Thank you so much!

Shop Worker: It’s nothing. Good luck with making delicious crepes.

Sakuya: Thanks!

Shop Worker A: Thank you for waiting. Here you go.

Kid: Wah! This crepe looks like a really pretty flower!

Mother: Fufu, it does.

Sakuya: …

· ❀ —– ٠ ❀ ٠ —– ❀ ·

Sakuya: …What do you think?

Omi: It’s very nicely baked.

Izumi: The pastry’s thickness is even all over!

Juza: Tastes just like somethin’ you’d get at a shop.

Sakuya: I’m glad…! The tips I got from that shop worker were really worth it!

Omi: I’m glad you found a technique that works for you, Sakuya.

Sakuya: Me too! But I still need to work even harder to make ones that are even more delicious!

Omi: Haha, make sure you don’t overdo it.

Juza: We’re supportin’ ya.

Izumi: And good luck with doing the real thing, too!

Sakuya: Thank you!

Izumi: (Sakuya-kun seems like he’s got some confidence now. I’m glad he got so good at making them.)

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Shop Owner: You’ve gotten so good that I don’t really have anything to say in terms of things to practice! It’s time for the real thing today, so let’s keep up the good work.

Sakuya: Yeah, let’s!

Customer A: Hello. Are you taking orders?

Sakuya: Yes, go ahead!

Customer A: Umm, then I’ll get a pear-apple mix and…

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Customer B: It’s so good~!

Customer C: The thickness of the pastry is perfect!

Sakuya: (I’m really glad the people who are eating the crepes I made are saying they’re delicious.)

Izumi: Are you taking orders, sir?

Sakuya: Yeah, of course!

Sakuya: …Huh, Director!? And Masumi-kun!

Izumi: Hehe. We came here to get something to eat as soon as we could.

Sakuya: Welcome!

Masumi: …Why’s Sakuya here?

Izumi: Huh!? I thought I told you we were coming here to eat because Sakuya’s working here part-time!?

Masumi: I only listened to the part about going on a crepe date with you.

Sakuya: Ahaha…

Izumi: Alright, which one do you want to get, Masumi-kun? I’m getting this one with fresh strawberries and whipped cream.

Masumi: I’ll have the same then.

Sakuya: Coming right up! I’ll get started on your order as soon as possible.

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Sakuya: Thanks for waiting. Your fresh strawberry and whipped cream crepe!

Izumi: Waah, it looks so good! …Wait, huh?

Izumi: The ingredients are the same, but is the shape of the toppings different from the sample…?

Sakuya: So you noticed? I tried arranging the strawberries to look like a flower.

Sakuya: When I was at the shop where I was given some tips, I saw a little girl who was super happy because her crepe looked cute like a flower--.

Sakuya: And since you came all the way here, I thought I’d arrange your crepe to look like a bouquet, Director!

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Choose!

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Option 1: It’s pretty.

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Izumi: It’s so pretty! Almost like a real bouquet.

Izumi: I’d better take a lot of pictures of it before I eat it. …Fufu, the pictures are so cute, I’m sure I’ll be looking at them again soon.

Sakuya: I’m glad I could make you smile with the crepe I made. I mean, you’re always lovely, but you look really, really cute right now, Director!

Sakuya: Ah…! Sorry, I didn’t mean to say you were cute!

Izumi: Ahaha, it’s a little embarrassing since I’m not used to being told that. But, I’m glad.

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Option 2: It’s well-made.

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Izumi: It’s really well-made. It almost seems like a shame to eat it.

Sakuya: The recipe wouldn’t be the same as the one from this shop, but if you ever want to eat one, I can always make something similar for you at the dorms, Director!

Izumi: Ahaha, really? Well then, I’ll eat this one freely.

Sakuya: …How is it?

Izumi: It’s really good! It has a gentle flavor.

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Sakuya: Really? I’m glad then!

Masumi: …You’re talking to her too much.

Sakuya: Ah, s-sorry. I’ll go make one for you too, Masumi-kun!

Izumi: Ah, right! Do you want yours to be like a bouquet too, Masumi-kun? It’d be really cute and it’d match with mine!

Masumi: Matching with you… Sakuya, make me the same.

Sakuya: Hehe, coming right up!

[conanredraw]

🔎 CONTRIBUTOR LINEUP - PART 7 🔎

New day, new contributors! Now is time to introduce our artists recreating chapter 6!

Check the links to their accounts below ⬇️

gravityfelldown

tea

tokimaeki (Twitter - Tumblr)

Volts (Twitter - Tumblr)

Kusogorzyk

Cartoons by Andie (Tumblr - Instagram)

whalbo (Instagram - Tumblr)

ryuvine

fortune

Ado

Fiera

Citron (Twitter - Tumblr)

Lia (Twitter - Tumblr)

MarshmallowGoop (Tumblr - Twitter)

[birdietrait]

OCS as OBSCURE ASSOCIATIONS

with miss winifred conway herself <3 ty for tagging me @rottengurlz!!

ANIMAL: deer !!

COLORS: dark green, blush pink

MONTH: january or february

SONGS: i know the end - phoebe bridgers, forwards beckon rebound - adrianne lenker, blues run the game - jackson c. frank

NUMBER: 7 or 12

PLANTS: dried daisies and queen anne's lace

SMELLS: books, honey, earth

GEMSTONE: bayldonite

TIME OF DAY: 7am

SEASON: late winter / early spring

PLACES: deep in a forest, a bed tucked in a corner, a rocky creek

FOOD: bichon au citron

DRINKS: peach lemonade, green tea w lemon + honey

ELEMENT: earth

ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: cancer (even though she's an aquarius)

SEASONINGS: saffron

SKY: golden hour, sunset

WEATHER: chilly + light rain

MAGICAL POWER: clairvoyance

WEAPONS: fingernails

SOCIAL MEDIA: .....pinterest

MAKEUP PRODUCT: brown mascara

CANDY: tootsie roll

METHOD OF LONG DISTANCE TRAVEL: walking + hitchhiking

ART STYLE: pointillism

FEAR: fear of the unknown, fear of drowning, fear of death

MYTHOLOGICAL CREATURE: ceryneian hind

PIECE OF STATIONARY: crumpled paper from a sketchbook

THREE EMOJIS: 🦷🪡🍂💽🪟 (couldn’t pick just 3)

CELESTIAL BODY: the moon

[krislgfox]

Just two lil doodles with Citron Cookie and his bestie Cream Tea Cookie(Cream Soda Cookie x Chamomile Cookie fankid)

Tea might look like a very serious and concentrat girl(which she's), but she and Citron share one braincell most of the time

Maybe someday I'll make a ref sheet for Cream Tea Cookie

[asordinaryppl]

A3! Main Story: Part 4 - Act 13: Budding Spring - Episode 33: Budding Pink

Towa: …

momo has entered the chat shiki: wb! is it over already? Iv: how was it? momo: i’ve decided Kar: you’ve decided? uwu (1) Iv: it’s ugly af when you do it shiki: what did you decide?

-

Kumon: 5 minutes left till the ranking’s announced…

Juza: 5 minutes and 14 seconds to be exact. 

Muku: Every minute that passes feels longer...! 

Yuki: Calm down. 

Azami: Are you going to do this every single time… 

Izumi: The announcement will be on the official site, right? 

Kazunari: Should be. 

Homare: Have some tea and take some deep breaths until then. 

Izumi: Thank you very much! 

Sakuya: Any time now... 

Tsuzuru: I’m gettin’ scared... 

Itaru: Now that we’re here, the results are already decided. 

Citron: We’re at the marriage of fate~ 

Tsuzuru: That’s kinda romantic, but no. 

Masumi: We’re at the mercy of fate? 

Muku: Oh, the site has been updated!? 

Kumon: Eh? Eh? My screen’s blank, though...!? 

Itaru: Are the servers down? 

Chikage: Everyone’s trying to get in at once. 

Kazunari: I’m in! MANKAI Company is... 

Juza: 70... 60... 50... 

Kumon: Still nothing? 

Muku: Maybe we went under 70... 

Tenma: Don’t jinx us. 

Sakuya: 30! MANKAI Company is 30th! 

Izumi: Really!? 

Chikage: Although we didn’t make it to 10th, it’s a big improvement from 70th. 

Tsuzuru: What a relief… We really dodged a bullet this time.

Itaru: Now we can safely pass the baton to the Summer Troupe. 

Juza: Hyakka and GOD-za's ranks increased, too. 

Sakyo: The theater companies with real skills likely sold a lot of tickets. If we’re neck and neck with them, that’s all the better for us.

Kazunari: The influencers’ newly established troupes have also made it to the top 30 tho~ 

Juza: Can’t let our guard down. 

Izumi: Well, how about we pat ourselves on the back for increasing our rank for now...? 

Citron: Let’s all celebrate together~! We should start the Citrun side shift~! 

Tsuzuru: Side show. Oh, you mean the thing I wrote during the training camp? 

Citron: It’s the perfect time to show it off! 

[Bell rings] 

Manager: Yes, yeees? 

Tsuzuru: Hello, good eveniiing. We're Citrun~

Citron: I'm Tororo~ (2)

Manager: You’ve got a guest, Minagi-kun. 

Tsuzuru: Eh? 

Towa: Pardon the intrusion! 

Izumi: Hm? Towa-kun? 

Towa: *inhales* ... Tsuzuru Minagi-sensei!! I want you to write a script for my troupe!! Please!! 

Tsuzuru: Eh? ... EHHHH!?

previous episode | masterpost | to be continued...

NOTES:

(1) kar says the same thing towa said (決めた) but in katakana as opposed to kanji (キメた)... but because of iv's reaction when kar does it, i didn't really know what else i was supposed to do with this

(2) (see chapter 20's notes) citron here says his bloocha screen name, but because he actually says it out loud, i typed it properly

[joseimukeaddict]

Finals be beating me hard rn and my period cramps kicked in. Spending the rest of this short break from finals work typing up random headcanons bc my electric belly warmer needs to charge 🤡. There’s more stuff and yeah, this is not my week.

CW: Izumi cousins, workaholic and Tsuzuru fainting, most of it is how Izumi spends her time off (farmer’s market, reading, etc)

——

Izumi Headcanons (pt 2)

It’s pretty much implied that Izumi is an only child but cousins are free game

Yukio is definitely an only child

Her mother would have 1 or two siblings that have children much older or younger than Izumi

She’s either their caring big sister figure or the younger sister they tease

There is definitely a cousins group chat or something where they all keep each other up to date

Only a few of them have met MANKAI by traveling all the way to Tokyo to see a play; they all live far away

Other than the mother-daughter semi-monthly trips (see previous post), it’s very hard to convince Izumi to take a break because she’s such a workaholic

If someone takes up her MANKAI work for her, she’s just go help out a different troupe

Will work until near exhaustion but she knows her limit

She learned her lesson after collapsing once in college right before a theater performance where she took on like 5 different backstage jobs

The play went off without a hitch but she was so upset that she missed it, and all her friends were so worried about her they made her promise to never overwork herself like that again

Because of this, she’s actually really worried about Tsuzuru’s fainting after he finishes a script

She brews some calming teas for Tsuzuru whenever he’s on a script writing spree

Her poorly hidden worry is initially the reason why Masumi starts taking up the task of making sure Tsuzuru eats and doesn’t collapse when he’s writing, but soon he takes the job seriously as he grows to really care for his roommate (almost never shows it though like a tsun younger brother)

Izumi’s full-day breaks are scheduled monthly and she has to be half-threatened by Sakyo and the rest of the dorm to take a proper rest and not run off to a different troupe to help out

Sometimes it works, but sometimes she comes back with groceries or whatever supplies she noticed the dorm was running out of(and lots of curry supplies)

She has a few favorite spots to get curry ingredients such as a local farmer’s market

She’s usually driven by one of the boys who can drive (bc they can’t trust her with the car alone, my girl only knows how to drift), but if they can’t, she’s fine with public transportation

She chats with some of the vendors there and they hook her up with some tips to better prepare her ingredients and some new recipes

The market is also frequented by MANKAI for their grocery runs, so the vendors also give Izumi compliments about any plays they’ve watched from them since the company is always on a tight schedule whenever they come by

Citron frequents the farmer’s market too, so he tags along with Izumi if she made plans to go, but he can usually be found chatting with the aunties there on the weekends

The aunties don’t know too much about the housing situation with MANKAI and Izumi doesn’t talk about it, so they’re making bets on which one of the boys Izumi is secretly in a relationship with

Citron has one of the biggest pools because he’s just the aunties’ favorite, but Omi is also up there

Citron knows about the betting pools but pretends he doesn’t know because it would be awkward to bring it up, and he knows the aunties are only doing it for fun

If not the farmer’s market, Izumi will curl up with a good book or plan an outing with a non-theatre friend she hasn’t hung out with in a while

She can’t help but to read some theatre magazines to keep up to date with the industry, and she’ll indulge in a good historical romance novel once in a while

She’s the type to get really immersed in a novel, so it’s hard for her to notice distractions when she gets into it

She likes reading on a lounge chair on the balcony facing outside since she requires some quiet before she starts reading

Sometimes the tea club comes out to have a party and they bring out an extra chair for her so she can join

——

And that’s it for now. Got off-topic for a few of them 😭 and my break is way over now. Time to get back to stats…

Unrelated but Anzu (Ensemble Stars) and Izumi (A3!) would be friends and go to cafes together

[eidingate]

Character Associations: Eidin

Emotions/feelings

confident

flirtatious

inquisitive

longing

hunger

Colors

turquoise

metallics

orange

royal blue

black

Scents

ceruleum

road dust

leather, freshly oiled

lavender-citron cologne

bergamot tea

Objects

Ceruleum crystal pendant, made by her mother

Gun (of Theseus), taken apart and the pieces replaced so many times that it is not the same gun she started with

Tobacco -- the international currency of trades and bribes

Leather gloves, for the dirty jobs

Chocobo feathers, collected over long journeys

Body language

A kiss on the back of a hand

A grin in the face of danger

Feet lightly skipping out of reach

Biting lips in contemplation over a puzzle

Open arms offered freely

Aesthetics

sunset glowing orange over a winding road

fresh greenery bursting through the cracks of old warmachina

lamplight flickering over a table shaking with laughter

swallows taking wing in a clear sky

steam rising -- from a cup of tea, a gun barrel, a hidden hot spring, a fresh kill in the snow

---

Tagged ages ago by @oneiroy! I'm late getting to this so I've lost track of who else has done it. Tag for you who is reading this if you want to do it!

[jimin-updates]

The Jimin effect made the news! (Again)

This time, South Korean tv discussed Jimin recommending citron tea to Army and how that led to the tea being sold in the USA by big-box store Costco.

As we know, if Jimin recommends something it is sure to be excellent. 💜

You can watch the clip at the link above - thanks to the OP for sharing!

[winter-spark]

The Zafran Princes' Moms

Something I thought of a year ago but (accidentally) posted recently then hid from everyone was what if the Zafran Princes's moms had a part in how they turned out, not like flat out "Orange you should do whatever it takes to be King even if it means leading an attempted murder plot" but like in the sense that how they talked to, about and around them, as well as their overall presence in their lives sorta supported how they turned out. Here's my initial post (if this works) & below I shall share more thoughts on how I see their moms. (Which has sorta been sprinkled in some of my other posts tbh.)

Citron's Mom: 

To me, Citron's mom is a nice enough lady but, she didn't spend much time with him. (And that second part is canon really) Also. She definitely added to the pressure he felt to be the proper, scholarly, next in line. How & why are these things? Well for her absence, I wanted to say that I think she wasn't married to the King. But I double-checked and evidently, in Year 2, Act 8, they do call Citron's mom the King's fourth wife, in the English translation(is that fourth excluding the queen? Or is the king only married to three of his sons' moms?) But like I really feel like she didn't live in the castle tbh. Maybe they divorced? Idk I was so sure for a moment that they were dating at most and had a fling-turned-pregnancy at minimal. But I guess they were legitimately married.

Either way the point is, I felt she did not live in the castle but did visit Citron at times.(Though I guess she can still visit "at times" if she does live there) Not often but, you know, when she made time. And things she'd say in her visits? Apologizing for his background, encouraging him to study hard (so people won't hold him to said background), commenting on how much of a prince he is, the like. So even with her not being around much, she'd have a strong effect on Citron as these are things kids internalize. Especially with the world around him reinforcing this. But yea, I think she works a decent amount and as Citron got older she probably saw less of a need to visit as it's not like there's much she can do for him anyway. He's a prince. Do I think she's right for this? Of course not, but I think all their moms were flawed, so. Moving on!

Orange's Mom: 

This woman. Well she was around a lot more than Citron's mom that's for sure. Not hard but still it was notable I think. And she didn't like Citron I'm sure. I think she has a very, "oh hello :>" proper and elegant demeanor but she agrees with all the meanspirited comments so easily. Think in Loathing from Wicked when Galinda said "Well, these things are sent to try us~🎵"  that's her energy I think. Anywho, she's pretty much besties with Navel's mom, or at least they hang around each other a lot, and had a lot of her "not a commoner as ruler" convos with her right in front of Orange, I do think she was more against Citron, the son of a commoner, being next in line than she thought Orange should lead.

But she definitely took any comments that he should be first in line as personal compliments and thanked whoever said that to her accordingly. But in all honesty as I type this I'm not sure they had much of a dynamic, like she'd get him from the caretaker, walk him to and fro his room, have tea with him, Navel and Navel's mom, etc. But I can't actually imagine them talking much if at all. So I think Orange learned to be more in his head or at least fairly quiet and keeping his opinions mostly to himself through this. Like he's almost basically her display son. [But I do think he might've sorta could tell she was more against Citron than she wanted him to be next in line and thus felt a bit of the having to prove himself bit, but just a bit]

Navel's mom: 

She's much more talkative and expressive I think. Expressive as in where, Orange's mom might give an irritated smile, Navel's mom would frown, but not like super loud about them. Also expressive as in she's more likely to say what her opinion is. I think she would like Navel, her son, to be first in line, but she thinks Orange is a better fit, that he's more of a natural when it comes to being proper and prince-like and whatnot. So she'll list 'em both if/when saying "next in line should be…" but she doesn't really think Navel's quite right for the throne. She does somewhat steer him that way as I'm sure she's scolded him a lot for his "undesirable"[read: energetic/kid] traits and has probably compared him to Orange and possibly even Citron. Yea I think Navel is a character who's kept up in the prince competition to sorta prove himself but I think he definitely wanted to be different than Orange just not in a "be more like Orange he's right your wrong" way. Just a "they're different people" way. I think he does have slight "but is Orange really always right/best?" mentality because of his mom sorta pitting him against him but I do think Orange has always been nice to him and he does want to trust Orange's decisions because of that. And also he feels sorta like he has to but yea.

This started turning into being about Navel more than his mom. Whoops. Anyway, yea she also is out & about with him when he's younger, to and fro his room, from the caretaker, over tea. But she's more critical of him than Orange's mom is to Orange, but she also talks to him more so Idk.

Tangerine's Mom: 

Okay. So remember how I said being around more than Citron's mom wasn't hard? It's not, yet she somehow is around Tangerine less than Citron's mom with Citron. I'm still working out her angle a bit like I know she's still in the palace and Tangerine knows she's his mom. But they've definitely spent almost 0 time together I'm sure. I mean I look at Tangerine and it's so clear the closest thing he's had to a motherly figure is his dear older Citron who adores him very much. Other than that Tangerine's been pretty on his own. But like in my pirates au, Tangerine has something of his mother's so I'm really trying to figure her out here. Like, initially, I was thinking she just does not care, and maybe she doesn't. Like in part it feels like she wasn't a person who saw her baby and was like this is the biggest joy in my life, maybe she tried though. Like in the earliest years then went yea not for me. I don't know though. Like is she uninterested in having a kid in general or is she uninterested in Tangerine in general? Like did Tangerine mean nothing, it wasn't like he had any high standing? But then again she's not shown hide or hair now that he's first in line so it might be the kid thing. Either way it resulted in the most absentee mother any of them have.

And I know I kinda made them sound like bad people but like. Of course they're gonna have negative traits/actions that affected their sons, have you seen the Zafran princes?

(I'm not actually defending them, I'm just saying. )

Also while I'm here, shout out to Citron and Orange because I know they took good care of Tangerine and Navel to help certain needs be met that their own moms weren't fulfilling for them. Citron, being a constant presence in Tangerine's life that Tangerine can go to at differing times of the day and receive comfort from. Orange, taking Navel out of the public eye/palace to be outside and have room to breathe and be himself. (I know I didn't touch on these well in their paragraphs but yes this sums up what I was thinking.) And you see how that correlates to what Citron and Orange needed but didn't get?

And yea. I want to have thoughts on the Queen, but they haven't finalized yet. I initially thought maybe Tangerine was her favorite but again Tangerine feels like someone who spent a lot of time alone kind of because he had to so I just don't think it sits right. But that's still in the works, maybe later I'll have an actual discussion on the Queen. For now, I hope you enjoyed this headcanon share.

[leighsbooksandtea]

Goodbye 2023, Hello 2024

As I enter my last courses for my Literature Master programme, I am reminded to cherish each experience. 2023 has taught me perseverance because I was on the verge of burnout. So I took measures to value my time and to also care for myself.

1. I bought new noise-cancelling headphones mainly for anxiety reduction but as also for studying. They have been helpful in toning out the world for a moment and allowing me to focus in the moment.

2. I have also taken more walks to get fresh air. When you have so many deadlines, you get so consumed by being inside. Considering that I would in a basement a good chunk of the day, I lack time in the sun and that has been proven to be damaging to my mental health at times. Being outside has given me the chance to gain new perspectives and feel alive again.

3. I drank more tea than coffee. Coffee isn’t for everyone and unfortunately, it has been damaging to my health. I found a local tea shop that sells loose tea and so many cute things. I am currently drinking a honey citron tea that has been helpful for my stomach and throat due to the weather changes. Every now and then I’ll have a latte as a treat.

4. I have been intentional with reading for leisure. During my undergraduate studies, I failed at reading for leisure, like many, and that took away some joy. Each night, I settle down for a warm drink and reading for at least 30 mins so that I can escape into a new world, a new story. It has made me excited for the next read and journey.

2023 has been rough academically but mainly because I know I am so close to finishing. I promise in 2024 that I will study well and read more for myself and beyond the most popular books. Our days are limited so I hope you enjoy them each one at a time.

Amber

[jujumin-translates]

Tsuzuru Minagi | [SSR] MANKAI Feature | Today’s Star: Merlin - Part 2

Tsuzuru: …So I asked if I could have some time to think about it, but now I don’t know what to do.

Citron: We should make good use of this!

Chikage: I understand your concerns, though.

Itaru: But in terms of the story, I’d say it’s a triple win-win, a win-win-win, if you will.

Itaru: MANKAI Company gets to do a spin-off performance for Merlin.

Itaru: End Links gets to make a connection with MIZUNO Enterprises. And finally…

Chikage: As for MIZUNO Enterprises… well, it may be a bit self-centered, but they can help us.

Chikage: Well, it’s just logical, so I don’t see any problems.

Itaru: And I want more of that sweet Merlin lore.

Itaru: If we end up doing this, maybe it could be like a backstory for something we did during the stageplay. Like why Merlin came to King Arthur.

Chikage: Wouldn’t that mean we wouldn’t get to see a lot of Lancelot? Are you fine with not getting screen time?

Itaru: Well, actually, I’m dying to be Lancelot again.

Itaru: But considering the original introductory OP movie, Lancelot absolutely would not have been there!

Citron: Ohh, there is Itaru’s specialty, gamer talk.

Itaru: We do not deviate from canon in this household.

Chikage: So we’re going Lancelot-less because of your attention to detail?

Tsuzuru: Ughh…

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Tsuzuru: …Alright.

Citron: Good job on writing. Have some of the jasmine tea that I made!

Tsuzuru: Thanks. …Phew.

Citron: I just got this tea from Zahra today.

Tsuzuru: Really? It smells really good.

Citron: I will tell Mika to send it again.

Citron: …How is the script going?

Tsuzuru: Fine. I still have to show it to Hoshii-san, though.

Tsuzuru: (Now I just have to figure out my role study…)

Citron: I will do whatever I can to help.

Tsuzuru: …I don’t think it’s a good idea to ask for help with this sorta thing too much.

Tsuzuru: After all, weren’t all the bad people who tried to instigate you part of the royal family?

Citron: …Yes. But it cannot be helped.

Citron: If he truly is a kind-hearted king, he surely cannot leave his people, even if they are evil… I think.

Tsuzuru: …King Arthur too?

Citron: Perhaps. No wise king would leave his people wounded and alone.

Citron: I think Merlin knew King Arthur was like that, and that is why he was able to get in and deceive him.

Citron: J~ust a consideration I had with Itaru.

Tsuzuru: Merlin really is unimaginably evil, huh…

Citron: That is a mannerism some humans have too!

Tsuzuru: …But, thanks to you, I have a solid course of action.

[ ⇠ Previous Part ] • [ Next Part ⇢ ]

[the-himawari]

A3! Magazine Interview Translation - B’s-LOG December 2022 [Actor Interview]

Fall is the best season for...???

What do you want to do this fall?

*Please read disclaimer on blog

---

 Fall is the best season for Outing - How Masumi Enjoys Fall

——What is your plan for an outing you wish to experience this fall?

Walking hand in hand along a long road lined with gingko trees, and then enjoying the autumn flavours the other person says they wants to eat. It’s fine if what they want to eat doesn’t have autumn flavours though. With Director by my side, smiling as they tell me its delicious, I’m sure I’ll be smiling too.

——What would you choose if you were to buy a souvenir for yourself on your outing?

I don’t need a souvenir for myself. I’d rather buy the other person what they want. That way, when they see that souvenir at home, they’ll always be reminded of the outing that we took together.

——Would you rather have a picnic to enjoy the fall foliage, or camp to enjoy the starry sky?

I’d like to do both. But I’d rather camp for now. I’ve been to a cottage with a good view of the starry sky during Spring troupe’s training camp in the past.* Director wasn’t there back then. This time, I want to personally show them the beautiful starry sky that I could only show them through the screen.

——What fall scenery did you come across at MANKAI dorm?

Sakuya and Tsuzuru were using a charcoal grill to grill some saury. Lots of guys were lured in by the smell and gathered around before you knew it. There wasn’t enough fish to go around though. In the end, everyone there ended up sharing them… they tasted good.

——What was a particularly memorable outing for you?

It was going to see the real Mother Tree during Spring troupe’s training camp, as I mentioned before. We’ve rarely gone to have a look at things that appear in our plays. I think Citron was saying that… in a way, it felt like we were going on a pilgrimage to a sacred place.

Fall is the best season for Reading - How Muku Enjoys Fall

——What book are you planning to read this fall?

The book I’m dying to read is a work called “Love in Sweet Osmanthus”! The words “sweet osmanthus” evoke the feeling of autumn, so I’ve always had my eye on it… Apparently, according to the synopsis, it’s a bit of a heart-wrenching love story! I’m going to write my impressions on inste after I finish reading it.

——Tell us about one book that changed your life!

That would be “Your Goal Line”! Not only does it have the heart-pounding scenes that you can only find in shoujo manga, but the rivalry between Kisaragi-kun and Kanzaki-kun is also very passionate… It’s a work that keeps you turning the pages with its refreshing story developments that capture youth in track and field!

——What are must-haves for a comfortable reading time?

I often prepare my favourite chocolates before I start my reading time. Kazu-kun has bought tasty chocolates for me before. When the timing is right, Arisu-san has also brewed black tea for me… I have a luxurious reading time, don’t I?

——What activities have the members of the Shoujo Manga Appreciation Club done recently?

In the past, Sakyo-san has made an omurice of a bear and blanket that appeared in the manga “Pot in Love”**. Taking that opportunity, Kazu-kun, Sakyo-san and I have tried cooking more and more dishes that appear in shoujo manga!

——What is a surprising book that a member of MANKAI Company was reading?

There was a time Kyu-chan, who loves baseball, was reading a soccer manga. Azami-kun always goes along with him to baseball games, so it looks like Kyu-chan was learning a little more about soccer which Azami-kun is into. Fufu, Kyu-chan is a great guy.

Fall is the best season for Eating - How Juza Enjoys Fall

——What fall flavours do you hope to taste this year?

An apple pie made by Omi-san… wait, no, I can’t forget about a mont blanc with a huge chestnut on top. And I definitely wanna try pumpkin puddin’ topped with a mountain of whipped cream …Those are all fall flavours, so they work, right?

——Tell us about the time you’ve eaten the most up until now!

I don’t remember when I ate the most… but if it’s recently, then it was at a closing party for one of Yuzo-san’s plays. Maybe it was ‘cause I was eatin’ more than I was drinkin’, but the next thing I knew, all the actors around me were drunk. Even though I finished my appetizer, meal, and dessert, the other guys kept urging me to eat more saying, “you still wanna have more, don’tcha?” I considered myself a big eater, but at that time, I thought my stomach was gonna burst.

——Is there anything you do in order to stay in shape?

Not really. I have rehearsals every day, and Autumn troupe’s practices have a lotta action, so I exercise naturally without even thinkin’ of it. On the other hand, I use too much energy during my shows, so my body weight goes down. I try to eat more and increase my calorie intake.

——Who would you invite if you went out to eat popular sweets in Veludo City?

Kumon and Muku. Muku’s always had a sweet tooth, and even though Kumon’s not a huge fan, he’s happy to eat them most of the time. More importantly, if I’m gonna eat somethin’ tasty, then I want those two to try it too. Come to think of it, Kazunari-san posted some canelés on his inste the other day. There were lotsa different kinds, like chocolate-covered and cream-covered ones. I bet Muku and Kumon would like how inste-blammable they look. I’ll invite them later.

——Tell us about a food story that made you happy recently!

I was cravin’ almond tofu for some reason, so I popped by a store and they had a huge discount. I bought some for the rest of the guys at the theatre and went home. After that, everyone was happy since said they were just thinking they wanted some too. Then for dinner, I was cravin’ croquettes, and miraculously, we had croquettes. Accordin’ to Tsuzuru-san, the guys at the dorm decided on them through a vote. I’m not sure if you’d call that happiness… but at that time… I thought it was a great day.

Fall is the best season for Art - How Homare Enjoys Fall

——What type of art would you like to experience this fall?

That would be kabuki. My interest has grown even more ever since I appeared in “Senribana Monogatari” a while ago. Among our troupe members, Citron-kun and Yuki-kun are known to be fond of Kabuki. I hope to find time this fall to go watch a live kabuki show as well.

——Which piece of art has touched you the most up until this point?

Hm. It is difficult to pinpoint which one has most… however, when it comes to me, Shakespeare cannot be forgotten. The poet Arisugawa Homare may not have existed if I had not encountered his works. That is how much I love and respect Shakespeare.

——What type of “fall” do you hope to spend this year?

A “fall of art” goes without saying, so I suppose a “fall of foliage”? I have gone to a shrine that is famous for its autumn foliage in the past. However, the journey took about two hours by car—one way—so it is not a locale I can simply visit casually. It might be nice to go there to view the autumn leaves for the first time in a while.

——What artworks have you discovered at the MANKAI dorm?

Just the other day, I came across Summer troupe partaking in art shiritori. Of course, Yuki-kun and Kazunari-kun had spectacular drawing skills. But Tenma-kun’s artwork was the most artistic of all. Apparently, he himself drew a “deer”, but everyone around him dubbed it a “monster”.

——Who is the one who makes you think, “I am drawn in by this person’s artistic character”?

This is also a recent incident, but Citron-kun held a dance show at the dorm. I have a bit of interest in dance myself, but I had never witnessed such an artistic and creative dance before. In addition, the man himself plays an important role as an ambassador of art and culture. Now that is truly “art”.

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*References the 5th anniversary event story **References Sakyo's N Welcome to Akebono-so! card