#kiyomaro x suzume

[perperch]

Maturing is realizing that these two were endgame

[kiyuzy]

So, where did my URL even come from? Well...

Kiyo and Suzy from Zatch Bell

Kiy = Kiyo and Uzy = Suzy

They're my very first anime/manga OTP =)

These days, I go by their original names, Kiyomaro and Suzume.

[mizuzy]

Instead of Kiyomaro X Suzume being a couple, should they be friends or Foes?

Friends obviously.

[borrowed-twenties]

Another masterful aspect I love about Konjiki no Gash!! is that Makoto Raiku is so patient in building up to his storytelling pay-offs.

He keeps some cards close to his chest, waiting for the last possible moment to reveal them, and in the interim, seeds quiet hints of these developments early on in the narrative.

One of the biggest examples, I feel, is Umagon’s relationship with Gash in the makai. While it is implied that Umagon knows Gash before they meet in the human world, it is only confirmed in Ch. 276, when Gash has his memories returned by Zeon (as Umagon has never been able to speak anything beyond “Meru meru me”.)

At first glance, this seems like a retrospective explanation of why Umagon followed Gash so closely ever since Ch. 56. But - it turns out that Raiku is saving up the final revelation for Ch. 311, when Umagon’s book is burned. Umagon is so incredibly proud to carry a true friend on his back, and this late-stage reveal makes every moment we’ve experienced between them feel all the sweeter.

Raiku also employs the power of continuity - and strong parallels - for the friendship/relationship between Kiyomaro and Suzume.

While Kiyomaro first sees Suzume as someone to protect, his focus is more on what he can do for her. That is also why he comments that there’s nothing redeeming about her at all, during the battle with Robnos (Ch. 30).

Fast forward to the time where he is dying from Riou’s attacks, however, he starts to think more about what she has done for him - and at a point in his life where there was arguably nothing redeeming about him (Ch. 214).

It’s nothing that Kiyomaro doesn’t already know. After all, Suzume’s classroom kindnesses precedes even Gash’s entry into his life. Yet, the way Kiyomaro perceives his own memories completely shifts.

It’s a startling testament to Kiyomaro’s maturation - as his propensity for gratitude increases, his ability to appreciate Suzume also grows.

To go from this:

And then, all the way to this:

The transition from a publicly communicated grouse to a private, deeply felt acknowledgement —

I think Raiku draws these parallels between Kiyomaro’s personal flashbacks, to show us just how much he has truly grown :-)

[suki90]

Konjiki no Gash Bell / Zatch Bell One-shot

Disclaimer: I do not own Konjiki no Gash Bell or Zatch Bell, all rights are reserved by Makoto Raiku.

Author: Suki90 Spanish title: Vuelve pronto. English title: Come back soon. Series: Konjiki no Gash Bell/Zatch Bell. Characters: Kiyomaro/Kiyo Takamine, Suzume/Suzy Mizuno, OC, Gash/Zatch (Mention) Pairing: Kiyomaro Takamine x Suzume Mizuno (Kiyo x Suzy)

Completely tired, he dropped himself on the large sofa at the living room. He had worked for hours with his father at the England University, analyzing and trying to decipher ancient writings that they'd recently discovered in one of their expeditions; so the only thing he was looking for was to be able to rest and sleep, even just a little.

Silence…

But he well knew that that was not what he wanted. "Ah, who I'm kidding? It's been more than fourteen years, but I'm still not used to this serene tranquility...," he said to himself as he straightened his head and rested his arms on his legs. "I can't believe... that it's really been so long..."

He took out a small photograph from his pocket and stared a it, the picture was a bit old but it didn't matter, he always brings it with him because of the meaning it had.

The photograph took place in the mountains, from the time he had gone with his group to a summer camp. All of his companions back then were there, having fun, having a good time.

A smile crossed his face, that picture brought him back fond memories of when he finally started making friends and getting along with his class. They were difficult times, but he was able to overcome everything that prevented him from being an ordinary teenager...

And it was all thanks to that little person with yellow hair and amber eyes who was right next to him in that portrait.

"It's incredible how much time has passed," he thought as he looked the picture with nostalgia. "Fourteen years, Zatch... And I can't still believe it. Despite having learned to live without your scandalous presence I still miss you a lot," he said in his head, stroking the portrait lightly. "You were an important part of my life, one of my first friends, an unforgettable companion, someone brave who never gave up, and who pushed me to keep going on no matter how hard and difficult it seemed."

Leaning back on the sofa he allowed himself to close his eyes for a moment so he could remember each situation he had lived with his little monster, that child who never seemed to get tired.

Thanks to him his life changed, and for good. It was through Zatch that he was finally able to make friends, because of him he met wonderful people throughout the world like: Li En and Won Rei, Megumi and Tia, Lori and Kolulu among many others, like the idiot of Parco Folgore and Canchome or the powerful Sherry and Brago.

So many people who in the end showed him how important it was to trust and believe in others, just as Zatch told him from the beginning.

Oh, how he missed him...

Suddenly a slight pull on his pants made him leave his thoughts abruptly. "Daddy..." A thin little voice called to him. The honey-eye colored man finally looked down at his knees and there's where he can see a mini copy of him trying to get his attention. "Daddy..."

At the insistence of who carried the same blood as him in his veins, Kiyomaro Takamine, of 28 years old, had no choice but to make his memories aside and pay attention to his present.

"Hey little one, how long have you been there?" He asked as he stood up and held his son in his arms.

"Kōta has been trying to get your attention for at least 5 minutes." A female voice answered, a voice he knew very well.

Turning his head slightly, the boy raises his hand. "Mommy!"

Kiyo also raised his eyes too to meet a woman with brown hair up to her shoulders and a calm smile.

With the same smile he greeted his son, Kiyo Takamine stared at the woman who gave him one of the best gifts of his life. She, who was his best friend, his companion, his confidant, his lover, his wife. "Hi Suzy..."

Yeah, that's right. The woman who was there smiling to them was the one who used to be called Suzy Mizuno, Kiyo Takamine's clueless highschool classmate.

"Hello, dear Kiyo. Welcome home," she answered while smiling the same way she always do, the smile which made him fall in love with her through time.

Suzy Takamine was now a 27 year old woman who had matured incredibly compared to fourteen years ago, but there were some bad habits that still came up through time such as her hobby of drawing her husband's face on any fruit or vegetables that were placed in front of her, although now she added their little baby's face too, or her bad orientation sense in new places.

However, Kiyo was no longer bothered by those habits because they were what made that girl, who was now his wife and mother of his son, special. But along side with that something incredible came: Suzy turned out to be pretty motherly and cautios with her son. Sure, it can sound contradictory but when it came to Kōta, her little baby, everything was different.

A little restless, the 2 years old boy raised his little arms towards Suzy. "Mommy, Mommy...!" He called with a big smile, so with that Mrs. Takamine approached her son and her husband quickly to enjoy a small family moment.

Kiyo, who was in the middle of both, watched them coexist with a warm smile. Of all that had happened to him throughout his life, this small family he had formed was one of the most precious things he ever thought of having. They were deep inside his heart, as well as the invaluable friendship of that little mammodo that allowed him to leave that dark corridor through which he had walked for a long time.

With a determined and demanding look, Kiyo Takamine observes the sky through the window. "Come on Zatch, you have to come back soon, since I have to introduce you to my son..."

Suki: Well, this was a small writing that came out of nowhere after reading the manga a bit and finishing the anime. It really isn't something really complicated and I just wanted to use certain characters, that's why I didn't mention them all. I hope you liked it, especially the Kiyomaro x Suzume fans. I love that couple, it just seems adorable to me; not that I don't like the Kiyomaro x Megumi ship but... Suzy stole my heart, I'm sorry x3

Thank you for reading!

P.D: I'm so sorry for my grammar mistakes. I'm a Spanish native spearker author, and I just wanted to share my work with the English fandom. If there's anyone who wants to help me by checking this one-shot it'll be amazing!

[vulpixidoodles]

all my inktobers compiled together. I made it a challenge for myself to draw a ship that I liked but didn’t draw enough of/in a while.

ended up tagging all the ships but heres the list of prompts/ships 

Day 1: Ring - Minami x Haruka (Go Princess Precure) Day 2: Mindless - Fakir x Ahiru (Princess Tutu)  Day 3: Bait - Ted x Gash (Gash Bell) Day 4: Freeze - Reiji x Sumomo (PokeAni DP) Day 5: Build - Hinase x Hana (Hugtto Precure) Day 6: Husky - Sai x Sakura (Naruto) Day 7: Enchanted - Mirai x Riko (Maho Girls Precure) Day 8: Frail - Nutts x Komachi (Yes Precure 5 GoGo) Day 9: Swing - Nozaki x Chiyo (Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun) Day 10: Pattern - Kyo x Shingo (KOF) Day 11: Snow - Shigeru x Kenji (PokeAni) Day 12 : Dragon - Kuboyasu x Kaido (Saiki Kusuo) Day 13 : Ash - Kiyomaro x Suzume (Gash Bell) Day 14 : Overgrown - Chad x Lugh (FE6) Day 15 : Legend - Ephraim x Chrom (FEH) Day 16 : Wild - Susumu x Tetsunosuke (Peacemaker Kurogane) Day 17 : Ornament - K' x Athena (KOF) Day 18 : Misfit - Yusuke x Botan (YYH) Day 19 : Sling - Nyasu x Pikachu (PokeAni) Day 20 : Tread - Sousuke x Haruka (Free) Day 21 : Treasure - Samus x Peach (Smash Bros) Day 22 : Ghost -Descole x Randall (Professor Layton) Day 23 : Ancient - Hector x Eliwood (FE6) Day 24 : Dizzy - Kouhei x Hikari (PokeAni DP) Day 25 : Tasty - Greta x Saga (Tiny Snow Fairy Sugar) Day 26 : Dark - Rumiya x Misa (Magical Project S) Day 27 : Coat - Seto x Isis (YGO) Day 28 : Ride - Imaizumi x Onoda (Yowamushi Pedal) Day 29 : Injured - Boyd x Mist (FE10) Day 30 : Catch - Kenta x Marina (Pokemon Raikou Special) Day 31 : Ripe - Nozomi x Hikari (PokeAni DP)

[borrowed-twenties]

Kiyomaro’s many moments of being pleasantly caught off guard —

Or, just when he thinks he’s reached the end of his understanding of Suzume…

She surprises him, time and time again

[borrowed-twenties]

“Love is the expression of the one who loves, not of the one who is loved. Those who think they can love only the people they prefer do not love at all. Love discovers truths about individuals that others cannot see.”

- S.K.

One of the things I most appreciate in Konjiki no Gash!! is how it handles the concept / idea of “love” with great care.

More often that not, it takes the form of a universal kind of love, like when the African tribesman tells Dufort that “you’re the one whom we love” [Chapter 275]. Gash’s empathy for Dufort during the fight @ Faudo, I feel, is the pinnacle example of this.

Imo, this kind of love sinks deeper roots than more ‘conventional’ types of love - since it extends kindness & compassion to those who may not be easy to love, or maybe didn’t even seem deserving of it, initially.

It is also a perceptive kind of love, that is capable of seeing through everything - even through a person’s solitude / (mis)deeds, to the pain nestled within.

& this is also why I’m a real softie for the gradual friendship/relationship between Kiyomaro & Suzume, which I feel also typifies this dynamic, so much.

Because…

love is the expression of the one who loves, not of the one who is loved ;

those who think they can love only the people they prefer do not love at all ;

& love discovers truths about individuals that others cannot see -

[borrowed-twenties]

In the Konjiki no Gash!! 20th Anniversary book, Makoto Raiku resurfaced some of his ancient FAQs, that can also be found in his old blog archives

May I kindly draw your attention to a rather interesting one on KiyoSuzu (😛), if so inclined —

Q: Has Kiyomaro noticed Suzume’s feelings?

A: He knows (laughs). Regarding those feelings, Kiyomaro is still very shy.

Link to the book [page 99]

Throwing in some Brago x Sherry in the above picture too! (Squee I’m glad Raiku confirmed it)

As for a few more KiyoSuzu thoughts, under the cut:

With a nugget of info like that… it can also kinda change the way how later scenes can be interpreted (esp from Ch. 187 onwards)

I mean, one can possibly read his reactions through the lens of “at the back of Kiyomaro’s mind, he already knows about these feelings… so what does it mean when he responds like xyz?” And true to form, I’ve always taken it to reflect potentially promising things. My hope springs eternal even in the face of rarepair

Well anyway that’s just one way of looking at it ahem don’t mind me and my headcanons!

[borrowed-twenties]

Fic: The How-Tos of Snail Care

For: Konjiki no Gash!!

Characters: Takamine Kiyomaro; Mizuno Suzume (as high schoolers who stayed in contact after graduation); slowburn!KiyoSuzu

Chapter: 1 - Introduction

Summary: A compact guide to caring for your pet snail, by Kiyomaro and Suzume (or mostly just Kiyomaro).

Disclaimer: No snails were harmed in the making of this guide.

[1] Introduction

Adding a garden snail to your home might seem like a foreign idea to most pet owners, since this shy creature is less common as a household pet.

However, there are benefits to choosing a snail as your companion. They are relatively fuss-free and inexpensive to keep. If you prefer peace and quiet, a snail would be a good complement to your lifestyle.

Whether you are adopting one to i) expand your family, ii) to nurse one with a broken shell back to health, or iii) simply out of duty and obligation, it should not be too hard to take care of the creature.

It may take time to build trust, but when it happens, you will get to witness your snail gradually coming out of its shell.

This is a compact guide on how you can establish that stable, safe environment for your snail.

Kiyomaro should have known that Suzume would have a penchant for strays; it was probably written into the very fibre of her being.

Going on to high school hadn't changed her many kindnesses (nor her frequent visits to his home, for help with her homework). Turning eighteen hadn't changed that, either.

And so, as she kneeled down in his yard beside a snail with a broken shell, earnestly vouching (to the snail, no less) that she would take care of it, he didn't count it as unusual behaviour.

Her fervent promise to the snail, that she would find a tiny plaster to patch up the crack in its shell, also wasn't out of the ordinary.

- But him caving and offering to take in the snail, when literally nobody had asked for his opinion, was.

His own move had caught himself off guard. He could only guess at the reason as to why he had volunteered.

Perhaps it was the most natural choice, since they were already standing in his yard.

Or perhaps, it was how uncertain she was, when it came to looking after snails (who would think of putting a plaster on a snail?! - The answer: only Suzume.)

But more likely, it was the look of distress on her face, as she crouched low and anxiously examined the snail, that had sent just the slightest twist in his heart.

Gruffly, he had committed himself to personally overseeing the snail's recovery.

After all, Kiyomaro had read books on the subject before; he knew about how they could rebuild their shells by drawing in calcium, and all these neat and tidy facts that he had filed away mentally about the lives of snails.

And if Suzume had returned his promise of sorts with a delighted smile, that nurtured a gentle, warm flame in his insides...

…Well, she didn't need to know that, did she?

———

Chapter Reader

1 - Introduction

Chapters [WIP]

Frequently Asked Questions [WIP]

Afterword [WIP]

Notes: This was originally intended as a companion piece to another fic, but am storing this up here as I slowly crawl through the writing for this one :-) To be updated!

[borrowed-twenties]

Fic: Running a Diagnostic

For: Konjiki no Gash!!

Characters: Takamine Kiyomaro, Robo Gash (Kiyomaro x Suzume)

Summary: Kiyomaro wants to find out whether the Robo Gash he made actually worked.

Instead, he finds out more than what he bargained for.

Kiyomaro considered the Robo Gash that sat on his table.

At Mizuno's request, he had put it together before he had left with Gash for Faudo.

More than serving as a humble companion, he had also programmed it with simple functions, that he thought would be helpful with Mizuno's homework.

Two days ago, Gash had found Robo Gash on a park bench somewhere, and brought it back home. It must have gotten lost in the madness earlier, when Faudo had been on the verge of overtaking Mochinoki.

The robot was only just a little worse for the wear. More importantly, however, Kiyomaro was itching to run a diagnostic. Hmm - I wonder how well it worked?

Determinedly, he cracked his knuckles together, then took a sip of water before he began. "Okay, let's hear it, Robo Gash. What questions did she ask?"

Robo Gash seemed to regard him very, very seriously (but then again, it had been designed to carry out its tasks, in all earnestness).

"Unu, Suzume had many!" Robo Gash declared. Then, it began to rattle off a list of math questions that Mizuno had asked, as well as its own answers.

Pleased, Kiyomaro leaned back in his desk chair.

His invention had worked better than he had ever thought. "Mmm, that's good. But those are all the math questions." He steepled his fingers to his chin. "Other than math, was there anything else?"

It suddenly occurred to him that he had put in other features, too. Ah. He snapped his fingers decisively. "Try doing a playback?"

"Initiating playback," the robot droned, and there was a slight whirring sound that accompanied it.

As he waited, he took a long drag of water, fingers idly tapping at the rim of his cup.

Then, Mizuno's cheerful voice carried over through the robot's little soundbox, slicing through the silence. "All right, now...!"

He couldn't help but smile. The audio quality was perfect; it was almost as if she was in the room.

"Answer me this, Gash-kun... Does Takamine-kun like me?"

Kiyomaro unceremoniously spewed out his mouthful of water.

He narrowly missed Robo Gash. He wasn't sure if he imagined it, but the robot seemed to glare at him in consternation, as if to say: Haven't I already suffered enough?

Robo Gash was a non-living object, and it was only replaying words in the solitude of his room. So, why on earth, Kiyomaro privately wondered, was his face flaming like this in front of his own creation?

"Robo Gash, what - what did you say, in response?"

"I wasn't designed to answer such a question," the robot said simply. "So, I didn't answer."

Then, Robo Gash tilted its head. "What is the answer? I will store it in my database."

Caught off guard by the question, Kiyomaro scratched the side of his face.

At the point when he had made Robo Gash, it was neither a "yes" nor a "no". The answer, back then, was - "I don't know," he said, aloud.

But now, after Faudo...

There was another whirring sound, and Robo Gash intoned, "Storing answer, "I don't know", into databa --"

It was purely instinct, but Kiyomaro quickly held out a hand to stop the robot. "N-no!"

The robot heard him. The whirring halted. Robo Gash lifted its head to stare at him. It seemed almost confused. "Kiyomaro, is that your answer? 'No'?"

But that didn't seem quite like the right answer, either.

"...I meant, no, don't store that answer," Kiyomaro replied, instead.

He pinched the bridge of his nose, face still warm. "Don't save my conversation history with you."

He thought of Gash watching television downstairs. His blood ran cold at the idea of him potentially stumbling onto... this. "In fact, delete the entire driv --"

He stopped, mid-sentence.

This was the most straightforward solution, by far. But - somehow, the idea of wiping the voice recording of her sincere question off Robo Gash's drive gave him actual pause.

He flapped a hand at Robo Gash. "Never mind. Don't purge the drive." He cleared his throat. "Only allow playback of conversation history if enabled by my voice," he ordered.

Robo Gash gave him a look that said something along the lines of would you just make up your mind, before complying with his instructions.

Kiyomaro sighed, pinning his gaze on Mizuno's charm, which he had hung up on his shelf ever since returning from Faudo.

On Robo Gash's question... well, he would think on this, some other time.

Carefully, he powered down the robot.

His gaze softened. Patting it on the head, he flicked off the desk light, then padded downstairs to join Gash in the living room.

—

Notes: This drabble was inspired by the below Gash & Suzume 4koma - ‘nuff said! :-)

[borrowed-twenties]

Fic: Conveyance

For: Konjiki no Gash!!

Characters: Mizuno Suzume; Gash Bell; Takamine Kiyomaro [KiyoSuzu]

Summary: When Gash and Suzume discover a message in a bottle at the beach, Suzume decides to send off one of her own, on a whim.

However, the message doesn't travel quite as far out to sea as she hoped.

————

Suzume simply loved the charm of a new mystery - and a half-buried glass bottle, miraculously intact, peeking out from the fine sand, was the perfect type of adventure to stumble onto at Mochinoki Beach.

Gash had been the first to spot it. Leaping over pebbles on the way, he had pounced on it and fished it out of the sand, excitedly waving his newfound discovery at her.

Today, it was just her and Gash. The last they had seen Kiyomaro, he had been pouring over some of the strange symbols in that red book that he carried everywhere, mumbling under his breath while seated his desk.

Given that he was lost in his own world, she and Gash had made sure to stealthily creep out of his room and just leave him be. (They both knew how grouchy he could get when he was interrupted while trying to concentrate.)

Suzume leaned her hands on her knees, bending to Gash's height. "Ouu, what is it, Gash-kun?"

"This bottle has a message inside!" Gash lifted the bottle upwards. Sure enough, there was a furled piece of paper within, yellowed with age.

Gash popped the cork off the bottle, and then shook out the paper into his palm. Expectantly, he held it out to her. "Suzume, can you read it? What does it say?"

As she opened up the paper, Gash bounced on his heels. "Is it a secret spy message? I saw the 00F movie; spy messages are written in code!"

"Eh, it's not code. It's just a short message! Let me see..." Suzume began to read aloud. "This is what it says... It's been a year since you've left for Europe. It's also been a year since I’ve tried to bury my regrets. I only wish I had had the courage to tell you my feelings, when I had the chance."

Gash furrowed his brows. "Unu, it's... a love note?" He seemed to visibly deflate, his dreams of being embroiled in an espionage plot having been summarily shipwrecked.

Suzume, however, was thoroughly engrossed in its message. "So, I cast my thoughts into the ocean, burying my love... Hoping that these unspoken words find their way to you somehow. If our paths cross again someday, I won't hold back any longer."

She looked up at Gash, her eyes shining. "Waa, it's beautiful..." She curled up the note, and tucked it safely back into the bottle. "Ne, Gash-kun, do you think the person managed to say the words, in the end?"

Gash tilted his head thoughtfully. "I don't know... But if someone wishes sincerely enough, then I’m sure not even an ocean can stop their message from reaching the person they care about!"

Looking at the stretch of beach that lay ahead, Gash put a hand up to shield his eyes from the sun. "Suzume, do you think we will see some turtles today? I want to look for them!"

At that, he skipped away, leaving Suzume momentarily alone with the glass bottle. She stared down at it, a sudden thought entering her mind. Not even an ocean can stop it from reaching them...

She opened her bag, and withdrew her empty plastic bottle. After making sure that Gash was far away enough, she carefully tore out her latest diary entry from her notebook. She rolled it up and slid it into the bottle, before she could second-guess her own actions.

Drawing back her hand, she took aim and threw the bottle into the waters, as far as she possibly could. It made a distant, splashing sound, but against the backdrop of the tossing waves, the impact was barely noticeable. Gash hadn't seen (or heard) a thing.

If these feelings for Takamine-kun could never be spoken, perhaps she could whisper them into the patient ear of the ocean instead.

And maybe, if she hoped fervently enough… somehow, someday, her wishes could come true.

Suzume took a deep breath, and left the original glass bottle in the sand. “Gash-kun, wait up!”

————

It was a week before they reached Gash's long-awaited day - the date that Kiyomaro had promised to play with him, at the location of his choosing. This time round, Gash had invited Suzume along.

Perhaps, Suzume shouldn't have been surprised when Gash had taken up each of their hands in his, and pulled them in the direction of the beach.

After all, Gash had chanced upon several turtles the last round, and he had been enchanted by them, following them out into the ocean (and scaring the living daylights out of them). He was probably hoping to recreate the memory again, this time with Kiyomaro.

"What's so exciting that you want to show me at the beach, Gash?"

"Turtles! I swam with a few, last week." Gash thought for a bit. "Unu, and Suzume and I found a message in a bottle in the sand, too!"

“A message in a bottle?” Kiyomaro squinted at the approaching shore. Then, he pointed. "What, you mean like that one?"

“Eh…?” Suzume turned to look - and then, something like horror tightened within her chest. "Eh?!"

Her familiar plastic bottle, embedded in the fine sand, greeted her view.

Gash released their hands, running forward. He swiped the plastic bottle from the ground, and surveyed the message inside. "No, Kiyomaro, this one’s different!"

A sense of light-headedness swept over Suzume, and she felt as though she would faint.

Gash shook out the message, and held it out to Kiyomaro, who took it up.

"Hmm?" Kiyomaro examined the paper. "The handwriting looks kind of familiar."

"I love the kindness in his smile," he read out loud, "and the way I feel safe with him."

He lifted his eyes from the paper, and chuckled. "Gash… looks like you picked up a confession note. Or, at least, it reads just like any other one."

Suzume felt her face turning unbearably hot. But, far more than feeling mortified, she felt her heart twist in her chest. Kiyomaro’s casual dismissal of the note had the same effect on her as if he were directly laughing at her feelings.

"He teaches me; he guides me; he always knows what to do." He put one hand on his hip, as he continued reading in a light tone. "And he rarely gets anything wrong. Today, he cleared a 98% on his test again."

Kiyomaro's expression froze in place. He looked closely at the words again. "This is oddly… specific."

Suzume wished she could burrow a hole into the sand, and disappear from sight.

He went on. "Though I wait for you to walk to school and back home each day, I don't know if you really see me."

The next pause that Kiyomaro took was so protracted, it almost looked like he was having trouble deciphering the rest of the words.

"Unu, the message ends there?" Gash asked.

"Um, no." Kiyomaro coughed. "At the end of the day, I wish you could know the truth - that I really like you."

In another world, in another universe, Suzume would have been over the moon to hear those words coming out from his mouth.

In this world, in this universe, however - there was only the terrifying thought of his impending discovery that the message was from her.

Thankfully, Gash jumped in, unintentionally saving the day. "Kiyomaro, I wonder when the person wrote it. Was it a long time ago? Does the paper look old?"

Now was her chance! "Yea, Gash-kun, maybe it's been floating around, for many years… I think it could have been from another country!"

"Not likely, Mizuno," Kiyomaro replied steadily. "I wasn't translating, just now - the message was written in Japanese."

Suzume felt her blush deepen. "Ohh, really...?” she blustered. “I didn't notice!"

“Kiyomaro said the handwriting was familiar, though? Let me see; maybe I’ll know!” Gash dragged Kiyomaro’s arm down, so that he, too, could take a look.

But Kiyomaro shook off Gash’s grip. “No, actually...” He sheepishly scratched the back of his head. “On second thoughts, the handwriting isn’t familiar at all.”

With a light deftness, he rolled up the note, and pushed it back into the plastic bottle. For a moment, Suzume hoped against hope that he would leave it on the shore. Instead, he screwed on the cap, and stashed the bottle away in his backpack.

Then, Kiyomaro leaned forward and tousled Gash’s hair, with a smile. “So - where shall we look for turtles, Gash?”

“Unu, over there!!”

————

The subsequent week had passed, completely without incident, and Suzume was starting to believe that she could put this hiccup behind her.

After all, upon reaching home from the beach that day, she had immediately shoved her notebook into the depths of her wardrobe, just to make sure the distinctive paper could never be traced back to her.

There had been no indication that Kiyomaro had noticed the note had come from her, either (and why would he, when he had never batted an eyelid at anything she did?).

Today, he was in top form again, going over the latest geography concepts with her as he paced back and forth in his room. Gash curiously listened in.

Kiyomaro had such a knack of simplifying everything, that even the science of climate change and environmental pollution suddenly seemed within reach. Given that there would be a test next week, on this subject material, he was instructing her in all his usual earnestness.

Maybe that was also why he seemed to take a special interest in the notes she was taking down today. With that level of scrutiny, it was almost as though he was studying her answers - right down to the way she was shaping her words.

Meanwhile, Gash was staring at the photos of marine animals entangled in discarded litter, his eyes round. No doubt he was thinking of the turtle family that he had come to befriend.

Noticing Gash’s expression, Kiyomaro spoke up, tracing his fingers over these photos.

"Gash, you wouldn't happen to be releasing plastic into the ocean when you visit the beach, are you? That sort of thing is harmful to the environment."

Gash looked annoyed at Kiyomaro’s question. "No, I would never!"

"And what about Mizuno?" There was a sudden keenness in Kiyomaro’s eyes.

Suzume swallowed inaudibly. Why was he looking straight at her?

"What are you talking about, Kiyomaro? Suzume wouldn't do something like that. I was there with her at the beach!" Gash announced.

"Yea, Gash-kun didn't catch me throwing anything away at the beach!" she defended. Mentally, she congratulated herself for her quick thinking. Good save, Suzume!

"Mmhmm." Kiyomaro's gaze seemed to sharpen, if only for the briefest of seconds. Then, he returned his gaze to her geography workbook, motioning towards one of the flowcharts. "Because, you see, plastic pollution is one of the threats to biodiversity..."

Suzume let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. Crisis averted… Takamine-kun was still none the wiser!

————

It was more than a year before Suzume next encountered the plastic bottle, again. By then, Gash had returned home, and each of them had gone their separate ways to their own respective high schools.

She still passed by Kiyomaro's house every day, though, and when he was home, he would invite her in, for old time's sake.

Today was no exception. Kiyomaro was out in his front yard, and happened to catch sight of her walking home from school. "Hey, Mizuno!" He waved.

Suzume had a feeling that he had again been pondering on the tidy little headstones of the previous Vulcan generations.

Sincere as Gash was, it was no wonder that he had given each Vulcan a touching farewell and a proper burial, in Kiyomaro's front yard. Those markers still remained, a visible symbol of their friendship.

"I was just looking through Gash's old things..." Kiyomaro gestured back at the house. "Do you want to see them, too?"

Suzume's face lighted up. "Un, yea!" And they went up to his room, together.

Everything that Gash had left behind was currently still packed into a cardboard box - save for her plastic bottle that Gash had received, and its finely preserved message, which lay on the surface of the desk. It looked rather out of place with Kiyomaro's neatly-arranged and smart-looking books.

“Oh, I remember this…!” Suzume picked up her old note. Try as she might, she wasn't able to fully hide the sadness that seeped in. “Ah, in the end, I guess it’s a message that was never delivered…”

"Well, I don't know about that," Kiyomaro remarked, folding his arms. "Messages have a way of seeking out the person they were meant for, no matter the distance."

His eyes unconsciously travelled to a new letter taped above his desk, written in bizarre characters (similar to that of the old red book, which had vanished at the same time Gash had gone home).

His words were an uncanny echo of Gash’s, from so long ago. Suzume beamed at the thought. Though Kiyomaro and Gash were separated now, they still shared the same heart.

Kiyomaro cleared his throat, and Suzume’s eyes snapped up to meet his.

"Unless..." A look of reticence set into his face, as he gestured towards the letter in her hands. "That note is from awfully long ago. The person who wrote it may not feel the same way anymore."

The unexpected note of dismay in his voice made Suzume hesitate - even if there was no reason she could think of, that would explain why he might be personally invested in a complete stranger's affairs.

"But I have faith that the person still does!" she blurted out. "Messages in a bottle carry meaningful wishes... I don't think they are ever sent out lightly!"

A rare, quiet smile stole across Kiyomaro's features. "Good,” he replied firmly. "I'm sure the person it was intended for wouldn't want those heartfelt feelings to go to waste."

Suzume felt a warm flush overtake her cheeks, unbidden. Stop it, Suzume - Takamine-kun is saying this in a completely different context, she chided herself.

But… could she dare to hope that this was a sign from the universe, or the ocean’s patient answer?

“U...un! Maybe she just needs to wait for a little while longer.”

Kiyomaro tugged the letter from her hands, and the sheaf made a soft, crinkling sound in return.

He held up the page. “Yea,” he declared. The gentle lighting from the window touched the edges of the paper, with an igniting glow. His eyes were soft but decisive. “Sometimes, I think all he might need is a little more time to respond.”

—

Notes: I’ve always imagined that any attempts by Suzume to defend herself or throw off suspicion would somehow only serve to incriminate herself further :P [Maybe I got that character beat from Ch. 164: An Uneasy Glance.]

This fic is tropey as anything, but nonetheless fun to write! Also, climate change is real; so says Kiyomaro himself in Ch. 320: Graduation Ceremony. Friendly disclaimer that jettisoning plastic bottles in the ocean irl is strongly not advised

[borrowed-twenties]

Fic: Crossroads

For: Konjiki no Gash!!

Characters: Takamine Kiyomaro, Gash Bell, Mizuno Suzume [KiyoSuzu]

Summary: The final year of middle school has just started; Kiyomaro allows himself a short break.

With a yawn, Kiyomaro lay back on the grass, folding his arms behind the back of his head.

Gash, Suzume and himself had found themselves lingering on the sloping hill on the way back home. The vantage point offered a perfect view of the rolling clouds and the clear sky.

The only sounds disrupting the peace were Gash's squeals of delight, as he tossed Vulcan-300 up and down. (It never ceased to amaze him how Gash could be so easily entertained.)

Suzume sat beside him on the grass, cheerfully gazing upon Gash.

(( On the upward hill leading back home, Gash had lunged forward, inserting himself between them both and casually torpedoing their conversation about school.

"Unuu, Kiyomaro - if we're not in a rush today, can we stay here for a bit?"

It was only the second day of their third year, but already Gash had managed to: smuggle himself into their class; introduce himself to every new classmate he didn't know; and make a general public nuisance out of himself.

Although Kiyomaro would never admit it, he had long given up trying to stop him.

Suzume's face brightened at Gash’s suggestion. "Un! It's a sunny day; we could all go cloud-watching!"

Kiyomaro slowed his steps. Technically, this was a rare moment that he and Gash were not in a rush to anywhere.

Given what they had just lived through at Faudo, he might even say that they deserved this reprieve.

His gaze fell on Gash, who was prancing down the grassy slope before even waiting for Kiyomaro's agreement.

He sighed, but it was a good-natured one. "Okay, Gash, we can linger - but only for a little while!" ))

The grass was soft beneath his back, and Kiyomaro was sure that he could very easily drift off to sleep here.

His body was still recovering from the recent battles; he knew if he closed his eyes for just a moment, with that gentle breeze wafting across his face, his mind would definitely slip away.

Gash skipped back to both of them, one hand holding Vulcan. "Suzume - I'm really happy that you and Kiyomaro are in the same class again!"

Suzume beamed. "Me too!" She placed a finger on her chin. "I think most of our classmates are still the same... And we got Nakata-sensei as our teacher again, too."

"T.M. Lee-sensei," Kiyomaro corrected. Their teacher’s 360-degree turn in personality was unforgettable, but perhaps T.M. Lee-sensei was exactly the sensible taskmaster they needed to beat them into shape for the high school exam preparations.

"Un, he's T.M. Lee-sensei now," Suzume acknowledged. "He's so stern, nothing like the old Nakata-sensei... but he's really wise! Yesterday, in class, he asked all of us to think about what we want to be in the future."

Gash sat down between them, his head tilted curiously. "What we want to be?”

"Yea… he asked us to set our goals for the future." Kiyomaro directed his face upwards to the sky, and his eyes caught on a fluffy cloud drifting by, carefree.

Before Gash could even ask, he added wryly, "I'm still thinking about mine. Apparently, wanting to go on to high school and college isn't enough for T.M. Lee-sensei."

Suzume turned to Gash, her eyes lighting up. "What about you, Gash-kun? Do you know what you want to be, in the future?"

It didn't take Gash much time to think. His face segued into natural conviction. "Unu! It's an easy question. I want to be a kind -"

Kiyomaro shot up instantly, clasping a hand over Gash's mouth. Gash looked momentarily affronted, but Kiyomaro gave him a warning look.

Both of them looked over at Suzume simultaneously, who seemed mystified at their secrecy.

Kiyomaro coughed. "Ah... Gash means that he wants to be a kind... person, when he grows up."

Suzume reached out, affectionately ruffling Gash’s hair. "That's a really noble goal, Gash-kun!"

Kiyomaro smiled. Well, she didn't know the half of it.

"Eh, come to think of it, Mizuno..." He propped up one elbow on the ground. "You never mentioned what you want to do in the future."

"Me?" Suzume pointed at herself. As she mulled over his question, the blades of grass quietly swayed in the wind. "I want to get into a good high school... and..."

She scrunched up her face in thought. "Mm, I don't know... I've not thought much about the future, yet!"

Gash furrowed his brows. "Didn't Suzume say that, one day, you wanted to have your own family, and children?" Unconsciously, his eyes skittered over to Kiyomaro. "Unu, and maybe -"

Suzume reacted far more quickly than Kiyomaro had ever seen her move. It was now her turn to cover Gash's mouth with her hands, as a deep blush colored her cheeks. "Gash-kun!"

Gash looked just the slightest bit sheepish, although his subtle mannerisms had already registered with Kiyomaro.

"Hmm...?" Kiyomaro leaned his head backwards onto the grass, closing his eyes.

Perhaps, then, he could pretend that the warmth spreading over his face was merely a reflection of the sunshine.

Gash wriggled out from under Suzume's grasp and ran off, laughing cheerily to himself and Vulcan. “Unu, Suzume… I didn’t say anything!”

If Kiyomaro didn’t know better, he would have sworn that Gash was conveniently leaving them alone, in silence.

He carefully cracked open an eye, taking a peek at Suzume.

She had also laid back onto the grass some feet away from him, and her eyes were currently tracing the journey of the travelling clouds. The only telltale sign was the faint flush in her cheeks.

"Ne, Takamine-kun..." Suzume's voice carried across hesitantly. "What Gash-kun said is partly true, but that's just a distant thought. I really haven't thought so far ahead... Mostly, I just know I want to make it to high school!"

Kiyomaro hummed in agreement. "We still have years ahead of us. I think it's okay not to know what we want to do, just yet."

He was taking things one step at a time. First, he needed to focus on putting Gash on the throne. And finally, after that... His gaze settled on Suzume, a tad reflectively. There would be more time and space to afford on thinking about other things.

"Un!" Then Suzume sat up, and her eyes harbored a different emotion. "It's just that... After all, once we finish this school year, we may be headed to different high schools..."

"Eh, but it's not like we will never see our classmates again. We can still catch up, from time to time."

As Kiyomaro voiced the words, though, he realised Suzume was right. In a year, they were all headed towards the crossroads of life, and things would change.

He had never really considered, in the past, what it would be like not to open a school day with her familiar "Good morning, Takamine-kun!", which he had come to expect over time.

It wasn't a pleasant thought, and he didn't particularly want to dwell on it (especially when the first and last time he had entertained such a prospect was at Faudo).

"Yea, I know... But all I know for certain is, I hope Takamine-kun will always stay in touch!"

It was the slight inflection in her voice, that made him look up.

Kiyomaro waved his hand, as if to flick away the anxious thought before it sunk too deep. "Oi, Mizuno, don't worry about such things... It's still an entire year away."

Instinctively, he added, "And I will still be around. Even after middle school ends." He paused. "And even after what comes next."

More importantly - and these were words he wouldn't say - I came back, didn't I?

Because, keeping his word mattered the world to him - and that would also include keeping his word to her.

Suzume's shoulders relaxed, and she offered up a small smile. "Okay, Takamine-kun… I believe you!"

Satisfied that he had put to rest her concerns, he finally allowed himself to close his eyes. He felt the breeze weaving through his hair, as he drank in the fresh, crisp air.

Somewhere in the distance, he could hear the happy chirping of one small mamono; could sense Suzume’s steadfast and unobtrusive presence beside.

There was undoubtedly a time to set one's course - but also a time to simply lean back, and chase clouds.

Maybe, just maybe, the future could wait for just a little more.

—

Notes: This was vaguely inspired by the below screencap from Kasabuta, and the fact that the feeling of soft grass is simply amazing. Would imagine this random fic to be after Ch. 276: A New Class in the manga (or at least, before Ch. 278: Zeon’s Letter)! Also, this continues what I assume to be Kiyomaro’s style of Not Dealing with Feeling

[borrowed-twenties]

Fic: Silent Observer

For: Konjiki no Gash!!

Characters: Gash Bell, Takamine Kiyomaro, Mizuno Suzume [Gash POV; KiyoSuzu]

Summary: Gash observes the two people in his life, whose friendship he cherishes. And as he watches, he can’t help but think. [Clear Note Arc]

Sometimes, Gash thinks that the mamono battle has aged Kiyomaro beyond his current years.

It is not so much the stateliness of his posture now, or the gradual sharpening of his jawline; nor is it the more deliberate modulation of his voice when he activates his "Answer Talker" ability.

No - it is the experience and gravity of his eyes, that feel like a window into another life, or another world, altogether.

They are entering the final leg of the race, and their enemy - Clear - is ferocious and relentless, which is precisely why they must win.

And that is also why Gash relishes in the simple, leisurely days when they are out with Suzume, who has no shared context on the battle at all, only on the impending high school entrance exams.

She takes her preparation for those exams seriously, to be sure, but there is an easy light-heartedness to her that she still manages to spread all around her, like the unfurling warmth of a sun. And it extends to Kiyomaro, too.

Together, Suzume and Gash take a lot of pleasure in finding new ways to transform his yells of annoyance at their antics into surprised laughter.

Because - in those moments, Kiyomaro is not the de-facto leader in a tight circle of allies and friends; the one to whom everyone looks towards to make accurate judgements under pressure. He is just a teenage boy, and a regular middle schooler, learning some late lessons on how to act his age.

—

Suzume is a wonderful counterbalance to Kiyomaro - the sunshine to his thundercloud - although Kiyomaro may not be able to see it right now.

Or rather, Gash thinks, it's more that Kiyomaro doesn't give himself the chance to see it.

When Suzume and Kiyomaro make plans to visit places, like the zoo, Gash isn't sure why Kiyomaro always insists on bringing him along, when he could just go there with Suzume himself.

Far be it for him to complain about being invited to these outings - but sometimes, it is almost as if Kiyomaro is uncomfortable about what he might find out about himself if he's alone with her.

Gash enjoys these moments, though. Suzume travels lightly, and is more than willing to carry him about; she would usually wrap her arms around his waist, lifting him up in the air. In her embrace, he feels warm and safe.

While at the zoo, Suzume comes across a little boy wailing beside one of the monkey enclosures, when Kiyomaro and Gash have gone to buy ice cream. The next time they see her, she's bending down to his level and speaking to him earnestly.

It turns out that the boy is lost, and why does it seem like Suzume always runs into such situations?

Gash probes this thought a bit more - perhaps she's drawn to such kids, because she can never look away from someone who is really in need (much like Kiyomaro).

"Takamine-kun, Gash-kun, both of you can go on ahead first!" Suzume declares, with definitiveness in her voice.

She takes the ice cream cone that Kiyomaro hands over to her, and presses it gently into the little boy's hands instead. It seems to work its magic, because he stops crying. "I can help him to find his parents!"

Kiyomaro expels a breath and takes a bite out of his own ice cream. "I can already predict she's going to get lost," he says wryly, mostly to Gash.

"I heard that, Takamine-kun - I won't get lost!" Suzume turns away from the boy for a second, her face scrunched up at Kiyomaro's faithlessness. "Ne, Gash-kun, right?"

Gash only offers up a smile to her. However, when her back is turned, he bobs his head in agreement at Kiyomaro, trying to keep his voice to a whisper. "Unu... she will definitely get lost..."

"Come on, Mizuno, we'll go together," Kiyomaro firmly states, spreading out his free hand in an open gesture, while leaving no room for argument.

Suzume rewards his statement with a happy smile, and Kiyomaro scratches the side of his face, flushing and turning away in the opposite direction.

As Suzume grasps the little boy's hand, Gash takes the opportunity to clamber onto Kiyomaro's back, too. His bookkeeper sighs but surprisingly, doesn't say a word, his hands coming up automatically to hold him in place. Gash is satisfied.

After all, it is his own well-kept secret; that when he sits on Kiyomaro's shoulders, he already feels like the king of the world.

—

Gash thinks that practically the whole earth knows about Suzume's feelings for Kiyomaro, by now - Kiyomaro's mother, their classmates, Suzume's mother, even Nakata-sensei, Touyama-sensei and Mon Mon-sensei (and that is really a lot of people).

And Gash is starting to suspect that, deep, deep, deep down, Kiyomaro knows about it, too.

What remains to be seen is if he feels the same way.

Kiyomaro never really says out loud that he appreciates her, but ever since the journey in Faudo, the atmosphere in the air hangs a little different.

Kiyomaro himself doesn't seem to even realise his own fleeting smiles that Gash sometimes catches, given how mentally preoccupied he is with the upcoming battle with Clear.

It's another autumn day, and the breeze is brisk and chilly. Gash rubs his hands together and blows warm air on them.

The three of them are taking a stroll in the forest, but Kiyomaro seems lost in his own mind, which is missing the point of going outside and having a change in scenery.

On his end, Gash is perfectly content to leap into the piles of auburn leaves and hear them rustle. He surmises that, if he could just get Kiyomaro out of his head for a while, Kiyomaro would be, too.

Thinking it over, Gash gives Kiyomaro what was meant to be a playful push towards one of the more sizeable piles of leaves.

But he ends up shoving Kiyomaro just a little too hard, and it sends his friend careening headfirst into the stack of leaves with a crash. When Gash next stares down at his bookkeeper, there are twigs all tangled up in his hair.

Kiyomaro blows a leaf off his nose, still on his rear end, looking incensed. "Gash, what the heck was that!?"

Gash leans back on his heels, debating whether or not to make a run for it. Kiyomaro is almost certainly going to kill him.

But Suzume kneels down beside Kiyomaro, blind to the dirt that is getting all over her white shoes and her skirt. He turns to look up at her with a question on his face, his anger dissipating.

Then, she picks the twigs (and one fuzzy caterpillar) out of his hair sweetly, as he sits half-buried in the pile of leaves. Kiyomaro averts his eyes, a faint smile appearing at the edges of his mouth. For just a fraction in time, it's as though no one else is even there.

Gash contemplates the sight.

Kiyomaro is very, very dense, and Gash intends to rectify that - maybe at a later date when Kiyomaro cannot yell at him for it anymore.

—

It's the night of the middle school graduation ceremony, and the three of them are at the Mochinoki Playground. The full moon is out, and the whole playground is deserted at this hour.

It's three days to their final battle with Brago and Sherry, in France.

Suzume and Gash are on the swings, Kiyomaro has been pushing Gash for well over an hour (without grumbling how sore his arms are, for once), and it feels like no one really wants to go home.

Because, perhaps, they all know (to varying degrees) that when the night melts into day, change will be standing right at the door.

Gash turns his head to look at Kiyomaro. "Why don't you push Suzume, instead?" he asks, a little brazenly, knowing there's not a lot of time left.

"Huh...?" Kiyomaro looks startled and embarrassed, for a moment. His hand slips, and he misses the next push entirely. "Hey, Gash, I'm only doing this for you because your feet don't even touch the ground."

Gash can't help but feel frustrated at just how insistently stubborn and obtuse Kiyomaro is.

Suzume, however, jumps off the swing and onto the ground, sending up a plume of sand. She looks over wistfully at them. "It's really late... I should get going."

Gash pauses, then jumps off the swing, too. He goes over and wraps his little arms around Suzume's waist, and she picks him up readily in response.

She is slightly taken aback by the force of his hug, before returning the embrace just as tightly, without quite knowing what it is for. Gash holds back from saying that it'll be their last.

Kiyomaro is staring at the both of them, his eyes deeply inscrutable, and Gash wonders what is really going through his mind.

"Goodbye, Suzume," Gash says finally, and he releases her from the hug. His voice wavers, just a little.

Kiyomaro's gaze lingers at the scene between the two of them, for a while longer than necessary. "Come on, Gash, it's late... Bye, Mizuno."

"Bye, Takamine-kun, Gash-kun!" Suzume calls out, waving to them, as she heads off in the direction of her home.

The idea of Kiyomaro continuing to be an obstinate numbskull, even after the mamono battle is over, is simply unbearable. Gash vows that he will, as a last-ditch resort, activate his final operation before he goes - Operation: Open Kiyomaro's Eyes.

Later on that night, when Kiyomaro is fast asleep, Gash sneaks out to Father-dono's study, a voice recorder in his hands.

He had been saving the preparation of this final gift for last - and now, besides a recounting of all their many adventures, he knows exactly what else he must say. After all, he is thoroughly committed to this operation's success.

Gash presses down the 'Record' button, holds up the device close to his mouth, and begins to tape his goodbye message.

—

Notes: Written as a companion piece to “Many Safe Returns” [AO3], that didn’t quite fit anywhere. Perhaps will cross-post this somewhere, someday!

[borrowed-twenties]

Just realised Makoto Raiku (creator of Konjiki no Gash!!) once asked Takahiro Sakurai (voice actor of Takamine Kiyomaro), via a 2019 interview, who he thought Kiyomaro would choose - Suzume or Megumi.

Takahiro Sakurai’s answer is… Suzume!? :’)

—

Interview with Takahiro Sakurai

「櫻井さんから見て、清麿はスズメと恵、どちらを好きになると思いますか？」

櫻井　雷句先生、なんて質問を……。そうですね。優等生的な答え方になっちゃいますけど、スズメなのかなと思いました、僕は。

恵さんは、なんかちょっとお姉ちゃん的な、憧れとか、戦友とか、あり得ない環境下でのつながりというのがあるので。置かれた境遇でシンパシーを感じているというか。

アニメはけっこうスズメをフィーチャーしているところもあって、すごくチャーミングに描かれているんです。その印象もあって、そこに落ち着くのではと思いましたね。幼馴染的なかたちで。

—

Extremely rough translation (that probably transgressed the original meaning at some parts, so please take this with a pinch of salt) —

Question: From Sakurai-san’s perspective, do you think Kiyomaro liked Suzume or Megumi?

Takahiro Sakurai: Makoto Raiku-san asked such a question… Hmm [so desu ne]. This is a high-level question, but I think it would be Suzume.

Megumi knows Kiyomaro under exceptional and unlikely circumstances, so in this case, she’s like a big sister, a hope / longing, an ally in battle, a connection. They can relate to / sympathize with each other, because they’re facing the same circumstances.

[However], some parts of the anime that focus on Suzume are very charming / captivating. Given this impression, I think Kiyomaro would choose her to settle down with - his childhood friend.

Link to the interview

—

Note: Tbf, these are Takahiro Sakurai’s own views, not a confirmation of canon! I am sure Makoto Raiku will continue to keep his cards close to his chest on this topic, forever :P

[suki90]

Kōta Takamine.

A quick sketch and coloring of my KiyoSuzu fankid. I'll make his profile soon.