#quote: one of the most sincere forms of respect is actually listening to what another has to say

[anxious-acushla]

I’ve been wanting to do this for awhile. Or, rather, I’ve needed to do this for awhile.

And this post will likely get me in trouble but after some thought I decided it was better to be honest and then kind of leave it be than to just fade out and allow everyone to fill in the blanks with a story that is convenient for them.

I’ll start by saying that I’ve always been an outsider in fandom. I’m usually an outsider in life in general so it’s a natural role for me to fall into. I get involved in fandom because I love a piece of media. I obsess over fandom usually because I love a relationship. I actually used to be worse. I used to really lose myself in it all. It was an escape. Then it because almost unhealthy because as with everything else in my life, my passion came from things I found to be unfair. With fandom it was terrible plot lines and the absolute murder of characters I really identified with and rooted for. So I grew up and as I did I pulled back a bit, but I still enjoyed fandom.

When that happened (ie. my fog of rage cleared) I realized that regardless fandom was and still is my way of writing and getting feedback on my writing. So sure, I love the thing you love but I’m here to write. If I make friends along the way, then cool. But that’s not my goal. I’ve never been one to praise a work just because someone who was kind to me (or is even a friend) wrote it. I won’t read your fic just because you read mine. I won’t read fic I don’t like - period. (**It’s also worth noting that I work a lot and don’t have as much time to read fic as I used to.) And I get that sets me apart. I won’t apologize for it but I understand how foreign that may feel for some people. But that’s okay! That’s my entire point! We’re all different! But if I was able to write and able to share my work and able to receive feedback, I was fine because that was my goal.

The fandom I’m currently associated with is different. I’m not calling it out by name - I don’t want this appearing in any tags. This is for my followers and the people I have so much respect and love for. To put it bluntly, my experience has been really negative since the beginning. I noticed early on how prevalent these very cancel culture/write off posts were; how often opinions were posted as fact, demeaning a fellow fan’s differing stance in a very personal way. The beauty of fandom is that we all have our interpretations. We are literally here because we either love or hate the different interpretations writers presented us. Fandom is and has always been based on a fans passion for a story and if we start quelling different interpretations as if free speech isn’t a thing, in my opinion you’re completely ruining what fandom is about. Fanfiction cannot thrive or even exist without freedom of expression. So when I see passive aggressive posts about a fellow fan’s opinion, that’s what feels foreign to me. When those posts are based on something *I* said and stand by and continue many months after my opinion was voiced via my writing, it’s honestly just sad — disheartening and almost disconcerting but sad. And I’ve dealt with this for what feels like forever. I’ve dealt with it not in the way fandom is supposed to, with productive discourse, but with nasty anons and call out posts in the tags not dismissing the opinion but the person who has it. There are asks I’ve received that I’ve never posted because they were downright cruel. There are asks I’ve posted that I know a lot of people agree with but won’t reblog or even heart because they’re afraid of rocking the boat. I’ve literally been blocked more times than I can count, not by people I’ve ever interacted with but for no apparent reason other than that I most likely had an opinion that differed from theirs. I’ve also been blocked (I can only assume) because I stopped reading fic I no longer enjoyed. Again, I’m not here to be liked. That’d be cool and I care about it more than I’d care to admit, but I don’t expect it. I’m here to write. But I deserve respect just like everyone else and I don’t believe such a simple courtesy can be overlooked. That’s not something I want any part of.

Needless to say, it’s always been so odd to me when people talk about how much they love this fandom and how welcoming and accepting everyone is. I have felt and experienced nothing but the opposite since Day 1. And fandom should be what you make it but it has literally gotten to the point where all of the negativity outweighs the positives. The negativity I experience is not only unfair but blatantly toxic and I have bitten my tongue for so. damn. long. Bottom line: I don’t feel welcomed. I don’t feel like part of the community and I’m sick of acting like I’m not bothered by it. Popularity contests have never been my thing but when my choice to ignore it comes at a detriment of my main goal (writing and getting feedback on my writing) I wonder why I’m here.

I have a lot going on in my personal life. A lot. Especially lately. And fandom is no longer the escape I need it to be. This is not fun for me anymore. Realizing, accepting and admitting that is not easy for me. I’m honestly heartbroken. Fandom has been such a huge part of who I am since I was 11. ELEVEN.

I’m going to finish CFDD because I love this story and I love this version of these characters and I’ve worked too hard not to share the ending with everyone. There are some of you that have been so overwhelmingly supportive that I don’t feel right not giving you that ending. I owe it to the characters and I owe it to those of you who have invested time and emotional energy into a world that means so much to me. My readers and those who have given feedback mean the world to me. I mean that. It is everything to me. So I will give you the ending and then I think I’m going to go politely bow out. I had a story planned for when CFDD was over. I was so stoked for it and the storyline is one that is very personal and I’m so passionate about sharing. I just have no motivation. Again, this is not fun for me anymore. I want to cry writing that. I am gutted. I am lost. But this is what makes sense right now.

I’m keeping my tumblr. I’ve had this blog since I was 15. That’s 12+ years. It is mine and I’ve finally started curating it back to where it’s a productive place for me to share what’s important to me. Unfortunately that means unfollowing some people. So if I unfollowed you, it’s probably not personal. It likely has very little to do with you and everything to do with the users you reblog and the posts you promote. And that’s okay! You’re curating your blog to what you want, just like I am. I tried filtering and I tried blocking and blacklist. It wasn’t enough. Please still reach out if you need to vent or want to check in or just bullshit about politics or mental health or whatever else. Me not liking your blog likely has nothing to do with me liking you. Just like I’m hoping me doing this isn’t going to result in everyone writing me off.

Ya’ll, I was so fucking excited to post my next story. I love this couple. I loved Exhale and I love CFDD. I adore the fuck out of some of you. But I can’t do this anymore. This isn’t fun anymore but I hope it’s fun again someday.

✌🏻💜

[growth1mindset]

"One of the most sincere forms of respect is actually listening to what another has to say." - Bryant McGill ( 739*415 ) #inspirationalquotes #quotes #motivationalquotes

[nakamina]

How similar are Hanyu Yuzuru and Katsuki Yuri? - The Never Ending Debate

Hi all,

Nakamina here again with a long blog post. Now before ya’ll get triggered from this title please read the following.

So about a year ago I made a Yuzu fan video (which you can find below) and I have received many comments since comparing him to Yuri from the anime ‘Yuri!!! on ICE’ (YOI) which is a figure skating themed anime that aired in the fall of 2016.

The kind of comments being:

“Yuzu is the real Yuri!“ (<- pretty much got about 10+ of these)

“He is the inspiration of Yuri”

“He looks so much like Yuri”

“He reminds me of Yuri”

“Yuzuru Hanyu and Javier Fernandes look like Yuri and Viktor!”

Now, this is really no surprise since I used the anime’s opening song ‘History Maker’ for this video, although the video itself really does not make any reference to the anime. But it got me thinking…how similar/different are they actually??

DISCLAIMER: I would just like to say that this comparison is purely for fun and I am not here to put down Yuzuru Hanyu nor YOI. I became a fan of Yuzu long before YOI came out and I am also a massive anime otaku. So obviously, I support both fandoms and am not here to discredit one or the other. I thought this would be something interesting since so many people point it out and I genuinely want to nut out their differences and similarities in a neutral and unbiased manner for once, since this topic seems to only ever bring in a cat fight between the figure skating fandom and anime fandom… Let’s change that!

Yuzuru Hanyu vs Katsuki Yuri

SIMILARITIES

Race and Cultural Background

I guess this is an inevitable similarity since they come from the same country and culture. Yes, they are both Japanese and have black hair, black eyes, wears glasses…etc the list goes on. I mean Yuzu probably also likes Katsu-don too (maybe). These similarities are applicable to most Japanese men really, and hence why I think this is the main aspect that a lot of people tend to focus and highlight on.

Idolising a Russian Skater

What a lot of the people also point are the two’s idolisation towards a Russian skater. This is also no surprise. When I first saw YOI I too thought that this was very reminiscent of Yuzu’s idolisation towards Evgeni Plushenko. They both grew up watching their Russian idols on TV and consider them as their ultimate inspiration. Yuzu also has formed quite a friendly relationship with Plushenko since, and has even gone far as to use one of his iconic pieces for his 2018-2019 free program - ‘Tribute to Nijinsky’. Much like how Yuri skates to Viktor’s choice of music and choreography, and wears one of his previous costumes for his short program in the anime. 

Hometown Support

This is probably a less obvious one but in YOI there is a decent sense of “Jimoto ai” - hometown love. There are a number of scenes where it depicts the support Yuri receives from his home town. As many would know Yuzu also receives a lot of support from his hometown in Sendai/Miyagi, and Yuzu himself has also raised many funds for the recovery from the 2011 earthquake. They are both from different prefectures, but their love for their hometown are quite alike.

Relationship with Family

With all that being said, I think the most noteworthy thing the two have in common is their family bond. Yuri is shown to have a strong relationship with his family, and from what I know Yuzu also does with his family, notably his mother. Family & love is a reoccurring theme in YOI. Yuri’s quote from ep 4: “...my family never treated me like a weakling. They all had faith that I’d keep growing as a person, and they never stepped over the line.”.  Yuzu has also stated in an interview after his second Olympic win that the people he feels the most gratitude towards is his family, for their unconditional support throughout his whole skating career. I personally think this is the most significant alikeness between the two that a lot of people seem to undermine. Yuri’s family has unconditionally loved and believed in him (as quoted from the anime), which I think is very similar to that of Yuzu’s relationship with his family.

DIFFERENCES

Track Record

In terms of track record, the two are quite different. Yes, the two are Japan National Champions but when speaking at an international level the differences are apparent. Yuri is more of a late bloomer as a competitive skater while Yuzu is very much an early bloomer. Yuri first medalled at the GPF at age 24 (Re YOI ep12), whereas Yuzu first medalled at the GPF at the age of 17. Also, Yuri first qualified for the GPF at age 23 (Re YOI ep1) while Yuzu first qualified for the GPF at age 16. By the age of 23 Yuzu has also won numerous other international titles such as 2x World Championship golds, 4x GPF golds and 2x Olympic golds. So there are some stark differences in terms of their career progression. Now I know the Olympics and Worlds were not mentioned in the anime; however, judging from the whole tone of the anime and what was heard from Yuri’s monologues, the likelihood of him winning one of these titles in the past is very low. Although I would say Yuri winning the 4CC (Four Continents Championships) is a possibility.  

Side note: Actually looking into their track records has made me realise how rapid and incredible Yuzu’s achievements were… no wonder he is called a living legend. Yuri’s track record by all means is very impressive as well, as it is a lot more than what most figure skaters can ever achieve in their life time.

Personality

Another major difference is their personality. Yes, they are both very competitive and hate to lose, but from what I have seen Yuri easily gets anxious and lacks confidence. We can see that from the way he desperately avoids to even listen to the other performances in episode 7 in order to calm his nerves. Of course this gradually changes in Yuri, and we see that he learns to handle the pressure better in competitions. As for Yuzu, he lives off pressure and gets motivated the more his competitors do well. Yuzu has stated that his “ideal” way of winning is for him to defeat the other competitors when they are are at their best. 

Skating skills/style

Yuzu, at this point in time, can jump the quad salchow, quad toe-loop, quad loop & quad lutz. Yuri is able to do the quad salchow, quad toe loop and…the quad flip, which just happens to be the one quadruple jump (excluding the axel) that Yuzu cannot do. Interesting aye? 

Also, Yuzu is very much an all rounded skater, and has been for the majority of his senior career. He is well renowned for possessing great artistry and technical skills that are on par with each other. Whereas Yuri’s strength leans more towards the components/artistic side of skating (Refer to YOI ep 4). Yuri is very expressive in the way that he performs and interprets music quite well, but he has the tendency to flop when it comes to his jumps. However, this too gradually changes following Viktor’s coaching as he starts to polish up Yuri’s skills in other areas too. 

New York Times Article on Yuzuru Hanyu:

Body Type, Physical Condition   

Yuri, in the anime, is very susceptible to binge eat and gains weight easily. His love for food, especially Katsu-don, is clearly depicted in the anime, and it’s apparent that the act of eating brings him joy. Yuzu on the other hand really has no interest in eating, and suffers from the total opposite concern of being unable to gain weight. 

Another stark difference is their stamina. Yuri’s stamina has always been one of his strengths; whereas Yuzu suffers from asthma and has struggled with stamina especially during his early senior years. 

Final Verdict/Thoughts

So I think we can see that Yuzu and Yuri are somewhat similar in terms of race, background and upbringing, but are quite different in terms of personality, skating skills/style and track record.

I like to actually think that bits of Yuzu’s traits are shown through not just Yuri but multiple characters in YOI. He has the charisma of Viktor, drive of Yurio and love/affection of Yuri. Just like how we see bits of Yuzu in lot of these characters, the character of Yuri was inspired by various iconic skaters; noteworthy ones being Machida Tatsuki and Takahashi Daisuke.

Many people worked hard to create this anime, just like how Yuzu has worked his butt off to get to where he is now. I think it is okay for people to compare the two, just as long as you respect and acknowledge the fact that Yuri is his own character and Yuzu is his own person. I think it is great that a lot of people found out about Yuzu and Figure Skating through this anime. I’m also sure that there are people who got into YOI as they were initially part of the figure skating fandom or were Yuzu fans (like myself!). 

I sincerely hope people have not been offended by this blog. I tried being objective as possible. Adios until my next post! 

[th3okamid3mon]

Klaus, a wonderful christmas tale (Spoilers)

Have you seen something so pretty you started crying? 

Tiny sinopsis: ¨You follow Jesper, a really spoiled (almost rotten spoil) man who is the son of a well known business man, owner of a post-mail company. Tired of his son´s lack of direction and apathy towards working for himself, he sends Jesper to a small town in an island called Smeerensburg where the people are hostile towards him and each other. A usual fight between two clans who have sworn to hate each other till the sun dies, leaves the postman really distraught and hopeless. During his morning walks, he tries to get any letter from the villagers only to discover they do not write at all. In one of his desperate moments he finds out a woodsman lives deep in the forest and while searching for said man he discovers a workshop full of old toys.¨

Animation:

The animation is breathtaking and knowing it´s 2D makes me hope there will be more movies with this kind of animation. The lighting is amazing, there are some spots that look awkward or kind of as if it was a bad render although it only happened in a scene with a fireplace. The imagery, the backgrounds, the details, I felt the cold from that movie. The change of atmosphere and contrast at the beginning and at the end are so noticeable in such a tender way, even when it´s still freezing and snowing you can sense that warmth and coziness from a home, that nostalgic feeling from childhood. This imagery is the feeling of Christmas. 

Voice acting:

Pretty swell! Jason Schwartzman (Jesper) really fits the egocentric with golden heart character while J.K Simmons (Klaus) fits the really strong, quiet and mysterious Klaus. There are certain frames that the voice acting doesn´t fit completely, or the scene seems longer than it should. When Jesper meets Klaus for the first time, he screams and the expression is more exaggerated than the actual scream. Other than that the rest of the cast did an excellent job from being a secondary to third character in the story. The child voice actors did awesomely too, they do sound like children and express themselves as that. The child wonder and curiosity can overflows in their acting.

NOTE: It´s hard work to practically rewritting the whole movie to another language (considering certain jokes or expressions dont really translate well), let alone getting the proper voice actors, so I want, will and must watch the Spanish version for this movie. Probably in its ¨real¨ language which is the Spaniard Spanish since this movie was made by a Spaniard studio. Both spanish versions are a must to watch for me (I´m mexican and I´m studying to work in productions and such) 

The story and the characters: 

Well, well, well! What do we have here? Another Christmas story???? 

Or as I like to call it ¨Rise of the Guardians The Prequel.¨

In al seriousness, the plot is simple: spoiled character is spoiled, father send him to a place with non of his comfort with conditions, spoiled character makes a plan to accomplish said conditions and at the end he becomes a better person due to circumstances. It´s a solid formula. The story can be predictable for people who are way more perceptive than I and does have certain cliches, but here´s the thing... DONT. EXPECT. ORIGINALITY. ORIGINALITY. IS. A LIE. 

What POPS in this story is how the characters evolve. Jesper isn´t even useless person, he does know how to work with what he has. He is smart and resourceful, which is not typical for the spoiled rich brat trope (at least from the materials I´ve seen, a good example being Kuzco). Klaus´ evolvement is subtle, not in your face which is shown in the most enjoyable way, you can see how he opens more and more to this silly postman and goes form quiet and tired to a joyful, cheery old man who howls with laughter ones he listens to the children´s ideas of him. 

It is a tale about a man who change the lives of the people around him, whether he wanted or not, whether he meant it or not, how kindness can change the lives of people, how joy can make hatred melt away, how being nice to each other can be its own reward to be happy, how our actions have consequences, how, quote: ¨A true act of goodwill sparks another.¨ It´s inspiring, it´s enjoyable, it´s adorable, it´s wonderful! 

The rest of the characters are enjoyable to watch. Not all of them are flesh out, though that´s not entirely a bad thing. We dont need to see a super heartfelt moment with the villains specially when they are completely comic relief. The children, even thought they are almost background characters, they have A HUGE involvement in the development of the story and their actions are the best portrayal of their wonderful quote. Because of their actions, the adults learn to coexist and meet the people who they´ve been fighting for years. The children changed their parents for the better. 

Alva is the most flesh out secondary character, who goes from this apathetic, grumpy and tired fish seller to the hopeful, happy, excited and optimistic teacher she always dreamt to be and it´s the best example of what kindness and true act of goodwill can do. 

And even Jesper´s father is shown to have a tridimensional personality, being harsh to his son so he makes something for himself and still feeling guilt and worried for his son well being and even if it isn´t shown we known he does love his son and has told him he is really proud of him. It´s a man who cares but felt he had to be really strict to his son who was really not going through a good path. 

Conclusion: 

In world where kindness is lacking, in a world that is hostile and gray like Smeerensburg 24/7, 365/366, in a world where we still feel hatred for years, in a world where we expect something in exchange of common courtesy or for a good deed, we need this kind of movies to remind us we shouldn´t expect a reward for being human. We should act respectful, we should try to be better, we should be kind to others. And when a person is awful and full of hatred, kindness works way better to throw them off than any act of violence. 

Sometimes we are in dark places, sometimes the world seems to be getting into a deep blackhole full of bad thoughts, sometimes people hate what they dont understand and they hurt other people who are different for no reason, sometimes we feel so much we are in so much emotional pain we feel physically sick... 

We gotta remember there can be some light in those gray days, there´s so many good things that someone can do: an old friend sending you a ¨Hello! How are you?¨, sharing your food with someone else, giving your old clothes to other people who have nothing to wear,  making food for the people in the streets, spending time with your grandparents, helping around the house...and more! 

The little things make a huge difference, little acts of kindness make a really big difference. 

We have to remember to be human to each other, we have to stay put for others so when the dark times come we are ready to be there for each other. 

This movie represents what the Christmas spirit should be. It´s not about the toys, it´s not about getting something in return. It´s the joy of giving to others. 

A true act of goodwill sparks another but it has to start with someone. 

Will you begin it? 

Happy New Year to everyone, hope this one is the start of a big chain of kindness, this world needs it more than ever. 

-Sincerely hopeful, T.O.D 

[sophcaro]

Destiny | WMatsui - Chapter 40 Part 2

“First time in Paris?”

“Oh no, it’s my second time,” Rena, mustering her best English, replied to the male taxi driver. “But the first time was for work.”

“You’ll love it here,” the French taxi driver glanced back at her through the rearview car mirror. “Many, many monuments to see. Paris est une si belle ville! Beautiful Paris! Paris is a romantic city!”

“Yes,” Rena replied, entertained by the driver’s enthusiasm and his mixture of French and broken English. “I’m sure I’ll enjoy it here.”

“You will! Trust me!”

The taxi driver fell quiet, listening to the animated Sport talk show on radio. Rena observed the traffic outside the window. By the time their plane arrived at the French airport and they retrieved their suitcases, it was 6:30 p.m. when each couple hopped in a taxi. The airport crowded exit mingled with the peak time had led them straight into traffic, the slow progress of the car not failing to put Jurina asleep.

Fifteen minutes later, they managed to get out of the traffic jam, Rena amazed at the scenery unfolding in front of her as they drove through the center of Paris. Rena marveled at the view of the Arc de Triomphe, then the endless line of characteristic 19th century bourgeois apartments and buildings, until arriving at the Seine River as they crossed the Alma Bridge. For a while, the taxi drove along the river, the actress taking in the Iena Bridge on their right, until the view of the ‘Iron Lady,’ the emblematic Eiffel Tower on her left, made her understand that they were approaching their final destination.

A few times along the way, Rena couldn’t help thinking it was a real shame that Jurina was sleeping. She should be enjoying with her such a beautiful view. At some point, she had considered waking her up. In the end, Rena had refrained from doing it and let the younger girl continue her peaceful nap. They would have plenty opportunities to appreciate the city during their week holiday.

It was the second time Rena came to Paris, but she couldn’t say she had visited much of it. In 2009, she had been part of the trip with other AKB48 members when the idol group had been invited to perform in Paris at the Japan Expo, a French convention popular for celebrating Japanese’s culture, animation and music. It had been a short trip, most of the girls merely having the occasion to see the city, while dozing off from the long, tiring flight, through the window of a bus.

The least Rena could say, it’s that none of them truly had the chance to appreciate to its fullest the beauty and charms of the French capital. Despite the distant memory, Paris had left quite an impression on her, and Rena promised herself to return one day. To be perfectly sincere, this trip came at the right moment. These last years, she had been so swamped with work, that she never had been able to afford more than a couple of days off. For those holidays abroad, Rena had succeeded in clearing her schedule for a full week and was accompanied not simply by wonderful friends, but also the person she loved and shared her daily life. To add it up, those vacations were taking place just after Rena’s 30th birthday, making this trip to Paris all the more special to her.

   While Rena and Yuki approached the hotel counter to check in, Jurina was desperately trying to stay awake. The long 12-hour flight, coupled with the jetlag, were getting the best of her, and she had to clench the handle of the suitcase to not collapse in the hallway. Blinking the sleep away for the umpteenth time, a flash of lucidity reminded her of an important task she was supposed to take care of, one she had utterly forgotten at their arrival at the French airport. Not wasting another minute, Jurina quickly retrieved her phone from her vest.

“Who are you texting?” Mayu, who was standing by her side, and passing time by playing a game on her phone, asked in confusion.

“My mom,” Jurina answered sleepily, gathering her last remnant of energy to concentrate on the content of the message. “To tell her that we’ve arrived.”

“At that time?” Mayu leaned closer, checking the text she was typing. “Wait. You actually are! You do realize it’s 3 a.m. in Japan?”

“Yes,” Jurina sighed, stealing a peek at their respective partners. They were still occupied with the receptionist, and she resumed her text. “If I don’t do it now, I’m afraid I’ll fall asleep and forget. She could have stayed awake to receive the confirmation that I arrived. I don’t want to take the risk of her texting Rena.”

“She would do that?” Mayu asked, astounded.

Jurina cringed. “Oh, she could.” She read the message, making sure it contained all the necessary information and was as coherent as possible, then pressed the button Send. “If you knew how many times she texted Rena these last months… you would be surprised.”

“Careful,” Mayu grinned. “Next thing you know, she will stop texting you and only go through Rena. I don’t blame her. Your girlfriend is obviously more reliable when it comes to getting info.”

Jurina glared at her. “Very funny.”

“You know it’s true,” Mayu quipped. “Last time you both came to our place for dinner, I had to text Rena to know when you would arrive. You had omitted to warn me that you had an interview in the evening.”

“Oh, that…” Jurina flushed. “But for my defense, this interview was a last-minute thing! It wasn’t planned. I meant to text you, but I got distracted and completely forgot.” Reflecting upon Mayu’s words, Jurina gazed at her in a mixture of worry and guilt. “I don’t do that often, do I? Forget, I mean.”

“No, you don’t,” Mayu replied impishly. “I just wanted to see your reaction.”

“Mayu,” Jurina growled. “How come you are so full of energy? I barely have the strength to stand up.”

“I slept on the plane,” Mayu explained. She frowned at the bags under Jurina’s eyes. “Why didn’t you?”

“I couldn’t find sleep, so I listened to music and watched movies,” Jurina confessed sheepishly.

“You were too excited,” Mayu stated matter-of-factly. “It’s fine. Tomorrow morning is program free.”

“Right…” Jurina murmured, relief sweeping through her at the reminder. “Don’t worry about me. I need one good night sleep, and I’ll be in top form.”

“I have no doubt,” Mayu said amusingly.

“We’ve got them!” The sight of Yuki waving the keycards in front of them brought both friends out of their discussion. “We’re all on the second floor. Let’s go to our rooms. God, I’m so exhausted. How did you manage to sleep so well on the plane?” Yuki asked Mayu, her expression changing to one of incredulity. “I don’t believe I have the strength to go out for dinner. What do you think if we order room service?”

“I don’t mind,” Mayu answered.

Rena, witnessing her girlfriend’s sleepiness, chimed in. “Yes. I think we’ll probably do the same.”

The four friends took the direction of the elevator, getting down at floor 2, splitting up in the corridor after agreeing to meet the next day for breakfast. From her peripheral vision, Jurina saw the other couple disappearing in room 26, before hearing the distinctive sound of the keycard opening the room she shared with Rena. She followed the older girl as she progressed inside room 22.

The decoration of the room stole Jurina’s breath away. From the wallpaper, to the curtains, cushions, bedside lamp and armchair, the room followed an impeccable pattern of red and black warm colors. Large paintings on the walls, representing popular views and monuments of Paris, and underlined by quotes from French writers, perfected the romantic atmosphere. But what caught the most Jurina’s attention, were the hundreds of red petals of rose spread all over the bed.

“Did you... Did you book a special room?” Jurina gasped.

“No, I didn’t,” Rena replied innocently. “But I have to admit it’s a very nice room. Don’t you think?”

“It’s not just nice,” Jurina corrected, sweeping around the place in amazement. “It’s… It’s so beautiful.”

Jurina left her suitcase aside and approached the king-size bed, her palm grazing over the soft, silky surface of the red colored bed scarf. She laid down on the bed, resting on the red square cushion, marveling at the sight of the bed of roses. Her fingers brushed the red petals, letting them slip through her fingers. She glanced back at Rena with awe. “I can’t believe we got such a beautiful room.”

“We are in Paris,” Rena came to lay by her side on the bed. She wrapped her arm around Jurina’s back, holding her snugly. “Maybe this hotel wants to live up to the city’s romantic image?”

“I guess,” Jurina murmured, her sleepy state of mind preventing her from elaborating any other possible explanation. “I’m not… I’m not really hungry.”

“I figured,” Rena’s tone was kind and understanding. “If you don’t want to eat, you should at least change clothes before going to sleep.”

Jurina didn’t reply, losing herself in the lulling sensation of Rena’s hand stroking the length of her back. Jurina closed the distance between them, Rena meeting her halfway as their lips connected in a short kiss. Jurina studied her, warmth in her eyes, fighting hard to stay conscious. Against her will, Rena’s image slowly blurred, Jurina’s heavy pupils closing without her consent as her body surrendered to exhaustion.

  When Jurina woke up, the first thing she noticed was the bright, sunny light filtering underneath the double curtains, clear indication that the morning was well-advanced. Relieved to feel quite rested, she took pleasure in watching her girlfriend’s peacefully sleeping form, before stiffening when she discovered what she was wearing. Why was she in her daily clothes? Jurina searched her mind for an explanation, retracing the events of the previous evening. She remembered entering the hotel room and laying down on the comfy bed but the rest was a complete blur. Confused by the gaps in her memory, Jurina turned to the side when she felt the body next to her stirring up.

“Morning…” Rena whispered; she planted a gentle kiss on Jurina’s forehead. “Did you sleep well?”

Jurina lit up at the affectionate gesture, completing the morning routine by lacing their hands together. Jurina’s attention fell upon her own ring finger, the silver band another reminder that something had definitely gone wrong the previous night. “I did,” she replied, gazing back and forth questioningly between her own appearance and her slowly awakening girlfriend. “What happened? Why did I… Why did you let me go to sleep like this?”

“I see someone has a bad recollection of yesterday,” Rena said with a slight giggle. “I suggested you to change into your pajamas, but you didn’t listen. You fell asleep soon after your head touched the pillow.”

“Really?” Jurina blinked, destabilized that she couldn’t remember any of it. “I guess… I guess I was exhausted.”

“Yes, you were.” A flicker of amusement crossed Rena’s features. “Let’s not mention how complicated it was to get you out of the taxi without you stumbling, or the fact that you confused our suitcases and entered the hotel with mine.”

Jurina was stunned by the revelation. “No, I didn’t… I didn’t do that.”

“You did,” Rena laughed. “So, now that you’re fully rested…” She stroked Jurina’s face, tracing her cheekbones, and gently kissed her on the cheek. “Are you ready to start our visit of Paris?”

“Isn’t this morning supposed to be program free?” Jurina asked for confirmation, receiving a nod in reply. “We can join Mayu and Yuki for breakfast, then decide what to do? But first, I need a shower. I can’t believe I fell asleep fully-clothed. I don’t even remember the last time that happened.”

“And I couldn’t do anything about it,” Rena added jokingly, watching her troubled girlfriend getting out of bed and approaching her suitcase. “You were sleeping like a log.”

Jurina, who was working on the lock combination, felt the color in her cheeks rising at the embarrassing reminder. “Dammit…” she muttered to herself after a second failed attempt. “W-What’s my code again?”

Rena was ready to laugh, but smiled widely instead. “8 0 3. If I remember correctly, it has never changed in 10 years.”

“Thanks,” Jurina said gratefully, despite being conscious of the blatant teasing she was being subjected to. Without further delay, she opened her suitcase and grabbed a pair of flesh clothes. “I’m going to take a shower. I won’t be long.”

Jurina vanished inside the bathroom and Rena slowly straightened up in bed, allowing herself to relax. In the background, water was falling in the shower, and Rena took time to appreciate the warm red and black colors of the hotel room decoration, reminding her that they definitely were in the city of love and romance. Her gaze fell upon the rose petals spread all over the bedsheet, amused by Jurina’s reaction the previous evening. She glanced around the place, lingering on the French quote underlining a painting of Montmartre.

La vie c’est des étapes… La plus douce c’est l’amour… La plus dure c’est la séparation… La plus pénible c’est les adieux… La plus belle c’est les retrouvailles.

Rena read it carefully, using her French lessons and vocabulary knowledge of the foreign language to decipher it. Unfortunately, she didn’t have the opportunity to decrypt its meaning to its fullest that she got distracted by the bathroom door opening, witnessing in mild-amusement a Jurina clad in her underwear rummaging frenetically through her suitcase. Most visibly, someone was not satisfied with the clothes she had previously chosen.

As their gazes suddenly met across the room, the corners of Jurina’s mouth turned up into a mischievous expression. “What are you staring at?”

“The girl walking half-naked in my hotel room,” Rena shot back playfully.

“Your hotel room?”

“Yes, mine,” Rena answered, in a fake shocked tone. “I booked it. Please don’t tell me you forgot about that too.”

Jurina, her previous goal all forgotten, left her suitcase aside and got up on her feet, progressing towards the bed. When Rena laid down from her previous seated position, Jurina understood the message conveyed and didn’t hesitate to climb on top of her. “I’m not so sure I should get dressed now,” Jurina claimed her lips in a slow, lingering kiss, pretending to think. “Do you think I need to?”

“Well…” Rena’s fingers ran up Jurina’s sides, stopping under the swell of her breasts and the fabric of her bra, then sliding down her heaving ribs and over her belly. “Eventually, you will need to get dressed if you want to go outside. But that depends entirely on you. I don’t know what you had in mind for this morning.”

Jurina studied her with a mixture of love and fascination, not missing the seductive glint in the depth of Rena’s dark brown orbs. Jurina was spellbound by her eyes, ensnared in her gaze, and her mouth swooped down to capture hers once more. The kiss was passionate and hungry, filled with all the feelings for her coursing through her veins. As it was returned with equal want and passion, Jurina felt a rush of warm emotion, Rena’s dexterous fingers traveling around to her back and prompt to unhook her bra.

  Yuki was humming a cheery melody as she turned at the corner of the corridor, Mayu’s steps following closely behind as they approached room 22. This morning, Yuki was in a wonderful mood. Not only had she recovered from her lack of sleep, she was impatient to start their visit of the French capital. The last time she had visited the city of love was four years ago and she always hoped to come back, this time not for work purposes but for pleasure.

“I’ll see if they are up,” Yuki said, getting a brief nod from Mayu who was busy checking her phone. Yuki halted in front of the hotel door and raised her arm, stopping in mid-air when she perceived explicit noises coming from the other side. “M-Maybe…” She froze, and had to stop and work out her words. “Maybe we should go to breakfast without them.”

Mayu raised from the screen. “What? Why? Yesterday, we all agreed to meet for breakfast, remember?”

“I-I do,” Yuki spoke lamely. “This morning is supposed to be program free, right?” She added with an attempt at lightness. “So, why don’t we let them enjoy their morning as they wish? We’ll meet them later.”

“You’re not making any sense,” Mayu said with a frown. “It’s past 9 a.m. Maybe they forgot to check the time, or didn’t hear their alarm-clock.”

When Mayu took a decided step forward to knock, Yuki grabbed her arm urgently. “No, Mayuyu, we really shouldn’t interrupt.”

“Interrupt what?” A pregnant silence stretched out between them. When Mayu caught the sounds coming from inside the room, her mouth twitched with amusement. “Oh, I see. Yes, it’s best to go downstairs. They’ll join us later. Maybe.”

“Yes. Maybe,” Yuki said awkwardly.

Turning on their heels, they walked towards the elevator, Mayu taking the initiative to press the button to call it when the girl by her side seemed completely lost in her thoughts. “I can’t blame them. It’s Paris. They got affected by the romantic atmosphere and couldn’t help themselves.”

Yuki stared back at her in bafflement. “On the first day?!”

“Why not?” Mayu shrugged. “Anyway. What did you have in mind for this morning? We’re supposed to visit the Eiffel Tower, no?”

“Y-Yes,” Yuki cleared her throat, trying to recollect herself. “I mean, I don’t remember our program. We were supposed to visit The Eiffel Tower this morning? Are you sure? Or was it tomorrow?”

Surprise, then disbelief, crossed Mayu’s features. “It’s been a while I’ve seen my Yukirin so flustered.”

“Of course, I am!” Yuki exclaimed dramatically. “It’s our friends we’re talking about! It was way too embarrassing to hear… that!”

The elevator opened and they entered. “But why? What do you think they usually do in bed?” Mayu asked cheekily. “Play chess? Conjugate Latin verbs?”

“Mayuyu! Will you stop it?!” Yuki groaned, burying her face in her hands. “I had finally managed to erase the image from my mind, and you had to put it back!”

Mayu’s lips quirked in a twisted smile. “You haven’t answered my questi-”

“That’s enough,” Yuki glared at her, slapping her arm. “Promise me we’ll never talk about that anymore. Promise me!”

“Fine, fine,” Mayu stifled a laugh. When she noted Yuki’s disapprobation, she quickly pecked her cheek. “I promise. I won’t mention it.”

Yuki breathed a sigh of relief, failing to catch the lie hidden behind Mayu’s mask of innocence and the fingers crossed behind her back.

  Buffet was closed when Jurina and Rena considered their morning program, deciding it was a shame to order room service when the city had plenty to offer. After a short stroll in the neighborhood of their hotel, they stopped in front of the characteristic red storefront of a French Café, and settled down at the terrace. They didn’t have to wait long to be served, a hearty breakfast composed of croissants, buttered toasts, jam, fresh orange juice, and café crème soon being placed between them.

Jurina took in every single detail surrounding her, from listening to the locals speaking the language of Molière, to the black vests and long white aprons worn by the male waiters serving them, without forgetting the breathtaking view of the Eiffel Tower. Being her first time in Paris, it was too easy to fall prey to the irresistibly charming romantic atmosphere. Her observation seemed to reach no end, until her gaze landed at last on the quiet older girl sitting opposite her.

“How do you like Paris so far?” Rena took a sip of her cup of coffee, the fresh brew delighting her nostrils with the mocha aroma.

“It’s…” Jurina sighed dreamily, relaxing back in her chair. “It’s beautiful. What about you? Is Paris faithful to the memory you had of it?”

Rena settled down her drink on the small round table separating them, pondering over her question. “It’s hard to say. I was 17 when I came to Paris for the first time. My main concern was to not mess up the choreography, and remember the lyrics of the songs I had to perform, especially in French. I was so stressed and sleep-deprived, that the rest of the trip is a blur. We barely had any free time to visit the city, and I was too exhausted to remember much of it anyway.”

“You had to sing in French?!” Jurina gasped in shock.

“Yes, when I did a duet with Kasai Tomomi,” Rena laughed, reminiscently. “You should have seen her: she exulted such confidence on stage. Me? I was a bundle of nerves. I didn’t understand a single word I was saying; I had to learn everything phonetically. I rehearsed the song countless of times the previous evening in my hotel room, and even again before the performance. I did my best, but I’m not convinced the audience managed to understand my terrible pronunciation.”

“Your pronunciation sounded very good to me when you spoke to the waiter,” Jurina said confidently. “I would be incapable of saying more than a few words.”

“I should lend you some of my books then, if you’re interested in learning new languages,” Rena offered. “After all, I know you’ve always been fascinated by Le Petit Prince. Don’t think I haven’t noticed the way you stare at me each time I’m reading it.”

“Rena…” Jurina chuckled softly at her girlfriend’s teasing tone. Rena’s almost obsessive passion for this particular story was one she still couldn’t fully comprehend. How many times had she discovered the book slipped in the actress’ suitcase, or witnessed her girlfriend reading it for the umpteenth time before going to bed? Too many to count, assuredly. “I don’t think it’s wise of me to learn another language when I already struggle with English. Besides, I know the essential when it comes to French.”

“You do?” Rena’s brow furrowed. “Like what?”

“Bonjour, ça va, pain, au revoir, and of course, last but not the least,” Jurina’s voice took on a sensuous undertone as she slid her hand across the table, catching Rena’s inside hers. “Je t’aime.”

Rena suppressed a laugh at Jurina’s cheesiness. “Yes, you know the essential. What else could you possibly need to learn?”

The moment was broken by the sound of Rena’s phone beeping. “It’s a text from Yuki. They reached the top of the Eiffel Tower. She sent a picture. She says the view is beautiful.”

“Oh, they went to visit it this morning? I can’t wait to visit it too,” Jurina said enthusiastically, checking the attached picture Rena was showing her. “When are we visiting it?”

“On the last day,” Rena replied without the slight hesitation. “I thought it would be a great idea to finish our vacations with Paris’s most emblematic monument.”

Jurina was caught off guard by the sudden glint in Rena’s eyes. It reminded her of a similar reaction her girlfriend had harbored at Haneda Airport. Rena had been the one to plan their holidays up to the finest detail, a task Jurina had been happy to let her take care of when she had witnessed the determination and pleasure Rena was having in taking matters in hand. Jurina couldn’t shake off the feeling that her girlfriend seemed to have a hidden agenda, but she chose not to interrogate her. Nevermind what it might be, she trusted her to have elaborated the best program to make their vacations to the city of love as memorable as possible.

  Notre-Dame de Paris, one of the most emblematic monuments of Paris, had suffered from a dreadful fire. In April 2019, Rena had been shocked by the devastating news, one that hadn’t failed to make the world news headlines. The wave of solidarity following the incident had been impressive: in barely three days, 1 billion euros of donations managed to be raised. The emotional response to the tragedy had transcended borders, languages and cultures, and donations to help support the reconstruction had poured from all around the globe.

During nine long hours, the flames had threatened to destroy and burn down Notre-Dame to ashes. It was past 8 p.m. when the relentless fight of the 400 firefighters had paid off, and they succeeded in putting a definitive end to the fire. When all prognostics imagined the worst outcome, Notre-Dame had survived. Its foundations had remained intact, proving its remarkable solidity. The cathedral, admired by 14 million of visitors every year, and fruit of the technical feat of past architects and builders, had been designed to cross time.  

As she and Jurina were walking through the parvis of the Cathedral, it was inconceivable not to pause. From the doors closed to the public during the reconstruction period, to the workers repairing stone by stone what had been lost in the fire, it was too soon to oversee what the final cathedral would look like. Its construction had begun in the 12s century and overgone through many phases of restoration over time, especially in the 19s century when it took its final radiant Gothic form.

From aside, Rena observed Jurina’s sadness. She squeezed her hand in comfort, Jurina leaning upon her shoulder in return. Under such circumstances, no words needed to be exchanged to realize that they were both equally moved by the devastating sight. Just as them, dozens of bystanders, locals and tourists, were stopping by and observing the damage done to the majestic monument.

During the course of the 21s century, the cathedral would be going through another major phase of restoration: it would need a few more years to reopen and regain its splendor. That day of April 15, Notre-Dame had been severely hit, but had not fallen. Nevermind how long it would take, Rena had no doubt it would be contemplated and praised once more for its powerful symbol and architectural magnificence.

  The sun was high in the sky when Jurina and Rena walked amongst the secondhand booksellers of the quays of the Seine, pausing every now and then to check the numerous book stalls. The Bouquinistes of Paris, booksellers of used and antiquarians’ books, was an obliged passage for any first visitor. It was a national treasure and a worldwide renown institution, one that lead millions of tourists every year to stop by and take a stroll, from the Quai de la Tournelle to Quai Voltaire on the left bank, to Pont Marie to Quai du Louvre on the right side.

At the invitation of a bookseller, Rena took a step forward, her fascination for old books having never wavered over the years. It was one of the ambivalences that existed within her: much as she enjoyed the modern technology of Tokyo, there was nothing like smelling and turning the pages of an old book. As anticipated, most of them were written in French and Rena had no difficulty recognizing illustrious authors, from Victor Hugo and Maupassant, to Alexandre Dumas and Baudelaire.

By her side, Jurina was admiring a series of postcards and drawings, depicting notorious places and monuments of the capital, as well as more simple scenes of everyday life in the 19th century. It was a return to the past, the cobblestone streets, horse carriages, and steam-engine testimony of what Paris had once looked like. It represented an age that didn’t exist anymore, but could still be witnessed in the old and preserved districts of the city.

While Jurina addressed the French bookseller in a tentative English, and bought a couples of posters and pictures to her liking, Rena opted for an old edition of Zola’s Germinal and one of The Petit Prince that she didn’t have in her collection: a purchase she was certain Jurina wouldn’t fail to tease her about later on. Following that, they continued their walk to cross Pont Marie, pausing over the bridge to observe the endless passage of boats on the Seine. Rena didn’t know how long they remained standing there, relishing in the sight and relaxing atmosphere enveloping them, until she got distracted by the feeling of Jurina gently tugging at her hand.

Rena glanced back at her in curiosity, following her when Jurina lead them further across the bridge, until they stopped in front of an impressive display of locks. A young couple was standing in front of them, hanging a lock with their names written on it, and exchanging words of affection. Once they departed, Jurina slipped away from Rena’s grasp to open her own backpack, a small orange heart-shaped lock appearing inside her palm.

Rena’s mouth dropped. “A lock? When did you buy it?”

“In Tokyo, before leaving,” Jurina brightened with pride. “When I learned about this tradition of love bridges, there was no way I couldn’t do it.”

Following her own words, Jurina didn’t hesitate to step forward and, searching for an adequate place, carefully attached the lock to the grid. The flashy orange color made it stand out amongst the hundreds of other lovers’ locks. Rena studied the lock more closely, noticing that their names had been personally handwritten by Jurina, along with the cute drawing of a heart.

“I don’t… I don’t remember seeing you putting it in your suitcase,” Rena, warmth spreading through her chest, laced their fingers together when the younger girl came back to stand by her side.

“Of course, you didn’t,” Jurina replied with playful assurance. “I didn’t want the surprise to be ruined, so I made sure you weren’t looking.”

Rena laughed at Jurina’s sneaky action. For a while, they quietly remained standing in front of the impressive display of locks, lost in the romantic atmosphere created by the place. “It’s really beautiful,” Rena murmured, and couldn’t resist the urge to kiss her cheek. “There’s no rush, but when you’re ready, we can progress onto our next activity.”

Jurina let out a blissful sigh. “I’m ready. Let’s go.”

Following a short pleasant walk under the sun along the river bank, they waited in line for their turn to get aboard the pleasure boat. Rena prepared their booked tickets, listening as her girlfriend showed great eagerness for the upcoming excursion on the Seine. After taking their seats and putting on their audio guides, Rena couldn’t help but reflect once more upon Jurina’s last touching romantic gesture, knowing that the city of love was about to reserve them many more surprises.

  It was past 4 p.m. when they returned to their hotel, Jurina thankful that today had been program free. Even though she had recovered from her lack of sleep, there was no denying that she remained partly jetlag from the important time difference. Their last activity for the day, a cruise on an open excursion boat that had provided them with a view of the city and emblematic monuments of Paris from along the river Seine, had been absolutely enjoyable.

Jurina was the one to pass the doorstep of the hotel room first, her feet soon halting on the carpet when she stared at their made-up bed: a red square box, along with a white envelope, had been carefully disposed on the red colored bed scarf. Dropping her backpack on the floor, curiosity got the best of her and she reduced the distance, pleasantly surprised when she opened the letter and discovered a message wishing them a nice stay in Paris, entirely written in Japanese by the hotel staff.

“Rena, look,” Jurina took a seat on the bed, studying the red square box at the effigy of Pierre Hermé. “The hotel prepared again something for us.”

“Oh, you’re right.” Rena came to sit by her side, reading the letter she was handing her. She drew her attention to the unopened box decorated with a yellow ribbon. “That’s really nice of them. Why don’t you open it?”

Jurina didn’t need to be asked twice and proceeded, discovering 12 round biscuits neatly disposed inside the box. “Macaroons,” she murmured in awe.

“It looks like an assortment of fruits rouges. Why don’t you taste one?” Rena said encouragingly.  

“I really want to, but…” Jurina hesitated. “But it’s already late. Maybe it’s best to wait after dinner.”

“It’s alright, dinner with Mayu and Yuki isn’t until 8,” Rena replied, reassuring her. When the girl opposite her seemed still caught in a dilemma, Rena removed one macaroon from the box and brought it to Jurina’s mouth. “Come on, you know you want it.”

Jurina couldn’t resist the temptation and welcomed the French patisserie, relishing the sweet strawberry taste lingering on her tongue.    

So, how is it?” Rena asked.

Jurina beamed. “Delicious. You should try one.”

“I’m not very hungry, but go on,” Rena politely declined.

“What are you saying?” Jurina shook her head in protest. “I can taste them, but you won’t? Absolutely not.”

Jurina took out a macaroon from the box and, mimicking Rena’s previous action, held it up in front of her. Rena didn’t try to resist, surrendering to her girlfriend’s stubbornness. She appreciated the sweet and delicate raspberry taste, meeting Jurina’s expectant look. “Yes, it’s delicious. You want another one?”

“You shouldn’t tempt me,” Jurina whispered, chastising herself when her tone sounded far less reproachful than intended. Her gaze dropped to the box with uncertainty, itching to taste another macaroon. When she raised her eyes to meet Rena’s, she felt herself shiver. There was now a perceptible difference in Rena’s expression: she harbored a smile no longer sweet, but suggestive.

“Why not?” Rena fetched a third macaroon from the box and approached the biscuit to Jurina’s mouth, only to stop a few inches away. “What’s wrong with a little… temptation?”

Jurina’s heart skipped a beat, and she opened her mouth. While she slowly ate the macaroon, Rena appeared satisfied, her thumb grazing her lower lip again and again, then sliding to her chin as her eyes danced with wicked lust and amusement. Jurina’s stare latched onto her sensuous lips, swallowing hard, not hesitating any longer to succumb to the provocation and greedily seize Rena’s mouth with her own.

  Disneyland. If there was one place on earth that always succeeded in bringing out so effortlessly Rena’s childish side, it certainly was the Disney park. Of course, it was beyond question that a visit of Paris wouldn’t be complete without a stop at Rena’s all-time favorite park. The latter had even made sure all four of them didn’t leave the hotel too late to make it right on time for the opening.

It was impossible to miss the way Rena glowed as a child entering a candy store. They walked down the main street, the Sleeping Beauty Castle appearing in the background as they discovered the French version of the theme park. Jurina couldn’t count the number of times Rena had been to the park in Tokyo, mostly with Airi, also managing to drag her along on a couple of occasions. Nevermind the fact Rena knew each and every attraction by heart, her enjoyment never seemed to cease.

It was an unexpected yet fascinating sight to observe the usually so composed and eloquent 30-year-old actress turn into a kid, her persona changing drastically as if a switch had been turned on. Jurina never was as fond of the park as her girlfriend - or of any entertainment park in general - yet she was convinced a great time awaited the four of them on this sunny, beautiful day of August.

They spent the morning going through Adventureland, admiring the sets of the Pirate Galleon and Pirate’s Beach. They explored the mysterious land of Adventure Isle and the Pirates of Caribbean attraction. Their image was immortalized on picture, giving free rein to their imagination and making goofy poses in front of the camera with the notorious characters of the iconic movie.

The morning was well-advanced when Rena decided to raise the stakes by progressing down Frontierland and queuing up at the Big Thunder Mountain. Jurina didn’t see the immediate danger, the morning having been anything but entertaining. Little did she know that she was about to regret her recklessness. Thirty minutes later, when they exited the train and went to check their pictures on the screens, Jurina’s heart was beating wildly, having not entirely recovered from the ride.

The three other girls were delighted about the experience, sharing between them their favorite moments. Jurina could not quite say the same. With the train rattling around the haunting mountain at high speed, or the moments they happened to be in the complete dark, she had been pushed to her limits. Since she was a child, Jurina had never been comfortable with two things: heights and big thrills. With that last attraction, that she naively believed inoffensive, she could tell she had reached her quota of big thrills for the day.

Or for the year.

When Yuki suggested to join the line for the Indiana Jones Temple of Peril, Jurina shuddered at the idea. Today, for some strange reason, Yuki appeared to be on the same page as Rena when it came to the concept of fun. Jurina didn’t need to be given more information to realize that her poor fragile heart wouldn’t handle this next attraction. The title said enough on the terrifying experience that awaited her.

“Great idea!” Jurina heard Rena approving all too easily Yuki’s suggestion. They began making their way towards the designated attraction, Rena leading the group after checking the location and direction on the phone app. “There’s also the Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain and the Phantom Manor I really can’t wait to do.” The high pitch in Rena’s voice betrayed her enthusiasm.

“That sounds… scary,” Yuki winced.

A wave of relief swept through Jurina’s chest: at last, someone was voicing out loud her précised concerns.  

A short moment of silence followed suit, until Yuki exclaimed. “Count me in! I don’t care! I’m up for the challenge!”

Jurina blanched at Yuki’s radical change of heart.

Undoubtedly, she was pleased that Yuki and Rena got along, and they had developed a closer friendship over the past eight months. However, she wasn’t particularly at ease with this new diabolic alliance. Giving a quick side glance to Mayu, she secretly prayed for support, only to notice in dismay the latter nodding in approval to the suggestion. In a split second, Jurina’s apprehension grew a notch: she was outnumbered.

Jurina followed the three girls in silence, repeating to herself again and again that she was 24 years old and it was time to stop being so afraid. She wasn’t a kid anymore. If others could do it, why couldn’t she? As they approached their final destination, the view of the infamous attraction coupled with the screams reaching her, ended up getting the best of her resolve. Her steps slowed down, almost as if she was unconsciously trying to delay the inevitable.

An action that caught Rena’s attention. “I’m so sorry. I completely forgot,” Rena murmured apologetically. “Let’s skip it. We’ll do another one.”

“N-No, I’m fine,” Jurina protested, putting up a brave front. “It’s probably not as frightening as it sounds. I’m not afraid. I’ll do it.”

“Are you sure?” Rena asked skeptically. “Be honest with me. You don’t have to force yourself for my sake.”

Jurina’s chest warmed up. She could tell her girlfriend truly meant every word, and she wouldn’t hold it against her if they changed their plans. Nevertheless, a part of her refused to deprive her of a fun day only because she had always been a scary cat.

“I’ll do another attraction with Jurina while you both do that one,” Mayu chimed in the conversation. “We’ll meet after you finished.”

Jurina found herself speechless. “Wait, no, you don’t have to do that. I can really… I can really do it.”

“It’s a great idea,” Rena agreed. “No one said we all had to do the same attractions.”

Jurina opened her mouth to retort, but stopped when Rena gently pressed her lips to her cheek. “Enjoy yourself with Mayu. We’ll meet later for lunch.”

“What about Rustler Roundup Shootin’ Gallery?” Mayu suggested, when both Rena and Yuki turned on their heels. “It sounds fun, and it’s a 5 min walk from here.”

Jurina glanced back hesitantly in the direction of Yuki and Rena, as they disappeared in the dense crowd. “Mayu… You really didn’t want to go with them?”

“To Indiana Jones Temple of Peril? No, I don’t care that much about that one,” Mayu replied nonchalantly. “Besides, this shooting one seems much more fun. Wanna bet on who’s going to hit more targets?”

Jurina’s ears perked: she could recognize a challenge when she saw one. “What? Don’t be so sure of yourself. I progressed a lot lately at shooting games! Remember last time we went to the arcades in Shibuya?”

“Yes, I do. And you lost,” Mayu smirked. “But you’re right.” She patted Jurina’s arm. “It’s always good to have faith.”

Jurina groaned at her friend’s overflowing confidence. Their previous conversation falling at the back of her mind, she followed her, determined to wipe off that silly smug expression of hers.

  It was past 1 p.m. when they checked the restaurants and settled down at Colonel Hathi’s Pizza Outpost. Sending a quick text to Rena to inform her of their choice of restaurant, Jurina went through the menu full of Italian specialties, making up her mind on the Neapolitan Rigatoni Pasta. While waiting for their respective partners to arrive, the scorching sun had led them to order cold drinks, Jurina appreciating the sensation of the fresh citronade easing her dry throat. Jurina observed Mayu who was enjoying her Coca Cola, trying hard not to be affected by her self-satisfied expression.

Alright, Mayu had managed to beat her, but there was nothing to gloat about: it was solely by a small margin!

“Stop it,” Jurina grumbled.

“What? I didn’t do anything,” Mayu, sipping her soda through the straw, very innocently answered.

Jurina squinted at her, before noticing the last empty seats of the restaurant being taken by a family. Taking another good sip of her citronade, she watched the impressive crowd of visitors roaming through the park. If there’s something that this morning had taught her, it was that the French park was as popular as its Japanese version. Less than 10 minutes went by, until Rena and Yuki joined them at their table.

“So how was it?” Jurina asked. “Did you enjoy it?”

“I did!” Rena stated, with barely contained enthusiasm. “It’s a shame we don’t have that attraction in Tokyo. The level of thrills is unique.”

By Yuki’s small grimace, it wasn’t hard to guess that someone else had been excessively adventurous, and was regretting taking up Rena’s challenge.

  Rena’s anticipated meeting with Mickey and Minnie was a moment not to miss as the group ventured in Fantasyland. Considering the countless pictures Rena had taken with her Disney idols during the day, Jurina was positively certain her girlfriend would easily find a place to expose a couple of them at their apartment. The nearby souvenir shop seemed an obligatory stop, Jurina realizing Rena had something on her mind when she exited the shop and decidedly walked towards her.

From her shopping bag, Rena retrieved two pairs of Mickey Mouse ears, not hesitating in placing a pair on her head. Rena’s intentions were more than obvious when she stared at her maliciously, Rena positioning the second on hers with a barely dissimulated enthusiasm. Her girlfriend was ready to immortalize the glorious moment with a selfie, when they were interrupted by a French girl in her thirties with shoulder length brown hair. The latter kindly offered to take the picture, to which Rena accepted gratefully, pulling Jurina closer to take the pause in front of the camera.

The rest of the day went by in the speed of light, as they continued their thorough exploration of the park. They enjoyed popular attractions, Alice’s Curious Labyrinth, Dumbo the Flying Elephant and Mad Hatter’s Tea Cups, without forgetting of course Rena’s all-time favorite, the eternally enchanting It’s a small world. Those were attractions initially designed for little ones but that still managed to appeal to adults, awakening the child within each visitor.

At 5 p.m., they lined in the main street for the daily Disney Stars on Parade. If there’s one thing Jurina couldn’t deny as she observed the delight of the crowd following the colorful parade, it was that the entertainment park appealed to everyone. From kids and adults, to couples, families and friends, each fringe of the population was represented. Beside her, Rena’s eyes sparkled with undeniable happiness, and Jurina felt herself falling for her each day even more.

  The following days were spent enjoying the cultural delights of the French capital. In group or by pairs, depending on their convergence of interests, they visited Orsay and the Louvre, a must-see in the cultural world. They took a stroll through the streets of emblematic districts, such as Pigalle, historical district of musical scene famous for Moulin Rouge, or the Latin Quarter, with its Pantheon, National Museum of Natural History and the garden of plants, without forgetting the worldwide renown university of the Sorbonne.

Every evening, when Jurina would go back to her hotel for a well needed rest after a tiring yet enriching day, one constant never changed. On top of their bed, she would discover a gift from the hotel. Each time different and carefully presented, Jurina’s astonishment never ceased when she opened the present, making a mental note to thank the staff for their consideration.

On this particular day, they had all reunited for a full day of shopping on the most popular avenue in the world: The Champs Elysées. After making a long stop at the Galeries Lafayette, and leaving with their arms full of plastic bags, their entered a few others clothing and shoe stores, Jurina not bothering to hide her amusement when Rena found two more pairs of Adidas that she visibly didn’t have in her collection.

The afternoon was well advanced when they entered an entirely different store, dedicated to the sale of media products. On four spacious floors, you could practically find everything, from books and videogames, to CDs and DVDs.

“There are so many…” Mayu stood on the spot, staring in awe at the endless line of shelves under the Mangas section. Rapidly, her feet moved forward and she grabbed the first manga within reach, turning the pages, replacing it back on the shelf and seizing a second with eagerness.

“All in French,” Jurina, checking a manga, specified, her observation not appearing to diminish Mayu’s enthusiasm for all that.

Jurina studied her in bewilderment, her best friend not paying the slightest care in what she was saying and going through each and every shelf conscientiously. Mayu didn’t understand French any more than her but her undivided passion for mangas had taken the upper hand, shutting down any common sense. Earlier too, when they had wandered around the game section, Mayu had monopolized the area for 30 min straight, nevermind if none of the games were compatible with Japanese consoles.

Jurina had a good feeling their exploration of this new section was going to take a while. As a new shelf, full of figurines on sale, had now piqued Mayu’s interest, Jurina briefly averted her gaze and swept over the floor, in search of their two others companions. Much in vain, as she had long ago lost sight of Rena and Yuki when the group decided to split up on the second floor of the store.

“I know I already said it but,” Jurina spoke up, reflecting upon the realization that more than half of their week holiday had passed in the blink of an eye. “I’m so happy we were able to go on holidays all four together. I had missed it.”

The statement prompted Mayu to lower the figurine in her hands. “Me too,” She replied sincerely. “And yes, the timing was perfect. In September, Yuki is touring to promote her new album, and I’ll be busy shooting a movie. And you and Rena are playing in a drama together. It was now or never.”

Jurina lit up at the latest mention. “You can’t imagine how long I dreamed of such an opportunity. When we both got offered a role in the same drama, there was no way I could refuse. I was afraid it might be in conflict with Rena’s busy schedule, but when she told me she didn’t have anything planned, I was so, so happy.”

“I can almost imagine the fireworks in your head,” Mayu joked, then added. “Isn’t it her third TV show set in Feudal Japan, though? Isn’t she tired of doing period dramas?”

“Yes, but this time, we’re shooting it together,” Jurina raised an eyebrow challengingly. “Are you suggesting that she could get bored with me?”

“Oh right. Stupid question,” Mayu chuckled, acknowledging her mistake. If there’s one quality Mayu could grant her best friend, it was that Jurina always succeeded in making everyday life the opposite of dull and monotonous.

  On the other side of the floor, Yuki was venturing in the CD section. The number of shelves was imposing, all diligently divided in specific categories: French songs, R&B, pop, jazz, but also classical music, world music and soundtracks. The store also offered the possibility to listen to the recently released albums. Checking some artists, Yuki felt deterred by the realization that she didn’t know half of them.

“Either I have terrible taste in music, either we don’t listen to the same thing,” Yuki voiced out loud her concern. “The choice is impressive and diversified, but I don’t even know most of those artists. I don’t think I’ve even seen a single Japanese or Korean artist. Have you?!”

“No, I haven’t,” Rena, who was flipping over the CD of Mylene Farmer’s latest album, the French artist currently n°1 in the charts, concurred by her side. “I don’t think it has anything to do with having good or bad taste. It’s only that people in France don’t listen to the same music style as us.”

“Thank God,” Yuki breathed a heavy sigh of relief. “I was getting paranoid and beginning to question my taste in music.”

Rena chuckled in response.

They resumed their exploration, listening now and then to a few CDs, Yuki catching Rena peeking more and more frequently at her yellow gold wedding band. These last couple of months, it wasn’t the first time she had caught her friend in the act. She hadn’t thought too much about it, passing it as simple admiration for the jewelry. Nonetheless, she couldn’t ignore that Rena’s interest in her ring had been more insistent since their arrival in the French capital.  

Yuki pressed the button Stop of the CD she was listening, and removed the headphones. “Did I ever tell you how Mayu proposed?”

The question caught her female companion off guard, Rena replacing on the shelf the CD she was studying. “No. No, you didn’t.”

“One evening, Mayuyu invited me to the movies,” Yuki began reminiscently. “We had both been so swamped with work, that I believed it was only her being kind and thoughtful. Later on, we had a pleasant dinner at a romantic Italian restaurant, before Mayu asked if it was okay if we made a stop at the arcades. When she placed in my hands all the prices she had won, and let me finish first at every other game, I could sense something was off. When does Mayuyu let anyone beat her?”

Rena bit her lip to suppress a smile.

“I held my tongue, believing I was imagining things and she was probably in a bad day. After that, we went to buy an ice cream crepe,” Yuki continued, lowering her voice mysteriously. “We were walking back to the train station, enjoying our desserts, when she popped up the question out of nowhere! I was so shocked, that I almost dropped everything I was holding right in the middle of the street.”

Rena laughed heartily. “I see. But you still said yes.”

“I couldn’t say no to my Mayuyu,” Yuki sighed happily. “Besides, she made it up for her clumsy proposal by booking this wonderful weekend in Hawaii for our honeymoon. You should have seen our room. We had a lovely view on the sea, and the beach was only 5 min away by foot. And the jacuzzi. Don’t let me start on the jacuzzi.”

Rena grinned sweetly in response. “You two make a beautiful couple.”

“Thank you,” Yuki’s cheeks turned pink at the compliment. “It was a small, private wedding with only our families and closest friends, but it will always be the best day of my life. I’m so glad that both you and Jurina were able to come.”

“I couldn’t not be present for such an important event,” Rena shook her head softly. “Do you think you’ll ever make the news of your union public? Or you prefer that it remains private?”

“Mayuyu and I discussed it for a while before making a decision. Our families and friends know the truth; it’s all that matters to us. We’re happy as things are for now,” Yuki replied confidently.

Yuki took in Rena’s pensiveness, dying to broach a particular subject with her. She opened her mouth a few times to speak, before stopping herself. These past eight months, she and Rena had grown closer than ever. However, there was no denying that her friend had always been a rather private person. In all good conscience, she couldn’t take the risk of putting her ill-at-ease only to satisfy her overriding curiosity.

  When the group met up outside the store, Jurina was unsettled to see her girlfriend missing by Yuki’s side. “Rena is not with you?”

“No, she said she needed to make a stop at another shop,” Yuki replied, wincing in unease at the view of the large boxes in Mayu’s plastic shopping bags. “Don’t tell me… you found more figurines?”

“Yes, and I already know where I’m going to put them,” Mayu answered proudly.

“Another shop? Did she say which one?” Jurina was genuinely puzzled.

“She didn’t,” Yuki conceded, then added in a gentle tone. “But she asked me to tell you not to worry, and she’ll meet you later on at the hotel.”

“That’s strange. It doesn’t sound like her to disappear like that without tell-” The sound of her phone beeping made Jurina pause.

Mayu flashed a grin. “Let me guess. She sent you a text.”

“She… did,” Jurina felt so awkward.

“All right!” Yuki clapped her hands together. “Who wants an ice cream? I don’t know about you, but the heat is killing me.”

Jurina put her phone away and nodded positively, her mouth already watering in delicious anticipation.

  It was almost 6 p.m. when Jurina returned to the hotel with Mayu and Yuki, quite proud to not having let herself get carried away. Oh yes, she had an absolute fun time shopping, yet her amount of purchases could in no way match Yuki’s frenzy: her friend had literally cleaned out the luxury shops of the avenue.

After parting ways in the corridor with the other couple, Jurina slid her magnetic keycard and entered room 22, her gaze immediately landing on the familiar girl admiring the view from the balcony. Putting her shopping bags away, Jurina carefully removed her shoes and progressed inside. She briefly observed Rena’s purchases lined up next to her suitcase and she came up behind her, her arms locking around her waist. “Where did you disappear early on? I was worried.”

Rena placed her hand atop of hers, brushing the silver band on Jurina’s ring finger. “I’m sorry,” She brought Jurina’s hand to her lips, gently kissing her knuckles. “I remembered that I forgot to buy something.”

“What was it?” Jurina burned with curiosity. “Did you manage to find it? Why didn’t you tell me? I could have gone with you.”

“So many questions,” Rena chuckled softly. Swinging around, she folded her arms around Jurina’s neck and kissed the tip of her nose. “Didn’t you have fun with Yuki and Mayu?”

“I did,” Jurina replied, then added jokingly. “Even though I had to prevent Mayu from buying the whole manga section, and Yuki went on a shopping spree.”

“That would have been interesting to watch,” Rena laughed.

Jurina brought their lips together. “I really missed you.”

“I missed you too,” Rena caressed her hair, then added teasingly. “But you do realize we were only separated for two hours, right?”

“It doesn’t change the fact that I missed you,” Jurina pouted sulkily, extricating herself from the embrace. “So, what did you buy? Clothes? More shoes? Show me!”

Jurina didn’t have the opportunity to walk away, that Rena had pulled her back into her arms. “Nothing that important. Just some clothes I really liked.”

Jurina studied her closely, suspicious arising. For some reason, she couldn’t shake off the strange feeling that her girlfriend looked a bit too innocent and sweet. “Are you hiding something?”

“Why would I ever do that? And why does it seem that you are more interested in what I bought, than by your girlfriend who’s standing right in front of you?” Rena teased with a fake offended tone.

“No, I’m sure you’re hiding something from me,” Jurina narrowed her eyes at her. Leaning closer, she nibbled Rena’s earlobe, playfully biting on the pink tip. “And trust me when I say I will discover what it is.”

“Mmm,” Rena purred. Her fingers pressed in Jurina’s back, as she got possessively pinned against the nearest wall. “You seem so determined. I’m very curious to discover what you have in mind.”

Jurina’s heart pounded at her provocative gaze. The sensual stroking of Rena’s hands exploring the hollows of her back sent pleasant jolts through her, and she wondered just how cunning Rena could sometimes be. Her lips drifted to the side of Rena’s neck, grazing, teasing more than kissing it. When she managed to elicit a moan from her partner, Jurina felt a warm glow of satisfaction. Clasping her lips to Rena’s, she fiercely covered her mouth, well decided to get to the bottom of the mystery.  

  Two short days.

It was all that remained left of their magical stay in Paris.

As she and Rena exited the Basilica of the Sacré Coeur in Montmartre, Jurina tried her best to ignore her growing melancholy. If only the week hadn’t passed so incredibly fast. After such an amazing and authentic experience, it was going to take some time to re-adapt to her daily life in Japan. They hopped down the funicular, Jurina stealing discreet glances at the older girl walking by her side. Somehow, her girlfriend didn’t seem to share similar feelings. On the contrary, she appeared even more delighted than the first day, as if the approach of their departure wasn’t affecting her. When Rena casually slipped her hand inside hers, Jurina didn’t hesitate to intertwine their fingers together, soon falling deep in her thoughts.

If there’s one thing she had picked up on, it was that Rena had been behaving unusually mysterious. It had begun a few weeks ago, when Rena had showed great insistence in taking care of their holidays planning. It had continued at the airport, when a few declarations from Rena had caught her off guard, the occurrences increasing once in Paris. It was of apparent no consequence, Rena remaining nothing but sweet and affectionate, that Jurina hadn’t thought too much about it.

The previous evening, when Jurina had asked to see what Rena had bought in her absence, her simple request was met with a refusal. Nevermind how persuasive she tried to be, Rena had dodged the question with a disconcerting naturalness. Jurina didn’t believe to have a paranoid nature. However, this strange secrecy and those subtle changes in her attitude were beginning to unsettle her.

Was she making a big deal out of nothing, or Rena had something on her mind that she refused to share?

They were taking a stroll in the lively Place du Tertre, where many painters, portraitists and caricaturists exposed their work, when Rena stopped by the stall of a street artist. “These are amazing.”

“They are,” Jurina said, impressed by the quality and variety of the art exposed. From landscapes and portraits, to watercolor and pencil sketches, the male artist in his thirties who was quietly working on a sketch in front of the bystanders, had more than one string to this bow. “His portraits are so realistic.”

“Why don’t you ask him to do yours?” Rena suggested, reading the sign indicating in English that the artist offered to draw portraits. “We have plenty of free time this afternoon. There’s no rush.”

After a short moment’s reflection, Jurina gladly acquiesced. Rena stepped forward and exchanged a few words with the male artist, the latter inviting Jurina to sit down on the stool. Jurina patiently took the pause while he was preparing his pencils, following from her peripheral vision Rena who was going through his paintings. Somehow, this arrangement didn’t quite feel right.

“I have a better idea,” Jurina flipped around, decidedly catching Rena’s hand. “I want a drawing of the both of us.”

“You do?” Rena looked pleasantly surprised. “Alright. Let me check if it’s something he agrees to do.”

Jurina waited in anticipation, understanding the request had been accepted when a second stool was placed next to hers.

A light wind was blowing across her face, agreeably freshening the air from the scorching heat of August. On a few occasions, she couldn’t resist playing with Rena’s fingers or whisper to her ear a few jokes, an act that didn’t fail to earn her to be gently chastised. According to the older girl, you weren’t supposed to move during the process. Jurina frowned and decided she didn’t care, planting a quick kiss on Rena’s cheek in retaliation. The mischievous gesture was received with another warning and a small giggle.  

When the artist put his pencil down at last, Jurina was eager to discover the result. The least she could say, it was that it went far beyond her expectations. In a short amount of time, he had drawn their facial features with a striking accuracy. But what impressed her the most, was the way he had transcribed their body language. He had made the decision to portray them face to face, their mutual fondness evident to anyone who could have taken a peek at the drawing. Jurina found herself deeply moved and thanked him wholeheartedly, determined to find a place at home to hang this piece of art.

  “Wait for me here,” Rena paused in the hotel hallway, and gave Jurina’s shoulder a brief, light squeeze. “I need to go to the reception.”

“Alright.” Jurina gathered at her feet their shopping bags full of French delicacies from the bakeries of Montmartre, and stole a peek at her watch.

When she noted that it was 6 p.m., she let out a short, sad sigh. The day had flown by so fast, that she wished she had the ability to freeze time. Much as she tried her best to forget about it, she got reminded of the imminence of their departure on far too many occasions. No, she wasn’t ready to go back. If only she could extend their stay: visit more monuments, test more French bakeries, and wander around the cobblestone streets of Paris a little longer with her friends and her precious partner.

Glancing back in Rena’s direction, she suddenly caught sight of Mayu’s familiar silhouette entering the hotel. This morning, both couples had split up, having organized their program for the day differently. Jurina waved at her, impatient to learn what their friends had been up to, only to be startled by the large colorful bouquet of flowers Mayu was holding. “What are those for?”

“It’s for Yuki. Today is our 10-year anniversary,” Mayu said.

Jurina was rendered almost speechless by the news. “10 years? I never realized you had been together for so long...”

“We have, and that’s why tonight we’re having a special dinner to celebrate it,” Mayu explained. “I wanted to surprise her with these flowers.”

Jurina found herself touched, and also slightly entertained by her best friend’s love gesture. “My best friend is a romantic after all.”

“Of course I am,” Mayu scoffed, pretending to be offended. “Anyway, what are you doing here? Are you waiting for something?”

“Rena,” Jurina replied, gesturing to the older girl standing by the reception. “You know, I will miss this place.” She swept around the majestic and luxurious marble decoration of the hotel hallway. “The direct view on the Eiffel Tower. The romantic decoration of the room. The gifts every day. If I ever have the chance to come back to Paris, I will definitely stay here.”

“What are you talking about?” Mayu asked, puzzled. “The room is cozy and spacious, but it wouldn’t say it was specifically romantic? And aside from a welcoming letter, we didn’t get any gifts.”

It took Jurina several seconds to shake off the resulting stupefaction. “You didn’t have rose petals spread all over the bed at your arrival?”

Her question was received with a negative nod.

“No gifts?” Jurina insisted. “No cakes? No chocolates? No offered dinners in big restaurants? No free wine tasting? No private visits? Nothing?”

“Eh no,” Mayu replied again. “Trust me, I would have remembered.”

Jurina was beyond confused. “I don’t understand…”

Mayu stared back at her skeptically. “Are you sure you didn’t book a special room or something?”

“I didn’t book it, Rena did,” Jurina clarified. “And she told me that she didn’t-” she stopped mid-way, realization hitting her.

Mayu grinned, and clapped her amiably on the shoulder. “It seems your girlfriend hasn’t been entirely honest with you. Anyway, I have to go. Yuki is waiting for me. Dinner is at 7, and I don’t want to be late!”

Jurina nodded, unable to speak when her best friend drew away, her eyes soon flying up in shock to Rena at the unforeseen revelation.

  Rena was describing how lovely their day had been in Montmartre, but Jurina was anything but attentive. All the way leading to their hotel room, she felt like a naive fool. Rena had assured her that she hadn’t booked a special room, and she had fell for it. The beautiful romantic decoration, the everyday gifts: now everything made sense. It wasn’t due at all to the hotel’s signature as she initially believed.

“Is everything alright?” The sound of Rena’s voice brought her back to reality. “You haven’t listened to a word I’ve been saying,” Rena remarked worriedly, closing the hotel door behind them. “What’s on your mind?”

Jurina flashed a big smile before she answered. “I know everything. The room. The rose petals. The everyday gifts. You’re responsible for all those things.”

Rena stood there briefly, stunned. “How do you… How do you know?”

“I had an interesting talk with Mayu,” Jurina went on, proud to have caught her off guard. “Their room is nothing like ours. They didn’t get all those gifts from the hotel staff. No rose petals, no chocolates, no invitations, nothing. So, there’s no point of hiding the truth from me anymore.”

“I guess you were bound to know about it,” Rena carefully processed her words, then added cheekily. “Well done, you discovered my secret.”

“Why?” Jurina asked, with a mixture of disbelief and happiness. “Why did you do all this for me?”

“I wanted our vacations to be special,” Rena said with unconcealed affection. She placed a hand upon Jurina’s cheek, gently caressing it with her thumb. “To make sure our stay in Paris remained imprinted in our minds and in our hearts forever.”

“But it’s already special,” Jurina whispered, warming from inside. She gathered her into her arms and held her close. “I’m here, with you, in Paris. What more could I ask for?”

  “Yukirin, are you here?” Mayu called, dissimulating the flower bouquet behind her as she entered their hotel room.

“In here!” Yuki shouted inside of the bathroom. “I’ll be ready in 5 min!”

“Take your time,” Mayu replied, trying not to sound too giddy. She examined once more her bouquet of flowers, quite pleased with her selection. Controlling her excitement, she had to stop herself from pacing the room. She could already predict Yuki’s shock when she would discover her present.

A couple of minutes later, the bathroom door flew open. “I know, I’m so sorry I’m late. For some weird reason, the keycard refused to open the door when I arrived, then it’s the hairdryer that wouldn’t work. And finally, when I put my dress on, the zipper refused to close! I was about to lose my mind! Can you imagine? How can someone be so unlucky on their wedding anniversary?!”

“It’s only 6:30 p.m.,” Mayu reassured her.

“It is?!” Yuki asked in disbelief, checking the time. “My God, you’re right. I thought it was much later than that,” she heaved a deep sigh of relief. “Are you…” she leaned to the side, trying to catch a glimpse of Mayu’s back. “Are you hiding something?”

“Those are for you,” Mayu announced proudly, bringing the flowers out of their hideout. “Happy anniversary.”

Yuki stared at her in wonder.

“For me?” Yuki took a step nearer, contemplating them. “They are… so beautiful.” Her eyes glowed with happiness. “Thank you, my Mayuyu.” She brought their lips together in a kiss. “You always manage to surprise me in the most unexpected way. Do you know how much I love you?”

“I love you too,” Mayu’s face brightened.

Yuki cupped her chin, pressing another kiss to her cheek. “Let me finish applying makeup, and we can leave, alright?”

“Alright,” Mayu nodded, smiling. As Yuki reentered the bathroom, she studied her wife in appreciation, then casually leaned against the doorframe. “By the way, you won’t imagine what I discovered. It looks like Rena booked a special romantic room for their stay, and planned gifts and surprises for Jurina every day.”

“She did?” Yuki faced her back in astonishment. “That’s so sweet of her.”

“And you know what’s the funniest thing?” Mayu added wryly. “Jurina didn’t even realize she was behind it all this time.”

“Really?!” Yuki laughed merrily. “You know, I’m beginning to suspect this trip will hold many more surprises.”

“More surprises? What do you mean?” Mayu asked, bewildered.

Yuki gave a conspirational smile. “I don’t know. Just a hunch.”

  “You look…” Jurina paused for a breath, her mouth curving with infinite fondness. “You look so beautiful tonight.”

A telltale blush crept into Rena’s cheeks, giving away her embarrassment. “Will you please stop complimenting me tonight? You haven’t stopped ever since we left the hotel.”

“I can’t help it. This red dress looks so beautiful on you. Everything tonight is just…” she tore her eyes away from her attractive partner, to once more enjoy the view outside the window. “Perfect.”

Yes, this Friday evening was a dream come true. After learning about Rena’s thoughtful tokens of affection, Jurina quickly discovered it was far from the only surprise her girlfriend had been planning for their trip in Paris. Following that, Rena had informed her that they would be having dinner in a new lovely place. Jurina did try to find out more, but Rena had refused to divulge the tiniest bit of information, using her most appealing charms to convince her to wait and be a little more patient.

Jurina could do nothing else but surrender and, choosing her nicest blue evening dress, had followed her without questioning, not believing her eyes when the taxi had stopped them in front of an enchanting Parisian boat on the Seine. The small tables decorated by candle lights. The spectacular view on the Eiffel Tower. The smooth music playing in the air. The waiters attentive to their every need. Every single detail contributed to create the perfect romantic mood.

It was a chic restaurant, but not too uptight, enabling them to remain laidback and casual. The male waiter had barely removed the main dish that the Eiffel Tower began to shine, marking its characteristic nightly illuminations. The sight was so mesmerizing that Jurina was unable to look away, the other customers of the restaurant having also momentarily stopped eating to appreciate the view.

A few evenings ago, she and Rena had been granted with such a breathtaking sight when they had gone on a late stroll to admire the illuminated city by night. Nevertheless, Jurina found herself as equally amazed, never getting tired of admiring the Iron Lady in all its glory and magnificence.

“We’re visiting the Eiffel Tower tomorrow, right?” Jurina asked, recalling how adamant her girlfriend had been on keeping that specific visit for their final day in the French capital.

When she received no immediate reply, she glanced back in her direction, only to distinguish a hint of nervousness in Rena’s brown orbs.

“Is everything alright?” Jurina extended her arm across the table, only to feel Rena’s fingers lightly trembling inside her hand. As she tried to take a grasp of the situation, she was forced to admit that she had noted a subtle shift in her girlfriend’s attitude during the course of dinner. From engaging and smiling, Rena had turned a little quieter and more tense as the evening had progressed.

“Yes, of course.”

The response did nothing to reassure her, not fooled by her girlfriend’s apparent calm. Jurina opened her mouth to speak, but didn’t have the opportunity to say a word that they were interrupted by the arrival of the waiter. “Chocolate-passion sphere, bursts of brownies and crunchy streusel,” he announced, meticulously placing both their desserts in front of each of them.  

“Thank you,” Jurina politely replied.

The male waiter bowed courteously and left, Rena’s previous behavior momentarily falling at the back of her head as Jurina contemplated the chocolate dessert that had been served. A few months ago, she had followed the elaboration of that specific dessert on a cooking show, but never had she had the possibility to taste it. On the right side of the plate, was disposed a white jar filled with hot chocolate. Jurina seized it, dexterously pouring the hot liquid over the top of the sphere. At the contact, the sphere slowly melted, reveling a small square red box hidden inside.

Jurina stared, complete surprise on her face.

She glanced over the other side of the table, only to note that Rena’s dessert remained untouched. When their eyes locked, Rena had a knowing smile mixed with a little bit of apprehension. “Don’t tell me… Don’t tell me you bought me another gift. Really, this is too much. I didn’t even buy you anything.”

“This one is special.”

Jurina felt torn between happiness at the generous displays of affection, and a sense of unease that she didn’t deserve so much. “The romantic hotel room, the everyday gifts, the wonderful restaurants. I’m so touched you did all this for me. But Rena, it wasn’t necessary. Being with you, here in Paris, already makes me the happiest person alive. You do know that, right?”

“Please… Please open it. I promise everything will make sense once you do.”

Jurina didn’t know what to make of her cryptic words. She lowered her gaze to the box, literately feeling the anticipation emanating from the other side of the table as she popped it open. When its content appeared to her, Jurina’s eyes opened wide in shocked disbelief. Inside the red velvet box was a white gold sapphire and diamond ring, along with a message written in gold letters.

Will you marry me?

Jurina’s heart stopped. How long did she stare at the inscription and at the ring, she didn’t know. It was only the feeling of Rena’s fingers gently touching hers that managed to snap her out of her daze. Progressively, she brought her attention back to her, only to see Rena gazing at her with a tender, slightly nervous look.  

“Jurina Matsui, will you spend the rest of your life with me?”

Jurina was rendered utterly and completely speechless. If Rena wasn’t currently holding her hand, she would be convinced to be imagining the whole scene. Despite understanding the words loud and clear, Jurina had a hard time processing what just happened. Was Rena really proposing to her? “No…”

“No? No… to what?”

Rena’s face displayed apprehension.  

“No, I mean,” Jurina quickly came back on her words when she realized what she had uttered without thinking. “I don’t… I don’t understand.”

“What don’t you understand?” Rena was confused.

“I thought…” Jurina paused and maneuvered her thoughts, trying to ignore her heart now beating uncontrollably against her ribs. “I thought you didn’t want to get married. I remember you saying it so many times. You seemed so sure of yourself. So why…”

There was a moment of silence.

“It’s true, I did say it,” Rena said lucidly. “But if there’s one thing that life taught me, it’s that it’s senseless to try so hard to not stray away from a path we strongly believe to be the only correct one.”

Rena thought for a moment, before continuing.

“For so long, I only wanted to focus on my career. Nothing else mattered than to fulfill my biggest dreams and to have a successful professional life. I never planned to share my life with anyone, even less to fall in love. But it happened, with you. When I the least expected it, you awoke feelings within me that I didn’t know existed. For the first time, I realized I didn’t want to do all those things only for myself. I wanted to share them with someone, and that person is you.”

Rena tightened her hold around Jurina’s hand.

“I don’t want us to ever be separated again. When we met each other in last December, and you granted me your unconditional forgiveness, I got back the other half of my heart. The following months we spent together were so blissful. When I asked you to move in together and you said yes, I couldn’t be any happier. But soon enough, I couldn’t shake off the sensation that something was missing to make my life more complete. I was frustrated at myself for failing to put a word on what I was feeling. I could tell you were happy too, so I didn’t understand why a part of me remained unfulfilled. The day Mayu and Yuki announced their engagement, a switch flipped inside me. For the first time, I could see with such vivid clarity.”

Rena’s eyes shone with determination.

“When I witnessed them so delightfully happy at their wedding, surrounded by their loved ones, I knew I wanted to experience such a significant moment with you. My feelings for you have never changed, and they will always remain intact. I want to show you how entirely committed I am to you, and for all the years to come.”

There was a short pause as they looked intently at each other.

“Is it what you went to buy on the Champs Elysées?” Jurina whispered in breathless amazement, her voice thick with emotion. “What you didn’t want me to see?”

“It is,” Rena confessed. “A few weeks ago, I called the shop from Tokyo to choose the design, and had it personally handmade. The difficult part was to retrieve it without you discovering about it.”

Jurina could hear nothing else but the wild thumping of her heart, holding back the tears threatening to come to her eyes. It was too easy to get lost in the way Rena looked at her, with a love and dedication that almost flipped her heart over. “I love you,” Jurina leaned forward across the table, quickly pressing her lips against hers. “I love you, Rena. I love you so much.”

They shared a long, slow, tender kiss.

“I love you too,” Rena whispered, affectionately caressing her cheek. “But…” There was a momentary hesitation before she added. “You haven’t answered. Are you ready to take this next step in our relationship? Will you marry me?”

“There’s no one I love more than you,” Jurina felt as if her heart would burst with joy. “You are not just my soulmate; you are the love of my life. I can’t imagine my life without you. Yes, I will. I will marry you.”

Elation suffused Rena’s whole being.

This time, Rena was the one to smash their lips together, kissing her passionately. In that précised instant, it was as if the world had evaporated around them, none of them caring about the curious, amused looks directed at her. All that mattered was the two of them, their hearts beating in unison with the promise of an eternal future together.

[jq37]

oh my GOD the new ep!!!! like!!!!!!!!! SO MUCH happened but then also the preview for the next ep looks SO GOOD

**spoilers for first kisses and last words**

Hoo boy this was, as I predicted, a BIG one. Not that I needed to be an oracle to figure that out since there’s only a few eps left but man did it deliver.

I still think that Cool Kids, Cold Case had the most off the wall nonsense happening in the shortest period of time but this ep I think was overall the most consistently wild ep.

So let’s take it from the top.

I think I forgot to mention it before but Adaine’s, “I go into a rage,” hardcore cracked me up.

“I have hold person.”/”I stuff a sock in her mouth.” Insult to injury Adaine. 

The entire group dunking on Aelwen, forgetting that Riz is literally bleeding out, half dead.

“sausage festival” 

Adaine really was dead serious about her snitching threat huh?

Ally miming a boom mic.

I love how everyone including Siobhan mess up Aelwen’s name or mix it up with Adaine’s half the time.

And speaking of, wow. What a rise and fall for her in 3 eps (and about an hour in game time). She’s queen of the nerds. She’s not even cool at her own school. And terrified of whoever she made whatever shady deal with. I know she literally tried to kill the whole party last ep and that she’s the worst but I almost feel for her.

Almost.

“This is not on you. This is on the world within which you inhabit.”

I love Adaine’s semi-indigent, “We’re not going to kill you,” because Alwen was 100% ready to murder them which, side note, imagine how much on an international incident that would have been.

Lol at the group tag team bullying Aelwen about going to Mumple and Adaine using her magic jacket for super petty BS.

“Hey mom!”/”GodDAMMIT honey.”

The parent/kid relationships are so good in this show.

Everyone but Kristen parkouring off the roof when Sklonda specifically set up a ladder. 

“The put a girl in a palimpsest,” followed immediately by, “She went to a party,” as if those are on the same level.

Sklonda Gukgak DUNKING Aelwen into the squad car with a technical assist from Adaine. I knew she was gonna be my fave parent from her intro scene and I love her even more than I thought.

“With all due respect, (A/N: Which is none), suck my dick, fuck you.”

“She tried to murder me.”/”BE THAT AS IT IS.”

“Eh, you carry a gun.”

“No one who’s detecting maidens is a maiden.”

I feel like I’m quoting a lot today but there were so many money lines this episode. 

Everyone always loses it when Brennan starts doing the Identify spell voice and I love it. 

Adaine’s dad is T R A S H

Adaine’s mom on the other hand…I’ve been wondering about her for a little while because usually the outright emotional abuse has been from her dad while her mom is either not there or not saying anything. So I’ve been wondering was her deal is and we finally got the start of an answer. I know we only have a few eps left but I hope we go a little deeper into what exactly is going on there. It seems like Adaine’s parents are gonna be a big factor in whatever endgame is planned so fingers crossed,

Everyone cracking up as Emily backs Fig into a corner talking to Penelope. 

I love Gorgug so freaking much. Just his good natured, lumbering self. EVery time Zac opens his mouth gold falls out. 

Emily MAXED out her deception huh?

I think Siobhan must have forgotten that she took the crystal with Ostentasia away from Aelwen at the end of last ep. Either that or they willingly gave it to the cops and I forgot (but I think it’s the former because she said in this ep that it was in Aelwen’s pocket when at the end of the last ep she def took it).

My autocorrect keeps wanting me to type Ellen for Aelwen. I WISH.

I knew it! He’s a PIRATE. Suck it Fabian. (lol at Adaine stirring the pot. That was like Adaine being sincerely polite and Siobhan trying to cause problems and I love mixed motive player/character decisions). 

I wonder if the banker is named after John Hughes. 

I can’t believe the dumb bank is actually a huge plot point.

Yikes, re: Bill and Fabian. That got tense. Though I’ve kinda been waiting for some kind of blowout for a while. His dad runs very hot and cold and I figured it would only be a matter of time before we saw some of the cold.

Also, Lou breaking character in the middle of that very intense moment to clarify a plot point. 

Sidenote: For a hot sec after reading the title of the ep and remembering how Sklonda is competent to the point of (probably) breaking the original plot, I was so concerned she was gonna eat it this ep. So glad she didn’t.

Anyway, the idea of swinging sadly on a rope is so freaking funny.

Fig: Can I offer you a sad song in this trying time?

Huge portrait of Bill Seacaster in Fabian’s room. 

Adaine is gonna bring up him kissing her sister very time she needs to get out of something w/ Fabian for the rest of her immortal life. 

Another sidenote: This is a little thing but I always think it’s interesting when fantasy worlds have the same months and days as us when they’re named after like Norse Gods and Roman statesmen that wouldn’t exist in their world. Same with Roman numerals and Irish coffee. 

“Am I allowed to smoke in here?”/”Of course.”

I really like the character detail that Adaine is always really polite to everyone, including/especially people like Fabian’s maid and Basrar. People that she wouldn’t necessarily “have to” be polite to, you know? It’s like she’s trying to make up for the fact that her family is a bag of dicks. 

“Fantasy Google”

The whole bit with Fabian’s porn stash was so good. This group is so good w/ yes-adning each other.

“Privateer me a new one.” Emily is so good.

“Special investment” Suspicious  

I was thinking “I can’t believe looking at a bank’s FAQs is part of this game,” right as Brennan said it.

So I went back and watched Siobhan’s face from when Emily first mentioned Kal Vaxis to when she got the connection to KVX and it took her 22 seconds. I also missed the quick cut to Brennan when Gorgug asks, “What is Kal Vaxis,” and you can tell he knows they’re so close to breaking it with the little grin on his face. I wish we had gotten a reaction shot right after she got it. Anyway, great team solve w/ the MVP trophy to Siobhan/Adaine. 

I loved when Zac, Emily, and Siobhan all whipped out their laminated maps in tandem to figure out what was happening. 

The hard mood change from Adaine dropping the bomb about Riz’s dad and to forming a committee to help Gorgug flirt with Zelda was wild.

Kristen telling anyone to be suave is hysterical. 

What a DISASTER of a committee Gorgug’s friends are. Well meaning but so trash

Fig: Tell her you got a SICK tattoo

Adaine: Bring her to see art in the middle of the night

Fabian: You cannot date this person (Kristen: You absolutely have to)

Kristen: Actually not garbage advice but she is in no position to be giving dating advice to anyone 

Riz: Having a literal existential crisis 

“Who else is he gonna date?” WOW, savage Adaine.

I meant to say this before but I love how Adaine’s go-to is immediately ice cream and she’s always on board to go to Basrar’s. Like how when she texted everyone 2 eps ago she was like, “Let’s get ice cream now.”

Mmm, don’t love that Gorthalax isn’t answering his phone. I have been waiting for a significant adult to die for a while now.

OK, look, the whole thing about Penelope and Dayne being eternal prom king/queen. Is it wild? Yes. Is it implausible? No. No it’s not. Even Murph, most veteran player, was kind of like, “Wait, does that make sense?” Because, in this setting, it kind of would? I’m not sure it fits within the story so far and I’d have to go back and listen to the more lore-y stuff again but the conceit itself is like the exact right amount of crazy to fit in this setting? And they never cut to Brennan like I wanted so I could judge his face for any kind of tell. But anyway, you guys know I’ve been predicting a prom finale and this would fit right into a prom finale. 

The girls giving Gorgug a pep talk before his date was ADORABLE. 

Gorgug having to check his phone to remember three words, “You look nice.”

“Your friends are popular and loud” True

Zelda’s a BARBARIAN! She’s a MEGA BARBARIAN! 

I know they mean ecstasy like intense emotion but I kept thinking, like, molly.

Hmm, so Penelope wanted to know if Zelda had hooked up w/ Gorgug, ie: if she was a maiden. Can they only palimpsest maidens? Or (as we will get to later) does nice guy Biz only want virginal maidens for his creepy reverse Weird Science arcade setup?

Zelda listing off every type of metal and then Gorgug’s, “Same stuff,” was perfect comic timing on Zac’s part.

Imagine the Hangman screaming down the road on fire, Zelda completely terrified. 

I love the Hangman so freaking much.

“DO NOT GIVE TREATS TO MY MOTORCYCLE.”

I can’t believe everyone is living at the freaking crappy apartments. I knew they were all gonna end up hanging at one persons’ house but I kinda figured it would be Fabian’s house or Gorgug’s house. 

I”m also concerned about Bill. I feel like we keep getting reminded that he’s mortal a LOT.

Did Gorgug’s parents have indoor fireworks on tap for Gorgug’s first date?

Oh my God the whole docking conversation. Never play chicken with Brennan because the dude will not blink.

“We didn’t do that.” That’s his other best comic timing moment of the ep.

“Polishing my axe”

Kristen this episode 

I really wish they’d made the roll to find Ragh later in the ep. Fig is so ride or die for Gilear now and I love it.

“I fall asleep.”

Adaine almost making her parents dunk on Gilear but then pulling back.

But also, Adaine and Gilear going off the the oracle together.

“Fig pack it in.”

Affirmations with Fig and Gilear.

Fig, do you really think platonically cuddling with Kristen is the move?

Riz setting himself up for a dramatic entrance is so fantastic.

Hmm, so Biz and Zayne were attacked at the same time. That’s why that cold pill detail was in there way back. I’ve been trying to figure out what was always planned and what was quick re-working but Brennan is so good I can never really tell.

Are multiple unrelated groups just getting into palimpsests at the same time? Or mostly unrelated groups tied to one person?

“We are not gonna get our security deposit back.”

RIZ’S DAD IS JAMES BOND! YES! I didn’t know I wanted that to be the case until it happened and now that’s the only acceptable option. 

Riz didn’t get the 20′s he needed when fighting Aelwen but man he got it at the best story moment this week.

Oh man that home movie

The pearl is grey. Interesting. 

“Mom our family is so awesome Mom we’re all so badass, I thought it was just us but Dad is awesome too, why didn’t you tell me Mom?”

Sklonda: Internally screaming. 

Man he went full Inigo Montoya.

“I’ve got nimble escape so…”

“I guess we have a two bedroom,” I think was a really underrated funny line.

Did Riz ever tell his mom about the time of death thing.

Everyone inundating Gilear with overlapping chatter.

lol the Hangman likes Zelda’s family

Ally’s panicked, “FUCK” is always hilarious. 

Why are all the adults in Gorgug’s life trying to get him laid?

OK so the elementals were conjured by Aelwn’s magic Brennan said. He said by Aelwen’s magic, not by Aelwen. I wonder if that turn of phrase was specific or arbitrary. Like, we were told where Aelwen is but we don’t know. Was she forced to do it (either by threat or by magic)? Clearly someone (Biz?) is pulling her strings to at least some degree. 

“It’s probably about marriage.” “WAR HAS BEEN DECLARED.”

That happened fast

Fun fact from my International Law class: When a government kidnaps someone, it’s called rendition. 

“There’s a war, fuck school.”

Yeah it is wild that Adaine’s parents didn’t call her.

OK so did the Elves get Aelwen back but also go, “But you still need to go to jail.” Because they cut Brennan off before the end of that sentence which might have had more clues in it.

“I text my mom k”

I also wanna know who gave Kristen a slushy marg (It’s war times. I bet things are looser now)

Murph’s face when Brennan said, “Lucky Stones” was so good. That was so Riz.

S/O to Ally for pre-casting Guardian of Faith. Good instinct. 

AHHHHHH BIZ

As I said in an earlier conversation s/o to Adaine for DUNKING on him at every opportunity because he DESERVED IT. Also, her instincts for who sucks in this game have been spot on.

Another s/o to Riz for having the presence of mind to not pull a Star Lord and to pretend to be on the bad dude’s side for long enough to gain some kind of upper hand.

OK, wow was not expecting that twist. I feel like I need to go back and rewatch some stuff to get a better handle of the timeline and stuff. Like, when exactly did the girls start going missing again? And what year is Biz? Has he been masterminding this whole thing? I feel like no but I feel like he’s masterminding his own thing which happens to a puzzle piece in something bigger? BUT IT’S A PRETTY DAMN BIG PIECE. Who opened the new arcade? Is it connected to the bank?  How did Biz get involved? Who’s his supplier? Did someone hook up Biz, Daybreak, Penelope, and Aelwen with Palimpsests to do their own separate things, hoping that at least one of them would succeed which would somehow be good for the mystery person? I am so excited to find out and I really hope Brennan and the cast do a Q+A sesh after S1 is over to hash some stuff out.

Siobhan’s face when Biz said he was going after Adaine.

ALSO, you’re just gonna TELL RIZ and you wanna PUT ONE OF HIS BEST FRIENDS into a MAGIC CRYSTAL???? AND YOU THOUGHT HE’D BE ON BOARD? Like, even if he was, what about the 4 other people who are there?????

(sidenote, wild Gorgug’s parents just left them alone, no questions asked)

Theme-wise, this is the fight ep I’m most excited for. It seems rad as hell.

All that yelling in the promo for next week. Either the raddest thing possible happened or there was a TPK. There is no other option.

Wow, that was a stellar ep and this is a really long post. I really can’t wait for next week’s!

Edit: I meant to say before, is Penelope’s FB album like…a hit list? Like does whoever’s doing the actual dirty work (Biz? S/o else?) know that whoever she takes a picture with is who they should target?

[legomars]

“One of the most sincere forms of respect is actually listening to what another has to say.” Bryant H. McGill Quote

When Ignorance Screams, Intelligence Shuts Up (A Short Story) https://legomars.blogspot.com/2022/03/when-ignorance-screams-intelligence.html

[sunscreenstudies]

HI! Can you help me with english paper one question please?

Hi there! Of course I can!! :)

Higher level English Paper One is 200/400 marks for the English Leaving Cert and is divided into two sections, ‘Comprehending’ and ‘Composing’. I’m just going to assume that you’re asking about both sections, so bear with me!

Section 1

‘Comprehending’ involves three different texts, each having a Question A with three parts, and a Question B with one part. You must answer one Q.A and one Q.B but they must be from different texts!!! I know you’re probably sick of hearing that right now, but seriously, I knew a girl in the year ahead of me who answered the Q.A and Q.B on the same text, and despite having fantastic answers the examiner could only give her marks for one! Losing 50 marks means you’ve automatically lost 12.5%. You’re already down an entire grade!

Question A

Q.A is divided into 3 parts, usually worth 15, 15, and 20 marks. The length of your answer depends entirely on these marks. For every 5 marks, you should write 1 paragraph, usually 5-7 lines of an A4 sheet, unless you have very small writing.

*Try* not to spend over 40 minutes on Q.A but do not panic if you go over this!!! Honestly I never stuck to the ‘recommend times’  during my English LC and I came out with a H1 at the end. Just have a healthy respect for time and if you’ve gone wayyy over time (i.e. half an hour over time or more) just stop, take a deep breath, leave a blank page for the rest of your answer, and move on. Losing 20 marks in Q.A part 3 is better than losing 50 marks by not having enough time to answer Q.B.

In order to get good marks in each piece, you must display a clear understanding of the text, refer to writing styles and techniques, use appropriate quotation from the text, and insert your own ideas and opinions. This goes for every. single. question no matter what they ask you in Q.A. And I know you can sometimes feel silly or stupid by writing things like “I firmly believe that…” “In my opinion…” “I think…” but seriously dude, just write it. It’ll pay off in the end.

Know the difference between ‘tone’ and ‘mood’. This is a common mistake that people make, and although it isn’t the ‘be all and end all’ by far, every mark counts, so you might as well get it right. ‘Tone’ = How the writer said it. ‘Mood’ = The atmosphere that’s conveyed as a result. Eg. “The writer uses a stern tone when admonishing the children in this text, and this creates a tense mood throughout the piece”.

You. Must. Link. Paragraphs. In. Every. Single. Answer! Examiners love that shit. Start each new paragraph with a linking/joining phrase, eg. “However…” “Furthermore…” “Therefore…” “As well as that…” “Therefore…”. It shows the corrector that you understand what you’re talking about and that you have a strong opinion on the matter, which is what gets you the marks! (Seriously, they actually say this on the examinations.ie website, examiners will always look for your own personal opinion)

Even though there is no magical answer or tip that will solve all your Q.A problems, I do have one final piece of advice that helped me be prepared for 90% of Q.A’s. For each and every text that’s thrown at you, you should be able to answer and refer to each of the following questions: What was the author’s intention in writing this piece? What techniques were used? What structure is used in each paragraph? Is the author appealing to your emotions or intellect? (and the biggest one) Why did the author use *that* word in particular?   If you can refer to even half of these in your Q.A answers, then the examiner will be throwing marks at you!

Question B

Q.B involves just one question, usually revolving around a report, letter, review, diary entry, or speech. It is 50 marks, the same marks as all of Q.A’s parts put together. This question is just as important as your composition in section 2.

The guidelines say that you should only spend 35 minutes on this question, and if you can write a well-structured answer in that time, then good on you! I, however, probably spent just under an hour on this part, and once again, that is okay! It’s better to have a fantastic Q.B answer and a slightly short essay than mediocre answer for both.

Really the only advice I can give for this section, is to know the layouts for the 5 major questions as mentioned above. Reports should have a Title, Introduction, Work Carried Out, Findings, Suggestions, Recommendations, and Conclusion section. Reviews should have a catchy headline, the name of what you’re reviewing, a short description, an evaluation and recommendation, and then a signature as you sign off. Diaries should be personal and written with informal language, you should have a date and time, start with ‘Dear Diary…’ (Corny, I know) and your first name as you sign off. Speeches should begin with a startling statement, then address your audience (”Ladies and gentlement…” eg.), introduce yourself, and introduce your topic before continuing on into the speech, using persuasive language, before thanking your audience for listening and signing off.

Note how I kept letters for the end. This is the most asked Q.B, and the most difficult to get full marks for due to the complicated layout. First of all, your letter will either be formal, or informal:

Formal letters will be written to newspaper editors, school principals, members of government, etc. Anyone that you would call ‘sir’ ‘madam’ or ‘Mr’ ‘Mrs’ ‘Ms’ in real life to. A formal letter should begin with your own name in the top right-hand corner of the page. Your own address (make one up) goes directly below this. Then skip a line, and write the date directly below that. All dates must be written in the form “00 Month 20–″ (eg. 03 June 2019) Pay careful attention to the question when writing the date, however. If you’re writing to your teachers because of an event that happened last week in school, you can’t use June/July/August when you’re on summer holidays as a date now can you? When this is done, skip a line, move over to the left-hand side of the page, and write the person’s full title (the person you’re addressing the letter to) and write their address below this. The write the main body of your letter, paragraphing it, before skipping a line and writing “Yours Sincerely, ”. Sign your full name below this.

Informal letters will be written to family members, your pen-pal, your friend on holidays, etc. Anyone that you would joke around with and give friendly hugs to in real life. On the top right-hand corner of the page, write your own address, but not your name!!! It’s a letter to someone you know, they already have that information! Below your address, skip a line, and write the date in the same form as given above. Then skip another line, move to the left-hand side of the page, and start writing. When you’re done your letter, skip a line, write something cheap and cheerful like “See you later!” then skip another line, and sign off with your name (first name or full name, it doesn’t really matter)

Section 2

‘Composing’ is worth 100 marks, an entire 25% percent of your paper, so if you want to get a H1 in your English Leaving Cert, you need to get a H1 in this section! It’s divided into 7 questions, and you answer 1 of the 7! The questions are usually short stories, personal essays, articles, speechs, or descriptive essays. 

You need to pinpoint which of these questions you get the best marks in, and then focus on those two or three composition styles. Please please pleaseee don’t just rely on one and say “Sure I’m great at the short stories, I’ll just do whatever comes up for that on day” because 1. It might not come up on the day, and 2. It might be an absolutely dreadful question and you’ll be left sitting there trying not to cry as you desperately try to remember the layout of a speech. Don’t do that to yourself. The Leaving Cert is stressful enough. Seriously. It’s worth 25%. Don’t risk it.

Your essay should be between 4 to 6 pages, or 1000 to 1250 words. This is non negotiable.

Always always always open with a quote, a rhetorical question, or a shocking statistic to grab the examiner’s attention. I went online the night before my Paper One exam, and wrote down 10 quotes from well-known people about the most popular topics in life, eg. Education, Love, Money, Travelling, Death, Youth & Aging, etc. and just learnt them off in half an hour. I ended up using three of them on the day, and you have no idea the relief you feel when you’re guaranteed that at least one thing in your composition will get you marks!

Plan. this. shit. before. you. write. Take an entire A4 page, even if you just use 2 or 3 lines. Write the essay title on the top, then blurt down all the words that come to mind when you thing of that topic. Then write in the margin ‘Opening, Paragraph 1, Paragraph 2, Para. 3, Para. 4, Para. 5., Closing’ and assign your top 5 strongest ideas to a section each. You might think it’s a wast of time, but half way through writing it, you will have forgotten some of your ideas. And hell forbid, if you run out of time and don’t get to make all your points, the examiner can see that you *were* going to make other points, and will give you a few extra marks for it.

You should open strongly, and close strongly. Reiterate what you say in your opening in your closing. Make your opinion/belief on the matter so strongly and write it so vehemently that you leave the examiner nodding along with your words.

Title. Title every single essay no matter what type it is or what the topic is about. Short story? Make it catchy. Article? Make it humorous. Speech? Use the title given to you on the page.

Learn the main three keys of each type of compositon language. Narrative eg. Short story has a defined beginning, middle, and end, a definite setting, dialogue, plot twists, and realistic, convincing characters. Argumentative language eg. Speech, Debate, involves using logical and rational points, rhetorical questions, facts, strong verbs, and quotes. Aesthetic/Descriptive eg. Descriptive Essay involves word patterns, rhythm, adjectives, vivid images, poetic techniques eg. similes, methaphors. Information language eg. Article makes unbiased and relevant points, uses clear and accessible language, and statistics/facts. Personal eg. Person essay uses anecdotes, humour, repetition, and uses emphatic language.

Above all else, REMAIN CALM!!! You are not what you get in this exam, you are not the person stress and sleepless nights turns you into, you are so much more than your Leaving Cert results!!! Do not sacrifice your health or happiness for this stupid test that you’ll forgot about 6 months later! 

So best of luck in your exams, I hope this advice helped, and if you have any more questions please feel free to ask me!

[hellenicherald]

#35 Ἄκουε πάντα - Listen to all - Listen to everyone

Listening to everyone is a meaningful act in the world for our own sake (because there is so much to learn from the people around us), and for the sake of the communities which we are a part of (because the more people listen to one another, the more they are able to effectively communicate)....  Listening involves turning over in your mind what your interlocutor is saying, giving it the proper weight of consideration and responding in a way that opens up possibilities, rather than shuts them down.” - Pat Norman https://patnorman.medium.com/delphic-maxim-35-listen-to-everyone-e895f82e364e

Consider the following quotes, which resonates with you most? Which the least? Why?

"Wisdom is the reward you get for a lifetime of listening when you'd have preferred to talk." --Doug Larson

"Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply." --Stephen R. Covey

"One of the most sincere forms of respect is actually listening to what another has to say." --Bryant H. McGill

[elangobgh]

Everything in writing begins with language. Language begins with listening.

We have two ears and one tongue so that we would listen more and talk less.

You cannot truly listen to anyone and do anything else at the same time.

Most of the successful people I've known are the ones who do more listening than talking.

When people talk, listen completely. Most people never listen.

Friends are those rare people who ask how we are, and then wait to hear the answer.

One of the most sincere forms of respect is actually listening to what another has to say.

To say that a person feels listened to means a lot more than just their ideas get heard.

It's a sign of respect. It makes people feel valued.

Part of being successful is about asking questions and listening to the answers.

I only wish I could find an institute that teaches people how to listen.

Business people need to listen at least as much as they need to talk.

Too many people fail to realize that real communication goes in both directions.

With these quotes about Listening

I wish you a great weekend.

Bonswa

Good evening in Haitian Creole

Elan . GOB_GH

m [ A L M _ ]

image source:

istockphoto[dot]com

[sowingseedsandshootinghoops]

Take One Step Towards God and He Takes Two Towards You: The Autobiography of Malcolm X

Note on the text: The Autobiography of Malcolm X written by Malcolm X and Alex Haley. Published by Ballantine Books in 2015. 

I am spending many hours [telling my life story] because the full story is the best way that I know to have it seen, and understood, that I had sunk to the bottom of the American white man’s society when- soon now in prison- I found Allah, and the religion of Islam, and it completely transformed my life (153).

Malcolm X’s autobiography is a powerful book. Powerful for a variety of reasons. Powerful as an indictment of the racism which he witnessed and fought against, and powerful as a testimony to just how much a person can change over the course of their life. Malcolm wrote this book towards the end of his life, and in fact he was assassinated before it was published, and in it he reflects on how his experiences shaped him and his ideology. It is, as much as anything else, a philosophical-autobiography. It isn’t just a story of a man’s life, it is the story of a man looking back at his life and is finally able to see how it all fit together. Not many people have the ability, much less the courage, to look back at their life in such a penetrating, honest, way. 

The truth is that we are all influenced by the things that we experience around us, whether we can admit it or not. Most of the philosophies that we have about the world and ourselves are shaped by what he experience. By writing this autobiography, Malcolm is able to see how and why God put certain things, people etc into his life. Malcolm lived an intense life. He was, at different times, a hustler, a pimp, a drug dealer, a prisoner, a Christian, a Muslim, a high school dropout, and a scholar among other things. Although he could not see this at the time, having such a wide experience of life meant that he knew the way that a lot of different people thought, and that meant that he was able to speak to myriads of people in ways that they would understand and accept. Malcolm talks in his book about how he “learned early on [in his career as an activist] one important thing [which was] to always [talk to people in ways that they could understand]” and that not everyone knew how to do that as well as he did (225). He knew for example how to speak to Christians in ways that would invite them into the conversation as opposed to turning them off. Same with hustlers, college students, etc. He knew how to modulate his approach depending on who his audience was largely because of the experiences he had over the course of his life. He knew how to speak to high school drop outs because he was one, he knew how to speak to drug dealers because he was one, he knew how to speak to other black men because he was one. Looking back at his life allowed him to see the different ways in which God had been molding him to become the person that he was today. There’s an Islamic saying that he keeps referencing throughout the book: “If you take one step towards Allah, he takes two steps towards you” (159). At every step of his life he was simply trying to do the best he could in that moment, but God was using all those moments of his life as a way to prepare him to actualize his potential, even if he did not know it at the time. 

The seeds that would become his racial philosophy were sown early in his life. The racism that he experienced, even as a child, made a deep impression on him. He talks about how one of the defining moments of his life was when he told his teacher, Mr Ostrowski, about how he wanted to become a lawyer. Mr Ostrowski replied that it was unrealistic for a black boy like Malcolm to become a lawyer and how he needed a dream that was more realistic. However Mr Ostrowski always encouraged Malcolm’s classmates, who were all white, to pursue their dreams even though their grades were not nearly as good as Malcolm’s were: “I had never thought about it [this] way before, but I realized that whatever I wasn’t, I was smarter than nearly all those white kids. But apparently I still was not intelligent enough, in their eyes, to become whatever I wanted to be [emphasis in the original]” (38). As he grew up, he kept seeing the same pattern play itself out over and over again, talented black men and women were constantly being denied the respect and the opportunities that their white counterparts had. People like his friend “West Indian Archie” who although he had a gift for math never got the opportunity to do more with it other than run numbers in a local gambling spot: “I’ve often reflected upon such black [war] veteran numbers men [like] West Indian Archie. If they had lived in another kind of society their exceptional mathematical skills might have been better used. But they were black” (120). 

So it wasn’t really surprising that he concluded that blacks would be better off if they created their own society that was separate from white society. It’s understandable, especially given his experience, how he could conclude that integration with whites was impossible, not because blacks were not good enough but simply because whites would never accept them: “A thousand ways every day, the white man is telling you ‘you can’t live here, you can’t enter here, you can’t eat here, drink here, walk here, work here, you can’t ride here, you can’t play here, you can’t study here’. Haven’t [you] seen enough to see that he has no plans to unite with you?” (259). Is that really such an illogical conclusion?

Now what it would mean for blacks to create their own society and split off from white society, and how they should do it, changed dramatically over the course of Malcolm’s life. When he was young his father belonged to a group of Baptists that were lead Marcus Garvey who believed that “freedom, independence, and self respect could never be achieved by the Negro in America and that therefore the Negro should leave American to the white man and return to his African land of origin” (2). Obviously this tactic was impractical for a variety of reasons, including the fact that for most blacks America was their home. But it’s possible that having been exposed to this type of thinking as a child made Malcolm more susceptible and likely to accept the type of economic emancipation that Elijah Mohammed and the Nation of Islam proposed. Elijah Mohammed believed that the black man could achieve equality with their white counterparts by developing an “economic structure” that existed outside of the white person’s economic system. To that end the Nation of Islam, including Malcolm himself, encouraged African Americans to own and operate their own business which could then serve as “examples to help black people see what they could for themselves by hiring their own kind and trading with their own kind and thus quit being exploited by the white man” (209).

His pilgrimage to Mecca brought on the final evolution of his racial philosophy. Every good Muslim is supposed to make a pilgrimage to Mecca, called Hajj, at least once in their life and that’s why in 1964 he decided to make the trip. Remember the saying that was quoted above? You take one step towards Allah and he takes two steps towards you? Malcolm was only doing this trip because it was his religious duty and he wanted to get closer to God, and as a result God was going to take two very big steps closer to him. Going to Mecca would change his life forever. First of all, it was the first time he had seen so many black people in positions of power, whether they were heads of state or simply important members of their communities. Secondly, he saw that black and whites could live together as equals. As a result of this he no longer saw white people as the enemy, but as allies that could help black people take down the racist institutions which had oppressed them for so long. As he told a group of reporters when he returned from Mecca: 

My trip to Mecca has opened my eyes. I no longer subscribed to racism. I have adjusted my thinking to the point where I believe that whites are human beings. . . . I’m not a racist, I’m not condemning white people for being white but for their deeds. I condemn what whites have done collectively to our people collectively” (420).    

This in turn lead to Malcolm’s final ideas regarding how whites and blacks can work together to build a more just society, the final twist on the idea of how blacks can learn how to support themselves and not rely on “the system” to help them: 

I tell sincere white folks, ‘work in conjunction with us-each of us working among his own kind’. Let sincere white individuals find all [the]other white individuals they can who feel as they do and let them form their own all white groups to work to try and convert other white people who are thinking and acting so racist. . . . We will completely respect our white co-workers. We will give them every credit. We will meanwhile be working among our own kind, in our black communities, showing and teaching black men in ways that only other black men can- that the black man has got to help himself. Working separately, the sincere white people and sincere black people will actually be working together (384).

As a white man myself, I will never fully understand the black experience. So it’s not up to me to tell the black men and women out there how they should or should not feel about what has happened to them. What I can do though is listen to them when they talk about their experiences  and show sympathy. Show them that I am their brother, that I have an open heart and am willing to both listen and, even though it still seems strange to actually have to say this, believe them when they talk about what they have experienced. Only once I have done that can I do things like go back to my white brothers and sisters and communicate to them everything that I have learned and find a way to bring the two sides together. 

As a kid, all Malcolm had to do was be the best kid that he knew how to be. Even though he dropped out of high school, when the time came he was able to tap into his abilities as a scholar to fulfill his destiny. As a hustler, he did the best he could and as a result he was able to communicate with other hustlers in ways that were meaningful and impactful. As a member of the Nation of Islam he did the best he could to be an effective civil rights activists, and as a result he slowly got to see just how powerful the black community is. Finally as a practicing Muslim who was simply fulfilling his religious obligation to make a pilgrimage to Mecca, he was able to learn that we are all God’s children that we need to learn how to love each other more and learn how to live with each other. At every stage all Malcolm had to do was make the smallest step towards God by trying to the best that he could in that situation and God did the rest.  

In the Bible, when David is about to meet Goliath, everyone tells David that he is crazy for taking on that challenge. But David responds by telling the people that God has been training him all his life for this moment. That every lion, bear, and wolf he ever faced as a shepherd trained for this fight with Goliath. It was the same for Malcolm X. God was training him his whole life on how he could actualize the potential that God knew was in him when it was time for that potential to be actualized, even if he did not know that that was what God was doing at the time. “If you take one step towards Allah, he takes two steps towards you”. We are not responsible for the future. All we are responsible for is doing the best we can right now. If we can do that, we will have done our job and God will handle the rest. 

[quoteclimax]

Bryant H. McGill – One of the most sincere…

“One of the most sincere forms of respect is actually listening to what another has to say.” -Bryant H. McGill

The post Bryant H. McGill – One of the most sincere… appeared first on Quote Climax!.

from Quote Climax! http://bit.ly/ttfn1

[bryantmcgill]

One of the most sincere forms of respect is actually listening to what another has to say. ... #listening #friendship #diplomacy #goodwill #communications #relationshipgoals #relationships #respect #quotes #unitednations #un #unity (at United Nations)

[fiddle-styx]

Jimin and Jungkook were really good friends, maybe even a little more than that, before Jungkook joined Bangtan, and six member group.

Years have passed, probably too many since Jungkook saw Jimin's beautiful smile, and he misses it. He missed the time they would spend together, the easiness of life, the laughs they would share.

Of course the rest of Bangtan were great friends, but nothing could replace Jimin, or maybe Jungkook just didn't want anyone to ever be let in enough to be able to take his spot.

Bangtan are on there very last show of their tour, and they are all worn out. They breeze through the set list with ease, grinning brightly at fans who show their support.

Jungkook doesn't know why, but something is up. Getting out of bed in the morning seems particularly hard, and standing on the edge of the stage, looking out across the masses of people, the screams that usually pulse through him, seem to fade.

Would he trade all of this, these people who supporting him, screaming his name, if he got the choice, for just one person? One person who looked up at him as if he was the world, as if he was the only thing that existed. That Jungkook could smile sincerely down at, only the two of them together.

Even as he turned back to the group, smiling slightly at Taehyung trying to get Yoongi to play with him, he couldn't shake the feeling. They performed and mucked around, enjoying the atmosphere.

The last chords of the song drew to a close, their fans chanting the lyrics. Hoseok said his part first, thanking everyone, but most of all ARMYs. All through Taehyung's turn Jungkook seemed to be off somewhere, not tied to reality.

Why wasn't Jimin here, why couldn't their friendship work out? Why did he have to leave become an idol? Why did it even all matter?

He longed for something else, feeling very out of place on stage, lights too bright. Then someone was saying his name, and his inner monologue was cut short. Turning to Namjoon, everyone teasing him for spacing out.

"You have to be more focused, Kookie."

It as Taehyung who said it, but all Jungkook could see was Jimin, hitting him gently on the shoulder, smiling up at him while trying to help him with his work.

Something painful pulled in Jungkook's chest, and he tried to draw himself together. Looking probably for the millionth time across the crowd, the face he wanted never appearing.

"We never imagined that we would be here today," Jungkook started, trying to just be lead by his words. "Or at least I never did. I never thought that I would become and idol. I would finish school, go to uni, find a job then settle down."

Words echoed in his head, everything suddenly magnified. In his moment of reminiscence and loss, there was nothing else that came to mind. The words were unplanned, and Jungkook didn’t know what to do.

"Someone very close to me once asked me to promise them that if I ever were to be famous, that I wouldn't suddenly forget being me."

Jungkook don't know what compelled him to say it, but it was something Jimin had one day said to him earnestly, making him promise.

"He told me the best thing about being famous was being able to help others."

If Jimin could see him now he would be shocked that his usually disobedient brat of a friend had quoted him twice, and spoke fondly of him.

"Who is this person?" Said Taehyung curiously.

"I've never heard of him," Jin said, clutching his chest in mock hurt.

Jungkook rolled his eyes at his hyung, who right now reminded him so much of Jimin. Why did everything suddenly just lead back to Jimin?

"Well he was my best friend from high school," Jungkook said softly, his voice bouncing through the room.

"Why only mention him now?"

Jungkook shifted from one foot to the other, trying not to think too much about Jimin. He felt oddly hot and stuffy, surprised at the lump in his throat.

"I don't know, I just thought I would share with ARMYs."

The fans cheered, Jungkook grinning.

"Are you being sentimental Jungkook? Is our Golden Maknae showing emotions?" Seokjin's tone was teasing, but the question made Jungkook want to wince.

"It's nothing Jin."

Seokjin raised his eyebrows, lifting his chin comically. "Aish it's Hyung, brat."

Jungkook's grin turned a little sad, eyes falling to his hands on the microphone. He could feel the tears forming just under his eye, ready to spill over. "Jiminie used to make me call him Hyung all the time."

After Jungkook's impromptu moment of sincerity, they all continued and before they knew it, the lights dimmed and they all stepped off stage.

Worn out, but smiling they sat tired and sleepy, while the nonnas removed their smudged makeup. Despite his expression, Jungkook's mind was racing at a million miles an hour, consumed with the thought of Jimin. He didn't even think to consider what might happen because of him saying Jimin's name on stage.

In short, fans went crazy. They had no idea who this 'Jiminie' was but they were determined to find out.

BTS's Jungkook Sparks Curiosity

At recent Bangtan concert, Jungkook talks about someone very close to him, possibly even mentioning a name…

'Jiminie'

Fan are going crazy over speculation regarding a very close somebody of BTS's Jungkook...

BTS FanChat #1

SwaggySugaDADDY: WHAT JUST HAPPENED??!

tonguetechnology: IDK

chOngJojUnbAlsa: come on guys why had a million theories on wings we gotta have something

Hobi-Hope: so here's what we know: Jungkook mentioned someone very close to him, who he must have known before he was an idol. Also we might be able to assume that he is sad about this friend, because he looked really sad, maybe they lost contact when he became an idol. Then when Jin was telling Jungkook off he said that 'Jiminie' used to make him call him Hyung, be aware of the past tense here. Again Jungkook looks close to tears when he says it. It may actually be possible that the two are the same person.

mrs.seokjin: that's so sad if kookie sacrificed his friend ship to be an idol

StuffInfiresMe: sometimes we forget they're human too

chOngJojUnbAlsa: I want to find this person

SwaggySugaDADDY: I shall lead the man hunt

mrs.seokjin: so we're finding Kookie' long lost friend?

SwaggySugaDADDY: DID YOU SEE JUNGSHOOK’S SAD SMILE??!!

StuffInfiresMe: honestly they're probably in love

SwaggySugaDADDY: OMG YES I DIDNT THIBK OF THAT!

SwaggySugaDADDY: THIS CHANGES RVERYTHUNG!!!!

SwaggySugaDADDY: WE MUST FIND JIMINIE IMMEDIATELY

chOngJojUnbAlsa: but wat about the ships we already have

SwaggySugaDADDY: THEY CAN GO TO HELL!! I HAVE A NEW SHIP AND IM CALLING IT JIKOOK!!! THE REST CAN GO TO HELL

SwaggySugaDADDY: IT WILL BE THE RULER OF ALL THE SHIPS

SwaggySugaDADDY: I WILL FIND KOOKIES LOST LOVE AND JOIN THEM AGAIN

SwaggySugaDADDY: THEY ARE SOULMATES

dancemonie: pardon?

VKOOKIE @doyouknowvkook Whoever this 'jiminie' person is, they better watch out

Miya @thisarmylovestaekook @doyouknowvkook same! Jungkook being all sad makes my vkook deprived

VKOOKIE @doyouknowvkook jiminie better get lost.

Miya @thisarmylovestaekook like can't he go find someone else to annoy. I bet he's ugly as hell.

VKOOKIE @doyouknowvkook I SHIP SO MUCH I COULD KILL THIS JIMINIE FOR TAEKOOK TO LIVE HAPPILY EVER AFTER

Miya @thisarmylovestaekook just wait, I bet army's gonna find whoever this BIATCH is, so we can take him down

myg @kpop_yaoi_fangirl @thisarmylovestaekook @doyouknowvkook how do you two call yourself army's?

myg @kpop_yaoi_fangirl if you care for Jungkook at all, you would respect this person, not threaten to kill him

myg @kpop_yaoi_fangirl Even if you don't, this person is a human being, who doesn't deserve any of what you've said. You're disgusting and inhumane.

VKOOKIE @doyouknowvkook So we're suddenly not allowed free speech?

myg @kpop_yaoi_fangirl You have no right to disrespect another human. Threats with malicious intent are illegal and covered under harassment.

Miya @thisarmylovestaekook You just a hater

VKOOKIE @doyouknowvkook what are you? a lawyer?

myg @kpop_yaoi_fangirl to speak without thinking is to shoot without aiming. both of you are threatening to kill someone, and you wonder why people get annoyed at army's.

INFIRES MAN @bangtan-brwnsugar @kpop_yaoi_fangirl be preaching the real shit, you 2 just to dumb to listen

Miya @thisarmylovestaekook whatever

Eomma Jin @joonsdimples you real mature. type and death threat then just 'whatever'

VKOOKIE @doyouknowvkook so everyone's just going to come and gang up on us like pompous bitches

Kookie + Tae @sidehoe4yoongay as a vkook shipper I am repulsed by this. yes I think they're a cute, but I respect their decisions, whatever they may be, and you should too

Eomma Jin @joonsdimples @kpop_yaoi_fangirl was right to step in on your little tweet party

INFIRES MAN @bangtan-brwnsugar IDOLS ARE HUMAN TOO

myg @kpop_yaoi_fangirl fans are a reflection of the idols. please make it a happy one 

(pt.2 coming soon)

[nothingbutthatpositive]

One of the most sincere forms of respect is actually listening to what another has to say. Bryant McGill . . . . #NBTP #inspirationalquotes #positivevibes #positivethinking #inspiration #goodvibes #instagood #happy #motivationalquotes #quotes #quotestoliveby #love #quote #life #quotes #quoteoftheday #photooftheday #igdaily #instagood #followme #rt (at Charlotte, North Carolina) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bs-l2GWh2V4/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=18jzs0qrynomk

[thesinglesjukebox]

MEGHAN TRAINOR FEAT. NICKI MINAJ - NICE TO MEET YA

[4.18]

Meghan, you need no introduction...

Alfred Soto: The pairing is quaint -- how 2014! Meghan Trainor attempts a makeover that vaporizes the essentials of a noxious image. Now she sounds like nobody at all. Nothing. [1]

Katie Gill: I can't decide who she's trying to be in this song but she's certainly trying to be someone ELSE. The pivot to a more heavy R&B sound, the whispered hook, the Nicki guest verse, this has "I am trying to reinvent myself, can we all finally forget about 'Me Too' now" written all over it. Pity that the reinvention comes with a distracting amount of vocal modulation and at the expense of anything actually Meghan Trainor about it. [3]

William John: A mishmash of instagrammable aphorisms, with a tired trope like a whispered chorus, is an improvement on undermining your self-empowerment aesthetic with a genetics polemic - but only just. [2]

Thomas Inskeep: Trainor's flailing, desperately trying to get her career back on track, but she's not up to the faux-dark trap-pop she's attempting here. Minaj, meanwhile, will clearly do anything for a check, except exert effort. Both of them should be embarrassed by this. [1]

Tobi Tella: I'm not saying Meghan Trainor was good when she was doing doo-wop pastiche, but at least it was a gimmick to hide the soullessness. The highlight of the song is Nicki's listless verse referencing monsters, reminding us of simpler times and much better songs. [3]

Kylo Nocom: Meghan Trainor is pop's biggest joke. Her demographic gets dragged daily: stans always have aversion towards anybody that dares to fill a niche for "soccer moms" or "the GP" (one of pop fandom's biggest mysteries; what makes you so different from "normal people that listen to music"?). The homogeneity of publications' takes on pop is less a side effect of poptimism than it is of stan culture; nobody wants to ignite the wrath of Twitter fanbases, so it's best to come after Ed Sheeran and P!nk as easy targets. Meghan's career of empowerment anthems is not amazing, but has never been enough to warrant the bandwagon of shit-talk she receives across the board. Any attempt at trying to justify her value as a musician feels as if it immediately starts off with contrarian intent rather than out of sincere enjoyment. Yet out of her hits, I'd be hard-pressed to say she's ever even had a truly horrible song. I've suffered through some of the worst of radio overplay and still can't remember ever changing the station whenever one of her songs comes on. My tolerance for her sincerity, no matter how poor the messaging ends up being, is high enough to find Meghan dumb fun. Her latest single expectedly doesn't fascinate lyrically, even if "I am blessed by the heavens" is remarkably badass in the two ways it's delivered, but nobody wants to talk about how fucking weird this is. The DNA of "Nice to Meet Ya" is loaded with referents: "Tongue" (the whispered chorus), "Loyal to Me" (millennial R&B revivalism as filtered through perceived "Spotify-core"), "Wasabi" (the ridiculous grinding bass), "Beez n the Trap" (though more "Soap," I'm not telling anybody to respect Melanie Martinez, plus Nicki's entrance completely re-contextualizes the drop), any Zedd song that used the dumbass vocoder. It'd be easy to shit on this as desperate if it actually sounded like any hit on the radio right now; as is, it's a complete Frankenstein of various tropes catered directly to my tastes. Meghan Trainor provides a lesson for us all: being perceived as pop's biggest tryhard might just means she's trying more than 99% of people out there. Looks like her hard work has paid off. [9]

Katherine St Asaph: Can you have a consistent identity -- "brand," we'd say now -- if The Discourse has decided your identity is actually something else? Meghan Trainor has been made into a punchline, all her music just elaboration on the joke. (To be fair, that weird horny press release for the EP didn't help.) But that music, the actual sounds on recording, is a consistent string of millennial R&B singles as faithful and nervy as Rina Sawayama or Kehlani or LIZ or Raye, all of whom this would be praised for releasing this exact song minus the Meghan tag. The "blessed by the heavens" hook and faux-brass backing would be celebrated if this were a single by Ariana Grande or Fifth Harmony, for whom it may well have been written. (Camila would do the whispered vocals, right?) Critics may even like it, if only for the near-quote in the synth hook of Cassie's "Me and U." [7]

Wayne Weizhen Zhang: Given the delightfully entertaining chaos of Meghan Trainor's career as of late -- from that crazy UTI-inducing press release, to the catchy (eu)genetics song, to her somehow being involved in the comeback reunion of the Pussycat Dolls --- I really wanted to like this. But my actual reaction aligns more closely with what Nicki says halfway though her verse: "Ha, ha, ha-ha, ha, ha-ha-ha." [4]

Brad Shoup: Trainor's uncanny chorus makes this one feel like it's 70% percent Minaj. It's actually better than Minaj's cashed-in favor of a verse, which opts for the safe syllabic choice every time. Still, mark another square on the bingo card: Trainor's made throwback snap-pop. [4]

Joshua Lu: Treat Myself being a decent album isn't particularly surprising, given how most of Meghan Trainor's 2019 releases showcased her affinity for making easily digestible but pristine pop music. "Nice to Meet Ya" isn't the best offering, but it is emblematic of its parent album's general formula: histrionically sassy lyricism, production that doesn't skimp on vocoder or random bloopy noises, and a general feeling of datedness, best brought in with Nicki Minaj's most genuinely carefree verse since the Roman Reloaded era. Maybe it's a sign of my aging taste, or just sympathy for a struggling pop star whose career I've enjoyed observing for the past six plus years, but I find myself entirely willing to appreciate what this fun little pop song has to offer. [7]

Jackie Powell: Meghan Trainor has been through the wringer in the lead up to the release of her third album TREAT MYSELF. According to an interview with the Zack Sang Show, Trainer was stalled during a time where there was a lot of "traffic" in the market. But also, she was told that she could simply produce a better product and Epic records could afford to give her that time. Almost two years ago, TSJ reviewed "No Excuses," which had a memorable chorus but fell flat, more like a Fifth Harmony B-side than a Trainor track. "Nice to Meet Ya" is sonically more dynamic than "No Excuses" but at times sounds like a structural carbon copy of Ariana Grande's mega-hit "Problem." Whispered hook: check. Bridge formed by a female rapper: check. (Nicki Minaj's verse works, but its main function has been for hip-hop choreographers, which is fine I guess.) Although I wonder what would have ensued if Trainor's husband and former Spy Kid Daryl Sabara took over the whispering duties from his wife on the post-chorus, akin to Big Sean on the Grande cut. But apparently, he is credited for backing vocals? Trainor has been notorious for "repetitive pop," and lately has leaned into her song titles too much. While "Genetics" was upgraded with a Pussycat Dolls feature, I can't help but cringe when the word is spelled out. And don't get me started on "Evil Twin." Trainor has difficulty with her lede. Her lede is either forced or buried, which is something that transpires on this latest single. What would happen if she didn't begin her songs with the title? What would "Nice to Meet Ya" have sounded like without its hook, which consists of the whispering? This single could have easily been named "What I Want to Be" which might be less cutesy than "Nice to Meet Ya," but it's a bit more appropriate for where Trainor is in her life. Something that's unfortunate about Trainor is how she consistently forces the issues she's bringing to the surface. Don't get me wrong, her message is vital for her audience, but maybe she can use a metaphorical editor or another producer or songwriter who can relate to and understand her message, altering it so that it isn't oversold. [5]

[Read, comment and vote on The Singles Jukebox]