#so like why are you hitting on foreign girls in Shibuya?!?!

[sy3ra]

seasons; gojo satoru

(reader POV version.)

genre: angst

word count: 786

warnings: no fluff, heavy (?) angst

[____] flew away from the monsoons and warmth of France in mid June, using the wide metal wings of the airplane to alight into All Nippon Airways. [____] heaves a long sigh of relief once her bags makes it dociley through customs and immigration.

As you first arrived in Tokyo, [____] was greeted with the humid and cold air of Japan, so clear it burned through the depths of her lungs. [____] makes her way through the well-known Shibuya crossing, and through the thick barrier that hides the Tokyo Prefectural Jujutsu High School from non-sorcerers.

[____] is greeted by the principal of Jujutsu High, Masamichi Yaga, he guides her through the innermost depths of the school. The exterior and interior of the school was traditional, wooden verandas surrounded the buildings of the school, and every step she made inside the buildings made a creak on the tatami flooring. Everything felt foreign, but Yaga reassures she'll get used to it eventually.

[____] is introduced to her new classmates, there were only two of them right now, Yaga explains that a girl named Shoko Ieri was busy right now.

Her eyes were trained on the ground, a blank look on her face when she looks up at the two boys infront of her.

(first person point of view.)

Slowly, I tilted my head upwards to meet my new classmates, I didn't quite understood why I needed to do this. Frankly, I wanted to rest in my dormitory after a long flight from France. But I'm quite glad I did.

There I met you for the first time ever, one could say that I was captivated. Your beautiful azure blue eyes that reflected the endless sky and ocean, framed by thick white lashes that was the same colour as your hair, your white hair that was like the snow that covered the lushious green grass every winter season. But it wasn't your looks that was most charming about you, it was your smile, a smile so wide, your pearly whites were showing. Small dimples appeared on each side of your cheeks when you grinned.

My steely silver eyes widened ever so slightly, a warm feeling engulfing my chest, my heart thumping loudly against my ribcage. I felt a strange sensation of adrenaline when I heard Mr. Yaga introduce you as "Gojo Satoru."

You were like a breath of fresh air to me, I didn't assume my moments as a transfer student from France would be like this, I often assumed it would be boring. But it turned out like this, lively and bright.

When you ask me, "What do you want to achieve most?" I answer with, "i want to reach the stars."

It was a pretty harmless answer. But darling, when I said I wanted to reach the stars.

It is me ambiguously saying that I long to reach you.

But you and I both know that is impossible for both of us. You and I have different lives, different ambitions, and different burdens that we both hide from everyone.

This burden I carry, bears heavy weight on my shoulders. I cannot tell you why, but my hands, these hands that hold your bigger ones, have been stained with crimson.

So this is why, when you ask me to stay here in Japan, stay here with you. I look into your addictive azure blue eyes, those eyes I want to drown in. My heart crumbles into pieces when I reject you.

Your face twists into one of bewilderment, shock and betrayal. "Why not?" You ask, a twinge of pain hidden in the depths of your voice. It pains me that you think of betrayal, that the thought of me betraying you ever crosses your mind.

I wanted to tell you that I loved you, more than anything else. I fell in love with the thought of cherishing you till the end.

"Could you ever give me the warmth that hits the innermost depths of my bones instead of just the skin?" That question echoed inside my mind. A delusion I wanted an answer to.

I could only ever love you in Japan and you can only ever love me in Japan as well. But I cannot say this because you wouldn't understand my reasons, my excuses, and you would argue.

I pictured you in my mind as I approached my country, when I looked down past my metal wings and saw the dark heavy solidity of land stopping the movement of the vast ocean.

I always wondered if I made the right decision, what if I stayed? Would you still be able to accept me when I unhinge my ribcage and show you the darkest depths of my soul?

-Mayven.

[tempenensis]

Jujutsu Kaisen Light Novel #2

Firstly, @bonsai62​ provides me with raw text of this - so thank you very much! This is the first eight pages of the first chapter from the second light novel. That being said, I don’t know how much I get this translation right, but enjoy anyway. Though this is cut at bad point lol

The title of the light novel is Thorny Road at Dawn. Text in bold means that it is spoken in English. 

Chapter 1: Nobara and Toge

.

“About Toge?”

August has begun.

Under the overlapping form of trees in the schoolyard, Panda asks back to Kugisaki who he has been holding on his arm and turning over 180 degree.

For the upcoming exchange event, Fushiguro is also working hard to train as participating first year.

He is in the middle of training with assumption that one-vs-one sorcerer combat can break especially during the fight.

Even though she is training, Kugisaki is now thrown towards Panda – repeatedly thrown towards him in a stage. But because it seems that her motivation is high, she’s become into it, as long as in the end she can be successful facing Todo and Mai even just a little bit.

“Yes. I understand Maki-san is worth of my respect. I also know that Panda-senpai is sorcerer with ability.”

“I also want you to say the same thing about me like Maki.”

Kugisaki answers as she stands up and brushes away leaves attached to her jersey.

“I respect you. I’m not saying bullshit about Panda-san.” (1)

“Well, if you become able to chat while being blown away, I’ll praise you.”

“My body can easily remember just blown like this.”

“Hooon. Then”

Panda looks around, confirming that Toge who went to pharmacy has not come back.

“What about Toge?”

“What kind of senpai is he?”

“Eh, you don’t know from talking to him?”

“Not that I don’t understand. Well, I know he is not a bad person, but if all his vocabularies are riceball fillings, talking with him will be limited, right?”

“We already get too used to it, right Maki?”

“Aah. Now that you say it, it naturally becomes question.”

Maki is spinning around a staff, sending a sympathetic look to Fushiguro after she lightly avoids Fushiguro’s attack and land a small hit on his head.

“It hurts…”

“You are thinking too much again with your head.”

Maki joins the conversation as she glances at groaning Fushiguro. Out of breath but clean of dust, she circles around Panda calmly.

“Among us maybe he is the best at taking care.”

“Yeah, he has a bright personality (2). If you exclude Yuuta, then he is the number one good person in our year.”

“His flaw is that he can get carried away a little.” (3)

“Is he?”

“You are the one who always get carried away when we are together, that’s why you don’t know.”

“That’s unexpected. We are not like that though. We like to join in the fun.”

Kugisaki’s body fitness is finally reaching that point where she can chat while doing her training. Even then, the second years who are lightly talking among them without difficulty remembers existence of Kugisaki of August (4) in the nearby stage.

Just a bit when Panda’s attention is at Maki as they converse, Kugisaki tries to do a feint from the side and mixes it with an upper but—

“Anyway.”

“Geh.”

Panda sways easily, then he hesitates a little before swipe Kugisaki’s feet in sobat-like (5) kick.

Kugisaki, whose pivot foot collapses, falls down rolling. Her body becomes totally irresponsive. In several weeks here, it’s a movement that she kept thought she could do.

That said she becomes irresponsive and she can’t win the match.

As he looks down at Kugisaki who makes a discouraged face, Panda opens his mouth.

“Toge is a good guy. That alone you should know.”

“….I see.”

More than that, her body has become irresponsive and her back is hurting.

The frequency of her falling down sloppily has not reduced, also buying a replacement jersey have also becomes necessary -- Kugisaki at summer time thinks with melancholy.

.---.

The story continues when it has turn to fall.

After the incident of Yasohachi has passed, there’s a brief spare time.

At that day, Kugisaki is alone in Shibuya.

Fushiguro is locking himself up and reading in his room as he is still exhausted after he overexerted himself.

Itadori has gone out to watch a maniac movie in a cinema currently doing a whole-building screening.

Maki is currently on a mission different from Yasohachi bridge, so she can’t meet her conveniently in a while. Kugisaki who completely doesn’t have a plan, aims to go shopping to make-up and clothes shops which are hard to go with boys, then buy daily necessities.

“Winter clothes set, winter shoes, inner and foundation and…”

Grasping paper bags in both hands, she lifts them up as she confirms her haul today.

She doesn’t think she bought too much, but she has walked more than she had planned. Maybe wearing the pin heel boots she bought the other day is a bit mistake.

But it is a rare chance that she gets to go out and shop alone. There’s a lot she still needs to buy.

Kugisaki is thinking to go looking for bags next as she walks in traffic jam.

When she had just arrived in Tokyo, it all seemed to be glittering scenery. After around three months has passed, she gets used to it a lot, used to hearing noisy sounds.

That being said, it is a backside of being busy and lively. It’s a thing that’s called taste of convenience.

“And that, it is really a masterpiece.”

“Doesn’t it make you angry?”

“Hey, hey. Girl, are you alone? Are you free?”

“I’m in a hurry.”

“Salmon.”

“We’re opening a new shop! Please take care of us.”

“Are you not going to eat?”

“How much are you going to eat?!”

“It’s damned boring, how about we skip work today?”

“Mama, buy me that!”

A lot of voices. It’s an intersection where a lot of life collides.

There are daily life as many as the number of people, there are worlds as many as the number of people. In the city where many wills and voices flying around, of course there will be a lot of people who is feeling gloomy – but not Kugisaki.

For her who has a firm sense of self, she understands that everyone has their own way of living in the hustle bustle of the city, it even feels like a kindness.

Now that she thinks about it, the village where she comes from was suffocating.

An exclusivity that imitate the people who had come before (6). An ecosystem long existed that doesn’t recognize individuality of a person. A closed world that gently rot — exists there in that village, Kugisaki thinks.

Compared to the crowd of the city, it is tough yet she can live with freedom.

In the city, someone says that the concern towards other people is weak. Kugisaki laughs, thinking that is wonderful. She has her own way and won’t blame anyone over it. She will stand and walk with her own foot.

However, mixing in the city crowd during the holiday, a mysterious chance can happen.

“Hm?”

Kugisaki who walks towards the direction of Shibuya Hikarie (7) in the lane across the street, makes a face of remembering something as she found him. It is the only one of her acquittances who hides lower half of mouth with closed overly long collar.

It’s Inumaki Toge.

There is also another one. A male foreign tourist with thoughtful blue eyes who can’t be someone familiar. Kugisaki becomes interested on the exchange between the foreigner and Inumaki.

“What are they talking about?”

Kugisaki changes her destination, then crosses the road when the traffic lamp changes at the right timing, and strolls towards Inumaki. When she is near them, she overhears their talk.

“I’d like to go to SHIBUYA109.” (8)

“Salmon salmon.”

“Could you tell me where I can get a taxi?”

“Salmon roe.”

“Ah… Which way should we go?”

“Seaweed.”

“Ah…I, want to go. 109 (9). Please. Ok?”

“Salmon.”

“Shake?” (10)

“….Salmon?” (11)

“….Salmon!? Why?”

“Okaka…..” (12)

“Ee…?”

For some reason, in Kugisaki’s guess ten times over, it has become a troublesome situation.

She knows that Inumaki, who is a cursed speech user, only speaks in onigiri fillings to avoid sudden outburst of curse. How come that he is asked by foreigner tourist for direction.

No, Inumaki can use Inumaki’s way of showing the way – he points his finger and gestures using his body and hands. With that, she wonders if the foreigner becomes impatient (13) as Kugisaki decides to get in between the two of them.

“What are you doing, senpai?”

“Tunamayo.”

“It can’t be ‘tunamayo’. Jeez.”

“Oh! Geisha girl!”

“Who the heck is geisha girl?!”

.

.

--- tbc (hopefully can do more)

(1) More literally, she is saying things about Panda that “doesn’t smell like fairy tale” (2) “His root is bright” is the literal translation (3) 悪ノリ (akunori) is a bit hard to be translated. It’s like, getting carried away in mischievous manner. (4) Overheated Kugisaki lol (5) Sobat : back kick in wrestling (6) literally “To follow the right” (7) A skyscraper in Shibuya (8) A department store in Shibuya (9) Spoken in broken Japanese lol. (10) Shake = salmon. He repeats what Toge said to him. In Inumaki’s language means “yes” (11) Salmon, as in engrish lol (12) Okaka = chopped katsuobushi, in Inumaki’s language means “no” (13) literally, “becomes hot”

[katsuflossy]

Best Worst Night Ever?

Pairing: Pro Hero Midoriya Izuku x Black reader

Genre: Fluff

TW: Sexual assault, obscenities, Drinking, throw up, cops, um pubic lice?

A/n: This is my thank you for 500+ followers!! I sadly have limited time to do any fics but I squeezed in a day to finish a lil WIP I had which is this!! I just watched Hercules and couldn’t help making this so please enjoy!!

BIG PSA: I am in no way romanticizing or poking at sexual assault. The story is inspired by Disney’s Hercules. 

Taglist: @sunset-novice-writer @goatsenpaiultimate

The Tokyo club district may be Midoriya’s most hated areas he has to patrol. Nothing attracted him here, in fact, the area repulsed him. The last time he stepped foot into the club was for Denki’s 21st. That night ended early for him due to an incident involving throwup that cost him his shirt, pants, and custom shoes. Ochaco still sends him apology gifts from that night. But even before the incident, the top pro-hero felt no pull towards club life. The music was so loud he couldn’t hear himself think. Someone always was pushing him in a shuffle to ruin their liver or to grind on strangers. Not to mention he is a pro-hero so there was a reason All Might never appeared in nightclubs – it’ll eventually turn into an unofficial meet-and-greet.  

So why was he assigned to watch over the district during one of the most popular summer nights? Simple, crowd control. Deku was one of the only pro-heroes who could sway a crowd to his will. His spirit could’ve reached anyone even if it was a simple crook or a drunk valley girl and his presence in the Shibuya would bring more foreigners to the club scene hoping to see the number one hero. 

A sigh escaped his lips as his fingers massaged his temples. Midnight announced its arrival through the train station nearby yet the soft pulsing from each club around collectively buzzed out the PSA automated message. His eyes strained to stay open as he passed the reds, blues, and greens of Shibuya’s active clubs. He stretched for the fifth time in the hour, the cracks of his back emitted little result to the weighty feeling on his body, like the humidity within the night. Tokyo was sure hot that night

Hot indeed it was. 

Izuku was on his twelfth attempt to suppress a yawn until his ears caught on to a female scream barely breaking through the night. He questioned whether the scream was fearful or...playful, remembering one specific night he interrupted a couple in an alleyway. However, the scream rang out again, pushing the pro-hero to the source and silently cursing himself for second-guessing. His ears led him three blocks up, beside the infamous Harlem. The red club light glared in Deku’s eyes as he tried to register the bodies in front of him.

Muted red scattered across your body front forward pressed against the bricks of the building. A tall, skinny man pressed his body against your own, restricting your thrashing from knocking him in the nose or somewhere much more sensitive. Your cheek pressed harshly against the rough texture you were forced upon as you glared at the perpetrator.

“Why don’t you just let me carry you home, babygirl?” The liquor and weed wafted from his mouth, singeing your nose hairs as you thrashed harder.

“Like fuck, you green bitch! Get the fuck up off me!” He sneered in response, ignoring your demand as his hand brushed your leg, trailing to the hem of your skirt.

“Stop! Let her go!” Your eyes snapped to the open end of the alleyway where the voice rang out. You wasted no time to take the distraction as you used your stiletto heel to stab his foot. He shrieked as he recoiled from your body. You took the time to turn around and kick him in his crotch, bringing the molester to the ground. 

“You fucking slut!” As he attempted to get up, Deku zapped in front of him, grabbing his elbow as he slammed him against the opposite wall. The man had his breath knocked out of him in an instant before passing out due to the impacting force. 

The alleyway stayed quiet for a few seconds, processing what just happened and how quickly the man crumpled against the wall. Your eyes furrowed and your fist clenched, walking up to the passed out body before commencing in a swift kick after kick adding stomps to his stomach. 

“That’s what yo filthy ass get!”

 “The next time I see you, I’m putting one ‘tween yo eyes cause you lucky I wasn’t packing tonight motherfucker!”

“If you had put your grimy hands on me further I would’ve bit your ear off like I’m fucking Mayweather in this bitch.”  

Midoriya, grabbed your upper arm, snatching you away from the bruising body on the ground, mortified by the profanities spilling out from your mouth.

“P-please stop, the police are on their way and they’ll deal with him.” His pleading stopped you momentarily. Believing that you were calm, he released the hand from your bicep only for you to get one more stomp in. He attempted to grab you again before you raised your arms and stepped away from the man, satisfied by the pain-filled groan he let out. 

Not saying a word to the pro-hero, you went to pick up your phone, which skidded from you as the molester wrestled you against the wall. The young hero also spotted your clear handbag at the corner of the alleyway, assisting you as you dialed your friends’ numbers on your phone. Your back faced him as he approached with your purse. You clutched your phone tight as you cursed into the phone, freezing Midoriya in his spot. 

“You fucking bitches! Not only did y’all not tell me y’all were leaving the fucking club, y’all not answering the phone and still posting ugly ass pictures on snap. I knew I should’ve never fuck wit y’all stank ass hoes in the first place. And Charlotte? Suck my fucking dick from the back! Hope that nigga you let hit tonight gives you crabs, dumbass bitch!” 

You slammed on the send button in the group chat, giving your ‘friends’ a piece of your mind, forgetting about the audience that was behind you. 

“U-umm…” You whipped around at the sound of the male behind you, still pissed off about your friends ignoring your call. 

“Yes?” Your attitude fell a little when you noticed how handsome the man in front of you was. Freckles peppered the tops of his cheeks, deepening the blush he sported in miscellaneous places on his face. Scars did nothing to deter your attraction, in fact, they made him more alluring, giving a rugged look to his chiseled features. 

“I believe this is yours?” He held out your clear mini handbag revealing the few yens you had and your Fenty Beauty lip gloss. 

“Thanks.” You took it graciously before reapplying some of the gloss that had come off due to your ‘encounter’ just as the pro-hero actually looked at your appearance. 

Your plump, glossy lips reflected the red club lights so sinfully. His eyes noted the beam of light shifted at the slight lift and drop of your lips. Your skin compared to the softest velvet and satin as the red light refracted on the shimmer of perfume you wore. May he mention that you smelled like euphoria? Or what he may interpret as that. His eyes traveled down your outfit, a pink skirt slit on the side peeking more of your thigh and leaving the rest to imagination. As for your top, the fluffy pink bikini top had his mind on haywire, noticing the sheen on the curves of your—

—He blinked, removing the haze from his mind. He had to say something to you, like his soul begged for a minute of your time. Denki’s voice popped in his mind, “Be cool guys, after a DID (Damsel In Distress), lay it on little by little. Ask her for her name, then if she’s safe, be a sexy gentleman.” Swallowing the thick ball in his throat, he went with the advice.

“Are you...a-alright Miss?” His hand went to his nape, rubbing the end of his undercut as a blush grew on his face. You smiled at his flustered attempt.

“(Y/n). My friends would call me (N/n) at least they would if I had anymore.” You couldn’t help your eyes to roam his physique, noting the rippling muscle under the black and green suit. 

 “So? Does a name come with my hero or should I start calling you Hercules?” A warm feeling traveled through his body, making its way to his face, burning his cheeks a brighter red. He bashfully chuckled. 

“I-I’m uhh...uhh uh...uhh” You raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow at his brain malfunction, smirking to yourself at how cute this was. 

“Are you always this articulate?” His eyes widened realizing the babble was not coherent as he jumped to answer your question.

“Deku! My—” He coughed at the fine pitch in his voice, brain bringing up the “How to be Cool Manual” made by Denki as he readjusted his vocal placements.

“—My name is Deku.” A light chuckle escaped through the air as you smiled at his notably lower than normal voice. 

“Hmm, Deku? I think I prefer Hercules.” You joked before your teasing was interrupted by a loud groan coming from your forgotten assaulter.

“So? H-how did you get mixed up with the...uh?”

“Nigga who don’t know what the fuck rejection is?” You looked at the crumpled man again, having the thoughts to step on his globe head again. Deku’s eyes widen as if he read your mind, holding his arms out to stop you. You raised your arms, showing no harm before retelling the night’s events.

“Some bitches and I decided we were going to go to Harlem and I was the designated driver even though it wasn’t my car. Haven’t stepped into the club yet and they already drunk off of the entrance drinks. Lightweight bitches but they wanna chug down all the martinis in there. So one of them got a hookup and left without saying shit to anyone and the other was fucking faded—”

Deku flipped through his brain to remember what the definition of faded was.

“—my guy, like bitch was puking up in the stalls. So the third girl, almost as drunk as the other bitch, took the fucking car and ditched me. Didn’t tell me when I could’ve left this place cause in there was lowkey trash. All fucking mainstream pop, and few trap songs. But anyway, this pants-suffocating-my-balls ass nigga was preying on me the entire night and you know how men are. Saying 'no' means 'yes' and 'fuck off' means 'take me I’m yours'.” Your hands clasped together as you bat your lashes up into the sky. You quickly dropped your dreamy acting gig as quickly as you made it. Deku stood confused, chivalry and respect rolled off of his body as he did not know what the female interpretation implied.

“Don’t worry, ask rock-a-bye-baby here when he gets up.” Deku’s laughter halted as the sounds of sirens rang through the air. 

“Well, thanks for everything, Mr. Deku. It’s been a real slice.” You waved at him before turning to leave. Deku panicked, rushing to grab your forearm. You raised a brow at his actions.

“W-wait! U-um the police would like a victim report so he can g-get full repercussions for what he did to a l-lovely lady like you. Heat flooded your cheeks as you mulled over what he said, lovely lady?

“U-um sure, it’s still fuck 12 though cause they didn’t do shit.” You turned around again only for the pro-hero to turn you back around, completely facing you. 

“W-what?” You looked at him, wide-eyed at his boldness as he cupped your cheek. His finger swiped the side of your soft lips, almost dipping into the shimmery, inviting pool before retracting from your face. 

“Y-you had s-some lip gloss smudged on your face.” Deku’s eyes remained on your own as you tried not to melt on the spot. All you could do was simply nod as the police cruiser pulled up by the entrance.

“Well thank you, ma’am, he won’t trouble you any further.” You nodded as the officer went back into the car, the man in the back sleeping quite peacefully for someone who’ll wake up behind bars. Your fingers typed in the address for your apartment, which was a 20-minute walk from your current location. You sighed as your feet, sore from standing in heels all night long, trudged down the street. However, a certain green-haired hero refused to let you go. Thanking the officers in the car, he rushed to your distancing figure.

“(Y/n), wait for me!” Deku waved you down, not breaking a sweat as he reached your figure.

“Deku, I’m sure you have somewhere else to be, so thank you and–” 

“I’m a hero. My job is to make sure everyone is safe, including you. So please, let me walk you home.” His eyes were unyielding. He refused to take any other answer than a yes. You nodded your head, smiling at his chivalry before walking again.

“Alright Hercules, tell me why did you become a hero?”

And so the 20-minute walk seemed like only five as you and Midoriya talked about your childhoods, struggle, and funny memories. Your feet finally touched the doorsteps of your apartment after Deku carried you halfway through the journey. 

“Thank you so much for saving me, even though I had it in the bag.” Laughter broke from the pair into the twinkling sky of the night.

“I’m sure you did.” The lighthearted atmosphere trickled into the sewers of the streets as the pair realized that their time was coming to an end. Deku began to panic, he wanted to see you again, there was no doubt as Denki’s voice invaded his head once again, “Go for the kill bro! Go for the kill!” The young hero grabbed your arm before you turned to leave.

“Umm (Y/n), I know you had an awful night but I- I would like to see you again!” His forwardness stunned you, not expecting the man to be this bold. Your heart sped up and you attempted to keep your cool.

“Sure, you got your phone on you?” He pulled out his phone, handing it to you as his excitement built. A smile stretched across your face, unable to contain your happiness as you returned the phone to its owner.

“Alright Deku, Imma fuck wit ya.” You fist-bumped the hero before leaning into his face, making the daring move to press a kiss against his cheek. 

“Bye Deku.” You unlocked the door of your apartment, entering the vicinity before waving at the scarlet faced hero, who, still absorbing what just happened, waved back aimlessly. As you closed the door, your knees finally buckled for the first time in the night. You slumped against the door, smiling to yourself, not knowing the number one hero was doing the same thing. 

[piduai]

You live in japan, right? but you’re not asian or am i wrong? do you feel any sort of special treatment there, be it positive or negative? my friend used to live in japan for a couple of years for work, and she’s a blue eyed blonde girl, and men at her office were kinda weird... during the day they were all polite etc but if they went drinking at the end of the day several men always tried touching her hair, told her how she’s a “rare beauty” and shit like that... she stopped going to bars after work eventually because such things happened too often and made her really uncomfortable. most women were nice to her, but there also were a couple of girls who were either jealous or whatever and were giving her the silent treatment. i’m wondering if it was just a shitty workplace or if it’s something cultural for foreigners in japan? my friend ended up transferring and never wanted to come back cause even with all the things she genuinely enjoyed in japan, all those relationships with her colleagues left a bad taste in her mouth...

that’s right, i am eastern european. if you’re a foreigner (looking) you’re going to stand out a lot no matter where you go regardless of race but each breed of foreigner has its own stereotypes and attitudes, and men and women of the same ethnicity are treated very differently. 

i do get special treatment, both negative and positive. i can get away with a lot of stuff that japanese people couldn’t, you know rule-breaking, failure to adhere to norms, being individualistic, being ignorant, i’m extended the benefit of the doubt a lot and even if i do something blatantly stupid or wrong and a lot of people will just shrug and be like ‘well she’s foreign, it can’t be helped’. i work in an ultra traditional company with ruthless subordination and overwhelming corporate abuse but if i decide to use my legal days off, for example, i probably won’t get turned down or fired (tho i also get much more exploited than the locals). i sometimes get stuff or random small gifts for free (like in small locally owned cafes i got free coffee a couple of times, people gifted me veggies from their gardens upon seeing me walk down the street, co-workers sometimes bring me coffee or other drinks or snacks unprompted). people are generally kind, understanding and very helpful.

but yeah there’s the other side of the coin too. i am tall and very beautiful thus always attracted attention, but here it’s tenfold. for japanese men, white women are a p*rn category. my first 4 years here i lived in a tiny town in a prefecture not far from tokyo with a lot of old people and yakuza-owned businesses, the only other white women living there were employed by them, and if you’re a woman there’s only one way to make money for the yakuza. i’ve been approached by men during regular ass activities like walking or shopping asking me if i’m prostituting myself and if they can buy me. finding a (regular and non-teaching) job as a non-western foreigner female is difficult, and sexual harassment is pretty much guaranteed, i am extremely familiar with what your friend went through. my boss commented on my appearance during the interview which yeah was a red flag, but it only escalated. as i said my company is extremely traditional, there are very very few women, and most of my co-workers are men in their 40-50-60s. bossman routinely makes me go drink with him and his henchmen making it so i’m the only woman in a company of 5-10 dudes older than my father, one time he made me go to an important dinner with partners and seated me to his right so i can pour to him, and referred to me in front of the partners as ‘his beauty of a slave’. i’m often used for decorative purposes. there is no touching though because anti-sexual harassment laws were fortified in the last few years and he’s very wary of lawsuits, plus as i said i’m not small. 

women mostly avoid me, though. i’ve always been told that i’m extremely intimidating and look difficult to approach, and i guess here it’s the same... back in uni a friend told me that she initially was terrified of striking up a conversation with me because i seemed so intimidating, but again i don’t know how much of it is me being a foreigner and how much is just my natural energy because people told me the exact same thing in my uni in europe. doesn’t save me from unwanted male attention, though. i’ve been stalked to the point of involving the police, followed, harassed, assaulted, roofied a couple of times (long story), barely escaped being trafficked once (long story x2), my intimidating aura doesn’t stop them from hitting on me any fucking where including the gay district (there wasn’t a single time some dude hasn’t tried to hit me up there. like why do you even BOTHER coming here if you’re str8, i ask them this every single time and they’re all like ‘well, it’s fun’. good for you but why are you trying to pick women up here?????? go to shibuya or something), trying to approach me on the street, on the train, in stores, in lines, on the escalator... men are annoying in general but when you stand out like this you simply become a walking target lol. 

note that all of this and what your friend went through didn’t happen because we’re foreigners, it happens because we’re women. not that japanese men respect their women at all, most are proudly misogynistic unconditionally, BUT if your only encounters in your whole life with a particular category of people happens through p*rnography where you witness them being raped and humiliated on screen, it’s pretty damn difficult to consider them human when you meet people like them in flesh. because of that we have an ‘easy’, sex-happy, slutty image. white men aren’t told they’re ‘rare beauties’. white men don’t get groped on the street or asked if they’re willing to suck someone off for 10k yen. oh to be a white man here, most of the doors are open.

most people are still nice, though. as a foreigner you’ll be a foreigner for the rest of your life, an outsider, an alien, different, strange, unfamiliar, you’ll never be truly accepted or treated as one of their own, and it’s ok, it’s something that you’ll never be able to change and better come to terms with at an early stage. but people are nice. i absolutely love japan and am willing to put up with its negative aspects because to me the ones that i like outweigh them, but i do not blame your friend for choosing a different path, this really isn’t for everyone.

[ultimateclownimagines]

Ultimate Spy

This was on my original DR blog, but I’ve moved it here! I don’t own anything canon of Danganronpa, but there are original OCs here that are mine! Hope you all like it!

- Mod Chiaki

I never quite thought about what my actions would do to people in the long run. I never quite thought about the effects that happen after I drop into a new mission sight. My policy is just to get into places and get out with all the information I can. This case was supposed to be the same as any other: get inside unnoticed, find the information, and then get out once said information was acquired, but I didn’t realize that this was a trap that I actually walked into. Not set up by the people who hired me, mind you, but by people who most definitely were not expecting me.

I guess I should start at the beginning… My name is Chia Fumei and I am known as the Ultimate Spy… I’m a student at the renowned school known as Hope’s Peak Academy and this is my story of encountering the Ultimate Despair sisters as well as the Ultimate Hope. Except, I didn’t always know him as the Ultimate Hope, at one time, he was just my friend… Hajime Hinata… A Reserve Course student at Hope’s Peak, but that’s not important now.

About three years ago, I was scouted by Hope’s Peak Academy as their Ultimate Spy and I was dropped into Class 77-B; my first day at the school could’ve been classified as ordinary, but that would mean my teacher was sober enough to stop the rest of the students leaving the classroom. I guess it would’ve been smart of me to stay too, but usually people don’t notice an ordinary girl like me. I’m plain as day type of Jane… If that makes sense. I wandered the halls until I decided that what would really test my ultimate ability is if I could find the secrets of Hope’s Peak out. The system the school held must have been massive and the bubbling sensation of excitement boiled in me as I ran to the library and began my research on Hope’s Peak.

That’s what happened for the first month of the term; every day I would do more and more research about Hope’s Peak, but I would always hit a wall when I was getting to the good stuff. Sighing for the upteenth time, I shut the, what seemed like, four hundredth book and leaned against one of the many dusty bookshelves and stared up at the ceiling. Unlike a detective type of person, I hated secrets, I hated mysteries, all I ever wanted was answers.

“Hello there, Chia!” A very obnoxious, perky voice filled my ears as I looked over. A orange haired… maid(?) was waving at me with a few of my classmates behind her. I tilted my head in confusion, who was this woman? “I knew I would find you here! I was telling your classmates that an Ultimate Spy could be anywhere, but I had a feeling that you would want to look more into Hope’s Peak! Especially a foreigner like you!” What? What is this lady talking about? “So, I said to the others, I bet she’s researching! Ultimate Spies like to have every last detail on display or they can’t do their jobs and here you are!”

“...Um… Yeah, I would agree with that, but I’m not a foreigner” I informed her, standing up, “I’m Japanese and I’m originally from Shibuya.”

“Oh, dear… I’m so sorry! I thought your hair meant you were a foreigner!” She bows to me, maintaining that comforting smile she aimed specifically at me.

“I… Dye my hair peach…” I sigh gently tugging at the hair, “My literal sister has this beautiful peach hair, but mine is naturally just dark… I thought that while I was in school, I would change it up a bit, you see… I don’t like looking so… plain…”

“Well, I don’t think you look so plain, but your appearance is what makes such a great Ultimate Spy!” The woman encouraged me, holding out her hand, “I’m your new teacher, call Miss Yukizome! I’m here to bring you back to class, so you can strengthen your bonds with your classmates!” She smiles brightly at me. Without a second thought, I just agreed to along with her and we rounded up the rest of our classmates as well as dropping off Kazuichi at the Nurse’s Office with Mikan because, by some miracle, he survived being hit by a bus.

I can’t say that my time with my classmates was horrible; I quite enjoyed being around them. All the laughter, all the dreams, all of the bonding, it was all amazing, but I couldn’t help but feel like there was a piece of the puzzle missing. Something about Hope’s Peak made me feel uneasy, like there was something much worse going on behind the scenes.

It was confirmed to me when Miss Yukizome showed up at my house one night. She was in her usual blue blazer outfit and her hair was tied up in that white ribbon, but she wasn’t wearing her usual apron, “Miss Yukizome? How may I help you?”

“I’m sorry to bother you, Chia, but may I come inside? I have something important to talk to you and your parents about.” She smiles at me as I move to let her inside my home. A two bedroom, one bathroom apartment with ugly mustard colored walls and dark brown carpeting. This was my home… My home with my little sister, Yukue.

“I’m sorry, Miss Yukizome, but my parents aren’t here.”

“Oh?” She tilts her head at me as I lead her to the conjoined kitchen and living room, “Where are they? Will they be back soon?”

“No, they died,” I stated plainly, walking into the kitchen to start making tea, “Is green tea alright? We don’t have much else than that, but I’m sure Yukue could run to the store.”

“No, no, please don’t go to any trouble because of me,” Miss Yukizome smiled at me with that same comforting smile she always has, “If your parents have passed, how are you and your sister living here?”

“My paternal uncle pays for this apartment for us and gives us enough money to serve on a month to month basis,” I stated, starting to boil water on the stove inside a chipped white tea pot. I made my way back over to the dining table where Miss Yukizome sat. The black poker table and the uncomfortable black chairs weren’t much, but it was home to us.

“Oh, well, I’m sorry about your parents,” She gave me a small bow of her head.

“You don’t seem too surprised about it. Get a good look at my profile?” I teased her a little, already knowing she’s looked into me. Who wouldn’t? As a teacher, she already seems to want to do everything for my classmates and myself.

“You could say that,” She laughs lightly, tracking me with her eyes while I got back to go into the kitchen. The screeching sound of the pot had just began, hissing steam out of the spot like I was in a sauna, “So, what really brings you here?” I ask her, pouring the teach into two cups and walking back over to her with her, probably very bad, tea. Miss Yukizome gratefully took the cup and placed manila envelope in front of me.

“What’s this?” I questioned her, raising an eyebrow.

“I’m sorry, but I’ve done more than just looked into your immediate background,” She sets her tea down, and bows deeply to me, “You see, I also looked into all the assignments you’ve taken and I think your more than qualified to help me.” She sits back up, looking me in the eyes earnestly.

“Help you?” I quirked a dark eyebrow at her, “With what?”

“I didn’t come to Hope’s Peak to be your teacher. I mean, that’s partially why I came here, but the real reason I came here was because Hope’s Peak is working on something terrible.”

“Terrible? Terrible how?”

“Well,” she hesitates, “I don’t know everything fully. I need your help to get some more information,” She sighs, looking dejected, “I’m afraid I need you to come with me to the Reserve Course.” My eyes didn’t really weaver, but I’m sure my face contorted into something that was another version of amused and confused.

“Why the reserve course?” I asked, tilting my head. I know Miss Yukizome had been demoted because of the whole Nagito and the bomb business, but why do I need to come along?

“I’ve heard there are students who are just up and disappearing without a trace. That’s where you come in. I need your help,” She places her hands together in a form of begging, “Please?”

“Well, I’m not just going to agree right off the bat,” I informed her, going into full on business mode, “I don’t do favors. I do business. If you want something, you have to offer something up in return,” I gently sip my tea, trying to make myself seem intimidating, but the moment the awful tea hit my tongue, I started sputtering and choking. Damn… I quickly stood up and walked into the kitchen after snatching Miss Yukizome’s tea. I could hear her giggle softly and the blush began to form on the back of my neck, all the way over my dark cheeks.

“And what would get you to agree?” She continued to giggle, I let out a small whine and a pout as I made my way back over to my seat.

“Why did the school bury the Kuzuryu murder and the Sato murder?” I asked her, cupping my hands in front of my face, elbows on the table, “Doesn’t that make it much worse than how it started?” Miss Yukizome’s eyes feel as she let out a small sigh.

“I don’t know why they covered it up. I do know that that isn’t the only shady business the school is involved in. We… We need new management Chia, Hope’s Peak is not the school it was and we have to stop anymore trepederity that will follow.” She looks at me, with genuine concern in her eyes. She truly does care for this academy… Or is it for somebody else?

“I can’t do my job without all of the factors on the table,” I told her, leaning back in the uncomfortable chair, “But if you can figure out a good excuse to make absence not suspicious as well as getting me into the reserve course without the principal knowing, I’ll help you.” I nod my head in finality, “But that means that you cannot contact me in school unless its an emergency. I’ll have to change my appearance and I can’t let you know who I am. It’s my policy to have total anonymity.”

“My, you’re so formal,” She laughs a bit, “You’re so different when you’re working than when you’re in class.”

“In class, I can be myself without any worries, but when I’m working, I have to become somebody else.” Miss Yukizome held out her hand to me.

“Then it’s settled. I’ll come to you with any information I have and you will help me unearth the activities the school is doing. Do we have a deal?” Hesitantly, I took her hand, shaking it. I sealed my fate.

Within a week, my transfer was handled by one, Kyosuke Munakata, who paid my way into the Reserve Course as Ainu Nakano. A girl who was the cousin of Kyosuke and had everything she could ever want when it comes to money. Her father is a top notch human rights lawyer here in Tokyo and her mother was a beautiful aristocrat who thrived on the praise and appeals from others. Ainu would be blonde with long wavy hair, with foundation as light as I could get it, I made sure her face and hands were a peachy pale. The leggings should cover my dark legs and the contacts make my brown eyes now a bright blue. I made sure that the fake teeth were sparking white and that my nails were done in a cheerleader pink. This is who I am for the next bit of time, Ainu Nakano. When I was sure every nook and cranny of myself looked different, I set out for Hope’s Peak like normal, only today, I was going to join the Reserve Course.

It was unusual for me to feel nervous during a job, but I seemed to be realizing that, if I’m caught, I won’t be the only one in trouble. Not only will Miss Yukizome be caught, but this Kyosuke guy is her leader or something and that means things will be even worse. I’m they have other eyes and ears around this whole school too, so it is imperative that I stay focused and do my job correctly. Feeling the light sweat boil up on my neck, I walk into the classroom with the stiff professor ahead of me. He wasn’t very friendly which tells me nobody quite likes this program that we’ve got going on here.

“Listen up, ya buncha brats,” The teacher clamored, slapping the board with all of his strength, making me flinch. The entire class turned towards him with bored expressions on their faces, “We’ve, unfortunately, got a new student. Treat her well, show her the ropes, blah, blah, blah,” He huffs, collapsing in his chair, “Nobody wake me. Even if somebody is dying.” And with that he was out. Leaving me to stand at the front of the room feeling very uneasy. Oh yeah, I am definitely in enemy territory. What have I gotten myself into?

“Hey,” A female voice called to me and, as I looked up, I saw a girl with with bushy blue hair. She looked kind of fed up with her whole situation, but she continued speaking, “What’s your name?”

“Um… Ainu Nakano,” I murmured, bowing slightly. Play up the shy girl act as best as you can, Chia, “It’s a pleasure…”

“You better sit down, Ainu,” She informs me once more, pointing to the empty desk next to hers, “Attendance is mandatory and if you’re caught out of your seat, you’re reported as absent for the day and will get class detention.” Yikes… This school is super strict. Quickly and quietly, I shuffled my feet to the desk next to hers. The girl cracked a grin at me, “I’m Sachiko, but my friends call me Sachi. Let’s be friends, okay?” I smile at her and nod my head. Okay, looks like nobody noticed anything. I looked around the classroom and noticed three more desks were open.

“Why are there so many people missing class?” I asked, tilting my head at Sachiko. Her eyes darkened a bit before she smiled and waved off my question, “Don’t worry about it. Don’t worry about it.” She points to the board, “We have to get our work done before Mr. Kinjin wakes up, ya got it? He’ll have your ass if he thinks you’ve been slacking.”

That’s strange… A slacker teacher punishes slackers? Such a hypocrite. I opened the textbook that was neatly placed in my desk and I began my busy work. Looks like things won’t be easy here.

I spent the next month in this school trying to dig up as much information as I could find. The teachers and students don’t know their butts from their elbows here. Even though they paid thousands of yen to get into this school, they still have no idea what is going on here. It wasn’t until one day, as I was working in the library, did I hear two boys talking,

“Man, I wonder what Hajime did to get expelled,” Sighed the brown haired boy two tables in front of me.

“I dunno, dude, but I heard he hasn’t been home in weeks,” Piped the black haired boy next to him.

“Really? You think it has to do with that guy who’s been abducting kids?”

“What!? There’s a guy like that!?”

“Nah, I just wanted to see how you would react,” The brown haired boy cackled as the black haired one held his heart. Bingo. A boy named Hajime has been expelled and missing, huh? I typed out a text Miss Yukizome.

‘What do you know about a Reserve Course student named Hajime?’ And send… Okay, now to pack up my things and wait for a reply. It didn’t take long for a response.

‘He’s a friend of Chiaki’s. I heard he was expelled. Why?’

‘Do you know why he was expelled?’ I started looking through the shelves of the library for a student registry. There has to be one here somewhere… As I continued to scavenge through the shelves, I felt my phone vibrate in my hand.

‘I couldn’t find out anything when I was looking… What’re you getting at?’

‘I think he is connected to the missing students. In fact, I think he is missing himself.’ The next response was faster than the rest.

‘I need you to do an infiltration tonight. I found a lead.’ I sent an affirmative response before pulling out the student registry booklet. As I searched through the pictures of students from previous years, I came across one Hajime Hinata. A handsome looking boy with weird spiky hair… So he was definitely a Reserve Course student, although that was easily deduced earlier… He’s about my age… And the teacher put down that he was in love with Hope’s Peak Academy’s Ultimate course… And that’s all the seemed relevant… Sighing, I walked out of the library with the page from the registry in my hand, the registry back on the shelf. Guess I’ll find out what’s going on later.

That night, when I realized Miss Yukizome wanted me to infiltrate the main building of Hope’s Peak, I thought she was nuts. I mean, sure, I can get in and out, but that isn’t exactly what I was expecting. I haven’t done a mission like this since the Prime Minister asked my bug his wife’s bathroom… Why me?

Miss Yukizome told me to find out all I could about the Izuru Kamakura Project… Can’t be that hard, right? Wrong. Dead wrong. 100% wrong. This school has so much security, they could tell you the last person who sneezed, but here I am, dressed up like a teacher, walking the halls like I belong here. I’m not even getting paid for this. This sucks!

As I make my way into the data center, I took out my little virus system and plugged it into the USB drive. I watched as all the monitors in the school began to glitch out except for the one I’m using. Confirming that there was nobody around and everybody was headed to the main control center to fix the bug in the security room, I got to work. I used every password known to man that the Headmaster could’ve used. Good thing he’s such a dad, I smirked to myself as I typed in ‘Kyoko Kirigiri’ and with a validated big, the computer opened up to me.

Bingo. I used everything I knew to get into the strongest locks of the computer and pulled up information on the Izuru Kamakura Project, but what I thought I could have been prepared for was way more out of left field than I realized. Human… experimentation…? No way! As I tried to get more and more information, I quickly figured out that no matter what I trick I could think of, I couldn’t get access to at least eighty five percent of the rest of the documents… Damn… Sighing, I looked at what else I could get my hands on and that was a list of the people who were being experimented on, but there was only one person who survived so far… Hajime Hinata.

When the footsteps of the guards began resounding outside my door, I made a quick attempt to get out of the computer and sneak my way through the air vents. Looks to me I’ll be visiting the Hope’s Peak medical center after all and I’ll have to meet up with my Ultimate Forensic Analysis herself later on… If Miss Yukizome will let me get in contact with her. Still, the most important part before I find Hosei is getting inside the medical center and finding this Hajime. If he can give me the answers I’m looking for, I’m sure this will help the rest of the students who lost their lives. Steeling my resolve, I made my way home as quietly as possible.

The next evening was my next phase, infiltrating the medical center. This is more my style because I don’t actually have to hack into stuff and I can just hang out in the background of scenes. Going in through the back door, I stole a doctor’s badge (female, of course) and made my way through the halls. Thank god these aren’t photo IDs or else I’d be in deep trouble. I passed one doctor after another, making sure to smile and nod at them, trying to keep the suspicion off of me at all costs. Gently, I grabbed a medical kit with a bunch of needles inside of it. Weird, why would they need so many needles for one kid…? On second thought, we don’t need to answer that yet.

As I was walking the halls, I spotted a man that I did not expect to see this very night: Jin Kirigiri. The Headmaster of Hope’s Peak… Somebody that all the students trusted… So he knew about the human experimentation after all? What kind of man would allow his own students to be experimented on!? Trying to keep control of my emotions, I stealthily started to follow Kirigiri, but I never did truly realize he knew I was following him until much, much later. Kirigiri went into a room for a while, and then left while giving a small chuckle.

“Get some rest, Hajime,” He calls into the room, “You have another surgery tomorrow.”

“Yes sir!” The voice called back as Kirigiri made his way back down the hallways, passing me while I hid in a deserted hallway. Once I was sure he was gone, I snuck into Hajime’s room where I saw the boy I had been looking for… Only… Something seemed off about this boy as compared to the boy in the picture… This one seemed… Happier? Who would be happy about human experimentation!? This school is weird.

Hajime looked up at me in surprise, and then he tilts his head, “Do you… need more blood?” He asks nodding to the kit in my hands. Ooooh… These are for blood… That makes more sense… Jeez, needles make me so squeamish… I smile at him, walking over to him.

“This won’t take long, Mr. Hinata,” I informed him as I sat at the end of the bed. He rolls up his blue hospital sleeve and reaches his arm out to me.

“With how many tubes you have, I expect it to take at least ten minutes,” He jokes with me as I look around the kit. I should’ve asked somebody how you draw blood before I did this, but nobody told me I was going to have to take somebody's blood! I pull a need out and Hajime tilts his head at me, confused, “Don’t you need the blue elastic to wrap around my arm? So you can find a good vein?”

“Oh! Right, right!” Taking a breath, I pull out the blue elastic and start tying it to his arm.

“You’re new, aren’t you?” He smiles kindly at me and, without even thinking, I nodded my head. Hajime took the wrap off his arm, took mine, rolled up the doctor’s jacket I had swiped from the front, and then wrapped it around my arm, “You do it like this, and then you take this disinfectant,” He holds it up for me to see, “and rub it on the vein, and then you take that needle and poke it into the vein to retrieve the blood.” That makes sense… I nod my head, removing the elastic from my arm.

“Alright, I get,” I smile at him, “Thank you.” I wrap the elastic around his arm and do as he told me, but the moment of using the needle arrived and I had no idea what I was doing!

“...You’re not really a doctor, are you?” He asks me. Fuck, busted, “Are you… A student?” Double busted. I think he can read my soul! Or my face is just giving him all of the answers. Bad spy, bad spy! “What’s a student like you doing in here? I thought I was the only one.” If you don’t say anything, he call the guards, but if you say something, you’re totally breaking spy code. Whatever that is, I dunno, I’m panicking at this point! “Hey, you don’t need to worry,” He smiles at me again, “I won’t tell on you.”

I sigh, hanging my head, “Never failed a mission before and here I am… Failing one now…”

“So you are a student?”

“Yes… My name is… Chia.” I told him, removing the fake glasses from my eyes, “I was actually looking for you, Hajime,” I smile, trying to be as reassuring and friendly as possible. He eyes me with his brown irises and crosses his arms.

“Don’t tell me. You’re here to help escape, right? Well, jokes on you, I don’t want to leave.”

“No, no! It’s nothing like that,” I tell him, holding my hands up, “I’m just here to learn about the missing students. I just wanted to know what happened to them.” Okay, not fully truth, but not fully a lie, “I would like to get them back to their families.”

“Other students?” He tilts his head as if he was thinking hard, “The only person I know that is a student is Yusuke, but he’s the neurologist around here.” ...There’s such a thing as kid neurologist- Never mind, I’ve heard of stranger ultimate talents.

“So there aren’t any other students on this floor?”

“Well, you’re here, so that means you’re the only other one besides me and Yusuke.”

“...So what’re you doing here then?” I question with a tilt of my head.

“I’m achieving my dreams.” He replied simply laying back in the bed, “Anyway, shouldn’t you be getting out of here? Somebody will notice that kit is missing and they’ll start searching for you.”

“A blood kit can’t be that important,” I scrunch my eyebrows in a frown, “Plus I just got here! Why should I leave now-“

“Has anybody seen a petite girl running around here!?”

“What’re you talking about?”

“A really plain looking girl! About this tall! Short, brown hair! Brown eyes! She looks like something you’d see in a role play game!”

“What?” Shouts outside of Hajime’s door cause my eyes to shot up in surprise. I look at him while he sports a cheeky smirk, opening his window for me.

“This may be your cue to run.” He chuckles as I start climbing out the window.

“Fine, I’ll leave now, but I most certainly will be back later!” I huff as I watch wave me off.

“Just don’t get caught… Chia,” He grins at me, shutting the window after I started climbing down. This boy is going to make me lose my mind, I can already tell.

So, for the next half a year, I went to visit Hajime while he was having his procedures done until one day, when I went to see him, he was gone. After getting to know the boy who thought he was nothing without an Ultimate talent and to suddenly disappear… It was almost as if his disappearance was a bad omen because everything went to hell after that.

[genericpseudonyms]

pretty, dirty girl

It’s just past midnight and in Tokyo, I have missed my last train. Not, that I would have made it anyway. All I had to eat was half a burrito at The Pink Cow and six tequila shots. That was at 8pm. I’ve downed at least three beers since then. At this point in my life I am 21 and 120 pounds. My head is swimming. My friend Jean warned me that everyone had a tequila story. I’m wondering if this is mine.

I have fallen in the backstreets of Shibuya. My head hit the asphalt first and I am staring up at my dipshit friends. They’re not really my friends. They’re just classmates who aren’t my ex’s friends. People to whom I don’t have to explain what happened.

I’m too far gone to ask for help so instead I burst out laughing. Not because it’s funny. I’m pretty sure I’m bleeding.

N’s there, picking me up and I’m not ready for the momentum. For a brief second I think I’m going to topple into his face and we’ll kiss again.

We don’t. Judo makes his arms strong and well, life is not a romantic comedy. He sets me back onto my feet and then leads me to a bench. He cracks open another beer and puts it in my hand. I drink.

“You know what my favorite thing about her is?”

It’s E. A former Navy man, burly and barrel chested. Get a beer in him and he’ll tell you exactly how many Japanese women he’s fucked since his girlfriend left him. He’s alright in class. Motivated and occasionally funny. We danced once at a party and he lifted me all the way up to the ceiling so I could touch the fairy lights.  

“What?” N asks. His head is tilted, his eyes studying me intently. I feel like an animal on display. April is watching us, her eyes rolling as she chews on her lip ring. Yukiko is somewhere else, smoking a cigarette and probably angrily texting her boyfriend on her phone.

“Those lips. They’re full. Imagine kissing that.”

N says nothing, but E flicks out his tongue and runs it over his teeth. I don’t really know what’s going on, but I feel pretty and dirty and pretty dirty at the same time.

“Ew,” April says, shoving E hard in the shoulder. “Don’t be gross.”

-

I have emptied the burrito, six tequila shots and what I’m sure is now five beers into a shrub in a neighborhood park. E is holding back my hair while April and N practice judo kata a few feet away. I’m not jealous at all.

“You know what your issue is?” He says, rubbing circles into my back.

“What?”

“You want what you can’t have.”

I dry heave and then glare up at him. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

He glances back over at N and April, and then back at me. “Sure.”

“Fuck off.”

I was a lot mouthier back then. Still shy and reserved with strangers, but a spitfire with friends. The F bomb was every other word out of my mouth, my most abused adjective. Part of my charm, I thought. I look back at who I was then and I want to tell her to temper her wild heart before she goes diving headfirst into dangers she cannot protect herself from.

In the freeze frame of this replay, this is the moment I would want to fast forward through. Instead, it’s forever crystallized in my mind.

“You know what your other problem is?” E pauses, and his hand is way too close to the nape of my neck. His skin is too warm and it makes my spine tingle. In a bad way. “You’re too smart.”

“Because puking into shrubs at 2 am in the morning is real smart. Give me the Nobel Prize.”

“That. That’s what I’m talking about. It’s bad enough you’re top of every class. No guy wants to compete with that. Let alone that mouth.”

“Not my fault if you can’t keep up.”

“This is why you lose out to Japanese girls all the time,” E says. “We’re always gonna pick them because it’s easier on the ego. They dress up. They wear makeup. Heels. Real talk? Can we be real?”

I pause. Really, I should’ve told him his big, fat head was full of stupid misogynist bullshit. That he was flinging his own insecurities at me, trying to bring me down a peg because I made him feel small.

But N had called me intimidating earlier that day. We were just talking about our most recent lecture and I didn’t understand why he’d said that. He’d asked me my thoughts, and I told him. Nothing more, nothing less.

“Yeah,” I say. “I can handle real talk.”

“You’re always gonna be competing with girls who bend over backward for men. You? You don’t bend. You came out here tonight in what? Jeans, sneakers, and a T-shirt?”

“I wore makeup,” I bristle.

“Barely any. You still look like you. You talk back, you make dirty jokes, you drink like one of the guys. You’re a tomboy. When we fuck women, it’s primal. It’s biological. We want to spread our seed. We’re looking for the mother of our children, potentially. You? You could be super hot but you don’t try hard enough. N? He’s hot. Girls on the street are always doing double takes. He’s got his pick of the litter. Why should he pick you?”

It stings. I want to barf again, but not because of the alcohol. Instead, I lash out. “So genius, what am I supposed to do? Hide my mouth behind my hands and giggle? Call him onii-chan?”

“So you do like him.”

“NO.” I am flat-out lying. I like everything about N—from the way he smiles to the way he asks me about my thoughts on 19th century German philosophers. I like reading his essays contrasting Buddhism and Christianity, even if they are a little rambling. I like the way he draws buildings in the margins of his notes.

But that doesn’t matter. We kissed once and then he disappeared on me. This is the first time we’ve hung out in weeks.

“Sure,” E says.

“This is just hypothetical,” I grumble. It’s not like I’m only hung up on N either. Just the other week I kissed a girl for the first time. I liked it so much it left me wondering if it should, or shouldn’t, concern me. “Don’t read too much into it.”

“Well you could start by losing like 20 pounds. I’m not saying you’re fat. You’re just...curvy.”

“I’m normal.”

“Look, on a 1-10 scale, you’re a 6. Maybe a seven with personality. Lose the 20 pounds? You could be an 8 easy. Nine if someone really likes you. You’ve got a decent face. Wear some makeup. Wear nice clothes. For an Asian girl, you have tits which is like, c’mon. Holy grail. But you also gotta stop making dirty jokes. You’re just telling guys you’re a slut we can just fuck and leave in the morning. Men are assholes. We can’t help it. But trust me, do this and the guys will all be chasing after you. You gotta play the game.”

I smile and then suggest getting back to the group. I still have to see E in class and there’s absolutely nothing I could say in that moment that would end well.

But fast forward eight years into the future, and I remember the thoughts racing through my head.

I’d rather die than lose 20 pounds for a man who ran away from me like a coward. If that’s the game I have to play, fuck it. I’m good. I don’t need anybody to love me. And fuck, I don’t want people to chase me. I’ll wear makeup if I choose to. If I want to look like a hag, I will. If I’m alone for the rest of my life because no one likes me for who I actually am, well then.

Who needs the rest of you anyway?

-

I’m in Roppongi, Tokyo’s cesspool of high gloss debauchery and sin. I really don’t want to be. I’m here as a glorified babysitter for Erik, a turd of a human, as a favor for my ex. I’m pissed at both of them because clubbing at 2 am has never been my thing. Drinking heavily is something I don’t do anymore because the consequences for a drunk woman without a trustworthy friend are far too great.

But god, he’s so insufferable and being drunk would make it so much better.

“Come on!” He says, shoving another tequila shot in my direction. “If you don’t drink one of these, I’ll have to drink both. Do you want to see me even drunker?”

No, I absolutely do not. The city of Tokyo does not. All of Japan does not. Humanity does not. Erik drunk is a walking catastrophe. I am counting down the days until he leaves on a train back for Hiroshima because I cannot break up another fight. The last time he got blitzed on cheap sake, he swung his fist at my face. He chased after me, punching both arms trying to land a hit. He was slow as fuck and easy to dodge, but still. I had backup then.

This time, we were alone.

“Fine,” I say. I can never remember the order to a tequila shot—lime or salt first, so I just throw it back. It burns all the way down and I remember Jean’s words. Everyone has a tequila story. I had mine and I really didn’t want another one.

“Thatta girl. So why did you guys break up?”

“Oh no. I’m done telling this story.”

“C’mon. We all know you stayed here for him. You’re you. You could’ve gone to Stanford or Harvard. You were smart enough for that.”

“No I wasn’t,” I bristle. And I most certainly didn’t leave my country for a boy.  

“Yes, you were. You built fucking robots and speakers in high school.”

“They were classes at school. Plenty of people at our school did the same thing. I’m a good student but I’m not that smart.”

“You were smarter than the rest of us.”

“That’s not hard.”

“It’s gonna be hard for you now,” he says, waving the bartender down. He orders another two shots before I can stop him and I am ten seconds away from emptying out my purse to take an exorbitant taxi home.

“Hard for me to what?”

“Date.”

I bury thoughts of N. That was over a year earlier and he moved back to Philadelphia anyway. I haven’t liked anyone that intensely since, but I will likely never see him again.

“I’m perfectly happy being single,” I say. And to an extent, it’s true. Relationships are hard work. I don’t love lightly. Never have and never will. The next person—man or woman—I date seriously, I tell myself, will be someone who sees me for who I really am. That person won’t ask me to be anything other than myself.

“Yeah, but eventually you’ll want to date. And it’ll be hard for you.”

“Why’s that?”

The bartender plunks two more shots down. Erik gives me a meaningful arched brow. I hate him so much but my ex will kill me if I abandon him in a foreign country. Suddenly, I hate my ex more than I’ve ever hated him for leaving me with Erik. I grit my teeth and throw back another tequila.

“You’re beautiful, but you’re too smart. You’re going to want people on your level, but guys on your level can have any pick of woman. And trust me, they’re always going to pick the dumber, hotter girl.”

“I’m not beautiful. If I were beautiful, I would have an easier time—”

“Only,” he says, cutting me off, “if you weren’t intimidating. Which you are.”

“I’m so fucking sick of people calling me that. I’m socially awkward and a total dork. What is so fucking intimidating about me?”

“You don’t pretend to be dumber than you are.”

“Why would anyone do that?”

“Because it makes us feel stupid. Like you could leave at any minute and we actually have to try to keep your interest.”

I grimace. “That’s the dumbest fucking thing I’ve ever heard. I’m not a dick. I don’t rate people based on how interesting they are.”

“Doesn’t matter. You? You’re terrifying. Do you know how hard it is to impress you?”

“This is ridiculous.”

“This is how men are. We say we want smart, pretty girls. But we don’t. Not really.”

“So what do men want Erik?”

“To fuck pretty girls. And to date someone who makes us feel smart and needed. How many times did you make him feel needed?”

I don’t have an answer for that. That pisses me off enough to drink another shot. And another. Because this bumbling, sexist pig of a moron isn’t completely wrong. I remember my ex sighing as we get our test scores back. I remember him saying that once, just once, he wished he could score higher than me. I remember shrugging off his offers to help and insisting that he let me figure things out on my own.

I hadn’t thought of it like that before. I’d just been mad he wanted me to be less.

-

Erik is piss drunk in the corner of the karaoke booth. It’s 5:45 am and thank god, the trains are finally running again. My head is pounding from the alcohol I didn’t want to drink in the first place. But the point is I’ve survived this awful night and now my ex owes me the biggest fucking favor in the history of all mankind.

I go to leave the room when Erik pulls me to him and plants one on me. I am frozen but there’s tongue, so much tongue. He’s whispering in my ear about going back to mine. That my ex, one of his best friends, never needs to know. That it can be our dirty little secret.

I push him off me. I remind him that a good friend doesn’t touch the ex girlfriends of their best friends. I don’t care if this is true or not. I don’t even know if I believe it. I just want him to leave me be.

“Fuck,” he spits. His breath smells flammable. “He fucking cockblocked me again!”

Yeah, I think. Because me saying no meant nothing.

-

Five years later, I’m at a bar in Nomad, New York City. I’m grabbing drinks and dinner with a coworker. And when I say drinks, I mean two maximum. Alcohol is dangerous, even if you’re with friends. Say what you want about me, I learn from my mistakes.

“So, he said this thing about you.”

“Who? R?”

“Yeah.”

“He called you a dirty girl.”

“He what?”

“Yeah, it was, uh. He was trying to convince me that I should be dating you.”

“...Wait what?”

“Yeah. He said ‘You know she’s a dirty girl who’ll do whatever you want in bed.’”

I take a swig of my drink. I don’t particularly like alcohol and I’ve only recently started drinking again after years of abstaining. But sometimes it helps numb things. Like, a senior Vice President at your publisher talking about you like you’re some piece of meat to be tossed at anything with a penis.

“What else did he say?”

Turns out, a lot. Stuff about the type of girl I am, and how he loves Asian women. That he has yellow fever. That, since we live on the same block, he looks for me on weekend mornings to see if I’m walking the dog. And if I have any “gentleman callers” with me when I do.

I find out later that R has also ranked women in the office by fuck-ability. I don’t want to know where I fall on that list, so I don’t ask.

This was the start of it really—my slow and gradual descent into my most recent depressive state.

Work is hard enough. Being friendly in an office when you’re an awkward turtle is even harder. Finding out that you’re talked about like a piece of meat, that people you’re supposed to work with and trust are saying these things behind your back?

How are you supposed to look them in the eye and still do your job?

-

This is how these stories end.

Years later, N looked me up and messaged me. He wanted to know how I’d managed to build a career doing what I wanted and whether I felt fulfilled. We tried meeting up a few times, but as always, he flaked. It didn’t hurt though. It was expected. The thing that bothered me most was he said he skipped my status updates on social media because I was too funny, too intelligent, and it made him feel small. Accusing someone of triggering your insecurities is a shitty thing to do.

E also messaged me a few months ago. He said something I’d written resonated with him and he wanted to let me know. He has a Japanese wife and a daughter now. I was almost happy for him until he said my profile picture was hot and I’d done a good job ‘leveling up.’

As for Erik. A few days after our incident, he shoved his hand down my friend’s shirt. My friend, the victim of two violent rapes. And while I find it easy to forgive things done to me, I could not forgive what he did to her. I told him I never wanted to see his face again. He sent me an e-mail where he blamed his drinking problems on his alcoholic father. He never apologized. He never said he’d try to change. I found out later still that he’d been accused of rape.

I’d like to say I never did see his face again. I did a real good job up until last year. Friends kept badgering me to give him another shot. They questioned why I was so militant about my grudge. Most of our mutual friends chose him, and so I lost a ton of friends this way. He’s also married now and still drinks like a fish.

That asshole who called me a dirty girl at work? I filed a complaint with HR. An investigation was launched. And I lost. He read me a 30 second apology, which I had to accept. He never once looked me in the eye. He quit later, but the damage was done.

As for me, I begrudgingly concede Erik was half right. I find it exceedingly hard to date. But in most of my experiences, I’m reassured that I am either pretty or dirty. Maybe even both. Some people say I’m smart. Others say I’m funny. Fewer still say they like my personality. Once in a while, I’m told I am a good person or that I’m deserving of good things.

Those are the ones I miss most when they’re gone.

[hrllscrt]

ghost 1.2

It was coincidence first few times. But seeing the same man for the third time on her second day at this foreign setting gave her the ominous optimism she squashed over and over again. There is a war in her head raged from her own childish notion of young girl’s dreams. That is one thing she wished died along with that portion of her heart she lost months back. 

She stopped herself from noticing him in the sterile environment of the convenience store. She was half afraid of entering that ‘Family Mart’ convenience store just 3 blocks from her hotel for her peckish appetite in the mid afternoon weekend. It was a deja vu, reminding her of the lonely days she spent while waiting for him...the man she was desperately in love with that time. What an easy person she was...giving her heart away so easily and never learning a single lesson at all. 

I do this on purpose all the time. She has the vision of herself, climbing up emotional heights and plunging in...constantly hoping against hope that she’d had love enough not to continuously fall to her sentiment’s demise. 

‘Sumimasen’

Surprised, she automatically whipped herself aside to give way to the voice beside her and effectively crashing to the person beside her. 

“Sorry,” she apologized rather quickly, not bothering to remember how she should say it in Japanese. No. She just didn’t want to. It reminded her of how she desperate she was to fit in. She obviously can’t. Nodding her head apologetically, she had lost her chance to take more food; there was no way that she was going to stay in the same space as the man she was both curious and afraid of. Attraction is not an unusual thing. Just that, it is no longer a harmless familiar feeling anymore to her. Hastily waiting in line for her turn to pay, she looked everywhere but behind her, carefully reminding herself that she was just over-conscious of everything around her. She kept feeling like people’s eyes are on her. 

Of course they are looking! You are the foreigner here! She reprimanded herself harshly, dashing every bit of vanity from her heart. Paying her goods, she made her way out into the streets but suddenly, a tug pulled her back. 

Surprised, she snatched back her hand from the sharp tug and whirled like a top to look at the assailant. It was the man again. 

“Do I know you?” he asked. Deep voice from a youthful face. And his accent was strange too. It was nowhere near any East-Asian accent she’d ever heard from Sakamoto-san or even from her Chinese boss. And now that it’s clearer, he did not look Asian at all. Straight elongated face with narrow jaw, straight nose, wide sleepy eyes. He a little on the skinny side of lean based on the prominently angulated cheekbones. She doesn’t know how to describe everything else about him. Just boyish and contradicting. 

“No. I don’t think so,” feeling her pronunciation imitating his - a habit she can’t help. It hit her. His accent is somewhere from the English region. “Can I help you with anything?” she inquired, adjusting her tongue to not be affected by his speech. 

His lips fleetingly curved and she caught a slight scoff from his unchanging expression. He must think she was out of her wits. It dawned her that, if there was anything out of ordinary, it should be his rude behavior of tugging her non-too gently. No. He shouldn’t be physical to her at all!

Bowing slightly, she tore her eyes from him but it felt like a slow attempt. She can’t seem to help but to look at him at least another fraction second longer. But she was lucky her body was wiser to abide to her mind. The competition that only she knew about. Overthinkers like her are constantly sabotaging themselves into their own specially-designed prisons of what-would-be. 

“Wait!”

Oh God. He came after her. Her instinct was to run away but she politely looked back. His long legs caught up with her poorly disguised power-walk in few strides. 

“I know you. From the elevator. And yesterday at the ramen place,” he said it nonchalantly. She let her mind guise a flicker of recognition, the last attempt to convince him that she was no paying him any extra attention. 

“Why do you look at me that way?” he asked casually as though he was inquiring what her name was. Which reminded her, they never did exchange any words before...let alone names. Flush of heat flooded her cheeks, she was sure. But before she could feigned any appropriate pardon,

“What way?” she blurted out, almost too begrudgingly, like she was challenging him to go on ahead to point out her impropriety. Cool your head...cool your head...Her temper is stuff of legend when it comes to stupidity since it causes her to run her mouth like some pompous snob. That was something she’d be thankful not to brandish upon anyone, especially not this unsuspecting stranger. 

“Like you have alot to say,” he simply told her. Which made her mind darted quickly for an escape. Whether it showed on her face or not, she found herself giving him a terse smile and offering...sympathy and indifference?

“I’m sorry, I don’t believe I know you,” she offered, knowing fully well this weird setting of circumstances. No way in hell will she let herself be cornered right now, emotional or not. She had mistakenly flared her temper onto a man she’d modeled after the real villain who broke her heart. In truth, she was sincerely sorry when she offered her apology. It was wrong of her to direct her internal unresolved anger to a stranger, no matter how attractive he was to her. 

Attractive meaning the features of his physical that attracts attention that does not necessitate her favor in it. All his limbs and facial features fit her standard of symmetrical, elongated profile of an attractive human being. Like Audrey Hepburn. Or Edie Sedgwick. Now, she just wish that he had the decency to drop the subject but she realized that, there was no way of letting their exchange end without any awkwardness and discomfort. And she flailed as usually, repulsed by the emptiness in the air and the increasingly noticeable change in the way he was looking at her. He looked like he was going to say something that’ll embarrass her very very soon and she did not think she’d want to take it without at least salvaging her pride a little. 

“I’m sorry, really, for the misunderstanding,” she carefully added with the right amount of degrees in the angle of her bow before made her way back to the hotel - with moderate speed steps and normal amount of interest to her surroundings. The maintenance work by some construction workers in front of another convenience store she passed made it easier for her to focus on something other than the imaginary feeling that some was staring at her back. 

Because she knew, if she turned, the eyes she longed to have glued onto her back (motivated by her insolent knack for romanticism) were never there.

What are the chances that you’ll meet the same stranger again 2 times a day? Freakishly weird how the universe decided to play her. Where was this serendipity when she needed it the most? This gesture of kindness from fate was 3 months too late. But she really should change the way she perceive this situation. The stranger she met earlier seemed to know that he riles her and went out his way to appear in front of her when she least expected it. It was not him. It was her. Even so, she has to thank God this time, yet again. 

Because seeing him right now dashed any romantic notion she had about certain the handsome stranger she saw at every turn. Not when the good looking stranger is pinned to the door of the room across hers. 

By a man. 

Who was feverishly kissing him like they were the only people in the world. 

She was just grateful she did not hear any audible noise from their own vocal cord.  

A moan escaped from the gentleman ‘ravishing’ the familiar stranger and she regret her prior gratefulness. The stranger, who noticed that there was in fact a world outside their lust-filled session, caught her surprised stare. To which, she cursory ignored to resume what she was about to do; getting out of her hotel room to meet with Sakamoto-san and everyone at the lobby before they’re off to dinner. It seemed like Sakamoto-san had a former colleague who married an Indonesian lady and opened a ‘halal’ restaurant somewhere in Shibuya. Now, more motivated by her fervent need to leave that awfully unusual situation rather than the promise of some original native culinary experience. She should be commended by her unperturbed composure in handling this drastic changes in her surroundings. Arranging her scarf around her head, she had a nagging feeling that the stranger was challenging her to say something to him. The only thing that she wanted to say was to tell his partner to stop long enough to catch a breath or better yet, get into the room. Gay or not, she doesn’t think any raunchy public display of affection is ever chaste enough for children’s eyes. Or any normal passerby’s eyes. No matter how liberal the country is. Sighing as she exited the lift, she began to feel great concern for her misleading female instincts. 

Wait. When was her female instinct ever right anyway? 

Numerous of time. You’re just one of those dumb ones who never heed. 

The mental kick was good. Being a woman sucks these days. You keep gaining enemies while making your way towards womanhood. 

[corkcrab7-blog]

The Best New Shows and Movies on Netflix This Week -- The Society, Wine Country

Looking for something new to watch on Netflix? Here is a list of all the best new shows and movies released on Netflix the week of May 10-May 16.

This is a very well-rounded week on Netflix. We've got a star-studded comedy movie (Wine Country), a suspenseful teen thriller series (The Society), the final season of a well-liked anthology series (Easy), some anime, some kid stuff, some foreign cinema, and some documentaries, and not too much of any one thing. Sometimes it's like "why do we need three murder documentaries this week," you know? Nothing this week is going to be a big hit, except mayyybe The Society, but nothing is especially bad, which isn't always the case. Steady as she goes, Netflix!

If you're looking for even more hand-picked recommendations, click over to our Watch This Now! page.

(All titles are out Friday, May 10, unless otherwise specified.)

The Biggest Releases

The Society, Season 1 Netflix's latest TV-MA YA offering is its best one yet, an inspired Lord of the Flies riff about the teenagers of a wealthy New England town that gets mysteriously cut off from the world. "No parents, no school, no rules" sounds like fun, right? Think again! Things Chinua Achebe real fast — and that's the kind of reference these kids would make, because they're all hilariously well-read. This is a show where ominous graffiti in Romanized Hebrew appears on a wall and a jock is like, "Oh, that's from the Book of Daniel. It means you've been judged and found wanting." It's a lot of fun.

Wine Country Amy Poehler is making her directorial debut with this feel-good comedy about a group of longtime friends taking a trip to Napa to celebrate a 50th birthday. The cast includes Poehler's own longtime friends and fellow Saturday Night Live alumni Maya Rudolph, Rachel Dratch, Ana Gasteyer, Paula Pell, Emily Spivey, and Tina Fey. In addition to directing, Poehler also stars, executive-produces, and wrote the story with Spivey and Liz Cackowski (who used to write for, you guessed it, Saturday Night Live). (Trailer)

Everything Else

Easy, Season 3 Writer-director Joe Swanberg's low-key anthology series is back for a third and final season of charming little tales of the love, sex, and app lives of a gaggle of Chicagoans. Returning faves include Jake Johnson, Aya Cash, Dave Franco, Zazie Beetz, Marc Maron, and Elizabeth Reaser, along with new faces like Sophia Bush and John Gallagher Jr. Is this the final sigh of mumblecore? Maybe!

Dry Martina I feel like this came out already? Or maybe Netflix puts out so many similar movies that I can't keep track of them all. Anyway, this is a sexy Chilean dramedy about a former teen pop star rediscovering her libido and finding out about who she is in the process. Lots of talk about "concha" in the trailer. (Trailer)

Gente que viene y bah (In Family I Trust) This is a Spanish movie about an architect whose boyfriend cheats on her with a news anchor and everyone finds out so she returns to the small town where she's from and gets her groove back with the help of her family and the local hot dude. You've seen this one before. (Trailer)

Harvey Girls Forever!, Season 2 The animated series formerly known as Harvey Street Kids is back for another season of after-school adventures on the street where every day feels like Saturday. Fun fact: The voices of the boy band the girls adore belong to Joey McIntyre (New Kids on the Block), Nick Lachey (98 Degrees), Joey Fatone (*NSYNC), and Shawn Stockman (Boyz II Men). That's star power! (Trailer)

Jailbirds People sure do love jail documentaries. Here's another one, profiling the women incarcerated in the Sacramento County Jail. It's as close to a real-life Orange Is the New Black as Netflix has gotten. (Trailer)

ReMastered: The Lion's Share The eighth and final installment of this season of monthly music documentary series ReMastered follows South African journalist Rian Malan's quest to redistribute the wealth of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight," which has earned millions of dollars for American artists but nothing for the impoverished family of songwriter Solomon Linda, an injustice which Malan sets out to rectify as an act of personal contrition for his own family's role in apartheid. (Trailer)

Shéhérazade This gritty French indie is set in the slums of Marseille, where teenage petty crook Zach falls in love with streetwalker Shéhérazade, which leads to serious consequences. It won three César Awards (the French Oscars), for Best First Film for director Jean-Bernard Marlin and Best New Actor and Actress for its young stars Dylan Richard and Kenza Fortas. (Trailer)

Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj, Volume 3 Hasan Minhaj is back for another batch of informative John Oliver-style political comedy. Topics in this volume include censorship in China (which comes after Minhaj was banned in Saudi Arabia), politics in India, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development and its loony leader Ben Carson. (Trailer / Sunday, May 12)

Malibu Rescue The premise of this kids' movie is Baby Baywatch. Some kids including Breanna Yde and Ricardo Hurtado from Nick's School of Rock learn how to be junior lifeguards. If this were a theatrically released movie, it would be rated PG for "mild rude humor." (Trailer / Monday, May 13)

revisions, Season 1 This anime series has a pretty similar premise to The Society in some ways. It follows some teenagers from Shibuya who get time-warped into a future version of their city. But then there's big robots and stuff they have to fight, so it's actually pretty different than The Society. You should just watch The Society. (Trailer / Tuesday, May 14)

Still Laugh-In: The Stars Celebrate This special is a tribute to the classic Nixon-era sketch comedy show Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In. Dan Rowan and Dick Martin are both dead, so they won't be there to accept the praises. There doesn't seem to be much of a point to this besides the fact that it launched the career of Lily Tomlin, and Netflix loves Lily Tomlin. It also launched the career of Goldie Hawn, but she's not in this. But it does have Tiffany Haddish crip-walking, which is something we all know and love from the original Laugh-In! (Trailer)

Stop searching, start watching! TV Guide's Watch This Now! page has even more TV recommendations.

The 52 Netflix Originals You Should Be Watching

Tim Robinson, I Think You Should Leave with Tim RobinsonPhoto: Netflix

Source: https://www.tvguide.com/news/the-best-new-shows-and-movies-on-netflix-this-week-the-society-wine-country/?rss=breakingnews

[kim-in-japan]

So like I got nanpa’d in Shibuya and usually I just run away from them awkwardly, but this one was actually quite hot so I actually gave him my line. And his line username was his full real name so I was like... great, stalk time! Anyway it turns out he is kind of like the Japanese equivalent of alt-right and constantly tweets abouts the anti-Japanese mass media, China, needing to #make Japan great again, etc.... What