#while yuu is just seriously asking herself if she could taking him on a fight

[reinbouxsworld]

first encounters

[midoryasibsau]

SPOILERS FOR 112!!!

Also sorry for any gramatical errors!

Ok, I am back again. The recent chapter was actually not bad and it feels great that this (ark? Intermission?) story bit is finally over and we can move on. While there are things I find questionable, I don't feel like said things are anything we haven't seen out of this story (it's one of those things I think everyone became sort of jaded to). What I am about to talk about is also in the category of "not surprised anymore", but I need to get this off my chest :

The family of Ons is forced to the point it's uncomfortable.

Right now, it feels more like a cult, with Yuu as the leader.

I have to admit that the way the decision in chapter 112 was handled is what triggered me to write this, but keep in mind, this post is the frustration accumulated after multiple instances of the story shoving family in our faces as a reason to just not ask questions. Accepting Guren in the squad is not my concern, I don't have a problem with that, it's the way it was handled that bothers me.

I will repeat, this post is not supposed to offend anyone, it is just a way-too-detailed analysis of the concept of family in ons and how I think the scene could have been improved! This is a little(big) creative exercise , so don't take it too seriously!

In this post I will elaborate on what I think would have been interesting to see out of everyone and if you disagree or have other ideas please let me know! It would be really cool to see how others think this scene could have been improved! Or maybe you think that the scene is good the way it is and that is also cool!

The way this issue could have been fixed here is give them a reaction other than complete trust before agreeing with Yuu. Maybe have them mention something about keeping an eye on the adults or how they are only doing this for Yuu or maybe have someone comment on how Yuu is being brash. I think this would've shown us the found family aspect better, as well as develop the shinoa squad more, you can tell a lot about a perosn by just their reactions. Show them interact for more than 2 sentences, show them discuss the situation, show them argue, you know, like a family. Like the thing this story is preaching about. Ons is trying to present the image of a perfect family whose members always get along with each other, but it is simply not possible. Family is about accepting each-others flaws, but it also means calling someone out when they are in the wrong, it means disagreeing on things but caring for the other in spite of said disagreements.

Show Kimizuki be aprrehensive. No matter what Guren did for him during his days in the army, his sister just DIED, it would be understandable if Shiho was not in his right mind. He is the most grounded, logical, person in his squad, but when desperate/angered enough he loses all composure. Further imply that here, show him trying his damn hardest not to start a fight, make him actively voice everyone's doubts. If there is going to be any lashing out, it is probably going to be because of him. "Are you really going to trust him after everything he just addmitted to? I know you are an idiot but come on, you can't be this dense. "

Yoichi should be more hesitant. In the chapter he did show signs of nervousness, but it felt a little too casual considering the situation. We know Yoichi is soft-spoken and cheerful, but one of the most important things about his character is that it is all a facade and that he is actually quite angry and violent on the inside. Show him be hesitant, not in a casual way, but in a quiet debate sort of way. He is wondering if it is worth the worry. His eyes are fixed on the ground, trying to fight the incoming tears. Should he trust him after everything he found out? Was everything just a big lie? Should he just take his revenge right there?

Shinoa is the silent rage. All her life, Shinoa has been alone, she had to fend only for herself and so developed a tehnique that is supposed to help her survive, but also cope with everything. Her character ark is about overcoming that. What if here, due to the stress, just for a moment, she tries to revert to her old ways. Show her struggle for a second to understand what she is feeling because dwelling on emotions, let alone bad ones, has never been her thing and now that they are running freely she doesn't know how to reign herself in anymore. Show her mumble under her breath, mouth agape, eyes scrutinizing. she knew from the begining, but hearing it out-loud? That was a whole other experience.

Mitsuba rails everyone in. As the one with more experience in the army and with no emotional conection with Guren and Mahiru and well, the people involved in the plan, she is probably the voice of reason, the only one who can stay partially objective. The one who knows that panicking and lashing out is not going to help, but just blindly trusting whatever would also be very wrong. She knows that they need to talk as a squad, decide their options, take a decision and hopefully later do some damage control in the mental and emotional field. She rails everyone in, breaks the fight. "Everyone, shut up for a second, Yuu, get over here".

And the cherry on top, Yuu's confidence slowly being crushed as he looks at his friends. He is not surprised that Kimizuki is being a dick and is about to argue back until he sees Shinoa's judging eyes looking behinde him and then back to him and then behinde him again and that is the first blow. He looks at Yoichi for support becauze he understands, Yoichi always understands, but all he receives is a watery gaze and a silent apology and that is the second blow. He tries to look for Mika out of habit, only for the weight on his hip to suddenly feel heavier, a reminder, and that is the third blow.

And here is where they have to get over everything and talk. They have to overcome this as a family, in spite of their flaws and differences.

Anyways, I really like angst, can you tell?

[tracingdreams]

Why Tasuki Hates Women: Fushigi Yuugi Special Story: Part 5 - Aidou

“The reason why I started hating women” 

 (Ore ga Onna-girai ni Natta Riyuu)   PART FIVE

~From Fushigi Yuugi Perfect World compendium, Vol 6, 2005

(Author Nishizaki Megumi, who also wrote the Gaiden novels.  Original work and illustration, Watase Yuu)

Translation is mine, any errors are also mine. 

Above image of Tasuki and his sisters - Eimin (centre), Rin’an (top right), Manka (bottom left), Aidou (bottom right) and Fuyou (top left).

Scene:

The Seishi are en route to Hokkan (yeah, before all the nasty kicks off) and they’re taking a break. Tasuki is recovering from his seasickness, and Miaka is keeping him company in the way only Miaka can - by eating lots and asking him probing questions. Miaka tries to figure out Tasuki’s perfect woman and Tasuki explains his childhood traumas - all five of them ;)

This is a longish story so I am splitting it into parts where there are natural divides.

“Hrm. I see.” Miaka murmured quietly to herself, then raised her gaze once more. “Ah! Now, I mustn’t forget the orthodox type…”

Tasuki looked at his companion with a fed up expression on his face.

“You know, the type that has a bit of an airheaded demeanour, who might be a little bit clumsy, that might be a bit of trouble to handle.”

“You pretty much nailed number five!” Tasuki raised his index finger as if to indicate Miaka had hit the jackpot. “To be more specific, I mean my fifth sister, Aidou.”

When youngest of Tasuki’s older sisters, Aidou, was just sixteen years old, she really loved to go out and about – as might be expected of someone at that age.

“Hey, sisters! Let’s go to the matsuri in the next village!”

“What are you talking about? We went yesterday and the day before! Seriously.” The oldest sister Eimin reproached.

“You don’t have any pocket money left. And you got Shun’u wound up in it as well, didn’t you?” The second sister, Rin’an, bent her neck to look at Aidou.

“And there were no handsome guys there anyway, An-An.” The third sister, Fuyou, tossed her hair as though she was bored with the whole subject.

“If there was a fight going on there, I’d be the first out of the door, mind you,” the fourth sister Manka yawned.

“Fine. Then I’ll take Shun’u with me.” At Aidou’s statement, all the sisters began to protest at once.

“That’s no good! Shun’u has a whole lot of household chores to be getting on with!”

Aidou glanced out of the corner of her eye at Shun’u who, for a brief moment had had the hopes of going to the festival, and was now looking glum.

“Well, then I’ll go on my own,” she decided.

“Do as you like,” her sisters replied. So, in the end, Aidou went out of the house on her own. It was a two hour walk to the next village via the main streets.

“Make sure you come home by evening!” Her mother warned, but Aidou didn’t reply, and set off up the path purposefully. However, even when night began to fall, Aidou did not return home. And, at the same time, it began to rain heavily.

“What’s going on?”

The mother, who was normally not easy to shake, started to worry and fluster about.

“I’ll go look for her,” Shun’u volunteered. Putting on his raincloak, he went charging out of the house like a fleeing rabbit. The truth was that, that morning, Aidou had had a bit of a cough, and Shun’u realised this now.

Fifteen year old Shun’u had one thing that he took particular pride in. His skinny body had grown, so he no longer needed to rely on his sisters in a fight situation, but the thing he excelled at most was the fleetness of foot with which he ran from his house. Over the past couple of years, Shun’u’s speed had got quicker and quicker. At this rate, he wouldn’t lose, even to a mountain wolf.

Shun’u ran through the torrential rain coming down with such ferociousness. It was as though he was parting the shards of water as they fell. As he came within reach of the next town, he caught sight of a small building standing on the side of the road. Maybe it was his imagination, but he had the sense that he could hear a moaning voice within that building. Shun’u flung back the heavy door.

“Neechan!”

Aidou was inside, shivering violently, and he carefully drew nearer to her. She had a tremendous fever.

“Sh…Shun’u!”

Shun’u was lost, not knowing what he should do now. Should he leave Aidou here and go for a doctor? But he felt that there was no time for that.

“Neechan, put this on.”

He gave his sister the raincloak to wear, and then hoisted her body up onto his shoulders.

“I’ll take you to a doctor right now.”

Hurrying out into the rain, which was falling more ferociously with every passing moment, Shun’u set off running a second time. From somewhere inside of that lean body was hidden a strength, the origins of which one might wonder, and Shun’u was able to make good progress.

“You did well, bringing her back in all that rain.”

As the doctor treated Aidou, he reflected that it was a good thing the youngest child of the family had quick wits and strong muscles. “If you had left it much longer, it could have become serious.”

Once the doctor had gone, for a while the whole of the Kou family gathered around Shun’u in celebratory mood. It was the moment of Shun’u’s birth as a full grown man of the Kou family.

“I guess you are a boy, after all! When it comes to the crunch, you’re different!”

“The speed of those legs is a real surprise.  Is there no way we can market them?”

“If you weren’t my little brother, I could easily fall in love with you!”

“Today I can see the whites of your eyes and your fangs for the first time!”

“Aidou, it doesn’t matter how, but you need to say thank you to Shun’u.” This last was the mother, speaking to the youngest sister, who lay on the bed in the middle.

“If only it hadn’t been Shun’u ,but some other handsome guy, though.” Aidou said.

“Aidou!” Everyone scolded Aidou at one go, but, then she caught sight of Shun’u’s forearm and stared, her eyes widening in surprise.

To be continued....

[ramirei]

Assertion of the Heart - preparation 10 + epilogue

Takamizawa Arisa is eager to make friends and fit into class at her junior high school. However, she doesn’t fit into the girl groups and the only person she talks to is Enomoto Kotarou who sits in the seat behind her. Though she feels close to Miura Karen, a fellow classmate who doesn’t fit in class, she was scared of being singled out by her peers. Shibasaki Ken, Kotarou’s friend, takes notice of the conflicted Arisa but – “It’s too boring to hate all the time.” What awaits Arisa as she takes a step forward in her own way!?

Find the masterlist with all the chapters here!

Please support Honeyworks by purchasing the novel here! (CDJapan is also a good alternative).

AND I AM DONE! But this isn’t over yet because next up is Mean Encounter!! If the tenses sound weird, don’t worry, they’re weird in Japanese, too. There’s a lot of point of view jumping and tense changes, so once the text changes to I/you and it’s not in quotes or italics, just remember they’re the thoughts of the narrator of that section. (i’m just gonna post this for now and hope it stays alive on tumblr)

preparation 10

 On the day of the sports tournament, the entire school changed into their gym clothes and participated in events respectively held in the gym and the schoolyard. Students were supposed to be watching the other ongoing games from the grass in the schoolyard or from the cheering stands in the gym in between their own games. However, everyone freely walked around the school since no one was actually enforcing this rule onto them.

Arisa hurried headed to the back of the gym after the 9th grader’s games ended. The person she was looking for was in the middle of washing his face at the outdoor sink.

Good, there’s no one that will get in my way! After checking that the coast was clear, Arisa stepped up to him, making sure he didn’t notice her.

Lifting his head, he realized that the towel he hung at the edge of the sink had disappeared, prompting him to look around, “Huh?”

“Setoguchi-senpai*, you dropped this.” Arisa nonchalantly held out his towel with a sweet smile.

Setoguchi Yuu, Hina’s older brother, returned her smile with a, “Oh, thank you,” and took the towel from her. He had great looks, he was smart, and, to top it off, he was also great in athletics. He was a prince with everything that a girl wanted in a guy.

“Um…?” Yuu looked at Arisa, slightly confused, after wiping his face with the towel, “Setoguchi-senpai, are you Enomoto-senpai’s boyfriend?” She asked boldly.

Yuu paused, then exclaimed, “Huh!?” in surprise. “Why… this question all of a sudden?”

“It’s because Enomoto… no, a male student in my class is worried about whether or not the two of you are secretly dating.” Arisa said, looking at Yuu with both hands clasped together.

“What, Kotarou? Why would he care about something like that?”

“Eno… it’s because he’s going through puberty. He has all kinds of complicated worries.”

“…All kinds as in?”

“That’s, well, various… so, are the two of you going out?” Arisa approached his face without hesitating, causing Yuu to bend backwards to escape her approach.

After a few seconds of silence, he averted his gaze without thinking. His cheeks were becoming slightly red, “Um, no… I don’t… think we are?”

“Really, really!? You swear to God!?” Arisa cornered Yuu to the wall, thrusting out her hands on either side of him with a thump so he wouldn’t escape.

Yuu’s expression stiffened slightly as his back pressed against the wall, “We’re just childhood friends. On second thought, why are you making me say this?”

Arisa brought a hand from the wall to her chin. Huh, I see. It doesn’t mean they’re going out… However, the elder Setoguchi was no doubt in love with Kotarou’s older sister. Moreover, so was Koyuki.

“Oh, Yuu… and Takamizawa!?” Hina yelled, noticing them after exiting the gym.

“Hina, do you know her?” Yuu looked at Hina, hanging his tower around his neck.

“Well then, Setoguchi-senpai, good luck on your next game.” Arisa said with a smile, then immediately left the scene.

“Wait a second, Takamizawa!” Hina ran after her, leaving Yuu behind, “I said wait a second! Why were you talking to my brother?” She asked, yanking the sleeve of Arisa’s jersey.

Arisa turned with a sigh, “You sure are a busy person.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Koyuki and your brother don’t belong to you. Anyone is free to go up and talk to them, aren’t they?”

“Even if you say that… you’re definitely plotting something, aren’t you!” Hina looked like she didn’t plan on releasing Arisa’s sleeve until she found out why they were talking.

Without a choice, Arisa softly sighed, “Oh, Koyuki.”

“Huh, where!?” Hina reacted immediately and searched their surroundings. Arisa quickly walked away while she did, “Takamizawa, you’re mean!”

Arisa let out a giggle, listening to Hina miffed about the fact that Koyuki was no where to be found, “Really, such a busy person.”

Koyuki, Hina, and even Kotarou. Everyone was doing their best in love. Life surely didn’t feel dull if they lived like that every day.

Surely, the world… appeared even more dazzling to them.

♦     ♦     ღ     ♦     ♦

“Heeey, Yuu.” Catching sight of Yuu, Kotarou walked up to the gym. Yuu lived in the house next door, was something like a childhood friend to his older sister and was someone he knew well.

“Kotarou…” Yuu looked at Kotarou, grabbing the towel hung around his shoulders with both hands.

Hina was supposed to be cheering for Yuu’s game. That’s why he thought he’d be able to see her if he went to the gym, but…

Kotarou walked up to Yuu, restlessly looking around them, “Did you see Hina?”

“Hina? Oh… she went off somewhere with that Takamizawa girl.”

“With Takamizawa!? She didn’t say something weird again, did she?”

For some reason, Arisa and Hina did not get along. It was apparently due to the fact that Arisa was hanging around an upperclassman by the name of Ayase Koyuki as of late with utmost persistence. Because of that, Hina was recently constantly in a foul mood. That’s why he had nothing but a bad feeling after hearing that they were together.

They aren’t fighting, right…?

Kotarou made an about-face and was about to go searching for them when Yuu called out to him, “Kotarou.”

“Hm? What?”

“Well… how should I say this… sorry.”

Kotarou looked back at him in confusion at the sudden apology. Did something happen that Yuu had to apologize to me for? He had a feeling that there were several incidents in the past that he had to apologize to Yuu for. However, he didn’t remember any of the opposite.

“For not nothing a lot of things.”

“Huh? What’re you talkin’ about?”

“If there’s ever anything you need to talk about, you can come talk to me any time.” Yuu said seriously and patted both of Kotarou’s shoulders consolingly.

I’m getting even more confused though!? Nevertheless, he felt like he was being looked at with an extremely sympathetic gaze for some reason.

“Oh, there you are. Yuu! The next game is starting?” Natsuki, Kotarou’s older sister, rushed up to them while waving.

Kotarou exclaimed a, “Ugh!” at his sister’s voice, “Natsuki!” He unconsciously made to run due to a defensive instinct that was instilled into him since he was little.

“Kotarou, what’s with your reaction? Why are you saying ‘ugh’ at seeing your older sister’s face? Why?” Natsuki, now at their side, lovingly yanked at Kotarou’s ear before he could run.

“Let me go, you ugly woman!”

“You’re so annoying, you monkey!”

“Natsuki, let it go. Weren’t you going to go see Mochita’s game? He’s going to get sulky if we don’t go and support him.”

“Huh, wait, Yuu!!” Yuu grabbed Natsuki’s arm and forcefully pulled her away.

Kotarou watched as the two returned to the gym, stunned. What the heck was that? I don’t understand what happened at all…

♦     ♦     ღ     ♦     ♦

After returning home, Arisa ate dinner, took a bath, then shut herself in her room. She quickly ran her colored pen across loose pieces of paper that were spread out onto the low table in her room.

The elder Setoguchi likes Enomoto’s older sister (?).

Enomoto’s older sister likes the elder Setoguchi (?).

Koyuki likes Enomoto’s older sister.

Setoguchi likes Koyuki.

Enomoto likes Setoguchi. **

Arisa gazed at the relationship char, resting a cheek on her hand and sighed. Kotarou and Hina, plus Koyuki, Hina’s older brother Yuu, Natsuki… It was as if they were threads that got tangled together. If she pulled at them, she had a feeling that the threads would smoothly come undone, but she also felt like they would do the opposite, instead tangling together and not come undone at all.

“Hmmmmm…” Arisa hummed, lifting her cheek from her hand, “Oh, I get it! In short, if I stick Koyuki with Enomoto’s older sister… then Setoguchi has no choice but to give up on Koyuki! Isn’t this killing two birds with one stone?” Arisa’s eyes sparkled as she hurriedly drew a new line with her colored pen.

There was no choice but to make one person unhappy. Setoguchi’s older brother was popular, so it shouldn’t be a problem for him to experience a broken heart once or twice. If he could valiantly give up just this once for his younger sister’s happiness…

“As if things would turn out that well.” She dropped her head onto the table with a thump. The colored pen she was holding rolled onto the table. Arisa turned her face to the side, glancing at the relationship chart. It didn’t seem like Yuu and Natsuki were going out yet, “But it’s not going to be easy wedging yourself in between them…” Arisa mumbled, recalling Koyuki gazing at Natsuki from a distance.

If Koyuki experienced a broken heart, then it meant that Hina still had a chance. In the unlikely event that things went well between them, then it would be Kotarou with the broken heart this time. It would be better for Hina to give up on Koyuki when she considered Kotarou. She came up with various ways to make it happen, but Hina was earnest in her own way and so was Koyuki. The solution to what would be the best thing to do if their feelings ever came to light was one she couldn’t answer.

“Ugh, seriously.” Arisa was becoming increasingly irritated and rolled onto her rug.

Why won’t things go well?

The feelings of people…

♦     ♦     ღ     ♦     ♦

Once the week began, the sky looked like it would rain for a while.

After school, Arisa headed to the entrance to find Koyuki standing stock still with an umbrella in hand. He was watching Yuu and Natsuki as they headed to the front gates. In the midst of heavy drops of rain hitting the asphalt, the two walked closely together with different colored umbrellas.

Arisa averted her eyes from Koyuki’s lonely and gloomy figure. She couldn’t even look at him.  I mean, it’s because I know. You end up being found out because you’re so obvious.

It seemed like Koyuki was always alone even in class. The only time Arisa witnessed him talking to someone was when he was with Natsuki.

The “him” who became like a ghost in class. How happy and how significant would it be for there to be someone in class that connected with him just like she did with everyone else? It would make him feel like it was okay for him to be here, too, just by her greeting him in the morning and smiling at him. That made him feel like he wasn’t a ghost, but just a normal student like everyone else. That was what Natsuki was to Koyuki.

For Arisa to ask him to give up on her…

Clutching tightly onto the handle of her umbrella, Arisa walked up to Koyuki, “Koyuki.”

Koyuki turned in the direction of her voice, “Takamizawa…”

“Are you not going to talk to her?”

“Huh?”

“To Natsuki.”

“Oh… no…” Koyuki lowered his gaze with a slight smile and did not finish his sentence.

Arisa stood next to him. They could no longer see Yuu and Natsuki now that they passed through the gates. Their surroundings became slightly clearer due to the dark sky and the nonstop rain.

Really… there’s nothing but things that won’t turn out the way we want them to…

♦     ♦     ღ     ♦     ♦

Hina, now ready to go home after she finished cleaning, was walking down the stairs looking down. She feet naturally came to a stop when she discovered Koyuki sweeping the hallways.

“Koyuki…”

“Oh!” Hina’s heart leapt when she realized Koyuki had heard her. She immediately turned away. “Wha… Setoguchi?”

How many more times… how many more times if our eyes keep meeting… surely… Her heart continued to pound thump after thump.

Hina pressed her back against the wall in the hallway, having returned all the way back to the 7th grade classrooms, and caught her breath. Her hands burned and they were sweating. She tightly gripped her hands.

“Setoguchi…?” A voice called out uncertainly.

Hina jumped in surprise. She turned to find Koyuki looking at her with a worried expression, a broom still in his hands.

See…

It’s because when our eyes meet, you smile so kindly at me.

I’ll end up realizing.

Realizing my own feelings –

♦     ♦     ღ     ♦     ♦

When Arisa left their classroom after school, she found Kotarou stopped in the middle of the hallway. “…Enomoto?” She called out, approaching him. Kotarou didn’t reply.

He was watching Koyuki and Hina. Koyuki was consoling Hina, who looked on the verge of tears, while flustered. Hina was laughing at Koyuki’s reaction. She looked happy, her cheeks blushed red.

Arisa quietly peeked at Kotarou’s profile. She had imagined that he would’ve been irritated, but his expression was surprisingly calm. “Are you fine with that?”

“With what?”

“Those two.”

Hina’s expression had already become the face of someone who had completely realized her own feelings.

“It’s… fine, isn’t it?” Kotarou stated. He turned to return to their classroom.

Arisa glanced at Hina and Koyuki, letting out a small sigh.

As expected, this was… going nowhere.

People’s feelings were something that others couldn’t do anything about. They don’t even go the way the person themselves want them to. Surely, even when they knew there was no hope.

Humans can’t live without falling in love.

♦     ♦     ღ     ♦     ♦

Spring – March, the graduation ceremony.

Kotarou went up to the rooftop alone. Once he was there, he leaned against the fence and gazed at the people below. He saw the 9th graders coming out the front gates with their parents after finishing their graduation. There were also students receiving bouquets while surrounded by their underclassmen.

“Is it okay for you to be up here? Isn’t your sister graduating?” Arisa said from behind as she approached him.

He turned to her, “I guess.”

“Shouldn’t you be celebrating? Like going out to eat.”

“Oh… She said that she was going somewhere with Yuu’s family.”

“You’re not going?” She leaned against the fence next to him.

“It’s too much trouble.” Kotarou said, linking his hands together behind his head.

The sky was clear. White clouds were slowly crawling across the sky. The wind was still slightly chilly, but it was mild.

“…What about Setoguchi?”

“Hina has club activities. Thought up until a second ago she was bawling.”

“Oh, because Koyuki is graduating, too… Are you staying back at school ‘cause you’re worried about her? Enomoto, you’re honest, or more like, admirable?” She teased.

Kotarou grimaced, “Shut up.”

“And yet, I wonder why you haven’t entered Setoguchi’s sight at all.” Even though he’s this dedicated.

“It’s fine. Because, before long, I’ll turn into an awesome guy that will make her say that she has no one else in her sights but me!” Kotarou declared full of confidence, but his expression soon became bashful.

“Well… isn’t that fine, too?” Arisa brought her fluttering hair to her face to hide her spreading smile.

It almost makes me envy him because he only sees one person.

“Besides, there’s a phrase called ‘having nothing left to lose’.”

“Go on, keep saying that.”

They laughed, bumping their fists together.

The debt from that time still remained unpaid in her heart. That’s why… She wished upon the clear, blue sky spreading endlessly until the ends of the earth.

May this person’s feelings one day reach her…

epilogue

During the weekend, Arisa was at the shopping mall in front of the station. She had been looking forward to it since that morning and she was slightly embarrassed that she had put so much energy into dressing up.

There was already a long line in the ventilated central event hall. Arisa stood around the middle of the line and was marching small steps in place unable to calm down.

“Please stand in order of the number on your ticket!” An official loudly shouted.

What do I do… what do I do? I’m actually here… Her heart kept rapidly beating ever since she arrived in line.

Three days ago, she found out that Narumi Sena was holding a handshake event as part of a magazine PR event. Arisa wanted to see her even for a few moments despite only ever having seen her on TV and had lined up in front of the automatic doors of the shopping mall before opening hours to obtain a numbered ticket. She intended to come early, but a line had already formed in front of the doors; that only spoke of how amazingly popular Sena was.

It was her first time going to someone’s handshake event. It was also her first time wanting to meet someone this strongly before. She had completely become a fan of Sena ever since seeing her on TV. Without fail, she would buy the magazines that Sena appeared in and she would always set the TV to record if she heard that Sena would be in a morning show so that she wouldn’t miss it. She even bought the lip cream Sena endorsed.

The more Arisa learned about Sena, the more she thought, “Wow, this person is amazing.” She admired her and began to want to follow her. Those lined up here likely thought the same way.

She heard someone say, “Sena is adorable, right!” from around her.

In her head, she agreed, “She is!” If it were possible, she almost wanted to say, “Include me in the conversation, too!”

It would probably be okay for her to talk to Sena for a little bit once it was her turn, right? Or would it be better for her to move aside immediately after shaking her hand because of the people waiting in line behind her? It was her first time at an event like this, so she didn’t know the protocol. She restlessly peeked up at the front of the line.

“My… my hands are getting sweaty!” Arisa realized with a start and hurriedly wiped her hands on her clothes.

As she did so, it was rapidly getting closer to her turn. The girls in front of her in line happily told Sena, “I buy your magazines!” while shaking her hand.

Ok, it should be okay for me to talk to her for a little bit! She quietly clenched her fists in triumph.

A voice called out, “Next person in line.”

“Yes!” She squeaked, her voice raising sharply due to her nerves.

Sena sat in front of her, smiling amicably as she talked with an official.

It’s the real persoooooooooon!

She looked just like she did on TV. Her face was small, her eyes were large and bright, and both her hair and skin were shiny and smooth. Her entire being was adorable. No matter where she looked, Sena was adorable from head to toe.

Wait, no, I have to say something. Something… but what!? Arisa began to panic, making it even more difficult for her words to come out. She even forgot to hold her hand out.

Sena smiled at Arisa, who stood frozen, and held out her own hand, “Thank you for coming here today.”

Arisa broke out of her trance at Sena’s words and frantically shook her hand. Her hand was shaking slightly, “T-Thank you very much!” It took all she had just to say that one phrase and, without properly meeting Sena in the eye, she briskly walked away from the table.

Ahhhh, seriously! That wasn’t what you were supposed to say!! Arisa walked all the way to an empty area before she brought both hands to her warm cheeks.

I’m a really big fan!

I love you!

I admire you!

I was really encouraged by your words after seeing you on TV!

She had had so many things she wanted to say. She even thought of what to say in line.

“What the heck is ‘thank you very much’!?” Arisa came here today because she wanted to tell Sena that, on that day, she had been saved by her words, that she made her happy, and to express her gratitude. That’s why, what she told her wasn’t exactly wrong.

It isn’t… but definitely none of what I wanted to say got conveyed. She sighed, placing a hand on a wall with a poster.

But –

She met her. She looked down at the very hands that shook Sena’s own. I actually met her! Arisa broke into a smile and gripped her hands tightly.

She still hadn’t become the person she wanted to be in the slightest. Things continued to go wrong and the world surrounding her continued to maintain the status quo. She hadn’t been able to resolve anything nor had anything changed. Everyday was a fight with her weak self. She still did not have the courage to firmly walk down the path she found herself with her own two legs like Sena. Even the idea of where she should head was vague and she was still fumbling around for answers. But she couldn’t stand still.

Because that person is also the same. I have to move forward, too…

“Let’s go!” Arisa exclaimed as she walked straight ahead.

Are you ready to get a running start? Head into the direction you believe in and don’t look back. There are new encounters waiting –

♦     ♦     ღ     ♦     ♦

“Oh, I just got here. Wait a bit…” Ken said, his phone pressed against his ear, as he walked through the fountain plaza. He headed towards the automatic doors of the shopping mall.

As it was a holiday, the doors were opening and closing without a break as customers filtered in and out of the mall.

“I said I didn’t make any other plans. I’ll be with you all day, y’know?”

Ken stopped. Arisa walked past him as she exited the mall. Her eyes shined and her expression showed that she couldn’t help but be happy as she dashed towards the plaza. A smile crept onto his face without warning as he watched her walk away.

“No… it’s nothing.” He said to the person on the other line and walked into the mall.

With the desire to put an end to the days where they merely passed by each other, the first time he would speak to her would be after they began their first year in high school.

I won’t get serious, y’know? Cause we know that those that enjoy themselves are the ones that win in this “love game.”

You bluntly told me who thought of this as a game, “That must be so boring.”

You denied everything about my world. This was a mean encounter –

* I would usually take out any honorific suffixes, but I needed a distinction between the Setoguchi siblings and the Enomoto siblings, so Yuu and Natsuki keep their -senpai titles since Arisa respectfully calls them by their last names. 

** Adding this note just in case anyone gets confused, remember that a majority of this novel is in Arisa’s POV and she addresses Kotarou as Enomoto and Hina as Setoguchi. So in any instances where “Enomoto” and “Setoguchi” appear without the -senpai title, we’re talking about the younger siblings.

[liketolaugh-writes]

Instant Replay

Author: liketolaugh Summary: In a last-ditch attempt to keep Sasuke in Konoha, Kakashi goes looking for an Uchiha who went outside the Hidden Countries thirty years ago - Uchiha Yuu.

“Sorry I’m late, I had to help a little girl get a cat down from a tree, and then-”

Kakashi dodged as Tsunade threw a thick medical tome at his head. Really, the last Hokage had been far more forgiving of his habits. Tsunade was just violent.

“Two hours late!” Tsunade snapped at him, sitting back with her arms crossed. “And don’t tell me it’s because you’re still on medical leave, I know you could cross the city faster than that with your leg broken.”

Well, she wasn’t wrong. Still, the drag of exhaustion hadn’t left him yet, and he still ached a little. He could manage a mission, but it wouldn’t be pleasant.

He slouched in place and ticked an eyebrow up. “Aa, but where’s the joy in that?”

A vein pulsed briefly in Tsunade’s forehead, but she took a breath and visibly centered herself. When she looked back at Kakashi, her expression was serious.

“How likely is it that Sasuke will attempt to go for Orochimaru?”

Kakashi had to give her credit; she hadn’t missed a beat as her old teammate’s name passed her lips. Of course, she was a ninja.

Even so, it was more than Kakashi could manage.

After a moment, he shrugged.

“More than is good for him,” he allowed. “Nothing has made him any less determined to kill Itachi. We both know Naruto will do anything to keep him from leaving, but that might not be enough.”

Tsunade nodded, looking tired but unsurprised.

“There might be Uchiha outside the Elemental Countries,” she said.

Kakashi only kept from startling through years of determined laziness. The seriousness never left Tsunade’s face, a furrow of concentration in her brow as she leaned forward slightly.

“Thirty or so years ago,” she continued, frowning slightly, “before the Second Shinobi War, there was a man, Uchiha Yuu. I didn’t know him well, but he left… suddenly, under mysterious circumstances.” Her eyes returned to Kakashi’s, intent. “It was all over the village, because he said he was going outside the boundaries of the Hidden Countries.”

“He could have been lying,” Kakashi argued, not quite hiding the sharpness in his visible eye.

“He was a jonin,” Tsunade snorted. “He could have come up with a better lie than that. It was unbelievable.”

Kakashi was allow her that. Still- “And he was just let go?” That seemed, if anything, even more suspect.

Tsunade’s lips thinned.

“Yes,” she confirmed. “That was the odd part.”

Kakashi let that sit for a moment, and then tilted his head and nodded.

“If we found another Uchiha,” he said at last, “it may be enough to stall Sasuke.”

Tsunade nodded again.

“Much of Konoha’s strength comes from its bloodline limits, particularly its doujutsu,” she reminded him, as if he wasn’t well aware. “As things stand, we can’t afford to lose the last of the Uchiha right now. We cannot look weak.”

Kakashi let the corners of his mouth tilt up, unseen. “I do have some abilities as a tracker.”

Tsunade smiled, too, grim and dry. She reached into a pile and pulled out a folder, probably placed carefully in sight well in advance.

“With my clearance as Hokage – only with my clearance as Hokage – I was able to get the name of his destination.” He handed him the folder, which he tucked under his arm to look over later. “Search for the Black Order first, and pick up the trail from there.”

“Your will be done, Hokage-sama,” Kakashi said with an ironic little grin.

She threw another book at him. Ungrateful.

Sasuke’s disasterous clash with Naruto only further convinced Kakashi of the importance of his mission, and when he finally passed the border of the Elemental Countries, it was with his cute students in mind.

And then when he left, no one had heard of the Black Order. Not in inns, not in bars, not out on the street – No one knew what he was talking about.

He did get an awful lot of chances to brush up on his Chinese, though. No one seemed to speak Japanese out here.

Finally, he resorted to one of Jiraiya’s favorite methods. He went to a brothel.

He considered sneaking in, but eventually decided to walk up and do it the civilian way. Less conspicuous that way.

The door was answered by a woman, tall and broad and masculine, with a fearsome glare that would definitely have made any civilian wet their pants. As it was, Kakashi was rather impressed, even if he wasn’t frightened.

“No first-timers allowed,” she informed him, terse and irate, with a glare to match and then some.

Kakashi held up his hands in a sign of surrender, taking half a step back. “Now, now,” he protested, and grimaced when she scowled harder. “I’m not interested in patronage. Could you tell me about the Black Order?”

That made her visibly hesitate, looking him up and down, and that was more of a response than he’d gotten out of anyone else so far.

Finally, she huffed, stepped out, and closed the door behind her.

“I’m keeping an eye on you,” she warned, gesturing for him to move. “But I’ll take you to Lady Anita. She’ll decide what to tell you.”

That sounded promising.

The looming woman took him around back, to a different entrance, and inside, there was Lady Anita – elaborately dressed, unsuited for fighting in, but though the bouncer was the more intimidating, it was undoubtedly this one that called the shots. She was watching Kakashi with a gaze like steel, and she held herself with clear pride.

This, he gathered, was the mistress of the brothel.

“This man said he was looking for the Black Order,” the bouncer informed Anita, voice heavy with meaning, and if possible, Anita’s gaze sharpened further.

“Why are you looking for the Order?” she asked him, sparing no time for misdirection or power play.

He slouched in place and shrugged.

“I’m looking for someone,” he answered after a moment, keeping his eyes on hers. “He went to them thirty years ago, haven’t seen him since.”

Pity appeared in Anita’s eyes, and Kakashi tensed even before she spoke.

“He’s probably dead,” she said plainly. “Most members of the Order last far less than even ten years.”

Well. That would certainly throw a wrench into their plans, wouldn’t it?

“Let’s pretend he didn’t,” Kakashi said, because for the sake of the mission he needed to at least confirm Uchiha Yuu’s death. “How would I go about tracking him down?”

The pity didn’t leave, but the woman gestured to the ground in front of her, and after a moment, Kakashi sat down.

“I am Anita,” she informed him redundantly, “and this is Mahoja.” She paused for a beat, considering him, and then huffed lightly. “The Black Order is a highly secretive organization, so most aren’t ever informed of its existence. The fact that you know its name but nothing else is highly unusual.”

Kakashi shrugged. “Just following a paper trail.”

Anita hummed doubtfully. “Well, we’ll start from the beginning. Do you know what the Black Order does?”

Things got weird.

It wasn’t that Kakashi hadn’t noticed anything off about the outside world, or even that he had never heard of akuma before. But he’d long dismissed them as myths and legends. And anyway, even if they had ever existed, none had been seen since-

Since the chakra barriers were erected around the Hidden Countries, preventing anyone not descended from the Sage of Six Paths from entering.

Dammit, it would make sense if it weren’t so insane.

He mulled that over, swallowed it reluctantly, and pushed, “And where would I find it?”

Anita smiled, as if he’d passed a test, and rose to her feet.

“There’s a location on each continent,” she said. “I’ll give you a map. The Asian headquarters isn’t terribly far from here.”

Kakashi lifted an eyebrow despite himself. “You’d give me the location that easily?”

She cast a smile over her shoulder just before she passed through the door.

“The headquarters has a guardian deity,” she said, clearly enjoying the oddness of what she was saying. “If you mean them harm, she won’t let you in.”

Of course they did.

As it turned out, they were a stone’s throw from the Asian headquarters. In other circumstances, Kakashi may have waited a day to infiltrate, but time was unfortunately of the essence. Night was the best time for sneaking anyway.

Anita wished him luck as he left, and as soon as he was out of her sight, he moved into flash step; for some reason, he was feeling impatient.

He reached his destination only an hour later, just as night was falling. For a while, he contemplated what he could see of it.

He didn’t see any form of sentry or guard, but he knew better than to assume that meant there were none. Further, he didn’t see anyone going in or out, but there did appear to be activity inside.

Finally, he donned a genjutsu – one that kept him from seeming significant, cast strong because he didn’t like the sound of a ‘guardian deity’ – and entered.

It was almost disappointingly easy.

Inside, most of the people moving about wore long white lab coats. Kakashi, in his mask, headband, and flak jacket, would have stood out a mile without the genjutsu. As it was, he could stride down the hallway without anyone giving him a second look; there were no ninja here.

Still, it took a long time to find the record room, and he had to pick the lock to get in. Not subtle. From there, he rummaged until he found the personnel files.

There was no Uchiha Yuu in the personnel files, which was unfortunate but not a huge surprise. He kept looking, ignoring the worry and disappointment pressing down on him.

Eventually, in the middle of a bunch of very secret-looking research files, he found it. It was part of a group of twenty or thirty, all falling under the banner of ‘The Second Exorcist Project’.

All of them were dead, which was ominous. And there Kakashi had found his confirmation. Uchiha Yuu was dead.

He kept working. Naruto would haunt him if Sasuke left and Kakashi hadn’t done his best to prevent it.

The file describing the Second Exorcist Project was frankly disturbing, just as bad as most of Orochimaru’s. To attempt to bring back the dead, to reverse the natural order – in Konoha, even if such a thing was managed, it would still be forbidden.

Absently, Kakashi took a caffeine pill. Clearly, he wasn’t anywhere near done here.

Most of the exorcists listed as subjects had never woken up, but two had. Kanda Yuu and Karma Alma.

One of the subjects listed had been Uzumaki Alma, which was… too much of a coincidence. Kakashi wondered if chakra augmented the process somehow.

In the way of things, the file ended even more gruesomely than it had begun. A snowball of catastrophic failure led to the death of nearly every researcher involved, and one of the subjects plunged into a most likely permanent coma.

Kakashi thanked his lucky stars that it was the Uchiha who survived, and vowed never to mention this to Naruto.

One last thing. Kanda Yuu had his own file.

And it was a mess.

Disagreeable, withdrawn, known to frequently wake screaming from nightmares and lash out at those around him – damned to fight whether he wanted to or not, having lost everyone he’d ever known, still reeling from ‘killing’ his best friend – God, he was like Neji, Sasuke, and Kakashi himself combined. What a nightmare.

Seeing that, Kakashi wavered, not even sure that bringing Yuu back with him would help at all. It might make things worse, as messed up as the kid was.

However. Sasuke was protective of his teammates. And he had an obsession with family. There was a possibility – remote but vital – that even the most messed-up family member could make Sasuke stay, at least for a little while longer.

Nothing to lose, and everything to gain.

Kakashi stood up and stretched. Yuu had been reassigned to the European headquarters. There was sure to be a map somewhere.

It took a boat trip and a train ride to reach European Branch; Kakashi used the time to put together a plan, accommodating his new knowledge of his quarry.

Sasuke, after all, hated not knowing things. And Kanda Yuu had a rather intricate and disturbing history.

They just needed time.

Kakashi dearly hoped that Sasuke hadn’t run away in the time it was taking him to complete this mission. It would be such a waste.

There was far more activity around the ominous-looking European headquarters. It wasn’t constant, but there was a trickle both in and out.

After some contemplation, he kidnapped one of the people in the tan cloaks, knocked him out with a genjutsu, and stole the cloak. When the next group came along, he joined them, ignoring the quiet conversation around him. (His English was far worse than his Chinese.)

They took a lift up, and Kakashi just kept himself from staring, shifting in place as he waited, and then stepping out and splitting from the group smoothly, with none of them any the wiser.

The European Branch wasn’t quite as intricate as the Asian Branch, but it had far more levels. Kakashi wandered for quite some time, becoming increasingly tense, until he finally found a neat room stacked with files and, with a sigh, let himself in.

This time, he had a better idea of what to look for, though not where to find it. But he knew that Kanda Yuu had been assigned to General Froi Tiedoll. He just needed to know where General Tiedoll could be found.

Half an hour later, he could have banged his head against the wall. Of course, General Tiedoll didn’t regularly stay at Headquarters; he wandered the (massive) European continent.

He did, thankfully, check in; Kakashi assessed the location, made a mental note, and, just as the door opened, flash-stepped past the new entrant and away.

He needed to hurry, damn it. He was running out of time.

This one time, Kakashi refused to be late.