#also where is masato? | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

aranarumei · 8 months

Text

the anomalous agate (part 1)

edit: there's an updated version of this here

so. a few days ago i floated the idea of a crossover of hanzawa to tashiro and the case files of jeweler richard to the illustrious @dirtbra1n, and after talking about it i. could not stop thinking about it. here is that. you will notice above it says part 1, and that is because I spiralled a bit out of control. this is so long (4.3k) that I thought it merited me posting it on ao3 as well, if you'd prefer to read it there. there's also some notes about the fic contained there, none of which I feel like repeating, except i do have to credit the line of dialogue where seigi asks hanzawa why he has so many piercings to @dirtbra1n. that's entirely their genius.

without further ado, under the cut:

case 2-x: the anomalous agate (part 1)

The longer I worked for the shop, the fewer days arrived when there were no appointments scheduled for the day. As always, Richard seemed unfazed by the lack of customers. I supposed it made sense—this was a shop that only existed on the weekends, after all. He had hired me, but had the two of us not met by chance, it was likely he wouldn’t have hired anyone at all.

Perhaps the reason my employer seemed so content was the fact that he was currently cutting into a delicate slice of tiramisu crepe cake. He ate with almost ethereal grace, and as I somehow hadn’t thought to grab a slice for myself, my mind wandered to the circumstances that had led me to the purchase.

The week before, I had been making Richard’s royal milk tea as usual—I felt somewhat confident in my skills at this point, but there really was no matching a master—and asked him if there was a reason we didn’t serve coffee to customers. It was a common feature of many cafés, after all, and though this place was no longer a café, we still offered things like tea and snacks to customers.

Richard had stared at me like he was waiting for me to figure something out on my own, and after wracking my brain for possibilities, I tried, “We have barley tea and green tea, so it can’t be because you think anything except for royal milk tea won’t do…”

I received a deep sigh for my efforts. Richard arched an eyebrow. “Do you know how much is involved in the process of making coffee?” he asked.

As the coffee I most regularly consumed came from a can, there wasn’t a single response I could give.

That night, I searched up the process of manufacturing and brewing coffee, and quickly found myself beginning to develop a headache. Not only were there many places where coffee beans were grown, the different ways in which coffee was then brewed and what it was paired with felt almost limitless. Searching for espresso machines brought prices well over 15,000 yen, and it was at that point that I began to understand what Richard had conveyed in a single sentence.

Instant coffee could be made without any sense of technique or equipment, but the kind of coffee that set one’s mind at ease was probably the kind that only a real café was capable of. Or a coffee enthusiast, and I was neither. I tried to conjure the image of being offered canned or instant coffee at Jewelry Étranger, and immediately wrinkled my nose. Coffee at a café was meant to pleasant; I had no desire to remind myself of what it felt like to work late night after late night as a security guard. While I felt coffee had a warm, comforting scent, I knew all too well that it was also a bitter necessity. I was thankful that the caffeine had kept me awake, but it only worsened the quality of my sleep.

Still, though I had given up the idea of introducing coffee to our drink selection, I must not have completely forgotten about it, because the next time I stepped into a bakery, their offering of a tiramisu crepe cake caught my immediate attention.

I’d had tiramisu only once during a birthday in junior high. Birthdays when I was younger were a melancholy affair—they were small, intimate celebrations that reminded me of the insignificance of my life. It was the same feeling as lighting a candle in pure dark—loneliness shined more under small points of light. But my mother had always remembered to buy a cake year after year, no matter the circumstances. While she had already developed a taste for coffee, I still considered it something that was a bitter, awful drink that adults actually enjoyed. But after some firm persuasion from my mother, I reluctantly dug in.

Add enough sugar and it can turn bitter into sweet. I knew that now, but as a child I had been given an experience akin to magic. Even now, I could still recall the light and sweet taste accompanied by the delicate hints of coffee and chocolate.

Remembering it now, it was hard to explain why I hadn’t had one in such a long time, but I hadn’t developed the habit of searching out cafés, bakeries, and sweet shops until I started working at Jewelry Étranger. Food tasted better as of late.

This bakery in particular was a favorite of mine—it felt like every time I entered, there was still some sweet I had yet to try. And encounters like these, where it felt like little parts of my life were slotting together in serendipitous fashions, were becoming far more common. It was obvious in the way I’d found out about Tanimoto-san’s love for rocks and minerals, as well as her friend Shinkai’s dance company, or Hase-san visiting at the exact time I happened to be in the back, but when I told Richard this, he simply brushed it off.

“The more knowledge and experience you acquire, the more the world reveals itself to you,” he said. “Department stores have existed before you began working here, but only once you took an interest in diamonds did you notice the kinds of jewels they sold. The girl you wish was your girlfriend had an interest in minerals long before you began to. That was not fate—it was the fact that the more you learned, the more you could find commonalities or points of connection in the world around you.” He paused. “You, in particular… I would guess that you run into so many coincidences because you’re unable to turn your back.”

He was correct. The more people that visited Richard’s store, the more that I came to knew about the world. I had liked Tanimoto-san before I had met Richard, and she had loved rocks and minerals for far longer. But because I had been able to meet with Richard—and that was an encounter that could have only been fate—I’d gained awareness of a part of the world that had always existed, just not in my eyes. The more I learned about jewels, the more I treasured various things.

So that Saturday, I entered the bakery again, bought a slice, and arrived at Jewelry Étranger with an offering.

“…I still won’t give you a raise, you know,” Richard said.

As always, he looked beautiful. I had the feeling that he’d be annoyed if I told him the purchase was due to a bottomless kind of gratitude.

“I know.” At this point, I wondered if I needed to directly tell him how he paid far more than what I earned as a security guard. But I’d already turned down a job offer to stay here, so he must have known that I felt as if the work I was doing here was infinitely more valuable.

Since we’d had this kind of exchange quite a few times before, Richard tried the tiramisu crepe cake without much fuss. It was obvious he was enjoying it—perhaps his face hadn’t cracked out into a smile or anything of the sort, but there was a serene look on his face when he was enjoying sweets.

As he ate, a question popped to mind: “Say, Richard, have you had real tiramisu in Italy before?”

Richard paused between bites. “Do you mean to ask if I’ve had authentic tiramisu?”

“Well, you just seem as if you’ve been everywhere in the world…”

Rather than tell me if he’d spent time in Italy or not, Richard began to speak about the conflicted meaning of the word ‘authentic.’

“Tiramisu is Italian in origin, but the exact nature of how it was first produced is still up for debate. Tiramisu as we recognize it today certainly does not come in the nature of a crepe cake, but—” He paused to take another bite. “Grab yourself a fork, would you?”

I stared at him blankly as he deliberately placed his fork down on his plate. The last few bites of the crepe cake remained untouched, and only when he tilted his head in confusion did I rush to the kitchen in realization.

When I returned, Richard continued speaking without commenting on my lack of wits. “Something being authentic indeed means it is the real thing—a genuine article. Authenticity is also related to truth—in art, the style of realism is grounded in an attempt to depict life authentically. Without alterations or embellishments. For gemstones this is a fairly simple thing to classify—jewels are mined from specific places, so we designate that which is naturally-occurring as authentic. This runs in opposition as to imitation jewels, which are made from a different material, and approximate the look of a jewel without matching its innate qualities. The question of authenticity also is relevant when looking at heat treatment—pigeon blood rubies that haven’t undergone heat treatment are more valuable, because they have acquired the color naturally, yes?”

I nodded in agreement, reminded of Tanimoto-san’s opinion on heat treatment. She probably prized the authenticity of a gem—the one-of-a-kind nature each jewel had. I understood her feelings, but I also thought there was some kind of wonder in the process of polishing and cutting and heat treatment—each step gave a jewel a special kind of shine. But beauty was the kind of thing where opinions differed often.

“You’ve forgotten to actually put your fork to use,” Richard said, and I startled out of my daze to hurriedly take a bite. Well, no one would disagree about his beauty.

As expected, the tiramisu crepe cake was both light and sweet. The texture of crepes was certainly different than what I’d eaten as a child, but both carried that sense of pure delicacy—each layer felt like cotton-candied air. Though it didn’t smell like coffee, there was indeed the warm, rich undertone of what I’d come to understand as coffee’s flavor. If I could spend a birthday just like this… it would be a treasure of a memory.

Richard’s lips curled. “How is it?”

I made sure to properly swallow before I replied. “It’s delicious,” I marveled. “I don’t know why I’d forgotten the taste.”

“When you make rice at home, would you consider that rice real or authentic?” Richard asked. When I nodded, still chewing on my final bite of cake, he then asked, “Why?”

Maybe I would buy tiramisu on the way home. Or gift some to Hiromi—I could only assume that my birthday all those years ago was the last time she’d had tiramisu, too. “Well, because it’s rice,” I said. “I bought the rice grains, didn’t I? They were grown naturally. And then I cooked them.”

“If you acquired the exact ingredients required for tiramisu, and followed the same exact process as the original—though there are debates at to what the original is—would you still say that was authentic?”

I frowned. “I… suppose I would? Since everything is exact.” Was there a loophole I was missing?

“Perhaps,” Richard said. “Because it is hard to pinpoint its specific origins, what tiramisu qualifies as authentic can be hard to judge. Though the base components and methods are the same, the exact specifics differ—some may consider any tiramisu that follows the general process to be authentic, while others may not. In the case of champagne, unless what you think of champagne is made in the Champagne region of France, it cannot legally be called by that name. Even if the sparkling wine that is created is similar in taste, or uses the same process and ingredients, if the grapes are not sourced from that region, it will not be champagne.”

“Even though it’s possible to make an equivalent product?”

“You could, indeed, make a very close match,” Richard said. “But it would legally not be authentic. Can you think of a reason why someone might want a name of a food protected?”

When phrased like that, the answer arrived to me immediately. “Brand protection,” I said. “Because the idea of champagne is precious, if other winemakers started selling something labelled as champagne, it would lose some of its prestige. By controlling what can be called champagne, they retain control over the production and image of champagne.”

“Good for you,” Richard said, and I bit down a smile. “Authenticity holds a different value for many people and many things. All that aside… this tiramisu crepe cake remains delicious.”

“It is,” I agreed, and then began to make him tea.

The rest of the day passed by in peace. Richard read from his collection of books, blond hair glittering under the sharp sun. I busied myself by cleaning the kitchen and running out to complete a few errands. The movement was helpful; the chill of autumn had settled in, and I had made the mistake of dressing far more lightly than Richard. His choice of wear likely made it easy for him to sit still, but I thought that even if he was wearing his suit in a blizzard or a tropical summer, he would seem as even-keeled as ever. That was the beauty of jewels—they were something that was gorgeous from all angles.

Around a half hour before closing time, the intercom buzzed.

Richard set down his book, and I went to let in our surprise customer.

Accompanied by a brush of cold wind, a young man stepped into the store. He had a slim frame, but despite being dressed as lightly as I was, showed no signs of being sensitive to the cold. His hair was slightly long in the front, bangs barely cropped above his eyes, but it was trimmed evenly. He was dressed casually yet neatly in a simple powder-blue sweater, gray slacks, and loafers.

The door closed behind him, and he glanced around the room once before asking, “This is a jeweler’s store, correct?”

“You’d be right,” I said, guiding him to sit in one of the red armchairs.

His hesitant expression curved into a full-faced smile. As he sat down, the awkward lines of his body began to bleed away, and he relaxed into the chair with an air of steady self-assurance. His pose remained polite, though—he kept his hands carefully folded over his lap, and his ankles were loosely crossed.

“Would you like something to drink?” I asked. Originally, I had wanted to give him something to soothe his nerves, but it looked like that was unneeded.

“Ah… that milk tea would be nice, if you don’t mind,” the man said, gesturing to Richard’s teacup.

Richard returned from the bookshelf, taking over the process of greeting out newest, customer, and I headed back to the kitchen. Both men spoke in measured tones, so even though they spoke at a medium volume, their voices carried well enough.

“…Richard Ranasinghe de Vulpian? Is it alright to call you Richard-san, then?” He spoke the name slowly, but he pronounced Richard’s full name without fumbling.

“Just Richard is fine, too.”

“Nice to meet you too, Richard-san. I’m Hanzawa Masato. If I’m not incorrect, you sell jewelry at this place?”

“Indeed we do. Is there something in particular you’re looking for?”

I returned to see Hanzawa-san wearing a thoughtful expression on his face. His gaze flickered towards me as I reentered the room. “I was hoping to look at stud earrings… is there anything else I should specify? I would prefer if it wasn’t prohibitively expensive…”

“Are there any kinds of stones you’re interested in looking at? Or a particular occasion or style this is meant for?”

When I drew close enough, Hanzawa-san turned to face me and accepted my tea, eyes still curved in a pleasant smile. “It’s something like a birthday gift, I suppose. As for stones… I’m not too knowledgeable regarding them.” He paused to contemplate.

Choosing a gift was always a complicated thing, in my opinion. For a gift, the trouble never ended at the purchase—it was always at the gifting that the issues arose. Would they understand the gift with the same meaning that I had in mind when I picked it? I thought about my grandmother and mother choosing my name. Was I the type of person they’d had in mind? I could only hope that was the case.

“I guess… something neutral would be best? The kind of earring fit for daily work wear.”

“Are you interested in looking at birthstones?”

Hanzawa-san sipped his tea, eyes fluttering shut in thought. “Not particularly.”

I had spent enough time to catch the traces of concern on Richard’s face, but not enough time to understand his worries. “It will take some time for me to bring my selections out. Please enjoy your tea while you wait,” he said, and then he was off, a determined crease to his brows.

Though I didn’t know exactly what was troubling him, I could learn. Surely Richard wouldn’t mind if I made some small talk?

“Might you also be a university student, Hanzawa-san?”

Hanzawa-san waved dismissively. “It’s only my first year, so I think I’m younger than you. I know I’m a customer, but there’s no need to be formal. Your name is…?”

“Nakata Seigi,” I said. “I’m in my second year.”

“I was right, then,” Hanzawa said. He’d passed over both Richard and my name without comment. I’d expected him to sound as restrained as he had with Richard, but he spoke freely. “Would I be right in saying you seem more interested in jewels as compared to jewelry?” At my confusion, he gestured to my neck, ears, and hands, which were bare of any accessories. “You don’t seem to wear any, so I’d wondered…”

“I suppose it’s the jewel itself that interests me,” I admitted. “Is it the opposite thing for you?”

“Most likely,” Hanzawa said. “It’s what I have experience in, anyways.”

At my once-again befuddled expression, Hanzawa brushed back his hair, and I caught sight of six piercing holes in his left ear.

“I see…” I replied, a little stunned. Even when his hair wasn’t brushed back, it was easy to see a few of his piercing holes.

Richard had probably noticed them from the moment he’d walked in.

Now that I thought about it clearly, a birthday gift could be presented to oneself, couldn’t it? Just like Yamamoto-san trying to buy herself a garnet.

I’d seen guys in my college with piercings, but none who bought any with jewels like the ones in Richard’s store. It was a kind of flashy choice for someone who looked so mild-mannered, but so were piercings in general.

In the same way that I’d only noticed the tiramisu in that bakery after asking Richard about coffee, I realized the reason for his concern. If it was a present for himself, the uncertainty in his answers could prove troublesome.

“If I could ask…” I prompted, as Richard returned with his tamatebako.

Richard set down his tamatebako with a harder than usual thud. He still looked concerned, but there was a different note to it.

“Sure.”

“Is there a reason a guy as young as you has so many piercings?”

Richard opened up his tamatebako with a sharp click.

Hanzawa kept smiling up at me. He took a long sip of his tea, and then directed his attention towards what Richard had selected.

I leaned over to take a look. As I did, Richard shot a pointed glare towards me. What? I mouthed back, but he ignored me.

The stones Richard had picked were split between gemstones with faceted cuts and cabochons. The studs themselves were made of a simple silver backing, with the stone fitted on top in a rounded or squared shape. The exception to this was the studs fitted with lapis lazuli, which were backed with gold. While I recognized the diamond and amethyst, there were a few colored stones in faceted cuts that I wasn’t certain how to identify. But the ones that caught my attention were the larger stud earrings, which were fitted with polished stones that didn’t sparkle but had bands of red, terracotta, and peach striped across its surface. Others had the same banding pattern but in soft grays and whites.

“These are beautiful,” Hanzawa said, smile dropping into a look of deep consideration. He leaned forward to study each one. “Of course, diamonds are a classic choice,” he sighed to himself.

“The clear color of a diamond is indeed well-suited to various shades of any outfit you might choose.”

“I see,” Hanzawa mused. He gestured to the rest of the jewels. “I recognize the amethyst. And the… lapis lazuli, yes? Seeing it in person, it certainly is a vivid kind of blue,” he said. “But I’m a little unfamiliar with the rest of these gems. Would you mind explaining them?”

“Of course,” Richard said. “The green stone you see here is peridot. The yellow, orange, and brown stones you see here are citrine. Like amethyst, it is a type of quartz. This”—he pointed to a deep yellow-orange stone— “is heat-treated amethyst, which looks similar to citrine, with minor differences. The banded stones are agate. They are a mix of quartz and moganite—both have an equivalent chemical composition, but different crystal structures.”

I hadn’t heard of moganite until now—unless I was mishearing morganite, but Richard had such wonderful pronunciation I thought that was impossible. Despite all of the information, all Hanzawa did was nod in understanding.

“Peridot,” Hanzawa repeated to himself. “I don’t think I’ve seen any before.”

The stone he was looking at was a sparkling kind of lime green. “It’s like the color of spring,” I said.

Hanzawa bowed his head, suddenly bashful. “Yes. It’s… well, it’s a color I’m fond of,” he admitted.

“Would you like to see more?”

He shook his head. “…No, it’s not really… well-suited for me.” After a moment of contemplation, he pointed to the lapis lazuli. “How does this one get its gold flecks?”

“Lapis lazuli is composed of several different minerals, and a common addition happens to be pyrite, which is responsible for that gold color. As you mentioned, it is a very vivid blue, which is why, historically, it was ground to create ultramarine. Before a synthetic alternative was created, it was an extremely expensive and prized paint.”

Hanzawa smiled down at the stones. “I’ve heard of ultramarine. Isn't it what provides the blue shades in many of Johannes Vermeer’s works?”

I made a note to ask Richard who Johannes Vermeer was later.

“That’s correct.” After a pause, Richard added, “If you are looking for something neutral, blue tends to be a color that pairs well with others.”

“Oh, that’s—I’ll keep it in mind,” Hanzawa said. Haltingly, he asked, “Is jewelry made of lapis lazuli—is it quite common?”

“Compared to the rest of these stones, it’s a bit of a more delicate material,” Richard allowed, “so it has to be carefully looked after. But historically, lapis lazuli has been used in all kinds of jewelry.”

“…Is that so.”

Silence dragged on between them. Hanzawa seemed unbothered by it, though it was hard to see much of his expression, with both his bangs and lashes obscuring his eyes.

“…This agate. I feel like I’ve seen stones with this banding before.”

“Banding is characteristic but not exclusive to agate,” Richard said. “It has been used for carvings as well as jewelry and remains popular today. Each piece of agate has differences in how exactly the banding occurs, so one could say that each piece is truly unique.”

“Unique…” A ghost of uncertainty appeared on Hanzawa’s face, but it was gone in a flash. “Does it come in any other colors?”

“Oftentimes agate will be dyed into various colors, but there are some other colors present in naturally occurring agates. Would you like to see some blue lace agate?”

“Surely that dyed agate is prettier, huh?” Hanzawa murmured, so low I barely heard him. Apropos of nothing, he then straightened up, looking flustered. “Sorry,” he said. “I think—I think I’m a little in over my head.” He drank the last of his tea in disconcerting silence.

“If you’d like to come back, we take appointments,” I said.

“…Right,” Hanzawa said, eyes still fixed on the earrings before him. He set his teacup down on the table. “What would be a good time?”

“Sunday, 4PM?” Richard suggested, and Hanzawa agreed.

With that settled, Hanzawa thanked me for the tea, bid a polite goodbye to us both, and exited the store, leaving another gust of crisp air in his wake.

As it was now closing time, I went to collect the now empty teacups, only to find Richard looking up at me expectantly.

“What?” I asked.

He sighed. “Nothing that concerns you, I suppose.”

“By the way, who’s Johannes Vermeer?” I asked.

“Have you ever seen Girl with a Pearl Earring?” Richard asked.

“He was the artist?” I confirmed, and then went to wash the teacups.

When I returned, Richard was staring at his open tamatebako.

I took a seat next to him. “Thinking about our customer?”

“…Jewels reflect the inner feelings of a person,” Richard said after a long silence. “I wonder how to convey that truth to a person like him.”

“It was strange to see someone so young here,” I agreed. “Well, Hajime-kun was much younger, but his circumstances were different.”

“You’re quite young yourself,” Richard commented dryly. “Aren’t you two the same age?”

“If we went to the same university, I’d be his senpai,” I said. “Still. It’s rare. I thought he’d be more nervous.”

“…I don’t think he wasn’t nervous,” Richard said, but when I asked him what he meant, he didn’t elaborate.

“Well,” I said, wondering how I could clear those worry lines from his face, “we’ll see him next week.”

“Maybe,” Richard said, and this, I didn’t need him to explain.

If Hanzawa Masato came in next week at the appointed time, or if he had disappeared out that door for forever, it was impossible to know.

#hanzawa to tashiro #the case files of jeweler richard #hanzawa masato #my writing #hanzashiro #nakata seigi #richard ranasinghe de vulpian #kiri.txt #lotsa things going on with hanzawa here.#this went thru a very painful edit where i was like. how much of hanzawa do we get to know.#and i decided to cut back on it. bc it felt more in character that way.#anyways im really excited #itll take me way longer to write the next couple of parts but i Will write them hopefully #ever since i wrote that propaganda post for the tashiro outfit poll ive been thinking abt the Themes of a hanzawa to tashiro #that takes place in tashiros third year #anyways. hope yall enjoy.#also if u like hanzawa to tashiro youll LOVE case files of jeweler richard.#did my best to sort of make this feel like the novels but its also definitely my style.#harusono

15 notes · View notes

dirtbra1n · 1 year

Text

there’s a word for it. a name. for the people who take care of corpses before a funeral. hanzawa masato doesn’t remember it right now, though, because right now he’s up in the midnight hours, lying flat on the couch in the living room. too warm. he doesn’t care to remember it, the name.

it’s way, way too warm.

dying used to be simpler than this. there was no pavement, there were no buildings, there were no faceless people.

cold, though. there was cold.

the water wasn’t really flowing, too shallow, he was slowing it down, but his blood was. staining the ice.

it was gross.

he couldn’t stretch out his legs, couldn’t reach his arms out over his head. his fingers were cold and useless and deadened, and slow. the air he was struggling to breathe was pushing in and flowing out of his lungs through the puncture wound in his chest. so slow.

he’s been there before. he’s here now.

sitting stiff in the water, soaked to the bone, dying in isolation. bleeding out, masato thinks he’s alive. suffocating, he’s convinced he won’t be for much longer.

he’s not sure he’s anywhere.

dying used to be so easy.

instead of waiting until he couldn’t stand to look at himself anymore, kneeling until his head went under and waiting it out, probably getting swept away by the current until he crashed downstream—he wouldn’t know, he never lived to see that part—instead of that—

he’s wading around a little lost. he’s bleeding. the ghosts only look at him when they know it’ll sting worst, long shadows cast over the water, malformed specters dancing in mockery of him. he thinks his feet are getting a little worse than sliced up by jagged hateful rocks out of sight. that’s depressingly the least of his worries. it’s being impaled by the moon in a loop of time that fucking hates him. but he’s already bleeding. he’s a little surprised that he’s still got blood to bleed.

instead of releasing what could have become a burden, it’s him standing, helplessly, in the river, night after night after night. because it’s nighttime now. it keeps being nighttime.

it’s the kind of thing you’d almost expect to be a relief.

“hanzawa senpai.”

masato turns his head, creaky like a wooden doll. “…tashiro-kun.”

kimono-clad, he offers a hand. “you’re not face first in muck this time.”

masato doesn’t take it. a sharp smile curves his cheeks, not insincere. “thank you. ‘this time?”

tashiro smiles sheepishly down at him. squints. “did you die?”

“do I look dead?”

it’s hard to see from the water, but masato knows that tashiro’s shifted his eyes. saw it in the back of his mind, recorded on crackly film. he says, instead of answering, “I’ve got bandages.”

masato wishes he had something to rest his elbows on, to brace himself on. it doesn’t feel right playing his games standing upright, his hands in his sleeves instead of holding his head on his shoulders. “ta-shi-ro-kuuun, what do you think I need those for?” masato knows what.

tashiro replies anyway, drily from up on uneven paving, “hanzawa senpai, you’re bleeding. you need blood. to survive.”

“tashiro-kun, did I die?”

things are splintering a little. crackly film.

a web of cracks splitting tashiro’s composure, his voice shaking, “why did you?”

that wasn’t what masato asked.

—

“hanzawa senpai.”

“…”

“senpai.”

“…tashiro-kun.”

“you’re not face first in muck this time.”

the smile’s carving itself in, muscle memory. masato’s not going to ask what he meant by this time. “thank you.”

“did you die?”

“do I look dead?”

in the old school projector film behind his eyelids, the flickering doesn’t feel out of place. “I’ve got bandages.”

“ta-shi-ro-kuuun, what do you think I need those for?” masato’s always known what.

“hanzawa senpai, you’re bleeding. you need blood. to survive.”

“tashiro-kun, did I die?”

the shadows cast by a lantern hidden just behind tashiro make his shoulders look broad. masato swallows down a laugh, but he’s not sure what’s funny. “don’t be shallow, senpai, looks aren’t everything.”

the laugh comes out anyway. he manages, “I feel dead, forget the looks.”

“I can’t. I won’t.”

masato takes his turn to squint. they weren’t taking turns. it doesn’t matter. he doesn’t know if he still feels like laughing. he knows for sure that he can’t think of anything to say.

it’s just as well. tashiro isn’t having the same problem. “I think you should just, I don’t know. care about yourself more.”

masato swallows. his lips press into a chagrined line. “I don’t not care,” he says.

tashiro looks right through him. his eyes are like headlights.

he doesn’t actually need to say it, and masato can tell that he almost doesn’t, but maybe tashiro thought he needed to hear it out loud, feel it taking up space. maybe he was right.

“your caring sucks, senpai. it killed you.”

masato doesn’t want to follow that thread. “how many times have you been here, tashiro-kun?”

tashiro doesn’t buy into it. his demeanor is at once solemn and jarringly pleading, “senpai, won’t you live for once?”

masato means to say it like a joke, because it is one, but by accident the words, “how could I begin to deny you,” are dropping off his tongue, he doesn’t even know why, he doesn’t know why he said that, and no amount of exaggerated irreverence can hide from tashiro—eyes like cleavers, more like—the characters slipping into the water.

the ripples aren’t all that big, but they’re big enough.

like when your head aches, or the gash in your chest is losing you too much blood, or the water is tugging itself a little too close to that gash to be comfortable. something like that. something like that. it’s enough.

he doesn’t think he’s making any sense. it’s just too warm.

“maa-kun,” his older brother’s crooning, pushing his damp bangs off his forehead with cold fingers, “I think you’re sick.”

masato blinks away what he hopes is sweat. “gross.”

“not gross, worrying. sit up please.”

“I’ll throw up.”

“you won’t.”

“you’re right, I won’t.”

he’s getting fussed over in the middle of the night, on the couch that he’s sweating all over, and he’s watching a fan across the room spin and it’s nauseating and he stops looking at it. he’s getting fussed over in the middle of the night, by his older brother, because his mom’s out of town visiting her sister. he’s getting fussed over in the middle of the night, feeling a little out of his body. feeling a little—not at all—a lot like a little kid again. feeling sick, and pathetic.

he goes into the bathroom, wobbly and upset and over-warm, and he throws up.

—

reality’s tearing itself up, his dreams are eating it up, he’s falling apart and melting at the seams, he sits in almost-too-cold water until he thinks he’s gonna throw up again.

put him on ice, already, the sooner the funeral the sooner he can get some fucking rest.

his older brother’s sitting against the door frame, slipping in and out of consciousness. he murmurs, reaching forward to pet his hair, “‘s it too cold?”

masato doesn’t think it’s sweat. “it’s okay.”

—

it wouldn’t have been a very good joke, even if it’d come out right.

masato thinks he just choked around, “I want to. I want to.”

#iii of iii: funeral arrangements #hanzawa to tashiro #hanzawa masato #tashiro gonzaburou #…hanzawa masato’s nii-san as well #getting all my darts tags out of the way first.#now then. it’s been two months. most of what you see here was written in the last two hours #number of reasons for this. no idea what most of them are though #writers block for a bit Maybe ‘‘‘‘hyperfixations’’’’ other than this one DEFINITELY #but also. a breadth of images in my head that want out but maybe don’t fit here or there. Yeah. probably will be a followup of miscellaneous #lines and so on later. like spring cleaning. but on the cusp of the new year #i don’t know. it’s time being weird and dreams being weirder and looping over and over #and it’s the sibling emotion bleeding all over. because that’s where i’ve been since at least november #two months ago ogasawara was supposed to be in funeral arrangements. two months is a long time.#i’m warm while i’m writing this.#also in a little bit of a fugue state. the word masato was looking for was ‘undertaker’#okay. it’s good to get this out no matter what. because putting myself in a position of obligation with i ii and iii. was bold for me #but. i think i don’t mind in the end #that said What gets written from this point forward gets written. no one expect anything from me for a bit #but also feel free to put thoughts in my head. i do so like using words for those sorts of things #enough from me now. good talk #dirtbrain writing

41 notes · View notes

aquarterasian · 1 year

Text

Masato really went from ridiculing henri for ‘dressing like a girl’ to wishing it had been his leg that had gotten injured so henri could keep on skating

#precure #pretty cure #overall hugtto has a lot of bad writing that I don’t enjoy #but masatos character development?? and how his relationship with Henri grows???#so good #ALSO that scene where he held henris hand before his skate in a competiton #aurgehdjdhdjdfhdjjd I love them sm

18 notes · View notes

sunnnfish · 1 year

Text

Hey guys. Hey friends. You know what time it is. Monthly reminder to read Toilet Bound Hanako Kun. If the previously posted wall of text wasn’t enough to convince you how fucking deranged i am about it, then. Well. I dont know what else to do.

#i feel like I’ve been shot in the head and chest like five times in the past two days #it’s like. when you feel so much emotions it goes in a circle to where youre in like that boiling calm state #thats me rn #ummm one thing i was thinking about earlier is the remarkable comparisons between hanzawa masato ssmy and teru minamoto tbhk #if that will convince any of you #might self indulgently make a comparison post about them. theres genuinely a lot there #the way theyre introduced #the general vibe. sinister smile #the downright weirdness #the way t[gets yanked off the stage]#also sorry I’ve been cursing so much lately. dont know what’s wrong with me #<- its the demons. the demons are what’s wrong with me #i need to dunk my head ice.#anyways. sasamiya movie soon. yaaaaaaaaaaaaa[my head explodes]#to the void #sunnfish.tbhk #sunnfish.jshk #sunnfish.txt #in other news. I’ve been procrastinating on so many things all day so #I should get to that

4 notes · View notes

bother-blame · 2 years

Text

if nanba wasn't animated to blink i would swear he was dead

#all i can think about is that one post where the guy is taking selfies & someone is drowning in the background #spoilers #lad spoilers #also all my inappropriately timed cat filter selfies are stuck on my old computer :(#ok time to confront masato. ive been putting it off long enough lol #b plays yakuza

2 notes · View notes

mirai-e-jump · 2 months

Text

Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger Photo Book: ~King of Kings~ Main Cast Member Interviews Support Cast Special Comments (translations below, LONG POST)

(other pages)

Sakai Taisei (Gira Husty)

-The Director's valuable advice on how to play Gira in a natural way-

I think that we were able to complete filming without any issues due to the support of many people over the past year.

As an actor, I was inspired alot by the many career actors in the King-Ohger cast. In particular, Morioka Yutaka-san, who played Douga, and Masato Yano-san, who played Racules, both of whom I had many opportunities to work with, were very important. However, both of them didn't give me any specific advice on the set. They always had the attitude of, "You're free to do whatever you want to do," and I was grateful for that more than anything.

Filming was done in front of a green screen in the studio, which was a special environment, but since I personally didn't have much experience in filming dramas, I had no objections to it at all. Sometimes we filmed on location, so experiencing the "live scenery" and "atmosphere of the site" was nice, but in our situation, we felt uncomfortable unless we were in front of the green screen (laughs). It had become such a normal thing for us.

As for the performance, at first I couldn't understand the Director's intentions and was just figuring it out in my head, but then Director Kamihoriuchi Kazuya told me, "Feel it with your heart," and that's when it became easier to act. After that, I feel like I was able to take on the role of Gira more naturally throughout those days of filming.

Also, I think we showed "Gira two years later" in the new chapter partly through the visuals and direction, such as his costume and hairstyle, but I also wanted to play the role showing a more relaxed side in my own way.

-The wonderful thing about Gira is that he's always there for others-

What I was most mindful of throughout the year was definitely the relationship with Racules. I wasn't told of any future developments, so I was surprised when I read the scripts for episodes 41 and 42. Even though he's his older brother I played the role with a strong sense of, "Overthrow Racules!" I had heard during filming for episode 20 that he was going to reappear later, but I had no idea he was destined to carry such a cruel burden……That's why I was deeply moved by our joint fight scene in episode 42.

After that, in episode 43, I'll never forget the scene where we hold each other's hands. Compared to Yano-san, I think I'm still inexperienced in some aspects of acting, but I did my best in my own way, so I'd be happy if you could grasp the feelings the two of us have.

From episode 48 to the final episode, many of the cast members who've helped us in the past reappeared, and the motivation on set was even higher than usual. The main Director of the last three episodes was Kamihoriuchi-san, and the six of us who play the roles of the kings have absolute trust in the Director, but he's also someone who's uncompromising in his approach to the play, so I worked hard to "hang in there until the very end."

The final day of filming was the scene in the final episode where the six of us are untransformed. I personally didn't intend to be overly emotional just because it was the final take. However, when the Director said "OK!," the cast and crew involved in the production, including Yano-san, who wasn't supposed to be filming that day, gathered around. I thought, "So many people were watching over us" and became overwhelmed with emotion……I think I probably cried more than anyone else (laughs).

Looking back on all the episodes, I think that Gira was always portrayed as a character who stood by someone's side. He always tries to understand people's feelings, regardless of whether they're a king, retainer, or a citizen, and I thought it was wonderful to see that kind of attitude as I played Gira

As time goes on, please don't forget about Gira!

Watanabe Aoto (Yanma Gast)

-Yanma's coolness is the charm that Director Kamioriuchi possesses-

Currently, when I look back at Yanma from a year ago, I feel alittle embarrassed because he seems so childish (laughs). I've jokingly said to the staff on set things like, "I want to reshoot that scene," but on the other hand, I felt that it was a performance that only I, who had just encountered Yanma, could give. That's just how I feel right now.

As for my role, it was largely created together with Director Kamihoriuchi Kazuya. In the beginning, I read stories about real kings and books by various leaders, and I tried to express them through "moving performances." In response, the Director told me to, "Take a more confident stance," and from that point on, I had the image of, "Even if he doesn't say much, his coolness will be shown through his actions." To be more specific, Yanma has something in common with Director Kamihoriuchi himself. I think that the Director's charm as a person is reflected through Yanma.

What I remember well from early filming was the N'kosopa scene in episode 2. We spent the whole day filming in the cold during the middle of winter with the participation of members of the TTFC (Toei Tokusatsu Fan Club), and it truly felt like a king and his people overcoming their difficulties as one. Episode 2 in particular was the one where I read the script repeatedly after my audition, so I'll never forget the excitement I felt when I saw the finished footage.

Every episode is filled with memories, but the developments that take place two years later starting from episode 27 stirred me up. At first, I thought he was going to be alittle more mature and relaxed, but now that his hair was a blonde pompadour, I decided to play a more active role. In episode 35, when they all go to take back the invaded N'kosopa, I felt Yanma's growth compared to episode 2. The actual successful recapture took place in episode 39. During that time, for the main episodes of Hymeno, Kaguragi, and Rita, Yanma had many funny moments, and as I played him I thought that even though things were tough, he doesn't stay down, which is another cool thing about him.

-The fans are part of the production!-

When he was being manipulated by Hilbil in episode 44, the interaction with Gira had many homages to the past. Usually, there are many opportunities for Yanma to say something preachy, but in this episode it's the opposite, and Yanma catching Gira's fist is also a reverse pattern from episode 17.

Also, defeating Hilbil using the 10 combination King-Ohger for the first time in a long time was a hot development, and in the end, we both said the exact same lines as in episode 2, being, "Lowlifes like you…(-Gira), Should know your place…(-Yanma), On your knees! (-both)."

From episode 48 to the final episode, new assets have been created, and I think that the viewers will enjoy the spectacular visuals until the very end.

In the scene where the "King's Proof" is returned, only my mouth is shown, and the Director told me, "The love you've received is too great, so it's okay if you cry." I intended to act dignified, but those words were like magic, and I was immediately overcome with emotion.

Other hot developments include the reappearance of major characters, and the relationship between the kings and the people they're meant to protect is also noteworthy.

Even after all the battles were over, Yanma still had work to do, and I was able to play the role of Yanma, who's always looking forward until the end.

After working on it for a year, first of all, I'm relieved that filming was completed successfully, and I'd like to take this opportunity to express my feelings of "thank you" to the many people who supported us.

Personally, I believe that King-Ohger was created by everyone, and the fans are also a part of the production. I'd be happy if you could think of us six kings from time to time.

Murakami Erica (Hymeno Ran)

-The key to playing Hymeno is "how to deal with life"-

Hymeno has a selfish side, but if she shows it too forcefully, her position as a king will be in danger. Of course, it's not just being selfish, and the reason was depicted in episode 3, but reading the script and actually doing the performance gave off a different impression, so I explored this through the opinions of the people on set and through interactions with the cast. Also, after learning about the setting in which her parents were murdered in episode 7, I thought that Hymeno's key point was "how to deal with life."

I was acting without knowing what was going to happen next, but it was interesting to see things in a different point of view once all the facts were known, such as the foreshadowing of the anesthetic in episode 8 being revealed in episode 42. It was like reading a serialized manga, and there was a competition among the cast to see who would get the new script first (laughs), and the person who got it first would upload a photo of the script to our group chat.

Personally, my favorite episode was episode 28. I had alot of conversations with Kaku So-san about playing Kaguragi, and I was able to see a side of Kaguragi that I had never seen before, and I think we were able to deepen our understanding not only of our characters, but also of the cast. Other than that, I also enjoyed episode 36. The matchmaking competition was hard to endure because everyone was trying their best to make me laugh, like Yanma's weird face when he was being controlled by Jeramie (laughs). Also, Hymeno, who was being impersonated by Kamejim, casually crossed her legs even though she doesn't usually do that. The uglier the fake becomes, the brighter the real one shines, so I was conscious of the gap between the two while concealing her true identity.

When I got involved with Rita in episode 5, Director Kamihoriuchi Kazuya told me, "I want you to perform the role of Hymeno as if she's aware Rita will be hard to deal with." At first I thought, "Hymeno and Rita are incompatible, huh," but as they got closer and closer through Moffun and the "Wrath of God," I feel that they've become a very special person to Hymeno. That's why when Rita came to Ishabana in episode 30, Rita may have just been fulfilling their duties, but I thought it was cute that they misunderstood that Hymeno had gone out of her way to meet them. To be honest, I was pretty excited to film the tea scene (laughs).

-I was lifted up by Hymeno's inner strength-

The existence of Grodie, the enemy of her parents, was revealed in episode 30 and defeated in episode 47, but before that, I personally thought episode 46 was important. Jeramie decides to use his"King's Proof" to give life to the immortal Grodie, and Hymeno accepts his decision. There's a conversation between the two of them where they said, "It's okay to cry" and, "I'll ruin my makeup." The script was based on the answer I gave to screenwriter Takano Minato-san when he asked me, "What do you want to do?" I suggested that if a little girl was crying and Hymeno came to her, she might say something like, "What a waste of a pretty face" or "Your mascara will be ruined" to keep her positive. When I opened the script, I was surprised to find that she wouldn't be crying, but I was happy because I wanted to show Hymeno's strong will!

In the end, it was an "all star" effort, and I was thrilled that she was reunited with her parents in episode 49. Although the scene took place while both of them were concentrating on providing treatment, they were able to communicate without having to talk, and I felt a sense of closure within Hymeno. In the final episode, it was cool to see everyone stand up against Dagded, there were some unexpected surprises, and we were able to reach a truly wonderful ending.

All 50 episodes are filled with the passion of the cast and staff, and I think that no matter which episode you watch, you won't be disappointed. During all this, I myself was lifted up by Hymeno's inner strength, and I'm so glad that I was able to work with all the cast members until the end. I hope to see you again in the future, such as the FLT, so please continue to support us!

Hirakawa Yuzuki (Rita Kaniska)

-Playing the role of Rita by moving their "mind" with their whole body-

The role of Rita is an "immovable" character, so the performance doesn't focus on movement, and their face is visible only through their left eye and you can't see their facial expressions, so it was difficult in the early days of filming. The solo performances were particularly difficult. In episode 12, there's the trial scene where Jeramie is listening to them, but since only my eye was visible, I was concerned that my blinking or the direction of my gaze might convey nuance that I didn't intend. At that time, Director Kamihoriuchi Kazuya gave me advice of, "If you perform by moving your mind with your whole body, it becomes an expression, so you don't have to be caught up in performing with only your left eye." This gave me confidence and made me think, "Maybe there's more I can do."

When talking about Rita, their relationship with Hymeno is also important. In addition to being king, Rita has the role of Chief International Justice, so there was a part of them that drew a line between themself and others, but after the interaction with Hymeno was depicted towards the end of episode 16, Rita was able to separate their work and private life, and the areas where they could express themself gradually became clearer. I thought that when they had tea together in episode 30, it was another scene that brought them closer together.

Also, Karras and Shiron are like parents to Rita. In episode 16, we learned some of Rita's past, which I thought could be reflected in future performances. After that, everything came together in episode 30. When I read the script and learned of Shiron's death, I was personally shaken, and during filming, I was able to fully feel Rita's feelings while acting. Also, while they were determined to seal Grodie in this episode, Hymeno stopped them from doing so, and it reminded them once again of how valued they are. Episode 30 is an unforgettable episode, not only because of their relationship with Hymeno, but also in the sense that Rita became stronger after preparing to die.

-It was a year of pursuing the role of Rita that I envisioned-

I was very happy to receive lots of feedback on SNS for the Idol episode.

The stage scene was only about two lines long in the script, but the set they created was so beautiful, so I went into filming thinking, "I hope the viewers will enjoy it."

It was the most difficult time for me, learning dances and recording at the same time as filming, but I have the impression that I did my best as "Hirakawa Yuzuki" in this episode, even though I was playing Rita.

Towards the end of episode 45, it was very exciting to see Kaguragi and Rita, who had never had a chance to really interact before, working together. Since we often filmed separately, when we met, Kaku So-san and I would report to each other with, "How did that scene go?"

I was also impressed by the scene in episode 48 where they launch the evacuation plan "Zero." It was really hard even for me to admit that they couldn't defeat Dagded, but I think that's just how much I got into the role.

At the end of the story that spanned a year, six people with very strong personalities come together, and if just one of them were missing, the story could not be completed, so I think it concluded in a way that was truly typical of "Ohsama Sentai."

Looking back, I had wanted to play the role of Rita since the audition stage, and being able to pursue my own vision of Rita for a year was an invaluable and truly precious experience.

Now that filming's over, I feel sad, but I hope that people will look back on the show after it's finished airing, and I hope that it grows into a show that'll continue to be loved forever.

Kaku So (Kaguragi Dybowski)

-Until I did the difficult role of deceiving and tricking people-

In the beginning I was told that the role of Kaguragi was a character that deceives and tricks people, but at the same time, the Producer said, "Please don't make him someone that people dislike," and I thought, "No, that's going to be difficult" (laughs). In a way, Kaguragi has conflicting aspects, but in episode 4, the resolution within me improved, and I began to enjoy playing the role more.

Also, the "Hweh?" response when he's acting silly in episode 8 wasn't specifically written in the script, and when I first tried to just do the facial expression, Director Yamaguchi Kyohei said, "I want it to have alittle more impact," so I also added the voice. It's thanks to the Director that I was able to emphasize his personality.

Then there's the relationship with his younger sister Suzume. Kamura Mami-san, who plays Suzume, had such a convincing performance from the first day that it made me think, "That's Kaguragi's sister," and through her I was able to bring out the comedic side of my performance alot more.

All the episodes are memorable, but if I had to pick one main episode for Kaguragi, it would be episode 37. While I've always played the role that rides the line between good and evil, that episode gave more weight to the fact that he carries a tragic past, and I myself became more fond of Kaguragi. The honest and pure Kaguragi I played in the flashback scenes are literally just me (laughs), so it was easy to do. His voice is usually deep and threatening, but at that time I tried to show his "difference" by using a tone that was closer to my actual self.

It was also interesting to perform the scene where he and Racules, played by Masato Yano-chan, were trying to expose each other's secrets. However, I wasn't sure about their relationship, and one time when I asked Yano-chan, "Do you know when they'll become friends?," he left me hanging with, "No, I don't know" (laughs). I first found out about their backgrounds when I read the script for episode 42. In retrospect, he was mostly absent in episode 36, was he perhaps discussing things with Racules behind the scenes? The line at the end of episode 37, "Let's take the dirtiest road ahead from now on," was also foreshadowing.

As for Kaguragi, he probably believed in Suzume and followed Racules, and I believe that he carried out his own will even though he was prepared to be deceived.

-Even now, Kaguragi's in my heart!-

Towards the end of episode 45, it became a main episode between him and Rita, someone he had little chance to interact with up until then. It was a new experience for me to work with Yuzuyan, and we enjoyed each other's presence. The scenes where they both communicate their feelings were performed separately because I spoke to their partner Morphonia, but even though they weren't in the same space, it was really cool to depict that they shared the same mindset. Kaguragi may be deceiving on the surface, but deep down, he just wants to make people smile, and I was able to portray that side of him.

The final episode completes the story, but there's also some room that allows you to use your imagination, which is what I like about it. If it ended properly, that'd be sad, wouldn't it? During filming, I worked hard until the end, but I'm personally the type of person who likes to joke around and have fun while doing it. I'm glad that we were able to spend time in a cheerful atmosphere until the very final moment.

Even after all filming finishes, I still have many more opportunities to play Kaguragi, including performances at Theater G Rosso and the FLT, and I still feel as if Kaguragi is in my heart.

Having a stance like Kaguragi's may not be easily rewarded, but I think it's filled with what's important for people to live their lives.

Whenever you feel like giving up or are having a hard time, I'd be happy if you could remember Kaguragi and think, "Let's do our best!"

Ikeda Masashi (Jeramie Brasieri)

-Jeramie, who's been alive for 2,000 years, shows his "composure"-

In my situation as Jeramie, I started out as the narrator, so my job began with voice recording. The other five had already started filming, and looking back, it feels nostalgic, as when I first greeted them, I was overwhelmed by their flashy costumes and everyone's aura. I made my first appearance as Jeramie at the end of episode 11, where I was suddenly performing with a mask on.

My real appearance began in the next one, episode 12, and since his character is set to have lived for 2,000 years, I thought I should have a certain amount of freedom in my performance. At the time, I still wasn't used to being on set, but it's not good to get nervous, so I just gave it my best shot. I was really happy that everyone was willing to talk to me during this time. Thanks to them, I was able to open up right away.

In the beginning, I think Jeramie was a character who he himself was hard to read between the lines (laughs), but as the story progressed, his growth was also depicted, which I personally found very rewarding to perform. In particular, I think that episode 26 was a turning point for Jeramie. Just before Desnarak VIII dies, the scene where they exchange the lines, "You'll become king, and make them see, that the Bugnarak are here" and, "You'll be there too……" is one of my favorites in the entire show. Desnarak VIII is family, as they share the same name "Narak," and the, "You'll be there too" was an expression of his feelings that he didn't want him to die, as Desnarak VIII's existence was a major factor in Jeramie's resolution to become king.

-The final episode had a perfect conclusion and everyone was satisfied-

After entering the new chapter, in episode 29, there was a scene in which I play a major role as the mastermind behind everything. It was difficult to find the right balance, but I acted with so much enthusiasm that I was willing to yell at everyone. As Jeramie, I wish for peace more than anyone else, as I want to protect everyone at the expense of myself, so I faced the situation as best as I could, which was both noble and heartbreaking.

Then, in episode 31, everyone fought to clear my (Jeramie's) name. I feel that Jeramie, who has been lonely for such a long time, had finally made true and kind friends. Also, the line "I love you" that he says to his mother (Nephila) in this episode really moved me. In episode 12, for those words he said, "There's no phrase in this world that's more cliche," but I didn't realize he would capture that foreshadowing so effectively.

There's a scene where he fights together with his mother towards the end of episode 49, and I'd like the parents who watch the show to pay attention to the relationship between us as parent and child.

Also, in episode 47, it was really intense when Grodie was given the "King's Proof." For Jeramie, the "King's Proof" is "eternal life," so he'll no longer be immortal if he uses it……The determination to reach that point was no ordinary feat, and it must've been very worrying. That's why the scene where Jeramie talks with Hymeno in front of the setting sun after making up his mind left such an impression on me. Marie was able to convey her thoughts clearly, so I was able to naturally get into the role, and I think the two of us were able to create a performance that worked well together.

The final episode perfectly portrayed Jeramie's role as the storyteller, which had continued from the first episode, and the story comes to a perfect conclusion based on what had happened so far. I was talking to everyone on set, and deep down, we feel we were able to end the show properly.

More than anything, I'm really satisfied that I was able to spend a year with this group. Throughout the year, I'm sure each of us had our own hard and painful times, but seeing everyone's faces on set made me feel at ease. I'm very grateful to the five of you who played the roles of king.

Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger: The Kings Group Discussion Over the past year of filming, the bonds of the cast have gradually deepened. Looking back on filming, we asked them about their "true opinions" that they can only talk about now.

-Fun memories from the past year-

Kaku: The first topic is "fun memories." Does that mean the casual conversations we all had while filming? (laughs). We all talked in the moment and everyone would laugh and go "wahaha" alot.

Hirakawa: On the other hand, filming alone made me feel really lonely. It was natural for me to be with everyone else.

Murakami: It was part of our daily routine to go out and eat with everyone after we finished filming. It was fun~.

Watanabe: Also, the day before the broadcast was part of the fun!

Sakai: It's really exciting to see your own performance on screen. And then there were the reactions after the broadcast.

Hirakawa: We were popular every week on SNS.

Kaku: Each time, the character with the most active role would be trending.

Ikeda: For me, the recording sessions were also fun.

Murakami: I'd see footage for scenes I wasn't in for the first time during the recording, so that was alot of fun too.

-The many true selves that everyone's seen-

Murakami: After spending time with everyone, the first thing that surprised me was that Taisei actually likes to play pranks.

Sakai: Eh? I've never played one once.

Kaku: That's a lie!

Murakami: You did stuff like add wasabi to our kaisendon (laughs).

Hirakawa: It was really spicy! (laughs).

Murakami: Or before our cue, you'd shout, "Whaa!" from behind us.

Sakai: I never did that~

Ikeda: Yes you did~

Hirakawa: He did that to me too (laughs).

Murakami: It was also abit surprising that Aoto, who I thought was cool at first, would also mess around.

Watanabe: Eh? Really?

Hirakawa: It's also surprising that he pretends not to know. Actually, he's "in charge of being cute" (laughs).

Murakami: Yeah, "the person in charge of being cute."

Watanabe: When I first learned about the cast of the kings, I thought I was going to be the "cute one" (laughs).

Hirakawa: That's what we're saying!

Sakai: For Marie, even when we were filming late at night and everyone was tired, she had a fun aura surrounding her.

Kaku: Her jokes were amazing. We listened to these awkward jokes as we continued to perform at other sites.

Murakami: My nickname became "Mood Breaker."

Watanabe: Eh? This is my first time hearing that!

Murakami: Are you a liar?

Watanabe: That's a really straightforward insult! (laughs).

Murakami: Ahahahaha.

Sakai: The usual pattern is that Marie suddenly says something strange and everyone laughs.

Murakami: At first, I thought, "I have to do this properly," but halfway through I gave up (laughs).

Hirakawa: No, you gave up early on.

Murakami: Ehehe (laughs).

Kaku: For Masashi, he tried his best in the beginning to join in, but soon the two of us started speaking nonsense in our dressing room.

Ikeda: Conversations where you turn off your brain.

Kaku: That's it (laughs).

Watanabe: Definitely, when I passed by Masashi's dressing room, I often heard his voice from inside.

Ikeda: I have a loud voice!

Watanabe: Not a single sound came from the dressing room me and Taisei shared (laughs).

Sakai: You two seemed to be having fun.

Murakami: Yuzuyan is the youngest of the members, but she's like an "older sister" in some ways.

Ikeda: Yeah, she has the image of a caring person.

Kaku: Still, you're the youngest in your family, right?

Hirakawa: Yes!

Watanabe: It's fine now, but when we first met, she wouldn't even look me in the eyes (laughs).

Hirakawa: I'm a shy person, but I usually talk alot to hide my shyness. However, I was really nervous at the beginning of King-Oher (bitter smile).

Watanabe: And now, you're a lively person!

Sakai: I'm also from Kyushu, so I felt a sense of familiarity from the beginning. That's why I don't think you had any major changes from beginning to end, right?

Hirakawa: But, at some point, I started speaking with a dialect.

Sakai: Ah, that's right.

Murakami: Yuzuyan gave her all from the beginning.

Hirakawa: That's because Kaku-san, the oldest of our group, affectionately embraced all of us.

Kaku: Yeah! Say more of that!

Ikeda: Because of that, there was an atmosphere on the set where we could talk about anything.

Sakai: He really brought the five of us together.

Kaku: That makes me happy! Thank you (laughs).

Murakami: How cute~

Kaku: No, this is seriously embarrassing.

Hirakawa: (to Watanabe) Aren't you in charge of being cute?

Watanabe: (laughs).

Kaku: Conversely, I was saved by everyone's good character. That's why I wanted to support everyone. I've always felt that way.

-Feelings I want to share with everyone now-

Kaku: If we were to take this opportunity to say a few words to everyone, I'd first start with Masashi. Thanks for always messing around with me!

Watanabe: I hope Masashi will continue to do well with his friendliness.

Sakai: I want to work together again with you even after this job ends!

Hirakawa: I really appreciate the way you always looked out for everyone during filming.

Murakami: When we all go out together, he takes the initiative to invite us. Thank you for creating so many memories.

Ikeda: Eh! I'm so happy! Marie has always been cheerful, and I hope she continues to do her best with her cheerful and beloved character!

Murakami: Yeah! I'll do my best!

Watanabe: I hope you keep that smile on your face.

Sakai: She has the kind of character that I wish I had as a childhood friend or something. You always had a smile on your face and brightened up the set.

Kaku: For her performance, in the Hymeno episode (episode 36), Hymeno, who was being impersonated by Kamejim, was really interesting. I'd like to see a performance like that in a different production.

Hirakawa: Marie has always supported me with her "harmonizing" spirit. On the other hand, from now on, I hope to be able to help her as much as possible.

Murakami: Yuzuyan is the one who has always been there for me. I think that's her strength, and I hope she continues to be there for many people.

Hirakawa: Of course! Thank you.

Kaku: Despite being the youngest, she was the hardest worker in our group. During the idol episode (episode 38), even though she was having a hard time during filming, she simply said, "I have to practice tomorrow and the day after tomorrow, and then the day after the day after tomorrow I have a costume fitting." That's what gave me courage and energy.

Watanabe: She was more aware of her surroundings than anyone else. You helped me there too.

Sakai: That's right. When I was alittle out of the loop, she'd casually come over to me.

Watanabe: I'd say it's okay to think for yourself from now on.

Ikeda: Right, take care of yourself more.

Watanabe: Be selfish.

Hirakawa: Well then, I guess my goal is to be Hymeno (laughs)

Murakami: For Kaku-san, when the time came, he'd show off his "dependable big brother" nature.

Ikeda: He's got a heart as generous as the universe itself.

Hirakawa: I asked Kaku-san for alot of advice during filming, and he always listened to everything. I'm sure I'll be asking him for advice again in the future.

Kaku: Please do, please do!

Watanabe: When I got heated, he'd calmly give me advice from an adult's point of view. I also got alot of advice from him.

Sakai: I'm not the type of person who can talk to others about things, but there were times when Kaku-san sensed that I was at a loss and approached me. That made me really happy.

Kaku: I was alittle worried that you'd all think, "How annoying" (laughs).

Murakami: Aoto seemed like he was laid back, but even when times were tough or difficult, he always made it a point to help liven up the mood.

Ikeda: Usually, Nabe-chan and I notice the same things. We'd both go, "Hmm?"

Watanabe: That's true! (laughs).

Ikeda: That made me happy.

Kaku: Also, he had a super funny and cute character. He made me laugh so much.

Hirakawa: In the beginning, I wasn't the type to talk much, but I was happy to open up to Aoto!

Sakai, Murakami, Kaku & Ikeda: Right?!

Watanabe: No, I think I opened up first.

Hirakawa: We opened up to each other. At first, I thought we'd never get along (laughs).

Watanabe: Eeeh~?

Hirakawa: I kept watching you from different angles, and then you spoke up unexpectedly. I spoke up too.

Ikeda: Such words! (laughs). (*she used alot of onomatopoeia)

Sakai: Aoto and I are the only ones who are the same age.

Ikeda: That's true

Sakai: Especially in the pilot (episodes 1-5), I still wasn't used to things, but I was really inspired by Aoto's good acting.

Watanabe: No, on the contrary, I was focused on Taisei.

Murakami: Taisei had a huge burden on his shoulders as the main character, and it must've been extremely difficult for him, but I thought it was really amazing that he didn't come off that way at all.

Ikeda: Yeah, I definitely respect that.

Hirakawa: You must've had a much harder year than us. Still, you never said "It's tough" or, "I'm tired" at all.

Sakai: No, there were times when it was tough.

Hirakawa: It's amazing that you never showed it.

Kaku: Taisei had alot of trial and error in the beginning, but halfway through, I learned alot from him, including how to switch between emotions and how to act. What'll happen when you play a different role in the future? Right now, I'm very excited about Taisei, and wonder what kind of actor he'll become in the future.

Murakami: After all, he's the "leader."

Ikeda: Thank you for being the leader of King-Ohger!

Sakai: Same here, thank you everyone!

Murakami: Even after this job ends, I want to see you all again.

Watanabe, Hirakawa, Kaku & Ikeda: We'll definitely get together again!

Retainer Cast Special Comments From the cast members who fulfilled their roles as competent followers, supporting the kings of each country, their comments have arrived.

Morioka Yutaka (Douga) Profile: A strong retainer who served as part of the entourage for Racules. After that, he went job hunting in the other countries but wasn't hired, so he became the retainer for the next king, Gira, and protected the country.

"Please tell us what you respect about Douga."

Morioka: He's someone who values etiquette, does his absolute best in everything he does, and lives his life honestly through his own convictions. He has a strong will that allows him to sincerely offer advice to his king, but I also like the fact that there's a part of him that's somewhat out of the ordinary and we get a glimpse into his cute side.

"What are your impressions of Gira and Racules (including Sakai Taisei and Masato Yano), and were there any memorable moments during filming?"

Morioka: I think that both of them have a perfect link between their own personalities and those of the roles they played. Sakai Husty-sama is kind to everyone, and his natural side that's visible in his hard work is endearing, which makes me smile when I see him on set. Yano Husty-sama built his performance with great delicacy and precision. He truly is Racules. Their appearance have a certain "aura" that allows me to be their retainer without forcing myself to be aware of it.

"Give a message to the character you played!"

Morioka: Douga, you must be exhausted from the many things you had to do to support your country and family…..Sometimes, it's good to spend time relaxing and not think about anything.

"What was your most memorable moment in King-Ohger?"

Morioka: It'd be episode 21, the episode where Douga's job hunting. I have fond memories of the staff working together to support me to the best of their ability, even in the silliest scenes, including the wonderfully strange costumes and props as I traveled around each country. Then, after the short but intense performances with the other retainers of each country, there was the serious last scene with Gira-san. It was great and I'm truly grateful.

"A message to all the retainer members of the other countries!"

Morioka: Shiokara, don't address the kings with "you." Sebastian, despite your appearance, I'm in awe of your physical ability. Kuroda, I'd like to learn from you your excellent fighting skills. Morphonia, you should try to be alittle more motivated everyday. (*form of "you" meaning you're inferior to the speaker)

"Please give a message to the fans of King-Ohger."

Morioka: This was my first time participating in the Super Sentai series, and I was surprised and moved by the amount of energy and love shown by all the tokusatsu fans, and I was able to make it through this because of everyone's support. I can only express my gratitude. Your words on SNS and other sites have been well received. Please continue to love King-Ohger!

Chiwata Yuhei (Shiokara) Profile: When they first met, he saw Yanma as a yankii with a bossy attitude, but admired him after learning of his manly spirit. After that, as Yanma became king of N'kosopa, he became his retainer.

"Please tell us what you respect about Shiokara."

Chiwata: There's alot, but the most important would be his charm. You could call it junior colleague energy, but I think he's good at building relationships and closing the distance with people. I was never good at such things, but as I got older, I began to realize the importance of it and started to practice, and little by little, my weakness turned into my strength. However, I'm still not as good as Shiokara-kun, so I'd like to use him as a reference (laughs).

"What are your impressions of Yanma (including Watanabe Aoto), and were there any memorable moments during filming?"

Chiwata: I feel that Yanma is a character whose emotional growth was depicted throughout all the episodes. I think it's cool that he's able to calmly, sometimes violently, confront everything that happens to him, and then use what he learns from it to take the next steps in his life. I think this is also due to Aoto's acting ability, so Yanma and Aoto are one and the same! The most memorable moment was in episode 10. I still vividly remember thinking that the way he created the atmosphere of the scene was wonderful, just like Aoto.

"Give a message to the character you played!"

Chiwata: Thank you so much for your hard work! Keep up with the most coolest Yanma-kun and follow him wherever he goes!

"What was your most memorable moment in King-Ohger?"

Chiwata: It's episode 35. I was very happy that Shiokara's character, which had been built up, was given depth, and that his past of being very different was depicted. It was a really hot development, and as an actor, there were many scenes that required alot of passion, so even preparing for it was fun. Until the actual performance, I would read the script everyday and think, "How would Aoto react if I did this?" Normally, I don't discuss the scripts with Aoto, so imagining it was part of the fun. What's more, we wouldn't know the title of an episode until the week before it aired, so when I saw the title, "Don't Cry Slack Jawed Tanuki," I was moved. The last bit of the episode was a perfect fit. Furthermore, I was overwhelmed with emotion when I heard that it was (screenwriter) Takano Minato-san who came up with the idea. I was also very happy that this episode won a special award at the "Toei Tokusatsu Fan Awards 2023."

"A message to all the retainer members of the other countries!"

Chiwata: Originally, I don't think the Super Sentai series featured so many sub characters. This is because there are already six members making up the main cast. However, I think the reason why the retainers have become so beloved is due to the fact that we all played appealing characters, and continued to support the main cast, who played the kings, in different ways in each country. This resulted in the popularity of "retainers". And for that, I'm grateful. Thank you so much!

"Please give a message to the fans of King-Ohger."

Chiwata: First off, thank you so much for sticking with us for the past year. I still think about how fortunate I am to have been involved in this production in the long history of the Super Sentai series. It was a great experience for me to see everyone's excitement online every week, and to then go to the set feeling like I was carrying everyone's voice with me as I performed. In this show, each character stands out, and I've seen the characters moving freely in everyone's minds through fanart, and I feel that this was a production that has been truly loved by everyone. There were alot of things that made me feel like, "Ah! I see, I definitely think Shiokara would say that! I think I'll do it! I want to play Shiokara like this!," and they were alot of fun to see. I also felt a real love for the people who participated as extras and prepared costumes for the different countries. Thank you so much. The Super Sentai series is revised every year, but I hope that King-Ohger will remain in your hearts forever. And, for those of you who are children now, I'd like you to go back and watch it again when you grow up. I'm sure you'll see it differently. Until then, let's meet again soon!

Yoshimitsu Hiroto (Sebastian) Profile: His real name is Romane Dearborn (aged 25). Under orders from Hymeno, he was given a "butler looking" elderly appearance through special makeup, and changed his name to "Sebastian" when he became Hymeno's retainer.

"Please tell us what you respect about Sebastian."

Yoshimitsu: I think that Sebastian's willingness to fulfill any of Hymeno-sama's selfish requests is worthy of respect. Sebastian's life was saved by Hymeno-sama, so he must be absolutely obedient to her orders. Well~ I think Sebastian understands the kindness and compassion that goes beyond Hymeno-sama's selfishness.

"What are your impressions of Hymeno (including Murakami Erica), and were there any memorable moments during filming?"

Yoshimitsu: I think that Murakami Erica-san is an impeccable young lady. There are no complaints when it comes to her appearance. She's bright and has a great personality! In addition, she's positive. Even when she's depressed because the performance isn't going as well as she'd like, she doesn't let it get her down, saying, "I've gained this experience, so I can use it in the next performance." In the first place, I don't have time to hold back (laughs). She had a hard time sitting down on set. When I asked her to "sit down," she replied, "Because all the extras are standing, I can't sit," which shows just how considerate she is. She's a really good kid!!

"Give a message to the character you played!"

Yoshimitsu: When playing Sebastian, my hair is slicked back, I wear glasses, and I have a mustache. His appearance is balanced by the fact that he wears a tailcoat, but while in casual clothes, with his "slicked back hair, glasses, and mustache," wouldn't he stand out? On the train ride home from the set, there wouldn't be that many people who'd sit next to me, right? (laughs). Well, that's because I did ride the train looking like that.

"What was your most memorable moment in King-Ohger?"

Yoshimitsu: Was it episode 25 with the 20 person combination? If I'm remembering right, I rode in God Scopion. It was a fresh new experience for me, both the cockpit and the controls. Also, episode 36, where Romane Dearborn appears, personally left a deep impression on me. It was Sebastian with his special makeup removed. We find out how the super handsome Romane Dearborn ended up in the special makeup, and why he serves Hymeno-sama as a butler who changed his name to "Sebastian"……It's my favorite episodes because it depicts the bond between Hymeno-sama and Sebastian.

"A message to all the retainer members of the other countries!"

Yoshimitsu: To all the retainers, thank you so much for getting along with me. Douga-san and Boshimar-san are relatively closer in age with me, so when filming ended in the evening, we used to go out and drink alot. Morphonia-chan was my partner who liked to talk with me alot about old man stuff. I also talked to Shiokara-kun and Kuroda-kun about various things. From now on, please continue to support Sebastian!

"Please give a message to the fans of King-Ohger."

Yoshimitsu: Thank you very much for your support of King-Ohger over the past year. No matter how interesting a show is, it's not complete unless everyone watches it. This time, King-Ohger has been seen by so many people, and I think everyone involved in this production feels happy. If it remains in your heart and you remember it someday, King-Ohger will live on forever!! Thank you so much.

Hasegawa Kasumi (Morphonia) Profile: She's Rita's retainer and candidate to ascend to the throne as Gokkan's king. While she has a lazy personality, she's always concerned about Rita and never gives up on her work despite complaining.

"Please tell us what you respect about Morphonia."

Hasegawa: Even though she complained about it, no matter how difficult the environment or situation was, she was able to do her job. And, she never gave up on communicating with Rita. If it were me, I would've given up halfway (laughs). I also respect her quick thinking and ability to look ahead. She's a surprisingly capable kid (laughs).

"What are your impressions of Rita (including Hirakawa Yuzuki), and were there any memorable moments during filming?"

Hasegawa: I think Rita was and still is an interesting person. It's great that we're able to see them in many different situations, with the self they show on the outside and the real them. They're pure in a good way. When I first met Yuzuchin, I thought, "Waaah! It's Rita!! Rita's appeared!!" (laughs). When you talk to her, she's even friendlier, kinder, and more dependable than Rita. My partner. Also, I guess our most memorable moment was……the kabedon. I couldn't stop laughing (laughs).

"Give a message to the character you played!"

Hasegawa: When Chikyu is at peace, please relax and enjoy eating oranges under a kotatsu. Make sure to apply for paid vacations and eat lots of delicious food. Also, please continue to support Rita.

"What was your most memorable moment in King-Ohger?"

Hasegawa: It's episodes 10, 25, 38, and 45. I was impressed by the gradual deepening of her relationship with Rita. While reading the scripts, I felt that the way Rita and Morphonia relationship grew closer was very endearing. I remember that even when I was actually performing, there was a warm feeling within me. And the more we filmed these scenes, the more I came to love Rita.

"A message to all the retainer members of the other countries!"

Hasegawa: Douga-san, We look forward to welcoming your career change at Gokkan any time. Boshimar-san, I've had almost no interactions with the real Boshimar-san, so let's meet in Hakabaka if you get a chance. When the opportunity arises of course. Shiokara, I've been curious about this for awhile now, but what's up with your curly bang? Sebastian, you've been a great help to my Rita. Thanks for your continued support. Kuroda-san, next time, please treat me to some delicious food. Gerojim, you're alittle bigger than the others, so please consider your range when moving. That tail will hit you.

"Please give a message to the fans of King-Ohger."

Hasegawa: Thank you for supporting King-Ohger up to this point! Even though there were many strong "personalities" among the kings, they were able to reach the same goal in the end. Through this production, I also learned the strength of valuing one's own individuality and respecting the individuality of others. I hope that King-Ohger, which was created by many people including myself, will remain in everyone's memories. And with that, see you later!!

Kanzaki Hajime (Kuroda's Actor) Profile: A male kuroko who serves as the retainer to Toufu's king, Kaguragi. Although his face isn't shown, his movements are gorgeous and he's got a very nice voice.

"Please tell us what you respect about Kuroda."

Kanzaki: It's possible that he's known Kaguragi for a long time, but since becoming his retainer, he's kept the "king and retainer" relationship, and has been thinking and acting in accordance to his position as a kuroko. He's sometimes missing, but he has a cute side. And, he has a nice voice (thanks to Toriumi Kosuke-san!).

"What are your impressions of Kaguragi (including Kaku So), and were there any memorable moments during filming?"

Kanzaki: He's big! Of course, he's also tall, but his muscle mass and costume makes him look even bigger. In his spare time, he does muscle training with Masato Yano-san and others, and he'll work on his shoulders using a folding chair, so he's definitely stoic! Other than that, when the Director gave me the "OK" for a take in the film where I use a trampoline as Kuroda, he was happy and said, "You did it!" He's a magnificent man, not only with his body but also with his kind heart, it's as if he's Toufu's mother nature!

"Give a message to the character you played!"

Kanzaki: I read somewhere that originally there was no role for "Kuroda," but I started speaking lines along the way, and I'm grateful for this blessed year. Once the matter with the Uchu King has been settled, please take a good rest.

"What was your most memorable moment in King-Ohger?"

Kanzaki: It's episode 9, where I spoke as Kuroda for the first time. It was also fun to mess around with the other retainers! As for Toufu, it would be episode 37. It was like a Taiga Drama that condensed Kaguragi's past, which had been told little by little in the main story and the film into this one episode, and I was relieved that abit of Kuroda's past was also revealed.

"A message to all the retainer members of the other countries!"

Kanzaki: Boshimar-sama (Fukuzawa Jubun), I have fond memories of being mistaken for (Masato) Tsutamune-san when I first met him (laughs). He has a strong passion for acting, and I learned alot from him. I got goosebumps when I played the role of a soldier against him! Douga-sama (Morioka Yutaka), It was great that you got to play the role of a handsome old man with a family. On the other hand, when you were being interviewed in various countries, you were really funny and your actions were cool! Your style is good! Shiokara-sama (Chiwata Yuhei), He was always thinking stoically and calmly about how to make the viewers happy, which was a great inspiration! His style is good! Sebastian (Yoshimitsu Hiroto): Thank you so much for talking to me in your spare time and for thinking about a bunch of ideas for the flow of the performance on set! It's a pity that you couldn't do a backflip……If the opportunity arises, let's film it! Morphonia-sama (Hasegawa Kasumi), She had a "floaty" vibe, but she knew what was expected of her and was very stoic on the inside. It was wonderful to see her naturally embody what a senior colleague once told me, "Create fans among the staff." It's a pity that she couldn't do a back handspring……please do it if the opportunity arises! Gerojim-sama (Saitou Kenya, Suit Actor), With Gerojim's arrival, the retainer team became even more lively. The delicate acting that linked Seki Tomokazu-san's voice with his large body was wonderful! It's a pity that you couldn't perform a reverse somersault……If the opportunity arises… (laughs).

"Please give a message to the fans of King-Ohger."

Kanzaki: Everyone, thank you so much for supporting King-Ohger. It was a very meaningful year for me, as I was able to see the scenes in a different way than usual in the Action Club, I was able to appear on TikTok while rubbing shoulders with talented performers, and I was able to become part of the merchandise. Thank you so much for your letters and presents as well! I'll study so that I won't have any trouble when Kuroda appears again, thank you for your continued support!

Seki Tomokazu (Gerojim's VA) Profile: He's a Kaijim equipped with mayfly BNA and can mimic the appearance of humans by applying light refraction. He's currently working with Jeramie, who has become the king of the Bugnarak.

"Please tell us what you respect about Gerojim."

Seki: Ultimately, I think it's his unwavering faith. Even when he's lost, troubled, or frustrated, in the end, he tries to follow through with his beliefs. I respect his heart and attitude, which is like a blue flame, quiet but never extinguished.

"What are your impressions of Jeramie, and during recording, were there any episodes with memorable moments?"

Seki: First of all, I'm disappointed that I didn't get to work with Ikeda Masashi-san, who played Jeramie, even once during recording. When I saw Jeramie's performance during the broadcasts, I felt that his soft demeanor, intelligence, and his somewhat lonely appearance were all wonderful. I'd like to directly talk with him in person someday!

"Give a message to the character you played!"

Seki: I'm so glad you found a nice place to belong. I hope you'll feel safe and secure at Jeramie's side for all eternity.

"What was your most memorable moment in King-Ohger?"

Seki: That we were all able to ride the Shugods with the kings! I've ridden in Robo's as an enemy in previous productions, but I think the opportunity to ride a Robo in the Super Sentai series is very valuable! Even though it was just my voice, it was great to feel like I was in the fight with them!

"Please give a message to the fans of King-Ohger."

Seki: This year has flown by! I'm sure that everyone else feels the same way. However, I believe that the story will continue! Please continue to support King-Ohger, and let's see where we end up, together!

206 notes · View notes

todayisafridaynight · 1 month

Text

#masadai #not really but. filter purposes #rgg #ryu ga gotoku #ryu ga gotoku 2 #ryu ga gotoku 7 #yakuza series #yakuza 2 #yakuza kiwami 2 #yakuza 7 #yakuza like a dragon #daigo dojima #masato arakawa #snap sketches #sorry the tones are so different i drew masato first and then went 'well i have to draw something with daigo or itll be unbalanced'#and i cant only ever imagine daigo. emo.#it got the energy of them memes where its like 'X's adventure: //whimsy// Y's adventure: //the horrors//'#oops. .... lol...#had that twilight filter on my dome the whole time ..#but nawww tbh i was just doodling last night and had the headshots since i wanted to practice redrawin refs i have #also i realized i wanted to try giving masato blue/purple lips ... cause i really appreciate that detail on his model ..#love how pale he is before the injection #ok bye

123 notes · View notes

tokidokitokyo · 1 month

Text

Japanese Dramas

that I watched in January/February & my thoughts on them ^.^

VIVANT

VIVANT - (Netflix) A drama about corporate and political espionage that takes place in a fictional country called Balka but is filmed in Japan and Mongolia. I love the main stars Sakai Masato and Abe Hiroshi, and the various references to Sakai's previous show Hanzawa Naoki (the director of which also directs Vivant). There is a lot of action and I found the story very interesting, but in the middle it slows down for an episode, so just push through that part lol. 5/5 particularly for the cast.

ペンディングトレイン―8時23分、明日君と

Pending Train - (Netflix) A train car full of normal, everyday people are suddenly thrown together in an unknown location where they have no idea what is going on. They cannot contact anyone else, and they must learn to survive and to work together. Here the main trio are played by amazing actors (Yamada Yuki, Akaso Eiji, Kamishiraishi Moka) and the story line kept me interested until the end. 5/5 acting and storyline all around.

御手洗家、炎上する

Burn the House Down - (Netflix) A fire destroys a whole family, but years later the daughter can’t accept that her mother, who was left without a memory of the events, was the arsonist. She infiltrates the house of the person she thinks is responsible for this tragedy and works to solve this mystery. Nagano Mei is great as the protagonist and Suzuki Kyoka is an amazing antagonist, and the twists and turns will leave you wanting to binge this drama quickly. 5/5 for suspense and for making me nervous right through to the end.

恋はつづくよどこまても

An Incurable Case of Love - (Netflix) If you liked Itazura na Kiss you’ll like this drama! A girl recognizes her dream of becoming a nurse so she can be by the side of the doctor she met in high school. But he’s kind of a jerk. Plenty of ドキドキ (fast heartbeat) and 胸キュン (that squeeze in your chest) for romance drama fans. Hospital setting so beware of the mild hospital type things that come along with it. Some deep subject matter as well. Kamishiraishi Mone and Satoh Takeru with excellent acting for your troubles. 5/5 for making my heart race (this was my second time watching it!).

#japanese drama #jdrama #ドラマ #vivant #pending train #ペントレ #burn the house down #御手洗家、炎上する #an incurable case of love #恋はつづくよどこまても

61 notes · View notes

indigozeal · 4 months

Text

AT LONG LAST: the interview translations from the Baten Kaitos artbook are finally finished with conversations with composer Motoi Sakuraba and the Japanese voice cast. (If you haven't checked it out previously, this document also contains translations of interviews with illustrator Nakaba Higurashi, scriptwriter Masato Kato, and the producers & directors.)

For many, the interview with Sakuraba will be the highlight, but I personally found most memorable this spoilery bit below the cut from Kalas's Japanese voice actor Kousuke Toriumi, which explains precisely why he was chosen for the role:

In the middle of the story, there's a scene where you betray your comrades; your performance there must have been difficult, wasn't it? Toriumi: I didn't think it was particularly tough! I actually ended up enjoying that scene itself, and when I read it, I thought, "oh, wow, I betrayed them!! Yahoo!"

Congratulations, you absolute, perfectly-cast dick.

#baten kaitos #motoi sakuraba #kousuke toriumi #chiaki takahashi #kiyoyuki yanada #daisuke kishio #mayumi asano #eriko nakayama #(nothing past yanada will get past tumblr's 'only the first five tags count' tagging system but anyhow)#translations #also lyude's voice actor could not possibly care less #savyna's va voicing sara from csi: lol #(there are numerous paper flecks in the first pic no matter how much i brush before shooting everything shows up on that desk i'm sorry)#ETA NEWS FLASH: while correcting a typo i learned that gibari's va also voiced ghaleon #and that he sadly passed away of cancer in late 2022 at 57 #he was mike haggar too holy mackerel pour one out

62 notes · View notes

sunnfish · 9 months

Text

[ID: A digital illustration of Tashiro Gonzaburou and Hanzawa Masato from Sasaki to Miyano; they are standing by a blue vending machine in an area presumed to be on the outside of the school, both wearing their school summer uniforms. Tashiro is on the left, his body mostly turned towards the machine and his head is looking over at Hanzawa, smiling as if talking; he holds a drink in his hand and looks as if he’s opening it. Hanzawa on the right is mostly facing the viewer, one arm crossed and the other holding a drink near his face. He is also smiling and talking. The color palette consists of blue and purple shadows and yellow and green lighting; sunset light shines from the right of the canvas, casting long shadows to the left. The artist’s signature “sunnfish 2023” is written on the corner of the vending machine, near their feet. /End ID]

the vending machine near the back has milk tea!

[ID: the same image as above, but showing a blank background with disparate scribbles showing where the artist rendered the different areas. /End ID]

Also cool byproduct of my process ^_^ what i usually do is just color and sketch and then paint over it like this and it sometimes looks cool :]

#hi. back to your regularly scheduled hanzashiro posting #^_^#idea I’ve had for a while #needed to get over myself trying to get the composition perfect and just do it #so here we are finally #anyways. ^_^#sunnfish.pdf #my art #sasaki to miyano #sasaki and miyano #hanzawa to tashiro #hanzashiro #hanzawa masato #tashiro gonzaburou

92 notes · View notes

utxpri · 3 months

Note

Harem au where reader likes boy on boy and they ‘use’ more than one of the boys at a time. Also who would top and who would be the bottom? For starish

Oooooh, fun~ XD

. . .

Otoya

It's the first time someone's wanted him to do this kind of thing, but Otoya is determined to do well! He's mostly just concerned about meeting your expectations— putting on a show like this isn't all that different from what he's used to, after all. He's pretty versatile, so whether he tops or bottoms depends on who his partner is. And either way, he's equally eager to please.

Masato

Despite the initial, reflexive flare of embarrassment, what you're wanting is still perfectly within the realm of normal for his role. Masato approaches this task with the same determination he does anything else; in the end, pleasing you is what matters. He'd prefer to top if given a choice in the matter, but can adapt to bottoming just as well, should that be what you request.

Natsuki

Though he's a little uncertain at first, it's more nerves than any actual discomfort with this particular display. Natsuki usually ends up bottoming (he's much too shy to take the lead), and he soon realizes that having you there watching it happen makes him feel wonderfully cute and small. However, should Satsuki come out, he's more inclined to take the opposite (aggressive) role.

Tokiya

If that's what you're into, he'll do it. That's all the more thought Tokiya lets himself have on the matter— his job is to please you, and any personal feelings are irrelevant to that. The whole situation is just one more role, to him, so even whether he tops or bottoms is entirely dependent on what you want to see. Either way, he'll play up his reactions to fit the part you're expecting.

Ren

He's been with men before, so this is nothing new. Ren considers it just one more way to show off to you... even though he'd really rather be only yours to use (not that he'll let himself think such a selfish thing for long). Whether he tops or bottoms depends almost entirely on what he thinks you want to see, and even during the act, it's obvious that his primary focus is still on you.

Syo

He initially bristles a bit at the idea, but that's mostly just his usual fear of looking weak (or "cute"). Syo adjusts to the set-up fairly quickly— if he's topping, at least. Bottoming for someone else you own is different, and the embarrassment is a lot harder to swallow that way. He doesn't want to look so pathetic for anyone else, even if you're still the one directing it all from the sidelines.

Cecil

He's a bit hesitant, at first (he's supposed to belong to you, and you want someone else to touch him...?), but all it takes is a bit of encouragement to change his mind. Cecil wants you to be pleased with him, so thinking he'll be praised is good enough reason to try. He's very much a bottom and pillow prince, though, so whoever you've put him with will be doing most of the work.

21 notes · View notes

aranarumei · 4 months

Text

bonus hanzawa to tashiro (ft. the anomalous agate)

have you read the anomalous agate? yes? if so, this is the bonus I was talking about—if not, as long as you know what I mean by hanzawa to tashiro, this should still make sense. if you were introduced to hanzawa and tashiro as characters through the anomalous agate and that alone, consider reading this post where I explain little but talk a lot.

this bonus scene takes place between the two scenes in ch 4 of the anomalous agate. specifically, it takes place around two weeks after the first scene in ch 4 / a week before the last scene in ch 4, during tashiro's cultural festival as a third-year.

and since this exists within the context of the anomalous agate, which is written first-person and trying to emulate seigi's pov, this bonus is written in tashiro's pov, and attempts to blend my style with tashiro's first-person narration in love & passion.

ok I think I've spent enough time talking. fun stuff is below the cut!

bonus: hanzawa to tashiro, ft. the anomalous agate

Tashiro Gonzaburou, third-year. At the moment, I was experiencing a horrible case of déjà vu.

Two years ago, I’d lost so badly at a ping pong match that I’d stumbled my way into being the captain of the ping pong club. And as much as I liked the club, and had even gotten pretty good at ping pong, I was still pretty annoyed about having been tricked into joining.

Though the former captain of the ping pong club who’d tricked me then wasn’t the former captain in front of me now, I couldn’t help but feel the way I had then—cornered.

It was hard to pinpoint the exact reason. Maybe it was the black and red sailor uniform I was wearing. But Kuresawa had worn it just fine the year before, so even though I hadn’t shaved my leg hair, I couldn’t have looked too bad. I’d also worn this specific outfit quite a few times—we’d needed to adjust the fit, and I’d needed to practice my lines. Maybe it was the makeup I was getting done. But I’d tried some of that before, too. Getting blush dusted on my cheeks had gone almost exactly as the same as it had last time.

Almost, except for one thing: it was way too quiet. The guy sitting in front of me, Hanzawa Masato, was probably used to that kind of thing. In fact, he was the type to take a normal silence, extend it until I felt awkward, and then mercilessly tease me whenever I blurted out something to fill the space.

“Weird to see you with earrings on,” I said. …And here I was, falling for it again.

Hanzawa-senpai didn’t seem fazed at all by what I’d just said, but he was an annoying guy who looked the same whether he was angry or not. “You’ve seen me wear them before, though?”

“Not in school,” I pointed out. Hanzawa-senpai had been a terrible sadist of a president, but he was squeaky-clean about the way he did it. Even now, with his earrings clearly visible, he was the perfect picture of a model student working in quiet concentration.

Hanzawa-senpai hummed in thought, his hands rummaging through the bag of makeup products he’d left on a nearby desk. “Well, I’m not a student anymore,” he said with a shrug. “Even so, aren’t they fairly hidden?”

As if—they were small, and a plain steel color, but it was Hanzawa-senpai. Of course I couldn’t stop staring.

“Trying to hide your delinquent ways?” I asked, not expecting a serious answer. Hanzawa-senpai’s secrets probably had secrets. He’d passed over his title of captain to me, so I knew his caginess wasn’t completely because I was unreliable, but it still bothered me.

“If you’re looking for a delinquent, look in the mirror,” Hanzawa-senpai teased, and then produced some kind of torture contraption from his bag. “Now don’t move, okay?”

I yelped and threw my hands up in self-defense. “You can’t put that thing near my face!”

Hanzawa-senpai just laughed at me, close enough that I could feel his breath on my face. Sadist!

“It’s just an eyelash curler, Tashiro-kun,” he drawled. “Calm down, would you?”

I shook my head furiously. “No way,” I said, ready to fight for my life. When we’d gone over the basics, this guy hadn’t mentioned this step—I’d bet anything it was purposeful! “How can—”

A warm hand curled around my wrists, and I froze. Hanzawa-senpai pulled my hands away from my face, pressing in close, and made an order: “Sit still, would you?”

I’d barely listened when he was captain of the ping pong club, but something about his voice held me in place. I’d never really thought about it before, but Hanzawa-senpai had one of those storybook-narrator voices—the kind that made even simple things sound weirdly compelling. And then he had to go be one of the most eloquent people I’d met, too.

So, my eyes, which I thought would never hold still, obediently refrained from twitching as Hanzawa-senpai slowly curled my lashes.

The process was less painful than I thought, but it was still freaky—my vision was half metal, and so even though I knew that Hanzawa-senpai was right in front of me, the only real cue for that was the way he kept murmuring instructions into my ears. Once he’d curled my eyelashes, he carefully applied mascara, and then leaned back to survey his work.

I could finally breathe again. My eyes felt… different?

“Blink a few times,” Hanzawa-senpai suggested.

After taking his advice, I got a bit more used to the feeling. “Huh.”

“Eyeshadow next.” After that announcement, Hanzawa-senpai started digging through his bag again.

“Right,” I suddenly remembered, “Were you planning on buying something fancy?” At Hanzawa-senpai’s blank stare, I elaborated, “Fancy earrings. Since there’s that jeweler guy you’re friends with.”

“Not friends,” Hanzawa-senpai corrected after a beat. “I’ve met him a total of four times.”

You’re counting?

For two people who weren’t friends, they sure had talked to each other like they were. And now Hanzawa-senpai was looking through his stuff with a strange look in his eyes, so I’d clearly touched some kind of nerve.

I sighed. “Do you have to overthink everything?”

He didn’t even pause his search. “Maybe you could stand to think more?”

“Hey!” I crossed my arms. I think about you all the time, don’t I?

“…Okay, that was a little rude,” Hanzawa-senpai admitted. “Forgive me?” When he smiled, his eyes would always curve in a way that made it impossible to be angry.

“…We’re doing eyeshadow next, right?”

Instead of answering, he pressed an eyeshadow palette in my hand. Palette wasn’t the right word—what did you call something that was just one eyeshadow? Before I could think too hard about it, I got distracted by the eyeshadow’s color. “…You’re not colorblind, are you?”

“I can tell that’s green,” Hanzawa-senpai said, clearly amused. “No, that’s just for you.” He gestured to the eyeshadow palette in his hands, which was way more color-appropriate. “Close your eyes.”

I did close them, but I couldn’t stop thinking—what did “just for you” mean?

After I’d faced an eyelash curler, the eyeshadow and eyeliner didn’t seem so bad. The hardest part was staying still—how did some girls do this daily?

Once Hanzawa-senpai was done, he tugged me to a standing position, and moved a few steps away to check the result. Judging by the irritating smugness radiating from his expression, he’d done a good job.

“Where’d you get this eyeshadow?” I asked, holding up the one still clutched in my hand. I couldn’t bring myself to ask why.

“…When I was helping Seigi cover his bruise, I happened to find it, and—” He shrugged, deliberately casual. “You like that shade of green.”

I did. It was my favorite color, and I wore it all the time. But I still didn’t understand why Hanzawa-senpai had gotten this eyeshadow for me. And I didn’t understand why my chest felt so weird when I heard him talk about Seigi.

“…Is that everything, then?” I asked.

“There’s lip gloss,” Hanzawa-senpai said, handing me a tube of the stuff, “but that’s easy enough for you to do. Sit down, but turn to the side—I’ll do your hair.”

I had a faint memory of Shirahama saying he didn’t trust anyone else with hairstyling, but I figured he’d accept Hanzawa-senpai’s skills, so I didn’t protest.

In this new setup, I was stuck staring at a random classroom wall. Though I couldn’t see Hanzawa-senpai standing behind me, I could feel the brush he was carefully pulling through my hair, working through the tangles with a steady hand.

“You know,” I said, “why didn’t you ever do the contest yourself? You’d be so good at it.”

“I prefer to be on the sidelines for this kind of thing, I think.”

“Makes sense,” I said. “But if you did—oh, you’d have to pick out a name!”

“A name?”

“It’s a conversation I had with Kuresawa. Like, his girl name would be Tasuko. And I could just shorten my first name to be something like Gon-chan. For you, maybe… Masako?”

I thought he’d laugh at my lack of naming sense, but instead, Hanzawa-senpai just shook his head. “That one’s out—it’s my sister’s name.”

“Ah—that’s right, you have a few siblings, don’t you?”

“I do. And you’re quite obviously an only child.”

“How do you know that?”

He simply smiled. “It’s impossible not to.”

“...Sure,” I said.

I didn’t have an immediate reply, so I unscrewed the tube of lip gloss. It was easy enough to apply, even without a mirror, so once that was over, my thoughts wandered.

What kind of magical, mystical quality did having siblings give to someone? Maybe even thinking that was what made me an only child, but really…

I stole a glance up at Hanzawa-senpai. If this guy was my brother, I don’t know if I would cry or laugh.

As it turned out, you couldn’t unnoticeably look upwards when you had someone’s hands fiddling with your hair. Our gazes met, and Hanzawa-senpai smiled—like a cat who’d gotten the canary. I stayed frozen in place as he leaned down.

“Alright, Gon-chan,” Hanzawa-senpai purred. “It looks like you’re all set.”

My face turned instantly, abruptly red. No wonder Miyano had said I’d been way too casual about accepting the name. It definitely, definitely, without a doubt, definitely, definitively, couldn’t be used casually!

Hanzawa-senpai straightened back up. “...Tashiro-kun?”

“I—” My voice came out way too high. “I’m going to ask Shirahama to help with my hair!”

Then I ran as fast as my legs could carry me.

(...Running in a skirt wasn’t that hard—it was actually kind of fun—but that was the last thing on my mind, then.)

#so yeah in case its obvious: I'm not doing two versions of this scene #i have one half-written but 1) it needs a lot more work and 2) i kind of feel like this stands on its own and #itd be worse if it had to accompany smthing subpar #maybe another day maybe never is where I'm at about it now #anyways. i don't think anyone will be too mad lol #i just felt the need to clarify #kiri.txt #hanzawa to tashiro #the anomalous agate #hanzashiro #tashiro gonzaburou #hanzawa masato #my writing

26 notes · View notes

b0nten · 5 months

Text

BLOOMING FLOWERS SPRING CAN’T FEEL

[SYNOPSIS] ˚⁀➷｡ what more is there to hate when life takes away the one you loved the most?

[NOTES] ˚⁀➷｡ for my bae @insomniac-jay <3, took so long because i tried to do the best research i could, and because i never liked what i wrote until today. also! if you squint, it’s slight naoto x reader but it doesn’t really matter. i hope you like it!!!! not proofread

you still can’t grasp it, it sort of feels surreal.

just like this morning felt, when you put your kimono on, and did your hair. hina loved the way you looked in traditional clothing, she said it made you shine.

and albeit you two’s pictures flooding the tachibana home, you were still surprised when her mom rang your doorbell to gift you a box, feeling slightly heavier than the last silk garment they had given you while you and hina were still in high school.

“please wear it, y/n-chan, ” ryoko’s voice was just as gentle as you remembered it growing up, but it was sad, “they make you…shine.” and full of anguish.

you could only nod, swallowing back the thick saliva that was gathering in your throat, blinking back the tears with the same eyes ryoko knew how to read as if they were her own daughter’s. reaching out for your hand longer than usual, she only smiled.

you still didn’t quite grasp it, not even when you put on your pearl necklace, and locked your front door, heading down the apartment block’s stairs, like usual.

it was like your normal way to school, and later, uni, and even later, work, walking exactly 100 meters and riding for 7 minutes and a half, before switching lines at otomachi, and riding for another 5 minutes. this time only, you had to take the south exit instead of the north one, and stroll for thirteen minutes, passing by a park, a bakery, two liquors shops and some sky-rise towers.

“welcome.”

it was different, because you entered the funeral home, where the assistant, ready to guide you to the high-school colleagues category, was interrupted by naoto. he simply took your hand and walked you over to the rest of the family. you were used to seeing naoto on saturdays, not fridays or the both of them. you had seen him yesterday, at the wake, when it was friday, so it almost went like any other day. or that’s at least how your mind put it.

and when you were sitting down, eyes glued to the monk’s back as he chanted out the prayers, naoto’s hand still found a way to get to yours, firm touch against glass skin, afraid he’d break it any minute now.

and now you sit between your younger brother and his mother that took you in when you were at flourish in your heydays, deafly listening to a monk chanting a sutra for hinata. you glance over at her and can’t help but think how beautiful she looks in the matching kimono, and how much hina resembles her. resembles, not resembled, she’ll now forever keep her beauty.

you heard japanese people experience three religions in their lifetime: birth as shintoism, marriage as christianity and death as buddhism, but you didn’t even go through one. hell, hina herself only went through two.

and whereas ryoko always told naoto to stop hurting the table because even the piece of wood had its own life itself and the boy silently complied, you were stuck figuring out what it is that you believed in. you believed in kindness. the kind of kindness hina showed you, that was the firm conclusion you accepted, so now you could only pray that the afterlife was going to show her the same gentleness and love she gave the world, her journey smooth in crossing over the sanzu river and mind clear in choosing the paths she takes, making it easy for her soul to find serenity.

you wake up once you’re signaled to join the incense rite. with slightly shaking fingers you pinch up the dry fragrance, touching it against your forehead. amidst blurred vision and hours of unslept time, you see masato wipe a ghost of a tear with the back of his crisp black suit. you set the incense in the flame bowl, and walk away, next to the parents, pupils blown and face puzzled, as if you don’t know what the world you live in is. you see familiar faces; old classmates and family friends of the tachibanas’ that you got to meet long time ago, cousins, teachers, and ex-coworkers. you think you notice some of them staring at you, what is she doing here? — what is she doing there? — next to your best friend’s family.

naoto definitely sees them, he definitely notices their judging looks, but today he can’t do justice. he won’t, because he likes to think he’s partly come to terms with his sister’s death, but no matter what, police academy never prepares you to lose your sister when you least expect it.

he throws a quick glance over his shoulder, reassuring himself you’re still there although you don’t look or feel like you’re there at all, bones wrapped in flesh, wrapped in soft black silk. you start to think maybe there is something wrong with you.

grief is a weird emotion with no textbook manifestation. there is no right or wrong way to feel following a loss. but why don’t you feel anything? why do you know that it’s happening, but you’re not fully in yet? why can’t you scream or cry or whimper or fake a smile. why has your whole face been frozen this whole time?

people come and people go and like an old charlie chaplin movie on repeat, the same action you have done repeats itself a million of times fast forwarded until your mind goes blank. you feel black-and-white.

naoto taps your shoulder. “do you want to see the body?” he eases you into it. he was always such a gentle soul.

you try to say something but choke on the words. he sees, eyes widening as his muscles tense. you only nod, and he walks with you to the casket.

maybe if you see it, your mind will take on it. you’re given a flower, the white chrysanthemum you dreaded to even think about, and the same happens to naoto.

the people in front of you all put their flowers in the casket, small step by even smaller step allowing you to approach her face. it’s just the same, except it isn’t glowing, or happy or doing anything. she’s not singing, she’s not moving. she’s dead. you know it. but why can’t you acknowledge it?

you reach into the deep inside pocket of the kimono, a neatly kept, small picture grazing the white coffin. you don’t ponder, and lay it next to your friend.

naoto freezes when he sees it. he took it, the day is burned into his memory so deeply that if he were to ever lose his reminiscence, this is the only recollection he’d have. it’s you and his sister. you’re dressed in kimonos — that was your first time wearing it — and you were excited. just fresh into spring, you both chose to wear pink: hina’s dress had delicate camellias on it, scattered playfully all around the fabric, while yours had orange blossoms intricately all across. it also was your first time wearing getas; your feet hurt so bad he had to call his dad to carry you home by the end of the festival. he didn’t mind it though, because you had fun that evening.

he reaches for the picture and looks at the back.

“doesn’t this kimono make her shine, naoto?”

“yes, it definitely does.”

scribbled on the thin paper are some almost unrecognizable kana and kanji, but naoto knows what they say by heart. he slips the square into his sleeve and puts his flower in his sister’s casket instead.

not long after everyone is done saying their goodbyes, the tachibanas and you head to the crematorium. ryoko holds your hand as she picks up the bones and sets them in the urn, and you try your best to soothe a mourning mother’s aching heart.

once everything is done, you pass the envelope to the receptionist. it’s a little over a million, and you see it on the woman’s face that she knows it too, by the width of the wrapping. you didn’t notice how much money it was until you recounted it, half an hour before leaving your apartment, so you just left it all there. no 10.000 bills, no crisp bills, at least that.

she hands you the little bag with salt, tea and snacks and you bow before leaving the crematorium.

“y/n, wait!” a voice you know very well shouts after you, tall silhouette speeding from the building into the same darkness you’re headed into.

“mom said to walk you home.” naoto looks down at you gently, as if he’s your big brother and not the other way around.

“you know you’re not actually my older sister, right?” he interrupts your exact thoughts, “we’re the same age, you were fortunate enough to be in the same grade as hinata, that’s all.” he taunts, taking you back to your salad days.

you smile approvingly and he doesn’t hesitate to take the gift bag from your hand, and walk right beside you.

the air is grim and you still feel a little bit unreal. you feel limitless, but like a void, rather than the young shoujo manga protagonist you always dreamt of being, and you can feel it in naoto’s breath too, how he tries to not let the anger drown him out. you know it’s unbearable for him too.

halfway through the walk, he breaks the silence.

“i’m glad you finally learned how to walk in getas.” he admits, and you look up. a genuine laugh stifles from your throat and his face lights up.

“naoto,” you say, “these are zoris. i wasn’t going to attend a funeral in geta sandals.” explaining, you watch his face drop in embarrassment.

“yes, i totally saw that…!”he stutters but continues to joke, hinting at the past, talking of hina as if she’s still there, next to you. in passing moments of silence, you feel overwhelmed, guilty.

faith’s a game of cat and mouse, and you play it just like you want. you laugh with naoto and you realize it’s nice to feel this sense of .. belonging. in between numbness and denial, he made your day a little better. he took some of the burden off, he ripped some of the weeds growing between your lungs, letting you breathe normally again, granting you a peaceful moment in what felt like a lifetime since your best friend died.

you step foot into the apartment building, giddy and smiley, but it all vanishes once you look around. it’s dull, it’s ugly. and you feel like you’re right next to hinata. that’s how she made you feel every time you came back from a night out in the city, arm slung around her shoulder laughing at everything she said, almost knocking over the both of you.

you look around as you climb every step and somehow, the laughs and the joy all seem to disappear in the place you spent some of the most time with her.

when you reach your front door, it feels almost surreal again, because instead of hina behind you, it’s the boy you grew up with. he looks nothing like her — he takes after his father — but he feels so familiar that when he stops you from entering your home your breath hitches a little.

“don’t forget to throw the salt.” he reminds with a slight lecture in his voice, like his sister once said “don’t forget to change your shoes.”

so, when your wrist brushes past your shoulder-blade, your zoris break under the memories you shared along the way and the ones etched into the walls of the hall.

you tug at your necklace as you finally let yourself cry.

you finally know it’s real, even more so, because you feel not one, but two familiar presences engulfing you in warmth.

one strokes your hair with the palm that keeps you pressed into his shoulder, while the other hand looks at an old photograph, and the second hugs you both, wanting to lecture you with the love and gentleness of an older sister that didn’t get to say her part.

33 notes · View notes