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ventiaoo · 2 years

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HIIII....!!! Can I request Izumi being a total simp to FemS/o but he complete denies it. Thank uuuuuuu

You Are Such A Simp

Characters: Izumi Sena, Arashi Narukami, Leo Tsukinaga, Ritsu Sakuma and Tsukasa Suo.

(Warning): Izumi being a simp.

Whehehe I really love this idea, Izumi being such a simp then denying it because of how prideful he is. Anyway- sorry this took very long, school is stressing me out. College is right on the corner ya'know but yeah, Hope u enjoy this anon <33

The music within the practice room eventually stopped, as Leo clapped both his hands together, "Well done my gallant knights..!!" He exclaimed, grinning broadly.

Arashi perked her head to the side, a gleam of curiosity filling her eyes as she approached wee bit closer to Izumi who is apparently distracted by his phone, too preoccupied typing away on his phone, messaging who knows what, but Arashi had an impression of who this person might be.

"Who are you texting Izumi-chan?" The lady query whilst handling a cold bottle to the model

The aforementioned model gladly accepted the bottle but his eyes remain fixed on the phone within his grasp "I'm texting [N/N]-chan, making sure she won't do anything stupid that may possibly injure her, that idiot girl can be super reckless. Ugh, I just can't seem to take her out of head, especially if I know she's hanging out with another Unit that I am not well familiar of." He whispered the last part.

But this wasn't unheard to Arashi, then a frown loomed his confront. He clicked his tongue "tch, why are you even asking? mind your own business."

She tittered in exchange, undisturbed by the man with the silver hair's crude statements, "Oh my, you appear to be genuinely smitten with [Name]-chan, I never known you have this sidee, Izumi~ such an adorable pair you guys make." She singsong teasingly while applying a foundation across her cheek.

Similar to a beaming light, Izumi was quick to avert his eyes from the phone and jerked his head to Arashi, sporting the most shocked expression.

"Excuse me? Are you even hearing yourself right now? Naru-kun? Are you calling me a simp?" He scoffed in disbelief and vexation

"Well are you not? I am pretty sure you're absolutely infatuated over [Name]-chan with how you continually mentioning her, daydreaming about her. And let us not forget how you gaze at her with hearts popping out of your eyes like a love-sick puppy." Arashi closed-eye smile, furthermore teasing the male model

She chuckles once she takes notice Izumi's dumbstruck expression and remarks, "There's absolutely no reason to be bashful, Izumi-chan. It's likely to occur for a lover to get completely enamored over his girlfriend."

Tsukasa merely nodded his head in agreement after listening the entire exchange between his seniors. "I agree with Narukami-senpai, I may not be a specialist in the love department, but is it not customary for a partner to make their significant other feel special?" he inquired.

The red-haired male hummed, contemplating "Besides, it is one's knights responsibility to treat their beloved like a princess." Tsukasa established a strong, straight-faced statement, prompting Arashi softly chuckle at the junior's innocence, whereas Izumi was not having neither of them.

Izumi, who is egotistical, will never ever tolerate being lectured from someone who is younger than him.

"Ha-?! I am certainly not smitten over [N/N]-chan!" Izumi snaps back at Arashi, obstinately denying the obvious "And I do not need a lecture from a person who doesn't even have the experience having a troublesome lover to constantly have to take care of..!!" He added, confronting Tsukasa.

"Secchan is being in denial~" Ritsu chimed in, stretching's out his limbs and dragging out a sleepy yawn as he groggily opened his eyelids, "We all know you adooooreee [Name]-chan so much~ it's fairly evident you see, I say you are a huge simp."

Ritsu slyly smirked, aggravating the third year male even more

"I am not a SIMP."

"Whahahaha! Sena is a SIMP! S-I-M-P! SIMP..!!" The current king of the knights hurled out in laughter.

"I'm not! Say that again, you're dead." Izumi seethed, darkly glaring down at Leo who is still laughing uncontrollably, blissfully oblivious to the glare he was receiving from silver head "Now, now you two, let's not have a fight."

Arashi sweatdropped, gently tugging Izumi away from Ou-sama as possible she could, withTsukasa stood in front Leo to ensure Izumi won't pounce over the King.

"I'll prove it," Izumi spoke, his tone seeping with conviction. Grabbing the attention of everyone, including the eccentric leader "I'll prove that I am not simp, I prove it by denying all [N/N]'s pleads and request for the whole day. Just watch me, humph." Izumi puffed out his chest with internal pride swelling inside.

"Are you sure about this Izumi-chan?~"

"I am."

"Oh, are we initiating a bet? Then I'm in, the loser shall follow every orders of the winner." Ritsu quipped, a devious grin creeping onto his lips.

The enthusiasm in Leo's eyes shone as he proclaimed, "A wager? I'm also in..!! I want to participate, I would really like to join. Whehe I bet Sena would inevitably lose; be prepared to forfeit Sena since the King would win this thing! Whahahaha!"

The previously mentioned Sena simply scoffed with confidence at the declaration "Like hell I would be loosing." Tsukasa anxiously gulped

"I-I don't think this is a great Idea, it's quite a bit childish. Onee-sama won't be happy if she finds out about this..- E-eh?! O-Onee-sama, when did you get here?!" Tsukasa shrieked, genuinely flabbergasted by your sudden entrance.

You laughed "You seem to be surprise about by presence Tsukasa-kun, am I not welcome here?" You pouted, feigning hurt. Tsukasa hurriedly shook his head as a result.

"Of course not! You are more than welcome to come here whenever you please. I'm simply startled by your unexpected arrival. Speaking of which, if it's not too much to ask, when did you get here Onee-sama?"

You tilted your head to the side "Hm? Oh– I just arrived recently." You smiled, beaming.

"Anyway– Zumi-chan~ there you are, I've missed you so muchhhh…!!" Izumi let out a yelp as you leaped into his arms and then quickly wrapping your arms around his neck before snuggling adoringly against the crook of his neck.

Izumi cheeks reddened over what you did, nevertheless he was inwardly appreciating it. Of course, he wouldn't admit it to you out loud, even if you drag him to his death:

"Tsk, don't go jumping over me all of a sudden, I almost lost my balance you idiot." He snared, giving you a brief lecture.

Knowing how your lover behaves, you simply grinned in return. Even though he appears he doesn't seem to like your childishness, he absolutely loves it, especially when you show him how very much you care for him~ <33

"Sorry~ Sorry~ I'll be careful next time, I promise."

"You better be, what are you even doing here? I thought you are too busy tending the newbies?"

You blinked repeatedly before then nodding in confirmation "Oh, that? Yup! I am still pretty busy taking care of the new units actually." You replied, popping out the 'P'

"Though– I decided to visit you for a moment." Izumi triumphantly smirked at that, feeling very a tad bit smug about it, a cue of Arashi quietly snickering in the distance "And I actually came here to ask If I could borrow your sweater for tomorrow."

Borrow the what? Izumi swears he overheard some stifled chortles behind his back, recognizing the facial expression on his face, your smile begun to waver.

"Can I...? Or I can't.."

Stop pouting! Izumi mentally screamed, If there hadn't been any bet and he weren't so arrogant, Izumi would already have immediately responded 'yes' And if only he had been sincere enough to confess that he was madly in love with you.

Ugh, You simply had to ask at the worst possible time, do you?

Izumi batted an eyebrow "Don't you have your own sweater? Why do you have to use mine? What are you? A broke person who can't afford their own clothes?" He snarkily remarked, praying the back of his head you would drop this subject already.

Cause you are giving him the hardest time saying 'No' to you when you are imploring the cutest pleading expression. And the pout portraying your lips isn't helping him!

The pout deepened more, as you sent a half glared to your boyfriend "Am not, I have my own sweaters back at home of course, I just prefer your sweaters better because they are more soft than mine and they smelt like you." You explained in the most nonchalantly way.

Immediately sending Izumi to have a heart attack. Izumi was so deeply in love with you right now that he was required to employ all of his might to restrain himself from embracing you a tight hug and squeal how cute you are.

When Tsukasa spotted Ritsu sneer and cackle diabolically whilst also radiating a dark aura which thus warned of impending peril, he backed away from the languid self-proclaimed vampire.

Ritsu was aware that Izumi was already finding it challenging to say 'No' to his significant other, He simply needed to make light use of this predicament without needing to spend any efforts and energy.

He only needed to give Izumi a little prod here and there to be able to win the wager; afterwards, the silver head knight would be completely under his power.

"Hm? It seems like Secchan is a little reluctant to lend you his sweater [Name]-chan. If you would like, I can lend mind, it may not smell the same as Secchan, but is super-duper soft."

"Really? Mhm– I guess its not a bad idea, Sure! I'll borrow–" Before you could even the sentence, Izumi abruptly interrupts you before you can finish.

"You aren't borrowing anyone's sweater." Izumi sharply glared, "But you won't let me borrow yours, so why not use Ritsu-kun's instead?" You ask with a frown

Your boyfriend rolled his eyes and flicking your temple "I never said 'no' did I? You can borrow mine, just make sure you won't ruin it once you've returned it, got it?"

Your eyes lightened up "Really?! Ahaha~ My boyfriend is really the best! Can I borrow your shirt to? Pretty please…~" You fluttered your eyelashes, giving him the puppy eyes, Izumi can't say refuse to your puppy eyes.

Izumi slipped out an exasperation sigh, his eyebrow twitching from irritation "Aren't you just so demanding? How annoying~ fine, you can borrow it to. I better not see you tomorrow wearing someone's else clothing that isn't mine."

You enthusiastically nodded, Izumi's eyes fleetingly softened, his irises helding with pure adoration as he gaze at you nothing but fondess glinting on his matched blue eyes, a sweet smile briefly appeared on his lips before it quickly vanished.

Pressing a delicate kiss against his cheek, you smiled giggly "Thanks again izzun-chan~ bye-bye! I love you to the moon and back~" You exclaimed brightly, Izumi affectionately rolled his eyes

"Yeah, Yeah whatever, don't do anything stupid and make sure you return my stuff without a single scratch." Once you've finally left, Izumi huffs, the smile returning to his lips as he stared at the door where you had left.

The minute he turned around to face his fellow members of the unit, who were shooting him a knowing stare, his smile dissipated.

Izumi narrowed his eyes and subconsciously threatened his unit mates to speak up, however they didn't particularly express any apprehension, seemingly unfazed by his intimidation. After all, it is Izumi Sena, therefore why would they be scared?

Leo poked his tongue out and formed the Loser hand-sign while exclaiming, "Whahaha, Sena lost!!" Sena is such a loser, and a massive S-I-M-P.

Ritsu yawned, smirking playfully at the blushing Izumi Sena laid before them, "And thus it shows you lost the bet, which means you shall obey our commands throughout the day without hearing any grumbling from you, and ultimately this consistently shows, you are indeed a full-fledged simp." He all together clarified.

Arashi rested her cheeks on her palm, smiling amusingly "Fufu, you two are really such a cute couple."

"Izumi Sena, the ultimate SIMP, you must now submit to your king and diligently carry out my orders with pride Whahaha!" Leo laughed out loud "Hey, Sena, should I start calling you Sena the Simp from now on? Sena? Or should I say, Izzun-chan?" Leo persisted to hearty laugh, taking pleasure in the enraged grimace that covered Izumi's features.

Condescendingly, Izumi responded, "Say that again, and I'll kill you," although it appears that this actually motivated Leo to tease him further rather than convincing him to stop before it escalated into something more.

"Wait, Is it Zumi-chan? Or Izzun-chan? Ne, Sena the Simp, what does [Name]-chan calls you again?"

"Why you little…sh- that's it, you're dead."

"E-eh?! Violence is not a knight's approach, Sena-senpai! Stop at this at once, and Leader! quit behaving so immature, don't provoke him further, this is not how a king should act!"

"Oh my- Izumi-chan calm down!"

Ritsu yawned, casually witnessing the mayhem take place in front of him behind the scenes. He stood there staring into nothing before lying down and allowing the madness to unfold on its own.

"Good night..~"

#ensemble stars #ensemble stars x reader #ensemble stars x y/n #ensemble stars x you #enstars #knights #enstars imagines #izumi sena #ritsu sakuma #leo tsukinaga #tsukasa suou #arashi narukami #izumi sena x reader #sena izumi #sena izumi x reader

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itsuki-minamy · 11 months

Text

"K - RETURN OF KINGS" (Novel)

CHAPTER 2: SILVER CHOICE

* List of Chapters

Translation: Naru-kun Raws: Ridia

He swept every corner of every room.

He didn't leave a single hair behind, which was impossible given the nature of that house. Still, with that kind of feeling, Kuro cleaned up carefully. He cleaned everything from the kitchen, living room, bedroom, bathroom to the toilet.

A safe house that would hide them, even for a short time. He wanted to return the favor.

The ten or so cats that were the original owners of the house gathered in a corner of the room and looked at Kuro with sleepy eyes.

The reason they didn't bother with him cleaning up was probably because they wanted to sleep, not because they understood Kuro's feelings.

After finishing all the preparations, Kuro called to the corner of the room. "Neko. It's time to go."

"Hmmm~..."

Neko who was dozing with the cats slowly raised her neck. The resentful look hadn't changed since he decided to leave there.

He knew how she felt. It turned out to be an unexpectedly comfortable hiding place. The cats seemed to have become good friends, and Kuro had no trouble taking care of them.

Still, there was a division in things.

"We have to go."

Kuro's repeated words contained a soft resonance. Neko blinked many times. Each time, Kuro saw the resentment turn to sadness.

"...See you."

Her friends responded by purring as she silently stroked the cat's hand. Standing up, the two of them opened the front door of the safe house together.

And, the man who was standing there, his eyes sparkled unexpectedly when he saw Kuro.

"Oh, are you leaving yet?"

Kuro didn't know the strangely dressed man's name. He only recognized him as an "informant". He was the one who prepared a safe house for the two who had to hide after being attacked by "Jungle".

"Oh. It was for a short time, but they took care of us."

"It doesn't matter. It's not just for you."

It was that informant who told him that the bounty that had been placed on Kuro in "Jungle" had been withdrawn due to a failed mission. For him, who originally buys and sells information, "Jungle" seems to be a kind of business rival. The fact that he helped Kuro and his friend was also based on the principle that "the enemy of my enemy is my friend".

"Even if the reward was withdrawn, it was yesterday. It's still not certain. I think it's safer to stay here for a while longer, but..."

The concerned look wasn't just for show. It was only a couple of days, but Kuro had guessed that this informant was so kind-hearted that you wouldn't believe he was from the underworld.

That's why he shouldn't depend on him forever.

"I appreciate the offer, but it's already been decided by me and Neko."

"Oh, yes! It's not bad here, but wagahai is going home after all!"

Neko who was clinging to Kuro's back said that as if she was covering fire. The informant shrugged in astonishment and ushered the two in.

"Oh. If you go that far, I won't stop you anymore. Chasing people who leave is not my hobby."

"Sorry. Someday I will definitely return the favor."

"Don't do that. I didn't mean to help you with that intent."

Kuro bowed deeply to the informant, who stuck his tongue out at him and started walking. Judging from the fact that Neko also bowed, it seemed that she also felt indebted to the informant.

The moment they passed each other, the informant let out a single word.

"...Now that I think about it, I forgot there was a message."

Kuro stopped and looked at the informant curiously.

"Message? From who?"

"The "Blue King". He asks you to visit him."

"......"

Kuro's eyes were wide. Neko didn't seem to quite understand the meaning, and she compared Kuro and the informant with a dumbfounded expression.

The informant said, taking the initiative.

"I didn't tell you. They figured it out on their own. Be careful where you are; if you have even a little skill with information, you'll figure it out in no time."

"...Mmm."

At those words, Kuro let out a growl from deep in his throat.

++++++++++

Kuro stopped and looked towards the building.

It was a solid brick building. The surrounding area was surrounded by iron fences, giving the atmosphere of a prison or a fortress.

Family Registration Division, Tokyo Legal Affairs Bureau, Fourth Division, "Scepter 4", headquarters. This is the base of operations of the Blue Clan who governs the "order".

Kuro took a deep breath.

It seems that the pretext under which Munakata called Kuro and Neko to his base of operations was only for the purpose of questioning the situation. That informant commented that the fact that it was a "request" rather than an "order" showed that "Scepter" 4 was not hostile.

Still, he can't let his guard down. He will not drink or eat, but this is the dependent territory of another clan. He needed a certain amount of spirit to get on board alone.

(Shiro.)

While thinking, Kuro tied up his own hair.

(Until you return, I will do what I can. As a member of the Silver Clan, Yatogami Kuro.)

He closed his eyes in silence and offered his vows to the man who is his teacher and friend.

After that, Kuro slowly took a step forward.

He approached a soldier in blue who was waiting inside the gate. It was a familiar face. If he wasn't mistaken, it was Benzai. A member of the "Special Forces", the elite force of "Scepter 4".

"Captain Munakata is waiting for you in the office."

After saying that, Benzai moved his gaze from him to explore.

"Hmm? Hey, where did the other one go?"

"It seems Neko didn't want to come. That's because, as the name suggests, she's a selfish alley cat."

"Oh..."

He worried whether or not that argument would be accepted by the person who governed the law somehow, but Benzai didn't seem to care much. After muttering in astonishment, he turned on his heel and entered the garrison. Kuro looked back at the building and then started walking with Benzai.

For some reason, there was a tea room attached to the office.

"Welcome. Kuro Yatogami-kun."

The "Blue King", Reisi Munakata, sat on the seat of the guest of honor and greeted Kuro with a smile. The posture of sitting upright with a straight back was like a model for a precision machine. A steaming teapot was placed in front of him.

After standing still for a while, Kuro finally asked a question.

"What is this?"

"It's the tea ceremony. Do you know it?"

Kuro responded sullenly.

"I know. Am I asking why is this thing here?"

"Since a strange Clan member is visiting us, we have to show some courtesy. It also means apologizing for being rude a year ago."

At those words, Kuro's face clouded slightly.

Exactly one year ago, Kuro, Neko, and Shiro were surrounded by "Scepter 4". To let the other two escape, he challenged Munakata on his own and was utterly defeated.

Of course, the opponent was the "King". He didn't challenge him thinking he could win. However, the humiliation of being treated like twisting a baby's hand and being stepped on with overwhelming force was still deeply etched in Kuro's heart.

"Are you saying that was 'disrespectful'?"

Hearing Kuro's dry voice, Munakata's eyes widened and he said, "Oh!"

"Should I demonstrate it in action? I don't mind rubbing my forehead on the mat here..."

"Is different."

Saying that, Kuro entered the tea room.

"I challenged you for what I believed in. You also defeated me for your fairness. That's all. It wasn't impolite."

He removed the scabbard from his waist and placed it on his left side. A position where you can always attack your opponent. Showing that he does not trust that person.

Seeing that, Munakata smiled slightly.

"I see. It was a slip of my tongue. Allow me to apologize for that rudeness."

Kuro looked at Munakata's smile without breaking his rigid expression.

"Then will you accept my tea again?"

"Yes."

Then the tea party started.

As a disciple of the former "Colorless King", Ichigen Miwa, Kuro knows all about the customs of literary and military arts. Even from Kuro's point of view, Munakata's tea ceremony was nothing short of splendid. He received the tea that was offered to him according to etiquette and slowly savored it.

As Munakata looked at that figure with a thoughtful look, he cut to the main topic.

"First of all, I would like to express my gratitude for helping to arrest the criminal. The other day you were involved in a bombing raid caused by "Jungle" and you disappeared..."

"Yes. We managed to escape just in time, but apparently we were attacked by the Green Clan. We hid for a while."

"It's a smart move."

Munakata said that with a half-smile. Kuro closed his eyes silently and asked.

"The reason why we are being watched is because we are members of the Silver Clan, right?"

Munakata smiled deeper and answered the question.

"It is true that the Green Clan is looking for the "Silver King". The only foothold for that is the Clansman who finally created the "Silver King" Adolf K. Weismann, who had been alone for more than half a century."

Munakata pushed a ladle at Kuro and said.

"Kuro Yatogami-kun. You and that Strain girl. You'll inevitably get marked."

Kuro looked down and muttered.

"What exactly is the Green Clan?"

Munakata narrowed his eyes in response to that question.

"It's a strange clan. Even among the clansmen, almost none of them have met the "Green King"."

"I heard that it is a special clan connected through the Internet, but it is too strange that a clan member has never met their "King"..."

"I agree. Calling them clan members may be the first mistake."

Munakata slowly got up and walked over to his desk. Running his finger over the desktop, he performed some operation, and a hologram appeared in the air.

"The "Green King", Hisui Nagare uses a social networking service called "Jungle" to secure his pawns."

Kuro stood next to Munakata and looked at the image.

A geometric pattern slowly unfolded against the background of the earth's rotation. The pattern eventually formed a large tree. A gigantic network that covers the stars, that is...

"Is that the "Jungle" site?"

"Yes. Users who have no knowledge of the existence of clans or supernatural powers and who simply log into "Jungle" as an SNS are referred to as "E-Rank", taking the last letter of "Jungle". They are the lowest rank, and by participating and completing quests, they accumulate points and increase their rank."

"In other words, the psychic crimes that are causing trouble in the city right now..."

Munakata nodded and continued as if he was giving a lecture.

"The mission of earning those points is like making an online game come true. Using the points, you have accumulated in this way, you can increase your rank, and if you go up a rank, then follow the G-Rank, and you will be granted temporary supernatural power."

"Tentative start..."

"If you fail a mission, the points you've accumulated up to that point will be deducted, and in some cases, you'll lose your ability. There's nothing we can do about the suspects who have been cut off from "Jungle" and turned into people common, and we have no choice but to hand them over to the police."

Kuro muttered into his mouth that the lizard's tail was being cut off.

The clansman he defeated in the alley must have been one of them. A pitiful man who regrets losing all of his supernatural powers and becoming a mere human. The appearance of being thrown down the upper steps of "Jungle" was a far cry from the appearance of the clansman Kuro knew. There must be a strong sense of camaraderie not only in "Homura", but even in "Scepter 4", which is based on vertical division, but he didn't feel such a bond in "Jungle".

Kuro narrowed his eyes and asked Munakata.

"But... is there any member of the clan who is officially empowered?"

In Kuro's mind, Munakata said as if he could see through the image of a man.

"The highest ranking Ranker. A handful of executives must have met the "Green King" Nagaru Hisui and received power directly. One of them is the person you are currently imagining. It is Mishakuji Yukari."

Mishakuji Yukari. It is the name of a traitor who was once Kuro's older brother and who turned his sword against his master, Ichigen Miwa.

Now that man belongs to "Jungle". He seems that he is in a position that can be said to be the right hand of the "Green King". He doesn't know the details, nor does he want to know. All he knows is that Mishakuji Yukari is Yatogami's enemy, and that his swordsmanship is far superior to Yatogami's.

"Have you had any contact with Mishakuji Yukari since then?"

"No."

Kuro clenched his fists. Will he be able to defeat him the next time they meet? Giving an answer to that question. He felt a helpless frustration with himself.

Munakata asked again.

"What about the "Silver King"?"

"I haven't seen him in a long time...!"

The reason he raised his voice was because he didn't want to hear the obvious. After all, it was Kuro and Neko who were looking forward to the return of the "Silver King" more than anyone.

However, Munakata's attitude did not have the color of mockery. With a serious expression, he asked another question.

"Did the "Silver King" say something about the "Slate"?"

Kuro's eyes widened in surprise and then answered.

"No. Ever since he regained his memories as the "Silver King", we've only been together for a short time. I didn't have time to talk about it."

"...Is that so."

"What happened to the "Slate"?"

At Kuro's question, Munakata suddenly looked away.

"No. However, now that the "Golden King" is gone, I am in charge of managing the "Slate". I just wanted to know if there was any information left behind by the leading person, the 'Silver King' regarding the "Slate"."

Kuro looked at Munakata.

He was hiding something. The current "Blue King" is the kind of man who always hides his motives, hides his hand, and builds detailed plans and behind-the-scenes calculations that no one knows about. Ever since their meeting a year ago, Kuro had always had that perception.

However, Munakata was somewhat different.

He didn't think to confirm the identity of the discomfort. Munakata has circumstances of Munakata. There's no reason anyone other than "Scepter 4" should intervene.

"Sorry I couldn't provide any useful information, but if that's all then I'm sorry."

Kuro bowed deeply and began to head towards the exit.

"Kuro Yatogami-kun."

Behind him, Munakata yelled.

"The Silver Clan had no dependent territories."

"And with that?"

"In this situation, it would be a shame not to have a base of operations as a clan. If you don't mind..."

Saying so, Munakata, the "Blue King" extended his hand towards Kuro.

"The members of "Scepter 4" will protect you. I give you the authority to stay in the camp and I promise to protect you in case of an emergency."

"......"

It would probably be a good option.

The current Silver Clan is not established as a clan. It has no dependent territory that should have been a safe zone for clan members, it only has two members, and the most important "King" is missing. Kuro and Neko would be in a refugee-like situation from the perspective of other clans. Protecting them may be the responsibility of "Scepter 4", who claims to be "order".

If he accepts this proposal, he will not be targeted by "Jungle". There will be no more hiding and being forced to flee.

But...

"Thank you for your offer, but I reject it."

At that answer, Munakata gave a slight smile.

"Oh, how boring."

He only took a step forward.

"I don't think you and I have a bad relationship."

Two steps, three steps, four steps, five steps, six steps. Munakata was slowly approaching, and Kuro stepped back as if he was being drawn in by some unusually intimidating feeling. His back touched the door, and Kuro unconsciously felt "cornered".

Averting his eyes from Munakata's gaze as if he was looking at himself, Kuro said:

"Ah, it's not a compatibility issue..."

After saying that, Munakata took a deep breath and took a step back.

"Are you saying you don't want to owe other clans?"

"......"

His previous me probably would have.

When he was working to fulfill Ichigen Miwa's will, he wouldn't have even responded to calls from other clans. At that time, he was fine, because the "Black Dog", which was only true to the words of his late master, was nothing more than a device that lived alone and accomplished the mission by himself.

But now...

"No. It's not just me."

Munakata widened his eyes slightly surprised by Kuro, who responded with a smile.

++++++++++

Fushimi Saruhiko stopped his work as he heard footsteps behind him.

Due to the mass arrest of more than 20 members of the "Jungle" clan the other day, "Scepter 4" suddenly perked up. Among them were mid-level N-Rank users, and it was a great harvest to be able to requisition all of their PDAs.

PDA analysis and Clansman questioning. The information obtained from both sides can be a stepping stone to the upper echelons of "Jungle", which has been shrouded in mystery until now. Not only for the intelligence department of "Scepter 4", but also for Fushimi himself, it's a job worth immersing himself in.

That was why he wanted to ignore the footsteps behind him.

The heavy footsteps stopped right next to Fushimi.

"Fushimi-kun, do you have a minute?"

Fushimi looked at Munakata while inwardly clicking his tongue.

"Has the interview with Yatogami Kuro finished?"

"Yes. He's probably going through exit procedures at the gate right now."

After a pause, Munakata, as if nothing had happened...

"Fushimi-kun, please follow him."

"Eh?"

He couldn't believe what he was hearing. (Are you asking me to follow him right now? Are you kidding?)

As if he heard that voice, Munakata looked at Fushimi and smiled softly.

"The Green Clan may contact him again. Stay tuned."

It was an unmistakable "order." As a member of "Scepter 4", the King's orders cannot be ignored. At least, this time, Fushimi responded by clicking his tongue in reality.

"I understand."

Instant job change. Benzai and Enomoto are the people from the Special Task Force who are capable of handling such important information. Facing Fushimi, who started writing an email requesting them to take over, Munakata spoke in a serious tone.

"Please inform Awashima-kun as necessary."

Saying that, he turned on his heel and tried to leave the briefing room.

Pausing to compose an email, Fushimi glanced over his shoulder at Munakata. He shot a bored look and a voice behind him.

"Where will you be, Captain?"

Munakata's response was direct.

"In the Mihashira Tower."

(Forcing people to work and pilgrimage to the Golden Clan.), Fushimi thought sarcastically.

"Again? Lately, you've been spending a lot more time with the 'Slate' than in the headquarters."

Munakata did not look back. He didn't even bother to reply. Fushimi clicked his tongue again at the sound of footsteps.

++++++++++

Kuro was found at the main gate of the garrison.

Originally, he is a cat who seems to have run free. He's sure he'll come back when he's hungry, and normally he would have left him alone, but for some reason he worried that he wasn't even at lunch. Before he boiled the soba noodles, he walked around the place, thinking that if he didn't find it, he would eat it first.

A young man was kneeling down and caressing Kuro. Zenjo called out to Kuro, who comfortably rubbed his head against the youth's palm.

"Kuro."

The young man turned around. As he looked at Zenjo in bewilderment.

"What?"

"Oh, no, I called the cat..."

"Oh."

The young man nodded approvingly.

"Is he called Kuro because he's a black cat? Excuse me."

He picked up Kuro's body and handed it over to Zenjo.

Zenjo accepted it with one hand. Most people who see the one-armed giant Zenjo for the first time express surprise at him, but the young man didn't show even the slightest hint of that. After bowing politely, he turned on his heel and left.

His demeanor and the sword at his waist couldn't be that of an ordinary person. As he guessed that it was probably a famous clan member, he heard a voice behind him.

"Zenjo-san."

When he turned around, there was a woman standing there. Seri Awashima. A talented woman who serves as the deputy commander of "Scepter 4".

"Do you have some time?"

Her dignified voice had a strength that made it impossible to tell if she had or not. Zenjo blinked a few times and apologized to Kuro, who was purring into his palm.

"I'm sorry, but please have lunch first."

Lunch consisted of a heaping bowl of red bean paste.

After being ushered into the reception room, when Awashima asked, "Did you finish your food?"

One by one in front of Zenjo and Awashima, a mountain of black bean paste was piled up. It seemed like a joke, but Awashima's expression was serious and there was no sign that it was a joke.

She reached out her hand, took the red bean paste directly and brought it to her mouth. After that, Zenjo asked Awashima.

"Subcommander, what kind of business brings you here?"

Looking directly at Zenjo, Awashima opened her mouth.

"Today, I would like to hear from you as an individual, not as a deputy commander. For the previous "Blue King", Habari Jin's right-hand man, Gouki Zenjo."

Once again, the hand that was reaching out for the anko stopped in midair. Zenjo slowly shook his head with a half-hearted smile.

"I don't think he can say anything useful."

"You are the only person Captain Munakata wanted to bring back from the previous "Blue King" Habari Jin clan."

"I'm just an employee who works in the reference room."

He did not want to be humble. The past is the past. No matter what Munakata plans, no matter what Awashima sees, he was no longer a demon.

Despite Zenjo's casual attitude, Awashima's expression did not change and she opened her mouth.

"The Kagutsu incident occurred 14 years ago, when the Sword of Damocles of the former "Red King" fell. Zenjo-san, your left arm was also lost at that time."

Zenjo's eyebrows twitched.

The Kagutsu incident.

Caused by the "Kings", it was a form of end. It was the name of the detestable ending that engulfed and devoured several "Kings", a city, hundreds of thousands of lives, and Zenjo's left arm.

The past is the past. That's how it is.

However, there is certainly a past that should not be inadvertently entered.

"I heard that without you, the change in Japan's topography would have been more fatal. If things had turned out worse, the Japanese archipelago might have split..."

And Awashima was about to step into the past with some intention.

"Affected by the turbulence of Genji Kagutsu's Weismann deviation, the "Red King" at that time, your "King", Jin Habari, was also in danger of dropping his Sword of Damocles. But the worst was averted. Because..."

For a moment, Awashima hesitantly lowered her gaze.

However, the words that followed were inevitable to fulfill her purpose. Looking at Zenjo again as if she had made up her mind, Awashima spoke clearly.

"Because before that, Zenjo-san, you brought down your own "King"."

The previous "Blue King" Habari Jin.

Even now, 14 years later, just thinking of that name still made his missing left arm tremble. His own master. His own righteousness. His own "King". The fact that he cut him with his own sword will never go away.

Zenjo only responded briefly.

"Yes."

"...I know it's an insensitive question. But please tell me. What was the old "Blue King" like before the Sword of Damocles fell?"

Awashima's expression was tinged with despair. Maybe that was the point, what she really wanted to hear.

Looking at her calmly, Zenjo opened his mouth.

"You're worried about the Captain, aren't you?"

Awashima took a deep breath. Zenjo continued.

"The Captain's "Sword of Damocles" has a scratch on it. It seems there are other members who have noticed it as well. How is the Captain?"

"Usually, there are no changes. However, ever since he was put in charge of Mihashira Tower, he has spent more and more time with the "Slate". Every time, I feel that something is slowly changing..."

"Is that so."

Awashima clenched her fist tightly on her knees and said thoughtfully.

"I'm terrified. I was wondering if the reason the Captain called Zenjo-san to "Scepter 4" was for him to do the same job as before one day..."

"That's my job?"

"Eh?"

Unable to comprehend the meaning, Awashima raised her voice and looked at Zenjo. Zenjo didn't care and he got up from his chair.

"Reisi Munakata's right hand is you, not me."

"......!"

Awashima's eyes widened.

"Thank you for the food. I had sweets for the first time in a long time. It was delicious."

Pulling back his tied sleeves, Zenjo brushed past Awashima and left the reception room. After closing the door, suddenly, there were words that crossed his mind.

"Fate, huh?"

Everything has a role. A great providence that transcends the will of a small human being. Munakata said that this was what caused Zenjo's 'arm' to move and cut his 'King' at that moment.

Maybe that's right. Because none other than Habari had said the same thing. What he trusted is not Zenjo's head or his words, but his "arms". The "Blue King" who was looking at things from a great height might have seen the same thing.

That's what Zenjo thought.

He wondered if he and Seri Awashima had a destiny.

Is the same fate awaiting that man named Reisi Munakata?

There is no other answer than the "King". The past is the past, and the present is the present. Those who live in the current "Scepter 4" will have their own future.

While he was thinking about such things, Zenjo slowly walked towards the reference room.

++++++++++

"Hmm...!"

Poking the red marble into her blue eye, Neko was looking for "him".

However, what she could see through it all was the red-stained bar of the HOMRA bar and the red clansmen staring at her in amazement. Neko raised her arms in an explosion of frustration and irritation.

"Not good after all! I can't see Shiro!"

"Did you really see the figure of the "Silver King"?"

Kusanagi, standing on the other side of the bar counter, called out to her. Neko barked as if she bought a fight that had been sold.

"I saw Shiro! When I looked at the marble, Shiro was there and he was fine!"

"Because I put my strength into that marble so you can connect with the person you want to find the most."

Anna, who was sitting next to Neko, said that in a soft voice.

This fall, Neko and Anna had a strange connection. It all started when Kuro and Neko, who were passing by, rescued Anna and Kamamoto from being attacked by the Green Clan. After that, even after Anna woke up as the "Red King", "Homura" did not forget her kindness and was kind to her.

Of course, she did not forget that "Homura" chased them in the past, but Anna was different. She's cute, kind, and gives her tasty things. Neko and Anna had become good friends.

"Well, if Anna says so, I will."

Kusanagi shrugged slightly. Neko looked back at the marble and muttered sadly.

"But I saw Shiro, and that was the only time... Hey, Anna, show me one more time!"

Anna smiled at Neko who snuggled up to her, but shook her head.

"You won't always be able to see him. But I'm sure he's connected. Your loved ones may be watching you."

"Oh, really?!"

Encouraged by those words, Neko looked back at the marble.

"Shiro! Shiro! Are you looking?"

"By the way, why are you standing here like it's natural? You're from another clan!"

Yata angered his shoulders and made such an accusation. Neko pouted and walked away from her,

"Because the glasses boss said he wanted us to go with him."

"So, you ran away and made this place your haven. Well, if you're in our dependent territory, even the blues won't be able to get their hands on you."

Kamamoto's words irritated Yata even more. He held out his arms intimidatingly,

"Don't be using HOMRA conveniently!"

Neko shook her head like a baby.

"I hate the glasses boss! I hate the other glasses guy too! I don't want to go to the blue hide!"

"Hey, you!"

"What happened to the Black Dog?"

Kamamoto changed the subject. Neko blinked and shrugged.

"I don't know..."

"You do not know?"

"I'm not worried about Kurosuke! Even if we get separated, we can meet again and again!"

When she put her head in Anna's lap, she stroked her head silently. If Neko was a real cat, she would have been purring. Anna's knees were so warm and soft and comfortable.

"An interrogation, huh? Looks like the blue guys are falling behind the green guys' moves."

"It's a good feeling, isn't it? There are many people who have green breath among the common people, and I don't know where the clansmen are."

"Those who live a normal life while playing with PDAs are connected to the vegetation. It's hard to do."

Kusanagi and the others were having some difficult conversations, while Neko absently sat on Anna's lap and listened.

Countermeasures and strategies, Neko didn't have such troublesome thoughts. However, those people with green masks were only perceived as "disgusting guys" who chased after Neko and Kuro. There was only one thing she could do with the "bad guys": ignore them and run. At least that's what Neko has always done.

But, now that she thought about it, those people don't seem to do that.

"They're not targeting Anna again, right?"

Kusanagi responded with a wry smile to Yata's words.

"Anna is now the "Red Queen", they won't want to mess with her."

"Even if they come, I'll be fine."

Looking at the hand that was caressing Neko, Anna muttered under her breath.

"The red inherited from Mikoto. With my red, I can fight. I won't lose."

Resting her head on Anna's lap, Neko stared at the gesture.

These people, "Homura", are trying to fight. They are trying to stand up. to protect your precious things.

"...Anna, are you okay?"

When she said that, Anna's kind eyes looked at Neko. Neko half sat down and communicated her feelings with gestures.

"Kurosuke said that the power of red was destined for destruction, but... Anna, won't you explode with the power of the king?"

Neko doesn't know much about the former "Red King". Still, she could feel his terrifying presence on her skin even from a distance. She recalled that she had the impression that he was so scary that she wanted to run away from a distance, but that it was somehow sad.

Neko doesn't think Anna is scary. But somewhere there was the sadness of the previous king. Neko doesn't know what will happen to Anna, who is trying to face the battle as a "King". Not knowing, she couldn't help but worry about it.

A person who has become "King" may suddenly disappear one day.

Just like the previous "Red King" did.

Like Shiro.

Suddenly, Anna got up from the couch. With just a smile in response to the restless Neko, she headed towards the wall.

There were many photographs there. They were all happy, cheerful, shoulder to shoulder and laughing. A fragment of memories now long gone, with little familiarity to Neko.

However, the figure of Anna gazing at them eloquently told her how precious those memories were.

"I'm not as strong as Mikoto. But I have a feeling that I'll be fine."

Saying that, Anna slowly turned around.

"I got this power to protect myself. There's Izumo, Misaki, Rikio, and everyone else."

Some important people. Also the people next to her, and…

"Tatara and Mikoto are here too."

Those who have already disappeared are still alive in Anna's heart.

"That's why I'm fine. This beautiful red is my friend."

Holding her chest, Anna said that.

Seeing Anna like this, "Homura" responded in the manner of them.

Some tried to hide their pain from her by looking away from her, while others nodded feverishly.

Among them, Yata was the only one who stepped forward and declared.

"I'm going to protect Anna too! No, I know that Anna is stronger than me currently, but…"

Yata scratched his head impatiently.

"Until now, I've always thought that Mikoto-san was amazing and didn't understand anything... I may not understand much even now, but I'm still the kind of person Anna can rely on. I'll be the kind of man Anna can lean on!"

"Yata-san...!"

Kamamoto looked at Yata with a hint of emotion as he sobbed.

Kusanagi and Anna had small smiles on their lips.

Neko got a little happy and jumped on her feet.

"Anna, you're going to be fine! That's good!"

The anxiety she had felt before disappeared. She is sure that Anna will be fine. Because there are so many people who care about her and who she cares about them. Even if they have to fight the green ones, they will surely be able to work together and beat them.

"When Shiro returns, I'll bring him! Shiro has been king for a long time, so he is the king's senpai!"

"Yes. I want to talk to him."

Saying that, Neko and Anna laughed together, and then Yata intervened.

"Hey, it's not easy to get along with other "Kings"."

Puzzled, Neko asked Yata.

"Why?"

"Eh?"

"Why can't we just get along?"

"...No, I don't know why... but that's how it was..."

To Yata, who was muttering, Neko seemed to be saying something obvious.

"It's better to get along!"

"Neko is right."

At Anna's sudden comment, Yata blurted out the words "Oh, oh..." and scratched his cheek awkwardly. Neko puffed out her chest in triumph.

At that moment, Kusanagi came over with a tray.

"Ok. If you don't fight, you can still eat this."

Neko's eyes sparkled. What Kusanagi brought were hot pancakes with brightly colored fruits, sweet and fragrant vanilla ice cream, lattice-shaped chocolate and raspberry sauce.

"Wow! It's a snack! It's a snack~!"

Neko's eyes sparkled as she jumped onto the plate on the table. But...

"Kusanagi-san, me too!"

"Me too!"

"Nyaa?!"

Similarly, Yata and Kamamoto rushed to the plate. Neko cringed and cornered the plate to protect herself and Anna's party.

"You can take it yourselves."

"Ahhh!"

When Kusanagi said that with a shocked face, the two of them turned around and ran to the kitchen. Neko released her guard and turned to the pancake with a big smile.

"Hm~! Delicious!"

As she munched on the fluffy pancake, Neko suddenly remembered something that happened once. She said to Anna as gesticulated.

"You know, Kurosuke made this for me the other day too! While I'm talking, I'd like to put black honey on the pancakes. Kurosuke's story is long, so it's annoying, but what Kurosuke does is delicious!"

"That's a big deal. Black honey, huh. I might be able to do it. But still..."

Kusanagi gave Neko a smirk.

"Neko-chan also likes "Kurosuke"."

Neko's eyes widened as if the tip of her nose had been turned upside down.

If they ask if she likes him or hates him, well, he likes him. Kuro is fussy, annoying, and sometimes grumpy, but he's a nice guy nonetheless. He seriously thinks about Shiro and Neko, and he tries to protect them with his own body. Those days that the three of them went through were undoubtedly precious memories for Neko.

So Neko replied:

"I like Shiro better, and I like Kurosuke as much as I like fish?"

"Neko."

"Nyah?"

"You can come here with Kuro."

"Meow?"

Neko repeatedly blinked her round eyes. Today is a day when people say things she didn't expect, though Neko never lived to anticipate anything.

"You can stay here until Yashiro returns. It's safer here."

Neko looked around her.

As if to confirm Anna's words, both Kusanagi and Yata, who had returned from the kitchen, nodded slightly. Neko who had been chased by them and fought alongside them knows how strong they are. With "Homura" protecting her, even if the greens attack her again, she will be able to sleep peacefully.

But...

"Is there any dependent territory that you guys have? Ah, after becoming a member of the clan, the "Silver King" disappeared."

At Yata's casual words, Neko lowered her shoulders. She really didn't understand what "dependent territory" meant, but it was true that Shiro was not there. That's why they were being targeted by the greens.

"...Misaki."

Anna looked at Yata with sharp eyes. Perhaps finally realizing his own slip of the tongue, Yata hastened to explain.

"Ah... well, sorry..."

Neko kept her face down and shook her head.

"Alright."

"Ah, sorry! It's ok, as Anna says, if you stay here..."

"That's wrong!"

Neko looked up and smiled. Anna gave her a curious look.

Certainly, just as Yata said, Shiro was not there. There is nothing that can guarantee the safety of Kuro and Neko, and it is true that if they were chased by the Green Clan like the other day, they would have no choice but to run away.

Still, Neko was not alone.

Right next to her, was Kuro. He's not there right now, but she's sure that Shiro will come back. It is different from the days when she was alone, shivering with cold and loneliness.

Instead of giving up, Neko made a clear statement with hope burning in her heart.

"Because Wagahai has...!"

++++++++++

"Kurosuke!"

As he was crossing the bridge towards Gakuenjima, someone called out to him from behind.

When he turned around, Neko was jumping up and running towards him. Kuro asked Neko that she had reached him with an exasperated face.

"Where have you been?"

"I didn't want to go to the glasses boss, so I hid in Anna's place!"

It was really forceful. It seems that she doesn't feel sorry for pushing the troubles onto Kuro and quickly hides. However, that kind of thing about Neko is nothing new, so he didn't even feel like complaining now.

"Geez..."

"Hehe!"

Neko hugged Kuro who was sighing. A big smile appeared on Neko's face, as if something good had happened.

"What?"

Neko extended a red marble in front of Kuro. They gave it to her when she helped Anna Kushina that time.

It seems that it was endowed with the ability to perceive, and mirrored Shiro and Kuro, whom Neko cherishes the most.

How much the two were saved by that appearance. They didn't know where he was, no, they didn't even know if he was alive.

"This marble doesn't always reflect Shiro, but it's definitely connected to Shiro. Shiro might as well be watching you."

Looking at the happy Neko, Kuro also laughed.

"Oh, really?"

"Ok. So let's go home!"

Neko laughed as if she was convinced of something.

Seeing that, there was a scene that appeared in Kuro's mind.

Those were the words that Reisi Munakata said to him in the "Scepter 4" headquarters at that time.

"I offer you the protection of "Scepter 4"."

He thought that Munakata's offer was to their advantage. At least they wouldn't be attacked by the Green Clans. They could walk without worrying about their backs, and there would be no need to stay awake.

"Thank you for your offer, but I reject it."

Still, what Kuro said was…

"Even if I don't have any territory, I have a place to return to."

There was a reason for that.

Neko also remembered in the same way. At the HOMRA bar, Anna invited her to stay there.

"You should stay here until Yashiro returns."

Anna's words were kind, soft and full of warmth. If she had nodded her head, she surely would have lived a peaceful life. Surrounded by kind people, she should have been able to live in peace without being afraid of anything.

The Neko from a while ago would have done it without hesitation. Because it was everything Neko wanted.

However, Neko shook her head.

"Alright."

Anna's warm knees felt so good.

Those green guys are pretty scary though.

But still...

"Because Wagahai has a home to return to!"

Kuro and Neko were unaware of each other's situation. There was no way of knowing what kind of conversation each of them had with the "King" they met.

Still, the two of them crossed the bridge as if it were a matter of course. Because they know that it is the place to which they must return. As they squinted at the blurry sunset, they believed that somewhere, surely, their "King" was also looking towards that sunset.

Kuro and Neko walked away to go back to their own home.

#k #k project #k stories #k return of kings #reisi munakata #homra #scepter 4 #yata misaki #fushimi saruhiko #izumo kusanagi #kushina anna #yatogami kuro #neko #silver clan #seri awashima #zenjo goki

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arigatouiris · 4 years

Text

i’ll remember you // kuroo tetsuroo x reader (2/3)

Author’s Note: Here’s chapter two! I mean, it’s longer than the other two parts that I had in mind, but I hope that’s okay? Also, please let me know what you think of this? I worked really hard on it, so I’d feel so good if you guys tell me what you think :”) And there’s a Barakamon reference in this chapter :3

Word count: 7k+

Pairing: Kuroo Tetsuroo x Reader [Kimi no Na Wa re-write]

Summary: Everything had been perfectly normal until you woke up as a volleyball captain from a school you didn’t go to, in a city you didn’t live in. Ever since then, Kuroo Tetsuroo has been inching closer and closer into your life, wrecking almost everything that could perhaps be considered normal.

However, you never realized how vital he was to you; because you were sure you would understand upon seeing him.The struggle however, was remembering each other. Because what good would it do if you went to saw him and he didn’t remember you?

Well, the universe turns back time, of course. Until he did.

Warnings: angst, body-swapping, bullying, fantasy, reader is depressed, mentions of suicide, character death, slow burn, bittersweet end, awkward boners, mentions of porn

ｃｈ．０２ — ｓｌｏｗｃｈａｎｇｅｓ

When you woke up, you saw the window first.

You sprung up in your bed before noticing the thin cloth divide the room—your brother's half and yours. Tears threatened to form in your eyes but you blinked them away before rushing to the window, noticing how it was still slightly dark out, how it was about to be sunrise. You noticed that your brother wasn't in the room, he'd probably gone out to help your mom with the salt.

Your hands sprung to your breasts a second later before cuddling up to them, "I missed you..."

A second later, you noticed an evident note on the wall. Your heart sped up, wondering if it was from Kuroo, and walked over to see a rather cryptic message.

You're prettier than you give yourself credit for.

Your eyes widened at the note, before feeling a strange warmth in your chest. You go over to your table before checking if he'd left any more notes, but found none. You picked your phone up and saw that the wallpaper had changed. It was a picture of you that you hadn't taken—you were wearing your school uniform, and you were smiling at the camera; you wouldn't lie, it was an excellent picture of you.

A smile sat on your lips before realizing that Kuroo must have done this.

And I broke his laptop, you cringed before sinking to the ground in horror. A second later, you walked over to the bathroom before brushing your teeth but your eyes widened at the note in the mirror.

Akio is a douche!

You froze. Akio...? Oh, no. Oh, no, no, no, no!

Did Kuroo say something to him? Did Akio say something to Kuroo and he had said something back? You cursed yourself on thinking that Kuroo couldn't make your life worse than it already was. Scrambling to get ready, you wore your uniform before noticing that it was crumpled and thrown to the corner. Your eyebrow twitched before feeling a feeling of pure distaste sit on your lips. Rushing to make breakfast before your mother and brother returned, you immediately got the rice cooking and the curry boiling. The whole while, all you could think of was what Kuroo might have done, and your heart was pounding in your ear. For some reason, you weren't anxious, perhaps that was because you were in a fight-or-flight mode.

"Ah," Your mother's voice alerted you, as you set the breakfast on the kotatsu, "How are you feelin' today?"

Huh? You gave her a funny look, "Whaddaya mean?"

"You were actin' a bit odd yesterday. Thoughtchu were sick o' somethin'."

Your heart melted at your mother's worry for you before shaking your head. She's my mother! You scolded yourself.

"I'm good today, 'kaa-chan."

"Clearly you remember how ta make rice today?" Your brother perked up.

Your face reddened before thinking of how Kuroo must have made breakfast yesterday.

"What?"

"You were strugglin' to get the cooker on! As if ya didn't ever see it before. And yer curry was disgustin'."

"I was sick." You mumbled before focusing on the food.

Letting out a breath, you packed your bento before looking at your brother strangely. He was staring at your face oddly.

"What?"

"You look like yerself today too. You'd forgotten how ta do yer hair yesterday."

Your heart sunk. It must be hard for a guy to live suddenly as a girl for a day. But, your mind kept circling around what Kuroo might have done to Akio. While walking to school, you stopped by your only friend's house, Kotoishi Naru, and hoped she was the one Kuroo had confided with. You were glad you met Kenma with such ease and wondered how Kuroo may have figured out that Naru was your best friend. Naru wasn't in your class, and she wasn't even around half the time considering how there was a big calligraphy competition that was coming up.

Once Naru saw you, she waved, almost as if nothing strange had occurred. You blinked as she ran over to you, her brown hair bounding behind her with ease.

"How you feelin' today, (y/n)?"

"Uh," Didn't Kuroo say anything to Naru? "I'm good. Did... Did anythin' strange happen yesterday?"

Naru scoffed, "A lotta strange things happened, especially with ya, (y/n). Where do ya want me to begin?"

"Eh?"

"That boy made me watch that movie, the one where they switch bodies? Wicked, really—"

You grab Naru's shoulders before forcing her to meet your gaze.

"Naru! Tell me—"

"You gotta watch that movie, (y/n). And like, maybe skip school—"

"Naru."

She let out a sigh, "Yanno how Junko's got her ass on ya all the time? The boy in yer body gave her a piece of his mind when she forced herself on ya. She threatened to cut yer hair if ya didn't finish 'er homework. That boy wasn't havin' none of it. Junko's prolly not gon' ever talk to ya again. And..."

Naru looked a bit hesitant as she continued, "Ya prolly shouldn't talk ta Akio either."

"Oh no," You felt your heart sink in your chest, "Was it about the confession?"

Naru blinked, "What confession?"

You sighed, "Two days ago, I confessed to Akio-kun. He turned me down—"

"That bastard," Naru muttered, "But, it's good. Just don't go talk to 'im. Pretend he's scum, aight? Actually, he is scum—"

"Naru, what happened?"

Naru shrugged before leading you to school. You knew you weren't going to get any answers out of her right then. But, your heart was pounding against your chest. You knew Kuroo was just trying to help out by standing up for you, but by changing the way you behaved just for momentary gratification didn't seem right to you. You'd barely made any changes in his life, but the way he'd completely turned yours around felt strange. You weren't thankful; in fact, you were angry.

On reaching school, people watched you as you made your every move. Naru wasn't by your side but had strictly warned you to not say a word in edgewise to anyone. That's probably what I'll do anyway, you thought before heading to class and freezing in front of your desk. Your eyes widened at the words written on the desk, 'Slut', 'Whore', 'Demon', and other things. Your hands were shaking at the way these words suddenly sprung up only after a day of living as Kuroo.

"Ah," The teacher said, and you looked up with sad eyes, "Yer aight, there?"

Even the teachers noticed? You heard snickering from behind you but you ignored them. Never had you felt so degraded before, and it was all thanks to how some boy had lived in your body for a day and didn't bother to accommodate.

You ate your lunch quietly just as Naru trod inside and slammed her hand on your table. She frowned at the words that you hadn't bothered to erase, and then looked up at you.

"We gotta move," She said, grabbing your wrist, pulling you, but you refused to budge, "Now!"

"Naru! What do you—"

"There she is," Akio's loud voice was barely missable. You had grown to fall for that voice, after all, "The school slut."

You felt as if your body was on fire; and you wanted to leave instantly. Naru moved before you could catch a glimpse of Akio's threatening gaze fall on you. You felt like his gaze could burn you. It wasn't in a nice way. His face had a very dark bruise, right below his eye and his nose looked a bit crooked. You couldn't move, you were frozen to your spot, confused at the scene occurring before you.

"Watch yer mouth, Matsuo." Naru warned before Akio scoffed.

"Ask 'er to watch 'ers! Dunno where it's been—"

"What're you sayin'?" You snapped, feeling your heart burst.

The class burst into laughter at your sudden outburst, but you saw a tinge of... fear, you couldn't believe it, in Akio's eyes. Clicking his tongue, he walked away, taking the air of confidence with him. Tears filled your eyes and you immediately got up and ran to the roof, knowing that'll be the only place no one would bother you. Naru followed shortly after, knowing full well that you were distraught.

"Naru, what happened?"

She sighed before groaning, "He threw 'imself at ya, (y/n)." Your eyes widened.

"The boy in yer body were the one who gave 'im the black eye. Deserved it too."

Akio threw himself at me? That doesn't make sense! I was the one who confessed to him! You wanted to ask Kuroo what had happened but there wasn't any way you could contact him, considering how you'd failed to send yourself a text message. If you were ever going to wake up in his body again, you'd let him know just how much you appreciated him turning things around in your life. You clenched your fists so tightly that you swore you could punch through a wall.

Kuroo Tetsuroo, you goddamn pig!

When Kuroo woke up as you, he didn't really freak out as much. It took him until half a day for him to realize that it wasn't a dream at all, that having enjoyed Kimi no Na Wa so much he was finally living it seemed a bit too unreal. However, after learning what that girl Naru had called you, Kuroo froze a little bit.

You were the girl that had killed herself, opposite Kenma's house.

Here, you were a second-year high school student, which meant that this was a year prior to how things went. Kuroo didn't know why you had killed yourself in the present, but he assumed it must be some reason related to mental health, for all suicides were along the same lines. His heart felt for you, but he was now more curious to see why he was swapped into your body. Did this mean he had to save your life, the same way Taki had saved Mitsuha?

"Oi," Kuroo said, as you, to the brown-haired girl calling herself Naru, "What's this girl's deal?"

"Whaddaya mean, (y/n)?"

Kuroo groaned, "I'm not (y/n)! I'm a guy, stuck in her body."

"Eh? That ain't possible—"

"After school, I'll show you a movie, how about that? Now, just play along. What's her deal?"

Naru hummed before tapping her chin a couple of times. It wasn't as if she didn't like role-playing, but you had been acting weird all day. This didn't particularly seem impossible, even though science told her it was out of the question.

"(y/n)'s the firstborn of two kids, she's got a younger brother, Takeru, and 'er mum's a bit of a bitch," Kuroo winced, "Ah, you aren't (y/n). She'd 'ave killed me if I said that."

Kuroo sighed, before gesturing her to continue. This was sometime after lunch, where Kuroo forcefully ate the bento (y/n)'s younger brother had made after he had called in sick on (y/n)'s behalf. He didn't understand why there wasn't a fully functioning cafeteria, but he assumed cities were different from country prefectures. He was in Nagasaki, after all.

"(y/n)'s dad's passed while fishing for oysters. 'er aunt lives in Tokyo, and is honestly the only person in (y/n)'s family that she adores."

Her aunt, huh, Kuroo's eyes narrowed, "She adores her aunt?"

Naru nodded, "Aunt's nice. Brings 'er gifts and all. Always keeps askin' her to move to Tokyo. Mum's against it."

"Why?"

"Even I dunno that, shonen." Naru shrugged.

It was during lunch that Akio had approached Kuroo. He was quite certain that he was her boyfriend, with how close he was and how he was saying such cheesy stupid shit. Maybe, they fought or something? Kuroo was never the one to pry, although, he took very little to understand the context of certain situations. Just as he understood this one.

"I know I said no ta ya," Akio's hands were inching closer and closer to Kuroo, "But lemme erase that, aight? With the way ya are right now, I'm not sure I can hold myself back—"

"Hold up a goddamn minute," Kuroo smirked before placing both his hands against his chest and pushing him away, "You rejected me?"

"That's in the past—"

"And you're nuzzling close to me like we're dating? You must be some pig, eh?"

Akio's eyes flashed with anger before grabbing Kuroo's wrist. Judging from the strength (y/n) had, he was certain that she wouldn't have been able to push him away, but this was Kuroo. And even though he didn't like physical fights, helping a girl recover her honor was not against his many policies. He twisted Akio's hands before throwing a nasty punch to the boy's face, drawing blood. It wasn't as if he knew you personally or even knew enough of your story to be doing this, but he was in your body right then, and if at all you believed you were deserving of this idiot's schemes, Kuroo wanted you to know that you were much more.

The second he saw your image in the mirror, he was floored at how beautiful you were even in the morning. Your hair was marvelous, your smile was gorgeous, and your body... now that was something else. Kuroo wasn't a pervert, but he won't deny that having your body for a day was making him more curious by the hour. He had touched your breasts, he wouldn't lie, but he'd have done that if it were anyone. But, he refused to look at any part of you otherwise, which was perhaps why he decided he wouldn't take a shower. The farthest he would go would be touching your breasts, and if he had to comment, he'd simply say that he wouldn't mind waking up as you if it meant having your breasts.

He had learned later that day from Naru that (y/n) had been obsessed with this Akio boy for over a few months now. Taking a deep breath, he walked over to the girl and asked her if she had a computer with a stable internet connection. When she said only her phone had an internet connection, Kuroo groaned. Even the groan sounds adorable coming from (y/n), he thought before nodding once.

"There's a movie we're going to watch, okay?"

"Whatsit about?"

"Whatever's happening to me and your friend."

It surprised him how quietly Naru sat through the entire movie. Kuroo didn't mind watching Kimi no Na Wa again, especially as someone else, but Naru's fascination with the movie amazed him. For a moment, he deliberated on telling her that you had died in the present world, but he knew that telling Naru meant he was inevitably telling you, and he didn't want you to panic or throw yourself into a corner.

If he was put in your body, and judging from what he knew happens to you, he was meant to save you.

Perhaps, the care rose in his heart after learning that he was in your body of all people. Knowing that you had died, alone and isolated in a house where your aunt was probably never home, having not been fed or having any friends for that matter, Kenma knew better about the circumstances of your death, and he made it a point to ask him later.

Once the movie was done, the first question that Naru asked him proved to him that Naru was indeed one of the smartest people he'd met.

"Something's gonna happen to 'er, isn't it?"

When he woke up back as himself, the first thing he saw was the familiar Ratchet and Clank poster in front of him, and the loudness of Tokyo livelihood. He turned to spot his uniform neatly folded and hung from hangers against the door, and his heart twisted in dissatisfaction with how he had just haphazardly thrown yours. He noticed the note you had left behind and smiled as he read your words, before noticing the line below your first note. His eyes widened and he rushed toward his laptop, before noticing a large crack on it.

"You've got to be kidding—" He traced his hand against the big crack on his laptop's screen before feeling nothing but ire in his heart, "—she fucking broke my laptop!"

Rushing down to meet Kenma, knowing full well that he'd understand, he noticed his father coming toward him with breakfast. Kuroo eyed his father strangely before his father returned the gaze.

"You ate yesterday, so what's the trouble now?"

Kuroo groaned internally when he realized that you had no idea what issues he was having and Kuroo didn't want to argue first thing in the morning. Snatching the toast his father had made, Kuroo rushed out to meet Kenma.

"Oi, Kenma!"

Kenma's eyes met his friend's form before a smirk plastered on his face, "So, how was it living as someone who's dead?"

"She broke my laptop!"

Kenma's smirk didn't die down, "Yeah, she was trying to watch the movie, but then I told her you might have watched porn earlier and she dropped it. Don't blame her, your laptop's probably filthy."

Kuroo gasped, "It is not!"

Kenma shrugged.

"I don't even want to explain to the old man what happened. He's going to whoop my ass for it, it's barely a year old. Agh, damn it."

"Kuroo," Kenma's voice suggested he was being serious, "This is strange."

He let out a sigh, "No kidding. I woke up crying," Kenma looked at him, "She's got a shit life, no offence to her. Mum's a bit cold, brother's a little shit, her best friend's a bit... strange, she gets bullied by this dumb loudmouth, and the guy she liked practically tried to assault her."

"She wasn't too happy here either, from what I've heard," Kenma said, "Her mum passed away because of an accident and her aunt brought her here. Her aunt's a monster, though. Barely cared for her. Drove her to the edge until..."

Kenma felt his heart constrict uncomfortably. Sure, she had broken his laptop but that was minor compared to the changes he'd made in your life. Just thinking about it made him wonder how you'd take it, but there was something strange overall regarding the entire timeline of it all. If you were dead in the present life, how did it matter what these small changes instigate? If anything, Kuroo understood that it was your depression that drove you to the edge; but, considering what he'd done yesterday, standing up for herself when she clearly had not before, Kuroo wondered if it would make a difference at all.

"Need to know more about why she... you know."

Kenma nodded, "So you think it'll happen again?"

Kuroo thought of the tears that leaked out of your eyes that morning he woke up as you. He nodded, a serious gleam in his gold eyes. It better, he thought, his stomach twisted as he remembered hearing of your death for the first time.

"What about practice yesterday?"

"Didn't have it. Nekomata's pretty pissed. Gave you a mask and she moved around pretending you were sick."

Kuroo sighed with relief but felt worse when he thought of the welcome you might be getting later today. He understood that the events might have already occurred but if Kuroo's swapped into your body and if that made any change in the timeline of events, if that meant you could come out of this alive, he wouldn't mind. No one deserved to be pushed to an extent like that, and whether you knew it or not, you were worthy of so much more. He'd gone through your notes, he'd gone through a few of your scribbles and he could understand that you were a hard-worker. You wanted to move to Tokyo and live a city life, you wanted a better life for yourself and he could see just from one day that you were striving for it. Sure, you were a tad bit insecure, judging from how Akio had spoken of you, but Kuroo knew you were so much more than what you thought of yourself.

He didn't know why he felt this way, but he didn't want you to go down the way you did. And if these swaps made a difference, then he'd ensure that the difference was good.

The more the day progressed, the more he thought about what you were doing. While he knew that his timeline was set in the future and that yours was from a year ago, it still felt like you were there, going to school, managing the bullying, the idiotic crush you had on that jerk. He knew that it was just because of living in your body for a day that he cared and that until now, despite learning you had died, he had no idea who you were, and while he did feel bad for you, it was only after this did it feel a tad bit personal.

A week passed before Kuroo woke up as you again.

Instantly, his hands rushed to your breasts and a large drunk grin plastered on his face. I've missed you two, he thought before finding that the screen dividing your brother's side of the room was open and your brother was staring at you—Kuroo—intently.

"What are you doing, nee-chan?"

Kuroo gasped before throwing a pillow at the little boy, before hearing him groan and throw it back. It wasn't that the little boy, Takeru, was a little shit, it was just that he seemed to have the ability to be around when he wasn't needed. Suddenly, as if he were being pulled out of a stupor he realized that he hadn't woken up with tears in his eyes. Turning to young Takeru, Kuroo gestured for the boy to come closer. Takeru listened and crouched beside Kuroo, before waiting intently.

"If I had memory loss and forgot the entire day of yesterday, how would you describe what happened to me?"

Takeru hummed before tapping his chin a couple of times, "You din't 'ave a good day yesterday," Ah, damn, "You fought with mum and she hitchu," Kuroo winced, "but I think ya were mean ta 'er, 'cause she was cryin'. You were cryin' too, sayin' how you were sorry butchu din't tell mum that so ya were cryin' for nothin'. Naru-nee came'oer, but she had ta leave after some time. And in school," Takeru shrugged, "I don't know 'cause yer in high school and I'm in elementary."

Kuroo ruffled Takeru's head before smiling a bit. Seems like you had quite the day, he thought before hearing Takeru say something strange.

"You should talk to 'kaa-chan," Kuroo's eyes widened, "She misses ya. She tells me when we pick salt. She misses ya, nee-chan."

(y/n) moved to Tokyo because her mum passed away in an accident, right? Kuroo thought before narrowing his eyes, What kind of accident was it? And what happened to Takeru?

Heading to the living room, Kuroo noticed your mother near the kitchen. Her face was puffy, and it looked like she had cried herself to sleep the night before. Kuroo knew it was not in his place to say or do anything, but there was only one thing he could conceive that could perhaps help in this situation. Whatever it is, if we can at least avoid her mother's misunderstanding, then maybe, (y/n) can stay behind.

"Kaa-chan," It was strange for Kuroo to be calling someone that after years, "About yesterday—"

In one instant, your mother turned to face Kuroo, you, and her eyes filled with tears. She instantly wiped them away before nodding.

"I've made breakfast—"

"Please," Kuroo said, "I might not say this often, but... I miss you more than you know. I know things aren't okay and I know I might act differently sometimes, but you need to know I'm always here for you. Just talk to me, okay?"

Your mother stared at Kuroo like you were another person; which was true, but it wasn't like she'd notice.

"I sometimes forget ya are yer father's daughter," your mother said, chuckling, "Yer so sweet, baby. I'm sorry for hittin' ya."

"I'm... sorry for raising my voice."

Your mother knew you hadn't raised your voice. Your mother also probably knew that something extraordinary was going on, but just to see her daughter smile and nod at her made her feel strangely content. A hand reached toward Kuroo and grazed against his, no your, cheek, and he felt tears sting the back of his eyelids.

"I'll try ta be a bit more nicer, yeah?"

Kuroo chuckled before feeling his the back of his throat hurt. He nodded, because, well, what else could he do? Breakfast that morning was relatively milder, there was an air of ease spread around and while he wanted no credit, Kuroo's heart bubbled with a bit of pride. It wasn't too intense, Kuroo felt the same sort of penchant luck he would feel if after casually tossing something across the room and it hits his target so crisply and perfectly that he feels no desire even to attempt another shot. While walking to school, Kuroo waved at Takeru before turning to spot Naru waiting outside her house. Running to her, Kuroo slapped the girl's back before grinning widely.

"Yer the boy!"

Kuroo felt his heart drop, "How'd you know?"

"If (y/n) ever let 'erself smile like that, that'd be the day," Naru chuckled, "We've got tests today, yer on the worst possible day."

Kuroo felt his heart drop, but that wasn't because of the tests. Oh shit, he thought before realizing that today was one of the practice matches scheduled between Fukurodani and Nekoma, and you were there in his place. Oh, fuck, he thought before running a hand through your hair, before stopping himself. Wow, he thought, your hair is so smooth. He remembered touching your hair before, but was it always this smooth?

"You look like yer constipated," Naru said, staring at his face. "Somethin' wrong?"

"Nothing I can do about now." Kuroo said, sighing. We're losing to Fukurodani, and I lost a bet to Bokuto. Great.

"How's she been doing so far?"

Naru hummed, "Better, I think. She ain't cleanin' her desk, though. The names are still 'ere."

"Names?"

Naru cringed, "You'll see 'em. People've stopped talkin' to 'er, but that's surprisingly helpful. And... Oh, yeah! She got a job."

Oh, fuck me.

"What job?"

Naru shrugged, "Tis easy, just regular shop keepin'. The general store has obaa-san watchin' it over, so (y/n) decided to help out for some dough."

Ah, that's doable, he thought before saying, "What test?"

"Math. She hates math."

Kuroo sighed with relief. I'll give her a gift for ruining her life the last time, he chuckled before entering the school, only to find no one looking at him. He paused for a moment before feeling Naru turn and look at him, suddenly having frozen to the spot. It was as if he was an outcast, living an invisible life—no one could see him, his life didn't matter, his existence as such was minute. He turned to Naru before she offered him a kind smile and a nod suggesting that yes, this was how things were.

Kuroo only let it fuel his determination further.

Entering class, he noticed that (y/n)'s desk was riddled with insults, which boiled his blood. With his eyebrow ticking at how unabashedly disgusting this was, Kuroo took out (y/n)'s kerchief before wiping the insults off. He heard a few snickers before he turned to them and glared, only to have them swallow their chuckles. Kuroo returned to swiping the names off the desk before letting out a breath and sitting down.

"Those names are gonna be back tomorrow." He heard someone say and Kuroo knew responding would be bad for (y/n).

But, he really couldn't help it.

"And they'll be off just as quickly as they came. Maybe, the hand that writes them will be off too."

It was then he realized that (y/n)'s voice, when used in such a sweet yet dangerous manner, was a tad bit arousing. She could be menacing if she wanted to, but for that, he knew she had to be pushed a little more. He didn't know the entire story, but he knew that if he allowed himself to be completely immersed in what she went through, then there was a chance he could save her. He wanted to save her, he wanted her happy—and knew it was because he was able to live as her.

The test went really well; he wasn't sure if (y/n) was really good at math, but judging from what Naru had said, you hated the subject so that meant you weren't too good. That didn't matter, you were probably going to score more than you ever had before. On his way out with Naru, he spotted Akio at a distance, before he gave him the stink-eye, before Akio walked away, scoffing.

"What'd that pig say after?"

"Came and called 'er a slut the next day," Kuroo frowned, "But, she was surprisingly mature 'bout it. Didn't bother with 'im. Heartbroken (y/n) is the most productive (y/n). Got 'erself a job."

Every cell in your body screamed that you wanted to survive. If he could see it, if Naru could see it, then why couldn't you?

That night, he left a message for you in your mirror. I apologized to your mom for you. Scored a good number on your math test. Cleaned your desk for you. Please keep it that way. And I forgive you for the laptop. Kuroo sighed before heading to your bed, before allowing himself to rest.

When he woke up, the first thing he saw was black—there was a note stuck to his face. Blinking, he pulled the note to see something written in big bold letters.

Kuroo Tetsuroo, you self-centered pig!

He narrowed his eyes at the accusation before sitting up and scratching his head. What the hell did I do? You're the one that broke my laptop! Turning to the side, he saw a completely clean desk, with books stacked like a sane person's desk, and his uniform was once again hanging neatly ironed from the hanger by his door. His right eyebrow twitched before he walked to the bathroom, and in his mirror, big red letters from his red marker had been etched ruthlessly: How dare you scream at Akio-kun?! How dare you mess up my life the way you did?! I was fine before you came along! I didn't even do anything the whole time I was you and I could have easily messed things up!

His eyebrow twitched dangerously before grabbing his phone and calling Kenma.

"What happened yesterday?"

"Ah, you got a stomach bug and sat out during practice. Bokuto called you a coward."

"Ah, fuck."

"And she finally watched the movie."

Did she now? Kuroo felt an odd sense of anger and misplaced sort of betrayal lodge in his heart. However, these feelings were soon going to be replaced.

When you woke up as Kuroo, you didn't get startled right away. You had expected it by now and in a strange way, you hoped for it; you wanted to mess small things up a little bit by behaving differently, just as he had done with little to no consideration to accommodate in your life. You frowned before not even being bothered with the bed hair and rushed downwards before noticing Kuroo's father by the counter.

"Otou-san," You weren't sure how Kuroo addressed his father, if Kuroo even addressed him at all, but it felt very strange for you to use that word after having not used it in years, "Good morning!"

Kuroo's father turned to you with horror before freezing as you approached him and gave him a hug. You tightened it gradually, feeling his father freeze up at how uncharacteristic it was for his son to greet him that way.

"Did you have a bad dream again?"

You froze before staying that way, not expecting this.

"Been years, I thought. Now you're hugging me like a moron. You know it's just a dream, right?"

You pulled away before feeling your heart sink at the way his father was looking at you. He let out a sigh before shaking his head.

"It's not your fault, idiot. Separations happen. People... people die. I know we never had this talk but—"

"N-No. I..." It feels wrong that his father was talking about something so personal with you, thinking you were his son. "I'm sorry—"

"That's the thing, Tetsu," His father smiled bitterly, "You shouldn't be, son. You of all people shouldn't be."

Breakfast was quiet but tranquil. It wasn't weird, and you noticed Kuroo's grandparents smile at you and wave, wanting to catch some more sleep before having breakfast. Your heart gave way at seeing such a cute old couple hold each other's hands and help each other around, and you wondered what kind of boy Kuroo was. Heading out, you noticed Kenma there again. Leaning down, you smiled at him before saying, "Kenma-kun!"

Kenma's eyes widened before saying, "(s/n)?"

You nodded sheepishly, before rubbing the back of your, no Kuroo's, neck. Kenma sighed before letting out a chuckle, causing you to tilt your head at him confusingly.

"What's up?"

"Of all days," Kenma said, an evil glint in his eye, "Today's the swap day."

"Why? What's today?"

Kenma said, "Well, let's just say you can't miss volleyball practice."

Wanting to mess with Kuroo a little bit more, you noticed the line of girls looking at you from the corner and shot them a sweet smile, before feeling Kenma nudge your stomach with his elbow.

"Are you trying to get him in trouble?" You nodded pridefully, "Then try harder, Kuroo always smiles at girls."

You felt annoyed at his words, but you sort of expected Kuroo to be a bit of a flirt.

"Is he a flirt?"

"He doesn't realize he's doing it. He's just a dork."

You giggled at that before Kenma turned to you and cocked an eyebrow.

"I know it's hard for you, but try to be a boy, okay?"

You let out a breath before nodding and heading over to your, no Kuroo's, classroom. You noticed how his bench was devoid of names, and your heart shrunk at the thought. You'd gotten used to seeing the names on your desk, but right then, the emptiness made you remember where you had come from. Kuroo was loved and revered for being the volleyball captain, and being handsome, and had friends who loved and cared for him. You let out a breath before trying to remain in character, finding no energy in your heart to play with Kuroo's life.

You knew he had to take your math test, but you believed he'd ace it. Seeing how good he was at math, and how Kuroo was a year older, after all. You wondered if he'd fail on purpose because you had broken his laptop, but your heart told you he wasn't that petty. But, what I'm doing is petty, right? You frowned before thinking of how Akio-kun approached you the other day, and the names on your desk.

After school, you followed Kenma into the gym, your heart pounding the entire time. You tugged at Kenma's sleeve right after changing, before he sighed.

"Just... smirk at everyone and cock your right eyebrow and try and make fun of the really short guy, Yaku, and be rude to the really tall guy, Lev. And have you ever played volleyball before?"

Your heart sunk as you nodded slightly, "A few times in middle school."

Kenma chuckled, "Serves him right for being cocky all the damn time," You narrowed your eyes, "Let's see how it goes."

Walking out, you saw Kuroo's volleyball team for the first time. They weren't even looking at you, but then you noticed the really tall guy that Kenma said was called Lev. You gulped before shooting him a deadpan as he approached you.

"So the thing—"

"Lev," Kenma interrupted, saving your life, "Did you practice what I told you?"

"Eh?"

"Look at the ball while smacking it. Don't lower your elbows. You need to prioritize speed over height—"

As Kenma was talking, you could see Lev step backward in absolute horror. You wanted to laugh at the way silent and smooth Kenma turned into an intimidating mentor, but the interaction they had was simply just too sweet to ignore.

"Wait! Don't say all that at once!" Lev begged, causing you to chuckle meanly.

"By the way," You swore you could feel ice around Kenma's shoulders now, penetrating straight to Lev, "I've told you all this before."

Letting out a breath, Kenma calmed down before shooting you a look and then turning to Lev, "You're still nowhere as good as Shoyo."

Shoyo?

"Damn it! I'm definitely going to turn this around!" Lev said, pumping his fist in the air.

A moment later, a bunch of differently dressed students entered the gym. Your eyes widened a tad bit before finding Kenma's, who simply shrugged and alerted you to come to the side. While it received weird looks that you were being too quiet and being summoned by Kenma, you had no other choice but to move away. The short person, Yaku, gave you the stink eye, and you wondered if he liked Kuroo at all.

"Bokuto looks like an owl and is probably going to smother you," You felt your stomach flip, "Akaashi is quieter and won't bother you. And the others don't talk to you as much. Kuroo flirts with the female managers, but it won't look weird if you don't talk to them today. Just say your stomach hurts or something."

"Won't that make Kuroo look bad?"

Kenma smirked, "Everything will make him look bad, you can just hope to reduce the damage."

"Hey, hey, hey! Kuroo-kun! Ready to lose today?"

"A-Ah," You gulped, unaware of what to call him and said the first thing that came to mind, "You're the one that's gonna lose, o-owl bastard!"

Bokuto blinks at what you called him and a second later bursts out laughing. Akaashi nodded at you before greeting you quietly. Kenma shot you a thumbs up before you let out a breath of relief.

"Haven't heard you call me that in a while. You're definitely going to lose!"

In the middle of practice, you gulped before clutching your stomach and moving to the side. Strangely, it was Bokuto who rushed toward you as if something was wrong.

"Oi, oi, oi, you look pale there, Kuroo-kun! You alright?"

"Haven't been," You seriously considered getting a job as an actress, "All day."

Akaashi turned to the coach before bowing once, and it was Yaku who rushed to you before placing a calm hand on your back.

"What's happening to you?"

"Must be the food—"

"Ah, damn," Yaku turned to the coach before saying, "I think Kuroo's got a stomach bug! Let's sub him out."

"Hm, maybe," Bokuto tapped his chin and said cheekily, "You're just scared of losing and your body's reacting that way."

"Please ignore him when he's being that way, Kuroo-san." Akaashi said, looking straight at you.

After practice, which you stayed behind to watch, constantly making weird faces to show you were in pain, Kenma accompanied you home. It was quiet for a bit as you continued to walk with him, not knowing what to say.

"About Kuroo-kun's mother," You began, "His father told me something today."

Kenma turned to you and blinked, "What'd he say?"

"That it wasn't Kuroo-kun's fault."

"Ah."

"What did that mean?"

"I can't tell you."

You pouted, but you understood where Kenma was coming from. You knew almost nothing about Kuroo at all, and even if he had turned a bit of your life around, you knew he knew nothing about yours. Maybe, by trying to alter his life a little bit, you'd only sunk to make him act more like himself, which was nothing close to what you had initially planned on doing. There was no point in trying to shame Kuroo, when in hindsight, he had simply just tried to stand up to the people who wronged you.

Junko never bothered you for notes after that, and Akio-kun left you alone, resorting to just giving you ugly looks whenever he passed by you. You'd lost every bit of feelings you had for him after Naru told you he'd tried to assault you, for which Kuroo had merely punched him out of defense. You wondered what you'd have done if you were in that situation. But, I was, you thought before feeling the back of your eyelids burn, I was in that situation and even then Kuroo-kun was the one who saved me.

It felt odd that someone you had never even met was helping you out like this, and it made you feel weirdly crippled. That night, you finally allowed yourself to watch Kimi no Na Wa on Kuroo's computer, which was brand-new. You made careful effort to ensure you wouldn't drop it this time.

However, you wanted to let him have a piece of your mind. Heading to the bathroom, you scribbled on the mirror with his whiteboard marker and then wrote a post-it note to stick on his face as you slept. However, the real notes that you wanted him to see where on his desk, beneath a book you knew he might miss. You managed to clear out his pigeon coop of a table and stacked everything the way you would have for yourself. It was after that did you find yourself writing what you really wanted him to know.

I know you're trying to help me, and I want to thank you. But, I can't. If I allow you to keep helping me, then I will never help myself.

But, thank you. For everything.

You let out a breath before sticking the post-it to your face and lying down. It had been a strange day.

#kuroo x reader #kuroo tetsuroo #tetsuro kuro #Kuroo Tetsurou #kuroo tetsuro imagine #kuroo tetsuroo x reader #kuroo tetsuro x reader #kuroo #kuroo fluff #haikyuu #kuroo tetsuro x you #kuroo tetsuro angst #kuroo tetsuro headcanons #kuroo tetsurō #kuuro tetsuro #kimi no na wa #kuro #tetsuro kuroo x reader

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mochibuni · 4 years

Text

Sailor Moon Noir - WIP Fic

I’ve been quietly working on this AU fic idea for a few years and will be sharing my progress (written and visuals) privately with patrons on my patreon. But for now, here is a little preview of the first chapter, still under heavy edits!

Synop:

After being sheltered by the yakuza clan Hurricane of Flowers, high schooler Usagi Tsukino is targeted by the police to extract information from her on their leader Bara-hime. The youngest investigator on the team, Mamoru Chiba, is not too keen on capturing a high school girl, but he’s not about to let special agent V upstage him again. Meanwhile the reclusive miko of Hikawa Shrine leaves V with a cryptic message warning her that the infamous and mysterious political figure “Mercury” is the main benefactor of Bara-hime and interfering may lead to her end.

LATE DECEMBER

CHAPTER 1

Winter chill nipped at flushed cheeks and bundled bodies of Juuban High’s senior class 3-1 as they stumbled from the karaoke parlor onto the snow dusted streets of Tokyo. Fresh flakes crowned their heads as they whooped and hollered, throats still raw from hours of singing, as they parted ways into the night. Next month were university entrance exams and shortly after that graduation, the idea tugged a bit at the back of Usagi Tsukino’s mind as she turned to say goodbye to her friends.

“Are you okay, Usagi-chan, are you sure you don’t want us to walk you home?” Naru Osaka ventured, noticing the swell of tears threatening her friend’s bright blue eyes.

Usagi shook her head, snow briskly falling from her golden pigtails, haloing her under the street light. “I’ll be just fine,” she grinned proudly before rounding onto Gurio Umino. The three of them had been close knit since middle school, but this year Gurio finally had the courage to confess to Naru and Usagi wasn’t about to relent on her teasing.

“Take good care of Naru-chan, Umino!” Usagi lectured, shaking a finger. She and her classmates, and Naru most of the time, still unable to shake calling him by his last name.

“Right right right,” Umino played along, rolling his eyes behind large spectacles.

Naru hesitated before taking Umino’s offered arm, “Goodnight, Usag-chan, please be careful.”

“Bye bye! Have her home before sunrise, Umino, or Mama Osaka will be angry!” Usagi called after them, Umino nearly tripping in the snow.

She sighed, wrapping a pink scarf around her neck and dutifully applying the matching mittens. Usagi never liked school much and the upcoming tests for entrance exams had stressed her out so much that she decided to forget they existed. But she liked her classmates and she loved her friends. She watched the figures of Naru and Umino amble down the sidewalk, bodies linked and nuzzled, until they turned the corner and disappeared from sight.

“I don’t want it to end,” Usagi whispered, echoing her declaration from earlier that evening during a party game. Her classmates had laughed, patting her head and giving her hugs, exclaiming how much they loved their Usagi-chan.

Usagi gave one last lingering look at the karaoke parlor, letting the cheers and giggles die out from her memory, before throwing the tail of her scarf over her shoulder and setting out for home. She wasn’t sure if she was ever going to make it, hunched over to watch her declared cute brown boots shuffle in the snow. Maybe if she had been paying attention she would have, but Usagi loved to play up her emotions, and Sullen Usagi did not notice the situation around the corner until she was nearly on top of it.

“You know theys don’t take kindly to double crossin’,” a distinctly male and distinctly threatening voice cut through the frigid air, stopping Usagi cold.

“I also know they don’t want anything from the incident gettin’ out,” came the reply, timber low and just as threatening.

Not daring to move from fear or otherwise, all Usagi could do was peak from the corner of her eyes at a pair of men barely concealed near the edge of a building she had so nonchalantly shuffled the corner around. The first man shifted, his girth barely covered under a dark coat, “And what incident would that be?” The second man leaned in, bending low, his litheness lending to why he had been hired in the first place. “You know. The incident from 15 years ago and the orchestration those politicians used to cover it up,” he replied slowly, leaning into every word, “Those newly elected politicians who never had a chance until your people showed up.”

The large man laughed, high and hoarse, quickly pushing himself away. “You know nothin’ of that! Kuraiokoku-Kai has no connections to that massacre. Where’s you gettin’ that informations?”

“Oh is that so? You never rubbed shoulders with politics guys like Takashi Hino?” the slender man leaned back, “Midori Jaketto?”

“Look I’m not allowed to be seen with our customers,” The other hunched over, trying to smother his booming voices with cupped hands, “You know as good as me that guys like us have to work up in order to rub shoulders with guys like them.”

“But he is one of your customers,” The man confirmed, pulling the collar of his coat up to block the sudden gust of chill.

Usagi also braced herself against the chill, the sudden wind cutting against her nose and cheeks, pulling her scarf loose; a pink knitted tail betraying her like a white flag to the wind. Both men turned to look at her scarf, then to her, wide eyed and open mouthed. Usagi quickly grabbed the end of it, shoving it deeply along her neck. “Aha~” her high pitched sputter lifted and echoed through the street.

The larger man deftly pointed at Usagi repeatedly, but before his words could catch up he was flat on his back. A petite figure stood on top of him dressed head to toe in black, a curved blade grasped firmly in hand. Violet eyes peered out beneath blunt cut bangs at Usagi’s shaking body, a pool of something dark and viscus creeping out from the lifeless heap below. Usagi instinctively took a step back and immediately slipped, crashing against the pavement. The world began to blur as panic set in, water seeping through the heavy fabric of her clothes, mittens sopping up the slush as she flailed herself away.

The figure cocked their head, like a broken doll, before lunging straight at Usagi.

A flash of green. A clang of metal. It rang in her ears, drowning out the scream caught in her throat.

Before her loomed a strikingly tall woman dressed in a silk green kimono dotted with pink flowers, a golden katana in hand. The woman barked something low, mixed with the hiss of sirens approaching from the distance. The black doll cocked their head the other way for a moment, a beckoning click calling from behind, before stepping backwards and blending into the shadows.

A long sigh passed between Usagi’s lips like air out of a balloon as she slumped over her knees. Before her body succumbed to shock and fatigue she felt it gently lifted and cradled against something soft. “You’ll be safe,” came a feminine voice, deep and smooth, warming Usagi in her core.

Usagi nuzzled herself deeper, taking in the scent of roses as she fell into slumber, her body whisked away into the night.

#mochi wip #mochi writes #sailor moon #idk if i'll ever finish it #but it's all outline so that's a victory

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ghosthunthq · 4 years

Text

The Bones in the Acid 6

By: @sprghosthunter

Prompt: crime investigation AU

“We lost the feed,” Mai panicked. “We lost the fucking feed!” Ever since they had started walking down that hall… it had been radio silence.

Yasu’s foot was pushing the accelerator to the floor. He was going as fast as he could to get to the Miyama Estate. It was only two miles away, but every second counted. Eyes glued to the road, Yasu heard Mai’s phone go off. The detective riding shotgun snatched the device.

“It’s from Naru!”

Mai swiped the screen and opened her messaging app. She was silent for a few moments before demanding Yasu drive faster.

“What does it say?”

She spoke with a frantic tone, “It says that he can’t make it on Monday. That he needs to be with his parents, to discuss Gene’s funeral arrangements.”

The engine revved and Yasu’s grip on the steering wheel tightened. The asshole didn’t realize it was a possible sting. They were lucky, but still… time was limited.

The vehicle made a sharp turn. Mai steadied herself against the center console as she was thrown sideways. Tires squealed, and for a moment, she thought the SUV was going to flip. When stable, Mai stared out the windshield. Ahead was a closed gate, the entrance to Kaneyuki’s estate.

Yasu braced as he aimed to hit the iron barrier dead center. As the gate drew closer Mai pushed against the dashboard, preparing for impact. After watching Mai from the corner of his eye, Yasu barreled onward without the slightest hesitation.

There was a loud crash. Their speed had rapidly decreased, but they were still moving. Mai whipped her head to the side and saw one of the barred doors soaring through the air. She didn’t have the chance to see it land as the SUV continued onto the property.

Returning her attention forward, Mai saw the shape of a large mansion in the distance. She twisted, reaching into the back seat. On her knees, Mai grabbed an extra magazine for her hand gun. She slid it into her pocket and rested her hand over her holster. Disabling the safety of her gun, she looked to Yasu.

“I’ll head in the front. You find a way into the back.”

…line break…

Looking to his left, Oliver observed his brother. There was a small, most healed cut beneath his eye. His shirt hung loosely on his frame, and his once fitted trousers sagged below his waist. Gene’s complexion was also pale, likely due to the lack of sunlight. Oliver failed to notice any other significant physical alterations.

“When did they bring you here?” Oliver asked. He angled himself towards Gene as best he could.

Gene shook his head. “It… was a Thursday… I had… gotten home pretty late from a party, and my place had been totally trashed… I was looking around, trying to figure out what the hell happened when they ambushed me.”

“It’s been little over a week…” Oliver sighed. Shifting on his knees, he looked up at the single bulb dangling in the center of the room. “We’ll get out of this. Don’t worry.”

Falling into a fit of hysterics, Gene stuttered, “No. We won’t. As soon as they come back… they’re going to… to…”

“Mai and Yasu are on the way,” Oliver calmly assured. “They sent me here, suspicious Kaneyuki had something to do with their current investigation.”

“But Noll!” blurted Gene, “I don’t think they’ll make it on time! And if they get caught, they’ll be killed too!”

“Gene, you need to stay calm. Everything will be fine.”

“No, you don’t understand!” Yanking on his binds, Gene shouted, “He’s insane! He thinks… bathing in the blood of youth will lengthen his life! And recently he heard some rumor that the blood of identical twins has properties of immortality!”

Eyebrow twitching, Oliver offered his brother a befuddled look. How stupid could the guy be?

“He isn’t going to give Mai and Yasu any time to get here! He’s going to-”

Before Gene could finish the door creaked open, drawing the attention of both Oliver and Gene. The two large men that had earlier escorted Oliver entered the room. One was holding a large knife while the other carried a plastic, five gallon bucket. The bucket was placed underneath the metal table in the center of the room while the knife was balanced on the edge of the bathtub.

Gene began to tremble as one of the men approached a steel cabinet. Oliver followed his brother’s gaze and watched as a set of yellowing straps were removed and then arranged on the tabletop. One of the worn leather lengths dropped to the floor, the steel latch landing with a clank.

Gene flinched. The scene unfolding was uncomfortably familiar to him.

As Gene looked back to Oliver his irises conveyed a sense of utter terror.

The twins remained quiet, continuing to watch the men work. Gene was too frightened to speak. Oliver, meanwhile, was worried he would hasten the process if he said anything less than desirable.

“This should be quite fun,” Kaneyuki’s voice rang throughout the room, startling Oliver and Gene. He sauntered inside, a glass of red wine in hand. His formal business attire had been replaced with a floor length, bleached white robe. As Kaneyuki swirled the glass dangling in his fingers, Oliver realized the beverage in his hand was not wine. As the dark liquid sloshed it clung to the upper walls of the glass. An overwhelming metallic scent also dominated Oliver’s senses as Kaneyuki stalked closer.

Kaneyuki gazed at his prisoners in delight. He lowered himself and took a sip, much to the disgust of the twins. Noting the change in their facial features, Kaneyuki snickered. He eyed Oliver and leapt in his direction.

Pushing his glass against the researcher’s lips, Kaneyuki mocked, “It’s the blood of a virgin. Why don’t you give it a try, Dr. Davis?”

Oliver turned his head away, repulsed. Long, sharp nails dug into his chin. His head was forced into position, and the chilled glass was thrust against his mouth again.

“I insist. I don’t want you missing out on the experience.”

As Oliver made another attempt to turn his cheek, the glass crashed against his teeth and the tinny tasting liquid flooded his mouth. Coughing, Oliver contorted, trying to get away from the madman. Blood trickled past his lips and splattered over his clothes while he expelled the offending substance.

A few drops landed on Kaneyuki’s sleeve and he tsked, “Oh, come now, there isn’t any need to be so dramatic. It doesn’t taste that bad.” He jammed his fingers between Oliver’s teeth and pried open his jaw. Oliver made an attempt to bite down and remove the invasive appendages, but the force holding his jaw apart was surprisingly strong. Tilting the glass at an angle, Kaneyuki poured the aged blood down Oliver’s throat.

Oliver gagged. He jerked at his restraints, desperate to free himself and push Kaneyuki away. In the midsts of his struggle, Oliver inhaled by mistake, and began to choke. Throwing his skull back, Oliver disrupted the flow of the foul fluid. It drizzled over his neck and onto his shirt. Again, he coughed, desperate to purge himself of the lingering taste.

Prepared to continue with Oliver’s torment, Kaneyuki grabbed at his head again. Before he had the opportunity to drain even more blood down Oliver’s throat, he was interrupted by Gene.

“Stop, you revolting freak!”

A smirk still present on his face, Kaneyuki gazed at Gene. He laughed quietly, “Oh yes, how could I forget? You must be dying to try it as well.”

The moment Oliver was released, he dropped his head, hacking. Red spewed on the tiles beneath him. As his coughs continued, the same inhumane treatment was bestowed upon his brother.

“Ugh, you are both so melodramatic,” Kaneyuki teased. He rose to full height, and to the horror of the twins, downed the remainder of the glass. “It’s really rather refreshing.” He flashed a toothy, crimson smile. “Perhaps neither of you have a sophisticated palate.”

One of Kaneyuki’s assistants reached out to him and spoke in a gruff voice, “Everything’s ready.”

“Oh, wonderful. Get this one ready.” he motioned towards Gene. Oliver was about to shout, but before he could utter a word, a blood soaked rag was shoved between his lips by the second accomplice. The cloth pushed against his throat, eliciting a muffed gag.

Gene thrashed as he was pulled from his corner. He tried throwing punches the instant his hands were released, but both of Kaneyuki’s men were much stronger than him. Gene’s fight did nothing to prolong the progress of his terminal predicament. It only took them seconds to hoist his body onto the table and tie him down.

“Thank you. Now, if you two will excuse me for a moment,” Kaneyuki waved his two assistants off, eager to begin his twisted ritual.

Both men left to stand outside the door. They closed it as they exited, leaving Kaneyuki and his victims alone.

Taking the sharp blade in hand, Kaneyuki circled Gene. Gene was spouting curses and empty threats; nothing Kaneyuki hadn’t heard before. He ignored him and brushed a hand through Gene’s thick hair. Yanking the adolescent’s head into place Kaneyuki locked eyes with Oliver and flashed his weapon. The silvery blade glistened.

Oliver shouted. His muted words only echoed inside his own head.

Stop!

“Enjoy the show, Dr. Davis!

Kaneyuki pressed the lethal blade against Gene’s neck while Oliver futilely pulled against his bonds. He didn’t cut, but just as Kaneyuki was about to slash into Gene’s skin there were two loud bangs.

Halting his actions, Kaneyuki looked towards the door. While watching the door he heard another gunshot. Knife still in hand, he swiftly moved to the side wall, out of sight from the entrance of the room. Gene, traumatized by his close encounter with death, turned his head. He could barely see the door as it burst open.

“Hands up Kaneyuki! It’s over!” Yasu came bolting inside, gun drawn. He aimed his weapon at the center table. As his vision adjusted, he gasped.

Gene was… alive?

He lowered his weapon and took a step closer to his friend. He then caught sight of Oliver wriggling. The scientist was gesturing to the right, but before Yasu could look Gene cried, “Look out he’s-”

There hadn’t been time for Yasu to react before a knife plowed into his upper back. He dropped his gun as he crashed to his knees. Eyes wide open, he looked between the table and Oliver. He felt a sharp pain, and his lungs burned.

“Yasu!” Gene yelled. He and Noll both resumed fighting their restraints as their captor cackled.

“You really thought you could stop me?!”

Yasu couldn’t reply. He was in a daze, focusing on his shallow breathing.

“What a foolish child you are! No one can stop me! Not even a member of the precious bureau!”

“I don’t think so,” came a collected, female voice.

Oliver craned his neck while Kaneyuki whirled around. The figure in the doorway stepped into the light, clutching a weapon tightly in her hands. Oliver didn’t have a chance to get a good look at the last member of his rescue party before she pulled the trigger on her gun.

A bright flash blinded Oliver momentarily and a high pitched drone rang in his ears.

As the light dissipated, along with the ringing, Oliver focused his vision on Kaneyuki. The slender man was still standing, though he looked unstable. His arms were hanging at his sides, hands and fingers relaxed. He swayed backwards, allowing gravity to take charge.

After Kaneyuki landed on his back, Oliver peered at him. On his forehead, perfectly centered between sunken eyes, was a single crimson hole.

#Ghost Hunt #GHW2020 #GHHQ #sprghosthunter #crime investigation AU #submission

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kirakiraonizakura · 6 years

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[PART 2] HAKUMYU LIVE2 - SPECIAL GUEST EXTRAS - Matsuda Ryo

Rightio, I am not sure if anyone likes this but I am continuing! (Whenever I have the mood of course :p). I will do Izawa Yuuki-kun’s guest corner after this because I enjoyed his appearance because he gives out many behind-the-scenes stories (although I iz biased only on Piroshi & Gakkun’s Hijikata because they look more similar to HijiHiji #/CHIIzurumode) or maybe Piroshi’s (but Piroshi’s one is better in the honpen version :D funnier). Then lastly Gomoto Naoya-kun and Shuuto-kun. Let’s see if I have the time

PART02: Matsuda Ryo-kun (12/08, Kyoto, EVENING)

[01:37:35]

Mori-Producer: This is Hakumyu butai after 2 1/2 years for you right?

Ryo-kun: Yeah

M-P: A lot of memories

R: Definitely and just now, just in time when I was about to enter this stage I passed by Saitou Hajime (Hashimoto Shohei-kun ^^) and I thought he has such a gooood expression~ (his face)! And when I saw that thought, I am glad he is the Saitou Hajime now.

M-P: … The first Hakumyu was in Ikebukuro, a small place that first just about 200 persons.

R: Yeah

M-P: Matsuda-san was giving his all XD

R: And I was talking in fullblast Kansai-ben too XD Wa, that brings back memories.

M-P: Back then I kinda judged would this kid be able to talk properly.. (Tokyo’s accent / without Kansai-accent) XD

R: lol and now I can speak fluently XD

M-P: Such a reliable person

R: That time I was just 21 years old M-P: So that was 4 years ago..

R: Yes this year I am turning 25 years old

*fans cheering*

Thank you, but not yet it is next month.

M-P: Right now lets watch the digest (Hakumyu clips) of 21y/o you

[01:39:00 - Digest on screen]

[01:40:08]

M-P: Definitely cool right

R: Do you really mean it? :p

M-P: I mean it!

R: Did you see that fukuchou just now? What the heck was that? (Piroshi’s scene appeared in the digest too and fans went UUUWAA~)

You see before I came I received a LINE message from Yazaki-san (Piroshi)

AUDIENCES: What did he sayyy?

R: Oh he said ‘ライブがんばれよ’ it was all in Hiragana -.- But that’s just like him XD And I said I will do my best anyway.

M-P: Do you still remember your lines (Saitou Hajime’s)?

R: More or less I do

M-P: We wanna hear it right?

AUDIENCES & ME: YASSSS

*M-P passes him a Katana* R: You know just now (noon performance), I wrongly placed the Katana on my left side (** because Saitou Hajime is famous for being a left-handed Samurai so he always had his katana on his right side.. in which as far as I know when I was really into Japanese history back then XD;; — it is not an acceptable / out of norm for a ‘samurai’ to behave in such a way, duh right? And that’s why Saitou Hajime felt so strongly with Shinsengumi, because they accepted him for his skills ^^)

M-P: lol that was a mistake

R: Yeah it was

Audiences: KAKOIII

R: Thank youu //// Ahem.. eh wait.. (he forgets his line here XD) Audiences: GANBAREE!!

R: *recites Saitou Hajime’s line* If you have conviction, be it a comrade or not, you’d cut. blablah

R: During Kazama-hen, there was a scene of me with Amagiri-san (Gomoto Naoya), it was a scene in which Amagiri-san lines was to explain something. And Saitou Hajime, me was supposed to be at standing at the left side of the stage over there, to listen. There was such a scene. And just ONCE, I think it was Kobe-performance, I didn’t appear (to stage :p). So the Amagiri-san at that time just went through with his lines on his own alone. And I was actually just at the side-stage seated, waiting for the next scene. I sat and I sat. Till suddenly Heisuke, Ikeda Junya-kun came running and yelled ‘GET OUT THERE!’ and I was just slightly annoyed like wth? ‘HA? WHY SHOULD I?’ and he said ‘IT IS YOUR SCENE, GET OUT ON THE STAGE’. And I realized belatedly ‘Eh?…… EHHHH?!!!’

& ever since that incident, I really get ready but for every performances after that, any other casts Shuuto-kun or Manji-san would stand to look over me and make sure it goes well and each time I will *fighting pose* to them (lolol XDD)

R: & then another mistake I did was, there was a time I left my Katana and that was supposed to be my final fighting scene. I think that was also during Kazama-hen and I was in a state of not being able to do anything at all. And then I made eye-contact with Suga-chan (the ensemble), and just forcefully grabbed his Katana away and started my sword fighting performance. (LOLLL OMG THIS RYO-KUN XD)

And there is a line of Saitou Hajime that Mori-san likes.. and at that time it really came to me.. I thought, ahhh it’s meee?! XDD (hehe I am not sure what’s the translation something about one’s failure ruining one-self.. one of Saitou’s complicated line but at that time, that line came to his head and feels like he himself is being ‘scolded’ by Saitou Hajime).

[01:43:50 - Kazama-Shougo enters stage]

Audiences: CHIIKAMAA! CHIISAMAA!

Ryo: Chi-samaa *waves* I think we’ve met since a long time ago

Kazama-Shougo: I dont know about that

R: Ah.. I see, sorry

K-S: Was there a guy who was this flashy? As far as I remember it was a manly brusque guy..

R: *flustered*

K-S: He was the first man to be at the core of Hakumyu

Audiences: WOOOO~

M-P: Do you have any impression of Matsuda-san?

K-S: Of this guy?

M-P: Yeah you start first

K-S: Hmm let’s see.. he has a Cute smile.

Ryo: :p :p :p Well I am happy…. but when you’re complimented by Kazama Chikage you see.. (then i cannot catch what he said… ; v ;)

Kazama-san, then did Shougo-san’s said anything about me? (** Because in part one of Ryo-kun’s appearance, Kazama-Shougo said Shougo-kun is his close friend, as if he and Shougo is two separate entities :p)

K-S: Hmm let’s see.. hmmm.. He said you’re cute

Audience: UUUUU~

K-S: Mm, like a little brother, but he is really reliable (at work), and a passionate guy

R: Aww stop it! *flustered and happy, slaps Kazama’s shoulder and realized what he did before he stepped back* Sorry sorry I thought it was Suzuki Shougo-san XD

M-P: Then how about you about Suzuki Shougo-san?

R: (He complimented he is a wonderful senpai, it is fun to mess around and act with him etc)

K-S: I will tell him (Suzuki Shougo)

R: Thank you, next time, let’s go and have a drink together — the 3 of us (meaning Ryo-kun, Kazama & Shougo-kun, lol XD)

K-S: Yeah, i think that would not be possible

(it is noisy here but i think he said it is not possible to ‘materialize’ it into reality because 3 persons.. Kazama is not a real XD)

K-S: Are we gonna do that (cross sword)?

R: Hm? Lets

[01:46:33]

R: *adjusting his Yukata* Sorry in advance if you see my underwear (LOL i dont think the fans would mind lol XD;;) Btw, it is Black coloured today (LOL he is telling everyone in advance XD)

K-S: Wait, can you do.. (something i dont catch)

R: That scene.. that..

K-S: Oh that, what? which one? (LOL)

R: That one with a ‘Bang’

K-S: ‘Bang?’

R: Chizuru *passes his mic to M-P who is now ‘Chizuru’ XD

*acts out the sword fight — which is I think the part in which he cuts Kazama to death final scene XD*

M-P: Awesoe […]

R: That brings a lot of memory right

S-K: Yep, I think we were a bit flustered

M-P: Any words for Matsuda-san?

S-K: Hm, Hakumyu started from this guy.

I think all the humans who have participated in Hakumyu has made it to what it is today. From now on too, this project.. no.. I would be very happy if everyone can continue to raise their passionate love for Hakumyu and Shinsengumi. Yoroshiku.

R: And the noon performance, it was Suzuki Shougo-san and Kashiwagi Yuusuke-san’s 100th Hakumyu performance.. wait wait *runs to get presents*

Could I give this to you both? XD For you 100th performance, and for being and supporting Musical Hakuouki, until now I am very grateful and respect the both of you, please accept this (He had only one bouquet so Shougo-kun and Yuusuke-kun have to share it :p)

S-K: Presents accepted

R: And since you like Sake (alcohol), so I brought one too.

S-K: If I were to drink this with that guy, I bet it is gonna finish right away (lol)

R: Yoroshiku onegaishimasu

S-K: I’m thankful.

*Kazama leaves the stage*

R: It has been 4 years plus, and this is the 2nd Hakumyu LIVE too and to see so many people coming here loving Hakumyu, I am so so happy. & just like the Saitou Hajime’s line I did just now, Fukuchou’s line (Magai mono ga nan darou ga, tsuranukya, Makoto ni naru which is Fake or whatever, if you push through then it will be Reality/Truth) — I still keep that line even now, as an actor. I thought that line is really the ‘Truth’ (Makoto). Being with everyone today, made me think about it even more. (I think the context is like, just like the line, they did their very best to come to this point in which so many people adores Hakumyu — it has become a Reality ‘Truth’.) I hope Hakumyu will always be a piece that is always loved by everyone. Thank you so much for today.

It is yet to end, so is everyone excited for the 2nd half?!

Thank you so much!

#hakuouki musical #hakumyu #hakumyu live 2 #matsuda ryo #suzuki shougo #saitou hajime #kazama chikage #it is just a rough translation

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tsundere-model · 5 years

Text

[Day 31 + Naru] Loving memories

{I managed to condense it so it wasn’t super longgggg, here you goooo~~}

“I’ll be back in a few days~ Byebyee~~”

It was probably not the best time for Arashi to have suddenly requested a leave. Considering the timing, there was just so much to do - it was the busy season after all! But the blond had been insistent and refused to take no as an answer. He’d work twice as hard, no three times as hard when he returned. It wasn’t like he would be away for too long after all.

Just a few days.

After the last month of purchases, he’d become one little charm shop’s favourite customer. It certainly helped that the family that ran the shop had been very kind and didn’t pry even from day one. Arashi had been free to browse and squeal over the cute charms that filled every corner of the place to his heart’s content.

It was also a testament to their kindness that no one knew how he had stopped by almost every day to pick out specific charms, chattering and reminiscing as he did so.

A camera, a cat, a rose, a knight piece… every charm had been handpicked and carefully packed up to be sent by express mail to one of the dearest people in Arashi’s life. Each charm was accompanied with a handwritten note with either encouragements, memories, or some other sentiment for Izumi.

When he’d come across the selection of different flower charms, made with delicate silverwork and coloured rhinestones - Arashi couldn’t resist sending over a couple of those as well. A daffodil for respect, a yellow camellia for longing, a hydrangea for pride, a poppy for comfort… the list could go on. He’d certainly sprinkled in lots of declarations of love too with those charms - whether or not they had been teasing or true, Arashi hadn’t felt the need to clarify. He’d even endured quite a few teasing comments from the people he worked with everyday when they noticed just how many present boxes he kept wrapping up and sending off.

Those same coworkers now laughing as they waved him off, shooting the model suggestive winks and knowing smiles.

Perhaps Arashi had been a little over the top with his daily gift sending, it had definitely given his coworkers more ideas than he had meant to, but it wasn’t like the blond to regret showing off his affection to Izumi.

It had been something to adjust to when Izumi had graduated and then eventually moved away from home. It was certainly an adjustment not to have any of the third years around anymore when it was Arashi’s own turn to be the third year. And then he’d graduated as well and been swept up into the busy life his career entailed.

And now, tonight, Arashi was almost giddy with excitement. He was catching an overnight train to make sure he’d arrive on time, having dropped off the penultimate charm to be sent that morning. Checking over his ticket, it didn’t take long for Arashi to find his train and from there his seat, settling down with some headphones, hood pulled up and a pair of glasses perched on his nose.

Only after he had settled did Arashi let his mind wander to the charm he’d fussed over quite a bit that morning. He’d wanted it to be the exact shade of his eyes after all. A reminder of himself for the charm bracelet. As a lover of all things cute and pretty, Arashi still would prefer not to look at a precious gem of any particular shade close to his own eyecolour for at least the next month.

As it was late, the other occupants of the train were either dozing off or talking quietly, everyone minding their own business. Arashi let his eyes wander out the window, propping his cheek against his hand. Now that he had the time to just reflect, it had been a long time since the last time either of them had had time to meetup, hadn’t it? He was glad he had been able to take this short trip. It would be nice to surprise Izumi.

Since it had already been quite a long day of practices and interviews with a couple smaller magazines, Arashi was honestly much more tired than he had realized, the blond was content to settle back into his seat and let the familiar sounds of high school years past lull him to sleep.

The first stop on his agenda, when Arashi finally stepped off the train early the next morning, was a flowershop. Hefting his travel bag higher onto his shoulder, Arashi answered a few texts before heading off - snapping a quick selfie with a silly grin before he left the station entirely. Considering the early hour, Arashi was glad to find a place that had just opened. As he wasn’t looking for a bouquet that conveyed any really deep meanings, he asked for a collection of blooms that were in season. As the flowers were chosen and arranged, Arashi’s smile brightened even more. He might have been a bit groggy and definitely still felt like crawling back into bed after that train ride but his excitement was catching up to him once more. With flowers now in hand, Arashi directed his steps towards Izumi’s place, the address clear in his head after having written it over and over again for nearly every day in the last month.

Tucking away his headphones, Arashi giggled softly to himself as he attached the selfie he’d taken earlier to a message before sending it off to Izumi. He then tucked his phone away and took out the last little present box to hold - inside a simple heart-shaped locket with a photo of the two of them at Izumi’s graduation, Arashi clinging to Izumi’s neck with tears staining his cheeks - before knocking on the door.

Now that he was actually here, there was a bit of anxiety in the back of Arashi’s mind. What if Izumi had plans and here he was showing up uninvited? But he was quick to push them aside. There wasn’t anything wrong with wanting to deliver the last gift in person and to wish Izumi a happy birthday after all. If he was indeed busy then Arashi could easily find things to do around the area.

All thoughts were forgotten as the door was opened though and Arashi broke out into the brightest smile yet as soon as he caught sight of Izumi’s face, joy seeming to radiate from the blond at that moment.

“Surprise Izumi-chan~! Happy birthday!”

The flowers and present box were both offered to the elder as Arashi giggled with glee. Ahh, nothing really could beat actually being able to see Izumi in person after all.

Much to his surprise, Arashi had continued to send him present after present through the remaining October. Little adorable charms matched with handwritten letters, each one evoking a piece of a puzzle, bringing back the fluttering heartbeats and cherry blossoms of the time when their lives were strongly tied together.

Luckily for him, the presents arrived to his doorstep rather than his agency, for he wouldn’t be able to explain this constant stream of presents, all wrapped in extremely cutesy paper and with flashy pastel cards. There were so many he had ended up giving up on hanging them on his phone, instead making a little arrangement on a corner of his room to hang them all in the order they had arrived right along pinned two-shots he had, both from work and from personal moments.

It was a bit of an embarrassing little display, showing far too much how attached he was to the past. How hard it was for him to renounce to the bliss of times when they were together. Blue eyes stopping here and there when certain words called to his heart, to the strings of emotion that were left from those times, he second-guessed himself. Was he -once again- seeing mirages in the words of others, reflecting what he felt in them?

His own birthday had arrived without him even realizing the date. A normal morning routine starting as usual, blue eyes flashing over the colorful set of charms and the cheeky smile of an Arashi glued to his side for a couple selfie.

Just as any other day he pinned his hair and did his skin care, did his usual exercises and washed his body. Only realizing the new message when he stepped out of the shower and found the light of his phone on. The picture of a familiar place making his heart jump in his chest, he rushed as much as he could to dress up, picking a random set of clothes from the drawer and half fixing his hair before running to the door, the doorbell winning against his rushing.

Panting heavy he looked through the peeping hole just to confirm what he knew was true... cheeks red -was it the rushing or was it the adorable sight before him, not even he was sure-, he took a couple of deep breathes and fixed his hair just a bit more before flinging the door open.

“Naru-chan... what are you...?” he had just opened his mouth when the gorgeous blond interrupted him with her own words. Bright, bubbly words that matched the incredibly dazzling smile on her lips -it was as if the very sun had descended to grace him with its presence.

Another box and a bouquet of flowers presented forward, he could do nothing but receive them, holding the later against his chest as he maneuvered to open up the box. The beautiful silver charm with the photo of the two so charged of memories he could almost feel the tears prickling on the back of his eyes again -just like on that day.

And just like then, he swallowed it up, instead a warm and loving smile appearing in his face to correspond to Naru’s feelings.

“Thank you... it’s good to see you here” he reached out, holding her slightly cold hand in his own “Want to come in? I was about to make something to eat.” maybe then he could ask for an explanation on all these presents. Was it a whim? Was it nostalgia?

Or maybe...

#knights-queen #izumi bday countdown 2k18 #(( it's the last one!!#(( technically kind of in his birthday but also not so :3c #(( also ahhh thank you so much for this #(( it was the sweetest read ever and I've been gushing about it all day #(( had to make sure the reply was good enough uwu #You know me the best: senanaru #submission

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generalsmemories · 7 months

Note

omg .......... what if .........famous ceo jing yuan falling in love with an ordinary reader who is a preschool teacher.... like jing yuan was in distress because he was told that yanqing could not be found within his house so they had to check the surveillance camera in which a footage was playing where yanqing managed to surpass the security and alarms they installed LOL so for the past 30 mins of searching they finally found yanqing ........ on a public school ???? he was soooo confused as to what was his business here as he has his own private tutor at home. jing yuan then got outside the car to fetch his son with some lecture ready at the tip of his tongue only to be swallowed as he was greeted with the sight of you laughing along with yanqing and silverwolf (he found out that they were neighbours with her as both of the children play with their toys on the park within their residence). he was soooo mesmerized with your gentle features and laugh that he forgot the actual problem LOL adn yeah ...... cue this story i suppose 😭

.... sighs....

if ya'll see a new series pop up with ceo! jing yuan NONE OF YOU SAY A DAMN THING.

#narus' message corner #anon #ya'll win okay #ya'll win #im not strong enough for this trope it's always going to rip my heart out with the amount of possibilites it has

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lxm-memories · 1 year

Note

Glad to hear from you again Naru! I wish you all the luck in your courses.

Personally, I don't mind how long it takes I always happily wait for any type of updates from you. I've re-read a majority of your stories multiple times and honestly never get tired of them. I genuinely love the way you characterize the boys and your writing style is lovely.

I hope you have a wonderful day love, your doing amazing 💜

I think I've only ever sent one request before, but I don't remember how I signed it so I'll just sign this as -K✨️

thank you !! this clinical period does seem a bit more lenient so i do think i can squeeze in a few writing sessions if i have the energy for it down the road, but no promises <3

and i'm glad you like how i characterize the boys! while a snippet of it is taken from how they portray themselves when streaming - a majority of it is just how i hc the character itself, and i tend to write them all with a platonic mindset while sneaking in a few snippets of "romantic"-esque moments for the ones who enjoy that.

but thank you, K. for waiting and telling me that you will continue to wait. i appreciate it a lot more than you might think <3

#naru's message corner #messages with: K #i'm pretty sure i managed to sneak in a lot of romantic like moments in the scenarios to not make it obvious #but i am aroace-#so me writing romance is just me thinking very hard what a romantic relationship would be lmfao-#most if not all however is just imagined from watching fanarts of different fandoms and imagining a scenario out from that-

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itsuki-minamy · 3 years

Text

“K SIDE: PURPLE 12”

Translation: Naru-kun Raws: Ridia

K - Side: Purple (Chapter List)

"Mom is about to die.", said his mother, gently stroking Yukari's hair.

His mother told him to go see the sea. At that time Yukari was 6 years old and, he obeyed her without knowing it. Originally, if she said "go" to him, he would go everywhere with the person named Miyoshi Shinto. She left in the hospital patient clothes, his mother and Mishakuji got into a car and headed straight for the sea.

The sunset over the sea was beautiful. The dimly lit sun was slowly disappearing, melting the breeze from the sky and the sea. Stars began to appear in the ultramarine sky, and as the two of them stared at it, his mother began to talk about death.

"That is why I will soon no longer be able to accompany you, Mishakuji-chan. I entrusted Sayuri-chan with the rest, so dear, thank you for being by my side."

Dinner that day was curry, as simple as saying that his mother would say goodbye to him forever. Yukari looked at her while he was on her lap. Eyes the same color as his were staring into his face. Yukari saw them more beautiful than the stars that shone in the sky.

Yukari asked her when they could see each other again.

"Eh? I don't know, I haven't died before to know."

Yukari said that he hated the idea of not being able to see her again.

"It's bad for mom too. But, well, this is it. It can't be helped. There's no one who can't die."

Yukari asked if everyone would die. His mother hugged Yukari from behind; the arms around his chest were white and thin like dead branches, but still warm.

"That's right. Everyone will die one day. Taka-san, Mi-chan, Seiya-san, Sayu-chan and Yukari-chan."

As she touched Yukari's cheeks with her warm palm, "But…", she continued to say. "The important thing is to live, not die."

Yukari looked into his mother's eyes. Her brightness that was more beautiful than the stars.

"People live until they die. After my death, Mishakuji-chan will continue to live. It's a shame I can't see Mishakuji-chan growing up and becoming beautiful, but it's fine."

Then his mother smiled slightly, looking at Yukari's face.

"The most beautiful thing is already in front of me."

Then they continued looking at the sea all the time.

Yukari and his mother lived always giving each other warmth, until the sun set on the sea, the night sky fell, and the white moon floated in the black-tinted sky.

++++++++++

Mi-chan was suffocated on the second floor of the cabaret club where he worked.

Seiya was charred on the street near his house.

Sayuri's body was found in the burned remains of "Hanawarabe."

A week after he protected Yukari, he learned of their deaths.

The few burned survivors of "Nibangai" were kindly protected by an unknown organization called "Scepter 4". Careful attention to injured people and sufficient security, although it was not a safe area. They promised to be the lord of salvation, but they were also carefully interrogated.

They wanted to know only one thing.

In other words, who defeated the members of the "Purgatory" clan?

The members of "Purgatory" fought as if burning their entire existence. Thus, even if it was only one member, it was possible that it could achieve combat power comparable to that of executives from other clans if the conditions were met. It wasn't a clan member from "Scepter 4" who defeated such monster, but "Tokijikuin" and "Cathedral" also sent me a message saying "We don't know anything about it."

Where and who submitted them, and for what purpose? It was a mystery that could not be taken care of by "Scepter 4", who was facing "Purgatory".

The interrogation unfolded in silence, with the special abilities and existence of the hidden "King".

However, from the beginning, "Scepter 4" was the only one who paid attention.

A high school student who lived in the "Hanawarabe" bar, Mishakuji.

He was more than a survivor. At the time of discovery, he went to the immediate vicinity of the corpses of the members of the "Purgatory" clan, and a bloodstained "Scepter 4" saber rolled under his feet. He had been informed that the situation was not just a matter of fact, but was so diabolical that the hasty members accidentally drew their swords.

After being protected, Mishakuji Yukari responded to the questioning with surprising obedience. The concern for the high school students who had all their relatives killed also applied to "Scepter 4", but he never got a chance to use it. Yukari simply answered only what he needed.

He picked up the saber from a bar he knew.

One of the men in black was defeated by his sword master.

And he defeated the other one who killed his master.

"In other words, in short, that's how it was."

In "Scepter 4" office, Jin Habari, who was reading the report, raised his face and coldly laughed.

"Two clansmen were sent to kill the former 'Purgatory' clansman, Noriya Baraki. The target started a battle in 'Nibangai' and was pursued while causing enormous damage to the surroundings. 'A' is returned and avenged. There, Isshin Hase, who was a gatekeeper for "Nibangai", and his disciple, Mishakuji, appear, and Isshin Hase kills Purgatory "B". The boy named Yukari brilliantly defeated him."

"Habari. Do you really believe in such a story?"

It was Gen Shiotsu, deputy director of "Scepter 4", who made a stunned voice. His lips were bitterly distorted at the interesting report.

Habari snorted, "Hm." and placed the report on the office desk. He combined the fingers of both hands and pointed his gaze to a corner of the ceiling.

"Sure. If you just listen to the story, it's absurd. If a high school student killed a member of the "Purgatory" clan, then the future of "Scepter 4" is much brighter. Let's check the results of the national kendo tournament when we select members for next time."

"Habari."

"It's a joke. Don't look so difficult."

As if to loosen the wrinkles between Shiotsu's brows, Habari shook his untangled palm slightly and then raised his index finger.

"But no matter how absurd, the situation is in line with the testimony of the boy named Yukari. "B's" fatal wound was due to Isshin Hase's wooden sword, and Baraki's fatal wound was due to the saber. that Yukari had."

"The saber was brought in by "A". Better to think of the record and "A" as compensation. You will see the autopsy result on the record."

"Look at the autopsy result. He had burns all over his body, but it was not difficult for him to fight. There were almost no injuries from Isshin Hase's wooden sword. So there is only one answer."

"……"

"It was the common people who had no abilities that defeated the 'Purgatory' clansman."

Shiotsu's expression became even more pronounced.

"Is that possible?"

"Even the clansman is human. If his throat is ripped open, he will die. If a human dedicates his entire life to that, the sword can hit a stranger."

Habari's index finger settled on the report on the desk. Seeing him narrow his eyes, Shiotsu was caught up in an unpleasant premonition.

"Hey, Habari. No way..."

"I'm interested."

Then Habari stood up with a refreshing smile.

"Let's meet the Yukari boy. Maybe he is our mighty sword."

++++++++++

The man looked like a piercing blue sky.

Habari Jin suddenly appeared in the private room where Mishakuji was living a sheltered life. He was as bright as a cloudless blue sky and full of unshakeable confidence like the sun that shines in the skies. Even if it wasn't to Yukari's taste, the man's beauty was understandable at first glance.

What came out of Habari's mouth was an unrealistic story.

People with abilities that manipulate special powers and a "King". The clan and the members of the clan that comprise it.

He wouldn't have believed it if he had heard it in words. However, Yukari was "experiencing" it. He had seen the men in black wearing flames.

It was a clan called "Purgatory" that burned down Yukari's hometown.

There was little meaning or reason for his murder. It was like a random buried explosion. The damage could not be avoided and will continue to do so, Habari said.

And to end the story...

"Would you like to get into "Scepter 4"?"

Habari said such a thing.

"Our mission as "Scepter 4" is to prevent damage to the city due to the misuse of super powers and reduce the root cause called "Purgatory". If you are willing to do so, I want you to participate in the battle with us. You are qualified to defeat "Purgatory" even though you are an ordinary person with no different abilities."

With that said, Habari extended his right hand.

Yukari narrowed his eyes in a dazzling way.

There was an irresistible power in his hands. Just as gold attracts people, Habari's words were inevitably full of charm that made people clash. Take his hand, nod and swear allegiance. It seemed quite natural to do so, and there was a reason for Yukari to do it.

"Purgatory" had killed all of Yukari's family.

Since he was protected, that thought had never disappeared for a second. "Purgatory" was a great target to spit out the dark emotions that swirled within him. Become a member of the "Scepter 4" clan and hunt down and kill all those beasts. It seemed ideal for Yukari, as if it were a natural path laid out in front of him. Then…

"I…"

Yukari remembered Hase's last words.

"It seems you can go anywhere."

Habari blinked slowly and couldn't measure its meaning.

Looking back into his eyes, Yukari said.

"To be able to go where I want and live how I want. I think that's all my family wanted from me. It's not about revenge or going to war."

He couldn't believe it.

That would also be an excuse. Even if he wanted revenge, there was no need for Yukari to live that way.

Not because they wanted it that way.

Because he wanted to, Mishakuji Yukari will live as Mishakuji Yukari wants.

"I'm going to see beautiful things, so I can't hold that hand."

"I see."

Habari inevitably laughed and withdrew his right hand.

"I'm sorry I held you back. I hope you have a lot of happiness in your destiny."

"Yes. Thanks for your help."

Yukari leaned over and hung the luggage left in the room on his shoulders.

A poor backpack and a sheath that wrapped his favorite wooden sword. With that, he stepped right next to Habari and tried to get out of the private room.

At that moment, a certain thought suddenly appeared.

(Can I kill this person?)

He didn't know why he thought that.

A beautiful "King" like the blue sky. How does that life shine? He may have wanted to see it.

"Three quick steps". Draw the wooden sword, bend Habari's wrist, aim at his head, and prick his throat.

As he listened to Habari on the sidelines, Mishakuji tried to imagine that image in his head.

However, Habari was laughing.

He chuckled softly before his eyes and lightly tugged on his right foot.

With so much movement, Yukari's image was destroyed. The unannounced one was crushed with his left hand, and completely suppressed. The image came to mind clearly, and Yukari shook his head slightly.

There were countless beautiful things in this world that he did not know about. That made Yukari so happy and sad that he wanted to cry.

++++++++++

Shiotsu had an openly relieved expression when he learned that Mishakuji Yukari's recruitment had failed.

"Really, did he go?"

"Oh, I shuddered brilliantly."

Despite being the "King" who rules the order, Habari's ideas were always out of the standard. One of them was the ongoing canal plan. Shiotsu had the honest impression that it was not a joke, even though he had such problems.

"Scepter 4" is a public institution. Habari knew how difficult it would be to incorporate minors and even go out to exchange life and death, and it was Shiotsu's role to be associated with him.

He knew Shiotsu's feelings. Habari had a light tone.

"But that's it. That kind of person will go wherever he wants."

"Well that's correct. There is no way that ordinary people can outperform talented people."

"I never thought they would reject me in such a place. I was surprised after a long time."

Shiotsu opened his mouth angrily.

"What? What did you say?"

"That's why I faced Yukari. He tries to kill me."

Habari said that with a laugh.

Of course, Shiotsu couldn't laugh.

"No kidding! Why would he have to target your life?"

"Ah? He just wanted to do that for no reason. I think the person who can kill the 'King' is unexpectedly like this."

Habari was shocked that he was not in control. Seeing that all the reasoning was beyond his common sense, Shiotsu didn't know what it should look like.

Habari looked up as if something had occurred to him.

"But sending him into the world is like sowing a Shura seed. Maybe I should have killed him. What do you think, Shiotsu?"

"I don’t know!"

Shiotsu yelled, pointing his finger at his temple to avoid a headache.

++++++++++

Exhaling a cloudy white breath, Ichigen Miwa opened a red Japanese umbrella.

The snow was piling up gently and Miwa left a mark on it. Both the eaves and the garden were a silver world. He loosely twisted his umbrella and let the snow fall, with a bitter smile inwardly saying that it would be difficult to remove the snow.

It was not out of his own defense that the wooden sword hung from his waist.

It was because he had a certain feeling. It can be said that it was precognition. To Miwa Ichigen who woke up as "King", the Slate gave him the power to see the future. It was expressed as a vision that came suddenly regardless of Miwa's intention.

And now, there was a scene in front of him that was the same as the vision he had this morning.

A boy was standing in the snow. He was looking at him with a backpack and scabbard over his shoulder. His face was beautiful, but there was a kind of demon that lived in his eyes. He had to carry a wooden sword because Miwa saw the devil.

"Miwa Ichigen-san, isn't it?"

The boy opened his mouth. The line of sight focused on Miwa.

Miwa smiled and nodded.

"Yes, that's right."

"Nice to meet you. My name is Mishakuji Yukari. Please teach me a lesson."

With that said, Yukari took out the wooden sword from its sheath.

Seeing Yukari's posture, Miwa was slightly impressed.

"I see."

After a while of silence, Miwa carelessly said,

"Is there a dead heart?"

Yukari's expression froze.

He didn't understand why Miwa knew. His unique ability was the ability to see the future, and he should not have been able to know the present from a distant acquaintance.

However, when he saw the boy in front of him, his devilish appearance, his standing posture, and the soot-covered backpack, that intuition was suddenly born.

Yukari's appearance affirmed that intuition. With trembling lips, he approached Miwa.

"My master said that your sword technique is more beautiful than anything else in the world."

The evil in his eyes grew stronger. He took the lead heading towards Miwa.

"I want to see it. Please show me."

Miwa narrowed his eyes.

He did not like useless conflicts. However, no matter what he replied, Yukari would lift his sword from him and attack him. Check the "beauty" of Miwa with the sword. For that reason alone, Mishakuji visited Miwa who lived in this mountainous town.

If he cannot exchange words, he must exchange swords.

"Thank you."

Yukari thanked Miwa that he silently abandoned his umbrella and held his sword. The truth contained in it showed that Yukari had not yet been diabolically dyed. At that, Miwa believed that he would have a bit of salvation. He didn't want to think that the last seed Isshin grew would sprout like a demon.

The snow was piling up silently.

Miwa was immovable. Yukari, on the other hand, gently raised the tip of her sword and stabbed. The murderous pressure of aiming the cannon burned down Miwa's throat.

Yukari's body sank as fast as falling snow.

That's when the "words" dropped.

The "words" came to Miwa's mind, as if the white feathers were gently falling. He could not understand the meaning of this feeling that he had experienced many times since his childhood. It was more important for Miwa to put those "words" together than to think about it.

Yukari, who was facing time, clearly felt Miwa's change.

The taut tension was gone in an instant, leaving Miwa's body full of hollows behind it. It seemed easier to pierce and cut it than to hit the vegetation.

However, Yukari's sword did not move.

He seemed like it was full of gaps. He should be hit at any time. He couldn't do that.

Before he knew it, Yukari's breathing was shallow and rapid. Although he still hadn't moved his fingertips, the sweat that broke out wet his body. Yukari's body was already prepared for defeat, although he felt no murder, no pressure, no breeze.

He didn't understand the meaning.

However, he was strictly in front of him.

With his sweaty hands, he gripped the handle of the wooden sword again and Mishakuji consolidated his resolve. At least one sword. He couldn't lose until he saw the beauty of Hase's words. With so much thought, Yukari tried to kick the ground.

Unexpectedly Miwa spoke a sentence.

"One bite, heart and soul."

The snow was piling up silently.

When did he put his knee in the snow? Yukari didn't remember.

A wooden sword slid from his palm, tears welled up in both eyes, and the snow on the ground melted. Ashamed of that, Yukari covered his face with both hands.

A shadow was projected on him.

When he looked up, Miwa was holding an umbrella towards him. He didn't think he would face his sword, with a soft smile.

His head was in a mess and his heart was out of coordination. Still, Yukari barely squeezed his voice out.

"This is the first time I have been defeated with words."

"Yes."

Miwa nodded silently. Neither proud nor humble, just as he was.

"Yukari. If you're okay, why don't you come home?"

"……"

Yukari turned around, because he ignored his actions. Suddenly, he tried to cut off Miwa who was living quietly. He couldn't tell if he could accept Miwa's proposal.

But…

"I want you to tell me about your heart."

That said, Yukari was impressed.

He wants to talk to this beautiful person about him. That thought swelled in his heart. How do this person's words describe Hase, the person who showed him something beautiful for the first time? The feeling was as strong as the urge to see Miwa's sword technique.

"I'll tell you how that person lived."

How did he laugh, cry, eat, drink and fight Isshin Hase? He wanted this person to tell him how beautiful the last brilliance of that life was.

"Come on."

Yukari nodded and stood up.

Then they got into the same umbrella and walked down the snowy road.

#k #k project #k fan clan #k side purple #mishakuji yukari

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jungkooks-tea · 7 years

Text

Quiver - ch. 2

Chapter 1

Summary: A quest to gain and lose it all.

Comments: I’ve been gone for a while... oops

Disclaimer: I don’t own Naruto. Also, I’m not sure of the rating yet so anything can happen.

Kakashi stared into Naruto's unbreakable wide stare. His mouth opens in a small gasp that escaped his lips after hearing what the wizard said only a minute ago. The older man understood the human man's frozen stare. He too, if given that statement, would've also been in disbelief.

"Wh-" Naruto gasped his head, leaning his elbows on the table in front of the two- "What do you mean this can give me my kingdom back?" Naruto snatched at the scroll harshly, not caring about the damage he could do to the clearly old parchment. Kakashi, however, had to hold himself down to try and rescue the paper. "How could this Elfish scroll give me my kingdom back? This is not something to joke about, you wizard."

Kakashi rolled his head slightly, trying to sooth the strain in his neck. Perhaps telling Naruto the meaning of the scroll so soon was a bad idea he thought. The man seemed to be having a mental breakdown- he expected shock, but the once prince seemed like he was about to cry. He looked back towards Naruto; he couldn't see his face but his shoulders were shaking well. Indications of crying, Kakashi believed. The wizard sighed behind his mask, "Naru-"

"Well, why the hell didn't you say so sooner?"

Abruptly the Kakashi turned towards Naruto who, instead of having tear stained cheeks like he expected, was full out grinning. A craze look in his azure eyes that showed his excitement was beyond comprehension. The wizard did not know what to make of this sudden change of emotion. However, he guessed, it was better than his former expression- he always enjoyed seeing the broad, unimaginably large grin of the prince during his younger days. Days, where he would watch Naruto from the Uzumaki gardens as the young child of the time, would run to the queen to show her the frog he caught- before it hopped out of his small chubby hands causing him to cry. Days where he had a place to live in comfort. Days when his family was alive and a golden crown was placed on his head. Days that were not like this one.

"Why are we waiting then-" he pointed to one of the images blindly- "If this piece of paper can give me back my kingdom why are we going now!" Naruto bellowed loudly, heads turning in their direction before another upbeat song came from the busty women they were watching.

"Naruto, keep your voice down," hushed Kakashi. "You don't know who could be listening."

Naruto quickly shut his mouth before giving the tavern a look around making sure that no one caught his words exactly. Content when all he saw was men continuing to sway or pass out at the bar he looked back at Kakashi with a sheepish grin of apology. The wizard sighed into his mask.

"Sorry." Naruto turned back to the parchment, taking one more quick glance back into the swarm of boozed bodies to ensure no one was looking their way; Kakashi did the same silently. "Then where to, wizard?" Naruto questioned. "Aren't we wasting time?"

"Calm down, Naruto," Kakashi said, "it's dark out, we can't get any traveling done tonight." He watched as the human slumped in his seat- the flush of his cheeks showing his remaining drunkenness. "And, we have one stop before we can begin our journey."

"Why?" the blonde questioned with a huff. "We have our map, we need not go anywhere else first."

In the image of the human's great triumphs and victories, Kakashi seemed to forget how small minded and unobserving Naruto could be. "Who-" Kakashi waved his hand toward the paper again- "is going to read this map? Unless you have taken up the Elvish language while we have been apart?" It was a small joke, but Naruto gave no laugh of amusement to the comment.

Instead, Naruto looked down to the small for the hundredth time, the delicate script made of confusing swirls and tight connections liter the surface of the paper. Even if he tried with all his will, he knew that without an elf in presence he would never know the words of the paper. However, he also knew that any elf would rather die before doing something for another race. "Arrogant bastards," he thought.

"Wait," Naruto jolted up, "Does that mean we are going-"

"Ah-" Kakashi turned the paper over slowly a tiny seal in the shape of a fan in one corner- "We have to go to the Uchiha lands."

Naruto tried to keep down a small shiver that wanted to follow up his spine. He could remember only one time in his youth- when his parents were alive- when he came across Uchiha elves. A small group of messengers came to his family's castle to deliver a message to his father. Though he did know the contents of their message that day he would never forget the eyes of one grown elf that gave him a side glance. Their eyes were dark and unwavering. As a child, he felt as if he were falling into a dark hole the small second he locked eyes with the grown elf. Their kind, he remembered thinking, was scary. The thought made him grab his sword at his side tighter.

"Could… Could," Naruto coughed to cover his small stutter. "Couldn't we go to the Hyuuga's instead?" The Hyuuga's may not be any better, but Naruto knew Kakashi had some standing with the King of that clan. "Surely they could read this script?"

Kakashi remained silent as he listened to Ume screech at a couple men who were getting a little handsy with the entertainment before he added, "No, this is strictly Uchiha, no one else could read it, but one of their kind." Naruto gave understanding with a grim nod.

"Well-" the wizard grabbed the parchment and began to roll it back up- "the journey to their land is far. I will meet you at the edge of the village when the sun breaks over the peak." Kakashi stood from his seat, making his way around the table. Naruto was about to retort before being given a knowing eye from the Wizard.

"Flush out your drinks and be prepared to travel. Tell then."

Naruto blinked and the wizard was gone.

>>>

"I'll meet you when the sun breaks over the peak my ass," the young prince grumbled.

Feeling the heat of the noon sun beating down on his clad black, Naruto debated whether he should leave with the wizard who was hours late to their dispatch. Ever since his childhood, the wizard has never once been on time, but the blonde thought that just this once, for something important, he would show on time.

Gripping his long sword's hilt, Naruto cursed, "When I get my hands," he paused and threw his hands up in the air. "You know what, never mind, that wizard can be fed to the orces! I'm leav-"

"How do you expect to leave without a guide?" Kakashi called out from behind Naruto. The masked man watched as Naruto pivoted to face him. Knowing he was going to be yelled at, Kakashi put his hand up to give his excuse, "Sorry, I must have had too many drinks last night and I-"

"Liar," Naruto yelled. Kakashi he knew, did not take a single drink the night before. Sighing Naruto rubbed his face with his gloved hand in annoyance. Even he had no idea how in middle earth he could put his trust in this man. "Let's just go before I change my mind about your words, wizard." He turned in his boot and began to walk away from the small village.

"Ah," the wizard whispered. He fell in step with the boy, now man, he once knew very well. “Let us go forward with strength.”

#Sasusaku #lotr #narutolotr #naruto #naruto shippuden #sasusakulotr #sasusaku lotr #sasuke #sakura #quiver #my writing #sasusaku fanfiction #sasusaku fanfic #sasusaku fic #fanfiction #fic #fanfic

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myaekingheart · 5 years

Text

59. The Twelve Hour Escape Room

read the scarecrow and the bell on ao3

index | from the beginning | < previous | next >

I'm going to be totally honest with you guys, I didn't edit this before posting. This chapter gave me so much trouble, I rewrote it roughly six times. I considered scrapping it altogether but it was an idea I really didn't want to get rid of because of the prospect of Rei, Naru, and Sekkachi's development as a team. So this is as good as it's gonna get. At this point, I honestly just wanted to post it and be done with the damn thing. Sorry for being so fucking blunt and transparent about this xD

Rei meticulously folded her clothes and shoved them in her backpack, deliberately attempting to waste time. All Chikara-sensei had said was to pack an overnight bag and “be prepared,” but she didn’t quite understand. Be prepared for what, exactly? The ambiguity of her instructions made her nervous. She wanted to know exactly what she was getting into.

Not that she particularly wanted to get into anything. She glanced longingly toward her unmade bed and the bookshelf in the corner. If she had it her way, her plans would consist of just that: sleeping and reading. For a moment, she considered skipping out on her assignment so she could stay in but she knew deep down that was impossible. If she was absent without warning, she was certain Chikara would bust her front door in. She had absolutely no choice.

Her sensei had instructed that the girls meet her outside of the academy at sunset. Certainly a strange setting for this mystery assignment. Sekkachi leaned against the wall and smirked, obnoxiously chewing a piece of gum. “Took you long enough” she commented. Rei pursed her lips. She wasn’t about to admit that she purposely took the long way around.

“What exactly is going on?” Rei asked. She scanned the area for clues but found none.

Naru shook her head. “We only know as much as you do” she replied. That was definitely new. Naru always knew everyone’s business. “But if you ask me” she continued, “I think this is some sort of training assignment.”

Sekkachi shook her head. “I bet it’s a punishment” she offered. “We’re gonna be mopping up toilet juice all night.”

“Gross” Rei muttered. Sekkachi couldn’t help but smirk. There was just something so satisfying about watching that little redheaded runt squirm.

“I wonder when Chikara-sensei is going to get here” Naru said. She looked around, but there was no sign of her anywhere.

“I give her five more minutes, and then I walk” Sekkachi replied.

“Sekkachi, you can’t do that” Naru protested.

“Oh yeah?” the blue-haired kunoichi replied back. “And who’s gonna stop me? You can’t enforce a rule if you’re not there to supervise. I’ve got far better things to do with my time, anyway.”

“Is that so?” a voice then called. Blinding lights flashed down upon them and standing in the dark doorway was none other than Chikara-sensei, with hands on her hips and a powerful smirk upon her face. “It’s a good thing I got here when I did, then.”

All the color drained from Naru’s face, and she almost felt obligated to give an apologetic excuse on Sekkachi’s behalf. Not that Sekkachi even cared. She expressed no trace of shock or surprise at their sensei’s abrupt arrival. Rather, she simply turned around and eyed her with great suspicion.

“I’m sure you’re all wondering why I’ve called you all here tonight” Chikara continued. The girls nodded slowly. “It seems as though we’re falling off the growth curve and I am not happy. I made it very clear to you all on day one that I expect nothing but perfection from you and yet I have gotten little more than catastrophe. This sort of behavior cannot persist under any circumstances, so I have decided to take a rather radical approach.” Here, she motioned for the girls to follow her into the academy. They did as they were told.

“What are you going to do, exactly?” Sekkachi asked as they walked along, her eyes locked on Chikara. “Lock us up for the night? Punish us for our crimes?” There was a tinge of laughter in her voice but by the look on Chikara’s face, none of this was funny at all.

“Actually” their sensei said, guiding them into the auditorium, “Yes. That is exactly what I’m doing.”

A jolt of anxiety punched Rei in the gut. Naru blinked and then raised her hand, as if she ever asked for permission to speak in the first place.

“Isn’t that kind of illegal?” the blonde asked. “Did the academy instructors give you clearance for this?”

Chikara waved her hand dismissively. “All of that is none of your concern” she insisted. Suddenly, all Naru could think about was how far Chikara had to have gone in bribing the instructors for permission to do this. “The only thing you three should worry about now” Chikara continued, “Is how you’re going to get out of here.”

“What do you mean…?” Rei asked nervously.

“Your task is simple: you will spend the next twelve hours locked in the academy tasked with finding a way out” she explained. “Quite like a scavenger hunt, but with stakes.”

Sekkachi rolled her eyes. “Do you really think it’s going to take us twelve hours to do some lame scavenger hunt?” she asked. “We’re not stupid, you know.”

“You act as if this is all fun and games” Chikara replied. “Do you really think I would assign you something so base? No, this will push you all to the very limits of your abilities if not over the edge. If you’re lucky, you’ll make it out with your lives.”

A shiver ran down Rei’s spine. She really hadn’t planned on dying tonight, though considering recent developments perhaps that wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. That interaction with Kakashi still burned in the back of her throat.

“What’s going to happen if we can’t complete the hunt in twelve hours?” Naru then asked. Sekkachi scoffed as if it was a stupid question, though deep down a part of her wondered the same.

A sly smile touched Chikara’s lips then. “Let’s just say you all will be spending a lot longer than twelve hours in this building” she replied.

Sekkachi’s face fell. “Is that for everyone or just whoever doesn’t get their shit done?” she asked.

“For everyone” Chikara replied. The blue-haired kunoichi’s face turned manic. She was done for. She absolutely was not about to put her trust in two dimwits at the risk of losing everything she had worked so hard to secure. Her future was on the line. Her reputation was on the line. She couldn’t afford to fuck up.

“That’s not fair!” she argued. “Why should we all get punished because of one person?”

However, Chikara said nothing. She turned on her heel and waved her hand dismissively back at them, replying in sing-song, “Your first clue is hidden somewhere in this very room. The timer starts now, so I wouldn’t waste any time.” The moment she disappeared, every door in the room locked with a click and the lights switched off. They were submerged in complete darkness with no way out.

Rei’s heart began to race inside her chest and she quickly gripped onto Naru’s arm in an effort to gain her bearings. This was hands-down becoming the absolute worst thing in the world. She didn’t consider herself necessarily fearful of the dark, but combined with the fact that they were definitely trapped, it made for the perfect cocktail of anxiety.

“I bet there’s a light switch around here somewhere!” Naru said optimistically, shuffling toward the wall to feel for one.

From another part of the room, Sekkachi sighed, “You guys are idiots.” With a sharp hiss, she lit a match and the two girls rushed toward her and the aura of warm light.

“Hey, where did you get that from, anyway?” Naru asked, cocking a brow quizzically.

Sekkachi shrugged. “Always smart to have matches on hand. You never know when you might need them.”

As Rei released her grip on Naru’s arm, however, a thought struck her. She leaned in and sniffed, then gasped with disapproval. “Sekkachi! How could you?”

“What?” Naru asked. “What is it?”

“I know exactly why she has matches!” Rei shouted, tone accusatory. “Sekkachi smokes!”

Naru gasped and looked to her comrade with wide, curious eyes. “Sekkachi, is that true? Do you really smoke?”

Sekkachi swatted them away and rolled her eyes. “Yeah, and what if I did?” she asked. “It’s not that big a deal. Sometimes I just meet up with Asuma behind the battle arena and we light up.” Here, she reached into her pouch and pulled out a half empty box of cigarettes.

Naru sighed and shook her head in disappointment. “Those are going to kill you one day” she said.

As Sekkachi slid the box back into her pouch, she replied with a sick grin, “Even better.”

Rei never really did understand what was so appealing about Sekkachi’s attitude. Rei contemplated death just as much as her blue-haired comrade, if not more, but nobody saw her flaunting it like something to be proud of. And besides, what did Sekkachi even have to want to die over, anyway? It didn’t make any sense. Huffing her bangs out of her face, Rei scanned the room and then said, “We better get to work.”

The girls spent twenty minutes scouring the auditorium for clues before Naru stumbled upon a small scroll wedged back behind a heavy piano. Sekkachi helped her shove it out of the way, then unraveled it and read the message inside.

Behind the stage to look and see, reach in the hole inside the tree.

Sekkachi cocked a brow. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?” she asked.

Naru shrugged. “I guess there’s only one way to find out!” she exclaimed, then grabbed both girls’ hands and led them through the narrow doorway leading backstage.

Of all the years Rei had spent in the academy, she had never seen this part of the school before and quite frankly, it made her uncomfortable. Every spring, they would recruit kids to put on some sort of play about the history of shinobi—something about a tree, and a three eyed woman, something they all forget by the time they graduated. In a few years, Rei expected it to be phased out altogether in favor of a more modern approach. She couldn’t possibly see kids today truly benefitting from it. She had never been cast herself, lacking the charisma, but one year Naru had. She played the part of the three-eyed lady who Rei remembered laughing at because Naru’s third eye smudged and left a big red splotch on her forehead. As such, Naru knew her way around backstage better than any of them. She could navigate the winding pathways of dusty props and perilously placed equipment. After some searching, they finally found their way to the aforementioned tree.

It was an old wooden cutout, sloppily painted likely by first years with no real understanding of coloring within the lines. In the center of the trunk was a strange shaped hole, the likes of which you’d imagine came from a heated punch not included in the script. Sekkachi, being the proper height, reached inside and felt around, a part of her surprised to find there was a small pocket to place something within the hole as if it was there for this very purpose. After a minute or two, she retrieved another scroll. The message on this one, however, was far more elusive.

“It’s just a bunch of red and blue lines” Naru commented, staring at it quizzically.

There was something about these red and blue lines, however, that seemed almost too perfect. Too clean. Too patterned. The cogs in Rei’s mind turned slowly, trying to organize her own perspective of this, when an idea suddenly hit her. “Naru, where is the control room?” she asked.

“In the back, I think” Naru replied. “Why? What are you thinking?” Rei had already run off with the match and the scroll before she could give a decent response. Naru and Sekkachi had no choice but to follow her.

Bursting through the door, Rei began scouring the control room. Her comrades watched with confusion as she rummaged through boxes and ripped open drawers, then grinned darkly when she apparently found exactly what she was looking for. In her hands she held two stage light filters, one red and one blue. As she placed each over the page, a coherent message began to appear.

Stab every kibaku kunai at curtains hanging inside. Read every inscription.

“Well, the first part seems easy enough” Naru commented. “But what about these inscriptions? What does that mean?”

Sekkachi shrugged and leaned against the doorway. “Maybe we’re supposed to go to the library? I don’t know.”

“How are we supposed to get there if we can’t even find our way out of the auditorium, though?” Naru asked.

Meanwhile, Rei had been stewing with focused purpose. She kept swapping each light filter back and forth over the message, rereading with narrowed eyes. And then it hit her. “Oh my god, it spells our names!”

“I’m sorry, what?” Sekkachi asked. Rei excitedly pulled them closer and pointed out her findings.

“Look at this” she insisted, placing a filter down so as to display the message in blue. “The first letter of every word spells out S-E-K-K-A-C-H-I. Sekkachi!” she exclaimed. “And then if you do this…” she continued, revealing the red message, “R-E-I spells Rei!”

Naru pouted and crossed her arms. “Why don’t I get a cool message?” she muttered.

“That must mean that each of these are instructions for us, specifically” Rei concluded. “I mean, it does make sense. The colors do kind of match our hair.”

Sekkachi rolled her eyes. “Alright then, so I’m supposed to shoot kunai at the curtains and you’re supposed to read some shit. But then what?”

“I guess we’ll just have to find out” Rei said. The three of them rushed onto the stage then and stared back at the curtains hanging before them.

“Do you really think this is a good idea?” Naru asked, inspecting the fabric. “I mean, I know these things are super gross or whatever, but I really don’t want to get arrested for property damage or something.”

Sekkachi, however, already had her weapons at the ready. “Well, I guess that’s Chikara-sensei’s problem now, isn’t it?” she asked, then launched three tagged kunai at each curtain. The tags exploded and set the curtains ablaze, but to their surprise only specific areas lit aflame. Everything else was untouched. When they were finished burning, the charred parts left behind a cryptic message.

Ki Jo E 9

Rei squinted as she read it over and over again. “Key above E9” she whispered, then slowly turned toward the auditorium seats. Before Sekkachi and Naru could receive an explanation, she surged forward and began reading the labels on the aisles. When she reached aisle E, she shuffled through the narrow walkway until she found seat number nine, then looked up. “There it is!”

Sekkachi and Naru followed suit, staring up at the ceiling. There, tied to a scroll dangling from the rafters, was the coveted little key.

“That’s great and all” Sekkachi sighed, crossing her arms, “but how they hell are we supposed to get up there?”

Naru thought for a moment, then charismatically gestured with her index finger and asked, “How about shadow clones?”

“What good are those going to do?” Sekkachi asked.

“Well, they can climb one on top of the other tall enough to reach the ceiling” Naru explained. “Piece of cake!”

“Who’s going to do it?” Rei asked. She really didn’t want to be elected to do the honors. She could manage maybe two shadow clones at a time, but even then her physical strength lacked something to be desired. They would never make it.

“Obviously not you” Sekkachi scoffed, as if to confirm the redhead’s own beliefs.

“What about you, then, Sekkachi?” Naru asked. There was a sly twinkle in her eyes that made Sekkachi squirm, among feeling a handful of other things she couldn’t quite explain.

The blue-haired kunoichi shook her head and turned up her nose. “Nope, nuh-uh, no way. Not happening.”

“And why not?” Naru asked, hands on her hips. “It would really make the most sense for you to do it. You are the brute force of the squad.”

Sekkachi pursed her lips. “Oh yeah?” she asked. “Is that what you think of me? I’m just a pack mule to you?”

“No, that’s not what I meant at all!” Naru exclaimed. “I just mean you’re physically the strongest out of all of us.”

“Well, strong or not, I’m not doing it” Sekkachi insisted. After a few moments of silence, she could feel Naru’s eyes piercing holes into her awaiting an explanation. She really didn’t want to have to admit this, but she supposed by now she had no choice. After all, they were bound to find out sooner or later. Sighing, Sekkachi pasted on a tough face and finally confessed: “I can’t do ninjutsu.”

“What?” Naru shouted, eyes bulging out of her head. How had she not known this already? She must’ve been really off her game. She mentally recounted every instance of Sekkachi fighting thus far, trying to find any proof to negate her claim, but came up emptyhanded. She really was telling the truth. “Why didn’t you say anything?” she asked.

“Why the hell would I?” Sekkachi countered. “Do you think I like knowing I’m a failure?”

“I don’t think you’re a failure” Naru replied, voice growing quiet.

“Is that so? Then what about what happened a few weeks ago? You said it yourself: anyone who can’t do ninjutsu or genjutsu doesn’t deserve to be a ninja. Right?” Sekkachi asked. And then it hit like a train.

The memory came flooding back into Naru’s mind and her entire body felt slimy and cold. Sekkachi’s outburst made so much sense now. Naru hated knowing that she was the reason. “Oh no…Sekkachi, I didn’t mean it like that! I didn’t know! I’m so sorry!” she cried, rushing forward to grab Sekkachi’s hands in hers. For a moment, Sekkachi’s cheeks burned red but she quickly shoved the blonde away and recomposed herself.

“Yeah, well maybe you should watch what you say from now on” she muttered sourly. Naru nodded frantically, apologetically. Her heart was racing. How could she have done something like this? The remorse was bound to plague her for at least a full week. She never wanted to cause any harm to a dear friend like that.

It quickly became clear to her then that there was only one thing left to do. Naru would have to get the keys herself. She supposed it would’ve ended like this anyway: she was able to make the most shadow clones out of all of them. She glanced up at the scroll and the key and grew dizzy, then dutifully made the hand signs and created three copies of herself. As they climbed one on top of the other, she looked back to her comrades and asked in a shaky voice, “Can someone please catch me if I fall?”

“What are you? Scared?” Sekkachi asked, tone joking, but the fear on Naru’s face proved her inference was, in fact, true.

Rei cleared her throat and then said, “Sekkachi, I think you should spot her. You’re the most qualified.” A jolt of panic rushed through the blue-haired kunoichi now, but she did not protest. She situated herself at the base of the tower of Narus and watched as the original slowly scaled the height. Her hands shook and she almost lost her footing a few times, but she never complained. She had a mission to fulfill, her teammates depended on her, and she’d be damned if she let them down. As she reached the ceiling, she bit her lip, strained her arm, and wrapped a hand tightly around the scroll. A snap of pride overcame her but was then quickly overwhelmed by her anxiety. She glanced down the others for affirmation of her success, but the entire auditorium began to sway and her stomach churned. Her control slipped, her shadow clones disappeared, and suddenly she was falling from twenty feet overhead. A scream escaped her lips as she clutched the scroll, her life flashing before her tightly shut eyes. She expected to hit the floor with a hard bang, but instead felt a strong pair of arms wrap around her. When she opened her eyes, Sekkachi was staring back at her.

“You caught me” Naru whispered in mild disbelief. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Sekkachi because she did, but perhaps not enough for her to have saved her life. A small smile tugged at her lips. So she did care.

They looked at each other for a long moment, Sekkachi’s face growing red, before she set the blonde down and rolled her eyes. “Did you really think I wouldn’t stick to my word?” she asked Naru. “I said I’d spot you, so I spotted you. Besides, you would’ve made a mess and I don’t want to deal with the extra work of cleaning that shit up.”

Sarcastic or not, Naru was overwhelmed with gratitude. Grinning, she leapt forward and wrapped her arms tight around Sekkachi, thanking her profusely. Sekkachi squirmed and shoved the blonde off of her. They didn’t have time to be sappy. Physical affection wasn’t her forte, anyways.

“Alright, well now that we have the key” the blue-haired ninja began, “The next question is which door does it unlock?”

“Maybe the scroll will tell us” Rei offered. Naru rolled it open, and Rei looked over her shoulder to read the message.

North, south, east, and west, pick the door the key fits best.

“That’s it?” Sekkachi asked, snatching the scroll from Naru’s hands. She turned it over and around, trying to see if there were perhaps any hidden messages, but found none.

Naru shrugged and replied, “I guess it’s just a matter of trial and error now.” Rei and Sekkachi could agree that it wasn’t the ideal route, but they supposed it was the only route at this point. The three of them circled the room, testing every door they could find. There were two double doors on each left, right, and back wall, all of them leading to different parts of the academy. She didn’t want to overthink it too much, but Rei had a feeling that whichever door this key unlocked was destined to send them someplace important.

After a few minutes of frustrated testing, they finally heard that heavenly click and the doors on the back wall creaked open. The impending hallway was dark and long, and it was hard to make it out where it led without having previous knowledge of the academy’s blueprint. Despite being former students themselves, the three girls had even forgotten where it led thanks to the suppression of haunted school memories.

The minute they passed the threshold, the doors to the auditorium snapped shut and Sekkachi’s match was snuffed out. They were enveloped in complete darkness. Rei clutched Naru’s arm as Sekkachi muttered, “That can’t be a good sign.” And all the while, they felt the presence of something sinister lurking in their wake. A banging sound echoed down the hall. Their spines chilled, the hair on their arms standing on end. Someone was watching them.

“I wonder where Chikara-sensei is during all of this” Naru whispered, as if anything louder would attract attention from their mystery opponent.

“She’s probably off somewhere drinking her tits off and betting on our lives” Sekkachi muttered.

Rei shook her head. “Do you really think she would do something like that?” she asked. Before anyone could reply, a chilling creaking reached their ears and suddenly they felt very much in danger. Hot breath beat on Naru’s neck and before she knew it, she was gone.

Rei grasped at the air, trying to figure out where her comrade may have disappeared. She felt nothing. When she called her name, there was no answer. Her heart leapt into her throat and she grabbed Sekkachi’s arm to steady herself, but her comrade only shoved her away.

“We have to keep going” Sekkachi insisted. “We can’t let Naru’s disappearance keep us from completing our mission.”

“You act like she means nothing” Rei shouted. She could hear Sekkachi walking away from her, which only angered her more. “We’re a team! We can’t do this without her! We have to go find her!”

Sekkachi paused. “If she was too careless to keep her guard up, then maye she doesn’t deserve to go forward as a shinobi in the first place” she spat. “We have more important things to worry about. Let’s go.”

How could she do something like this? Rei couldn’t wrap her brain around it. Shaking her head, she shouted back, “I can’t believe you would be so heartless! What if this isn’t part of Chikara’s plan? What if Naru is in real danger? If you don’t care enough then you can go on ahead, but I’m staying back and I’m finding her. If I get sent back to the academy for not completing the mission, then so be it. At least I’ll still have my friend.” And with that, Sekkachi could hear Rei’s footsteps grow more distant as she turned a corner and began searching for Naru.

Something deep within Sekkachi shifted as she stood there dumbfounded, but she tried to bury it even deeper. She couldn’t afford this right now. She had to convince herself that she was doing what was best, even if secretly she knew that was a flat-out lie. She clenched her fists at her sides, sucked in a deep breath, and began traversing in the opposite direction.

As Rei went along, she could feel the anxiety of her decision increase tenfold. If only Sekkachi hadn’t been such a coldhearted bitch, then maybe she wouldn’t have to had to venture off on her own in a dark and scary situation. Or she could’ve at least stolen one of Sekkachi’s matches. That would’ve been helpful. Rei bit the inside of her cheek and dug her nails into her palms, trying to keep herself composed, but to no avail. The darkness was a cruel mistress who, in that instant, decided to somehow trip her on something she couldn’t see. Every ounce of Rei’s breath escaped her as her back slammed onto the hard wood floor, and she began to panic. She felt around for what may have caused this, gasping for breath all the while, when her hands finally found none other than another scroll. When she finally was able to breathe again, she crawled to the nearest window in hopes that the moon would be bright enough and unraveled the newfound scroll.

Separation was our aim, now on your own you play the game. One is lost, another captured, and the third will be enamored.

A chill ran down Rei’s spine, though for what reason she wasn’t quite sure. She repeated the last line of the message over in her head. One is lost, another captured, and the third will be enamored. She could already guess the one captured was Naru, but then where did her and Sekkachi fit in? Was Rei technically lost? And if she wasn’t, then what did it mean by enamored? The ambiguity made her nauseous and was perhaps even more terrifying than admitting she may be lost.

Just then, there was another strange banging sound coming from the end of the hall. She stood shock still as she listened closely, praying it was just Sekkachi coming back for her. Maybe she had a change of heart. Maybe she realized how selfish she was being. Maybe she was reminded of all the positive things about Naru that she was at risk of losing. After a few moments, Rei’s anxiety got the best of her. She called out Sekkachi’s name but there was no answer. And then suddenly, a warm hand reached around to clap over her mouth and a low voice demanded, “Don’t say anything.”

Sekkachi was, admittedly, overthinking things as she went on her way. She knew she should’ve been looking for another scroll, or some other type of clue, but she was frustratingly distracted. What if this wasn’t part of the plan? What if Naru was in real danger? Could she really handle letting something bad happen to her? She shoved the feelings back into their graves. She couldn’t let these inappropriate thoughts distract her. All she cared about was becoming a superior ninja, of clearing her family name and creating a new reputation for them. Proving her worth. She didn’t have time for sappy friendships. And yet still, every time she thought of Naru, something in her ached. If she was truly in danger, and god forbid she ended up dead, and Sekkachi had done nothing to stop it, would she really be able to live with herself? She didn’t even want to consider it a possibility, and yet the fear stuck. Maybe she had made a massive mistake. Maybe it was time to turn back.

When Naru awoke, she was all alone in a dark room likely on the second floor of the academy. She wasn’t quite sure why she assumed it was the second floor, she simply had a feeling. She let her eyes adjust to the darkness and then looked around in an effort to get her bearings. At the other end of the room, crouched on a desk, was an ANBU black ops member.

Naru tried to remain as calm and composed as possible as she sat up and leaned back on her hands, casually crossing her legs in front of her. “Why so serious?” she asked, wrinkling her nose cutely. No matter what, she was convinced her most surefire defense in this case would be her natural charm.

The ANBU said nothing, simply staring straight ahead at her blankly. Naru flicked her short hair over her shoulder and giggled girlishly, tilting her head to the side as she looked upon her captor. He wouldn’t be an easy nut to crack, but she was prepared for an all-out war. After all, there was nothing she couldn’t cute her way out of.

Rei knew that voice anywhere. Her heart leapt into her chest as she felt the cold steel of a kunai against her back, and suddenly nothing felt real anymore. “W-what are you doing here?” she whispered. She should’ve been terrified—in any other case, she would’ve fallen on the floor blubbering like a wimp—but right now, she was feeling rather brave. Perhaps a little angry, a little bold, a little desperate for answers, but overall brave.

“I said don’t speak” he repeated, voice almost a growl, and she felt his grip tighten on her wrist. She knew he would protest, but she slowly turned her head so that she could see him out of her periphery. Even in the darkness, she knew his masked face anywhere. Kakashi.

More than anything, she wanted answers. What was he doing here? Why did he have a knife to her back? Was this part of the plan or was he here to end her once and for all? She knew how he felt about her becoming a shinobi, but she never thought he would stoop so low as to try to kill her. The math didn’t add up, it didn’t seem like him, but then again he was changing rather quickly lately. She wasn’t entirely sure if the Kakashi she knew now was the same Kakashi she had always known.

Ever defiant, she spoke again. “Where is Naru? What did you do with her?” she asked. Kakashi then whipped her around to face him and pressed the blade to her throat. It was then that she understood the way things were going. If she wanted answers, if she wanted to get out of here, she was going to have to fight. Kakashi was her enemy now, and she needed to do whatever it took to find and rescue Naru.

The ANBU in the classroom hardly budged. Naru was comfortable enough with the situation to move freely now—her captor didn’t really seem to care. She pulled out all the stops: batting her eyelashes, pouting, tilting her head, standing pigeon-toed, even speaking in that sweet baby voice. If she could just break past that impenetrable wall, she could weasel her way into this guy’s psyche and get some semblance of information about what was going on here. Master manipulation.

Sekkachi’s heart pounded in her chest as she raced down the hallway, growing more and more panicked at what she had done. How could she have possibly led herself to believe some stupid scroll was more important than Naru? She had been so deep in denial, but now her comrade could be in serious danger and it was her fault. She didn’t do anything about it. Perhaps all was not lost, though. Perhaps it wasn’t too late to redeem herself. She prayed to any god above that it wasn’t too late.

Naru got very close to the ANBU’s face and pasted on a winning smile. “You know, I bet you’re pretty cute beneath that mask, huh?” she said, tilting her head sweetly. The ANBU still said nothing nor did he move. It was as if he was a statue, or a wooden cut out like they used in the school plays. Nothing was getting through to him.

A blade whizzed through the air, expertly slicing right between Naru’s face and that of the ANBU’s. Before it could strike the wall, the ANBU immediately snapped his arm out to catch it between his thumb and forefinger. Naru gasped and whipped around to the doorway to find none other than Sekkachi standing before her. An inexplicable happiness welled up inside of the blonde.

“Naru, get out of here. I’ll handle this guy” Sekkachi insisted. Naru bounded nearer but did not run.

“Don’t go trying to be the hero, Sekkachi” she said. “I’ve been trying to get through to this guy all night and nothing.”

Sekkachi shook her head. “I doubt he’ll stay so still now that I’m here” she said. Naru rolled her eyes and giggled, but did not protest. She watched Sekkachi surge forward to attack, the ANBU springing into action. They began dancing around the room in hand-to-hand combat, Sekkachi shouting over the clang of their weapons for Naru, again, to get out of there.

“Wait a second!” she shouted back. “If you’re here rescuing me, then where is Rei?!”

“I don’t know!” Sekkachi shouted. “She went off looking for you!” Sekkachi was not about to reveal that she had abandoned her. She knew how close Rei and Naru were; if the blonde was to find out what she had done, she would never hear the end of it. Shaking the thoughts from her mind, Sekkachi commanded, “Go look for her and don’t get yourself caught!” Naru nodded once and then disappeared down the hall.

Rei and Kakashi stood in silence for a long while, just staring at one another. The longer they remained, however, the more panicked Rei became. The more she began to think that he was, in fact, serious. “You’re not really going to kill me, are you?” she whispered. She didn’t expect her voice to crack like it did, but she cursed herself for it anyway. She didn’t need to give him any more evidence that she was actually very weak and worthless.

“Why can’t you just listen?” he whispered back, and there was a certain desperation in his voice that caught her off guard. That made her wonder if maybe he was vulnerable, too.

“I refuse to let go of my dream” she whispered back and this time, there was much more force in her voice. With clenched fists, she added, “I don’t want to have to fight you, Kakashi.”

Something inside of him shifted. She just wasn’t getting it. He bit his lower lip, tightening his grip on the blade, and growled, “Don’t make me do this the hard way.”

“Rei!”

Kakashi and Rei squinted across the darkness to find Naru surging toward them. A strong sense of relief washed over Rei in that moment—Naru was fine, she was safe. She skidded to a halt right in front of the two of them, looking from Rei to Kakashi and back, then her face turned bright red. “Have I interrupted something?” she asked slyly.

“No” Rei insisted, recoiling while Kakashi was distracted. “Absolutely nothing.”

She didn’t totally buy it, but Naru knew she didn’t have time for skepticism. “We have to go help Sekkachi! Come on!” she said, tugging Rei by the wrist. She looked back over her shoulder at her former friend, to the kunai in his hand. She refused to believe he had any real intention of killing her. He couldn’t possibly. A lump suddenly rose in her throat and for a moment, she was convinced she was going to involuntarily break down right then and there. Too much was changing, and she was losing everything she held dear. The last scroll’s message rang in her mind. One is lost, another captured, and the third will be enamored. Fuck.

They reached the classroom just in time, catching sight of Sekkachi barreling into the ground from a swift punch to the gut. She croaked and spit onto the floor, watching as Rei and Naru rushed to her aide. Rei wasn’t entirely sure if they were strong enough to beat this guy—after all, he was an ANBU and they were only genin—but she refused to let him get away without some sort of fight. It was late and she was tired and her encounter with Kakashi was beginning to fill her with an inexplicable rage. She leapt forward and began pounding at the ANBU member, her tiny fists punching left and right with as much force as she could muster. By the time a strong pair of hands pulled her away from him, she realized tears were streaming down her face.

“That’s enough” a stern voice called, and she looked up to find Chikara-sensei had her by the collar. The sight of her brought Rei back to center. The sun was just beginning to rise.

It wasn’t until after the fact that Rei realized just how absolutely exhausted she was. Team Chikara sat cross-legged in a big circle in the dirt outside the academy, little breakfast natto bowls in their laps. Rei poked at her food and ate around the beans, trying hard to listen to what their sensei had to say to them but losing her focus every few seconds. She was far too tired for a lecture, and couldn’t stop thinking about Kakashi. As she trudged home that morning, her eyes landed on his house next door and her heart ached. So much was changing and she was losing everything she held dear, and there wasn’t a damn thing she could do about it.

#kakashi hatake #rei natsuki #the scarecrow and the bell #naruto #naruto oc #fanfiction

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offansandflames · 7 years

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📖 tell me a story!

Thanks @lohrendrell! You rock >

Story time!

So, for just short of a month, Naru and I lived off of an island a few miles off the coast of Istanbul (we’re from California). We were at my friend’s house while she was in America. We’re travel rookies.

One day, we decide to take the ferry over to the Asian side (mostly residential and very safe), rather than the European side (where all the touristy stuff is). Maybe 2% of people there could speak any English, but that was fine. We’d done the tourist’s Istanbul to death.

All goes well at first. Naru tires as we walk around and try to find a pedestrian mall. I leave him at a street corner and commit the intersection names to memory before going off to figure out where we’re going. As soon as I find my way, I try to get back to the street corner…only to realize that I’d lost it.

More time passes, and eventually I find the intersection. But Naru isn’t there.

I’m starting to get worried now. I had an international cell phone (not a smartphone) on me, though Naru had nothing. Why hadn’t he called me? Couldn’t he have found someone and borrowed their phone? I called my mom, whose number he knew by heart. Nothing. I find an internet cafe. I send an urgent “WHERE ARE YOU?” with my phone number, location, coordinates, etc. to every single one of Naru’s e-mail addresses and messaging platforms. Why hadn’t he found an internet cafe by now? I get on Facebook and post a status asking if anyone had heard from him. Not a word.

At this point I’m freaking out. I call the U.S. embassy and the police. It’s getting dark, and shops are closing. The last ferry of the day was about to leave, and it had been almost 4 hours. No one spoke English. I comb through the streets of Bostancı, running and slamming my thigh into a huge post and not even skipping a beat despite the basketball-size, ugly mark it left behind for another 3 months.

Finally, finally, my mom calls me at 4 AM her time and lets me know that the cops had found Naru. Naru had forgotten my international number and had the cops call my mom. My heart was going off like crazy.

I heard the rest of it from his side. He had waited at that street corner for quite a while, until a creepy old man came up to him and tried to put money in his hand and get Naru to follow him. He was mistaking Naru for a prostitute. >/ Naru tried to call me and my family, but he couldn’t get the cell phones to call out. He couldn’t find anyone that spoke English, and his social anxiety got the better of him.

Naru went into a local Domino’s, where he was visibly terrified. He was found by a group of men in their early 20′s. None of them spoke any English, so they turned on their phones’ Google translator app. As they sang in Turkish, their cell phones told him, “Don’t cry. Smile. Everything will be okay. Smile.”

The staff at Domino’s called the police. From there, Naru and I were reunited in a Turkish cop car, with three cops inside. We hugged each other in the back seat and could not stop holding hands. Meanwhile, the only police officer that could speak English told us about the time when he had been lost in the Grand Bazaar as a child and could do nothing but cry. Not only do they muscle through traffic to deliver us right to the ferry station, but they also offer to pay for our ferry ride in case we can’t afford it.

I learned several things from this experience. One thing: don’t leave someone’s side if you don’t have phones, or at least have a very obvious meeting point if you do. The second thing is that there is way more kindness out there than most people realize. So many of us live in a meaningless fear of kind people, just because of where they’re from.

And now, I’ve gone to 19 countries and know my way around. But whenever I tell my mom it will be just fine, as always, she says, “Lo, I got a call from the Turkish police at 4 am in the morning.”

It’s a fair point.

#asks #lo personal #story time!

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behindheremeraldeyes · 7 years

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SasuSaku Month 2016 Day 24- Errands . Title: Pen pals . Summary: Sasuke receives a letter from his best friend and he’s left a little worried about a certain someone. How could that brat offer any kind of danger? . A/N: okay... again, I just didn't get along with the theme XD it was supposed to be an action one, but I just couldn't think of anything that could be resumed in a single one-shot (even my long one-shots...). Anyway, I'm glad with the way it ended, and let's see if you can read the hints I left hidden behind the interpretation XD have fun, and please, leave me Reviews! . . . If he could describe his current mood with one word at that exact moment, his word wouldn’t be any other than not annoyed. His body was sweating underneath that black tunic of his, his throat was incredibly dry, his heartbeat was faster than usual and the exaggerated humidity was making it almost impossible for his lungs to execute their vital function. Summer time is definitely not the best season to visit the Land of Waves, and Uchiha Sasuke ended up learning about that in the worst possible way, which was, of course, being there.

It had been a long time since he had last felt that troubled by that burning sensation taking over his body, and seeing all the others around him walking as if there was nothing wrong just helped create an even hotter sensation inside him. Even with that unbearable temperature, people were still moving on with their daily activities, selling their products in that crowded sea of heads, as if nothing at all was actually happening on that stupidly hot day.

A defeated sigh escaped his lips, as he once again had to remind himself of the reason why he was there, in the center of the village, under that torturous sun.

That idiot. That message better not be one of his stupid jokes or he swore the blonde won’t live enough to become Hokage.

Yes, as hard as it was to believe, the cause behind the Uchiha's current state of mind was the one and only Uzumaki Naruto. Earlier on that day, the raven haired boy had received a letter with a messy handwriting and tons of grammatical errors that certainly changed it all. From his route to his deepest thoughts, the words written in that paper had guided him to the nostalgic Land of Waves, and they were responsible for taking away his impeccable composure.

Screw the etiquette and the good manners. He didn’t care about any of that at that moment. All he wanted was to get out of there as soon as possible so he could continue his journey to atone for his sins. However, he couldn’t do it. Not while she was still there. Not while she was in great danger, according to the Uzumaki.

As it had been written by the blonde, the Land of Waves had become a quite dangerous place for their pink haired teammate to be alone. Ever since the carpenters had gone to Konoha to help after Pain’s attack, Naruto could sense the evil intentions hidden behind every smile offered by a boy who they once met during their first mission outside the village. The charming way he curled up his lips, the innocence spread around his youthful features, the hardworking image he held as a man and those sweaty, exposed muscles that- according to Naruto- certainly captured the pinkette's attention.

Inari, the bridge constructor’s grandson, had really grown into a fine, young man, and his eyes didn’t fail to notice how time had affected Haruno Sakura as well.

‘ It was written all over his face-ttebayo!’, the blonde wrote. ‘ The way he blushed and smiled whenever she looked at him, and the way he would sigh whenever she turned away. He loves her and he won’t hold back his hormones if they’re all alone, Teme!’

Apart from the evident exaggerations and the brother-ish feelings behind every invented expression, the Uchiha knew he could not simply ignore the core of the message. It was not like he was actually concerned about the girl or anything, for he knew she was more than capable of taking care of herself if anyone tried to force themselves on her.

Sakura was definitely not the problem there.

The brat was.

After spending a long time thinking, the image of that crying kid named Inari appeared in his head. Back then, he was just a normal boy and Sasuke doubted the years had managed to change him as much as Naruto had written in that letter. He was probably still that same brat, a little taller, for sure, but still that same child they once met.

There was definitely nothing to be worried about, he knew.

Still, since he was already close to the Land of Waves, accompanying the pinkette in her mission would cause no harm, right?

And based on that thought, there he was, casually waiting for her to buy some herbs from an old lady, after he had calmly explained to her that the Hokage had sent him to escort her during her mission simply because he was nearby.

He couldn’t simply tell her the truth, right?

“ Thank you for waiting, Sasuke-kun!” She finally exited the tent, a bag full of herbs in hands and a childish smile decorating her lips. Sakura seemed to be comfortable in her usual ninja clothes, and after finally getting used to his presence, the girl seemed to be more than simply content with their current situation. “ Now we can go deliver the message to Tazuna-san.”

“ Hn, I still don’t understand why Kakashi didn’t send the message through one of his birds. It would have been a lot easier.”

“ True… But then we wouldn’t have bumped into each other, right?” She looked at him with those forest eyes of hers, and he couldn’t help but look away. If only she knew how much those words meant to their teammates, maybe she wouldn’t have been so surprised by his presence earlier.

“ Tch, what kind of reason is that?”

A chuckle escaped her lips as a grumpy expression took over his face. Uchiha Sasuke was pouting in pure embarrassment, as he was now carrying her bag of herbs, and that was definitely a priceless scene to be seen by her.

How could anyone choose a pigeon over that?

Saying Sakura was simply happy with his presence would be underestimating her own level of amusement. It had been months since she had last seen him, and having a chance to spend a couple of hours by his side would be the perfect opportunity for the girl to simply enjoy the company of the man she loves.

Thank you, Kakashi-sensei, she thought.

As they walked towards the constructor’s residence, the pinkette just wouldn’t shut up for a single minute, as she told him the latest stories of the village. She would eventually laugh and pout depending on the memory that came to her mind, and even if he would barely reply anything, Sakura knew he enjoyed that whole catching up just by the calm expression that would take over his features. It brought them a nostalgic feeling from when they had to wait at the bridge for both of their late teammates, and for people like them, cherishing that kind of feeling was more than simply pleasurable.

Their memories are an important part of their lives, for the past is always present. They can’t and they don’t want to forget about their early days. They accept it, and eventually, seek for comfort in the innocence of the spring of their lives.

Oh, how good it was to be repeating the past.

The walk towards their destination didn’t last as much as they would both like it to. The house was still the same from when they were first introduced to the bridge constructor, and the Haruno girl didn’t hesitate before knocking on the door. He was standing next to her, towering over her petite form and simply watching as her expression remained as lovable as ever. She seemed calm and focused, and as his dark eyes carefully observed the powerful ninja that stood next to him, he could feel his chest getting enveloped by a warm sensation. Sasuke was really happy to be next to her, and at that moment, he even forgot the reason behind his journey to the Land of Waves.

But he would definitely remember it as soon as the door was opened.

“ Is it you, Sakura-neechan?”

A muffled voice came from inside, and the Uchiha's eyes widened at the same time. The way her name sounded, the rushed footsteps approaching the door and the way a simple smile tugged on her lips made his throat go dry at the same time. Sasuke was suddenly having a terrible feeling about what was about to happen, and there was something telling him that he should just take the girl away from there as fast as possible.

Something terrible was, indeed, about to happen.

Evil was just on the other side of that door.

“ Yes! We are here, Inari!” The girl answered, chuckling due to the loud sound of the boy’s rushing sound steps.

“ We? Do you mean you and Naru- “

Suddenly, the wooden door shot open, and the young carpenter’s brown eyes widened. His voice disappeared, and he just couldn’t take his eyes away from the intimidating tall, dark figure standing next to the pink haired girl.

It had been certainly a long time since they last met, for sure.

“ Sasuke-niichan…”

The sixteen-year-old boy held that shocked expression on his face as his eyes were still examining the Uchiha. He had imagined that the ninja would have grown up after so long, but not as much as he had actually grown. Inari could feel the intense glare coming from his dark orbs, and even if he knew he was not facing a criminal anymore, the boy couldn’t help but feel his body trembling in fear.

Why the hell was he afraid? He certainly didn’t know, and it was clear that the Uchiha was enjoying every single moment of it. Even if it was barely exposed, the corner of his lips was curled up in what could be a smirk, and the Haruno girl was more than just aware of that.

Sasuke should be ashamed of trying to scare a kid like that. Fortunately, for the victim, his heroine was there to save him.

“ It’s been a long time since you two saw each other, right?” She said, placing both of her hands on her back.

“ Y-Yes…” The boy continued trembling, not daring to look away from the Uchiha.

“ Don’t be so shy, Inari. It’s just Sasuke-kun, after all.”

The tender smile that decorated her face as she spared her teammate a glance was enough to shake the boy from the frozen state he was found in just moments before. Instantly, his expression changed and the one who was ruled by fear was now succumbing to the most tender expression of the prettiest girl with pink hair. Inari was now looking calm and serene, and his eyes just wouldn’t leave her for anything in the world.

He looked like a fool in love, and such thing definitely made the Uchiha’s blood boil in his veins.

By the way the young carpenter looked at Sakura, Sasuke knew that the blonde was not exaggerating at all in his words. That boy was really a potential threat, and that was something undeniable. Thanks to puberty, Inari no longer looked like a child who had his nose running all the time, and his body was no longer shaped in that childish form. The kid was tall now. Not taller than himself, but almost two hands taller than Sakura. There was a towel charmingly hanging around his neck, and his soaked, brown locks were giving him a fresh, young look. His cheeks were blushing faintly, and the muscles Naruto talked about were really there under his sleeveless shirt.

If that brat suddenly grew confident, then he would certainly have something to worry about.

“ Wow, Sakura-neechan… You look beautiful!”

Crap.

“ A-Ah… Thank you.” She looked down in embarrassment, as a blush took over her cheeks. Seeing her reaction left the Uchiha extremely mad, and if not for the fact he was still holding her bags, his hand would be around that kid’s neck already.

How dare he say such things about Sakura so easily? And in front of him?!

He was definitely not going to let that brat get any closer to the pinkette.

“ Sakura.” His strong voice called her from the current embarrassment, and her eyes widened in surprise. “ Don’t you have to deliver that message for his grandfather?”

“Oh! R-Right! Inari, is Tazuna-san home? I have a message from the Hokage. A request, to be exact.”

“ Ojisan isn’t here right now… He’s with my mom buying some things but they will be back later. You can wait here if you want.” The boy said, smiling brightly at the pinkette.

“ I see… I think this would be a good idea, then. What do you think, Sasuke-kun?”

“ Hn, absolutely not.”

“ I knew you would li- What?!”

Her eyes widened in surprise and the harsh tone of his words annoyed her more than they should. The ordering way his words sounded made her veins boil, and a pout immediately grew on her face.

Hauro Sakura was definitely not going to accept orders like that. Not without an explanation.

“ This is a mission, not a friend reunion. Get professional.”

“ Eh!?” She glared at him, placing both of her hands over her hips. “ I am very professional! I’ll wait to deliver the message in hand.”

“ Hey, guys… Are you really fight-“ Inari tried, but his voice was easily swallowed by the angry Uchiha.

“ Kakashi didn’t ask you to deliver it in hands. He told you to leave the message and return to the village. I’m sure the brat will deliver the message to his grandfather.”

“ Oi… Sakura-neechan… Sasuke-nii-” He tried again, failing once more.

“ It’s not like I’m in a rush or anything. I can wait here if I want to!”

“ Tch, you’re so annoying. That’s exactly why Kakashi told me to come. You’re not waiting here. You’re going home, Sakura, because they need you there to take care of the… Of the children’s clinic, of course.”

“ No, I’m not!”

“ Yes, you are!”

The way those two glared and discussed showed exactly what Naruto had told him in his letter. Even if Inari didn’t know much about this new Uchiha Sasuke, it was possible to tell the former avenger’s real intentions with those words. He didn’t want to leave the girl alone with another guy and risk losing her love forever. Back then, when the carpenter was still an 8 years old kid, it was possible to tell how much she loved him, and now it was also possible to see that kind of feeling coming from him. Being a part of that prank with the Uzumaki had certainly been a nice experience for him to see how one can change thanks to love.

And seeing the almighty Sasuke jealous had certainly been quite funny, too.

“ You’re going home even if I have to drag you back, Sakura!”

“ Oh, I would love to see you try, Sasuke!"

A smile appeared on Inari’s lips as he finally decided to stop those two before his house ended up destroyed. He took a deep breath and screamed as loud as he could, making both of the ninjas stop arguing to look at him. They had a scared expression ruling their faces, and as soon as their eyes turned to face the teenager, he couldn’t help but release a sincere laughter.

Those two are way too funny for him.

“ W-What the-“ She started, still impressed by that kid’s vocal chords.

“ You see, Sakura-neechan…” Inari started. “ I’m afraid I won’t be able to stay here with you. I’ve just remembered I have to finish something in a house nearby. I’m terribly sorry.” He bowed his head down in apology, leaving the girl a little embarrassed due to the formal gesture.

“ A-Ah… It’s okay, Inari. I understand. I should be apologizing for trying to stay here.”

“ No need to worry.” He smiled. “ And I’ll gladly deliver the message to my grandfather. I’m sure he will love to accept working with Yamato-san again.”

“ Eh? H-How do you know Yamato-taichou is the one in need of help?”

“…” Inari’s eyes widened as he clearly realized he had just blown off his cover. Apparently, Naruto had given him a lot more information than he actually needed. “ I-I… I just figured since we worked together on the last time.”

“ Uhm… This is certainly weird, but… “ She took the envelope from her bag, smiling and handling it to Inari. “ I guess you don’t have time to tell me the whole thing right now, ne?”

“ Yeah… I don’t.” He smiled back, scratching the back of his neck with his free hand.

“ Well, then… I guess we will be going then, right, Sasuke-kun?”

“ Hn, It’s already time.” The Uchiha mumbled, looking away from the carpenter.

“ It was great to see you two! Tell Naruto-niichan I said hi.”

“ I’ll deliver your message! Bye bye, Inari!”

“ Have a safe trip, Sakura-neechan!” The boy suddenly gave her a hug, which immediately caused the Uchiha to send him a deadly glare. Smirking, the now brave carpenter looked at the Uchiha, not caring about the Rinnegan locked on him. " And take care of her, Sasuke-niichan. You never know when someone might try to steal her away.”

“ Tch… You brat!”

With both Sakura and Inari laughing at him, the Uchiha, then, did what he should have done a long time before. He threw the bags in her hands, and once his own right hand was free, Sasuke grabbed the girl by the arm and started to drag her away. He was tired of that whole conversation and he wanted to get out of the hot place already. His grip around her arm was strong enough not to let her go, and even if she protested, he was not going to release her until they were on a safe distance from the kid’s house.

One day, he would get his revenge against that girl.

But that day would certainly not arrive that soon. At least not until he acknowledged his own feelings.

Without looking back, the Uchiha continued to pull her around the village until they reached the end of the Great Naruto Bridge. After a while, the pinkette eventually gave up on her useless struggle, and accepted the fate of a potato bag. In the end, perhaps she deserved it after teasing him like that in front of Inari. For the Uchiha pride is something really delicate, chances were he was mad at her for all those unnecessary words.

A sigh escaped her lips. That boy was certainly impossible.

After letting go of her arm, the Uchiha didn’t say a single word. He was still holding that stoic expression of his, and even if she was now walking in front of him, he refused to make eye-contact.

Uchiha Sasuke was really mad.

But he was not mad at her. He could never be.

She was just doing her job, after all.

“ Sakura.”

She stopped at the sound of her name, and felt shivers running down her spine. He was going to scold her, she knew. He was going to trap her in another dimension and she would starve to death, for sure. The pinkette had brought the Uchiha’s anger upon herself, and now it was time for her to face the consequences.

Or that was what she thought.

“ You shouldn’t accept a man’s offer to stay with him alone in a house like that.”

What?

Her mind went blank, as she lifted an eyebrow in pure confusion. Sakura turned to face him, not bothering to hide her blank expression, as she was trying her best to understand his words.

“ What are you talking about, Sasuke-kun? It’s just Inari… We know him.”

“ Still… Didn’t you see the way he looked at you?”

“ Tch, don’t be silly… He would never do such thing. Besides, you know very well that I can destroy more than just his house with my pinky.”

“ Hn, don't underestimate men. He was waiting for you... He could have prepared a trap or something."

"... I doubt it. Besides, what could he do to me, anyway?"

"..." The Uchiha sighed in defeat. What a stubborn girl. She really is Naruto's friend. " You're annoying. I can't leave you alone, can I?"

As her emerald eyes captured the glimpse of a blush tinging his cheeks, a whole new world seemed to be revealed in front of her. Her heart was beating faster, her head was a mess and Sakura just couldn't stop looking at how embarrassed he was after listening to her words.

Apparently, he was not going to send her to the desert dimension.

Apparently, he was just worried about the fact that she would be alone with a 16-year old for a couple of hours while they waited for an old man.

Apparently, Uchiha Sasuke was going mad. Or could it be…

" Sasuke-kun...." He looked at her, trying to seem as calm as possible. Her eyes were connected to his, and suddenly, she took a step closer. " Could it be that you're... jealous?"

It took the raven haired boy some moments to finally interpret her words, and when he did, he could feel the back of his neck growing hotter. Sasuke knew he had to masquerade whatever uncomfortable expression he was probably wearing at that moment, for he simply could not let Haruno Sakura think about something so absurd like that.

He was definitely not jealous, he knew.

So why was he so troubled by her words?

" Tch, don't be silly... Uchihas don't get jealous." He looked away, trying to hide his altered expression.

The girl kept looking at him with her judging orbs, and after reaching to her own conclusion, Sakura simply smiled teasingly, taking a step away from him.

What a silly boy, she thought.

" Yeah... You're right. You would never be jealous.

"Hn."

" The almighty Uchiha Sasuke doesn't have such thing as feelings. " She chuckled, leaving him slightly annoyed.

" Oi, it's not like th-"

" Besides... It's not like you have any reasons to be, right?"

The way her eyes were teasingly looking at him felt like the girl was ending him with her powerful fist. Somehow, being watched by those stunning eyes left him extremely exposed, and that was certainly a sensation Sasuke did not enjoy.

The Uchiha was not used to that kind of weakness, especially when the pinkette was the one taking advantage of the situation. He was defenseless, and for sure, he was defeated by those emerald eyes of hers.

But he would never admit it, after all, he is Uchiha Sasuke.

And Uchiha Sasuke will never accept being defeated by Haruno Sakura.

" Tch, shouldn't you be heading home now, Sakura?"

" Eh!? Aren't you coming with me?"

" Why should I?"

" Because you were supposed to be escorting me. It's your mission, after all."

" Hn, maybe next time."

" Tch... be professional, will you?"

#sasusaku #sasusaku month 2016 #ssmonth16 #ssmonth16fanfiction #sasusaku month #myssfics

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