#blaze would love strawberry shortcakes | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

haik-choo · 4 years

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karasuno boys as boyfriends

a/n: im just basically astral projecting myself into these situations; ALSO if you want more detailed ones, just ask, and you shall receive! (also this is my first post i’ve written on here! but if you want plenty of kpop content i’m @hyucksong where i’ve been writing and I am still active! :))

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[KARASUNO BOYS AS BOYFRIENDS HEADCANNONS]

-tsukishima, yamaguchi, hinata, kageyama, tanaka, nishinoya, sugawara, daichi, and asahi

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tsukishima kei.

the type to look you straight in your eyes when you ask for a hug and say “no, who do you think i am, your boyfriend?”

runs his hands through your hair from the front and then when his hand reaches the back of your head he pulls you into him and kisses you either on the forehead or the lips <3

in order to be in a relationship with him you HAVE to have the same type of humor.

i don’t think he could date someone who doesn’t make fun of people with him

you guys are like best friends who make fun of each other and. make out a little every once in a while

he’ll hold your hand and hug you in public but he will NEVER do anything else, especially not in front of the boys

he thinks the blush that ignites on your kissable cheeks should be for his eyes only

he gave you a keychain that had a cute little strawberry shortcake on it. and it’s your most prized possession

will shoot a glare at anyone who watches you too closely. like no. don’t get googly eyed over MY girlfriend.

and you don’t have a problem with that ;)

yamaguchi tadashi.

he likes to watch you when you’re not looking to pick out the little habits you do

he thinks that knowing someone’s little hardly noticeable habits is one of the most intimate things on mother earth

he knows that you stir the milk in the bowl three times before you pour the cereal in to check for chunks because you accidentally drank spoiled milk when you were younger

NEVER has an issue getting you a gift for any occasion. he ALWAYS knows what you’re looking at and what you want and you lowkey think he can read your mind but in reality he just pays attention <3

you’re either just as shy as him to bring out his more assertive side or more assertive than he is to bring out his more timid side -- both are good

kisses you on the forehead and holds your hand in public -- he loves PDA because he can show you off :’)

yes. he kisses the back of your nape in public. so what.

YES. HE CLOSES HIS EYES WHEN HE DOES IT AND ACCIDENTALLY INHALES YOUR SCENT AND WHISPERS IN YOUR EAR THAT YOU SMELL GOOD. IDC IF YOU THINK THAT’S CREEPY. IT’S CUTE. YES. HE GIVES YOU THAT LOOK THAT SAYS HE’S CRAZILY IN LOVE WITH YOU. SO WHAT.

kageyama tobio.

he probably fell in love with you because you were just as passionate about something else as he is about volleyball; music, drawing, writing, math, science, reading -- whatever

i see this relationship as being one that’s like...accelerated friends. like,,, you act like him and hinata except you kiss sometimes and he can see you at the end of the wedding aisle

DEFINITELY reads cosmopolitans once you start dating because he wants to be a good boyfriend for you <3

PDA is literally little to NONe,,, not because he doesn’t like it...it’s just because he doesn’t realize that he’s not showing you affection lololol

like in one arm he has his athletic duffel bag and the other he has a volleyball

he doesn’t mean to neglect you he just does AGAGAG

realized he liked you when he thought about you when he was drinking his milk and mindlessly bought you one too

the first time y’all kissed. he literally stared at you so intensely for a SOLID ten minutes debating in his head whether or not he should just go for it or wait or just smash his face into yours and hope your lips connect

he chose to cross his fingers and ended up smashing his forehead and nose into yours

it was cute tho <3

hinata shoyo.

YALL HAVE DATES WHERE YOU BABYSIT HIS SISTER. WTF SO CUTE

when yall cuddle and you’re the little spoon he likes to put his head on your shoulder/between your neck and watch as you scroll through tiktok or instagram and just mindlessly talk about his day

the type of boyfriend where neither of you can cook and you both confusedly look at recipes on google like: ????? wtf is the difference between brown sugar and regular sugar

it’s his INSTINCT to hold your hand. no matter what. his hand just...gravitates to yous.

AND HIS LIPS JUST FIND YOUR CHEEK??? like it’s so natural to him to kiss your cheek when he sees you, even in public. it’s so adorable i--

THE TYPE OF GUY TO WIPE OFF FOOD FROM THE CORNER OF YOUR MOUTH AND STILL EAT IT AND SAY “you taste good!~” AND NOT EVEN REALIZE WHAT HE SAID. BUT WHEN YOU DO IT TO HIM HE BLOWS A FUSE

he loves to tickle you. like you’ll be vibing, drinking whatever you drink in the morning and he’ll come up to you all casually and kiss you cheek...and then he’ll pounce

he holds you close to his chest when he tickles you, partally because he likes feeling your laugh vibrate on his chest, and partially because it’s easier to not get tickled if he’s right behind you

his sister LOVes you and it just. makes him so happy

tanaka ryuunosuke.

you CANNOT remove his hand from your ass. it is permanently glued there. it is attached to you. yes, even in public.

number 1 hypeman! he will always support you, no matter what! you could be in a competition to raise the biggest beetle and he’ll be there rooting you on and staying up late with you as you rear your award-winning beetle

you two lay next to each other on the couch/on his bed and he’ll have his arm around you and you’ll lay your head on his chest as you watch netflix shows

YOU, NISHINOYA, AND TANAKA? UNSTOPPABLE TRIO. POWER TRIPLET.

i don’t imagine him being shy when he first kisses you; the first time he kissed you, you were literally just. existing and he literally just...couldn’t hold it in...and he just went for it

literally CATAPULTS himself into you and kisses you senseless

yes you and saeko are besties she gives you ALL the tea about young tanaka

the type to take off his shirt more during practice if you’re there watching, and literally BURN red if you mention anything about his muscles

you once traced a vein in his arm and commented on how hot it was and he literally short-circuited

kiss his biceps. kiss his abs. kiss his cheek. please. it’s all he wants. he’s touch-starved

nishinoya yuu.

SUCH an excited boyfriend

like he seriously gets so hype doing ANYTHING with you pleaSE give this man an award. you’ll be at the amusement park and the line to get into a ride will be three hours and he’ll be like

“I get to spend three hours with you?!! fucking sick! absolutely radical!”

he’s bold in public, but only because he wants to rub you in his teammates faces, but his ears will be Red

at home, he’s calmer :) he just loves to spend time with you, even if you’re sitting on a bench watching him practice receives for five hours straight in the blazing sun.

he just treasures your time so much, you treats you like a precious gem -- he will NEVER treat you wrong. deadass has no problem admitting when he’s wrong -- but if he thinks he’s right then he WILL stand his ground

he’s a passionate man, who loves just as passionately.

his favorite time to kiss you is after you’ve taken a sip of a soda because he likes the taste of the syrup and the burn of the carbonation, but most of all because he likes the taste of your lips in combination with all of them

NIPS AT YOUR EAR. DEADASS JUST LOOKS AT YOU BRUSH A PIECE OF HAIR BACK WHEN YOU’RE DOING HOMEWORK AND IS LIKE “free real estate” AND C H O MPS

the day nishinoya told everyone yall were dating, kiyoko stopped you in the hallway and deadass got on her knees and thanked you LITERALLY she was like “i’ll buy you anything. give the word and it’ll be yours.”

sugawara koushi.

would kiss you on the first date. deadass. he’ll just drop you off at your doorstep and you’re still high on adrenaline, and you’re lowkey hoping he’ll kiss you and you get little disappointed when he doesn’t and then when you least expect it. bam. his lips on yours

his smell oh god, he literally smells like fresh sugar cookies. it’s like as soon as you get anywhere near him his smell just invades you nose and. you’re powerless. you just wanna hug him

never smells bad. try me, bitch. NEVER.

his hugs are literally god’s gifts. he loves hugging you. he just completely envelopes you with his pretty setter arms and his smell takes up all the space in your head and nothing else exists for that moment, just you two

loves tucking your hair behind your ears or just moving it out of your face; doing homework and your bangs are in the way? not for long because he’ll clip them up for you <3

he’s pretty mischievous and will playfully put his hand next to your head and lean down with such a HOT look in his eyes

and he’ll say some shit like “i wanna devour you” and then he’ll laugh afterwards and give you a kiss on the forehead and you’re standing there. like -.- o.o -.- o.o

whenever he feels insecure about his position on the team, you’re always there to comfort him and he’ll just lay between your legs and rest his face on your stomach as you comb your fingers through his hair and scroll through tiktok

PDA? yes please. uh huh. mhmm. he doesn’t care who sees his love for you he just wants to love on you baby. kisses you on the lips, no problemo

daichi sawamura.

you and suga are the only ones who can scare him when yall are mad lol

boyfriend where you’ve dated for like a year but it feel like 50 have already passed. in a good way!

this relationship is so ungodly domestic. like from the first day it’s just pure comfort and he’s like your rock and you’re his anchor

you two bicker a lot but it’s lighthearted and you just feel so secure with him that poking fun at him and at yourself is just natural

daichi. gives. god. hugs. he does. it’s fact.

his arms are just so big and he has so much body warmth and he probably smells like some bullshit cologne like “smoldering woods” and it’s just so. daichi

you two spend the night at each other’s house so often it’s like you already live with each other and people always forget that you don’t lolol

totally sleeps with his shirt off and only with underwear. isn’t awkward about it either; when he wakes up he puts on sweats but still remains topless (not that you’re complaining)

you two are like. the strict parental couple, when you walk together whether it be down the street or in the hallways, you just look so right for each other it’s. mind blowing

doesn’t mind kissing you a little in public but really thinks that stuff should be for private; so normally he just kisses your temple and always has an arm either around your shoulder or around your waist

WHEN THE TEAM SEES YOU KISS ON THE LIPS THEY GO “EW” EVEN SUGA AND ASAHI AFIEFHEWIF

asahi azumane.

literal fucking teddy bear. god please cuddle him. please kith him. please comb through his hair with your fingers and kiss his nape and kiss the back of his head. please i beg of you.

did NOT ask you out first. he wrote love letter to you and then waiting behind the gym because he thought being near the volleyball gym would give him some luck and them you got in front of him and he was. deer in the headlights

needless to say you asked him out and kissed his cheek. he DIED

even once yall are comfortable in the relationship he still needs reassurance every once in a while because he’s a little insecure, not that you’ll leave him for someone else, but that he’s not good enough

his PDA skill are. subpar. he usually just holds your hand and that’s it, but sometimes kisses the corner of your eye or nose and you just combust

OH RIOGEH TOTALLY DOES BUTTERFLY AND BUNNY KISSES. YES GOD YESSSSS

when yall cuddle he doesn’t like spooning. he likes to be able to see your face and the expressions you make, so doesn’t like being the little or big spoon; yall face each other and just lets your head lay on his arm even tho it’s numb. im: soft

kisses are so sweet, slow, and hesitant. he doesn’t really kiss you often because he has terrible timing but...when he does it’s like the whole world just becomes still in that moment and nothing matters but his hands on your waist and yours in his hair

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sunrisesimblr · 3 years

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Submerged In Color 1.2 Love & Despair Part 3

Read the full chapter on wordpress here.

I was overcame with nauesa, upon coming inside and was unable to celebrate going steady with Strawberry.

I just couldn’t get over how utterly handsome my son was, and he was just the sweetest little thing. Even if he did make a huge mess in the kitchen Ihad to clean. I always stopped what I was doing to rush over and immediately start cleaning. From a young age, the idea of germs had just freaked her out. She couldn’t stand being around messy things it made her want to tear her hair out.

One day while browsing the internet I saw a ad from the animal shelter, saying they desprately needed some of the strays adopted as they were under funded. I looked through the pictures of the avaiable pets and called the shelter about the one that I wanted. Within a few hours he was here.

Razzle Shortcake!

As the weeks worn on, I was becoming sicker and sicker. It didn’t matter the time of day, or what she had to eat that day. So I went out to the store to grab a test and I was correct in assuming, I was pregnant!

I spent the next several months making sure that Blaze was potty-trained, knew how to talk and walk. He was a fast learner and it didn’t take to long.

Before I knew it I was huge, and the closer it got to my due date. The more I started thinking of marriage. I started visiting pawn shops around town looking for engagment rings and finally I had found the perfect one. I waited until one evening just as we were getting Blaze ready for bed.

“OMB!”

“Strawberry, my love. You have shown me what love is, and you have stepped up for Blaze as well as me. I want us to bring this baby into a real family. Will you marry me?”

“Yes!”

We decided to just get married that night at the house, as we didn’t think that people would approve of the marriage.

It was a beautiful ceremony and I had never been happier!

I spent my pregnancy, just taking care of Blaze and Razzle. I was starting to get noticed around town for my painting and was even asked to teach a art class at the school on some weekends. Things were really starting to look up. Life was good and I was happy.

#SIC #submergedincolor #berrysweetchallenge #berrysweetsims #ts3 berry sweet #ts3 legacy #ts3 simblr #ts3 legacy challange #ts3 challange #ts3

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chronicfangirling · 6 years

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Birthday Wishes

Pairing: Jin x Reader (featuring maknae line and the rest of OT7) Genre: Fluff/Angst, Unrequited Love Switch, Friends-to-Lovers Words: 6237 Summary: When Kim Seokjin wished that the two of you would always be friends and only friends, you steadfastly granted his wish--long past the point that he realized he wanted much, much more. Or alternatively, the seven times that you and Seokjin didn't get together, and the one time you finally did. A/N: A belated birthday fic for the best man on Earth. ❤️❤️❤️

(2016 December 4)

The house rented for Seokjin's birthday party was packed full with guests, and Seokjin, popular as he was, was surrounded by well-wishers. But Jungkook, Taehyung, and Jimin had conspired to lead him into the isolated balcony so that you could confess to their hyung. Jungkook was especially convinced that your feelings would be well-received and sent you off with a cheerful: "Fighting!"

Releasing a deep breath, you stepped into the balcony, carrying a lit 7-layer birthday cake. Seokjin looked like a deer caught in headlights when he saw you walking towards him. Hoping to dispel the tension, you giggled and greeted: "Happy Birthday!"

"Did you bake this?" he asked, eyeing the cake almost in alarm.

"Yup! I wanted to bake strawberry shortcake, but I couldn't get fresh strawberries at this time, and I thought about the time you saw this kind of cake on Instagram and liked it, and I used sugar icing because you prefer it over butter--" you pressed your lips together to stop yourself from rambling, grinning nervously.

"You didn't have to go through the trouble," he mumbled. "The guys already got me a cake."

You shook your head. "It's no trouble. Now make a wish!"

Seokjin bent down and blew out all the candles to your cheers. Shifting from foot-to-foot, you steel your nerves to speak, but he beats you to it.

"Do you know what my wish was?"

"What? No--don't tell me." you cried. "Then it won't come true!"

"But you're the only one who could grant this wish." he said.

"R-Really?" You shivered, both from the cold and from anticipation. Could it be possible that Kim Seokjin would beat you to your own confession? It couldn't be anything else.

"Yes." He nodded. "Y/N, I.. I wish we'd always be friends." He gazed into your eyes then, biting his plush lower lip in apprehension, as if worried about your answer. You realized then his unspoken words: and only friends. Dear, sweet Seokjin--even his rejection had to be so kind, it was doubly cruel.

You smiled at him through gathering tears and nodded. "Of course, Seokjinnie." After all, how could you say no to the man you loved? His wish was your command.

Carefully, you placed the cake in his hands, hoping to steal away for a good cry, or to go home--you didn't want to ruin Seokjin's birthday with your tears. But at that moment, the balcony doors slid open and Jungkook, Taehyung, and Jimin spilled out, popping streamers that fluttered around your mortified face.

Jungkook bellowed: "Congratula--" You shook your head rapidly, hoping he would get the hint.

Jimin's jaw dropped, while Taehyung wrapped his arms around Jungkook and covered his mouth. "Congratulations on turning another year older, Seokjin-hyung!" Taehyung crowed.

Jungkook soon threw off the other guy and cried: "What the hell's happening?"

To distract from the maknae's frustrated outburst, Jimin elbowed him towards you and pushed towards Jin. "Birthday cake! Is this the one in rainbow colors? Let's cut it, I wanna see, I wanna see!"

While Jimin and Taehyung crowded Seokjin, Jungkook rounded on you in disbelief. "Did he reject you?" Not trusting yourself to speak without crying, you nodded. The younger man's face contorted into a blazing frown and he started advancing towards Seokjin. "I'll kill him! I don't care that it's his birthday, I'll really--" With strength you didn't know you possessed, you grabbed the back of his hoodie with both hands and hauled him back.

"Don't you dare." you warned.

Jungkook halted and stared down at you. "You're really in love with him, aren't you?" He sighed and patted your head. "I'm really... I'm sorry. For telling you to confess. Poor noona, are you going to be okay?"

"Of course, I will be," you assured him.

But you weren't, and you spent the night sitting at the bar, guzzling a bottle of white wine since you didn't have the appetite for anything else. Jungkook too, seemed to feel inordinately terrible for encouraging your feelings, and ended up eating all of your cake. Yet all was well, you reasoned, since Seokjin was definitely okay. Unburdened of your confession that never was, he was able to eat, drink, and be merry, joking with his many friends and flirting with all the pretty girls. Jin was happy, and that was enough for you, you assured yourself.

(2017 February 14)

"What's this?" Seokjin asked, looking at the box of chocolates warily. "Are these... homemade?"

"Yes." You added: "I have one for everyone!" You waved the six other boxes. The six other members of his group sitting around the living room of their dorm cheered, except for Yoongi who looked nonplussed, holding out their hands to receive the boxes as you distributed them.

"Thank you, Y/N-noona!" Jungkook hugged you then tore into the box, popping two pieces in his mouth at once.

"Oh, alright then." Seokjin relaxed and opened the box. Like everything else you made, the chocolates looked good and he had no doubts they would taste even better. He could allow himself to enjoy them, knowing that they had no deeper meaning than as the customary Valentine's Day present.

"I also made some." Mayu, your best friend, chucked a box at him, almost taking out his eye with the sharp corner. She scowled at him. "Happy Valentine's Day, Seokjin-oppa."

"Err... thanks." There was no way he was eating the chocolates from Mayu, who seemed to be taking his rejection of you worse than you did. The truth was, Seokjin was a little scared of her--he could handle Yoongi's outright snark but Mayu's underhanded sharpness always caught him offguard--and he wished that you would stop bringing her around. But it wasn't like he could ban her presence, considering that she was getting close to the other members.

Seokjin watched as Mayu approached Yoongi with a box of chocolates. Before the younger man could complain, she pressed a finger to his lips and said: "They're made with dark chocolate and sea salt, so they're not too sweet. Also, Y/N-unnie guided me through every step of the process, so these are the best batch I've ever made. So they're okay... right?" Yoongi snickered under her finger and nodded, accepting the chocolates.

Jungkook froze as he watched them as well, already halfway through the box he got from you. "Wait, are they...?"

"Shh," you warned him, not wanting the moment to be disturbed. "How cute," you commented, observing the pair of them with a giddy grin.

Seokjin was inclined to agree, but standing here with you, watching your friends' Valentine's exchange, as he held the heartfelt handmade chocolates from you... it felt too companionable. He didn't want to confuse you, not after his indirect rejection. So he looked pointedly at his watch and said: "I gotta go."

"Huh?" you glanced up at him.

"To prepare. For my date. Valentine's date." he stressed. "With Chae Seoyoung," he added, though you hadn't asked. Jungkook glowered at him. "We're working with her on a new project."

He saw your face fall before you schooled your expression into a polite smile. "Ah... I see. Have fun!" You gave him a little wave and wandered off to join Jimin and Taehyung, sitting on the floor and playing on the PS4.

Before Seokjin could head for his room, Jungkook blocked him. "Hyung, don't be mean."

"What do you mean?"

"There's no need to rub it in her face." Jungkook said. "She gets it. You didn't even let her properly confess before rejecting her like a coward, so she gets it okay?!"

"I'm not doing anything of the sort," Seokjin lied.

"She's not going to force herself on you, she's just being a friend. So just be nice to her too. Or you might regret it." With that last warning, the maknae joined you and the other kids, stealing the controllers so that the two of you could play a match.

Seokjin asked Seoyoung to pick him up, with the excuse that he wanted to properly introduce her to his fellow members as his date. Seoyoung sashayed into the dorm, all gloriously glossy long hair, luminously poreless skin, alluring S-line, and legs for days. As you looked over and over at Seoyoung's idol-perfect appearance, white-faced, both Jungkook and Mayu glared daggers at him. It was cruel, he knew, but he also felt like it was necessary. It wasn't only how well-matched she looked next to him--Seoyoung was younger than you, yet had flawless self-possession, while your poise would sometimes dissolve into giggling fits, you were quite childish in some ways, and you were awkward around new people. To a top idol that thrived on being sociable like him, a sweet, yet awkward ordinary woman like you wasn't a good match. You had to understand, you could only be his friend, and nothing more.

(2017 March 4)

"What are you doing?"

Seokjin watched you sit up at his question, nearly banging your head on the coffee table. He had caught you crouched on your hands and knees, peering under the couch in the living room.

"The kids and I were playing on the Wii U in Jungkook's room... but we couldn't find the Mario Kart disc," you replied. He idly mused that you looked like a doll in your lace dress, with your knees tucked and your hands set primly upon them. "You just got home?"

"Yeah, coming back from a date." he said.

Your eyebrows drooped ever-so-slightly in melancholy. "Ahh... Seoyoung?"

"Nope. Bae Hanui... an actress friend of a friend." He jerked his thumb towards his and Yoongi's room. "The game is in my room. Yoongi hid it because they were obnoxiously loud the last time they played."

"Oh. Okay." You nodded.

He took a few strides, then realized that you weren't following him, and retraced his steps. "Well, aren't you coming?"

"Oh... you meant..." You rose to your feet and fell in step behind him. Seokjin no longer felt the need to keep you at arm's-length. You had been more than respectful of his boundaries--almost disconcertingly so, that he sometimes worried that he should've been more gentle with you--and he wanted to keep you as a friend, not increase the distance. It wasn't like the two of you had never been alone in his room before, and he could trust you not to make it weird.

He opened the door to the room he shared with Yoongi, holding it open for you, but when he noticed movement and two bodies on Yoongi's bed, he shrieked.

"What the fuck!" Jin yelped, turning away and scrambling to cover your eyes, but you ducked under his hand. Yoongi bolted up and off Mayu, and both of them hurried to smooth down their mussed hair and cover their tell-tale bruised lips.

"They're decent, calm down." You smirked at Seokjin.

"Jin-hyung..." Yoongi pulled up the covers to his fully-clothed chest, as if he had been caught doing something more salacious than making out.

"Y/N-unnie..." Mayu jumped off the bed and shuffled to stand before you, wringing her hands in uncertainty.

"How long have you two been a thing?" you teased.

"Just now..." Mayu withered, looking a lot more timid than Seokjin had ever seen her before.

"Officially now, but we've kinda been seeing each other for some time," Yoongi piped up.

"Shut up!" Mayu cried.

He shrugged. "Why do we have to hide it?"

"Yeah, why?" you asked.

"Because... I feel sorry..." Mayu murmured, her voice cracking from oncoming tears.

"Why are you sorry?" You brushed away a tear that was threatening to fall from the corner of her eye.

"B-Because..." she took a shuddering breath and the tears spilled down her face. "You brought me here... and then I'm the one who gets a boyfriend, and you..." You tilted your head as you stared at her, confused, but Seokjin somehow understood what she meant. You had led her to find love amongst the seven men who had become your friends, but you hadn't fared so luckily. Your best friend couldn't help but feel sorry. Mayu wailed at your uncomprehending face. "I'm just sorry, okay??"

"My dear best friend... don't you ever apologize for being happy!" Giggling, you threw your arms around Mayu, but she only rested her head on your shoulder and sobbed harder. "Isn't it obvious that I'm happy that you're happy?"

Yoongi had a goofy grin on his face as he watched his normally cool girlfriend turning soft in your embrace, and Seokjin too, couldn't help but smile. He chuckled as you switched from cooing at your best friend to snarling at his roommate to behave--or else. To the world, you may be an ordinary woman, but anyone who got to know you would know better. Your heart was pure and beautiful and a precious thing to be protected. He hoped that someone would treasure it as it should be.

(2017 April 10)

You had planned the day's flower-viewing picnic from a week ago, and despite Seokjin's doubts, it did turn out to be the perfect day--it was sunny and the cherry blossoms were in full bloom. He had offered to help you with lunch, but you had insisted on doing it with Mayu, and had assigned him and the other guys to bring meat for the barbecue, the soju, and the picnic equipment. You met up with them at the park, under a large cherry tree that blocked the glare of the sun overhead. You had brought Mayu and another friend, Noeul--Namjoon had dropped the icebox on his foot when she introduced herself as a literature major in Seoul U, and the younger members relentlessly jeered at him throughout the picnic whenever he so much as glanced at her.

Seokjin's heart twinged when you insisted switching riceballs with Mayu, who had picked extra-hot curry and couldn't tolerate the spice, even though Yoongi said he'd switch, because you knew that both of them were having stress and digestion issues lately. And then again, when you picked off the pickled leaf decorating the sakura mochi before offering it to Jungkook, who had complained about the leaves sticking to his teeth. And then again, when you sent off Namjoon and Noeul together to buy the hot drinks, so they could talk without everyone else teasing them.

Concerned that you were too preoccupied to eat, he made a neat samgyeopsal and lettuce wrap, offering it to you. Your eyes turned into half-moons when you smiled, making happy noises at the flavor, and he patted at his heart, nearly clutching it as his breath caught in his chest. He didn't let that stop him however, and continued to feed you while you ensured that everyone else was well-fed and enjoying themselves. When lunch wound down, Hoseok accompanied the younger members taking pictures, while Yoongi and Namjoon took a walk with Mayu and Noeul. In companionable silence, you and Seokjin finally relaxed and sipped soju.

"By the way... I'm sorry." you said.

"About what?" Seokjin glanced down at you with a puzzled half-smile.

"I heard about you and Hanui." You fiddled with a stray thread on the picnic blanket.

"Oh, that." He shrugged. He had completely forgotten about the break-up two weeks ago--they had long stopped feeling like a couple and only stayed together because she had enjoyed the status of being a top idol's girlfriend and he had been too busy to sit her down for a private conversation. "No big deal, it was never meant to be."

You opened your mouth, hesitating, and he could see it plainly on your face--wanting to tell him that you were there whenever he needed someone to talk to, and to tell him that he was a good man and would find love again soon--but you looked away without a word to gaze at the cherry blossoms, still too cautious about the lines that he had asked you to draw between the two of you.

It was up to him to breach those lines, but not so fast that you would think he was rebounding. So Seokjin scooted closer, until his knee nudged against yours and you glanced up at him in slight alarm. When he nonchalantly poured you another drink, you took the proximity as normal and relaxed again, putting out a hand to catch a petal fluttering to the ground.

It felt right--spending time with you like this. It was like everything has fallen in their proper places; you fitting right in with his fellow members who were more like brothers, you bringing your friends that his friends would also come to love, and you... always beside him.

"Y/N-noona!" Taehyung reappeared then, whining that you come with him to play with a group of children gathered on the lawn, watched by their mothers. The little ones gravitated towards both of you, and soon Taehyung was being playfully tackled, while you held hands with the children and twirled them around and placed cherry blossoms in their hair. Seokjin chortled, observing the interactions, but his laughter stopped and he smiled softly, his chest bursting with tenderness, when you picked up toddler, little more than a baby, and cradled it close. It was only when the sun heated too much and the mothers took their children to the shade and Taehyung joined them that you returned to Seokjin's side.

"Having fun?" Seokjin asked.

"Yes!" you chirped, sitting beside him in a flurry of chiffon skirts, with all the flair of a Disney princess.

The isolated twinges of his heart escalated to full blown-out pounding as he stared at your smile and the maddeningly endearing dimple on your cheek. You could never be considered an exceptional beauty by any conventional measure, but in his eyes, you had blossomed into the most beautiful woman in the world. Your windblown hair made him itch to tuck it behind your ear, your short frame fit perfectly under his arm, your petal-like cheeks put the pale cherry blossoms of Seoul to shame, and your eyes--cat-like and enticing one minute, and sweet as a puppy's the next. It startled him to realize how much he wanted to hug you--and to receive a sweet kiss from your rosy lips.

You yawned--cute as a kitten, he thought--murmuring: "All this warm sunshine is making me feel sleepy."

"T-Then, what are these shoulders for?" Stuttering a little, he patted his own broad shoulder in invitation. "You should rest for a while."

"Is it... okay...?" You hesitated, but he guided your head on his shoulder, slouching a bit to make it more comfortable for you. Soon enough, you were dozing, but your breath was so quiet that he strained to hear it.

At that moment, the two couples returned and Mayu frowned at Seokjin, hands planted on her hips. "What do you think you're doing?"

Jungkook was still a ways away with Jimin and Hoseok, but alerted by Mayu's shout, he left them and rushed to stand beside her. "What's going on?"

"Shh." A vision of calm, he held a finger to his lips against their displeasure. "Don't wake her up, she's tired out from looking after all of you the whole day."

Chastised, Mayu and Jungkook set to work cleaning up the remains of the picnic, and everyone else followed suit. Stroking your hair, Seokjin grinned at your lovely sleeping face, determined to make this moment last as long as possible.

He had once thought that your heart was a precious thing to be protected, now he realized he wanted to be the one to protect it. He may have cracked and battered it, but that only meant that he should cherish it that much more.

(2017 May 30)

For some reason, Jungkook, Taehyung, and Jimin weren't excited about the small dinner party you had planned at your apartment, but Seokjin was more than excited enough for them. He had volunteered to help with the cooking and showed up with several big bags, beaming proudly. "I brought the ingredients for my famous kimchi jjigae."

"Seokjin, you didn't have to," you protested. "I needed a bit of help, I didn't want to oblige you to cook a whole other dish."

He frowned a little at hearing you say his name without any cute inflections. "Jinnie," he stressed the nickname, "said he'd help you didn't he? You can relax a little." He bowed with a flourish.

Giggling, you showed him in with a curtsy. "Thank you."

The two of you worked in the kitchen together, syncing with such ease that he couldn't help but marvel over it. You had surely noticed it too before your planned confession, he thought. You had been much, much faster to realize that the two of you belonged together like this. He bit back the giddy laughter bubbling up from his chest. He was going to confess to you tonight. He had waited long enough and it felt like the right time. He had a huge bouquet of pink roses that he knew you would love in one of the bags, and a Pokeball with a Luvdisc, and a cheesy speech about it being his heart for you to do as you please that he was sure would have you melting.

"Seokjinnie, could I tell you something?" You straightened up after placing a salmon to bake in the oven, and leaned against the counter beside him. "I already told the kids, but since you're here now..."

"Of course! Please, go ahead." He smiled down at you.

You didn't meet his gaze and instead stared at your clasped hands on the counter. "I got a new job."

"Congratulations!" He was about to put down the knife to hug you, but decided against it since he had been slicing meat. Also, you still weren't looking at him. "I know you've been feeling restless in your current job. Tell me about this new job."

"Well, it's in a start-up, so that should be interesting." You nodded at the counter. "Also... it's in Guangzhou, so that's kind of, you know, exciting!"

"Oh... yes." He sobered, realizing what this dinner was for. It was to say goodbye. No wonder Jungkook, Taehyung, and Jimin weren’t excited. You had told them beforehand to prepare them, but you didn't think to tell him--you didn't think that he would need to know. It struck Seokjin then that you had no idea of his changed feelings for you, having locked yourself in that 'friend' box after he made his birthday wish last year. "There's a lot of good food there, so that's good." His voice pitch rose wildly as he struggled to rein in his emotions. "But of course, Seoul is always better." He simpered, but it came out more as a wince.

"Seoul will always be special to me." You finally gazed up at him and his heart ached to see your eyes shining with tears. You were sad to leave him, even though you didn't even think that he'd be sad that you were leaving. "I'll always be glad that I came here and lived here, and met all of you."

Then stay! He wanted to yell at you, to take you in his arms to stop you from leaving, and to kiss you so that you would know how he felt... but he instinctively knew that it could turn out to have a counterproductive effect. You might think that he was only confessing to get you to stay. He didn't want you to second-guess his intentions. "You could... still stay..." he whispered.

"But maybe Guangzhou also has something for me?" you murmured.

"Umm..." He grunted noncommittally, unable to bring himself to agree, yet not wanting to disappoint you, and focused on slicing the pork for the kimchi stew.

The dinner was full of laughter and tears--laughter from Hoseok, Namjoon, and Taehyung; who wanted to cheer up everyone after you made your announcement, and tears from Mayu and Jungkook; who knew about your departure beforehand but were taking it too hard. Yoongi, Noeul, and Jimin busied themselves keeping everyone's plates and glasses full, unsure how to help. Seokjin had detached himself from the situation, feeling as if he was watching from outside himself, and only stared blankly at Namjoon whenever the younger man would try to get him to crack his corny jokes. Seokjin felt physically incapable of joking at the moment.

It was almost midnight when the whole affair ended--no one seemed willing to go. You saw them off down the building, and Seokjin could only watch as you hugged the youngest members one-by-one and kissed their cheeks. Jungkook's large, innocent eyes were still red, and you tousled his hair and kissed his forehead, speaking assurances in an attempt to console him.

"You knew." Seokjin raised an eyebrow at Yoongi, who was leaning against their van beside him. "You knew, and yet you didn't tell me."

He nodded. "I knew because of Mayu, but she said not to tell anyone, because Y/N-noona wanted to do it herself."

"Is this the time for me to sweep her off her feet and beg her to stay?" Seokjin sighed.

"Don't, hyung. Mayu said she wouldn't believe you if you did something like that. And that she'd also make sure that noona didn't believe it." Yoongi mumbled. "She thinks if you do that, it's just a reaction to noona leaving, and not sincere feelings. She says she won't let you hold noona back."

"I don't blame her. I should've said something sooner... I should've realized my feelings when she did." Seokjin choked on his words. "And now, I'm not even the one getting a last goodbye kiss from her. I'm jealous of Jungkook, of all people!"

Yoongi patted his shoulder, staring at a point faraway and pretending that he wasn't seeing their eldest hyung in tears.

(2017 June 8)

They couldn't even see you off. There were too many things to do--song recordings, media shoots, endless days of practice. Jungkook seethed as he violently stirred the takeout jjajjangmyun they were having for dinner as they all sat on the floor of the dance studio, at your exact flight time. Seokjin understood his feelings all too well--but the tantrum was grating at his nerves. "Jungkook, you're not the only one who wishes you could see her off, you know that."

"No, you know what? This is your fault, that's what!" Jungkook yelled. "If you had only accepted her feelings, if you had at least not paraded those empty-headed Barbies in front of her, then--then maybe noona would've stayed, you know?!"

"Jungkook!" Namjoon scolded. The youngest member's bowl clattered on the polished wood floor as he stalked off.

Before Jimin and Taehyung could rush after him, Yoongi waved them down. "Let me handle it. I've been handling my girlfriend with the same problem this entire time." Yoongi picked up both his and Jungkook's portions of jjajjamyun and sweet and sour pork, and followed out.

"Don't encourage him..." Namjoon called after them, but Hoseok patted his shoulder and told him to eat.

"Hyung, he didn't mean that," Jimin said assuringly.

"Jungkook will be okay in a few days, anyway." Taehyung shrugged. "They're just going to play games online, and it'll be like she never even left."

"But not for me." Seokjin muttered.

"What?" Taehyung cocked his head.

"Every day that she isn't here, I'll feel it." He pushed the noodles around his bowl; he didn't even have the appetite to eat a single strand.

"You'll be fine." Taehyung waved his hand carelessly. "It's not like you're in love with her."

"Guys just tend to miss what they can't have." Jimin agreed.

Seokjin almost threw his own tantrum then and there, angered to have his feelings for you dismissed as something so trivial, but Taehyung and Jimin were stuffing themselves with jjajjangmyun and pork, laughing at their silly game of stealing food of each other's trays, that he continued sitting in silence, poking at his food.

(2017 September 1)

You had promised to be here. Seokjin was more excited than Jungkook, who got to play with you several times a week, while he could only wait until your videocalls with the kids to see your shining smile and hear your silvery voice. When the door opened and Mayu entered, he perked up expectantly, but she was only talking to her phone and handed it to Jungkook. From the screen, you waved, and Seokjin frowned, confused that you didn't arrive with your best friend.

"That work emergency couldn't be resolved," Mayu explained--not to Seokjin, but to Jungkook, who pouted exaggeratedly while an icy chill descended in Seokjin’s stomach.

"Jungkookie, happy birthday!" you singsonged.

"Thank you noona!" he chimed back.

"You're really and truly twenty years old now." You pressed your fists to your chin, batting your eyelashes. "But you know you'll always be a baby to me, right?"

Jungkook scrunched his nose, but his grin betrayed his feelings. "Ugh, Y/N-noona, seriously..."

"I'm sorry I couldn't be there," you apologized.

"It's okay. But you better visit soon!" he said.

You nodded. "I promise--"

"What 'promise?'" Jin scoffed, trying to keep his tone from sounding too sharp lest he hurt your feelings. "You promised to visit for Jungkook's birthday and you didn't. So what 'promise' are you talking about now?"

"Seokjinnie's too strict." You winked, not realizing that his resentment was serious. "Did you have to cook everything for today? I'll make it up to you both next time."

"Quit joking around!" he cried. He was too upset, and he was upset that he was too upset when even Jungkook had taken your absence like a sport. He stood up and walked to the birthday cake, lighting the candles. Jungkook gaped after him and returned the phone to Mayu before following him.

"Your moping is going to make Y/N-noona feel bad," Jungkook mock-scolded him. "You know she feels bad enough already."

"If she was going to feel bad, then she should've come here no matter what," he huffed.

"It's not even your birthday," Jungkook pointed out.

"She promised to be here!" Seokjin cried. "People were looking forward to her coming back. It's really... disappointing."

"You're acting like a lovesick man," Jungkook teased. "Regretting not accepting her confession and missing her so much you feel like you could die?" His chortles dissipated when he saw the desolation on Seokjin's face. "Oh shit... hyung, I didn't know..."

"I did this to myself." Seokjin shook his head. "Let's have you blow out your birthday candles now, Y/N's waiting. Smile happily for her, okay?"

(2017 December 8)

This year, Seokjin's birthday celebration was more laidback: a birthday greeting post-practice, and a gathering of just the boys and a handful of close friends in their new, fancy dorm. You heard from the younger members that he hadn't felt like going all-out. It just so happened that it was the perfect time to take a vacation from work, so you took a flight to Seoul a few days later to visit them... and him, with a small birthday surprise of your own. You peered into the balcony, watching Seokjin and thinking, how could someone's back look so sad? His broad shoulders were drooping, and his head tilted slightly to the side, as if lost in melancholy. You could only hope that your cake would cheer him up--strawberry shortcake this time, after you had managed to get hold of plenty of the fresh fruit. You stepped to his side and called: "Seokjinnie!"

He started and looked down at you, blinking. His hand reached out to graze your cheek, as if he thought you were a dream, and you shivered under his touch. "Y/N... how are you here?"

"My boss gave me a vacation while I'm deciding my contract renewal." you replied. Holding up the cake a little higher, you beamed at him. "Happy Birthday! Make a wish."

"Oh... okay..." His eyes never leaving yours, he ducked and blew out all the candles in one breath.

"I hope your wish comes true," you said sincerely. "You should go inside, everyone's looking for you, and we can slice the cake..." As you chattered away, he stared at you, his expression shifting as if debating internally on something. But when you started to walk back, he blocked your path in a single stride and took the cake. "Seokjin...?"

He set down the cake on the terrace table. "Do you know what my wish was?"

"No... but you don't have to tell me, or it won't--" His large hands grasped your shoulders and you froze in between shaking your head.

"Y/N, you're the only one who can grant this wish."

Remembering the last time he told you his birthday way, your heart sank, but you forced yourself to keep smiling. "What is it?"

His Adam's apple bobbed in his graceful neck as he swallowed. You didn't understand why he would be so nervous--didn't he know by now that you could never deny him anything? "Y/N, I want... May I--I mean, my birthday wish is a kiss."

Your mouth hung open in shock, but you quickly recovered--surely he didn't mean it like that. He missed you, his friend, and he wanted something more than birthday cake from his friend who was gone for a while. "Sure." You stepped closer, bracing your hands upon his shoulders and standing on tiptoe, craning to reach his cheek.

Turning his head to face you, he licked his lips and glanced meaningfully at your own. "Not like that. Like this..." He leaned closer and closer, lips almost brushing together and breaths mingling. "Is it okay?"

Despite your own desires, you didn't dare move, still afraid that you're misinterpreting him. "Yes." Because whatever it was he wanted, you were willing to give it.

Seokjin's hands slid down from your shoulders to your waist, his embrace pulling you into a kiss. Even with those heavenly lips pressing insistently against yours, you wondered if this could be considered a friendly kiss, an innocent peck--yet when you remained still, his tongue purposefully coaxed your lips apart. The taste of him overwhelmed your senses in a heady rush, and you could no longer overthink--succumbing to the feeling and responding instinctively as he tilted your head back and deepened the kiss.

Dizzy from both breathlessness and pleasure, you pulled away, only for him to peck you repeatedly, letting you catch little breaths in between little kisses. Then his mouth was upon yours again, kissing you with starved desperation, and your knees weakened at the sweet crush of his plump lips and the sensual pressure of his tongue. Seokjin's arms held you up, and he broke the kiss only when you whimpered. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yes." You blushed, a little embarrassed at your extreme reaction and your flush deepened when you saw how your fists had bunched up his sweater; you let go and smooth the fabric down his chest, but he trapped your hands under his when you attempted to remove them. "Seokjin, what--"

"I love you," he said.

Still in a daze from his kisses, you stared at him in confusion. "As a friend?"

Seokjin smirked. "If by a friend, you mean a friend that I want to kiss and date and sleep with and marry, then yes, as a friend."

Blushing again, your lashes fluttered as you tried to process what he said. "But I thought--you didn't--"

"So did I." He brushed kisses upon your eyelids, calming them down. "I'm sorry. That my head and my heart were both too slow to realize the truth that you knew all along... we're meant to be together." He peered down at you, brows drawn fretfully. "Could we start now? We can still be together, can't we?"

"If we do that, there are a lot of things we have to take care of," you murmured, barely hearing yourself over the pounding of your heart. "I'm afraid... it's possible you're misinterpreting your own feelings when you panicked when I left. There's also the matter of me finding work and a new apartment, since Mayu lives with Yoongi now..."

"Is that all?" He kissed your forehead. "Give me a chance, and I'll soon prove to you that my love is genuine. And don't you think your prospective boyfriend could take care of you? Live with me." He snaked his arms around your waist again and held you close.

"Seokjinnie," you eyed him sternly. "I can't just move back here to do that."

Before he could say anything, the balcony doors slid open and Jungkook, Taehyung, and Jimin tumbled outside. "Y/N-noona was supposed to get Jin-hyung inside, what's taking so long, I want cake--" Jungkook stopped in his tracks, and Jimin and Taehyung crashed into his back. "What the hell's going on here?"

Trying to disentangle yourself from Seokjin, you muttered: "Um, we were talking--"

"She's my girlfriend now!" Seokjin crowed, enveloping you in his arms with little effort. "She's coming back."

"That's not decided yet!" you cried. But Jimin and Taehyung were jumping around the two of you, shouting their congratulations and how glad they were that you were coming back.

"Stop, stop, stop!" Jungkook yelled. Jimin and Taehyung halted, and Seokjin sheepishly faced the maknae, who stared him dead in the eye. "Seokjin-hyung, you've been acting like you were suffering since Y/N-noona left, but do you even remember that you were the one who rejected her without even letting her say her feelings?"

"Of course I remember." Taking your hand, Seokjin smiled at you sadly. "And I'll always regret it. But I know even if the timing wasn't right for several times, we can still be happy together...?" His voice rose in question and uncertainty clouded his gaze.

Squeezing his hand in reassurance, you nodded.

"Hmph," Jungkook grumbled and crossed his arms over his chest, but his sulking was cute and playful. "I'm watching you, Jin-hyung, you better not make our Y/N-noona cry again!"

Jimin started to shove Jungkook towards the door, saying: "Now you two stay here and talk, kiss, whatever--and we'll cut the cake."

"But not too long!" Jungkook protested. "Or there won't be cake left for you!" He grabbed the cake and marched back inside the dorm, pushed by Jimin.

Taehyung hugged you and Seokjin in turn: "You'll be happy together, I know it." Then he slipped back into the dorm with the other two younger members.

They had barely vacated the balcony when Seokjin smirked and swooped down to kiss you again, but you stopped him with a hand on his chest. Seokjin gawked at you, puzzled. "I never did get to say what I feel," you murmured.

"Huh?"

He looked so adorable blinking at you in confusion, that you tugged him down by the front of his sweater and pecked his lips before saying: "I love you."

His entire countenance glowed and he gave you a quick, yet fierce kiss. "Thank you. I love you so much," he whispered against your ear.

There was a loud knocking on the glass panes of the balcony doors and Jungkook's head poked back outside. "Enough PDA, I swear to God, I won't leave you two any cake!" His shouts were muffled when both Taehyung and Jimin snatched him back inside.

You tugged at his hand. “Come on, I made an incredibly delicious cake--even more so than usual--if I say so myself.”

He bounced a finger on your lips and gave you a cheesy wink. “My favorite sweet is already right here.” Laughing, he still allowed you to pull him inside to join all your friends.

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sulemanuniverse · 4 years

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Your ideal cake based on your Birth month!

Everyone has a favourite flavour of cake. Some like the regular vanilla and some like to jazz it up with seasonal fruit. When you organize a party, it’s not just your favourite you have to consider. You also have to take into consideration the crowd. If there are going to be a lot of kids at the party, keeping it simple with chocolate or something fruit-based and if it is a party for an adult, the cakes can even be incorporated with either rum or Grand Marnier for a naughty twist. The goal, in the end, is to have delicious cakes for everyone to enjoy. Here’s a list of cakes that are best suited for your birth

January: Funfetti- Nothing says happy birthday like a colourful cake. Bring out the kid in everyone with this colourful cake! Go a step further from boxed cake and enjoy a homemade cake instead. There is a special thrill in sprinkling those colourful sugars.

February: Red Velvet Cake- This is the month of love and everything red and this is why the cake should relay the same. The red velvet cake is best suited for February.

March: Carrot Cake-The season is changing and the produce is in full bloom. What better way to take advantage of this growth and turn it into cake. Classic carrot cake that is complimented with fresh and sour cream cheese is a perfect way to increase vegetable intake and eating cake without feeling too bad about it.

April: Strawberry Shortcake- It may not be the season for strawberries but this month is just right for a buttermilk biscuit cake and what better than a nice strawberry compote to accompany it.

May: Raspberry and Coconut cake- This cake is as tropical as it gets and is perfect for the summer. All the may babies are bound to love it.

June: Smores Cake- June babies are normally all outgoing. So this campfire inspired cake is an ode to all of those adventures you are yet to make.

July: Blueberry Lemon Cake- What better way to commemorate the blueberry season than a cake made with it?

August: Ice Cream cake- Best way to cool down in the blazing heat is to do it with some ice cream. Best in the form of some delicious cake. Best to devour it quick though.

September: Apple Crumb Coffee Cake- With the crisp autumn air whisking away the summer heat, this coffee cake is best served with fresh apples and a sprinkling of cinnamon.

October: Peanut butter and chocolate cake- With Halloween around the corner, it is perfectly acceptable to gorge on all the candy that you can. What better candy then peanut butter cups? A cake made with the same.

November: Pumpkin Cheesecake- With pumpkin spice hitting all the shelves, why would you step back from using it in a cake as well. Adding mascarpone just enhances the flavour and makes you look fancy at your parties.

December: Salted caramel and whiskey cake- With the season of parties in play, why not naughty up your cake with some alcohol and who doesn’t love a good caramel. It is sure to warm you up in the winters as well.

Now that you know what to have, go celebrate your birthday with a cake best suited for you.

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allisonswrittenwords · 5 years

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“Too Cool for School” Month wraps up with the inclusion of the last major staple of our very nostalgic school life!

Previously, on Allison’s Written Words…

We stocked up on the most important school supplies to prepare for our very nostalgic school life – a Trapper Keeper to store our school and homework in (bonus points if it was from the “designer series”), stocked up on Lisa Frank pens, pencils, stickers, erasers, and jewelry (gotta have it!), and we probably even picked up a locker answering machine or pocket folders with jeans-clad posteriors on them (or perhaps something else from the Class Act school supply line?). We’re missing one all-important supply: something to store our much needed fuel to keep us going during our very nostalgic school life!

Enter the ultimate container, where what is on it is just as important as what is in it!

“What Character Do You Have?”

The idea of a character-adorned lunchbox is not a new or novel concept, invented with the time I was growing up, and it certainly didn’t get ushered in with the current generation (though they’d probably like to believe they “invented” it!). In fact, it came in to the classroom on our parents’ generation.

The first licensed character lunchboxes, a common thing in today’s school supply aisle, was first ushered in during the early 1950s. A strategic move by Aladdin Industries, who had been making the standard lunch container since 1908, was to put Hopalong Cassidy on a lunchbox, increasing sales of lunchboxes from 50,000 units…to 600,000 units.

Unbelievable, you say.

Well, Aladdin knew what they were doing, striking a chord with consumerism that apparently really liked licensed characters. During much of the next 30 years, Aladdin continued to dominate, and well, the lunchbox went from being what kids carried their lunch in, to being “what character do you have?”.

The original licensed character lunchbox, circa 1954 (Image: eBay)

I should note though, it was only after American Thermos introduced full-lithography on all sides of their lunchbox, did Aladdin change their tune.

Adding On a Thermos, And The Change from Metal to Plastic

Aladdin’s acquisition of the Stanley Bottle operation cemented their company’s position in the food and beverage container in a big way, and it only increased from there. Not only did we get a cool new lunchbox, but a MATCHING THERMOS!!!!!

What wasn’t to love?

The introduction of Superman, Mickey Mouse, and The Jetsons on future lunchboxes after the initial introduction of Hopalong Cassidy only kept the line endearing to image-conscious kids who needed a lunchbox for days school didn’t have lunch they wanted. Saturday morning cartoons didn’t just have toys, books, bedroom sets, clothing, school supplies, and backpacks, they also had their faces printed on lunchboxes.

By the 1980s, metal lunchboxes turned to molded plastic, which were cheaper to manufacture. My first lunchbox (for preschool in the mid-1980s) was metal, but the first one I carried to elementary school in 1989 was plastic, as would my second lunchbox (More on those beauties later). I heard a story some years ago that the metal lunchboxes were banned, and I just assumed this was never true. I mean, why would metal lunchboxes be banned in school?

It actually is true. The state of Florida banned metal lunchboxes in 1972, amid “dangerous weapon” concerns. While other states followed, the molded plastic design was actually cheaper to manufacture, which lead to the ultimate discontinuation of the metal lunchbox by 1985.

What was the last metal lunchbox,you ask?

For $20, you can own the last metal lunchbox produced. Image: eBay

Metal lunchboxes met their end in a literal (guns) blazing glory in 1985, with Rambo conquering Vietnam…and lunchtime!

Yes, they were banned by some schools as weapons, but in reality, it was the lower cost of molded plastic that ended the metal lunchbox’s reign at lunchtime.

From Plastic, To Insulated, To One Company’s Discontinuation of Lunchboxes

By the mid-late 1980s, plastic lunchbox/thermos kits dominated the lunchrooms once populated by metal lunchboxes. Nothing changed about them, aside from the plastic lunchboxes only having the sticker of your licensed character adorning the front of the box. The rest was just brightly colored plastic. But you didn’t care about that minor detail, as long as it had the character you liked!

By 1998, Aladdin discontinued making the lunchbox altogether, but Thermos, Aladdin’s direct competitor in the “what character do you have?” game kept right on going, converting the cool images on those plastic lunchboxes to their insulated bags. Thermos still makes them to this day, but for the nostalgic set, these do nothing for us. For the kids some of us buy them for, perhaps, but not for us.

Although if you handed me an Avengers lunchbox tomorrow, insulated or otherwise, I’d run off happily with it.

Allison’s Lunchboxes

So, as I said earlier, I did own several lunchboxes in my very nostalgic childhood. My first one was a metal lunchbox/Thermos combination, featuring The Muppet Babies.

Allison’s first lunchbox, circa 1985. (Image: Everything But the House)

My brother and I both had this. The Thermos was super cute, featuring my favorite Muppet, Kermit. I have had a particular affinity for Kermit since my mom bought a Christmas stocking holder when I was about a year old. It’s not like I knew who Kermit was or anything (or maybe my one-year-old brain connected it with Sesame Street, I have no idea), but I liked it and kept a death grip on it. My mom said I liked it so much, I took it with us when we went out to dinner.

I’m assuming that lunchbox was bought for pre-school use, but after that, it became the holder of Crayola crayons (and a big red Crayola sharpener) for quite a few years. I have no clue what happened to the thermos, but the lunchbox stuck around for a while. I spotted it in a thrift store in Ocean City, NJ in the summer of 2002, along with the thermos. No, it wasn’t mine, I’m pretty sure that lunchbox found a trashcan in the early 1990s. I was tempted to buy it back then, but decided against it. Even now, I don’t really know what purpose it would serve, and lord knows I wouldn’t want to use a thirty-something-year old thermos that wasn’t originally mine!

The idea of that just…yeah. Ew.

By the time I was in first grade (we had half-day Kindergarten in my school, so I don’t recall needing a lunchbox), the need for a lunchbox was upon us, so we (naturally), went right for the licensed characters. It’s like I’ve seen in several lunchbox-related articles, they were like concert t-shirts for teenagers. This was 1989, and as licensed character stuff went from Care Bears, Strawberry Shortcake, and Rainbow Brite, to whatever was big among girls in the late 1980s. Of the popular characters to choose from of that time, I chose something rather timeless, brought up to a 1980s vibe.

Image: PicClick

I LOVED this lunchbox, especially that Thermos. Apparently there were several different version of the Mickey and Minnie lunchbox that year, but this all-glammed-up version was the one I took to first grade in 1989.

My final licensed character lunchbox was in second grade (1990-1991). This one surprises me. Where the early 1990s a dearth of good licensed character lunchboxes for girls? My brother had this really cool lunchbox that year…

Image: Pinterest

And I had this.

So it has been explained (through research) that the Yum Yums were Hallmark’s version of the Care Bears crossed with Fisher Price’s The Wild Puffalumps, several years after both franchises had quieted down (the former) and faded away (the latter). The toys smelled like candy, and these colorful characters had their own one-off special from Hanna-Barbera, The Day Things Went Sour.

(It’s on YouTube.)

I guess I saw it, and liked the characters…or was it because this lunchbox was neon pink and pretty? Either way, there was only one other kid with a Yum Yums lunchbox in second grade, and we weren’t in the same class. I’m pretty sure this was a over and done with long before I was over and done with that lunchbox at the end of the school year. I do love that thermos, it is super cute!

I don’t recall having any other Yum Yum toys. Nosey Bears, yes, but not Yum Yums.

If I had known this would be the swan song of carrying a plastic character lunchbox to school, I would have chosen more wisely. I mean, this one was cute, but there had to be something else I was interested in, right?

It probably wasn’t socially acceptable to take a lunchbox to school with a boy-type licensed character on it. That’s pretty much what I liked at that time, my brother’s cartoons.

When third grade rolled around the following year, I went to the Intermediate School, which meant big kids…and a big kid lunchbox to go with it. I remember a new insulated lunch bag that didn’t come with a Thermos, but my mom did use something new in the bag…an ice pack! By that point, character lunchboxes kinda fell by the wayside, and the big kids carried insulated bags. It was a nice time, while it lasted.

Further Reading and Watching

Image: Etsy

The History of the Lunch Box: Smithsonian Magazine has an awesome article from 2012 all about the history of the lunchbox, from its beginnings as kids fashioning their own from cookie or tobacco containers (they wanted to be like their working daddies) all the way to our very nostalgic school life, and beyond! It’s a great read!

Quality Logo Products: A detailed timeline of the lunchbox, from introduction to the ban on metal boxes, to Thermos introducing the soft-sided lunchbox.

CBS Sunday Morning correspondent Nancy Giles visits the Lunchbox Museum in Columbus, GA, where 1000 lunchboxes are preserved for the sake of our very nostalgic school life! (From 2017)

youtube

Upload via CBS Sunday Morning

And Now, You!

Images: PicClick, Pinterest, eBay, Antiques, Top Masters in Education, and Buzzfeed

Did you have a Thermos or Aladdin character lunchbox as a kid? What one(s) did you carry to school? Sound off in the comments below, or be social on social media. As always, I’d love to hear from you!

“Too Cool for School” month is coming to a close, as the school year rolls on. Usually by October, we were settled into a routine, the new-ness of a new school year wearing off. Which means we can settle into a new theme for October!

Come by Allison’s Written Words Facebook page on Monday night, September 30th at 10:00 pm, for the new month’s theme!

Oh, and on Wednesday…a rare Wednesday post! What could it be?

(Well, I know already because I finished and scheduled it, but you won’t know until then!)

Such suspense, it must be killing you!

Have a great day!

Did You Carry A Little Character On Your Lunchbox? - It was a status symbol of elementary school. What lunch box did you have? "Too Cool for School" Month wraps up with the inclusion of the last major staple of our very nostalgic school life!

#1980s #Aladdin (lunch box company)#Back to School #Do You Remember?#licensed characters #Lunch boxes #metal lunch box ban #nostalgia #personal nostalgia #Thermos (lunch box company)

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vancouvervibes · 7 years

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A Detailed Look At Vancouver Fashion Week 2017

You can find the original post on Medium. Guest Blogger: toytose

Left: Maak Clothing. Right: Misi Afrique. Photographer: toytose

Thanks to the roguishly charming Illya Swan, I had the chance to jump head first into Vancouver Fashion Week (VFW). In the following post I’ll divulge to you my perspective and experience of the weekend. We’ll peer into this event through the lens of an ham-fisted outsider who craves novelty, loves observing, and responds quite unfavourably to large masses of people. You’ll be led through descriptions of the event, analysis of the show, and comments on the scene. Still with me?

“..Toronto is like the standoffish older sister to the more laid back eco conscious west-coast Vancouver.”

Rainy city reflections at the entrance of the Chinese Cultural Centre.

As a Toronto transplant, it seems to me that Toronto is like the standoffish older sister to the more laid back eco conscious west-coast Vancouver. While VFW wasn’t fashion power-house by any means (as it is much smaller and pricier than even Toronto’s Alternative Fashion Week), it definitely does serve as a jumping point for young creatives, designers, photographers, stylists, and models alike. A flashy fish in a small wealthy pond has a much better chance of survival than a tiny fish in a big pond.

Fashionistas in the courtyard chatting and looking fabulous.

The Scene

As usual, VFW was hosted at the Chinese Cultural Centre. The entrance had a bit of a industrial feel with a concrete facade and broken tiles on the ground. I passed through a red walkway guarded by two imperial lions, and made my way into the courtyard. There was a classical round doorway leading into Dr. Sun Yat-Sen’s Park. To the right was a red carpet leading into the cultural centre, and there I was met by Mr. Swan standing there in his leather flight jacket, gallantly entertaining the volunteers working the doors. He managed to charm his way into a Media pass for me, as his Photographer’s assistant. The attendees were scattered around the atrium with their ostentatious outfits and clicks of the shutter. Immediately I was overwhelmed by the amounts of people in such a small space.

Runway

The runway was one of the only spaces that had appropriate lighting for taking photos. During intermission the who’s who of the scene would come into the middle making casual chit chat, maybe to be seen with the right people, maybe showing off their outfits, or maybe just wanting to bask in the lovely lighting of the runway. The place was packed, and in the first two minutes I lost my partner in crime, so I decided to start taking photos of the attendees in their “natural habitat”.

Fashion Photographers & Selfie Takers flocking to the runway.

Feminine florals, ruffles, and patterns.

Exchanging contacts and spreading good vibes.

Photography

After intermission, I found myself in the media booth as it had the best vantage point for shooting the models coming down the catwalk. The people in the booth seemed to know one another. They were comfortable squished in like sardines and shared inside jokes. At one point someone on a walkie had asked for a photographer to go cover backstage. I almost contemplated jumping on that, but I had come with a telephoto lens that wouldn’t do well in close quarters.

Things to keep in mind when photographing a fashion show:

Are you trying to capture the catwalk or the scene? A telephoto lens is your best friend when shooting the runway. A wide angle lens works better for backstage and intermission.

Lighting! Work with what you have, ask the staging crew what temperature you’re working with. This helps you determine the white balance you have. Otherwise you’ll be spending a fair amount of time in the post-processing stage (advice coming from the girl who edits on her phone, and didn’t know where the white balance setting was on her camera until Vancouver Vibes’ Photography Meetup).

Certain spots on the runway are better lit, such as the back, the middle, and the front. Different designers will have different set choreography for the models. In one show you may be able to get the perfect full-body shot in the middle of the runway as the model walks toward you, but in another show you may only be able to get a headshot or half-body shot as the model reaches the front of the stage. When you keep this in mind, it’s interesting to observe that certain designers favour certain model choreography, and to gauge whether they’re appealing to the crowd/buyers (immediate impression) or to the media/press (lasting impression).

Models

The designers casted an impressive variety in the types of models. There were plus-sized models, short models, lifestyle models, mature models, ethnic models, and even an amputee model walking the runway. Despite being impressed with the amount of inclusivity and representation happening on the runway, I found that it was much harder for me to capture the “right shot” without the blank slate of the typical runway model. In the words of my roommate, ‘models are intended to be walking coat hangers, but somewhere along the way we started confusing that with beauty’.

Smiles, laughter, and sass look fantastic in person. Gatsbylady had an outrageously fun group of ladies who roared down the runway with their infectious dance moves. Katherin Olivos showcased her Plus-Sized Couture Collection with a selection of curvaceous women who knew how to work a dress. Both of these shows left an imprint on my mind, a swish of sparkly fringe as a the models sashayed down the catwalk, and the image of a beautiful full figured confident woman walking toward me with an all knowing smile. While these shows made a lasting impression in my mind’s eye, they were very hard to capture.

Gatsbylady collection.

Other peculiarities that didn’t have a lasting photographic impact?

Having a light skinned girl walking beside a dark skinned girl (maybe social commentary can take precedence over post-processing effort)

Bright eyed Bambi like creatures with a little bit of a bounce, and some awkwardly bent limbs (we can blame the footwear for this one)

Height variations, this gets finicky when you have all of the models lined up at the end of the show (it did give me hope that I may end up on the runway one day though!)

Emotive faces, while I love to see a model’s personality in person and for 1–1 shoots, for the purpose of a runway shot there is too much variation for a quick capture

Fashion

“When a garment triggers all your senses then it’s a full experience.” — Iris Van Herpen

The aesthetic art that translates into a sensory experience. Wearable. Immersive. Encompassing. Garments to elevate your moods. Confidence. Sensuality. Playfulness. Sometimes art speaks for itself. Sometimes you need a guide. I’ll let you look through the pictures first, form your own thoughts and ideas, and then I’ll meet you on the other side?

Viktoria Tisza’s FW17 collection stunned me on so many levels. She gravitates toward sleek minimal forms that highlight a woman’s natural physique while still maintaining strength via forms. This season she played with natural wool yarn and experimented with different lattice structures and braiding. She opted for a neutral colour palette of whites, creams, greys, black, and a touch of pink and coral to complement all skin tones.

Vivianne Valerius touched on some exquisite bridal designs, but her choice of models was questionable in some cases. Her collection featured elegant lines, eye-catching details, and show-stopping ensembles. She has a flair for dramatics, starting from the slow gliding movement she had the models attempt (some of the girls were struggling with the long dresses, heels, which showed in their deer-caught-in-headlights expression), and ending with her personal appearance as the powerful matriarch leading her pinnacle design down the runway. We saw sheer fabrics with feminine details, sleek feathers, sophisticated sequins, and gorgeous silhouettes.

Machio Mizumachi came out guns blazing and in full technicolor. Outrageous designs with a nostalgic feel, calling to mind a Harajuku Remix on the Cabbage Patch Kids. His work had elements of communist propaganda art in the memorable red, yellow, and white colour palette, then added some blues calling the pop art hues to mind. He threw some floral crochet flowers into the mix, and had a gangster strawberry shortcake strutting her stuff. The real kicker for some people was the boy dressed in an assortment of retro backpacks.

Machio with his gang of Harajuku Patch Kids.

_ _

Is it fashion? Is it art? Is it a statement?

It’s play.

Do you remember playing dress up as a kid? There was no right or wrong. You saw something bright and colourful, you saw something pretty and frilly, you put on a hat, you put on a necklace, you put on a backpack, and then threw a scarf overtop. Sometimes, you even wore a bajillion of your mother’s scarves. But you had fun, and you ran around, and felt like a big kid. Maybe you made your parents laugh, maybe your friends told you that you looked ridiculous, but you didn’t care. You FELT cool, and that was all that mattered.

Fashion is play.

Art is expression.

...

Feeling good… that’s the secret.

Thanks for reading folks! Let me know your thoughts, comments, and ideas. I love dialogue and multiple perspectives. You can find more of my photography on Instagram @toytose.

#fashion #fw17 #vancouvervibes #vancouver fashion week #fashion week #runway fashion #photography #art #guest blogger #vfw2017 #vfw

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cellerityweb · 6 years

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Serious Games Indeed – Raising Awarenes, Changing the World

Games have the power to entertain us and make us forget our everyday routines, if only for a moment. They also have the power to change our mindset as well as the world … even if only a little.

Tick Tock, Tick Tock

A girl is lying in bed, all dressed in white. Her pale skin shivers occasionally. Her lips are red as roses. I comb what little is left of her smooth black long hair as she looks at me and whispers: »I love you, don’t worry.« Irit, my sister, died of cancer at age 10.

Tick Tock, Tick Tock

I’m in elementary school. It’s the fifth grade. I’m walking by my class and suddenly I hear a loud brawling sound. I turn around the corner by an old classroom structure that’s made of bricks, cracked asbestos and iron – only to see my good frail friend getting beaten all bloodied and gasping for air. I shout out »Stop this!« with all my might. They stop for a second to look at me and return to the beating. I decide to act. I break a wooden branch with sharp thorns and wave it in the air, whipping the two bigger boys to tears. My friend looks at me, covered with dirt and blood and whispers: »I’m ok man, don’t worry.«Zeev, my good friend, died at sea, caught in a whirlpool he couldn’t evade, age 26.

Tick Tock, Tick Tock

I’m standing on a steep hill in the South of Lebanon. The outskirts of Bint Jbeil. I gaze upon troops firing bullets at each other. A tank is heading deeper into the road surrounding the village, only to move on top of a powerful landmine. A heavy hand touches my shoulder, startling, holding it tight. A bearded reserve soldier, named Rami, whom I just met an hour ago, an observer in the intelligence core, is being accompanied by his squad behind him. We joke for a minute about how all of this is just like a scene from »Age of Empires« game – »We will win this game bro, don’t worry«. They go over the hill to the other side for their mission. 30 minutes later, a Katyusha rocket hits them directly. Rami, age 30. Killed while serving his country.

Having experienced the ugly face of war first-hand, Tsahi is on a mission – with video games now being his weapon of choice.

My Road for a Gaming Chalice Begins

14 years ago, I was on the verge of leaving my job as a Cyber Security Expert. I loved my job but something in my day-to-day routine was missing. I felt I was missing my true calling and knew that I wanted to do something far more influential. I wanted to change the world with my knowledge. My passion can be blazing hot when I truly put my mind to it. I decided to be a game developer, and with that, my life changed completely.

My first job was as a game programmer at probably the best TV channel for children in Israel, called »HOP!«. How appropriate it was, as my games carried this very sense of hope that I wished to plant in every single one of the titles game I made. Each one carried a fracture of my wounded but slowly healing soul. Soon enough, I became the CTO of the company and carried multiple campaigns for children with disabilities, phobias or just children who wished to know more of the world and learn through playing. After hundreds of games and campaigns, I finally started to work on projects with Sesame Workshop and it was love on first sight.

As a delegate visiting foreign planets, the player’s focus in ‘Quandary’ lies on ethnical decision-making.

Other brands soon followed, including amongst others: »Carebears«, »Strawberry Shortcake«, »Garfield«, »Pocoyo«, »«Justin Time«, »Maya the Bee«, »The Smurfs«, »Fireman Sam« and »Lazytown«. Every moment of my time was filled with color and sweetness. But I wanted more. I moved from company to company, trying to find my own salvation as a sleepless paladin roaming the land on a quest for the Holy Grail, to create a game that not only teaches but also educates, and makes you truly understand someone or something completely different. I established a game studio from scratch for »BabyFirstTV«, creating hundreds of games for toddlers to teach basic English, math, colors and sounds. I led a huge project for Compedia, one of Israel’s eldest Edu games companies, where I taught Hebrew to children abroad. I worked in Tabtale as their game designer, and created games as a freelancer for BBC, PBS Kids, Nickelodeon, Disney, Cartoon Network and countless others. But what I was looking for was much deeper. I was looking for a place to help me create serious games.

Serious Games – Why so Serious?

By definition, a serious game is a game whose objective is not solely or purely entertainment, but which is also meant to teach, and raise awareness for the said topic, and in many cases to shock and provoke thoughts. I never liked that name, however, I agree that it is one of the names that are most suitable for the cause, and at the very least, differentiates it from other pure entertainment games. But what makes a good serious game?

‘Bury My Love’ is a story about Nour, a Syrian migrant who is trying to find her way to Europe.

The first time I was playing »This War of Mine« by 11bit Studios, I was hesitant. I knew already that this is not going to be a pleasant experience for me. I understood this is about war, and war is filled with pain and casualties. But I never thought that I would find myself completely frozen after playing the game for two hours. I lost my first team member – I lost Katia and immediately stopped playing and needed some fresh air. It took me four additional times to start again and play the game to the very end.

What I found quite unique about This War of Mine, is that it was extremely realistic, and would not make any discounts for the player. You need to be responsible, but every decision you make is hard and you know it will affect someone. You play people who have a face, a history, a name and personality. This is more than just a bunch of pixels on the ground bleeding the same way as all the other bodies. This is, or was, Katia. And it was because of me. And because of them.

Damn these wars.

After that version they released another expansion, »The Little Ones«, which was even harder to play. I’m the father of Tamar, my almost 6-year-old daughter, and I can’t even imagine spending time with her under such harsh conditions. It’s a fact that I will defend her under any circumstance. But in this game, I, as the player, saw how my method of playing changed. I walked the thin line between risking too much while also getting more food and supplies for two people. Facing the questions from the children in the game, this was wicked and hard to read and respond.

One other game that was giving me a punch in the stomach was »Valiant Hearts: The Great War« by Ubisoft Montpelier. The game is a puzzle-based game with four chapters, that is inspired by letters written during World War I and has several characters who help a young German soldier find his love in this story about survival, sacrifice and friendship. The story is woven through all characters and their grave sacrifices, courage, values of comradeship and love. Emotionally, it had such a huge effect on me, even weeks after I played the game. The game reminded me of my grandfather’s stories and that I was be able to visualize his stories through the eyes of the characters, making them more reliable and memorable.

‘The Enemy’ is a VR experience created by former war photographer Karim ben Khelifa.

Additional games that left a huge impression on me: »1000 Days of Syria« is a text-based game that is played from three different points of view, using three very different characters. In »Nanu Planet«, you play Parchi, an explorer that was separated from his love Puchi. You guide him through puzzles and riddles, in order to find each other through the use of metaphors and allegories, telling the player the story of a divided Korea, its history and reasons for separation. »Bury me, my Love« is a narrative-driven interactive fiction about Nour, a Syrian migrant who’s trying to find her way to Europe. »Insight Spark – Journey to the Fire Mountain« is a digital adventure describing two tribes – the mountain men and the forest men – who are hostile towards each other. The players select their avatar from the forest men tribe, and define traits that effect the outer visibility – not inner! – and its powers. When a dark force aims to take over their world, they embark on a journey to find a magic gem to save the world. When the game starts, the players are rewarded for behaving according to their tribe rules and culture, which makes the rivalry between the two tribes remain. As the game progresses, the rules change and the players are rewarded for thinking outside the box through, breaking through different stigmas and thereby encouraging social interaction with other groups and cooperation. And then there’s »Quandary« which provides a thorough playing of a delegation to a new planet, a framework for how to approach ethical decision-making without telling players what to think.

But not all serious games – or games for change, as the marvelous Asi Burak named his association – are painful and harsh. Some aim at creating hope, connecting people and changing how we treat each other, no matter our differences.

Games for Peace – And What’s Next?

Living in Israel was never easy or simple. This place, that some may say is holy or unique by its history and relationship with the surrounding countries, had always been a complex Pandora’s box, and no one wants to really open it wide and look it straight in the eye. Israelis and Palestinians – they look the same, eat the same food and almost speak the same language. But for the love of it, we can’t stop quarreling about land, rights, future plans and who is stronger, or who has suffered more. My generation wants peace. Not just a lip service but a true companionship. Not with the extremists. This is never a good thing, not in religion, not in politics and not in any field of life – extremism is dangerous. My generation plays games. We see this as a way of life, especially those of us who work in the gaming industry. We use games to help us shop, navigate, compete, learn and live in an easier way. So why not deal with conflicts using games as well?

‘1000 Days of Syria’ is a text-driven narrative played from three different points of view.

Four year ago, I joined the board of an interesting nonprofit association, called »Games for Peace«, where the idea was simple but very clever: we would make Israeli and Palestinian children meet in a computer game. We used the Minecraft engine as a basis for our platform. Then we let the children build together, defeat obstacles as a team and learn to get to know each other. No one knows if the other side is Jewish or Muslim, since we show all messages to each side in their own language (yeah, we made that as well). Eventually, after playing together for several months, they met in the real world and their bonds have strengthened. This model has been tested in several other places around the world, and is now nominated for two awards and entered the final stages of two glamorous competitions. There has been a change in the children’s attitudes towards their conflicted rival! But along the good, there is also the bad. All it takes is one incident of terror, one fight to regress this process backwards. Eventually, if not maintained, the great achievements gained in the game process are lost.

My own take on this was always to think of the long run. Touch the delicate fibers of the conflict, not just the popular, politically correct corners. In order to solve a problem or conflict, both sides need to expel all the rubbish inside in order to confront each other, learn about their false conceptions, start to build a connection with the rival side and start creating together.

Additionally, as we’ve seen at Games for Peace, this is not an isolated environment. The teacher must be part of the process, since sometimes, the great unbelievers are the teachers. And what about the parents? What about when the child gets back home, back into a different reality it has to deal with. So, the parents needs to be in the game, involved as a character with its own objectives. And what about my friends? And my Rabbi? My Imam? Yes, the road is long, but at least we are leaping forward in great bounces, with great courage and open eyes.

Serious Games and AR \ VR

We mostly discussed PC and mobile games, but we can’t ignore a huge revolution growing right under our noses. It’s the most common buzzword nowadays: AR\VR. Some will even dare to say Mixed Reality, but it’s a great way to make your player feel empathy, immerse in a world of imagination or realism, and understand more than ever the consequences of a player’s actions. Having a gamified layer on top of your reality or watching it with added game objects through your mobile phone or Meta Glasses is fantastic, but what other use can it bring to the serious games market? Well, instead of watching monsters popping out of sewer holes or defeating flying saucers, or even checking statistics of buildings around you, one could use it as tool to view real statistics on homeless people. Or how about using your mobile device to see how other people around you would look like after not having eaten, slept or washed themselves for days or possibly weeks? And what about conflicts? Could we simulate bullies at school, being the one having to stand up to them? Can we simulate a battle between two religious rivals only to try to pacify them using our game tools?

Indeed, the options vary, but VR is even mightier. Despite the side effects, one can assume a role of a general in an army, a foot soldier, a drug dealer in the Brazilian favelas, a Palestinian Citizen in Gaza, or an orthodox Jew in Jerusalem, and grow empathy towards that character, with actual emotional response and almost the ability to touch the world. One such good example is the VR experience »The Enemy« by Karim ben Khelifa, who has been a war photographer for many years, and decided to create an emotional experience, where each side is one part of the conflict, trying to understand and grow empathy towards each other by playing the rival character.

Will the future tacticians or soldiers fight their wars only in VR? Or is this a tool that must be embedded into the curriculum as part of a grand peace study, hence building a young generation of sensitive, empathic, non-wearing people?

Serious Games as a Business – But What About Funding?

Let’s face it: making games is awesome, right? Making serious games and social change game experiences is noble. But values can’t help you keep on going. In order to fund your growing game company, serving more players is crucial. Game developers need to think from the get-go about their business model and how their game would be funded. When we speak about serious games, the situation is even more delicate. One needs to explore grants by the European Union, like the »Horizon 2020« program or other governmental grants. But grants are a slow, bureaucratic, require tedious work and the developers need to be prepared in advance. Only a small amount of projects is selected, so this goose won’t lay any golden eggs. Of course, we mustn’t forget crowdfunding, although it shows that only 10% of the funds for serious games are crowdfunded by campaigns on Kickstarter, fig, indiegogo and the likes. It’s necessary to remember that a good campaign requires qualified and dedicated personnel with a good funding back-up to make this a quality run.

The secret lies within mixing possible solutions, addressing governmental as well as private grants such as the »McArthur’s Foundation«or the »Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation«, and combining all of this this with meeting with Angels or VC’s that are into serious games, and trying to think on how this game can fund itself. Is this going to be using the Humble Bundle model, so it could fund charities and drive more traffic to your game? Are you teaming up with a big brand without damaging the game’s image and using their marketing resources and well-known name? As always, the funding of games is difficult and you need a great combination of a good game, a great cause, lots of luck,and a heart that’s in the right place.

Conclusions

The campaign ‘Games for Peace’ had one goal: bringing together Palestinian and Israeli kids by having them play together, without them knowing about each other’s heritage, language or religion.

Life is a wonderful game. It has its own rules, actors, and varied objectives. But in order to keep on living,

we must at the very least have our conflicts under control. We first need to challenge our own inner conflicts and then try to solve bigger ones.

But games are a great tool for facing our greatest fears, whether it is black people, refugees from Syria, homeless people on the streets or people who speak Arabic. We are all born the same way as infants, and as such, our society poisons us slowly with varied misconceptions. Games can be the antidote to that poison and this is true especially for serious games. Let’s try to use our skills to change this world and the people around us. If we can develop a serious game, let’s do it. Not just because it’s popular to say that this is what we do, but to really make a change, touch those meridian points within people that are aching, looking for answers, and crystal clear them. Games are great, but their social element – the ability to compete and to learn from each other – is priceless. Without learning or education, no conflict would be solved. So learn how to create games and make games that matter and don’t be afraid to inflict pain and empathy with it – because it’s the way to a better future!

About the Author:

Tsahi Liberman VP Foreign Affairs, GameIS Headmaster, Titan Game Dev & Design School

Im 42 years old, raised and born in Israel. My entire life revolved around games. Basketball games, Comodor64 games, playing »Golden Axe« and »Rampage«, staying over night to play »Meridian59«, »Ultima Online« and »Everquest« with my friends. I ended up developing games and meeting people I adored, putting a smile on the face of children playing my games, as well as learning about math, languages and science in a fun way. Im father to my 6-year-old daughter Tamar, and husband to Noa, my beloved partner in this life, a gifted illustrator. I love martial arts, extreme sports and making an impact on this world by using games of any kind. Contact: [email protected]

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Serious Games Indeed – Raising Awarenes, Changing the World published first on https://thetruthspypage.tumblr.com/

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