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bleghxy · 4 months

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GL (manga/manhwa/manhua) Recs:

Manga:

Sukeban and Transfer Student by Fujichika

Summary: Rinri Kanzaki, a naive and innocent transfer student, couldn't help but want Atsuko Nagumo, a lone-wolf delinquent, to say "cute words" to her! It's a cute and slightly embarrassing 80s-style school comedy between a transfer student x delinquent.

Review: This manga is literally so cute. Both of them are adorable. Their relationship is also very wholesome.

Status: Ongoing

Composing Spring in this Room where Cherry Blossoms Bloom by Tokuwotsumu

Summary: On her first day of university, Haruki had a fateful encounter with Sakura in the lecture hall. They were attracted to each other and lived together after graduation, but suddenly they had to part ways. Sakura had disappeared from this world. Five years have passed since then, and it is the fifth cherry blossom season. Haruki, who was still in a state of grief, happened to find a diary. It was the unfinished diary written by Sakura.

Review: This was so beautifully written. The grief portrayed in this manga was very realistically written. I highly recommend this!

Status: Completed

Manhwa:

Summary: Jeanne, a prostitute at address 74, took care of the fallen Janet. Jeanne wants to be friends with Janet, but Janet tries to get information out of her.

Review: I liked this a lot but I wish the author stuck to writing 13 chapters like they had originally planned because near the end everything felt a bit rushed. However, it's still a good read although I recommend keeping a box of tissues near while reading this tho.

Status: Completed

Summary: Welcome to Greywoods, a beautiful mansion isolated deep in the countryside. Its main inhabitants? Viscount Rose, his daughter Lady Eileen, the housekeeper, the butler, and a new maid, Marie. As Lady Eileen and her newest (and only) companion begin to open up to each other, do their hearts follow close behind? Now, don’t mind any lingering ghosts still haunting the grounds, they’re not real! Nor are there any enduring secrets, deep-rooted betrayals, or an air of mystery... just trust me.

Review: This is an excellent read! Although Eileen and Marie's relationship developed very fast, it didn't feel forced. Their relationship was very smoothly written I'd say. There's also a supporting character, Lynda who was very well written. I do recommend checking the trigger warnings before reading this.

Status: Completed

Summary: Andrew is the only daughter of the famous Grace family. She also has an incurable disease. Due to her family's high status in society, Andrew grew up with no friends save for her maid, Herta, whom she has become intensely infatuated with. Little does she know, her family is responsible for ruining Herta's life. Can Andrew break the hierarchy and be with her? Or will Herta end her suffering first...

Review: The two main leads are well written. The story itself is filled with angst. There are a few issues I have with this but I still liked it a lot. I do recommend checking the trigger warnings before reading this.

Status: Completed

Manhua:

Summary: Qi went to sleep embraced by her girlfriend, Yuanzi. However, when she opened her eyes she realized that she had been transported 10 years back to the past, back when she was still in high school. While she sees this as an opportunity to save the love of her life, what she doesn't realize is that her teenage self is in her adult body, 10 years into the future, and has no clue about the life Qi has built or how precious the time she has left with Yuanzi is. No matter the time, no matter the age, their love resonates as they stand by each other's side. Will they be able to conquer fate?

Review: The plot was never dragged and the pacing was very smooth. The characters are also very cute. There were issues I had with a certain side character but other than that it was a very pleasant read.

Status: Completed

A Story Concerning Sweets by Shi Yi Er

Summary: This is a story concerning sweets and two girls. One is a ghost who wanders around in the hospital, and another is a patient with a heart condition. It's cute! It's fluffy!

Review: It's cute and angsty at the same time. I recommended keeping a box of tissues near you.

Status: Completed

If you want more GL recs:

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yuripoll · 2 months

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S3 ROUND 1

NOTE: Composing Spring […] is about death and grief, and additionally depicts depression and suicidality. I Married My Best Friend […] contains suggestive scenes as well as homophobia and some misogyny.

#matches #polls #yuri #manga #gl #girls love #wlw #composing spring #composing spring in this room where cherry blossoms bloom #tokuwotsumu #haru tsuzuru sakura saku kono heya de #i married my best friend to shut my parents up #married my friend etc etc #kodama naoko #i decided to fake a marriage with my junior to shut my parents up #oya ga urusai node kohai to gisou kekkon shitemita

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legalise-greenleaf · 6 months

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Imagine coming out to your parents and their immediate response is to tell your girlfriend she could do so much better. Fucking wrecked.

#春綴る、桜咲くこの部屋で #Haru Tsuzuru Sakura Saku Kono Heya de #Composing Spring in This Room Where Cherry Blossoms Bloom #mangacap #yuri manga #romance #comedy

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anonymocha · 22 days

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src: Composing Spring in This Room Where Cherry Blossoms Bloom / 春綴る、桜咲くこの部屋で

#Composing Spring in This Room Where Cherry Blossoms Bloom #mangacap #yuri #I JUST FINISHED READING IT AND I BAWLED SEVERAL TIMES HUHUH #its rare to see yuri that focuses on a MC over the age of 30 #refreshing!#i really reccomend this!#I CRIED #AUHGHHH #I LOVE YURI

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saiyef · 2 years

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Composing Spring in this Room Where Cherry Blossoms Bloom Chapter 1

#composing spring in this room where cherry blossoms bloom #haru tsuzuru sakura saku kono heya de #yuri #mangacap #mangacaps #manga

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gloop898 · 7 months

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2023 Media Thread - Part 107

Composing Spring in This Room Where Cherry Blossoms Bloom

(Haru Tsuzuru, Sakura Saku Kono Heya de)

It's hard to talk about this one without feeling melodramatic or needlessly saccharine. I suppose talking about death is always difficult. How does one move on from the death of a loved one? Are the memories of them a blessing or a curse? This manga tries to find some answers for questions like these.

The story presented is tragic, heartbreaking, and somber. However, it doesn't spiral into depressive misery. The main character's struggle to work through her loss is heart-wrenching, but ultimately the story is a message of hope and healing.

First | Prev | Next

#media thread 2023 #Composing Spring in This Room Where Cherry Blossoms Bloom #haru tsuzuru sakura saku kono heya de #yuri

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esspos · 6 months

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sooooooo,,,, i’ve finally finished my yuri recommendations list. this is a culmination of about 3ish years of reading yuri manga/manhwa/manhua plus tapas & webtoons and stuff from lezhin as well. i’ve been superrrrrrr busy so i haven’t gotten around to reviewing any stuff in a while or posting stuff so hopefully i can start again soon 😊

- [ ] a monsters wants to eat me (modern) (horror)

- [ ] Bloom into you (modern)

- [ ] mage & demon queen (fantasy isekai but kind of/kind of not) (webtoon)

- [ ] whispering you a love song (modern) (fav romance, puppygirl himari)

- [ ] can’t defy the lonely girl (modern)

- [ ] donuts and a crescent moon (modern, office) (top 5 of all time)

- [ ] kimi to tzuzuru (modern) (extremely depressing)

- [ ] she loves to cook, she loves to eat (modern, kinda serious subject, best couple) (butches 💖)

- [ ] lily marble (modern) (lesbians at the gym, i wonder what they’re gonna do…)

- [ ] a room for two (modern)

- [ ] i’m in love with the villainess (isekai)

- [ ] snow thaw & love letter (modern)

- [ ] my dear lass (modern) (manhua)

- [ ] tamen de gushi (modern) (manhua)

- [ ] a love yet to bloom (modern) (fav currently) (nerdy book lesbians have my heart)

- [ ] goodbye, my rose garden (historical) (manwha)

- [ ] my new friend wasn’t what i was expecting (modern)

- [ ] my food seems to be very cute (modern supernatural) (manwha) (serious and broody femme lesbian vampire x puppygirl werewolf 🐶)

- [ ] beauty and the beast girl (supernatural)

- [ ] hizikan tautology (modern)

- [ ] ayaka is in love with hiriko (modern office)

- [ ] the moon on a rainy night (modern) (a bit more serious)

- [ ] how do we relationship (modern)

- [ ] her tale of shim-cheong (#1 historical yuri) (NOT TOXIC RELATIONSHIP BUT KIND OF, SORT OF, EVERYTHING AROUND THEM IS TOXIC) (manwha)

- [ ] composing spring in this room where cherry blossoms bloom (modern) (fucking depressing jesus christ)

- [ ] introverted gals get out (modern)

- [ ] baili jin among mortals (modern supernatural) (manhua)

- [ ] alcohol and ogre-girls (modern supernatural)

- [ ] maitsuki, niwatsuki, ooyatsuki (modern adult)

- [ ] hana ni arashi (modern)

- [ ] anemone wa netsu o obiru (modern)

- [ ] yamada to kase-san (modern)

- [ ] under one roof today (autobiographical) (these bitches gay, good for them)

- [ ] lillies, voice, wear wind (modern) (ace rep 💖)

- [ ] the two of them are pretty much like this (modern)

- [ ] onna tomodachi to kekkonshitemita (modern)

- [ ] teiji ni agaretara (modern)

- [ ] asagao to kase-san (modern)

- [ ] RUTHLESS (webtoon) (modern) (SHE’S VERY HORNY FOR THE MASC LESBIN)

- [ ] Fatal Kiss (webtoon) (modern supernatural)

- [ ] winter before spring (webtoon) (modern) (kinda depressing)

- [ ] The Greenhouse (tapas) (modern supernatural)

- [ ] Mistranslations (tapas) (modern)

- [ ] Sora & Haena (modern)

- [ ] Best Served Cold (modern) (toxic yuri!!!!)

- [ ] blooming sequence (modern)

- [ ] Getting to Know Grace (historical) (one of the best plots)

- [ ] After the curtain call (modern) (theatre lesbiabs)

- [ ] In my heart (modern)

- [ ] Kiss it goodbye (modern) (baseball masc)

- [ ] Moonlight Garden (historical fiction) (‼️‼️ extremely horny ‼️‼️)

- [ ] A Joyful Life (modern)

- [ ] ghosts of greywoods (historical)

- [ ] pulse (modern)

#manga recommendation #yuri recommendation #yuri manga #yuri manhwa #yuri manhua #*lesbian voice* my grand masterpiece has been unveiled for the world to see….#lesbian #my post #yuri

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shadowjen · 8 months

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Composing Spring in This Room Where Cherry Blossoms Bloom left a hole in my heart I am so fking sad but it was such a good story

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milktyama · 3 years

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— ☕︎ IF BY CHANCE

a/n: here are the imagines that anon gave me and gave me permission to expand with my own accord!! thank you anon i love this idea (and also added the song to my playlist thank you for that) ALSO longest work ever done!

— heavy reference to if by chance by ruth b.

synopsis: "if by chance... could you forgive me?"

pairing: 3rd year/adult!kageyama tobio x reader

genre: fluff to angst, hurt little comfort, in spain w/o the s

wc: 2.3k

thank you @kohi-zeri @snoozless for beta-ing! <3

❥︎ two swear words, most obvious n smallest manga spoiler

People like to emphasize how high school will be the greatest and the wildest years of your life. And a major part of high school is exploring first loves and small infatuations. High school love is so innocent and light-hearted and sometimes awkward, but that is what makes it so charming.

That is exactly how it felt being with Kageyama Tobio after meeting him in your final year of high school. Shy confessions were exchanged on the daily, pinkies linked as the main source of public affection, anything more flustering both of your young selves.

You always thought that meeting your high school sweetheart in your last year was a sign of bad luck. It was way too late for any deep love to actually develop. It would almost feel forced or fleeting, the connection not having enough time to harvest and bloom.

Though, being with him proved that wrong.

Having him in your life was a blessing from the moment you first encountered him on a rainy spring evening during your way home. You would’ve never expected that that day to become as significant to you back then as it does now.

A small irregularity of Kageyama Tobio forgetting his umbrella when the weather forecast had explicitly predicted a 90% chance of raining during the evening. That night, you thought to yourself that he was counting on the 10% chance that it wouldn’t rain, when in reality it was simply the fact that he did not check the weather forecast daily.

Pft. You would think that being a senior in high school would mean taking up a little more responsibility, but that wasn’t the case with him. His mind still ran on the adrenaline and excitement of volleyball and volleyball alone.

You saw him attempting to take shelter under a cherry blossom tree in the nearby park. The droplets of the rain reflected the sunlight as they landed on the light pink petals of the tree, giving it a warm and peaceful glow.

Kageyama’s hair and clothes were damp from the minimal protection he had against the pouring rain. If you had not approached him that night and offered to share your umbrella, nothing would have happened between the two of you.

You two would have remained as casual classmates, having small insignificant encounters that could be easily looked over: being assigned clean up duty together, collecting tests from people in your row — simple things that no one would ever think twice about. This encounter alone could have easily been part of the list of insignificant encounters… it was just a classmate looking out for another classmate right?

But the warm kindness you showed him on that cold, rainy night had somehow reached Kageyama’s heart. What he at first thought was a mere act of kindness towards a classmate had sprouted into something a little bit more.

After that night, Kageyama found himself looking in your direction more often. His bright blueberry eyes would wander towards your figure who sat a few desks in front of him. You never caught him staring during class, but his presence was more than enough to burn through the back of your head.

It seemed his not-so-subtle glances have rubbed off onto you because you would find your eyes starting to linger on him as well. His tall and lean figure captivated you. His raven hair, his blue eyes, his indifferent voice, and infamous “resting bitch face” were triggers your brain could not miss.

The more the days pass with your attention captivated by this man, the more you realize your feelings towards him. It was a rocky but surprisingly short journey, with both parties who faced difficulties with expressing their feelings to the other, but everything eventually fell into place, leaving it up to fate to bring both of your yearning souls together.

And oh boy did fate put a strong magnetism between the two of you.

You fell in love with Kageyama Tobio through and through. Sure, it was a little awkward at first, with stiff movements and a sprinkle of miscommunication, but after speaking your hearts out, it became clear: you were in love with him just as much as he was in love with you.

At least that is how it seemed.

Even after sharing light kisses under the cherry blossom tree where you met for the first time, your hands held in his rough ones, surrounded by the smell in his clothes that you borrowed from his closet. Or passing small notes to each other during class and sleepless nights when you tried to tutor him in classes he lacked on. Or shouting from the top of your lungs whenever you attended any of his games while sporting his spare jersey.

All these memories seemingly came crashing down a week before your graduation.

Your ears rang after he utters a short phrase that had enough power to crash your world, enough power to make you feel as if everything you’ve done the past year had been a waste, enough power to leave you on your knees, helplessly clutching your chest as the pain starts to spread throughout your body.

“I’m sorry. But… I think I’m in love with someone else.”

He continued to ramble endlessly. Maybe it was more apologies, or maybe he was reasoning what he’d been doing with you this past year. Maybe he was word vomiting in order to make this impact on you less heavy. Whatever it had been, you couldn’t hear it. You lost your grasp of your senses the second those words had reached your ears.

How did you not notice this? How could you not see how his glances towards you became less frequent, how his kisses grew more reluctant, how he wouldn’t reach for your hand first, how his eyes didn’t sparkle for you? You only now realized that he fell out of love. Or maybe he loved someone else all along? Or maybe you were just a game to him? You didn’t even want to consider the latter.

Your sight was blurring with tears that you desperately tried to keep in, but they had already fallen helplessly down your face. You didn’t even notice that Kageyama was no longer in front of you.

When you finally composed yourself, you could see his retreating figure in the distance with someone else at his side. They weren’t hugging or holding hands or kissing or anything of that sort. But watching the person you thought you could love for the rest of your life walk away with someone else was just too much for your poor heart to bear.

It has been exactly 4 years since. You graduated from university and did some intern work during your summers to distract yourself. You truly believed that you have finally picked yourself up and moved one. It was only after seeing him on TV, seeing that he had achieved his dream of going pro, that all the emotions came rushing back.

You still loved him. You always have and never stopped. Your love for him was so great, so powerful, so unconditional that it never left your system, even after being broken in one of the worst ways possible.

Maybe if he had loved you then you would still be by his side, cheering him on.

He reached out to you a few months after your break up. With your wound still fresh, you had truly believed he called to get back together, only to get your hopes crushed. Well, not completely, at least. He called to apologize again, figuring that back in high school you — actually, both of you — had been too emotionally distressed to properly deal with the situation.

It was a very short call, 5 minutes at most. His apology was simple and to the point, but that was how he was. He swore he was sorry for ending things the way they did, and ended the call with a promise. He promised to never hurt you again.

Although his heart may or may not have not been occupied by someone else during your time together, he still found comfort and familiarity when he was with you. Before he could hang up, you too apologized for how you reacted and dealt with the situation, swearing the same promise.

But that promise proved harder to keep than you had thought.

You encountered Kageyama once again, but this time he was with someone else. He seemed happy. It was hard to believe that even after all these years, your heart still beat for Kageyama Tobio. It hurt your heart to see him smile for someone else, knowing those smiles used to be for you. It hurt your heart to know that you were no longer the reason for his smiles being so wide, so genuine.

You wondered if he still recalled the memories the two of you shared. If he still sang along to the song you two spent weeks choosing and claimed as “your song” or if he skipped it. If he still reacted to advertisements that featured your favorite lip balm, the one he loved tasting on your lips whenever you kissed. If he remembered the future plans you talked about, where the two of you would live in a comfortable apartment and how the interior would be decorated; how you would spend nights dancing around the living room.

Either way, you were no longer part of his life. He had found someone else to dedicate his heart to. As if to confirm the dilemma that has plagued you for so long, Kageyama leaned into a kiss to the forehead of his partner, smiling as he pulled away whilst leaning his head onto his partner.

Tears brimmed in the corners of your eyes. You ran, allowing your body to take you wherever it pleased, hot tears falling helplessly from your eyes continuously.

So much for keeping a promise.

Your feet finally stopped, tired, your eyes worn out from crying. You slowly took in your surroundings as you felt the warm breeze of a spring evening, soft petals tickling your sensitive skin. It was quite obvious where your heart belonged.

You found yourself under the tree where you first met him. Where you two would often sit and exchange fleeting kisses or a small treat, feeding each other with fond eyes. The wind blew past you as the petals from the cherry blossom tree slowly fell, surrounding you in a cozy ambiance that left a bittersweet taste in your mouth.

As your legs finally gave up at the memory that came rushing into your head, you heard footsteps that sounded like they were approaching your way. A piece of light blue cloth neatly folded entered your line of vision. Your eyes shot up to the tall figure that was now towering over you. His body faced you, however his eyes did not meet yours.

You hesitated before slowly reaching out for the handkerchief in his hand, avoiding his eyes as well.

“I’m sorry…” was all that came out from his lips. There was a moment of silence, disrupted every now and then by a couple of sniffles. Kageyama tried speaking again.

“I’m sorry for hurting you again, even after I promised you I wouldn’t.”

“It’s fine…” you managed to choke out, voice slightly cracking. You thought you sounded pathetic. You two broke up four years ago, for fuck’s sake! A lump formed in your throat again, a mix of the remains of old memories and your own consciousness trying to bring some sense into your pained heart.

“If by chance… could you forgive me? For breaking the promise I mean,” Kageyama asked. His words were gentle and soft, maybe a little sweet like honey, attempting to cover up any harshness. It was clear he did not want to hurt you for any longer. His blueberry eyes that you missed so much had a small sparkle to them. You wondered what that sparkle meant.

Was it because he still loved you? Did he miss you the way you missed him? Or maybe he only felt pity for you. Maybe he was hoping for something more. What could he be possibly hopeful for? Your forgiveness? It wasn’t like you were mad at him. Afterall, it was your own fault for falling so deeply in love with him. As painful and bitter as it was, you tried your best to pull your lips upwards.

It was the saddest smile he had ever seen.

Voices in your head screamed at the pain you felt in your heart, but your head reasoned that this was not his fault. You had to let go, once and for all.

“Of course I forgive you.”

The words vibrated through your skull. Your head forgave him, your self-conscious told your heart to forgive him, but in the end, it wouldn’t succumb to logic so easily. You thought with your heart rather than your head, and you absolutely hated it. You broke too easily and gave in to the way your heart beated instead of the words that were trying to break through your thick skull.

The sun sets, warm yellow tones of the fleeting rays of sunlight shone upon the pale pink petals of the cherry blossom tree. The petals turned into a light orange colour as they fell ever so elegantly from the branches above you, surrounding your figure on the ground.

You clutched your knees to your body as you watched his figure stray from you, slowly getting further and further away. Memories from the first time you met under this same tree flooded into your head as a single tear droplet slid down your right cheek.

You felt a lump at the back of your throat. It was an awfully bitter yet mildly sweet feeling. You didn’t mean to be selfish with your feelings towards Kageyama, but if by chance, things didn’t work out with his current partner, then maybe, just maybe, he could be part of your world again.

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bleghxy · 1 month

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some queer manga centered around grief

#composing spring in this room where cherry blossoms bloom #haru tsuzuru sakura saku kono heya de #this monster wants to eat me #watashi wo tabetai hitodenashi #ikoku nikki #hiraeth the end of the journey #hiraeth wa tabiji no hate #lgbt manga #lgbtq manga #queer manga #gl manga #yuri manga #queer themes #lgbt themes

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yuripoll · 28 days

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S3 LOSERS ROUND 4

NOTE: Ayaka is in Love with Hiroko has sexual content as well as depictions of an adult age gap relationship, misogyny, and homophobia. Composing Spring […] is about death and grief, and additionally depicts depression and suicidality.

#matches #yuri #gl #girls love #wlw #manga #ayaka is in love with hiroko #ayaka-chan wa hiroko-senpai ni koishiteru #sal jiang #composing spring in this room where cherry blossoms bloom #haru tsuzuru sakura saku kono heya de #tokuwotsumu #composing spring

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hold-my-hand-kuroo · 4 years

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four seasons with akaashi

wow i think i’m starting to see a pattern of not knowing what i’m writing???

pairing: akaashi x reader

genre: fluff

Spring comes with many firsts: the first year of high school, first cherry blossoms, and first love.

Akaashi is quiet, but not opposed to interaction. You realize this when you join Fukurodani’s volleyball club as the manager and watch in awe as the silent setter dealt with Boktuo in such a calm manner. You momentarily forget that the two of you are the same age. He’s calm, composed, and quick to put a stop to Bokuto’s antics; you’ve even heard him go through the wing spiker’s long list of weaknesses in passing. In short, you think Akaashi is amazing.

In fact, he’s so amazing that you find it hard to get closer to him although the two of you were in the same class. It’s not that you feel that he’s cold toward you, but it’s difficult to strike a conversation up with someone who seemed to dislike the loudness of Bokuto so much. You’d hate to disturb him, especially since he already has his hands full, but you can’t help catching your eyes landing on his figure from time to time.

Sometimes during classes, your eyes wander toward your right where Akaashi sits studiously, writing down careful notes from each and every lecture. You notice the light pen callus on the side of his ring finger and how he miraculously keeps his paper straight on his desk when he’s writing. He’ll never openly volunteer to answer or read, but whenever the teacher calls on him, his answers are correct, and you can’t help but feel soothed by his voice.

When you’re not looking at him, you don’t catch the stray glances that Akaashi also sends toward your way. He doesn’t understand why but opts to justify it with the fact that the two of you had volleyball in common, and that the volleyball jacket you wore frequently stood out specifically from the rest of the uniforms. Sometimes he’ll break into a smile when he sees that your papers end up shifting, tilted at a ridiculous angle when you’re concentrated on writing or when your brows furrow at a particularly tricky problem. He thinks it’s secretly amusing, endearing almost.

“I’ll help,” Akaashi offers quietly one day, reaching toward the basket carrying the bottles that you had just filled. It’s the first thing he has said to you ever, aside from the casual ‘hellos’ and ‘thanks’ he spared whenever you managed to make eye contact with him. It’s so foreign that you think you’ve done something wrong, but the fact that he’s merely a few inches apart from you makes your thoughts stop.

“Sorry if I was being slow,” you murmur finally, a little embarrassed, and hang your head low. Akaashi lets out a rather affronted noise that startles the both of you, and you turn to look at him, confused.

“No, I just thought it looked heavy,” he tries again, seeming to struggle with his words. Rather than following up, he lets the topic drop and takes a water bottle, not noticing Bokuto smiling rather smugly behind him.

“Don’t mind him, Y/N!” the owl-like boy laughs. “That’s just ‘Kaashi trying to be friends with you! He’s been mulling over it for days now! Whenever we’re in the changing rooms, he’s always like, ‘I wonder if Y/N dislikes me. We’re in the same class and club, but we don’t talk often’—“

“Bokuto, please shut up,” Akaashi says pointedly, trying to cover the taller boy’s mouth. He’s uncharacteristically flustered, and if you squinted, you could see the pink rising on his cheeks along with his frustrated furrowed brows. You almost laugh too; even the stoic setter could have his feathers ruffled sometimes, and in full honesty, it was such a refreshing sight to see.

“Actually,” you start shyly, chuckling slightly, “I was under the impression that I was disliked by you. I guess we both misunderstood.”

Akaashi shifts his attention from Bokuto to you, looking rather surprised. He’s sure that greeting you frequently would do well to break the ice, but he can’t believe that he gave you such a cold impression. It wasn’t lost on him that his silence usually came off unwelcoming, but he decides then and there that he should try harder. For what, he doesn’t really know.

“Isn’t that nice, ‘Kaashi? You made a friend!”

And so, Akaashi returns to scolding Bokuto about interrupting conversations and saying too much while, as promised, helping you hand out the bottles. The banter is lively and nice, the most emotion you’ve seen the setter express, and you think that you could get used to the chaos that is the volleyball club.

Spring is when the first seeds of love are planted, waiting to bloom.

ii.

Summer is hot with the buzzing of cicadas and the smell of sweat mixed with freshly-cut grass. It’s a little nauseating.

Hosting training camps were literal hell; in between making sure that there are enough clean towels, extra bottles, and an abundance of food, you find most of your summer dedicated to manager work. It’s torturous under the beating heat of the sun, and it makes you think about leaving the club forever. Of course, you don’t and never would, but the thought’s there.

Bokuto’s practically bouncing off the gym walls during the days leading up to the big event. For days on end, he’s talking about Nekoma-this or Nekoma-that, and by the time the team of stray cats actually arrives, you’re sure that you already know their names. You note that he’s the closest to the one with messy hair and a cackle louder than Bokuto’s yells. It’s overwhelming, especially for Akaashi who has to be there to calm Bokuto down, but also keep his spirits up for three days straight.

“Tired?” you ask during one of the breaks, handing him a bottle filled with chilled water and a plate of sliced watermelon. He accepts it graciously with a simple nod.

“With the way Bokuto keeps playing, we’re bound to be doing more diving drills,” he sighs. You giggle a little at the exasperation in his voice, but you still feel a little bad. Running around with towels was already tiring enough, so you can’t imagine working up a harder sweat under this relentless heat. “Are you busy?”

“Yeah,” you respond, stretching out your arms. “I thought setting up the sleeping area was bad, but cooking for a thousand volleyball players is absolutely the worst.”

He nods sympathetically and slides over on the stair step that he’s been sitting on, a silent invitation for you to take the spot next to him. You’re touched at his kindness and want nothing more than to accept the offer and just talk for hours on end to Akaashi, but you shake your head. There were things that needed to be done, and you’d hate for Yukie and Kaori to be the ones doing your share of the work. Akaashi seems to understand.

It’s a little disappointing to see so little of each other during the day even though the two of you were at the same location for the same reasons. To Akaashi, you’re a nice and fresh breeze that counters the loud arguments between Bokuto, Kuroo, and the delinquent-looking guy from Nekoma; you’re calm and can read him like an open book. With you around, he doesn’t feel the need to struggle over finding the proper words, and even when he does speak, it’s not a scolding. He’s at ease when you’re there with him.

Much to Akaashi’s luck and yours too, nighttime is when things calm down. You find him sitting quietly at the sidelines of the gym, making sure that Bokuto doesn’t break anything out of sheer excitement as he works on blocking with Kuroo. He’s working on his summer assignments, and it’s expected from him, but you’re quite amused at how even after a grueling day’s practice, he still finds it in himself to study. This time, you’re free and take the spot on the floor next to him.

“Mind if I join?” you ask, waving your math assignments around. He’s more than happy to have you there and nods not once, but twice. “Aren’t you tired?”

“If I don’t do a little bit every night, it piles up,” he mumbles, writing numbers neatly into his notebook. “It helps me go to sleep better, too.”

“I’m usually the night-before kind of person,” you laugh, opening up your booklet as well. “This is the first time in my life that I’ve done my summer work early.”

He hums, which is how he reacts when he’s surprised, you’ve learned. The two of you sit in silence, exchanging words once in a while for help. Akaashi’s way ahead of you, but you’re glad that he doesn’t find you too annoying when you ask to compare answers for the first few exercises that you’ve done. The yelling and crooning of Bokuto and Kuroo become white noise; you’re only fully aware of Akaashi right now and the fact that your shoulders are so close to touching. Five centimeters. Maybe six, but nothing more than that.

Even now, after months of getting to know him, you find your eyes glancing at him from time to time. You’re distracted, and you want to beat yourself up for it, but it’s almost instinctive. His side profile and his concentration are mesmerizing, his silence giving him an air of elegance. You’re so tempted to move closer, to fill those few centimeters and come into physical contact with the boy next to you, but you get flustered at the exact thought. The two of you were friends. Setter and manager. Classmates. Nothing more.

Unsurprisingly, your progress is poor, and you’re a little ashamed to say it’s because you were distracted by Akaashi. Even when the training camp is over, you still haven’t managed to make a large dent into your math work, and you’re ten times less motivated to continue it once you’re home and without Akaashi. It’s a blessing that the boy is an angel and is at your door during the last weekend of your well-deserved summer break.

“I was wondering if you needed help,” he says simply with a bag filled with cold drinks and ice cream in hand. He’s an angel. “I mean, it’s fine if you don’t-“

“No I do!” you answer quickly, heart beating fast. “I still have three more subjects to do, so I’m in a little trouble.”

Akaashi blinks at your outburst, and then breaks into one of his rare smiles. He lets out a laugh, a genuine, hearty laugh that you’ve never heard before, and you think you’ve finally discovered what angels singing sound like. You’re so mesmerized by Akaashi himself that it doesn’t exactly hit you that you’ve invited him into your room until much, much later, when he’s again, five or six centimeters away from you. Leaning on his elbow, he reaches over to your paper to point out errors or little tips, but they’re just noises to you. Lovely noises, but you don’t register a thing he’s saying. His mouth is moving, and you’re aware that you should be paying attention, but whether it’s this cursed heat or own nervousness that’s making you heat up and your heart throb like crazy, you’re mind is anywhere but on your work.

“Is something wrong, Y/N?” Akaashi asks, looking toward you.

“No,” you play off cooly, or as cooly as you could. “It’s just a little hot, don’t you think?”

“I have ice cream if you want,” he offers kindly, moving away from you and rustling through his bag. You let out a breath.

Summer is hot, and it’s when you realize that your little interest with the team’s setter is something a lot more than a small crush. It terrifies you.

iii.

Autumn brings in a refreshing chill that replaces summer, and before you know it, the leaves have turned into beautiful reds, oranges, and yellows.

Days have grown shorter, and by the time you leave the school, juggling between manager duties and the cultural festival, the sky outside is practically pitch-black. Walking home alone is a problem, which is why Akaashi takes it upon himself to walk you back home. Him and Bokuto, that is. Akaashi’s aware that he isn’t the scariest or strongest guy around, so he figures that with Bokuto’s large build and even larger voice would provide extra security.

The first time the two walk you home, Bokuto’s talking a mile a minute about how cool his class’s haunted house is coming out and making every effort to invite both you and Akaashi to check it out. Akaashi only comments about how he’ll be busy with his own class, even though you know well that he has free time in the afternoon. You stifle a giggle and nod, encouraging Bokuto to continue and hyping him up out of kindness.

It bothers Akaashi more than he thinks it would, and he almost feels silly for feeling so sour whenever Bokuto had your attention. It’s becoming a more and more frequent thing, he realizes that night. Even during practices, he preferred it when you were talking to just him rather than the other players, and it makes him disgusted with himself for being so selfish. He’s typically not the type of person to tape his fingers, but whenever you walk toward him and offer to help with tape in hand, he never turns you down.

There’s just something about the way your hand radiates a comforting warmth. When your fingers brush against his digits, carefully wrapping the white material around his damaged fingers, he finds it too quick, almost to the point of teasing. There are days where you’ll be so focused on the bandaging that you don’t notice the fondness in his eyes, scanning over your figure and wishing that your fingers would just intertwine with his. Akaashi wants something permanent, something longer than just brief encounters, and he secretly wishes that you’d give him all your attention.

But of course, he can’t say that to you. He find his wishes ugly. You’re Fukorodani’s manager, not his, and it was wrong of him to think otherwise. Still, he can’t help but feel a little bit bothered whenever Bokuto leaned a little too close to you whenever he spoke, shaking your shoulders or patting you on the back out of enthusiasm. Akaashi figures that he wouldn’t be bothered if you weren’t bothered, but it eats away at him when he doesn’t see you rejecting any of Bokuto’s energy.

“Let’s go,” Akaashi says to you one night. You look at him, tilting your head.

“But what about Bokuto?”

“Coach wanted to talk to him,” Akaashi informs before turning toward the door. He makes a motion, so you shrug and follow. The coach part isn’t a lie, but Akaashi leaves out the part about Bokuto nudging him in the ribs and telling him to spend some “quality alone-time” with you, since it’s too embarrassing.

The two of you walk home with you chatting about the day and how busy it is. Akaashi listens to your lovely voice, and he thinks it’s the most beautiful thing sound there is; it’s a stark contrast to Bokuto’s yelling, and he swears that he could listen to you talk about anything and still be emotionally invested. That being said, he’s not exactly paying that much attention, because as you continue rambling about how making the costumes for your class play is just too difficult, Akaashi becomes increasingly aware of the space between the two of you. Or rather, the lack thereof.

He estimates a few centimeters. Maybe three or four. He’s not sure, but he’s so tempted to reach for the same fingers that had danced around his countless of times during practice. He wants to feel your hand in his, and instinctively, he moves his hand closer to yours. He wonders if you’ve noticed too, if you’re just as aware of him, as he was of you. Maybe then, he’d feel more confident about his feelings.

Akaashi’s no fool. He knows that he’s in too deep when it came to you, but he also knows that those feelings were already there long before autumn started. Even during the summer, he’s curious to know if you noticed how he was sweating bullets when he entered your well-cooled room, or if you saw how often he found himself looking for you during the training camp. He wants to know if he catches your eye in any sort of way, and he needs the reassurance that in some sort of miraculous way, he makes a stronger impression on you than Bokuto does.

Autumn is when the leaves begin to wither and die, much like Akaashi’s self-confidence. He retracts his hand.

iv.

Winter is when the first snow falls.

Akaashi’s still walking you home, much to your pleasure, and although you’re not entirely sure why Bokuto has to stay after to see the coach so often now, you can’t really complain. It’s a little mean, and you do like Bokuto platonically, but you’re grateful for every second alone that you spend with Akaashi. You’re even more delighted when he becomes more involved with your conversations, speaking more and more. It’s like he finally opened up to you, and you’re ecstatic that you’ve become his confidant.

“It’s getting colder and colder, huh?” you say, bracing yourself as a particularly strong gust of wind blows. You grasp at the hood of your jacket to keep it from blowing off, but you’re still freezing nonetheless.

“Should we stop for hot tea?” Akaashi asks, frowning. “The convenience store is just around the corner.”

“Last one there has to treat!” you declare and break into a dash for the store. He follows behind, jogging rather slowly. You knew that in any circumstance, even if given a thirty minute handicap, Akaashi would probably be able to outrun you, so you know that he’s letting you win when he isn’t instantly right past you.

“I guess I’m treating,” he says, walking toward you when you reach the destination, and you roll your eyes. “Not happy?”

“You didn’t have to let me win, you know?” you chuckle as he opens the door for you. “I can well afford two teas instead of one.”

“But I wanted to treat you,” he answers simply. He grabs two bottles of lukewarm tea, his preferred brand and your favorite brand that he has committed to memory.

Even with the tea in your hand, you still find yourself freezing again the moment you step outside the shop. You try to hide it, but your shiver gives you away, and Akaashi is immediately back to frowning.

“We should get you home quickly,” he decides, picking up his pace. Now it’s your turn to frown; it’d only get colder from here, and if that meant rushed walks every night, you’re devastated that your time with Akaashi would be shortened. It’s silly, and you know that you should put your health first, but you wish that there could be another way. You lag a few steps behind him, hoping that he’d notice, and of course, he does.

He takes a peek behind his shoulder, and while still frowning, matches your pace. The two of you walk in the same comfortable silence that you’ve enjoyed for the past months, and you aren’t thinking about anything particular until you feel something warm against your hand that isn’t the tea. You almost stop breathing but choose to keep quiet as Akaashi’s hand maneuvers itself slowly around yours. He’s painfully deliberate about the entire thing, hesitating at each action and stopping every so often as if fighting with himself. Gently, he rests his finger in between yours, and the grip is so loose that you think your hand might slip out. He braces himself for you to fling your hand away, but when you don’t and instead look at him in shock and confusion, he’s out of words for a proper explanation.

“I thought your hands looked cold,” is the best he can manage, because even if you asked him what he thought he was doing, he doesn’t have a good answer. He’s not thinking straight; if he was, he would’ve asked for permission. “Sorry-“

“Yeah, they are,” you answer quietly, looking at the pavement and coming to a full stop. “Thanks.”

When Akaashi feels your fingers wrap around his hand, he almost thanks the weather for being the way it is, so that he can blame his reddening face on the cold. He gives you a light squeeze, which you return along with a smile from ear to ear and a flush just as severe as his. He feels a little dumb now for being jealous over Boktuo.

“Now we can walk slower, right?” you ask, looking shyly toward him, but are dismayed when he shakes his head.

“We still have to get you home, so you won’t catch a cold.” Always ever so responsible. “But I wouldn’t mind giving you a call after.”

“A really long call?”

“Yeah,” is all he says, smiling too. He’s not sure if he can put what love feels like into proper words, but he supposes that it’d be similar to the feeling of your hand wrapped around his, swinging happily as the two of you walk under the light snowfall.

Winter is cold, really cold, but you’ve found the perfect person to keep you warm.

#haikyuu #haikyuu x reader #haikyuu!!#akaashi #akaashi keiji #keiji akaashi #akaashi x reader #akaashi keiji x reader #keiji akaashi x reader #akaashi suffering #reader insert

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anonymocha · 22 days

Text

src: Composing Spring in This Room Where Cherry Blossoms Bloom / 春綴る、桜咲くこの部屋で

#watch me melt real quick #yuri #mangacap #Composing Spring in This Room Where Cherry Blossoms Bloom #AGHHHH YURI 😭

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fmdminaharchive · 3 years

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❧ you’re like spring.

date(s): february-march 2021 mentions of: daisuke (briefly for happening reasons), jiah (extensively for gay reasons) word count: 1,712 (475 words composition, 748 words songwriting without the lyrics) warnings: none details: partial composition and full lyric verification for ‘the spring’. minah makes music again, it’s more of the same yet different. she’s also grossly in love, though she’s well aware there has been a time she wasn’t. also little extra bits of the whole Process because i can and they’re cute

“how about another spring song?” the creative director suggests and minah is quick to agree.

sure, she has some thoughts on that statement. the expected release date they gave her is late may, pushing near the end of spring but she can’t say she’s surprised. sure, these songs usually do best around early to mid april, when spring is fresh and the temperatures are slowly creeping up together with the bloom of flowers but she wagers that either bc doesn’t give her solo comeback enough priority over whatever else is planned earlier in the year or they’re aiming to recreate the same effect ‘hopefully sky’ had.

it’s kind of ironic, minah thinks, the implied image of a late bloomer bc throws in her lap.

she doesn’t mind it, it kind of suits her in ways.

➽───────────────❥

being informed that she will be working with the same producer she worked on for ‘hopefully sky’ and ‘being there’ only further confirms minah’s suspicions, they’re fully intending to let her stick to her niche. it’s not a bad thing persé, she likes her music, she likes the producer, the whole process will undoubtedly be a delight. but paired with the fact she had been purposely left out of writing for her debut album last fall, minah can’t help but feel bc doesn’t yet trust her quite enough. not enough to write on something important as an album, not enough to write on something she hasn’t done before.

which just means she has to prove herself.

when minah shows up for their first studio session, she shows up prepared, reaching for the acoustic guitar kept in one of the corners of the room

one eyebrow of the producer quirks up. “were you asked to compose it yourself? i thought i was, that’s why i prepared some things-”

minah just shakes her head, smiling serenely. “i wasn’t. but i have something i want to let you hear regardless.”

the guitar parts aren’t all that much, no bells or whistles. but minah likes to think that’s their charm. her instrumentals never are too flashy, not taking the foreground but instead serving as a gentle, guiding hand. the strums and chords are meant to be a base, to frame and support her voice rather than to be the main attraction.

the simple melody reminds her a lot of her busking days back in busan. sure, for the most parts she played and sang popular songs, ones that would be recognized by passersby and hopefully bring a smile to her face. but when things were slower, wen there weren’t as many people around, minah could spend stretches and stretches of time playing around with chords, improvising their structure as she went, their gentle hum to fill the silence until people came by again. it was a comforting sound, a comforting feeling.

of course, this time it’s not mere improvising, not tangent of chords that escape her memory the moment they fade out into the air around them but it still feels that way as she plays the song for the producer, a light-hearted, warm feeling teaching from her fingertips to her chest.

when she finishes the song, minah puts the guitar beside her again, looking expectantly at the producer. “it’s not a full song-” she starts, sentence trailing off, searching for some sign of approval or dismissal, whatever comes first, whatever will tell her if she was right to go out on a limb.

“it’s not.” the producer agrees with a nod. “but it could be.” another beat of silence. “it will be when i turn it into one.”

the excited squeal that escapes minah is one of victory.

➽───────────────❥

“you know, i already wrote lyrics to go with it too.” minah brings up a little while later, by now both of them with a cup of coffee in their hands, having spent the last hour or so properly writing down the guitar part she had played earlier and fiddling with ideas how to expand on it.

“well why didn’t you say so earlier, go ahead, i’m listening.”

so minah quickly pulls out the piece of paper the lyrics are written down on. they’re her words, she has sung them a few times but she doesn’t feel confident enough in her memory to do it entirely by heart just yet.

she picks the guitar up again from where she had left it, leaning against the side of the table, placing her fingers against the fingerboard and strumming the strings, playing the same chords she had played before but this time accompanied by her voice.

i think spring is coming again almost sick of the cherry blossoms once again, i face a lonely season as the wind blows

in terms of sound, the song sounds as warm and comforting as it’s spiritual predecessors ‘hopefully sky’ and ‘being there’ had, the sweet, family-girl charm minah had initially wrapped the general public around her finger with. lyrically, however, the tone is a bit more somber, lonely and longing for the happiness her surroundings seem to have found. it puts it smack in the middle of both her self-written songs from last summer and the tone of her first album and her portal collab with daisuke from last winter. a pretty clever way to bring together the two sides of her sound she has released so far if she says so herself.

that flower is so pretty, it makes me lonely that couple is smiling so brightly making me so sad why is it so beautiful? why am i jealous? everything’s spring spring spring but me

of course, the lyrics are hardly relevant for minah in the moment. she is entering her second spring together with jiah, their relationship having started roughly a year ago, when spring was creeping up on them much like it is now.

but feelings didn’t need to be lived to write about them right, to be able to convey them all the same. minah’s entire ‘epilogue’ had been drenched in the sorrow of heartbreak while she was on cloud nine. much the same applied to this song, there is none of the longing for a spring romance, not when she has all of that right in the palm of her hands already, not when she gets to wake up stroking the messy strands of hair out of jiah’s face and kiss the tip of her nose.

you’re spring, spring spring spring you, where did you go? you’re spring, spring spring spring the spring wind is blowing

minah gets it, she really does, why spring is generally seen as a romantic season, the slow bloom of the world stirring awake after the winter. cherry blossoms showers during walks in the parks, couples huddled together due to the last remnants of cold wind. spring is romantic in it’s very existence. it’s soft, it’s comforting, a gentle welcome after the slumber of winter.

and because of that, jiah is spring too. the pink hues of her flushed cheeks and the radiance of her smile, the tingling sparks of heat left across minah’s skin. she’s warm without ever being overwhelming, like the slowly rising temperatures giving the flowers time to adjust and bloom.

i’m dreaming of a fun love will my sweet love ever come? after another lonely day the wind blows

it hasn’t always been like that though, minah has been familiar enough with the bittersweetness of cherry blossoms. she’s a notorious workaholic after all. for as long as she can remember, she’s always been busy with something, be it her career or her family. it had left ample time for epic romances when she had been far too all over the place to open up her heart and whatever sparks did fly quickly fizzled solely due to the fact minah didn’t have the capacity to nurse a budding romance among everything.

so it isn’t like she doesn’t understand, it wasn’t like she has never kicked the ground scoffing watching the loved-up couples in springtime. minah knows the feeling all too well. so she knows how cathartic songs like this can be. sometimes you just need to be bitter for a bit before carrying on with life.

when the warm spring wind brushes my cheeks will spring come into my frozen heart as well? is it love?

minah has found her own love in the spring, only just a year ago, after watching the seasons slip by so often without much romance of her own.

so minah hopes. she hopes that anyone who will relate to the song hearing it now will find their own spring love eventually. maybe not this season but possibly next, or the one after that.

even if not for many more springs, with every passing year, they’ll be one spring closer to that, and isn’t that enough reason to keep waiting?

➽───────────────❥

a few weeks pass after that, minah doesn’t really keep track of the time where is so much she’s doing anyway but sooner or later, she finds the same producer waiting for her after she leaves vocal practice for lipstick’s upcoming comeback.

“c’mon, i need to steal you away for a second, there is something i want you to listen to.” he explains briefly and minah is quick to follow the familiar path to one of bc’s in-house recording studios.

of course, she knows this is about her solo comeback. she however doesn’t know if her draft got the bc stamp of approval. she might just as well be faced with an entirely different song.

as she takes a seat in one of the office chairs, the producer pulling up a file on his computer gracefully named ‘the spring’ minah feels pretty sure of her case though.

“i finished your song.” he simply says before pressing play.

it’s her song indeed, both of those parts are true. it’s hers, the familiar guitar strums in the background and a demo of her lyrics on top of it. it’s also a song, a full song this time, the blanks that were still missing from her rough draft filled in.

minah really likes it.

when the song comes to an end, she turns to the producer and smiles. “i like the accordion.” she laughs. “it’s a nice touch.”

#fmdverification #*:･ﾟ♔– «am i the only one who remembers» // solos.#«the spring // era.»

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vs-redemption · 4 years

Text

The Ball (Historical AU)

Teen!Keigo Takami x Teen!Toya Todoroki

Summary: Set in the 18th century, Keigo goes to his first ball after finally turning sixteen. His family has groomed to be the perfect gentleman, but everything about his upbringing is challenged once he meets an interesting boy named Toya Todoroki.

Word Count: 2,639

Warnings: None

It was the beginning of spring and the cherry trees around the Takami estate were beginning to come back to life after surviving the harsh cold of winter. The tiny buds growing from the formally barren branches would soon bloom into thousands of tiny white blossoms, making the trees look like big fluffy pink clouds. Keigo strolled along the edge of the lake on the property, reminiscing about his childhood when he used to run through the trees and pretend that he was a bird that had taken flight for the first time. Even just imagining that kind of freedom back then had brought joy for the boy who had been cooped up in his family’s manor his entire life.

Keigo’s parents were quite strict and had chosen to keep him close so that they could monitor his education and behavior. They had even hired a private teacher to instruct him in all the necessary subjects as well as proper etiquette for someone of his social standing. The boy had excelled in all his studies, working diligently to prove that he could be trusted if only his parents would relinquish just a bit of their control. Nothing he did ever seemed to be enough however, so he spent his days longing for friendship and adventure.

Things would be a little different this year though. Keigo had celebrated his sixteenth birthday just a few months prior which meant he was now eligible for marriage. His parents had discussed in length over whether or not he was ready to make his debut into high-born society and surmised that even if he wasn’t, continuing to keep him out of the public eye now would just make him look less appealing as a suitor. So, for the first time ever, Keigo had the promise of a chance to finally see the world outside his family’s estate. All he had to do was be on his best behavior and wait patiently for the invitation to the next ball to be delivered. Mercifully, he didn’t need to wait much longer as the unmistakable sound of a horse coming up the road towards the house met his ears.

Two weeks later, Keigo found himself standing in front of a floor length mirror as one of the servants helped dress him in the brand new set of formal clothing his parents had purchased just for the occasion. He couldn’t stop himself from fidgeting with the ends of his jacket and the buttons of his waistcoat as the servant began to tame his wild sandy blonde hair with a comb.

“Are you nervous?” she asks kindly and Keigo shakes his head.

“Excited,” he corrects her. As far as he was concerned, there was nothing to be nervous about. He’d studied the names of all the families attending the ball and had been practicing all the most popular dances since he was old enough to walk. He’d memorized all the proper greetings and knew the appropriate times to stand, sit, speak, or remain quiet. He was ready for this.

“Well you shouldn’t move around so much,” she swats his hands away from his collar so he’d stop messing with it. “Ladies prefer a gentleman that is poised.” Keigo scrunches up his face and earns himself a whap on the head. “Ladies also prefer a gentleman that doesn’t make silly faces.”

Keigo wanted to point out that ladies didn’t sound very fun at all, but knew the comment would not be appreciated. He understood what was expected of him and planned to make a great first impression on all the new people he would meet that day. He didn’t have any particularly strong feelings about marriage, but he knew it was one of the duties he had to uphold for his family. He tried to keep that in mind despite being most excited just to see anything other than the same scenery he’d always been surrounded by.

He drew on every ounce of self-control he possessed to keep composed after he finally climbed into the carriage with his parents. The driver called out to the horses and they lurched forward. Keigo fought the urge to press his face to the window as the dull familiarity of his estate gave way to brand new views of landscapes and buildings he’d never seen before. It was impossible to keep the wonder out of his wide golden eyes as they made it into town where the streets were alive with people meandering from shop to shop. He saw young children skipping around together as their parents stopped to converse with friends and neighbors. Keigo envied the young ones who would never truly understand the feelings of boredom and loneliness. The buildings thinned out and the carriage rolled into a less populated area with large beautiful brick houses surrounded by various styles of gardens. He wasn’t sure if he was relieved or disappointed when they finally turned onto a long driveway that would take him to their destination.

As the massive home came into view, it became blaringly obvious that the family hosting the ball was more than a touch richer than the Takami family. Up close, the colossal manor seemed more like a castle to Keigo and he openly marveled at the gorgeous fountain decorating the center of the impressive roundabout driveway. If this was just the outside, he could scarcely imagine what the inside would be like. Once the carriage came to a complete stop, a servant opened the door and greeted them formally.

“I hope you had an easy journey,” he bows and helps each member of the Takami family out of the carriage. “Welcome to the Todoroki estate.” The family is ushered inside so that the next guests could be received. Keigo follows his parents into the building since they seemed to know their way around well enough.

Walking into the ballroom felt like entering into a whole other world. It was larger than any of the rooms in the Takami manor and was filled with more people than Keigo had ever seen. There was so much to look at that it was a bit overwhelming for him. His eyes tried to take it all in as they moved over the multitude of colors and fashions of clothing and jewelry, not to mention the people themselves. The first few minutes were a blur of introductions and Keigo was thankful that most of these people had been described to him beforehand since it would be impossible to remember them all otherwise. Finally, it was time to meet the host himself, Enji Todoroki, along with his wife and four children. It was rather intimidating to meet such a powerful family, but years of meticulous training helped Keigo stay calm and polite. Once the adults were deep in conversation, he found himself the center of attention for the Todoroki siblings.

“It’s so lovely to finally meet you, Keigo. My name is Fuyumi.” The only sister gives a small curtesy and Keigo bows politely back. He didn’t want to startle anyone with his excitement even though he was delighted to meet other people his own age.

“Likewise,” he takes her hand gently for a moment before stepping back. “I like your dress. The color compliments the red in your hair.” Fuyumi flushes a bit but the moment is ruined by a loud scoff from the oldest brother.

“Oh, what a gentleman!” he exclaims sarcastically with a look of bored amusement on his face. He claps his hands together twice before slumping his shoulders and rolling his lazy blue eyes. “Please tell me you’re not planning on using those tiresome lines all evening. If you want to marry my sister, just say it plainly and spare us all.”

“Toya!” Fuyumi looks at her brother in horror. It had been a long time since Keigo had the misfortune of being embarrassed, so the sensation of warmth spreading into his face felt a bit foreign.

“I apologize if my words were misinterpreted,” he tries to recover. “I only meant that…”

“Oh,” Toya interrupts with a frown. “So you don’t think she’s worthy of your affections then?” Keigo tried to keep the stress of the situation off his face but he had no clue just what to do. He had thought he could navigate his way through any situation. Apparently he’d overestimated himself. The second oldest brother lets out a laugh but tries to cover it as a cough causing Toya to smirk. Keigo felt humiliated and wondered if he’d be forced to leave. If that happened, surely his parents would never let him out again.

“Leave him be, both of you!” Fuyumi reprimands her brothers as quietly as possible before looking back at Keigo, her expression softening. “This is your first ball, correct?” He nods once and Fuyumi smiles. “Well rest assured you’re conducting yourself far better than my brothers here. I envy the girl who gets to be your first dance.” Keigo glances nervously over at Toya.

“What are you looking over here for? It’s blatant she wants you to ask her,” He comments flatly before suddenly standing up straight and putting a hand to his chest. There was a strange glint in his eyes as he grinned and leaned forward. “Or were you thinking of dancing with me instead?” The mere suggestion startles Keigo and he falters for a response.

“Toya!” Fuyumi hisses again while glancing nervously at their father who had turned around to check on them. “What will Keigo think of us after a question like that?”

“I hope things are going well over here,” Enji’s fierce blue eyes scanned over each of his children in an almost threatening way. Fuyumi and the two younger brothers corrected their posture under the gaze of their father, but Toya continued to slouch defiantly. It was peculiar that he acted so differently than his family members when he was the one who resembled the father closest with his deep red hair and icy blue stare.

“Things could not be any better, father!” He declares almost obnoxiously, “Keigo here was just about to beg my sister for the first dance.”

“Oh, how lovely!” Keigo’s mother seemed delighted.

“Yes that’s fine, Toya, but you’d do well to mind your theatrics.” The senior Todoroki’s voice comes out low and menacing, and Keigo catches him grab Toya’s wrist quickly and give it a sharp squeeze. Toya winches and pulls his arm away.

“I’d be honored if you allowed me the first dance,” Keigo bows to Fuyumi, hoping to direct the conversation away from Enji’s anger toward Toya. Fuyumi curtsies back and accepts the offer. Enji signals the pianist and an announcement is made for guests to begin partnering up. Keigo walks with Fuyumi to find a place amongst the other couples and soon the song begins. Even with all the hours of practice, he still felt a dash of nerves. Thankfully, Fuyumi was confident in her steps and made it easy for him to lead the dance. Once the first song had ended, she introduces him to one of her friends to share the next dance. Before he knew it, he had danced with nearly every young lady in the room. Before the exhaustion forced him to reject some poor girl, someone else grabbed him by the arm and pulled him from the dance floor and off to the side of the room.

“You know you’re allowed to take a break, right?” Keigo takes a second to get his bearings, then discovers that he’d been dragged away by Toya Todoroki. He glances over at his parents who either hadn’t noticed or didn’t care that he was no longer dancing.

“I didn’t want to offend anyone,” he admits. “There are so many people.”

“Don’t let the attention go to your head,” Toya frowns while leaning casually against the wall with his hands crossed over his chest. “It’s simply because you’re a new face and everyone wants to know why you were kept locked up until now.”

“Oh,” Keigo just wanted to fit in as a normal guest, not double as a sideshow for everyone else’s amusement.

“Hey,” Toya suddenly leans in closer, catching Keigo off guard once again with his piercing blue eyes looking directly into his. “Don’t look so upset. People are attracted to the unknown,” Toya grins while patting Keigo once on the cheek, “and you’re a mystery.” There was no time to understand the boy’s meaning because Toya quickly retreats back to the wall.

“So,” he slides effortlessly into a new conversation while Keigo continued to wrap his head around what had just happened. Toya waves his arm garishly around the room, “which of the girls do you think is the prettiest?”

“I think they’re all pretty,” Keigo replies honestly. Toya rolls his eyes.

“Yes,” he agrees shortly, “they are. They’re all pretty, talented, intelligent, fashionable and every other thing you’d expect them to be. But which of them do you want to marry?” Keigo knew he should probably stop being surprised at Toya asking such questions so abruptly. He didn’t have the faintest idea how to reply, however.

“Do you really expect me to have an answer already?” He ask, “This is the first time I’ve met any of them.” Something akin to victory appears in Toya’s eyes.

“They say dancing is the first step to falling in love,” his voice was teasing now. “You’ve been out on the floor all evening, so it stands to reason you must have felt a certain connection with at least one of them.” Keigo couldn’t help but worry if what Toya was saying had even the tiniest bit of truth to it because not a single one of his dance partners had stood out from the rest. They had all been equally pleasant.

“Is there something wrong with me?” Keigo looks to Toya with uncertainty. Perhaps he shouldn’t have voiced his concerns out loud, but there was something about the eldest Todoroki sibling that consistently made Keigo feel vulnerable anyway. Toya lets out a sarcastic laugh.

“For being unwilling to trade one cage for another?” he asks in amusement. “I dare say the problem is with everyone else, not you.” There was a brief pause, and then Toya moves back into Keigo’s personal space one more time.

“You know my life used to be so dull,” he smirks. “But I don’t think it needs to be anymore. You and I seem to be kindred spirits, so I think that we should be friends.” Keigo agrees right away, though deep down he knew some might frown upon the relationship. Toya challenged everything he’d ever been brought up to believe, but that very fact alone gave him the same sensation of freedom he used to get while running through the cherry trees back home.

The ball slowly began to wind down and Keigo’s parents finally came to find him so that they could begin the journey home. They’d already called for the carriage, but Keigo made sure to find the host and the other Todoroki siblings to thank them for the invitation before departing. On the ride home, he pondered over the discussion he’d had with Toya. Perhaps he wasn’t interested in marrying any of the girls he’d become acquainted with because he already knew exactly what sort of life to expect from them. People were attracted to the unknown, and Toya was definitely a type of person he’d never encountered before. The anticipation of seeing the boy again was almost too much for Keigo and he wondered just how soon they’d be able to meet again. He’d spent sixteen years being locked up in the Takami estate, and now he had found someone that made him feel as if he could grow wings and take flight for the very first time.

#Hawks #Keigo Takami #Toya Todoroki #Touya Todoroki #Hawks x Touya #boku no hero academia #my hero academia #bnha #mha #Cindy's Writing

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selenecrawford · 5 years

Text

Sengoku: Peace under the Cherry Blossom Tree

Warnings: None is fluff pure fluff

The chores were done for today as well as the lessons. Ieyasu decided to cut them short to give Aki some time to provide her some free time to rest. It was the beginning of the spring in Azuchi. Which meant the cherry blossom trees were in full bloom. Aki was marveled at the change of scenery. Instead of going back to her room to take a nap she decided to take a stroll to the gardens to see some of the cherry blossom petals fly around. During her lessons with Lord Mitsurani she learn of the tradition of watching the trees during spring. It was a relaxing activity. While walking Aki started to remember today marked the day she arrived to this land known as Japan.

She was barely alive when she arrived to the castle. The time with the slave traders, the lack of food, abuse, beatings, giving a head shake she stopped her trail of thought. If she broke down on the middle of the hall someone could see her. She made a solemn promised not to cry again. Taking a deep breath she closed her eyes taking in the different aromas of the garden. A tug on her hakama alert her that she had company. A tiger cub was around her cuddling and growling softly.

“Shogetsu? What are you doing around here alone?” taking the tiger on her arms he licked her face.

With a giggle she caressed him letting it back on the ground. The tiger kept following until both found the perfect place to rest under a big cherry blossom tree. The soft breeze blowing with cherry blossom petals was soothing. Shogetsu lay on the ground next to you. Looking around, Aki had a bitter sweet smile. Her homeland was far so far away, although she was safe now. She started caressing the tiger until it fell asleep, she also fell asleep next to Shogetsu.

Masamune had look around the whole castle with no sign of Shogetsu.

“Damm you kit where are you?” after looking all the castle Masamune decided to search the garden.

He wanted to ask Aki for a stroll at the gardens since the last time she asked about the cherry blossom watch she didnt know about the garden. Aki arrived six months ago to the castle after almost dying saving Nobunaga from a riot. He was in his home at Osu when it happened. He returned to Azuchi after three months to meet the most beautifil woman he had ever encounter. But Aki as she was presented to him was also a strange woman. Whenever they both were near Masamune felt a tug on his heart watching at her emerald green eyes devoid of shine and happiness. Since his arrival she had managed to avoid him. Also she had never seen her smiled not only once. Masamune lost the count of the times Hideyoshi had lectured him about bothering Aki. Hideyoshi was on protective mode. He told him so may things about Aki and yet Masamune felt there were more. He knew Aki was not her real name. He tried to know it but she refused to adress him no lowered than Lord Masamune. With the other she was on first name no titles, but if he pushed he was then Lord Date.

Masamune had to change tactics be slower and more patient which was intriguing him. She was a hard one to win over. Halfway thru the garden he found Shogetsu and Aki. The breeze was perfect the shade under the tree was protective of the sun rays. Both were deep asleep with Aki resting on Shogetsu. He face was totally relaxed with a small smile. Masamune's eyes gotten wide at that small view of her adorable face. Trying not to wake them up he settle next to her, suddenly Aki moved changing her position. No she move next to Masamune laying on his chest and resting her head on his shoulder. Masamune then moved her slowly to be between his legs resting against his chest. A sigh of content left her lips. She whispered something in a strange language but he couldn't understand. He kissed her head, feeling happy while his heart leap a bit. She felt fragile almost like a delicate piece of porcelain. He didn't care if she slap him when she wakes up. Masamune embraced Aki keeping her protected from the breeze.

Aki felt she was floating until she felt she was being embraced. The arms felt strong and warmth. Instead of complaining she moved to get more comfortable. A sighs of content escaped her with a soft whisper left her lips “My dragon”. Aki then resume her sleep feeling happy rubbing her cheek on the soft pillow. Aki woke up one hour later. Slowly opening her eyes, she found herself on Masamune's arms. Instead of feeling fear a sense of security was felt. His heart was beating against her. Carefully she rise her eyes to see Masamune was sleeping. She took her time to study his face, a smile was on it. She wondered what could had made him happy. Feeling lazy she the lowered her head and closed her once again. She didnt notice Masamune's smile after she lowered her face. For him it was small victory. She was giving a new step toward him and what good. He just needed to wait. Kissing the top of her softly Masamune rest his left cheek on top of her head closing his eyes and smiling looking forward to see what this woman will do next.

To be continued....

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Hello Thank you for reading the story. It’s been a while since I posted one. I’m currently working on finish chapter 18 of The Odd pair, but in a moment I forgot to save the date and I lost it. While I compose the chapter again I got another idea. I got inspired by Author Gabriel Garcia Marquez. He is a famous writer that won nobel price for his writings. One of his books is called Chronicle of a Death Foretold is a novella published in 1981. The most distinctive aspect of this novel is that there is no order of chapter. This is not your typical book. The best way I can describe it is that Mr. Marquez wrote the book then threw the manuscript to the air and then collected the chapter without knowing in which order he collected them. The novel is a crime story, one that combine with this element made it a great book. If you haven’t read it check it out. I got inspired to write the Sengoku story for Selene Crawford my OC. I wanted to do something different also with the character so if you are up to the challenge welcome to Sengoku. I hope you enjoy it. And thank you for your support ^^

#ikesen #ikesen fanfic #ikesen masamune #fanfic

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