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samasmith23 · 2 months

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How Goro Akechi effectively serves as a dark foil to the Phantom Thieves' brand of rehabilitative justice

So... I understand that Goro Akechi is a pretty divisive character within the Persona 5 fanbase (especially his pre-Royal incarnation), but I have to admit, I honestly found his backstory and role as a sinister foil to Joker and the Phantom Thieves to be legitimately intriguing.

I loved how during the palace mission on the cognitive yacht of the corrupt ultra-nationalist politician, Masayoshi Shido, it is revealed that Akechi is not only the true culprit behind the mysterious wave of mental shutdowns & psychotic breakdowns that have occurred throughout the background of the entire game (including the deaths of both Futaba’s mother, Wakaba Isshiki, and Haru’s father, Kunikazu Okumura) but that he is actually Shido's illegitimate child!

Essentially, Akechi was the product of a dubious affair between Shido and a sex worker whom the former later discarded when he discovered that she was pregnant, driving her to depression and suicide shortly after Akechi's birth. Akechi spent his entire childhood being passed around as a “problem child” between various foster homes (highlighting Japan’s problems with how the country treats its orphaned children) before later being granted the power of the "wildcard" persona as well as knowledge of the Meta-Verse by the false god of control, Yaldabaoth.

While Akechi was a societal outcast similar to the members of the Phantom Thieves, he took the wrong message from his experiences. Akechi misguidedly believes that the only way to truly oppose the status quo that looked down upon him is to not only become a part of it (i.e. caring only about his good grades & celebrity status) but to destroy everything that he hates by reducing himself to Shido's right-hand assassin in the Meta-Verse, perpetuating mental shutdowns & psychotic breakdowns to Shido’s political enemies simply to get some semblance of recognition & validation from his abusive father before exacting revenge on him (whilst exploiting his "ace-detective" celebrity status to "solve" the crimes that he himself committed).

Essentially, once Shido finally became prime minister Akechi planned to whisper the truth about being the former’s illegitimate child, telling Shido that he was only able to get where he was due to the son he abandoned and labeled as a potential “political scandal” before murdering him.

Despite Akechi and the Phantom Thieves' mutual dislike of Shido however, Akechi is so fixated on vengeance that he does not care about the innocent lives he ruins and destroys in the crossfire to satisfy his own personal bloodlust. Instead of legitimately trying to reform society like the Phantom Thieves do, Akechi becomes a pawn of the very same systemic corruption that was responsible for his initial suffering. Akechi cares only about his own hatred & jealousy instead of empathizing with others who were also victimized by society’s ills. That is why when Joker has his rematch with Akechi on Shido's Yacht in the meta-verse, the two are visually juxtaposed between Joker standing strong alongside his teammates & friends, while Akechi remains alone, confused & angry. While there is a part of Akechi that regrets his horrible actions and even recognizes the potential for him & Joker to be friends due to their similar backgrounds, he's too far gone into his obsessive vendetta against Shido that he refuses to turn back and now desires to kill the Phantom Thieves in a misguided attempt to ease his internal conflict.

During the boss fight with Akechi in Shido's Palace, the detective prince repeatedly dismisses the Phantom Thieves' efforts to appeal to his common senses, believing that concepts like friendship and teamwork are foolish "cliched bullish*t... in this eat or be eaten world." While this attitude of Akechi's might seem unrealistically cartoonish on the surface, it actually makes sense when considering his background of being unfairly labeled as a "throw-away child" by Japan's foster care institutions. YouTuber LadyVirgilia goes into far greater detail about this in her excellent The Truth About Goro Akechi analysis video. There, she states that an overwhelming number of Japanese orphans are incapable of being legally adopted due to impoverished parents voluntarily relinquishing them from their care while still maintaining legal guardianship over them. Additionally, LadyVirgilia discusses how violent hierarchical power structures often form among the children within these foster homes, with younger orphans sadly being subject to bullying & abuse by their older peers.

While these facts are not explicitly stated about Akechi's backstory within P5 Royal itself, they can easily be heavily inferred due to the game's heavy emphasis on exploring themes related to Japanese sociocultural issues. The institutional failings of Japan's foster care system (combined with Shido's abandonment of his son while he was still in the womb), ultimately contributed to the development of Akechi's warped perception of the rest of the world. Due to being dismissed as a "throw-away child" and being forced to grow up in an institution that is unfortunately subject to high rates of systemic abuse & neglect, Akechi spent his entire life feeling unwanted & loved. Ideals such as friendship & companionship became foreign and unrealistic concepts to him due to having experienced nothing but society's cold & uncaring apathy. Consequently, Akechi became deeply jealous & hateful toward the rest of the world, misguidedly compelling him to want to prove his superiority over the rest of society by manufacturing his status as "the celebrity ace-detective and honors student who ultimately brought down Shido." But when Akechi encounters the Phantom Thieves and befriends their leader Joker, he begins to experience his first genuine bond of companionship. While Akechi maintains a legitimate appreciation toward Joker, he is simultaneously confused & unable to fully process these newfound feelings, becoming envious of Joker's ability to rise above his similar status as a societal outcast to befriend & protect others like himself. Consequently, Akechi projects his own failings & inability to legitimately rise above his tragic upbringing beyond his false celebrity status onto Joker & the Phantom Thieves, cruely dismissing them as "the trash of society" and blaming them for interfering with his revenge plot against Shido.

This empty & hollow existence that Akechi chooses to live is further reflected by the sole two personas that he utilizes during his boss fight: Robin Hood, who represents Akechi's false celebrity & law-abiding gentleman facade, and Loki, who embodies Akechi’s true personality as a deceitful trickster & psychotic murderer.

I personally couldn’t help but find all of these elements to be rather interesting & insightful about Akechi’s role as an antagonist/rival to the Phantom Thieves. It honestly highlights the tragic nature of Akechi's situation, since while he had the potential to utilize his deductive knowledge & skills as a "wildcard" Persona-user similar to Joker, he instead allowed himself to be consumed by his own hatred & madness. In contrast, while Joker was also abused by Shido by being wrongfully sued for “assault” when he tried to stop Shido from sexually harassing a random woman, Joker now fights against the systems of authority that criminals like Shido represent to prevent similar abuses of power from ever occurring again to others. Additionally, we also see dualistic parallels between Akechi and Joker's fellow Phantom Thief/potential-romantic partner, Makoto Nijima, since she too similarly previously fell prey to the misconception that “good grades and following orders are all that truly matters to be a worthwhile member of society.” However, Makoto, now utilizes her study skills to help the downtrodden & oppressed instead of for either her own benefit or because it’s what society expects from her, whereas Akechi exploits his false celebrity detective status to further his self-centered vendetta, innocent lives be damned.

In essence, if the Phantom Thieves embody the potential benefits of rehabilitative justice then Goro Akechi embodies the dangers of retributive justice (aka, revenge). To reference two of my favorite movies, Batman Begins and Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi, not only is there a strong difference between justice and revenge (one is about altruistic harmony whereas the other is about personal satisfaction), but the most surefire way to victory is by fighting to protect what you love rather than fighting to destroy what you hate...

The distinction between justice & revenge is made abundantly clear at the end of Akechi's storyline in the baseline game (i.e. before the Royal exclusive Third Semester new content), where following his defeat at the hands of the Phantom Thieves Akechi is suddenly approached by a cognitive duplicate of himself that dwells within Shido's palace. In addition to the Cognitive Akechi emphasizing the futility of Akechi's quest for acknowledgment & vengeance against Shido by revealing that the latter always intended to dispose of his right-hand assassin once he was elected prime minister, the cognitive duplicate also reveals the true depths of Shido's depravity when he states that he only ever viewed Akechi as a puppet to fulfill his own ambitions. While it is true that Akechi was so obsessed with revenge that he allowed himself to become a pawn of the corrupt status quo, it is exceptionally cruel to learn that this is how Shido has always viewed his own son (which is further punctuated by Shido later revealing to the Phantom Thieves that he secretly always suspected that Akechi was his illegitimate child due to how much he reminded him of his mother). It is this revelation in particular that allows the Phantom Thieves to better empathize with Akechi's tragic upbringing & circumstances. Even though they still seek to hold Akechi accountable for the murders that he committed at Shido's behest, the Phantom Thieves simultaneously recognize that in a sense, Akechi was also a victim of both Shido's cruelty and the systemic injustices of larger Japanese society.

This effectively culminates in the bittersweet resolution to Akechi's storyline in the base Persona 5 game. When the Cognitive Akechi duplicate offers his real-world counterpart one last chance to "redeem" himself in Shido's eyes by killing the Phantom Thieves in his stead, Akechi for the first time in his life decides to be his own person instead of being defined by the labels Shido and society had imposed upon him since birth. Choosing to no longer be a puppet of Shido's corrupt machinations, Akechi rejects his cognitive duplicate's hollow offer by instead turning his gun on the duplicate and his Shadow minions before sealing the engine room's watertight doors between himself and the Phantom Thieves. At the very end, Akechi was finally able to acknowledge that his desire for false appreciation from both his abusive father and larger society was ultimately worthless. Akechi ultimately sacrifices himself to allow the Phantom Thieves to escape, recognizing their true justice while entrusting them to do what he was incapable of by holding Shido accountable for his crimes & reforming society.

From a certain point of view, one could argue that the Phantom Thieves indirectly inspired a change of heart in Akechi by proving to him the validity of their sense of justice.

Overall, while I was initially indifferent towards Goro Akechi at the start of my playthrough of Persona 5 (and even outright skeptical & suspicious of his motives given his vocal opposition to the Phantom Thieves), by the time I got to his boss battle in Shido's palace I ended gained a deeper understanding and appreciation for what the developers at Atlus were attempting to convey with his character. Akechi effectively functions as both a cautionary tale about the dangers of allowing oneself to be consumed with thoughts of revenge, as well as a dark parallel to the Phantom Thieves who seek to legitimately reform society for altruistic rather than self-centered reasons. It was these elements that ultimately elevated Akechi into becoming one of my personal favorite members of P5's cast (right behind Makoto, Futaba & Ann...) from both a narrative and character writing perspective (especially with the Royal edition's overhauled confidant line for Akechi, which better fleshes out the latter's rivalry with Joker, and the player now has to progress manually instead of it being automatic)! And I am definitely curious to see how Royal's exclusive "Third Semester" content further fleshes out Akechi's character since I'm aware that he plays a major role in the new story content.

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skyheaven1231 · 1 year

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Ice skating AU idea. 👀

What if the PT were a group of ice skaters that frequently met up at a frozen lake because they were thrown out of all ice rinks in the area.

Akira is new (a former professional skater) and the PT show him around and tell him about this one skater that always comes wearing a black mask and is like a legend because he is very good and no one knows his real identity.

The black mask of course being Goro who’s a famous ice skater that participates in tournaments and is all proper and classical in public.

But at the frozen river he gets to be free and skate the way he wants to.

Akira catches him alone on the river one day and they get to know each other more and skate together. Their styles fit together perfectly and they can skate together effortless without needing to talk.

Haru and Sumire would still be professional ice skaters and it’s through them that Akira gets to know Goro as his public persona as well, (the ice prince) and he finds him to be very familiar. Especially his eyes look like Akira’s seen them before.

Later, Akira also wants to skate professionally again and he starts to wear a mask to disguise himself so no one would know who he is. And he kinda also wants to learn more about why that Ice Prince looks so familiar.

He calls himself Joker and quickly becomes Goro’s biggest opponent and rival on the ice while they also secretly meet as black mask and Akira and start to perform little partner routines because they work together so well.

When they’re forced to work together on a performance for a professional event and it is then that they both start to recognize each other’s skating styles.

#shuake #akeshu #p5 #persona 5 royal #persona 5 #akechi #goro akechi #ren amamiya #akira kurusu #p5 Joker #p5 au #fan art #my art

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nagiseishirosbby · 1 year

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𝐊𝐔𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐀𝐌𝐈, 𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐈, 𝐍𝐀𝐆𝐈, 𝐑𝐄𝐎, 𝐈𝐒𝐀𝐆𝐈 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐊𝐄𝐍𝐘𝐔'𝐒 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐓𝐎 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐈𝐑 𝐒/𝐎 𝐁𝐄𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐆𝐍𝐀𝐍𝐓

𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒓(𝒔): Kunigami Rensuke, Hyoma Chigiri, Nagi Seishiro, Reo Mikage, Isagi Yoichi, Kenyu Yukimiya

𝑾𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈(𝒔): TEEN PREGNANCY

𝑨/𝑵: Some of them might be aged up so they all are 18. Also, Kenyu's one of my favs.

𝑺𝒚𝒏𝒐𝒑𝒔𝒊𝒔: The Bllk boys reaction to their s/o being pregnant.

𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐒𝐔𝐊𝐄 𝐊𝐔𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐀𝐌𝐈

[Name] calls over Kunigami to her house, so they could have a little talk. The orange haired guy was extremely worried, so he asked her what was the problem was. She sighs before explaining to him before she finally said, "K-Kunigami... I think I'm pregnant...". The room went silent.

As soon as he heard her say, 'i'm pregnant', he is in a different world. So he asked her if she was serious

Kunigami never had any experience on taking care of kids

But he does have two sisters at home tho

Comforts her they best way possible, telling his s/o that he will help out

Does everything in his power to satisfy you

BEST. BOYFRIEND. EVER

Asks his parents for advice

Uses his freetime to read books about parenting

Always watching you like a hawk's eye.

"Kunigami, what are you doing?!"

"What do you mean? I'm just making sure you're ok."

Sometimes, you scolded him for always being overprotective. He would either say, "There's nothing wrong with that." or "I don't want anything to happen to you."

Thinks the baby's gender will be a boy, so he could teach him how to play soccer as well

He is a total sweetheart

And 9 months later, they had a boy and named him Ren

𝐇𝐘𝐎𝐌𝐀 𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐈

"You said you're... Pregnant?" He asked confused. [Name] nods and wipes her tears, telling him that she wasn't ready to be a mother yet at a age like this. He stares intensely into her eyes before standing up and walking outside, saying to her that he'll be back.

He starts to panic, and call his big sis and mom

Both mom and sis are happy for him

Buys things that [Name] ask for

Helps her in the morning time with her skincare

Just like Kunigami, he is always asking for advice

He gives her some hugs to release stress

Tries to be overprotective, which is extremely cute to you

"You're very cute, you know that?"

"Shut up..."

Treats her like a princess with her prince

Uses his free time to buy clothes for their unborn child

He keeps thinking that the baby will be a girl

Sometimes hate it when he has to wake up extremely late when his s/o asks for food

But he loves his s/o anyways, even when she teases him

9 months later, they have a boy instead of a girl. The two decided to name him Haru.

𝐒𝐄𝐈𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐎 𝐍𝐀𝐆𝐈

"Pregnant, what does that mean?"

"It means... That you might be a dad." When he heard that explanation, his eyes were in complete shock as his mouth was in form of a 'o'.

He doesn't have much experience with this

Acts like he knows what he's doing when he don't

Makes sure you're in the same room as him when it comes to playing his games

Even when he is in his gaming session, he still shows you affection to make sure he loves his s/o

Gets take-out and makes sure he buys lots of snacks and refills inside of the snack cabin

Tries his best to satisfy your needs

Gives her some space when she needs it most

Might massage your back and your feet when he senses your tiredness

Loves playing CO-OP games with his s/o

Loves buying mini jersey onesies for his son or daughter with his number

He wants to have a boy

"You really want to have a boy, huh?"

He nods, not feeling ashamed

9 months later, they actually have a boy and a girl. The girl is name Haruta and the boy happens to be Haruto

𝐑𝐄𝐎 𝐌𝐈𝐊𝐀𝐆𝐄

"You're gonna be a dad, Reo..." He is a bit confused. But when he heard that, he told her, "Cool."

[Name] seems to be a bit pissed off at his reaction but at the same time, she is extremely sad

As soon as he saw her cry, he feels extremely bad for what he said

The reason why he said, 'cool' was because he didn't want to panic and act like a headless chicken

Does his best to help you out

Like Kunigami and Chigiri, he decides to use the internet to make sure he is doing everything right

This man really wants to have a little boy in his house, just so he can teach him how to play soccer

"What makes you think we're having a boy?"

"Just a guess."

"*sighs* Why did I even fell in love with you...?"

Even though he acted so dumb and stupid, you deeply loved your boyfriend.

Like his best friend, he would buy jersey onesies and also wear it when the baby will be born

Since he has a lot of money, he loved to spoil the heck out of you and the baby

Knows that when the baby is born, they will be exactly like your boyfriend

Tries to communicate with them and always tell them stories, and even loves sleeping with his arms around you just so he can find a way to communicate with his mini version

9 months later, Reo finds out they have a girl and decides to name her Chie

𝐘𝐎𝐈𝐂𝐇𝐈 𝐈𝐒𝐀𝐆𝐈

"We're going to be parents." She tells him nervously. When she looked up, all [Name] seen was him knocked out on your couch and his eyes were extremely dizzy. "I-Isagi?!"

It took him a while to process what he heard from his s/o

Promises to become the best father in the whole world

He asks for advice

Everytime he panics, his s/o is the one who is always calming him down

Love to lay his head on your thighs and have his hand on your tummy

Makes sure that his s/o is ok every couple seconds

Tries not to be a burden to the baby or [Name]

"Why are you that far away, sit here."

"I'm fine right here." He lied.

Acts like he is ok, when you know he wasn't

He was exactly like you on the first few weeks, and you understand. Both of you guys weren't ready for a kid yet

"What gender do you think our baby will be?"

"It doesn't matter to me."

On his trip to the shop, he will literally by anything that he think is cute on their little ball of joy

9 months later, they have a boy and named him Etsuko.

𝐊𝐄𝐍𝐘𝐔 𝐘𝐔𝐊𝐈𝐌𝐈𝐘𝐀

"You're pregnant? Is that a.. Bad thing?" He asked nervously.

"No, It's actually a good thing."

Kenyu chuckles as he begins to think for a bit.

He's worried about what will happen as time goes on

Slowly gets the hang of it

I think that Kenyu would want to have a baby girl, so he can take care of his little princess and his queen

Such a doting boyfriend

Imagining him as a father is literally so cute

Just like Isagi, he will try not to be a burden to the baby or his wife. He will also panic due

Insists on doing anything

Is super strict and overprotective with his s/o

"You'll get hurt!" He would say

"I'm fine, Ken."

Loves to read books based on pregnancy so he knows how to do it

Brings anything you ask for like a genie

9 months later, they both have a little girl

They happened to name her Seiko

𝑯𝒐𝒑𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒆𝒏𝒋𝒐𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔, 𝒂𝒍𝒔𝒐 𝒇𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒂𝒄𝒄 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒎𝒚 𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝒂𝒄𝒄; 𝒀𝒖𝒖𝒋𝒊𝑰𝒕𝒂𝒅𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒃𝒃𝒚. 𝑷𝒍𝒛 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒌 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒔𝒎! :3

#x reader #blue lock #blue lock x reader #kenyu yukimiya x reader #kenyu yukimiya #reo mikage #reo mikage x reader #nagi seishiro #nagi seishiro x reader #chigiri hyoma #chigiri hyoma x reader #isagi yoichi #isagi yoichi x reader #kunigami rensuke #rensuke kunigami x reader #tw teen pregnancy #bllk #bllk x reader

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waywardnajsepticeye · 23 days

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P5 HEADCANONS, GO

OH GOD-

A classic one. Akira has autism.

Ann, Haru and Makoto are in a polycule.

Futaba is asexual.

Ryuji and Yusuke are dating.

Akechi likes tiger sharks (I wonder why....)

Akira has siblings (the other persona protags), but everyone assumed that he was an only child.

Morgana tries to stand on his hind legs to try to be "human". It's fucking funny.

(Royal) Sumire likes to knit. She knitted sweaters for all the PTs.

Akechi's favourite name to call Akira is darling. And if you consider Royal, Akira calls Akechi the Black Prince instead of the Detective Prince.

#malaboos-bodacious-blog #persona 5 #p5 #persona5 #p5 headcanons #akira kurusu #goro akechi #ryuji sakamoto #ann takamaki #makoto niijima #haru okumura #futaba sakura #yusuke kitagawa #sumire yoshizawa #morgana #phantom theives #persona 5 headcanons

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shoujo-dump · 7 months

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Manga recommendations for people who love Hikaeme ni Itte mo, Kore wa Ai manga, dedicated to @aengelren and all the other readers that enjoy the series ❤️

I have listed some categories below that are similar to the genres & subgenres of Hikaeme ni Itte mo, Kore wa Ai. Hopefully there might be some new series there that will be added to your reading list. Please note that not all series are obviously identical to Hikaeme, however I have used a ⭐ to indicate series that I think share most similarities with the series either in more than one genre or if the series have a similar atmosphere/general vibes to Hikaeme ni Itte mo, Kore wa Ai.

If you love the art style of Hikaeme, then I recommend checking out other series created by the same mangaka:

Hatsukoi ni Kiss (omnibus of 8 oneshots)

Kanjuku Summer End (oneshot)

Koi Wazurai no Ellie

Machiko wa Oborekake (oneshot)

Fast Romance:

Kare Kano (has anime adaptation!)

Koi no Mae ni, Amaku Hajimete. Hikaeme Elite-kun ga Watashi ni Dake Hatsujou shite imasu 🌶️

Museru Kurai no Ai wo Ageru ⭐

Ore Monogatari!! (has anime adaptation!)

Suki tte Ii na yo. (has anime, movie and live action adaptation!)

Delinquents:

Atashi no Banbi

Boku ni Hana no Melancholy

Five

I My Me Mine ⭐

Hajimete Koi o Shita Hi ni Yomu Hanashi (however doesn't seem to be an official nor fan English translation anywhere, the series has live action adaptation though!)

Hana yori Dango (has anime and several live action adaptations)

Hana Nochi Hare: Hanadan Next Season (has live action adaptation)

Haru no Ogawa wa Dokidoki Suru yo. (oneshot)

Iincho to Furyou-kun

Junai Tokkou Taichou!

Kimi ni Koishite Ii desu ka.

Kokuhaku Suru Aite o Machigaemashita

Megane, Tokidoki, Yankee-kun

Me no Tsukedokoro ga Deep Desho

Mikansei Demo Koi ga Ii

Mochizuki-san ka no Yankee ⭐

Raou-kun wa Watashi ni Kamau

Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun (has anime and live action adaptation!)

Webcomic: Kono Yankee wa Ubu Sugiru!

Love Interest Changes:

Futari de Koi wo suru Riyuu

Koukou Debut (has live action adaptation!)

Male Lead Falls in Love First:

Batsuichi ga Moteru nante Kiitemasen

Chorokute Kawaii Kimi ga Suki

Einheli no Hanayome 🌶️

Furare Girl

Hananoi-kun to Koi no Yamai (anime adaptation is going to be released in 2024!)

Kanojo ga Kawaii Sugite Ubaenai

Kimi wa Kawaii Onnanoko

Mainichi Kiss shite ii desu ka?

Namaikizakari.

Sakura wa Watashi wo Sukisugiru ⭐

Slow Jet Coaster

Tsuiraku JK to Haijin Kyoushi (has live action adaptation!)

Webtoon: A Good Day to Be a Dog (available on webtoons.com)

Webtoon: The Fantasie of a Stepmother

Webtoon: As You Wish, Prince

Webtoon: The Reason Why Raeliana Ended up at the Duke's Mansion (also has anime adaptation!)

Webtoon: Writer's Block of Romance

Webtoon: Your Ultimate Love Rival

Straightforward Male Lead:

Hamuko to Gao-kun

Kuchibiru ni Kimi no Iro

Living no Matsunaga-san

Midori no Himitsu (oneshot)

Neko to Kiss

Takane no Ran-san

Unmei no Hito ni Deau Hanashi

Uruwashi no Yoi no Tsuki ⭐

Yubisaki to Renren (will have anime adaptation in 2024!)⭐

Opposites attract:

Beast Master

Kimi ga Kirai na Koi no Hanashi

Kimi ni Todoke (has anime, live action )⭐

Saruyama!

Webtoon: Midnight Poppy Land (read the official English translation on webtoons.com, it currently has over 100 chapters) ⭐

Kuudere Female Lead:

Akuma to Love Song

Webtoon: I Failed to Oust the Villain!

Webtoon: Villains Are Destined to Die

Warm Ambience:

Honnou Switch 🌶️⭐

Houkago, Koishita.

Koori Zokusei Danshi to Cool na Douryo Joshi (has anime adaptation!)

Ojou-san to Yobanaide

Tonari no Stella ⭐

#manga recommendations #shoujo recommendation #josei recommendations #manga reccs #shoujo reccs

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comradekatara · 25 days

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Hi has your opinion on Prince Wu or any of the characters substantially changed since you’ve first seen the shows?

why is it always prince wu 😭😭 no, not him. i hated that obnoxious little fop from the very first second i laid eyes on him and a decade later my opinion of that twink has not changed. he is a nothing character who only exists to chew the scenery and grate me, personally [<- katara voice]. i doubt he will ever grow on me in any significant capacity. that said, of course my opinions on many characters have changed. for one thing, i don’t think i actually recognized the existence of male characters in fiction until well into my teens (with the exception of iago, because i was a very edgy child). so my love for sokka and aang really developed upon way more recent rewatches. i always liked them, of course, but if you’d asked me as a kid, i would’ve said my favorite male character was iroh without hesitation (and don’t get me wrong, i still love iroh, but i find the way people talk about him as if he’s some irreproachable beacon of wisdom and fatherly love to be really annoying). i also had to really work to love ty lee; i definitely didn’t understand her depth and motivations as a child. haru is also a character i’ve really only come to appreciate fairly recently. conversely, i was obsessed with katara, azula, and toph from the moment each appeared onscreen, and that obsession hasn’t wavered. katara especially is like some kind of parasite to the brain. what can i say she’s an icon a legend she is the moment she is every moment. korra too. as much as i struggled to watch lok back when it was airing because i thought it was such a disappointment (and you know i still think that), i was always obsessed with korra. and of course “korra alone” and korrasami finale literally did change my life. also the herbalist, for some reason, has always been a kind of icon to me. i don’t even really know why, but she imprinted on me at such a young age. i guess she’s just everything i wish to be in life. i hope this answers your question lol

#monarchbutterflysunflower #asks #i literally spent all day trying to think of a second male character i cared about as a kid and literally could not #it was just iago and no one else #not even othello im afraid (i have since come around on othello)#but yeah thinking about how i first felt about these characters as a kid is kind of hilarious #to me it was just the Katara and Azula (and Sometimes Toph) Show #i was also gonna say lok was The Korra Show . but it literally is #(and somehow that still couldn’t save it…………. alas)

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zvtara-was-never-canon · 5 months

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How come Zks claim that they care about yet love writing her as Zuko’s damsel in Distress?

I swear if I had 1 dollar for every time someone writes a Fanfic where Katara was a Damsel in Distress, I’d be able to buy a Mansion. Why on earth would Katara fall for Zuko while she’s being harassed by him?

She doesn’t like jerks or bad guys. She likes Nice Guys. Haru, Jet, Aang. (I know Jet’s a Bad boy but She developed a crush on him because she thought he was a nice guy. )

Yup, the Jet thing is yet more proof that Zutarians can't differentiate Ember Island Katara from the real Katara, because EIK likes Jet because he is "so bad" and thus she always found Zuko attractive when he was being an utter bastard to her, because that's what she's into.

Meanwhile, the real Katara liked Jet because she thought he was a hero standing up against the evil Fire Nation AND because he was a charismatic, super confident, smooth guy - why the hell would she be into the evil Fire Nation prince that is hunting her and her friends down and threatened her family AND who is so awkward and clueless that he legit assumed the pretty girl his age that was going to his uncle's tea shop frequently just HAD to be an enemy that was onto them?

And why, why, why, why wouldn't the real Katara be into THE hero of the story, who is a close friend of hers, and who could often be pure charisma (see "The Headband" which Zutarians think is out of character because they don't understand Katara).

#anti zutara #pro kataang

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prrtnrr · 5 months

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YAY TOOK EM LONG ENOUgh

Also oooh we getting any p5 ships? PEGORYU MAYBE

((im too excited to keep this to myself lol, i love the smt persona series if anyone was curious, but i wanna explore yosuke meeting all these persona users who came before his group and after his group. i think thats neat :) i been trying to think of a way to have them all meet without it seeming like im just throwing characters together, least i hope it comes off that way, im not super confident in my writing but goddamn if im not having a great time doing this. idk if anyone was as invested in the p5 flower child au as i was, but i was suuuper into it, tatsujun parenting means the world to me. cant wait to draw dilf tatsuya for p5 ships, i might! theres a couple p5 ones i think are cute like makoto/haru or pegoryu bc i have taste- now more insane ramblings under the cut bc i cant shut up

i do wanna say some ships i wont be doing so yall can see inside my twisted mind- * i dont ship futaba with anyone, shes so baby sister coded to me, i cant it feels illegal * im not a big fan of akechi lol and with the way im loosely following the plots of the persona games, akechis not gonna show up unless he was mentioned/flashback, bc... yk... he kinda... well thats spoilers but ykyk. also theres only room for one detective prince in my heart (naoto)

to round it off some fun plot points i wanna explore (feel free to add any thru asks too i think its fun to have this be collaborative) * Souji and Akira get velvet room time together, souji gets to chill in a nice limo, akiras always in jail, its goofy * ryuji, futaba, and ann bumping into rise and naoto walking around the central shopping district, ryuji goes nuts bc thats rissette, ann goes nuts bc thats rissette and the original detective prince, futaba makes a joke that theyre dating bc naoto and rise are walking closely and have matching necklaces, kanji shows up, kanji also has a matching necklace. ryuji falls to his knees and yells YOU CAN DO THAT????????? * i have a cute idea for Rise and Ann talking about their inspirations for how they both got into their lines of work, i think they have a lot of overlap * Haru and Yukiko talking about having to take over their family businesses, the stress of it, being grateful for having the opportunity but also resenting said opportunity * Kanji, Ryuji, and Chie training together, talking about why they train, how they become stronger to be able to protect ppl they care about (kanji with biker gangs for his mom) (chie fighting off bullys who pick on kids, and her exp with Takeshi from her slink) (Ryuji training to continue to protect the track team hes no longer part of) * Futaba and Yosuke talking about video games, yosuke becoming overwhelmed by just how much futaba knows about video games, new baby sister unlocked * ryuji and teddie almost get arrested, they hype each other up too much, dangerous combo * Makoto and Naoto have a law and order moment * Nanako and Futaba talking about dads :) an opportunity for Futaba to feel like someones elder while Nanako makes Futaba feel like shes the younger one. why is nanako so responsible. * hey yall ever remember that ken amada p3 is the same age as the p5 cast, they were all born in 1998, isnt that-))

#phooey #((this is interesting only to me but i do be saying words))

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most-datable-datable-bracket · 10 months

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ROUND 1 MATCH 39

Haru propaganda:

“Haru often gets overlooked, but she's my fave of the P5 romance options. I like some of the other girls more as characters, but their romance routes feel a bit forced, while Haru seems to genuinely like the protagonist romantically”

Damien propaganda:

“I LOVE DAMIEN LAVEY A LOT !! he is such a silly gremlin of a guy I love him + he is my favourite character ever actually. He's the prince of the 8th circle of hell and his dads are the kings and they all love eachother a lot, it's really silly. when he was younger, to rebel he literally broke off one of his horns so that's why he has . one and a half.

he's really into drag, one of his endings in Prom is about how he wanted to do something with make-up/hair etc as a career but he felt as if his dads wanted him to solely take over as king of the 8th circle BUT that wasn't the case. at the end of the ending his dad's r like "what you can do what you want". ALSO we see him in drag in Monster Roadtrip and oh great heavens.

He is so silly. he has horrible . wilderness. instincts ...? because of the whole prince thing and it's really pathetic I love him.

I could go on and on oh my god . one final thing uh also in roadtrip during one of the talks at the rest stop with him he calls you (the player) a silly dumbass and OHHH MY GOD I went bonkers I love him a lot”

“He's v cool and acts tough, but has a secret passion for hairstyling and make up that he hides cus he doesn't want to disappoint his dads who want him to rule over hell after them. Also he constantly commits arson, so that's fun :)”

#FIXED VERSION I FUCKED UP #haru okumura #Persona #persona 5 #damien lavey #round 1 #most datable datable character

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yunacoeur · 11 months

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the lovers who dream

our last dance: chapter ii

chapter synopsis: you, as the oldest royal child of your family, are up to take the throne. in your search for a partner to be consort, the royal family is throwing a party in your name for you to meet potential suitors.

tie the red string around both of our pinky fingers like we're made to be one.

word count: 4.3k

a/n: thank you for supporting chapter 1! here is the next one! i’m about to make you all fall so badly in love with all these men >:))

taglist: @haesunflower @shiningstar-byulxx @kpoprhia @en-ct @dimplewonie @cherriegyu @harus-simp @taerrrrrae @zhanghaos-hairclips @zerobaseonefics @big-uwu-stan @seok02 @kpop17 @quanrui-vamp @mins-fins @wonluvrbot @gyuvinie08 @huipinkhair @beomibeom @flwrinn @wigobkm @deadlycute-cutelydead . please fill out this form if you want to be added to the taglist! also some of the urls i got i can't tag so idk what's up with that sorry :(

in all your gracefulness, you manage to trip again for the second time tonight. as if you didn’t embarrass yourself enough in front of matthew, you trip and fall into the arms of someone else as you walk away from hanbin.

“oh, your highness, are you alright?” the young man asks. he’s pretty, with dark hair that makes his eyes stand out more than anything. it’s almost hypnotizing.

“yes, thank you,” you say as he helps you off.

“that was more forward than i was expecting from you,” he jokes, and you have half the mind to lecture him, but his smile makes you forget all of it. he’s got the wide, endearing smile, and this charmed look in his eyes. like he was gazing dreamily at a lover.

if you had known him for any longer than 30 seconds, you would assume he’s already in love with you.

he suddenly gasps, and it startles you. you wonder if something is suddenly wrong, “ah, where are my manners?” he looks flustered, “my name is taerae. i’m a prince from a neighboring land. my mother and father wish for me to marry you to create peace between our kingdoms.”

he says it like he’s reading from a script. you push him for more, something real.

“and you? why do you want to marry me?”

“...well, i asked around about you when our family got the invitation. i wanted to know what kind of person you are before i met you,” he explains.

“why is that?”

his heart skips a beat before returning back to its normal, if a bit elevated, pace, “my court says i have a romantic’s heart,” he says, "maybe i'd fall for you too easily."

well, isn’t he adorable?

“okay, i’ll bite. tell me what you learned about me,” you say, almost like a demand. he nods with that dazzling smile. he tells you his knowledge was limited because not many people knew much about you save for stuff that he already knew given the invitation.

however, he says that one staff member said you liked the guitar.

the thought takes you back to meetings with your royal staff and running away with a certain charming price to steal some time away. he once showed you that he could play guitar, albeit not very well. he played some basic songs, but it was honestly the best you could ask of him.

you remember his name. jiwoong. strong-willed, like his mother. he was beautiful and confident and it is so tragic that you remember his dorky smile now; you see it almost in taerae’s.

taerae is softer than jiwoong ever was. maybe you want softer, kinder, or may you want charisma and confidence. you shouldn’t be thinking about jiwoong right now. jiwoong may not even be here tonight, and taerae is right in front of you. you almost feel bad for not focusing on the poor guy while he’s here, talking to you.

“is that true?” he asks, bringing you back down to reality for just a moment, and you nod, “wow, really? because i can play the guitar!”

it’s sweet how excited he is, “maybe you could play it for me sometime,” you say.

he has the energy of a romantic, just like his staff say, searching for any kind of connection he can make from one person to the next to tie an invisible red string on each pinky.

“okay, maybe i will,” he pulls a flower out of his jacket, “and here’s this, in the meantime, it’s a-”

“cornflower,” you say before he even has a chance to finish. he’s so endearingly delighted that you know the flower that he gave you. his eyes light up like stars in the midnight sky, “that’s a favorite of mine…it’s beautiful. thank you, taerae.”

“yeah, of course…” he runs his hand through his hair nervously. you give him a little nudge to let out what he’s thinking that he so obviously wants to let out.

“is there something you want to say?” you ask him.

he nods, but doesn’t speak for a moment, he takes a deep breath, “it’s, uhm, okay if you don’t pick me, but i really hope you do,” he says, anxiously fidgeting his hands, “your land is so beautiful, and i really like it here. and you are-” he stops before he goes too far.

you won’t let it go though, “and i am what?” you smile at him and his nervousness.

“i like people really easily, but i don’t know if i will anymore,” he responds, smiling back so captivatingly, “i think you might have taken that away from me.”

“what?! don’t put that on me!” you exclaim. how dare he say it’s practically your fault. he laughs lightheartedly, and it is impossible not to adore him.

“it’s true!” he says, “how am i supposed to look anywhere else?”

you wonder the same thing, but with the opposite problem. how are you supposed to keep looking around you when you’re finding so many perfect souls?

“i know i already said it, but i’m just so easily in love. i think i watched too many plays growing up, but i’ve always imagined romeo and juliet, star-crossed, made for each other lovers, finally having their happy ending,” he’s so lost in his head, up in the clouds, “maybe i could have that someday,” he sighs sweetly.

“i think you will,” you tell him, “i can’t promise it’ll be me, but i know you’ll find that passion and romance you’re looking for in someone.”

he’s silent again, pausing because he’s anxious this time. he’s itching to say something, but he’s not sure he’s ready to hear your response, “is… there a chance that it is you?” he asks.

“what? what do you mean?”

“is there a chance… you’ll pick me?” he asks again, somehow both more and less hopeful. you settle on him being more dramatic the second time, “do i have a chance with you?” yes, definitely more dramatic. this scene feels out of a movie.

“i wouldn’t say you don’t have a chance…” you lower your head to hide a fond smile, and maybe even a warm face, “it was a pleasure meeting you, taerae. i hope to see you again,” you say to him, looking back up at him. his eyes are still sparkling, “i have other suitors i still have to meet, but come find me again sometime. i’d love to talk more with you.”

he frowns unconsciously, almost like a pout. it’s so hard to not think he’s adorable, “okay, but can you promise me something?” he asks, “promise me you’ll still think of me. when you talk to them, can i still keep just a small piece of your mind occupied?”

you find yourself laughing with him, but you wonder if his hopeless romantic heart is finding it’s home in your castle, finding a place to rest knowing it won’t be hurt anymore. once it settles, it won’t want to go anywhere. not that you plan to do anything about it.

“yes, i promise. i won’t let you leave my head for even a second,” you say, as you bid him farewell for now.

you don’t miss the moment that prince (practically king at this point) jiwoong walks in the door, standing tall with his shoulders back, scanning the room for the person he’s here for: you.

and it’s so darling and perfectly timed that he decided to make his (late) entrance now. just as you started to think about him, he popped up in your world. how ironic is that?

you also don’t miss the way taerae eyes jiwoong as he walks away from you. you wonder if he has truly started to fall in love, just like in all the movies. was it really love at first sight?

“prince jiwoong, what a pleasure to see you here,” you smile as he bows, standing back up with a satisfied smile on his face too.

if taerae is love at first sight, jiwoong is childhood friends to lovers. you don’t remember meeting jiwoong, but you do remember playing card games with him in the corner of the meeting room to distract yourselves while royal council and your combined family members of royalty were discussing things that actually mattered. you were teaching him how to play all the card games you liked. he was a terrible student, but he tried so hard. maybe it was just because it was you.

“hello again, your highness. you are looking as beautiful as ever,” he says, cupping your cheek with his hand momentarily.

‘thank you, jiwoong,” his boldness and compliments are enough to make you flustered just slightly, “you are… are you here for me?”

“why else would i be here? if we get married, we could rule both of our kingdoms together! it is a beautiful idea,” he says, “tell me the things you like. i can give you whatever you’d like, your highness.”

you can’t help but laugh. he’s taking this role so seriously, “the things i like? like what?”

“hmm… what colors do you like? and dislike?”

“why?”

“because showing off all my riches means nothing to you. me buying all the gold in the world wouldn’t impress you if you like silver jewelry more,” he explains like it’s obvious. he has to know your preferences before buying you the whole planet, clearly, “or what if i build you a castle, but the walls are a color you dislike? then you’d just be stuck in an ugly display of wealth. i don’t want that for you.”

“ah, i see,” you say, “in that case, you should take notes. i’m particular about the things i like, you know,” you’re mostly joking, but he takes it 100% seriously.

“then i will obtain a notebook, and come back to you when i find one-”

“jiwoong, i am playing with you, please relax,” you smile at him, and he finally looks at you with something other than flirtatiousness and charm in his eyes. something softer. fondness, maybe.

“it is really great to see you, your highness,” he mutters, much gentler and sweeter this time, “i’ve missed you.”

you’ve known jiwoong since the beginning of time practically. you’ve both been raised as royals up to take the throne, having been at important meetings with each other for years. he had always been this awkward kid until he suddenly hit puberty and got insanely hot. not to mention how good it would be for your kingdoms to find some unity. he is a logical choice, and maybe more than just that.

because you know this cool guy facade is just that: a facade.

“oh! i also have something for you!” he says, pulling something out of his pocket. you expect it to be a flower, one just as beautiful and unique as the rest of them. and this was unique all right.

but it’s not a flower.

he pulls out a small figurine of a person or character that you don’t even recognize, but the last time you saw him at one of those meetings, he was telling you about a show he watched, one that he really liked, and he described a character with similar attributes to this figurine. you wonder if they were related.

“what is this?”

“something i like, for someone i like,” he says with a silly smirk, like there’s something more to this toy than just what is plainly visible.

“well, thank you,” you say, inspecting it closely. it’s small enough to fit in your pocket, so that’s where you put it to keep it safe. you imagine you’ll keep it on the desk in your study. maybe if you don’t pick him, it’ll be a reminder of what you missed out on.

and what you didn’t miss out on if you do pick him and his charming face.

he shakes his head, smiling fondly again as he pulls something out of his pocket again, “but yes, i did get you a flower. it’s a d-”

“you got me a narcissus?” you ask rhetorically when you see it, taking it from him, “are you calling yourself narcissistic? or me?” you laugh, watching him frantically try to recover.

“no! it’s a daffodil! it’s a sign of new beginnings, not-” he shakes his head, “it doesn’t matter. call it what you want, i meant to give it to you as a sign that we are meeting again as new people. we used to just be young royals that knew of each other, but now… can i tell you something?,” you nod. he steps closer, playing with the ends of your hair with his fingertips, “i always liked you. i wanted to marry you when we were younger, and now i’ll marry you for real.”

“for real? you wanted to marry me?” you ask him, “or are you just saying that so i’ll pick you?”

he raises an eyebrow at you playfully, “really? you’re calling me a pick-me?”

“i don’t know! maybe you are one!”

he laughs, heartily, like he’s already a king. it’s in his blood to be one, “it’s all real though. i have always wanted to marry you. give it some thought, i’ll always come back to you,” he smiles, and as you part ways with jiwoong, even asking him what the hell he meant by giving you a figurine of a character, you wonder if the destined prince could be yours. he’s the catch, the prize you should want dearly. maybe you do for different reasons.

still seeing jiwoong’s charismatic gaze from across the room, you make your way to the seating area where plenty of guests are making casual conversation over drinks. some are laughing, some are crying, and you see someone who sticks out to you.

for the second time tonight, it’s someone you recognize.

“yujin? is that you?” you call out and he perks up, searching for the owner of the voice that called his name, standing up to see you.

“oh, your highness,” he comes over quickly, politely bowing as you marvel at him.

“please, we’ve known each other forever, you can just call me by name,” you say, “wow, it has been so long since i’ve seen you! how are you? how have things been in your kingdom?”

yujin is the son of a marquise in a neighboring kingdom, but because of his mother’s impeccable reputation and connections, he had done his studies in your kingdom under the care of the nobility in your castle. and thus, you’ve known him for years. he only disappeared recently to go back home; this is your first time seeing him since he left about two years ago. you could pinpoint that bunny face anywhere.

yujin is like a younger brother. he’s cute, well-liked, and a bit of a troublemaker. he wouldn’t make an incredible husband. and yet…

“i’ve been well. things are good right now, thank you,’ he says.

the question at the tip of your tongue is eating away at you, so you decide to just ask it, “can i ask why you were sent here? i mean, i am happy to see you, but you are… young… and this is a question of marriage.”

“my mother is not fond of the idea either, but there was no one else to send. the prince of my kingdom is already betrothed,” he explains, “i know this is also a search for love, and finding that in me doesn’t seem likely, even years from now. it’s okay if you pick someone else, but..” there’s this weird, distant look in his eyes. he probably feel even more awkward than you, “do you remember when your mother scolded me for dropping the vase in the front hall?”

“yeah? still don’t know why you covered for me. you really didn’t have to,” you say, retrospectively, after you begged him to please take the blame for it so your mom wouldn’t be mad at you.

“and when i helped you study when you told me you wanted to pursue an education in political affairs, even though at the time you were not next in line for the throne,” he continues, nervously looking at you. he’s still that same shy kid he’s been all these years.

“crazy how much has changed,” you murmur.

“what i mean to say is all these people can promise you so much and i can promise you nothing. we’re in different worlds, i know that. know you could never love me romantically. because i am just a brother, just a nuisance to your peace, but you don’t know any of these people like how you know me,” he rants, continuing his explanation, “i will not make a good partner, at least for a while, but i can be a confidant for you. the world can know you as you want to be known; i will still know you for what you are.”

and that’s when it hits you just how weird it is that yujin is here. despite being your close friend for years, he’s a 16-year-old kid. he can’t get married just yet, he’s got years of energy and liveliness that should stay untamed.

and yet you see his mother in his eyes. they look eerily similar. you see caution and hesitancy and nervousness. you’ve spent years wondering if sensitive, shy, soft-spoken han yujin will have to face this cruel world alone, you don’t want that for him.

“but don’t do this just for me,” he says as if he’s reading your mind. it’s crazy that he just knows, “you don’t have to protect me.”

but you do. because who else will?

“i do though,” you smile at him, “i promised your mother that i would take care of you.”

because sure, getting married forces him into the spotlight, but it also gives him the chance to do something he really wants. you know that a marquis’s job is not something yujin wants for himself, and all those times he taught you about politics, you could see the stars in his eyes. even if it’s just behind the scenes, this kid was born to rule.

you still remember talking to his mother, even as just a kid that was a little older than her son. you remember her asking you to promise her that, when yujin was away, you’d look after him. even after all this time, that promise still weighs heavy on you.

“you should go,” he says, and you look up at him after being lost in thought for so long, “there’s other people you should meet. i’ll see you after the party, okay?”

“yujin,” you frown, trying to find the right words, “take care of yourself. if i can’t, i mean.”

“of course, your highness,” he smiles.

“okay, then,” you wonder if he's just saying it to appease you. it was always you taking care of him. what was he going to do?

“oh! and i was just talking with gunwook here. he is also a suitor. maybe you could talk with him for a bit!” yujin says, as sweetly as ever. his heart is good even if he’s mischievous and childish sometimes.

the person he was pointing to looks up after hearing his name. you notice his lips are pouted, but it seems like he doesn’t notice himself. maybe it's unconscious for him. it’s cute.

you say, “gunwook, was it?” and he looks up at you, nodding slowly. you can’t help but giggle, “do you want to introduce yourself to me?”

he jumps up, “can we find somewhere more… secluded?” he asks, but suddenly backtracks when he sees your playfully shocked expression, “oh wait, i don’t mean like that! i just want to talk, i swear, your highness!”

he is just adorable, it’s so hard to not laugh at how seriously he’s taking this.

you give yujin one last look, waving him goodbye, “okay, take me away, then,” you say, smiling, and so gunwook does just that. he takes your hand to lead you to the balcony area.

it’s the first time breathing fresh air all night; it’s way too stuffy inside the ballroom. plus, it’s a nice change of scenery.

gunwook stands at a respectful distance away from you, looking up at the moon in awe (like he hasn’t seen it before? has he never seen the moon?).

“did you know that a new moon symbolizes youth and innocence, but a full moon symbolizes maturity and celebration?” he says, still looking up at the sky, even when you look over at him. its difficult to not admire his beauty in this moment. he’s tall with dark hair and dark, soothing eyes. the moonlight just radiates off his skin so easily. he catches you in a daze when he finally looks over at you, “did you know that?”

“no,” you say, shaking your head as you look away, gazing over the town below. it looks so small from all the way up here, “i didn’t.”

“there’s a lot of literature that represents the growth and decay of the moon as cycles of human life. it’s really interesting,” he says.

“so… you’re a scholar?”

he rubs the back of his head with his hand almost nervously, “i guess so. most of the time people just call me a nerd.”

“it’s not nerdy to be intelligent,” you tell him, moving just a tab bit closer to him, “what do you like to study?”

“i like learning about philosophy. that’d probably be my biggest field of interest,” he says, “i like learning about different ways to approach life, morality, purpose, stuff like that.”

“that’s so cool. i liked learning about that kind of stuff, but my education was more focused on preparing me to rule. lots of classes on foreign policy, less so on literature,” you explain to him. he listens so intently, a small frown on his face when your smile drops, “i guess i envy you. i missed out when i was young.”

he doesn’t respond right away, taking a second to reflect. he has spent his whole life studying and learning all the topics that interested him, and you never got that luxury. his family was nobility, but because he was the youngest son, he wasn’t required to take up the role as the next in line. he was allowed to spend his whole youth learning the things he wanted to learn.

you were always going to become the ruler of your kingdom. he had the freedom that you didn’t.

“you never introduced yourself to me,” you say, “i only know your name because yujin told me.”

“oh, right, my apologies, your highness. my name is park gunwook. i am… a noble scholar,” his voice is much softer, almost sadder than before. it lost the spark it had when he was excitedly telling you about the moon, “can i ask you something, your highness?”

“sure, what is it?”

if he could frown anymore, he’d be doing that right now, “have you met someone tonight who… you want to marry?”

“i don’t know yet, why?”

“nothing , it’s just,” he looks away, nervous, but then right back at you, “i want to be that someone.”

“gunwook,” you say. he looks over at you, “you can't just say that. you don't know what that means."

he looks at you like a deer in headlights, so afraid of accidentally coming off as ignorant and naive, but eventually, he breathes out a sigh, “yes, i do,” he says, “i think you’re beautiful and intelligent and i saw the way you spoke to yujin. you’re so kind and caring. i don’t know anything else, but i know that,” there are stars in his eyes once again, like the energy has come back to his soul.

he says, “i think i’ve spent my whole life looking at books and newspapers and i have not once looked up and saw the world.”

“do you want to see the world?”

“i want to experience everything in this world. i could tell you about the moon. or the stars. or the sun. i could tell you the stories i’ve read,” he smiles at you, reaching to hold your hand, “i’m young. despite all i know, i don’t really think i know much at all. maybe i would make a terrible partner, maybe we have nothing in common. but i…”

he stops himself momentarily.

“i’ll be good to you. for you, i mean,” he pulls a flower out of his pocket. both of you forgot its existence until this very moment, “here, your highness. this is for you.”

the flower he hands you is delicate, and you recognize it as an iris. it has some yellows and whites in the center, but the petals are this deep, saturated purple. it is lovely to hold, just like his hand. you notice he hasn’t let go this whole time.

“thank you, gunwook,” you smile back at him, looking back at the still buzzing ballroom. if you’ve counted right, there’s one more person you need to meet.

“don’t leave. not yet, at least,” he says, tightening his hold on your hand. you look back at him, “stay here with me.”

you give one, final glance to the ballroom as you make your decision, “okay,” you tell him, leaning over the balcony to gaze at the scenery. it does look strangely out of a movie, “let’s stay here a little longer,” you whisper as he stands closer to you.

“thank you,” he whispers back.

after a moment of silence, peacefully gazing off into the night sky, you speak up again.

“gunwook?” you ask. he hums in acknowledgment, “what do the stars in the sky tonight mean?”

he doesn’t say it out loud, but he wants to say how much he already likes you.

pretend it's meant to be.

pretend it’s written in the stars.

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lesbian-empress-nero · 1 month

Note

Ryuji Sakamoto fucking hates Goro Akechi.

Can’t stand the guy. The rest of the Phantom Thieves are wary of him, distrustful in Akira’s case, but Ryuji is the only one who harbours hatred for him.

But it’s fine. Akechi seems to feel the same towards him. Constant name-calling, casual insults thrown as though it’s nothing.

It’s no surprise they butt heads often. It’s gotten to the point where Ryuji almost enjoys it, almost likes finding out what clever insult the ‘ace detective’ can come up with, what witty retort he’ll have to Ryuji’s suggestions.

In turn, he irritates Akechi. Argues with him, actively voices his distaste for him within earshot, even calling him the Detective Prince instead of his codename. It’s risky, sparking Akechi’s ire, but it’s fun. Sometimes their bickering even draws smiles and laughs out of the others. When Akira had broken up their latest fight, he was obviously fighting back a smile.

What isn’t fun was when it turns physical. It isn’t fun when Akechi punches him in the stomach, it isn’t fun when Ryuji sees Akechi wince after accidentally putting more force behind his back-pat than he’d intended. What also isn’t fun is being dragged away under the pretense of ‘a secret scheme’, only to be on the receiving end of Akechi’s wrath again.

Ryuji stalks behind Akechi as they walk down a random hallway, hands stuffed into his pockets. He, of all people, had been chosen by the great Detective Prince to help him with whatever he was doing.

He thinks nothing of it, until Akechi suddenly whirls around, shoving him against a wall with his sabre drawn and pressed against Ryuji’s throat.

“Woah- what the hell, man-!?” Ryuji yelps, freezing. Akechi’s hand is strong against his chest, and he has a knee pressed into Ryuji’s gut. It isn’t the most comfortable position he’s ever found himself in.

“You, Skull, piss me off,” Akechi growls, ripping off his mask. He looks even more furious without it. Ryuji fights the chill that threatens to creep down his spine.

“Yeah? Mkay, can you tell me what the hell I did? Y’know, instead of pinnin’ me to a damn wall and threatenin’ me!?” Ryuji asks, desperately wishing he hadn’t left his bat with Haru. If only.

“I really ought to kill you instead. You know... I’ve never killed a Persona-user in the Metaverse. I wonder if you’d suffer a mental shutdown?” The sabre is pressed further into Ryuji’s skin, and he tries to escape the sudden wave of burning pain and nausea that washes over him. He hasn’t even done anything, and his knee is screaming. Everything hurts, and he’s helpless.

Akechi laughs. “All out of irritating banter already, Sakamoto? How disappointing. I was anticipating at least one pathetic retort from you.”

“Kinda- hard to talk... When ya’ve got- a damn blade to your throat-” Ryuji chokes out, going cold when he feels something warm and wet dribble down his throat. Blood. Akechi is drawing blood.

“...I really ought to kill you, yes... But I fear if you were to die after I employed your help, it would make the others far too suspicious of me,” Akechi laments, sounds almost sad.

Ryuji keeps his mouth firmly shut, refusing to make any sort of comment. He wants to scream that everyone already is suspicious of him, wants to fight back, wants to see Goro Akechi with a beautiful black eye and a few new bruises, but remains stubbornly silent. Goro Akechi doesn’t deserve a comment. He does, however, deserve to be punched solidly in the face. Just once.

Akechi studies his face, expression unreadable.

“...Why?” He asks eventually, and Ryuji immediately stares at him.

“What? Why what?” Ryuji asks, and Akechi grips his sabre tighter, but doesn’t press it any further into Ryuji’s skin. In fact, the pain alleviates a bit instead.

“Why do you get to live happily? Why do we share such similar stories, but you’re the one who gets to be happy? You’re disgustingly similar to me, but you get to live however you damn well please! It’s not fair!”

Rage is visible on every part of Akechi’s face, and his grip on the sabre is white-knuckled and tight.

“...Your words infuriate me. I wish you would hit me instead,” he mutters, then drops Ryuji, sheathing his bloodstained sabre.

“...We can talk about this later. Right now, we have to find whatever the hell it is you wanted to look for. After all this is over, I’ll give you the biggest black eye you’ve had in your damn life,” Ryuji promises, and Akechi pauses, and his shoulders begin to shake.

He’s laughing. When he looks back over his shoulder, his expression is nothing short of terrifying- but when he speaks, it’s three familiar words that Ryuji loves hearing from him.

“I hate you.”

the girls are fighting in a strangely homosexual way

its like their love language is violence. they might not realize it but they love each other's company just to fight each other. they both have violent tendancies and they let it out on each other. they're so similar in more ways than one. they both want attention and love, they both have a thirst for revenge and hatred... they're just so......

#nero answers #shackle-foes #ryugoro #persona 5 spoilers #p5 spoilers

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