#My first Nerikiri

[verdantcrimson]

Gourmand Fragrance / Wagashi Revolution - 5

(Unproofread)

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[The next day]

Nazuna: —So yesterday, me and Keito-chin did some research to figure out what kind of wagashi to make for Valentine’s day.

Nazuna: Kuro-chin, you should have a look at the recipe too.

Kuro: Yup. Already heard about what we’ll be makin’ from Hasumi danna.

Kuro: What was it… We were gonna make a kind of wagashi called ‘nejikiri’, right?¹

Nazuna: You meant to say ‘nerikiri’, right? Saying we’re going to make screw cutters is scary, Kuro-chin!

Kuro: Sorry. Didn’t really check exactly what the name was. So, what kind of wagashi are nerikiri, exactly?

Nazuna: It’d be quicker to just show you on my phone. Nerikiri is a kind of wagashi made with bean paste that’s also fun to look at.²

Kuro: Ahh, I’ve seen those. Kanzaki brings them to me sometimes.

Kuro: I get it. Now that you mention it being fun to look at, I can see how cute they are.

Kuro: When Kanzaki gave ‘em to me, I ate ‘em without really lookin’ too close. I feel kind of sorry about that now.

Nazuna: Ahaha, well I’d feel good eating something delicious too.

Kuro: So, why’d ya decide on nerikiri?

Nazuna: After our market research, we realized that people like cutesy stuff for Valentine’s day.

Kuro: Ah, s’pose that’s true. Girls love cute things, after all.

Kuro: Recently my little sister’s started preppin’ to make chocolate. I’m lookin’ forward to what kind of chocolate I’m gonna get. ♪

Nazuna: Ahaha, Kuro-chin, you’re on good terms with your little sister as usual~.

Nazuna: On Valentine’s day I’ll bet we’ll get to see you looking all smug because you got chocolate from your little sister. ♪

Kuro: I don’t plan on showin’ that side of myself so easily. Besides, it’s gonna be busy that day thanks to the Chocolat Festival.

Nazuna: You really think so~? You tend to slip up a lot when it comes to your little sister.

Nazuna: Well, we’ll save that fun for the day of. For now, let’s focus on wagashi!

Nazuna: Since you can shape nerikiri however you’d like, I thought we might be able to create a cute design for Valentine’s day!

Nazuna: Making the nerikiri paste is pretty time-consuming, but there’s nothing you can’t do at home! What do you think?

Kuro: Right. If we leave the cute design work to you, Nito, there won’t be much to worry about.

Nazuna: Yup! When it comes to cute stuff, leave it to us Ra*bits!

Nazuna: … Is what I would really like to say, but I’m not great at cooking.

Nazuna: So that’s why we’ll be relying on you, Kuro-chin!

Nazuna: Kuro-chin, you’re great with your hands, so I’m sure you’ll be able to make the cutest nerikiri of them all!

Kuro: M’not sure if I can live up to those expectations, but I’ll do what I can.

Kuro: Anyways, Hasumi danna and co. are runnin’ late. Are they not back yet?

Nazuna: They’re taking more time than you normally would to buy ingredients, aren’t they? I haven’t heard from them, so I’m a little worried.

Keito: Sorry, did we keep you waiting?

Nazuna: Woah, speak of the devil. Welcome back, Keito-chin and Rei-chin.

Kuro: Ya took your sweet time comin’ back, didja get into some sorta trouble?

Keito: No, we just stopped by the office to drop off a proposal.

Nazuna: A proposal? Well, it’s fine if you happened to find the time while out shopping, but I wish you’d tell us beforehand.

Keito: I’m sorry, the proposal was put together in a hurry after some discussion with Sakuma.

Keito: At the time I left, it hadn’t been completed yet, so I was unsure if we’d be able to submit it.

Kuro: A proposal that you finished in that much of a hurry? What kind is it?

Rei: It’s a plan for Valentine’s day wagashi. We went to the agency and proposed a cooking show with the theme of ‘Wagashi as the star of Valentine’s day’.

Nazuna: Wh- What!? Why’d you go and do that!?

Keito: I apologize for not asking you first. In retrospect, it wasn’t a good idea to put off having a proper discussion about it in our frantic rush to create a proposal.

Kuro: I don’t really care. I’m used to bein’ pushed around by you, danna, and it’s not like I can’t think for myself at all, right?

Nazuna: I don’t mind either, but could you at least explain why you made that plan?

Keito: The reason is quite simple. It’s to solve the problem that we encountered during our research yesterday.

Nazuna: It was the fact that the fancy, formal image of wagashi didn’t match people’s preferences for Valentine’s day sweets, right?

Keito: Indeed. Though that isn’t the case in actuality.

Keito: We will remedy this by appearing on a cooking show to promote them. We’ll introduce and make all sorts of cute looking wagashi.

Keito: Let’s spread the word that “wagashi can be the star of Valentine’s day too!”

Nazuna: Keito-chin, I didn’t think you would go that far……

Rei: It just so happened that the agency was looking for a Valentine’s day project aside from the Chocolat Festival.

Rei: Little lady Anzu is helping out too, so as long as things proceed smoothly, the plan should go through.

Nazuna: I-Is it really going to happen so fast?! Actually, that’s concerning…

Keito: I feel that way too. The fact that the agency is looking for additional Valentine’s day projects alongside the Chocolat Festival sounds too good to be true.

Keito: It feels like someone conveniently suggested it to them in advance, doesn’t it?

Rei: Goodness gracious, whatever are you suggesting? I haven’t got a clue myself.

Keito: … Well, it’s fine. I’ll let this odd coincidence slide for now, since it’s working in our favor.

Keito: Kiryu and Nito, I’m sorry for getting you involved without asking you first. Like I said before, if you can’t do it, feel free to turn me down right now.

Keito: In which case, Sakuma and I will simply film an introductory program by ourselves.

Nazuna: Don’t start talking like a stranger, Keito-chin! Since we’ve come this far together, I’ll definitely join in!

Kuro: Yeah, danna. It’d be worse if ya decided to have us be the only ones left out.

Keito: … I see. Thank you, both of you.

Rei: Fufu. Now that we’ve decided on this, we ought to start our practice in making the wagashi that will be introduced on the cooking show.

Rei: We can’t be making concrete chocolate on filming day, now can we? ♪

Keito: Hmph. Even if you hadn’t said that, I’m well aware that I’m the weakest link of the bunch.

Keito: However, you have no reason to worry. I’ll make them perfectly on the day of.

Keito: I’ll prove that wagashi can be the star of Valentine’s day too!

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Translation Notes

Nejikiri is, well, a screwcutter. I couldn't translate the pun, so I did my best.

Nerikiri are small, detailed sweets made of sweetened white bean paste and rice flour. They come in a variety of designs and shapes. I happened to stumble across an artist's Valentine's nerikiri. Have a look!

#Gourmand Fragrance #Keito Hasumi #Kuro Kiryu #Rei Sakuma #Nazuna Nito

[shizuokadivision]

Even if the birthday celebration of Reika Aichi —the presumably most influential lady in the Shizuoka’s high society— had come close to the end, the mountain of her own birthday gifts was still piling up there in her spacious lounge.

Whether it was the spread-through fact that people believed she was a passionate lover of flowers or not, it was undeniable that there were so many bouquets sent over to her manor today.

And that was also applied to a certain gift which she picked to have some look out of boredom.

it surely looked like a humble gift compared to other outrageous or extravagant presents laying around —But there was a certain reason that drew the ‘poison specialist’ like herself to it.

“To Lady Aichi of Shizuoka

Wish you a happy birthday and a great year forward

Sincerely,

Nara Division”

Greeted by the sweet colors and sweet fragrance of a bouquet full of Sweet Peas attached on its front, their actual gifts were lying beneath in a neatly-wrapped Morning Glory patterned fabric. The first one was a box containing some peculiar and beautiful bracelet made with vibrant seeds of Rosary Pea, making it an exotic choice of jewelry but a good combination of red and black nonetheless.

And thus for the last one was surely harmless, it was a wagashi set full of beautiful wintery flower nerikiris!

—————Meanwhile somewhere else,

“This time your recommendation on our birthday gifts aren’t anything weird, right?”

“Of course. Why do I have to recommend something ‘weird’ in your opinion, Kanata-kun? They’re all lovely flowers and a lovely ornament.”

“…That is because you are the one who comes up with the idea, Chishio-san.”

“Oh, so? I’m more than sure that lady Aichi must like them.”

“Kanon, stop eating my gift.” Reika scowled. “Those were for me not for your cold hands. Get your own damn it.”

Kanon didn't say anything as she stared at Reika straight in the eye and ate another piece of the wagashi. Even lifting the box above her head when Reika tried grabbing it. Smirking as she watched Reika try and reach it.

“I don't know what you expected when you opened that gift in front of her Reika. You know, as well as I do, that Kanon loves sweets.” Sakura huffed from her spot on the couch, watching everything go down.

“Look, if I had known Nara would send wagashi, I would've hidden them.” Reika glared back. “I'm never gonna have a piece at this rate now.”

Sakura raised her hands, not wanting to start an argument with the socialite. Reika, now finally grabbing the gift back from Kanon and much to her rage, found all the wagashi had been eaten by the mad scientist. Kanon then leaned down closer to Reika's height, an amused look on her face as she saw Reika crush the box the wagashi were in.

“They were quite delicious, Reika. Shame you couldn't have one.”

“KANON! YOU FUCKING BITCH!”

#hypnosis microphone #hypnosis mic #hypmic #hypmic oc #hypnosis mic oc #reika aichi #kanon hojo #sakura kito #yuuya kanata #chishio #callmepyrus #happy birthday reika 2024

[naradivision]

Night had long since fallen on the division of Nara. Asahi Tomoharu had just finished his day at his family's confectionary shop. He was in the back when he heard the door open, and when he entered the main shop area to apologize that they were closed, to his surprise, nobody was there. The only thing he saw was a package on the counter. Approaching it, Asahi saw that the package was addressed to him. Picking it up, Asahi began to open it. 

Inside was a pink traditional Japanese tea set. Cherry blossoms were painted along the set. There was even matcha powder in cute packaging to make some tea with. Seeing a note, Asahi picked it up and began to read. 

Tomoharu, 

Merry Christmas, I guess? Fuck this isn’t my strong point but here enjoy this tea set and matcha or don’t not like I give a shit. 

– R.H

“Wooahh~~ there is really a Santa after all!”

Asahi gleefully exclaimed as he carefully took the set of teacups and a pot out of the package, making a quick mental note to use them later in the next day. He then took them for some washing at the sink.

His grandma must be surprised with this cute tea set perfectly paired up with the fresh matcha powder he got! And not to forget that the blossom pink was always his favorite color, it seems like his secret santa this year happens to really have a good taste after all.

In fact, weirdly enough for someone like him who looked like having nothing but a childish thoughts filled in his head; as soon as Asahi read up the note, he did suddenly recognize the style of language scribbling on it —Out of those division participants who do love to speak in such a aggressively straightforward manner, he was kinda certain that this note must be written by that tall guy from Katsushika who has a penchant for takoyaki and has suspiciously similar reddish hair that reminds him of his best buddy YuuYu.

But just as he knew from his team’s research, this person was also an inmate once sentenced on death row for the crimes he committed, that’s why he didn’t keep his voice too loud when he found out about the presents in the first place. Even so, he was hella excited with these unexpected gifts nonetheless!

“Hehehe~ Maybe next time I will find some stalls in Osaka that sell the takoyaki with more uncommon fillings as a thanks to Himura-san.”

The wagashi artist lined up the tea set on the rack as he did have some idea bubbling in his mind.

“Oh! And if I’m not mistaken, there is the nerikiri called ‘Hanabi’ too. He might not be a sweet tooth but I wonder if I can make some appetizer out of the same concept.”

—Thank you for the gifts and Merry Christmas! 🎄

#hypmic oc #hypnosis microphone oc #nara division #miraitabi #asahi tomoharu #secret santa #rintaro himura #lilyspade #christmas 2023

[doodle-pops]

Elves' Reaction to Modern Cuisines

Request: Hi now that requests are open can you please do what would the reaction of the elves be introducing them to our worlds cuisines the same ones I listed: Korean, French, Indian, Mexican, Japanese, Chinese, Italian and if that's to broad for you just pick one and make a reaction out of it. - @lulu-mix

A/N: I picked a few to write because one wouldn't be enough lol. I didn't highlight any of the elves as I normally do since everyone I matched to the respective cuisines would love it. Enjoy.

Italian cuisine

When you introduce them to your favourite Italian cuisines, you could literally see their eyes widening in wonder at the table of meals prepped before them. Their first meal to sample would be an Italian classic, pizza. The thinly baked bread topped with tomatoes, basil, peppers, olive oil, garlic and mozzarella would make their eyes widen upon the first bite. “This tastes far better than toast with tomatoes my dear!” The next meal would be Spaghetti alla Gricia which would make them clear the plate. You’d leave them eating to go get the other meals and return to meet the plate almost cleared. I can see them liking both the previous meals a lot which would make Arancini a favourite of theirs. It’s similar to pizza and pasta dishes since the ingredients are close. They’d question you on the little white grains in the balls and how you made them. As for dessert, finish things off with gelato. A cool, rich and creamy dessert to melt away the heat on a hot day. This would perhaps be their most favourite meal since it can be eaten any time and they’d ask you to make it more often. Their favourite flavours are raspberry and mangoes – the tangy and sweet combo is enjoyable.

Maglor, Caranthir, Celegorm, Amras, Fingolfin, Fingon, Turgon, Finrod, Aegnor, Glorfindel, Rog, Galdor

Japanese cuisine

As someone who’s very observant and careful about their actions, they aren’t the type to just eat about anything. The food has to appear decorative/pleasant in their eyes for them to even consider, which makes Japanese cuisine a favourite of theirs. The first dish that you can prepare is Sashimi – raw meat. The first dish might be a bit questioning since all their meats were cooked but prepare their dipping sauce and their mind would change. Alongside the sashimi, you would serve Miso soup. I can see some being a lover of fish – which is a heavy ingredient in their cuisine – so seafood being added to their soup would make them smile and enjoy it. They would enjoy the simplicity of Japanese cuisine and their flavourful combinations of sweet, spic, salty, bitter and sour. Each meal you serve would balance out the other well. Tempura for the savoury element and the crispiness; it would become a favourite side dish to pair with meals. As simple as this next meal is, no meal is completed with rice. Every meal you make will be accompanied by rice. As for other dishes, Takoyaki and Nerikiri are just some they also love, mostly Nerikiri for the colours and designs. They found it difficult to consume the beautifully designed snack. Their favourite would be the Sakura Nerikiri that you served during spring.

Feanor, Maedhros, Caranthir, Curufin, Fingolfin, Turgon, Finarfin, Angrod, Ecthelion, Egalmoth

Chinese cuisine

As elves who have great pride in appearance and the image of their surroundings, Chinese cuisine would suit them due to its variety in colours and presentation, and meanings. First and foremost, a meal that they would solely enjoy to the fullest would be a Hot Pot. A dish that contains a variety of ingredients – both meats and vegetables – and is full of colours would catch these fancy elven eyes. They’d probably want to put every meat in the soup. Along with the Hot Pot, dumplings are going to be served in all different flavours. From shrimp to chicken to beef or even vegetables, all are going to be sampled. Their cheeks are going to be stuffed and puffy from all the dumplings they shoved in their mouth. A favourite of mine, Char Siu and Sweet and Sour pork are meals they would fancy. The savoury combinations of spices and the vibrant colours would send their taste buds into a frenzy. For the oddest reason and not to be generic, some would be a lover of collecting Fortune cookies just to read what’s inside. I firmly agree that they would believe in the inscriptions written. For a final dessert, whenever the elves' new year is approaching, you would make him the Eight Treasure Rice Pudding to celebrate with them since it’s made for New Year. They are going to be in awe of the vibrant colours before sampling.

Feanor, Maglor, Celegorm, Amrod, Fingon, Argon, Finrod, Aegnor, Glorfindel, Egalmoth, Rog, Maeglin

Korean cuisine

As we know, Korean dishes are a perfect mixture of sweet, savoury and spicy. They love to combine their foods to create new and improving flavours, so to start them off, you’d give them Kimchi, but not the overly spicy one. Served with it, you’d make him Samgyetang explaining to them the reason for the consumption, “fight the heat with heat, so have some hot soup on a hot day”. During late evenings when you two are relaxing, you’d introduce Chimaek – chicken and beer. I can see this combination being a favourite of theirs as it falls under a snack/appetizer. It’s the alcohol incorporated. During your late evenings, something that would blow their mind would be Korean barbeque (I don’t know how you’re setting that up but just call me to eat). While barbequing your meats, the both of you will indulge in soju (beer) and making Samgyeosal (meat wraps). The barbeque would become a highlight of their days whenever they were stressed. Throw in some Haemul pajeon and serve it up with some Makgeolli (rice wine) and watch as they melt into a kaleidoscope of flavours. Can’t go anywhere without desserts, so when the days are hot, serve them up some Bingsu – give them chocolate and mango flavoured – and watch the steam evaporate. If you can get bubble tea, I think that’s the most unsure dessert they’d try because of the boba pearls, but they’d come around and enjoy it.

Maedhros, Celegorm, Caranthir, Amrod, Amras, Celebrimbor, Fingolfin, Fingon, Argon, Finarfin, Finrod, Aegnor, Glorfindel, Ecthelion, Rog, Maeglin

Masterlist

Taglist: @spidergirla5 @eunoiaastralwings

#silmarillion x reader #reactions #maglor x reader #caranthir x reader #fingolfin x reader #fingon x reader #turgon x reader #finrod x reader #aegnor x reader #galdor x reader #celegorm x reader #rog x reader #glorfindel x reader #feanor x reader #maedhros x reader #curufin x reader #amrod x reader #argon x reader #angrod x reader #finarfin x reader #ecthelion x reader #maeglin x reader #egalmoth x reader #silmarillion imagine #middle earth x reader #doodlepops writings ✨

[uenodivision]

As the sun was still shining brightly in the first day of November, there was yet another visitor stopping by at one flower shop in Ueno.

This time the visitor was a young man with pink fluffy hair and a tatsumaki headband.

“Pardon my intrusion~ Oh, ohayo☆ Happy birthday and glad to see you today, Heisha-san.”

Greeting the nun with a big hearty smile on his face, the boy walked up closer to the flower shelf where Shisuta was standing

“My name is Asahi from the Harumatsuya shop in Nara!  And I’ve come here today as the representative of my team! YuuYu was going to relay presents at other division so he sadly can't come today. Most importantly… We’ve got some presents for you as well!”

With such a jovial voice, he handed something over to the birthday lady.

“This one was a handmade bookmark from him. He told me he had found this four-leaf clover once during one of his time doing the club activity with his friends in the park, and that time he was kinda into the resin art too. So, he decided to make one himself.”

“Four-leaf clover doesn’t only mean someone a good luck. I heard that each of their leaves are said to stand for four things. The first leaf is for hope, the second is for faith, the next is for love, and therefore the last one is for luck. In my opinion, I really think that it would suit your liking! And here, let’s move to the next gift~”

Asahi opened his bag and picked one paper box out of it carefully. He looked so proud when he opened its lid to showed what’s inside to her.

“Proudly presented from my family store! This is the nerikiri set I made myself! After all, flower designs and such are my specialty! I bet it would go even better if eaten together with some hot green tea.”

“Lastly, these are from Saigo-san. Speaking about tea and he actually gives Heisha-san the teacups haha. They’re the product from his cousin who loves ceramics though. Pouring some tea in these and they will look like there is literally a fish swimming inside. Kinda having the wabi-sabi feelings to me, I think?”

As the nun looked at all of the items presented by the wagashi maker, a smile appeared on her face as she bowed respectfully to him.

"Thank you very much, Tomoharu-san," Shisuta said, still smiling. "I am truly grateful for these."

Feeling she needed to reciprocate the young man for his kindness, Shisuta turned around for a brief second and began pulling out an assortment of flowers before gently placing them in a vase full of water.

"Please, take these." Shisuta said, handing him a bouquet of Dahlias. "Dahlias are a very beautiful flower. Not only because of their appearance, but because they symbolize compassion and kindness, which is what you and your companions have shown today." Bowing once more, Shisuta bid the young pink-haired man a farewell before looking at the treasures he had left behind. Smiling at the bookmark, she tucked it away, making sure to use it later.

She was truly in awe of the teacups that Asahi's teammate had given her. As she bit into one of the wagashi left for her, she was a bit upset that she didn't have any tea to good with them. It would have been a good time to utilize Saigo-san's gift. But she promised herself she would definitely use them at her earliest connivence.

#hypmic #hypmic oc #hypnosis mic oc #hypnosis mic #hypnosis microphone #shisuta heisha #yuuya kanata #asahi tomoharu #saigo fuyugami #miraitabi #nara division #happy birthday shisuta 2023

[akihabaradivision]

Once the famous albino YouTuber went checking up her residence’s mailbox in the late morning, she then found a furoshiki-style wrapping package neatly put among a pile of gifts she had received as both treats of last night’s Halloween and her birthday presents from many friends she has gained through her countless paranormal journeys.

And with two arms full of her acquaintances’ good wills, Criss had finally managed to take all of them into her home —meaning that it’s now boxing time!

Opening each box up one after another, finally she had come across that one peculiar-looking package. After unwrapping it, she found an envelope attached inside;

“Greetings, Hiromi-san of Akihabara. Happy birthday and these are some little presents I and my team got for you! At first I thought of directly handing them to you at school, but because your classmates told me that you rarely attend classes. Thus, I thought of sending our presents to your home instead.

The first one is from me. It’s the Pikachu power bank! Keep this cute lil guy with you whenever you go outside for the journey and I’m sure he’ll be of use someday. I know it isn’t funny when your phone somehow ends up dead in a place you don’t know. 

And next, it’s from my bestie Asahi, he has made you some Halloween nerikiri! Guess the air of festival still lives on even if time has passed haha.

P.S. But I think it’ll be better for your own sake if you consider not skipping classes too often. Some places are really dangerous especially when things get dark —Welp, it isn’t only because I’m still scared of horror things of course. One thing I’m sure of is that teachers, your classmates, and your girlfriend are worried about you.

—Lastly, hoping you (and me) get good marks on the next exam

Yuuya Kanata,

Nara Division.”

"Eeee! It's so cute!" Criss squealed, hugging the small Pikachu power cord close. She had loved Pokemon when she was younger, but as her interests got more and more towards ghosts and the paranormal, her love for the popular manga and anime series slowly waned. She couldn't even begin to tell you all about all the new Pokemon that had been created now! She still liked it, but not as much as ghosts or exploring. But she was definitely having to get back into after getting this adorable charger!

Reading the rest of the letter, the paranormal investigator sighed as her friend's words reminded her of Keiko's and her teacher's. She knew that she had to do better with her classes. She wasn't failing, as she always made sure to keep up with her classes and homework. It was for this reason that she'd be glad when she was done with school, so she could just do like her friend, Nikki, and spend her time exploring, making money that way. But that was never going to change if she didn't graduate first.

"Maybe I should get some studying first..." Criss spoke out loud to herself, sighing. "Exams are coming up and I don't want to fail."

"But first!" Criss declared, picking up the sweet pastry treats still on the plate. "I should eat these. They look to good not to be eaten."

#hypmic #hypmic oc #hypnosis mic #hypnosis mic oc #hypnosis microphone #criss hiromi #happy birthday criss 2023 #yuuya kanata #asahi tomoharu #happy birthday

[setagaya-division]

A sound of something being dragged is heard until it stops in front of his residence’s entrance and then, his doorbell suddenly rings.

“Sir, we’ve got something delivered to you!” 

Once he recalls that the owner of that voice is none other than the delivery man who usually works in his neighborhood, the glasses boy can’t help but cautiously approach the doors for a quick check through the peephole. He must be certain first that what’s on the other side of the doors isn’t something that would bring harm to him and his family. 

Not finding anything suspicious but a sight of some kind of vehicle(?) in front of his residence, Elliot makes up his mind to go check it by himself.

Looking closely at the vehicle, he finds out that it’s a brand-new bicycle with a fairly spaceful basket below. Checking up its basket which seems to be large enough to fit the medium-sized dog in, there his blue eyes meet other two gifts wrapped in cloth and one envelope sticking out.

“To Elliot Shimizu of ENIGMA

Firstly, Happy Birthday to you and greetings to the Setagaya Division.

This letter was written from a certain division a bit far away from Tokyo —Somewhere where you may take interest in since there are a herd of wild deer allowed to roam around in the town. This time we’ve got some presents for you.

The box with a fragile symbol is from me; It's a double-walled mug. With its gap between two layers, it can prevent heat from burning your fingers and prevent condensation at its outer surface from making your mug wet. It has a cute design too, so that’s a plus!

The next gift is from my friend, Asahi. This time around he chose to make the nerikiri called ‘Ajisai (Hydrengea)’ for you! It is named after Japan’s signature flower that blooms in the rainy season (and also the same flower that flourishes around our old man’s place). Oh, don’t worry about the ingredients. This wagashi is made from rice flour, shiro-an (white bean paste), agar, sugar and some food colorings, so that even vegan can enjoy them!

And how don’t we talk about the last present. It’s an E-bike with the basket beneath the saddle. The bike’s size isn’t too unwieldy so I think it’s good for maintenance and many more activities; like taking your pets for a short journey, or maybe it can even attend your errand at the supermarket. Honestly, I think our old man definitely have some soft spot for hard-workers.

P.S. I also heard from my classmate’s dad the vet around here that there is a very young man started assisted the veterinary work in Tokyo, perhaps that’s you by any chance?

Hope y’all blessed in health and have a nice year

Yuuya Kanata, Nara Division”

———Somewhere in the town where the deer roam free

“Saigo-san, do you happen to see Ojou-chan anywhere? I think I’ve lost sight of her just now.”

“How would I know about that? I’m not your fucking cat.”

“…Lately I’ve often found her snuggling around my computer when I’m not looking. Maybe she just prefers a warm place.”

“You two really get along huh? First time we met, you looked like a total mess bringing that furball into my house.”

“That time I only got some scratches…”

“‘Some scratches’ you say. That time your entire arms were all covered in plasters.” 

“That’s her instinct to defend herself.”

“And she did attack me once I just wanted to inspect something!”

“That was because you made her feel unsafe!”

“Meooww!”

The fact is ...for some reason (but do cats really have any reason?), the kitten they adopted seems to attack anyone who tries to touch her except her favorite human.

As Elliot finished reading the letter, he looked up at the e-bike. To say he was a little intimidated by the machine would be an understatement. To be honest, he had always detested motorized vehicles after finding out that some of them caused stress and anxiety to dogs due to unnecessary noise they make. It also didn't help that Elliot didn't know the first thing about riding a bike, let alone a motorized one. He much preferred to walk, as it was good for the environment and a person's well-being. Plus, didn't you need a license to ride a motorized vehicle, anyway? Elliot never saw reason to get one, especially since he was so young. ...But just leaving the bike there after it had been given to him would be rude and hurtful to the person who gave it to him.

"Maybe... I can have Mina-san or Yorii-san teach me how to ride it..." He thought, before heading back into his house to observe the other two gifts he had received. He was particularly interested in the mug. To say he loved the design on it would be an understatement. He smiled as he made sure to use that cup the next he got. Picking up one of sweet treats from his final gift, Elliot took the leap and bit into one. His eyes grew round as his mouth absorbed the flavors of the white bean paste.

Looking at the other three uneaten ones, he debated between leaving some for his siblings. He knew Yorii loved anything that was sweet. He wasn't sure about Mina-san, but he knew Yorii would just eat hers if she didn't. Nodding, he took one more treat from the plate and left the rest sitting on the kitchen table. He smiled as he headed back to his study room, very happy at how this day was going.

#hypmic #hypmic oc #hypnosis mic #hypnosis mic oc #hypnosis microphone #elliot shimizu #nara division #miraitabi #yuuya kanata #asahi tomoharu #saigo fuyugami #happy birthday elliot 2023

[akihabara-division03]

Politely greeting the receptionist at the counter of one clinic in Akihabara, the boy with reddish hair in a gakuran uniform informed them that he had arrived to meet Dr. Kiyozaki but was soon told that the hypnotherapist was having the client right now. 

Sighing at himself as he realized that he has forgotten to do the first and most reasonable thing like arranging the appointment with the birthday owner before arriving, he then asked something out

“If so, could I ask you to give this to Dr. Kiyozaki? You can tell her that these are some birthday gifts from Nara Division.”

The present box he handed to them contained three gifts from each member of his team. 

First one was a pink purse with the dinosaur shape, ready to get on any journey with its new owner! 

Second one was a set of nerikiri specially made for Christmas even if that season has yet to arrive… Maybe this was an early blessing from its maker!

And the last one was a smart thermal bottle that can both maintain the temperature of content inside and inform its current temperature state to the keeper. Since autumn is going to end and winter is soon coming, it must be nice to have some portable bottle that can keep a warm drink during the day.

—————————————

After getting back to the car, Yuuya fastened his seat belt as he was asked by his only companion in the driver’s seat.

“Leaving already, kid?” 

“…Someone might be mad if I skip class. Besides, I’ve already met Kiyozaki-san in person at the collab event.” 

“Hmm, don’t you look like you want to meet her earlier?”

“Weeell, to tell the truth; she does have a similar eye color to me, so I’ve been wondering at some point if she is somehow related to either dad or mom. However, thinking about it again —This may not be the case considering both of my parents don’t even have the same shades as me and my sister. My eyes are instead just a mix from both of them.”

The owner of a pair of eyes dyed with enigmatic shades of sunset soon shifted his gaze from the screen of his phone to the outside of the car’s window as the other party went silent. There he mumbled,

“...Coincidence can happen to anybody, isn’t it? It would be really funny if one did run into their long-lost relative just because they’re participating in the D.R.B.”

The boy then recalled that he felt like his dad might have something he didn’t want to tell him too. But then again, this had nothing to do with the present.

Furthermore, somehow he did have one more funny thought to test out...

“Say, Chishio-san.”

With an unchanged expression on his face, the boy looked straight at his third member’s right-hand man who did’t even meet his gaze right now.

“Do you have anything important that you have yet to tell me and your young master too?”

Anika paused from examining her new thermal bottle, bewildered. “He really called me ‘doctor’?”

“He did say he wanted to leave these presents for ‘Dr. Kiyozaki,’” Kataoka interpreted for the receptionist. “We did end up correcting him that you don’t have the same license as a psychiatrist.”

The receptionist snickered lightheartedly as he leaned against the door to Anika’s office. “You’re getting more and more popular among other divisions. Your sender looked disappointed that he couldn’t meet you face-to-face.”

Anika chuckled and pat the head of her new dinosaur purse. I do wish I could’ve seen the face of the one who delivered these so I could thank them myself.

“Thanks for dropping these off. Take some nekiri on your way out.”

Thanks for the gifts!

#hypnosis mic #hypnosis mic oc #hypmic #hypmic oc #hypnosis mic arb #hypmic arb #akihabara division #pixel syndicate #anika kiyozaki #anika birthday 2023 #birthday 2023 #callmepyrus #nara division

[kyriolex]

Is it bad that I actually kinda like some of Himawari's classmates more than a few of Boruto's classmates?

Idk it might because Hima's classmates feel a little more original compared to Boruto's classmates which had a LOT of similarities to Naruto's Generation 😅

Also Himawari's class has an Aubrame in it. So that automatically makes Hima's class better in my bias eyes 👀 🤣

It's hard to pick which class is my favorite. Himawari's class has Harika, Kawaki, and Himawari herself, but Boruto's class has Sarada, Sumire, and Best Boy Mitsuki.

Some of Himawari's classmates are definitely more original - I mean, Kande shoots lightning out of his HEAD. He needs more screen time, seriously.

But some others feel like bargain bin copies of the side characters in Boruto's first arc. Case in point:

Boys wearing last-century outfits who want to help out their family business: Gen Katsugi and Konashi Nerikiri

Smiley goth girls who don't show their eyes: Hako Kuroi and Kura Kageno

Meek robotics nerds whose parents work at Kaminarimon Company: Denki Kaminarimon and Neon Asakusa.

Overall I feel like both classes are a bit of a mixed bag.

#Himawari and Kawaki Academy arc

[gettatranslations]

REC Footage！Yumigeta Ako (23.09.07)

Good evening🌛

I'm Yumigeta Ako🛑

Thank you very much for your comments yesterday！

Your favourite desserts…

Were surprisingly varied…！

I think out of the comments I saw Japanese desserts were mentioned a lot！

I get that〜 I love Japanese desserts too💕

I especially love nerikiri that have heart shaped jellies on top❗️

I always eat those ones first 笑lol

Today on UpComing、

I Yumigeta Ako

Appeared in my recording footage for

「Nanzansho Souzansho」！

At the shoot for our new album、I was able to take my first two shot with Ishida-san💙

I like Ishida-san's eyes〜！

I feel like I could get lost in her sharp and sparkly eyes！I think that those of you who have met her in person will understand…❗️

Her eyes are even more sparkly during LIVES because of the lighting💙

I remember being really entranced by Ishida-san's cool performance during the '19 Hello Con of 「Roman〜MY DEAR BOY〜」…🥹

I want to talk more about UpComing！

I was super anxious about that REC footage being shown 笑lol

I had a dance lesson before the REC so my hair and clothes were all scruffy🤣

But I think you can tell that I was working hard！

It's clear how focused I was on this REC… I think。

I still need to improve my rhythm and my elocution and my body movements so I'll keep working hard💪

I hope that you'll watch it ✨

⋆┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈⋆

Well then it's time for today's 【Gettaa Life】✨

Yesterdayー I received the letters you all sent me〜✨

I'm still not used to my new life since coming to Tokyo and I'm experiencing a lot of tough things、but then your letters arrived、and they helped me feel more positive😭

I'll read them so many times that I'll wear holes in the paper👍

Really thank you very much for everything！

Communicating with everyone who supports me is my ultimate motivation…！

I'm looking forward to out talk events at the end of this month！

Please keep an eye out for your health〜❗️

Today quite simply

I Getted 「Energy」✨

First up is Yoyogi the day after tomorrow！

I'll do my bestー❤️‍🔥💪

That's all！This has been 【Gettaa Life】！

⋆┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈⋆

T/N News and information has not been translated

⋆┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈⋆

This morning I decided to eat some granola but when I poured it out onto the plate it had lots of dried fruits which make me happy♪

Isn't that rareー？？

It's like when you get lots of hiyoko in your furikake…！

It's interesting thinking about how these sorts of small happy things vary so much from person to person！

By the way one of my small happinesses is

「When my contact lense goes in perfectly the first time」💕

What small things make you happy？

Please let me know in the comments〜‼️

Well then I'll see you tomorrow！

This has been YumiGettaa Ako！Good night🐧🐧🐧

#hello pro blog #17ki members #ako yumigeta #getta #gettaa #haruka inoue #hello pro #17ki #hello project #hello project blog #morning musume 23 #Mm23 #Morning Musume #morning musume blog translations #morning musume blog #morning musume translations #getta translations #getageta #yumigeta ako #ishida ayumi #ayumi ishida #10ki #10ki member #Ayumin #hello project member #hello project blog translations #hello pro blog translations #japan #hello pro member #morning musume members

[wakanatranslations]

Hakata Ramen Pose Matsumoto Wakana (23.02.04)

Good evening! I'm Matsumoto Wakana 🙉

Thank you very much for your comments 😊

Ehomaki、some of you forgot to eat it、but most of you ate some！

I love Ehomaki、so I wish I could buy it at the supermarket year round〜🥺

Today was、a live in Fukuoka prefecture！

Our first visit to the Kyushu region for this tour！

Maybe it was people's first time seeing us？☺️

It was super duper fun！！！

Thank you very much ♡

I was able to take a photo with Tanimoto-san！💜

Her hairstyles are always really beautiful、everything suits her and she's so cute😍

I want to increase my hairstyle reportoire too

🐒Extra🐒

We received Japanese wagashi from Marine-chan、and langue du chat cookies from Roko-chan！

I'm so happy！

The camellia shape is cute ❤️

It was my first time eating nerikiri wagashi、and I could really taste the high quality 🤭✨

They were both delicious！Thank you very much！

I'll end today's blog here (๑･̑◡･̑๑)

The meat in our dinner bentos was pretty spicy and delicious！😚

Our lunch bentos were delicious too！

Fukuoka is the best！

See ya！

Matsumoto Wakana

#angerme #angerme blog #angerme blog translation #angerme member #blog translations #hello pro #hello project blog translations #hello! pro #hello! project #matsumoto wakana #wakana translations #wakana matsumoto #tsubaki factory #tsubaki #tanimoto ami #Ami tanimoto #marine fukuda #fukuda marine #ocha norma #Tsutsui roko #Roko tsutsui #Ochanorma #Fukuoka #japanese idol #japanese language #japanese #japan #Japanese food #Wagashi #japanese sweets

[verdantcrimson]

Gourmand Fragrance / Wagashi Revolution - 6

(Unproofread)

Prev | Chapter List | Next

[A few days later, on the day of the show filming.]

Keito: …Hm? Anzu, did you come here to watch the shoot?

Keito: You have my gratitude. Today’s shooting was only possible thanks to you, Anzu. Thank you.

Keito: You say that you’re ‘looking forward to receiving something in return’? Naturally, I’ll return the favor somehow.

Keito: Well, it’s nearly time for filming to begin. For now, I’ll express my gratitude by making the best Valentine’s day wagashi possible.

Keito: Yes, do look forward to it.

Rei: “Greetings, everyone~♪, ‘Gourmand Fragrance’, the cooking program that shows you simple sweets that you can make and enjoy at home, starts now~.”

Rei: “Since this episode is a Valentine’s day special, the four of us plan to make adorable Valentine’s chocolates.”

Nazuna: “The simple sweet that we’re going to show you how to make this time is a kind of wagashi called nerikiri!”

Nazuna: “Wagashi and Valentine’s day are a strange combo, don’tcha think?”

Keito: “However, wagashi are still a kind of sweet at the end of the day, and nerikiri is quite aesthetically pleasing.”

Keito: “You can even make heart-shaped nerikiri. It’s a cute wagashi that’s perfect for Valentine’s day.”

Kuro: “Some people say it’s hard to make, but it’s surprisin’ly easy.”

Kuro: “Hasumi danna over here ain’t used to makin’ sweets, but he still managed to whip up a delicious batch. ♪”

Nazuna: “Well, experience is the best teacher, so let’s get cooking!”

Rei: “First, put the glutinous rice powder in a heat-resistant bowl and add water.”

Rei: “We’ll leave that step to Hasumi-kun, our beginner cook, just to show you that newbies can make this dish too. ♪”

Keito: “Yes. Firstly, we’ll measure out our rice flour and water.”

Rei: “Be sure to follow the recipe properly. Or else, you may end up with dough so hard that it’ll break your teeth.”

Keito: “Don’t make fun of me all the time, you’re incorrigible. However, like you said, we do have to be cautious about the measurements.”

Keito: “Thirty grams of rice flour… Phew, alright. Water is… Sixty grams.”

Keito: “Mm? There’s not enough water. Just a bit more…”

Keito: “Ugh, there are twice as many grams this time. Incorrigible…”

Rei: (He’s pouring water in and out repetitively. It’d be easier if he made adjustments using a smaller cup...)

Rei: (Hasumi-kun is struggling quite a bit to make these sweets. It’s a far cry from his usual self.)

Rei: (His fans will surely be happy to see this new side of him. ♪)

Keito: “... Alright, I’ve set aside sixty grams. Let’s move on to the next step.”

Keito: “Add half of the water to the rice flour… Ah, I see. So do I have to divide the water in half?”

Keito: “I should’ve measured out the halves separately in the first place… The method I used was just bad!”

Rei: “Now now, calm yourself, Hasumi-kun. A slight error is no cause for concern. There should be no issue if you just eyeball the measurements.”

Keito: “Personally, I’m not a fan of the ambiguity of measuring by eye… Is this around the right amount?”

Keito: “No, I think I poured too much in. There’s only ten grams of water left!”

Keito: “Guh, I knew I should’ve measured it out properly...”

Rei: “Oh dear, this battle might drag out for longer than expected…”

[After that incident, the cooking progressed smoothly…]

Nazuna: “♪~♪~♪ Alright! We’re done making the nerikiri paste!”

Nazuna: “Look, Kuro-chin! I dusted a bit of cocoa powder to make it brown! It’s cute, right?”

Kuro: “Yup. The chocolate color is perfect for Valentine's day.”

Nazuna: “Right~? But now comes the most important part of nerikiri making.”

Nazuna: “Wagashi are all about appearances! What kind of shape should I give them to make them look fitting for Valentine’s day?”

Nazuna: “There’s white paste and brown paste… I’ve got it!”

Nazuna: “Shape it into a ball, add some ears, and then use a chocolate pen…”

Nazuna: “And I’m done! Have a look, Kuro-chin, It turned out so cute!”

Kuro: “A white and chocolate-colored rabbit, huh? It’s exactly the sort of wagashi you’d make, Nito. ♪”

Kuro: “Oh, and if ya look closer, it’s got a heart-shaped tail. Ya did great with the details.”

Nazuna: “Eheheh, right~! That’s a discreet little detail I added. If it was just a rabbit, it wouldn’t be Valentine’s themed after all. ♪”

Nazuna: “What about you, Kuro-chin?”

Kuro: “Me? Well, I kinda made ‘em without worryin’ too much about Valentine’s, but I settled on makin’ a couple of flowers for now.”

Nazuna: “No, wait, aren’t you a little too good at this, Kuro-chin!? These white and brown roses are practically blooming!”

Kuro: “Haha, the stick used for craftin’ was kinda like a sewin’ needle once I got used to it. It felt a bit like makin’ clothes and ended up bein’ surprisingly fun.”

Kuro: “But, I still gotta figure out a way to add a Valentine’s touch to it like you did, Nito.”

Kuro: “Got it. I’ll try makin’ the next one with heart-shaped petals. ♪”

Nazuna: “Ooh~ Kuro-chin, you’re amazing! I won’t be outdone by you though!”

Nazuna: “I’ve still got a lot of leftover ingredients to work with, and I’ll come up with a whole bunch of ideas for Valentine’s nerikiri. ♪”

Rei: (Hm… Seems like Kiryu-kun and Nito-kun’s wagashi-making is going smoothly.)

Rei: (And I was wondering about what would happen to Hasumi-kun at first too, but—)

Keito: “...Yes. Look, Sakuma. I was able to shape it into a cute heart.”

Keito: “I can make nerikiri that suits Valentine’s day too. ♪”

Rei: “Kuku, indeed. It’s a wonderful wagashi that wouldn’t be shameful to serve up in the slightest.”

Rei: “I won’t be beaten by everyone else either. I shall make wagashi worthy of being the star of Valentine’s day as well. ♪”

Prev | Chapter List | Next

#Gourmand Fragrance #Keito Hasumi #Kuro Kiryu #Rei Sakuma #Nazuna Nito

[hi-technique]

My first Nerikiri by Miki Nagata

#My first Nerikiri #food #cooking #cake #japan #dessert #japanese #vegan #traditional #goma #homemade

[amellce]

Updates

(Sorry for not posting new content for a while! There have been some changes in my job and I've become very busy since December. I'm working on new recipes now but I have some updates to post first.)

Update: Amellce's Custom Food Enabler

Added resources for new recipes.

Recipe Updates:

Nerikiris:  Satsuki Azalea / Balloon Flower / Sakura / Plum Blossom / Wisteria / Sunflower / Camellia

Snow Rabbit Manju / Kamon Dorayaki

Fixed an issue that toddlers not grabbing the correct food piece when they eat with their hands (as the title pic shows). I almost never play with toddlers, so I didn't aware of this problem until recently. Now toddlers should grab the correct food instead of the default omelette-like thing or spoon.

Some other unimportant minor adjustments that I don't remember.

Please re-download the recipes as needed, and be sure to update Amellce's Custom Food Enabler to the latest version first before updating the recipes as they use resources from the latest version enabler.

#mod update

[earlgreymon]

the sweet escape

enlightenmonth // [day 9-12] past or future my approach will be quite different with this one. instead of talking about their past, i'm pulling them into a historical timeline a.k.a. samurai au. this was inspired by an otome game called samurai love ballad party, and also a dorama i was watching last year called watashitachi wa douka shiteiru which was about a traditional japanese sweet shop. you will see a lot of different japanese terms here, but i will try to put the explanation with links. sorry for being late; i'm still figuring my life out. warning: 3k words.

___

There was a pavilion named Shoshoin, and even though it was made from the logs of the woods nearby, it was by no means an ordinary building. On the contrary, Shoshoin was a warehouse of the greatest knowledge in the nation—a library, as someone recently coined the term. There were scrolls about tales you usually heard from mouth to mouth, a bundle of papers that contained details about every secret a human being wanted to know, even some antiques that served like a passage to another world beyond the homeland.

Shoshoin, however, was located inside the castle grounds, and there was no way for Koushiro to access the building that easy.

His grandfather often told the story about Shoshoin when he was still alive, back when Koushiro was a little boy. Ojiisan once worked as a cook in the castle, so indeed it was based on his own experience. Every time his mouth opened for the same story, his eyes would also follow the excitement reflected in a gleam of admiration. It was as if he witnessed the most amazing thing in the world, and Koushiro—being a naturally curious person—couldn’t help but wonder if he would get the same opportunity to visit Shoshoin someday and learn as many things as he could.

But again, it was just wishful thinking. He was a mere commoner after all, trying his best to survive by running a wagashi shop. His father was bedridden and his mother was equally old even though she still had the stamina to work in the kitchen. Thus it was his responsibility as the only child to keep the business moving. It wasn’t like he despised the shop anyway; after all, it was the place he grew up in. He enjoyed the challenge of consistently carving the little details on nerikiri to resemble the shape of a flower. As much as he was curious with the hint of parchment and sandalwood from the Shoshoin, he also loved the smell of freshly made red bean paste from the stockpot every morning.

Be that as it may, the best part was serving their loyal customers. Koushiro had to admit that he was not a people person to begin with; even as a child, he had a stuttering problem due to the perpetual wariness of interacting with other people. He remembered the first time he took over the front line; he wished the shelves were tall enough to hide his face. However, he then understood how wonderful his job was after seeing the smiles of the customers or hearing the compliments on the sweets they sold. Those delightful feedbacks also motivated him to provide a better service, so he learned how to communicate appropriately, even trying to remember the name of their regulars.

Takenouchi-sama was one of their newest patrons. The first time the lady stepped into their shop a few months ago, his old habit of stuttering returned for a short while because her modest beauty caught Koushiro starstruck. Even the fukinagashi she wore didn’t manage to conceal the elegance of her short hair and bright eyes. She always came every Wednesday around two in the afternoon. Her order was also the epitome of constant: two pieces of yokan, four monaka, three warabi mochi, and six assorted nerikiri.

That Wednesday when she dropped by, unfortunately, the shop wasn’t ready to serve the monaka because they needed to redo the red bean paste. That was why the first thing he did after welcoming her was to bow as deep as possible.

“Takenouchi-sama, my apologies.” His tone was regretful but still firm. “I’m afraid you have to wait for another ten minutes for the monaka.”

The lady blinked in surprise, but not because of the news. “You didn’t even let me say my order,” she said after breaking into small, delicate laughter. Of course it was a joke, considering such formality was no longer necessary. “I don’t mind waiting, Izumi-san. Don’t worry.”

Koushiro lifted his head back; a faint blush decorated his cheeks. He tried to shoo the embarrassment away by placing the rest of her order in the box. Still, the red became more apparent when he realised that he had to do something to keep Takenouchi-sama entertained, especially when only the two of them were inside the shop. He tried to recall any information from the past he could utilise, but then he remembered they never exchanged a longer conversation beforehand. After her first visit, she always spent no longer than five minutes inside the shop. Koushiro couldn’t talk about the recent harvest like he always did when Ishida-sama came, and Takenouchi-sama didn’t seem to live nearby so he couldn’t say anything about her house like when he told Kido-sama about the porous roof.

They ended up staring at each other to fill the silence, with Takenouchi-sama eyeing him curiously and Koushiro nervously laughed, not knowing what to do. “Ta, Takenouchi-sama, I’m—”

The shop’s door suddenly slid open, and two samurai walked nonchalantly inside. Maybe it was a blessing in disguise because Koushiro could now distract himself by serving the newcomers. Takenouchi-sama also immediately scooted herself away as if she wanted to give the space; she turned and faced the wall, observing the hanging scroll like it was the most interesting thing she had ever discover. Did she just also pull the veil closer to cover her face more?

“I heard the Motomiya’s troupe will visit the castle next month,” the first samurai spoke as he waited for Koushiro to finish packing some mochi. “So Tonosama really wants to arrange a marriage for his sister?”

“That’s got to be the plan,” his friend, the one with a topknot, nodded. “The most amicable way for us to acquire the Motomiya’s land is to hand over Ojousama. Their army isn’t as strong as ours, but they managed to beat down the Hida Clan in a night. If we have to go for a battle, it’s going to be very ugly.”

Both samurai left after Koushiro gave them their order, still chatting the same topic as they exited the premise. Takenouchi-sama then returned to Koushiro; her veil seemed loosened even though she still kept her composure.

“Are you interested in the castle’s affair, Izumi-san?” she suddenly asked.

“Welll… not really,” he answered bluntly, somehow relieved because he no longer bore the weight of searching a topic. “But what I heard just now seems rather complicated. It was very unfortunate for Ojousama if she’s being pushed for a political marriage, especially if she’s really sick. I think the stress can affect her condition gravely.”

For years, the townspeople acknowledged the existence of this Ojousama, even though they never really saw her in person. She was said to be the younger sister of Yagami-sama—the Lord of this land and one of the strongest samurai ever known in history. The reason of her seclusion from the public’s eye was her poor health condition, and the Lord itself was pretty protective of her after the death of their parents, so she was never seen outside the castle.

“Oh! Now that I remember, I do have one thing I’m interested in about the castle,” he revised. “My grandfather was a cook for the Yagami Clan a long time ago. When he worked there, he found a building separated from the main castle called Shoshoin, and he always told me that Shoshoin has the answer of everything you want to know about in this world. I think that sounds grand.”

Takenouchi-sama paused momentarily before smiling in a slight. “That really sounds interesting. Why don’t you try to pay a visit?”

“I believe a layman like me can only visit a castle in the sky.”

“With your tremendous ability in making sweets, I do think you are qualified to be a castle cook just like your grandfather.”

“You’re thinking too highly of me, Takenouchi-sama.” His laughter sounded more relaxed now. “I love this shop anyway, and—”

The interruption now came in the form of a call from the kitchen. His mother just announced that the monaka was now ready. Koushiro excused himself to the back, picking up the freshly made monaka and transferred them to the shelf except for the four. He swiftly put them inside the box and handed them after wrapping the box with a cloth. “We sincerely apologise for the wait. Thank you for your patronage.”

Takenouchi-sama departed shortly after she made the payment, leaving with somehow a knowing smile on her lips. She didn’t come the following Wednesday, but another two samurai came to the shop looking for him instead. The stern expression on their face managed to make Koushiro shivered. They looked at him as if he was a criminal.

However, instead of drawing out their swords, they gave him a scroll with an official seal of the Yagami clan. It was an invitation from the castle to participate in the tea ceremony with the Motomiya in two weeks.

The samurai gave no further explanation. They only told Koushiro to came on the scheduled date and prepare two types of wagashi to be served in the reception. Koushiro and his mother were still in immense shock even after the samurai had left, wondering what kind of good deeds they had done in the previous life to be noticed by Yagami-sama. Soon after they realised this wasn’t a dream, they fell into each other’s hug—even his mother couldn’t hold back the happy tears as she kept blabbering about how proud she was.

His mother wouldn’t be able to go to the castle with him as she still had to look after his father, but Koushiro wouldn’t dare to decide the menu on his own, believing his mother’s blessing was everything. So they finally settled with star-shaped monaka and hasamigiku, and with that decision, Koushiro started to train every day so he wouldn’t make a mess when the day came.

This was, after all, a very important tea ceremony that might lead to a crucial political move if the tattletale he heard back then was true.

___

Two weeks later, Koushiro came to the castle very early in the morning, just like he was instructed. The guards immediately escorted him to the kitchen, where he then learned another confectioner was also invited—a woman named Tachikawa from the nearby town. She seemed to take this opportunity very seriously, saying that there might be a chance to work as a permanent chef in the castle.

Koushiro didn’t even consider that possibility before. He already felt honoured enough to follow the same path as his grandfather by cooking for the Lord.

As the event soon approaching, they began to assemble their dishes. Both Koushiro and his ‘competitor’ had already prepared most parts before they arrived at the castle, so plating was all they needed. Once the guests had arrived, it was finally the time for them to serve. It would be a big lie if Koushiro said he wasn’t nervous as he made his way to the hall, especially knowing that he had to explain his dishes in front of the Lord and the royal people. He just hoped that his stutter wouldn’t reintroduce itself and turned Koushiro into a laughing stock.

However, the nervousness soon vanished in a blink of an eye, and it changed into a tremendous amount of shock.

When the guards slid open the hall, of course the first person he laid his eyes on was the great Lord itself. Yagami Taichi, the famous samurai with a tale you could pass for generations. Sitting on his left side was the guest, another samurai with a strong sense named Motomiya Daisuke. The nation’s most extraordinary power gathered in a single room; hence the threatening aura was explainable.

Yet it was the lady who sat on the Lord’s right side that made Koushiro’s heart almost leap out of his chest. The brilliant bright eyes and the short hair… they were all easy for him to recognise, especially without a hood to conceal. It became more apparent as Koushiro stepped forward and personally served each person in the hall.

How come Takenouchi-sama was here beside the Lord? Wasn’t it supposed to be his sister’s place?

She only smiled when Koushiro bowed in front of her with a puzzled look, as if she could read his mind.

Fortunately, Koushiro could explain his dishes clearly, although he might lack confidence compared with the high-spirited Tachikawa-san. The Lord himself asked them to leave the hall after thanking them for the food, but it was hard for Koushiro not to leave his gaze from Takenouchi-sama until the door was completely shut.

They were told to wait because it would be rude for them to leave before the ceremony finished. Maybe it was because of the nervousness that he then got an urge to go to the bathroom. The chef gave a simple direction that sounded reachable, but the castle was so big he couldn’t help getting lost.

“WOOF!”

Somehow, he ended up on the dog’s kennel. And somehow, the dogs weren’t leashed.

“DON’T—” It was too late; the dogs had already identified him as an intruder, so the horrendous chase began. Koushiro ran with all his might, trying to look someplace to hide, not wanting to turn himself into a wagashi for the royal canines. He finally caught sight of a wooden door, trying out his luck by pushing it open before squeezing himself in and closed it back—he swore he could see the fangs within an inch from his foot just now.

Koushiro was panting hard, and even though he tried his best to stand up, his legs had already given up. As he sprawled on the cold floor, he slowly took his time to rearrange his breath. However, it was a bit of a challenge given the smell of parchment, sandalwood and kerosene that suddenly filled his lung.

And that was where the realisation hit him.

The blurry vision regained clarity seconds later with the help of little torches on the wall. In front of him were rows and rows of shelves occupied by lots of books and scrolls. Statues of weird-looking creatures gathered at the eastern part of the room, along with binoculars, globe, and things he didn’t know the names of yet—because he didn’t have the knowledge as vast as a library.

He found it. He found Shoshoin.

Koushiro’s mouth was agape. His grandfather didn’t lie when he said the place had the ability to take your breath away. It was captivating. The charm was so irresistible that he couldn’t help to approach the shelves and pick up one of the books, flipping the pages without a care that he was an intruder in this place. The first book he opened was written in full kanji; some of them didn’t make any sense that he thought it was probably not Japanese. The second book was in Latin alphabets, so he assumed it was English. The third book—

“I know you’ll be here.”

—he didn’t get the chance to open, because he immediately pulled his hand as he turned away and found the lady was standing behind.

“Ta, Takenouchi-sama?!” Koushiro didn’t care less about calling her correctly because his first priority would be to bow down for an apology. “I am very sorry for trespassing—”

But before his knees touching the ground, he was halted by a hand placed above his shoulder softly. When he lifted his face, he could see a thin smile, reassuring that there was no need to worry.

“I am actually glad you finally made it,” she said. “Both here and the tea ceremony. If I may ask, how did you come up with both confections?”

“O, oh. It’s something I thought with my mother,” Koushiro explained, still a bit nervous. “Takenouchi-sama, do you remember the last time you visited our shop? We had two samurais talking about the potential courtship between Lord Motomiya and Lord Yagami’s little sister. My mother agreed that it would be hard for the lady to face the political arrangement, so we wanted to cheer her up. We made the hasamigiku that resembled yellow chrysanthemum; a flower meaning get well soon, because we heard that the lady is not well. And the star-shaped monaka… well, we want the lady to know that no matter what happens, she will shine like a star. The lady’s name, after all, is… Hikari, right?”

Koushiro hoped he wasn’t being impolite just now. However, the woman in front of him seemed taken aback since the silence grew longer—until she ended with a sigh of relief.

“It is Hikari,” she said with a slight smile. “I am sorry for deceiving you, Izumi-san. Takenouchi was my handmaiden’s name. I borrowed her name every time I sneaked outside the castle.”

“B, but why do you have to sneak outside…?”

“You know that my brother will never allow me to go outside,” she answered calmly. “I was fallen ill when I was a little girl, and they almost lost me. That’s why he’s being protective. Overprotective, as a matter of fact. But at the end of the day, I am also a part of the House of Yagami. I have to go and see my people.”

It made sense now why she seemed anxious when the samurai visited the shop. That was obviously also the reason why she always put on a hood despite the weather. She was undercover, hiding her royal identity and trying to fit into society.

Her smile grew wider. “Your sweets give me life, Izumi-san. The warmth of your store is the reason I get excited every Wednesday. Is it too much if I ask you to be our chef and share your delights more often? Surely if you become our chef, you can live here just like your grandfather, and I assure you that you will have access to Shoshoin in your free time.”

It was such a big request that he couldn’t hide his surprised expression. Koushiro started to imagine the nights he could spend here, reading until the very morning before making dango for morning tea time. While it might be sound tiring for other people, it was enough to get him excited.

Alas, his stand was always the same, just like the humbleness that never changed in each of his smiles. “Thank you so much, Lady Yagami,” he said. “It’s an honour to get such a massive opportunity, but I’m afraid I have to turn it down. I cannot leave my store nor my parents. My father is sick, and my mother is also getting old.” He remembered how his grandfather told him the one thing he hated about working as the royal chef: being separated from his family. He could only visit his house once a week even though his house was only fifteen minutes walk, making it felt like fifteen hours away.

Although Lady Yagami fell silent for a moment, there was no ounce of disappointment at her face after hearing his refusal. In fact, her face turned brighter a few moments later.

“So your concern is you cannot be away from your dear parents, am I correct?” she rephrased. “I do not think we can invite the chef’s family to live in the castle. However, I think we can make an arrangement for Lord Yagami’s brother-in-law.”

Koushiro was always a sharp person. It was quick for him to realise the meaning, and his eyes almost popped out thanks to the conclusion.

“Izumi-san.” Her voice was as gentle as the morning dew. “Would you perhaps do the honour of marrying me?”

And now, it was his face that turned brighter—but in the colour of red.

“What?!”

#digimon #by me #fic #koukari #enlightenmonth #koushiro izumi #hikari yagami #the cliffhanger was on purpose #you can see i'm struggling

[dajaregambler]

HeliosR - Brad Beams Character story - part 2

Translation of the second part of Brad’s character story from ‘Helios Rising Heroes’.  

Will: You all bloomed beautifully. Thanks to everyone it feels like the atmosphere in the living room has gotten more cheerful than before. 

Brad: Will, huh.

Will: !! Brad-san, good morning…!

Brad: Morning. Thought I heard your voice, were you talking to the flowers

Will: Ahaha, I’m sorry… Talking to plants while watering them is a habit I got from while I stayed at my parents home

Brad: No need to apologize. It is said that plants will grow better if you talk to them. 

Will: You’re also familiar with it?

Will: But it’s true. Telling plants that they’re lovely really makes them bloom pretty flowers, it’s cute right.

Brad: ….Of course

Will: Ah…. U- um…. Do you have a day off today, Brad-san? Being here around this time is a bit unusual for you?

Brad: I came back to quickly grab lunch since I had a bit of free time. I have to leave pretty soon

Will: I see….

Will: Ah, as for Oscar he went to the gym. Akira wanted him to come along and had asked him. 

Will: That Akira, every time there’s an opportunity he challenges Oscar-san to a competition. Not only about training, but who’s faster at eating food, or taking a bath….

Brad: I heard it from Oscar

Will: R-right. Sorry, I said too much...

Brad: You didn’t go with them then

Will: Eh? Ah yeah, I was taking care of the plants… I am a bit worried if Akira will cause any trouble however. 

Brad: ….

Will: Um…… sorry. I’m, going to fill up the spraying bottle with water

Brad: (I made him uncomfortable huh…)

Brad: (I have some advice I want to give, but it’d be better to prioritize communication.)

Brad: (Well, now lunch comes first---)

Brad: What is this?

Brad: ….Japanese confectionery?

Will: Ah… That’s the ‘Nerikiri’ I bought. 

Will: There’s this confectionery store I often go to in Little Tokyo…. The one called Akabeko Temple.

Brad: Akabeko Temple, huh. It’s right over the Sushi bar, bit of a stylish store

Will: Eh, you know about it!?

Brad: Compared to other areas the businesses don’t come and go as much. I remember most of them.

Will: Then, you’ve also been to Little Tokyo before?

Brad: Yeah, quite frequent. Although the reason is mostly to go eat sushi

Will: Sushi...

Will: I thought you’re not really into eating food since you’re always having things like protein bars

Brad: Aah, Oscar’s the one that enjoys these. I only eat them when I don’t have the time 

Will: That’s how it is… So Brad-san also has a favourite food 

Brad: And you enjoy Japanese confectionery.

Brad: That reminds me, sometimes you speak of Japanese proverbs… Are you interested in Japanese culture? 

Will: Uwah, did I let it show? That’s a bit embarrassing… 

Will: It’s because I had memorized the books at Akira’s house by heart a long time ago. He’s of Japanese descent so they had many of these kinds of books.

Will: Akira totally wasn’t interested in them but, whenever I was over I’d get lost in reading for hours

Will: Uuh… I’m thinking of it but, I’m sure I only said these in front of Akira or Ren though?

Brad: Well, it’s rather that you had said something in front of Oscar. Right... ‘’A gourd being washed away by the river‘’ wasn’t it. 

Will: !! I-I don’t know if I recall using it… We were talking about Akira that time...

Brad: Oscar had asked seriously what a gourd is, and how it would even be washed away by a river.

Will: S-sorry. I didn’t mean to trouble him...

Brad: Don’t worry. I’ve given him my dictionary of proverbs and told him to look it up himself next time. 

Will: A dictionary of proverbs? 

Brad: I’m also someone that is interested in Japanese culture. I have several books about language, food, traditional art, religion and so on. 

Will: Heeh, how fascinating! Just like the ones at Akira’s house.... 

Brad: It's fine to rummage through the books in my room if you’d like to

Will: Eh? Indulging myself like that…  

Brad: Don’t worry too much, there’s nothing in there that would cause trouble if you’d find it. 

Brad: Although, I’ve been planning to transfer some books to the bookshelf in the living room to let you rookies read. 

Will: Is that so? Then… Next time, I’ll take up on your offer. 

Will: Fufu, reading books is important, right. I wonder if I could encourage Akira to also do some reading instead of only moving around. 

Brad: …..

Brad: ‘’Even with parents, children grow up’’, are you familiar with these words

Will: ? I’ve heard that before but… isn’t it ‘’Even without parents, children grow up’’?

Brad: That one is used the most when it comes to proverbs. The one I said was a remark by a certain Japanese writer as an ironic statement. 

Brad: Without parents children grow up, but even with parents they grow up. It implies that parents are something that merely exist. 

Will: You read Japanese novels, Brad-san? Amazing… I can’t even imagine being able to go that far myself. 

Will: But, why did you tell me that? 

Brad: There’s no particular reason. It’s just a bit… it feels as if you’re overdoing with how much affection you’re giving to the plants. 

Brad: Because you’re telling the plants how beautiful they are while they’re growing, it doesn’t necessarily mean they will grow up beautiful

Brad: That stress of calling out to them, being near them and touching them merely stimulates the secretion of hormones. 

Will: Eeh…..

Brad: Said from an academic point of view, that is

Brad: I’ve heard that your parents have a flower shop, it’s important to value the teachings of your mother too. 

Will: That kind of view made the scales fall from my eyes….

Will: It’s true that I’ve been doing as my parents have taught me, but I was convinced that the plants were happier like this...

Will: I’ve read books that specialize in this, but maybe I should start from scratch? Wait, but now I’m under rookie training… 

Brad: Think carefully with your own head of what would be best to do.  

Will: Um… Thank you very much for the advice, Brad-san.

Brad: It was nothing of the sort. Just a normal everyday conversation. 

Brad: Although training the rookies has been left in Oscar’s hands to take care of, the lack of communication isn’t desirable. There’s ‘’realization’’ even from this kind of trivial conversation. 

Will: That’s right… Brad-san being knowledgeable in Japanese culture, or how sushi is your favourite… I wouldn’t have known a thing if we hadn’t talked like this.

Will: I’m always hearing from Oscar-san how you’re excellent as a not only a hero but as a person too but…. Because there weren’t any opportunities to talk, it didn’t really click for me. 

Will: Eh... um, s-sorry! I blurted out something inexcusable but, it wasn’t my intention to imply that you aren’t excellent…. 

Brad: Aah, I understand.

Brad: Continue to make the most of that honest mentality of yours and keep up the hard work from now on too. 

Will: !! Y-yes…!

-

Notes + cool factz:

They’re talking about sweets at some point, but specifically the Japanese ones ‘和菓子’ (わがし, wagashi). ‘Nerikiri’ is a type of wagashi that reflects the season it’s being served in, made out of bean paste (anko).

For the confectionery store, it’s ‘赤べこ堂’. Akabeko (赤べこ) is a traditional Japanese red cow toy. 堂 (どう, dou) can be either interpret as ‘temple, shrine’ or ‘hall’. I opted for the temple since it sounds more marketable for a store. 

The proverb was ‘’瓢箪の川流れ’’ (hyoutan no kawaganare), I couldn’t find any translations for it so this is what I attempted. There’s one that sounds familiar to some extent (kappa no kawaganare), but it’s rather about how everyone makes mistakes.

The ‘’certain Japanese writer’’ Brad mentioned is Sakaguchi Ango, postwar era writer. The ironic statement was mentioned in ‘’Furyo Shonen to Christ’’ (lit. ‘’The Bad Boy and Christ’’), a book criticzing Osamu Dazai’s suicide. He goes on a tangent about parents and their influence of raising children, and ends it with a note on ‘’Without parents, children grow up even more splendidly’’. I wanted to throw this is in since I do be enjoying that classic Japanese literature myself xoxo

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#heliosR #helios rising heroes #brad beams #will sprout