ARB Birthday Special: Makina Setsukura
~ September 1st ~
“Lost is a lovely place to find yourself.”
Login Lines
“Happy Birthday to myself and everyone else celebrating their birthday today. What a time to be alive, am I right?”
“Part of me is excited to eventually become an adult with all the adulty perks. But at the same time, I don’t feel like I’m ready to grow up… so while I still can, I just wanna feel like I’m alive with the people I care about the most.”
Voice Lines
“Hellooo. A whole fucking year’s passed, isn’t that wild? It really just zoomed on by. I’ll say it again and again, but it’s shocking how much time’s passed. Like, slow down… please? I want time to just slow down.”
“I think my viewers left presents and fan mail in my P.O. Box. I planned for a big birthday stream for the majority of the day, just to spend some fun time with chat and thank them for the gifts. We’ll look through all the cute fanart on social media, play some games together, and I’ll have a couple of collabs with some streamer friends, too. Aaaaand I’ve got some fun surprises for chat, too.”
“Oh, Anika… thank you… Yeah, we couldn’t celebrate last year… ‘cuz of… Right… different… What the… stop sounding so cheesy… Urgh, today’s not the day for me to cry, dammit, I have makeup on…”
“You got me a present? Can I see it now? Isn’t this one of those ccomo mini fridges? It’s the brown bear fridge… I mean it’s really cute… and it’s got a lot of storage space… It’ll be good when I stream so I don’t have to leave my room to get snacks… What the fuck, why was that so backhanded… Ah shut up… and thanks…”
“Oh hey, Shian… thanks. Oh… was that two years ago? Oh yeah, it was… It felt like yesterday but it also felt like so long ago. I can’t thank you enough… really… Ah, shit, I didn’t want you to hear that… Ugh… thanks…”
“A pink…handheld carousel…? With pink bunnies? It’s a projector? How… Oh, ok, I see how it works now. That’s cool. And it’s really cute. A gift for kids? … I can’t even be mad about that…”
Anika Lines
“Hey, Happy Birthday, kiddo! This is my first celebrating your birthday with you. Right… But this year is different! There’s nothing I wish more than for you to live your life to the fullest. I’ll make sure of it. Haha! Oh no! We don’t want you to cry all that mascara off haha!”
“While we’re still here, you gotta open your present. Yeah! Go ahead! Exactly! This way, you can keep it and your snacks, strawberry milk, other energy drinks in your room and you don’t have to leave your snack rubbish in the kitchen and you can at least keep the mess within your own room! Really, looking at you hugging that thing, it’s almost half your height. That’s so cute! Oh, but still please throw away your rubbish, even if you do keep them within the confines of your room.”
Shian Lines
“Yo, Makina. It’s your birthday today, isn’t it? Damn, where has all the time gone? I swear it felt like yesterday when I first met you, but that was just barely two years ago. I heard that. No need to thank me. It was two years ago and it was the right thing to do. You deserve a good life.”
“Enjoy your present. It’s a device that projects moons and stars on your ceiling, walls, pretty much anything. It also works as a music box. It’s supposed to be a gift for kids, but I think it’ll look cute in your room and it’ll be fun to show your viewers.”
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Track 4. Soul, Meet Body
Meguro was in perfect bloom this April, and even the most common neighborhood places were insta worthy when the cherry trees blissfully rained their petals over heads of passers-by with every gust of the warm wind. Tourists flooded the otherwise silent riverbanks, walking along the promenade in hope of a memorable photo angle, and locals hurried through narrow alleyways away from the buzzing crowd into the everyday, sweeping the petals into fragile floral flurries with each step.
The scenery was gorgeous, something you discovered anew and fell in love with each year, and yet, standing in front of the new school, Tennoko could hardly enjoy the view, with thoughts racing through his head like buses at a busy terminal.
Was he too early? God, he was, definitely making a fool of himself just standing there in front of the gate. He should have just met them on the way. But it was harder to coordinate their commute now that Hideo had moved and Tomomi's wasn't really en route to the new school anymore. They'd figure it out eventually, he was sure, but for now he was entirely on his own, a nervous gnawing in his chest at the sight of other students.
They were already going towards the building, some of them maybe even his new classmates, and he tried to look oh so casual and even sent some of them an approachable smile but was pretty sure none of it was working, and they'd all just remember him as the tall awkward guy. He sighed, stomach turning another flip as he looked at the unknown faces around.
The genes had finally caught up with him this year and fast, and Tennoko felt that even over the short spring break he had grown taller again. He was overtaking Hideo in height now, and he had outgrown Tomomi already. Whatever medically accurate reassurance he got that it was all perfectly normal at his age, or encouragement that he could make a great midfielder with the height, did not make it any less of a surprise. He felt awkward in this new body changing shape and size whether he liked it or not, all lanky limbs and cracking voice and constant appetite.
He tugged at the sleeves of the uniform and smoothed the blazer, then adjusted the shoulder strap of his bag again.
At least the new uniform was better than the middle school one. If anything, the navy blazer and the tie made him feel a bit more mature and well put together than the fluffy cream cardigan they had to wear in middle school. Because that thing had just made him look like a frigging Mareep, what with his face round and still a bit childish, and a single curl always in front of his side swept bangs.
The navy blue also made his eyes stand out, and that was pretty much the only feature he liked about himself at this time of his life.
Nine was approaching fast and the guys were nowhere in sight. He looked around again, nervously glancing at his phone, hoping that he wouldn't need to brave the auditorium for the opening ceremony alone. Finally, Tennoko spotted Hajima running from across the street, and sighed with relief.
"You're late," he narrowed his eyes as Hideo's face widened in a grin at his sight.
His uniform, tie and shirt were perfectly pressed but his bag was unzipped, the syllabus and notebooks peeking out, and his hair was still a bit damp, dark brown streaks clinging to his forehead.
Tennoko forced himself not to scruff it into place.
"I knew you'd look cute in the new uniform," Hajima swallowed another grin eyeing him.
"Wasn't exactly going for cute but thanks," Tennoko rolled his eyes. There was no way to be angry at Hideo, not really, his freckles and smile be damned.
"What were you going for?"
"Brooding intellectual," he fixed his glasses on the nose and Hajima snorted.
"First class geek you mean," there was a laugh from behind, and Tennoko stuttered forwards with a quick push of an elbow to his side.
"Sure, right back at you," he snickered, noticing a new Crimson Blade key chain hanging from the zipper on his friend's school bag as Motoki Tomomi jumped from behind to say hello. He grinned and exchanged a bro handshake with Hideo.
"Where's your tie?" Tennoko asked.
"Thought I'd upgrade my image a bit, you know. The ladies man, a bit of a bad boy," he wiggled his eyebrows and propped the collar of his shirt up. With the short hair and the cheeky grin he had a sort of rogue charm around him.
"You're going to get told off on the first day. Again," Tennoko sighed.
"Don't kill my vibe, Hikaru," he replied, crossing his arms. "Can you believe it though, same school. We made it," he looked at them, then at the building behind their backs.
"Same class too," Hajima smiled, looking at Tennoko.
"Three more years stuck together, what a nightmare," Tennoko grinned at them both.
They all chortled.
As a pair of girls passed them hurrying towards the school, Motoki sighed, "Oh dear gods, please let there be fine girls in our class."
Hideo just rolled his eyes, too polite to join in on that kind of wishful thinking, and Tennoko shook his head.
"What?" Tomomi shrugged "I'm over that breakup and ready for something new, aren't you?"
Hajima made a face and ran a hand through his hair. "Just make sure you don't screw it up too fast or you'll be awkwardly stuck with her for the rest of high school," he said and Motoki mouthed fuck off in response with the politest of smiles. "What about you?" Hideo asked.
"Relationships with me never work out, you guys know that," Tennoko pulled the collar of his shirt as he tried laughing it off.
"Only 'cause they don't start, idiot," Tomomi shook his head, and he might have called him names but there was tenderness to it and concern in his voice.
"Well, I'm sure you guys will do just fine," Tennoko smiled and scruffed their heads in an affectionate manner.
Then he wrapped an arm around their backs and took a selfie of all three of them grinning in the new uniform. It came out perfect.
Already on their way, he sent it to a family group chat. Mom replied with three clapping hands emoji. The uncles responded too.
"Kick ass, kid" Naota said, obligatory football emoji at the end.
"Just not literally," Satoshi added, and Tennoko snickered imagining his strict expression.
The heart and the head, age old feud between these two. One Tennoko was partial to in his own life as well.
He took another look at the photo, then at Tomomi and Hideo's backs as they paved the way towards the auditorium chatting and joking, and he felt sunshine creep into his heart, dispelling any doubt he'd had on this first day of school.
Here they were -- the soul to his body.
Whatever things they'd discover in this new adventure, he was sure they would be there for him, always. Helping him navigate through life, one crisis at a time.
Around the third day of the school year the class has finally started to come together and feel a bit more relaxed, healthy buzzing and laughing during breaks a good sign things were going well with getting to know each other.
Though Tennoko had worried so many times over the spring break that starting relations with the new classmates would be uncomfortable to say the least, surprisingly, it wasn't a disaster at all.
Somehow the guys already figured out that he was indeed the nephew of Japan's best shooter, which earned him the usual bragging rights, though he knew he had yet to prove himself during a sparring match in PE -- as if the fact that his uncle represented Japan on the national team carried over to his own skills in football. Luckily, he'd had his share of practice and love for it so he wasn't too worried about tarnishing the family name and honour.
His long lasting friendship with Hideo meant he was also comfortable discussing baseball with the guys, having watched countless games with Hajima and listened to him explain the rules and gameplay, and having seen him play practically since they were kids.
And his love of gaming and all things geek came in handy too because in this day and age who didn't play video games, read comics, and followed heroes across the big screen each year anyway.
He didn't have time yet to hang out much with the girls but was positively thrilled to learn that some of them were also going to see Lana this summer, so they already made plans to attend the concert together. Because as much as Hideo and Tomomi didn't mind his affinity for angsty pop divas in glitter gowns, they weren't really keen to join him on such a gig wearing a flower crown.
They were waiting for the homeroom to start on the first period that day, and Tennoko spaced out a little taking in the buzz and feeling surprisingly at ease in the new surroundings.
He looked to his right. The way people were seated, there was an empty student desk beside him. He wondered if the class was going to be one short, and if so why there was still an extra seat left.
"I heard we were going to get a foreigner in class. I guess that was just rubbish," laughed a girl in a group in the front row.
As the homeroom teacher Mr. Yamashita rolled in, his heavy frame almost too big for the doorway, all students dispersed to their seats and gossip ceased.
"There was a misunderstanding with the roster of students but we have figured things out now. Please join us," from the desk he waved at the door, and as it slid open, the class went even more silent at the sight of the newcomer.
He was all broad shoulders and confident walk, straight back, and chest out like a shield once he stood in front of the whole class. His mid length hair was tied up into a half ponytail, and his face was lightly sun-kissed as if it still had some summer tan left from last year. Though he didn't say anything yet, he already had an expression of someone annoyed with the situation, brows pulled in and mouth set into a tight line. The cuffs of his blazer were turned up. To say he was tall was an understatement. He looked like he was going to outgrow the uniform any second.
"Please welcome your fellow student, Ko-kun," Yamashita-sensei read out from the updated roster as the guy customarily scribbled his name on the blackboard.
To everyone's surprise, he wrote it in katakana and Korean side by side. Someone let out a barely audible gasp.
"Ko Yoo-mi. Nice to meet you," he didn't bow, just introduced himself in fluent Japanese in a melodic yet kind of harsh voice, which made Tennoko wonder at his accent.
"Take a seat, Ko-kun," the teacher said, and suddenly, all eyes in the class on the single empty chair, Tennoko realised he was going to have company after all.
He swallowed nervously.
"You've come to know each other a bit so we'll be voting for a class representative today," the teacher addressed the whole class as if the arrival of a new student was no reason enough to disrupt his usual lesson plan. "Volunteers write your names on the sheets. Motoki, no leaning in the chair!"
As the newcomer placed his shoulder bag by the desk, and unzipped it to take out a notebook, Tennoko noticed what he thought looked like the newest issue of Young Guitar magazine peeking through between books.
Just this moment, the stranger sent him a do you mind kind of look, his eyes so dark they looked almost black, and Tennoko startled.
As the day passed, he noticed the newcomer avoided any sort of interaction with others during breaks, conveniently leaving the classroom to do his own thing. During lunchtime the guy was nowhere to be seen, which fueled the gossip even more. At the end of the day, when they changed their shoes in the locker room and walked in groups to get some ramen or to the arcade, the whole class was talking about one thing only -- the Korean.
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rupauls drag race s9e05 thoughts
whew lets dive in im gonna be honest tho i remember like none of the main challenge LMAO
aja: TOUCH THIS SKIN WHAT ITS FEEL TO YOU IM A NIGHTMARE DRESSED LIKE A DREAM COME TRUE i mean she was fine during the episode, the outfit was cute, like 7-8/10. her verse on clat was everything tho, lbr
alexis michelle: UM i didnt hate her outfit? but LLLLLLLLLLLMMMMMMMMMMMAAAAAAAAAAAOOOOOOOOOOOO @ her in untucked like she really sat there and was like “LADIES why didnt yall EDIT my outfit for me???” like MAAM theyre fucking busy its not their fault you look like a socialite hiding from the paps ALSO she had the worst verse on clat so
cynthia lee fontaine: ieubcwqiqv eqouebqfqowf her kim made me cry laughing she looked like kim from real housewives of beverly hills runway was like 4/10
eureka: HONESTLY i hated her runway, like I GET IT I GET IT, campy, leopard print, pink, neon, etc, like i understand the concept, i just think the concept is ugly, uno? HOWEVER, i appreciate that she switched up her wig and didnt just put shit on the center fourth of her head. if u looked closely tho you could clearly see that was going on tho, but WHATEVER, baby steps. not too crushed that she went home, hopefully trinity follows since they cant exploit a pageant rivalry anymore.
farrah moan: tbh, based on the lip sync she shouldve gone home, but i love her and cynthia lit did so poorly during the main, that i wouldve thrown a FIT if she had, like it was so clear that cynthia did a much poorer job and neither of them had stunning runways, although i did prefer farrah’s. the front piece was just too much, uno? it looked like a windchime and i didnt like the way it was longer than her actual garment, it looked loincloth-y.
nina bonina brown: her outfit was not my favorite, idk. obvs she wasnt great during the main but she totally ignored the fuck out of alexis during untucked and i hjbrow3bgqougbqo
peppermint: her runway was meh, but im so happy she did well during the main! shes such a LEGEND i want her to do well and make it to the top 3 with nina and shea
sasha velour: ADORED her runway, i love the russian theming, her moment w/ eureka and valentine was cute
shea coulee: WOW wow dont talk to me wow, that runway was EV ER Y THING. the best runway this season, imo, jeremy scott WISHES he could do that shit all he does is logo parody and prints, blac chyna character was great, 2. AND THE SPEECH SHE GAVE NINA MADE ME EMOTIONAL
trinity taylor: that outfit was FUCKING trash like poubelle basura garbage rubbish it was kimora blacs princess banana lady with some upgrades like its really all that i have to say uno? just the ugliest lmao
valentina: HONESTLY not a big fan of the outfit this episode? idk, i despise snake skin and patterns that are “snake skin-y” and thats what i got from it. fierce makeup tho *eyes emoji*
UM the main was okay? idk, pretty forgetable, save for the drama involved in practicing and shea’s part. FUCK MEGHAN TRAINOR. hennyway, i completely forgot about the pit crew and hadn’t noticed that they were there urewbfvwoqugbfeoub glad mini challenges are back tho. HONESTLY, super excited for snatch game, i want farrah, sasha, valentina, peppermint, and especially nina and shea to do well, but im under no illusion that theres like a 75% chance that farrah gets axed next ep.
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