#liu chang is *projecting* something and i want to know where it's coming from! ugh! | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

ccoccae · 4 years

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I AM THE BEST ; l.yy ( ii )

⇘ previous part

That’s it.

You’re absolutely losing your mind.

Liu Yangyang highkey vanished.

It was as if his abrupt leave last Wednesday was his farewell to you ㅡ not that he said goodbye though, tsk.

No but seriously.

You haven’t seen him for a wholeass week. He wasn’t in the hallway running around with that annoying classmate of him named Donghyuck - going around and literally giving their juniors and seniors the unending desire to strangle them then and there, he wasn’t sitting with his group of friends during lunch and you didn’t see him in Music Class when your class came in for a survey.

The two blank documents that you shared with him (which he hasn’t opened by the way) is begging to be typed on to serve its purpose.

Ugh - it’s killing you. You don’t know what to write about and if you did, it won’t be a short story - it will be a fricking five book serie. Yangyang? He has quite a mind. He proposes such good answers and arguments that leave you thinking; if he didn’t hate you so much, you would’ve been debate buddies - and maybe friends.

Hold up, don’t get ahead of yourself.

“Uh- Jeno.” you walk to his table during lunch, finally having the guts to do so. His friends who just got their food glance up at you and you shy away slightly at the attention that you don’t want.

“Hey ____!” He greets you and you smile tightly at him, still feeling the stares of his friends. It’s normal for friends to listen to open conversations that aren’t secretive and rather free - but you kinda wish they would just mind their own business.

But they can’t just do that.

What you didn’t know is that people talk about you. About how you’re almost a dipping flower. You appear and awe people around you unconciously and the moment they blink, you’re gone. But they mostly talk about how you always manage to be placed on top or with Yangyang during German exams. It has them shook.

Yangyang literally MOVED from Germany after living there for 6 years and you haven’t even been there for a mere vacation! You blow people’s minds beyond comprehension and you don’t know it.

“B-by any chance, do you have Liu Yangyang’s phone number..?” Your voice is low and soft, still trying to hide yourself from his friends. “It’s because we haven’t started at the project and I- really- don’t- have any connection with h-him.”

You unconciously play with your fingers, waiting for his reponse that doesn’t take long.

“Iㅡ”

Jeno is interrupted by a pitchy voice that you recognise. “I have his number!”

You turn to the opposite side of the round table to see Lee Donghyuck who has his hand in the air, face bright and smiling sweetly at you. “Do you want it?” He asks, leaning into the table.

“U-uh, yes.. please..”

“Okay, I’ll give it you. But only if you buy me a piece of strawberry cake.” His smile turns to a mischievous one - the change is something you expected. Lee Donghyuck without mischief is not Lee Donghyuck.

You are about to take into his deal until his other friend, whom you believe is named Renjun, smacks his back that you can hear it from where you stand.

“OUCH!” Donghyuck screeches and you hold back a giggle. Jeno pokes your elbow softly, making you turn to him.

“Here.”

[ Come over to my place and let’s get this over with. ] is what Liu Yangyang told you after you accidentally called him. He sent his adress right below all your messages that he just ‘read’.

Ouch. Seenzoned.

Yangyang’s mansion was big - well, mansions are supposed to be big. You didn’t expect Yangyang to be THIS rich. You just got used to the fact that he casually wears a Gucci hoodie during Gym classes.

Right when you stood by the gateway, a gaurd comes up to you with a smile asking, "Are you Young Master Liu's guest?" and you nodded. "Follow me please." Then he escorted you through the gate then to the sandstone driveway to the mansion.

From there, a maid - you assume her to be the head maid due to his cold attitude - greets you in chinese. You swear your mind was rusted when it comes to chinese, but you manage to reply to her politely.

The maid halts infront of one of the many big black doors in the first floor. She doesn't knock and that gives you a mini-heart attack.

"Young Master, please stop playing computer games. Your project partner is here." There goes her cold, monotonous tone sending chills up your spine. You haven't heard someone lack so much passion in speaking.

You bite your bottom lip, unable to think of something to say to Yangyang once you face each other.

Should you say 'Hi Yangyang, let's get to work.'? or 'Liu Yangyang, where have you been?!'?.

You are lost in panicked thoughts that you don't notice the maid telling you can now enter until the worker walks past you to attend to her other duties.

With a deep breath, you cautiously step in the room. Darkness greets you and you eyes search for him. Liu Yangyang.

And he's there.

On his expensive looking gaming chair in front of a set of three monitors. The middle one being a curved screen. Your jaw slack at the sight, eyes trailing to the keyboard constantly glowing with many colors upon clicking.

Liu Yangyang meets your awed gaze, then raising his eyebrow at you - mentally asking why you're still glued in your spot like - the door is open boo.

"Did the maid leave?" Yangyang asks, tone colder for it to be considered a question.

"Uh.. yes.. she did." You answer quietly, above a whisper but loud enough for Yangyang to hear.

"Good," Yangyang turns back to his monitor set, putting his headphones back on. "..close the door behind you and take the study table."

You do as what you're told, closing the door behind you and heading towards the study table situated beside Yangyang's gaming set, but the white leather office chair is situated at the opposite side. So when you sit, you're facing Yangyang to the side.

A notebook is open on the table and you look through it after glimpsing that it's German.

' Eine Mädchen beobachtet einen Mord an einer Familie durch eine Reise in Astral-Zeit. Sie ist nicht sicher, ob sie immer noch verhindert, dass die Ereignisse passieren, aber ihre Vision beweist, dass sie richtig ist. Sie möchte sagen, was sie so nicht gesehen hat, aber niemand wird ihr glauben.'

That was written on the page.

"Is this the story idea?" you ask, picking up the notebook and shows to Yangyang who seems to be doing something in his computer.

Yangyang only glances at the paper then nodding.

"Great. We finally have an idea." You murmur to yourself, placing your laptop after moving Yangyang's macbook aside and turning the study lamp on.

Then you star working, fingers tapping on the keyboard in fast yet smooth motions. Your eyes darting from the notebook then back to your computer. After writing the raw idea, you grab a nearby pen and write down additional ideas to shape the story then transferring them to the document.

'Let's make the murder gruesome.'

'The girl must've been attempting her astral time travelling'

'Make the details of the vision a bit hazy'

Because of your sudden concentrated mood, you don't seem to hear Yangyang's frantic clicking on the keyboard and his mouth commanding his teammates, his eyes trained on the computer and aiming to kill opponents.

Yangyang dies again after being sniped by the opponent Widowmaker for the 5th time during this whole game. He falls back onto the chair in exhaustion, his head dropping to see you still perfectly delved into the task at hand.

He's been playing for almost an hour and a half now while you are still working on forming the plot from the story idea Yangyang literally just wrote when it popped into his mind.

'Why is she rushing?' He thought to himself then the thought of him not showing up to the German classes seems to make him feel a tinge of guilt.

Only a bit.

Without a second tought, Yangyang leaves the game, turning his computer off and placing his headphones down.

He slides himself to sit across your figure while clearing his throat. This made you look up to see him taking out his macbook and starting it up.

Yangyang catches your gaze and sharply asks, "What?" with a sassy raise of his brow.

You rapidly blink, immediately turning your concentration back to the computer. "Nothing. Just surprised you finally decided to come and help.." Your last sentence was low as a whisper, but Yangyang still heard it.

"I'm not completely heartless."

"What do you say if we add another character? Let's say it's the boy's family that was murdered." You ask nonchalantly, suddenly a bit more confined to be able to talk to Yangyang.

This slight change also takes Yangyang aback a bit

"S-Sure.." it's rare to see you confine. You're rather reserved, shy and likes to keep a distance. "But we have to connect him to the main character."

"Let's say he's a transferee and the day he transferred is the say the murder happens." You answer quickly as if you've been expecting the question.

"Let's make it a massacre." You suggest and Yangyang raises an eyebrow. "Let's kill off ALL his family members."

Yangyang chokes in his own saliva at the blunt suggestion.

Him choking makes you blink, realising that you've been too 'businessly talkative'.

"A-are you okay?" You ask, looking around for something that will somehow relieve Yangyang, but finds nothing.

"Just fine."

"Okay.."

Yangyang quickly recovers from his fit and so did the awkward silence that now sits on both of your shoulders.

"I.. like the idea." Yangyang says, opening the document. "There has to be atleast three of his family members. Let's say he has his parents and a younger sister."

"Oh yeah sure." You say, typing it down but seeing as Yangyang has already typed it you click backspace and so did Yangyang. "Ah no - I'll delete mine-"

"I literally just deleted what I wrote." Yangyang groans.

"Sorry- I'll type it again.."

You bite your bottom lip, typing the context.

'Why does she always do that?' the boy questions your habitual demeanor when concentrating.

Your lips are slightly swollen under the pressure of your cute front teeth, your hair pulled up to a bun but a portion of your front hair is layed delicately on both sides of your face - framing it perfectly.

You look up to meet Yangyang's eyes and he immediately looks away - mentally asking himself why in the hecking world did he stare.

The rest of the time they work in silence, only the sound of keyboard keys being pressed and occasional questions about the story plot.

"I have to go now." You announce softly, gathering your things when Yangyang nods in agreement.

Surprisingly, Yangyang follows you to the door. So before leaving, you turn to Yangyang.

"Thanks for bearing with me. I just really want to complete this project." You tell him, sincere eyes shooting through Yangyang's unmoving ones. "Goodbye."

A limousine stops by the entrance and a beautiful woman on her late 40s exits the glossy vehicle, her prada heels landing on the sandstone first.

You immediately bow as soon as you make eye contact. You want to leave, but it will be too rude to do it right now.

"Hello dear." The woman says in chinese, strutting to you who keeps a stable but bright smile. "You must be Yang's project partner?"

"Yes, ma'am. I'm _____." You reply, also in chinese and silently thanking your most hated teacher who atleast teached you something good.

"Oh, impressive." Yangyang's mother coos, turning to her son who stands by the porch looking uninterested. "She's also the one who somehow managed to beat you in german class right, son?"

You tense at the mention of 'german class', instantly averting your eyes onto Yangyang whose jaw clenches at the question. There's a feeling in you that just clenches.

You blink in sudden realization, everything suddenly clearer, having the answer to your questions.

Yangyang hates you for being 'better' than him in German class?

Wow.. you should've seen that coming.

"Isn't she the one who got three straight A pluses while you only got two of them and an A." His mother's words take toll on Yangyang. He doesn't like hearing his failure - especially when it comes from his mother with a tone of disappointment.

You watch as Yangyang cold exterior fall when his head hangs low - unable to hold eye contact with his mother.

"Sorry.." he whispers lowly, fingers fidgeting the back of his shirt.

"Anyways," the older woman turns back to you. ".. how's the project going? Is Yang doing his part?"

"It's doing great, ma'am. Yangyang was actually the one who came up with the story idea." You reply, tone always enthusiastic.

"Only the story idea? Huh. What did you came up with Yang? A boy and his tragic love for his violin? Hahaha."

Yangyang's jaw clenches more, his jawline more prominent than it already is.

"Are you staying for dinner, dear?" She asks you.

"Uh, no ma'am. I'm taking my leave now. Good evening." You bow one last time before turning her back and walking out to the gate.

She spares one last glance to see the woman slapping Yangyang's cheek. The scene made you stop on your tracks, worry washing over you.

Feeling like you're staring, Yangyang meets your eyes and he glares.

'All your fault.' he thinks to himself.

⇘ next part

#i am the best #liu yangyang #nct yangyang #yangyang #nct yangyang story #wayv yangyang fluff #wayv #wayv yangyang #rivals #school #school!au

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dessiekarma · 4 years

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My Harem is Entirely Bad Boy Types (Kirisaki Daiichi x Reader) Pt. 5

Chapter 5: Is This Seriously Her Type?!

“Would you stop already?” Hanamiya breathed out in a huff as he wiped the sweat from his brow.

“What the hell? Stop what?” (Y/N) asked throwing her hands up in the air.

“Stop flaunting yourself around like that! Yosen’s team is going to be here and I don’t need them all over you.”

(Y/N) crossed her arms under her chest and turned away stubbornly.

“Like hell am I gonna let you tell me what to wear! Besides you told me I need to wear the Kiridai colours during matches but yet didn’t want me in one of your jerseys so what was I supposed to do?”

“Probably not go out and get a cheerleading outfit.” Hara said looking her up and down for the 100th time already,

“It’s not a cheerleader outfit! It’s a jersey that actually fits me and a matching skirt! Which reminds me, I got this made too!” (Y/N) unhooked Mako from her back and taking him out of his sling the team saw his own little uniform. It was impractical but surprisingly cute of her.

“When the hell is that stupid project of yours over? It doesn’t really make much sense, Japan has one of the lowest rates of teen pregnancy.” Seto rambled on as he worked on his handles.

“Once the new school year starts in April.”

“Ugh don’t even talk about it! She gets weirdly emotional when you mention it!” Hara exclaimed, taking a break from practicing lay-ups.

“We’ve had him for so long! How could you not have gotten attached?!”

While those two bickered like an old married couple Hanamiya’s ears perked up at the sound of arguing right outside the gym doors.

“She’s never going to love you like I did!”

“Good! I don’t want anyone to love me like you! Because you only love me when it’s convenient for you! You only love me when I’ve stopped loving you back! I’m done running in circles with you, Mei!”

“You don’t even know her! You think because of that team you play with that you know real manipulation, you think you got her right where you want her but it’s the other way around! And I will prove it to you!”

That last sentence was high and loud enough to carry across the gym into the three previously unaware sets of ears.

Before they could react, Yamazaki came stomping into the gym, slamming the door behind him.

“Fucking bitch!” He called out in frustration before loosening his tie, tossing his school jacket to the side and marching into the locker room to change.

“Is Yamazaki okay?” (Y/N) asked, suddenly very concerned.

“Yeah, it’s just his psycho bitch of an ex.” Hanamiya commented with a sigh, not prepared to deal with the fuckery he knew that girl would cause.

“Was she that bad?”

“She was the worst.” Hara said lowkey adjusting the uniform on his baby. “I’ve known Zaki since elementary school, he’d never been a push ever. But during our first year at KiriDai, he started dating Mei and he would just let her walk all over him. It was honestly pathetic. When Caps started looking seriously into forming a good team I thought being in basketball would be pretty cool so I invited Zaki to try out with me. Figured it would give him some independence from her.”

“And that one stupid decision nearly got both your asses kicked off the team.” Seto reminded, feeling a headache come on from the sheer memory.

“Everyday we’d have to hear her either fawning over him or on us for working him too hard. We had to make a rule of nobody off team being allowed in the gym during practice without prior approval.” Hanamiya said aiming to take a shot before looking into (Y/N)’s eyes deeply. “In fact, you were the first one to break that rule.”

(Y/N) blinked at her captain’s words. When she first showed up months ago she wasn’t entirely sure why Hara was so against her being seen by Hanamiya. She unknowingly, could have landed him in some trouble with his team.

What was most present in her mind right now was the sheer fact of how easy it was to join. Any issues she’d had were with her boyfriend, not the guys and surprisingly not Hanamiya. Sure, he’d pulled his bullshit on her but only for a moment before he came to invite her to be a part of his team. Knowing what she knew now on top of everything else, there’s no way it should have been so simple.

“She would break up with him as a manipulation thing, which is no doubt why you caught his attention to quickly. He can relate.” Hara said scoring a three-point shot. “The last time they broke up she said she wanted to find someone better. I guess she didn’t and now she’s angry that he might have.”

“Might have what?”

“Found someone better.”

“…What, you don’t mean me, do you?”

“Believe it or not but Zaki has been after you for months.”

“Yeah I know. I just don’t necessarily see myself as ‘someone better’.”

“Wait wait wait, you know?” Seto asked with a surprised look on his face.

“Of course, I do! What, you think I’m some kind of oblivious idiot?”

“Then you know why she threw her milk on you that one time right?”

“…That was her?”

“Yup and clearly she sees you as the thing that’s keeping Yamazaki from taking her back. Whatever you had going on with her in middle school is only ten times worse now.” Hanamiya said checking the time on the gym clock.

“Maybe if you finally moved on and started dating someone else you would prove to her you were no threat.” Hara said coming up behind her placing a large hand on her hip, the other playing with the hem of her skirt. “Or we can pretend? Have some fun?”

(Y/N) paid him no mind, even ignoring his touch creeping to inch up her skirt. She appeared deep in thought for a moment only to finally give her signature bright smile.

“You’re right! I should try to start dating again! Actually dating, not whatever is going through your little perverted mind.” (Y/N) teased, smirking to herself as Hara finally took her silence as an okay and finally ran his hand up her thigh.

“You and these goddamn shorts!” He said watching the girl jump as an audible slap of his hand against her thigh echoed through the gym.

“Seriously? Hara stop harassing the poor girl.” Hanamiya sighed rubbing at his temples.

“Should we come back at another time?” A rather tall Chinese guy said taking in the image of Hara with his hands practically all the way up (Y/N)’s backside.

(Y/N) noticed the male’s Yosen jacket right away and suddenly remembered something very important. Slapping Hara’s hands away with a red face, the girl walked up to Hanamiya with a concerned look on her face.

“Captain, Furuhashi never showed up.”

Glancing at his phone, Hanamiya looked concerned for a moment before shrugging his shoulders.

“We’ll deal with him later, besides it’s just a scrimmage. We’re gonna go ahead and let the second string play this one.”

Out of the corner of her eye (Y/N) saw the rest of Yosen’s team come striding in. Instantly her eyes practically sparkled at the sight before her.

“Sorry, but our coach wanted me to let you know she would be unable to make it today.” A black-haired boy with a beauty mark under his eye, said with a polite smile.

“Hello, handsome.” (Y/N) mumbled under her breath, straightening out her hair and skirt before walking in an almost trance-like state towards the team.

The members of Yosen groaned at yet another fangirl falling head over heels for Himuro. It happened all the time but it didn’t mean they were any less annoyed by it at this point.

Himuro felt a small hand touch his shoulder gently and was prepared to give a polite decline only to be surprised at the force of her moving him out of the way.

“Excuse me.”

Both teams’ members had their jaws drop as she walked practically through Himuro to get to none other than Okamura. The gorilla of a man stood there with a frozen confused face.

(Y/N) smiled at him sweetly before tugging on the bottom of his jacket.

“Your legs must be so tired.” She commented sweetly fidgeting with his jacket zipper.

“Umm why would they be?”

“Because you’ve been running through my mind all day!”

“W-what!?”

“I’ll be your Yamato if you’ll be my Takeo and we can make this OUR Love Story!” (Y/N) said suddenly wrapping her arms around the tall male’s waist. His face grew insanely red and his entire body began to tremble.

“Now that’s just mean!” Fukui laughed as he saw the disbelief and almost hopeful look in his captain’s eyes. “We’d heard that KiriDai had a girl on their team and we figured she’d have to be a bit of a bitch. But come on, you didn’t have to bust out this manipulation on the poor guy. He’s not really even captain anymore.”

“She’s not a bitch just an idiot otaku. (Y/N), get off the guy!” Hanamiya tried to call off the lovestruck girl, shooting Hara a glare for ever suggesting the girl try dating.

“No, no she’s fine!” Okamura called out immediately placing his large hands gently on her shoulders. “So uhh your name’s (Y/N)? That’s really beautiful.”

“Hmmm? Why is that girl squeezing Okamura?” A lazy childish voice came into the gym.

(Y/N) turned her attention away from the apple of her eye only for her jaw to drop. Sure, she’d more or less known of each member of the generation and while she had seen most of them play a game, having this one so close was a whole different ballgame.

“I don’t know what you guys are feeding him, but he is too damn big!”

She had since let go of Okamura and was staring at Murasakibara in awe. He was annoyed pretty quickly at both her intense staring and the freakshow treatment he was receiving.

“Alright, enough harassing the opposite team.” Hara said attempting to drag his friend back to the bleachers.

Now focusing on the actual basketball players, one thing caught their entire team’s attention. And that was a small child being held delicately in the lilac male’s hands.

“One of you has a kid? I guess that’s not surprising for the personality type but isn’t this like a prestigious school or something?” Fukui asked trying to get a better peek at the infant.

“Would it perhaps be why the team suddenly added a female manager?” Liu pondered aloud.

“I, for one, believe I would make a great stepdad! We wouldn’t even have to tell anyone I wasn’t the father!” Okamura said quickly which earned an almost pained expression from (Y/N). That look quickly vanished and with a sigh she gave a genuine looking smile.

“Mako is a project of mine. He’s a doll! So, maybe not a stepfather…but you can definitely be my daddy-”

“Ugh that guy can’t seriously be your type, can he?” Seto interrupted with a look of disbelief on his face.

“Be nice!” (Y/N) scolded with a pout.

“Besides, should you of all people be judging someone by their looks?” Yamazaki retorted finally emerging from the locker room, looking like he’d blown off all the steam he needed.

“Ouch, Zaki what’s the damage?” Hara asked casually slinging an arm over (Y/N)’s shoulder, not so casually asserting his dominance over the opposing team.

“It’s just been a bad day, are we gonna play or what?”

“Or what, it would seem. Furu isn’t here and none of us can get to him so we’re going to let the first year’s play. Matsumoto, you lead them okay?” Hanamiya called out to a group of rather surprised looking boys.

“We definitely don’t need to be adding in our aces either.” Himuro said thinking more to himself than speaking to anyone. “I suppose we will throw in a few of our first years to play.

“Can I still have the food you brought for the team?” Yamazaki asked (Y/N), already rifling through her bag.

“Swear, I’m just a mobile food pantry for you guys. Fine, I suppose my children can come get their after-school snacks.” (Y/N) mocked, taking the bag away from her friend and pushing past the healthy sports food for the junk food she had hidden all the way to the bottom.

As she handed them out to both her first- and second-string team, she was suddenly aware of a looming presence hovering over her shoulder. Turning around she came face to torso with none other than Yosen’s ace.

He wasn’t saying much of anything just sort of hanging around her awkwardly. One arm hung limply at his side and the other was balancing a horde of his own snacks. His stare was more yearning than it was expectant and (Y/N) smiled to herself a bit.

Aomine never really talked much about his Teiko team except to talk shit. So, if there was anything she knew about Murasakibara it was that he was childish, none too bright, and loved nothing more than to eat.

Reaching deeply into the bag she produced a bag of limited edition flavoured chips and handed them off to him. He seemed genuinely surprised and almost didn’t even lift a hand to grab them at first, sure she would tug them out of his grasp as soon as he tried.

She jiggled the bag at him almost like an owner calling a cat for supper. And just like a feline, the tall male pounced at his opportunity for more snacks.

Flipping the bag over and over in his hands he was relieved to see they were normal junkfood chips and not the healthy crap his team tried getting him to eat before the game. He didn’t care what they said, baked chips were NOT the same as normal fried ones. The girl smiled at him and was about to turn away before he grabbed her wrist.

“Who sent you?” He asked in a serious tone, causing (Y/N) to look on in confusion. “Was it God? Did God send you with snacks?”

“Alright Atsushi-kun, let’s go sit on our side of the bleachers.” Himuro urged the tall male along murmuring apologies to the bewildered girl.

“Muro-chin who is she?”

“She’s Kirisaki Daiichi’s manager. Now eat your chips.”

“I want a manager.” The male stated before popping open his bag.

“Wow there’s actually chips in the bag! I thought she’d have filled it with spiders or something!” Fukui exclaimed watching his tall teammate lift one to his mouth.

“These are the best chips I’ve ever eaten in my entire life.”

“I want to try one!” The ash-blonde exclaimed ready to grab one, only to have the bag suddenly held feet over his head.

“Touch them and you’ll lose a finger.”

~~~~~

“This turned out to be a fairly interesting game.” Himuro panted as he spoke to Hanamiya who simply nodded in response.

As it turned out KiriDai’s second string had gotten much better and were not only holding their own but actually winning against Yosen. Of course, as this continued Yosen started subbing in some of their first string players and KiriDai followed suit.

All having been somewhat surprised when Hanamiya instructed them not to bother wasting their energy with foul play. Still they could follow orders and the game had been surprisingly clean, save for some vulgar language from KiriDai.

“Alright everyone, body checks! Do we have any cuts and bruises? Broken limbs? Internal bleeding?” Fukui called out to everyone who played the game which only earned him a few death glares from the opposing team. “Oh come on! You guys are known for that kind of thing. I’m surprised we were able to play a normal game.”

“Yeah well we didn’t need any tricks to beat you.” Hara said chugging a water bottle.

“Only by one point and we had a few players unavailable.” Liu motioned towards Okamura who had all his attention focused on (Y/N) giving him attention.

Murasakibara was on the other side of the girl, pouting. He’d taken it pretty hard that Hanamiya wasn’t willing to “give him” (Y/N) to take back to Yosen with him.

“Good game.” Himuro complimented the team again. “I look forward to playing an actual game with you really soon. Come on Atsushi. Okamura, we need to head back.

“Ne Muro-chin ask the one with the eyebrows again.” Murasakibara said pushing Himuro towards the team coach, ignoring the look of wrath on Hanamiya’s face.

“(Y/N) doesn’t belong to him. We can’t just force her to come to Yosen. When we get back, we’ll look into getting a manager okay?”

“I don’t want any manager, I want this one. She gets me!”

(Y/N) laughed as they dragged the tall male out of the gym before turning back to Okamura. Smiling at him she held out her hand and he looked at it questioningly.

“Give me your phone and I can give you my number! Call me once you get back to Akita. I would really like to go out with you sometime. Maybe I can make my way out there.”

“W-what? You mean you still want to talk to me after today?” Okamura asked genuinely surprised, he figured she was more or less just jerking him around for fun and was sadly fine with that.

“Of course!” The girl smiled widely not missing the scowling and disgusted faces of some of her teammates. She waved at the tall man as he followed his team out of the gym.

“Hey girl, I told you to start dating someone not just anyone!” Hara said slinging his arm around her waist, fingers tapping along her ribcage under her breast.

“Hey hands to yourself! He was cute! I’m glad you guys didn’t decide to maim him for a simple scrimmage.”

“That was a bit strange of you, captain.” Matsumoto commented, secretly grateful he could play a normal game. “Why though?”

Hanamiya shrugged and wiped his brow. He looked to be debating something over in his head before sighing heavily.

“The Headmaster may or may not be watching our team a little more closely. Honestly, you can only give so many injuries before people start asking questions.”

The team grew gravely quiet. It’d been something they had anticipated for a long time but never thought would actually happen. Sure, for now they were just being kept under watch, but it let them know that one more incident would most likely lead to a disband. And they didn’t know how to handle that information, they were a team built upon those dirty antics.

“It’s no big deal, we can do spider-web without the rough play. Emotional and mental manipulation works just as well.” Hanamiya said trying to get his team’s nerves back down.

(Y/N) rolled her eyes at that but did look slightly concerned at the realization that the team was being looked at under a microscope. She’d honestly wondered why she hadn’t had to call her team out on any foul play this game.

“He mentioned it to me before today’s scrimmage. I was waiting until Furuhashi got here but god only knows where the hell he is.”

“I think he powered his phone off. I haven’t heard from him all weekend, I don’t even think he came to school today.” Yamazaki stated after having tried dialing him for the fifth time.

“Is he okay?” (Y/N) asked in concern.

“He’s fine, probably just got roped into something with his parents. I swear his mom still picks his clothes out for him.” Hara mocked with a small laugh.

“Ahh shit! I forgot I needed to pick up a new outfit for that stupid black-tie interhigh formal. Now that we’re being watched, I guess we have to go.” (Y/N) said slapping her forehead and suddenly shooting off a quick text.

“Holl up!” Hanamiya placed his palm over her phone and lowered it to look directly in the girl’s eyes. “What the actual hell are you talking about with a formal?”

“Each year the wealthier schools hold an interhigh formal for their athletes. Apparently Kirisaki Daiichi’s basketball team has been invited every year but never attended. The golf and swim team usually make it out there, though.”

“I’ve literally never heard of that in my life.” Seto mumbled running a hand through his hair.

“Probably in the big stacks of paperwork we would throw out.” Hanamiya sighed closing his eyes in annoyance. Times like this reminded him of exactly why they had needed a manager to begin with. “But if we never go why the hell should we this year?”

“Well because now the Headmaster is watching us. If we make an appearance as a respectable team and exchange a few niceties, I’m sure it can at least in some points in our favour.”

Hanamiya closed his eyes and inhaled deeply through his nose before pressing his hands together. Opening his eyes quickly with an exhale he pointed his hands at the girl firmly.

“No.”

“What do you mean no?”

“I mean there’s no way in hell we’re going to that.”

“(Y/N)’s not wrong though.” Hara spoke up, looking as if he had actually been thinking everything through. “What’s it going to kill us to sit in a room full of people and pretend we’re normal? You gotta force that shit every day in class, what’s a couple more hours?”

“I agree with (Y/N) on this one.” Yamazaki nodded in response.

“You agree with her on everything! Look if you guys wanna go be with a bunch of silver-spoon cocky sons of bitches then be my guest. But tell them your captain can’t make it.” Hanamiya spat out quickly with a tone of finality.

“That’s fine.” (Y/N)’s concerned face suddenly melted into one of understanding. “It’s not your thing and none of us are gonna force you to go. We can totally go and rep our KiriDai pride without you! On that note, do any of you boys wanna accompany me to the mall?”

“Why the mall? It’s supposed to be a formal event, you should get your dress from a fancy boutique or something.” Hanamiya commented receiving raised eyebrows from the guys. “If she’s going to be ‘repping’ MY team she better not go looking like shit!”

“The mall’s cheaper! So, anyone wanna go?”

“I’m too tired, sorry.” Seto said stifling a yawn.

“Awww I want to go but my older brother came down from uni and we’re going to dinner!” Yamazaki whined at having to miss an opportunity alone with (Y/N).

“I don’t go to the mall.” Hanamiya grumbled. “It’s too noisy and crowded.”

“And since we won today, I have a celebratory session with someone.” Hara said clicking away on his phone.

“Slut.” Yamazaki teased with a grin.

“Hot girl?” (Y/N) asked scurrying next to him to try and peek a glance on his phone.

“All my girls are hot.” Hara responded cockily showing the girl his many attractive Instagram followers. This of course, earning a groan from the guys and he was sure a eyeroll or disgusted noise from (Y/N). To his surprise she held her hand up for a high-five which he gave unsurely.

“Hell yeah!”

“That’s not the reaction most people, let alone girls, have to hearing about Hara’s habits.” Seto responded with an amused grin.

“Well I mean is it consensual?”

“Of course!”

“Do they enjoy it?”

“I’m not one to disappoint.”

“Are they okay with it being a benefits only thing?”

“They all vaguely know about each other and are chill about it.”

“Then he’s ticked all the boxes! Let the boy have his fun!” (Y/N) said scrolling through his friendlist with interest.

“You’re so fucking weird!” Hara said with a large grin, placing his palm on the girl’s head and messing her hair around.

The lavender-haired male was beginning to admit something to himself. He’d been less than happy when (Y/N) joined the basketball team and even months later she was just some hot body attached to an annoying nag. But he has to say, he’d found himself growing rather fond of her…she was a cool girl.

“Oh my phone’s ringing!” (Y/N) said, pulling away from Hara’s affectionate gesture. “Maybe it’s Okamura! Oh…” The girl’s face grew serious as she answered. “Hey Furu! Where were you? The game with Yosen already ended and we’d been trying to call and- Wait what? Furu you need to speak up I didn’t catch tha…You’re what?”

The team placed all their attention on (Y/N) as she looked at them with concern.

~~~~~

Furuhashi sat bouncing his leg in the middle of the ramen shop waiting for his teammates to show up. He pushed aside the second bowl of ramen he’d gone through.

Apparently, he was a nervous eater. He’d never known as, before this day, he’d never been this nervous. His motto had always been to go with the flow, but this situation was never something he was prepared for.

“Furu!” (Y/N) called out as she raced into the ramen shop and slid into the booth across from him.

The young man looked at her with his usual blank eyes before looking away and signaling for he waitress to bring him another bowl.

“Where are the guys?”

“They’re coming in. We all walked together but at some point, before I even knew it, I was running.”

He huffed a small chuckle out his nose before giving her a barely-there smile.

“Don’t do that to me right now, don’t be nice to me or I may just never go back.”

“Furu, what happened?” Hara spoke up as he and the guys made their way inside and sat in the booth as well.

“I’m getting married.” The male said as nonchalantly as if he was talking about school assignments.

“What?” The rest team burst out.

“Her name is Yui and she lives in Osaka. We both have parental permission so we will be married shortly after graduation.” The male deadpanned taking a sip of water.

“That’s only a year away!” (Y/N) exclaimed fiddling her hands back and forth.

“Wait now, slow down. You’ve talked to me about this before.” Seto said putting a hand up trying to process all the information at once. “I thought your mother was going to let you decide.”

“My stepfather is ill. He likely won’t make it another five years and that would leave me in charge. I had a month to choose from seven options and I never got around to it. Yui’s parents proposed the arrangement and since I was well past the deadline, my parents took up the offer. I can decline of course but then I give up my inheritance and family name.”

“Why the hell wouldn’t you choose then!? At least that way you would have some say over this big important part of your life!” Yamazaki frantically called out, clearly distressed for his teammate.

“Because he naively thought that holding it off long enough would make his mother drop the whole thing.” Hanamiya answered for him, trying not to look too invested in the situation.

“Hanamiya!” (Y/N) scolded, clearly not happy with the guys putting any blame on the victim at hand.

“No, he’s right. I had this false hope that she would give up on the idea and allow me to take over the company as I am. I figured that because she’d been married for love once she might understand.”

“Yeah but that was what? One out of four?” Hara asked wondering how his level-headed friend could have completely misjudged his own mother.

“Do you actually care about marrying for love?”

All the guys turned to (Y/N) with raised brows and faces quite taken aback. While her voice was still nurturing and understanding, that question wasn’t expected.

“Isn’t that what everyone wants?”

“No, it’s what everyone has been told they should want. Some people want stability, and some want to fulfill obligations. Love is nice but not everyone needs it. Do you even care about not loving her or is there something else here?”

Furuhashi felt his heart in the back of his throat. How a girl who barely knew him could read him was almost uncomfortable. He’d always been taught to mask his emotions, that anything less than a poker face was weakness but to (Y/N) he might as well be an open book.

“You don’t seem to be the type in favour of arranged marriage.” He remarked to (Y/N) who quipped back instantly.

“And you don’t seem to be the type that’s waiting on your true love. Is something wrong with this girl in particular?”

“Is she like basketball?” Seto asked, confusing the whole table. Clearly Furuhashi understood as he averted his eyes. “You told me there was no particular reason you ended up in basketball. You just knew you were going to join something your mother didn’t know about, and this happened to be it. You don’t actually care about who she is, loving her or not. You’re saying no just because your mother said yes.”

(Y/N) sat there taking in the information. Furu was rebelling. That’s why he didn’t choose from his several options and that’s why he was so against this mystery girl from Osaka. It wasn’t about who she was, it was about his family making the decision for him.

“I got to know her this weekend. She’s levelheaded and nonconfrontational. I was supposed to accompany her back to Osaka tonight and head back to Tokyo Thursday morning, but I told her I had a prior engagement. She was completely understanding and agreed not to mention it to my parents.”

“Do you have a picture of her?” Hara asked, honestly curious about Yui.

Furuhashi opened his phone and scrolled around Instagram for a bit before stopping on an image of a smiling girl in a school uniform. He pointed to the left most girl and watched his phone be passed around.

Each of them took their turn looking at the image. (Y/N) almost found herself smiling at the picture. The girl was cute with heavy blunt bangs cutting across her forehead and a sharp bob framing her rounded face. Her eyes were large and sparkling with a smile reflecting brighter than the one on her lips.

“What the hell? She sounds perfectly normal and she’s at least a solid 7.5!” Hara exclaimed holding the phone close to his face.

“I know. My mother surprisingly found an overall perfect match for me. She’s none of the things I was afraid of when I accepted a long time ago that this was the way things would be. Above all else the union would be an amazing move for our company.”

“Then what exactly is the problem?” Hanamiya asked raising a thick brow at his teammate.

“I was so sure my mother and stepfather would pick someone horrible. Someone way too old or way too young. A girl who was hideous inside and out. A complete bitch would have been perfect. Because then it would have been easy.”

“What would have been easy?” (Y/N) asked, really trying to understand what Furuhashi was feeling.

“Telling my mother no. I’ve always done exactly what she asked of me and this was supposed to be the first time I actually stood my ground and didn’t allow her to make these terrible choices for me. Only now the problem is that its not terrible. If I tell her no now, I’m not standing my ground, I’m just being a brat.”

So, there it all was. Furuhashi had held out for hope that this would be his one opportunity to make a choice for himself and not let his mother decide something so big for him. He’d been hoping he could put his foot down on a bad choice, but it didn’t work out that way. Yui was the perfect fit for him, there was nothing to complain about but that wasn’t the point.

“What are you going to do for now? Your parents expect you to be in Osaka for the next few days.” Hanamiya asked reminding his friend of the whole he’d dug himself into.

“I don’t k-”

“He can stay with me.” (Y/N) said quickly and firmly, once again taking everyone at the table aback.

“You’re a girl, that’s not appropriate for me to-”

“I don’t care. I have the guest house entirely to myself and the spare bedroom in it isn’t used. You said it once before, your mother doesn’t know me. I’m something that’s only yours, let me be your friend and help you out.”

Furuhashi almost rejected her offer again. Who was her family exactly? Would they not be angry? If anyone found out would it hurt his reputation or hers? But if she was willing to take that risk…

“Okay.”

~~~~~

“I didn’t think we were gonna make a pitstop first.” Furuhashi said with the first true smile he’d had on his face all weekend.

“Well as much as I wanted to help, I really needed to get this done too.” (Y/N) said adjusting the straps on a floor length black gown. “You should look for what you’re going to wear too.”

“Do I really have to go to that thing?”

“No, but I’d like for you to. Hanamiya isn’t and I don’t want to go alone, so I was really hoping all you guys would try.”

“Why do you like spending time with all of us?” Furuhashi asked resting his chin in his palm. “Someone like you should never be able to mesh with guys like us so well. How do you do it?”

(Y/N) didn’t seem at all surprised by his question and instead seemed deep in thought.

“Because guys like you are never all bad. And great guys are never all good. Take my ex for example, people who don’t know him would probably say he’s nothing short of an angel.”

This earned a deep scoff from the male and a grin from (Y/N).

“And that’s my point, you know the worst parts of him and have that impression of him. Just because you guys give off a bad impression doesn’t mean you’re nothing but bad. Every negative trait can be seen in a positive light. Rude bluntness is just being a straight shooter. Sarcastic ass comments are a hilarious sense of humour. It’s all perspective and I choose for my cup to be half full.”

“I’ve always disliked the half cup analogy. If I had a full cup and chose to drink half, it would be half full. If someone handed it to me that way, I’d see it as half empty.”

“Going back to the things that are out of your control. Can I be 100% honest with you right now?” (Y/N) asked sitting down beside the male on the couch in the fitting room.

“Sure.”

“I would never advise you to do something you don’t want to do. Nobody should be forced to do something like that.”

Furuhashi was surprised as she held her palm out for him to take her hand. Squeezing it tightly, she turned to face him head on and look him dead in the eyes.

“But Kojiro, don’t let anyone control your decision. Let it come from you and not out of obligation or spite. If you turn down the marriage only because your mother suggested, then you’re still letting her control you. Make a choice that leaves no room for resentment. Not towards Yui and not towards yourself.”

“Myself?”

“You mentioned earlier how she would be good for the company. That’s your future and I know its something that is very important to you. If you pass up that opportunity, I hope you don’t regret it. I really do believe you’ll find the best choice for you.” (Y/N) said rubbing her palm over his back comfortingly before standing back up “I’m gonna go find more dresses to try on!”

Furuhashi simply nodded at her as she quickly disappeared into the dressing room and emerged back out in her KiriDai uniform, running back out into the department store.

She’d used his first name. She really did care about him as a person, not just saying what was socially acceptable to say. Any other person would have told him not to go through with a marriage that wasn’t rooted in love. But she was real with him and that’s all he could have hoped for.

(Y/N) sized up a few different choices in her hands. If she was being honest, it wasn’t just for appearances that she wanted to go to the formal. Wealthy schools usually meant wealthy students and that could only mean more business opportunity for her.

She’d never been permitted to go to such prestigious events but now that there was nobody to stop her, she figured she wanted to make the best impression possible.

“Did you need any help dear?” A sweet voice chimed from behind the girl.

Turning her head quickly, (Y/N) was met with a very short and petite older woman. She was smiling widely at the girl before she smacked her fist onto her open palm excitedly.

“I know something that would look great with your complexion! May I show you?” The woman said almost giddy.

“Sure.” (Y/N) said a little taken aback by the woman’s enthusiasm, which she seemed to read as she directed her through the racks of clothes.

“Sorry dear! Not many people come in here looking for such fancy dresses and I do love playing dress up! I only have a son, so I don’t get to do anything like this outside of work!”

“Oh don’t apologize for being friendly! Though they have such nice men’s clothes here as well, who says you can’t dress your son up?”

“He does! Haha that kid would bite my head off if I tried!” The woman chuckled though her smile dimmed slightly. “Besides, that boy is always so busy, I hardly see him. Off studying and playing basketball.”

“Oh? Does he play for his primary school?” (Y/N) asked as the woman flipped through the racks of dresses.

“Hmm? No dear, highschool! My boy is about to be a third year.”

(Y/N) seemed a little shocked at hearing that but instead chose to smile. The woman looked far too young to even have a child in middle school let alone someone her age. But that was neither her business nor a definite conclusion. Perhaps she looked really good for her age.

“That’s just like me! What school does he play for? I may know him!” (Y/N) asked trying to avoid any awkward silences.

She could see a definite change in the woman’s demeanor. Almost as if she didn’t want to tell her and was trying to think of a way out.

“Umm Kirisaki Daiichi.”

“No way!? I go there!” (Y/N) suddenly studied the woman a little harder but a flicker to her name tag suddenly answered any questions. “Oh are…are you Hanamiya Makoto’s mom?”

The woman turned sharply to face her and seemed only to grow more horrified as the two made eye contact.

“Why the look? Has Makoto done something to you?” The woman stammered out rubbing her temples in the same manner her son did. “You knew the name right away, should I be worried about that? If he did something, I will pay for it or fix it or anything jus-”

“No no no, ma’am! Please, I didn’t mean to make any expression, I was just stunned is all. You look nothing like him. I’m the manager for the basketball team at KiriDai, by the way.”

She saw the woman deflate in relief, though her hands never stopped wringing.

“(Y/N), correct!? Oh that’s such a relief! My son talks about you all the time, though please don’t ever tell him I said that!” The woman was suddenly smiling widely again as she appeared to be taking in the weary teen’s appearance. “You’ve been good for that team, you know?”

“Oh?”

“Good for my son, at least. He’s seemed less high strung lately.”

“I don’t think I can take any credit for that. I just bring the team food and do paperwork.”

“No, I see the difference. You bring you, and that’s enough. Kindness is contagious and I sure hope my boy catches some.”

“Since I’ve met Makoto, he’s given me a purpose and place to be within Kirisaki Daiichi and that’s the kindest thing anyone could have ever done for me.”

(Y/N) could swear the woman looked ready to burst into tears but she burst into a smile instead.

“I’m so glad! Well now I really shouldn’t be holding you up chatting away about my little monster! Here’s the dress! What do you think?”

(Y/N) scrutinized the gown in the woman’s hands. Looking it up and down once more she nodded her head and accepted it.

“I think it will be perfect! I’m going to try it on!”

“Oh dear…before you go could I…could I ask two favours of you?”

“Umm of course.”

“Don’t tell Makoto you saw me here. He doesn’t like his friends knowing about me or where I work. I would hate for him to become upset with me. I don’t want him to feel embarrassed.”

The teen almost refuted her statement but decided it was best to keep her mouth shut and nod in agreement.

“And the other favour?”

~~~~~

“Awww why hasn’t Okamura texted me!?” (Y/N) pouted throwing herself down in the middle of the gym. “Did I come on too strong?”

“Yes,” Hanamiya responded nudging her with his foot, to try and get her off the court. “but I doubt that is the reason you haven’t heard from him.”

“It’s only been a day, maybe he’s busy.” Seto offered, throwing himself on the floor beside her. Hanamiya threw his hands up in exasperation before deciding to settle for half court today.

“Or maybe it’s just because you’re ugly?” Hara quipped as he fastened the diaper on Mako securely.

“Ugly? Bitch where?!” (Y/N) said motioning to her own face in an overly conceited manner.

“If anyone thinks (Y/N) is ugly they should get their eyes checked!” Yamazaki called out only to be met with a subtle glare from Hara.

The orange haired boy mouthed a quick genuine ‘sorry’ that didn’t go unnoticed by (Y/N). Still she chooses to ignore it as she arched her back off the ground to stretch.

“Ugh no big deal if he doesn’t keep in contact. He was cute but it’s not like I was in love with him or anything. He reminded me of Takeo Gouda but maybe I shouldn’t be using anime as a guide for dating.”

“Good morning.” Furuhashi’s voice called out as he entered the gym.

“Where were you, I thought you and (Y/N) were gonna ride the train to school together?” Hanamiya asked wondering how the girl got there a whole hour earlier.

“Well we were supposed to but Furuhashi wanted to prove he could do it on his own.” (Y/N) said with a laugh.

“I made it here, didn’t I?” He responded with a small smirk.

“How was it staying with (Y/N)? Is her room cute? Is her house big? What does she wear to sleep?” Yamazaki asked shooting off a million questions.

“Wow, I’m literally right here.” (Y/N) said motioning to all of herself.

“It was nice, she had me up pretty late….” The male gave a small smirk that instantly had (Y/N) shooting him a warning look. “Talking about my situation of course. So, I called Yui this morning and figured out what I’m going to do.”

“You’re gonna tell your mom to fuck off?” Hara asked now sitting on the floor beside Seto and the manager.

“Yui and I decided that as of right now there’s no good reason why we shouldn’t get married.”

“What!?” Everyone other than (Y/N) exclaimed loudly.

“Right now, a union would only be beneficial and we both seem to get along rather well. We agreed we would have a loose engagement and push the marriage back until after college.”

“A loose engagement?” Seto asked curiously.

“Simply, if a better opportunity pops up elsewhere…we’d like the other to take it. Whether that be a financial opportunity or an emotional one. To put it shortly if we decide we wouldn’t work out or one of us falls in love with someone, the other will call it off.”

“An engagement with no commitments? Huh that’s kind of an oxymoron.” Yamazaki mused aloud.

“If it works out then great. However, she’s a cute girl, I’m almost certain she will find someone to fall in love with.” Furuhashi said with a smile.

“Or you could.” Hara offered.

Furuhashi felt his eyes drift to (Y/N), who had gotten off the floor and was cheering on Hanamiya as he swished his 7th shot. Too fast for the boys to notice, a glimmer of amusement flickered in those usually dead eyes.

“Yeah, maybe I could.”

~~~~~

“How could you forget your phone charger in your gym locker?” Liu asked as the tall former captain bounced impatiently as he waited for the doors to the gym to be unlocked.

“Nobody ever calls so I just forgot, and my phone is so outdated nobody has a charger that fit! What if she thinks I’m not interested?” Okamura practically whined to his teammates.

“Well she’s plenty interested in you, so I doubt that’s going to be a problem.” Himuro said with an amused smile.

“I still say she’s up to something!” Fukui added before seeing the doors to the gym open and feeling the burst of air as Okamura went barging in.

Quite curious of what would happen the team followed the man into the locker rooms and watched him practically bust the lock off it. Quicker than lightening he shot off a text message to the girl of his dreams.

“She’s gonna ghost you.” The blonde said in a sing-song tone.

The tall male was about to respond when a ding from his phone pulled all his attention.

The poor oaf never saw it coming, with his trembling hands and awkwardly small phone his fingers fumbled.

He tried to catch it in time but without warning his chance with a cute girl quite literally slipped from his grasp. The phone clattered to the floor, shattering its screen and coming apart in several pieces.

The whole team stood staring at the gadget broken beyond repair. Okamura breathed in deeply before slamming his locker.

“I’m heading back to Tokyo!”

“We don’t have any more funds for a ticket back!”

“Then I’m walking!”

“It’s an 8-hour drive!”

68 notes · View notes

abadpoetwithdreams · 6 years

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Nirvana in Fire Episode 7 Reaction

TA-DA, I HAVE RETURNED! I know, I know, it’s been such a long time, y’all thought I was dead, but nope! I’m just back with a different face and a different name and a quest to make your life miserable aka this is the episode with That Househunting Scene. Lord have mercy on my feels.

Before we get started, I apologize in advance because this is going to be a bit more rushed than previous recaps. I’ve been so busy during these last few months of the year, it has made it very difficult to find any time where I can just sit and watch NiF while also taking notes/writing. I can’t watch it while I do other things, like I tend to do with most dramas I watch; NiF requires full attention and especially when one is writing a reaction/recap post! So for the sake of my sanity (because I AM DYING TO KEEP WATCHING THIS HORRIBLE WONDERFUL MASTERPIECE) I am going to try to go a little faster through the next few episodes, at least up to where I left off when I decided to go back and write these reactions for y’all (which I thiiiiiink was around episode 16?), and then since I’ll be caught up to uncharted territory I’ll get more in-depth again and hopefully my life will be less crazily busy, too!

Okay, so without further ado: EPISODE SEVEN.

Where were we? Oh yeah, Xia Dong was being amazing and interrogating a would-be assassin with the best sort of combination of cold callousness and sadistic pleasure. She’s terrifying, but also so very cool. The Good Boys are standing by watching with varying degrees of discomfort at the torture happening in front of them, but while they seem to believe the bombshell dropped at the end of last episode—that Prince Yu is the one who sent the assassins—Xia Dong is totally unimpressed by the lie. Ha, she says, I already lost Yu’s men ages ago. Try again, she sneers. Let me take a moment to say that taking this time away from the show has given me a newly recharged appreciation for just how beautiful Jing Rui is, especially in that particular shade of royal blue. It’s so nice.

The assassin looks like he actually might tell the truth this time, because Xia Dong is That Scary, but suddenly—arrows, arrows everywhere! Our trio have blessedly quick reflexes and reaction time and fling themselves into various twirls and flips to escape the arrows, but the assassin is not so lucky. When the arrows stop flying and Xia Dong returns to her captive she discovers an arrow is lodged neatly in his voicebox. Nope, that’s not suspicious at ALL. Xia Dong swears in frustration and Yu Jin is briefly brave long enough to say she shouldn’t swear (but then when she turns that glare on him he just sort of melts into this apologetic puddle of terror that hastily hides behind poor Jing Rui, and have I mentioned that I love these boys? It’s been like two months since my last episode watch and that love has not lessened). Xia Dong looks like she’s seriously considering at least slapping Yu Jin, but she decides to let his impertinence slide and all three return to the capitol.

Now we cut to Ni Huang’s lil brother, Mu I remember his name being? He’s wearing a most magnificent red outfit, I can’t stop noticing all the costumes this episode, I guess it’s been so long I was having withdrawals or something. THEY’RE SO PRETTY. He’s arrived at the Marquis’ place but when the door guard tells him to wait, he just brushes that off with Nah, I’m just here to see Su! Mu is so refreshingly informal in all his dealings, I think it’s a combination of showing how very young and sort of callow he is but also there’s that divide again between the straightforward and honorable nature of those from the martial world and the skeevy snakeishness of those involved in politics. He’s just so open, and cheerful when he isn’t breaking Sima Lei’s legs. I guess he was cheerful about doing that too, though, in a sense. Also, his expressions are just the cutest. The Marquis’ wife comes out to greet him, and he complains that she calls him young but also thanks her for saving Ni Huang. She doesn’t seem to want to dwell on that and asks him why he’s visiting and he repeats he just wants to see Su—To show Su some houses, in fact. The Princess Supreme looks oddly sad about this? Is it just because she liked having an ally she could trust around the place, or what?

When Mu does meet with Mei Chang Su, Su tells him that he isn’t really in a hurry to move out. Fei Liu is very intently arranging flowers while the other two talk, which is very cute. Mu insists, and then makes the mistake of grabbing Su by the wrist and starting to drag him along, all the while nattering about this househunting project. Immediately, Fei Liu’s hackles are raised and he launches at poor Mu, lifting him OFF THE GROUND AND OVER HIS HEAD WITH ONE HAND and just welcome back into my life, Fei Liu. And I hope the following exchange is as funny in the actual dialogue as it is in subs, but in the sub at least Su tells Fei Liu to “put him down quickly” and Fei Liu immediately gets ready to seemingly slam Mu into the ground, so Su has to immediately follow up with “put him down slowly,” which, ahaha. Fei Liu is grumpy, but Mu’s life is thus saved and he is not daunted at all, instead just being very impressed. To avoid further drama, Su agrees to look at some houses.

In the city streets, Xia Dong parts ways with the Boys. Jing Rui really tries hard to stay with her, because he’s so worried for her safety, bless him. Yu Jin intervenes and convinces his friend to come away, probably partially because he’s happy for an excuse to get away from Xia Dong, but based on the acting I’d say he’s also being his usual perceptive self and realizes that she wants them to leave her for a Reason. The Reason is that she’s being followed. I don’t recognize the face of the guy following her? I am guessing he is an Actual Character though, otherwise the camera wouldn’t have lingered so long.

Meanwhile, Prince Yu is breaking pottery because he’s throwing a tantrum. He’s finally found out that Xie Yu, aka the Marquis, is playing both sides of the political game, pretending to support only Yu while also secretly helping the Crown Prince. He’s in trouble.

Back to Mei Chang Su, he’s being led by a Mu who is so enthusiastic about the househunting, he’s actually bouncing up and down. HE’S SO CUTE. PROTECT HIM. His enthusiasm is explained when they turn a corner and: dun dun duuuuun there’s Ni Huang, looking stunning as usual. Oh, you clever boy, Mu. Look at him smiling at his ship. Ni Huang has a total “gotcha” face on, and Su’s expression just says “oh nooooo.” Outplayed by a kid, wow, Su.

In the next scene Mu has mysteriously vanished and our favourite doomed ship is walking together. She tries to thank him for saving her, he says it was his mistake that put her in danger to begin with, she counters that no man is infallible, and you can totally tell he’s thinking BUT I’M SUPPOSED TO BE. He warns her not to trust him, a man she has only met a few times, but she says she feels like she’s known him a long time and trusts he would never harm her intentionally. AHA. NI HUANG IS MAKING HER MOVE. He tries to jokingly put her off by saying wow he wishes other people felt that way, and immediately she’s like “Jing Yan is mad at you, isn’t he” which, LOL. She basically says Oh, you know how Jing is, he can’t keep his mouth shut, just ignore him, and Su neatly counters with “How could I know what Jing is like?” He walks away looking like a man who just scored a point, and yep, she’s totally trying to trap him. It’s a battle of minds, and ugh they’re so perfect for each other! Her smile and then slow thoughtful look when he makes that dodge, aaaahh.

We cut back to the Emperor where he’s all pissy because Ni Huang apparently effortlessly defeated all her suitors, so that whole subplot just died a quiet offscreen death, lol. Then she handed in a report to state her wrongdoing, he complains to his eunuch buddy, and ahahaha I love Ni Huang. The Emperor says that even though Ni Huang managed to avoid marriage yet again, she cannot be allowed to leave the capitol to go back to the battlefield like he’s let her before.

Ni Huang is still showing Su around a variety of houses. They look so cute walking togetherrrrr. But also he’s wearing his furs so they barely even cover his shoulders, and while that’s a nice aesthetic, that can’t really be helping against the cold at all. MCS, staaaahp. He tries to tell her he doesn’t want to bother her with this househunting nonsense, but she insists it’s no trouble and then suggests he go a certain way that he CLEARLY does not want to go. Immediately I was like oh nooooooo because I could just tell something awful was coming. Ni Huang, what have you done. They stare at each other for a long, long while, and it’s like she’s daring him to refuse, because that will prove his identity, and he knows that, but also he doesn’t wanna but in the end of course he has to follow her. He walks like he’s being led to the gallows or some similarly deadly place. And then she stops and behind her is an obviously huge but abandoned house, and I started screaming inside because I knew it I knew it Ni Huang whyyyyyyy why would you do this to us

Do you know what this place is? She asks. No, Su replies, carefully not looking at it. Ugh, my poor boy. She tells him this particular manor belonged to the Commander of the Blaze Army. I used to play here very often as a child, she tells him (My aside: NOOOOOOOOOOO), and then she invites him on a stroll inside its ruins. Oh, she’s being so mean. And he deserves it, for what he’s doing to her, but still. Mean. And she is watching him like a hawk.

After a beat Su manages to counter that surely they can’t just casually walk inside if it’s the former residence of traitors? Ni Huang tells him that it’s true this house should have technically been seized by the Emperor and so belongs to him, but the Emperor has ignored it all these years. He never did anything to it. He seems to be waiting, she says, her gaze lingering over those sad, empty walls. Perhaps one day it will just disappear.

No, I’m not crying. Or if I am, it’s because That Music is back and it’s not fair, I am powerless against That Music. It will forever be the Grandma Scene music to me, aka the moment this show revealed itself as the emotional hell it truly is.

And the double meaning of this entire conversation is just SO. GOOD:

MCS: Since it’s been dilapidated for years there probably isn’t any trace of its past splendor left. Why would Your Highness insist on reminding yourself of the past?

Ni Huang: People left. The house is empty. Things changed with the passing of the years. But it doesn’t mean that everything has vanished. (Turns to face MCS, and then:) Whatever remains still lingers. Some people, some matters, still stay deep in one’s mind. Time will not wipe away their traces.

MCS (looking like he’s gonna cry, let’s be real): Your Highness values friendship and loyalty greatly. However, this case still weighs heavily on the Imperial Court. It still remains in the limelight. I advise Your Highness not to linger around this place much longer.

And I’m both gleeful and utterly devastated about how GOOD this whole scene is, my gosh. Because yeah, suuuuuuure they’re just talking about the house. They aren’t talking about Lin Shu at ALLLLLLLL.

(Gah, I love this show.)

Ni Huang looks devastated. This whole conversation is so close to the surface, to them speaking plainly to each other, and yet she’s so stymied by how he refuses to reveal himself! You can tell she was hoping so, so much to finally get her answer here, and yet he’s still refusing to give her that answer she wants, the one she knows deep down is the truth. In response to his advice she walks up those old, broken steps, and looks DOWN on him (eeeeee this showwww), now plainly asking him to take a look inside.

(He doesn’t want to look inside, Ni Huang. He doesn’t want to see Lin Shu again, not when he has to be Mei Chang Su. He can’t want to take that look with you. Hi, I’m dead.)

Still refusing to look at the house, staring at the ground, he refuses once more, bows, and walks away. That blasted music, that glorious music, is still going because this show has no pity. AND THEN HE STARTS CRYING AND I’M LIKE NI HUANG DON’T JUST STAND THERE RUN AND CATCH UP AND STARE HIM IN THE FACE like it’d ruin the moment but you’d get your answers, dangitttt

And we flashback to him falling off that cliff again and then it cuts to a shot of Su walking away and in the foreground is a cobweb covering his image and ooh, artsy.

Next scene is Jing Rui and his brother (Xie Bi, or something like that? Augh, it’s been so long, I’m probably getting a lot of side character’s names wrong) and Jing Rui is trying to cheer his brother up because he’s just nice like that. Arguably the nicest. His brother is upset because after two years of his father telling him to work for Prince Yu, his father’s now told him to stop helping Yu because he actually supports the Crown Prince. He feels very used and unhappy. Jing Rui, meanwhile, is absolutely rattled, even horrorstruck. He thought his dad wasn’t into politics, remember? Yeah, so much for that. I have the horrible sinking feeling it’s just going to get worse for him from here.

Back at the Snow Cottage, Fei Liu is building a fire for his Su and it’s very adorable. I want so many more scenes of just these two, especially after reading the novel chapters that I did before I started venturing into spoiler territory and stopped (they’re so huggy in the novel, bless them). Su tells Fei Liu that he’s getting all this real estate mail, basically, and doesn’t that show that there are still nice people in the capitol? NOT AT ALL, says Fei Liu, and Su just smirks. These two. I love them. Su is the worst role model.

Su tells Fei Liu to take a look at a house called the Orchid Garden and if Fei Liu likes it, Su will buy it. The power this kid has. Suddenly Fei Liu senses someone and flies outside where he sees Xia Dong standing there! Fei Liu being Fei Liu and Xia Dong being Xia Dong, they immediately have a spectacular fight. Su shows up to stop it and shows that he knows Xia Dong is injured, and he asks what she’s doing there.

Back at the palace, the Bickering Brothers are at it again. The best part is where Yu shakes his finger in the Crown Prince’s face and the Crown Prince makes this angry little squeaky sound and bats it away, ahahahaha. These actors are superb, as I keep saying (because they keep impressing me in scene after scene). Yu tries to be like Hey, why aren’t you secluded and studying like you’re supposed to be doing, since you’re being punished for Ni Huang and all, but the Crown Prince retorts that he wasn’t banned from court affairs, and are you implying you want me out of court for good???? SHUT UP, says the Emperor. He has less and less patience with each scene they share, lol. He tells them he knows they are squabbling because they each want to judge over the Duke of Qing’s case. Remember him? Yeah. The Emperor tells them he can’t pick either of them because Yu of course would let the Duke get away with any crime (the Duke is his powerful ally, remember!) and the Crown Prince would use any excuse to destroy the Duke’s entire family and thereby eliminate a powerful foe. “Father”, they both try, and SHUT UP, he cuts them off. Man, I’m almost liking the Emperor again.

Xia Dong meanwhile is in audience with Su. She tells him she’s just been curious about him, as he’s the talk of the town and seemingly has many faces. She’s worried. What about? Ni Huang.

(Augh, says Su’s face, Why is it always Ni Huang)

Why on earth are you worried about Ni Huang? She’s a powerful military leader and all, he says. Xia Dong says the rumor is Ni Huang defied the Emperor and refused marriage because of Mei Chang Su. OHO IS THAT THE RUMOR? Nice. Su says they’re just friends, he’s not trying to court Ni Huang. Xia Dong is not appeased, and directly asks: Does he only want friendship? Su thinks a moment, then says well, he has to admit Ni Huang is radiant (oh, you) and of course he can’t help but admire her, but also he’s sick, he’s not long for the world, he has deliberately remained unmarried so as not to burden anyone.

Her Highness has always been quite clear-minded, he says. She’s like a light breeze and a bright moon. Who would be good enough for her if not a man of great passion and outstanding ambition?

Uh, Mei Chang Su? Your Lin Shu is showing again. Xia Dong looks a little taken aback.

The Emperor is complaining to his eunuch friend again but this time our mustached fave General Meng is there too! Yay! The Emperor is angry that his sons continue to squabble so immaturely even though the Duke of Qing’s case is a matter of national importance. Meng reminds him that be that as it may, a prince still needs to be in charge of any investigation and trial. Hmmmmmmm, I sense Su’s hand in this …

Yep, the Emperor suddenly brightens. Oh yeah, he says, a prince does have to preside over the case but it doesn’t have to be one of those two! Isn’t Jing Yan still around? He’s so stubborn, he’d be perfect! Cool, let’s put Jing in charge! He walks off feeling delighted with himself. I am once again left in awe of Su and his manipulation skills. I’m assuming this is the first step of a long game to make Jing gain favor in the palace.

Xia Dong meanwhile brings up the time Su helped Ni Huang defeat those enemies a few years back. She asks why he bothered since his land wasn’t particularly nearby? He gets all mad and offended that she apparently feels the need to question why he would help defend his country, and she backs off. I can’t decide how much of that anger was just show; I think that he really was upset by that implication. Xia Dong leaves with a good opinion of Su, which is good because if I remember aright she hates Jing for his support for Lin Shu’s family, so if she knew who Su really was? Yeahhhhh, big trouble would follow. Also she’s a master spy, so way to dodge a bullet there, Su. For now, anyway.

Outside, the Marquis is hiding and spying himself, but Xia Dong calls him out and his awkward popping out from behind that doorframe was very funny. She basically tells him she knows all about his political gaming and how he set up the whole Duke of Qing thing but also she is not going to tell on him. She says she will keep his secret because her husband, Nie Feng, died during that Blaze Army rebellion and it was the Marqius who brought “half his corpse” home to her. Thus, she feels like she owes him. Oh, eww. Also we know Lin Shu’s dad was NOT a traitor and it was all a set up, so what are the odds that the Marquis was also the one who was responsible for turning her husband into half a corpse? Pretty freaking high, I’d say.

She seems angered that the Marquis has clearly forgotten that massive favor he did her, so she tells him in keeping his secret she considers her debt paid and they are now even. Then she just walks off, cool as you like, leaving behind a very worried-looking Marquis.

Cut to: Mei Chang Su, back in his inefficient furs and out on the town with the Good Boys! Actually they’re in the courtyard of a horrible old dump of a house. For a second I was like wait did he buy his family’s old house because surely the Emperor would put a stop to that? But no, it seems like this is the Orchid Garden place he mentioned to Fei Liu earlier. Yu Jin is hilariously disapproving, hands on hips and everything, and chides Su for being a fool for buying the place without seeing it first. Su says Fei Liu liked it, though! Cue Fei Liu literally flying overhead, looking very pleased with himself. Yu Jin is not impressed. Su indulges in a little trollface.

The three walk through the manor together, and Yu Jin starts being like, well, the layout is okay I guess, we can fix it up into a livable place I guess, but yeah it does look amazingly overgrown. But then Yu Jin suddenly disappears into the ground, so apparently there’s big ol’ holes in the property, too? What are you playing at, Mei Chang Su.

Jing Rui dashes over to help his friend, and pulls him out of what is actually a dried up well. Yu Jin comments that it’s lucky he’s so skilled and so was able to catch onto the lip of the well to avoid falling all the way in, and Jing Rui agrees. If it had been Su, he says, the poor strategist would have fallen all the way to the bottom. Which, ouch. I mean, that might be true, I don’t know if Su’s frailty is all 100% genuine (I’d say it’s at least 70% genuine) or if he still has the sort of reflexes a warrior would, but obviously we are supposed to assume that in his happy youth before all the bad stuff happened he would have had no problem with avoiding a fall down a dry well. Anyway, the boys clown a bit and Fei Liu shows up. Yu Jin complains that the manor is creepy and suggests they leave. As they walk, however, Yu Jin realizes that he’s missing some pendant or something that belonged to his grandfather and is really important to him. Could it have fallen down the well? Su asks innocently. Instantly I’m convinced Su snuck it off of Yu Jin and threw it in the well himself, lol. They go back to look.

Then we cut to the Red Sleeves Brothel? A girl named Gong Yu is at a window. An old man doesn’t want her at the window. His name is Shisan? Okay. She was apparently watching Qin Bao Ruo, who I remember being the name of Yu’s strategist. Said strategist is off to the palace again, apparently—he’s got a lot of problems that need a sound strategical approach right now. Gong Yu says she’s worried about Su. Shisan says not to worry, as this was all foreseen by Su. Ok, so they are in on Su’s plans, that’s interesting. Why do they know, what’s their deal.

Gong Yu wants to know if she can visit Su in the capitol. Shisan says he sent word to Su asking for permission, and Su says no, she is not to visit. She seems a little stalkerish, and I want her to back off.

Back at Su’s horrible new house, the boys are being adorable again and I love their friendship so much, I love how much Yu Jin gets Jing Rui to lighten up. Jing Rui elects to search the bottom of the well for Yu Jin’s pendant, because he is a Best Friend. And I KNOW this is just a show but it still causes me physical pain to watch him ruin those gorgeous clothes in that mud, lol

Anyway they lower Jing Rui down on a rope and Su watches looking very worried or intent at least and that’s not a great sign. What’s he playing at. This is a rare chance for you to please me, Yu Jin calls down, So try harder! Jing Rui replies with a threat to smear mud all over his face once he’s back up, these bros. Jing Rui finds the token, is all ready to leave, but then he steps on something that cracks and when he looks down:

It’s a human skull.

I was sooooooo not expecting that. Su totally was though, and I want to be mad at him for putting Jing Rui through that but also like imagine if Jing Rui hadn’t noticed while he was down there, what would Su have done? Stolen Jing Rui’s hair pin and tossed down and been like whoops, you must have lost it when you were looking for Yu Jin’s thing?

Jing Rui is horrified, but he refuses to leave until he investigates further, and yeah: THERE’S MORE SKULLS. LOTS MORE. Well, I guess we have our next chapter of the story. From a marriage tournament to a serial killer well. That’s not a great sign of where this show is taking us, lol

Cut to the Crown Prince, he’s asking the Marquis whether or not he thinks Jing could be persuaded to be lenient on the Duke since he owes Yu for that whole Ni Huang thing. The Marquis says nah, Jing isn’t so easily swayed, you’re fine. Then he also says, speaking of the Ni Huang debacle, he’s heard who was responsible for the whole set up and how things went so badly for the Crown Prince. It wasn’t Prince Yu: It was Mei Chang Su.

Well, that’s not a positive development.

Cut to a shot of seemingly endless skeletons lying unearthed beside the well, just to really drive home this ominous turn. All these officials, who I guess are the equivalent of homicide detectives, lol, are busy at the well. Yu Jin asks one how many skeletons have been found, and the guy says seven so far, and all are female. This has suddenly turned into CSI: Fantasy Ancient China. This is apparently the biggest and most shocking case he’s ever had. Su innocently says well, he can’t really help since this was his first visit to the property (ahaaaa so that’s why he sent Fei Liu!). He leaves to go back to the Snow Cottage.

Speaking of the Snow Cottage, the Marquis is back in his manor talking to a man who I thiiiiiink is Jing Rui’s other dad? Anyway he says the Crown Prince has ordered they kill Mei Chang Su. The guy may be a Divine Talent, but if he’s not on their side then they have to take him out of the equation. But he’s leader of the East Yangtze Alliance, protests the other guy (Zhuo, it turns out, is his name): he’s surrounded by pugilists! I can’t attack him! Yeah, I know, says the Marquis. Just find out if Fei Liu is his only bodyguard or not, and I’ll take care of the rest.

This should be a very ominous ending, but I’ve seen Fei Liu in action. I think Mei Chang Su is going to be juuuuust fine. Plus he knows the Marquis is the worst; surely has a contingency plan.

And that’s the end! I sit through the entire ending song because it’s been too long, dangit, (and also HEY THERE’S JING YAN I missed my fave this episode) and then I realize that it’s 3am and I have to be at work at 5am.

Worth it.

#badpoet watches nif #nirvana in fire #nif ep7

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