Yubikiri or the pinky promise
When Miri offered her little finger to make a promise by hooking their pinkies together, the shock on Rei’s face turned out to be comedic for the viewers. But one must understand why Rei seemed to be put off first.
One can trace the origins of yubikiri and pinky swear in ancient Japan where the people used to practice punishment if someone had broken an agreement or a promise.
… the offender’s hand or finger would be severed. The pinky finger was often the first to be cut, as it would still allow the hand to function. ( x )
‘Loyalty of oath?’
The Japanese courtesans in order to show their affection to certain clients either tattoo their names on their arms or cut their hair or little finger and sent them. On the other hand, during the late Edo Period, yubikiri might be outlawed, but the yakuza is known to practise it as of late in the form of yubitsime (finger shortening).
Yubikiri literally means “finger-cutting.” And it has been used to swear loyalty to one’s word since early modern Japan in the 16th century. Those taking part swear at one another while hooking their pinkies together. The swears that are repeated in unison to affirm each other’s promises include various threats. In Japanese culture, during the yubikiri the parties can say things like “Pinky swear, whoever lies will be made to swallow a thousand needles.“
Everyone knows what constitutes a pinky amputation is. It has been portrayed in different media: from films to books. It’s been a thousand stuff of urban legends and real accounts.
Some gang members, a declining number, are missing parts of fingers, the result of self-mutilation designed to show their fealty to the leader. ( x )
One notable example was the scene on “Giri/Haji” where one member of the yakuza willingly cut his finger to show his apology. The tv series is highly recommended btw.
Some yakuza members cut their fingers out of loyalty. No wonder Rei was baffled and very scared. Good thing Kazuki and Miri helped him understand the meaning of it now.
Yakuza man’s missing little fingers
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[ Kiryu - Yubikiri - English Translation ]
己龍 - ユビキリ [Pinkie-promise]
JP Lyrics: Mitsuki Sakai and Hiyori Isshiki | EN Translation: meeeee
Notes: This song came on earlier today and i realised how sweet the lyrics are...so i wanted to translate it lol that's it enjoy! again more notes at the end!
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We made a promise with our pinkie fingers That even in pain we would find joy Even now... I want to stay as we were that day
Cut strips of paper and twist them together A night spent winding our red strings Someday...will it ever reach your finger? 1
You pretend not to see the trails of incense I've placed around me
Immorality, sin, remorse You pretend to ignore these aphrodisiacs that drip with desire
My shadow, your shadow Untouched by the light of the waning moon
Dozing off, you fall into a dream, just as I'm waking up in reality
The scene is set, [wo]man of my dreams 2 3
Goodnight, sleep tight, we made a pinkie-promise
You of the "past", "present", and "future"... welcome to my night
As thousands of tears are pouring down Let's thread the needle with our red strings
Ouch... ouch... ouch... my finger... 4
Look, look
"We pinkie-promised"
Today once more, I'm embracing empty space Waiting here for you 5
Just the two of us alone, counting the spots on the ceiling as we wait
To my beloved, 3
Lost in a dream Guided by the red string that connects us
Drip, drip... our dripping love has not dried up 6
Welcome to my life
To my eternal love,
Goodnight, sleep tight, we made a pinkie-promise
You of the "past", "present", and "future"... Welcome to my night
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1: you may know this already, but this is referring to the "red string of fate" legend in east asian cultures that says all people are connected to their soulmates by an invisible red string tied to each person's pinkie finger, which you can only see once you've met them. the reason this string is tied to the pinkie is the same reason we make "pinkie-promises" (which is the title of the song): because in the pinkie finger is an artery that leads all the way to the heart, so if you link this finger with someone else's, you're basically touching hearts.
2: this line literally says "the person i saw in a dream", but since we have a similar phrase in english i supplemented that. although idk what the speaker's gender is supposed to be since some kiryu songs have female speakers and some male, so....sorry
3: note that the 3 is on multiple lines, this is an untranslatable "pun" because the word for "backdrop/scenery/setting" is pronounced exactly the same way as Japanese people use to start a letter, like writing "Dear Name," . idk if it has some deeper meaning, just know that these lines are started with the same pronunciation but different words.
4: I'mso sorry this sounds cringe LMAO. buuut the word for "finger" here is written in katakana, the same way as "pinkie-promise" is written, so it's specifically talking about the finger used to make the promise.
5: i couldn't make this sound poetic enough....i'm sorry....the meaning is that the speaker kept the space between their arms empty i.e. never found another love, since they were hoping that someday their lover would return to fill the space
6: literally says "our dripping, non-dry love", I think the point is that even though their lover is gone, the speaker didn't let the love dry up, and they're saying they still have love to give in case the lover ever returns
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Yubikiri Genman (Pinky Promise)
Summary: Onmyoji / Johnlock AU: Kyoto, present-day. Seimei is a man who loves puzzles and helping people that the police don’t have time for; Hiromasa is a disaffected salaryman in search of some excitement. When their paths collide, there’s no mystery they can’t solve… but what about the mystery of Seimei's ice-cold heart?
read it here.
tagging: @mormorganna @whatnext2020
@helloliriels @john-smiths-jawline @calaisreno @sarahthecoat @sussexlavender @safedistancefrombeingsmart @totallysilvergirl @inevitably-johnlocked @loki-lock @johnwatso @gregorovitchworld @peanitbear @kettykika78 @queerholmcs @beesholmes @my-johnlockficrecs @a-victorian-girl @chinike @meetinginsamarra @topsyturvy-turtely @mrb488 @sabsi221b @our-future-is-up-to-us-2
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❝ 𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐩𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝, 𝐲𝐞𝐬? remember to feed it fresh meet && if it becomes cranky, take it somewhere with electro crystals. I will be taking care of the Fatui matters && I can’t bring it with me for the time being. 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘰𝘥? ❞
@hitokageisei
What? Is he expecting him to say no? Tetsuya looks at the consecrated scorpion with but a drop of interest. He could waste their time and ask Scaramouche how he got his hands on one, but he has a vague enough idea of how that happened. "You speak as if I'm going to punish it for even breathing, the scorpion is in good hands." He dismisses the other's concern with a wave of his hand. He does feel a slight hostility aimed at him, but Tetsuya assumes it's because he's different from his master in a sense.
"Right, noted," the wanderer nods his head, Yubikiri snapping its pincers at the mention of fresh meat, apparently that being a vocabulary word it understood well. Tetsuya will find some prey for it here soon enough. "I'll take care of it, you also make sure the grip the Fatui have on Sumeru lightens up." He reminds him. Not to say many were left, but Tetsuya didn't take kindly to the many that were still lingering about.
Yubikiri approaches Tetsuya from behind and nudges the wanderer with its skull armored head. "Tsk," he glances over his shoulder, "I got it, you're hungry." The pincer snapping at the sound of fresh meat told him that much, he needn't be told twice.
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