SUMMARY: Matsukawa put up a bamboo plant in the dorm courtyard. Here's some of the tanzaku the actors put up.
A/N: I should have done one member from each troupe, but I am unable to defeat my bias.
BANRI SETTSU
I’m only writing a wish for (Name) because we’re doing it together. Obviously, I’m wishing for them to be happy. But I don’t need a wish to do that. That’s my job and I’m damn good at it. I’m always getting better at it, too, because we’re the happiest we’ve ever been. So, I’ll handle all the things like happiness, safety, and love. Orihime and Hikoboshi can give them miracles I’m not there for.
JUZA HYODO
For (Name):
I asked Muku what sort of things I should wish for you. He said I should be wishing for your love, safety, happiness, comfort, success… and plenty of other things. He said a lot, and I’m wishing for all of them, but I would run out of room if I tried to write them all. The wish I came up with on my own is that I hope our love continues to grow deeper. Also, that you’re well-fed.
ITARU CHIGASAKI
I’m wishing for perfect gacha luck. Please send the next SSR in only one pull. And, make sure every random that ever wronged me goes straight to hell.
Did I scare you, (Name)? I knew you were gonna read my tanzaku, so I pulled a little prank. My wish is that you become kinder to yourself. You’re the best person I know and I love you, so stop stressing yourself out. You’re perfect.
TSUMUGI TSUKIOKA
(Name) told me to use my wish for myself, but that seems too selfish. It should be for both of us, at least. So, I wish for (Name) and I to live a happy life together. We’ve encountered plenty of hardships in the past year and we’re stronger for it, but I want to make sure the rest of our lives will be peaceful. I hope the stars can grant us that.
Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better (Banri x Reader)
A/N: I've been writing this one for a long time and it ended up longer than I expected. Anyway, have fun with Banri
Word Count: 2.5k
Warnings: Mild suggestive content, Banri being a bitch, bets, clubbing, excessive alcohol (drink responsibly!!)
Ask Box: Closed
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Banri Settsu was a cocky, arrogant, overachieving bastard. You thought that attitude would go away the longer he was in Mankai. And it did. At least, for everybody else. For some idiotic reason, he still acted cocky whenever he was around you. And it was annoying as hell.
You glared at him, your arms crossed. "You’re a fucking liar."
"Am not," Banri stared down at you. "It’s easy."
It was a hot summer day. Way too hot to be getting into an idiotic spat like this. Banri has been harping on every single thing you’ve been doing and it’s been driving you insane. He was currently bragging to you that he could do "Jugemu" all in one breath. Not only was that impossible, it was stupid to even brag about. Of course, you took the bait.
"Then do it."
"Only if you do it first."
"Oh my god. Why?" You groaned, rubbing a hand over your face.
He smirked. "Because I know you can’t."
"Do you have to try and be better than me at everything?"
"Yes. And it’s not trying when I am."
You wanted to slap the smirk off his face. Instead, you took a deep breath. "Fine. If we’re gonna do this, we’re gonna do this right. Ten rounds. This will be the first round. I’ll choose what we do in the next round."
That got his interest. He raised an eyebrow. "And…?"
"And the winner is officially better than the loser. After that, no more bragging." You held out your hand. "Deal?"
"Huh." He smirked and grabbed your hand. "Deal."
You motioned for Banri to start first. He took a deep breath and started the whole story, not just Jugemu’s name. You could see his face go red as he slowly ran out of air. He almost made it to the end. Your hands squeezed in anticipation as he tried to push to the end. He failed with only ten words left to the story.
"Damn it!" He panted.
"Hah!!" You cleared your throat and shook out your hands. "My turn!"
With a measured breath, you started. You focused on saying the words as quickly as possible, barely stumbling. Banri’s eyebrows furrowed as he mouthed the words with you. He was just waiting for you to mess up. As you were reciting the story, Itaru and Chikage walked into the room. They stared at you in confusion.
"What are you doing?" Itaru tilted his head.
Banri lifted his hand. "Quiet."
Chikage’s eyebrows furrowed. "Are you trying to summon a rakugoka or something?"
"It took so long to explain, the lump is already gone!" You shouted. You gasped and jumped up. "I did it!! That’s one point for me!"
"Son of a bitch!"
Itaru laughed. "Okay, I need to know what’s going on."
"Banri and I made a bet to see who’s better. This was the first round and I won!" You did a little victory dance as Banri cursed again.
Chikage shook his head. "You guys are going to blow this out of proportion."
"More entertainment for us."
"More chaos."
It was total chaos.. The second challenge was baking brownies without a recipe. Yours turned out a bit dry, but still edible. Banri’s filled the kitchen with smoke and everyone had to be evacuated. Omi banned both of you from the kitchen for two weeks. The third round, to your dismay, was solving a Rubik’s cube the fastest. All of the Autumn troupe watched you fail miserably on that one. Every Mankai member was now in on the bet. It was a divide on whether your bet was entertaining or annoying.
You had a feeling that the ninth battle would be today. You were going out with Banri, Kazunari, Sakyo, and Tenma to a local club. It was a busy night tonight. The club was packed as you tried to maneuver your way through the crowd. Tenma, Sakyo, and Banri went to get drinks. You and Kazunari decided to hit the dance floor. Kazunari always made sure you were comfortable whenever you went out, knowing that a busy club could be overwhelming.
"You alright?" Kazunari grabbed your wrist and pulled you close. He tried to speak over the heavy bass. "You seem kind of tired lately."
You shrugged and started to sway to the music. "I just think this whole bet thing with Banri is stupid."
"Aren’t you the one who started it?"
"Maybe," You giggled and shrugged. "He just goaded me into it."
"Well, forget about it tonight. Let’s dance and have fun!"
Kazunari wiggled his body, making you laugh. You pressed closer to him and started to dance, letting your body relax. It was so crowded that you were practically pressed against his chest. You didn’t realize how stressed you were with this bet. It was making you do stupid things that you normally wouldn’t do. And you hated that. You just wanted to forget it all tonight.
"Hey."
Banri’s breath hit your ear, sending a shiver down your spine. You felt him grab your elbow and tug you backwards. You grunted and turned around, your eyebrows furrowing. He had a smirk on his face. Oh, great. You knew where this was going to lead.
"Are you about to challenge me to a dance battle?"
"What?" He laughed and shook his head. "Of course not."
"I would watch that!" Kazunari said, coming up behind you.
Banri rolled his eyes. "Drinking contest. Duh."
"Mmmh… I’m not too great with drinks."
"So you're forfeiting your point?"
Kazunari said your name, resting his chin on your shoulder. "Don’t listen to him. Continue the bet tomorrow."
"Stay out of this, Kazunari."
"Hey, don’t be rude to him."
"Will you do it or not?"
You let out a sigh and reluctantly nodded. Banri grabbed your wrist and guided you over to the bar. Tenma was nursing a fruity cocktail. Sakyo had just finished drinking his usual whisky. Once Kazunari spotted him, his eyes lit up. He dragged Sakyo to the edge of the dance floor. It was close enough to watch whatever inevitable train wreck this would lead to.
"Six tequila shots, please." Banri’s eyes met yours as you sat down. "Three for me, three for them."
"Tequila? Really?"
He shrugged. "Go big or go home."
"Fine."
You and Banri stared each other down as the bartender laid out rows of shots on the counter. Your leg bounced anxiously. Banri gave you a confident smirk. The score was tied. Whoever got this point would be in the lead up to the last battle. The one that would decide who was better than the other. And you were completely confident it would be you. After the bartender poured the last shot, you looked up at her.
"Keep them coming, okay? That guy over there will pay." You pointed towards Sakyo, who was sighing in disappointment as Kazunari attempted to dance in front of him.
The bartender shrugged. "Fine by me."
"Ready?" Banri asked, rolling his shoulders back.
"Ready."
"And… drink!"
You grabbed the first shot and threw it back. Your eyes watered as the hard liquor burned down your throat. You shouldn't have agreed to do tequila shots. Something lighter would have been fine. You blinked back the tears and looked at Banri. He slammed his second shot down onto the counter. With a deep breath, you started to drink each shot as rapidly as you could. After four shots, you felt your face heating up and your body starting to buzz.
"This shit is gross." You grimaced, reaching for another shot.
"It was the cheapest brand. Don't want Sakyo to kill us." He drank another glass and groaned. "Damn!"
You drank another as well. "It tastes like gasoline!"
"You wanna forfeit?"
"Never."
The bartender had started pouring more shots into the empty glasses. You were starting to lose count of how many you had. Banri swayed in front of you, his body splitting in two. Two? You squinted. Why were there double Banris? You reached forward towards one of the glasses. Your body fell forward faster than you could catch it. Banri reached out to catch you, but he fell forward as well, making you two hit heads. You let out a hiss of pain before laughing.
"Hah, you suck!"
Banri's face was red, his eyebrows furrowed. "You suck! Loser!"
Drinking however many shots the both of you had was not good. Talking in slurred words, stumbling around, unable to see clearly… the two of you had gotten drunk in what was probably record time. Too clouded by the copious amounts of tequila now in your system, you reached for yet another shot. Banri tried to do the same, but he just knocked over some glasses. He managed to grab one and held it up to yours. You clinked your glasses together.
"Cheers!"
Before you could drink, the shot was snatched out of your hands. The same happened to Banri. You looked up and saw Omi and Sakyo. Sakyo looked pissed. Omi had a disapproving frown. Wait… Omi? When did he get here? You tried to grab your drink back, but Sakyo handed it back to the bartender.
"No more drinks. You two are wasted."
"Uh oh!!" You looked at Banri. "Mom and Dad are angry."
Banri giggled. You joined in, unable to control yourself. Omi sighed. "Seriously? This competition has gone out of hand. No more. We're going home."
"Sakyo has to pay first!"
"Are you-" Sakyo's voice raised before rubbing his temples. "Omi, get them home. We'll have a talk when you two are sober."
"I am very sober, thank you very much."
Banri stood up and tried to walk to the exit. He took three steps before tripping over nothing and falling to the ground. Your giggles turned into full laughter. Banri started cussing out the floor. Omi picked him up by the collar. He dragged the two of you out of the club. Your steps were uneven. Your head was completely empty as you stopped laughing. You couldn't remember what you were laughing about in the first place.
"All these stupid games… When will you two quit?"
You pouted. "It's fun! I don't wanna stop!"
"You'll have to. When we get home, both of you are going straight to bed. Understood?"
"Yes, Mom." Banri hissed.
Omi raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"
"Yes, Omi."
He dragged you two home like a pair of naughty children. Omi practically threw you in your room before walking off with Banri, who was muttering curses. Your stomach churned and you realized that you had way too big of a dinner. The tequila and food were battling in your stomach. Instead of getting on your bed, you laid down on the cold floor. Your breathing slowed as exhaustion took over you. As you fell asleep, you cursed Banri for convincing you to do this.
The next morning, you cursed Banri even more. Your head felt like it had been crushed by a hydraulic press. Your back ached from sleeping on the floor. You stood up slowly. Even the quiet knock at the door was enough to make you cringe in pain. You hobbled over to the door and opened it.
"You suck." The words came out of your mouth immediately as you saw Banri holding a glass of water in one hand, a bottle of pills in the other.
"Good morning to you too, sunshine." He looked about just as bad as you felt.
"Fuck you."
You opened the door wider. Banri stepped inside and closed the door behind him with his foot. You took the water and chugged down as much as you could. He opened the bottle, shook out two pills, and handed them to you. The tension in the room almost made you choke as you struggled to get the pills down.
"So, about last night…" He tried to smile. "I won, right?"
You shot him a glare. "Seriously? We both got blackout drunk and you’re trying to decide who won?"
"Just messin’ around."
"Well, stop!" You huffed and groaned, your own loud voice making your head pound. "God, I’m so pissed off right now."
"Don’t blame me."
"Of course I blame you!"
Banri scoffed, rolling his eyes. "You agreed. You have fault in this too."
"I know! And that pisses me off! Why do you always rile me up? Is it fun for you? Because it sure as hell isn’t fun for me."
"Liar."
"Excuse me?"
"It is fun for you!" He stepped closer to you. You stepped back. "You were the one who started the bet. You were the one who so eagerly went head first into every challenge. You could’ve said no or brushed me off. But you didn’t."
"Shut up."
"You know why? Because you love it when I challenge you! You love it when I rile you up, or when we get into fights! You just love proving that you’re better than me!"
"Banri, shut up." Your knees hit the back of your bed. He walked even closer to you.
"Not until you admit the truth!"
"Oh, fuck you!"
"You wish you could!"
You’ve had enough. He was always running that stupid smart mouth of his. The worst part was that you did enjoy it. Not only did you enjoy the challenge, but you enjoyed having his attention on you. You were just too stubborn to acknowledge it. You slammed the glass down on your bedside table and grabbed his shirt, tugging him against you. The pill bottle clattered to the ground as you crashed your lips against his. You ignored the painful sting, tilting your head to deepen the kiss.
Banri didn’t react for a moment. You could feel him grunt, as if fighting with himself. You were about to pull back when his arm wrapped around your waist. He used his other hand to lift your chin. A shiver ran down your spine. Was this the solution all along? A frustration-fueled makeout session? No, you were still pissed. But this definitely helped. At least a little bit.
You pulled away. "You make my head hurt."
"You sure it isn’t the hangover?" He moved his hand up to your cheek.
"Maybe that too." You paused and looked up at him. "Why did you always rile me up?"
"Because it was fun."
"Banri."
He cursed and shook his head. "I don’t know. Probably for the same shit I was just yellin' at you about."
"Oh," You slowly let go of his shirt. "We're both stubborn idiots."
Banri hummed, leaning down to kiss you again. "I'm sorry. I'll try not to do it again. I… I do really like you."
You accepted his kiss and apology. You knew how hard it was for him to be honest and vulnerable like this. It felt better than him brushing it off and continuing to be an ass. You weren't completely innocent either. You riled him up just as much. His arms wrapped around your waist and he brought you in for a hug. He buried his face in your neck.
You closed your eyes. "Does this mean I won the bet?"
He is the most possessive and protective creature his darling will ever know.
His darling is his and only his and he will make everyone know it.
When in his wolf form he is a big guard dog.
On nights when he is in his full form he will constantly be on the lookout for intruders and if necessary, his darling if he believes they would take this time to run.
He is still there in his wolf form with some beast instincts mixed in there.
While the moon makes its way through its phases the more his wolf features will come out.
Starting with his instincts building up until the halfway point when he gets wolf tail and ears at night.
Banri Settsu, Juza Hyodo, Taichi Nanao, Omi Fushimi, Sakyo Furuichi x gn! reader
Continuing this series because they all deserve love
Spring Troupe‘s Kisses
Summer Troupe‘s Kisses
Banri Settsu…
…kisses mainly to tease and to claim. You‘re reactions to his sudden kisses are just too good to miss out on. Wether it‘s a simple gasp, a squeak, or one of your cute flushed faces; he loves them all. Don‘t pretend to be upset, he‘ll use it against you one way or another. That smug bastard. In addition, he‘s somewhat of a wholesome possessive. He doesn‘t actually get jealous and tries to keep you all to himself in a toxic way. He does, again, as a teasing way. Give him a little smack and watch his playful side crumble with his laugh, leaving a genuine smile on his lips, as he gazes at you as if you were the only light he‘s ever seen.
.
Juza Hyodo…
…kisses with much hesitancy. If it was anyone else in his position, he‘d probably say something like „How much can ya do wrong in a kiss anyways?“, but it is him in his position…Suddenly he wonders if he could hurt you if he puts too much pressure on your lips. As if that would ever be physically possible with how he melts into a puddle during a kiss. He turns completely into mush, mumbling out a little „thanks“ for no other reason than not knowing what else to say.
.
Taichi Nanao…
…kisses with accidental force. Excitement and endless nervousness come together to overload the poor boy. He‘s trying his best to stay leveled, but more often than not you two end up bumping into each other. It‘s not painful or uncomfortable, just enough to notice.
.
Omi Fushimi…
…kisses you casually, and with a warmth and softness that makes you fall for him once again. This gentle giant is just filled with unconditional love and admiration for you, and it shows in absolutely everything he does for you, kisses are no exception. As much as he‘d love to capture every kiss you share in a photograph, he much rather captures them in his mind and heart instead.
.
Sakyo Furuichi…
…kisses you in moments of passion and emotion. As a yakuza, he has to follow certain protocol to keep up appearances, safe to say it has molded into his personality over those many years. Thus, physical touch was not something he was that well acquainted with. Every time your lips meet his, it‘s like everything inside of him explodes in a gigantic firework. It leaves him speechless for just a moment, before he manages to regain his posture. With every kiss, he hopes he can make you feel just as incredibly loved as you him.
Synopsis: Things escalated quicker than you can process but luckily it ended well, for now. The four of you are on a mission to find new members, form the first troupe, and bring it to Furuichi until sunset or else the demolition of your father's agency will continue! Although you and your big sister are sure to find one, or two if you're lucky enough, is it just easier said than done? Or you'll be able to hold the title of 'The Saviour of Mankai Company'?
⚠️Reminders⚠️:
May contain incorrect grammars (English is not my first language)
Will follow the manga and the anime, but there will be a lot of changes
Different flow of story due to two protagonists (you and Izumi)
Reader is 16 while Izumi is 24 (not canon but is considered)
Fem!reader
P.s: A3! Characters are legally and respectfully owned by Liber Entertainment Inc. and I do not claim them. I only own the changes in the flow of the original story.
|☆Chapter 1| |☆Chapter 2|
Chapter 111:
Spring is...Back?
You're trying to catch your breath. Both of your hands are now gripping tightly on your sling bag as you stood still beside a lamp post where your big sister was holding onto for dear life. Your chest huffs and puffs and continues to seek for air to fill your deprived lungs.
"Nee-san, are you sure we can find new members here?" It's the first thing you said before she looked up to you. You can see her drained face like the life inside of her has been sucked out, her grip is still on the lamp post as she motioned her other hand to wait for her answer. "I told you to slow down! I almost tripped on my feet earlier, you know!" you scolded your big sister, to which she just laughed off as her way of apologizing between her nonstop pants. The two males had just finished catching their breaths and are now looking concerned at the two of you.
"Is she-"
"She's okay, Matsukawa-san. Sorry for making the two of you worry." You swiftly turned your whole body to them with a reassuring smile whilst your hands are kept behind your back and bowed respectfully for causing such a ruckus, right now you're trying to distract them from your sister—who's now at the verge of dying but she can't just die yet, you still have a mission to do!
A few minutes had pass. You decided to look behind your shoulder when your big sister finally replies to you, "Trust your big sister on this, (Y/n). I promise you I'll do the best that I can!" She proudly said with her hand pressing on her chest.
"Ahhhh, this will save our agency!" Matsukawa cried out of happiness, the other boy couldn't hide his smile while he looked at the two of you.
Now that you remember it, haven't the two of you met before arriving at the theater? You were confused as to why he acts as if you weren't there, you felt a pain in your chest as you dramatically closed your eyes while your lips formed a pout, you were lost in your own thoughts until you heard a familiar voice near you.
"Hey! I'm sorry I couldn't find the perfect timing to talk to you earlier, but I'm so glad that we met again!!" You heard his cheery voice, the one that held so much passion earlier on stage, you opened your eyes and turned your head to your side, your eyes met his that matched the color of his beautiful dark-pink hair, together with his lovely smile that illuminated an exact replica of how each and every flowers bloom every time spring season arrives. He held so much joy that you can feel yourself hallucinate cherry blossoms blooming around his face, just like the first time you met.
"I also couldn't find the perfect timing to talk to you, but I could say the same! I was also surprised to find out that we're actually going to the same location." You curved your lips into a small smile—a gentle one. He chuckled to your reply, "I was really surprised I saw you from the audience! How's my performance?" He was quick to switch the topic as he cannot wait any longer but to hear your comment. "It was good! The talking parrot surprised me for a bit but you're good at acting, I think you just need some more experience and also members." His cheeks slightly turned pink, he thanked you upon hearing your personal remark, he didn't know but just hearing it from you makes him feel like he doesn't need anyone's comments anymore; yours is the only acceptable one, but he brushed it off as he thought that's a bit too selfish to think about for someone he just met.
Izumi clapped her hands to gain the other three's attention, to which she successfully did. "Come on now, everyone. There's no time for us to feel safe." She starts to walk away and motioned her hands to follow her steps, "We have to find new members, we can't let him know we're just lying!"
And with that, you heard the manager scream as if his life was going to end now, actually, you knew this was coming so you covered your ears, you can't help but look around after that, seeing lots of eyes looking at him weirdly for causing such a scene.
"W-WHAT?! L-LIE? IT WAS ALL A LIE?!"
"It was more like a street act than a lie." Your big sister pouts her lips in pure disappointment as he corrected him, I mean it shattered her heart knowing that thing wasn't considered a top-tier acting even though the first time she acted was in elementary.
You averted your eyes from the two males, you know very well you're your big sister's accomplice because this feels more like a crime rather than just a silly lie.
"S-so our agency will actually be demolished?" You turned your head to the dark-pink haired boy-that-you-still-don't- know-the-name-until-now-because-it-kept- slipping-out-of-your-mind as his voice cracked, 'He's about to cry, nee-san! It's all your faulttt!' You can see how his eyes attempted to tear up. The manager crouched down as he kept crying, not giving care about the people who came across him in this state.
"We have to find new members to cancel it!" With that, she begins to look around for someone who looks interested in acting, "I don't think you can find someone who wants to act just by looking at their clothes and their aura alone, nee-san, that's called being judgemental." She tried to ignore your words and kept her eyes on the lookout, her lips whistling as if to block your voice. "Nee-san!" You shouted as she began to sneak away from you and you caught her in action, "Don't act like you didn't hear me!" She tried to laugh it off but you gave her an unimpressed look.
"I don't know what I can do, but please let me help too!" The boy politely interrupted as he openly rests his hand to his chest, 'Well atleast we have another help'. You sighed in relief. Izumi, on the other hand, cooed at the boy's offer as she dramatically wiped a non-existent tear from her eyes, her hands clasped together as she approached the said boy.
"What a sweet boy!" She unexpectedly ruffled the boy's hair, to which surprised the latter. Then, she quickly switches, now pinching both of his cheeks which earned an uncomfortable groan from him. You tried to hide your laugh as the poor boy from your sister's grasp tries his best to get away. She eventually stopped and apologize to the boy who had his cheeks puffed up red and swollen.
"Ah! By the way, I'm Izumi Tachibana and this is my little sister (Y/n) Tachibana. What's your name?" She asked. Atleast it didn't slip through your sister's mind, she saved you from it. You scooted closer to your sister as you mumbled a small, "It's nice to meet you."
"My name is Sakuya Sakuma. 'Saku' as in 'Bloom'. Nice to meet you!" He happily bowed just like you did.
Now that everything is settled in the meantime, and now that you finally know his name, all that worries you is about how you and your big sister can find new members and bring it to the scary man by sunset. You think that the three of you are depending on your big sister, but you don't want her to take all the responsibility, you're also here for a purpose, and you don't want your sister to take all of the problems and burdens and keep it to herself. You want to prove that she can also depend on you when it comes to situations like this. And with that, you decided that it's time for you to speak up and let them hear your own suggestion.
"I think that if we need new members, we need to promote the agency. We need to start by showing them what we can provide and what makes the Mankai Company better than the others!"
"That's a great idea! What can the Mankai Company provide?" Your little sister happily agreed with your idea and turned his attention to Matsukawa, this of course boosts your pride, you can't help but smile so idiotically, you just wished someone won't catch you in the act for this kind of concerning behaviour.
"The Mankai Company provides a personal dorm for members, and they get to eat my cooking, two times, day and night!!" Matsukawa proudly replied, atleast now he can show off how good of a cook he is.
"Well that doesn't seem too bad now, is it? Let's proceed with that!" Izumi hummed in agreement, feeling really motivated, "Lil sis, you'll be the interviewer and we'll be managers in charge of the auditions, okay?" She added, which horrified you. "What?! Why me?!" You whined as you tried to protest, but to no avail, your big sister doesn't let this one slip out and ignores your childish cavil. You simply just moved on about it as you had no other choice but to do it, it's for the sake of your father's agency. Although you're a bit too hesitant to go all the way just for it to be saved, you know your sister's true to her words when she told Furuichi just how persistent she is at cancelling the demolition, and you don't want to crush all of her hardworks. It won't be for too long, so trust your big sister on this.
"The recruitment for Mankai Company starts now! And the audition for new members will start!" You purposely made your voice a little bit louder than normal so you would successfully gain the attention of random passersby. Given this to be your first ever street act, you can't avoid the shakiness and cracks of your voice, making you more embarrassed than you were before. It cringed you honestly, but you're ready to take risks, just for the agency to be in peace.
"First! My name is Sakuya Sakuma, seventeen years old!" His voice came out shaky too, it seems like no matter how hard he tries to act very confidently, his actions does the opposite effect and he hates it. He wants to show everyone how exciting and how fun performing can be but he guessed maybe now's not the right time, not when he still lacks experience.
The street act went smoothly, well, in your perspective, you know very well the passersby are in complete contrast with your view—about your own story, and even though you get strange looks from random people, you've begun to grow tired of others misjudging you at first glance.
"What's that?"
"Oh my, that looks awful."
"Is that supposed to be a street act?"
"Is it a part of a punishment game?"
You can see how your sister's face gloomed, which worsened the supposedly lively and cheerful mood you all had, "Oh...no one even gathered around us." It was like you both could read each other's minds and decided to drop the act right after she saw how ashamed you must have felt while looking around, seeing that no one took any interest in your performance (except for one). You risked your dignity and sanity for this and yet no one was there to stay and watch for even just a bit longer? Not fair, not fair at all.
The streets were back to normal, almost as if nothing had happened. You silently walked out from the rest, looking around to examine the structures of different shops, you noticed a sidewalk, a bit higher than the street you were into so it's clearly above. It was right in front of you in a small alleyway, just between two tall shops. There, you noticed a single person leaning their arms on the sidewalk's pavement fence, is he looking at you? Maybe? But if he's focused on you then, maybe he's interested, it feels like he's been there for a while, but oh well! It won't hurt to try and ask so you let your feet lead your way to the strange guy.
'Let's just hope he likes acting'.
"Excuse me, are you perhaps interested in acting?" You went in the alleyway on the other side of the road as you raised your head to look up at him, he was startled for a bit when you started talking to him—his cheeks slowly burning and a dust of pink can be seen if you pay close attention.
"E-ehh? Uhmmm.." His lips moved a little but his voice couldn't be heard, it seems like he was mumbling something to himself but you can't really hear it because of the distance between you and him.
"Maybe you saw our performance, or maybe not, but right now we're in a desperate need of new members-"
"(Y/n)! What are you doing over there?" You were quick to turn your head when you heard your sister call you out, they crossed the road to get to you and were curious to know who you were talking to just now. You were about to explain when Sakuya spoke.
"Eh? Masumi-kun? Aren't you Usui Masumi-kun?" He was the first to initiate a word with the mysterious guy.
"Do you guys know each other?" It was your big sister's turn to ask, and Sakuya was quick to nod in response, also humming with it.
"We never talked to each other before, but he is my underclassmen." Sakuya gave out a cheerful smile, while the guy who's named Masumi was much more doing the opposite: he was frowning as he holds the headphones dangling from his neck, attempting to put it back on as he observed us from above.
"Who?"
"Masumiiii!" He fake cried, expecting to get Masumi to feel guilty but he felt no remorse at all.
"Uhmm..Masumi-kun, if you're interested, why don't you try to join?" Izumi offered, clasping both her hands on the side of her face as she tilted her head to the side, willingly waiting for either his refusal or approval. It went silent for like five seconds before he could muster up the energy for an answer, or rather another question.
But before that, he held onto the fence really tight and hopped over it and did a stunt you all never expect. You had a mini heart attack from what he did because it was kinda high and it's scary but you're left amazed and impressed at the same time.
"Is she also a member?" He was surprisingly calm right after he did that scary stunt. He averted his gaze from everyone else but he kept stealing glances at you every second. Surely, he doesn't want you to feel uncomfortable by his eyes slowly burning a hole through you from all of that gazing and glancing. You don't know but your sister can smell something fishy going around, and she's certain that she can't just let it slide.
"Eh?? Oh kids these days..." She sighed at herself while clicking her tongue in disapproval, but the only thing that didn't match her overall behaviour was her smile creeping up, you weren't too happy about it, I mean your big sister is back to being that typical aunt that likes to ship you with almost every boy he met, not to mention her being too similar to that one aunt you both know in your hometown.
"Nee-san, you're acting way too similar to auntie Rina." You joked, while giving her the 'I'm tired of this stuff, Nee-san' look, she only replied to you with a knowing smile, thinking that you're just acting too shy about it.
"I don't know about that Mas-"
"What are you talking about?! She's one of our boss! She's the fallen angel of Mankai Company!" Matsukawa interrupted, which was unexpected and it surprised the two of you because he had been real quiet after that horrible street act.
'We haven't even agreed to join yet' Izumi thought but she realized it was too late to back out now, she hopes this won't be too hard of a job.
"I will join if she's there." He finalized his words with a quick glance at you, which you didn't quite catch but your big sister was quick enough to nudge your shoulder and tease you.
"Really? You'll join?!" Sakuya was too happy to care about how harsh Masumi is to him, he was quick on his feet to run towards him.
"I don't care about you."
"That's true, but I'm happy!" He tried to hug him but Masumi was quick to dodge and grabbed Sakuya's head, pushing him away while Sakuya tried to fight back by trying to cling onto his arm.
"You hear that (Y/n)? He's so sweet, that boy is sweet."
"Nee-san, pleaseee." You whined, not really in the mood for things such as this.
Izumi was having fun teasing you about it, Masumi can't stop looking at you, Sakuya and Matsukawa are way too busy celebrating and here you are, trying your best to stay calm and composed.
'What should we do? I didn't even decide to join yet' You bit your lip as you felt your anxiety rising up, can you really handle such a big responsibility?
'But he's our newest member, it feels bad deceiving him, but I guess I should keep it in me for now'.
"Entry no.2: Masumi Usui, sixteen years old, my hobby is listening to music, and my reason to join is to support the fallen angel of Mankai Company."
And right after that, girls swooned around him, completely blocking him from the others. You can see how he's trying his best to break free, which he was successful to do so, but the girls were still busy sticking to him like some leech, squealing and screaming then and there.
"Masumi-kun is so cool!!" Sakuya exclaimed in awe, too stunned with how much effect Masumi has on the girls.
"He's well composed, and he's incredibly good." You commented, and Matsukawa hummed in agreement.
It was obvious how irritated he is, with the way his eyebrows furrowed as he looked behind him where the girls were. It was also obvious how his mood quickly changed from irritated to head-over-heels. You swear you're starting to think if this was some sort of prank or act.
"Really?"
"EEKKK!" You swear you felt your life was sucked out of you when he suddenly popped out in front of you, he mumbled out a worried "Sorry.." before patiently waiting for your reply.
"How's my performance?"
"It was good!"
"Did I do well just now?" You can hear how desperate he is for your answer just by his tone alone.
"Your performance was outstanding-" Matsukawa decided to join in, but was quickly cut off by Masumi himself.
"I'm not talking to you." He shot a glare to Matsukawa before taking all of his attention back to you.
"Yes! Yes! Just continue doing that!" You replied back, feeling too bad about the manager's cries of sorrows. But honestly, you don't know anymore. You exhaled right after he blushed from your comments and left the scene. Right now you're trying to regain who you are the seconds before the incident. Izumi tried to cover her mouth, keeping herself from laughing way too loud. You glared at her as you tried to cover your blush from the close proximity with him minutes ago. You're having a hard time differentiating what's true and what's not.
"That was a good performance, Masumi-kun." Your big sister clapped her hands to gain the attention of the two boys across the street, Masumi politely thanked your sister, completely ignoring Sakuya who kept complimenting his performance.
You were too relaxed knowing that you found another member that the deadline had slipped out of your mind, you reminded everyone as they came to realization except for Masumi who was a bit confused, but you'll explain the rest later and right now, all of you should run because time's running as well. You can see the station where you and your sister came from (Ch.1) and you caught a glimpse of a familiar person who just turned.
"Nee-san! I know just the right person to find." You ran off, completely ignoring their calls because you might be too late to stop him.
"Hey, (Y/n)!" Izumi groaned when you were nowhere to be seen, she began to panic about the thought of you getting lost because both of you are unfamiliar with this place.
"Don't worry, I'll follow her." Masumi dashed away which left Izumi fumbling to find the right words to stop him.
"Masumi-kun!" Sakuya was next to run. Izumi and Matsukawa— who were both being tagged into this mess had no other choice but to follow and run too.
"PLEASE WAIT!" You don't care anymore, you don't care about attracting the attention of everyone who was there, he's the only last hope you have.
"E-eh? Oh! It's you!" You were relieved he already recognized you, as you held onto your legs and pant uncontrollably, earning a worried look from the said male. It took you minutes for your breathing to be back to normal, maybe it'd be best if you never ran from the start.
"You said you were looking for a dorm, right?!" He was confused at first but nods to your question.
As you were about to introduce your agency, you were left astounded when you heard a familiar voice shouting not too far in front of the station.
"PLEASE JOIN MANKAI COMPANY!!! WE PROVIDE DORM AND MEALS TWICE A DAY!!"
"Meals twice a day?!" It was more than enough for him to turn his head to find the source of this generous offer.
'It seems like everyone managed to catch up' you sighed in relief as the blue-ish sky had slowly start to turn orange.
"oh you're finally awake" i heard omi's husky voice first thing in the morning. sounds like he just woke up too.
"good morning"
i finally opened my eyes. there he was, the love of my life. the man i wanted to spend the rest of my life with. he looks so adorable with his bed hair. his face was so close. his hand was rough yet felt so soft as he was caressing my cheek. the look on his eyes were so endearing as it pierced right through mine.
"your eyes are swollen..ill have to take responsibility for making you cry last night" he smiled brightly.
"omi!” i chuckled. “stop teasing me we just woke up" i felt my face turn red. i covered my face with the blanket out of embarrassment as i remembered the screams of pleasure i let out last night.
he laughed then he took the blanket off my face. he was suddenly on top of me, feeling his warm breath as he lightly placed his lips on my bare shoulder, giving it a soft peck, tracing his lips up to my neck until he found his way to my lips. it started with a playful kiss, until it became something more passionate. he lightly squeezed my bare breasts and i let out a moan in his mouth. he drowned me in his passionate kisses, tongues sliding against each other, until we're both out of breath. he softly bit my lower lip as he slowly pulled away. my lips longed for more but there's no way im telling him, it's already embarrassing enough.
"haha you look so cute when you're embarrassed i just cant help it". he laughed as he playfully pressed my nose with his finger.
i felt my face getting redder and redder as i hid my face on his chest, embracing him tightly. Still feeling embarrassed, i quietly muttered “I love you” under my breath, hoping he heard none of that as i went back to sleep in his warm embrace. i felt him hug me back, placing a kiss on my forehead.
Omi always noticed you, a photographer could not simply ignore a work of art like that, but it does take time for his feelings to grow. He wants a genuine friendship with no pretenses, no expectations, just two adults who enjoyed each other’s company. And yet when he does fall it’s like jumping off a cliff and belly-flopping into the water below. It was an inelegant descent with a lot of emotional fumbling, some denial of the situation at hand, but some things were just inevitable. Once he took that leap and realized there was nothing to fear, the sting would wear off and make way for an Omi who was much willing to take chances.
Izumida Azami
Falls First: You
Falls Harder: Azami
Azami does not think of romance much. You can tell when he shies away from a simple, friendly hug it’ll be an uphill battle to win him over (but it would be well worth the fight). Respecting his boundaries but making your interest in him known would catch his attention, but don’t push too hard as even his heart has its limits. A certified tough guy and your self-assigned protector, he lets you get closer to him than most. He might make you go through a slow-moving courting process but it doesn’t mean his heart doesn’t beat for you, or that he wasn’t haunted by dreams of how perfectly your hand would fit in his.
Nanao Taichi
Falls First: Taichi
Falls Harder: Taichi
Taichi has always been very unapologetic about being your number one fan, and it’s been clear that he had a major crush on you from the start. It takes time for you to judge the sincerity of his actions but you also enjoy the ride, as Taichi was an incredibly fun and easy person to get along with. Whether you’re just a fleeting fancy or his one true love like his diary states, you never regretted a moment that you spent with him. He’s ready to worship the ground you walked on for the rest of his life if it would prove to you that he’ll never stray; a loyal puppy who only has eyes for you.
Tsukioka Tsumugi
Falls First: You
Falls Harder: You
Tsumugi is not a very romantically aware man, at least not in reality; you’ve never seen someone so capable of emulating a person in love without realizing there’s someone enamored with him right before his eyes. It would take him some time to notice you, and even more before he considered you as romantic partner potential. Even after recognizing your feelings and acknowledging his own Tsumugi walks a tightrope of indecision. Your relationship is invaluable to him so it’s not as if he’ll set you aside, it’s simply that you’ll have to learn to live with a theatre addict. Still, to even tear his eyes from the stage for a moment is a feat to be proud of.
Yukishiro Azuma
Falls First: Azuma
Falls Harder: You
Azuma felt your connection from the very moment you meant, like two lovers who had been fated to meet by the stars. He was entirely unashamed to say that he had fallen for you first. Luckily he had waited for you to stumble into his life long enough that he had practiced patience, waiting for you to come to him before he dazzled you with his charm. He has you on a course to an abrupt crash landing directly into his arms, blinded by his charms, unable to pinpoint when you had fallen just knowing there was no place more comfortable than by his side.
"Y/n, Tell me if You're done Reading Volume 3, I'll quickly get the next Volume for you" the cute cotton candy-haired boy said in front of you, while you were absorbed in another type of shounen manga.
"Thanks, Muku," you replied, flashing him a smile.
In response, he returned a fluffy smile.
It was strange to think you had become friends with the great Muku; after all, he was admired by everyone in the class. The only reason you were in his dorm room was because he had suggested reading manga together.
He had discovered your interest in manga when you coincidentally met at a bookstore. Upon catching each other's eyes, you had contemplated leaving quickly, but he stopped you and asked if you liked reading shoujo manga. You had agreed, assuming it would be your last encounter or so you thought, However, that chance meeting marked the beginning of your 'friendship.'
You glanced at the boy in front of you, engrossed in his reading.
‘He seems pretty easygoing, dense, and naive, but I don't really need him for anything,’ you thought to yourself.
But...
‘Friends, huh...’
The manga you were reading had reached a tranquil part. The lovely couple was enjoying themselves in the park, going wherever the female lead desired, sharing cute little romantic moments that could easily bring a smile to any reader's face.
‘Too cliché.’
But you knew that this peaceful scene wouldn't last long. The antagonist would soon appear and ruin everything. Reluctant to turn the next page, you put the book down and took a sip of the tea Muku had prepared.
"Y/n is such a kind person," Muku suddenly blurted out, making you put the cup down and look at him.
'Ridiculous,'
You giggled before responding, "Is that how you see me, Muku?" You asked, meeting his soft smile.
"Mhm! You didn't like seeing the couple have misfortune befall them, right?" Muku said, his voice gentle and understanding.
"You stopped because you didn't want to know. Well, I also dislike the antagonist ruining such happiness, but don't you think the lessons and developments that the couple experience along the way make the antagonist someone to be thanked for? How the couple truly come to understand their feelings for each other just because of a certain event the antagonist triggered?" He finished with a warm smile, his eyes sparkling with genuine curiosity and kindness.
You hesitated, the words catching in your throat. Debating this seemed trivial, yet the purity of Muku's perspective struck a chord deep within you.
He was bright and honest, pure and innocent. In stark contrast, you were deceitful and corrupt, a liar and an exploiter.
As you watched his soft, warm smile, a wave of guilt washed over you. Now, you understood why everyone admired him. You had always assumed he was just pretending to be nice and kind, like you, but you were wrong. He was the real thing.
‘Haha... We're completely the opposite,’ you thought, a sad giggle escaping your lips.
"You're wrong," you said, your smile fading.
"Huh?" Muku looked at you, confused.
Unknowingly, you let your true emotions show, your usual mask slipping away.
"I didn't feel bad for the couple having misfortunes befall them. It was the antagonist. Don't you ever wonder what happens to them in the end? Could they even forgive themselves for doing such a thing? When all they ever wanted was attention and affection? When they perceived their wrongdoings as right? And now the story describes them as the antagonist when, in fact, they're the protagonist in their own world. I simply think villains are misjudged, and most of the time we don't get their story. If we knew it, the hero wouldn't seem so full of glory," you said, your voice carrying a weight of conviction.
Muku's expression shifted, his warm smile replaced by an unfamiliar look of contemplation and concern.
Realizing what you had said, you knew you had let too much slip. You had exposed your inner self to Muku, of all people. Keeping your composure, you took a deep sigh before standing up.
"Oh, look at the time, sorry muku, I’ll be heading out first." you said, forcing the usual smile back onto your face.
He looked at you, then stood up as well.
"Ah- eh-, mhm! Sure, I'll walk you home, so shall we go?" He reverted to his usual self, offering you his characteristic kind smile.
"It's not that late. I'll be fine, so you don’t have to escort me all the way to my house," you said, taking your bag.
The two of you stepped outside the dorm.
You glanced at him and noticed the sadness in his eyes. Seeing him frown made you feel guilty. Why? You never wavered when you saw your classmates looking sad after you turned them down, but with him, you felt all sorts of emotions you didn't even think existed.
You didn't like this sour feeling...
'I have to somehow fix this,' you thought.
Before you could speak, he cut you off. "Uhm, Y/n-san..."
"Yes?"
"Today was really fun! It felt like a get-together reading group as we got to debate about our ideals on mangas! I really, really had fun, so if possible..." The pink-haired boy shyly said, becoming antsy as you looked at him in disbelief. ’Are your serious?’
you scoff inside and Unknowingly, a soft smile appeared on your face.
"I'll come again tomorrow. Would that be alright? After all, I haven't finished reading Volume 3," you said, watching as his face brightened immediately.
'How easygoing he is,' you thought.
"Sure! You're welcome anytime! I'll prepare some tea and snacks again!" he said brightly, making you look away from him.
This was helpless. You couldn't disagree now that he was looking at you like this...
