“Erina awoke to the midday sun’s rays filtering in through the sheer curtains. As she drifted back into consciousness, her senses returned to her slowly—the scent of fresh linens and lavender pillow mist, the sound of easy breathing beside her. Then her face warmed as she became aware of Yukihira-kun’s hand on the small of her back and his toned chest beneath her cheek.
The night before she had taken great pains to position herself on the far edge of the bed, so that another person could sleep between them if they saw fit, so how the hell had they managed to get tangled up like this?
As Erina attempted to shimmy out of the embrace, all the while trying not to spontaneously combust from the close contact, Yukihira’s eyes blinked open.
He regarded her with tired eyes and a lazy smile. “Mornin’ Nakiri.”
Erina cursed herself, scarcely unable to come up with a thought unrelated to how adorable he was.
“Morning?” she scoffed, willing the besotted flush to leave her cheeks. “It has to be at least two in the afternoon.”
“Fuck, I’ve gotta get to work!” Suddenly, he looked ready to sprint downstairs and start his shift.
“Relax,” Erina said, stretching languidly before sitting up in bed. She ran her fingers through her short tresses, trying in vain to neaten them. “I called you out. You’re fine.”
“Thanks for that,” he said. “Head chef threw a live lobster at the last person who showed up late for a shift.”
Erina chuckled a little. “Sounds like my kind of guy.”
“You’d like him. But he’s not as creative as you are with his insults.”
“As if anyone could be,” she said, finally scooting off the bed. “I’m going to go shower, and then start packing.”
“You’re heading back to Japan soon?”
“Tomorrow,” she said. “And I um...” Erina glanced down, nibbling her lower lip. Even with what she’d learned last night, this was all still so difficult for her. “I was wondering if you would come home with us.”
Yukihira met her eyes with a stunned expression. “Really?”
“I mean,” she said, tucking strands of hair behind her ear, “you have to agree it would be best for the academy to have the full Elite Ten on campus.”
He smirked at her. “Remember when you thought having me thrown out of school would be best for the academy?”
Erina rolled her eyes. “Don’t think I haven’t ruled that possibility out!” she said, crossing her arms over her chest. “But...I think we’ve both grown a lot since then. Just think about it.”
“I will, and...” he paused. “Do you want to go for a walk later tonight?”
She raised her eyebrows fractionally, half-ready to ask what he was up to, but the voice of reason took hold and replied, “Sure. Why not?”
Takumi had headed down to the gift shop for the third time that day, determined to finally decide which mugs he would buy for his mother and nonna, when he saw her.
Megumi was wearing a white sundress and flip-flops, toting about a dozen postcards and clearly on the lookout for more.
“Good afternoon, Tadokoro-san,” he said once he’d made up his mind to approach her.
Her smile was calm and gentle as the slow lapping waves at low tide. “It’s good to see you Takumi-kun. It feels like we haven’t spoken much lately.”
Takumi released a small sigh. What a fool he had been.
In the weeks after her jaunt to New York City, he had kept his distance, convinced that her affections would remain with Yukihira for the foreseeable future and that it would be better for him to move on. But each time he saw her smile that smile he would slay demons for, he was reminded of the sheer futility of his efforts.
“Sorry if I’ve seemed distant.”
“No worries,” she replied, “Everyone’s been really busy getting ready for graduation.”
“Do you know what you’ll do?” he asked.
Megumi sighed. “I always assumed I’d go straight back to my hometown and be with everyone.”
“Big family?” he asked, nodding towards the host of postcards in her hands.
“Not really, but everyone in the town feels like an aunt or uncle or cousin.” She closed her eyes, lost in memories of her childhood by the sea. “But now, after everything I’ve seen in these past few years I...” She shook her head. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to just unload all of this on you. Normally I’d talk to—”
“You can talk to me, Tadokoro-san. About anything, at any time.”
And then the smile was there again, demure and dazzling in equal parts.
“You’re always so kind, Takumi-kun,” she said, one of her hands drifting up to her braid. By now Takumi recognized the gesture as one of her nervous tics—but what reason did she have to feel anxious?
“What is it?”
“It’s nothing, just...” She paused and cleared her throat, her cheeks pinking. “Maybe...before graduation we could maybe...”
“Get coffee sometime?” he asked, unable to keep the grin off his face.
She nodded, flushed and wordless, and Takumi swore he’d remember that look she gave him when he was in his eighties.
“There’s a new espresso bar that opened close to campus,” he said, trying to sound casual, like he hadn’t visited the place three times already to ensure that it had the right atmosphere. “Maybe we could go together after classes one day.”
“I’d like that a lot,” she said. “Now let’s finish up here so we can finish packing on time.”
----
As promised, Erina went out to meet him on the beach that night, after getting massages with Alice and confirming the details of their return home with Hisako. When she had inquired about the possibility of an extra seat on their private plane, her best friend had responded with a nod and a knowing smile.
She had taken a moment to wonder, as she walked through the cool sand in her flip-flops, how her best friend had become privy to all of Erina’s secrets while safeguarding her own, but the thought left her mind the moment she saw him.
Yukihira in dark jeans and a button down shirt—it had to be the most dressed up she’d ever seen him.
She smirked, crossing her arms. “You almost look like a real adult there. Is it because the rest of your clothes are already packed?”
Yukihira’s contented grin, the one with which he always seemed to appraise her as of late, fell and he released a sigh. “Nakiri.”
Erina held her breath, her every muscle tense, as she prepared for his next words to break her heart. “Don’t ‘Nakiri’ me,” she said, managing to keep her voice from wavering. “Just come home.”
He shook his head. “That dish you made last night confirmed it,” he told her. “Right now, there’s still a world of skill between you and me. I can’t make the kind of food that you’re looking for the way I am now. Maybe in a few years, after I’ve trained some more overseas—”
“You’ll still be an idiot, won’t you?” Erina said, mostly to herself.
“Then I’ll be the idiot whose cooking you find delicious,” he said with a shrug. “But until I reach that goal, I won’t come back to Totsuki.”
Erina’s eyes drew closed and she felt the warming prick of tears beneath her lids. She had caused this, all of it. “If your mind is made up, I can’t stop you. But you should know this.” She paused, exhaled deeply, and forced herself to look up at him. “I know I don’t always act like it, but even if I hated every dish you made for the rest of your life, I would still want you around me. A...and beyond that, if I had to eat your cooking every day, I doubt I’d ever be disappointed. I don’t know if this changes anything for you, but I thought I’d tell you anyway.”
Yukihira stared at her for a moment, processing. “So this whole time...”
Erina sighed. “Yes, this whole time. You have never served me a dish I didn’t like on some level. Not once.”
“Then, why did you always—”
“If I knew what made me act like this, do you think I’d still be doing it?” she asked. “Anyway, now you know. So I guess I’ll see you in six more months, or a year, or whatever you had in mind.” With that, Erina turned on her heel and started back in the direction of the hotel, but she only made it a few steps before she felt his hand on her arm.
“Since when do you walk that fast?” he asked her, all jokes and easy smiles again. “What time are you leaving tomorrow?”
“Ten in the morning.”
“I’ll be there,” he told her. “I’ll bring you breakfast in the morning if you want.”
Erina nodded, a small smile finding its way onto her lips. “You better not oversleep again.”
“As long as you don’t touch my alarm clock, we’ll be fine there. Good night, Nakiri.”
“Good night.”
They parted ways then, each secure in the knowledge that it wouldn’t be forever, that it wouldn’t be for long, and Erina was left to contemplate why that knowledge brought such serenity to her. But somehow she felt sure that she would find out soon enough.
“So. What song?” Audrey asks me. She twirls a lock of hair idly between her pointer finger and thumb, her eyes not quite meeting mine. It’s dry conversation, small talk.
I don’t know why Audrey still bothers, I think bitterly. She clearly would rather be spending time with her international friends. Then I remember where I am and I quickly plaster on a smile, the one that used to fool Aoshi all the time.
I’m okay, I try to convince myself.
You’re not okay, my mind responds, sourly.
It’ll be over soon, at least, I hope so.
“I’m not sure,” I say, “I was thinking maybe something from Hamilton? Without, like, those super high notes in Helpless that you can somehow hit and I can’t?”
Audrey rolls her eyes.
“I think that maybe if you actually try, you can hit them,”
“But trying takes up so much effort,” I respond, a small — real — smile coming to light. It almost feels weird to smile. I’ve complained for too long and the smiles never come naturally like they did before.
She laughs, picking up her PriPass. It disappears as it turns on and she sees the No Signal button, the one that’s been there since we’ve arrived. But there is a sign, a new text message from a Blocked Number. Audrey frowns, pressing it. I unconsciously lean over her shoulder for a better view.
“Do you really want to view this message?” Audrey reads, “Yes, of course. I didn’t even know I blocked anyone on this thing!”
“It could be a virus, sometimes those are auto-blocked,” I reason. She presses yes anyway.
“It’s been three weeks since I’ve heard from you or Essia,” Audrey says. I frown, too. It’s been that long already? Who is this, anyway, how do they know?
“PriPara as a whole is getting glitchier and glitchier every day,” she continues, “My hair turns blond every once in a while— who is this? Why are they telling me their problems?”
“Text them back,” I suggest, “Ask who they are.”
“Yeah, well, I would,” Audrey looks at me, almost judgmentally, “Except, you know, I have no signal? Also, this is creepy. They’re blocked,” she adds as she hits the small red button.
A hot flush hits my cheeks.
“Right,” I say.
“So, what song are you doing?” Audrey asks.
“You pick,” I instantly regret my decision as her eyes sparkle and she pulls out a clipboard with different songs listed on a paper on it.
“Well, here are some songs I think you’d do well in. They all are within your vocal range, except maybe this one, but that’s okay, it’s fairly easy, I can do it,”
“Audrey, you can hit almost any soprano scale. Leave me alone to wallow in my misery,”
“Alright, this one’s okay. You can do this one,”
“Audrey, I’m not going to sing Washington On Your Side for my performance, which, I might add, is in three hours,”
“Ruin my fun. Also, it’s rapping,” Audrey corrects me, “Just do this one, then.”
“Are you ready?” my vocal coach, Petra, asks me. She looks worried, her brows knitting. I don’t blame her, my Idoling scores have been far from stellar. However, I can’t flunk out of this school. I’ve tried, but I’m fairly sure it’s impossible.
“No, not really,” I say. Petra looks like she might cry.
“It’s okay, though, I’ll be fine,” I quickly amend.
“Essia..”
“Okay, okay, I probably won’t be fine,”
“Do you have your song, at least?”
“Yeah, it’s here,” I fish out a small blue Post-It, the name of the song written in bold capitals on it, handing it to her.
“All right. I’ll show this to Sophie,” she says, pocketing it. Petra turns to me, “Are you sure you’ll be all right?”
“No,” I say, truthfully, but I smile so she thinks it’s a joke, “It’s okay, though, it’ll be over soon and I can just forget this happened,”
“Essia, this is—,”
“On my permanent PriPara record, I know.”
“Essia, they might not let you perform anymore if you keep failing these Idol stuff,”
“Oh. Awesome. Wow. Great. I didn’t plan on performing any more. I swore off performing like three weeks ago,”
“Look at where you are,” Petra challenges me.
“Look at where you started,” I reply. She looks confused.
“Anyway, I thought you might like to know the highest scorers on the test so far,”
“Do enlighten me,” it’s sarcastic, but she doesn’t catch it.
“It’s Hinode, you know, from Dorm Ibara. Luna, from your dorm, was exactly three points behind her. The third highest scorer is Reyna from Dorm Ayase, half a point behind Luna.”
“Oh,” I say. My surprise surprises me. Of course it’s Hinode. She’s a vocal doll, she was born to be an idol. Of course it’s her.
“Is there anybody after me?”
“Yeah. Orange, you know Orange, from Dorm—”
“Yes, I know, Dorm Morizono,”
“Yeah. Dorm Morizono. She’s not taken her test yet, and she’s the last,”
“So it’s just me and Orange from Dorm Morizono?” I ask.
“Yep,” Petra confirms. She looks down at her clipboard, “So you’re doing a song from that one Earth animation—”
“..Hetalia,” I say. My cheeks are a bit red, because I’m not sure if I’m allowed to do this. This is a) copyrighted and b) I haven’t watched Hetalia since The World Twinkle came out. At least, I think they are. I don’t blush easily, but right now I feel mildly embarrassed.
Well, if I’m blushing, Petra doesn’t mention it. She continues on as normal, “Meganee has picked out your outfit—”
“Of course,”
“You’re on in three minutes,”
“Petra, I have something to ask you..” I start. It’s probably the worst thing to say, but..
“Yeah?”
“Do you know anything about the PriPara Computers?” That’s what I called those mysterious monitors in the DO NOT ENTER room. Apparently, Petra does know about them.
Her smile disappears and she becomes more serious than I’ve ever seen her.
“Essia, I’d advise you to not meddle in matters that don’t concern you,”
“My friends were on those screens! My best friends!” I reply, my voice rising, my patience thinning. I have never been a patient person. “I deserve to know, don’t you think?”
Petra’s voice is cold and steely when she replies. “No, I don’t think,”
The walk to the examination room is silent.
When I do my show, right after my Making Drama, the whole thing goes out and I am left on an empty stage.
Suddenly, pain in my head, and then—
Black.
When Luna wakes up that morning, she wakes up alone. There is the bed to her right, empty as always, and then her roommate’s bed, which is bare as the day they came. It was like she never had a roommate.
Strange. She can’t remember her roommate’s name.
Luna crosses over to the purple bed in hopes of remembering, but all she finds is a baby pink paper with nine words on it in careful calligraphy. She doesn’t recognise the handwriting.
>> So... It’s been a while. By a while, I realistically mean a really fucking long time since I’ve done anything on this blog. Recently I’ve been feeling the itch, feeling the urge to return to it after doing some updates. With summer break literally a day away I think I may, in fact, return to this blog soon. Unfortunately I don’t know the details of when specifically, or what will happen when I do...but hopefully, soon.
We’re really sorry for the (super) late updates… well, life is hard yo~ he-he :
gomen.. :p thanks for all of your comment
------
After this chapter, it will be july on the story timeline so before we continue the mayuki-saeyaka arc, it will be atsumina’s arc first XP
The reason is, july includes many of their birthdays
July 4 – acchan’s birthday
July 10 – yuki’s birthday
July 26 – sayaka’s birthday
July 27 – rena’s birthday
So that’s why….. xD
xXxXx
Chapter 19 – Takamina’s Past
The month of June seems to passed fast, it was Friday night, a week before July;
Takamina was at her room organizing her schedule for the next week. She was listing all the things to do and what should be done first when she suddenly stopped what she was doing when she noticed the calendar..
“Oh! It will be July next week Acchan’s birthday is near…. and…… also my sister, Nami’s birthday” Takamina softly whispered the last part with a pain in her smile…
It has been years since her sister passed away but she can’t help not to think about her. She love her sister so much, she was her treasure... a treasure that was gone.
“I won’t cry! I am already an adult! Nami’s is okay now up there, I shouldn’t be like this because she will be sad if she sees me like this… she’ll get angry at me.. minami fight-o! hehe~” Takamina forced a smile as she was trying to hold her tears
Ever since Atsuko came into her life, her pain was somehow lessened; she was directing all her attention, care and affection towards from her sister to Atsuko, who reminds her of her sister a lot.
Takamina continued on what she was doing but Nami still bothers her... lately she was having dreams about her sister again, memories of her and her sister… and the pain, guilt and regret that she felt when her sister died.
She misses her little sister. Her one and only family that was left but because of her, her sister died.
Actually, it was an accident, but Takamina feels that she was responsible for what happened. Even after years that have passed, she was still saying that it’s her fault.
Her sister died 3 months before she stayed at Maeda’s residence and met Atsuko.
/**-------------FLASHBACK---------------------
Takamina is having a high fever because of over work. It’s been years since their parents passed away because of a plane crash and no one in their family was helping them on their daily needs nor adopted them. She was mad about her relatives who doesn’t even want to help them but she was more mad about herself..
Due to her high fever, events from the past was flashing on her mind..
Since they we’re little, their parents are on abroad, they are not that rich but can be level to average family. They only stayed at their grandmother’s house, but their grandmother died from old age and they were left alone while their parents work abroad.
She hated herself so much for wishing to be with her parents on her birthday, because of her selfishness their parents died.
It was an innocent wish of a child, she wished that on her birthday she could be with her parents even if it’s just a day. But because of that wish, her parents died and she was blaming herself, she hated herself that she wanted to follow her parents in heaven.
But the only thing that stopped her from doing that was her little sister, if she was gone what would happen to her little sister that she loved so much?
As the eldest, Takamina took the responsibility and take care her sister at a young age. They have some money because of the insurance for their parents’ death but after a few years the money that was left was nearly gone so she decided to work part time while studying in a public school to support her little sister. She almost tried every work that she can handle just for the two of them to survive.
With no parents to support their needs, they were living a hard life, nevertheless Takamina always tried to fulfill her sisters needs and wants. She was over protective towards her sister, but gentle at the same time.
Because of takamina is often busy to support the two of them, there are times when Nami is being a spoiled brat to her big sister.. but she cares a lot towards Takamina, she doesn’t want to see Takamina to suffer alone, that’s why she always stays strong for her sister, fighting the cruel world together hand in hand.
Because of her sister, Takamina is working to go forward even if life is unfair and full of despair. They loved each other so much but this love of Nami towards Takamina led to something else.
Nami fell in love with her sister, her sister take care of her giving her what she wants, treasure her that she fell on her own sister.
Nami is always picked on school because of she has no parents; the girls are bullying her for she was a bright student. She don’t want her sister to be worried about her so she keeps it to herself and just cry alone, but even without saying it, her sister was protecting her. Her classmates who were bullying her stopped and asked for her forgiveness. For Nami, takamina was not just her sister, she was her everything.
She already realized that she loved her sister and never leave her side, but she wanted to help her by all means so she decided to take up on the offer of their relatives who promised her to help her on financing her studies..
“No Nami! I wouldn’t allow this!” Takamina said shouting at her little sister for the first time
“but nee-chan this will help us both” Nami explained with a soft voice trying to make her sister agree with her
“No!! They just want us to be separated! You know that! They just want you to take away from me“ Takamina burst out into tears..
“nee-chan, it’s not like that, i promise i’ll be back for you and it’s for our future”
“Don’t leave me here alone… I can’t live without you Nami… You are the only one I have… Please Nami, You’re the only reason why i am living” Takamina said pleading Nami not to go, she know her sister just want to study and give the two of them a good future but she don’t want anyone to take her sister away from her.
Takamina doesn’t trust their relatives as they didn’t helped them ever since. She knew that they must be planning something so they want to take away her sister from her. She’s too stubborn and doesn’t want her sister to be away from her. She kept on telling their relatives that she would take care of her sister alone.
Takamina, in order for her sister have a comfortable life and support her sister’s studies, Takamina stopped going to school and work hard from morning till night to earn money. She only thinks about Nami that she’s forgetting to take care of herself. She rarely eats to save money and slept only or one to three hours a day. She was like that for a few weeks but her body couldn’t handle it anymore..
........................
Nami sighed as she looks at her sister lying on bed.
“I told you take some rest” Nami tried to scold her sister but she was very worried..
“Hehe I’ll be okay soon” Takamina smiled so that her sister would not be worried
“If you do this again, I would not forgive you!”
“I’m really sorry Nami is just that.. your birthday is near isn’t it? I wanted to give you a birthday present”
Nami suddenly cried, she cannot hold her tears any longer as she doesn’t want to see her onee-chan suffer like that; she wanted to do something to help her. Nami cooked a soup to feed her sister and let her rest for the day.. she was just by her sister’s side.
The next day, takamina was still not feeling better but she forced herself to go to work. Her sister tried to restrain her sister from going to work but takamina refuses to do so telling her sister that she might lose her job if she’s gonna absent. But before she could go, takamina collapsed.
Because she really wanted to help her sister, Nami went to takamina’s work to try and plead to replace for her but an unexpected accident happened..
.
.
.
Takamina rushed toward the hospital and saw her sister fighting for her life. Her heart torn into pieces, seeing her beloved sister struggle hopelessly.
Her sister was on her way to takamina’s work when she was hit by a car that crashed on the sidewalk.
Takamina waited outside the emergency room.. hoping that God would hear her plead.. to save her sister even if she gave up her life in exchange to her sister’s life.
She waited and waited until the doctor came out of the emergency room. She was hoping that her sister is fine, but the doctor told her that the injuries received by her sister was critical as her head was hit badly.
Her sister was confined in the hospital and was not waking up. Everyday takamina is waiting for her sister to wake up, crying and blaming herself for what happened.
.
.
One day, while waiting for her sister to wake up, she fell asleep holding her sister’s hand.
A sudden movement made takamina wake up, when she lifted her head she saw nami smiling at her..
“Nami! You’re awake!” takamina shouted out of joy as she hug her sister tightly as if she never wanted her sister to leave her
“nee-chan..”
“Nami, i’m sorry for being a stupid sister! Because of me-” takamina bursted out with tears
“N-nee-c-chan… p-please stop c-crying” Nami said in a weak voice trying to comfort her beloved sister
“Nami.. i’m really glad that you’re wake now.. i don’t know what will happen to me if you left me”
.
.
For the next few days, her sister was still in the hospital because she still needs to recover. Takamina always brings her, her favorite fruits and flowers and do silly faces to make her sister smile..
Takamina was really happy because it seems that God has answered her prayers.. she thought that her sister was getting better. But then a sudden vision blurred her mind..
Nami was wearing a white gown running around, playing and laughing at her. She was having a fun time with her sister until nami said she needs to go now
“Nee-chan, please continue to live… please live happily… I want you to be happy because I love you…” Nami said as she kisses Takamina’s cheeks
“Nami?!! Wait-! Don’t go!!! Please.. Please don’t leave me! I need you!!” Takamina was holding her sister’s hand not letting her go.
“Nee-chan I will always watch you… please learn to love yourself.. someday you will find your happiness.. I will miss you Nee-chan…”
........
“a dream?” Takamina suddenly woke up, tears are flowing in her eyes..
“Nami?” she glanced over her sister only to find out her sister is no longer breathing
“No no no!!!! Nami…. Please wake up!!”
“doctor!! Help my sister here!!”
“Nami wake up!!! Nami!!!!!”
.
.
“NO!!! WHY?! God why did you take her away from me?!! No.. nami.. ”
.
.
“nami..”
-------------END FLASHBACK---------------------**/
- - Back to the current time- -
Takamina fell asleep on her bed while holding her sister’s photo..
“Minami.. where is dinner i’m hungr-” atsuko stopped when she saw takamina was sleeping with tears falling from her eyes
“Sssssh…. Minami, It’s only a dream … it’s only a dream” Atsuko hugs the short girl tightly
“I’m here minami… I’m here… don’t worry” Atsuko held takamina’s hand gently trying to ease the pain from takamina’s past
“It will be her birthday too right? Your sister..” Atsuko whispered to herself as she felt pricking sensation in her chest.. she knew that takamina was directing her love for her sister to her..
“Minami I told you already I don’t like you seeing like this it hurts me a lot.. please forget the past already..” Atsuko said as a tear drops on her cheeks and hugging her beloved tightly..
The next morning, Takamina woke up and saw that she was holding her sister’s photo and acchan hugging her.
“Atsuko.. Thank you..” takamina smiled thinking how lucky she is to have atsuko beside her.. the girl who was helping her to heal her scar from the past
Takamina went to the kitchen with a smile on her face to make atsuko a breakfast..
“I still have 2 weeks before Acchan’s birthday hmm what should I give to her?” she said to herself thinking seriously about what to give to the girl who saved her..
“Ohayou Minami~ “ Atsuko said with a sleepy voice, appearing at the kitchen’s entrance
“The rice will be done soon, sit down” takamina smilingly said to the younger girl
“hmm.. minami, are you okay now?” atsuko hugged her from behind, her voice showing a worried tone
“Don’t worry I’m already okay now Atsuko.. it’s because of you.. Thank you” Takamina said with gentle voice
“hehe~” The younger girl smiled at her cutely which made her heart warmed up.. for takamina she was an angel who save her from despair..
“come on let’s eat”
And then the two was eating peacefully, takamina was staring at atsuko who was eating the food she cooked happily
“i wonder what should i give her for her birthday?” takamina thought forming a smile on her face
“minami?”
“is it delicious?”
“un~ hehe~” atsuko happily answered the older girl
“i want to give her a surprise birthday party, hehe~ i’ll bake a cake for her, i need to plan later and buy the ingredients- i’ll also buy flowers..”
.
.
“flowers.. maybe i could also go visit my sister’s grave..” takamina thought with a painful smile as she tries to not to be bothered by the past..
Title: Little
Summary: We all grow up so that we can take care of the next generation.
Disclaimer: I don’t own Naruto. Sadly, I never will.
Prompt: Baby-sitting
Rating: T
Comments: I apologize to you, dear readers. It’s already September and I still haven’t completed the 31 stories. Sembreak is coming and I will try to get myself off the bed and not procrastinate. (No, seriously, paperworks are killing me at the moment.)
