Amane's Mindset & Love

Birthday Headcanons!

I recently answered an ask about birthdays, and I wanted to offer some of my headcanons in addition to that. This is all just speculation, so feel free to come up with your own ideas instead!

Nene

I am very firmly of the belief that she is still fifteen years old as of the recent chapter (124). One thing I will say about Nene is she looks kind of young to me? So it wouldn't surprise me if she had a winter birthday. But I'm very torn on which year she was born... on the one hand I really like her having a birthday in February. Another female protagonist of AidaIro's, Neige, was born in February. Nene's name written in goroawase (japanese number puns) is also 22, so a birthday like 2/2/2000 feels very good to me... on the other hand, I really like her having the year of the rabbit as her zodiac. She's dressed up as a rabbit a few times, including for a New Year's celebration art:

But obviously this doesn't mean anything... Aoi could not be a snake, and Hanako is definitely a sheep despite dressing as a dragon in a different new year's artwork... and you've gotta admit that a rabbit just Feels more Nene than a dragon, right? (And sheeps and rabbits make for perfect couples, if you didn't know...)

That said, it's hard to choose a month and day in 1999 that feel right to me for her birthday... given the Yugi twins were born on "Good Twins Day" (11/25), a Japanese micro holiday, I get the feeling AidaIro wouldn't be able to pass up another good joke or pun for our heroine's birthday...

There are some fun holidays that could fit her. Here's a list:

Mermaid Day (June 30)

Strawberry Day (January 5)

Sengiri Daikon Day (February 17)

Goldfish Day/Girls' Day (March 3)

... But as you can see, none of these fit my requirements for what I want her birthday to be. :'( I'd really be happy with anything as long as it hasn't happened yet though!

For now, I guess I'll just give her a birthday like December 2, 1999... which is also really close to Amane's birthday, funnily enough.

Mitsuba

Since this guy is associated with the number three so much, I really struggle to imagine he wouldn't have a 3 in his birthdate somewhere... an obvious answer is March 28, which true fans will know is a fanmade micro holiday to celebrate the man himself because 328 is goroawase for Mitsuba. While it's unclear exactly what lead AidaIro to give the twins 11/25 as a birthday, many fans celebrated "Yugi Day" on the 25th of the month before the birthday reveal (because 25 is goroawase for twins) and so it would be a nice nod to the community and also just a good pun in general.

One thing that is interesting about Mitsuba is we kind of know his death date? It was in December of 2014. Anyway, depending on his birthday, he could have died at either 13 or 14. Definitely something worth considering, but as of right now, I don't think we know the age he died at. Mitsuba is kind of little though, I guess? So I wouldn't be surprised if he died at thirteen... (that would also place him at the same age as Tsukasa when he died!)

Anyway, I don't really have any other good micro holidays for Mitsuba, but I would bet good money that there is a 3 somewhere in his birthdate. ☘️

Mitsuba's Mom

You know what's better than having a funny birthdate? Having a funny deathdate! (Sorry, not to make this entirely about her dead son or anything, but we quite literally are calling her Mitsuba's Mom instead of her actual name, so...)

Anyway, in case you forgot, he died on her birthday.

Unfortunately, I can't really find a good micro holiday for this...so I will have to rely on another crutch.

The day that Tsukasa sacrificed himself was an "unlucky day". To keep this brief, there is a superstition that some days are luckier than others in Japan. There are six different types of days which each hold different types of luck... So basically, I want to find another unlucky day in December 2014 for her birthday!

Since it repeats roughly every six days, we have a few options. We're specifically looking for days marked with 仏滅.

Out of these options... well, I personally like December 4? Eh, I dunno. I really wish there was an inauspicious date with a 3 in it, but we have to deal with the cards we're dealt...

Kou

Since Kou greatly resembles his ancestor, Yorimitsu, and was likely named after him, I really like the idea that his birthday is also linked to him.

Unfortunately we have no exact birthdate for Yorimitsu, but we do have his death date, which was August 28 (or July 19 in the old calendar.)

I don't hate either of these birthdays for him! Sadly this would mean that we already passed his birthday, but Kou just screams "summer baby" to me, you know? Sweet sunshine child, etc...

Anyway, I'm admittedly not that well-versed in western zodiac, so I've been kind of avoiding it, but Kou likes lions and Leo season is July 23 to August 22 so if not the above dates I think something within that timeframe works for him. 🦁

---

So that's it! Maybe in the future I'll make up more headcanons, but for now, I can't really think of any other character birthdays that I have a strong opinion on. I would be very interested to hear your own headcanons, though, especially if you have a good reason for them! And here's hoping AidaIro actually reveal them in the future. ^^;

Things in thbk that I randomly think about sometimes :

- How does Tsuchigomori teach the school from generation to generation and no one in the school has questioned why he's alive or not getting really old?

- Is Natsuhiko that in love with Sakura that he's just going to team up with ghosts and destroy the school?

- How the heck did Hanako get the no.7 mystery job?

- Who let Hanako of all people be the leader??

- Did Hanako meet other students in the school to grant they're wishes?

- Will the original no.3 come back in the series bc we kinda forgot him?

- What did Tsukasa ordered from Shijima?

- Does Teru actually like Aoi?

Sorry there might be answers to these already:3

Was Kou ever drawn with flowers like the rest of the cast? I can’t remember if he was but idk what flower could be assigned to him either ….

The botanical set of drawings pairs him with clivia, as i pointed out in this post:

Tumblr

Post by @nanabansama · 10 images

💬 5  🔁 67  ❤️ 270 · Card Set Hanakotoba · Recently I was discussing with my lovely friend @istoleyourboat about the meanings behind the flow

But there have been other instances of Kou being drawn with flowers too!

In the pilot, he appears with what I believe to be iris flowers....

... More iris flowers in Chapter 30...

He even sleeps in an iris-patterned futon!

Depending on the color, the flower can mean different things....but generally speaking, it represents hope and good tidings.

mitsuba probably learned to read thru watching classes through the mirror but i love the idea of him sitting in his room with a shitty old speak-n-spell and just plunking away until he gets it right

also, mitsuba would be fluent in the supernatural language right? imagine him talking to kou, forgetting he's not using the right language, and kou is just mouthing 'what the fuck' at the camera

Nene and Aoi’s friendship doesn’t change and it is a problem.

Aoi is the first friend Nene makes at the academy, so they have known each other for a while.

Nene is sweet to Aoi, she consistently worries for Aoi well being when she is in danger, and shows great care for her, always going for Aoi when sharing her romantic woes.

The manga shows mostly Nene venting about love, while Aoi engage but never bring up her own problems. Aoi is guarded and rarely vulnerable with Nene, something that over the years, we are told Nene have noticed.

But when Nene says “Sometimes I think that she only gets close to me,” She is severely overestimating how much she understands Aoi, most of her interactions with Aoi are with a friendly persona.

When I say ‘friendly persona’, I do not mean Aoi is faking liking her, her friendship with Nene is genuine, Aoi only have two people she is deeply attached to at the start of the manga, and Nene is one of them. I just mean Aoi always shows off her cute and cheerful side, even when she isn’t feeling like the ‘cheerful girl’ she displays, her approach is always the same.

Her words here are condescending as hell but she still acts cutesy and friendly: It comes off as superficial. And a lot of what she says is pretty fake, just things that people expect a popular girl to say, things we know she doesn’t believe in or relate to:

“It’s all about experience!” “why don’t you date him just to try it out?” as if she ever dated someone, or viewed love and relationships as something to try out and move along, instead of a concept she is scared of.

But no matter how different from her personal beliefs Aoi’s words are, no matter how long Nene have known her, she always falls for the ‘popular girl’ approach.

Nene is confident Aoi is the girl everyone loves: She always pictures Aoi with a cute smile, oblivious in her throne, able to get any guy she wants.

And yet, even with that mental image, Nene doesn’t know what being popular really means.

When Aoi visits the stage, Nene is confused as to why she would ever go here.

Akane is the one who gives Nene an exposition on Aoi, dropping hints that her life is not a sea of roses.

When Nene hears this, she ignores that her friend was put in situations where she was pressured to do things she doesn’t want to, often in isolated places, to the point she constantly need to be protected, or how Akane looks troubled that this is a recurring problem. Instead, she focused on Akane’s devotion.

Nene’s fantasies of popularity are sugar coated, so she subconsciously undermines Aoi’s troubles and focuses on Akane’s behavior, which fits her personal reality that being popular is amazing and “Boys will do anything for Aoi, she is so desirable!”

Attention is attention, and since Aoi gets lots of attention, Nene puts Aoi on a pedestal: Give her a life devoid of issues.

Her view is in part Aoi’s fault. There is truth to what Akane said here:

Nene doesn’t ask about Aoi’s life, or go in dept about her own, but Aoi is the one that consistently plays along, she is the one that keeps the focus on superficial topics and make an effort to only shows Nene her cheerful and cutesy side. It makes their interactions feel empty: there isn’t a single instance in the manga where they have a talk that isn’t about boys, or school rumors, which are always used to move the plot along, not expand on the basis of their established friendship.

There is a mutual lack of interest to change what they have: Nene because she is content with the way things are and see no need for change, and Aoi because she is Aoi.

With Nene’s view of Aoi in mind, the lack of depth in their interactions, and Aoi’s playing along with the cheerful popular persona, I am not surprised Nene didn’t notice there was something weird with Aoi on the Grim Reaper Sacrifice arc.

Of course Aoi is so chirpy and playful after being kidnapped by a demon, nothing can phase her! Of course she knows the exit, that’s a popular girl for you!

The cute and smart Aoi is the only Aoi she knows well, so unlike Akane, Nene fully trusted her words and reasonings, falling in the hole.

Somehow, something as big as this betrayal doesn’t change her view on Aoi.

The only Aoi focused thought we get outside a chapter recap is “Sumire looks like Aoi.”

Which clearly has the “cute girl everyone can’t help but love” in mind.

When she does think about Aoi in the severance/rescue arc is always about the lifespan dilemma, not Aoi’s strange behaviour or why she acted like that. There is no wonder as to how Aoi feels, or if she did something wrong herself to be ‘thrown in the trash’, there is no thoughts at all about this other side Aoi have shown. No reflection.

Her view hasn’t changed in the slightest, just look at the way she talks about Aoi with Katakuri in the red house.

And we know that’s not true.

It was never true.

Nene is still her friend, she may be oblivious to a lot but she has been by Aoi’s side for years, so she knows more about Aoi than an average person would. She noticed Aoi genuinely loves and is proud of her plants.

She also knows Aoi has a crush on Akane and the knowledge made her discard him from being a possible crush option despite once upon a time finding him cute and worthy of dating.

Nene values their friendship more than any crush: Notice how Akane doesn’t show up on ‘Nene’s type’ list at all instead of dropping to ‘not her type’, subconsciously deciding he is not an option. Aoi’s feelings are more important.

This genuine care make the way she refuses to change her views on Aoi very sad.

Nene is so sure they are close and she gets Aoi, that she doesn’t understand that the Aoi she knows, who treasures her and loves plants and can feel distant, is just a fraction of the real Aoi. A very small fraction considering how long they have been friends, yet it’s understandable: Nene consistently covers her eyes when Aoi acts out of her persona and shows slivers of personal problems.

She doesn’t want her ‘universally loved’ best friend Aoi, and the Aoi that threw her in the trash to be the same people. She want thinks to stay the same, simple and sweet. To Nene, the cruel one was a brainwashed fake. That’s it. There is nothing else to it, no reason to think about it.

Which is not true.

We never get hints that imply the drug made Aoi do something against her will. Even after she completely snap out of the drug effect, Aoi owns her actions. She regrets it, deeply, but she also connects with it: She knows herself.

It’s because Aoi wasn’t faking it that she was so scared to apologize to Nene in the first place. She is shaking and anxious because it was her, an ugly part of her she isn’t fond of, but still a part of her: Still Aoi.

Nene saw her more unpleasant side. That terrifies Aoi.

This fear that Nene will hate her once she realizes who she is have been around for a while.

One of the few times Aoi was vulnerable and honest with Nene was in chapter 29, when she assumed Nene avoided her on purpose, because she ‘suddenly’ decided to hate Aoi.

When Nene heard this she is distressed, she doesn’t like seeing her friend sad, but there is no “I wonder why Aoi would think that…?”, no matter how unusual this insecurity is from Aoi’s ‘oblivious in her throne’ image, Nene doesn’t question it. We aren’t shown a single panel of Nene thinking about it.

But we are shown her thinking about the way Aoi makes people’s hearts race, which happened only two pages later, but is something Nene can easily fit into her established view on Aoi. 

To Nene’s credit, Aoi is trying to distract Nene from her moment of vulnerability here, but it’s sad that it works so well.

“Is this a popular girl skill?” Aoi’s personal mannerisms, no matter how distinct are always connected to that of a “popular girl” in Nene’s head. Is not malicious, but it shows ‘popular girl’ and ‘my best friend Aoi’ are interconnected in her head.

“Is this how you win men over, Aoi?” She doesn’t even suspect that Aoi isn’t a fan of all this attention, that unlike her, Aoi doesn’t want to ‘win over’ any of the boys, even after Akane explicitly told Nene this attention is a problem in chap 24.

Aoi is aware of Nene’s simple view of her. It’s hard not to.

That’s why she wasn’t honest in chapter 96.

We all noticed how scared she was of Nene’s reaction, she even flinched when she went to apologize

But Nene doesn’t ask for an explanation of why Aoi did it, she doesn’t address what happened, she doesn’t want to know about any of Aoi’s problems, truly just chalking Aoi’s actions as “Not Aoi” and being done with this to have her cute bubbly friend back;

So Aoi doesn’t address it either.

Aoi is super relieved that she isn’t outright hated.

She doesn’t go over her emotions about the events, you can feel Aoi’s walls coming back: She falls back to her friendly and cute persona.

She wasn’t putting hearts and flowers in her speech before her apology to Nene.

And Aoi may be naturally cute, a girl that enjoys cute clothes and using cute speech, but she never talks with hearts and flowers when she is vulnerable and honest about her feelings.

We can see how her speech ties with her vulnerability best when she talk cutely with Hanako on the far shore train to distract herself from her bleak situation, but the moment she shares her honest view on Akane her tone change, she drops it.

Aoi is genuinely happy that Nene still sees her as a friend, but when she say she is fine on chapter 96, she goes over the events without adding any personal thoughts, and change the topic the moment she finish giving exposition. Something Nene accepts and doesn’t question further.

Once more, she is giving Nene the perfect problem-less cute friend Nene wants, and their talk feels superficial.

Akane behavior changed drastically after Aoi’s rescue (no confessions, no compliments every second, more physical contact, and so on,) because he confronted her, forced Aoi to open up, and listened to what was the problem, what he had been doing wrong, and did his best to adapt accordingly: He took her off her pedestal while still showing her the attention and affection she craves.

Nene’s behavior is exactly the same because she likes what they have, and she refuses to change it: Aoi is the same cutesy popular queen as always so she is also the same Nene as always. Their major arc did not change their dynamic in the slightest.

She truly considers Aoi a dear friend, but an unchanging one.

She blinds herself to Aoi’s problems, so she can’t confront Aoi, and Aoi is too cowardly to have an honest talk with Nene that she is convinced could lead to Nene hating her.

They are in a stalemate where Aoi can’t be completely honest with Nene (with far more than Aoi losing feeling in her right hand) and I hope something changes.

confession i still am a young exorcist truther and guys yk if we get this arc animated next season, the show would actually fix up hanakou’s relationship compared to the manga. because genuinely after their talk in tbhk58 they’ve never been as close as they were prior to picture perfect. and they never rlly talked out that scene, even though there’s been 50+ chapters since, there was js never time.

but guys the show could actually heal hanakou’s relationship i’m crashing out.

💬 Just a Small Update, and a Big Thank You

Dear friends, kind hearts, and everyone who has stood with us,

When I first opened my heart to the world and shared our story, I never imagined the amount of love and solidarity we would receive. Thanks to your incredible support, we’ve now reached $12,837—a milestone that brings real light to some very dark days.

From the deepest corners of my heart, thank you.

💔 A Journey of Loss, but Also of Strength

As many of you know, I’ve lost 25 of my loved ones during this devastating war. That grief lives with me every single day. It’s in the silence that once held laughter, in the empty spaces where we once gathered as a family.

But through your help, I’ve also felt something else: hope. And that hope is priceless.

“21/Oct/2023 Before It Reached Us: The Day Our Neighbor’s House Was Destroyed” A quiet moment of fear, filmed just before everything changed.

“22/Oct/2023 The Morning After: Our Family Home in Ruins” This is what was left behind after the bombing of our home.

🌿 What Life Looks Like for Us Now

Despite everything, we’re still here. Still surviving. Still hoping.

But things have only gotten harder.

The war has returned, more brutal than before—and for over a month now, Gaza has been completely sealed off. No food is coming in. No medical supplies. No aid. No trade. No one is allowed to leave, and no one is allowed to enter.

We’re trapped.

🏚 We live with the fear of tomorrow, every single day. Airstrikes, drones, and the uncertainty of what might happen next. 👨‍👩‍👧 Our family is forever changed—we haven’t just lost people; we’ve lost pieces of ourselves. 📉 Basic needs go unmet—even clean water feels like a luxury now. Medicines, if they exist at all, are unreachable.

And yet…

Your support reminds us that we’re not forgotten. It reminds us that someone, somewhere, is still listening. That someone still cares. That we’re not completely alone in this.

Every message. Every share. Every dollar. It tells us: You’re walking this road with us. And that gives us the strength to keep going.

💖 What You Can Do

If you’ve already donated—thank you beyond words. If you can share our story again, it could reach someone who can help.

Even $5 means warmth, comfort, and a chance to breathe a little easier.

Chuffed

Donate to Help Mosab saving who's left of his family

My name is Mosab Elderawi, and I am a survivor of the war in Gaza. Life as I knew it has been completely destroyed. I have lost my home, my

✨ Why It All Matters

This isn’t just about reaching a fundraising goal. It’s about surviving war with dignity. It’s about believing in tomorrow. It’s about making sure my daughter grows up knowing that the world did not look away.

Thank you for your kindness, patience, and belief in our humanity. You’ve helped me find my voice—and I will use it to keep hope alive.

🙏 From the Heart: A Quiet Apology

There’s something I need to say—something that’s been on my heart for some time.

When I first began sharing our story, I didn’t know what the right way was. I was scared, grieving, and trying to protect my family in any way I could. I reached out to many people, hoping someone, anyone, would see us. In that process, I now realize I may have overstepped, and I might have made some feel overwhelmed.

If that happened, I am truly sorry.

Please believe me when I say it was never out of disregard or pushiness. It came from a place of fear—fear of being forgotten, fear of not being able to keep my family safe, fear of watching everything I love slip away in silence.

I’m learning as I go. I’ve slowed down. I’m more mindful now, trying to share our journey in a way that feels respectful of the space and hearts of those listening.

If my words ever came at the wrong time, or in the wrong way, I hope you can understand where they came from—and I hope you can forgive me.

Thank you for seeing past my mistakes. Thank you for still being here. It means more than I can ever explain.

Vetted by @gazavetters ( #309 )

With love and endless gratitude, Mosab and family ♥️

Updated links

PALESTINE

Help the Palestinian People with a Click | arab.org

https://www.justiceforall.org/ HEY THE ICJ IS ASKING FOR EVIDENCE OF ISRAELS CRIMES AGAINST THE PALESTINIANS VIDEO AND PHOTO SUBMISSIONS ARE ALLOWED

Palestine 101 — the palestine academy Palestinian history to educate your self

Defund Israel (defund-israel.com)

PCRF

Yemanya (p.19) • Salty Licorice (spotify.com) every time u stream this song all funds go to Palestine

Take Action - Defund Israel - Google Docs

FAQ | Decolonize Palestine

wheeeeeeee on Tumblr: wheeeeeeee

Israel-Palestine war: How Israel has tried and failed to divide Palestinians | Middle East Eye

CONGO

abusin' me - song and lyrics by YANAtheartist | Spotify everytime u stream this song all funds go to the people of Congo who are facing a genocide

Raising Consciousness About the Challenge of the Congo - Friends of the Congo

THE EXPLOITATION OF LABOR IN CONGO (google.com)

Congo Action (@congoaction) • Instagram photos and videos

Revive Congo 🇨🇩 (@revivecongo) • Instagram photos and videos

Panzi Hospital and Foundation (@panzifoundation) • Instagram photos and videos

DR Congo - Free the Slaves

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Africa Live this week: 30 October-5 November 2023 - BBC News

SUDAN

Keep Eyes On Sudan

Sudan War Monitor | Substack

Sara | BS on blast (@bsonblast) • Instagram photos and videos

Nas Al Sudan (@nasalsudan) • Instagram photos and videos

Project Taghyir (@project.taghyir) • Instagram photos and videos

Yousra Elbagir (@yousraelbagir) • Instagram photos and videos

Sudan crisis: Facts, FAQs, and how to help | World Vision

#SudanSyllabus.docx - Google Docs

wheeeeeeee on Tumblr: List of resources for Sudan and if yall have any pls lmk so I can add them Link to other resources Accounts to follow on insta...

Darfur, Sudan | International Criminal Court (icc-cpi.int)

Videos show African ethnic groups rounded up in Sudan’s Darfur region | CNN

Sudan conflict: Thousands flee fresh ethnic killings in Darfur - BBC News

Five things to know about the crisis in Sudan | UNHCR

SUDAN GENOCIDE EMERGENCY (genocidewatch.com)

YEMEN

Freedom Bakeries (@freedombakeries) • Instagram photos and videos

Islamic Relief Australia - Your Belief In Action: Creating a better World

International Rescue Committee | International Rescue Committee (IRC)

Home - Mona Relief

wheeeeeeee on Tumblr: List of resources for Yemen and if there’s anymore that yall know abt pls lmk so I can add it List of other resources

Yemen crisis | UNICEF

SYRIA

wheeeeeeee on Tumblr: This is the list of resources for Syria and if yall have any to add pls lmk and I'll add them here too Here's the link to the...

Human rights in Syria Amnesty International

Syria | Stop Genocide Now

Lebanon

wheeeeeeee on Tumblr: Here's a list of resources for Lebanon and if anyone has any to add plsss lmk so I can add them Link to other resources

IRAN

when on Tumblr: Here are some resources for Iran and if anyone has any other ones pls lmk so I can add it Here are other resources

Iran | Country Page | World | Human Rights Watch (hrw.org)

MOROCCO

wheeeeeeee on Tumblr: Here’s a list of resources for what’s happening in Morocco and if yall have any more pls lmk so I can add them Link to other...

WESTERN SAHARA

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ARMENIA

wheeeeeeee on Tumblr: Here’s a list of resources for Armenia and if anyone has any other ones pls lmk so I can add them List of other resources

‘Genocide is happening before our eyes’: Armenian Americans push for US action against Azerbaijan | California | The Guardian

AFGHANISTAN

wheeeeeeee on Tumblr: Here’s a list of resources for Afghanistan and if anyone has any more pls lmk so I can add them List of other resources There...

TIGRAY

Tigray Conflict | Human Rights Watch (hrw.org)

Ethiopia’s Invisible Ethnic Cleansing | Human Rights Watch (hrw.org)

KURDISTAN

A forgotten genocide: 100 years of solitude for the Kurds (cfri-irak.com)

Conflict Watchlist 2023: Kurdish Regions (acleddata.com)

HAITI

80 Years On, Dominicans And Haitians Revisit Painful Memories Of Parsley Massacre : Parallels : NPR

UYGHURS

Who are the Uyghurs and why is China being accused of genocide? - BBC News

How One Uyghur Woman Escaped a Chinese Internment Camp (businessinsider.com)

KASHMIR

As Kashmir’s Hindus face targeted killings, hundreds flee valley | Conflict News | Al Jazeera

Call the crime in Kashmir by its name: Ongoing genocide (theconversation.com)

CAMEROON

Policy Brief: Risk of Mass Atrocities in Cameroon - United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (ushmm.org)

WEST PAUPA

Country Report: West Papua (genocidewatch.com)

‘The kids had all been tortured’: Indonesian military accused of targeting children in West Papua | Papua New Guinea | The Guardian

Why Indonesia fails to address the West Papua conflict | Human Rights | Al Jazeera

West Papua: The Genocide That Is Being Ignored by The World (thelastamericanvagabond.com)

BURMA/MYANMAR

Burma Genocide - United States Department of State

NIGERIA

Conflict Watchlist 2023: Nigeria (acleddata.com)

Do y'all want me to make these separately? So it's less chunky and may be easier to use?

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ur cooking with this hold on

Rating TBHK AUs based on how much Hanakou potential there is! Part 1/?

Ayaka6 AU (Idol Hanako au)

I'm not sure this is so much of an AU rather than a limited event that happens sometime outside the main plot (like the ashk chapters) but I think it's worth rating anyways. Here, Hanako is one of six idols in a boy group and Kou is apparently his manager! There's not much information on the AU aside from basic introductions but based on this art of Kou trying to comfort Hanako before a fan-event, it's clear that they're on pretty friendly terms.

I mean just look at them. I know this image is a gag but Kou’s radiant optimism paired with Hanako’s underlying nervousness is so fun!! Hanako already likes to hide his personal issues under a front so add the stress of being an idol and you get an anxious mess waiting to explode. Though Hanako tries to keep it under wraps with playful banter and such, Kou is very perceptive and sees right through him. He’ll give him a few odd pep talks and generally hype him up. While Hanako thinks Kou’s wording is rather…ominous at times, it’s hard to stay down when Kou’s genuine hope wears off on him. Now with Kou being Hanako’s manager, he’ll obviously be there every step of the way to support and reassure Hanako whenever he needs it which makes for a sweet dynamic.

Generally speaking, I’d like to think their dynamic is friendlier than most work relationships because Kou doesn’t come off as a very uptight professional manager and Hanako knows he can mess with him without many repercussions. Just as much as Kou has to keep Hanako in check, Hanako likes to keep Kou on his toes. And by that I mean Hanako likes to pull pranks on his manager ❤️ From hiding in Kou’s office to jump scare him to replacing Kou’s clipboard papers with pictures of himself, Hanako has a lot of fun with Kou. Obviously Kou isn’t a big fan of the pranks but he’s glad Hanako’s comfortable enough to pull them.

Of course, with the whole boss/employee dynamic comes a slew of issues in the context of a romantic relationship. Most companies have a fraternization policy (especially in cases of positions of power) along with idols having a strict no dating policy so whatever becomes of their relationship has to remain a secret. The two of them trying to navigate their feelings under all the media scrutiny and possibilities of getting fired would be absolutely disastrous and I love it.

8/10