#fukuroi

歌川国芳の浮世絵「猫愛で袋井」は、猫好きとして知られた国芳ならではの作品です。この絵は、袋井という人物が猫を抱きかかえ、愛おしそうに見つめている様子が描かれています。袋井は、猫を愛でることに夢中で、猫の可愛らしさに魅了されている様子が伝わってきます。国芳は、猫の毛並みや表情を細かく描き、猫の愛らしさを表現するだけでなく、袋井の猫への愛情や情熱をユーモラスに表現しています。この作品は、猫好きの間で人気が高く、猫の魅力を伝える国芳の代表作の一つとなっています。国芳の浮世絵は、ユニークな構図や大胆な色彩で知られ、猫を題材にした作品も多く残しています。

Achtundzwanzig, Fukuroi, Edo-Periode, 1855 (Farbholzschnitt) von Utagawa Hiroshige

“Mitsuki, no! No way! Nuh-huh, you can’t make me do this!” I sweatdropped in my chair, looking up at my friend. “Awwww, c’mon, Kat, what’s the harm? It’s gonna be your first party with us! You’re gonna love it! There’s gonna be pretty lights and...Music and sweets and snacks and drinks! And so many people! Who knows, maybe you’ll catch someone’s eye and you’ll get a boyfriend!” Tohko fangirled, making me lean on my chair seat, stealing a glance at Kizami, who was getting convinced by Kurosaki as well. “What are we gonna do with them?” I whispered, as he looked at me with an annoyed expression. “Kill them.” he muttered, making me nod in agreement. “Don’t be such party poopers! We have only 2 parties left as a class together, why not spending in a nice way? What could go wrong?” Tohko pouted, making my heart hurt, as a grimaced. “Don’t...Use that puppy face on me...” I glared at her, but she only continued. “And besides, it’s 1 day after White Day, so if you gave anyone chocolate, he’d have to invite you to dance, right~? And as a matter of fact, I am VERY sure you gave chocolates to someone from our class!” my eyes widened and I could feel the blood draining from my face. “I don’t have any fancy clothes, and the dance is in a week. How are you gonna solve that, hmm?” I crossed my arms triumphantly, but both girls only grinned evilly at me. “Oh, don’t worry about that. Mitsuki, you make sure you get Katrina at my house before the dance so we could get ready together, okay?” Tohko fist-pumped in victory. “End me please...” I mutter, hanging my head in defeat. “Same.” Kizami sighed behind me.

It wasn’t long before March 13th came and Tohko forced me and Mitsuki to sleep at hers, so we could look extra pretty for White Day, so that meant no extra sleep for me, unfortunately.

“Okay, so, who did you give chocolate too? I made a box of heart shaped chocolates and put it on Kizami-kun’s desk. Think he liked it?” Tohko asked, applying make up. “I gave chocolate to Fukuroi. He’s the only guy I’m super close to. And we made it a tradition all these years, so it’s cool.” Mitsuki shrugged, brushing her hair. “I left some for Kurosaki too, though. Hope it wasn’t weird.” she continued, putting her hair clips on. “Awww, that’s so cute! I’ve been thinking for a while that he may be into you, but I can’t be fully certain.” Tohko grinned at her friend, as I looked in the mirror with a bored expression, brushing my long red hair, as I saw them apply make up. “Why are you putting on make up? I thought it wasn’t allowed?” I rise my eyebrow in confusion. “Oh, right, we didn’t tell you. Since it’s the last week, it’s White Day today and we’re gonna have the end of the semester dance soon, we are allowed to wear whatever make up and nail polish we want. Isn’t that cool?!” Mitsuki winked, giving me her make up stuff. “Woaw...Yeah, I guess it’s pretty refreshing. I forgot the last time I wore make up.” I smiled softly, applying red lipstick, to bring out my dark eyes. “Hey, Kat, you didn’t tell us who you gave chocolate to!” she gasped, as she stopped mid-way helping Tohko with her eyeshadow. “Uhmm...Well...Remember how everyone kinda pressured me to give a boy chocolate for Valentine’s? And I got super panicky? And Shit-mada kept trying to kiss me and whatever?” I stutter slightly, knowing that the little secret would go away. “Yeah, why? Oh-...Oh my God, did you give Shit-mada chocolates?!” Tohko gasper in horror, but I shook my head. “I...Sorry, Tohko, I know you like him...But Kizami was the only one in the classroom when Shit-mada kept pestering him, and I knew it would annoy him the most if I would choose Kizami over him...So I gave Kizami the chocolates. Of course, I told him the circumstances, so he doesn’t think I like him or anything.” I try to explain the story, but I could see Tohko’s unease as she laughed awkwardly at my tale. “Oh, haha, that’s cool, don’t worry! I understand why you’d do that, Kizami-kun is a very reliable person! And who’d want Shit-mada over Kizami-kun, huh? Besides, Kizami-kun never gives back chocolate.” she tried to laugh it off, but I could feel she was feeling down.

And what’s worse, she doesn’t know that I lied shamelessly through my teeth, and only Kizami knows the truth.

Back then, I was extremely anxious about everything going on, and before even Tohko could fangirl about Valentine’s and her crush on Kizami, Kurosaki came to me to hang out one weekend and he told me about all the habits of our class, which, to say the least, weren’t few.

“Basically, Tohko’s desperate over Kizami, but she thinks she’s discrete...She’s not. Yamamoto and Fukuroi are great friends, so they’ll gift only each other, kinda. Urabe tries to skip this day, or gives Ohkawa chocolates. Shimada’s gonna try to kiss all girls around, going by the Western tradition that...Well, you’re more familiar with than us, anyways.” Kurosaki explains, making me sigh in annoyance. “Then, what do you suggest I do? It’s such a drag...” I shrug, putting my hands in my pockets. “Hmmm...Oh, why don’t you give Kizami chocolates? I mean, it’s either him or Shimada who get the most chocolates, but Kizami usually shares the chocolate with everyone ‘cause he’s not that much into sweets. I mean, I think from the boys, you’re closest to him and then me, right? He seems to have a soft spot for you too, so it would work, I think.” he smiles, giving me a thumbs up, as I started pondering the situation. “I see...So Kizami is a safe bet...Ah, wait...Do you like...Hand the chocolate over in person, or make it secret?” I ask again, shifting my gaze to my brunet friend. “Oh, that’s mostly up to you, but since we’ve been classmates for so long, we either hand it in person, or let it on the person’s desk, with our names written on a card or something. Go wild, I’m sure Kizami will like it either way.” he chuckles cheerfully, making me nod in understandment. “What a drag...” I sigh, looking up at the snowy sky. “Thanks for this, Kurosaki. It’s really nice hanging out with you.” I finish, smiling softly. “Any time!” he shows my a thumbs up sign, before he said in a softer voice, thinking I wouldn’t hear it, but incidently, I did. “No wonder he likes you.”

Now that we are are at school, I sat anxiously in my chair, not knowing what to expect. To be fair, I was only half-sure Kizami realised that I gave him chocolate, since I signed it in a code, and it’s up to him if he realises that or not. And besides...Urgh, what a bother. He received so many chocolates that day, why would he bother to bring ME back? He’s never one to actually do something for White Day, as Kurosaki said.

Wait...

Why am I getting so bothered up anyways?

I was barely able to focus much at Biology, and to make things worse, almost everybody from the class left to socialise, leaving only me and Kizami, so to make things less awkward, I got up to leave, only to get called out, but not by my name, but by a code.

“I was expecting a Scarlet Princess, not a Crimson Knight on Valentine’s.” Kizami’s deep voice echoed through the room, making me chuckle in amusement. “I’m not sure I can be a proper princess, I’m sorry.” I turn around with a small smirk on my face, leaning on the lockers in the classroom. “You’d be more than perfect.” he got up, taking a box of chocolate from his bag and towered over me, handing it to me, making my eyes widen in surprise. “I...Thought you never give chocolates back to those who give to you.” I take the box slowly, not knowing what else to say. “Nobody deserved so far. Besides, that was a rather clever play on words. Kurosaki thought it was one of Shimada’s stupid pranks, but I knew better. KiShi. the equivalent of Knight. Kitsune Shinozaki. That’s been your Japanese alias since you came here, so we won’t have a hard time pronouncing your name. Very clever...Kitten.” he smirked mischievously, seeing more emotion in his eyes than I’ve ever seen since I met him. “Should I feel flattered, then...Yuuya~?” I mimicked his tone, earning a low chuckle. “I have a proposition for you, my little Kitten. Since you and I have both been tortured into accepting to go to tomorrow’s dance, why not go together? It would spare us a lot of trouble, don’t you think?” he asked, making me hum in approval. “Not a bad idea. I accept, Yuuya, dear. And...I think this is going to piss a lot of people. Even better~!” my smirk grew wider, thinking of Tohko’s and Shit-mada’s faces when they’ll see us at the dance. “Glad to see we’re thinking the same way.” he huffed in amusement, walking back to his desk behind me, urging me to rush and hide the box so nobody else would see it.  “Did you do them yourself, Yuuya~?” I put my elbow on the chair rest, resting my chin on my palm, looking at the brunet boy with a knowing glint in my eyes. “Why don’t you tell me that?” he let out a short, amused chuckle, as the bell rang and everyone got back in the class. “Kat? You got no chocolates? Wait, did you even leave the room?” Tohko looked confused, but at the same time, suspicious at I and her crush. “Nahh, nothing. I guess nobody wants to hang out with the new girl.” I laughed softly with a fake smile on my face. “Awee, that’s too bad. I’m sorry to hear that.” she faked sadness and pity for me, making me shake my head and turn to my desk, nonchalantly.

That night, I was extremely satisfied with everything going on, but I had to decline going to Tohko’s place for the night, since I had everything ready for the dance at home, thanks to my mum.

The next evening, Kizami and Kurosaki came to pick me up from home, like the gentlemen they were, and Kurosaki apparently invited Mitsuki to dance, and she accepted, so this is super nice.

My long dark green dress emphasised my foxy appearance, highlighted by the red lipstick and cat wing, my red hair falling over my shoulders in waves of fire.

By the time we arrived at school, I hooked my arm with Kizami’s, and we went inside where the party already started and the loud music was blaring.