...oh gosh. that was SOOO CUTE. but heyy; at least they are together...GOD THIS IS SO CUTE. 333333

and niou with black hair...hehe.

WHAT? So they didn't get together in 250DS?

Well, that's kind of dissapointing... but maybe now they can :) and maybe now is the right moment (7 years, man) in a much more mature relationship, without the senpai/kohai thing and the constant vigilance and overprotectiveness of his brother.

I really enjoyed this one-shot! Taking a flight without telling anyone is something that Niou would do. And Marui said to them he was in South America... he was here in Chile, right? (XD).

Oh, and this: "...he looked up through half-lidded eyes, the curve of his lips hinting at either a smirk or a smile. He wore dark jeans and a navy blue coat of good make, the top few buttons undone despite the cold, showing the delicate, artful lines of his collarbones". Niou sounds hot. Really. With all and his new haircut.

And yay for Sayoko! Glad she doesn't chew her nails anymore (seriously) and glad she has called him by his given name. THAT was unexpected. And I'm not gonna lie, I was kinda expecting a kiss, but then I thought about it and it would be too cliché and cheesy for them, under the rain and everything.

But is so obvious that she still likes him. She didn't even bother trying to deny it to herself.

But what is this? "But still... that was all he had to say? No I've missed you, or Dreadfully sorry about running off and leaving you" They had a relationship and he just ran away? Well, now THAT'S dramatic. XD

But the last part was very nice. :) I don't know if you're thinking in make other fic or a sequel to this, but I think is already perfect this way.

And I can't help it but... Akaya went to Africa? Er... what? xD I mean, I can totally see Yanagi as a classy european, but... well, maybe Akaya really enjoys to live in Africa. :) And I HAVE to ask you this, I really do, and I know you probably won't spoil me and a negative answer will break y heart but... he left with An, right?

Well, I think that's all. Your characterizations of the two, as always, are awesome and I like this pairing even more than before. Even if I'm confused are hell now. XD

:D!

SPOILURZ? ARE U TRYING 2 KEEL ME OR WAT.

So dude. This almost killed me. 250 Dark Stars is the most ingenious goddamn thing on this planet atm, (though admittedly I have only read up to Chapter 20 so far - I've been busy, okay), and then to throw this at me is like - is like grenades raining down on my heart. Niou is one of my favorite characters because there is just absolutely anywhere you can imagine to go with him - he is just so many things at once. Certainly, he is mysterious and aloof, but the question is - why is he mysterious and aloof? And with that one question in one hand and Niou Masaharu in the other, you can come up with fifty billion answers, and any one of them could be plausible. Like for example I am completely caught up in this one theory, where Niou has turned himself into a trickster because he doesn't want anyone to know what he's thinking, because the only way he can succeed among the Elites (the Child of God, the Tensai, and pretty much every goddamn Gary Lou in the history of POT) is to be someone else. Crazy, no? Possible, yes? And so he

Jesus H. Christ, what the hell am I doing right now. This isn't even a review, it's just my typical ramblings on my fandoms. My existence on this planet is so sad I can't even - I'm sorry.

So. Review time. One of my favorite things about your stories are the subtle but powerful details you add that accentuate either the story or the character. For example, you point out Niou has disappeared to a destination unknown - which is quite likely for Niou, I can see that happening - "Yanagi had said Europe, and Kirihara's guess was Africa. Marui, nodding self-importantly, had assured them it was South America. But where had he really gone?" both shows the tennis team's personalities. Yanagi is logical, because Europe is a destination many people go to do things, whatever they are - but Marui and Kirihara, who are rather shallow-thinking, prefer to pick places that they themselves find more appealing. Kirihara probably enjoys Africa, enjoys the way its name sounds, enjoys the very thought of Niou being somewhere as completely exotic as Africa - and has picked there. I am overthinking things. Excuse me, I apologize. I must seem like such a creep.

And then and then and then. Your portrayal of Sayoko's sentiments toward Niou - the way she has completely and utterly fallen for him, the way she knows it's stupid and she'll only be hurt in the end like she has countless times before but is absolutely helpless to stop it, is so so so great. It's incredibly satisfying to see someone as up-on-a-high-horse as Sayoko be put in her place by Niou, who can do so simply by existing. And also, the way Sayoko is not too prideful to not accept she likes Niou, that she needs him. Duuuuude.

Butbutbut the ending to this. I realize I have absolutely no right to say anything negative about anything you write because anything your fingertips touch automatically becomes sacred, but... the ending. It seemed a little, how you say, easy. Incomplete, maybe? Contrived, forced. Obvious. I hope you know what I'm saying.

Though I do like the detail of: "He laughed, low and bright and without embarrassment." It shows how Niou is willing to show his real self - no tricks, no illusions - to Sayoko.

(If you've made any major developments between Chapter 19-29 that I have obviously disregarded in this review, likely due to my utter lack of knowledge of those happenings, I thoroughly apologize.)

Um, so much love for this. I've PM'd you a line by line dissection, which is more flailing than anything else because obviously there are gaps and things-that-have-happened-and-I-do-not-know-what-b ut-I-can't-wait-to-find-out!

Also, my crazy does not need to be inflicted on poor unsuspecting cretins...

DFTBA,

Jen

Wait... so, they didn't get together? :( That's... disappointing... they would have such an interesting maternal/paternal life / This was REALLY great, I can't wait to see how you finish 250 Dark Stars!

It took me entirely too much time for me to find the time where I could finally review this without half-*ssing it. haha.

A lot of introspection and deep things in here. They're so careful with each other, like they usually are even if they were in school.

But dang, Sayoko. You're so faithful! I would have just plain forgot about that guy and started seeing other people, even if he was totally gorgeous and mysterious and smoldering hot. I bet she grew up even more beautiful than the image that I have of her now. :D

So hooray for the start of an adult relationship! It reminds me of a drama actually. Now they're old enough for sexytimes ehehehehe (okay, that was uncalled for. but still. ehehehehe)

w00t a dedication to me! Just so you know, I'm actually working on a oneshot for Hashimoto. But making it all original and better than the last wretched oneshot I wrote. It'd be like...

Hashimoto: and he was such a jerk! he always made me pay for dates and he would always talk about tennis and never pay attention to me and blah blah blah blah

Jackal: omg same here! One time he stole my hair-growing shampoo! I imported that all the way from Brazil! Could you believe that moron! And I so totally relate to having to pay all the time. Even my parents are like, "wtf are you wasting your allowance on!" and I have to come up with some lame excuse -

Hashimoto: WAIT ARE WE SOULMATES?

Jackal: I GUESS WE MUST BE. B*TCHING SOULMATES, MAN, aww yeahhh

Yep that's the end of my review.

why are there not more reviews for this? it's short, but so powerful. i absolutely love your characterization of the two (i've been reading 250ds for a while haha), and their relationship's just so intense and dangerous and perfect. hope you keep writing for PoT - your stories are always fantastic! :)

Wow! So Sayoko will be heart broken for awhile huh? What a complicated characters you made. I have a newfound appreciation for Niou. Even though I am confused as hell. I love them to bits and pieces.

I love you. Enough said. I ship this pairing YAY. :D