おはようございます。Sharaです。
It's been awhile since I write something that isn't translation, huh? (laughs)
This time I'm going to talk about Polaris, which is a pairing name for Kai x Shun ship. Named as such by a friend for a reason that she had already forget (laughs) My guess is that because Polaris is a guiding star, a star of the sea, and a symbol of steadfastness in love poems, which fits since Shun is one who guides Procellarum (which has their name derived from Oceanus Procellarum or Ocean of Storms and thus often likened to storm and ocean), and maybe also a hope to strengthen Kai's patience in dealing with Shun's antics.
But I'm digressing.
So, basically I'm just going to post my headcanon of how their relationship grows, based on the turn of their song releases.
We'll start with their first solo song. In Sayonara Yume Hanabi and Sasa no Ha Love Letter, we can tell that he still loves his first love back when he was little. Well, even now, he still loves her, and on this year's Tanabata short story, he jokingly said that if he were to finally have a spouse, he might get scolded by both side ― his first love and his spouse ― because it looks like he'll keep loving his first love even after he has a spouse, which can be seen as an affair. Cute, huh?
I don't have much to say about Icicle, since for me it only explains that Shun can love someone wholly ("to the insides of your heart, or even to the marrow of your bones, I love your soul as a whole"), even to the point of insanity (Icicle's Japanese reading, アイシクル, can also be written as 愛し狂う, which means madly in love). And Maou is basically a romanticized version of Erlkonig, with the boy replaced by a girl, so there isn't really any relation with this headcanon.
Then we supposedly get to the 2nd season, where they releases duet songs. But, since from official tweets we learn that the songs in TsukiAni. has a setting in that they have been recorded since ages ago (to be precise, around the same timeline where TsukiAni. is set, which I believe is set around July 2013 ~ September 2014), let's start about these single songs first.
mare ~ Kimi to Tsudzuru Koukai Nisshi ~ basically got released first, since it's the 8th ED song. I believe that the song speaks about Shun and because of that there are so many parts that I'd like to reference but it'll get too long!!! Please understand the lyrics by yourself!!! (shot dead)
Ahem. I mean, "words sent to me, with voice as if you're praying"? "gentle encouragement, sympathetic words"? Those are all things that Shun do to him. Okay, since he's a fair leader, he actually does that to everyone in his unit but. There's how he knew about Kai's first love and didn't tell anyone about it (I'm not sure if everyone else eventually learned about it), and he even accompanied Kai in his Tanabata date every year. Although Shun might be a sloppy leader compared to Kai, who appears more leader-like, I believe that Shun's the one that Kai turns into when he needs to discuss or has worries (also reflected in TsukiSta.'s performances).
It's also repeated so many times in the song, how Kai seemed to keep being on the receiving side. No, not seme-uke relationship-wise. But how joining Procellarum and having Shun as their leader, as his partner, seemed to let him experience many, many things. I mean, of course, since Shun's partly the reason Kai gets jobs like going to other parts of the country, or even going aboard, because what kind of job the member gets depends not only on the manager's decisions, but also on the leader's. There's also the fact that thanks to Shun's magical abilities, many 'exciting' happenings occurred to them. And there's also a scene in TsukiAni. where Shun saved Kai's life, although it was partly thanks to his first love's guidance. Kai is grateful for all of it, and wished that he can give him something in return too, and asks Shun to stay by his side, as his partner, until he can give him something worthy.
I wrote three paragraphs about that one song, but really, it can be summarized as a simple sentence: Kai only thinks of Shun in a platonic way.
Boo, right?
But hey, I just get to tear down my interpretation of three songs. There are still some left.
So we'll continue with albion ~ Futari Dake no Shiro ~. The only thing that I get from it is how Shun sees himself not corrupted, thanks to the other party "staying true to himself" too. If the other party is Kai, then it makes sense, since from the start of the series and even now, Kai doesn't really change. He, in a way, is pure, as commented by other members. Again, this can be seen that their thoughts of each other is still platonic, pretty much. Also, I think some parts of this song relates to another song, but I'll save it for later.
Finally we get to talk about Kimi ni Hana wo, Kimi ni Hoshi wo. This definitely still has nuances of platonic love, as we can tell from the song that Kai's part feels like he's talking about his first love again. Shun's part, however, feels like he had started to realize that he likes Kai in a romantic way. Shun is a honest person, someone who would openly expresses if he likes something or someone. Just see how he gets all excited and repeatedly claims that he's a big fan of Hajime. But for this one, he can't be frank, because "it's not that simple of an emotion". Besides, Shun knows that Kai still loves the first love girl, and so he might think that Kai "won't look at him" in a romantic way.
That part of headcanon is pretty much supported by HanaHoshi's performance in TsukiSta., where Shun would glance at Kai in that particular part while Kai has his attention directed at somewhere else. I mean, there should be many ways to portray how Shun's love is one-sided, but out of all that, the staffs have them act that way all throughout the latest performance (the original work's staffs and the producers are watching too, so if they don't like / disagrees with how they interpret the song into the choreography, they should be able to protest and stop them, right?). It's as if they agree that his target of affection is Kai?? So much fanservice, I just can't??? Why Shun's actor so extra for Diablo's sake????
Ahem.
After HanaHoshi, there's Celestite. Here, it seems Kai finally had realized that he likes Shun as well, and knows about Shun's feelings for him too. However, Shun "doesn't want to ruin the relationship" they currently have, so he's seen like he's playing with Kai's feelings.
Remembers that I said albion seemed to relate to another song? Yes, this is the song. Perhaps it's because both songs are created by the same producer, but still. All the melting and shining bright together while keeping the same distance so they can "stay beautiful"? It seems like Shun is saying that their relationship is wonderful as it is, and if they were to accept each other's feelings, they may purse something further that may corrupt them. Kind of like, love will corrupt them? And so he wants them to continue loving each other, but not get too intimate touchy-touchy kinda relationship? It's kind of make senses to me, since I view Shun as someone who will be so clingy and constantly asks for his partner's attention if he gets into a serious relationship. And if that were to happen, it would disturb Kai's schedules and may also lead to unnecessary conflicts between them. The opposite may also happen, in which Kai becomes the one who creates the conflicts, as reflected in the next song.
Beast Master is one of the songs in the 3rd season, which practically is their latest songs, timeline-wise,. It speaks of Kai's wild side, which claimed to be hidden by his seemingly kind big brother appearance. That he's actually pretty possessive and easy to get jealous. This aspect might be triggered if Kai is getting impatient with how Shun tries to keep their distance while constantly claiming his love for Hajime. Shun had repeatedly states that he loves freedom and hates confinement (and thus sleeps half-naked, lol), so he wouldn't want Kai to go possessive over him, which is maybe the reason he stressed over and over in his songs that he wants them to keep their relationship as it is, so both can be free to do anything they want without binding each other with their passion.
Then there's Toumei Lullaby, where timeline-wise, would be fitting to be put between the happening of HanaHoshi and Celestite, since it's where a light had saved Kai from drowning in his sadness of not being able to be with his first love. In canon, Kai doesn't look like he has such suicidal thoughts, so it might be weird for me to say something like that. But it seems he's set as someone who can easily attracts ghosts (TsukiAni., TsukiPara.'s drama), so while he doesn't let it show, he may have sad thoughts that led to the attractions. By the way, in all those instances, Shun's the one who saved him. Fortunately, he's saved, and the words ("You may cry, you know... It's fine. You're not alone") sounds like something Shun would say. So it could be that this is the starting point where Kai starts to love Shun romantically.
Coming next is Monochrome Sky, where many seemed to relate the song with Hajime, based on the general definition that monochrome means black and white. However, monochrome also means that something consist of one color only - for example, if we turn a colorful picture into a green monochrome, then the picture will become a green one but with various shades of green. So, to me it sounds like continuation of previous songs, where Shun is trying so hard to keep his feelings in line, just like what he had decided, so that his feelings remain in one color. To do so, he has to lie to Kai, and even to himself.
November Stars can be summarized in a simple sentence: Kai's happiness is the source of his power. The common cliche where people say "your smile give me strength" and the likes. Beside, although it may be a little far-fetched, Shun did "create a miracle" in Rabbits Kingdom, where he revived Kai from death and appointed him the king for the country. Sea is repeatedly mentioned here, and at the very end, it talked about "our time starts now", but I'm not very sure if it means that Shun finally decides to accept Kai's love. I mean, after all that constant rejections?? Saying that their current relationship is best as it is?? I think not.
So to end this article, my conclusion is: in the current timeline KaiShun is probably still keeping their hands off from each other. Or there might have been unintentional touches, or something meant to be platonic. To others, they may seem like casual best friends, but some others may see that they're holding back their feelings. It opens to many possibilities for fanworks, really. (laughs)
I wonder if there are others who share the same headcanon, or may have different interpretation of this KaiShun shipping. Feel free to comment and share your thoughts about it~
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