I forgot to mention: it's truly amazing that you could depict their respective personalities so well on your first attempt at fanfic! Your perceptiveness is part of the package of being a good writer- just like you easily figured out my role model. The Major was first "introduced to me" when I was 13 (ps. that was long time ago), and ever since I have been idolizing him. His workout regimen and discipline is great to take on. I like that you recalled his workout habits... Well you may not have read this one yet; On Vol. 31, when he went on a "psychology experiment" task, he managed to do his nightly workout (situps, pushups, stretches, etc.) in his tiny room on the campus. (I was laughing because I also workout every night and would have done the same.) Recently I was thrilled to have found the Erioca fandom. After so many years, it's really nice to rekindle my "first love"- through the communities of Eroica fans, and good writers like you. :) I truly enjoy reading all of your articles, and look forward to "A good wife Chapter 5"!
Author's Response: Thanks - but I must confess that I had read a lot of Eroica fics before I started writing myself and I was greatly inspired by them as well. While I'm not much of a workout fanatic (more like lazy bum) I was impressed by the Major's diligence in exercising - although I guess he'd have to be diligent in that since otherwise his habits are not all that healthy - he smokes like a chimney, drinks gallons of coffee and his favorite food is fried potatoes, so I guess exercising should be a must for him. Unfortunately I haven't seen the scene you mention on vol. 31 - I can't read Japanese so I've seen almost nothing of the unscanlated volumes - but I'm sure it would be a sight worth seeing. Let's hope we'll get to see those volumes scanlated one day as well - but in the meantime we can always write our own stories!
As a workout fanatic myself, the opening scene in the gym really caught my attention. It's pretty funny to put chains and padlocks on hampers- Or, that implies the lock Klaus put on his own heart? As the story goes, the incident helped to find its way to open the lock to Klaus's heart. I really enjoy reading your writing style, with the warmth and depth of characters, and a very happy ending! :)
Author's Response: Thanks a lot for reviewing! This was my first Eroica fic and I'm happy it's so well received. I guess for someone who loves to work out, a man like the Major would be a role model; in one of the early volumes he mentions that 'he exercises every night', and even when he was imprisoned in a submarine he would do exercises. And when he was forced to go on vacation he went jogging for so long that the Russian spies trailing him collapsed from exhaustion! This is certainly a man after your own heart!