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[orphne]

[Kotone has never really been one to like... start things. Mostly people told her to join other things, or she followed her friends with their interests. But here, it seems like people are just kind of left to their own devices, so a few days after the return to the forest and the fruitless search for the missing, she's getting antsy. She needs something to do and doesn't really know where to start. So-]

Hello! Um, my name is Kotone Shiomi. I was wondering if anyone was starting up any clubs or anything in town! You know, a group of people with similar hobbies or interests, like a sports club, or a book club, or a gardening club...

One of my friends at school started a sewing club. I think I might do something like that, if anybody is interested! Or somebody, [Shinji,] could make a cooking club and give lessons, stuff like that.

[She holds up one finger as if struck by a sudden idea.]

Oh, maybe if we can get a list of everybody's hobbies, we can figure out what kinds of clubs to make? I just think it's important to have something fun to do with everyone, instead of just always worrying about the weird stuff that's going on. So... tell me about what you like to do!

Comments

[prophylactic]

[She's certainly making choices, but they're better than the other ones?? Hmm.]

Nope. Just waited around for Aki to get out of practice, if I stayed at all.

[A guy can loiter around the gymnasium only so long. Anyway, with a sigh:]

You're hinting at something, so just go ahead and say it.

[orphne]

I could give you the kind of speech Mitsuru-senpai would give about club activities being essential student experience something-something. Or!

[She rests her chin in her hand and gives him her best smile.]

I think a lot of people in this town really need help cooking. And I think you want an excuse to teach people, right?

[prophylactic]

[hurk that callout is so much blunter than he anticipated, critical hit--]

I'm barely a student, so that wouldn't work. Who says I want to teach anybody? Y-You're so...

[Correct, frankly, but saying it-!!]

[orphne]

[She can't help it -- she laughs, a bright, clear sound of genuine joy and also maybe a little bit of mischief. It feels like a long time since she's been able to laugh like that, so maybe he'll forgive her.

Once she's calmed down, she finally answers,] The nice thing about a club is that you can try it, and if you don't like it, you can just do something else.

[prophylactic]

[He absolutely forgives her in a heartbeat, but he still puts in the effort to look "off-camera" and frown like this is a whole big to-do. He's sooo bothered and definitely not pleased she's in a better mood. Hmph, etc.]

You're too much, you know that? [either for delighting in his embarrassment or sampling every club ever, doesn't matter-] Dunno about a whole club, though...

[orphne]

[She doesn't believe that grouch for a second, but she'll let him have his appearances. It's the least she can do! Even if she giggles again at his accusation.]

A club can just be a few people. I'm pretty sure Bebe and I were the only ones in Sewing Club, and Fuuka and I were the only ones in Cooking Club, so...

[It can be as big or as small as you want, buddy.]

[prophylactic]

[He's fine, he's fine, he's recovered from being exposed. Mostly.]

I can guess why Fuuka didn't get a lot of club members. [ok ok no getting distracted by bad Fuuka cooking, she's a gem,] ....If I say yes to Cooking Club, don't just come once and then ditch.

[orphne]

Yeah...

[Listen Fuuka did her best and maybe that was her main problem, but she did do her best and she's perfect as-is.

Instead she places her hand over her heart and beams at him.]

I'll come to every meeting, promise! But that means you can't ditch, either!

[What happened to 'if you don't like it, just leave-']

[prophylactic]

[Yeah there is a startling lack of "if it sucks hit da bricks" now, suddenly--]

When you say it like that, it sounds like I'm supposed to be in charge. ....You get how that's a problem, right?

[Him, President material?? Terrifying concept.]

[orphne]

[She wrinkles her nose. She hadn't really thought about that part. President Kotone... no. Almost as bad as President Shinjiro.]

I could be in charge if you want! At least if anybody asks.

[Leader 2.0, meaning Shinji can call the shots and she'll handle the socializing.]

[prophylactic]

[Ah, but he doesn't want her to go overboard with her leader-ing, so now they're at an impasse. He thinks about it...]

....I'll let you know. Can't say starting a cooking club in the middle of all this food shit in town is the best timing, anyway.

[orphne]

Yeah... I hope things go back to normal soon.

Nobody's figured out why all the fridges failed at once, right?

[prophylactic]

Not as far as I know. People I talked to in town are more worried about the ones that went missing, now.

["People I talked to" is, of course, people who let him in the kitchen. Professional Associates, maybe.]

[orphne]

[She frowns thoughtfully, tapping her finger against her lips. Maybe the talk about being the leader of cooking club put her into leader-mode, but--]

Yeah, that's weird, too. Do you think it could be connected? Like... something broke the fridges to force us to go through the forest to the neighboring town?

[prophylactic]

Yeah. Dunno if that's just... all that other stuff we went through making me think like that, though.

[Dark Hour mind poison, and so on. He's been thinking about it while also trying not to; it came up a few times on the way out to see the snake people.]

[orphne]

It's hard to judge that kind of stuff, huh...?

[For her, too. It's almost like experiencing a year (or more, in Shinji's case) of trauma makes it difficult to respond reasonably or something!]

I hope that's not the case but... we'll just have to keep an eye out. That's why I think doing stuff like this is so important.

[prophylactic]

[Yeah, it's almost like SEES was a bad idea the entire time, thanks Ikutsuki. It's even worse to be aware of it, but at least they can share a harried look about that every so often.]

Hn. Yeah. [A beat, hm,] You really think it'll help that much?

[orphne]

Yeah, I do.

[It had been bothering her since she'd talked to Shinji, since she'd talked to Dazai, and even just thinking back to her own experiences over the past year. SEES was important, of course it was, and she doesn't regret any of it for a second, but-]

If we spend all our time thinking about all the bad stuff, or the weird stuff, I think... it gets really easy to forget why were doing it all in the first place. Remembering to have fun is really important. This way, maybe people can make friends and have something to look forward to instead of just... existing.

[It's her, she's people.]

[prophylactic]

[Oh, it's that thing he's bad at doing. Just existing is so much... simpler? Not easier, god no, but - simpler. Still, even after such a brief return to SEES, and now being here— hm!]

Maybe you're right.

[Just maybe! Huff!]

So... sewing club? What're you gonna make?

[Talk hobbies to him, leader.]

[orphne]

Maybe!

[And a smile. It's okay if Just Existing was enough for Shinjiro, but she doesn't want it to be enough for her. It leaves too much time to Think.]

Well... Bebe usually gave me most of the ideas. Oh, I have one of them, actually, hang on-

[She stands up and crosses her room to dig through her school bag, pulling out the Japanese strap she'd made and just never gotten around to taking out of her inventory things, displaying it to the charm.]

I've made a felt bag and a knit rabbit before, and once even a whole scarf! Would you want anything?

[prophylactic]

[For like, two seconds, he tries to recall if he's ever met this Bebe guy, but oh yeah: going to school. Funny. So that's a non-starter, but mmph, does he want anything... Fascinating question... would love to simply not answer....]

....Gloves, maybe. If you got time.

[Definitely don't go out of your way for him, he'll make a scene about it, etc.]

[orphne]

[She will Make Time. But at least she doesn't say it out loud, even if it would be funny to watch him get embarrassed all over again. He can probably read it in her expression, anyway.]

What color? Black?

[It would match his ever-present beanie, at least, but doesn't he usually wear brown shoes...? Should gloves match one's hat or one's shoes... Yukari would be better suited to this than she is. Women's fashion is just fine, but when it come's to men's fashion...? Big shrug.]

You'll have to let me measure your hands. [She laughs.] I bet yours are bigger than mine.

[prophylactic]

Black's fine.

[Shinji who only owns one outfit is the last person to ask about how men's fashion works. In fact, do they know anyone with a finger on the pulse of men's fashion...? Absolutely not Aki, Junpei...? No. Definitely not.

Hopefully no one will get his ass about black gloves and brown shoes... Anyway.]

....They're obviously bigger. [he is large.] Do whatever you gotta do.

[orphne]

[Maybe she'll ask Dazai. He's fashionable, kind of. In an old-fashioned kind of way.]

Maybe I have really big hands! You don't know! [She absolutely doesn't, but she laughs a little anyway.]

Maybe when I get better at it, I could try to make a sweater.

[prophylactic]

I've seen your hands.

[But not in a creepy way, like that sounds. He got her that watch, he has a pretty good idea of how tiny she is, hands included!! Still, a sweater, huh, listen to her getting into it...]

Sounds like Sewing Club is gonna be your big thing.