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[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!

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[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?

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.]

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.

[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?

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.]

[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.]

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?

[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.]

[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.

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.

[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.

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.

[Alright, yeah, he's got her there, and she just grins at him.]

Maybe... it's something to try, anyway.

[It would be fun, if anybody else wants to do it with her. She'd probably get bored if she just tried doing it alone and never get anything accomplished.]

You sure you don't want to try learning how to sew? I could teach you!

[Unless he knows already? She isn't really sure, but he could be the type.]

[Oh, now he's going to join two clubs, is that the plan here. This is his life now, huh.]

I can put a button back on. [You know, the basics. And he's not admitting how cleanly he can put a button back on, because his limited skills are purely utilitarian, not to look pretty.] ....If nobody else comes to your club, I'll think about it.

[Like, people who are really serious about sewing should get first dibs? But he's too soft to let her languish as a club of one, sigh.]

[Bullying will continue until all friends are made.]

Even if other people come, you're welcome to hang out, too.

[If anyone comes. It's not really the most exciting club around, and no one she's met has the same single-minded passion that Bebe did.]

I hope we can really get a Cooking Club together, though. I think it'll be really good for everyone here if they feel like there's something they can do to help.

[He can only handle so many social links at one time, he's not a protag-!!]

And some people really need to eat better. [mikey.] Sewing Club's not hard to find a room for, but for cooking we'd have to borrow a whole kitchen.

[As if he has not already been into Several local kitchens, ahem.]

I've been eating my vegetables!

[It only took one Shinji Glare(tm) back then to make sure she stayed in the habit, even if she knows he isn't talking about her.]

As long as we give some of the food to the people who own the kitchen, I don't think they'll mind. Oh! That reminds me, I grated some apple to make apple cupcakes yesterday. I'll bring some for you later.

[Some of them had been a gift for ~~Dazai~~ Chuuya, but she kept some aside for herself and anyone else she might want to give them to.]

The tough part about Sewing Club is going to be buying the fabric... maybe I'll see if I can start working part-time somewhere.

Good. ....I'll ask around for a kitchen.

[Mumble mumble some of those people know him by name already, thanks to Cooking Week, mumble... He'll work something out. He's already picked out one or two out of the way places to haunt just like the ramen shop back home, one of them will probably have them.

ack he's committed to cooking club dang it]

Clubs and a job and cupcakes? I'm exhausted just hearing about it. [Eat veggies but also take naps, Miss Leader. Not that he doesn't want a cupcake....] You know where to find me.

Thanks!

[Success! Time to live your best life, Shinji, and it only took a little bit of arm-twisting. Less arm-twisting than most would expect, probably, but she had a feeling she could get him to do it.

And yeah, it's a little exhausting if he puts it like that, but-]

I'm used to it! I'd rather stay busy. I used to do a lot more back in school.

[It didn't hurt that she used to nap in class pretty often back then, but even without her class naps, she'd still rather be doing something than not. Sometimes the exhaustion from February can hit like a wave, but as long as she keeps moving, she can manage it.]

Want to have dinner together later? I can bring the rest of the cupcakes for dessert.

[uuuuuuggggghh his life as a loiterer is over.... shame...

Or: the ugh is real, but he's still going to commit, so okay, okay. He gives her a brief look - yes, even a single month was long enough for him to see her constantly running in and out of the dorms with her impossible schedule, dang - but that's it; he won't nag. Right now. He might nag more eventually.]

Dinner? Sure. ...I'll show you a place I found.

[Two birds one stone, he can subtly ask about Cooking Club while they're there, the perfect crime. Plus it'll be nice to not sit in the inn all evening long.]

[There's still plenty of time for loitering and brooding in between cooking club and sitting at sewing club... don't worry...]

Great! I'm looking forward to it!

[If it's a place that Shinji found, it has to be good. She claps her hands together briefly -- always nice to have something to look forward to!

Ah, wait, she had a thought-]

You don't think we need to make flyers or anything, do we...? That's definitely too much, right...?

[Like, surely this broadcast must be enough?]

[He'll have to make time for loitering, now-!! Loitering Club.]

I think you're good like this. It's not that big a town.

[And don't they all kind of live in the same building, right now? That's more than enough advertising, if Kotone is bouncing around the halls doing club planning.]

Hmm, okay.

[She might get some second opinions, just because Shinji has already admitted to not being in any clubs, but he has a point! And making flyers sounds like a lot of work.]

I'm gonna try to drum up some more interest. See you later?

[Have a little faith, he's totally an expert.]

Yeah, just swing by. I'll be around.

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