Help, It's Spring and A Drama Student Has Appeared

[thestarknows]

⭐ Who: Junna Hoshimi... and you!
⭐ When: Throughout April!
⭐ Where: Throughout Yumemigaoka!
⭐ What: Various prompts within.

Comments

Cherry Blossoms (Before They're Gone) | April 10

[thestarknows]

[The blossoms are almost gone.

And Junna never quite got out to see them, to her great regret. She is at one of the markets selling the last of the cherry blossom-themed goods -- and it's outdoors, which is all the nicer. She has stopped at one of the stalls; there's some assorted pins, a few plastic water bottles, and other odds and ends. She was looking them over...

But then the blossoms caught her eye. Even with about half of them blown off, Junna is still staring. She sighs, fondly.]

Pretty...

[angelolatry]

Aren't they? I really like them. We didn't have these trees back in the village. So being here was my first time seeing them in person.

[Colette says as she overhears the other as she passes by, recognizing the voice and pausing when she recognizes the other from their prior encounters. She gives a nod, pausing and smiling at the sight of the blossoms. Even if they might be nearing the time they are starting to blow off. The trees and petals were still so beautiful. There's nothing quite like seeing it in person.]

[thestarknows]

[Junna blinks before she turns, smiling at Colette and waving. She looks back up at the blossoms, then she smiles and looks up at them.]

Aren't they just? They're in Tokyo, but... it's nice to have a reminder of home. Even if it's a little sad when they've almost fallen off.

[angelolatry]

A reminder of home. That's nice. Sort of like my friend's cookies! Or the necklace another friend made for me. Reminders of home.....

[She does miss it sometimes still. Well, more the people. The friends she had there. She might have her father and grandmother but this isn't necessarily the same as having her friends around. Even if she is making new friends here. She seems perhaps almost wistful for a bit, even as she waves back, glancing to the blossoms remaining on the branches.]

We can see them again next year. In full bloom.

[thestarknows]

Mm-hm. Did your friend send you some cookies?

[A care package, perhaps literally. She tilts her head to the side, then she nods.]

My grandmother had a tree like this in her garden, actually. Seeing it bloom every year was nice.

[angelolatry]

Mm. Every so often they do. I'm sure they probably will send me some on my birthday once that comes around too.

[She smiles, nodding. There was something rather comforting and almost perhaps nostalgic over blossoms like this. Each year. Especially if they remind of family the way it must do for Junna, with her grandmother's garden. It would make sense that she would want to see the blossoms, want to feel that connection to home, to family.]

Your grandmother? That sounds lovely.

[thestarknows]

I'm glad! Treats from home are something I just can't pass up on.

[Junna nods, then she looks up at the tree for a moment more. It's hard not think of her grandmother, when she sees it. And that's a good thing.] It is. It's nice to have the reminder of her.

And it's nice to know it comes year round. [She glances at Colette.] I imagine there's plants from your village that are around town? Just... blooming different times of the year, maybe.

Stuck on a Train | April 19

[thestarknows]

[KERRRRRRR-CHTHWUNK.

That would be the sound of the train encountering a malfunction. It jerks to a stop, jostling all of the people on the car. This includes Junna Hoshimi, who stumbles and almost falls into the lap of the person in the seat nearby. She had been standing; she straightens herself out.

Then she looks around.] What in the...?

[A train operator speaks up, over the intercom:

"Attention all passengers. The train has come to a stop due to technical difficulties. Please remain in the car and await further instructions."

...well, looks like everyone aboard this train is stuck here.]

[shrieking_violet]

[ Chris was standing too - sways slightly, but manages to avoid turning this into a game of human dominoes with Junna. ]

...hn. Hope it's something, y'know. ...normal.

[thestarknows]

[Junna stops swaying... then looks sideways, back at Chris. She gives her an uncertain, worried look.]

...Probably normal, but... that really didn't sound good.

[shrieking_violet]

[ Didn't sound like a jumper or anything, so...

A mechanical failure was less distressing than that! ]

I really don't wanna walk.

[thestarknows]

[Junna frowns, as she considers that -- and looks around the train. Lots of people are doing the same and checking their phones.

Then, back to Chris.]

How... how long would it be from here, you think? To a station?

[shrieking_violet]

Probably faster than waiting.

[ If train broke. ]

Not that they'll let us off unless it's really fucked, though.

Bowling During Golden Week | April 29

[thestarknows]

[Golden Week has come!

And... and Junna said she would try to relax. So she did a quick post to the Dreamer Union message board, noting a chance to go bowling and a time. And then, on the evening of the 29th, she shows up at Meteor Bowling Alley!

There's one lane checked out. Junna is there to bowl with whoever comes; she has a sky blue bowling ball and rented bowling shoes. She is fiddling with the score tracker, some, trying to make sure it works.

And there's drinks and snacks, too! She has a soft drink on one of the tables. A snack is for later.]

[coorow]

[Usually, Cooro wouldn't really be let out at this time. But when he explained that it was a Dreamer thing, those were the magic words to grant him permission. Not that he would've listened otherwise, though. He's become an expert in sneaking out.

Suffice to say, Cooro's never been bowling before. He has no idea what to expect, and as he comes in, he regards the place with curiosity. The shoes are pretty weird, too.

When he spots Junna, he gives her a wave.]

Hi~! [It's fun, he thinks, to meet outside of the Dream Sphere. Everyone's so different. He peers over the score tracker that she's fiddling with.] What'cha doing?

[thestarknows]

Oh--hi! [Junna waves at Cooro. She takes a second -- then she places him. He was there, helping Amane. She doesn't hesitate to smile; she's grateful to him, for helping her mentor. And for...

Well, everything about that.]

Bowling! I'm between rounds. I'm a little rusty, admittedly...

[coorow]

[He looks over the scores. They mean nothing to him, actually. He’s just more confused.]

How do you play?

[thestarknows]

You roll the ball down the alley! Here and here. [She points so it's clear, then she motions to the pins.]

You want to knock down as many of those as possible in as a few rolls of the ball as possible.

[coorow]

Gotcha~

[Cooro nods, then makes his way over to the collection of balls to pick one for himself. He doesn’t understand the weight differences between them, and just goes by which looks most appealing colour-wise, which leads him to picking up a rather weighty red ball.

As soon as he does so, he realises his mistake.]

It’s heavy! [But, determined, he lugs it over and chucks it down as best he can, watching it roll-

- straight into the gutter.]

Whoops…

[He doesn’t seem too bothered by it, at least. He’s the opposite of a sore loser.]

Riverwalk Theater | April 26; closed to Lisa

[thestarknows]

[After the Disturbance, Junna kept contact with Lisa -- texting, talking, and trying to find a little extra time to hang out. Some of it was being worried about her; some of it was wanting to be sure they didn't spend the most time together when one of them was having a tough time.

And some of it was just wanting to see her more, without a great reason for it.

But when she found out the live action adaptation of Yonezawa's Last Paycheck was coming out -- and based on early reviews, was quite good -- well, that settled it. She had to go. So a quick message was sent off to Lisa.

And now, it's Friday evening and after the movie ended. Junna steps out of the theater doors excitedly -- it's a later showing, so it's dark enough out that she doesn't immediately blind herself with the sun -- and then turns back towards Lisa, practically beaming.]

That was fantastic! The--the way they adapted it to sets, the acting choices -- ah, sometimes it's stiff in comparison, but the director really made it work! And the ending sequence, and the angle they shot it from, and--

[She sighs, happily, and does a little twirl.] Oh, that was just terrific!

[The Theater Kid has been unleashed.]

[traceofeffort]

[Lisa is all for hanging out - partly because she has the same feeling as Junna that friends are for the good times and the bad, and partly because she needs people to hang out with and happens to like this one. So even if she wasn't paying that much attention to the movie in its release cycle, she's still happy to go! It'll be good to get out and just chill for a bit.

And chill she does - by the time the movie's over and they're walking out, she's surprised at how much tension's drained out of her? Sure, things have been fine, but apparently she's been pushing herself. She's... been doing that for a while. So, meh. She'll worry about it later. Instead, as the crisp air hits her, she grins as her friend starts gushing.]

It was pretty good. I was expecting something a little more phoned-in for the sake of the adaptation, so this is a pleasant surprise. [She debates teasing Junna a bit, but leaves off for now. It's... nice, to see her having so much fun.] I'm glad you liked it so much.

[thestarknows]

[Chilling is good. And seeing Lisa get a chance to chill... even better! After how hard she -- they've both -- been working lately, it's important to have this chance.

She controls her spin, making it fairly balanced and artful. She can't quite stop being a dancer, it seems. She twirls about to face Lisa -- walking backwards -- and she nods eagerly.]

I did too. I thought they might think it would sell, since it's already popular! But...

[She laughs, then looks a little sheepish.] I... guess it's obvious I'm into this sort of thing, isn't it?

[traceofeffort]

[The unspoken nerrrrrrd is visible on her face, but Lisa's own laugh is companionable - it's charming. Not that she'd laugh at Junna in the first place, as she claps softly.]

It is! And that's a good thing. Can't take the stage out of the actress, yeah? Uh, the set, but. Same thing. I had a feeling you'd have a strong opinion on this one either way. Either it'd be this, or you'd be storming out by the halfway mark, and I'd throw away the popcorn on the way to catch up.

[She scratches her cheek.] If anything, I'm a little surprised you asked me. I'm super not qualified to critique anything but the score.

[thestarknows]

[Junna laughs, but she nods.] No, no, I get what you mean. It's a bit hard to turn that part of my brain off. Not that I'd want to!

[Then she laughs, glancing to the side. Maybe a little embarrassedly, because... yeah. Yeah. Se would absolutely take off if a movie was really bad. She has opinions about these things.]

I apologize in advance, if you're ever needing to toss out the popcorn. But... [She thinks about this for a second. She knows the answer, really. It's not really Lisa's cinematic bonafides -- no, she knows perfectly well that Lisa would mostly know about the score. One of them is a drama nerd.]

I wanted to spend time together. Ah, I mean--I like this sort of thing, I wanted to see it with you, since... I like hanging out with you. But I didn't want to just hang out when everything is so much.

[Hopefully saying that aloud doesn't make it feel that way, though.]

[traceofeffort]

Hey, if it's bad enough for us to bail, it's not worth keeping the popcorn. Just a bad memory at that point. It's why I'm counting on you for recommendations!

[She recognizes that she's perhaps attached the wrong priority, but... eh. Her heart is still six kinds of screwy, even if it's... a little less so. So when Junna explains herself, she nods.]

No, that's fair, and I'm really happy you asked me! I'm... [super high-maintenance, part of her wants to say, but that's not charitable to either of them-] better than I was, but I appreciate that you're looking out for me. [Her smile turns a little more natural.] And I like hanging out with you too, so I'm definitely glad to, any time.