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

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.

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.

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.

Right? Their cookies are the best! No offense to the rest I've tried but. I guess I'm pretty spoiled growing up getting those over the years, even with sometimes making some with my grandmother. It's just not quite the same as theirs, I haven't quite been able to perfect the recipe.

[She has the recipe. She's just maybe not quite getting the timing or measurements right or something. Or maybe it is just that she knows she made the cookies and not her friend. Something like that which makes it not quite the same. She gives a shrug, considering the question.]

I suppose there might be. If I checked around the gardens more. Found some that were familiar. I haven't looked yet.

[Junna laughs, in a good natured way. It's nice seeing Colette excited about this.]

You're making me really want to try one, now. Your friend must be a talented baker!

[She isn't enough of a baker to help perfect a recipe, though.

Then, she nods.] Something to look out for, maybe.

Well, next time they send me some I suppose I can share one with you to try.

[Colette is at least happy to offer that much. It seems the least she could do when talking about her friends and their baking, their jewelry they had made for her. She
figures at this point as far as she can tell that she would be here for a few years yet if not for the rest of her left even after finishing school.]

Maybe next time I am out and the weather is not too bad I'll check the gardens. See if there's anything familiar. I'm not much of a gardener myself but I might at least recognize some things.

I-If you don't mind! I know they're a precious commodity.

[She laughs a little. She smiles, though -- it doesn't bug her if Colette would rather keep them. After all, they're for her. Junna's eyes light up a little, though, and she nods.]

It's fun! I have an app for it, for identifying plants. Animals, too. I'm not much of a gardener, myself... but I admit I find it relaxing.

I don't mind. Just one, so you can try it and see for yourself if you like their cookies.

[Maybe she could keep working on the recipe herself as well. She does want to try get it right. Eventually. Still, she does seem curious when the other mentions an app. Or, well, a new one to her at least.]

There's an app? I guess it seems like there's one for everything these days. So maybe that isn't too surprising there is one for plants. That's pretty neat though.

I'll take you up on that.

[Her sweet tooth may be the death of her. Or something less dramatic.

She thinks for a moment.] I'm not much of a baker, but a friend is. I could ask if she could help with the recipe if you'd like, sometime?

[Then she nods.] There is! Using it might make me a nerd though.

Oh? I wouldn't say no to that idea. If your friend is up for it. Maybe together we could figure perfecting the recipe. And you can help taste test.

[Well, Colette would be the best in comparing the taste after having had many of their cookies over the years. But letting the others try and then seeing how they go in replicating that would still help. Would still be fun.]

A nerd? I wouldn't know but. The important thing is you are having fun, learning from it. I mean, it's important? Knowing which plants might be safe or poisonous or that sort of thing, right?

I'll ask her, then! Lisa Imai, if you've ever met her.

[And she can definitely do taste testing. It's an important part of her job! Really.

Then she looks thoughtful. Colette raises a good point.]

That's true. Avoiding poison, knowing what a plant is if you want another for your garden...

Oh! Well, I mean, when she has time. If she doesn't mind.

[Colette doesn't mind, there's no rush. She just hopes to be able to keep trying to work on the cookies. Whether with help or just on her own. She gives a nod at the talk of gardens, of plants. It makes sense to try and figure that sort of thing to keep safe. So someone is aware if a weed or something is there or something shouldn't be eaten. Or around pets for example.]

Right. Of course it helps to make sense to know what you want or have in your garden. Or um. What might be safe for pets? That sort of thing.

Mm-hm. [At worst, she doesn't. And if not... no big, it seems like.

She scratches at her cheek -- and her eyes widen. She hasn't been able to get a cat while here -- the woes of a busy dorm life -- and hadn't thought of that. But, she nods quickly.]

Oh, yes. That's very important! And if you don't know what a plant is... you can't be sure it's not poisonous!

Right! I'm not the best with plants but I should probably at least be aware on which ones are safe or not. Especially with moving here, if there are some that are native that I didn't see back in the village.

[Let alone considering pets. What might be safe or not for a cat or a dog for example. Granted, people were usually fine with whatever was planted in their gardens that the pets could access. Colette tends to just assume the best of things so of course she wouldn't suspect something like someone planting if it might be poisonous or the like. But she would likely assume they didn't realize.]

Oh, I bet! And... well, it is a little fun, too. It's a bit like making a collection.

[She laughs a little sheepishly at that, before Junna considers. She tilts her head.]

Oh--actually, do you have a pet? Or... thinking of getting one?

A collection? But ah! Yes! I do! A dog. Caramel, she's a Golden Retriever. But I love all dogs!

[Which is true. She really does. Every dog she encounters is a celebration and she shares this encounter with everyone she has on her contacts in her phone. Colette adores dogs. No matter the breed. She all but lights up at the talk of pets. Well, dogs, specifically, now.]

Mm-hm! Of all the plants you've seen. And animals too, with another app.

[Then Junna's eyes widen. Could it be?

Dog friend...?]

Oh my gosh. Caramel sounds wonderful! Do--do you have any pictures?

Oh, lots! Here, I can show you!

[Colette's phone is almost entirely full of pictures of Caramel at this point. Occasionally other things as well, like if she went on a trip to somewhere like the zoo or aquarium or some such. A concert or event or something. But mostly, it's her dog. She pulls out her phone and shows the other, scrolling through different photos.]

These--

[Junna sputters, as she gets a good look at the many, many pictures of Caramel. Her eyes are wide; she pushes her glasses up and looks a little flustered, because experiencing Dog is an good experience.]

These are very good.

I guess I've had a lot of practice, taking so many photos of Caramel over the years, haha. And other dogs I see when I take her for walks too! If their owner is okay with it.

[They don't usually mind. But Colette always does ask first, just in case. She just likes sharing the cuteness of the dogs with friends when she encounters one. Or whenever Caramel does something particularly cute. Either way. She laughs, going through to show more pictures.]

That... that's a valuable skill to have. I should do that more. Maybe... maybe one day I'll meet Caramel and take his picture.

[Is she still distracted by every dog picture ever?

Yes.

But now, goals: get picture of bestest boy!]

If you want, I can meet up with you sometime when I'm taking her for a walk. Then you can take photos. Maybe of more dogs too if we go to the dog park.

[Colette says, excited to share her love of dogs. Not everyone else did, or some might like dogs but not get quite as excited as she did about seeing them out and about. Or have quite as many photos of theirs as she did. Or even just other dogs she sees around while out on walks or such. That she shares with her friends.]

Oh--oh, yes! I'd be delighted to. [She clasps her hands together and nods, eagerly. She doesn't have a dog -- any pet, right now -- but...

But dog time.]

Thank you so much, Colette!

Of course! Caramel could always use more friends and she's very friendly and gentle.

[Not everyone has the space or time commitment for having a pet, let alone a dog. So she gets it. That it isn't necessarily practical for everyone to be able to have one. She's just glad things worked out that someone was usually home at least that it wasn't an issue for her family.]

[One day -- one day! -- Junna wants a dog, when she has a place for it. For the dorms, sadly, it's just right out. Pets aren't feasible there.]

She sounds amazing! I can't wait. I-I hope that's not weird to say.

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angelolatry - 2024-05-23 08:46 (UTC) - Expand