[open] I am me

[feale]

Who: Kasumi Yoshizawa + you?
What: catch-all for January!
Where: various places around the Void
When: during January
Content Warnings: Persona 5 Royal spoilers in the thread with Parsee, and any other marked threads!

1. resolution
(after the New Year's Party)

[ Despite having helped out with the party, it's still a little strange to Yoshizawa that they're celebrating a "new year" at all. Time has been largely stable since her arrival in the Void, so she knows that for her part, she's only been here a few months... and when she was taken from home, it was March. So it's weird, a little.

Still, it's probably good for them to have some kind of system to track dates, right? And starting with January 1st makes more sense than starting anywhere else, especially given the fact that everyone seems to remember different days as being their last back at home.

It's her first new year since her life changed so drastically, and so something about the tradition of making resolutions speaks to her more than ever, this time around. Fresh starts, or something like that.

So as the party winds down, Yoshizawa can be found sitting at one of the tables in Heavenly Blanc, neatly-written kanji and kana lining the napkin in front of her, the girl adding more to it with each careful stroke of her pen, her brows furrowed in focus.

If she's approached, she'll look up in surprise, offering a shy smile to whomever is joining her. ]

U-Um, are you planning on making any resolutions too?

2. kichijoji

[ It's not just that Senpai and Akechi-san have already made the move to living somewhere in the newly-appeared place that's kind of Kichijoji. Like a few other places around the Void, the place feels something like home, much more than the apartments do. Plus, something about having two entire floors to herself speaks to her. She loves helping Ren out in the Heavenly Blanc, but for someone who loves cooking as much as she does, she can't help but daydream of a small stall where she can "sell" food for the other people who are living here.

It's not like they don't already have a lot of restaurants and the like, but...

Habit has her standing, arms at her sides, considering one of the shopfronts in front of her with a tilted head, as if goods line the outside just like they would back home. She's lost so deeply in her own thoughts that passersby won't even be greeted as they normally would, and any efforts to get her attention will result in her jumping, startled, before she bows. ]

I— I'm so sorry! I didn't see you there.

3. gym

[ In the Aoba Shibumenosaki Underground Academy gym, Yoshizawa is a completely different person - not unfamiliar to anyone who met her within the depths of the Mementos nightmare, but certainly unlike the girl who usually walks around the Void. Dressed in the academy's sports uniform (of course in a striking red), she can usually be found completing routines on the floor, practicing kickboxing or fencing (always versus nothing but the air in front of her), or occasionally using one of the machines to work up a proper sweat. A look of serious focus can always be seen on her face, and people who join her will be met with little more than a brief nod - at least until she's finished what she's currently doing.

Maybe this is how you find her, focused on the workout, or maybe you come across her when she's finished, sitting down against one of the walls and perhaps watching anyone still working out, hair wet from the showers and falling over her shoulders, a container full of food in her lap and chopsticks in one hand.

And it's not just you: that container of food really does seem to be far too big for someone as small as her... ]

4. wildcard

[ want to do something but don't like any of the prompts here? you can hit me up at denouements if you want, or just post something here! ]

Comments

[feale]

[ Yoshizawa nods her approval. Of course, she has no way of knowing what Haru is thinking, but with as much exercise and working out as she herself does, she is certainly not bothered by a little (or a lot!) of sweat. And so she has no qualms about agreeing with the other joining her. ]

Please be my guest, senpai! I'm just warming up, so our paces should match well!

[bazooker]

[With that, the girl just hopped right onto the bike. Despite how tired she was, she wanted to make sure she kept up with Yoshizawa's pace!]

Yes, let's keep going! [She said before attempting to pedal her way through] But has everything been okay with you? How have you been handling the Void lately?

here come the p5r spoilers!

[feale]

[ It's been a while since she's had someone to chat to properly while working out. The person she probably works out with the most nowadays is Ren, and most of their chatting is saved for after the workout, over a coffee or meal. But before the Void, before the Phantom Thieves, before the mess with her cognition, back when she and Kasumi used to work out together, she and her twin would chat almost the whole time. It's kind of nice to have someone with whom she can do that again!

Her pace doesn't slow, even as she turns her head to look at Haru as she talks. ]

I think I'm still in the process of becoming used to the way things work here, if I'm honest. It's so different from home, and it's always changing so much! Now there's a place that looks kind of like Kichijoji.. have you seen it, senpai?

[bazooker]

[As Haru tried to keep up with her, she was keeping herself steady. She didn't want to overexert herself when she was tired from all the running.]

No, I haven't, I'm afraid I've been busy with cooking that I haven't had the chance to look i-into it!

[She said while trying to catch her breath] Are you thinking of going? I'm curious now you said it!

[feale]

[ It occurs to her that in truth, she and Haru haven't known each other for that long. She shouldn't be surprised about the fact that she doesn't know everything about the other girl, but somehow when Haru mentions cooking, she's surprised enough that her pace falters and slows for a moment, her attention drawn completely away from the Kichijoji-like place newly in the Void. ]

Okumura-senpai... you like to cook? I'm surprised that I didn't know that...

[ A beat, and she remembers that she shouldn't be so rude as to not answer the other's question, continuing: ]

I've been a couple of times now. Actually, I've been thinking about moving into one of the stores there... they look a little like apartments with stalls at the bottom.

[bazooker]

Y-Yes, I do! I was hoping I could have my own restaurant someday with home grown foods! So I have to get ready and start learning how to cook.

[She said between her pants. Although, now that she thought about it, just how much did she know about Haru? They only just known each other, there was a lot they didn't know about each other...]

I see then do you need any help moving? I wouldn't mind helping you!

[feale]

[ Her expression brightens even further at that. ]

Actually, Okumura-senpai, this might surprise you, but I have reasonable cooking skills! It's actually for that reason I thought I might move to Kichijoji... I thought I could live in the apartment and use the stall below it to share food with everyone...

[ A thought strikes her then, and she confirms: ]

I would gratefully accept your help moving! And perhaps... if you'd like to help out when I make things, it would help you to learn?

[bazooker]

That would be wonderful, I would need all the h-help I can get to become better!

[She said as she continued to pedal along. She was still trying her best to catch up but she had to pause. She needed to think about what to say next.]

Especially when I'm not familiar with cooking that well myself!

[feale]

[ The statement earns her a bright smile from Yoshizawa. ]

In that case, we have a deal! I'm still just an amateur, but I've always been told that I have a natural talent for it... I'm sure that there are things we can learn together, too!

[ With that said, she refocuses on pedaling again, trying to build up a proper sweat. ]

[bazooker]

Oh? Mind if I ask what kind of things can you make?

[He said before attempting to pedal even faster. As she felt herself sweating, she just had to keep up the pace!]

All I can do right now is simple dishes such as fried rice or make dumplings! Even then, I don't think I'm that well versed in it!

[feale]

[ She nods, admittedly a little more distracted now than before that her focus is back on their exercise. ]

Yes, of course! Mostly I make different kinds of bento, but Futaba-senpai says my curry is good too. I'm trying to experiment with different things too. It's hard now though... there aren't many types of food here!

[bazooker]

T-Then how about fried rice or just simple soup recipes?

[Haru had to admit, she was starting to get tired. As her pace slows down, she gave a small huff.]

I heard back in America, chicken soup is suppose to be really good for you!

[feale]

[ Yoshizawa's own pace stays on-track; after all, unlike Haru, she is warming up, not cooling down, so the tiredness is nowhere near starting to overtake her.

The mention of chicken soup does cause her to slow down briefly again though, as she turns her gaze to the other. ]

Oh! Especially when someone is sick, right senpai? I'm sure we could try to make it...

[ If they can find chicken, anyway. ]

[bazooker]

[Haru shouldn’t be surprised at her pace. She is a gymnast so it would make sense she had no issue with pedaling after a workout.

Still, Haru was a little embarrassed at how much slower she was now.]

Yes it is but I heard it is also a comfort food too! And I’ve always wanted to make it. It seems easy enough as you just need chicken!

[But yes, where shall they obtain such a thing here?]

[feale]

[ She probably shouldn't be on the bikes for too much longer, if she wants to get a solid workout in after this. But she's enjoying their conversation too much to stop anytime soon, so she keeps pedaling away, nodding thoughtfully in response to Haru's comment. ]

I am sure we could make something similar... After all, there are things here in the Void that are close to chicken in appearance, but, u-um...!

[ As much as she's okay with eating meat, she's not entirely sure she could bring herself to kill an animal in order to eat it... ]

[bazooker]

[As Haru continues to slow down, she gave a small huff. She didn't know how much longer she can keep up. Eventually, she does come to stop.]

I-If not, I'm sure there are some vegetable substitutions! Maybe we can try it with tofu or potatoes instead?

[She's thinking of other alternatives around here!]

[feale]

[ Yoshizawa nods, and when Haru draws to a stop, she slows her pace too, figuring that if her senpai is done, she can consider moving herself over to the floor for a proper routine practice. ]

Yes! And... actually, there are so many mushrooms around here, right? I'm sure we could find a way to use those in a soup as well!

[ Little by little, her pace draws to a halt, and she smiles warmly at Haru. ]

Altogether, I'm sure we could make something really delicious!

[bazooker]

[Once Haru stopped, she gave another huff. Once she got off the bike, she looked back at Yoshizawa with a nervous smile.]

Then how about we make our version with mushrooms instead? I don't think it should be too hard to use mushroom stock!

[Or at least she hoped so. It shouldn't be too difficult right? All the need is some water and some seasoning right??]

[feale]

[ She nods, stepping off the bike a moment later too, taking a moment or two to stretch her arms and legs out before she straightens up to nod at the older girl. ]

I think that will work perfectly, Senpai! I'm sure if we work together we can figure it out.

[ She's never made chicken soup - or mushroom soup either, and in the Void they don't have a recipe book of any sort, but... she has enough knowledge that she should be able to make it work, she thinks. And working together with Haru will only make it even better! ]

[bazooker]

[In return, Haru couldn't help but give a thumbs up in support! It was a good workout and they deserved a some well earned rest!]

I know with mushroom soup, we would need to boil some water and add in various other ingredients such as carrots, potatoes, salt, and pepper too!

[Of course, this was Haru assuming that's how it was made. It shouldn't be too hard to make something so simple, right?]

And we would need to simmer it down for maybe a couple of hours too. You want to see if we can do that after a shower?

[feale]

[ She nods in response. Yes, Haru's idea of how to make mushroom soup sounds perfectly okay to her! Except— ]

It sounds great, Senpai! But before I take a shower, I have to practice my floor routine. I'm sorry! This was actually a warm-up for me... but it shouldn't take me too long and I'll be ready to go, so... perhaps we could meet a little bit later? I have what we need to cook in my apartment, or we can go to the Heavenly Blanc and do it there...

[bazooker]

Goodness, I really admire your determination!

[She said as she stared at her in awe. Athlete or not, the fact that she was still willing to keep at it was amazing!]

No, it's okay, I don't mind meeting up with you later. Perhaps we can do it in your apartment? I'm sure it'll make things a little easier if it's at your place.

[feale]

[ She smiles back at Haru, the expression a little shy. She doesn't really think of her determination as something to be admired, necessarily, it's just that practicing is something she needs to do, something that feels like it's in her blood at this point.

Still, she's trying to get better about rejecting compliments. ]

That sounds great, Senpai! I will see you later there, then!