[b]Kotori Shirohane - Sadaomi Beach | Saturday - Noon[/b]

Kotori wasn't really sure if she should have asked whether the others might want to join her for lunch - in fact, she was almost regretting having said anything to that effect just as soon as she was done speaking. Yet at the same time, she was glad that she had done so - after all, even if no one agreed to stay, she'd at least not be berating herself later on for not having the courage to even ask a simple question.

However, her thoughts on small victories over her own nature were interrupted rather soon - and not in the way she had quite expected when someone stepped closer. Looking up from behind her glasses, Kotori saw that it was Samuru - and as he spoke of making a joint meal with everyone, the surprise she felt became quite evidently legible upon her face as she blinked in silence when the older boy pointed over to his own bag. It took her a moment to realise that it might be rude of herself to not say anything in return, leading her to stumble for words as she quickly nodded: [color=green]"Ah, y-yes, right, uhm, p-please, go ahead."[/color]

As it turned out, Samuru wasn't the only one to respon in such a fashion - Kotori almost jumped when a sudden clap resounded from beside her. Its source was a beaming Kanna whose mood had done a complete turnaround since they'd found the picture he'd been looking for. Her surprise ebbed away and made way for relief at the sight - she had harboured a slight worry that his sudden burst of happiness would only be brief and fade into reserved withdrawal. However, it seemed that he'd shaken any apprehensions off and was instead enjoying himself together with everyone else and seemed to have a smile on his lips whenever Kotori happened to glance over towards him.

Kotori's relief, in turn, was supplanted by a rather rapid reddening of her cheeks when Kanna suddenly complimented her completely out of the blue. [color=green]"Eh? I-tha-uh, ah, n-n-no"[/color] was the most eloquent response she could manage in short order - and making it quite evident that she hadn't the faintest idea how to handle a compliment as her voice trailed off into unintellible mumbles.

Thankfully enough, Kotori was saved from the sudden spot of embarrassment by yet another voice speaking up. Kotori's eyes practically shot up at the chance to somehow shift the topic away from herself - only to betray her surprise yet another time when she saw that it was Rui this time who too had come to join the slowly but surely growing group lunch. [color=green]"Ah, uhm, y-ye-yes, uhm, please, ah, please do"[/color] she said, her voice still quite quiet and unsure following the previous surprise.

Seeing such a large turnout coming for her own proposal did bring a small measure of happiness to Kotori - and even though the sudden colour that had flushed her face hadn't quite died down just yet, a small smile did manage to work its way to her lips as she began unpacking the extra lunches that she'd brought along. Samuru had retrieved his own food in the meantime - and was approaching Kanna once more. However, before Kotori could notice more than that, Rui spoke up once more as he asked the group at large whether anyone wanted something to drink seeing as he was going.

[color=green]"Uhm, no, thank y-you,"[/color] Kotori quickly said, looking around before finding the still full water bottle she'd brought along too. [color=green]"I-I already have some,"[/color] she added with a shake of her head - which was both true and not the sole reason; seeing as she knew she'd probably feel rather guilty for having someone else get something for her when she could do it herself.

Glancing about, Kotori noticed that Samuru had taken Kanna slightly aside - but her momentary worry about the younger boy being intimidated by the older one was quickly put to rest when she noticed that the mood didn't seem quite as stiff as before. Instead, it seemed that they were discussing the Mirror World and their involvement therein - a subject which was quite heavy in and of itself. After all, they still didn't know exactly what that other realm was or really anything about it - only that it seemed actively harmful to any trespassers. On the other hand though, it was the one thing that tied everyone in the group together - and as such was, in a roundabout fashion, the reason they were here at the beach in the first place.

Kotori pondered that thought for a moment - but realised that, ultimately, it wouldn't lead anywhere and instead just shrugged to herself; focusing her attention instead on the food before her - and trying not to criticise her own handiwork too much, even if it was a task doomed to failure from the get go.