[Chizuru's been spending the majority of her free time this past week folding square pieces of paper, all varying in pattern or color. Little birds lined up beside her as she sat on her bedroom floor in proper seiza style.]

Where I come from, it's said that anyone who folds a thousand paper cranes will be granted a long life of prosperity and health, free of injury and illness.

[She sets aside another paper crane, placing it in an orderly fashion beside the others.]

At first, I thought it was because my name meant 'thousand paper cranes' that I've never really been sick--[And that her injuries heal instantly...] But now I think that it's the other way around.

[She flinches, her finger snapping back and flying to her lip as she stops the blood coming from the hair-fine cut the paper's edge gave her. It's more out of habit, pantomiming the action...as long as her tongue didn't prod at the cut and encourage more blood, then it would be gone in a moment.

...and yup. All gone. Give it a few more seconds...gripping her hand into a fist and digging it into the folds of her hakama, she gave her audience an uneasy smile and went back to folding--but more carefully, slower, this time.]

It's also said a crane will grant your wish if you fold all of them. [Slowly sighing through her nose, Chizuru looks up in thought.] Though what to wish for...I'm not really sure.

[Anyway!] Does anyone have this tradition where they come from? Or perhaps some other New Year's traditions of your own?

[Chizuru seems uncomfortable appearing on the network - and not in the usual "Chizuru being socially awkward" way. Like, in the squirmy, shifty, ants-in-your-pants uncomfortable way. Why can't she seem to sit still?]

I think I need some--I mean, where can I find binding fabric? Bandages tend to work just fine, but typically something a little less stretchy, thicker, stiffer fabric--for binding my breasts down, I mean. [In case it wasn't obvious.]

[She looks up in thought, digressing to an aside.] ...though I guess dressing as a boy isn't entirely necessary here. It's not exactly Kyoto or anything...[Allegedly it's just as dangerous, but Chizuru's yet to see that for herself.]

Ahaha...! [Oops, was she talking to herself?] I dunno, what do you think? I haven't worn girl's clothes in a few years now...I don't even know what'd be considered 'normal' for a girl my age to wear these days? Should I aim for kimono like back home, or should I aim to dress like--well, whatever the "natives" here are...[Hmm. Are there any natives? Everyone dresses so differently here, it's hard to tell who's from where.]

What do you think? Should I just stick with what I know? [Though dressing like a girl...well, she did kind of miss it, but she doesn't want to make her housemates uncomfortable with it.]