Etsuko: *enthusiastic* Right? It’s one of my favorite words.

Natsuhiko: You really know those cool-sounding words, don’t you Etsuko?

Etsuko: Well, I do kinda like writing and all that…

Hotaru: *states as if its fact* Math is better than reading and writing classes.

Etsuko: Opinions.

Natsuhiko: I honestly like math better than reading or writing, and I’m a lot better at math, too… but everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses!

Etsuko: Yeah! Mine I think just so happens to be reading and writing.

Hotaru: Yeah, you’re really good at it!

Natsuhiko: Yeah, I agree.

Hotaru: Wanna move on to the next topic?

Etsuko: Alright, this one was suggested by User7838, and it says, ‘What toppings do you typically put on your ice cream?’

Hotaru: RAINBOW SPRINKLES!!!!!

Etsuko: Not so loud Hotaru! You’re killing the people listening to the podcast who are wearing headphones?

Natsuhiko: Yeah, please don’t yell…

Hotaru: But I wike wainbow spwinkwes on my chocowate ice cweam…

Etsuko: *irritably* Stop twiddling your fingers and trying to act all cute and innocent.

Hotaru: Hmph.

Natsuhiko: Honestly, I like caramel or butterscotch drizzle.

Etsuko: I like whipped cream and hot fudge.

All three: And rainbow sprinkles, of course.

Etsuko: Again, why are there so many food topics? Here, let's read another suggestion on a topic; it’ll help me prove my point. This one is by User0298, and it says, ‘What’s your favorite after-school snack to eat?’

Natsuhiko: For me, it kind of depends on the day. If it’s bright and sunny, I’ll have a big bowl of fruit! If it's cold, and/or rainy, I’ll eat a big bowl of rice!

Hotaru: Yummy!! What kind of fruit do you like to eat?

Natsuhiko: I like eating blueberries, bananas, strawberries, and sometimes raspberries… Those are my favorite fruits… blueberries are my ultimate favorite though.

Etsuko: I like eating raspberries, they're my favorite fruit. I also like pineapple, too.

Hotaru: I like chocolate-covered strawberries!

Etsuko: *has the “why am I not surprised” tone of voice* Ooffff course you do.

Hotaru: *mischievous laugh* Chihehehe…

Etsuko: What kind of laugh is that?

Hotaru: Shut up Etsuko! I can laugh however I want!

Natsuhiko: Alright, what’s another topic we can talk about?

Hotaru: This one was suggested by User7987, and it says, ‘Talk about lunches. What is it you typically put in your bento boxes for lunch?’

Natsuhiko: I like to make cute animal shaped designs.

Etsuko: Oh yeah! Today you made a panda rice ball!

Natsuhiko: Oh yeah! I shaped the rice into a panda head, and used seaweed to make the black colorings. It was so cute, I almost felt bad eating it. Almost.

Etsuko: Sometime, I’d love it if you’d teach me how to make those cute animal shapes!

Natsuhiko: Yeah, of course! I already know what you pack in your lunch Etsuko.

Etsuko: *slightly envious* My bento’s are all plain and don’t really have any cute animal shapes…

Natsuhiko: Yeah, but they’re super organized! You’re really good at organizing and *a little guiltily* uh, staying prepared, heh heh…

Etsuko: Yeah.

Hotaru: Let’s face it: without Etsuko, the podcast probably most likely--! *pauses for dramatic effect* Would not exist!

Natsuhiko: Yeah! We have a lot to thank you for. The whole reason this podcast still exists is all thanks to you, Etsuko!

Hotaru: On the count of three, let's all give Etsuko a big thanks! 1… 2… 3!

Natsuhiko and Hotaru: Thank you Etsuko!!

Etsuko: *chuckling* Thanks guys!

Natsuhiko: How do you prepare your bento boxes, Hotaru?

Hotaru: I uh, I’m really bad at cooking so my mom is the one who prepares them for me. They usually contain the usual bento box items, plus yummy mini-cookies to eat for dessert!

Etsuko: Yummy!

Natsuhiko: Yeah, that sounds super yummy!

Hotaru: My mom isn’t just a baker, she’s also really good at cooking, she typically cooks dinner in my house. My dad often helps out, though.

Etsuko: That’s nice. Me and my mom eat out a good amount of the time because the only thing my mom can really cook properly is rice. She’s also afraid of knives and hurting herself, so… yeah.

Natsuhiko: Oh yeah, your parents are divorced, right?

Hotaru: Ohhh! Yeah I forgot your parents are divorced!

Etsuko: *uncomfortable* Well, yeah…

Natsuhiko: *quickly and worriedly* I’m so sorry! That was insensitive of me! I shouldn’t have said anything about it! I didn’t realize it was a touchy subject!! Please forgive me!!

Etsuko: Oh no no no It’s fine Natsuhiko! It’s not your fault! I forgive you!

Natsuhiko: Really?

Etsuko: Yeah, it’s completely fine, I promise.

Natsuhiko: I’m sorry…

Etsuko: *sweetly* I just said it was fine, you’re all good Natsuhiko.

Hotaru: Why don’t we move onto the next topic?

Etsuko: *exasperated* I swear, if it’s another food topic…

Hotaru: It is. All the topics we wrote down are food topics… This is the last topic I think we wrote down.

Etsuko: Why so many food topics?

Hotaru: I dunno.

Natsuhiko: Well, maybe people just really like food?

Etsuko: I feel like nowadays people just think with their stomachs, y’know? Maybe the people listening to this podcast are just really hungry? Or their eating as they listen to us?

Natsuhiko: Maybe… hmm….

Hotaru: Should we answer this last topic, and then end with our improved outro?

Etsuko: Alright! What is it?

Hotaru: This one’s suggested by User9936, and it says, ‘What is everyone’s favorite kind of tea, and what is the best thing to go with tea?’

Natsuhiko: I like putting honey in my green teas.

Etsuko: I like having little cakes and fruit with my tea. Sometimes even fruitcakes! Though, most of the time, I just have my tea as is, with not much to have with it. I’m not that fancy… though I do wish.

Hotaru: Did you know dipping chocolate mini-cookies in tea is really good? It really is!

Natsuhiko: Yum! I’ll have to try that!

Etsuko: Of course you pair chocolate mini-cookies with tea… What tea do you like?

Hotaru: Does chocolate tea exist?

Etsuko: Actually, yeah, it does.

Hotaru: Then that.

Etsuko: *facepalm* What did I expect?

Natsuhiko: I like sweet teas and herbal teas. I also like vanilla tea…

Etsuko: Yeah, you really do like tea, don’t you Natsuhiko?

Natsuhiko: I do. It’s really calming. As I’m drinking tea, sometimes I just like to listen to some nice acoustic soft songs, y’know?

Etsuko: That sounds nice.

Natsuhiko: What teas do you like, Etsuko?

Etsuko: I kinda like milk teas, kinda like bubble tea and stuff.

Natsuhiko: *flashback* I choked on the tapioca pearls…

Hotaru: Nooo Natsuhiko don’t you dare choke on us!

Natsuhiko: *reassuringly* I’m not choking right now, it’s all good!

Hotaru: That’s good. Don’t choke, ‘kay?

Natsuhiko: ‘kay!

Etsuko: Hey, wanna wrap it up now? Just ‘cause, this podcast is getting pretty long, isn’t it?

Hotaru: Yeah.

Etsuko: Alright then!
Hotaru: Well, that’s it for today’s episode of the After-School Podcast!

Natsuhiko: I really hope you enjoyed your time here!

Etsuko: And we hope to see you next Monday!

All three: *in better sync than usual* See you next time!