Plastic Taste { Joji a.u. }

the one where something calls her

He never did come visit for that summer.

It upset her, terribly.

Slowly, their contact was becoming less and less.

A single text a day turned into a single text every few days... Then one every week... Then maybe a phone call every few weeks... If she were lucky, a Skype call every month.

She was wiping down the counter when the bell rung above the door.

She glanced at her watch.

It should be Tomoko.

She glanced up and smiled widely as the old man shook his umbrella, making his way in.

She moved from behind the counter and walked to greet him and take his coat.

"こんにちは、おとこ！" ( Hello, Tomoko! )

He let out a happy laugh as he embraced her gently.

"こんにちは、Emi。"  ( Hello, Emi ! )

"お元気ですか？" ( How are you? ) she asked him, hanging up his coat as he took a seat at his normal table.

He was the only one in the shop right now.

"私？大丈夫です！お元気ですか？" ( Me? I'm fine! How are you? ) he asked.

She moved to make him a nice cup of hot cocoa.

"私は大丈夫だ。私はあなたにホットチョコレートを作っています。あなたはマカロンをしたいですか？"  ( I'm alright. I'm making you a hot chocolate. Do you want macaroons? ) she asked him.

Her macaroons were his favorite.

He loved all of them, and would usually buy assortments of all kinds, but his favorite were the cookies and cream ones that Emi was exceptional at making.

Tomoko nodded, his smile ever shining upon his old face.

She served the cookies and cream macaroons onto a plate, grabbing the hot chocolate and placing them in front of the elder.

"Ahh!" he let out, picking one up and bringing it up to his mouth.

He took a bite out of it, and held it in his hand as he sat back in the chair, glancing out the window.

"そう、"  ( So, ) he began, finishing off the small macaroon.

"その少年はどうですか？" ( How is that boy? ) he asked.

Emi faltered in wiping the counter.

"彼は大丈夫だと思います。" ( He's fine... I think. )

Tomoko raised an eyebrow.

"あなたは考える？" ( You think? ) he asked.

Emi nodded.

"私は本当に...彼ともっと話すことはもうありません。" ( I don't... really... get to talk much to him, anymore... ) she stated sadly, remembering how his lips felt on hers as she gulped and continued to wipe down the counter.

Tomoko nodded.

"何故ですか？" ( Why is that? ) he wondered aloud.

Emi shifted her uniform a bit.

"私が正直なら、私は本当に知っていません。彼はちょうど一種の...私は彼の人生を大切にしていることを知っています。私は彼とすべてを誇りに思っています...しかし... ..." ( I don't really know, if I'm honest. He just sort of... Stopped talking to me as often as he used to... I know that he has his life to take care of, and I'm proud of him and all... But... I just... )

Emi began to feel  that familiar weight in her chest again.

The one that made her want to sit down.

The one that pulled her to the ground, and bound her to it, willing her to never again rise and face the world.

The one that made her feel like she was made to lay on her back, the one where she imagined herself doing just that, and George kneeling next to her as he pushed against her chest, pinning her to the ground.

That was the weight that she felt.

"私の考えを知りたいですか？" ( Do you know what I think? ) he said, picking up another macaroon and examining its white and black color.

"え？" ( Hm? )

"私はあなたが今夜彼に電話するべきだと思います。" ( I think you should call him tonight. )

Emi tilted her head to the side.

"あなたはそれを何と言いますか？ "  ( What makes you say that? ) she asked, putting down the rag.

He glanced outside, then back at Emi.

"彼は今あなたが必要です。" (  He needs you right now. )

Those words did something to Emi, that she couldn't quite describe.

She did know one thing, though.

She was determined to call him that very night.