Plastic Taste { Joji a.u. }

the one with the news

Sota ran as fast as he could. 

Down the campus corridors, down the long walk ways, cutting through buildings to get to the spot that he always sat at with Emi and Haru. 

When they were in sight, he ran a little faster. 

Emi and Haru looked up from their lunches, standing quickly when they saw Sota. 

"大丈夫ですか？" ( Are you okay?! ) Haru shouted frantically as the tall man grew closer.

He skid to a stop in front of them, grabbing both of their arms, a wild look in his eyes.

He looked excitedly at the girls, his excitement bubbling up and making him bounce.

"I just got done talking with coach," he breathed heavily. 

"そして？" ( And? ) Haru asked, eyes going wide.

He looked lovingly into Emi and Haru's eyes, back and forth.

He stepped forward, grabbing either of their shoulders again.

He looked down, laughed, took a deep breath, and looked up at the girls.

"I made it."

Emi and Haru's eyes widened as they looked at each other.

A moment later, the girls erupted into elated screams.

They jumped up, cheering as they wrapped their arms around Sota.

He laughed happily as the girls bombarded him with affection.

As they continued to cheer, and jump, Sota picked up both the girls, spinning them around.

When they were set back down, he backed them up.

"I'm going to New York." he said, still not believing that he had made it, and won a spot for the summer to go to New York and play and practice with actual professional teams.

He looked at the girls excited faces and felt the happiest he'd ever felt in his whole life.

"Oh!" he said, remembering another little detail.

"I get to take a plus one." he smiled.

Before the girls could respond, he turned to Emi.

"Would you like to come to New York with me?" he asked.

"Hey!" Haru said, hitting his arm.

He laughed and blew a fake kiss to her, which she proceeded to catch and throw on the floor.

He laughed again.

Turning back to Emi, hope in his eyes, he smiled softly at her.

"Who would want to watch you anyways." Haru said, crossing her arms and turning her head away dramatically.

Emi looked up at him.

"Actually..." she began.

Sota raised his eyebrows.

"I'm... Already supposed to go to New York... I have money saved up and everything... I'm supposed to go out there and visit a-" she contemplated her next word. "Friend."

"When do you leave?" he asked.

Haru also turned her attention to the girl.

"Whenever you leave, I guess. I hadn't picked a date yet." She gave him a sweet smile.

"So I can be your plus one and we can all go to New York, together! Ah!" Haru screamed in revelation, clapping her hands together and nodding.

"Sorry, what happened to, 'who would want to watch you anyways' ?" Sota asked, mimicking her earlier tone.

"That was in the past!" She furrowed her eyebrows. "Now, I made you a celebration Bento, sit down before it gets too cold!" She continued, hitting his arm and motioning towards the table.

He shoved her arm lightly to which she responded with by fake punching him.

He pretended to take the hit, holding his face in fake pain.

Emi smiled as she watched the two bicker.

Her smile broke a little bit, knowing that New York held a certain someone who she hadn't seen or heard from in quite some time now.

She brought out her phone, bringing up his contact.

She stared at the message bar for a few short moments before turning off the phone screen, and sitting down next to Sota.

'Eventually..." she thought to herself.

'I'll face this eventually.'