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"How was America Eiji?" Eiji's mother hummed as she flipped the fried fish on the tiny, rectangular skillet.
Photos and a few articles of clothing scattered on the wooden flooring of the home. Eiji sat beside the luggage, assembling the camera and placing it next to the television stand. His sister began picking up the loose photos off the ground as she nibbled on a bag of seaweed chips.
"It was amazing, I'll never forget the I met people and the experience there" Eiji forms a grin, reminiscing the moments in America with the people he loved. Ash's face forms in his mind as a tint blush forms on his cheeks.
While Eiji began daydreaming of events in America, his sister began analyzing the photos Eiji had brought home.
"Well, you certainly got hurt- I thought you would get out of trouble from your last accident" Eiji's mom referred to his pole vaulting incident that influenced the trip to New York.
"I am not scared of getting hurt now, mom" Eiji frowned.
"Who's the blond dude?" Eiji's sister questioned as she smeared her greasy finger onto the photo. She dug her hand once more into the bag of oily seaweed chips watching Eiji quickly glimpse at her with huge eyes.
"H-Hey! Your fingers are getting all over that!" Eiji's doe eyes widen at the sight of his sister crease the photo between her chubby fingers.
In attempts to grab the image from his sister's hands, his thighs begin to burn. In realization, he slips on the wooden flooring due to his socks and weak legs, faceplanting into the pile of clothing. His sister laughs promptly, spilling a few chips onto the ground.
"Young lady, drop those chips on the floor again and you'll have to clean them and the house" Eiji's mom shouted as oil began to pop in the skillet. Besides the rectangular skillet, she stirred the boiling soup that contained seaweed, tofu, and fish broth.
Eiji's sister begun to whine noisily, picking up the chips from the floor and discarding them into a nearby waste bin. Eiji pulls the photo from his sister's greasy fingers as he wipes it gently with the bottom of his shirt.
"The blond dude is Ash. He is a good friend of mine I made in New York" Eiji finds himself tearing up at the photo. It was a frozen memory he held in his fingers. Ash and him with broad smiles with the horrendous hotdog he ate. A sunset formed behind them as they stood beside a railing that leads to the ocean. His face shifted to sour expression- remembering the taste of the hotdog.
"Are the hotdogs good there? I heard pizza is good there" his sister shoved a finger at the photo, pointing at the hotdog garnished with mustard.
"It was DISGUSTING. The pizza wasn't that bad" Eiji spat, pouting at the thought of eating a hotdog with mustard again.
"You're too Asian that's why! You have to act white-wash" his sister began to imitate an American accent.
"Shut-up" Eiji sighed as he ripped the bag of chips from her. He teasingly holds the bag up in the air, watching his sister struggle to grab it from him.
"No snacks before dinner" Eiji's mom brought the fried fish to a porcelain plate that had blue decorated flowers around the brim with a paper towel in it, "help set the table."
Eiji's sister ran up to the petite table as she brought plates and bowls that had a similar flower design from the cabinets beside the stove.
As Eiji and his sister place the fried fish into the rectangular porcelain plates, his father comes out from his room. He takes a whiff of the scent of the soup and fish from the kitchen that had made its way to the dining table.
"Why didn't we make Eiji's favorite tonight?" his father walks into the kitchen, placing a kiss on his mother's cheek.
"Oh my god- you're right! I am so sorry Eiji- I totally forgot!" his mother bit her lip as she pours the soup into the fourth bowl.
Eiji smiles cheerfully, unveiling his bunny-like teeth, "It's alright mom! I love fried fish anyways. Way better than the hotdog I ate back at New York"
Eiji and his family start to laugh as they settle down at the nearby dining table. The conversation between Eiji and his family go from one subject to another. Eiji explains the adventures he went through in New York and California and Massachusetts, blushing from time to time. The expressions that formed on his parent's faces shift from sadness to awe.
"You probably survived all those fights due to my lucky charm!" his sister triumphantly stated, her back became straight as ever.
"It was a good luck charm for LOVE, you idiot" Eiji slapped the back of her head as she began to lash out.
They began to laugh again as Eiji's laugh slowed- noticing the untouched TV that sat in front of them.
Eiji glances up to the television that is directed towards the dining furniture, "Can we--uhm-- turn on the television to New York news? I want to see how they are or if everything has settled down"
His parents look at each other as they both nod. Eiji picks up the slick, black remote, and switches on the television- replacing the black monitor. He starts to look for the New York news- finally finding one station that provided it.
The news seemed pretty ordinary, nothing has changed. Some gang fights here and there and establishing Dino's death was confirmed.
As he thought, nothing has changed since he left. Everything was the same- as if the whole trip was meaningless. He was back at the same spot he was last time. The only thing that changed was his motivation to start pole vaulting again. He found his drive- being to fly for Ash.
"I should be grateful" Eiji mumbles, biting a piece of the fried fish that laid across the mount of rice in his bowl.
"A young man predicted to be eighteen, was found bleeding in the New York library. Luckily he was bleeding from somewhere not as vital. Although, he could be dead from bleeding for a while without being treated. It is unknown if he survived or not" a woman states as she shows an image of a blond man lay lifelessly in a stretcher.
The piece of fried fish falls from Eiji's lips, falling onto the wooden table. His lips begin to quiver, watching the screen switch to the announcer to the view of the blond boy in the beige trench coat. The words of the announcer sounded slurred in Eiji's mind. He felt his fingers tremble on their own. Likewise, his vision begins to blur- eyes suffocating from the salty tears. He felt as if he was choking for air- throat parched and unable to digest the fish from earlier. His hands shakily clamp his mouth, darting to the closest restroom. His legs move on their own without the wheelchair- unbothered by the familiar needles that puncture his legs.
Slamming open the door, he clenches the sink as tears fall unwillingly into the bowl. Making eye contact with himself in the mirror, Eiji speaks to himself in the reflector as his mind fogs from the thoughts of what maybe happened to Ash.
"I leave your side for a day and you get yourself killed..." Eiji sobs into his hands that are soaking wet now. Snot runs from his nose, dripping into the sink.
EP25 | 02
finding gifs that relate to the chapter is hard :minjooni3
