School is boring. Not just boring, its uneventful. Ema goes about her day in a tired daze. She ignores the mean whispers from her classmates and the way Sasakura Kazuma throws a piece of paper at the back of her head with a scribbled sketch of her new haircut.
It's a detailed stick figure with hair like a porcupine. Ema scowls.
He's one to talk. She gives a sidelong glance at the spikes of hair jutting out of his head.
Normally, Ema wouldn't resort to name-calling, even in her own head. She doesn't care that the sketch is unflattering. But...Louis worked hard to turn her impromptu haircut into something beautiful. And he was so proud of his work that he showed it off to the entire family.
This isn't fair! Louis deserves credit for his talent!
Ema resolves to do her best to ignore the drawing. Instead, she thinks of Natsume's concern, of helping Ukyo in the kitchen, and daydreams about having one of the Asahinas here to protect her and fend off the bullies.
But that's never gonna happen. I'm never going to see them again. Ema sniffles and wipes her eyes at the memory. It's only been a few days, but she already feels like she took her time at the Sunshine Residence for granted.
"Are you okay?"
At first, Ema thinks it's Juli whispering to her out of the depths of her backpack. She peeks beneath the flap and sees a scrunched up ball of fur peeking out from behind a textbook.
"Pssst, are you okay?" The voice repeats itself.
Ema glances to her left and sees a girl with similarly short hair cut in a stylishly blunt bob. It's the new girl, the one who proudly bowed to the entire class and asked them to treat her nicely just this morning.
Ema thinks back to the introduction, but she can't remember the girl's name. Anyway, she's had enough of her classmates seeing her cry. Just this once, she'll hold in the tears.
"Yes, thank you." She obviously shifts her eyes back to the lesson at the front of the classroom. The girl frowns but follows Ema's cue.
Besides that, classes proceed as usual.
She takes dutiful notes and only hunches slightly at the occasional jeer. The socks of her uniform are comfortably dry. Apparently, Ukyo had them laundered as she was sleeping.
Finally, lunch begins. Ema sets one of the containers of food Ukyo sent her home with and prepares to dig in. The smell of the chicken, covered in some kind of glazed sauce, is sweet and tangy.
Her mouth is watering when the scrape of a chair catches her attention. Ema looks up, startled.
"Hi there!" It's the new girl again. She smiles at her and bows in greeting. The eye-catchingly bright pink scrunchie on the top of her head bounces with the movement.
Ema wasn't raised to be rude, doesn't believe in ignoring others.
"Hello..."
She isn't sure how to continue.
"My name is Imai Mahoko. I just transferred here."
Oh, that's right! How could I forget her name...
Ema tries to shake off the guilty look on her face and introduces herself. She's sure Imai won't stick around her for long when she sees how the other children treat her. Nobody wants to be friends with the local pariah. That just invites bullying by proxy.
But, how could she forget this girl's name already? As an apology, she should let Imai sit with her, even if it will just be the one time.
Maybe for now, she can enjoy the company of a temporary friend.
"So where did you say you were from, Imai-san? Maybe my daddy's been there before."
.
.
.
The school day soon ends and Ema bids Mahoko goodbye. She bounces out of school, steps light, and hums. The sky is a dreary, ominous grey. Ema scowls and imagines that she will soon be soaked in raindrops yet again.
She quickens her pace, eyes on the sky, and gets lost in looking out for the upcoming rainstorm.
I wish I had an umbrella, she thinks.
Ema can feel Juli latch onto her coat with his claws and clamber onto her shoulder. He must have popped out from her school bag when she wasn't paying attention.
"Chi-chan? Where are we?" Juli speaks up next to her ear.
"Huh?"
Ema looks around. They should be a few blocks away rfom her little apartment. She swivels her head back and forth and blinks, trying to tear the grey haze away from her eyes.
Instead, her feet lead her to...a park. The same park where she first met Subaru-san and Natsume-san.
"Oh. I should...um." Ema dawdles uncertainly. Something is pulling her back to the Asahinas. Whether that's a sense of homesickness or loneliness or the uncertainty of a little girl who hasn't been doted on or surrounded by a family in what feels like a lifetime, she doesn't know.
Either way, Ema remembers the pathway to the cul-de-sac where the Sunshine Residence is located. Like a helpless sunflower attracted by the bright, radiant sun rays, she move toward the feelings of safety and home.
mahoko is canonically a friend of Ema's from high school. kazuma is also a canon character