School is almost a breeze, these days, and Ema can only thank her newfound friend. Imai always pops up right on time to save Ema from any of her peers. The friendship was rocky, at first. Ema kept waiting for the other shoe to drop.
She's never had a friend at school.
Rintarou's job took him from country to country. Before he became famous, he had no choice but to seek out adventure in order to make a living. By virtue of being his daughter, Ema was always dragged along with him.
Ema remembers a time when she spent all of a week in the United States of America before Rintarou learned about the catacombs beneath Odessa. The twisted, labyrinthine creation immediately caught his attention and, by Friday, Ema was whisked off to Ukraine.
"Don't they sound amazing?" Rintarou gushed. "They're the largest in the world! Imagine how much wandering there's left to do."
Ema glanced around the room of their brand new apartment, for which Rintarou had yet to even pay the security plain, egg-shell walls were thin enough that she could hear traffic from the nearby highway at night.
Ema hadn't yet gotten used to those noises. Their previous apartment in Wales was surrounded by the whisper-quiet countryside.
"What if you get lost, Daddy?"
Rintarou laughed, yet his hands never stopped moving. The suitcase, thrown haphazardly onto his bed in Rintarou's excitement, was quickly filling up with articles of clothing. The unpacking process hadn't even begun, yet they were already set to move.
"No, no Chi-chan. I would never let that happen."
He knelt down to give Ema a hug before resuming his packing.
"I''ll be done here soon, so bring your backpack and figure out what you want to bring on the plane. It's a long flight."
Ema clutched her hands together tightly, feeling the ghost of his hug envelop her. She took in the apartment around her, the cold tile beneath her feet, and the unadorned, simple wood table at the end of the hallway. She was certain she'd never see this apartment, possibly this part of the country, ever again. Feeling the ghost of her father's hug linger, she entered her room and began packing up her life once more.
Imai feels like a breath of fresh air. She's stepped in between some of Ema's older bullies, who prefer to throw insults at her from afar. She hasn't met Julie just yet, but Ema's certain they'd get along like two peas in a pod.
Ema gives a tentative smile as she steps into the classroom. Imai waves at her from her desk.
"What's up with you today? You look too happy to be here," Imai grouses with a yawn.
Ema giggles. The happy feelings from her talk with Rintarou and her time with the Asahinas haven't gone away. Even the oba-cha across the way commented on her giddiness when she stopped by earlier that morning. That happy feeling lasts for the rest of the week.
Every day, Imai greets her happiness with a strange look, yet she doesn't ever rescind her friendship. The duo share laughs, smiles, and homework answer.
When Rintarou's next call disconnects in the middle of his greeting, Ema doesn't drop her good mood. Imai's company helps dull Ema's loneliness. The promise of a friend who doesn't mind her quirks, who isn't afraid of her bullies, is more than she could ever ask for. For now, that will have to be enough.
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stay healthy!