Emi struggled to wake up and get moving.

Part of her was so excited to see him.

Part of her was worried. 

Nervous. 

How many times in the past year had they spoken without a complication? 

With these thoughts in her head, she continued to prepare herself for the day. 

Emi gently grasped the hotel room door handle, trying to open it gently. 

"Emi?" she heard a soft voice sound out. 

She turned around and saw Haru, her hair sticking all over the place, and half lidded eyes. 

"今出かけるの？" ( Are you going out, now? ) she asked.

"はい。" ( Yes. )

Haru hummed gently, her eyes closing once more.

"楽しい。" ( Have fun. ) she said, falling back, and drifting back into sleep.

Emi hummed gently and stepped out of the room.

As she approached the elevator, she paused.

She blinked for a moment, before turning her head towards the stair case.

She looked down, exhaling before deciding which one to take.

As she reached the bottom of the stair case, she looked up into the lobby.

American people rushing out of the building.

American people sitting, conversing, eating...

It was all... So new.

They were all human just like her, and they did the same things just... differently.

Faster?

She wasn't sure.

But as she began dazily walking through the lobby, observing everything as she passed it, she was broken from her thoughts when she bumped into someone.

She bowed down, "I'm very sorry."

A laugh.

She looked up quickly, meeting Sota's eyes.

"Sota?" she questioned aloud.

He smiled sincerely at her, tilting his head to the side.

"Good morning."

"What are you doing up so early?" she asked.

He scratched the back of his neck.

"I couldn't sleep much. I got restless. Walked around a bit." he explained.

Emi nodded, humming gently.

Sota glanced at Emi, watching as her eyes gazed around the lobby.

Sota looked down, resting his eyes on the small box of chopped fruit he held.

He gently pushed it forward, causing Emi to look down at it and grab it.

He let go as she gazed up at him in confusion.

"What is this?" she asked, curiously.

"Fruit."

"For me?" she asked.

He nodded.

She let out a light, airy laugh.

"You didn't have to."

He waved it off.

"You have a big day ahead of you. You need the energy."

"You need the energy more. You're going to tour your campus, soon." she fought back.

He just laughed.

"I'm not nervous." he said.

"Really?" Emi asked, skeptically.

He smiled, something Emi couldn't identify laying behind his eyes.

"Maybe a little. But I have-"

He paused.

"My two best friends here."

"So," he began to speak again. "I couldn't ask for anything else."

Emi smiled, punching his arm softly.

"Alright," she began. "The least you can do is eat this with me, hm?" she suggested.

"Don't you-?" he began to gesture to the front doors of the hotel.

Without looking at the clock she spoke, "I've got time."

He stared into her eyes for a moment before letting out a light laugh.

"Okay... Okay." he laughed again, as the pair sat down on one of the sofas in the lobby, opening the box and beginning to eat bits of the fruit.

Everything tasted so different when you traveled.

Even fruits.

Never the less, they were delicious, and Emi felt her mind begin to ease as she continued to eat.

Only a few minutes had passed before his figure walked through the doors.

He walked through, looking around for her.

Emi spotted him, feeling her nerves slightly returning to her body.

She stood up, smoothing out her shirt gently.

Sota stood as well, eyes fixed on Joji's frame.

Joji spotted Emi, beginning to gently jog over to her.

He spotted Sota, nodding his head at him.

Sota nodded back.

"Hey," he said to Emi. "Ready to go?" he asked.

"Yeah." she replied, glancing back at Sota.

"Have fun today, don't let Haru sleep in too long." Emi said.

It was odd looking back and forth between the two.

Sota was much taller than Joji.

Broader.

"I won't." he replied.

To which part of her sentence, she didn't know.

"Stay safe." Sota ruffled the top of her hair.

Emi laughed. "You, too. See you." she said.

As she turned to Joji, Sota grabbed her wrist.

"Hey," he spoke quietly, as if Joji was not meant to hear.

"Call me if you need anything, alright?" he spoke.

"Of course." Emi smiled, oblivious to the tone in his voice.

He gently hit her shoulder as she turned around and walked towards Joji.

Sota's eyes met Joji's.

The two men gazed at each other with caution.

"Where are we headed first?" Emi asked.

Joji turned away from Sota.

"Coffee shop." he said.

Emi smiled.

"Let's go."