Asphyxia Nation

Chapter 4

Shuichi nodded. "...They didn't have tuna, but I hope salmon would do."

Kokichi, in excitement, pried off the top off the container. Tossing it on the floor as he stared with stars shimmering in his violets. Big full rice rolls stared back, with a small pack of soy sauce on the side, the squirt of wasabi, and pile of ginger. Accompanied by chopsticks. He picked them up and split them.

"I almost forgot how to hold these!" He laughed, picking up one roll, with avocado, cucumber and that chunk of salmon. He placed the food bit in his mouth and chewed slowly. Savoring the taste of squishy rice, that slight tang of over-ripened Avacado, and sticking the chopsticks in his mouth to rip open the pack of soy sauce.

It tasted so artificial. But it brought him back home. Back to when for minor holidays, He'd push over a chair to the counter next to Shuichi. They'd pull out all the ingredients and just make the worst sushi ever. But after, when they'd eat it. It either tasted awesome, or they'd end up with a tongue assaulted with bitterness. Their biggest mistake had always been too much of one item.

Salmon ruins sushi if it's more of a quantity than the rice. So he remembers the taste well. There were only six rolls, so Kokichi cherished each one. Even taking bits of wasabi and smearing it on the top. He forgot Shuichi was sitting there, but when he remembered, he looked up to see him smiling softly.

He swallowed the last one and wished there were more. "Ah..." He sighed. "I missed that..."

"Has it really been that long?" Shuichi asked, pulling something else out of the bag he smuggled. Kokichi nodded as he licked his lips. Erasing the salty taste of soy as the last bit of his nostalgic meal.

"I have eaten dry rice and weeks old smoked fish for years." He said in distaste. "I forgot what it tasted like... Actual food is heavenly." At that, Shuichi pulled forward a bottle of something. When his eyes glazed over the brand, he didn't bother hiding his slackened jaw.

"P-Panta...!?" He sputtered breathlessly. Lurching forward and grabbing the grape drink and without hesitation, he screwed open the top and tipped it back into his soda-starved mouth. The fizz buried into his weakened tongue, the grape overwhelming his dry taste-buds into a special place in his heart.

Halfway through the bottle, he gulped down one last rush of childhood. Before wanting to save the rest. "Oh! Shuichi you are my lifesaver!" He exclaimed. Grabbing Shuichi's wrist and kissing the back of his hand. All in a spurt of gratitude. "...I've been reawakened, revived, реанимированный, salvados, erlöst, all by my drink that fuels my very existence."

The string of spat out words had Shuichi tripping into a sudden chuckle. That faded into an extended laugh. This halted Kokichi's moving lips. Spurring his face to jump the color palette to deep pink. "What? Hey, I'm just happy, stop laughing!" he shoved him playfully, but flared with embarrassment.

Shuichi stifled his jests. "N-Nothing, Kokichi, it's nothing... I just miss it too. You, being... You."

Kokichi dropped his head to stare at his lap. "Ah-haha...  Is that it." What else was he to utter? Inadvertently Shuichi said he missed him. Just as much as he missed Shuichi. He looked up, "Where's Kai-diot?"

Shuichi notices the change of subject, and allowed it. Thankfully. "He's hanging out with others. Oh, and, I brought one more thing."

Kokichi watched as Shuichi pulled out two clementines. His smiled returned with appreciation, and he wished he could show how much his heart leaped at the sight. Though, it wasn't just his fruit he loved so much. It was the fact that Shuichi had remembered.