[Ciara]
Around 10:30 in the morning on January 5th, Wataru receives a text from 
Satoshi:

"Hi!  I'm in Maine.  My flight from Chicago got delayed, but I made it.  
Still at the airport, waiting for the bus to campus."

If Wataru stops to think about it for a moment, he'd realize that this 
is, in fact, a message from Satoshi's cell phone, which is kind of weird 
given that Japanese cell phones generally don't work on American 
networks.  Then again, maybe he's just so happy to hear from Satoshi that 
he doesn't notice!

[Jihatsu]
Wataru's heart leaps! Ommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmggggg. He's writing to me from 
the AIRPORT. He hasn't forgotten me!!!

Wataru rubs the damp palms of his hands on his jeans, looking for 
composure. Can't be a doof now! It's the first day of school but he has a 
free morning, and took advantage of it, so now he's sitting on the edge 
of his bed (no futons for him, no way) in just a pair of jeans, and was 
debating t-shirts when his phone buzzed.

Satoshi!! <3

_Hey! Glad to hear you got in safe - Chicago weather can be a bitch!_

He backtracks. Wrong tone.

_Hey! Glad to hear you got in safe - Chicago weather can be quite 
something!_ Too lame. _Chicago weather can be intense!_ There, that's 
good. He continues:

_I've met some more friends of yours since you left. Busy week. Wanna 
talk about it later?_ No, of course he won't. He's super jetlagged and 
busy and probably thinking about hockey already. _Busy week. I think I'll 
have a lot to say when we video chat!_ Is that too presumptuous? Shit, he 
never went out and bought that webcam! He probably just has time to get 
it before school starts, if he hurries!

He presses send and pulls on a t-shirt at random, then shimmies into his 
navy Waseda sweater and goes about finding socks.

[Ciara]
A few minutes later, there's a response:

"I'd like to see Chicago someday, but not in winter.  But yeah, can talk 
stuff this week.  I'll let you know my schedule when I have a better idea 
of it."

Then a second message.  "I'm glad you're meeting up with them. :)"

[Jihatsu]
_Sweet! Yeah, let me know re:scheduling. Kaede and Akemi yesterday, 
Haruko upcoming Friday._

He sends, then pockets the phone and makes sure he has his wallet and 
keys before going for his shoes in the genkan! Upon which he quickly 
adds, as an important afterthought,

_I'm giving her her card back. :)_

[Ciara]
A few more minutes pass before the next response: "Kaede and Akemi, huh?  
You'll have to tell me about that later.  And I'm happy you're giving 
back the card.  Means a lot to me."

Then: "Bus here."

[Jihatsu]
Wataru pauses a few blocks from the electronics store when his phone 
buzzes. 

_Okay! Good luck getting home, and otsukare sama deshita! Take care, 
Satoshi_

[Ciara]
Forty-five minutes later, there's one last message: "Back in the dorms.  
Gonna crash now.  Talk to you later!"

Satoshi does not, however, immediately crash; he boots up his laptop and 
sends an e-mail reply to the group letting them know he's in safely.  
(Said e-mail will be posted in the other thread after folks have done any 
January 4th/early 5th followup.)

[Jihatsu]
Wataru dutifully tries not to imagine Satoshi all freshly showered in an 
old t-shirt and pyjama bottoms, and texts, _Good night!_