Kyuusei Chapter 3: Otousan
Our house is the average American house on an average American street in an average American subdivision. 2 floors, a short driveway, and a quaint, modest little back yard.
"We're home," said Mom, kicking off her shoes, as she threw open the door, her arms laddened with groceries. "And we got food!"
I hadn't noticed that Mom had gotten food, but now that she mentioned it, on the ride home, I could totally smell cooked, hot ramen in takeout bowls. My little brother, Hinoki, and my older brother, Makoto, came in to sit down and eat. Hinoki , 6 years old, ran in, leaped into his seat, and looked longingly at the food, while Makoto, who was 17, slid into his seat quietly and waited patiently.
Dad waltzed in, excited to tell us about his first work day and excited to know about our school one. As soon as we sat down, Hinoki, who sat between Makoto and I, seized our hands to pray. I grabbed Dad's from across the table and Makoto did the same to Mom.
After the prayer, the ramen was dished out and everyone stirred some leftover meat from the night before in it to give it more favor.
"How was everyone's day?" Dad asked I Japanese, taking off his glasses so he could eat. I handed him mine and he set them aside on an extra chair.
Hinoki was the first to speak between mouthfuls of ramen. "My class was too hard," he said, munching away, on his knees in his seat so he could see everyone. "They talked about American government and," he paused, "and the legislature branch, whatever that is."
"I aced all my classes," was all Makoto said. He was texting his friend, Narushi, who was back in Japan. He put away his phone and began eating, brushing his dark brown bangs out of his eyes.
Mom said she had a fine day, but nothing really exciting happened. I was thankful she didn't mention the bullies to Dad. Dad was brains but no brawn.
"I... had an okay day," I said, not wanting to think about the school day or John Michael. "How about you, Dad?"
"Oh, nothing much, really! Unless count a medical breakthrough," Dad said excitedly, but also a little mysteriously, so one of us would beg him to tell us more.
"Ooh!" it was Mom who cracked. "What happened, honey?"
Dad grinned. "Some med students came over. And while they were there, my lab had their first major breakthrough in 15 years!"
"That's awesome!" Mom said excitedly, and in her excitement, she accidently knocked over her glass of green tea. Right away, Makoto caught the glass and started cleaning. Makoto was the black sheep of the family, but that didn't keep him from constantly helping Mom.
I smiled and said to Dad, 'It's because you were there."
He smiled, "You think so?"
'I know so, Dad, you are smartest person here." Dad had graduated from Yale after all.
After dinner, Dad went out to play baseball with Hinoki. The sky was getting darker by the minute, but Hinoki still insisted on going out to play with Dad. Makoto went to take a shower and then go to bed, since he had a huge review test the next day. I went upstairs to my bedroom to check my phone messages.
I flicked on the light. It was a large room, painted teal on 2 walls and pastel green on the other 2. The large 2 window that let me see the front yard in one and the back yard in other had their heavy curtains drawn across them. In the middle was a big green bed with thick teal drapes around it. I had taken my shoes off at the door of the house and left them in a neat little row with the rest of my family's shoes, so I ran across the soft carpet and threw myself on my bed.
Shiriusu, the dog my Dad got me, leaped on me. He had been lying on my bed until I had crashed onto it.
"Hey, Shiriusu," I said. He licked me and started panting as I flung myself across the bed, closing the drapes, and I checked my messages.
I literally spat out the Jolly Rancher I was sucking on as I saw who had been sending the messages that had made me silence my phone cuz there were so many.
JOHN MICHAEL JONES
| 10 new messages |
| Hi Yumeka how r u |
| Srry about today, didnt know that would offend u |
| um can u respond plz? |
| Like I said, Im srry, ok? |
| talk 2 u tmrrw @ school ;) |
| plz dont ignore me |
|
| I wanna be ure friend is that ok? |
| btw what does akachan mean |
| (Sent at 7:32, August 1st) |
YUMEKA HARUESAKI
| How did you get my number?! I don't remember giving it to you, creep. |
| (Sent at 8:35PM, August 1st) |
JOHN MICHAEL JONES
| 1 new message |
| I saw it when ure mum texted u plus u had it written on a sticky note in ure locker, so I saw that 2 |
| (Sent at 8:35PM, August 1st) |
YUMEKA HARUESAKI
| Still doesn't explain why'd you want to text me |
| No, you can't be my friend. |
| (Sent at 8:37PM, August 1st) |
JOHN MICHAEL JONES
| 3 new messages |
| Y not? U need a friend ;) |
| Listen I moved from europe |
| so u need someone whose gone thru what u have |
| (Sent at 8:37PM, August 1st) |
YUMEKA HARUESAKI
| I do not need a friend! I have my family you know |
| And moving from Europe isn't the same as moving from Japan |
| Plus you didn't have to learn a different language |
| (Sent at 8:40PM, August 1st) |
JOHN MICHAEL JONES
| 4 new messages |
| I did have to learn a new language |
| im from paris but I was young so I learned english pretty quickly |
| btw how did you learn english so quickly |
| I read the poem u wrote during lunch ure english is beautiful |
| (Sent at 8:45PM, August 1st) |
YUMEKA HARUESAKI
| And your English needs improvement LOL |
| We just moved from Japan but I bet you didn't know students have to take English as a subject |
| That's why I'm good at English |
| BTW don't look at my poems! |
| (Sent at 8:50PM, August 1st) |
JOHN MICHAEL JONES
| 2 new messages |
| Oh so thats y |
| can u plz talk 2 me @ school tomorrow ok, bring some poems maybe haikus, isnt that a jap thing |
| (Sent at 8:53PM, August 1st) |
YUMEKA HARUESAKI
| Ugh IDK John |
| (Sent at 8:55PM, August 1st) |
JOHN MICHAEL JONES
| 1 new message |
| Its Michael |
| (Sent at 8:55PM, August 1st) |
YUMEKA HARUESAKI
| Okay Michael... |
| I'll talk to you tomorrow. |
| But promise me a few things |
| Okay? |
| (Sent at 8:58PM, August 1st) |
JOHN MICHAEL JONES
| 1 new message |
| Sure, what is it |
| (Sent at 9:01PM, August 1st) |
YUMEKA HARUESAKI
| Okay then |
| First off don't call me a cute little Jap |
| and two |
| fix your English, it bothers me. |
| (Sent at 9:03PM, August 1st) |
JOHN MICHAEL JONES
| 1 new message |
| Okay Yumeka. See you tomorrow |
| (Sent at 9:05PM, August 1st) |
I waited a few minutes before turning off my phone and hooking it up to it's charging station on my bedside table. I heard the shower go off in the distance as I turned around to face Shiriusu. He made a little whimper. Coming from a pitbull dog, it was surprising, but I paid no mind to it and stroked his ears.
Even though he was my dog, he wasn't any comfort because he was just another American thing in this American world.
___________________________________________________
Hope you enjoyed it and to be cont.!
Links to Chapter 1:https://www.kidzsearch.com/questions/34996/kyuusei-chapter-1-hedateru
Link to Chapter 2: https://www.kidzsearch.com/questions/35072/kyuusei-chapter-2-tekishitsu
Link to Chapter 3: https://www.kidzsearch.com/questions/35077/kyuusei-chapter-3-otousan
Link to chapter 1 translation: https://www.kidzsearch.com/questions/35068/kyuusei-japanese-translations-pt1-chap1
Link to chapter 2 translation: https://www.kidzsearch.com/questions/35074/kyuusei-japanese-translations-pt2-chap2
Link to chapter 3 translation:https://www.kidzsearch.com/questions/35079/kyuusei-japanese-translations-pt-3-chap3
