My American Daughter
Title My American Daughter
By: arashiforyou
Rating: PG
Genre: Family/ Drama
Summary: Ohno decides to adopt a child as a promise for his deceased wife. He filled out the forms to adopt a Japanese child from America, only to realize he adopted a 17 year old and not a 7 year old!
A/N (please read!)
FINALLY! after so long, i'm back into the fanfic game! geez, took me forever to get this posted and started already. For those who don't know, I had a dream of a future ohno drama, and a few friends wanted to see me write this as a fanfic. So i did at long last! :DD
The reason why it took me so long (besides the regular work/school/new community) i was trying to research if it's possible to adopt a child from america while still in another country and somehow make an error and get away with it
Apparently, you can't!
This is all make-believe! XDD
so this is another AU story. But a realistic AU. So no epic battles. No magic! But that doesn't mean you can't learn from this story (i like making morals :3)
Also, in this story, Arashi doesn't exist, but the members do exist. and they will make an appearance/cameos as if this is a drama (the way i dreamt it) :3
Enjoy!!
Prologue
Ohno arrived at the airport an hour ahead before the plane arrives. He carried with him a big sign that said "Kawashima Umika" in romaji. Still, he anxiously checks his wristwatch every ten minutes. It's been a month since he filled out the application to adopt his child in America.
Ohno works as a cameraman for many stations in Japan such as Fuji TV, TBS, and sometimes Nihon TV. The pay is steady, and he meets interesting people. However, the orphanages did not like the fact he couldn't come to America to pick up his child.
Since he was too busy with work to save up for his future child, he couldn't make a single trip to meet his daughter first-hand. But he insisted that he'll love her and care for her as if she was his own.
"Airline 915 has arrived."
Ohno looked up. Any minute, she would walk down the terminal and finally meet her new father. Ohno was getting nervous. What if she's sick from the long trip? She's only seven. What if she doesn't like Japanese food? How long has it been since she's lived in Japan?
Ohno pulled out his information form of his daughter. He wanted to triple check she doesn't have any food allergy. But as he fumbled through his wallet to get the stupid paper, a picture slipped out.
It was a picture of his wife.
Ohno slowly knelt down and picked up the photo. The edges were wrinkled and faded. But she was smiling sweetly as if she was right there with him. Ohno sighed.
It was his wife's idea to adopt. After so many times and two miscarriages, she made the decision. She wanted to adopted a child in America. She wanted the child to be a daughter. She dreamed of being a mother.
Until one winter night in December, she got into a fatal car accident. Ohno was at work when he heard the news. When he got to the hospital, it was already too late...
"I promise..." he whispered, "I promise to give her the love you always wanted to share..."
He tucked the photo back into his wallet and stood up.
He turned around, and a slim girl in her late teens stood in front of him. She had long curly hair with blinding highlights. She still had baby fat, but she was over-saturated with makeup. She wore a blue hat and huge round earrings. It looked like she wore expensive clothes, and she had a ton of bags too.
Her eyes darted to the sign that laid on the floor and back at Ohno. She looked unhappy while chewing her gum.
Ohno glanced back and forth at the sign and the teenager. He picked up the sign and held it up to his chest. She didn't move and continued to glare at him.
Ohno cracked an uncomfortable smile.
"Eehhh....are you, Umika?" He asked.
She didn't say anything. She just stared at him with utter annoyance.
Ohno quickly pulled out his information form. The photo was a young girl with chipmunk front teeth. He compare to the teenager in front of him.
"How is this possible?" Ohno mumbled.
Suddenly, a loud beeping noise came from her purse. She dug inside her bag and pulled out a cell phone-some type of iPhone or Android. Ohno doesn't know. She spoke for the first time.
"Hello?"
In English.
"Ah! Jenny! Oh my god, great timing! I just got off the plane," she said, totally ignoring Ohno. "My god, you won't believe the shitty plane ride it was. It felt forever! And the stupid air attendants are so annoying! Chicken or beef? Chicken or beef? Ugh! I wanted to strangle them!"
Ohno's mouth hung open in shock. She speaks fluent English. She looks American, yet she's Asian. And she didn't even say "Hi" to him?!
"Who does she think she is?"
"Uh, excuse me," Ohno tried to get her attention.
She just continued to talk on her phone and faced away from him.
"It's so stupid. It's going to be nothing but big-eyed animes and robots here. And sushi. I'm gonna have to eat nothing but sushi. No Chipotle ever! I'm going to get sick from their raw foods. They eat everything raw here. I'm already homesick. This so f-ing stupid."
"Excuse me."
"I have to go, Jenny. There's this old douche who's suppose to be my father....I know! It's so stupid! I only had one year left in the orphanage before I can live on my own. Okay, talk to you later. I'll text you, okay. Bye."
She finally got off her cell phone. She glared at him.
"So, are you faggy faggot that adopted me?" She said.
"I-I'm sorry. I don't understand you," Ohno tried to chuckle away the awkwardness. "You speak Japanese, right?"
"So what? English is the universal language. You should speak English," she rolled her eyes.
Ohno frowned.
"Are you really, Umika?" Ohno asked, showing the photo to her.
She leaned forward to look.
"That's me when I was seven. I never wanted to take my picture for the orphanage. Because I didn't wanted to be adopted."
Ohno just blinked, confused.
She forced a smile-more like snarling her teeth at him-and Ohno saw the chipmunk front teeth.
Ohno's eyes widen.
Yup, it's her. Kawashima Umika. Ten years older than he expected. What has he gotten himself into?
--------------------------------
"Okay," Ohno unloaded the last of her suitcase in the house. "Welcome home! Uhh, the kitchen is over here. I hope you don't mind I cook for tonight. I want you to get used to eating Japanese food before we go eat out."
She hasn't spoken a lick of Japanese since they met, but Ohno continued to press on.
"And the laundry rooms over here. If you don't want me to touch your stuff, that's okay," Ohno nodded. "Upstairs is your bedroom and mine. This house only has one bathroom, I'm afraid. So...we'll have to share."
Ohno saw her frown.
"So she does understand."
"I also planned to register you to school. But since you're a older, I'll have to search for a high school. It'll be your final year, right?"
"God, this place stinks of fish," she scrunched her nose. "Are you sure you didn't adopt me just to rape me, you perverted old man."
"Please, I don't speak English," Ohno sighed. "Judging from your tone, you sound angry."
She side-glanced at him.
"Listen, I know you understand me. I'm a little surprised myself that you're...sixteen? Seventeen? I could have swore the file came back as a seven year old girl. But they say you were the only Japanese born in the orphanage."
"Then send me back," she replied in English. "You obviously didn't expect me. Plus, I don't want to be here. Japan sucks. They're such health freaks here and full of annoying people."
Ohno continued.
"But I promise to my wife...your mother...to take care of you," Ohno said softly.
She turned to look at him.
He turned his head towards a small altar in the corner of the living room. A picture of his wife was framed and incense sticks burned with a few flowers. Ohno saw Umika's face soften.
"How old was she when she lost her parents?" Ohno wondered.
At first, Ohno thought she was going to give her prayers. But then she turned around and dragged her suitcase up the stairs.
"I have a lot to work with," he mumbled.
* * *
"And she hasn't said anything?" Nino asked over the phone.
Ohno was cooking dinner. His shoulder supported the phone while he was busy chopping.
"In English, yes. But she hasn't spoke in Japanese yet," Ohno replied. "I know she understands me, but she doesn't want to speak to me."
"Maybe you should send her back. She lived her whole life in America, and she sounds like she's at a legal adult age."
"But she's already here. And it'll feel irresponsible."
"You're not seriously thinking of taking care of her, are you? Adopting a seven year old maybe one thing, but a teenager?! Teenagers these days are rebellious."
"Yeah, and she's full of it," Ohno relaxed his shoulder and held his phone properly. "She hasn't even left her room since we arrived home."
"And what about school? It's almost March. Do you plan for her to go when the new school year starts?" Nino asked.
"It's the perfect timing, huh," Ohno nodded. "She could finish her final year here in Tokyo. Make some new friends. Get use to Japanese culture. And maybe attend to a college here."
"Or go back to America."
"Or that."
"I think you can do both yourselves a favor and send her back."
Ohno stopped cooking and thought deeply.
"I promise my wife to adopt a child with her. I know she's watching over us now. She'd want me to take care of Umika no matter what."
Nino sighed.
"It's your life," Nino said and hung up.
Ohno shook his head.
"Dinner is ready!" He called.
"Wow, the first time calling for dinner...I haven't said that in weeks," Ohno smirked.
He poured the hot curry onto the plate and scooped rice on the other side. Umika's first dinner here. It should be simple. A little taste of Japanese favorites but not to far from home.
She came down the stairs in her pajamas and sat down. Ohno worried if she might not like it. He sat down opposite of the table.
"I hope you like curry."
She picked up her spoon halfheartedly.
"Itadakimasu," Ohno grinned.
She just started eating.
"Mmmm! It's good, huh!" He nodded.
"I bet you don't even eat what you call American food. This looks gross. Can you even cook regular meals? Like burgers? Lasagna? What about burritos? You don't even know a thing about Latino foods, do you? Because all you guys ever eat is fish, fish, and fish. That's why you stink like fish."
"I'm glad you like it," Ohno smiled. She gave him a weird look and continued eating. When she finished-only half of it-she got up and flew upstairs without saying thank you or taking her plate away.
"Can I really do this?"
* * *
Every day and night has been the same. She stays hold up in her room except for using the bathroom and eating. She never speaks a word of Japanese. She never answers her door to him. She never ventures out.
And for dinner, he tried to make American food and she rants something that Ohno doesn't understand.
Ohno went to the bookstores and bought books and CDs to speak English. He'd sit in the living room and listen to the CDs- trying his best to repeat the words and pronounce them right.
English is hard.
He continued going to work and made it back home to cook dinner and study English. He slowly started picking up things she's saying, but she's too fast. The CDs were much slower. Ohno began looking up classes to speak English, but they're all expensive and they would consume much of his time.
He never knew raising a teen would be this much work-more so than being a cameraman.
It was near his work hour. He got ready and called to Umika upstairs.
"Umika...I'm going to work. I'll be back soon," he said, but she never responded back. He always does it anyway to let her know.
Umika heard him. All the time. And whenever he leaves, she can finally feel free. She heard the door close and she walked down stairs. Usually, he bring sweets from the grocery and she eats one. She never asked him to get her anything.
She plopped down on the couch and turned on the TV.
It was all in Japanese to her annoyance. Of course, she understands them. It's just that she wants to see her American shows. She placed her pudding cup down on the table.
The books on the table caught her eye.
There were worksheets of English. Elementary level. The basics. And tons of red markings, cross outs, corrections with a few Japanese writing for help. His books littered the coffee table on how to speak English, how to cook American cuisine, how to be a single parent.
She felt pity and slightly ashamed.
He really is doing his best to take care of her and make her happy. He's trying to make a home she can feel comfortable. She never knew he was being so dedicated.
She looked up at the altar of his wife. The woman in the picture could have been Umika's mother. She knelt down, offered an incense stick, and prayed.
Umika went back to the table and found a pen. She thought maybe she could help him out a little. When it was nearly time for him to come home, she ran back upstairs.
Ohno, tired and exhausted, collapsed on the couch. He rubbed the bridge of his nose. He leaned forward and stared at his English worksheets.
At first, his mind was running slow, but then he noticed that someone wrote down the right answers. He looked up the stairs and smiled to himself.
He knocked on her door.
"Umika?" He called.
She didn't answered.
"I was thinking...since I'm a bit tired...how about we eat out?" He asked.
Silence.
"Gosh, this feels weird," Ohno thought. "Me, a thirty year old man, asking a teenager out for dinner."
She opened her door.
Finally, she spoke.
"Can we try something local?" She asked...in Japanese!
Ohno smiled brightly.
"Sure!"
And she smiled for the first time.
---------------------------------------------------
end!
To Chapter 1 - http://arashiforyou.livejournal.com/37463.html
so, what do you think?
i plan this story to be short. maybe 4 or 5 chapters.
and i kind plan this story to be very drama like, so i try not to put in any comedy. i want this story to be...heart-warming!
XDD
yes, the daughter is umika kawashima. the same actress in kaibutsu-kun :3
i was tempted to use another actress, but she's too old now, do i picked umika because she is 17 now!
as for the wife. i didn't give her a name. mainly because...i didn't want to give her name XD
By: arashiforyou
Rating: PG
Genre: Family/ Drama
Summary: Ohno decides to adopt a child as a promise for his deceased wife. He filled out the forms to adopt a Japanese child from America, only to realize he adopted a 17 year old and not a 7 year old!
A/N (please read!)
FINALLY! after so long, i'm back into the fanfic game! geez, took me forever to get this posted and started already. For those who don't know, I had a dream of a future ohno drama, and a few friends wanted to see me write this as a fanfic. So i did at long last! :DD
The reason why it took me so long (besides the regular work/school/new community) i was trying to research if it's possible to adopt a child from america while still in another country and somehow make an error and get away with it
Apparently, you can't!
This is all make-believe! XDD
so this is another AU story. But a realistic AU. So no epic battles. No magic! But that doesn't mean you can't learn from this story (i like making morals :3)
Also, in this story, Arashi doesn't exist, but the members do exist. and they will make an appearance/cameos as if this is a drama (the way i dreamt it) :3
Enjoy!!
Prologue
Ohno arrived at the airport an hour ahead before the plane arrives. He carried with him a big sign that said "Kawashima Umika" in romaji. Still, he anxiously checks his wristwatch every ten minutes. It's been a month since he filled out the application to adopt his child in America.
Ohno works as a cameraman for many stations in Japan such as Fuji TV, TBS, and sometimes Nihon TV. The pay is steady, and he meets interesting people. However, the orphanages did not like the fact he couldn't come to America to pick up his child.
Since he was too busy with work to save up for his future child, he couldn't make a single trip to meet his daughter first-hand. But he insisted that he'll love her and care for her as if she was his own.
"Airline 915 has arrived."
Ohno looked up. Any minute, she would walk down the terminal and finally meet her new father. Ohno was getting nervous. What if she's sick from the long trip? She's only seven. What if she doesn't like Japanese food? How long has it been since she's lived in Japan?
Ohno pulled out his information form of his daughter. He wanted to triple check she doesn't have any food allergy. But as he fumbled through his wallet to get the stupid paper, a picture slipped out.
It was a picture of his wife.
Ohno slowly knelt down and picked up the photo. The edges were wrinkled and faded. But she was smiling sweetly as if she was right there with him. Ohno sighed.
It was his wife's idea to adopt. After so many times and two miscarriages, she made the decision. She wanted to adopted a child in America. She wanted the child to be a daughter. She dreamed of being a mother.
Until one winter night in December, she got into a fatal car accident. Ohno was at work when he heard the news. When he got to the hospital, it was already too late...
"I promise..." he whispered, "I promise to give her the love you always wanted to share..."
He tucked the photo back into his wallet and stood up.
He turned around, and a slim girl in her late teens stood in front of him. She had long curly hair with blinding highlights. She still had baby fat, but she was over-saturated with makeup. She wore a blue hat and huge round earrings. It looked like she wore expensive clothes, and she had a ton of bags too.
Her eyes darted to the sign that laid on the floor and back at Ohno. She looked unhappy while chewing her gum.
Ohno glanced back and forth at the sign and the teenager. He picked up the sign and held it up to his chest. She didn't move and continued to glare at him.
Ohno cracked an uncomfortable smile.
"Eehhh....are you, Umika?" He asked.
She didn't say anything. She just stared at him with utter annoyance.
Ohno quickly pulled out his information form. The photo was a young girl with chipmunk front teeth. He compare to the teenager in front of him.
"How is this possible?" Ohno mumbled.
Suddenly, a loud beeping noise came from her purse. She dug inside her bag and pulled out a cell phone-some type of iPhone or Android. Ohno doesn't know. She spoke for the first time.
"Hello?"
In English.
"Ah! Jenny! Oh my god, great timing! I just got off the plane," she said, totally ignoring Ohno. "My god, you won't believe the shitty plane ride it was. It felt forever! And the stupid air attendants are so annoying! Chicken or beef? Chicken or beef? Ugh! I wanted to strangle them!"
Ohno's mouth hung open in shock. She speaks fluent English. She looks American, yet she's Asian. And she didn't even say "Hi" to him?!
"Who does she think she is?"
"Uh, excuse me," Ohno tried to get her attention.
She just continued to talk on her phone and faced away from him.
"It's so stupid. It's going to be nothing but big-eyed animes and robots here. And sushi. I'm gonna have to eat nothing but sushi. No Chipotle ever! I'm going to get sick from their raw foods. They eat everything raw here. I'm already homesick. This so f-ing stupid."
"Excuse me."
"I have to go, Jenny. There's this old douche who's suppose to be my father....I know! It's so stupid! I only had one year left in the orphanage before I can live on my own. Okay, talk to you later. I'll text you, okay. Bye."
She finally got off her cell phone. She glared at him.
"So, are you faggy faggot that adopted me?" She said.
"I-I'm sorry. I don't understand you," Ohno tried to chuckle away the awkwardness. "You speak Japanese, right?"
"So what? English is the universal language. You should speak English," she rolled her eyes.
Ohno frowned.
"Are you really, Umika?" Ohno asked, showing the photo to her.
She leaned forward to look.
"That's me when I was seven. I never wanted to take my picture for the orphanage. Because I didn't wanted to be adopted."
Ohno just blinked, confused.
She forced a smile-more like snarling her teeth at him-and Ohno saw the chipmunk front teeth.
Ohno's eyes widen.
Yup, it's her. Kawashima Umika. Ten years older than he expected. What has he gotten himself into?
--------------------------------
"Okay," Ohno unloaded the last of her suitcase in the house. "Welcome home! Uhh, the kitchen is over here. I hope you don't mind I cook for tonight. I want you to get used to eating Japanese food before we go eat out."
She hasn't spoken a lick of Japanese since they met, but Ohno continued to press on.
"And the laundry rooms over here. If you don't want me to touch your stuff, that's okay," Ohno nodded. "Upstairs is your bedroom and mine. This house only has one bathroom, I'm afraid. So...we'll have to share."
Ohno saw her frown.
"So she does understand."
"I also planned to register you to school. But since you're a older, I'll have to search for a high school. It'll be your final year, right?"
"God, this place stinks of fish," she scrunched her nose. "Are you sure you didn't adopt me just to rape me, you perverted old man."
"Please, I don't speak English," Ohno sighed. "Judging from your tone, you sound angry."
She side-glanced at him.
"Listen, I know you understand me. I'm a little surprised myself that you're...sixteen? Seventeen? I could have swore the file came back as a seven year old girl. But they say you were the only Japanese born in the orphanage."
"Then send me back," she replied in English. "You obviously didn't expect me. Plus, I don't want to be here. Japan sucks. They're such health freaks here and full of annoying people."
Ohno continued.
"But I promise to my wife...your mother...to take care of you," Ohno said softly.
She turned to look at him.
He turned his head towards a small altar in the corner of the living room. A picture of his wife was framed and incense sticks burned with a few flowers. Ohno saw Umika's face soften.
"How old was she when she lost her parents?" Ohno wondered.
At first, Ohno thought she was going to give her prayers. But then she turned around and dragged her suitcase up the stairs.
"I have a lot to work with," he mumbled.
* * *
"And she hasn't said anything?" Nino asked over the phone.
Ohno was cooking dinner. His shoulder supported the phone while he was busy chopping.
"In English, yes. But she hasn't spoke in Japanese yet," Ohno replied. "I know she understands me, but she doesn't want to speak to me."
"Maybe you should send her back. She lived her whole life in America, and she sounds like she's at a legal adult age."
"But she's already here. And it'll feel irresponsible."
"You're not seriously thinking of taking care of her, are you? Adopting a seven year old maybe one thing, but a teenager?! Teenagers these days are rebellious."
"Yeah, and she's full of it," Ohno relaxed his shoulder and held his phone properly. "She hasn't even left her room since we arrived home."
"And what about school? It's almost March. Do you plan for her to go when the new school year starts?" Nino asked.
"It's the perfect timing, huh," Ohno nodded. "She could finish her final year here in Tokyo. Make some new friends. Get use to Japanese culture. And maybe attend to a college here."
"Or go back to America."
"Or that."
"I think you can do both yourselves a favor and send her back."
Ohno stopped cooking and thought deeply.
"I promise my wife to adopt a child with her. I know she's watching over us now. She'd want me to take care of Umika no matter what."
Nino sighed.
"It's your life," Nino said and hung up.
Ohno shook his head.
"Dinner is ready!" He called.
"Wow, the first time calling for dinner...I haven't said that in weeks," Ohno smirked.
He poured the hot curry onto the plate and scooped rice on the other side. Umika's first dinner here. It should be simple. A little taste of Japanese favorites but not to far from home.
She came down the stairs in her pajamas and sat down. Ohno worried if she might not like it. He sat down opposite of the table.
"I hope you like curry."
She picked up her spoon halfheartedly.
"Itadakimasu," Ohno grinned.
She just started eating.
"Mmmm! It's good, huh!" He nodded.
"I bet you don't even eat what you call American food. This looks gross. Can you even cook regular meals? Like burgers? Lasagna? What about burritos? You don't even know a thing about Latino foods, do you? Because all you guys ever eat is fish, fish, and fish. That's why you stink like fish."
"I'm glad you like it," Ohno smiled. She gave him a weird look and continued eating. When she finished-only half of it-she got up and flew upstairs without saying thank you or taking her plate away.
"Can I really do this?"
* * *
Every day and night has been the same. She stays hold up in her room except for using the bathroom and eating. She never speaks a word of Japanese. She never answers her door to him. She never ventures out.
And for dinner, he tried to make American food and she rants something that Ohno doesn't understand.
Ohno went to the bookstores and bought books and CDs to speak English. He'd sit in the living room and listen to the CDs- trying his best to repeat the words and pronounce them right.
English is hard.
He continued going to work and made it back home to cook dinner and study English. He slowly started picking up things she's saying, but she's too fast. The CDs were much slower. Ohno began looking up classes to speak English, but they're all expensive and they would consume much of his time.
He never knew raising a teen would be this much work-more so than being a cameraman.
It was near his work hour. He got ready and called to Umika upstairs.
"Umika...I'm going to work. I'll be back soon," he said, but she never responded back. He always does it anyway to let her know.
Umika heard him. All the time. And whenever he leaves, she can finally feel free. She heard the door close and she walked down stairs. Usually, he bring sweets from the grocery and she eats one. She never asked him to get her anything.
She plopped down on the couch and turned on the TV.
It was all in Japanese to her annoyance. Of course, she understands them. It's just that she wants to see her American shows. She placed her pudding cup down on the table.
The books on the table caught her eye.
There were worksheets of English. Elementary level. The basics. And tons of red markings, cross outs, corrections with a few Japanese writing for help. His books littered the coffee table on how to speak English, how to cook American cuisine, how to be a single parent.
She felt pity and slightly ashamed.
He really is doing his best to take care of her and make her happy. He's trying to make a home she can feel comfortable. She never knew he was being so dedicated.
She looked up at the altar of his wife. The woman in the picture could have been Umika's mother. She knelt down, offered an incense stick, and prayed.
Umika went back to the table and found a pen. She thought maybe she could help him out a little. When it was nearly time for him to come home, she ran back upstairs.
Ohno, tired and exhausted, collapsed on the couch. He rubbed the bridge of his nose. He leaned forward and stared at his English worksheets.
At first, his mind was running slow, but then he noticed that someone wrote down the right answers. He looked up the stairs and smiled to himself.
He knocked on her door.
"Umika?" He called.
She didn't answered.
"I was thinking...since I'm a bit tired...how about we eat out?" He asked.
Silence.
"Gosh, this feels weird," Ohno thought. "Me, a thirty year old man, asking a teenager out for dinner."
She opened her door.
Finally, she spoke.
"Can we try something local?" She asked...in Japanese!
Ohno smiled brightly.
"Sure!"
And she smiled for the first time.
---------------------------------------------------
end!
To Chapter 1 - http://arashiforyou.livejournal.com/37463.html
so, what do you think?
i plan this story to be short. maybe 4 or 5 chapters.
and i kind plan this story to be very drama like, so i try not to put in any comedy. i want this story to be...heart-warming!
XDD
yes, the daughter is umika kawashima. the same actress in kaibutsu-kun :3
i was tempted to use another actress, but she's too old now, do i picked umika because she is 17 now!
as for the wife. i didn't give her a name. mainly because...i didn't want to give her name XD