My American Daughter
Title My American Daughter
By: arashiforyou
Rating: PG
Characters: Ohno Satoshi and Kawashima Umika
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: Previous was only a Prologue, so it's actually shorter than what I intend each chapter will be. So this is the first chapter. and these chapters will be long, just to let you know.
Chapter 1 - Meet My Daughter
Ohno didn't know what to say. They were already at the ramen shop, but people were still turning heads. Ohno felt embarrassed, but he tried to not to mentioned it.
Umika's top was a bit too revealing.
Ohno looked around the restaurant and noticed people staring at them. The men looked at him with envy. The women stared at Umika's back with hateful eyes. Ohno didn't know Umika was wearing such an outfit. She wore a jacket when they left.
But when she took it off...
Finally, Ohno couldn't take it.
"Why do you have to wear that?" Ohno asked. Umika continued to slurp her noodles. Ohno could practically look down her front.
"So what? It's just a style," she replied. "Besides, Japanese people wear them too."
Ohno didn't felt like eating anymore. "Not at a local ramen shop," he hissed. Umika glared up at him. "Put your jacket back on."
"Are you disciplining me?" She questioned.
Ohno gulped.
"Umika, put your-"
"You can't tell me what to do," Umika snapped back. "I can wear whatever I want, God!"
Ohno already felt defeated. He never imagined arguing with his daughter like this. Sure, he planned to discipline with care, but she is not a little child. He doesn't have full control over her. In a way, they were still strangers.
This was a different level.
* * *
Umika has slowly opened up to him a bit. At home, they have small talk. She would talk about America, and he would tell her to enjoy Japan. Sometimes, they would go out and visit nearby stores. She was always excited to go to the mall.
But Ohno was not happy when he saw her wearing a ton of make-up.
Maybe he was used to seeing Japanese women wearing make-up at work, but Umika was very wild. She wore too much eyeliner. She bumped her hair and walked around the mall very loudly with her high heels.
What really threw Ohno off was her attitude.
She never says thank you or bow politely. She doesn't look at him in the eye when talking. She keeps asking the restaurants if they have forks instead of chopsticks. She walks around his house with her shoes still on when they come back. And she's on her phone way too much.
They do argue. Ohno would tell her to stop wearing such skimpy clothes and heavy make-up. And she'll yell back to get out of her business. Somehow, Ohno felt she wasn't his daughter but a younger girlfriend.
She's loud. Obnoxious. Aggressive.
'Is this how all American teenagers behave?' Ohno sighed.
After coming back from a day of shopping-with him carrying her bags-Ohno was exhausted. Not to mention he had to pay for all her clothes which were not cheap.
The phone rang and Ohno lazily got up from the couch.
"Hello?"
"Satoshi, it's me."
"Mom?!"
"Why haven't you called?" She bickered. "You said you would call me as soon as your daughter arrived. How is she? Is she cute? What's her name again? Umika? How about we come over and meet her?"
"What?! Wait, mom-"
"I think your sister would like to see her too. She bought her a blanket to keep her warm."
"No, mom. She's not-"
"Oh! I think your father will be free this weekend too! We can all see her! It'll be a family reunion!" She laughed loudly through the phone.
"Woman, listen! Umika's-"
"I'll bring some food too. Who knows what you're feeding her. The poor girl must be starving! Also, have you picked out a school for her yet? You better do it now since the new school year is about to start. Okay, Satoshi, I have to leave now. We'll be there at noon on Saturday. Okay? Okay? Okay? Okay! Bye!"
She hung up. The long dial tone continued to ring in his head.
"Umika...meeting my parents?" Ohno mumbled.
* * *
Ohno was at work...in body. His mind thought of the Saturday of Doom approaching. Today, Ohno was the cameraman for a talk show. His friend and co-worker, Ninomiya Kazunari, was beside him with the cue cards.
Ohno heard the director gave the final call.
"And cut! Perfect! Thank you for your hard work!"
"As expected of a genius director!" Nino spoke loudly.
Ohno clicked the camera off and bowed as well. Nino escorted the reporters and guests to their rooms. Ohno shrugged his camera off and went to drop it off in the main storage. He rubbed his neck and went to find the coffee machine down the hall.
"You were so out of it today," Nino appeared next to him.
"That was fast. Shouldn't you be getting the guests lunchboxes or something."
"What am I? Some errand boy?"
"That's what AD's do, right?"
"You're thinking about Umika," Nino cut to the chase.
"...yeah," Ohno grunted.
"What happened this time?"
"My parents want to see her."
"That doesn't seem too bad," Nino shrugged. They reached the coffee machine in the lobby.
"They don't know she's seventeen. I tried calling my mom again, but she changed her cell phone number again," Ohno grunted. "And Umika doesn't have the best behavior."
"Why can't you just tell her to snap out of it and tell her what's right and wrong?" Nino frowned.
"If I try telling her what to do, she lashes at me. She's very defensive."
"Because those Americans are all bunch of loud-mouths," Nino shook his head.
"I don't think so," Ohno mumbled, getting his hot coffee.
"Is it just meeting your parents?" Nino asked.
"I also have to find her a school," Ohno said. "At first, I thought I did found one, but it's an elementary school. High schools are so expensive these days."
Nino smiled and patted his shoulder. "I know a good school near your place," he said. "I'm actually friends with one of the teachers there."
"Really?"
Nino pulled out a notebook and a pen from his shoulder bag. He wrote down the address, a name, and directions. He handed it to Ohno.
"Just ask for this person," Nino said.
Ohno read the piece of paper. "Sakurai Sho?" He tilt his head. "How did you meet him?"
"At a drinking party," Nino shrugged. "I saw the school. It's really nice. The uniforms look great, and it's affordable. Plus, Sho's a great guy. You can trust him."
"Oh, okay. then. I'll check it out," Ohno nodded.
"And can you tell him for me that last Thursday night," Nino winked, "was a wild night."
Nino skipped away leaving Ohno dumbfound and slightly disturbed.
Ohno didn't had any other options, so he left work early and searched for the school. The cherry blossoms were near blooming which meant a new school year was approaching.
Thanks to Nino's accurate directions, Ohno found the school. It really did looked nice. The school gate had a plated sign and a flower bed. The school building looked new, and Ohno could see a large courtyard.
A few teachers were already preparing for the new school year, and Ohno asked to see Sakurai Sho. They told him he might be the in teacher's office room, and they kindly showed him the way. Ohno knocked on the door.
"Come in."
"Excuse me," Ohno opened the door.
"Hi!" There was only one young man in the room. Probably around Ohno's age and very handsome. "How may I help you?"
"Are you Sakurai Sho?"
"Yes, please sit down," Sho offered with a smile.
"Thank you....I would like for my daughter to enroll this year," Ohno started.
"Sure! No problem!" Sho smiled loudly. "All our freshmens must take our entrance exams. We have a late policy for those who-"
"No. My daughter won't be a freshmen. This will be her senior year," Ohno explained. "You see...I just recently adopted her from America."
"America?"
"Yes, and a friend recommended me to this school," Ohno nodded. Sho leaned back in his chair, thinking. "Is there any way you can accepted her."
"Hmm, she'll have to apply for our transfer application," Sho pulled out papers from his desk drawer. "She'll most likely be accepted. But please fill out the form and we can schedule her exam sooner. I'll definitely inform the principal for you."
"That's it?" Ohno asked, a little surprised. "T-thank you very much!" He took the stack of forms.
"Absolutely. A friend recommended me, so I can't turn you down," Sho smiled. Ohno got up.
"Oh, that reminds me," Ohno said. "Uhh...it was Ninomiya who told me about you."
"Nino?" Sho's smile disappeared.
"Yeah, he said...he had a...great time," Ohno nodded, awkwardly. Sho's face went red. "Uhh, I'll send you the forms when I fill it out. Thank you!"
And he left.
* * *
Ohno filled out the forms and told Umika her transfer exam was on Friday. On that day, Ohno got ready in the morning for work and made breakfast. Umika came downstairs later and ready for her exam. However, she wore an outfit not fit for going to a school exam but more for clubbing. Ohno tried to ignore this.
"I made you rice omelet," Ohno smiled. "Good luck on your exam."
"...thanks," she mumbled. Ohno thought she was just worried and figured it was best to cheer her up.
"I'm sure you'll pass," he said.
"...yeah," she mumbled.
Ohno couldn't take it. He had to try his hand on disciplining.
"What's with you this morning, huh?" He blurted out. "Why are you so grumpy this early?"
"Because I have to take some stupid test!" She yelled back. "In America, you don't have to take entrance exams!"
"You're not in America!" Ohno argued back. "And you will go back upstairs and change you clothes to something less slutty. Seriously! Why are you wearing that?"
"Oh my God, this is nothing!" She stood up. "I'm going to the exam, but you can't tell me what to wear! No matter what the papers says, you are not my father!"
She threw the fork hard on the table.
Ohno, surprised and slightly hurt, watched Umika leave without finishing her food. He cursed at himself for going too far. He never knew teenagers were this angry these days. He wasn't like that when he was seventeen.
He drove to work as usually, but he couldn't help but worry for Umika. The cherry blossoms have slowly started blooming, and Ohno could see a few middle school students walking to take their entrance exams as well.
"She'll be fine," Ohno reassured him.
Today's work was an off-site shooting with two idol stars as the hosts. Ohno and the staff crew followed them around all day in the blissful weather. Nino couldn't attend the shooting as AD, but Ohno's other friend could.
"Ohno! This way! This way!" Aiba hissed at him and pulled his camera to follow the idol.
The shooting was a success, and they finally called it a day. It was nearly dinnertime, and Ohno started packing the camera away.
"Ohno, great job today," Aiba approached him and handed him a tea drink. "Here."
"Oh, thank you," Ohno nodded his head.
"Nino told me your daughter is taking her entrance exam today," Aiba said.
"Am I some juicy gossip the studio talks about?" Ohno uttered.
"He also told me you're being soft on her," Aiba continued.
Ohno stared at him, confused.
"She's a rebellious teen?" Aiba confirmed.
"Yes," Ohno sighed.
"Ohno, I'm a parent myself," Aiba said. "As a father, I have to do my part and point out what not to do."
"But Koharu-chan is younger," Ohno argued.
"And you're suppose to be a father," Aiba replied back. "You have to stop being such a pushover just because she's a teenage. In fact, she'll be needing your guidance more than ever."
He's right. A teenager goes through the most difficult time. They're on the verge of leaving their innocents and facing the harshness of adulthood. If no one guides them in the right direction, they'll live unhappy lives.
"I can imagine arguments will happen if you tell her what to do," Aiba said. "But you must remember and remind her that you're doing this to help her."
"You're right," Ohno said. "But it's not only her behavior problem. I have to worry about my parents realizing she's older and hope that Umika fits in her new school."
"What are you going to do about bullies?" Aiba asked.
"Bullies?"
"Yeah, she's from America. I wouldn't be surprised if something goes wrong," Aiba smirked. "Or worse...she finds a boyfriend and gets pregnant!"
Ohno's eyes widen. Aiba wrapped his arm around Ohno's shoulder.
"If you need my help, just call me. Okay?" Aiba patted him and walked away. "Remember! Guide her!"
Ohno drove home as fast as he could. But when he got home, Umika wasn't there yet. Something felt wrong. She should be home by now. It's late.
'Where is she?' Ohno panicked. 'I wish I knew her number.'
The clock slowly ticked by each hour. Seven o'clock, eight o'clock. Ten o'clock?!
Finally, Ohno heard the door open.
"Umika!" Ohno rushed to the front door. "Where have you been?! I've been worried-"
Umika had her head down and walked past him, but he saw her completely drenched and dirty. It wasn't even raining today.
"Umika, what happened?" Ohno walked after her.
"Nothing," she mumbled. She was about to climb the stairs.
"You're soaking wet! Tell me!"
"Just leave me alone!" She yelled, revealing her face.
Ohno gasped. She had a large bruise on her left eye. Her lip was cut, and her eyes were red and swollen. She was shaking in fury, but Ohno tried touch her black bruise.
She winced and smacked his hand away. With her shoes still on, she ran up the stairs and slammed her bedroom door. Ohno backtracked to the couch and slumped down.
"My daughter...is getting into fights," Ohno rubbed his eyes in shame.
* * *
The next morning, Ohno knocked on her bedroom door.
"Umika?" He called. The door was locked. "Your grandparents are coming today. Please dress up and introduce yourself."
Silence.
"Umika?" He knocked again. "Please tell me what happened last night."
She didn't answer.
"Umika...were you having a fight last night?" He asked. Aiba's words came to mind. "I want you to know...I'm not mad. For whatever the reason is, I won't yell at you.
"But I want you to know, I was worried about you," Ohno leaned his shoulder on the door frame. "Even though it seems like we're complete strangers, I want us to have an understanding. I want you to trust me. I'm here to help you whenever you need me. Okay?"
Umika, who was laying on her bed, sat up and stared at her bedroom door.
"Also, I'm sorry for telling you what to wear," Ohno sighed. "It's your way of expressing yourself. America knows that very well. But so does Japan. There is so many things you can learn in Japan that I want you to see and know. Because it's where your origins are from."
Ohno felt like giving up.
"T-that's all I have to say...they'll be coming at twelve...please be ready."
Noon came faster than he anticipated, and his mother was always punctual. When the doorbell rang, Umika still hasn't come down from her room. Still, Ohno opened the door.
"Satoshi!" His mother hugged him. "How have you been? You never call me!"
"Mom, you keep changing your num-"
"So where is she?" She walked in, taking her shoes off. "Umika?"
"I brought her a present," Ohno's father said. "Your sister couldn't come today since she had to look after her son. He's sick with allergies."
"Oh, okay then. Thank you," Ohno said, tiredly. He took the wrapped parcel from his father.
"Satoshi, she's not here," his mother said.
"Ah, uh, about that," Ohno rubbed his neck. "She's...not feeling well."
"Not feeling well!?" His mother gasped. "I knew it! You've underfed her, haven't you? Is she up in her room then. I'll cook up something real quick. Does she like-"
Suddenly, she stopped talking-a wonderful feat in itself. Ohno turned around and saw Umika walking down the stairs in regular jeans and a simple T-shirt. She had her hair down and combed, and she wore very natural looking make-up to conceal her bruise.
"Hello," she bowed. "My name is Kawashima Umika. Please to meet you."
Ohno smiled and walked up next to her.
"Mother, Father...this is my adopted daughter, Umika," he greeted. "She's seventeen years old."
"S-s-seventeen?!" His mother shrieked.
Ohno braced himself. He could just imagined what his mother was going to say. How could you? What were you thinking? What makes you think you can handle a teenager? Do you know how much they eat? Can you afford to raise her?
"Why didn't you say anything, Satoshi?!"
She immediately approached Umika and hugged her, surprising everyone.
"Hello, Umika-chan. Welcome to the Ohno family!" She said. "You have no idea how special you are to your father."
"Mom," Ohno hissed, feeling embarrassed.
"Satoshi, why don't you go into the kitchen and make lunch with the food I brought!" His mother ordered. "Your father and I will have a heart-felt grandparent to grandchild chat."
Ohno smirked at his mother's humor, but he went off to the kitchen anyway.
Umika sat on the couch with her new grandmother.
"My son and daughter-in-law have been trying so hard to have a child," Ohno's father spoke. He was at the corner of the living room, offering his prayers to the woman in the picture frame. "They loved each other very much, and they've been through so much."
"What happened to her?" Umika asked.
"You mean Satoshi never told you?" Her grandmother gasped.
"I never really asked," she confessed. "I thought it'll be too emotional."
"A terrible car accident in December," her grandfather said. "She was driving in a snowstorm, the foolish girl. Apparently, she wanted to tell Ohno the good news that they can adopt a girl in America. All she needed was his signature."
Umika's heart throbbed.
"But it was such a dangerous snowstorm," he sighed. "She was sent to the hospital. When the storm died down, Satoshi drove as fast as he could to the hospital. But she already passed away. She still had the adoption forms in her hands."
"Oh...."
"My son was a terrible mess for a month," Grandmother Ohno continued. "He teared the adoption forms and never returned the calls from the orphanage. He was too depressed."
"But then, I believe he got an email of your photo. The moment he saw you, he knew you were the one," Grandfather Ohno smiled. "He straighten himself up and finally finished the applications to adopt you. All because he really wanted to keep his promise with his wife. And they both wanted to love you."
"Food's ready!" Ohno called from the kitchen.
"Already!?" His mother shouted. "Are you sure you didn't just burned everything?"
As everyone went to the dining table, Umika sat in front of the altar. The woman was really beautiful. She looked like she would have been a kind and gentle mother. A mother Umika always wonder what it'll be like to have. Umika offered her prayers as well.
"...Mother," she whispered. "Please look after me."
"Umika?" Ohno called, "Are you hungry?"
"Coming."
* * *
"Be sure to call me whenever you need something, okay?" Ohno's mother hugged Umika. "Sweet girl."
"I will. Thank you," she smiled.
"Bye!"
"Bye bye!"
Ohno closed the door and let out a sigh of relief. He slowly turned around and Umika was still there in the living room, fiddling with the edges of her T-shirt.
"I'm sorry about last night," she said, staring at the ground. "For now on, I will try to wear more appropriate clothing, less make-up, and learn traditional Japanese behavior."
Ohno chuckled to himself and patted her head gently.
"I told you. You can wear whatever," he said. "I just want you to be happy."
Umika smiled once again. Ohno knew they were slowly coming closer together little by little. It might not be a major change, but Ohno felt like a parent last night. It gave him a funny feeling in his stomach. It was a different kind of butterflies fluttering.
It was slowly becoming parental love.
----------------------------
To Chapter 2 - http://arashiforyou.livejournal.com/38299.html
end of chapter one :DD
how is it?
i try to make ohno say words a parent would say. (and it's not easy since i'm not a parent yet)
i know i have a few older followers or readers. do you have any parental love experiences or kind words? :3
basically, i'm telling a story of father-daughter relationship, but it's also any parent-child relation. i hope that one day, i'll make a reader realize that their parents love them very much.
uh oh, i'm getting cheesy! XDD
by the way, does anyone have trouble with lj and editing their entries?
i tried last night and i couldn't edit my entry through rich text. only through html. which is a hassle! so many codes
next chapter! first day of school! facing bullies! what will ohno do?
By: arashiforyou
Rating: PG
Characters: Ohno Satoshi and Kawashima Umika
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: Previous was only a Prologue, so it's actually shorter than what I intend each chapter will be. So this is the first chapter. and these chapters will be long, just to let you know.
Chapter 1 - Meet My Daughter
Ohno didn't know what to say. They were already at the ramen shop, but people were still turning heads. Ohno felt embarrassed, but he tried to not to mentioned it.
Umika's top was a bit too revealing.
Ohno looked around the restaurant and noticed people staring at them. The men looked at him with envy. The women stared at Umika's back with hateful eyes. Ohno didn't know Umika was wearing such an outfit. She wore a jacket when they left.
But when she took it off...
Finally, Ohno couldn't take it.
"Why do you have to wear that?" Ohno asked. Umika continued to slurp her noodles. Ohno could practically look down her front.
"So what? It's just a style," she replied. "Besides, Japanese people wear them too."
Ohno didn't felt like eating anymore. "Not at a local ramen shop," he hissed. Umika glared up at him. "Put your jacket back on."
"Are you disciplining me?" She questioned.
Ohno gulped.
"Umika, put your-"
"You can't tell me what to do," Umika snapped back. "I can wear whatever I want, God!"
Ohno already felt defeated. He never imagined arguing with his daughter like this. Sure, he planned to discipline with care, but she is not a little child. He doesn't have full control over her. In a way, they were still strangers.
This was a different level.
* * *
Umika has slowly opened up to him a bit. At home, they have small talk. She would talk about America, and he would tell her to enjoy Japan. Sometimes, they would go out and visit nearby stores. She was always excited to go to the mall.
But Ohno was not happy when he saw her wearing a ton of make-up.
Maybe he was used to seeing Japanese women wearing make-up at work, but Umika was very wild. She wore too much eyeliner. She bumped her hair and walked around the mall very loudly with her high heels.
What really threw Ohno off was her attitude.
She never says thank you or bow politely. She doesn't look at him in the eye when talking. She keeps asking the restaurants if they have forks instead of chopsticks. She walks around his house with her shoes still on when they come back. And she's on her phone way too much.
They do argue. Ohno would tell her to stop wearing such skimpy clothes and heavy make-up. And she'll yell back to get out of her business. Somehow, Ohno felt she wasn't his daughter but a younger girlfriend.
She's loud. Obnoxious. Aggressive.
'Is this how all American teenagers behave?' Ohno sighed.
After coming back from a day of shopping-with him carrying her bags-Ohno was exhausted. Not to mention he had to pay for all her clothes which were not cheap.
The phone rang and Ohno lazily got up from the couch.
"Hello?"
"Satoshi, it's me."
"Mom?!"
"Why haven't you called?" She bickered. "You said you would call me as soon as your daughter arrived. How is she? Is she cute? What's her name again? Umika? How about we come over and meet her?"
"What?! Wait, mom-"
"I think your sister would like to see her too. She bought her a blanket to keep her warm."
"No, mom. She's not-"
"Oh! I think your father will be free this weekend too! We can all see her! It'll be a family reunion!" She laughed loudly through the phone.
"Woman, listen! Umika's-"
"I'll bring some food too. Who knows what you're feeding her. The poor girl must be starving! Also, have you picked out a school for her yet? You better do it now since the new school year is about to start. Okay, Satoshi, I have to leave now. We'll be there at noon on Saturday. Okay? Okay? Okay? Okay! Bye!"
She hung up. The long dial tone continued to ring in his head.
"Umika...meeting my parents?" Ohno mumbled.
* * *
Ohno was at work...in body. His mind thought of the Saturday of Doom approaching. Today, Ohno was the cameraman for a talk show. His friend and co-worker, Ninomiya Kazunari, was beside him with the cue cards.
Ohno heard the director gave the final call.
"And cut! Perfect! Thank you for your hard work!"
"As expected of a genius director!" Nino spoke loudly.
Ohno clicked the camera off and bowed as well. Nino escorted the reporters and guests to their rooms. Ohno shrugged his camera off and went to drop it off in the main storage. He rubbed his neck and went to find the coffee machine down the hall.
"You were so out of it today," Nino appeared next to him.
"That was fast. Shouldn't you be getting the guests lunchboxes or something."
"What am I? Some errand boy?"
"That's what AD's do, right?"
"You're thinking about Umika," Nino cut to the chase.
"...yeah," Ohno grunted.
"What happened this time?"
"My parents want to see her."
"That doesn't seem too bad," Nino shrugged. They reached the coffee machine in the lobby.
"They don't know she's seventeen. I tried calling my mom again, but she changed her cell phone number again," Ohno grunted. "And Umika doesn't have the best behavior."
"Why can't you just tell her to snap out of it and tell her what's right and wrong?" Nino frowned.
"If I try telling her what to do, she lashes at me. She's very defensive."
"Because those Americans are all bunch of loud-mouths," Nino shook his head.
"I don't think so," Ohno mumbled, getting his hot coffee.
"Is it just meeting your parents?" Nino asked.
"I also have to find her a school," Ohno said. "At first, I thought I did found one, but it's an elementary school. High schools are so expensive these days."
Nino smiled and patted his shoulder. "I know a good school near your place," he said. "I'm actually friends with one of the teachers there."
"Really?"
Nino pulled out a notebook and a pen from his shoulder bag. He wrote down the address, a name, and directions. He handed it to Ohno.
"Just ask for this person," Nino said.
Ohno read the piece of paper. "Sakurai Sho?" He tilt his head. "How did you meet him?"
"At a drinking party," Nino shrugged. "I saw the school. It's really nice. The uniforms look great, and it's affordable. Plus, Sho's a great guy. You can trust him."
"Oh, okay. then. I'll check it out," Ohno nodded.
"And can you tell him for me that last Thursday night," Nino winked, "was a wild night."
Nino skipped away leaving Ohno dumbfound and slightly disturbed.
Ohno didn't had any other options, so he left work early and searched for the school. The cherry blossoms were near blooming which meant a new school year was approaching.
Thanks to Nino's accurate directions, Ohno found the school. It really did looked nice. The school gate had a plated sign and a flower bed. The school building looked new, and Ohno could see a large courtyard.
A few teachers were already preparing for the new school year, and Ohno asked to see Sakurai Sho. They told him he might be the in teacher's office room, and they kindly showed him the way. Ohno knocked on the door.
"Come in."
"Excuse me," Ohno opened the door.
"Hi!" There was only one young man in the room. Probably around Ohno's age and very handsome. "How may I help you?"
"Are you Sakurai Sho?"
"Yes, please sit down," Sho offered with a smile.
"Thank you....I would like for my daughter to enroll this year," Ohno started.
"Sure! No problem!" Sho smiled loudly. "All our freshmens must take our entrance exams. We have a late policy for those who-"
"No. My daughter won't be a freshmen. This will be her senior year," Ohno explained. "You see...I just recently adopted her from America."
"America?"
"Yes, and a friend recommended me to this school," Ohno nodded. Sho leaned back in his chair, thinking. "Is there any way you can accepted her."
"Hmm, she'll have to apply for our transfer application," Sho pulled out papers from his desk drawer. "She'll most likely be accepted. But please fill out the form and we can schedule her exam sooner. I'll definitely inform the principal for you."
"That's it?" Ohno asked, a little surprised. "T-thank you very much!" He took the stack of forms.
"Absolutely. A friend recommended me, so I can't turn you down," Sho smiled. Ohno got up.
"Oh, that reminds me," Ohno said. "Uhh...it was Ninomiya who told me about you."
"Nino?" Sho's smile disappeared.
"Yeah, he said...he had a...great time," Ohno nodded, awkwardly. Sho's face went red. "Uhh, I'll send you the forms when I fill it out. Thank you!"
And he left.
* * *
Ohno filled out the forms and told Umika her transfer exam was on Friday. On that day, Ohno got ready in the morning for work and made breakfast. Umika came downstairs later and ready for her exam. However, she wore an outfit not fit for going to a school exam but more for clubbing. Ohno tried to ignore this.
"I made you rice omelet," Ohno smiled. "Good luck on your exam."
"...thanks," she mumbled. Ohno thought she was just worried and figured it was best to cheer her up.
"I'm sure you'll pass," he said.
"...yeah," she mumbled.
Ohno couldn't take it. He had to try his hand on disciplining.
"What's with you this morning, huh?" He blurted out. "Why are you so grumpy this early?"
"Because I have to take some stupid test!" She yelled back. "In America, you don't have to take entrance exams!"
"You're not in America!" Ohno argued back. "And you will go back upstairs and change you clothes to something less slutty. Seriously! Why are you wearing that?"
"Oh my God, this is nothing!" She stood up. "I'm going to the exam, but you can't tell me what to wear! No matter what the papers says, you are not my father!"
She threw the fork hard on the table.
Ohno, surprised and slightly hurt, watched Umika leave without finishing her food. He cursed at himself for going too far. He never knew teenagers were this angry these days. He wasn't like that when he was seventeen.
He drove to work as usually, but he couldn't help but worry for Umika. The cherry blossoms have slowly started blooming, and Ohno could see a few middle school students walking to take their entrance exams as well.
"She'll be fine," Ohno reassured him.
Today's work was an off-site shooting with two idol stars as the hosts. Ohno and the staff crew followed them around all day in the blissful weather. Nino couldn't attend the shooting as AD, but Ohno's other friend could.
"Ohno! This way! This way!" Aiba hissed at him and pulled his camera to follow the idol.
The shooting was a success, and they finally called it a day. It was nearly dinnertime, and Ohno started packing the camera away.
"Ohno, great job today," Aiba approached him and handed him a tea drink. "Here."
"Oh, thank you," Ohno nodded his head.
"Nino told me your daughter is taking her entrance exam today," Aiba said.
"Am I some juicy gossip the studio talks about?" Ohno uttered.
"He also told me you're being soft on her," Aiba continued.
Ohno stared at him, confused.
"She's a rebellious teen?" Aiba confirmed.
"Yes," Ohno sighed.
"Ohno, I'm a parent myself," Aiba said. "As a father, I have to do my part and point out what not to do."
"But Koharu-chan is younger," Ohno argued.
"And you're suppose to be a father," Aiba replied back. "You have to stop being such a pushover just because she's a teenage. In fact, she'll be needing your guidance more than ever."
He's right. A teenager goes through the most difficult time. They're on the verge of leaving their innocents and facing the harshness of adulthood. If no one guides them in the right direction, they'll live unhappy lives.
"I can imagine arguments will happen if you tell her what to do," Aiba said. "But you must remember and remind her that you're doing this to help her."
"You're right," Ohno said. "But it's not only her behavior problem. I have to worry about my parents realizing she's older and hope that Umika fits in her new school."
"What are you going to do about bullies?" Aiba asked.
"Bullies?"
"Yeah, she's from America. I wouldn't be surprised if something goes wrong," Aiba smirked. "Or worse...she finds a boyfriend and gets pregnant!"
Ohno's eyes widen. Aiba wrapped his arm around Ohno's shoulder.
"If you need my help, just call me. Okay?" Aiba patted him and walked away. "Remember! Guide her!"
Ohno drove home as fast as he could. But when he got home, Umika wasn't there yet. Something felt wrong. She should be home by now. It's late.
'Where is she?' Ohno panicked. 'I wish I knew her number.'
The clock slowly ticked by each hour. Seven o'clock, eight o'clock. Ten o'clock?!
Finally, Ohno heard the door open.
"Umika!" Ohno rushed to the front door. "Where have you been?! I've been worried-"
Umika had her head down and walked past him, but he saw her completely drenched and dirty. It wasn't even raining today.
"Umika, what happened?" Ohno walked after her.
"Nothing," she mumbled. She was about to climb the stairs.
"You're soaking wet! Tell me!"
"Just leave me alone!" She yelled, revealing her face.
Ohno gasped. She had a large bruise on her left eye. Her lip was cut, and her eyes were red and swollen. She was shaking in fury, but Ohno tried touch her black bruise.
She winced and smacked his hand away. With her shoes still on, she ran up the stairs and slammed her bedroom door. Ohno backtracked to the couch and slumped down.
"My daughter...is getting into fights," Ohno rubbed his eyes in shame.
* * *
The next morning, Ohno knocked on her bedroom door.
"Umika?" He called. The door was locked. "Your grandparents are coming today. Please dress up and introduce yourself."
Silence.
"Umika?" He knocked again. "Please tell me what happened last night."
She didn't answer.
"Umika...were you having a fight last night?" He asked. Aiba's words came to mind. "I want you to know...I'm not mad. For whatever the reason is, I won't yell at you.
"But I want you to know, I was worried about you," Ohno leaned his shoulder on the door frame. "Even though it seems like we're complete strangers, I want us to have an understanding. I want you to trust me. I'm here to help you whenever you need me. Okay?"
Umika, who was laying on her bed, sat up and stared at her bedroom door.
"Also, I'm sorry for telling you what to wear," Ohno sighed. "It's your way of expressing yourself. America knows that very well. But so does Japan. There is so many things you can learn in Japan that I want you to see and know. Because it's where your origins are from."
Ohno felt like giving up.
"T-that's all I have to say...they'll be coming at twelve...please be ready."
Noon came faster than he anticipated, and his mother was always punctual. When the doorbell rang, Umika still hasn't come down from her room. Still, Ohno opened the door.
"Satoshi!" His mother hugged him. "How have you been? You never call me!"
"Mom, you keep changing your num-"
"So where is she?" She walked in, taking her shoes off. "Umika?"
"I brought her a present," Ohno's father said. "Your sister couldn't come today since she had to look after her son. He's sick with allergies."
"Oh, okay then. Thank you," Ohno said, tiredly. He took the wrapped parcel from his father.
"Satoshi, she's not here," his mother said.
"Ah, uh, about that," Ohno rubbed his neck. "She's...not feeling well."
"Not feeling well!?" His mother gasped. "I knew it! You've underfed her, haven't you? Is she up in her room then. I'll cook up something real quick. Does she like-"
Suddenly, she stopped talking-a wonderful feat in itself. Ohno turned around and saw Umika walking down the stairs in regular jeans and a simple T-shirt. She had her hair down and combed, and she wore very natural looking make-up to conceal her bruise.
"Hello," she bowed. "My name is Kawashima Umika. Please to meet you."
Ohno smiled and walked up next to her.
"Mother, Father...this is my adopted daughter, Umika," he greeted. "She's seventeen years old."
"S-s-seventeen?!" His mother shrieked.
Ohno braced himself. He could just imagined what his mother was going to say. How could you? What were you thinking? What makes you think you can handle a teenager? Do you know how much they eat? Can you afford to raise her?
"Why didn't you say anything, Satoshi?!"
She immediately approached Umika and hugged her, surprising everyone.
"Hello, Umika-chan. Welcome to the Ohno family!" She said. "You have no idea how special you are to your father."
"Mom," Ohno hissed, feeling embarrassed.
"Satoshi, why don't you go into the kitchen and make lunch with the food I brought!" His mother ordered. "Your father and I will have a heart-felt grandparent to grandchild chat."
Ohno smirked at his mother's humor, but he went off to the kitchen anyway.
Umika sat on the couch with her new grandmother.
"My son and daughter-in-law have been trying so hard to have a child," Ohno's father spoke. He was at the corner of the living room, offering his prayers to the woman in the picture frame. "They loved each other very much, and they've been through so much."
"What happened to her?" Umika asked.
"You mean Satoshi never told you?" Her grandmother gasped.
"I never really asked," she confessed. "I thought it'll be too emotional."
"A terrible car accident in December," her grandfather said. "She was driving in a snowstorm, the foolish girl. Apparently, she wanted to tell Ohno the good news that they can adopt a girl in America. All she needed was his signature."
Umika's heart throbbed.
"But it was such a dangerous snowstorm," he sighed. "She was sent to the hospital. When the storm died down, Satoshi drove as fast as he could to the hospital. But she already passed away. She still had the adoption forms in her hands."
"Oh...."
"My son was a terrible mess for a month," Grandmother Ohno continued. "He teared the adoption forms and never returned the calls from the orphanage. He was too depressed."
"But then, I believe he got an email of your photo. The moment he saw you, he knew you were the one," Grandfather Ohno smiled. "He straighten himself up and finally finished the applications to adopt you. All because he really wanted to keep his promise with his wife. And they both wanted to love you."
"Food's ready!" Ohno called from the kitchen.
"Already!?" His mother shouted. "Are you sure you didn't just burned everything?"
As everyone went to the dining table, Umika sat in front of the altar. The woman was really beautiful. She looked like she would have been a kind and gentle mother. A mother Umika always wonder what it'll be like to have. Umika offered her prayers as well.
"...Mother," she whispered. "Please look after me."
"Umika?" Ohno called, "Are you hungry?"
"Coming."
* * *
"Be sure to call me whenever you need something, okay?" Ohno's mother hugged Umika. "Sweet girl."
"I will. Thank you," she smiled.
"Bye!"
"Bye bye!"
Ohno closed the door and let out a sigh of relief. He slowly turned around and Umika was still there in the living room, fiddling with the edges of her T-shirt.
"I'm sorry about last night," she said, staring at the ground. "For now on, I will try to wear more appropriate clothing, less make-up, and learn traditional Japanese behavior."
Ohno chuckled to himself and patted her head gently.
"I told you. You can wear whatever," he said. "I just want you to be happy."
Umika smiled once again. Ohno knew they were slowly coming closer together little by little. It might not be a major change, but Ohno felt like a parent last night. It gave him a funny feeling in his stomach. It was a different kind of butterflies fluttering.
It was slowly becoming parental love.
----------------------------
To Chapter 2 - http://arashiforyou.livejournal.com/38299.html
end of chapter one :DD
how is it?
i try to make ohno say words a parent would say. (and it's not easy since i'm not a parent yet)
i know i have a few older followers or readers. do you have any parental love experiences or kind words? :3
basically, i'm telling a story of father-daughter relationship, but it's also any parent-child relation. i hope that one day, i'll make a reader realize that their parents love them very much.
uh oh, i'm getting cheesy! XDD
by the way, does anyone have trouble with lj and editing their entries?
i tried last night and i couldn't edit my entry through rich text. only through html. which is a hassle! so many codes
next chapter! first day of school! facing bullies! what will ohno do?