"Hi, everyone! My name is Lilian Aikawa, but you can call me Lily! I'm from Seattle and…"
The mirror didn't lie. No matter how many times Lily rehearsed her introduction, her face betrayed her—a furrowed brow, lips pressed too tightly together. She looked like someone trying to convince herself everything would be fine. She didn't believe it yet.
Lily groaned, letting her arms drop to her sides as she stared at her reflection in the mirror. The girl staring back at her looked as uncertain as she felt—wide green eyes, soft blonde hair falling around her shoulders, and a slight furrow between her brows. She adjusted the hem of her new uniform, the blazer still stiff from its packaging.
"Too stiff," she muttered, pacing the room. She threw her hands up, trying again.
"Konnichiwa! Watashi wa Aikawa Lilian desu! Eh… hajimemashite?" She cringed immediately, slapping her forehead. "No, no, no. I sound like an anime character. Ugh!"
Lily dropped onto her bed, the springs creaking softly beneath her.
Her eyes lingered on the bare walls, the unopened boxes in the corner like strangers watching her. Even the silence felt foreign, like it didn't belong here—or maybe she didn't.
The walls were plain white, interrupted only by a few unopened boxes stacked in the corner. A small desk by the window overlooked the sleepy streets of Seonghwa, a stark contrast to the bustling neighborhoods of Seattle she'd left behind.
Her eyes darted back to the mirror, and she sat up straight, pointing at her reflection like she was commanding an army.
"Okay. Last try," she said, taking a deep breath.
"Hi, everyone! I'm Lilian Aikawa, but you can call me Lily. I just moved here from Seattle, and I'm really excited to meet you all!" She paused, tilting her head. "Or maybe… I'll just say nothing and hope no one notices me."
Her thoughts were interrupted by a voice booming from downstairs.
"Lily! Dinner's ready!"
She flinched, startled.
"Coming!" she called back, quickly tossing her blazer onto her desk chair and slipping into her house slippers. She made her way downstairs, her steps echoing slightly in the mostly empty house.
The scent of sizzling meat and soy sauce greeted her before she reached the kitchen. Her father stood by the stove, flipping slices of beef in a pan with a spatula, a half-empty beer can sitting precariously on the counter beside him.
Kenjiro Aikawa was… a mess, to put it lightly. His white shirt was unbuttoned at the collar, revealing a wrinkled undershirt, and his dark hair stuck out in every direction like he'd just rolled out of bed. He had a short beard that wasn't exactly well-maintained, but not scruffy enough to look intentional, and his sleepy eyes always seemed like they were caught halfway between a joke and a nap.
"Smells good," Lily said, stepping into the kitchen.
"Of course it does. It's my specialty," Kenji replied, grinning as he plated the beef. "Wagyu-grade steak. Or, well, wagyu if it had been raised on convenience store snacks."
"So it's just regular beef." she chukled faintly.
"Don't ruin the illusion," he said, handing her a plate with a dramatic bow. "Your humble chef has worked tirelessly to bring you this masterpiece."
She laughed despite herself, sitting down at the small table. "You mean tirelessly until I heard you snoring on the couch an hour ago?"
Kenjiro sat across from her, scratching his neck sheepishly. "Hey, moving's exhausting, you know. Besides, someone had to taste-test the beer here. It's different from Seattle's."
"Sure it is," Lily said, picking up her chopsticks.
The room fell into a comfortable silence as they ate, the only sounds coming from the clinking of dishes and the faint hum of the fridge. For a moment, Lily let herself relax.
"You ready for tomorrow?" Kenji asked suddenly, breaking the silence.
Lily hesitated, her chopsticks hovering over her plate. "I guess. As ready as I'll ever be."
Kenjiro leaned back in his chair, watching her with an expression that was both amused and concerned. "Don't overthink it. Just be yourself."
"That's easy for you to say," she said, poking at her rice. "You're not the one walking into a school where you don't know anyone."
"True," he admitted, taking a sip of his beer. "But you've got something they don't."
She raised an eyebrow. "What's that?"
"A smile like your mom's," he said, his voice softer.
Lily blinked, her throat tightening. The mention of her mom still hit like a wave crashing against the shore, sudden and heavy. She glanced down at her plate, not sure how to respond.
Kenjiro reached across the table and ruffled her hair lightly, his usual goofy grin returning. "Come on, don't get all sentimental on me. You'll be fine. If anyone gives you trouble, just tell them your dad's a world-class photographer. Totally not washed up at all."
She snorted. "You mean totally washed up."
"Hey! Respect your elders!" he said, wagging his chopsticks at her.
Lily laughed, shaking her head. For all his quirks, she was glad she had him. Even if he wasn't perfect, he was trying, and that was enough for her.
After finishing her meal, Lily stood up, gathering their plates without a second thought.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Kenji said, raising his hands in mock protest. "What do you think you're doing, young lady?"
"Cleaning up," she replied simply, stacking the dishes in her hands.
Kenjiro leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. "Lily, I told you, you don't have to do that. You're not the maid, you know."
She gave him a pointed look, tilting her head slightly. "I've been helping you since I was ten, Dad. What makes you think I'm going to stop now?"
Kenjiro sighed, a small, almost tired smile tugging at his lips. "You're too good to me, you know that? I should be the one taking care of you."
"You do," Lily said softly, her gaze meeting his for a moment before she turned toward the sink. "This is just my way of taking care of you back."
Kenjiro watched her in silence as she turned on the tap, rinsing off the plates before setting them in the sink to wash. His chest tightened, but he masked it with a dramatic groan as he stretched his arms over his head.
"Well, fine," he said, standing up and grabbing the beer can from the table. "Since you're already on a roll, I'll just supervise." He leaned casually against the counter, taking a sip as he watched her scrub the plates.
She rolled her eyes. "Supervising, huh? Is that what we're calling drinking beer now?"
"Hey, it's a very demanding job," he replied, grinning. "But if I'm being honest, you've got this whole dishwashing thing down to an art. I couldn't compete even if I wanted to."
"Mm-hmm" she hummed, not looking up as she focused on the pan.
"You know," her father began, setting his can on the counter with a soft clink, "I really think this move is going to be good for us. A fresh start, new faces, new places…"
Lily paused for a moment, the soapy sponge stilling in her hand. She glanced over her shoulder at him, arching a brow. "When you said you wanted to move, I thought you meant, like, across the city. Maybe to a bigger apartment. Not across the globe."
Kenjiro laughed, a loud and easy sound that echoed in the small kitchen.
"What can I say? Go big or go home, right?"
"You mean leave home entirely," she quipped, turning back to the sink.
"Exactly," he said, grinning.
"But seriously, Lily. You'll see. This place might be different, but different isn't always bad. It's just… new. And new can be good."
She didn't respond right away, her focus shifting back to rinsing the plates. Finally, she said softly, "I hope you're right."
Kenjiro straightened up, walking over to ruffle her hair lightly.
"Of course I'm right. Have I ever steered you wrong?"
She snorted, shaking her head.
"I can think of a few times."
"Hey! Respect your wise and all-knowing father," he said, wagging a finger at her before returning to lean against the counter.
Once she was done, Lily dried her hands and moved to wipe down the table. When everything was spotless, she turned back to find Kenji holding out a small tray with two neatly wrapped pastries.
"For you, milady," he said with a dramatic bow. "Dessert."
Lily took one of the pastries, her lips curling into a small smile. "Where'd you get these?"
"The convenience store around the corner," he said, unwrapping his.
"Don't judge, they're the good kind."
She took a bite and hummed in surprise. "Okay, not bad. You get a pass."
They ate in companionable silence for a while, the quiet hum of the fridge filling the room. When they were done, Kenji stretched his arms above his head again, letting out a long sigh.
"All right," he said, pushing himself off the counter. "Time for me to get some work done. Got a few photos to edit before I call it a night."
Lily nodded, watching as he grabbed his laptop from the living room and settled into his usual spot at the dining table. "Don't stay up too late," she said, pointing at him as she started heading toward the stairs.
"No promises," he replied with a lazy grin.
"You'll do great tomorrow, kid," he said. "Just don't forget to be yourself."
She nodded at him.
"Goodnight, Dad," said softly, heading back to her room.
As she climbed into bed, the faint clinking of his beer can and the soft tapping of his keyboard drifted up the stairs, a small reminder that no matter how new and unfamiliar this house was, some things would always stay the same.
In the silence of her room,she found herself replaying his words on her mind.
"Be myself," she whispered, sitting back down in front of the mirror.
She stared at her reflection, her green eyes catching the faint glow of the desk lamp.
"Hi, everyone. My name is Lily Aikawa, and…" She smiled faintly. "…I think I'll be just fine."