The click of the door echoed through the quiet house, followed by the soft shuffle of shoes being slipped off at the entrance.
"Dad, I'm home," Lily called out, her voice light but tired.
"Lily! Welcome back!" Kenjiro's voice boomed from the living room, accompanied by the unmistakable clatter of something—a can, probably—tipping over.
Lily stepped inside, her bag slipping off her shoulder as she moved toward the sound. She found him sprawled on the couch, still in his unbuttoned shirt from earlier, his tie draped over the back of the sofa like it had been thrown in a hurry.
Kenjiro looked up at her, his face lighting up as he sat up straighter, waving her over with exaggerated enthusiasm. "Come, come! Tell me everything! First day—how was it? Did you make friends? Did anyone bully you? Do I need to show up and be an embarrassing dad to protect your honor?"
Lily blinked, taken aback by the rapid-fire questions. "Dad, slow down."
"I can't slow down!" he exclaimed, spreading his arms dramatically. "My baby girl just survived her first day in a new school. This is a monumental occasion!"
She let out a soft laugh, shaking her head as she walked over and plopped down onto the armchair across from him. "It's not that big of a deal."
"Not that big of a deal?" Kenjiro repeated, clutching his chest like she'd just wounded him. The movement caused his shirt to slip slightly off one shoulder, exposing a bit of his undershirt.
"Dad, you look ridiculous," Lily said, her lips curling into a small smile.
"Ridiculous or charming?" he asked, raising an eyebrow as he reached for his can of beer—half-empty, and not his first of the evening, judging by the faint smell in the air.
"Somewhere in between," she replied, wrinkling her nose playfully.
He grinned, taking a sip before setting the can down on the table with a soft clink. "All right, all right. So, how was it? Really."
Lily hesitated, fiddling with the strap of her bag. The events of the day flashed through her mind—the chaos of her introduction, the swarm of curious classmates, the confrontation in the courtyard. It had been overwhelming, exhausting, and… surprisingly not terrible.
"It was… okay," she said finally, her voice measured. "A little overwhelming, but not as bad as I thought it would be."
Kenjiro squinted at her, leaning forward slightly. "That's all you've got? No juicy details? No horror stories about cafeteria food or evil teachers?"
She laughed softly, shaking her head. "No, nothing like that. I mean, I made a friend—my seat buddy. His name's Koji."
"A guy, huh?" Kenjiro said, waggling his eyebrows. "Should I be worried?"
"Dad," Lily groaned, her cheeks flushing faintly. "It's not like that."
He leaned back, holding up his hands in mock surrender. "Okay, okay. Just checking."
Lily rolled her eyes, though her smile didn't waver. "Anyway, it's not so bad. I think I'll manage."
Kenjiro's expression softened slightly, his eyes narrowing as he studied her. "You sure?"
"Yeah," she said, her smile widening slightly. "I'm sure."
For a moment, he was quiet, his gaze lingering on her face. Then he sighed, a faint, wistful smile tugging at his lips.
"You've got her smile, you know," he said quietly.
Lily froze, her breath hitching slightly.
"Your mom," Kenjiro clarified, his voice softer now. "That smile of yours—it's hers."
She looked down, her fingers curling around the strap of her bag. "Oh," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I… didn't realize."
Kenjiro chuckled faintly, the sound tinged with a hint of sadness. "Yeah, well. I notice these things."
She glanced up at him, her green eyes meeting his tired ones. "Do you… think about her a lot?"
His lips twitched into a bittersweet smile. "Every day," he admitted. "But, you know… it's not as bad as it used to be. Having you around helps."
Lily's chest tightened, and she forced herself to smile. "I'm glad."
Kenjiro leaned back, running a hand through his messy hair. "What about you? Do you ever think about Seattle?"
Her heart skipped a beat at the question, but she quickly masked her surprise with another gentle smile. "Not really," she lied, her voice light.
He raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced but choosing not to press the issue. Instead, he let out a soft chuckle. "Liar," he said fondly, shaking his head.
Lily's smile faltered slightly, but she didn't respond.
Kenjiro sighed, his gaze softening. "Well, whether you do or don't, I'm just glad you're here with me. You're the best thing that ever happened to me, you know that?"
Her cheeks flushed, and she ducked her head slightly. "You're just saying that."
"No, I mean it," he said, his voice firm despite the faint slur of exhaustion creeping into it.
Lily smiled again, this time more genuinely. "Thanks, Dad."
"Anytime, kiddo," he said, grinning as he reached for his beer again.
She watched him for a moment, her heart heavy with a mix of emotions she couldn't quite name. But as he took another sip and leaned back into the couch with a contented sigh, she felt a strange sense of comfort.
Kenjiro stretched his arms over his head, letting out a dramatic sigh as he stood. "All right, tonight's a special occasion," he declared, his grin wide.
"Special? Why?"
"Your first day of school, duh!" he said, gesturing as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "I already picked up sushi. And no," he added quickly, holding up a finger, "I didn't make it. I wouldn't subject us to that disaster."
Lily couldn't help but laugh, shaking her head. "Good call, Dad."
"See? I do have some sense left," he said, walking toward the kitchen with a mock bow. "Now go unwind or whatever it is you kids do these days. Dinner's at seven."
Lily smiled faintly, slinging her bag over her shoulder as she made her way up the stairs.
Her room greeted her with the same quiet emptiness as before, but the light streaming through the window had softened, painting everything in hues of pink and gold. She set her bag down by the desk and glanced at herself in the mirror, her face flushed from the long day.
With a sigh, she grabbed a change of clothes and headed for the bathroom.
The warm water of the shower was a welcome relief, washing away the tension that had built up in her shoulders. She let her mind drift as she rinsed out her hair, the events of the day replaying like a film on loop. Koji's goofy smile. The bullies' sharp words. That red-brownish haired asshole with cold, cutting gaze.
Her fingers curled slightly as she thought of him, the way he'd looked at her like she was an annoyance, a speck of dust on his otherwise perfect day.
"Jerk," she muttered under her breath, scrubbing at her face.
When she stepped out, the air was cool against her skin. Wrapping herself in a towel, she padded back to her room, feeling a little lighter.
By the time she was dressed and sitting on her bed, the sky outside her window was a breathtaking gradient of colors—rosy pinks blending into soft purples, with streaks of gold threading through the horizon.
Her phone buzzed on the bedside table, the screen lighting up with several notifications.
She picked it up, her lips curling into a small smile as she saw Claire's name at the top of the list.
(SMS)
Claire: Girl, why aren't you answering? Is Japan that cool already???
Claire: Wait, don't tell me. You've already been swept off your feet by some K-drama-level hottie, haven't you?! Spill!
Claire: Just kidding. But seriously, message me when you're alive. Love you!
Lily chuckled softly, her thumbs hovering over the screen as she thought about how to respond. Claire had always been the one to bring lightness to every conversation, no matter how heavy the day had been.
She typed quickly, her fingers flying across the screen.
Lily: Sorry for the late reply. First day was… a lot. But I'm alive! School's different, but not in a bad way. And I made a friend. Sort of.
Claire: Wait WHAT? A FRIEND ALREADY?
Lily: Yeah, his name's Koji. He's… nice. A little goofy, but in a good way.
Claire: Goofy? Sounds like my kind of guy. Should I be worried?
Lily: No, you should not.
Claire: Good. Because I already miss you too much to share you with anyone else.
Lily smiled, her heart tugging at the message.
Lily: I miss you too, Claire. So much.
Claire: Don't make me cry. I'll cry. I mean it.
Lily: Promise me you'll visit someday?
Claire: Only if you promise to survive without me until then.
Lily: Deal.
Lily let out a soft laugh, shaking her head.
She set her phone down for a moment, her gaze drifting out the window. The sky had deepened into a soft lavender, the first stars just beginning to twinkle. She wondered what time it was in Seattle now—probably late at night, maybe even early morning. The thought made her chest ache.
Her phone buzzed again, but this time it wasn't Claire.
She blinked, seeing an unfamiliar name light up the screen.
Koji: Hey, seat buddy. Just wanted to say thanks again for earlier. You really saved me back there.
Lily's lips parted slightly, caught off guard.
Koji: Also… not to be a nerd, but you were kind of like Sailor Moon swooping in to save the day. Just saying.
She let out a soft laugh, her fingers already moving to type a reply.
Lily: Sailor Moon, huh?
The reply came almost instantly.
Koji: It's a compliment! Usagi's iconic. You've got the vibe. As I told you.
Lily: Thanks… I think?
Koji: You're welcome, seat buddy.
Her thumbs hovered over the keyboard as she thought about what to say next. And then it hit her—an idea so silly, so ridiculous, she couldn't help but smile.
Lily: Hey, Koji.
Koji: Yeah?
Lily: Can I call you Ko-Ko?
There was a pause—a brief, agonizingly long pause—before the reply came.
Koji: Ko-Ko? Seriously?
Lily: You don't like it?
Koji: I didn't say that.
Lily: So you like it?
Koji: …I didn't say that either.
Lily burst into laughter, the sound filling her small room and lifting the weight she hadn't realized was still on her chest.
Koji: By the way, thanks, really. See you tomorrow. And don't forget your lunch! Bye, moon princess!…it's too much, right?
Lily: :') bye Ko-ko, see you tomorrow.
Her phone buzzed again, but this time it wasn't a message. A soft notification popped up, marking the end of the day's sunset. She glanced back at the window, her smile softening as the last light faded from the sky.
For the first time since arriving in Seonghwa, the ache in her chest didn't feel quite so heavy.
She set her phone down, lying back on her bed with a quiet sigh. Tomorrow would be another long day, but for now, she could breathe.
Lily's eyes fluttered open to the faint hum of cicadas outside her window. Blinking away the heaviness in her eyelids, she sat up slowly, disoriented. The sky outside her window had deepened to a rich indigo, the last traces of pink and orange long gone.
She reached for her phone on the bedside table, the screen lighting up with the time. 9:03 PM.
Her heart skipped. Dinner.
Jumping to her feet, she made her way downstairs, her socks muffling her hurried steps.
"Dad?" she called softly, peeking into the living room.
The sight was both familiar and bittersweet. Kenjiro was sprawled on the couch, his shirt still wrinkled and his tie dangling off the armrest. His head was tilted back, his mouth slightly open as soft snores escaped him. Two empty beer cans sat on the coffee table, the faint smell of alcohol lingering in the air.
Lily sighed, her chest tightening.
She stepped closer, careful not to wake him, and grabbed the cans from the table, tossing them into the recycling bin in the kitchen. The untouched sushi box sat on the counter, still neatly wrapped.
She opened it, her stomach rumbling faintly as the scent of fresh rice and fish greeted her. Grabbing a small plate, she carefully placed a few pieces of sushi and a scoop of rice onto it.
Before heading back to her room, she returned to the living room with a blanket folded over her arm.
Kenjiro shifted slightly as she draped it over him, his snores faltering for a moment before resuming their steady rhythm. His face, usually animated and full of life, looked peaceful in the dim light, but there was a weariness there she couldn't ignore.
Standing over him, Lily's lips curled into a soft, bittersweet smile.
"Goodnight, Dad. I love you." she whispered. Her voice was barely audible, but the words carried a weight that settled in the quiet room.
As she turned to leave, her chest felt lighter and heavier all at once.
Back in her room, Lily set the plate on her desk and sat down, the warm glow of her bedside lamp casting soft shadows on the walls. She picked at the sushi absentmindedly, her thoughts drifting to the day's events—the whirlwind of introductions, Koji's bright grin, and that cold, piercing eyes.
Setting her chopsticks down, she glanced out the window, the stars faint but steady in the night sky.
"Goodnight, mom" she whispered to the quiet room.
Ffinally that day, the ache in her chest softened, replaced by a quiet warmth that lingered as she climbed into bed, the plate of half-eaten sushi left forgotten on her desk.