“Mama, I’ll take care of the dishes,” I said after finishing my breakfast. Mama and my sister were still fighting over who gets to eat the last broccoli.

  Mama huffed triumphantly as my sister finally ate the vegetable before turning to me.

  “Are you sure? Mother might arrive at any moment and might scold you.”

  Although there was that prospect, I had enough time.

  “It’s fine mama,” I smiled reassuringly before I began collecting the used plates. There was something gratifying about being able to help my Mama like this every day.

  Even though she wasn’t the one who brought me into this world, she cared for me as if I were her own. Even in a small way, I wanted to give back.

  As I scrubbed the dishes, I could feel her eyes on me. Not with suspicion or disapproval, but with a kind of soft pride. Maybe one day, I would be with my own children, and I would look at them with the same level of pride. Two should be enough.

  I don’t mind living in a small house or a large one, either is fine. An apartment is good as well. All that matters is being together with the people I love. Walls and ceilings are just structures, but the warmth inside them is what makes a home.

  “Rei-chan, be careful where you put the dishes,” Mama’s slightly stern and worried voice called out.

  Ah, I had been daydreaming a bit. When I returned to reality, I was about to drop a plate into empty air instead of on the rack. I hurriedly corrected my mistake.

  “You must be nervous for the trip,” Mama said while she was holding my sister. “It’s not every day one gets to go on a cultural exchange trip after all.”

  “Ah, no. I was thinking about something else,” I replied, a bit bashful. I felt my face heat up as I mustered my courage and said, “Is motherhood hard?”

  Mama was taken aback by my question and stared at me for a moment before she let out a gentle chuckle. She then took my sibling and went out of the kitchen, giggling all the while. I quickly finished washing the dishes and hurried after them.

  “Mama, it’s not funny,” I said to Mama who was sitting on the sofa in the living room, watching over my sister who was playing with her toys. Her curious stare and slightly amused look were making my cheeks burn.

  “Rei-chan, isn’t it a little early for you to be worrying about things like that?” she said with a tilt of her head. “Don’t you plan on going to college?”

  While we were talking, my sister got up and offered me a few of her dolls. I played along, waving one for her amusement as Mama and I kept chatting

  “I do, I do.” I replied before sitting down, the sofa cushions deflated as I settled down by her side. “But, I was just, curious, you know.”

  “Really?” Mama said, raising a skeptical brow before pausing in thought. “Your other, friend, it’s been a while since his visit, isn’t it?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Well, he is older than you, so I thought the reason was maybe he already got himself a girlfr—”

  “No, he won’t!” I said instantly. Just hearing it is not something that I would tolerate. Ae being with someone else is laughable. No one is laughing. I might just stab him. I will stab them.

  “Oh? Really?” Mama said, her voice sickly sweet, but I will not rise to the teasing. “A year is enough time for a lot of things to happen.”

  “No, it isn’t!”

  “And he lives overseas, yes?” Mama teased. “It will be easy for him to hide things, especially when no one is there to notice.”

  “No, he won’t!”

  “Pfft! Sorry, sorry, but you should see you face,” Mama said while trying to hold back her laughter.

  I pressed my hands against my face massaged it—no, I refuse to let myself be, defeated, by such teasing. My sister noticed that we were paying only a little attention to her, pouted and threw a doll at her dollhouse.

  “But, in all seriousness, it should be time for him to visit again, no?” Mama said as she grabbed the next toy my sister was about to throw.

  “It should be,” I replied, not removing my hand from my mouth. “But if Ae doesn’t visit in spring, then he’ll probably come in summer.”

  “I was thinking maybe we could invite him again,” Mama said thoughtfully as she took a toy and began playfully waving it, getting my sisters attention. “I need to properly thank him for the gifts he gave.”

  “I don’t think Ae would mind. Wait—Mama, I just realized Ae hasn’t met Papa yet.”

  “Oh, right. Your father is often busy during morning.” She paused, then brightened. “Then how about we invite him for dinner? When you see him again, make sure to tell him.”

  “I will. And I can help with the cooking.” I said enthusiastically as I too, got a toy and playfully waved it. Causing my sister to go back and forth between us. “I'm sure Ae will like what I’ll make for him.”

  “No!” Mama said at once, then quickly softened her voice, almost flustered. “I mean, his gifts were for me and your little sister, so I should be the one to make the effort.”

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  “I still think I should help, since he’ll be our guest,” I replied, a bit more firmly.

  “Rei-chan, since the gifts were meant for us and your sister, if he doesn’t mind, I’ll let him play with your sister while I prepare the food. That way he can see her smile up close.” Mama tilted her head thoughtfully, before speaking slowly. “If you want to help, then, what I need you to do, is to keep him company.”

  “Mama, are you sure?” I asked a bit confused. “You are going to make food for five people, you know.”

  “Yes, I don’t mind the number of people. I can also call mother to help.” Mama said with a soft smile, before realizing something. “Oh! And, you could invite Shizuku as well. If she’s not busy with her club activities. I’m sure he would enjoy both your company.”

  Eventually getting tired from the slightly less attention, my sister waddled towards her dollhouse, sat down and began to play by herself.

  “Hmm, I don’t think Ae would mind,” I said, giving some thought to Mama’s suggestion. “Wait, Mama, what if Papa can’t come home early?”

  “Then we just have to set it at a date where he can come home early,” she answered gently. “A proper dinner should be shared as a family, after all.

  “That’s true,” I said, agreeing with a nod and a bright smile.

  I leaned back against the sofa, until my head was resting against the ridge, folding my hands over my lap. Mama leaned against my shoulder and we stayed like this for a few minutes, before my little sister, noticing our conversation was over, toddled over, clutching a bundle of toys, and began pestering us to play.

  While we were in the middle of playing house, the doorbell rang. I stood up, crossed the living room and pulled it open.

  “What? You still haven’t changed yet?”

  My grandmother’s sharp, slightly displeased, tone greeted me as the door swung wide. She was as tall as me and like always she had her favorite ornate wooden cane, her left hand resting lightly on the head, while her right was behind her back.

  Her hair was tied in a tight bun and she was dressed lightly like she was going to the park, but her luggage was nowhere to be seen.

  Her eyes swept over me in a single glance with the kind familiar air of military impatience. What’s more, I can already tell she was not in a good mood today.

  “I was just about to—” straightening under her gaze, I tried to quickly respond.

  THWACK!

  “Ow!”

  Before I could even finish what, I was going to say, I was struck on the head, with a fan she was carrying somewhere, with a speed that would be normally impossible for someone her age.

  Behind me, Mama’s voice rose gently from the sofa. “Hahaue, welcome back. Reika’s all packed and ready. She only needs a few minutes to change.”

  I stepped aside to let her pass, rubbing the spot Nana baa-san had hit, as I closed the door behind her.

  “Hmm. I see. Then don’t take too much time. We’ll be leaving in 30 minutes,” she said as she walked over to the sofa. Her eyes softened just a fraction as they flicked towards my little sister, who was still balancing blocks on Mama’s lap.

  “And you—don’t go spoiling her too much while I’m gone.”

  “Hahaue, she’s only three,” Mama said sounding defensive and a bit exasperated.

  I turned back into the room, my heart pounding a bit faster with the sudden reminder that it was almost time. The cozy playtime from moments ago felt as though it had been swept away with the knock of the door, replaced by the sharp tap of Nana baa-san’s arrival.

  Nana baa-san’s eyes snapped back to me and before she could say another word or do anything with the fan, I hurriedly went to my room, though I managed to catch the tail end of their conversation just before I closed my door.

  “Hahaue, where’s your luggage?” Mama asked, sounding confused. “Do you plan on attending with just a cane and a small purse?”

  “Oh, don’t worry, I already sent it ahead to the hotel.” Baa-san replied, matter-of-factly, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

  Ok, Reika, you are up against one of the hardest challenge your life will ever face. I need to use the toilet, bathe, wash my hair, brush my teeth and get dressed, all in the span of less than 30 minutes. Should be easy enough, Ae does it all the time, sometimes with even less time.

  I quickly undressed my clothes, one by one, I pulled them off and tossed the worn layers onto the bed in an untidy pile, even my glasses, before darting into the bathroom.

  As a Japanese, I’d been taught the importance of punctuality since childhood, but Nana baa-san was on another level entirely. If military time was a person, then that would be her, precise and uncompromising.

  Fifteen minutes later, I heard Nana baa-san’s voice from downstairs.

  “Still not finished yet?”

  “I’m—fine! I just need a few more minutes!” I called back, though my voice cracked slightly as I wrestled with my underwear, nearly falling down.

  After I managed to steady myself, I quickly grabbed the upper part and hastily put them on.

  “Hmpf! Come on,” I muttered under my breath, fumbling with the hooks of my bra until they finally clasped into place. With a huff, I put on my glasses again to see better.

  I wasn’t the type of person to be picky with what I wore, but considering it was still cold out, I went with a purplish long-sleeved turtleneck and simple jeans. Practical, warm, and nothing more. After that, I gathered all my used clothes and placed them in the laundry basket inside my bathroom.

  “Your mother already called a cab, we’ll be leaving in maybe fifteen minutes,” Nana baa-san’s voice cut sharply through the door.

  “I’m almost done, just finishing my hair,” I half shouted as I managed to sit myself in front of my vanity. I took the time to catch my breath before grabbing my brush and running it through my hair in quick strokes.

  In the mirror, my own reflection stared back at me.

  “I was supposed to be going on a trip,” I murmured under my breath. “Why do I look like I’ve just gone on one?”

  I began to set my hair into order because their natural waviness was gone, replaced by chaos. Sticking out at angles that made me look more exhausted than excited. I relaxed a bit, I don’t want to damage my hair too much.

  Outside the door, I could hear my grandmother’s footsteps faintly as she paced.

  I couldn’t help but sigh. Why does she have to be so strict all the time? It’s not like the hotel is going anywhere, and we already made an exception for me to attend, but no one said what time I had to be there. So, me attending, even in the afternoon should be fine.

  “Stop thinking of stupid things and hurry up.”

  “Tsu! I’m not—wasn’t!” I blurted, nearly dropping the brush.

  The footsteps halted. For a moment, silence pressed against the door, heavy enough that I held my breath, although I still continued to brush my hair.

  Fortunately, a few more moments of silence and holding my breath, confirmed that she wasn’t about to suddenly kick my door open. Though I heard a faint sigh before the footsteps went downstairs.

  Safe for the moment, I gathered my hair into two ponytails, bound near the base of my nape by silver cylindrical ornaments. They were quite small, cool to the touch and inlaid with gold patterned filigree.

  According to Ae, they could also be used as rings, but I never liked the feeling of things on my fingers, plus they get in the way when I am reading a book, so the rest of the set stayed tucked safely inside my suitcase.

  The ornaments could be joined together, so I used two on each side for extra hold. There had originally been a set of ten, all a gift from Ae but since I was only going on a trip, using them as hair clips was enough.

  After a moment’s thought, I left my bangs parted in the middle and I pulled the left ponytail forward over my shoulder while leaving the right one resting against my back, the look I usually went with. Perfect.

  “Rei-chan,” Mama’s gentler voice came, “five more minutes.”

  I grabbed a light travel coat, just in case, and hurriedly carried my luggage down to the living room. I had barely stepped off the last step when Baa-san’s cool voice called.

  “Don’t forget your phone.”

  I promptly went back, running up the stairs.