I shoved a spoonful of cereal into my mouth while nearing my aunt who was sitting on the couch, her eyes fixed on the TV.
„Do you have to watch this first thing in the morning?“, I asked her.
„Psst!“, she shushed me and leaned forward to concentrate even more on what was going on in her favorite TV show.
I sighed and sat down next to her.
„I really don‘t understand why you like to watch this so much“, I said and munched on my breakfast.
„Don‘t you need to go to school or something?“, my aunt replied.
„Did you make me lunch?“, I wanted to know.
Now my aunt finally looked at me. She was the younger sister of my mother. She was definitely the beautiful sibling. That was one of the reasons I liked being an only child. No pretty sibling I had to compare myself to.
„Your Mum didn‘t say anything about making you lunch“, she said.
„My Mum also didn‘t say she wouldn‘t be here for the first day of my senior year“, I said and squinted my eyes at her. I knew it wasn‘t my aunts fault that my Mum was stuck in Hawaii for a couple more days. She had gone there for work - that‘s what she had told me after all - and my aunt was watching me for the time being. I thought it was a little unnecessary leaving her 17 year-old daughter with her aunt. I was perfectly capable of taking care of my own.
„Give me money for lunch then“, I said. I grabbed my school blazer and my backpack. „And you should really stop watching that show. The concept of unconditional and never ending love is so outdated“, I added.
„It is not“, my aunt replied. She gave me a couple of dollars and pushed me towards the front door.
„Where is your husband then?“, I asked. „Or where is my Mum‘s husband?“, I added. I refrained from calling him my Dad. I didn‘t have such a thing.
„You shouldn‘t be so negative. Just because your Mum and me didn‘t find the right person yet, doesn‘t mean we can‘t find them eventually“, my aunt tried to defend her idea of living her life.
„I still think it‘s bullshit to just sit around and wait for mister perfect to come along. Why don‘t you do your own thing instead? Why are you so obsessed with finding a guy, having a relationship? Why do people need love? What are you trying to compensate?“
My aunt interrupted me: „Syd! Just shut up. Nobody needs your negativity“
„It‘s not negativitiy. It‘s reality“, I replied while my aunt was basically kicking me out of my own house.
I was already kind of late and luck had to be on my side if I wanted to catch the bus on time.
‚I‘m afraid I‘m gonna be left stranded by myself. All the foolish dreams I had inside of me are broken. Everything I wanted in the distance out of reach. Am I the only that‘s gonna stay here forgotten?‘, was running through my ears when I had almost reached the bus station.
The traffic light jumped to red as I was putting a foot on the street. I kept walking, ignoring the honking cars. Their light was red still anyways so why the rush?
A man got out of his car and before I could reach the other side of the street he was standing right in front of me. I was startled as he grabbed the cord of my earphones and pulled them out of my ears at once. I knew I should’ve invested in a pair of bluetooth earphones like everyone was wearing them these days. I wondered how he would’ve pulled those out.
„What the...“, I complained and raised my eyes to look at the man‘s face.
My right eye started twitching when I saw how handsome he was. He wore a dark blue suit that hugged his slender body perfectly.
„Red“, he said.
I blinked at him in confusion. „What?“
He then pointed at the traffic light that was glowing in a bright red color.
„Did nobody teach you what the red light means?“, he asked.
I wasn‘t sure what to reply. He looked exactly like someone who would appear in one of my aunt‘s dating shows. Until now I had thought guys like him wouldn’t exist, at least not anywhere near where I lived. His looks were out of this world. His black hair covered his forehead and most of his eyebrows, his dark eyes sparkled at me in the color of mud, just they were way more beautiful than mud. Maybe it was more of a soil color. Was that a better describtion? His skin looked flawless and his lips... don’t even get me started on his lips.
„Could I take a picture of you?“, I asked him.
Now it was him who seemed confused. He raised an eyebrow and tilted his head.
I fished my phone out of my pocket ready to take his photo.
„What are you doing?“, he snatched the phone away from me, right when I released the shutter, leaving a blurry mess on the screen.
I surely couldn‘t use that as reference for drawing my webtoon.
The light switched to green and another concert of honking cars filled the streets.
„It‘s green now“, I said and while the stranger turned around to check, I managed to get my phone back. „Smile!“, I went and took a bunch of pictures of him. One should be useful. And with that I took off with full speed.
„Hey!“, he yelled after me. „Stop right there.“
But the honking cars and angry drivers made it impossible for him to follow me.
Because that guy had held the traffic my bus had been stuck too and I was comfortably able to get on and get to school only slightly late. I could call myself lucky that day.
„Sydney, Sydney!“, my best friend Ellen came running as I was putting my backpack into my locker. „Your drawings became so good over the summer. I loved that last episode of ‚Mr. Cat‘“
„If you loved that one, just wait for my new project“, I said.
„Did you finally find your inspiration?“, Ellen wanted to know.
I nodded but I didn‘t get to tell her the story about meeting the perfect guy just this morning because the school bell interrupted us and I had to hurry to my first period.
It was only at lunch time that I got my chance to tell Ellen.
„Since when do you buy your lunch?“, she asked with a somewhat worried look on her face.
„Oh, that‘s totally temporary. My Mum didn‘t get back from her trip to Hawaii yet and my aunt forgot to make lunch“, I shrugged my shoulders.
„I have to tell you something“, Ellen then said and sat down next to me.
„I wanted to tell you about...“, I started out but got interrupted by Ellen.
„My new homeroom teacher is so gorgeous. I mean, I don‘t even know where to start“, she babbled.
I had forgotten she was one of those brainless female humans who only thought about men.
„He looks really young and he wore the most expensive suit. All the girls are so into him...“, she continued.
„Are we actually having this conversation right now?“, I asked her.
„You are writing about men too“, she said. „In fact you just wanted to tell me about your inspiration for the male lead.“
„That is something completely different“, I spat.
„And how is that?“, Ellen asked raising her eyebrows.
„I am drawing perfect men, giving them perfect characters. But as you might‘ve noticed, those men are made up. They aren‘t real. Men like that don‘t exist.“
Ellen sighed: „I really wish someone would come along and prove you wrong“
„You will probably die waiting for that to happen. Sorry to disappoint“, I grinned at her. „So, as I was about to show you, before you so rudely interrupted me to swoon over some lame teacher...“
„There he is“, she yet again interrupted me.
„Are you serious right now?“, I got angry.
Ellen had huge hearts in her eyes and I automatically followed her gaze.
„Oh you‘ve got to be kidding me“, I said.
„Mr. Ohira!“, Ellen yelled and waved.
My eyes followed Mr. Ohira as he was passing the cafeteria. It felt as it was happening in slow motion. I looked at Ellen, realizing what she had just done. My head turned back to Mr. Ohira who was about to turn into our direction. With one movement I quickly slid underneath the table, hiding away from the teacher.
„What are you doing down there?“, Ellen asked after a while.
„I dropped my...key?“, I said.
„You totally missed Mr. Ohira“, she said.
„Is he gone?“
„Yes, he‘s gone“, Ellen replied.
„Are you sure he‘s a teacher here?“, I heard myself ask her and climbed back up. „He looks way too young to be a teacher.“
There was just no way that man I just met this morning was a new teacher at my school. NO WAY. And there I was and thought the luck was on my side for once.
„Why are you so weird all of the sudden?“, Ellen asked.
„Well, remember I wanted to tell you about my inspiration? It was a guy I met this morning.“
Ellen nodded: „And?“
„It kind of is Mr. Ohira“, I said and smiled awkwardly.
„No way!“, Ellen went with large eyes.
„Exactly my thought“, I replied. I fished my phone out of my pocket and showed Ellen the most decent picture of all the pictures I had taken this morning.
„Omg, it actually is him“, Ellen marvelled. „Wow he is so stunning even in pictures. Can you send these to me?“
I looked at her in disbelief.
„Don‘t you realize my life is over right now? I totally have to change schools.“
„Don‘t overreact like that“, she muttered and still stared at the display.
I let my head sink down on the table and made a face.
„Sydney!“, an unpleasant voice sounded in my ears. „I hate to see you down. No wait. Actually, I love it. So spill the tea“, Cora said. She and her best friend Jane had approached us for really absolutely no other reason than making fun of me.
„What do you want?“, I mumbled into the table.
„Yeah, Cora, what do you want?“, Ellen sighed. We both had to put up with a lot of crap that Cora had pulled. And we both were tired of it. It had been quiet last year but it seemed as if Cora had decided to once again start picking on us.
„Chill, girls!“, Cora said and whipped her hair over her shoulder. „I come in peace“, she added.
I finally looked up from the table. There she was, my enemy, Cora. She was that typical girl that everyone liked despite her awful personality. I had always wondered how she did it.
„So, I guess you already heard we have a new teacher“, Cora started again.
Defintitely something I didn‘t want to be reminded of.
„Is he Japanese?“, Cora asked.
„You really came here to ask me that?“, I asked back.
Cora looked a little unfomfortable and avoided eye contact. I knew she didn‘t want to be seen talking to me. And yet here she was sitting at my table, having a somewhat normal conversation with me.
„Well, yeah“, she said.
I laughed quietly.
„So is he or is he not?“, she said angrily.
„I take it you ask me because...“, I started off and waited for her to finish my sentence.
„Because you are Japanese, duh?“
„Why does it matter if he is Japanese though?“, I asked.
„I was asking a simple question. This conversation is already taking way longer than I thought it would.“
I didn‘t know why it mattered to Cora if Mr. Ohira was Japanese or not. Sadly enough his name wasn‘t giving it away - at least to her apparently. But the talk made me realize something - he was the first attractive guy I had seen in my city. And he was the first Japanese man I had seen here. We had a few Asian people living here, but we were definitely the minority.
„Okay listen“, Cora said. „I might have a crush on Mr. Ohira and I thought I could make him something for lunch and show that I cherish his culture. He must miss the food from his country.“
„That‘s just racist“, Ellen said.
I thought about it for a moment. I could‘ve told her he was Vietnamese and let her ruin all her chances with him - if she even had any.
„Yes, I suppose he is Japanese“, I then said instead. Being truthful was always better.
„You suppose? You don‘t know for sure?“, she asked.
„Look“, I said and turned to her „his last name is Japanese for all I know. But it would be stereotypical to say that he looked Japanese. Maybe he is half Japanese, maybe he was adopted by a Japanese family and has their name? I can‘t tell you for sure. I guess you have to ask him if you really want to know.“
Cora sighed and clenched her teeth.
„I should‘ve known you wouldn‘t be helpful.“
I shrugged my shoulders in response.
I was lucky enough not to run into Mr. Ohira that day. But I knew I was gonna meet him eventually. My school was quite small after all. I was only left to hope he would‘ve forgotten about the little scene I had caused him on his first day of school. It wasn‘t likely to happen, was it?
When I arrived home, I noticed an expensive car in our drive way.
I opened the door and believe me when I tell you I wasn‘t ready for what was awaiting me.
„Mum?“, I asked. She looked different. Good different. But that was what made me anxious. I‘ve seen her look like that before. „Don‘t tell me...“, I said and dropped my backpack.
„Honey“, my Mum came and gave me a hug. It was hard not to notice the big ring on her finger.
I started crying. I know it didn‘t really make sense to cry in a situation like this to the normal eye. I should‘ve been happy for her. But seeing her on and off with several boyfriends over the years had taught me otherwise.
„Don‘t cry Sydney“, she said and kissed my forehead.
„Don‘t tell me“, I cried. „Just don‘t. I don‘t even want to hear it.“
„Sydney don‘t be unfair“, my aunt then said.
„It‘s different this time, Sydney“, my Mum said.
„You said that every time.“
„I know. But this time it‘s really going to be different.“
I shook my head and backed away from her.
„He is a really sweet man. He is smart and kind. He has a son too who is about your age. He wants to marry me, Sydney. We are going to be a real family“, my Mum explained. She had a spark inside her eyes that I couldn‘t stand looking at. I wasn‘t enough for her after all.
„We already were a real family. You and me. What‘s so wrong about that?“, I continued crying.
It has been like that all my life. My Mum dated some weird guy, they broke up after a while, she was devastated every time, crying after some man who had treated her like shit. Every time she promised me she would be done with dating those losers and yet she continued ending up with worthless idiots who only hurt her. I begged her to just leave it be. We were a family after all. Me and her, wasn‘t that all she needed? It was everything I needed. I just needed my Mum and no one else. But there were things I couldn‘t give her. Things for what she was seeking relationships. But in all those years it had never gotten this serious. She never had a ring on her finger.
„How long has this been going on?“, I asked her.
My Mum sighed.
„Sydney, sit down“, my aunt said and guided me to the couch, patting my back to calm me down.
„I‘ve been seeing this man for quite a while now. But I didn‘t want you to meet him before I knew he was the right one.“
„How do you know he is the right one?“, I asked.
„Sydney, when the time comes, you will know. You will feel it in you heart“, my Mum said and put her hand on the left side of her chest.
„I‘d rather trust my brain than my heart“, I replied.
„I know you aren‘t happy with this. But can‘t you trust me? This man really loves me and I really love him. And I want us to be a family.“
„You love him or you love his money?“, I spat. I knew it was unfair of me to say that but I was boiling on the inside.
„Please give him a chance. He wants to meet you tonight.“
I shook my head.
„He has a really nice house, where we can move into.“
„I don‘t want to move“, I yelled. „We have a perfectly fine home. I am not going to leave everything behind just because you found another loser to be with.“
„Sydney, please...“, my Mum tried to get through to me. But I had enough for know. I needed to be alone.
I left the living room, followed by my aunt.
„I want to be alone.“
„And I will leave you alone, after you listened to me“, my aunt said. She crossed her arms in front of her chest, glaring at me.
„You knew about this“, I stated. I could see it in her eyes.
„Eito is a really great man. He even moved here so that you don‘t have to change schools before graduation.“
„So should I be thanking him now or what?“
„I just want you to give him a chance for your mother‘s sake. I haven‘t seen her this happy since...“
„Since her first husband“, I finished her sentence.
My aunt nodded with a sad expression on her face.
„You know I don‘t trust them.“
„I know. Trust your mother instead that she is making the right decision this time. She has learned from her mistakes too. She hasn‘t told you about him because she didn‘t want to make the same mistakes again. She wanted to make sure it would work out first. He asked your mother to marry him, he moved through the country to be with her, he left his job, had to find a new job out here, he bought a house for you to live in. I know you don‘t want to see it and believe it. But he is actually one of the guys from your webtoons.“
„He most certainly is not“, I stated. Those guys weren‘t real! Why was everyone so desperate in trying to convince me of the opposite?
„Just do me a favor, will you?“, my aunt said.
I looked at her waiting for her to tell me that nonsense of favor she wanted.
„Be polite when you meet him. Give him a chance to prove himself, will you?“
I didn‘t reply. And my aunt finally left me alone in my room.
I sank down on the bed hugging my pillow, gathering strength for the war I was about to fight. This wasn‘t over yet.
💜😭💜
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