I jump out of the car as Anna-Kat waves enthusiastically at me. "Byee!! See you tomorrow,"she says sweetly. Hermione gives a cool wave over her shoulder just before lifting her hips off her seat and singing (very loudly) "Gee, gee, gee, gee, gee, baby, baby, baby, baby!! Gee, gee, gee, gee...!!"
I giggle. I've done a bad thing introducing these guys to k-pop, haven't I? As they drive away, I dance my way up the front steps then kick open the door with a flourish.
"I have arrived!" I announce. "Uh... arriven. Arriven? Arrived? Ugh! Fuck that!" I mutter to myself. "I'm here!!"
My dad pokes his head around the kitchen door. "Hai Nana Mama!"
"Do you always have a name ready to go for me?"
He puts his hand on his chin and makes an exaggerated thinking face. "Hmm? I dunno. Do I?"
I roll my eyes at him and sigh.
"So," he says as I walk past him to the stairs. "How was your day? You and your friends?"
"Oh?" I stop in my tracks, a goofy ahh smile threatening to split my face down the middle. "It was good."
"Oh?" He leans against the wall and pushes up his glasses. "I'm interested."
"Aren't you now?"
"So..? Who were you with?"
"Just a couple girls from school. Nothing special." A stupid blush creeps up my cheeks and my brain glares snarkily at me like it wasn't her own fault.
His eyes widen in genuine shock. "Oh? Nikki wasn't there?"
For some reason, I feel embarrassed answering. "Um... no. She got called to the office. So, she couldn't come with us."
"What for?"
"Apparently her Bulma era doesn't count as vice-principal-friendly. And they've had some issues in the past for dress code and 'bad behavior' or whatever." I give an airy wave. "She had to stay back."
My dad facepalms dramatically. "Oh no," he sighs. "Whatever shall we do with Nikki?"
I shrug a little sadly. "I dunno. I'm gonna go tell her, though, about it so she doesn't feel left out." I smile a little, thinking about it. "She would have a lot of questions."
"I bet she will."
"Where's Larry?"
"At the store."
"Okkie. See ya!" I make to go up the stairs, but he stops me.
"Hey."
"What is it?"
"I'm happy for you... um... and Nikki."
I brace myself and try not to cringe, expecting something a little too emotional.
"What?"
"Huh?"
His eyes widen in realization and he frantically waves his hands to awkwardly correct himself.
"No! I didn't mean like THAT! I meant that you've just always been so quiet and, well, reserved. People never really understand you, and you always said school was unbearable. Your mom and grandma and I were always so worried you'd never learn to interact normally with--"
"Normally?"
"No! But yes, I guess. A-anyhoo, I'm just saying we were really happy when you introduced Nikki as your friend. Well, she sort of introduced herself, but you get the point. And now, you're reaching out and making more friends. And it just really makes me happy to see you so happy and light every once in a while."
I stare at my nails, not knowing what to say.
He nudges my shoulder. "やばい/やばっ*!! Calm down, you."
I manage to summon a laugh. "Corny ass!"
"You good, though?"
"I'm okkie!" I make my way up the stairs. "You're just cringy, oldie."
"Well, you're just not old, youngie."
"Eww!!! Don't do thattt!!!" I put my hands over my ears at the atrocity he had committed as I walk into my bedroom.
I cross the room to my bed and sit down, feeling good. And he's still laughing downstairs.
"Corny ass," I mutter affectionately and look for my phone.
***
Translation Notes
*Oh my god!!