Star Girl (Tanjiro X OC)

Audrey Harding: Thriving Willpower - Chapter 6

After spending a few hours playing with the five kids, Ms. Takemoto calls me for dinner, and I happily wave goodbye and tell them I'll see them tomorrow. They smile and return the wave, Tatsuo waving like crazy.

When I get back to the mansion, I am greeted by the smell of fried food and soup. My stomach grumbles, and I see two bowls of soup and two plates with what seem to be fried chicken and vegetables on them. They sit on the low table, steam rising from the bowls of soup. There are two pairs of chopsticks on each side of the table. I widen my light purple eyes and mouth at the sight of the tasty meal.

"Have a seat, Audrey," The woman tells me, and I walk over to the blue cushion and get on my knees. She takes her seat across from me and gets on her knees. I lay my eyes on the plate with fried chicken and vegetables and pick up the chopsticks, breaking them apart. I take a piece and bite into the crispy goodness of the chicken, and to my surprise, it doesn't taste like chicken.

"Mmm, what's this?" I ask, studying the texture.

"Shrimp tempura," She replies, and I take another bite. It tastes a little dull, to be honest, and the woman asks me, "Do you like it?"

"Hmm...I'm not sure," I answer.

"It tastes good with the tentsuyu sauce I made. Why don't you give it a try?"

There are also two tiny cups filled with dark red liquid sitting beside the bowls of soup. I take another piece and dip it into the sauce before putting it in my mouth. The flavor of the sauce bursts with saltiness and a little sweetness as I chew the crispy shrimp with pleasure.

I swallow and say, "I like it."

"I'm happy you do. Please enjoy," She replies, smiling gently.

I grab another piece and dip it into the yummy sauce, Ms. Takemoto watching me with an amused look. When I finish my fried shrimp, I eat the vegetables on the plate. They're crunchy and they taste good.

"Try the miso soup," She says, gesturing to the bowl next to me. I pick it up and grab the wooden spoon to scoop up some soup. I blow on the liquid and insert the spoon into my mouth. It tastes mild and sweet, and I can taste the onions melting in my mouth.

"How do you like it?"

"It's great!"

We eat and enjoy our dinner in peace. I have more miso soup after I finish my first serving, and then another, and another. It totally tastes better than the canned chicken soup I used to eat back in America. And it's homemade. If only my parents could have a moment to try this dish.

I'm full after my fifth helping, and I thank Ms. Takemoto for the delicious food before excusing myself from the living room. I walk to my room and find more decorations. A painting of a giant wave, a small desk, a futon on the floor, and some flower vases in a corner of the room. I walk in and look around in wonder. The variety of colors and luxurious design take my breath away. So this is how rich people in Japan live.

I observe the painting hanging above the desk, the art interesting me. There is a giant blue wave with some people rowing boats and a mountain in the background. There is also some Japanese writing on the top left corner, which I can't read. I cast a gaze at the futon laid out beside the desk. I'm big enough to fit in, and I hope it's comfortable, too.

In contrast with the tenement house I lived in, this mansion has everything my family and I could have ever wanted. I start to think about how my family is doing, how they are handling the situation with the working class, and how much they miss me. I wish I can tell them about my first day in Japan, how I met Ms. Takemoto and the five children, my new makeover, and my delicious dinner. They would love the experience I'm having now.