Stars Fell on Tokyo | ✓

05 | ramen

       SHE WAITED PATIENTLY when the cook was serving his customers. She did notice that he was a bit elderly but not too old to work with that much speed in his life. The man's mustache had connected to his beard, peppered with black and gray. He sported a black and white headband as he moved from the kitchen to the table full of hungry customers. Of course, Louanne wasn't going to be rude by interrupting his business although she was starving and not to mention-no money. She clenched her stomach as it continued to growl even louder but she had to hold out a little longer until the man was able to come to her.

      "Can I help you, little lady?" the man asked, presumably her being the last customer for the day. "I'm just about to close up for tonight."

      Louanne closed her eyes to collect her thoughts, trying to remember what her father had told her back home before she left then opened them when she had refreshed her mind. "I-I've been meaning to speak to you but I didn't want to get in the way," she opened her suitcase and pulled out the photo of her father, showcasing it to the man. "I know that you may not know who I am but do you know this man?"

       He took a closer look at the picture before he carefully takes it away from her. "Where did you get this?"

      "It was given to me," Louanne answered truthfully.

      "I haven't seen this face since my son, Jiro left,"

       "That's just it! He was the one who gave that picture to me,"

     The old man stared at her as if she was some spectacle then back at the photo of Jiro, starting to piece the puzzle together. "Who are you?" he asked her.

      "My name is Louanne Yamasaki and that man in the picture is my father," she confesses, causing his eyes to go widen.

      She watched his jaw drop in realization and frankly she didn't blame him for not noticing some of the features that she tends to inherit from Jiro.

      "After all these years... he leaves to start a family of his own. It's not a shock that he didn't want to stay here when the war was going to end," the man spoke, "I am Naoki."

     "It's nice to finally meet you, Mr. Yamasaki," she stands up to bow before him.

    It was one thing that she picked up from her father back at home. He'd always greet strangers that way and it was something that he grew up doing.

     "Oh, you might as well call me Jiji," he says as he returns the photo and goes to the back of the kitchen to wash his hands.

      "What does Jiji mean?"

      "It's another way of saying Ojiisan which means grandfather in Japanese but I like to go for the shorter version," he smiled cheerfully.

***

      The night was still young as she and Naoki had walked along the brightly lit sidewalk. Still, the city of Tokyo felt very different to Louanne but at least she was able to adapt to it slowly. Neither he nor she spoke a word to each other except allowing for her to stay for the summer. She didn't know whether to start the conversation and let him go first.

      "So, how old are you, Louanne? You seem to be too young to travel all the way over here by yourself?" Naoki finally asked.

      "Seventeen, sir," she answered, not meeting eye contact.

     "And what made you want to come here?"

     "I want to figure out what happened in my father's past and maybe get to know his culture," she said, "My mother is Hawaiian, you see, and I've been more indoctrinated to her ways of things without knowing my father's."

     The word "indoctrinated" was something that Louanne never thought to use in a sentence. She felt like she had to up her vocabulary since she was in an elderly presence.

     "My son is in Hawai'i after all these years and I would've thought that he sent you here," said Naoki.

     "Yes," she replied.

     The pair came across a quiet and quaint neighborhood as the moon reflected on a puddle in the middle of the street. They walked quite an of the way until they reached a dim-lit two-story house with a nicely decorated balcony on the right.

     "Here, hand me your luggage Lou," Naoki offered.

      She hands him her things before she is welcomed with the smell of spicy ramen hitting her nose once again. Her stomach growled louder than ever, reminding her that she hasn't eaten since her flight or that morning she woke up. 

      She took the time to admire the interior design of the house-completely different from the one back home again. Everything here in Japan seemed to be different than how things are and look in Hawai'i. Instead of the chairs having legs, they were on the floor with the dinner table at the same height. There was a family photo mounted on the coffee table next to the kitchen.

      "Oh, Darin (darling)! You made it just in time! Supper is almost ready!" a woman with a chord of warm vocals coming from the kitchen. The elder woman's head peeped out from the corner, instantly noticing the young shy girl with the petal of hibiscus trails on her arms. "And who might you be, young lady?"

     Louanne kept her hands together, rubbing them as she looked down at the brown wooden floor and then her shoes.

      "Chō, this is our granddaughter, Louanne," Naoki manages to introduce her, putting his hand on her shoulder.

      Without a word escaping her lips, she bows hesitantly in a form of respect. "Hello," her voice cracks a little.

      "Granddaughter?" the woman repeats.

     "Our son, Jiro's daughter. She's come a long way from Hawai'i to meet us," Naoki explains.

     Chō takes a couple of steps forward toward her, examining her for a bit. Although, she was immediately flabbergasted when he mention her father's name.

      "Jiro? Our son is still out there?" she put her hand on her chest. "And he has sent us a grandchild."

     "It's amazing, isn't it? And I hope you don't mind if she stays with us for the summer, my love," he says.

      Louanne bit the bottom of her lip, anxiously waiting for her response. When she finally has the courage to look up at her, Chō smiled warmly with open arms. "Of course, she can stay! I'm glad but shocked at the same time that Jiro is still around and that he actually has a daughter."

      "Thank you," Louanne bowed again.

      "You can just call me Sobo Chō and it's very lovely to meet you, Louanne," Chō pulled her into an affectionate embrace.

     By that, Louanne was relieved once again of her worries as she takes at the moment right now. The thought of her grandparents going to be ugly toward her had washed away and was filled with a warm and fuzzy feeling. She could finally know more about her family without worry at all.