Dark Secret (Novella)

"Dark Secret" - Chapter Three

***It might help to imagine the sentences the Tanaka family says in the popular Asian accents***

10 hours later, Emma saw them. They were holding a welcome sign written in black and red: “Welcome to Japan, Emma! We are the Tanaka’s!” As both of them didn’t know how either of them looked like, the sign was helpful. The man who looked like the father of the family was holding the left side of the large sign, and the woman who looked like his wife was holding the other side. A girl stood next to the mother, and another girl was there as well. 

Emma rushed towards them as fast as she could with her heavy backpack and two large suitcases. When she reached them, pink faced and panting, they smiled at her and in unison said, “Welcome, Emma!” in an Asian accent. 

“Thanks.” Emma smiled back at them, and hugged them all. They reacted awkwardly, like they weren’t used to hugging people. 

“I am Hiro Tanaka,” the father said. “This is my wife, Yuko Tanaka. My eldest daughter, Ami. And my youngest, Ai.” 

“I’m Emma Harrison. Nice to meet you.” 

The father thought for a moment and said, “Now let us take you to our home. Okay?” 

Emma smiled at his struggle to communicate with her. “Yes, I’d like that.” 

The Tanaka family had a small car that barley fit all of them, not to mention Emma’s luggages. The parents asked a few questions during the drive, but the kids seemed shy and didn’t try to communicate with Emma. They first drove through vast fields, farms, and forests; much like the green nature Emma is used to back home in Canada. When the silence was too long, her exhaustion from the flight took over her and she drifted off to sleep a few times. Then as the time passed by, tall buildings began to emerge and the next thing she knew, Mr. Tanaka announced they were going through the famous Shinjuku city. 

“Don’t worry, Emma. We will take you here again.” Mrs. Tanaka turned around to reassure Emma. 

“Thank you. I would love that.” Emma continued staring out of the window in awe as the car sped by. There were so many skyscrapers and so many people, it was a scene never to be seen in her peaceful town in Canada. 

“Even if you visit Shinjuku, Shibuya, or Harajuku during midnight, you will see the same amount of people. Tokyo is truly the city that never sleeps.” Mr. Tanaka said. 

“We’re here!” Mr. Tanaka announced happily as the car slowed down as it entered a neighborhood full of houses. They drove up to a medium sized white house with yellow bordered windows a green door. There were beautiful, colorful flowers planted on the sides of the pavement up to the door. “It’s not a big house like in America or Canada, but it is our home.” 

They got out of the car as Emma assured them it was a beautiful house. The two daughters helped carry Emma’s two suitcases into the house. 

The moment they entered, there was a small room that had shoes neatly put in rows and in shoe boxes. Just like Emma was taught, she took off her sneakers and neatly put it against the wall. 

“Here, we will show you to your room!” Mrs. Tanaka motioned for her husband and her children to help Emma with her suitcases up the stairs. 

Emma was surprised at how western-looking her room was. She was expecting tatami floor, and futon as her bed. But instead she found a wooden floor, a single bed, a closet, and a small study desk. 

“I hope you will grow to like this room. We’ll show you around the rest of the house later. For now, you can get settled in! We will call you when dinner is ready.”Mr. Tanaka pats Emma’s back softly and leaves with his wife as he closes the door behind them. 

Two hours later, Emma had finished putting all her clothes in the closet, books on the shelf on top of the study desk, and taped photos of her family and friends on the wall above her bed. 

Just as she was looking at her pictures with a small smile, she heard a small knock on her door. She shook out of her thoughts, and quickly opened the door to find the youngest daughter, Ai, standing there. 

“Dinner is ready,” she said timidly, and she quickly ran away.

Emma smiled and followed her downstairs. 

On the wooden dining table were bowls of miso soup, plates of cooked fish, and rice. The smell was appetizing, and Emma noticed how hungry she was for the first time. The airplane food was okay, but she was never hungry on the airplane with the lack of movement and thus usually only ate half of what was served.

“Please, sit wherever you like.” Mrs. Tanaka said as she brought a glass cup filled with brown liquid. “That’s wheat tea,” she added at Emma’s curious expression.

Emma carefully took a sip from the cup and was delighted that it tasted very good. Cold and delicious.

Then Emma noticed that the family was looking at her.

“We are just waiting for you to take the first bite as you are our guest! From tomorrow you will be treated as our family.” Mr. Tanaka explained with a smile. 

Emma smiled back and reminded herself how Japanese valued manners and quickly picked up her chopstick (or hashi in Japanese) and picked up her bowl of rice as well. She licked her lips in concentration as she tried to remember all that she was taught about using chopsticks by her Japanese teacher. Thankfully she was able to scoop up some rice and she quickly carried it to her mouth. 

The sweet and delicious taste of rice filled her mouth and she let a moan escape in delight.

The family around her slowly started to eat as well and Emma quickly turned towards Mrs. Tanaka, who prepared the dinner, and praised her for the amazing supper.