Yorusaki Kageo was running a mechanical pencil through his notebook.
Iām happy. Iām so happy. Everyone should be happy, right?
He was so happy that he just wanted to hug everyone.
In the food court of the supermarket, it was filled with families who looked as if they had happiness painted and framed. Blonde-haired and blue-eyed white person, blackhaired hispanic, burly-bodied black person, flat-faced asians. America was a melting pot of race. Everyone was pushing a big shopping cart full of groceries.
[Kageo. Kept you waiting, eh,] his father-in-law called out to him as he came back from the toilet.
[Father-in-law]
Kageo closed his notebook and put it into his bag.
[I donāt like that way of calling. Call me by my name. All right?]
[Okay. Mr. Christopher]
[Whoops. Forgot to buy it. My bad, please watch over the cart]
His father-in-law, who had gone back into the supermarket, returned with a bag of fruity gummies, about four times larger than Japanese snacks.
Everything was bigger in American supermarkets. The store was spacious, and even a bag of sweets was huge. Even the shopping cart was twice the size of a Japanese supermarket one.
[Layla loves this, you see]
His father-in-law put the bag of gummies into the shopping cart.
He remembered back in high school, the lunches she made for him came with fruity gummies for dessert.
[I canāt believe that once so little my honey is gonna be a mommaā¦ She has to be nourishedā¦]
His father-in-law took out his phone and smiled broadly as he opened a photo of Layla smiling holding a newborn baby.
Even though he was a handsome man like that of a movie actor, he gave the air of a good-natured grandfather when he made that kind of ace.
They handed the receipt to the person waiting at the exit of the supermarket, having it checked. A custom not found in Japan.
When they got outside, the hot summer air enveloped Kageo. Unlike in Japan, summer in America was somewhat bright and refreshing.
They pushed the cart to the parking lot and put the bought items on the back of a sedan.
His father-in-law behind the wheel, they went to the Douglas house.
[Your English is very good, isnāt it]
Holding the steering wheel, Christopher started talking to him.
His TOEIC score was only barely below 700, but he could manage daily conversation. Currently, Kageo was a second-year university student, and he was thinking of improving his score and getting a job using English.
Layla was also a second-year university student, and studying Japanese literature at a Japanese university. But she was on a temporary absence due to childbirth.
[Thank you very much]
On both sides of the road, there were scenes that looked like something out of a movie.
Big houses, big gardens. There were also houses with a pool here and there. Verdant lawns and dogs with furry fur. Children playing on skateboards.
It was this environment that created Laylaās forward-looking and placid personality.
They arrived at Douglas house and the sedan stopped.
As they were divvying up the bought items and bringing them into the house, a babyās cry was heard.
[The baby sure does look like you isnāt it, Mr. Christopher]
His daughterās name still hadnāt been decided. There was still time as they would have to deliver it to the town hall after returning to Japan.
[Right, right. You should just go back to Japan. And we will raise the baby]
He had trouble reacting as it was said in a joking, and serious tone.
āBonkā sound could be heard. Laylaās mother smacked his father-in-law in the head. Christopher held the back of his head in his hands and looked down.
[Hey, what are you even saying? That doesnāt sound like a jokeā¦ Kageo-kun, please donāt mind it. Heās so just a too-doting grandpa Iām shocked. Geez, itās annoying, isnāt it]
For Kageo, who was separated from his parents by death when he was in the sixth grade, it was a pleasant scene that made him ticklish.
[What are you smiling at? Kageo-kun]
[Iām just thinking that something like this is nice. I lost my parents when I was thirteen years old after all. So I thought, āI got myself a father-in-law and a mother-in-law, huhā]
His mother-in-law gasped in surprise, her eyes watering, and gave Kageo a hug as though she were overcome with emotion.
[Kageo-kun, you can depend on me as a mother-in-law, okay?]
[Mom, what are you doing? Heās my husband, and Iām his wife!,] Layla complaint.
She was wearing a nightdress and holding the baby with both hands tenderly.
[Oh my, oh dear. Oops, Iām sorry]
[Rumiko, your husband is over here. I love you]
[Darling, I love you]
His father-in-law and mother-in-law hugged and kissed on the cheek. It was amazing how close they were no matter what. He also wanted to be this kind of married couple.
[Baby, itās papa. Iām home]
He took his daughter and kissed her on the forehead.
He could smell the smell of milk from his daughter, who was wrapped in a covering used to wrap a baby.
Ten days after birth. Since she couldnāt hold up her own neck yet, she was soft as if she had no bones.
Weighing only about as much as a cat, he was struck with wonder when he thought about how such a small creature would become a human.
āLayla, is it okay for you to get up now?ā
āItās okay. I wanna return to Japan soonā
Layla didnāt want to go back, but wanted to go home.
āLetās just wait for a bit longer, after the one-month health checkup. Oh right, hereā
ļ¼ndćććŖNaoļ¼å„央Naoļ¼The Japanese name is cute, but the English name might be confused as a man. But, itās an easy name to remember without weird meanings.
ļ¼rdććøć„ćŖć¢Juuliaļ¼ęعéäŗJuriaļ¼The English name is cute, but the Japanese name might be over the top.
ļ¼thćććHanaļ¼č±Hanaļ¼The English name means āgraceā, and is easy to remember in America. Is the Japanese name an old-fashioned name?