Jack stood outside the Miyamoto's house at six-thirty that evening tugging at his borrowed jacket.  He had outgrown his own suit, but fortunately his little brother was taller than him.  Unfortunately, he was also skinnier, so his borrowed jacket pulled at the shoulders and restricted his arm movements, which was probably just as well.  He tended to flail his arms too much when he talked anyway.  Jack reached for the buzzer, gripping the bag with the tin of chocolate-covered Hawaiian macadamia nuts. 

 “Who is it?” a female voice asked from a nearby speaker. 

“Um, this is Jack Patrick.” 

The gate clicked.  “Please come in.” 

Jack entered, closing the gate behind him.  He paused before the door, looking for the doorbell, and wondering if he should knock instead.  The door opened just as he was reaching for the button. 

Miko's mother was a tall, beautiful and elegant woman.  Her hair was fixed up in a traditional fashion and she wore an expensive and ornate silk kimono.  She looked so much like a model that Jack nearly forgot to bow and offer the traditional gift.  “I apologize for the intrusion.  This is just a little something I picked up along the way,” he said in the expected self-deprecating manner, though he offered the gift with both hands as if it were something important. 

“Thank you.  I'm Yui Miyamoto, please come in Jack-kun.” 

Jack's quaking heart lifted a little as she used his first name, though he wondered, as always, if she were really being friendly or if it wasn't just because his last name was so awkward and she didn't want to be impolite by saying it wrong.  He entered, taking off his shoes and turning them around to face the door.  He was glad he had checked his socks for holes as he stepped into the slippers. 

“Oh, macadamia nuts.  Kouta-san will enjoy these.  Please come this way.”  Yui led him into the house.  The whole house was large and elegantly furnished, reminding Jack of a high class hotel in Tokyo in which his father's division had once held a reception. 

“The meal is almost ready.  Would you like some tea first?”  She led him to a western style sitting area where Miko and her father waited on couches. 

“Yes.  Thank you.”  Jack followed her in and bowed, introducing himself to Miko's father and learning his name was Kouta. 

Jack felt a strange sense of déjà vu, then the reality of the situation hit him as if he had suddenly awakened to find he had sleep-walked onto a busy highway.  This was what Takashi had been talking about.  He had seen this scene played out a hundred times in movies and TV shows.  The scowling father, the awkward smiles, the nervous suitor meeting his beloved’s parents to ask for her hand in marriage, he almost felt he was now required to ask to marry Miko. 

Miko was just as gorgeous as her mother with her hair fixed up in the same style and wearing a similar kimono.  She gave Jack a nervous smile, an expression he had never seen before, which was unbearably cute.  Jack couldn't help but grin at her.  He thought he caught a knowing smile on Yui's face as she poured the tea.  Kouta watched all of this with an expression of one suffering from gas. 

“Let me go get Hibiki.”  Yui rose and left the room. 

Jack heard “Come and great our guest,” coming in Japanese from down the hall. 

Yui returned with an average looking teenager in tow.  Unlike the rest of the family, he was not dressed up in traditional or even formal garb.  He wore blue jeans, a Japanese rock band T-shirt and studded black leather collar around his neck and a matching band on his wrist.  “Jack-kun, this is Miko’s brother Hibiki.” 

“Yo,” Hibiki said. 

“Hello,” Jack replied. 

“Do you have any siblings?” Yui asked, sitting back on the couch and taking up a cup of tea.  Hibiki flopped down in a chair as far from the others as he could sit. 

“I have one brother, Andrew, who is thirteen.” 

“I see.  So, he will be taking exams at the end of the next school year.  Does he know which school he wants to try for?” 

“He's set on Atarachi High School.”  Jack didn't add that this was dependent on them having the funds for two kids in private school, which was somewhat questionable.  “He's already studying for the exam.  He's determined to beat my entrance score.” 

Kouta glanced at Hibiki and gave an indecipherable grunt. 

“Dinner is served,” the cook announced after a few moments and everyone rose and entered the dining room.  The food was served western style and Jack frantically tried to remember the rules for all the forks and spoons.  He had declared once, in camp, that all anyone needed was a spork and a knife and had stubbornly gone through his entire remaining junior high year with nothing else. 

“So, Jack-kun, how long have you lived in Japan?” Yui asked. 

Jack paused to calculate.  “About nine years.” 

'Where were you born?” 

With little prompting, Jack was soon spilling the story of his life.  How he and his brother were born in Los Angeles, how his father was recruited into the air force while trying to find a way to pay for college, how they had lived in San Antonio, Texas for his first tour before being sent to Yokota air base in Tokyo.  He told them about his mother dying during his father's second tour, speaking bluntly about things that the Japanese would never even ask, though they seemed to listen with fascination, and Jack appreciated an appreciative audience.  He talked about how his father had arranged a second tour in Tokyo, married the Japanese nanny and switched to civil service with the Department Of Defense rather than PCS back to the states. 

Realizing he was doing so much talking, he asked about Miko and learned where she had gone to school and what awards she had won as a child.  Her parents were obviously very proud of her, but were reluctant to say anything that might sound like bragging.  Any time, through his questioning, he managed to get them to say something positive about her, they would always balance it with something negative, some minor misdeed or childish act of temper.  Miko mostly sat through the discussion blushing silently and keeping her head down, hiding behind her fringe of hair. 

“...and then, when her pet rabbit Pyonpyon died, she was distraught,” Yui said.  “On learning that most pets would not live as long as a person, she vowed to never have a pet again.  I tried to get her a turtle or a parrot, since they live so long, but she would have nothing of it—she can be impossibly stubborn when she decides to be—and though she was always dying to love every animal she saw, she never took a pet again.” 

“So, Jack-kun.  What are your plans after high school?” Kouta asked after Yui remembered the chocolate-covered macadamia nuts Jack had brought and opened the tin. 

Jack cast a quick involuntary glance towards Miko.  “Well, I believe my parents want me to go to university.” 

“Here in Japan?” 

“I would prefer to stay here.  Though I have had some people encourage me to go back to the states for university.  If I were to do that, I should probably do my third year of high school in America to establish residency.” 

A startled sound came from Miko.  Jack gave her a re-assuring smile.  “I probably won’t, but one does have to consider all the possibilities.” 

“Indeed,” Kouta said.  “What area of study are you interested in?” 

Jack sighed.  “My academic interest survey says I am most interested in the fine arts and the hard sciences.  I used to joke that the results meant I was supposed to be a science fiction writer.” 

“Are you interested in writing novels?” 

“Perhaps.  But not as a career.  I would prefer something that pays.  I was thinking of something like business communications or marketing or something.  I did spend a summer at camp learning to code a couple of years ago.  I enjoyed that.  Programming is an option.” 

“Programing is a good way to begin a career,” Kouta advised.  “But if you wish to continue advancing you'll want to get into management.  Ask your father about the difference between the enlisted and the officers in the military, sometime.  If you're interested in programming, then perhaps IT management would be good for you.” 

“Perhaps,” Jack nodded.  “The problem of having too many options seems to be nearly as bad as having too few.” 

“Precisely,” Kouta agreed.  “Which is all the more reason why you need to seriously consider which path you wish to take and begin pursuing it with all your efforts.  The schools you go to, the people you meet along the way won't do you any good if you change careers at the last moment.” 

“What would you do in my place, sir?” Jack asked. 

Kouta sat back in his chair for a moment in silence.  “That is a good question.  I would probably advise some form of business management.  Your English skills and the fact that you're an American could give you a great advantage in the right circumstances.  Why consider my company, we've been looking to expand our distribution into the United States, but have had difficulty establishing the necessary partnerships.  Someone with your background would be very valuable to us.” 

Jack chuckled.  “Sir, are you offering me a job?” 

Kouta looked startled.  “What?  Of course not!” He scowled fiercely.  “If you were to work for my company, you would start at the bottom like everyone else, probably as a clerk, or, depending on your college degree, an assistant to one of the lower level managers.” 

“I apologize, sir,” Jack bowed his head slightly.  “I was joking.” 

“Yes.  Of course.”  Kouta glanced at his wife who had been smiling at him the whole time.  “My advice right now is to just concentrate on your school work and do well on the center test—assuming you are intending to stay in Japan.”  He looked at Miko.  “And don't let other things distract you.” 

永  遠 

“OK, tell me how badly I messed up,” Jack said after the car's door closed. 

Miko, who had begged for permission to go with the driver when he took Jack home, flopped in the backseat next to him and hugged his arm.  “I thought that went wonderfully!” 

“Really?  He was grilling me about my future plans, and I didn't have any answers.” 

“He wouldn't have bothered asking if he didn't see some potential.  When he started giving you all that advice, I knew you had won him over.” 

“Do you think so?  I was afraid I'd really upset him when I made that stupid joke.” 

Miko giggled.  “That was the funniest part.  He basically was offering you a job.  He went into corporate recruiting mode without realizing it.  He only looked upset because he was so startled when he realized what he was doing.”  Miko snuggled up to him.  “If you hadn't said that, you might have had an interview date.  Mom nearly burst out laughing when you said it though.” 

“Speaking of your mother,” Jack looked at Miko's upturned face.  “Promise me you'll be no less beautiful than her when you are her age.” 

Miko sat up and looked surprised.  “Beautiful?  My mom?” 

“I think she's very attractive.” 

She paused, then gave Jack a sly grin.  “What makes you think you'll even be around when I'm that age?” 

“I'm not planning on going anywhere.” 

Miko smiled and snuggled back up next to him.  “I'm going to have to warn my father about you.” 

永  遠 

“So tell me how bad it was,” Takashi asked as the usual group ate lunch together in the courtyard.  “Did he send you home in tears?” 

“He did wonderfully,” Miko said punctuating her remarks by holding up a gyoza in her chopsticks so Jack could take a bite. 

“You know, you don't have to tell your cook to make these every day.  I do eat other food too.” 

“But I like to see you happy.”  Miko smiled and finished off the dumpling herself. 

“Please!” Junko said, though it came out more like a groan. 

“Stop fooling around,” Takashi said.  “I want to know what happened.  I might have to do this myself someday.” 

“Oh?  Think you'll actually get a girlfriend of your own?” Tsukiko asked. 

“Stranger things have happened.” 

Junko poked at her bento.  “Not that strange.” 

“Well, first he asked about my family and where we're from.  Then he started asking about what I planned to do after high school.  I did start getting a little nervous then.” 

Takashi shook his head.  “I would have been shaking the whole time.” 

“Then he started giving me career advice.” 

“What?  You mean he actually acted like he was interested in your future?” 

“Well, at one point I did ask him what he would do in my place.” 

Takashi scratched his chin.  “What a clever trick.  I may have to remember that one.” 

Tsukiko smacked him on the back of his head.  “Like you'll ever get to use it.” 

“Then he offered Jack-kun a job,” Miko giggled. 

“What?” Ume choked and Rio patted her on the back. 

“Not quite,” Jack said.  “But he did say his company could use someone with a background like mine and talked about what it would be like if I were to work for him,” he paused and frowned.  “It wasn't like he actually made me a job offer though.” 

Takashi made a skeptical sound.  “No, I guess not...dummy.” 

“Anyway,” Jack took a bite from another dumpling as Miko held it up.  “I'm done.  It's going to be your turn tonight.” 

“What do you mean?” Junko asked. 

“She's coming to meet my parents tonight.” 

“Oh ho ho!”  Takashi said.  “Now for the real challenge.” 

“What are you talking about?” Miko asked. 

“The eternal conflict between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law.  The number one wrecker of marriages.” 

“What do you know about it?” Tsukiko asked. 

“I read an article about it online for social studies.” 

“Like you read,” Junko said. 

“OK, I scanned the article titles.” 

“It is true, though,” Junko said.  “It's often very hard for Japanese mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law to get along.  Two women, strangers to the same family.  One runs the household, the other—if she's the wife of the first born—will be responsible for taking care of the parents in their old age.  The whole situation is fraught with disaster.” 

Miko grew pale, holding a half-eaten gyoza in her chopsticks.   

Jack guided it toward her gaping mouth.  “Eat up.  You'll need your strength.”