Chapter 37

Taking My Girlfriend to Meet My Parents, Part 6. 2007/02/06 18:29 We finished dinner and returned to our room to prepare for our baths. As soon as we got inside the room, Y-ko began laughing. Y-ko was beaming full faced after hearing those stories about my childhood. … No, wait. This is less of a “beam” and more of a “leer.” … Oh man, that is scary. She’s just pulling my leg! Plus, that’s a pretty long nickname! … I walked over to Y-ko’s side. The palm of her hand rubbed the top of my head. What is this emotion? It’s like embarrassment mixed with reluctance to pull away! … Dammit! I can tell that I’m enjoying this! I got our toiletries together for the bath and took Y-ko to the bathroom. Since she was the guest in the house, I let her start first. My mom showed us how to use the showerhead. American showers work slightly differently from the ones in Japan. She looked at me with a quizzical expression. … Here? She put her arms up in the air for some reason. What is she thinking?! And why is Mom laughing her ass off?! I’ve been given compliments all the time! Is this how you responded each time that happened? And then my dad appeared. Dad… Don’t make things any worse. We’ve already been through this joke. And that one was clearly an out! I’m the one who writes the rule book! Oh yeah! I remember now! For some reason, I forgot that my parents are huge pains in the ass! Hmm-hm-hm-hmmm. Dad turned back toward the living room, humming. … Come on, Y-ko. Don’t smile like that. I know what’s going on. I’d always had an inkling it was the case. I just didn’t want to admit it. —The reason I can’t snap back at you… —I guess this is what they mean by, “You can’t fight your nature.”