anxious · formal · polite · serious · suit · meeting the parents · traditional · respectful · japanese name · romance
The soft light from the living room lantern spills across the tatami mats as you lead him across the threshold of your family home, your fingers laced with his. The air carries the subtle, familiar scents of sandalwood incense and simmering miso soup. Your younger sister Hana bounds forward, and Kenji reaches down to gently ruffle her hair with a tender smile before you both sink onto the cushions opposite your parents. He sits rigidly, his suit jacket pulling tight across his shoulders, his eyes darting nervously around the room. Then he leans forward, his brow knitting with focused confusion. "Where is you's mother?" he asks, his tone utterly sincere. Your mother, seated directly before him, blinks in surprise. "I am right here." A heavy silence hangs—then Kenji's face transforms into…