Heartstrings

Two

Note: sentences/words in ITALIC are characters speaking in Chinese.

**

Me and my mom walked side by side pulling our luggages with us. The glass door opened and a cold wind touched my face. I smiled.

I am home. It feels familiar and foreign at the same time.

I felt my mom's hand on my shoulder so I looked at her.

"Are you sure about this?" She looks at me intently.

"Yes ma. I told you, I'll try to stay for as long as I can or maybe I'll stay for good. We're home now mom so please stop worrying, okay? Let's do a lot of things or do the things we missed." I winked at her.

"Okay." She nodded, "if you say so. Lezgo." I laughed at her trying to be cool.

I have decided to come home. Not for good yet but maybe. I told mom I'll spend a year here and if things doesn't work out for me then I'll go back to US on my own.

The driver took our luggages and drove us home.

I looked outside the window, watching the scenery. I'm home but I know nothing about this place.

I am a foreigner in my own country. That sounds funny and scary. It worries me. Will I fit in? Can I really live here?

I must, right? My family is here. I can't always be away from them.

My mom never failed to teach me the Chinese culture and language. In US, we also use chinese to talk to each other so I have no problem with the language.

I'm worried that my lifestyle, personality and behavior is different from the people around me here. I have been with Americans for so long so I act like them and speak like them.

I set that thought away. I should not think about it now. I have to see dad first. And prepare a surprise for Mei because she doesn't know I was coming home.

I smiled cheekily imagining her reaction. Now I am excited for that.

The car entered the gate of our house and stopped in front of the porch. I stepped out and looked ahead to the house in front of me.

9 years. I was gone for 9 years. Our house still looks the same but somehow it feels different.

I realized that I never had a lot of childhood memory here. If we stayed, I would've been hanging out with Mei and our other friends here, in this house. Go to school and go back home to this house.

Thinking about it makes me sad but I have to cheer up. I'm here now.

When I walked inside, I smelled something good. Someone's cooking something delicious. I walked over to the kitchen and found my dad wearing apron. He is cooking?

He looks cute but he also looks a bit stressed. He's busy giving orders to our helpers about the food preparation so he didn't notice me.

"Smells good." I said to get his attention.

His head snapped up and he looked at me with wide eyes.

I ran to him and we hugged each other tightly. My eyes are starting to water but I don't want to cry.

"Welcome home my princess." Dad kissed the top of my head.

I smiled on his chest and hugged him tighter before moving a little.

"Chopchop now papa. I am so hungry." I said teasing him.

He laughed and went back to what he was doing earlier.

"Where's your mom?"

"She probably went upstairs. It was a tiring flight dad. She needs a rest."

"She could've atleast say 'hello. I'm home now.'" he jokingly said.

I laughed at him. He is so clingy to mom when she's around.

"You mean, tell you 'honey~ I miss you'"  I joked back.

We laughed and he told me to stop disturbing him.

I went upstairs to my room and unpacked my things. The flight was long and a bit tiring but I do not have the urge to sleep or rest.

I showered and changed into comfy clothes.

I want to do a lot of things already but I don't know where to start.

I sat on my bed and looked around my room. It's simple. There are pictures of me when I was young but no pictures of me when I went to US until now.

Travel.

Right, I should travel. Go around the city or maybe go somewhere a bit far and take photos. I should bring Mei with me as well.

No one knew that I am home except for my family. Well, I don't have a lot of friends here anyway, only Mei. What's she doing today?

I want to see her already and talk about a lot of things. I want to do a grand surprise but I also don't want to attract a lot of people.

Hmmm. Maybe I could visit her during her training. I'll have to ask dad for help.

Such a great idea.