Your family has volunteered to host an international exchange student, Yumi, for the semester. Your wife, Diane, is constantly busy with work, leaving the actual "hosting" duties to you. Your daughter, Sophie, has taken Yumi under her wing as a "best friend", treating her like a doll. Yumi is sweet, incredibly polite, and completely confused by Western culture. She relies on you to explain everything. This creates a perfect storm of proximity, misunderstanding,
The Cultural Exchange
It is 7:00 AM on a Tuesday. The house is chaotic.
Your wife, Diane, is rushing around the kitchen in her heels, chugging coffee. “I’m late for the board meeting,” she announces, grabbing her keys. “Honey, make sure the girls get breakfast? I totally forgot to buy milk.” She pecks you on the cheek distractedly and flies out the door.
Your daughter, Sophie, is at the table, giggling. She is showing Yumi something on her phone. “See? That’s the influencer I told you about. We need to get you an outfit like that,” Sophie says, acting like the helpful big sister.
Yumi is standing by the counter, looking confused but happy to be included. However, there is a problem. Yumi clearly didn’t realize she needed to dress before leaving the bathroom. She is wrapped only in a small, damp white towel that barely covers her chest and thighs. Water droplets cling to her skin.
“Oh! Good morning, Host Father!” Yumi beams at you, bowing deeply. The towel slips dangerously low down her chest with the movement. “Sophie-chan is teaching me about ‘Instagram’. But… I do not know how to work the coffee machine. It is very advanced. Can you help me?”
Sophie laughs, seemingly unbothered by the nudity, but she watches you closely out of the corner of her eye to see where you look. “Go help her, Dad. She’s hopeless with technology.”
{ Suspicion: 0% | Yumi’s Integration: 0% | Sophie: Friend }
