Ch. 1: Exciting and Disturbing News

“Dear Yumi,
Thank you SOO much for agreeing to host me during the student exchange! You’re helping me make my dream of studying in Japan come true 💕

I just know we’re gonna be BFFs for the next year, and that we’ll both become SUPER successful in our lives!

With love,

Cassy 💋”

“Student exchange? Hosting?! I’m… even accepted into college?!?!?!”

“Wait, wait, I need a moment to breathe…”

Yumi closes the email she received on her phone and sets the phone aside. She tries to process what’s happening.

A little over a month ago, she took the entrance exam for the university she’d always dreamed of. Since she was little, she’d imagined enrolling, getting a job, and pulling her family out of poverty.

She lives in poverty with her mother and father.

Her father works as a night guard at a hotel, and his salary barely covers weekly groceries. He always walks to work , hours early, just to save on bus fare. On payday, he rushes home to drop off the groceries and then immediately goes back to work to earn overtime.

Her mother sometimes works at that same hotel’s laundry room as extra help, and on the side she cleans houses and cooks homemade meals for people who want them, earning a bit more each week.

Her parents didn’t even know Yumi took the entrance exam. If they did, they would’ve discouraged her. They barely had enough to get her through high school. They assumed that once she finished, she’d finally work a full-time job and things would get easier.

They live in a tiny basement studio apartment where the only light comes from a single bulb. Yumi always thought it was an unhealthy environment, but what could she do? She spent more time outside than at home.

When Yumi was born, her parents were actually well-off. They owned a company with many employees and lived in a big house with servants. But her father developed a gambling addiction and lost everything they had. The apartment they live in now is rented, and after paying rent, the rest of their money barely covers food. They even partitioned a corner of the studio to give Yumi her own “room,” because she needed privacy.

Knowing all this, nothing made sense.

According to this email, she got into college? But why would she be hosting anyone, and where exactly?!

Was this girl supposed to sleep on the floor of a room shared by three people?!

“No, no, this must be some kind of mistake… I’m going to reply and contact the university. Either someone’s messing with me or there’s a misunderstanding.”

She grabbed her phone and started putting her shoes on, deciding to go for a walk even though it was 4 a.m.

Just as she was about to leave, her mother stopped her.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m just… going out for a bit.”

“I’m asking you nicely, where are you going?”

“Oh come on, mom, leave me alone. I’m not a kid so stop interrogating me. And why aren’t you asleep?”

“I’ve got laundry room work. I need to be there by 8 a.m. And listen: let me be clear. I hope you understand the situation we live in, and don’t you dare let some boy drag you around and dump a baby on us. Who’s going to feed it? Your father and me?!”

Yumi shot her a look over her shoulder : “Don’t start.”
“Mom, that’s not what this is. I don’t have a boyfriend, and I’m not thinking about that, you know that. I’m just going for a walk because I can’t sleep. I won’t be long, just one loop around the block.”

“Fine, but be careful. If you see anyone, come straight back. And don’t forget -”

Yumi had already closed the door. She knew all of that, and that’s exactly why she was so nervous and excited… even though she was convinced this was a mistake, maybe she really was accepted into the university.

She emailed the faculty because, after checking their website, she didn’t see any announcements about admissions. Everything felt strange. She decided to reply to the weird email she got from this unknown girl named Cassie:

“Dear Cassie,

Forgive my bluntness, but I truly have no idea what you are referring to.

It is likely a mistake. Please double-check the email address you intended to send this to; mine is x@x, and as far as I know, I have not yet received any information regarding my acceptance or rejection.

Regardless, congratulations on your admission, and I wish you a pleasant day.

Respectfully,

Yumi”

“There. Now we wait. Hmm, when did they say admissions results would be released…? 

Let me check...”

Just as she left the message screen incoming call. Unknown number. Should she answer? What are the odds someone would call immediately after her email? But her curiosity was too strong to ignore.

“Hello…?!”

“Hello, Miss Yumi Ishida, correct?”

“Yes, that’s me.”

“This is the administration of University X, calling regarding your email. We are unsure how you received that information, but yes, it is correct, there is no mistake. You have been accepted. Your exam score was quite satisfactory. Congratulations.”

“…Sorry, WHAT?!”

Her heart started pounding wildly. Her face flushed hot.

They invited her to come in person to the university office for a serious discussion. She agreed and headed there.

---

“You’re… serious?!”

“Completely. But as an elite accredited institution concerned with our reputation, we do have a condition.”

“A condition for my enrollment? Of course…”

“We reviewed your entire academic record; from kindergarten to high school. You’ve always had top grades and excellent behavior. Congratulations. Because of that, we chose you for a very important responsibility: hosting a very significant individual who wishes to attend our university. She is a foreigner coming from a distant country, and we want to give her the best possible experience. We believe you are the right person to help her.”

“Wait, I really don’t have the means to...”

“I hope you understand that your academic future depends entirely on your hosting our special guest. She requested not to live in the student dorm. She wants to experience the family life of an average Japanese household and feel like part of one. We are aware you come from modest circumstances, but that is exactly why we chose you. Our elite students are too focused on their studies to be proper hosts. Your only task is to host her and NOT embarrass us.”

“So you’re saying I’m only accepted because of that… and my entire education depends on… hosting someone?”

“You could put it that way.”

She felt humiliated, but she knew opportunities like this didn’t come twice. They hinted they’d cover her tuition, so she wouldn’t need to worry about that. The guest would stay for a year, and during that time, Yumi’s studies would be completely free.

“…Fine. I accept.”

She told herself she couldn’t afford to let this miracle slip away. This was her one shot to climb out of misery.

Everything was arranged. As she left the university building, she glanced back at it. She imagined how much her life would change in the coming year. She smiled and exhaled, as if releasing an old burden to make space for a new one.

She turned to head home and think everything through when her phone rang. Unknown number. Foreign number.

“…?”

“Heeey roomiiiee!! Kiss kiss 💋”

Her stomach twisted at the irritating voice.

“Hello… Cassie?”

“Oh, you remembered my name, how cute! Sooo, I just landed at Tokyo Airport. Come pick me up in an hour, I’ll grab a coffee while I wait. The trip was sooo long, I can’t wait to stretch out on a real bed…”

“You want me to… pick you up?”

“Haha, well I’m not going to pick you up, sweetie.”

Yumi thought about it. Since the university was near the city center, she could reach the airport pretty easily. She had just enough money saved from cleaning houses with her mom.

She thought about it again. This was the perfect chance to look for a cheap apartment.

She had always wanted to move out… and now she had the chance. She had enough savings for the first month’s rent, and for the next she could find a job. That settled it.

“Cassie, listen, I need to handle something first, so I’ll be there in at least two hours…”

“Hah, and what am I supposed to do for two hours?! No way. You come get me, and then we’ll go do whatever you need to do together.”

“You don’t understand, it’s really important…”

“And I’m important too! I said one hour. I’ll be waiting with my coffee. Call me when you get here.”

She hung up on her.

This girl was… something else. Yumi already disliked her energy. But she had no choice.

Off she went.