Category: Diary

Hi! It’s me! Lily!!!

My head is feeling better.  My bones really aren’t.  I’m lucky I didn’t break anything.  I’m… just lucky in general, I guess.

But I can make it to the bathroom and Sabby brings me food and snacks, so I’m doing okay.  I miss running though.  It’ll take me a few weeks to be able to run again.  Sabby’s going to let me use her exercise machines when I feel up to it so I don’t completely lose my touch.

Liz is still taking care of me.  She didn’t go home last night.  Aww.  She said she’s going to stick around until she feels like I’m safe.

I don’t deserve such good friends.

I’m… not really mad at the guy who did this.  Unlike the other guys who assaulted me, or tried to anyway, he wasn’t going after me.  He was just being stupid and I was in the way.  I guess I even forgive him.  But I don’t want to see him get away with it.  He won’t learn anything if he gets away with it.  I guess I will go visit him in jail or prison or wherever and tell him that.

He’ll probably be mad but I don’t care.  He could have caused a lot more damage than he did, so getting told off a bit is the least he deserves.

But I want nothing to do with him unless he’s behind one of those thick plexiglas walls.  I don’t know how dangerous he is.  Maybe he isn’t if it’s his first offense, but it doesn’t sound much like it is.

Oh well.  I’m still going to Japan, and that’s the important thing.

Anyway, the insurance company did total my car, and I’ll be getting a check for it.  That’s going into my savings so it can earn interest until it’s time to buy a new car.  Or at least a different car.

Anyway… I still have important stuff to tell you, but…  that’s going to take a lot of time, and, well, both Liz and Sabby are about to rip the tablet out of my hands and forcibly put me in my pajamas, so…  I guess I should go.  Some other time.  Liz is going to help me shower, which is nice of her, but it’s a little embarrassing.  At least it’s not Jack.  That would be something very different than embarrassing.  Liz and I are very close friends but some parts of me I’ll wash myself.  Haha!!!  She’s going to help me stand up and wash my back, though…  and at least that’s less embarrassing than if Sabby were to do it, so…  maybe someday I’ll need to return the favor.  Hopefully not.

No, silly-billies, stop it.  That kind of thing is pretty normal in Japan between friends and/or sisters, especially in an onsen, so get your mind out of silly-billy land.  And we went to that onsen in Enoshima.  It’s nothing she hasn’t seen before…

Love you all!!! ❤️

Hi! It’s me! Lily!!!

I’m back from the hospital.

I hurt a lot.

My head hurts a little…  my leg hurts a lot…  I have to use crutches right now.  Going up the stairs wasn’t easy, and I’m not going downstairs any time soon.  Nothing’s broken, but everything’s purple and swollen.  Docs say it should start to heal in a week or two.

Liz and I were going to go on a road trip.  That’s not happening now.  She’s over now and taking care of me.  Awww.  I told her she didn’t have to do that.  She says yes, she does… I’m her best friend.  She’s lying next to me reading a book.  She says hi.  The other girls came to say hi, but Sabby thinks I need to rest and too many girls here will be too much noise.  She’s probably right as usual.  So Beth’s over at Diana’s with Crystal and they’re having a sleepover there.

I was not held to be at fault in the accident.  The other driver ran through a red light without even braking and was stumbling drunk.  He tried to get away from the scene but ended up falling on his face and passing out.  Needless to say but I will anyway, he was arrested.  I didn’t know any of that, though.  I was out.  I remember nothing.  Story of my life, right?  The police say he’ll be lucky if he gets less than five years – not his first DUI unfortunately.

Unfortunately, he was driving without insurance, but I have uninsured motorist coverage.  Dave insisted on that, bless him.  So I guess my insurance company will be coming after him too.  Good, I hope they get their pound of flesh or two.

I’m not going to replace the car, though.  I’m going to Japan in a few months and I don’t need it.  I can borrow Beth’s or Sabby’s, or take a rideshare, if I really need to go somewhere.  I’ll replace it when I get back from Japan after I graduate.

I have other things to tell you….  but they can wait.  They’re important, but they can wait.  I’m tired.  I have to take some painkillers and go to sleep.

Love you all!!! ❤️

Maybe you love me too…

Hello, Lily’s readers.  This is Sabby.

Lily was in an accident last night.  She was coming home from Liz’s graduation and was T-Boned.  Fortunately it was on the passenger side, so while her car is totaled, she is not seriously injured physically.  She has some bruises and she might be limping for a while, but she’s mostly unharmed.  The airbags worked.  She did suffer a concussion though and was unconscious for most of the night last night.

She woke up this morning.  She’s not very lucid, but she’s improving.  She’s going to be in the hospital for a while longer, but she wanted me to write and tell you all.  This diary is very important to her and she, well… she means it when she says she loves you all.

I’ll be bringing her tablet to her, maybe she’ll post something tonight if she’s feeling up to it.  If not, she’ll post when she’s ready.  I’ll let you know if her condition improves or worsens otherwise.

I don’t get a chance to post here very often, partly because she’s really territorial about her diary, and partly because I let her have that part of her life for her own.  I do read every day, though.  I can’t believe it’s only been about four years since she was found, it seems like so much longer.  Beth and David are my biological children, but I didn’t know I had a Lily-shaped hole in my life and heart until she came into both.  Now I have three children, and I have had three children ever since I first met Lily.  Not from when I adopted her, she was my child long before that, even if neither of us really knew it at the time.  I can’t imagine life without her and I was so scared last night when I found out she was hurt.  Seeing her in that hospital bed with all those tubes so vulnerable… it broke me.  I don’t know if I’ll ever forget that horrible feeling.

Liz and Jack are visiting her right now.  I came back to get some of her clothes and effects, and to write this, because she asked me to.  I need to go back to the hospital.  Beth and David are coming with me too.

Beth is really worried.  I remember when she first met Lily and hated her so much.  But she’s grown up so much, too.  All my children have.  Jack, well… if I didn’t think he loved her before, I do now.  He won’t leave her side.  He almost fought the nurses when they told him to leave, until they gave up and just let him sit there.  He’s been holding her hand this whole time.  He’s…  a little rudderless and lazy, but… his heart’s in the right place.  It always has been.  Even if he’s a teenage boy and doesn’t know what to do with it half the time.

The nurses tried to get me to have him evicted as her mother, but I told them she’s been with him for two years now, he clearly loves her, just let him be.  He’s not going to try anything with everyone there, and she’s holding his hand back.  Every time he touches her she seems more at peace, and I’m not going to take that away from her.

Lily says “love you all”, and she will post when she’s ready.  If I don’t post it means nothing’s changed.  I promise I will tell you any important news.  Any prayers would be welcome.

Hi! It’s me! Lily!!!

Well, they’re gone.  Suzuka and Haruna are back home.  There were lots of hugs at the airport, and Haruna told me that I have a gift.

I guess?  I mean, I’ve been told I have a gift, I guess I have a gift… but I don’t really think of it that way.  It’s just who I am.

We talked a lot last night, in the hotel room.  Haruna is going back to school  She says she wants to be a nurse or something.

I… that’s not for me, I don’t think, but hey, if she knows what she wants to do, she should do it!  I heard of another idol who graduated and became a nurse.  I bet she has the happiest patients.  Suzuka…  she’s still Suzuka, I guess.  She’s a little more rudderless than Haruna, but she seems happy that way.  She did say she wants to pick up the guitar and maybe see if she can be in a band.

That’s a lot of work and it doesn’t make much money… but I’ll go see her perform.  Seriously.  I will.  I’m going to be in Japan anyway… maybe she’ll perform in that live house in Shinokitazawa where Bocchi “performed”. That would be cool.  She’s already been an idol, so she’ll have that draw, anyway. 

It is a lot of work.  But it’s her dream, and she put if off long enough, she said.  Crystal and her band kind of inspired her.

Not gonna lie… Crystal kind of inspires me, too.  Remember how I said how driven Suzuka and Haruna are?  Crystal’s that way.  She’s got the work ethic of an idol.  I think, more than ever, she’s going places now.

Maybe I’ll take her to Japan again someday and she can play with Suzuka.

I…  practice a lot.  I have a lot to catch up on, and the pieces I play are really difficult.  But I don’t have that kind of work ethic.

Speaking of which, Haruna, Suzuka, and even Yuki were really impressed.  They said I play piano better than anyone they know, and the audience was spellbound.  That’s always a compliment coming from idols.. but… I guess?  I don’t really think I’m all that special.  I’m just a girl who can play the piano.

But they don’t see it that way.  Haruna said she’s been around a lot of entertainers and performers as an idol… some really famous ones… and I have that same kind of presence.

Wow.

They also had really good things to say about Beth too.  So do I.  She’s come a long way.  She’s not like, oh, I dunno…  Florence Foster Jenkins?  Hahaah!!! No…  she’s not like…  well, someone who sings opera professionally… but she’s good.  The audience was spellbound for her too.

Oh well.  They’re back home now.  I’ll miss them.  But they need to be home.  That’s where they’re going to shine.

Okay.. two graduations this week, one tomorrow and one on Thursday…  I think Jack’s is tomorrow.  Then…  then the next piece begins.

Love you all!!! ❤️

Hi! It’s me! Lily!!!

We’re in a hotel in Houston tonight, me, Suzuka, Haruna, and Yuki.  Their flight leaves at stupid o’clock tomorrow, and we need to drop them off.

I’m glad Yuki’s here.  I might cry a lot tomorrow.

But Haruna’s crying a lot tonight.  She’s really weepy for some reason.  I guess she’ll miss me.  She said that when I go to Japan to look her up, we’ll be besties and she’ll show me all the good spots.  I mean, I have family there too, but that’s a nice offer and I’m going to take her up on it.

I have lots of friends in Japan.

Suzuka is a little more reserved, as she always is, but she said the same thing applies, to look her up when I’m in Japan.  They’re actually not best friends, but they get along well enough, and both of them accepted the offer to do the idol thing.

I asked them why they agreed to do it even though it didn’t pay much.  Haruna just shrugged and said it was something to do.  Suzuka said she wanted an excuse to go to America.  So I guess it all worked out.

We took them souvenir shopping today and they loaded up.  There’s a Buc-ees on the way and they got another industrial sized bag of beaver nuggets.  And a couple other things.

I have at least two graduations to attend later this week, and…  Liz and I are going to do something fun next weekend.  We haven’t decided what, but I think both of us deserve it.  We haven’t spent a lot of time together lately anyway.  She had to do her school stuff for graduation, etc… and that’s not an issue anymore.

We’re going to bed now.  Stupid o’clock, remember?

Love you all!!! ❤️

Hi! It’s me!!! Lily!!!!

I didn’t post yesterday!!!

Okay, so yesterday, we had our “graduation”.  We had it in the shop, and a bunch of people came that I didn’t know.  All the sudents wore formal oufits, the girls with frilly dresses, the boys with suits and ties.  They had a nice ceremony where we all got “diplomas”, etc.  And then the idols came up, along with Beth, and they started singing graduation songs.  Like “Sakura no Hanabiratachi”, “graduation toss”, etc.  I don’t know where Beth (and the idols) got the time to practice all of that, but she sang it flawlessly!  The idols didn’t really sing this time, but they danced around.  The lyrics were translated on a projector.

It was surprisingly…  tearful, actually.

“Sakura no Hanabiratachi” gets me on the best of days, and Beth singing it while actual Japanese idols were dancing was.. kind of surreal and really emotional.

I’m graduating.  I’ve graduated.  I’m out of high school now.  I’m going to college. I…  I’m scared, a little.

Okay, a lot.

Graduation is a little bit like a little death, I think.  One of those smaller deaths that you experience throughout your life until you go through the actual big one.  You get a lot of those deaths… and a lot of those births too.  Because very time something dies, something else is born out of it.  That’s just how the world works.  My high school career is dead now, it died, and graduation was a funeral, a memorial to that death.  But it was also a celebration of new life, of moving on to the next big thing.  I’m going to Japan for college, and only in a few months too.  Seems like yesterday it was eight months out.  Now it’s three or four.  It’s coming fast.

Beth has become a surprisingly good singer.  I don’t think she wants to make it a career but she’s really learned to belt it out, and has surprisingly good vocal control.  I’ll be proud to accompany her on her upcoming recital.

She’s definitely better than the idols.

She can’t dance worth crap though.

She was wearing a slinky black dress too, with some fur around the neckline, black stockings, high heels… and an updo in her hair… she really is beautiful.  I think I’m pretty.  I think the idols are pretty.  Beth is something else.  She’s the whole package.  I’m surprised she doesn’t really have a boyfriend yet, but…  she seems to want to wait for the right one.  I don’t really blame her.  She’s dated a few times, and they only really seem to want, well… not her mind.

I remember when she was an awkward thirteen year old who hated me.  And now… she’s almost a grown woman.  Can you believe it?

Allison’s birthday was a few days ago.  I didn’t really get a chance to do anything because I was so busy.  But happy belated birthday, Allison!!!

Anyway… today…. we all went to the waterpark.  Just like Sabby promised.  I haven’t been there in a while, and it was nice to take the idols along too.  We all had fun!!! They forgot to bring their swimsuits, so we took them to get one first.  Everyone was turning heads.  Especially because I think some Japanese folks decided to make a weekend of it and a few of them were at the waterpark.  They got semi-mobbed.  Not to the point where it was inappropriate, but they certainly had to say hi and sign a few autographs.

I don’t think they minded.  Reminded them of old times, I guess.

Now we’re all exhausted.  All that splashing and sliding and stuff is hard work!!!

They’re leaving in a couple of days.  I’ll miss them.

Love you all!!! ❤️

Hi! It’s me! Lily!!!!

Well, that’s finally over.  Months of preparation for one night.  But it really did go well.

Everyone was there!!! Even Emiko and family came from Houston (which had some REALLY severe storms yesterday but they were okay.)!! And even Rebecca and her mother (and her friends) came too!  Even Mrs. X!!!  Jack and Grace and Liz’s family!!! Everyone!!!  Well, except for Joe and Anathema, who are currently off at the coast probably not seeing much of the water.  Or clothing.

I came on stage wearing my “school uniform” and said in Japanese and English something like “Welcome to everyone who came, and especially our Japanese friends!  Please keep a respectful silence during the serious compositions.  However, at the end, there will be a performance by several former Japanese Idols” (and I said their names) “and you are free to wave your glowsticks, if you have them, and show your appreciation in any culturally appropriate manner.”

Everyone politely applauded, and the Japanese people (about half the audience, as expected) turned on their glowsticks and waved them around a little.

The conductor then had a little bit to say about my story, about how I had lost my memory, but somehow knew how to play piano, and that I was a up and coming young pianist who he was very pleased to work with.  I translated into Japanese (mostly) because, well.. half of the audience was Japanese…  I’m not perfect at Japanese so I didn’t get it all but it was passable.

Then the entire orchestra, including me, stood up, and the concertmaster led the traditional Japanese salute (everyone bowed, and said “onegaishimasu”).  Then the performance started.

It went so well.  i played as well as I ever did, and I didn’t look out into the audience until the very end, and Sabby was crying.  Awww.  The idols (who actually sat by the side to watch) looked really amazed, and… well…  I was happy with how it turned out.

Second half, the orchestra played a piece on their own (New World Symphony), and then, at the end, the idols came out and the audience went nuts.  They bowed, and then did their three songs.

They sure did seem in their element.  They played off the audience and the audience played off them and at the end the cheering was uproarious.  Even some of the older people got into the act.

At the end they had a little table where the idols greeted their fans, and that lasted for about a half an hour… while that went on, I greeted everyone as well, and everyone told me how much they enjoyed it.

So after that we all went out for sushi.  It just seemed appropriate.

That was our after party.  The violinists invited me to theirs.  I politely declined.  Hahaha!!!  The rumors may not be true, but if they are…  Jack would be pissed and I don’t want to get pregnant…

Anyway, I’m home now, and we’re all still kinda wired, so we’re just chatting and talking about how good it went. It’s already on LINE and some Japanese media picked it up “idol reunion in Texas of all places!”

I’m just glad it’s over.  Honestly.  That was a lot of work.

Now… I have to accompany Liz… some graduations coming up…  and… other things too.

Love you all!!! ❤️

Hi! It’s me! Lily!!!

The concert is tomorrow night!!!

So today was the dress rehearsal.

It went fairly well.

A few minor things, but of course we had notes after, and it should be fine.

After I did my part, I went out into the auditorium and watched the idols do their thing, and…  man, do they have stage presence.  All three of them strutting, dancing, and singing with the orchestra doing their things all dressed as Japanese high school students… it was actually kind of surreal.  Everyone seemed to be having a good time… even the conductor.  He told me after that he thought I was nuts at first but that it was actually a really good idea.  I told him to expect an unusually rowdy crowd when the idols are performing and to expect chants and glowsticks.  He thanked me for the warning.  He didn’t seem to mind though, as long as they don’t do that during the serious part.

I told him I might ask them not to do that in Japanese before I sit down.  He thinks that’s a good idea.  He said he took a peek at the numbers, and at least half of the tickets were sold to people from Japan.  Or at least with Japanese names.

So…  I guess tomorrow’s it.

I might not post until Saturday morning, but we’ll see.

Anyway, it was kind of a boomy day, some storms came through in the afternoon, and they were really boomy storms.  We were doing the rehearsal when they came through, and they kind of added to the ambience.  But the soundproofing is pretty good so they were easy to ignore.  That shouldn’t be an issue tomorrow.

Crystal’s band all bought tickets.  They said they wouldn’t miss that.  I wouldn’t have thought, really, because they don’t seem the type, but maybe I have my own draw.

Anyway…  I’ll be glad when this chapter of my story is over.  It was fun but it’s a lot of work and stress.  The idols are all safe in their futons right now.  They seem so happy.  I’m glad.  They’ll be leaving sometime next week.

I’ll kind of miss them.  They’re really bright, cheerful, and fun to have around.  I guess that’s what made them good idols.

But, we get to go to the waterpark before they go.  Yay!!!

I found out what the frilly dress is for.  Sabby wants to have a graduation ceremony at the shop before we go.  She’s put out the invite for any graduating homeschooled student in the city.  I guess a few are showing up.  Though why a frilly dress is beyond me.  I guess everyone else has to dress up too.

The idols are going too.  I have no idea what Sabby has planned.

Love you all!!! ❤️

Hi! It’s me! Lily!!!!

We took the day off today.

It was really sunny outside and I think too much practicing this close to the performance is actually detrimental, so I dragged the idols out to do something fun.  Classes at ACC are over anyway (Beth and I did pretty well, we passed everything, and I guess that’s all that matters). Beth gets to do more classes, but I’m done.

Beth says she’ll miss our rides to school, but…  another last, I guess.  I’ll miss them too.  We talked about a lot of stuff while we were riding to and from school.  I never really talked about it because it’s not all that interesting, just like when I don’t talk about Beth and I doing each others’ hair, but it’s good that it’s not interesting, it means it’s such an ingrained part of my life that I don’t think about it.

And now it’s gone.

Liz and Jack still have a week and a half left, as well as all the other girls.  Aww.

So Beth came along with us today.

Beth actually hasn’t gotten to spend a lot of time with them, and she had a lot of questions to ask them about being idols and professional singers/entertainers.  I don’t think she wants to do it as a career or anything, but to hear her say it, she has access to a unique perspective with all the idols I know that few other people have, and she’s going to take full advantage.

That makes perfect sense, actually.  I would too in her shoes.

So she peppered them with questions but we went to Buc-ees and they loaded up on snacks again (MORE beaver nuggets).  They also wanted to take another trip to Wal-Mart because they’re leaving next week and want to stock up.

Guess I don’t blame them.  You find Japanese treats at the konbini, and Texas treats at Buc-ees.   I wish there was more to do in Texas, but Sabby promised to take all of us to the waterpark on Sunday to celebrate the concert and my graduation, so yay!!!  It’s expensive but she wanted to treat us all.  I love Sabby!!!

And not just because she does nice things.

We went to K1 Speed too and did go-karting.  I haven’t done that before!  It’s fun!  But Sabby kind of yelled at me when I got home, she said that’s dangerous when we have a concert coming up and we should do stuff like that after the concert.  Dang it, she’s right again.  But we survived it, so it’s okay.

I also took the idols around downtown Austin.  They said it was a little like a smaller Tokyo with less Takoyaki.  I guess I can see that.  Funnily enough, not no Takoyaki, we found a food truck that sold it, along with dango and a couple of other Japanese treats.  That was cool!  And the idols seemed to like the taste of home.

Anyway…  time for bed, I guess.  Nothing really earthshaking today.  Except Sabby wants me to go to a fitting for a frilly dress.  I wonder why…

Love you all!!! ❤️

Hi! It’s me! Lily!!!

Yes, the one and only LILY!!!

Well, except for all the other Lilies.

But I’m the only Lily that used to be called Yuriko!!!

Well… maybe.

Anyway, it was a stormy day.  A few booms.  Thankfully nothing awful.  The awful stuff was south.

We’re all practicing our cute little butts off because the concert is very soon – like this weekend.  Aww.  The idols are really idoling…  I’m pianoing…  Thank goodness for Amazon because my school uniform arrived and it actually fits alright.  I chose something very much like a real high school student would wear.  Let the cosplayers go crazy.  I’ve got a piano piece to play.

And NO WIG.  Geez I hate those.

I sent Jack a pic and I could hear him drooling through the screen.  Maybe I should wear it next time we go out.  “Onii-chan?  I.. I..  do you want to see?”

OH NO I’ve been watching way too much anime….  Ewww.

But…  maybe I’ll do something like that, anyway.  Maybe it’ll make up for me going to Japan…

Is that healthy?

Is anything healthy?

Sigh.

Anyway, the idols have been putting their costumes on every day and practicing in them… in the driveway.  Neighbors are staring.  They don’t care, they’re in idol mode, they see them as fans.

They’re not fans.  Apparently some HOA Karen has been complaining on Nextdoor or something.  Sabby told her to take a hike, it’s all within acceptable hours, there’s no bylaw saying “no idol dancing in the driveway”, the music is reasonable…  and Dave’s even out there grilling and offering people hot dogs.  Well, when it’s not storming, anyway.  Then they squeal and go into the garage and keep practicing.  I swear those girls are hard-working!!!

Including the idols, who seem to love hot dogs.  I hope their costumes still fit.  Haha!!!

Diana made them with a little room for expansion, though.  They’ll be fine, and they burn all those calories off anyway.

That wasn’t really the best idea, though…. the otaku are watching…

Anyway, tonight the four of us just talked.  I mean really talked.  Just about anything and everything.  We sat on the futons and ate chocolate and talked.  It’s funny how Japanese are just like any other people, they just see the world a little differently.  Yuki and Haruna chatted a lot about different things she could do, she also suggested maybe Haruna should come to the US for a couple of years to study like she did.  Haruna doesn’t seem too receptive to that, but at least it set her mind going.

I reminded her of Bocchi… in episode 8 when she said “I refuse to let it stay this way” and Bocchi’d all over the stage…  she giggled at the way I put it, but she got the point.  There are always options.  Sometimes it’s just fear that keeps you from seeing… or taking them.

I asked if there was anything they really wanted to do before they went home.  They just said they want an afterparty after the concert.

We can do that.  I think the symphony has one anyway.  Or at least some informal ones.  I hear the brass section can really put the alcohol away…

The violins, well…  clothes go flying.

Hahaha!!!!

I don’t know that, but it wouldn’t surprise me.

Anyway…  I guess I should go.  So much to still do.  And there’s a graduation to plan for too… I have no idea what that’s going to be like.  It’ll be hard to top last birthday.  I hope Sabby doesn’t try, honestly.  That was a bit much.

Love you all!!! ❤️