Chouji should have known his parents weren't going to take the news well.

"You're thinking of getting married?" Chouza exclaimed. Megumi buried her head in her hands.

"Well, nothing's confirmed as yet," said Chouji, "but Ino and I, we've been together for ages, and, well...it's serious, Dad. I know she's the one. And we've talked about this for a long time. Besides, I thought you and Mum liked her."

"It's not that we don't like her," said Chouza. "She's a perfectly nice girl from a good family. But she's not Jewish. She's a shiksa. A shiksa whose name means 'pig', noch."

Chouji winced. "Don't call her that, Dad. And anyway...she wants to convert. That's what I was going to tell you. We've talked with Rabbi Nara about it and OK, he was a bit cagey at first 'cos he worried we might break up, but I told him we were serious."

Chouza sighed. "Well," he said, "if that's the case, good for the both of you. But I hope she realises what a serious commitment she's making. Once you're in, you're in. She's going to have to make a lot of changes."

"She will, Dad," said Chouji, smiling. "She will. Trust me."

Author's note:

- Shiksa: a derogatory term for a non-Jewish woman