Chapter Seven
Juuban High School

     “Journey, Tetsuya, exchange student from Narashino High School in Chiba,” the office attendant looked at Tetsuya’s file, and handed him his school uniform. “Your teacher is Mr. Kawazu.”
     Tetsuya smiled and bowed. “Ami, we’re in the same class!”
      “Cool! I’ll show you the way after you change into your uniform, okay?”
      “Sure.”
* * *
     Tetsuya looked at the clock. There was five minutes left until school began. He had been seated in the middle of the row on the right side of the room next to the windows. He looked out and saw two figures running into the building. Wait a minute, that’s Usagi and Minako.
      “Journey.”
     Tetsuya snapped his attention to his teacher. “Hai!”
      “Would you please come in front of the class and introduce yourself?”
      “Yes, teacher.” Tetsuya walked up in front of the class and bowed. “Mina-san, ohaiyo gozaimasu.” The class responded with its good morning in unison. “My name is Tetsuya Journey. I was born and raised in Chiba, and my father received a job transfer, so I am here with all of you. I hope to make friends with all of you.”
      “Tetsuya,” Mr. Kawazu asked, “what do you know as far as mathematics and science?”
      “I was top of my class.”
      “Alright. Do you feel comfortable demonstrating a random problem on the board for the class?”
      “Go ahead.”
      “Very well. Please right this down. x4 + 16x2 + 15 = 0. Factor it.”
     I could do that one piss drunk! Tetsuya wrote the response (x2 + 1)(x2 + 15) = 0.
      “Correct. Explain relativity briefly.”
     In two minutes, Tetsuya quickly explained Einstein’s famed theory, and the class seemed to be impressed. The teacher asked him to sit, and started the first day of school with a review of secondary trigonometry and geometric proofs. After that, the class watched a short video on the basics of quantum mechanics, and then they had a thirty minute lunch break. Ami led Tetsuya to a small area where Usagi, Minako and Makoto were waiting for them. Minako walked up to Tetsuya and smiled at him.
      “How do you like Juuban?”
      “It’s pretty much the same as Narashino, except this uniform is itchy.”
      “What’s the Narashino school uniform like?”
      “On girls, the skirts go all the way down to the ankle, and the blouse isn’t a sailor top. On the men, we don’t wear a jacket. All in all, Narashino is just a little less formal.”
      “How do you like your teacher?”
      “He lets the guys take off their jackets because it gets hot. He’s pretty easy going, but he expects a lot of participation from the class as individuals instead of a whole class.” Makoto whispered something in Usagi’s ear, and she started laughing. “What’s so funny?”
     Makoto shrugged. “I just told her that he was probably trying to break the conformity mind set instilled in all of us.”
      “Well, Japan is a rather group-oriented society.”
      “Well, yeah.”
      “Hey, uh...” Usagi blushed, and put her hand on the back of her head, the Japanese gesture of embarrassment. “I sorta forgot my lunch today.” The girls started laughing. “Hey, shutup! I’m starving!”
      “If Rei was here,” Makoto said, but Usagi finished her sentence.
      “She’d say that I was a pig who only ever thought about eating.”
      “Usagi,” Tetsuya started, “you can have my lunch. I’m not really hungry.” For Ms. Mizuno’s dog food. Uh-oh, Ami’s right next to me. Tetsuya turned to Ami, and she smiled.
      “I won’t tell my mother.”
      “Thanks.” Tetsuya faced Usagi. “Here ya...” Usagi grabbed Tetsuya’s lunch and started eating, fast. “...go.”
* * *
     Tetsuya walked around the lunch area by himself, thinking about the dance that was in just under two weeks. He had learned how to dance, no sweat. He even got to dance with scantily-clad Ami! He also needed clothing for the dance, no problem. He had the money. He needed to learn the schoolyard politics, sides, and treaties. That would take some exploring.
     Tetsuya drew Usagi as a klutzy, forgetful person who tried in her studies. Others saw her as an under-achiever, despite her grades. Makoto seemed to do average and was still perceived as a bully, despite her longstanding good behavior. Minako was not the best scholar, but she seemed popular anyways, and was the captain of the girls’ volleyball team. Ami was seen as a bookworm, but her grades had slipped slightly, dropping her to fourth in her class.
      Tetsuya knew that Makoto was trying to hide a side of her she was ashamed of. She seemed to try and push off the housewife look, but he sensed the heart of a warrior in her. Then again, was it really so wrong for a woman to want to keep a home for a husband and children? It’s not so wrong to want to be the lucky husband and father.
      “Hey, Tetsuya,” a girl’s voice said, interrupting Tetsuya’s thoughts, “wanna sit with us for lunch?”
     Tetsuya looked at a group of two boys and one girl from his class, and smiled. “I already ate, but would you mind if I just sat and talked?” Just one whiff of that lady’s cooking could put off my hunger for days.
      “Sure.” As Tetsuya walked towards the trio, the girl spoke again. “What were you talking about to Kino?”
      “Not much, just getting to know her.”
      “I’d be careful around her, she used to get into trouble for fighting. I hear she’s a bully.”
      “Well, she hasn’t tried to take my lunch money.” The trio stared at him oddly. “Sorry, it’s an American expression. She hasn’t shown any bullying personalities to me. She seems more of a spirited homemaker than a bully.”
      “You think so? Well, I guess you would know better than we would. My name is Lila Abiko.”
      “I’m Motoharu Kurita,” said one of the boys.
      “I’m Motomi Kurita,” said the other.
     Tetsuya realized the two Kuritas were twins. The four finished their introductions in the polite Japanese manner of hajimemashites and yoroshikus. After talking about what he knew about Makoto, the trio seemed impressed, and dismissed their earlier assumptions about Makoto Kino. After Tetsuya excused himself, he was stopped by Usagi and Minako.
      “We heard what you said about Mako-chan,” Minako said. “Thanks for standing up for her.”
     Tetsuya smiled. “Do you two always spy on people? You aren’t very good at it, and I saw Ami was there too.”
     The two girls blushed slightly and tried to laugh it off. “We, uh...I mean…I told Usagi spying was bad!”
      “You dummy,” Usagi said. “Ami said that, and you know it!”
     Tetsuya chuckled. “I just told those three the truth. I have nothing to lie about for her.”
     Usagi bowed to Tetsuya. “You’re a really nice guy, Tetsuya. But, what do you think about Makoto?”
     Tetsuya thought for a second. I’d better not tell the whole truth. “She seems intent on projecting the image of a homemaker, but I feel there’s something more to her, something deeper.”
      “Like what?”
      “I’m not sure yet, but I think it’s something potentially beautiful. I mean, I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with wanting to be a bride. But, I’m sure she has a more personal dream.” Heh, I haven’t lied, I just haven’t told them that I’m sick of this homely bull she’s putting on to try and cover up the fire in her heart, something that most men would not find attractive in a woman. But, I can’t be too hard. I know first hand how much it hurts to be alone.
      “Wow, that was almost poetic.”
     Tetsuya shrugged. “Truth is beauty.” Now I lied.
* * *
      “Tetsuya,” Ami asked as she walked with him towards the train station, “what did you think of school?”
      “It’s pretty much like Narashino, but Mr. Kawazu is a pretty friendly guy, unlike my teacher last year.”
      “He was mean to his students?”
      “Only the Caucasian ones.” Tetsuya let a smile crack on his lips. “Juuban seems friendlier. You kids are too busy being suspicious of each other to be worried with the likes of me.” Dammit! I gotta watch my self, gotta play it cool.
      “I know what you mean, Tetsuya.”
     Huh? “Oh?”
      “Me and the others seem to be apart from everyone else. It’s like it’s just us four, then everyone else. Our own little bubble. Even Usagi’s other friends from Junior High moved elsewhere.”
      “Back at Narashino, I was my own bubble.”
      “Except for all those dates you had?”
      “Wait until my hair grows back.” Tetsuya winked at Ami. “Then you’ll see.”
      “But you seem experienced at meeting both guys and girls.”
      “I was a lot more popular in Junior High.”
      “Well, it looks like its time for us to part. Are you free next Wednesday?”
      “Yeah.”
      “You sure?”
      “Positive.”
      “Well, Usagi and the others organized a group study at Rei’s. Remember Rei?”
      “Hino-San from the shrine.”
      “Right. So, I’ll see you tomorrow?”
      “Sure.”