Strawberry Kiss

six

chapter six:
looking at me

"Hello and good morning, my name is Mizuha Hana. Please to meet you." I saw and bows at them.

"Eh? We were informed that you are an exchange student from England."

"Yes, she is." The teacher said.

"But why is her name japanese and she speaks so good at japanese?" I internally smile at his words. I mean, that was like a compliment. He thought my japanese is good! I feel happy.

"What do you mean, Jun?"

"I mean, why doesn't she speak with a weird foreigner accent like all those movies?" Okay, that's an insult. Before the teacher could defend me, I beat her to it and spoke with a calm voice.

"Its because I trained myself, and my name is given by my mother with the thought of my father's home country, which is Japan." I pause before focusing into the other people in room, who is watching me intently. "Actually, my unofficial name is Hyacinth Hana Mizuha." I wanted to add, 'any more questions?' But decides to leave it out.

I can't be possibly sparking an argument with a one week classmate, on my first day. Yes, one week. Since I'm a transferee in the middle of second term, they couldn't possible determine my class section with such little time. So they put me in the second to the last section, Class E, with the slight addition of my grades. And I can't believe that I am insulted, unconsciously or consciously, by somebody who knows absolutely nothing about me.

"Oh? Really?" Yeah, any more sensible questions?

"How can we be sure?" A girl asks, that angers the teacher. And seriously woman?

"Class! Be nice!"

So bad, I want to say to them in english the following: "What on the mother loving earth do you want me to do? I work so ridiculously hard to learn your language and all you care is my accent? To what? Criticize me?"

But I held my tongue, of course. That would not look good on me.

"Why? We've always wanted to see a foreigner, and seeing her is our chance. Hey, can you speak english? Please? Just for once?" To say I am dumbfounded is the great word I can describe myself at the moment.

First second they were insulting me, then next is, they're asking if I could... What the..

I sigh and straighten myself. "How do you do?" I said in my mother tongue, and it never feel so refreshing to speak in the language I have been using for in almost all of my life. But of course, I have to restrained myself.

They were silent at first, before erupting into cheers and applaud and wolf whistling to which the teacher had stop. "Hello, Miss Mizuha. I am Class E's adviser and science teacher, Nanako Watanabe. I hope you enjoy the rest of your high school." I sent her a smile of thanks before proceeding to the empty chair behind. And my first day, started like that.