A Year To Remember

Chapter 3 " Fate "

A week has passed, it's almost the end of summer, and school is finally here. The new term starts today. As i'm preparing for school, i went to check my emails for any information on the current state of the student exchange. It seems like the person that exchanged places with me is doing really good there in Indonesia. My mentor told me that he expects me to do good here in Japan as well. I am doing good in terms of grades, but not so good at the social life side. But i can't tell that to my mentor can i? Everything seems so much easier when you're not the one who's actually doing it.

08.00 AM

*School bell rings*

"Good morning, class." My homeroom teacher said to my whole class.

"Good morning, sensei!" My whole class responded.

"So as you all have already known, i gave you some assignments to do during the summer break. I want them on my desk after this homeroom session ends."

"Yes, sensei!"

"So, Mr. Pambudi, how was your summer? I know there is no summer there in Indonesia, so this must be your first time experiencing the summer season." The whole class stares at me right after she asked me that question.

"U.. umm.. It was normal, i guess." I replied.

"Are you feeling uncomfortable because of the heat?" She asked me another weird question.

"I simply got used to it after several days." I replied.

"Good, have you done your assignments?" She asked me.

"Yes mam." I replied.

"Good. Well class, this means the homeroom session is over, and i will now move on to the first subject that you're all gonna be learning."

The way they teach you about lessons here in Japan is completely different from how it is in Indonesia. The good thing is there are no "tests" every time we finish a certain lesson, but the annoying thing is, you have to listen everything that the teacher is saying because sometimes, there are these things called 'Pop quizzes" where the teacher awkwardly picks someone out of the random and asks them a question about what they has just learned. And if you can't answer the question, it's basically public humiliation and insta-detention. Of course i've been picked in some of those pop quizzes, but luckily, i always answer them correctly. Thank god i have to only stay like this for only 8 months.

12.00 PM

*The recess/lunch time bell rings"

"This concludes our lesson about arcanas and greek mythology, i'll see you all on Thursday." My history teacher leaves the classroom after saying that.

As i was going to the cafetaria to get some food to eat for lunch, i walked pass a girl whose face look familiar. It's like i've seen her somewhere before. But i thought maybe her face just looks similar to someone i know back in Indonesia.

In the cafetaria

I was just stting alone while eating when a someone suddenly sits next to me.

"Yo, you're the exchange student from Indonesia right?" He asked me.

"Yeah, why?" I replied

"I used to live in Indonesia back when i was a kid, my name's Akira Fubuki. Call me Akira if you want."

"Oh, um, my name is Kevin Pambudi."

"Nice to meet you, Kevin!" He entusiatically shaked my hand.

"So what was the story behind you living in Indonesia back then?' Might as well strike up a conversation at this rate.

"It's simple, my dad is from Indonesia and my mom is from Japan. So my mom decided to move in with my dad until my dad gets a job here in Japan." He explained.

"Wow, it must be an interesting story on how your parents meet the first time right?" I asked him.

"Well, i don't know if this is interesting or not, but my dad met my mom in a night club when he was on vacation in Japan. And then they got married a year after that."

"Oh.. um..." His answer was so awkward, i was speechless.

"Nah it's all good, how's Japan for you?"

"It's decent."

The conversation continued until the recess was over. It turned out that his classroom was right beside mine. It kinda feels good to finally have a friend to talk to. The great thing is he plays video games aswell. So that will be a really good thing to have a conversation about in the future.

05.00 PM

*Bell rings and it's now time to go home*

I was walking by the school's front gate when suddenly someone tapped me on the back. I turned around and see a girl figure in my eyes that looks really familiar. It's the same girl as the one before when i was walking to the cafetaria.

"I don't know if you remember, but you walked me home after my glasses got stomped by the crowd on the summer festival." She said.

I remember now, the face i remember. It was this girl all along. The thing that makes me not remember her is that, she's wearing a new pair of glasses, and she had a ponytail back in the summer festival. But now she doesn't.

"Oh, um, yeah, how are you?" It was so awkward because i don't really know how to talk with girls.

"I'm fine, thanks. I didn't know we actually go to the same school, so when i saw you earlier, i knew i had to thank you once again for what happened." She said.

"It's all good, oh you never told me your na-" I was just about to ask her what her name was until she was called by her friends and ran over to her friends. Well, i mean, we go to the same school, so there's always next time right?

What's this? She dropped something. It was her notebook. I opened the front page to see if there is her name written there.

"Natsumi Mizushima".