Road to Recognition

One

"Hi! My name is Aoki Hideki. I am from Osaka High School, and I look forward to studying alongside you!" I bowed with a grin. When I lifted my head, I was a little surprised to see a wall of confused stares.

"Alright, class. Just as I explained yesterday, this is the foreign exchange student sent from Japan," Spades-sensei started explaining from her spot beside me on her podium. Then she turned to me with an uncertain smile. "This is how you introduce yourself in Japan, right?"

I nodded. "Usually a new student would explain the place they were from, but I doubted anyone would know where the Kansai Region is located," I explained happily. As expected people shrugged in agreement.

"Uh, Ms. Spades," a girl towards the back raised her voice without lifting her hand. "When will Carla be back?"

Instead of reprimanding the student for rudely speaking out, the teacher answered her question. "Mr... Hideki? Is that right?" I nodded. "Mr. Hideki will be staying for the rest of the school year but Carla will be back for next year." The class erupted into talk as the students discussed what was said. I grimaced at how unorderly this class is. Not to mention how Spades-sensei won't do anything about it. "Be quiet!" Oh, maybe she does acknowledge it. "Anyways, let's not make Aohki? Feel unwanted."

"A Japanese guy that can speak fluent English? Heck yeah, are we gonna make him feel welcome!" A guy in the front row with brown hair exclaimed in excitement. My smile never left my face. Although unorderly, they seem like nice people.

"You can go sit by Brett over there," Spades-sensei motioned to an empty seat behind a red-head. My eyes darted to another empty seat back to the one pointed out. With a semi-smile, I turned to the teacher.

"Is that where Carla sat?" I asked. She shook her head.

"No. She sat behind Felix over here," she then proceeded to point out the seat that caught my eye. Compared to the empty row behind Brett, this seat is a hole with students surrounding it. It was obvious as day that someone used to sit there. "But you don't have to sit there if you don't want to."

Placing a hand over my heart, I gave her and the class my shining smile. "Se-- teacher, during the time of this exchange, I would like to pass off as Carla. That is what is expected of her to do in my school, so I wish to do the same." The snorting of a few people broke off my thoughts.

"You're already nothing like Carla. She wouldn't be able to stand in front of us and speak a word," a guy sitting behind the welcoming brunette scoffed, pushing his glasses further up his nose. Slap! The sound of paper hitting against skin erupted. Glasses suddenly leaned down and started rubbing his neck in pain. The girl seated behind him had her spiral notebook rolled up and was fixed with a glare.

"Don't be mean, Christopher. Of course, Carla would be able to stand on her own. She would indeed be nervous but she is better than that. Especially once she's in her zone."

"Daisy, what have I said about harming other students," the teacher scolded but laughed anyway.

Ignoring the girl defending Carla, I made my way and set my bag beside me, happily pulling out Carla's English notebook and opening to the next empty page. While the rest of the class continued arguing about how Carla would be acting right now, my mind wandered to the events at the airport early yesterday morning. As soon as my plane landed, I met up with a nervous Carla. However, the image I saw yesterday was much different from the one in the portfolio Takara-sensei briefly let me glance.

The rest of the class period Spades-sensei managed to gain back control and went on to explain word usage rules. I easily could've zoned out because my class went over this a few weeks ago but being a disciplined student, I didn't. During the final moments of the lecture, I noticed everybody starting to pack up. I stared at Felix and Brett and the rest in front of me in confusion until the bell rang, making everybody get up as the teacher said her final words. While some walked out, others stayed behind to talk to me.

"What class do you have next?" the boy who I learned to be Kade (the one welcoming me) asked. I quickly pulled out my schedule and gave it to him sheepishly.

"I, uh, don't know. I was directed here by another student at the front office without explaining how to read my schedule." Brett stood behind Kade and glanced at my schedule, too.

"Looks like we've also got history together!" Kade said. Then with a laugh, he said, "And don't worry. I'll guide you through it on the way there."

I beamed at Kade. "Thank you so much!"

Brett, Kade and I walked down the crowded hallway and Brett went down another one to head to his own class. Our history class is only two halls parallel to our English class. The whole way Kade pointed at the names and numbers and courses on the paper. I nodded along and thanked him once I finally understood. Unlike here, in Japan, I only have one teacher teaching all the lessons. Poor Mikazuki-sensei.

Upon entering the classroom, Kade went straight to his desk to greet his surrounding friends. I noticed the teacher seated at her own desk? I looked around and surely enough there's no podium. Spades-sensei had a podium in the front and a desk of her own at the back, but-- I glanced at my schedule-- Shephard-sensei simply has a desk at the front left wall. Teachers having desks of their own is already an abnormality for me. The elderly lady sitting grading papers lifted her eyes and gave me a warm smile before getting up.

"You must be Hideyki, or is Aohki your first name?" I reflected her a smile.

"Hideki is my first name," I answered cheerfully. Scanning the classroom I realized that most of everybody was the same from my previous class save for the few who I've yet to introduce myself to. Doing my usual introduction, I was directed to Carla's seat despite everyone wanting me to sit by them considering the number of empty seats in this classroom. I was able to count a total of fourteen students including myself in a twenty-five seat class. Talk about small.

Throughout the lecture one World War II, I couldn't help but notice the number of people using their phones during class. Even Kade was using his phone under his desk. It almost made me wrinkle my nose in horror at how they can do such a thing during a lecture. The worst part is that poor old Shephard-sensei can't catch them because of her age.

Finally, the bell rang at 3:45 p.m. and everybody wasted no time to surround me with questions about Japan. Curse my tiny height. Before boarding the plane Carla had warned me about this. Thankfully I came prepared. Flashing my shiny grin, I looked at all of them, instantly shushing them as they stared in wonder.

"I would like to tell you all about it, but it's time to leave." I turned to Shephard-sensei and pushed through the others. Putting up my best smile, I asked her, "Teacher, who's on cleanup duty today?"

She gave me a quizzical look. "What do you mean?" I cocked my head to the side.

"Are there no students staying to tidy the school?" I asked. She let out a small chuckle.

"No, students don't do that. We hire janitors to clean the school." Janitors?

"Is that a Japanese custom?" Someone asked. I nodded.

"Well, we don't do that, Hideyki."

"Just Hide is fine," I chirped when I realized nobody would be able to say my name right.

"He-day," someone else sounded out.

"But spelled hide," another said.

These people are just so full of curiosity. I wonder how Carla deals with them.