Love a Panda
Chapter 1: First Meeting
It was yet another normal sunny day at O-Town Elementary School. Ai, Louise and Taylor were on the playground since it was lunchtime recess. Louise doesn't have her crutches and isn't wearing a cast since her leg has been healed.
"Good to see your leg's better, Louise-chan," said Ai.
"Thank you, Ai," giggled Louise.
"School days have been better since Alma and Stella have been suspended and we're in the last grade of elementary school," Taylor grinned.
"I know," agreed Louise.
Hiroshi appeared.
"Hey, guys," called Hiroshi. "How are you doing?"
"Good, ever since Louise's leg has healed," replied Ai.
"It's happy that I can walk again," said Louise.
The school bell rings.
"We better get to class," reminded Taylor.
The children go inside.
--
Later at home time, the school bus drops Ai and Hiroshi off.
"Onee-chan, I'm gonna play with my paddleball," called Hiroshi.
"Okay," answered Ai, as she went inside.
Hiroshi got out his paddleball and started hitting the ball against the paddle, counting each hit in Japanese. He suddenly stops at eight when he hears someone crying.
"Dareka ga naiteru (Somebody's crying)," thought Hiroshi.
He put his paddleball away to track down the noise. He turns to his left to see a Chinese anthropomorphic panda girl the same age as him on her knees crying with her face buried in her face in between the fence that surrounds her front yard. The girl had black hair tied into two buns at both sides, is wearing a red short-sleeved dress with three gold bows in front of it, white socks and black strap shoes. Hiroshi slowly walked up to her.
"You okay?" asked Hiroshi.
The girl unburied her face. She looked up to him with teary brown eyes. She then looked down to the ground.
"Not that I know of," the girl sobbed.
"Did something just happen?" questioned Hiroshi.
"Yes," replied the girl.
"What happened?"
"Me and my family's cat died."
"How?"
"She got knocked over by a van. She was only 5 years old."
The girl starts crying more.
"Oh dear," said Hiroshi. "I'm so sorry. Me and my sisters used to have a rabbit but she died from old age."
The girl stopped crying.
"Thank you for sharing your sympathy," the girl smiled.
"I think you need to dry your eyes," said Hiroshi. "Let me help you up."
Hiroshi held out his hand. The girl put her hand on his then Hiroshi helped her up. He then got out a tissue and gave it to the girl. The girl wiped her eyes with it and gave it back to him.
"What's your name?" asked the girl.
"I'm Hiroshi Futaba," replied Hiroshi. "What's yours?"
"I'm Lin Xiong," answered the girl. "Me and my family just recently moved here from Beijing, China."
"Me and my sisters are Asian too," said Hiroshi. "We came from Japan."
"So, who was your rabbit called?" asked Lin.
"She was called Asami," replied Hiroshi. "What was your cat called?"
"Chang Juan," said Lin. "That means the moon and graceful or ladylike."
"What a cute name," giggled Hiroshi.
"Xie Xie (Thank you)," smiled Lin.
Rocko appears.
"Oh, hello there, you alright?" Rocko asked.
Hiroshi and Lin turned around to face Rocko. Hiroshi ran up to Rocko.
"Hi, I'm Hiroshi!" Hiroshi giggled, cheerfully. "You must be Rocko!"
"How'd you know that?" asked Rocko.
"Ai and Zukin told me all about you," replied Hiroshi.
"I know them," said Rocko. "They're two of my friends. You must be their younger brother."
"That's right," said Hiroshi.
Lin walked up to Rocko and Hiroshi.
"Ni Hao (Hello)," greeted Lin. "I'm Lin. I just made friends with Hiroshi."
"You seem to be foreign too," Rocko realised. "Am I right?"
"Yes, your right," Lin replied. "Me and my family moved from China a week ago."
"Lin! Time to get ready for kung fu lessons!" Lin's mother was heard saying.
"I have to go," said Lin. "I have to get ready for kung fu."
Lin ran inside.
"Do you have any other friends besides Ai and Zukin?" asked Hiroshi.
"I have two other friends called Heffer and Filburt," replied Rocko. "They might be coming over to my house now. Do you want to meet them?"
"Okay!" replied Hiroshi.
--
Meanwhile, Heffer and Filburt arrive at Rocko's house. Heffer knocks on the door. But there was no answer.
"Rocko doesn't seem to be here," said Heffer.
"Hey, look!" called Filburt. "Rocko's over there!"
It turns out that Filburt's right. Rocko was walking with Hiroshi.
"Hi, Rocko!" cheered Heffer. "Is that a friend you've brought?"
"That's right," replied Rocko.
"I'm Hiroshi, Ai and Zukin's younger brother!" Hiroshi introduced. "You must be Heffer and Filburt."
"You've got that right!" chuckled Heffer.
"I've also recently made a friend from China," explained Hiroshi. "Her name's Lin."
"How cool!" smiled Filburt.
"If you want, I can bring her around next time I come around," said Hiroshi.
"Yeah, okay," Heffer giggled.
"We'll go for that," said Filburt.
--
In the next chapter, Hiroshi introduces Lin to his sisters and his recently newly-made friends. However, he'll also bring a related person with him, who was mistaken for Lin…