(Motel room, Small town Missouri, USA)
TV Broadcast: Breaking news tonight, a new corruption scandal shakes up Capitol Hill…
?: Ah, same old same old. *turns TV off*. Nothing ever changes, huh…
Funny thing for me to say, ain't it? Well, my name is John Miller. I'm eighteen years old…and on the run. Long story short: my father got into debt with some dangerous people back home in Georgia a couple of years back, so we've been on the run ever since, with little more than the clothes on our backs. As far as my appearance goes…well, I ain't got too much time to groom myself, as you can expect. I've got long-ish messy light brown hair, a short beard, and blue eyes. The clothes on my back I mentioned are a dirty gray shirt, torn jeans, and some decrepit old boots. Yeah, I look like a homeless man…which I basically am, to be fair. I never did graduate from high school…fuck, I never even started my freshman year! After middle school, an…unfortunate turn of events meant we had to run away from home, not in a small amount because of my old man's debt situation. Not that I can't take care of myself without him, it's usually the opposite actually, but I figured that if they can't get him, they would likely go after his family…me. So I ran off with him. I wonder where that old fool is right now…
John: Old man!
John's father: The hell you want? I can't take a shit in peace these days?
John: So there you are. Well, I'm going to bed. Gotta get up early tomorrow, and so do you! So get on it. I'll see ya tomorrow.
I sometimes ain't aware who is the father and who is the son…
John: Yeah…tomorrow…I'll see you.
Ah damn it, he's probably been drinking. There go what little savings we've got…he always sounds depressed when he drinks. Well, no use paying it too much mind…
…
(Next morning)
Phone alarm: BEEEEP. BEEEEP.
John: *yawn* Ugh…time for the daily grind, again. Old man! Wake up!
…
Jack: *looks to the side* Old man? Where the hell did he go…*gets up*…hm…there seems to be an envelope in the night stand here…that wasn't here last night. Alright, let's see…it has nothing written on it. What if it's anthrax? *feels the envelope* Doesn't seem to have powder on it, so it's probably fine. *opens it*. Hm, there's a letter?
Son,
This is your old man writing. This may be the last you hear from me in a while, so pay attention. I left for the East Coast after you fell asleep. We can't keep on living like this. I know you don't want me to…but I'm gonna ask Steve for help. You don't deserve this life, so I'm gonna leave you alone from now on. Under the bed, I left a plane ticket I bought with what little savings I had. You're meant to go live in Japan. You can't live in this country…else they'll find you, and God knows what they'll do to you. I managed to sign you up to attend high school over there. You're gonna need that in order to have a decent life…the kind I could never provide for you. You're probably wondering how I managed to arrange all this. Don't. Maybe one day we'll see each other again…and I can explain everything to you. For now, please don't come looking for me. I'll be alright. And please take care…
Attentively,
Your old man.
W-What? JUST LIKE THAT, YOU TAKE OFF? By the way, Steve is supposed to be my "brother". It just so happens that as the old man was getting in debt problems, he was graduating from law school. Instead of helping out his family, he got a job offer from some law firm in Manhattan, and took it, leaving us completely to our own devices. I never wanted the old man to ask for help from him…he never gave a shit, so why ask him to help? We could get by on our own. Maybe it was selfish of me. But there's no need to be dwelling on the past…what I should be dwelling on, is how the fuck he managed to find me a place to stay, a school to go to…in JAPAN of all places.
John: *reaches under the bed* Ah…gotcha! *looks at plane ticket*…Kansas City to Los Angeles…and Los Angeles to Tokyo Hm…there's something else down there…*reaches for it*…"Resident card". Hm…probably need this to live there…let's see: "so and so street, Chiba, Japan". Did the old man really have enough money to buy a place over in Japan? Why the fuck didn't he tell me…we've been living like hobos for years! And can you even do that? Get…permission to live in Japan without having a residence or even a job here? And how could he do it all in secret? This is weird…like there's some force unknown to me that wants me to move there. Well, I ain't exactly got nothing here, do I? When does the flight to LA leave…9:00 am. Right now it's…6:30 am. It should hopefully be enough time to make it to KC, but I better get moving!
…
(6 hours later, Los Angeles International Airport)
Hm…let's see…oh, looks like I got a window seat again! The flight from Kansas City to here was pretty uneventful. I was actually asleep most of the way, so there ain't much I can say. Boarding this plane, on the other hand…I had to show all my documentation, explain why exactly I had no luggage to speak of…I guess security for international flights is tighter, especially with 'em terrorists out on the loose. We common folks pay the price, as always. Looks like I'm here early…almost no one is here yet. Well, I can go to sleep now. I ain't slept more than four hours at a time in what seems like ages! So…I'm enjoying this indeed! Uncertainty be damned…that's been my life for a while now. If my old man wants Steve's help, so be it. I'll get by.
…
(12 hours later)
Intercom: We're now arriving at Narita International Airport. Please fasten your seatbelts until cleared to leave the aircraft…
Almost here, huh? Wonder how exactly I'll manage to get to Chiba…*looks out the window*…so that's Tokyo, huh? Pretty big place…I can't believe this is now my home. God only knows what's waiting for me down there...hm, that's what my ancestors must have thought when they got off the boat when they came to America. A foreign land…with no one I've ever met in it. I wonder how the old man is doing right now…oh, wait! I'm gonna have to get a job once I get there, won't I? Hm…probably a good idea to start looking as soon as we touch down.
…
(1 hour later, outside of Narita International Airport)
Police officer: Excuse me, are you John Miller?
A cop just stopped me right outside of the airport. I hope I didn't break any laws…my whole set up IS shady at best though…I still don't know how they just let me through so easily, to be honest.
John: Yes…erm, sure, officer.
Police officer: Very well…where's your luggage?
John: I…don't really have any.
Police officer: *looks at John* Hm…I see. They weren't wrong.
John: Erm…excuse me, but have I broken any laws?
Police officer: Not to my knowledge. I'm actually off duty right now…so forgive me if you misunderstood. My name is Kousaka Daisuke. You're supposed to live in my house for the time being, so I came here to pick you up.
John: Wait, what? Why?
Daisuke: One of my superiors said someone he knew needed a place to stay…no one else volunteered, so I was chosen. Do you know nothing of this?
John: …Not a thing. Wait a second…*shows him the residence card*…is this your place?
Daisuke: Let me see…yes, yes it is. It seems like it is you…although you must understand that I feel uneasy about this situation.
John: …Welcome to the club.
Daisuke: Well…get into the car, we'll continue speaking on the way.
John: Sure thing.
We walk across the airport parking lot to get to his patrol car…it's a big parking lot. I…I truly can't believe the unbelievable turn my life just took. I mean…it was unusual enough, I must admit. But…who exactly gives enough of a shit about me 'round here to make this poor guy have to take me into his home? What…what has my old man been up to? I mean…we spent a lot of time together, but we usually worked different jobs…I thought he was working while I was. What…ah, I don't get it! That old geezer is gonna have a lot of explaining to do when I see him again!
Daisuke: Here it is. Get in. *gets inside*
John: Oh, wait…the wheel is in the wrong side…
Daisuke: Right. Cars in America are set up the other way around. You'll get used to the difference.
John: *gets in* It feels…strange.
Daisuke: Again, you'll get used to it. Look, this is a long trip, so please ask me anything you need.
He fired up the car, and we got going…long trip he says. Well…maybe Chiba is supposed to be a suburb or something…I don't know, how am I of all people supposed to know Japanese geography?
Daisuke: Well…what do you need to know?
John: Well…quite honestly…I don't know where the hell to start. Erm…well, how many people live at your place?
Daisuke: Myself, my wife, my son, and my daughter…and now we will have to include you. Oh, that reminds me. As much as I'd like to be the best host possible…I'm afraid you won't have a bed of your own for the time being. You see…there's not enough space in my son's room to accommodate you. And you sure as hell ain't gonna be sleeping in my daughter's room. So…the best I can offer is to lay down a futon in the living room of our house every night.
John: Look…even if I was sleeping in the floor it would be an improvement from my previous quality of life, as long as I have a semi-permanent place to live. So don't worry about it. I'm glad for your hospitality.
Daisuke: I'm not doing this for your sake. I'm trying to please my superiors, that's all.
John: Regardless. Well…what's that about your superiors? Who made you give me a place to stay? I don't recall knowing any Japanese people...
Daisuke: I know as much as you do, it seems. I find it strange that you know nothing. I supposed you came from a well off family, even though they told me that you were in a pretty bad situation…and I see that's indeed the case. Just to check: you aren't running away from the American law, right?
John: Erm, no, of course not. Not from the law…
Daisuke: Hm. I see. I think I understand. I will not ask anything further on that matter. Your demons are your own to hold. But, what about your family. Did they agree to you moving out of your country?
John: Well, I am 18 years old, so I could technically move wherever I want. My family, well…it's part of what you don't wanna inquire about.
Even though he seems like a good man, I don't wanna start telling this man I just met about my whole "family" situation…nor do I wanna reminisce about it.
Daisuke: I see. Well, do you have anything further to ask?
John: I don't think so…oh, wait, yes! About school. What? Where? When? How? I don't know what to ask, honestly.
Daisuke: I understand you've been enrolled in the same high school my daughter has been attending. It's strange given your age…but I won't pry on that. I'd tell you that you can go there with her…but knowing my Kirino, I'm not exactly sure how welcoming she'd be…well, I'm sure you will handle yourself. On Tuesday, meaning tomorrow, you're supposed to start attending school. All the paperwork has been dealt with already, I understand, so you won't need to worry about that. You're just supposed to walk in and introduce yourself to the rest of the class.
John: Hm. Well, I think I get it…well, not really, but you know what I mean.
Daisuke: I do. If you don't have any further questions, I'd like the rest of the trip to be spent silently…it's been a tiring day.
John: Alright, sure…
And so my new life begins…with more questions than answers. Not like I ain't used to uncertainty…but this is a whole new level. Just yesterday…I was working odd jobs in rural Missouri with my old man, and now…I will be living with a Japanese family. Who the hell knows what this new stage in my life has in store for me…
…
Well, hello there, and welcome to OreImo After Story! There's a few things I wanna mention here, many of which y'all might have figured out already, but it couldn't hurt. First of all: the story takes place after the ending of the anime. The OVA one. Second of all: I haven't yet read the manga or the light novels. So, the characters' personalities will be based on their anime versions, for the most part. Third: yeah, my OC can speak with Japanese people just fine. In the canon, Ria and Bridget (American and British, respectively), two LITTLE GIRLS, can speak Japanese like natural born citizens, so if the canon can do things like that, so can I. Fourth of all: no, the OC is not a self-insert, so don't ask. I don't live on the run. His name is not even close to my real name. And I don't look like him at all. So no, it's not me. If any of y'all think that at some point I'm making him into a "perfect" character, PLEASE let me know. And that brings me to my final point. Please leave your reviews or PMs detailing your opinions of the story. That's about it, so see y'all next time!