Ever had a day where your life turns on its head? Where crazy people (and one sane one, in my case) absolutely change your life?

I guarantee you it had nothing on what happened to me.

I'm Irish-born and Irish-bred, but one day my parents left for another country, a certain one called Japan. Now, I don't complain too much, but when you suddenly leave your home country for another one where you can't speak the language, you can't help but think (or say) "What the hell?"

Now, on my first day of going to the new Japanese school, I was wondering how I could read all of the signs as if they were in plain English.

"Say hello to the New Kid." The teacher said.

I waved.

"Does he know Japanese?" One of the students asked.

"Do you?" I asked.

"He does. And he's a smart aleck." Another student said.

"No I'm not. You're speaking English."

"No we're not. Neither of us have said a word of English." The first student said.

I shrugged. "Whatever. Where do I sit?"

"Beside Kyon, New Kid." The Teacher said.

I sighed. "I got a name."

"Of course you do." The Teacher said, as if I was five. I promised myself that, should he call the Scotland Yard...err, the Japanese equivalent, I'd run out quickly.

"Having a weird day?" Kyon asked.

"Did you just speak Japanese, or are all you guys screwing with me?" I asked.

"We're all speaking Japanese." Kyon said.

"Yeah, I'm having a weird day." I said, putting my head on my desk.

"People call me Kyon." Kyon said. "Who are you?"

"People call me New Kid. I bloody miss Ireland." I said.

"You're from Ireland? So that's that accent." Kyon said.

"Are you an alien? Or, maybe, an Esper?" Some girl with a yellow (gold, maybe?) headband.

"Can espers and aliens speak and read a language they couldn't a day ago?" I asked.

"Don't encourage her. This is-" Kyon began.

"I'm Haruhi Suzumiya! Leader of the S.O.S. Brigade!" Haruhi said.

"You're shouting in the middle of class, Haruhi." I said.

"Oh. Well, do you want to join?"

"Join what?"

"The S.O.S. Brigade! You can't say no, so you might as well just say yes." Haruhi said.

"Kyon, did she just say I have no choice?" I asked.

"Pretty much." Kyon said.

"What if I say no?" I asked.

"I'll drag you kicking and screaming! And Kyon'll help, right Kyon?" Haruhi asked.

"No." Kyon said. "Can you talk about this after class?"

"We need to settle this now! This New Kid is all mysterious and stuff! He's perfect for our club!" Haruhi said.

"We have a mysterious new kid. Remember Itsuki?" Kyon asked.

"He's not so new anymore. And besides, New Kid is Irish! He might be an Esper Leprechaun!" Haruhi said.

"That's a freaking stereotype! Not all Irishmen are leprechauns, walking around and saying 'top o' the morning'!" I said.

"So it's settled! You'll join!" Haruhi shouted.

I blinked in surprise. "I said nothing about joining." I said.

"And I said you had no choice." Haruhi said.