It was around 8 when my alarm woke me up.

Jetlag had a weird effect on me. You could just imagine how long it took for us to arrive in Japan. I felt no trace of any throbbing pain on my temples or that odd popping feeling you get in your ears when you're way up in the air.

"Wonder what's for breakfast," I said to myself as I groggily went down the flight of stairs of our new home, rubbing heavily on my eyes.

The smell of blueberries, maple syrup and that distinctive starchy smell of homemade batter welcomed me as I entered our kitchen.

"An all-American breakfast for our first morning in Japan! Oh the irony." My big sister laughed at herself.

"Can't take the American out of the Japanese, eh?" I laughed as I added more irony into what she said.

"That's a record. 3 ironic statements in one sentence? As for that, add more syrup to your waffles."

I continued chuckling on how weird me and my sister talked. My brother wasn't as weird as us so he was a good balance to the mix.

We just moved in from New York. Although we're of Japanese descent, our parents being whole Japanese, we practically grew up in America. My parents thought it was a good idea for us to be sent to Japan for good, since there were people who were giving us threats due to our blossoming family business in retail. We agreed to their decision, just as long as they'll come follow us after they're done fixing legal papers for our business.

I happily chewed on my maple doused waffles until I realized that my brother wasn't with us.

"Kari, where's Hiro?" I asked my sister.

"He's gone to that new school of yours. Meiou Private Academy?"

"Oh, right." I sighed.

Going to a new school was not a very light subject for me. I was so used to attending an all-girls school near our neighborhood back in New York, the only male contact I had was that of my father's, brothers and boys I knew from badminton training.

"Hey, cheer up." She smiled. "You know your Japanese characters, you've got it down to a t. Coping with your new school won't be that hard."

I gave my sister a reassuring smile, telling myself deep down that that wasn't the problem I was thinking of.

Boys. Boys. Boys.

Why can't they just send me to an all-girls school? I mean, some girls are snotty. That's a given. But boys?

"Please make some friends." she gave me a concerned look. "Get yourself a boyfriend too while you're at it."

I stuck out my tongue at her and then retreated to my room.

"Please don't be a brat," I told myself as I laid flat on the wooden floor.

It took a good 10 minutes before I realized that I didn't want to spend the rest of the day locked up in my room. So I decided to be adventurous and take a stroll down the neighborhood.

I went with a pair of skin tight jeans, a loose top, a pair of ratty old sneakers and a belt bag.

"I'm going out!" I called out, not really asking for permission.

It was seriously a lovely day out. Unlike our neighborhood back in NYC, the streets in our new neighborhood had fewer people walking around, not to mention the streets looking spotless.

Different stores aligned the streets but I went ahead with going to the grocery store to pick up some ingredients for a new pastry recipe I was experimenting on.

After getting all the ingredients that I needed, I started lining up at the cashier.

In front of me was a girl wearing a long sleeved top and skirt, with brown hair, who stood probably a few inches shorter than me. I couldn't help but notice the amount of stuff she was about to buy, considering that she had a sling wrapped around her right arm.

I then lightly tapped on her shoulder.

"Hi, miss. You really shouldn't be carrying all those." I motioned my hand to her. "Here, let me help you."

She looked at me, surprised.

"Don't worry I'm not going to steal them." I laughed.

She gave me a smile and said, "Thank you. That's very kind of you."

After paying for our groceries, we headed out.

"Thank you so much for helping me carry all these." she said as she gave me a slight bow.

"No, please, it's alright." I waved my hand to her way of showing gratitude. I forgot how respectful people were here. "I was just really concerned with how you'll be feeling carrying all these with the look of your arm. You should really take care of that so it would heal sooner."

"Noted, but I had no choice but to do grocery shopping for my family. My dad's away to the wet market while my mother's at home dealing with a fever."

"If that's the case, I should be helping you until you reach your house." I said as I gave her a small smile.

"Is that oka-"

"Out of my way!" a man screamed from behind.

"My purse!" The girl I just helped out screamed frantically.

Great, just great.

I was so infuriated with what just happened that I didn't even had time to think. I started running with all my might, trying to catch this filth who even dared pick on a girl who obviously had no chance going up against him with her condition.

"You're going to pay, bud!" I yelled in between long strides.

We were now dashing like crazy through the streets, going between alleys I've never seen before, but I was in no doubt alone. I could hear a string of people running after us, possibly trying to get a piece of this guy too.

It was then until we reached a dead end and we had nowhere to go. This guy was latching on to the purse for dear life, dripping with bullets of sweat down his face.

"You are so dead!" I yelled as I charged towards him, aiming for the purse like it was my prey.

"I need the money!" He said as he swiftly drew a knife from his pocket. "You're out of luck, kid."

Okay, I was not expecting this.

I started backing up from where I was, the man smirking as he playfully tried poking me with his pocket knife.

Darn it, think of something quick Mika. Think, think, think!

I reached for my belt bag and quickly rummaged to get what I hope was my pepper spray.

"You know it was smart of you to be wearing a belt bag, you tomboy. I could've gotten that as well!"

Irritated with what he said, I drew the pepper spray out of my bag and pushed its top once I got a good distance from his eyes.

"Ahhh!" The man yelled in agony.

It was a no-brainer for me to snatch the purse from his meaty hands and kick him straight on the groin.

Within a matter of seconds, he was helplessly screaming in pain on the concrete.

I started hearing people filing up behind me, worried with what might have happened to me dealing with this crook. Some of them quickly held the guy up, making sure that he wasn't going anywhere. I could now hear police sirens coming nearer.

"It was wrong of you to be messing with a New Yorker, you piece of filth."

I quickly dashed back to the brown haired girl, catching my breath in between.

"Here's... your purse."

The girl was almost in tears, thanking me over and over again.

"If it weren't for my arm, I'd take that guy out with a huge slap on the face right then and there." she grinned, finally calming down from the consecutive thank you's she has given me.

"You bet," I grinned. "But I don't think I'm tough as you are. I think it was the adrenaline."

"Still, thank you so much for all the trouble you've gone through for me. I don't even know you but you still helped me out. I'm Keiko." she smiled as she reached out her free hand.

"Mika." I winked as I took her hand.