It's nighttime when she got to Japan. The young girl slowly walk in the middle of the airport, trying to avoid the floods of busy people who trying to mow her down. Due to her small stature, she can't help but to constantly bump into people while she lugs the heavy weight of her brown suitcase. The yellow dress and light pink blouse that she wore was quite not suited to travel, but it was supposed to be for her first impression for her new school.
But it's too late for that, right?
On the same day before she left her home, she decided that during the trip that she will let her black hair hang off of her shoulders, thinking that it would still look pretty when she got to Japan. It didn't. She didn't counted the fact that she would fell asleep during the trip, and now, she have a bird nest instead of flowing locks. Her bronze tan skin separates her from the crowd of pasty pale people. Ugly in the eyes of every Asian women.
She feels so different the minute she steps off her plane, and not in an unique and special way. Everything is different, and this will be her home for the next three years.
She looks around the area. Not a single person waiting for her. She sighs. What did she expect? That delay had really screwed her over, didn't it? "Um, miss!" a voice calls. The girl spun her head around and sees no one out of the ordinary. Was it her mind playing tricks on her? Or - "Ma'am! I'm over here! Here with a giant sign with your name on it!" She looks into the crowd harder and sees a suit-wearing man who lifted a sign with some hiragana characters on it. Or was it kanji? Chen Liu, it said. Well whatever it is, she wasn't completely fluent in speaking Japanese and her reading was even worse. She dashes over to man, avoiding the incoming people.
When she got in front of the man, she looks at his appearance more closely, carefully scanning over every details. Black thin hair, pale skin, sharp chin, Liu thought. That's what a grown Japanese man looks like, right mother? The man puts down the sign under his arm and then slightly bow down to the teen. Reacting, Liu bow clumsily, embarrassed that she didn't do it first. Luckily, from this position, the man don't have to see her one of her worst habits. Blushing easily. The man quickly recovers from his bow and stand up tall, holding a sense of authority against the young girl.
Liu feel, no, knows that she already screwed up her first impression, and she didn't even had to stand straight up. She's gonna be embarrassed for the rest of her duration in Japan. "So you are the recommended student from Beijing, am I right?" the man asks, monotonous.
Liu quickly stands straight from her bow and forces a small smile. "Um, yes sir," she quietly replies. "My name is Chen Liu. I'm supposed to be at Yuuei until I graduated."
"But are you a recommended student, Chen-san?" the man harshly clarifies.
Liu almost jump from his tone, but she still remains looking friendly as she can. "Um, Um," she stutters, "well, yes. I'm on the recommendation list for Yuuei. I have my letter of recommendation in my suitcase if you want me to-"
"Don't worry about it," the man cuts her off as he points the back from him. "Just let's get in the car. I have been standing here for hours and I would like it to go already home, missy."
Liu nods, feeling a wave of horrible guilt. She walks side-by-side with the man, feeling an awkward discomfort with him. She try not to focus at it and, instead m, observed the peaceful setting that is displayed before her.
Clear night skies, no choking pollution that she was so used to, a small but rushing crowd emerging from the airport. Japan is really beautiful in its own kind. Different and almost exotic. But that again, it's Liu first time being away from China.
A modern black car with a shiny gleam stood before Liu who was dazzled by its design. She had never been this close to a car like this, much less going to ride in it. Back home, only the rich people can be able to buy such luxury. The poor people have overcrowded, and probably unsafe, buses.
"Ma'am," Liu snaps out of her state and quickly turn to the man. "What's wrong? You just suddenly stopped."
Liu blushes as her grip on her suitcase accidentally loosen and slips. Luckily, it didn't open when it slams into the concrete, but it was so embarrassing! Liu looks up at the man, he wore the look that said, "Tck! Stupid foreigner! Why do you exist?" Okay, she might be overreacting on that part, but she already made a bad first impression! Stupid, stupid -
The man took up the suitcase and lugs it to the car trunk. Liu, embarrassed, rushes into the car with little time to spared and proceed to look at her feet. Another bad habit she required when she was young. A "recommended student" they said. A "outstanding hero of the future" they said. Well, Liu was everything but those! In less than ten minutes, she's already considered as a socially awkward mess in Japan.
But she already knew that she'll be culture shock here way before she even got on the plane. However, all of these "things," things that are happening on this new land are just overwhelming her just a little.
The car door opened as the man went to the driver seat and put his seatbelt on. "Please try to calm down, young lady," the man calmly states, detecting Liu's distress. "I do understand that this is a new place for you, but there's no need to worry. Because - Oh! Have I ever given my name? Sorry, it's just a bad habit of mine." Liu shakes her head, answering "No." "Okay, I'm Yokoyama Akio, the head of the Yuuei Dormitories. I was originally supposed to meet you at the dorms with the other students today, but I heard you had a delay and I personally took it upon myself to drive you to the dorms."
"Why?"
The car suddenly starts, causing Liu to be startled. What even more startling is that her seatbelt, like a snake, automatically restrains her in her seat, almost choking her. "Don't worry," Yokoyama says as the car pulls itself from the parking space without the driver touching the steering wheel. "It's just my quirk. I can manipulate technology."
As the car quickly drives away from the airport and pulls into an empty highway, Liu was instantly dazzle again by the beautiful skyliners. Like stars, it was shining above all men as kings. So nice. So pretty. So wonderful. "Also, Miss Chen," Yokoyama calls her attention again. She swiftly turns to him and saw him relaxed in his seat, not worrying about crashing the car. "To answer your question from earlier of 'why', I'm kinda responsible for the students who lived in the dorms for various reasons. Whatever happened to them, it will be on my ass."
Liu audibly gasps, being surprised at an adult casually curses in front of a minor.
"Stop it," the man demands. Liu shut her mouth and blushes a bright red. "I seriously don't like kids like you," Yokoyama says as Liu feels smaller. "Just because I'm the head of the dorms, but that doesn't mean I can't act normally with those students who lived there. So you can just drop the formal act if you want. I don't really like when kids are so tense. I'm just another broke college graduate who recently became the head."
Well . . . Liu didn't expect something like this to happen. Usually in China, it's simple. The young respect the elders and treat them as kings or queens. Didn't the Japanese do the same thing or it's another culture shock thing she have to get use to? No, no, it's not a culture shock thing. It's just a broke college kid.
"Hey, don't go silence on me," Liu feels a rough hand on her shoulder, causing her to flinch. Yokoyama took his hand off of the girl before sighing. "Look, I'm just okay, okay? Just remember if you need to talk with anyone, it's me, right? I'm friends with every student at the dorms."
Liu wants to go back home now. She doesn't like to be touched nor like to be in social situations like this.
"Also, I'm gonna drop you off and you can ask the lady at the desk for your keys, so before that happens, I gotta tell you the basic rules while we are in this car." Okay, something useful and not more culture shocks stuff. "No drugs, no booze, no sex, no pets," he lists, "No sleeping in the opposite gender dorms, no loud partying, no usage of quirks in any areas of the dorms besides your own room. Don't worry, those rooms are basically everything-proof."
"Everything-proof?" Liu suddenly asks.
"Fire-proof, water-proof, cold-proof, heat-proof, electricity-proof, everything that you can imagine that could be a hazard."
"What about multi-proof?" she asks more quietly.
"About what?"
"Nevermind."
"Also," Yokoyama looks at Liu closer with a more serious tone and look. His hand on her shoulder tightens. "There will be no fighting in the dorms other than self-defense. Even though this is a academy for training pro-heroes, it doesn't mean that everyone is friendly. If these kids fight you and you fight back, just imagine the damage will be, and I don't just mean by property damage. One fight in the dorms and I will expel you, understand?"
Liu nods, feeling a heavy weight on her shoulders.
"Okay," Yokoyama relaxed and taking his hand off of Liu's shoulder. The car suddenly stops. "We're here," he states. Liu immediately spins her head to the car window and sees the buildings that she will consider as her home for the next three years. It was a collection of large rectangular-shaped buildings with the largest being in the middle, the one that Liu was at. The whole area was surrounded by tall concrete walls with the Yuuei logo and colors painted on them. A safety measure, Liu thinks. "Okay, get out," Yokoyama suddenly demands.
"Huh?"
"Didn't I told you? I'm not going to hold your hand to your dorm, missy. There's a lady over by the desk. Get your bag and go ask her, alright?"
Liu nods before leaving the car. "Thank you," she whispers with a sour undertone.
Yokoyama smiles slightly as he watches the Chinese girl grabs her suitcase from his trunk and walk into the building.
It was quiet. Total silence that reinvigorates one's soul. A setting that Liu prefers. The dimmed streetlamps that the young girl was walking follows a cobblestone path, leading her to her dorm. After Liu had talked to the receptionist lady at the desk, she got her keys. The key were simple. Just only one key with a keychain that has a letter and a number. As her mind wanders, she remembered exactly how dorms are arranged from reading her acceptance letter. Even though it was written in Hiragana, she can managed to get the gist of it.
"All students that is need of a dorm will receive dorms that is connected to your personal study course. This isn't changeable unless under special circumstances."
Liu thinks that she'd might translated the letter awkwardly, but it might just mean that her classmates are at or near her dorm because each course get their own dorm building. God, more potential social situations that she very much want to avoid. However if she remembers correctly from the letter, she will get her own personal room and the dormitories would be separated from each other genders as well. Like girls will get their own dorms and guys will get another as well. Great! Then at least she won't have to deal with a brunch of guys, especifically if they are really cute guys. Formally, Liu went to an all-girls school in Beijing and rarely saw any boys her age, so she can't but help to blush every time she see a super cute guy. Liu slaps her cheeks with both hands, dropping her suitcase in the process.
Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! She thought. You are here to study, Liu! Not to look at boys! She stops slapping her red cheeks and grip her hands, forming fists. Okay! You are in a new country! You got a visa and everything! You got the most expensive dress you owned! You worked hard to be in Yuuei! Just don't mess it up! Just embarrassed yourself in front of a group of people that you will be with for the next three years! With flaming determination, Liu swipes her suitcase from the road and charges forward to her new home.
She stood at the front doors, double and French-style. She looks up at the building, once again impressed by the high-quality design. The whole building was painted in a crisp white with patios lined neatly next to each other. Neat, professional, and not made by questionable people. Japan has it all, and she love it. She grips her suitcase handle as she took a deep breath and exhales. Remember, she thought. Don't screw up.
She grab the doorknob and swing it open wide open, revealing the brightly lit hallway. It was empty. The hallways was in complete silence. No one was still wake and roaming in them. Liu stands there for a minute before breaking into a fit of laugher. Good God! She thought, calming herself down. Of course no one would be wake at this time! It's almost midnight! Her hand shoves itself in her blouse pocket and got the key. # A-16 the key chain said. Liu smiles, walking down the halls and carefully planning on how to relax in her dorm. Let's see, she thought, I know! I'm gonna a bath! A nice bath with warm water! Wait, do I have to boil it? Whatever! After that, I could make some Zhajiangmian! If the school stocked the Chinese ingredients in the fridge, of course! Oooooooooh! I can't wait!
She stands before her door with a small smile. She unlocks the door and swings it open, and her smile suddenly disappears. What the world . . .
A group of girls sat at her sofa, drinking various beverages as they look at the foreigner.
. . . Is this?!
Liu don't know what to do. Should she suddenly introduce herself? Should she go to her room? Should she bail this party and try to find her actual room? Because there's no way that people can go into her room without a key.
"Oh hey!" an odd-looking girl with pink skin and demon eyes calls out as she walks up to Liu and took her hand and shakes it. "I think that you are my new roommate! My name is Ashido Mina! It's nice to meetcha!"
Roommate? Roommate?! Did she mistranslated the letter?! It must be it!
"Ribbit, I think she can't speak Japanese," a girl on four legs says. "I heard that she's from China."
"No, it can't be," a beautiful, black-haired girl (And actually normal-looking) comments. "She must had taken a Japanese fluency test before she entering into Yuuei, is that right?"
Why are they talking about her? Why her? Why did they even put her into a position to speak?
"Um, um." Don't stutter. Don't embarrassed yourself, she reminds. This is your one and only chance to not make an impression that you are not some stupid foreigner! Liu quickly bows before rapidly spilling scrambled words. "My name is Chen Liu! I'm sixteen years old! And I'm from Beijing! Please take care of me!"
. . . The silent air stood still.
Darn, darn it! They are seeing me as a dumb foreigner now! Why? Why Li-
"Oh my God!" Liu feel a pair of arms surrounds her as she spins around. "You have the cutest name ever! Liu! Liu! What a cute name! Oh! What if we call you 'Chen-chan'?!"
A hot blush ruptured on her tan cheeks. She tried to cover it with her hands, but it was too late. Everybody saw it.
"Aww . . ." Mina puts her down. "Don't be shy. We're friends here, right?"
Liu peaks from her hand and saw the demonic girl again. She isn't the one to judge appearances, but her superstitious side is coming on to her. Pink hair, pink skin, horns, and large black eyes with a little yellow light in the middle like a star in a dark void. It was basically screaming alien! Demon! Everything that all of the old people back home implanted into her since she was ten!
Liu, embarrassed and not knowing what to do, pick up her fallen suitcase and quickly walk to the nearest room and then slams the door.
She left everyone in total silence once more.
"Jeez! Is all Chinese people this rude?" Mina commented. Then Liu come out and run over to them and sit between a floating pair of clothes and the same beautiful girl before. "I do apologize for my behavior," Liu calmly says. "I just only needed to put my case in my room. It was very heavy."
Mina slides over and pets Liu's messy hair with a grin. "Aww, it's okay," she says. "You are too cute to get mad at!"
A blush appears once more. "P-Please stop that," she says quietly. "I'm not that cute."
A chuckle was heard next to her. Liu turns her head and sees that it was the beautiful girl, laughing. "I'm sorry," she apologizes as she calms down. "My name is Yaoyorozo Momo. And you're the sixth recommended student, right?"
Yaoyorozo? Oh goodness, Liu is gonna butcher these names later.
Liu nods.
Momo gives a smile. "I'm also recommended student too," Liu suddenly tenses, not knowing if she's another "competitor" like before. "I heard about you a few months ago on the internet. And how you blew away the teachers here when they are just about to close the application process for this year's students."
"O-Oh!" Liu gasps. "You did. I-I'm sorry."
Momo cocks a brow. "Why would you say that?"
"Because what I did during that time could have hurt a lot of people," Liu states in melancholic and quiet tone. "Even ones that wasn't involved in the testing. So I apologize."
"Apologize?!" Momo gasps. "You had single-handedly uncovered one of the biggest cheating scandals in Yuuei History! You have nothing to sorry for!"
"Cheating scandals? Ribbit." the frog-like girls asks. "She's a cheater?"
Liu gasps, lost for words. No! No! No! I'm not -
"No, she's not," Momo explains. "She stopped a cheating scandal in China and because in how she stops it, she became a recommended student on a full-ride scholarship as a 'thank you'."
"I'm sorry, but how did you know that I had a scholarship?!" Liu asks in horror.
"Internet," Momo replies. "Anyways, that scandal had involved hundreds of students and their parents and even some of the moderators, and this girl," Momo put her hand on Liu's shoulder, making the Chinese girl uncomfortable, "had stopped it."
"Stopped it?" Mina asks, looking at the short girl in shock. "How? What kind of quirk did you had to stop hundreds of people?"
"It's not my quirk that stopped it," Liu softly answers. "I just got mad, and I . . . Beat . . . The moderators up."
"With your quirk?" Mina asks.
Liu nods, unable to lie about that.
"Wow," the frog-like girl says. "You look like some weak shrimp that would fall apart in one touch, but no, you beaten up some pro-heroes in the past. Ribbit. Right?"
"Um, in that way, yes."
"That's amazing!" An invisible arm wraps around Liu's shoulders, causing the Chinese girl to shiver. "You fought these moderators like All-Might fight villains! That's really coo-"
"I'm sorry but can we not talk about this?" Liu harshly say. "I do not like talking about the scandal. It makes me feel, ur, uncomfortable."
"Oh sorry," everybody says in unison.
"By the way, if you don't mind me asking," Liu softly asks as another blush appears, "I'm tired. May I go to bed? Our first day of school is tomorrow and I have to get some rest now?"
Everyone's heart strings was pulled. Her soft voice, her kind words, and that blush. Liu was so cute, like a little child. "Chen-chan!" Mina coo. "Of course! You can go right to bed! God, you're so precious!"
Liu stands up and forces a tired smile before bowing. "Thank you." and then she walks off.
She fell onto her bed, exhausted. Liu never felt more this exhausted in her entire life, even after her middle schools days of nonstop studying and training. Liu raises her head and look at her digital clock. 11:56. Liu sighs, pulling herself off her bed and walking over to her private bathroom. Well, at least that's one thing she read right on the letter. A personal bathroom for each student.
The bathroom was clean and small, as expected, with white tiles that led to a single drain for the water. Wow, Liu thought in awe from the cleanness and quality. This is all so fancy! Oh! What is this? Liu looks at a small weaved basket near her as awe appears in her dark brown eyes. Is that free shampoo?! She pick up a bottle. It is, isn't?! Oh goodness, Yuuei is like a hotel! She put the bottle back and leans on the counter. She closes her eyes in both exhaustion and in thought.
I did it . . . She thought with a smile. I did it, Mother, Father . . . I'm really attending Yuuei . . . Her hands begins to shakes as she feel a hot sensation around her eyes. Her smile wavers as her heart still aches from her younger days.
She remembered her many days in a hellish rice paddy. Her days as a child who was forced to put her education to the side and support for her aging family. Her days of forcing herself to study for Beijing's cruel and, sometimes, unfair exams. Her days of suffering for getting a chance of having a future that isn't chosen for her by corrupted and twisted individuals.
I'm going to be a hero. A hero that everyone needs. She had fought her way to the top. She had resisted the cruel temptations that was easier and got her goals by doing it the fair and harder way.
But was it worth it?
She opens her eyes with tears and a flaming determination.
Just you wait, China!
She will see soon.
Hey! You there! I'm the author who wrote this piece of crap fanfic! Because I'm a stupid fan!
Anyways, on a more serious note, I wanted to write this fanfic for a while because of two main reasons:
1. I read so much foreigner stories which the foreigner is American or European. So I questions "Hey! Where are the non-Japanese Asians in these stories? Should they more Asian immigrants in Japan?" And in further research since I questions how many Chinese people, I founded out that Chinese people are one of the biggest immigrant population, soooo why the hell not write a fanfic about a Chinese immigrant? ;)
2. China and Japan had quite a history together. I won't go to World War II, but go Google it if you want. Japan was a shitty neighbor during that time. Anyways, China and Japan are like day to night is. While Japan is considered to be a developed nation, China . . . still hadn't got their shit together.
Being scammed in China? We got it. Having holes as bathrooms? We got it. Have pollution that probably shorten your lifespan in one breath? We got it. Censored Internet? We got it. Many other fucked up things that we could add to the list of why you shouldn't go to China without a guide? We go it.
(ALSO BEFORE YOU CALLED ME OUT ON BEING A RACIST! I'M CHINESE TOO! So calm your tits down! I can make jokes.)
Anyways, so . . . Japan have an overall negative stereotype of Chinese people. But don't worry, the door swings both ways. Chinese are critical on Japan too.
Are we a bunch of sunshine and happiness who want to kill each other?
Anyways, I would like to address this because this will be one of the biggest part of the fanfic:
I probably will shipped Chen Liu with a character.
I won't say his name, but it would be obvious soon. I would like to have a realistic and cute relationship. There would be no lemons. I will not write lemons. Don't ask for lemons. The closest you will see from a lemon is hugs and kisses and coddling. And also, they won't jump immediately into a romantic relationship. I don't like it when people instantly shipped character who just met. At least buy the character a drink first!
So it's gonna be cute and a slow-burn.
Prepare for type three diabetes!
Besides the ship, I would like a realistic portrayal of an immigrant, coming from a poverty background, entering in developed nation like Japan.
That may be racists assumptions and things, but other good things will happened.
Thank you for reading and having and an open mind.
P.S. The love interest will be little OOC, but it may be necessary since I would be that character to grow from Liu. Because in a real relationship, you grow from your partner and become a better person. Okay? I'm taking this shit serious. I'm REALLY taking this seriously.
P.S.S. I perfectly okay with people giving valid criticism to me. I'm not a bitch. I can handle whatever you want to say to me. Good or bad.