Alex walks out of the Ikebukuro Train Station near the Ikebukuro district, in Tokyo Japan. Excitement and fear wash over him, both fight over his body, as he will spend rest of his life. Alex fresh outta high school decided to live in the country that had the things he loved the most life besides family. Anime, manga, great food, hen- a chance to experience a new thing each day. Just the thoughts of these things, extinguish the fear in him, and joy took hold, bearing a smile on his face.

Alex took a deep and long inhale to take in the air of the area around him. Air filled his lungs, feeling enlightened, Alex took his first step into the district. His first thing to do is to find a place to live. Which didn't take long too long, Alex found a flyer that said 'Tenant wanted, one bedroom one bath apartment, only 16129 yen a month' as he skimmed it over again he notices the address near the bottom, as a name and number.

"Miss Kobayashi, hmm?" Alex questions while dragging his roller bag, in his left hand and the paper in his right hand. Lost in thought, and a man comes up to Alex, who dressed like a chief and was handing out fliers.

"Long time no see, Mister." The Chief says.

"Hmm? Sorry?" Alex says coming back to reality, "Did you need something?"

"You look hungry, sushi's good," Chief says calmly.

Before Alex could answer him, his stomach rumbles loud enough for them both to hear it. Alex chuckles while holding his stomach and rubbing the back of his neck.

"Heh, I guess you're right!" Alex said with a cheeky smile, " Can I have one of those?"

The man smiled and handed him one of his fliers. Walking to the restaurant, reading the flier softly to himself.

"Russia Sushi? Hmm, never had sushi before, so now the perfect time to try it." Alex said as joy roses within, and he continued to read as he entered the restaurant. " Help wanted, pay 7.50 an hour, part-time. Damn, lucky I was hungry I could've missed this. If I land this job and that apartment, I should be all set."

Alex sets the paper down on the counter table and climbs into one of the seats next to it. After a couple seconds waiting a man comes out wearing an outfit like the one outside.

"Welcome, mister, what would you like?" The man said kindly and plain.

"How about? Some sushi and rice." Alex said just a kind.

"Alright coming right up." The man said as he disappeared into the kitchen.

After a while, Alex was admiring the decor from his seat, and he notices that he was the only customer in the restaurant, but he just shrugged it off as their off day. A few minutes go by and the man returns with a small wooden tray of sushi and a bowl of rice.

"Thanks," Alex said as he got a pair of chopsticks from a holder near the pillar where sat. "Whoa, this is really good," he said with delight.

"Ah, you're too kind but thank you." the owner said.

"Oh! I almost forgot!" Alex said with surprise, " I'd like to work here." as Alex pull down his chopsticks and showed him the flyer given to him by the man outside.

"Oh ho? Well, then you hired." The owner said.

"Wait? That's it?" Alex said confused, "No interview? No questions? Why?"

"Because Simion keeps scaring off customers when he's on flyer duty, and you don't look scary." The owner said in a deadpanned voice. "Also it's just me and Simon here, so we kind of need the help."

"Help? With what? And who's Simon?" Alex asked even more confused.

"Like when Simon actually gets people to come in, I don't have anyone to take their food to them." The owner said, " Simon is the man who gave you the flyer, also I need someone to make deliveries. You do have a car to make the orders, right?"

"Oh, I have a motorcycle, but it doesn't get here until a few days." Alex answered a little sad but shakes it off, "And you are?"

"I'm Denis, the owner of the Russia Sushi," Denis replied.

After talking for a while, Alex asks for what he had to be packed up for later and said he could start working in a couple days or so until he had found a place to live during his stay there. Exiting the store with a shortwave to Denis, and Alex continued down a more than a few blocks from where the sushi place was. Until he came across, 'Kobayashi's apartments', realize this is the place, Alex enters to see a pretty woman with short black hair and glasses look up from her desk.

"Oh, hello, can I help you?" Miss Kobayashi asked.

"Ah, yeah, I'd like to rent an apartment" Alex responds.

"Alright, the first-month payment is paid up front, and you sign some papers then you get your keys to your room," Kobayashi said pushing up her glasses while talking.

After a few minutes, and about 20 papers, Alex paid the first months to rent of 16129 yen which was only 150 dollars in U.S dollars. The amount didn't really make a dent in his budget, he considered a win in his book.

Taking his roller bag and a duffle bag which hung over his shoulder to his apartment on the 2nd floor of the building, #109. After a short struggle up a flight of stairs, Alex made it to his room and open the door, to reveal a not too shabby room. Complete with a small tv, mini fridge, and a couple of drawers for his clothes.

You'd think the roller suitcase was filled with Alex's clothes, but that where you're wrong it was filled to the brink of his favorite anime and manga. That's what the duffle bag was for, it was packed with enough clothes for at least a week, then he would need to buy new ones, so he could do laundry.

All the sushi and walking started to take hold on Alex, after quickly packing his clothes into the drawers and stacking his anime and manga just on top of the drawers with the titles facing upright, so he could read them. Quickly taking a warm shower, which made he more drowsy, Alex flopped on the bed and instantly fell asleep. A few hours later, an alarm goes off and Alex's wakes up with a shock, but to be relieved.

"Ha! I forgot to turn off my alarms for high school." Alex sleepy chuckle to himself.

Rolling lazily over to check his phone, it reads 6:45 am, and a new message from mom. Yawning, Alex opens the message, that read 'Alex baby, how's Japan? Are you having fun? Your bike should be getting there a couple days earlier. Remember to always wear your helmet.' Hear the part about his bike got his blood rushing, and excited. His bike was supposed to arrive three days from now, but now it's going to get there tomorrow.

Getting ready for the day, Alex dressed in more casual clothes than yesterday. Today he donned his signature black zip-up jacket with the iconic red and white stripe down the right sleeve. After Alex was good to go, he heads out to check out the attractions, around the district. He went to various anime and manga shops, even went to a maid cafe.

"Well, I can cross that off the bucket list," Alex said as he continued through the district.

Alex's last stop was the Russia Sushi place to tell Dennis that he could come to work tomorrow morning. It's funny how time flies when you're having fun, which is what happens to Alex. He got home and added the newest anime and mangas to his stack. Then repeated his night routine, dinner clean up then off to sleep again.