Chapter One - Leaving
(Karin's POV)

When her alarm clock went off that morning, she did not have any will to get up. Honestly, it was way too early. Anytime before noon was way too early for her. Karin stared at the ceiling, gathering up power to stand up. She rubbed her eyes and walking towards the promising smell from kitchen, she about killed herself when she tripped over her luggage.

"Kariiin, your breakfast is –baaam- …ready?! Karin, are you ok?!" screamed the voice from downstairs, followed by hasty steps approaching Karin's room.

"I am all right Yuzu." Growled Karin while standing up, feeling the bump that was slowly forming on her head. "I just forgot about the stupid thing." She pointed towards said traitorous trunk, lying innocently on the ground.

Karin quickly regretted bringing up the trunk, because Yuzu looked like she was ready to cry, yet again.

"Aw Karin, I still can't believe you are going away! Are sure you will be ok, all by yourself?" that was Yuzu's favorite question these days, and as bazillion times before, Karin answered her: "Yeah, I am absolutely sure…And don't worry, it's not like I am never coming back"

Karin frowned as her impossible father locked her and her twin in another (and hopefully last) of his suffocating hugs. After he finally released them, the well known whine was heard: "Ah, Misaki, our daughter is growing up!" Karin looked around the house for the last time. She tried to memorize all the things she liked, and even things she didn't like, after all, she is not going to be able to see them for some time. It made her chest tighten, just thinking about it.

"Are you girls ready, it's about the time!" yelled her brother from upstairs.

"Yup, ready to roll Ichi!" Came somehow shaky reply from Yuzu.

Karin looked at her backpack and the huge trunk that was so fatal this morning. Her laptop was safely in there, her camera checked, yep, she thought with mild satisfaction, she managed to pack successfully. She gave last smile to her father as Ichigo grabbed car keys and helped her carry her things to the car.

"So what do you think, last chance to back off, midget." Her brother was teasing her, she knew.

"Yeah, likely story, if you were able to make it, I am sure I will ace it." She snickered.

The way to the airport was mostly spent talking to Yuzu and Ichigo, and then, sooner than she would have imagined, she was saying her byes and promising to write and call as soon and as much as possible. And off she went.
This was her first time flying alone, so she was little nervous. Tokyo airport was really enormous, which did not help her anxiety at all. She looked over her papers, checking if she had all she needed. –breath, it's going to be all right, just breath, Karin– she told herself over and over.
She put her trunk on to the check out, receiving her boarding pass, happy to find out she had the window seat. She went through the passport and passenger luggage controls and so now she had about thirty minutes to kill.
She wandered around the duty free zone, thinking about how in the whole world she wound up like this…

*Flashback*
(Four months ago)
"With your grades, Karin, I think it is great opportunity for you. Your brother talked about it with me, and I agree, you would profit from that kind of experience." She was only halfway listening to what her teacher told her. Yes, she agreed, it would be nice, but she wasn't sure if she was ready for that kind of decision…
However, after a week of thinking, she finally said yes, and from that point on, it rolled like a landslide.
*End of flashback*

Karin sighed. Ichigo was not right this time; it was already too late to back off. After all, she was not the type of person that would take back her words – and, honestly, how bad can it be, to be an exchange student? Karin furrowed her brows in the deep thought – well, I guess I will find out pretty soon, – Karin told to herself and walked on.
She walked around for a while, bought herself a muffin and some drinks for the long flight and then started to walk in the direction of her departure gate.
The time seemed to drag terribly as she waited to finally be seated, but once she made it to the airplane, her thoughts started to fly around. She couldn't help but try to imagine what her "new" family will be like.
Shortly, Karin gave in to the sleep that was creeping up on her, as she looked outside of the window on the endlessly blue sky.

-
Author's notes (bla-bla-bla of mine)
First of all, I am not native speaker, so if you find any kind of grammar/spelling mistakes please don't shower me with negative comments, just be polite about it and please kindly let me know, as English is not my first language, it will be very helpful. Thank you all in advance.

Some of the speech parts are in italics for reason; Karin is an exchange student coming from Japan to U.S., the italics are to show when she is speaking Japanese, with her family or by accident – as I don't speak Japanese, and I think not many of you do either, I decided not to bother you with some crappy Google translate grammar, but just write it in English so we all understand

Apart from that, there is nothing much I would add, I hope the story won't be too boring and you will enjoy it as it enfolds, thanks for reading,
Your Sora