Chapter 1 - Kunugigaoka

The next couple of days were painfully slow, and eerily quiet. No-one seemed quite like themselves. My mother told me that she planned to move in with her sister, my Aunt Rhea, and that we'd stay in touch via email. My father kept trying to sell the idea of moving to a new continent, as if I hadn't already agreed. One thing remained in common between them; they were packing the house. As boxes piled up around me, I couldn't help but ponder; 'Why?'

The days seemed like weeks, but the time finally came to say goodbye to Massachusetts, America and Mom. It wasn't without a few tears, but the bus ride to New York was even longer. When we finally reached the airport of our neighboring state, we made a long trip through customs (my dad's belt and our phones sounding the detectors) and we were at last on our plane.

With fourteen hours to kill, I listened through an audiobook about conversational Japanese, mouthing along to things I didn't know, skipping what I did. Looking out the window over a place with a night timezone, I noticed the moon, shining down onto the clouds below me. I always found it peculiar how one day it was fully intact, and the next it was 70 percent gone, resulting in a permanent crescent. Something didn't add up.

Finishing my book with 3 hours to spare, I put some relaxing music on and slowly drifted into a restless slumber.

"Gordon," I was awoken with half surprise as my dad spoke my name. "Look up ahead." Complying to his wishes, I noticed a large storm cloud. "See that cloud of smog?" I stood corrected, for it was not a storm at all. "That's China," he said with a chuckle. "And Japan's even closer. We're here."

Evidently, we'd touched down at six in the morning, even though we'd left New York at around 3am. However, we'd left home around 11:30pm, because getting from Boston to New York took three and a half hours. Anyway, I was very tired, very jet lagged, and all that accidental math wasn't making me any more awake.

During the ride to our Tokyo apartment, I slept in the front seat of our rental car, and later (without my knowledge) on a mat on the tatami floor.

The bright orange sun of dawn peeked through the curtains in the living room, it's ray landing on my face, giving me a rude but graceful awakening. A week had passed, and today was the day when I took a tour of my new school, Kunugigaoka Junior High.

My dad dropped me off at a really large white school complex next to a mountainous landscape, and went to work. I was greeted at the front gates by a tall, light-brown haired man with what appeared to be a kind face. His fringe was parted in the middle and he wore a tidy dark-gray suit.

"Hello!" The man seemed delighted to see me. "You must be our new student," he held out his hand "My name is Gakuho Asano, and I'm the headmaster at this school. Tell me, what is your name?"

I didn't know if Gordon was an acceptable answer. I knew that certain people from other countries kept their names, and there was a way to use Japanese syllables to pronounce them, I just didn't know how to pronounce mine, and didn't want to do it wrong and seem racist. With that I decided, since I was starting a new life here, I should have a new name. "My name is… Ryuga."

"Ryuga?" He seemed sincere, but didn't show signs of belief. "Interesting. So 'Ryuga'... I hear you haven't been living in Japan for long. Where are you from?"

"America," I replied, not feeling the need to change that. "I've been here for a week."

"Wow, that's not long at all," Mister Asano seemed to be genuinely interested. I was conflicted, because he gave me both positive feelings and bad vibes all at once. "But you do seem familiar with our language, don't you?" Suddenly he shot me a glance that rocked me to my core. "Familiar enough to make up a name on the spot, evidently."

He knew. "Uhh…"

The warm smile returned to his face. "But I get that starting in a new country can be tough with a foreign name, so I'll just have you introduced as Ryuga. And uh," he patted me on the shoulder, still wearing his friendly smirk, "I don't want you to feel like you have to lie next time." The shame hit me like a truck. This guy seemed too nice for me to wrong him like that.

"Sorry," I said, bowing deeply.

"Hey, it's no problem really. Anyway, I suppose you're here for a tour, so that's just what we're gonna do." He rubbed my head, ruffling my hair, and led me his way.

During the long trip through many hallways and classrooms, Mister Asano introduced me to his unusual grade system. There was the A class, followed by B, C and D, based on performance in classwork. I thought it was a good policy, but something seemed a bit sinister. The tour eventually led to a large stone staircase, easily escalating hundreds of vertical meters. At the top appeared to be a small, run down wooden building.

As we arrived at the top of the flight, Mister Asano proclaimed reluctantly "And this… is Class E." This surprised me, for he never mentioned Class E before now. "This grade if for students who have let their grades slip too far, or have persistently broken our rules. Pray you don't end up here, that's all I can say."

I sat opposite Mister Asano's desk, attempting to complete a test he had given me. He described it as the 'placement test', and that it would determine what class I was placed in for my third year, the one I was entering. It went… less than satisfactory.

"Well well well, Mr. 'Ryuga Harper'." Mister Asano gave me an icy glare, while still maintaining an ominously kind look. I was frightened by just how well he could control his appearance. "This is… appalling to say the least," suddenly he didn't seem so nice. After realising what he'd said, he quickly regained his composure and said "Good to have you here, Mister Harper. See you at the beginning of the year."

I knew immediately how I'd placed. And I didn't like it one bit.

"Hey, Gordo." My dad entered our apartment, briefcase in one hand, mail in the other. "I've got a letter for you." He tossed it towards me like a magician tosses a playing card. "I mean, I think it's for you. I don't recognise the name, but it's the same last name, so it might be yours. It's from your school, so that's something else to go off."

Sure enough, the stamp sported the logo of Kunugigaoka, and the addressee was 'Ryuga Harper'. It was mine.

Dear Ryuga Harper,

Your class for the new semester is Class 3-E. This is due to your score on your entrance exam, along with records of your past academic achievement.

We hope to see you in the new year.

Sincerely,

Gakuho Asano, Headmaster of Kunugigaoka Junior High School

I felt the disappointment flooding through my head, but I still remained fairly optimistic. There was a chance the class was to contain some delinquents, but I remained positive that surely there were people in the class that weren't viciously rebellious. 'And what's the worst that could happen, anyway?' I asked myself rhetorically, for I didn't need an answer to make me more uneasy.

Monday came in the blink of an eye, and I found myself unprepared. After catching the train to Kunugigaoka Junior High, something it would take a while to get used to, I still had a long walk across campus ahead of me.

All through the school, I couldn't help but feel a sense of negative energy radiating from the other students, primarily directed at me. 'I knew it,' my brain almost went into force shutdown as it panicked, 'I knew I would stand out like scarecrow.'

What was all the less reassuring was the fact that two large, rather ugly guys coming right for me.

"Well, well, well," the one on the left began, who had a rather large, long nose. He turned to face his companion "This must be the foreigner who fell directly in Class E! You told me, didn't you?"

"Yeah, and you wouldn't believe me!" The friend was having a bit of a chuckle. This one had no significant features, but he did have a small pair of round glasses and, like his friend, his face seemed disfigured somewhat. "This fucking idiot couldn't even make it to Class D as a new enrolment!"

"Just look at this guy," Pinocchio pointed at me with his finger and his nose. "Does this guy even speak our language?"

"Excuse me fellas," I had had just about enough of this already. "But I do speak your language, which is unfortunate because I can understand and converse with you two."

The spectacled young man gave a shocked look. "What's this? Did you hear this guy? You think you're so tough."

"Perhaps not," I retorted. "But I hope kicking around the new kid a bit helps you forget about your own failing grades. You'd better hit the books." I looked at the boy with the trunk. "Speaking of books, your friend here could bury his nose in one and still need a magnifying glass."

The bullies were livid at these remarks. "A wise guy too, huh?"

"And I'm in Class E, too. Says a lot coming from a pair of uh… D's? Just a guess." What seemed like wit beyond all else would soon have me sorely regretting ever speaking.

Before I could run, a suckerpunch to my cheek knocked me dizzy, and I fell onto the ground. I couldn't even regain clear vision before I was kicked straight in the gut. I looked up and saw a pair of Pinocchios and a pair of glasses… no, two pairs.

"Poor little smartass." Pinocchio gave me a smug grin (or did he? I couldn't quite make it out). "Only just got here, and he's forgotten his place." Another kick in the stomach brought tears to my eyes. "On your way, scum."

Sobbing through gritted teeth, making it up the mountain was a challenge, even more so due to my minor injuries. But I finally made it to the front door of the Class E building. Remembering class starts at a quarter to nine, I glanced at my phone. 'Nine o'clock! Shi-t.'

I all but carried myself as fast as I could through the creaky hallway to my designated classroom. Noticing what looked like government officials outside, I slowed to a walk, knowing that something wasn't right.

I stood in the doorway, and what immediately caught my eye was the large yellow octopus looking creature dressed as a fucking college professor. I even slipped into English to yell "Jesus Christ, what is that thing?!"

Responding in Japanese, the creature appeared to be slightly offended. "That was mean," his deep voice whined. "I can understand English, you know."

I couldn't help but stare in horror… and also guilt… and a bit of physical pain. "Just step outside with me for a minute," one of the officials told me, and grabbed my by the shoulder. "This'll be over soon, and you can enter class as you were." Being led outside, the creature glanced at me as I left slowly.

As the man said, whatever the thing had to say was over fairly soon. "You can go in now," the accompanying official advised, and most of them cleared out.

As I cautiously entered the classroom, once again the being was glaring at me with a giant grin that didn't move an inch. All the seats seemed full, so I spoke to the being softly. "S-so you're the teacher?" He nodded. "I hope it's no trouble, but I'm not sure where to sit."

"Just pull up an extra table and begin a new back row." It responded, sounding a tiny bit unsure. Following his instructions, I took a seat because lord knows I didn't want to cross whatever was playing teacher. "You must be the new student. From America, right?" I nodded. "Mister… Ryuga Harper?" Another nod. "Well, you missed my introduction, so I'll fill you in real quick:

"Call me Korosensei, I blew up the moon, I'm your new teacher, yadda yadda."

'Well,' I thought to myself, as my physical self just stared. 'Shit.'