Title: Open Your Eyes
Rating: G
Author's Notes: Tenth letter, from Ryoma to Shinji

Shinji,

Yeah, I'll call you by your given name. You know, it's rare to call people by their family names here. I never got used to it in Japan. I also never knew exactly how to tell people it made me uncomfortable. Call me Ryoma from now on. It annoys me less. And it would've occurred to me at some point to give you my email. I'm starting to think that I should just let Fuji-senpai pass on anything important now. He's such a good gossip already.

No, I really wasn't flattered, much. Isn't it weird, for a guy to call another guy "delightful" and "delicious"? Unless you're a cannibal. Are you a cannibal? I've never heard of you eating people before. I thought that one guy from Rikkai did that. You know, the one who messed up your buchou's knee? What's his name again?

You will never hear me argue that Momo-senpai is not an idiot. He's a nice and great friend—and if you tell him I said that I will kill you—but he doesn't use his head. Heh. He must've named that shot himself. I bet he thought he was being clever. He failed.

I have emotions. If you saw me here, you'd think I was a complete different person. I miss a lot about Japan, but not the entire culture. I was in culture shock for months, I just didn't realize it until I came back here and went through it in reverse. People I'd known my entire life wanted to know when I had become so cold. It made me realize that I don't like all the ways Japan affected me. When I go back, I'm just going to keep being myself. You won't know who you're dealing with.

…Alright. Shinji. Someone has to tell you this, and I think it has to be me. There's no tennis movie out. Tachibana asked you out on a date. Did you not see his heart on his sleeve? I could, and it was just you mentioning it in an email! I mean, he asked you to use his given name. Isn't that like a marriage proposal there?

So…are you going to go out with him?

Genetics trumps age every time. I asked my science teacher.

I guess the upperclassmen aren't bad. Some of them are halfway decent. No one's a real challenge, though. And…again, there's Tachibana's heart on display. Go where you're comfortable. Better yet, go to Seigaku.

Hey, did you know we're both starting high school next year?

I am trying not to laugh. A boy band? That seems…forget it. It's perfect for you. Hey, send me some of their music, will you? It's almost impossible to find good J-pop and J-rock, and I'm not going to poke the American otaku. They're scarier than the Japanese ones in some ways.

And just think. The me that you think you know might not even be me. And here, I'm not rude. I'm independent and strong-minded. It's the culture thing.

--Ryoma

P.S.: I never said I wasn't petty. I liked going out of my way to antagonize people. The way you reacted made it worth it, even if you never let it go. As for my taste…check your mail in a few days.