Reader Advice: This fanfic is made to "break the mold", so if you came here expecting to see fluff and happiness, then i'm sorry to inform you that this is the wrong place for you. If you dislike seeing your beloved characters suffering, it is recommended that you leave.

Yes, sirs, this is a repost. Some changes were made/will be made, but the story is going to continue.

Weekly updates most of the time!

PROLOGUE - 24 HOURS AWAY

"Damn this." I said, being forced to get off the plane.

In quick steps, but no less suffering for that, I go out there, facing that place ... Tokyo International Airport ...

"Oh no ... There goes my peaceful life of a standart student ...! Why am i even heeere?! "

Now my home and I are separated by hundreds of miles of pure ocean ... How did I end up in this place?

A YEAR IN THE PAST

It was a day like any other in my country Brazil. Waking up to the rays of the sun, I went down the stairs, took care of my personal hygiene, had breakfast and left the house.

"Bye mom! I am going!" I told the woman in the kitchen.

"Bye, son! Have a good day and learn a lot! " She replied, as if talking to an elementary school child.

As was my routine, I took the bus to go to school, and soon I got there. No mystery at the moment ... But, something told me that this was about to change.

A huge commotion was located in the front yard. The teachers had organized a kind of meeting with all the students, who attended, as the principal and several other people, of apparently different nationalities, talked among themselves and with the students.

I approached a well-known figure, and with a light slap on the back, I greeted him. I would recognize that red hair from anywhere in that audience.

"Say, Sam! What is going on here? " I asked, looking at all the accumulated students.

"Hey, Mike! I don't really know, but it is something serious ... See that guy? " He pointed to a bald man in a suit, with oriental features. "He maybe will make some big announcement in some time."

Without understanding much, I just accepted the explanation of Samuel, one of my valued friends since I started studying here. I have never been able to socialize with the students here, but I can say that my small group - of which the redhead is a member - is something I will always be proud of.

"By the way, can't I see Dennis ...? Where is he? " I ask, looking for a short person, who wore a red jacket.

"Dennis was called to the principal's room for some reason ... I don't know if he did something wrong, but they called and he went." Samuel arranged his hair with his fingers.

"Hm ... I see. Well, then let's see what this Japanese dude has to say, then ... "

A few minutes passed, and the man took a sort of nominal list in his hands, and one by one, started to name people. The selected students went to the place where he was, but were soon directed to the principal's room.

... until it reaches a certain point where something happens ...

"Michael Silva." He called my name ...

I exchange a quick look of concern for Samuel, but I am soon compelled to follow the flow. I walked over to the man, who handed me a sheet of paper with some type of digitized writing in what appeared to be Japanese.

He then looked at me, and smiling slightly, he said.

" Omedetou ."

I couldn't understand a lot of other languages, but I was sure that was Japanese, and that he was congratulating me for some reason.

Soon, I was instructed to go to the place. Besides me, there were all the students who had been called before. I was instructed by a coordinator to sit in any of the several chairs arranged there.

The principal was strangely energetic ... He smiled constantly, like someone who just won the lottery. The man slid his hands through the gray hair, and at the end of the arrival of all the thirty-odd students, he began to speak.

"Good morning everyone ... You are here for something very important, an initiative that will revolutionize education in countries around the world! And guess what, this school, just like you who are here ... They were chosen for this first test! " He said.

We listened as the man boasted about the conquest ... It took about five minutes before he finally started to explain what was going on, and why we were all called to that torturing room.

The air conditioning made the air stupidly cold, and because of that, I constantly moved my fingers, clicking their joints to remove the stiffness.

"You were selected for an exchange program!" He said, as in a huge revelation in a soap opera.

Everyone felt something different when it was pronounced ... Including me, who already feared this news ... Exchange? It looks like a terrible deal!

CURRENT TIME

... And that's how I ended up where I am now, in Japan ... Throughout the year, I had to go through extremely intensive classes, learn the three main ways of writing and reading in Japanese, as well as learning to speak...

I admit, I'm still not very good with that, and I will stutter a bit from now on ... My Japanese is not terrible, but neither does it reach the level of fluency of the person born and raised in the country.

My mother almost had a heart attack of pure emotion when she learned that I would be send here ... I tried to reject the project, but the amount of pressure placed on me was so great that I ended up giving in...

According to them, as a "standard student" at the school, with high grades and things like that, I was selected for this project, representing an entire country. Some of my friends and acquaintances were also selected, but we were all sent to different countries. I heard that Dennis is in Canada, while Samuel went to Russia ... And here I am, in the Land of the Rising Sun.

"Time to start walking, isn't it ...? It's not like i can go back, anyway..." I said to myself, trying to pull some motivation from somewhere.

"Look ... Maybe this experience is not that bad ..." is the idea that i've been trying to use to convince myself to keep doing this. I never thought of going a few miles away away from home, much less to another country, specially one that is separated from mine by an entire day of distance...

"I wonder how is mother at a time like this..." Reminding how she is both diabetic, has heart problems and other stuff, I couldn't help but get worried, after all, I had to take care of her.

I took my luggage. I was told that there would be a vehicle waiting for me outside. Part of this exchange program involves families from the country that hosts the students. Such families register to receive the students, and to shelter them in their homes for the duration of the exchange, they receive a reasonably large payment from the government on a monthly basis.

Apparently, the family that decided to "adopt" me for the project should already be around ...

I pulled out a leaflet with information that was in my jeans bag to check this out.

"Let's see ... Uesugi family, isn't it ...? They are the ones who will receive me, I think... "

The document contained a pair of black and white photos to facilitate the identification of family members, who, according to the document in question, consisted of a little girl and a man.

I will still have to get into trouble with paperwork in some other day... In addition, the program forces me to write feedback about my experience in the receiving country on a weekly scale, which means that all of this must follow very strict protocols.

Not that it's a problem, but ... I really didn't want to be here. Leaving the comfort of home is something I never liked, not even when it comes to going to the street corner!

I looked around for a moment, a little unmotivated, for all the various cars parked in the airport parking lot. I was in a place where I didn't know anything, where nothing was familiar to me... I didn't have a single contact with a person who lives here..

... ... ...

"Hey ...! You, boy! Hey ...! "

... But, I immediately had my attention called by a voice ... Looking in that direction, I noticed a common car, grayish in color, and a couple of people waving at me ... Wait ... These people ...

One of them made his way over to me. There was no doubt that it was exactly them, the Uesugi family.

"Oh, so I guess you are the boy they told us about ...! Uesugi Isanari, that's my name! " The man, with blond hair that I could not distinguish as being natural or not, approached me with an energetic attitude. He gave my left shoulder a light slap.

I could not lie but to say that it relieved me a little ... The Japanese have always had this image of being uncharismatic in my mind. In response to this, I decided to respond as politely as possible.

"Michael Silva. Nice to meet you, Mr. Uesugi. " I said, lowering my head a little, and accepting a handshake from him.

"You can start by dropping all that formality! You can even call me by your first name, if you want! I don't care much about these traditions. " He smiled again, extending a hand. "What do you think about having some help with these bags?"

"It is not a problem at all. I can carry them by myself, but thanks for asking, Mr. Uesugi. "

"I said that you can cut the traditions if you want! Since you are going to spend two years here, we will have to create familiarity with each other! " He said. "Now, let me help, will you?"

"Ah ... Of course. Thank you, Mr. Isanari."

"It's still too formal, but we can work on it!" He picked up one of the suitcases, and I followed him to the car.

There, we put my things in the trunk, and when I was about to enter, I saw that the second person was already there. A little girl with rather long black hair, sitting in the front passenger seat.

But, one thing caught my attention about her ... Such a girl was constantly looking at a piece of paper, directing her eyes down, with an expression that looked serious and somewhat...

"Sad...?" I ended up mumbling to myself, although not in a very audible tone.

" Aaah! The little girl is startled, hurriedly trying to keep the paper in her coveralls, looking at me in a haunted way. I couldn't help but frighten myself a little, too.

... ... ...

"Uh ... I ... I'm sorry for scaring you like that! I'm immensely sorry...!" I tried to apologize to her in the most polite way I could think of.

"Okay ... It was no big deal ..." She replied, in a somewhat shy and weak way.

"Well ... Uh ... I'm the student who was selected by the program to stay with you, and ... Nice to meet you, my name is Michael Silva. You can call me by any of the names! "

I knew I was doing a terrible first impression ... But there was no way around it! This little girl and I had already started on the wrong foot, so nothing would help much.

She, on the other hand, just nodded very slightly, yet still looking at me with remarkable suspicion, and said her name.

"Uesugi ... Raiha." She said. "You can call me Raiha ..."

"Nice to meet you, Raiha-san!" I tried to force an ideal smile, which probably didn't work.

Okay, that was awkward ... How could i screw up that badly on my very first hour in Japan?!

After that terrible performance, I got into the car, accommodating myself on the right side of the back seats. Through the window, I could see how the streets of the place were extremely different from anything I was used to.

"Impressed by Japan? This is nothing in comparison to what our country can truly offer, Michael! It is just the start! " Mr Uesugi said, smiling a little in visible pride.

"In fact, it is very different from anything I have ever seen or experienced ... It is incredible!" I could feel all the Japanese energy invading my body... It was indeed something remarkable.

"Heh! Ain't that right?!" He replied, smiling even more.

During the trip, Mr. Isanari and I talked a little, mostly about me. He asked about my life in Brazil and how I was selected to participate in the exchange project and things like that.

"And how is your family, Michael? Do you live with your parents?" He asked.

"I live with my mother. Father passed away a couple years ago, but we live quite fine. We are not even close to being rich, but there is a comfortable life back in Brazil." I said, admiring the streets clean to the brim, a reality Brazil would never face.

"Oh, I apologize for intrudering in such a matter... My condolencies."

A harsh silence was about to fall all over the place. To stop that from happening, I quickly interjectted.

"I've came in terms with it. Father lived for us as best and as much as he could. He was a man I look up to. I want to making him proud, and crying is not going to do that. So there is no need to apologize, Mr. Isanari."

Father was a diligent man. He literally worked himself to death, in order to provide a better life for our family. Putting it simply, all that we have came from his blood, sweat and tears... And I truly respect that. My old man was awesome even in the death bed.

... With that though, I could see the ghost of a smile forming on his face while driving. It's not like he knew, anyway. I couldn't judge someone for innocent speaking.

"I see. You must have a good role model, Michael."

"Oh, that I do!"

He always talked a little about the main streets or buildings that we found along the way, which generated a very interesting journey.

"... And that is where school is! Asahiyama High. It is only a couple streets from home, so there is no way you'll get lost, I'm sure!" Isanari stopped the car to point at the building.

It wasn't exceptionally tall, but it was wide, and that gave an immense air of giantness to the place. I could feel what was only to be associated with a cold hand grasping my heart, making me shiver.

I bet the entire vicinity could hear me swallow... Japanese students... They are nothing like Anime shows us...

After about fifteen minutes by car, we arrived at a medium-sized house in a neighborhood that appeared to be relatively peaceful. We got out of the car, and soon I let my eyes travel all over the space, while breathing the peaceful air of the place.

"I can see that you are very impressed!" He said, helping his daughter out of the vehicle.

"Well, let's say that I still haven't figured out that I am literally on the other side of the world ...!" I replied, taking a suitcase.

"So ..." He picked up a suitcase. "Come in and gradually you can adapt to this new reality!"

I nodded with a slight smile. I took the other suitcase in my hands, and went into the Uesugi's household.

It was a big place, even bigger than my own home, although in no way is it considered colossal. A moderately spacious, furnished and comfortable space. I went up the stairs and entered the place that was indicated to me, a lifeless room, with only one bed and empty furniture. In a corner, there was a kind of low wooden table that was a little dusty, the kind that you could just sit cross-legged by to be comfortable.

"This room gives a melancholic feeling. Maybe it will be better after I apply my own touch. " I said to myself.

Well, anyway, tomorrow will be a long day ... The trip actually ended up robbing me one day! It was planned to be here on Saturday, but here I am on Sunday ... The study days will start tomorrow ...!

I have no idea what to expect from here, if I'm going to adapt or things like that ... Only i can find out.

"Here we go...!" I said, calling some motivation to myself.

I knelt down to unpack and organize everything in its proper place ... The process itself took about half an hour, since I brought a relatively small amount of clothes, as I plan to buy some here.

In a short time, everything was organized. Looking down the street, I thought to myself one last time, trying to resist the tiredness of the trip.

"These two years are going to be a drag ... Or maybe they won't?"

OC Info

Michael Silva:

Age - 18

Gender - Male

Country of origin - Brazil

-A rather quirky and unique character. Michael can easily switch from hyperactiveness to extreme focus, is responsible and considerate of the feelings of others, although his curiosity may clash with that last trait in given moments. Doesn't really care or think about dating, but wouldn't react negatively to it.

Likes: Help others, talk, and exercise.

Dislikes: Fish-based foods, dogs and doing excessive work.