Disclaimer: I do not own Kodomo no Omocha.

Chapter 1

Eight people stood in front of the terminal to Tokyo, Japan at John Wayne Airport.

"Yep. Don't worry we'll call you when we get to the house." Josh replied.

"Okay, son," Mr. Jefferson said. "Take good care of Sana and Miwa."

"I will." Josh then turned to Lyssa, Mary, and Mike-his and Sana's best friends. "We promise to write you guys and visit when we can."

"Okay," they all replied as they each took turns hugging Sana and Josh. "We'll miss you guys."

"We'll miss you too." Sana problem-and besides, it was May, not many people were traveling, let alone to Japan.

"Yep. Don't worry we'll call you when we get to the house." Josh replied.

"Okay, son," Mr. Jefferson said. "Take good care of Sana and Miwa."

"I will." Josh then turned to Lyssa, Mary, and Mike-his and Sana's best friends. "We promise to write you guys and visit when we can."

"Okay," they all replied as they each took turns hugging Sana and Josh. "We'll miss you guys."

"We'll miss you too." Sana said to them. "In our letters we'll send you pictures okay?"

"Yeah," Lyssa answered.

'Will people needing assistance with small children please board now. Once again, will all people needing assistance with small children please board now.' A voice sounded throughout the gate where they were.

"I guess we gotta go now," Sana told them, hugging her friends again. "Bye."

"Bye Sana. Josh. Miwa." Mary said. The three went to board the plane.

>--->--->

"Okay. Go right and continue until you reach your seat. Have a nice day." the flight attendant said to Josh and Sana, who was still carrying Miwa.

"You too."

Listening to the woman's directions, Sana turned right and heading down, ticket in her hand so she could remember their seat. Josh was following her, but when they got to their seats he went in first. That way, Miwa could sit in between them and Sana could get the aisle seat she wanted-and probably needed. He then reached over, took Miwa and put her in the middle, buckling her seatbelt and then his.

"Thanks," Sana said as she sat down and buckled herself in as well.

"No problem. Anything for my girlfriend." Josh said.

Sana grinned and replied, "Thanks."

The rest of the trip went by uneventfully, drinks and meals coming and going,and soon they landed.

'We are now in Tokyo, Japan. We hope you had a nice trip and thank you for flying with us. Please be careful as you begin to exit.' a polite female voice announced.

Happily, Sana bounced up and down as they grabbed their carry-on items and exited the aircraft. As soon as they got out of the gangway, Sana took Miwa, who was sleeping, from Josh and they headed to the baggage claim.

"Hey, are you happy to be going back to Japan? I mean, it has been four years." Josh asked softly and quietly.

"Kind of. Of course I'm happy to be back where I grew up, but I'm not sure how to act around the people I used to know. I mean, I left Japan not telling anyone." Sana replied.

"Yeah, I remember you telling me that. But I don't get it. Why was your disappearance so huge?" Josh said, confused, as he started pulling their luggage off the belt.

"Well, my adoptive mom is a famous writer. I don't know if she still is though. Plus, I was an actress, remember?" Sana told him.

"Uh-huh. Yeah, I remember."

Lugging his bag onto one shoulder, he held out one carry-on item."Can you take this bag for me?"

"Sure."

Outside, Sana hailed a taxi, and when one stopped, climbed in with Miwa, Josh behind her.

As the car began to drive, Sana stared out of the window at the sights. Many changes had occured since she'd last been to Japan, but there were still some things that had stayed the same. Sana smiled. She couldn't wait until they were able to go out and look at all the sights.

The car began to slow, and then it stopped. Well, that was quicker than I thought it would be, Sana thought to herself. After clambering out of the car, Sana turned around.

"Thank you! Here's the money," Sana said as she leaned over and placed the fee into the driver's waiting hands.

The taxi left, and she and Josh turned to face a modest-looking one-story house with a beautiful front lawn.

"Well, here we are," Sana said. "Home sweet home."

"Yeah. Let's go inside." Josh suggested.

Sana walked to the door and, opening it, said, "I'm gonna go put Miwa in her room, okay?"

"Okay."

Five minutes later Sana came back and the two sat down on the living room's couch. Sana immediately cuddled closer to Josh, rubbing her face against his chest.

Sana said, a smile on her lips, "I'm gonna go to school tomorrow, so you'll have to watch Miwa. Oh! And tell her to not call you 'daddy' or me 'mommy.' Okay?"

"Whatever. But since you've been missing for more than four years and you were famous . . . what happens when someone recognizes you?" Josh asked, concerned.

Sana giggled at this. "Don't worry. I've got that covered. I won't be using the name Sana; I'll have them call me Sachiko. You and Miwa call me Sachiko in public, too, okay? That way they won't recognize me." Under her breath she muttered, "I hope."

>--->--->

Sana walked to school quickly the next day so she wouldn't be late. The principal already knew she was coming so she just had to walk to class . . . but better safe than sorry they always said. As she arrived in front of the school courtyard, she quickened her pace because the late bell had just started ringing. As she reached her new class, she knocked and then waited outside until she was called in.

"Okay. Class. We have a foreign exchange student coming to us today. She's from the United States." the teacher announced. "Please come in."

Sana slowly slid open the door and walked in, pulling her hat down more. She stood in front of the class, waiting for the teacher.

The teacher soon caught on. "Um, do you know how to speak Japanese?"

Sana nodded.

"Good! Then we won't have to worry about misunderstandings. What's your name?" the teacher questioned.

"Ano . . . K-kitahoshi . . . Sachiko."

"Okay. Where are you from?" the teacher said.

"Orange County. Aliso Viejo to be exact."Sanasaid.

"That's nice. Take the seat behind Hayama-san," the teacher said and led Sana to the correct seat. The teacher then walked back to the front of the classroom and began the lesson.

Later that day, when Sana got home, Josh asked her how her day went.

"It was okay."

After dinner and cleaning the dishes, she went to bed. Each day, for two weeks, it was the same way. Sana would go to school, come home, eat dinner, clean up--Josh helping--and go to bed. Sometimes she'd play with Miwa, but more often than not she would do her homework instead.

It was days like these that made her realize how boring life was without any friends to hang out with anymore. Of course she had Josh and Miwa, but it wasn't the same. She'd written to her friends a few days after getting to Japan,yet she knew it would probably take quite a long time to reach them, but eventually they would get it. They would write back to her and then their correspondence would be revived. They'd be able to talk about everyday, mundane things without worry of embarassment.

>--->--->

School ended and the students filed out, including Sana. She walked out to the courtyard and started toward the gate when Hayama--and her old friends, Fuka, Aya, and Tsuyoshi--walked up to her. Sana froze, wondering what they wanted. She was about to speak when Hayama interrupted.

"Yo. You're the new girl right? The one named Kitahoshi Sachiko?" he asked.

"Yeah." Sana eyed him warily.

"Okay. Well, my friends wanted to meet you. This is Matsui Fuka. Sugita Aya. Sasaki-san isher boyfriend. Sasaki Tsuyoshi. Sugita-san ishis girlfriend."Each time he said something, he gestured toward the appropriate person.

She was cut off from replyingby a small girl starting to run toward them. "Sachiko!"

Miwa had just put her foot out into the street when Sana saw a car going down the road quickly.

"Miwa! No!" Sana screamed.

Sana ran toward her and pushed her away. The schoolbooks Sana had been carrying had dropped from her hands when she had ran across. Sana caught her breath as she and Miwa safely reached the sidewalk; she had never been more grateful to the heavens than just now.

Gasping for breath, Sana looked Miwa over; she was okay. She looked around her and Miwa for Josh.

Looking Miwa straight in the eye, she asked her daughter, "Miwa . . . where's Josh?"

Sana saw him running toward her, and when he saw Miwa, he rushed toward them even faster. As he neared closer, Sana told Miwa to go and sit on the front lawn of the house in front of them.

"Sachiko! Thank God! You found Miwa!" Josh exclaimed, teetering to a halt beside Sana.

Sana looked Josh straight in the eye. Angry that he hadn't kept an eye on Miwa, she raised her right hand and slapped him on his left cheek.

"What the hell were you thinking? Miwa could have gotten killed! Why weren't you watching her?" Sana yelled.

"I was! I was taking her to the park when I saw this shop. I went in to buy her something and when I went to give it to her she was gone." Josh defended himself with a calm and collected voice, but it went unnoticed by Sana.

"That's what I meant by not watching her! You idiot! Like I said, she could've gotten killed!"

"I'm sorry, okay?"

"You should be!"

As Sana and Josh tried to calm down, Miwa watched scared, while the students who saw what had happened watched confused. They hadn't learned English yet, though they probably would next year.

"Just . . . just take Miwa and go home. I'll be there later and then we have to talk," Sana told Josh. She looked over at their daughter."Miwa, go with Josh. And don't wander off ever again. Got it?"

Miwa nodded and walked with Josh in the direction of their home. Sana watched and sighed.

"Ahem. Excuse me?" It was the driver of the car; he had gone, made a U-turn, and come back to see what had happened.

"What?" Sana snapped at him, not sparing the driver a glance.

"Are you okay? I didn't hurt you, did I?" he asked.

"No. I'm fine."

"What's your name?"

"Kitahoshi Sachiko."

"Okay. My name's Rei. Sagami Rei."

Sachiko froze when she heard him say that. Not now! she thought as she looked around for her hat, which had fallen off when she had burst at the speed she had.

"Oh. Ano . . . H-Hello." she answered, still looking for her hat. Oh no! she thought when she couldn't find it.

"Excuse me. What are you looking for?"

"Ano. I'm--ano--I'm looking for my hat, Sagami-san." Sana replied.

"Why?"

"It's--ano--my--ano--favorite. I got it from my mom for my birthday." she lied.

"Oh. I'm sorry." Rei seemed to fiddle with the bottom of his business suit. Sana observed this, wondering what he did for a living now. Maybe he was Kurumi Asako's manager. The last time she'd seen them, they'd been dating and had seemed to be very much in love. She pondered if they still were. "Look, I don't think you're going to find your hat so . . . you can have this one." He reached into the back seat of the car and pulled out a baseball cap.

"Thanks." Sana said, taking the hat and putting it on her head. "I have to leave now. I need to go home and check on my little sister." Sana was amazed at how smooth a liar she was; she had to commend herself for it sometime.

"Okay. I truly am sorry about almost severely hurting you."

"It's okay. Bye!" Sana walked as fast as she could in the direction her house. Hopefully I won't ever see him again. She slowed slightly as a thought occured to her. But, maybe I should. I may not want to reveal myself to anyone anytime soon, yet it would be better to get the truth out earlier and not worry about people feeling betrayed. Shaking her head, she dismissed the thought.

Glossary of Translations:

ano-um, uh. It's basically a stuttering word, at least in this context. It means 'that' in most cases.

san-an honorific that can translate into 'Mr.', 'Mrs.', 'Miss', or 'Ms.' It can also be used as a term of politeness when talking to a person you are not very close to (i.e. Hello, Niwa-san.) In addition, parents in Japan add this to the end of their children's names usually.

Kitahoshi Sachiko- Kitahoshi means 'Northstar' and Sachiko means 'Child of Joy.'