Exchange Student

italics are thoughts/sarcasm

Gomenasai(Japanese) - Sorry
Baka(Japanese) - Idiot
_

Rumors travel fast in school. When the news of the arrival of an exchange student was announced, it became the most-talked issue among students and staff, even outranking the Year-End Prom issue, which for many years, had secured its place at the top.

With the help of the World Wide Web, the students of Howl’s Academy ran a perfunctory search on the Japanese exchange student, only to be bombarded by numerous lines of Japanese characters and to their disappointment, not even a single personal photo was found. After 2 days and nights of hardcore translating, the school’s infamous information wizard(reporter), Kim Hallard, managed to submit a full-fledged report on the new student based on the words construed by GoogleTranslate.

A simplified version of the report –

First Name: Ren
Last Name: Kruger
Age: 17
Date of Birth: 27 July 1994    Zodiac: Leo
Sex: Inconclusive due to lack of visual/audio aids.
School: Toyasaki Elementary School(previously), Sakuragi Middle School(previously), Sakuragi High School
Hobbies: Riding(sportsbike), Boxing, Jogging, Archery.
School Activities: Active member of Archery Club, Occasional participant in Mathematics competitions, Inactive member of Literature Club.
Academic Achievement: Moderate grades

Conclusion:
After reviewing the subject’s blog and social networking page, or the lack thereof, I have come to deduce that the subject is most likely a loner who is comfortable only with close friends. Personalities include introverted, distant, may be violent when provoked(note the martial arts training). Physical attributes according to listed hobbies and activities, lean, fit, athletic. Last name indicates the subject is of mixed-race, possibly German-Japanese. Gender is still inconclusive, but facts suggest a male.


“Did you intentionally omit the gender to rile our dear students?” the President of the student council asked, a dubious look on her face.

Kim denied it with a flick of her wrist, “I am not that cruel, Violet. However, I would’ve kept the pictures to myself, if there were any in the first place.”

After a moment’s consideration, “Very well. It seems this exchange student is indeed the silent type. You have my permission to distribute this,” she handed the file back to the school reporter.

“Silent and strong, the students are going to have a field trip with this. Hopefully he or she turns out to be good-looking.”

And so, the report was distributed to the students. Every detail was scrutinized and debated among peers, clubs were drawing up strategies to nab the foreign student. With each passing day, the curiosity within the student body grew stronger.

_

The sun was glaring brightly in the sky, but there was no warmth in the air that day. The temperature had plummeted a shocking 10°C overnight and the occasional gale made it even worse. However terrible the weather conditions may be, the President of the student council stood dutifully by the school’s door, her hands clenched and tucked inside the pockets of her windbreaker, seeking warmth. Her blond hair was let down, sheltering her neck from the cold. She leaned back against the glass door of the school, feeling the heat creep into her lithe body by the process of conduction.

Where is he? Yes, our lovely President had already postulated that the exchange student is undoubtedly male.

A few seconds after her thought, a stranger entered school grounds, clad in an olive green hoodie and a pair of straight cut jeans. Violet stared at the stranger, who was riding a mountain bike with utmost ease and efficiency in the chilly weather. When the stranger dismounted her bike, Violet got the first glimpse of the new student.

Standing approximately 5 feet and 8 inches tall, the rider was of medium build. Jet-black tresses cascaded down the rider’s back, which was then swiftly tied into a mid ponytail. The loose-fitting hoodie and jeans, compounded with the stranger’s slight slouch in posture made gender identification a rather tough job. But the waist-length hair seemed to refute the President’s earlier conjecture.

Violet descended the steps and smiled at the enigmatic creature. With her right hand extended, she began the ice-breaking process, “I am Violet Hale, President of the student council.”

Hazel eyes darted around, not meeting the President’s amber eyes. A second passed and the new student took a small step backwards. Before Violet could apprehend the situation, the new student did a 30° degree bow.

“Kruger Ren,” a husky voice, not too low, yet not too high.

The President nodded with a smile, Shy, aren’t we? My assumption may be wrong then. She couldn’t help but tease the foreign student, “Does your custom condemn handshaking? Or is it because you think my hand is unclean?”

The effect was immediate, a crimson blush spread across the student’s face as she stuttered to form a reply.

A soft chuckle by the tease, “Ah. So you do understand English. I assume you speak it as well?”

“Yes, a bit, with Japanese accent.” Flustered as Ren may be, she felt ashamed for refusing the kind President’s act of friendship. She muttered a quick apology.

“Pardon? I couldn’t catch what you said.” Violet truly did not hear her words.

Ren frowned a little, after all, apologies were not her forte. “I said I am sorry, gomenasai. For the handshake.”

Violet was taken by surprise again by the Japanese culture. They really are diplomatic. Well, I should probably return the courtesy then. “I see. Would you like to redeem yourself then?”

The blank look told her that the foreign student did not comprehend her words, so instead, she held out her right hand for the second time that day.

_

Definitely a girl, her fingers are too slender to be that of a guy. Violet gave Ren a methodical tour of the school and helped her with her class schedule.

“So basically, arts, history and languages are on the left while science and maths are towards the right. The cafeteria is at the far end of the corridor, the library is next to the computer lab.”

Ren was still new to the education system here, switching classrooms for every period was definitely something she was not accustomed to. “There’s a ring? Every time class ends?” her fear of getting lost in the school was evident.

The President patted her shoulder, “Don’t worry, I’ll get someone to assist you. Let’s see what classes you are having today…”

The foreign student was half hoping that she would be having classes with the President, the thought of having to socialize with new people made her blood run cold.

First two periods coincide with Kim’s. I’ll place her under her care then. “Ren, you’re having Algebra and Chemistry with my friend, I could get her to help you with your schedule. You’d be okay with that?”

It wasn’t like the dark-haired girl had a choice, she nodded rather reluctantly. As Violet walked her to the assembly hall, she inquired, “You? Classes?”

The President gave her a Cheshire grin, “I’m touched that you actually care about me. I see that you’re not as cold as that exterior you display.”

Ren felt her face burn a little, she grudgingly grumbled in Japanese, “Baka!”

Violet tucked her hair behind her left ear, glee in her amber eyes, “Did you just call me an idiot? Real classy.”

The dark-haired girl rolled her eyes, exasperated by her acquaintance’s jovial demeanor.

“For your information, I am having Literary Analysis and followed by World History, care to join me?”

She received a incredulous look and felt the need to defend her choice of courses, “It is fairly interesting, dissecting literature and understanding the chronicle of our world.”

Ren snorted, “Fairly interesting. Boring.”

Violet had to laugh. Wonder how Kim will find her…

_

“Now, I’ll leave our new student in your care, please wait till the next day before harrying the poor child with club requests. Thank you.” The President’s voice was clear and authoritative without sounding too tyrannical. Ren felt uncomfortable with 300 pairs of eyes on her, unlike her acquaintance who was fine with basking in the limelight. She heard soft whispers of her name from the audience but she could not decipher their words.

Unknown to her, three rows from the stage, a girl was analyzing her every move. Kim sat with her legs crossed recklessly, mind deep in thought. Long hair, do Japanese men wear their hair long? Samurais maybe. Long legs for an Asian, but German blood means taller build. Clothes, boyish. Facial features, feminine. Haven’t heard…

The assembly was over without her noticing. “Hey! Hallard, shouldn’t you be sticking your nose into other’s shit right now?” a shout came from the group of jocks.

Kim raised an eyebrow and smirked with contempt, “17th August 2008, 11.25 p.m., Thomas, Lance and Isaac went to Kelly’s Bar for drinks. A girl named…”

Upon realizing what the girl was talking about, the jock with the name Lance yelled, “SHUT UP! Hallard!” His two buddies were quickly silenced, not wanting to relive the embarrassing night. The mass of muscled bodies exited the hall hurriedly.

Satisfied with the outcome, she got up from her seat and stretched her body. As she was walking towards the exit, the President called her, “Kim! Wait up.”

She turned her body and saw her friend walking gracefully towards her. Never the one to trip eh, Violet? The exchange student was following her friend, her steps soundless and stealthy.

“I need a favor, Kim. And I know you’d definitely be up for it,” Violet struck her all-knowing pose.

“Oh really? I’d love to prove you wrong.”

“Too bad you won’t be able to. I need you to take Ren through the day, you guys have the first and second periods together.”

Kim faced the dark-haired student, who was half a head taller than her, “Kim Hallard. Nice to meet you.”

Ren gave a polite nod, “Kruger Ren. Nice to meet you too.”

“Husky voice there,” Kim grinned and looked at her friend, who’s chuckles were muted with a hand.

“Huh?” The girl in question, of course, being foreign and unaware of the students’ dilemma, could only scowl.

With classes starting soon, Violet pulled the two of them out of the hall. Before leaving them to head to her own class, she warned Kim, sotto voce, “You better not try to molest the new student or anything, okay? You can test your...‘hypotheses’ using conventional means and conventional means only. No revealing personal details also. Don’t go out of the line, got that?”

Slightly taken aback by her friend’s forewarning, she made a casual joke, “Being a tad overprotective, aren’t you?”

“Perhaps I am, but either way, I adjure you to take my words seriously… Remember to be diplomatic,” Violet winked. “Ren, I’ll be leaving now. If you have questions, we’ll meet up during lunch break.”

The dark-haired girl gave a small nod and waved.

“Just so you know, I never thought of molesting!!!” Kim hooted. Though I did think of accidentally crashing into our fellow exchange student.

_

“So, how’re you liking this place right now?” Kim asked as they strolled along the empty corridors.

Ren shrugged, “Okay.”

“Not much of a talker eh? Tell me about your school.” The brunette was not giving up this opportunity to learn more about the mysterious student.

“Bigger than this school. Two schools combined, middle school and high school.”

“Many students?” A nod.

“I heard you guys are separated into classes. And you stay in that class for a whole year.” The education system in Asia was something that intrigued and horrified the brunette, being nailed down to your chair for six hours every day was not something she could take.

Ren explained, “Yes, we stay in one class. And teachers enter the class according to schedule. We have break at noon like you guys.”

“Won’t you feel bored if you stay there for a whole year?”

“Not really…Uh…you bond with classmates and teachers. Stronger bond.” As those words left Ren’s mouth, she felt a wave of nostalgia hit her. I will be staying here for three months, that means three months without them.

Kim saw the sadness in the new student’s hazel eyes, “You miss your friends and family?”

“A little...” The brunette gave her a ‘Yeah-right’ look. “Fine, a lot.”

The short silence was ended when Kim suddenly halted. The brunette pumped her fist and declared with enthusiasm, “Don’t worry, we’ll take good care of you, me and Violet. Maybe we could do some crazy sports like dirt bike racing or bungee jumping. I’ve always wanted to try skydiving. Violet will probably freak out, but if you in on it, I’m sure the two of us can persuade her!”

The dazzling smile and the gleaming self-confidence brought upon positivity, Ren found herself believing that it was all going to be pretty interesting for the next three months.

“Okay. We’ll fill Violet in later during our break. But one thing needs to be clear before we become buddies,” Kim spoke with utmost gravity.

The dark-haired girl looked at her inquisitively, What’s this? Some sort of friendship ritual?

“With all due respect, my new friend, I am very much confounded by your inclination of gender.”

“W-What?” Ren was equally confused, with the reason being the complicated words and sentence structure used by the brunette.

Kim sighed, This is tougher than I thought. Here goes nothing. “You. Boy or girl?”

_

The door slid open and in came the President of the student council. “Where are they?”

“Second bed, Miss Hale. I’m sorry for having to get you out of class but the new student insisted that you came and I personally thought you should too. Violence is never the way to resolve conflict,” the school nurse said.

“No worries, Ms. Archer. I’m sure she had her reasons, and you yours.” What’s this about violence? Did one of them mutilate the other?

The school nurse blinked a few times, She? I thought the student was a boy. “Miss Hallard should be fine in an hour or so. An injury to the jaw, she passed out. The new student carried her in.”

Violet saw Ren sitting by the bed, her face sulky and a deep frown was etched in her forehead. Such a child. “You do know that wrinkles will form if you keep scowling like that.” Her dear friend was tucked into bed, arms uncharacteristically placed at her sides, her brown eyes closed. There was a fresh bruise on the left side of her jaw.

Hazel eyes brightened a little at the sound of the President. “Kim fainted.”

“I can see that. The question is why? Care to enlighten me?”

Guilt was written all over Ren’s face, “I punched her.”

Why am I not surprise? Because Kim is a provoker, and a good one too. “What did she do?”

“Uh…Sh-she asked me,” the dark-haired girl’s cheeks reddened.

Violet smiled encouragingly, “Go on.”

“Whether I am…boy or girl.”

“And? How did you answer?” It’s always good to be sure.

“I...punched her, then I said I’m a girl,” unaware that the President too, was actually indirectly asking her the same question as Kim had. Let’s just say, ‘tactful’ is a nonexistent word in Kim’s dictionary.

“So, I guess she didn’t get to hear your answer then. In any case, when she wakes up, you can tell her, but no punching this time, okay?” Violet said, laughing inwardly at the girl’s sheepish look.

Ren agreed obediently.

_

“I freaking passed out? That’s totally lame!”

“Like a log, my friend. A heavy one I’m sure, right, Ren?”

“…Gomenasai.”

_

And so, after making a conclusion, Kim was ordered to email everyone a copy of said result. The reason? To prevent further acts of violence that may occur when someone unknowingly questions Ren again.