Is this right? Taihen, chigau ne!(Hatsuharu)

[Deleted]

There was no way that Junpei could possibly know what he was doing or where he was going. In all honesty, Junpei was pretty clueless when it came to directions and map-reading, so it was no surprise that he quickly became lost in the halls of the school itself while looking for the offices where he was supposed to meet with someone who could help him integrate easier into the culture shock that was Hammel. Junpei had never visited outside of Japan before, so he had no idea what other countries were like save for the stereotypes that matriculated between his friends and family.

He was interested in knowing, however. Cultural studies, history, mythology....he actually had a passion for studying these kinds of subjects, despite his less than stellar academic performance.

After wandering the halls for a while and poking his head through more than a few wrong door, Junpei finally came across one that looked like it could be the right place. Stepping though, his eyes scanned the staff offices for Hatsuharu-sensei's. Normally, he wouldn't even dare addressing a recruiter by is given name, but this one was appropriate, considering the confusion it might bring with the doctor, Kenjutsushi-sensei. "Haru-sensei?" Junpei called out hesitantly the name that he used to use for the recruiter back at Eisai.

[Hatsuharu Kenjutsushi]

Hatsuharu was lucky for what downtime he was given. His last few assignments hadn't been so cooperative, so getting the chance to sit back in the office was a great chance of pace. So much so that he curled himself forward on the desk and closed his eyes. He didn't know he'd actually end up falling asleep there.

He awoke with a jolt, triggered by either the influx of information flushed into his head or the sound of a familiar voice calling out to him. The use of a familiar nickname. He pulled himself away from the surface, pulling the latest report off his cheek and settling it down with the rest of the papers. Ugh, had he been reading? Sometimes it felt like work never ended. At any rate, he hauled himself up to his feet, pushing past the door and peering out. "Junpei?" He called back finally, running a hand over his hair to smooth it out. "What are you doing here?" He asked, though quickly he shook his head. ["Did you transfer?"]

[Deleted]

When Junpei saw those familiar blonde locks emerge from behind one of the office doors, he exploded into a smile. While he had been weary of the man with the dyed hair upon first meeting him so many years ago, Junpei quickly learned that Haru-sensei (and consequently, his brother-in-law, Meian-sensei, whom he met later) was not as delinquent as he seemed. Actually, Haru-sensei was pretty nice. Needless to say, Junpei was glad that he didn't have to come to Hammel not knowing anyone, even if the people he knew were teachers.

"Haru-sensei!" he said again, with much more enthusiasm this time. "//Yes! I arrived today!//" Junpei spoke quickly and with a smile plastered on his face. "//I saw Meian-sensei already! He's going to introduce me to Kenjutsushi-sensei later! I'm really looking forward to it!//"

Then he remembered his manners. Junpei retreated his excitement and politely gave the recruiter a semi-formal bow, "//It's been so long, Sensei. I hope you're doing well?//" He flicked his eyes up at the man as he lifted his head and then straightened himself again, looking at Hatsuharu with bright, innocent eyes.

[Hatsuharu Kenjutsushi]

Hatsuharu had to smile back at Junpei as soon as he saw the riveted smile plastered on his face. As he left the office, he made his way towards the boy and the light of recognition in his eyes seemed clearer and clearer. He recalled the fluctuation of his powers as the spike of information enthralled his senses. Allowing his energy to shift into inanimate objects.

The way in which paper cranes fly on their own, wafting through the air as if carried by a gentle guiding wind.

He pulled himself from the daze, nodding in acknowledgement to the fact that he'd already met his brother-in-law. ["My brother-in-law and sister are good people to know."] He replied honestly, glad to hear he was looking forward to meeting his sister. ["They'll look out for you if you need anything. So will I."] Hatsu almost felt like that went without saying, but he added it anyway.

Hatsuharu politely returned the bow with one of his own. It was a custom he'd been lacking in when it came to these halls, and he was glad to fall back into it. ["I'm very well, thank you. Truthfully, I moved to be much closer to my family. I missed them terribly."] He replied, unable to figure out how Junpei winded up at Hammel. ["What about you? What brought you here?"]

[Deleted]

Junpei nodded in agreement about Meian-sensei and Kenjutsushi-sensei. The whole family as far as he knew were good people, Junpei would be a fool to not want to meet them all.

Junpei straightened himself again, standing awkwardly and unsure of what to do. Even if he was considered a impolite person in his family, Junpei was still very formal outside. Logically, he knew that his family were just being nit-picky about his mannerisms, but for the most part, everyone else he'd met had found him perfectly fine and as well brought up as the next person.

The shy Japanese boy darted his eyes to the ground and licked his bottom lip before responding to Haru-sensei's inquiry. "//I'm just trying something new!//" he said with an awkward smile. No, he still wasn't any better at lying, so he just told half-truths. "//I asked my Obaa-sama and she said it would be good for me to see what America was like.//" He chuckled, looking down at the floor again then back up to the blonde recruiter. "//It's very different so far. I don't know English at all.//" Or at least he didn't know much of it. He never did very well in English classes especially and the way they explained it in class didn't make a lot of sense to Junpei. Heck, Japanese didn't make a lot of sense the way they explained it either, so maybe it wasn't just that he had no knack for languages. Or maybe it was? He didn't know.

"//I'm glad Haru-sensei is doing well, and that you're closer to family.//" His smile broadened. "//If you and your family hadn't come out here first, then I'd have nobody to talk to and teach me how to be American.//" There were so many things that Junpei was looking forward to, starting with eating an American Cheeseburger from someplace that wasn't as commercialized as McDonalds. "//Are there many good places to visit in Pilot Ridge?//" Meian-sensei had already mentioned some places to Junpei, but he wanted to get the opinions of as many others as he could.

[Hatsuharu Kenjutsushi]

["An interest in America."] Hatsu replied, pursing his lips and nodding his head slightly. He supposed he could understand that; people found different countries interesting and he was no exception to that. ["You'll get the hang of it. It took me a while, but I did."] He explained, glad for the English lessons he'd received during his time at Eisai.

Hatsu chuckled quietly at the thought of being taught to be an American. He was probably the worst example of that, but like Junpei he was still learning. ["Perhaps we can teach each other. I'd be just as lost as you are if I tried to teach someone to be American."] He added a touch of amusement to his words for good measure.

["That depends on where your interests lie."] Hatsu started quietly, searching his mind for a place or two, ["You tell me what you like, and I'll see if I can help."]

[Deleted]

Junpei just nodded at Haru-sensei's assumption and smiled, praying he didn't call him on the veracity of his claim. If Junpei could avoid it, then he would like to avoid talking about the real reasons he left home. While, yes, he did have an interest in knowing about America, the primary reason was to get away from the pressures of home. Meian-sensei had deduced this all on his own earlier, but he wasn't sure if Haru-sensei would be able to figure it out without some sort of hint, though he too would be able to, no doubt, if he pushed the subject any farther.

Given that it was a believable claim, considering Junpei's interest in folklore, history, and culture, Junpei wasn't tooo concerned.

Junpei had to laugh, however. Yes, it was a ridiculous idea to think he could be taught how to be American by someone who was just as clueless as him. Like the blind leading the blind it was. Still, Haru-sensei had a little bit(more like a lot) more experience than Junpei in figuring out these people. "//I look forward to your guidance,//" he said respectfully.

Junpei thought over the places he might want to go. "//Um....Is there a skate-park nearby? I heard that America is covered in them. And they're actually outdoors!//" One of Junpei's hobbies, which he'd only just begun but didn't see himself giving up anytime soon, was skateboarding. While his ability was far from professional, he found it was a really fun and effective way to test out his powers.

[Hatsuharu Kenjutsushi]

Hatsuharu had limited knowledge of Junpei's life before he was recruited to Eisai. Primarily, he knew what he'd seen and what little information he was given prior to his recruitment. Hatsu preferred not to push the issue unless he felt the other person wanted it pushed. Junpei was selling him the concept of learning about America, and if that was what he wanted to go with, Hatsu could respect and work with that.

["My guidance to you is what my sister said to me. Start practicing your English more and more, especially with people who will be understanding to your lack of knowledge."] He explained, grimacing quickly at the thought of how Nakia made him practice English with her. It was embarrassing to say the least.

Hatsu ran through his memory of the place, knowing he'd seen at least one. ["I believe there's one in Pilot Ridge near the main street. It's a bit of a distance from the school, but I'm sure there's a bus you can take to get into town."] That is, if he was willing to catch the public transport. He knew it was standard, but it could still be daunting.

[Deleted]

"//Your sister gives good advice,//" Junpei complimented. He was definitely going to follow that advice and practice his English as much as possible so he could learn as quickly as possible. While it was something they taught in school, he was never very good at it. Actually, most students seemed to have a hard time with learning English, and even when they had the random exchange student or two to practice with, the English was still always labeled as sounding funny. American's were so impolite to say so, Junpei had thought. "//I'll do my best while a student here at Hammel.//" He didn't want to be criticized for his lack of understanding.

Now that the formalities were over, Junpei could afford to relax a little bit more. Not that he wasn't taking things casually before, but for some reason, Junpei always felt the the customary greetings and small talk were some sort of hill he had to trounce over before he could start being more of himself.

Junpei's face brightened when Haru-sensei spoke of the skate-park he knew. Junpei would have to check it out once he had a chance. Junpei didn't mind using the public transport system, but if he wasn't careful, the asian boy could quickly become lost, especially in such an unfamiliar place. "//Thank you! I will take a look once I've settled in more.//"

"//Haru-sensei,//" Junpei was ready to get down to business on why he had come searching for the recruiter. "//I haven't have a chance to look around the school. They sent me over to you for a tour of the grounds, if you're willing. I think they thought it would be easier on me if I was with someone familiar.//" Junpei lowered his head, a little embarrassed to have has so much consideration taken for his arrival. No doubt his family paid the school to take care of the boy.

[Hatsuharu Kenjutsushi]

Hatsu offered a smile when she boy spoke again, gathering his attention for what seemed like a more serious matter than idle conversation. He watched Junpei drop his head in embarrassment, frowning for a moment at the action before replacing that with his smile once more. No need to look upset, he had to remain bright and cheerful.

["I can do that for you."] He replied, indicating back the way he'd obviously come in. ["I wish someone had given me a decent tour when I first got here. I spend weeks getting lost trying to find the staff lounge."] He laughed at his admittance, trying to lighten the mood a little. He stepped outside and glanced around at the tall buildings, segmented off for their purpose. ["Let's see, where should we go first? Anything suggestions?"]

[Deleted]

Junpei had good reason to be embarrassed. Any normal person would. Then again, there were few who were as humble as Junpei, to the point that he didn't feel that much of what the school or the world or just his own family had to offer was deserved of him. But all he could do was stay silent and hope he didn't cause to much upset for those around him. "//Thank you...//"

Junpei provided a polite laugh to go along with Haru-sensei's own, trying to not make it seem too much like he was agreeing, although Junpei did understand how troublesome it could be trying to find your way around in a new place. Junpei himself had very little sense of direction and had often gotten lost in the big cities of Japan as a child. These days, Junpei had the salvation of GPS on his phone to direct him to his destinations, which he used almost religiously. Unfortunately, GPS didn't exactly tell you where the refectory was at the Hammel Institute. Junpei shook his head, unsure of where to start. "//Maybe we can just pick a direction and go from there? Though, I'd really like to know where we can get our meals.//" Which wasn't too much of a problem for Junpei, since he would probably be spending his evenings eating out and sampling all the different foods that Pilot Ridge had to offer, but that didn't account for lunch or breakfast, so he'd have to know that much at least. He couldn't really think of anything else specific that he'd be interested in seeing though. Junpei just kind of thought it'd be a good idea for him to see the whole campus and take notes of places of interest as he passed them.

[Hatsuharu Kenjutsushi]

Hatsuharu took the time to think of the cycle in which he acknowledge the buildings on the school's grounds. But Junpei was right; picking a point and starting there was probably the best way to go. The Recruiter idly worried that he was going to fail as a tour guide on his first try.

["Well, this is the office. You found that on your own. The main office area is right over there, where we signed you in on your first day. And if you follow this corridor here, you'll find the infirmary."] He motioned to the places with his hand from where he was. The infirmary in particular was always an important one to remember. Once sorted, Hatsuharu took the necessary steps out into the courtyard and pointed out various places of importance; the classrooms and their adjoining training rooms, and the staff and student lounges. He clearly knew where the dormitories were by now, so that was a plus.

["The library has a wide range of books in several languages, if you're interested. Some of which have excellent translated copies, if you want to grasp English that way."] He explained, brushing past the library entrance with another set of steps. Finally he stood at the double doors of the Cafeteria. ["See, the dormitories entrance is just there. So it isn't far to get whatever food you want. And I'm sure you've seen the kitchen space in your dorm by now, if you ever feel the desire to stay in instead."]

He had to hope he was doing well at this. And not being overwhelming. But it really was a lot to take in.

[Deleted]

Junpei nodded with a sheepish smile. While he had found the office, it wasn't without it's own adventure as he wandered the halls completely lost for a time. Junpei was going to have to pay very close attention to prevent such a thing from happening again. He followed the directions Haru-sensei was pointing, making note of the locations of the main office, and infirmary were in relation to the offices. Funny how he didn't quite remember how to get here even though he'd been at the main office just the other day.

Junpei followed the man out of the building, being directed to the whats and wheres of other notable locations on the campus and with Junpei taking extra care to remember what they were. A few times, he pulled out his cell phone and took a quick note for his own personal reference. He wasn't sure how often he would use those notes, but at least they were there and available. Especially when they came across the cafeteria. Junpei looked up at Haru-sensei and shook his head furiously with his hands up. "//No, I don't think I'll be using the kitchenette. I can't cook to save my life. I think I'll just make do with the cafeteria.//" And later, with whatever he could get from the town. Junpei didn't know the first thing about cooking and was far too frightened of something going horribly wrong to even try without direct supervision. The last time he tried, at his family's home, he got scolded for making a mess and smoking up the entire house....he definitely wasn't going to try that again. But then again, Junpei also wasn't sure if how much he could tolerate the school issued food everyday...

Yeah, Junpei had a feeling he was going to be eating out a lot.

"//Haru-sensei. Um...thanks for helping me out. It was really good to see you again.//" Junpei looked up at the recruiter then back down with a hesitant smile as he nervously rubbed the back of his neck. "//I feel really out of place here. It's...um...nice, I guess, to have someone I already know around to help out. I think I might've been completely at a loss of what to do if you or Meian-sensei hadn't been here. I really appreciate it."

[Hatsuharu Kenjutsushi]

Hatsuharu was just glad to see that Junpei seemed to be taking everything in. To the best of his ability, anyway. He knew it'd be hard to take everything in at once, but he was confident in the boy. He'd figure it all out eventually. And hopefully he'd meet a few more helpful people if he got lost. ["It was good to see you too. I'm glad I ran into you."] He replied with a small laugh. Though, it didn't matter who ran into who.

He smiled back at him anyway, sensing his nervousness but unsure as to what he should do about it. ["I understand completely. It takes a lot of getting used to. And a lot of trying to be social."] Hatsu briefly cringed at the thought - being social wasn't always one of his strong points. It often felt a little forced, but that seemed like the point when it came to trying to meet new people. And to fit in. ["I should get back to my office. Will you be alright on your own?"] They were close to the dorms now, so he was free to go off there if he felt overwhelmed. ["If you ever need anything - or you need someone to talk to - you know where my office is."]