When should I bow again? What was that green sea weed wrapper mom used last week? How do I say "good morning" again? Should I bow to Rika-san, too? I wonder what should I do during break time?

Every time Opal starts her day random questions will always pop inside her mind wondering how she came to this situation. Her mother, Lisa, remarried to a Japanese businessman, Ichikawa Toru, and now they are living in a humble neighborhood together with her instant little sister Ichikawa Himawari, a 14-year old middle schooler in the same educational institution. She could probably stop the wedding, she has the right, yet chose not to. She might be nervous or awkward but not selfish. The day when Toru visited their hometown to meet her grandparents she saw that he's sincere about his love for her mother. They have known each other for years, Opal was aware of Toru's existence. Toru was her mother's business partner, the financial adviser of their family restaurant. While, Toru lived in the Philippines for almost six years, he wasn't planning to last that long but he met Lisa and courted her for almost two years. Japan don't have such long courting tradition but Lisa was worth the long wait. Opal's mother is a Filipina mestiza their family was rooted from a Spanish ancestry, the De Espadaña.

However, her mother married the wrong man which left her a broken heart and a little angel. The latter was a blessing.

Opal never met her father, that's why it was easy to accept the kind Ichikawa Toru as her new father.

Japan is 'seriously' different to the Philippines.

Opal would tell her Filipino friends in their group chat. The scenery often changes from the colors of the leaves on the trees up to the grounds, the smell of the air, their school uniforms and even the fashion. She was in a full reset when she transferred school, it was a huge blow of culture shock for her.

The educational calendar is nothing like the previous country, she felt like traveling light years and landed to another planet. It was a new world for her. She even tried to complain about her immediate admission in the month of April when she arrived in Japan. Opal is smart, but not intimidating she is the type of person that you would like to tell your problems and ask advices. After two months she was able to grasp the environment and made friends to her school. But not entirely. Despite differences she was able to get along with the new members of the family.

『Be careful crossing the streets!』Lisa said while walking her daughters to the gate.

『Yes!』Himawari replied while Opal simply nodded.

It's summer and Opal is still uncomfortable of her new school uniform. The skirt is shorter than what she usually wear, the socks is still too long, atleast the blouse feels normal for her.

Opal always walks to school with Himawari and drops her to the middle schooler's building that is at the left wing of the institution. But today is an exception, Himawari brought with her the materials for their summer class project. Their house is a 35 minutes walking distance from school so close that she is often made as the tool keeper each time they have group projects. Opal doesn't mind carrying stuffs to home, the close distance and no traffic travel already satisfies her. In addition, their classes starts at 8:40 am, it's eight fourty. Not seven nor eight. It's eight fourty. She has enough time to eat breakfast and bathe leisurely. That's all what it matters.

『Here. Next time use styrofoam in making these stuffs.』Opal said when reaching Himawari's classroom.

『Okay! Thanks for your help!』Himawari responded.

『They're heavy. I want ice cream pops when I get home.』Opal replied before brushing her sister's head.

Himawari is a petite, long-haired teen. She is a lot shorter than Opal and often speaks like a baby when they are alone. She aspires to catch her sister's charms by hanging out with her and observing her habits without knowing that she possess her own.

『Who was that?』Himawari's classmate asked.

『My sister!』With proud voice, she replied.

『Eh? You're sister is a *gyaru?』
[a subculture in Japan wherein people has tanned skin and has Western fashion style.]

『She's just a little dark skinned because she's a Filipina and she went out to several beaches 5 months ago before coming here. It roasted her skin to the point recovering the light tone takes long.』Himawari said protesting her sister's reasons.

『Really? But she's actually gorgeous, you sure she's Asian?』another one of her classmate curiously asked.

『Yup.』

Himawari met Opal 7 months ago, it was on their parent's wedding. Aside from the bride, Opal was a head turner wearing a infinity pastel blue dress with her long flowered curled hair, although a wig, it suits her as if she's a fairytail princess. It was then when Himawari accepted such Disney princess as her sister.

Opal, on the other hand, just reached her classroom's floor when a classmate named Rika joyously approached her.

Rika is shoulder length haired slim teenage girl, despiter her tall height for an average Japanese teenage girl she still appears three inches shorter than Opal due to Opal's European ancestry. She wears black long socks and keeps her hair with hairbands which she swaps colors and styles each day, today she's wearing a plain yellow hairband perhaps to welcome the summer season.

Opal is not the studious type, in class she can cope up with the lessons and does what she was told to do. A lot of her classmates paid their attention to the newcomer and one of them is Rika. She like how Opal is easy going about her studies and decided to hang out with her.

『Opal-chan!』Rika called, energetically waving to Opal.

Opal is relieved to see everything is going normally on her second quarter at school, when she transfered she thought that bullying, like what she saw on TV, is severe or she will become an outcast for being a foreigner. However, the result was rather usual. Of course, there were still people who dislikes her even so there were no sever bullying, such as hiding of her belongings, no one vandalized her table, no bad rumors only a few indifferent stares from a certain student.

『Good morning, Rika-san. What's that they're looking?』Opal pointed to the bulletin board with a lengthy paper that seems a list of something.

『It's the result of last time's final exam, remember? They must be some of those who wasn't over it.』Rika said.

『Ha!? That's the exam's result? I didn't see my result!』Opal exclaimed.

Last spring, Opal was busy planning her summer outing. The spring was cold enough for her that it made her craved for tropical weather. She even brought Himawari to three different beaches and swam her heart's content on each of them, the main reason why her white skin has yet to return. She skipped the day after the exam with an acceptable "sick" excuse and smoothly whoosh her way to her summer vacation plan.

『Ah. I thought you knew.』Rika said.

『Yo!』A friend who just entered the classroom greeted. He's Yurisuke, another of Opal's friends and a neighbor. Yurisuke is the first friend Opal made when she came to Japan, with his aloof personality and simple mind he catches Opal's interest. For Opal it's easy to open up when the person is innocent and free with ulterior motives. Yurisuke is taller than Opal, he likes his hair in spiky style and even using hair gel to maintain its sharp appearance. He also has a girlfriend in another class that he wants to impress the most. Yurisuke might be a simpleton but this makes him raw and easy to teach class lessons, in other words, he's not too dumb. A thing that makes Opal grateful as his friend and tutor.

『I should go back and see.』Opal anxiously move her feet to go outside the room to check the list herself.

『Aah, you don't have to do that. I really thought you knew.』Rika said, repeating the same line then flashes a sharp glare at Yurisuke.

It took a second before Yurisuke noticed the menacing stare and said, 『Yes! Ha-ha. I forgot to tell Opal about it. There were no one at their house when I went there to tell her. He-he.』

『Why!? Did I fail? Oh no! I was too complacent. I even skipped the day after the exam.』It made Opal more restless enough to feel cold and pale, she worry her heart stopped beating and failed to supply enough blood to make her appearance living.

『Oh, no. You passed. In fact, you're in rank four.』 Yurisuke announced in monotone.

『You sound ungrateful.』Rika said.

『She was doing things leisurely and even skipped few classes with lame family excuses but still get in to the rank four.』 Yurisuke replied.

Opal felt a little guilty of those excuses. Because it was her first month of school and it was supposed to be her summer vacation based on Philippine school calendar, Opal skipped school a lot in April. She use excuses like, "My mother and I have to process my papers." or "We're having a family day today." any excuses she could think no matter how much of a lie it was as long as she can stay at home and avoid speaking the language her tongue is unfamiliar with.

Meanwhile, Opal assumed Yurisuke to be at least in the rank ten since he studied really hard to impress his girlfriend. The three of them would study at the library together, actually, it was just Rika and Yurisuke. Opal was only present to check if they're doing the exercises correctly as well as to read the few English language books the school library have. Opal doesn't hate studying, if she doesn't understand the lesson she will study but if she understands she won't bother herself to open an academic book.

『And here I am at rank 45!』Yurisuke cried.

That crushed Opal's spirit, she was so sure that Yurisuke was doing great during studying. But it seems she was right when she thought he was too nervous to take the exam.

『You're dumb, you know.』Rika commented.

Nevertheless, to think of the number of second year students, for Opal, Yurisuke is not dumb. Not too dumb. The second years has a total of 250 students with five class sections to be in top 100 is worth celebrating.

『How about you, Rika-san?』Opal asked.

『Nine!』she proudly replied.

Opal clap her hands out of gladness. At least, one of her student is included to the top 10.

The three of them was about to enter their room again when Opal noticed a familiar stare. Opal's seat is in the back row, the third one from the door. On her right is Yurisuke, in front is Rika, while on her left where the hateful stare comes from is the class representative named Hikaru.

Every time Opal feels the murkiness of his raging stare she just smiles and greets him.

He's a brat. Opal thought.

『Hey, what rank are you?』she cause a silent gasp out of shocked, to hear herself asking a personal question to Hikaru. Unlike Rika and Yurisuke, they seldom speak each other and only had a closer distance because of the change in seating arrangement this summer. Opal is the tallest among the female students in the class but not so tall for the male student's tallest three, Hikaru, Yurisuke, and Reon.

『Why do you ask, Miss rank four?』he replied, teasing the calm Opal.

Opal flashed an awkward smile, 『You don't have to tell me if you don't wanna. He-he.』

She decided to mind her own business and pull out a poetry book from her bag. She will never talk to that man again, he just hates her bone. Opal remembered when Hikaru started giving her the raging stares, it was in May when Opal was finally starting to get accustomed to her new school. She was making friends and doing well except Hikaru. She have no idea how to deal with a stubborn classmate who bullies her each time they bump each other.

『I'm rank two, 』Hikaru said, like a kid boasting his new toy. 『Jealous?』he added.

Once again, Opal smile awkwardly before responding, 『That's good. You're good.』Mister rank two.

They never talk each other again the entire class. Opal would be on her phone each break to check her Filipino friend's messages, especially his messages.

One thing that made migrating a complex decision for Opal was her boyfriend, Glenn. They are in ten months old relationship, at first, Opal was reluctant to accept Glenn's heart but he was her best buddy. They have shared interests and talk all day to share ideas. They usually went to movie dates to watch action films. When Opal told Glenn about going to Japan, she was hesitant to continue their relationship but Glenn convinced her to try the long distance relationship. Opal agreed, it could be great for them if they make it far despite the thousand miles of distance from each other. The more challenges they overcome the stronger their relationship becomes.

Opal's day ends at 4:30 she would like to walk home with Yurisuke but he has his girlfriend to walk with. While, Rika's house is the opposite direction to hers and walks with her neighbors in the class. Her sister, on the other hand, finishes school at 3:30.

This will make her look lonely but Opal is comfortable, this is her therapy.

It's nice to be alone sometimes. She thought.

The warm air of summer breeze wraps Opal's bob hair style. She tucked her tiny hair on her left ear and breathe the fresh air of the year's newest season. Summer. If she's with Glenn they have probably watch tons of anime series or she have read a bunch of book while waiting him exercise. They must have been in the arcade wasting coins for a 4 centimeter stuff toys, eat pizza and burger. Wasting their entire day for fun. Summer was always been colorful for Opal. But this year, her summer is different. Too unfamiliar. She's not sure how to make things fun anymore, how to color her spirit using unfamiliar sensation.

"Let's try again tomorrow, " she whispered to herself and continued walking the blue alley.