If someone had told Naveen Kumar six months ago that he'd be standing in front of a classroom full of Japanese students, trying to introduce himself in their language, he would've laughed. Hard. Yet, here he was, clutching the edges of his notebook, standing awkwardly in front of his new classmates at Tokushima High School.
But before he could even get to his introduction, he felt the need to address the how and why of this situation—not just to his classmates, but to the readers of his life's bizarre new chapter.
"Let me tell you," Naveen began in his mind, as if speaking to an unseen audience, "how my life went from Bollywood beats to bento boxes in less than three months."
Flashback
It all started in Mumbai, in the heart of a neighborhood where life moved to the rhythm of honking cars, the smell of vada pav, and the occasional impromptu street dance battles. Naveen was what you'd call a normal sixteen-year-old. He went to Mumbai High School, where the classrooms were loud, the teachers were perpetually stressed, and the students were just trying to survive math tests and cricket matches.
"I wasn't a straight-A student, okay?" Naveen would explain. "But I had one special skill: blending in. In Mumbai, you don't stand out unless you're doing something truly wild—like, I don't know, climbing a billboard to profess your love during rush hour. Me? I was the 'average guy'—until my dad's job turned me into the 'random guy who now lives in Japan.'"
His father, a businessman with a penchant for surprising career moves, had announced one evening over dinner, "We're moving to Japan. Tokushima, to be precise."
Naveen had paused mid-bite, staring at his father like he'd just declared they were moving to the moon. "Tokushima? Where's that? Does it even have internet?"
His mother had chimed in, trying to soften the blow. "It'll be an adventure, beta. And you like anime, no? Now you can live in the land of anime."
"Anime is not a lifestyle, Ma!" Naveen had retorted. "I wanted to visit Japan, not become its newest export!"
But his protests were useless. Within weeks, their bags were packed, and Naveen found himself saying goodbye to the only life he'd ever known.
Back to the Present
Standing in front of his new classmates, Naveen realized he couldn't possibly explain all of that in his limited Japanese. So, he took a deep breath and gave it his best shot.
"Konnichiwa," he started, his accent making the word sound clumsy but endearing. "Watashi wa Naveen Kumar desu."
A few students smiled encouragingly, though he could hear whispers and giggles from others.
"I am from India. Mumbai, India," he continued, his English slipping in where his Japanese failed him. "In Mumbai… uh… very busy. Noise everywhere. And dancing. Always dancing!"
This earned a few chuckles. Feeling slightly more confident, Naveen carried on. "Before coming here, I was in Mumbai High School. Very different. Teachers shouting, students shouting, sometimes dogs coming into class."
The giggles grew louder. Even the teacher smiled. Naveen decided to double down.
"My father said, 'Naveen, we go to Japan for business.' And I said, 'Okay, cool, Tokyo?' But no. Not Tokyo. Tokushima. I said, 'What is Tokushima?' My father said, 'Google it.' So I Googled. And… well…" Naveen made a face, earning a roar of laughter from the class.
By now, he was starting to enjoy himself. "But I like it here! I hope I can, uh…" He struggled for the right words, then switched back to English. "…make friends and survive school. Please help me!" He ended with a slight bow, his face burning with nervousness.
The class clapped, and Naveen felt a wave of relief wash over him.
As he made his way to his seat, the door slid open dramatically, and in walked a blonde-haired girl who looked like she had just stepped out of an anime. The class erupted in murmurs.
"Late again, Tachikawa-san," the teacher said, clearly exasperated.
The girl grinned, brushing her hair back with an air of practiced confidence. "Sorry, sorry."
Her eyes landed on Naveen, and she paused, tilting her head slightly. "Oh, a new face?"
Naveen nodded nervously, unsure of what to say.
"Interesting," she said, a mischievous glint in her eye. "I guess things might get more fun around here."
And just like that, Naveen realized that his life in Tokushima was about to become a lot more complicated—and maybe, just maybe, a little more exciting.