It's A Lot Like Romeo and Juliet

Chapter 1: Kiss x Cherry Blossom
It was 1923 in San Francisco, California.

Jennifer Cutlip was 18 years old and recently had graduated high school, she was due to start work in a textile factory.

She was walking with a fellow graduate, Anna Marie Whitestone in a park inside the city when they saw a young Japanese man looking lost and looking at an Japanese-English dictionary.

He sat down under a tree.

”Hey, Jenni, my mom and I were thinking, we are going to the lake next month, do you want to come?” She asked.

Jennifer was busy focused on the young man, he looked anxious and lost, even covering his mouth.

”That’s nice, I think that guy needs help.” She said.

Anna looked at the guy, he couldn’t have been older than eighteen, around their age, they saw him get up and try to get people’s attention when they walked by, but nothing helped.

He was in military uniform and judging by it, it was an Imperial Japanese Army uniform and recently conscripted, she wasn’t familiar with ranks, but he could have been a private.

Due to the warm temperature, he had his coat wrapped around his waist and he didn’t wear a cap.

”Excuse me.” She said.

He didn’t reply due to him being unable to understand English, he started to panic a little, Jennifer tapped the man on the shoulder.

He turned to look at her.

”Are you lost?” She asked politely.

The young man was startled at her voice, then began to speak.

”Maiiiii.....naymmme.......Hiro.......hito......” He said despite him speaking almost non-existent English.

He covered his mouth, got out a piece of paper and written “ 田中 博人 ” with hiragana above it reading “ たなかひろひと”

He pointed at the last two charactes.

”Hiro....hito....” He said, straining his words.

”Do you mind if I call you Hiro?” She asked, pointing at the character “博 ”, Hirohito nodded.

He smiled for the first time in a few days, it was days since he left Japan and he felt a little homesick, his father, Takahiro sent him and his sister Naoko to America to learn English, Naoko did perfectly at it while Hirohito had difficulty finding himself an English tutor, no one wanted to teach a Japanese soldier, not someone like him, he felt lonely.

Naoko went somewhere

”Do you need help learning English?” She asked, pointing at his dictionary.

”Yessss...” He said.

”I’ll help you, please, come with me.” Jennifer said, holding out her hand.

“Mai.......sister.....cannot....reave.....her...” Hirohito replied.

They saw a Japanese girl walk up to them.

” (Hiro-kun, I’ve been looking everywhere for you, Did you get lost?)” She asked.

Naoko looked at Jennifer.

”Sorry if my brother’s like that, his English is terrible.” Naoko said.

”No worries, Hiro asked me if I could teach him English.” Jennifer replied back.

Hirohito looked at his sister.

”I’ll come with you, My brother will need me to be here.” She said.

———————

They arrived back at their house, Hiro refused to look at anyone in the eye.

”Mom!” Jennifer said.

Jennifer’s mother, Jacqueline opened the door.

“This guy needed help learning English, is it okay If I teach him English?” She asked.

Jacqueline looked at Hiro, who just smiled and waved, albeit very awkwardly and held Jennifer’s hand tighter.

”Haiii......” He said, nervously.

Jacqueline looked at him, his legs were crossed and he looked nervous, he was expecting her to go on a racist tirade, but she offered him tea.

”Sit down, My daughter will be with you shortly.” She said to Hirohito, who nodded and sat down on the cough, he pointed at one of the crackers on the table and looked at her.

Jacqueline looked at him, it was like if he was asking “Can I have one of these?, I’m hungry.”, She nodded and he took two and ate them.

Jennifer’s brother Joseph came in, he looked at the guest.

”What’s with the Japanese kid?” Joseph asked Jennifer.

”I’m teaching him English,” Jennifer replied back.