Abroad

Disclaimer: I own nothing so don't sue.

Flashbacks will be italicized.

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Walking through the turning doors, Duo veered to the right and scoped out the ticket gate for Northwestern. Standing just outside of the maze of polls was Duo’s teacher, Howard Sensei.

Howard Sensei was an outgoing and a little eclectic, but reserved and respectful. His personality was a perfect balance of what was desired in the two countries his life was wrapped up in. He had an erudite appeal-a tall white man with blue eyes, premature salt and pepper hair and a body that showed he made a habit of running every morning. Born and raised in Northern Japan in Sendai by two American missionaries he slowly started to learn English in elementary school with help in the house from his mother. However, he really began to speak English when his family went back to the United States when he was entering into high school. Howard Sensei felt out of place his first year in America so most of his friends were Japanese exchange students. Slowly Howard Sensei's awkwardness fell away and he could easily swim through both Japanese and American cultures. When his family moved back to Japan, he decided he would attend both a Japanese college and then an American college for his graduate degree. He met his wife, an American, in Japan who was working with her college through an English teaching program. After 5 tries for her hand in marriage, she finally said yes. Now completely content with his wife and two kids, he was the head of the Japanese program at the college Duo attended.

When Duo had entered the college, despite not quite knowing what he wanted as his major, he needed to get two years of language credit. That was how he had met Howard Sensei. Sitting in the third row surrounded by similar wide-eyed freshman, Duo quickly fell in love with Japanese class. Howard Sensei's passion for the language and culture practically oozed out of him. It was contagious and Duo soon found himself in Howard Sensei's office asking about study abroad to Japan. Duo had found a mentor in Howard Sensei so it was no surprise that Duo received a warm pat on the back and a huge smile when he walked up to him at the ticket gate.

“Duo, right on time! You remember my wife Char and my kids,” Howard Sensei gestured to the woman and two children sitting on the bench just right behind him.

“I sure do,” Duo said as he extended his had to Char. “Mrs. Howard, how are you?”

“I'm fine Duo. Thank you. Are you excited,” she asked as her young daughter Lily pushed her mother’s purse into Char’s side asking for some candy from inside it.

“Oh, you betcha,” he said with a huge grin as he gave a little wave to the Howard son, Gavin, who waved back at him.

“Well Duo, we better get your baggage checked in and ticket,” he said as he motioned to the ticket gate. “Just walk on up and follow Quatre's lead. Okay?”

“Yeah, okay. It was nice to see ya again Mrs. Howard,” he said with a wave as he made his way to the ticket gate. Quatre, who had turned around when Howard Sensei had said his name, gave Duo a thousand watt grin. “Hey Q! How’s it going,” Duo called out as he approached Quatre. Duo smiled at the site of Quatre's shirt. When he had first met Quatre, he was amazed at the pink shirt he had been wearing. Somehow, a pink shirt never fit into Duo's idea of a guy's wardrobe style. He had told Quatre that he thought he was a brave man for wearing pink but Quatre had waved it off with a laugh. Now Duo couldn't imagine his friend without the pink polo shirt and distressed jeans.

“Hey Duo! Good to see you,” Quatre greeted as he was moving away from the ticket gate and loading his baggage onto a conveyer belt.

“Yeah, the summer seems too long when we aren't all there together, yanno,” Duo said as he walked up to the automated ticket machine.

Duo, Quatre had become great friends at college. Duo and Quatre had been in Japanese class together the first quarter of freshman year. The two of them spent a lot of time together fall quarter, often frequenting the dinning hall together. Winter quarter introduced Trowa to the two of them. He was in their Japanese class and they recognized his face from the conversation partner program on campus. With their easygoing nature and adversity for new experiences, the friendship was solidified before the week was out. Their study groups for Japanese class soon became hanging out at coffee shops with homework which progressed to going to parties together which led to them all vegetating in each other’s room watching TV or talking. Often one of the boys would walk back to their dorm room after class and the two other guys would be there watching TV or playing on the computer.

"How did you guys get into my room," Quatre stared at the two boys lounging on his futon watching TV. "I know I locked the door!"

Duo let out a short laugh. "Well that’s quite a greeting," Duo said with a huge grin. Quatre looked at Trowa to see if his friend would help solve the mystery. Mischief and amusement burned in Trowa's eyes but he remained annoyingly silent about the whole thing.

"Maybe it's better if I don't know," Quatre said with a sigh throwing his book bag down next to his desk. "Anything good on," he asked, resignation clear in his voice, as he sat down on the futon next to Trowa.

At the end of the year, Trowa and Quatre went back home for summer jobs while Duo stayed at college and took summer classes with a job on campus. “So how was working for Papa’s big ‘ole business this summ- erp…. Hey Q, what am I supposed to be doing,” Duo looked down at the machine baffled.

Quatre laughed and helped Duo get his ticket and tags for his baggage. “Yeah, the job wasn't so bad. I had to help with a lot of the paper shuffling, but there were things that kept me on my toes. It wasn't a complete bore,” Quatre said pushing the final buttons on the screen. Two tags popped out and they attached to Duo’s baggage. Grabbing one bag apiece they pulled them towards the conveyer belt. “How did your job turn out for you,” Quatre asked as they placed the bags on and watched them disappear through a hold in the wall.

“Eh, it was like all other restaurant jobs. But it ended up that Anwar and I worked there together. He gave me a ride to the airport today. He says ‘Hi’,” Duo said as they walked away from the ticket gate and conveyer belt. “So have you seen Tro yet,” Duo asked as they stood near Sensei with their carryon bags and their tickets.

“Yeah, he went to the bathroom and one of the shops just before you came in,” Quatre replied. “Think he is looking for little last minute gifts to give out in Japan.” They had been warned by Sensei that they should bring a lot of small presents to Japan with them because it is the custom to give out presents to friends and people who have done favors for you.

“Oh speak of the devil,” Duo smiled as he saw his tall friend walk over to him. “Could spot him a mile off with that crazy hair of his,” Duo said in a quite voice leaning towards Quatre. “It’s going to be so easy to spot his unibang ass in Japan.” They both laughed as Trowa walked over to them. “Hey Trowa, how ya doin',” Duo asked when Trowa was in earshot.
Trowa gave a small smile and stopped in front of the two. “I'm good Duo. How was the summer?” Trowa was dressed comfortably for the flight in a pair of darker denim with artistically placed fading and a kelly green t-shirt that went well with his green eyes and his ever-present puka shell necklace. The boys spent the next 20 minutes catching up on their summers, gossip, and their trip to Japan. Slowly the entire group of study abroad students started to assemble. The last person finished putting their baggage on the conveyer belt and Sensei called for all their attention.

“Alright everyone,” he addressed them, “we are going to make our way to Gate 23. If you still have family here, please get you ‘goodbyes’ in because we need to hustle to get through security.” Howard Sensei turned from the group and slung this carryon over his shoulder while giving big hugs to his wife and kids. Duo saw Howard Sensei’s boy wiping at his eyes while his little girl pulled on his hand asking if she could go with him. Not having any family there, the three friends turned and started heading towards the security gates.

Security was no problem. There were two random searches out of their group, but because there was hardly a line, it didn't pressure them for time. They made their way to Gate 23 and threw their bags down next to them and sat in the waiting area. The wall of the terminal was made of large glass windowpanes and Duo watched at workers scrambled around the bottom of the airplane doing a last round of checks and loading the baggage. He watched to see if he saw his baggage being loaded onto the plane. Duo’s attention was drawn away from the window as a small Japanese boy ran past him over to his mother’s side. Glancing around the waiting area, Duo saw that in addition to his fellow students there were other Americans and Japanese. Some Japanese looked tan and relaxed after a long vacation, while others were in business suits looking haggard and tired. There were a few American couples sitting together talking excitedly. Duo accidentally caught the eye of a lady who looked to be in her fifties. She smiled at him and turned her attention back to her husband. Duo overheard her ask him, “Now how do you say the name of this place again? Ooo-sack-ah?” With a sigh her husband started to correct her pronunciation and Duo turned back to his friends.

“Man, can you believe it? We're actually going to Japan,” Duo said with a smile as he began rapidly bouncing his right leg up and down in a nervous gesture. “All those forms we had to fill out! And that field studies class, and now it’s finally here!”

Quatre smiled. “Remember that time we had eight forms to fill out in one night so we took them over the Trowa's room. We were there all night,” he said laughing at the memory.

“Yeah and it turned out to be like two in the morning and we just passed out on his floor,” Duo laughed.

“And it was me who had to peel both of you off my floor that morning so you would make it to your eight o'clock,” Trowa added to the memory.

Duo began to worry the strap of his carryon between his fingers. His leg bounced rapidly up and down. “Duo, are you okay,” Quatre asked noticing Duo’s irregular behavior. However, it was the ever-intuitive Trowa who knew why Duo so nervous. “Duo, you're afraid of flying,” he said raising his tone at the end of the statement to make it more like a question.

Duo's aversion to flying and heights wasn't debilitating in any way, but he often avoided looking out of windows in tall buildings. There was a nervous pull in the bottom of his stomach when he was subjected to dealing with heights. “Heh, well, I guess. I've never been on a plane before, so I don't really know what to expect, yanno. It’s not like I think the plane is going to crash or something… oh well now I'm thinking about that. Eh, just first time jitters or somethin'.”

"Guess you have to be a virgin at something," Trowa took a shot at him.

"Ouch! Low blow," Duo said with a little laugh.

“I'll tell you that the take off and the landing may be a little nerve wracking, but once we reach flying altitude, you'll be fine,” Quatre reassured him. He was from a wealthy family, so Quatre had been on many flights to places all over the world. Coming from a seasoned traveler like Quatre, Duo decided to take his word for it and nodded in response to his comment. Although, it wasn't enough to stop the nervous bouncing of his leg.

Howard Sensei walked past the three of them on his way back from the bathroom. “Hey Sensei, saw Gavin crying when we were leaving. Is he sad that you will be leaving,” Duo asked Sensei trying to get his own mind off flying.

“Well, he said he was crying because Lily kicked him in the shin, but I think it was because I was leaving. It’s only two weeks every year, but they hate it. But I miss the little monsters too when I'm gone,” he said with a small smile. “But they are interested in coming to Japan. I think that will be next year’s summer vacation for us. I'm thinking that I need to get them to Japan soon too, because do you know what my daughter asked me last month?” The three boys shook their heads. “She asked if we were the only Japanese family in town.” Duo, Quatre and Trowa let out a burst of laughter as they all pictured the very white Howard family. “I don't know where she got that. We have some hiragana blocks and Japanese books around, but nothing that would really lead her to think… well I don't know. She just needs to come and see for herself.” The boys still laughed to themselves as Howard Sensei excused himself to go talk to one of the other students.

Finally the woman at the small desk at Gate 23 made her announcement over the localized intercom. “We are now seating for Northwestern Flight 71 seats 1-80.” Howard Sensei's students had to wait another 10 minutes for their seat bracket to be called. Once it was, the students were up like lightening.