Language Master PV Akihiko Closed

How had he managed to get lost on his second day in the Hogwarts castle? Akihiko had no idea. Technically, he wasn’t even in the castle. Instead he was left wandering around in the freezing cold like an idiot. He bet his cousin wasn’t having the same troubles as him. His cousin was probably warm in the castle, kissing his latest girlfriend. He almost kicked the grass, then thought of what his family would say. “Destroying another school? もし彼らがあなたを見たら、他の人はどう思うでしょうか?¹” He scolded himself mentally, and glanced around to see if anyone had saw his slip. The only person stupid enough to be outside in this weather was another girl. She wasn’t looking at him, and he started pacing, considering whether he should ask her for directions or run. It was true, he wouldn’t be the first one to run from the girl. The odd Slytherin had attracted more glares than he had ever gotten from his cousin. Suddenly she was tapping him on his shoulder. Making him jerk his head up. “Hello?” She blinked wide eyes at him. “Hi! Do you know how to get back to the castle? Got lost already,” he looked at her and winked. “Mom says I’m always getting lost. いつ地図の読み方を学ぶつもりですか?” He pitched his voice a few tones higher, and when he saw her confused look he translated for her. “When are you going to learn how to read maps? 从来没有，我总是说. Never, I always say. Anyways, I’m Akihiko.” He held out a hand for her to shake, waiting for her to take it.

Reducio

1) If they saw you, what would other people think?

April 17, 2023

When the boy turned to face her, she was immediately. No glare met her, just a sheepish grin, making her take a sudden interest in him even if he hasn’t even spoken to her. “Hi! Do you know how to get back to the castle? Got lost already,” She let out a laugh that hadn’t been heard in months. She had certainly gotten lost in the castle when she first came here, too. She only wondered how he had managed to find himself in the courtyard, of all places. “Mom says I’m always getting lost. いつ地図の読み方を学ぶつもりですか?” Ava looked blank faced at him, only understanding half of what he had just said. She spoke one language. English. And whatever this boy had just said was most definitely not English. He must’ve seen her confused look because he quickly translated. “When are you going to learn how to read maps? 从来没有，我总是说. Never, I always say. Anyways, I’m Akihiko.” Again, the crazy language. Except for the foreign words he had said now had a different feel from the words he had said earlier. She could hardly keep up with him. “First of all, yes, I know where the castle is. And believe me, you aren’t the first one to get listed in this castle. If you could call it a castle. I’d call it a maze.” She blinked in surprise. She hadn’t said this much since…before it all. She shook his waiting hand. “I’m Ava! And what language—languages—were you speaking?”

Right away, the girl was laughing at Akihiko, and he did his best not to look away in humiliation. It took him a minute to realize that she wasn’t laughing at him, but at memories. He examined her face and realized that a look of shock had crossed her face once she had stopped laughing. “Your laugh is pretty,” he blurted out. And he didn’t feel awkward, he felt like he had just given a teammate a compliment. It wasn’t weird, it was just the nice thing to do.

He continued his rant and she stayed silent until he extended his hand. “First of all, yes, I know where the castle is. And believe me, you aren’t the first one to get listed in this castle. If you could call it a castle. I’d call it a maze.” Now it was his turn to burst out laughing. A maze seemed much more fitting to describe Hogwarts. “ この場所が迷路と呼ばれていたと想像してみてください。それをナビゲートしようとする手間を省くでしょう。!”¹ He was still laughing, slapping his knee at his last comment. Then straightening up as he imagined how his family would react to his behavior. “洗練された女性の前で豚のように振る舞いますか？失礼。それは私たちがあなたではなく、あなたのいとこに期待していることです。!”² He once again held out his right hand for her to shake. “I’m Ava! And what language—languages—were you speaking?” She seemed so curious, and he could only indulge her curiosity. “Nice name. I was speaking a mix of Japanese and Mandarin Chinese. And English, of course.” He winked at her, then bent down to kiss her hand. He could almost hear his family, “今、それはあなたが行動する方法です。私たちの家族を誇りに思う。.”³

Reducio

1) Imagine that this place was called a maze. It will save you the trouble of trying to navigate it.
2) Do you behave like a pig in front of a sophisticated woman? Excuse me. That's what we expect from your cousin, not you.
3) Now, that's how you act. Make the family proud.

April 17, 2023

As Ava’s laugh slowly fizzled away, she was left with the realization that nothing had made her laugh like this stranger—Akihiko—did. “Your laugh is pretty,” he blurted out. And unlike most compliments, it wasn’t weird. It didn’t feel like he was flirting with her, or he wanted something from her, he just seemed to want to make someone’s day. It was this single quality that the boy possessed that made her deal so jealous. The ability to be confident, to mean what you say and not make it awkward. “Thanks!” She was practically beaming now.

He said something: assumably Japanese, and she looked at him, again confused but he made no move to explain, instead collapsing into a fit of laughs. He was bent over laughing at his own joke, and Ava chuckled along although she had absolutely no idea what they were talking about. As suddenly as it had started, he straightened up and offered her his hand to shake. A tad but strange, maybe, but she took it.

She introduced herself and asked what languages he was speaking and he answered, “Nice name. I was speaking a mix of Japanese and Mandarin Chinese. And English, of course.” She looked at him with her mouth wide open. “Three languages? Impressive. I wish I could learn another language.” she looked away wistfully, now regretting not focusing on her Spanish classes during muggle school.

Giving compliments felt as natural to him as smiling or breathing. It was something he had learned to do quickly. A compliment brought out the best in people. Giving a compliment felt just as great as receiving one. He had observed that this girl--about his age--hadn’t smiled in awhile. You could see the frown lines on the corners of her mouth. She beamed at his compliment, and nothing about it seemed forced. He’d seen enough smiles to know which were forced and which were real. This was a real smile.

A good laugh was the cure for anything and everything, so as he chattered away in his three languages, he laughed at the cracks he made. But jokes can only cure for so long. As quick as it left, the thought of his family looking over his shoulder returned. A constant burden he carried. Even his cousin would never understand it.

She shook his hand, and he bent over to kiss it. ‘礼儀正しく,’¹ his family nagged. “Ava,” he mused, “sounds musical, but hard. Soft but firm.” He gazed into her eyes. “Can a person be that?” He smiled softly.

“Yes, I speak three languages. Japanese is my mother tongue, but lot’s of people spoke english around my parts of the city. I was taught Mandarin Chinese by tutors when I was young.” He grinned, proud of all the work he had invested in his languages. Many hours, that was certain. “I don’t see why you couldn’t learn a new language now. I could teach you.” A large offer, would she take it or leave it?

Reducio

1) Be polite

April 17, 2023

Ava could tell the boy was carrying more on his shoulders than it would seem at first glance. Much like herself, truthfully. Often the people who appeared the most unburdened were the most. While Akihiko was one of the most charming people she had met during her time at Hogwarts, little more than seven months. And yet, he understood the unseen weight that people carried. Ava didn’t know what he was thinking about, and she knew it would do no good to pry, but she would be asking the next time she saw him.

“Ava, sounds musical, but hard. Soft but firm.” He looked into her eyes, and she gazed back at him. “Can a person be that?” He finally asked, giving a small smile. “I would think so,” she responded gracefully, and wittily added “seeing you’ve just described me.” She smiled, although not too thinly, just a lips curved up smile.

He explained that he spoke Japanese in his home, English in public and Mandarin Chinese on the side. She thought that was one of the coolest things she had ever heard, learning three languages. And being fluent in them, knowing how to say anything in a while knew tongue.

“I don’t see why you couldn’t learn a new language now. I could teach you.” Her eyes widened in shock. “Are you for real?” She asked, genuinely curious. If it was a real offer she may just take it…

Akihiko could see the thoughts running through Ava's mind, but he kept his mouth closed. He was near, and sometimes that was all a person could ever need. Not someone to confide in, but or someone to be there. He respected that, and he would be there if she ever needed him. Although he didn't know what was on his mind, he could tell it was something she wouldn't soon forget.

"Ava, I am so glad I was able to meet you." He said with a smile that reached all the way to his eyes, making them crinkle in the corners. That happened when he really meant a smile, and it was different from the smile he offered others. Somethings needed to be saved for the best of occasions. "From what I've seen, you're just a teddy bear." He teased lightly. What he said was true, he couldn't see Ava hurting a fly. "Unless that teddy bear has another side to it." He added as his brain whirred. Much like himself, he acted quite different in the presence of his cousin versus a newly found acquaintance.

He could see her eyes widen in shock at his words, and it made him smile. She could see the longing behind the curiosity. "I am for real." He responded, although he found the question strange. Why would he offer if he wasn't serious? Maybe it was something they said in their language, or maybe that was just Ava. He didn't have much experience with these sorts of things. "I can teach you 日本語¹, if you'd like." He was pretty sure she could guess what word he had used in that sentence, but he was ready to explain if she didn't. "We can meet daily while I'm here, and once I leave we can owl each other."

Reducio

1) Japanese

April 17, 2023

Ava nodded to Akihiko, thanking him for all his kind statements. "Thank you, Akihiko." She tilted her head and decided to take him up on his offer. She would tell him as much. "I think I’ll be seeing you quite often, if we both find time to meet up daily." She said with a laugh, letting her words carry onto her next sentence. "I may not be able to meet daily, so how about every other day?" That seemed reasonable to her. She may not learn as much as she would if they met daily, but she’d still be learning lots.

Glancing around, she realized how long she had spent talking to him. She grimaced, but when she looked back at him the grimace turned to a smile. "Look, I’ve got to get going. See you in two days?" She waited for some kind of agreement before leaving, rushing through the courtyard to get back to the castle. She didn’t look back, no matter how tempted she was. But her grin always stayed with her, despite the coming evening.

She had met many people at Hogwarts, but none quite like this Japanese boy. Akihiko. He had things going on, and so did she. But clearly they could help each other, despite their differences.