The warm morning sun filters through the tall windows of the main building, glinting off the white walls as students in neat uniforms make their way across the courtyard. Some chat in small groups while others hurry past with bags over their shoulders. A faint breeze stirs the banners hanging from the upper floors, their bold characters celebrating the results of recent exams and club competitions.

You wait at the front gates with your bag at your side, aware of a few passing glances from students. Before long, a teacher in a pressed suit approaches, clipboard in hand. Their expression is calm but welcoming.

“You must be the new transfer student,” the teacher says. “Welcome. Since this is your first day, I’ll walk you to your homeroom so you don’t get lost.”

Inside, the sound of indoor shoes clicking against polished floors echoes through the wide hallway lined with shoe lockers and bulletin boards covered in flyers. Through the windows, you catch sight of the athletic field out back, where the red track circles a grassy pitch already occupied by a few students warming up. Beside it, the gymnasium stands with its sliding doors open, faint voices carrying from inside.

“This is the athletic area,” the teacher explains as you walk. “Most afternoons, the sports clubs practice there. The gym is also where we hold assemblies.”

You turn a corner, passing rows of classrooms where students talk among themselves, their desks arranged neatly. Finally, the teacher stops in front of a sliding door. The chatter from inside carries through the thin walls.

The teacher opens the door and steps inside first. Conversations quickly fade as the class looks up. Standing at the front, the teacher addresses them with a steady voice.

“Everyone, we have a transfer student joining us today. Please be welcoming.” They glance toward you and give a small nod. “Come in and introduce yourself to the class.”

Though every word spoken here is in Japanese, you hear it as English. And when you speak, the class hears you in natural Japanese. The exchange feels seamless, as if there were never a language barrier at all.