Dear Mom and Dad Takeshi wrote. He paused and looked out of his dorm room window. A Hawaiian beach met his gaze, and he could hear the beachgoers enjoying the warmth, even though it was the middle of fall.

It feels so great to write Japanese again! In our ESL classes we have to write and write all in English. It's worse than high school! But I am enjoying college and I'm enjoying America. I'm thinking of visiting the mainland for winter vacation. I would come home but I don't think I'll have time. But Hawaii is great. There are so many Japanese here! Most second or even third generation or more, but still. I can speak Japanese even when I can't write it.

He looked fondly at his dorm mate, Akira Aida, fast asleep on the opposite bed. He was from Hokaido, nowhere near where Takeshi was from but they both appreciated having a Japanese friedn to talk to.

At the very least it's nice not getting odd looks because I'm Asian. There are plenty here. I was worried I'd be alone.

From a cage there was a squaling racket and Takeshi smiled. He grabbed a bag of birdseed and poured some in.

Oh, yeah, I also got a pet. A bird! I named her Inko after the bird you had, Dad!

A girl passed his open dorm room and smiled.

"Hi Takeshi!" She grinned. She was a hawaiin native,a girl in one of his busisness classes.

"H-hi...Nani...ho-how are...you?" he stuttered through his English blushing.

"Good luck on finals! See you in class!"

"Y-yes!"

She turned to leave but he said

"Um...wait, please!"

She gave him a questioning look.

"You maybe...anno...Would you maybe...wish…ah, would you like to get coffee some time?"

She beamed. "I'd love to! Tell me when in class tomorrow, okay?"

"Yes!"

When she left he looked blushingly at his paper. He wrestled with telling his parents about her. In the end he wrote

I met a girl. We have a date. You would like her. She's American, Hawaiin native, but she's grown up in a Japanese neighborhood. She even knows some Japanese. I really think you'd like her mom, because she's on the fencing team."

Inko squawked and Takeshi grinned at her.

"You think so too, Inko, huh?" he said in japanese.

He looked at his watch. Ten minutes until his bio class.

He'd have to end his letter. He thought.

I really like my life here, mom. Dad. Thank you for giving me this opportunity.

He bowed low to the paper. It wasn't the same as bowing to his parents but it had to count for something.

I know, Mom, you have painful memories of your time abroad, because it meant you were away from Dad. But for me...for me...it's like my world has opened up. I really like it here.

He repeated.

I have to go to class now. Give Grandma Yasu my love. And dad, kick Old man Aisaka for me. Ha!

That was an inside joke between him and his father. Whenever he told his father to give his regards he also told him to kick his grandfather.

Your loving son,

Takeshi

he folded it up, kicked Akira awake, and ran to class.

What he didn't say in his letter was that he planned on staying in America after graduation. Specially if his date with Nani went well.

He didn't know how his parents would think about this. But he knew he could do it. Because he was a dragon. Because he was a tiger.

A/N: I just liked the idea of Ryuuji and Taiga's son going to school in America...and of curse getting a bird! Thank you for reading and thank you for reviewing!