Greeting everyone! Wow it's been a while since I've posted anything. Any who I was sitting around, lounging about when IT HIT ME. I have seen zero stories with a Latino protagonist. And I'm obviously talking OC-wise. Correct me if I'm wrong but I feel that the Latino community is being neglected and there's just so much opportunities! Considering just how crazy Latinos can be and our sometimes strange traditions, I'm surprised there aren't more out there in fan fiction!

I mean COME ON. Have you MET a Latina mother? That woman is bat-shit crazy but equally loving! My own Puerto Rican mother calls herself freaking TRI-POLAR. Not BI-polar. TRI-POLAR. To all you Latinos out there, you understand where I'm coming from right?! I mean those ridiculous family reunions and holidays where everyone and their THIRD COUSIN is invited! And don't get me started on the punishments! Getting hit with the chancla (sandal) and dodging the belt and flying high heels, I grew to have a great amount of fear and respect for my mother!

So I decided it would be an amazing idea if I incorporated my Hispanic knowledge and experiences in an otherwise Japanese atmosphere. Hence, this story was born! A compilation of my own experiences, knowledge, imagination, and feelings into OHSHC! No idea if I'll make this into a Hispanic based series but we'll see where we go from here!

Italics are thoughts

Madre/Mami-Spanish for mother. Mami is more intimate and endearing.

Buen trabajo mijo- Good job son.

Abel- pronounced AA-BELL. Not ABE-LL. AA-BELL.

"We're moving WHERE!?"

My little brother flinched at the volume of my voice and rubbed his ear with a glare aimed towards me, which I cheerfully ignored.

"Well you've been dying to participate in that foreign exchange student program soooo….", Mom trailed off. "Soooo what? Don't leave me hanging madre!"

She rolled her eyes at my impatience but gladly continued. "So Josie and I signed you up. You're leaving tomorrow and we arrive two weeks later!"

I have to be dreaming. I started to fan myself and clutched my beloved stuffed bear, Mr. Strawberry, closer to my chest. I was finally getting my wish after a year of begging. Sure I'd miss my friends and not so much my distant family, but that just gives my friends an excuse to visit me and wreak havoc on the country of cherry blossoms. As my mood started to grow more and more positive, a silly thought popped into my head. I breathed out a chuckle earning a curious glance from my brother. Biting back the growing urge to laugh, I mouthed the beginning of a favorite saying.

I snickered and glanced at my brother, understanding slowly becoming clear on his face. "SWIGGITY SWOOTY, JAPAN I'M COMING FOR THAT PASTY BUTTY", I cheered. My brother roared with laughter and promptly fell on the floor in agony making me preen for my obviously witty remark. Mom let out a groan and left the room shaking her head and muttering in Spanish. I could care less as I joined my brother on the floor, fully appreciating my sense of humor. As our laughter died down, the situation fully hit me.

"Bro..."

"Yeah?"

"We're going to Japan aren't we?"

"Pretty sure that's what Mami said."

We sat, or rather laid, in silence for a minute.

"BRO-BRO..."

"What up shortie?" I hit him halfheartedly in the chest, earning a fake groan of pain and enticing a small giggle from my side of the floor.

"Be serious Abel. We're gonna be separated for two weeks. TWO WEEKS. That's two weeks without your awesome raps and my amazing dancing. Two weeks without our inside jokes. I won't have someone to make fun of people in Spanish with or have someone share in my mischief for TWO. WEEKS..."

When the realization that we're going to be separated for two weeks when we've only been separated by the one year gap in age began to dawn on us, the mood took a turn for the worse. My little brother sat up and peered down at me and I stared right back at him. We've been through so much together. How can I just leave him behind albeit only a few weeks?

"You're not leaving me behind."

"I sometimes find it hard to believe that we aren't twins when we do that weird telepathy thing", I lightly joked though I sobered quickly. Wordlessly I stretched my hand out and entwined our hands.

"Don't worry. You'll be fine. It's not like it'll be forever", he reassured me. "You'll just have to prepare Japan for my arrival."

I smiled weakly and threw my free arm across my face. I bite my lip and took deep breaths to hold back the tears. "What if something happens? I'll be all alone in a foreign country, surrounded by strange people with strange customs. I don't want to be alone." My inner feelings were starting to surface and that is a big no-no. "Then you'll fit right in! Knowing your bubbly self, you'll probably have tons of friends by the time I get there and have already cursed at least one person out in Spanish", Abel proclaimed. My mood now starting to lift, I let out a watery smile.

"Yeah and I'll have a ton of admirers and a boyfriend by the time you and Mami get there." Abel's face darkened with the thought of a guy even glancing inappropriately at me. "I'll scare off all the suitors and lock you in a French tower, like in Rapunzel."

"I thought Rapunzel was a German story?"

"Well now it's French."

"You can't go around changing the origin of fairy-tales Abel."

"Well they told Martin Luther King Jr. that he couldn't go around changing the way society was and you know what he did? He said 'screw society' and had a freaking dream that people would not be judged by the color of their skin but by the color of their character!"

"Okay Mr. Civil-Rights-Leader."

We stared at each other for a split second before bursting into laughter. This went on for five minutes before Abel stood up pulling me up alongside him. I quickly pulled him in for a hug and just as quickly backed off. "Thanks bro-bro." His eyes softened for a second before changing back to their care-free brown.

"Whatever SHORTIE."

"IT'S LITERALLY NOT MY FAULT THAT YOU'RE FREAKISHLY TALL."

"Not my fault you're freakishly short either midget."

I stormed out in a huff cursing my height and lack of growth spurts, not even noticing my mother standing outside of the room. She gave Abel an approving nod and pat his back. "Buen trabajo mijo." He responded with a mocking arm on top of her head and a kiss to her cheek, wordlessly emphasizing his height advantage. She swatted his arm and hit his butt earning girly yelp and glare.

Meanwhile upstairs in my bright purple and pastel blue room, I started to go through the process of packing two weeks worth of supplies and shoving as many stuffed animals in a suitcase than was physically possible, knowing that the rest of my things would be shipped to the house with the rest of my family. Grabbing my human sized bunny and briefly hugging it to me, I stared out my balcony and watched the setting sun.

Tomorrow is the start of another day and the beginning of my adventure in Japan. I gripped my bunny tightly and smiled. Turning to my phone, I hit shuffle on my music and let myself be absorbed by the beginning of the song.

A soft, powerful voice slowly rose up accompanied by the hopeful tune of the orchestra.

"Oh opera, how I love your sweet sound." I sighed contentedly and worked with the sound of a hopeful voice and the setting sun illuminating my room.

So how was that? Good, bad, okay? Short yes, but this is a prologue I guess. Please let me know what you think and if I should continue!

Constructive criticism is welcome.

Haters are welcome, but will be ignored.

Question: What are some strange customs that your family currently has or practices? For me, when my mom was younger, they would take away their meat and give it to guests since it was polite. Therefore you were forced to eat your meat first and quickly or risk having it taken away.

Peace out bros!