It's been a week since we moved to Japan, and I've done absolutely nothing but stay in my room-eating, sleeping, and pretending to be invisible.
Mum has tried everything to get me out of the house. She bought me magazines full of "fun places to visit in Japan," but honestly, the only "fun place" I cared about was my bed.
To escape her daily "you should go outside and live a little" talks, I did the only thing I could think of-I enrolled in a short-term study program at Kyoto University. It lasts two months, and the fees were reasonable. Mum wasn't thrilled. She wanted me to explore, meet people, maybe even "find myself." But it was either this or me turning into a permanent houseplant.
So, university it was.
That morning, I had breakfast, caught the morning bus, and headed to campus. It was my first day. I already had the number of one of the program members, a guy named Keito, who I'd found in the group chat. I couldn't bring myself to text in the group, so I messaged him privately instead. He'd been super nice-helped me with registration and everything.
But now, standing in the middle of this massive campus, surrounded by hundreds of students, I regretted not coming earlier to get familiar with the place.
Kyoto University was huge.
And I was completely lost.
I tried calling Keito, but his phone was unreachable. I sent him a message saying I'd arrived, but... no reply. My chest tightened. I could feel people's eyes on me. Maybe I looked too foreign? Too pale? I suddenly became very aware of every movement, every glance. My hands started sweating, and my backpack straps were slick with my nervous grip.
Someone brushed past me roughly, muttering something i didn't understand, probably meant "Move it, slug."
(Note: the person actually said I'm really sorry)
That was it. I needed to get out.
"Forget the classroom," I mumbled under my breath, turning around to make my escape-
-only to bump face-first into someone's chest.
A very firm chest.
Strong hands caught me by the arms before I could stumble backward.
"Oh my God, I'm so sorry!" I blurted, stepping away to regain my balance.
When I looked up, every coherent word left my brain.
Because standing in front of me was possibly the most unfairly handsome man I had ever seen.
Pitch-black hair, dark hazel eyes that almost glowed under the sunlight, a sharp jawline, perfect nose, and lips that could easily cause international conflict.
When people say "God has favorites," they're talking about him.
"Well, hello," the perfectly sculpted man said with a soft smile.
My brain froze.
"I-uh-sorry, sir. I wasn't looking," I stammered, stepping back until he dropped his hands.
"You can drop the 'sir' thing," he said, slipping his hands casually into his pockets. "I'm Enkai. Anything I can help you with?"
"Um, yeah. My name's Charlie," I said, trying (and failing) to sound confident. "I'm here for a short-term study program, but my friend isn't answering his phone, and I... don't really know where to go."
He smiled again, and I swear it should've been illegal for one person to look that good.
He was taller than me-by at least three inches-and I wasn't exactly short. His deep voice, calm posture, and perfect English made him seem like the rich, old-money type of guy from those Netflix dramas.
Meanwhile, I probably looked like a lost intern with a bad haircut.
"Hey," he said, tilting his head slightly, snapping me out of my trance. "You still here?"
His face was suddenly way too close. I could feel his breath on my cheek. My brain short-circuited.
"S-sorry!" I blurted, jumping back. "I zone out sometimes. It's, uh... a bad habit."
He chuckled softly. "It's fine. Everyone's got bad habits. You can live with them, control them, or just get rid of them-it's your choice."
His voice was deep but comforting, like warm coffee on a cold day. For reasons I couldn't explain, his words actually calmed me.
"Well," he continued, "I can show you to your classroom, if you want."
"Uh, sure," I said before I even thought about it. Totally forgetting that two minutes ago, I was about to flee the building.
He turned and started walking. I followed awkwardly a few steps behind until he stopped and glanced at me.
"Walk beside me," he said, his tone smooth but firm. "I don't bite."
That voice. It wasn't fair.
"O-okay," I mumbled, hurrying to his side.
We walked together through the hallway, and I couldn't help but wonder-was he a student? A teacher? No way he was a teacher, right? No one that good-looking should be allowed to hand out homework.
He stopped at a classroom door and looked down at me, amusement flickering in his eyes.
"Is it normal for you to ogle at people?" he asked with a little smirk.
Wait-ogle?
Excuse me?!
"I wasn't ogling!" I said, instantly defensive. "I was just... looking. You look like a movie star! And it's not every day you see someone like that, you know?"
Smooth, Charlie. Real smooth,why the fuck are you complimenting him! ugh how much more would I embarrass myself.
His smirk deepened, clearly enjoying my embarrassment. "Whatever you meant," he said lightly, "we'll save that for another day. See you later, Charlie."
He chuckled softly and walked away, his laughter echoing down the hall.
And for some reason, hearing my name in his voice felt... different. Soothing.
Would I see him again?
Probably.
Did I want to?
Absolutely not. The man looked like trouble wrapped in designer clothing.