Stepping out of the train station with Sakura, into the heart of the city where Todai resided, felt like entering a different energy field. The pace was faster, the buildings seemed grander, and there was an undeniable buzz of ambition in the air. This was Sakura's world now, and for the next couple of days, it would be mine too.
Sakura was the perfect guide, navigating the city with ease, her excitement infectious. She took me to the university campus first. It was massive and impressive, a complex of modern buildings and older, more traditional structures. Seeing her walk through the campus, pointing out buildings, telling me about her classes and favorite spots, felt special. It was like seeing her in her element, this brilliant, capable girl who was also somehow my girlfriend.
She showed me her department building, the main library (even bigger than the one I was excited about at my university), and the student center. Everywhere we went, I saw students who looked incredibly focused, intelligent, and driven. The pressure of the environment was palpable, even to an outsider like me.
"This is... a lot," I commented, looking around the busy campus quad.
Sakura smiled. "It is! But you get used to it! Mostly!"
She seemed comfortable here, navigating the crowds, exchanging brief greetings with people she recognized. It was her community now.
We stopped for lunch at a cafe on campus. As we were talking, a group of students approached our table. Sakura introduced me.
"Hiroshi-kun, these are some friends from my history seminar. This is Kenjiro, this is Mika, and this is Ren."
My heart did a slight skip. Kenjiro. Another one. From her history seminar. The one who had already published a paper. He looked exactly as I imagined – sharp, confident, with an intelligent gaze. Mika and Ren also looked bright and engaged.
"Hi," I said, managing a polite smile, feeling that familiar prickle of inadequacy surface. They were clearly all very smart, very Todai.
They were polite, asking me about my university, my major. I answered honestly, trying not to sound too impressed or too intimidated. They listened, nodded, but their attention seemed to naturally gravitate back to Sakura, discussing upcoming lectures, seminar topics, and campus events.
Kenjiro was particularly focused when talking to Sakura, his questions insightful, his comments articulate. He treated me politely, but his main interaction was clearly with her, as a peer in their shared academic world. I was the boyfriend visiting from... somewhere else.
Sakura made an effort to include me, occasionally turning to me and explaining something, or subtly taking my hand under the table. Her connection to me was evident, even in this new environment, surrounded by her new friends.
After they left, I turned to Sakura. "They seem... really smart," I said, stating the obvious, but also hinting at my insecurity.
Sakura squeezed my hand. "They are, Hiroshi. Everyone here is really bright."
"Kenjiro seems... particularly impressive," I commented.
Sakura smiled faintly. "He is. Very driven. Like my father!"
The comparison, while perhaps intended to be lighthearted, reinforced the connection between her new world and her family's expectations. People like Kenjiro were the natural inhabitants of the future she was expected to thrive in.
Being in her world, seeing the kind of people she was surrounded by, highlighted the gap. It was a test of my own confidence, my ability to stand beside her in this demanding environment without feeling completely out of place. The visit was wonderful because I was with her, but it also brought the reality of our different paths, and the kind of world she inhabited, into sharp relief. The journey to her world was exhilarating because I was with Sakura, but it was also a quiet challenge to my own place in the picture.