9 ╱ 10

Another busy day. My apartment wasn't that far from my campus since it took me about fifteen minutes of walking. On my way, the same scene still happened. The wind breeze, pink petals, and people greeted each other. I sneered silently because it felt like there was an air of melancholy surrounded me.

"Excuse me?"

Someone poked me from behind. I stopped and took a glance. When I saw that person's face, there was no slight air about me knowing him.

What is this feeling? Some déjà vu?

"I'm sorry, but by any chance, are you going to campus too?"

I only nodded. I didn't respond that much because I wondered if I had ever met this person before. Anybody might be hurt if someone they know doesn't recognize them.

Did I meet him before? But where?

"Thank goodness. I have been following you, but I didn't dare to say hello."

"You what?" I said it aloud without thinking. It was so impulsive of me, but of course, it is creepy when someone you don't even know following you like a stalker.

"No, no, no. You have the wrong idea. I'm the new resident in room 1702 right in front of yours."

I still gave a hostile behavior because I couldn't believe a stranger so easily. The man took something from his bag pocket and gave it to me. I looked at the card, and yes, 1702 is written on it.

"See. Do you believe me now?"

"Mn. I'm sorry if I was so impolite."

"That's okay, that's okay. I'm also the one at fault since I scared you. By any chance, are you from overseas too? You spoke in English earlier."

The man talked with a cheerful voice yet had a timid attitude. The day when we met—uh not a meeting—for the first time was shocking because I literally considered him as a rude person. I looked at the man carefully and calculated almost everything about the man's figure.

Yup, he's taller than me, great body figure and good looking.

"Oh, did I? You also have a mystic aura around you. Like, hmm, I don't know. Overseas too?"

"Yes. I'm Japanese, but I was born and raised in Vancouver. How about you?"

I see. He is also by himself, just like me...

"Really? I'm Japanese too, and I lived in New York for two years. My parents are still there, though."

We decided to walk side to side because the time wouldn't wait for us to finish.

"Oh right, I'm Saito Yuusuke. Just call me Yuu. I'm taking civil engineering as my major. And you?"

"I'm Watanabe Syo, you can call me Syo. But, wait, civil engineering? Me too!"

An interesting coincidence!

I was excited because it felt like we were meant to be together. From overseas, living in the same apartment, and the same major.

"Wow, you look so excited. I can't deny it since I also feel the same."

Yuusuke suddenly stopped walking, and I instantly did the same. That time, Yuusuke's face got closer, and I was perplexed.

What does he want to do? He's too close...

"Wow, when I see your face carefully, you have a little mole under your left eye."

My face and ears perhaps were almost as red as a tomato because Yuusuke said an embarrassing statement so abruptly.

"S-stop that! Don't get closer."

"That's pretty."

Yuusuke whispered it right to my ear. Right then, I didn't even know how I looked like, whether a tomato or a freshly boiled lobster.

"Yuu, stop teasing me!"

"Oh my God, your ears... I'm sorry."

Syo, your mole is so pretty if I look at it closely...

"Syo?"

What was that earlier?

✩｡:*•.───── ❁ ❁ ─────.•*:｡✩

↫ 𝘧𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘩𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬

After the class arrangement, everyone went to their designated class. The welcoming ceremony was a tiring event since the headmaster was a talkative one. I picked a seat near the outside window, right on the third row. I didn't recognize anyone at all in the class, and they seemed to know each other since middle school.

"Syo~ We're in the same class!"

It's Ren!

"That surprised me!"

Everyone's attention was suddenly on us. Maybe it was because of Ren's shout earlier.

"Wow, Ren is in the class too!"

Everyone knows and likes him...

"Syo, why are you laughing?" Ren asked.

"Ah, no. Just, I worried for nothing."

Ren took a seat beside me. In a split second, almost the whole class surrounded his place. I felt a little annoyed because it was too crowded and noisy. I looked outside the window because the sky was clear, and the view was mesmerizing.

"Syo, what are you looking at?"

"Eh, what are you doing!?"

Ren rested his chin on my shoulder, and it made me flipped for a moment. My heart was pounding so hard because the whole class was looking at them.

"I'm wondering what you are looking at. You didn't hear me when I called you just now."

Ren stood up straight. I put my palms to my cheeks, and those were indeed hot.

"Syo? What is happening? Your face is so red, even your ears."

"No, nothing."

"Syo? Do you mean Watanabe Syo?"

Someone crashed into our conversations. I looked up, and the boy was almost on the same height as Ren.

"Mn, he is."

"Really!?" The boy hit my table abruptly.

"Ah, hi. I'm sorry, but this is?"

"Syo-chan! I'm hurt! It's me, Kazu. We always went home together. Remember?"

I tilted my head a little. I tried to recall and searched an archive in my head about the boy Kazu right in front of me.

"Miyasaki Kazuya? Wow, it's been a long time. I'm sorry because you look much different."

"Hmm, it's weird." Ren sat on my table and looked at me.

"What is it?" A harmonious question from Kazuya and me.

"I mean, why did you know it was me at first sight? I change a lot, too. Do I still have baby fat? Or what? Tell me~"

Ah, that's right...

"Was he? So unfair! We used to be in the same class since first grade until graduation. And Syo, you only recognize Ren at first sight."

"Come on, tell me~"

Ren totally changed into a spoiled one, like a little boy wants to be bought something that he wants. Even his voice tone changed because he made it cute.

"Stop that. I don't know either, maybe it's fate?"

I laughed. Kazuya was also dumbfounded. Ren somehow avoided my gaze and just looked away outside the window while closing his mouth with his hand.

"Sorry, that was a lame joke. Maybe it was because Kazu has changed a lot like he's not using glasses anymore."

"Ren? Why are you quiet all of a sudden?" Kazuya patted Ren's shoulder.

"A-ah, sorry. Really? Yes, Kazu doesn't wear glasses anymore. Yes, yes, that must be the reason."

But it was Ren who called me at first. I wonder how he recognized me...

"Ren, how did you recognize me?"

"Ah, it's easy, hmm..."

I gave puppy eyes while waiting for an answer. I didn't expect a lot, but I just wanted to listen to the reason. After a moment of waiting, Ren didn't answer, and I became impatient.

Ren smiled and pointed under his own left eye with his finger.

✩｡:*•.───── ❁ ❁ ─────.•*:｡✩

𝑭𝒐𝒓 𝒇𝒂𝒔𝒕 𝒖𝒑𝒅𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒔, 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒎𝒆 𝒐𝒏 𝑾𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒑𝒂𝒅 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒎𝒆 𝒖𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒏𝒂𝒎𝒆

𝐜𝐡𝐮𝐧𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐮 ┊ 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟎

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