#chapter 1

Chapter 1: The New Neighbor

The city was alive.

From his small balcony, Eiji could hear the world moving: the steady rhythm of footsteps on the pavement below, the faint chorus of cicadas humming in the late summer heat, and the rustling of leaves in the trees that lined the narrow street. It was different from home, where nights had been quiet, filled only with crickets and the soft voices of his family.

Now it was just him.

He stepped back into his apartment and rubbed his palms together nervously. Cardboard boxes towered around him like miniature mountains, and his futon was still folded neatly in the corner, untouched. The air smelled faintly of fresh paint and cleaning supplies, but underneath it lingered his own scent—jasmine, soft and airy, the way his mother once described it. Comforting to others, yes, but to Eiji it only reminded him of how vulnerable he felt.

He pressed a hand over his chest. It’ll be okay. You came here for a new beginning. Just breathe.

And then—

Knock, knock.

The sound jolted him. Eiji blinked, heart skipping. Who would be knocking at this hour? He padded softly to the door, bare feet brushing the cool wooden floor, and hesitated before opening it.

The door swung inward.

Standing there was a man who seemed almost too tall for the narrow hallway, his shoulders broad, his posture relaxed yet carrying a quiet strength. Dark hair fell slightly into his eyes, and his features were sharp but not severe—more like a calm presence carved into human form.

But it wasn’t his appearance that stunned Eiji.

It was his scent.

Cedarwood. Earth after rain. A steady warmth that wrapped around him like a heavy blanket.

Eiji’s Omega instincts stirred instantly, unbidden, making his throat tighten. His pulse quickened. He swallowed.

“Hi,” the man said, his voice deep—gentle, not overbearing. “I’m your next-door neighbor. Thought I’d welcome you properly.”

Eiji stared, lips parting soundlessly for a moment before he managed a soft, “O-oh… hello.”

The man extended a small paper bag toward him. “Some tea. My grandmother always made it for new neighbors. Said it helps people settle in.”

Eiji’s gaze flickered from the man’s hand to his face. Slowly, carefully, he accepted the bag. His fingertips brushed the Alpha’s skin.

And there it was—a spark, faint but undeniable.

Eiji’s breath hitched. For the smallest moment, he felt… safe. The Alpha’s presence seemed to soothe something deep inside him, as if the restless nerves in his chest had been waiting for this exact warmth to quiet them.

His eyes darted up, meeting the Alpha’s gaze.

Dark eyes, steady and calm, lingered on him with a quiet intensity. Not the predatory kind he had always feared from Alphas, but something else—something measured, patient.

Heat rushed to Eiji’s cheeks. He stepped back instinctively, the door frame suddenly feeling like his only anchor. “T-thank you. That’s very kind of you.”

The Alpha gave the faintest smile. Not wide, not practiced—just real. “I’m Ren.”

“Eiji,” he replied softly, his own name sounding small in comparison.

Ren inclined his head in a subtle bow, a gesture of respect. “If you need anything, Eiji, just knock. Walls here are thin—I’ll probably hear you before you do.”

That made Eiji’s lips twitch in the ghost of a smile, though he quickly hid it by looking down. “I’ll… keep that in mind.”

Ren didn’t linger. With one last nod, he turned and walked down the hallway, his steps measured, quiet.

Eiji closed the door gently, then leaned against it, the cool wood pressing against his back as he clutched the paper bag to his chest. His heart was still racing, every beat echoing in his ears.

The scent of cedar still lingered in the hallway—and in his memory.

He pressed his face against the bag, the faint fragrance of dried tea leaves mixing with his own jasmine scent. It was silly, he told himself. He had only just met this man. But the warmth in his chest refused to fade.

Why does it feel like I’ve known him forever?

Eiji sank slowly to the floor, tea bag cradled in his lap, as a smile tugged at his lips despite himself. For the first time since moving here, he didn’t feel quite so alone.

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