It's the 30th of August, 6 AM, Tokyo, Japan.
I just moved into my new apartment in Tokyo yesterday. -It's a pretty small, modern apartment, not far from the famous Shibuya crossing.-
And when I arrived here for the first time, right after crying out from happiness, and embracing this new home with some fresh, positive energy, I fell asleep right on the floor. My body just stopped working all of a sudden, and I gave in. I was incredibly exhausted after a long flight and hours of packing and preparing myself to come here. It was all I could think of for the last 2 months. So many things, worries, and fear… I was really stressed out.
But right now It's the other day. Big windows let the morning sun in, brightening the interior. The sun beams shine right into my eyes, waking me up. I stretch up a little. My back really hurts, and my eyes are sore from the short and inqualite sleep I got. Although I feel like falling apart, I somehow can't but feel happy. My body's flowing with energy, yet I remain calm, enjoying this moment of waking up at my own place for the first time.
I open the window, and let the air of a new day come in.
My apartment is literally so beautiful. I have a lot of natural sunlight here, and it smells new. This apartment is like a little, 2-floor, simply designed cube with a lot of space for my creativity. The whole place is styled into light colours, making it really modern and cute. It's still unequipped. There is just a very few basic furniture, including a small, round dining table for one, maximally two people. It's placed right next to the window, providing me with a beautiful view on the street when I sit down.
I begin to think of how I even managed to get here. When I was little, I never imagined I would want to live abroad, without my dear mother and father. Especially not in such a small apartment that I myself 'll have to take care of. I was always so scared of the future, worrying about how am I gonna survive, pay my taxes, iron my clothes, or wash my hair without my mother's help... I always wanted to be a fashion designer or a cashier, and just live a comfortable life with my family somewhere. But my dreams have changed, and now I'm here.
.
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.
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I'm making a list of things to do today. I can't decide what to do first. Should I buy equipment first or groceries…? I decide to go buy some food first, since I need it to survive. It's already 11AM, and I'm starving.
As I'm getting ready to go, somebody knocks on my door. I wonder who it could be. The only person I know here so far is one of the owners - Grandma Hanako. She is a very welcoming old lady that builds the community here. She gave me my keys yesterday and showed me around. The whole time she had a very neat smile on her face, and she was indeed really kind too.
Anyways, I open the door. I am surprised. It's not Hanako. Instead it's a girl. She looks my age, slightly taller, she's got long black hair, and a big smile on her face. She immediately introduces herself. She's apparently very extroverted…
"Hey, I'm Yuki. Nice to meet you"
I,still a bit confused, greet her back "I'm Nikko nice to meet you too"
She just stands there, smiling and holding a tray of muffins in her hands. This moment feels random, yet not awkward.
"I heard you were moving in and so I wanted to get to know you a little, if that's okay?" She asks. Her way of speaking is full of intonation and expressiveness. She behaves like she's got ADHD or something, but It's funny in a way. She looks a little crazy, but very compelling too. There's some sense of boldness and confidence in her performing, that makes her appear cool instead of weird.
"Of course. Come in!" I say with a smile.
This sudden visit has surprised me, but I indeed feel very happy of how friendly this community here is.
So we end up sitting behind my small round table, eating the freshly baked strawberry muffins she's made. Fortunately I have two chairs! :)
Yuki is also 18, she likes to bake (obviously haha), draw, dress up, play sports, read manga…. She doesn't know anyone here either, since she moved in just a few days before me. Her brother studies here in Tokyo, and so she also decided to study here, because she loves the vibe this city gives. Her way of thinking seems very creative and artistic in general and I'm excited to get to know her better. She's very interesting and energetic.
We share so many interests and opinions too.
We've just met, but I feel like I knew her my whole life.
My social anxiety sets me so many borders to get over before I can get comfortable with someone, but she breaks them all down.
"What school are you going to attend?" She asks.
"The school of Arts and culture here in Tokyo, the field of Japanology"
"Wait, really? That means we're in the class together!"