The weight in my chest lifted, and for the first time in what felt like forever, a small ray of hope broke through the suffocating darkness. My phone, the one I thought was lost forever, was back in my hands, safe and sound. It was as though the universe itself had decided to give me a small break.
I stared at the phone in my palm, feeling a mixture of relief and disbelief. I had nearly convinced myself I would never see it again, and the thought of losing it for good had me for hours. But now, here I was, clutching it like a lifeline.
The kind stranger who had found it smiled at me one last time. "Be sure to take care of your belongings, okay?" he said, his voice warm with concern, before turning to walk away. He waved over his shoulder, and I found myself nodding in gratitude.
"Thank you... so much," I whispered under my breath, but I doubted he could hear me anymore.
As the man disappeared into the crowd, I turned toward Yui, who had been quietly watching the whole exchange. She was smiling, and the warmth of her expression made my chest swell with emotion. Without thinking, I rushed toward her, throwing my arms around her in a spontaneous hug. It wasn't planned. It wasn't something I had consciously decided to do. At that moment, I was just so happy, so relieved. I just wanted to share it with someone.
The softness of her body against mine felt like a strange comfort, but after a few moments, the weight of my actions caught up with me. I suddenly realized what I had done—what I hadn't done. I had just hugged her... and we barely knew each other. We had only met two days ago. How was this okay? My face burned, and I quickly pulled away from her, feeling the heat of embarrassment flood my cheeks.
"I-I'm sorry, Yui," I stammered, looking anywhere but at her. "I don't know why I did that. I was just so happy I found my phone. I didn't mean to."
Yui's surprised expression softened, and she gave me a small, reassuring smile. "I-it's okay," she said, her voice a little shy. "I'm glad we found your phone, too."
Her cheeks were faintly flushed, and I could tell she was a little flustered, but she didn't seem upset. That made me feel a little better, but still, I couldn't believe I had done that.
"We've pretty much missed all of our lectures at this point," Yui said with a playful smile, as she glanced at the time on her phone. "How about we grab dinner and study on our own? Only if you have some free time, of course."
I chuckled, shrugging. "Yeah, sure! Let's go grab something to eat. Maybe some Korean food?"
Her eyes lit up immediately. "Yeah, that sounds perfect! I know just the place!"
I smiled at how confident she sounded. Yui was definitely the kind of person who knew exactly where to go for anything. Whether it was food, shopping, or just a quiet spot to relax. And in a city as big as this, it felt like a superpower. I envied that about her.
As we walked through the streets near the university, I couldn't help but notice how familiar the area was starting to feel. It was only our second day here, but already, the paths seemed less foreign to me. I had a feeling that by tomorrow, I wouldn't need to rely on the maps app on my phone anymore. The neighborhood had begun to feel like a second home after all the wandering we'd done together today.
Yui walked beside me, chatting happily about the place we were heading to. I found myself drifting into my thoughts, amazed at how quickly I'd adjusted to this new environment and how much easier it had been with her by my side. She was always so reliable, so sure of herself. I wanted to be like that, to have that confidence, that knowledge of the world around me.
For now, though, I was content to follow her lead. There was something comforting about having someone who knew the way.
When we finally arrived at the restaurant, the cool, air conditioned place immediately put me at ease. We took a seat across from each other and started looking through the menu. I could already feel my stomach growling, but we hadn't even ordered yet. Just as I was about to decide on something, a group of college students approached our table.
It was two girls and one boy, and for some reason, they looked oddly familiar. I wracked my brain trying to remember where I had seen them before.
"Hey guys! Are you, uh, a couple?" one of the girls asked, her voice curious. She had long brown hair and was holding a small pouch in her hands.
Before I could respond, the other girl who was wearing glasses blushed slightly and scolded her friend. "Don't you think that's a bit rude to ask?"
The boy with curly hair and freckles on his face squinted at me and then looked at Yui. "Isn't that Yui though?"
Yui seemed too embarrassed to speak up, so I took it upon myself to answer. "No, we're just friends. Do you guys know Yui?" I said, hoping to clear up the confusion.
The girl with the pouch smiled brightly. "Yeah! We were classmates during our first year of high school. Don't you remember us, Yui?"
Yui blinked for a moment, looking like she had snapped out of her embarrassment. Her face softened as she turned to them. "Of course I remember you, Anika. We actually greeted each other yesterday, remember?"
Anika's eyes widened as she chuckled lightly. "Oh, I almost forgot about that. It's just that so much happened yesterday. Forgive me, Yui," she said, her voice full of warmth.
I couldn't help but smile at Anika. She seemed genuine, extroverted but in a way that didn't come across as obnoxious. She was the kind of person you felt comfortable around almost instantly.
"Hey, can we sit here with you guys?" Anika asked, her eyes glinting with excitement. "We're all in the same class, right? Might as well get to know each other."
"Yeah, that sounds good. If you guys don't mind, of course," the boy added, his tone friendly.
Without thinking too much, I blurted out, "Yeah, go ahead, guys."
I glanced at Yui after speaking, and immediately regretted it. Her expression told me everything I needed to know, her eyes were wide, and her lips pressed into a tight line. Was she upset? Did she dislike these people? I had no idea, and now I couldn't help but feel a little awkward. Maybe I should have checked with her before inviting them over.
Anika and the other girl sat down beside Yui, while the boy casually took the seat next to me. A few moments of comfortable silence passed as we waited for our food to arrive. I could feel a faint tension in the air, especially after my hasty invitation, but no one seemed to mind.
Then, as if to break the quiet, Anika grinned and leaned forward. "Should we start by introducing ourselves?" she said, looking straight at me. "Well, I guess Yui already knows us, so we'll introduce ourselves to you."
I nodded, smiling back at her, relieved she was making an effort to keep the conversation going.
"I'm Anika. Anika Sato," she continued, her voice upbeat. "And this girl beside me is Emi. Emi's a little shy, so be patient with her, okay?"
Emi gave a small wave, her cheeks pink as she ducked her head shyly. I could tell she wasn't used to the spotlight. I smiled reassuringly at her, hoping she wouldn't feel too self-conscious.
The boy sitting beside me cleared his throat. "My name's Saku. Nice to meet you…" He paused, as if waiting for me to introduce myself.
I blinked, realizing it was my turn. "Oh, uh, I'm Sora. Nice to meet you all," I said quickly, shaking each of their hands.
Once the introductions were out of the way, a sense of ease settled over the group. It was nice to know their names, to break the ice a little. And just as I was starting to relax, the long-awaited sound of our orders being set down on the table reached our ears. The aroma of freshly prepared food filled the air, and I couldn't help but feel my stomach rumble in anticipation. It was time to eat, and finally, the awkwardness seemed to fade as we all dug in.