Kaito Igarashi stood at the entrance of Meiji University, his hands buried deep in the pockets of his black hoodie, shoulders slightly hunched as if he were trying to fold himself into the air. The campus stretched wide before him, a bustling city of its own, filled with students rushing to their next class, chatting in small groups, laughing like they had known each other for years.
His throat tightened.
He adjusted the strap of his backpack and took a step forward.
The sun was unreasonably bright for a Monday morning. He blinked as he tried to process everything—rows of cherry blossom trees, bike racks overflowing with abandoned bicycles, bulletin boards plastered with posters for clubs and upcoming events.
Somewhere in the distance, a girl's laughter rang out, sharp and clear.
Kaito exhaled slowly.
College was supposed to be different from high school. He told himself that a million times over the summer, but standing here now, the world felt just as overwhelming.
No—more overwhelming. Because unlike high school, where he could hide behind the excuse of strict teachers and a rigid schedule, college was a free-for-all. No one forced you to talk, but no one held your hand either.
Kaito wished he had a map. Not of the campus—he had studied that last night. But a map for this, the unspoken social rules, the delicate art of making friends, the confidence that everyone around him seemed to exude.
His fingers clenched around the strap of his backpack.
"Alright. Just… walk. Walk first, think later."
-
Kaito's first problem with college wasn't the classes or the overwhelming number of students. It was the girls.
He wasn't oblivious—he knew he had decent looks. He had been told before, by family members, by an old teacher who compared him to a "brooding model in a fashion magazine," and unfortunately, by his overenthusiastic mother, who once announced in a crowded grocery store that her son was wasting his beauty by being a social recluse.
But the problem was, Kaito was anything but a smooth talker. He could dress well—fashion was one of the few things he understood. He liked neutral colors, well-fitted jackets, stylish sneakers. It wasn't anything over the top, but it was enough to make people notice him.
And that was the problem.
The moment he stepped into the main hall, he felt it—eyes on him.
A girl sitting on a bench nudged her friend and whispered something. Another one, standing by the vending machine, glanced at him, quickly looked away, then peeked back. He caught the flicker of curiosity, the way their expressions shifted into something resembling intrigue.
His entire body tensed.
This had happened in high school, too. But back then, the moment girls tried to approach him, he either panicked and walked away or gave the most awkward, monosyllabic responses possible until they lost interest.
So, naturally, he remained a complete enigma.
The "handsome but silent" guy. The one who never flirted back, never got caught up in drama. Some girls mistook it for coolness when in reality, it was just a desperate attempt to not embarrass himself.
It wasn't even five minutes into his college life, and it was happening again.
Kaito sighed.
Maybe if he walked a little faster, no one would—
"Hey! You're in my way."
A sharp voice cut through his thoughts, and Kaito snapped his head up just in time to see a girl standing directly in front of him, arms crossed, an unimpressed look on her face.
He had been so lost in his own head that he hadn't realized he stopped in the middle of the hallway.
"Uh… I…" His throat went dry.
The girl raised an eyebrow. She was short, maybe a full head smaller than him, but there was something **commanding** about her presence. Her dark brown hair was tied into a messy ponytail, and she wore a Meiji University varsity jacket over her uniform.
She looked familiar.
Kaito's brain went into overdrive. He knew this face. He definitely knew this face—
Wait.
No.
It couldn't be.
"...S-Sayaka?"
The girl's eyes widened slightly before narrowing into a glare. "What the hell? It took you that long to recognize me?"
Yup. It was her. Sayaka Fujimura. His childhood friend. Or, well, *former* childhood friend.
They hadn't talked properly in years. Not since middle school, when Kaito's social anxiety kicked into overdrive and he started avoiding most human interactions outside of necessary conversations.
And now, of all places, here?
"Oh, man," Sayaka groaned, rubbing her forehead. "You're still like this, huh?"
Kaito had no idea what "this" meant, but he assumed it wasn't a compliment.
She sighed. "So, what, you're just gonna stand there like a statue? No 'Hey, Sayaka! Long time no see! Wow, you've gotten cooler!' or anything?"
"I… Uh…" Kaito struggled to find words.
She stared at him expectantly.
He opened his mouth, ready to say something remotely normal, but what came out was—
"You've gotten shorter."
A dangerous silence filled the air.
Sayaka's eye twitched.
"…You wanna say that again?"
Kaito immediately regretted his life choices.
After a painfully awkward reunion with Sayaka (which ended with her calling him an "awkward giraffe" and walking away), Kaito managed to find his dorm room.
And that's when he met him.
His roommate.
Or, as Kaito would later refer to him: The Extrovert from Hell.
The moment Kaito opened the door, he was met with an explosion of noise. Loud music blasted from a portable speaker, and a guy with messy blond hair was standing in the middle of the room, aggressively unpacking while singing off-key.
Kaito stood frozen at the entrance.
The blond guy finally noticed him and grinned. "Yo! You my roommate?"
Kaito nodded stiffly.
"Sweet! I'm Haru. Haru Nishimura. What's your name?"
"…Kaito Igarashi."
Haru tilted his head. "Kaito, huh? You look like a Kaito. Kinda serious, kinda mysterious. Girls probably love you."
Kaito had no idea what to do with that statement.
Haru clapped his hands together. "Alright, new best friend, let's establish some ground rules! Number one: no being a loner.
Kaito blinked. "What?"
"I've met guys like you before. The whole 'I'm quiet and mysterious' type. Bro, you're in college! You gotta live a little!"
Haru was too much. His energy, his voice, the way he talked like they'd been friends for years. It was overwhelming.
Kaito wanted to crawl into his bed and disappear.
But Haru wasn't done. "Alright, listen. I can already tell you're socially awkward as hell."
Kaito twitched. Was he that obvious?
"Good thing you got me," Haru continued. "By the time I'm done with you, you're gonna be the most charismatic guy on campus."
That sounded terrifying.
Kaito sighed.
His college life was only just beginning, and it was already a disaster.
To be continued…