【Mikey x OC】Criminology student Emily moves to Tokyo, secretly hoping to reconnect with her childhood friend and first love, Mikey. A chance meeting with Takemichi, another soul searching for a lost love, draws her into a web of shared longing and b...
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Emily had arrived at the apartment complex where Keio University had secured her a place for the duration of her studies. The building was an old, modest structure with two floors and about eight apartments on each level. As she approached the entrance, the weathered facade and faded paint told the story of years gone by, but there was a strange charm in its quiet simplicity. A far cry from the lavish homes she had grown up in, but she wasn't looking for luxury now. This was her choice—a step toward independence.
Her apartment was on the second floor, and as she stood at the base of the narrow staircase, her heart sank a little. She sighed at the daunting task ahead—hauling her heavy trolley and suitcase up the stairs after a long day of travel. It's fine,she told herself. You wanted this. You wanted to do things your own way. Gritting her teeth, she began the climb, each step harder than the last as exhaustion clawed at her muscles.
By the time she reached the second floor, her arms felt like lead, and her legs ached from the effort. Her breath came in short gasps as she finally propped her suitcases beside her apartment door. "Victory," she muttered sarcastically, wiping the sweat from her brow. The key she had retrieved from the mailbox felt heavy in her trembling fingers. After fumbling with the lock, she pushed the door open with a creak, stepping into her new home.
The apartment was as modest as the building itself—small but functional. There was just enough space for a bed, a desk, and a built-in closet. The white walls were bare, and the furniture looked simple and worn, but Emily didn't mind. She stood still for a moment, taking it all in. "Well," she whispered, her voice soft in the stillness, "I guess for now that's good enough."
As the silence of the empty room settled around her, her chest tightened, and a strange mix of emotions washed over her. She had always been surrounded by comfort, by people—but now, she was completely alone. This is what I wanted, she reminded herself, though the ache of loneliness crept in. She dragged her suitcases inside, one by one, the sounds of the heavy bags scraping against the floor echoing in the quiet.
Emily's thoughts drifted, unbidden, to the option she had deliberately avoided. She could have easily asked her parents for help. Her father, a diplomat, would have made sure she had a more comfortable and well-furnished place. But she hadn't asked. She didn't want to. Her parents had always made sure she lived comfortably, always shielding her from hardship. This time, though, she needed to prove something—to herself more than anyone else. She needed to know she could handle things on her own.
But it wasn't just independence that had driven her decision. The memory of her last days in Japan still weighed heavily on her heart. She thought back to when she and Mikey were fifteen, before everything changed. Shinichiro, Mikey's older brother, had died suddenly and tragically. Even now, the details of his death were hazy to her, but she knew it was tied to Mikey's involvement in the Bōsōzoku—the notorious motorcycle gangs known for their wild, rebellious nature. Mikey had never let her see that side of him, and when her father found out, he had acted swiftly, decisively.
Emily had been caught off guard by the revelation, as well as by her father's reaction. He had insisted she cut ties with Mikey and his world, citing safety concerns. In a matter of weeks, her entire life had been uprooted. Her father had requested a transfer back to London, tearing her away from the only place she had ever felt truly at home. The move had felt like a punishment, and although she had understood why her father did it, the resentment had never fully faded.
Standing in the small, sparsely furnished apartment now, Emily swallowed the lump rising in her throat. The pain of that abrupt departure still lingered. The sense of unfinished business, of unresolved emotions, gnawed at her. She had never even said goodbye to Mikey. One day, she was there, laughing with him in the park, and the next, she was gone. Her father had made sure of it.
But I'm back now, she thought. I'm back in Tokyo. I'm starting over.
The apartment, though modest, was a symbol of her choice. It was a testament to her strength, her resolve to forge her own path. She dropped her bags with a sigh and looked around. Despite the emptiness, there was a sense of possibility here, a blank slate for her to fill. Slowly, she began unpacking her belongings, carefully placing each item in its new home, a quiet determination in her movements.
As she hung her clothes in the closet, she couldn't help but wonder what her life would have been like if things had been different. If she had stayed. If her father hadn't intervened. If Mikey had been a bigger part of her life. Would she still have chosen this path, studying criminology, returning to the city that held so many memories?
Once the unpacking was done, she stepped out onto the small balcony. The cool evening air brushed against her skin as she looked out over the city, alive with the buzz of neon lights and distant chatter. Tokyo, she thought. I'm back. There was an odd sense of familiarity, but also a distance—like she was a stranger returning to a place that had once been home.
She gripped the railing, her mind drifting to the boy she had left behind. Would Mikey even remember her? Or had he, like the city, moved on without her? She closed her eyes, a bittersweet smile tugging at her lips. Maybe, she thought, this is where I find out.
The apartment, small and sparse though it was, felt like the first real decision she had made for herself in a long time. It was hers—her space, her choice. And it marked the beginning of a new chapter.
Emily breathed in deeply, letting the sounds of the city ground her in the present. She was back in Tokyo, and this time, she was here to stay.
