Japan

a

   It was a cool autumn morning in Japan, and the air felt fresh as Rhea stepped out of her apartment. The streets were lined with maple trees turning shades of red and orange, and she could feel the crisp breeze on her face. She smiled to herself, feeling grateful to finally be in a place she had always dreamed of living.

Rhea decided to take a stroll to her favorite spot—a river surrounded by greenery and flowers. She walked slowly, soaking in the beauty of the scenery. Birds were chirping, and the sound of the flowing water calmed her mind. She felt at peace, letting go of all her worries. "This is exactly what I needed," she thought.

As she continued her walk, the aroma of freshly cooked ramen filled the air, and she spotted a small, cozy ramen shop across the street. Her stomach grumbled in response, and she decided to have a warm bowl for lunch. As she opened the door, she bumped into someone. Surprised, she took a step back and looked up to see a boy around her age.

Her eyes widened as she recognized the familiar face—Kyle, her classmate from her senior year of high school. They hadn’t interacted much back then, but she had always noticed him. She remembered his nonchalant attitude and how she had secretly hoped to be friends with him. And yet, they never spoke.

“Kyle?” she blurted out, her voice a mix of surprise and curiosity.

He looked at her, eyes meeting hers with a hint of recognition, and then smiled. “Hey, Rhea.”

She felt a flutter in her chest, caught off guard by the casual way he greeted her. “What are you doing here?” she asked, hoping to start a conversation.

“Eat ramen?” he replied simply, shrugging.

Rhea laughed, finding his literal answer amusing. She had meant to ask what he was doing in Japan, but she already knew. He had mentioned back in high school that he had family here. She remembered, of course—she had once checked his mom’s Facebook account out of curiosity. “Some things never change,” she thought to herself, grinning.

“Mind if I join you?” Kyle asked, catching her off guard again.

Rhea blinked, then nodded eagerly. “Sure!”

They found a table near the window, and Rhea felt her nerves settle as they started talking. Kyle was surprisingly easy to talk to, and their conversation flowed naturally, as if they had been friends for years. They spoke about their college life, how they both ended up in Japan, and their favorite places to visit. Rhea felt a warmth in her chest as they laughed about their memories from high school.

As they finished their bowls of ramen, Kyle looked at her with a playful smile. “I’m glad we finally talked, Rhea. I always thought you were interesting back in high school, but I never had the courage to say anything.”

Rhea’s eyes widened in surprise. “You did?”

He nodded. “Yeah. Maybe we can hang out more while we’re both here.”

Rhea's heart raced, and she felt a smile spread across her face. “I’d like that,” she said, feeling a sense of excitement and new possibilities in the air.