The Boy From room 4 - C

"Dr. Maddox, the VIP patient has arrived. Nasa Room 709 na po." Napatingin si Aira mula sa clipboard na hawak niya. “Sino raw?” tanong niya habang inaalis ang stethoscope sa leeg. “Confidential po ang name, pero sabi ng assistant niya, galing sa prominent family. Urgent case daw,” sagot ng nurse. Aira simply nodded. Sanay na siya sa mga ganitong request. Being one of the youngest specialists in the hospital, she’d dealt with all kinds of high-profile patients. Pero kahit sanay, there was something about this case that felt… different. She stepped into Room 709, her steps calm, collected. “Good evening, I’m Dr. Ai—” She froze. Sitting on the hospital bed, with an IV attached and a familiar gaze that knocked the air out of her lungs—was him. Ren Sakamori. Mas matured na ang itsura niya. His hair was slightly longer, his jaw more defined, but those eyes… the same eyes that once made her heart skip. “Hey,” he said, his voice deeper, calmer. “Long time, Aira.” For a few seconds, she couldn’t speak. Parang lahat ng iniwasan niyang alalahanin biglang bumalik sa isang iglap. The heartbreak. The goodbye. The promise she made to never look back. And yet here he was. Smiling like nothing had changed. “Ren…” she whispered, barely audible. “Bakit ikaw?” Aira's POV New school. Same old nerves. Isang mabigat ma buntong hininga as I entered Hoshigaoka University's main gate, my suitcase rolling quietly behind me. It felt surreal—walking into a Japanese university as a transferee, alone, with only a printed map and a list of orientation requirements. May mga estudyanteng nag uunahan, nag tatawanan, some with earbuds in, some too busy to notice the quiet girl standing still in the middle of the crowd. Ako 'yun. I checked my dorm key: Room 3-B. As I headed toward the dorm building, I heard a soft thud behind me. My notebook slipped out of my tote and hit the pavement. Before I could turn, someone picked it up. "Here," a calm voice said in English with a Japanese accent. I looked up—and saw him. Messy dark hair, clean uniform, sleepy eyes. He wasn't smiling, but he didn't look unfriendly either. He handed me the notebook without a word and continued walking past me like it was nothing. But I saw it. Room 4-C nakasulat sa key niya. I stood there, still holding my notebook, heart beating a little faster than usual. I didn't even know his name. Di bale na nga lang. My room was small but clean—bed by the window, desk near the closet, soft cream-colored walls. Simple. Safe. And quiet. I unpacked slowly, trying to calm down. I shouldn't be overthinking a stranger returning my notebook, pero something about him... lingered. I didn't even get to say thank you properly. I glanced at the wall beside my bed. If my dorm was Room 3-B, then Room 4-C should be just across the hallway. I bit my lip, debating with myself. Kakatok na ba ako sa pinto niya, to say thank you? No. That's weird. ...Or maybe not? Ugh, why am I like this? I decided to go get some water from the dorm kitchen instead. When I opened the door, I almost crashed into someone. "Sorry—!" Na pa atras ako. It was him again. This time, he looked just as surprised to see me. He was holding a cup of instant coffee, steam rising lazily. "You're... the girl from earlier," he said. "Yeah," I managed. "Aira. I just moved in." He nodded. "Ren. Ren Sakamori." Of course his name had to sound that perfect. "You dropped this." He held out a small bookmark I hadn't even noticed was missing from the notebook. A pressed flower was sealed inside it—my mom gave it to me before I left home. I took it carefully. "Thank you... again." He gave the smallest nod, turned to walk back to his room, then paused. "You live across?" he asked. "Room 3-B." "Hmm." He didn't say anything else—just went inside and gently closed the door. I stared at his door for a few seconds before heading back to mine, heart beating in a rhythm I hadn't felt in a long time. Was it possible to feel a connection from just a few words? Or baka kasi ako lang mag isa, or baka malungkot lang ako at nangingila pa. Either way, one thing was clear: Ren Sakamori wasn't just the boy from Room 4-C anymore. He was the first person here who made me feel seen. First day of class. I stared at my schedule, double-checking the room number: Building B, Room 201. General Psychology. I clutched my notebook and headed up the stairs, doing my best not to trip and embarrass myself. Nang sa pintuan palang ako ng silid, ay halos mapuno na ng mga estudyante ang ang mga upuang nakahilira sa loob. Most of the students were chatting in Japanese. Some glanced at me, but no one said anything. I found a seat in the second row, near the window. I was early. As usual. I pulled out my pen and started doodling flowers on the corner of my page just to calm down. Then, the door opened again. Napa angat ang mukha ko. Ren. He scanned the room, quiet as ever, then—of all the empty seats—he sat right next to me. My heart betrayed me. Calm down, Aira. It's just a seat. Just a seat. He didn't say anything for a while. Just placed his bag on the floor and leaned back in his chair. Then he asked, "Same class?" I nodded. "Apparently." "Are you good at this subject?" "Psychology?" I shrugged. "I like observing people, if that counts." He smirked—barely, but I saw it. "I'll copy your notes, then." I almost laughed, surprised at the sudden playfulness in his voice. "Only if you say please." He turned to me, his tone flat again. "Please." I bit back a smile. We didn't talk much after that, but something about sitting beside him made the room feel less intimidating. It was strange how natural it felt, like we had been classmates before. Like maybe, in another life, we already were. When the professor entered, everyone quieted down. I glanced sideways just once. Ren was already looking out the window. I wasn't sure what he was thinking. But I knew one thing for sure— This semester just got a lot more interesting. After class, I followed the stream of students heading toward the canteen. The smell of yakisoba, and coffee filled the hallway. Bigla tuloy kumulo ang tiyan ko. I scanned the crowd, clutching my tray, wondering where I could sit without looking like a total loner. Most tables were already full, and I didn't recognize anyone—until I saw him. Ren. Alone at the corner table. Headphones in, casually eating katsu don like the world didn't exist. I debated for a second. Should I...? Bago pa ako umayaw e tila may sariling isip ang mga paa ko. "Is this seat taken?" He looked up, slightly surprised. Then he nodded toward the empty chair. "No. Go ahead." I sat across from him, trying not to be awkward. "Thanks." He took out one earbud. "You eat quietly too, or should I be prepared for small talk?" I smiled. "That depends. You open up to people easily, or should I be prepared for one-word replies?" He gave a quiet laugh, shaking his head. "Touché." We ate in comfortable silence for a while, then he said, "You're brave." I looked up. "Why?" " Sitting with someone you barely know." I shrugged. "Better than eating alone." He nodded. "Fair." I don't know why that moment felt so easy. Maybe it was the warm food. Maybe it was the way Ren didn't try too hard—he was just... there. And for once, so was I. As I finished my drink, he suddenly said, "By the way... your Japanese is pretty good." My eyes lit up. "Wait, you noticed?" "You have an accent. But it's kind of cute." I choked on my tea. He smirked again, and this time, it was more obvious. Okay. Dangerous. The boy from Room 4-C is dangerous.