THE COINCIDENTAL LOVE STORY

​The arrival of spring at the university did not bring the grand, cinematic transformation that the brochures always promised. Instead, it brought a heavy, humid breeze, the relentless pollen that made everyone sneeze in the middle of lectures, and the daunting, collective chatter of a brand-new semester. Students moved in dense, chaotic swarms across the brick pathways, their voices blending into a loud, low hum of summer plans and complaints about new timetables. ​For Rim, however, the changing of the seasons changed absolutely nothing. The world around him shifted from the dull gray of winter to the vibrant green of spring, but his daily routine remained entirely undisturbed, trapped in a loop of profound normalcy. He lived a thoroughly, almost aggressively average life. He often viewed himself not as a main character in a grand story, but as an NPC—a non-playable character programmed to fill space in the background while someone else lived an adventurous life. ​He had been born into a comfortable, upper-middle-class family. His household was a noisy, chaotic ecosystem dominated by an assortment of humorous, overly intrusive parents and relatives who constantly bickered over the dinner table, shared embarrassing childhood stories with neighbors, and gave unsolicited advice about his future. He loved them, of course, but their loud presence only made his own quiet, unremarkable existence stand out more. As he walked through the campus gates on that first morning, dodging groups of friends who were laughing and hugging after months apart, he harbored a single, quiet hope deep in his chest: Whatever happens, I just hope that this year is going to be interesting. ​Unfortunately, the first day back delivered immediate, crushing boredom. The professors spent hours reading through syllabi they had clearly copied and pasted from the previous year, the fluorescent lights of the lecture halls buzzed with a headache-inducing frequency, and the hours dragged by like molasses. By the time the final afternoon class concluded, the room emptied almost instantly as students rushed out to enjoy the remaining sunlight. ​Rim, lacking any such urgency, remained behind. He found himself slouching heavily against his scratched wooden desk, his cheek pressed against his forearm, staring blankly at the dust motes dancing in the sunbeams. The varnished wood felt cool against his skin, a small relief from the stuffy air of the classroom. He was entirely alone, and the silence of the room was broken only by a sudden rise in volume from the hallway outside. ​Through the open doorway, he heard a group of boys huddled in a tight circle near the lockers. Their voices carried an excited, animated buzz as they talked rapidly about a certain someone who had allegedly just transferred to the campus. Rim listened for a fraction of a second, but he didn't pay any real attention to them. Campus gossip felt incredibly distant and irrelevant to his current state of exhaustion. ​With a heavy sigh, he forced his body to sit upright, gathered his notebooks, and stuffed them into his backpack. He got up and started to walk toward the exit, his sneakers squeaking softly against the linoleum floor. The loneliness of the walk hit him harder than usual today. Typically, his best friend would be walking right beside him, making terrible jokes and complaining about the professors, but today his friend hadn't come to the university at all. Rim was completely on his own, navigating the crowded corridors like a ghost. ​He pushed open the heavy glass doors of the main building and stepped out into the courtyard. The afternoon sun washed over the campus, casting long, dramatic shadows across the grass. He had walked only a short distance down the main path when a strange sight caught his eye, interrupting his focus. Near the edge of the manicured lawn, tucked away from the main rush of traffic, he saw a girl searching for something. ​She was completely preoccupied. Rim stopped in his tracks, watching her from a distance. She moved with a sense of frantic urgency, dropping to her knees, parting the thick blades of grass with her hands, and scanning the dirt beneath the nearby shrubbery. Her backpack sat discarded on the pavement beside her, its zipper open. A sudden spark of curiosity flared within Rim, cutting through his afternoon lethargy. Instead of continuing his march toward the train station, he shifted his path and walked directly towards her. ​As he closed the distance between them, he realized just how intensely she was concentrating. She was in a low, sitting position on the turf, her shoulders tense as she reached under a thick hedge. ​Rim stopped a few feet away, clearing his throat gently so he wouldn't startle her. "Hey, what happened?" he asked, keeping his tone casual and non-threatening. ​Upon hearing his voice, she froze for a split second. Then, she tilted her head upwards towards him, blinking against the bright sunlight. ​Rim’s breath hitched slightly in his throat. Up close, her face was absolutely gorgeous. She had large, expressive eyes that were currently wide with anxiety, framed by strands of dark hair that had fallen out of place during her frantic search. Despite her striking appearance, there was a distinct lack of pretense about her. She spoke in a very low, hesitant voice, her eyes darting away for a brief moment before locking back onto his. ​"I lost something important," she said, her voice barely carrying over the rustle of the wind. ​Listening to her speak and watching the shy, guarded way she held herself, Rim instantly understood her personality type. She was clearly an introvert, someone who found themselves overwhelmed by large crowds and preferred to keep their thoughts locked safely inside. Realizing this, Rim softened his posture, trying to project a sense of reliable calm. ​"Where did you lose that important thing?" he asked, gesturing to the wide expanse of the courtyard. ​"I was just going to exit," she said, pointing a slender finger toward the heavy iron gates at the edge of the university grounds. "But then I saw a puppy outside the exit. It looked so small and lonely, so I ran towards the puppy in order to pet it." ​She paused, a flush of embarrassment coloring her cheeks as she continuing her explanation. "But during the petting, I completely lost track of my surroundings. I was so distracted by the dog that I didn't realize my bag was open. By the time I stood up and walked back over here, I realized that I've dropped my important thing somewhere along the path. This thing was literally in my hands before I saw the puppy." ​Rim couldn't help but chuckle softly at the story. It was a remarkably wholesome way to lose a valuable possession. "So, you're saying that you got distracted by a pup and lost your important thing?" he summarized, leaning down slightly. ​"Yeah," she muttered, looking down at her grass-stained knees. ​"But first, tell me, what's this important thing you're talking about?" Rim asked, genuinely curious about what kind of object would drive someone to search the campus dirt with such intensity. ​The girl hesitated. She bit her lower lip, shifted her weight from one knee to the other, and spoke in a deeply hesitant and shy manner. "It's... it's a Zaku figurine." ​Rim stared at her, completely caught off guard. His mind scrambled to process the words. "Huh? A Zaku figurine?" he repeated, his voice cracking slightly with disbelief. He had expected her to say a piece of expensive jewelry, a high-end wireless earbud, or perhaps a house key. A miniature plastic mobile suit from a classic mecha anime was the last thing he anticipated from a girl who looked like she belonged in a high-fashion magazine. ​"Yeah," she said, her blush deepening as she confirmed his suspicion. "So, you see, that figurine dropped here. I searched everywhere else along the perimeter, and this courtyard is absolutely the last place where my thing should be." ​"Umm, okay," Rim said, adjusting his backpack strap. He didn't know much about rare collectibles, but he knew what it felt like to lose something irreplaceable. "Let's find it then." ​Without another word, Rim dropped his own bag onto the pavement, walked over to the opposite side of the brick path, and dropped to his hands and knees. The two of them began a coordinated, meticulous sweep of the area. They moved slowly, parting the thick clover, checking behind the concrete planters, and peering under the low-hanging branches of the decorative trees. Passersby cast curious glances at them, but Rim ignored them entirely, focused on the absurd mission of rescuing a plastic robot. ​After about five minutes of intensive searching, they finally found it near the heavy wooden bench at the edge of the garden. The figurine had rolled into the deep shadow beneath the framework, obscured by a pile of fallen leaves. Rim spotted the distinct olive-green plastic armor and the single pink mono-eye of the miniature figure. He reached deep under the bench, his fingers brushing past cobwebs, and carefully pulled it out. ​"Finally found it," Rim announced, standing up and brushing the dust off his jeans. He walked over to her and extended his hand, holding the tiny plastic soldier between his thumb and forefinger. "Here, take it." ​The girl sprang to her feet, her face instantly lighting up with an expression of profound, unadulterated relief. "Umm... ok," she said, her voice shaking slightly as she gently took the figurine from his palm, cradling it as if it were made of spun glass. She placed it securely into the deepest pocket of her backpack and zipped it tightly. ​With the crisis averted, an awkward silence settled over them. She stood there, shifting her weight from foot to foot, before looking up at him through her bangs. "I have been wondering... are you new to the university?" she asked in a low, quiet voice. ​"No," Rim replied with a casual shrug. "I've been here a while. Which year and which major?" he asked, turning the question back to her. ​She hesitantly took a half-step back, as if talking about herself required an immense amount of effort. "Third year and Business major." ​Rim’s eyes widened in genuine surprise. He smiled, bowing his head slightly in a gesture of mock respect. "Oh! It seems you are my Senior. I am a second year, same major as yours." ​Maku blinked, her mouth opening slightly in realization. "Oh, that's surprising," she murmured, a genuine smile breaking through her shy exterior. "Yeah, you're right. Oh, and what's your name? I am Maku, she said." ​"And my name is Rim, if you're wondering," he replied, pointing a thumb at his chest. "Well, then, see ya, Senior." ​After saying that, Rim swung his backpack over his shoulder, left the university courtyard, and started walking towards his home. He reached into his pocket, pulled out his tangled earbuds, and plugged them directly into his ears. He started listening to music, letting the heavy bass and melodic rhythms wash away the lingering exhaustion of the school day. ​The walk took exactly fifteen minutes. He navigated the familiar streets, dodging traffic and pedestrian crowds, until he finally arrived at his premium residential complex. ​Because his upper-middle-class parents insisted on comfort and security, they funded a grand, expansive 2 BHK (two-bedroom, hall, and kitchen) apartment for him. He climbed the wide, polished stairs to the second floor, pulled out his keychain, unlocked the heavy timber deadbolt door, and entered the vast, quiet space. ​The apartment felt incredibly grand for a single student. A sprawling, sun-drenched living room layout greeted him, complete with sleek hardwood flooring and premium finishes. To the right stood two massive, independent bedrooms—one which he utilized as his main sleeping quarters, and the other serving as an open, spacious study and lounge space. The independent, modular kitchen was separated from the main hall by a polished granite breakfast counter. ​After he got finished up with unpacking his bag and kicking off his shoes, he decided to make some dinner to satisfy his growing hunger. He walked across the vast hall into the kitchen, grabbed the polished plastic handle, and opened his double-door fridge. ​He froze. He saw the whole fridge completely empty. ​Apart from a single jar of expired mustard and a bottle of tap water, the pristine glass shelves were utterly bare. After seeing that depressing sight, Rim felt a wave of utter hopelessness wash over him. The reality of living alone hit him hard. In his frantic preparation for the new semester over the weekend, he had completely forgotten to buy the basic "goods" and groceries for his dinner. ​Refusing to walk all the way back to the convenience store in the dark, he began a desperate search through every single cabinet in his spacious kitchen. He checked the top shelves, searched everywhere, looking for some forgotten packet of instant ramen or a stale box of crackers. Then, at long last, his fingers brushed against something metallic at the very back of a dark corner shelf. He finally found two freakin' protein bars. ​"Well, I had no other choice," he muttered to the empty room. ​He took those two things, tore open the shiny wrappers, and walked straight out through the French doors of his living room onto his large, wrap-around balcony to eat his miserable meal in the fresh evening air. He leaned his elbows against the iron railing, chewing on the dense, chalky bars while watching the streetlights flicker to life across the neighborhood. He thought about the day, about his missing friend, and about the bizarre interaction with the beautiful upperclassman who collected giant robot models. ​Then, completely out of nowhere, he started eating the bars while getting supported by the iron walls of his balcony, when suddenly he heard someone coughing loudly from the immediate right. ​Startled, Rim turned his head sharply towards that direction. He stared across the narrow, two-foot gap that separated his spacious balcony from the adjacent one, and there he saw the unexpected. It was the girl from before, standing on the other balcony, holding a glass of water. ​After seeing each other, both of them were completely stunned and surprised. Maku stared at him with wide eyes, her glass frozen halfway to her mouth, while Rim nearly choked on his protein bar. ​Rim recovered his senses first. He leaned over the rail and asked her, "Hey, what are you doing here?" ​She set her glass down on the balcony ledge, her cheeks flushing under the twilight sky. "I shifted here three days ago," she said softly. ​"Oh, gosh, my bad," Rim said, shaking his head at the pure absurdity of the coincidence. "I had absolutely no idea anyone had moved into this unit." ​Maku tilted her head, her eyes dropping down to the half-eaten wrappers in his hands. "But... why are you eating protein bars for dinner?" she asked, a genuine note of concern cutting through her usual shyness. ​Rim rubbed the back of his neck, feeling a wave of embarrassment. "Well, I forgot to buy the ingredients for my dinner," he admitted. ​Maku looked at him for a long, quiet moment, her expressive eyes scanning his tired face. "I have some food left," she offered, her voice dropping to an even softer register. "If you want, you can come to my house and eat it, she said." ​Rim didn't let pride or social awkwardness get in the way of a home-cooked meal. His stomach let out a loud rumble as if in agreement. "I accept the offer!" he said, quickly wrapping up his trash. ​He walked out of his grand front door, took three paces down the carpeted hallway, and knocked on the door of unit 2B. A moment later, Maku unlocked the door and stepped aside to let him in. Rim walked into her apartment, and his jaw instantly dropped to the floor. Her apartment room was full of anime posters. Huge, colorful wall scrolls of giant robots, magical girls, and cyberpunk landscapes covered every square inch of available drywall. Glass display cases lined the living room, packed to the brim with beautifully painted figures, including an entire shelf dedicated to various iterations of the Zaku mobile suit. ​Rim turned to her, his eyes wide with awe. "Hey, do you love anime this much?" he asked, gesturing wildly to the room. ​She shyly looked away, fidgeting with the edge of her oversized sweater. "Yes," she whispered. Then, trying to steer the conversation away from her intense hobby, she looked up and added, "Oh, ok... but why did you invited me... I mean, why did you agree to come for dinner? Well, first of all, I had some food left and second, you helped me to find my thing." ​She gestured toward a small wooden dining table where a steaming bowl of rice and savory stir-fried vegetables sat waiting. Rim sat down eagerly, and then he ate the dinner while Maku sat opposite him, sipping tea. As the warmth of the food filled his stomach, the conversation grew easier, and Rim learned some things about her. ​First of all, she liked watching anime way too much, spending most of her weekends binging classic series. Second, she lived entirely on her own because she only had a father, who worked a high-demand corporate job in a distant city. She wasn't an introvert nor an extrovert; she occupied a comfortable middle ground right in the center. She was not that much shy, yet not too bold either. And at last, during their conversation, she revealed her full name: "Maku Hill." ​After thanking her for the wonderful meal, Rim returned to his own massive apartment. He walked past his open secondary study room and retreated straight to his primary master bedroom. He lay awake in his large bed, staring at the dark, vaulted ceiling, his mind completely hyper-focused on the evening's events. He was on his bed thinking about these things, when suddenly something clicked in his mind. ​Her surname... Maku Hill... ​"Her surname, I've heard it before," he muttered aloud to the quiet room. The name resonated with a strange familiarity, tracing an old memory deep in his brain, but he simply couldn't remember where he had heard it. He racked his brain for answers, trying to connect it to old high school classmates, family friends, or news articles, but nothing surfaced. So, noting that it was getting incredibly late, he decided to stop thinking about it and finally slept. The mysteries of the universe could wait until morning; for now, the background character had finally found a glimpse of an interesting year ahead.