Act One: The Sweet Mist of First Encounters
It was a lazy Saturday afternoon, with sunlight spilling over the tree-lined paths of the university campus. Alex, dressed in his faded basketball jersey, carried a backpack and sucked on a strawberry-flavored lollipop while humming an off-key tune as he headed toward the cafeteria. As a textbook straight guy, his college life could be summed up in three words: gaming, chicken drumsticks, and sleeping. Today was no exception—he had already planned to grab a meal and then head back to the dorm for a round of League of Legends.
“Alex~” A soft, syrupy voice suddenly floated from behind him, like a gust of sugary wind. Alex froze, turning around to see a “girl” with long, flowing hair standing not far away, smiling at him. Her dark locks danced lightly in the breeze, and she wore a pink sweater paired with a white skirt, revealing a pair of dazzlingly pale legs. Holding a delicate parasol, she looked like a character straight out of a manga.
“Who are you?” Alex squinted, sizing her up. He had to admit, this “girl” was pretty good-looking—big, sparkling eyes that seemed to throw sparks, lips lightly glossed with pink, and two dimples that appeared when she smiled. That charming smile made his heart thump wildly in his chest.
“I’m Yoshigo, your new neighbor who just moved in downstairs.” Yoshigo stepped closer with a light, bouncy gait, her voice so sweet it was as if it had just been scooped out of a honey jar. “Senpai, could you take me to the cafeteria? I just transferred here and don’t know the way yet.”
Alex scratched the back of his head. Though he found this “girl” a bit overly friendly, his sense of duty as a senior kicked in, and he nodded. “Alright, follow me, and don’t fall behind.” He turned and kept walking, oblivious to the faint, sly smirk that curled up the corner of Yoshigo’s lips.