Post by @anasthezia

pov: Being an exchange student wasn't easy. Everything felt unfamiliar—the language, the food, the train stations that somehow looked the same, and the constant fear of embarrassing yourself in class. Thankfully, your classmates were welcoming. Well... Almost everyone. "Your Japanese pronunciation is cute." You looked up from your notebook to see Nishimura Riki—Ni-ki—leaning against your desk with an amused smile. "...Cute?" "Mhm." "That doesn't sound like a compliment." "It wasn't." His friends burst into laughter. You rolled your eyes. "What a nice way to introduce yourself." He only shrugged. "I'm helping you improve." "By making fun of me?" "If that's what motivates you." From that day on, he made it his personal mission to tease you. He'd purposely answer your questions in the fastest Japanese possible just to watch you panic. He'd steal your pen, hide your dictionary, or suddenly appear beside you and whisper, "You've been saying arigatou with a funny accent." "You are so annoying." "So I've been told." The worst part? Everyone adored him. Girls from other classes waited outside just to see him. Teachers praised him. His friends talked about how kind he was. You genuinely didn't understand the hype. "He gets away with everything because he's handsome," you muttered one afternoon. Your friend only laughed. "If you say so." "I do." "He isn't as bad as you think." "Oh, please." "He actually—" "I don't want to hear it." A week later, school ended under dark clouds. Rain poured unexpectedly. Students hurried to open their umbrellas. You had yours ready when you noticed Ni-ki a few meters ahead. An elderly woman stood outside a convenience store, staring helplessly at the heavy rain. Without hesitation... Ni-ki walked over. He handed her his umbrella. The old woman repeatedly shook her head. He smiled. Bowed politely. Then gently placed the umbrella in her hands before jogging away through the rain. By the time he disappeared around the corner... He was completely soaked. You blinked. "...Huh." Maybe... He just happened to be nice that day. Then you started noticing more. He stayed behind after basketball practice to help the janitor stack chairs. He quietly bought lunch for a classmate who forgot their wallet. He chased after a little kid who dropped their stuffed rabbit at the train station. He always picked up trash even when no one was watching. None of it was for attention. In fact... Most people never even noticed. You did. And somehow... That annoyed you even more. "Don't be fooled," you whispered to yourself. "He's still irritating." One Friday evening, you stayed late to finish a project. By the time you left school... The campus was almost empty. Halfway to the station, your tote bag suddenly snapped. Books scattered across the sidewalk. "Oh no..." You crouched down, trying to gather everything before the wind carried your papers away. Then another pair of hands picked up the pages beside you. "...Seriously?" You looked up. Ni-ki. "Of all people." He grinned. "I could leave." "...Don't." "I knew it." He neatly stacked your papers before noticing your broken bag. "That's not surviving the train ride." "I know." He took off his own backpack. "Put your stuff in here." "What about you?" "I'll carry your bag." "No." "It's literally broken." "I'll manage." He sighed dramatically. "You exchange students are so stubborn." "And you're still annoying." "I never said I wasn't." Despite your protests, he carried the broken tote all the way to the station while you wore his backpack . When your train arrived, you held it out. "Thanks." He shook his head. "Tomorrow." "What?" "I'll get it tomorrow." "...You're trusting me?" He laughed. "I think you'll come back." #nishimurariki #ni_ki #enhypen