The train rattled forward with a steady hum, but inside her chest, Aya Lin felt only silence.
She sat pressed against the cold window, her reflection half-lit by the city lights flashing past. Her suitcase rested by her feet, packed in haste, zippers straining against too many clothes stuffed inside. It wasn't much—just enough to convince herself she had left with a plan, though in truth, she hadn't.
Her parents' words still echoed in her head, sharp and final.
"You're wasting your life, Aya."
"An internship? That's not a real job."
"No daughter of mine will throw away her future for some temporary position."
The argument had spiraled like wildfire—voices raised, accusations thrown, and Aya's quiet patience, finally snapping. By the end of it, her father's last words had pushed her out the door: "If you think you can live on your own, then go."
So she did.
Now, sitting alone on the evening train bound for Shinkyo City, Aya felt a strange mix of freedom and dread. Freedom because she had finally taken control of her own choices. Dread because she had no idea where to go from here.
The only person she could think of was Ren Takahashi.
Ren had been her best friend since middle school, the kind of boy who never tried to fit the mold others expected. Where Aya had always tried to please, Ren had always rebelled—with laughter, with stubbornness, with colors in his hair that changed every season. When Aya confessed to him years ago that she envied his courage, he had only grinned and said, "Courage is just fear with good timing, Aya."
Ren now lived in Shinkyo, attending university and working part-time in a café. They hadn't seen each other much recently, but he had been the only person Aya texted after storming out. His reply had come almost instantly:
Come crash at my place. I'll make space for you. Don't worry.
Aya closed her eyes and leaned her forehead against the glass. She wasn't naïve—she knew it wouldn't be easy. But Ren's words were a lifeline she desperately needed.
When she finally stepped off the train two hours later, the city greeted her with the scent of fried food from street stalls, neon lights buzzing, and a night air that felt both heavy and alive. She dragged her suitcase through the crowded platform, scanning the faces until she spotted a familiar hand waving frantically.
"Aya! Over here!"
Ren's hair was dyed a striking silver this time, falling over his eyes in soft waves. He wore a loose hoodie and jeans, his easy grin exactly as she remembered. Before she could even greet him, he pulled her into a crushing hug.
"You made it! I was worried you'd chicken out."
Aya laughed weakly against his shoulder. "I almost did."
Ren stepped back, looking her up and down. "Still in your neat skirts and blouses, huh? You really did run out straight from your parents' house."
Aya tugged self-consciously at her clothes. "I didn't exactly have time to plan a wardrobe."
"Well," Ren said with a mischievous glint, "lucky for you, I always have ideas."
His apartment was small but cozy, tucked above a bookstore on a quiet street. The stairs creaked, and the walls were thin enough to hear muffled voices from next door, but Aya felt relief just crossing the threshold. A soft couch, warm lights, a table covered in textbooks and mugs—this wasn't just a place, it was homey, lived-in, safe.
Ren flopped onto the couch dramatically. "So, you really fought with your folks, huh?"
Aya set her suitcase by the wall and sank into a chair. The weight of the night settled heavier now. "They don't understand… They think internships are useless. They wanted me to stay at home, take the job they picked, live the way they want. But I can't, Ren. Not anymore."
Ren leaned his chin on his hand, watching her quietly. "Good. About time you stopped letting them write your script."
Her throat tightened. "I'm scared."
"I know." His smile softened. "But scared means you're actually doing something real."
For a while, they just sat there in silence, Aya's breathing slowly evening out, Ren humming softly to some song only he could hear. It wasn't until the sound of footsteps echoed in the hallway outside that he suddenly straightened, expression changing.
"Oh, right. Aya…"
"What?"
Ren scratched the back of his head. "So, small detail. Our landlord is, um, super strict. No couples allowed in the building unless you're married."
Aya blinked. "Okay, but… we're not a couple."
"Exactly. But…" He gestured vaguely. "You, a girl, moving into a guy's apartment? He won't believe we're just friends."
Aya frowned. "So what are you saying?"
Ren's grin spread, equal parts devilish and excited. "Simple. You pretend to be a boy."
Aya stared at him. "Excuse me?"
"Hear me out!" Ren held up his hands. "Just for a little while—four months, tops. Once your internship pays, you'll get your salary, find your own place, and poof, problem solved. Until then, you'll be Akira Lin, my totally platonic male roommate."
Aya gaped. "Ren, that's insane!"
"Insane? Yes. Effective? Absolutely."
"I can't just… pretend to be a boy!"
"Why not? You've got the face for it. Short hair, loose clothes, a little practice lowering your voice—it'll work. I'll even help you."
Aya buried her face in her hands. "This is ridiculous."
Ren leaned forward, voice suddenly gentle. "Aya, listen. I don't want you kicked out. This place… it's the only safe space I've got. And now, it's yours too. But the only way the landlord won't make trouble is if you play along. Just for a while. Please."
She peeked at him through her fingers. His eyes were earnest, pleading, but also brimming with the same confidence that had always carried her through storms.
Her chest tightened. He was right—she didn't have other options.
Finally, she let out a shaky laugh. "You're impossible, you know that?"
Ren smirked. "That's why you love me."
Aya sighed, leaning back in the chair. "Fine. For four months, I'll be… Akira."
"Good." Ren clapped his hands together, practically glowing. "Now eat something. Tomorrow, we're going shopping. Hoodies, caps, sneakers—the works. If we're going to pull this off, we'll do it properly."
Aya shook her head, half-dreading, half-relieved.
She had left her old life behind tonight. Tomorrow, she would step into a new one—one where she wasn't Aya Lin, obedient daughter and disappointment, but Akira Lin, a boy hiding in plain sight.
And though she didn't know it yet, that one reckless decision would change everything.
✨ End of Chapter 1