Entry #1

Aeri’s phone buzzed incessantly in her hand. She scrolled through the storm of messages from the group chat with her friends as she stood in the lobby by the elevator, impatiently pressing the button every two minutes or so. Eventually, the elevator doors slid open, and Aeri quickly stepped inside, pressing the button for her floor. Just as she was about to press the button that closed the doors, a tall man was balancing a cardboard box in his arms and his phone cradled between his ear and shoulder.

His voice was low, smooth, and rapid, speaking fluent Japanese as he balanced his phone on his shoulder. Aeri glanced at him briefly, catching the faint scent of cologne mixed with sweat—the kind that suggested he’d been up and about all day. His head turned slightly, his dark eyes meeting hers for a fleeting moment before passing a quick smile at her and shifting back to his conversation.

“Hey, sorry—I got to go,” he said into the phone in Japanese, shifting the weight of the box to take his phone off his shoulder and hung up with a sigh. He adjusted his grip on the box, the muscles on his bare forearms contracting as he shoved his phone in his back pocket. Aeri couldn’t help but notice how they flexed with the action, strong and defined. “I swear this thing is heavier than it looks.” He muttered.

He looked up from the box, his eyes finding hers. A small grin tugged at the corner of his lips. “Hey,” he responded in Korean, his accent clear but not quite fluent. “New to the neighbourhood?”

“No. I live here,” she responded back in Korean.

“Oh, really?” He replied, his tone slightly surprised. His eyes darted over her, taking note of her presence. “Guess I’m the one that’s new then.”

“Do you need help with that?” she asked in Japanese, pointing at the box.

His eyebrows shot up in surprise, evidently not expecting her to know the language. He shifted the box in his arms, a hint of amusement in his eyes as he tilted his head to the side. “You speak Japanese?” He asked, abandoning Korean altogether.

“Yeah. It’s my first language. I’m half Japanese and half Korean.”

A smile tugged at the corner of his lips, his eyes roaming over her features with new appreciation. “Ah, that explains it. You don’t look like the average foreigner.”

“Well... I was born here in South Korea and raised in Japan.” She shrugged like it was no big deal.

He nodded, intrigued. “That’s quite the international life you’ve led,” he mused as the elevator rumbled to a stop on the third floor. “You wear your multiculturalism quite well. It suits you.”

“Thanks… I try,” she giggled, becoming shy all of a sudden.

He chuckled, the sound deep and soothing. “Well, you’ve succeeded,” he added with a small smile as the doors slid open, revealing the hallway outside. “Anything else I should know about you, multicultural queen?”

Aeri rolled her eyes. “I speak English and a bit of French if that helps.”

“You’re a multilingual girlie, too. Interesting,” he mused, speaking in perfect English.

Now it was Aeri’s turn to be surprised. “You speak English?”

“Fun fact about me: I was born in Japan and grew up in the US. I’m also half Japanese and half Native American.” He revealed with a smirk. “So, I guess we’re both on the same boat in having multicultural backgrounds.”

“Oh wow…” Aeri commented, taking in his appearance. His hair was cut very short, almost as though it had been shaved off. He had defined cheekbones and jawline with a light moustache and goatee, as well as dark and expressive, subtly almond-shaped eyes and a warm, sun-bronzed complexion that could easily belong to someone who was connected to both the land and sea.

He didn’t fit the standard look that most Japanese men had, but Aeri would be lying if she didn’t find that attractive, along with his playful and laid-back personality.

He stepped out, adjusting the box in his arms with a slight grunt.

“You sure you don’t need help?” Aeri pressed, stepping out as well.

He paused, a hint of stubbornness on his face. “I’m good. I can handle it,” he assured her, but there was a slight falter in the way the box wobbled in his grip, before he managed to catch himself. 

“I’m Aizawa Hideyoshi, or Hide, by the way. Spelt H-I-D-E but pronounced Hee-day. Hyde would be my English name, but spelt with a Y instead of an I.”

“Wow... that’s quite the explanation,” Aeri commented, intrigued.

He chuckled, his gaze sheepish. “Yeah, I know. It’s a mouthful. But it makes it easy to find me in a crowd.” Hide glanced down at the box, then back at her. “You haven’t told me your name yet.”

“Uchinaga Aeri, or just Aeri. Spelt A-E-R-I in Korean and E-R-I in Japanese.”

His eyes lit up. “Korean and Japanese variations of Aeri, huh? I like it.” He flashed her a grin. “Sounds like the perfect combo.”

“Thanks...” she chuckled.

“Just telling the truth,” he replied, the box shifting in his arms again. He was leaning slightly to the right now, obviously struggling with the weight. Despite his earlier stubbornness, he didn’t seem to want to admit that he needed help.

Aeri chuckled again and took the box from him, but not before almost stumbling due to the weight. “Holy shit. Are you carrying bricks or what?”

His eyes widened, clearly caught off guard. “Careful!” he warned, putting his hands under hers to steady her and support the weight of the box in her hands. He let out a sheepish chuckle. “Yeah, I know. It’s heavy as hell. Sorry. Didn’t quite realise just how heavy it was.”

“What even is in here?”

“Just odds and ends,” he explained, watching as she struggled. “Camera equipment.”

“Are you a photographer or a content creator?”

His response was quick. “Something like that,” he said noncommittally, the hint of a smile on his face.

“Oh? What kind of content do you do…?” she prodded.

His eyes flicked to hers, and he chuckled. “How curious you are,” he teased, his tone light-hearted. “Why do I feel like you’re about to interrogate me?”

“Well… I am a journalist,” she shrugged, as he took the box off her hands.

“A journalist, you say?” he noted, his gaze taking on an intrigued edge. “Is that why you’re nosy.”

“Hey, not all journalists are nosy, okay? Some of us are naturally curious and eager to know more about what we report.” Aeri put her hand on her hip as she playfully glared at him. “Anyway, where is your apartment?”

He chuckled, amused by her straightforwardness. “It’s on the other side of this U-shaped complex,” he said, nodding towards the far end of the hallway. “It’s quite the walk from here.”

“I don’t mind. I like long walks,” she said. “Plus, you look like you could use an extra pair of hands getting yourself settled.”

“O-oh, you don’t have to. I don’t want to take time out of your day,” he said quickly.

“It’s fine. I happen to have a lot of time on my hands,” she assured him.

Plus, it will keep my mind occupied from the mess that is my life right now, she thought.

Hide let out a breathy laugh, shaking his head. “You’re one stubborn woman,” he nodded in the direction of the hallway. “Come on. I’ll lead the way.”

“This is it,” he said, entering the passcode on the keypad before finally managing to swing the door open.

As he waved her in, she took a good look around. The room was moderately sized, furnished sparsely, except for the boxes scattered around. There were stacks of boxes on the island in the kitchenette, some emptied and others still sealed.

Aeri set the box down on the table as her eyes took in the surroundings. “Is this all of it?” she asked.