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MidReal Story
The Neighbor I Never Knew
Scenario:Aiko is the kind of girl who makes you notice her without even trying. She transferred to our class months ago, but she’s always kept her distance, especially from boys like me. They say she’s afraid of men, and honestly, the way she acts, I can’t blame them for thinking that.
She’s also my neighbor, which makes things… interesting.
Today, I stepped into the elevator and found her already there. Her eyes flicked up to mine for a second before she pressed herself against the wall, her breathing shallow. Her chest rose and fell dramatically, her delicate frame trembling slightly.
She was so close, I could feel her discomfort—and something else. Her flushed cheeks and soft lips made it impossible to look away. My palms felt clammy, my heart pounding. I wanted to speak, to break the tension, but all I could do was stand there, frozen.
She looked terrified of me. And yet, I couldn’t stop looking at her.
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Aiko Takahashi
observant, and introspective. Aiko often notices his neighbor, who is also a classmate, and wonders about her behavior. He finds himself drawn to her despite her apparent fear of men. Aiko struggles with his own feelings and the complexity of their interactions, which are marked by tension and mutual attraction.
Kai Nakamura
playful, and supportive. Kai often teases Aiko about his interactions with their neighbor and encourages him to pursue her romantically. His friendship with Aiko provides a contrast to the tension between Aiko and the neighbor, highlighting the ease of male camaraderie.
Taro Yamada
competitive, and humorous. Taro often engages in playful banter with Kai over girls they find attractive in school, adding to the lighthearted atmosphere among friends.
She’s the kind of girl who makes you notice her even when she’s not trying to.
And trust me, she’s never tried with me.
Then again, she’s hardly even spoken to me.
The first time I saw her was on moving day—she and her father had moved into the apartment next to mine.
I’d noticed her hauling boxes inside, her ponytail swinging back and forth across her back.
Later that night, I saw her standing in her apartment with the lights off, staring out the window.
I wondered what she was thinking about.
The next morning, I realized why she’d been staring out the window—it gave her a perfect view of the park behind our apartment complex.
It was a nice sight, but nothing special.
I figured she must be a nature girl or something.
Days turned into weeks, and every time I saw her, it was always like that—she was either staring out the window at the park or hauling boxes into her new apartment.
I began to wonder if she was homeless, or if she had some kind of storage unit and was bringing her stuff in pieces.
It wasn’t until we had gym class together that I found out she wasn’t homeless—far from it.
The girls’ locker room was in the basement, and the guys’ was on the first floor.
The elevators were old and finicky, so most people took the stairs.
I was halfway down the stairs when I decided to take the elevator.
I didn’t want to be late for class, and I was already running behind.
I stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the basement.
The doors were just closing when a girl rushed in, her ponytail swinging wildly behind her.
I recognized her immediately—it was my neighbor, Aiko Takahashi.
She’d never spoken to me before, but I’d seen her around school.
She was always quiet and kept to herself, but she was impossible to miss.
She had long black hair and piercing green eyes that seemed to see right through you.
Her skin was smooth and pale, and she had a petite frame that made her look like a doll.
She was beautiful, but she didn’t seem to realize it.
As soon as she stepped into the elevator, her eyes flicked up to mine.
For a second, our gazes met, and I felt something strange in my chest.
Then she looked away, pressing herself against the wall of the elevator.
Her breathing was shallow, and her chest rose and fell quickly.
She looked terrified of me. I wanted to say something to make her feel better, but I couldn’t think of anything to say.
The elevator ride seemed to take forever, and I could feel her discomfort radiating off of her in waves.
Finally, the doors opened on the first floor, and I stepped out quickly.
I didn’t want to make things any more awkward than they already were.
As soon as I was out of the elevator, I turned around and watched Aiko step out behind me.
She looked relieved that we weren’t in a small space together anymore, but she still looked nervous as she hurried off down the hall toward her locker.
I decided then that I would take the stairs from now on—I didn’t want another awkward encounter like that one.
The rest of the day passed quickly, and before I knew it, it was time to head home.
I grabbed my backpack from my locker and headed downstairs to the first floor.
From there, I would take the stairs up one flight to get back to my apartment. As soon as I rounded the corner onto the second floor landing, I saw Aiko coming down from above.
She was looking down at her feet as she walked, probably lost in thought about something or other.
I slowed my pace so that I wouldn’t run into her again, but then she stopped short on a step above me.
She seemed to be hesitating about something, and I wondered what was wrong.
Then, before I could ask her, a voice called out from above.
"Hey, Aiko!"
It was Taro, my friend from class.
He was grinning as he came down the stairs toward us.
"Hey, man," he said, clapping a hand on my shoulder.
I nodded at him, but my eyes were still on Aiko.
She looked tense, and I wondered if she was okay.
Taro seemed to notice my gaze and followed it up the stairs to where Aiko had stopped.
He chuckled and shook his head.
"Is it about the girl?" he asked me quietly.
I nodded, not knowing what to say.
Taro glanced back up the stairs where Aiko had gone.
"Why don’t I introduce you two properly? It might ease things up."
I hesitated, unsure if that was a good idea.
"Hey, Aiko!" Taro called out again, louder this time.
She paused, turning slowly to face us with a wary look in her eyes.
