2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The bus parks behind a concrete two-story building about an hour and a half later. I waste no time getting off and collecting my suitcase. There is a fancy-looking sushi restaurant opposite the International Students Halls—or IS-Halls as Remi was referring to them—and a huge supermarket when you cross the busy street on the left.

A set of stairs, and the twenty of us enter IS Halls via a passcode-controlled entrance. The spacious reception area is sectioned into an office, a leisure corner and a glassed-off inner garden with tables and a barbeque set. At least twenty more people my age are meandering in the lobby, where boxes of pizza are set up on foldable tables.

" Mina-san, yokoso. Welcome everyone," a woman with thick-rimmed glasses and a fashionable navy pantsuit greets us with a smile as we crowd the shoe lockers. "I'm Ayaka Nakamura, the exchange program lead. I came to say hi. We'll have an official introduction on Monday, so please use today and tomorrow to get some rest and acclimate to the time zone change. "

She leaves after that, clearly too cool to hang out with kids. The girl with braided red/blonde hair from the seat in front of me is the first to head to the pizza tables, but Remi halts her before she's taken more than a few steps.

"Please take off your shoes. In Japan, we don't wear them indoors."

I snap my attention to the feet of the other students. Just like Remi said, half of them are barefoot while the rest are wearing slippers, so I toe my sneakers off and place them inside the locker with the number that matches my keycard. When I join the buffet, I jump into a few conversations, but they are cut short soon enough as the IS-Halls assistants inform us of the house rules and the welcoming party. The IS Nagoya University is throwing that for us so we can meet a bunch of Japanese students studying English.

I scan the faces of the people around me, realizing that we are a good mix of nationalities. A pale goth guy with a nose piercing quirks a smile my way, and a girl with a layered bob cut, colorful bead bracelets and dark skin nudges her chin at my pizza slice to warn me about the toppings about to slide off.

"The curfew is 11:30 p.m. You are also not allowed visitors, unless you check them in with Mrs. Nikami at the reception office. They can stay for up to three nights."

I stare at Yasu, the one who just delivered that particular set of rules. I've never had a curfew. I don't imagine anyone over the age of eighteen does, and all of us most definitely satisfy the criteria.

"Ok, so what do we do if we miss the curfew? Sleep on the bench outside? It didn't look very comfortable," I ask with a raised hand, earning myself a few snorts .

"Someone can let you in via the side entrance," he says easily. "So if you are going to be late, let someone know."

Lunch carries on, but like most of the people I arrived with, I don't linger once I've had some food. I haul my suitcase up the wooden stairs, find my room across from the kitchenette space that each of the two floors has, and take a quick shower, fishing out a pair of clean underwear before I pass out on the freshly made bed with nothing but them on.

Knocking at the door wakes me up some time later. I scramble into a sitting position, disoriented for a few moments as awareness creeps back into me. My room is gloomy but not pitch-black, and when I glance out the window, I can see streaks of red and pink across the darkening sky.

The knocking sounds again and I quickly toss a pair of pants and a shirt on, not bothering with the buttons. My phone shows seven when I thumb the unlock sensor as I get the door.

"Hey, there… Sexy . Did I wake you up? Sorry," the girl with the bob cut from earlier says, flashing me a row of white teeth. She definitely doesn't look sorry.

"You did, but…" I clear my throat, chasing away the hoarseness in my voice as I watch her bracelet with rainbow-colored beads dangle when she crosses her arms. "It's probably a good thing, or I'd have woken up in the middle of the night, wondering how to fall back asleep. "

Movement behind her has me glancing over her shoulder. Four guys sit at one of the tables and rip open a pack of beer cans and chips.

Man, I could go for some of that.

"Oh, yeah. I totally saved you from a fucked-up sleep schedule," she draws out, giving me a once-over.

"Did you need something?" I nudge her when a pause ensues, and she just keeps studying me with a glint of mischief in her gaze. I'm still a little out of it, but not out of it enough so I can't manage a sexy wiggle of my eyebrows that makes her crack another smile.

"A few of us are going clubbing." She steps back and angles her body away, directing my attention to the rooms lined along the hall on the other side of the glassed-off inner garden. The goth guy from earlier is standing in front of the third door, talking to whoever its occupant is. "Thought we'd see who's interested. I'm Naomi, by the way."

I shake her extended hand, finding her grip firm and confident. "Leo."

When I say nothing further, she wiggles her eyebrows at me the same way I did. The left one is pierced. "So, Leo, are you coming or not?"

It takes my brain a second to remember her question. I didn't realize how tired I was, but the fact that I crashed the moment my head hit the pillow should've clued me in on that.

I consider my options while the four guys with the beers shove chips in their mouths. Going back to sleep is a bad idea, unless I want to deal with trying to fix my hours for days. Plus, I'm hungry and not up for figuring out the logistics of food shopping. Going out and grabbing something to eat while I experience the nightlight in Nagoya without having to worry that someone might try to kidnap or off me, on the other hand…

"Sure, I'm in. Sounds fun," I tell her, earning myself an amused smile. "I just…" I hook a finger over my shoulder and point at the bathroom. "I could use a shower and a change of clothes."

Her dark brown eyes dip to my unbuttoned shirt. "We plan to leave in twenty minutes. That enough for you?"

"Plenty."

"We'll be in the fun room ," she drawls, turning around and suppressing a snort. I'll give it to her—it does sound a little inappropriate when she says it with that tone. "Don't be late ‘coz we aren't waiting!"

I get ready in fifteen, locking my door just as goth guy comes out of the room next to mine. He somehow looks even more goth, if that is possible, like he's spent extra time making sure of it. The chains hanging off his ripped cargo pants are quite impressive, and the way he's done his black eyeshadow with red lines to resemble the spiderweb design of his shirt is next level.

Meanwhile, I'm in my nice black jeans that I wear when I want to leave an impression, and a navy shirt. They aren't as impressive as his getup, but the messy, sex-tousled look I did for my hair is surely going to help me score tonight.

"You coming with us then?" Goth Guy says in a deep voice that makes me do a double-take of his slender build.

"Ye… Yeah."

He must catch me staring, because he grins. "I'm Chris."

"Leo. "

Introductions done, we join the others in the ‘fun room' A.K.A. the entertainment lounge. There are seven of us, and we all look like our goal is to get laid tonight. I don't know anyone else's circumstances, but since the fiasco with Cindy, I've been too anxious to go clubbing or even chat up a girl, so I have a lot of catching up to do.

I chase away further gloomy thoughts before they can irritate me, and try not to dwell on my unfortunate circumstances. They are behind me now. I arrived here safe and sound, and tonight my life of debauchery begins.

"Alright." Naomi claps her hands, pulling everyone's attention to her. She's decked out in platform heels that make her about my height even if she's at least a head shorter, a frilly burgundy blouse that accentuates her lipstick, and black tights that might or might not be real leather. "The subway is kinda far to walk from here, so we'll take the bus. The bar we're going to is in Sakae. It takes about an hour to get there."

Ten minutes later, I'm sitting next to her on the bus as it joins the traffic, half-listening to her, Chris and a Spanish blond guy called Isidoro trying to work out the cocktails menu. I'm a coke and gin type of guy, so I'm not too worried as, surely, it can't be too hard to order that even if I don't speak Japanese.

Right?

My stomach twists a little in excitement when a group of cute-looking college girls board the bus at the next stop. They keep throwing glances our way, but it's hard to say whether it's because we are foreigners or because they might be interested in hooking up.

Honestly? I hope it's the latter. After my long day, and even longer last couple of months, a good time with no strings attached is exactly what I need.