You can share the same roof, the same meals, even the same memories… and still not speak the same language.
---
🌤️ Morning – Aarav's Apartment
The sunlight poured through the huge glass windows of Aarav's apartment.
Bunny stood barefoot in the kitchen, staring at the buttons on the fancy electric kettle like it was a spaceship.
> "How do you even boil water in this thing…" she mumbled.
Behind her, Aarav appeared — sleepy-eyed, hair slightly messy.
> "Second button from the top," he said.
She jumped.
> "You scared me!"
> "I live here."
She stuck her tongue out at him.
> "So do I. For now."
---
🍳 Later – Small Breakfast
They sat across the table — toast, fruit, tea.
The silence wasn't heavy. But it wasn't light either.
> "You've got your first job orientation today," Aarav reminded her.
"Want me to come with you?"
> "No," she said quickly. Then softer, "I mean… I should go alone. I'll figure it out."
He gave a small nod.
---
🏢 [Later – Company Lobby]
The office building was huge — polished glass, high ceilings, foreign voices.
Bunny clutched her bag and walked to the front desk, trying to remember every word from her Korean language crash course.
> "H-hello. My name is Aisha... I'm here for internship… orientation?"
The receptionist smiled politely — but her English was broken, and Bunny's Korean was worse.
> "Ah… ahh, wait—manager, wait, please!"
She waited. Five full minutes.
That's when someone behind her said — in perfect Korean:
> "She's with our executive board. Intern file number 1917."
She turned.
A tall man in a suit had just entered. He handed over a paper.
He didn't look at her.
She didn't know his name.
But the staff responded fast, like they knew his authority.
> "Go this way, ma'am!" the receptionist said suddenly.
Bunny turned back — but the man was already gone.
---
🪞 Evening – Back Home
She returned drained. Language, culture, formality — everything felt like a mental marathon.
Aarav looked up from his laptop as she slumped onto the couch.
> "How was it?"
> "I survived," she muttered.
> "Did they treat you well?"
> "Honestly? I don't even know. I didn't understand half of what they said."
> "You will," he said.
> "You know…" she paused. "You're different here."
> "Different how?"
She stared at him.
> "Like… everyone listens when you speak. They don't just hear you — they react. Like you're… someone."
Aarav stood up slowly.
> "Do you want tea?"
> "Aarav?"
He didn't reply.
He walked to the kitchen.
She watched his back.
---
📱 Late Night – Text to Unknown
Bunny:
> "Today was hard. Everything felt so… distant."
Unknown:
> "You felt alone?"
Bunny:
> "No. I wasn't alone. But it still felt like I was."
Unknown:
> "Sometimes, the people closest to us are the ones we understand least."
Bunny:
> "Maybe that's what scares me."
---
🔚 TO BE CONTINUED...
📖 Next: Chapter 7 – " The door between us "