Chapter 2 - A Foreign Sky

The moment the plane touched down, Sky felt it.

Not excitement.

Not relief.

Just emptiness.

The kind that settles quietly in your chest when something familiar is suddenly gone.

He stared out the window as the aircraft slowly rolled across the runway. The city lights stretched endlessly beyond the airport, bright and unfamiliar.

This was home now.

Or at least, it was supposed to be.

After collecting his luggage, Sky followed the crowd through the airport.

Different language.

Different accents.

Different faces.

Everything felt strange.

His phone buzzed.

Brother: "Landed?"

A small smile appeared on Sky's face.

Sky: "Yeah."

The reply came almost instantly.

Brother: "Good. Don't get lost."

For the first time that day, Sky let out a quiet laugh.

Outside the airport, cool air brushed against his skin.

It was colder than Thailand.

Much colder.

He pulled his jacket tighter and looked around.

Cars moved past.

People hurried by.

Nobody knew him.

Nobody cared who he was.

And somehow, that realization felt lonelier than he expected.

The ride to his new apartment was quiet.

Sky sat by the window, watching the city pass by.

Tall buildings.

Busy streets.

Neon signs glowing against the night.

Everything looked alive.

Yet he felt completely disconnected from it.

His thoughts drifted back home.

His sister's hug.

His brother's smile.

The last look he got before walking through security.

The memory made his chest tighten.

By the time he reached the apartment building, it was already late.

The place wasn't bad.

Small.

Clean.

Quiet.

Too quiet.

Sky rolled his suitcase into his room and closed the door behind him.

For a moment, he just stood there.

The apartment was small but comfortable.

A living room connected to a compact kitchen, with two doors leading to separate bedrooms.

Sky rolled his suitcase inside and closed the door behind him.

At first glance, the place seemed empty.

But as he looked around, he noticed things that didn't belong to him.

A pair of black sneakers by the entrance.

A half-empty mug sitting on the kitchen counter.

A dark jacket hanging neatly on a chair.

Someone else lived here.

Sky paused.

His brother had mentioned sharing the apartment with another university student, but he hadn't expected to feel so aware of the stranger's presence.

The apartment was silent.

No voices.

No footsteps.

Whoever lived here wasn't home.

For some reason, Sky felt relieved.

Meeting a complete stranger after spending hours traveling sounded exhausting.

He picked up his suitcase and headed toward the bedroom that had been assigned to him.

Sky glanced once more at the sneakers near the entrance.

Whoever they belonged to wasn’t home.

And for now, that was fine.

He wasn’t ready to meet anyone yet anyway.

Not today.

A new room.

A new country.

A new life.

And not a single familiar face.

His phone rang.

Video call.

His sister.

Sky answered immediately.

The screen filled with familiar faces.

His sister.

His brother.

Even his parents were sitting nearby.

"How is it?" his sister asked.

Sky looked around the room.

Then back at the screen.

"...Different."

His brother laughed.

"That's not an answer."

"It is."

"You're impossible."

For the first time since leaving Thailand, the room felt a little less empty.

After the call ended, silence returned.

Sky lay on his bed and stared at the ceiling.

Tomorrow would be his first day at a new school.

New friends.

New faces.

New everything.

The thought made his stomach twist.

He wasn't scared exactly.

Just uncertain.

Before sleeping, he walked to the window.

The city lights sparkled below.

Somewhere out there, thousands of people were living their lives.

Laughing.

Crying.

Meeting new people.

Saying goodbye to old ones.

And somewhere among them...

was a person Sky hadn't met yet.

A person who would quietly change everything.

Sky didn't know it.

Not yet.

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