Chapter 3 Unexpected Encounters

From a young age, I've attracted attention. A girl with bright brown eyes and healthy straight hair. I inherited my eye color from my father; my mother has green eyes, while my father's are the same as mine.

Without realizing it, I arrived in front of the house. I opened the door with the key, glancing briefly to the side. I saw someone's upright figure facing away from me through a window that seemed to align with my room's window. The neighboring house was gradually filling up with furniture like chairs, wardrobes, and small knick-knacks.

After successfully opening the door, I entered. Organizing the newly purchased items, neatly arranging everything in the large cabinet next to the fridge. Then, I washed my used dishes and wiped off some stains on the dining table. Once I felt I had completed all the tasks, I grabbed some snacks and a can of drink to take to my room.

I spent the day watching Netflix series without any disturbances. I enjoyed my day off in solitude with a few snacks. Before I knew it, I had fallen asleep with my laptop still on.

I woke up startled, feeling darkness surrounding me. I reached for the phone next to me to turn on the light. It turned out to be eight in the evening. I had slept since the afternoon and just woke up now? Absolutely outrageous.

I quickly got up to turn on the light switch near the door, instantly illuminating the entire room. My gaze fell on the open window; I approached it slowly and closed it. However, from across the way, I saw the window of my new neighbor open with dim room lights. I furrowed my brow; weren't they supposed to move tomorrow? Why does it seem like there's someone living in there?

For some reason, my mind went blank, lost in thought. As my consciousness faded, I saw a man in my neighbor's room, undressing. I could see it clearly because the window was open.

I quickly closed the window curtain and held my chest, uncomfortable with the pounding. This was the first time I had seen a man's body. My cheeks felt hot. Without waiting any longer, I immediately entered the bathroom and cleaned myself up.

***

That night, I stayed awake until morning, my sleep replaced by restlessness. Coincidentally, the lecturer for the day suddenly canceled the class and rescheduled it for the day after. I was grateful to relax at home again. I truly didn't step outside until someone knocked on my door, surprising me as rarely anyone visited besides Hana.

Reluctantly, I threw on my cardigan to cover my short sleepwear, slipping into my sleep sandals as I made my way to the front. Peeking through the window, I tried to identify the person knocking, but my window was too small to see much, except for someone tall.

With hesitation, I pressed the door handle until it opened. I looked up, and in that moment, my breath seemed to pause. My eyes didn't blink for a few seconds.

A mature man. His tall figure almost matched the frame of my door. He had a large body with broad shoulders. His long legs were clad in dark blue sleek pants, and he wore a formal white shirt, resembling someone working in a big company.

"Morning..."

I clutched my cardigan tightly upon hearing his first greeting. I swear, his voice sounded incredibly smooth with a sexy baritone. My whole body felt weak, drawn to his charm. He truly embodied the essence of perfection.

"morning"

"Y-yeah?"

The man in front of me smiled warmly. His eyes squinted cutely, accentuated by a dimple on his right cheek. But wait, I got distracted by the color of his eyes. Absolutely beautiful. Like bright gray resembling silver. I'm sure those eyes attract a lot of attention.

Ah, a perfect figure...

"I just moved next door." He pointed to the house beside mine.

"Ah, y-yes..." I lowered my head, realizing that my tongue wasn't under control.

Still smiling, the man whose name I didn't know handed me a brown-colored box. "This is a gift for you. Consider it an initial introduction."

"Thank you." I accepted the box with a friendly smile.

As I looked up, I caught the man's gaze intensely fixed on me. It made my stomach feel fluttery, as if he was compelling me to keep looking at him. Unable to resist his charm, I lowered my head again, pretending to inspect the box in my hands.

"May I introduce myself?" He asked politely, extending his right hand. "I'm Grey Heiro. You can call me Grey."

"I'm Nadia Samara." I replied, shaking his hand. Vaguely, I felt his fingers gently squeezing mine.

"Pleasure to meet you, Nadia."

Oh, God.

I felt the uncomfortable thumping in my chest again. It seemed like I was experiencing the feelings Hana often mentioned to me – love at first sight. I lowered my head, brushing away strands of hair around my face. I was sure my cheeks were now flushed; I could feel the warmth.

Adding to that, the scent of his cologne lingered in the air within my breath's reach. So distinctly masculine. I couldn't describe how perfect the figure in front of me was. All I knew was that I could imagine how lucky the girl who became his girlfriend was.

"Are you okay, Nadia?" Grey touched my arm with concern. At that moment, I felt my cheeks reddening even more.

No. No. No.

This couldn't happen.

"Yes, I'm fine, Grey." I said, pulling my hand away from his reach.

Grey nodded but didn't take his gaze off me. "Alright. Uh, I just moved here and don't know anyone. I hope we can be good neighbors and friends, Nadia."

"Of course. Nice to meet you, Grey."

Grey glanced at his watch and then looked at me again. "Sorry, I still have some work. It seems I have to say goodbye for now."

"Yeah, it's okay, Grey. Thanks for the gift."

"I'm sure you'll like my present." He said softly. "Well then, I'll leave now. Have a good day, Nadia."

I smiled; Grey brought a breath of fresh air. My mood lifted instantly; I don't know why I felt happy. Especially after he said his last words. "Have a nice day, Grey."

Before Grey got into his car, he looked back at me. "Can we talk again sometime?" He asked.

My stiff head nodded slowly. Grey smiled for the last time today. He waved his right hand, and I responded with my smile. After that, Grey left in his car.