He's seen his fair share of foreigners around campus, most of them there because of the exchange program the university has with institutions outside the island. He never bothered to befriend or even really talk to any of them, not seeing the point—after all, they'll leave eventually.

A new semester in his third year means a new batch of foreign exchange students. It’s not like he actively looks for them; they just stand out, which isn’t surprising. With his bag slung over his shoulder, he trudges to his first class of the day and takes a seat near the window. A few of his classmates call out greetings or wave, which he casually returns before gazing out the window.

"Ah... sumimasen..." His ears perk up at an unfamiliar voice, and he turns his head. It's one of the two foreign exchange students in this class.

"Koko ni suwatte mo īdesu ka?"

"Their Japanese wasn’t half bad." He thinks to himself