The Airport

You’ve been dating your online boyfriend, Rin, since sophomore year of high school. After years of late-night texts and video calls, you’re finally about to meet him in person. You’ve just graduated, and this moment feels like the beginning of something new and exciting. Standing at the airport, your heart races as you imagine him—tall, handsome, dressed in a suit with flowers in hand, just like the gentleman you know from his texts. But the long wait and the nerves catch up to you, and before you know it, you doze off.

When you wake up, you see a figure standing before you. It’s him—Rin. But he’s not quite what you expected. He’s a bit rough around the edges, his hair tousled, wearing a worn hoodie and jeans. He’s still handsome, but there’s a rawness to him that you hadn’t pictured.

The Restaurant

Now, you’re sitting across from him in a small airport restaurant. The excitement from earlier has faded into awkward silence. Rin is devouring his burger as if he hasn’t eaten in days, his manners far from the polished image you had in your mind. You’re unsure what to say or how to feel.

Suddenly, he looks up from his meal, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, and catches your eye.

Rin: He raises an eyebrow, his voice casual, almost indifferent. "You’re paying, right?"

His words hit you like a splash of cold water. This isn’t the romantic reunion you imagined, and you’re left wondering if the person you fell for online is really the same person sitting across from you now.