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Chihaya Aine felt that she was extremely unlucky.
During middle school, she studied in Tokyo, excelling academically while also being outgoing and kind-hearted. She even became the student council president.
Being admired by all her classmates, juniors, and underclassmen made Chihaya Aine feel a bit too proud, causing her to temporarily lose sight of her true capabilities.
While everyone else was working hard to prepare for high school entrance exams, driven by vanity, Chihaya Aine made a decision that went against her family's wishes—she decided to study abroad in England!
The cost of studying abroad in England, much like in America, was exorbitant.
With annual expenses starting at five million yen and additional costs with no upper limit, even the middle-class Chihaya family found it difficult to bear the financial burden.
But Chihaya Aine didn't think too much about it. All she envisioned was attending high school in England, speaking fluent British-accented English, and then gaining admission to a prestigious university like Cambridge with outstanding grades.
However, as the saying goes, "Ideals are plump, but reality is bony."
After preparing everything and confidently stepping into England, ready to embrace her dazzling future, Chihaya Aine faced her first major problem:
Her middle-school-level English wasn't enough to even survive daily life here!
There's an old saying in China: "Better to be the head of a chicken than the tail of a phoenix." In England, Chihaya Aine finally understood the meaning behind this proverb.
Once admired by everyone for her excellence, she immediately became one of the worst-performing students in her new environment.
Her once radiant life had shattered. The fall from heaven to hell left her disheartened, and she lost motivation to study, creating a vicious cycle that caused her academic performance to plummet further.
Her poor grades and inability to speak English fluently led to feelings of inferiority. She rarely interacted with others in England and was perceived as a strange girl by those around her.
After enduring two semesters of high school in England, she finally couldn't take it anymore. She called home, wanting to return to Japan to continue her education.
The start of the third semester in England coincided with the beginning of the first semester in Japan. Unwilling to attend the third semester or face anything related to England again, Chihaya Aine resolutely embarked on her journey back today.
Still, her heart was filled with unease.
Returning home in such an embarrassing manner after wasting so much of her family's money—would her parents be angry?
And if she ran into her former middle school classmates, how would she answer their questions about why she hadn't stayed in England?
Lost in these worries, she absentmindedly bumped into Fujiwara Che, leading to the earlier encounter.
Sitting at the boarding gate, Chihaya Aine kept her slender legs together, gripping her phone tightly, her head bowed in deep thought.
At that moment, a cup of coffee was held out in front of her.
Looking up in confusion, she saw Fujiwara Che standing before her, smiling. "I was partly at fault earlier, so I bought you this coffee as an apology."
By now, Fujiwara Che had removed his sunglasses, revealing his face.
Chihaya Aine's eyes lit up. Wow, he's handsome—and so considerate!
She suddenly felt that maybe her luck wasn't so bad after all.
Chihaya Aine, who had been weighed down by the frustration of not understanding the language, quickly regained her cheerful nature upon meeting a fellow countryman she could communicate with.
She accepted the coffee cup Fujiwara Che handed her and placed it on the armrest beside her. Then, forming a heart shape with her hands, she fluttered her big eyes and smiled brightly. "Love~~"
Fujiwara Che chuckled silently. This girl is quite cute. He casually sat down next to her.
"Let's get acquainted. My name is Fujiwara Che. What's yours?"
"Chihaya Aine."
"So, Miss Chihaya, are you returning home after traveling in England?"
Chihaya Aine's expression turned slightly awkward. She couldn't admit that she was leaving England because she couldn't cope, so she lied. "Yes, school is starting soon, so I'm heading back."
"Are you traveling too, Mr. Fujiwara?"
Fujiwara Che nodded. "Yes, I'm here on vacation. University is about to start, so I'm heading back as well."
Curious, Chihaya Aine asked, "Which university do you attend, Mr. Fujiwara? Oh, sorry—I shouldn't pry into your private matters."
This question could indeed make someone uncomfortable.
If the person attended a prestigious university, it would be an opportunity to brag.
But if they went to a lesser-known institution, it might be awkward to admit.
However, this wasn't an issue for Fujiwara Che. Smiling, he replied, "The University of Tokyo."
"The U-University of Tokyo?!"
Chihaya Aine's eyes widened in disbelief, filled with admiration.
For the Japanese, the University of Tokyo was undoubtedly the top university, without equal.
Those who gained admission were considered rare talents, part of the elite group with limitless futures ahead of them.
Although Chihaya Aine had performed well academically in the past, she never harbored any real ambition of attending Tokyo University.
As for her dream of entering Cambridge—it was just that, a fantasy. She never truly intended to pursue it.
"Mr. Fujiwara, you're amazing!"
Seeing the adoration in the young girl's eyes, Fujiwara Che couldn't help but feel a bit smug.
Who wouldn't enjoy being admired, especially by a beautiful young woman?
"By the way, how did you know I'd be on this flight, Mr. Fujiwara?"
Remembering something, Chihaya Aine asked curiously.
Fujiwara Che gave a slight smile. "There's only one flight to Japan right now. If you weren't on this one, which one would you be on?"
Chihaya Aine giggled sheepishly.
She had no idea that there was only one flight to Japan at this time.
Just then, an announcement came over the airport speakers, asking first-class passengers bound for Japan to prepare for boarding.
Fujiwara Che stood up and said to Chihaya Aine, "I'm boarding now. Let's exchange Line contacts and chat more when we arrive in Japan?"
Line was akin to WeChat in Japan.
"Oh, okay!"
Chihaya Aine scrambled to pull out her phone, opened Line, and added Fujiwara Che as a friend.
First-class tickets for flights across half the globe were outrageously expensive, far beyond what ordinary families could afford or would choose to spend on.
Chihaya Aine naturally wouldn't be able to continue chatting with Fujiwara Che on the plane—they were in different cabins.
After exchanging Line contacts, Fujiwara Che sent a smiley emoji to confirm they were connected.
He waved to Chihaya Aine, picked up his folder, and boarded the plane.
Young girls really are easy to deceive, Fujiwara Che mused.
Though this girl seemed somewhat familiar—perhaps a character from some anime? He'd think about it later.
Although Chihaya Aine was reluctant to end the conversation, she could only stop for now. Smiling brightly, she waved to Fujiwara Che as she watched him board the plane, waiting patiently for economy-class passengers to begin boarding.
Looks like my luck isn't too bad after all. I've met a handsome top scholar. Once I return to Japan, it's time to start a new life. Come on, Aine, you can do it!
The young girl cheered herself on!