Chapter 3: The Most Awkward Interaction Ever

I woke up with a newfound spring in my step. Today was the day everything was going to change. I hopped out of bed, pulled on a nicer looking outfit, and made my way to the kitchen.

As I was preparing breakfast, a thought occurred to me. In the novels I read the protagonist was often chased by women everywhere they went, never being granted a moment's peace in public, and sometimes even being stalked or assaulted. 

I was excited to begin my new life, but the idea that something like that could happen to me stopped me in my tracks for a moment. Sure, this situation was exactly what I had dreamed about, but I still didn't want to be harassed or attacked whenever I left the house.

I was only worried for a moment however, because I then remembered that a lot of the time the protagonist in that situation is a spineless teenager with exactly zero real life experience. Surely the same thing wouldn't happen to me, not only was I already an adult who had long since learned how to stay composed, but I had also essentially read hundreds of guides to prepare me for this situation in the form of all of the novels. 

Having recovered from my short bout of worry, I was preparing to leave the house when I heard a knock at my door. I wasn't expecting anyone, and I wasn't sure the me from this world had any friends who would drop by unannounced, so needless to say I was curious, but when I opened the door the person standing on the other side took my breath away for a moment.

A young woman, appearing to be around my age stood there looking every bit as flabbergasted as I felt. She was fairly short, standing at probably five foot five with long flowing auburn hair, gorgeous emerald green eyes, and facial features that could only be described as angelic. Not only that, but her figure looked as if the goddess of love had descended from the heavens and sculpted it by hand.

I stood there for a moment, unsure what to say before the realization hit that I was probably looking at her like some sort of pervert, so I did my best to reel it in and at least give off the illusion of composure in this situation. 

「Uh.. Hi there」

I know, I know not the most original greeting, but I was at a loss for words; anyone would be if someone that looked like her randomly showed up on their doorstep. 

「I…uh…you…un….new neighbor」

She stood there stumbling her way through an incoherent string of sounds and words, all the while becoming redder and redder as she spoke. I was afraid if I let it go on too long she would mutter herself into an aneurysm from sheer nervousness alone. 

「Hey, calm down and take a breath. There's no need to be so nervous.」

I tried to speak as calmly as possible to try and break through the mini panic attack it seemed like she was having, but I couldn't help but smile. This was by far the most awkward encounter I had ever shared with another person, but it was an interaction devoid of any fear or malice in her expression, and thus I was reveling in it. 

She closed her eyes and took a few calming breaths, presumably to try and slow her racing heart; then finally she looked up at me staring directly into my eyes. 

「My.. name.. is.. Maya.. and.. im.. your.. new.. neighbor..」

She spoke slowly and deliberately, with a countenance that betrayed her attempt to hold herself together with every word lest she devolve into unintelligible muttering again. 

「Hi Maya」I smiled at her, which seemed to only fuel the redness of her face, which at this point had spread onto her ears and down her neck to her chest.「I'm Isaac. It's nice to meet you.」

She nodded once before quickly scurrying away, vanishing through the doorway of the apartment next to mine, and leaving me standing there shaking my head and chuckling to myself. 

Maya was going to be an interesting character for sure, and I couldn't wait to peel back those layers of nervousness and get to the heart of the beautiful woman behind them. 

Storing the interaction away for later, I grabbed my keys and wallet and headed out to explore the city for my first time in this world, excited and nervous in equal measure for how my time out would go.