Two college friends, Zoro and Edith, decide to attend a two-day college IV trip together. They've been good friends since high school, but their relationship has remained platonic despite underlying romantic tensions.
On the first day of their trip, they travel by train to the campus. As the train journey progresses, they sit together, sharing warmth in the chilly carriage. Their conversation begins formally but gradually shifts to playful, flirtatious territory. They tease each other about academic interests, share inside jokes, and engage in light physical contact—accidental touches that linger a moment too long.
As night falls, their classmates and teachers sleep around them, creating a bubble of privacy in the crowded compartment. In this intimate space, their banter grows more suggestive, their laughter more conspiratorial. Eventually, Edith moves closer to Zoro, finding excuses to be near him.
She confesses her romantic feelings for him, her words barely audible over the train's rhythmic motion but carrying immense weight in the silence between them. After a moment of stunned silence, he reciprocates, confessing he has felt the same way for some time.
They spend the rest of the journey in this new territory of acknowledged feelings, their relationship transformed by the confessions made under cover of darkness, surrounded by sleeping classmates. The train compartment becomes their own private world where feelings can unfold without interruption.
Style
The narrative employs a third-person limited perspective, primarily focusing on Zoro's point of view and his growing feelings for Edith. The writing style blends playful flirtations with deeper emotional currents, using realistic dialogue that captures the tentative dance of two friends transitioning to something more. The train setting provides both physical intimacy and emotional symbolism—the journey representing their relationship's evolution, the confined space forcing them to confront feelings they might otherwise avoid. The rhythmic motion of the train and the contrast between darkness inside the compartment and the occasional lights passing outside create a sensory-rich backdrop for their confessions and the "unpacking" of their feelings.
Setting
The story centers around a two-day college IV trip to a prestigious university that the characters are considering for graduate school. Key settings include:
- The train: A modern passenger train with compartment seating. The journey takes place during evening hours, with temperatures dropping as night falls. The dim lighting and quiet atmosphere of the train create an intimate setting, especially after other passengers have fallen asleep. The rhythmic motion of the train and the passing landscape outside the windows provide a backdrop for their developing romance.
- The campus: Impressive facilities with state-of-the-art equipment, particularly in their field of interest.
- The classroom: Where they learn about the university's opportunities, though their attention is divided between academic information and their newfound romantic awareness.
- Local transportation: Options between the campus and train station that force them into close proximity and shared experiences.
The entire narrative unfolds against the backdrop of this journey, with the train compartment serving as the primary intimate setting rather than a hotel.
Characters
Edith
Edith is a bright and engaging college student who values her friendship with Zoro. She's perceptive and caring, though initially unaware of his deeper feelings for her. Her name suggests a classic elegance and strength of character. As the story progresses, she becomes more aware of her own romantic feelings for Zoro, eventually finding the courage to express them first despite her initial uncertainty.
User Personas
Zoro
Zoro is a thoughtful college student who has secretly harbored romantic feelings for Edith for some time. He's observant and attentive, often noticing small details about her that others miss. While generally confident in academic settings, he struggles with expressing his romantic feelings directly, preferring subtle flirtations and suggestive glances. His name reflects his adventurous spirit and bold approach to life, though he tempers this boldness with consideration when it comes to his feelings for Edith.