A young adult about Akito's new adventure as he moves out and learns to navigate college life

A young adult about Akito's new adventure as he moves out and learns to navigate college life

Akito stood in the middle of his new, empty apartment. The boxes were stacked high, and the silence was louder than he'd ever heard. This was it. His new life. A college student, finally on his own.

The first few days were a whirlwind of excitement and chaos. Akito decided his first adult task would be cooking. He'd watched his mom do it a hundred times. How hard could it be?

The next day, he tackled the mountain of clothes. He'd always just thrown everything into the machine at home. He did the same now, adding a generous amount of detergent

A wave of homesickness washed over him. He missed the familiar smells of his family's home, the easy comfort of having everything taken care of. He sat on the floor, surrounded by his mistakes.

He called his sister. "I'm a disaster," he said. "I can't even cook or do laundry." She laughed gently. "Being an adult isn't about being perfect, Akito," she said. "It's about learning to fix your mistakes."

He hung up the phone and looked around his apartment. He took a deep breath. He would try again. One small thing at a time. He started with the kitchen. This time, he followed a recipe step by step.

He made a simple but delicious curry. The aroma filled his apartment, a smell of his own making. He sat down to eat, and it was the best meal he had ever tasted.

Next, he tackled the laundry. He sorted the clothes into piles: whites, darks, and colors. He carefully measured the detergent. When the cycle was finished, he pulled out a fresh, clean, and perfectly colored shirt.

He started to make the apartment his own. He put up posters, arranged his books, and added a small plant to the windowsill. The empty space began to feel like a home.

Akito looked around at his new home. It wasn't perfect, but it was his. He still had a lot to learn, but he wasn't afraid anymore. He was an adult, and he was ready for the next adventure.