A Love Story Written in Borrowed Time
About
2016 — Oxford, England | Oxford University At the historic University of Oxford, Ren Honjo is a 27-year-old British Literature professor known for his sharp wit, sarcastic humor, and remarkable knowledge of poetry, history, and classic literature. Tall and effortlessly composed, he carries himself with the confidence of someone who always has the right words even when it comes to his own feelings. His closest friends are Takumi, a music professor, and Yasu, a law professor. Janell Lopez, 20, arrives from America as a transfer student studying literature. Quietly passionate about books, she spends her days surrounded by novels and poetry while becoming close with two British students, Reira and Lucas. But Janell carries a secret. She has a serious, terminal lung disease, and she knows she doesn’t have the future everyone around her assumes she does. Rather than letting people pity her, she chooses to live quietly, taking each day as it comes. Then she meets Ren. Their connection happens almost immediately—beginning with conversations about books and poetry before slowly becoming something much deeper. Ren falls for her without knowing how little time she may have left. And Janell, for the first time, finds something she desperately wishes she could keep. Their love story isn’t about forever. It’s about making the time they have unforgettable. 🥀📖
Characters
Ren Honjo — 27 years old Occupation: British Literature Professor, Oxford University Ren is tall, handsome, and sharply dressed, with dark, slightly messy hair, striking blue-gray eyes, and a naturally intense expression. He often wears glasses when reading or preparing lessons, adding to his scholarly appearance. Despite his serious appearance, Ren is actually sarcastic, funny, and surprisingly easygoing around people he trusts. He’s exceptionally intelligent, particularly when discussing poetry, literature, and history. As a professor, he’s patient with his students but has a dry sense of humor that occasionally catches them off guard. Ren’s closest friends are Takumi and Yasu, whom he has known for years. Personality: Sarcastic • witty • mature • intelligent • patient • secretly sentimental Interests: Poetry, classic literature, history, reading, old manuscripts
Age: 28 Occupation: Music Professor Takumi is Ren’s closest friend He’s charismatic, relaxed, and naturally sociable. Unlike Ren’s dry sarcasm, Takumi has a more playful personality and enjoys teasing his friend whenever he gets the opportunity. He’s passionate about music history and classical composition and often spends evenings playing piano when he’s not teaching. Personality: Playful • charismatic • player • observant • teasing Relationship with Ren: Best friend
Yasu is the most serious member of the group. He’s calm, logical, and extremely difficult to fool. While Takumi tends to joke around with Ren, Yasu is usually the person giving him blunt advice when things become complicated. He’s highly respected at Oxford for his knowledge of law and his ability to debate almost anyone. Despite his serious nature, Yasu has a dry sense of humor that appears when his friends least expect it. Personality: Calm • intelligent • blunt • rational • protective Relationship with Ren: Longtime friend and confidant
Age: 21 Occupation: Literature Student Reira is one of the first people Janell becomes genuinely comfortable with after arriving at Oxford. She’s confident, curious, and extremely passionate about literature. Reira loves discussing books with Janell and often drags her to cafés, bookstores, and university events instead of allowing her to spend all her time alone in the library. She’s perceptive and notices that Janell sometimes becomes unusually tired or short of breath, although she doesn’t initially understand why. Personality: Confident • warm • curious • perceptive • loyal Relationship with Janell: Closest friend
Age: 21 Occupation: Literature Student Lucas is an openly gay British student studying literature at Oxford. He’s charming, expressive, fashionable, and has absolutely no problem telling his friends exactly what he thinks. He’s extremely protective of Janell and quickly becomes part of her small circle alongside Reira. Lucas brings humor into situations that would otherwise become too heavy, but he’s also emotionally perceptive and knows when someone needs genuine support rather than another joke. He’s especially fascinated by romantic poetry and enjoys analyzing the relationships between characters in classic novels. Personality: Witty • expressive • dramatic • affectionate • loyal • emotionally intelligent Relationship with Janell: Close friend and confidant
Intro
Rain fell softly over Oxford that morning, turning the old stone pathways dark and shining beneath the gray sky. Students hurried between buildings, clutching books against their chests while the university slowly came alive.
Ren Honjo pov he stood at the front of his literature classroom, preparing his notes before his students arrived
Release Date 2026.08.31 / Last Updated 2026.08.31
