Volume 1 Chapter 1 (1/2)
A paltry 5,000 yen
That was the monthly rent for room 106 of Corona House, a 25 year old two story wooden apart
It's true that its location quite a distance fro a six tatami [1] room with a kitchen, bathroom and toilet for 5,000 yen a month made it an extraordinarily cheap apartment
On top of that, it was completely interest free
Apart from rooher
However, there was a reason why room 106 in particular was super cheap
Every person who had moved in had, without exception, left just as quickly
The shortest stay was three hours and the longest threeon the third day was the norm
Because of that, the rent kept dropping
Starting the year at 10,000 yen, the rent had been cut in half before spring
”Don't treat that carelessly, Mackenzie The contents of that box are more valuable than your life”
So said the boyinto this super cheap apartment
”You're telling me that, Kou? Compared to you, I'm always careful”
”As long as you understand Keep working, Mackenzie-kun”
”Yeah, yeah Who's helping who move, I wonder? Geez”
The onein was Satomi Koutarou, 15 years old
His childhood friend Matsudaira Kenji, also 15 years old, called him Kou, and in return Koutarou called him Mackenzie
After the entrance cereh school students
The date was Saturday, the 4th of April
Due to his father's sudden job transfer, Koutarou had begun to live alone that spring
Koutarou had visited a real estate agency, which introduced him to Corona House
Koutarou, who had grown up alone with his single father, did not want to be a burden and ju the reason for the low rent
”Anyways, Kou, it was a good thing you , huh?”
”I was lucky When my old man told me about the transfer the other day I seriously panicked”
Koutarou's father's transfer had been decided a little after the middle of February
It had happened while Koutarou aiting for the results of his high school entrance exam
”That said, it couldn't be helped that his co-worker was hurt and couldn't go”
”Mht”
Originally it hadn't been Koutarou's father as supposed to go, but that co-worker instead
However, the co-worker had had an accident that left him with a serious injury, and Koutarou's father had to take his place
”The transfer was sudden, but it ood chance for h school students; we should be able to take care of ourselves”
”How positive”
”How about we celebrate the start of my journey to manhood?”
”What the heck is that supposed to be?”
Koutarou and Kenji carried a suitcase full of clothes into the building
The two had been carrying luggage for a while now, going back and forth fro van
”Should I put the fridge next to the sink?”
A ed man in work clothes poked his face out of the apart Koutarou and Kenji move
”Yes, please!”
”Got it”
After hearing Koutarou's answer, the man went back inside the room
Koutarou and Kenji followed suit
”To think this is 5,000 yen a month It's just too cheap”
As the pair crossed the threshold Kenji sighed
”Jealous, aren't you?”
”If I had known of this place, I definitely would have rented it”
The room was of a somewhat old japanese style
Past the entrance there was a hall with a hardwood floor leading to the inner six-tatami-mat room
On the left side of the hall was a kitchen unit, and on the right were located the toilet and bathroom
Though the room was old-fashi+oned, it ell-maintained and clean
”Be careful, Kou, the suitcase is about to hit the wall”
”I know, I know!”
”We'll see We're coh, uncle”
”Oh, sorry about that Glasses-kun”
Squeezing past the e in the kitchen, Koutarou and Kenji reached the six-tatami-mat room
The tove between the cardboard boxes and furniture littering the room
”Alright, what do we do with this suitcase?”
”Hmm Let's put it in the wardrobe”
”Alright”
Koutarou and Kenji worked together to heave the suitcase into the wardrobe
As they stood up, the worker entered the room
”That was the last of the luggage, wasn't it?”
”Yes, this is all of it”
”Alright, then I'll be taking my leave”
”Thank you very much!”
Koutarou, as an athletic type, had been raised to respect his elders and naturally bowed to the man
”The one bowing should be me; thank you very much”
The ently and bowed his head deeply, then left the roo behind several documents
”Right then, that's the first part done”
”Here, Mackenzie”
As Kenji was pushi+ng up his glasses, Koutarou threw him a plastic bottle of tea
”Whoa, thanks”
Having been with Koutarou for a long while and therefore being used to this, Kenji caught the plastic bottle without trouble
”It's a bit lukeware was just installed”
As he said that Koutarou reached into a plastic bag and pulled out his own bottle of tea that he had purchased a while back from a nearby convenient store
”I know!”
They opened their bottles and drank at the same time
”Ah I feel alive again!”
Koutarou sat down on one of the cardboard boxes while Kenji leaned against a wall next to the entrance of the room
Kenji looked over at the calendar hanging up on the wall
”Time sure flies fast The day after tomorrow is the entrance ceremony!”
”That's right, I need to unpack everything I need today”
Koutarou also looked at the calendar he had hung up, as well as a clock he had placed there the first day he had visited the room
”Hmm? Can't you just do it tomorrow?”
”I've got some part-time work to do tomorrow”
”Why do that? Can't you at least take a day off while you're ?”
Kenji stared at Koutarou in amazement
”There're a lot of necessities needed in the early spring Don't luether with you people who live with your parents!”
”Still, your old man left you some money, didn't he?”
”I don't want to touch that unless I have to That's what living is all about!”
” I don't care if it's for living or whatever, but if you collapse don't tell me I didn't warn you”
”Unlike you brainy people, I have absolute trust in my stamina”
”Yes, yes, whatever you say”
Kenji shrugged and sighed at Koutarou, as puffing up his chest proudly
”So what time do you start tomorrow, Kou?”
”In the , like always”
”Alright, I'll pick you up as usual”
”Please do”
The two of them actually worked at the same place
When they had passed the high school entrance exam they had both applied for the same job
As luck would have it, they were both hired and had already started working
”Hey Kou, will you be able to wake up on time when school starts?”
”No problem, no problem”
”As soo to work, you're not very convincing”
”Don't be so harsh!+”
Since work during the weekend usually started in theKoutarou up was a common occurrence
”I've started living on my own; I've joined the ranks of adults I can't act like a child forever”
”Does that mean I don't have to pick you up tomorrow?”
”This and that are two different things, Mackenzie-kun You would do well to pick me up tomorrow”
”As expected”
Kenji's shoulders dropped in amazement
”Thanks as always, old man”
” All my motivation just vanished”
”Don't say that; you're young after all!”
The doorbell at the front door rang
”Hmm?”
”A guest?”
Just before Koutarou could answer, the door opened and the visitor stepped in
”hello! Is Satomi-san at home?”
The voice of a girl resounded through the building
It was a voice Koutarou had heard before
”Oh, it's the landlord”
”Landlord?”
”Ah Yes, I'!” Koutarou answered as he ju on
Kenji likewise stopped leaning against the entrance of the room
”That's a pretty cute sounding voice!”
”Come on, Mackenzie; you'll be surprised”
”Alright!”
The two of theether
”hello, Landlord-san!”
”hello, Satomi-san”
Standing in front of the entrance was a girl wearing an apron over her normal clothes
As she greeted theracefully
She was about the sae as Koutarou and Kenji, with a few traces of childhood left on her face
Her long hair was tied back with a large ribbon, giving off an iirl
”Eh? Landlord? This girl?”
”That's right! This person is the landlord of Corona House Surprised, aren't you, Mackenzie?”
”Ye-Yeah”
Kenji looked on amazed and nodded
The word landlord and the cute girl he was facing did not connect in Mackenzie's head, leaving him astonished
”I was surprised at first too”
”Everyone is surprised at first Fufufu”
The girl sently and turned towards Kenji
”Nice to i shi+zuka”
”Pl-Pleased to meet you I'm Matsudaira Kenji”
”Hope we'll get along well, Matsudaira-san”
”Yes, likewise!”
Kenji and shi+zuka bowed to each other
”Landlord-san, this guy is my childhood friend”
”Oh, is that so?”
”You'll probably see him around here in the future, so please call him Mackenzie”
shi+zuka blinked a couple of times and looked at Kenji
”You're japanese, aren't you? With a name like Matsudaira”
”Ah, yes, Of course he's japanese His full naet Mackenzie”
”I see, 'Ma' and 'Kenji' become Mackenzie”
Satisfied, shi+zuka put her hand to her
”That's just what Kou calls me!”
”So would you prefer it if I called you Matsudaira-san?”
”No, Mackenzie is fine; I'm already used to it, after all”
”Got it, Mackenzie-san”
Looking at Kenji shrugging his shoulders, shi+zuka started laughing once again, her long hair and ribbon waving gently
”That's right; Landlord-san is starting at Kitsushouharukaze this year as well”
”Heh, what a coincidence”
”With a bit of luck, we could end up in the same class!”
”Fufu, let's get along at school as well”
shi+zuka bowed politely once again
”So Landlord-san, what business do you have with me?”
”Oh, right, I alot!”
shi+zuka clapped her hands and pointed at thebehind Koutarou and Kenji
”Actually, a little while ago I saw the ured it was time to help”
”From your ?”
”Yes Mackenzie-san, I happen to live in the room above”
”Isn't it great, I' a roof with the cute Landlord-san?”
”Well”
shi+zuka looked on with a smile
”You're flattering me, Satomi-san”
”Of course you're sharing the same roof; this is an apartment, after all”
”It's a s!”
”Fufufu, the two of you sure get along well Oh, that's right, I came to help Unlike with the physical labor from before I should be able to help from now on”
”That would help a lot, Landlord-san Kou is good at breaking stuff and leaving aup”