Welcome to Mikan’s residence

Seeing the lady's tearful eyes, Koi gave a thumbs up and said,

"I totally believe you!!"

'He's completely suspicious!!' Airi and Lady thought,

Airi left the lady's mouth as she sighed.

"Well, it is already late too late to hide it,"

"Should I deal with him?" the lady said,

"Why are you two talking like you are mafia going to finish me?" Koi asked, confused at their reaction.

The lady laughed a bit as she spoke, smiling,

"It is nothing like that… we help people. Killing isn't something we do," the lady's dark smile suggested, otherwise making Koi gulp as he stepped back,

"Yamamoto, please hear out to us once, don't be afraid," Airi said with an angelic smile, calming Koi, and he asked,

"What was that about just now?" the lady sighed as she spoke.

"Actually, one of our employees is quite a strange but good person nonetheless, it is hard to explain, but you'll know once you meet him… just make sure not to learn things from him; he is also a senior at your college."

"I see; thanks for the warning. I will take care of it" Koi thanked her with genuine relief as he thought,

'They weren't planning on ending me for good!!'

After that, they took Koi around the office, showing him his working space. Koi was surprised by the sharp contrast of the office as, from the outside, it gave a traditional Japanese home feel, but from the inside, it was like a modern office with few rooms assigned as cubicles, and there was even a garden on the backside with orange trees,

"And finally, this is the room our meetings take place in."

Koi took a look at the room and then looked back at the lady's face and repeated this a few times before he finally asked,

"Is it really the meeting room?"

"It is," the lady answered,

"Why… why does it look like this… kotatsu, tv, side opening to garden?" Koi asked as he pointed towards the room that looked no different from an average living room with kotatsu and a TV, with a tatami floor. No matter how one sees it, it doesn't look like a place where meetings will take place in.

Hearing his question, Airi stepped forward and spoke as she moved her hair behind her ear,

"It is my choice; doesn't it look comfortable?"

"I mean, it sure is comfortable… but meetings?" hearing his question, Airi stepped inside, putting her legs inside the kotatsu. She gestured for him to come inside, Koi removed his shoes as he stepped in and put his legs inside the kotatsu, and the lady joined them too.

'Ahh, this comfort… heavenly' Airi slumped her shoulders; Koi, too, was feeling comfortable as he felt the warmth,

"How is it comfortable, right?" Airi asked. Her voice was lower than she usually speaks, and her body was filled with comfort to her core. Seeing her like this, Koi gulped a bit, but he couldn't deny the truth.

"This is very comfortable."

The Lady smiled as she said, "this was the genius idea of Airi. I can't think of a better idea than this!!"

"I got it!! You guys have this room as a meeting place so people can be comfortable and put up their ideas freely! No pressure, right," said koi,

"Bingo!! This is exactly why this room is our meeting place. You sure are sharp," Airi said as she put her chin on the kotatsu,

The Lady suddenly turned the heat off as she said,

"Airi, don't fall asleep now… you still need to tak… show the boy his new residence," Koi noticed how the lady changed what she was going to say as Airi stared at her a bit, and Airi stood up, saying,

"Let's get going then!!" Airi knew that if she fell asleep, she wouldn't feel like waking up. This was one of her addictions she was self-aware of,

They were at the exit when Koi thought,

'This place really is confusing' he wasn't used to seeing the huge contrast in the same house, and back in his village, he had mostly seen traditional Japanese houses,

"I will see you two tomorrow then!! Take care, you two," the lady said as she waved her hands at them. She was the one who would lock up the office and turn off the light after they left.

Turning back, Koi bowed a bit and said,

"Thanks for showing me around, miss. May I know your name?" thanking people was one of Koi's strong points no matter what kind of help someone does. Koi's mom taught him to always thank the person,

"My, so polite, my name is Fumiko Fukumoto,"

"Thanks again, Miss Fukumoto. Your name suits you," Koi said as he and Airi stepped out. Walking in the night accompanied by Airi was a very thrilling experience for Koi. The closest to this he had ever come to was shopping with his little sisters back in the village.

As they were going away from the main town and towards the direction where the shrine was, Koi asked,

"Ito, how far is it?" to which Airi replied,

"Are you a kid!? Keep walking," and Koi nodded as he looked at the troubled expression on Airi's face.

'Is it really alright letting a guy live with me…. Well, it is already too late to go back on my words,' Airi thought as she had never even once had a male classmate over, and suddenly, she'll have one living in her house.

After walking a bit more, they came across a building that stood alone, surrounded by empty park-like plots. It was quite far from the main town but sufficiently near the school and also to the shrine Koi was living in.

'Wonder why it is so far,' Koi thought as he followed behind Airi, who seemed familiar with the place. They entered a lift. Airi pressed the 6th-floor button, and once again, Koi remembered how beautiful Airi looked as the light from the lift shone upon her black hair and red eyes making them shine,

"Is there a problem?" Airi asked, tilting her head.

"Too much light here," Koi reflexively replied, and both her and Airi's gazes met for 5 minutes as she said,

"If you are thinking about doing something inappropriate, I'll warn you I know karate and Judo… no one would know if a body were to disappear here… especially one not much people know," Airi stated; this so simply it sent a chill down Koi's spine as he shakes his hands exclaiming,

"No!! No!! It is just this light is too bright, nothing else!!"

"Then that's fine," Airi said as they exited the lift on the 6th floor. After passing many doors, they came across the room labeled room number 66, Mikan's residence. Airi took out a key from her pocket and opened the door when Koi suddenly asked, concerned.

"Miss Ito, isn't it too late at night? How do you plan to go back home?" Koi thought she had the key because the one he was supposed to live with was off somewhere and would be back later.

Seeing his cluelessness, Airi grinned as she said,

"This is my home,"

"Ehh? But you are Ito, right? Mikan's residence," Koi asked, confused. When Airi opened the door and moved inside as her hand held the doorknob, she said,

"Welcome to Mikan's residence; I am Airi Mikan, your flatmate. "

-To be continued