In the Apartment

Just in front of the restaurant was the high-way and near it the bus stop.

Renir was fascinated by the wonders of the modern world even though he was born into it.

The gazes from the restaurant disappeared and a new wave arrived as bypassing men were taking glimpses to the beauty beside Renir.

If looks have more power, Renir would've died and Imee would've been a queen.

But they ignored it, uncaringly as they sat down the bench.

Renir had not enough rest from eating so much, but thankfully, all they need to do was to sit and wait then sit again when the bus arrives.

'Modern is amazing!', Renir was being optimistic.

"Lucky us, here's the bus.", Imee cheerfully said as she stood up.

Buses take different routes and a sticker would be placed on the front each.

Renir knew he hasn't told Imee his address yet so he cautiously asked, "You know where's the apartment?"

Imee stared at Renir not with a smile nor a frown, just a stretched, pursed lips showing her dimples on both cheeks with her brows lifted. She stared as if she did not hear Renir but before he could repeat the question, she replied as she pointed her head;

"I have all the student's information in this big baby."

She ran up to the bus as soon as it opened its door before Renir could say anything.

Renir really couldn't defeat that girl so he didn't pursue the answer.

Imee sat by the window and Renir beside her. Coincidentally, the bus was loaded and they have to share seats as more people enter.

Renir moved and squished Imee on his right.

Imee's eyes left the scene outside and glared at Renir, which Renir pointed at the fat guy who sat beside him.

Imee had no choice but to tolerate it since both of them were being squished with no space left.

This was the first time they got so much body contact even back in 5th grade. With every turbulence, the back of their hand would touch.

Strangely, Imee only spoke when she paid the bus fee the whole ride.

Renir was uncomfortable with her being silent since she was a bit talkative in his impression of her.

When they arrived at their destination, Imee was still quiet and seemed to avoid his eyes for a few minutes.

Imee led the way to Renir's own apartment. They have to walk several minutes before they reach the apartment building inside the streets after a few turns.

Only when they reached the apartment building did Imee spoke, "I don't know which room."

"Hmm, okay...", Renir then overtook her without getting a glimpse of her face. But as they enter the apartment, they heard a high-pitched sound.

"You, demon child!!"

When the high-pitch shout echoed through the neighborhood, there was a phase where almost every household shut their windows and doors. Some of them even played background music.

Renir knew whose shout it came from. It was from the apartment building owner and manager, Old Lady Miyan (Mee-yan, not Myan), also known as the Demon Caller.

"So it is the demon child Renir!!", Old Lady Miyan came running at the both of them with a sweeper clutched on her hands as if a rifle.

She was a small old lady, almost half the size of Renir with an age of 72 but still has the vigor of an ape in their prime!

Old Lady Miyan has curly short hair with a lot of strands of white. Then on her wrinkled face was a pair of slits for eyes and an aquiline nose.

"You demons really dared not pay your rent then left your apartment for a week already!!", she shouted in high-pitched noises as she relentlessly hit Renir with her sweeper.

Renir, on the other hand, did not feel any pain since the hit wasn't hard enough, "Lady Miyan, calm down."

But on his side, Imee didn't careless and swiftly took the handle of the sweeper and domineeringly spoke, "Old lady, you shouldn't waste so much energy. It's bad for your old body.", she emphasized the words, "old" and looked the granny to her slit eyes.

"Ohhh, it looks like the demon child brought a demonic girlfriend.", Old Lady Miyan accepted the challenge of a glaring contest.

But as soon as Imee heard Old Lady Miyan, she lost as she turned soft.

Renir saw Old Lady Miyan's confused face from Imee's reaction and saw it as a chance to explain, "Lady Miyan, I don't know where Uncle Josh or Aunt Gina is. I was gone for two weeks straight and just arrived here."

The slit of an eye became more narrowed as Old Lady Miyan doubted Renir's words but Imee testified to support Renir's explanation.

"Yes, he was put in a coma and was confined in the Pentoran Medical Facility for two weeks. I even paid his medical fees since he has such useless guardians for leaving him."

"Hmm??", Old Lady Mikan's narrowed slits were even more narrowed to the point she almost can't see anything. She doubted more.

Seeing the old lady was in disbelief more than before, Imee opened her bag and said, "If you don't believe me then here's the docto-"

"No, you don't need to, demon girlfriend.", Old Lady Miyan interrupted her.

She then glared at Renir and said, "Just take your things and leave. I'll rent that room to someone else."

Renir's eyes widened and smiled, "Thank you, Lady Miyan!"

Imee looked at him, confused, wondering why he was thanking the old lady.

"But I don't have the keys...", Renir's smile became awkward as he scratched his head.

"Seriously?!", Old Lady Miyan's high-pitch shouts came back, "You don't even have a spare key?!"

Then a key was thrown to Renir.

Renir stared baffled and saw it was the apartment room's spare key!

"Thank you!", Renir thanked again.

"You can keep it. Your uncle has one spare to him too.", Old Lady Miyan turned her back, "I'll change the lock afterward so none of you demons can enter anymore."

As she left she muttered, and whispered:

"Damn demons, this is my living too."

"I'm not old but I want to rest. Why not give the pay yourself like a good demon? Why must trouble this young one?"

"What can I feed to my hungry cats..."

Old Lady Miyan left.

When she was finally out of sight, Imee looked at Renir and asked, "Why are you thanking her? She's kicking you out."

Renir just gave her a smile and led the way as he explained;

"My uncle was always paying rent late every time, but she still hasn't kicked us out. I am lucky that she still let me take my stuff there. In this case, what she should've done was to sell all the properties inside when we left. She was having a hard time collecting rent fees here since her son already left her with no one to take care of her. Old Lady Miyan was acting strongly to prove that she doesn't need any care. But actually, she's just an old lady who was still working for her own living. In my view, at least."

Imee then remembered the Old Lady Miyan's vigor and behavior, she felt a little guilty treating the old lady like that. If she didn't soften by Old Lady Miyan's words, she would've gone further.

"And why do think she has exactly a spare key for me? She expected me to come here and give it to me.", Renir then looked at her when they reached the third floor, "So you should always respect your elderlies."

Imee looked down, "Sorry..."

Renir saw Imee's submissive side and found it funny, "Don't apologize to me. Later, I'll come back to her to say thanks again."

Imee nodded and got her spirits back.

When they reached Uncle Josh's apartment. Renir found the door was locked and opened it.

As he pushed the door open, they met a dark corridor with doors on the wall. It led to the living room and the kitchen.

'So they are really not here...', Renir frowned, wondering where they went. He turned on the lights and saw the messy inside of the apartment. It looked like they were not accustomed to not having Renir cleaning the apartment for them.

Both of them took their shoes off and entered the apartment.

They saw nobody there.

Renir sighed and cleaned the apartment first while reminiscing about the past about the first time he was taken in, in hopes that he will change the household for the better.

This might be the last time he will ever be here, so before packing up, he cleaned most of the mess. But he did so hastily not to let Imee get bored.

But on the contrary, Imee didn't have the luxury to be bored since her heart was racing in her chest as she just sat down the couch.

Unlike in the hospital room, nurses and doctors can come in. But in that apartment, they were in total privacy. Imee was filled with thoughts. If Renir has mischievous thoughts about her, she got to be ready.

Meanwhile, Renir was filled with memories as he cleaned.

After a long quiet hour, Renir was sweating from the job and politely asked, "Imee, can you wait for me? I'll go take a shower since I haven't taken a shower since last night and now I'm covered in sweat."

Imee just nodded like an obedient child.