[38] Thresholds and Christenings

{A/N: Just finished the akane storyline climax and ill just say thats probably some of the most difficult things I had to write in a while. I'll probably have to write in some domestic fluff chapters in between them to not make the story so dark. Anyways, enjoy the chapter.}

June 9, 2025

I woke up early on moving day, the sun barely peeking through our old apartment's blinds. Marin was still asleep, her hair splayed across the pillow. I gently shook her awake.

"Mmmph... five more minutes," she mumbled, burying her face in the pillow.

"Come on, sleepyhead. Big day today," I said, running my fingers through her hair.

Marin's eyes fluttered open, a slow smile spreading across her face. "We're moving today!"

We got ready quickly, throwing on comfortable clothes for the day ahead. As we ate a quick breakfast of convenience store onigiri, I double-checked our moving checklist.

"Movers should be here in an hour," I said between bites. "You sure we didn't forget anything?"

Marin nodded, her mouth full of rice. She swallowed and said, "Triple-checked last night. All my cosplay stuff is packed and ready."

A honk from outside caught our attention. I peered out the window to see a sleek black Lexus pull up.

"That must be our driver," I said, grabbing our overnight bags. "Ready?"

Marin bounced on her toes, grinning. "Let's do this!"

We headed down to meet our driver, an older gentleman with salt-and-pepper hair and kind eyes. He introduced himself as Tanaka-san and helped us load our bags into the trunk.

"So, you're the young couple moving into Parkhouse Gran, eh?" Tanaka-san said as we settled into the plush leather seats. "Been driving folks around Tokyo for over 30 years, and that's one of the nicest buildings I've seen."

"We're pretty excited," Marin chirped from beside me. "Have you been inside before, Tanaka-san?"

He shook his head, easing the car into traffic. "Nah, just dropped folks off. But I hear the views are something else."

As we drove, Marin chattered excitedly about her plans for decorating our new place. I half-listened, my mind wandering to the apartment we were leaving behind. It wasn't much, but it was our first home together.

"You okay?" Marin asked, squeezing my hand. "You got quiet all of a sudden."

I smiled, pushing the nostalgia aside. "Yeah, just thinking about how far we've come."

She leaned her head on my shoulder. "We're moving up in the world, Akira. Literally!"

I chuckled, wrapping an arm around her. "27 floors up, to be exact."

The rest of the ride passed quickly, with Tanaka-san sharing stories about his years as a driver. Before I knew it, we were pulling up to our new building.

"Here we are, folks," Tanaka-san announced, parking smoothly in front of the gleaming tower. "Need any help with those bags?"

We assured him we could manage and thanked him for the ride. As we stepped out of the car, I craned my neck to look up at our new home. It was impressive, all glass and steel stretching towards the sky.

"Holy crap," Marin breathed beside me. "We're really doing this, huh?"

I nodded, a mix of excitement and nerves churning in my stomach. "Yep. Home sweet home."

We made our way inside, where a concierge greeted us warmly. "Hoshino-san and Kitagawa-san? Welcome to Parkhouse Gran. Your moving team arrived about ten minutes ago and are setting up now. Shall I show you to your apartment?"

We followed her to the elevator, our footsteps echoing in the marble lobby. As we ascended, Marin bounced on her toes, her excitement palpable.

The elevator dinged, doors sliding open to reveal our floor. The concierge led us down a carpeted hallway to a door marked 2704. She handed us our keys with a smile.

"Here you are. If you need anything at all, please don't hesitate to call the front desk. Enjoy your new home!"

I took a deep breath, inserting the key into the lock. "Ready?"

Marin nodded eagerly. "Open it already!"

I turned the key, pushing the door open to reveal our new apartment. The entryway opened up into a spacious living area, flooded with natural light from floor-to-ceiling windows. To our right, the kitchen gleamed with stainless steel appliances and sleek countertops.

Marin darted inside, spinning around to take it all in. "Akira, it's perfect!"

I stepped in after her, closing the door behind us. The movers looked up from where they were assembling our new couch, nodding in greeting.

"Where should we put this when it's done?" one of them asked.

I pointed to the far wall. "Over there would be great, thanks."

As the movers worked, Marin and I explored our new home. The master bedroom was huge, with an en-suite bathroom that made Marin squeal with delight.

"Look at this tub!" she exclaimed, running her hand along the edge of a deep soaking tub. "I'm never leaving this bathroom."

I chuckled, pulling her away. "Come on, there's more to see."

We found clever storage solutions throughout the apartment, perfect for Marin's extensive cosplay collection. But what really caught my eye was a small tatami room off the main living area.

"Oh wow," I breathed, stepping inside. The space was peaceful, a perfect contrast to the modern amenities in the rest of the apartment.

Marin appeared in the doorway. "This is so cool! We could use it as a meditation room or something."

I nodded, already imagining myself sitting here, finding a moment of calm amidst the chaos of our lives.

We spent the next few hours directing the movers and unpacking essentials. By late afternoon, the apartment was starting to look like home. Boxes were stacked in corners waiting to be unpacked, and our old futon was set up in the bedroom.

"You sure you don't want a new bed?" I asked Marin as we made up the futon with fresh sheets.

She shook her head firmly. "No way. This thing's got too many memories. Plus, it's comfy!"

As if to prove her point, she flopped down onto the futon, pulling me down with her. We lay there for a moment, staring up at the ceiling of our new bedroom.

"Can you believe this is ours?" Marin asked softly.

I turned my head to look at her, taking in her wide eyes and flushed cheeks. "Sometimes I can't believe any of this is real," I admitted. "The show, this apartment, you..."

Marin rolled onto her side, facing me. "Well, believe it, mister. This is our life now."

I leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to her lips. "I wouldn't want it any other way."

A knock at the door interrupted us. "Excuse me, Hoshino-san? We're finished with the moving. Is there anything else you need before we go?"

I reluctantly got up, helping Marin to her feet. "Nope, I think we're all set. Thank you for your hard work."

After tipping the movers and seeing them out, Marin and I stood in our now-quiet living room.

"So," marin said, looking around at the boxes still waiting to be unpacked. "What now?"

I pulled out my phone and opened the concierge app, scrolling through the food options. "Now, we eat. What are you in the mood for? This app has everything from sushi to pizza."

Marin peered over my shoulder, her eyes widening. "Ooh, they have that fancy ramen place! The one with the truffle oil?"

I nodded, tapping on the restaurant's menu. "Good call. Want to split a few dishes?"

As we debated between spicy miso and tonkotsu broth, Marin's phone chimed. She glanced at it, a grin spreading across her face.

"That was Ruby," she said, setting her phone down. "The idol group's coming along great. We've been practicing every day after school."

I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Yeah? How's everyone getting along?"

Marin flopped onto the couch, pulling her knees up to her chest. "It's been awesome! Ruby's so energetic, she keeps us all motivated. And Kana's like the big sister of the group."

"That's great," I said, joining her on the couch. "Did they decide on a name yet?"

Marin nodded, her eyes lighting up. "Yeah, actually. Ruby chose B-Komachi."

I froze, my finger hovering over the 'order' button on my phone. "B-Komachi? Isn't that..."

"Ai's old group," Marin finished, her voice soft. "Yeah. I was surprised too."

I set my phone down, turning to face her fully. "How do you feel about that? I know they were your favorites growing up."

Marin bit her lip, her gaze distant. "It's weird, you know? Part of me is super excited because I loved B-Komachi so much. But another part feels like... I don't know, like we're trying to replace them or something."

I reached out, taking her hand in mine. "You're not replacing anyone. You're carrying on their legacy, making it your own."

She squeezed my hand, offering a small smile. "Thanks, Akira. I guess I'm just nervous about living up to the name."

"You'll be amazing," I assured her. "All of you will."

Marin's phone chimed again. She checked it, her eyebrows rising. "Oh, speaking of the group. Miyako-san wants to know if you have some free time to do a live stream with us. She thinks it'll help bring attention to the group."

I blinked, surprised. "Me? I mean, I'd love to help, but I'm not exactly an idol."

Marin rolled her eyes playfully. "Please, Mr. Rising Star. You're practically famous now. Plus, you've got that whole mysterious actor thing going on. The fans will love it."

I chuckled, shaking my head. "Alright, alright. Tell her I'm in. When's the stream?"

"Next Friday," Marin said, typing out a response. "We'll probably just do some Q&A after we sing a bit. Nothing too intense."

I nodded, picking up my phone again. "Sounds good. Now, about this ramen..."

We finally placed our order, opting for a mix of traditional and modern dishes.

Eventually, a notification popped up on my phone. "Food's here," I announced, standing up. "I'll go grab it from the lobby."

When I returned with our feast, Marin had cleared off the coffee table and set out plates and chopsticks. We dug in, savoring the rich flavors of the ramen and the crispy gyoza we'd ordered as a side.

Between bites, Marin continued filling me in on the group's activities. "Oh, and we're working on costume designs too. I've been helping with that, obviously."

"Let me guess, lots of frills and sparkles?"

She stuck her tongue out at me. "Hey, idol outfits are supposed to be flashy! But actually, we're going for more of a sleek, modern look. Think less cutesy pop star, more edgy girl group."

"Sounds cool," I said, slurping up some noodles. "I can't wait to see it all come together."

Marin nodded enthusiastically, then paused, her expression turning thoughtful. "You know, it's kind of surreal. A few months ago, I was just a cosplay nerd with big dreams. Now I'm in an actual idol group, living in this amazing apartment with my actor boyfriend. Sometimes I wonder if I'm going to wake up and find out it was all a dream."

I reached across the table, taking her hand. "Trust me, I know the feeling. But this is real, Marin. We've worked hard to get here."

She squeezed my hand, her smile soft. "Yeah, we have. I just hope we can keep this momentum going, you know? For the group, for your career, for us."

I nodded, understanding her concerns. "We will. One day at a time, right?"

"Right," she agreed, then grinned mischievously. "Starting with absolutely crushing this live stream next week."

I laughed, raising my glass of water in a mock toast. "To B-Komachi 2.0. May they take the idol world by storm."

Marin clinked her glass against mine, giggling. "And to Akira Hoshino, soon-to-be honorary idol."

I set down my chopsticks, leaning back with a contented sigh. The empty ramen bowls and scattered gyoza wrappers on the coffee table were a testament to our feast.

"That was incredible," I said, patting my stomach. "We might need to make this place our regular spot."

Marin nodded enthusiastically, her cheeks still flushed from the spicy broth. "Definitely. Though maybe not too often, or we'll go broke."

I chuckled, reaching for my wallet. "Speaking of which, I should leave a tip for the delivery guy."

As I fiddled with the app on my phone, I felt Marin's eyes on me. I glanced up to find her watching me with an intensity that made my pulse quicken. There was a glint in her eye that I recognized all too well.

"What?" I asked, trying to keep my voice casual.

Marin bit her lip. "Oh, nothing. I was just thinking..."

I set my phone down, raising an eyebrow. "Thinking what?"

She stood up slowly, stretching her arms above her head. Her shirt rode up slightly, revealing a sliver of skin that drew my gaze like a magnet.

"Well," she said, her voice low and playful, "we haven't properly christened the new apartment yet, have we?"

"I suppose we haven't."

Marin took a step towards me, her eyes never leaving mine. "Want to fix that?"

I stood up, closing the distance between us in two quick strides. My hands found her waist, pulling her close. "I thought you'd never ask."

Marin's arms wound around my neck as she pressed herself against me. "Race you to the bedroom?"

I grinned, already backing us towards the hallway. "Why wait?"

Our lips met in a heated kiss as we stumbled through the apartment, bumping into half-unpacked boxes and newly arranged furniture. Marin's fingers tangled in my hair as I lifted her onto the kitchen counter, scattering a pile of takeout menus.

"Oops," Marin giggled against my mouth. "Maybe we should be more careful with our new place."

I pulled back slightly, taking in her flushed cheeks and bright eyes. "You're right. We should treat it with respect."

Marin nodded solemnly, then burst into laughter. "Screw that. I want to do it in every room."

I couldn't help but laugh with her. "Every room, huh? That might take a while."

She hopped down from the counter, grabbing my hand and tugging me towards the living room. "Better get started then."

We spent the next few hours exploring our new home in the most enjoyable way possible. The plush carpet of the living room. The cool tile of the bathroom. The peaceful quiet of the tatami room.

Finally, we collapsed onto our futon, breathless and giddy. Marin curled into my side, her hair tickling my chin.

"Well," she said, tracing patterns on my chest with her finger, "I'd say we've properly christened the place."

I pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "Agreed. Though we might need to do some touch-ups later, just to be thorough."

Marin snorted, playfully swatting at my arm. "You're insatiable."

"Only for you," I said, pulling her closer.